In the home stretch now!

What a crazy week! We did a TON of running (well... driving) around for various Christmas celebrations and I’m officially exhausted! Last Friday I went solo (Dan had to work) to a Christmas potluck that some friends of ours hosted. I honestly cannot remember what I did on Saturday, but I’m sure it was busy lol. Sunday we went to Georgetown for another Christmas dinner with 2 other families that we do every year. Monday (Christmas Eve) was spent with Dan’s side, and Christmas day, with my side in Georgetown. On Boxing Day, I went out for breakfast with my two best friends and then relaxed the rest of the day. Thursday we did some shopping for the last few baby items on our list and then I had my weekly OB appointment. Dan worked yesterday and I did MORE shopping (this time for myself!) and we took down the Christmas decorations. Today we ran some more errands and bought and installed a new toilet for the powder room and new track lighting for the family room. I think I need to crawl into bed and hibernate until I go into labour! LOL. 

Christmastime is so exhausting, but this year it was truly amazing! I’m so thankful that I get to spend this time of year with my family and closest friends, exchange gifts, eat delicious food (and gain 5 pounds in 2 weeks! EEEKKK), and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. I can’t wait to celebrate Christmas next year with our almost 1 year old son! So crazy!

I had every intention of documenting this years Christmas festivities by taking hundreds of photos, but I hardly took any! I guess I was just enjoying myself too much to remember to take some photos... very unlike me! Anyways, here's a photo of my parents tree on Christmas morning (before the opening began). A little excessive, right?! Next year, I will obviously make up for the lack of photos this year!

Alright, so in terms of pregnancy updates - we’re 38 weeks pregnant today! Baby boy will be in my arms in 2 weeks (and not a day later! Noooo way!) It’s still totally surreal to me that I’m going to have a baby in a few short weeks, and be a mom for the rest of my life! I’m so excited and nervous and anxious at the same time!

I’m feeling very prepared physically, having completed everything on my “To-Do” list (posted here back in October). Feeling mentally prepared is a different story, entirely. I’m so unsure of what to expect when contractions begin, during labour and delivery, immediately after he’s born, and of course when it comes to being a mom and the new responsibilities it entails! I suppose these feelings are completely normal for new parents, but it still doesn’t make it any less nerve-wracking! I know I’ve done everything I could have to prepare myself, so I’ll just have to trust that that’ll be enough (and that my motherly instinct will kick in when it needs to!)

I’ll leave you with a ‘Bump Photo’ for comparison (I seriously didn’t think it could get any bigger than it was in my 36 week pic, but alas, it has grown (and dropped!). I blame it on the delicious Christmas food!)

 

... And my “Outfit of the Week” - what I wore today. Gotta love a casual Saturday!

 Sweater: Old Navy

Jeans: Seraphine

T-shirt: ?

Scarf: Winners

Purse: H&M

Boots: Sorel (Tivoli suede)

I won’t be posting again until 2013, so I hope everyone has a fun and safe New Years!

Cheers to a great year, and an even better one to come!

Nursery Tour!

We'll be 37 weeks tomorrow and THE NURSERY IS OFFICIALLY DONE! I'm so excited that his room is complete (even though he'll be sleeping in a bassinet in our room for the first few months anyways). Having his room finished before his arrival was very important to me, for whatever reason!

We'll start the tour from the hallway. I'll go right to left around the room and share all the details as I go... Enjoy!

OH - I should mention... I covered his "Name Art" with my signature, since we're keeping his name a secret until he's born! Sorry! :P

View from the hallway

The Toronto Maple Leafs stick is a "Daddy Touch", clearly.

I bought the teal curtains for the closet door at Bouclair, but they weren't long enough so I picked up the polka dot and orange fabrics and my super talented mother-in-law added the stripes! I think they look SOOO much better!

Love these customized curtains!

Quite the wardrobe you've got there, little one!

Amazing custom wall art by my friend Chantal at UrbanFizz! LOVE IT!

Custom crib bedding by Modified Tot (on Etsy)

We got the crib and change table for FREE at Sears (from a gift card we received in the summer after having our furnace and AC replaced).... SCORE!

There are diapers in the turquoise baskets and wipes, rash cream, etc. in the orange one. Purchased at Bouclair.

I bought the sock elephant in the summer (his first "toy" purchase) and the stain glass picture is from my grandma (his great-grandma!) who lives in New Brunswick.

Lots and lots of receiving blankets!

Above the shelving unit is an adorable custom bunting, also made by Chantal at UrbanFizz. She's so talented!

Mini lamp and porcelain elephants purchased at Bouclair.

Dan's aunt in Edmonton got us this frame - I can't wait to put his newborn photo in it! (... and Hello there Sophie!)

Part of his book collection... I've got another 2 huge bins full, in the basement. That's what happens when mommy is a teacher!

Giraffe sound machine from his aunties Brandy and Angela. I'm sure this will come in handy!

Expedit shelving unit and baskets, from Ikea. Lots of storage!

And that's it! I'm so happy with how the nursery turned out, and I can't wait to finally have our little man sleeping in there!

Less than a month to go!

Another week has flown by and we’re officially less than a month from our due date (28 days to be exact!). Next weekend I’ll be 37 weeks (considered full-term), which means baby boy could come at any time! Am I ready? HECK YES! (Well, there are a few things I still need to buy, but they can wait - I’ve got all the necessities!)

In other news, Dan and I both got sick this week - sore throat, congestion, cough - us and the rest of the world, it seems. I taught a bunch (it was my last week!), did some Christmas baking with my mother-in-law and sis-in-law, and finished my Christmas shopping (and wrapping!). This afternoon is Family Christmas #1 with my dad’s side of the family - and the holiday rush officially begins! OH YA - we also got a new vehicle! Check out my “Mommy Wheels” :) 

Here’s an updated bump photo to compare to the others. This last month is going to show some significant growth, I think! 

... and a frontal version - ha ha ha - it actually looks like I swallowed a watermelon!

  

I figured it’s time for another “Pregnancy Journal” entry considering I haven’t done one since 31 weeks!

  Pregnancy Journal for Week: 36

Size of Baby: Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds and is more than 18 1/2 inches long (let’s be honest... ours is probably already 20”!)

What's baby up to?: He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected his skin during his nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of his first bowel movement.

Total weight gain/loss: +27 lbs

Pregnancy symptoms: Fatigue, backaches, occasional heartburn, frequent urination (like... way more... so annoying!), pelvic pressure/pain (combined with easier breathing, I think that means he’s “dropped!”) One thing that seems to have gone away are Braxton Hicks contractions... or maybe I just haven’t been feeling them like I was before?

Maternity clothes?: Yep, mostly everything. Even some of my maternity jeans are starting to feel uncomfortable like they’re digging in to the bottom of my belly. I’m pretty much living in leggings!

Stretch marks?: Nothing  - fingers crossed it stays that way!

Sleep: about 9 hrs during the night, with the occasional afternoon nap.

Best moment this past week: Since I didn’t have an ultrasound or OB appointment or do anything “baby related” this week, I’d have to say that baking with Dan’s mom and sister was the best moment! We made a ton of delicious Christmas goodies, and I had a blast doing it :)

Miss Anything?: Not really! I’m surprised I don’t miss my morning coffee more, but tea has really grown on me!  (I switched when I found out I was pregnant, since it’s got less caffeine).

Movement: Still lots of movement! It feels different though. Less “kick-like” and more like he’s trying to roll around in there. His movements are usually very obvious from the outside and I can see my belly bulge out to one side! So strange.

Food Cravings: My sweet tooth is back! Dark chocolate, clementines/oranges, milk!

Exercise: Lots of walking (...more like waddling).

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Nope.

Gender predictions: It’s a boy!

Labor signs: The past couple of weeks, I’ve been feeling constant pelvic pressure, which I think means that “lightening” has occurred (ie. he’s dropped and ready to rumble!)

Belly Button in or out: Mostly out.

Wedding rings on or off: On! (I haven’t experienced any swelling at all...)

Happy or Moody: Happy! ... although more easily irritated than usual.

Looking forward to: MEETING OUR BABY BOY! I just cant wait to see what he looks like, hear him cry, kiss him, and bring him home! It’s been such a long 9 months and Dan and I are ready to welcome the most precious addition to our family.

 ______________________________________

Lastly, my Outfit of the Week. This is what I'm wearing for our family Christmas get-together this afternoon, at my aunt and uncles. We're leaving now! 

Top: Smart Set

Sweater: H&M

Pants: Dish

Boots: Aldo

Necklace: Suzy Shier

Such a relief...

Another week bites the dust and my countdown is fast approaching the one month mark - only 4 days left and I’ll be ONE MONTH from my due date!!!! OH MY! 

Here’s a run-down of my week... 

It started out on Sunday with a hangout in Guelph with my lovely best friends who I don’t get to see often enough at all! We lunched at Atmosphere Cafe (so so good - definitely worth a visit it you haven't been before!) and caught up on girly talk then did a little bit of shopping. A marvelous start to the week! 

On Monday, I had my 4th ultrasound, which was mainly to check on whether the partial placental abruption previously discovered had improved, stayed the same or worsened. Of course, the ultrasound tech was unable to tell me anything, since there are rules now about how much diagnostic info they can divulge, so I had to wait until my OB appointment on Wednesday to hear. I did get to see the little man’s chubby face though, check it out! I think he looks like my brother :)

On Tuesday, I supply taught for a friend of mine who was sick, in her grade 2 class. There were some crazy boys in that class - so much energy! Teaching really makes me think a lot about the kind of personality our little guy will have. Will he be laid back and more introverted like his dad, or a weirdo hyper child, like I was? I hope he’s a good balance of both! 

On Wednesday, I had my 34 week OB appointment, which I was EXTREMELY anxious about, since I would be getting my ultrasound results. Turns out, my month of worry was for nothing!!! She told me the previous placental abruption was not seen on my latest ultrasound! HOORAY! It was such a relief to hear that my pregnancy is completely normal and healthy and on track. First it was the low-lying placenta found at 20 weeks, then the partial placental abruption found at 30 weeks, now there’s is NOTHING wrong! I can just wait for natural labour to begin and if everything goes as planned, deliver vaginally (LOL that reminds me of a lovely quote this week - “Dev, I really want you to delivery vaginally” - ha ha ha, this statement came out of my friend Chantal’s mouth last weekend, and if you know her, you’ll understand how funny it must have been to hear her say!). Anyyyyyyways, another Biophysical Profile assessment was done, and little man scored 8/8 again - rockstar! He was also estimated to weigh 5lb 2oz, which is awesome and right on track! He’s still head down and “presenting”, which is good - don’t flip little one! 

I taught kindergarten on Thursday which is always completely exhausting, but this was such a good class and they were really “mature” for 4 and 5 year olds! I also got all our newborn and 0-3 month clothes washed, as well as blankets, receiving blankets, bedding, towels and washcloths! All clean and neatly put away in his cute little room! OH, and here’s a “sneak peek” of his nursery - once the curtains and valance are done, I’ll post photos of the entire room! 

Yesterday (Friday), was Dan’s “Badge Ceremony” which is the official swearing in of the new police recruits in our region. There were 15 of them who received their badges yesterday, after a year long recruitment process, followed by 3 months of Police College and additional training at Regional Headquarters. I’m so proud of my husband for working so hard, making sacrifices, and for truly finding his passion! He’ll start “on the road” in a week and a half with a coach officer who will be training him for the next few months, then he’ll be on his own... you know, arresting bad guys and saving the world! LOL. 

Today, I cleaned the house since we’re having friends over for dinner and everyone knows that’s the only time my house gets cleaned (...don’t tell me I’m the only one!?!) After dinner, we’re all going to a Christmas concert at Dan’s parents church. We go every year and it’s always an amazing show! There’s a full orchestra and choir and it really gets me in the Christmas spirit! 

Here’s this evenings outfit - my ‘Outfit of the Week’ for week 35! (Sorry the photos are so awful... we’re running behind schedule and our guests will be here any minute!)

Dress: Seraphine Maternity

Purse: Jessica Simpson (Winners)

Boots: Aldo

Scarf: No idea... the Bay?

That’s all, until next week! Enjoy your weekend! 

Now I can say "I'm due NEXT MONTH!"

This week started out with our prenatal class on Sunday. It was instructed by a perinatal nurse at the hospital we’ll be delivering at, and there were 2 other couples there in addition to us. The instructor was very knowledgable, to the point, and helpful, and both Dan and I are glad we went! We covered topics about late pregnancy, all the stages of labour and delivery and newborn care. There was a DVD with some helpful info (and a few graphic scenes lol) and we got a magazine/book type thing with everything that was covered. We had to “breastfeed” dolls with crocheted boobs (the guys too!), which was hilarious, we also went over diaper changing and bathing, and a few other newborn things. For those of you who live in our area and are expecting, let me know if you want any information about the classes, and I can send you all the details.

The following evening, on Monday, two of Dan’s aunts (with the help of his mom and sister), threw me a really nice little baby shower. It was great to see some faces I hadn’t seen in a while, eat some delicious treats, and receive some beautiful gifts for baby boy! We got some adorable outfits, a BabyBjorn carrier, some nursing necessities, toys and stuffed animals, and various practical items. Dan’s sister Becky went above and beyond with her gift - I absolutely love it. She MADE a custom onesie for each month of his first year of life, for a photo shoot to show how much he grows! Such a thoughtful present from his favorite auntie! 

And here are a few photos from the shower :)

Wednesday night, I went to a dinner banquet with Dan at Police College, to celebrate his graduation. The food was delicious, and I got to meet some of his new friends! On Thursday, I went back with his parents and siblings to watch his actual graduation ceremony called “march past”. I’m so proud of my hubby - It was a long and difficult three months, but he did an amazing job and I know he’ll make a wonderful police officer. 

Today, we decorated for Christmas! I always try to get all my decorating done at the very beginning of December, since it takes so long to do, and they really don’t stay up that long! I think it turned out pretty nice. It’s crazy to think that this is our last Christmas with just the two of us (and Lucy of course). Next year is going to be verrryyy different! Here are a few pics of our decor.

After such a busy week, I totally forgot to do an Outfit of the Week post. Whoops! I did take an updated belly shot, though, to add to my comparison strip thing. Here it is - I feel so huge at 34 weeks! 

That’s all, until next week. Happy December everyone! 

Mad nesting...

Nesting: “an uncontrollable urge to clean one’s house, brought on by a desire to prepare a nest for the new baby, to tie up loose ends of old projects and to organize your world.”

                                                                                                                                       - Parenting Weekly

It has begun. So far today, (and its not even suppertime yet), I’ve rearranged the art on my walls (why this was necessary, I don’t know, there are surely more meaningful things I could be doing with all of this energy!), wiped down and sanitized every surface in my kitchen and bathroom, cleaned out my closet, organized the spare room, filed a bajillion bills, receipts and various paperwork, rearranged the books on my bookshelf (again - WHY?), did 2 loads of laundry and the dishes. I still plan on vacuuming and cleaning the floors, windows and coffee/side tables in the family room, cooking dinner and going to my husbands hockey game. And then I will sleep. Sleep until it goes out of style. 

This past week was not so productive. I taught all day Monday and a half day Tuesday, and then I got an awful flu/stomach bug which had me in bed (and hovered over the toilet) all day Wednesday, and part of Thursday. I had my OB appointment Thursday afternoon, by which time I was thankfully feeling better. Everything was fine - My blood pressure was a bit low (which it has been since I got pregnant, so nothing new there), my weight was only up a 1/2 lb (probably would have been higher had I not puked the entire day before) and my fundal measurement was spot on for 32 weeks. I was given a requisition for another ultrasound which will be on Dec 3rd, to check on the placental abruption. I asked my OB what would happen if it looked worse, and she said they would consider bed rest or early induction, so fingers crossed it’s gotten better, rather than worse. As much as I’d like to meet this little guy soon, I think he needs another few weeks of cooking! On Friday, I taught another half day and then Dan came home for the weekend, we had dinner and did some major vegging (the opposite of nesting - go figure!)

Tomorrow, we have our prenatal course from 9 a.m - 3 p.m, which I’m really looking forward to, and will report on next week!

Here is my outfit for today. Over night, we got our first dusting of snow! Lucy was VERY excited so we strapped on her boots and winter coat, and took her for a walk. Add that to my list of accomplishments for the day, LOL... And who says you can't wear red lipstick to walk the dog!?

Hat, Mitts & Scarf: Roxy

Coat: Guess

Top: Aritzia

Jeans: Seraphine Maternity

Boots: Joe Fresh

...and Lucy's coat is from Roots and her boots are from PetSmart :)

Thanks for reading and enjoy the rest of your weekend! (and if you got some of the “white stuff” like us, enjoy the snow!)

PHOTO BOMB!

One of my best friends since childhood, Jacqueline, took our maternity photos this past weekend! Here's a collection of some of my faves :)

*click to enlarge*

And I also used photos from our shoot for my Outfit of the Week for week 32!

Dress: Seraphine Maternity

Jacket: Costa Blanca

Scarf and Tights: not sure! 

Belt: Joe Fresh

Shoes: Primark

(and in case you were curious - Dan's shirt is from Galleries LaFayette (by Marco Serussi), jeans from Banana Republic, and jacket from Primark)

Scary stuff...

Last Wednesday, I had an ultrasound to check on the position of the placenta. On Thursday, I had my 30 week doctors appointment, to get the results. I was so relieved when my OB told me my placenta had moved up and away from the cervical opening!  After getting all excited, though, she proceeded to tell me I have an “Anechoic avascular area (4.9 x 2.0 x 5.1cm) along the inferior placental edge, which may be an area of focal abruption". Ok, so she didn’t actually say that, but that’s what the report says!

Here’s what it means in English for us “lay” people...

There’s an area (4.9 x 2.0 x 5.1cm) with no blood vessels/circulation, along the edge of the placenta. The placenta has partially separated from the uterine wall.

Sounds bad, right?! 

Well, I STUPIDLY got home and started googling away and I found out that “placental abruption”, as its called, happens because of trauma to the abdomen, smoking, cocaine use, blood clotting disorders, diabetes, high-blood pressure, being of “advanced maternal age”, or having a large number of past deliveries. Do I check any of these boxes? NOOOO! 

I also haven’t had ANY symptoms that would normally be markers of a placental abruption, so I'm taking that as a good sign. My OB told me not to worry, that often times these things can heal themselves. As a precaution, she’s scheduled another ultrasound at 34 weeks (so in about 2 weeks from now). She told me I need to report any cramping, abdominal pain or bleeding to her immediately, or go to Emerg (which I would anyways!). Placental abruption happens in about 1% of pregnancies, and as long as it doesn’t become severe, shouldn’t cause any harm to the baby or myself. (I really don’t want to think/type/talk about what would happen if it DOES become severe, so I’ll leave it at that). 

TIME FOR THE GOOD NEWS! My “condition” doesn’t seem to be effecting the little man’s growth or well-being in any way. He measured perfectly in all his percentiles (between 40 and 65 percent), and scored an 8/8 on his Biophysical Profile, during the ultrasound. That means his posture and muscle tone are great, he showed 3 or more distinct movements within 30 minutes (not surprised at all on that one!), he showed off his “practice breathing” for at least 30 seconds (it was so cute seeing him open and close his mouth), and there is the right amount of amniotic fluid surrounding him. Hooray! The ultrasound also put his weight estimate at 3lb 6oz for 30 weeks - right where it should be (and his huge head is already 12” in circumference!) My OB said he’ll put on about 1/2 a pound a week from now until 37 weeks, after which his gain will slow down a bit until he’s born. That means by 37 weeks, he should weigh almost 7 lbs). 

Check out my teeth!

Anyways, we need to continue with the “Go Placenta Go” cheers, and obviously thoughts and prayers are always appreciated. The placental abruption is pretty worrisome for me (and I ALWAYS worry more than I should), but I’m taking good care of myself and trying to “take ‘er easy”. Hopefully, it will heal itself, and the remainder of my pregnancy will be trouble-free! 

In other news, this past weekend, one of my best friends, Jacqueline, took maternity photos of Dan and I! (... there I go again with the excessive comma use, somebody help me!). We were lucky enough to have BEAUTIFUL weather, and we had so much fun getting our photos done together (The first time since our wedding nearly 3 years ago!) I hope to have a few to post within the next few days, which means Dan will finally be making his long-awaited (lol maybe not!?) blog appearance! 

I think that’s all for now. Hope everyone is having a great week :)