kermits shock.

my sister sent me this e-mail, and when i seen this little cartoon, i laughed so hard, tears were forming... obviously hilarious! hope this makes you laugh like it made me cry...lol.. :)

light in the closet.

for a couple weeks now adam and i have been having a little trouble with the light in our walk-in closet. it would only turn on, sometimes... strange. adam suggests it's the wiring... i agree. then we decide that were going to make all our normal switches into the light touch ones. as were going to change the one in the closet... after shutting off that breaker... (safety first!!) adam tightens the wires. we think we've got it. after the switch was on the wall securly... he turned the breaker back on, guess what, it still only turned on sometimes... he was getting frustrated. finally after taking a little break from changing some of the other switches to the light touch ones... he decides to check the light bulb... it's just starting to burn out. go figure. you'd think that would be the first thing that we would have checked... but no, not us... we like to do things a little different around here... obviously!

all in a nights work.

well... im officially the night walker. when emmit cries, i wake up just enough to roll myself out of bed, walk across my room, down the short hall to his room. pick him up, change him, then sit in my rocker, and feed him. usually falling back asleep once he has a good latch... i usually wake up because my head has fallen. or if my head is all the way back... i tend to let out a little snore, and again wake myself back up. about half an hour passes, i bring emmit up to my shoulder for a burp, and put him back in his crib... safely. walk back down the short hall, across my room, and roll back into bed, falling back asleep HARD... sometimes snoring and waking adam up. i sleep hard until the next time that emmit lets out a faint little cry, that most would sleep through. darn mom ears hear everything!

my challenge

lately... as in the past week, since emmit was born, i am overwhelmed with a challenge... dividing my attention.

it seems that lately every time i talk to brooke it's more like yelling, or telling her she can't do something, giving her trouble. she's not a bad little girl by any means, but i think most of my challenge is trying to make her understand that she can't have all the attention, but now has to share it with her little brother. adam and i are trying so hard, we are now understanding no matter what we do, this is a big change not only in our lives, but little brooke's as well, and changes like these take time.

although brooke is being a pain in the butt, she's still my little girl, i love her, and always will. she's an excellent big sister already... i can tell. well until emmit can defend himself, and then the fight might be on. i keep her involved as much as i can when emmit is awake. she loves to hold him, while were holding her. lol. and she loves to pet his head, and give him kisses. like i said, she's an excellent big sister already.

i still feel guilty sometimes because i can't spend all my time with brooke, i just have to remember, things like this, changes like these... take time, and patience. :)

emmit's birth story.

on monday september 10th, adam and i drove to the grey nuns hospital, to be induced. it was one of the most uncomfotable things i've ever done... trust me! we were induced by 9 o'clock. we waited at the hospital until 12:30 and then we were released to go home... i was already having contractions by this time. we just went to my mom and dads place, it was closer. we relaxed and watched a movie, spent some time with brooke. i was starrting to get strong contractions by 3 o'clock, so i started to time them, how far apart, and how long they were lasting... about 4 o'clock adam asked how i was doing... contractions, strong, 30-45 seconds long, 3-4 minutes apart. adam doesn't think they are long enough, or close enough together... right after he tells me this... my water breaks. just a little gush the first time. i get all cleaned up and put dry pants on... sit on the couch, have another contraction... and off to the bathroom i ran... this time, HUGE gush. gross. i spent an hour just hanging out in the bathroom... by this time, we had called the hospital to let them know what was going on.... 3 times. the 4th time we called they told us to come in. they told me i was most likely only 1-2 cm dilated. we get to the grey nuns, i've now soaked thru 2 towels, and my sweats down to the knees. i know. gross. they take me up, put me in a delivery room, checked me, surprise... im 5 cm dilated. i get my epidural right away... my blood pressure drops, the nurse fixes everything. im okay. i can relax now. they put me on the drip? it's not working, im no longer dilating, and babys heart rate is fluxuating too much. the nurses take precaution and do some blood work and make sure if need be, im prepared for an emergency c-section. oh no. time goes by... they check me at 10:15 pm, im fully dilated, much to their surprise, they actually switched me to a different stronger drip to help my cervix in the dilation process. im ready to push... good thing, because i didn't want a c-section. i push for about 15 minutes max, and little emmit gustav is born at 11:09pm. the reason his heart rate was fluxuating so much was because his umbillical cord was wrapped around his neck. adam cut the cord, and i don't want to forget to say... adam was super awesome, i love him so much, he was there for me every second. except for right after they gave me my epidural and everything was okay... we went down and got a really yummy smelling hamburger... and as he's eating that, all i can have is ice chips... i wanted a bite so bad!! lol. anyways, there is emmits birth story... in a nut shell. he was born at 11:09pm and my doctor discharged us at 9 o'clock the next morning. and more specifics... he was 8.6 pounds, and was 21 inches long. exact to brooke, but brooke was 8.7 pounds... perfect size. adam is tickled pink that he has a son. im feeling better, and not so tired, i still love my naps, and snacking. everyone is healthy. :) and right now... thats all that matters.

baby - soon, brooke, and feet.

well... my doctors appointment went well on wednesday, everyone and their dog is healthy. i didn't gain any weight from last week to this week, so it's looking like baby hardly has any where to go... or grow. gaining only ounces. which is completely fine by me. 14 pounds is huge to be giving birth to... and no, baby is not that big, but if i continue to hold this baby in any longer... baby might just get to be 14 pounds. if i don't have baby on my own by sunday night... adam and i have an appointment at the hospital, 8 in the morning, monday... to be induced! YES!!! although im not really sure how excited i am about being induced... the process sounds... well... ridiculous! i go in... they insert a gel type strip of tape... i sit there at the hospital for a couple hours, and if nothing is happening... they send me home! i obviously check in every couple hours, but if nothing happens, i go in tuesday, do the sam thing over again... OR... it could work fast! so my doctor suggests that we don't go back to our spruce grove home, and were better off staying in the ciry. who wants to do lunch? lol. so all of us, that have been waiting so patiently... next week... for sure... I PROMISE... i will have a baby! lol. anyways, now for some pictures. :)

i love those rubber boots on her, they seem to suit everything she wears. my little farmer!watching cartoons... after stripping off all her clothing... i just think little kids like to be naked? i wish i could be naked... all the time. sure save money on clothing, and just to feel that free... would be prefect!
adam has been wrapping my feet like this for a couple days now... because of my pregnancy, wearing flip flops, and being a heavy walker have made my heels crack. he's been helping me care for them because to be quite honest... i can't reach them. lol... i know, laugh it up! so i soak them, he pumises them, puts a medicated cream on them, then wraps them like this... and i wear them to bed like this. you know, i don't always like adam, but i sure do LOVE him! :)

here's the deal

the doctors appointment yesterday wasn't anything special. both baby and i are healthy, well besides my cold. urgh! im not dilating, darn it. seems how september 1st is the due date... this is the deal. im hoping that saturday is the day. im ready, i've been ready since... the middle of august. i know, i know... be patient. i am. i have another doctors appointment booked on the 5th. if i haven't had baby by then... the doctor and i are discussing when i will be going in to get induced. and i'll be having this baby no later then the 8th of september. and just a little piece of information... if i do have baby on the 8th... thats mom and dads anniversary... a.k.a garbage day. (i think my dad calls it that to bug my mom, and it's just stuck as 'garbage day')

anyways... thats the deal.

40 weeks.. get out!

well according to my ultra sound measurements, well not mine, babys... today is 40 weeks. that should mean... "BABY GET THE HECK OUT!!" but no. still no baby. maybe i'll just go back to my original date of september 1st, this way here i won't be over due. lol. im sure it won't be much longer till i can actually hand off a baby for someone else to hold... i say this because my feet, ankles, and lets not forget about my calves... are retaining water. just as they did a few days before brooke was born. last night... goodness.... my right calf, and ankle, and foot... were all one. what do they call them... cankles. yep... thats what i had. lol. i was on my feet all day so.. what do you expect. you can actually push down on the top of my foot, and dent it. hilarious... maybe to you! people also say that you get a burst of energy a couple days before you give birth... not sure if this is true, but i cleaned my house from top to bottom yesterday... and when brooke napped... i didn't. strange. all this little "mean nothing" signs are pointing to a promising delivery this weekend. fingers crossed...

dad's socks

i had asked brooke to go and get some socks on, because it's cold in our basement on her little toes... here is what she put on...
she has a pair of adam's socks on... sorry i apologize for the red eye... my camera tends to do that when the battery is really... well.. almost dead. what a silly girl she is! she makes me laugh on a daily basis.. i hope that never changes!

a series of events

first off... yesterday, my friend maegan came over with her little baby girl, sadie. i've known maegan since i was, well... 4, and she was 5, we met in kindergarden. brooke and her little 2 month old, were SO cute... brooke was so gentle, and curious about her. i think brooke is going to be a fantastic big sister.next... doctor appointment today. went well, still no baby, but we're both healthy. he checked if i was dialating... im not... stupid stubborn cervix is still closed... which really doesn't mean it's going to be another week... because i could go into labour anytime...

this morning.... before i left, i got thirsty, this is how full adam left the juice jug... not even a mouth full... is this a typical man thing? the least he could have done was put the juice jug into the sink... maybe thats too much to ask?

and... to finish things off. brooke got a package in the mail today, from her papa, my dad. he sent it from way up north... yellowknife to be exact.

and this is just another picture of my big baby... trying out all babys things... i think just to make sure they are is perfect working order!!

and just an extra little treat... for everyone reading... my girl!!

well... week 38 starts

baby is clinically mature, and ready to be born... oh i don't know.. 4 days ago. lol. or anyday soon would be fine as well. all body systems have developed. babys intestines have been accumulating waste material, a greenish-black substance called meconium... which reminds me of tar... baby may pass before of after birth. babys head and abdomen have about the same circumference.... not happy about that. lol.
the placenta starts aging now, as its role of sustaining baby comes to an end. it becomes less efficient at transfering nutrients, and blood clots and calcified patches start to show... gross.

i don't know how many times i need to say this... but anytime child... anytime!

whats in a name?

sigh... as the days go by, the closer i get... obviously, to having a new child enter my life. i've come to realize that i have NO names picked out. male or female. we didn't with brooke either, we just had some name books and thats what adam and i did to pass time... argue about names. i think the reason behind not choosing a name yet is because the last time... adam made a nickname, or shortened, or rhymed the names i liked, making it sound stupid! lol. it was funny at fist but got annoying after awhile. so maybe thats why i haven't even bothered picking up or looking through my name books. i suppose i could secretly look for names, and keep them to myself, and just sticky note, or hi-light some names? we didn't have any names picked out for brooke, and her name suits her perfect... maybe we should do the same for this little one...? you know... wait last minute... ugh.

black sharpe marker

i was feeling a bit tired yesterday, so i went upstairs for a little nap. adam was watching tv, and brooke was playing. i must have fallen asleep fast, possibly before my head hit my pillow... and didn't hear my darling daughter follow me up. she didn't bother me, so i heard nothing. she had opened our ensuit and dug around in my little drawer and found a sharpe marker.... goodness... not a good thing for a 2 year old to have... let me tell you what i woke up to. i must have been snoring, because i woke myself up... and i could hear to tv, but couldn't hear brooke... and i know that when brooke is quite, she's into something... remember the black sharpe... well... it was on the wall in the hallway to start... then i found her in her room.. in her closet, on her closet doors, on her toy stand, on the buckets, on her dreser, on her bed, her night stand, and her sheets, a little on the carpet... not to mention her feet, hands, and half a little mustache on her face... i had to giggle. of course she got a timeout, and a stern talking to... but it's all cleaned up. adam painted over the stuff on the walls, and closet doors... and i used the trusty magic eraser on everything else. one lesson learned... that no matte where you hide things, brooke will find them!

ps... im still very much pregnant.

dr. appt.

lately all my posts have been centered around my pregnancy... but when your this close, its really all you can think of. so here's another...

i had a doctors appointment today. everything is great. blood pressure, babys heart beat, measurements.. great! im thinking, and so is my doctor thinking this is, or will be one of the last appointments. i did however make an appointment for next week. whether or not i go, depends on baby. my doctor is thinking that i'll be meeting with him in the hospital for delivery before my next appointment, that makes me excited, but nervous at the same time. because in reality... i can go to sleep tonight, and wake up at 3 in the morning, with my water breaking... yikes. no one knows when baby is going to exit out of my body except baby... just wish he/she would let me know... i'd keep it a secret. i promise!

37 weeks, and some photos from aug long.

well... im still pregnant. 37 weeks pregnant to be more precise! they say baby weighs about 6 and a half pounds now... and is about 14 inches long. brooke was born at 37 weeks and she was 8 pounds 7 ounces, and was 22 inches long... take that!! so really... im guessing on average, a baby weighs that much and is that long. baby is considered to be full term right now, and really can be born anyday... soon!!

i went away for the weekend, just to my parents lake lot, it wa fantastic... here's a picture of me roast hotdogs in the rain... just a little something to make you giggle...

here is one of brooke and i... just laying in the grass... and just to point out the obvious... brooke's diaper did need changing, and i know my shirt is too small... lol.. all my maternity clothes are fitting like that. lol. strange... what do you wear when your maternity clothes get too small??
and just one more thing.... ALIA COMES HOME TOMORROW! you might say im excited!

my BIG baby

here she is, i was wondering how long it would take her before she crawled into the baby swing for a ride. it was a little less then a week. i moved the swing into babys room, which will eventually be moved into the living room once baby is born... just last weekend. although brooke is too heavy for it, she still got a little ride. but she still knows that it's strictly for baby... and teddy! i think she is going to be a wonderful big sister!!

untitled.

i can't believe that in 27 day OR LESS (hopefully) im going to have a new baby, and it seems like just a week ago, i was shocked that i was pregnant again... strange. soon i'll have another family photo like this one to share. time really has gone by fast.

our little family will be 4. im not sure if there is a shower planned, or just a little get together to come and see baby. i've heard nothing, and im also going to be way too busy to plan one myself. so please... all im asking is that people, this time, as fabulous as it was to have people come and see me at the hospital... i'd rather you come and visit when i get home. it's more enjoyable for me. i won't have my boobs hanging out for nurses to show me how to breastfeed... and my butt will be covered with real clothes, not just a hospital gown.

week 36

today i am 36 weeks, my goodness... i am so close! i had brooke around 37 weeks, she was due on may 29th, and i had her on the 11th. im hoping the same for this baby, thats why the 10th is looking so good to me right now. the weather has been better, for me, the past few days... i've been able to sleep at night, and go through a whole day not sweating! it's fantastic!

i had a doctors appointment yesterday, im still healthy, and so is baby. cervix is still closed, darn it!

i've really noticed a change in baby's movements, my uterus is getting very tight for space. when baby moves, my tummy just ripples with life, it's amazing! although baby has less space, still moves just as much! because of this the movements are much uch stronger, and more defined. sometimes i think i feel little feet, or an elbow appearing under my skin. by this stage baby has taken the head down position, and is starting to drop, really getting ready. im on the home streach now...

it really makes me wonder... how can baby stand to be upside down for that long??

maternity photos are in!

had a doctors appointment today, i've been experiencing some major pressure on my pelvic floor. baby's head has, or is dropping. yikes. doctor checked if i was dialating... im not. darn it! im just ready... waiting. it could really be any day now. hopefully sooner then later.

OH... before i forget. i had some maternity photos done... if you'd like to view them... here you go... http://www.picturetrail.com/photosbybrandi

the album is titled.... christine. :) and the password is brooke.

i think they all turned out just fantastic, i love them. take a look.

well, i've got to go, brooke has a hold of adam's fishing rod!!

toes in the grass.

this was me yesterday... enjoying the cooler weather. it's been nice. last night i had one of the best sleeps i've had this summer... there was a nice and cool breeze. it was fantastic. now in the first picture, my tummy got in the way... as you can see, when im just standing there, i can't see my feet. i know, i know... hilarious!

here we go... my toes... all pretty and stuff. and YES, the grass feels fantastic on the toes... :) and i hear were going to have a BBQ at my place... im excited about that, then we can ALL have our pretty toes in the grass. :)

and here is a picture just to make everyone smile... it sure makes me giggle, it also makes me wonder why im posting such a not-so-flattering picture of myself... it doesn't matter really... i was having fun, and thats all thats matters!!

week 33

oh my goodness, im getting so close to NOT popping, but giving birth. i still think that was so rude of her to just say that... you know what im talking about!

anyways... im not wasting anymore energy on her... i need to save it and keep it for my family.

week 33... baby measures about... 12 inches, from crown to rump and weighs about 4 and a 1/2 pounds.
the amniotic fluid is at its highest level and will remain at this level until the birth. rapid brain growth has increased babys' head by 1/2 inch this week. fat continues to accumulate, and this turns babys' skin from red to pink.
baby doesn't have much elbow room now, and as some found out yesterday, babys movements feel more like rolls then kicks. i also notice that my actions, affect babys movements - how much, and when i eat... what position im in... and sounds from the world outside. baby also loves to move around when adam talks to my tummy. brooke and baby play a game where brooke taps my tummy, and baby responds by "tapping" back. it is truly amazing! i can't wait to meet this little child of ours.

the hot hot weekend.

well... the heat didn't kill me, but im sure i lost a few unwanted pounds this weekend, from sweating. we went to the lake for sunday, and it was fantastic. even though i wanted to go tubing, but didn't... i still enjoyed myself, still got to go on the boat... im down to 2 buckles on my life jacket... and spent time on the beach, with all the kids. brooke loves it. besides all the mosquitos bites, i had a great time. i even got some colour on my arms and legs, and a bit on the face... no burns because i got smart and put on some spf 30.

i love this picture, i actually have one of me and my dad doing it when i was pregnant with brooke. adam and i were goofing around, and his mom just happened to have my camera out... it's a good shot! it's nice to show you all that indeed he does love me... loves me so much that he put on a little sympathy weight. lol. just kidding. i love you adam.

the first photo, but not the last.

so there you have it, just the one right now, but there will be more. i've actually contacted a few photographers to get professional pregnancy pictures done. but here i am... in borden park, enjoying a popsicle... in this heat, which i usually love, but it's just way too much for me right now. my most important goal right now is to stay hydrated! very important! (this picture was taken friday july 6, 2007) so hopefully this picture has satisfied the many requests i've had for pregnancy photos... don't worry, i'll have more. :)

(and NO im not smoking... it's an empty popsicle stick.)

one thing at a time.

sex drive? what sex drive? during my first pregnancy there was no problem, because we all know, that once pregnant... you can't get any more pregnant. right? right! still feel attractive, adam still thinks so, so whats wrong with the sex drive, on my part... i'll tell you.

right now i work a full-time job, and then go home and 'work' a full-time job. at the end of the day, i just feel depleted. adam is the one who is suffering. im completly okay with having sex occasionally. once, twice, three times a week. lol. and really, i'd be fine just once a week. the problem is now, adam is pestering me for it. i like how stong his sex drive is normally, but right now, it's too strong for me. (and no i don't need any help... or him.) I also wish that he wouldn't use my exhaustion as personal rejection. if i have any energy left , i'd rather just sit and talk, and just relax. we're still right in the middle of our predicament, im thinking at least one solution is time. im thinking if adam helps me a little bit more around the house... more 'you know' would happen, i would have more energy. but i don't think much is going to happen until the lines of communication open up a bit. one thing at a time.

catching up...

the weeks have been going by so quickly, i can't seem to keep up with anything, and that includes the house work. lol.

week 30 babys lanugo... early body hair, is disappearing. the few fuzzy patches usually rub off during the first couple weeks. if this baby actually is born with hair, that is becoming thicker, the eye lids can open and close, and babys toe nails are growing. bone marrow has now taken over the task of the red blood cell production from the liver. baby adopts the head down position and now kicks me in the ribs. great!

week 31 babys overall growth starts to slow down, but continues to fatten up. the brain continues in the growth spurt, and the lungs wil be the last major organ to become fully mature. babys eye colour begins to appear. although the true eye colour may take weeks, or months after birth to develop. most caucasian babies are born with dark blue eyes... brooke's stayed blue, like alia's purdy eyes.

week 32... all of babys 5 senses are working, and can now move his/her head from side to side. organs are continuing to mature, toe nails are complete. hair on head is supposively still growing (still no heartburn, according to an old wives tail - if your baby has hair, you get heart burn... i had none with brooke and she was bald. lol.) baby practices opeing and closing the eyes, but sleeps... get this... 90-95% of the day. I WISH!!

okay, so i know you've all been asking for belly pictures, i don't have many... because it's usually just brooke around, and if i let her take some pictures... i tell you now... there aren't going to be of anything... lol. and adam won't take any just because, he only does things that benefit him in some way. so i'll try and take some self photos of the big ol' buddah belly, and then post them. :)

happy happy. love love. take everyone. thanks for reading... and caring. :)

out-standing neighbours.

when we first moved into this neighbourhood, we didn't know anyone. mostly because the houses were bought up, and just flipped. never got a chance to get to know anyone... except the neighbours to the south. (left side if your walking away from our house.) as well as the neighbours who are 2 doors down. they are the best neighbours anyone could ask for... here let me tell you what happened to adam and i this weekend... then you can decide. (we've talked to our neighbours when ever we see each other, but nothing too serious.)

both the neighbours i mentioned above were doing their landscaping this weekend. adam worked friday and saturday, so i just tidy the house, and stayed home for the most part, and watched through the windows, and when brooke and i went outside... just kept her out of the way, and off the street... turkey! they finished up their landscaping on sunday morning. while adam and i were eating a late breakfast, some may call it brunch... we hear a knock at our door. it's our neightbour from next door, mike. he's come over to ask us if we want half a load of dirt (1 load runs from $150-$180), and 2 palets of sod (a palet goes for... $180-$200). it's ours, free of charge... if we don't use it, it's going to be a waste. we take it. of course. i did have to get adam motivated to do some yard work on his only day off, i felt bad for that, but they gave us enough dirt and sod to complete one side of our house!! amazing.

they now hold a favour card. not like we're keeping track... but we'd like to make it a give and take relationship. i told them that when they are ready to do their basement, i know a plumber. adam laughed!

good people are sometimes hard to find, but we are lucky enough to have some as our neighbours! what a wonderful world we can live in!!

week 29

goodness time has gone by so fast. i just can't get over it. SLOW DOWN... is all i got to say!

baby measures about 10 and a quater inches from head to butt!, and weighs about 2 and three quater pounds. (baby is only 27 weeks, although i am 29... weeks. :))

baby continues to fatten up as the brain and organs carry on growing. these soft tissues show up clearly on a magnetic resonance image (MRI) scan, which uses magnetic fields and radio waves. baby doesn't have much room now so baby can't show off her acrobatic skills, but is still managing to strech and kick me from the inside... and let me tell you... lots of streching and kicking there is!!

baby's brain is growing so quickly that the soft skull bones are being pressed outward, and the had is now in proportion to the rest of the body. the brain is looking more wrinkled as it gets faster and more powerful, building up connections between nerve cells. the brain can control breathing and body temperature. the eyes can move in their sockets and baby is becoming more sensitive to light, sound, taste, and smell. through the wall of the uterus baby can tell the difference between sunlight and artificial light. smart thing!

swimming... finally.

i finally went swimming today. i've been dying to go for about a month now. 2 out of the 4 weeks brooke had an ear infection, so no good for her. didn't want to make them worse. the other weekend i didn't go... because? and this weekend i go tired of waiting... and just went. i ended up going with curtis and devan. it was alot of fun, brooke had a blast. she practiced floating in her life jacket, but wasn't too sure about it, either that or the water was too cold for her. lol. i'll have to take her to the water slides this summer, either west ed, or winterburn, or i might just make a day trip to sylvan lake. brooke loves the water slides. they have one at the tri leisure centre. i didn't buy an expensive useless maternity bathing suit, in fact... i just wore the bathing suit... bikini of course... that i wore last summer. i also wore my rash-guard top, just to keep the boobs in. i've got nothing to hide, and i love my pregnant body... and it's not like my tummy is hanging out... my rash guard top covers it. just because im pregnant, doesn't mean i have to wear frumpy clothing. i love my pregnant body!

anyways... back to swimming... i would love to go at least once a week! it takes off the weight i don't notice i put on, and makes me feel weightless, i love it. i think it just allowed my body to completely relax without sleeping. i feel stress-free, but at the same time... in dire need of a nap. :) sweet dreams.

brooke & roxy

adam's brother curtis and his girlfriend (my best friend) devan got a new puppy recently, a boxer, they've named her roxy. she's so cute, and brooke and her.... aww. i'd like to share some pictures of brooke and roxy from june 1st. (cutris' birthday... happy birthday!) okay here we go...

this is roxy. curtis wanted to spell her name with a triple x. so roxxxy... the pornstar puppy? lol. especially matched with their last name... goodness.

and now brooke, and roxy... brooke is running, and roxy is running beside her, just playing of course. but too cute!! and notice how trendy brooke is... lol. i guess thats what happens when mom dresses you! lol.

brooke is trying to trade roxy in the above picture. they BOTH want to play the with rope-knot thing.

brooke is in roxy's kennel. and no we didn't put her in there, she went in there on her own! it's like a little playhouse. i think?

peek a boo! maybe one day brooke will get a puppy of her own... not until were done the landscaping for sure!!

week 28

baby measures about 10 inches from crown to rump and weighs about 2 and a half pounds.

busy baby is growing and developing at top speed. lungs are capable of breathing air, but if baby was born now, baby would find it hard to breathe properly. baby will enjoy hearing my voice now so i guess i should keep talking... :). next week i officially enter the 3rd trimester.... my goodness how time flies. baby's main job will be to put on weight. (and as for mom... lol... indulge!!)

in baby boys, the testes are beginning their decent into the scrotum by this point. in baby girls, the labia are still small and don't yet cover the clitoris. the labia will grow closer together in the last few weeks of pregnancy.

it's amazing how far along baby has come. we're still hoping for just a healthy baby, sex doesn't matter. baby is moving like crazy, responds not only to my voice, but adam's and brooke's too! i play games with baby... usually at night, while im relaxing, laying in bed... i'll tap on my tummy, and baby will kick back. i love it!

week 27

baby measures about 10 inches, from crown to rump and weighs about... 2 pounds... a little over that.
baby is becoming plumper and rounder (like mom. lol.) as the amount of fat under the skin increases. thumb-sucking may now be one of babys' favourite activites, strenghtening cheek and jaw muscles and possibly soothing baby. the lungs continue to grow and now has functioning taste buds on the tongue and inside the cheeks, and higher brain functions are becoming more sophisticated.

about this time, babys' eyelids begin to open, and the retinas begin to form. babies now seem to be able to detect changes in light, and studies have shown that when a flashlight is shone against a mommys tummy, the baby may move toward - or sometimes away from - its beam. babys' first visual impressions outside the uterus will be sorted into light and dark, too - thats why many toys designed for newborns are black and white. eyelashes are fully grown now, and will protect her delicate eyeballs from harmful matter once baby is born.

brooke's first bike

it's been awhile since my last post, i apologize, life has been busy. i do however at this time like to share a moment with you. on tuesday brooke got her first bike. not just any bike, but a shiney new pink bike. baba and papa brought it over as soon as it was purchased. it's not a tricycle either, a real big girl bike, with training wheels. it's fantastic. brooke loves it. she doesn't know to peddal, but im sure its not going to take her long to catch on. were going helmet shopping this weekend, so we can get out practicing.

my may long sinus infection.

so as i said in my last posting... i would explain the long wait for another. last week, i had thursday off, adam and i had decided that for the long weekend we would go up to my parents lake. it would have been a good time, we didn't end up going though. brooke was just getting over her little cold that followed her ear infection, and adam was finally feeling better from his bronchitis. here i was thinking that i had got off easy and wasn't going to get sick. thursday night... i felt a little... under the weather, but thought nothing of it, went to sleep. friday morning, woke up with a head throbbing head ache, shouldn't have gone to work, but i did. came home early from work, and all i wanted to do was lay in bed... good thing everyone wanted to nap. this head ache was terrible... it hurt to chew, drink, roll over, sneeze, sniffle, walk, think... you name it, it made my head throb.. not my heart. lol. so i was like this all day friday, and saturday... and sunday... and monday. monday it turned more into an ear ache. but plus the head ache.... terrible, let me tell you. so of all may long i think i got out of the house for maybe an hour or 2. thats it. couldn't take any medication because im pregnant. well tylenol, but it did nothing, tried dristan... didn't work. basically with being pregnant, and getting sick, you must suffer through... i guess thats one thing that makes a woman strong?

im feeling alot better now, still a little congested, but the head ache has moved on. thank goodness. all i need to do now is catch up on some sleep... and i'll feel 100%. hopefully.
(hey mom, want to take brooke for an over nighter so i can sleep in... lol??)

week 25 & 26

sorry everyone, im getting a little behind on my baby updates, read tomorrow on why. oh the suspense!! lol.

week 25
baby can now hold its feet and curl hand into a fist. the components that form the spine - 33 rings, 150 joints, and 1000 ligaments - begin to form. blood vessels continue to develop in babys lungs and the nostrils begin to open. high inside the gums, babys permanent teeth are developing in buds. these adult teeth won't descend until the baby teeth - also called primary teeth - start to fall out around age 6. meanwhile, nevers around the mouth and lip area are showing more sensitivity now, preparing baby for the essential task of finding my nipple, lol, (still find it funny, sorry) once baby is born. that crucial lifeline, the umbilical cord, is thick and resilient now. a single vein and two arteries run through it, encased in a firm jellylike substance that prevents kinking and knotting, protecting the blood flow between placenta and baby.

(i remember when adam told me about what it felt like to cut brooke's umbilical cord, he wasn't grossed out, but the thing is so tough, you use these scissors with a locking handle, and the darn thing crunches... makes a crunching sound. kinda... well... gross. lol.)

week 26
baby is approx. 9-10 inches long, from crown to rump, and weighs about 2 pounds now.
babys lungs are still maturing and baby still has some growing to do. the spine is getting stronger and more supple to support the growing body (baby's, not mine... lol.) and a friend can hear the heartbeat just by putting an ear to my tummy... aww anyone want to listen? baby can inhale and exhale. babys eyes have completely formed. babys pulse quicken when sounds are heard; and may even move in rhythm in music. studies of unborn babies' brain activity shows that babies can now respond to touch. ('tis true, i pat my tummy once, baby kicks once, i pat twice, i usually get 2 kicks!!!)

im all caught up on baby timeline. im feeling better now, and the pregnancy is healthy otherwise. yes, im getting more and more rounder. i know i've grown over night when i bump my tummy on things all the next day, or try to slide by something and knock it. funny how you get used to your body being so wide, and then the next day, it's not so much noticeable, but it is...

a woman's work, is NEVER done...

i don't think a woman's work is ever done. not because i am one... but they should have mother's day week, or woman's week. because it doesn't matter if your a mother, or just a wife... the duties are the same. just when your a mother, most of the time not only do you have to take care of your kids, but plus a husband. clean the house, cook supper, make lunches... laundry. make appointments, set alarms, reminders. the list is endless. when i clean at home, i find it disappointing. it doesn't even last... and it's usually adam that makes the mess. ugh!

cleaning at my house is as pointless as shovelling snow... while it's still snowing.

i do clean although i think it's pointless because i would rather have a tidy... "lived-in" home, then a filthy, messy home. i do my best to keep my famly happy, but like i mentioned... i feel like my work is never done!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY!

today is the birthday of my little baby girl. she's 2. already! on the day of my baby shower... almost everyone told me that time flies, so enjoy every possible moment. i have enjoyed every moment and more. i love her so much, i still can't believe she's 2... how time goes by.
i talked to my mom about this last night and you know what she had to say... i can't believe your 22 already... how time flies.

that made me realize that time is never going to slow down... so my advice for today is... enjoy every moment of your life, and smile. live life to it's fullest... time doesn't slow down, so why should you?

take care everyone, and... HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROOKE. we love you sooooooo much!!

still sleeping

it's times like these, that you just want to crawl into bed, and cuddle them... like the little teddys' they are...

but you also give them an inch, and they take up the whole bed... good thing she sleeps in her own bed. lol.

spaghetti dinner

i know i only posted last a couple hours ago... but i must post again today. :)

last night we had spaghetti... it was fabulous. adam makes the BEST spaghetti sauce ever! i came home from work and we cooked together it was a nice experience, i suggested we do it more often, he agrees. we also made meat balls, they were beautiful meat balls, they were SO good! they were big, but nonetheless, excellent! i just wanted to keep eating, but my tummy said no more!!

the first picture is of brooke, obviously, and im sure she's thinking... "mom, put the camera down. im eating" and in the second picture she doesn't mind... she looks funny because she's actually looking into the camera and saying "cheeeese..." so cute.

she enjoyed her spaghetti, i wish the batteries on my camera didn't die after i took the second picture, because you should have seen her when she was done eating. let's put it this way... it was easier to strip her down to a diaper and let her eat, rather then putting on a bib. as i said... she enjoys her spaghetti. she was orange from head to toe... straight from the supper table, to the bath tub!

week 24

i am now 24 weeks... crazy how time flies... baby is only 22 weeks. baby measures about 8-9 inches from crown to rump and weighs about 1 and a quater pound. wow.

if baby was born right now... today, baby would have a 1 in 4 or 5 chances of survival... it's not a great statistic, but if baby decided to be born today, i'd take it. baby is still quite thin and covered in fine body hair. the body is starting to produce white blood cells to fight infection. (good!) the lungs have developed just enough to give baby a chance of surviving in a neonatal intensive care unit, but continues to practice breathing by inhaling amniotic fluid into his developing lungs. airway passages form tubes in order to take in and expel air. blood vessels and air sacs start to develop in the lungs - these will eventually exchange oxygen and circulate it to all parts of the body. the cells in baby's lungs begin to produce surfactant, a substance that keeps the sacs from sticking together.

it's amazing what has developed and is still developing, im sure i could post everyday the new tings that are happening in my tummy, and there would never be any repeats. im a cloning machine... basically. if only scientists would leave baby making to humans and animals... by nature. now thats a different post all together... my thought on science and birth, later to come...

belly contest... the first time. 2005.

its almost that time again... time to bare the belly. im actually looking forward to getting some professional photos done, in black and white, or that antique look... of adam, myself, and little brooke. all for the memories of me being pregnant, and the belly that brought more love...

(in the photo is me and my daddy... barin' the bellies... he thought his was cuter... lol. and adam is just sitting there... he looks so young there. i mean he is young, but... you know what i mean?<2005>)

doctor update

had a doctor appointment on tuesday may 2nd. it went well. blood pressure is great. baby's heart beat is at 140 beats a minute. and get this... i only gained 7 pounds in the last 4 weeks. which is average... but if one was to look at me, they would giggle if i told them that. i tell you, not a lie, it looks like more then 7 pounds gained. maybe 15. but nope, the nurses weigh me everytime i go in, no shoes, no coat. only 7 pounds. amazing.

i feel good, and am getting enough rest. i still get next to no help at home, but im just learning to do things myself, at a slower pace. i keep myself well hydrated although somedays i feel like i can just latch my mouth on to one of those water coolers. lol. im getting to be really warm in everything i wear... even my birthday suit. im still looking forward to the warm weather. i've already got a pool scoped out... big enough for me, and brooke, and adam... if he wants! (and maybe a few more... who knows?)

take care everyone, and i will too. :)

23 weeks.

i am now 23 weeks... but baby is only 21 weeks old. baby measures about 6 inches from crown to rump, and weighs about 1 pound or more...

babys' body is becoming better proportioned each day and looking like a full term-baby, but bones and organs are still visible beneath the transparent skin.

babys' hearing is much more acute now, as the bones of the inner ear have hardened. baby can distinguish different noises from outside the uterus and from inside my body. you'd be surprised at how noisy your body really is, with the grugling of your tummy, the thump of your heartbeat, and the rushing of your blood around your body.

at birth, baby will reconize my voice by its pitch and cadences, so i should talk to baby as much as possible now. daddy's should talk to baby more too (both adam and i talk to baby alot, usually before we go to sleep, when it's quiet, and baby moves like crazy when adam talks...). research shows that deeper "male" voices are easier for baby to hear then high-pitched "female" voices. (good thing i have a deeper female voice... but it's cute. lol right ashley?) playing games such as patting my belly, and talking, may elict a kick in response and help neurological stimulation. amazing.

(i figured it out... when baby is small, like right now, when moving, or kicking... it can be compared to a twitch. kind of. it really is hard to explain.)

a look on motherhood. 1

in the last week, with my family being completely contageous, and sick... i've realized, even more so, that when you step into motherhood, you become stronger, all over. (kelley, you've going to be so grossed out!!) for example... last week, on sunday, i was feeling fine, i was driving with adam and brooke, running some errards. we had stopped at napa to get some light bulbs for adam's car, he was taking awhile so i let brooke hop into the passenger seat. remember now, she has the flu. adam comes back to the car, and is sitting in the back seat (apparently there is more room to sit behind me in the jetta while im driving, then to sit in the passenger seat when brooke is in the car... go figure?) we were just about to do the brooke-pass-over so she could get buckled back into her seat. that look came across her face... the im-going-to-get-sick-look. and out it came... i took my first reaction and formed a bowl with my hands and caught it...GROSS! i know, not in a million years i would ever thought i would do that. but i did, and it didn't bother me. i just opened the door, dumped my hands, got some wipes, and lots of that disinfectant gel, and was on my way... adam called me a true mom that day. i just had to smile.

so being a mom is more then what most would think. trust me.

22 weeks.

i am now... 22 weeks. :) baby is only 20 weeks old.

baby now has sweat glands and babys' skin is less transparent, although blood vessels can still be seen. fingernails are fully formed and continue to grow. (if baby is a boy, his testes have begun their descent from the pelvis to the scrotum. primitive sperm have already formed in the testes.)

babys' brain has begun to grow very rapidly now, especially in the germinal matrix, a structure in the certer of the brain that manufactures brain cells. the structure vanishes before birth but babys' brain will keep on expanding until the age of 5.

sick.

the past couple of days i have been overwhelmed with a sick family. first, brooke. she started with the flu late on saturday night. it was terrible. and poor thing was frightened everytime she threw up. i finally got her to bed, and keep down 3 ounces of pedi-lite. she slept... maybe 3-4 hours, then it started again. i was up from 2:30 til 6:30. she finally went back down... and held down another 3 ounces of pedi-lite. sunday wasn't as bad. adam and i monitored her liquids. her and i napped off and on all day sunday. decided to stay home on monday... brooke still wasn't eating very much, and had very bad diherrea. tuesday night... she went to bed fine, the whole family did, we were exhausted. i get up about 2:00, didn't feel right... now i've got the flu. im sure that night i puked everything except the baby!! it's terrible! adam gets up and ready for work, he's got such a head cold. tuesday im sick all day, trying to care for brooke during the day. it was tough. especially when all i wanted to do was sleep. when she napped, i napped!

im feeling better now, but decided to stay home one more day, make sure brooke is eating right, and she's feeling better, and i really needed an extra day to relax and catch up on alot of missed sleep. im just hoping that none of us get the head cold that adam is carrying around with him.

21 weeks

i will be 21 weeks tomorrow (tuesday). but baby is only 19 weeks old. baby measures about 7 an' a quater inches, and weighs about 10 an' a half ounces (i know this is approx, because last week on monday, my baby was already 11 ounces.)

babys' digestifve system is developed enough to absorb water from the amniotic fluid baby swallows. at full term, baby can swallow as much as 18 fl oz (500mL) of amniotic fluid in a 24-hour period. in the early stages, amniotic fluid is produced by the placenta. once babys' kidneys start functioning, around the fouth month, they take over this production. although babys' kidney's remove some waste product from the blood and make urine, there isn't much urine in the amniotic fluid. most waste products are conveyed through the placenta to my bloodstream and are then filtered by my kidneys (workin' overtime!!). baby also secrets body chemicals into the amniotic fluid, and a sample taken via an amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling can reveal important information about babys' health.

the senses baby will use to learn about the world are developing daily. taste buds have formed on the tongue, and the development os the brain and nerve endings are advanced enough to let baby sense touch.

adam and brooke can now feel baby move. especially at night when im relaxing, thats when baby gets most active. and the sound of my voice, and adam's voice must make baby do summersaults, or thats what it felt like last night. :)

curious set of quesitons.

this easter sunday, while spending quality time with the "in-law" side of the family, i was left speechless after i was asked such a simple, curious, innocent question. this question was asked by one of the nieces, katie. she just turned 3, but speaks very well. if you've seen any pictures i've sent, she's the one with the red hair, the only one? she does have an older brother, owen who turns 4 in december, and a younger sister, zoe, who turns 2 in august. with having said that, her mom tells her that i have a baby growing inside me. she turns to me and asks... can i see your baby? i was speechless, wasn't sure how to respond. finally simply said... in a couple months, after baby is born. still quite intrigued about the baby in my tummy, she then asks, can i hold your baby? again i simply say, when the baby is born. she was getting frustrated with me because i could not let her see, or hold the baby right that second like she wanted. i think she understood, but continued to ask me those questions throughout the night. it was cute, but strange.

it's amazing how little minds work... just so curious about everything. i can't wait until brooke starts asking questions. i shouldn't say that, because then when she stats, i'll want her to stop, im sure it gets overwhelming at times.

im just glad katie didn't ask me where babys' come from... hopefully she leaves that question for her mom and dad! :)

week 20

because my dates have changed i am now 20 weeks (i don't think anyone will ever know...) but baby is only 18 weeks.
baby measures about... 5.5 to 6.5 inches, and according to the ultrasound yesterday, baby weighs approx. 11 ounces.

baby has reached the halfway mark. baby's still tiny by growing rapidly. this is a crucial stage for the development of the senses - taste, smell, hearing, seeing, and touch. now baby can finally hear and recognize mine and adam's voice (he talks to baby when we have pillow talk before bed. and might even know brooke's little jibber jabber!) the nerve cells serving each of the senses are now developing into their particular areas of the brain. the increase in the number of nerve cells is slowing but the complex connections required for the development of memory and thinking functions are being formed.
if baby is a girl, she already has roughly 2 million eggs in her ovaries. however, by the time she's born, this number will have reduced to a mere million.
baby can also enjoy a good strech of limbs as nervous and muscular systems have developed sufficiently to allow this.

(brooke took the ultrasound very well, she wasn't too sure about the dimly lit room but as soon as she seen mommy. she was okay. she even asked me, "okay?" i reassured her i was. i think she may understand that mommy has a baby growing in her tummy, and soon she's going to be a big sister.)

ultrasound - april 9, 2007

first off... can i ask? what is with the weather?? ridiculous!!

anyways, the ultrasound, went very well. the ultrasound tech said that baby is very symetrical... meaning that all measurements measured the same at 19.6 weeks. my due date was originally set for september 1st. they have now moved it to august 28th. (which kind of contradicts with my pregnancy ticker at the top, i'll be changing that!) she also told me that i have a long cervix. all i could say to that was. "i don't hear that everyday, thanks!" she laughed. by the way, having a long cervix doesn't mean anything bad, you just don't want a short one. i was in the scanning room for quite awhile, she told me baby was challenging her, everytime she'd go to take a measurement, baby would move. as i've said before, adam and i didn't find out the sex, now you'll all have to wait, like the best of us!!

in the picture you can see the head in the bottom left. then, bviously, the body. next is... as much as adam wants it to be a penis, it's a leg. lol. they do have the 3D scans now, but at this stage, baby would look just like a skeleton. gross.

i'll be posting again really soon today, what is going on in week 20. (tuesdays are my new week beginings, according to technology.)

week 19

i am now 19 weeks, but baby is only 17 weeks old. baby measures about 5-6 inches from crown to rump and weighs about 7 oucnes.

a thick, white greasy substance called vernix caseosa is being secreted by glands in baby's skin. this acts as a waterproof barrier, to prevent baby's skin for getting waterlogged in the amniotic fluid.
throughout baby's body, nerves are being coated with a fatty substance called myelin, which insulates the nerves, allowing the smooth, rapid exchange of information neccessary for coordinated, skillful movement. the poorly coordinated movements of newborns - and particularyly premature infants - are for the most part due to their comparative lack of myelin.
baby's gut has begun to produce gastric juices that help absorb amniotic fluid and pass it through the kidneys where it's filtered and excreted back into the amniotic sac.

theres your biology lesson for this week. lol. (there will be another tomorrow, or really soon for my 20 week mark.)

i'll post a picture tomorrow, the ultrasound went very well. baby measures at 20 weeks and my weeks start on tuesdays.

times like these

it's times like these, that you wish they would stay small forever. but you know they won't. it hasn't been that long ago, she's only turning 2... but i can barely recall how tiny she was when she was born. how little she used to be. how she used to just roll around, and not move very far, and now i have to chase her around, and chances are that i get tired before she does. im not out of shape, she just has tonnes of energy. the time when i didn't have to worry about her playing on the stairs and having the chance of taking that last step and falling. or in the morning and after naps, i would have to retrieve her from her crib, now when she gets up, she gets out of bed, and finds where you are. when all you got back from talking to her was coos, now i get real words. which don't get me wrong is great and not so frustrating when she needs or wants something, but she says real words now. she's becoming such a little lady. and we love her! i just wish she didn't grow so fast. but i can honestly say... i didn't miss one moment of it! i was there for everything.

today's doctor appointment

went to see the doctor today, just a routine check-up, i go once a month. they weigh me, im keeping it a secret. i'll let you know in the end how much i gained. yikes. last pregnancy i gained 55 pounds. thank goodness for wonderful skin, good lotion, and nursing! he measures my tummy to see how much rounder i am, and the best part, i get to hear baby's heart beat. now, there is an old wives tale about a baby's heart beat. im not quite sure of the numbers, but if it's between certain numbers, they predict a boy, or girl. still not going to find out the sex, but baby's heart beat is at 160 beats per minute. thats fast. i found out why my groin area hurts after let's say... a day a doing laundry. because the muscle that is usually 2-3 inches in length, is being streched to maybe 5-6 inches in length, combined with the pressure of my growing uterus, makes for one sore groin area. lol. almost feels like it's bruised sometimes. other then that... im as healthy as can be. doc says i can keep running/walking. fantastic! the worst part is the end, when i go downstairs, and pee in a cup. i dislike it, and i have to do it everytime!!! the rounder you get, the more of a problem solver you become!

(ultrasound on monday, so excited!)

little note

adam was home late last night, hockey tournament. and gone early this morning, hence why im already awake at 8 o'clock, well... i was up earlier but was rushing around getting things ready for adam, he should have got up earlier. i made him some breakfast, and some coffee. helped pack his hockey equipment, which doesn't smell bad?? only after he left i found this little note written on brooke's magnadoodle.

week 18

i am now 18 weeks, although baby is only 16 weeks old. baby measures 5 to 5 and a quater inches long; from crown to rumpus. and weighs roughly 6 ounces.

there is no stopping baby now as baby begins the most active phasee. twisting, turning, wriggling, punching, and kicking... generally giving the reflexes a good work out. inside babys fast-growing lungs, tiny air sacs called alveoli begin to develop. pads have formed on the finger tips and toes, and the unique swirls and whorls that are babys fingerprints begin to appear. babys eyes have moved to their correct position. meconium, which forms babys first bowel movement, is accumulating in his bowels. (already??). if baby is a boy, his prostate gland is forming.

this is all very interesting, i feel baby move more and more each day, i love it. it definately is a feeling you can't describe, nothing on the outside would make a feeling like something on the inside. you know?

day plans

i've written nothing in awhile, it's because i've been busy with this job hunting mess. im excited today, i get to hang out with my best friend/sister-in-law. i love how we can be so close, and get this... this weekend, she's moving out into spruce grove. perfect. i have an interview today, but just at a temp agency, so it's going to go well no matter what because im not really "at" a job interview. this is the agency that i went to when i was pregnant with brooke. they helped out alot, and not to mention... fast too. hopefully they can do the same this time; although im not as flexable as i was with location.

im also meeting one of devans' friends for lunch, not by myself, but with devan, she's going to watch brooke while i go to my interview. she's actually picking me up at home, and were going together, downtown.

im also going to look for a new cell phone today, it's almost been a week since mine decided to break into 2 pieces. broke out of stupidity, i think. anyways... i want to stick to a motorola, but not a razr... i need something that can handle brooke. lol. something more durable. we'll see what they have to offer.

and the hilight of my day... mac and cheese for dinner, brooke loves the stuff, and it's been awhile. and if anyone wants... tomorow morning, im makin' waffles. (whipped cream, and strawberries included!)

week 17.

i am 17 weeks now, but baby is only 15 weeks old. baby measures 4 1/2 to 5 inches from crown to rump, and weighs about 3-4 ounces.
baby's head, while still big, is begining to look in proportion to the rest of the body. baby's eyes are still closed but are much larger, and the eyelashes and eyebrows have grown longer. this is a period of rapid growth, as fat starts to be laid down under baby's skin, helping to keep warm and giving energy. babys is getting more hair on the head, eyebrows, and eyelashes, and has miniture fingernails and toenails. baby's heart can be pumping as much as 24 liters of blood a day.
baby can now hear sounds outside my body, and some may make baby jump. as baby practices breathing, baby's chest rises and falls. baby's lungs are begining to exhale amniotic fluid.

how exciting is that? to me... very! i feel baby move more now... can't wait until adam can feel our baby move. he'll have to wait a little longer. we get to see baby through ultrasound on the 9th of april, thats amazing. i'll have a picture to post once we get the ultrasound done.

i finally found one.

so... we found brooke a day care. well, i did. i think she's going to like it. let me tell you a little about it. full time is based on 100+ hours a month. i told the day care that i was looking for full time care just incase the job position i choose is full time. i wanted to keep my options open. anyways... it's $500 a month for full time. which isn't bad, because i know in the city some are paying close to $700 a month for a toodler! yikes. all adam and i have to provide are diapers, and 1 piece of friut a day (which gets cut up and put on a fruit plate for an afternoon snack). they provide brooke with 2 snacks a day, morning and afternoon, and a hot lunch everyday. they take the kids outside at least once; but not if it's colder then -15, windy, or raining, or snowing. other then that the go outside... 3 out of the 5 days are walks, and the other 2 are to the park. i believe that this will not only benefit brooke, but myself. brooke will get some kid on kid time, and develop some social skills, while i get to be with adults, or have some me time. i think that this will help her learn to share and be with other kids, so that when her sibling does arrive, it wonn't be such a shock to have another child around. i don't want this to come out wrong, but i'll enjoy being with brooke more. absence makes the heart grow fonder!

this is a HUGE step... trusting to leave our child with a day care. the staff told me it's okay to cry the first couple times leaving her there... but they suggest crying in the car. lol.

week 16.

i am now 16 weeks, but baby is only 14 weeks old. baby measures about 4-5 inches; from crown to rump, and weighs roughly 2-3 ounces... only. all this growing and the baby is still so little. baby's arms and legs are complete, and the joints are working. bones have formed and are getting harder and retaining calcium. (a process known as ossifying, i think.)
baby's nervous system is operating and the muscles are responding to stimulation from baby's brain, baby can coordinate movements, smart cookie! baby continues to be very active in "his" private space; rolling over, doing summersaults, and kicking. i sometimes feel fluttering sensations, thats baby moving!! because this isn't my first baby i can feel the movements once in awhile, because i don't remember feeling movements until later on, and i was much much rounder. if we wanted, we could now find out the baby's sex on an ultrasound scan. (to those of you who want to know, adam and i are not going to find out the sex of our baby. i know to some this is frustrating, but life doesn't have many natural surprises, we're going to take what we can get. just hope for an equally healthy baby!)

this is interesting to me, and maybe to those who read. for those who are equally interested: sundays are my week begining, so every sunday or monday, i'll let you know what baby is doing, and whats developing.

something a little personal, but i have to get it out!

what is the most important, and most critical in the transition to parenthood? (whether it's my first, or fourth pregnancy), is that adam and i make time to be together. both as friends, and lovers. we should start creating time to be romantic, whether it leads to sex or not. we should find ways to be together, physically... we can take warm baths together. give each other massages. more hugs. more kisses. be more connected, and stay connected. because i know both us, brooke and our unborn child will revel and thrive in the environment of infectious love we have built.

potty training.

as the title would give away, adam and i are attempting potty training. so far, so good. i wanted to start early, hopefully by the time the new baby comes i have brooke in night diapers, and thats it. im not sure what age is right to start potty training at, but i think it all depends on the child. just like you cant make a child eat, you can't make them learn to pee on the potty. i assumed brooke was ready to start learning, not because she likes to play in the toilet... i know, gross. but because as soon as she gets a wet diaper, she gets out of all her clothes. i think she's ready to learn. we bought her a little potty, and then a seat cover for the toilet. she likes both, and she used both yesterday. we are so proud of her for going on her potty and the toilet, and not on the floor. although im sure thats going to happen a few times. she knows what they are for, and all i have to be there for now is support and reassurance that its okay to make some mistakes. i love her. she's doing so well.

im only going to get bigger, it's no excuse for junk.

i've made a vow, not that kind... lol. maybe one day. but to myself, to eat better from now on. i do eat healthy on my own, and for the most part. but lately i've been giving into my cravings for junk. not so much candy, but like french fries. ice cream. fat greasy burgers. pizza. chinese food. just junkie foods. i do go through lots of fruit and veggies during the week too, but i'd like to cut down on the amount of junk i eat, just use my will to erase the cravings, although this morning i woke up and had a slice of cold pizza, while making adam his lunch. it's okay once in awhile, but NOT once a week. i've gained my baby weight accordingly, but that all i want to do... no left over fat afterwards because i didn't eat right. the more heathier i am, hopefully the more heathier my new baby is. :)

which reminds me, anyone want to come out to the lovely spruce grove to take a walk with me?

diamond mines

how would you feel being only 220 miles from the arctic circle?

i don't know. i could ask my dad. thats where he is right now. he is 300 miles northeast of yellowknife, at one of the diamond mines up there. he's been there for a little over a week now, and i just finlly got the time to sit down and actually find some information on the place. it's crazy. in july they get 24 hours of sun light, and in december then get 2 hours, or a little more, but not much more. and the temperature ranges from +10 to -40. yikes. snow all year round, and from january to april, the mines use an iceroad. it's insane. the place he's at only allows them to work 2 weeks at a time, and then they give him 2 weeks off. which is nice. and they pay is nice too i hear! it's a fly in, and fly out only. kind of like a private jet?? lol. the mine he's working at is on an island, in the middle of a huge lake, not the ocean, a lake! it's crazy!

if your interested here is a link to some more information. http://www.infomine.com/minesite/minesite.asp?site=diavik

if you ask me, it's a little too cold up there for me, although it would be amazing to see something like that. and i miss my daddy.

spring time equals MUD!

it's been so nice here in spruce grove and all the snow has been melting. spring is coming. i can wear flip flops and NO SOCKS!! i really can't wait, as much as i love winter and snow, i can't wait for warm weather. don't have to let the car warm up for 20 minutes before you have to leave. don't have to wear such a heavy coat. can just slip on shoes, and not worry about socks. the one thing that im not looking forward to, and am not liking right now is all the muck. else where im sure it's fine, but there is still construction going on around my neighbourhood, and now that the snow is melting, the dirt, is mud! at least this year we have a driveway!! i love the snow because it keeps it beautiful, and now everything is turning brown. soon enough the trees will be turning green, and things will be nice to look at again.

who wants to R.S.V.P in helping us landscape? any takers? free BBQ and cold beverages...

VW jetta - save on gas for when it needs to be fixed!

i took the good ol' jetta in last night for a much needed oil change, and some of what i thought were minor inexpensive problems. boy was i wrong. i bought a volkswagon thinking, this car is going to last me forever, i finally figured out why it's going to last me forever... im replacing all the old parts for new ones. lol. it's only 2000. what i save on gas because of the excellent gas milage, i save in case i need to repair something.

anyways... this is what is wrong this time:

catalytic converter. takes the yucky pollute-my-environment emissions out of my exhaust. sorry earth, but im not going to replace that until next month. can't afford it this month. (this is one of the months where we have 3 extra bills, one we pay every 2nd month, and then 2 we pay every 3rd month.) parts and labour approx. $836.00.

next, is the right side fender lining. i had this part replaced just last summer, in may because it had a crack in it. now one of the clips has broke off, and the tire has been slowly, and un-noticeingly (i don't think thats a real word... but im going to use it for lack of a better one.) rubbing the fender, and well there's a huge gouge. great. parts and labour approx. $120.00. i'd rather have it fixed then have it one day wrap around the tire or completely fall off, and cause me to be in an accident. better safe then sorry. right? i have too much to lose.

then only $34.00 for the oil change, and a free interior, and exterior wash. and $14.00 for the laoner car. i tried to convince mike, my service agent, to do a fair trade up for a 2000 vw jetta, for the brand new doesn't even have 3000 km on it 2007 jetta parked in my garage!! no deal he says. darn him. maybe he'll throw in a free hat? maybe a jacket? a shirt? a keychain at the least. the work has got to be done.

so again... EARTH, im sorry!

yesterday & today.

yesterday, i actually got moving, and dressed earlier then i had intended. adam stayed home. not really sure why, but it was nice. im starting to think he's pregnant, he's been needing more and more sleep. lol. it was nice that he was home, i was able to grocery shop without brooke, so i was home in under and hour, for me... thats almost a record!!

had a birthday party last night. our neighbours little boy just turned 2 last week, and we're the only couple they know with a child. we've become close because she's a stay at home mom too, so we keep each other company during the week days. it's great because adam and her husband get along really good too. it's fantastic to have friends live so close by.

today doesn't hold much for me. clean my house, i have an appointment with the main carpenter for our builder. he has some touch ups, and things to do. he's coming early. have to run to the bank. and maybe for lunch with tarah. not sure yet. then later on, when adam gets home, were taking the jetta in. needs some work, most importantly an oil change. we get a 2007 jetta to drive. so tomorrow... oh yea... i'll be finding stuff to do, to get out of the house... lol. just to drive. :) that is... after i see alia on the price is right. :)

monday.

it's monday, pretty slow moving. got the tax stuff done though. doing some laundry... and im trying to decide if im even going to get dressed, maybe later? brooke has a birthday dinner tonight, just 2 doors down, we're obviously all invited. lol. her little friend lukas turned 2, and were the only couple with a child that they know, so instead of having a birthday party on the weekend, they are having us over for dinner. good idea. that means i don't have to cook tonight, so really... things are going to move pretty slow today. nice and relaxing!

our weekend out.

this weekend made everything better. mom and dad took brooke over night. it was fantastic. well yesterday didn't start off too well. adam had hockey at 4:30, and we had to make a few errand stops in the city before dropping her off. my parents were running a little late, so we dropped adam off at hockey, in winterburn, and then i drove all the way back to the northeast end. i was hoping to make it back in time to watch some hockey, but by the time i got there, adam was already kicked out of the game, a 3 penalties your out rule. so we watched the rest of his team finish up the game, and headed home. adam's brother and his girlfriend, my best friend met me at the arena. so we all headed back to the grove. we decided on dinner, and headed out to kelsey's, not my favourite, but hey, it was a meal out. after dinner, we headed into the city. not sure what we were going to do... mini golf, movie, bowiling... go carts... something. we headed to the movies. and between the 4 of us, we couldn't decide. so we headed back to our place. stopped off at rogers, and rented some movies. it was the perfect end, to a perfect night. the 4 of us ate popcorn, watched movies, and once in awhile... chatted, yes during the movie. it was strange going to sleep, without having to check on brooke, but it was nice.

AND...

I GOT TO SLEEP IN TIL 11 O'CLOCK!!! whooo hoo!!

gotta go now, have to pick up brooke, because as much fun as last night was... we miss her!
(adam and i should do this more often!!)

oh the fight.

i sat here, at home, all day, thinking about the gigantic fight we had last night. such a huge fight that im still upset about it even after i slept on it. im not one to carry fights into the next day, so when he gets home, im not going to bring it up. but im not going to lie and say everything is better, because it's not. things have got to change.

maybe i was a bit harsh thinking that i should run away with brooke for a couple days and maybe that would make him realize that he needs me, just as much as i need him. i need him to show me more respect, the same respect that i show him. and to think about us more, rather then just hmself all the time. can this change?

i don't want to change him as a person, just change the way he handles things. like his lack of communication. and him having to bug me until i cry. (which isn't really good for me right now, my hormones are a mess.)

i don't want to be in a relationship where the man controls everything, and especially in this case... does he think he can control everything because right now he makes all the money? I want to be in a relationship where there is compromise, and trust, lots and lots of trust, and respect. and we talk about everything, best friends... lovers. 50/50

am i asking for too much?

childcare.

im not sure what im supposed to do with myself. if i should find a job for a few months just until august, and save some more money. or should i just stay home. its a hard decision that i wish i was making. who, and what is really going to make that decision for me is if a dayhome provider, or daycare has room for a part-timer. its impossible to find childcare!! anywhere. ive been on a waiting list... not even for a home or a day centre, but just on an agency list for them to get to my name to even FIND me a dayhome. its crazy. if i had a little more patience, and a little more time, then i would consider taking in a child or two, and watch them, and become a dayhome provider, but i could only do part-timers. and i would only want to do that until august. once the new baby arrives, i just want brooke and the baby, thats it! thats all.

the 1st, but not last.

im feeling alone today, only because for the past 9 days adam has been home. and it's strange not to have him home, helping. just strange i guess.

BUT...

i did however get lots of house work done, with him not home i only have a little brooke to pick up after! so although i was lonely, and it was a bit more peaceful with the TV off all day, it was nice to actually clean my house, and have it stay clean!

oh the life of being a mommy, and wife.