The Disappearing Act

Here is the long awaited post.
I'll try to keep it short but, that seems almost impossible considering this will be a birth story.

Lets's get down to it then...I'm now a mother of 2. A rambunctious boy, and an adorable little girl. Her name is Riley and she was born exactly on her due date of September 22, 2011.

It all started the day before Riley was born. I went to see the midwives for my 40 week appointment and was glad to find out that I was 1cm dilated. I felt good and went about my day which consisted mostly of cleaning and picking up after Pauly. I had been dealing with fatigue for a few weeks so it was no surprise that I was tiring quickly. As the day went on things started to change. I wasn't feeling as well and there was a persistent pain in my lower back. I started to think that maybe I was in early labour but, because I wasn't sure I kept this thought to myself. I struggled to finish dinner and was relieved when we all sat down to eat. The back ache subsided a little but I still wasn't feeling well. Soon after I put Pauly to bed and then sat infront of the boob tube to relax.

A few hours later Paul started getting ready for work and I was sure to ask if he had his charged cell phone with him. He did, so at 10pm he left. I decided that I should probably see if there was a pattern to the pain I was feeling and after an hour of monitoring I was sure I was in early labour. The pain was coming every 15-20 minutes and lasting 30 seconds. I then started to mentally prepare for the back labour I thought I would once again experience but, was happy when I started feeling the contractions under my belly.

The advantage of knowing what's coming is that you tend to be a little calmer and can make better decisions about what to do next. My plan was to sleep through early labour and hopefully Paul would be home before I needed his help. So at midnight I went to bed and tried to get some rest. I wasn't too bothered by the contractions and managed to sleep in 1 hour intervals until 5am. At this point I couldn't get comfortable in bed so I decided to get up and time my contractions again. They were now coming every 10 minutes and lasting for 45 seconds. I wrestled with the thought of calling Paul and came to the conclusion that he needed to come home. Even though I was still able to move and talk through the pain it would be 40 minutes before Paul got home and he still had to set up the dining/living room for our water birth. When I spoke to Paul he sounded excited and a little anxious about what was going on. After our conversation I went and sat on the birthing ball to try and relieve some of the pain but it didn't do any good. I just couldn't find a comfortable position. The contractions were now getting stronger but not closer together. I walked the house and tried different things but the only way I seemed to get relief was by slouching in the corner of the couch and breathing through the pain. I realized I should probably call the midwives too in order to give them time to get here. I had been hoping that Basak was going to be on call and was so happy when she called me back to say her and Adriana would be on their way in about 10 minutes.

When Paul got home he informed me that his mom was on her way to pick up Pauly and our dog. Before he started packing Pauly's overnight bag I had him attach a TENS unit to my back. I was a little skeptical about wether it would work for me but I was pleasantly surprised to feel that it took some of the edge off the contractions. As Paul went to work I concentrated on breathing through the pain and relaxing in between.

My mother-in-law showed up a short time later and asked how things were going. I wanted to tell her all about what was happening and how I felt but, I couldn't speak through the contractions any more and was forced to keep my answers short. She finished gathering things for Pauly and let me kiss him goodbye before leaving. I had really wanted him to stay but because he was still so young I knew it would be best if he wasn't home with us. After they left I told Paul that he needed to call our doula Jody. The contractions were getting stronger and closer together. He made the necessary call and continued to quickly prepare the birth pool.

At this point I was still on the couch breathing through the contractions and waiting for my team to show up. At 7:45am Basak and Jody arrived with Adriana following a short time later. The midwives began setting up all their gear and Jody came to my side to see how I'm doing. Because it was still early and Paul figured he had a long morning ahead of him, he decided to make some coffee. Although I didn't feel like having any, the aroma was somehow comforting and just the fact that he was able to do it was a little surreal.

Once the midwives were ready, Adriana offered to check me and I eagerly agreed. I wanted to know exactly where I stood and I wasn't disappointed. After 3 hours of painful labour, I was 6cm dilated and completely effaced. At this point I got the OK from the midwives to get into the pool and I absolutely loved it. The water combined with vocal toning really did help me get through the contractions. I had my eyes closed and was so focused on relaxing my body and resting between contractions that I can't tell you what was going on around me. I know someone was rubbing my shoulders and arms (I later found out it was Paul) and I could hear Jody guiding and encouraging me.

Then suddenly I had a few strong contractions, one on top of the other and there was no time to think. I started pushing. Basak got ready, my water broke and Adriana ran outside to get Paul because he was "making the phone calls". By the time he came back in Adriana was sternly telling me to stop pushing because things were going too fast. I tried not to push but with the next contraction my body didn't give me a choice. Riley's head was born. A few seconds later the midwives told me to stand up because Riley's shoulders were stuck. A few more seconds later and she was in my arms safe and sound. I sat back in the tub to keep her warm and waited for her to cry. It didn't take long for Riley to announce her arrival and Paul was able to cut the cord soon after.

Basak was concerned that there might still be fluid in Riley's lungs because things happened very quickly so she took Riley to the table to examine her. A short while later I was lying in bed with Riley in my arms again. I couldn't believe that I had been blessed with another little angel who was perfect in every way.




So I'm sure this new journey will have lots of sleepless nights, dirty diapers, and moments of pure chaos but, I'll also have twice the love, twice the affection and twice the amount of memories to cherish.

33 Weeks Pt. 2

Whew... I am tired. I'm in the home stretch now and I really understand what it means to be DONE being pregnant. Let me start by saying my baby dropped at the end of last week and stayed that way until Tuesday of this week. It was so unbearably uncomfortable that all I wanted to do was lie down and sleep it away. Unfortunately there was work and my sister-in-law's birthday. Work was a little more difficult to manoeuvre but the birthday party was great because Paul looked after our son while I sat for most of it. But as of now, baby has decided it's much more comfy being out of my pelvis and I am truly grateful!

As for other events, the three of us went to my in-laws trailer a couple of weekends ago. It was nice to get away for a weekend and I'm looking foreword to doing it again before the new baby arrives. I don't know if that will be possible because Paul and I still have most of the nursery to finish. And of course the more I think about how much time is left in my pregnancy, the more excited I get. I see Pauly walking around on his own and playing with his cousins and it makes me realize how much he's grown in the last 13 months. It makes me miss the quiet times we used to have together when he was only a few weeks old. At night I used to take him from the bassinet to feed him and as he nursed I'd fall asleep with him in my arms. It was never for too long but seeing him asleep in my arms made me want to squeeze him. And since Pauly is sleeping through the night, I know I'll have the chance to do it all again. At least for the first little while. I'm not exactly sure how Pauly is going to adjust to a younger sibling but I think he'll do fine considering he loves other kids.

I also saw the midwife last week and everything is looking good. She gave me my charts to carry around in case anything happens and I've got to go to the nearest hospital. But of course it's all precautions. I am really hoping not to go into labour before 37 weeks as I have officially decided to have a home water birth. I've still got some supplies to gather but it's nothing major. The biggest item will be the birthing pool which I rented form Meredith Ballaban. I get to pick it up two weeks before my due date. The decision to have a home birth is really sitting well with everyone too. The midwives and our doula Jody are very excited. Even Paul is looking foreword to the experience.

This week my lil' bean is weighing in at a little over 4 pounds, about as much as a pineapple, and is just over 19 inches long. He/she can listen, feel, see and is still gaining fat. There isn't much change except for his/her size and before I know it there'll be a newborn in my arms.

30 Weeks Pt. 2

I really can't believe I'm going to be a mom again in 10 very short weeks. It's crazy to think I'll have two little ones to love. I'm sure it'll be difficult at first but I know I'll get the hang of it fairly quickly. Especially since I've got such a caring family to support me.

As for events and updates, this week wasn't very exciting. I suppose the biggest news is that I had my glucose test which wasn't much fun at all. That sugary drink really made my tummy upset. And not to mention the fact that it's been super hot the last few days. Thank the Lord for central air. I don't think I'd be able to survive this heat and humidity without it.

Oh wait... what am I thinking. There has been one huge development this week and my pregnant brain has just seemed to forget it, until now. Pauly is walking! Ok maybe not all by himself all the time but he can do it. He just lacks some courage to get up and go so, if you encourage him and make a fuss, he'll do it. And what's the best encouragement for my son?
"Pauly, where's your ball? Go get the ball.". And off he goes. It's the cutest thing ever.

And what else has happened....??
Oh, we're having Jody back as our doula. Paul and I were so happy having her with us the first time that we didn't even think about it the second time around. It was more like "I'm more than halfway through my pregnancy, do you think Jody's available?". And we were so glade when she said she was.

And now that I'm 30 weeks along I'll be seeing the midwife every two weeks. And of course the nursery is nowhere near done. There isn't too much to do but I still don't want it to come down to the wire like last time.

It seems this post is headed in all sorts of directions but hey, that's the way my mind has been the last couple of days. And I'm trying to sort it out lol!

At 30 weeks my lil' bean is weighing in at about 3lbs. roughly the size of a cabbage. There is about a pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounding him/her, which will decrease in volume as he/she gets bigger. The soft lanugo hair that was protecting the skin is now starting to fall off. This lil' bean is keeping active by moving around and this can be seen and felt. And I can assure you this one will probably be just as active as Pauly. There's no stopping him/her. Breathing movements are also being practiced by moving the diaphragm which could lead to hiccups.

29 Weeks Pt. 2

What a busy few weeks I've had. To start (in no particular order)...my little man is now a whole year old. We had a great time celebrating his first birthday and the weather was fantastic. We took the kids to the splash pad and I couldn't believe how much Pauly loved it. After some fun in the sun we all headed back to the house for lunch, Birthday cake and presents. It was amazing to see all the kids playing together.

Loving the splash pad

Another big event is my return to work. I really don't know where the time went. It just seems like yesterday that I was sleeping in a hospital bed with my newborn son next to me. Anyways, it actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. In my mind I was picturing long days, too much overtime and a whole lot of me missing the little man. It actually was somewhat comforting to be back to my regular routine. Don't get me wrong...I missed my son A LOT. But being around adults and having adult conversations was refreshing. That being said, I can't wait to be off again :)

This summer has also started great. We've done a few family outings and I've loved every one. There was Pioneer Village for father's day, Springridge farm, strawberry picking and the zoo.

Happy Daddy's Day

My first pony ride

Off to the strawberry patches

Waiting in line at the zoo

And now for my lil' bean. This week he/she weighs 2 1/2 pounds, about the same as a butternut squash, and is 15 inches long. The bones are fully developed but will stay malleable in order to get through the birth canal. The lungs are maturing along with muscles and of course he/she is still gaining fat. The head is also getting bigger to accommodate the growing brain. Only 11 more weeks!

24 Weeks Pt.2

As I sit here and think of the past week I realize that my maternity leave is quickly coming to an end. My first day back at work will be June 20 and it's creeping up on me fairly quickly. To tell the truth, I'm not looking foreword to it. Mostly because things weren't ideal when I left and I don't know what I'll be going back to. The actual job is great but procedures and job responsibilities will probably be different and I'm not sure I'm going to like the new set up. The two things keeping me optimistic are
#1 - I'll only be there for 3 months before I'm off for another year.
#2 - I don't have to deal with dayshift bullshit (I'll be back on an afternoon shift).

What's kept me from thinking of work is Pauly's 1st birthday. It's 2 weeks away and I just sent out invites a couple of days ago. What's on the agenda you ask? Some time at the local park, including a simple splash pad, playground, a small beach, and lots of grassy field to run about in. Then lunch back at our house followed by cake and presents and of course...PICTURES!!!! I'm sure Paul will love playing with all his cousins and stuffing his face with cake...lol. But let's face it, this party is more for Paul and I than it is for Pauly.

On a completely different note, I've been really coveting a diaper sprayer. I've always thought I'd be using one once Pauly started solids but I haven't yet. Mostly because our upstairs bathroom is non-exsistant. With only one toilet located downstairs, it'll be inconvenient to go all that way just to clean a poopy diaper. I can sense the question that's rolling around in you head right now...so what do you do with the poop now? Well, I use a disposable liner. And even though I've been doing this for roughly 6 months, I'm getting tired of it. For more than one reason.
#1 - It makes more garbage for the landfill, which probably wouldn't have bothered me before Pauly was born but being "green" is something I think about since deciding cloth diapers was the way to go.
#2 - I could have paid for it with all the money I've been spending on disposable liners.
#3 - They stay wet so the fleece lining in my pocket diapers are redundant. This causes Pauly to get diaper rashes occasionally.
So in conclusion, I think I'll be getting one in the near future and just putting the diaper pail in the bathroom. Or I could use 2 diaper pails, one next to the diaper station for wet diapers and one in the bathroom for soiled diapers. I'll still keep the liners for outings though, that way I won't have to carry poopy diapers in the wet bag.
And finally, with only 16 weeks left until this lil' bean arrives I'm feeling a lot more movement. He/she is now the length of an ear of corn and weighs just over a pound. REM sleep is present when the lil' bean isn't dancing about and it may include dreams. The bones of the inner ear are starting to harden so all the noises outside the womb will be familiar and there'll be no need to worry about the barking dog or the train. He/she is gaining a little more fat and the lungs have started to develop surfactant. This will allow them to expand once he/she is born and there's also blood vessels forming in them. White blood cells have started production in order to fight infections and diseases and the brain is growing quickly. Fingernails are now completely formed and eyelashes have started to grow.

21...22...and 23 Weeks!

So I've been busy. I've got a lot going on but I promise, you won't have to sit there and spend an hour reading. I'd like to start way back on Mother's Day. I was 21 weeks along and it was officially my first. I got to sleep in on Saturday and Sunday (luv u Paul). Ate a delicious breakfast that I didn't have to make and of course spent time with my little man. I also got to see my own mom and mother-in-law.

A few days after that, Paul and I went for our second (and probably last) ultrasound. Traffic was bad so we were about 15 minutes late. Not such a big deal but it meant that I didn't see our usual technician. I can't recall her name but she was a little more personable than our last. We chatted for a while during the scan and it made the time pass a little faster which was good because this was the big anatomy ultrasound and it took about 45 minutes before Paul could come in. We had a good look at our lil' bean and saw him/her put a had to his/her mouth. We saw a kick, the heartbeat and of course a tiny foot. But, dun...dun...dun, the gender is still unknown. At least for me it is. That's right. Paul had the technician write down the gender and he alone knows if we're having a boy or girl. I thought it would eat me alive but it hasn't been that bad. The only thing I've really been concerned about is having a healthy baby and being prepared for a not so short labour. We'll see how long I hold out ;)

The first piece of big news at 22 weeks is that Pauly finally got his first tooth. One on the bottom of course. It's weird though. I've spent 11 months seeing a gummy smile and now that this tiny tooth is emerging my little man doesn't look like himself. I'm sure I'll get over it soon. Maybe it's just the realization that he's growing up.

I also had a midwife appointment which went well. All results were normal and the lil' bean's heartbeat was music to my ears. My mother-in-law came with me since Paul couldn't make it so I was able to bring Pauly with us. Basak, the midwife who delivered Pauly finally got to see him again. I had stopped by a few times with him but she was never in the office. Everyone was smitten with him.

One thing that has been a constant pain is my mom's gallstone. It was discovered a couple of months ago and she had it removed recently. Unlike kidney stones, a gallstone must be removed by surgically removing the entire gallbladder. It wasn't a very complicated surgery and took all of 20 minutes to do. The hardest part was the recovery. Four incisions around the abdomen made my mom mostly dependent on help for a few days. She was alright when it came to walking but sitting, getting up or any kind of twisting would cause intense pain. So for the first four days of her recovery my sister and I took turns spending the night. And we were usually both there during the day. I'm glad to report that my mom is doing much better. And although she still needs to be careful about how much weight she lifts and how she turns her body, she is healing up nicely.

In the process of being at my mom's, my sister and I came to realize that she's got a lot of junk collected in her basement. It's mostly just things that once had purpose but have now been replaced for various reasons. Or that my sis and I stored while we were living there and never took with us when we moved. While in the process of sorting, repurposing, and donating, I inherited 3 planters. They're the big clay ones and I can't wait to fill them with flowers. If the rain holds out I might be doing that this weekend.

As for the lil' bean, at 23 weeks he/she is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound. About the size of a large mango. His/her sense of movement is well developed and can feel you dance and sway. Blood vessels in the lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the ears are picking up on noises from the outside world. Things like the dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner become so familiar now they probably won't faze him/her when they hear them outside the womb.

20 Weeks Pt. 2

Although I'm happy that I've reached the halfway point of this pregnancy, I'm also a little sad. Mostly because I don't think Paul and I will have more than 2 children (never say never) and that this will potentially be my last time being pregnant and delivering a child.
I'll never have 1st trimester morning sickness again.
I'll never hear that first heartbeat again.
And I'll never feel those first flutters again. But even if I never experience these things again, I'll always be able to reminisce.
I sometimes wonder if my children will enjoy hearing about their births?

Speaking of...my newest nephew was born last weekend. We went to see him and he is just adorable. I was holding him for a while and it made me remember what it was like to be a new mom. I enjoy being pregnant but I can't wait to hold my lil' bean. It's an amazing feeling that you can't compare to anything else. So congratulations to my sister-in-law and her hubby on the safe and healthy arrival of their little angel.

As for things on the home front, we acquired a new BBQ just in time for the season. It's actually pretty monstrous. I haven't taken a picture of it yet but I will. It looks like two BBQ's welded together. One side is for propane use, and the other is strictly charcoal. It really is a man's grill. And of course the food that comes off it is delicious!

And with a good BBQ dinner comes dessert. Sour dessert! Only I didn't get to enjoy my daily grapefruit for most of the week because I didn't end up going to the Citrus Truckload Sale in Bolton. At the time I figured it really wasn't worth it but now I'm beginning to regret not going. I was at the grocery store and saw that their grapefruit wasn't nearly as big (or juicy?) as the ones off the truck. I left them there in hopes that another store would carry larger (and juicier?) ones.

So as Paul and I sat down in front of the TV for the evening (me sans grapefruit), he put in a movie and that's when it happened. Our Blu-ray player got busted. So sad, I know. The only hope for us now is moving the Playstation from the bedroom to the living room every time we want to watch a Blu-ray on the couch. I don't know exactly what to do with the player now. I'm sure we could get it fixed but is it really worth fixing? Maybe buying a used one would be a better option instead of getting a new one? Who knows, but for now we'll be using the PS3.

Towards the end of this week, I began really feeling my lil' bean moving around. It's what I've been waiting for since I found out I was pregnant and to me, it's a huge part of carrying a child. Usually during the first trimester you have to remind yourself that you really are growing a little human. And that the morning sickness isn't part of some illness you've suddenly come across. But those first few flutters that lead to more definable movement really makes it all worth it. So when the lil' bean starts moving I'm really trying to enjoy it since it will most likely be my last time feeling it. And all this movement made me remember that I haven't taken any decent belly shots. So some time in the following week I have to make time to do it. I find myself looking back to Pauly's belly shots and comparing them to my now growing belly. Sometimes I can't believe how different things are this time around.

Speaking of my growing belly, this week my lil' bean is about 6 1/2 inches crown to rump. Before 20 weeks the little one had it's legs curled up and it was hard to measure them. Now...he/she is big enough that the legs are included in the measurements. So the new length is 10 inches head to heel! About the size of a banana. He/she is swallowing more which is great practice for the digestive system. The amniotic fluid being swallowed contains old cells, lanugo, bile and other things the baby has excreted. All this won't hurt my lil' bean but instead causes meconium to start building up in the bowels. This will go on for the next 20 weeks and his/her first poop will be this build up of meconium. Sounds yucky but I got lucky the first time around. Paul was the one who changed Pauly's diaper for the first week so by the time I got to it, I wasn't changing any meconium filled diapers! Maybe this time my dear husband will be kind enough to help out in the same way (wink wink!) :)

19 Weeks Pt. 2

I guess it's true that all good things come to those who wait. Let's begin by saying that Pauly has had a slow start in mastering some things. Not abnormally slow but slower than I'm used to. This week made up for a lot.

The little dude has never liked tummy time so getting him to crawl has been a work in progress. I can happily say he has mastered the art. In his own special way of course! He started by sitting up on his own. Easy peasy. From there he managed to lean on his hands with one leg extended to the side and the other still tucked under his bum. That's where he was for a while. He would rock back and forth lifting his bum off the ground but never managed to get his bent leg out from under him. And when you'd try to help him out...plop! On his tummy he'd be and the whining and crying would begin. Now he has figured out that he can lift his extended leg and drag the other to move foreword. Tah dah! The Pauly crawl. There is no stopping him now :)
And to add the cherry on top, the following day he started going into a sitting position on his own. It's actually very amusing. He doesn't like rolling over so it you put him on his tummy, he'll be sitting up and crawling in less than 5 seconds. My how much he's grown in the last week.

This made for a very happy Easter. The weekend started with a Fish and Chips dinner with my in-laws. We had a good time chatting and dining together. Then Easter Sunday was spent at my sister's. Again good food and good conversation. The kids also had a blast playing together except for Ciarán. He decided to have a loooong nap.

For a long while I've been contemplating on replacing my Hoover vacuum with a very coveted Dyson. Now, my hoover isn't a bad vacuum but over the years I was spending more and more time trying to get all the dog hair out of the carpet. I probably would have put up with it except for one important point. Pauly was going to be crawling and picking things up off the floor, and I didn't want everything covered in dog hair. So over the last few months I've been researching and watching for sales. It didn't take long for me to decide which Dyson model I wanted but these vacuums NEVER go on sale. So I though of other ways I could get one cheaper. I even e-mailed Dyson to ask if they had any promotions or coupons I could take advantage of. They only directed me to their refurbished section. I didn't have a problem buying a refurbished vacuum but they didn't have the model I wanted. I thought about picking one up in the USA since the dollar is so strong but they didn't sell the model I wanted there. So it was back to the old drawing board. I did a little more research and found that if you subscribe to Bed Bath and Beyond, they'll send you a 20% off coupon and keep you updated on sales and other discounts available. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to use this coupon on a Dyson but what did I have to loose? So I got my coupon and it so happens that Dyson vacuums were $100 off at The Bay the weekend I decided to look into using my coupon. You read it right. The vacuum that never goes on sale, was on sale. But, it was still cheaper to pay full price and get 20% off than only getting $100 off. So I called Bed Bath and Beyond to find out if they had my model in stock and the lady on the phone surprised me by saying they cost the same as the sale price at The Bay, but they didn't have any in the store. I said "oh, you've got them on sale too!"
She said "no that's our regular price."
"Really?" I said. "OK well what's the next closest store that has them in stock?"
"Oakville. But you might want to call them just to be sure"
"OK I will. And I'll be able to use my coupon to buy the Dyson"
"Yes, absolutely"
I was so excited. I called the Oakville store and they quoted the same price and told me they had 3 in the store. So off I went. But when I got there (about an hour later), the ticketed price was not the price they told me. I could feel my blood begin to boil so I took a deep breath and walked to Customer Service. I calmly explained what happened and they called the manager for me. I once again calmly explained to him what happened and he told me he could give me the quoted price but he couldn't take my coupon. I asked why and he said that they weren't taking that coupon for the Dyson. That's when the cashier piped up and said the STORE manager said they were allowed to. So the guy let me use the coupon. So all in all I saved a whopping $230 on vacuum that NEVER goes on sale :)
I was very happy. And now I have a vacuum that picks up all the dog hair (amongst many other microscopic particles) and it will "never loose suction". Thank you James Dyson.
As for the lil' bean, this week he/she is the size of medium zucchini which is about 6 inches crown to rump. He/she is now covered in vernix to protect it from the amniotic fluid and the skin underneath appears red due to the visible blood vessels. There are motor neurones developing which are nerves that will connect the muscles to the brain. And along with that comes sensory development. The brain is designating areas for smell, touch, taste, hearing and vision. Under the gums, there are permanent teeth buds developing behind the already formed milk teeth buds. His/her arms and legs are now proportioned to each other and the rest of the body. There is hair sprouting from the scalp this week as well.

Tasty Corn

Here's a little video of Paul eating a tasty piece of corn on the cob.

18 Weeks Pt. 2

I'd like to start off by saying that I've finally experienced the pregnancy cravings that everyone keeps asking about. With Pauly it was different. I usually though of something I'd like to have, went out to get it and I was satisfied. Not so this time around.

It all started when I spotted a grapefruit at the grocery store a couple of weeks ago. It looked too delicious to leave behind so I bought 2 of them. Now, I've always liked grapefruit but, before this lil' bean I usually thought of it as an alternative to oranges. You know...I've had the sweet now let's have the sour. Well, after eating that first grapefruit I've never craved anything so bad. It's a good thing that these big sour balls are good for you because if they were filled with cocoa and sugar (aka chocolate), I'd be ruined. I had to force myself not to eat that second one right after the first. Instead I had it for breakfast the next morning. Then I had to deal with wanting another one and not having any in the house. So I called Paul and like the fantastic husband that he is, he stopped at the grocery store and brought home 2 more.

I paced them out this time. Only because there was a Citrus Truckload Sale happening that coming Wednesday. What is a Citrus Truckload Sale you ask? Exactly what it sounds like. A truck full of boxes containing navel oranges and ruby red grapefruit. The next logical question is how much is in a box? Well you can either purchase 20 lbs of oranges, or 20 lbs of grapefruit. Can you guess which one I bought? If you guessed grapefruit than you win. And what would you be winning? Nothing. Except for maybe a good laugh. After all, what am I going to do with 20 lbs of grapefruit? Well, I shared it. Actually I split the box with my sister. So over the last 4 days I've been having one grapefruit a day and my craving is still going strong. So next time (as embarrassing as this might be), I think I'll keep the entire box to myself because 10 lbs of grapefruit only gives you about 8 juicy, sour globes of goodness! The only problem...I think Wednesday was the last truckload sale for the season in our area. The next closest sale is about 50 minutes east of me. Is it worth it? We'll see once I polish off these last few grapefruits!

A few days before Good Friday my sister-in-law was telling me that the Real Canadian Superstore was having a sale at their photo studio. We decided to take Pauly and Logan in for some shots. They seemed to of had a good time (especially Logan) and the pictures will be a good keepsake of their first Easter together. The one down fall is that the special only included 5 minutes in front of the camera and we couldn't get Pauly to smile. Oh well. Maybe next year we'll get a group shot of all four cousins. I can just emagin how cute those pictures will be.

I also went to see the Midwife this week. They offered to do some extra exams since I haven't seen my family doctor in over a year. I quickly agreed since I like my midwives much more than my GP. Everything checked out fine. Thyroid feels fine, no lumps, no abnormal swelling in the abdomen, no varicose veins and my reflexes are ship shape. And then there's the usual bloodpressure and fetal heartrate check. All is good.
This week my lil' bean is the size of a bell pepper. All the organs are in place and will be getting more mature here on out. His/her translucent skin is now covered in lanugo and vernix will soon be on the way. The skin has actually formed into two layers this week, the epidermis and the dermis. Taste buds are starting to form and the bones are continuing to harden.

17 Weeks Pt. 2

I would like to start by bragging about how great I feel.

I think 15 weeks of feeling ill gives me the right to gloat.

I feel FANTASTIC!! There, I'm done now :)

Things that have happened this week (in no particular order):
1) My sister came for a visit with my Godson Ciarán
2) I went to the Babytime show
3) Got my car repaired
4) Went to brunch with my sister-in-law who is expecting at the end of April

As you might have read, my sister had her 3rd child in January and I've had the luxury of seeing her more often. We live about 45 minutes from each other so usually we only see each other a couple times a month. Me being a homebody and her caring for 3 kids is usually the reason for our rare get togethers. Now that we're both not working and winter is subsiding, it's much easier to find time to do sister stuff. Mostly hang out and talk or window shop. I've really been enjoying it.

One evening this week Paul decided to go to Blockbuster with Pauly. A father and son outing he called it. When he got home he asked me if I had noticed anything weird going on with the Element. I said no and he told me there was a grinding noise coming from the brakes. I said I thought it was the usual noise you hear after the car has been sitting in the rain. He told me that it's the same noise but the rain wasn't causing it this time. He suspected the caliper was seizing. And as you would expect, I was not happy. Mostly because I had repaired this exact problem on the Tiburon less than a year before we traded it in. So I took the Element to the mechanic as it was too big a job for Paul to do on his own. The diagnosis was not only that the caliper that needed to be replaced but also the brakes and rotors. $$$ So the money I had been saving for a Dyson vacuum was relocated to the Element fund along with extra cash that would have been better spent on the new baby. C'est la vie.

As a consequence of not having a vehicle, I missed going to the Babytime show with my sister-in-law and mother-in-law. It was something I had really wanted to do since I wasn't able to attend last years baby show. So instead I kept myself busy until I heard back from the auto shop. By mid afternoon I had my car back, in working order but it was too late to meet the girls at the show. So instead I called up my sis to ask her to join me the following day. She unfortunately couldn't make it and I ended up going to the Babytime show with Pauly. A mom and son outing I'll call it! It was what you'd expect. Lots of vendors selling products or services and handing out samples. I spent a good portion of the late morning and early afternoon there and collected a giant goody bag of free stuff.

The next day was a little more slow paced. I left Pauly with daddy at headed off to brunch with my sister-in-law and a bunch of her family and friends. She is due at the very end of April with her second son and thought it would be nice to have one more get together before he arrived. It was also as expected. Good conversation over good food. There was only one thing that went wrong...I didn't bring a gift. I have a gift for the little one. It's gift wrapped and waiting for his arrival but I never thought to bring it with me. So while my sister-in-law opened gifts I sat there, wanting to kick myself in the ass for not thinking that maybe, just maybe gifts would be a part of this brunch. At least she can look forward to opening one more gift when her son finally decides it's to time meet his parents.

This week my lil' bean is now the size of a small pomegranate. The skeleton is starting to change from soft cartilage to bone and the umbilical cord is growing and getting stronger and thicker. My lil' bean has also started to put on a little bit of fat. He/she will take the next several months to gain the body fat needed to maintain their body temperature when they are born. I can't wait to get another look at this little person growing inside.

16 Weeks Pt. 2

This week contained a wide variety of feelings. At first I was feeling nervous. Then I was feeling tired. Followed closely be sickly, tired (again) and finally amazing. Here's why...

Tuesday I had my appointment with the midwife where I was expecting results from my blood work and ultrasound. You always hope for the best but never know until the day arrives. Happily I can announce my glucose is low and iron is high. As for the scan, everything looks normal. Yippee! And I'm officially due on September 22, 2011

Being tired is a mandatory part of your first trimester but for some reason it poured into my second. It might of had something to do with having a cold and caring for a 9 month old baby who just doesn't want to sit still. I'd been trying to take it easy but there were times where I had to dig deep for that last ounce of energy in order to do those unavoidable things like feed the dog and myself!
My cold started out as a runny nose and escalated to congestion three or four days later. I was using Vicks successfully for a few days and thought I was getting better but I wasn't. One day I woke up and my nose was stuffy, my throat hurt and my head was pounding. The midwife informed me of what I could take to ease some of my symptoms and I promptly went home to slept while my mom watched Pauly. I decided instead to head out in the morning to deal with it. When I got up, I felt better. No headache, congestion or soar throat. Very strange. And that's when it all ended. Since Wednesday I haven't felt sick at all. And to top it all off, the weather was amazing this weekend. I even took Pauly to the park for the first time. Boy did he love the swing. I'll have to make it a routine when the weather is good.



This week my lil' bean has grown to be the size of an avocado, about 4 1/2 inches long. He/she is dancing around and probably sucking their fingers or toes, and playing with the umbilical cord. The head is now being held more upright and the neck is very developed. The eyes are still moving under the lids and the ears are almost in their permanent position. The heart is working to pump 25 quarts of blood every day and this will only increase as he/she grows. There is a growth spurt expected for the next few weeks and my lil' bean will be doubling his/her weight. As of now I am feeling great and hope it stays this way.

Clapping Baby

Here's a video of Pauly that I thought was too cute not to share.

15 Weeks Pt. 2

Right now I'm trying to figure out if I'll really be able to pull off at least one post a week like I did for my previous pregnancy. I think not...although I will try my best. Usually I'm so tired by the end of the night all I want to do is put my feet up and enjoy some quiet time before bed. And of course bedtime has changed. It used to be sometime between 11pm and 12am but not anymore. I'm usually in bed and asleep by 9:30 or 10pm.
Yes that's right. Early to bed and early to rise.
In my pre-baby world I though I could manage on 5 hours of sleep a night. And for the most part I did. In my post-baby world I value every single minute of shut eye. Playing, feeding, changing and traveling with a kid is tiring work.

As for my pregnancy, each day is getting better. My nausea is only present when I go more than 2 or 3 hours without eating. So food is constantly on my mind. I've also reached that point where I go from sort of hungry to starving in less than 2 minutes. And of course it's difficult to find healthy snacks while caring for Pauly but I'm sure I'll figure something out.

This week my lil' bean is about the size of an apple with legs that are now longer than the arms. Elbows and knees are able to move more freely and the eyebrows and scalp hair have begun to grow. The eyes can now sense light behind the eyelids even though they are still fused shut, and in a few weeks my lil' bean will be able to hear my voice.

In Bed Posting From My iPod

I had a fruit cup.

And he is snoring.

I think I'll put my ear plugs in.

Sleepless Night

Here I sit in front of my computer at 12:38 in the morning. Why? I haven't the slightest idea. For some reason I can't get to sleep. I've been tossing and turning for a few hours and finally gave up. I got out of bed and made my way downstairs. After checking my e-mail, facebook and reading the blogs I follow I decided to write.

There will be nothing of importance in this post but I somehow think it will make me sleepy. Why? I haven't the slightest idea.

I know I'll be up with Pauly in 6 hours and I'm thinking that maybe it won't be so bad, but I know better. Even when I get a full 8 hours of sleep, getting up at 6:30am is soooo hard. I'm usually OK after 15 minutes but I would much rather sleep in to 9 or 10am.

I guess I should make my way back to bed. Hopefully my dear husband isn't snoring and I'll be asleep in 30 minutes of less.

Sigh...I'm also hungry. Maybe a quick bite to eat will help. But what can I have that doesn't involve dishes, heating or loud crunching? I guess I'll have to take a peek in the fridge.

Goodnight.

Growing A Family

The word is out... Pauly's going to be a big brother.
That's right, our second 'lil bean is on the way.

I'm 13 weeks along and feeling good. Which is a change from the beginning of my first trimester. Things didn't go as smoothly as my first pregnancy. This time I was way more tired and the nausea was sooo much worse. But I hung in there and made it out in one piece! And of course I couldn't have done it without my better half. There were a few days where I couldn't even get out of bed and he was so wonderful to take on the roles of mom and dad simultaneously. I really don't know how single parents do it. Even on the best of days I sometimes find myself relieved that a second pair of hands are so close by.

I've seen my midwife and things are looking good. We've got a strong heartbeat, good blood pressure and a pretty little bump. People weren't kidding when they say you start showing sooner the second time around. I only made it to 11 weeks before I needed to start wearing maternity clothes. Of course they are still a little big but there was no way I was squeezing into my regular jeans anymore. It was just too uncomfortable.

I also had my nuchal translucency ultrasound and blood work done last week. I'm still waiting for results but as always, no news is usually good news. I'll know for sure when I see the midwife again. The technician had a little bit of a hard time getting some measurements because our 'lil bean was lying on his/her stomach and our pictures weren't as good as Pauly's but here's a little peek anyways.

This one is of his/her face

Here's a little foot!

I'm feeling a lot more too. My belly aches and I've already started getting hip pain every once in a while. I just hope things don't get too much worse. I had it great the first time around so hopefully this pregnancy won't be too different.

Since I am going back to my previous posts to find out how my 'lil bean is growing, I'll just cut and past that info that way you won't have to! So...at 13 weeks my lil' bean is about 3.5 inches crown to rump, about the size of a medium shrimp. The liver is now secreting bile and the pancreas, insulin. He/she can smile now and there are 20 teeth under those gums. The hands have started to open and close and the toes can now curl. The sucking reflex has started and no doubt he/she will start sucking his/her thumb. With that comes the swallowing of amniotic fluid and he/she is passing it in their urine. Vocal cords have started to develop along with finger and footprints. The eyes are starting to move closer together and the ears are practically in the right spot.

8 Months

My little man is now 8 months old! I really can't believe it. It's hard to remember how small he actually was until a new baby comes around. I've gotten so used to holding Pauly that my new nephew Ciarán seems so fragile to me. He is a cutie though. And for some reason I keep forgetting to take pictures of him :(

To compensate, here are some recent ones of Pauly

Winter Blues

It's winter. Blah. The snow has been piling up the last couple of weeks and although it's pretty to look at, I'm waiting impatiently for warmer weather. My in-laws and neighbour, both had the right idea. Mexico. I would have loved to be where it's sunny and warm. Just the thought of a double digit forecast above 0 makes me smile. Oh, well. For now I'll just have to keep the toques and gloves at hand.

On a happier note, Pauly's night wakings have become almost non-existant. After trying everything else, I broke down and tried the Ferber method...sort of. After our night time routine, Pauly usually falls asleep at the breast or sometimes with a bottle. And he always wakes up a little when I put him in his crib but he never had a problem falling asleep. He just didn't want to say sleeping. Well after a rather cranky and frustrating day, and weeks of being sleep deprived, I through in the towel. The fist time he woke up that night, I let him cry for about 2 minutes. Then I put the pacifier back in his mouth and patted him bum until he got quiet again. About 2 minutes after I left his room he started crying again. This time I left him for 5 minutes. Then 10 minutes. At 15 minutes his crying wasn't continuous anymore. He would cry for 5 minutes and then be quiet for 1 or 2 minutes. After 20 minutes of this, he was asleep. And he stayed sleeping for the rest of the night!! The next 4 or 5 days were like heaven to me. Pauly slept all night and I rested peacefully. Then, like everything else, he decides to switch things around. Not for the worse though.

As of today, Pauly sleeps about 10.5 hours a night and wakes up once but rarely twice a night. I let him cry and fuss for about 5-10 minutes and without intervention, he is sleeping again. His daytime routine hasn't changed either. He still clings to me like glue...until daddy wakes up.

Nephew #3

Yesterday I got a call from my mom telling me that she was on her way to my sister's house to babysit her 2 kids. I knew instantaneously that my sis was in labour. Which of course my mom confirmed, and I was sure it would only be a few hours before I found out if I had a new nephew or niece (my sister was made for birthing babies).

As predicted, the second phone call came 2.5 hours later from the new mama to tell me my nephew had arrived. My heart was filled with joy and it suddenly brought me back to the day Pauly was born. It's always exciting to have a new baby arrive but I think until you have one of your own, you can't really appreciate the rush of emotions that come with seeing and holding your new son or daughter.

So today, after lunch, I packed up the necessities and Pauly and I went to see the little angel. He was just adorable. And I'd forgotten how small a newborn really is. I held him in my arms and once again it brought me back to June 18, 2010. A little piece of heaven...that's what babies are. He was beginning to stir and started sticking his tongue out so I reluctantly handed him back in case he was hungry. After a few moments I wanted to hold him again but I couldn't disregard the fact that my own son needed me. So I sat and chatted with them for a while. Every so often getting up to show Pauly his new cousin.

So congrats to my big sis and I'm wishing her all the best and sending all my love. I can't wait to see the little angel again.

And...I get to become an aunt all over again in a few months.

"A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for."
-- Anonymous

Another New Year

The holidays have come and gone and they were fabulous.

There is always something special about celebrating with family and this year was no different.

Christmas eve was celebrated at my mom's place and little Pauly had a blast. My sister's kids are 4 and 2 and they were all over him. Pauly was sharing his toys and at one point Róisin (the 2 year old) picked up a toy that Pauly has lost interest in. Or so we all thought. A mere 2 seconds after pushing the button, Pauly turned his head, reached up to her and with furrowed brows began his "Ahhhhhh" in protest. For us, it was the funniest thing but I'm sure Pauly didn't appreciate our laughter. A flustered Róisin quickly handed the toy back and everything was as it was before.

Dinner was good, dessert was great and as anticipated, Pauly was more interested in the wrapping paper then his actual toys. I suppose you can't ask for much from a 6 month old.

The next morning, Paul, Pauly and I enjoyed our own Christmas.





My favourite gift was the car starter Paul got for my Element. No more trekking outside to start the car on those cold winter days :)

After lunch we started packing up and shortly there after, made our way to my in-laws. Thus continuing the Christmas saga. We settled in by opening presents and then had a wonderful dinner. After, Pauly and I took an impromptu nap on the couch while the rest of the family watched Inception.

The following day we went to my sister's for a Christmas lunch with my dad. He had a great time playing with his grandkids and wished us all a Merry Christmas before leaving.

Since it's soooo difficult to buy for people who need nothing and who usually have what they want, Paul and I decided to take some family portraits and give them to our family. We though it would make a good personal gift and we were right. Especially since family is the core of Christmas for us.