BGB Week 33 Update

This one's for the belly shot hounds.

At 33 weeks, everything is going very well. We have officially entered the stage of pregnancy when it is impossible for either of us to get comfortable, or for me to take a proper breath. Bladder being used as a punching bag, a butt sticking out of my tummy, two feet in my ribs, and she seems to like practicing splaying her fingers and toes in sort of prenatal wave. I'm not complaining, mind you.  :)   I couldn't be happier about it.

The 33rd week is a major milestone for us. Week 33 is when we lost Owen, and that memory is a bit of distraction this week. We paid tribute to him by moving his butterfly onto our Christmas tree, watched over by the angel on top of the tree. We're focusing on the positive and staying optimistic, and I have to tell you that that little green butterfly fills me hope. Butterflies symbolize change and new beginnings. Special thanks to my Sister-in-Law Anne, for that very special gift.

Of course, things are very different this time around. The doctors are monitoring us very closely and that gives us great piece of mind. Something we saw in  a tv show brought to Jonas's attention that sometimes babies don't survive, and made him wonder about BGB. He asked if our baby is ok and has been more concerned with her condition that he usually is, so we took him out of school early on Monday afternoon so he and Steve could join BGB and I for our stress testing, which we passed with flying colours.

Of course Steve and I always breath a little easier when we're reassured that she's doing ok, but the second best part of the day was Jonas's reaction. He thought it was neat to hear the baby's heartbeat and see how it changes when she moves. He was  very interested in the monitoring of contractions too. They're still weak, just as they should be, but he had quite a conversation with nurse about how they change during labour. I imagine that's going to generate a few questions in the coming weeks. :/

Cheers!

Confessions of a Second-hand Treasure Seeker

This year more than ever, we've got a very tight budget for Christmas shopping. I'm always on the hunt for ways to save money and at that only amps up during the holidays when I have to make our money stretch even farther than usual. I'm not much of a shopper, in the  stereotypical "women love shopping" sense. That said, I have to admit that I love shopping at second-hand stores. I love poking through all the stuff and finding treasures passed along by unknown strangers. Besides being better for the environment and our local economy, and often partnering with local charities, second-hand stores are a great way to find great deals and selection without breaking the bank.

I truly believe that it's the thought behind the gift that counts, not the price tag, but it took me a while to get over the feeling that other people would view me as a cheap-garbage-can-raiding-skinflint when the gifts I give don't come in fancy big store packaging. I've come to realize, that for me at least, the exact opposite is true. I spend more time pouring over the racks and shelves of goodies at Value Village, trying to find something that's just right for the people I love, than I do at mainstream stores, where I find everything so generic.

Regardless of where I buy it or how much it costs, when I give someone a gift that I've put a lot of thought into and that I think they will appreciate, it makes me feel good. I can only hope that the gift reciever feels the same way.

Cheers!

Week 32: BGB Update

BGB and I had a very long day at Mount Sinai yesterday. All is well, it just took a while to confirm that because was backed up. (Don't get me started on the ride home on the TTC!)

BGB had a little growth spurt over the past couple of weeks. She's up to about the 70th percentile for growth - about 4 pounds now, and tracking to be about 8 when she's born. She scored perfectly on all her other tests for movement, heartbeat, fluid, etc. She appears to be a healthy little peanut. Phew!

I, on the other hand, have a bladder infection, a yeast-type infection, need a higher dosage of hypothyroid meds and my morning sickness has ramped back up so I need a little more Diclectin every day. None of these things are any risk to the baby as long we treat them properly and, thankfully, they're monitoring us very closely. Pukey and tired best sums up how I'm feeling. Of course, it's a small price to pay for such a wonderful blessing. If only I could get a little more sleep. Oh well, we are in pre-training after all.  Sleep will come again in a few years.  ;)

Cheers!

Wordless Wednesday: Mom's Christmas Wish List

I truly believe that Christmas is a time to give to others, so I don't usually think much about a wish list for myself. However, the troops were whining, I mean asking about possible gifts for me last night. (I might add that none of them has given us a list either.) They're not contemplating a DIY crafting adventure, don't think "family time" counts, and apparently they think I'm hard to buy for this year.  Of course, they're all pretty tech savvy and I'm, well, I'm not. I'm a simple girl and have simple needs and wants, so I guess I get it, but I really don't think I'm much of a mystery.

Since it's Wordless Wednesday, I thought I'd give them some visual clues, to coincide with my advice to hit Value Village, Goodwill, flea markets, craft sales, church bazaars, etc...

Cheers!

To speak to the techies in them:

This one I'll clarify:
I have an ipod, I just can't figure out how to make and upload a playlist for it.
The techies that are my husband and kids could probably figure it out.



I got locked out of my running Jeep (in the rain, I might add) this past weekend.
A spare key, strategically placed, might be a good idea.

I never seem to have enough batteries or memory cards for my camera.

Right up my alley kind of stuff:



And, since we're all preoccupied with the safe arrival of BGB, here's a few with her in mind:



I need a new cold weather sleeping bag and one that will fit both of us seems imperative.

 



I plan to do a lot of hiking after she's born so baby carriers (inside and outside) are definitely on my BGB stuff wish list, along with an off-roading stroller.

 

Unboxing Our Christmas Traditions

I realized today that we haven't started this year's Advent calendar yet. We're only a few days into December so catching up won't take long, but it got me to realize that it's time to let Christmas take-over the house. I've distracted today, thinking about some of the other Christmas traditions we have.

We planned to pull out the Christmas decorations this past weekend, but that never happened. This weekend is circled in red on the calendar, and we had quite a discussion last night to agree on a plan. Steve is in favour of making a duct tape tree on the wall. My vote is for a full-on Chevy Chase Christmas Vacation-like celebration. Jonas is voting for traditional decorations, enhanced with duct tape accents.  Tasha has her own apartment so has the luxury of not having to compromise with any of us.

Getting a real tree was debated. Only putting  up part of our artificial tree was mentioned. Put of the joy of Christmas around here is the pleasure of putting together the puzzle that is our 40 year old hand-me down tree. Frustration and cursing were discussed, as was the reality that any tree-like structure will be attacked by our herd of kittens.

Decorating said tree isn't nearly as difficult a decision as the "what tree?" one is every year. We let the kids do it. (Usually in their jammies on a Saturday or Sunday morning.) The theme is: whatever they fancy. Tasha won't be home this year so Steve and I will help but the process is simple: assemble the tree and put whatever decorations you want on it. We have boxes of 70s - style lights, garland and ornaments, some handed-down from my Grandmothers.

We got our first Christmas card yesterday. We usually hang a ridgeline of string in the front hall and drape the cards we receive over it (secured with clothes pegs) to let their festive spirit greet us when we walk through the front door. My mom has a brass tree-shaped stand thingy (Yes, I do think that is it's official title) that sits on a table in her front hall to show off the cards. I liked the 3D effect of that and today I found instructions for making this rustic Christmas card tree. I totally love it, just haven't yet figured out where we're put it.

Another thing that's ready to come out is the annual Advent calendar. When I was a kid, we got chocolate ones. I always wanted one of the fancy ones made of wood, with doors and windows that opened. When I lived in my first apartment, I bought a cloth and wood calendar that we still use every year. Last year, however, was a break-through when it comes to the old December countdown - we found a Lego Star Wars version. Every day Jonas got a new mini Lego action figure, sort of an early Christmas present, rewarding good behavior. The only problem is that they cost $50.  Now, $50 is a good deal for 24 Lego guys, but I'm still pondering the budget.

We also have a family tradition of  making a gingerbread house together on Christmas eve. It started off as something that my brother, sister and I did together. Today, it's something our kids do, with a smackral of help from us. This was Jonas and Tasha's creation last year:

Of course, they won't be used until Christmas Eve, but our stockings need to be hung with care as well. Mine is from when I as a baby and Jonas has special one too, that was handmade by my Aunt Heather.  Believe me, it looks even more difficult than than the baby blankets that take me two years to knit, and it deserves a month of showing off. We don't have a fireplace or mantel so we hand them on our family paddles in the living room, while we sleep with visions of a dancing campfire in our heads. 

And then there's the presents and food and the outside decortations.... But those are entirely different blog entries.

Cheers!

Adventures of Ninja Girl

I didn't get much reading done, I was too busy enjoying the sounds of BGB's heartbeat.

Our Non-Stress Test went very well yesterday. BGB was an active little ninja and passed with flying colours. I had a tiny glimpse of what heart failure feels like when her heartbeat bottomed out at one point. Thankfully, the monitor lead just came lose when I coughed. Once the nurse repositioned it, we were right on track again. Until she tried to take my blood pressure and it was super low too. I felt fine so she tried another BP cuff and, viola, perfect. Phew!

BGB kept up her ninja routine after we got home. As Jonas's ADHD meds wore off after school, he got louder and more animated, and BGB responded in kind. In fact, it was super cute when she did what felt like an all-over body wiggle when he suggested that we name her "Alexander Christopher".

You read that right. Alexander Christopher. Not Alexandra or Alexandria. Not Christina or Christin. Christopher is the name of one of his awesome uncles, so I get that. He has no idea where he came up with Alexander, but he's not in favour of the feminine alternatives and he thinks Alex would be a great nickname for her. I think I like his suggestion of "Sam" better but we'll try this combo on for a while. Who knows, maybe it will be the one that sticks.

Cheers!

Fetal Non Stress Testing

32 weeks, and 8 to go. Wow! Time is flying. BGB and I start our weekly Non-stress Testing today. I've been asked a few times what the test is, so I thought I'd give you a quick overview of it:

"This simple, painless procedure is done during pregnancy to evaluate your baby's condition. During the test, your healthcare practitioner or a technician monitors your baby's heartbeat, first while the baby is resting and then while he's moving. Just as your heart beats faster when you're active, your baby's heart rate should go up while he's moving or kicking. The test is typically done if you've gone past your due date, or in the month or two leading up to your due date if you're having a high-risk pregnancy.

During the procedure, you lie on your left side, possibly with a wedge under your back that allows you to lean back. A technician straps two devices to your belly: One monitors your baby's heartbeat and movement; the other records contractions in your uterus. The technician listens to and watches your baby's heartbeat on an electronic screen while your contractions are recorded on paper.

More detailed information can be found here:
http://www.babycenter.com/0_nonstress-test_1272943.bc?page=2



Basically, they want to make sure that BGB is doing ok in there, moving and reacting well, etc. They also want to make sure that her exit route is barricaded and she's not planning an early escape.  As long as the results are good, I have to admit that I'm really looking forward to 20 to 30 minutes of listening to her. Let our mom and daughter one-on-one time begin!

 

Cheers!