Blog Challenge Day 11: A Recent Photo of Me (AKA the ONLY Belly Pics)

Good Morning Humble Readers!

Okay... so some of you asked a few months ago, and I said no.  But now that I'm this close to the end, I thought it was time to document this journey.  And today's assignment is the perfect opportunity to do so.

These pics were taken last night, in my school bus yellow living room. 

35w5d

So that's me... right now.  Looking (and feeling) ginormous.

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Today is Halloween, traditionally one of my favourite 'holidays'.  I love carving pumpkins, and I adore seeing the little kids in their costumes.  Sadly we don't get any kids where we are living now.  I haven't carved pumpkins in the last couple of years either, mostly because I usually would have been scheduled to work. 

This year has also been challenging Halloween-wise because of the GD.  This is one of the only times of year that you can actually get the good Kra.ft Caramels readily.  And don't get me started on mini peanut butter cups *drool*.

So, my question for you all is... what is your least favourite Halloween candy?  You know, the ones that were always left at the end of November, the dregs of your loot bag.  For me it was the lollipops, and the Rockets (I think you call them Smarties in the US)... those rolls of multi coloured asp.irin shaped sugar tablets.  Yuck!  But the worst of the worst... those nasty too chewy toffees that come wrapped in the orange, yellow, and black wrappers.  Does anyone even make those anymore? 

The Craft Show: An Exercise in Fun & Sadness

Greetings Humble Readers!
I hope that you're all having a great weekend! 

Mine has been good so far... we had a great time at the craft show and got a few really cool things.  The place was insanely busy, as I expected.  We also spent more money that I had anticipated... but that happens at these things. 

We found Christmas gifts for the parental units (unique framed prints of the word "family").  I got some chocolate covered dried strawberries (for my stocking, Beloved has hidden them away for me).  We got a couple of very cute hats for the Halfling, and this hilarious onesie...

I saw a lot of things I loved, but just don't have the cash for right now.  You all know my addiction to journals and notebooks, right?  There was an artisan who made embossed leather, hand sewn journals.  The books were amazing!  I would actually be afraid to write in one of them tho, for fear of ruining such a beautiful book.

We had a really funny moment... I was standing at a gourmet bakery table, trying to decide which breads I wanted to buy (ended up with foccacia, german rye, and cheesy garlic bread) when Dr. U came up to say hello.  I felt so guilty, lol, being caught buying carbs!  (All the yummy bread is in the freezer now for when this wretched GD goes away.)

We also had a sad moment.  There is a local company that makes slings that I have heard really good things about.  I was in contact with the owner about a month ago, asking about plus sizes, and we sent a few emails back and forth.  She told me she was pregnant, expecting her third, but that she was struggling and may end up on bed rest.  I had told her our history, and told her that I would be praying and hoping all would be well.  When we got to the Bab.yro.o booth today, she was there.  I introduced myself, and she teared up.  She told me that she had just lost her little Sophia two weeks ago.  She shared a sketch that she had drawn of her daughter.  It was beautiful and so sad.  I'm very sorry to say that there is yet another new member of this awful club.  She was really struggling to hold it together and sell her products.  I did end up getting my sling, but mostly I just spent my few minutes with her, listening. 

There were so many incredibly talented artisans there.  And soooo much dangerous food to sample.  I'm proud to say that my blood sugars have been in line all day.  I even managed to stay away from the samples of english pudding with butter rum sauce. 

The only challenge of the day came after we had lunch.  My right hip didn't like how I had been sitting while we ate, and I ended up limping along for the last hour or so.  But I still had a blast.  And then we came home and I took a long nap.  :)

Tomorrow is another busy day.  We're heading to my MIL's after church... the dresser and change table are painted and we are going to pick one of them up and get it home.  And then there's a football game to watch... those Roughriders had better win tomorrow.  They've lost the last three in a row.

Blog Challenge Day 10: A Photo of Me From More Than 10 Years Ago (& Some Randomness)

Good Morning Humble Readers!!

By the time this is posted, I will have dragged my Beloved to the big Christmas craft show.  When I realized that I was going to be on mat leave at this time of year, I got so darn excited because I actually get to go to the craft show this year!  In prep for this day, I ensured that our grocery shopping is already done and the only other to do on our list is a stop at a hardware store to pick up a couple of things to help finish off the nursery.  A whole day of meandering through crowds and looking at groovy craftiness geared toward my favourite time of year.  On the list of things to be on the hunt for...

• Christmas gifts for my parents and my Beloved's mom (in case what I have planned doesn't pan out)
• A baby sling (something that will work for my plus sized form)
• A Baby's First Christmas ornament
• maybe a cute Christmas outfit for the Halfling

Can you tell I'm excited?

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The one thing that can potentially ruin my crafty fun today... the fact that I stubbed my toe yesterday, and it's now some pretty ookey colours.   I'm planning on pushing through the pain tho.  :)

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So, today's assignment... a picture of me from more than 10 years ago. 

If you are long time readers of my blog, then you will have seen this picture before.  It was one of my first Show and Tell posts almost two years ago. 

This picture was taken in Berlin, in 1990.  Yes, that is the Berlin Wall.  And yes, that is a very bad perm and acid wash denim that I'm sporting.  I was 15 and on a three month exchange program.  It's one of my favourite pictures of me.  It's not super quality, but I look so happy and relaxed.  Not to mention a heck of a lot thinner back then. 

Me... back when I was Miss Baggins
Berlin 1990

It's hard to believe that it was more than 20 years ago that I was there.  Time certainly flies!

Blog Challenge Day 9: A Photo I Took

Happy Friday Humble Readers!

Today's assignment is to share a picture that I took... the thing is, almost all the pics I post on here are pics that I took. 

So, in going through my pics, I decided to show you a couple of my favourites from our trip to K-town this past summer.

Grey Monk WInery
Looking North from the Deck

Grey Monk Winery
Looking South from the Deck

I have no idea of the name of this mountain!
Taken from the Trans Canada Hwy - Heading East

I love my home town.  So beautiful!

Blog Challenge Day 8: A Picture That Makes Me Sad

Greetings Humble Readers!

Today's assignment was a tough one. 

I spent a lot of time going through my pictures, looking for something that makes me sad. 

There were a few that I could have used.  I have some great pictures from the Baggage Room at Ellis Island, and my experience there was particularly moving.  Particularly when I learned about the families that were split up when family members were not allowed to immigrate due to illness or physical deformity.

But I came across this one.  I had honestly forgotten I had taken it.

Dad C's Skates
(from when he played junior pro hockey)

 This picture was taken last fall at my FIL's memorial service.  It makes me immeasurably sad to think that our little Halfling won't get to know his/her Grandpa C.  Who's going to coach our little one on the finer points of curling?  Or instill in them the appropriate pride in being part of the Rider Nation?  Who's going to teach our child to play Chase the Ace, or how to tie their first pair of skates?  I know there are others, including my Beloved and I, who can teach our child these things, but we won't be able to do it in Dad C's gruff but loveable style.

And that makes me sad.

Blog Challenge Day 7: A Picture That Makes Me Smile

Greetings Humble Readers!  I hope you are all well!

Today's assignment is to share a picture that makes me smile. 

I have a lot of pictures on my computer that are happy pictures, but the one I am sharing today is actually the picture I have decided to use as my focal point during labour.

View from Top of the Rock

I know it doesn't seem like much, but this picture is one of my favourites from our trip to NYC last year. 

It was our first morning in the city, and we had started the day in Times Square.  I was dealing with a lot of sensory overload, with all the billboards, people, cars, etc.  We made our way to Rockefeller Center, just gaping like typical tourists at everything around us.  I wasn't really keen on it, but my Beloved really wanted to see the Top of the Rock, so up up up we went. 

When we finally reached the observation deck, I was blown away.  I remember just standing there, staring out at the city.  It was so quiet.  There were hardly any people up there at that time of day, and it was incredible to just look out over the city and take it all in.  It seems strange to say it, but it was so amazingly peaceful.  It was the first moment that it really struck me that we were in New York.

Blog Challenge Day 6: My Favourite Quote (and a few other ramblings)

Greetings from the chilly flatland, Humble Readers!

Yesterday my dyslexia kicked in and I skipped ahead one day on the list.  So now I'm going back and catching the assignment that I missed.

A favourite quote is another tough one. 

There's that 'Fool's Hope' quote over in the right hand column from Return of the King that I adore.  It and the quote from Scripture below it sum up my journey through life, and particularly through IF. 

I have a whole journal somewhere full of quotes that I collected when I was in my 20s. 

But the quote that I have become attached to recently is something I try to live out every day. 

"Be the change you wish to see in the world" - Ghandi 

Simple and straight-forward.  If we want to make a change in the world around us, we need to change ourselves first. 

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Our Prenatal classes were interesting.  It was particularly useful for my Beloved to hear and learn all the stuff I've been reading about for the last few months.  It certainly boosted his confidence in terms of being able to do the things I will need from him.  We opted to do our classes on two Saturdays, rather than over 5 weeks.  I wanted to make sure we were through them before November rolled around. 

Our classes were lead by one of the L&D nurses from our hospital, so it was good to be able to get information on current practices on the L&D and Postpartum wards.  She is also an IBCLC, so we got lots of good info about breastfeeding (more on that further down).  In the childbirth portion of the class, we focussed a lot on coping techniques (positions, activities, etc).  I'm really hoping that I will be able to stay mobile for at least the first part of my labour, and be able to take advantage of some of the things I learned.  I also learned that my Beloved has no idea how to put a diaper on a child... lol! 

The most interesting for me was the segment on breastfeeding.  I have been doing a lot of reading about bf-ing and I have long been committed to nursing for as long as I can.  My primary concern is that I have heard a lot of plus size women have issues with it, and that there isn't a lot of support, particularly in the hospital setting.  She was able to put my mind at ease, and I now have a lot of contact numbers for support after the Halfling arrives.

The funniest aspect of the whole class was one of the fathers-to-be.  It was very VERY apparent that he hadn't done any reading, and really has no clue about delivery, breastfeeding, or babies in general.  He asked the most awkward questions.  I actually felt badly for his wife.  But it was when he started spouting his opinions about bf-ing in public... well let's just say I was chomping on the inside of my cheek to keep from getting into an arguement.  (He actually compared women bf-ing in public to men who pee on the street outside bars!)  I'm not going to be whipping out the 'girls' just any old time and place, but neither am I going to nurse my child in a public bathroom just to keep people like him happy!  You could tell that there were many others in the group that were struggling not to get into it with him. 

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A couple of you asked the other day what my opinion is of ereaders.  As I stated in my favourite book post, I adore books.  I love the feel of them in my hand, the smell of them, the print on the page.  All that said, I own an ereader (a Kobo - the ereader that my company put out earlier this year).  I like it for traveling, and for trying new authors, and for the numerous mass market romance novels I normally read and then recycle.  I don't think I will ever go 100% to an ereader, but I do see the place for it. 

Blog Challenge Day 5: 20 Favourite Things

Howdy again Humble Readers...

As I warned you, two posts in one day!  If you are looking for my weekly Halfling update, scroll down. 

For the Blog Challenge, today is "20 Favourite Things" day...

1. Chocolate & peanut butter
2. School supplies (notebooks, paper, pens, pencils, etc)
3. Cookbooks & recipe magazines
4. The scents of lavendar, vanilla, and ginger (not necessarily all together, tho)
5. Broadway musicals
6. Period movies
7. the colour Red
8. Christmas
9. Trying out new recipes
10. Raspberry leaf tea (a new love!)
11. Discovering a new (to me) author
12. Venti, non-fat, light ice, iced chai
13. Sushi
14. Big messy cheeseburgers
15. My Yankees sweatshirt
16. Stripey socks
17. Cooking & cop shows (again, not together, altho that would be interesting to see)
18. my Wii
19. Fountain pens
20. Kitchen gadgets

What are some of your favourite things?

Week 35: Memory Lane

Greetings Humble Readers...

Well, even though we still have almost a week until Halloween, Mother Nature decided to show us her twisted sense of humour this morning.  Woke up this morning to a light layer of snow.  Ugh!  I'm really hoping that she's just kidding around and we will be back to cool and dry soon.

With the coming of the snow, my usual seasonal fear of falling has come back with a vengance.  I know I've told you all about the fall I took a few years ago, when I cracked my tailbone.  Winter is a dangerous season for this hobbit.

But I come by my klutziness honestly.  And that's what has me even more anxious about winter...

When my bio-mom was pregnant with my sister, about where I'm at now in her pregnancy, she and I were crossing the street (I was almost three... and yes, I really do remember this) and she rolled her ankle and fell, and landed on top of me.  I recall the old man who got out of his car to help us up.  My mom thought she had just twisted her ankle, but she had broken it.  Not cool at any time... now keep in mind that this was in 1977,  She ended up having to deliver my sister (a couple of weeks later) in one of those old-fashioned crazy heavy plaster casts, and then had to deal with being at home with a new baby and a preschooler on crutches. 

No wonder I'm scared of falling.


Here's the update:

How far along? 35w0d

Maternity clothes? Of course.  I'm beginning to wish that I had some warmer tops, as all of what I bought was for summer, but I'll manage.  Thank heaven for bulky sweaters and hoodies.

Body Oddities? Ummm, can we discuss the ever expanding boobage?  I mean, I love the awesome cleavage, but if it's like this now, what is it going to be like when my milk comes in?  Other than that, just dealing with the expected stuff... sore hips, puffy fingers and toes, gassy, etc.  Acne is starting to make a come back, although my skin is still super dry. 

Sleep? Still iffy.  I seem to sleep better on the couch than I do in bed with my body pillow.  I really can't wait to sleep on my stomach again. 

Best moment this week? My NST.  Even though it ended up taking forever (the L&D floor was really super busy that morning) it was still pretty cool watching the print out and hearing the Halfling's heartbeat and everything.

Worst moment? The Halfling was really quiet on Saturday.  Moving some, but nothing big like I had been experiencing, and I was starting to get worried.  I was trying not to stress, but it was there in the back of my head all day and night. 

Movement? Mostly insane.  He/she really doesn't like it when I rest anything on my belly... my lapdesk, a glass, a book.  Just kicks at it right away. 

Food cravings?  Strawberries are still a major player.  Mandarin oranges, too, although I'm trying to be careful with those as they affect my blood sugar negatively. 

Rings? Off... and I think they'll be staying off now for a while.  My fingers have become regular little sausages.

Gender? Not going to find out, but I think it's a boy.

Intense Dreams? Nothing really odd, mostly just related to things I'm reading.

Medical Concerns? High blood pressure (on 50mg Trandate/Lobetalol, 3 times a day... this week began my weekly NSTs, and I am happy to report that my bp has gone way down!), Gestational Diabetes (waking numbers are still off target, but everything else is pretty good, except when I'm stupid), on prescription Zan.tac for heartburn, and on a weeks worth of antibiotics for a slight bladder infection. I will probably be induced in week 39... holy crap, that's soon!

What I miss? Sleeping on my stomach, eating whatever/whenever strikes my fancy (within reason of course), feeling confident in my body movements (I've been feeling really klutzy lately, afraid of falling, hurting myself)

What I look forward to?  Meeting this little person, ultrasound on Tuesday, getting the nursery finished soon!

Emotional State?  Pretty good.  I do cry really easily, and I've found myself getting teary about the stupidest stuff... like tv shows, etc.

Blog Challenge Day 4: My Favourite Book

Hey Humble Readers...

So, day four... my favourite book...

(excuse me while I kill myself laughing!)

How can I possibly choose just one?  I'm a bibliophile.  I always have been. 

I learned to read when I was four years old, and books have played a huge role in every stage of my life.  I remember the first library I ever visited... heaven! 

Libraries became my safe place when my family life went down the toilet when I was in elementary school, and books became my escape. 

When I was in high school, I was a total nerd who hung out in the library whenever I could.  I would even get out of classes to help with the annual inventory.  (Told ya I was a nerd)

In college, I got my first taste of working with books.  I worked in the college bookstore, and on quiet shifts I would just surf through the catalogues and databases looking at all the different books available.  I also became acquainted with the wonderful world of special order. 

After college, I went into my chosen field, and I would joke on bad days that I really should just work in a bookstore.  When I had been in my chosen field for four years, and realized that the bad days were far outnumbering the good, I decided to pack it in (for the betterment of my mental health). 

And shortly thereafter began my career in the retail book industry.  The rest, as they say, is history. 

I read when I'm happy.  I read when I'm sad.  I read when I'm scared, and when I'm depressed.  I have to read, even if it's just a few pages, every night before I fall asleep.  You could say I'm addicted.

One more tale to tell that illustrates my co-dependant relationship with the written word... 

Several years ago, my hometown was surrounded by wildfires, and my family was evacuated.  In the mad rush to collect up the heirlooms, the important papers, the dogs, and anything else that we deemed un-burnable, I completely forgot to pack a book, any book.  When we got to my grandmother's condo, and were trying to get settled, I realized I had nothing to read.  That's when panic set in.  How would I survive without something to read?  (you think I'm joking, but I'm not!)  My grandma had a small case of books, the majority of which had been my grandfather's.  Somehow, stuffed in between the many Stephen King titles, the home medical encyclopedias, and readers digest volumes, I found a Danielle Steel novel.  I seriously carried that book around the condo like a two-year-old carries their favourite blankie or teddy bear.  I told you, I'm nuts...

So, I ask you, how can I possibly have a favourite book?

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I hope you have all had a great weekend... mine has been another busy one, but good nonetheless.  Prenatal classes were interesting yesterday (will tell more tomorrow or Tuesday), and we had to stop by my bookstore (to deal with a bit of a fiasco that affects my mat leave benefits), and do the grocery shopping.  Today was church, and then over to my friend R's place for yummy treats and girl talk. 

Now, I'm just waiting for dinner to finish bubbling away.  Have you noticed that I've gotten back into updating the weekly menu over there on the right?  Tonight is a new recipe... chicken goulash.  Hopefully it turns out well.  It smells really good!  (And WiseGuy... if you show up for dinner some night, I won't be the least bit surprised.  :)  )

Blog Challenge Day 3: My Favourite Television Show

Good Morning Humble Readers!

Confession time!  Your friendly neighbourhood hobbit is a tv junkie (really, were you surprised?).  I don't have a favourite show, but I do watch a lot of one particular type of show.  And they all have something in common.  Let's see if you can guess...

Donnie Wahlberg

Shemar Moore

David Boreanaz

Hill Harper

Got it figured out yet? 

That's right, humble readers... I have a thing for shows that feature very sexy law enforcement officers!  Blue Bloods, Criminal Minds, Bones, CSI:NY just to name a few.  Yum!

Okay, I gotta run now... we have our second prenatal class today.  Enjoy your Satuday!

I Just Realized

Hey Humble Readers...

One month from today, we could be meeting this little Halfling.  Dr. U is still planning on inducing me a week early, so that means sometime around November 22nd! 

Hokey dinah!

I need to get off my butt and get stuff done!

Blog Challenge Day 2: My Favourite Movie

Good Morning Humble Readers...

So, today on the list I'm supposed to talk about my favourite movie.  The thing is, there are far too many movies that I love for me to write about just one.  Instead, I'm giving you my top ten...  These are the movies that I could watch over and over and over.

Not in any particular order...

1 - The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (has to count as one movie because the story is not complete with just one)
2 - White Christmas
3 - Driving Miss Daisy
4 - The Color Purple
5 - Harry Potter (again, all of them have to be taken together)
6 - Much Ado About Nothing
7 - The Breakfast Club
8 - Pride & Prejudice (the Colin Firth version)
9 - Star Trek (the newest incarnation)
10 - Rudy

What are the movies that you can't live without?

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While I know that it's early yet, I'm starting to get the itch to begin my Christmas baking.  I've spent some time this morning going over my usual recipes (pfefferneusse, shortbread, and peanut butter marshmallow squares), as well as surfing for something new (that will freeze well).  Do you have anything that's a must have for your family in the holiday season?

The Best Lasagna Ever! (And Some Randomness)

Hey Humble Readers! 

(second post of the day... I warned you this would happen!)

So, today was a moderately productive day.  My Beloved has been asking me to make lasagna for a couple of years, but I have never been really happy with my recipe so I've avoided it.  I finally broke down and did some digging and found this recipe online that appealed to me. 

The sauce, at first glance, seems to be rather labour intensive, but really it's just combining a lot of good ingredients, and then letting them come together.  I wish I could have let the sauce simmer for an extra hour or two, but it was still great. 

There was enough sauce for one large pan of lasagna (for the freezer), one small pan of lasagna (for tonight and lunch tomorrow), and enough sauce left over for me to freeze to have with spaghetti some night down the road. 

Seriously, if you don't have a great lasagna recipe, you need to try this one.  The only changes I made were to omit the sugar from the sauce (I thought it was great without it) and added spinach while building the layers.  My Beloved ate two huge pieces, plus a salad... he's now in a dinner coma. 

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Kristin, over at Dragondreamer's Lair, is hosting an awesome giveaway that you have got to check out!!  Are you all familiar with CSN stores online (one of my favourite online shopping locales)?  Kristin is giving away a CSN giftcard that can be used at any of their 200 stores.  There are a ton of ways to enter the giveaway... so get your tail over there!

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So, I had a little brainwave the other day, and while it may seem obvious to some, I'm pretty gosh darn proud of the idea.  I inventoried my freezers.  I now know exactly what I have and how much (generally speaking).  With our newly tightened budget, this will help me with meal planning and grocery shopping.  For example, I have 6 meals worth of pork chops in the freezer, so I know I don't need to buy those for the next while.  Now, I just need to keep it current. 

October ICLW: Kicking Off A Month Of Posts

Howdy Humble Readers!  And welcome ICLW visitors!

In an effort to improve my bloginess (which has been pitiful of late) I am going to attempt the 30 Day Blog Challenge that several others have done over the last few months.  It will give me something to blog about every day, and I should finish up right around the time that the Halfling makes his/her appearance.

This may mean that I will have more than one post a day (gasp!) or have rambling potpurri type posts where I'm talking about unrelated things.  Please bear with me...  Below are the topics I will be covering (so that I can keep track of what's coming up).

Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

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So, day 1... my favourite song.

Hmmm...  Music isn't as much of a part of my life as it used to be.  I equate music with driving a lot, but because I don't drive much at all anymore, I don't really listen to a whole lot. 

All that said, I am a die hard Beatles fan.  I love love love 'Dear Prudence'.  But for the sheer coolness factor, I have to go with this version of  'I Am The Walrus' as sung by Jim Carrey.

Week 34: Where Has the Last Week Gone?

Hey Humble Readers!  Your friendly neighbourhood energy-lacking hobbit here. 

Autumn here on the flatland is progressing.  The trees are bare, and we have had several frosty mornings.  I had to break down and turn on the furnace last week.  I'm really hoping that the cold weather holds off until December, because my winter coat won't fit over my belly.

Last weekend was really hectic.  Prenatal classes, groceries, church, a visit to Beloved's mom (the furniture that is being painted for the nursery is almost done... yay!), and the local Welcome Wagon's baby shower (more like a trade show than anything).  I was pooped by the end of the weekend for sure. 

Galactic badness from today... I was pan frying some tilapia for dinner, and when I flipped it the oil in the pan splashed up over my arm.  I'm now sporting 6 red welts ranging in size from a grain of rice to a nickel.  It's not the end of the world, of course, but it hurts like the dickens right now.  The upside?  It's distracted me from the cut I gave myself yesterday while peeling potatoes.  Maybe I need to stop cooking before I do some serious damage to myself.

ICLW starts tomorrow, and I'm hoping that I will be able to keep up this month, as it may be the last one I participate in for a while. 

How far along? 34w2d

Maternity clothes? Yup, all the time.  I need to order my nursing bras soon.

Body Oddities? Well, all the weight I lost is slowly finding me again, but I'm okay with that, as is Dr. U.  I'm still not up to my pre-pregnancy weight, but probably will be in the next couple of weeks.  I have gotten some blessed relief from the constipation (I think the Halfling was doing a headstand on part of my digestive tract slowing things down).  I've had a couple of scary low blood sugar moments in the last few days, but I have learned what I need to do to prevent them from happening again.  Boobs are hurting like crazy these days, too.

Sleep? I'm still waking up at 3 in the morning, and then needing naps throughout the day.  It's making it more difficult than I had anticipated to get stuff done.

Best moment this week? My baby shower on Friday.  There were only a few people, but we had fun and some great food.  And the Halfling got some very nice outfits and things.

Worst moment? When my blood sugar took a nose dive on Saturday.  We were on our lunch break from our prenatal class, and on the way to get our lunch, I suddenly felt awful.  Hot, shaky, weak, dizzy, and beyond hungry.  It just came on so suddenly, I was really surprised by it.  It happened again on Monday, to not quite the same extent, but I was able to recognize the warning signs and was able to deal with it a bit better.  Both times, it left me feeling exhausted and mentally foggy for the rest of the day.

Movement?  While it has slowed down a bit, the Halfling definitely has his/her moments of crazy activity.  Yesterday was particularly nuts.  He/she has gone from being on a diagonal (head over my right hip, bum under my ribs on the left) to more of a vertical position.  And he/she seems to have a vendetta against my belly button.

Food cravings? Peanut butter and chocolate!  I am a woman obsessed.  I've also been eating a lot of strawberries lately.

Rings? I actually had to take them off today.  We'll see if they stay off long term.

Gender? Not going to find out, but I think it's a boy.  I think a nurse may have let something slip the other day though when I went in for my NST.  I'm not sure if she saw something in my file or was just making an assumption based on the heartrate. 

Intense Dreams?  Oh man... they are back with a vengance!  Dreaming about mutated chickens, blizzards, and Harry Potter.  Not all at the same time, thank goodness, but still odd enough!

Medical Concerns? High blood pressure (on 50mg Trandate/Lobetalol, 3 times a day... this week began my weekly NSTs, and I am happy to report that my bp has gone way down... last week it was 111/62!), Gestational Diabetes (waking numbers are still off target, but everything else is pretty good, except when I'm stupid), on prescription Zan.tac for heartburn, and on a weeks worth of antibiotics for a slight bladder infection. I will probably be induced in week 39... holy crap, that's soon!

What I miss?  Feeling safe in the shower.  I feel very off balance most of the time, and in the shower I'm constantly worrying about falling.  It has also made shaving my legs pretty darn near impossible.

What I look forward to? My ultrasound next week.  The lasagna I'm making for dinner tomorrow.

Emotional State? Mostly even keeled.  Just tired.

Seeking Input

Good Morning Humble Readers...

I think I have mentioned here before that I really want to use cloth diapers.  I have a big issue with all those little plastic wrapped bundles of human waste that are clogging up our landfills, and I don't want to contribute to the problem.

But here's the thing... I've never used cloth diapers before.  Am I setting myself up for disaster here? 

I know that they are a lot easier to use now than what they were back in the day (like when my mom diapered me).  I won't have to use pins, and I have found a local diaper service that costs less per week than what I have priced out for disposables. 

But I'm looking for some input from those of you who have used cloth in recent years.  Can you give me some honest info?  I know the benefits, but what are the struggles?  What are the practicalities?  How many wraps should I invest in?  Do I need to get some of those plastic pants to cover the wraps? 

I feel like a bit of an idiot for asking these questions at this point, but I really want to make this work.

Just To Let You Know...

Hey Humble Readers...

I just wanted to let you know how the new recipes worked out. 

The cornbread and sausage stuffing turned out pretty good.  It was different from what I'm used to (which I was expecting, but alongside the turkey and everything it still threw me a bit), and out of habit, I left the salt out of the recipe, which I think was a mistake.  Next time I would also up the sage/garlic powder/ground pepper just a bit.  My Beloved really really liked it, and is really excited that there is a ton left over for tomorrow night, and to freeze.

The maple pumpkin cheesecake was amazing!  I made it as low carb as I could, while still using the graham crust (which I made with Spl.enda) and the maple syrup.  It tasted absolutely divine!  I had some crust issues, but I think if I doubled the crust and baked it a bit longer before adding the cheesecake part, it would have turned out better.  I haven't made a lot of cheesecakes tho, so who knows.  Even with a soggy crust, it was still a lot better than every pumpkin pie I've ever had.

And for your viewing pleasure... here's what my dessert looked like.

 

Week 33: Thankfulness

Howdy Humble Readers!

I know that those of you south of the border (and in Alaska) are celebrating Columbus Day, but for us it's Thanksgiving.  My Beloved and I are having a quiet Turkey day, just the two of us (he's over on his computer gaming), kind of odd for us.  I'm used to cooking for a bunch of people...  I'm still cooking a ton of food today, but most of it is going into the freezer for next month.  If you've been reading this week, you know I'm trying  couple of new recipes today (Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake is in the fridge, and the Cornbread Sausage Dressing is just hanging out, ready to be warmed up while the turkey rests later). 

Sadly, my efforts in the kitchen today have been hampered by a combination of BH contractions and terrible bloating/gas/constipation.  My Beloved has really stepped up, tho, and he has done all my dishes.  He totally rocks.  The turkey (named George) is finally in the oven and can relax for a while before I have to start basting and making the sauce for the cheesecake. 

Today, I am thankful for so many things, for my Beloved and his presence in my life.  I'm thankful that he has a good stable job in the midst of this challenging economic time.  I'm thankful for our families, friends, and their influence in our lives.  But this year, I am particularly thankful for this little Halfling and the hope that he/she has brought to my life. 

How far along? 33w0d

Maternity clothes? Oh yeah... altho, I can still fit into one pair of my pre-pregnancy jeans.  I wore them all day yesterday.  Crazy!

Body Oddities? Let's see... bloating is back, as is the constipation.  I've had more than my usual share of headaches this week, but they have been mostly sinus/allergy related.  Dry skin is over the top too.  And the continued weight-loss (I've never lost weight this easily before!).

Sleep?  It seems like I'm in a pattern... two nights of crappy sleep, one good night.  I'm am getting better with managing my energy levels tho.  I make sure to take my naps when I need them, and then I get up and do a few things when I'm still fresh. 

Best moment this week?  The mailman was the source of a lot of fun this week.  The diaper bag I ordered arrived.  I can't wait to show you guys pics.  It's absolutely nothing like the one I had originally wanted to get, but I love it just the same.  And my Beloved is pretty stoked about it too.  And there was another package that arrived that I can't wait to show you... I'm planning on sharing it on Thursday for Show & Tell.

Worst moment? Go back and read Saturday's post.  That about sums it all up.  (I obviously found a corn bread mix tho... at a sugar free store of all places!)

Movement? Yup... I'm actually wondering when I'm going to experience the slow down that all the books and email updates keep telling me to expect.  The Halfling really likes to wake up and move around when I get up for my 2am pee.  It takes me forever to fall back to sleep when he/she is moving around like a monkey.

Food cravings?  I found the most incredible sugar-free, crustless chocolate cheesecake at a store that specializes in foods for people with allergies and special diets.  I have been obsessing about it every day, but I've been good and limited myself to one slice with dinner (it only has 13g of carbs!) so that it doesn't mess with my blood sugar numbers.  Yay!

Rings? I think they just might stay on for the duration.

Gender? Not going to find out, but I think it's a boy.  It looks like the poll is almost a tie!

Intense Dreams?  Not so many intense dreams, but every time I wake up, I have that feeling like I've just interupted a dream. 

Medical Concerns? High blood pressure (on 50mg Trandate/Lobetalol, 3 times a day... now getting my bp checked every week at the hospital before my OB appointment. They have the right size cuff for this plus size gal), Gestational Diabetes (all my numbers are good most of the time, except for my waking numbers), on prescription Zan.tac for heartburn. I will probably be induced in week 39... holy crap, that's soon!

What I miss?  I miss the social aspect of work.  I've never been a person who likes talking on the phone, so I'm feeling the lack of social interaction.

What I look forward to? Baby shower on Friday night, prenatal classes on Saturday!

Emotional State?  Really varies, depending on my energy level. 

10 Lessons

Howdy Humble Readers...

Today has been a day of lessons learned.

Lesson #1
When your husband comes out of the nursery looking ashen, and you discover that he has just cracked one of the legs on the brand new crib, it does not make the situation any better when you (being the pregnant one) have a meltdown.  He really feels bad enough. 

Lesson #2
When you don't call the people who normally store your off-season tires for you, inevitably they won't be home when you stop by to drop off the recently-changed summer tires. 

Lesson #3
When you have a prescription on file for refills at the pharmacy at your doctor's office, without fail you will be running out on a long weekend and said pharmacy is closed for the whole damn weekend!  (it's not an important script... just my Zan.tac)

Lesson #4
It's important to remember that one's blood sugar is easily affected by one's emotional state, and to not allow the numbers on that stupid little screen beat you up.  (my two hour reading after breakfast was through the roof... with the only change from yesterday and the day before being my aforementioned meltdown)

Lesson #5
Never dismiss the peace that can be found window shopping.  And never be surprised by little blessings.  (I found somewhere that sells loose raspberry leaf tea, and the people who work there actually know what it's for and are actually knowledgeable)

Lesson #6
The further north of the 49th parallel you live, the harder it is to find things like corn bread mix at your grocery store.  This same lesson also applies to things like Old Bay seasoning, Rachel Ray cookware, and Nutter Butters.

Lesson #7
Never underestimate the power of a mini butter tart from Starbucks to perk you up... that and a venti glass of skim milk with sugar free hazelnut syrup. 

Lesson #8
If you are planning on doing a fair bit of shopping, it is wise to confirm that your wallet is really in your purse before you leave the house.  It's no fun to discover this at a checkout counter. 

Lesson #9
The size of your headache is always proportional to the number of lawn mowers running in your neighbourhood. 

Lesson #10
When you only get a combined total of 5 hours of sleep (even though you went to bed at 10:30), don't be surprised that you have a craptastic day.

But... it looks like things may be perking up.  The Roughriders have just pulled ahead of the Argos!  And raspberry leaf tea is actually pretty yummy!

Thoughts?

I'm back again, Humble Readers... twice in one day!  Shocking!

I want your opinions. 

I'm thinking of trying these two recipes for Thanksgiving.  Neither one is very diabetes friendly, but I am allowing myself a naughty day on Monday, and then freezing the leftovers for after the baby is born. 

Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing

Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake

I'm planning on using Sple.nda (and using evaporated milk with Spl.enda in place of the sweetened condensed milk) and light cream cheese.  I might even leave off the crust.  Maybe.  I'm also going to cut smaller pieces and send the leftovers to work with my Beloved.  The maple syrup is a problem, but I think I will just allow it and enjoy it. 

Any thoughts?  Suggestions? 

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: Making Progress

Hey Humble Readers!

Things here on the flatland are pretty quiet these days.  We've finally had a bit of a stretch of nice weather.  It feels like autumn should, and I have always loved this time of year.  (mental note: I must remember to clean up the balconey before the rain starts again)  I've been slowly making some progress on my to do lists.  Just a few things a day, but I'm getting there. 

*****
The ultrasound earlier this week went very well.  I know that these things are notoriously wrong, but the Halfling is measuring in the 90th percentile (I can't figure out what that means in practical terms).  At least I can stop worrying about the baby not gaining weight as I lose it.  I was nervous beforehand, but then I always am until I see that little heartbeat.  I know at this point it's silly, but I truly keep expecting the other shoe to drop.  I have this fear that one day there won't be movement, that I'll go see Dr. U and the baby will just not be there anymore.  He/she will just have vanished.  That this will all have been something I made up in my head. 

*****
Speaking of weight loss, I am starting to get a little concerned.  I'm dropping weight like mad.  I'm down 6 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight (according to my scale... the doc's scales weigh me a least three pounds lighter all the time), although I did go up about 6 pounds in the first trimester, so all totalled I've lost 12 pounds.  Dr. U isn't concerned, but this is just so unexpected.  I have always expected that I would gain at least a bit when pregnant.  I'm eating all the time (three meals and at least two snacks a day... way more than I normally would). 

*****
Thanksgiving is this weekend for those of us north of the 49th parallel.  I want to do something different this year, so I'm thinking about making a sausage stuffing.  Any suggestions?  I normally just do the usual bread, celery, onion mix.  I have also become obsessed with pumpkin desserts.  Well, desserts of any kind, but I really want to find a good pumpkin dessert that I can make with Sple.nda.   It's only going to be the two of us, so I'm planning on freezing a bunch of the leftovers for next month.

*****
I'm thinking that I might put up our outdoor Christmas lights next week.  I know it's early, but I think I want to do it while it's still nice out.  I won't plug them in of course, just get them out there.  One other piece of Christmas planning that has recently been taken care of... we are getting a free (artificial) Christmas tree!  Our last tree was a cheap-ie that we bought our first Christmas together, and it dropped more needles than a real tree would.  We tossed it last year after the holidays, fulling intending on buying a new one this year.  With the hit our finances took last month, we were thinking we were going to be going without a tree this year.  I mentioned it a couple of weeks ago at work, and one of the new girls told me that she and her husband had bought a new tree last year, and were wanting to get rid of their old one.  She wants to give it to me for free!  It's a 7' tree, only a few years old.  I'm stoked!

Week 32: So Sleepy!

Hey Humble Readers!

Today has felt like my first real day of leave.  Up to now, I have been doing a lot of racing around and going to a lot of appointments.  We had our maternity info session at the hospital last night, which wasn't quite what I was expecting, but still informative.  I was really rather surprised at how many women were due around the same time as me in this little city.

I've had a couple of questions about how I can be on mat leave this early, especially without having to be on bed rest.  In Canada, we get a year (50 weeks) of government funded (through employment insurance, 55% of my income) mat leave that can start any time after 28 weeks (it can also be split between both parents, if we wanted or could afford that).  I decided to go early for many reasons (it's easier on my store with not having to replace me in the middle of the run up to the crazy Christmas season, my doctors didn't want me on my feet 8 hours a day in the craziest time of the retail year, and with the possibility of increased complications due to my blood pressure and GD), but mostly it was just very apparent that I was going to need some extra time. 

Here's the pics from the Halfling's latest photo shoot... I'll tell you all more about that tomorrow.

Little Hands



Little Profile


How far along? 32w2d

Maternity clothes? Yeah, of course.  But now I get to wear my jeans whenever I want!  Yay!

Body Oddities?  Other than the expected, I am sporting a ton of very ugly, very colourful bruises on my stomach from the insulin. 

Sleep? I wish I had some sort of normal relationship to sleep.  It doesn't seem to matter how much sleep I get at night, I need to nap during the day at least once. 

Best moment this week? While not exactly baby related, it is kind of mat leave related.  I know I've mentioned the literacy foundation that my company founded a few years ago.  Once a year, for a set amount of time, each store gets to partner with a local school and all funds raised go directly to that school's library (rather than to the national grant fund).  My last three weeks of work were our Adopt-A-School program.  I have been very passionate about this whole program in our store, and on my last day of work, one of my staff presented me with a gift card for $500 to be donated to our partner school in my name.  She had raised the money by selling fudge and other goodies to the staff for two months.  She presented the gift card to me at our morning staff meeting, and I ended up blubbering like a baby.  Overall, I think $6000+ was raised for our partner school.  So amazing!

Worst moment? Nothing really bad, just feeling guilty about my total lack of energy for the last couple of weeks.

Movement? Very often throughout the day.  It's fun to watch my belly move... The Halfling has somthing against the lapdesk I use with my laptop.  He/she kicks at it like crazy.

Food cravings?  Chocolate, seafood, dairy... I also can't seem to get through the day without eating a tomato

Rings? I think they just might stay on for the duration.

Gender? Not going to find out, but I think it's a boy.  Oddly enough, when I try to think of the Halfling by the names we've chosen, I always end up thinking of the girl's name.  Strange.

Intense Dreams?  Until the last couple of nights, the last few weeks have been seemingly dream free.  In the last couple of days tho, the travel dreams have started again. 

Medical Concerns? High blood pressure (on 50mg Trandate/Lobetalol, 3 times a day...  now getting my bp checked every week at the hospital before my OB appointment.  They have the right size cuff for this plus size gal), Gestational Diabetes (closer to getting it under control), on prescription Zan.tac for heartburn.  I will probably be induced in week 39... holy crap, that's soon!

What I miss?  Having the energy to do everything I need to get done. 

What I look forward to? My first baby shower next week (people from work), my next ultrasound, and getting to meet this little one.

Emotional State?  Content for the most part, but frustrated at the tiredness.  I'm feeling a bit of self-imposed pressure to get some progress made on my to do lists, and the lack of energy is really compounding that.

Check.. Check.. Is this Thing On?

Hey Humble Readers...

Are you still out there? 

I know it's been a heck of a long time.  Two weeks since my last post. 

I wish I could say it's because my computer had died, or that we had crappy internet service.  But nope, it's just been plain old exhaustion.  The last two weeks of work just about killed me.  I was falling asleep on my lunch breaks.  I barely had the energy to get to work and to my doctor's appointments... let alone spending time online.  My poor Beloved has put up with a groggy hobbit-wife, and has hardly anything homecooked for days and days. 

I'm sorry I haven't been around.  Now that I'm done working, I'm hoping that I will see a bit of an increase in my energy levels again.  I slept almost all morning today, and I'm actually feeling a bit more human. 

Stories that need telling...

The GD GD: getting better, but it's taking a lot of insulin to do it.  My before meal sugar levels are pretty good (except for breakfast, although it's getting better too), and most days I'm doing pretty good with it.  I've had very few meltdowns about it lately.  My stomach is showing a lot of not so pretty bruising from the needles, but it's the easiest place for me to inject. 

The Nursery:  still in progress.  We now have all the decor bits I ordered from Esty, and half the furniture that needs to be painted is at my MIL's house waiting to be sanded and refreshed. 

The Ultrasound:  Got a good peak at him/her today.  I'll post the pics tomorrow.  Got to see little waving hands and it looks like the Halfling has my nose (poor kid!).  He/She is head down, facing to the right.  His/Her hands were in the way so we didn't get a lot of really good pics, but there's one pretty good one.

Pregnancy in general:  not too bad.  Other than tired-ness, things seem to be going okay.  I'll be doing my week 32 update tomorrow sometime.  Tomorrow we have our tour at the hospital, and we start prenatal classes on the 13th. 

I hope you all are well.  It will take me some time to catch up, but I wanted you all to know I'm alive up here on the flatland.