Hobbit-ish Thoughts and Ramblings

A Pain In The Neck

2012-01-26T19:56:00.000-07:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I hope you're all well, where ever you are.

The 'three-week' rule that has proven true throughout this pregnancy (being that I get sick/something goes wrong health-wise every three weeks) is right on time. I woke up this morning barely able to move my neck and shoulders. Ugh!

I have been putting off seeing my chiropractor because we only have limited coverage and it's not really in the budget. But he's a good doctor and, even though he's always trying to get me to buy into some program or other, I trust him to take care of me. I got a lot out of having regular adjustments last time around, and I really think it was a part of why I was able to recover so quickly.

The adjustment tonight was just a step into getting things back to normal, but I am feeling a bit better. Poor Ginny had to hang out in her play-pen most of the afternoon because I couldn't chase her around the house.

Now I just have to figure out how I'm going to do a bit of a clean on the house tomorrow. We have a babysitter coming over (Beloved and I are going on a date... woohoo!) and the layer of dust on the furniture is bordering on icky (and as much as I can look past it, I can't allow the teenage daughter of one of my church friends to see the current state of our hobbit hole).

Week 23: Feeling Fat(ter)

2012-01-24T20:56:00.000-07:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I hope that you're all doing well this evening. Things here at the hobbit hole are pretty mellow now, but it was a bit of a challenging day. Ginny had a rough day, experiencing what I think was her first tantrum. We're in an a bit of a transition stage right now, with morning naps slowly phasing out (getting shorter all the time), and when you throw in teething and a burgeoning sense of independence... well things come to a head easily.

Today's drama involved a part of my Beloved's desk that the wee girl can reach, and the items that she likes to pull off the desk (pencils, check book, tape dispensers). Every time she would go near it, I would say no and move her away. Finally, I said no for the enth time and she just lost it. She dropped to the floor, and shrieked for a good five minutes. I didn't make a big deal about it, but she was cranky and whiny all day after that. It made for a frustrating day for both of us. I was never so thankful to see my Beloved walk through the door tonight.

In other news, some of the weight I have lost in the past couple of months seems to have found me. I'm not quite where I was at when I first found out I was pregnant, but if I have another week like this one, I'll be back there pretty darn quick. I know that plus sized women are 'supposed to' gain between 11-15 pounds during a pregnancy, but I will admit that I was kind of hoping for a repeat of last time... only gaining 8lb, and that came on in the last six weeks. Of course, I have slipped off the diabetic diet a bit this week, and that may have something to do with it as well. *sigh*

How far along? 23w0d

Maternity clothes? Absolutely. I've even noticed a difference in how my lazy day clothes (sweats, etc) are fitting. But unless I specifically tell someone, they still can't tell I'm pregnant.

Body Oddities? VERY dry skin, alternating constipation and IBS flares, acne, bruises from insulin injections, back ache, cracking joints, super sore & slightly leaky boobs, increased earwax, dry/itchy eyes, leg cramps, round ligament pain. NEW THIS WEEK: heartburn is much worse, even with my rx meds.

Sleep? Pretty good this week, so long as I got to bed at a decent hour. (Made the mistake of staying up late on Saturday night playing Zuma and listening to music on my Beloved's computer. Didn't get to bed until 1 in the morning, then I couldn't sleep)

Best moment this week? Getting a couple of hours to myself to get caught up on my DVR shows. (I am addicted to Downton Abbey!!!)

Worst moment? losing Uncle Jack, stepping on the scale this morning and seeing that gain

Movement? Lots. It seems like it might be triggered when I eat... like right now (finished dinner an hour ago)

Food cravings/aversions? Still craving milk. And I've found that recently it's been easy for nausea to kick in... something grosses me out, and I end up gagging for several minutes.

Rings? Still on, but my fingers have been a little puffy the last couple of days, so we may be seeing the beginning of the end.

Gender? Still leaning towards girl, although most of my Beloved's family seems to think it's a boy.

Intense Dreams? All my dreams are really influenced by what I watch on tv, what I read, or what I listen to just before I go to sleep. Like on Saturday night, when I finally did get to sleep, I dreamt of Donnie Wahlberg (was listening to NKOTB) and medieval France (was reading Philippa Gregory)

Medical Concerns? Gestational Diabetes (insulin 5 times a day), High blood pressure (on 100mg of lobetalol 3x daily), continued heartburn (on 150mg of zan.tac 2x daily), kidney stones, low lying placenta.

What I miss? Being able to get down on the floor easily to play with Ginny. Getting back up is a challenge too.

What I look forward to? I've decided that for the first week after I'm home from the hospital, I'm going to allow myself to eat whatever the heck I want to. Then I'll endeavor to be a good girl. Sushi, ice cream, and chai tea lattes will be on the menu.

Emtional State? Pretty good, mostly. When my back starts aching, and when my blood sugars are wonky (both have been happening a fair bit this week) I get grouchy.

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: Ups & Downs & All Arounds

2012-01-22T21:41:00.000-07:00

Hey Humble Readers,

I hope you're all well and thawed out if you have been in the deep freeze for the past week. We didn't get Tilly the Toyota started until Saturday because it was so freaking cold around here. Ginny and I stayed snuggled up in the house all week, but I feel for anyone (like my Beloved's nephew... putting up/repairing power lines) who has to work outside. It looks like we're going to get a respite for the next week, but then temps are expected to dive again. Gotta love life on the Canadian prairies!

*****
I (and many other bloggers) have a favour to ask of you all, or at least those of you who use Blogger and have your comment form embedded below your posts. For the time being, can you change your settings to 'pop-up window' or 'full page'? Google has acknowledged that there is a problem with their new comment system and because of that, blogs are freezing up when configured with an embedded comment form. (Have you noticed that you have had a drop in comments this past week? This is why.) Google is trying to fix it, but who knows when it will be working.

*****
Ginny has been walking a whole lot more lately. As in, only crawling when she's underneath the kitchen table or has just had a bigger stumble and is unsure on her feet. She thinks she's all that... walking around with her arms flung wide and a big grin on her face, as if to say "Ta-da! Look at me!"

*****
Sadly, we lost a family member yesterday. My Beloved's Uncle Jack, who was 85 and had been frail for quite some time, passed yesterday morning. We knew it was coming, but his loss will be felt keenly at all our family gatherings. He was a funny old soul, and was always getting himself (and anyone around him) into mischief. He was one of the first of the extended family that I met when I came into the family, and I loved him instantly. Of course, it didn't hurt that he loved my cooking. :)

*****
In church news, our congregation is one step closer to a full time pastor. It has been a long time for us to go without a regular pastor (Pastor J. left in February of 2010). Our interim, semi-retired fill in pastor has been good, but it has had an impact on our congregation to be without full-time leadership. The candidate will be coming early next month to preach and for a meet and greet with the congregation. My Beloved has been on the call committee, and this has been a challenging journey. I'll be glad if this potential pastor is a good fit, not only for the benefit to our congregation, but also because it will be one less set of meetings my Beloved will have all the time.

*****
I am in desparate need of a haircut. Not just a trim, which is what I've been doing rather infrequently over the last couple of years, but a full on 'give-me-a-new-look' haircut. The only time in my life when I have truly liked my hair was around the time when my Beloved and I me, were dating, and got married. But at that point I had the expendable income to see my long-time trusted hairdresser every six or eight weeks. I would get my hair coloured and highlighted regularly. I know I can't/shouldn't colour my hair right now, but I NEED to do something. My biggest frustration is trying to find hairstyle pics for plus sized women. I don't want to cut all my hair off... I want it to be something easy but cute, and can still be put back in a clip or a pony for everyday. I'm not demanding, am I?

*****
Please stop by my friend Alana's blog and offer her some love and support. She experienced a miscarraige earlier this month and is facing some hard decisions.

Week 22: Hibernating

2012-01-18T13:05:00.000-07:00

H\owdy Humble Readers...

I hope you're all keeping warm wherever you are. It is, to quote my mother, snappin' a**holes cold around here. When my Beloved left for work this morning at 8:30, with the windchill, it was -46C. At that temp, exposed skin freezes in about five minutes. Ugh! Things are supposed to warm up by the weekend, thank Heaven. If you look out our window right now, and look past the build up of ice around the edges, it actually looks very pretty. Clear blue sky, fresh blanket of snow... if only the air wouldn't freeze your lungs at the first breath.

One unfortunate effect of this cold snap is that Tilly the Toyota won't start. I still wonder at the sense of selling a car on the Canadian prairies without a block heater, although I guess it's the new trend. We called AMA yesterday and had them come and give us a boost, and I let the car run for more than a half hour, but twenty minutes after I shut it off, it wouldn't start again. My Beloved is just going to have to bum rides to work for the next few days until it warms up I guess.

Ginny has been happy as a clam, these past few days, to just snuggle up on the couch with her favourite stuffed dog or playing with the cake pans she can get at in the kitchen. She also loves blowing on the patio window and seeing her breath fog up the glass. She's developed a fondness for chicken noodle soup (with lots of crackers). Both she and I have been napping a bit more than usual, but she's just finished up another round of teething so I'm happy that she's getting lots of rest.

Anyway, onto the update...

How far along? 22w1d

Maternity clothes? Oh yeah. There's no way I could get into my regular jeans now.

Body Oddities? dry skin, periods of extreme fatigue, alternating constipation and IBS flares, acne, bruises from insulin injections, back ache, cracking joints, super sore & slightly leaky boobs, increased earwax (happened last time too), dry/itchy eyes, leg cramps. NEW THIS WEEK: lots of round ligament pain

Sleep? Pretty good for the most part. Have had a couple of rough nights, but I think that was more the cough and cold than anything pregnancy related.

Best moment this week? Sunday's epiphany was pretty awesome.

Worst moment? Finding out about my low lying placenta and getting myself freaked out about it..

Movement? Still pretty random, but I think I feel a bit of a pattern emerging. First thing in the morning, and in the evening the Halfling is pretty active.

Food cravings/aversions? Milk! I can't seem to get enough, which is a problem as one cup has 12 grams of carbs in it. Damn GD.

Rings? Still on, still loose

Gender? Still leaning toward girl.

Intense Dreams? I know I've been dreaming a lot, but I don't really remember any from the past week.

Medical Concerns? Gestational Diabetes (insulin 5 times a day), High blood pressure (on 100mg of lobetalol 3x daily), continued heartburn (on 150mg of zan.tac 2x daily), kidney stones, low lying placenta.

What I miss? Sushi, iced tea (that doesn't taste like artificial sweetener), ice cream

What I look forward to? the end of this cold snap, getting a haircut

Emotional State? Pretty good actually, feeling content and not terribly stressed about anything.

Guilt (Wherein You Discover That the Hobbit Needs Therapy)

2012-01-15T18:16:00.000-07:00

Humble Readers...

I have just had a life changing experience. My heart is racing, and my mind is whirling. I hope that what I'm about to write here makes sense. But before you read on, please go over to Kristin's blog and read her post about the Daffodil principle. It's what started all of this for me. Please go. I'll wait.

*****
I adore my Mom. She is a wonderful, caring, intelligent, strong woman. She is a woman of faith and someone that I strive every day to be like.

And I fail. Every day.

You see, my mom is an amazing housekeeper. Her house is always spotless. She has a routine and she sticks with it. Come hell or high water, she does her laundry on Tuesdays and Fridays, towels and sheets on Wednesdays. She cleans the whole house every Monday, top to bottom. Dishes are done after every meal, and the floor is swept every day.

The idea that someone, be they family, friend, or stranger, could come to her home and not find it ready for a full home tour is horrifying.

I have always fallen short of her standard when it comes to cleaning. Always. My room was always a mess as a kid, and while I can actually clean to her standard, I don't as often as 'I SHOULD'.

Enter the guilt.

Because my house is never as clean as I think it should be (read: as clean as Mom's house) I think of myself as a bad housekeeper, wife, and mother. I want to be clear, this is NOT something that my Mom has ever said to me directly, but knowing her value on cleanliness, and knowing that I don't measure up has always been a weight that I carry. (It also means that I clean like a mad woman before Mom and Dad come to visit)

Now, here's where things get odd.

I have developed this quirk in my personality because of this guilt. In my mind, if my house isn't clean, then I don't deserve to do things that would qualify as 'fun'. Think of it kind of like, you stayed home from work or school because you weren't feeling well in the morning, but by evening you're feeling better and want to go to a movie. I don't know about you, but I just can't do it. If I didn't do what I was 'supposed to', then I don't get to do what I 'want to'.

Clear as mud?

The thing is, there are things in my life that I have come to regularly deny myself permission to do, all because my house isn't clean. They are things that somehow have taken on 'luxury' status in my mind. Some of them are simple pleasures, like taking the time to read a magazine in the middle of the day. Or working on a craft project like Ginny's baby book.

But biggest, and most important on the list of indulgences that gets denied is my passion for writing. Writing has been a part of how I have defined who I am as a person since I was 7 years old. I never feel better about myself than when I am lost in something that I am writing. Creating characters and places, dreaming up conflicts and situations that I don't yet know how they will get out of.

And yet, somehow over the years, the act of writing has become the equivalent to a day at the spa or that super rich dish that you only let yourself eat once in a blue moon. There's this voice in my head that nags at me as soon as I sit down to write... telling me that I am selfish for taking time from what I should be doing to do something I enjoy. And there is always something else that I SHOULD be doing.

Like laundry.
Or dusting.
Or scrubbing the kitchen floor.

Today that changes. Today I give myself permission to write, and to enjoy it, no matter the state of my laundry hamper or kitchen floor.

I may not write much to start, especially as my writing muscles are sorely out of shape. But every small bit of writing will add up and maybe in 10 or 15 or 20 years I might have something that resembles a manuscript.

To quote the Daffodil Principle, "When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world."

Time X Effort = Wondrous Things

Amazing.

Frustration

2012-01-13T22:46:00.000-07:00

Humble Readers...

Am I the only one having issues with Blogger tonight? Actually it started yesterday... And this goes beyond the issues I've been having with my Intense Debate comment system.

When I wanted to comment on at least three different blogs, Blogger freezes up. As in I can't do ANYTHING with it. I have to log out and then log back into my dashboard, and not comment, which I'm just getting back into the habit of doing. Very frustrating!

I think it has something to do with the updated Blogger interface and the new threaded comment system that they've just introduced. It also seems to be on blogs that have their comment form embedded below the post. It's seriously pissing me off!

I have temporarily turned off the Intense Debate account, even though I will miss the added benefits of using it. I have grown exceedingly frustrated with the whole random switching back and forth that comments have done over recent weeks.

I'm hoping that this is just a glitch that will be rectified soon, but this is just one more step on my road to switching to something like Wordpress.

Dr. Google Is Not My Friend

2012-01-13T09:51:00.000-07:00

Good Morning Humble Readers...

You would think, after all this time, I would know better than to waste my time googling medical terms, particularly how they pertain to me. You'd think that I would have learned my lesson by now, and that I wouldn't bother, and yet...

I had an appointment yesterday with Dr. B. My weight gain/loss is still considered a non-issue (I'm down 6 pounds from when I first got pregnant... thank you GD). Blood pressure was good. The Halfling cooperated nicely and Dr. B was able to find the heartbeat right away (144 bpm). I asked about the cough that is still lingering, and he didn't seem to be concerned about it... just suggested staying hydrated and it will pass. I asked about my new OB, at which point he realized that he hadn't sent through the referral yet... GAH!!!! And then we got to my ultrasound results.

What the u/s tech thought might be a fibroid is most likely some scar tissue from my c-section. But that wasn't the biggest revelation. Apparently I have a 'low-lying' placenta. Dr. B didn't go into detail, just said I'd need to have another ultrasound when I'm 28 weeks, and that we'd get that booked at my next appointment.

Enter Dr. Google.

Of course, I found links to placenta previa and all the scary things that can go along with that (words like... profuse bleeding, apbrution, birth defects, premature delivery, blood transfusions, hysterectomy). I read for about an hour last night, getting more and more freaked out. Of course, I'm at higher risk for previa because I am over 35, I've had uterine surgeries previously (2 D&Cs) and a previous c-section. While it was often mentioned that previa diagnosed prior to 20 weeks commonly corrects itself as the uterus stretches with the growing baby, it wasn't until the last article that I read that there is a difference between 'low-lying' placenta and actual placenta previa. It's basically a difference of millimeters, but it is that much more likely that a 'low-lying' placenta will correct itself before the third trimester.

So needless to say, I got myself worked up over something that is, in all likelihood, not going to be an issue. Ridiculous!

Fun and Not-So-Fun

2012-01-11T21:08:00.000-07:00

Hey Humble Readers...

When I stopped by Mel's place this morning I was pleasantly surprised that I hadn't missed the Annual International Blog Delurking Week! I always end up missing it... but the stars aligned this year. Yay!

The point of Delurking Week is just what the name implies... all those people who are out there who stop by my little hobbit-hole, but don't comment (and I KNOW you're out there) are invited to delurk, even just once. So all of you out there, step up to the mic, say hi, and let me know that you're here. I'll return the favour! And if you are stuck for something to say, why don't you tell me what kinds of things you read (besides blogs, of course)?

*****
On a completely different topic, Humble Readers, I have a request... for prayers/good thoughts/healthy vibes for my mom.

I know I have mentioned this before, but my mom is a survivor. As in, a five time cancer survivor. Cervical cancer (removed and treated with radiation), uterine cancer (hysterectomy and radiation), lung cancer (removed 85% of her left lung, chemo and radiation), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (removed a long strand of lymph nodes from her neck along with a good chunk of muscle tissue, chemo and radiation), and lesions on her brain (surgery).

Her last go round, just before Beloved and I got married (about this time, five years ago), ended with a truly miraculous healing. The doctors told her to get her affairs in order, and that even if she survived the brain surgery, she couldn't expect to survive the year.

Two hours out of surgery, she was awake and talking and in no pain (minimal pain meds). Two weeks later she was, while not 100% her old self, very actively working on planning my wedding. One month after surgery, the doctors determined that chemo was unnecessary as there was no sign of any remaining cancerous cells (there had been some significant concern about her thyroid as well as a recurrence of the lymphoma). Three months later, she was given a completely clean bill of health, which has been renewed every year when she has gone for her annual check up with her oncologist.

Just before the holidays, my mom found a lump. (Good heavens, how I hate that word.) It's in the same general area as where the lymphoma started.

Thankfully, she always has her check up in January. She saw her oncologist today, and while the doc was generally positive (all of Mom's bloodwork came back clear, as did her annual chest xray and other tests), she was concerned enough about the lump to book Mom for an urgent CAT scan (no date yet). If the scan shows anything questionable, then there will be biopsies and surgery.

My mom is an incredibly strong lady. However, one lasting effect of all the cancers and treatments has been that she deals with a lot of anxiety. Beyond the physical ramifications of facing the "Big C" again, I'm concerned that this could do a number on her emotionally.

Please send whatever prayers/good thoughts or vibes you can spare her way. Personally, I'm praying that she will get a quick date for the scan and that it will show something benign like a cyst or something. And that she can live without fear until those results come in.

Thanks Humble Readers... I appreciate it.

Week 21: Randomness Abounds

2012-01-10T20:42:00.002-07:00

Good Evening Humble Readers,

It appears that winter is making a reappearance here on the un-frozen flatland. It's been so warm lately that I was beginning to wonder if our winter was only that couple of cold weeks in November. It's supposed to get down to -20C tonight, and next week we might even get some snow! Shocking! As much as I hate it, it is necessary. I know that the farmers will be in a state in a few months if we don't start getting some significant precipitation.

On a completely different note, this week is the beginning of a bit of a new experiment for my menu planning. In an attempt to change things up a bit, I decided that each week we will have one soup night, one sandwich night, and one meat-free night. I want to do this partly because I get tired of the same meat/starch/veg combos, but mostly to cut back on some of our meat consumption. Tonight was soup night, and I made mushroom barley soup which turned out pretty well, and I attempted to make some dinner rolls that didn't turn out at all (don't know what happened... my bread maker didn't mix the ingredients properly. Odd). Tomorrow is sandwich night and I'm making bbq beef sliders. I'm going to have to work on my supply of meat-free recipes. Any suggestions?

On to the update...

How far along? 21w0d

Maternity clothes? Yes, but not that I've been wearing any of them the last few days. Pjs and sweats have been the name of the game since I came down with this crud.

Body Oddities? dry skin, periods of extreme fatigue, alternating constipation and IBS flares, acne, bruises from insulin injections, back ache (I'm going to see my chiropractor next week), cracking joints, super sore & slightly leaky boobs, increased earwax (happened last time too), dry/itchy eyes. NEW THIS WEEK: nighttime leg cramps and the 'girls' have gotten significantly bigger (didn't happen last time)

Sleep? Much better. I'm still tired during the day, but I think I can attribute most of that to the crud. I don't feel the need to nap in the evenings any more and I'm able to sleep pretty much all night. Hopefully this trend will continue.

Best moment this week? Having a small burst of energy the other day and using it to go through our coat closet and sending a bunch of stuff to the thrift store.

Worst moment? Any moment that involves a coughing fit.

Movement? Lots. The Halfling has been doing a lot of flip-flopping. There doesn't seem to be a significant pattern yet, with movement coming at almost any time of day.

Food cravings/aversions? Nothing specific this week. I haven't been really hungry.

Rings? Still on, still loose

Gender? Not going to find out, although I am thoroughly planted in the she-hobbit camp. My Beloved has no inkling either way.

Intense Dreams? Lots. Many of them involve some sort of action (searching, hiding, running from someone, etc) or other intense situations. Then there are the odd ones that involve fictional characters (like Sheldon from Big Bang Theory... again). And the one that I told you all about a few days ago... where I saw the Halfling, kind of, and called her by name. I really liked that one.

Medical Concerns? Gestational Diabetes (insulin 5 times a day), High blood pressure (on 100mg of lobetalol 3x daily), continued heartburn (on 150mg of zan.tac 2x daily), kidney stones, continuing string of lousy colds

What I miss? Sushi, my favourite wine, and bladder control

What I look forward to? Feeling healthy, making progress on my organizational projects

Emotional State? Generally, I think I'm doing better. I get frustrated easily, but a lot of that is based on my physical state.

Inspiration Needed!

2012-01-09T17:50:00.001-07:00

Hey Humble Readers...

First, let me get something out of the way... Beloved, if you are reading this, STOP! COME BACK TOMORROW! THIS POST IS NOT FOR YOUR EYES! GO AWAY! NOW!!!!

Okay, back to my Humble Readers...

I am in need of some suggestions. I know it's early to be thinking about Valentine's Day, but it's an important day for my Beloved and I (the 6th anniversary of when we were matched on eHarm.ony) and while we can't afford to do something big and splashy, I do like to make a fancy meal for us each year. Because of our budgetary restrictions, I need to plan ahead for any out of the ordinary ingredients I might need.

I have chosen one part of the meal, but I seem to be working backward. Normally, I choose the main course, and then choose sides to go with it. This time around, I found what I think will be a great special occasion side dish, but I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to serve with it.

Warm Potato Salad w/ Smoked Salmon & Dill
Image courtesy of http://www.foodnetwork.ca/

This is what I have found. It's simple yet elegant, in my opinion. And totally outside of our normal menu choices. And veggies to go along with it will be easy enough... oven roasted asparagus or broccoli, maybe with some sauteed mushrooms.

The thing is, I can't come up with a main dish to go along with it. The cooking program the recipe was featured on had it in a menu with penne with a lobster cream sauce but potatoes and pasta? That's too much starch for me, even if I wasn't diabetic. Not to mention, I have never cooked lobster, and I'm not quite ready to attempt that yet.

I'm not sure if I should go with more seafood (and if so, what? My experience cooking seafood is still rather limited), or if I should go with red meat (steaks, maybe?). I know I don't want chicken, because we eat that all too often... same goes for pork.

Ok readers, please put on your thinking caps. I want to plan this so that I can build it into the budget over the next few weeks.

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: The Road Goes Ever On and On

2012-01-08T22:52:00.000-07:00

Howdy Humble Readers...

I'm sorry to say that your friendly neighbourhood hobbit is still under the weather. It's still primarily a cough (a gross sounding, smokers-like cough), although I have had brief stretches of a low grade fever which has caused me a little angst (didn't get to 101F, so I think I'm okay) and the cough has made it apparent that I don't have the bladder control that I used to. Ginny has also picked up a bit of the crud, a nasty cough and a runny nose, but that might just be teething.

*****
Despite the crud keeping me homebound this weekend, we did manage to get a few things done. We are officially unpacked from our trip (finally!). We were able to get all the Christmas decorations down (FINALLY!! I normally like to have them down by New Year's Day). Laundry is done, and we are in the process of figuring out a better storage system for Ginny's growing collection of toys. My to do list for this month has many organization projects on it, and I'm hoping that once I'm over this round of crud I'll be able to be more productive.

*****
The Halfling has been jumping around like crazy, particularly whenever I drink something cold. He/she seems to be awake more in the afternoons and evening. Oh, and he/she really doesn't like it when Ginny decides to use me as a climbing wall. Her little heels dig deep, and I guess the Halfling got a little pissed off because I got a pretty swift kick in return. Is this the beginning of sibling rivalry?

*****
I would normally hold this back for my weekly update, but I want to get this down now, before I forget more than I already have. I had a dream last night about the Halfling. It was more than a birth dream, although that was part of it. I saw her (and yes, it was a her), and yet I didn't. I have no clear picture of what she looked like, except that she was small, smaller than Ginny was at birth. I called her by name. She was sucking her thumb right after delivery. I'm pretty certain that she was delivered via c-section, although I'm not 100% sure. I just know that I was so very happy. And relieved. I woke from the dream shortly after seeing her in the hospital bassinett in my room, but I woke with a peaceful heart. It was a nice change from my other recent intense dreams.

*****
Today is one of my 'memory-dates'. One of those dates that is engraved on my brain. It's not a loss, or an EDD that never came. Instead, it's the date that this journey started. Today marks the 4th anniversary of us beginning down the road to building our family, the day that I took my last birth control pill. Our journey to get to this point hasn't been as long as some, but I'm thankful that this phase of our lives is slowly coming to a close, transitioning from a goal of getting/staying pregnant to something a little more future focussed. This road doesn't end, only changes direction, with new challenges and opportunities. As one of my kinfolk said...

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say. - Bilbo Baggins
(as quoted by J.R.R. Tolkien in LOTR: Fellowship of the Ring, CH. 1)

20 Weeks: Halfway to the Halfling

2012-01-06T14:49:00.000-07:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I hope that you all are having a great start to your new year. Things here at the Hobbit-hole are still a little rough as we attempt to recover from our travels. Sadly, and not surprisingly, I have picked up another bug. This time it's a bug of the chest cold variety, so I'm coughing up a lung and trying not to pee my pants while I do. *sigh*

Can you tell that I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired?

Anyway, onto happier things... yesterday was my 20 week ultrasound. It went really well, except for being terrified that I was going to wet myself while lying on the table. Halfling 2.0 is measuring right on track, and was sucking his/her thumb which was adorable. Ginny was really cute, waving at the screen and saying 'baby, baby!'. The only 'huh?' moment was when the technician asked me if I had a fibroid, which to my knowledge I never have. I'm going to make sure that I ask Dr. B about that next week. Here's some pics for you all...

Profile - Sucking thumb

Left Arm - sucking thumb again

Top of the head and two little arms

Obligatory scary wraith-face

And speaking of doctors, I still haven't heard from my new OB. (For those who need a refresher, my wonderful Dr. U moved to Australia this past summer and his practice was taken over by someone new. When I got my bfp this time around and called to book my first appointment I was informed that I would have to be referred again, and Dr. B has been dragging his feet on the matter.)

How far along? 20w3d

Maternity clothes? Oh yeah. I went shopping at a maternity store in K-town during Boxing Week and got some great deals. There's not many places where I can go into a store and try on plus size maternity clothes, and to get awesome deals at the same time... awesome! And it was great to be able to buy clothes that I didn't have to make fit a dress code for work.

Body Oddities? dry skin, periods of extreme fatigue (getting better), alternating constipation and IBS flares, acne, bruises from insulin injections, back ache (I'm going to see my chiropractor next week), cracking joints, super sore & slightly leaky boobs, increased earwax (happened last time too), dry/itchy eyes

Sleep? Actually better. I think I might be past the insomnia! Yay! Now if only Ginny would go back to sleeping through the night, things would be great.

Best moment this week? Seeing our little Halfling 2.0 yesterday. It went a long way to making me feel that this pregnancy might just be going the distance. (I hadn't realized just how nervous I was about everything until I saw that little heartbeat)

Worst moment? Waking up the other morning and knowing that there was another cold bug taking up residence in my body. I really hate to complain so much, but I feel like sh!t more than I feel healthy these days.

Movement? Absolutely. He/she seems to like to do a lot of flip flops right now. My Beloved is anxiously awaiting when he'll be able to feel it from the outside.

Food cravings/aversions? Not anything in particular, just really hungry the last few days. I'm terrified of the scale at the doctor's office next week because I have been eating a ton lately. Oddly, raw ground beef made me a little gaggy yesterday while I was making supper.

Rings? Still on. I'm wondering if I'm going to make it to the end with them on like I did last time.

Gender? I was really tempted yesterday to say yes when the u/s tech asked if we wanted to know the gender, but I said no. I'm super strongly leaning toward girl. I think of this Halfling in terms of the girl name that we have picked out, so I could be in for a very big surprise.

Intense Dreams? I seem to be dreaming a lot more these days. Perhaps it's because I'm sleeping a bit better? Most notably there was a dream I had in which I was doing scientific research with Sheldon from Big Ban Theory.

Medical Concerns? Gestational Diabetes (insulin 5 times a day... made it through the holidays with relatively few highs. Pretty proud of that.), High blood pressure (on 100mg of lobetalol 3x daily), continued heartburn (on 150mg of zan.tac 2x daily), kidney stones.

What I miss? Energy, feeling healthy, my sex drive

What I look forward to? Getting the Christmas decor down from around my house, getting started on my ever growing pre-Halfling to do list.

Emotional State? Varies depending on my energy and health status. My poor Beloved has been so patient with me, he deserves a medal.

The Journey Out of Crazy Town

2012-01-04T23:39:00.000-07:00

Hey Humble Readers.... (if any of you are still out there)

I know it's been a while. The last you heard from this intrepid hobbit, I was just getting home from the ER after a terrible bout of stomach flu. Much has happened in the interim, but suffice it to say, I feel like we are coming back to normal. At least our brand of normal around here. Let me give you the run down... (hope you're prepared for a long story)

The Wretched Stomach Flu

Ginny came down with the nasty bug around the 12th or 13th of December. Vomiting, diarrhea, the works. For her, it lasted about 24 hours... with a few little straggling pukey sessions that lingered into the second day. We had a recovery day, and went for doctor appointments for both she an I... her well-baby check up and blood work results for me. Both were anticlimactic, botched test results for me and a cursory check over for the wee girl.

That night, sometime just after midnight, I woke up with a horrible pain in my stomach. I got up and assumed that I would be spending some time in the bathroom with my usual IBS issues. An hour or so later, I started puking. And puking. And puking. It lasted for close to twelve hours. I couldn't keep anything down, not even water. I started to get a little freaked out, and I begged my Beloved to stay home from work because I was in no condition to look after Ginny. It was around noon, after a particularly ugly round of vomiting that I decided to call our healtlink hotline. I gave the nurse all my info (pregnant, diabetic, stomach flu, etc) and she was adamant that I go to the ER.

Another 6 hours, lots of needle sticks, and two bags of IV fluids later I was on my way home, feeling like I had been run over by a Mack truck. My MIL came the next day to help look after Ginny so that I could rest. She made soup, gave Ginny a bath, and basically ran things for the day, while I laid on the couch like a lump. (Sadly, she ended up catching the vile, wretched bug. Since that point, no less than 8 members of our extended family have had it, altho none of them ended up in the hospital thankfully!)

The Continuing Plumbing Saga

The Hobbit-hole has some issues. It's small. It's old-ish. The front north corner of the building is slightly lower than the rest due to a settling foundation after a major flood at the building next door. But the pressing issue this year has been our plumbing. You may recall, if you have a good memory, that we had to have the kitchen taps worked on last year. Then came the hot water tap in our tub. A temporary fix, followed by an expensive replacement. Then the aging hot water tank started acting up. Two days after the stomach flu/ER fiasco the pilot light went out on the tank. We called a plumber, and he got it restarted but strongly recommended getting the tank replaced. We knew it was due soon (the tank was pushing 20 years old), but were hoping to hold out until tax refund time. NO SUCH LUCK!

The next day, I had no hot water for my shower. It had now been 3 days since my last hot shower. Hobbits don't deal well with repeated exposure to icy water. My Beloved and I bit the bullet and called the plumber. They got us on the schedule for the next day, and they came in and with relatively little fuss (and a big check that I had to sign) they swapped old for new, and I had the promise of hot water... UNTIL...

The Carbon Monoxide Scare

The guy who was doing the install on our hot water tank was just finishing up. I had just written the check. The plumber was doing one final check on the tank when he noticed something odd. Where the furnace and hot water tank exhaust should have been venting, it was backdrafting. As in venting back into our furnace room. As in carbon monoxide was filling the space. Pardon the expression, but WTF!?!?! If I believed in karma, I would be of the opinion that I really pissed someone off in a former life. Plumber-dude immediately shut down both the new hot water tank and the furnace... in December... on the frozen flatland.

Two days and five furnace specialists later, the problem/mystery was solved. It turns out that one of the downstairs units in our building had the furnace replaced, and the asshat who did it managed to hook that furnace up to our chimney (again I say, WTF!?). He then ran an exhaust hose from that furnace, through our chimney to the roof, and then capped it, effectively blocking the path for our furnace exhaust. Our furnace was venting into the wall between our unit and the one next door. Sounds like a great idea, huh? The particularly fun bit was when the owner of the unit with the furnace in question decided to drag her feet for half a day before she would come and let the furnace guys into her unit to check it out (her exact words to my Beloved were "how do you know it's coming from my unit? What proof do you have?").

Travels with a Toddler

Two days after the whole furnace fiasco, we were heading out to fly to K-town to spend the holidays with my family. Ginny has flown before, and she did well, sleeping through the whole journey. This time, no such luck. Plus it wasn't a direct flight... we had to fly through Vancouver, so add an extra hour to our flying time. Less than 15 minutes into the flight, she somehow managed to wet through her diaper, onesie, jeans and my shirt (she hasn't had a major leak like that since she was in cloth diapers!). I wasn't prepared for it, and we had no change of clothes for her in the diaper bag. So, I got to sit on a plane with a very wet, very fussy baby soaking me.

Then, on the descent into Vancouver, Ginny started to have some issues. And when I say some, I mean major issues. She became 'that' baby on the plane. The one every traveler dreads. The screaming, snotty, pee-soaked, red in the face baby. Oh, and did I mention that I really had to pee? The Halfling 2.0 decided that would be a good time to line dance on my bladder. And we had to change planes... kind of. We had to get off the plane in Vancouver, with all our carry ons and a very upset baby, only to get right back on it 10 minutes later. The only upside was that I had a moment to go pee.

The flight from Vancouver to K-town was considerably quieter (thank you Tyl.enol), but that was the last quiet time we got for a while. Apparently, Ginny is going through a phase where change is a very bad thing. Sleeping in a strange play pen, in a strange room, sharing said room with Mommy and Daddy... all added up to very little sleep for 10 days. Other than that, it was a great trip, and I'm glad we went. The flight home was much less traumatic, and significantly shorter as we had a direct flight. Ginny didn't sleep on the plane, but we weren't even out of the airport parking lot before she was out cold. She slept for the two hour drive from Big City to the South to our little city.

I'm now in that post-trip recovery mode. I'm feeling like I'm coming down with a bit of a cold. I've unpacked two out of three suitcases, and hopefully tomorrow I will have the energy to do the third suitcase and start to take down all our Christmas decorations.

Oh yeah, and I have a little thing called an ultrasound tomorrow afternoon! Yippee!

That Wasn't Much Fun

2011-12-15T17:32:00.002-07:00

Hey Humble Readers,
I spent the better part of today in the ER. Apparently I caught whatever Ginny had, only 100 times worse. Non stop vomitting for almost 12 hours. Not able to keep anything down (not even water) and wacky blood sugars.
After several hours of IV fluids and anti nausea meds, I'm at home and feeling slightly more human.
Now I'm just tired and dopey. My Beloved is going to make me some soup and I'm going to bed.

Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry

17 Weeks: Crazy Has Come To Town

2011-12-14T21:30:00.000-07:00

Hey Humble Readers...

So apparently I suck as a blogger... this is just lame. I will attempt to get caught up soon, but for now I'm using most of my energy just to get through the days.

On top of teething, our wee sweet girl is dealing with some sort of tummy bug. No fever, but she's puked a few times (and why is there never a really great time for a child to puke?) and doesn't seem to be terribly interested in eating. I asked Dr. B about it when we went for Ginny's 1 year check up, and he didn't seem too concerned. Just to keep her as hydrated as possible, and let it run its course.

My crafting projects still aren't one hundred percent complete (which is causing me some stress), but are almost there. I'm just going to have to rush ship the package... hopefully on Friday.

Another thing that has caused some serious stress around here this week has been my blood sugars... they were all over the place, and not really jiving with how I was feeling physically (my body telling me I was low while my meter was telling me I was high). Turns out that I got a bad batch of test strips. The only way I figured it out was by testing three times in 5 minutes and getting three VERY different readings. So amazingly frustrating.

Oh, and remember the bit of a fiasco that surrounded my NT scan? They couldn't get the measurment that they needed because I had been unable to 'hold it' because of my kidney issues and IBS... so the doctor at that clinic recommended that I get a second trimester blood test done to determine my risk factors. Well, I got the req from Dr. B, went for the bloodwork at the appropriate time (had to be done at a particular point... 16 weeks), and went for the results yesterday. Apparently, the lab screwed up and they weren't able to do the testing. At this point, I feel that we are just going to move forward assuming that all is well. I'm rather sick of all the testing, and it won't change how we continue in this pregnancy. It would have only served to prepare me for what might come.

Told you things were nuts... on to the update...

How far along? 17w1d

Maternity clothes? Yes. I broke down and pulled out all my maternity clothes. I had forgotten how tired some of them are, so I'm planning on doing a little bit of shopping during the Boxing Week

Body Oddities? dry skin, periods of extreme fatigue (getting better), alternating constipation and IBS flares, acne, bruises from insulin injections, back ache (REALLY bad this week), cracking joints, super sore boobs, increased earwax (happened last time too), dry/itchy eyes

Sleep? Back to being iffy. Spending a lot of nights on the couch.

Best moment this week? Taking Ginny to see Santa. She did soooo good. She didn't freak out, or cry. And Santa was awesome too. He talked to her about her Stanley (her stuffed dog) and about staying away from the Christmas tree. It was great!

Worst moment? Finding out that the lab botched my bloodwork. I thought I was going to lose it right there in Dr. B's office. I'm just so sick of needles, and to have one be completely for naught really pissed me off.

Movement? Yup! Funny moment at my appointment with Dr. B... he still doesn't believe that I feel movement yet, but when he was checking for the Halfling's heartbeat, I was able to tell him exactly where the wee one was hiding out (down low and to the right).

Food cravings/aversions? Still focussed on protien. And I REALLY REALLY want hashbrowns.

Rings? Still on, although I seem to regularly forget to put them back on after cooking or cleaning.

Gender? Not going to find out, but I'm leaning toward 'girl' this time around. (which, of course, means that it will be a boy) I've had quite a few people tell me recently that they think it's a boy.

Intense Dreams? Nothing of note. Still feeling a bit odd about not having dreamt about this Halfling for so long (not since just before I found out I was pregnant).

Medical Concerns? Gestational Diabetes (insulin 5 times a day), High blood pressure (on 100mg of lobetalol 3x daily), continued heartburn (on 150mg of zan.tac 2x daily), kidney stones. This week's angst... bad batch of testing strips screwed with my blood sugar levels

What I miss? Sushi (and I was doing so well! Drat my Beloved for mentioning it! I hadn't even thought about it. Now it's all I want)

What I look forward to? Going to K-town, my next ultrasound, meeting my new OB (oh yeah, I FINALLY GOT THE REFERRAL!!!)

Emotional State? Doing okay most of the time. Mood swings hit fast and unexpectedly.

16 Weeks: Christmas Explosion

2011-12-07T15:50:00.000-07:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I apologize for my prolonged absence this past week. Between decorating for Christmas, doing Christmas cards, crafting for Christmas, and a teething wee girl... well, time got away from me. I do hope that you are all doing well, and that your holiday preparations are coming along nicely.

When last we talked, I was going to be going to a local dinner theater for my Beloved's office Christmas party... it was a blast! The dinner was beautifully catered and my only problem with it was that there were so many great choices that I ended up not eating enough carbs and had a bit of a low during the second act. The play was really funny (Maggie's Getting Married), and the main character was played by my nurse/dietician from the diabetic clinic, the one I talk to every week. She did a great job.

Ginny has done really well with the Christmas tree... she hasn't touched it at all, but she loves looking at the lights. She is rather intrigued with a few of the decorations that are around where she can get at them, like one of my nativity sets (she likes to chew on baby Jesus) and our advent 'wreath'.

My crafting projects are going okay-ish. I'm a little frustrated with my lack of talent when it comes to some of the finer skills I need, but overall I think they will turn out fine. I HAVE TO GET THEM DONE BY SATURDAY!! I have to send off all our K-town gifts and I want to make sure that they get there in plenty of time.

Anywho, on to the update...

How far along? 16w1d

Maternity clothes? I pulled out a pair of mat pants last week, and I'm loving the comfy-ness of them, but I feel silly wearing them this early. They certainly are more comfortable than my regular jeans. I'm trying to use my bella bands, but I think maybe they got too much of a workout last time as they don't seem to be working as well.

Body Oddities? dry skin, periods of extreme fatigue (getting better), alternating constipation and IBS flares, acne, bruises from insulin injections, back ache, cracking joints, super sore boobs, increased earwax (happened last time too), dry/itchy eyes, NEW THIS WEEK - my hips have started locking up. I have to make sure that I don't sit still for too long or I end up limping around. Morning sickness seems to be gone again, hopefully for good!

Sleep? Better. I still get up a lot during the night, and I usually end up out on the couch between 4 and 5am.

Best moment this week? Ginny's first glimpse of the Christmas tree all lit up. She was pretty excited!

Worst moment? I'm beginning to really despise having to have blood drawn. They have such a hard time finding a good vein and I always end up bruised. (had to go for a blood draw to screen for all the stuff that the NT scan should have showed)

Movement? Yup. Nothing consistent, tho. Just happens at random times. I mostly feel it on the right side, just like I did with Ginny.

Food cravings/aversions? Now that my appetite is back, I'm back to being hungry all the time. I'm surprised I haven't put on any weight with how I've been eating. I think my craving for spicy stuff may be fading away. But now all I can think of is meat. Protien, protien, protien!

Rings? Still on

Gender? Not going to find out, but I'm leaning toward 'girl' this time around. (which, of course, means that it will be a boy) I've had quite a few people tell me recently that they think it's a boy.

Intense Dreams? Oh my, yes. Nightmares. One involved a home invasion... I was, for some reason, living at my SIL's house, and the place ended up over run with 'bad guys'. I was hiding in a closet and I could see them tearing through the house, and I just knew that if they found me I was dead. Crazy!

Medical Concerns? Gestational Diabetes (insulin 5 times a day), High blood pressure (on 100mg of lobetalol 3x daily), continued heartburn (on 150mg of zan.tac 2x daily), kidney stones. We increased one of my insulin doses this week and it took me a few days to adjust. We are getting close to the numbers I was at at the end of my last pregnancy. That scares me a little.

What I miss? Being able to eat whatever I want, whenever I want it. I get tired of having to watch the clock to balance insulin shots with hunger pangs.

What I look forward to? Getting my Christmas prep done, so that I can enjoy the season. Going to K-town for Christmas, taking Ginny to see Santa this weekend.

Emotional State? Pretty mellow, just a little stressed about Christmas stuff.

Hobbit-ish Potpurri:

2011-11-30T21:02:00.000-07:00

Good Evening Humble Readers...

If I wasn't sure before, it's now official... Winter has landed! We woke up to several inches of the white stuff and while it looks pretty, all I can think of is slipping and falling (and probably breaking something... I know I'm irrational). I saw the weather prediction for this winter and it makes me a little sad. A La Nina winter (more snow than usual) and temps below average. As if average wasn't cold enough. *sigh* I must remember the year I lived in Florida and actually missed winter.

*****
I finally had a bit of an epiphany... what I have been assuming is 'the crud' may be pregnancy sinusitus. I had it last time toward the end (read: November) and it may explain all my sinus issues recently. I'm going to invest in a neti pot or some saline spray and see if that helps.

*****
In other pregnancy news, I think I have officially 'popped'. Of course, with all my extra fluff, the average person wouldn't notice it, but I'm feeling a bit rounder than usual, and I've noticed that it's harder to curl up on the couch the way I usually do.

*****
I mentioned the plumbing work we had done recently on our bathroom in yesterday's post... but let me tell you, I am so stoked that I don't have to use a set of pliers to turn the water on and off anymore. It sucks that we had to shell out more than $400 (and this after paying $250 just over a month ago for repairs to the same faucet) but at least they didn't have to go into the wall or anything to replace the faucet.

*****
I managed to do something today that I don't think I could do again if I tried. I was making my breakfast, slicing some cheese to go with my eggs, when my fingers slid off the back of the knife I was using and I manged to cut the first to fingers of my left hand... WITH THE BACK OF THE KNIFE. Really, the cuts are no worse than papercuts, but man oh man did they ever sting... especially this afternoon when I was slicing onions to go in our dinner. Ouch!!!

*****
Tomorrow night is my Beloved's work Christmas party. We're going to a dinner theater. I love live theater, but we haven't seen much since we got married, so I'm super excited.

*****
Well, I'm off to bed. I went to bed early last night and actually slept for close to 6 hours in bed before my stuffy sinuses woke me up. Woohoo. We'll see if I can beat that tonight.

15 Weeks: Morning Sickness? Still?

2011-11-29T20:25:00.001-07:00

Good Evening Humble Readers...

I hope you're all feeling better than I am. This stupid crud is just driving me nuts. Constant congestion that doesn't seem to develop into anything else... just making me uncomfortable. And morning sickness is still popping up at random moments (like when I was making supper tonight)... ugh.

Christmas preparations are coming along nicely. Christmas cards are ordered (with one of Ginny's cake-smash pics), my shopping for my Beloved is finished (except for stocking stuffers), and project number one is almost complete. I will be working on project number two tomorrow. Only stocking stuffers and one more gift for Ginny, which I'm getting this weekend. We are going to decorate the house on Friday night, after Ginny goes to bed. I'm not going to go all out this year, because we aren't actually going to be home for Christmas... so I'm only going to put out one or two of my nativity sets, and I'm going to do the tree.

How far along? 15w0d

Maternity clothes? Not mat clothes, but I had to bust out the bella bands this week.

Body Oddities? dry skin, periods of extreme fatigue (getting better), alternating constipation and IBS flares, acne, bruises from insulin injections, back ache, cracking joints, super sore boobs, increased earwax (happened last time too), dry/itchy eyes, no longer constantly hungry (actually not very hungry at all this week)

Sleep? Still not perfect, but I have at least been able to stay awake through most evenings, so I am able to sleep in bed with my Beloved... for a few hours.

Best moment this week? Ginny's birthday party... exhausting but soooo much fun!

Worst moment? Battling the cold that doesn't seem to want to do anything but drive me crazy.

Movement? Absolutely. There's no way that what I've been feeling recently can be misconstrued as gas or something. My Beloved is anxious to be able to feel the Halfling from the outside.

Food cravings/aversions? Because I haven't been very hungry at all this week (thank you morning sickness) I haven't been craving much of anything. It's actually been causing a bit of a blip with my blood sugars...

Rings? Still on, and a little loose.

Gender? Not going to find out, but I'm leaning toward 'girl' this time around. (which, of course, means that it will be a boy)

Intense Dreams? Nothing baby related. I did have a funny dream about our bathroom repairs that we had done on Monday. For some reason the plumber moved the shower curtain to the middle of the room and I was trying to figure out how to keep the water from getting all over the floor.

Medical Concerns? Gestational Diabetes (insulin 5 times a day... levels have been a bit wonky this week), High blood pressure (on 100mg of lobetalol 3x daily), continued heartburn (on 150mg of zan.tac 2x daily), kidney stones.

What I miss? Chocolate, being able to breathe through my sinuses.

What I look forward to? Decorating for Christmas, my Beloved's Christmas party on Thursday evening.

Emotional State? Good for the most part, just tired of feeling run down.

Beautiful Stranger: The Birth Story

2011-11-28T21:55:00.001-07:00

Howdy Humble Readers...

This post has been a long time coming, and it's a ridiculously long story, so I apologize. Because everything was so long and drawn out, it took me a long time to collect all my thoughts and memories. And then, honestly, I was embarrassed that it took so bloody long to get this written, and I couldn't decide when to post it. As Ginny's birthday approached, I decided that it was time. If you make it all the way through this post, you deserve a gold star!

Thursday, November 25th, 2010

Beloved and I woke up at 6am, and just stayed in bed for twenty minutes or so, talking about what was coming and enjoying what we thought would be our last morning in bed without a baby in our lives. We called the hospital at 6:30 to confirm that we were indeed on for that day, and oh, by the way, they wanted us there right away. I woke up my Mom, who had arrived the evening before, and then we all dashed around trying to shower, eat, and get organized.

We managed, miraculously, to get our poop in a group, and to the hospital by 7:20. My Beloved dropped me off at the front doors, and then both he and Mom went to look for parking. They ended up finding spots okay, but the pay parking meters were out of order. The last thing we needed was for one of them to get towed or something. They ended up having to go down to the bowels of the hospital to talk to someone in the security office while I headed up to the L&D unit by myself.

When I got there, I was taken into a room that for all intents and purposes looked like a storage room with two beds in it. No windows, and tons of 'extra' equipment, and just generally dismal. The nurse told me that they couldn't have someone being induced 'taking up one of the good rooms for days and days'. Fun stuff!

Dr. U arrived shortly after I got settled, and after a quick check (1cm dilated/30% effaced), he administered my FIRST dose of cervadil. One of the perks of the day was that I was allowed to eat real food while we waited....

And waited...

And waited...

At the end of a day of unproductive cramping and boredom I was making hardly any progress. Only 2cm and 70% effaced. Dr. U administered another dose of cervadil, and we settle in for the night. My Beloved and I played cards and then tried to get some sleep. Mom went back to our place, and my Beloved sacked out on one of those super uncomfortable hospital recliners. I didn't end up sleeping well at all, even though the nurse gave me a sleeping pill (which left a disgusting metallic taste in my mouth).

Friday, November 26, 2010
My mom came back in the morning, and after a third dose of cervadil it felt like maybe something was going on. I started to contract every 5 minutes or so, and the contractions were lasting 30-45 seconds.  In the middle of the afternoon Dr. U stopped by for a check and I was STILL only 2cm and 70% effaced. Ugh! He stripped my membranes again. Double ugh!! And then he sent me home for the night.

Talk about frustration!

We got home around 4pm and I took a nap. By the time I woke up, the contractions had stopped completely. We had a quiet evening, watched a movie, and Mom bought Chinese food. I was totally worn out from the last two days and ended up falling asleep sitting up fairly early in the evening. Amazingly I ended up getting the best night sleep I had in months.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

We were back at the hospital at 8am, and this time I was given a 'good' room. It had a window and everything... woohoo! Dr. U checks me, and big surprise I was 2cm and 50% effaced. The nurses hooked me up with my first (of many) iv... fluids and pitocin. Dr. U broke my water and things got going pretty quickly.  By 8:30 the contractions are going like gangbusters, but I was still able very able to talk and joke around. The nurses were increasing my pitocin every half hour and by 10:00 the contractions were becoming challenging, coming every 2 minutes. It was around this time that I started experiencing some pretty intense pubic bone pain.  I was using my 'happy place' picture (taken from the top of Rockefeller Center, overlooking Central Park) for focus.

I was allowed to have lunch, but that was my last real food for quite a while. Right after lunch the nurses hooked me up to another IV... insulin, dextrose, and potassium. I had tubing going into both hands, and it made much movement challenging. The contractions felt really intense, but when the nurse checked me I was still only 2cm dilated.

After much debate and some acrobatics with all my IVs, I was allowed to get up to try different positions for comfort. I tried standing, swaying, bending over the bed, and sitting on the birthing ball, but I still had a lot of pubic bone pain. By 1:30 I was ready for my epidural (I never claimed to be a hero). They placed an internal monitor, and the anesthesiologist arrived shortly after 2pm. He had some trouble getting me stuck properly (took 3 tries) but eventually I got some relief.

Once the epi was doing it's thing, I tried to get some sleep, but the pain in my pubic bone came back very quickly. I wasn't feeling the contractions themselves, but Ginny was pressing hard against my pubic bone with every contraction.

Finally, when Dr, U checked me at 5:00pm I am making some progress. I was 5cm and 100% effaced!! Yay! Sadly, the pain in my pubic bone was so strong that I was ready to quit.  I was still only at -3 station. Dr. U asked me to try to tough it out for another couple of hours. They top up my epi and I agree, but by 6pm I could no longer talk because of the pain in my pubic bone.   My Beloved grabbed some dinner (which I made him eat in the hallway because the smell made me nauseous) and then I demanded that he brush his teeth. The nurses found that incredibly amusing.

At 7:00pm Dr. U came back and checked me. No surprise, no progress was made. As an aside, one of the nurses mentioned that I had some scar tissue or something on my cervix (wha?? no one has ever said anything about that before) that could be causing some of the problems, but it was mostly determined that Ginny was just in a bad position. After a few minutes conversation, we decided that it would be a c-section.  Immediately, the nurses stopped the pitocin and my contractions stopped.

From there, everything felt like it moved at hyper speed. My Beloved donned his too small blue coverall outfit, and before I knew it, I was being rolled off the L&D ward and down to surgery. Beloved had to wait outside the surgical suite while they got me situated, which ended up taking a ridiculously long time. It turns out that the epidural wasn't in really solidly, and as they helped me shift from the bed to the surgical table the stupid thing came right out. There was a great deal of rushing around at that point, because they needed to get me frozen again right quick. It was a different anesthesiologist, and he managed to get me hooked up to a spinal in record time

Shortly after, my Beloved was able to come in, and they were draping the blue cloth everywhere and I was strapped down (what a freaky feeling!). The sensations of the incision were so strange. I could feel it, and I remember wincing, but there was no pain. It felt like they were digging around inside me for quite awhile, and it turns out that Ginny's head was jammed up against my hip bone (to the point that her left ear was completely flat, no ridges at all for a couple of days after birth) and her shoulders were stuck sideways in my pelvic bone. They had to use forceps to get her unstuck.

At 8:42pm, Dr. U (who was being assisted by Dr. B), told my Beloved he could stand up if he wanted to see her being born. As they pulled her out, my first question wasn't 'boy or girl?', but 'is there hair?'. Again, that made all the nurses laugh, but after all the wretched heartburn I had, I wanted there to be some serious hair!

I saw her briefly as they took her to the bassinet to check her out. I could see her red squirminess and instantly I started to bawl. And just as they brought her over to me, all wrapped up, the song playing in the room changed to Madonna's "Beautiful Stranger"... so amazingly fitting! I got to give her a kiss and spend a few brief minutes staring at her before they whisked her and my Beloved away to the Special Care nursery (to check her blood sugar levels) and they closed me up. That process was just as weird as when they cut into me... tugging and pulling, but no pain.

I had to go to recovery for about an hour or so afterward, and it was after 11pm before I finally got taken back up to L&D. I was given a different room again, and foremost on my mind was to see my wee sweet girl... and get something to eat! I was starving!

I had just taken a bite of the piece of toast they had given me when they wheeled in the most precious thing I had ever seen. She was red and squalling, her dark hair sticking up in every which direction. I honestly don't remember holding her for the first time... but just knowing that she was finally here was so incredibly overpowering. I bawled and bawled.

The next few days were amazingly fun (watching my Beloved change his first stinky diaper) and brutally gut wrenching (breastfeeding did not start well, and the nurses were really no help. They all told me different things and they all contradicted each other). Kind of like the last 365. And I imagine just like every day that will come on this journey.

If you made it this far, you are a super star! Thanks for reading!

Ginevra @ 1 Year

2011-11-27T22:35:00.000-07:00

Good Evening Humble Readers...

I know that I have made much of Ginny's impending birthday, but it is a huge moment in time for us, and I want to capture it as completely as possible.

Outta my way, Daddy... I got places to go!

As of 8:42 tonight, our girl has been with us for a full year. Sadly, she wasn't able to mark the moment with us because she crashed very early due to a lack of napping and a lot of teething pain (doctored with a bit of tylenol).

She loves squeezing into little spaces.

This month has been another busy month for our wee sweet girl. Discovering that she could stand up on her own, without having to pull herself up on a piece of furniture, was a big thing. She walks all over the place when she's at home or somewhere where she's comfortable. She HATES her shoes, and isn't a big fan of the pseudo ski-mask (covers her whole head and neck, but the face is open). Mittens are also an interesting experience.

Did I do that?

Cutting her third tooth (her first on the top) led to some angst and a lot of snot. But she's very proud of her new tooth and loves to show it off. Its next door neighbour is going to be showing up soon.

Look at my teeth!!

Ginny loves her food. New favourites are grilled cheese sandwiches and peanut butter sandwiches (both cut up into managable pieces). She also loves macaroni with meat sauce, and of course her mashed potatoes. She's completely done with the bottle, and loves her sippy/straw cups. She's been off formula for almost a full month now, and made the transition to milk easily. She also really loves to drink out of my water bottle.

She's been super snuggly this month... cuddling with Daddy

Her favourite animal has changed from 'puppeeee' to 'beh' (bear). She still adores her favourite celebrity german shepherd (The Littlest Hobo), but more than anything she lurves bears, polar bears especially. It's to the point where she calls all four legged animals bears, even the elephants in her nursery. Her best moment of this past week was catching a glimpse of the National Dog Show on tv, and seeing the old english sheepdog... she was actually a little confused. Is it a bear? Is it a puppy? It was quite amusing.

Whoa... things look funny from down here!

She's also becoming very aware of herself as a person. She's obsessed with the little photoalbums we have around the house with pics of her. She will point to a pic of herself, and then pound on her chest. 'Baby' is her clearest word, and when we ask her where the baby is, she immediately looks around for the pics of herself and then points to her chest.

I don't need no stinking toys! Boxes are where it's at!

I don't have her stats, but she has gained a little bit of weight, and judging by how her pants are fitting, she's getting taller too. She's got huge feet... she's already outgrowing the size three shoes we got for her this fall. Methinks she is going to be more entish than hobbitish.

Two days old... We've come a long way baby!

Coming tomorrow... only a year late... the birth story.

Fun Was Had By All

2011-11-26T20:59:00.000-07:00

Good Evening Humble Readers...

Whew... what a day! We were running from the moment we woke up, until about 4:30 this afternoon. And then the Ginny and I just crashed.

Ginny woke up tot he surprise of the dining room being decorated with balloons ans treamers. The look on her face was priceless.

The party was a blast, and I managed to get through it all without getting weepy. The food went over very well (I forgot to take a pic of the most popular item, the Buffalo Chicken Dip), and our wee sweet girl was spoiled with an entire new wardrobe and some wonderful toys. She enjoyed her cupcake greatly, once she got into it. At first, she just didn't know what to make of this thing on her tray. But as soon as she got her hands into it, she was having a blast.

Tomoorow, Ginny's actual birthday, will be a quiet day, for just the three of us. Well, church in the morning, but other than that we're going to just celebrate in a mellow way. I'm looking forward to it.

*****
As an aside, can someone who is familiar with Picasa help me figure out how to embed a slide show/movie without having to go through youtube? This was a bit of a trial.

Not Ready

2011-11-25T23:21:00.001-07:00

Good Evening Humble Readers...

The cake is baked.

The ganache glaze is cooling.

The wings are marinating.

The house is clean (mostly... our bedroom needs to be dusted and vaccuumed).

The balloons are hung, and so are the streamers.

The present has been wrapped, and the card has been signed.

All the other food is set to be assembled tomorrow morning.

And yet...

I'm not ready. I'm not ready for our wee sweet girl to be a year old. Someone please tell me this gets easier. Lie to me if you have to.

The Crud Is Back

2011-11-24T20:31:00.000-07:00

Hey Humble Readers...

Remember how I said that I was going to get the flu shot and that was going to be the end of continuing cycle of colds that I have been experiencing this fall?

That was the plan.

The plan didn't work.

I don't have time to be sick this week. Ginny's b-day party is in less than two days, and I have to get the house cleaned up, and do a whole crapload of cooking (including baking a cake). Ugh.

Off to go make some tea.

And Now For Something Completely Different

2011-11-23T22:55:00.000-07:00

Hey Humble Readers...

This is going to sound like a commercial or something, but I'm pretty excited about a decision/purchase I made today. Even though I won't actually get to see it for another year.

There's a company here in Canada (I believe they are connected with a parent company in the UK) that puts together these incredible grocery packages for Christmas. You choose whichever package suits your needs and your budget, place your order, and then pay a small amount* every week until mid October. Your package is delivered to your home in late November/early December.

Each package includes your turkey or ham, an assortment of all kinds of snacks and sides, desserts, and beverages. All name brand products. A lot of things that wouldn't be in the budget if we had to pay for it all in December, on top of all the other holiday season expenses.

I'm looking forward to getting our shipment next year, knowing that a huge chunk of our holiday grocery bill has already been taken care of. All I'll really need to shop for is fresh produce and dairy products.

*my American readers may be a little surprised at what I consider a "small amount". Pretty much everything costs more in Canada, across the board, but grocery prices are on the ridiculous side. Yes, if I shopped the sales, went to several different stores, and managed to find coupons for the items I wanted, I might be able to save more than what this program offers, but I'm thinking ahead to life with one car and two wee ones. Saving time and aggravation is worth something to me.

14 Weeks: Forward Momentum

2011-11-22T16:43:00.000-07:00

Hey Humble Readers...

It is a fantabulously gloriously warm day here on the flatland!! Two days ago our daytime high was around -20C, and today we are sitting at a balmy 8C (that's on the positive side!). Snow is melting, and there is a beautiful chinook arch in the sky today.

I was able to get started on my Christmas gift projects today, but sadly I ran out of one of my primary ingredients for my first project (sorry for the vaguaries... some of my readers may be receiving one or more of my homemade gifts this year and I don't want to ruin the surprise). I'm heading out tonight to do some crafing with the girls, so I will hopefully have time to make a couple of pit stops. I want to have these projects done by the first weekend in December so that I can ship what I need to.

How far along? 14w0d

Maternity clothes? Not yet

Body Oddities? dry skin, periods of extreme fatigue (getting better), alternating constipation and IBS flares, constant hunger, acne, bruises from insulin injections, back ache, cracking joints, super sore boobs, increased earwax (happened last time too), dry/itchy eyes, weight fluctuating a fair bit this week

Sleep? Better, but still not great. The evening snoozes are really screwing up my sleep at night. I have to break myself of them.

Best moment this week? Not anything specific, just an increased feeling of motivation to get stuff done, and having some energy to actually accomplish it.

Worst moment? My doctor appointment yesterday was a disappointment. Dr. B wasn't very interested in my questions or concerns, didn't check my blood pressure, and didn't even try to listen for the heartbeat. I know that it might be too soon given that I carry so much extra fluff, but he didn't even suggest it. AND, he's not referring me to an OB until after Christmas. I know that's normal procedure (20 weeks, ''when the pregnancy becomes more viable''), but given my history and my complications, I would appreciate having a doc who specializes in obstetrics. I really miss my Dr. U!!!!

Movement? Still in 'maybe' land. Nothing that I could call definitive, but moments that make me wonder. (like right now...)

Food cravings/aversions? Give me lime!! I'm seriously going crazy for citrus... thank heaven that it's relatively low carb, and helps metabolize fats. My weekly conversation with the nurse/dietician at the GD clinic brought to light that I'm not eating enough carbs, particularly at lunch... so I've been eating more and that's helped with the constant hunger a bit. As for aversions, I'm wondering if I will ever be able to eat cottage cheese again.

Rings? Still on, and a little loose again.

Gender? Not going to find out, but I'm leaning toward 'girl' this time around. (which, of course, means that it will be a boy)

Intense Dreams? None that I remember. Odd. I don't seem to be dreaming, or at least remembering my dreams, as much as I did last time around. By this point, with Ginny, I had a strong mental image of what she looked like (even tho I thought she was a he) thanks to my dreams. This time, nada.

Medical Concerns? Gestational Diabetes (insulin 5 times a day... levels are pretty well controlled for the time being), High blood pressure (on 100mg of lobetalol 3x daily), continued heartburn (on 150mg of zan.tac 2x daily), kidney stones.

What I miss? Sleeping in bed with my Beloved and not on the couch, being able to read for any length of time (I either fall asleep, or lose focus... I've been reading the same book since September)

What I look forward to? Ginny's birthday, the beginning of Advent, going to K-town for Christmas, and having my next ultrasound as soon as we get home from K-town.

Emotional State? Overall, pretty good. I get grouchy when I'm hungry or tired (just like Ginny), but I think I'm doing much better.

(ps - I'm still looking for input on my health & beauty post from Sunday. Please check it out!)

Mini Celebrations

2011-11-21T23:01:00.000-07:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I wracked my brain trying to come up with some really cute ICLW intro, but I'm tapped out. Instead I have a few celebrations to share with you all...

The Steadfast Warrior of Destined to be An Old Woman With No Regrets is back!! And writing from Scotland! Woohoo!
Carrie of Tubeless in Seattle has also reappeared! How can her triplets be two???
I have had three days in the last week where my morning blood sugars were at or nearly at target! (is it sad that my happiness is tied to the numbers on my glucose meter?)
After much angst, I have finally found the jars I need for one of my Christmas crafts. Not exactly what I wanted, but they will work!
I made my best version of my black bean salad ever tonight. It was so good that I ate the leftovers when I woke up from my after-dinner snooze. Thank heaven it's all good healthy stuff!

What are you celebrating tonight?

PS - please check out yesterday's post. I'm looking for input and advice. Thanks!

Confession Time: Health & Beauty Edition

2011-11-20T23:55:00.000-07:00

Hey Humble Readers...

Another post squeaking in under the wire... Dang NaBloPoMo! I am in need of some input from my bloggy sisters.

Here's the thing, this hobbit has never really been one for a lot of make up. Special occasions call for a bit of mascara, maybe a little blush (I'm pale), and some lipgloss. Most days the extent of my beauty regimen is pulling my hair back in a clip, do something with my bangs, and slap on some chapstick (an addiction).

I've never really figured out the lotions and potions stuff. Up until the last year or so, I haven't needed much in the way of lotion. I have always had relatively oily skin, so I have avoided most moisturizers because the ones I tried always felt too heavy.

But now, or at least ever since Ginny was born, my skin has gotten drier and drier. Not just my face, but all over. The thing is, for the majority of my skin, I can stick with Av.een.o and that does the trick. I've even found a lotion for my feet that seems to be working (thank you, Gly.so.med). But when it comes to figuring out what I need for my face, I'm at a loss. I go into the drug store or the HBA section of Wally World, and I am totally overwhelmed. And the advertisments on tv and in magazines are no help.

I know I need to start using something, but I just don't know what (I have some 'fine lines' that appear to be getting more substantial). My mom has always been an advocate of a department store brand of skin care stuff, but it's way out of my budget. That's why I'm thinking maybe a higher end drug store brand might be the way to go.

I'm 37 years old, and I don't know this kind of stuff. What kind of a woman am I?

My question for all of you... what products do you like? Is there something that I should avoid? (I know I need to avoid vitamin A/retinol because it would be harmful to the Halfling) I need some serious help here!

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: To Do, To Do

2011-11-19T22:01:00.001-07:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I hope that you're all cozy and warm wherever you are tonight. It's crazy-a$$ cold here tonight, and I am so thankful that we have a warm, safe home in which to hide away. Praying tonight especially for those for whom shelter isn't a given.

*****
My to do list is growing exponentially every day... this always happens at this time of year. Thankfully, I was able to cross a few things off my list today. I have just about everything I need for my hand-crafted Christmas gifts... I should be able to have most of them done this next week! Yay!

*****
Another thing crossed off my list today was getting our flu shots. Ginny did remarkably well, only crying for a couple of minutes after the shot. I seem to be having a more pronounced reaction to the vaccine than I ever have before. I'm experiencing achy joints (my hands feel arthritic) and the injection site hurts. Never happened before... hmmmmm....

*****
It took going to two different dollar stores, on opposite ends of the city to find the supplies I needed for Ginny's birthday party. Who knew that it would be so challenging to find green balloons and streamers?

*****
I'm a foodie, and as such I have certain expectations of my grocery stores. Is it really so unusual for a customer to ask for chorizo sausage? Really? The girl behind the deli counter had no idea what I asking for. She had to go and ask her superior, and that lady had never heard of it either. And this was at a major grocery chain. I wonder what they would do if I asked for quinoa? (I ended up finding the chorizo at Wally World... go figure)

*****
It appears that Ginny is actually cutting two teeth at the same time. Fun stuff! An amusing side effect of her having a new tooth... she spent a great deal of time today running her tongue over it. Like she was trying to figure out what the heck was stuck in her mouth. Also, we had decided to start gently breaking her of her thumb sucking habit (mostly when she's tired or unhappy), but we've had to let that go for the time being. We'll give it a shot again after these two teeth come through.

Another For The "Can This Be Real?" File....

2011-11-18T23:26:00.001-07:00

Evening Humble Readers...

Morning (evening) sickness seems to have made a reappearance, so I'm copping out a bit tonight. Another 'ad' of questionable authenticity to make you ponder...

The sad thing is, my Christmas wish list is full of kitchen stuff. I'm one of those freaks who loves kitchen gadgets.

But my Beloved better not ever get me cleaning tools (vaccuum, etc) as a gift. At least not if he plans on getting lucky ever again. ;)

A Big Wee Day

2011-11-17T20:12:00.000-07:00

Hey Humble Readers...

Today was a pretty big day for our wee sweet girl...

First, she managed to stand up on her own... in the middle of the room, without having to hang onto anything. She's been trying for so long, and has been able to get her hiney up in the air, but couldn't quite figure out how to actually stand. In fact there was a period of time when I was sure that she would learn to do a somersault before she would stand up.

And second... remember I mentioned that Ginny had a cold? Well, she woke up this morning even more snotty and congested, so I rescheduled my doctors appointment thinking that I didn't really want to take her outside in the cold and snow. Turns out that she doesn't have a cold at all... she has a new tooth! I knew that kids could get a runny nose when they're teething, but wow... This is her first tooth on the top, third tooth overall (I was beginning to think that she was going to have to go through elementary school with only two teeth). It must have just cut through this morning because it wasn't there yesterday.

So what big wee things, or wee big things are happening in your world?

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: Totally Random Stuff

2011-11-16T23:18:00.000-07:00

Good Evening Humble Readers...

I hope that you have all had a good Wednesday... things here on the frozen flatland are sliding deeper into the deep freeze. It's snowing pretty intensely right now, and it's supposed to keep on all day tomorrow. I wouldn't mind so much, except that I have to go to a doctor's appointment. I don't drive much at all during the winter, and given that we only have the one car, my Beloved may have to drive me and the wee girl.

*****
Speaking of Tilly the Toyota... she had to have a bit of work done on her today. In the middle of the summer, when we took a day trip down to the Big City Down South, we caught a rock on the edge of the windshield, and it spidered several inches before we made it home. As the weather has gotten colder, the crack has gotten longer and it was almost all the way across the whole window. Knowing that it would only get worse as we go further into winter, we bit the bullet and had the window replaced. We got a pretty good deal on it, and I'm glad it's done, but it was a bit of a financial hit just before Christmas.

*****
Major victory this morning... my before breakfast blood sugars were exactly on target! This is the first time in my entire experience with GD that my morning sugars have been that low. I got close a couple of times toward the end of my pregnancy with Ginny, but never quite there. I think we may have actually have hit the magic number for insulin (for now, anyway). Woohoo!

*****
Ginny has a bit of a cold going on right now. Her nose is a faucet, and she has the occasional phlegmy cough. It doesn't seem to be slowing her down at all, but it does mean that anything I'm wearing has become her kleenex of choice. Ugh...

*****
So I finally got started on my Christmas shopping for my Beloved this morning. I have been hounding him since the summer to put together a wish list, and he finally has, so I was able to make some progress. He's incredibly difficult to buy for, and the one idea that I did have is no longer available... anywhere. Bummer. At least now I have some direction.

*****
Ginny's newest obsession is bears... as in polar bears, panda bears, grizzly bears. If she sees a pic or a glimpse of one on tv, she goes nuts. Bouncing up and down, practically hyperventilating. It's hilarious! And it doesn't even have to be a 'real' bear. A stuffy, a cartoon-type drawing in a storybook... anything.

13 Weeks: Moving Forward

2011-11-15T16:09:00.000-07:00

Hey Humble Readers...

First up, I want to apologize for the tone of yesterday's post. I was frustrated and angry at myself for what really felt like a waste of a day (my Beloved took half a day off work, the long drive, dealing with crazy city traffic, bad weather, etc).

I was angry at myself because when we got to the hospital, before we found our way through the maze that is the Foothills Hospital, I had to go to the bathroom. I thought I was being smart and didn't drink the required water untl an hour before my appointment, but I just couldn't hold it any longer. I was in agony (hello kidneys!). Oh, and did I mention that I was having an IBS flare at the same time? My body was fighting me at every turn.

So, because I went pee when I did, my bladder wasn't full enough, and they couldn't get the measurement. The nurse made it pretty clear that I was an idiot for going to the bathroom before an u/s. She tried every way possible, including internally to get the angle she needed, but it just didn't happen.

The Halfling 2.0 looked great. It was very reassuring to see him/her move around, and to get a great heartbeat. And I know that this is just a diagnostic test... it doesn't change anything about how much I love this little one. I just felt so stupid and angry when we left the hospital, and unfortunately that came out in what I posted yesterday.

Anyway, onto the update...

How far along? 13w0d

Maternity clothes? Not yet

Body Oddities? dry skin, periods of extreme fatigue (getting better), alternating constipation and IBS flares, constant hunger, acne, bruises from insulin injections, back ache, cracking joints, back ache, super sore boobs, increased earwax (happened last time too), dry/itchy eyes, little bit of weight gain this week

Sleep? Better. The only real issue is that I tend to fall asleep between 7:30 and 8pm, and then at 11 I'm wide awake.

Best moment this week? Drama not withstanding, seeing our wee Halfling 2.0 waving around. It was such a relief (I know I shouldn't expect the worst, but I do) and he/she even made me laugh a couple of times as the nurse was trying to get him/her into a better position.

Worst moment? Yesterday morning, when the recently repaired hot water tap in our bathtub came off in my hand while trying to shut off the water. That was a blast!

Movement? Maybe, but I'm not convinced that it's not just my stupid insides grumbling around.

Food cravings/aversions? Spicy, lemony, tangy, flavours. I'm making lemony rice tonight and I'm practically drooling thinking about it right now. Cottage cheese is still a no go, but other than that, I think I might be past the worst of the aversions.

Rings? Still on, but they are feeling a bit tighter the couple of days

Gender? Not going to find out, but I'm leaning toward 'girl' this time around. (which, of course, means that it will be a boy)

Intense Dreams? Had a very strange dream where I was in some war torn desert country, running from building to building, trying to hide.

Medical Concerns? Gestational Diabetes (insulin 5 times a day... levels almost settled for now), High blood pressure (on 100mg of lobetalol 3x daily), continued heartburn (on 150mg of zan.tac 2x daily), kidney stones.

What I miss? Nothing too much... today I would give my right arm for a Krispee Kreme donut.

What I look forward to? Ginny's birthday party, getting things done on my pre-Christmas to do list.

Emotional State? Mostly improved, but yesterday was no fun.

Good News, Bad News

2011-11-14T19:23:00.002-07:00

Hey Humble Readers,
Well, we are on our way home after picking up Ginny from my MIL.
The scan went okay. Halfling 2.0 was moving around and had a heartrate of 168 bpm. He/she is also measuring ahead by a few days.
The bad news is that they weren't able to get a clear shot of the nuchal fold, so we traveled for 2 hours in wind and snow (it wasn't bad) for an ultrasound I could have had at home. The pics we got (and had to pay for) aren't even very good.
I'm very happy that the baby looks good. I just wish that this trip would have been more productive.
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry

Party Plans!

2011-11-13T21:54:00.000-07:00

Howdy Humble Readers!

I hope that you've had a great, restful weekend. Ours has been busy (Ginny's photoshoot, grocery shopping, a trip to see MIL in the Wee Little Town Down South, church, and Costco... yikes, busy and expensive).

Part of what I accomplished this weekend was planning Ginny's birthday party. It's not going to be a big ridiculous blowout or anything. Just a small gathering of some family and friends, maybe 10 people plus us.

I did up the invite (and a super huge thank you to everyone who offered advice and assistance!! I really appreciate all your help). It's pretty simple, but I think it's cute.

And I decided on the menu... These yummy ham & swiss sammies,

Going to do them on those little butter pan rolls... YUM!

cilantro lime chicken wings,

It's a cilantro lime pesto - Yum Oh La!

veggies & dip, and baked goat cheese with herbs.

Ginny's going to have a cupcake from a local cupcake bakery, and I'm going to bake this chocolate wonder for the grown ups.

This is how I'm planning on decorating our dining room, but I'm going to use pistachio green balloons mixed with a few pink.

As you can tell, Pinterest has been hugely helpful in planning. I'm still trying to think of a way that our family and friends from far away can participate in the day... I'm thinking of something like everyone sending her a wish for the next year or maybe a favourite storybook quote. Any thoughts?

Technical Difficulties

2011-11-12T19:51:00.000-07:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I had a great post planned for today, but my comment section is going really wonky and attempting to fix it has taken away any of my creativity. Not to mention patience.

I hope all is well in your neck of the woods.

I'll write something worth reading tomorrow.

Help A Sister Out?

2011-11-11T20:10:00.001-07:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I need some assistance... and I'm hoping that one of you might be able to help me out.

We had Ginny's birthday portraits taken today, and they gave us one of the unedited images on CD. Super cute, eh?

I want to turn it into the invitation that we're going to email out to family and friends for her birthday party, but I don't have the know-how or the software to doctor it up.

Is there a website that you know of that's user friendly (not to mention free) for cropping and adding text? I would really appreciate any input...

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: Weather Worries

2011-11-10T22:51:00.001-07:00

Hey Humble Readers...

It's been really unseasonably warm the last couple of days, and I am loving it! Normally around this time of year, we're sitting just around the freezing mark for a daytime high, and we have been getting up to 12 degrees! (that's somewhere in the mid 50s for my friends who use Fahrenheit). Gorgeous! The kicker is, by Monday we're supposed to be getting our first real winter storm, with 10cm of snow. And Monday is the day that we need to drive two hours south. Ugh!

*****
Somehow in the midst of everything going on this autumn I managed to forget to contact the photographer that we had made preliminary arrangements with for Ginny's first birthday portraits. Bad news is that she's all booked up. Soooo, instead of cute cake smash pics taken in our home, we're going to be doing the standard Sears portraits. Oh well. I went and did a little shopping this evening and found the outfit she's going to wear tomorrow for the pics. I think it's super cute, and I can't wait to see and share the results.

*****
It generally takes a lot to gross me out, especially when it comes to forensic content on tv shows. I love Bones, CSI, Law & Order, and pretty much any other cop procedural drama out there. But the one thing that just makes me nauseous is anything to do with competitive eating. And the cop shows seem to run with this storyline at least once a year. Can someone please tell me what is entertaining about watching someone jam an obscene amount of hot dogs, chicken wings, or pie? And what qualifies this as a sport? *shudder* I just think it's absolutely disgusting on sooooo many levels.

*****
Kidney stone(s) appear to be moving about today. Not a lot of sharp pain, but just aggravating enough to make things rather uncomfortable. I wish these things would just pass already. I know it's a painful process (my dad has dealt with them on several occasions), but I would rather just have it over.

*****
Good news on the GD front... sort of. I've been experiencing some moderate lows. The lows suck, but it means that we are really close to having my insulin levels figured out, and once they are stabilized, it will only be a matter of tweaking them as this pregnancy goes on. Yay!

This Scares The Hell Out Of Me

2011-11-09T13:00:00.003-07:00

Humble Readers,

I came across this story online a couple of days ago, and it just blows my mind.

The gist of it is that presumably a group of kids, incensed that one of their neighbours didn't hand out Halloween candy, wrote him a letter of complaint. Here's what the letter said (spelling/grammar is copied verbatim from the letter):

Dear Mister:

Just in case you didn't know, last night was Hallo'ween. The lady who lived there before made us candy apples. Last night there were no candy apples. Come to think of it there was no candy at all from your home!
We think that is just wrong and would like you to rectify this for next year.
Chocolate bars would be ok since you are a mister and probably don't know how to make Miss Toby's candy apples.
Chips we get too much of.
Thanks

Children of the Hood...

Ps: Don't give us apples we're not allowed to eat anything that isn't packaged.
If you feel bad, you can deliver the candy to us all on the weekend. Maybe Sat, we are all pretty much out of candy by then, and it's cheap to buy now.

I am absolutely appalled that any kid would write and deliver such a letter. It seems clear to me that the parents were involved, at least a bit, as the language of the letter doesn't strike me as that of an elementary school or middle school student. It sounds like an adult trying to sound like a kid.

The attitude of entitlement and greed exhibited by these kids (and their parents) is shocking, and honestly it scares me for the type of world in which Ginny and Halfling 2.0 are going to grow up. I hope and pray that my Beloved and I will be able to instill an attitude of thankfulness and understanding in our children.

(I think this qualifies for Kristin's WTF Wednesday, don't you?)

I have another post percolating about the culture of false fairness that seems to have developed over the last few years. It seems to tie in with this one, but I need to think it through a little bit more before I put it out there.

12 Week Update: I Have A Theory

2011-11-08T16:35:00.000-07:00

Good Afternoon Humble Readers...

Have I told you I have a theory? It's a theory about why this pregnancy seems to be so much harder than last time...

When I was pregnant with Ginny, I had challenges, but not so many this early on. Even things like acne were non-existent while I was pregnant with my wee sweet girl (I never had such great skin!!). And I didn't have a cold or the flu or anything except a little bladder infection right at the end.

Anyway, my theory... when we conceived this time around, I was sick. I had a killer summer cold that I caught from Ginny. I think, because my immune system was suppressed right from day one, that's why I've had such a crappy run these past several weeks.

But I'm determined that's going to change. We're going to go get our flu shots next week, and I am adamant that I'm not going to get sick any more during this pregnancy. I think I have enough on my plate without dealing with more illnesses. Wouldn't you agree? Anywho... on to the update...

How far along? 12w0d

Maternity clothes? Nope, but my jeans were a little challenging to do up this morning.

Body Oddities? dry skin, periods of extreme fatigue (altho it is getting a bit better), alternating constipation and IBS flares, constant hunger, acne, bruises from insulin injections, back ache, cracking joints

Sleep? Well, it was improving until the whole kidney infection/stone thing started. At least I can sleep for about 4 hours at a stretch now.

Best moment this week? Ginny's haircut on Saturday... it was fun and it took my mind off things for a while.

Worst moment? Sunday's meltdown. I'm glad it happened though, because I was beginning to feel like I was wound too tight.

Movement? Maybe... I had some up & down sensations on my lower right side last week. Not sure if I just imagined it or not though

Food cravings/aversions? Spicy, lemony, tangy things. Sweet & sour sauce with some hot sauce added... yum! I really want a good pastry too, but of course that's just because I can't. Cottage cheese is still on the no fly list, along with strong smelling fish like canned tuna or salmon.

Rings? Still on, and still loose.

Gender? Not going to find out, but I'm leaning toward 'girl' this time around. (which, of course, means that it will be a boy)

Intense Dreams? None that I remember this week

Medical Concerns? On 200mg of prometrium 2x a day until 12wks (tomorrow is my last dose... yay!), Gestational Diabetes (insulin 5 times a day... levels almost settled for now), High blood pressure (on 100mg of lobetalol 3x daily), continued heartburn (on 150mg of zan.tac 2x daily), kidney infection/stones (on antibiotics), stye on my left eye.

What I miss? Going a week without something else adding to my stress level, sweets, sushi

What I look forward to? Planning Ginny's birthday party, my NT scan on Monday, getting to go out for dinner with my Beloved in the Big City Down South after the scan

Emotional State? Improving, but still up and down. I find that I have a very short fuse with my Beloved when I'm dealing with the pain, which really isn't fair to him.

Small Things Make Me Happy!

2011-11-07T20:13:00.000-07:00

Hey Humble Readers...

How are things in your world? Things here are a bit better than yesterday, I'm happy to report. Several small things have combined to make today a pretty good day.

The stye appears to have gotten significantly better (my eyelid is still swollen and a bit sore, but the lump is gone. The washcloth trick totally works!) and I was relatively kidney-pain free for most of the day. Yay!
Another thing that made today a good day was that I made a big pot of soup... White Bean & Italian Sausage soup. Sooooo yummy!
I'm now less than a week away from my NT scan (going for my blood work tomorrow so that they can have the results on the day of the scan). I confess that I'm nervous about it, but I'm trying hard not to focus on it. Just knowing that we will get to see this little Halfling 2.0 again certainly helps.
Ginny slept for almost two hours this morning, and I was able to take the most glorious nap.
Ginny walked across the living room today on her own... about 8 or 9 steps!
We were able to get the car in to get the winter tires put on. Yay! No more stress about that.

So, tell me, what little things happened in your world today to make you happy?

Is This Never Going To End?

2011-11-06T17:17:00.001-07:00

Humble Readers,

I'm tired of being a whiny suck, but things just seem to be going from bad to worse.

Yesterday I woke up with a sore eyelid. I thought maybe I had just scratched it in my sleep or something, but it's been getting worse and now there's a little white bump on the lip of my eyelid. It hurts like stink, and blinking is a new experience. Maybe it's a sty?

Oh yeah, and we had to throw out a turkey that I had purchased last month when they were on sale because my Beloved accidentally left it on the storage room floor when he was digging in the freezer for a package of tilapia the other day. Somehow neither of us noticed it (it was in the plastic grocery bag that it came home in), and it was more than half thawed.

Anyway, the turkey was kind of the last straw. I just lost it. Entirely. And of course bawling like an idiot did nothing to make my eye feel any better. *sigh*

Tell me I'll look back and laugh at this someday...

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: It's Baaaaaack!

2011-11-05T20:32:00.000-06:00

Hey Humble Readers,

I hope things are going well where ever you are. Things on the frozen flatland are, well, frozen. Winter has officially started here in our little city. It snowed through the night on Thursday, and Friday morning we woke up to a thin blanket of white and arctic temps. I finally caved and turned on the furnace (it hasn't been that cold at all until the last couple of days). I've begun obsessing about the weather, stressing about the fact that we don't have the winter tires on the car yet (hopefully we can get in on Monday), and my fear of falling on the ice has reared it's ugly head once again. Ugh... and to think I used to love winter when I was a kid.

*****
We took Ginny for a haircut today, her second. It actually was only a bang trim, as I have decided to let her hair grow out and hopefully bring control to the two cowlicks she has on the back of her head. She was very cute at the hair dressers. We take her to a place that specializes in kids' cuts, and they have all these special chairs. Ginny was able to sit in a pink car shaped seat, and she totally knew how to play with the steering wheel and the gear shift. It was quite amusing. The hairdresser was also kind enough to trim my bangs, which had gotten sadly out of control.

*****
My kidney infection seems to be improving in fits and starts. I will be feeling relatively fine, and things will be 'normal' in the bathroom (sorry tmi) for about half the day, and then things will get bad again. Of course this is making me think more and more that it's a kidney stone, and not much of an infection. This is seemingly confirmed by the periodic cramping-kicked-in-the-back-knock-me-over pain.

*****
My Beloved, the sweet man that he is, brought me flowers the other day when I was feeling really crummy. How do I deserve such a man?

*****
I wonder how Ginny is going to handle the time change this evening. She's been sleeping really well for the last few days, and I'm hoping to be able to take advantage of the extra hour of sleep tonight. DON'T FORGET TO TURN YOUR CLOCKS BACK! :)

*****
Please send prayers and good thoughts to our bloggy sister Good Timing over at Love Grows Love. She's 16 weeks pregnant, and had a very scary day on Thursday with a leak of amniotic fluid. The last we heard, she was put on bedrest while waiting for an u/s on Friday.

Foodie Fridays: Lazy Sausage Casserole

2011-11-04T23:43:00.001-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I'm just barely going to squeak this post in on time today. Yikes! I've missed the last couple of Foodie Friday posts because I've been so tired, but I'm back and this recipe is a great one!

This is another recipe that I found through Pinterest. I love the flavour combo, the flexibility of the ingredients to use whatever is available, and the low maintenence way this tastiness all comes together. I made a few minor changes to the original recipe that comes from KayoticKitchen (great step by step pics!).

And by the way, when I say tastiness, I mean TAST-I-NESS! It's one of those rare recipes where, as I was eating it the first time I told my Beloved that I was going to make it again the next week. And I did. I don't like cliches when it comes to food, but it's totally a party in your mouth.

Lazy Sausage Casserole

4 sausages (beef or pork.. I used hot italian sausage)
5 med potatoes
1/2 pound carrots (I used half a bag of pre-cut and peeled carrots)
1 bell pepper
1 large onion
1 fennel bulb (a few of the fronds reserved for garnish)
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 pint button mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
freshly cracked black pepper
Italian herbs (I used about a tsp each of oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes)
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 450F. Peel and quarter the potatoes. Peel onions and cut into wedges leaving the root end intact. Cut the fennel bulb into wedges. Slice the bell pepper into thin strips. Combine all veggies (potatoes, onion, fennel, carrots, bell pepper, mushrooms and tomatoes in a large roasting pan. In a medium sized bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, herbs and chicken broth. Wisk together and pour mix over veggies. Add freshly cracked black pepper (to taste) and toss the veggies to coat with all the herby-oily goodness. Cover pan tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Brown the sausages in a frying pan. You don't need to cook the sausages through, just crisp up the casings. When the veggies come out of the oven, remove the foil (veg will be fork tender). Place the sausages on top of the veggies, and then pour the balsamic vinegar over the whole glorious mess. Put back into the oven, uncovered. After fifteen minutes, remove and baste everything with the juices from the bottom of the pan. Continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes. Top with the reserved fennel fronds.

That's it... beautiful tangy yumminess. And, like many of my favourite recipes, it's easily adjustable. If you don't have carrots, no sweat, just add more fennel or more taters. Feeding an army? You are only limited by the size of your roasting pan.

Easy and yummy. The best of both worlds.

The Fun Never Stops

2011-11-03T12:57:00.000-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I think I am destined to have complicated pregnancies, that's all there is to it.

Progesterone deficiency resulting in recurrent pregnancy loss? Check!

High blood pressure? Check!

Insulin dependant gestational diabetes? Check!

And new as of last night...
Raging kidney infection and possible kidney stones? Check!

It started with dark urine over the last couple of days, which I thought was just a result of not drinking enough water. Then I started passing tiny little blood clots in my urine (anyone recall that "spotting" I had last week? Likely tied to this and not vaginal bleeding at all).

AND THEN... the pain... oh heavens! The only way I can describe it... you know that stitch in your side you get when you run? Well, imagine that only a hundred times worse. Thankfully, each time it came on it only lasted about an hour. Drinking water seemed to be the only thing that made it at all bearable.

So I was able to get in to see Dr. B today, and do you know what he said to me when he walked into the exam room? "Oh, you're looking well today." Grrrr....

Long story short, he wants to treat the kidney infection (massive antibiotics), and see what happens from that point on. If I start vomitting (oh joy... m/s has finally just vanished, and this could bring on more vomitting??) or can't tolerate the pain I'm to go to the hospital and be put on an IV. Greeeaaat...

Honestly, I'm thankful that this isn't something that could do harm to our little Halfling 2.0 and that I was able to get in to see my doctor as quick as I was. I'm just tired of feeling like things might just be leveling out when something new comes along.

I want to enjoy this pregnancy, not constantly be trying to balance meds(this one twice a day, that one 4 times a day on an empty stomach, the other three times a day evenly spaced, insulin injections, eat now and test glucose in two hours) and eating and water and sleep.

I apologize for the whining. I'm just not feeling well and that is reflected here.

Just For A Chuckle

2011-11-02T19:56:00.002-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

Something to make you all laugh, and probably shake your head...

Crazy, right? Make sure to click on the pic to read all the insane details. (ok, so it didn't come out that clear...) This is what it says, "Not soon enough. Labratory tests over the last few years have proven that babies who start drinking soda during that early formative period have a much higher chance of gaining acceptance and 'fitting in' during those awkward pre-teen and teen years. So do yourself a favor. Do your child a favor. Start them on a strict regimen of soda and other sugary carbonated beverages right now, for a lifetime of guaranteed happiness."

And just for the record... I'm planning on Ginny not having soda until she's twelve. (A mother can dream, right?)

11 Weeks: Slowly Waking Up... Maybe?

2011-11-01T15:20:00.001-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I hope you're all doing well and that you had a fun Halloween weekend. We had fun taking Ginny out for her first trick or treating adventure.

On the pregnancy front I'm feeling more human every day now, which of course then brings angst of the "oh-my-gawd-do-I-still-feel-pregnant?" variety.

How far along? 11w0d

Maternity clothes? Not yet. I am noticing a few changes in my body already tho.

Body Oddities? M/s has eased off almost completely (only really hits if I get too hungry which can be hard to balance with the GD), dry skin, periods of extreme fatigue (altho it is getting a bit better), alternating constipation and IBS flares, constant hunger, acne, bruises from insulin injections, back ache

Sleep? Also improving, but still not perfect. I still have to nap at least once a day, and I'm usually fading by 8pm. I have been able to sleep for longer stretches at night, altho the fact that I've been attempting to increase my water intake has had an impact on my sleep. Also, I'm starting to find it difficult to get into a good position to sleep... I'm a tummy sleeper, and that's starting to become uncomfortable these days.

Best moment this week? Totally not pregnancy related... taking Ginny trick or treating last night.

Ginny the BumbleBee & My Beloved

Worst moment? Having my blood sugars tank while at a very stressful meeting at church on Sunday. Not cool!

Movement? Not yet, but I'm so aware of every little twinge in that area that I'm constantly debating "movement or IBS?"

Food cravings/aversions? Still longing for spicy foods... we have buffalo chicken burgers once a week now. I'm also obsessing about cookies, and I know it's entirely because I can't have them. Cottage cheese is still on the no-fly list. I'm also struggling with water... I am normally a water person, but I just don't want to drink it these days.

Rings? Still on, and still loose.

Gender? Not going to find out, but I'm leaning toward 'girl' this time around. (which, of course, means that it will be a boy)

Intense Dreams? Yes, mostly about things I'm worried about forgetting... like getting my bloodwork done on time for my NT scan, and booking the photographer for Ginny's first birthday pics.

Medical Concerns? On 200mg of prometrium 2x a day until 12wks (almost done... yay!), Gestational Diabetes (insulin 5 times a day... levels almost settled for now), High blood pressure (on 100mg of lobetalol 3x daily), continued heartburn (on 150mg of zan.tac 2x daily)

What I miss? Sweets (only because I can't have them), energy, being able to eat whatever whenever I want (not having to wait until my next blood sugar check)

What I look forward to? My NT scan in 13 days, finishing the prometrium, getting started on making my Christmas gifts

Emotional State? Pretty mellow, with occasional bouts of frustration at being tired out. There are so many things I want to get done right now, but I'm lucky if I can get dinner on the table most days

Ginevra @ 11 Months

2011-10-28T21:14:00.000-06:00

Hey Humble Readers,

Check me out! Two posts in a week! I'm exhausted but it's important for me to write this post. I missed last month, and I'm totally kicking myself.

I wanna learn to play the drums!

Ginny is such a big girl now. Looking at pictures of her from when she was a newborn tears at my heart a little, because she's grown and changed so much. Oh, and she loves looking at pics of herself... she's obsessed with the little photo albums we have filled with pics of her.

Peek-a-boo!

She talks up a storm now. She says baby and daddy really clearly, and mumumum (that's me) and pup-eeeee anytime she sees a dog. She babbles to herself constantly, especially when I put her down in her crib for quiet/nap time.

Mama and Ginny and whipped cream... bad Mama!

She has a huge appetite and eats like a horse. She loves just about everything, except carrots. We don't have to mash up her food too much any longer, and she adores her yogurt in the morning. Other favourites include quinoa, chicken, cheese, grapes, tomatoes, roast beef, broccoli. Oh, and don't get me started on cheerios! I swear they put something addictive in them for wee ones. She just tried mushrooms for the first time this week and was intrigued. I've also started to transition her from formula to whole milk. She prefers to drink from a straw or sippy cup now, rather than a bottle.

Look at those eyes

She's a total ham in front of the camera. As soon as she sees it in my hand she grins like a fool and shows off her 2 little teeth. Still no sign of the others making an appearance, although she has been drooling again and has recently had a bout of diaper rash.

Good stuff!

She's 19 pounds, and tall. Pants that fit the length of her legs fall off her waist. I got her a bunch of overalls just so she can have some pants that stay up. She sleeps from 8pm to sometime between 6-8am almost every night, although naps are shorter than they used to be and are less consistent.

Nap-time with Daddy

Ginny has two favourite tv shows (please don't lecture me about wee ones and tv. I know, I know). She loves the weather report on the news, particularly the satellite images. And on Saturday mornings she loves watching "The Littlest Hobo", a really poorly done Canadian tv show from the '70s & '80s about a german shepherd dog that roams around saving people and solving mysteries. She just loves that dog. She gets so excited when it comes on that she practically hyperventilates.

On the move

Ginny will walk a few steps at a time before falling to her knees or butt and then crawling at hyperspeed, usually toward something that she's not supposed to touch. She's addicted to pulling books off the book shelves and pushing buttons on the tv, remote, phone, and dvd player.

Mommy! Turn off the light! Too bright!

She has two comfort objects... the first is the green blanket that knitted for her while I was pregnant with her. Sadly, she's pulled a couple of really big snags in it that I can't seem to fix, so I may have to spend some time knitting her a new blankie. Ginny's other comfort object is a we.bk.inz dog (a little golden retriever) named Stanley. He goes everywhere with her.

Who me? I'm not up to nuffin'...

Did I mention, she's a climber?

My honeybear can be a little monkey at times. There's only one cupboard in the kitchen that doesn't have a lock on it, and it happens to be the cupboard where my Beloved keeps his breakfast cereal. She's figured out how to open the door and can grab the cereal. She also loves tearing apart the shoe rack by the front door and 'helping' when I'm folding laundry by taking the nicely folded clothes out of the basket and dumping them on the floor.

Everything tastes better from Mommy's cup

Ginny hates socks... but she comes by that naturally. I look at them as a necessary evil. She's lost more socks in the last two months than I have in a lifetime.

Flyin' with Daddy

She's happy and healthy, and very active. Even though I'm struggling these days for energy to keep up with her, I wouldn't trade one tired moment of this life.

10 Weeks: A Hibernating Hobbit

2011-10-25T22:36:00.001-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

Again, I apologize. I had the best of intentions last week to get back into the bloggy-groove, but keeping up with a wee girl who's just started taking her first steps unassisted is taking what little energy I have. My Beloved is lucky if he gets dinner when he gets home at night, and my house is a disaster. About the only thing I have accomplished this week was weeding out my sock/underwear drawer.

How far along? 10w0d

Maternity clothes? Not yet, but I have noticed that some of my jeans are a little tighter. I think my bella bands will be enlisted before too long.

Body Oddities? New this week: acne. Otherwise still dealing with mild pukiness, supreme exhaustion, insomnia, crazy dry skin, constipation, IBS flares, hungry, occassional dizziness and headaches (I'm going to talk to Dr. B about that on Thurs).

Sleep? Still awful. I'm exsisting on a series of naps. I sleep for a couple of hours, then I'm awake. Wide awake. This happened last time around, so it's no surprise, I'm just really tired of being tired. Ginny gets what little energy I have have left, and my poor Beloved puts up with the dregs.

Best moment this week? Ginny's been very snuggly the last couple of days, and I'm really enjoying it. She likes to curl up with me on the couch under my fuzzy blanket while I watch the morning news. Blood sugars are coming along nicely. I'm almost bang on most of the time (except for when I have a weak moment), and I'm just about there with my first morning test. Feeling great about that.

Worst moment? I had a scare this week. As a certified tp-checker, of course I habitually check for spotting. Last week Thursday I had a teeny bit of pink on the paper. I freaked out pretty majorly. All is well, but I'm still counting the days until my NT scan so that I can see this little Halfling.

Movement? Not yet, but I am hoping to recognize it much earlier this time around.

Food cravings/aversions? Still jones-ing for anything spicy. Franks Red Hot is my new best friend. I'm also seriously craving protien. I'm eating a lot of chicken these days. I can't go near cottage cheese this time around. I normally love cottage cheese and it was great as I high protien snack last time around... hopefully after the m/s goes away I'll be able to eat it again.

Rings? Still on, and still loose.

Gender? Not going to find out, but I'm leaning toward 'girl' this time around.

Intense Dreams? Lots. A couple of delivery dreams, in one I have a boy and in the other a girl. In one I had a c-section, and the other I delivered vaginally. Also having dreams based on what I've been seeing on the news. Not so fun.

Medical Concerns? On 200mg of prometrium 2x a day until 12wks, Gestational Diabetes (insulin 5 times a day... levels almost settled for now), High blood pressure (on 100mg of lobetalol 3x daily), continued heartburn (on 150mg of zan.tac 2x daily)

What I miss? energy, sleep, french fries (oh how I want an order of poutine!), having a clean house

What I look forward to? My NT scan on Nov 14, the end of the first trimester, finishing the progesterone

Emotional State? Mood swings, primarily connected to my energy level, are making things interesting.

Week 9: Symptoms 'R' Us

2011-10-18T20:47:00.002-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

Long time, no post. I'm sorry about that, truly.

About all I've had the energy for lately is scrolling through Pint.erest for new recipes (most of which I'm not able to have until next summer... sigh) and sitting like a slugh on the couch. In looking back at when I was at this point with Ginny, this is about when I hit the wall with the exhaustion. I will get through this and feel more like myself soon, I hope. I'm so thankful for the life inside me, and for the medication that keeps me pregnant, I'm just looking forward to having the energy to enjoy it.

(I've decided that I'm going to start my weekly updates, so that I have this record for Halfling 2.0.)

How far along? 9w0d

Maternity clothes? not yet of course. But I do think that it will happen earlier than last time around.

Body Oddities? Morning sickness (not puking, just overall all day grossness), exhaustion, constipation, IBS flares, dry skin, incredibly sore boobs, hungry, backache, round ligament pain, gassiness, bloated

Sleep? I struggle to stay awake after 8pm, but then I'm wide awake at 2am. Blech. These days I'm living for the couple of hours in the afternoon while Ginny sleeps, so that I can crash too.

Best moment this week? Nothing really outstanding. Any day with a solid nap is a good day.

Worst moment? Finding out the my blood pressure is high again, and that I have to increase my bp meds. Also, checking my blood sugar after I had chinese food for dinner (a very bad judgement call)

Movement? Not yet, but a lot of round ligament pain that makes me think feeling movement won't be too far behind.

Food cravings? Mushrooms, anything spicy (buffalo chicken anything speaks to me in a big, BIG way!)

Rings? Still on, actually a little loose, as I've lost a few pounds in the last few days.

Gender? Not going to find out, but I'm leaning toward 'girl' this time around. Maybe that's just wishful thinking tho. We all know how acurate my gut feeling was with Ginny.

Intense Dreams? Lots, but nothing I really remember at this point.

Medical Concerns? On 200mg of prometrium 2x a day until 12wks, Gestational Diabetes (insulin 5 times a day... levels constantly changing), High blood pressure (on 100mg of lobetalol 3x daily), continued heartburn (on 150mg of zan.tac 2x daily)

What I miss? Carbs, energy to do just about anything

What I look forward to? Seeing Ginny in her halloween costume, my NT scan on Nov 14

Emotional State? Just blah... exhaustion will do that to you.

Please drop me a note and let me know how you all are doing. I'll get back into the swing of things soon.

(btw... I'm not sure how it happened, but somehow blogger has turned off the comments on all my posts. Grrr. I'm not sure how to fix it other than to go back through each and every post and set them to 'allow comments'. I've done so for the most recent few posts. Hopefully, I'll get it sorted out soon)

Foodie Friday: Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken

2011-10-07T23:15:00.001-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I'm squeaking this one in under the wire... it's been that crazy the last few days. Okay, so not so much crazy as it has been exhausting, pukey, and lethargic. Throw in a busy week of appointments, and a busy weekend ahead of us, and I'm just tuckered out.

Something new and slightly odd with this pregnancy... I have been seriously craving spicy foods. I have always enjoyed a bit of kick in my food, but now is different. I put tobas.co in my eggs, I'm going through black pepper like mad, and anything "buffalo chicken" is my new best friend. And, surprisingly, my heartburn hasn't kicked in any worse than normal. Hmmmmm....

Anyway, when I saw this recipe on Pint.erest my mouth started to water. The great thing about it is that the recipe is totally adjustable. You can make it as spicy or as mild as you like, and it's easily increased to feed as many or as few as you like. The version of the recipe that I adapted from can be found at Cassie Craves.

Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken

2 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
1/3 brick light cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (the heat in a pepper lives in the ribs and seeds so remove as much or as little as you like)
1/4 cup bacon bits (you could fry up a couple strips of bacon if you like. I just can't stand the smell)
1/2 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp each garlic powder, seasoned salt, & black pepper

Cut a large pocket in the thickest part of the chicken breasts and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar, jalapeno and bacon bits. If the mix is hard to combine, add a splash of milk to help it along. Stuff each chicken breast with half of the cream cheese mixture. If necessary, secure the opening with toothpicks. Combine the spices with the bread crumbs. Dredge each chicken breast in flour, then dip in the egg, and then roll in the seasoned bread crumbs. Place in a greased baking dish and bake in a (preheated) 350F oven for 25 minutes. If needed, you can finish them under the broiler for a nice crunchy brown top.

The first time I made these, I was waaaay too conservative with the jalapeno. Next time I will leave at least some of the seeds and ribs in the pepper. Even my Beloved, who's not a big fan of spicy foods said this could have had a bit more kick. I will be glad to oblige. :)

I hope you enjoy this one. Let me know if you try it out!

Such A Relief

2011-10-05T11:37:00.002-06:00

Humble Readers, I am a very blessed hobbit!

Halfling 2.0 is very much a reality! The heartrate (at 7w1d) was 141 bpm, and is measuring right on track. I feel like I'm able to breathe again.

I was so anxious this morning, I almost burst into tears while we were driving to the medical imaging center, and then again when the tech called me back to the room.

The clinic is a pretty large, and it's like a maze of little exam rooms, curtained changing rooms, and bathrooms. Normally I end up having to wander around for quite a while before I get shown to a waiting room. This time, the tech took me into the very first room off the main waiting room (and I didn't have to wait more than 3 minutes before he called my name to take me back).

Everything about the scan went in hyperspeed. Seriously, it was the fastest ultrasound I've ever had. He was taking his pictures, and telling me to hold my breath, turn this way and that way for a look at my kidneys. Before I knew it, he as asking for my Beloved's name and getting up to go get him. Being a little flabbergasted, I asked "So there IS a baby?" The tech was rather surprised at the question, but he said "Oh yes, why? Have you been bleeding?" I told him no, but with my history this is a very important and scary ultrasound. He just shrugged and said 'Oh".

As soon as he left the room I started to cry. It was just such a relief.

My Beloved came in with Ginny, and we got a quick look at the little blob with the flickering little heartbeat. He printed off a pic for us...

Such a pretty little blob!

Thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers. I felt you all with me today.

Up From The Depths

2011-10-04T20:14:00.000-06:00

Howdy Humble Readers...

I'm finally beginning to feel like a real person again (as opposed to a snot-filled slug). I'm still tired, but overall feeling much better.

So, this week is the busy busy week. Or at least the jam-packed with appointments week.

Yesterday was the diabetic clinic, to go over my insulin program. They have me starting really low, but increasing by a unit every day until we get things balanced. The nurse was great, and reminded me that in the second trimester, when I'm off the prometrium, my insulin needs may drop a bit before they start to go back up going into the third tri. So, two different kinds of insulin (one for meals, and one that's long-acting to help with my baseline sugars).

Today was Ginny's well-baby check up. It was technically her 9 month check up, but it had been rescheduled a couple of times. She's doing good (will give you a complete update in a day or two as I need to do 'Ginny @ 10 Months) and other than being made to wait for more than an hour for a 7 minute appointment, things went well.

Tomorrow... the ultrasound. 10:45. To say I'm nervous would be a bit of an understatement. I want to be able to say that I am 100% confident that all will be well, but really it's more like about 60% to 40%. After much internal debate, I have decided that Ginny will be coming with us. I figure, if things go south, then I'll have my wee sweet girl to cuddle. And if things go well, I want her there even if she has no clue what's happening. I'll post about that as soon as I can afterward.

Thursday... Must Clean The House! It's not terribly messy, but for some reason I thought black furniture would be great, never considering how much dust shows on it. Duh!

Friday... I have another Dr. B appointment. Follow up on the u/s and to discuss what happens next. I am really going to push for a decision on an OB referral. He's been holding off every time I ask (altho he seems to be open to it), but I want to get the NT scan booked asap, and that request needs to come from an OB.

Then comes the very busy weekend... this weekend is Thanksgiving here north of the 49th parallel. We are having turkey dinner at my MIL's on Saturday, and then I'm having 11 people for dinner on Sunday. Considering our kitchen table seats 4, ths could be a challenge. I'm doing roast beef (a huge costco sized roast), oven roasted autumn veggies (parsnips, carrots, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, onions, and maybe some asparagus for some green), mashed taters, gravy and rolls. My mom has said that she'll bring dessert (pumpkin cream cheese pie)... YAY!

Then Monday, we crash. Thank heaven for long weekends!

Excuses, Excuses

2011-10-01T20:29:00.000-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

Just wanted to stop in and let you all know that I am still alive (altho I really feel like I'm just hangin' in there). I spent pretty much all day sleeping and I feel like I could go to bed right now. I've got a lot of strikes against my energy levels...

I'm pregnant (soooo not complaining, just stating a fact)

I'm on prometrium (also not a complaint. I'm so thankful for the whoo-haa pills!)

I have a biotch of a cold (yes I AM complaining about that)

and my blood sugar levels are all kinds of f*cked up (up, down and all around. yes, it's a complaint. Thank the Lord I start insulin on Monday)

All that, Humble Readers, to say that I'm sorry I haven't been around. Hopefully, tomorrow or Monday will see me feeling a little more human. Until then, I pray you are all doing well. I know that there's been a lot going on in the blogosphere. I'll get caught up soon.

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: The Crud is Back

2011-09-29T10:02:00.001-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I hope that you all are having a great early autumn. The weather here on the flatland has been remarkably good, including getting our hottest summer temp on the second day of fall... Crazy! It's been a busy few days, and I have much to catch you all up on.

*****
As the title of this post suggests, I am once again under the weather. This is the second cold I have had THIS MONTH!!! Ugh! Sinuses, ears, throat... just gross. And I think that Ginny might be catching it, she woke up snarfly this morning. I'm praying that we are both feeling okay tomorrow night, as we have been invited out to dinner with a couple of couples from church.

*****
I had an appointment at the diabetic clinic on Tuesday morning. It really was just a refresher on the dietary stuff and setting a game plan. I'm testing my blood sugar before and after each meal (2 hours), and I have to send in my log sheet tomorrow. The nurses will look at it and if my numbers are screwy (which they are), then they will call in a recommended rx to Dr B, and I'll be on insulin beginning next week. The challenge over the last few days has been trying to eat the way I should when I feel like total crap. The m/s pukies combined with this cold has left me craving a ton of carbs, and sadly I have been giving in.

*****
I had more blood drawn on Tuesday as well. Five vials from my finicky veins. Thankfully, one of the other doctors in Dr B's practice called me yesterday and let me know my beta numbers. (As an aside - In looking at my O chart, it appears that I may have o'd a day later than I thought, and if that's the case then my DPO are all different.) So, taking that into account...

13DPO - 34 20DPO - 442 27DPO - 3215

Not as high as I had hoped, but still doubling within normal parameters. I'm still below average, but I'm feeling a little more confident. (I've come across a website that I love... http://www.betabase.info/ It's a collection of beta numbers from viable pregnancies and shows the variants in numbers. Very reassuring) My symptoms have been slightly more intense so that's also helping me feel a little better. I've decided that I'm not going to go for another blood draw next week as I have my u/s on Wednesday.

*****
The other day I spent the afternoon/evening with a couple of my girlfriends. We went to the Big City two hours north of us and hit Ikea, Olive Garden, and an event for 'employees' of my former bookstore. We got to attend a presentation from one of the biggest publishers in the country about all the new books coming out this fall. So many great books... I can't wait! Ikea was so much fun... I was a good girl and limited myself to the few things I had in mind when we first walked in. It was hard not to be impulsive, but I stayed strong! It was a great day and had a lot of laughs.

*****
I've decided that I'm going to do one or two projects each day until Wednesday. Things like going through closets, making soup, and sorting through my crafting stuff. I'm hoping that it will help me not fixate on the u/s. I also have a big pseudo-Thanksgiving dinner to plan (more on that later).

*****
There are a ton of other things that I want to tell you about, but they will have to wait for now, as I'm fading. Ginny is napping and if I'm lucky I might be able to catch a solid half hour of sleep. Woo hoo!

Foodie Friday: The Slacker Saturday Edition... Mega Garlic Chicken

2011-09-24T20:16:00.000-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

Thank you so much to everyone who commented on my last post and emailed. I really appreciate all your support. Thursday and Friday were spent pretty much freaking out, but I started getting a grip on things last night, and I'm feeling mostly better about things. As so many of you pointed out, my betas are doubling the way they should, they just started out lower that normal and it will take awhile to get to where they should be.

So, because I wasted yesterday fretting and worrying, I never got around to posting my Foodie Friday recipe. And I couldn't just let it pass by because it's such a fantabulous recipe. The only bummer... I forgot to take a picture of it, so no foodie po.rn this time. Sorry. Just imagine a crock pot full of garlic and juicy browned chicken pieces. Amazing!

This recipe is super easy, and if you're totally lazy like me, you can buy the garlic already peeled to save time. And please don't freak out about the amount of garlic. The cloves are left whole, so you get great garlic flavour without being overpowered. This recipe is a combination of a few that I found on Pint.erest.

Mega Garlic Chicken

1 whole roasting chicken, broken down (I used 4 thighs and 4 drumsticks, bone in and skin on)

40 garlic cloves, peeled (about 3 whole bulbs)
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
3/4 cup white wine (I used chicken stock because my wine rack only has red in it, but the wine would be better)
2 tsp dried thyme (I doubled this)
2 tsp dried rosemary (I doubled this)
1-2 bay leaves

Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper, and rub it in. In a skillet heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil and brown the chicken. When all pieces are browned, transfer to your slow cooker. Add a bit more olive oil to the skillet and toss in the garlic cloves. Stir/toss for 5-8 minutes until dark golden. Add wine/chicken stock to deglaze the pan (loosen up all the good bits stuck to the pan) and allow to simmer for 2 or 3 minutes. Pour garlic & wine over the chicken in the slow cooker. Sprinkle with thyme and rosemary, and add bay leaf. Cover and cook on low for three and a half to four hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker to a plate, and cover with foil (I put mine in a low oven while I got the rest of dinner ready). Pour the remaining liquid/garlic mix through a strainer over a small pot, and bring to a simmer. (discard the garlic cloves, etc) Simmer for 5-10 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly (it won't be thick like gravy, more like an au jus). Serve with mashed potatoes and steamed veggies. Tip: Reserve a few of the garlic cloves to mash with potatoes.

The original recipe didn't call to brown the chicken, but any meat in a slow cooker should be browned first because it tastes better. Besides, any meat that goes into a slow cooker tastes much better when it's been browned first.

Oh, and one other tip... you'll want to take the garbage out right after dinner, otherwise your house will stink of garlic.

As always, if you try it, let me know what you think!

Not Terrible, Not Great...

2011-09-22T17:17:00.000-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I'm in need of some reassurance, so this is your invitation to blow smoke and just try to make me feel better, ok?

I got my beta numbers back this afternoon. They aren't what I would like, and of course the ever sensitive Dr. B didn't really help matters with all his "well, they're pretty low" repeating like a broken record (he must have said it 5 times in my 10 minute appointment).

HCG Beta @ 14 DPO: 34
HCG Beta @ 21 DPO: 442
Doubling every 45.5 hours

They aren't bad, but they aren't really strong either. I'm above the 'minimum' line, but not at 'average'. (I apologize, but I can't figure out how to get the graphic from http://www.babymed.com/). I'm trying really hard not to stress about it. I'm going back for more blood work next Tuesday, so we'll see what we will see I guess. *sigh*

Have I mentioned how much I hate all this worry? Damned IF!

We also talked about my blood sugars, which are terrible! I have an appointment at the diabetic clinic next week, and I'll likely be on insulin from then forward. One thing I discovered recently is that prometrium, particularly at the dosage that I'm taking, can screw with blood sugars in a pretty significant way, so we'll see how they take that into account.

My ultrasound is 13 days away. Please God let there be a heartbeat!

Blog Bliggity Blog

2011-09-19T20:54:00.000-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

Happy Monday everyone. Did you do any fun stuff over the weekend? If you're looking for a great movie to see, I highly recommend "The Debt". It was super intense, and I wouldn't be surprised if there were Oscars in their future.

So, I know it's been a little crazy around here lately, with all kinds of important events happening all close together, but there's just one more that deserves to be mentioned.

Today is my 3rd blogoversary. While the road has taken me in a few different directions than I thought when I first set up the blog, I am so grateful for the company I've had along the way.

And because it's my blogoversary, and it's September (which has always signalled new beginnings for me), I'm really thinking that it's time for a major over-haul of my corner of the blogosphere.

I want a new layout, something a little more personal than what I have now. I like most of the features I have, but I want it to be a bit more... sophisticated? grown up? polished?

For quite some time, I've been pondering a slight name change. Not for me, but for this space. I will always and forever be a wanna-be hobbit, and this place will always reflect that.

My question for you all is... do you have a blog designer that you would recommend? I don't have a whole lot of money to spend, but I know that I need help to achieve my vision (such as it is).

*****
In other news, my symptoms have been up and down the last few days and it's caused me a bit of angst. There's this little voice that keeps trying to tell me that all the symptoms that I do have are just side effects of the progesterone, and that I'm not really pregnant. I know that symptoms wax and wane. I just wish I could shut off that stupid little voice. I'm sure I'll feel better after I find out my beta numbers on Thursday. (I'll also find out my glucose levels, and I'm fairly certain I'll be on insulin sooner rather than later.) 16 days until my u/s.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2011-09-18T14:55:00.000-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

Meet me at the Party Tree out in the field, and we'll have a great time! I may not be eleventy-one, but I think I can still throw a good party! :)

Ok, in all seriousness... I'm having a nice mellow day, and tonight my Beloved is taking me out for dinner and a movie. Yay! I hope we're going someplace fun...

Now, who's going to drink a margarita for me?

The Great Sockeroo!

2011-09-17T21:29:00.001-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I hope you're having a great weekend. Today was pretty mellow here at the hobbit hole. A little Christmas shopping (yeah, I'm one of those people... I find it cheaper to shop early. Besides, I only have my staff discount at my bookstore for a couple more weeks), some grocery shopping, and some morning sickness.

Several weeks ago, a bunch of us signed up to participate in Kymberli's super cool "Sock It To Me" sock exchange. I love love love these kinds of events... they are so much fun, and you get to connect with people you may have not really gotten to know before.

My totally groovy sock partner was PCOS Chick... and she sent me these wonderfully warm, stylish, and awesomely STRIPEY socks!

I'm not sure how it happened, but it looks like both
feet are coming out the same pant-leg. Odd.

Aren't they outstanding? I love me some stripey socks!

As a part of the Great Sockeroo, Kym has asked us to answer this question...

It has been roughly a year and a half since the last SITM Exchange. Reflect on the past 18 or so months – how has support from others, either in the blogosphere or otherwise, helped you?

Well, the past 18 months have been amazingly full. At the time of the last SITM exchange I had just come out of a very frustrating cycle that was sadly of my own making. It had been more than a year since my second miscarraige, and I was getting convinced that we were never going to get pregnant again. That SITM exhange came a the perfect time... I needed a pick me up.

And as it turned out, those socks came in really handy as lucky socks less than a month later, when I got my sticky bfp. I wore them to ultrasound after ultrasound, doctor's appointments and consultations, and by the time our sweet Ginevra was born those skull-and-crossbone, black and white checked socks were pretty worn out. (And yes, they came to the hospital with me)

Throughout my long-awaited pregnancy, as well as before and every day after, this community has given me tremendous gifts... laughter when I was sinking, hugs in joy and sorrow, a calming voice in my moments of anxiety and panic, and, most importantly, listening ears and open hearts for everything in between.

Oddly, SITM came around at the exact right time again. And I have a new pair of lucky socks to wear to ultrasounds, blood draws, and doctor's appointments. Maybe not so odd... maybe just perfection.

Foodie Friday: Schnitzel 'wiches!

2011-09-16T22:04:00.000-06:00

Hey Humble Readers!

I hope that you're all doing well. It's been a relatively quiet around the hobbit hole this week, considering our discovery last Sunday. I've been dealing with increasing symptoms and prometrium side effects, alternating extreme fatigue and growing nausea. I'm feeling a bit anxious about not getting to know my beta numbers until the end of next week, but I'm just relying on the symptoms to keep me calm.

One thing that's certainly kicked in is the increased appetite (even though I've lost 5 pounds this week)... and I'm thinking that I'm going to have to make this recipe again real soon because it's just that good.

This recipe was inspired by Rachael Ray, but I took it in a completely different direction. Hunter schnitzel is the only form of schnitzel that I've encountered that isn't breaded. Instead it's lightly dredged in flour and then topped with a creamy mushroom sauce. I used pork in this recipe, but you could also easily use chicken or veal. The sauce is a little time consuming, but sooooooo worth it. The key is to prep all your ingredients ahead of time so that everything is ready to go.

Hunter Schnitzel Sandwiches with Whiskey Cream Mushroom Sauce (serves 4)

Schnitzel:
4 Pork Chops, boneless, about 1/2 inch thick
1 cup Flour
Salt & Pepper, to taste
1-2 tbsp Olive Oil

Sauce:
1 pint Button Mushrooms, sliced
1 med Onion, sliced
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 1/4 cup Beef Stock
1 tbsp Black Peppercorns, cracked
1 fluid ounce Whiskey
1 cup Heavy Cream

French or Italian Baguette, cut into four equal lengths and cut crosswise (toast them up if you like)
Fresh Parsley, chopped (optional)

In a medium skillet, saute the mushrooms and onions in olive oil. When mushrooms and onions are caramelized, remove from pan and set aside. In the same pan, over medium high heat combine beef stock and peppercorns and bring to a simmer. Allow to reduce to about 1 cup, then add cream and whiskey. Keep simmering and allow to reduce to about 1 cup. Add mushrooms and onions to the sauce and reduce temp to low. Stir occasionally while continuing to make the rest of the dish.

Carefully cut all pork chops crosswise (think butterflying, but cut all the way through), and using a meat mallet or a rolling pin pound the slices until they are about 1/8 of an inch thick. Combine flour with salt and pepper in a shallow dish, and dredge pork lightly. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and fry schnitzels in batches (don't overcrowd the pan) until golden brown and keep them warm in the oven.

Arrange schnitzels on the baguettes and top with mushroom cream sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with cabbage salad.

The sauce is great on just about anything... heck it would make an old shoe taste great. As always, if you try it let me know what you think!

A Good News-Bad News Kind of Day

2011-09-12T21:07:00.000-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

So, I'm still kind of vibrating from our discovery yesterday (if you haven't read yesterday's post, please do so now).

I was 100% certain that we had missed the egg. Then throw in the crazy sunburn I got right at O time and then the doozy of a cold that we all had. Well, I thought that this cycle was a write off. I was never happier to be wrong!

As I mentioned yesterday, first on today's to do list was to call Dr U and Dr B to arrange for blood tests and a prescription for the prometrium (progesterone) suppositories. Well, I called Dr U first, as he is the miracle worker, wonder doctor with the best bedside manner I have ever encountered. When I got through to his office I was shocked and dismayed to learn that the good Dr U has packed up and moved to Australia! The new receptionist for the new doctor who took over his practice was really condescending ("Well dear, you need to call your regular doctor first. We don't take just any old pregnant lady. Your regular doctor will know if you need to see Dr W").

So I called Dr B's office and was able to get in today. I was very nervous... afraid that I had just imagined that line yesterday, or that he would tell me that he didn't want to give me the prometrium or an early u/s because everything turned out ok last time.

But every now and then, Dr B surprises me. As soon as he came in the room he told me that their test confirmed my pregnancy and that he wanted me on prometrium right away. We talked about my EDD (May 23rd) and my first u/s (Oct 5). We discussed how to tackle the dreaded GD issue (testing early and often) and he was even open to my request for a new OB (I did some research this morning after I found out about Dr U's departure and have a short list of options). I go for blood work tomorrow and again on Tuesday next week. It's unlikely that I'll get my beta numbers until my appointment on Thursday next week, as that's just how his office works.

So... here I am. Pregnant. Wow.

Symptom-wise things are pretty mellow. Sore b00bs, mild cramps, brief flashes of nausea, fatigue, and new this time around, a very dry mouth. Because Ginny and I walked to Dr B's office and then to my Beloved's office, I now have two very ugly blisters on my foot. Oh well. I'm still in a great mood. :)

Looking Back, Looking Forward

2011-09-11T17:32:00.001-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I'm sorry that I've been off the grid this past week. All three of us having a doozy of a summer cold, a teething baby, and a crazy-a$$ heat wave have sapped my energy. Today we are actually all feeling better, for the most part, and while it's warm, there's a nice breeze that's allowing me to feel human again.

*****
It's been a challenging week because everywhere I turned there were reminders of 9-11. The images, the stories, the pain. I'm in no way saying that we shouldn't commemorate this day, just that all the constant visual reminders have been very hard on my heart.

Ten years ago today, I woke up to my radio coming on saying something about the airport in K-town being shut down. I didn't think much of it really, and went to take a shower. It wasn't until I turned on the tv a half hour later that I saw my first glimpses of the horrors that were taking place. I went through the rest of the day in a bit of a fog, and grieved with the rest of the world.

One day changed everything. The feeling of safety that I remember having all my life up till then was gone. I wept then for the victims, the heroes, and their families. And I wept today as I watched the memorial services on tv. I continue to pray that the families of the victims of such a senseless act of violence have found some peace for their hearts.

WTC Memorial, New York
(image credit: http://www.fgould.com/north-america/projects/world-trade-center-memorial/)

Three years ago today, I woke up, 11 weeks pregnant and spotting. I didn't think much of it, I had read that spotting was possible, particularly in the first trimester. By noon, the spotting was much heavier, and I was scared. By the middle of the afternoon I had two ultrasounds and it was confirmed. My pregnancy had ended several weeks before, but my body was just cluing in.

One day changed everything. My innocent joy and hope in that pregnancy was taken away, and the trust that I had in my body was shattered. That day I became a statistic. That day fear for the future of our family set in.

Shadow Box Memorial for Emily Hope & Olivia Noelle
We collected the leaves a few weeks after we lost Emily.
The rocks are from a memorial service we attended that fall for lost babies.

My favourite lullaby.

Emily Hope September 2008
Olivia Noelle January 2009

My Beloved gave me this ring for Mother's Day this year...
One stone for each baby, Emily, Olivia, & Ginevra

Today, I woke up with a hopeful heart.

12 dpo... Ummmm...

Yup... oh boy...

I wasn't really expecting it, given how ooky this cycle was, but it's happened all the same. Of course, this is still very early and given my history, I'm only allowing myself to be cautiously optimistic. I'm calling both Dr. U and Dr. B tomorrow so that I can get blood tests done asap, along with a prescription for progesterone suppositories.

Is it ok if I just say... Eeeeeeeeee?!?!?

(btw, if you know me irl... PLEASE DON'T SAY ANYTHING YET! Our families won't know for a few days.)

I Laughed...

2011-09-05T23:03:00.001-06:00

... until I ~~peed~~ cried!

Click for larger view... you MUST read this!

Ok, seriously. I'm still trying to catch my breath.

I found this on Pinterest. (Kristin, you are an evil, EVIL woman for introducing me to the hugest time-suck around! Oh wait, I asked... damn!)

Hope you all had a fabulous long weekend!

Foodie Friday: Variations on Rice

2011-09-02T23:03:00.000-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

Any big plans for the long weekend? I was looking forward to spending the last real weekend of the summer outside, maybe at the farmer's market and the park. Sadly, the cold that the baby girl has seems to be making its way around the hobbit hole. My Beloved is really congested and I've got a scratchy throat. Oh well, I would have just spent money at the farmer's market.

This week I don't have one big recipe for you. Instead I have a bunch of little recipes.

I confess, I'm a meat and taters kind of gal. I prefer mashed taters, baked taters, roasted taters. I like them so much that I would only cook rice when I was doing a stir fry or curry. Why? Because I was always BORED with rice. White rice, without a sauce of some sort, is just blah.

Basic Long Grain White Rice

1 cup long grain rice
2 cups water*

In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add rice, stir, and cover. Reduce temp to low and allow to do its thing for 20-22 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and serve.

BORING!

So, I started experimenting. These are all pretty simple things, but they all pack a big flavour punch. Just make sure to use flavours that will complement your entree.

Swap stock (beef, chicken, veggie) for the water. Even canned stewed tomatoes work.
Fresh herbs work well. Tarragon, basil, dill, cilantro, saffron, and parsely all work well.
Toss in a cinnamon stick, a bay leaf, or even your favourite flavour of tea (in a tea bag). Remove before serving.
Diced onion sauteed in a bit of butter adds a great savoury flavour. Minced garlic also works, just don't let it burn
In place of SOME of the stock, use fruit juice. I often use lemon juice, and have used orange juice successfully. I normally do a one third/two thirds ratio (1 part juice to 2 parts stock). Right now, I'm pondering apple juice flavoured rice with a pork main dish. Hmmm...
Zest a lemon, lime or orange and use the zest in the stock for a slight citrus note.
In place of SOME of the stock, use white wine. Again, use a 1:2 ratio. Amazingly good!
At the end, add in some toasted nuts (like slivered almonds or pine nuts) for some great crunch.

* I always go a bit shy on the liquid, whatever I'm using. Usually about 1 & 2/3 cup for one cup of rice. Or, I dump in a bit of extra rice.

So, I don't have any pics of rice, but I do have some pics from some recipes I made this week. Enjoy!

Orange Chicken w/ Saffron Cinnamon Rice

(totally ripped off from Rachael Ray)

Remember those Drunk Pork Chops I did a few weeks ago? Well I did a whole chicken in the same brine. Just one word. Ah-MAY-Zing! So tender and juicy, and the gravy was killer!

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: Snot & Other Bodily Fluids

2011-09-01T20:54:00.000-06:00

Good Evening Humble Readers...

How are you all doing?

If you're affected at all by back-to-school season, I hope that things have gone smoothly for the start of the year. Locally, kids went back today, which doesn't make a whole heap of sense to me... send the kids back for two days before a long weekend? How many kids are even going to show up until next week?

*****
All's quiet here in the hobbit hole, at the moment anyway. Ginny has what I think is a cold. She doesn't have a fever, but she's seriously snotty and has something other than her usual fake cough. She's also been having several bowel movements a day. I know that it's possible that this is related to her teething, but it seems to be bigger than that. Her sleep schedule has been thrown off because she's having difficulty breathing with being so stuffed up, and while she still has moments of her usual cheerful self, but she's mostly pretty lethargic. Poor wee girl... I'm hoping she's better soon.

*****
So, remember when I said I was going to start charting again on my next cycle, in hopes of feeling a little bit more in control? Ha-freakin'-Ha! My cycle started 18 days ago, and I reactivated my FF account and have been getting back into the swing of things. Now, remember that wicked sunburn I got on the weekend? I'm pretty sure it's screwed up my temps. I'm almost certain I O'd on CD 16 based on my EWCM and a couple other usual signs. The thing is, my temps from CD15 and 16 are way higher than normal for that time in my cycle, and now I can't see a clear thermal shift that ties in with my other O signs. The whole point of charting was so that I could pinpoint O and keep an eye on my luteal phase. So much for that idea this cycle.

*****
Funny Ginny story... the baby gate we have has a hinged door-type-gate on one side for easy pass through. I really like it, but apparently it's not a love match for Ginny. The other day I went through the gate to put something away in the bathroom, but I forgot to lock the gate behind me. Ginny was in the living room playing. I was just coming out of the bathroom when I heard her crying in the hall. I came around the corner and there she was, hanging on the gate that was swinging back and forth because of her weight. The poor wee girl couldn't figure out that she had to let go. (for those of you who are gasping... the gate just blocks the hallway. It's not to block any stairs or other dangers)

*****
Finally, for all the old ladies who harrass me about how we're raising Ginny, I submit the following...

Click for a larger view

Ginevra @ 9 Months

2011-08-31T17:45:00.000-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

It's official. Ginevra has now been 'on the outside' as long as she was inside. So amazing! She's had an eventful month, and I really hope you enjoy the pics.

First up, she had her first haircut. We went to one of those places that specializes in doing kids cuts because I wasn't sure how she would react. She did great! So much better than the little boy at the next station who was freaking out and crawling all over his dad. It really was just a trim to even everything up, but they gave us a cute little certificate with a lock of her hair attached. It was so fun.

First Haircut!

This month had us hanging out with my Beloved's family a lot. August is the usual month when his brother and sister from far away travel to see us, my Beloved has his birthday, and we remember the loss of my Beloved's dad. Ginny got a lot of time to hang out with her 'little' cousin Thor. It's hard to believe that he was born 7 weeks early, he's gotten so big!

Ginny and Cousin Thor

Another big event this month was the appearance of her first tooth. Front bottom right... and she's so proud of it, she shows it off constantly, except for when I want to take a picture of it or when I want to check and see if its neighbour has shown up yet. She's totally ok with having her tooth brushed tho, which I think is a little funny.

Come 'ere baby!

She also went to the park for the first time this month. Due to the fact that we only have one vehicle, and the closest park with baby-friendly swings is too far to get to on foot, combined with the totally crappy weather we had all of spring and early summer meant that we just didn't get there before now. We had a blast, even tho she wasn't sure about the slide.

Ginevra's first trip to the park

Not so sure about the slide

Lovin' the swing!

She's so mobile it's frightening sometimes, and she's determined to give her mother a heartattack before she get's to her first birthday. Ginny especially loves to hang out in the kitchen with Mommy, which just isn't a good idea. I am hopeful that it might indicate an interest in cooking... I can dream right? :)

Me? I'm not up to nothin'...

Due to the layout of our condo, there's really only one spot for the baby gate, so keeping her corralled is a challenge, but it's pretty fun too. It's become a game to keep her from sneaking down the hall. And I swear she can tell time... every day at 5pm, she heads to the entryway and waits for her Daddy to get home.

Woohoo! Mommy left the gate open!

She's getting closer to understanding that some of her sounds have meaning. There have been a few times when she has looked right at my Beloved and said 'dada'. 'Mama' is seeming to be a harder connection to make. Baby sign still isn't really connecting for her, but I'm going to keep trying. Ginny's also becoming aware of people and things around her, especially other kids and babies, and dogs. She's obsessed with doggies.

A tisket, a tasket, a baby in a basket!

She's managed to stand on her own without holding onto anything, but as soon as she realized that's what was happening, she fell to her butt.

Hangin' with Auntie P

Ginny's growth has totally plateaued. At least weight-wise. She's still only 18 pounds. She's grown almost an inch and a half though over the summer and is now 28 inches tall. The result is that she still fits into some of her 3 month shirts and dresses, and 6 month pants fall off her. (seriously, she crawled out of the pants I put her in today) For summer, it's okay, but I'm wondering what we're going to do when the cooler weather comes for good. Any pants that fit her waist are going to fall off her little behind.

Ginny & Thor, trying to stay warm at the campsite

Ginny totally hates her playpen and her bouncer seat. She basically hates being restrained in any way shape or form. She's generally a very happy, content little girl, but restrict her movement and she turns into the she beast from h-e-double hockey sticks.

All in all, a busy month for the wee girl. I love her so much!

Very Merry Birthday, My Beloved!

2011-08-30T22:10:00.001-06:00

Hey Humble Readers!

Today is a special day in my little hobbit-hole. Today my Beloved celebrates his 40th birthday!

My wonderful, patient, sweet, ent-ish, unflappable Beloved...

He puts up with my mercurial moods and is amazing with our wee sweet girl. He cheers me on in whatever I attempt, and quietly, humbly makes our world work.

I love him so much. How did I get so blessed?

*****
The sunburn is getting better, slowly. That itchy crawly stage has set it... Ugh!

Who's A Dumbass?

2011-08-28T21:20:00.000-06:00

Yeah, that would be me, Humble Readers....

I spent way too much time out in the sun this weekend, mostly today, and now I am suffering the effects of a wicked sunburn. Face, neck, arms, ears, chest, and scalp.

The hottest week of the year and I forget to pack along the sunscreen. Ugh.

So here I sit in front of the fan, drinking gallons of water, wishing for some aloe vera, and moving a cool cloth from burning spot to burning spot.

I'd smack myself in the head, but that would probably hurt too much.

Foodie Friday: Super-Sticky-Caramelly Monkey Bread

2011-08-26T22:58:00.002-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

Summer has finally arrived on the flatland, and because it's been super warm this week (warm for us is probably luke-warm for some of my readers further south, but without a/c, I'm just a big ol' puddle) I haven't been doing a lot of cooking. So, that means you all are getting a recipe that I've been hanging onto for a while.

This is super yummy with breakfast, brunch, snacking, or dessert, and it's so simple you wouldn't even believe it.

You can use whatever basic white bread recipe you like. If you have a bread-maker, just throw all the ingredients (in manufacturer's recommended order) use the dough cycle and let the machine to do the hard work.

Super-Sticky-Carmelly Monkey Bread

Bread:
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup water

Sauce:
1 1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup raisins, soaked so they are plump

Place all bread ingredients into the bread-maker in order suggested by the manufacturer (mine is liquids on the bottom, then dry, topped with yeast). Run a dough cycle. When bread machine is almost finished, melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in brown sugar and cinnamon, and keep stirring until sugar disolves. Add raisins to sauce and remove from the heat. When the bread machine cycle is complete, remove dough to a floured surface. If the dough is a bit sticky you may need to knead it a few times with a sprinkle of flour. Tear or cut into 1 inch chunks. Dip chunks of dough into butter sugar sauce to coat (your fingers will get sticky!). Layer the chunks in a greased bundt pan. When all the dough has been chunked, dunked, and stacked in the pan, pour any remaining sauce evenly over the dough. Allow the dough to rise in a warm spot for 15-20 minutes, then bake in a preheated 375F for 20-25 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and invert onto a plate. Serve warm.

You can also throw some nuts into this recipe, if you like. It's super yummy either way!

On The Nightstand: My Vicious Cycle

2011-08-24T20:53:00.000-06:00

Good Evening Humble Readers...

So, the last couple of weeks have found me in a a vicious cycle I often get into when it comes to reading. I currently have four books on the go, and I'm not making much progress in any of them. This whole thing used to work when I had a book that I read at work, a book that I read on the bus to and from work, and a book that I read at home.

One of the books in the stack is one that I was really looking forward to reading, but I have read the first ten pages three times now, and I just can't get into it. I totally believe that there are seasons for some books, for example, I can really only get into the Lord of The Rings books in the winter and Harry Potter is totally for summer. I was just stoked to read this book, and I borrowed it from a friend and eventually she will want it back. I hope its season comes soon.

Because of the aforementioned vicious cycle, I actually only have one review for you all. Hopefully I'll get back in the book groove soon. The books on my nightstand seem to be breeding, as they are multiplying almost daily.

Here's the review...

The Help by Kathryn Stockett (five out of five hairy hobbit toes) - This was my second time reading this book, and I have to say I really do love it. The characters are so genuine and believable, even in their appalling prejudices. For those of you who have been living in a box and haven't seen the trailers for the movie that was released a couple of weeks ago, it's the story of several women from a small town in Mississippi in the early 1960s. The main character wants to write a book of stories from the perspective of the 'coloured' maids... about their lives cooking for, cleaning up after, and raising the children of the well-to-do white women of town. The danger that these women put themselves into to share their stories is mind-boggling. The depth of the ignorance of some of the white women was truly shocking, especially when I know that there were people in my family's history who believed things like those women. *** A Warning *** There is a character who's dealing with recurrent pregnancy loss. There are some fairly graphic scenes as she deals with the loss of a pregnancy. This book won't be for everyone.

Currently Reading: Lonesome Dove, It All Began in Vauxhall Gardens, A Discovery of Witches, & Arranged.
Soon to be Started: Room

The Help isn't pictured because I lent my copy to my MIL on the weekend.

Words of Wisdom

2011-08-22T21:59:00.000-06:00

"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world."

- Jack Layton, NDP Leader

1950-2011

Hey Humble Readers...

Today is a sad day for those of us north of the 49th parallel. Early this morning the Honourable Jack Layton, leader of the federal New Democrat Party and Leader of the Official Opposition, lost his battle with cancer.

He was diagnosed with prostate cancer early last year and came through treatment well. This past spring, when we had a federal election, he hit the campaign trail strong, even though he was recovering from hip surgery. He led his party to a landmark victory, doubling the NDP seats in the House of Commons and becoming the second most popular party in the country... something that had never been done by the NDP before. It was truly remarkable.

Less than one month ago, on July 25th, he held a press conference and, looking very gaunt and with a very hoarse voice, Mr. Layton announced that he was going to be taking the rest of the summer off to go through treatment for 'a new cancer' and that he was asking for his party to appoint an interim leader. He said that he planned to be back by the time that the House of Commons reconvenes on September 19th.

While I didn't agree with his politics on the whole, I appreciate what he brought to the table. Any government is only as good as the opposition that keeps them honest, and Jack Layton was great at asking the hard questions.

Apparently, a few days ago, he wrote a farewell letter, to his party, to his country. It's a beautiful letter, and as I was reading it aloud to my Beloved, I just lost it. I was bawling. I hope that we can all take his final words to us to heart.

This incredibly charismatic, infectiously happy, genuine and wise man left this world a better place for his having been here.

Rest in peace, Mr. Layton. Your legacy will not be forgotten.

August ICLW: Did You Know?

2011-08-21T09:32:00.003-06:00

Hey Humble Readers!

For those of you who are new here or are visiting from ICLW, WELCOME! For all my regular readers... thanks so much for stopping by today. I hope you're all having a great Sunday. I'm super stoked because my parents are going to be here for a quick visit (something that rarely ever happens, even tho my sister lives only 2 hours away... no, I'm not bitter).

So, I bet you didn't know that your friendly neighbourhood hobbit is a trivia junkie. Did you know that? Huh? Did ya? :) I love reading about stuff that I'm reading about. For example, while I was reading Memoirs of a Geisha a couple of weeks ago, I looked up the term geisha on wikipedia and learned all kinds of things that I didn't know before. I do the same while I watch tv and movies. (I know, I'm a terminal geek)

For my intro this month, I thought I would share some of the completely random sh!t that lives in my brain

Did you know...

the original geishas were men?
the human body gives off as much heat as a 100 watt light bulb?
WD-40 dissolves cocaine? (no, I do not know this by personal experience)
the words vanilla and vagina have the same word origins?
ketchup was not always made from tomatoes? Other variants include anchovy, lobster, lemon, and cucumber.
in the movie "Scarface" the f-bomb is dropped 207 times? That averages out to once every 1.22 minutes.
guinnea pigs were originally domesticated as a food source?
natural red-heads make up only 2% of the world's population?
there is a law in California that makes it illegal to lick toads?
Canadians eat an average of 23.5 pounds of cheese a year.

What random sh!t do you have in your brain?

If you have the time, take a peak at my most recent Foodie Friday post. It was a bit late (ok, a lot) going up, but I'd like to know what you think.

Foodie Friday: Overdue Saturday Edition

2011-08-20T21:31:00.000-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

What do you get when you combine cramps-from-hell, a teething baby girl, and a messy house? No blogging, that's what you get. I know I have a ton of posts to catch up on, so that's on my to-do list for tonight, after I share a couple of great recipes with you all.

I made these on Wednesday night and I have to say that I think they both turned out pretty well. The original recipe for the quiche ended up making enough to fill one and a half nine inch pie shells, so I had to adjust a bit. I'm just glad that I had bought a pack of two frozen pie shells (yeah, this hobbit has yet to figure out why I would mess with making my own pastry). So, only plan on making this if you are going to be feeding an army (or a couple of teenagers), or like leftovers. The salad is a cheapskate take on an Italian classic, and is super easy to multiply for larger groups.

Sausage & Tomato Quiche

2 9inch pie shells
5 Eggs
3 links Italian Sausage, casings removed
1 Med Onion, diced
1 pint Grape Tomatoes, halved lengthwise
3/4 cup Sour Cream
1/2 cup Milk
1 1/2 cup Sharp Cheddar, shredded
1/2 cup Fresh Basil, chiffonade
Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Bake pie shells according to directions on the box, or however you do your pie crusts. Like I said, this hobbit doesn't do scratch pastry. (Important tip: Bake the pie shells on a baking tray with a lip, just in case of spills) Brown and crumble sausage until no longer pink, add onion and saute until softened, then allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl combine eggs, sour cream, and milk and whisk together. Add tomatoes, cheddar, basil, pepper, and sausage mix. Stir gently to until combined and divide between the two pie crusts. Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 35-40 minutes, until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Chopped Caprese Salad (serves 2)

2 large tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup fresh basil, chiffonade
1 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 balsamic vinegar
Salt & Pepper to taste

In a medium bowl whisk together olive oil. vinegar, salt and pepper to make a vinaigrette. Add tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella and toss gently in the dressing. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Serve chilled.

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: Some Whining & A Jinx (?)

2011-08-16T22:00:00.001-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I hope you're all having a nice evening.

I'm procrastinating on cleaning my house, so I'm having a great night. :) My current thought process: My MIL will be here Friday, and my parents will be here Sunday. If I put off cleaning the house for another couple of days, then it should still be clean and relatively dust free when my parents get here. A girl can dream

*****
Today is CD2 and AF is kicking my ass. Cramps and backache like crazy. I feel like I'm 15 again, and not it a good way. The only thing that's missing is the vomiting. *sigh* I know that pregnancy and giving birth can mess with my cycle, but the fact that I now spot for two days before the witch actually shows up is aggravating. And considering my luteal phase issues in the past, this isn't a great way to get things going again. Ugh. Hopefully things will continue to adjust and maybe get back to the normal I know.

*****
One thing about being a plus sized lady that I strongly dislike is that I can't find hats that fit my big fat head and manage to look good. As a result, when I spend a few hours outdoors at an event like the Taste of Cal.gary, I end up with a sunburned scalp. Which ends up looking like I have terminal dandruff. Nasty. And oh, so attractive.

*****
My Beloved (for all his life) and I (for the last 4+ years) are die-hard Saskatchewan Rough Riders fans. And for the last few years, the Roughies have been doing really well, ending up in the Grey Cup 3 times since we've been married. They won in 2007, then lost due to a stupid mistake on the field in 2009. The Grey Cup game in 2010 was their chance for redemption. They were playing against the Montreal Allouettes again and this time we were sure we were going to win. The Grey Cup game was on Nov 28, and as you can imagine, it was a bit challenging to watch seeing as our wee sweet girl made her appearance just the night before.

We did manage to watch the last half of the game (once they hooked up the tv in my hospital room), but sadly the Roughies lost, badly. Over the winter we joked about getting Ginny a little Riders cheerleader outfit (yes they make them in her size), but we never actually got around to it. The season started last month, and, to put it mildly, the Roughies just suck. They have lost all but one game. Of course, we haven't actually seen this, because when we cut our cable services back, we lost the sports channel that airs all the CFL games.

So here's my question. Is Ginny a jinx on our poor football team? Or is it just that they're losing because their #1 fans haven't been watching? Do we need to get that cheer leading outfit ASAP?

We may have to head down to Gramma's to catch a game sometime soon, just to see what happens.

(And yes, that whole last section is ENTIRELY tongue-in-cheek)

If Only I'd Thought of This...

2011-08-15T23:27:00.001-06:00

click for a larger view

... my battle with my weight would be soooo much easier! Think they're still in business? ;)

Q & A: 500th Post Edition

2011-08-14T10:39:00.003-06:00

Howdy Humble Readers...

Early on last week I asked for some questions as prompts because I had hit a bit of a wall when it was came to what to blog about. The August heat has melted my brain, and hence any and all creativity has been blown out the windows by the continually oscilating fans. You lovely ladies came through with some doozies for me. And I had no idea until I just logged into blogger that this is my 500th post. How is that possible? Who knew I could babble on that much?

On to the answers...

Kristin asked a whole bunch of stuff.

How did you meet your beloved? My Beloved and I were matched on eHarm.ony dot com on Valentine's Day 2006. We went through their guided conversation process and then spent a couple of months just getting to know each other via email, instant message, and phone calls. Due to some extenuating circumstances, we didn't actually meet face to face until June 12th. We met in Banff for the day, which is sorta in between where we both lived (such a beautiful place for a first date), and I brought a couple of friends with me as back up, just in case. My friend D later told me that he was just fine with my Beloved when my Beloved gave me a huge hug as soon as he saw me.
If you could have any job in the world, what would it be? This is something that I am still pondering. It would have to combine cooking (without the angst of working for a professional chef), writing, and being able to be Ginny's primary caregiver. Any thoughts?
Do you support gay marriage? This is a very hard question for me, without a clear answer. Part of me wants to plead the fifth (except that won't work as I'm not American). Is it possible for me to simply, respectfully say that I am still grappling with this? My faith tells me one thing, and my heart tells me something else. I realize that I am opening myself up for some potentially challenging responses here, but I am still struggling to reconcile the two. At this point I'm going to say that if you want to continue this discussion, please email me. I would just rather not do it here.
Would you classify yourself as liberal or conservative or something in between? Wow... another hard one. The difficulty here comes in how you define those terms. I consider myself conservative, but not ultra conservative. I find myself frustrated and offended by the extremes of both sides, but in general I find myself resonating more with the mid-right (if there is such a thing).
Where would your dream vacation be? Autumn in New York. A safari in Tanzania. Summer in the UK. A coast-to-coast-to-coast roadtrip across my beautiful country. I'm not a 'lay on the beach' kinda gal, I prefer vacations where I'm doing and learning. Something historical is preferred, but not necessary.
Who is your biggest celebrity crush? Without a doubt, Donnie Wahlberg. (excuse me as I wipe the drool from my chin just from thinking about him) Man oh man, when he tore his shirt off at the NKOTBSB concert I was at last month... yum yum! And he's been number one on my list for many MANY years.

Rain asked a great question.

If your could live in any time period in history (besides now), when would it be and why? Just for the sheer romance of it all, I would have to say the Victorian era in England. Of course, if I was to live in that time period, I would have to be someone with a fair bit of money (and also a heck of a lot thinner) so that I could wear the beautiful clothes. But then, I have also really been intrigued with the early 20th century in both Europe and North America... the amazing leaps forward in science and technology, the Golden Era of North American culture, the clothes. *sigh*

St. Elsewhere gave me a couple of great ones about Ginny.

What are some of your favourite products for Ginny? I adore her Sophie the Giraffe teething toy. It's on the expensive side for a teething ring, but it was a gift, and with the way my wee girl gnaws on that thing, it was worth every penny. I also love her high chair. Because of the limited space in our home, we couldn't have a traditional high chair, so this one that straps onto one of our kitchen chairs is great. Easy to set up and take down when we need to, and super easy to clean. Lastly, we were given this body wash/shampoo as a gift, and I love it! You don't need to use much at all (we're still on our first bottle) and it doesn't dry out the wee girl's skin.

Pic was taken back in February

If there was one thing of Ginny (a toy, clothes, blanket etc) that you would like to keep forever, what would that be? Just one! Yikes... that's tough. I would have to say her green blanket that I knitted while I was pregnant. She's slept with it pretty much every night since she came home from the hospital.

Well, those are all the questions this time around. If you didn't get your question in this time, leave it in the comments and I'll make a note of it for next time around.

And due to some unforseen circumstances, Kym of TheSmartness has allowed the sign ups for Sock it To Me to continue until the end of today! If you haven't signed up for the coolest blogosphere gift exchange around, why the hell not? Use that groovy button up at the top on the right to learn more!

The Second Time Around

2011-08-13T11:33:00.002-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I have struggled with this post for a few weeks, but I think I am ready to put this out there.

It isn't a secret that I thought I was ready to start ttc again pretty much right away after Ginny was born. Given our history, I wanted to get right back at it. I'm going to be 37 this fall, and my Beloved turns the big 4-0 in a matter of days now. To that end, I started temping and charting again as soon as AF showed up the first time, at three months post partum.

And it was right in that time frame that the dreaded PPD started it's beat down on me. So, there I was, freaking out about wonky temps, my late O, and (omg is this for real??) 14 day luteal phase, while feeling like complete crap about myself. And then the financial woes came on. Oh, and how about that completely non-existent libido?

Do you see the problem here? I'm putting all kinds of pressure on myself to achieve something that it took 3 years to do the first time around, and I am in a piss poor emotional state and stressed to the max. Not a great situation.

So, after some tearful discussions with my Beloved, I stopped temping, and put the thermometer away. I stopped tracking my cycle entirely. I put my FF account on hold.

I'm sure that some of you understand this. For someone who has spent the last 3 years being beyond intimately acquainted with the inner workings of her reproductive system, just allowing things to do what they will, without any sort of acknowledgement or critique, has driven me insane. While I know it does nothing, tracking my cycle gave me a sense of direction, of having an element of control over something impossible to cognitively control. The same questions roll through my head constantly. When did AF start? Did I O? Has my LP gone back to 11-12 days? Good God, am I pregnant?

I wanted to tear my hair out. I wanted to scream, 'WTF is going on?'. I berated myself for not paying closer attention to the date (I tend to lose track of time now that I'm not working outside the home). Phantom symptoms were just as bad as they were before Ginny. And poor Kristin has had to put up with hopeful and sadly resigned emails from me every few weeks. (Thank you, friend)

Yeah, the insanity is still there.

And that makes me wonder, will it ever go away? How in the world did I get through each cycle so nonchalantly before TTC entered my life? Will I ever be 'normal' again?

Not tracking my cycle was supposed to ease the stress, but instead, it's just added a whole new level of angst. And then of course there's something akin to survivor's guilt that keeps me from wanting to talk about these frustrations here, the place that should be the safest. The merry-go-round just keeps turning.

So, for good or ill, with my next cycle I will be back to tracking and temping. I will be checking my cm and evaluating the minute twinges I feel. We will officially be back into the world of ttc and, please God, may it not take as long or be as fraught with landmines as last time around.

A hobbit can only take this level of insanity for so long. The insanity you know is always better than that which you don't know, right? It has to be.

(Oh, I'm somewhere between 8-10dpo, I think. Happy tww!)

Foodie Friday: Drunk Pork Chops & Watermelon Salad

2011-08-12T21:26:00.001-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

It's Friday night and that means it's time for some recipes! And I have a couple of doozies for you tonight. Brand new for us, and totally yummy, I really hope you're going to give these a try.

I will say that the second one is a little different... it took a couple of bites to appreciate the combination of flavours, but I just kept going back for more. My Beloved, who has a long history of not being a fan of watermelon actually liked it too.

First up...

Drunk Pork Chops (brine is good for up to 8 thick cut pork chops)

1 12oz can of beer
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp dijon mustard
4 lg cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground pepper
1 tsp ground sage
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 small onion, cut into thick slices
1 thick cut pork chop per person

Combine beer, syrup, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, sage, and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl and whisk together. Place pork chops into a large zip top bag, add in sliced onion, and pour in brine. Seal bag, removing as much air as possible, and smoosh the contents around a bit. Let stand in the fridge for at least 12 hours (I put mine in the fridge at 10pm last night, and cooked them up at 6pm today). Take the pork chops from the fridge, and out of the brine, at least 20 minutes before cooking and allow to come to room temp. I grilled these on our indoor grill, but you could also bake them in a 350F oven. I served them with potatoes mashed with sour cream, horse rsdish, and chives.

I have never had such juicy tender pork chops. Seriously the best I have EVER tasted! Soooo yummy! I just had them for dinner tonight, and I'm already trying to figure out when I can make them again.

Next up...

Watermelon Salad

3 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
1 english cucumber, chopped
1 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir gently. Allow to stand in the fridge for 15 minutes. I'm thinking next time I might add some fresh mint and/or cilantro.

Like I said, it's a bit different, but soooo good. A nice refreshing summer salad.

As always, please let me know what you think if you try these.

Q & A: Summer Doldrums Edition

2011-08-09T21:46:00.001-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

We've hit that point in the summer where my brain has officially melted. It honestly hasn't been that terribly hot here this year but the humidity has been more intense than normal.

SO, in all honesty, even tho I do have a few things on my 'to blog about' list, I'm looking for some input.

If you have any questions for me, be they mundane or sublime, fire them away and I'll post my answers on the weekend. Come on, you know you want to...

And because I want to, here's a sweet pic of our wee girl...

Cousin Thor & Ginny. Sooo cute!

Foodie Friday: Sesame Tilapia & Citrus Scented Rice

2011-08-05T21:06:00.000-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I hope you have a great weekend planned... ours is going to be pretty quiet. Groceries, church, and a trip down south to visit with my MIL. I also have some editting to get finished that should have been done weeks ago! (Sorry J!)

This week's recipe was new for us and I have to say it turned out pretty gosh darn good. The Tilapia recipe is based on this recipe, and I made up the rice recipe based on what I had left over from the tilapia and what I had on hand. (Tip: zest the orange before you cut it in half)

Sesame Tilapia

4 tilapia filets
1/3 cup orange juice (juice of about 1/2 a med naval orange)

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp red chile flakes
3 green onions (greens only), sliced
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Combine orange juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and chile flakes, and stir until sugar disolves. Pour over tilapia filets (I always do this in a zip-top bag) and let them marinate for at least 30 minutes, although it's better if you let it go for up to four hours. Don't leave it overnight though, as the citrus will 'cook' the fish. Remove fish and discard the marinade. This can be grilled (on a well oiled, hot grill), baked (in a 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes) or pan fried. I chose to pan fry them in just a touch of olive oil. No matter how you choose to cook them, be sure not to over-cook, or the fish will be tough. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

(I'm planning on trying this recipe with chicken next week. I think it will work well, but I will let the chicken marinate longer)

Citrus Scented Rice

1 cup* long grain white rice
1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
2/3 cup chicken stock
2/3 cup white wine
3 green onions (white parts only), sliced thin
1/2 tbsp butter
zest of one orange

In a medium saucepot, melt butter and saute the green onion for 2-3 minutes, until soft. Add orange juice, chicken stock and white wine, and bring to a boil. Stir in rice and orange zest, cover with a tight fitting lid, and reduce heat to low and allow to simmer slowly for 20-25 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to stand for a few minutes. Fluff with a fork, and serve.

* Most recipes call for 1 part rice to 2 parts liquid, but I find that cutting back on the liquid by about 1/3 cup gives a fluffier, drier finished product. If you want a stickier rice, simply increase the liquids slightly. I have found that rice can be a bit finicky depending on elevation, so do what works best for you.

As always, if you try it, please let me know what you think!

On The Nightstand: Do You Wanna Join Me?

2011-08-03T21:19:00.000-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

How are things today? It's been a challenging day here in the hobbit hole. The poor wee girl is really hurting with her teeth today so there's been a lot of crying, screaming, whimpering, and thrashing about. And she's been pretty sad, too. (bah-dum-bum)

Last month I introduced the "On the Nightstand" feature, I honestly intended it to be a once a week thing. That way I would be posting more (yay!), and I wouldn't be reviewing quite so many books at the same time (double yay!). Well, things got away from me, and here we are a month later. Oh well.

Anyway, I have added a new element to these posts. After a couple of requests, I have created a linky thing so if you want to join in the fun, then by all means please do! Just post about what you've read recently and then come on back and link up.

I Still Dream About You by Fannie Flagg *audio* (four out of five hairy hobbit toes) - We listened to this book on our trip out to K-town last month and I really enjoyed it. The story of an aging former beauty queen who has decided that it's time for her to end it all. She devises a thorough plan, including getting rid of all of her clothes, dishes and personal items, and closing down her bank account. But every time she tries to put her plan in motion, something comes up to detain her. And interwoven throughout is the mystery of the old mansion on the hill... Funny, heart-rending, and intriguing all at the same time. The audio version is read by the author, and that's my favourite way to listen to a book. The author always does the best job of it.

The Physik Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe *audio* (four and a half out of five hairy hobbit toes) - We listened to most of this on our way back from K-town, and I actually just got around to finishing it yesterday. I have to say I loved this book! Set primarily in the early 1990s, it follows the story of Connie, a doctoral student studying colonial America, who is given the task to clean out her grandmother's old home so that it can be sold. In the process of clearing out the old house, Connie comes across some interesting information that may point to the existance of a recipe book that could have belonged to one of the women convicted of witchcraft in Salem, MA. An epic search entails, in which lives are threatened and romance is found. I love stories that are set in multiple time frames, sometimes in the present and other times in the past. The only thing I had against this book was that the actress who was doing the reading made half the characters sound like Audrey Hepburn.

Standing In the Rainbow by Fannie Flagg - (four out of five hairy hobbit toes) A funny collection of tales about a small town in Missouri, starting in 1946. I really appreciated the quirky people in the town and how they all interacted. The mom who hosts a daily raido program out of her living room, the family of touring gospel singers, the tractor salesman who dreams of being governor, and the children who grow up worried about bubble gum blowing contests and the senior prom. This story is told in short little bites of chapters, and moves quickly. I found myself smiling throughout, and I got seriously attached to one or two the characters. It's one of those books that, when you get to the end, makes you want to know what comes next.

Telegraph Days by Larry McMurtry (two out of five hairy hobbit toes) I really was disappointed with this book, especially as it started out really well. The story of Nellie Courtright, a young woman, orphaned with her younger brother in No Man's Land, in what will become part of Oklahoma, just after the Civil War. Her younger brother, by sheer fluke, wins a gun battle with a known gang of outlaws, and soon both are on the road to fame. Throughout the book Nellie meets every possible notable figure from the wild west (and has sex with about half of them). She works for Wild Bill Cody, watches the shoot out at the OK Corral, and ends up writing scripts for the earliest moving picture shows. It just really struck me as very contrived and Nellie ended up driving me crazy.

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden (five out of five hairy hobbit toes) - I have loved this book many times, and honestly I wasn't planning on reading it just now. But the book that I want to read is very similar to the Physik Book of Deliverance Dane, and so I needed something different in between. If you haven't read this one yet, you must! An amazing tale of a young girl sold into slavery who becomes the most famous of all the geisha. Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression and WWII. The movie version was very well done, but nothing beats the book!

Waiting on the nightstand is "A Discovery Of Witches" and "Room".

So, what have you been reading lately? Why don't you tell us about it?

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: Heritage Day Edition

2011-08-01T20:29:00.000-06:00

Howdy Humble Readers...

I hope you're all having a great Monday.

It's Heritage Day here in Alberta, and it's kind of an odd holiday. Most provinces have a holiday in August, but they all celebrate different things. Basically, it's just so that every month in the summer has a long weekend.

*****
I did my first Zu.mba workout dvd today. It totally kicked my a$$. I only made it through 30 minutes of the 45 minute workout before I had to stop. I also have to spend some more time watching the "Learn the Steps" dvd that came with the set, because I was terrible! My Beloved was kind enough to vacate the premesis with the baby girl for a while so that I could embarass myself in privacy.

*****
Killer bonus after my workout... the bathtub drain decided to completely crap out (it's been slow for a few days) while my Beloved was in the shower, and so I wasn't able to take a shower. Gross! We finally got the drain unclogged this afternoon (yay us!). The joys of home-ownership.

*****
Ginny's new targets are my el-cheapo cork ikea coasters. Apparently they make great teething toys. Who knew? (Yes, they're hidden away now)

*****
We have baby proofed the house, as much as we're going to. I have a baby gate in the hall for when I need to corral her for longer than a few minutes (she HATES the playpen now). I put locks on the bathroom and kitchen cabinets, the dangerous ones anyway. And we moved my Beloved's computer tower from the floor up to the desk. The only thing I need to figure out is how to prevent her from opening the pocket door on our storage room off the kitchen. Any suggestions?

*****
I finally, FINALLY got around to updating the menu board on the right. Tonight's dinner was great, and I'm looking forward to sharing the recipes with you all on Friday.

Bloggity Summer Camp: Failed (and the Mundane Reasons Why)

2011-07-31T20:47:00.000-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I was doing so good. I wrote almost a month's worth of posts, and was three days away from saying I did it. *sigh*

Friday was a great day, for the most part, but then at around 4pm I got what I can only describe as a weather-triggered migraine, or something like one. We had a major but short-lived thunderstorm blow through at around 3:30, and as soon as it was over a half hour later I was in agony. Light and sound sensitivity, nausea and dizziness... Not fun. The kicker is, 4pm is about the beginning of Ginny's cranky time of day. Bad combo.

By the time my Beloved got home an hour and a half later I was done. I handed over the baby and that was it for the night... so no Foodie Fridays post, no Bloggity Summer Camp post, and somehow I forgot to do my On The Nightstand post. Like I said, *sigh*

Yesterday was full... Ginny's haircut (turned out great!), spent some time at my bookstore, and then we had a family-sized nap. It was great. And so I remained generally unplugged for the day. Today was busy with church, grocery shopping, and making a fun dinner (pork souvlaki, greek potatoes and greek salad).

Tomorrow is a new day and a new month (and a holiday for many of us north of the 49th parallel). My Beloved is going to take the wee girl out with him for an hour or so tomorrow so that I can do my first ever Zu.mba dvd without an audience (how great is my hubby?). And then I'm just planning on puttering around the house.

SOOOOOooo, now that I've bored you to tears, it's time for something fun... go sign up for Sock It To Me! (click on that groovy button on the upper right) Seriously... go do it! All the cool kids are doing it, and you know you want to be a joiner! :)

And one last random thing... Happy 31st b-day Harry Potter! (yeah, I'm that geeky)

Bloggity Summer Camp: Origins & Dreams

2011-07-28T21:54:00.001-06:00

Howdy Humble Readers...

Have you ever wondered why David Spa.de always plays the same creepy perverted guy? Just watched my first episode of "Rules of Enga.gement" and man oh man, he's creeeeeeeeepy!

Anywho... back at Bloggity Summer Camp...

Today Calliope has asked, "What size family do you come from, what size family do you want, and why?"

Okay, well, if you've been following along, you know that my family is all kinds of screwed up. At one point in my life I technically had

Three moms
Three dads
Four sisters, and
Five brothers

But in my FOO (family of origin) I was the oldest of three. In my first step-family (bio-dad's second marraige) I was #3 of 6. In my second step-family (bio-mom's second marraige) I was #4 of 7. In my foster family, technically I'm the oldest, but it's only by a few months. And don't even get me started on grandparents and cousins and all.

As for what my Beloved and I want ... it seems kind of greedy, but we really do want one more. We've always wanted two. And then it will be snip-snip for my wonderful Beloved.

Bloggity Summer Camp: The Question that Stumped Me

2011-07-27T20:10:00.000-06:00

Howdy... Hey... Greetings Humble Readers... (I've been here so much today, I can't remember which greetings I've used, sorry!)

Three posts in one day! Hokey dinah balonafish! What's going on here? Well, between it being Ginny's 8 month un-birthday and discovering that Kym is hosting 'Sock It To Me' again and Bloggity Summer Camp... well, just a lot happening today. And it all must be read... so scroll down and I'll wait. Just make sure to come back up here. 'Kay? Go!

Waiting...

Waiting...

Waiting...

Checking my watch...

Whistling...

Back yet?

Hello?

Anyone?

Beuller? Beuller?

Ok... so Bloggity Summer Camp. Calliope's question today has honestly stumped me. "Which movies or tv shows do you think are the most accurate portrayals of your life? If you could write the next scene of your day what would it be?"

I don't know. Maybe a little bit of "You've Got Mail" and a little of the "Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood" with a little bit of "Everybody Loves Raymond" thrown in for good measure.

The next scene of my day? One of those heart-warming scenes where the parents stand at the doorway of the nursery and get those cheesy grins as they watch their baby sleep, and then maybe one of those married couple scenes where the couple is in bed, her with the green goop on her face and him doing a crossword puzzle. That's about it.

In reality, it will probably be doing a bit of tidying up, watching America's Got Talent, feeding the wee girl again at 11 and then maybe reading a few minutes before unconciousness takes me.

And now, it's safe to say, I'm all blogged out... see you tomorrow!

Rock Out With Your Socks Out!

2011-07-27T14:01:00.000-06:00

Hey Humble Readers!! I'm super excited!!

Kym from The Smartness is back and better than ever, and to get ready for fall, she's hosting another round of Sock It To Me!

Head on over and sign up for the awesomest blogosphere gift exchange ever... This is open to all bloggers, from all over the blogosphere and all over the world. Come on Canadian bloggers, we need to represent!

(And then come back and read my previous post about our precious wee girl!)

Ginevra @ 8 Months

2011-07-27T11:07:00.000-06:00

Good Morning Humble Readers...

Ginny rockin' the bikini! (Auntie S hiding behind)

Like every month, I am truly astonished that so much time has passed. Here we are, eight months into this grand adventure, and I honestly can't imagine life without my wee girl. (Fair warning: this is a long post, with lots of pics, as I'm talking about my favourite subject... Ginevra! And my favourite pic is at the end of the post, so you have to read all the way tot he end)

Bath Time!!!

She's growing so much, and everyday she's learning something new. Just this morning she started making clicking noises with her tongue on the roof of her mouth. It was hilarious! (or rather, it was until she started doing it while I was trying to feed her her cereal and strawberry/kiwi applesauce). She's actually sitting by the window right now clicking away...

Hanging out in her 'toy box'

Ginny's pulling herself up on the furniture and surfing allong the couch and sides of the coffee table. She still hasn't figured out how to take corners yet, and often gets very upset when she gets to the corner of the coffee table and can't figure out how to get around it.

Standing like a big girl

She's teething hardcore. She did have a short go round early on, between 3 and 4 months, with lots of drool and some general fussiness, but then it stopped. I found out from one of the nurses at the public health clinic that some babies go through teething this way, where the teeth come through the bone first, and then stop for a while and then they'll start coming through the gums. Her gums are sooo white and I swear that first tooth is just seconds away from popping through.

Hanging out with 'THE GREAT' Uncle Homer

Ginny eats two solid food meals a day and is an amazingly good eater. She still loves avacado and banana, but she has tried meat (roast beef ground up with some potato, parsnip and carrot, with a bit of gravy) with great success. She has cut back on how much formula she drinks (about 25 ounces at the most) which has caused Mommy some angst, but she's still having all kinds of wet diapers and she doesn't look or act dehydrated so I guess all is well. And don't get me started on poopy diapers now that she's established on solid food... pee-ewww-eee!

Our little fam

She sleeps really well at night, but napping has begun to be a challenge again. She did great while we were in K-town, but now she just doesn't want to sleep during the day. *sigh* And I swear she has started having nightmares. Ginevra will be in a sound sleep, and then all of a sudden she'll be screaming. It takes a while to calm her down afterward, but she goes right back to sleep. Odd...

Always on the go

The wee girl weighs in at just shy of 18 pounds and she still looks super tall to me. The funny thing is, she's still able to wear some of her 3-6 month clothes (mostly onesies).

Mommy, Ginny, and G.G.

She hates wearing shoes. She loves her bath. Her favourite toy right now is her stacking ball, but she still adores her Sofie giraffe and her plastic keys. She's started turning pages in her books. She crawls like a speed demon and is into everything. I'm not the type of mom to pack everything away, I feel she has to learn what she can and can't touch. (we did move a few things, just for safety reasons) She has an immense attraction to part of our entertainment unit where we store our wii games and my workout dvds, and she loves the books on the lowest shelves of my bookcases. It means that Mommy is constantly saying "No Ginny!" and moving her back to her toys.

Mommy, Ginny, Daddy, Mama, G.G., Auntie S, and 'Felix'

And she waves. Oh how she waves. It is SO. DARN. CUTE! She rarely waves at my Beloved or I, but she will wave at the people on the street, at people in pictures around our home, and at people on tv (she loves Rach.ael Ra.y and waves at Miss Rachael all the time.

Ginny and her big cousin, Z-Man

Ginny has a big event this weekend. She's going for her first haircut! It's so time... If I don't put her hair up in a pig tail, then it's hanging in her eyes.

Z-Man & Ginny in the pool

Bloggity Summer Camp: A Sackful of Ass-vice

2011-07-26T23:39:00.000-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

So I'm waaaaaay late tonight... I'm sorry. I was out "crafting" (read: shooting the breeze and drinking iced coffee with friends) and just got home a little while ago. I didn't actually do any crafting, but that's okay. After a day like today, I needed a break from my precious wee girl.

I know that teething doesn't really get any better until it's over, but certainly once these first couple of teeth break through, it must ease a little... mustn't it? (Lie to me, please) It's affecting her appetite and her sleep patterns. She napped a grand total of about 25 minutes today, and the rest of the time was either screaming or getting into things she shouldn't. It was a very long day.

Anyway, over at Bloggity Summer Camp, Calliope from Creating Motherhood has asked us, "What is/are the best piece(s) of advice you’ve gotten or can give others? Do you consider yourself a blogger that people would take advice from? Why or why not?"

The best piece of advice? I could certainly tell you about a lot of terrible advice I received from well-meaning folks while we were trying to conceive and dealing with our losses. From my loving mother telling me to stand on my head after sex to those who told me that it was for the best that my first two angel babies never made it... sooooo much garbage. But the best?

I would have to say it was a bit of pregnancy advice. I don't even recall who told me this, but watermelon really does help with morning sickness.

Am I a blogger that people would take advice from? I don't really think so, but maybe. I don't know what I could really offer advice on, except perhaps book or recipe recommendations. I would like to think that maybe somewhere along the way I've offered some little piece of info that someone has found helpful.

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: Vacation & Bloggity Summer Camp Edition

2011-07-25T18:58:00.000-06:00

Howdy Humble Readers...

The Gamgee clan is home from K-town and we're all feeling the effects of the day after vacation. I'm just a slug today, Ginny has been fussing pretty much non-stop (although that could be at least partly attributed to teething, too), and my poor Beloved is back at work. We drove 11 hours yesterday, and Ginny did pretty well for about 2/3 of the trip. My shoulder is killing me today from having to reach back into the back seat to let her hang on to or suck my finger for 3+ hours.

*****
Before I give you all a run down of our vacation or answer today's Summer Camp question, I have to put this out there. Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows, Part 2. If you haven't seen it yet, kindly skip down to the next section, 'kay? I need to give my opinion... Honestly, I was disappointed. Yes, I cried... twice. One of which was a point where I have never cried while reading the book. Once for Snape and once for Harry. The best I can say about the movie is that it was good... but it could have been so much better. I really feel that they sacrificed important parts of the story in order to add in big over the top battle scenes. If you've seen it, what did you think?

*****
Calliope, at Creating Motherhood, our fearless camp director has asked today, "What did you want to be when you grew up? Why and/or how did that change over time?" Hmmmm... good one. I'm not sure about when I was very little, but I distinctly recall wanting to be an astronaut or a sculptor when I was nine. Both of those things faded as I learned that my artwork never turned out as I imagined it in my head, and as I lost ability/interest in math and science that would be essential to an astronaut. It was shortly after I moved on from elementary school that the desire to write began to take root in my mind and heart. I still hope to some day grow up to be a writer.

*****
Vacation was great... busy but great. Ginny did amazingly well on the journey out to K-town, and we were very intentional about stopping often to let her out of the car seat. The week was spent visiting family, hanging out on the deck drinking wine with my Mom, watching all the kids in the pool, and enjoying a lot of good food. Mom's potato salad, Mom & I made ribs, and we had a meal of things from my favourite butcher shop (steak, stuffed mushrooms & zucchini, twice baked taters). We visited G.G. (my grandma) in the nursing home and saw a few of my favourite home-type places. Went to a couple of movies, did some shopping... and my ever adventurous Beloved spent a couple of days helping my Dad and BIL with some renovation work on Mom & Dad's house. Ginny went in the pool for the first time, which met with mixed reviews from the wee girl. And we got portraits taken of all four of the grandkids together. Like I said... busy! Pics will be posted in a couple of days with Ginny's 8 month update.

*****
I'm excited about this week's 'On the Nightstand' post. I've read some great books in the last couple of weeks and I can't wait to share them with you.

Bloggity Summer Camp: Dream Date

2011-07-24T08:50:00.001-06:00

Good Morning Humble Readers...

How's your week been? Has it been rainy or hot? Productive or relaxing? Fun or a bit of a drag?

Today at Bloggity Summer Camp, Calliope asks a fun question. "What is your dream date? Have you ever dated anyone you met from the internet?"

My dream date is pretty simple. Someplace quiet and different (new to me) for dinner and conversation, and then going somewhere interesting, like a concert or an art show or the like. Nothing huge. Just time with my Beloved and a new experience or two.

And, yes, I have indeed dated someone I met on the internet. In fact I married him.

Honestly, I did date a couple of other guys that I met online before I was matched with my Beloved on eHar.mony. I remember my Mom freaking out initially... but she got used to the idea, once I asked her if she would rather I meet some guy in a bar. I could also get a husband like my sister did... fall in love with a groomsman from her first wedding. After that, the internet didn't seem so bad. :)

Bloggity Summer Camp: Is There Life Beyond the Blog?

2011-07-23T08:48:00.002-06:00

Hey Humble Readers...

I'm just going to get right to it today, because today's Bloggity Summer Camp topic is pretty straight-forward.

Calliope asks, "What are your favorite activities to do on-line? Is there more to do beyond blogging?"

I am an internet junkie, and there absolutely is more to the internet beyond blogging. I spend far to much time on fa.ce.boo.k, I read and comment on a lot of news stories, I look for recipes, and search for coupons and deals. I play the stupidest games, and I read parenting articles. I do surveys and earn points that I can use to buy things like movie passes. I am constantly googling stuff and wikipedia is my super-friend. I'm always checking out stuff I see on tv or read about.

And I blog.

Where do you hang out online?

Bloggity Summer Camp: Just a Wee Hobbit

2011-07-22T08:46:00.001-06:00

Howdy Humble Readers...

When I was a little girl, I remember thinking that I could remember every day of my life. Every single day. And that I would never forget anything. I would remember every conversation and every moment. And maybe I did. Back then, when I only had 7 or 8 years of experiences, it's possible that I remembered all sorts of things that escape me now.

Today at Bloggity Summer Camp, Calliope has asked us, "What is your most beloved childhood memory? I’d love it if you shared a photo of yourself as a child with this post!"

As I pondered this question, I honestly struggled to find a 'beloved' memory. While my childhood definitely had its dark moments, there were also happy times, funny moments that live in the recesses of my brain.

There was the time when I was just a wee hobbit, sitting on the floor in our living room watching the Mupp.et Show, eating pumpkin pie. My bio-dad said something to me, and I turned to look at him and somehow managed to stick my foot in my pumpkin pie. I was four years old

There was the time when I was trapped in an outhouse by a flock of wild turkeys while we were camping. I was eight.

There was the time my bio-mom sent me to the store across the street for a loaf of bread. I had only just learned to cross the street by myself. We lived on a main drag in that little town, but at the far end, where there was almost no traffic. Apparently, I stood there for quite some time because if I saw a car three blocks away, I wouldn't cross. When I finally did cross, I raced into the store, grabbed the bread and ran out. It wasn't until I was all the way back across the street that I realized I was still holding the money that my bio-mom gave me. I had to go back across the street, AGAIN to pay for the bread and then finally go home. What should have taken no more than 10 minutes took me more than a half hour. And apparently my bio-mom was standing in the tub looking out the bathroom window of our apartment watching me the whole time. I was five.

There was the time, while my bio-mom was pregnant with my bio-sister, that we were crossing the street in a busy downtown area. Bio-mom was less than a month away from her due date. We were crossing the street, and suddenly I remember lying on the ground, with my bio-mom on top of me. She had fallen, twisted her ankle, and landed on me. I remember the old man who jumped out of his car to help us up. I remember his big boat of a car and his light blue suit. He helped us to the other side of the street and my bio-mom thanked him. In later years I found out that she thought she had only sprained her ankle, and would walk it off. She had many things to do in preparation for the arrival of my bio-sister, and didn't want to give up that particular outing. Of course, true to form for my family, she had actually broken her foot and ended up giving birth while wearing a big heavy plaster cast. I was almost three.

Calliope has asked for a picture from when I was wee... I found three. You'll notice a bit of a glare, as these are pictures of pictures, all from one of my scrapbooks. You may also notice a resemblance to another wee little hobbit girl... :)

Bloggity Summer Camp: A Rose By Any Other Name

2011-07-21T08:43:00.001-06:00

Greetings Humble Readers...

I have to tell you, I have been looking forward to today's Bloggity Summer Camp topic ever since I first saw the list of topics that Calliope posted. I have such strong opinions about this... it's almost ridiculous.

Calliope asks, "What names would you NEVER name a child or pet? What name do you wish you had been named? Do you like the name of your blog?"

Oooo... I love it! So here it is, my list of rules for naming babies. (some of these rules could apply when naming a pet)

I swear that I will...

NEVER name a child after a piece of fruit, an inanimate object, a colour, city where they were conceived
NEVER give a child a name that is not easily pronounceable or spell-able
NEVER give a child a gender neutral name
NEVER name a child something that rhymes with tick, tock or weenis
NEVER name a child something that I will be embarrassed to holler when it's time to come for dinner
NEVER name a child something that should be a pet's name
NEVER name a child something that sounds like it should be a nickname
NEVER name all my children with names that all start with the same letter
NEVER name a child something that falls in the top ten of the most popular names lists

Honestly, my personal guidelines for choosing names comes down to four rules. My children will have OLDER-FASHIONED, GENDER SPECIFIC names, with USUAL SPELLINGS, that START WITH VOWELS. I have had my children's names chosen for a long long time, and my poor Beloved didn't get a whole lot of say in the matter. He did get to choose the middle names though. :)

As for my name, I wish my bio-mom would have put a little thought into it. A nurse gave her a little booklet of baby names while my bio-mom was in labour. Hence I ended up with a name I have disliked for my whole life. I always wanted to be a Sarah Jane... or something like that. Instead, I got saddled with a gender neutral name, spelled 'the boys way', and a middle name that could be misheard to be a boy's name as well. Because of my name, I was mistakenly put on boys softball teams, put in boy's wards in the hospital, and other tragic events. I could never find key chains or those cute little door plaques with my name on them spelled correctly. When I was 13 I changed the spelling of my first name, but I actually still have to deal with issues from that decision.

I'm not a big fan of my blog's name. I've had another one in mind for a while, but whenever I get close to changing it, I always find a reason to hold off. Maybe in the fall...

Bloggity Summer Camp: The Kindest Thing

2011-07-20T08:42:00.001-06:00

Howdy Humble Readers...

Your favourite hobbit/ent family is still on vay-kay, visiting with the family in Kel.owna. This post is brought to you by the wonders of scheduled posting... yay! I sure hope that you're all doing well, and I am looking forward to catching up with you all when I get home.

Today at Bloggity Summer Camp, Calliope our fearless Camp Director has asked, "What is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you? Did you repay the kindness? Did you blog about it?"

Sometimes I feel like I'm beating a broken record here, but really there can only be one event in my life that can count for the 'kindest'. Be advised this is a long story.

When I was sixteen, just home after a three month exchange program to Germany, I made a new friend. She quickly became my best friend, a sister by choice. Soon I was spending every weekend at her house and at least two nights during the week.

At this time, I was in the custody of my bio-mom. After she and my bio-dad divorced, when I was 9, it was like she reverted back to her teen years. I'm sure she felt entitled, seeing as she gave up the 'party years' because she got pregnant with me when she was 17.

She would spend evenings out in bars, partying and drinking. She met a guy who was a lot older than her and she got married a second time. Although they lived together for 2 years, the marraige only lasted a few months before everything went bad. After her second divorce, she went right back to her old ways.

She worked a string of no-where jobs (waitressing, housekeeping, etc), and we were often on government assistance (read: welfare). She didn't know how to manage money, and often I had to remind her that we had to pay rent (rather than, say, a fringed suede jacket or a month's worth of smokes). And don't even get me started on the lack-of-groceries situation.

Actually, yeah, I will tell you about that... We usually only had food in the house for one meal a day. I went to school without breakfast, and had nothing to take for lunches. This was when my 'foster' parents (Mom & Dad) stepped into my life.

It started with Mom making a second lunch for my best friend, S, to bring to school for me. Every day. For almost a whole school year. They even took me on vacation with them to Disneyland and on a huge road trip that covered 12 states.

The following summer, S & I got a really lousy job together with a telemarketing firm. I was spending a huge amount of time with the family. It was amazing to me to know that there was food in the fridge and there weren't strange guys in and out of the house (did I mention my bio-mom's HIV scare?).

Mom & Dad started dropping hints that if I ever needed a safe place, they would welcome me with open arms.

September of my senior year, just before my 17th birthday, I broke. I was sick of being a grown up while my bio-mom played the kid role. I was tired of her broken promises, and always wondering if this would be the month we would be evicted or if that would be the guy who would hurt her real bad. It was all too much. And then, somehow, she gained custody of my bio-sister.

I couldn't believe it. I was a total mess. I couldn't take care of myself, my bio-mom, and now my 13 year old bio-sister too. It sounds incredibly selfish, but I needed out. I left, and my Mom & Dad welcomed me with open arms. They didn't think twice... I was their other daughter, I was part of the family.

And that's the story of the kindest thing... they gave me a family.

(sorry for all the long-windedness)