Labour and Delivery (39weeks - 3 and a half months ago)

Hello Blogosphere

I'm sorry I've been out of touch lately. I'm not going to lie I've just been so absorbed by my handsome baby boy to really worry about posting. But now that I have a bit more free time (and sleep) I figure that it wouldn't hurt to first show him off a little bit AND tell everyone about the Labour, Delivery and the days (week and a bit) leading up to it all.

I SHOULD THROW A TMI ALERT IN. Really don't read this if you don't want to hear a lot of the details surrounding my labour and delivery. I'm not shy, but you may be and I just don't want this to be an issue. Also I should let you know I don't think this post is one of my funnier posts. It's just more factual. And pretty much a novel. Enjoy!

So first leading up...

I was dead set against having this baby after June 30th/July 1st for the reasons of having the new residents (Please refer to my Birth Plan post) BUT I know very well that there is really only so much that I can control when it comes to labour and delivery. So at 37 weeks on the nose before knowing my GBS status (GBS is a bacteria that can be found in the woman's vagina. It isn't harmful to her, but can be passed to baby following the rupture of membranes and a woman is given antibiotics during the labour to prevent the bacteria being passed to baby as it can be deadly) a friend of mine - a labour and delivery friend of mine. Came over and did a sweeping of my membranes and a stretch. After this stretch and sweep I was 2cm dilated, 50% effaced and baby was -1. So not great, but not terrible for a primip. Anyway there were a couple more exams in there that I wont bore you with... In terms of having started the sweeps when we did, I did not delivery before June 30th. So at 38 weeks 5 days I went to my doctor's appointment and my nurse (and friend) Franky did a sweep/stretch and I was 3cm, 70% and -1. The unit quite often admits first time moms with cervixes like that; however, they are generally in lots of pain from contracting and looking for an epidural. I still was not contracting (regularly). The next day I went in to the unit to pick up some pay stubs and to see how busy it was (and to see what I would need to do to get admitted that day.) Well it was pretty busy but my nurse Franky was working so I had a little visit with her and by the time I walked out of the unit I was contracting more frequent than what I had been before, irregularly still and mildly and was 4cm, 70% effaced and 0. YAY! This meant business. When was yet to be determined but it definitely meant business. So that afternoon I went home and contracted mildly through the night every 6 minutes pretty much exactly until the next morning (Friday) when Eric was trying to decide if he should go into work or not and I didn't know how dilated I was. SO I called my dear friend (and nurse) Bonnie to come over. There really are perks to having friends that are nurses/being a labour and delivery nurse. She did an exam and I was still 4cm/70%/0. That was pretty disappointing. I had been contracting (mildly) all night and really was expecting more. Hindsight it makes sense I wasn't further because those contractions were mild - although I didn't know that at the time... So Bonnie and I took my dogs for a walk around the neighbourhood because we agreed I was having this baby today. After the walk we laboured at home some more and she reexamined me and such and she determined me almost 6cm, and that was when we called Eric to come home from work so we could go to the hospital...

The Labour:

Although, I was contracting before it wasn't really until Bonnie came over and we did some walking that things got a little bit more intense so I don't really consider it labour any earlier then that. Really it wasn't bad until I started getting pitocin - but we'll get there. So Eric came home took a shower that lasted all of .2 seconds grabbed "the hospital bags" and we were off! Breast pump and all! (Use that to help release oxytocin to keep the contractions going. Actually I was even able to get an okay amount of milk at the time - not that it is anything compared to now but still pretty awesome.) So we got to the hospital at 1030am. I had called before we left the house to let them know we were coming in, so I completely bypassed triage and walked in to the cursed room number 7. The Team Leader Nancy who I adore figured it would be a nice big room for me and it would be perfect - but I dreaded room #7 as most of my cases in that room ended up in the OR. Yes, I can be a little superstitious. Can't we all? Anyway perks to this room: lots of space, shower AND jacuzzi, quieter room. Cons: furthest room from the OR in the case of a crash c-section - EEK. So when I got in a lot of the nurses were busy as it was a pretty busy day (what can I say July 9th is a good day to have a baby!) And Nancy came down to do my admission for me while we waited for Franky to finish up in the Recovery Room. So when I had my admission exam I "SROMed" aka broke my water. Then I waited for 2 hours. The contractions didn't get more intense (which they generally do) and didn't get closer together (which they also sometimes do following the water breaking). Unfortunately my cervix was still 6cm and to say the least baby's heart rate tracing wasn't beautiful - so it meant it was time to start "actively managing my labour" aka pit me. So pit or pitocin is a synthetic form of oxytocin - for simplicity sake we'll say the labour hormone - the one that causes contractions. Well about 15 minutes later my contractions were no longer contractions I could talk through or even smile through. Actually I didn't even want to talk before or after the contractions. And up until that point Eric, Bonnie, Franky and I were cracking jokes and having a good time. After the pit started I was not happy. Eric would rub my back during the contractions and was incredibly supportive. He'd whisper that I was doing a good job and help me change positions when I was in too much pain or too uncomfortable to do it by myself. Finally an hour passed and I asked Franky to reexamine me (generally you wait 2 hours before you do another exam.) I told her before she examined me that if my cervix was still 6cm there was no way I was going to continue without an epidural because there was just WAY to much pressure and pain. Anyway she did the exam and told me I was 7cm. I still don't know to this day if she just told me that I was 7cm because she knew I wanted to do natural labour and figured I could do it OR if I actually was. But that 1 cm kept the natural child birth train going. So I realized labouring in hands and knees wasn't cutting it for me even though we all knew I had a baby not facing the right direction (maybe with the exception of Eric) SO we decided to try the tub and if that didn't work I was getting an epidural (by Dr. Gallant nonetheless). I got into the tub and leaned over the side like I've told what seems like a bajillion NCB moms before me AND man oh man that felt SO MUCH BETTER. During the contraction I would lean over the edge of the tub and then in between I would lay on my side in the tub and try to get some sleep. Yeah I know - crazy. ANYWAY. It felt a lot longer to me (probably because I was in PAIN) but apparently it was only about 3 maybe 5 contractions and then things started to happen... I started pushing involuntarily. Franky told me to stop and that after I was done that contraction I would get out of the tub and she would reexamine me. Things I learnt from that alone: it's almost impossible to stop bearing down when you're in that situation. I have a new found sympathy for women who feel the urge to bare down when they're only 7cm. I was reexamined and THANK GOD I was 9.5 cm and baby's head was at the +2 position. At this point things started going really quickly and I asked/demanded that Franky go get the doctor to give me a pudental block (they free the "lips" to avoid the "ring of fire" during the delivery - now that you know that please remember I said that this post may have TMI!) Anyway while she left the room I contracted again and was bearing down. Bonnie was in the room still and I asked her to go get Nitrous Oxide for the pain so she took off.

The Delivery:

Franky and Dr. Amankwah and Alia came back to the room. Dr. Amankwah didn't even need to exam me as she said she could start seeing the head already and that I was NOT going to get a pudental block. They told me I could start pushing so I did a set of pushing and it was really painful. I would be lying if I said otherwise. There is such thing as the ring of fire. Also I feel like a total jerk for telling my patients: "don't make any noise while pushing" or "push for 10seconds 3 times with each contraction" because my first set of pushing I was definitely making noise and I didn't make it to 10 seconds 3 times. Bonnie came back with the NO and I took 2 puffs on that and I swear to you the room started spinning. Or maybe it was my bed that was spinning - which would make more sense because it has wheels and the room is stationary- well sort of I guess the world spins, but I don't think that it spins that fast. ANYWAY - after 2 sucks/puffs whatever you want to call them I got rid of that stuff because it was NOT helping. So I pushed again with everyone's encouragment and direction with Eric right by my head (he moved there pretty quickly after the doctors came in. He told me he had started to feel a little bit light headed - maybe he had a hit or two of nitrous as well? JK) I pushed a second time and more effectively (I didn't make noise and I held my breath etc, etc, etc..) and then something wasn't quite right. The fetal heart rate was 60bpm. Alia asked Dr. Mukhida if she wanted a vacuum and I (who apparently still had a bit of a sense of humour left) told them to go ahead and just slap it on. Nancy entered the room at some point in time and told me that with the next contraction I had to mean business. I guess with the next contraction I meant business because all I remember is Dr. Amankwah asking who I wanted to deliver the baby and I said "I don't care just get it out" and Franky in her calm, reassuring and happy voice said to me "Okay stop pushing". WHAT? WHAT DO YOU MEAN STOP PUSHING? I HAVE A BABY I NEED TO GET OUT. Okay I didn't say these things. At least not to anyone in the room. BUT we waited there with lots of pressure and burning and pain sensation. And then the next contraction started to build and Franky said "okay only small pushes now, push to 3 seconds" WHAT? we're there already?? We're having a baby... So after about 3 small pushes and one more big push our little baby was born at 1455. Baby cried right away as did my other baby (Eric) and I immediately asked "what is it" and Eric being the observant fellow he is replied "A boy - I think?" And Dr. Amankwah being the quick witted one she is said "You think? That's definitely a boy" as his balls were a little bit swollen and by a little I mean A LOT. Anyway I was shocked. I still kind of am. I was expecting a girl. Not that I'm complaining. I'm so in love with my son. Fynn is just amazing. And it's even more amazing that he's all mine and Eric's.

The afterbirth (aka placenta):

It decided to take it's time. Like 35 minutes or so. And my uterus decided to bleed. So I got 4 little pills inserted in a not so friendly spot and 5 minutes later had the biggest most painful contraction ever (pass the nitrous please!) and I delivered the placenta. Intact. Thankfully.

And really, that's more or less the end of it. Or the beginning depending on how you look at it.

Regardless it was an amazing experience. Easier than coping with Fynn cluster feeding. And really I don't need any hormones that make me forget about it - we're already talking baby number 2. When is still yet to be determined - but Fynn will have at least one sibling - so long as my uterus cooperates!

Thanks for reading everyone!

I'll be sure to post less gory stuff - like how much fun I've been having as a mom! And what we've got planned. Like I said before I just have been taking the free time I do have and spending it on other things. Like Fynn!

Take care,

Beth

But it came and that was more or less than end of it. Or the beginning depending on how you look at it. Regardless, we're talking about baby number 2 already. I'm pretty excited.

Pregnancy Recap.

So I'm labouring more regularly now - but you wont know that ahead of time because I don't intend to post this blog entry until after this peanut is born. But I am contracting every 5-7minutes and hanging out at home. I tried to get some sleep - but haven't had much luck. I'll probably try to lay down again. I've been contracting lots the last two days and some were more uncomfortable than others - but it has definitely gotten more intense over the last few hours. They're still quite spaced out but aren't lasting very long (maybe 30-40 seconds.) Like I said, just hanging out at home until my contractions are closer together or more intense. So far so good though.

I decided because I have all of this adrenaline rushing through my veins I would take this opportunity to recap on my pregnancy:

First Trimester:
Found out I was pregnant: November 12th
First sign of morning sickness: really shortly after November 12th.
Calculated due date as per LMP: July 16th, 2010. As per dating ultrasound: July 17th, 2010.
Cravings: none - however, I could handle soda crackers and ginger ale (but even ginger ale could spark my gag reflex)
Pros: I was pregnant!
Cons: morning sickness (and having a very smelly job some days.. BGS augh); feeling like I couldn't do much - yoga, physical activity; being constantly drained.
Weight gain: none, actually I lost weight...

Second Trimester:
Cravings: just like my husband's cousin POTATOES. Pretty much in every shape and form. I could eat potatoes anytime, anyday, anywhere, any style. RIBS - yes, like the meat kind, like the, I-haven't-eaten-ribs-or-any-pig-or-cow-in-over-8-years-but-please-give-me-some-ribs-asap. I was told to go to Baton Rouge in Ottawa for the best ribs ever - but I never made it down (probably for the best.) Then there was the random cravings: poutine (probably falls under fries), popsicles and freezies, cupcakes, pizza, nothing really all that crazy. It sounds like I ate super unhealthily but really I promise I didn't.
Pros: TONS more energy and thus felt human again and could DO THINGS, everyone knew so I was able to explain my crazy behaviour of my first trimester, no real stressors, felt baby move early - all in all a great trimester.
Cons: I needed to do that STUPID STUPID STUPID GTT testing twice - but it was for a good reason so I should try not to complain. (It came back fine. I didn't have gestational diabetes.)

Weight gain: I was 136lbs by the end of the second trimester.

Third Trimester
Pros: Almost there, getting the nursery set up (saving 600$ on the nursery furniture!), felt lots more movement, a decent amount of energy, TONS of walking, and just overall happy. Also I only started needing to get up in the middle of the night to pee after 34 weeks AND it was only occasional, probably happened 7 times in total.

Cons: Working night shifts from 32weeks - 35weeks. Don't get me wrong I still did my happy dance while there, but the 12 hour shifts and the craziness that became the birthing unit at the end was a little much. It's pretty hard to go from 9pm-530am without eating when you're pregnant and running around like crazy. The elbows or knees (who knows...) that baby would use to push against the bed which made sleeping at the end very difficult.

Overall Pregnancy:
Total number of maternity clothing bought: 10 pieces (not including new panties or bras). 2 pairs of maternity jeans (I was lucky and fit into most of mine up until 26 weeks and than after that had my lululemon pants), 6 maternity tops (again pretty lucky in that my looser fitting tops lasted awhile), 1 sweater, and a bella band. All in all I was pretty lucky.. which brings us to the next point:
Total weight gain: Okay, so this is harder to calculate as if you were to start with my beginning weight I only gained 22lbs; however, I was in the negative during my first trimester which would put me at around 28lbs after gaining back the weight I lost. Either way - not too bad - my doctor was pretty pleased.
Best moments: when baby would dance for Eric - my all time favourite was probably when I laid in bed and we put Eric's iPhone on my belly and played some music and you could see the baby moving the iPhone. I also loved when my linea nigra came in (even though above my belly button it's crooked.)
Worst moments: Please see "cons" of the first trimester.

What I would do differently: I would have started practicing yoga earlier on in the pregnancy (second trimester.) I was missing a decent amount of my balance by the end. Also, I only swam a few times while pregnant and when I did it I LOVED it. I should have done that more. AND I should have taken more pictures. Next time right?

Well that's all I'm going to post on that matter because really I'm finishing off this blog entry 3 and half months into my postpartum period and really want to do a post about the actual labour and delivery next...

Thanks for reading!

Take care,

Beth

False Alarm - sort of (38+5)

Hello again blogging world.

I just wanted to give a quick little update - My uterus is still contracting - however, very mildly and irregularly. I'm not anticipating a July 8th baby - actually I'm not even anticipating a baby this weekend (although I am still hoping!) Who knows, maybe something exciting will happen. But I'll keep you in the know!

Take care,
Beth

Nearing an end.. I hope (38weeks and 4 days)

Hello Blogworld.

Augh - ooooh - eeeeeeik - breathe. So I'm contracting - irregularly and they go away sometimes and then they come back - and then leave again. And then are more intense - then less intense. Then it's just crampy and then it's my whole stomach (uterus) is hard as a rock. Ahh - early labour. Could last another week - god forbid - contractions could stop altogether- could have a baby tomorrow?? While my ob/gyn is on call... Please??

I'll keep you in the know.
Beth

Happy Canada Day - No June baby for me. (37+5weeks)

Happy Canada Day Blogging world.

How are you planning on spending Canada Day today? Ottawa is funny in that the whole city literally shuts down - it's so weird. Driving on the outskirts is like driving on a Sunday morning at 7am - the roads are deserted; however, as you start heading downtown the festivities really pick up. And I mean REALLY pick up. The government posts and map on their website which lets you know which roads are closed downtown and really the best way to get anywhere is the bus or the O-Train. So this is actually only my second Canada Day in Ottawa (besides a couple when I was younger - which I'm not sure even happened.) Last year we spent it with my cousin and it was a little bit crazy. We left from her house with literally 7 minutes to get to the fireworks (we are at least 13 minutes away) and I was nominated driver (for a few reasons) and we made it there with 2 minutes to spare - and it wasn't because traffic was light. Anyway we parked and were running through the downtown streets of Ottawa watching the fireworks off the reflections of the glass windows. It was pretty neat. We made it for the "grand finale" which wasn't that grand (probably had something to do with the recession.) Anyway, it was a good Canada Day. This year my cousin and her boyfriend have gone off to the cottage for the weekend and I have a feeling this year's Canada Day will be significantly more low key than last years. We're going to head down to Parliament during the day and watch some live music and see the Snowbirds and CF-18s. I think we'll just spend some of the day downtown - I'm not sure if we're going to go back for the fireworks - and I can tell you right now I am NOT spending from noon until 10pm downtown. Hecks no. Also Eric picked himself up a steak last night and I grabbed some halibut so that we can have a nice "Canada Day Dinner" using the BBQ - which we have used almost every day since purchasing (great buy - so far!)

Alright, so I managed to keep the first half of this blog baby free, but since the blog is really about baby (or at least that's why I started writing the blog) I feel as though I should fill you in on the last few days. So as you know I am term now (woot woot) actually I'm 37 + 5 weeks today - if some of you choose to take the time to do that math you will realize that I've lost (or baby has lost) 2 days in gestation. You would be right. My due date based on dates was July 16th and my due date based on the first ultrasound was July 17th - and they go with the first ultrasound - which is fine. But I for whatever reason kept calculating things with the girls at work who are all pregnant and there "switch day" is Thursday (today) so they are all either 32 weeks, 37 weeks or 33 weeks today, so it was easy to just say I was 38 weeks. BUT I'm not really - I'm a poser. Not the point of the story. Anyway - in my last post there was all this hope and desire to be in labour by now (which I'm severely not - I have a very severe case of "Not being in labour") which is fine - as I cry myself to sleep. Anyway, I was really set that I was going to have this baby in June. Which is now absolutely impossible (regardless of what place in the world you are) and that's okay - now I'm aiming for July. Dad suggested I aimed for August, but I don't think he fully understood that the desire of June was that it was SOONER than July. I still love him - even if he doesn't quite get it. One of the nurses who I worked with figured I would have the baby come Friday. I think she's wrong now. You need SOME form of contractions and my uterus just really isn't committing. So to say the least I was a little upset the day before yesterday when nothing was going on - especially because I was doing everything you're supposed to do to induce labour (and more) and nothing happened. Which could be because it's not actually my due date yet. Still not the point. I was walking, biking, climbing stairs, eating pineapple, hot bath taking, yoga-ing, dancing, hula hooping, jumping, breast pumping (owww...), raspberry leaf tea drinking, and several more things that just didn't seem to cut it. So this baby is comfortable and as my dad has said "this baby will come on it's birthday" AUGH. Eric used that line this morning and I almost hit him (love you babe). So due to my disappointment that there is no baby yet I have made a list of reasons why it's better to still have the baby on the inside:

Reasons why it's better to have the baby inside instead of outside:

Leaving the house:

1) You only need to make sure one of you has peed/pooped before leaving

2) You only need to make sure one of you is fed before leaving

3) You only have 1 seatbelt to do up - and temperature in the vehicle is dependent on how you like it, not what keeps baby from crying - also you get to choose the tunes and don't need to play them so loud they drown out the cries of baby (just kidding)

4) Walking 2 dogs is easier when you don't need to push a stroller.

5) Running to the grocery store (okay waddling to the grocery store) is a 10 minute activity before baby, after baby - do you really need to eat?

Sleep:

1) You can at least ATTEMPT to sleep when you like where you like.

2) If you're on mat leave that can be any time at all.

3) When you do finally fall asleep you don't need to worry about that being EXACTLY when baby starts crying.

Showering:

1) You can do it with door the closed.

2) You can take as long as you want.

3) This points go for all bathroom activities actually.

Eating:

1) You can eat almost anything you want (obviously there are the issues if you have heartburn and stuff like that BUT the point is more or less you can have anything) after baby is born be prepared to cut out the foods that make him/her not enjoy your breastmilk or make the baby colicky (which was chocolate for my friend Jess's baby Adair - that sucks.)

2) You still have time to sit down and eat.

3) You can go out to eat and you generally get extra good service - actually that's another point service - while you're pregnant people hold doors open for you and are super friendly - after pregnancy - well I'm sure they would still hold the door open for you BUT you're probably out and about less.

Eric's contributions to my list:

1) Harder to break when it's on the inside.

2) Don't need to worry about losing it.

3) It doesn't poo (that he needs to clean)

Alright, that's my list so far. Pretty much for every day this baby stays in from this point forward I'll find something to add to my list. I don't want people to be confused and start whispering that I don't really want to have my baby - this is just my way of being less frustrated that I don't have the baby yet - I've spent the last 4 days trying to bring on labour - I'm just going to take a break from it for the weekend (as Eric has a nice long weekend) and resume activities and attempts come Monday (and I have a whole list of other possible tricks.)

On that note! Have a spectacular long weekend (for those of you who have one) enjoy Canada Day! If you don't have a long weekend - especially enjoy your normal length weekend!

As always,

Thanks for reading!!

I'm going to lose it.. (37+2, aka go time!)

Hello!

Just to not confuse anyone, it isn't ACTUALLY "go time" not just yet. I would LIKE it to be go time. But It's not. Give me another week (ideally not two, but you never know) and hopefully there will be a baby. BUT even then it could be another 4 weeks (which it wont be if I have ANYTHING at all to say about it.) So anyway, I'm term, or better yet baby is term. And what has been going on?

Well let me tell you:

1) the hospital bags are packed and at the front door. 1 for me and 1 for Eric and baby to share - we've packed a few things for Eric "just in case" he needs to meet me at the hospital from work instead of having the chance to go home and change, more importantly shower, first.

2) Nursery is all set up. I maintain it's not decorated, BUT all of the wonderful clothing I received from the lovely ladies at the Birthing Unit as well as the wonderful clothing from the guys and gals who made it to my surprise baby shower (thanks again mom and Jill) have been washed with Ivory Snow, and are not folded and put away according to size. Also the organic mattress pad and organic muslin sheet that I received have been washed and on the crib (which I know, I know wont be in use for awhile yet) Besides decorating and removing the plastic from the handles of the dresser and bookshelf the nursery is more or less ready to go. Okay, okay, I need to wash the windows, but I'm not going to lie, my mom has offered to do them so I'm going to wait and do windows with my mom when she comes!

3) Bottles, nipples, breast pump pieces and soothers have all been sterilized. Actually they're just drying right now and then they will be returned to their home. I'm not sure when I signed up for these things but I have 3 different kinds of formula - I don't plan on using formula. I plan to breastfeed and pump; however, somehow I have all of this formula. Maybe I'll feed it to Eric and try to fatten him up a little bit.

4) Car seat is in the car. It fits, but when we have baby number 2 we're going to need to buy a slightly bigger vehicle as it requires the front seat to be a little bit more forward than I like.

5) House relatively clean. I sometimes think Eric is working against me in cleaning the house. On that note I KNOW it's not his fault. He's not doing it on purpose. It confuses me a little what happened with him. He was sooooooo good at cleaning when we first got married. Actually he was better than any of the girls that lived in the house (and there were 4 of us at the time) and maybe it was cleaning up after all of us that made him decide he refused to clean, but ever since I've started doing shift work it has become my responsibility to clean the house on my days off. I refuse to clean the kitchen by myself though. When I was first pregnant I couldn't even go into the kitchen without being overwhelmed with nausea. I would gag and vomit and augh. So although it is "Eric's room to clean" It tends to only be cleaned when I am there gently reminding Eric it needs to be cleaned. Augh, I hate kitchens. Anyway, I'm lucky enough again to have a wonderful mother who has offered to help get the house better than "relatively" clean when she visits. I just had to agree to not using any "green products" to clean the home as she thinks they're crap... I'm not going to lie, I gave in in exchange for help cleaning my home.

6) EI applied for... sort of. I'm really fortunate in that I get a "top up" from my employer for the first 6 months of my maternity leave. It's not to 100% but it is still nice to be getting more than the 55% that EI pays out (which I'm also not complaining about - I'm getting paid 55% to be working 0% - okay deal.) So anyway, I thought it was smooth sailing until I was asked to provide my ROE from Magpie Jewellery. Do you think I have ANY clue where that is right now? No of course not. So I'm on the search. I may need to send a letter to Bathurst to get it, but this is all delaying me getting paid. I'm not super heart broken about the delay, I just want it all dealt with before baby is here so I don't need to deal with it then!

7) Too Much Information ALERT. TMI ALERT. (I'm giving everyone a head's up just in case you don't want to read woman body stuff - just skip #7 then). My cervix is very slightly opened. SLIGHTLY. Which is GREAT. It's better than being closed which is more common for a first time mom such as myself. AND baby's head is nice and low! SOOoooOOOoo what does this mean? Well really nothing unless I start having some regular contractions. I've been having some unpleasant Braxton Hicks but until I have some regular contractions, I don't think much is going to happen. BUT it is better than being closed at this stage in the game!!

So more or less I'm now just waiting for baby. Like I said before, I'm hoping sometime in the next week, but I know the odds of a first time mom going early. They're not super realistic. BUT here's to positive thinking and having a bunch of people crossing their fingers or praying for me (whichever they think is more valid.) SOOOoooOOo, if you're not too busy if you could just send some positive thoughts/energy out into the universe for me that I have this baby sooner rather than later I'd really appreciate it!

Father's Day (was yesterday) (36 weeks and 4 days)

Hello all!

So I just wanted to send out a message saying we did end up buying the Weber Genesis BBQ. It was a bit of a splurge, but we decided we could justify it after we saved the money we did on the baby furniture.
So there it is set up in our kitchen. Why is it set up in our kitchen? Well as much as I thought it was a safe place for it... (just kidding) we set it up inside, because our day went a little bit like this....

First thing in the morning we drove across the border (that would be the french border) and went and picked up a filing cabinet I found on UsedOttawa. I love Kijiji/Used Ottawa. Those sites. It was about 40 minutes away and out in cottage country. It was beautiful. My allergies went crazy. I have to admit that is my biggest complaint about being pregnant is that there is NOTHING I can do about my allergies. Luckily they haven't been TERRIBLE this year. But they do still suck.

Second we came back to the house and moved the heavy filing cabinet into the basement.

Then we called Home Depot to see if they had any of the BBQs we were interested in left... THey had 1 and couldn't hold it for us because they were doing 20% off yesterday. So we booked it down to HD (unfortunately it wasn't the one that is less than 2km away, it was one on the otherside of the city). So as we're walking into HD we see a very happy looking brown man walk out with a Weber Genesis, e-320 BBQ. My heart sank. Eric swears it was natural gas, but I KNOW it was Liquid Propane (which is what we needed) ANYWAY. We checked out their BBQ selection anyway, and lo behold they did still have 1 more left. So I guarded it while Eric went a looked for a sales associate to help get it down for us. While he was gone I stood their rubbing my belly giving people angry-hungry looks as they tried to come down the aisle towards MY (Eric's) BBQ. Anyway, to say the least most didn't come near me. So we got our BBQ brought it home with us. The box was super big and awkward and because I'm useless in the carrying department these days we decided to just put it in the driveway open the box and then move the pieces to the back. It worked out very well and everything was on the deck in no time. So we started away on building it (Eric started away on building it while I entertained the dogs). Anyway, first 4 screws are in and it just starts DOWNPOURING. I was starting to take this as a sign that maybe we shouldn't have bought the BBQ.. but there was the one left for us which then is sort of a sign that it was meant to be. ANyway, we moved everything into the kitchen and built the BBQ in the kitchen. Which is why Eric's BBQ is sitting in my kitchen in the picture. We then had Thai food for dinner. Yes yes, we should have used the BBQ but we will tonight - Salmon Steaks. YUMMY...

Anyway, that is all for now. Baby is still doing really well. I was starting to think he/she was going to be Eric's Father's Day gift because I seemed to have started contracting up a storm. Oh the joys or Braxton Hicks. 3 more days and then I'm term. So anywhere from 3 days to 4 weeks and 3 days... So we'll see. My mom was late with us, so I'm not holding my breath...

Take care blogging world! Hope all is well.
Beth