Hayden Hayden Bo Bayden!

So, like mentioned, Hayden was here this weekend with his parents!  He's a cute little bug with the blondest of blonde hair and the bluest of blue eyes.  Here are a couple shots I took of him...

Nursery Extravaganza!

Well, here are some shots of our nearly finished nursery!  WE LOVE IT!  In fact, I think it is almost magazine worthy, okay - that might be pushing it!!  He he.  Pretty perfect is all I have to say...

The tree really completed the nursery, and I love it so very much.

We found that cute little plane mobile at E Children and fell in love!  The little propellers spin and it bobbles all around!  I think he will love it - and thought over the rocker was perfect!

Our hutch for our armoire finally came in, but sadly is all scratched up, so they are ordering us a new one!  Disappointing, but will be here soon enough!

The planes up close and personal

I LOVE this airplane mobile!

And of course, Ms. Kia!  Shocking that she's already making herself at home in her baby brother's room!

xoxox

A Family Affair!

We had a fun-tabulous weekend with our visitors!  Brennon, Chantel, and Hayden came on out on Saturday and just left this morning!  It was great to have the company - and to share some great laughs!  On Sunday we were very adventurous and attempted a BIG project in the nursery that I have been so very anxiously excited for.  My parents came over to lend a helping hand and thank goodness Brennon was willing to help because the three boys were definitely needed!  In fact, Brennon was pretty much the saver at the end!  Needless to say, I am so in love with our nursery - which is almost complete!  It is amazing how much it has taken shape this weekend...and it is so special!  Thank you to mom & dad and Brennon & Chantel for their help and patience!  Yay for family!!!

The first section was the worst...but we learned quickly...

We tried to be as precise as possible, but with the ladders and the green thumbs, we let it fall, and it got stuck to itself!

I thought it was game over and was fighting back tears, but every one else was far more optimistic and tried to pry the tree from itself...it worked...but not without some glitches in the end product.

We (ahem, they) kept on trucking...

It got easier and easier once they figured out the process...

Kia even jumped in the action to try to help out!  Rewarding dad with a BIG kiss!

Then the tricky part, Brennon took an exacto knife and started to get creative...saving our mistake from the first step of doom!  He rocked it out and it looks great!

Dad, supervising or admiring his work?!  Which one?

Mom trying to place leaves 'scattering' down the wall!

TA DA!  What a magnificent project!  We are so lucky to have such great, patient, hard-working family members!  Thanks again!  Our little man will love this tree!

xoxox

3D Ultrasound PART 2!

On Friday night, we had the second part of our 3D ultrasound! I'd like to say our little man was more cooperative - but instead of hiding behind his hands, he mostly hid behind his feet!  He seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the entertainment his feet were providing!  It was so interesting to see how much he changed in just 2 short weeks!  His cheeks definitely got chubbier!!  He was awake again and we were able to see more variety in his emotions, along with a couple yawns!  (SO CUTE!).  What an exciting time!...

In these two, you can clearly see his eyes open and his adorable little face (even a little smile on the top one!)!

LOOK AT THAT SMILE!!!!!

Foot on forehead!  A common trend we saw!

Big Yawn!!  Life inside is sooooo tiring!

Good shot of those legs up on his forehead!  AND CHECK OUT THOSE CHEEKS!!

Legs up!

All covered up with every limb possible.

Oh the love!  Look at that cute profile!

Another HUGE yawn!  Photo sessions are oh so tiring!

PEACE OUT!  This was one of the last photos...and it made me laugh...he covered his face and gave us the peace sign!  We took the hint!  

We hope that you all enjoyed this little glimpse at our little man as much as we did.  It was fun to see all the expressions and his stubborn streak once again!  We are a little sad it's over...but so worth it!  We got his heartbeat on a recorder button and may go build him a bear with it inside, so we always have that memory!  Oh the joy!  I can't wait to meet him!

xoxox

Doula Decision

Well we have been looking into Doulas for well over a month now.  It is something that I've been interested in prior to knowing we were having a baby!  After much discussion with many great people in my life who have been fortunate enough to have a Doula's support during their pregnancy and birth - it felt like a no-brainer!  I have spoken to several Doulas as well, and was beginning to get a little discouraged.  Apparently hiring a Doula isn't cheap!  After much investigation and research (I spoke with over 8 Doulas), the fees seemed to range from $400 - $800.  That's just not what we were hoping for...UNTIL...I asked a mom who attends one of our groups at work who her Doula was.  She gave me her name, but really I was interested in her other tip...

She has a friend, Chantell, who just did her Doula training and is required to have three births prior to getting her certification with DONA.  Well, I contacted Chantell, and things just fit into place right away.  Unlike other Doulas I contacted, she was very easy to get ahold of and responded very promptly and warmly.  She is honest, sweet, and educated.  She has three children of her own and is really excited to be a Doula! I would be her first "Doula" birth - and I love that.  Out of all the ladies I've talked to, none have been as eager and sincere as her.  We met for coffee tonight and hit it off right away.  We ended up chatting in Starbucks for two hours.  One of my favorite parts is she lives in Terwilliger, which is just across the Henday (literally 5 minutes away!).  This was a huge selling point as one lady we were interested in working with lived in Red Water and for 5 weeks, we tried to schedule a time with her...and were unsuccessful.  Chantell was on top of everything and gave me a nice little package.  I am so very excited to have crossed paths with Nikki - who led me to Chantell.  Sometimes things are just meant to be.  One of the other best parts is - she has no fees!  Yippee!  How great is that?!  Obviously we will do something for her, but it beats the $800 that we weren't able to budget for!  A win-win situation for both sides!  Anyways...there are a few more details below as to what a Doula typically provides throughout this process (and with Chantell, I feel like it's just the tip of the iceberg as, like I mentioned, she is eager and willing to be a part of whatever is needed!)...

Services Include...

-  A free get-to-know-you session with no obligations

-  Two prenatal visits

-  Help with creating a birth plan

-  24/7 on-call labour availability

-  Unlimited telephone and email support

-  Resource accessibility

-  Early labour support at home

-  Continuous labour support during active labour and birth

-  Photographs of labour and delivery

-  Stays after birth until family is settled

-  One post-partum visit

-  One-of-a-kind Birth Story

-  Breastfeeding support

Nonesense

Well good morning or good night to most of you.  It again is 3:33 AM and I - not surprisingly - am not sleeping.  Every ounce of my body wants the rest; my back, my neck, my eyes, my brain - but no such luck!  As most of you know, there is nothing more frustrating than clock watching.  So instead I watched Dancing with the Stars, which I fell asleep watching last night...a bit more entertaining than clock watching - but none the less, did not bring on the Zzzzz's.  I am painfully tired and tired in pain.  It's quite the predicament!  One of which I have yet to solve.  

People joke that this is the beginning, nature's way of preparing me...and I can accept that, but I must say (and I'm sure there are some snickers!), I am also hoping that nature will then provide me with a mid-day nap to catch just a few short Zzzzz's here and there in the beginning...something I'm not fortunate enough yet to have!  

I'm hungry, but don't want to go downstairs.

Other than that, I have not much to share.  The snow is cold, I miss being able to wear my flip flops...those few short days were a treat, and it's oh so sad that I had to re-connect with the sock world!  Man, do I hate socks!  

I am looking forward to tomorrow, Tuesday, (or is that today?).  I plan on watching American Idol and being a couch potato!  It is my only night this week of having the ability to do so - and I plan on eating it up.  Monday I worked the evening, Wednesday I have a coffee date with a potential doula (more to come on that later), Thursday we are going to the last home Oilers game of the season after I snatch Trevor from the airport (thank goodness), Friday we have our 3-D ultrasound, and Saturday I work - - - and on top of those adventures, we have company staying this weekend...which, while exciting, I am going to attempt to promise myself a decent bedtime on Saturday night (do we think that will make the difference??)!  

Enjoy your dreams!  Appreciate the minutes of total peacefulness!  I am envying all of you!

Who Can Resist?!

SLEEPY PUPPIES?!

and...

BABY CLOTHES!!!

I bought this cute little outfit at Old Navy the other day!  I couldn't resist the matching hat and shorts...SO cute!  And then the white polo just makes it dashing, no?!

Brennon, Chantel, and Hayden slept over on Wednesday night as Chantel was getting ready for her Vegas Vacation and had to fly out from Edmonton!  Anyways, she bought our little guy an equally cute little outfit!  They said that like dad, our little guy would probably wear a lot of polos!  Trevor likes his polos!  It was thoughtful and sweet and just goes to show you, who can resist buying baby clothes!?

Thanks again guys and we will see you in a week!

Our little guy is very active right now, and I'm laying on the couch and we are clearly both enjoying watching the Oilers win!  Although, I am getting very sleepy - so I will have to catch up with you all later this weekend! 

Enjoy and Happy Friday!

xoxox

Life Path Number

So, I was watching the last half of Tyra when I got home from work today and she had this lady on talking about Numerology and how the most important number to know for us is our "Life Path" number.  So I followed along and made a mental note and looked up my life number tonight.  Basically, I added up my life path number the way she showed us on tv, but the website does it differently.  I did it both ways and it was the same (phew!), so you can choose, but I did mine as follows...

06/30/1983 = 0+6+3+0+1+9+8+3 = 30 = 3+0 = 3       So my Life Path number is 3!  

(The number has to be between 1 and 9, so keep repeating the formula above until you are left with one number!)

When I looked up my life path number, this is what I found...

The Life Path 3 indicates that you entered this plane with a strong sense of creativity and with wonderful communication skills. Achievement for you most likely comes through engaging your ingenious expression. A truly gifted 3 possesses the most exceptional innovative skills, normally in the verbal realm, writing, speaking, acting, or similar endeavors. Here we are apt to find the entertainers of the world, bright, effervescent, sparkling people with very optimistic attitudes. The bright side of this path stresses harmony, beauty and pleasures; of sharing your inventive talents with the world. Capturing your capability in creative self-expression is the highest level of attainment for this life path.

Life is generally lived to the fullest, often without much worry about tomorrow. You are not very good at handling money because of a general lack of concern about it. You spend it when you have it and don't when you don't.

The 3 loves connecting with people. The characteristics of the 3 are warmth and friendliness, a good conversationalist, social and open. A good talker both from the standpoint of being a delight to listen to, but even more importantly, one who has the ability to listen to others. Accordingly, the life path 3 produces individuals who are always a welcome addition to any social situation and know how to make others feel at home. The approach to life tends to be exceedingly positive. Your disposition is almost surely sunny and openhearted. A happy and often inspired person, you are constantly seeking and needing the stimuli of similar people.

There is a remote side to your 3 Life Path, as well. This comes as a surprise to the native and to those who think they are well acquainted. The 3 is actually a very sensitive soul. When hurt, you can easily retreat to a shell of morose silence for extended periods. Nonetheless, the 3 eventually copes with all of the many setbacks that occur in life and readily bounces back for more. It is usually easy for you to deal with problems because you can freely admit the existence of problems without letting them get you down for too long. Because of your own sensitivity to hurt, you have a caring disposition and seem to be very conscious of other people's feelings and emotions.

In romance, the 3 is a very ardent and loyal lover. Affairs that don't go well can leave scares that seem to linger. Emotional experiences of all sorts tend to deeply touch the 3 and the drama may take some time to play out. Regrettably, the giving disposition of the 3 often attracts demanding partners. As with most of life's issues for the 3 Life Path, balance in relationships is illusive.

Your big test with a 3 Life Path is controlling your highs and lows. You won't survive very well in any routine environment or when you are placed under dominating management. Slow thinking and overly contemplative people tend to frustrate you, and you don't function too well with this type whether you are working for, with, or under them. Your exuberant nature can take you far, especially if you are ever able to focus your energies and talents.

For the few living on the negative side of this Life Path, a 3 may be so delighted with the joy of living that the life becomes frivolous and superficial. You may scatter your abilities and express little sense of purpose. The 3 can be an enigma, for no apparent reason you may become moody and tend to retreat. Escapist tendencies are not uncommon with the 3 life path, and you find it very hard to settle into one place or one position. Guard against being critical of others, impatient, intolerant, or overly optimistic.

I love this kind of stuff and found it fascinating how accurate my description truly was!  I encourage all of you to find your Life Path number and look yourself up here...

http://www.astrology-numerology.com/num-lifepath.html

Let me know what you find out and whether or not your numbers represent you or if they are just numbers!  Obviously I don't put my whole life into this, but do find it great to think about things.  The lady o Tyra talked about everything on the earth has 'vibrations' - and humans more so than anything else.  This is why we are so intuitive when we meet people or immediately have 'yay' or 'nay' feelings about others.  It is us reading into how our vibrations are meshing with their vibrations.

Anyways, happy adding!!

Parenting advice from kids!

So, sadly, I finished my last day at Bisset Elementary School with the Grade 5 classes on Wednesday.  They were always a great addition to my week and I didn't realize until after it ended that they would be my last Kids with Confidence class for a long while.  I will very much miss going into the schools, and am finding more and more that my heart is starting to get sad when I hear comments at work like "when Kristy's gone..." or "once you leave..." I know that they are logical, practical comments - but it really is putting into perspective that 8 weeks from today I will be saying goodbye to my desk, job, and daily life as I know it.  I am very excited to be a mom, but it is just so crazy to me how fast this time came.  Some days I can't wait for maternity leave and others I want to stay connected as much as possible.  It's a hard tug-a-war on my heart.  I know that I will stay in contact and in touch with my special coworkers that are near and dear to me - but will desperately miss the programs I run and meeting so many interesting, funny, amazing people who come in and out of my life...anyways, that's just a little bit of internal reflection!  The true purpose of my post is below!

I was so very lucky to have been part of the Grade 5 class at Bisset for 8 weeks and the kids were always so great!  As a parting gift, they made me a book.  The book is priceless!  It is Parenting Advice from Kids!  I wish I had it in front of me right now to share some of the 'tips', but will have to add them later as it is on my desk - and I sure don't want to make a trip to go get it!  The 'tips' ranged from thoughtful to hilarious and touching to clever!  It is something I will not forget receiving.  I can't wait to share it with you!  They also each drew and colored a picture to go along with their advice...pretty great! 

Looking forward to sharing some of the snippets at a later date :) ......

Update of This That and The Other...

I'm pretty proud that I've pretty much got the blog up to date!  It was fun last night to just get comfy on the couch with my sleeping dog and my sleepy husband!  He fetched crazy bread and we had a nice couch picnic and watched Celebrity Apprentice (guilty pleasure!) and Amazing Race!  

I did mention sleepy dog above!  Yesterday marked our first trip to the dog park of the year!  We only went for about half an hour; however, it must have done the trick!  We pulled up and the parking lot and surrounding area was MUD HEAVEN...we weren't all that impressed, but figured she'd run her dirty paws off in the snow so continued on.  We only went for a little walk and because we forgot her tennis ball, we threw snow balls for her!  On the way back, Trevor and I were both dirtier and wetter than the dog!  My boots were leaking so my feet were wet and his pants were nice and sloppy on the bottom.  Then, we hit the mud again!  Instead of risking it, I went ahead to unlock and open the back seat and Trevor carried Kia to the truck!  You should have seen her confused face!  The best part was when Trevor's shoe got stuck in the mud while he was carrying our 70 pound pooch!  Needless to say, by the time we got home, she was clean AND dry as a whistle, and we were both water bogged and muddy!  Go figure!  Although it was only a short outing, she slept like a rock until morning...snoring and all!  She needed that as Spring fever had hit her hard recently and she was driving us bonkers!

We started watching New Moon last night, which was very exciting, but I fell asleep on and off...so I will have to give it another go.  So far, the book is better!  Shocking, I know!

Tomorrow I am getting my hair cut!  I'm so freaking excited.  I've been feeling incredible blah lately and need to put more effort into finding energy to pamper myself a little bit...even if that just means shaving my legs or painting my toes, I assure you that both of these are rare occasions because I'm just too darn tired and it seems like so much work!!  I think Spring fever is hitting me too though, so I'm going to give it a go the next couple of weeks to take care of myself and pull myself out of this feeling 'ick' phase!  I've been wanting this hair cut for a while as my hair is just so darn thick and needs some shaping - but I'm a bit nervous as I am trying someone and somewhere new!  Fingers crossed!  

Exciting News!!!  For the first time this morning, Trevor was able to SEE our little man kick!  It was pretty exciting.  Baby gave a big one and Trev just thought that was me (because I have some sort of magic internal poking power!!) and then the second time his face lit up when he saw it for sure!  It seems that when we use our hands to feel, he stops, but if we use our eyes, he gives us a show!  The 9 - 10 am mark is his favorite time to kick around...so YAY for lazy Monday mornings!  

Well, the insomnia is back!  It's so odd, I will have one or two really good nights of sleep and then WHAM - nothing!  I struggle getting comfortable enough to fall asleep and then when the z's start to happen - I'm up two hours later.  It sucks...I have a pregnancy pillow and a wedge - but if anyone has ANY insight as to how I can catch some more z's - I would be ever so grateful (as would everyone around me I'm sure!!!)!

Enjoy your weeks!  Looking forward to the nice weather and the time to continue to float on by!

xoxox

(I forgot to post this with the nursery photos last night!  Like always, I turn to find this posing pooch whenever the camera is in my hand!)

Nursery Update!

We were so very excited to pick up the crib!  In fact, we even picked up our rocker!  So - Friday Trevor and I assembled the crib and the rocker and quite successfully I might add!  The room is starting to come together, and although our tree didn't get here yet :( , we are seeing it take form!  We are also waiting for the hutch to go over our dresser to come in!  Patiently waiting!!  I say that loosely - I'm not all that patient and was disappointed it didn't show up with the crib like it was supposed to!!  But I'm trying and am very grateful the crib came! 

We also set up the bedding and with the future Grandma and Grandpa's help on Saturday we were able to put up the matching valence!  I'm not all that big of a fan of a whole lotta matchy-matchy things - but am happy with the pieces of the set we decided on.  Also a thank you to mom for the early gift of the mobile!  I knew she had gotten it and was so happy she read my mind to bring it!  After much debate, we mounted it and are happy with where it is!  We talked and debated drilling holes and adding wedges (we don't have the most mobile-friendly crib!!!), but decided on the outcome pictured below - which is nice and seemed so simple!  

I find myself just sneaking into the room to rock and day dream about what life will be like in just a few short months!  Hope you enjoy the sneak peak as much as we've enjoyed working on it!  

I love that we decided to go dark on the walls, and still love the bedding!

Our dresser, with the change pad, but no hutch!  All in time!

Our rocker, which was actually harder for us to put together than the crib!!!  It's so soft and it reclines!

Our tricky tricky mobile that was the subject of much brainstorming!!

Just a picture I liked of the mobile!

What crib would be complete with out Baby Bear!?  

A thank you goes out to Aunty Caitlin who so sweetly bought our little man a very adorable little outfit!  This thank you and photo is overdue!  The sweater may be the softest thing in the world!

A bib from Uncle Lee!  Uncle Lee and Future Grandpa went to the Nascar races in California last month and 18 is Lee's favourite racer, so he is training his little nephew young!  Thank you for the sweet gesture!

I am still very much loving the invites to the baby shower that Aunty Lesley and I created the other weekend, they are too cute!