Proof that I'm still very much pregnant... It's beyond me how a stomach can stretch so far (or how one girl can pack on so much excess weight in just a few short months!). Ah well. It's all for a *very* good cause :)
Another week, another appointment with our obstetrician. Well, it *should* have been - except that she's on vacation this week (after specifically telling me a few weeks ago that she had no vacation plans before my due date... but I digress).
This morning, we met another doctor in the same practice group, and he was great. We got another perfect baby report, and learned that her head is engaged and *very* low (which explains a lot about how I've been feeling). No dilation yet to speak of (just a measly centimetre), but 90% effaced - so at least we know that something's going on in there. He wanted to sweep my membranes, but we decided not to... Tough decision, because I'm having a lot of hip discomfort and I'd love to meet this baby girl of ours - but it's still a few days til our due date. It was emotional because I'm putting so much pressure on myself to pop this baby out before my mom gets sick again (radiation is set to begin on November 12). But there are no guarantees, and Geoff is scheduled to work ALL weekend. I've never heard a rave review of the little procedure itself, and I know it's usually only effective if the baby's pretty much ready to come anyway. And so, we'll give it another week and see what happens. It's feeling like the right decision so far, for what that's worth.
And so, we're back at home and Geoff's working on decorating some spooky Halloween cupcakes to bring to work tonight. I decorated a dozen this morning and dropped them off at Cocoon. Check out the spookalicious pictures below. I think the werewolves look just a little too friendly :)
My first attempt to create a werewolf cupcake, as per Geoff's request
The gang's all here!
Some of Geoff's creations (his werewolves are *much* spookier than mine)
Geoff's evil Halloween cat (I am *clearly* not the artistic talent in this family, hehe)
Also, a note that's a full week overdue now... Geoff and I *finally* made it to Gasthaus Gutenberger for dinner last week, with my parents in tow. (Yummy, as promised by many friends and acquaintances.) But the best part - by FAR - was the old man wandering around the restaurant in leiderhosen, playing the accordian. At one point in the evening, he started playing the Pink Panther theme. I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard...
As a cautious follow-up to last night's post... I *may* understand now why women who are 9+ months pregnant don't usually attend rock concerts. Mama Lindsay might have been feeling mighty fine last night - but in the light of day, I must admit that I HURT and my back / hips have definitely felt better days. Like every other day other than today. I'm waddling, well, like I'm 9+ months pregnant.
Fortunately, I had the foresight to book another prenatal massage for this afternoon. I'm counting down to that today as excitedly as I was counting down to Lenny yesterday :)
Just to ensure no rumours are started, I did NOT have a baby tonight. Not even close. Which is kind of awesome because - as great as the story would have been - it would have involved my water breaking in very close proximity to my boss and his wife, who had the seats next to Geoff and I. And it would have been tragic to miss a single second of tonight's show (and miss out on getting to see a bunch of Cocooners, plus Anja & Kyle).
I cannot describe to you how amazing our seats were. I'll be trying not to talk non-stop about this and annoy everyone I know - but Row One for Lenny Kravitz wasn't just wicked entertainment, it was a life experience. We could not have landed better seats. And I could not have picked a better concert to have those seats for. It was an amazing show - one of those rare experiences where a musician you adore is better live than on a recording. He was everything I dreamed he would be. Love revolution, baby.
Oh, and did I mention that Lenny made full-on eye contact with me and threw out a nod and a smile in my direction (after taking in my very pregnant belly)? Because he totally did. I shall die happy now :)
Kyle shot a few videos with his phone that are RIDICULOUS. I still can't believe how close we were. I'll try to get my hands on one to share with you all soon.
I'm a little worried about 'speaking too soon syndrome' - but I woke up this morning with a *huge* smile on my face (and not just because my husband returned from his night shift with a half-caf caramel macchiato in hand for his highly pregnant wife). TODAY IS LENNY KRAVITZ DAY. And I am not yet a mother. Woohoo!
I've been working so hard not to get my hopes up about this concert, because I didn't know when Briony would come - and really, in the scope of life the universe and everything, I'd gladly miss a concert if it meant I got to meet my daughter. But now that the day is here, I'll admit to being pretty psyched about getting to enjoy *both* experiences :)
Still a few hours to go before we're all clear, but I'm feeling pretty confident. Of course, I've never done this before, so that confidence is based on ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Whatever.
In other news, the final few baby things we ordered online have all arrived now - my Bravado nursing tanks (which I'm NEVER taking off) and the incredibly sweet Small Potatoes nursing cover (thanks for the tip, Amber! - we decided on the Loft Espresso fabric, and I love it even more in person than I did online, if that's possible).
Well, maybe I spoke a *little* too soon. I may remove the awesomely comfortable tank and replace it with my Love Revolution t-shirt tonight. Assuming it still fits over my ginormous pregnant belly :)
Just a thought, but do you think it's coincidence that the Winnipeg Free Press is coming off strike just in time to cover the story of the crazy lady who gave birth at the Lenny concert? hehe
There is a baby head jammed between my hip bones. Yeah. That's all I have to say about that.
Another week, and not much has changed around here... I'm still getting used to mat leave - though I'll admit it's getting easier and easier. A few of my coworkers have helped to ease the transition by sending emails and meeting me for lunch last week.
I honestly thought that I'd be using this time to catch up with more friends, but I'm really finding that I need this time for ME. I'm trying very hard not to feel too guilty about that. It feels selfish, but I'm feeling incredibly overwhelmed by the changes that are about to happen - and it's helping to spend lots of quiet time at home (some with Geoff, some just on my own). I'm not doing a whole lot of anything... Just kind of being. And it's been good. When I push myself to do too much, I can feel the panic and the worry start to build again. As long as I focus on taking it one day at a time and watch the number of goals I'm setting for myself, it's all good. I'm assuming this is all very normal, even if it's completely abnormal for me. Whatever normal is now - hehe.
Baby is good. I'm in awe of how much one tiny baby can squirm and wiggle around in there. She is such a little monkey. And according to my Week 39 email, she's is now the size of a 'small watermelon' - how is that description *not* supposed to make me feel queasy?!
In the meantime, my hospital bags are packed and ready to go. The car seat and stroller got figured out and assembled today. The baby laundry is done. Mommy has a fresh new pedicure. We're officially in 'hurry up and wait' mode now :)
I don't know why this secret got under my skin this week. I think because it's the kind of friend I want to be, and the kinds of friends I'm so grateful to have - the unconditional kind.
Sorry, guys. Yesterday was not full of smiles. I'm not sure what it was - Thursday and Friday were just kind of off days for me. I was just tired and not enjoying life as much as I usually do. Today, I feel like Lindsay's back - which is awesome. Just in time for a glorious Saturday that I've had planned all week. It involves doing very little and staying in sweats all day - something I haven't done on my mat leave yet.
Anyway. On this rather gloomy Saturday morning that has me strangely happy and optimistic, here are a few things that are making me smile:
The exterior of our house is done (for now). YAY. My parents came over yesterday and my Dad and Geoff spent the afternoon working outisde. We finished everything on the list for this year, and it looks awesome. I'm so happy.
We had another appointment with my obstetrician yesterday, and it was another appointment where we heard that things are uncomplicated and progressing perfectly. I know that all of our appointments have been like that, but I do not take any one of them for granted.
Kashi Go Lean Crunch Cereal. It's incredibly yummy, and I've been enjoying it for breakfast all week.
And last but *certainly* not least, I'd like to draw your attention to the baby ticker on your right. We're down to single digits now... Nine days left! I'm getting very excited to meet our baby girl. (And a little stressed about my total inability to schedule her arrival... But that's not a smile. It's another post for another time.)
Awww... We had a very happy day over here. Our friends Rob & Vicky become parents today!
We were *so* excited to get the phone call. Rob and Geoff have been best friends for two decades. Geoff was Rob's best man when he married Vicky last year in May (the week we got engaged). And Rob was Geoff's best man at our wedding a few months later. We called to tell them about our baby news this past spring... And they had some baby news of their own! Our due dates were less than three weeks apart. Too funny. I can't believe that those boys could stay friends for so long - with Rob living all over North America for the last ten years before settling in Vancouver - and yet somehow managed to match these life changes. I think they're meant to be friends forever.
We're so happy to share that Ava Madeleine arrived safely this afternoon - 7 lbs 9 oz and 20.5 in. And she's a cutie! These two little girls are going to make our future Vancouver visits so much fun :)
So I just got home from my second-last prenatal yoga class. This ten-week session was timed *perfectly* for me - I only had to wait two weeks in between my last session and this one, and the last class ended up being the last Thursday before my due date. Awesome. Except that near the end of the class tonight, my instructor commented that some of the poses we'd done tended to send full-term pregnant women into labour - and that after her last class, one of the women (who was 39 weeks) had had her baby the next day.
Um, WHAT?! So now I'm a little paranoid. So far, I think she's staying in there :)
My mom was supposed to be having chemo tomorrow. Our whole family was kind of messed up about it - we were encouraging her to do it, of course, but every treatment has been taking just a little more of her. It's been hard to watch. But it's been harder to realize that this chemo was going to put her out of commission right when the babies are coming. I think that hurt her even more than it hurt us.
My parents saw the oncologist yesterday morning, and learned that he decided to cancel her sixth and final treatment, and move on to radiation as soon as she's strong enough (and as soon as they can get her in). They're confident that they've killed all the cancer cells with the first five treatments. Which means that she's done chemo! It's a milestone we've been anticipating for so many months, it's kind of hard to believe that it's here.
It means so many things for us... It means that she's not going to lose her hair that's starting to grow back in. It means that she's going to be healthy enough to help with the babies. It means that there's still a tiny hope she might be done radiation before Christmas. As strange and theologically unsound as this may be to say, it feels like evidence that God hasn't forgotten about our family, and that he didn't screw up when he chose these babies' due dates. It's GOOD NEWS.
I hosted my mom, my sister, my aunts and my cousin, and my grandma for lunch yesterday. It ended up being a little celebration, because of my mom's news. My dad came in for a while when he dropped off my mom, and I missed seeing my parents smile like that - not just a laughing-at-a-joke smile, but the kind that's shining with hope and joy.
Later, Geoff and I met up with a few friends from the Athens Joints in Motion team and had dinner at Pizzeria Gusto (still one of my very favourite dinner spots). It was fun just to catch up with them - we heard all about Brad & Laura's wedding plans, and met Tara's boyfriend, and planned our next mini-reunion.
Now, I'm off to Cocoon for lunch (just can't stay away - hehe), then I have a pedicure and a bikini wax booked for this afternoon (too much information?). Geoff and I are heading over to Reynold & Tammy's for coffee tonight for our one-year marriage check-in (Reynold is the pastor who married us). I'm thinking that if I'm knocked up, things are probably going okay... But it will be fun to hang out with them - they're expecting Baby #2 later in November.
So, friends, you'll notice on the right side of this blog that we have less than two weeks to go before baby's anticipated arrival. You'll also notice that we have eight days left until Lenny Kravitz. I'll remind you again that Geoff and I have SWEET Row One tickets to this show, and that Lenny Kravitz is absolutely the *other* love of my life.
Now, I feel like God understands that I'm already missing the Quantum of Solace opening AND the Chris Cornell with Timbaland concert in November (which, admittedly, caused a few tears at our house - I blame hormones combined with the awesomeness that is Chris Cornell). I feel like he *wants* me to go and have fun at this one last 'I'm not a mom QUITE yet' show. I also feel that my theology may be slightly flawed here :)
Anyway, it's time: When do you think Baby Briony will make her appearance? And how big do you think she'll be?
Guesses in the Comments section, please :)
And as a special thank you for voting... Here's Chris Cornell covering Billie Jean. Happy sigh (and a single crystal tear).
You'd have to live under a rock not to realize that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The question is: what are you going to do about it? (Other than buy pink M&Ms, which is a perfectly worthy contribution to the cause, in my opinion.)
In case you're looking for ideas, you can find lots of 'em here.
And for the ladies (who should have booked their Pap Test by now - hehe)... I can't stress enough how important it is to BE BREAST AWARE. What does that mean?
1. Know how your breasts normally look and feel.
2. Know what changes to look for.
3. Look and feel for changes.
4. Report any changes to a doctor.
5. Go for a free mammogram if you are of the appropriate age, or if recommended by a doctor.
In addition to those incredibly simple five steps (which are applicable to women of ALL ages), know if you have risk factors and choose to live a healthy lifestyle. That's it, that's all, that's everything. Nothing in life is guaranteed, but don't you want to know that you did everything you could?
If you don't know how to do a self-exam, visit the Breast Aware site (above) and learn what you should be checking for. Today. Right after you call for that Pap Test appointment :)
I had kind of an off day yesterday. I'm not going to analyze it too much - I am, after all, about a hundred months pregnant. I think that the issue is that I'm working to find my mat leave groove, without settling in *too* much because it's all going to change again soon. I do not enjoy change (understatement of the century - and that includes Tina Fey's Sarah Palin impersonations).
I think we're pretty much good to go now. I packed my hospital bag last night (I know, I put that off too long) and I have a *few* things left on my list. They're all things that I'd like to do, but I don't NEED to do. This afternoon, I booked myself a prenatal massage - which may have been the best decision I've ever made. Baby has definitely dropped a little lower this week, and my body's been working overtime to try to catch up and figure out how to balance this new displacement and shift in weight. After the massage, I feel comfortable in my own body again.
And that's about it! Nothing too fabulous and exciting here. Although I'm sure we could argue that late-term pregnancy is kind of exciting all on its own... There's a baby coming :)
Oh, and in relatively unrelated news, I *finally* got around to starting Barack Obama's 'The Audacity of Hope' - a book that's been on my list of a long time. Pretty cool stuff, so far. I'll let you know how it all turns out - hehe.
Not sure how it's possible that I'm *behind* on blogging when I'm technically unemployed, but that's what has happened. In any case... Saturday marked a rather auspicious occasion in the world of Cocoon: our beloved boss Kyle made things official with his girlfriend Jill, and the entire gang was on hand to celebrate.
It was a fun night, and kind of a cool way to say goodbye for now.
The wedding was at the Millennium Centre, which felt ever-so-slightly like a return to the scene of the crime - just one year and two weeks after Geoff and I had our wedding there. I still think it's a beautiful place for a wedding.
The happy couple, Kyle and Jill
Me and Christine
Me with Christine, Dolly, and Tara
Naturally, as with most Cocoon gatherings, things devolved into a Cocoon Dance Party...
...but this time - ready or not - the Dancing Machine was there to make his grand Cocoon Dance Party debut.
The Dancing Machine slows down long enough to dance with his highly pregnant wife (and poses for an obnoxious 'how awkward can we make this look?' photo).
A quick spin around the dance floor with Harold...
...while Dolly keeps my sheepish-looking husband entertained.
The crew stops for a short photo break - or at least half of us. I'd like to point out two things: first, how many chins we all have from this horrible photo angle, and secondly, how you can still see my face beyond my pregnant stomach. Go Lindsay!
Somehow, despite the whole nine-months-pregnant thing, I managed to dance for 3+ hours (granted, I was barefoot for most of it). But I didn't go into labour. Clearly, this baby's staying in there for a while... In the meantime, I hope she enjoyed her first Cocoon Dance Party experience - it might be the last one for a little while :)
PS - An extra-special shout out to all my girls who dug through their maternity wardrobes and managed to come up with at least ten dresses for me to pick from! Kari-Ann's won out, but it was awesome to have so many options.
1. I slept in until 09.45. I can't tell you how happy that made me.
2. After spending 15 frustrating minutes trying to figure out if I could do it online, I went and applied for maternity and parental leave benefits in person - way the heck out in St. James somewhere (which was the location closest to my house, according to the internet). After talking to someone there for 10 seconds, I proceeded to complete my application ONLINE using one of their sketchy, germ-infested computer terminals. So I went on an adventure for nothing. I guess it got me out of the house.
3. I went on a significant grocery shopping trip to prepare for my planned afternoon of domesticity.
4. I made a few phone calls that I'd been putting off for a while, using the excuse that it's hard to make phone calls during business hours when you work during businesss hours.
5. I called my bank and arranged to skip my next two personal loan payments, to give my EI application time to be processed. Sigh. I am now officially POOR.
6. I got busy in the kitchen... So far, I've tackled two freezer-friendly recipes (in absolutely ridiculous mass quantities) and I have another - and some muffins - in the works.
And that's about it. I know that it was a pretty productive day, I just can't believe how little it *feels* like I've accomplished. I know the day is coming soon when a 'good day' will be a day where I managed to shower. But for now, it's still just a little bit strange.
I was feeling so out-of-sorts last night that I knew I'd need to take action today - and so I did something very brave. I set my alarm for my usual weekday wake-up time, left my house when I usually do - and went to a ladies group at church. I'm happy (and somewhat surprised) to report that I liked it. I met some really nice women, and the book they're studying is fascinating to me. It's called 'Fight Like a Girl,' and I included a book summary below. It was nice to hang out with a bunch of women and have a real discussion that really had more to do with careers and society and relationships than it did about kids - and to feel their support when they found out that I was on my first day of mat leave, because they had ALL been there.
The discussion today was really focused on traditional gender roles in society, and whether we feel more valuable as women when we act like men. In lots of ways, it was the perfect topic for me - because I think that part of my fear about beginning mat leave is that I won't feel like being a stay at home mom is 'enough.' I'm suddenly experimenting with this classic gender role that I've spent the last decade of my life fighting against. On some level, I feel like I need to be bossing people around and handing out fancy business cards in order to be truly valuable. And that's a lie. But it's going to be a long learning process to get my heart wrapped around the truth.
I know that I'll likely miss a few weeks right when Briony gets here, but I think that this group could become very important to me as a once-a-week escape to the land of grown-ups - especially because I'll be able to bring her with me. We shall see. In any case, I figured that if I started now, I might be more motivated to go once I have a baby to take along.
After the discussion wrapped up, I headed for home and had lunch with Geoff before we left again - this time to vote (still too mad to talk about it), pick up some Starbucks (mmm... Pumpkin Spice Latte), drop by Cocoon to pick up my Record of Employment and final paycheque (panic is setting in), and visit my obstetrician (have I mentioned lately that I really love her?). I'm happy to report that everything is still perfect with the pregnancy. This past week, the baby grew bigger and dropped lower - though I've been assured there is no way that this is going to be a 'big' baby. Nothing is imminent, but it's moving forward...
And now, I'm NOT watching Oprah (thankyouverymuch). I am finishing up a preparatory load of the cutest laundry I've ever seen in my life, and digging through all my recipes and trying to decide on a list of projects for this week. I want to get some stuff into our freezer - and into my parents' freezer - while I'm still able to. The only problem will be finding both the required energy and the required freezer space, in a household where an extra freezer would be considered evil and energy-inefficient (the debate du jour in the Wright household).
Strong inside but you don't know it Good little girls they never show it When you open up your mouth to speak Could you be a little weak
Hurt that's not supposed to show And tears that fall when no one knows When you're trying hard to be your best Could you be a little less
Do you know what it feels like for a girl Do you know what it feels like in this world What it feels like for a girl (Madonna - What it Feels Like for a Girl)
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About 'Fight Like a Girl': Bevere, an evangelical speaker and author known for tackling touchy topics with candor, wit and transparency, lays down the gauntlet again as she calls Christian women to cease trying to emulate men and embrace their feminine, strong nature. Bevere (Kissed the Girls and Made Them Cry) offers women a clear alternative to society's take on the definition of true strength. Rather than relinquishing the power and influence that she believes women innately embody for the sake of mimicking men's overt physical strength, women can choose to wield their impact for good by way of subtler, more feminine speech and conduct. Bevere expounds upon the ways women fight best "as caretakers of others' hearts, by lifting another's spirit by speaking strength to their weaknesses, and wisely offering images of healthier, life-enhancing practices." She asserts that enemies often fall before influence rather than brute strength: "A gentle tongue can break a bone" (Prov. 25:15). Although some women will be put off by the book's gender-essentialist stance (e.g., women are by nature more tender and more spiritual, etc.), others will resonate with that message. All will appreciate Bevere's authenticity as she delves deep to unmask long-held misconceptions regarding women' uniqueness and untapped potential. (amazon.com)
Well, I'm happy to report that the sun came up today, despite the fact that I DON'T HAVE A JOB. Apparently, it didn't get the memo.
I've been wandering listlessly around my house for almost an hour now - feeling like I should boot up my laptop and catch up on some emails, or maybe tackle a project that I'm not happy with yet. A pretty typical Saturday morning in Lindsay's world. Except that I have no laptop, no email, and no project in progress. Hence the wandering.
Not that there aren't a hundred things I could be doing around the house. I'm just weirded out by the idea that I might actually have time to do them. I think I'll start a list. So that I can cross things off it.
Today is an incredibly sad day for me, because I'm genuinely going to miss coming to Cocoon every day. I love my job. What makes it easier is knowing that it's not goodbye - it's just goodbye for now. It also helps that I'm meeting Christine and Dolly for breakfast before we all start work today - a friendlier start to an emotional day.
I've been working in advertising since I was 19 years old, the last three of those years at Cocoon. It's become such a huge part of who I am that it scares me a little bit. I realized this week that I don't remember the last time I haven't worked. I'm that girl who still logs a few hours from home on a sick day - unless I'm recovering from major surgery (and even then, I've tried my best to keep up with what's going on in the office). And a vacation day means that I've literally left the country, or at least the province.
I don't know how to have a day off. And that is evidenced by my schedule for next week, already full of appointments, moms groups to check out, and other assorted activities in an effort to make my electronic calendar look less EMPTY. Maybe I'll be able to pick one day and delete all the pretty coloured boxes off of it - those boxes that tell me I'm important, and I need to be somewhere. Baby steps.
I need to remember that an empty calendar does not equal an empty life. In fact, the truth is probably quite the opposite. I know that my life is about to become richer and fuller than it's ever been. I just need to stop being intimidated by all the blank white spaces.
My career will still be here in twelve months. But for right now... I have a baby on the way. (I'm pretty sure that's what I'm supposed say.)
I think this is the very definition of 'an oldie but a goodie.'
I heard this song on Curve this week, and it made me smile so wide my cheeks hurt. It brought me back almost 15 years, to the days when we could be angsty without really worrying anyone - and without needing to prove our angstiness by wearing three dollars of black eyeliner at a time when venturing out in public. (Unless, of course, you're the European lead singer of an American grunge/pop group. In that case, the eyeliner's mandatory. Obviously.)
I loved this song. Heck, I still love this song. It's chock full of Garbage-y goodness, and will help meet your daily requirement of 90s black tights.
A few weekends ago, Geoff and I spent an afternoon in Assiniboine Park with my friend Anja. Not only does Anja happen to be one of my favourite people in the world, she's also a phenomenal photographer. And she made time in her busy schedule to grab some maternity shots for us on the weekend of our first anniversary - making these photos extra-special to us.
I received a sneak preview of a few of the moments she captured that day... Enjoy!
Thanks, Cait, for taking pictures - and another big thank you to all my friends who came and/or helped and/or spoiled my baby with beautiful gifts and/or sent good wishes in absentia :)
I'll let that sink in for a moment. Now I'll tell you why I'm so excited about it, and why it's so important. - Around 50 Manitoba women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year - In 2008, 15 Manitoba women will die from the disease - Regular Pap Tests can prevent up to 80% of cervical cancer - Only 49% of eligible women in Manitoba have had a recent Pap Test - Most women who get cervical cancer have not had a Pap Test, or have not had one in over 5 years - 1 in 14 women will have an abnormal Pap Test result (this does NOT mean that you have cervical cancer, but it DOES mean that you should keep your follow-up appointments)
October 20 to 24 is Manitoba Pap Test Week. Any woman can have a Pap Test without an appointment by visiting a participating clinic. All women who have ever been sexually active (or who are over 18) should have regular Pap Tests as a way to help prevent cervical cancer.
To find a participating clinic in your community, click here or call 204.788.8626 (toll free 1.866.616.8805). You can also call this same number to find out the results of your past Pap Tests.
If you haven't had a Pap Test in the past two years and you have a doctor who you trust, call today and make an appointment. If you don't like your doctor or don't have one, check out one of the Pap Week clinics and get it over with.
And that's all I have to say about that. I don't want to hear your excuses, girls. We all hate going. But it's important - and YOU are responsible for your own health.
Now tell all your friends. I know it's not as 'okay' to talk about cervical cancer as it is to talk about breast cancer... But we can change that :)
Yeah, you heard that right. I'm counting. Who knew.
When I first started to contemplate a 'work completion' date, I had no idea how to decide. You want to pick a date that's early enough so you can enjoy a little bit of time before the baby comes and your life gets flipped upside-down. You also want to pick a date so you can avoid sitting around and twiddling your thumbs for six weeks. I hoped and prayed to strike a balance between hysterics about being super-sad to leave my job (that I love) and feeling like I had stayed at work too long and missed out on some critical home time.
My final decision was not really that strategic. Thanksgiving seemed like a natural break - everyone else will leave on a long weekend, and I'll leave for twelve months. And that was pretty much that. How the heck was I supposed to know how to pick a mat leave date?! I've never done this before.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I think I've nailed it. I'm going to shed tears on Friday, to be sure, but I feel deep in my heart of hearts that I'm done (for now). I have three days now to tie up as many loose ends as I can, pack up my desk, say a few temporary goodbyes, and begin the next part of this wild and incredible journey that is my life.
Crap. I'm crying while I'm writing this. This does NOT bode well for Friday.
I can't believe that we're here already. Today, I hit the 36 week mark, and I'm officially full term. It seems like we just found out that I was pregnant... And here we are, basically ready to go and just waiting for these Braxton-Hicks contractions to turn into the real thing.
How I'm Feeling: Happy. Round. Excited. Nervous. Emotional. Tired.
New Stuff Last Month: - Feeling some baby hiccups (super weird) - The beginning of Braxton-Hicks contractions (kind of unnerving) - Some swelling in my ankles and fingers by the end of the day - Two baby showers with my friends - Outgrowing some of my maternity clothes - More weekly Prenatal Yoga classes (becoming increasingly awkward) - Lots of progress on the nursery, now almost complete - Maternity photo shoot with Anja - Meeting our obstetrician, Dr. Best - Four more days of work... not that I'm counting :)
What's On Mommy's Mind: Everyone told me that - by the time I hit nine months - I'd be begging someone to induce labour. I don't feel like that at all.
Sure, I have moments when I'm incredibly uncomfortable. But I'm not finished being pregnant yet. I love being pregnant (who knew!). I love feeling you move around inside of me, and carrying you with me everywhere I go. I love feeling like every part of my body is doing what it was made to do, growing this baby so that you're strong and healthy, and adapting so that I'll be able to take good care of you. I love feeling so totally connected to you, and being able to .
Don't get me wrong... I'm totally excited to finally meet you. I've just been enjoying this slow process of getting to know you, and I can't believe that it's almost over. Soon, I'll absolutely and undeniably be your mommy.
We're almost ready for you to come home. Your nursery is very close to finished now. It's peaceful and bright and beautiful and everything we hoped it would be. I've been spending so much time in there - adding things for you and for us, sitting in the chair, and reading some of the books that are sitting there waiting for you. It's my favourite room in our house, and I'll love it even more once you're here.
You have no idea how much we love you already, and how excited we are that you're coming. We can't wait for our little family to become three people. You are so wanted, so anticipated, and so loved.
Psst! Click on the 'Month By Month' tag below to view past updates and belly pictures.
My body was at the MTS Centre on Sunday morning, but my heart was in Niverville.
Sunday was our big Run for the Cure day, and we joined almost 6,000 people who raised around three-quarters of a million dollars (and counting) to do a 1K or 5K walk/run for breast cancer.
Team Sherri had 28 members signed up, and contributed more than $4,000 to the cause. But we were missing two very important members of our team: my parents. My mom had a rough night with increased fever and swelling, and just wasn't feeling up to being there - something that disappointed her more than it disappointed us (and that's a lot of disappointment). My early-morning phone call with my dad to break the news was a harsh reality check, but an awesome reminder of why we were doing Run for the Cure in the first place.
My mom sent an email for me to read to the team before we started the run, but I made about five words in before I broke down and had to hand off the paper to Debbie - one of my mom's friends who's a much stronger person than I am.
Despite our disappointment about being Team Sherri minus Sherri, we had a great morning. So many people came up to me on Sunday morning with tears in their eyes, saying that they'd been wanting to help and just didn't know how - and that it felt so good to be able to do something tangible to encourage her.
Most of us ended up walking the full 5K, which I realize was a big endeavor for a girl who's nine months pregnant. It was a great walk, though, and a great experience. I'll admit to getting totally choked up as we started the walk, and as we finished. But looking around, I was far from the only one. It was a very personal project for almost everyone who was there - and quite a few members of Team Sherri were participating not only for my mom, but also for other friends and family members who have been affected by breast cancer. It's amazing to me that it could be so sad and so empowering all at the same time.
We took lots of pictures, and had a great surprise later when my mom felt strong enough to join us for our Celebration Brunch at Cora's. We made a little bit of a scene with all our cheering and applauding when she made her entrance, and it was awesome to present her with a signed poster from the team - and her official pink breast cancer survivor t-shirt that I'd managed to pick up for her at the run.
I hope that it gives her a little bit of a push to help make it through her last chemo. We're already planning for next year... I'm thinking pink camo headbands and a new team name: Remission Accomplished.
Pink seemed to be the theme this weekend, not only at the MTS Centre - but also chez Geoff and Lindsay.
On Friday night, my friends threw me a baby shower. I had a great time. It was fun and relaxed (and entirely game-free, thanks to Emily). It's always funny when worlds collide like they did on Friday: hometown friends + work friends + other random friends + family. But the wonderful thing about being a grown-up is that it matters less and less how you know someone or where you fit. I think they're all incredible people, so hopefully they can see that in each other. If all else fails, they can just talk about how fabulous I am... hehe.
I don't have any pictures to post right now (other people were taking pictures), but you can envision a living room *full* of beautiful women, and table full of food, and more pink gift bags than I know what to do with :)
This 'before' picture of the room that was to become our baby room does *not* do this makeover justice.
The flash in this shot makes the walls look lighter than they were in real life, if you can believe it. Think a dark chocolate brown (on all the walls, plus the door and CEILING). The trim around the windows (and the doors) was a medium brown. And the faux finishing - compliments of the old owners - is very, very real. Sigh.
Anyway. Baby Room BEFORE:
The room isn't done yet. The wall behind the crib is getting some white and green wallpaper. And there's nothing on any of the walls yet. But you can see the potential... I'm so happy with how it's all coming together :)
So two things happened today that made me feel lots more relaxed about this whole baby-on-the-way thing. The first is that Geoff picked up the crib and we assembled it this afternoon. Which means that the baby room is quasi-finished. Still a bunch of unpacking and organizing to do - and a few things to pick up - but if I went into labour tonight, we'd be able to muddle through. I don't know why this makes me feel so much better (given the fact that I have weeks and weeks to go still), but it does.
Quit whining. I'll post pictures later.
The second is that we met my obstetrician this afternoon. I loved her. She was friendly and personable, but very professional and efficient. She uttered a few key sentences that were music to my ears (things that control freaks appreciate, like 'on delivery day, we'll make decisions together'). And she took the time to answer all of my questions, even stopping to ask if there was anything else I'd wanted to talk about. There was something very no-nonsense about her that I really appreciated. Now, there are five other doctors in her practice - so I have a one in six chance of actually having *her* deliver this baby. But I'm feeling lots more relaxed about everything.
An extra-big thanks to Danae and Cara for the obstetrician recommendation :)
The news today is that Briony's growing perfectly and my uterus is measuring exactly for 35.5 weeks, but she's a smaller baby (at least for now). She's starting to move around and get ready to be born, but she hasn't dropped yet and we're likely to get to enjoy these final weeks of pregnancy without any big surprises. Which is awesome, because I would *really* like to capitalize on this whole mat leave thing (read: take lots of afternoon naps).
And that's that! I took this afternoon off to go to my doctor's appointment and get a few things done at home. Now, I'm seriously contemplating a nap before my baby shower tonight :)
So I'm going to a wedding next weekend. And I'm nine months pregnant. I realllly don't want to drop cash on a formal maternity dress that I will literally only wear once. But I also don't want to look like the frumpy pregnant lady - I'll already be dealing with cankles from the fancy shoes that I'll need to put on to make myself feel like a lady (shudder).
Any ideas? Or any chance that one of you has something nice and maternity-ish hanging in the back of your closet that you wouldn't mind lending out for a weekend? :)
Thought this was interesting... I get the eNewsletter from Pink Magazine - a magazine for professional women with a heavy business / management focus. This week, there was a poll asking readers what they thought about Sarah Palin.
Curious to know what this well-educated, entirely female demographic thought?
Sharing the journey that has taken me from being a single girl in the advertising agency world to a married mommy running my own freelance writing and consulting business (and every random adventure in between).
THINGS I LOVE: Thunderstorms, power ballads, princess camping, exploring new cities, Jon Stewart, greatest hits CDs, clever ads, packing for a trip, George Clooney, impractical footwear, movies about spies, Starbucks, reading an entire book in one sitting, a house full of friends, movies about spies, buying presents, a perfect French manicure, warm modernist architecture, getting flowers for no reason, being faux brunette, Mary Poppins, making lists on Post-It notes, decorating for Christmas, having a brilliant middle-of-the-night 'aha!' idea and then actually remembering it in the morning / THINGS I HATE: People who whine, wearing sweats in public, 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner, birds, American tourists in foreign countries, taking down the Christmas tree, poems that rhyme, the misuse of semicolons, being lied to, unpacking after a trip, being closed-minded, naming your kid something common but then spelling it stupidly, cowboys, overly cautious drivers, fake curse words, ridiculously long surnames, strangers who start awkward conversations with you in places you can't readily escape
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