My first birthday. By, Kumeu.

Today is my first birthday! Mom and Dad had a special supper for me complete with cupcakes and presents. I did NOT appreciate wearing the hat, but they bribed me with cake. I love cake.

(The tea cup holders were from Mama & Papa Gw in New Zealand!)

That was delightful, but it certainly wasn't ALL my parents had up their sleeves. On Saturday, they had a birthday party for me! They rented part of a doggie daycare (K-9 Day Resort) for an hour, and invited my birth parents, cousins and my best friends Maggie, Mo, & Jasmine (only my friends could come).

It all started with the invitations. My Mom made them and mailed them out (she's kind of a loser that way). My cousins Watson, Niko, & Maggie were particularly bummed that they couldn't make it...

Cousin Rotax WOULD have come, but he wasn't able to catch the bus on time.

Let's get to the party!

Mom and Dad made a cake that was meant to look like me (better luck next time, Mom & Dad). They even added poop (chocolate macaroons) under the bum. What do they think I am? An ANIMAL?! But at least the lemony/coconutty cake was delicious... the tiny little morsel that I tasted, anyway...

Too bad it was just for the adults (er, humans). It wasn't a total loss though. Us doggies got to share this mouth-wateringly scrumptious homemade tuna cake...

Mom tried to make me wear a hat, but I refused to keep it on.

I noticed that my friends didn't mind wearing their hats at all. Weirdos...

I found it a little challenging to blow out the candles. (Boy do humans ever have weird traditions).

I had lots of fun with my friends. At first Mo was a little shy, and stayed back while the rest of us eagerly awaited treats...

But before long, he joined the fun and became REALLY good friends with Jasmine (poor innocent, violated Jazz)...

We were having so much fun that the huge 4-month old puppy next door wanted to join us...

Jasmine's baby brother Alex came along for the fun. I guess I should get used to having a baby around... Mommy's tummy keeps getting bigger!

We had a grand ol time playing, running, and eating. Mom and Dad brought decorations (again, my parents are super cool), but the people at K-9 Day Resort had already set some up!

I was sad to say good-bye to my friends, but they were happy to go home with their treat bags!

Mom thought that they looked and smelled disgusting, but they made MY mouth fill with saliva!

I've been an excellent dog for my parents over this past year and they love me soooo much. No wonder, really, given how intelligent, loyal, adorable, and snuggly I am. I'm trying to get them to record a one-year trick reel soon so you can see all of my impressive tricks!

Happy Birthday to ME!

Woof.

The apple of our eyes...

Err, wrong kind of apple... and wrong kind of parent...

THAT'S more like it. At week 15, our little Hazelnut is ~4 inches long (like an APPLE apple!), and 2.5 ounces.

I don’t think we need to see my face in ALL these pictures… especially since the focus is quickly turning to my swollen abdomen. A swollen abdomen that people are now commenting on without my prompting!

Some days my belly is bigger than others (umm, bloating.), but I decided that it was time to break out the new maternity pants. MAN those things are comfortable. I may be hard-pressed to ever return to normal pants again.

Not much else to say for this week! Other than discomfort from bloating (which, apparently, is totally and completely normal at this stage), I’m doing great. I'm loving celery and carrots, and REALLY loving how real the pregnancy is feeling now that I can SEE it.

Have you heard? Have your heard?!

Julie Anne and Ryan are engaged!!!

Ryan proposed atop a snowy mountain in Banff over Valentines weekend...

It's a little over a month later, and the entire day is pretty well planned already! That Julie Anne is on the ball. Lucky for them, there are soooo many eager/helpful women in the T fam, that I'm SURE we can make all the plans reality in under 4 minutes. (I'd put money on it).

A lot of you got to know Julie Anne when she traveled with us through New Zealand, then you got to know her more last year when she broke her neck and narrowly (& miraculously) avoided paralysis. Since then, she has recovered completely, fallen in love, gotten engaged, and is so totally happy, healthy, and beautiful. The girl simply GLOWS!

Lowell and Julie Anne have always been close, and over the years, Julie Anne has become a treasured friend of mine as well. More like a sister, really... and not just in the legal sense. Lowell has the honour and privilege of standing up for them, and we're so pleased to be welcoming Ryan into the family. What can I say, he supplies me with trashy tabloids, he can very knowledgeably discuss the upcoming royal wedding with me, and he supports my ridiculous pregnancy cravings. Plus, he has a house in Lethbridge, so we get to see them a lot! Ryan gets along famously with the entire family and we look forward to calling him our brother... officially.

Congratulations you two little love birds!! xox

Kumeu's got a girlfriend!

Don't worry, in all this new and exciting baby hoopla, we haven't forgotten about our FIRST baby... KUMEU!! This past weekend his girlfriend, Maggie, spent the weekend with us. They spent many an hour frolicking, wrestling, tumbling around... and making out. I'm serious. When they were OUTside, they did all the rough and tumble stuff, and when they were inside, they kissed. FRENCH kissed. There's just no other way to describe it. Heads tilted in opposite directions, mouths open, tongues in mouths, really quite passionate... a little disturbing (but also totally fascinating).

I will now leave you with some G rated pictures of the cuties....

Okay, so we DID attempt to glean photographic evidence of their kissing tendencies, and this is the best we got. It really doesn't do it justice (but we don't want to leave you scarred either)...

Kumeu has been pretty mellow today- no doubt he misses his Maggie. If only he knew that he gets to spend time with her AND his two other BFFs next weekend at his first birthday party (yes... there WILL be a party... stay tuned!).

Little lemon bump at week 14!

Our little Hazelnut is now the size of a lemon: ~3.5 inches long and ~1.5 ounces!

FAQs

NOW are you showing? I dare say YES! I’ve been attributing any extra bump to bloating etc etc but it’s undeniable. It’s a wee bump, but it IS a bump, and it’s present even when I’m NOT bloated (which-- truth be told-- isn’t very often). As Lowell would say, “You’re not bloated. It’s not gas pains. You’re PREGNANT! There’s a LEMON in your UTERUS for crying out loud!” (I may have done a little bit of ad-libbing there). In fact, I think it’s time to start including profile shots. Good-bye abs!

Any cravings? I’m loving cinnamon raisin toast (with BUTTER), grilled cheese sandwiches (again, BUTTER), green grapes, oranges, and popsicles. I also admit that there have been a FEW stops at Booster Juice. I’m pretty sure it’s the pregnant population that keeps BJ in business during the cold winter months. I’m also loving chocolate but trying OH SO HARD (and not so successfully) to control myself.

How are you feeling? Still low blood pressure (i.e., dizziness) and a little nausea/aversion stuff, but I really think the second trimester energy boost is starting to kick in (thank heavens). Now I can go back down to ONE nap per day (I WISH I was kidding).

How's my maternity clothing situation looking? Well, a little grim. Am I accepting donations? Why yes I am- how sweet of you to inquire! If you have XS or S maternity clothes that you'd like to temporarily donate to my pregnant cause... CONTACT ME (but no pressure). I've already purchased a few items (and frequented the thrift store!). There is so much more out there that I'd LOVE to invest in for myself (maternity clothes these days are CUTE), but I just can't justify it for less than 6 months (well, more LOWELL can't justify it for 6 months. I'm a girl... I can justify pretty much anything.)

Just Peachy at week 13!

At week 13, our little Hazelnut is ~2.9 inches long... or the length of a peach!

In case you were wondering (which you probably weren’t), Lowell is JUST as into this as me. He’s the one at the grocery store with the measuring tape making sure that we grab a fruit/veggie as CLOSE to the appropriate size as possible. And I’M the one with the camera taking a picture of him with the measuring tape in the grocery store… we’re a cool pair.


FAQS for week 13

Are you showing yet? Not so much, although there’s certainly some awkwardness going on around there that doesn’t escape MY attention.

How are you feeling? About the same (a little nausea/dizziness here and there, and generally tired)… but overall better (hurray for the second trimester!).

What is that on your face? Um, that would be acne (HELLO JUNIOR HIGH!) These pregnancy hormones are wreaking HAVOC on my poor face. Every day I think it can’t possibly get any worse, and every morning BOOM... a few more surprises await. On the bright side, if we find ourselves in a financial pinch, I’m SURE I would qualify for one of those Teen Mom reality shows given my youthful blemish-covered face. (For the record, I have never seen those shows in my life nor do I have plans to). Also, thank heavens for bangs and make-up.

Anything you’d like to shout from your hormonal soap box? Why yes, yes there is. Having the FOOD NETWORK on at the fitness centre at 6am should be illegal. I’m not accustomed to watching food (onions, corn, ham chunks and such) at 6am at the best of times… but with this pregnant belly? (*HURL*) I had to very quickly evacuate my usual cardio machine in search of non-food-network refuge (which was a desperate move that did NOT go unnoticed by fellow gym-goers).

Have you done anything ridiculous this week? Oh, you mean BESIDES (nearly) tossing Lowell’s pants in the toilet rather than the laundry chute? Well, we were hanging out with Julie Anne and Ryan, and Ryan (bless his soul) brought me his Grandma’s old Hello magazines. It’s totally a tabloid, but I love looking at the red carpet pictures and what not. ANYHOO, we were perusing the photos together (all four of us), when we came across a picture/recipe for Whoopie Pies (basically homemade oreos). The instant I saw the picture, I KNEW I HAD to have them, and Ryan did absolutely nothing to dissuade me (read: he totally encouraged it), so the four of us BEGAN making Whoopie Pies at NINE PM! (Let’s keep in mind that I’m usually fast asleep by 9pm). Make them, we did, eat them, we did, and enjoy every morsel we most certainly did.

Where are you getting the ideas for these fruits/veggies? Shareen initially brought the idea to my attention (thanks sis!), so we began perusing various sites that list fruits and vegetables corresponding to weekly fetal size. We’ve been gleaning ideas from the sites as well as improvising. One of the sites we’ve been looking at uses all fruits and veggies except for week 13… which is a medium shrimp (barf). IMPROV NEEDED!

Can you give me more info about the countdown? Yes I can. No, we do not have a C-section scheduled (ahem, Lando & Marti), it's just counting down to our due date. You can continue to view the countdown on the sidebar... and when the time draws nearer, I'm sure we'll be taking bets on how close to the due date Hazelnut will be born!

BABY COUNTDOWN!

YES...WE'RE PREGNANT!!!

FAQS:

What's the due date? Sept 18, 2011!

How have I been feeling? it changes daily! Some days I feel a little nauseous (although I haven't thrown up at all), some days I feel dizzy, other days I have random food aversions and water tastes metallic, and still others I'm mostly fine. Overall I've been pretty exhausted, but I think I've had it good compared to my super pukey pregnant friends!

Any cravings? FRUIT. Cold, fresh fruit. And yogurt, cottage cheese, and smoothies. COLD AND REFRESHING (even though it's been -25 to -45 here). I'm also very suggestible. If someone mentions (on the phone) that they're eating something, I MUST have it (for example, yogurt with granola, grilled cheese sandwiches or popsicles).

Have we heard the heartbeat yet? YES!! AMAZING!! We even had an early ultrasound in order to confirm dates... also amazing!

How many babies are in there anyway? Just one! I'd LOVE to have twins one day, and as I'm a female fraternal twin myself (the highest genetic link!), it's actually quite likely that I could birth twins... someday!

Endearing name for fetus: Hazelnut. Why? Because I was pregnant (although didn't know it) when I polished off an entire tub of Nutella in a 24-hour period. If the baby comes out looking African-American, it's purely a result of the chocolate spread... honest. Lowell IS the father!!

Will we find out the sex? UP FOR DEBATE! Lowell wants to; I'm not so sure. I've pictured myself as a mom for as long as I can remember, and I've always presumed that the gender would remain a surprise. But... I'm open to discussion.

Am I showing? Not yet (at least not that YOU can see). But I definitely feel those muscles loosening up as it's harder for me to hold my tummy in (although whether that be a result of excess food/limited exercise in Vancouver or baby is somewhat of a question mark).

Will I be posting baby bump pictures? YES!! I LOVE it when women post baby bump pictures, so I feel it is my duty to give back to the baby bump picture community. Unless I gain 400 lbs in the next two weeks, you can count on baby bump pictures from me... likely in excess.

Little Hazelnut's size: I'm 12 weeks along which makes the fetus the size of a small lime. We've been comparing Hazelnut's size to fruits and veggies. Have a look-see...

WOOOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!!