week 15 - cycling glove

4 inches! That's how long our little shining star is. That's approximately the width of cycling gloves... on MY hands, anyway. Shaquille O'Neal would have a slightly different story I think. 

1. The big news in the T family has been that Lowell's sister Julie Anne and her hubby Ryan are expecting a baby! Due June 1, 2013- just a few weeks after us, and we're PUMPED to have cuzzie babies so close! They shared the news when we were together at Fraser's dedication celebration. As my parents were taking family pictures for us, Julie Anne whipped out a sign and yelled "I'm pregnant!" and our expressions were captured on film. What a fantastically wonderful moment!!

2. This week, Carianne and I road-tripped it to Edmonton with the babes. As luck would have it, we woke up to a foot of snow and RIDICULOUS ICE on the morning of our departure. Severe weather warnings apparently could not stop us. Had I not had a conference beginning the next morning at 9am, we would've hunkered down with lattes in front of the fire place, but the conference wasn't about to be postponed on my account (the weather in Edmonton was fine), so we took the 500+ km trek. From Lethbridge to Calgary-ish was ridiculous. We slogged our way at 40-60km/hr (when the speed limit was 110 km/hr), but we made it! We had a little break at Balzac Mall (aka 'Malzac' according to the punny T family) where we fed the babies and recharged with caffeine.

We attempted to get a 2-person cart for the boys, but we couldn't. Surely we made it more difficult than it actually was because people use those things all the time. Anyhoo, we ended up with a one-person cart so Liam and Fraser took turns.

It was just as well when Liam was in it because Fraser preferred to wander in the direction of the mannequin breasts anyway.

Okay. Fast forward to Edmonton. Fraser and I spent the first night with Carianne and Liam at her in-laws (Chad, Britt & family), and they babysat Fraser the next day. Fraser loved the kids, and the kids loved Fraser! Sadly though- no pictures.

Next up was my friends Lyndsay & Steve in St. Albert. They have a little guy (Bennet) who's Fraser's age, and a little 3-year old named Natalie. Also lots of love going on around here! Natalie was especially entertaining. Example. She has four Mr. Potato Heads and did NOT want her brother playing with them- even when Lyndsay suggested that perhaps he could just play with one. After adamantly protesting, she walked right up to me and sweetly said, "Auntie Julie, do you think Fraser wants to play with a Mr. Potato Head? Auntie Julie... which one do you think he wants?" HAHA! Poor Bennet left in the dust.

What a sweet little adorable goof. I also loved that she started calling me Jules because her mama does!

 

We also had a short and sweet visit with my cousin's family, and once again, it was so fun watching Suzanne's 4 kidlets with Fraser.

 So to sum up. It was the quickest most jam-packed trip ever, we had a fabulous time with family and friends, I REALLY appreciate the babysitting time that Britt, Carianne & Lyndsay put in (despite having their own gremlins to look after), and I really enjoyed the intense 3-day conference and learned a lot of useful and applicable info. Of course the traveling company was also amazing! Carianne is a witty conversationalist, and also somewhat of a baby whisperer. Upset kiddies were immediately calmed with her singing. Miraculous. We arrived home on Friday night two minutes before midnight. Lowell had the house all cleaned up, my favourite Scentsy fragrance filling the air, and CHRISTMAS MUSIC! So sweet. Plus, Carianne had just had an epic slip on the ice, and I was still laughing out loud about it (it's okay, she's fine... bruised... but SHE started laughing before ME, so don't judge!)!

3. Kumeu seems to think that all of Fraser's wooden toys are fair game. But Fraser thinks that ALL of Kumeu's toys are also his, so it's a two-way street.

4. By the way, I have totally embraced the maternity clothes which makes me look less awkward and more pregnant. Woot!

5. Fraser is now 13 months old and a walking MACHINE. Constantly experimenting. He looks like a mummy walking around with his arms out, and it's so cute. He's getting very proficient!

6. It is amazing what kind of giant messes Fraser can make simply by pulling all the books off the shelves! Before mama put the books back...

After...

7. My Baby Steps group (post natal version of prenatal classes) had a one-year birthday/Halloween party for our kiddies. They have all changed so much over the past year and it's been fun watching them actually notice each other and interact. They also looked pretty dang cute in their little costumes of course...

 Do you like Fraser's skeleton look? We can thank Auntie Shareen for that! It's even glow in the dark... for real. When he's in his sleep sack in bed (as they are indeed PJs), I can only see arm bones waving around... pretty funny!

Over and out!

week 14 - baseball

A baseball. I feel like a baseball is already a fairly large piece of sporting equipment considering we still have 26 weeks to go. And we've already missed out on some good ones that we brainstormed. Dang. This has the potential to get a little ridiculous me thinks!

1. Fraser started walking! He took his first legitimate, unassisted steps on Thursday, and he's already in constant experimentation mode (which is, by the way, extremely entertaining). It's so strange plugging away in the kitchen and seeing him WALKING out of the corner of my eye! Very surreal. These 15 steps were his third attempt completely unassisted... pretty impressive!


2. Fraser went to his first basketball game! Uncle Craig's team was playing in Lethbridge, so we cashed in on the action. It was his bed time, so he was pretty sleepy, but SO fascinated. He sat completely still and just stared the entire time. And Craig's team won! I like to think that the cute little fan had a little something to do with that.

3. Fraser is now front facing in his car seat... and loving it! I love it too. It's so cute to glance back and actually SEE HIS FACE!

4. Is it too early to be playing Christmas music? I think not. And in other news... WHEN ARE THE EGGNOG LATTES COMING??!!

5. I had an ultrasound this week (to monitor the disgusting cyst situation- or shall I say, the "cystuation" hehehe), and the tech gave me a glimpse of the babe. "Your baby takes a pretty darn good picture if I do say so myself"- straight from the mouth of the tech man! I happen to agree. It's so amazing to see everything there and all the working little parts at only 14 weeks. Little miracles, I tell you. It suddenly made things seem a lot more real. This pregnancy has been different from Fraser's in the sense that I'm less consumed by it (probably because it's not as novel and I have Fraser to steal away all my attention this time around). Seeing the babe in her fine form was a good reminder to me (as if the nausea/insomnia/exhaustion hasn't been enough) that YES INDEEDY! I have another baby in there! ROUND TWO HERE WE COME!

6. Fraser had an Ophthalmology appointment at the same time as Lowell this week- which I thought was just the cutest thing ever. He didn't have the test for Retinitis Pigmentosa done, but theoretically, he should be in the clear. Otherwise... things looked good!

 
7. You know those Costco-sized snack mixes with doritos, sunchips, and pretzels? I've eaten nearly an entire one. By myself. This week.

8. I was perusing my week 14 post with Fraser, and this is when I just barely started showing with him. Now I'm more like I was at week 17 with Fraser! Still a little bit of an awkward stage. Fitted clothes look a little odd because I don't think it's THAT obvious that I'm preggs (well, it kind of is. At night at least. My size sort of depends on the time of day), but baggy clothes look like I'm definitely hiding something. Awkward.

So, here's my just starting to show at week 14 with Fraser...

And here's week 17 with Fraser which is more like my current week 14...

9. Our good friend, Carianne, had a birthday this week! She's had a rough year and is now single-mommin it (and doing a bang up fantastic job if I do say so myself). It was my pleasure to help launch her into 28hood which will SURELY be filled with sugar and spice and everything nice... because she deserves it. She's such a beautiful person inside and out... and I can at least prove the outside part to you. Lowell and I snapped these shots of her and her little sweetie, Liam, earlier this month...

This week, Fraser and I are embarking on a road trip with this adorable pair... so much fun to be had!

10. I tried to convince Lowell to buy us a dark brown leather couch/chair set. You'd think THIS would make a sure sale, but nope...

The search for the perfect (and reasonably priced) couch (and working my womanly wiles) continues as our futon looks like an overused, mis-shapen piece of trash.

11. Fraser has taken a liking to hanging out by the toilet. That's sanitary right?

Lowell used to sit outside and eat rocks (and/or his big brother shoved dirt down his throat), and he NEVER gets sick... we're all about building immunity in THIS household!

Chat at ya next time!

week 13 - tennis ball

The official "week change" is on Fridays, but is anyone offended if we update on Sundays? No? Super.

I had been hoping to delay or avoid implementation of the list system, but my thoughts are just so random that I don’t see that I have a choice!

1. Is it just me, or does it seem like we reached the tennis ball size REALLY fast?!

2. It’s been a big few weeks for Fraser! Two weeks ago was his birthday, last week was his first Thanksgiving where he got to EAT THE FOOD (and loved it, by the way), and this weekend marks a special weekend for us as Fraser dear was dedicated in our church. We were so blessed by friends and family who came to witness it, and, obviously, it called for a wee post-dedication celebration. As this weekend is about celebrating Fraser, I was hoping to have his one-year video completed, but apparently I haven’t been together enough to make that happen. Ah well, it’s already 2 weeks late, what’s another week or two…

Can I appease you with his Thanksgiving shot?

  He was a little more into it than LAST Thanksgiving’s photo…

 

Here are a few shots of the dedication. Fraser was looking pretty spiffy (well, minus the SLIPPERS)...

 

What a big boy being so attentive to Pastor Ian's sermon!
  

 I hornswaggled Shareen into making vanilla slices as a post-church/pre-lunch dessert (very dutch). They were sooooo yummy...

 

Fraser had a good time with his pals Liam & Nico...

 

 Most of Lowell's family was able to come which was so wicked awesome!

Aaaaaand our little family shot. Fraser was beyond tired by this point, but hey- he still looks sharp in the vest and tie borrowed from Nico!

3. I am fully aware that Fraser is in dire need of a haircut. HOWEVER… I couldn’t cut it before his birthday because that would have looked silly on his aging video, and I’m now waiting until after Halloween because he and Nico have plans. Plans that require as much hair as they can possibly muster by that point. After THAT, however, I WILL cut it (unless some other reason/occasion pops up that gives me pause as, yes, it will indeed break my heart to chop off his adorably shaggy locks)!

His little rooster hair is just too darn cute. This was him (well, his hair anyway) this summer…

 4. April 20th. Our due date. Not only is it Hitler’s birthday, but also National Pot Smoking Day AND the Anniversary of the Columbine shootings. What a horrible day! It’s also the birthday of our PASTOR and our missionary friend, Becky, though… so surely that evens things out? However, no offense to the 20th, but I AM hoping that this child will be born on the 13th or the 28th. All the special occasions (literally…. ALL of them) in our little family land on those two numbers, so it would just WORK!

5.  I dislike acne (on me.... on other people it's fine).

6. Auntie Shareen and Uncle Craig have moved to Medicine Hat (i.e., a 2 hour drive rather than a 12-hour drive plus a ferry ride away). It’s been SO NICE having them so close! Craig is super busy coaching the college basketball team, but we’ve enjoyed spending tons of time with Shareen. Their doggie, Maggie, and Kums get along famously, and Shareen has also been a huge help (and not just with Fraser). Fraser sure loves Auntie Shareen!!

 And so do I...

 

7. Wee Fraser update. He has plateaued at 21 lbs (and here I thought he was at least 22 lbs), he took 4 little steps on his own (between Lowell and me), he popped his 8th tooth, and he became a little beaver in his crib. I had totally planned to have a crib cover on before he started eating furniture, but WHOOPS!

Also, we’re pretty sure Fraser knows “Mama” and “Dada”!! He says them a lot, but we weren’t sure they were specific to us. However, when he was recently with Nana and Auntie Shareen, he pointed to a picture of Lowell and said “Dada”, then they asked where Mama was, and he pointed to a picture of me. MULTIPLE TIMES! Oh my little language-developing machine!!

8. Fraser is sleeping 11-12 hours every night which is AWESOME! I'm a little bummed, however, that my silly body won't let me cash in on it. I'm not uncomfortable, my bladder doesn't wake me up THAT often, but somehow- every single night- I lay in bed wide awake for at least 2 hours, then I'm up for the day by 6am (if not 4:30 or 5). So forgive me if I crash at 8pm!

  9. Our childhood BFF got married yesterday. Jacqui is 12 days older than us, and grew up across the alley. We were inseparable during our growing up years, and Jacqui spent the first 12 years of her life as a twin sandwich (i.e., between us). Carlynne was unable to come for the wedding, but we were there… and she was stunning and it was a beautiful day! SO happy for Jacqui and Chris!

 

10. Oh yes. Yesterday Carlynne and I turned 30. Well, TECHNICALLY. We are not acknowledging this fact, however, until we are TOGETHER in VEGAS with CELINE DION….which, by the way, is happening in February! We’re very excited about the concert, but we’d also love some hangout time with just her, so, you know, if you know her, could you put in a good word? Let her know that she could make a set of 30-year old twins VEEEEERRRRRRRY happy??!

I still got spoiled all weekend long even though I thought the day was kind of not going to exist. I spent tons of time with friends and family, got some amazing prezzies, and obviously cashed in on my free Starbucks birthday bevvy with the hubs!

This amazing little treat was Mandy & Graham's contribution to the big 3-0... haha!

Until next time...

BABY COUNTDOWN #2!

Yup… it is ON!! Due date: April 20, 2013. Hitler's birthday (thank you, Lisa G, for THAT horrifying tidbit!) After all the fruit and vegetable hoopla with Fraser, we can hardly go through this pregnancy without SOME sort of unconventional documentation… so sporting equipment it is! Some things are a bit of a stretch, but what the heck. We’re not exactly getting GRADED on this. Enjoy…

 

 

 

  

And yes, I started showing at week 10. Oh my.

Now for the juicy deets.

Yes, this is a planned pregnancy. Since we started trying, I stocked up on dollar store pregnancy tests (as I heard from several sources that they’re legit), but it took three positive ones to convince me that pregnancy was indeed the case. Now I’m a believer in dollar store pregnancy tests!

How have I been feeling? Well, weeks 6 to 10 were all sorts of crappy and exhausting. Worse than I remember with Fraser (and probably exacerbated by the fact that I was also supposed to be some type of half decent mother to Fraser when all I felt like doing was curling into a ball and sleeping and/or puking). I resisted any type of meds with Fraser, but this time around, I was totally open to it. I got me a prescription for Diclectin, but without benefits it’s $200 for ONE MONTH!! I managed to score some from Lowell’s colleague who had extra (BLESS YOU, AMY) which helped a lot.  Lowell has also been amazing. He changed 4 poopy diapers (of Fraser’s…not mine…but he WOULD change mine… he’s just THAT amazing) in ONE DAY… PLUS he stayed up with Fraser for 4 hours one night when he had a tummy ache (or so we suspected) and was in too much pain to sleep. Lowell is a fantastic father at any given time, but he has managed to amp up his awesomeness EVEN MORE, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Because I had been feeling so poorly- and because this pregnancy has so many similarities to my Mom’s pregnancy with Carlynne and me—my Mom and I were convinced that I was carrying twins. Mom and I were VERY excited about this possibility, but my Dad prayed I wasn’t, and Lowell was a little more realistic about it (i.e., in denial). When I thought (hoped) I was carrying twins, I confided in my friend Joelle (who IS preggo with twins) because I wanted to be pregnant with twins together. Since this is likely our last (planned) pregnancy,  I knew it was the only time I could celebrate being "pregnant with twinsies" (a little crazy, I know.... let's blame the pregnancy hormones). I had an early ultrasound which confirmed that there’s only one baby in there, and I’m not going to lie… I nearly cried. I had gotten VERY excited about having twins (twin girls, to be exact- just like I've always wanted), and we even had names picked out. Joelle- I loved being “pregnant with twins” together- however briefly!

Oh but this baby is not in there alone! She is joined by a cyst (which Lowell—whose “dad jokes” have gotten out of control—refers to as Fraser’s “cyster”). A dermoid cyst. Have you heard of such a thing? They are all kinds of sick and wrong. It’s a 3-cm ball filled with hair and teeth and junk. I know… WHAT??!!! Sick right? As my cousin, Ava, puts it: “teeth out of nothing is the most disgusting thing ever.” I would have to agree! Anyhoo, apparently it’s not entirely uncommon and as long as it doesn’t grow too fast, there it shall sit for the remainder of the pregnancy. It’s not interfering with the babe now, and periodic ultrasounds will continue to confirm that it doesn’t. If it DOES, well, we’ll cross that bridge if/when we get there.

When Kylie was pregnant with Ty, she had a cyst the size of a 2L pop bottle removed, and when my mom was 8 months preggo with Carlynne and me, she had her appendix removed. So really… I’m not too concerned.

I will be referring to this baby as a “she” because I WANT A GIRL! Since I really wanted a boy when we had Fraser, and we GOT a boy, I’m convinced that this is indeed a girl. CONVINCED. Because apparently I get what I want. (But if it’s a healthy baby boy with no prospect of eye problems, then I’ll still be tickled). And no, we will not be finding out the gender until the big birth day!

We have decided to refer to the fetus as our “Star” (unless we come up with something better). That won’t give Fraser a complex at all will it? The reason for the nickname is because the one thing that I cannot bear to deny myself this pregnancy is Starbucks (not the cheapest habit, but it sure is a delicious one). Also, it kind of plays on the whole athletic/sporting equipment theme, yes? I think so.

Speaking of cravings. They change like the wind… as do things that make me want to hurl (well, more so early on). One night I woke up craving lasagna in the worst way, so the next day I bought all the ingredients to make a delectable lasagna. By the time I got home with the groceries, however, the thought of lasagna made me want to up-chuck all over the kitchen floor. I made it anyway (gagging all the way through), and in the freezer it sits!

Let’s talk acne. I thought I was going to get through this pregnancy sans the acne curse but nnnnnnnnOPE! It just waited a little longer to appear this time. Super. At least the bacne has yet to make its unwanted appearance.

At my first doctor’s appointment, I realized how much I did NOT miss having poking, prodding, and gadgets up in my bizz. *sigh* good-bye dignity once again!

I finished nursing Fraser on his first birthday so as to optimize new baby’s nutrients. I don’t know if that was COMPLETELY necessary, but it was suggested to me, and nursing made me feel more nauseous anyway, so what the hey. Still made it to a year… yay me! I kind of miss those special snuggles with Fraser, but I’ll surely enjoy this small window of time where my bosoms don’t double as bottles.

Here’s the shirt Fraser wore to announce the news to our families this summer...

We found the idea on the internet (NOT Pinterest), but have since discovered that it’s all over Pinterest. So much for originality. Ah well… can’t win ‘em all I guess.

I look forward to visiting with you on a weekly basis as we introduce various sporting equipment corresponding to fetal size… YAY FOR BABY #2!