Neglected!

My poor poor blog! So neglected. What can I say, we have been busy, settling in and adjusting to our new life! Little Alexander is doing great! We are getting used to our new routine and schedule (or lack-there-of). Our first week home was a bit challenging especially with Sandy working long hours, but we survived and our second week together has been much better. I am dealing with the sleepless nights, my emotions have calmed down and I have ventured out of the house alot more. We have been banished to the spare bedroom, but that is ok because we know Daddy needs his sleep for work. Plus Sandy helps me out on the weekends with overnight feeds which is really helpful and I appreciate it so much. 

Benson is adjusting to his new brother very well. He follows us around everywhere we go (every diaper change, feed and nap) and is very concerned when Alexander cries. Our favorite things are bath time, walks in the stroller, and of course snuggles. He is growing so much already. When we brought him home he was 5 lbs 13 oz and when I went into the health unit on his 2 week birthday, he was a whopping 7 lbs 5 oz! Good little eater. But that will have to be it for today's update, it's time for mommy to join baby for a nap! 

He's Here

July 26, 2011

10:01 am

5 lbs 11 oz

21 inches 

Perfect.

Update

For just under nine months you know something is coming at the end that will be unpleasant but so worth it. However, it's easy to avoid the thoughts of labour and delivery because of everything else you go through. Weight gain, bloating, swelling, aches and pains, kicks to the ribs and so much more. But not I am at the end, and all of those things seem so wonderful compared to what is happening and what is about to come. How I thought this would be 'fine' or even 'manageable' is beyond me!

Somewhere between going to bed Wednesday night and waking up Thursday morning I started getting cramping. Now I've been having Braxton Hicks (hardening of the tummy with little discomfort) for a few weeks now, but this was different. It kept me up and would happen every half hour to an hour. Thursday I kept an eye on it but there was really not a ton of pain, just felt like period cramps. Anyhow, Thursday overnight things got a bit more intense, the pain would last for 30 seconds at a time and happen every 20 minutes. Not to worry I kept an eye on it, timed things and waited for my Doctor's appointment on Friday afternoon. Hoping for good news (wishing the doctor would say "wow looks like you're ready to go") I went to my appointment only to leave disappointed. Dr. said "we're not quite there yet". What does this mean docotor, does this mean tomorrow, the next day, ah? He told me to rebook for one week and he would see me then if he didn't see me at the hospital first. How confusing! Anyhow after leaving the doctor's office things continued and by Friday overnight they became very painful. They were happening every 15 to 10 minutes lasting 45 seconds. Good luck getting any sleep! Between peeing every 2 hours or less and waking up in intense pain every 10 to 20 minutes, how is a gal supposed to get rested up?! Well today they are now intense. Hard to breath, and cannot walk while they happen. Buuut my water hasn't broken and they aren't happening frequently enough to know that it's labour time. Ugh please tell me this is going to progress fast. I don't know how many days and nights I can handle of timed excruciating pain (and it's going to keep getting worse).  I've read that these 'false labour' pains (or 'practice labour' pains as I prefer) mean your body is getting ready and may mean labour will be easier since you've been 'practicing' so long. But really, lets do this already! I've been reading a lot and trying to follow the 'doctors orders' and other women's advice but really who feels in the mood when they can barely lay down for 10 minutes without curling into the fetal position in pain. Walking, another good tip, but again, i'm so big and slow I don't think anyone wants to take me out anymore. Even the dogs are getting impatient with my lack of speed. I'll keep working on all those silly tips but please WISH ME LUCK!

Boredom

Help! Mommy's out there I need your advice! I am completely and utterly bored. I have now been off work for five weeks! Not because I needed to be but because my contracts ended for the summer. I had been anticipating this time off and was really looking forward to finishing up baby things, cleaning and organizing the house and so on. Well five weeks later and I am done... everything! My entire list of "to-do's" is done, and then some. It was great to get the basement organized and cleaned out, finish the baby's room and set all of his things up, and deep clean the house (baseboards, windows and blinds). But, it's all done now, and I have all of this time on my hands! The worst part is I don't have the physical ability to walk the dogs or be overly active (mostly due to the swelling) so filling my time is getting more and more creative, and challenging. I have resorted to bleaching towels and socks, downloading music for next year (incase I am teaching again), and even finishing the Harry Potter series of books! I know I know everyone says, you should rest because you will be so tired once baby gets here! But with a bladder that is more active than my pets are, I barely get comfortable for a nap and it's time to get up and go to the bathroom again! Anyway I am hoping someone out there can give me some ideas (that I haven't already done) on what to do with all this extra time! Just leave me a comment or send me off an email, clearly I need some inspiration. 

Hope everyone else is enjoying the nice warm weather over the past few days!

Do not criticize me for my inability to "walk a mile in your shoes" nor judge me without having "walked a mile" in mine. 

Some battles are not not meant to be fought. Today I stumbled across one of those. This will be my few seconds of venting and then I will lay this frustration to rest. How funny it is that you will whine, complain and criticize that no one could ever understand your pain without having actually been in your situation, yet you have absolutely no issue dishing out judgement to others, when you have certainly not been in there situation. As the dictionary would say see: Hypocrite (hyp-o-crite)

It has been a long week of dinners! Mmmm food. We had a birthday dinner for friends on Sunday at Japanese Village. I'm not normally the biggest fan of this restaurant but once in a while it's not too bad. Monday Sandy and I had our date night, we went to the Keg (very yummy) and then went to pick out the baby's "coming home from the hospital" outfit. Tuesday was one of the only nights we didn't eat out (which is sometimes a treat in itself). Wednesday we took Kyla out for a traditional Birthday dinner at Julio's, where my crazy friend orders caesar salad! From Julio's, I know, why not get something a little more.... mexican? Anyway Thursday my mom had us over for a BBQ again a nice treat not to have to cook. And finally tonight was what will probably be our last "lunch crew" date before baby gets here. We went to Cactus Club ( a rare treat since its so far away) and it was delicious not to mention hilarious. I cant remember laughing so hard in a long time! Too bad laughter isn't a labour inducer. A girl can dream. I think that will be it for dinners out, for a while! Time to eat up the groceries in the house!

I'm not too sure what we (Benson and I) will get up to tomorrow. Maybe clean out the jeep, or find some sort of ridiculous activity around the house to keep me busy! Since most of my days are spent with Benson he has become my little buddy attached at the hip. I have been meaning to google some ideas of how to introduce baby to baby so it isn't too traumatic of a transition for him! 

That is about it for this week. Just patiently waiting for our arrival from the stork! Cross your fingers for me, because I am ready any day now!

Happy weekend readers!