Wellington Watch, 28 weeks

28wks (7 months)

Weight gain so far: 18 lbs

I LOVE THIS:

Hello Baby Book #1
Hello Baby Book #2

Can't wait to see if she's able to bring down the price a bit. Hard to justify the current cost of the 'big' version (even if we received it as a gift - I'd feel bad if someone bought us a $150 baby book!).

I WANT THIS:

Wellington, You Are Awesome Poster.

We figure we'll wait until Wellington is born to order one. We're still trying to think of what 'word' we would use. Personally, I think 'Awesome' sums it up pretty well, but Warren wants something a bit more personal. Maybe once he's born, the word will come to us. Words I hope don't apply:

Wellington You Are Colicky
Wellington You Should Nap More
Wellington You Are Trouble

Haha. He'll be loved and cherished even if all the above apply though :-)

Doctor Appointment:

Some blood work came back and it turns out I'm iron deficient. This surprised me, because when I look up iron rich foods, they are all things I eat on a regular, if not daily basis. Almonds, cashews, dried apricots, tuna & spinach. Turns out little Wellington is quite the iron mooch.

Wellington You Are A Mooch (but I forgive you).

I may have to resort to drinking prune juice, but before that I will gladly eat some egg-filled breakfast sandwiches in the mornings, and steak sandwiches at night. Doctor's orders people, doctor's orders...

Also at the doctor's appointment this week, my doc was able to feel around my belly and determine how Wellington was positioned. I found this fascinating, because when I feel around I'll be damned if I can identify a head, foot or butt. Anyways, his feet are on my right side, his butt is on my left side, and his head is perched quite nicely upon my hoo-haw. Even though I'm sure that positioning will become very uncomfortable (for my hoo-haw), I hope he stays that way!

Family Portrait / Pseudo Belly Pic:

Warren's latest camera gadget, that he just picked up today, is a camera remote. No more setting the timer and running to get into frame. Now we just pose and press the button on a tiny remote and say 'cheese'. So we took a couple impromptu self portraits after work today.

The first is the fully impromptu photo, the second is the 'adjusted' photo - I positioned myself so my blossoming belly would show (and blossoming cheeks - WHOA!), and Warren took off his glasses. Pretty cool little gadget, I must say!

5 On Friday: April 10th, 2009

1. I was telling my mom how Wellington kicked me so hard the other day, that my arm bounced right off my belly. Then I jokingly said we should name him 'Hercules'. This got us onto the topic of this terrible cartoon Adam & I used to watch when we were kids. Well, thanks to the miracle that is You Tube - I found an old clip from the show! Mom, this one is for you...



2. The following song is the latest guilty pleasure added to our iTunes library. It's always the first song we crank when we get in the car.

At the 1:03 mark, there is a male voice that kicks in that says 'She's got me, like nobody'. We think this vocal sounds a LOT like Aqua's 'Barbie Girl', so when that part of the song comes, we sing 'Come on Barbie, let's go party' and it fits perfectly! (Editor's note: embedding was disabled, so here is an old fashioned link...)

Lady Gaga 'Poker Face'

3. We recently discovered the virtues of Superstore. We did a spur of the moment grocery shop there last week, and a load of groceries that I estimated would have been around $200 at Safeway, costs $131 at Superstore. We are SOLD. Now we just have to figure out when the 'quiet times' are...

4. A HUGE THANK-YOU to Erin who brought us a car seat, 2 bases & matching stroller. This way, we don't have to worry about finding the perfect stroller before Wellington comes. We can see how we like this one, BEFORE going out and spending $600 on a new one. This makes us so happy :-)

5. Anyone seen Monsters Vs Aliens? We're thinking of going, but aren't sure if it's just a 'kids' movie.

Sad Day in the Blogosphere

Large, swollen tears stream down my face as I read over this weeks Wellington Watch. As I sit at my computer, typing my way through the joy that is expecting a baby, the Blogosphere is mourning.

First, I heard the news on Redneck Mommy. Then Baby On Bored. Next on Flotsam. Then...on Backpacking Dad.

I do not know any of these people personally. I only read their blogs. I first clicked on The Spohrs Are Multiplying months ago, because I thought the name was funny.

It's just so sad.

Wellington Watch, 27 weeks

27 wks (6 months, 3 weeks)

Weight gain so far: 16.5 lbs

What we did with our time:

I totally expect that once Wellington has made his grand entrance into this ridiculous family of ours, we'll be hard pressed to remember what exactly we spent all our time doing, before we were parents. So I thought I'd document a typical day in the life of Warren & Amanda...for nostalgia sake.

Typical Week Day:

6:30am - Amanda wakes up, has a shower.
6:50am - Amanda has a bowl of cereal, reads daily ilovelife blog post.
7:05am - Amanda gets ready for work.
7:50am - Amanda leaves for the bus, Warren wakes up.
8:30 - 5:00pm - Amanda works at the office.
5:30pm - Amanda arrives home, winds down by watching Global National & 1st 20 minutes of Global Calgary.
6:20pm onward - evening could be made up of any combination of the following: dog walk, nap (often a result of falling asleep while watching the news), cooking dinner, impromptu dinner out, dinner with friends, evening in front of the TV, shopping, house chores, yoga, reading, bath, painting my nails, blogging.
9:30 or 10:00 - Amanda reads in bed until she's sleepy.

Typical Weekend (when Warren is off work):

7:30 or 8:00am - Warren wakes up.
8:00 or 8:30am - Amanda wakes up.
8:30am - 10:30am - Warren & Amanda laze around, surf the net, have coffee and toast, shower & take time getting ready.
10:30am - go out for breakfast (maybe Limericks, Seanachie Pub, Phils or the Lido).
12:00pm - go shopping - Ikea, Kensington, Consignment gallery, Home Depot, groceries...
2:00pm - nap.
3:30pm - house chores, walk dogs, putz.
5:00pm - feed dogs.
5:00pm onwards - evenings spent going out for dinner, having friends or family over, drive to Bragg Creek with the dogs & a Ricky Gervais Podcast, going to a movie (impromptu), hanging out at Chapters & browsing HMV, having a beer & pizza night in front of the boob tube.

Name guesses:

Warren's mom has started a 'name' pool. We aren't supposed to know what people are guessing, but a few people have let it slip. Here are some of the guesses we know of so far:

- Tobias (Toby for short!)
- Heath
- Daniel Wellington Warenko Cronin (This is my brother's guess - he went for the full name, 2 middle names and all. He's convinced 'Wellington' will make it into the real name somehow. Only time will tell...heh,heh.).

I have to say - those are some sharp names! Can't wait to read them all.

Adam story:

My younger brother (but not youngest brother) Adam, who is 28 this summer, has this odd fear/fascination with my belly. He'll look at it and ask "What does it look like? Is it sick? Can I see?". Then he covers his eyes like he's watching a suspenseful horror movie and says "Oh God! Is it gross? Let me see...no wait! What does it look like? Will it be sick?". I'm not sure what horrors he expects to see...maybe stretch marks? Anyway, instead of lifting up my shirt, I showed him the pictures I took, to which he replied "It just looks like you're arching your back and sticking out your stomach!". This annoyed me, so I tried to trace the picture with my fingers to show him what part was 'the bump', and what part was 'the old me'. To which he replied, "Ya right, you were never that thin".

That guy sure knows all the right things to say.

Symptoms/Feelings/Etc:

- Lately I've been getting the dreaded 'leg cramps', that are sometimes painful enough that I want to take my own life.

- Unfortunately for Warren, I've also been experiencing the uncontrollable belching/gassy sounds. Whenever it happens though, I just say, "Wellington! Stop that!".

- In a lot of ways I'm glad I have an office job while pregnant. It gets me wearing different outfits and jewellery and I still do my hair & make-up. Otherwise I think I'd live in yoga pants and a house coat, with my hair pulled up into a hap-hazard pony tail on the top of my head.

- My feet & legs are starting to swell - ever so slightly. Just enough that I don't recognize them as my own. I guess a 'thin' ankle is something I used to take for granted.

- My emotions and thoughts about becoming a parent are a bit of a roller coaster. I'd say right now, they're 90% excited/looking forward to holding little Wellington, smelling his head and stroking his gentle little hands, and 10% terrified that my life, my Self and my relationship with Warren will be completely unrecognizable. I have a feeling this 90/10 split will shift the closer we get to the Birth Day.

Nursery progress:

Still haven't put the crib together, and we've accumulated a lot more items since these were taken, but here's what it looked like when it was sparse and tidy!

5 On Friday: April 3rd, 2009

1. I'm currently at war with our socks. We have a laundry basket full of un-matched socks, that have been un-matched for what seems like a year. When I was at Walmart last weekend, I loaded up on a whole wack of new socks, and now I plan to just out-and-out CHUCK the old ones, and start fresh. No looking back, no regrets. Good-bye stupid socks.

2. I have a 4-month white board calendar at my desk at work. I recently erased March, and added July. I wrote in bright red marker - the week of July 6th - BABY DUE THIS WEEK. It's odd to see the due date up on my work calendar...tick-tock-tick-tock.

3. We're going to make a pancake breakfast tomorrow! Complete with eggs, bacon and lots of fruit. Ahhh...the simple joys of life.

4. Advance tickets for Seinfeld go on sale tomorrow. I'm not holding out hope, because Ticketmaster is currently on my hit-list, but wish us luck anyways.

5. Warren & I took the day off together, and we ended up at Ikea. On the way out we both stopped in our tracks to gaze upon one of the over sized framed photos they had on display. It was a black & white (& some red) photo of our favorite place in the world. So we bought it.

(editors note: the bright white light in the middle is from my flash, and the darkness in the top right corner isn't actually part of the photo - don't know what caused that. I'm sure I'm also infringing on copyright laws by photographing the photo and posting it here...).

Wellington Watch, 26 weeks

26 wks (6.5 months)

Weight gain so far: 15.5lbs

Crazy Dream:

I woke up in the middle of the night and rolled over to snuggle Warren. I said "I had a really bad dream and need to hold you for a while". "What was it about?" he asked. "It was a labor dream" I replied. "Oh boy" he said, and we both fell back to sleep.

In the morning he asked what the details of the dream were...I'm sure hearing about someones dream isn't really interesting to most people, but I'm going to document it here anyways, for my own memories...

In the dream...I went into labor 3 months early (March 27th to be exact), but thankfully the baby came out healthy. Warren missed the birth because he went to the washroom. So my brother (??!!) was the one with me at the birth. He asked what name we had chosen, but in my shock/awe I couldn't remember. So he handed me a list of names he had made, and I chose from there. So our baby was named Russell. Then I asked the nurse how much the baby weighed and she looked at me like I was crazy. 'Does anyone weigh newborns anymore?" she asked. Then she walked over, begrudgingly, to the scale to weigh him, like I was asking her to move a mountain for me. He weighed 6 lbs, 1 ounce. Then I discovered that 'Russell' was speaking in full sentences. No one else seemed to think this was odd, but I was certain I had given birth to an alien child. He would actually say things like 'Mother, I am ready for your breast now'. It was freaky, but again, no one cared. Warren was completely indifferent to the whole thing, and once we were home, he got dressed and ready for work and asked me 'So, what are you going to do today?'. I replied sarcastically/angrily "Well - look after the new KID we have now!". Then he walked out the door "Okay, bye. See you when I get home".

After describing the dream to Warren, he looked at me and said "Hon, that's not a scary dream. Weird, yes. But not scary."But it felt so real, I woke up very frightened.

Oh - I forgot to mention that 'Russell' had features similar to the evil nemesis of Stewie in the Family Guy - the baby with the freckles & orange hair.

Warren stories:

My favorite thing Warren does these days is ask me, out of nowhere, "How's the boy?".

At the hospital on Tuesday, while we were hanging out 'counting movements', Warren leaned in close to my belly and said "Son, this your father speaking. This is the only time you will have permission to kick your mother".

Yesterday morning, when Warren woke up he asked me 'How are the movements?'. I replied 'Really good. I'm pretty sure Wellington is trying to make a fool out of me!'.

Pregnancy item I couldn't live without:

I recently discovered the magic of the WIRELESS BRA. Being somewhat chesty ever since puberty hit, I've always thought I needed an underwire. It wasn't until being pregnant that I've found underwires uncomfortable (sadly I bought 2 underwire maternity bras early in the pregnancy), so I bought my first wireless bra and I'm SOLD. Maybe permanently :-)

Impromptu Belly Pics (that I took myself):

Lessons In Motherhood

...before I'm officially a mother.

Over the past couple days, maybe since Saturday or Sunday, I've been silently concerned. I was feeling Wellington's movements less, and when I did feel them they were weaker than usual. I'd pay special attention after eating or walking, and not notice much improvement. We went out for a big dinner on Monday night, and I made sure to eat lots in the hopes that the sugar rush would get him hopping. But nothing. When a walk during my lunch hour didn't yield any noticeable improvement, I decided to call Heath Link, to get some advice from a nurse. So, from my desk at work I called. I expected the nurse to reassure me that at 26 weeks baby movements were unpredictable, or that maybe she'd coach me on the art of 'Kick Counts' and give me some homework for the evening. First she asked me all the red-flag questions - Any bleeding? Broken membranes? Contractions? - to which I answered no. Next she asked if it was a 'sudden lack of movement'. What does 'sudden' mean anyways? I told her that I couldn't say it was 'sudden', but that it was enough for me to take notice, and I noticed it starting a couple days ago. I was concerned because I thought the movements should be getting more regular, more forceful - not the other way around. Then, she hit me with it. The Un-Expected Response.

Nurse: Since you are over 20 weeks, you need to go to Labor and Delivery at the hospital you're delivering at, and get checked. And you need to go immediately. We do not want you to drive yourself. Is there anyone who can take you?

Amanda: (stunned)Uhh...well, I can certainly call my husband. I'm sure he could after work.

Nurse: No, you need to go immediately. Is there anyone who can take you right now?

Amanda: Uhhh...ya. My husband. Or, I could take a cab.

Nurse: Okay, good. Call us back afterwards.

I think I sat stunned at my desk for a minute or so. Then the tears started to well up in my eyes. Then I called Warren. No answer. So I emailed him on his Blackberry with the secret 'Amanda' code that he gave me, so that he can identify emails that come from me. I typed "Call me please". Then the phone rang. His voice chimed on the line "Hey Hon, what's up?". Then the tears came full force. I choked through the tears, explaining the situation and that I was making it sound worse than it was, and that I was okay, just emotional.

He was there within 5 minutes, with all his appointments cancelled. I can't put into words how much I love this man.

Not once did he question my judgement. Not once did he ask 'are you sure? is this necessary?'. He just drove. And cussed at any and all drivers who got in his way. Could these people drive any SLOWER!!?? he would holler in frustration. It was then that we laughed at the idea that all expectant couples should be given a siren for the roof of their car.

After getting a teeny tiny bit lost inside the hospital, we finally found the Labor & Delivery unit. I was seen within minutes of getting there. It was a simple test they do - they put 2 monitors on my belly to measure the baby's heart rate (and there was one! Praise The Lord Hallelujah Sweet Mary Mother of God), and I was to lay there and push a little blue button every time I felt a movement. Over the next 45 minutes or so, I pushed the button 6 times. That was really good, the nurse reassured me. She said sometimes all it takes is for a woman to come lay in a hospital bed for the baby to get moving.

This experience taught me a few things. Things I've heard my friends talk about, and am now starting to learn for myself.

1) Trust your gut.
2) Don't let anyone make you feel like an over-protective mom.
3) Better safe than sorry.
4) Nothing is more stressful and emotionally draining than when something could be/is wrong with your baby.
5) Guilt comes in so many forms.
6) My husband will instantly turn into a 'Papa Bear' when he needs to, and he'll do things he wouldn't normally do to get me and Wellington the help we need RIGHT NOW.

5 On Friday: March 27th, 2009

This week, I'm switching it up a bit. I'm going to post 5 of my favorite 'internet videos' at the moment. Or at least ones I've been exposed to lately, that either make laugh, make me think or just generally entertain me. I promise none of them have to do with Battlestar Galactica. Pinky Swear.

Hope you enjoy them too!

1. Lost Generation Video
I saw this on a friend's blog, and loved it. So well done. Written by a 20 year old.


2. Flight of the Concords "Business Time".
Freaking. Hilarious. Had Warren & I rolling on the floor with tears in our eyes.




3. American Rejects sing Britney Spears.
If you've heard Britney's song 'Womanizer', you have to watch this. Brilliant.


4. Who needs a movie?
Omigod. As someone who works in the 'TV Biz', the production quality this couple puts out (and charges for!) is remarkable - remarkably HORRIFIC, that is.


5. Dove 'Evolution'.
Oldie, but a goodie. Always nice to remind ourselves that the images we see in magazines are NOT REAL.

Wellington Watch, 25 weeks

25 weeks (6 months, 1 week).

Weight gain so far: 15lbs

Warren story:

I've noticed Warren has developed a sly way of averting my 'moodiness'. Luckily, he has a very keen sense of when I'm in an agitated mood. He can sense it as soon as he enters the room. I notice that when he senses I'm grouchy, he pretends not to notice, then says "How's the baby doing?" in a cute, chipper voice. Then he smiles and rubs my belly and says "ooh - he's getting big!", and of course that makes me grin from ear to ear, despite myself.

You're a sly devil Warren, but I'm on to you!

"Deep Thoughts", from Warren:

Because we've been getting second hand baby items, naturally I've wanted to run them through the wash before using them on Wellington. So I tried to do a bit of research on what type of laundry detergent etc is 'okay' to use on baby stuff. I discovered that non-chlorinated bleach is less irritating to skin, and that fabric softeners contain a lot of chemicals so it's best to avoid them.

We were at Zellers and I was telling Warren all this, as we roamed the laundry isle. Then he made a very profound statement:

Warren: It seems to me that the things we use to get rid of the dirt, have become more harmful than the dirt itself.

He's very wise, that man of mine. Maybe he should write Chinese Proverbs for a living?

Symptoms/Feelings/Etc:

Lately I find that when I've been sitting for a while (20 to 30 minutes), my right leg gets numb as soon as I stand up. It's a numb/tired kind of sensation, similar to when you've been exercising a lot and your legs get really heavy and tired. It goes away after a couple minutes, and it only ever happens to my right leg.

Also, the baby movements have evolved a bit. Now there are moments that feel like a definite 'pushing' against my stomach wall. On Monday, for the first time I actually felt this sensation in two places at the same time. Maybe it was a hand and a foot? A knee and and an elbow?

Seeking Advice:

First of all, I want to say how much I appreciate the advice we've been getting from friends. I thought I'd be annoyed with too much advice, but honestly - I'm finding it so helpful! Advice on strollers, vacations - it's all been great!

So here's a question for my mom readers...Warren & I plan to buy 2 car seats, so no matter what, either one of us is capable of driving with Wellington, no matter which vehicle is handy. We realise this doubles our cost, and I looked online and it seems car seats run from $200 - $300 on average. So buying 2, each time we upgrade, seems a bit pricey.

So my question is...in your experience, do you think it would be better to simply have a car seat base in each vehicle? Do you think 2 car seats is overkill? Did you have one in each car? If yes, was it useful? If not, were there times when it would have saved you some juggling and/or stress?

Food/cravings:

A lot of people ask if I've had any weird cravings, and I honestly can't think of any. But thought I'd document what foods I've been enjoying these days, even if they're not weird.

1) Cereal, with ice cold milk and fruit.

2) French fries.

3) Lattes.

4) Dried apricots and almonds.

5) Chocolate.

6) Tuna wraps.

7) Sour Soothers candy.

5 On Friday: March 20th, 2009

1. Finished another Jodi Picoult book - Salem Falls. This one finally had a good ending! And I liked how she cleverly showed how evidence in a trial can appear to prove someone is guilty, when they're not...and how important it is to find out the whole story before judging someone. Now I'm on to her book 'Mercy'. Not sure the subject matter is something I'm going to enjoy (adultery and mercy killing - fun!), but I'm trying to give it a fair shot. I might have to switch to something a bit 'lighter' next...like maybe the 'Twilight' series?

2. Watched 2 great movies last weekend - that were complete opposites. 'Changeling' and 'Tropic Thunder'. I recommend both, with caveats. Tropic Thunder definitely crosses the line at points - but is a great satire, and Changeling is very upsetting at moments, but is a great drama (and shockingly based on a true story).

3. Warren & I are trying to think of a quick, cheap holiday we could take in May, to somewhere warm (our trip to Regina for a family wedding doesn't count). Right now we're thinking maybe another Vegas trip, because we still haven't been to the Grand Canyon or Fairmont Street. Throw in a show, a nice dinner, some shopping and a relaxing bath - and maybe some time by the pool - and it could be quite a delightful little vacation. Any other ideas/suggestions?

4. No one else will find this video entertaining, except Warren & I (and maybe my mom). Sorry.

I Love Battlestar Galactica You Tube Video.

The tune is oddly catchy, and it's worth checking out simply for the guy's tiny red shorts!

(P.S. - someone needs to tell me how to embed You Tube videos on Blogger...)

5. Amanda's Pet Peeve of the Day:

We've all heard the news reports about BPA in plastics, and how it's the devil and slowly killing us and our children. Well, the other day Global had a news story about how BPA was found in the inner lining of pop cans. So the soft drinks themselves were tested, and it was discovered that - *gasp* - the drink DID in fact contain BPA! Oh, the horror! But then the story ends by telling us that the amount was so minute that a person would have to drink 900 cans of pop A DAY to go over the safe BPA level limit. How the heck does that qualify as news?

6. We got our City of Calgary 'Blue Box' yesterday :-)

7. In case anyone out there is wondering - Warren has NOT blocked you from his blog, or gone private. He is just offline for the time being. He'll be back to his usual antics soon enough.

Wellington Watch, 24 weeks

24 wks (6 months)

Weight gain so far: 12lbs

We're narrowing in on the stroller we like. I have found the stroller shopping most stressful of all things baby-related. It just seems like the wrong choice can make your life harder than it needs to be. Anyway, we're looking at the Bumbleride 'Indie'. It's lightweight, and can roll over snow, sand, grass & gravel, and it comes with a universal car seat adapter. I like the Green/Blue option, and Warren likes the Orange/Blue option. So, as a pathetic compromise, we've decided neither of us should be happy and we'll likely go with Red. I've set up a handy POLL to the right though, to get your opinions! And if anyone out there has this stroller, let us know what you think of it...

Now, a big public thank-you to Sean & Sue (who don't read this blog, so this thank-you is kind of in vain) who gave us 2 hand-me down baby carriers on the weekend.

1) Snuggli, for when Wellington is tiny (and for when I take him to Folk Fest before his 1 month anniversary - which I'm convinced I'll do, but Warren thinks I'm nuts).

2) MEC backpack style, for when Wellington grows into a butter ball and can hold his head up (Warren will look so handsome carrying his son around in a little backpack!).

Things that have surprised me about this whole 'expecting a baby' business so far:

1) Planning a wedding was WAY more stressful.

2) It took a lot longer than I expected for my belly to get big.

3) I expected it to feel like I was just 'getting fat', but it feels more like someone has strapped a 10lb water balloon around my belly, so bending, moving and generally getting around feels just plain awkward.

Extra cool milestone this week:

At 6 months in utero, Wellington would have a 1 in 5 chance of survival if he was born this week. It's hard to imagine that the little baby inside me, whom I can barely feel moving around, is a fully formed (but not fully mature obviously) little human. I can certainly wait a few more months to meet him, so no labor for me this week! You hear that Wellington? Enjoy the warmth of my womb - you've still got lots of growing to do...

Warren story:

Warren met a couple buddies for drinks this week. They are old friends of his, and they are both dads now. So they were giving him lots of advice and such. One thing they told him was that at the child birthing classes they make the men wear a 'pregnancy suit' ie. A fake baby bump! Hahahahaha! That is going to be the most unattractive sight I've ever seen! Payback BAY-BAY!

Cute comment from my nephew:

Our nephew, Liam, said he wants us to name the baby Stewart, after the character 'Stewie' in Family Guy, so that him and Stewart can rule the world together.

St. Paddy's Day Poem

Twas the eve of St. Patrick,

and all through the streets, 

drunks laughed and fell over,

and spilled beer at their feet.

My work was all done, 

Ceili's called out my name,

so out I went for some fun,

and flirted without shame.

A leprechaun approached me,

height and wit were his lure.

I was smitten from the get go,

and so was he, that's for sure.

Cut to 8 years later,

we're life mates and we're blessed,

with a wee blarney babe,

who will soon join our nest.

I love you Hon! Happy Date-We-Met-Anniversary.

5 On Friday: March 13th, 2009

1. Okay. I'm getting really annoyed with my 'expecting a baby ticker' at the top of this blog. Every time I come to my home page, the ticker isn't there and instead there is an irritating blue question mark in it's place. If I click the question mark, I'm redirected to the bump.com website, and when I return to my blog, the ticker is there in all it's glory. WHY? Is this happening to you people too? I went with the bump.com ticker because I liked their designs, but what's the point if it never shows up properly? Wellington deserves a better countdown than this!

2. Phew. Glad I got that off my chest. Hormonal-outburst-over-something-insignificant is over...

3. I don't know if all the 'normal' couples out there will understand my excitement over the fact that Warren is OFF THIS WEEKEND. We are so envious of couples/families who predictably have evenings and weekends off together. Warren has only had 2 days off in the last 2 weeks - a Wednesday and a Friday. We're planning a breakfast date on Sunday at 1886 with a few friends, a walk around the island, and then a coffee & shopping in Kensington. Seems so simple, but I am SO excited. I'll have to make sure he brings his camera, so we can document it! Thank-you Calgary sunshine!

4. This week on American Idol the contestants sang Michael Jackson songs. Now, I know MJ has grown into a controversial weirdo, but I have to admit that I'm one those people that would probably scream, cry and dissolve into a puddle if I were to ever see him perform live. It goes back to my childhood, when I would watch taped concerts of him on VHS and just cry the whole time (gawd, I miss that teen obsession feeling...). ANYWAYS, 'Dangerous' is my favorite MJ album, and I was thrilled that so many contestants chose songs from it. Is it sad that I was 'thrilled' by something on American Idol?

5. Just finished watching Part 1 of 2 of the Battlestar Galactica finale...next week is the final 2 hour episode (they really know how to drag things out - but in a good way!). Humanity's final chapter is about to be written, people! Is Kara Thrice really the harbinger of death who will lead them all to their end? Is Galactica the dying leader that will bring them home? Are we all Cylons? Will God's plan finally be revealed? Could this post sound any GEEKY-ER???

Wellington Watch, 23 weeks

23wks (5 months, 3 weeks)

Weight gain so far: 11lbs.

First, a comparison, shall we?

Wellington, 11 weeks:


Wellington, 20 weeks:

UN-REAL.

We didn't get the crib put together this week, so I'll save the nursery pics until that's done.

But, we did manage to take a belly pic or 2.

Symptoms/Feelings/Etc:

For the past few weeks I've been feeling our tiny baby move. For my own memory sake, I'll try to describe the sensation, as I'm sure it will escape me once other, more forceful sensations begin to dominate my uterus. The pregnancy books describe the first movements as a 'fluttering' or a 'quickening'. What the heck is a 'quickening', anyways? I would describe the really early sensations as 'pops' and 'twitches', similar to gas I guess. Then it morphed to a tickle. Sometimes really quick and isolated, other times longer - and more spread out - right across the front of my abdomen. Now it's like the tiniest, gentlest 'pokes' and twitches. I can be in a foul, stressed mood at work - maybe someone is handing me a painful assignment, or pointing out a mistake I made - but as soon as I feel one of those movements, a tiny grin always makes it's way onto my face. As if suddenly, nothing else in the world matters, for that brief moment.

Pregnancy items I couldn't live without:

1. My Bella Band.

2. Bra extenders.

3. My microwavable heating pad.

4. My Ikea bench, so I can sit to put on my shoes.

Pregnancy items I'd like to purchase:

1. Body Pillow, as sleeping is becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

2. Support stockings, to prevent swelling & varicose veins (hopefully).

3. More Bee Hive Belly Lotion, because I'm almost out and I love it!

Things that make me feel guilty:

1. Too often I chose french fries over a side salad when I'm at a restaurant. Last time I checked, fries weren't a part of the 'Best Odds Diet'.

2. I eat too much chocolate.

3. I haven't been exercising much, and I use the weather as an excuse, even though I own an exercise bike & a prenatal yoga DVD.

4. There has been the odd time that I've NEEDED a full-caf coffee, even though I swore off caffeine at the beginning of the pregnancy.

Things that make me feel optimistic:

1. We have a great support system of friends and family - really.

2. My mom has so many holidays to use up, that she offered to take days off work just to 'give me a break' or help me with errands etc.

3. My mother in law lives 3 minutes away, and has offered to make meals for us in those early weeks.

4. I'm saving up so that we can hire a cleaning lady for later in the pregnancy and after Wellington is born.

5. The nursery is almost ready.

Warren Quotes:

Tonight Warren came up from behind me as I was loading the dishwasher and said "Wow, your bump's getting big!". I thought he said 'Your BUM is getting big'. I laughed and told him what I thought he said, and his reply was 'No way - you're around way too many knives for a comment like that'. We've decided he will now say 'Wow, the BABY is getting big'.

5 On Saturday: March 7th, 2009

1. Last week 'T' sent a few of us an email asking us to send/post a photo of our pantries, because apparently you can tell a lot about a person by looking at their pantry. The only rule was you had to take the photo 'as is' - no tidying!

My analysis is that my pantry says 'Amanda lives in an old house, with a G-H-E-T-T-O pantry. A pantry that doesn't even count as a pantry. It's more like a food cupboard. She apparently likes canned lentils a bit too much, and hoards plastic bags.' I think that would be a great profile description on Lava Life, don't you agree?

But I do love those 1950's Tupperware lid holders on the door! Whenever someone house sits for us, they can never find the lids, because the bottoms are in a drawer, and the lids are in the pantry.

2. Every once in a while I'm oddly drawn to the TLC show 'Toddlers & Tiaras'. It's about the US child pageant circuit. I try SO HARD not to judge the families (mostly mothers) on that show, but damn I find the whole thing creepy. I don't understand the concept of a child beauty/talent contest that requires the child to look like a grown-up, and I don't understand spending $3000 on a dress for a 4 year old. Not to mention the superficial message it sends to these little girls. But there I go...judging.

3. Warren was in a cheeky mood this morning. I wanted to load the pantry photo onto the Mac (I'm used to doing that on the PC). So I looked for the little slit where I could slide the camera card into, but couldn't find one.

Amanda: Do I need a cable to load photos onto the Mac?

Warren: Yup, (grabs it out of the camera bag and hands it to me) how's that for service!

Amanda: (looks blankly at the cable and back at the camera). Do I plug it in to the camera? I don't see a hole that matches the cable?

Warren: (takes the camera and cable away from Amanda). Nope, no plugging. You simply hold the end of the cable over the camera, wave it around, and it will pick-up 'photo' signals in the area.

Jackass.

4. Last 2 episodes EVER of Battlestar Galactica next Friday! Then, we have the prequel 'Caprica' to look forward to!

5. I'm thinking of leaving my long-time dentist. I've been going to the same dentist my whole life, but he's no longer convenient and my ortho-dentist at Chinook has TVs at every station, and a spa attached! But I feel SO GUILTY and am afraid to call. Is that weird?

Wellington Watch, 22 weeks

22 wks (5 1/2 months)

This is a new feature I will **try** to do every Wednesday. It'll be updates on the pregnancy, like belly pics, nursery pics, symptom updates, funny stories, that type of thing. Not sure if there will be note worthy items to mention every week, but I hope so :-) And this way, if I have any readers who aren't interested in reading my pregnancy babble, they can just skip Wellington Watch posts!

Last weekend I was a nesting MACHINE.

At first I didn't believe in the whole '2nd trimester burst of energy' they talk about in all the pregnancy books, but I seriously have never felt that kind of drive to get something done in my life. I went to Ikea TWICE - and put together 5 pieces of furniture ON MY OWN. It consumed me. I even brushed off previous engagements in order to keep the momentum going (Jakzen, I'm so sorry - I was there in spirit, I promise!). I even insisted on finishing the 5th piece at 9:45pm Sunday night, after getting home from Warren's birthday dinner at his parent's place. My back was WRECKED by the end of it all, but like I said - I couldn't fight the drive to get it all done.

3 of the items were nursery items (2 bookcases and a side table), one item was a bench for the front entrance (I need to sit to put on shoes these days), and the last item was a sofa table for the living room, to hide ugly cords and cables. I will post nursery progress photos next week, because I think the crib might be put together by then.

No belly pics yet, because I just haven't decided how I want to 'do' them. Fully clothed, or in yoga pants and sports bra? Show my face, or not? Silhouette and artsy, or more traditional? Plus I need to find time when my husband isn't busy working so he can take the photos. All I can say is Wellington is growing like a weed, and I swear my belly is swelling by the day. I am kicking myself for not taking a belly photo the day I found out I was pregnant. I'm not sure I'll ever see that belly again.

5 On Friday: February 27th, 2009

1. On Monday we went to see David Byrne at the Jack Singer Concert Hall (David Byrne was the lead singer of 'Talking Heads' - of 'Psycho Killer' fame - who has had an incredibly successful solo career). My whole family came, because the tickets were their Christmas present this year.

As we sat waiting for the concert to start, Warren & I had the following conversation...

Warren: I'm not going to have to stand and dance am I?

Amanda: No, Hon. You won't have to stand, or dance, or clap your hands, or have any fun at all. So don't worry.

Warren: Good.

Cut to an hour later, when the whole place is on their feet, dancing away, and there is Warren standing beside me, feeling the groove and clapping his hands. It was a KICK ASS concert! Loved the funky interpretive dancers, the band dressed in all white, and the white tutus they all put on for the 3rd encore. I don't own any David Byrne albums, only Talking Heads, and even though I only knew 3 or 4 of the songs they played, it was awesome. Definitely need more David Byrne on the 'ole iPod.

SIDE NOTE: I think Wellington may have been doing 'The Wave' during portions of the concert :-)

(editor's note: these are not my photos, they are stolen off the internet).

2. On Saturday we went to my Dad's for a huge steak dinner. Before leaving, we made sure to bore everyone with Wellington's latest ultrasound photos. One of my favorite photos was the one of his 'little man bits', but when presenting them to the crowd I referred to that region as 'His Junk'. My Step mom was horrified. I thought 'junk' was an endearing term, but apparently not. I guess it's up there with 'Nads'. Sorry little guy.

3. We will not be posting the 'junk' photos on the blog(s), because Warren insists that we maintain some sort of dignity/privacy for sweet Wellington. Personally, I don't think dignity/privacy and the INTERNET mesh well together (read: Shawna's Movie Monday this week), but we'll do our best.

4. I want to send out a big, public THANK-YOU to ERIN for her awesome-ness this week. We got not one, but TWO door to door drop-offs of stuff we bought at her online garage sale, PLUS she gave us the sweetest little bear rattle, blankie, hand puppet wash cloth and 1st size diapers. Thanks Erin - you kick ass.

5. Another THANK-YOU to KERI for the thoughtful Boy baby book, and to SHAWNA for the second hand (or 3rd hand?) bassinet and the cutest, softest Build-A-Bear. It's so fun to start getting little baby items to put in the nursery.

6. BONUS - Here are some photos from our farewell lunch with Gord, who is moving to Kamloops to pursue the next stage of his blossoming career. Damn I'm going to miss him!

5 On Friday: February 20th, 2009

Since we found out yesterday that we are going to be blessed with a SON, my 5 on Friday this week is about that.

1. For as long as I can remember, I always imagined myself with a son. Any names I would dream up were always boys names and any cute outfits I pictured were always boys outfits. Ever since I met Warren, I would always think how great it would be to have a mini 'him', because he's such a great guy. So yesterday's news seems to be destiny fulfilling itself. 

2. As soon as the technician said 'it's a boy', I felt a sudden surge of panic, for some odd reason. For a split second, all the associated challenges with boys flooded my brain. Will he be hard to potty train? Will he struggle in school? What about ADHD? How will we stop him from playing video games 24/7? Will we have to get up at 5am to take him to hockey practice, or will we be lucky and avoid all that?

3. As I grinned at the monitor, and up at Warren, I felt the warmest, softest tear trickle from my right eye.

4. I also wondered if any of us Calgary ladies would EVER have a girl??!!

5. Driving home, Warren & I were chatting about how odd it felt to know. It was so final, so certain. No more wondering and dreaming about one or the other, drifting through the options from day to day depending on our mood. This was it. We're having a son. A boy. And we couldn't stop giggling.

Slugs and snails...

...and puppy dog tails.

That's all I've got to say about that :-)

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday SHAWNA!

Why Wellington?

I guess Wellington does seem like an odd nickname for our baby in waiting. Why not peanut or bean or sweet pea? Well, just like 'Little Gas', this nickname came about out of nowhere...but the actual origin is a bit foggy.

I remember around Christmas time, President's Choice (Superstore Brand) was running a commercial staring their President 'Gaelan Weston', promoting their product 'Salmon Stuffed Mini Wellingtons'. This commercial ran a lot, and for some unknown reason, Warren & I just got a kick out of it. So maybe this is where it started, and the name got implanted in our subconscious.

Then one morning Warren woke up and told me about a dream he had. Again - the details are foggy (Damn my laziness! I should have written it down!). His dream was based around one character - a little homeless Boxer dog named Wellington. Wellington roamed the streets of London wearing a jaunty cap and worn-out ripped mitts on his paws. He also carried around one of those sticks with a sack attached - like a hobo. Along his travels he would make some friends - a cat named Cybil and a donkey named Gerard. He was very excited about this dream and started fantasizing about quitting the rat-race and turning this idea into a series of children's books - becoming a professional author of children's stories. I remember asking him "Well, children's books are supposed to teach kids something...like counting or colors or days of the week. What will this story teach kids?". He replied with "It will teach them to adopt homeless Boxers, of course!".

Anyways...I digress.

In his excitement, Warren decided he liked the name Wellington and that it was a great baby name. He thought is was nice and noble - Sir Wellington, Duke Wellington - but I disagreed. Unless of course it could be Wellington Warenko - which would be fantastic!

So, again, the details are foggy, but slowly Wellington went from the name list, to the nickname list.

5 On Friday: February 13th, 2009

1. I just finished my second Jodi Picoult book - 'Nineteen Minutes' - and really liked it - except for the ending, again. I wonder if this is a theme with this author? In this case, I probably saw the 'twist' coming for a good 20 pages or so, but I thought to myself "if this is where she's going with all this, then she'd better have a really good reason". But no such reason was given, that I could tell. I felt like it was a twist for twist sake, that didn't really fit with the character and I didn't understand the motive. Anyway...I've started my 3rd one now, 'Salem Falls', and I remember Keri saying she was so mad with the ending that she threw the book across the room...

2. I'm afraid I'm going to totally cop out on this weeks 5 On Friday (but I figure I'm entitled, since both K & E missed their 10 on Tuesday), by using up the last 3 spots with my remaining pregnancy posts. Now, we're officially up to date!

Stay tuned for exciting new weekly features like 'Wellington Watch' and...okay...just Wellington Watch, that's all I got.

3. Good Bye and Good Riddance

4. Telling

5. A Letter To Wellington (your new nickname)

2 On Tuesday

2 more...we're almost there....

A Letter To Little Gas

Exhale

A couple more on a Sunday...

2 more back-posts...

Always The First To Know

A Rant

5 On Friday: February 6th, 2009

1. Took my little brother & sister to Build-a-Bear on the weekend, and DAMN it was fun! I think part of what made the experience so great was that they are very sweet, grateful kids. Plus - my 27 year old brother came along and decided to make a bear too (they really suck you in with all the cute displays and the hundreds of choices). So he had to jump up and down and do the whole 'heart' ritual - hilarious (he even gave his bear a 'shower'). He made a Batman Beaver named Bruce Wayne.

2. This week marks the halfway point - 4 and a half months pregnant. I'm pretty sure the baby had a bit of a growth spurt this week. When I'm lying down in bed, I'm constantly feeling my little 'bump'. I keep grabbing Warren's hand and making him feel it, but he usually just gives me a courtesy 'ohhh...yaaa...neat'. This time I grabbed it and said 'feel this!' and I got a more sincere 'holy crap!' in response. There's definitely someone growing in there. Of course when I'm standing it's still hardly noticeable - but not for long I'm sure!

3. One thing on the to do list this weekend: REMOVE SECURITY BARS FROM BASEMENT WINDOWS. My heart breaks for the families of those 3 young people who died this week in a basement fire.

4. Out of NOWHERE, my workplace has banned 'blogs' at the office. I can no longer read my favorite blogs from work. This puts me in a very bad mood, but at the same makes me look forward to my mat leave even more (as if I needed another reason to look forward to it)!

5. Went to my first Flames game in at least 10 years last night (thanks again Tiff & Rob!). I quite enjoyed it and Warren & I both thought about what a fun experience it would be for a kid - ONLY if the Flames scored a lot. I kept wanting them to score - not to win - but just so that those huge flames would shoot out from the JumboTron and the buzzers would go and the stadium screens would flash red and the crowd would go nuts. So fun!

2 More...

A couple more of my pregnancy posts.

Dips and Spikes

Here We Go Again

The Sequel

The second installation:

A Letter From My Uterus

5 On Friday: January 30th, 2008

1. Here are some pics from our trip to Banff last weekend. I took some fantastic video too, and want to have a go at putting together a little video eventually, but for now photos are all I got. Because it was so frigidly cold while we were there, the longest stretch of time we spent outside was probably 1 hour , up at Lake Louise, observing the Ice Carving Competition (which is what my video will be featuring). The rest of the time was spent outside for minutes at a time, then finding things to do INDOORS. Like ordering room service and an in-room movie (Slumdog Millionaire - excellent!!!). It was a really great, picturesque getaway.

First - Our King size bed!


Then, the Ice carving competition.

2. Although we tried to be careful up in the icy mountains, there was sadly one lone casualty.

My new Mac Pressed Powder.

Why do they have to make bathroom floors out of hard, unforgiving tile?

RIP my friend. *sniff*

3. Now that Warren is a blogger, I'm no longer the only one to blurt out "That's totally going in the blog!", followed by the token response "No way! You'd better not!".

This next anecdote might fall under the 'Conversations with Warren & Amanda' category, I'm not sure. After it happened, Warren said SMUGLY "Yup, that's going in the blog". But I forbade him. Because there is no way to tell the story without me coming out the other side sounding like a total bi*ch. Since I know it is a story he will throw back in my face over and over and over again, I decided I will out myself before he has the chance.

So here it is:

Warren & Amanda are watching Slumdog Millionaire in their hotel room, which is in the last 15 minutes of the movie. On the verge of the plot climax.

Warren: Where's the remote? Can you pass it? It's too loud.

Amanda: (gingerly passing the remote) Here. But BE CAREFUL. Really. Be sure NOT to hit the CHANNEL button, ONLY the VOLUME button (sounding more annoying and condescending than ever). If you hit CHANNEL we LOSE the movie completely and will be CHARGED to order again.

Warren: (takes remote and attempts to push a button).

Amanda: CAREFUL!!!!

Warren: Geeze!! I'm being careful. GAWD. (gingerly lowers the volume).

A couple minutes pass.

Amanda: I can't hear! (grabs the remote, NOT gingerly, and begins to hit the *volume* button, NOT carefully, only to watch the screen go black and discover she was holding the remote upside down. Meaning the volume button was on the other side, and she actually hit the channel button).

WOW.

I had no words. What could I say? I was in such a blur of my own stupidity and utter embarrassment that I don't even remember what Warren said to me after that. All I remember is him muttering under his breath something like "If that had been me, I'd be a dead man..." as he stomped off to seek comfort in his beloved MAC and begin surfing the web.

Needless to say, I had to call the front desk and grovel and tell them my sad story. Turns out the warning before the movie had a been a bit alarmist, and you actually could re-select a title you've already ordered, and it would play from where you left off.

PHEW.

But our relationship didn't come away un-scathed. I have an inner no-it-all bi*ch, and my dear husband now has proof.

4. Hm mm...any other stories from Banff I can share? Oh - I know! One tradition we have every time we go to Banff, is to visit 'The Trading Post' gift shop by the river. "Why?" you ask? Well...to see the Banff Merman of course!

He's kept safe inside a large glass casing, similar to a fish tank. Post cards graced with his image are sold for 30 cents each.

5. I will end this edition of 5 on Friday with the 'Disappointment of the Week'.

Our new blinds were (FINALLY!) installed in the bedrooms, living room & dining room this week. Great, right? Mostly, yes. They look great and exceeded our expectations. But the disappointment comes in to play when I enter the baby's room. You see, Warren's mom made us some lovely curtains for this room, and we matched the paint color to them. We had a perfectly adorable green room (green is my favorite color, and also happens to be a generic baby color!). When the sun came through those curtains, it lit up the room with a soft, serene glow that I loved.

The new blinds have a big (beautiful) molding around the top, so hanging curtains directly over them isn't an option. If we try to hang the curtains higher, we no longer see the lovely molding plus, the curtains would be too short.

Honestly, I'm over it. The blinds look great. But it was really hard to say good bye to those curtains that I always imagined being a part of the nursery.

A Quickie

Okay, I'm caught. Surfing blogs while I should be doing other things...

THIS POST from Backpacking Dad caught my attention, namely because it's about the fears and doubts we experience when going from being childless, to being a parent...seemed fitting I suppose.

Thought some of my parent friends out there might appreciate his perspective as well.

Opening the Vault

I suppose then, that this is my first pregnancy post, even though I wasn't pregnant when I wrote it. It was written back in September, after the incident had run it's course.

I have been blogging privately over the last few months, and will publish those posts over the next week. But I'm not going to post them all at once, because I'm a mean, mean lady.

Here it is, from September '08.

A Letter To My Uterus

1-2-3-4

4 months and counting...

...until we can pitch our reality show to TLC...

...titled "Warren and Amanda Plus One".

Move over John & Kate and the Duggars... we're 17 weeks pregnant.

Hilarity and entertainment are surely to ensue.

Blogger on the Fritz

My blog was on the fritz the past day or two, and the only way I could find to fix it was to change my template.

So I've simplified and gone for a more black and white feel for now. Threw in some red for good measure, and stylised the header photo a bit. I'm not sure you can even tell what the photo is anymore?

5 On Friday: January 23rd, 2009

1. The other night Warren and I were watching TV, and a 'Charmin' toilet paper commercial came on. It had those Charmin Bears, and they were mowing grass and clipping trees. Our conversation went like this:

W: Since when do bears do landscaping?

A: Hon, they're cartoon bears. They can do whatever they want.

W: Well, if I could do whatever I want, I sure as heck wouldn't be doing yard work.

2. I went to see 'The Wrestler' on the weekend. Aside from missing the first 15 minutes waiting in line for popcorn (I have my priorities people), I liked it. Wasn't quite what I was expecting - it's not a 'Rocky' comeback movie, that's for sure. And there was quite a lot of nudity (that could be good or bad I suppose). And there was one scene that was quite gruesome (again, good or bad, depending on your taste). But all of it rang very true - nothing was sugar coated. And Micky Rourke definitely fit the part of washed-up old wrestler, right down to the bleach blond hair and fake tan. He was a likable loser, and I enjoy those types of characters. Makes you rethink who deserves a second chance.

3. Tomorrow is my 1 Year Blog-Aversary with Cronin Chronicles. Since January 24th 2008, I have posted 88 times (including this one), which really doesn't sound all that impressive. That's an average of one post for every 4 days (roughly). Is my math right? Because when I put it that way, it doesn't sound too bad!

4. Since the world is a BUZZ with Obama fever, I will join in with my bit of Obama praise. But it won't be for the reasons you are expecting.

There is a little (well, not literally) American man who I'm not a big fan of. His name is Micheal Moore. I'm guessing his career is going to suffer soon, because how on earth will he be able to continue producing his anti-American propaganda movies now that The Messiah is in charge?

So, thank-you President Obama, for *hopefully* ruining the career of Michael Moore, at least for a few years. God Bless you and God Bless America.

5. Birthday pics from Open Sesame! Tiff - so sorry you couldn't make it. You were missed.

I'm 29 forever now peoples!

5 On Friday: January 16th, 2008

1. Sometimes, when sending an email, I am absolutely horrified when the spell checker comes on. Seriously, three misspelled words in ONE sentence? I used to blame the fact that I grew up attending French Immersion schools, but I think after all this time that is no longer a valid excuse. I'm really terrible at double letter words - recommend, preferred etc...is it double c and double m? double r or double f or both? And the ie/ei thing kills be every time. Without spell checker I would constantly misspell weird, believe and relief.

2. Guess what I'm doing tonight (hopefully)? Taking down the Christmas Tree. Yes, I know, I probably shouldn't admit that publicly. What's the date on this post? January 16th? *sigh*. My only defense is that it's a FAKE tree, so it's not like it's wilting and shedding and becoming more and more of a fire hazard each day...and we don't turn the lights on anymore.

3. I can tell already that this season of the Biggest Loser is going to make me cry, A LOT. Speaking of TV - does anyone know what starts up again tonight? BATTLESTAR GALLACTICA!!!!!! The end is near, and I'm so excited to find out the final secrets, but so sad to know it will all be over soon. Any other BSG geeks out there? Anyone? (tumbleweed goes by...)

4. My mom is taking me to 'STOMP' on Sunday. Has anyone seen it before? What did you think?

5. It's confirmed - a Banff getaway is indeed in my future! We're off for a romantic weekend in the snow capped Rocky Mountains next weekend. I always remind myself that people travel from all over the world to visit Banff, and it's literally on our doorstep. It will be a lovely birthday treat for me! (And Warren will probably enjoy himself too).

A Letter To Wellington (your new nickname)

15 wks


Dear Wellington,

I realise you're floating around inside my uterus, completely oblivious to the world carrying on around you. Meanwhile, on the outside, Warren & I are constantly thinking, talking and dreaming about you.

This morning we entered the prenatal clinic to a waiting room full of pregnant women and new mothers with infants. We were quite disturbed to notice that every one of them looked positively miserable. Oh CRAP. What have we done? Is this our future? However, we eventually chalked it up to the fact that likely anyone in a doctor's waiting room looks miserable.

We met the nice doctor and got to hear your heartbeat for the first time. The room was filled with big grins and long sighs of relief. One more milestone that helped make you feel more real to us. Glad you seem to be enjoying yourself so far. I'm finally starting to, too.

Now, I'm guessing this whole heartbeat thing will be one of the many, many things you do for us, without even knowing it, that will fill our hearts with love for you.

I know you didn't 'do' anything, per say, but thank-you. You are a very sweet baby.

Cheers,
Your Mom

5 On Friday: January 9th, 2009

1. Over the holidays I read 2 books. TWO books. That's insane for me. I literally gobbled them up without taking a breath. The first was 'Rush Home Road' by Lori Lansen. A really great character driven story that just kept me wanting to know more. The second was 'My Sister's Keeper' by Jodi Picoult. I asked for a Jodi Picoult book for Christmas because I've heard so many good reviews from friends. This one also kept me wanting more with each turn of the page, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The jury is still out on the ending though. I'm not a big fan of stories that get wrapped up in 'perfect little packages' like this one did, but I have to admit I didn't see the final 'twist' coming, and I really should have.

2. Speaking of twists, Warren & I watched a movie called 'Wanted' starring Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, and the hunky James McAvoy. Warren found it for 10 bucks in the discount bin. Jury's out on this one too - it's over stylised, too violent in some parts and basically just ridiculous. But the story line is kind of interesting and it's visually very cool, and it opened my eyes to the amazing talents of James McAvoy, who is the clear winner in the movie. It has a great ending and a couple good twists (that Warren & I each guessed were coming, of course making us both very Smug, as usual). Angie is in purely for the paycheck, and the Producers put her in purely so they could print her name on the poster, and put her front & center on the cover of the DVD. She had barely any lines, and her character could have been played by anyone. I think Denise Richards would have been a better choice. Let's face it - I like a leading lady with curves. (And I don't care what In Touch Magazine tells me - Angie does not have 'healthy curves'. I don't even think Warren enjoyed her 'walking away, nude' scene, because there is nothing sexy about a towel hanging off a tattooed skeleton).

3. I didn't make official New Year's Resolutions this year, but one thing I do want to do is finish posting about our London/Paris trip!! And our trip to Kootenay Park Lodge. Really, this shouldn't be as hard as I seem to make it.

4. Warren found a good deal at the Rimrock in Banff - $109/night. So maybe a weekend getaway is in our future?

5. On Wednesday we had a new dishwasher installed, because the old one crapped out. I have to say, the stainless steel blends nicely with the 70's kitchen, and the other 20-year-old appliances :-) Oh, and that same night, our garage door opener stopped opening. God Bless Old Houses.

6. PS - Why has no one gone over to give my husband some love at CHANNEL WARREN? Is it because he's a guy? Is it because you don't 'get' him? Is your blog roll already too long and you just can't squeeze in another? Or is it because he is so awesome you just end up feeling bad about your own blogging? Really people, he doesn't bite. Sure, he's a bit odd, and really smug, and sure he sometimes grows his hair a bit too long, and his skin is really pale, but he's not a bad person. If you're short on time and don't want to read through all his posts, I recommend these ones (all clickable links):

Bizzaro World Bucket List
Heart of The Ocean
Mr. Gorbachev...Tear down these walls...
Coffee Table Republik

And, for nostalgia's sake...

The Most Memorable Moment of 2008 (written by yours truly, and still cracks me up beyond belief)

Go forth, enjoy, and COMMENT!

5 on Saturday: January 3rd, 2009

Geez, you'd think I could at least try and start the New Year off on a good note and actually post on Friday. Oh well.

1. Warren's parents just had their 50th wedding anniversary. They were married in 1958, and they still seem to like each other a lot. Very INSPIRING.

2. Laughter feels so good. Here is an email back and forth with Warren that had me in stitches at work...maybe you had to be there.

Amanda: I bought you some Docker corduroy pants at the charity auction today. They are size 38/34, which might be a bit big, but I figured with all the Ferrero Rochers you've eaten lately...;-)

Warren: I'm fat and getting pants from charity...how depressing.

Made me realize I should have worded my original email a bit more delicately!

3. Warren surprised me and bought us tickets to see A Christmas Carol at Theatre Calgary on Christmas Eve at 2pm. I was off work at noon that day, so we went for lunch downtown then went to see the show. I love that story - always makes me tear up.

4. The posts over at Redneck Mommy didn't turn out as heart warming as I had hoped. She's now posted Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 and the Journey's End.

5. Warren has started a website blog. I have no idea how often he'll post, what he'll post about, or if any of it will be any good. So, for now, this is not an endorsement, but rather an FYI. So please tune in to Channel Warren, and leave him some 'Welcome to Blogland' love in the comments.