Wellington Watch, 30 weeks

30wks (7.5 months)

Weight gain so far: 23lbs

Extra cool (and ODD) milestone this week:

As of this week, my weight has officially reached what it was before I started Weight Watchers 3 years ago. As odd as it is to see that number on the scale again, I have to admit that I'm proud that it took me becoming seven and a half months pregnant to gain all the weight back. (For the record, I had gained some back before getting pregnant...but that's not the point people!).

Doctor Appointment:

Not much to report here. Wellington's head is still down, wedged between my pelvic bones. He's kicking up a storm, which I love. Doctor isn't concerned about the 'iron' thing, so no more blood tests. She also pointed out that I'm almost at the 'single digit weeks left' mark. The male resident that was with her asked me if I've felt any contractions yet. Excuse me, Sir, but I think it's far too early to be asking me that question. Now, do not mention that word in front of me again, until Wellington is at least 37 weeks along. Thanks.

Symptoms/Feelings/Etc:

1) My eyesight has gone to hell. Some days I wonder if I should even be allowed to drive.

2) I've now entered the waddling stage of pregnancy.

3) I have definitely noticed the decrease in lung capacity. It is embarrassing how quickly I can become breathless, doing almost nothing.

4) The belching. Oh, the belching. Sorry Warren.

Warren story:

I'm not sure if this is truly baby related, but I think it speaks to Warren's nurturing side (or CRAZY side?).

I came home from work yesterday, and as I was walking up the front steps, I glanced down at the corner of the door - something drew my eye there.

Warren: Don't look!

Which of course made me look. Clinging to the corner of the exterior wall, down by the ground by the door, was a little, black, furry mammal of some sort. On the ground just beneath it was a little blue tupperware lid with something on it.

Amanda: What. Is. THAT?

Warren: Ummm...I don't know, but I think it's a bat.

Amanda: A WHAT?!

Warren: I think it's sick, so I'm nursing it back to health.

Amanda: Nursing it back to HEALTH?!

Warren: Ya. I've left it some crumbled up dog food.

Amanda: DOG FOOD?!

This new guest of ours has been named Bruce (aka Bruce Wayne, aka The Batman). We're still not sure what Bruce IS exactly, or what's wrong with him, or what he likes to eat.

Yet more evidence that my husband is truly RIDICULOUS. If Warren comes home to find Bruce dead, laying on his back with his stiff little paws/hands/legs/claws/wings up in the air, I'm pretty sure we'll be having a funeral for him. And in case you're wondering, the answer is yes. Yes, you will all be expected to attend.

(Editor's note: happy to report that since this was written, Bruce has disappeared, or 'flown away' as Warren likes to believe).

5 On Friday: April 24th, 2009

1. There is an add on the bus that cracks me up every time I see it. There is a photo of a woman yelling at a man over his shoulder. The headline reads "Hear Life!". The caption below reads "Because a hearing aid is cheaper than a divorce". Reminds me of my Grandma & Grandpa. Grandma is always 'yelling' at Grandpa, but really it's just because his hearing has gone to hell.

"Peter! PETER! AMANDA is ON THE PHONE! Do you want to SAY HI??!!".

2. I've decided we need a new oven/stove. First, I scorched the bottom of my left arm making pancakes. Then, I scorched the top of my left arm cooking a roast. I blame the oven. It's old and cranky. A new shiny oven wouldn't take out it's anger on me this way, I'm sure of it.

PS - if anyone finds oven mitts that go all the way up to your shoulders, please buy me a pair.

3. I am shocked and amazed at how much recyclable stuff I used to throw away before we got our City of Calgary blue box. I still catch myself going to chuck something, only to realise I can toss it in the giant blue box. I'm excited about the program, but I'm fully expecting City Council to up the cost every year from now until eternity.

4. My mom was really confused by my last 5 on Friday post. She thought Warren & I crank Barbie Girl in the car. So to be CLEAR - we crank Poker Face. There is one line in Poker Face that REMINDS us of Barbie Girl. We are not stuck in the 1990's. I swear. And  mom, you really need to FOCUS when you're reading my blog. This stuff is very complex.

5. Latest gift from my mother-in-law: A pair of red Wellington rain boots! Or 'Wellies' as they're properly called in England.

6. Some exciting changes might happen in the Cronin household in May. My Dad has planted the idea that he will help us renovate the ridiculously out-dated (and moisture damaged) upstairs bathroom...and finally finish the Pub fireplace. Will it happen? He is smokin' busy with work these days, but I have faith that he will have some loyalty to his pregnant daughter, or 'Grampa Guilt' as I like to call it :-)

7. Super cool videos of baby development for anyone who is interested. Only downside is you have to sit through a long Winnie The Pooh movie preview before you can view them...

Wellington Watch, 29 Weeks

29wks (7 months, 1 week)

Weight gain so far: 20.5 lbs

Extra cool milestone this week:

Warren felt the baby move :-) It made me so happy, because anything that lets him in on the experience just brings us closer. He's always asking me 'What does it feel like?', and now he finally has an idea. He felt the full belly 'quiver/tremor' type movements, as well as the more isolated 'kick' type movements. I have to say, I'm really enjoying this stage of pregnancy because I can feel so much movement, and it's not uncomfortable or painful yet. I can still breathe and I don't have an elbow lodged in my rib cage.

Last night I SAW Wellington move. Soft, gentle ripples across my belly. LOVE IT!

Also - Wellington would have a 9 out of 10 chance of survival if he was born this week.

Doctor Appointment:

This week I popped in to get the Rh Negative shot, so that my blood doesn't attack Wellington's blood. My mother in law is RH negative, and when she was pregnant with Warren she had to be hospitalized because they didn't have a shot back then. I'm so lucky to be pregnant in this day & age.

Oh - and I've officially been upgraded to the 'Every 2 weeks' appointment schedule.

Symptoms/Feelings/Etc:

1) Some days my body is just WRECKED by bed time. My feet, legs and lower back just ACHE beyond belief and I feel like I'm 100 years old. I gave Warren the official warning that I've now entered the 'I need a foot rub' stage of pregnancy. And it's not that I need a foot rub to relax or because I'm a diva - it's that the bones and muscles in my feet actually need to be rubbed BACK TO LIFE, otherwise they will die a slow, painful death and fall off.

2) For some reason, my legs & arms have gotten really soft & mushy - more so than usual. Boo! And I can't blame it entirely on lack of exercise, because it's not like I was following a strict regiment of squats and weight lifting before.

3) I have found myself being more irritable lately. So far I'm able to identify those days/moments, and can give Warren fair warning...because it's often things he's doing that irritate me. If he does something klutzy, if he takes a long time to say something really simple, if he's lost something in the house and is rummaging around looking for it, etc. Any of these situations bring out a snarly comment. Like Monday night, when he BBQ'd burgers for us. He came into the kitchen with the cooked patties on a plate and stopped in his tracks and said 'Crap, I forgot the cheese'. I glared at him and said rudely 'I knew you would.' Basically implying that I assume he's a forgetful idiot. Poor guy. I apologized when I realised how awful my comment sounded, but still. The guy just made me a burger! And it's just cheese!

Belly Pics:

Figured it's time for an updated belly pic. This is my 'sassy' top. I call it my 'sassy' top, because it's an animal print...and if you pair anything with hoop earrings, it's instantly sassy, right?

Seeing the photos though, I realise there is nothing sassy about being pregnant. I don’t think I could go clubbin' in this outfit. Is that what the kids call it these days? Clubbin'?

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!