Baby B at 39 weeks

39 weeks!! This was totally amazing. As the technician was taking the measurements, all of a sudden up comes Baby B's face, here it looks a little distorted, but it was yawning & pouting, and looked soo cute! She was amazed we saw anything that clearly too! You could tell the eyelids were closed, and it had this little upturned nose and was sooo pouting...ah the Carson pout makes it to another generation! LOL! Of course you have to be so fast to get the pic and things had shifted before she got to take this one, but I still thought it was really neat!

Chad keeps grabbing his cheeks now and squishing them together saying "Mommy it's squishy in here! I want out!" LOL! I think he's trying to convince the baby, I'm certainly ready! :)

We can't wait to meet you little one!

The Waiting Game

So I'm stuck in the waiting game. What a huge loss of control the last few weeks of pregnancy is! I mean pregnancy itself is just this major transition time, but towards the end when you realize you have absolutly no control of when this baby may decide to show up....wow, that is loss of control! I mean whether I'm driving Chad in to work in the morning, washing dishes, going for a walk, having people in, doing the regular typing for work...I never know, could this be the day? Sometimes I wonder if Baby B is ever going to come, then I think, oh my gosh we're going to have a baby and be PARENTS! We can't be parents! We're not mature enough to be parents (everyone assures me we're definilty old enough, so I guess it's the maturity issue that is bigger!) We're too selfish to be parents! Is it a boy? is it a girl? It he or she healthy? Will he or she be happy? So much not knowing! It's freaky, but it's exciting! You're not sure you can do it, yet you're ready--bring it on!

So what do we do with all this going on swirling around inside our minds? we wait...we wait because the nursery is ready, the house is clean, the bags are packed and waiting at the door, 78 servings of food are frozen and waiting in the freezer, grandparents are waiting for the phone to ring...we wait knowing that we have no control over when our lives are going to suddenly and unimaginably take this drastic and dramatic change forever.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was just what the doctor ordered for me! Honestly I was getting really close to the end of myself. People don't realize that attending church all day on Sunday, and running into people we know everywhere we go in Fredericton day in and day out and having them rub the belly, feel the belly, ask the same questions, comment on how massive you are, everyone needing a piece of you, it can really REALLY get to a person. Why anyone would ever think it was a good idea to ever comment on how "HUGE" a person was, pregnant or non, I really have no clue but for some reason pregnancy gives people amazing allowances in their minds for being rude! I've really thought about writing a book, maybe a handbook for pregnant women to give out "Things not to say to Pregnant Women". I recognize that I probably get more of it than maybe the average pregnant lady because we know so many people, but REALLY, it's a bit much! Could make the best person seriously contemplate hermithood!

So like I was saying, Thanksgiving couldn't come quick enough. Chad has been so busy with work, it seems he really hasn't stopped since the Easter rush began last year, that he was able to take 2 extra days. So Thursday we went to our doctors appointment and did a few errands in town before heading out to Moncton. Arriving in Moncton we did a little shopping and I got some pj's for the hospital and then we met Mom & Dad for supper at Heinz's Restaurant (where they make GREAT milkshakes!). Mom was very excited because for a week she'd been teasing me with some suprise she had for me. But of course she made me wait until after supper, we drove all the way to Elgin and got home!

She & Dad had bought me an early birthday/just because gift. She'd been concerned as the weather was getting colder that I was going to freeze as most of my clothes don't fit so well right now (for some reason ;)) Anyway, they bought me this gorgeous coat/cape thing. It isn't necesarily a maternity coat, but because of the way it is made I can wear it now and after Baby B is born. I LOVE it! It's neat and different and I was due a dressier coat anyway.

Friday we slept in. In the mountains of Elgin, it is so quiet, and there is little to do, so we slept, much needed sleep too! When I finally did get up I had a long bath in Mom and Dad's jacuzzi tub. I've got to say there is something wonderful about not having to squash yourself into a regular small tub when you're 9 months pregnant! I stayed in at least until my fingers and toes were wrinkly! Then Chad & I drove down to the Elgin country Store where we had a nice lunch and were the talk of the town --who are they? LOL! Fun! I got my hair trimmed up by the local hairdresser and then we went home and I took a nap! Pretty exciting eh! It was wonderful! We made some supper, watched a little t.v. and hit the sac. Wonderfully uneventful.

Saturday we woke up a tad earlier and Dad & Chad went down to the Elgin country breakfast--LOL! They had quite the massive feed! Mom started her thanksgiving cooking. Pies, turkey, coleslaw, pickles, rolls---gosh I don't even know where to begin. Mostly I just watched, Mom's got a method in the kitchen! When Chad & Dad got home from breakfast they both took a nap, I guess all that eating exhausted them! :) I never see Chad sleep like he does in Elgin, it always makes me a little nervous thinking something is wrong with him or something. He slept for over 2 hours! I think he must play catch up for the rest of the year when we go up there! After supper we went over to April & Trevor's to check out the log cabin they made-it is really really cool, what a ton of work!

Sunday we went in to the Elgin Church for service. It was nice for a different Sunday flavor, but I do love ours! In the afternoon Mom continued her cooking craze and my Uncle Merle came over to visit, I hadn't seen him in quite a while. Adam, Angela & Kaitlyn arrived, then April & Trevor (unfortunatly Trevor got a migrane and was really sick) and we headed down for our Thanksgiving tradition before supper. This involves a little bit of hiking, but nothing was keeping me back from being a part of it, hard to believe that next year Baby B will be nearly 1 and coming along too! Anyway, I think I overdid it a bit because I ached so uncomfortable that evening I could hardly enjoy thanksgiving dinner. I did find out the benefits of heating pads though---ahhhhh, heat! We're bringing that along to labour & delivery.

Monday we got up and played with Kaitlyn, who is such a doll and took our time getting on the road after hot turkey sandwhiches, honestly one of my favorite things about turkey dinner! 5 days away was just what the doctor ordered! We took the longer drive home along the river and stopped off at the Big Potatoe and bought some cookies-- we were hunting or cucumbers. Came home and Chad was so rested he cleaned out the shed! I even came back feeling somewhat close to sanity. Nothing like hiding out in the mountains where cell phones don't work, and there is nothing to do but listen to the quiet to replenish a girls soul!

Baby B's Room

Baby B's Room Complete!

Last night after Chad got off from work we headed up to Houlton to pay on the bill, and pick up the rest of the items we'd purchased for the Baby's nursery. Well actually we were able to pick up those items because the people at the church were so generous at our Baby shower. I was so excited to get it home and set up!

It was 10:00pm by the time we got home, we'd stopped for supper and to get cheepo US of A turkeys too, but we took at it. Well actually I think Chad thought we were just going to do the easy things and not the things that took assembly & drills (well he probably figured we were going to do everything, but was hoping I'd let him go to bed) but of course that was not the case. I did pout a tiny weeny bit (I honestly think he wanted to see it all together too) and we stuck it out till midnight putting the finishing touches on the baby's room.

I LOVE IT!! it is so cute! I will take some pictures later and be sure to post them! It was so weird! as soon as we put the mattress in the crib it was like I suddenly realized we were going to be putting a baby in there! Going to pack the bags for the hospital tonight, just in case Baby B decides to make an early visit, and we're as set as we're going to be!

Playing Aunt Heidi

Well I've now officially graduated on the scale of coolness! LOL! Sharon informed me yesturday that my gorgeous niece Savanna was supposed to be having her nap (but really didn't want one) after playing for quite sometime in her room (keep in mind she's just 2) she came out with a her stuffed rabbit under her shirt. When Sharon asked her what she was doing she said she was "playing Aunt Heidi". LOL! She's 2!!! Anyway, Sharon didn't make a big deal of it or anthing and Savanna carried on "Playing aunt Heidi" for a good bit before she got tired of it I guess. I think that is too cute! Ah if it were only that simple! I wonder if she thinks I have a bunny, or a baby in my belly! Here's for hoping it's a baby! :)

34 weeks pregnant

Prenatal #4: We graduated!

Well we've officially graduated, certificate and everything, from prenatal, I guess that means we're going to be perfect parents now right? I'm trying to remember what we learned, or even what interesting things happened at prenatal this week, but honestly it's all basically a haze. You see I started with horrific allergies! You know the kind that takes over your entire body! It hit me the middle of the night/morning Thursday and just progressivly got worse throughout the day. By prenatal time I was miserable! My doctor suggested saline nasal spray and benedryl, but I only remembered he recommended benedryl for bedtime after I took 2 just before prenatal. Can you say drouzy? Man it was rought stuff! I had a really really hard time staying awake. I think we learned how to bath the baby...yeah that sounds familiar...we watched a movie...was that about.....maybe bonding to the baby after it's been born....I'm sure there was more....

Anyway, Chad and I talked over the highlights of prenatal and I think we'd have to say the Peepee teepee (and I guess you can buy them at A Room to Remember downtown) and paranoia girl....man she was nuts! "You know there is a 1 in 1 millionth chance your baby could get......fill in the blank", or the best was "no no it's really cheap online. In Canada it would cost $300 but I got online for $200, and this was the case for every possible gadget you could buy, you can bet she purchased it. Chad & I realized we really were a gadget-less family at this point... oh well.

Well hubby's home from a photoshoot and I'm too nosey not to go check out his pics right away...and I believe he brought me home an icecream treat--yeah Chad!

¢ hange for Change

Smythe Street Choir is teaming up with the Fredericton Community Health Clinic for Change. The Community Health Clinic is operated by the faculty of nursing in downtown Fredericton providing essential educational experiences in primary health care for nursing students as well as meeting the health care needs of the homeless, people struggling with addictions, living in poverty, new immigrants and other marginalized people.

The clinic serves approximately 450 persons a year; more than 50 individuals per day of the year receive at least one health service. Some of the services offered are TB screening, HIV & Diabetes, blood pressure monitoring, complete medical histories & physicals, dressing changes, medication administration, injections: flu, tetanus & B12 shots, mental health & lifestyle counseling, methadone treatment programs, nutrition enhancement as well as basic hygiene care: showers & laundry services. Personnel at the clinic also refer people to the city’s emergency shelters, the Community Kitchen, the YMCA, John Howard Society and many other community agencies.

Smythe Street Choir is renowned in Fredericton for its quality performances, innovative musical arrangements and broad musical repertoire, ranging from traditional hymns to R&B and Jazz. SSC is a dynamic, 30 voice Gospel choir under the direction of Jill Kozak, enhancing weekly worship services as well as engaging in many community events. This year the Community Health Clinic lost its governmental funding and the Smythe Street Choir would like to help.

Smythe Street Choirs’ second recording project entitled Change is an upbeat, hope filled album. Choir driven, this Jazz & Blues album features the smooth sounds of the legendary Mr. Bucky Adams on the tenor sax as well as many talented local vocal favourites such as Christine Crain, Sheldon Gordon, Evangeline Inman, Conrad Mead and Jacqueline Vaillancourt. The CD launch is set for September 30th at 6pm at Smythe Street Cathedral and The SS Choir promises a fabulous concert free of charge but accepting monetary donations and Superstore gift cards as admission for presentation to the Community Health Clinic. (audio clips from the CD can be heard at http://www.ssc-creativearts.com/Special-Events.html )

Come and join us for a great concert while making a tangible difference in our community. For more information on the Community Health Clinic check out: http://www.unbf.ca/nursing/chc/index.html.
Community Health Clinic 275 Brunswick St. Fredericton, NB E3B 1G8
Phone: (506) 452-6383 Fax: (506) 452-6038

SSC's 25th Anniversary: What a weekend!

What a weekend! Smythe Street Cathedral celebrated 25 years in the building on Smythe Street this past weekend. What a fun, and exhausting time! Saturday night we had a great (allbeit LONG) evening of remembering where SSC came from. Pastor Mart Vahi returned from Estonia to reflect on his days bringing SSC up the hill from Argyle Street, there were newspaper articles and pictures from tent days and baptisms in the frozen river. The present day choir sang a few songs, the old Argyle Street hymn circle sang a few songs (how I loved those ones as they were what I grew up in Moncton on as well). And Pastor Mart closed the evening off with a talk on Success, Vision and Fullfillment.

I must admit that sitting the majority of 3 hours in a pew is not such a great idea for an 8 month pregnant lady like myself, but I couldn't help but see the and feel the awesomeness of the evening as well.

Sunday morning dawned early but with lots of excitement as Pastor Verner had been preparing his Vision casting for the next 10 years sermon. Never have I seen service go so long (25 minutes overtime the 11am service was starting to file in before we'd finished the 9am service) but what a powerful time and exciting time for our church as well. As Pastor Verner committed to the next ten years of values and focus areas for our church, it was hard not to get caught up in the vision and imagine where 10 years will take SSC. You can listen to the podcast at http://www.smythestreetcathedral.com, it's good stuff.

Sunday afternoon we had the priviledge of going down to the Lord Beaverbrook Hotel for a reception for all those people who made the journey up the hill from Argyle Street to Smythe Street 25 years ago and remained with us. It was quite something to see the 40+ people who had stuck it out through some very difficult times with the church. SSC gave each one a silver sailboat for their 25 years of service, it was really neat.

Sunday night was the big finale, and what fun family time it was. We started off at 6pm with a bbq and potluck which is always a fun time as a church family. Then we moved into the sanctuary for a worship time and testimonies. I was so moved during the worship time as families and individulats brought their cards filled with their hopes, dreams and faith in God to the front and put them in the time capsule. It was one of those moments that just sort of happened, but this was worship, more than the song service, this was worship...it was beautiful! Pastor Verner and Pastor Wayne shared how SSC had been a place of healing for them and their families during really difficult times, Brad Gunn also got up and talked about his transition back into church life and finding a home at SSC, and Bill & Liz Kent got up and talked about their journey to God and finding a place at SSC. It was exciting to imagine in 10 years when we crack open that time capsule what other stories we'll hear of people who have found God.

Chad had all the children come up on the stage and he asked them what they liked about our church and then asked them for help singing Happy Birthday to Pastor Verner. They wheeled down a big cake for him and he blew out the candles. As much fun as having all the kids sing to him was, I can imagine that there was no better way for Pastor Verner to spend his birthday weekend, then in remembering and seeing how God has used his life and ministry to affect so may others.

Then we all piled out into the foyer where they cemented the time capsule into the display case, and had a massive balloon drop with little scriptures printed on small paper inside each one. This was so much fun! Seeing families gather together, hold hands and children and pray for the next 10 years of their lives. It is hard to believe, but in 10 years we'll have a child nearly 10 years old! I'll be 37, Chad will be 41....wow....definilty hard to believe!

We cut the cake and called it a night, well called it a weekend actually! and what a great weekend it was!

Prenatal #3 & the Pee Pee Tee Pee

Prenatal week #3 has come and gone. I must admit this week was a lot harder on the head, post partum depression. I mean of course it's important to imform us, but it certainly wasn't easy to take in. I mean you spend so much time thinking, praying and hoping for your baby, imaining what it will be like to hold him or her, hear them laugh and giggle, watch them smile, and then to be faced with this horrible unattachement, it must be absolutly horrible!

We did a lighter activity after watching the video on post partum depression, thankfully. The guys went in one room and the girls were in another. The girls went through a "day in the life of.." and figured out prengnant how many hours we spent doing what. We came up with a grand total of at least 30 hours of activity in a 24 hour span of time... no wonder we're tired! We did managed to calculate a grand total of aproximatly 30 minutes peeing time in the run of a day--that's a lot of pee! Anyway, the boys spent their time putting together a list of things they could help with when the baby comes, funny funny boys! In the end I think the point was to realize we needed to work together and put restrictions and boundries up at least after the baby was born. The nurse was great with some suggestions for limiting visitors (keeping a housecoat by the door if someone drops by to help look distraught), taking a "babymoon" with your husband and not answering the phone or door for the first few weeks, leaving a message on the answering maching, we're spending time getting to know our new family, we'll return you calls in 2 weeks :), and the best I thought, was a bowl of chores written out on little pieces of paper, and if someone wants to come visit the baby they have to first complete one of the chores, do the dishes, clean the bathroom, start a load of laundry....sounds good to me! LOL!

We did learn one really fun little thing though, there is a new contraption called a "pee pee tee pee" LOL! It's for little boys, a little hood to put over them when you're changing his diaper so he doesn't spray the room down! LOL! We're going to have to try and find these and give them out as hilarious shower gifts wherever we go now! Ahh the things you learn!

Next week is the last week of prenatal and we graduate, certified great parents I'm sure! It's hard to believe that it won't be long and Baby B could be showing up on our doorstep any day!

Breastfeeding Clinic

Wednesday night we attended the Breast feeding clinic at put on the by the hospital and I must say it was really really great! Chad & I were both really impressed at how informative it was, and also the instructor, Pam, was really laid back and great! We wanted her phone number for those emergency calls after the baby arrives!

We couldn't get over all the crazy great benefits breast milk gives babies, everything for great immune systems to better bowels, higher iq's, and blueberry flavored milk! :) Of course they say that the first 6 weeks can be really difficult while Mom & baby are trying to figure themselves out, but the benefits seem great! We learned amazing things like how if the baby is sick or difficient in some way, somehow it signals the Mom's breast milk to create more of whatever the baby needs (seems so like God to me, and unexplainable! even the nurse said they couldn't quite figure out how this happens yet) We also learned that if you pump too early in the process you can actually train yourself to pump up to 7x more than what your baby needs--yikes! Pretty neat!

Anyway, we were impressed with the class, found it really encouraging, informative, and like "we can do this thing!" All with the exception of course to the rather disturbing video of Mom's breastfeeding, lets just say the video of the first Mom would scare me away from nipples for a lifetime--yikes! that's a mental picture!

Our 1st Date Anniversary

Yup, Chad & I have been"together" for 3 years Sept. 17th....just three years ago he decided to give me a call and ask if I was busy that night or not... and there it began. What a full 3 years! We met the first, married the second, and now Baby B is on the way for year 3! Chad was sweet picking me up flowers on the way home and then we went to the Back 9 for supper. Neither of us had been there before and it was really nice!

We started off splitting sweet potatoe humas which was good but really really sweet. I think Chad was right when he said it would be the right thing to split with another couple, just giving you a taste but not so sweet you didn't want anymore. I think I'm a bit traditional with my hummas palate as well. Then we split a really really great Chicken Ceasar Salad, it WAS really good having just the right amount of everything, including sauce, I would definilty get that again. Then to finish off we split this great pasta dish with peppers and cream sauce....oh yum, again really good! The atmosphere (at least on Monday night) was really great, quiet, nice lighting and neat decor. I think probably it wouldn't be that way if there was a big game on or something with all the t.v,'s but it was perfect for us!

We managed to take a walk over to try some Bubble tea. Chad had some out west and thought it was great so he wanted me to try it. He said it wasn't as good as the one he'd had out west, it was ok in my opinion but I neat thing to try regardless. We went for a little walk along our beautiful river and headed for home. A perfect evening, and considering the crazy schedule we've been running lately-- a much much needed time to ourselves!

The Garganteous Baby Shower

We had our church shower Saturday, and there really aren't words to express it other than crazy, overwhellming...over the top....

It was fun which was the prerequisite for me, none of these boring baby showers! Anyway, there were over 100 people show up, coming and going at different times. We started the "show" off with Pictionary boys against girls, this was absolutely hilarious with the girls winning of course, but I must admit the boys drawings were really really...interesting.

Then the girls showed off by winning the diaper races. In pairs we had to diaper a doll each with one had behind the back. Again, it was fun and people were really into it, so that was cool!

Then came the gift marathon, and honestly it was really just way too much to soak in! I mean sometimes a person says that but this time it was really true. The mounds and mounds of gifts, the tons of people...I was exhausted and about halfway through I just couldn't really do it anymore. Chad kind of took over and I did more watching at that point. Our families and the real keeners stayed till the end, 5pm, when we finally finished working through them all. Mom came up to me after and mentioned I looked exhausted. I told her I thought "I just needed to go home and have a good" and before I could say "cry" the tears started. Too much.

Thanks to Grampy's van we got all of the loot home and in the livingroom, and within an hour of being in my own home with my family I was feeling good again. But wow, what a mound of stuff. Chad & Adam (my brother in law) put the crib & dresser together which was really exciting, and Kaitlyn and Dad kept us entertained in ways that only they can do.

It was late when everyone packed it up to head for Moncton but the nursery was nearly together, well at least the big furniture, the mounds of gifts were still in the livingroom in piles, but the nursery was starting to take shape. As I watched my family pull out of the driveway, from our doorway, my heart swelled, honestly with all of the love and kindness of all the church folks, what meant the most to me, was having my family around me, in my home, in my life here in Freddy, how I miss not having them here sharing my regular living, what a treat for me!

Harvest Jazz & Blues

Well we had our concert, opening for the Lee boys at the Harvest Jazz & Blues festival last Friday night and I must say it was tons of fun! Honestly I haven't had that much fun in awhile! Of course there were a few moments where things didn't go quite like we would have liked, but that's how it goes right! Regardless we had a blast and nearly sold out with just 42 tickets to sell that night! I even think we were better than the Lee boys, at least I'm pretty sure we had more fun then they did!

It was a special treat for me because Mom & Dad came up to spend the night with us, and to hear the choir sing. I can't endorse our new CD "Change" enough, I think it's a great one! If you haven't heard it, come on out to our CD launch, free admission with a cash or gift card donation for the Superstore to help out the UNB clinic downtown, September 30th at 6pm at SSC!

Dad was hungry and I was a bit myself after the show so we took off for the Diplomat for a VERY late supper. Yum as usual, and then home and in bed by 1am for the big day, Saturday's baby shower!

At 5:30 AM this morning

Guess what I was doing at 5:30am today? Getting out of bed! Gross eh! Actually it was around time for my 3rd visit to the bathroom anyway so it wasn't so bad. We had to leave the house at 6:15 to be at the Mojo Tent for the CBC's Harvest Jazz & Blues Breakfast. They were charging $5 for a nice looking breakfast and 2nd Cup Coffee and admission into the tent which was full of great music like the SSC Choir!

It was COLD!!! We were on stage and singing at 7:15am, and I think it went great! I mean I have no idea what the mix sounded like on the radio, and honestly it is a little hard to believe that singing at 7am can be fun, but it really was! The people seemed to enjoy us! I'm just hoping they come out to the Playhouse for our show tonight! THAT will be a blast! I'm so excited my Mom & Dad are coming out!

Prenatal #2

Last night we had our 2nd Prenatal visit. This week we learned about different pain medication available during labour and C-births. All I can say is I really don't want one, but I knew that before the class. I was really suprised when we were learning about the different medications that an Epideral is actually the best pain relief option in regards to safety to the baby and relief. I was suprised. For some reason I always thought pain relief yes, but it must be bad for the baby. But compared to fentenal and demoral it's actually better because it's not a narcotic. The laughing gas is of course an option, and you can self minister it as you need it in small doses and it doesn't do any harm to the baby either. Our nurse WAS quick to point out that the nurses will be monitoring all the doses of narcotics and if need be they have a medication they can give the baby when it is born that will quickly reverse any effects of the narcotics on the baby.

We also saw the instrument they use to induce labour. Lets just say our! that looked nasty! basically it looks the equivilent of a long sewing needle! and then she told us about "scrapping the membranes", 'cuse that sounds nice! Or sometimes you can go in and the doctor will give you medication and try to turn the baby, when she mentioned medication I immediatly got the worst possible image in my mind of a doctor going up inside of you and trying to turn the baby. She quickly laughed (as did everyone else) and assured me that if they try and turn the baby it is from the outside! that was scary for a minute!

All in all a helpful, information wise, evening, especially the stuff about the different pain medication. I still have to wonder on the drive home though it it wouldn't be easier to just not know....which is funny for me because I usually like to have all the inside information....I continue to have myself psyched that I can totally do this thing! Last night I had a dream that we had the most adorable little boy, with these thin little elf ears! :) I'm so anxious to meet this little person...who is Baby Billington?

The Hospital Tour

Chad & I had the hospital tour of Labor & Delivery tonight. It was pretty neat, and informative too. Much easier on the head than the video we watched and the dialation chart we saw at prenatal last week!

We got to see one of the rooms we'll likely have the baby in. Kinda neat I guess, looks like a hospital room. It's weird, you actually have to be buzzed in to the labor & delivery section. We got to see the t.v. and reading area where a lady was attempting to watch t.v. and ignore her discomfort, and the shower area (but we didn't get to see the jacuzzi area, it was in a different spot). We found out where there is lots of ice, and where they keep the popsicles (all important!).

A man & his wife came in to deliver their baby and he saw Chad and stopped, pointed at "the bag" and mouthed the words, "Don't forget the bag!" to Chad. Sounds like they had a bit of a situation on their hands! LOL!

We also saw the nursery and learned about private rooms, vs. semi-private and ward. We saw where they do circumcisions and the breast feeding clinic.

We also walked by a room with a really really old lady sleeping in the bed and we were all a little alarmed at the possible fertility miricle before our eyes, but we were quickly informed that women with reproductive surgeries etc. were also kept in that area of the hospital sometimes.

So all in all a productive hour, if only our hunt for a not so expensive blind for our oddly deminensioned baby's room window was half as productive!

The Baby Border

Tonight we had "Uncle" Doug, and "Great" Grammie B in for supper and they helped us put up the border in the baby's room. I was pretty much devestated that Chad had left the camera at the church today, so I was unable to take a picture, I've been trying to catelogue the process and all those who have helped us get ready... so we are left only with words and memories.

We had fun and it only took a little more than an hour! and it is SOOOOOOooooooo cute! I absolutly love it! And Chad is getting more excited about it too which makes it more fun! So another step in the process completed. We'll rehang the valance tomorrow, and hopefully I'll find a blind I like and get to hang that as well. Then after our shower on Saturday we'll be clear sailing for putting the finishing touches on the room. Then we just wait, for Baby B to arrive! Man how I wish he or she would get whatever it is he or she has stuck in my left rib OUT!

Our First Baby Shower

My Aunt Sue threw a family Baby shower for us this past Saturday just outside of Moncton. It was stiffling hot! In the pictures I look even more bloated than normal! Despite that though we had a good time and got some really adorable things for Baby B. and lots of yellow! I love baby's in yellow!

Some highlight gifts were definitly the blanket my Mom made for the baby. It is beautiful and unique and perfect if it's really cold, or you have to lay the baby down on a floor somewhere 'cuse it's thick too, or wrap it up toasty. It's one of those inverted quilt things where the ends are all snipped on the outside, but made with flannel. It's great, and it smells wonderful! I can't wait to wrap little Baby B in it and tell him or her how much his or her Grammie in Elgin loves him or her-- a like a warm hug from Grammie!

Another favorite was the most beautiful bonnet, sweater and booties my Nannie made for the baby. It is a cream colour and so gorgeous I can't wait to put it on the baby. It really is so beautiful and will be picture perfect...and so soft! Of course it was made with love from my Nannie so it is even more special. It is one of those pieces that will be kept lovingly forever!

My sister Angela, Adam & Kaitlyn gave us a neat basket from the heart with things that Angela found worked great with Kaitlyn. There was bedtime bath and lotion, a little bear blanket, some bum cream and 2 CD's of lullabys. Do you detect a theme?

My other sister April, & Trevor gave us a hilarious book called the Baby Owner's Manuel! I guess we won't be able to give this baby the excuse that he or she didn't come with a manuel! it is set up in a way that the baby is like a piece of equipment or something....really too hilarious! And a handful of cute bibs.

I obviously can't get into describing each item, but those were some definite favorites! One more shower next week at the church, and then we'll finish tackling the baby's room and getting everything all set up for the big day when we can bring this little one home!

Our First Prenatal Visit

Well Chad & I had our first prenatal meeting this past thursday. It was a little aqward walking in, well for me anyway, Chad loves new people situations, me not so much. So we arrived and Chad did offer me the comfy chair (they have it comfy, not so comfy chair, comfy not so comfy around the room) but I quickly lost it when everyone was asked to move down and somehow we got shuffled out of the good seats, or another couple was taking two or something.

First the VON told us a bit of ourself, and everyone was really quiet and strange. Then she got us to do an icebreaker game and I must admit it looked bad for awhile, but people warmed up and had fun. Chad of course knew two people in the class from before, and he was right in his element cracking jokes until they brought out the dialation chart. Yup, they have this massive chart showing the progression of your cervix as it dialates to 10 centimeters. They actually only go to 8 centimeters on the chart, we think because 10 is just too distressing to see!

Then we were all given a card with a question and answer on it which we were to go around the room and read aloud. Chad got the question about dealing with hemoroids, and I got the question about sex...figures. Chad thought he had the best question! LOL!

After that we had a break to stretch our legs and came back to.....hear the ominious, forboding music climaxing in the background.....THE VIDEO. Yup, they showed us a birth. It was pretty messed up to watch actually. Chad kept patting my knee and looking at me nervously. I was shocked. I mean I thought it would be push, out comes the head, push out comes the shoulders, push out comes the baby, but THIS BABY! it's head was stuck outside of the mom's body for ages as she worked to try and push the sholders out. So there it is, the Mom's belly and the baby's head sticking out for eons!

The VON nurse did a deep breathing relaxing technique thing with us, did Chad ever take the breathing seriously! I think you could have heard his deep breathing from across the room! and we called it a night. Next week we learn about different pain medication etc.

We got in the car and Chad asked me, what I thought of THAT, and I pretty much said, I was pretty sure I didnt want to do it. He said yeah he could see that! LOL! All along I've had myself pretty psyched thinking I can do this thing...the video and the cervix chart....didn't help so much!

I did learn one important thing though. They say you shouldn't drink Green tea 'cuse it can bring on contractions, so I figure middle of October you should be able to find me, hanging out at Tim Hortons with a new found appreciation for the tea, and smelling of grass!

My Award Winning Photographer Husband (among other things)

I'm sooooo proud of Chad! He's been trying to get a bit of a photography side buisness off and running and in trying to get his name out there decided to put a few submissions in at the Fredericton Exhibition this week.

Well he came in first place for one of them and it happened to be in Portraits, which is where his interests lie anyway. It is a beautiful pic (antique style pic of an adorable little girl on a rocking horse) and I would have been suprised if he hadn't won something on it, but we were both really happy he won first!

You can see the pic, and a few other highlighted ones he's taken at http://www.chadbillington.com, along with some of his rates, check it out! And if you need to have some pics taken of your family, a friends' wedding or your own, or a special event, contact him! He's fun and his prices are crazy reasonable, not to mention he takes some great pictures!

Just being stupid

Today Chad & I headed off to Houlton to pay that blasted bill of ours! But I was actually excited because we were picking up the rest of the Baby's wall boarder and some presents we had bought in the states. We started off at the market (which is always a good idea on a Saturday morning) and was it ever packed out! We did stand in line for the samosa's this time around, because I'd been craving veggie samosa's for weeks! Unfortunatly the vender I prefered to get the veggie ones from is no longer there. :( Chad also tried the kettle corn (which is realitivly new to the market) and it is really really good!

So we headed out, did some shopping and hoping for a rocker at Mardens and Walmart but no such luck this time around, so we came home and took a NAP. My how I LOVE naps now that I'm pregnant. Of course my nap would be better qualified as a sleep, but it was still great. And I woke up happy to be alive. That's one thing I've found about pregnancy,I really need my sleep and food when I'm hungry. If I skip out on either, I get really really down and just don't even want to exist! Chad has picked up on this as well and he is quite accomodating in trying to ensure neither of these things happen. Also, if I'm in one of these slumps, he's usually the first to suggest and remind me that I probably need some food or a nap-- good ol' hubby of mine!

Anyway, after the nap, Chad & I had decided for our long weekend festivities we were going to splurge and get some good steak (non of this marinate-drowning and simmering stuff) and corn on the cob (cuse I've been longing for this for weeks now!). And I must say it was one of the finest meals we've had in a long time. Both of us were groaning and moaning our way through this one! YUM!

After supper Chad returned to his sermon for tomorrow, and I remembered there was this shelf on sale at Walmart this week and if I wanted it I had to get it tonight. So I headed over. Of course, being the last day of the sale, they were all gone, but I got this brain wave that I would drive over to the new Walmart on the Northside and see if there was one over there, because of course there are less students over there sucking up all the shelves! So I headed over, feeling kinda smart. I got on to Brookside Drive, and suddenly I was ENTIRELY confused! I could see Sobeys and Zellers, even that Roxy place, but no Walmart. I'd been over to this new Walmart one other time and I knew it was here...so I drove around slowly...still no Walmart. So I start to panic a bit. My cell phone was dead so I'd left it at home so I couldn't call Chad....and I was starting to wonder if I was having one of those pregnant moments, and maybe I shouldn't even be driving! Feeling really confused and weird I headed for home, but the entire time before I got to the bridge I kept thinking I was missing something and I should turn around. There was no exit for anywhere other than that Pizza Delight, and then Brookside Drive coming back over, so again I thought I was having a Harry Potter moment, and maybe the Walmart had just disappeared.

Anyway, I got home in one piece, and Chad came out to help me with the shelf that I hadn't picked up, and I explained to him how strange an experience I'd had (I was on the verge of tears, feeling stupid and wondering what was going on, and feeling like I was missing something). Of course he filled me in that, you can only get to the "special" street the Walmart is on, going towards Brookside Drive, but it is before that. He tried to acknowledge my feelings by saying that must be frustrating, and he tried to make me feel better explaining how you could only see the exit from one side and that I'd only ever been there one other time in the dark...but I remain feeling stupid and a touch frustrated. So I crawled in my pj's and poured myself some nice hotchocolate to soothe myself, but everytime I took a sip I would start this coughing, gagging fit! hands raised for women who know coughing fits and nearly 8 months pregnant don't go so well together! anyway, lets just say I think it's about time I call it a day and take my sorry self to bed!

There was a day, I even remember it, when I considered myself a rather intelligent being!

A Road Trip

Betty Anne, Shelley & I took off Sunday after church for St. Andrews. ROAD TRIP!!! Of course the trip started off with Shelley driving Betty Anne's new standard car, so just as I was about to down a great gulp of water from my Nalgene, she decides to shift gears and I'm suddenly SOAKED- thanks Shelley!

Anyway the drive was nice, we talked like we haven't talked in years, and honestly it feels like it must have been at least that long since we all just sat down and jabbered outside of church activities! You know what one of the things I absolutly love about sitting down with a handful of women for the afternoon (or at least the women I love to hang out with), we don't waste our time talking about trivial things, but dive into trying to solve the worlds problems! :)

We arrived mid afternoon to Kingsbrea Gardens, a gorgeous place!

This is picture of the lily, unopened is one of my most favorite pictures! Doesn't it just remind you of people and potential beauty; haven't we all met people like this? haven't we all felt like this? Afraid to open up and expose ourselves, yet in remaining closed to the world we withold the deepest, most beautiful parts. I love this picture and I'm so glad I got it!

It was rather hilarious as we took off through the gardens. Betty Anne & I drawn by our eyes "oh look that's pretty!" and Shelley keeping her eyes focused on the map, making sure we saw everything and trying to keep us on track! How exhausted she must have been! LOL! Of course Betty Anne & I just laughed at her mulling through the map, trying to reorientate herself, and consequently trying to get "US" back on track. So we continued to laugh "ooooo isn't that pretty!"

There were some really neat things to see, including water fountains, fruit trees, billy goats and peacocks, not to mention tons of SUNFLOWER (a personal favorite), and just a gorgeous array of flowers!

I would love to go earlier in the season another year and see things different again I'm sure! That's the great thing about gardens, really well kept ones always have something different and beautiful to offer each time you go see them!

And to sum the whole garden experience up, Betty Anne said it best. We stopped at the end of the MAP (yes the map Shelley!) at the cafe and restaurant for a cool drink and as Betty Anne told our waitress "A round of cookies for all!"

When the garden closed we headed downtown to mull about the shops, forgetting that it was Sunday and most of the shops closed by 5pm. So we wandered around a little bit and then went to my favorite place for dinner (well ok, maybe the only place I've ever been in St. Andrews for dinner, but it's my favorite non the less). It's this little place, you walk through this garden path to the back of the house, and sit out on the water, and WOW did we ever get a sunset! It just kept getting better and better and better! 4 times I got up from our table and sat down next to the rail to take pictures. I wish I could show you them all here, but I'll show you the best one. The colours just kept getting better and better! Definitly the highlight sunset of the summer!

Anyway, all said it was an absolutly GREAT day (one we've been planning for 2 years mind you!) although a late night coming back!

Grammie & Grampy Billington's 60th Anniversary Party

Saturday, Sept 25th, as many of the family were in town, the Billington clan got together to celebrate Grammie & Grampy Billington's 60th Anniversary. It was SUCH a hot day! What a shocker! Chad & I had enjoyed having Doug & Melanie & Nannie Whitaker stay with us throughout the week, but it was really great to get together with everyone for the afternoon and celebrate 60 years of marriage.

Wow, I can't imagine what marriage looks like after 60 years together! Matter of fact, the chances aren't great Chad & I will even know 60 years together. He was 29 when we got married, so that would put him at 89, and I was 25, putting me at 85. We might make it that long, maybe longer if we're lucky!

Chad's Grammie also found the infamous Noah & the Ark tape that Chad had memorized as a little boy. It was quite a treat for Chad to be suprised by it! Something tells me our little Baby Billington will likely hear it a couple of times! :)

Savanna's 2nd Birthday

Savanna's 2nd birthday has come and gone. Poor little tyke woke up puking her guts out the day of her party, but thankfully she was feeling better by the evening for her big do, although she seemed a little more subdued than usual. What a spread of food! of course! There were mounds of food not to mention birthday cupcakes (so cute on that cupcake tower!) and birthday icecream cake--yum!

She was so funny opening her gifts. She got right down to it. Opening each one and moving on quite quickly, getting the job done! LOL! We had struggled trying to decide what to get her, but she absolutly loved the container of artistic supplies we got her. I'm glad, I actually wanted one myself I thought it was so cool! :) Then, after she'd opened up all her presents, she was such a doll and went back over each thing, getting so excited as if she was seeing each thing for the first time!

Hard to believe both our girls are two already! I wonder how fast it will all seem to go once we have our own little ones....actually I think I prefer not to think about that, as I sit here with Baby Billington kicking along inside of me and wondering what he or she will look like and be like!

Baby Billington's Bedroom

Well Chad & I tackled the baby's bedroom last week, painting it this lovely yellow. Well, ok I thought it was lovely on the colour swatch, it matched nicely with the boarder we got for the baby's room so I thought surely it would be great on the walls.

Lets just say that the first coat was horrific! I wanted to cry! The greyish colour underneath was coming through and Chad & I both realized just the extent of novices we really were at painting. I called Mom before the second coat went on, looking for moral support. Of course she gave it to us, telling us it would look much better with a second coat. Still we were skeptical. The second coat did look a lot better, but wow was it bright! it actually reminded me of a cool lemonade colour...and I still wondered if I would be able to bring the baby home to THAT! Poor poor baby. We thought maybe a few days would help it wear on us. Not so. Everytime we walked down the hallway it was like a slap in the face! Keeping in mind the rest of our house is done in earth tones you'll understand a bit of how crazy bright this was.

Well we decided to try to warm it up. I still wanted yellow, but not that cold bright yellow!-- yikes! So last night Chad & Doug (have I mentioned yet Doug is home from Europe? It is always great to have him around to help me tease Chad, he's here for a visit and to celebrate Savanna's 2nd birthday) tackled the baby's room with yellow colour #2. I was so thankful I didn't have to swallow fumes for hours this time around, and they had picked up another roller so things went a lot faster! The boys saved the day and Baby Billington is certainly indebted to them forever for not having to come home to THAT! It is still yellow, but much better. I'm so excited to get some furniture in there, and the boarder up! the Process begins! as much as I don't like process.

Someone asked me Sunday night what I thought of pregnancy, and as is characteristic of me, I decided to be candid about the situation. Pregnancy has it's cool moments for sure, but on the whole, I've got to say I don't really have much time for it. I mean all the aches and pains, the nauseousness, swelling, headaches and other unmentionables... but more than anything for me it is that cursed word "process". I'm kind of a jump in with both feet kind of girl, not too into waiting around for things to happen, or long transition times and guess what? Pregnancy is a LONG TRANSITION TIME! I'm sure in the end it's all going to seem totally worth it, I'm excited about getting to know Baby Billington, this little person who's bound to be so cool....I'm just impatient I guess. So the grand synopsis for me is generally that pregnancy means process, and for this Heidi-girl, process is hard to do well!

Here's a cute pic of the boys saving the day with the new paint job!

Kaitlyn's 2nd Birthday

Kids birthday's are just so much fun! Especially when they are your neice's. So Kaitlyn turned 2 last week. Hard to believe. She's so much fun, we were really looking forward to going down for her birthday party this past weekend.

Friday afternoon we drove down and picked ourselves up a Hungry Man's Supper (yes, Chad was so excited for his 1 pound of frozen food!), then I took a nap when we arrived in Elgin. Mom & Dad were later coming home so while Chad prepared for her sermon Sunday, I lazed around. When Mom & Dad arrived home, they had a Hummer with them. Dad was dreaming a bit I guess and wanted to see what it was like offroading. Chad had never been up to the top of the mountain to see the lights so we went for an Elgin icecream and then headed up to see the lights. It's actually really neat, you can see the Petticodiac lights, the Salisbury Big Stop lights and Moncton lights all from atop this mountain by the grave yard. Dad told us ghost stories of the area (heavily embellished by him) on the drive up and on the drive down (keep in mind it's close to midnight and pitch black on a country road) we saw this light down in the ditch/cliff thing. So Dad & Chad decide they need to go check it out and see if there is someone lying half dead down the ditch or something...no such luck (?). We went back home and Dad & Chad stayed out stargazing (how romantic- I saw a shooting star!) while I entertained Mom as she finished up Kaitlyn's poncho she was making her.

Ok so truth be told we stayed up until close to 2am while Mom finished it, but it was gorgeous, and if you know my Mom at all (and Chad informs me the apple doesn't fall far from the tree), late night projects symbolize so many special events and gifts of love throughout my lifetime!

Saturday morning arrived early enough after such a late night. We drove in town for Kaitlyn's party and she was anxious to show off her new "big girl bed". This was her major birthday gift and she loves having the room to move around, and of course the ability to crawl out of bed and poke Mom in the shoulder in the middle of the night!

She loved opening her gifts, although it became apparent that opening one gift and then moving on to the other to play later, just is a really strange concept, especially when you're 2!

My baby was kicking up a storm inside of me and every time April put her hand to my belly the baby would kick it so hard April's hand would jump! it was funny, I've never seen the baby react so much to someone's hand on my stomach! So April decided she should explain to Kaitlyn that Aunt Heidi had a baby in her belly. She took Kaitlyn's hand and put it on my belly hoping the baby would kick and Kaitlyn would feel it, but no luck. So April continues explaining about the baby in belly. Kaitlyn took the bottom of my shirt and tried to pull it up. I patted it back down and said I thought we'd keep my shirt down and then Kaitlyn started crying, great big aligator (however you spell that) tears. We couldn't figure what was upsetting her so much, she kept saying "Baby, Juicy, Baby Juicy". April & I kept staring at each other trying to figure out what was upsetting her so much, until Mom (with the most earnest look on her face) looks at me and says "Heidi, she wants you to give the baby a juicy! Now keep in mind my Mom would give Kaitlyn the moon if she could and you might be able to conjure up the look on her face as she said this to me. Just as serious I reply "But, but Mom...I can't give the baby a juicy", then and yes only then, does the hilariousness of the situation actually strike both of us (keep in mind we had very little sleep the night before) and we start laughing with absolutly no control, tears pouring down our faces. Poor Kaitlyn she didn't know what to make of it all.

All that said, Kaitlyn is now 2 and as cute and wonderful as always. We headed out for home after quite the feed at supper time finding it hard to believe that our little neice is now 2 years old. Wow, how these 2 years have flown by.

And Savanna is next! 2 comes for her in just a couple of days!

just another "ORDINAARY Heidi-day"

Yesturday I headed into the doctor's office to check out the swelling, blood pressure etc. issue from the weekend, that left me looking like Voldemort from Harry Potter with my red-slit eyes. There my doctor having gone over all my information said that it looked like some fluke sick thing over the weekend but he wanted to monitor my blood pressure and swelling for a few days to make sure nothing wonky was going down and they'd do a urine analysis. So ok, I guess that's fine, I just LOVE hanging out at emerge for days on end having funny tests run on me!

Well I thought I got started on the right foot today, until it came to breakfast (oh right that's not so far along is it?) Anyway, Chad was in a rush to get to Staff meeting and I had to go into Emerge for a blood pressure test etc. so he had made me some toast with peanut butter and LOADS of strawberry jam, for the road. I hope in the car, demon possesed eyes just a gleeming in my burnt orange shirt and slop, the whole thing right on my shirt, litterally the toast was clinging to my shirt. It was really quite disgusting. Chad contained himself as I quickly got changed and we headed in (he was only 4 minutes late, I thought that wasn't bad considering).

Then I went to Emerge, I wasn't exactly sure how it would work, I knew they told me to page my doctor who would come and take my blood pressure. So I did that, but they actually gave me the whole yellow band and everything treatment. Then I waited. My doctor arrived and checked my blood pressure and swelling which was great and told me my urine analaysis came back and the protein that had been showing was not a problem. Great! I think, off scott free! (well with the exception of the demon-eyes). Then he tells me the big old BUT. But they found sugar in my urine (or as I told Cherri today, urine in my pee--I really am loosing my mind) and he wanted to monitor this now. Even though I passed my sugar diabetes test 2 weeks ago, he thinks it's best we do it again and be sure. *sigh* I don't get it, what's the deal, lets just get over this hump and carry on people! Don't get me wrong I'm glad he's watching things, especially if there is trouble, it just seems like such a waste of time having these little problems, and it's hard not feeling like a looser, like you did something wrong...

So thats ok, I did a little work this morning, had lunch with Chad and then came home to do laundry and pack up for Willow Creek Conference and I'm left to face my peanut butter and jelly smeared burnt orange shirt, and I start gagging at the smell of it as I try to wash it out abit before I put it in the wash....and I can't help thinking to myself, is it not a bit of a freak of nature thing that I, ME, HEIDI DAWN CARSON BILLINGTON, and 7 months pregnant and going to be a Mom. I mean really, I know I'll love this baby to bits and do my darndist, but when it comes to general mothering skills, do I have what it takes? I mean I can't even keep the whites of my eyeballs white, and the sugar out of my pee, not to mention wash the peanut butter and jelly out of my shirt! What am I thinking! But thankfully you don't need a degree in peanut butter and jelly management to have a child, we'll just love him or her to death and pray he or she grows up smarter than us and can at least make fun of us a bit!

Vacation Camping Adventures

Well, as it is past time for bed, I have suddenly become inspired to blog about Chad & my vacation last week. Nearly last minute we decided to take one of Chad's weeks of offered vacation after all and go camping (saving the other 2 for 'baby time'). Ok, ok so I will NOW admit that camping at nearly 7 months pregnant might not be the most intelligent or informed decision, ahhh but how hindsight makes so much sense! But being Chad's "Adventure friend" as his Grammie B was introduced to me in our early dating days, it only made sense to embark on a "different", pregnant adventure.

Friday night we were supposed to head out to Elgin for a sleepover with my sister Angela, her husband Adam and my neice Kaitlyn at Mom & Dad's, and I had dreams of a campfire (we attempted one last vist but it wouldn't let up raining). We were all gathering there because Saturday was my sister April's housewarming party and they live near Elgin and it would be a chance to visit. But with the heat making me miserable, a full week, and a very busy work day Friday, and the prospect of packing up the car for a week of camping, by the time we got home I was unbearable and could do nothing but sit in a cold tub of water and cry away my heated misery. So we headed out Saturday morning instead, which as much as I wanted to go spend Friday night, was a much better plan for the ol' prego psychee.

Saturday we arrived and although it was hot and I was swelling despite my compression socks, we had a good time at April's housewarming. Angela & Adam headed up to Mom & Dad's to give Kaitlyn some supper before heading home to Moncton, but she fell asleep on the drive and they let her snooze, giving her a late supper and decided to spend the night instead of going home, which of course went over really well with all of us, we got our sleepover anyway! AND Dad put on a campfire for us (Kaitlyn's first) and we had a blast! (although I must admit that sitting for any length of time on a hard log bench by a raging fire on a warm night was not working so well with the pregnant lady. Anyway, I got my campfire in! Sleeping in aircondition, is a beautiful beautiful thing, ahhhhh how beautiful to pull a quilt up over this ol' pregnant body and enjoy the cool, artificial air.

Sunday we had a lazy start (or at least I did). Chad went to the Elgin country church for a riverside baptism service and he said it was great. We visited and played in the afternoon and then Mom & Dad, Chad & I headed out for a country gospel concert in Petticodiac. I haven't heard music like that in quite awhile and I enjoyed a lot of it. The baby did too, kicking up a storm. I think he/she likes music, which makes me very happy! We hadn't had supper, so after we went out to the BigStop in Salisbury for supper and some good 'talk time". We also ran into Chris O and the gang headed back from prison visitation.

Monday morning Chad & I got up after Mom & Dad got off to work, and I had a nice long bath (Mom & Dad have a massive tub and it felt so good to just float around in the water for awhile). Stealing a dozen cookies we headed in town for lunch and to pick up groceries. We ate at East Side Mario's, one of my favorite places, splitting a yummy dish. Groceries & Car packed up we headed for Ponderosa Pines in Hopewell for some camping. I was really excited, I love to camp, and Chad must have been too (it was so difficult to discern this though) as he was singing at the top of his lungs and making up songs about camping, pines and things all morning. We arrived late afternoon, took a good while deciding on our camping spot, set up and called it good for the day.

A couple things about camping in this particular area & pregnancy. I have NEVER seen horseflies like this before. The mornings were sooooo thick with mosquitos, only letting up in the afternoon for armies of horseflies (leaving massive welts everywhere imaginable, including my butt, how they got there I'm not sure) and hornits, letting up in the evening to welcome the mosquitos back until 10pm, when finally there was a bit of outside peace and we could have campfire! Also, althought the bathrooms are quite decent, for some reason they are located in the center of the campground closest to all the RV camping where they have there own bathrooms....leaving the tenters to the beautiful spots facing the bay, but with the worst managed outhouses I've seen. Couple this with the realization that in the heat of the day there is no where cool to go lay down when you're pregnant, and that if one does get down at any time to lay on the airmattress on the GROUND, getting up again is quite the workout and highly unrecommended if at all possible to avoid. I have been unable to make it through the night without at least one bathroom trip since I found out I was pregnant, but somehow in this instance, my body knew that is was just not feasable and it MUST wait until morning.

Tuesday we woke up bright and early, as only happens naturally when I'm camping. Chad cooked us a great FRIED breakfast and then we lazily went and got cleaned up for the day. I had the worse shower ever, Chad an amazing one that he tipped me off on for the next day (such a good man!).

For some reason we often to do the friend potatoes, balognee (however you spell that), eggs thing for camping breakfast but I think once a year is really enough for this. Due to perhaps a bit less planning than ususal we ended up with several days of this kind of breakfast, and as great as it was the first day, it was equally gut rentchingly gross the last. Better planning next time!
We headed in to Alma where we'd heard about this great little pizza place called Saprano's, the decor inside is really really cool, with wanted posters up, and all their employees dressed up cool, and the garlic fingers was really the best I've had, if you like garlic fingers you really want to go to Saprano's and try them. The dough is delich and the pizza was so pretty.

We got one with 3 different coloured peppers on it and it was obvious presentation mattered here. the serivice was also incredible here, I can see why their reputation is already hitting the high roads as the place to go for pizza!

Then we went for a walk and perused the giftshops, steering clear from the used bookshop, I so love those places it is a death trap for me!!! (Plug for the chicken barn in Maine! one of my most favorite places!) and then I had to take Chad to get a famous sticky bun as he'd never had one and it was always one of the highlights driving through Alma on the way to Fundy Park as kids.

It has been years and years since I've been in that bakery and had a sticky bun, and I was so excited to get my hands on one(well ok, Chad actually insisted it made more sense to buy 6-- always the bargain hunter). Then took the windy scenic drive back to camp. A nap found me exhausted and overheated so we called it a day.

Wednesday morning we woke up really early to go hit the low tides at Hopwell Rocks, Chad had never been there before. I must say I never remember it being that muddy. We had fun walking and climbing, but again I must admit that it is a lot harder to do when pregnant. As I was climbing over once bunch of rocks, one lady suggested I might not want to do that and go into premature labor. I'm sure I looked at least a bit rediculous, but did slow down sum realizing, falling as a pregnant lady wasn't so cool either. The hike back up the stairs and up the trail was a bit much and again with the overheating, sun etc. But we had fun! We had a picnic lunch and then went into the gift shop and information center, but I was whipped. Unable to find a spot in the shade to sit we called it a day and went for some icecream. When we arrived back at camp I was soooo hot, we pulled on the bathing suits and crawled in the pool where we lounged, cooling off, until it was cool enough outside to carry on. It was here I also became the expert horsefly killer and Chad through all caution to the wind and got himself severly burned. That night the mosquitos were especially bad so Chad & I sat in the car reading until 10pm when he could finally venture out to build us our last campfire. How I love campfire! It seems we have the best time, and the best conversations around the campfire. THe moon was so beautiful across the bay too, and what a view we had!

Thursday morning, as much fun as I had I was glad to pack 'er up for home, bed, and flushing washrooms just down the hall. We drove into Moncton for ribs at Montana's (one of Chad's favorites, and a newly found one for me) and then headed for home. We didn't do much Thursday night, I honestly was pooped.

Friday we got up and ran the roads for my pay check, visited Chad's Grampy B who turned 90 last weekend, and stopped off at Chad's Grammie B's as she had offered us her airconditioned car for our drive to Houlton for the baby's wall paper boarder. We were late on the road but had planned to have lunch in Houlton at our favorite little restuarant with Jukeboxes. Arriving near the boarder suddenly a storm came flying through, blackened sky, rain pellets and all the power and electricty GONE. We went in to get our money changed at the Border place, and there wasn't a lick of light, luckily they still changed our money for us but I couldn't go pee, the bathroom was pitch black, so I decided to wait for the restaurant on the other side. We sat in the line for at least 15 minutes watching lighting, thunder and heat lighting crash through the skies, rainings pouring so hard. It was quite the show.

When we arrived in Houlton, EVERYTHING was down, streetlights, all power, EVERYWHERE, and I needed to pee soooo bad, I was regretting not going in the dark back at the border. Surely, I thought, someone will let me pee, but I was wrong, finally we got one man to open up the door of his gas station to tell him I needed to pee desperately and was nearly 7 months pregnant, but he refused to let me saying there was no water to flush. I couldn't believe it!!! I was in such agony!!! I threatened to pee in the parking lot, and he seemed quite fine with that but there was no way he was going to let me pee in his store without water to flush. Finally we found a tourist place where they didn't care and a gas station later down the road where we could purchase some munchies for lunch. A short visit, we returned to Fredericton.

Chad had it in his head that this was the night to buy and airconditionar, (of course I was not complaining!) so we went from store to store pricing them, comparing the, and finally at 9pm coming home with one. I was whipped! We got the house in order for Mom & Dad, Nanny & Grampy to come up the next morning to help us lay flooring and hit the sack. Until at 1:30am I woke up not feeling well. I got out of bed and debated if I was going to be sick or not, I don't vomit very often so it seemed like it wasn't going to happen, but I had horrific heartburn so went hunting for some TUMS, which I absolutly detest, but I thought anything was better than that heartburn. As soon as I took the TUMS in my hand, I knew I had seconds to make it to the toilet bowl, and I vomitted like never before. I felt like someone was ripping my face apart, it was horrific! Finally at 2:30 it came to an end and I slipped back into bed.

Saturday morning I woke up to find that not only was I an absolutly swollen mess, face, hands, feet, when I vomitted I had broken the blood vessels in my eye balls, turning the whites bloody red--- soo sooo gross! (they tell me I'll ONLY look this way for about 2 weeks as they heal) So, looking demon possessed I invited my family into my house to help lay flooring. Dad, Grampy & Chad worked their tails off all day laying flooring and I must say it looks great! Mom, Nanny & I did a bit of shopping and a lot of talking (and Mom even got to feel the baby kicking) and had a good, but very long day. They headed back for Moncton around 11:30pm and Chad & I hit the sack.

So that is the long and interesting adventure vacation I took as a pregnant woman. I must say I can probably summarize the entire trip with this one phrase I gave Chad when he snuggled up to me in the tent one night, "you want snuggling, you get this pregnant woman a hotel!". Having said that, the camping was totally my idea, and we had a pile of fun, even if I wouldn't recommend tent camping and pregnancy together!

25 weeks pregnant (6 months 1 week)

2 years married

It's our 2nd anniversary can you believe it! Chad spoiled me rotten this year (I don't mind at all though, lol!) About a month ago we finally found a China pattern we both loved, so we wrote down the name and hoped over the years to aquire a piece or two along the way, China is soooo expensive! Anyway Chad knew how much I wanted some China for our special dinners and stuff and this morning I woke up to a tea cup from our China set for our anniversary (Chad informs me that 2nd year of marriage is the China anniversary). I was soo sooo excited, for me this meant we were actually going to work at getting pieces over time and he was on board with the idea! I was so happy. So after oooing for a bit I went and had my shower, he had his and then came into the bedroom and asked me what I would think if he had another present for me.

I wasn't sure if he was teasing or not, the china tea cup was so much anyway and we don't have much money for presents, but at the same time if he did have something else I didn't want him to not give it to me or take it back or something! So I told him as much and then he brought out another Royal Dalton box with the 3 other plates in it! I was soooo sooooo soooooo excited, and I thought he'd gone off his rocker spending so much money, and I couldn't figure out how he had spent so much when I take care of the money coming in and going out!

I carefully walked out to the kitchen to set it all up on the table to see what it looked like with our flatwear and crystal wine glasses! When I turned around he had put my favorite piece of all down on top of the plate, the soup bowl. (take a look at how pretty it is! It's my favorite!) I was soooo overwhelmed and I love love love it! Since we found the set a month or so ago he's been putting a little bit down on layaway every chance he got, if he picked up groceries that cost $14 he said it cost $20, when he got his milage check from the church he didn't tell me about it and put it down on the dishes and then his camera he bought in April went on Sale and he got the difference back, and didn't tell me and put it down on the dishes! He's been hard at work for me to know nothing about it!



When I stopped gawking long enough, we packed up and headed to Woolastook for a picnic and swim. What a great time we had! We had a yummy picnic then Chad laid down for a nap, and I tried, but man it is really impossible to get comfortable lying on the hard ground when you're 6 months pregnant! So I sat up an read until he woke up and we went for a swim. Woolastook is great, not only is it where we got engaged, but it seems people have kind of forgotten it exists and there weren't very many people there. I decided against jumping off the bridge (seems I've lost a bit of my daring personality with my pregnancy) but we had a great time. We stopped in to visit Chad's Grammie in Upper Kingsclear on the way home and then headed home to clean up and go out for dinner.

We went to this new little Italian place down on King Street. The decor is great and the food was awesome too! We had this snowcrab warm dip thing for appetizer, and then split this bell pepper, garlic, olive oil, rosemary, basil angelhair pasta thing-- it was sooo great! For dessert we ordered this warm chocolate ravioli (however you spell that!) stuffed with cream cheese--- oh my! I can not adequatly express to you how wonderful it was! AND because it was our anniversary they gave us the dessert on the house! We were both completly impressed with the place and will definitly go again and it wasn't that pricey! They have these $5 salads on their lunch menu that look great! and you can go and try their cheeses and fruit for just $5 as well. Sounds like we need another visit there!

After that we walked along the river for awhile before I had to pee too much to keep going. What a great anniversary. The day was absolutly perfect.

Chad felt Baby B kicking!

Last night after I went to bed Baby B was kicking up a storm! The last few weeks when I feel the baby moving I'll get Chad to come over and put his hand on my belly to see if he can feel it too. Up until this point he thought he might have once, but not since. Last night however, I had never felt the baby kick with such vigor before and Chad felt Baby B kicking! It was neat to be able to share that with him! So far it has just been me and Baby B, but it was really neat to be able to have Chad feel him or her kicking too, and man did he or she ever kick up a storm! It's so reassuring to feel the baby kick and move, I like it, even if it is a bit like "alien" or something!

So thankful for this dream...

I had a lovely dream last night. Have you ever had one that kind of brings things together for you, resolves something for you? I remember my Mom telling me of one she had during a really difficult time in her life. One of her most favorite Aunts came and walked with her in a garden in her dream, assuring her things would be alright. I remember Mom telling me how she drew so much comfort from that dream.

Last night I had something similar happen to me for the first time. I dreamed I was having lunch with Katrina in a beautiful garden, on a gorgeous day. I have deliberatly not written about Katrina on this blog until now, I guess things seemed unresolved for me up until this point, a tender spot, and honestly (although I try to be honest and myself on this blog) I didn't know that I could be honest about my feelings, so I chose to say nothing. I think I'm ready now.

I was telling Katrina, in my dream, that I had never imagined I would see her looking so beautiful and radiant and full of life again (I can't describe in words how wonderful she looked). I was telling her how it bothered me so much that they (the nurses in the hospital)hadn't let me in to see her, to talk with her when she was in isolation. I told her I was glad to at least have the memory of her big smile when Chad showed off my pregnant belly to her in the window of her room.

Then I started to cry and told her how I had really believed she was going to get her healing, from God, through the doctor's or a transplant..that I couldn't believe she was gone, it didn't fit with what I thought God had in store for her. I was sure she was going to get her healing. She stood up from the lunch table, so beautiful and radiant and came over and gave me a huge, tight hug and told me, tears in her eyes "Heidi, I have my healing." and I woke up. It brings tears to my eyes to think of it now, but I feel more at peace. How I wish she had been able to see our baby born. How she loved Chad & I and was so supportive. How full of life she was. And now she is with God, and she has her healing.