Welcome Claire Aimee

She's here!

Claire Aimee kept us up all of Monday night. We went to the hospital at 12:30 to find that, although I was 4 cm dilated, I wasn't having consistent enough contractions to stay. This turned out to be an okay thing because, I was able to manage 3 more hours of sleep in my own bed. By 7:30, we were back at the hospital with very consistent contractions.
I was happy that my Birth Plan (read EPIDURAL) went smoothly and then, we waited a few more hours. Claire only made me push for 20 minutes and she was out. 7 lbs 5 oz, 51 cm long on Nov. 16th at 10:59 am.
I was so blessed with such a smooth and positive delivery. My nurses were amazing (I had two very lovely students wait on me hand and foot). My doctor is also amazing and she showed up on her day off to catch Claire. The new L+D unit as well as Mother/Baby are fabulous!
We arrived at home last night and have been very content to snuggle our babies on this very cold and stormy November day.

Overdue - A Top Ten List

While googling "overdue" (because that's what one does while overdue), I came across this humourous list of the Top Ten "Things Not to Say to an Overdue Lady". It made me smile and, because I actually have readers checking in regularly (another one of the joys of being overdue), I felt pressure to write "something" besides giving you the run down of all the household chores I've been up to. :)

10. Now, when was your due date?

9. Your belly sure is, uh... huge.

8. Are you sure it isn't twins. (Positive... absolutely positive!)

7. Have you tried....? (Insert random wives' tale here... of course we've tried them!)

6. When will you be induced? (Never, I hope...)

5. Doesn't that placenta have, like, an expiration date? (Stamped on it's side, actually.)

4. Maybe they got your dates wrong.

3. When I was pregnant...

2. Oh, being overdue isn't that bad.

1. Don't sit there, your water might break...

(Posted here originally.)

The photo was taken courtesy of my sweet MIL who took my little boy to play in the snow because she has way more energy then me!

Remember

I teach a lot about war.
I still can't explain why it happens.
As a mother, I hold my little boy close today and remember all the mothers who've lost their children.
I will not forget their sacrifice.

3

I'm a little overdue but, feeling swell. :)

We're currently savoring our last few days as a family of 3. 18 1/2 months old is bliss. We love Simon's belly laughs, babbles and constant desire for interaction. If he could have dream day, we'd read all morning, eat raisin toast and Nutella for breakfast and lunch, play with all four of his grandparents until nap time, party in his crib, zonk out and then wake up to play balloons with his baby-sitter and his favorite 2 girls. (We could do without the frustrating tantrums but, they're part and parcel of where he's at in life).

Today, he learned to scratch. He LOVES to "tickle" other people. He loves putting on his dress-up hats and watching Sesame Street. He loves to cuddle. He also loves to learn animal noises. He's finally added pig grunting to bahhing, mooing, meowing, panting (dog), hoohooing and roaring. He's mastered the stairs and has the most adorable version of a jump that I've ever seen.

Don't get me wrong, we're pumped for Schmoo 2. We're just enjoying where we're at too. When people call to "wonder how I'm doing" as an overdue lady, I smile to myself. Simon was 5 days overdue and I was pretty anxious. He came... he's fine. I have no doubts that this little one will show up in his or her own time. Until then, I'm going to bask in being the mommy of just one before the busy days of a newborn are here and all I write about is sleep exhaustion. :)

Due Date

Waking up on the wedding day sportin' his 4th hair cut.

Our little family.

My handsome men!
On Simon's due date, I was sad and lonely. My friend Nancy took me for tea and cheered me up.
Today, I was thrilled that Schmoo 2 decided not to make his/her appearance today (or yesterday).
I LOVED celebrating at Jared and Jeanette's wedding. They had the most perfect day. Both were beautiful and I'm so happy for them.
Today, I was able to go to a family brunch and play with Simon.
I'm going to do a little house cleaning and then, I'll take a nap.

Schmoo 2, we are NOW as ready as we will ever be for you. We don't mind waiting... do things on your own terms but, we want you to know that you can come whenever you want now!

Close

Every night, when I go to bed, I try to coax a promise from Baby that he or she will be late so that I can celebrate this weekend with my fabulous brother-in-law and his almost bride.
The wedding is Sunday and I think we're going to be tied up with wedding-y things until Monday afternoon. I'm absolutely thrilled for Jared and Jeanette so, I hope I "hang in" there until everything is done.
Simon gets to wear a suit (a gift from his Great-Grandma) and I'd hate to miss that as well. (Due to his incredibly difficult feet that we can never find shoes for, he'll also be sporting his super snazzy Tigger runners with the suit. Classy!)
I haven't swelled up too badly so, I think I can actually wear dress shoes instead of Crocs.
Trevor will be in a tux and I will be sitting pretty close to the front so, I anticipate making eyes at him through most of the ceremony. Simon will be at home napping so that he will be pleasant at the reception instead of a basket-case.
I love Trevor's family. It'll be fun to see and visit with all his cousins, aunts and uncles. I'm looking forward to that as well.
Therefore Baby, please, please, please, give your Momma a little bit of time to celebrate Uncle Jared's BIG day. After that, it'll be all about you, little Schmoo!

Jill-Day?

I feel a little lost today.
I liked going to work.
Don't be alarmed... I am NOT sad to be done. The very thought of a nap this afternoon makes me smile.
I dropped Simon off with the baby-sitter's after a long breakfast, chat and story-fest. I've missed that little guy in the mornings. It's weird not to have him with me but, I've been able to do a few little things that wouldn't happen if he was home.
I'm washing tiny sleepers and some of Simon's newborn clothes and marveling at how much he's grown and changed in just 18 months. It's exciting to think of our next little miracle. I still can't believe he or she is just days away from joining our little family.

Well, I'm off for my massage and pedicure. Spoiled... I know. I'm going to want to re-live this alone day over and over and over again in the next year.

C'est l'Halloween

(Hey Frenchy friends of mine... do you remember that song? I think of it every Halloween. After tons of searching, I still can't locate a copy.)

Simon went out and about trick-or-treating as Tigger this year. We went both Saturday and Sunday nights and went to a whopping 7 houses. He enjoyed putting treats in his bag and he love the suppers with both sets of grandparents. He liked being Tigger but, he refused to wear the pants that came with the costume. Ah well...

I pinned this lovely sign to my belly for dress-up day at school. A little lazy, yes but, I do think I was clever. Also, check out my stellar artwork. :) I was a Goth the day before. It was such a rushed day filled with appts and temper tantrums that I missed out on a picture. Let's just say that I was spectacular. :)

Simon has been chattin' up a storm lately. I have no idea what he's babbling about but, he's fun to listen to. He's got a pile of words and animal noises that he loves to say. He's also gaining confidence walking. I predict independent locomotion by Christmas.

I have 2 days left of work and a pile of marking. Silly students don't seem to understand that pretty soon, it'll be impossible for me to mark their already late assignments. Gasp... a real, honest-to-goodness deadline! Shocking but, reality. :) It's good for them.

I'm tired but, I'm already looking forward to a total Jill-day on Thursday for pampering, relaxing, nesting and laundry. I may even sleep in. :)

I'm still grinning ear to ear for my crazy and fun work friend Jana who just got her referral for her Chinese adoption. Check out her exciting journey here Sooo excited that she'll be a mommy soon!

A little nutty

When I found out I was pregnant, I did a mad scramble to figure out how many days I needed in order to still qualify for mat. leave. Going back 60% as planned was out of the question. Instead, I subbed for 20 days in the spring and started back full-time in August.
I HAVE to work until Nov. 1st. People keep bugging me to "quit" soon. Money doesn't grow in trees, folks! I was originally going to work until Nov. 5 but now, my last day is the 3rd. I'm a bit of a geek and I want to finish my units with my kids and have all my report card marks entered. That should all be done by Wednesday.
Thursday, I plan to pamper myself, nest, wash teeny-tiny sleepers and some of Simon's little baby clothes, pack our bags and nap. (I know it sounds like a lot but, I can be pretty efficient.) The weekend will be all about the wedding and then the baby can come.
Trevor laughs at me and reminds me that babies don't always operate on my schedule. Here's hoping.

(This post has nothing to do with Simon but, aren't these pictures Andrea took of him adorable?)

Something Old... Something New...

Did I mention my brother-in-law is getting married in 2 weeks?
He's getting married on Nov. 7th.
My official due date is Nov. 8th.
Hmmmm... we're praying that the baby comes late. (How often do mothers pray that way?)

Because it's a family wedding, everyone's involved. Even my side of the family is going. All the ladies are getting swanky new dresses. I will be 40 weeks pregnant.
Have you ever tried to find a swanky maternity dress in this town? For a woman in all her poofy glory? (This is not a cute, glowing, 6 month pregnant lady we're talking about... this is at the end, at the "I feel like an elephant" stage).
It's impossible.
I've toyed with the idea of online shopping but, my own body-image issues make me doubt and re-guess my size all the time... regardless of what I measure. That and I'm still a little skeptical about online shopping (I'm just a girl of the 20th century, I guess).
Today, I went to one of the two major maternity stores in town to check out their Christmas collection.
Blech!


For Shiya's wedding, she had us wear these gorgeous 7-in-1 black dresses. I tried it on today and it fits well. It's not something new :( but, it fits and it's classy. Look out wedding goers, there will be a poofy pregnant sister-in-law attending. Give her chocolate, keep her little boy happy and tell her that her "dress crocs" look awesome so that she doesn't get upset and have her water break all over the aisle.

Awkward...

In Psych 20 today, we were doing presentations. Every student was to select a (school appropriate song) that personifies his/her attitude towards life. They were to play the song and tell us why this is how they see the world. I've always ended up with some very meaningful and heartfelt little glimpses into my students' lives.
Today was no different until one student played "Hot For Teacher". Remember, this teacher is 37 1/2 weeks pregnant. His reason for choosing the song was that he's a really funny guy and he deserves to get 100%.
I think he may have missed the mark entirely.
I think he may have made me and the rest of the class feel really, really awkward.

Sigh... just 9 more days of my life with adolescents before I return to the life of infancy and toddlerdom.

Ready or not and water games

Ready or not, our second child is coming. Here's my 37 week belly shot to prove it. I'm still a little entertained and amused by my size. :)


Simon's bandages are off now. His index finger is rough looking. It's red and swollen and yucky looking. The stitches are in the process of dissolving and it's healing. It's just gross to look at. He seems like he's in very little pain. He's a resilient little guy.
Normally, when adults have post-op wounds, we keep them under wraps. We probably do this because a) we feel sorry for ourselves and our post-op wounds, b) they hurt and c) they look gross. With toddlers, our Doctor says to leave the wound open. Toddlers don't feel sorry for themselves, if something hurts than they problem-solve and work around it and they don't care what they look like. Our only order from the doctor is to wash it with warm soapy water. A good bath does this just fine. The only problem is, thanks to my uncomfortable size, I can't really give Simon a bath anymore. Therefore, last night, when Trevor was at a meeting, Simon and I played water games so that his finger could get clean. I think I was one smart Momma.

Top 5

I have about 3 weeks to go until Schmoo 2.0 makes his or her appearance. I'm not the largest pregnant lady around however, I am getting to that very uncomfortable and awkward stage. These are my Top 5 Things That are Complicated for a Very Pregnant Lady.

5. Getting into my car.
I sit close to the steering wheel but, I've had to re-adjust to make room.
Seatbelts are also a funny situation. Every time I buckle up, I imagine the lap
belt covering this teeny-tiny face.

4. Shaving my legs.
Where did they go?

3. Toe nail clipping and polishing?
I think I did this 3 weeks ago. I tried again last night and failed.
I think it's time for a pedicure!

2. Cuddling with Simon.
Slowly, this little one has been pushing him away. I think it's nature's way of
preparing him to share. (He does rest his little arm on my belly when we read
stories - that's pretty cute.)

1. Any form of dressing.
I laugh hysterically at myself most mornings as I attempt to put on my socks,
slip into pants or find a shirt that covers all my belly (even maternity shirts
are getting a little short). The funniest is the strange balancing act I have
to do while putting on my undies.

This is a very short time in my life. Most of these situations make me giggle!

Better Now...

Trevor's home.
Life is always better when he's home.
I sleep better. I worry less. I cook better (and eat better).I put my feet up and relax.
I usually forget, until he's gone, how wonderful his presence is.
I feel safe and sound, snug as a bug and content... all because of my sweet man!

Poofy

The end is in sight, folks. It scares me spitless! (Just 3 1/2 weeks left until ETA).
I know I'm getting close to the end of my pregnancy because of all the signs. I'm starting to swell. My face is a little fuller, my legs are a little achy and my feet are now content to be clad in my "dress crocs" (they sort of look like Mary-Janes). My back is more tender, my level of tiredness has increased significantly and I'm finding it hard to bend, stand up, sleep and pick up Simon. I see my doctor every week. Baby is consistent in growing 2 cm every week. I'm now measuring 32 cm (should be 36 but, I carry my babies small). I'm sure I'll continue to "bloom" a little while longer.
My job was posted at work. Eeeek!

Today was a long day after Meet the Teacher Night. I watched too many grade 9 Social Ancient Civilization presentations. Some were good... I barely had a lunch hour and I had a long Dr's appt after school. Thankfully, Simon's baby-sitter could stay late. Somehow, my friend Laurie miraculously knew I was having an awful day. She invited Simon and I over for supper. It was so nice to be fed and looked after.

Trevor's away on a business trip and this has been an exceptionally busy week for me. I miss him and our tag-team approach to life.
I think I need a weekend. I also think I should unplug and go to bed early.

Gratitude

Sometimes, Thanksgiving seems trite. However, when I consider that all that I have are gifts that can be taken away, I am deeply thankful.
We've all heard the stories: friends who have lost jobs, health, homes, family, spouses, children. I can't imagine that kind of loss.
I have been given so much. This is what I am grateful for:

I am healthy. I have a healthy little person growing inside me. I don't have the same worries I had when I was pregnant with Simon. He or she is coming into our family at a God-ordained time and we are so excited to meet him or her.
Simon is healthy. He has been a resilient little trooper. His issues could have been much, much worse. We're so thankful that they are so minor on the grand scale. (He's also pretty adorable!)
We have some pretty amazing families. I love my family, my in-laws and the little family we are creating.
Fergus is pretty awesome too... despite the fact that he's the guy getting time-outs when the baby-sitter has all 3 kids here. (Poor guy's been relegated to the garage on those days.)
We both love our jobs. It's great that both of us get to do something that we're both passionate about and get paid reasonably well for it.
We tried to sell our little bungalow but, we're destined to be here a while longer and that's okay with us. It's cute and it's totally us. We still have enough space for two little ones to play and grow.
Every day, I thank God for the supportive man He gave me. I still can't get over how spoiled I am. Trevor is my best friend and my soul mate. He makes me laugh every day and he gives the best hugs. He's a phenomenal Daddy and somedays, he's the only reason I can stay sane.

What more can a girl ask for? Life is pretty grand!

Post-Op

Simon had his fourth surgery yesterday. This was the third under general anesthetic. His plastic surgeon "de-bulked" Simon's left index finger.
We went to the hospital at 6:30 am and Simon was put under an hour and a bit. I always think that the hardest part is when the porters take him through the operating doors and I have to leave him. I cry every time.
We got to see him around 9 am. He was a mess when he came out. He had so much to tell us and no way to communicate except crying. Finally, after some apple juice, he settled onto Trevor's chest and slept for a good 2 hours. He woke up quite chipper and himself.
He has a big blue bandage on his arm. It kind of looks like a cast. The nurses put a bandage on Tigger's left arm too. Simon likes showing me Tigger's bandage and his bandage.
Simon napped like a pro in the afternoon yesterday, slept the night normally and is now down for his afternoon nap again. That's a huge relief to us.
His hand doesn't seem to bother him much. The plastic surgeon's instructions to us are a little daunting though. He instructed us to keep the bandage CLEAN and DRY. Goodness, life with a one year old makes that a challenge.
Simon wouldn't let Trevor put a plastic bag on his arm last night for a bath. Simon freaked out when I took him out of the park this morning because all he wanted to do was play in the sand. Simon has had 3-4 misses when it came to getting yogurt, ice cream or Nutella on his bandage. Fortunately for us, that's been the hardest thing about the surgery.

Yesterday was one month until Schmoo 2.0 makes his or her debut into the world. I still hope he or she waits a few extra days to let us recover from the wedding.

(The leaf picture above was from today. Certainly not the most usual behaviour for an individual the day after surgery. The other two are pre-surgery and post sugery.) :)

A break and a sneak peek

I had an ultrasound scheduled for the morning. Simon and Trevor came with me. This will (hopefully) be our last chance to see Schmoo 2.0 before his or her arrival.
We waited in the waiting room for an hour... with a one-year old. He was a very, very good one-year old. His meltdown came when his Mommy climbed onto a table, bared her belly and let a stranger touch her. He was over-the-top mellow dramatic. I'd like to think it was out of concern for me. The hospital next month might be interesting because Mommy will be spend a lot of time in bed.

I called in sick for the afternoon. I still have that rotten fall cold and I can't seem to shake my cough. I slept through most of Simon's nap. I hope that helps my immune system fight it's way to normalcy again.

It's good to sleep. I'd forgotten that every pregnant lady should nap every other day if possible. Do you think my periods 5 and 6 classes would notice if I snooze through their lessons every day?

Schmoo 2.0 is head down and weighing in at a whopping 5 lbs 5 oz. He or she is kicking a squirming up a storm. Estimated date of arrival is now November 11th which would be a delightful day for a B-day.

Cause for Concern

One of the school divisions in our province is trying something "new". Instead of disciplining kids for plagiarizing, it's okay. It will now be documented on their new behaviour report card.

Their what?

Behaviour report card? For high school students?
So, if in 15 years, Simon copy and pastes an entire section of a report from who knows what website and hands it in, he will not lose marks? Instead we, his parents will read that he made this choice on his behaviour report card?

I teach high school. I know kids cheat. I catch them. Then, we have a long chat with their parent(s). Then, the kid redoes his/her assignment with a small mark penalty. Their mark sits as incomplete (ie:0%) until it is redone to the required specifications.

I actually spend 2-3 days with students going over how to properly research, cite and document where they found their info. This is good teaching. I tell them that I will be vigilant about watching for cheaters. If they research and record their sources properly, they won't have any problems. Most don't. I end up having one or two conversations and that's it. I set high expectations and kids meet them.

As a society, we need to do the same. We need to teach our kids to value good work ethic, to respect other people's work and to give credit where credit is due. Isn't that what we want from our future leaders?

To read more about this division's decision, check out this article:

Article about plagiarizing for you to peruse at your leisure

Musical Journeys

I confess, I would be quite content letting music play softly on the radio in the background and it is not my normal to pay attention to what exactly is playing. I never had one style, one band or one singer that was iconic to my childhood. In my teens, I flip flopped between the alternative/grunge scene, jazz and country. Then, I married my musically astute husband and since then, a world of musical wonder has opened up to me.
Trevor's not a musical snob but, he is good at finding the up and coming independent artists before they make it big. He's good at knowing what is current and what is good. Of course we do vary in style - I like it a little more mellow and he's attracted to things a little more techno but, overall, I like it when he introduces me to new music.
This weekend, we drove to a city a few hours north and went to an Arcade Fire concert. I listen to Arcade Fire... on Trevor's Ipod. They're pretty intense. They were even more intense in concert. During some of the songs, they rocked it so hard that I had to sit down because either our baby was freaking out or he/she has got some intense, in utero dance moves.
The only concert I had been too (besides Raffi and other good kids' stuff) before dating Trevor was Vince Gill and Brian White. I guess all the youth events to Christian concerts count too except, I was mostly there to check out boys. (As an aside - I actually remember talking with Trevor at a Hokus Pick concert when I was 13 or 14. I was head banging in my hyper-colour shirt and I'm sure he was rockin' it in an extra-large T-shirt. It's funny that we knew each other then...).
Since dating Trevor, I've been to a lot more concerts. I like going. Even if I don't know the band or the singer all that well, I love being in such a happy, positive crowd. I love the shared joy and enthusiasm that overtakes people at concerts.
I like that Trevor's always finding us something new to listen to. It's better then having some radio disc jockey decide what's cool enough for me. I hope Simon appreciates that we dance to some pretty great tunes every evening after supper.

Still here

I am still here.
I have 2 post ideas percolating in my head.
I usually just lack the energy to do more then watch TV by the end of my day.
This fall cold is taking it's toll on me.

Team Work

My sweet man did something very noble today. He stayed home with Simon. Both Simon, our babysitter and our little friends that share our babysitter are all sick. I'm saving sick leave in case anything happens with Schmoo 2.0 and I need to be done a tad early.
Trevor stayed and played Mr. Mom all day.
Tomorrow is his EDO and he'll be grocery shopping, supper making, bathroom cleaning and doing laundry duty. On days like this, I just come home and play while he finishes supper and then cleans up. Then I put my not-yet-swollen feet up in my Lazy-Boy while he gives Simon his bath and puts him to bed.
Am I bragging? Heck yes!
My husband ROCKS!
I am one spoiled pregnant lady.
Am I super grateful! You bet!
I have an amazing man who takes our family and household duties seriously.
I thank God every day that I married him.

On a sad note, Trevor and I are getting our fall cold too. Blech!

Commuter

I have a 27 minute commute to and from work. 27 minutes as long as I make most of the lights, have no construction on my route and avoid semis. Lately, it's been about a 37 minute commute. I'm usually okay with that in the morning but, it kills me after school. All I want to do is rush home to Simon sans breaking the speed limit (a lot).

As a farm girl, I've always had a commute. I actually kind of like it. There's a geographical separation in my day between where I work and where I live. I have 27 minutes in the morning to mentally prepare for my day. I have 27 minutes after school to debrief and sort out my thoughts. I used to have this fabulous commuting group of ladies. I miss them. However, with Simon, I'm not the most reliable commuter anymore. I'm back on my own.

Mostly, it's a pretty happy, mindless time during my day. I play my Ipod or I listen to CBC. My favorite artists to commute to are: Josh Ritter, the Weakerthans, the Weepies, Courtyard Hounds and Jakob Dylan among others. If only the sun would shine, it'd be a happier trip to work.

Fall on the Farm

Harvest is in full swing??? Well, the guys are out in the fields scrambling to salvage what's left after the rains and frost before more rain comes.
We attempted to take Simon the Pumpkin Patch but unfortunately, the pumpkins aren't ready yet. Another casualty of too much rain.
Here's some pictures of our little family. We're taking advantage of the sun while it lasts.

Ruuusssshhh

Did you see that blur? That's my life, flying by.
From the moment the alarm goes off until I finally put my feet up and melt into my Lazy-Boy in the evening, I feel like I'm on my feet running.
I love working. I love being a Momma. I love looking after my house. However, I wish I could grab a little more balance.
I think part-time teaching has my name written all over it.
We'll see what the future holds.

P.S. - I realize that it's ironic that I put a pic of Simon and Fergus at rest on this post. It's just he most recent, non-naked photo I have of the Schmoo.

(Update on my entertaining grade 9 lad - he's happily writing his essay. I told him we're not holding a debate so, I don't need him telling other people why they're wrong. I'm sure his essay will be an interesting read.)

Ironic

Today, a young man in my Social 9 class became a tad upset because I was teaching him origin theories other then just Creation. (Remember - we did just read the Bible in class and learned about Creation as well).

"I'm a Christian, you know. I shouldn't have to learn these things I don't believe. I should get my parents to put me in an all Christian school so I don't have to know about anybody else's beliefs."

Sigh...
(Maybe his parents will call. I think that could be a very, very amusing chat.)

Critical Thinking

I'm excited to be teaching Social 9 and Psych 20 again. One of the reasons is because I am really, really passionate about making kids examine their own beliefs through a critical eye.
I am convinced that, if kids don't fully understand what they believe (about anything really) then, they are easily swayed into believing all sorts of things.
In Social, we are going to start examining what kids believe about the beginning of the world. This is one of the reasons I am thrilled to teach in the public system. I have the freedom to address all theories as theories. We look at the basic facts of a variety of cultural origin stories, the theory of the Big Bang/Evolution and the biblical creation theory.
Personally, as a Christian, I believe that God created the world and humankind. When I was in grade 9, my very agnostic teacher let me explain to him why. He told me he was proud of me because I understood my beliefs and could explain them and he gave me an A on the assignment. (Notice that I still remember this.) I want the same for my grade 9s.
I want them to be able to examine what they believe, why they believe and then, explain it. This is critical thinking. This goes beyond finding answers in a text. This should be memory making. At the age of 14, I think kids should be questioning things for themselves. They should be sorting and sifting through ideas and making their beliefs their own.
I wonder, how many of us get a chance to do this? How many of us have blindly followed something because it's what we've been told all our lives? How many of us have place faith in institutions, religion, science, technology, etc. without taking the time to examine WHY it is we believe in it.
I know it's a little lame and teacherish of me to write this post but, I get fired up about this kind of stuff. :)

2/10

Week #2 is done. Just 8 more to go and then, I'm a double Momma.

I love my job. I have a great staff. I met all my students and they are pretty awesome. I love teaching subjects I'm passionate about. Soon, my grade 9s will be figuring out just what they believe about the origin of the world and defending their ideas. In Psych 20, I taught about trepanning and phrenology... fabulous!

On the flip side, I miss my little man. He's a little trooper. He loves his baby-sitter and the two girls he hangs out with. It's nice to be at work and know that he's having a good time with his friends. That doesn't stop me from missing him all day long. It's hard not to just smother him with kisses and hugs as soon as I walk in the door.

Lastly, I'm exhausted. I miss my 2-3 hours of "nap time" every afternoon. I'm looking forward to napping this weekend. My big belly is starting to get unwieldy. I'm also noticing that I'm getting more and more tuckered out and uncomfortable. It's all part of the process but, I'm starting to look forward to this little Schmoo on the outside.

Dream Deferred

The house of our dreams in the cute artsy area sold.
I'm a little choked.
However, we prayed that if it was meant to be, that it would be.
I guess this is God's way of saying He's got something better in mind for us.
We're looking into a few more houses.
We'll see if we can imagine us there.

My Momma

Trevor's away for the weekend. I get lonesome sans his comforting presence. I miss him with every fiber of my being. Simon misses him too. I hear a lot of "Daddy?" and "Daddoh?" lately.
On Friday, my mother-in-law, sister-in-law and soon to be sister-in-law came over for a girly night. It was fun and it was nice to have such good company!
Last night, I went out to the farm to visit my folks. Dad was pretty busy trying to get the crops off (a bit of a challenge with all the rain) so, I spent most of my time with my Momma! It was great! It was good to be "looked after" for a change. She's also pretty wonderful in the way that she never takes over with Simon. She's there and she helps and they play but, she never makes me feel like I have to scamper off somewhere so she can have him all to herself. It was nice to stay up late, drink tea and talk about important and not so important things with her.
Now that I'm a Mom, I appreciate her so much more. I love my little Schmoo with all my heart and would do anything for him. I know my Mom feels the same about my brother and I. It's a humbling and yet, an oh so wonderful feeling. I hope that I can have a relationship with my adult children the way I do with my Mom.
(I know that you're reading, Mom - thanks a pile. Simon and I had a good time and we love you muchly!)

Workin' Momma

I started back to work on Monday. I did a 1/2 day. It wasn't a paid half day. That's how teachers roll. I've since done 2 more full days. Man, were they FULL. Yesterday, I collapsed onto the Lazy-Boy and Trevor had to get a spatula to pry me off and send me to bed.
First - I LOVE my job. I love looking at my old lessons, ideas, activities, etc. and "re-vamping" them so that they are current, fun, interactive, etc. for my soon to be students. I love taking my pencil to my daybook and planning my schedule, writing the students names in the marking section and mapping my calendar. I love catching up with my colleagues and finding out all the news. (PS - Did I mention that I was able to switch Science 9 for Psych 20? I couldn't be more tickled to be teaching something I actually know!)
Second - I LOVE Simon's baby-sitter. She plans adventures for him. She loves him, snuggles him, cuddles him and is very, very attentive. I'm curious to see what will happen to her and Simon when they start hanging out part-time with the other family we are sharing her with. That starts tomorrow.
Third - I MISS SIMON. As much as I love his babysitter, I miss my snuggles, cuddles, stories, walks, adventures and little lessons. I feel very torn between a job that I love and my kid who has my heart in his little fist.
Fourth - Being sick when starting back to work SUCKS! Having a sick kiddo sucks even more. We both have some sort of cold/stomach bug happening. Simon's lost his appetite (which is pretty significant if you've ever seen this kid pack in the food) and he has been extra fussy. :( I feel like I've been hit by a truck.

All in all, things are at the good -> okay level of the scale. Trevor leaves for a mountain holiday with the boys tomorrow. I believe that it's good for him to get away. That still doesn't mean I'm not sad. I'm not looking forward to being a sick single parent of a sick kid. Sigh...

16 months + 30 weeks

Welcome to 16 months, Mr. Simon! (Notice my lovely lack of lap for story time.)





I'm at 30 weeks. That means just 10 weeks until Schmoo 2.0 (or more... or less, babies are funny that way). Hard to believe he or she will be here that quickly!

Mrs. Dash

I LOVE to cook... when I have time. When I don't have time, it's a huge weight that looms over my head all day. My brain constantly asks what will I make for supper that's easy and quick and nutritious and yummy and that Simon will like?
This fall, I plan to be quite busy. Full-time teaching + last 10 weeks of pregnancy + house showings + hopefully packing and moving = brain overload.
SOLUTION: Dashing Dishes
On Monday, I went to a community center (which happens to be in the area of town I really hope we'll be moving to), donned my apron and bandanna and, in just 1 1/2 hours, I prepared 16 yummy, nutritious, quick and easy meals for my family for the fall. These scrumptious meals include: spinach pasta bake, Asian bistro chicken, fiesta pulled chicken, Greek shrimp, Korean style ribs, melt in your mouth beef, 2 Mexican pizzas and marinated chicken.
I was tickled that I was able to use ingredients I would never buy (rice vinegar, Hoisin sauce, pickled ginger, frozen spinach, etc.) I'm salivating at the thought of this month's meals.
On top of all that, I also bought a super large pork tenderloin at Costco, cut it into slab and wrapped those slabs in bacon. I have 16 of those little morsels of goodness in my freezer too.
I think my freezer is ready for me to go to work. (It'll be a pain to move all that food to our new house though.)

Lunch Buddies

Fergus is not allowed on the table. However, he does like to sit on a chair when we eat.

Pity Party Erased

I just erased a very self-pitying blogpost about the tragedy of my upcoming return to work. I was reduced to tears this morning as my little man gave me a big bear hug and snuggle because I'm going to miss him so much. I'm heading off to Dashing Dishes tonight to prepare 16 frozen suppers to ease my supper stress for the next month. (I plan on doing this monthly until the baby arrives).
Instead of belly-aching, I'm going to focus on the blessings God has given me!
-I am blessed to be the Mama of one, almost 2 little ones. Simon is my pride and joy and I can only imagine how big my heart will grow when Schmoo 2.0 arrives.
-I have the most supportive husband in the world. He is willing to pitch in with housework and parenting tasks. He's also the best hugger on days when I have pity parties.
-I have a fabulous job that I love. The only snafu I have this semester is silly Science 9 but, if I could teach Remedial Math and Food Studies 30 at my inner city school, I should be able to manage one unit of Science 9 in a bedroom community school.
-I have great childcare lined up. Simon loves his baby-sitter (as do I) and we're sharing her with a family that I really like. This way, Simon will have 2 little playmates to explore his world with.
-I just made yummy cookies. I spent the morning with my sweet Mom. Fergus is my purring cuddle cat sitting on my lap.
Really, how can life get better then this?
Begone pity party... I don't need you!

Jam face and a sad countdown

I think I just mentioned Simon's passionate love of his Tigger. This morning, he refused to part with the wee stripped beastie and so, Tigger is now covered in jam. Blech! (Fortunately, we have multiple Tiggers so, when jam-face Tigger is taking a bath, Simon still has 2 other Tiggers to keep him busy.)

I'm getting kind of sad thinking about my upcoming return to work. I've really enjoyed my extended mat. leave and summer break. I feel reality looming on the horizon and this stirs up all sorts of anxiety and sadness. Most of the time, I push those feelings down, put on my rosy-coloured glasses and live in the present. With just 10 days of bliss left, that is getting harder and harder to do. Sigh...

How in the world do those American girls go back to work after just 6 weeks? (I could barely function after 6 weeks let alone work. My goodness, letting me loose in a grocery store was scary enough, I'd hate to imagine trying to educate children in my sleep deprived state.) Why can't I move to Sweden where Trevor and I would still have 8 months left of our parental leaves?

Ah well, 10 weeks of teaching and then, I'm off on maternity leave again... because I'll have another BABY! YIKES!

A Colourful Cast

Simon has an ever-increasing army of "best friends". It started with his Tigger. We bought it for him when we went to DisneyWorld when I was pregnant with him. Something about the soft orange fuzz and the extra chewable tail has endeared him to my sweet son. (Lucky for us, you can buy extra, exactly the same Tiggers at SuperStore for $3).
Another one of his "best friends" is Ernie from Sesame Street. We don't own any Ernies but, we do get our daily dose of Sesame Street after nap time and Simon dances and giggles with glee whenever Ernie shows up. We've been taking a lot of Sesame Street books out of the library. This leads to Simon kissing a lot of pictures of Ernie.
Simon's newest "best friend" is an Ernie influence. To be like his role model, Simon has started carrying around a rubber duck. Last night, he slept with a rubber duck and his Tigger. He was a pretty happy dude. (I included this video because it is AWESOME. It is AWESOME because it has both Ernie and the duck. All it needs is a cameo from Tigger. It's also the song that is forever stuck in my head... sigh.)

(We're thinking that the baby might "give" Simon an Ernie when he/she gets here. Did any of you give your first child a gift from the baby? Did this help ease the dethronement at all?)

Boy-Mania

We just got back from lunch with some friends. We all took our little boys to DQ. It dawned on me just how many baby boys around Simon's age that we know. It's like 2009 was the year of the boy. I think our 2-3 year old Sunday School teacher may retire when she sees the crew she has coming in the next year and a bit. Yikes! I wouldn't blame her one bit! It's a good thing that Simon will have a pile of little guy friends. I pity this group in Jr. High when there are maybe one or two girls to flirt with between the lot of them.

On the same subject but, a completely different note, I just finished reading A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah. It took me over a week to read because it was such a hard story. I'm still upset when I think of these lonesome little orphan boys who wound up fighting in the "army" in Sierra Leone. They were pumped with drugs, given guns and forced to go and shoot the enemy. The brainwashing and abuse the author went through was atrocious. As a Mommy, I held my little son a lot closer this week and continued to thank God that we live in such a safe place. Unfortunately, Ismael was one of many, many children to whom war and atrocities happen to. I don't know what I can do to help other then to hear their stories and to pass them on.

Sort and Shuffle On Out

Every couple of days or so, I open up a cupboard, a closet or I pick a basement shelf. I systematically go through it. I sort between 3 piles: keep, throw out and recycle (thrift shop style). This has led to all sorts of odd things ending up in our dumpster. This has also led to a lot of junk going to Sally Anne (really, do people really want this stuff?) This has also led to a lot of personal satisfaction. This also means that we are getting rid of "stuff" and hanging on to that which we love, need or have to have. It feels good to purge.
Obviously, making our house neat and tidy is the first priority (come on people, please buy our house). Also, this will make it easier to move. Lastly, it feels good to purge.

If you're interested in some great re-org tips, check out 2 of my favorite new blogs:
http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/
http://orgjunkie.com/

Bestie

We met 26 years ago (yeesh). She was the nameless My Little Pony and I was the clumsy My Little Pony (odd how 5 year olds define themselves). We became best friends in grade 4 when our original best friends left us for each other. Turns out to be the greatest break-ups of our lives.
It's fabulous to have someone who knows me so well. We're very different and those differences compliment each other in ways that are good for us.
It was great to spend the week holidaying with her and her sweet man. One of the best things about our friendship is that it feels like we just saw each other yesterday. There's no "catching up" or awkward re-acquainting. Instead, it's just sitting down with my best friend.
I loved spending the week in Canmore with her. It was good to have her see a little more of Simon.
It's crazy to think that the next time I actually see her, Simon will be walking (cross fingers) and I will have another baby in my arms.

Just a Memory

We spent most of our holiday with Simon strapped to Trevor's back. We tried walking up and around mountains every day. We had a fabulous time with Shiya and Marshall. We relaxed by the condo's pool in the afternoon when Simon slept. Simon was a super traveler. We played him out and he slept hard. Here are some of our more favorite pictures of the week.

Mountain High

We've been in the Rockies since Sunday. Simon was a delightful little traveller. He even tolerated his Mommy's foray into IKEA. :) He's sleeping hard and napping well. This makes everyone happy.
We're staying at a condo with my best friend, Shiya and her husband, Marshall. They've been great adventure buddies and it's been great catching up.
Highlights of our week so far have included:
-shopping at IKEA
-supper (and dessert) at Cheescake Cafe
-rainy welcome hike to a simple little lake not far from where we "live"
-Shiya and Marshall
-swimming everyday in our pool
-free pancake breakfast and a hike around town
-Banff - we skipped all the downtown shopping and hung out at the waterfall for a bit then, we took Simon on his first gondola ride (he was in love with the gondolas... we had to spend quite a bit of time watching them come up and go down the mountain)
-being bitten by a squirrel - it was just my toe and it was more funny then anything
-walking the ridge with our squirming son to get to the actual peak of Sulfur Mountain
-hiking Grassi Lakes trail with Auntie Andrea and Uncle Kyle - this also involved some intense splashing in the lakes

We've only just begun. We're currently relaxing by the pool as Schmoo Bear catches up on some much needed sleep. He plays hard, eats like an adult and sleeps hard. Life can't get much better then this! I'm excited to see what other adventures our little family can get up to.