P's and B's (potty's and beds)

After a stress-free weekend filled with shopping south of the boarder (which will stress me out later when I pay the bills!) I decided that I'm not enough of an emotional basket case so I took on two more challenges that are surely going to drive me to drink!
I hauled up the free toddler bed we've had for a few months for Sierra. Trevor was perusing Kijiji one afternoon when he happened upon an ad giving away a toddler bed just as it was posted. He phoned and promptly drove out to get it before anyone else could have a chance. I want to give Sierra plenty of time to transition out of a crib before the baby arrives in hopes that she won't think the baby is stealing 'her' bed. Since it's a new month I decided I'd start now. She had a great time playing on the new 'widdow bed' but when I asked her if she wanted to sleep in it... she ran screaming to her crib and banged on it saying,
"no seep da widdow bed, my big bed!"
I guess it'll take a bit of warming up to this one.

My second endeavor: after a necessary few week break from the wonderful process of potty training I asked Sierra if she wanted to wear her panties again today and she said yes. We proceeded through our morning and I asked her a couple of times if she needed to go potty to which she firmly replied,
"Nope."
Then at around noon she suddenly said,
"wet my simmie!" (she was wearing her swimsuit, don't ask!) and immediately removed it, ran to her potty and peed!
Any more potty training this afternoon was ruined by two bouts of explosive diarrhea, no doubt the result of all the junk food she ingested this weekend thanks to Papa and Granny (they came with us on our weekend excursion). Needless to say we were a little afraid to let Sierra run around without the safety of a diaper.
I'll try again tomorrow.

Frayed

There must be something in the air these days because I've come across a surprising number of people who are overwhelmed with life. I include myself.
At first I blamed my out of control pregnancy hormones that are blasting my coping abilities out the window.
Then I looked deeper and realized there's a lot more to it that is burbling and gurgling and making me a giant crank.

1. We've been dealing with Trevor's inability to secure a teaching job for over two years now. It's been highs and low and ultimately one disappointment after another. I'd say we were old hats at this whole saga by now but it just hasn't gotten any easier. So many people say that he's a great teacher and that there has to be a job for him yada, yada yada. Well, where is it???????? The fact is, the economy sucks and there have been huge cutbacks. This translates to minimal job opportunities and huge competition for the ones that do pop up. A recent posting had 65 applicants.
At the end of this month Trevor will be working permanently (well a one year kind of deal) for the decal shop as a sort of production manager. He'll cease subbing for this school year. The pay will be decent and he enjoys it. The stability in schedule and income will be nice. We're not giving up on him being a teacher and he'll still apply for jobs as they come up (if?) . Couple me going on maternity leave sooner than later with all the randomness subbing includes this option makes the most sense. Am I at peace with this decision? No not entirely but it is what it is and it'll be good.

2. We've been going non-stop on house stuff for well over a year. Yes, I have a house I love and wouldn't change a thing but it sure is a taxing process. It really has been all encompassing. We might a get a bit of reprieve around the time the baby is born but the work isn't really ending any time soon.

3. Because of the house-building and job situation we have not had any significant time off in a very long time. My batteries are running very low, I need a vacation or something.

4. I have a two year old who, although extremely fun and enjoyable, is even more life dominating than everything else combined. And we're having another one?

5. As if the raging hormones aren't enough I also have had issues sleeping, lack of sleep is huge in affecting ones mental stability.

5. Then on top of all that - there are the other "normal" things that still exist. Church and church related activities such as choir, socializing, grocery shopping, cleaning etc.

Combine everything and you've got one very stressed out pregnant thirty two year old that isn't sure how to deal with it. All I know is that I will.

32

As if I'm that age!

I still feel like I just turned - oh - say 25. I definitely don't feel like a teenager anymore (no missing those years!) and I don't feel 20ish either. But I can't possibly be 32. Alas, I am. I imagine that this sentiment of not feeling anywhere near my age will continue for a long time - as long as I don't feel older I'm okay with that.
Yesterday was my birthday. I planned for myself a good day and I was not disappointed. After a good night's sleep I woke up to a gorgeous, hot, sunny, fall day. I pampered myself with a hair cut and colour (sorry no picture yet) while my mom entertained Sierra. Trevor got me a fantastically fabulous lavender set of golf clubs



that we tried out at a nine-hole par three course later in the afternoon. This was followed by a delicious dinner out. We came home to our beautiful little girl



who, although was already in bed, demanded good night hugs and kisses that made me feel especially blessed.
It was nice to simply enjoy myself and life. I've been feeling rather out of sorts these last few months due to these lovely things called emotions that are being rollarcostered around by my rapidly fluctuating hormones so this was a pleasant break.
Today is another lovely day and has been filled with more wonderful activities that will end with a family dinner of homemade perogies.
Yum!

Midnight Mutterings

It's probably too late too late to be typing a post but I'm not in the mood to go to bed and the Cosby Show reruns flickering on the TV in the background aren't engaging my attention.
I'm not even sure what the heck to say. I feel like I have a boring life these days and yet I'm also incredibly busy. Hmmm.
The reason I'm not sleepy is because yesterday Trevor and I went to Calgary to see The Tragically Hip in concert. We only got home at 1:30A.M. so I needed a nap this afternoon which ended up being a too-long nap so here I am.
We had a great evening for the most part. Our anticipated plans of a nice dinner with friends was a disappointment. The company was just awful, and I won't even mention the food...just kidding! Despite allowing ourselves plenty of time to arrive at our destination it was of course the day that not one, but two, accidents had caused the traffic on the major road we were on moving at a very slow crawl, if you could even call it that. After moving 1km in half an hour we finally got off and took a very round about way to the restaurant where we inhaled dinner and crammed in some catch up conversation in 40 minutes. The food and company were great but the time was too short, not quite what we had looked forward to.
The concert was held in a theater where the atmosphere feels more like that of a place that presents Broadway productions like 'The Lion King' - which it does as well - as opposed to a rock concert. 'The Hip' were the only band performing and they entertained us for nearly three hours. It was well worth the money and time but today I paid for it! I'm too old for late nights.
Here I am doing it again though, I guess I'm also too old to learn!

A Little O'This...

Here it is Friday again and already!
I had all these great post ideas that I swore to myself I'd inflict upon you to read more often this week. Oh, well, at least I get to it once a week - better than nothing, no? So here's a smattering of what's up with me:

1. Our grass was laid and looks wonderful and we've managed to keep it alive and mostly green this first week.
It actually looks like we have a yard.

2. It has been wonderfully sunny and hot this month, unseasonably so for September. I say keep it coming we still have outside work to do!

3. Sierra will not stop talking these days and you must respond to her or she just gets louder until you do.
"Mommy, choo choo dare." (as we drive down the highway alongside the train tacks every day)
" Yes there's a train there."
"Wowd."
"Trains can be loud, yes."
"Mommy boo eyes."
"Yes, mommy has blue eyes."
"Daddy geen eyes."
"Yes, daddy has green eyes."
And it goes on.

4. Despite my lack of information to you in this area, we are still struggling with job decisions for Trevor. I don't even know what to say or want anymore.

5. I worked almost 30 hours this week and only 5 next week!

6. Baby is definitely growing because my clothes aren't fitting and strangers at work ask me when my due date is.

Happy weekend!

Green - Somewhat Gratuitous Friday.

First of all - we are sodding a generous portion of our yard tomorrow, 3500 out of 5300 possible square feet of planned grass area. (front and back) Trust me, even the planned 5300 square feet of grass still leaves large areas for a garden, flower beds, and a kid's play area. Who's idea was it for such a freakin' big yard anyway?!! I'm sure we'll love it when it's all done, which will be in a billion years of so. For now I'm thankful for the immense amount of work Trevor and my dad have put in this past week to help prep, and to our friends helping lay the sod tomorrow!

I have two friends having babies this month and I've been stricken with a case of envy. It's that nasty materialism that our society loves to breed and nourish coming out. One thing I really wanted when I was expecting Sierra was a fancy stroller/car seat system. We had to stretch our money so we bought nearly everything used, including the stroller system. It actually didn't bother me at the time because I had no idea what was all out there and we were just proud of our thriftiness. After a little buying and selling I have a decent, lower end Graco brand system now which is nice enough, and last fall we bought an awesome jogging stroller at 75% off for a cool $100 - this stroller I love.
Friends' and acquaintances parents are buying them $600 stollers without the car seat, or the crib they want, or all sorts of other things and that twinge called envy has reared itself. Now I love my friends dearly and think the gifts they are getting are great. My close friends are also not rich so what is not given is also used or carefully purchased.
Trevor's and my parents combined spent $300. Now I know it's not all about money and things and I'm super grateful for the relationship my parents have with Sierra which I consider to be the most important. In part I think it's because I thought by the time we were expecting out second child we would be in a better financial place (Trevor - teaching job). We would be able to afford a few more things for the next baby. Here number two is well on the way and we are so not in that place. Does it really matter and do the kids care? No. It's just me being silly and petty and worldly.

And honest about how I feel right now.

16

16 Weeks Pregnant.

In the last two weeks baby moved up, off my bladder (hallelujah!) and out for all to start seeing and wondering to themselves "Is she..?" but too polite to ask. We should have not told anyone just to see how long it would've taken for someone to actually ask!
One day last week, while dressing for work, I noticed that no matter what shirt I put on I looked pregnant. Then I had to remind myself that I was in fact pregnant and should show off my burgeoning bump with pride. I did not have that sentiment with Sierra and consequently refuse to take that attitude with this one. When I drove home recently from buying groceries with my pants button undone I decided it was also time to rethink my wardrobe. My pants options are slowly decreasing and the versatility of my shirts is also disappointing me. I remember thinking with Sierra - and even now - that I'd have more time with my shirts,
"So what if they are a little snug? Shirts are more forgiving that way."
Not with me. Some of them just make me look fat while others are a bit short, or just fit a bit 'off'. Maybe it's the style I wear?
I scanned my maternity clothes that I saved from Sierra and came to two conclusions:
1. I must have borrowed more than I thought because there weren't that many there, especially shirts. Pants I'll be mostly set.
2.Styles have changed enough that I'm not so sure I'll be wearing the shirts I have. Three years ago the style was transitioning to tighter but there were a lot of looser options. Since I was self conscious I erred on the looser side. Hello tent, good bye any semblance of a figure! As I said, I'm not hiding this time around.

So Friday evening I went shopping and lo and behold hit the end of season sale so I went to town. I bought six maternity shirts with short sleeves, a shorter straight skirt, and a pair of super comfy lounging capris. Everything except the skirt was under $15! I'm very excited. I decided short sleeved shirts were the most practical because it's still warm now and I know that as I near the end of my pregnancy, even though it'll be winter, my body will be heating me in overdrive. The best part is that I used a portion of some free money I earned through a promotion at work

The extreme fatigue is abating. I still nap when I can and on the days I don't I'm pretty wiped by the end. I am still able to run on my treadmill four times a week and it helps me feel better. In fact I haven't changed my running routine yet and my body hasn't told me to. I've probably gained close to five pounds by now which I find perfectly fine for only the second time in my adult life!