Sunday 30 December 2012

Cloth diapers - sprayers and tushy sticks

This may be kind of sad, but I'm pretty excited about a new gadget that we added to our little world of cloth diapering. And may I just say that it makes clean ups a breeze!

After cloth diapering for over 6 months we have finally purchased a diaper sprayer! For those unaware of what that is, it's a garden hose like contraption that hooks up to your toilet that is pressured and you use it to spray off those non 'ploppable' poops. Usually Noah's diapers are an easy plunk and flush, but when your kids are sick or eat something that doesn't agree with them it sure does come in handy. No one enjoys having to dunk and swish right?

It has made my life so much easier! It takes 5 seconds at the most to rinse of a messy diaper and its a big help with avoiding stains. It's also handy to have around for cleaning your toilet, rinsing out a potty training toddler toilet or to use as a bidet for general cleanliness. Now that I have it I couldn't go back!
We purchased the Aquaus From the Little Monkey Store over the holidays when it went on sale. But I know Tender Tushies is now selling one too for cheaper for those interested.

Another product that I wanted to rave about is the Tushy Stick by Loveys. You can't just use any kind of diaper cream on your baby when you are cloth diapering and after trying a few brands this is our favourite. We love it because your hands never get messy and it works fast! We only have one at the moment but plan to pick up another to have with us on the go. Love love love it.

We hope to make a visit to our lovely TT rep in the next few days to add a few more dipes to our stash. We're going to have two boys in cloth diapers for a while, yikes. Anyone out there done this? How many diapers were you going through in a day? I'm curious about just how many we'll need.


Thursday 27 December 2012

Half way mark - gender reveal!

Guess what? Tomorrow I enter into week 20 of pregnancy. Friends really werent kidding when they said that your second pregnancy will fly by. I can't believe we are at this point already!

I'm feeling pretty good, although I still randomly get nauseated. I can't go near a garbage can or scrub a dinner dish with leftover food. If my tummy gets even a little empty I also start to heave and need to immediatly eat. My belly is starting to get a little heavy and if I'm on my feet too long I can start feeling the pressure on my hips and pelvic bone. Thankfully I have a maternity belt that I can put on when it's bothering me and that helps a lot. Other then that, I'm eating alot and enjoying more and more movement from my belly every day.

I feel like it's time to start getting prepared, even though I don't know exactly what that entails. We have our double stroller, our ergo carrier and picked up a new crib mattress. In only a few short months we will be switching Noah into his toddler bed so that the crib will be free to use for the new baby.

Speaking of baby... guess what we did tonight? You know how we had a 3D ultrasound scheduled for January 5th to find out little ones gender? Well, we got a tad antsy and called up the office asking if they had any last minute openings. Sure enough, they did and in we went. We brought Noah and my mother along to share in the excitement.

Here is a shot of our adorable little BOY! That's right, we make boys, just as I predicted! As much as I'd love a little girl at some point, this does work out a whole lot easier for us. The nursery is already boy themed, we have tons of boy clothes and lots of boy toys. Noah and his little brother will be sharing a room 6 months in too so that will be tons of fun. Besides, how fun will it be for Noah to have a pal so close in age to play trucks with?!

I already feel more connected to this little guy, calling him by name and understanding a little more what he looks like. Exciting times ahead!!!

Final Christmas gift

Tonight I'm getting another Christmas gift and I'm probably more excited about this one then anything else I received over the holidays. But it's a secret, so you are all just going to have to wait to find out what exactly this gift is.

I promise to share with you very soon.

Until then, I leave you with my latest belly shot taken on Christmas day.

Tuesday 25 December 2012

A very Merry (yet exhausting) Christmas.

*sigh* My oh my what a busy couple of days. And guess what, it ain't over yet. The holidays are always busy, especially December 23-26 as that is when all of our family gatherings take place. But this year my son happens to be in that 'into everything' phase and didn't sit still for more then 30 seconds at a time. Add onto that that I'm about half way through my pregnancy and starting to move a little slower and put my feet up a little more and you have one tired momma!

That being said, Noah has done very well these past few days. As far as I know he hasn't broken anything at our house or others and he's continued to sleep his normal amount. He's handled the extra sugar given to him fairly well, opened his gifts with many smiles and amazed staring and avoided (for the most part) any melt downs.

We were all overly spoiled as always. Noah so much so that Matt and I decided to keep a few of his still boxed up presents in the garage because he can't even remember all that he received. That way when he eventually gets bored with the ones he did unbox we can trade them out for the others. We did this for his birthday and it worked pretty well.

Tomorrow is our last family get together of the season with my moms side of the family. We're a big clan when we get together but it's always a good time. After that I'm looking forward some quieter days with my hubby who still has a week off and our little rambunctious man.

Oh, one thing I did want to mention is about a book I got called "What a Difference a Mom makes." It's by the always hilarious yet informative Christian phsycologist Dr Kevin Leman. I tore through about 45 pages this evening while relaxing in the tub and I can't wait to get back to it. It's all about how big of an impact mothers specifically have on their sons as they raise them and I'm finding it so informative! If you have boys and get a chance to pick it up, I highly recommend it.



Monday 24 December 2012

Play date with someone special

Noah (and I) had a very special visit a few days ago. I've mentioned before that one of my closest friends live far away in Nicaragua with her husband and their daughter, where they are serving as missionaries. They are in town for a few weeks for the holidays and so that their family and friends can meet the newest addition to the family. Oh boy, is she a little charmer. The moment she came through my front door she greeted me with tons of smiles and I couldn't wait to get my hands on her.



Though Noah and her both had to have naps during the visit, they still were able to spend a little time getting to know one another. Noah hasn't been around younger children then him very much but he really liked her from the start and was trying to share his toys and smother her in kisses. Thankfully she was in a good mood and enjoyed just staring at him. Hmm, our arranged marriage plan may work after all!



I was happy to see how interested in her Noah was, because like it or not he will be getting a constant play mate of his own only a few months down the road!

Thanks for the visit Ally! Hopefully we manage to get in some more time before you guys are off. Love you!

Friday 21 December 2012

Ultrasound nervousness

Does anyone else get nervous when it's time for their ultrasounds during pregnancy or is it just me? Most people seem to get really excited and so look forward to it. I guess I'm just a worrier, but I get a similar feeling to that of when they check for the heart beat for the first time. What if something is wrong?

I have my 3D ultrasound scheduled for January 5th to find out gender but for some reason I couldn't get my medical one scheduled until the 21st of January and ill be almost 24 weeks at that point. That's over a month later then when I had one with my first pregnancy.

I had a negative experience during my medical ultrasound with Noah. The tech wasn't friendly in the slightest and barely acknowledged my existence to the point where I left the appointment close to tears thinking something was horribly wrong. Everything turned out to be fine and thankfully Matt managed to get me an 'emergency' 3D for the same day to calm my fears. What a difference! They took the time to explain everything, get pictures for us and even smiled the whole time! Yeah we had to pay but it was well worth it.

I told my doctor I didn't want to go back to the other ultrasound clinic because of what happened and this time they managed to get me into Jimmy Pattison which I've heard nothing but good reviews for. And our 3D is booked for the same place as last time. Hopefully both go well :)

For now I just have to trust God that everything is going well with the little baby I side and remember that He has a plan for all. The frequent pokes and jabs baby is giving me is a reassuring reminder.

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Winter wonderland

We woke up this morning to a decent (by Vancouver standards) amount of snowfall. It's now lunch time and it's still going strong out here! At this very moment there is a semi-truck backsliding down 88th and no one can get past him. Conditions aren't so good out there. Stay safe everyone!

I took Noah outside at 8:30 am because I wasn't sure how long it'd be til it turned to rain. He hasn't ever played out in the snow and it seemed he was not all that interested today either. He simply walked around our complex pointing to things and listening to the crunch of the snow under his boots. He refuses to wear gloves and so after one touch of the fluffy cold stuff he didn't try it again. But he was still upset when I took him in half an hour later, red cheeked and damp.



Yesterday I spent the afternoon at my mommas making the traditional chocolate peanut butter balls. She puts    
cherries in hers where as I prefer them plain. Next year we are considering buying some kind of mold and trying to make them into cups. The dipping can be so challenging otherwise!

As far as pregnancy goes, I am starting to feel large. I know I'm not that huge, but I think I am significantly bigger then I was with my first at this point which makes me feel slightly self conscience. I think it's because baby is poking more outward this time around instead of lower. And the hunger has finally kicked into full gear. I feel like I am snacking all day long and I've actually gained a few pounds now. With Noah I wasn't a gradual gainer, I would suddenly gain four pounds in two weeks and then nothing for the next month. This seems to be happening again. It's not a bad thing but it always concerns me that I'll gain too much and be stuck with a lot of weight to loose after baby is born. I came out of the hospital with only four extra pounds on me last time and I'm hoping It'll be similar this time if I'm lucky.



Other then that not much going on here. Business as usual with an active toddler. Only 2.5 more days until Matt is on Christmas break for eleven days and I am so looking forward to that!



Friday 14 December 2012

Devastated

I don't even know what to say. But my heart aches so strongly for those affected in CN today that I feel like I have to at least acknowledge what has happened and try to piece together a few thoughts.

Many people are asking what's wrong with the world? And why would God let something like this happen? And I find myself thinking, "You don't want God around!" He's been pushed further and further out of our school systems, governments and in just about every other way because people don't want anything to do with him. But when tragedy strikes somehow it's 'where was He? And how could he let such a thing happen.'

This world has become an incredibly scary place. As a child I never grew up worrying that a shooter would one day come to my school and open fire. Now children have to rehearse lockdown drills just in case. How terrifying! This is the reality of the day and age we live in.

The whole thing makes me want to move to a cabin in the middle of nowhere with all my loved ones, homeschool my children and try to hide from the world. But I know that's not the answer (although it does make me think even more about the idea of homeschooling...)

So how do we stop this? What can be done to make this world a better and safer place? Sadly I don't think there there is a solution, because everyone has got that sin nature in them. Our society teaches us that we have the power and the right to do whatever we want and to 'look out always for number 1.'

Those of us who are Christians believe otherwise. There is a greater purpose to life and we know we are not number 1. God is number 1, and He has a plan for every single person. But not everyone wants to be a part of that plan, and being the loving Father he is, he lets everyone choose.

We'll be praying for those families and all those affected by this great tragedy. And I pray that they can find strength and some kind of hope from God, who is waiting with open arms.

Wednesday 12 December 2012

Eager.

this picture makes me look bigger then I really am because its so close up haha.

Gotta say, I'm starting to get pretty eager to find out wether baby number 2 is a boy or a girl. I don't buy anything until I know gender and I'm starting to get that excitment in me of wanting to look at newborn outfits, bedding and decor. I would also like to identify baby by their name, which we have picked out for either gender. I'mt not really into inside the tummy nicknames.

I know many like a surprise about everything, and that's great for them, but for me knowing Noah was a boy and giving him his name really helped me bond with him when he was still inside. I don't feel as though it robbed my joy on delivery day in the slightest. Seeing him for the first time was excitment and surprise enough.

I keep going back and forth wether I think we are having a boy or girl. I mean, there really is no way to know until the ultrasound. All the old wives tales with my last pregnancy said I was having a girl, and I even thought I was having a girl. So I haven't given them a thought at all this time around. The only reason I am suspicious this time is because of how different my pregnancy has been. Nausea came on way earlier, way stronger and still shows up randomly now and then. I'm experiencing low blood pressure, which I find odd because with my first pregnancy it was perfect the entire time. Cravings wise I haven't really had any, though last time all I wanted to eat was fruits and veggies. Oh and I've really been struggling with dairy this time around. Oh and this may sound weird, but I think my belly is 'pointier' this time. I carried very low with Noah and this one seems a bit higher up. Could be just a second pregnancy thing. I need to go back and look at pictures to compare.

Who knows. I will be perfectly happy with either. A little brother for Noah would be awesome and so fun. To be honest we'd almost like a boy again and then have a girl the next time. But a girl would be wonderful because then I'm guranteed one of each haha. So whatever God thinks is best is okay with me!

Gender ultrasound is scheduled for the 5th of January. Lets hope baby isn't feeling shy that day.

Saturday 8 December 2012

Bechard family Christmas

Well, today we are having a bit of an early Christmas with Matt's parents. They leave tomorrow so we had to celebrate early.

Of course Noah chose this morning to wake up at 3:00am and party in our bedroom until 5:15. Maybe he was anxious for some presents? Needless to say, I was not impressed. Then I realised that in another 5 months or so this would be my life again every single night. Oh dear... What were we thinking!?



We enjoyed a yummy breakfast of German pancakes with pure sugar syrup. I had all of one piece while the rest of the Bechard's polished off the entire pan in minutes. Seriously, this family can eat! It's unbelievable that they stay so thin!



Noah was exhausted from his early morning playtime and ended up heading to bed early, while the rest of us opened a few gifts. Then the family headed out for a walk while I stayed home and Noah napped.



This afternoon we will be having a big roast beef dinner (we had Turkey last week so opted for something different.) Tonight we will be going to a friends to decorate gingerbread houses and listen to some music.



It's been a fun but busy week around here. I'm curious to see what the transition will be like for Noah as we go from a house of six down to just the three of us again. Will he be crazy bored or will he enjoy getting back to his routine? One things for sure, he will miss having his Grandmaman and Grandpapa around.

Friday 7 December 2012

Week 16

So I'm 16 weeks pregnant now (or in my 17th week of pregnancy.) This past week has been a bit of a busy one as my in laws have been here visiting.

Tuesday evening we went downtown for Bright Nights at Stanley Park to take a ride on the Christmas train. As soon as we pulled into the parking lot and Noah saw the lights he began saying, 'ho ho ho!' We laughed because his facial expressions were very similar to last year when he went at barely 4 months old. Not necessarily smiling, just in awe of what he saw.



Wednesday we did lots of running around and we ended up having Noah out of the house pretty much all day. We learnt our lesson... Never again. He is a very laid back kid but he had three full meltdowns that day, one in the middle of Costco. Not fun for momma. I also don't think he's just use to all this attention and socialisation 24/7 and he had just had it. We're trying to keep our schedule much more laid back now and give him more quiet down time while company is here. So far it seems to be working.



Yesterday I had my 16 weeks check up at the doctor. My mother in law went with me and we got to hear babies heartbeat for the first time! So exciting and so reassuring to know that there is indeed a little child growing inside me. I ended up taking the doctor a while to find the heartbeat which made me a little nervous, but very quickly we were getting kicks so we knew baby was in there somewhere. My doctor commented that I had a very active baby for 16 weeks, but Noah was the exact same way. I am actually feeling those little jabs now too, mostly after I eat, which is always fun. Only negative thing we found out is that I have low blood pressure right now. It explains why I almost passed out a few days ago and why I am feeling so tired. This isn't something I experienced with Noah so we'll be keeping a close eye on it.

Tonight we will be having a family dinner at the Olive Garden, our favourite restaurant. And tomorrow we will be having a 'Bechard' Christmas with gifts and special meals! Should be fun!

Sunday 2 December 2012

Special Visitors

I mentioned in my previous blog post that we have some very special visitors staying with us right now. My husbands parents are here from Ontario for about 10 days to get in some time with their only grandchild and to celebrate an early Christmas with us all.



Noah skypes a lot with his Grandmaman so he warmed up to being around her in person very fast and wants to be with her constantly. He loves his Grandpapa too, but he is still not too sure about him haha.

It's been so nice having my mother in law around to help out with Noah. It gives me a chance to get off my feet more and relax, especially considering I have been battling a horrible cold for almost a week now. One of the most awesome things is that every morning once Noah starts making noise, Grandmaman sneaks in and takes him from his pack n play so Matt and I can continue sleeping. I know any parent out there would understand how wonderful that truly is!

We went to our church Kick off to Christmas party last night which was fantastic as always. I probably should have stayed home and rested, but it's pretty much my favourite event of the year and I really didn't want to miss it. I'm trying to be better about not pushing myself too much and surrendering to what my body is telling me, so I stayed home from church this morning. It turned out to be a really good idea because by 9:30am Noah was passing out on the living room floor and went down for a very early nap. Too much partying for a toddler I guess!



Tonight we are going to the Michael W Smith concert out in Abbotsford with Matts parents and my whole family (Noah will be home with Matt.) We went two years ago and it was a great show so I'm really looking forward to it. So until then I plan to lay low and relax.

Hope you are all well. 

Friday 30 November 2012

Double strollers & baby carriers - solved!

Thank you everyone for all your input on my last post. It really helped me out!! I love having helpful mommies out there :)

We purchased a double stroller Wednesday night off of a couple on craigslist. We got the Phil & Teds double jogger and we are very happy with it. We got it for a fantastic price and they even have us the rain cover and a Graco car seat adapter for free. Saved ourselves ALOT of money! Because this stroller can be used as a single or double we plan to sell our Graco jogger to earn back a bit of the money. I loved that stroller but we really don't need two in this case.

As far as a carrier, we went with the ergo and have been able to buy one off of a couple we know through church who had an extra. Still need to get a newborn insert but another church friend offered to let us borrow there's. again I say, you mommies are so awesome!

I feel like things are coming together for baby number 2! We already purchased the perfect toddler bed for Noah off craigslist for $40 so we can use the crib we already have for the baby. My friend and cousin has offered to let us use their swing once they are done with it, and if we have a another boy we will have lots of clothes to use already.

Speaking of baby gender, we have a 3D ultrasound booked for January 5th! We could ha e had it done a week or so earlier, but with the holidays hours are weird and I don't know what our schedule will be like. Hubby still says girl, because he says it's been really different this time around. I say boy, just because I said girl last time and I was wrong, so I'm assuming its a boy haha. We shall see! I am really not sure which I prefer at this point as there are benefits to both. So, I will leave that in Gods capable hands to decide.

We have some special visitors here right now staying with us. Sure nice to have extra people around to entertain my son, especially considering I've had a nasty cold the past few days.

Enough rambling from me. Take care all!

Tuesday 27 November 2012

Double Strollers & Baby carriers

Okay mamas of multiples (and by multiples I do not mean just moms of twins... although I welcome your suggestions as well) I need advice!
As I look towards the arrival of our second child and ponder the few purchases we plan/want to make, I'm curious to know what you who have been through this did.

First of all, double strollers. This is one thing we plan to get as we will end up having two under two for a while. Even though our son Noah can walk very well, If I am out at the mall or we are doing a day trip/vacation he is not going to be able to walk all day. We love the single jogging stroller we have now (Graco Orbit) and we plan to keep it, but I don't think a double jogger is really going to be necessary for us. We are seriously considering the Graco Ready to Grow double stroller that changes in multiple ways and accommodates both toddler and infant well. It's also priced at around $180 which fits my budget quite nicely. However, I am willing to do some craiglist hunting to buy something more top of the line if I can get it for a good price. Thoughts? What did you use?

The other question I have is in regards to a baby carrier. I didn't look into them too much with my first because my two hands were pretty much always free to hold him if need be. I also was scared off quickly by going into a store one day and asking about a sling and being told that they are highly dangerous and should be avoided. I'm not someone who hikes, so I don't need a super heavy duty carrier that is comfortable to wear all day long. I just want something to put baby in that will keep him/her close to my body while I move around the house with a toddler. Again, what did you ladies use? Or am I ridiculous in thinking that I'd use one of these?

PS - if any of you out there are cloth diapering mommas and can suggest a good diaper sprayer I am in the market for one of those too.

PPS - I just finished my entire Hawaii 2012 vacation video in an hour. Go me!!!

Carolyn

Sunday 25 November 2012

Busy weekend

It's been a bit of a crazy weekend around here.

Friday night we had a house full of friends for a little 'trimming of the tree' party. Lots of food, lots of laughs and lots of fun. It was the first time I've really entertained in months and it felt awesome to have the place filled with loved ones. The boys weren't a great help when it actually came down to decorating the tree, but thanks to the ladies it got done!



Have I mentioned on here that there are FOUR ladies at our church pregnant? Maybe this doesn't seem like that big of a deal to others, but we don't go to a mega church. There are under 100 members, so to have four babies due within six months of each other is a pretty crazy thing. It's pretty awesome though and we are very excited!

3 out of 4 pregger ladies. Approx. 35 weeks, 30 weeks and 14 weeks.

Yesterday we had a shower for my cousin and her new arrival at my moms house. More food, more family, more love. Awesomeness. Today my coffee mommas group was suppose to have our monthly Starbucks get together, but due to illness and busy schedules it just didn't work out. I love getting together with that group, indulging in a treat and chatting about all things parenthood. Hoping to reschedule soon. Tonight we'll be at my parents for dinner as we do most Sundays.

Look at the pure joy on this kids face. He LOVES slides. Thanks Jason for the great pic ;)
With busy weekends like this, you can see why I like my Mondays to be quiet and laid back. The in laws arrive in a few short days and we'll once again be fairly busy. Can't wait though!

Hope you all had a great weekend too! Much love.

Friday 23 November 2012

Hello Christmas Tree!

Last night Matt and I, with some 'help' from Noah, put up our Christmas tree. He wanted to be involved in every moment! We followed daddy downstairs to get the box, he stood right next to daddy as he pulled out the pieces and even climbed underneath the tree while daddy hooked things up. And when the lights came out, boy oh boy was that exciting. Once all the lights were strung and we turned it all on, Noah stared at the tree with a big grin and said a whole bunch of words that we couldn't understand. He also grabbed several of his toys and through them under the tree. I don't know if he actually understands that toys will be under the tree or if he just thought that was a cool spot to put them. But I try to never underestimate my child, because I kind of think he is a smarty pants (don't we all think that of our children?)




Tonight we are having a few friends over to 'trim the tree' and make it look all pretty. It's the first time I've had people over in a long time because my house has been a disaster. I'm really looking forward to it! I'll be sure to post a few photos of the finished product.




Tuesday 20 November 2012

Christmas memories

I'm sitting here, alone in my quiet house while the little one naps upstairs. I just finished watching a Christmas movie all warm and cozy with my feet up.

My mind is wandering, thinking about our family Christmases as a child. For some reason, there are a few things that just stick out so strongly in mind.

I remember standing on the upstairs balcony of my house, next to my bedroom door. It was completely dark except for the lights shining on the garland of the banister. My mom was sitting in her rocking chair in the downstairs living room, pregnant with my little brother Matthew. She was listening to Carol of the Bells and quietly rocking back and forth in the darkness. I wonder what she was thinking about. For some reason, that moment in my memory feels so magical that I wish I could relive it.

Another one that stands out was a repeating occurrence on Christmas Eve. We always went to my Grandma & Grandpa Creamore's around 4pm to open our gifts from them. For whatever reason, I always think of the fact that we would have a glass of Pepsi and eat rippled chips with French onion dip. It was tradition. Even to this day, though my grandpa has passed on and my grandma no longer lives in that apartment, I still think of that. And I always find myself craving that glass of Pepsi and those chips. Odd isn't it?

Another? Pjs. I remember getting a new set of pajamas every Christmas Eve. It was so special because I always felt pretty and cozy when I went to bed that night.

There are many more, but I just felt like sharing a few if those moments with you. I hope I can recreate moments like that with our children. Memories that aren't all about getting the best or most expensive gift. Memories of special times with family. Because those are the moment that stick with us forever.



Monday 19 November 2012

Feeling good!

I am happy to say that I am finally feeling normal again! I have the energy to do what I need to (for the most part) and other then being starving half the time my tummy is behaving! I still go to bed early, but that was pretty standard with my last pregnancy so I'm thinking that is just normal for me.



I'm hungry pretty much all the time now and everything I eat taste way better then I remember. Noah and I made banana chocolate chip muffins this morning and I've already had two. Yeah, bad Carolyn. But I'm making sure to balance it out with lots of healthy things. Noah enjoyed tasting a few chocolate chips while I baked.

Mmm! These things are good!

Speaking of Noah, he is going through a bit of a picky phase. He definitely has his foods that he loves (mainly cheese, cheerios and yogurt) and it's difficult to get a good amount of vegetables into him unless it's in the form of spinach. I realise that's totally normal for kids though and I am just trying me best to give him a balanced diet.



My husbands parents are arriving next week from Ontario and will be spending about 10 days with us. We have tickets to the Michael W Smith concert as well as the Christmas train in Stanley Park. There is also a Kick off to Christmas party at our church that we will be attending with them. It'll be so great to be able to celebrate with both sides of our family this year. Very special!

Well, I am on the family computer downstairs and it's pretty much freezing. So I am off to warm up on my main floor. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!



Thursday 15 November 2012

Bugs in the house

We have had several bugs in our house lately, and we just can't seem to get rid of them. No, they aren't the kind of bugs that buzz around your head or hide in the corners. I'm talking viral and bacterial bugs!



For about two weeks now we have been passing a similar bug back and forth between Noah, myself and now, my poor hubby. In fact, Matt should be on his way home from work soon to take a rest. Noah has been battling an ear infection since last week Thursday. He was put on a strong three day antibiotic that kicked in fast and got rid of his high fever, but unfortunately it wasn't enough to fully rid him of it and he is on a second round of a different one now.

I on the other hand seem to be improving. I'm over the cold virus, my nausea is rarely around and I'm not quite as exhausted as I was. I can tell I have entered my second trimester because all of a sudden my hunger has kicked in strong. I ate lunch at 10:00am yesterday, followed by a second lunch a few hours later. I'm sure I'll gain back those pounds I lost in no time. Something else excited, last night I woke up around 1:30am and I could feel the baby moving. Not the kicks and jabs, it's far too early for that. But I was definitely getting that 'water movement bubbly' feeling. Exciting! There really is a baby in there! I can't wait to find out if it's a little he or she so we can start calling him or her by her real name!

Anyone else out there getting into the Christmas spirit? I just came home from a morning at the mall with my momma. We sipped gingerbread lattes, showed Noah where Santa will soon be (as of this weekend) and did a bit of shopping. My in laws will be here in just two weeks from back east and we will be fully celebrating Christmas with them. We get two Christmases this year, how fun is that!?



Sorry for my lack of proper blog pictures lately. I just haven't had the energy to pick up my camera lately and snap pictures of Noah in his daily activities. I am taking a photography class this Saturday with our family photographer and I'm sure after that I'll be eager to practise what I learned and can share some with you guys.

Saturday 10 November 2012

Rough night

Noah's sick again. I think him and I keep passing a bug back and forth between us but it hits him harder. We were up all night fighting his fever and calming his tears. Poor kiddo... and poor us.

Friday 9 November 2012

The blessing of HELP

I've been doubly blessed this week.

Today I enter week 13 of pregnancy. Bye bye first trimester and hello second trimester! Usually this means moving onto feeling your best, but I'm not quite there yet. I feel like I am at the peak of my exhaustion and I am still dealing with nausea from time to time. I've also been dealing with a stupid cold bug that had come back for a second round.
My doctor said the only way I was going to get over this exhaustion and bug was to rest as much as possible. Easier said then done when you have a very active one year old.

But as I mentioned, I've been double blessed this week. Yesterday my mom took Noah out for the morning so I could do nothing. It was hard for me as I looked around at my disaster of a house and thought of the million things I could do to improve it. But I resisted and layed on the couch for a majority of the day. My hubby came home to nothing but leftovers for dinner and then sent me upstairs to relax in the tub while he tidied the kitchen. Yeah, I know, I'm really lucky...

Then today, a family friend came by and entertained Noah all morning long. I was able to rotate between light housework for half hour and then putting my feet up for half an hour. Noah had a wonderful morning of fun and I got more accomplished then I would have in a week. Seriously, my house looks pretty good. Such blessings!!!

I don't think people truly understand what a help something like that is until you are on the receiving end of it. I wish I had offered to help out others like that more before I had a family. I should still try!

Anyways, just had to share. The little one should be waking up anytime now and I may just have the energy to take him out for a bit of playtime and figure out something for dinner.

PS - Hubby is done overtime. I love it when he is around. Yet another blessing... Thank you God!

Wednesday 7 November 2012

Time out!

Well, Noah experienced his first 'time out' yesterday and he was not too happy about it!

He was deliberately disobeying both Matt and I so our little toddler found himself sitting on the bottom stair in our kitchen. He didn't understand at first and automatically got up to walk away, but I repeatedly plopped him down on that step and told him he needed to sit. After about 30 seconds (with alot of screaming) he slouched his whole body, drooped his head down and just sat sniffling. He was only there for a minute (going with the amount of time based on age method) and before he got up I explained to him why he was there.

It wasn't fun for either of us, but he totally understood and was a good boy after until he went to bed. Yes! Success!

Thanks to all those who suggested different ideas. It's always nice to hear what other mommies are doing :)

Monday 5 November 2012

Toddlers and tiredness

I have a new bedtime. It's 8:30pm. As crazy as that is I'm finding that 10 hours of sleep is what I need to function decently during the day. I wake up feeling refreshed and have enough energy to somewhat keep my house clean.

Week 12 bump. My shirt does a pretty good job of hiding it :)


Noah has started this new annoying thing. When he's done eating or when he simply decides he doesn't want his food anymore, he throws it on the ground. At first I would just take his plate away but then he ends up not eating and I don't want to send a growing 1 year old to bed without eating. Does anyone have any suggestions of consequences for toddlers that worked well? Or book suggestions? Preferably something from Focus on the family or another Christian company? I'm a big fan of time out (worked like a charm when I was a nanny) but Noah's still too young to understand that concept I think.

 
 


On a happier note, we had a great weekend! Saturday morning we hit up Starbucks on the way to Costco so I could get my first gingerbread latte of the season. Mmm mmm good! We did a bit of Christmas shopping and then went over to meet the newest member of our family, little baby Jackson. Such a teeny tiny adorable little boy and oh so loved already. That evening we got together with my family and had Greek food. We decided instead of spending $15 a person at a restaurant we could combine efforts and make it ourselves. Turned out awesome and was a whole lot cheaper! Sunday after church we enjoyed lunch at Red Robins with friends (and without Noah!) to celebrate a friends birthday. Matt did end up going into work for a few hours in the evening, but Noah was out cold by 6:15 and I spent the evening in bed reading a book. All in all a good couple of days!

Well, gotta run. I've got home made french bread baking in the oven right now! We are having paninis for dinner :)

Friday 2 November 2012

Lazy mom

Lately I haven't felt like the best mother in the world, at least not to Noah. Although my nausea has pretty much disappeared at this point, I am still exhausted and find I just don't have the energy to get down on the floor and play with my son as much as I should. He's watching more TV then I would normally be okay with and often I just feel like laying on the couch instead of taking him outside to play.

Before when he napped it was usually my time to get things done, like cleaning and tidying up. But right now I'm using it as time to either sleep or put my feet and relax.

It makes me feel so guilty! I know pregnancy is temporary and this fatigue I am feeling right now will probably go away for the most part in the next couple of weeks, but in the meantime I am just such a slacker! I have managed to cook dinners again and keep my house in somewhat of a working order and that alone feels like an accomplishment.

My poor husband has been working overtime for weeks now. It sucks for me because it means I am totally on my own until Noah is asleep. But it also sucks for him. He doesn't get to see Noah and he comes home to a mess of a house.

I definitely don't feel like a great house wife at the moment.


Thursday 1 November 2012

Our little monster

I hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween! It was a soaking wet one here. Worst Halloween weather in 18 years so I was told. But despite the wet we still had a great evening as a family.



This was Noah's first real Halloween, as last time he was just over two months old and had no idea what was going on. He picked out his own costume back in August and it turned out to be perfect for him. He looked adorable and it kept him cosy, warm and covered from the rain.



We had dinner at my parents first and got Noah dressed and ready to go there. He received some fun mickey mouse Halloween cards from his Nana, Papa & Grandma as well as a bright orange balloon. He seemed to catch onto the concept of Halloween pretty quickly once he saw what was sitting by the front door - candy everywhere!



We hit up about 10 houses or so before my hubby started to complain about the rain. It is a little difficult to trick or treat when you are trying to balance a heavy one year old, a basket, a camera and an umbrella.



We stopped by my cousins to see their sweet little baby boy and family and then lost steam and headed back to Nana & Papas and then home. We brushed Noah's teeth well (not that he really ate much in the way of candy) and then he promptly passed out.

Today however, was not such a good day in Noah's world. After my prenatal appointment Noah received his one year shots; all four of them. I left the room while Nana helped him through it and rewarded him with a chocolate treat after. Hopefully he wont be too sore and will be feeling much better by tomorrow.


Tuesday 30 October 2012

Week 11

Well... I am happy to say that I am almost done week 11 and will be soon moving into week 12 of pregnancy!

First trimester has so many ups and downs physically and emotionally. The exhaustion and constant vomiting is a normal but never pleasant part, and because I didn't have a dating ultrasound (nor did I last time...) sometimes I find myself thinking, 'What if I'm not even really pregnant!?' The easiest way to deal with all of that is to just try and not think about it - but who can do that when you are running back and forth to the bathroom constantly or falling asleep at noon! I'm just a worried mother who is hoping the baby inside is growing healthy and strong. I remind myself that God is in control and knows what's best for all of us.

This time around I was into maternity clothes by 7/8 weeks. Much earlier then I would have liked, but never the less the pants wouldn't close and the bump is on display. Just like last time, I haven't gained a pound. In fact, I've lost several. Unfortunitly when I do feel good my body seems to be craving everything that isn't good for me which is going to make this pregnancy a little more challenging. Halloween, Christmas, Valentines, Easter. All major chocolate holidays that I will be pregnant for. Yikes...

Have I mentioned how hard it is to get out of bed in the mornings right now? Hubby has had to take over getting Noah up and changed first thing while I try to drag my butt out of bed in time for him to leave. Showers and baths always happen the night before because I just cant bring myself to get up that extra 20 minute earlier.

For some reason I thought by me not working this pregnancy I'd find it easier. Ha, who was I kidding!? Chasing and entertaining a toddler is far more exhausting. I often think to myself, 'Okay Carolyn, how many more times do you want to do this?' I think I'll take them one at a time.

Tomorrow were going over to my parents for dinner before dressing Noah up in his monster costume and taking him trick or treating for the first time. I've set a goal of 5 houses. We'll see how that goes.



My brain is really not thinking clearly over the past few days so at the risk of rambling on I will wrap it up. Hope you are all well.

Saturday 27 October 2012

Knocked down

My voice has been slowly disappearing over the past few days, but I chalked it up to being so exhausted thanks to the growing baby in my belly.

Today however, I woke up and felt like I have been hit by a truck. Standing makes me woozy and I have absolutely zero energy. I've also got some congestion going on.

I've tried hard all week to just keep going through the tiredness and continue to do what I gotta do, but today I surrendered. This mommy is taking a sick day! My hubby is not going into work today to do more over time and is on Noah duty. And me? I'm laying in bed, napping and watching TV.

I'm hoping I'll wake up tomorrow and feel better. I get bad mommy guilt when other people have to pick up my slack.

Well, that is all for now. I'm going back to sleep.

Wednesday 24 October 2012

It's just a hat!

My goodness...

I'm going to blame this one on those out of control pregnancy hormones. This past weekend Noah received an adorable custom made puppy dog hat, or as he calls it, his woof woof. He looks stinkin adorable in it and I've had him wearing it every single day when we go for walks or leave the house. He wore it to ladies bible study at our church this morning, but once I got home I realised we didn't have it. I'm hoping that it is laying somewhere safely inside our church and not outside on the ground somewhere getting run over by cars.



But you wouldn't believe how much this has consumed my thoughts and upset me. His brand new hat, possibly gone forever, has nearly reduced me to tears. I literally had to go and take an hour long nap to make myself feel better and try to move past it. I think it helped. But I'm still praying that it isn't gone for good.

I don't remember feeling this emotional during my pregnancy with Noah.
My mom and I were watching The Holiday a few nights back and when we got to the scene where the old man that Kate Winslet had befriended gets a standing ovation for all his hard work I began sobbing. No joke. Zero to a mess in about 3 seconds.

A few weeks back when we were about to leave for Hawaii, my mom simply commented on the fact that she booked the boys skii do ride for the end of the trip in case, heaven forbid, something should happen. Again, reduced to tears.

In that moment it feels like the world is crashing down on me and then 5 minutes later it's like everything is fine. My poor hubby, he has got a lot to deal with being married to me!

Monday 22 October 2012

There is just no hiding it...

Doesn't Noah looked thrilled?

It's true! Our family of three is expanding (as am I...) to a family of four! I am currently in my 10th week and due with baby #2 towards the end of May. Originally I planned on saving the official announcement until I was into my second trimester, but I am majorly showing already and well, theres just no hiding it.

This is also my way of explaining my absence lately at various activities. Although I was super nauseous with Noah, this time around it seems to come in intense waves which have included a whole lot more vomiting. On several occasions I have barricaded Noah on the main floor of our house so that I can lay on the couch and move as little as possible. Moving and nausea so don't mix. Mommas of multiple children - how do you do it!? So hard chasing a toddler around all day when all you want to do is sleep.

Obviously we are very excited about adding another member to our family but I definitely find that it feels different then when I was pregnant with Noah. Everything was so new and unexpected last time and this time around I feel a lot more prepared for everything. I am only just now starting to think about the actual idea of another baby being here. As a general rule I don't buy anything until out of my first trimester, but my momma bought baby his/her first couple outfits yesterday and that brought some realisation to Matt and I.
Yes, we will absolutely be aiming to find out what we are having again. And yes, we already have names picked out for either gender.



I'm excited to blog about all this again, as my last pregnancy was why I originally started this blog! And I'm sure I'll be asking lots of questions of you mommas who already have two or three kids! Please keep our family in your prayers :)

PS - For those of you familiar with my church circle, this makes four babies due at Newton Christian Assembly within six months. And two of us are due only four days apart. Yeah, things are going to get loud...

PPS - if you've got a minute feel free to take a little guess in our baby pool!
Some notes before you guess:
- I'm craving sweet and salty
- I'm already showing
- My due date is May 25th
- I was 10 days late with Noah and he weighed 9 pounds

http://bebepool.com/go/?a=carolyngrice&view=list

Saturday 20 October 2012

Rain? What rain?

So it was suppose to pour today. The weather forecast was horrible and I really didn't think it would be nice out. I guess my prayers were answered, because it stayed dry and we were able to get our family photos done. So excited to see how they turned out! I plan to send out christmas cards this year so I'm hoping to use one of our shots from today for it.

We spent the rest of the day doing some errands and enjoying our time together. I've sure missed having my husband around and I think Noah missed his daddy while he was at work.

Yesterday we threw a Lil pumpkin baby shower for Tamara at our church. It was a big shower with lots of people but thankfully everyone was very willing to help with whatever they could. We're looking forward to having another baby to snuggle at Newton Christian Assembly.

That is all for today. I'm tired and I think I'll go enjoy my favorite activity, soaking in a nice warm bathtub :)


Thursday 18 October 2012

Told you today would be better!

A positive attitude really does help. Well, that and a good 9 hours of sleep.

Noah woke up this morning in a much better mood. In fact, he showered me with kisses the moment he saw me. Perhaps it was his way of apologising for some of the less then favourable things he did yesterday.

He ate his cheerios and banana happily as he laughed and smiled at his Grandmaman on the other end of the Ipad. He played with his blocks, books and puzzles while I straightened my hair. And then he chatted loudly to himself all the way to Costco and back.

He is now having a very late nap upstairs while I try to work on a few things here on the computer and sip After Eight hot chocolate. Matt is once again working late tonight, but the weekend is almost here and that will hopefully include lots of family time!

Speaking of family time... Rain, as much as I love you, could you possibly slow it down a little so that we can have our family photos taken Saturday morning? Pretty please?

Hope you are all having a wonderful day.

Wednesday 17 October 2012

It's only 5pm?

I'm having one of those days. Those days where you feel as though you've accomplished nothing. I'm tired and worn out, my house looks like a tornado hit it (aka the toddler) and I want nothing more then to be alone in a warm bath with my beach smelling candle burning beside me. Noah's cranky and cries at everything. I even cooked a nice dinner tonight, but the husband has to work late and my son decided his meal belonged all over my recently swept floor. So I tried to enjoy my supper, all by myself, while Noah watched Backyardigans. It did taste pretty good...

Praise The Lord tomorrow is another new day, a fresh start. I've decided it's going to be a good day.

Now to just get through the next 2 hours... Sigh.



Sunday 14 October 2012

A wonderfully wet weekend

I know many don't agree with me on this, but I actually love when it rains. What can I say, I am a Vancouver girl through and through.

We haven't had rain literally in months and broke all kind of records, but there is just something so peaceful about it. It's going to make all that yellowing grass green again and it's going to leave a beautiful fresh scent in the air. I fell asleep last night listening to the sound of it falling on the street and hitting my window.

And while I am not dancing and strolling outside in it (though I am tempted), I am enjoying staying inside all snuggled up with a blanket and my candles lit.
I love fall.

Saturday 13 October 2012

Happy (late) Thanksgiving!

Because we were away on Holidays and 'missed' Canadian Thanksgiving, we celebrated last night instead! Thanksgiving is one of my absolute favourite holidays. Fall colours, turkey dinner, candles, being cosy and warm inside. It's just all good in my books.

It was Noah's first real Thanksgiving dinner and I think he enjoyed it! Unfortunately because of the dinner being so late at night he had been snacking and didn't eat a whole lot, but he still got a taste for it. He will be able to enjoy another Turkey dinner soon though - Christmas is just around the corner ;)

 
 
 
That's all folks.

P.S - For those who are wondering... I have still not bit my nails. I actually had to cut them yesterday because they were so long they were breaking left and right. Hubby treated me to a french manicure this morning. Spoiled!

Tuesday 9 October 2012

Coming home

We're back! We had a roughy couple of days but we are thankful to be in our home safe and sound.

On Friday night while still in Hawaii Noah developed a fever. The next day he wouldn't eat, play and just laid around crying. Tylenol wasn't doing anything so towards the end of the day we figured we better get him checked out by a doctor, since we were due to fly home the next day. Thankfully my hubby has great medical coverage abroad and we were told everything we needed to do would be covered.
The doctor was concerned that he was developing some kind of infection and prescribed antibiotics. Normally I'm weary of putting my child on them without a 100% need but we decided to ere on the side of caution because of our next day flight. We were told flying with an ear infection was not a good idea!

The meds seemed to be working and although Noah was still cranky and out of sorts he was at least eating and playing a bit. The sucky thing was that we had to be out of our hotel room by 1130am and our flight didn't leave until midnight. So we had a sick tired baby with nowhere to sleep all day.

There was a nice lounge in our hotel for guests to use during departure/arrival day complete with a kids playroom, tvs and Internet, but still no where for our little guy to sleep. Matt manage to get home to pass out in his arms once or twice but without a bed to sleep in he quickly woke up.

Thankfully we were once again given a seat on our flight just for Noah and he passed out in his car seat before we even taxied onto the runway. It was after midnight at this point! He slept for about 3.5 hours out of the 5.5 hour flight, with me holding him for about an hour and a half of that. He did cry a few times but over all I think he did really well considering the circumstances! For the last 45 minutes of the flight he just stared out the window pointing and talking. When we had a rough landing I expected him to start crying, but instead he smiled and giggled as if to say,"that was fun!" Have I mentioned he loves planes?

We arrived home around 1000am yesterday and all crashed in our beds for about four hours. We're still tired today and can honestly say we have no desire to go on a long plane ride anytime in the next few years!!!

Thursday 4 October 2012

Sun, surf & lots of sand.





Our last few days have basically consisted of the same thing. We go for a walk in the sunshine, eat some food, play in the sand, eat some food, shop, swim, relax and then eat some more food. Not such a bag gig really. Of course Noahs schedule is more like eat, play, sleep, repeat. I have to admit, Hawaii is not nearly as relaxing as advertised when you spend your day chasing around a toddler and helping him with whatever he needs done. When he sees water of any kind he goes right for it with complete disregard for his safety. He always has sand on his body and in every one of his little crevices and he absolutely hates to sit still. Thankfully a nice walk around the resort is usually enough to keep him occupied.



Yesterday we rented a car and drove about 30 minutes outside of town to go to Kaihlua beach with the whole family and a few friends. We were only able to stay for about 1.5 hours because Noah was exhausted, hungry and down right cranky. He fell asleep within 2 minutes of being in the car so we ended up getting some subway and sitting in a mall parking lot eating it. Nothing we can do but go with the flow with a 1 year old.



We've started to collect our usual favourite Hawaiian items. I've got my candles, multiple bags of Kona coffee and some Mauna Loa chocolates. Today the plan is to hit up Hilo Hatties and that ought to add a few more items to our collection. I think Bubba Gumps is our dinner destination tonight - mmm mmm good!



This morning I called the Disney resort Aulani to make a reservation for their character breakfast. Since we aren't staying at the resort we weren't able to call until the day before. Sure enough, totally booked. Our concierge told us that it's pretty much impossible to get a reservation there if you aren't a resort guest. Sucky... We still plan to go and explore the resort and get a few pictures. Oh, and to do some Disney Hawaiian shopping ;)

Tuesday 2 October 2012

Enjoying Aloha

We are on our second day here in Hawaii.

Yesterday we kept everything pretty low key. We explored the resort and got to see many of the different creatures that live here on the grounds, like penguins, parrots and turtles. We went for a walk along the path on the beachfront and Noah spent some time getting his toes (and the rest of his body) wet. He was ready to fully submerge himself at 8:00am so we knew we better get him back for a nap so that he could go swimming after.



We spent the afternoon in one of the many pools and Daddy even took Noah down his first water slide! Then it was off to the lagoon so that Noah could dig in the sand and splash around.
He was in bed by 6:30 and I was still pretty exhausted from our travel day and couldn't stay awake past 8:30pm.

This morning we got up around 6:00 and Matt headed off with some of our other friends to hike up Diamond Head. I put Noah in the stroller and did a little shopping around the resort with my parents before stopping by the beach so Noah could do some digging with his new toys.

So far I'd say Noah is loving Hawaii.

I'm currently eating Mauna Loa chocolate covered macadamia nuts. It's safe to say that I'm loving it too!