Sunday, September 25, 2011

Our Decision...

Thank you for the messages and emails about your stories and suggestions. I could not decide what I wanted to do, so I had the ultrasound technician put the gender in a sealed envelope and then I hid it when I got home! We have yet to open it up, but Alan has been in China since just after the ultrasound. I think we may have a nice date night at home and open it up together. I do like the idea of a surprise, but Alan very much wants to know the gender, and I think it is a nice compromise finding out together in our home.

So I will let you know when we decide the time is right to find out. But, more importantly, everything is looking great and the baby is growing just as expected. The baby is also very active!!! Over the past two weeks, the baby has been moving so much that it is actually turning my stomach and has brought back the nausea. Has anyone else had experience with this? I am only in my 22nd week, so I can only imagine this is going to get significantly worse as the baby gets bigger!

Other than the ultrasound news not much has been going on. Alan has been in China, so Ewan and I have had oh so much quality time together - for better or for worse. These two year old mood swings are going to be the end of me! Now that Alan is back I think we need some alone time! Also, with Alan away I have had no one to wake me up when I put Ewan to bed, so I have been falling asleep around 8pm most nights. What an exciting life!

One exciting new change with Ewan is his ability to play for longer by himself without me needing to be right by him. Several times he has asked to go into the yard with Sidekick and the two of them just run around for a good 30 minutes - just enough time for me to get dinner and lunches made for the next day. At this moment him and Sidekick are running around the living room and kitchen playing fetch. I wanted him to grow up with a pet and it is so wonderful seeing him develop this bond with his puppy.

Well time to get back outside and enjoy the last bits of summer. I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!

Saturday, September 10, 2011

The big debate!

So Tuesday afternoon I have my next ultrasound booked to find out what the gender of the baby is...if we end up going. I booked this ultrasound in July, tentatively, because Alan and I were not in agreement about finding out the gender of the baby and I thought two months would be plenty of time to debate. Well, we kind of forgot about debating and now the ultrasound is this Tuesday!

Alan is all for finding out the gender and I would kind of like the experience of the big surprise. And to be honest, I just don't feel the urgency this time around. The pregnancy is flying by, I in week 20 - the half way point already, and have barely given thought to this baby! We have everything we need this time around, unless a girl - I guess we will need more clothes, a few girly cloth diapers and new bedding. But we really have all the essentials that we will need. But I have such little time off - do I want to spend it picking things up that I could have done in advance. Other bonus is naming the baby - we already have a girl name picked out - since my first pregnancy, but another boy name would be an almost impossible task - that could really take my whole 9 weeks off post baby to decide on a name! The other pro of finding out would be to better prepare Ewan of a brother or sister.

Even with these points I am not quite convinced. So, as much advice over the next few days would be very much appreciated!! Please help us with this decision and let me know what you chose and why.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

First day of school already!

So once again it has been a little while since posting, but I have filled the past 2 weeks with enjoying every last moment of holiday time with my family and relishing in not having a schedule for either myself or Ewan! We also had a wonderful last day of summer celebration dinner out at the Keg - always phenomenal food. As a side note, it was also the first time we brought Ewan and I was blown away with what a great 'family' restaurant it is. For $9.97 Ewan had a drink, a plate of strawberries, carrots, celery and dip as a starter, followed by a full chicken breast and mashed potatoes (actual real food for children is always a bonus as opposed to pizza or grilled cheese), and ice cream for dessert! Anyway, it was a great end to a wonderful summer.

I have also been taking some time to prep for Nursery School and Music and Gym classes - which I am always very excited to bring in new ideas each year, hosting a 'Meet the Teacher Night' and knocking some things off my 'to-do' list at A Gym Tale. The Meet the Teacher night was wonderful and we had such a fantastic turn out, it is really nice to see so many families so excited for their little ones and so ready to get involved in their learning!

And today we had the first day of school (for some children - we are doing 3 first days of school so that all the children start with only about 10 children in the class as opposed to 24). And I have to say it was one of our most successful first days! We did not have any children come in crying and only 2 moments of slight teariness when children realized half way through that mom had left. Now at this age it is many of the children's first time leaving mom and dad and so some adjustment and tears are expected - it is a big transition for both children AND parents. Myself, Miss Linds and Miss Megan are prepared to ease the children in as gently as possible and usually once we get them in they are distracted by the many activities, the ball pit or the trampoline. But we all had to admit what a nice 'first day back' it was for us with no tears! We are all very much looking forward to meeting all the other students this Friday and on Monday.

Well it is 9:55pm and I am falling asleep at the computer - going from no routine to waking up at 5:30am  is going to do me in. I will be lucky if I make it to Saturday. It is shocking how quickly my bedtime has changed from midnight and 1am to 10pm!!! Now if only Ewan would sleep in past 5:30am - the child has a sixth sense and wakes up within five minutes of me being awake! Any advice would be appreciated!