A large request!

For months now, I have been prepping for what was going to be a VERY large order of baked goods, chocolate and treats for an event.  I had agreed to do it, before knowing I was pregnant and when I found out I would be 5 months pregnant doing this order, I got very nervous as time went on...

I knew if I made a master plan (yes, it involved spreadsheets, WORD documents and many, many lists), that I could accomplish it, probably under high stress in the last moments, but I had hopes that I could do it.

Well, I can safely say that I finished the entire order, with time left to spare.  It made for some VERY late nights and long days after work during the week leading up to the event and a VERY early morning (4am) on the day of, to fresh bake cupcakes, make buttercreams and organize how we'd fit everything in the car.  When I put the last bit of buttercream on the last cupcake, I sighed a small sigh of relief...as we still had an hour and a half drive to get everything there safely!

This order consisted of:

8 dozen whoopie pies: 4 of them red velvet and 4 chocolate and cream

20 bags of bark: Dark Chocolate Cherry, Oreo, Peppermint and Marshmallow & Raisin

4 dozen cake pops: Christmas Cake, Triple Chocolate and Black Forest (sadly, I was too busy to take them in the process or before they were bagged).

20 bags of Chocolate covered licorice: White, Dark and Milk Chocolate

Homemade Marshmallows: Peppermint and Coffee

20 bags of Homemade Caramel Corn

and last, but not least...

16 dozen cupcakes: 4 dozen Very Vanilla, 4 dozen Chocolate Mint, 4 dozen Chocolate Caramel and 4 dozen Lemon Meringue

And some pictures, which I stole from my amazing sister-in-law who ran the event that this order was for... (NOTE: not all of the treats displayed in this picture are mine...people from her church, have some SERIOUSLY good talent too!!!  I was dying, looking at those cheesecake pops!)

While I learned a lot, was exhausted, had a lot of fun, was challenged, completed it ALL BY MYSELF (with some bagging help from Graham), I don't think I could EVER do an order that big again.  Bits and pieces of it for sure, but that's a lot for one person and one home kitchen!

Needless to say, our kitchen and diningroom was a baking haven and disaster for a solid week.  I was so happy to have my kitchen/diningroom back, when all was said and done (so was Graham).

Adjusting to a new routine...

It's called NO routine.  I am a creature of either routine, or organization.  I do like change, but I like to know when it's coming, how it's coming or at least have a small amount of preparation.  However, in the past 5 months, growing this little bean has taken any and all of that over.
Here is my "usual" nighttime routine since becoming pregnant:

Go to bed at 10pm (early in the beginning, I was SO TIRED!), wake up at 1:30am.

Go to the bathroom or turn over multiple times.

Toss and turn till 2am.

Move to the spare bed and toss and turn till 3:30.

Get fed up and uncomfortable and move to the couch, hoping to fall asleep.

Toss and turn till 4:30.  Give up and watch whatever ridiculous show is on TV or PVR.

Until last night..................................................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been DYING to see a Chiropractor and don't know why I've waited this long.  I used to go in Hamilton all the time, but since my benefits used to be full coverage, and Graham's are well...not covering more than paperwork half the time, I waited.  Until today.  I barely slept the night before, resorting to the spare bed at 1am, due to heartburn and back pain.  I slept for 1 hour with Graham's pilates ball behind my back (yes, the BIG 65cm kind) and it was my only relief for that night.  I then gave up and got out of bed in tears.

I had a feeling that I might have thrown my back out due to having the flu and so much time spent being sick and I couldn't take it anymore.  I went to the Chiropractor after lunch, desperate for them to take walk-ins, which they did!!!!!!!!!  HORRAY!

He is a wonderful man, who actually gave me some great recommendations regarding stretching, treatment and prevention due to my fibromyalgia and how pregnancy will affect it.  He listened, he made a plan with me and he really seemed to "get it"...something a lot of people who have never had Chronic pain, cannot ever understand.

He ordered me a new all natural prenatal that should solve some "other" issues, as well as some support socks for my vericose veins.  He adjusted my back, hips and neck (which he said were more tense than he could ever imagine, so no wonder I couldn't sleep or work without pain).  I instantly didn't have a headache and realized how little I could move my beck before coming.  He instructed me that I MUST (yes, MUST) take two tylenol that afternoon and 2 before bed, along with one children's gravol.  Then to come back and see him 3x per week until the new year and once per week after that, if all goes well.

I knew I felt better when I left, feeling slightly better when I went to bed.  I figured that I would have the SAME type of night that I have had for months now, until the first time I stirred and looked at the clock, it was 5:30 in the morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WHAAAAAT???  Sweet, sweet relief!  I turned over, continued to feel comfy and fell asleep till Graham's alarm went off at 6.  He could not believe that I was STILL in bed beside him and I told him that I woke up 30 mins ago, not stirring at all and felt minimal back pain!  I felt so happy, I could have cried!

So, lesson #1:

If you have back pain/neck pain, JUST SEE A CHIROPRACTOR.

Lesson #2:

If you are pregnant and have trouble sleeping due to back pain/neck pain or anything else, see a Chiropractor.

Lesson #3:

If you haven't slept more than 2 hours a night for over a week, YOU WILL GET SICK.  IT WILL KICK YOUR BUTT.

Lesson #4:

If a Dr. tells you it's safe to take gravol or tylenol and it will seriously help you, don't be stubborn or so paranoid about hurting your baby that you suffer.  In turn, your baby will also suffer from your lack of sleep, energy, appetite etc.

Lesson #5:

Listen to your MOTHER, even if you're almost 30 and she tells you that you need to rest.  Everytime I got up yesterday and could barely move, all I thought of, was making chicken soup (Mom was GREAT at that) and laying back down.  Anything else would have to wait.

Officially Halfway!

I can't believe it!  Time in the first trimester went by so slowly.  Everyday we waited to hear the heartbeat and get past the scary stage, felt like years.  Now that we've gotten to see little "squidge" a few times, it is all seeming more real...that and my expanding waistline won't let me forget.

We've had a few bumps in the last couple weeks, with me not feeling too well off and on, but mostly, it's getting more exciting.  I've felt baby move almost daily now (it's still sporadic and baby is at my back with the placenta in between it and my belly button, so it will take longer to feel kicks on the outside) and it is such a neat feeling.  At first, it felt like bubbles and now it feels like little tickles or the occasional jab.  Tuesday, I swore that I felt the baby flip around and sure enough, at today's ultrasound, they confirmed that baby is now facing forward again.

We've gotten to hear the heartbeat multiple times, which is amazing each and everytime.  We've also been told that if we want to know what "squidge" is, we can...as the radiologist has released this info to the midwives!  Nice to know that we could if we wanted, but for now...it's a secret.

I see the midwives on Tuesday and will get the results from our anatomy or 20 week scan then.  What we do know, that the techs would tell us, is that baby is still measuring 5 days ahead (3rd ultrasound confirming this) and it has big feet (no surprise there, I'm a size 10/11) and long legs (again, no surprise there, both Graham and I have long legs).  I had to have a repeat today, due to not being able to see the stomach last week, and since baby has flipped, we got an awesome profile shot!!!!!!  It's crazy how much baby has grown.

Can't wait for Tuesday to find out everything else (like estimated weight of baby so far and length, as well as heartrate and growth percentiles).

For now, here's a comparison from our first ultrasound, to this one (hopefully our last, unless they have to check baby's position down the road)...however, we will be doing a 3D ultrasound as eachother's Valentine's present :)

Teeny, tiny baby at 9 weeks 2 days.

Baby at 20 weeks!  It's got a little button nose, big eyes, cute lips and look at that spine!  It's hands were waving away and legs were crossed and rocking itself to sleep! 

Sick as a dog...

Last night was R.O.U.G.H.

I spent the majority of the night either puking in the bathroom, repeatedly and violently or shaking/desperately trying to get to sleep.  Graham was lucky enough to sleep through the entire thing, unsure what state I would be in, once he awoke in the morning.  When he went to bed, I was feeling like junk and he was hoping I'd recover by getting some sleep in the other room.  Boy was he WRONG.

I have NEVER been that sick in my life.  Everytime I drank, it was out...eating was out of the question.  Getting the flu sucks, but getting the flu while pregnant, I don't wish it on ANYONE.

By the time 5am hit, I was in such a state, I just made it to the bathroom...to have to have a shower, as I was a hot mess.  I don't remember much after that, other than getting out to be sick again.  Graham came into the bathroom at 6am, wondering what in the world I was doing sleeping on the bathroom floor, beside the toilet.  Attractive.  It was the only sleep I got that night.  The rest of the day continued to be a disaster, but at least I had nothing left in me to be sick all day.

Man, the bathroom floor feels good when you're sick, tired and sweating like crazy!

Ice Cream night!

While the night started out okay, it ended pretty roughly (sick as a dog!)...

But while I was feeling okay, we had a little mini date.  As we ate dinner, Graham said he had a sweet tooth, saying it be nice to get a treat.  I had been wanting Marble Slab ice cream for awhile and thought it would be a perfect time to go. 

If you've never been to there, it's DELICIOUS!  You get to pick your flavour and add whatever mixings that you'd like.  I have only been a few times before, but whenever I went, I loved that you got to have exactly what you wanted.  Graham seemed to really enjoy himself too!  I had my favourite- Birthday Cake with cookie dough and gummy bears...yup kid at heart!  Graham had chocolate peanut butter (strange, as he's not usually a fan) with skor and brownies.  Delicious.  It was a nice mini date out!

A hard workin man!

Last night, as I was baking away (going to be a daily thing, all week!), Graham decided to finish sanding the dresser for the babies room.  He started this on Sunday, while I was at work and last night, decided to get a power sander to complete the job, much better/faster.  I am SO happy that he is willing to help me with this request, as I didn't want to buy a new dresser ($$$$$$) and really wanted one that would be stained to match the crib, as closely as possible.

What an amazing husband!  It now looks totally different, sanded down and I can't wait to see it stained!

Here's proof that Graham is amazing!  It's dark outside, cold and he is having fun "playing" with his new power tool!

HOLY Griswald house in Pickering!!!

I kept hearing about these two houses in Pickering that are always on the news at Christmas time, for their amazing lights on their house.  All of my co-workers talk about them, know where they are and repeatedly recommended to go there anytime after December 1st, as they will be all lit up.

While we went for our drive through the neighbourhood on Friday, I am just getting around to posting about this house now.  We haven't seen their neighbours house lit up yet, so we will have to take another drive this week.

While driving around, we initially passed the house, but immediately turned around, as it was blaringly obvious where it was!  It was light up night there and it was like NOTHING I have ever seen!  I immediately had to send a picture to my sister-in-law, Stephanie, as one of her favourite movies is, "Christmas Vacation" with Chevy Chase.  Seriously, if you are EVER in the area, you NEED to see this house and the neighbours.  Even if you're not, COME ON OVER!

I love that they have made so much good out of their house display, taking donations of food and money for the local Food Bank.  Last year they collect over 4000 pounds of food and $4000.  They have over 50,000 lights and the cost of running this, was my biggest question.  Surprisingly, if you check out their website, it's substantially less than I'd ever imagine!

Check out www.wrightslights.com !!!  But for now, look at this photo!  It's amazing!

A Day in the States!

While it took 2 hours to wait in line at the Border on the way there, immigration was a BREEZE!  We were finished at immigration in under 3 minutes, I literally came out of the bathroom, to find Graham doing his paperwork!!!!!!!!!  Miracle!  We either end up waiting at the border for minimal time, and the office for ages, so I guess it's one or the other.

Once across, we hit our stride.  We stopped at Target for some last minute stocking stuffers and the like, checked out a few baby things and then went to pick up the crib that we ordered.  We LOVE the crib and wanted the exact one at Babies R'Us, but it is $350 more in Canada.  WHAAAAAAAT?  Needless to say, we were taking our money elsewhere...  We also got the crib mattress, a WHOLE TON of clothes at Carter's, as there was a MASSIVE sale and a few gifts for others as well.  All in all, we spent way over the daily limit, but didn't pay a penny in duty AGAIN!  WHOO HOO!

Graham was so excited when we got home, that he immediately started setting up the crib.  We put it together in less than an hour, with only a few bumps and bruises (on the crib, not us), and it looks gorgeous!  We knew that waking up the next morning, with the crib in the babies room, was going to make it all feel real.  We are keeping the blue that's in there and painting the room after baby is born, so that it can be gender specific.  We need to find crib sheets and a dust ruffle and curtains, but I can't find quite what I'm looking for!

I'll take pictures of the actual room once it's done...but for now, this is our crib!

It's the Graco Stanton 4 in 1 crib.  We love the colour and look of it and Graham is working this weekend on sanding down a dresser that we had in the room, so that we can stain it the same colour.  Can't wait!!!!!!!!

A weekday off for Graham!

I was SO incredibly nice to spend the day off today with Graham!!!  He had a day's holiday left to take before Christmas, so he took the day off.  I usually have Fridays off, spending the day cleaning the house, doing errands and the like. 

Instead, this morning, Graham did some things around the house and I spent the morning baking and tempering 40+ pounds of chocolate and then we had our 20 week ultrasound. 

Graham hadn't seen little "squidgel" since our 8 week ultrasound, so it was amazing to him to see how much baby has grown!  I didn't get to see much, other than the head and the spine at one point, as the tech was more concentrated on getting the info she needed (which was great, according to what little she said).  Graham got to be in for the entire scan, as long as he was DEAD quiet and didn't ask any questions whatsoever.  He got so giddy and it was adorable.  We DID NOT find out what the little one is, as the techs here, have signs up everywhere stating that they will not release gender.  Problem solved.  If anything, the Dr. who reads everything will inform the midwife...weird, I've never heard of it being done that way.  Needless to say, it's a 50/50 chance we are having one or the other :)

The rest of the day was spent relaxing and Graham went to the gym.  It was WONDERFUL to spend the day together and have an extra long weekend (for Graham, I have to work Sunday).

Almost half way there, baby!  YAY!

I have NO space!

It's starting to get cooler around here lately...to the point that out heat, which is not scheduled to come on between 10pm and 6am, has been coming on around 4am and 5:30.  We set the night time temp to 16 degrees, so it must be pretty darn cold in the house to kick back on!

Heater coming on or not, my best way to tell how cold it is in the house, is to be woken up when I turn over, to get more comfortable, and Graham is right next to my face/body!  I wake him up, so that I can turn onto my other side (to which he NEVER has any recollection of!), and his response, quite sleepily, is always, "I'm chilly, I just wanted to go to the warmth"! 

When he finally wakes up in the morning, he has no memory of me waking him, only memories of him being cold and wanting to get warm.  I'm glad that at least one of us is getting comfortable sleep!  Even if they are hogging the bed, the duvet and any extra space I might need!

Cookies GALORE!

Our annual cookie exchange was tonight!  It's such a fun time of year, really signalling the start of Christmas get togethers, eating, eating and smells of the winter...you know, gingerbread, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pine trees, vanilla.  I'm hungry, just thinking about it!

The samples were delicious!  I knew that Graham was going to have some new favourites, as well as 1 of his favourites from last year, reappeared!  The ladies are going to make him ONE HAPPY MAN!  He is a baked good lover, and has been converted to what he calls ""Dutch baked goods", since we've been together.  I'd love to say that they last WAY past Christmas in this house, but once Graham gets his hands on them...they never last past New Year's!

Looks like we need to have some friends over, to help us with the loot! 

Rain, Rain go away...I'd rather you bring snow.

24 hours of SOLID rain.  Like the non stop, wonder when it's going to end, have to run from my car to anywhere rain.

It's not often that we have rain for so long, or so late in the year for that matter, unless it's accompanied by snow/freezing rain, usually.  I knew that I had to drive after work to Mom and Dad's and was not looking forward to making my way on a 1.5 hour drive, close to rush hour, in the rain.

The entire time it was raining, I was praying that it would turn into snow (don't kill me!).  I mean, we are supposed to cut down our Christmas tree this weekend, and who wants to do that in rain/warm weather?  I'd prefer snow, but I'd take a little bit of winter weather, while chopping down our tree if need be.

Sister, Sister.

No, not the old school cheesy show...MY sister, Jenn.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you!  After numerous phone calls to try to reach her for her birthday...and a lovely rendition of Happy Birthday from Graham by answering machine message, we had to give up trying.  We figured that she was either out, talking to  A LOT of people, or no surprise if you knew her (Love you!), her phone died.

Needless to say, Happy Birthday Sis!  We all love you very much and although we didn't get to talk to you on your special day, we hope that you had a relaxing night and enjoyable day.  It's the first year in a few that we haven't celebrated yours and Dad's birthday's together and we missed you!

Just for old times sake!  Things have changed over the years!

Jenn "fanning" my tears, after our too long hug at the wedding that made me cry!  Memories!

Happy Birthday to the best Dad out there!

I am so proud of my Dad!  As I write this, he is currently serving on a Mission Trip in Honduras!  It's his first mission trip and I hope it's as life changing and exciting for him, as they were for us growing up!

While he's not spending his birthday with family, he is spending his birthday with new friends, church friends and people who will hopefully make today special!  We all had the opportunity to write Dad a letter before we left, so today, he will open those and know how much we all love him and miss him!

Happy Birthday Dad, you are not only one of a kind, you are caring, kind, loving and would give the shirt off your back to anyone who needed it.  We all love you very much!

You light up my life!

One of my favourite things about Christmas is, looking at all of the lights on people's houses.  As kids, we used to drive around this one neighbourhood in Hamilton, that had a Mr. and Mrs. Santa Clause that would sit in the window and wave at passersby.  It's a favourite memory of mine and one that I have been waiting to be beat, for a long time.

When we moved to Caledonia, there was always this one street that went all out with their lights.  I used to drive with one of my best friend's Dana, every year to go and look at them.  While it was not the same as my favourite house growing up, it was a little piece of excitment every year.  I don't remember when Caledonia added their light show on the Mill/River, but the first time I took Graham, 4 years ago, I thought he was in light heaven!

This year, for the first time, we don't live in an apartment.  While we have always put up a tree and decorations INSIDE, we have never had the space to put them up outside!  I was thrilled that this year, that would change!

Today, Graham and I hung up the lights on the house, hung dozens and dozens of ornament balls from our big tree out front and started to figure out what we'd do next week, inside the house.  Graham's rule: no decorating inside the house until December and DEFINITELY not until after we've cut down our tree.

Once the lights and tree were decorated outside, I felt a little bit more like Christmas was coming!  It was so nice to turn them on and feel more "one with the neighbours".  It even got some of our neighbours so excited, they were all waving out their windows (the lady who used to live here, never decorated, or really lived here for that matter)!