It's almost Christmas!

...So Adam is the most excited about Christmas in our house. Actually, if you think about it, now Christmas has some feeling again. If you remember before you had kids and it was just the two of you Christmas morning, it was sort of sad. Not much excitement in watching your husband open a nose hair trimmer, or socks, but now we have so much more to look forward to. Last year was fun, but Adam didn't really understand who Santa was, or the family gatherings that we were going to.

...and so another busy (very busy) holiday season approaches. We get to go back to Windsor on Sunday the 23rd. Sunday we are basically going to shop. Sunday night we are seeing our friends, Monday we may have to do more shopping (Gosh I hope not), I have a trifle to make, and then off to the O'Gorman's for Christmas eve! Can't wait to eat my own meat pie. Yes, I'll be the short fat woman in the corner covered in ground beef, pork, and flaky crust. Everyone can just back off cause that pie is all mine!

Then Tuesday we have Christmas dinner at Jay's cousin Carol's house. More delicious food! And again, another party where I'm the DD! Then Wednesday morning, off to Bridal Couture to pay for my dress. Then home for 2 days and weather permitting we'll be back to celebrate NYE with our friends! Hoping to be back in time for Dad's birthday, and if any of you have received a late birthday wish this year ( I won't mention any names) well don't feel bad because as I type this I can't remember if Dad's birthday is the 28th or the 30th!

SO, it's one day closer to seeing everyone! And I can't wait!

See you all in 5 sleeps!

Winter Photos

Enjoy these beautiful shots of the first snowfall! Many, many more to come I'm sure.

Latest Ultrasound Photo

This is baby at 19 weeks.

This is day number 150 and you're 21 weeks pregnant!
You have 130 days or 18 weeks left, and are 53.6% of the way there.
Baby's age since conception is 136 days or 19 weeks.

Your baby weighs approximately 10.5 ounces and is about 7.2 inches from head to rump and is busy moving within your uterus, surrounded by amniotic fluid. He or she is learning how its arms and legs move, and using its hands to feel its facial features, which you may be able to see on an ultrasound.

If you look closely on the bottom photo you can see the ear! How cool!

The Weather.... I LOVE IT!

Despite the wind that is blowing everything from garbage pails, to small children across the lots behind and around our house... I can honestly say "it's exciting to watch snow come down as hard as it did earlier today." And people at work say "that's nothing, just wait!" "I can't, I really, really can't." Today we got our first taste of what's to come with 90km winds racing off the lake and pushing with it snow! Sideways. At one point I couldn't see the street behind our house. I made an honest effort to save our air conditioner cover and took off like a kite! By the time I got my shoes and coat it was gone... long gone. I was out with the camera from work today and took a pic of what was going on. Brrrrr! Looks cold doesn't it?

Let the fun begin!

Last week when we found out we were having a girl I took a trip over to Home Depot and picked out paint for the new nursery. Then rushed home and started to look for baby "girl" bedding. I didn't want to re-use Adam's Winnie the Pooh stuff cause it was mostly blue (even though it has another side that I could have flipped over).
So I went online and put a bid on Ebay for the above bedding. And won. I'm so excited to play "set up". Jay is going to do the painting for me, and I will be foreman. Every job needs one! I'd love to find a white wicker rocking chair for the baby's room. Denise, please watch the garbage! Or Marty, steal one off someone's porch when you go do some landscaping. There is a beauty on a front porch around the corner from here, but the darn lady is always sitting in it.

I started my Christmas baking - started with Chocolate covered Cherries, and sugar cookies. Then I ran out of eggs, so I called it quits. We went and got our Christmas tree yesterday too. Adam and I hung the lights on it this morning while Jay is at work, and we will all decorate it tonight after dinner.

Looking very forward to Christmas eve at Bev's house... I'm bringing dessert, but I have yet to decide on what to bring. Maybe a black forest cheesecake or something!

Winter is here! Christmas lights are hung!

I love that photo of Mom & Dad! You guys missed it when Mom got up on the hay pile with Adam and was running around and climbing over bales 7 feet in the air. I though "she's going to fall!"... but she didn't. Because I still don't have a digital camera, I'm a bit behind on posting current pics. So I went post happy this time around. Oh, by the way. The winter shot above was taken by the photographer that sometimes does work for our paper (shorelinebeacon.com) and this was one of his shots last winter!

We've been taking Adam skating every weekend,and well, he gets very mad that he can't go by himself. But he'll learn. He's funny to watch, and it's great to see Jay sharing something like that with him. It's wonderful to do "family" things now that he's getting older.

We have about 2 inches of white fluffy stuff on the ground now. When I got home from work today Jay and Adam had hung all our lights and put in coloured pot lights around the house. So that got me into the spirit and I started to take out all my stuff. I was just taking a quick break... Got to get back at it. Carson won't leave my howling "jingle bells dog" alone - or the snowman door knocker - or.... dumb dog.

See ya'll soooooonnnnnn!

We're having a girl!

Got my ultrasound done today... and it's true... we're having a girl.
I'm so super excited I can't even begin to tell you! Aside from it being a girl the nurse said everything looks great, baby has a strong heart, and everything is in its proper place.

Hair and Belly - Not Hairy belly!

So this is me at 19 weeks pregnant! Still in my jeans. I think I've gained about 10 lbs now. Which is much less than when I was pregnant for Adam. I promised myself that I would not gain 60 this time and I'm sticking to it! I sure could go for a gyro though. Unfortunately there is no place to get one up here.

That's it - Next time I write will be with news of a baby girl or boy!

I got a haircut and ate some delicious soup!

Today was my short day - as is every Tuesday, so I went to the Corner Deli (that's the name)and got some soup. They have a new soup every day! And for $2. for a big bowl how could you resist. Today's soup du jour was Malakazana (very possibly spelt wrong), anyway, it's a curry soup made with veggies, lentils, CURRY, and basmati rice. It's a bit spicy and SUPER GOOD! Then I treated myself to a new hair cut. Something I've needed for a very long time. Plus it's a style I've never worn before. It's cut to a long blunt with a heavy bang. Sorta "Cleopatra" looking.

Well it's also 1 week until we find out was the baby is. I can't wait. I booked next Wednesday off work, my ultrasound is at 10:45 and immediately following I'm heading to buy paint for the baby's room. I told Jay (since he can't go with me) that when he gets home from work the colour of the baby's room with tell him the sex. Silly idea really, but I just can't wait to prepare the baby's room all over again.

I have to go move a few things around in the garage because Jay is on his way home with a fridge for the garage. I was a bit bummed out the other day cause I couldn't do any holiday baking because our stupid fridge in the kitchen has a freezer so small you couldn't stick Adam in it! Not that I've tried... But now I will, since the garage fridge will have a freezer up top. Finally, some room to put stuff!

Got to fly!

Oh, by the way the photo was taken near Owen Sound off a side road.

joke of the day!

You know you live in North when...# 1

Porcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend them from predators. The porcupines include the third largest rodent, after the capybara, and beaver, and are not to be confused with hedgehogs which are Erinaceomorphs. Most porcupines are about 25-36 inches (60-90 cm) long, with a 8-10 inch (20-25 cm) long tail. Weighing between 12-35 pounds (5-16 kg), they are rounded, large and slow. Porcupines come in various shades of brown, grey, and the unusual white. The name "porcupine" comes from Middle French porc d'épine "thorny pork", hence the nickname "quill pig" for the animal.

So the other night, we let Carson out to pee... we heard a yelp, and he came running back to the house with a face full of quills. Took him to the vet to have him sedated so they could pull them all out. Poor little guy, he had them in his nose, mouth, on his cheeks and upper jaw. He's better now, and probably even more afraid of anything that moves at night. He's been warned to only go near soft animals like CATS, mice, squirrels...

Today I'm at home with Adam. He's sick with a bad ear infection (AGAIN)! To make matters worse we wasted 1/4 of his medication last night fighting with him for him to take it. I tried everything, mixing it with juice, putting sugar on a spoon with it, pinning him down, putting it in 1/2 freezy packs with koolaid. Nothing worked. So I called the pharmacy this morning to see if they could give me a few doses extra to replace what was wasted... NOPE! We have to now buy an extra bottle at $55.

I'm seriously counting the days!

This is day number 106 and you're 15 weeks pregnant!
You have 174 days or 24 weeks left, and are 37.9% of the way there.
Baby's age since conception is 92 days or 13 weeks. Your baby weighs about 1.75 ounces and is about 4 to 4.5 inches in length. His or her heart is growing strong and, even though it is little, it is pumping between 20 and 25 quarts of blood every 24 hours. By the time you are ready to deliver, your baby's heart will be circulating up to 300 quarts of blood every 24 hours. Many fetuses develop their future hairline pattern this week, although it can take quite a bit longer for some babies' hairline or hair to fully develop.

One more month until I go for my final ultrasound. This is the one where we will be able to tell the sex. We are going to find out, but we have not decided if we will let anyone know. However, if I paint the bedroom it will be a dead giveaway to anyone who visits.

Leaves are starting to fall off the trees... and it's been raining so much I'm starting to forget what the sun looks like. Actually, we went down to the beach tonight and brought Carson along. To our suprise he didn't go near the water. Our chicken dog was probably afraid of the wind or maybe the waves. Took some beautiful sunset photos though.

I had to laugh thinking about last weekend when Denise & Chris were here, us trying to race down to the lake to snag some nice shots... we get there just in the nick of time, Denise goes to take a photo and her camera is out of juice. She managed to get in a few nice shots though.

Broke my tooth tonight too. On a chocolate chip cookie. Looks like I'm going to have to go find a dentist on Monday. Damn it.

I'll end this one with my thoughts and prayers to Dale. Hope everything is okay.

xoxo
Mich, Jay and Adam

The Quickie!

...no not that one piggies, this is the quick blog just to say that I'm going for my first ultrasound on Oct. 9th. That one pretty much confirms the due date (Apr. 12). Kristi's birthday is the 13th I think - Bev could confirm that! And a healthy fetus.

And we are going to register Adam for school on October 11th. He'll be going to St. Joseph's Catholic School in Sept. 2008, and Jay started playing hockey on Thursday nights. His team is mostly guys his age to 36 I think - or maybe 40.

Oh, and I decoraged a small area near my front door for Fall and it really looks cute. Bails of hay an assortment of pumpkins, gourds, sunflowers, a black iron ghost wire thing, and some pretty ribbons.

The entire town from 3 blocks before "downtown" to 3 "on the other side of town" has been decorated with corn stalks and bright orange ribbons on every street post, light post, speed signs, they are all covered. Next weekend is the biggest event of the year and that's Pumpkin Fest! Every buisness in town will start to decorate their stores and businesses for the "ANNUAL DECORATING CHALLENGE". Anyway, it's super pretty here right now! Another 2 weeks and I think all the trees will be changed.

Anyway, that's it, I'm going to read my delicious book - Fallen

xo
All of us!

1st Trimester is almost over!

...This is day number 78 and you're 11 weeks pregnant!You have 202 days or 29 weeks left, and are 27.5% of the way there.Baby's age since conception is 64 days or 9 weeks.Your baby weighs about 7 grams, is about 2 inches long, and in an ultrasound will look a bit out of proportion. He or she has toes, eyes, ears, fingernails and lips, but the head is still about one-half the total size of its body.

I go for my first doctor's appt on Tuesaday Sept. 25. I'm hoping he'll send me for an ultrasound that week. April seems so far away. Today, Mom & Dad are coming for a visit and we're going to go to Smiths Apple Farm to get some apples. Jay, Adam and I went last weekend but we've eaten all our stock. Next visitors before the winter sets in is going to be Gup, Yen and Felicia on the weekend of October 26,27 & 28. They were here when we moved up but have not seen our house since then.

Time to go grocery shopping and throw a load of laundry in... exciting stuff!

xo

WOW!

So to my biggest suprise today, as usual I log onto the Windsor Star website to see the news in Windsor, and staring me right in the face on the cover was my sister Bev and a bunch of family members walking the Winners Walk of Hope for Ovarian Cancer Canada! I'm trying to type right now, and am doing the best I can through very very teary eyes. God, I can't believe it. How strong you were through all of this and how much support and darn love and caring you got from your entire family. Not to mention how Marty had to become a fantastic house wife and do it all for a while!
And now I see you on the front page of the Windsor Star looking all sexy with that short hair, tan and huge smile! Go on, smile away! Never did you even complain! You're fantastic!

I'm going to go take a walk down to the lake tonight and complete my own 5k for you. It's the least I can do!

Taking a walk won't be so hard today since my morning sickness is starting to subside and the fatigue is nearing the end. NOT THAT I'M COMPLAINING! Adam and I tried to go for a hike this morning on the Biener's Ski Trails (beautiful spot) but it was cut short due to some pregnant woman getting sick in the woods. There's going to be a beautiful sunset tonight and I don't want to miss it. I have so much to be thankful for - it's always a great time to just go sit and reflect. Plus, I can get a raspberry frozen yogurt in a waffle cone and eat it all by myself. I'm nearing my 9th week. Only 31 to go!

The next time we'll be in Windsor is going to be a terribly rushed visit but we'll do our best to see everyone. Hopefully everyone can make it for breakfast on Saturday morning! Next year, I'd like to have Thanksgiving! Some could sleep here, and some could sleep and mom and dads. Or everyone can sleep here and we'll just sleep on top of eachother! I know everyone is always so busy on the holidays but we have to make a point of seeing eachother as much as possible! Even from 400kms away!

We miss all of you so much!

xo
Mich, Jay and Adam - and baby embryo/almost fetus. Oh, and Carson too. He gets sad when I leave him out!

Tan Lines Soon To Fade

Summer is coming to an end up here faster than I ever thought.
On our way back from Windsor this past weekend we noticed that the leaves are starting to change. I can't believe it. How time flies.

So as the saying goes, "New Job, New house, New Baby"... well I just completed that once again because this time I got a job that I'll keep. I was hired today at "The Shoreline Beacon". Our newspaper in town. I'll be their new Graphic Designer. I'm not overly excited about going back to work, but I need to have 600 hours worked for me to qualify for maternity leave so I had to find something before I started to show. And if any of you remember the size I was last time, I couldn't wait too long.
I suppose the best part is, is that I could walk there from here if I wanted. It's less than a 3 minute car drive. And it's a stones throw away from Adam's Day Care.
I start this Thursday.

I am officially 6 weeks pregnant. And my tentative due date is April 11th. My morning sickness is getting less worse, but I'm still really tired. So, I'm going to end this blog so I can go have a nap. I only get 2 naps until I have to go back to work so I better take advantage.

We will be coming to Windsor for Thanksgiving weekend for a wedding, and we'll try and visit everyone then. So hopefully someone is having Thanksgiving so we can see ya'll. Plus, I need to eat.... for 2.... so I get the extra piece of pie.

xo

We're Thrilled!

Okay, so by now you've heard the news! Yes, we're going to have another baby.
Due sometime in April, however I was so excited at my appointment yesterday that I totally forgot to ask the doctor my due date. I calculated it on April 11, 2008.
We are thanking our lucky stars that we won't have to worry about a snow storm to rush to the hospital through. Hopefully. We do however have a 30 minute drive to the hospital when it's time.

I'm also very excited that I won't be a huge blimp for Cortney's wedding! The only thing I'll have to worry about is leaky nipples in my beautiful dress...haha.
Adam is also excited lifting my shirt every chance he gets to say hi to the "grape". I told him that it's the size of a grape right now, and that's all he remembers. He says he wants a brother and a sister. Wouldn't that be fun! Twins! OH GOD!

Because I'm pregnant, when I went to the hospital (see my earlier post about doctor shortages) the super nice doctor who saw me took me, Jay and Adam on as patients. His name of all things is DR. DYKE! His wife is also a doctor. What a name though. He's very young, like we're talking not even 35.

So that's all the news about that. I'm only 5 weeks pregnant. Yes I told everyone before the "3 month" standard, but how could I keep that a secret? Too exciting.

See you all soon!

Mich, Jay and Adam and ?

My eyes are half way shut!

We have been having some of the most amazing weather I can imagine. Today again was 82 hot and no humidity at all. So we went to the beach in Southampton in the dunes and baked our buns off. We ate the famous "Gerry's Fries" for lunch, and worked it off playing around in the water. I'll have some more photos to post soon, some from a roll of film that is pretty old, so it's going to be a suprise. Hope it's clean.
Jay and I keep haing contests to see who's darker, he's winning, but only by a bit. Some of the new pics getting developed to disk will proudly display Adam's tan lines. He has the whitest butt ever.

Tina's coming up next week and we're going to do a bunch of stuff with Adam and Emma. There is a children's amusement park in Owen Sound "Story Book Park" and it's all children's rides and mini sized water slides. The best is that if you are under 163 inches you can ride. Which means 5 FOOT 3. So both Tina and I can ride the children's rides with them! Yippee!

I'm still looking for a good job, I've been applying to so many, somethings got to come up soon. If not, well, I have a very important role keeping the sand off the floors when I come home from the beach.

My search for a family doctor has been put to rest. Flat out, there are no family physicians in the area or even surrounding area taking patients. There are no walk in clinics. People in Port Elgin and Southampton go to the Southampton Emergency Dept. I've never been, but people say you'll never wait for more than 2.5 hours. Not bad. There is what they call an "orphan clinic" in Kincardine that has 10 doctors working out of, and people who don't have a family doctor can go there. Much like Windsor clinics, but with lots more docs. Once a doctor sees you at the clinic, you can then call that office and schedule an appointment. But they book from a month to two months ahead. You can't just call and think you'll get an appointmtne that week.

So, well, this was much longer than I planned. I'm pooped and very sunburnt.

Miss you all!
Well except the O'Gorman's cause they're always here... LOL
XO

More visitors on the way! YIPPPEEEE!

I think I'll move away more often!

Next week is going to not only bring warmer weather, sunshine, and a new job, it's also going to bring more company! I got a wonderful call from my other brother, Jerome, to let me know he's going to visit next week too! Which means there must be a Dale learking in the woods not too far away.

3 Brothers in one week?
Could it be?
We'll see!

So so far, 5 weeks after we've moved in we've had lots of great company. Tina, Gup & Yen, Mom & Dad, Denise & Chris, Bev, Marty, Colin & Brooke, Jay's Mom & Dad, Aunt Rita & Uncle Moris (from Scotland), Aunt Roseanne, Tammy & Ryan & Jessy.

Can't say I'm off to the beach today, it's raining, so we're going to Owen Sound to grocery shop and toot around.

It's been chilly here!

Well I should start this post off with a bang and say... "I'm going back to work."
I got a job as a bartender at a new restaruant that just opened up. Alan's Fireside Grill. Its a really nice place - I'd say it's a cross between The Keg and Koko Pellies, but with several fireplaces. It's nice. Dark wood, black slate tile, art on the walls with a long bar down the right hand side with 4 plasma screes above. I'm looking forward to it! I'll post some pics of the place once I have a few.

Let's see, what else have we been doing? Ryan and Tammy were here to celebrate Canada Day with us, however, it didn't even come close to Monica & Rick's party. But none the less, we drank and were merry and ran around the backyard with sparklers! Jay's parents, his Aunt & Uncle from Scotland and his other Aunt visited this week as well. Figures, we went down to see the sunset and it was too cloudy, but last night, the day they left was one of the most beautiful skies I've seen so far.

We went to Sauble Beach with our friends Danielle & Steve and their twin girls, Isabella and Aryana and had a fantastic time! That is one hell of a beach, and just voted "Ontario's Best Beach!"

Looking forward to see Larry. He's coming this way for a weeks' vacation to stay in Mom & Dad's park. We have to plan it for a nice day so we can go to the beach!

That's about it. Got to go move the sprinkler!

xo

Fish On!

I can't even begin to tell you how excited Adam was when Chris mentioned that they were going fishing. If any of you have had the pleasure of Adam's company lately you'll understand when I say "he pelted Chris with a thousand questions, all in one long sentence." It was even worse when we told Adam we were going on an adventure to Denny's Dam! Alas, we found the damn thing and the day continued.

It was a really nice visit - next time someone comes up it's going to be a must to show them the "Southampton Market". A place where you could buy 1000 small glass-blown octopus, or spindles for wood working, even wood carvings of strange bears, and lets not forget the squirrels.

The sunsets have been getting quite spectacular. I have been photographing them and will post some beauties soon. Adam and I took off on some sight-seeing this past week at well and ventured to Inglis Falls. Took about 30 minutes to get there and what a sight! We took a very steep path down to the ravine, but I got scared thinking we'd see a bear, so we headed back up. It was beautiful, but very, very "bushy" with lots of rock and hollow ground from tree roots. Too creepy.

I got a part-time job at a new restaurant that opened up 3 weeks ago.
Alan's Fireside Grill. I'll be either bartending or serving. It's a really nice place with dark wood, black slate tile, unusual art, and of course, fireplaces.
Their menu has stuff like steaks, rotisserie chicken and in-house smoked ribs.
So I'll be working 3-4 shifts per week only at night. Kinda poopy to have to possibly work weekends, but it's having the day to spend with Adam that's worth so much more.

Anyway, enjoy the next set of pics!

xo
Jay, Mich, & Adam

You know you live in a small town when... #1

You see a job posting like this!

CHICKEN CATCHERS NEEDED, full time positions, experience preferred but not essential. Phone 519-881-4578

Now, could you see doing that job right after a nice rain - so the mud and layer of chicken shit have meshed together to form a slippery black sheet.

Summer Fun

It's getting warmer here, and nothing goes better with summer than "beach."
Most of my time so far has been spent there, but only because "that's all Adam wants to do." Honestly, it has nothing to do with me at all! It's all his idea.

The other thing that comes with summer is visitors...
Mom and Dad came last weekend and we had lots of fun. We toured around a bit, went to Sauble Falls - and to our disapointment, there is only one set of falls, so back into the car we went, and finished our day off at the beach. I wanted to have a nice collection of photos of all our visitors and frame them and put them on the guest bedroom wall, but my quest started off poorly. My mother-in-law is camera shy (see photo of unknown woman with sweatshirt over her head) Or maybe she was turning it around after realizing it was on backwards! We'll never know.

This past weekend was busy again with visitors. This time Bev, Marty, Colin and Brooke came to visit. Brittney and Sean both had to work so they couldn't make it. Hopefully next time. Again, we went to the beach! Then Saturday we went to Bayfield to see my Mom & Dad for a BBQ.

Father's Day was fantastic. Very relaxing. We woke up late (thank you Adam)did a few house things, then went to get stuff to BBQ. Our friends Danielle & Steve and their twin girls came over for dinner.

Right now I'm sneaking in a blog before our next set of visitors arrive. Denise & Chris are en-route. Chris is bringing his rod to do some fishing, and Denise is bringing her wallet to go browse the great shops in town! I told Chris he can't stay unless he catches dinner.

Well not much else is new - I've handed out a few resumes, but no calls as of yet.
Jay is doing great and loves his job. Adam is toilet training and he's almost perfected it! Only a few accidents.

SO until next week! Here's some new photos to enjoy!

xo
Michelle, Jay and Adam