Nova Scotia Girls Trip - Part 2

Thursday we woke up to a BEAUTIFUL morning! One of my favorite things at the cottage is enjoying a drink (in this case coffee) on the deck. The water is just so calm and peaceful. It just feels refreshing to the soul. 

We were heading to Peggy's Cove that morning which is just a short drive from the cottage. I love Peggy's Cove. I think it's one of the most beautiful places in Canada. My favorite part is that during tourist times, there is a page piper playing. I think it is such a pretty sound.  

It was super busy because apparently September/October is cruise season. It was also really windy but we still took our time walking around and taking in the site. 

Had to take my bump pic too when I had such a beautiful backdrop! 

I resist buying "souvenirs" now because we are there so often. I walked around and looked at baby stuff sometimes but most were not gender neutral. Except in a shop at Peggy's Cove I saw these little Nova Scotia Tartan booties and couldn't resist!! 

We quickly stopped at the memorial site for the Swissair crash and then to Finer Diner for lunch. Their seafood chowder and tea biscuits are SO good! 

We settled back into the cottage and some girls took off for errands. I rested and then we got ready for our boat ride! Except the girls had another thing up their sleeves! The sneaky buggers some how managed to hide a surprise cake and present for me as an early 30th birthday celebration! The cake was so delicious! One of the best cakes I have EVER had! 

We loaded up the pontoon and with Captain Ron at the wheel, we floated all along the Bay! 

That evening we warmed up, chatted and played some 1's and 5's! It was a great evening in! 

The next morning we all slowly got up and had a big pumpkin french toast breakfast. We played salon and got ready for our day/night in Halifax!

First up was walking the harbor waterfront! Right at the end of our walk we saw the famous Tugboat! 

Our supper plans were made at Henry's House who's food, atmosphere and historic site is famous! Cousin Natasha joined us for supper and it was SO nice to see her and catch up! 

We were all pretty beat after all our walking on Saturday. We relaxed the rest of evening and packed up our bags. I was a little sad that our girls trip was already over but ready to see my handsome boys! 

I am pretty fortunate that not only do I have a great group of girls that I feel comfortable travelling with but that I could squeeze in one last "hooray" before I am a Momma of two! 

xo 

23 Weeks With Baby Number 3

Post written about the week prior. I am currently in my 24th week.

And because I keep telling people I am SO much bigger at this point then I was with Sam, a little comparison shot! Oh and I am SO much more tired looking! ha ha! 

This Week:

1 more week until viability! Actually if we happened to have the baby this week, the doctors would attempt to save it. 

Baby This Week: 

Baby is apparently the size of a Barbie Doll this week! 

Maternity Clothes:

I find myself going to my maternity shirts more this time then last. Last time I tried to squeeze myself into some non-maternity shirts but this time I am trying to get wear out of what I have, while I can because it will be the last time I will be using them. 

Stretch Marks/Weight: 

No new stretch marks and I have no idea where my weight is at. I feel like I have grown a lot in the last couple weeks. 

Movement:

I love the point in the movements when you can see movements from the outside. Always shows me how strong those little arms or legs are! 

Food Aversions/Cravings:

Not a lot that I don't like. Still avoiding fatty foods to help keep Gallstone problems at bay. This week I had a craving for a caramel frap with lots of whip! When I head to the city for my appointment next week, I am totally getting one! 

Symptoms:

The heartburn is getting bad this week. I think the baby is higher now which is making heartburn bad. Tums sometimes doesn't even help. General soreness. 

What I Miss:

I miss Sam and my independence. My parents (and sometimes Ryan) have been doing all the daycare drop offs and pick ups. While I am SO thankful for all the extra help when I am on limited duty, I miss my morning chats with Sam. And my parents raised me to be a very independent woman and having to step back and let other people do things for me is really hard. 

Labor Signs/Health Update:

Kind of coasting this week until 24 weeks. Keep quiet until we get to viability and then I will start more driving and light activity like walking. 

Gender:

There are a couple people that think that we actually know the gender of the baby and are just keeping it between ourselves. That is very much not true. While I admit it has been tempting, we are very determined now at this point to wait until D-Day. We each have our own prediction though. What's yours?

Wedding Rings/Belly Button

No changes but belly button is starting to get more shallow. 

What I'm Looking Forward To/Best Moment:

Looking forward to getting to Saturday and being 24 weeks!  

Daddy This Week:

My husband hates doing laundry and he is on laundry duty all himself. ALL laundry now has to be done by him and he hates it! ha ha! Ryan has also had a lot of late work days which has been hard on all of us. But when the weather cools down before snow, it will mean a few days (maybe even a couple weeks) of more time at home for him. 

Big Brother Sam:

Sam started "hockey" (aka: skating) this year and it has been a fun activity for all of us. He is so excited and I feel us soaking up this time doing fun things with him while he is still our only child. 

He seems to be "getting" the fact that my belly is bigger and I can't do as much. He thankfully doesn't seem resentful of the baby but does keep asking why Baby isn't here yet. 

Wisdom:

Cereal, toast, microwave nachos and cheese and crackers all make excellent supper choices for a toddler when you aren't allowed to move much and Daddy isn't home. 

xo 

Nova Scotia Girls Trip - Part 1

Happy Friday! 

A yearly girls trip is something that is SO good for the soul. That time, traveling without children or spouses and just sitting back and enjoying some girl talk! For a couple of years I thought a trip to Nova Scotia would be fun but hard to organize. When I sent the word out that I thought about this Fall for a girls trip to the East coast and I was actually super surprised by the resounding "yes" that came from many a friend. 

The day was finally here and 7 of us (1 met us at the airport) loaded up in my new van to head to the airport! I was so pleased that all our luggage fit in the back! ha ha! 

It was a nice short and uneventful flight with Stacy (Tracey) and the rest of us girls getting a shout out before getting off the plane! And cousins Vicki and Barb were waiting at the gate to greet us all and drive us to the cottage! 

It was a quiet first evening in. Getting settled into our designated rooms, grabbing some pizza and staying up chatting. 

The next morning it was miserable outside! POURING rain. But we decided to get ready anyways and head to Lunenburg to view the Bluenose. We had a great musical ride to our destination with church camp and Disney songs! 

The Bluenose is a really nice iconic Canadian thing to see. We had lunch at The Old Fish Factory and headed home to get dry! 

We drove the lighthouse route on the way home and enjoyed seeing the Scarecrow Festival in Mahone Bay from the vehicles! We also stopped at a local favorite, Lola's for a little shopping. It's a fun little store with LOTS to see. We also drove by Queensland Beach but didn't stop in account to all the rain coming down! 

We headed back to rest and dry off. Some of us headed to grab supplies. I happened to luck our with our trip masseuse and got a nice long foot rub! Something my husband NEVER gives me during my pregnancies despite my begging! Ha ha!  

Jill was the chef that night and made everyone a delicious spaghetti supper! She made enough for the week! ha ha! 

Cousins Greg and Carolyn stopped in for a visit and brought us a family favorite, Nova Scotia brown bread! 

Stay tuned for part 2...

xo 

22 Weeks With Baby Number 3

Figured I'd do some skipping ahead as with some things I missed out on some updates but I did take pics!

This Week:

Keeping things fairly quiet but glad to be passed the 22 week mark! 

Baby This Week: 

Baby has apparently grown from a pint of ice cream to a large kale smoothie. At my last ultrasound at a little over 21 weeks, the baby was measuring at 1 pound! 

Maternity Clothes:

Going strong! Living in maternity bottoms except for regular yoga pants. I am mostly sporting a maternity shirt and a cardigan or sweater or jacket over top! Now that the belly is more pronounced, it is more fun to dress the bump! 

Stretch Marks/Weight: 

Minimal stretch marks actually except for the old ones and my weight is up 5 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight according to my 21 week appointment. 

Movement:

Lots of movement! I swear this kid is on my schedule because even on weekends at 5 AM it is up having a party. It is as if it knows my work schedule and usually I am awake by that time. Ryan was able to feel baby move from the outside for the first time on September 27 at a little over 20 Weeks. 

Food Aversions/Cravings:

French fries, meats...the usual are gross. But really have had cravings for chocolate and pickles lately (#typicalpregnantlady)! So weird! I hated pickles with Sam! 

Symptoms:

I think the worse symptom is the general soreness this time. I feel like my pelvic bones and hips "relaxed" a lot earlier then before making me feel like I'm at the waddling stage already. 

What I Miss:

Lately, I have been missing alcohol. I don't want it to sound selfish but some nights I would just really like a glass of wine. When out for our girls trip in Nova Scotia and I had the fish, I SO badly wanted a cold beer with it. 

Labor Signs/Health Update:

Well things were looking really great! Stable cervix, no gallstone attacks. All was well. Then at 21 week and a half weeks, I was told my cervix was dangerously short and I needed a cerclage. I had the procedure the next day which was simpler then expected. Recovery has also been fairly easy as well. I am just so thankful for our awesome healthcare system and being closely monitored by the high risk clinic. It gives me nightmares to think about the fact that I would have likely had a loss at over 20 weeks if I had not been this closely monitored. Post cerclage, Doc thinks all looks great and cerclage is doing what it is suppose to!  

Gender:

Still team green! We had a really fun appointment a week after my cerclage. The ultrasound always confirms your birthday and mine happened to be the next day! So I mentioned that. During the ultrasound she switched it to 3D so we could see the face and it was SO neat! She stayed far away from the gender area and so far no doctors, nurses or techs have let it slip! They actually genuinely seem excited to have a couple who aren't finding out as it is rare. 

Wedding Rings/Belly Button

No changes but belly button is starting to get more shallow. 

What I'm Looking Forward To/Best Moment:

Seeing the baby in 3D was a highlight of this pregnancy. It looks like a little baby rather then just bones! I would also have to say all of the birthday treats in the last few weeks! With the gallbladder diet I still try to be careful but have been enjoying some nice birthday meals and treats! 

Daddy This Week:

Another rough time for my poor husband. This man will seriously deserve a medal after this pregnancy. He was by my side pre and post op and I was so glad to have him there. He has been taking such good care of Sam and I. For my 30th birthday he planned an awesome weekend away that unfortunately had to get canceled and we never got a lot of the money back. I felt awful but he never even flinched. He still made it a special birthday and continues to do most stuff around the house and check on me all the time. 

Big Brother Sam:

Again, I was worried about Sam catching on to me being in the hospital again and the surgery stuff. But we tried to keep things as normal as possible and he didn't seem to notice or change his mood any. My parents and Ryan have been doing most daycare drop-offs/pick ups which I think Sam is getting use to. But boy do I miss him! The daycare drives we would chat and sing. When he gets home he wants to get straight to playing and doesn't want to visit. I officially don't fit with him in his bed anymore so we have stories and snuggles in our bed before he goes to sleep. 

Wisdom:

I don't know who invented the cerclage but thank you. You have saved many a babies. A few women have reached out to me about their cerclage experience. Unfortunately, most of us had to have a loss before a cerclage was considered for our next pregnancy. I wish there was some way of making cervical checks more standard from 15-24 weeks for all pregnancy women. It would prevent SO many pre-term births and losses. 

xo 

On Turning 30

*Update: Doctors appointment went SO well yesterday. My cervix is now longer again than it was a month ago. I will go back in 2 weeks to make sure there is no change but he is very hopeful that all will be good now. Talk about the best birthday gift ever!*

A few years ago, I dreaded the day that I'd leave my "20's" and be in my "30's". It just seemed like a big age! At 16 I though it meant "old". I was happy with where life was at that moment but growing up is scary sometimes and so is getting older!

I can't say the last year of my 20's has been the greatest ever. I got pregnant in November 2016 (month after my birthday) and proceeded to be SO sick after that. With the added sickness came a few hospitals visits and then finally the loss of our little girl in March. The remainder of my last year of 20's, I tread through the emotions of grief and then fear as I learnt I was pregnant again. The sickness began again with my next pregnancy. The last few months of my "20's" has seen a lot of precautionary hospital visits and then just 1 week before turning 30, a day surgery to hopefully keep baby cooking for as long as possible. The last week before turning 30 dealing with a lot of shame and guilt given the fact that my body feels broken to what it is suppose to do as a woman. Too much time to think and not being able to be as active with Sam which breaks my heart. 

But today as I turn 30, I want to think back on some of the fonder moments of the year! The good in my life and the friends and the family that I am so blessed to have surrounding me. 

This year brought trips, maple syrup making, a new greenhouse, our business celebrating 40 years, a new vehicle, new bundles of joy for friends, supper dates with Ryan and friends, movies, lots of food in my belly, a roof over my head,  A+ government covered medical care, a little girl in heaven watching over me and a boy who lights up my everyday. I truly am blessed! 

So, lately when people ask or tease about me turning 30, I truly don't care. Actually, my birthday is pretty far from my mind this year (Except for cake. I can't wait for a big slice of chocolate cake and some other birthday treats!).  If anything, I am more hopeful that turning 30 will be a welcomed change! A fresh start, hopefully a year of happy memories. If not, I guess with "age" I am beginning to learn that even through the hurt and the pain, seeing the good around me. To know that things could be worse, the pain will get better with time and taking the time to count my blessings. Here's to a new decade of learning, growing, loving, celebrating, reflecting and living!  

Here is to 30! 

xo 

Cerclage

It has been a while since an update. It has actually been pretty great in these part! I have a recap of a great time to Nova Scotia with some girlfriends that I'd like to share. But I think I'll have a lot of time to do that as from now until the baby comes, this Momma is going to be taking things a little easier. 

To say this has felt like a long pregnancy already would be an understatement. Counting down days until the next milestone. It was been both a comfort and trouble getting to the hospital that is over an hour away to be seen by the high risk doctors. 

From the beginning of this pregnancy, I was always told "you'd be lucky to make until 34 weeks" but that everything looked good. Apparently by nature, I have a shorter then average cervix but it was stable and not moving so they just thought it was just the way my body was made. Thankfully, they were still checking it every two weeks. A week ago today at my last measurement, my cervix wasn't stable anymore. In was now shorter then what they like to see at this point in a pregnancy. It means that my cervix was no longer stable and if it got any shorter, it could mean early dilation and pre-term labor. Being that last week I was only 21 weeks and some days pregnant, it could mean (depending on how much more it shortened) another loss of a baby for us.

I am so thankful that they caught it and even more thankful that my doctor assured me we were still at a good point (lots of cervix left and not too pregnant) to still get a cerclage. But it did mean that the following day (Thursday, October 5) I was back at the hospital and getting day surgery. 

Going into the OR that looked so similar to the one I went into in March brought on a wave of emotions and a panic attack. Through the panic I kept telling them I was getting a cerclage, not a D and C. They kept assuring me yes they knew which procedure I was getting but the lights and smells were all too familiar. I couldn't catch my breath and I was dizzy, feeling like I was almost in the middle of a dream. It took one strong willed nursed to snap me out of it by telling me they may be forced to give me a sedative (they didn't). 

After that episode, I was most freaked out about getting a spinal as I had never experienced that before but it was a breeze. The difficult part was that like normal for that procedure, I began contracting shortly after the surgery (and freezing) was done. The nurse and doctors kept assuring me that it was normal and would end soon and offered me a narcotic to help. I agreed and thankfully the narcotic not only knocked me out but also helped the pain from the contractions which did end within an hour. 

I was able to go home and have been enjoying my home from a horizontal angle since. I will be heading back today to check and make sure the cerclage is doing what it is suppose to do but I actually feel good and hopeful it's working and will continue to work for some time. 

So begins the counting down to a new milestone, viability...24 weeks. 11 more days, and counting. 

xo