One thing I will learn: To use my time wisely and to follow my heart.

One place I will go: Tobermory.

One physical habit I will cultivate: Running 3x a week on lunch break.

One mental habit I will break: Getting lost in negative thoughts.

One mental habit I will cultivate: Being present.

One relationship I’ll repair: A good friend I won’t name in case she reads this blog.

One work habit I will change: Staying focused.

One thing I’ll throw out: A pair of old worn out shoes.

A second thing I’ll throw out: The box of old schoolbooks in our attic.

One thing I’ll eat more often: Fish.

One thing I’ll eat less: Licorice. I mean BAGS of licorice.

One thing I’ll drink more: Water.

One thing I’ll drink less: Coffee.

One resentment I’ll get over: That’s private for now.

One person I’ll treat more respectfully: My hubby. *heart*

One thing I’ll spend less money on: Hmmm interest?

One other change I’ll make in my finances: Contribute regularly to my RRSPs.

One thing I’ll spend less time doing: Spending time on my iPhone.

One thing I’ll spend more time doing: Positive reflection, and spending time with my loved ones.

We can’t believe we have only a month until we get to finally meet you. You must be running out of room in there now as you are constantly pushing against Mom’s ribs. We’ve been trying to form your taste for music by playing songs to Mom’s belly, and we hope when you are here that you will enjoy the same music.

Daddy talks to you every night before bed so that you’ll recognize his voice when you get here, and our cat Helix loves lying on Mom’s belly and feeling you move in the evenings. You two will be best buds one day.

We’re about to celebrate Christmas – the last one as a family of two! Soon you will be here with us, but make sure you wait until January or else you might be disappointed in birthdays to come since your special day will get mixed in with lots of other special days. We are pretty sure you’ll be staying in there nice and warm for a little while longer.

There are so many things we are curious to know about you: will you have Daddy’s eyes? Will you have Mom’s dimples? Will you keep hiccuping as much as you do now? Will you be a night owl like Mom, or an early bird like Dad?

We can’t wait to share our lives with you little baby. Keep growing and getting smart!

We love you,

Mom & Dad

How far along are you: 9 months (36 weeks)

Recent appointments: I’ve had a few appointments this month: with midwives, the blood lab, and one ultrasound. The midwife appointments were quick, and they couldn’t determine if our little one was head up or down. Despite my assuring them he was head down and had been all along, I got sent for an ultrasound to confirm. I didn’t argue, as it was another opportunity to check up on him! They confirmed his head was down – a lot lower than I thought – and that his little butt was right up at my sternum. He’s a lot bigger than I had been imagining. I find it hard to get my mind around how they are arranged in there based on movements. They are so flexible he must be all bunched up since all the baby books are telling me he’s about 5 lbs now, and that’s an average. Bloodwork this month was to check my hemoglobin and iron levels and my Rh immunities. The ultrasound was at the hospital, and my technician was great. I always find it sort of awkward though because they are doing so many things and you can’t tell what they are taking pictures of – and I just lay there in silence wondering if everything is okay. At the end they let you look and they show you everything, so it makes up for it. This was our 3rd, and most likely last, ultrasound this pregnancy. However, one night this week I was convinced he had flipped to breech. I will have to wait until my appointment next Thursday to see what the midwives think. It is hard to tell what they are up to in there!

Total weight gain: I’m officially up 28  pounds since where I started. I feel good though and it is all baby and hips, which I am totally okay with!

New symptoms: My ribs on my right side have been killing me both in front and in back. And during the ultrasound this week I discovered why: his little knees and feet are tucked in there! So whenever he decides to stretch out he’s pressing right into my ribs. Sitting is getting uncomfortable and I’d much rather stand most of the time. My ligaments are all loosening up too, so I’ve felt some weird pops in my knees and hips, but nothing painful. I’m also STARVING a lot of the time. I’ll eat breakfast at home around 7:30 and by the time I get to work at 8:30 I’m ravenous. Unfortunately, I can’t eat a lot right now as I get full pretty easily. But overall these are very minor symptoms and I’ve felt great for all nine months.

Best moment this month: Getting to see our little chunky monkey on the ultrasound! Also our friends gave birth to their little boy on December 15th and that really made things real for us since we are only one month behind them.

Food cravings / aversions: Nothing really, but I am still loving spicy food. And sweets, but that’s not pregnancy-related.

Belly button in or out: In, and it looks like there’s still room there for it to stretch a little more.

What do you miss: Red wine. Enough said.

What are you looking forward to: See last question. Oh, and Christmas! I can’t wait to see family, and of course I also can’t wait to meet our little guy when he makes his appearance in January.

We can’t wait to meet you in January. I want you to know that you are loved so much already.

Each little movement you make makes me feel all happy and warm because I know you are growing and learning and getting ready for the outside world.

The unpredictable hormonal swings are just an indication that you are growing in there, and though they make Daddy think I’m nuts, they make me feel happy because I know you are doing well.

Please inherit your Daddy’s beautiful big brown eyes.

Love you,
Mommy

This year I have donated to two of my friends supporting the Ride to Conquer Cancer and CIBC Run for the Cure – both charities supporting causes near and dear to our hearts.  Of course everyone has been touched by cancer (of various different types), and so supporting cancer research in general is an important thing for us. Whether it is research for breast cancer, lymphomas, or pancreatic cancers, all are contributing to the science that will one day make cancer history.

Consider doing your part by donating to a coworker running in the CIBC Run for the Cure on October 3rd.

This time I’ve got a box of miscellaneous things plus some small furniture pieces to donate. It is all a part of re-organizing our home to make room for baby. We re-organized the basement so we could move some things from our spare bedroom down there. Then we had to get rid of the extra ‘stuff’ – which is where the ‘box of things’ comes in.

Here’s our donation pile this time:

1. Shrek 2 (2004)
2. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
3. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)  (watched this on the way to Quebec City)
   
4. Star Wars: Episode III (2005)
5. The Passion of the Christ ( 2004)
6. Shrek the Third (2007)
7. Transformers (2007)
8. Iron Man (2008) – We held an Iron Man marathon this weekend and watched this one and Iron Man 2 back to back. I did enjoy it!
   
9. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
10. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)
11. Up (2009)
12. The Chronicles of Narnia (2005)
13. The Incredibles (2004)
14. Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
15. Star Trek (2009)
16. I Am Legend (2007)
17. Night at the Museum (2006) – This was on TV awhile back so it has now been watched – I didn’t LOOOOVE it, but it was okay.
18. Toy Story 2 (1999)
19. Cars (2006)
20. Hancock (2008)
21. Rush Hour 2 (2001)
22. WALL-E (2008)
23. King Kong (2005)
24. Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
25. Kung Fu Panda (2008)
26. 300 (2007)
27. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
28. Ratatouille (2007)
29. The Exorcist (1973)
30. The Mummy Returns (2001)
31. Gone With the Wind (1939)
32. Monsters Vs. Aliens (2009)
33. Happy Feet (2006)
34. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
35. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)

In choosing a baby name, we made sure ours would suit a grown man and not just a cute little baby. We asked ourselves: would this name suit a lawyer, doctor, or prime minister? Would this be a name teachers could pronounce and spell without any trouble? Our last name will cause our little one to be spelling out his name forever (as do Mom and Dad) but at least his first name shouldn’t cause the same issue. And so our list is composed with several strong traditional names that we love.

But have you noticed a lot of celebrities name their children obscurely? The most recent roster of children with ‘alternative’ names is Jamie Oliver’s brood: Daisy Boo Pamela, 7, Buddy Bear Maurice, just born, Poppy Honey Rosie, 8½,  and Petal Blossom Rainbow, 17 months.

Interesting.

It is typical to take some time in the new year to reflect on the one that just ended. I’ll do the same, as it is nice to look at the highs and lows and to set new goals for the coming year.

January:
I started my own business! I held my second boudoir marathon, with some hot ladies, and also had an engagement photo session this month. I got all the paperwork sorted out and got my business license and tax numbers. Fun, fun! This was also the first month that husband was away for a lot of it and I was spending my time alone during the week going to the gym, working on my photo business, and reading. We also redid our kitchen this month by putting in an island and re-doing the floors. I also installed a new faucet all on my own one night. We also got the photos from our wedding in November. Too bad to date (over a year later) I still have not received my wedding album from Misti Douglas of Douglas Studios Weddings in Tennessee. *angry*

February:
In February I was pretty busy getting all my work done for the boudoir session in January (they were to be in time for Valentine’s Day). I was also working on a side contract for my old employer so that also kept me on my toes. We also cashed in some Aeroplan points to book a flight to Victoria for a trip we planned for April/May. My best friend climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro with her at-the-time-fiance. I also had a minor medical issue which was never really solved but thankfully seemed to go away on its own. Mysterious!

March:
In March I had a field trip with work up to Huntsville. And I spun out with the work truck on Highway 11. It was not driveable and I felt so stupid. I couldn’t believe it happened and was really embarrassed. We were so very lucky to be okay, as the truck spun across the dirt median and into oncoming traffic. Plus my boss was extremely understanding. We also started picking bridesmaid dresses for my best friend’s wedding in which I got to stand as the Maid of Honour. I also registered with the Littlest Heroes Project, which provides free photography services for children with disabilities or special circumstances.  We started digging up the front garden bed.

April:
April brought a tonne of planning. We planned the girls camping weekend to Long Point Provincial Park, planned and went on our trip out west to Vancouver Island, I had family photos taken with my Mom, stepdad, two brothers and husband. It was so good we had this done because I didn’t know it at the time but my youngest brother would pass away that summer. I got rid of a lot of junk from storage such as some old CDs, a bike trainer I wasn’t using anymore, and my roadbike.  My good friend had her second baby girl this month too.

May:
May is the month for birds. I did a tonne of birdwatching in May for both fun and also for work (its my job, lucky me!) I had a couple of workshops where I watched and learned about birds too. We started the 2009 baseball season this month and I got down and dirty with my contract job and finished it up. Also planned a big chunk of wedding-related events for my best friend’s wedding coming up in September.

June:
Started the month of June off with a canoe trip to Algonquin Park. Five of us took off in two canoes for some interior camping. It was really nice. Lots of bugs but our camp site was full of wood to keep the fire going. We went garage sale-ing one weekend with friends, and another weekend we had my hubby’s family reunion and Dad’s birthday. I was busy with photography shoots, and we also had our annual Bellwood Olympics hosted every year with friends.

July:
The first weekend in July I was camping again, but this time with the girls and our one guy friend. We checked out Long Point Provincial Park and lolled on the beach all weekend. It was great! Our friend held his first annual charity golf tournament at which I volunteered as photographer and in which hubby golfed. Later in the month I hosted a second boudoir marathon (yay naked ladies!) and two couples from hubby’s group of friends got married. Wow, July was BUSY!

August:
WORST MONTH OF THE YEAR BY FAR. We lost my youngest brother to his valiant fight against Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. It was completely unexpected and devastating for my whole family.

September:
The first weekend in September my Mom, stepdad and brother came up to Toronto for a weekend. I met them at Medieval Times and had a great night out. It was a much needed getaway after the last month of awfulness. This weekend I also camped out with some of our friends at a local campground, and helped host my best friend’s wedding shower. I grew basil plants as shower favours for all the guests and potted them up into individual mini-pots. They were really cute if I do say so myself! Here’s a photo: The next weekend was the same friend’s bachelorette party. We rented out a hotel suite, went out for dinner, and we hired a male dancer! It was so much fun and I think she loved it. We brought all sorts of snacks and drinks, and I baked a special cake for her as well.

The middle of the month was also a blur with final preparations for my best friend’s wedding and a series of mini photo sessions in a local park. At the end of the month I got to stand for my friend as she married the love of her life. It was a highlight of the month for certain! And she was stunning.

October:
My indoor soccer season began this month – every Saturday night we played. It was a lot of fun. There were a lot of festivities to attend as well: our year-end baseball party, Thanksgiving with family, and a Halloween party with friends. I dressed as Wonder Woman and my better half was a pirate. I don’t have a photo of us, unfortunately, but I will see if I can dig one up.

November:
In early November I hosted another boudoir marathon – I held it at a different hotel than I usually did, and still had fabulous results. The women were gorgeous, and all were pleased with their photos. I considered it a success! My better half and I celebrated our first year of marriage this month by travelling to Quebec City. We travelled by train, indulged in rich meals, and walked about 5,000 kilometres uphill both ways! The walking was enjoyable as the weather was wonderful for so late in the year.

December:
For my birthday this month my family travelled up to Guelph and I celebrated with them for the first time ‘on my birthday’ since I left for University in 2000. We went to Moxie’s for dinner, and had two different cakes for dessert. Christmas was certainly a different one for us this year, but no less wonderful to be together as a family. We woke up with my family on Christmas morning then travelled to my brother and sister in law’s place nearby for our second set of Christmas festivities. We finished the year off with a New Year’s celebration with friends.

Now that I’m 5 months pregnant (hurray!) I’ve actually achieved goal #35 5 times over! And I’ll achieve again every month until January 20th. Or whenever the baby arrives. As we all know, babies have their own schedules so junior may arrive much sooner, or much later. We’re all hoping he’s just in time.

No photos for this one, but I have discovered from interesting ways of pretending to be drinking alcohol when you don’t want your friends to know you are avoiding it.

• take drinks, but don’t drink them. have your husband take turns drinking both of them! unfortunately, this option requires patience with your husband as he will inadvertently get a little tipsier than usual.
• empty a white wine bottle. rinse it out well. fill it with white grape juice. proceed to fill your wine glass with what everyone will think is white wine! just don’t drive home after finishing the bottle or you will give yourself away. ooops.
• take the shot, but then spit it out when no one is looking. this requires a lot of willpower because some shots don’t taste so great sitting in your mouth until no one is looking. this works well in bachelorette party situations.
• order cranberry juice dressed like ‘vodka-cranberry’. the bartenders are pretty accommodating.
• speak to your server at the restaurant in private and let them know to make all of your drinks virgin.
• make yourself ceasars using ‘vodka’ from a bottle you previously emptied out and filled with water. just make sure no one else is sharing your bottle or they might be disappointed with your weak choice of hard liquor.

Certainly one benefit I’ve noticed from avoiding alcohol is that my calorie intake is full of nutritious foods instead of empty calories from beer, coolers or wine. I’m sure this attributes to how much better I’m feeling all around as well!