Paperwork, Consignment, baby class all rolled into one

Today was my first day off after my usual stretch of 7 shifts. On my Mondays of,f I usually use for a day of catch up..and boy did my day fill up fast.

Maternity leave...WOW, all i can say is totally confusing and I've heard horror stories in regards to applications etc. I never really understood what maternity leave meant, when really its unemployment, and we get some top up pay which is really short term disability. I attended a sesson through the health region to learn what exactly needs to be done, what papers need to be filled out, what phone calls need to be made etc, but when it comes down to it, its alot of work. You definilty need to have all ducks in a row and the star's aligned just right for everything to turn out okay :) On top of it all, its getting our benefits figured out for the year, posted dated cheques, phone calls to make as soon as the baby come's in regards to alberta healthcare and alberta blue cross and government services. Tino had a good laugh at lunch, he came home, there were papers everywhere, he said it looked like I had been studying for midterms. We had a good laugh, sometimes I think i'm to organized, but when i need to get the job done...it gets done!

As the time come's near I"m starting to make room for alot of very teeny tiny pink things. bouncy chairs, swings, stroller's, car seat, clothes..etc. Our spare room which is soon to be the babies room is getting chalk full of baby "stuff". I recently did a big closet clean and i took a bunch of clothes to this really cool consignment store. Instead of throwing everything into a garbage bag and sending it to sally ann, I figured there was way to much nice stuff in there so I consigned it. Its as easy as dumping it in a bin, I literally walked in, the manager went through it all to make sure it was of quality and it had to be certain labels and she took it...and hopefully i'll get some cash out of it. The store is called Rewind...I would shop there, they had some really nice clothes, wallets accesories etc.

Babyclass....last week was our first class and it was really interesting. Tino really suprised me on this one. Secretly it was more for him, i don't expect him to read books in bed about labour and delivery so we signed up for a 6 week class. He was pretty quiet, and was really concentrating. When we got in the car on the way home, he recapped almost everything we learned, Mr. knew more then me, I was shocked!! I think he'll be a great support for me. The instructor is sooo funny, the way she explains things is hilarious but at least she is honest.

Thats all for now, I have a really busy week off....lots of inside chores to do with this cold fall weather that has arrived..i can't believe its september!

Deena

I over did it........

I cannot do what i used to do...check out this belly....






Could you imagine running off your feet for 8 hours straight, working so hard you hardly have time to go to the bathroom, lifting patients non stop with a huge line up out your door, while being this pregnant??? Well I DID IT....

Yesterday I completley over worked myself, to the point of exhaustion. We are so short staffed at work that I pulled my weight a little to much. I feel really sick today, I am totally exhausted, my feet are swollen, my body is aching, not to mention I have a bladder infection. My job has to be one of the most unfriendly pregnant women's job on the face of the earth...way worse then a nurse. I work in the bussiest scanner in North amercia, where every patient does not move on there own, we have to lift lift lift, and patients are never the perfect weight, and when being short staffed.....it makes it that much worse.



I ran myself ragged yesterday. I cannot let this happen again or I'm going to be in trouble. I did not feel my baby kick once during the day, and I got scared, I was afraid that something was not right, and since early stages of pregnancy I have learned to listen to my body, and yesterday I didn't, I will never let this happen again. It sucks that I can't even take 5 minutes to have a drink of water, have a quick snack and put my feet up. I literally could not take 5 minutes to do this...and to me..its unhealthy. My Dr. has made several suggestions to me in regards to cutting my hours, do not lift anything, make sure you sit half your shift, don't work 7 days in a row etc. Now i'm going to start listening to her. I'm not going to get a hero reward for putting my health in jeapordy at my job, or will I ever get a pat on the back...."good for you..you just ran yourself to the point of exhuastion and worked until the second your delivered your baby"......

I'm pusing 30 weeks and I am making myself slow down, Me, and my baby are the most important here and I can't be worried about pleasing everyone else. If i can't do it, I can't do it, if people don't understand...well that is there problem not mine. Tino is so understanding and get very protective with us, he worries I do to much and he is so helpfull around the house that I could not lift a finger and everything would be taken care of..on his time :)

So from here on in, this is a promise to myself, I will look after myself and my baby for the next 10 weeks. Our health will take priority, not my job or anything else. I will listen to my body and give it the things it needs like rest, relaxation and try and stay stress free.

Deena

Soccer Season

My Husband is a soccer coach...yup thats what he does...he went to univeristy for um........7 years to become a soccer coach :) ....lets just say he is a very well educated one!

Soccer season is a busy one, and I had no idea what i was getting myself into almost 4 years ago, it took about 2 years before I got the idea. Its highly demanding, very busy, exhausting, but when you have such passion for something, you need the support of others. I support my husband during this season 100%, and I think thats why he married me. During soccer season from Aug 15th till about november 15th, Tino works day and night with no breaks in between. He has training every evening, he is gone for games almost every weekend, or he has them in Calgary. Instead of complaining about not seeing eachother much, etc, I embrace soccer season.

It gives me an exuse to bundle up in the fall, get a yummy hot drink at tim hortons and walk to the game ( we live right by mount royal and his field) and cheer on my husband!! I get to eat cereal for dinner, I don't have to rush home after work because he is at training, my house stays clean longer because he spends less time in it ( lets be honest boys are messy and stinky) and it gives me a lot of Deena time. Don't get me wrong, by the end of it I'm so done with it, but during it i have to support him in every way that I can, and he is very good about having a balance and committing time to me as well!

This year I have ALOT of plans for soccer season. I'm consigning a whole bunch of clothes I never wear, I have a ton of Lululemon stuff that i never wear, my closet it Jammed full of that stuff, and it sells like wildfire on kijij. I'm purging to make room for the baby, I'm going to do a lot of cooking like making cabbage rolls and casserolls so we have some good eats for when the baby comes, and to top it off, all the great shows will be starting again so i can crawl into bed nice and early to watch my shows.

I love the fall, i'm looking forward to the leaves turning and nesting :)

Deena

Micheal Buble

WOWWWWWW!! Last night was such a wonderful night. Tino bought me tickets to the Buble concert, they were stuffed in my Valentines day card. Don't worry ladies he didn't do this on his own, I did drop a hint or two :)

We started with a nice dinner at Fiore's, I was dying for a glass of wine, thats only the second time I feel i really missed it, then we made our way to the concert. Our seats were fabulous, I couldn't see his fancy shoes or anything but we had a full view.

Micheal Buble put on one of the most unbelievable show's I have ever seen, and I have been to a few concerts. I saw Cher in Vegas a few months back..I thought that was good but last night was jaw dropping. He is quite the entertainer, he is funny, he has roots and a good family background, and he is Canadian. Not to mention, his voice gives goosebumps, the orchestra was amazing and his dance moves even better. He pulled out the micheal jackson, and he even introduced his Grandpa. We were at the 2nd show because he sold out, and we are told it was much better then first. Hands down...best concert i've seen, and I even sat Front row at Chantel Kreviaziuk and she is my favorite.....WOW I strongly recommend for anyone to see it.

Here is the one picture I got. My coach husband must play by all the rules so he gave me heck when i pulled out my camera!

Deena

PS. The baby LOVED the concert, she was kicking away, thats concert number 2 for her already :)

7 months preggo..

Wow, where had time gone, I can't believe my chicken little is 7 months cooked...only 3 more to go. For those of you who don't know you are actually preggo for 10 months not 9.

Things i'm starting to find difficult are, putting my socks off and on, Tino moved a bench into our room so I can sit down and do it. Sleeping isn't the greatest, I've become the worlds loudest snoring monster...and Tino wears ear plugs and still snuggles me ( what a great loving husband) Getting out of the bathtub isn't the easister....or if i drop something, its hard to pick it up. I no longer shave my legs in the tub, instead i stand in the shower and use the ledge :)

Here are a few picture's..Enjoy!

Insomnia

Well...its official. I don't sleep. Although I"m so tired, I even worked till midnight one night, then had to work again at 7 am...and I still didn't sleep the night after that. I know everyone has there opinions about...well get used to etc etc, I'm not looking for answer's, instead i'm embracing it!! hahaha I blame it a bit on summer holidays, Our schedule has not been normal, usually i am an early riser..early to bed, but since the end of june I worked a lot of evenings and Tino was off so we would go to bed no sooner then midnight, and then wake around 9am with no alarm clock. Its hard to go to bed early in the summer, the sun is shinning, the birds are singing, i'm out in the yard, or doing something. Now that it gets darker a smidge earlier I will find it easier to fall into a Routine.

Back to this no sleep thing, It could be that my belly is measuring 26cm's...( a bit small the Dr. Stated) but no need to worry, she said i will have a small baby which is a good thing..or it could be that i'm a INFERNO..my hands and feet are always HOT HOT HOT...or it could be my hormones. So as I lay in bed at night and watch the clock...I sometimes drift off...then turn over, then get a few kicks in the ribs...so then i turn over again....and then get kicked again, and then have a drink of water...and then get up to pee, then crawl back into bed...then its 530am so i just get up and hit the shower.

O'well.......there is nothing wrong with a pass out session on the couch after work, which happened today!

Deena

Maternity Leave

My first day back at work was Monday, when i walked in, there were a few of my favorite girls. After working evenings almost the whole summer, it was nice to see the smiling faces, have a short Hen fest and have a few laughs. What really came a reality is when I Looked at the new fall schedule and saw that someone was in my spot as of Nov. 1st. I felt my heart sink a little bit. its kind of a bitter sweet. My co-worker who makes the schedule showed it to me and we went through a few things, the last month i'm only a float so worst case scenerio, they won't be screwed if I have to go off early or if the baby come's early. I'm planning on working until I can't anymore, I find it healthy, it keeps me busy, it keeps my feet from swelling and I get to visit with my favorite ladies. Don't get my wrong by shifts end I'm really tired, my back is aching and i'm bloated but all in all they look after me pretty good. These ladies are mostly older then me, I look up to them, they have kids and give good qaulity advice, they are honest with me and if I ever needed anything I know I could count on them. Thats what real friends are for.

As much as Mat leave sounds appealing, the money stinks and I won't get to see my co-workers for a long time. On the flip side, I cannot wait to stay home with my baby and just look after me and my little family. I'm going to love it, I have so many close friends with babies that are due around me I will be busy with play dates and have lots of girls to chat with, and have lots of time to sit and snuggle my new little baby. I'm dying to see her already. As much as I hate pink....her closet is FULLLLLLLLLL of pink stuff...

Deena

Summer Vacation!

Instead of going to Florida for 2 weeks as per usual for summer holiday's, we decieded that this year wouldn't be a good year for a few reason's. I'm pushing 7 month preggo, the 112 degree weather wouldn't of been the best, and financially we have made ALOT of huge purchase's for our little chicken on the way, So instead we did a road trip.

Our first stop was Edmonton. We had a wonderfull Bar B Q at my aunts place and had a great visit. We get to Edmonton often, but we always don't have the time to sit and visit and enjoy family. The following day we made our Way to Vermilion to see my Baba, my family, and visit the annual fair days. It was so much fun, we watch my cousin show her horse, ate mini donuts and candy apples, watched the chuckwagons and the midnight fireworks. It was a full day but a lot of fun.

The following day we went from Vermilion to Saskatoon to visit our nephew and Tino's brother and Sister in law. It was so good to see them and to see our little nephew. He is so smart and cute. Amber is due 3 weeks after me, I hope she has a girl so our babies will be close, and REAL COUSINS!! We visited the Berry farm, had brunch and i bought some fresh saskatoon berries and Jam.

We finally arrive to Regina on Monday night, it was our last stop. I was ready to stay put for a couple days. Regina was a nice break, we spent a lot of time with Tino's gramma and i spent a lot of quality time with my mother in law. She TOTALLY SPOILED me with baby stuff, sewed me some one of kind things we material I got to pick out, and she is sewing my crib bedding. We also made pasta and sauce and meatballs with gramma. Our Car was PACKED on the way home.

I'm very happy to be home 8 nights away is a lot and now we have lots of catch up. Tino already has the yard done so we can mark that off the list. here are a bunch of picture's from our great little holiday!!






Deena