Sneaky Belly shot - 30/31 weeks

Seize the day! Was it a sign that this was the name of the boat across from our floating cabin?

It finally happened. Brandon had his first overnighter, and Ken and I booked it and got out of town for 24 hours. It was freaking wonderful. I didn't feel guilty about leaving the Don behind, maybe I missed him a little, but man, it was just so nice to just be me, with my man, and wandering around a place neither of us knew.

Bowen is a great getaway because it is really close, and far enough. The price to get there is also 1/8th of what it costs to get to the island which is also a bonus, and you could get away with not bringing your car over. We had some great food experiences, and then some not so great food experiences (nothing like waiting over an hour for a clubhouse... and a tuna burger) and spent time just wandering around, aimless wandering with no where we had to be, and nothing we had to do, except maybe satisfy our appetites.

Our floating palace was really cool - we stayed right in the marina, and it was just so nice to get out and walk in the woods, or along the docks for that matter. Hold hands. Not be on call, and just forget about being a parent for a few hours. I think the break for us was as good as it was for the Don - he was treated like a rock star, and since it was his cousin's birthday, loved flirting with all of her friends before they went out to the bar. Sounds like a great weekend for all of us, for totally different reasons.

A little faint?

Today started out with a bang - experience my first real blood pressure drop in years and nearly fainted as I was getting ready for work! I guess there are times when you are pregnant when you can experience a real change in blood pressure, and well, all you can do is lay down, and then wait for things to return to normal.

Which they did... but I was still thankful my doc's office got me in for a quick checkup, because in moments like that, there is nothing like being able to hear your baby's heartbeat on the Doppler, and know all is well again.

Easter was good - for once, no trip to the island. I think we are almost at the point of feeling a bit "familied" out - lots of family dinners and visits, and will be nice to just chill for a bit. I think I will try to make it out and visit my gran once more before things get too far along.. but time will tell and how easy that will be.

B was really cool about Easter - his eyes lite up about the Easter Bunny and finding chocolate eggs. Then today, what did Brandon do as he rooted around the island cupboard? I should have known he was too quiet, but the chocolate hound found the hot chocolate container, tipped it out all over the place, and was enjoying a wee snack. He is lucky he is so cute.

Chocolate highs and lows

There is a lot of chocolate floating around my workplace right now.

Almost too much. I love chocolate. I don't need frilly chocolate or special chocolates, I just like plain old milk chocolate. This has felt like an indulgent week - just not great meals, snacks, chocolate. You know how it goes. Slippery slope, and thank god for a few walks thrown in for good measure!

8 more weeks of work. Holy shit is the time going fast!!! I definitely have a baby belly this time around - everything seems to have shifted differently this time around. I think I am carrying high, and I have been feeling pretty darn good, except being tired at the end of the day/week. But is that baby or is that working full-time with a 2 year old?

Skirt season for me has officially started. No more "normal" bottoms. They don't work anymore. Skirts and black leggings, and jammies that sums up my bottom half. I may need to break and pick up a few items, okay, who doesn't like a few new things (but, items I can wear after, not just enjoy for the next 8 - 12 weeks).

Am currently writing up my official leave. The home stretch is truly upon us!

Glorious Sun

The weather is as glorious today as it has been terrible for months!

Yesterday I sat in the sun for my lunch hour with my book, and today I went for a lovely walk around campus with a coworker. It is so blissful to have the sun in your face and to have summer shoes on. Oh spring, where art thou have been? Of course, it will be a bit fleeting since it is supposed to cloud over tomorrow... but today, ah today.

Brandon has been itching to be outside... the last few nights he has been hanging out in the backyard, spending as much time as he can outside before coming in. It's like he feels it too, spring fever is getting us in its grip.

Easter is around the corner and probably one of the first times I am not making the trek to the island to see my gram. It just isn't as easy anymore, and it costs so damn much. With the fare increase, back and forth with a car and 2 passengers is close to $150!!! HOLY CRAP! We can fly to Vegas for less than it costs to go to Vancouver Island!! O U C H ! ! ! I love her dearly, but, it's a lot of effort to do frequently and we were there a month ago... there are so many other places where the money needs to go right about now, and it is an exhausting trip with still having to work full-time.

I got to experience the joys of 3 boys between the ages of 2 and 5 on Saturday night. It was interesting - so much energy, so much rambunctiousness, a few tears, and a few laughs. Makes me grateful that two is a good number.. I couldn't imagine a whole house full of kids!!! Two is plenty... Brandon is a strong kid - definitely somewhat physical, definitely still a toddler. But man, can he TALK!!!!! it's cool.

Tonight shall be a picnic night. Get out, enjoy the nice weather while it lasts. We haven't done that since last SEPTEMBER.... back when Brandon was taking his first steps... and I got my remade wedding rings from my sweetheart. Pretty cool. Egads, time flies. And O M G it's been a long, long winter!!!!

Bang on my drum...

There are a few "back" posts I have been meaning to add for a while.. and this is one of them. At work, I had the really cool opportunity to make my own First Nations drum. It was a great experience - the first day I stretched and laced up the drum, and then second I created my stencil, painted it on, and made my drumstick.

The day I painted my drum, the FNC Coordinator and his sister were both drumming and yakking, and it made it quite a poignant experience, as we swapped stories about family, and our ancestral history. I am really pleased with how mine turned out - I had wanted to buy a celtic hand drum years ago, and well, this is even better. Celtic symbols, traditional colours and materials - more of a fusion drum that I think is appropriate for someone like me, from here, from the coast.

What is also neat to see is when Brandon wants to play the drum, and he walks around banging it and making noise - he is pretty proud of himself too at the cacophony of sound he can create with it!