So after 8 weeks of not wanting to even think about food or cooking, I'm hungry! It's amazing how much energy it takes to build a baby. On Thursday I was so exhausted after work, that I went to bed at 9pm, and got up the next morning at 9:30. I can finally eat normal food again, which is nice, but I'm finding that what I usually eat isn't enough. I have to remember to take more snacks to work. At least I'm craving food that is good for me - protein and veggies and fruit. I have fallen prey to the usual "I'm pregnant so I MUST eat ice cream" cravings. But no pickles. That would be too weird. I did break out the recipe for my Grandma C's chocolate sauce this week, and it's just as good as I remember it, even better. I haven't had it in years! ( I'll make you some when you are home Craig!)

The struggle this week is clothing. My snappy new maternity jeans that mom and I found are still a bit too big, and my regular jeans fit except I can't do up the zipper. I've resorted to the elastic hair tie on the button to keep them up, but that just makes me feel like everyone can see my underwear. (Thank goodness for our lovely Home Depot aprons...) I found a wonderful thing on the internet, it's a stretchy tube of fabric that goes over your pants or skirt and either covers up the undone zipper, or holds up the too-big maternity clothes. Well worth the $35, and the drive out to the west end to the only store that carries it here. So far so good - I may go back and get another color later on.

At the same store (E-Children on 169st) we found some really great furnishings and ideas for the baby's room. Bryan couldn't get over how many things we will need for this peanut, and how expensive things are! Luckily he married the girl who won't pay full price if she doesn't have to, so I will do my research before we make any purchases. Besides, in the beginning we need a crib, a diaper bag, a car seat, a stroller and that's about it. A store like the one we were in can be very dangerous, because you see all these things and think that you need all of them. I did suggest a baby carrier so Bry could truck around with Peanut on his belly to see what it's like, and all he did was look at me like I had an extra head. Oh well, I tried.

Well today was one emotional state after another, this morning I was completely nerves. Barely managed to eat before the appointment in the early afternoon. Then when we get there, Carries' name is called and then as I go to go with her, I am told that someone will come and get me when its time. So once again I sit with Carries' personal effects (coat, hat, scarf) and wait, and then as time passes, and believe me, it felt like A LOT OF TIME. So much time that the youngish couple seated near me practicing their Czech, and giving each other a smooch, which honestly; in a waiting room office, with me there, I wanted to tell them; well I think you might have a good idea.
So FINALLY, a nurse does come along and ushers me into the room, lights out, Carrie laying on her back in a blue gown and then puts some gel on her belly and starts to show us everything.
And I'll share something with all of you, until that moment, I have not felt excitement about our growing baby in my wife's womb, I've been kind of standoffish; for lots of reasons, but that's all done and gone.
I'm bloody EXCITED!
And I am extremely happy as well.
It totally dawned on me today, a scant few months, and I'll be a dad.

We have a baby! Only one....





Today was our first ultrasound - very neat!

Bryan came in to see, and the tech showed us all the parts she could keep the scanner on while our little peanut did flips and kicks. Everything looks just fine - can't wait for the next 5 months to go by so I can meet our little one.

For those that have never looked at an ultrasound before, they can look like a lot of nothing... if you look below the "I" in PROFILE, you'll see a nose. That's our baby!

My brother flew back to Asia today. First stop Vancouver, then Norita outside of Tokyo, then back to Dalian. We had a great visit - many family dinners, a great weekend at the lake, some shopping and great talks. I really miss having him here - can't wait until the summer when he comes home - hopefully he'll be here a bit longer. (At least in North America!)

A month after he gets home, he'll be an uncle! We have our first ultrasound on Thursday, so I have promised to send him a picture of his niece or nephew. He made me promise to read to the baby. I think we'll wait a bit, as it's a bit odd talking to my sweater...not much of a bump at this point. Once the peanut is here, there is no question of reading to or not reading to! Mom and dad always did this for us, and I know that having a child of my own will make me appreciate the gift of reading even more. Oh the places we will go...

Today was Valentine's Day, not one of my favorite holidays, but it's growing on me again. Last year, knowing that I'm not one for Valentine's Day, Bryan left me 63 (yes, 63) post it notes all over the house telling me why he loves me. It was perfect! This year was no exception - I came home to beautiful red roses, chocolate and some other treats. We had a romantic dinner of...wait for it...heart shaped pizza from Boston Pizza. Not very original, but we both love pizza, and they donate money to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, so it all goes to a good cause.

One more day and it's ultrasound day! Can't wait!

The dreaded morning sickness has passed. It's been 6 days since I have had any issue with this, so I think I can safely say it's over. Thank goodness!

I can now move on to enjoying the next few months, getting ready for the little one.

We have a lot to do, starting with the baby's room and then moving on to the basement reno. I have to talk to the bank for the best options we have for financing, and then we'll start planning the reno in earnest.

We bought some dressers at IKEA, and have started to move things around a bit. We're donating some furniture (from the era known as 'early Bonnie and Brian') and paring things down so we can both use the closet in the master bedroom - the other will soon be full of baby and toddler stuff.
We painted the spare room a pretty purply-blue color last year, and will keep it the same, as it would work for a girl or a boy (no pale pink here!) We both love bright clear colors, so we will work with the blue and add greens, reds and purples in bedding and other accessories. I would love to do a garden theme, with flowers and bugs etc, but we really haven't discussed this yet. What I do know is that the infants bedding I have seen is pale, pasty and cutesy, and just isn't me. I may have to pull out the sewing machine and make my own stuff, because I just can't justify the cost of the pre-made stuff, and I can't stand the colors I've seen so far.

Ok, the blog is not cooperating, so a new post...

We were able to get our new dressers from Ikea, and they are all up and ready for clothes etc.

The fun part of my day was going to Old Navy to look at some maternity clothes. The Saturday paper had a flyer featuring their baby and toddler clothes, and 25% off new maternity clothes. A couple of the things looked cute, and since we were going to be in the area, I thought I would see what was there, and try some of them on. Well thank you Old Navy for having nothing from the flyer in the store. I did manage to find a pair of jeans (95% of the jeans they had in the maternity section were size xs and s!) and a couple of tshirts. When the clerk asked if I found what I was looking for, I told her that it was a bit disappointing that there was almost no selection in the maternity wear. She said it "wasn't really an area of focus" for Old Navy. So why put out a flyer featuring it? I asked her to pass on to her manager that if a store is going to put out a flyer with these items, they should expect that people will come in looking for it - the store should have the stock. Not that my comments will make a difference, but someone has to know. She still cheerfully took my $100...

Gotta love retail.

(...and no, I did not have a "Second Cup moment"...I was very nice and very polite while voicing my concerns)

Well we had our first prenatal checkup and all that, well, by we, i mean Carrie, with me out in the waiting room. So for me it went like this, find office, sit down, guard beloveds' personal effects until she returns, go to new office, stand near beloved until she has ultrasound appointment booked; then go to new office, sit down, guard beloveds' personal effects until she returns. Followed by, leave building, go to my mother and father in laws house and play with the mugger. (the aforementioned mugger is in fact a nickname for Molly, the favored pet of that residence) Whereas our residence the favored pet is most likely grey and sleeps a lot. Anywho... was a long day, followed by a long dinner gratiously paid for by my father in law; I always feel weird about allowing someone to pay for my meals, its not something i am accustomed to in the slightest; i'll be sure to get the next one. And by long dinner i meant that the service at east side marios was, well not lacking, it was there, but seemed to be very busy trying to wait so many tables. But thats enough from me for now, i am told i will get undeniable proof of the life that is gestating inside my wife in two weeks, at the ultrasound; I was excluded from hearing the heartbeat, and i am forlorn....well not really, but it would have been neat, never heard the heartbeat of my child to be before.
Ok done my rambling, which oddly enough i tend to do quite often, ok, will post again shortly.
I guess its one of my many foibles to ramble, often times incessently about next to nothing. See there i go again, ok i am done.