The spare room is no more.

Well sleep over buddies, you're going to have to find new digs. The spare room is officially the nursery. Although we just call it the baby room, nursery sounds too grown up, which we're still against. Richard and I may be adults, home owners and future parents, but I still wouldn't classify us as 'adults'. 

Any who... this past weekend was FAMILY DAY. What better way to spend it, then prepping for our family. On Friday we hummed and ha'd over the 'spare room', finally Richard took action and started taking things apart and loading them into the car. First the desk, then the futon. I worked at clearing out the closet and finding new homes for things. 

Then we drove to our storage unit AKA, the basement in Acton and dropped everything off. The room was still in shambles, because nothing had a home yet. Sadly, this room will be shared between baby and linens/storage. We just don't have the space anywhere else in our wee little home. 

Saturday we puttered around cleaning the rest of the house and finally on Sunday we went to Ikea. We have been putting this off for weeks, we can't afford it, but we needed something to offset the loss of storage in the closet and under the desk.

We found a PAX wardrobe (I love PAX) that would become out 'linen' closet. Richard managed to get it into his car, while I stood and watched. Making a person has rendered me useless. The 8 foot tall box hung out the back of his car, while I crammed into the front seat. I was literally sardine'd in. We tried to take pictures, but none could accurately portray my discomfort.

Finally at home we waited for Dad to help with the unload. We have lots of stairs and this 8 foot box also weighed a tonne and I again, I was of no help except gentle encouragement. 

By 7pm we had the monster constructed. Dun Dun DUN!

We took a break to eat and celebrate Dad's birthday at Chaps! yum! And when we got home we loaded it up with everything... towels, electronics, bedding and stuff. 

It really cleans up the room and makes everything seem much more prepared for the baby.

Mum is ordering our crib for us! (Yay! And Thank you!) and everything else will be coming from Richard's childhood bedroom after a fresh coat of paint, which has to wait until the spring time.

It feels good to be on track.

It was an exhausting weekend, but truly worth every ache.

Love!

I look pregnant!

 I knew it would happen, but then it didn't... but 14 weeks and I have my baby bump.

This weekend went by in a blur... like all weekends. Saturday I went up to Cheryl's to relax with the girls, luckily for me the girls didn't show up and I got to hang out with one of best friends. Cheryl is all about babies, but hasn't been able to have her own just yet... which means when her friends get knocked up she is over the moon excited and has tons of questions. It was funny... she just kept saying 'You're going to have a baby.' and then looking at me in awe. 

We had a lovely chat about all the scary things going on in my body and even some of the gross things... I love little 'zilla more than I can express, but its still weird to think of a little person growing inside of me. 

Sunday brought on the shop... it was finally time to buy maternity clothes. The guys at the office could only tolerate my unbuckled pants for so long. I have been putting it off, because its expensive, I hate shopping and I have felt bloated, which I guess is now a good thing. 

I asked Richard to drop me off at Old Navy, while he ran to Canadian Tire. I love that store and they have a pretty cool maternity section that isn't insanely expensive.

I popped in and wandered around, several times getting sidetracked by the 'normal' clothes, which may fit snugglie today, but will not fit in a couple weeks. I finally ventured into the maternity section and everything looked funny. All the jeans are zipperless, all the shirts have gatherings and are incredibly long. I grabbed a couple pairs of jeans, a few tank tops (I will be the most pregnant in late spring/summer) and a sweater. 

I made it in to the change room and tried stuff on... the funny jeans and weird shirts fit SO well. They even made me LOOK pregnant. And believe it or not they were comfortable. 

After my first outfit my phone buzzed to say my dear husband was just outside. I was excited to show him and share this experience with him, what I didn't realize was he was excited to see me as well. At first he sat quietly, but eventually he ventured away and started bringing me outfits. He picked some super cute tops and even some dressy bits. 

Every time I opened the door he had another armful of things for me to try. 

He even found some baby things including the smallest little jeans ever! They even had a button and zipper... although the zipper was only an inch long. We giggled and played with them, before he found an even smaller pair!

It was so nice to share this experience with Richard and see the growing excitement within him.

I love that he sees, and loves, my belly. 

This is the outfit Richard picked for me.

Dad & Solstice

I never wrote about how I told two of the most famous people in my life.

Dad and Solstice.

DAD

I had to wait to tell them... my family has a habit of sharing secrets and I didn't want it blown. I love Solstice to beans, but she is still working on her secret keeping abilities. So my brother couldn't know anything, because of his inability to keep secrets. You see where I am headed with this... so dear old Dad had to wait until January to find out.

We set a lunch date for January 21st at Casino Rama... my Dad's Disney land and conveniently on the way home from the cottage. Little did we know it would be the worst snowstorm of the season.

After battling snow squalls and bad drivers we made it to Rama, Dad and Sophie followed about 30minutes later. We headed to the buffet for lunch, because I was STARVED.

We sat down with our first plates (it was a buffet, a pregnant girls BEST friend). I said I was relieved to know it was hunger and not morning sickness. They brushed over it. So I pushed on and continued with the last 6 weeks its been morning sickness. Sophie picked up on it and asked 'You're not pregnant, are you?' I said 'Yup.' She followed with an Congratulations and so did Dad. He looked a little lost then said 'I knew it.' How? I don't know, but I let him have it.

They asked all the basic questions and then we continued on with lunch. I remember thinking Dad would be more excited, but then his phone rang and the first words out of his mouth was 'Melanie is Pregnant!'. See how my family is with secrets, but it showed me just how excited he was.

We spent the afternoon browsing the slots and learning some tricks to making money. I won and I lost... better than Richard who just lost.

We left early to try and get on the roads, before they got worse. All and all it was a great day.

**Early that weekend we had revealed to our friends that we were expecting... and we quickly learned who could and couldn't babysit unsupervised.**

SOLSTICE

I didn't know how to tell Little Miss Solstice. I wanted to tell her in person when we had a weekend together, but that kept getting pushed back, finally settling in March. I knew I couldn't wait that long. So, I got my Mum to teach Solstice about Facetime and once Richard was home from work we called her. Now (remembering my family SUCKS at secrets) my Mum watched Solstice making the call with her camera out. Solstice knew something was up and I answered the call as she was running through the house to get away from Grandma. Ha! I love that kid!

We chatted about school and the weather, toying with Grandma. Solstice was also playing with the camera (Richard may or may not have been egging her on, making faces behind me).

Finally I said it 'Solstice, I'm pregnant.'

And Solstice said 'Cool.' With about as much excitement as I expected. Solstice and I are cut from the same cloth... we're not the types to jump up and down and scream. We take it in, play it cool and then react.

We asked her what we should name the baby (Thomas and Grace were her top picks) and asked if she would teach me about diapers. Being a big sister to 6... she knows more about babies then Ann does.

A few days later, after everything sunk in, she started messaging me with names and ideas.

I love that kid. I can't wait to go through this with her.

Ok... that's everything.

You are up to date and I behind at work.

Have a good weekend!

Love!

I'm having a BABY!!!

And it's not a secret anymore!

On Tuesday (Jan 29) Richard and I saw 'Zilla for the first time. We had our first ultrasound! It was amazing... and weird... and spectacular; and I grin just thinking about it.

I spent all day at home watching the clock... trying to be patient, but my 3pm appointment was simply too far away.

I ended up filling my time with housework... how boring, but it worked. At 1:51p I went pee for the last time (this IS relevant). At 2pm I drank a litre of water, which isn't completely out of the realm of normalcy (I drink about 5 litres a day), normally I pee every hour. For an ultrasound you need a FULL bladder and I wasn't going to muck it up, so for a half an hour I crossed my legs and waited for Richard.

When he finally rolled in (picking me up for the appointment) all I could say was 'I need to pee.' and giggle... because I was so damn excited and seeing Richard, trying to play it cool, made it even better. He ran in, kissed me and headed to the shower in 10 minutes he had his coat on and was heading for the door... me in tow.

We went to the Burlington Ultrasound and Radiology Clinic, put all the change we had in the parking metre, including 3 pennies, and went to the waiting room. Richard read magazines and I sat on the edge of my seat... waiting, grinning.

Finally they called my name.

We jumped up, April (that wasn't her name, but could have been) asked me to come with her and told Richard she would come back from him in a little while.

The look on his face said 'What?!?! Why don't I get to come?' but he didn't say a word, winked at me and sat back down.

I went back with April, I am sure I was skipping. She instructed me to lay down with my pants around my hips and my shirt up. She put unbelievably cold stuff on my belly and started to look around. She didn' t show me the screen, I didn't ask. I wanted to see WITH Richard... who was still in the waiting room.

She asked how I was doing and I simply replied 'I am trying very hard NOT to pee on your table.' She laughed and said 'Thank you'. She was lovely and I could tell she loved what she did, it made it so much easier to get lost in the excitement. She clicked away and we talked about babies. After 10 minutes she asked me to pee. Oh the relief that must have flooded my face. She laughed and said only a little bit, which at the time I thought was impossible, but she took me to the loo and I tried. I filled 4 cups as instructed and went back to the room. Apparently I had been TOO good and my bladder was TOO full. Oops. The second round of tests were much better.

Although little 'Zilla wouldn't sit still... just like Dad (hehe, I love calling Richard 'Dad').

Finally she covered my belly and told me she would go and collect my husband. I was relieved to have him with me. He walked into the dark room. Nervous, excited... he pulled the chair over and reached for my hand. I was grinning and focused on the screen as she turned it around. I wish I had taken another look at my doting husband, but I can see him anytime.

She put the thingy on my belly and the screen came to life. Richard squeezed my hand as Zilla popped on screen. Now TV/Movies has taught me to expect an unrecognisable blob on the ultrasound. TV is a liar. Zilla was fully a baby... head, body, arms and legs. He wiggled around and swam away from the thingy.

It was AMAZING. Probably the most amazing thing I have EVER seen. I couldn't take my eyes away. I wanted to look at Richard, but I couldn't I was mesmerized as April pointed out all his/her little bits (by 'bits' I mean arms, hands, feet...etc.)

When I finally snuck a look at Richard he was tearing up, but not crying. I thought I would have cried (I am tearing up now), but I didn't I was just SO happy... I can't even explain it. We could see Zillas little heart pounding in his chest. *Pause to gather myself*

AH.MAZ.ING.

I wanted to spend the next week just watching, but alas our appointment was coming to an end. April printed off some pictures for us and sent us merrily on our way with the news that we are further ahead then we thought. As of Tuesday we were 13 weeks 1 day.

Once the ultrasound was done I got to pee. Weeeee!

The only downside to that was, we had to skip along to the clinic for blood work and a surprise pee test... luckily I had a little left, but they should have warned me. Whewf.

Finally we made it back to the car and settled in for a ride home, both high on the images of our baby.

Richard took pictures of the pictures and called Dave. He is SO excited and it all finally feels real to him.

That evening we decided to make the news public. Facebook was getting an earful. We posted a picture of the boots and waited for response. Richard sat in front of the computer, with one hand on my belly and the other on the keyboard.

Every time someone noticed or commented he got excited (he was also learning about Facebook). We chatted with friends and took in all the wonderful attention, before heading to dinner. We had a GC to the Keg and knew it was the perfect time to celebrate.

We shut down Facebook and Svrider.

Dinner was delicious, but ignoring the dinging of our phones was hard. We still managed to enjoy every bite. On the way home I read the responses to Richard; such an out pouring of love.

Facebook is annoying at most times, but when you have things to share its perfect.

I am so glad the secret is out. I love being able to talk about Zilla and show my belly... which is growing everyday.

Love!