Memories

I have no recollection of Nan & Pop Kennedy visiting Kitchener (or going to Bingeman Park) but here is photographic evidence that they did. This picture had to have been taken in 1979 or 1980 given how small Joel is (check out Donnie K's goatee!). The woman beside Judes is my Aunt Claudine and the little girl beside me is my cousin Jodi.

When I showed Owen this picture he told me he had the same outfit when he was a kid and commented that I looked like a boy. Maybe there's something to this pink is for girls, blue is for boys thing.

Monday January 29, 2007 2am

Let me set the scene. I'm in the bathroom for the 5th time that night and Owen is on his way to bed (night shift worker that he is, he rarely comes to bed with me):

Jen: Lover?
Owen: Yeah?
Jen: Can you bring me a bottle of water and a granola bar?
Owen: Bottle of water and granola bar?
Jen: Yeah.
Owen: (back down the stairs for the goods, back up the stairs where he meets me outside the bathroom door) Here you go ___ (insert nickname that I can't tell you about because frankly, you wouldn't understand AND I made him promise a) not to call me it in public and b) never, ever tell anyone that he calls me this).

So, now we're back in bed:

Jen: I cannot believe I have to get up and go to work (I've had a cold the past couple days).
Owen: Just close your eyes and get a few good hours in.
Jen: Before my bladder woke me I was having a dream about Jim on The Office.
Owen: The Office?
Jen: Yeah, the TV show.
Owen: The tall guy?
Jen: Yeah.
Owen: Well, I'm going to have a dream about Heidi Klum.
Jen: Mine wasn't a sex dream.
Owen: Well, mine's gonna be!

After some silence:

Jen: I can't get comfortable, Junior keeps kicking me.
Owen: Come on, you love it. They're gonna be a soccer star.
Jen: Every time Junior kicks me , I'm going to kick you.
Owen: And here I brought you breakfast in bed.

And so I snuggled into him, the boy I've known for 16+ years, the man I married 2+ years ago and the father to the baby that was kicking the shit out of me. And life was good.

____________________________________________________________________

I had a doctor's appointment this morning. Although Junior is growing wonderfully, I've lost 3 pounds since my last visit 2 weeks ago. I told Dr. Pervy that it's ironic that before I was pregnant, I couldn't lose 3 pounds in two weeks if I tried. I've had a cold the past couple days so that accounts for the weight loss but I was a little concerned that I haven't gained any weight in the last month or so and trust me, I've been eating! The thing is, I've been eating healthier now than I ever have! Maybe my body is shocked at the sheer amount of good stuff it's receiving! Dr. Pervy assured me that the baby was fine, was a good size etc. so we'll see what happens next on my next appointment on February 13. Either way, I see a lot of trips to Dairy Queen in Owen's future!

33 Weeks

I don't think you're ready for this belly...





Baby Connell weighs a little over 4 pounds and measures in at 17 inches, Mama Connell has entered the ‘uncomfortable’ stage of her pregnancy and Papa Connell’s dinner choices have been at the mercy of Mama Connell’s ever-raging appetite.

33 weeks. 7 more to go if Baby goes full term. Sometimes it feels like I’ve been pregnant forever and other times I wish I had a few more months to let it all sink in. I’ve been concentrating on my last day of work (21 days as of today) and not so much on the pending delivery. I feel like there is still so much to do. According to the weekly pregnancy emails I get from babycenter.com I should have my bags packed for the hospital. My bag and baby's bag. Lee Ann gave me a list of items to pack that her doctor gave to her (Dr. Pervy is a slacker).

For Mom:
- Comfortable clothing/track suit (check)
- 2 –3 nightgowns - in case one gets…um…’stuff’ on it (check)
- Bath robe and slippers (I think I’m going to skip this one. I’ll bring my birks or something in case I do any walking around but I’m not bringing 2-3 sets of pyjamas AND a robe. (check)
- 4-5 pairs of underwear – not thongs – well, duh (check)
- Toiletries (check)
- 20 overnight maxi pads (oh Lordy – after 8+ months of not having a period I’m really not looking forward to this part)
- A favourite pillow - exactly how long do they think I’m staying?
- Snacks – who is doing the snacking? Owen & Judes?!
- Clothes for going home - should be something that fit me when I was 6 months pregnant (check)

For Baby:
- 20 diapers (check)
- Wipes (check)
- Cotton knitted hat (check)
- Vaseline (check)
- Clothes for going home – well, I’ve got what Nan sent so I still need something for Junior to wear under that. Andrea said it’s good luck for a baby to come home in yellow. Maybe I’ll use one of the shower gifts for this one.
- Car seat (check) - We bought the stroller/car seat the weekend of my shower and Judes & Donnie K are delivering it next Saturday. I’m going to practice putting a doll in the car seat to figure out how it works. Something tells me the day Junior comes home isn’t the best time to figure out a car seat!

I’ve added a few things to the list including our camera, phone numbers, smelling salts for Owen and my own epidural in case they run out by the time I get there.

He Loves Me*

5 Words:

Late.

Night.

Ice.

Cream.

Run.

* or alternatively, he's afraid of me.

Eating & Sleeping - The Most Boring Post Ever

Last night Owen and I went to Jack Astor's for dinner. I had been craving their chicken bow tie pasta all day long and it didn't take much to convince Owen to abandon our original dinner plans, which was a stir-fry. Given the speed with which I ate the pasta it is safe to say that I've entered the "all eating, all the time" phase of my pregnancy. Once the pasta arrived, I politely offered Owen some and once he declined - well, let's just say it was a good thing he kept his hands away from my knife in fork. The same thing happened last time we ordered pizza. Owen can usually bank on me leaving him a few slices of my side of the pizza but not this time. He was working on his second slice and I had finished my half – crust included.

The reason for the increased grazing is not only that Junior is growing rapidly but also because I’m starting to feel the nausea again that I experienced during my first trimester. The only thing that makes me feel better is shovelling food into my mouth. I’m halfway through my lunch today and it’s only 10:30!

One of the more positive things that are happening these days is my ability to sleep. A lot of mother’s at work have been telling me how uncomfortable they were when they were at 33 weeks pregnant. I (knock wood) have absolutely no problems sleeping. In fact I’m sleeping better now than I ever have probably because I’m so tired by the time I hit the sheets. This morning I even got up before the alarm went off which is unheard of at Casa Connell. Even Owen said, “Where are you going? The alarm didn’t go off!” So, yeah – Employee of the Month over here.

All the eating and sleeping is why I haven't been posting as often as I'd like to. When your life revolves around your kitchen and your bedroom you tend to lose your blogging touch!

Coming up this week - Belly pictures! I promise!

32 Weeks

Baby Connell is almost 4 pounds and measures in at 17 inches, Mama Connell went to the doctor this week and while she hadn't gained any weight since her last visit, Dr. Pervy said she was the "perfect size" for 32 weeks, and Papa Connell has come down with some sort of Guinness induced 24 hour flu.

This week Owen removed all of the clutter from what is going to be the nursery. The clutter was mostly things from his dad's house; old pictures etc. Amongst those old pictures we came across 6 of Owen as a baby. Being the youngest of 5 children pretty much guarantees you won't get very much camera time but the pictures are adorable and show that Owen was a pretty chubby baby. Grandma Connell can't remember exactly how big Owen was when he was born so I'm beginning to worry that Junior is going to be some sort of behemoth!

Judes & Donnie K are coming out the first weekend of February to help us get the nursery ready. Dad & Owen going to paint, put together the crib and change table and hang some pictures and Judes and I are going to shop for the few remaining items we need for Junior's arrival. I'll be sure to take lots of before and after pictures.

Last night Owen had a mini panic attack after he picked me up at the Go Station, worrying about what we need to do before the baby comes. I told him everything was under control other than the fact that if Junior's a girl she will be nameless. Thus started Battle of the Names Part Infinity. And that's a story for another day.

I owe you guys a belly picture so I'll get Owen to take one this weekend.

31 Weeks

Baby Connell measures about 16 inches long, weighs a little over 3 pounds and is headed for a growth spurt, Mama Connell noticed that the baby had the hiccups Wednesday night and wondered what could possibly so funny in utero, and Papa Connell said that Mama Connell should not be blaming Baby Connell for her messed up sleeping habit which frankly is b.s. If I can’t blame Junior, who can I blame?

This week I found a paediatrician for Junior, which was a load off my mind. My own female doctor does not treat infants and Dr. Pervy’s relationship with me ends pretty much when Junior makes his debut. Junior’s doctor is Dr. Star, which is an awesome name. I meet her February 1 and then the next time I see her will be at the hospital when Junior arrives. I’m looking forward to meeting a doctor who for once won’t be poking and prodding at me. Next on the baby to do list is call day cares. I’m not kidding. You have to call while you’re still pregnant as the majority of day cares have waiting lists. The good news is with Owen’s work schedule we’ll only need day care part time – Wednesday afternoon, all day Thursday and Friday once I go back to work. It is hard to still be at work, counting down the days until I’m off work, only to organize what will happen to the child I haven’t even had yet once I come back to work. Try to wrap your head around that one. It ain’t easy.

I have a doctor’s appointment this coming Tuesday as part of my bi-weekly visits to Dr. Pervy. I’ve said it before and have been wrong but this time I know I’ve gained weight since my last visit 2 weeks ago. My maternity tops are starting to ride up while my maternity bottoms are heading south. On the walk to Union Station yesterday I felt a slight breeze and realized that one inch of my glowing white (and somewhat hairy – thank you hormones!) belly was showing. I’m also running out of Owen’s t-shirts to wear and might be sporting some of his hockey jerseys for the last 9 weeks (holy shit!) of my pregnancy.

Looking forward to seeing everyone this Sunday at my shower. I can’t thank everyone enough for all the support I’ve received on my journey so far. I am blessed.

Scenes from the 501

On Thursday and Friday mornings, I take the TTC to work as Owen has the car at his work. I take the 501 Norville Park streetcar down Lakeshore/Queensway/Queen St. to Yonge and then I walk down Yonge to Adelaide to get to my building. Taking the streetcar automatically puts me in a bad mood. The GO train is a much more civilised form of travel and 40+ minutes on the streetcar seems like an eternity compared to 16 minutes on the GO. There was no shortage of things to piss me off this morning on the 501:

- To the missus standing in front of me. OK, so you don't have a seat. Is it really neccessary for you to lean your big ol' gut into me everytime someone tries to get by you?

- Oh, and 'lady'? How could you possibly smell like salami at 8:15 in the morning?

- To the dude in the front seat by the driver - do you really have to spit your chewed apple out on the floor of the streetcar?

- To anyone with a beverage. When you are finished with said beverage, please do not put the bottle on the floor so it rolls up and down the streetcar everytime we hit a bump in the road. There are garbage cans all over this city - use them.

- To the mother with the stroller - it's rush hour. Do not huff and puff because a) no one helped you on the street car, b) no one gave up their seat for you, c) there is nowhere to park your giant stroller while your 2 year old kid screams its head off. (Readers, I am aware that in 2 short months I will have a stroller. If I have to take the TTC anywhere it will be after 10 am and before 3 pm. This is not my first rodeo.)

- To the yuppie (TM Suz) talking on his cell phone LOUDLY, I get it, you are VERY important.

- To the mentally ill woman mumbling to herself 3 seats over. You did not bother me, you just make me sad. I hope someone is taking care of you.

- To the woman sitting behind me. You touched the back of my head no less than 3 times this morning. I have no idea what you were doing back there but keep your hands to yourself.

Kisses, JC

A Day in the Life of My Stomach

I am so very hungry today. Here's a list of what I've consumed - be sure to check in for updates if you're into this type of thing which obviously I am!

5:30 am - 2 Blueberry Eggos, 2 glasses of apple juice, 1 bottle of water (yes 5:30 am - I went to bed at 7:30 last night)
9:30 am - 1 bowl of cereal, 1 bottle of water
10:00 am - 1 Wild Cherry Life Saver
10:25 am - 1 apple, 1 bottle of water
11:00 am - 4 oreo cookies
11:01 am - 1 bottle of water, 1 Wild Cherry Life Saver
12 - 1 pm - 1 Lean Cuisine, 1 orange, 1 yogurt, 1 pudding, 1 bottle of water (it's now 1:19 pm and I swear I could eat a large pizza all by myself)
3:30 pm - 1 Boston Cream donut, 1 Pepsi, 3 Wild Cherry Life Savers (so much for Judes comment!)
6:30 pm - 1 tuna sandwich, 1 handful of Doritos, 1 handful of peanut M&Ms, 1 bottle of water (the day started out so well and kinda tapered off when I got home - we'll blame it on Junior!)

30 Weeks

Baby Connell is more than 15 inches long and weighs almost 3 pounds, Mama Connell was “sick” on Friday and Papa Connell can’t believe this baby is coming in less than 10 weeks.

Not much new to report this week. I got my maternity leave approved so the countdown to February 16 is on! I think I mentioned in a previous post that this is my 10-year anniversary at work so I received an email with a catalogue of things I could order as a gift for all of my hard work (hardly working). After much discussion with Owen (who’s holding out for the 15 year catalogue which includes golf clubs) I went ahead and ordered the Bushnell microscope. The other choices were jewellery that wasn’t really my style and a cutlery set which we don’t need as we received one from the Fredericks’ for our wedding. So a telescope it is – all the better to spy on the neighbours!

This weekend is chock full of baby showers. Lee Ann’s shower is Saturday and mine is on Sunday. I’m so excited and can’t believe the people who are coming to Judes’ to celebrate Junior’s arrival. Baby Connell is so loved already and they aren’t even here yet!

I’m going to follow Andrea’s lead and open a Flickr account to post pictures starting next week with the shower shots. It’s easier than sending emails and this way everyone can view them whenever they want. Stay tuned!

Just For Fun

We conceived in June when I was 31. According to this it's a girl!

The Weight

I had a doctor's appointment this morning. I'm up 3 pounds which isn't too bad considering the all Turtle diet I was on over Christmas. That brings my weight gain up to 10 pounds since I've been seeing Dr. Pervy (plus whatever I gained in the first 3 months which was probably another 3 pounds) which is "good". I had been worried that I hadn't gained enough weight considering that I've only got 10 weeks to go which is hilarious considering I spent the better part of my pre-pregnancy time beating myself up over being over weight. The doctor felt and measured my belly and then we listened to the heart beat which is officially the best part of being pregnant. Junior can move around all he/she wants but it's not until that I hear the heartbeat that it all seems real. That woosh, woosh is worth all the indigestion, the itchy belly and the fact that I haven't seen my bikini line in months.

I also had a lab appointment today to see if I had developed diabetes while pregnancy. You go to the lab and they give you this orange fizzy stuff to drink (which wasn't too bad, I was thirsty and it was cold) and then you go back an hour later and they take blood. Mt. Sinai officially has more of my blood then I do. The lab staff and they are always very friendly and gentle considering that they stick people with needles all the live long day.

Starting today I see the doctor every two weeks until closer to my due date when I go every week. I'm sure Dr. Pervy will see a change in me the more time we spend together. No more Ms. Nice Girl who has no questions and no problems with her pregnancy. As time goes by and the visits get more frequent, he'll be hit with the hard stuff like a sworn affidavit that he fully supports my birth plan - that is to be blitzed out of my mind on epidural from the moment I step foot in the hospital.

Battle of the Baby Names Part 6 - Where My Head Explodes

The Scene:
Basement at Casa Connell
Owen watching the Leafs
Jen looking for baby girl names on babynetwork.com

Jen: Sine, Sinead, Siobhab, Sorcha, onto the T's: Talulla, Tara, Tierney....
Owen: Talulla?
Jen: (laughing) Yeah, Talulla.
Owen: That's a pretty name.
Jen: Talulla? You like Talulla?
Owen: It's pretty. Very feminine.
Jen: TAA-LUUUU-LAHHH? You like Talulla?
Owen: Yeah.
Jen: Talulla Connell. Of all the names I've given you, Talulla's the winner?
Owen: I'm just saying I like the name.
Jen: (Abort mission! Think Jen, think. How are you getting out of Talulla?!) Well, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore named one of their daughters Talulla.
Owen: Oh. Well forget that then. It's still pretty though.
Jen: They named another one of their daughters Scout. Now, Scout I like.
Owen: Scout Connell? In your dreams Kennedy.

After that exchange we came down to the heart of the matter. Papa Connell likes feminine names for girls and doesn't like using last names as first names. Mama Connell likes using last names for first names and likes less feminine names for girls.

Readers, do not be surprised that this baby, if it is a girl, remains nameless until she can pick her own damn name.