Stompede fun

A blurry me with the clown garbage
Originally uploaded by trippykel

Cade and I have been having a good week. Mom came on Sunday, and Dad and Maria joined us Friday morning. Mom's been a dream, helping with housework, baby tending, yardwork and gardening. I've gotten a chance to sleep more than I would have otherwise, as well as getting things done.

There was a baby shower for Cade on Tuesday night, and I was blown away at how many people came to wish us well. The showering us with baby clothes didn't hurt either. The shower was put together by Joselyn and Britt, and they did a wonderful job - fun games, great snacks (you should have seen the cake!), and a little bit of serious advice to round out the evening.

Last night Jer suggested we hit up the Stompede fair, so Dad, Maria and I joined him on a trip to the Midway. Mom volunteered to watch Cade, so we got a chance to go on some rides. I was quite thrilled with this, since it's been quite a few years since I've gone on any rides. Maria bought mini-donuts, I took horrible pictures with my old camera, and we had a blast in general. Jeremie was happy with his LED fan that he bought, so things were pretty great all around.

Today will be photo day, maybe some games in the evening, then everyone heads out early tomorrow morning. I'll miss the help, but it will be nice to be the three of us again, at the same time.

Cade and grandmama

Cade and grandmama
Originally uploaded by trippykel

Grandmama (Mom to me) and Grandpapa (Dad) were here this weekend to visit Cade, along with Uncle Jesse and Aunt Sheleena. We were really glad to see the family again, and had a good time catching up and enjoying baby-ness. Mom spent her weekend either cooking for us all, or holding Cade. She just couldn't get enough of him! I didn't mind at all, since it gave me a break - I only had to feed him and pass him off. I think he might have gotten a bit spoiled over the weekend though, since he seems to want to be held more now. Funny kid.

We managed to get in the traditional family game of bocce ball, as well as several rounds of Dice and one of the Farming Game. I feel a bit bad to say I cleaned up at both Dice and Farmer, and perhaps I should have tried less to win, so that our guests could. I'm a bit too competitive for my own good!

And, as lovely as it was to see the family, it was also nice to have the day to myself to do a few chores, finish off a book, and nap without feeling like I'm missing out on what else is going on. I think it will be just about right to have this week to ourselves, then have a week with my family next week. I need a bit of a break between.

I hadn't realized how much time a baby takes up when you go out, but definitely noticed it this evening - I went to the library, got the mail, and returned a movie in about 20 minutes. There was no prep, no diaper-bag checking, no car-seat buckling or baby settling. Just get up and go! I might find myself doing evening shopping more often as Cade gets older, so that I can just leave him with Jeremie.

We've now hit the start of the baby gifts: Mom B made Cade a blanket to play on, Nana B made him a quilt, Maria sent an awesome onesie and soother holder, Jesse and Sheleena got him a toy, Jenna got him a really cute sleeper, Nick gave him a teddy, his first hot wheels car, and some much-needed diapers... the list just seems to go on. It's been really nice though, we're thankful for all the wonderful people who have been so willing to share with us! Next week Tuesday is Cade's shower at church, which I'm starting to look forward to - it gives me another chance to show the little munchkin off!

No non-baby news today. Maybe another time :)

Cade's first picnic

Cade's first picnic
Originally uploaded by trippykel

My life has become baby stuff. It's funny how fast that happened. But between feeding every 2-4 hours, plus catching up on my sleep, that's about all I have time for.

Britt's been really great lately, helping out and being great company. Today she and her sister Hayley brought Jovi over to our back yard for a picnic lunch with Cade. It was good to hang out with a few adults, as well as getting out of the house and getting some sun. I had a chance to try out the bug screen for Cade's car seat we were given, and it works great! Note the picnic-ish blanket on Cade. We were totally prepared!

This weekend is looking to be a good one: Jeremie's parents are flying in for the weekend, so they'll be here Friday afternoon and stay until Monday afternoon. It will be great to see them, and they're quite excited to meet Cade. Plus Mom is doing all the grocery shopping and cooking, so I won't be worn out - I'm hugely thankful for that. Jesse and Sheleena will also be by for a few days this weekend. I'm sure we'll end up talking kids a lot of the weekend, especially since Sheleena is pregnant!

Heather and Dan are getting married on Saturday, so Jeremie and I are going to sneak away for the wedding service at least, which will be good. They're great together, and I'm really happy for them.

My mom and dad are currently arranging to be here for the last week of May to help out as well. I love getting to see so much of our family!

The usual position

The induction finally took on Tuesday evening. I managed the contractions at home until about 10pm, when I decided that morphine wasn't an option anymore, and we went in to the hospital. Baby Cade Daniel arrived at 4:30pm the next day, after 2 1/2 hours of pushing. I was exhausted, my eyes were almost swollen shut, and I'd burst some blood vessels in my face. Not a pretty sight. But it was worth it to hear Jeremie's triumphant 'It's a boy!' and know that the work was done, and we had the newest addition to our family. He weighed in at 8lbs, 6 oz, and was 9 days overdue. And, incidentally, was born on Hanson day, as my sister pointed out to me. Sweet.

The only disappointment was that if he'd come a few weeks earlier, I could have gone to check out all the garage sales today - once a year, Sexsmith has a town garage sale day where everyone who wants to sells all their junk. It's fabulous. But, c'est la vie. There's always next year.

We arrived home at about 6:30pm Friday evening, and were happy to be back. We stopped by the comedy night/pie social at church for a minute, but it was just over, so we stayed for a few minutes to show Cade off, then headed home to pack it in for the night.

The usual position
Originally uploaded by trippykel

Being pregnant, and finally not again, has made me thankful for many things. Hugging my husband face-on is one of the top few. At the hospital I was supremely greatful for showers, for Jeremie to help out when I didn't feel like getting out of bed, for the horrifically huge maxi-pads the hospital provides, and for every meal arriving on a tray. Convenience at its best. On arriving home I was thrilled with my own shower (it has everything I need, right there!), sleeping with an un-plasticized pillow, and today when we tidied up all the detrius that had accumulated throughout the hospital time. I always feel so much better with a tidy home. A bit of dirt here and there I can live with, but clutter just isn't right!

I talked to my dad on the phone yesterday, and he was already planning on building a soapbox derby car with Cade and making a trip to the states to compete. He's oldskool. I think this being a grandpa is really going to agree with him!

We've gotten so many wonderful congratulations, comments, offers of help, and gifts. Especially on Facebook. I knew when I posted a few baby photos that I was asking for it... reams of comments. All lovely, of course. But we've had so many people offer congratulations and want to see a picture or two that I couldn't resist. I'm sure I'll be filling up a set in my Flickr account with more photos of our baby than anyone other than family wants to see. It's a great way to keep all the long-distance family updated, though!

Cade is sleeping beautifully right now, so I think I'll take advantage of this moment to eat some dinner and see if I can catch a few winks before the long night begins. Last night was our first night at home, and I got collectively maybe 1/2 an hour of sleep in bed and an hour or two on the couch. Naps just aren't cutting it any more. So... here's to hopes of more sleep tonight!

Today, oh, today

We were asked to call the hospital today at 7:30am. We did, and they said they had room for me and we should come at 8. We made it around 8:15, being that we had to wake up fully and drive in to town, and played the usual paperwork rigamarole. Once we got to the maternity ward, we were let into triage and set up with a room. They gave me prostoglandin (a hormone that starts labor), then J and I chilled out in the ward for a couple of hours while they monitored contractions and the baby's heart beat. We got sent home until something happened.

I took a shower and a nap this afternoon and did some laundry, while Jeremie's been working on one of his projects down in the robot room. He's taking the LCD monitor off of an old broken mini-DVD player we have to make a portable mini-monitor. We'll see how it turns out!

I've been noticing contractions since about 5:45, but we have to time them for an hour to see if they're consistent, and how far apart they are, and how long they're for. If they keep coming, we get to go back to the hospital for the evening. If they go away, we get to go into the hospital tomorrow morning again for more drugs.

So at the moment I'm surfing online, with the computer clock open on my second monitor so I can note down contraction times and durations. And eating some yummy leftovers. Mmm, leftovers.

And that's how it goes

The big day is coming soon. Very soon.

We've got to call the hospital tomorrow morning to see if they're too busy to take us, and if they're not we go in and I get some drugs injected into me to make the baby come. If they are too busy, we'll try to go in the day after instead. We're a week overdue as of today, and they don't want the baby getting too big before it comes out. And then, after some pain, hard work, an IV or two, and who knows what else, we'll have a family larger by one! We're both looking forward to having the baby. And so, to celebrate...

We're planning on going out for dinner at the Keg (oh, how I love a good steak), then on to the movie theatre to catch a flick. I'm torn between 17 Again, a quite possibly cheesy chick flick about this guy who wishes to go back to highschool to change his life.. and it happens. Or the Wolverine X-men movie, which Jeremie would probably like more, but I probably won't enjoy as much. He's said he'll see either, for me, but now I have to decide how selfish I want to be. Though I'm guessing that it just depends on when dinner is over as to which one we end up going to.

Jeremie is off at hte skatepark right now, and I still want to get the church key from Shawn and catalog a few books before dinner, since I don't think I'll have another chance to put them away this week.

It's weird to think that next Sunday will be my first Mother's Day where I'm a mom. Aah, how life changes.

the book drop

the book drop - I'm sure it's one of a kind
Originally uploaded by trippykel

I just wanted to make a quick list of books I've read lately that I've enjoyed. It will help me remember the new authors/books, and maybe give you an idea/some inspiration for something to read! Please note the synopses are borrowed from random places on the internet - no writing credit to me!

Black - Ted Dekker

• Fleeing his assailants through deserted alleyways, Thomas Hunter narrowly escapes to the roof of a building. Then a silent bullet from the night clips his head...and his world goes black. From the blackness comes an amazing reality of another world-a world where evil is contained. A world where Thomas Hunter is in love with a beautiful woman. Then he remembers the dream of the chase as he reaches to touch the blood on his head. Where does the dream end and reality begin?

The Host - Stephenie Meyer

• Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed. When Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

The Moneylender of Toulouse - Alan Gordon

• Theophilos, court jester and secret agent, traveling to the French city of Toulouse in the year 1204. His assignment: convince the bishop to retire so the guild can put in his place someone more sympathetic to the increasingly embattled organization. The complication: when Theophilos arrives on the scene, he discovers that the bishop has been having some trouble with a local moneylender, who soon turns up dead. Now, in order to save the guild, Theophilos must solve the murder.

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow - Jessica Day George

• Blessed—or cursed—with an ability to understand animals, the Lass (as she’s known to her family) has always been an oddball. And when an isbjorn (polar bear) seeks her out, and promises that her family will become rich if only the Lass will accompany him to his castle, she doesn’t hesitate. But the bear is not what he seems, nor is his castle, which is made of ice and inhabited by a silent staff of servents. Only a grueling journey on the backs of the four winds will reveal the truth: the bear is really a prince who’s been enchanted by a troll queen, and the Lass must come up with a way to free him before he’s forced to marry a troll princess.

Trickster's Choice - Tamora Pierce

• Aly, a strong and resourceful young woman who masters the arts of swordplay and knightly warfare in the magical medieval country of Tortall, masters a delicious sense of humor, which serves her well when she is chosen by the trickster god Kyprioth to serve as his secret agent and a slave for a year in the embattled Copper Isles. There the dark-skinned natives, or raka, have been conquered and crushed by the laurin, light-skinned people from the mainland. The burning raka resentment is fueled by prophecies of a twice royal queen who will free them, aided by the "wise one, the cunning one, the strong one, the warrior, and the crows."

Mystic and Rider - Sharon Shinn

• Gillengaria abounds in magic, yet its mystics, the carriers of magic, aren't well regarded. Tolerated in the North by royal order, in the South they're feared, even hated. Lately it appears that organized riders are attacking and murdering mystics. To verify and assess the situation, King Baryn dispatches fire mystic Senneth to the South. With her are foremost King's Rider Tayse; Baryn's shape-changing mystic daughter, Kirra; Kirra's mystic servant, Donnal; scrappy street-urchin-turned-Rider Justin, whose only lost fight was with Tayse; and orphaned Cammon, found serving ale in a tavern, who Senneth suspects is a mystic.

Hatbox Letters - Beth Powning* (must read, this is fabulous)

• In this beautiful and deeply moving novel, a young widow struggles to come to terms with her solitary life in the rambling Victorian house she shared until recently with her husband and children in semi-rural New Brunswick.It is in this house, surrounded by heirloom gardens and the gentle sounds of a river, that Kate Harding, 52, faces her second winter since the untimely death of her husband. Her children, now grown, are living away, and Kate is truly on her own. In her living room are several hatboxes filled with letters and other ghostly ephemera, recently brought by her sister from the attic of their grandparents’ 18th-century Connecticut house. Their sweet mustiness tinges the air and makes Kate dream of her childhood and of her beloved grandparents. She remembers the sense of permanence and refuge that she felt in their apple-scented world, as well as, more recently, with her husband. As she begins to read the hatbox letters, she discovers that what to a child seemed a serene and blissful marriage was in fact founded on a tragic event. As Kate’s eyes clear to the truth of the past, a new tragedy unfolds, and her own house, filled with the shared detritus of marriage and motherhood, becomes the refuge where Kate can connect the strands of her unravelled life.

That's all I can remember for now. Happy reading!