awaiting the arrival

My mind has been, let's just say, "occupied" with when baby will finally makes it's debut!  The actual 40-week due date was May 25.  I have officially come to terms that we will be having a June baby instead of a May baby (yes, I know it is already June 4th today!).  I haven't felt inspired to write/think of anything but "baby" in the last week, but figured, it's time I share a bit of my goings on (besides being pregnant)...well, since my last post!

Another Mother's Day...

My brother recently graduated from his 4-year program down in Texas, so we decided to celebrate Mother's Day when he got back.

**just missing me & my dad in these shots ...

I covered some ceramic pots with fabric & modge podge, as a gift for Mom ... I think they turned out pretty cute.

Big Buckets ...

Baby really is growing inside of me.  I can barely recognize myself in pictures/the mirror let alone, get my arms around my belly these days!! 

Fishing & Walks ...
We live so close to such a beautiful park ... it's a good guess I am down there on a sunny day!  While Matt fishes, sometimes I read, snap away with my camera, or just sit there and take it all in ...

 *taken w/vsco cam - iphone

*taken w/vsco cam - iphone

 Here's hoping my next post will have some baby news!!!



pic pix: my life as of late, Calgary, AB, May-June.2012

random thoughts & things

After my breakfast (tried this french toast recipe today...yum!), a bit of cleaning up, a pleasant visit with my midwife, lunch with my beautiful friend, a long afternoon nap, grocery shopping with my sis, dinner with m'love, then the wind-down with laundry and a movie ... I now, FINALLY have time to share some written words of my string of recent/current thoughts and happenings!!  With baby's due date only 9 days away, I've been keeping myself busy busy and have been pretty quiet blogging because of it.  So, here's some of those "things" I've been busying myself with...
   

Baby of mine ...

There are limited pictures of me and this protruding belly ...  so I'm glad we took a few the other day for proof that I did actually get this big!  When I walk by a mirror, I am still in complete amazement that God actually worked out human life to happen/start this way.  It's pretty wild.  Pretty remarkable.

 

I've been on the prowl for some good book finds ... was able to pick up a few from the thrift store (along with many other treasures).  Now, if getting this baby to arrive were as easy as thrift store shopping!

Life's timing ...

Lately, I've been so thankful that there is a planned and perfect time for everything.  Had we found out we were pregnant one day then expecting the baby to arrive not even a month later ... there would've been (obviously!) no way I could have physically nor emotionally been prepared.  Being given 9 months to think about, wonder about, and begin to adjust to the preliminary grounds of becoming a parent seems hardly enough but yet, I feel like so much of me has changed and grown.  I'm ready to be mommy!   

Toy cars & cuties ...

Last Friday, I got to watch my 2 nephews and niece.  Them little smiles make my heart melt and their funny antics make my soul laugh!  And oh...they LOVE cars.

Nesting ...
I always thought it was funny, the term "nesting" - getting ready for the new baby bird to arrive.  I thought, "Really?  How much can there be to setting up your home for a newborn?".  Maybe my nesting has been different than most others (yup, I'm a nester!), but my focus hasn't so much been on baby prep stuff ... my focus has been cleaning out closets, drawers, junk, and other unnoticeable things (?).  It's all in prep for the baby, but seriously, how does my unorganized front hall closet have anything to do with baby's birth day around the corner?!?!  

Female brains, mothers' sacrifices ...

On Sunday, we celebrated my mother-in-law by way of a picnic at "our" park (we have a pretty sweet community park right across from our apartment building).  We made bbq beef on a bun(!) and had salads, strawberries, and a yummy dessert.  Food and good company is the best combination for a perfect picnic.  Next week (due to my family's schedules), we will be celebrating my mom!

Along with the mother's day theme, a friend of mine was talking about this sermon that was shared last Sunday.  The first 5 minutes (all that I've listened to so far) had some really interesting statistics about the female brain.  Those 5 minutes are worth a listen!


And ... that's all for now. xo



 pic pix: all in Calgary, AB this last week, May.2012

blessed

Parents are so special.

What I have been feeling lately, definitely stems to me being pregnant (miss emotional tornado over here!), but roots much deeper than just towards this "time".  Almost twenty-six years ago, my parents were anticipating a little one to make it's debut in the world.  Not knowing my gender, hair color, personality, potential...they were full of this unexplainable joy and a love for this baby that was already "theirs".

It's wild to now see and experience just a taste of how much more they care for me as I now sit on the other side of this parent-child spectrum.  Putting myself in their shoes, and thinking that baby was me, I am overwhelmed with this 'connection'/love/joy that they felt when they thought of me for the first time ... and how they look at me today.

I can't explain how thrilled I am to meet our baby or how much I am already in love him/her ... the only description that seems fitting is my own parent's love for me.

Today, I know I am so blessed.


 pic pix: when I was born, 19.June.1986, Calgary, AB

where have i been?! and other random news...

Hello, little blog ... and hello, friends who happen to read my little blog!

Life has been so surprising, changing, unfathomable, and exciting lately.  Over the past four months, I feel like I've been watching someone else's life unfold, but have felt all of "their" emotions.  You see ... Matt and I found out that we are going to be parents come May 25, 2012!!

the day after we found out!

Yes!  This girl, who is continually seeking to find the object to view, learn from, and admire everyday is now gonna be a mama!  It hasn't felt real (okay, maybe being really sick and drop-dead tired) until recently when I actually heard the baby's heartbeat.  Now it's confirmed...I know I'm not just getting fat!!  It's been tough to adjust to a "me" that is different~not able to stay up as late, my energy is just not there, not feeling in control of what immediate goals we are working towards, etc~but I know in the end, this'll all be so worth it. 

So pretty much, in a nutshell...along with learning how to be pregnant (my own hormones that I've never met before!), and still shaping into what my role as a wife is, I've been working, finished up my plant class (a pre-course for the landscape architectural certificate I WAS planning to work on this winter), have gotten sick way more than I ever thought I would (morning sickness has taken its toll on me) and I'm still trying to find ways to outlet my creativity.  

Though, I haven't been blogging myself ... I've been reading through the blogs I follow every day, hoping that one day (yes, I am being a bit dramatic!) I will have the energy to at least once again, write a post!  **note: I even started voice recording my blog posts, so that I could get my thoughts out somehow!!**  I'm thankful that November was a month focused on being grateful...with American Thanksgiving and all.  Calista, Allison, and Fawne ... all wrote posts to keep me thankful.  Other blogs kept me reading for different reasons: Daily, Jo keeps me wanting to nest and shop.  Poppytalk inspires me to start projects and have an ultimate diy-christmas this year (watch for coming post!).  Cori makes me want to sharpen my photography skills.  Even though Baby Mine will no longer be kept current, they share some good ideas for baby items/advise and have some cute pictures documenting their baby's monthly growth.  Shelly's trip to Zambia served as a flash of adventure just reading about it.  Dear Baby began to open my eyes to different perspective of motherhood (I've got lots to learn!). Tereasa has the coolest methodology when it comes to treasure searching - found, free and flea!  So many great words and images that have blessed/encouraged/inspired me lately.  Now to get back on it myself!

And just for the sake up trying to 'catch-up', here are a the random updates of some other things that have happening these past few months...

We've been able to have some fun family times together.  My cousin got married in Ontario at the beginning of October, so all of my immediate family went there for the weekend.  We announced the baby news to them then.

cookies I baked to break the news to my family... all with the 'appropriate' name of course

my immediate family in Sturgeon Falls, Ontario)

had my 6th annual 'family' thanksgiving dinner with close friends ... ended up with a very blurry shot!

Hosted a bachelorette party for my girlfriend's wedding (that took place 11.11.11) ... so wish I could have been there...

you can see some of her wedding details/pictures here

Was able to get out for a "shoot" with my sister-in-law and her family for some fun Christmas photos.  They are all so photogenic ... and energetic!

Now with all of that said...I hope to be back soon to share some more!!