Tummy Rub

Yesterday I got talking with a lady I was xraying. She was asking me why I like my job because she was thinking it would be good job for her daughter. I mentioned that I had worked at VGH for 7.5 years and that I had just moved out to SPH in the last couple of months. She asked why, I told her it was because my new job was part time and since I was going to be a Mum next spring it was a move that I made for my family. She reached out and rubbed my tummy and said, "Congratulations! That is so wonderful!"

I was too shocked to tell her that we were adopting, so I sent her on her way and moved on the next patient... I guess I can stop worrying about my waist line!

Cloth Diapering

Disposable diapers have never been an option for me. Luckily Grant feels the same! Now the research starts... Ugh! There are so many kinds of cloth diapers. Never having used them, it's hard to decide which kind we should buy. I need help! It used to be a cloth diaper consisted of a rectangular piece of cloth and two safety pins. Now they look the same as disposables. Please, those of you whom have experience with these new fangled fancy cloth diapers, let me know what has worked or not worked for you!

Just to give you some insight as to what I have been looking at.

http://www.bumgenius.com/products.php
I like the idea behind the one sized cloth diaper. To me it seems simpler that you only have to buy one size and adjust it as baby grows. I am thinking that it is probably more expensive initially and that there may be more leaks since they are geared to a wider audience. Also in the washing instructions it states: "Wash warm, hot or cold with 1/4 cup additive free detergent. Rinse well with another full wash cycle on hot. Tumble dry medium." That's two wash cycles for every time! We do have front loading washing machines... Is this usual for cloth diapers to need two or even three wash cycles?

http://www.bummis.com/
Bummis seems good too. They offer Bamboozle diapers. I'm a big fan of bamboo, it's a renewable resource, is grown pesticide free, and has antimicrobial properties. They also offer a 'Cotton Diapering Kit' that comes with "15-30 pounds: 24 of our gorgeous unbleached pre-fold diapers with 4 Super Whisper Wraps. Plus our user guide and a roll of flushable liners." Thing is, I don't know if one of these kits would be sufficient. I'm guessing that 24 diapers should last awhile but how long will 4 wraps last? How often do you need to change a wrap? Maybe this kit would be good and then I could just have some other wraps too?

That leads me to my next point. I like the idea of knitted covers. I have been reading a lot about them and they seems to be raved about by mothers on the net. My own mom is a wonderful knitter and I know that she could whip up a bunch of covers in no time flat! Any feedback on using knitted covers?

The other thing I've found on the internet is patterns to make your own diapers.
http://www.diapersewing.com/
http://www.newconceptions.com/patternindex.htm
Depending on how cheap I can find fabric, this seems like the most economical way. We have a LOT of waiting time ahead of us and it's not like my big pregnant belly is going to get in the way of me and my sewing machine! LOL I've been trying to read a lot lately, there are SO many books an adoptive parent must read and my 'creative-me' is screaming to be put to use!

I have a good idea of what I'm going to do but I want some help with those of you in the "know". We have requested a child 0 - 12 months so it's logical to think we will be bringing home a baby that is around 15lbs.
Thank you!

I've been tagged

This little quiz has been circulating around the adoption blogging world. It's been nice getting to know more about the women whoms blogs I read daily! I was tagged and so here I go!





4 Jobs I've Had:
Wife (come on, that counts!)
Xray/CT Tech
Sales Clerk
Ice Cream Scooper


4 Places I've Lived:
Victoria BC
London On



4 Food I love:
Thai
Pasta with lots of sauce and lots of cheese
Soups any kind but creamy are the best
Ice cream


4 Places I'd Rather be:
London On (celebrating our dossier going to Ethiopia with my parents)
Maui (I've never been there, but the postcards look nice)
England (visiting friends and family)
Ethiopia (meeting our baby!)



4 Movies I love:
GREASE
Happy Gilmour
Billy Madison
Silence of the Lambs


4 TV Shows I watch:
The View (but only the hot topics part)
Private Practice
King of Queens
Friends



4 Books I love:
Douglas Coupland - he's an author not a book but I love all his books
Tess of the D'Urbervilles
One fish, Two fish, Red fish, Blue fish
any forensic anthropology book


4 People I am Tagging:

If you read this and haven't been tagged, consider yourself tagged!

It's Official ...

... we are going to be parents! Of course we have been working towards this for a long time but now it's happening. There are no more steps in between us and being proposed a baby. Our paperwork (dossier) was sent today to Ethiopia! I am over the moon! and using far to many exclamation marks in my writing! haha

Grant and I have been watching a set of baby bedding at a store for a few months. We decided that we would buy it when our dossier was sent to Ethiopia or if it went on sale. (which ever came first) On Sunday we went to "check" and it was on sale but we didn't have our gift certificate with us so we decided that we would go back today. Then today we got the news that our file went! See, it's fate!

I'll post some pictures of the super cute quilt when we get it! Cross your fingers, send your prayers, wish on a star, blow out a candle, or send good vibes. We are hoping to know who our baby is by the new year.

Ottawa

Well, I figured that since our dossier seems to be taking a vacation in Ottawa I would post some pictures of our trip to Ottawa. Since not much is moving ahead with the adoption it's been hard to keep the blog "on topic". This story takes a bit to set up so stick with me...

When Grant and I got married it wasn't really "good timing". It was a very busy time for us and a lot of things didn't go as planned. Originally we were going to be married in London (my hometown). Well, our nephew aka "the wedding crasher" had other plans; he was due the day before our wedding. Since neither of our dates were negotiable Grant & I changed our wedding venue and plans. The outpouring of love from my family and friends was overwhelming and wonderful. Grant really wanted to travel to Ontario to meet them.

However, since Grant had also started school the week that we got married (I told you our wedding wasn't "good timing") A honeymoon or any kind of trip was out of the question. That brings us to February 2006 .... A month when nobody from the west coast of Canada has any business traveling to Ontario. Us two krazy kids decided that it would be a good time to go! haha Grant had finished his course and didn't have a job lined up to start immediately, so we figured we could do with the time away. Did I mention that it was FEBRUARY!

Grant on our first plane ride together! Sundown over Manitoba.

We stayed with my parents in London for a few days before decided to venture to somewhere neither of us had been ... Ottawa (see I told you I'd get there..) We had already delayed leaving by a day because of a big storm. As we were filling up the tank of my Moms' truck on the outskirts of London I overheard a trucker say "There's a big storm blowing in from the east you'd have to be crazy to be headin' out of town." Grant and I planned that if the weather got really bad we would pullover and stay put. For the most part the weather cooperated. There were a few minutes of radio-off-don't-talk-to-me-two-hands-on-the-wheel-white-knuckle-driving. For the most part though the drive was nice. When Grant and I go on long road trips we read a book. It always seems to be a Douglas Coupland, this time it was Eleanor Rigby. Good book btw. Whomever is the passenger reads.

When we got to Ottawa it was -33 so we put on our snowboard gear (whaddya expect from west coasters) and headed downtown. We followed the canal down and walked around. Ottawa was celebrating "Winterlude" and so there was a lot to do and see! We came across the end of a Daniel Langois concert. It was great! A real foot stompin' good time!

Daniel Langois playing an open air concert on the Rideau Canal.

We also found a park filled with ice sculptures!

Alicia with swans in a heart and Grant with a very viking looking ship.

I think that these pictures must have been telling some kind of prophecy. You can't look at them and not get chills. At the time we hadn't talked about adoption. Yet these picture show our future. A family and an inuksuk sporting the colours of the Ethiopian flag ... Fate already had her plans for us!

The next day it had warmed up to -30 (without the wind chill) so we decided to see the Parliament buildings. The third picture is of a squirrel. And the gargoyle plaque is in the bell tower.

From the clock tower. The clock tower.

We couldn't leave with out skating the Rideau Canal. So after warming up in the parliament buildings we rented some skates. Grant skated all that was open about 12kms return. Not bad from a kid raised on an island where it snows maybe once a year! I didn't make out as well but I did make it 6km!

We had an amazing time! We wish that we had more pictures but it was too cold and the camera kept freezing!! If you ever get the chance to go to Winterlude GO! Just make sure you wear lots of layers.

Happy October!

I love October! It's my favourite month and my favourite time of year. The leaves start to change colour. The weather gets cooler and crisper. Long dog walking hikes become a must! The salmon run starts. It gets darker earlier which makes for lots of time for all the new tv shows. Thanksgiving, a great time to think of how fortunate we are. I break out all my warm cozy sweaters! It's also time to break out the soup pots and find the chili recipe. Pumpkin patches, fall fairs, the last of the fresh local produce. I love driving in the country and seeing all the flower stands, October has the best flowers too!

Our first nephew was born in October. This is him the day he was born, October 6 2005.

October seems to be the most popular months for weddings, in our family at least. Grants' sister was married on the 6th (that's her baby boy above too!) we were married on the 7th and my parents were married on the 12th. Happy Anniversary everyone!

And you can't forget Halloween! It's definitely not my favourite but it is fun to see the little kiddies all dressed up. This is Qimik in his bumble bee costume (Old Navy has super costumes for dogs at reasonable prices!) He was unsure at first but when he saw what a fuss people were making over him he was more than happy!

I'm feeling the need to bake a pumpkin pie!! ooohhhh I LOVE October! I'm so happy I have 31 days to enjoy it.