Isn't the above picture CUTE!  (Big eye roll...)

N and I both gagged slightly at posing in such a hokey position but we did it all for a memory.  One day our boy will say, "Man, were my parents lame."  N and I will feel a sense of a job well done in that moment.

I am now into week 32 so I am already behind in updating this blog, but we have a lot on our minds these days.  For example, I want our baby to be listening to classic songs like this:

N, on the other hand, wants to make sure our baby is terrified right from the get-go by introducing him to classic lullabies like this:

We also still have a kazillion things to do before we are ready for this baby to arrive.  Far too many things to list here.  Still, we seem to focus on the unimportant ones like the examples above (musical influences).

I had an ultrasound last week.  Everything looked good, baby in the right position and most importantly not bigger than average size!  That said, they were unable to confirm gender.  I believe they said, "gender inconclusive."  They had said "boy" at my second ultrasound but this time apparently he wanted to curl up his legs right in front and the tech could not get a peek to confirm his "male" status.  Still, I am convinced I am having a boy. 

We also, I think, have also settled on a name.  I will leave you with the initials A.P.K.  It may still change but it is the best we have agreed upon. 

Other than that, my BP continues to rise and is being monitored, work has been steady and plentiful - I have submitted paperwork to start my maternity leave with the board mid June, and I am still feeling great (tired by the end of the day with sore feet but overall feel pretty darn good).

And that... wraps week 31!

My cousin Samantha was in town last week.  She just recently finished up a little stint called a Journalism degree and was looking for one last escape before starting the never ending grind of working for a living.  I have to say that talking to her about how the media works is incredibly fascinating and I think she is one of the most interesting people of my aquaintance.  I hope she had a great time while here even though I wasn't much of a hostess as I had to work most of the week.

I did manage to show her some sites (AGO, Much Music, City Hall / Nathan Philips Square, Yorkdale Mall, Eaton Centre, Dundas Square, etc.) and she managed to brave the downtown and subway on her own as well.   I even managed to get her to the Ontario Science Centre for the Harry Potter Exhibition (which was great - in my opinion. v.v. cool).

We also managed a day trip to Niagara Falls.  We rode the Maid of the Mist and got completely and utterly soaked.  This was especially hilarious as I have been on this boat at least twice before and have only encountered minimal spray. 

Hope Sam knows she will always have a place to stay if she ever ventures back to the Centre of the Universe.

Click here to see pictures from our walks around the the Niagara Area and downtown TO.

First, press play.

Baby stuff is taking over our place.  We need to start finding homes for all this stuff -- gah!!  This is a peek at what is happening in the nursery area... it is not pretty.  We have a crib and mattress stacked against the wall.  The dresser is FILLED with baby clothes as I don't seem to be able to stop buying onesies.  I have ordered crib bedding that is adorable!  I am super excited about setting up this space but we have some more purging to do (namely we have to get rid of the big office desk that is presently where we plan to put the crib) before we can more forward.  There is time.  There is time.  There is time.  Deep breaths.

I have been reading some disturbing stuff about labour.  As a matter of
fact, I just read an article about how to deliver your own baby in the
event you are alone and unable to get to the hospital.  Not recommended
night time reading. 

Here's something that will make you laugh -- N and I are taking a parenting class every Thursday in May.   My idea and hopefully I don't regret it.  I just figure we should be prepared.  No going back now!

I am now head to toes dressed in maternity clothes. Pants with an actual waist are just no longer an option.  I must say -- mat pants are mighty comfortable.  I've just now allowed N to take some photos to show off my new girth.  Amazing how you live all you life trying to minimize the size of your belly, but when that belly is filled with baby it somehow seems... acceptable to show it off and maybe even cute to rock a baby bump?  I imagine Tim, my brother, rolling his eyes and stating, "Rrrrrrrrrright, cute." -- but it is kind of cute to me.  Maybe that is my maternal instinct coming in but that's my boy in there!

Well April has arrived bringing with it the nicest of spring weather.  April 1st saw the temp hit 20 degrees and this Easter we are enjoying temps above 20 all weekend long.  Cannot complain -- except that as an incubator, it gets a bit warm in our place.  Of course the City of Toronto has some silly bylaw that states the air conditioning in our building cannot be turned on prior to May 31st, regardless of temperature.  Thus I am begging Mother Nature to keep things hovering around the 20 degree mark for a while.  Anything warmer and this half-assed blogger will have a melt-down -- literally.

Strangely enough, I didn't get one of my dad's lame April Fool's prank calls this year.  Wonder if the old man has finally lost his touch of instilling panic and fear into the 'should've known better'.  Or maybe he has just wisened up and realized I don't fall for his crazy shenanigans anymore.  Still, I was kind of sad - I always look forward to hearing what his crazy mind can spin up.  Apparently nothing this year.

Am up ridiculously early this morning.  Was just outside looking at our new ugly view.  There are two apartment complexes across the street that are scheduled to come down this June.  Just what one wants when bringing home baby -- to live next to a construction site.  Still, that is our fate.  New condo towers are in the works so I will have new people to spy on.  I snapped a pic or two of the mess across the street this morning.  This past Thursday we were woken up around 6:45 (which I angrily remember as this was 5 minutes before my alarm was to go off) by construction workers hucking big chunks of building material off the top floor balcony.  Maybe it is my small town upbringing but I thought there was a gun fight across the street.  

Anyhow, if you've read this blog for a while you'll remember that when we left Vancouver, our old building was destined to this same demolition fate.  At least in Toronto, the new condo towers replacing these old apartment buildings will be almost affordable.  Our old building in Vancouver now looks like this:

All units are well over a million dollars.  

That's all I've got to vent about, folks.  Happy Easter weekend!!