Handmade Holiday MADNESS!

Things are starting to improve at home. Husband's meds seem to have stabilized and he can enjoy things again. It's still not all sunshine and rainbows, but it's also not soul-crushing despair either. As with all meds, there are side-effects but we are dealing with them as they come. I'm feeling better about being there for him, since I'm coming to terms with the fact that that is really all I can do.

We are at the beginning of our busy holiday/birthday season. We have 5 birthdays plus Christmas in the next 3 months. I'm trying to get the drop on gifts and making as much as possible, but I also am working on a big commissioned project for which I will actually get paid. The project is about three-quarters done but the final quarter is always the hardest, often taking twice as long as everything else (I'm looking at you, Alica's wedding present!)(it still isn't done yet...).

I have 3 gifts finished, plus Husband's request which wasn't really a gift, more of a challenge (beard hat). I'm working on 5 more gifts, with additional plans if I have the time.

I'm ambitious and slightly insane but I also think I have a good estimate of my abilities. I should be able, at the very least, to finish the things I have started. As for purchased gifts, we have MIL started, Little Brother complete, niece started and Monkey started. I have to purchase something for BsIL 1 and 2, SsIL 1 and 2, The Boys (4 nephews) and FIL.

Our family will be the last on the priority list. We have one big-ticket item on lay-away and that will probably be the only big thing we get each other.

Airing Complaints

Not having a good week. Kids aren't sleeping. Monkey has decided to be 2 a few weeks early. Baby J has started eating solid foods so she's adjusting to that change. Monkey has a nasty diaper rash. She screams every time I try to change her. I have to pin her down with my legs to change her. We've been potty training but no luck yet.
Daddy is working crazy hours. I have minimal help but at least I'm not totally alone. My biggest worry/complaint is that I have agreed to help out my SIL for 3 weeks in February. She's pregnant with triplets and is essentially on bed rest. Her husband is a marine engineer and is away for most of Feb. My in-laws, her parents, are helping her out now but they are going to Florida at the end of January for a month so they won't be able to look after SIL and her 11 y/old daughter.
I'm petrified that something will happen while I'm there. Daddy will be with us for part of the trip but for most of it it's just me. SIL has her in-laws nearby but word has it that she is not getting along with her MIL right now. Vi (my 11 y/o niece) is mostly able to look after herself by since SIL needs looking after too I will be there to help. Nana will be looking after Monkey for part of the visit but since J still hates bottles she will stay with me. In addition to worrying the SIL will go into labor I'm worried about how well we will get along. Being pregnant is hard on every body, but being pregnant with triplets and on bed rest would be extremely trying. I can only imagine how hard this is going to be on her and I am going to be there for part of it. I hope I can keep my patience with her and my girls.
Add to my problems an extremely messy house with piles of dishes and laundry and you have one stressed out Mommy Murple.

Venting Frustration

I love my husband but he is driving me nuts today. I have spent the day cleaning shit. Both of the bathrooms have been cleaned, he hasn't had to change a single diaper and I've cleaned the cabinet were a rodent friend has been hiding. I don't want to hear shit about not putting the clean dish towels away. Sure, he was quite polite about it but still, when I spend a good chunk of the day doing the disgusting chores while he watches cartoons with the kids and plays video games I deserve a break for not getting the towels into the drawer.

Still Not in Labor

So I'm still pregnant. Mom and Dad are coming tonight, not to wait for the baby but to pick my aunt from Ont. up at the airport and go to the internment of my grandfather's ashes. I can't go due to the closeness to my due date but most of the family will be passing through this part of NS on their way so I will try to visit.

Husband is diligently working away at dishes and laundry and various other chores. He cleaned out the cars this morning before it got too hot. It's the hottest day so far this year so I'm trying not to be too warm. Monkey's having a naked nap. She started screaming at me for no reason during lunch so I put her to bed when we were done. I think she's got another molar coming in. She was up a couple of times last night and she was not happy about it.

Little Brother is supposed to be job hunting this week. Hopefully he is because if he doesn't find a job soon Mom is kicking him out to come live here. He will be my nanny until he finds a job here.

SAHM Again

I am officially a stay at home mom again, at least temporarily. Today is my first day of mat leave. Monkey's at the sitter today so I can try to organize things around here, file my paperwork with the gov't and sort through newborn supplies. I think I will also have to make a trip to the local second hand clothing stores today to find summer clothes and PJs for toddlers.

We still have to get a bassinet for Baby J but I think that's the only thing we need to buy. I will scour Kijiji today to see if I can get a deal.

It looks like Little Brother will be moving in with us for at least the summer. He hasn't had any luck with finding a job in F'ton so I told Mom to kick him out and ship him here. If he doesn't find a job he can at least be my nanny for the summer.

I can't wait to not be pregnant anymore. I am sore, tired and I can't move properly. It makes chasing after a toddler hard. It hurts to sit, it hurts to stand, it hurts to bend. Husband has been sick with a nasty cold so neither of us have been sleeping. Monkey has been sleeping very well despite the molar that is about to break through.

Baby J seems to sleep at night, but that might have to do with the fact that I don't really hear or feel much when I'm asleep. I hear Monkey when she cries, but that's about it. I don't hear Husband or the TV and I don't feel kicks or wiggles.

Tall Ships, Visit from Nana, Mommy Brain

We have had a fun weekend. Nana came for a visit and we went to see the Tall Ships in Halifax yesterday. Nana just left and Squishy is still asleep.

My brain is a little fried. I keep trying to write another "real" post but I can't seem to wrap my head around any of my thoughts long enough to compose something worth reading. Mom says that this will get better in time but I think "Mommy Brain" is going to be something I have to battle on a daily basis for a long time.

I've also been neglecting my crafts. I keep trying to start things, but I get 10 minutes in to a project and I lose track of what I am doing or where I am going with the idea. I have 3 strands of finger knitting that I thought I was going to turn into something but I forget what. I have lots of yarn that needs to be knit or crocheted into something and I have TONS of polymer clay.

Oh well. Soon enough I will have more help around the house and I will hopefully use that time for crafty goodness.

Crazy Month. Now I'm Playing the Waiting Game

It has been one hell of a month. I'm all done work, it was a great time but I'm not sure if I'll go back next year. We will see what happens between now and October.

Christmas and New Years went off without a hitch. I was able to stay with Mom and Dad for a few days. Little Brother is in the process of moving back in with them so that he can find a job and pay off some of his debts before going back to school. He brought his cat with him so Phebs has a new play-mate.

Christmas was amazing. My family is very dorky. We played "Survivor; Gibson Lake" at the camp on Christmas day. I didn't participate much as the activities were mostly outside and a little too physically demanding for my 8-and-a-half months pregnant ass. Dinner was great, Mom, Aunt Mary and Uncle Ryan were in the kitchen and they did a great job. Everything was tasty and everyone was well-fed.

For New Years we had a lobster dinner with Doodles and C. Husband had entirely too much fun traumatizing the lobsters. We played my new Trivial Pursuit (I won) and some Rock Band 2.

Now I'm sitting around the house feeling useless and playing the waiting game. The doctor says that everything is perfect, and now we're just waiting for the baby to decide to be born. I'm not due for another 2 weeks but I am starting to hate this waiting to go into labor thing. This is the most nerve-wracking part. I feel lazy and useless, lonely and bored.

Third Trimester, Christmas and All that Other Fun Stuff

Yay! I'm 32 weeks, only 8 or so left to go and I'll be responsible for the life of another human being.

I'm drifting between being excited and anxious about the imminent arrival of v2.0 and being absolutely scared shitless. The baby's room is almost ready and I catch myself looking at it and thinking about what it's going to be like to have a real, live baby in there.

I'm not sleeping well as I wake up every 2 or 3 hours to use pee or just to find a more comfortable position to sleep in. I'm coming down with a bit of a cold so that's not helping the no sleep.

I'm done work around the 19th and I am hoping to head straight home. Christmas is going to be spent with my family. We don't really know what Husband's family is up to this year as SIL is stuck in the States with Niece and her husband due to immigration stuff. MIL and FIL still don't know if they are going to stay home, go visit SIL in Oromocto or visit SIL in Eastport (the one stuck in the States).

It's Been a While

Things have been a little busy lately. We've been visiting family, preparing for the baby and I have been working on craft projects for Christmas. I will post pictures shortly, but I just finished most of them so I don't have any pictures yet.

My belly is getting huge. It's getting hard to put on socks. We have so many things to go though and lots still to buy. I have most of the big things except for a change table, but I need the little things I never would have thought about like a thermometer or diaper cream. It's a little daunting.

I'm hearing a frequent refrain of "oh, don't worry! It all comes naturally." I am tempted to call bullshit on this statement. If it "all came naturally" then there would be no need for child and social services. There would be no bad parents and we would have perfect children everywhere.

I have been referred to the diabetes clinic because my sugar is a little high. I'm not overly concerned, as I have been eating a lot of junk food lately and I always knew I was at risk for gestational diabetes. This is just a precautionary measure.

I will hopefully update again shortly!

Fall, Thanksgiving, Family

It's almost fall. The leaves are turning and I'm getting ready for Thanksgiving. I made plans with my family without checking with Husband. I kind of just assumed that he was only going to have one day off this year, as usual, and that we wouldn't want to drive home. I might have been mistaken. He seems to be a little upset that we are not going home again this year.

I would love to see his folks but the traveling is getting harder on me. If they want to come visit us they are more than welcome! We have the space and the dishes even if it would be a little cramped with my parents here too. I love having the family together! Soon enough his family will be coming this way frequently for MIL's craft shows, so it's not like we won't get to see them until Christmas. I haven't seen my aunt and uncle since our wedding, and they live less than an hour away.

Things still aren't great at work. I'm trying to grin and bear it but it's still not fun. I have a hard time selling a product I'm not really sure I believe in. I am keeping an eye out for other opportunities but with the Squishy on the way I'm not sure if it's worth it.

It occurs to me that this "blog" is halfway between a journal and an op-ed column. I know friends and family occasionally visit to see what I'm up to and what I'm thinking so I suppose I am fulfilling the expected purpose. I like getting my thoughts out, and if strangers and friends like reading these thoughts all the better!

Billy May and his "Zorbeez" kind of freak me out...

Yay Uncle Ryan!

Mix of unique N.B. acts are up for ECMAs

My uncle (it feels weird calling him that) Ryan LeBlanc has been nominated for an East Coast Music Award! He's an amazing instrumentalist, using a wide variety of instruments from a guitar to his chair. Check out Ryan LeBlanc's music and bio. He is a solo performer, so remember that when you listen to him. He is making all those sounds at once.

Congrats Ryan!