Poor Houdini

Living in California has left me a little stale on my Canadian news, and especially my Okanagan news.
I just found out today that highway 97 between Peachland (the town I grew up in) and Summerland (the town my dad lived in while I was growing up, which is right next to Peachland) is closed because the mountain is sliding. The problem with this is that this highway is the link between the Central and South Okanagan Valley. To get around you can go north around the lake, but that is a seriously huge detour, you can go through the mountains, which is a less huge detour, or you can take a free water taxi, but you are left without your car at the end, in an area with crappy transit. Luckily this is where the Valley has a natural economic break, because Peachland is associated with Kelowna and Summerland with Penticton.
Let's also say, that I'm glad that I'm not living there right now. There was a time when I had to drive that highway everyday, going from Summerland to Kelowna.
Now Houdini, he is a Mountain Goat that fell in the fissure that was created by the mountain slipping away. He was rescued and some guy with dreads gave him mouth to muzzle, so Houdini lives another day, and Dread Guy is now known as the guy who kissed a goat.

31 weeks

Holy moly I'm that pregnant!
I was in Canada for my 30th week and it was hard. I felt healthy, but I just wanted to be home with Adam. I had a great time with Tessa and my family, but I wanted to be home. Sigh. The snow was dreadful. Every time I had to wipe snow off of the car I cursed out loud to every snow flake, and there were a lot of them. I know I've said I miss snow, so I should qualify it, I miss it under my skis while I am bundled in all of my gear and the only part of me that gets touched by snow are my cheeks. Snow in any other situation is horrid.

So on to 31 weeks. The baby is about 4 naval oranges according to baby centre, it's interesting that she's moved on from being one fruit to 4.

When I remember to do my kick counts I can generally count 10 kicks in about 5 minutes. I do confess that I rarely do them because she's made it more than obvious to me that she's there and she's having a grand ol' time.

While I was in the bath the other day I was just zoning out watching the water and I noticed that it was moving, but I wasn't deep enough for it to be my breath moving it, and I realized the baby had the hiccups and she was making the little currents. So cool. Then the next day it happened again, except it was her kicking, so the ripples were much more erratic and larger. I think seeing that may go down as the most fascinating ever, more than the ultrasounds.

When my mom pointed out to Tessa that I had a baby in my tummy, Tessa immediately pulled up my shirt demanding the baby come out now. It was cute, and I had to explain to her that she can see the baby when there are flowers outside. I don't think she understood, but she stopped tugging on my shirt demanding to see the baby.

Seeing as I am in my 31st week I have 6 weeks left until I am in my window where I can safely have a home birth. (the window is 37-42 weeks) I don't profess to know if I will be closer to the 37th or the 42nd, but the anticipation will reach a whole new pitch I'm sure!

The baby still seems to react to sugar, and still hates any pressure on her. Today she was kicking the seat belt when I was driving, and I always make sure it's well under my belly, but apparently Little Miss thought it wasn't good enough.

I am getting killer heart burn and apples can barely touch it any more. I need to take lots of activated charcoal and other remedies, but if I have too many pills in me they try to pop out since the opening to my stomach doesn't close right. (yay for relaxin!) Sleep is getting harder and harder. Adam and I broke down today and bought be some really fluffy synthetic pillows because with my body being bigger my little feather pillow wasn't holding me up properly, resulting in a sore neck and numb arms. We also bought a straight body pillow 'cause my curvy one tangles me up at night. I still want to sleep on my stomach, and I kinda can, but Little Miss doesn't so much like it. I'll move if she puts up a fuss or if there's any pain. I've realized I can lay on my back for extended periods of time, which is supposed to be a huge pregnancy no-no, but I figure if there is no pain, I'm okay. That being said Little Miss doens't always like it, and I have noticed it can bring on some Braxton contractions (so I move).

My late pregnancy morning sickness seems to have abated, which is nice, but I still have no appetite to speak of. I often find that I have passed hungry and have lapsed into the shakeies because I don't eat enough, which is weird because I don't feel hungry. Normally I am on top of when I ate last and what I need now, but sometimes I get busy and without any cues from my body I don't realize how long it's been. I find this to be so strange because if you know me at all you know that remembering to eat is not an issue of mine. It has created a shift in how I eat, less crap and a whole lot more wholesome. Although in reality I've always been quite wholesome, but it's the sweet tooth that has been my Achilles heel, but now it's mostly gone.

Adam seems to be excited for the baby, he reminded me when I was in Canada that I had her to keep me company and it was strange for him to call her by her name to me. We haven't divulged her name to family yet, we want to keep it a secret, and I don't want anyone to get attached to a name and then have us change our minds. I'm also worried that someone close to me would pooh-pooh the name or suggest something else, and we love the name we've chosen, I don't want any negativity to linger in my mind about it. (and it would, I can really hold on to some things, and we did tell someone close, very early in pregnancy and they did pooh-pooh it, and I felt horrible)

So that's about it for the 31st week. We're on the hunt for a doula. When I was explaining what a doula was to my brother's fiancee, my mom suggested that she be it for me, and I shot her down fast. I think I was a little harsh, but I just don't think I would be able to relax enough with my mom or Adam's mom there. (sorry!) The thought of having non-professionals there except for Adam and I makes me a little nervous. I understand that some people need to have their whole family there, but I am not that person. I will be more than happy to have my family come around after I've established a secure breastfeeding relationship with the baby. I don't know how long that will take. Personally I would like to have 2 weeks alone with just Adam and I to bond with the baby and bond with each other as new parents. Right now Adam and I know each other so well as individuals, as husband and wife, but we don't know each other as mother and father. I am really looking forward to meeting my husband the father, and seeing my new little family all together bonding, just the three of us (and the pets). It seems romantic and deeply personal to me to have this time alone with my new family, to really learn who my daughter is and for her to learn who I am and who her father is.
That all being said I am sure I will get comments and emails telling me how great it was to have a million different people around them right after their baby was born. All I can say to that is, I'm glad you have the experience you did, and that you're happy with it. This is just a personal desire of mine, just like me wanting a home birth and a variety of other issues that we'll get to touch on later when it comes to raising this little girl.

Ohhh, I love you long time!

Hey how was that for a hiatus?
It was a good one!
Adam and I went on vacation. We spent a week on a houseboat in the middle of the Shushawp lakes. It was rainy, and a little chilly; but a vacation nonetheless. We had great fun with our friends and there was some drama; but it was with some of the other people on the boat.
The drive up to BC from California was long and the drive home seemed longer. I borrowed a couple books on tape from the library thereby increasing my geek quotient ten fold at least. We listened to a Jean Auel book and on the way home the Da Vinci Code, which I was most disappointed with. I found the information it gave to be highly interesting, but the plot was dumb, the whole looking all over for the grail was lame. Why would the grandfather send his granddaughter all over? Why wouldn't he just direct her to her grandmother in the first place? There was no need for the granddaughter to find the grail, as the grandmother explains the new keepers are already getting in place. Surly the grandfather would have known this since he was the leader of the bloody group. I think that if the author would have just tweaked the plot a little more, or had a little more back story as to why he wanted his granddaughter to have the grail it would have made more sense.
Sigh. Perhaps I am far to analytical. Also I'm sorry if I've ruined the plot for anyone. (The ending of the book ruined it for me, so I'm just sharin' the love.)
Anyhow now we're home, and we're getting ready for an onslaught of visitors starting in August. Adam and I need to sort out the spare room and buy some furniture. We're going to get a new couch and a dresser for the spare room. I think we're going to get an old one from some second hand store and refinish it. I loathe having a house that reeks too much of Ikea that I need some more original pieces. As it is already our bedroom dressers are all Ikea, the shelves in the house are all Ikea and the couch will be Ikea. I need some me!
Well that should sum it all up.
ciao!

T minus 12 minutes.

So technically I should be on my treadmill sweating away getting all warmed up for my trainer. I should. However my blog calls to me.
I have all of these posts planned to write, one about fraud, one about credit counselling, one about Kyle Brandt and also the usual drivel. But I only have 10 minutes, so I will talk about my house.
My house is a disaster. How can 2 adults and 22 pounds of pet make so much of a mess? Why do I hate cleaning so much? I am a wife, shouldn't I love it? Did I forget to take the housecleaning pill? Damn I knew I was forgetting something the day I said "I take you Adam...".
We're getting ready to go on vacation to BC. We leave Thursday after Adam gets off work and we're going to drive until we're bleary eyed, then we will sleep and drive until we get there on Friday. I'm not looking forward to the driving. Although I am a Berkan in name now, I have not yet assimilated the love of the open road. The Harker in me pukes and gets grumpy. It's going to be a fun ride!
So today I must pack! I am packing for the dog, who requires a crazy amount of stuff. I also am packing various gifts for various children I need to see while I'm there. Also I need to pack clothes for me and Mr. Berkan. If left to his own resources he would be really stinky after 2 days on the boat. I don't like sleeping with the stinky man, I like the Kenneth Cole* version of that man. I'm also a cleaning maniac today. I want to take everything off of our counters and give them an extra good scrub to ensure no little ants come and infest our house. They've been the bain of my existence for the past while and I don't want to come home to find them everywhere. I am hesitant to get ant bait because of the small beastie we have who eats everything. I think one very expensive vet bill a year is good, and we're one past our limit already this year.
So that's me lately.
Oh yes I must remember to pack vats of sunscreen. I've declared that I won't get burnt on this trip, but now I'm worried. Adam and I went to a festival on Sunday and I was in the sun for 3 hours and managed to get burnt, and I was wearing properly applied 70 SFP. So I guess I should reapply every 2 hours. I wonder what the long term affects of sunscreen is?
Well I have one minute.

* it's his cologne

I'm leaving on a jet plane.

Tomorrow morning at 4:30am I'm leaving for BC. I'm excited, mostly to see Tessa, (I cannot tell a lie) but also it's my friend's 30th birthday and I need to be there to usher her into adulthood, and I have a friend moving away from Kelowna so I want to see her and her baby. So I have a lot planned. Along with eating at all of my old favourites and just general soaking it in. YAY home.
Although I will miss Adam and the pets. It will be strange to sleep alone without a small dog in one armpit and a large cat crowding me on the other side, and a husband who occasionally snores, but always hogs the covers.

I think I'll survive!

Also I've posted several new recipies on my other blog, go and seek!