Wordy Wednesday

Just a couple random thoughts on my mind this beautiful day here in Northwest Washington...

- We joined a gym a few weeks ago, it's great. They have a supervised playroom for kids (and babies) so I can get my workout on during the weekdays. We've also been going as a family on Saturday mornings too. Since I'm PG I'm not able to push it too much, but it's nice to stay more active this pregnancy and a great way for Braden to get some kid time... and me some alone time a few times a week! :) It is a little disheartening though to be working out but the scales are still headed in an upward direction and I'm getting bigger and not smaller, but it's helping me become stronger which will help when I attempt a VBAC delivery this September (that means I had a c-section with Braden... and am going to plan a natural delivery this time. Often once you have a c-section you usually have another one, but I'm giving it a shot). ANYWAY.... this was all to set up my first random point.

Thanks to the super skinny minny next to me on the elliptical machine today. I stayed on an extra five minutes because I didn't want to seem like a wuss and distracted myself by dreaming about the day in about 7-9 months from now I can start aggressively trying to be skinny minny again too.

- After the initial surprise that Baby Boy Ramsey was actually Baby Girl Ramsey, Chad has been quite cute about it (sorry to embarrass you Chad)... but he did have this to say while acknowledging we have nothing girly, (no clothes, no bedding and we don't live near people we know to grab all those hand me downs). "I'm looking forward to to my baby girl, but I won't even see her for 5 more months and she's already costing me a lot of money"!

- Braden is potty trained at home... not when we leave the house, mostly for my own self convenience of not having accidents everywhere. I'm starting to venture out with him in small doses free of training pants, it's going ok. He's started to tell me when he has to go potty... this past Sunday I was so proud of him when he told me he had to go - only that we were in the check out line in the grocery store and our cart has already been emptied out. So we waited... and I was sweating. We made it though... we ran right after we were done...and he made it. Until he had held it so long and had to go so bad he had no control where it was spraying... which ended up all over me. It was a humble walk for me back to the cart and our car.

- Need more Big B potty stories... he's started peeing standing up. He thinks it's fun... I think it's still too messy, but it's getting better (and I have a HUGE towel that is covering the floor. And the other thing he has to do... yeah, he doesn't like me to be in the bathroom with him most of the time... and peeing standing up seems quite tidy otherwise... it's an adventure and we're slowly but surely making some progress.

- Braden wants to be naked all the time. He is constantly taking off his pants and underwear and I'm constantly running around after him to put them back on.

- I know what made me sick before my doctor's appt Monday. I've tested as slightly anemic because of the pregnancy (your blood supply increases by about 50%) and since I'm the worst at eating veggies... let alone extra veggies, I need to take iron supplements each day in addition to my prenatal. Well that can be rough on your tummy, especially early in the day. The label warned me... I didn't listen. Lesson learned.

Big B Stats...

Today we went to the pediatrician for Braden since we just moved and could meet the group that was providing us with the referral to Children's Hospital in Seattle. Braden is 28 months and we got his "stats" today... he's living up to my name for him... Big B.
Weight - 34 lbs (90th percentile)
Height - 38 inches (95th percentile)
I can't believe my baby boy is 3 ft 2 inches already! All I could think of today was - how old will he be when he's taller than me (I'm 5'2")? It now makes sense that most people we talk to think he's already three years old!

And Baby Ramsey is a...

Would you just look at that huge belly... and I'm only half way done!!! Now onto to our GENDER DISCOVERY STORY...

Well, well, well. Interesting morning. It started out rough, I got sick... and emptied my entire stomach by 9am. I didn't want to be dehydrated (and not pass my pee tests at the doc today!) so I tried to chug some water.

Walking into the doctor this morning was pretty anti-climatic. Let me explain...

I must confess. 3 1/2 weeks ago I had a quick ultrasound and the doctor and I saw some... "boy parts". I was easily convinced since my "mommy's intuition" told me I was having another boy. Of course would have been happy to have a girl, but loved the idea of my two boys rough housin' as they grew up. So this picture was easy for us to buy into. But still... we decided to wait until the big ultrasound today just to be sure and let a professional confirm that we were indeed offspringing (I don't think it's a word, but I like it anyway) another Ramsey male.

My ultrasound this morning wasn't smooth because I was in fact still dehydrated and my uterus was cramping (you know you don't drink enough liquids, have a big work out and your muscles cramp... the uterus is a muscle too). So things were taking a really long time to get the right views and measurements since the baby was kind of stuck in one place and couldn't really move around). It was over an hour... we finally got everything they needed. I'm happy to report that all looks normal and well with Baby Ramsey. At the very end, the very nice ultrasound tech wanted to give us the "money shot" so we could confirm the gender (did anyone catch on these last few weeks when I used words like gender revelation or gender confirmation instead of gender discovery? Well that's because we "knew" and I didn't want to completely lie about it!) After three trips to the bathroom, moving around, stretching, chugging more water we finally got a look between those legs that had been crossed tight the whole time... and we discovered ...

IT'S A GIRL!!!

We were SHOCKED! It's just kind of starting to sink in. We know we're lucky to experience the chance to have one of each and there is a lot to look forward to (have you seen how cute baby girl clothes are???). Braden is going to be such a great protective older brother! And I know there are a lot of you out there hoping Chad would someday have a daughter that would just wrap him a million times around her tiny little finger.

So now we go back to the drawing board and start to narrow down names for a girl. We likely will keep that to ourselves and share with you all when she makes her grand entrance in September. I did ask Braden what he wants to call his little sister and he told me "Dinosaur".

Here are some pictures of our dear daughter... wow.

It's a foot! :) So cute!

QUICK... Vote!!!

Quick... look to your right. I added a poll. We're revealing the gender of Baby Ramsey tomorrow (Monday) and want to see what you think! We should be able to send out the update by about 3pm Central time! :)

The Heart of My Child...

I've put off writing about this because I was waiting for more information... and I didn't know how much of it to put out there, but we're kind of at a standstill (and I have an adorable video to post) so I thought I'd just dive right in. (Some of you already know this background, but for those of you that don't, I'll start with a quick summary... or at least as quick as I can be).

Wednesday - October 10, 2007 - (Braden is 10 months old). After two days of a high fever I had an appointment to bring Braden into the pediatrician. In the meantime we were told to give him Infant Motrin to control the fever. For good measure and to give the doctor the next day the most info possible I decided to wake Braden up about 10pm to check his temp again and see if he needed more Motrin. Well... not only was his fever completely gone... it dropped in the other direction to 94.5. Braden was in good spirits, his hands, feet and lips weren't cool so I put him back to bed. But it just wasn't sitting well with me. So I hopped onto WebMd... and Google... anything to see what a low temp like that meant, particularly in young children. Guess what, there isn't a lot of information out there for low fevers so I called Northwestern Hospital ER and asked them what they thought... they told me to bring him in immediately and that his temp was indicating borderline hypothermia.... say what?!? We got there, they hooked him up to things and found that his heart rate was in the 50s. Doctors and nurses are stunned by this. What does that mean? We didn't know, what's average for a kid his age? Say that again... 100-120??? So again... what does this mean?
We were referred to Children's Hospital in Chicago and went directly there. Braden was given a few EKGs, an IV, and an Echo cardiogram. (His low fever was gone now... and hasn't ever returned, there has never been an explanation for this, only that is was the warning sign that kicked everything else into motion). Indeed this heart rate was generally staying in the 50s/60s (and into the 40s when he slept). We were moved to the PICU and stayed there for several days. They ran ALL kinds of tests on him and he remained in good spirits the entire time. Nothing about him seemed "sick". His Echo showed that his heart was functioning at 100%. All the tests came back with no information (except that he was showing slight signs of hypothyroidism). He wasn't born with a low heart rate like this...
I could share many more details of the hospital stay (which Chad had to leave, two of his very best friends were getting married that Friday and he was in the wedding). Braden wasn't in any "danger", they had gotten the information they could for the time and sent us home that Saturday afternoon.
The diagnosis: Bradycardia with a Type One Second Degree Heart Block (Wenckeback AV Block) In case you want to know what that is, click the link.
Hmm... so now what? He was put on a low dosage of Thyroid medication (which he has been off of about 6/7 months now and has tested twice since then with a normal thyroid). But that was it... since the Bradycardia showed no symptoms and a follow up 3 months later showed no change it just "is what it is", no medications, no limitations. But something for us to keep tabs on, which finally brings me to the point of this post.
It was about the time we needed to get things checked out and we were also leaving Canada. We wanted to take advantage of getting testing done before we left because of the "free" health care. So while Chad loaded up the moving truck, I took Braden in for some follow up testing. All the blood work came back normal (woo-hoo, always a relief). And the EKG "looked good" according to the nurse, he still had a low heart rate, but nothing "shocking" showed up from her look at things.
Well... well... well...
3 WEEKS LATER Chad gets a frantic call from someone in Canada telling us that they have looked over our son's EKG and he has a heart block (a complete heart block... what?) and he's never seen anything like it in such a young person, we need to bring him to the ER. And off we go. We're not really panicky since the child is showing NO signs of slowing down and it's been 3 weeks?!?! But I'm concerned, a bit scared and questioning myself and how I didn't call to demand the results sooner, blah, blah. We get him there... sure enough they locate a Heart Block... but it's not complete but to know if it's made any change from before we have to take him to the experts. In Seattle.
All the referral paperwork as been done and the earliest we can get in for a "non-dangerous, non-emergency" visit is Friday, May 22nd. The doctors in Bellingham told us this isn't something you see in children his age and it's best that we work with the (it's long I'm warning you) Electrophysiologist Pediatric Cardiologists to check in with and see if there is any plan of action we need to take and make several visits the next 6-12 months to get a really good look at things.
The good news... Braden is in no immediate or predictable danger! Seattle Children's Hospital is ranked #8 in the country, which is also a relief to know he'll be in good care. And quite frankly, it's very comforting just to spend time with Braden and see how strong he is and looking at him you would never, ever think his heart beats at half the "normal" rate for a kid his age. We're optimistic and just think (and hope) his heart is just that much more efficient to do the same job with half the work (future super athlete???) :)
The bad news... it's my child's heart and knowing it's not perfect is a scary thought.
Wait... I take it back. His heart may not function perfect according to the textbooks... but his little heart with all his hugs and kisses and cuddles is absolutely beautiful and perfect through his mother's eyes.
Now - if you've made it this far it's worth it to watch the very quick video of Braden in the ER last week. So it's clear - he says, "Let's get out of here, Let's get out of here - fake burp - Excuse Me!"

Some Exploration

The weather here has been fabulous... but realizing we live in the Northwest we could wind up with rain for a week straight. We also have this brand new area to explore and that's just what we've been doing! (This has also resulted in some long and tough walks!) We've only just begun with the exploring, there are a lot more parks and such for us to check out!

Monday morning... I heard about Lake Padden, with it's 2.6 mile walking trail and large playground. Here's Braden on the first half of the walk (note, it's flat here, right?)

Wait... is this the same trail? Yes, the other side of Lake Padden, this is where all the ups and downs on the trails were, as well as a gravel path. I have discovered that my city umbrella stroller is not equipped for long, "off roading" type walks like this. Braden thought we were in the "jungle" and kept looking monkeys.

Whew... we made it to the park. I may or may not have been a bit sweaty after that second half of the walk and needed a few minutes to recover. (Do I get sympathy points for pushing 35 lbs plus and being almost 5 months pregnant?) Tuesday we went to a little historical district called Fairhaven. Very cute with cafes, little specialty shops, etc. I didn't get a good picture of that. From there we took the boardwalk and a trail to Boulevard Park on the water.

A shot of the boardwalk and Bellingham Bay, it was really peaceful and pretty. I managed to get an almost bare shot, but really there were a lot of people out and about.

Boulevard Park. Big B running in circles chasing after a baseball the older kid kept throwing around for him.

After all the little exploring adventures we went back into Fairhaven and stopped at a little red bus cafe on the corner to get ice cream! 24 flavors of soft serve... YUM!

Tulip Town

This fine Sunday we took a family outing 35 minutes south to Mt. Vernon... there we met our friends Paul and Stephanie (they live in Seattle), after a big lunch we hit up "Tulip Town". This month long festival attracts impressive numbers. This year the blooms are about 2 weeks behind, we thought we waited long enough, but you'll see that there is still a lot of green where the flowers haven't opened yet. Even still... very pretty to see in person the rows and rows of colors like that. I'm sharing some pictures, but Paul has a fancy camera and those pictures are better, but for now mine will have to do! We do not have many pictures of the three of us. Usually Braden is the star and one of us (usually me) is behind the camera. Paul and Steph were kind enough to let us take advantage and get some family pictures together. And oh... even though you could accurately call me "Chubs"... try and refrain. Remember that busting belly of mine has a growing human. (ok, maybe you weren't going to call me "Chubs"... maybe that was me... it's the truth people! I just need to remind myself that there is a growing human in there)

Paul, Steph and Big B... See the mountains in the background? It was an overcast and kind of hazy day, I imagine it's quite a clear shot on a nice day. (Hey... notice that the growing human is making another appearance?)

Red and yellow flowers together always look so nice... great contrast! That's the color combo I need to be sure to put in one of my big pots (more on that later... and maybe here is where I should apologize to my friends, I have no idea what is happening to me considering I spend time pondering what I should put in my potted plants... do I need a "city" intervention?)

Sorry Chad...

Just an afternoon at home while Chad's at work. The high heels... the sunglasses... the boy did it all by himself. I tried to get him to take off the navy socks and put on pants, it was all happening so fast, this wasn't a battle worth fighting. The final product was his own special creation. I was just left behind to document as he "strut his stuff" all through the house. Apologies to my husband... I couldn't resist.

Update on Baby Ramsey

I'm officially 18 weeks today (or 4 1/2 months for those of you that the "weeks" of pregnancy are confusing). I met with the doctor here in Washington about a week and half ago, got a check-up and quick ultrasound, everything looked good. We have the next appointment two weeks from now (Monday, April 27th) and will get a gender confirmation!

I've felt Baby Ramsey moving around a bit, I wish I felt it more often, but it's still early. It should become more frequent and stronger in the next few weeks.

I've included some shots of the belly... this one with Braden, he was actually kissing the belly (it looks a little odd here). Every time you ask him where the baby is he lifts up my shirt, kisses my belly and says, "hi, baby!".

Let's Play Catch...

Catch up that is... I'm way behind on posts. So... are we unpacked... not completely, but we'll finish with some of those boxes and hanging things on a rainy weekend (we live in the Northwest... happens... a lot!)

We've kept pretty busy here, we had a beautiful weekend and Monday, Tuesday here... it's gotten chilly again for now, I'm sure we'll have a lot of back and forth before nice spring/summer weather settles in. On to pictures/stories, I know that's all you're reading this for! :)

Enjoying some coloring and snack on the patio on a beautiful day!

It's probably a few weeks early, but we went ahead and got some of our plants potted. Things look a little bare now, but that's because we had to leave room for them to grow!!!

This is the house across the street from us, no one lives there yet. I took a picture because Braden all on his own has named it "The Barn"

At our new place we have a playground just a few blocks away. It's kind of small, but it works and Big B and I really enjoyed the nice weather and playing around.

Braden playing soccer in the backyard, and another pic having another snack on the patio. This day is was warm enough for shorts! We have loved having the backyard for Braden to run around in (and I've enjoyed the lounge chair!).

Check out this plug...

June 3, 2002 - I walked into my first "real" job after 2 years of grad school... my sorority executive office... in Arlington, TX. That first day I was very nervous, but quickly began to feel at ease because I was someone else was having their first day too... someone that I am still friends with (Chad and I introduced her and her husband, what fun!). Many of you have heard me talk of Jessica (also of Jessica and Ben :), she is one of those people that makes EVERYONE around her feel good, important, listened to. She's also a domestic diva, she can take risks in the kitchen and baking I could only dream of! And she's fun... oh so fun (at 22 and 24 we celebrated our birthday weekend by getting some matching body art), and when she works, she's one of the finest professionals and a very talented writer. Her career in Public Relations has brought her to Children's Medical Center in Dallas... now here's that plug I was talking about.

Jessica, in addition to all her other fabulous responsibilities, is writing a blog for her work. I've always admired her writing style, direct, not too wordy, but yet incredibly descriptive and you feel like she's writing just for you. A laid-back, but very professional style... you'll see... and you'll enjoy! And unlike me... she doesn't go on and on rambling with really long posts that make you dizzy! It's a great resource if you have children, getting ready to have children... or just like kids! :) So bookmark it... it will be one of those daily 3 minute reads and you'll be smarter for it! It's called "From the Red Balloon" and here's the direct website - http://www.childrensmedicalcenter.blogspot.com/

Scatterbrains

It's been a very hectic very weeks, but we've made it with just a few little blips of complete scatterbrain syndrome.

THE LOCKOUT - First day in the house that Chad was back at work... I woke up with Braden and immediately checked to make sure all the doors were locked so my little escape artist couldn't escape (although he's tall enough to reach the door and the lock on the front door... we're still working on a solution, but he hasn't run off yet so that's a good thing). Anyway, I locked the door to the garage too. But it's one of those tricky ones that even while it's locked... you can open from the inside and it just locks behind you from the outside. A few hours into the day the playroom is all set up and Big B is happily playing. I grab the trash out of the garbage can to take it to the big garbage can in the garage. Now I didn't realize it was a "trick lock" and had completely forgotten about it and since I opened the door no problem I took the bag out... only to be locked out!!! While Braden was playing inside! There is a side door on the garage, I ran out there (no shoes... fun) and discovered that the porch door was unlocked and I was safely back inside! (So much for me being successful in making sure ALL the doors were locked, upon entering the house I locked the porch door behind me). I checked on Braden... he had no idea that I was even gone. Then I remembered I left the side door in the garage open (because I didn't want that to lock behind me either) and ran out to the garage to shut and lock it... only I never unlocked the tricky door lock to the garage!!! That's right... it locked behind me again. But this time, the porch door was locked too! Now I'm completely locked out of the house (still no shoes) with my toddler alone...

Well...I knocked on the door and called Braden's name hoping he would hear me and I could tell him to open the door and let me in. It worked... after about two minutes I was safely back inside the house. The whole time I could hear him say, "Mommy? Mommy's hiding! Where are you?" When he got to me he opened the door and said "Mommy's hiding... silly Mommy".

MR. FORGETFUL - It started when Chad traveled to Calgary last week for work and forgot his laptop power cord in his hotel room... and with his new laptop it's some fancy "doesn't work with the standard laptop cords". What does that mean? Going to Radio Shack and purchasing a ridiculously overpriced fancy cord that works... but that's not all. Leaving for another work trip yesterday Chad forgot his cell phone... he'll be gone three days so obviously he needs it. Yesterday Braden and I made a trip downtown Vancouver to bring it to him.

THE FLIGHT - 99% of the time when Chad travels for work, he leaves Tuesday evening after work. I think only once or twice has he left on a Monday evening instead, but it's always an evening flight. This week he's off to Winnipeg and then Edmonton. Winnipeg is a long flight with a two hour time difference, so he was scheduled to leave at 8pm and land at 12:40am... yuck! Or so we thought. I've been bugging Chad to send me his flight info before he travels so I know what flights he's on and when he's due to come back. Finally this week he remembered. About 5pm yesterday I take a look at it and what do I see??? A booked flight that left Tuesday at 8 AM!!! I immediately call him and it works out that if he really rushes he can make a 6:45pm flight out... I'm happy to report he made it, just as they began to board!

Hopefully I won't have anymore scatterbrain stories to share...

We have arrived!

So far... so good. We're home in Washington state now! I've already made my first trip to Target and hitting up Costco this afternoon. Guess what else... I went out to pick up pizza and drinks the night we got here... it was a 3 minute drive!!! Woo-hoo! We've gotten a lot done, but there is still A LOT to do. Braden is loving it, his new playroom is on the main floor so he's just playing and playing some more! He's been a champ through this whole process. Chad leaves again for work travel tomorrow so hopefully when he gets back I'll have most everything put together. We were both SO tired last night, we turned in when Braden went to bed, only to stay up for another two hours because we rented the first season of How I Met Your Mother. Cable comes tomorrow... yay for getting Comcast back!

Ok... not much time to write and certainly no pictures yet since things are not camera ready, but sometime this week I'll get to it. We're really happy with this layout, and the house is really nice.

When we were leaving our place in Canada the sun started shining and as it was empty we got a great final look at the amazing view and house. Perfect way to leave.

37 hours...

We're picking up the moving truck bright and early Saturday morning. I'm taking a few moments from packing and cleaning to relax on the couch with a prime seat to the gorgeous views of the Coastal Mountains. It's just 7pm and Braden has already been asleep for 30 minutes. This morning I got a call from one of the other mothers in Furry Creek, she offered to take Braden to the park with her kids for a few hours so I could get things done... and I'm so grateful, I accomplished a lot. Big B had such a great time (he talked about it throughout the afternoon) and was completely tuckered out. But for some reason a super tired kid doesn't always nap, which is why he completely passed out on his own early tonight. Chad has been traveling this week for work (and again next week). Poor guy is coming back to chaos and won't have a chance to rest before he's on the road again. He's done a great job over the past three weekends putting things into order for this move. Especially considering I'm pregnant and really trying to take it easy and not move or lift anything heavy.

I can finally say that while there are still some odds and ends to pack, beds to take down, linens to wash and cleaning to do... I can see the finish line, we're almost there. I should be a pro at moving by now. I've moved AT LEAST once a year since I was 18 (and through college I moved three times a year!). The only time I was anywhere since I started college for two years in a row was our condo in Chicago. I moved around a lot as a kid (my dad was in the Navy) until we settled in Homewood when I was 10 and stayed for the next 8 years. I am very anxious when I finally make a move somewhere and think, I won't have to pack a box for years! Wow... am I getting sidetracked or what?

I just am taking a bit of time to think about the last year, where we've been and where we're going. We're about to end our official "Canadian" adventure, and it's been nice. We've met some really nice people in the area, and it is really a beautiful place in the world, we've been lucky to have this front row seat. With that said... we'll still get to enjoy what Vancouver has to offer, as well as exploring Washington.

We won't have Internet hooked up until Tuesday morning (unless a neighbor has an open wireless connection), so I think this will be the last blog until then, not to mention... I think we'll be a little busy :)

So long Canada, don't take it personally, it's been a good year... it's just time to move on.

Spinning...

WARNING: THIS POST WAS WRITTEN BY A WHINY, HORMONAL PREGNANT WOMAN (who is fighting the craving of chocolate).
Chad and I both are suffering from a bit of whiplash from our heads spinning at top speed with everything that has to be done this week. We're packing, moving, crossing the border (which means that EVERY box, every little everything has to be labeled and inventoried to present at the border where we hope things go smooth), unpacking once we get there - but that alone is ok. It's all the little things, CANADA HOUSE: packing, scheduling cleaners, transferring utilities, and preparing for our CHICACO CONDO tenants that are moving out, scheduling those cleaners, trying to get that place re-rented, making sure those utilities are transferred, then onto the WASHINGTON HOUSE, where all the utilities have been transferred already, deposits made, keys exchanged so hopefully we've got that covered. Maybe it doesn't sound like much, but we're checking off lists, constantly talking to each other about "did money transfer in time from the Canadian account to the US account, what do we need where by what day?" Not to mention the sweet toddler running around, my pregnancy which has been draining all my energy this week (along with providing some really nice afternoon headaches)... and to top it off, Chad's traveling this week for work... fun, huh???
Ok - so enough of my complaining.
Oh wait - I lied. I am going to complain about Canada Post. When we did an address change from our Chicago address to here in Canada, we spent $1.99 a piece, and our mail was forwarded to Canada, that was it - simple. To transfer from Canada to Washington - $110 for 6 months (shortest time they have). Thankfully all bills will be paid and closed out for transfer by Friday and we didn't use this as our "permanent" address for anything but Canadian utilities so we're leaving it be.
And just to not make this post entirely sour - I do know we'll get it all done. We've made great progress packing, Chad is off Friday after his morning conference calls. By Friday night I'll feel good when all the things in Canada are squared away and we're ready for to load the truck. I'm going to focus on looking ahead to one week from today when cable/Internet is installed in the new house and we have made some progress unpacking and settling in. I mean - one week, that will be here in no time!

Updates

So we're 8 days from moving and while Chad did an AWESOME job getting a lot of things packed last weekend... but there is still a lot to do. Hopefully by the end of this weekend we're packed up and just living out of a suitcase and only have our beds/TVs and such to get ready next Friday.

Yesterday Braden and I went to see the new house, do a walk through, sign the lease and get the keys. It was nice to be there again and actually the backyard was bigger than I remembered, as well as Braden's play area. It has a good layout for us and I'm looking forward to that (once the moving chaos is over).

Braden's potty training - the "Big Boy Underwear Boot Camp" worked and aside from a few minor accidents here and there he's got it down pat! Now - we still haven't gotten to handling it once we leave the house, but we'll get there. I anticipate we'll have a bit of a set back for a few days with the move, but I'm confident we'll be ok. So - we're not 100% but we're getting closer each week and so far, so good.

Lastly - I thought I'd share some pics and a video of Big B.

While I'm cooking dinner each night I've looked for creative ways to keep Braden "occupied" but playing and having fun. Here's a look...

What happens when you give Braden markers... well this. He was strapped into his chair and given some markers, paper and stickers to play with. Thank goodness they were non-toxic and washable! :)

Another day I gave Braden the step stool (his new favorite thing) and filled up the sink with bubbles, water and some cups and Tupperware. He has also learned how to say "CHEESE" to smile for pictures and that's what the video is. He keeps saying it over and over waiting for the flash! :) (It's a 9 second video).

Lastly, I'll admit there are a few days here and there lately that Braden has been not too keen on taking a nap... unless I hook him up in Mom and Dad's bed with Mickey and the Musketeers. Maybe it's not my finest parenting example, but some days you just do what you gotta do.

Back to the good ol' US of A

This is a bit wordy, but bare with me...
We have another big announcement... the title of this blog will change from "The Ramsey's Adventure in Canada" to "The Ramsey's Great Northwest Adventure". WHY??? We're moving! Back to the United States! Let me explain...

Chad works in downtown Vancouver (when he's not traveling at least two, but usually three weeks out of the month). We now live in beautiful Furry Creek. It's a 45 minute commute for Chad and it's north of the city. Where we live now is like living at a vacation house... all the time. Things are gorgeous here, people are friendly, the house is wonderful and golf or skiing is right at Chad's disposal. Doesn't sound like we want to move anywhere does it? Well...

The major motivating factor in our decision to move is purely financial. By moving across the US border (near Bellingham) Reasons include:
- Chad will get paid in US dollars, and get his 401K contributions back.
- Rents are a lot less expensive for a house
- I won't even shock you with how expensive it's been to heat this house because it's gas heated by an individual propane tank.
- The conversion rate - We still have financial responsibilities in the US, (difference from the rent we get and our mortgage, association dues, my retirement fund, car insurance and on and on). So, for while we had to convert money each month - and wound up spending A LOT lost in the conversion rate, it made us sick to our stomach (the conversion rate today is 77 cents to the dollar, and that's a better day).
- Simple cost of living - the little things add up - groceries - you've all heard me complain of $42 for a box of 12 chicken breasts, or $18 for a pound of turkey, almost $9 for a bag of shredded cheese, $18 to dry clean one suit, gas is less expensive - I could go on - but I won't because I'm not trying to bash things here, it's been a wonderful experience. And I'm sure as our time here winds down I'll continue to be more reflective of that.
- Bummers - we won't be in the middle of the Olympics action, our next baby won't be a dual citizen, Chad (and Paul too) loved, loved the Furry Creek golf course, out neighbors have been really nice, I'll miss Wednesday morning play dates, and of course.... it's so beautiful here.

So, we were given the opportunity to move back and considering our future long term it's best that we leave.

So... now that you understand WHY? Let me give you the WHERE?

We'll be moving to Ferndale - 6 miles north of a larger town, Bellingham. This commute adds about 10-15 minutes to Chad's total commute time. They have a pass he'll get for crossing the border).
- Ferndale is a pretty small town, about 9,000 people. But it does have a grocery store and I only have to drive 5 minutes from milk or diapers, not like now where it's 20 minutes... each way.
- Bellingham is a larger town, about 75,000 (the size and things they have available kind of reminds me of Bloomington-Normal, but I'll have to actually live there and see if my comparison is way off). It's 6 miles down the highway (10 minutes) and I'll have access to Target (which isn't in Canada - on second thought... uh oh!) and other places I just can't get to from here without driving almost an hour.
- The new house has a nice backyard! Big B is going to LOVE it. And I'm going to love it too.
- The new house is literally brand new, we'll be the first to live there. It's also just the right size for us and we'll use all the space. More all that later once we get there.
- Instead of a 20 minute drive to a playground... there is one in the subdivision (yay!)
- Delivery/Take out - another one that is a pro... but also a con. Here I've been forced to do the cooking since nothing delivers. So it's nice to have that option back, but it's going to take a lot of discipline on my part to stick to limits.
- Paul and Stephanie are only 90 minutes away, that close... hope they don't get sick of us :)

I think you all get the point now... so are you wondering WHEN???

2 weeks, that's right... crazy. March 28th to be exact. The thought of moving makes me ill. But with such a short time, I can only be insane for 2 or 3 weeks and then it's over. It's not like it will hang over my head for another month or longer. I'm trying to look for the positive, but I am absolutely dreading it.

So WHAT does that mean for people that were planning to come and visit???
- Actually I think it may wind up being better. You see, Seattle is only 90 minutes away and flights from Chicago to Seattle you can catch for $200 or so. And it's a very easy drive. And we're still only an hour from Vancouver - so if you come to visit it's the same time if we stayed where we are now. The downside is Whistler is now not an easy day trip, but if that is where you want to go... we'll work it out (and I'm sure Chad would be happy to make a pit stop at Furry Creek for a round of golf!). SO - come to see Seattle, Vancouver and a place to stay in between! Plus, I've been reading about things to do in Bellingham and the San Juan Islands is easy to get to, Mt. Baker is there for skiing (and I'm still looking into Victoria). :) Don't you worry, if you still want to come - invitation is open and we can still do all the same things (maybe more!)

I'm sure I've over explained... that's what I do! I'll try not to be a crazy person the next few weeks as we pack up, unpack and get settled - that's for you Chad... I'll try not to be a crazy, emotional, pregnant wacko while we get through this transition. :)

The view from here...

Ahh.... taken about 6:30 the other night, breathtaking. However since I can't stare out the window all day I have a different view these days. This one of the potty training toddler that is 100% potty trained... naked (no bottoms on). But as soon as I put on the thin cotton layer known as "Big Boy Underwear" (BBU for future reference) all his fabulous potty know how is gone. Why? Why does does this tiny layer cause such confusion??? Well I wasn't stocked up with enough pairs of the BBU and had to revert back to naked. I mean, seeing a kid's bare bottom is cute and all, for a hot minute, then you just want your child to have clothes on again. But we're working on almost two weeks of this naked time (just at our house... and we've been spending a lot of time just at our house) - and I've seen enough! I've got 9 pairs of BBU ready and waiting, so when he wakes up it's BBU potty boot camp!

Without further ado, this has been "the view from here" these days...

And I realize his socks pulled up that way look a little silly, but it's winter and cold... the boy has no pants on!

It makes my heart so happy

As I type this, I turned the TV off to listen to Braden doing my all time favorite thing (aside from snuggles). And he does a lot of cute things. It makes my heart happy and seriously... tears spring to my eyes because it's just so precious.

He has started to read to himself, he's been doing it for awhile, and it's all memorization because we've sat and read all these books ten zillion times already together. But as he's getting a little older and his speech is getting so clear and he's picking up on the small things in the books... it's so... sigh... it just makes me a little speechless.

So... I hear him in his bedroom, trying to fall asleep and "reading", He says "Good Night Moon", "Good Night Kittens", Good Night Mittens" and on and on (and clear as a bell).

Thanks Braden - for giving me something really worth listening in on.

Five and Zero

Five and Zero put side by side = 50! The Barbie Doll is celebrating her 50th birthday today (3/9)... do you know who Barbie shares her birthday with??? My mother... my mom turned 50 years young today and celebrated with dinner at Aurelio's with friends and family (umm... how jealous was I they were eating that? Let me tell you in case you didn't pick up on my sarcasm... I was very jealous).

Happy 50th Mom!

Workin' on a Full House

That's right folks, we're having a baby! I cannot wait for Braden to be a big brother! 12 weeks along (for you that hate the whole "pregnancy weeks" - that's 3 months. Aside from a few weeks of being sleepy, I feel fine. I'm growing quickly (reference picture below) but I swear there is only one in there (reference bottom picture).

A few things to note:

- Yes, I knew when I was in the states in January, we tested and found out the morning I left. I hope everyone understands that after the miscarriage last fall we decided to sit tight and make sure things were progressing well and get past "the 12 week mark"

- The only good thing about that nasty sinus infection I had when I was visiting is it was a great cover when declining adult beverages, it didn't seem like people were onto me (and if you were, than thank you for just letting it be)

- What made the sinus infection worse was that I was pregnant... no medicine relief for me until (after a miserable week) I called my old OB/GYN in Chicago and begged for something safe I could take.

- I totally cheated today - I had an ultrasound a week and half ago and things looked good. However, because of last time - I just wanted some confirmation once I hit 12 weeks - but my appointment wasn't until next week. So - I took advantage of Canada's super health care system, waited at a walk-in clinic for 30 minutes and got a Doppler check for the heartbeat, much to my relief and also because I've been bursting to share the news!

- I got clearance to travel into July - so I will be present at my sister's wedding (thank you to my sister that moved her date up three weeks for that to be possible!) and also Amy and Andy's wedding, where Chad is a best man and Braden will be the ring bearer!

- When you see the picture below... it seems insane right? At three months??? I don't understand. But I've only gained 3-4 pounds while pregnant, so as my body is changing and shifting... it's just sticking straight out front.

- The gender - yes - we will be finding out, we should know by late April/early May

- It's super fun that so many of my friends are PG right around the same time... when I'm back in July it will be Baby Belly Photo Madness

We are relieved and now that we've gotten to this point - very excited!

Risk

Sorry if you're reading this and really could give two hoots about Braden's bathroom habits, I'll try and be brief.
At the risk of speaking too soon... Braden has taken a turn in the potty training process and is doing an awesome job. Now... it's really because he's without bottoms around the house and it's easy for him to take care of things on his own and not be lazy about it like he was wearing the training pants. (Although I think the training pants were useful because it allowed us to get used to the idea of what what going on and he learned all about it how to successfully use the bathroom, without having to be 100% responsible for it at the same time, does that make sense?)
So, it's not like we're ready to leave the house and take a potty break at the mall or anything - but it's moving along in the right direction, very few accidents and lots and lots of success! :) Yay Big B!