I am sooooooooooooo past the sell by date...

Just in case you don't believe me... and you think perhaps I'm being sneaky not letting you know that the baby has arrived... here is proof to show that I am not telling porkies. The expression on my face pretty much sums things up.


Still life

Last Sunday while we were walking the beast in the park with mum I snapped this pic of Fredu and Lilli. You can imagine what a lovely spring-esq day it was! Sorry Canadian people... We thought of you and your snow plights as we soaked up the sun!


Park life

You guessed it...

Still no action... not for lack of people asking :) She is such and anxiously anticipated arrival I hope she doesn't come out with a premadona complex... who am i fooling, she will be my daughter *evil chuckle*

I went back to work today for half a day today to try and get some yet to be sorted things out of the way... still a lot to do so I'm guessing she will not agree to arrive until I finish all my tasks... again... she will be my daughter and of course it is a very logical way of thinking about things...

Mum is on the mend, thank goodness! We had a beautiful lunch in the sunshine this afternoon. Temperatures here are nearly 20! Much better than the -23 that she has escaped from... we figure that at least if I can't provide a grand daughter, we're doing okay with delivering the good weather.

Surprise baby showers, Canadian arrivals and more waiting...

To round off the hormonal crisis I had last wednesday... I was totally surprised when Chiara arrived to my flat and insisted that I come downstairs and see her... As you can imagine, this was the last thing in the world I felt like doing... however once downstairs she ushered me to my favorite little cafe around the corner where Alfredo had arranged for all my friends to be there waiting for me for a surprise baby shower! This custom of having a baby shower does not at all exist in this part of the world, thus it was even more special! You can tell by the pictures how run down I was looking but I didn't care as all my dear friends were there and it was so sweet! Even Lilli was there wearing her 'best in show t'shirt'.


The gang!


The giftage!!! (ah yes and an ever elusive picture of my bump)

Thursday my mum arrived! We greeted her at the airport and after some confusion due to the actual flight she was supposed to arrive upon being cancelled... we collected her and took her home. She brought with her oodles and oodles and oodles of things for the bub. 40 kilos of things to be exact! We feel so spoilt! Lots of thank you cards will be written for her to take back with her! Thursday night was the opening of the gallery where I've got my paintings. We mustered up enough energy to stop in... mum stayed home as she was exhausted by that point... I think I've sold two pieces already... all to be confirmed but I'm pretty sure they're sold. I'm not sure how I feel about it really... I think I liked them too much... too late now...

Friday was my due date and the day started with a 9am apt at the hospital. They did the stepford wives style stress test again to make sure the baby is okay. The girl hooked up next to me was in full on labour and having contractions... I was so jelous, I mean she wasn't even due until next week! But what can you do? I finished the test and met mum and fredu and dog on the beach for a walk and then a nice breakfast in the sun.

However yesterday mum came down with a flu and we spent most of the day trying to get her comfortable and on the mend. Poor thing! Today she is much improved and several pounds lighter once would think. Bless her she is so sweet!

The other day Fredu took some pictures of the bump (not really suitable to post on the blog) but when we were finished, Lilli insisted that she too have some pictures done... She sure is pretty!


A model pooch

No action

not for the lack of people asking though... the only thing going on with me is a fury of hormones which have turned me into a hysterical crazy woman. Cleaning my flat seems to help soothe the neurosis but the ever pilling up work load from my real life job is making me just that little bit more crazy!

I've not even made it into the office today for fear of accidently screaming at any of my unsuspecting colleagues... They are all so lovely I would hate myself if I lost the plot on one of them... I'm hiding in the confines of my home hoping that I can get at least a few things done today that will count as productive...

I was sadened today to hear of Heath Ledger's death. It's always so sad when people check out so early... his poor little girl!

Bump watch is boring...

There is no action and the moon or new moon or whatever is having no effect on her arrival... boo.

Lilli is also bored of waiting... but I think she will miss her little nestling spot between bosom and bump... here is a wee pic of her taking advantage of it just the other day... To be honest I think it's more the silky pj's that she likes... she's fickle that way.

Hurry up... and wait

I'm fighting the urge to clean every inch of the flat with a toothbrush... that should help kill some time surely... Too bad I've not the energy for such things. Other more furry members of my family tired themselves out running like a mad-dog around the terrace this afternoon and are now resting in a donut shape on top of a blanket... perhaps that's the right way to do this... The weather here today was unseasonably warm at 17 degrees which meant it was very condusive to helping dry the three loads of laundry I did... It's times like this that I am reminded that my wild ways of London living are truly a thing of the past. Not that it's a bad thing, but I've sure changed gears... there is no doubting that! Other parties are doing their best to scrape out their last few days of freedom by enjoying the multiple bread and butter parties that are littering the city this weekend. Change is sniffing around the corner and I think we're all a bit hesitant to face it..

After

Four... count them, four! Trips to the dr's this week I'm happy to see that the weekend is now not far off. Today's 9am jaunt to the hospital was for the 'anti-stress' test. They give this to you just before you are due to make sure that the sprog is not showing any signs of distress that may require them to induce you... I did it in a room with two other women who looked so much more pregnant than I do. They were of course both miserable and complaining about how they could not sleep and how they could not wait for their babies to arrive... It was all a bit creepy to be honest... Three women in one room, bare bellies exposed... with two monitors strapped to them. They gave us this buzzer thing to push every time we felt the baby move... The creepiest part I guess was the audio of three fast beating fetal hearts that the machines emitted. I felt kind of like I was in some sort of stepford wives situation... Back I go again to repeat the test next Friday (my actual due date)... sigh, I guess this part really is the most taxing time... waiting can just never be hurried no matter how fed up you are!

Mum has booked her flight and I am so overjoyed to report that she will arrive next week Thursday. My terrible fear is now that the baby will not arrive... and that the month period she is due to be here will be spent waiting until they finally agree to induce me. They don't schedule inductions here until 42 weeks... I feel ill just thinking about it. Ah well... lets hope the new moon on the 22nd brings us some action... if not I will be quickly whipping out the raspberry tea and all the tricks that old wives tales tell you that will help induce labor.

So apart from all this baby business... there is actual office work still to be done... and lots of work at that. I'm frantically trying to get stuff organised for the office before I go...

There is...

a boxing match going on in my abdomen and a volcano erupting mouton lava in my esophagus... other than that things are just peachy :) someone kill me. Can you tell that I'm just about fed up with this gestation thing?

Clearly if she chooses to arrive early, it would be today as Fredu is in Valencia shooting pics for this article on the the Fallas which is a festival that takes place on the 19th of March... and in true Spanish tradition they make massive paper statues and then torch them... All Spanish festivals simply must include some sort or dangerous group pyrotechnic activity or ritualistic burning of some sort. Don't get me wrong it's this very madness that I love about the Spanish.

But on a positive note... it's Friday. Phew!

There are a few good ones out there

The other day when my mum and my sister ventured out for a little walk to take advantage of the very unseasonably warm temperatures that they are experiencing in Toronto... they were chatting to each other and both noted that they were about to walk by Pizza Pizza and it had been ages since either of them had had a slice... 'Too bad we don't have any money with us' they said (as they had both left their wallets at home). Just then a teenage boy who could not have been more than 14 turned around and walked back up to them. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a fiver and offered it to them explaining that they could buy a slice with it. How incredibly sweet! They of course thanked him for his kind gesture but assured him that they would be okay and that it was simply a case of not having their wallets... not that they hadn't any money. What a sweet gesture from a random stranger! And they say kids are all bad! I think this proves that there are still a few good ones out there.

In tune with the cocktail site that Karm has created...

Our little yet-to-be-born miss received the most beautiful summer cocktail dress from our lovely downstairs neighbours. I just love that it's black as most kiddie clothes are pink and frilly...


I think someone perhaps thinks it would be a good option for him... if only it were a wee bit bigger!


HiI'm Lu... the downstairs neighbour! I'm sporting the cutest hat that Alfredo and Sarah bought me... but lets face it, I'm beautiful with or without it!

It's simply not pleasant...

To find yourself with the stomach flu while also being 37 weeks pregnant. It was not pretty but I think the worst has now finally past. So much for me getting back to the office today...

I had two very good nurses... one even decided to throw up with me (the dog) I think she was so upset as she did not know what was happening to me that it just threw her whole system off kilter. The other nurse is still sleeping... but I fear that he may have contracted the virus too and will soon be re-inacting what went down with me yesterday.

Just how much of this day will I manage to salvage? That remains to be seen...

Cocktail anyone?

Although my ever cronic heartburn makes it nearly impossible for me to even imagine the joy of a cockail right now... My ever clever friend Karm has just launched a new site... Instead of trying to re-invent the wheel, I'll simply quote him directly...

hey gang, I've recently created a new website/blog and I'd like y'all to check it out.

http://www.cocktaillounge.ca/

I've found that on the internet researching a good cocktail recipe is fairly difficult. There are a ton of sites that list 10000s of drinks, but what I need to know is, what does it taste like? is it good? bad? is it a shot? cocktail? what should it look like when its made? what glass to use.. all of these things...

So what Im Planing on doing is once a week or so, have sombody over to my house, or meet sombody in a bar and have a cocktail of some type and discuss the creation of it, maybe look up the history, take some photos and then convey all this back to this blog.

I have 2 cocktails up there so far, more to come.

So when I call you up on a tuesday asking to go for a drink, you might just be my guinea pig and guest drinker.

Take a gander, thoughts and drink suggestions always welcome.

Take it off me!!!!!!!


If she could speak this is definately what she would be saying...

Thank you auntie andrea! Although she may not be so... Fredu and I are greatful for the shirt!

Winter was not here today...

The sunshine was out and as long as you were in it, it was warm!

dig Lilli's fox hunting jacket!


If you have her facing the sun you can see clear through her ears... I swear!

This is KJ's happy place when she is here visiting thus we had a brindis (cheers) in her honour... while we sat and soaked up the sun, there was an american family sat at the table next to us. One of the two little girls was very inquisitive and talked nearly incessantly (nothing like me...) any way, the smallest of the two who must have been 7 or 8 inquired loudly to her mother while looking at us...

'Mum, why aren't black people and white people allowed to get married?'

The mortified mother quickly responded to her daughter assuring her that they indeed could. I think she was concerned by our difference in skin colour and of course my baby bump. It was pretty funny. Fredu and I are certain that our little one will be very well skilled in embarassing us in the same way... we'll just have to wait and see!

Joeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey!

Came to spend a few days with us from London just before xmas. As always it's a pleasure to have her here. Especially so when it's xmas time! We did a spot of shopping and of course had lunch in the sun at Joey's happy place (Al Passatore)



She also came bearing gifts on behalf of her and Andrea and Danny Baby. We were so touched they were all so wonderful! Lilli managed to open her's all by herself!

The pressie inside was BRILLIANT! It was a best in show T-shirt!

We have yet to capture an image of her wearing it... but there is a wee pic of Fredu holding it up!

A little xmas magic

Due to popular demand... Uncle Ollie compiled one more video of his shoot with Lilli while he was here. This one is very cute but it lacks Fredu's protesting in the background which made the previous video so funny!

Without further a dieu I proudly present...

Breakfast at Tiffany's

It's not fun and it's certainly not clever!

I was quite fortunate in the early stages of bump growing in that I gained very little weight... well clearly we are now at the part where that cleverness is overturned by my rapidly expanding weight. I've lumbered up to 76 kilos (10 kilos more than the start of all this). I am mortified. I know it's all part of the process but it doesn't make it any easier to digest... mind you those two massive pastries I had for brekkie on Wed ... perhaps were and thus are directly related to this issue. Interestingly of course the bump weighs the same amount as the dog right now. Approx 2.2kilos. add a few on for liquids and all other gruesome baby things that still leaves me with quite a few kilos that can only be attributed to the eating habits of the host.

We did a visit of the hospital yesterday with some of the ladies in our pre parto birthing classes... We saw the dilation rooms, the delivery rooms and then the recovery rooms... a bit grim but not too too bad. To say I'm not terrified would be a lie... I'm not sure if it is better knowing how it's all going to go down... or for me to have simply kept it as a surprise... Interestingly they have a handful of private rooms and we were told that it was simply luck of the draw as to if you get one or not... The place looked pretty booked up when we were there... perhaps hoping I don't end up in the hall would be a good starting point!

We did however run into the lovely star pupil of our pre parto class... She was there with her hubbie after having successfully delivering her baby. She still looked enormous even though the baby had arrived. They had to do a C section... She looked well. The rest of the pupils looked at each other nervously secretly all dreading this part of the process... I actually feel nauseous thinking about it... good thing there is xmas and a bunch of work to get through between now and the birthing thing.

This is what happens...

When I'm at work and Ollie is in town visiting...



my dog is clearly not meant to be an actress... but if you're lucky you'll get a glimpse of her new collar from auntie KJ. It's beautiful!!!!!!!!

Turn your sound on! Catch Alfredo's winging at the end... I laughed so hard tears came out... We will see if the can come up with a second title....

Some of us are indeed fortunate....

They received a special package in the post yesterday from Auntie KJ. It contained the sweetest doggie rescue coat and a brilliant pink dog collar. The dog collar is not featured in the picture as some parties are fussy and don't think wearing pink and red together would be a good fashion choice. She mentioned something like rescue jackets just don't go with diamontes... likening it to wearing pearls while in gym gear... anyway you can see that she is warm! The jacket looks a bit like a life jacket in these pics (because we had to put her harness on the outside) but once she's moving she looks like she's wearing a search and rescue jacket! So cute. There is a hood but it's a bit cumbersome for her and today was not too cold therefore we removed it. Thank you auntie KJ!


Rescue dog!


No, I simply will not be subject to anymore photographs!

She's here!

KJ and Bryan's baby arrived on Saturday. She shot into the world with three pushes. She didn't even make it into the delivery room. Kudos to KJ for doing it without an epidural! So yes, after much speculation and much conviction that it was a boy (on my part) she is here. Her name is Isabella (Reine) Heaney the middle name is not yet confirmed but it means queen in French. She is the spitting image of my sister when she was born. If you compare her pictures below with the one we have from the hospital when my sister was born 33 years ago... pretty much the same!

Mum and baby and pa are now resting at home... now the hard work really begins. Good thing it's xmas as they will have lots of helpers about to keep things rolling.


Just moments after arriving (after being cleaned up of course)


Check out the size of those feet!!! She will be able to borrow her mum's shoes! (lucky girl)


Big hands too! All the better for shooting hoops :)