Overdue

I'm now 40 weeks and 4 days and I don't know how much longer I can waddle around this town.
Overdue??!! This was the last thing I was expecting. Caleb was born 5 days early and I had myself convinced that our new little one would follow his lead. The doctors had told me that Caleb's early birth was a good indicator, and after one ultrasound I was told that the baby was 5 days larger than expected. So I knew that there was no way I'd make it to my due date...and yet, here we are!

I've had 2 membrane sweeps, numerous long walks and drives on bumpy roads. So far I've had only an hour of very mild contractions last night, but nothing labourish today at all. Tonight I'm turning to the spicy curry and labour inducing pressure points! I'm feeling enormous, sore and impatient. How is it that 4 days can seem longer than an entire 9 months. But deep down I know that he has to come one of these days, right?

If nothing happens over the weekend, I'll be induced on Monday (which also happens to be Labour Day). Maybe this baby just has a sense of humour and really appreciates the irony of our situation.

Come on baby, your family is waiting to meet you....and we won't hold your tardiness against you! Unless I'm writing a similar blog post in a week from now!!!

Final countdown

39 weeks and I'm feeling....

• so excited to meet this little person who I will love deeply for the rest of my life
• very slow and very large (Caleb asked if my belly was going to explode the other day)
• happy and thankful that both Alan and I are done work and are able to enjoy a few lazy days together 
• emotional, as became evident when I found myself weeping during an elimination of Amazing Race Canada!
• an overwhelming urge to pee!
• ready to be a mom again

Last days as a family of 3

Father and one son

 It's been 4.5 wonderful years since our journey as parents began. Everything I could say about how wonderful it has been seems so cliche, but it is all true. Being a mother has been the most wonderful, rewarding, fulfilling, and at times challenging thing I've ever done and very soon I'm about to do it all over again. I'm so excited for our family to grow but I'm also feeling a bit nostalgic as well. Life as a family of 3 has been so great and Caleb has been such an amazing son, I just can't quite imagine adding another little person to our lives and loving him as much as I love Cale.

It will be great, of course, and I hope it will be a smooth transition for all of us. We have fallen into a great, simple routine with Cale. Life with a 4 year old is great! No diapers, no naps, no preparing special meals, great conversations, family adventures we can all enjoy....and the list goes on. It is tough, however, being a constant playmate to an only child, so I think having a little brother will make life a lot easier in many ways....a few years down the road, that is. My biggest fear is that Caleb is too attached to me and it will be hard for him to see so much of my attention devoted to someone else. Hopefully, we'll all handle it well and I know there will be enough love to go around. I just hope my heart doesn't explode when I finally get to hold my two boys in my arms.

And now for some summer shots!

All grown up...

...almost!

Presenting...Caleb Jeffries and the Humpbacks!
Whale watching off of Digby Neck! We also saw a 25 foot basking shark right beside the boat. Amazing!

Captain Cale

Family of 3!

Family Vacation!

We had a wonderful vacation last week, but being nearly 37 weeks pregnant, I am moving in slow motion theses days and am only getting around to writing about our adventures now. We kicked off our vacation at the Kempt Shore music festival where I slept in a tent for the last time during this pregnancy and made Alan promise that next year we would travel in a trailer (true bluegrass style). The music was great, Caleb surprised me by remembering Valdy lyrics 4 days later and even though I didn't get much sleep it was a really fun time.

Next up was a visit from the Spragues. Adam, Ang, Aly, Ava, Greg and Linda all made it to Annapolis Royal. The kids spent a day at Upper Clements Park, which I was incredibly impressed by. I drive past the park and old wooden roller coaster everyday on my way to work and I have been imagining it as an run down ghost town. But not so! It is incredibly well maintained with lots of tourists and a great selection of rides. Caleb thought he should go on the roller coaster for his very first ride and I'm afraid the little guy had no idea what he was getting into. Alan said he was completely silent and didn't budge during the rickety ride, and afterwards as he climbed off in a stunned state he let one single tear roll down his cheek before saying he wasn't going to do that again! He stuck with the 'kiddie' rides from then on and had a fantastic time.

We then headed to White Point Beach Resort on the South Shore and spent 2 days enjoying the beach, pools, bunnies, bonfires, amazing buffets and everything else the resort had to offer. Taking a family vacation with all of  us was on my mom's bucket list and I'm so glad that we were able to make it happen. Thanks, Lin!!

From there Alan, Caleb and I trekked on to our house in Bayside where we hosted a 'Good Vibes bonfire' and even conducted a smudging ceremony to put some positive energy back into the home we love so much. And I think it worked! We can't wait to get a new tenant in there starting in Sept and begin a new chapter as landlords!

And we weren't done from there. Next stop was Truro for a bluegrass festival and a celebration with the Jeffries side of the family for cousin Jack's 1st birthday party! More music (but no tenting!), reconnecting with great friends, dancing, sprinklers and sunshine made for a wonderful weekend. A bluegrass fan asked Caleb if he would be a guitar player when he grew up and he responded very seriously by saying 'No, actually I am going to be an astronaut!'.

 The theme for Jack's birthday was 'A Teddy Bears Picnic' and Anne Murray definitely won over a new fan. Caleb  fell in love with the song which he told me 'is just singing in his head all day long'. See the results in the video below!!