Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts

Friday, November 21, 2014

feel good friday


I'm not a sports fan but these videos got me a wee bit choked up this morning!

Because what they say about Canadians is true...
We are nice and when the microphone cuts out during opening ceremonies, 
we SING your national anthem!



and my gosh proud dads crying over their kids amazing accomplishments 
is just the best thing ever.


Thursday, July 24, 2014

powerful

this is such an incredible and powerful photo.

Chinese doctors bowing down to an 11 year old boy diagnosed with brain cancer who managed to save several lives by donating his organs.


wow.

Friday, July 11, 2014

oh the madness and a half birthday!


how incredibly fast the days seem to pass. 
it feels like just yesterday sweet Finn entered into the world, 
although my tired body says otherwise
and yet in the the blink of eye we've already celebrated his half birthday!

each addition to the family somehow speeds up the clock, 
we reach milestones so much faster. 
gone are the days of waiting around for them to do "something"
the "somethings" are happening fast and furious from all three kiddos. 
and I'm trying to keep up. 
some days it feels impossible to meet all of their demands, their needs and wants 
and other days we manage a perfect rhythm. 

life is very busy with three littles, some sleeping but mostly not
it's like musical beds most every night
but I know it my heart that these are perhaps the simplest of times of head
their needs still mostly primal, a hug and kiss still mend boo boos
they need a snuggle and for you to watch their "cool" trick 
I know in later years we will be longing for them to want us or need us like they do now. 
or at least I will. 

so I'll take the sleep deprivation, not going to the bathroom alone (in four years)
and sleeping wedged between Georgie and Finn every night as some of the best times of our life 
because all those wistful faces of sweet grandmas at the grocery store can't be wrong. 







Wednesday, February 26, 2014

this post


attention all pregnant, soon to be pregnant or maybe sometime in the future to be pregnant ladies. 
this post is a must read for a healthy pregnancy and delivery! 

that's right what got you into this will also benefit you throughout, well the rest of your life but definitely improve the next nine crucial months!

Benefits of sex for a healthy pregnancy, labour and delivery


Pregnancy
- boosts immune system
- you are less likely to have many GBS outbreaks since semen 
contains anti-biotical properties effectively killing the GBS!
- it helps you sleep and not just from the physical act tiring you out but the release of oxytocin mixed with any melatonin present brings on the sweet slumber!
-prepares your perineum by encouraging good circulation and elasticity of your perineal tissues
- healthy PC muscles allow for a more controlled pushing stage and less chances of tearing. Having sex throughout pregnancy will mean well oxygenated, more toned and conditioned PC muscles. Also be sure to do lots of squats (how to add squats to your life coming in another post!) or better yet squats while having sex... ensuring the muscle is toned, long and elastic not bulky and rigid
-the prostaglandins in a man's semen help to soften and ripen the cervix which will mean its prepped and ready for dilation when the time is right.
-keeps the intimacy alive! beside the science of releasing specific hormones and their effects on the body, a loving and healthy relationship is so important as you embark on the next chapter ... parenthood.

Labour and Birth
- being sexually active in pregnancy will allow you to reap the benefits during labour, your toned pelvic floor will be aligned with the pelvic basin, your perineum will be sinewy and relaxed. Your cervix will be prepped and soft, your immune system at its best and you'll be ready to embrace the hormones of labour.
-create an ambiance as you would in the bedroom, low light, gentle sounds, music.
-touching, kissing, nipple stimulation, skin to skin contact are all beneficial during labour
-movement is key, allow your body to open up just as you did to create the baby,
use it to help get the baby out! Going on all fours, squatting, forward bend,
move your hips to help align baby into the right birthing position

to read the full post click here


Friday, September 13, 2013

#1000thanks


At this stage in my life it seems that illness, disease and hardships are more prevalent
and real then ever before. Not just people I kind of know or friends of friends but my people, my family and friends. Life is short, life is precious and sometimes I forget to make the most of it.
Sometimes I forget to really enjoy it and count my blessings. So I'm going to start and make a real conscience effort to celebrate a little everyday. I'm starting a #1000thanks page but you can find the hash tag on instagram to see other IG'ers add gratitude, grace and thanks to their lives as well.

Here we go!


Yesterday Oliver told me he was going to teach Georgie how to talk poopy talk (it's an ongoing battle we have with him to stop talking about poop and referring to people and things as poopy, etc) so before I could get him in trouble he quickly took a new position and said he was going to teach Georgie to go on the potty instead. But not yet because she was still a baby and she would be afraid. Maybe when she is 20 he could teach her. *Twenty is the go to age for him whenever we talk about things he will do when he gets older. School, work, driving all happen when he is 20 and apparently the same rules apply to his sister!

so today I am thankful for this boy, how wickedly smart he is
and his plans to teach his sister how to go potty when she's 20!
#1000thanks



Tuesday, June 25, 2013

this boy of mine


this 3 year old business is turning out to be all sorts of challenging.
Saucy pants attitudes, talking back, tears, crankiness, defiance.
All new levels of patience-testing I tell you.

And then he comes barreling in from outside,
proudly giving me two flowers he had hand picked just for his mama. 

Me: Oliver these are beautiful
Oliver: Yes they are beautiful, see you later mom.
There are some really great 3 year old moments to be had.


Friday, September 14, 2012

Truth

I stumbled upon this yesterday and it's just too good not to share!
Written by Regina Brett, 90 years young, who wrote for the Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio.

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written.
 "My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the
...column once more:
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

"2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

"3. Life is too short – enjoy it.

"4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Some of your friends and all of your family will.

"5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

"6. You don't have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.

"7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

"8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

"9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

"10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

"11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

"12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

"13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

"14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

"15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry, God never blinks.

"16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

"17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful. Clutter weighs you down in many ways.

"18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

"19. It's never too late to be happy. But it’s all up to you and no one else.

"20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

"21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

"22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

"23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

"24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

"25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

"26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

"27. Always choose life.

"28. Forgive but don’t forget.

"29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

"30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

"31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

"32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

"33. Believe in miracles.

"34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

"35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

"36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

"37. Your children get only one childhood.

"38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

"39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

"40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

"41. Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already have, not what you think you need.

"42. The best is yet to come.

"43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."
Regina Brett, I think you are a real genius.
Thanks for spreading some wisdom. xo

Monday, August 20, 2012

Happy Anniversary

 Thirteen years together
and celebrating our first Wedding Anniversary today!

Last year I couldn't believe how exhausting planning a wedding was....
turns out I was growing baby girl at the same time.

What a year!





Wednesday, July 18, 2012

What Love Looks Like












1/. Sibling Lovin', 2/. Mama + Oliver early morning snugs, 3/. Georgie rock'n the Bumbo!
4/. Oliver, 5/. Georgie, 6/. Traffic Jam, 7/. More snuggles... get em while you can,
8/. Baby lips, 9/. Trucks, Trains and Diggers oh my!

Saturday, June 2, 2012

The Homebirth of Georgina Kay Part 1

*** Note: since this post was getting a little on the wordy side, I decided to split it into 3 parts.
This is obviously Part 1, Part 2 and Reflections of a Homebirth to come soon*****

I have to admit Georgie's birth was a dream. It's almost comical even.
She may not have come early but she certainly came fast and willing when it was time.
I am still in shock about the (dare I say) ease of her labour and delivery (which I know may make some of you reading this want to punch me in my uterus) but after a horrendous week it was well deserved. Our beloved May-May passed away 2 days before her due date and my week got worse with a raging chest infection and nasty cold that put me out of commission for 3 days. Not to mention Guy's battle with a flu bug all while trying to parent a very active almost two year old.
I couldn't fathom going into labour and trying to push out a baby while feeling so sick and weak.

 I woke up on Wednesday morning, feeling somewhat human again and officially 5 days overdue. Although I didn't really feel overdue, I had actually felt more uncomfortable a few weeks prior and clearly the universe wasn't quite ready for her arrival anyway!  At about 7:45am I felt a sharp pain that only lasted a few seconds but stopped me in my tracks. Shortly after I felt a slow trickle as what was later confirmed as amniotic fluid. Guy and Oliver set out to work/sitters for the day and I got ready to go to the office briefly before my midwife appointment in the afternoon. Mild and totally irregular contractions ensued throughout the day but nothing alerting or confirming it was go time!
At noon(ish) I arrived at work and felt a gush of fluid as I was getting out of the car. I still wasn't having regular contractions so I kept about my business and finished up some ordering before my appointment. It wasn't until I got up to leave the office that I had a huge gush of fluid that soaked my pants! I ran to the bathroom to assess the situation and luckily my mom came in shortly after.
I handed her my pants which she proceeded to blow dry (with the spare blow dryer I keep at work not specifically for these types of situations but boy did it come in handy that day.... ).
After drying my pants and myself off I headed out to the midwives office.

I immediately told Beth that I was "pretty" sure I'm leaking fluid upon arrival, I explained the details and hopped up on her table for an exam. A swab quickly confirmed that I was indeed leaking amniotic fluid (which I wasn't really doubting at this point) and that I was about 5 cm dilated! Say whaaat? I couldn't believe it. I thought maybe I would have been dilated a cm or two but FIVE... that was crazy! She did a stretch and sweep and could stretch me to nearly 6 cm, which was so bizarre because I wasn't hardly having any contractions. There was still a sac of fluid around the baby's head so it was hind leak and Beth advised me to page them immediately if my water broke fully as the labour would progress quickly. She told me because I had been sick that my body might not be ready tonight, that I may need more rest but that this baby would be making his or her entrance in the next 24 hours. I got dressed (including a very sexy functional pair of mesh undies and large pad to absorb the fluid), finished up our appointment and headed home to sleep eat and mostly WAIT for things to progress.
(ummm yeah right, who can go to sleep at 3 o'clock in the afternoon after
 your midwife tells you that you are 5 cm dilated?... me either!)

I called Guy to let him know I was in "labour" but not having contractions so not to rush home from work but get ready because baby was coming this evening?, tonight? or sometime. I arranged for my mom to pick Oliver up from daycare and feed him supper and maybe have a sleepover... depending on what happened. Then I called my neighbour to be a backup in case I went into labour in the middle of night while Oliver was asleep and for some reason we would need to transfer to the hospital. Once all the arrangements for Oliver had been made, I felt energized and ready to go! So I waited and ate and waited. I cleaned a little, did some laundry and waited some more. My contractions were beginning to come a little more frequently but nothing steady yet. Guy got home from work around 4 pm and we waited. We just sat there and looked at each other like yep... having a baby. It was a very weird feeling knowing that I was that far dilated but not having regular contractions so technically I was in labour but didn't feel like I was actually in labour.  So to pass some more time I gathered my homebirth supplies and got the tub set up, ready to be filled.





I took these pictures at 4:06 pm, as I was waiting for labour to start?
You can see in the 2nd pic I was having a contraction (not because I am making a weird face but because my belly is rock hard-notice the difference from the last 2 pics) also in the last pic you see the outline of the lady diaper I am wearing. Yes, when I got home from my appointment I traded the mesh undies and gi-normous pad for the Depends (Tena brand actually). I was leaking enough fluid that I had to labour with a diaper on! Luckily I had bought these bad boys for the postpartum period. Something I highly recommend doing!


The Homebirth of Georgina Kay to be continued......
Click here for Part 2


Monday, January 23, 2012

Days of Pregnancy 26 Weeks!


Ok this post is a little as I am now into the 27th week...
but last week was a crazy busy one at work and I was completely exhausted.

Guy and I just booked a little mini vacay and we leave on Thursday (come home Sunday night) sans Oliver... eeeks! This is going to be the first time I have ever been away from him for more than a night. I know it's time and I'm really looking forward to a couple of days with Guy- without work and without the responsibilities of a child, especially as we get closer to having a 2nd one! Also I guess it's about time we enjoyed a little honeymoon too.

Check out my Days of Pregnancy Series here

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Weekly Wedding Inspiration


Love a unique centrepiece and the idea of not using cut flowers
but a more sustainable option like planted herbs


What a beautiful way to display your fave family photos!

Green and natural = lovely


Don't know why but I am drawn to mustaches like a moth to a flame (not real mustaches just fake ones!)


Definitely opting for a headpiece like this over a traditional veil.
And how gorg is this hair!



Origami Birds.... yes please.




Thursday, June 16, 2011

Weekly Wedding Inspiration

Our Invitations are printed and on route, I should receive them tomorrow (YIPEEEEE)!
Great- just in time for the Canada Post strike ugggghhh. Luckily most will be hand delivered,
 just not sure about the ones going to PEI?
I picked up my wedding band yesterday (YIPEEE), guess I didn't need to order it 3 month in advance afterall but it's here so another check off the list.
I am feeling pretty good about the planning so far.... 65 days and counting.

This weeks inspiration














Photos from Ruffled

Love the photo album as a guest book,
(I just finished making Oliver's 1 year photo album book with Shutterfly)
so I think I'm going to have to make one of us for the wedding too!

We've got a family photo session booked with our (wedding) photographer
in a couple of weeks..... so excited!

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Wedding Inspiration












These photos taken from here 

How cute would Oliver look with a bowtie and those suspenders! 

but seriously  
I just looked at the calendar....
YIKES! There is only 72 days until our wedding. OMG. We have a lot to do!

Sunday, May 22, 2011

She What?

 12 years, 2 dogs and a baby later
Guy and I are getting.... 

YES, MARRIED!

Me and my not-so-oily beau hunk are tying the knot this summer.
It's going to be a small intimate garden ceremony and
hopefully just a really great party at my parent's house!


Guy and I at Prom.... eeeks!
(my hair will be a lot less yellow for the wedding heehee)





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