Surprise! It's a baby! (Not long now!)

[emmysmommy]

Alysa: I'm so sorry... I wish there was a different ending for your mum. I admire your strength and hope you see brighter days soon.

 

[Alysa]

395 days today, we are into the 300's! I've been trying hard to stay positive and think of all my blessings. But really, I just miss my mum. I've kind of been hiding from everyone lately, I just don't really want to think about or talk to anyone about her, I just keep bursting into tears. I've been reading the discworld series for something humorous to keep my mind off things.
Last weekend we went camping in Algonquin and that was lovely too just looking out at the water a lot and enjoying the kids.

We also did a Great Mouse Detective movie night. We had crumpets and the Cheddar Cheese Soup from Le Cellier, and we made a paper craft of Big Ben. It took forever to do but the kids enjoyed cutting it out and assembling it. Not sure which movie night we are going to do tomorrow, I'll go shopping in the morning and figure something fun (and easy) out. Here is the recipe for the soup (my daughter says it's her new all time favourite soup recipe) and the link to the paper craft as well.

 

[emmysmommy]

Alysa - at least your ticker is moving... in the right direction!

Our server at LC gave us the recipe for the soup last time but I'm too intimidated to try it. I don't want to spoil the image of the amazingness of of that soup by trying to make it myself. (Read between the lines that I'm not that great of a cook!)

So sorry about the part of you that is missing your mum... honestly, I don't know what to say since that kind of loss is so profound that there is no "fixing" it. Wishing you a brighter day!

Take care.

 

[jennyjinx3]

Hi Alysa

Nice picture from Algonquin...it is lovely there isn;t it. I am in complete awe of your Big Ben!! Great job!

I am sorry you are having a difficult time...

 

[lilmissie]

Just joining in now. I am also expecting but not due until Feb and intend to take the family (new addition included with us next year) I am so sorry about your mom

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

I didn't realize until now that you had a PTR! I'm subbing now and I'll be back to read later

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

Alysa, I'm so sorry to hear about your mother passing. I don't know what else to say.

Your family is absolutely beautiful! Congratulations on the little boy on the way! Your Star Wars movie night looked amazing. Those Princess Leia cupcakes were adorable and the crafts you did with your kids were too cute. I also liked your Muppets night and your Treasure Planet night. The Treasure Planet cupcakes were so pretty! I've seen something very similar on Pinterest. You're good

 

[JoshAndEvsMom]

I'm glad you got to get away to someplace peaceful to get your mind off things. That's important.

Your movie night looks like fun! I may have to try that cheese soup recipe myself.

 

[Alysa]

Hi Brenda, The soup did take a while to make so not wanting to wreck the memory of it is a very good reason for you to go back soon!

Hi Jenny, We do love our Algonquin trips, so lovely and peaceful. Are you planning a trip there this summer? The Big Ben craft worked out nicely because now whenever the kids see it on the Olympics they get very excited about visiting England with me.

Hi lilmissie, Welcome and congratulations on your new little one! Everyone here (with the exception of Robert) is born in February (great month!). I look forward to hearing about your trip!

Hi Erin, The movie nights are keeping me focused on doing something fun for the kids. So glad you like them! We are still working on finishing the Sleeping Beauty craft (HARD!). I think maybe the next one will probably be Robin Hood? Ooo-da-lally!

Hi Lauren, The trip to Algonquin was lovely. My husband wants to go again but I am close to being WAY too pregnant to go. I've been trying to exercise but even stairs are getting tough. Try the soup - it was great!

Thanks to everyone for all your kind words!

 

[Alysa]

Eek! My son's new camera from his grandmother has gone missing! We've done quite a few movie nights this past month but we were at the rink on Monday with it and now the camera is GONE! I'm sure it will turn up, right? It will turn up. Yep.
It has all our Sleeping Beauty, Lilo and Stitch, Make Mine Music and Lion King movie night photos on it too! Anyway, no worries because it will turn up. So we used the big fancy one tonight and got some good ones of Tron.

We painted frisbies black and glued glow necklaces to them, I made disc cupcakes with glow stick bracelets and we had blue juice and added the kids glowing ice cubes from Artist's Point. Then we went out with our dog for a disc game. A fun night was had by all.

 

[jennyjinx3]

I am sending a whole boat load of extra pixie dust that you find the camera!!!


We were up to Algonquin in June....loved it except the day it rained all day!

 

[WDWCPALUM03]

I hope you have found the camera!

I'm so sorry about your mother. I talk to my mom every day, just the other day she made a comment that rubbed me the wrong way and I thought maybe I would scale back our conversations. Tonight after reading your ptr there is no way I can. I agree with you that we should always let our moms know we love them.




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[emmysmommy]

Hi there Alysa. Your TRON movie and fun night sounds wonderful! You are so creative. You have a beautiful "lassie" dog!!

 

[Alysa]

Hey! It's been some crazy days lately and there is so much to tell you about our trip! We are now 362 days away! That's right kids! Less than a year!
So first thing is we are moving! We switched figure skating rinks for my daughter and the rush-hour drive with a new baby was probably going to kill me so we decided to move. Bad news is, not having rented before, we didn't know you needed to give 60 days notice (we thought it was 14 days because most people are in furnished places here in our building and that is what it is for those) so we will have two rents to pay for an extra 2 months! Ugh!
Also, my husband has been getting a lot of letters of interest for positions at lots of universities saying they think he is brilliant but no follow-ups for interviews yet. I know it take a long time and that I have to be patient but... I am so not a patient person!
I've got great new rooms planned out for the kids, even though we will (hopefully) only be in this place for a year, including an adorable Harry Potter room for my son. I'll be able to post photos soon, we are going to go in on the 27th to start painting.
Oh! And my dad said he'd like to join the trip! He's been pretty lonely and sad so I want to make it work. It will involve some juggling around but we already knew we would be reducing the amount of time we are all together at Vero as my brother in law does not want to let any of his kids in the ocean because of his fear of sharks. To me, the whole point of going to Vero is the ocean!
Plus, the good news is packing up some things already, we found the camera! So I've got lots of movie nights to share! I'll only do one at a time though to spare you! We are doing A Bug's Life tomorrow and I'm off now to get a few things for it.
Ack! the rental agent just called - someone is coming to see the house at 4 to hopefully rent it sooner than November! Got to go clean - the kids were making a fort in the living room!!!! I'll post a movie night when I get back. If you guys could say a prayer that my husband will find a great position soon, or that this place could get rented shortly, I would so appreciate it!!!!! We need all the help we can get.
Hugs! Alysa

 

[Alysa]

I am sending a whole boat load of extra pixie dust that you find the camera!!!
We were up to Algonquin in June....loved it except the day it rained all day!

Thanks Jenny! It worked!

I hope you have found the camera!
I'm so sorry about your mother. I talk to my mom every day, just the other day she made a comment that rubbed me the wrong way and I thought maybe I would scale back our conversations. Tonight after reading your ptr there is no way I can. I agree with you that we should always let our moms know we love them.

Hi WDWCPALUM03, I did find it, thank you! And you know that your mum is supposed to drive you crazy. That's the way you can tell that she loves you!

Hi there Alysa. Your TRON movie and fun night sounds wonderful! You are so creative. You have a beautiful "lassie" dog!!

Thank you Brenda! Knightley is very handsome but makes up for it with the large amounts of drool that come off of him when he drinks and slaps goober all over my kitchen.

So our house is now officially a disaster site! We go in to start painting tomorrow so I HAVE to finish packing today but I'm already taking a break because my back is already shot this morning. And guess what!? Great news!! Our rental lady found someone to rent this place starting on the 15th so we only have to pay for an extra half month! Woo hoo!

We did a movie night last night so I've got lots of pics to post - here is Lilo and Stitch from about a month ago...

Hawaiian roast pork recipe
My daughter and her best friend made the leis with construction paper flowers and leaves and cut up drinking straws as spacers. And we had a lovely fresh pineapple to go with everything.

 

[PoppyGirl]

It's been a heck of a year. My husband and I are the parents of two adorable kids, a nine year old girl and a six year old boy. We were not, not, NOT expecting an addition to our family. We had our life all planned out, my husband would be getting a new job as a cancer research scientist soon, hopefully with tenure. I would start back to work as a designer this fall once our son started grade one. We had booked a nice relaxing trip to Disney to try to recover from a very difficult and emotional time. My husband's mum just passed away from breast cancer at the beginning of the year and my mum is very sick with liver cancer. I was looking forward to doing the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10 mile marathon in my mum's name.
Then, life stepped in. It seems that someone had other plans for us.

At first I thought I was just late. I thought the stress of everything had upset things. Then I began to worry. I got a test. At first when I did it there was nothing. I heaved a HUGE sigh of relief. I was too old for a baby. I was almost 40! And then, "Wait a minute! What is THAT! Arg! It's turning into an X!"

So, my husband does not yet have his job confirmed. I'm nearly 40 so the baby has a much higher chance of genetic defects. I'll no longer be able to return to work as I had planned. We are already cramped in a tiny condo, waiting to move until we know for certain where we will end up. We are under a great deal of emotional stress. And yet, after a weekend of a lot of talking, prayers and tears, I felt like this could be, instead of something terrible, in fact, the complete opposite. It could be something wonderful. This could be the light at the end of a dreadful long tunnel. I feel now that this little person will be a blessing and a joy to all of us in a time of terrible sadness.

I couldn't cancel my trip to Disney outright. I knew I did not want to travel while pregnant as I had once had a miscarriage while flying. But with all this stress, I needed SOMETHING fun and happy and exciting to look forward to. And what could be better than a trip to introduce our new bundle of joy to the happiest place on earth. So we haven't booked it yet but we have planned to go next summer. 5 days at Vero Beach and 7 days at Wilderness Lodge. Our two most favourite places at Disney. In 480 days I will hopefully be holding the hands of a little one as he or she toddles down Mainstreet USA towards breakfast at the Crystal Palace with Pooh.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you'll enjoy the ride. Sit back and find out with us as we discover: Is the baby healthy? Is it a boy or a girl? Where will my husband get his job and what city will we be moving to? What will the kids say when we tell them? What will our family say? Will 3 be the joy we hope and believe they will be? And most importantly, will the new baby love Disney just as much as we do? (Kidding!)

What a lovely way to start your PTR. I feel joyous just reading it! Congratulations! My youngest was born when I was 39. I was sick, sick, sick, SICK through my entire pregnancy. But when that beautiful little girl was born, my whole world changed.

I was so sorry to read on and find that your mother had passed away. I'm very sorry for your loss. And what a sweet thing that your dad now will be coming along on the trip!

So I was searching for a small gift idea for my son for the room when we arrive and found this
star wars lego
which I know he would love. I also found this which is totally amazing but it's a little out of balance with his sister's gift.
death star

AND! While searching, I found these for the baby.
R2-D2
and this!
Stormy
(10 points if you get the reference) and this!
but red shirts are BAD
Just going to hold off on buying them a little while longer.
It's true, we are geeks. We love Star Wars, Firefly and Star Trek. I do love Jane Austen best but I have been adopted into my geek family quite nicely and I adore Doctor Who.

For the record, I totally got the stormageddon reference. One of my favorite episodes! That shirt makes me wish I could have another baby....oh wait...no...maybe just to adopt.

 

[Alysa]

What a lovely way to start your PTR. I feel joyous just reading it! Congratulations! My youngest was born when I was 39. I was sick, sick, sick, SICK through my entire pregnancy. But when that beautiful little girl was born, my whole world changed.

I was so sorry to read on and find that your mother had passed away. I'm very sorry for your loss. And what a sweet thing that your dad now will be coming along on the trip!

For the record, I totally got the stormageddon reference. One of my favorite episodes! That shirt makes me wish I could have another baby....oh wait...no...maybe just to adopt.

Thanks Poppy. I have been deadly sick too! I've been so ill throughout - I wasn't nearly this bad with my first two. Plus it's been a challenge not to get too stressed and blue this time around. It's nice to hear I am not the only one. Two months today!

I found this yesterday and thought I would have ordered it for her if she was still around. mom pillow It should be extra fun with dad!

10 points for Poppy! Don't have a new one - we can meet up at Disney and you can cuddle with Stormy!

 

[PoppyGirl]

Thanks Poppy. I have been deadly sick too! I've been so ill throughout - I wasn't nearly this bad with my first two. Plus it's been a challenge not to get too stressed and blue this time around. It's nice to hear I am not the only one. Two months today!

I found this yesterday and thought I would have ordered it for her if she was still around. mom pillow It should be extra fun with dad!

10 points for Poppy! Don't have a new one - we can meet up at Disney and you can cuddle with Stormy!

Perfect! I will hold off on the new baby (bwahahahaha) and wait for my dismeet with Stormy.
I really like the mom pillow. How sweet is that! Have you seen this? It might work for Stormy's room:

or what about this? (wow, this is fun! I haven't baby shopped in 9 years!)

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

I absolutely adore your Tron cupcakes! I never would've thought of putting glow bracelets on them. I hope you don't mind, but I'm totally stealing that for when we watch Tron The leis were cool too! That's nice that your dad is coming along on the trip now That's too bad your BIL is afraid of sharks. Have there been reports of sharks being there? I mean, I agree with you, what's the fun of going to the beach and not getting in the ocean?

 

[Alysa]

I absolutely adore your Tron cupcakes! I never would've thought of putting glow bracelets on them. I hope you don't mind, but I'm totally stealing that for when we watch Tron. The leis were cool too! That's nice that your dad is coming along on the trip now. That's too bad your BIL is afraid of sharks. Have there been reports of sharks being there? I mean, I agree with you, what's the fun of going to the beach and not getting in the ocean?

Thanks Erin! There actually was an attack this past summer of a German tourist in the water near the town of Vero, not at the resort. There is a public beach just up the way and you can see the warning flags the lifeguards put up so I'm not too worried. And apparently you are as likely to be hit by falling airplane parts as be attacked by sharks but he's just crazy that way.

So here is our Robin Hood night. We did it at my sister's and the kids made Robin Hood hats and played a game where they had to sneak up on the sleeping Sheriff of Nottingham (Grandad) and tap his bag of gold (chocolate) coins. If he heard them and woke up he pointed at them and they had to start again but if they got to his sack of gold he gave them one coin. Fun and laughs were had by all. Then for dessert we had chocolate bird's nests filled with wild forest berries (I didn't want to serve burnt stew). Very rich but yummy.