Baby times

Yes, it's that time. I'm pregnant again and we are going to have baby#2! Our excitement quickly got muffled when things turned sour and I started having what feels like a long list of complications that as it turns out have turned my life upside down. So what' wrong?

My biggest problem is that the hormones produced during pregnancy raises cholesterol levels in your gallbladder (if you are unlucky) which can cause your bile to turn into a thick sludgy mass. This is extremely painful when the gallbladder will try to function normally but cramp and spasm instead and the bile is not able to be released the way it should. Since it's very irritated it may do this all the time but not always with the same intensity. I am lucky so far that no stones have been found or that the gallbladder is not infected as that means surgery. Although, getting that non functioning organ out sometimes sounds pretty good to me. What does this mean for me  and baby on a day to day basis?
Baby is fine, no problems there yet anyways. For me it means unpredictable pain most days, sometimes all day sometimes a few hours. It can mean anything from a dull lingering pain to sever attacks that put me in a hospital bed until it's under control again. I never know what the day will bring. I spend at least a few hours in bed most days. Luckily with a low fat diet I am able to reduce the severe attacks a lot and with a steady dose of morphine I can get through most pain here at home, no hospital needed. I am told this likely will go on until the baby is born which is 6 months away, yuck. The hope is that it wont get worse and that surgery is not needed, at least not until baby is born. Most likely this will go away by itself after birth, that's about the only good news about this I have gotten. Sounds fun, right? But wait there's more!

As I have a history with my last pregnancy of kidney infections and kidney stones (yes, I had a great time then too..) I am high risk for that again. Like a junkie I leave my urine sample every week and hope it's clean! In the last 4 weeks I have had 2 infections, awesome, they are pretty painful on their own and I am getting sick of antibiotics. Now you though I was done?

But lets not forget about a little thing called gestational diabetes. I had it last time and now they tell me I have it again. The good news is that I can wait a few more weeks before I start checking blood sugar levels 4 times a day and I am not on their strict diet quite yet. I am on my gallbladder diet only right now. You just wait until I have to be on a diabetes, gallbladder and pregnancy diet all at the same time. Please invite me for dinner, I'm so fun to cook for!

I have a great medical team helping me though.
1- Midwife, oversees the "normal" aspects of the pregnancy thus far
2-Ob-gyn, follows my complications during pregnancy
3- Surgeon, decides what happens with my gallbladder
4- Family doc, oversees and makes sure I see all the right people
5- Speciality nurse, diabetes clinic at LGH, follows my diabetes
6- Dietitian at LGH, helps me with what I can and cant eat

All I can say is I could not be luckier to live in Canada, seriously, the medical care is AMAZING. Never complain about it.

I may sound bitter, well, that's where I'm at right now. I try to focus on the fact that there will be another incredible little person in my life pretty soon and that I have an end date to all of this. Some people are sick and never get better, I at least know I will. My body just cant handle pregnancy so this will be the last time I put myself through this.


//Nina

Tulip Tip

I love fresh flowers and try to have some around the house as often as possible. This time of year it mainly is tulips that cheerfully dress up my home. One thing that is crucial for me with just tulips (and often many other flowers too) is to try to extend their life of beauty by re organising them after a few days. Tulips grow alot once they are put inside in the warmth, sometimes by 2inches even, they bend and the curve of the stem changes dramatically. If they are not taken care of, cut down slightly or re-arranged you run the risk of them getting damaged and the beautiful arrangement may not look so beautiful anymore. Here are some photos of what I did with my beautiful tulips... I recommend this to everyone who loves tulips!
//Nina

Final...

How much I cut off..

Final...

What they looked like when only 1 day old...

Luxury Day!

 Frozen Blueberries for dessert tonight

 Fresh tulips is a must this time of year

It's very rare but sometimes my work schedule changes so that I get a day off when Sam has daycare, a day to do whatever I want with. What?! I know, I can hardly believe it myself. Today was such a day so after dropping Sam at daycare my day of luxury started. I hopped into a nearby parked car2go and drove down for a 90min bikrams yoga pass. I have been feeling tired these past few days and todays yoga pass was not easy and I felt a bit out of it at times but I stuck through and felt golden when I was done. After lunch at home I went to a day spa that is just around the corner from us, it's small and very cute. They are running some promotions right now that I took advantage of, I was there for almost 3hours! It started with a mani/pedi then I had a back massage and last but not least an hour long facial, I have never felt so pampered in my life, it was amazing! I will go back for sure (next year when I have another chance..).  By the time I was done at the spa it had started poring outside, but walking in the rain pushing a stroller home from daycare is much easier after you have been treated like a star and feel like a million bucks. It could have been a hurricane outside and I would have still strutted along like the sun was shining. Today was such a treat and the "cherry ontop" was picking up Sam who was thrilled to see me.

//Nina

A not so welcome cold

Today Sam woke up with a cold, all the classic cold symptoms are there and I am bracing myself for what may come in a day or two. Sam has asthma which flares up when ever he gets a cold, he is still wheezing  from his cold in January so needless to say this cold is not welcome what so ever. (it never is) He takes Flovent twice daily which is a preventative steroid drug that we hope will lessen and shorten the asthma symptoms when he gets exposed to a trigger, in this case a cold. The idea is that he hopefully wont have a chronic cough for 8weeks like he did before Christmas for example or that he has difficulty breathing etc etc. This is his 1st "new" cold since being diagnosed in January and I am anxious to see whether this flovent treatment is working or not, will his symptoms be less and for a shorter period of time? Will he have spells of really having a hard time breathing? Will he stop breathing? Will we be up with him all night making sure a coughing fit does not go over into something worse? Many questions arise at the first sign of a cold.
A cold used to mean that you feel a bit sick, cuddle up and drink soup. A cold has a very different meaning for me now. Let's cross our fingers that my little boy wont have to cope with this shittyness this time. May the flovent work magic!!

//Nina

A year later

I stopped this blog last year but have recently been feeling that I wish I had not as it makes for an amazing diary. There is also a need to say things, I find that I feel a need to vent to a non-responsive party about the day to day stuff. I tried writing without posting it but it felt pointless and awkward actually, I need to think that I am writing to someone. Cannot explain why. Anyways, I think I'll start it up again and post from time to time. Lets' start with a quick update.

Sam just turned 2years old, he's a happy little dude who is becoming funnier and funnier by the day.
We moved into a big place with a backyard and could not be happier in our new home!
I still work 2 days per week as a pastry chef instructor at a culinary school, I love my job so much, it's by far the best job I have ever had. Since christmas Sam has been sick  (as most kids) quite a bit and I have had to stay home from work quite a few times, today is one of those days and I am so jealous of my coworkers who get to hang out in the kitchen teaching people how to make cool stuff all day!

Things to look forward to in 2013:
Visits from my dad, mom, sister and cousin are all on the books.
A Hawaii trip
A Disneyland California trip
Spring and Summer in our backyard (so fed up with cold and rain)
Christmas in our new house!

Cheerio,
Nina

Mormor Visits

My mom has been here visiting us for 3 weeks. It has been a great visit although we were somewhat unlucky with the weather. We had some nice days though. Regardless we did a bunch of things when she was here and Sam really enjoyed her company. After she left he still looks for her when he wakes up from his nap! We visited the aquarium, maple wood farms, walking in ambleside, did some shopping(without sam), park visits, nature walks in lynn valley, picnic in deep cove, granville island, the ubc botanical gardens etc etc and also squeezed in many restaurant visits! Since my mom left this past saturday we have continued to be busy, the children's festival was on at granville island this weekend so we went to check it out on sunday. Sam loved all the performances he saw!  He was somewhat impressed with the adults in costumes (butterfly,fish, clown etc) but only from afar. If we came too close, he nearly squeezed my head off trying to hold on tight to me. All in all the festival was really fun and highly recommended!

Now life is back to our old routine and we are starting to make plans for the summer weekends. I cannot wait for the summer weather to come to our rainy city, you will find Sam and me hanging out almost everyday at the water park or pool for sure. //Nina

Photo dump

 Picnic in the park with Mamma

 Some reading requires a comfy place

 After seeing the older kids swinging on this Sam had to give it a try, it's really easy to fall off so thankfully Mormor was there to help

Mothers Day

Yesterday was mothers day and my husband had lovingly planned a bbq party outside but he woke up Saturday morning with the flu and has been bedridden since. My mom is here now and I still wanted to bbq outside so we went ahead with Colin's plans without him, his parents came out and we had a really nice time. We were hanging out outside all day, went to the park, went for ice cream, played in the backyard (my brother/sister -in law are kind enough to let us use their backyard and house as our own when they are away). Sam loved it, it makes me realise how invaluable a back yard is, when we left to go to the park Sam started crying  and ran back to the house. He did not want to leave! Our next home will have to have a back yard.
Sam has been especially glued to me these past few days, I notice that happens whenever Colin is out of town for some reason. Now that Colin is sick and literally has not left our bedroom since Saturday morning Sam is doing the same. Mamma's little boy, it is cute but can make getting things done tricky.

It was nice to have mothers day with my mom, I never get to spend mothers day with her normally. Not that we did anything really special but it was just nice to hang out.  Mothers day also means that roses are making our home more beautiful, love it!

When my mom arrived Saturday night Sam was not really that shy of her. I think he recognised her from skype, but he is still confused in the mornings when he wakes up and she is still here. He has taken to her really well, they play together and Sam has given his mormor some cuddles too. He is such a little cuddle bug these days!

 Sam got some new kitchen tools and an apron, I got the same one but in my size ; )

 Mormor walking after Sam at the park

 Walking up hills are hard..

Today I am taking Sam to the park now for a picnic and mormor is staying home as jet lag is creeping up on her and making her tired.

Crappy times- literally...

Sometimes your kid gets sick and it sucks, it really does. There is nothing worse then watching your child feel ill knowing that there's nothing you can do to make it stop or make it better. If you could trade with your child to make him well you would. All you can do is to comfort them and try to make them as comfortable as possible as they have to ride it out.

Sam has been sick this week but the worst part was not the actual tummy flu he must have had, it was him refusing food or liquids when the little fluids he had in him were violently being forced out of him at a somewhat alarming rate. He became dehydrated and after a certain point I took him to the hospital to make sure he was not going to become dangerously dehydrated, it can happen quickly in little ones.
It was good that I took him in, they could tell right away what was wrong and told me we have to get fluids in him quickly so he does not become so dried out that he needs an iv.  So I had to feed him like a little bird with electrolytes in an oral syringe every 5min. Poor little bum. He took it well and after a few hours of that he was much better. His little lips had been completely dry and shrivelled up, his eyes were sunken in with dark circles below and his face pale as a ghost when we arrived but by the time we got to go home that evening his lips were plump, his mouth was wet, his eyes better and his face little less pale then before. What a relief it was to see the improvement! Thank god (not religious- just a phrase) for the healthcare we have here!! He has been steadily getting better and better since then. He has his energy back and has even eaten quite a bit today. It is such a scare for a parent and the last place you want to be in at the hospital.  When we got home we both slept really well! Colin was out of town but my amazing mother in-law came to stay with us. She always does when I am alone and in need of some help/company, she's great!

Now we are looking forward to the weekend when my mom, Sam's mormor, is coming for a visit!

//Nina

Park Times

 A sunny and warm day in Kits, Sam had to swing on the big boy swing, he has a will I tell you!

 Sam standing in aw of the older boys playing with cars, he stood like this for ages.

 A rainy day at our local park (really the best one)

The weather has been all over the place lately. One day the sun is shining and we are out in our t-shirts and the next day it'll rain and be quite cold. Some days have been sunny but cold and others rainy and warm...you name the weather, we have had it! On the less then perfect days (weather wise) you can still find us out in the park with Sam. There is a saying in Swedish that directly translated means 'there is no bad weather only bad clothes', although I don't entirely agree with that (some days are miserable and I won't leave the house) I sort of have to since we live in one of the rainiest cities in the western world. Sam, as expected, loves puddles! //Nina

Birthday Time

Watch out White Rock.

 Sam helping Daddy

 Zach and Daddy excited for Cake cake.

 digging into dessert...

 Anika and Sam climbing

 Grandma and the kids

This weekend my in-laws had a family birthday party for my husband, nephew and my husbands uncle. It was so warm so we spent some time outside, my husband had a beer in his hand and here's what our nephew Zach, 3 years old, said.
-Uncle Colin, is that your beer?
Colin answered, -Yes, it is.
Zach said,  - oh, I need a beer.
The way he said it was priceless, these kids are truly amazing!
//Nina

Reuse and recycle

Sam has so many toys, almost too many for my liking. I thought about taking some away but it's hard to know what to take as he does play with all of them. I can count on one hand the toys that we have actually purchased for him, and even when we have it's been off craigslist. Sam has 2 older cousins who's parents on a regular basis load off their "old" toys, clothing, shoes, baby bottles etc on us. We are so incredibly lucky and thankful for that. I have only had to, had to is pushing it, buy a few shirts and such for Sam. All his furniture, crib, change table, dresser was bought on craigslist. I think it's crazy to buy everything new when you can buy used and it's in great condition especially when you look at the price of new baby stuff...it's robbery what they try to charge for some of that stuff! I did however buy his mattress and blankets new. It was like christmas when we unpacked all the new toys from his cousins this past week, Sam loves his new toys and he'll get to keep them all even though I think it's perhaps a bit much.  As this new load of toys came in I had to make room for it so Sam's "old" toys and clothes are now boxed up and ready to go to friends who will use it for their little one. It's pretty neat to think that one piece of clothing can keep many little babies warm and that a toy can make so many kids happy. //Nina

 Phones are popular right now, anything that remotely resembles a phone Sam turns into a phone.

An old school record played that Sam's dad played with as a little kid

Itching for green

 2010 garden pic's

 Early 2010, where we used to live. The out door space was about the only great thing about that place.

 Spring ranunculus from the garden 2010

 My X-mas moss/bulb creations

We have had more then a few beautiful spring days here in Vancouver over the past couple of weeks which has not only been wonderfully amazing but it has gotten my gardening itch back in full force. It's an itch I can't really scratch right now as we live in an apartment with a balcony that has limited space. I get so inspired when I go to all the nurseries around town, Vancouver is a great place to live for someone who is into gardening. There are so much to choose from, such varieties of flowers, vegetables, trees, bushes and vines. Obviously I love gardening, I can spend hours gardening and feel like only minutes went by.  My annual battle with tomatoes continues this year, I have 3 plants. I know, nothing, right!? It's all I have space for and it will be the only vegetable (technically a  fruit) I will grow this year.. Last year I grew heirloom tomatoes- had about 15 plants and got maybe 10 tomatoes all season.  We did not get enough sun where we lived before. I am conviced I will master tomatoes this year as my south/west exposure turns my balcony into a perfect green house, well, it should anyways. I am not growing Heirloom's this year though but roma and what they call patio tomatoes (I read this as tomatoes for dummies). My dream would be to have a back yard where I could dedicate a good amount of space to a garden. I would have a small greenhouse filled with vegetables, a plot for root vegetables, lettuce, etc. I would have a couple of berry bushes, black currant maybe. Flowering bushes and climbing vines of clematis. In the spring time my little magnolia tree in the front garden would bloom and the daffodills would stand proud to mark the turn towards warmer days. I the winter my winter roses would brighten up the cold rainy days and decorative cabbage and moss potted on the front steps of the house would be an inviting way to welcome guests for the holidays. Oh, I can go on and on. Until the day when my dream comes true I will continue to dream. //Nina

Bringing it back

Sunday night and I am enjoying a nice cup of tea while the game is on in the background. It's the end of a busy week. At work we had the final week of the semester with finals and graduation. That means that our  class of pastry graduates are venturing out in the work force while we receive a new group of knowledge hungry students soon, but first we take a week off. Graduation is a day of double emotions, I will miss the students that graduated but am at the same time excited for a new term with new faces.

Friday afternoon, after work, I went and got a perm, yes, you heard me right. I have always wanted to get one but never dared to as they say it wrecks your hair. But hair grows and I figured it could not be worse then when I decided to cut my hair super short and regretted it everyday for 6 months until it grew out enough for me to look like a girl again. Well, it's a perm alright, I am bringing the 80's back and loving it. To go with it I bought a short jean jacket and pair of high waisted pink pants, I figure I can pull it off now with this hairdo. The other day I told Colin that jean jackets are so back in style as we were crossing the street. He looked around and said, yes, you are right! And discretely pointed to a middle aged, overweight, drunk, Eastern European guy and a homeless man who were both "rocking" a jean jacket. haha.

Yesterday Sam got to hang out with one of my dear girl friends but only after I took off to have some lunch with her alone first. It's nice to get some alone time with friends without kids- you can actually really talk, highly recommended!  

This morning we ran into Sam's daycare teacher who he LOVES, he wanted to give her hugs and once she picked him up and hugged him back he turned to us and waived good bye. hahaha He was pretty surprised when we would not leave without him. Funny little guy. //Nina

 Some before bed reading...