You know you've done too much online shopping...

...when you know your Visa number by memory. I never thought it possible.

Guilty.

More holiday countdown prep...

Paper clips!
Wool, string, pipe cleaners!
Raisins! Marshmallows! (the big ones)
Vocal chords! (ahem ahem)
Armour! (for fighting those holiday shopping crowds)
Books! (seasonal)
And a willingness to have fun!

All set???

Do you realize it is ALREADY less than one month till Christmas?? Holy Mistletoe! (oh ya, get some of that too)

Secret Powers

In the car, the conversation turned to secret powers. It started when T said he "saw a bad guy!" so I asked "what did he look like?!" and he answered, "I can't tell you cause he is invisible!" so I had to ask, "Then how did you see him?!" His answer: "That's my secret power."

So I was promptly asked, "Mommy! What's your secret power?" to which I replied, "I have eyes in the back of my head which allow me to see everything you do, even if I am in a different room." Followed with, "Oooooh Mommy! So THAT'S how you always know everything! Where did you get that power?" My answer: "From Gramma, she had that power when your uncle and I were little kids, and now I have it."

B's turn: "My secret power is that I can grow tall and tall and tall and tall..." (I am thinking he will say 'so I will be taller than Mommy & Daddy') when he gobsmacked me with this, "...so I can be soooooo tall I will see Gramma and Jesus and God."

Silence. I nearly cried. I told him that was the most beautiful super power I have ever heard of and that he is the luckiest boy in the world to have it.

Getting closer...

The Blogger Advent event of the year is getting closer!! This is the countdown to the countdown. A few notes:

Please add to your shopping : cotton balls. Our dollar store has bags of 300 for $1. You'll need at least that many per kid. Baking goods: mini pretzels, baking M&M's, sprinkles. (Shhhh!! for those of you who know what those are for)

Also take note, this is a most KID friendly event. Please don't expect recipes for romantic dinners for two followed by a bubble bath for two and uninterrupted s-e-x for two (or more - whatever you fancy) cause you can do that on your own. This will be to entertain those with the one-est trackest minds ever...kids with Christmas and Santa on the brain. All about fun. There are crafts, singing, baking, shopping, all which will require adult supervision and assistance, but we are here for the kids.

Don't you just love seeing this time of year through their eyes? I get butterflies in my tummy just thinking about it. I don't wanna miss a thing. Not a thing.

And of course I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for the comments and emails and thoughts and cyber-hugs. We are a family as complete as we need to be, an extra would've fit just very nicely of course, but we are doing great. xo

Fourever

We are complete. A family complete with four amazing individuals, full of love, laughter, adventure and happiness, as well as the challenges and sadness that comes along for the ride. We are four, and will remain such fourever.

I am also at peace. I have been since transfer day. It was all I could ask for to just try our best. It was just way too hard, and not an option for me to simply 'dispose' of any frozen embryos we had. Now we have none. No more of that constant nagging "what if" and "if only" and "you just never know", cause now we truly know. We did our absolute best and gave those little embies the chance thei deserved. I will miss them, but in a different way.

Yes of course I am sad, who wouldn't be? But in light of what others have to deal with (you know who you are) we are blessed beyond comprehension having these two boys in our lives. Sounds cliché, but I cannot fathom life without them. We hit the jackpot after 2 years of infertility treatments, various procedures, medications, etc etc etc...and I can only wish the same for every other couple out there with the same dream.

Blessings to you all.

Start your engines...

Only ELEVEN more sleeps until December 1st. You all know what that means...are you ready for another HOLIDAY COUNTDOWN?? (click link and scroll down to December 1st to see what we did last year)

This year will be a lot of the same, but of course with many changes and ideas screaming "new and exciting"!! Ok, well, that's not likely to be true, but I'll do my best. I'll try to be like your blogging advent calendar.

Your homework, for this assignment should you choose to accept: start saving all empty toilet paper and paper towel rolls, empty egg cartons, you'll need wooden clothes pins, baking goods, craft glue, construction paper, coloured tissue paper, pie plates, old CDs, (I wanna say glitter and cringe at the thought...I try to keep a glitter free house) so let's say glitter glue.

Anyway, no need to sign up or whatever, just hope to see you along for the ride. And yes, I am already waaaay too excited for Christmas. Can you tell?

Noodity

(gotta try to avert those perverted trolls who so love the interweb)

Do you allow your kids to see you nekkid? Are you comfortable with it? I've often wondered.

When I was growing up, my parents were very honest and open about bathing, getting dressed in front of us. They weren't flaunting anything, nor doing the vaccuuming in the nude, but it just wasn't a secret. Both genders of parents seemed 'ok' with their children, also one of each gender seeing their bits. It was never really an issue in our house, well, until pre-pubescency arrived, and then it was just an unwritten, unverbalized understanding, and by then both my brother and I seemed ready to hide from each other...good time as any.

My boys see me nekkid. Likely more often than they'd like, or care to. But since it has never really been an issue, it doesn't seem to cause any alarm. In fact, the only real questions I have been asked are "Why don't you have a penis?" and "When will I get boobies instead of buttons?". Both inquiries were answered and they haven't been mentioned since. In fact, they seem to have more of in interest and curiosity about my bra. When I explained it was part of underwear for ladies, they laughed their asses off AT me.

I do wonder though, if this is alright? Are there norms? guidelines? by-laws? As usual, little boys LOVE to run around in the buff letting it all hang out, but just most recently B doesn't want anyone to see his bum. I respect that, but also try to downplay his concerns, expecially when among family. His concerns are more when we are at the swimming pool getting changed. I just don't know where it came from. Should I ask him? I don't wanna start anything that doesn't yet need identifying. I want them to be comfortable about who they are.

The other morning T brought me a ringing phone while I was in the shower, and then he promptly reminded me to be careful not to get soap in my eyes. The comfort level is obviously there, there are no secrets and there have been times where I've had two little ones playing at my feet while sitting on the john (tmi? sorry).

Anyway, not that I think we will change the approach in our house, but if you care to share, I'd am curious to know what goes on in your family and why.

Mr. Noodle or Borat?

Does anyone else see it, or am I the only one?

Cheat? Who me?

I could've easily cheated. Easily. This morning I had my annual physical. My GP here has been fantastic through this entire FET cycle, simply complying with my numerous requests for prescriptions, no questions asked (she does know what they are for, of course). Anyway, I had to ask her for a separate requisition form for the blood test (beta) which is scheduled for Nov 24th. She wrote it. I could've asked for two, but I didn't. The one she gave me is not dated. I could go a-n-y-t-i-m-e!!!

The only other time(s) I have cheated in my life, once on a grade 10 chemistry exam and the other lying to my mother when I was 15 - I was promptly busted. I learned then that lying/cheating ain't my thang. I just don't do it. If you can't do something well, don't do it at all, right?

I could do the b/t and put myself out of this 2ww misery but you know what? I prefer the unknown. The not knowing gives hope. I like hope.

Can you believe what I found when I googled "medicated FET pregnancy symptoms"? THIS! I couldn't believe there is actually a site named "twoweekwait.com" too funny!!! (they even have little a button I put in my sidebar which indicates the egg has hatched and the waiting has begun).

Anyway, for now I won't be cheating. But after being strongly urged by Miss Dani herself, I have ordered 10 generic HPT's from this great little shop. Should they arrive in the mail any day soon, I may not be so diligent in the department of patience. If they don't arrive in time, I know just who to send them to.

Stay tuned as I relish in the abyss of the unknown...for now.

This is your brain in the 2ww...

Yesterday I did a quick late afternoon grocery run. I ended up with 6 bags. My car was parked very close to the doors. Here was my brain:

Option A - carry all the bags like I normally would
Option B - push cart to car, unload, bring cart back to store

Easy peasy, right?

*BIG ASS BUZZER*

Wrong! I literally stood there for a few moments contemplating my options.

If I use option A, and I am not pg, then I am being sill and a wimp, and how the hell is carrying 6 bags of groceries gonna make the difference?

'They' do say not to carry heavy things.

If I choose option B, and I am not pg, then what a waste of that extra trip, you know, the one that would add about 90 seconds to my task.

90 seconds is A LOT of time you know!

I feel nothing, no twinges or pangs or anything, other than the occasional, dull PMS-like cramps. AF would normally be arriving any day now, but isn't supposed to due to the hormonal ingestion of estrace and PIO as part of my daily menu. With my track record, AF will show up right bang-ass on schedule. Not too optimistic at this point in the game.

Thanx for listening, oh, and I chose Option B. That's why this blog is 90 seconds late.

Edited to add apologize: that was a REALLY bad joke.

Canucklehead

Saw this on Dani's and just had to do it....

You are 100% Canuck!

You rock, you are an almighty Canadian through and through. You have proven your worthiness and have won the elite prize of living in a country as awesome as Canada. Yes I know other countries think they are better, but we let them have that cuz we know better than they do, eh?

How Canadian Are You?
Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

...and damn proud to be!!!

Blaming Blocks

My youngest broke my heart today. He told me "I don't like you." This happened a long time ago, using 'hate' and we nipped that one early. The past few days have been particularly challenging with His Royal stubbornness, of course it happens when I can't have that glass of wine at the end of the day, nor even a coffee (with Baileys) to end this nagging and painful "I need caffeine headache".

He said it cause he meant it. We had a long chat, then another even longer one, followed by an even longer time out.

Then I read this article in the paper this morning. We played with blocks and we still play with that glorious box of 52 coloured, lettered blocks DH bought at Winners one night about 3 years ago for $6.99.

I have to post entire article since the link is a secure one for subscribers only.

Kids' blocks lay foundation for learning
Toddlers who use them score higher on tests, U.S. study shows
SARAH SCHMIDT, CanWest News Service
Published: Friday, November 10, 2006

Forget all the media products for babies on the market and go for the classic building blocks, suggests a new study linking playing with blocks with improved language acquisition in toddlers.

The Child Health Institute at the University of Washington released results yesterday from a six-month clinical trial showing middle- and lower-income children 1.5 to 2.5 years of age who engage in block play scored significantly higher on an internationally recognized scale measuring toddlers' language development.

The team of researchers, led by pediatrician Dimitri Christakis, also found on any given day these children were more than 80 per cent less likely to watch television than children in the control group, who did not receive blocks.
Noting "an increasing number of media-based products are making unsubstantiated claims they can make children smarter, more literate, or more musical," the study takes direct aim such companies as Walt Disney's Baby Einstein Co., which markets a line of DVDs for newborns and toddlers.

"It's a critical period in a young child's development, and everybody is trying to optimize that development," Christakis said.

"Parents are inundated with messages that are totally unsubstantiated and totally ungrounded in cognitive theory. This study tried to demonstrate experimentally that there are particular toys that do help cognitive development. The burden should be on toy manufacturers to prove their claims."

The study included toddlers from 175 English-speaking homes. They were divided into two groups. The first group received two sets of building blocks, a pack of 80 blocks and a pack of specialty blocks that included people and cars. Their parents received suggestions of things to do with their child and blocks, such as sorting by colour and stacking them.

The parents completed diaries over the six-month period to keep track of the frequency with which their children played with the blocks, engaged in other types of play and watched television.

Montreal-based MEGA Brands provided the blocks and funded the study; the company was not involved in its design or analysis of the data.

So, we did a good thing, which ultimately broke my heart. Whatever. I will still play blocks, and we will still watch TV and I will still love him more than anything, forever.

P.S. The 2ww still sucks.

Shtuff

I did some shtuff today. Get kids dressed, fed, packed snax and sent them off to preschool. Then I did other things like put gas in the car, go for a (long) drive, have lunch with a very special friend (she treated! in more ways that one), pick up a special little parcel in the form of an embryo which was strategically shtuffed in my juiced up & fluffy uterus, another (long) drive, make supper, do the dishes, walk the dog, change all the bed sheets, check emails and blogs, and am now in my jammies to settle in for a very very very looooong 2ww.

You?

Check-in

The Hubs is on (yes, another) business trip. He left yesterday moring. He just called to let us know he had arrived safely. I oculd hear lots of noise in the background, so I ask,

Me: What time is it there?

Him: 9 PM

Me: Where are you?

Him: In a Chinese restaurant, eating Chinese food for supper.

Me (VERY sarcastically): No kidding!


He didn't get it. D-UH.


He is in Beijing, China.