Pools and Paint

Two new things to report from the land of navel-gazing:

1. I have re-discovered my passion for swimming! Having spend most of my youth in and around swimming pools (swimming lessons; lifeguarding, teaching swimming lessons) I had in the past few years become somewhat weary of chlorine and mouldy tiles and vowed only to swim at beaches & in lakes, until our trip to Vancouver when I discovered the bliss of hopping into a pool of cool water, becoming virtually weightless and soaking my tired old limbs in cold, clean water. Ahhhhhhhh! If that weren't enough, I could finally do some cardio exercise (which I haven't done since... (admitting this ashamedly) the end of January when a knee-injury and then finding out I was pregnant stopped me from playing broom-ball on the ice, and then, of course, no biking in the spring.) To top it all off, the public swimming pools in Montreal are FREE! You just walk in and swim. I love it! I am going 2-3 times a week and feel much, much better for it.


2. Last weekend the "nesting instinct" hit me full force and Gilbert and I spend all day on Saturday painting the baby's room. After a subsequent spree at Ikea (and many, many baby articles lent by friends) we are almost fully equipped! (Bed, changing table, closet organized etc.) The pictures this week are the before - during - after photos of the baby's room. (Didn't think you needed to see me in my swimsuit).

Lots and lots of love to you all - and thanks for keeping up with this blog!

P.

New OB / GYN

Hi all,

Just a quick update to say that I just came back from a visit to my new ob/gyn and ... she's fabulous! I feel really comfortable with her; she was very relaxed and calm with a good sense of humour and she totally understood the switch from Royal Victoria to LaSalle Hospital. I feel really positive about the change. All is well!

Tomorrow: Jo-the-doula visits ...

:)

Belly Time in Vancouver

Hi all,

I am a bit behind in updating this blog due to all the travelling (to Vancouver and then on directly to Oakville).

Vancouver was fabulous - I am slowly updating my other (non-baby) blog with pics from that blog: http://pippasplace.blogspot.com

Oakville was enjoyable too, despite the long drive and feeling a bit exhausted (and having to work!) Stupidly, I didn't take the camera so I don't have any pictures of Mum, Dad, Simon & Jen or Keri with her daughter Isobel or her new (6 week-old) son, Ethan! You'll just have to take my word for it that they were all looking well and that we had a good visit.

The pics this week are stolen from the Vancouver trip. I really liked these two - they were the only ones of Gilbert and I together - taken at Andy's wedding where we looked quite smart!


Today I am off to my new ob/gyn and tomorrow I meet up with my doula again for our first pre-natal visit. This weekend Gilbert and I have (ambitiously) decided to start the painting on the baby's room, so there should be some more news soon!

Lots of love to you all & thanks for keeping up with this blog (it's nice to know you all check in occasionally!)

P.

OB/GYN update

Hi all,

Just back from the ob/gyn and all is well (uterus is 23 centimeters, baby is kicking like crazy!) Next visit: new ob/gyn!

Started very small Braxton-Hicks this week (feels like small menstrual cramps) apparently this is normal.

Other than that a weird thing happened this week: went to bed Tuesday night and the small bear was kicking up a storm - I have seriously never felt anything like it, he would just not stop! Gilbert put his hand on my belly to check it out and couldn't believe it either - that night I had terrible nightmares and G had heart palpitations (nothing serious this time). Weird though - like we all had the same electrical current going through us, although who started it, I'm just not sure...

The photo is from the ultrasound at 22 weeks.

Hope you all are well - we leave for Vancouver tomorrow morning for Andy's wedding so I will be posting from the other website http://blogspot.pippasplace.com next week with pictures etc.

P.