1095

Are you perplexed yet as to the title of this post? What could that number possibly mean? No it is not the number of hairs on my head, or how many chocolate bars I have eaten this year. It's official. I've been married for 1095 days! (Don't worry, I wasn't really keeping track, I just did a simple calculation of 365 x 3 ;) Mike and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary yesterday. I woke up to flowers by my bedside and a cute little gift bag with Harry Connick Jr's new CD (old love songs, a couple of books and a sweet little card. I was about to proceed upstairs to cook up Mike a mean breakfast before he headed off to work, but apparently Jack wanted to be fed before his Daddy. Jack's timing really does amaze me. It is impeccable. It's almost like he has a sixth sense and can tell when I'm about to take my first bite of dinner, or hop in the shower. Amazing! He truly is gifted. ha ha. After feeding him I luckily had enough time make him a lil' sumthin' sumthin'. When Mike got home from work he surprised me by taking me to this amazing restaurant in Hamtilton (approx 20 mins away) called the Old Mill. It was gorgeous and definitely more pricier than we're used to but hey, it's nice to splurge once a year! ;) We had a fantastic day and set some new goals for us for the upcoming year. I find anniversaries are the perfect time to reflect on my marriage and discuss things that we need to improve on and work harder at. I definitely believe that marriage is something that needs to be worked at. I'm finding, especially after having Jack, that you really do need to make sure you set aside time for just the two of you because it's so easy to get caught up in the daily grind and for routine to set in.
We both really couldn't believe that is has been three years already and reflected back on the time we have been able to share together. Like our wedding day for instance...oh the memories! As a little girl, I had always envisioned it as a picture perfect day but let me tell you...ours was the complete opposite. Here's just a glimpse of all of the things that went wrong:

1. I was almost late for the ceremony. The temple is two hours away from where I was living at the time so it made it a little tricky.

2. Threw up all over my wedding dress

3. Bailed on my rear end in my dress due to a patch of ice. ( I guess that is what I get for having a wedding in Dec)

4. Wedding planner was STILL decorating the room as guests were arriving

5. The table cloths were FAR from the colour I had ordered

6. Chicken entree more like chicken mashed potatoes than chicken. Everyone at the reception was perplexed as to what they were really eating. Darn Caterer!

7. Forgot about the flowers in the car up until the reception. Now that was a waste of money!

8. Wedding planner and crew didn't end up cleaning the room and we got a phone call at 8 a.m the next day saying we needed to figure it out.

Oh, just to name a few! But honestly, our ceremony, which was the most important part, was flawless and was able to be given by Mike's grandpa. All of the other things really are just small details and are now able to be the family joke! ;) Move over Aunt Chris! but oh...If i could do it all over again. I'd ELOPE! hee hee

I love you Mite and thank you for three amazing, wonderful, fun three years. You truly are my bestest friend and I couldn't ask for a more perfect husband. Love you Sugar Booger.

Here was an engagement video that my sis had put together when we had our engagement pics taken.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

24 Days till Christmas!

Can you believe that it is already December 1st? Where did this year go? Honestly! It really is amazing to me that as you get older time really does fly by. Before I know it I'll be sending Jack off to school...ok, maybe I'm getting a wee bit ahead of myself.

So a very sad thing happened yesterday and I'm not quite sure if it was more traumatizing for Jack or for me. Jack has learned how to roll. It is so funny to see how much these little milestones in his life get me so excited. Anywho, we have a brown ottoman in front of our couch which has turned into the changing station. It's just so much more convenient than his changing table. Not exactly sure why we even bought one in the first place because I think I can count on one hand the number of times we've used it. Well yesterday after cleaning a doozy of a diaper, I got up to walk not even 5 steps away to throw it out and just as I was turning around I see Jack tumbling over the side of the ottoman. Luckily the floor is carpeted and pretty cushy but he was sooooo upset. He even made a little smacking sound as he hit the ground. I quickly rushed over to him, cradled him in my arms and commenced trying to soothe and calm my very hysterical baby. I then searched his little body for any signs of bumps or bruises but none were to be found. I apologized profusely in the hopes that he would forgive his reckless mother. You can tell were new parents because when Mike came home he thought maybe we should take him to the doctor just to be sure he's ok. Grammmy Ryan assured us that he was just fine.

Later on that evening as Mike was changing Jack into his jammies he was zipping up his sleeper and caught a little bit of his skin in the zipper. Well thus commenced the second traumatizing event of the day. Poor little Jack. Mike felt so awful and tried to console him but he just wouldn't stop crying. I asked him if I could try and he refused saying he wanted to console him. Well he continued crying and it didn't seem like it was letting up anytime son so I asked again if I could have him and Mike unwillingly handed him over. As soon as I held him he stopped crying. It about melted my heart right there on the spot. Could just knowing he is in his mothers arms be enough to calm him? I was sad that he was hurt, but so happy that yet again, I could console my little baby. I have come to realize that it is one of the simple blessings of being a mother. The ability we have to nurture and soothe our little ones. I can't wait for the day when he is upset and calls out for me by name because all he wants his Mommy.

Well here's keeping my fingers crossed that nothing tragic happens today. Wish me luck! and Happy December.

Here is another little video of Jack talking. I just can't get over how funny it is when he talks to me. He has started to move his little lips as you'll see and it's like he is trying to get the words out but all that comes out is babble.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Also, I chopped my hair last week. I just took a quick pic with my web cam. it's not a very good shot but you can at least tell how short it is.

So I am determined to shed some pounds and in my quest to do so, I have joined a gym and now have a personal trainer. My gym had a really good deal that I couldn't pass up and with Mike and I having house/baby sat this past weekend, we took that money and put it towards Operation "Juggly - Jiggles Be Gone". I have never worked with a personal trainer before and I had my very first session yesterday hence the reason why I am now updating my blog. I swear I have pulled every muscle imaginable and now I can't move or even get out of bed! (Ok, I might be exaggerating a little) Our supposed to be hour session only lasted half an hour as I almost passed out, and that is NO exaggeration. Apparently I was starting to sway and he called it quits for the day. I wish I could say, it was the best experiences of my life. I felt so energized, invigorated, ready to take on the world...but really, I just wanted to die, right there in the middle of the gym at the tender age of 29! My lungs burned, my legs throbbed and arms felt like mush. What could be more pleasurable really? ;)
I think it is the type of motivation I need though and after watching the Biggest Loser last night, I'm counting my blessings that he isn't ANYTHING like Jillian! Now there is one tough cookie!

A wee taste of the Wrath of Jillian

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovfW59st9xc&feature=related

In other news, Jack is growing like a weed. He has his 4 month appt coming up with the doctor next week and I can't wait to see what she tells me how he is doing as far as height and weight. He's also talkig up a storm. Here's a little tidbit for you. He's most talkative in the morning and at night right before he goes to bed. He also does this really funny buggy eyed thing when you turn out the lights and we tried to capture it on camera but I'm not sure how it turned out.

Enjoy!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Hallowinner!

Well Hallow's Eve has come and gone and Jack got to experience his very first one. We were going to just put him in a box and put a paper that read "Jack In The Box" but we had to use the cute little pirate costume we had so here he is...

CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW



Pay no attention to his frontal wedgie. Lucky for him he's wearing a diaper!

We had a pretty quiet evening. We spent time with the inlaws eating homemade cinnamon buns and watching Harry Potter. Shari (Mike's sister) and I handed out candy and had a blast. We kept thinking of all of these funny/mean things we should do to the kids that came to the door, but decided it would probably be best not to. I can't even remember that last time I handed out candy for Halloween. Actually, I don't think I've ever done it. It made me excited for when Jack gets a little older and were able to take him out. I debated about taking him out this year, but really, he has no teeth!! I would have felt kind of silly going door to door with my wee little pirate. There's always next year.




Seriously Dad...that's the best mustache you could do with a brown eyeliner?

"FALL"ing in Love

Reasons why I love the Fall Season:

1. Putting away summer clothes and bringing out wool sweaters. And being the Canuck that I am...I have A LOT of wool sweaters. I don't know about you, but there is something fun about getting out the new seasons clothes. Do you ever find that when you start pulling them out you come across clothes you forgot you had and you get excited to wear them again? ..Maybe it's just me.

2. Drinking hot apple cider

3. Watching the leaves change colours. (Not literally...as if i have that kind of time ;)

Tree in our backyard


4. Halloween. Just realized I can go trick or treating again for the 1st time in like 15 years. So what if my son has no teeth...I'll save it for when he does..Promise!!! (and no my fingers are not crossed)

5. The crisp cool air

Mike and I decided to do someting "fally" (and yes that is a real word) this weekend so we went up to a cute little place called Springridge Farm. They had all kinds of fall festivities and we had fun. There were sooooo many people and it was entirely made up of kids, kids and more kids. There were kids running around and screaming like wild banchees, kids throwing temper tantrums when parents refused to buy them a certain sugary delicacy, kids passed out probably from too much sugar in strollers and wagons, kids shreaking with delight while going through the haunted house, kids with sticky faces from candy apples and kids jumping off hay bales...and then it hit me! I turned to Mike while we were sitting at a picnic bench observing all of the chaos and said:

"Welcome to our new life"!

In recently becoming parents we have now entered the world of dragging Jack to any local event that is kid friendly even if the only exciting thing is getting to pet a goat! We have started our monetary contributions to Duracell and Energizer. Our movie selections have changed from Bourne Identity to Baby Einstein. Our late Friday and Saturday nights have turned into "is it really only 8:00 cause it feels like midnight!". Shopping excursions used to include Banana Republic..now it's the Dollar Store. Yes, it is true, our life as we knew it is now gone, and we couldn't be HaPpiER!! ;)

Some pics from our weekend

Oh the Joys of a Handy Husband

So as you know Mike and I are currently living in his parents basement and we've been trying really hard to make it more "homey"(no that doesn't mean more gansta). There is one rather large room and then a separate bedroom and bathroom. We decided to give Jack the bedroom and then we divided up the larger room into the family room/office and made the other half our bedroom. We were trying to come up with ways to divide the space when Mike said he would build some doors. I'm thinking...Mmm...not that I doubt your capentry skills honey because you have told me you can build things...but the last thing I saw you build was this:






Mike built me a jewellery box for our 1st Christmas together. He had fibbed to me for weeks saying he was working late, all the meanwhile he was building the box. What a cutie patootie! I remember opening it and thinking that it was so pretty but then when he told me he built it, well I started bawling like a baby. I totally thought he had bought it from a store.

So anywho, not that I doubted his carpentry skills but doors seemed a lot more complicated to me than a jewellery box... don't ya think? I had gone down to Windsor with Jack to visit my family for about a week and while I was there Mike told me he had finished the doors. So home again home again home again I go jiggity jig half expecting to see some makeshift cardboard doors but lo and behold look what I found...THESE:








Mike made the ENTIRE thing from scratch. We're talking door frames, the square thingys in the middle (sorry for my lack of door lingo), the rice type paper background, EVERYTHING!!! I think I fell even more in love with him that day. The japanese sliding doors were beeeeeutiful! I don't know about you, but there is just something sexy about a handy man. Knowing that my hunk of a hubby can build things with his bare hands gives me the warm fuzzies. Mike, I will never doubt you again!

You have for once, proven me wrong. hahaha

Move over Ty Pennington



Cuz Michael Ryan is in the Hizzouse!!!


Yup that's right ladies and gents, he cooks too!
(well...at least on holidays and special occasions ;)

So Thankful for Thanksgiving!

What a weekend it has been. It was Canadian Thanksgiving this past Monday and Mike and I had the opportunity to head down to Windsor for a few days to celebrate with my familia. It has been over 7 years since I have been able to have Thanksgiving with my family...and it was well worth the wait! I so look forward to my Mother's creamed carrots, sweet potato souffle, butter tarts and apple crisp. My little Mamooshka worked so hard for almost 2 days just so the 12 of us could enjoy one scrumdiddilyumpcious meal! Aren't Moms just the best! We headed down Friday night and left on Monday only to be able to come back here to Mike's parents and have yet again, another turkey dinner. Two Thanksgiving Dinners in two days = one happy and a little rounder girl! Mom Ryan sure had a lovely spread as well and I am one thankful daughter in law.

Fall is definitely here in Burlington! It's so beautiful here. I forgot how much I love the fall season. It sees like in Alberta it goes from Summer to Winter and Fall might last a total of a week or so. (I believe they already have had snow! mmmm...don't miss that part). The leaves on the trees here are so gorgeous. I'll have to take some pics. There is a tree that is completely red right outside in our backyard.

Living with the In Laws has been awesome so far. We truly do feel blessed that they have let us crash here for a year. Our original plan was that once Mike graduated from NAIT in Edmonton, we would move to Guelph Ontario so he could continue on to get his degree. Well unfortunately that just wasn't in the cards for us yet as he wasn't accepted into the program. The thing that stinks about it is this school is pretty much the only school in all of Canada that has his program (Landscape Architecture) and they only had 6 seats available this year. Come to find out that 13 people applied which doesn't make our odds very good. Mike was so disappointed and so was I as this threw our plans way off. Luckily he spoke to one of the Deans of the program who told him to contact him when he reapplies next year and he'll help him put forward the best application he can. Acceptance into this program is based on three things:

1. Grades
2. Creative Portfolio
3. An essay on the Landscape Architect job.

It's pretty tough to get in so we're hoping that next year it will work out. In the meantime, we decided that we would spend this next year saving as much moola as we can and my in laws were gracious enough to let us stay here for the year. It's been so nice being close to family. My family is only a 3 1/2 hour drive which is nice as well. We really have missed out on the little things like Sunday dinners, being able to celebrate holidays/special occasions, just hanging out playing a game or watching a movie, etc. and now with having Jack, we want them to be able to enjoy him just as much as we do. Anywho, so that is what we've been up to. Mike got a job in his field so that was a huge blessing. He's liking it so far, just not used to the commuters traffic. We live only about 40 mins from Toronto so the traffic here around rush hour is CRAZY!!!

Jack is cuter than ever. I swear he gets bigger by the day and is constantly changing. He has started the beginnings of what I believe is a laugh and it melts my heart everytime he smiles. I've told him that the only thing I ask of him is that he has to smile at me at least once a day and then I'm good to go. He's sleeping for longer stints at a time which i am soooo grateful for! I remember the first night he slept for 7 hours I about jumped out of my bed for joy! I think I had to do a triple take at the alarm clock to make sure that it really had been 7 hours. I could have kissed his cute little face off!!! He's also so happy and talkative in the morning. I can sit there and make baby talk with him for at least a good 1/2 hour. It's adorable!!

Our Wee Little Ninja in Training

I bet you're all wondering if I'm still pregnant and if I'm now eligible to make it into The Guinness Book of World Records for the world's longest lasting pregnacy! Well fortunately for me, it wasn't even a possibility as I gave birth to Jack Michael James on July 19, 2009. He tipped the scales at a whopping 8 lbs 13 ozs! I'm a tad concerned as this is my first baby and I'm assuming the weight goes up with every child??? Maybe my dream won't be shattered after all and I can still make it into the book by having the World's largest baby???

Everything went relatively smooth and I feel extremely blessed. My contractions started around 5:30 in the morning and by 10:30 or so they were about 3 to 5 minutes apart so we decided to head on over to the hospital. I was going into this with an open mind. I wasn't totally ruling out natural childbirth but I also wasn't going to call the hospital ahead of time and tell them to get my epidural ready and waiting. I was going to play it by ear and see what I could handle. Well by about 1:00 and after having a contraction that almost made me throw up, I threw in the towel and asked for some "sweet relief". Let me tell ya, other than saying yes to Mike's marriage proposal, it was the best decision I've ever made. I was so much happier and relaxed and I'm sure I was much more pleasant to be around for Mike as well. My hours of rest and relaxation came to an abrupt end though as my epidural started to wear off. The nurse topped me off and that seemed to last for another hour or so but then I could start to feel the contractions coming on yet again. Sure enough this is the moment that baby Jack decides its his time to shine and he starts to make his great descent. When Mike and I were taking our prenatal classes we always had to snicker at the plethora of sounds that women in labour made and I vowed that I would never sound like that! Well sure enough, when the time was just right, I definitely could have auditioned for those videos. It was rather painful and it seemed like my OB was making me count to 100 through my contractions instead of 10. It was funny because Mike told me afterward that he couldn't make direct eye contact with me. He said my face was so red, bulging and contorted in such a way that he never thought was possible. He felt so bad for me everytime he looked at me so he found it easier to avert his eyes. It was so surreal to finally be able to hold that little baby that I had been carrying all those months. To finally be able to see what he looks like, and to take in his sweet baby smell. Mike and I couldn't have been happier to have such a happy and healthy baby.

So here I am now with my sweet little Jack-a-loo (nickname courtesy of Auntie Katie) two months later. I swear he is growing by the hour or at least it seems. He is constantly changing and its so exciting to see him reach his little milestones already. He's been such a good baby so far (knock on wood) and I am truly counting my blessings. I still have a lot to update (moving across the country, living with in laws, Mike's new job, etc) but I'll save those for another day. Here are some pics that Jack's wonderfully amazingly taleted Auntie Liz took a couple of weeks ago. It's our first little family photo shoot. There were way too many cute ones to choose from so brace yourselves, I've posted quite a few! What can I say..I'm one proud mama!

Update - The "turkey" is sooooooooooo done!

No this picture does not give any explanation as to my whereabouts for the past three months. I did not run off to Japan and pursue my lifelong dream of becoming a sumo wrestler, (although with how big I feel right now, i'm sure i could give some of those big boys a run for their money) I've just been a big ol' proctastinator. I know I am wayyyyyyyyyyyyy overdue in updating my blog so I thought I would at least give you a wee lil' update and punish myself for taking so long by posting the above pic. No makeup + no hair done + one goofy expression = one hot tamale of a pregnant chick!

Baby Ryan has not made his appearance yet. My due date was yesterday but I'm thinking he's a wee bit too comfy in his "condo" to want to come out yet. I mean, who can blame him, a balmy 98.6 degrees, constant cushioning, the soft soothing sounds of amniotic fluid and being able to relax and not have to be on a schedule. Although he might be getting a wee tired of the little lectures I've been giving him as of late about "summer vacation" being over and him needing to show us how his 10 months of hard work has really paid off. I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and I was a whopping 2 cm dialated. Whoop-dee-doo right? I was up a whole 0.5cm from the week before. My OB then "stretched my cervix" which I guess is what we Canuckians call stripping your membranes. Whatever it is called it should be called "gouging my own eyeballs out with a spoon would be a breeze compared to this" because it was no picnic. He's hoping that this will get things rolling but alas, if they don't, I have another appointment on Monday to discuss the big "I" (induction). So if you could please keep your fingers, arms, toes and any possible flexible ligament that you have crossed for me it would be greatly appreciated. Wish me luck. ;)

Okay, for real this time. We're having a....

NOT SO STUBBORN BABY AFTER ALL!!! ;) Oh wait, I guess that didn't really tell you did it. (hee hee )A boy! we're having a baby boy! Can't you tell from this pic?



hahaha totally joking because I sure can't! It looks like we're having a merman to me!! Not the clearest pic but it'll do. I did get to see a close up of his "man" parts and there was no denying it, it's a boy. I went in for a doctor's apointment yesterday and my ob said I needed to schedule my next ultrasound so I called after the appointment and my options were today or June 23rd. (Love the Canadian Health Care system, note the sarcasm). So OBVIOUSLY I chose today and not three weeks before my baby is due). The bad news was Mike couldn't come with me as he was writing a final at the same time :( He phoned me after his final and I had to tell just a wee little white lie saying they STILL couldn't find out and how disappointed I was. Then I ran over to a store, bought a cute baby BOY outfit and went to pick him up from school. He got in the car and my academy award worthy performance continued. I told him that I went ahead and bought a baby outfit anyway to make myself feel better and then he took a look. He pulled the "NAVY BLUE sleeper with bugs on it" outfit out of the bag and was said "Oh this is cute". The whole time thinking, how is this outfit meant for a girl! So I say "A cute outfit for what?"....he says " a baby boy" (the gerbil hadn't started running on the wheel yet) so I scream "we're having a baby boy"! Well he looked like a little boy on Christmas morning. I loved it. He was so excited. Said it made him feel more like a man knowing he was having a son! (not sure what that means exactly but I'm assuming it's due to my lack of testosterone that doesn't quite allow me to understand that statement). He was so excited the entire way home.

We came home and phoned our familias and basked in their excitement as well. This is such a fun time. One of those great milestones in life. I'm cherishing every moment (except for the leg cramps, growing ligaments and lack of sleep) ;) I can't wait to meet our little man.

As for my trip out to Utah it was WONDERFUL! I had so much fun visiting my sis. She threw me the bestest cutest baby shower while I was there and I got to see some WONDERFUL friends. My sister is pretty much Martha Stewart's long lost twin. She has so much creativity and talent. I think she pretty much sucked it all up and didn't leave any for lil' ol me. I've stolen some pics that she took of the shower and then included some of my own of my cute little niece and nephews.

A Taste of Liz's Creative Abilities

Baby Shoe Cake- too cute to eat!



Cake o' Diapers - cutest centerpiece



Gift Table



Food Spread - the watermelon fruit salad being my favourite idea



Staci Me and Jenny poo poo getting the last minute shtuff together



Just some of the many wonderful friends who came to the shower.
My sis, Beth, Me, Andrea and Staci. A big ol' thanks to Kara, Carol, Christin, Lauren, Virginia, Krissy, and Jen who were there as well.




Could baby Grant be any cuter? I think Not.



Silly Faces - Sydney



Blake



And the countdown begins...only 12 weeks to go!

Extreme Blog Makeover

My blog got a rather over due facelift. I figure since it's spring I need to lighten up the place!

Only 4 more sleeps until I see my seestor, my brotha from anotha motha and my cutie patootie niece and nephews. I can't wait!

Also, the digital camera has finally been purchased!! Ain't it purdy?




I'm hoping to have belly pics up soon, well, as soon as I can figure out how to use the thing. I've never had such a nice camera before and it's a little intimdating to tell you the truth. My "oh-so-with-it-photographic-sister" will have to help me out.

Our weekend in Calgary was a blast and parting really was such sweet sorrow as we miss our friends dearly! I think baby Elle put on one of the best "first year olds eating their very first piece of cake for the first time" peformance I've ever seen. I'll have to let you know when her Mum puts up the video. I think I may have peed my pants a little from laughing so hard. She sure is cute and makes for some stiff competition! ;)