Lazy Friday post...

We've had quite the random Friday...

But first, Cole is awesome. He is all for standing and trying it out every chance he gets. Check him out this evening:



I like how weird our living room looks in that video, like all our furniture is crammed into one corner. We're using a small, crazy 70's vinyl-covered ottoman that I've meant to reupholster for a really long time as a coffee table so that Cole doesn't bonk his head on the real one, I keep squishing it between the chair and the couch to block off more pointy corners and I got all my fabric in big IKEA tubs out of the closet for my project the other day and am using it to block the fireplace so Cole can't scratch at the chain curtains. Ahh - so cluttered in here!

Anyway, (more) long rambling to follow. I think I pinched a nerve in my lower back yesterday while hovering over Cole trying to dress him as he tried to get away, so I've spent today lurching around like a zombie, trying not to twist or bend. I seem to need to do that a lot... I'm sitting gingerly as we speak. Ow, ow, ow. It's probably a good thing that playdate plans got rescheduled (hope little C feels better soon!) because I really doubt that I could have kept a handle on Cole in a wide open space with my current range of mobility!

But what to do with the day now that we had no plans? I wanted to take Cole swimming but was afraid that my back would seize up in the pool and then what would become of us? Ruled out walking because of pant issues (more on that later) and back pain. So we took the car up to West Vancouver to do a little shopping at Whole Foods and Michaels (had to get my hands on some of these awesome Christmas stamps for I don't know what reason).

Also had to return the most adorable pajamas that I got for Cole recently. When I put them on him we noticed that they were a little on the small side, although they were 6-12 months size. When I took a second look at them on, I realized they were for a girl! The cute puckered shoulders gave it away. I would have kept them anyway if they fit, but two strikes means a return in my book.

Speaking of clothes, I really need some new ones, evidently. The other day I walked through some dog poop and it got on the bottom of my favourite comfy jeans. Yesterday in the rain I wore my back up jeans and got them all soaked and gravelly in the rain. I tossed them both in the wash very diligently, but realized as I went to get dressed right before we were leaving today that I forgot to turn on the dryer... Faced with wet pants, I went to the closet. I should state that I have many pairs of jeans and other pants too, but none of them fit. Still have like 15 baby pounds to lose... The only other jeans that fit haven't been hemmed and are like six inches too long. Who do they make pants for? I'm 5'5 and a normal height among all the women I know. I have enough skirts to get me to Christmas eve without wearing doubles, but I figured then I'd have to search around for tights from two years ago, since last winter's maternity tights all went in the trash. So what choices was I left with? White or camo capri pants, the rattiest pair of sweatpants that I wear when the others are in the laundry or maternity dress pants. Yeah, I chose the latter... At least with a coat on they looked nice, but weirdly nice for walking around with a baby in the middle of the day. And even if noone else knew they were maternity pants, I did...

Canada's cheapest nightgown!

Not wanting to wear the embarrassingly revealing open-backed hospital gown during the walking-around stages of labour, I thought I'd need to find a decent and cheap nightgown - one that I wouldn't mind chucking if need be. It's been one of the last things on my list of stuff to pack for the hospital...

We were out today with friends shopping and stumbled into the bed clothes section of the Bay downtown and I am now the proud owner of a $12 nightgown! It's very old-school and I could kind of picture it on Mrs Roper, but it fits over the baby bump and I think it's perfect for the hospital! You know you're not buying high-fashion when you can try it on right over your clothes in the middle of the store. My friend Mi ae bought a different but similar one too (she'll be heading to the hospital a few weeks after we do, if the timing is right!). It was hilarious - kind of a competition to find the cheapest nightgown in the store...

The tragic part is that it's so comfortable that I'm wearing it right now... I also got a cutish pink & white polka dot robe to go over the ugly nightgown, so that helps a bit!

Maternity clothes - who knew!?!

I finally caved in and bought some proper maternity clothes. Over our honeymoon my bump started to show, and I eventually began to wonder if loose fitting regular clothes are less flattering than actual maternity clothes (yes). That, and I became very sick of wearing my too-large jeans over Ireland for two weeks with hardly a break! :-)

I normally don't shop much at the Gap. Their stuff is usually pretty basic, but I must admit, a trip to the Maternity Gap out in the sticks (Coquitlam Centre) is well worth it. There's only a small selection of maternity versions of regular styles, but I everything I tried on fit! Very reassuring too - I got to go back to my regular pre-pregnancy size! So far I have found a few stretchy dresses (2 from the regular section), a pair of the most comfortable herringbone pants for work, a great pair of jeans and a nice top. The pants and jeans have the stretchy band built right in!

Stretchy dresses, I adore you! Maternity pants - how did I ever live without your comforting presence? I can breathe again, and it's nice to look pregnant and not just fat! I need a few tops, a skirt and a few pairs of maternity tights, but things are looking up!

As good as gold!

The Bella Band is fantastic! I had to wait another entire day to find out, because I didn't make it to the store in time on Sunday - they were closed by the time I got there unfortunately... After my doctor's appointment this morning I high-tailed it a few blocks over to Yaletown to Vie Maternity.

Basically the Bella Band looks like a stretchy spandex tube top and feels so soft and sproingy. And that's pretty much how it fits, but imagine pulling on your tube top only to give up when it's around your belly, over your pants. That's it! I went to try it on at the store and I had to come back out of the change room, holding it up quizzically and ask whether I was supposed pull it on from the top or the bottom! ;-) From the bottom, fyi.

And honestly, it worked great on the pants I've been wearing with the button open and the zipper halfway down, since they fit everywhere but the bump area. You couldn't even tell, and it made them so comfortable. Four thumbs up for the Bella Band!

A sad (and hilarious) tale of maternity clothes shopping...

This story about one woman's experience shopping for maternity clothes was too funny not to share. The descriptions of the heinous clothes alone are worth a read for the laughs they generate! An excerpt:

So on a crisp morning during my second trimester, she and I entered the sacred realm of the maternity store. Immediately we were set upon by a smiling saleswoman (not pregnant) who spoke to us in the voice of a kindergarten teacher during story hour. "And when are we due?" It wasn't simply an act of buying clothes, I quickly learned. No, we were all going to give birth in April. A private person by nature, I winced but sallied forth. What came next, however, was not to be endured. All the maternity clothing displayed was unspeakably tacky. It seemed I had just three options: I could become Battleship Mom, Bunny Mom or Playground Mom. [more...]

The kit mentioned in the story is Belly Basics, a set of maternity clothes that look like, if not the most imaginative clothing ever, some perfectly serviceable pieces. Although if I buy a kit I'll have to wear some great shoes and jewellery or something, to keep from looking like Funeral-Director Mom. ;-)

And oh my goodness, I neeeeeeed this Bella Band something terrible!! That looks like the best invention ever. Bless the kind soul who thought of it! I have just called to put one on hold at Vie Maternity in Yaletown - all my jeans, except for the one-size up ones that I just bought and haven't hemmed (and hopefully still fit) are too small!!!!!