the trip part two...

So as I said, why do I recognize someone at this airport in this place I have never been at 11pm at night?

Well a wonderfully sweet woman I know from an online bulletin board I used to frequent (an SMC board I was part of for ages until it became necessary to only hang out on IF boards and blogs) was at the airport. Never mind I had never mentioned when I would be flying in.

Never mind she was with her mother and her 16 month old daughter at 11 pm and had been waiting Goddess knows how long for me to arrive, maybe. She was there, welcoming me to Canada and it was shocking and amazing. She wanted to make sure I got in ok, and have me follow her in the rental to the hotel so I would not get lost.

I was beyond touched, I was awed and speechless. I got my rental and followed them to the hotel and made it in time as I was concerned I would not (they closed at midnight). This was only to find they were booked solid, so I followed them again to another hotel and got a room there. This woman, her name is Sharon, also lifted my bags onto the hotel cart for me and off the cart into the room. She was just so amazing!!!!!

So we got settled and said our goodbyes and planned to meet up for a bit the next day after noon as the next day was Remembrance Day (our veterans Day) and everything is closed so we knew beforehand we could not look at any properties that day.

We finally got to sleep, the bed was awful and the pillows worse but we got to sleep and slept in until 9:45 which, sadly was only 5:45 our time. Well Bliss did, I woke up with a wake p call at 9:15 so I would not miss out getting breakfast for our room at the free continental buffet.

I felt hungover the next morning from the flying and lack of sleep and stress but all was ok. I was hot as well but it was cool outside and felt good.

At a bit after noon Sharon picked us up to show us around town a bit and take us by some great landmarks. I sat in the back of her van with Bliss, even though her mother offered the front passenger seat, because I knew Bliss would want me near. What I did not consider was how car sick I would become.

We did a few sightseeing things and then they tool me around looking for an open grocery store where I could get some apples (ha ha ha) and some fresh stuff for the room but nothing was open but a gas station convenience store. I was able to get some apples and bottled water and such though so that was great. I also would NEVER have found where to go with everything closed so again, having Sharon and her family of angels there was amazing. Then when they were about to drop us off at the hotel her mother tells me she wants to lend me her GOS for the week and we run by her home to pick it up. Can you believe this????? I am SOOOOOOO converted to GPS' now, btw, I would have had so much more difficulty during my trip had I not had that amazing lil thing to use. It was a lifesaver!!!!! It is also on my own list to get from Santa this x-mas for sure!

So the next day we had to leave by 7am, which is 3am our time or somewhere in between since we have not yet adjusted but are not totally unadjusted. The first property is about an hour and a half away and was one I was really looking forward to seeing. Until I saw it that is.

It should have forewarned me of my trip, truly. It looked absolutely NOTHING like the pictures on MLS and was an absolute clapboard shack. I could spit from one side to the other and I suck at spitting. The area was not what I was expecting either. All that work and research I had done meant nothing and I was bummed but knew I had many more places to see so I kept positive.

Bliss had a dvd player and lots of movies to keep him company, plus his car seat from home he likes so he was good so far. I saw another house after that one that was not planned, and it was very nice, but just too small. It was very well kept and the property was nice, but I had realized the area we were in would not do. It had become pretty much a retirement community and I want to be where there are kids and families.

After that we drove another hour and a half to get to the next area if properties. Stopping for Bliss to go potty was ok with pee but the other became a concern when we were in rural areas. Thank goodness for Tom Horton's being everywhere is all I can say.

So we get to the next property and it is ok, lots of apple trees on the property and a very quiet road, the house seems ok from the outside. Bliss has to go potty the second we walk in which is when I discover no water and plumbing problems in the downstairs. Oh and the rooms were closets, not rooms, the listing was inaccurate. Then there was the 3 feet of water in the basement with a permanent sump pump and hose coming out. Why none of this was mentioned I am still not sure. The next property was the one with the floors so bowed you could sled down one side and the floors coming up with the foundation crumbling.

After that it was another hour and a half to the next area. We stopped for fast food along the way, which can I say is sooo not what I want these days but all we had time for. Bliss was doing great and I was very proud of him. The next property had an amazing view but here is when it sunk in. Wooded areas in New Brunswick are nothing of what I was expecting.

Bear with me here, I do not think I am being strange here in thinking, make that assuming, that wooded areas would be like the wooded areas of Maine. Au contraire mon fraire the wooded areas in NB have pines and aspens and thicket and undergrowth. You literally cannot even walk through them. So all this time I am avoiding properties with lots of clear cutting having been done is now making no sense because I do not want woods we cannot walk through, especially not a majority of it.

So that house with the great view of the river, it still needed lots of work and was smaller than expected. The floors, of mustard yellow/orange shag that looked centuries old would never work, the walls were in need of major repair and the garage was falling apart. It was still not as bad as many I had so far seen but it also was not what we were looking for.

We then drove another hour and a half to Saint John NB to stay at a hotel for the night in order to catch the Ferry the next day to Nova Scotia. The hotel was fine except they put us in the wrong room to start.I had made reservations for the rest of the trip the night before and knew what I had reserved.

Bliss was tired, I was exhausted, and we got settled in and I went down to the restaurant to see what they had and get some real food. We ate healthy dinners, I had AMAZING salmon with rice and fresh steamed veggies and was in heaven. Bliss ate pasta and some meat and bread and fruit and we relaxed a bit and got to bed.

The next day we were headed for a Ferry ride, for Bliss and then a day of searching Nova Scotia.

More to come...

to all...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!!

If you celebrate today or not may your day be filled with love.

Cooked all morning, I LOVE this day for the cooking alone.

Today's Menu in our home.

Apricot Glazed Turkey
Fresh Mashed Potato's
Yeast Rolls
Cranberry Waldorf Salad
Yams with brown sugar (for roomie)
Fresh green beans (for me)
Cranberry Sauce (canned)
Homemade Pumpkin Pies (two)
Fresh whipped cream for said pies
Homemade Apple Pie

Total eating 3

I so love cooking for tons but we shall have leftovers for days!!!!!

Dinner was great but I am so wiped out and full. Doing it pregnant has taken it out of me. Now if I can just convince Bliss to take a nap with me.

More installments of the trip to come later this week.

the trip part one.....

So, finally, the trip.

To give a little back story Bliss is not fond of flying. The last time he flew we were going to Vancouver for the day to get our Landing papers for immigration. It was a day trip and we would visit the aquarium and a few other tourist things we thought he would enjoy. The pilot, however, did a very rapid descent that caused my ears quite a bit of pain and Bliss began screaming at that time. It was almost 30 minutes until we were off the plane and the screaming had turned into the terror scream. We walked off the plane and had to immediately sit with him in the hall, long before customs or anything and it was over another 40 minutes before he could be calmed. It was just horrid. We also knew, as did he that we had to get back on a plane in 12 hours and that caused a lot of panic as well.

The day went well, we picked up some meds recommended for him and more "chewier" gum and the trip home was not bad beyond the panic. But Bliss, have I mentioned this, he has this memory. It is uncanny and a pain the ass and incredible all at the same time. So a year and a half later and he is really worried about the flying.

We got first class tickets, it was an expense so beyond our means, but I a) really needed the long flight to Newark (no nonstop to the Canadian Atlantic Region) to be ok for Bliss and b) found out I was only going to be able to get back row in economy. The plane was great as was the service (it better be for the absolute fortune we spent). The flight took off and it went well for Bliss, we got situated with drinks and then a flight attendant who I had told about Bliss' fears, and who had introduced him earlier to the pilot who Bliss proceeded to ask to do slow takeoff's and landings, came by and got the personal movie player out for him and showed him how to use it. They had Wall-E, which Bliss LOVED and has only seen once, and we put that on and I breathed for the first time. He also had new "plane toys" he loved and comfort snacks from home (apples and bacon if you must know).

About a half hour into the movie and an hour into the flight Bliss suddenly stops the movie, takes off the headphones, and says to be very seriously that he wants to get off the flight NOW. He wants the plane to land right now. My heart is absolutely panicked. I am not a panic type with Bliss usually but I knew we had 4 more hours ahead of us and I knew how serious he was.

I asked what was wrong, was he in pain, what was up. He was not liking the long flight and was scared and I told him very gently we had a lot more time until we got there but that I was there for him. Because of the huge armrest/table between seats in first class, and because we were in the first row with tons of leg space I crawled onto the floor in front of his seat and pulled him into my arms and held him while he cried. I also suggested he rest and reminded him how early we had gotten up (4 am) and said it would make the flight go faster.

He did well the rest the flight, slept a couple hours, and was not so panicked. The moment he was truly asleep I was crying my head off and doing breathing techniques. I know the pregnancy hormones were compounding how hard I was taking it, but I really felt like I was putting him through hell and I was just so sad for him.

The landing in Newark went pretty well but the descent is a very long one and Bliss got a little upset at one point and began to cry again. I asked if it was actual pain or just pressure building and scaring him (I had a feeling). He said the building pressure and I was able to explain to him they would get tight and release over and over but that they would not get sharp pain like before. he took this news well and we worked on a combination of swallowing sips of water, blowing his nose while I held it closed, and chewing 2.5 pieces of Hubba Bubba gum. It worked well and he was happy how well he did as soon as tires hit the tarmac.

When we got off the plane we got to get a ride on the airport gold cart thing to the other terminal shuttle bus. Bliss adored that. Then we had a little time to kill and had a meal at a little airport restaurant and went to the bathroom 50 times. Bliss, not me. He was able to poop though and that helped him.

This all may be way too much info for some but this is all part of how this trip went for us.

The second plane was a small plane from Newark to Moncton, New Brunswick. There is no first class but thankfully the armrests go up between us and I was saved from extreme squish. I was still in pain though. I was also boiling, the entire 2 hour flight, only one of the air things worked and I felt faint. Bliss did good with takeoff chewing this huge wad of gum and his mood was great. He was such an amazing lil being.

We landed at about 10:30 pm Atlantic time (4 hour difference from our time). We went through the first customs heck and I had written we had apples. It is a tiny airport and I got my luggage out those doors and went to the second check. they asked me to go to the private room area, which I assumed was to get rid of my apples. I was fine with that. They were very nice but they began asking me about Bliss and suddenly I understood.

At the first check point they had asked where his father was and I explained he was a sperm bank child. I thought nothing of it. We have passports and are even landed immigrants in Canada. It was a three year and very thorough process.

Well apparently they were taking me aside to see if I had proof he was in fact a sperm bank child. I laughed and explained that there was none that would suffice. If I had brought his birth certificate, which I did not, all it would say is my name and blank under father. That is not proof. If I brought the profile of his donor from the sperm bank, that again was just me saying and showing. They were very nice and were also stumped as to how, in the future, I would deal with this. They recommended bringing the birth certificate anyways but agreed it was problematic for them.

I should add here that they question it because they have to make sure people, men or women, are not taking kids out of the country into their country behind another parent's back. It IS to protect the child and I was aware of this the whole time. I appreciated their concern. It was just a pain in the toochis for us.

I think in Vancouver they deal with this more often so it is not so unusual probably. They then tried to ask Bliss questions, like what is his address (I do not believe in teaching my child, who I am with 24/7, his address actually) and they asked him who he lived with and he mentioned "the girls" which are our dogs and then got confused. They were very nice, took my apples and let us go but it was interesting to say the least.

I then enter the main terminal as I leave that area and a man asks if that's it. I was the last person out of the airport apparently. I said yes and then look across the terminal and am confused. Why do I recognize someone at this airport at 11 pm at night???

birthday...

Bliss' birthday went really well. We spent the morning opening gifts and playing and then he got to watch Star Wars (the original made not the first in the series) for the first time ever. He loved it.

I spent the morning throwing up, badly. The kind where it makes you sick all day long. I am back to battling throwing up, and pretty miserable. I was ok by the time we left for Chuck.E.Cheese.

He knew we were going there but he thought it was just us. The friends were waiting and jumped out and yelled surprise and when he realized it was a party for him he laid down on the floor in shock. He is so funny.

The party was small (4 other kids 3 other adults) but really nice and Bliss had a really good time. I nibbled some cheese pizza and some salad and was very pleased I did not have to throw up there.

After the song was sung and the cake was cut and served I surprised him with his big gift. He got the Millennium Falcon which is this HUGE thing and he was sooo shocked and thrilled.

We got home at bedtime almost and were exhausted.

I will post some pics on this post when I get them downloaded.

As for the trip post it is coming, I swear. I am just not feeling well and not up to very much. I finally caught up on my reader and am so far behind on shows it is a joke. Every night I go to bed when Bliss does and still I am tried all day. This cold is kicking my ass.

I promise to get the trip post out this week though.

update...

Still not ready to post about trip.

Still sick with this cold.

Did get unpacked and laundry done.

This Friday is Bliss' birthday so I have been getting that organized. He is having his first party with other people. Very small but it is all so he can enter a room and have people yell surprise. He has no idea but has said this past year how much he wants a surprise party some day. We are doing it the easy way and having a Chuck.E.Cheese party but he will be surprised so I am excited.

After I get through this week I should be ready to write about it all and tackle our next step or maybe at least start to figure it out.

I am down to about 75 on my reader so I am getting there.

new fyi...

home, wiped out beyond belief
house not found
frustrated
will figure it out
need a few days to even begin to write about it

p.s. have over 300 feeds to catch up on, please know I will but it may take a while

fyi...

in Canada, exhausted, be back next week

show and tell...

This post is for Mel.

I only recently began trying out bread making. It is something I have always wanted to do but had not. I am a pie maker from a young age, love making baked goods. My Tiramisu is better than I can find at the best Italian restaurant. But I never made bread beyond quick breads.

I began trying a couple months ago but the morning sickness and Metformin at the time made me not able to eat what I was baking so I too a break. I made three different breads back then and one was pretty good and two quickly became rocks.

I began searching out recipes to make artisan bread as a novice and found a lot I thought would not be good to try. Then I came across THIS article in the NY Times and couldn't wait to try it. I only had to wait for the sickness to go. So three days ago I finally decided to give it a try.

The recipe is HERE and it is so easy it is ridiculous. I am not one who wants easy necessarily. I actually love a multi-step recipe and even enjoy, so far, kneading bread and the feel of it. But this bread had such a write-up and so many rave reviews and it was artisan like in taste supposedly.

Anyhow I was shocked how beautiful it came out, and then that night I could not eat it because I was stuffed and had to wait until lunch the next day and you know what, it was amazing!!! It is still amazing days later. I will definitely be using this recipe over and over.


Now head over to Mel's and look at all the other Show and Tell's this week.

lot's going on...

I am insanely scattered trying to organize with no less that 5 different Realtors for my trip up to Canada next week. I have so very much to do and so little time to do it. Then I come to find out Tuesday is not only our Veteran's day but their Remembrance Day, which is great, but means I will not be able to view properties on that day. So basically it means I will have Wed Thurs and Fri to get it all done, hopefully someone can show houses Sat too and that will give me a total of 4 days. UGH. I come back early on Sunday.

In other news I spent this morning barfing, a lot. Not sure why but even one egg seems too many right now.

I also had an OB visit today. No u/s which is strange when you are used to them but good to. She did Doppler me for my own sanity and the heartbeat was thumping away.

I wanted to also mention an amazing anon. reader wrote me and is sending me a Doppler for my peace of mind only asking that I pass it on after the pregnancy is done. I am SO SO SO lucky!!!!! I cannot wait to get it!!

I have also lost one pound in the past month which made me happy. Not the loss, just that there has not been gain. I know many overweight women, when they get pregnant, gain very little weight. I also have friends who have gained 50-60 with every pregnancy even when they lost nothing in between. I was and am hoping I fall into the first category and so far things are not out of control.

So that is all for now. Thanks for all the support from my last post. It meant a lot.

tears...

I cried last night. Tears of joy at Obama winning. Tears of finally seeing some change, some desperately needed change.

I woke up this morning and the tears have begun again and won't seem to stop. This time, however, they are not of joy. They voted for constitutional amendments to oppress. They voted to make me not equal. They voted to say I have less rights, am less allowed, am less.

I LOVE Obama, I have loved him for YEARS, but this morning I am so sadly aware of how my choice to move is the right one. I have to raise my son in a place where his mother is considered an equal citizen worthy of equal rights. I am just so very hurt, that in California, they have voted to hurt.

The tears keep falling.

show and tell...

Amy over at Milk in the Batter shared this video with me that she got from Emily the Hopeless who got it from Dagny at Who is John Galt? and I felt it just HAS to be viewed my everyone.

It is so amazing and well done/written/expressed. It is also intense and emotional, but so is infertility.

So I present to you for Show and Tell, EMPTY ARMS from the Infertility Awareness Project.

tricks and treats...

HAPPY SAMHAIN!!!!!!!







1 Reese's small peanut butter egg from Easter
1 normal size Reese's peanut butter cup
2 Brach's caramels
2 Smarties (pieces, not rolls)
1/2 of a plain caramel apple
2 bites of carrot cake
slushy lemonade

That was the extent of my sweets intake yesterday. That should very much tell you how much I am NOT into sweets while pregnant, seriously.

We had a good time trick-or-treating at a local downtown that has a great event. Bliss also decided how many treats he wanted and then was done, it was strange but happy for me as I was BOILING in that suit. I am also mortified it was snug on me as it is a blow up suit, but kids still freaked at it and bliss loved that so all was worth it.

It rained the night before, FINALLY, and rained a little in the day but was clear when we went trick-or-treating. Then in the evening when we set up to hand out candy, which Bliss loves to do, it began raining again. I was handing out huge handfuls of candy per person just hoping to run out and the rain kept getting stronger and people stopped coming. Sadly I still have lots left but I will pass it out to the mail people and any delivery drivers that stop by over the coming week.

I also keep forgetting to mention my 3 hour GD test and now seems appropriate.

My fasting level was 90 (65-99 range)
My 1 hour level was 211 (65-199 range) high
My 2 hour level was 115 (65-139 range)
My 3 hour level was 66 (65-109 range)

The docs say it is not a clear pass, which I disagree with but whatever. They say I need to watch it, which I have been, and that I must retest at 24 weeks. We shall see, that will be around moving time so I am not sure but I am trying to be careful of what I eat.

Speaking of eating, my new thing, besides soups which are still doing me well, is 4 P's. I take some potato salad I got at the store, add cut up pickles, and pepperocini's and potato chips on the side. It was only a small thing of potato salad thank goodness. I am not even usually a big potato chip person. So aside from that I have been trying to really watch what I eat and keep the carbs down. I have not thrown up in almost a week but still have close calls.