Exploitative Practices

Matt and I were faced with a critical decision when contemplating our couples costume. We knew we wanted to exploit one of our new physical acquisitions, but which one- the baby bump or the beard? In the end we decided it would be more politically correct for me to adopt a beard rather than Matt a pregnant tummy. So lumberjacks it was...

Queen of Hearts

This year I decided to re-visit my Alice in Wonderland past (I was Alice when I was about six years old, but unfortunately there is no photo evidence) and be the Queen of Hearts. Amy and I planned to make our costumes together- but between shopping, laser tag, and stuffing ourselves with chinese food in Calgary last weekend we didn't have any time to buy fabric to make the tutus. Instead I waited until a couple days before Friday to tie tulle, and cut and glue felt hearts. My crafting skills could use some work (I couldn't even sew my costume) but at least it was enough to impress my grade threes: "How did you make that?!"


Amy did an awesome job with her makeup, she was even dedicated enough to glue her eyebrows down with a glue-stick to make them invisible.


My kingdom.


My loyal subjects paid tribute to me during lunch hour when they thought it would be hilarious to bow down to me whenever I entered the classroom for lunch supervision. Okay, it was entertaining for me as well. And don't worry- I didn't my abuse my power and make them work too hard on Friday.

Freedom

Parent teacher interviews are completed, the pain in my side is gone, my IV is out, and I can finally go back to getting my regular, blissful 8.5 hours of sleep a night. This was kind of a rough week but I have survived with nothing worse to show than bags under my eyes and a sore throat. The kids in my class were really relieved to see that the IV was out. When I came back to school at the end of the school day after an afternoon doctors appointment, they all rushed over to give me a hug and the girls to give my stomach a pat (I guess I should start getting used to the stomach touching because my stomach is starting to grow quickly and people are starting to tell me that I finally look pregnant). Everyday they would ask if the baby was okay, if my hand was hurting (whenever I was writing, typing, or generally moving at all) and look really concerned when they saw blood filling the tubes in my hand. They were really sweet, but it worried me that they were so worried despite my reassurances that I was feeling okay, and I was scared to take more than an afternoon off this week because I thought they might imagine the worst. Now hopefully I can avoid seeing medical professionals for a while, I think I have spent more time in a hospital these last two months than the rest of my life combined!

I'm a Regular

Lately I feel as regular as ol' Dennis at the Lloydminster hospital. All the nurses and receptionists know who I am. My 8 a.m., 6:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. daily visits go a little something like this:

"Here for another IV?" A receptionist smiles at me in recognition.

ME: "Yep."

"Still have your wristband?"

ME: "Yep."

I head back to the emergency waiting area where a nurse smiles at me in recognition and calls dibs on the teacher she gave an IV to that morning.

NURSE: "How was your class today?" and other small talk as me connects me to my meds. Then, "You know what to do."

The IV-on-wheels clatters noisily and sways precariously as I slowly wander to the reception area to sit next to Matt. I wait 10 minutes for the antibiotics to drain. And begin the familiar trek back to the emergency room chair.

The nurse quickly unhooks me and inserts a saline rinse into the plastic tube which has called my vein home these past 48 hours.

NURSE: "There you go sunshine/hun/dear (depending on the nurse). I'll see you on my next shift."

ME: "Yep."

It's a boy!

I had my ultrasound today and it looks like Matt and I are having a little baby Jonas (our favorite boy name) before a little baby Drew (our favorite girl name)! All we know besides his gender is that he likes to kick his legs and that he is shaping up to be a cute little guy! We can't wait to meet him in 20 more weeks!

Field Trip Time!

Yesterday Matt and I decided it was field trip time. So we recruited my brothers Jordan and Colton and headed to the Telus World of Science in Edmonton for an afternoon of educational fun. 

The day was off to a rocky start when we drove to probably the only restaurant in Edmonton that is not open on a Saturday- thanks a lot Tokyo Express on 112 St. I really needed some sakana (fish) to fuel my brain for some serious learning.

At the center we explored the exhibits, watched a movie about space exploration in the Science Dome and tested our physical prowess. We each had our moment to shine.

I won the basketball shootout (Matt says this is debatable but Colton will attest to the fact that the computer gave Matt two points for two missed shots).

Matt ran faster than a grizzly bear (1.96 seconds), balanced the longest on a skateboard, had the best reflex times to sound, light, and touch stimulus, and won the wheel chair race championship (and the contest for biggest showoff).

Colton displayed the most left hand strength in the circus games

and Jordan climbed a climbing wall without even touching it.

The highlight I'm sure we would all agree however was learning to make ice cream using liquid nitrogen and then of course eating the ice cream. Oh and the kids who thought they were going to die when they imagined that a bit of nitrogen splashed on their heads added to the entertainment as well.