Happy Halloween!!!

Happy Halloween!!!!

This morning I took Scarlett to a program that happens to be located at the school that I work at.  I dressed Scarlett up, hoping other children in the program would be dressed up too, and they were.  But as soon as the recess bell rang, I took Scarlett out of the program and went to mingle with my staff....I mean, it's not every day that Scarlett is dressed up like a little yummy lion :)

In other news, Scarlett can now do the sign for doggy.  She signs it when she sees our dog at my parents place, she signs it when she sees a picture of a dog in a book.  Now, if only I could get her to sign "more" instead of grunting at me when she wants more food.  :)

Ten months Old!!!!

Scarlett is 10 months old today!  Here's her latest album.

Another digital scrapbooking design by Smilebox

Birthday Party Confusion

Scarlett really wants to pet Buddy.  Buddy is not so interested.

Scarlett's first birthday is getting closer and closer (she'll be ten months this week).  Many months ago I booked the party room in my condo for Scarlett's birthday.  I have not paid the deposit ($500 refundable) or the fee ($150) to use the room as of yet.  My intention was to throw her birthday party on her actual birthday - it's a weekday during the Christmas holidays.  I figure some people will be working and some will be away on vacation.  On top of cost of the party room is the cost of food...and the food has to be kosher because my parents will only eat kosher food.

Now really, is Scarlett's first birthday for me or for her?  Because I don't think Scarlett will know what is happening, other than a lot of people in her space causing her a lot of distress.  She could end up being a very miserable, or very happy, little one year old.

I could put that money towards some really fun gifts for Scarlett...although really, a pack of tissue paper and a cardboard box are all that she really needs.

The thing is, I have a very small family locally.  We aren't close with my mom's side of the family and my dad's side lives out of town and will be away on vacation anyway.  Basically, it's just me and Scarlett, my parents and my grandmother...and our dog Buddy, of course...who will attend the party....so in essence, it's like any other Wednesday.  Today a friend said to me, "But she's only going to have one first birthday.  Are you going to look back on it 5 years from now and regret not doing anything?"

It's just a lot of money to put out if Scarlett isn't going to even know it's happening.  At the same time, I don't want her birthday to go unrecognized.

I'd be interested in your feedback.

Decisions, decisions!

T42?????

Lately I've been thinking a lot about whether or not I should have a 2nd baby.  I've been weighing the pros and cons.  On one hand I love imagining a life of just Scarlett and I together, like the Gilmore Girls.  But on the other hand, I have very little close family.  My brother and his brood (wife and 5 children and counting) are very religious and live in Israel.  I have never met any of his 5 children.  They live a very different lifestyle than me.  Basically, Scarlett has me and my parents.  If anything were to happen to us, she would be all alone.

And so I've begun considering my options for two.  I posted on the choicemoms group a while back asking for input from other moms who have 2 or are wanting two.  I have decided that I would like my kids close together in age - this way I won't be holding Scarlett back from activities while I am stuck to a baby's schedule.  I live in a 2 bedroom condo...is this enough space for 2 kids and me?  I don't see why not.  But having the two little ones share a room will be disruptive during nap and sleep times when the future baby is crying.  At the same time, my brother has 4 of his kids in one room.  People do it.  Kids share rooms.  And a future baby with be in my room until he/she is approximately 4 months anyway.

I think my biggest issue now will be, how will I do early morning monitoring and get Scarlett to Daycare and get myself to work before the school bell.  I guess b/c I have embryos and I'm not going through the retrieving process it will be a little more simple, but I still have a 2 or more week process of monitoring while I'm placed on high doses of estrogen and progesterone.  That may be one cycle or two or more.  The summer won't be a problem but I'd like to start in May, so if I need a couple of monitoring cycles I don't end up in September during the stressful time at school.

I just spoke to my clinic and found out I will need a new referral even though they have my embryos.  So I figure I'll take a trip to my GP in April or so and get my referral.  I won't take a day off work for my consultation, I'll just go in to Mississauga on a Saturday or Sunday to meet with my doctor.  And then I'll figure it out with getting Scarlett to daycare and myself to the appointments.  Maybe my parents can drop Scarlett at daycare those mornings.

And I run into the same issue as last time I did this.  I don't want to publicize that I'm doing this.  So, those of you that follow my blog and are my friends out in the real world, please don't tell anyone that I'm considering doing this again.  I have a lot to think about...plus I'm not even back at work yet.  I need to figure out how things will go once I'm back at work.  And of course, I need to be at a healthy weight to conceive.  I'm assuming that once I'm breastfeeding less, and eventually not at all (so that I can be put on the estrogen I need) the pounds will come back to me and put me back in the healthy weight category.  In the meantime, I won't be this tiny forever, so I may as well just enjoy the fact that I can eat whatever I want and not gain a pound.

Okay, just to end things, I'm going to post my new favourite picture of Scarlett :)