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Sugar and spice and everything nice...

It's now a mere 26 days until BK2's due date. Considering it's only friends (and a few select family members) who read 'My e-Soapbox', I feel that I can be open with you and trust that you'll allow BD and I to share our news of BK2's gender ourselves.

That being said, BB1 is going to have a BB2! The new little one is healthy, and an active little bugger. We're both over the moon and I certainly wouldn't change anything.

I've always dreamt of having 3 children. In fact, a psychic once told me that I would have two boys and one girl (she revealed this when I was pregnant with BB1). I'm getting older, and my body is physically drained from all the pregnancies (in the past 4 years I've been pregnant at least once each year). I really think that this may be it for us. A wise friend did share with me that making that decision at 36.5 weeks gestation probably isn't wise - thanks, Lisa! Anyhow, am I okay with only boys? With only two children? I've long had dreams in my mind of having a daughter. Of her and I being close, shopping together, and even the inevitable drifting apart phase during the teen years. Then there's the coming together afterwards, the close bond, the friendship...But wait. None of that is guaranteed. One tidbit of info consistent across the Mommy-board is that you will always have more in common with one child than another...that's natural. Just because you have a daughter, doesn't mean it's going to be sugar and spice and everything nice, right? And who's to say that a mother can't have that same bond, that same close relationship/friendship with her son(s)?

Additionally, say BD and I tried for a third for the sake of a potentially having a girl, what would happen if we had another boy? Keep trying again? I can say right now, from my heart, that if we were to try for a third, it's because we want another child, and we would be happy with whatever we were lucky enough to create together.

Here are two of my favourite quotes on sons:

"We've begun to raise daughters more like sons... but few have the courage to raise our sons more like our daughters. " ~Gloria Steinem

"You don't raise heroes, you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they'll turn out to be heroes, even if it's just in your own eyes." ~Walter M. Schirra, Sr.

In closing, I still can't stress enough how happy and blessed we feel/are. Two boys! It's going to be an adventure, a wild ride, and we truly feel our family is complete. Plus, I won't have to share my tiara ;)

Tragic Endings, New Beginnings, and Hangovers...

It is indeed the end of an era. Regardless of how you felt about Michael Jackson, there is no denying the man was a virtuoso. When I first learned about his death last Thursday, I simply thought, "Ok, I guess this is just another one of life's 'where were you when' moments," and moved on from there. After a couple of days of retrospective, however, I believe that the entertainment world has truly lost one of the greats. The man was a genius, and as it usually works with genius types, all of their eggs tend to be in one basket. For MJ, he was an amazing performer/musician. His true self/weird self really only came out into the public eye in the 90's. I don't believe that he molested any children, but I do believe that he was eccentric enough to believe that spending time with young kids would somehow help preserve his own youth through osmosis. I also believe that the MJ that everyone used to love died a long, long time ago. I feel terribly for his family, and especially for his children. I never had the good fortune to see him for a live performance, but as a little girl I certainly danced and sang the hell out of his songs. Yesterday me and BB1 (and BK2 by default) spent a solid hour dancing around the main floor of our home to every MJ hit from 'ABC-123' through to 'Scream' as our personal tribute (Goes w/o saying, but BD was out all morning, which is the only way I was actually able to blast Michael Jackson tunes). As previously stated, we've lost one of the biggest entertainers in history - hopefully he'll now find the peace that was constantly eluding him.

So, I'm kind of in crunch time now. In 7 weeks, BK2 will be making his/her appearance. I honestly don't know where the time went. I'm mildly freaked out and stoked. I've been so focused on BB1, that I never really had time to think about being pregnant or the implications thereof. So, yeah...another human will be joining our fam...and soon! I'm super excited, and much more confident this time around, but also wondering how I could possibly have enough love in me to love another person? Most of my friends have 2+ children and say that the only people who wonder that are those with only one kid. Fair enough. Growing up an only child, I never had to share my Mum's attention (or my grandparents' for that matter), or share toys, or anything really. This is going to be a completely different dynamic. I am psyched.

BD and I went to a movie this afternoon. I'd already seen 'The Hangover" but couldn't wait to see it again. Initially, I didn't even want to see it the first time simply because I thought it would be humour a-la-Superbad, which I thought was - ahem - super bad. Going in with low expectations made the movie the funniest fucking thing I've seen in a long time. Go see it; you won't be disappointed. Or maybe you will be. That would suck.

The Only Unsinkable Ship Is...

The past few days I've been run ragged. Pair that with the typical 3rd trimester lovelies, and that's pretty much where I'm at today. Correction; That's where I was today. On my way home from work, I stopped, as I always do, to pick up the mail. Flyers, bills, junk mail, and...gasp! What's this? A hand-written, cardstock envelope addressed to me! When I got home and opened it, I was moved to tears. 

My BFF, sent me an amazing card with the most beautiful message contained within...and the card was sent just to let me know she's thinking of me. It should be noted that we've been trying to get ahold of one another for weeks and weeks - with no success. We've been friends for about 16 years now, seen each other through pretty much everything from pets dying (poor Max and Sparky) to our own weddings...we've fought, gotten over it; made up dance routines to bad music (John Mellencamp song at Senior Auction, anyone?!), and would always raid one another's closets (one of the best perks about being the same size!!). 

Is any of this unique? Hardly...women the world over have close friendships that last a lifetime. There still remains a uniqueness, however, which lies in the unmatched bond experienced by each woman in her individual friendship. True friendship truly is a gift. I can count on one hand  my true friends...the people that are there for me on a moment's notice, and I them. For that, I am forever blessed.

To close, I'm going to "steal" the poem from the card that I got today, and dedicate right back to A.McC...and also send it to A.B, L.S., J.S., and K.R.:

This is What I See When I Look At You...

I see a remarkable woman

with a kind heart

who is beautiful in every sense

of the word...

When I look at you...

I see a smile that lights up

the room

and laughter that is truly contagious

I see strength and wisdom

beyone anything I have ever known

I see love - pure and true

compassion and thoughtfulness

I see a woman who walks

through this world with gentleness

and grace

I admire you for all that you are

and for all that you do

You are everything wonderful

in this world

and if I had just one wish it would be

that you could see what I see

when I look at you.

Thanks for being amazing A.McC!! Love you!

Actually, I don't remember asking for your opinion...

I'm now in week 25 of my pregnancy, and things are still going well (Yay! One more week until I'm home-free in my own mind...); So well, in fact, that I'm still running. With BB1, I did nothing. No exaggeration. Zip. I sat on my ass and ate, and read, and slept and worked. No exercise. Why I'm still surprised at my 50+ lb. weight gain, I'll never understand. This time around, I figured that pregnancy doesn't have to be a time where you hibernate and do nothing physical (especially for those of us who lead quite active lifestyles). I've been running since week 13, and am really enjoying myself. Sure, I get the odd stare, but don't think too much of it. Until last week.

I was running on one of the trails near our home when I was approached two 50-something-year-old women. One of them eyed me tip to toe, and said to the other (in a loud disgusted tone), "That's just SICK." I've been stewing over this for almost one week. Still running regularly, but stewing nonetheless. Trying to figure out the perfect comeback. Here's what I've come up with:

1. "Fuck you."

2. "You're sick. Go lose some weight, fatty."

3. "My Obstetrician has no issues with my running, so save your Google MD for someone else."

4. "Jealous?"

5. "Fuck you."

These "concerned citizens" need to mind their own beeswax. I'm participating in an upcoming 5K in 12 days. If you happen to be a spectator (at this 5K, or anywhere else), be nice. If you don't have anything nice to say, zip it. To anyone who is pregnant and still running...you go, mama!! Listen to your bod, and do what feels good.

The Birds and the Bees have gotten v. complicated...

I was warned. Emphatically warned, in fact. Lindsay, my amazing hair stylist laid it all out for me last Saturday. Her warnings only intrigued me. I mean, how much could "the talk" have really changed since I was a tween? I queued up last Thursday's Oprah, and got my answer within the first 2 minutes of the show.

"So, have you all talked to your kids about sex? How about oral sex? How about masturbation and vibrators?" 

PARDON???

The collective jaw of the audience dropped. Apparently, no talk is too early - but it still can be age-appropriate. Dr. Laura Berman was on the show that day, and she offered very sage, intelligent advise to parents. This particular posting isn't going to be a regurgitation of the advice she offered, but more, I guess about digesting the "new" information presented.

There was a panel of 14-15 year-old girls on the show talking about what they knew, or knew of. Apparently, oral sex is prevalent in the junior high set. It's viewed as no big deal, the "new" goodbye kiss, and girls think it's ok to do because you can't get pregnant. Are you familiar with rainbow parties? Go Google it, and come back. I'll wait...Crazy, no? I think about when I was in junior high/high school. What if some of the guys had presented it to a group of us as a fun thing to do? I can tell you right now, we would have laughed at their sorry asses. I can only speak to the experiences of my peers/girls in my close circle of friends. Maybe we were prudes, or maybe we're just super old now, and the times have drastically changed. I do know that oral sex, rainbow parties and sexting would not have been options. Sure there were always one or two school sluts that probably would have happily obliged, but for those things to be mainstream, non-intimate acts performed solely on guys in hopes that he'll like you afterwards? No chance. 

What happens to our self-assured, boldly confident 8 and 9 year-old daughters when they hit their teens? Why do they suddenly abandon their self-worth and self respect? Has it always been like this? Maybe my girlfriends were the exception. I mean, if someone's boyfriend, or a guy made an inappropriate comment/started spreading a rumour about one of us, that poor guy wouldn't know what hit him. He would be confronted by the entire group, in the hallway, and ripped to shreds before we'd all walk off laughing. There was a study done recently by Dove, and it identified that girls with low self-esteem participate in harmful and destructive behaviours including eating disorders, cutting themselves, bullying, smoking, drinking, and various "activities" with boys. What I find sad about this is that these girls are not comfortable talking to their mothers, aren't finding solace in their female friendships, and essentially can only deal by either hurting themselves or others. With the exception of the cutting example, our group of friends has dealt, at one time or another, with the various behaviours listed. We all loved each other enough to be able to say, "Hey what's up? Why are you doing this to yourself?" We girls looked out for one another, and still do. Why the younger set are abandoning one another to get the guy...sigh...I don't get it. 

Whether raising a boy or a girl, you've got your work cut out for you. Mistakes are always made along the way, but if nothing else, knowledge is always power. Let's band together and do our best to raise a new generation of confident, smart, knowledgeable, well-adjusted, and caring kids who will hopefully do the same.

C'mon; You know you love these...

60 Things You Possibly Didn’t Know About Me [But Now You Do]

1. What is in the back seat of your car right now? A car seat and reusable grocery bags.

2. When was the last time you threw up?Ummm... March 20, 2009. I love being pregnant. I love being pregnant. I love being pregnant. Nope - still don't believe it.

3. What's your favorite curse word? Jesus-Christ-Shit-Motherfucker (saved for special occasions only).

4. Name 3 people who made you smile today? Angus, Elayne, Crystal

5. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?Brewing tea and checking my work e-mail.

6. What were you doing 30 minutes ago? Trying to get my Supervisor to agree with a decision I'd made.

7. Have you ever been to a strip club? Yes

8. What is the last thing you said aloud? Are you fucking kidding me? Keep me posted!

9. When is your birthday?02-09

10. What is the best ice cream flavor? Rainbow Sherbet (I consider it ice-cream)

11. What was the last thing you had to drink? Water
12. What are you wearing right now? Black turtleneck, khakis, red pennyloafers

13. What is the last thing you ate? Salmon with a side of mushroom barley

14. Have you bought any new clothing items this week? No...Lent is over in less than 2 weeks, though :)

15. When was the last time you ran? Tuesday, March 31, 2009.

16. What's the last sporting event you watched? NCAA Michigan win.

17. What's the last sport you played? Ulti

18. Who is the last person you sent a comment/message on myspace? Considering I have no MySpace account...no one!

19. Ever go camping? Yes.

20.Do you have a tan?No. I look like mashed potatoes. But summer's almost here :)

21.Have you ever lost anything down a toilet? Poop?

22.What is your guilty pleasure? People.com, gofugyourself.com, chews sour gum, Britney Spears, Easter Cream Eggs, regular Pepsi

23.Do you use smiley faces on the computer a lot?:) Yup

24. Do you drink your soda from a straw? Yep...it's all about protecting my teeth!

27. What are you doing tomorrow? Work, run, go to the park with Angus, window shop on-line, sleep :)

28. Where is your mom right now? At work, getting ready to get her summer car out of storage and getting her hair 'did.

29. Look to your left, what do you see? A policy contract with a client that I really don't enjoy working with, a picture of me and Ryan on our CB bike trip, picture of Angus, picture of Marley.

30. What color is your watch?Silver w/ a brown face.

31. What do you think of when you think of Australia? Corey & Amanda, bitches!!

32. Ever ridden on a roller coaster? Yep.

33. What is your birthstone? Amethyst

34. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive through? Drive-thru

35. What is your favorite number?13

36. Do you have a dog? Yes

37. Last person you talked to on the phone? Ryan

38. Have you met anyone famous? Rob Schneider, Curtis Joseph, Bono touched my hand...so, close enough!

39. Any plans today? I'm busy working - can't you tell?!

40. How many provinces have you lived in? 3: NL, ON, NS - spent enough time in QC throughout my life to count as #4, but I won't.

41. Ever go to university? Carleton, Class of '99. Go Ravens!!

42. Where are you right now? At the office *sigh*

43. Biggest annoyance in your life right now? The fact that I'm not on tour with my #1 best-selling novel.

44. Last song listened to? "Swagga' Like Us" - T.I., L'il Wayne, Kanye West, and Jay-Z

46. Are you allergic to anything? Penicillin (although, I think I'm growing out of it)

47. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time? My black Steve Madden 4-inch heels

48. Taste in your mouth right now? Water

49. Are you jealous of anyone? Nope...

50. Is anyone jealous of you? I seriously doubt it.

51. Do you love anyone? Yes. Very much.

52. Do any of your friends have children? Yes.

53. Do you eat healthy? I try to...but fail quite often.

54. What do you usually do during the day? Work.

55. Do you hate anyone right now? No.

58. Do you own any big sunglasses? Yes.

59. Have you ever been to Six Flags? No.

60. How did you get one of your scars?Camping in Colorado when I was 11, I tripped over a jagged tree stump and skinned my ankle. Damn scar is still there.