Kale Chips

Today was a rainy day in the neighbourhood- I know, I'm just as upset about it as you are. I truly wish for SNOW- thought I would never say that! Moving along-

So I decided to be creative and make a healthy snack for me to nibble on throughout the day.

I made Kale Chips. They are so Yummy and extremely healthy for you. Its funny how its become so popular in the last little while. I actually grew up eating tonnes of kale. My mother would make it on a regular basis in her Portuguese soups. I love kale.

All it ask for is a  Little olive oil, seasoning salt and bite size pieces of kale. You then bake them in the oven at 350 until crisp. So EASY and Delicious.


Marcus waited patiently with his bear for me to finish up making my little treat.

One of the Investment Companies Matt works with sent us that for Baby Marcus. I think my little guy has a new friend.

Tummy Time

Today we did some Tummy time and baby Marcus was more interested in telling mommy a story than

 lifting his head. He was being a Lazy bum today but was just utterly adorable with his cous


With a little encouragement, baby Marcus wanted to show off his mad head lifting skills to mommy.

Cant believe he is only 11 weeks- he such a chubby bunny!

Love that babe!

Something to at least "think about"

I have been called a Conspiracy theorist in my time- mostly by my husband. I will admit from time to time I get caught up in something that the government did or didn't do.

I have watched A LOT of documentaries about A LOT of different topics. I think its really important to be aware of the world around you. That being said- there is a lot of "crap"-excuse my french- out there. Sifting through is definitely needed.

I think my love for documentaries has rubbed off on Matt. So the other night he approaches me and says should watch the newest Zeitgeist. (we have watched all the other ones). I rolled my eyes and said" you know what happens when we do this!" Its ALL I talk  and think about for days.

Knowing what he was getting into, we went ahead and watched it.

It was a GREAT project clip the depicted exactly how our economy is, how it got there and where its going. I truly believe (specifically) our generation should open their eyes to how we are taking advantage of our world that we have been given. That at one time was filled with much resources has now been taken over by the greed and power of men.

I hope it doesn't offend anyone- if anything it should offend my husband who is an Investor. there is a part where we laughed and laughed our heads off- they state that the WALL STREET investors must of had brain damage to do their job because no empathy is found. I looked and Matt and said "that explains it haha)

All jokes aside- additional research is always required before taking anything at face value.

Though I have my faith, I truly believe in science and know that they work together not against eachother

All I say to my family and friends is knowledge is WISDOM, FREEDOM AND CHANGE,

The more we know the more we can actually make a difference and correct the mistakes that have been made in the past.

Who is Marcus?

I know my little bubba is only 7 weeks old but boy does he have a personality on him already.

I thought I best post something soon or Ill forget this precious stage in months to come.

Who is Marcus?

Marcus is a very Happy Baby!
He loves to Smile all the time- at everything! mom, dad, his friends on the wall, his friends hanging from the mobile, at himself in the mirror, at a blank wall.....everything.

He loves when mommy sings to him- "wheels on the bus" "Patty cake", "I love you Marcus" " You are my sunshine" and sometimes he will cou along.

He enjoys the fan on (white noise) while taking his naps

He all of a sudden hates his "soother" which makes me sad- I had my soother till I was four- (don't judge)

He gets Grumpy when he's tired (just like his Daddy)- we will be playing, having a ball during his wake time and BAM- he starts screaming and cant even open his eyes- It throws me off every time. So I swaddle him in his blankie and rock him to sleep while he cries...and then BAM he's out like a light.

I scratch my head every time! Not sure why he cant just rub his eyes, yawn and go to sleep, but hey makes my afternoon nap times interesting.

He loves walks- fresh air

He loves story time

He LOVES BATHS- he gets one every night apart of his bedtime routine and no matter what mood he is in, as soon as we put him in the water, he is a calm and happy as can be.

He loves Daddy time. When Matt gets home from work, I'm usually just finishing up feeding him and he usually has a fun party in his diaper waiting for daddy. I know that's mean, but both Marcus and I get a kick  out of it. daddy doesn't mind :)

He loves routine- I have him on a loose schedule- Feeding/Wake time/Nap time. It changes from time to time- growth spurts, outings etc.. but for the most part it stays the same.

Sometimes I can put him down for a nap awake and other times he cries hysterically and I need to rock and sing to him to sleep.

He is a complete and utter joy to our lives. Life wouldn't be the same without Baby  Marcus

Angels watching Over you!

My Mother, Marcus and I went for a stroll down town the other week and came across this little second hand antique store. The woman who owns it, travels around looking for old antique furniture and random findings. My mom spotted this picture and we both fell in love with it.  She bought it and gave it to Marcus. It now hangs up in his nursery and I'm reminded every time I look at it, how angels are always watching over my baby and where he just came from.

Sometimes I catch my baby gazing up to the ceiling smiling and laughing. I always look up and see that there is nothing there. I'd like to think its his friends from above ;)

Thank you Heavenly father for Watching over my Baby Angel!

COCHRANES move out of the City and into the Country

Yes its true! We have finally moved out into the outskirts of the City. We decided to relocate for Matt's work. He was commuting 2hrs a day and now that I'm on Mat leave, we decided it was time to make the move.

We have been planning on moving out here since the spring, but with the pregnancy, Dr's appointments etc, we knew it wasn't the right time. plus we had purchased our home and three weeks later, Matt got his new Job. ( we currently have rented out our home for the year)

We Love it here. It is a very beautiful little town here in Mitchell. Its where Matt was born and raised, not to mention its only 11 minutes from Stratford ( I timed it). As well as only 35 mins to London.

I think Marcus Likes it here too-  e gets LOTS of attention from our very friendly neighbours and ppl in the town. We take walks to the Library, the local grocery store and or just sometimes walk around.

My mom came up with us to help us move and clean the house for me. She is seriously the BEST! oh and of course we made sure we took the time to take some hundred pics of Marcus in the fall leaves- I mean he was begging us the whole time- how could we say no ?


When my Mat leave is over, we may move back to London or I will commute ( I didnt think I would enjoy it here as much as I do).

 Matt's Old Elementary School- They Shut it down and merged the other kids to the Other School where Matt's dad taught.

 This is the Library where Marcus and I walk to to every day.

 Matt's Office

 Thanks to Jill Thorn for the Adorable Pumpkin hat.

I just Cant wait to spend Christmas here in this Winter Wonderland!

Marcus's 1 Month DR Appointment

Today we had Marcus' Dr appointment! My mom came in the morning and picked us up. I was so excited to find out how much weight my baby had gained in his first month.

He was so good at his appointment- smiled and cou's galore.

He was 7pounds 5oz when he was born and now he is 10pounds 9oz :) 4 weeks and a little chub! His length is 22.5- 89 percentile-

After that, my mom babysat the little stinker, while I had my Dental Appointment! It was great to have a little break- My first time since he was born. I pumped a full bottle at 2am early that morning just so my mom would have enough milk, however when she put the bottle in a glass of boiled water the glass bottle cracked and milk went everywhere. Luckily he slept the whole time and didn't need a feed:)

I was excited to come home to be with my little guy again. he's just too cute- I cant handle it sometimes.

Baby Marcus' debut!

It’s been three days since Marcus' birth, and I'm sitting here with my baby wrapped around my body watching him sleep. Yes I'm just as amazed that I can type while holding him. I honestly don't think I'll give any justice in explaining  the phenomenal experience I just had and am having regarding the process of bringing him into this world.
I'm going to try because I don't want to forget a single moment.

Before I start with my birthing story, I have to say that nothing prepared me for the amount of abundant love that a mother could automatically have for her baby! My heart is overfilled with joy every time I look at him, feel him, feed him, talk to him and hear his soft little coos...ok even his cry's, but I'm sure that joy will change quickly with that one :)

As you know, I was 10 days overdue and knew that I needed to have this baby soon. Contractions started Thursday Sep 22, but not enough to go to the hospital. Matt and I were going crazy waiting for the Hospital to call us. They said they would call Thursday morning and we heard nothing. We went out to Wal-Mart in the morning, picked up some groceries, and then washed all the floors in the house. I then had a nice cry because we STILL had no phone call. Matt suggested that we get out of the house and grab some dinner. We went to the barakat for some shawarmas and just as we were leaving we got the call.

We went straight to the hospital and there were NO nurses available so we were stuck in labour and delivery triage (emerg.)
My mom and mother-law came right away and that is when all the fun began. So I had pictured and discussed with my doc that I was going to get the epidural right away- before they had to break my water and induce.

However, since there was no room for me in the "Inn", I was stuck with good old natural contractions from 530pm to 1am- close to 7cm dilated...OUCH!! All four of us walked and walked throughout the hallways while I had my contractions to speed up the process. Matt would hold me up and hug me, while Clare would do a deep tissue massage on my lower back and my mom would gently rub my tummy. Sounds like a lot of people touching me during a time when woman usually don’t want to be touched but for me but it was perfect!

Finally they got us in and boy was I so happy! Epidural here I come! Now the only problem we had was that I was so far dilated and my contractions were 1min apart. Usually you get the Ep way earlier, so the Doc explained to me how important it was for me to stay bone-still for 20mins while they gave me the needle in my spine. At that point Matt and My mom requested not to be present. Matt thought he was going to pass out and my mom was on the verge of balling with seeing me in so much pain.

I was Happy that Clare was the one with me- boy did I need her. I had contraction after contraction and had to breathe deep and fast and not move an inch. I DID IT! I was so proud of myself but felt really bad for Clare's hand (which was paralyzed for a couple hrs-sorry clare!)

After that- the rest was Glorious! I actually got to enjoy this heavenly experience :)

When I was 10cm Dilated, they let me know it was time to push! The room was so quiet. I had my dear husband by my side, and my two moms hugging each other by the bed and the amazing nurse instructing me when to breath and push- a quick 45mins later (honestly felt like 10mins) and there was my son coming into this world. There were so many tears and joy in the room, I will never forget.

He had some fluid in his lungs so they had to clean them out first. Matt cut the cord and I got to hold him for the first time. I breastfed him right away and he completely latched on, and has ever since.

11 hrs of active labour- and worth every minute.

Bringing him home was so special for Matt and I and we have had so many wonderful family and friends over to share in the joy.

Have to give a big shout out to my birthing team- My Husband was exceptional. Not once did he stand in the corner . Thank you to mom and Clare- It was so special to have you both there and I wouldn’t of wanted it any other way. You two made that night a memorable time for me and got me through a lot. You two Rock- and will be present for the second babe- trust me!

 Marcus- You are AMAZING! Thank you for being the precious little one that you are. I feel as though I don’t deserve such a sweet gentle angel as you. You are so good and just love to snuggle- which I love. You have changed my world for the better and I can’t wait for the many days of Love, frustration when you cry, watching you develop and learn and experiencing our bond as it grows throughout the years. You’re my boy blue! You're my boy!

Baby Rag Quilt

After my pity party this week, I decided to be productive and do something with my unexpected added time.

So I tackled my first time ever quilt project. I had picked out the fabric months ago and cut up all the pieces. It haunted me for months as I would randomly watch it in the corner of the living room. Even though I watched endless YouTube videos showing me how to make a quilt, I was intimidated.

Finally It was time. I mean I was given/waiting an extra TWO WEEKS for my babe to arrive- how could I not finish what I started.

So my mother-in-law gave me her ancient SINGER GINIE with funky 70's orange and yellow flowers on it, and with a little help from Matt with setting it up, I was on my way.

At one point I thought the machine broke, but when I re-loaded the Bobine, I had done it incorrectly. Matt again came to my rescue as I had a mild breakdown.

And BAM !! back and running.

I actually finished the whole quilt in 3 hrs in total. I LOVE it! It is suppose to look old and raggedy (its a Rag quilt) and that's exactly what it looks like.

I'm addicted! If I ever find time in my life again- this will definitely be my new hobby.

Blessing in Disguise?

I sure thought my next post I'd have my little one in my arms by now and gushing on how great he is, but alas still NO BABY!
I am going on 8 days overdue- geezers- feels like forever not to mention the fact that I feel like I’m going to burst out of my tummy.
Here is my story of my uneventful night.
I was scheduled to be induced Sunday night at 7pm via Foley Bulb. So I stayed home from church and rested and slept for most of the morning/afternoon (advised by my Doctor). He said I would need all the energy I could get and needed to be rested upon the chance of going into labour. I then made lunch for Matt and tidy up the house. I then showered and curled my hair- ridiculous I know, but at this stage I needed to do something to make me feel pretty :) Didn’t really work but that’s ok. Matt then gave me a blessing and we sat on the rocking chair for a bit while he played some of the baby's favourite classical music.
We then entered the hospital full of hope and anticipation. Quickly we were let down when they informed us that there are 11 women waiting to be induced and they are backed up from last Thursday. WHAT!!??
These women were waiting for the Pitocin inducement not the foley bulb which is all natural. So I was good to go. They put us in a room, monitored the babes heart rate which was perfect. They then sent us into a room where hell began. Yes I can be a little bit of a drama queen from time to time but I am not exaggerating at all to say the least when I say it was pure torture when inserting the balloon. They had to clamp me and the doc(resident student grrr) was having a very difficult time. They needed a smaller clamp and couldn’t find one on the whole floor, so the medium was attempted again for the third time. She tore me pretty bad where there was excessive amount of blood pouring out. That wasn’t even the insertion of the catheter or the inflation of the saline balloon. On the upside- This method is all natural- a safe and mechanical way of opening the cervix, ripening it and assisting in dilation.
I was grateful that this was the method my dr recommended first because he knew how much going natural met to me. Now you may ask, why get induced period? No I am not high risk and haven’t been throughout my whole pregnancy, however being a week overdue, my Dr was worried that the baby would be getting too big to deliver vaginally if he waited yet another week. We said my chances of a c-section would double. He said I’m very tiny and narrowly posterior down there. Not to mention other risks involved with waiting around the 42, 43 week period-ie placenta breaking down, amniotic fluid decreasing, etc..
So those were the factors that lead me to where I am today.
Back to the story- They then had to monitor me and the baby for an hr to see if any contractions were happening and YES they were. Very painful indeed. I then had to do a bowel movement and was informed that it was perfectly safe to go ahead with. So I did, while pushing, the balloon popped out. Devastated! I almost cried! All that work and poof, I pushed it out? Matt called the nurse and she said that's ok, that it still worked because if it hadn’t dilated it wouldn’t be able to fall out- I don’t think she knew how hard I was pushing :)
Contractions of course then stopped and we went home and we went right to bed.
The reason I think this is all a blessing in disguise is because, This gives me another couple days to try to go into labour naturally. Due to the fact that they are so back up at the hospital, they couldn’t put me on the IV and may not get called in till Tuesday, weds the latest. Now by then, ill be 10 days overdue and have a good chance of c-section- with a huge baby but I need to let go and trust that whatever happens, will happen as its suppose to. All I care about is that the baby is healthy- Don’t care what I have to go through at this point. I guess my motherly love is kicking in. I love this little one so much and love how he is already teaching me important principles that I Lack in...like Patience ;)

 Right before heading to the hospital

Nicely swollen and bloated

Can we say Nesting much?

Im 40 weeks pregnant whoo hoo! I made it!

I will say my pregnancy has gone by super quick-working, moving to a new house and a really busy summer has helped. Have I loved being pregnant?....for the most part yes- first 5.5 months was torture- really sick, however as soon as that was over, it was smooth sailing. I loved watching my baby bump grow, I loved eating whatever I wanted (and trust me I did), I loved feeling my little babe move and give love kicks to mommy, I loved how I got pampered by my husband- back rubs before bedtime are the best.

However, once I hit 38 weeks- things changed. This week has been the worse. Heart burn (which I never had throughout my pregnancy, sleepless nights, sore hips, fatness to the max- cant even look in the mirror some days and constant urination.

Knowing that the babe is coming soon helps me cope and get through my moments of frustration. Can I just say I LOVE being on Mat leave. First week I didn't know what to do with myself, but that came and passed really quickly,

I have been doing nothing but socializing with friends, family, cleaning the house and well NESTING!

Thus far I have washed all the baby's clothes, blankets, sheets in baby softener, hung them up neatly, I've organized all the kitchen cupboards, packed away all my spring/summer clothes in Tupperware containers and put out all my fall/winter clothes. I've officially changed all my documentation to Cochrane (I know...it only took me 3 years) so our baby will have the family name, Matt and I got the guest room all ready for my mom to come stay with us for the week, and managed to squeeze a mani and pedi in there. Now that everything is done, I just rest in bed for the most part. I'm too sore to go out and be super active- just in the last three days.

So the one thing I'm not looking forward to is labour! eeekk. My first time, so I really have no idea what I'm in for. I honestly didn't give it much thought throughout my pregnancy and always looked at myself as a tough "cookie"-mmm cookies- I might bake some tonight. However lately iv been a little chicken. so scared!

I made the mistake of you tubing a video of a woman in a natural labour- I was traumatized. Matt heard the noises in the other room and he refused to come into the bedroom to watch with me. I cant believe they actually have videos like that on you tube.

Here are some of the thoughts that have been going through my head-

When will it happen? during the day, middle of the night
Will I pass my due date? Will I have to be induced?
Will my water break or will I just start with contractions?
Will I have the horrid 35 hr labour story or the 2 hr "oh I just popped the baby out" story?
Will I be focused, strong, motivated or weeping, hysterically yelling and want to give up?
Will I need an emerg C-section

k Ill stop here- clearly I have a lot of time on my hands right now= too much.

I will try to relax and enjoy the natural beautiful process of giving birth to a much loved and wanted baby human that Matt and I created- with help from H.F of course.

I am VERY fortunate that I will have my amazing Husband, Mother, and Mother-in-Law in with me. I know it sounds like a lot of people- but this is the way I look at it-

my mother will be there for full Emotional support, my mother-in-law will be my coach- pushing me, motivating me, and my husband...well not sure what role he will play yet :)

We are all SO EXCITED for the baby's arrival. He already has lots of LOVE from our wonderful family and friends- we are so blessed to be surrounded by such great people.

And yes, we have a name FINALLY! It only took us 8 months and three weeks to decide. NOPE not telling until he is here.

The Baby will be with us for the first 3 months or so- so I moved the rocking chair and bassinet in our room and created a little change area in our bedroom.

I set up two stations to change the baby- one in our room for the middle of the night surprises and the other in the nursery

He gets his own bathrrom with all his toys and bathing items

This is the blanket I knitted for him- took me forever and once I washed it and hung it to dry- It pretty much fell apart- Im not the greatest knitter I guess.

The bedding-nutreal- that way I can use it again if we have a girl-