We’re down to the last fifty days (give or take) in babyland and things are definitely starting to slooooow down.  Getting to the bus stop, walking to the post office and shopping for groceries now feel like major tasks.

Sleeping has been going downhill - I’m usually up multiple times during the night (I know, better get used to it!) and I seem to hit a patch around 2-3am where I just can’t get comfortable.  So, I’ve started knitting during this time.  May as well do something productive, right?  I am busting through my yarn stash a lot faster than I thought I would due to my late-night knit-a-thons.  I promised myself that I wouldn’t buy any new yarn until I used up what I had in the stash.   So I’m stuck knitting a lot of off-white things in the meantime.   I went a little nutso with the off-white wool buying.  What was I thinking?

There’s still some things left to get done - most importantly, cooking extra meals to put in the freezer.  I went out and bought storage containers, so I’m ready to get cracking on this.

I’m de-cluttering / nesting and I’d like to get rid of some books. Price: FREE! If you can pick them up in Centretown, they’re yours. Leave a comment below with your email address. First come, first served!

• Business Plans for Dummies
• Bookkeeping for Dummies
• Craft Inc.: Turn your creative hobby into a business
• The Low Carb Cookbook
• Perfect Bride: the complete beauty, diet and exercise countdown
• Lotta Jansdotter: Simple Sewing
• Creating a newsletter in InDesign
• Handmade Photoalbums
• Universal Principles of Design
• Australian Women’s Weekl: New French Food

Ok, I like lists.  A lot.  I’d be lost without my Ta-Da lists, Google Calendar (and reminders… I love reminders) and Del.icio.us bookmarks.  So, when I came across Simple Mom’s system for meal planning using her bookmarks and Google calendar it was love at first sight.  Heart.  Of course, you don’t need to be a Mom…  just a good old fashioned Type A personality will do the trick.

The nerd in me can’t wait to try this system.

I went out to Westboro proper on Saturday and not just my usual trek to Wellington Village aka “Babyshopville.” Now, I know Westboro is a pretty family-centric community, but (I’m not kidding), everyone had a stroller with a new baby (not some old toddler, oh no, a real freshie) and most were also walking a mid-size dog. Anyway, it was a bit of a stroller derby on the sidewalks.

I maoeuvered my blimpy-self to MEC and beelined for the sunglasses display.  You sure do get some strange looks heading into a sporting goods store when you’re the size of the Goodyear blimp.  At least I wasn’t kayak shopping.  Now that would be odd. At any rate, you certainly don’t need to be a sporty-sporterson to shop at MEC - the presence of fanny packs confirms this. I grabbed a new pair of Reflex sunglasses and scooted.

Stop #2: Milkface. I picked up a baby carrier here a few months back, but this time I need to shop for some serious mom-to-be gear. It was pretty tight quarters - lots of moms and babies  - yet, they still managed to help everyone in the shop. Especially those of us with a clear “umm… ugh” look on our face. Hi. That’s me.

I had big plans to stop at the Harvest Loaf and get some baked goods, but I was feeling pretty baked after my two stops and decided I needed a nap more than a fancy baguette. (Dear Harvest Loaf, please open up a shop next to my apartment. Thank you! Or - could you start a maple tart, Aussie meat pie and Lamington delivery service? I would really like that. )

I whipped out my new bus pass and hopped on the #2.  Yes, I’ve caved and bought a bus pass - I haven’t owned a bus pass since I was in university.  But now, with 68!!! days to go, it’s time to give my hot dogs a bit of a break from the walking.  It was a classic #2 ride: cramped with your seat neighbour eating and dropping crumbs in their lap .. and yours. But hey, I had a seat.

Soon I was home and headed to napville. This blimp crashed for the rest of the afternoon.

Ottawa’s weather decided to throw us all a bone and give us a full day without clouds or rain.  A.maz.ing.  It also gave me a good excuse to crack out my new sunscreen - Baby Aveeno SPF 55.  (Why baby?  It was on sale and it said it didn’t have any scent - true!)  This stuff really works.  My beak stayed burn free from the time we stepped out back to BBQ our lunch and see the Snowbirds fly overhead, to our lazy lounging on the front porch eating watermelon,  to the trek for gelato in the afternoon on Preston Street.  Awesome.

We baked up an Aussie meat pie from the Harvest loaf for dinner, spent more time relaxing with our feet up (and hello, why do Coronation Street’s storylines suck so badly right now??) and then trotted to the park on Somerset to watch the fireworks.

The baby seems to be enjoying making me look as large and awkward as possible - shifting to one side and bulging out.. then shifting to the other side.    Thanks, kid.   And you know how some people look like they’re hiding a basketball under their top and it’s all cute and petite?  Not so here, I look like I’m proofing dough - lumpy dough.  Again, thanks kid!

Bus victory this morning - got offered a seat and I took it!

Now, if I could only go back in time to yesterday during our severe thunderstorm when I was walking home and got so freaked out by a *huge* clap of thunder that I was inches away from doing “stop, drop and roll”. It was loud!

Dear 8 people sitting directly underneath the new “Please give up your seat” advertisement in the priority seating area of the #40 bus this morning,

7 months pregnant = give up your seat.

I was even wearing my ridiculously clown-like maternity top that gives me the proportions of a pumpkin with legs.

Seriously.  Next time I’m going to sit on you.  And I’m gaining weight rapidly these days.  Look out.

Is there any store downtown that sells stuffing?  (For stuffed toys… not the Stove Top variety.)  Help!

Bus route #8 from Gatineau on Friday afternoon.  I happily sat in an empty spot in the “priority seating” section - sure it was next to an old dude who reeked of beer, but hey, I got a seat in the special area!  Special!  The bus makes a stop at Les Terraces and I see a blind woman boarding the bus.  There are no seats left in the “priority” area and no one is making any movements to give her a seat.  Luckily, there were seats at the rear of the bus, so I moved to the back.  No big deal.  But I mentally fumed about how rude and oblivious some people can be for the rest of the ride.

40 degrees with the humidity tomorrow?  Where is the nearest mumu store?