Summer Maternity

Hello neglected blog how I have missed thee!

It's been awhile since the last post and I'm feeling rather distant from the easy flow of words/thoughts that typically come but I guess this will be the post that will get me back on track.

Work is officially done and I am back on maternity leave and expecting a darling daughter in the next month. Anthony and I have been trying our best to prepare Jack for the birth of his sister - we've read some books with him, he kisses my belly and calls the baby by name (or what we thought would be the name but have since decided we are undecided), he plays in her nursery, and puts his baby to sleep quite nicely. I am confident he will be a great big brother. The journey to come shall be amazing, challenging, life altering and tons of fun!

Anthony's hand is in blue, Jack's "waving hand" is in green and mine is in red.

We've been busy getting the house and yard prepared for summer enjoyment and boy I tell ya it's been difficult with all the rain and now the heat (not to mention the pesty misquotes). Why is it that everything is so much harder when your pregnant and it's hot, and you have to bend down 800 times a day? My days with Jack consist mainly of playing hockey, books, puzzles, coloring, dancing, watering/weeding plants and zoo trips - we manage to do some laundry and stay clean on occasion. I WOULDN'T WANT IT ANY OTHER WAY!

AND WAIT FOR IT... EAT YOUR HEART OUT LADIES!

Jack helping unload the dishwasher before church!



















Happy Day!

A Different Chapter

I've been back at work for a couple of months now and seem to have finally adjusted to the change in our family routine. This morning when I was dropping Jack off at his care provider another family was taking a tour of the facility and meeting the staff, not so unsual but the expression of unknown and raw emotion of the mother is what has stuck with me all day.

Back in September the thought of having someone else care for Jack was so overwhelming for me it took me days to get the strength to call around just to make appointments. The actual process of going to these appointments was something else. I cried before going to each appointment. I cried after each appointment in the car. I could hardley speak to anyone about the transition from maternity leave to going back to work without needing a kleenex.

Today I saw the same unknown fear in the woman who was touring the facility that I had a few months ago. I also have an idea of how hard the rest of her day is going to be. I am sure she will hold her son a little closer, a little longer and cry a few silent tears while she soaks him in wishing for more time.

Today I am feeling relieved that I have made it through the transition from The Maternity to Work chapter of parenting and am feeling rather proud of myself.

Busy Bissoons

It's been a busy few months since the last post so I'll try to catch you up to speed of the happening's around the Bissoon house in a quick fragmented post.

In November we celebrated a little early the first birthday of our sweet sweet Selwyn Jack. It was a very emotional time for both Anthony and I as we were celebrating a successful pregnancy and birth. Over the past year we have reminiscenced about the first ultrasound that introduced us to Jack; the initially small womb movements then the big early morning kicks that would wake Anthony up as my belly was always nuzzled to his back at night. Needless to say labour was not what we were expecting - I was hoping for a medication free, natural vaginal birth... but what we got was two and a half days of labour, no sleep, an epidural, an induction, a baby in distress, an episiotomy, forceps and the birth of our beautiful son ...

It was great to have a day to celebrate Jack and to acknowledge that we've survived the fist year as a family. Jack's birthday was perfect! We had the coolest birthday invitations made in the Netherlands to invite family and friends to his pool party! And the turn out was great. Jack was in his element... he was able to show off his floating and dunking skills and was able to dive into his birthday cake with ease after a homemade lunch. We are grateful for all those who came; it truly does take a community to raise a child and you (yes you!)mean so much to us. The support we have received in the past year has been overwhelming. Thank you!

Jack has changed our lives forever and we are so grateful, so blessed and so thankful that the Lord has trusted us with one of his most special children. The challenge has been great but every effort is rewarded by the smallest hint of a smile, laugh, hug, or the soft sound of his voice saying a new word.

We spent some time in Edmonton visiting family the weekend prior to Christmas so we could have a relaxing Christmas at home in Calgary. We enjoyed the laziness of our day. There were half opened gifts scattered around the house and a huge mess that waited until boxing day. Dinner was the best! It was small, nothing special and took very little effort, yup, it was my idea of perfect.


Anthony's birthday was a few days after Christmas which we celebrated with his family in Calgary. New Years came and went without much celebration. We celebrated my birthday the following day with Vietnamese food at one of my favorite restaurants and it was wonderful.