They say it's your birthday - it's my birthday too.

It's amazing how much can change in a year. Last year on my birthday, Scott and I had a double 30th birthday party and we partied pretty hard. As you may recall, I regailed you with stories of waking up to my dining room wall covered in vodka and drunken baking. This year I am just happy that Max decided to have his wakeful period in the evening and he decided to go back to sleep after his 4am feeding. Hey, sleep is a beautiful thing.

Yesterday was a busy day for us. Stephanie, Shane and Charlotte came to visit and they showered us with gifts and food. Shane also shares his birthday with Scott and Max so there is an extra special bond there. Stephanie was one of my main supports throughout my pregnancy (in fact she was one of the first people we told) so it was wonderful getting to introduce Max. Scott and I are not sure what we have done to deserve such wonderful friends, but we sure do appreciate them. After Stephanie and Shane's visit, our friends Dave and Jenn stopped by - with more food and gifts! I think the fact that I have not had to cook for the past week is what has kept me sane. Dave proceeded to clean up after dinner and he and Jenn both took turns when Max started getting fussy (it was time for him to have his dinner).
As you can see, Max is eating like a champ. He is already back up to 7 pounds 6 ounces after dropping down to 7 pounds after being born. Breastfeeding is pretty neat, though I am a bit tender right now. It's totally worth it though to have that time with him. He makes this little milk-drunk face when I burp him that breaks my heart a bit every time. I don't know how it is possible, but I fall in love more each day. It's like there was this whole battery of emotions I didn't have access to until I became a mom. I feel a depth of love for him that is overwhelming and all encompassing. Crazy stuff.
Okay, I'd better get a move on - the little guy is still asleep, but his next feeding is very soon. I've been asked to post about some of the physical changes my body has gone through with this pregnancy and giving birth - I'll make sure to post about that this week (though from the breastfeeding picture above I'm sure you can see that one of the changes is in your breasts). My bestfriend Jennifer told me I looked like a "saucy German waitress" when my milk came in. She certainly wasn't far off!

4a.m. and it's time to party.

Max really does share more in common than just his birthday with his dad - they both seem to think that prime time is in the middle of the night. I swear, this child sleeps all day, and then at 3:30am those little eyes open up wide and he looks at me like, okay mom, let's hang out until say 6:30am, and then when I hear the birds singing and people getting up to go to work, then I'll go back to sleep. Anyway, it's all good, we can't complain. I'm sitting here at the computer, Max is sitting next to me, bright eyed and bushy tailed and I couldn't be happier. I can't believe that he is already 5 days old! This week has been a blur.

What I will say is that all those people who said "enjoy the last little while before your baby comes, once you have him you have him for good" were totally wrong. I am much happier now that he is here. Being pregnant, especially at the end was really awful. Having him here with us, out of my belly, is heaven on earth. What is funny is that all along, Scott said, "he is going to be born on my birthday". When I woke up on Sunday morning at 5:55am with my first contraction, it took me a moment to clue in that I was actually in labour. I got up, took a shower and washed my hair - no way I was going to have a baby with my dirty hair. I woke Scott up at 7am and told him "it's time" and he quickly got up and put the wheels in motion. He has been doing awesome as a dad - I knew he would. Max wasn't too interested in breastfeeding the first few days, so I was pumping my breast milk and having Scott bottle feed Max. It made my heart melt a bit to see Scott holding our baby and feeding him. Fatherhood becomes him. Max is now officially "on the boob" which is a relief as I was getting pretty tired having to pump every 3 hours, then sterilize the pump and bottles, grab an hour or so of sleep before we started the process all over again. I think we are still running on endorphins, so it will be interesting to see how we do once we come down from this high. Okay, enough of the rambling...time to see if I can get this beautiful boy to sleep.

2.5 days old and counting.

I'm typing this post with one hand because I'm holding Max. Just like when he was in the womb, it appears that he is a little night owl. We are all doing great - Max is the sweetest thing ever and we fall more in love with him each day. If you have emailed/called and not heard back from us please don't be offended - we really appreciate your kind words and will be in touch shortly. Until then, we hope you enjoy the latest photos.

Welcome to the world, baby boy.

Good news - Maxwell Hunter was born on Sunday evening. He decided that the best way to celebrate his dad's birthday was to share it with him, so April 23rd will be a very full day in our household forever more. The labour and delivery went very smoothly. I went into labour at 6am, got an epidural around noon, and started pushing at 5:30pm. Max was out by 5:46pm. Goodness! 7 pounds 10 ounces and 20 inches long.

The day was actually amazing. We called Jennifer at 7am to tell her that "it was time" and miracle of miracles, she made it from Ottawa to the hospital by 10am. She and Scott were awesome support and they spent the day helping me manage the pain until I got my drugs, and took care of me the whole way. Max is a very sweet baby and we are all looking forward to getting to know him! He is perfect in every way and I can't believe that after 39 weeks and 5 days, he is finally here.

39 Weeks: It's just me an Angelina left.

Seems like everyone has gone and had their babies...Gweneth had Moses, Katie and Brooke popped out their little girls this week, so it really is just me and Angelina left. Le Sigh. It appears that this little guy is waiting to make sure that he will be a Taurus (like we didn't already know he would be a stubborn one).

I'm glad I'm home and off work because I am incredibly exhausted. So much for this whole nesting thing. I toss and turn all night - the little guy seems to think my internal organs are throw cushions. The lack of sleep during normal sleeping hours means I need at least one nap during the day. I can't wait until I can lay on my stomach again. Or when simply rolling over in bed won't be a monumental task. The phone calls have started with everyone wondering a) how am I doing and b) have I had this baby yet? Forgive me if I don't answer the phone and/or call you back, and to answer your questions a) how do you think I'm doing? I'm still pregnant and b) we'll let you know when it happens.

Scott's birthday is Sunday and my birthday is next Sunday. Neither of us are feeling incredibly inspired to celebrate, plus it's also hard to nail down any plans when we could become parents at any moment. I think I may have commited to making him a cake if the baby has still not introduced himself by Sunday. Guess we'll see about that.

The Reciprocal Game.

I'm not usually down with these types of things, but I saw it on Jennifer's blog and because it really is all about me, I couldn't resisit. So, If you comment...

1. I'll respond with something random I like about you.
2. I'll tell you what song/movie reminds me of you.
3. I'll name something we should do together.
4. I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me (or just me).
5. I'll tell you my first/clearest memory of you.
6. I'll leave you a quote that is somehow appropriate to you.
7. I'll ask you something that I've always wondered about you.
8. If I do this for you, you must post this on your journal so you can do the same for other people

Jennifer's response to me was:

Kat:

1. You're unapologetically in charge of your life and very good at so many things. I don't have any other friends who can competantly dismantle (and re-mantle) a toilet!

2. You've Got a Friend by Carol King

3. Sit in your backyard, pass your baby from lap to lap, drink beer (it's good for breast feeding, isn't it? ;), and watch the sun go down.

4. Good news! He moved the milk!

5. I remember us at age 9 getting our hair cut at the same time in a salon near the Hasty Market. I was jealous because yours was feathered.

6. "Some others I've seen, might never be mean, might never be cross, or try to be boss, but they wouldn't do."

7. When you finally get a dog, what kind of dog will you get?

So as Jennifer says, don't be shy. Comment and I'll tell you things about yourself.

American Idol: Queen For a Day (and I'm not talking about Seacrest).

This is a great songbook for American Idol to use. Vocally challenging, strong melodies, what's not to like? Well, most of these songs are pretty long, so they were tough to fit into the short format. Otherwise, I enjoyed the show. I still think that this is a pretty weak top 8, but maybe I am just waxing poetic about past seasons. Just seems that we have seen stronger singers than we are seeing this year.

On with it:

Bucky Covington: Fat Bottomed Girls
Good song selection for Bucky. He makes everything sound like CCR though. The song kind of plodded along for me and it felt like he was just concentrating on getting the lyrics right. Also, I don't really believe that he likes fat bottomed girls.

Ace Young: We Will Rock You
They shouldn't let Ace talk too much...his brain really is an empty vessel. Lol - Ace trying to get Queen to play his crappy arrangement of We Will Rock You. Hah. I didn't hate the way he started but the backgrounds of "We will, we will rock you" were so weak that they didn't support the energy he was trying to convey. Bad choice on trying to change the melody, and I don't think the song ever really peaked.

Kellie Pickler: Bohemian Rhapsody
Wow - that's ballz picking this song. Nice boots! A bit pitchy to start, but once she started singing in her chest voice she sounded surprisingly good - she even added some grit that helped her rock out. The short arrangement was horrible though and the song didn't really make sense the way it played out. Like Ace, they should limit her talking time. Ouch - not a lot going on upstairs.

Chris Daughtry: Innuendo
I'm not surprised that Queen liked him. Interesting that they never performed this song live. He really was in his element singing this song. Pitch was on, he definitely rocked out. I think he would do much better singing in front of a band where he can interact with them, versus being by himself on stage. This guy has such a powerful voice, he is always going to blow everyone away in the rock category. I agree with Simon that it would have been nice to hear him sing one of their more well known songs.

Katharine McPhee: Who Wants to Live Forever
Ugh. Do we really need to hear the Disney version of this song? Poor Freddy, he's probably spinning in his grave. Now that we all know what Katharine's tonsils look like, we can sleep easy. She belongs in the Miss America pageant, not on American Idol. Also, who is doing her makeup? Linda Ronstadt's stylist?

Elliot Yamin: Somebody to Love
Gawd he is cheesy. I felt like he was about to spontaneously break into "Camptown Races". I felt zero soul in this rendition. I am really trying to find something to like about him, but I just can't. The short arrangement didn't help him either, but I just can't get over how much I dislike him. Maybe we knew eachother in a past life and he was mean to me?

Taylor Hicks: Crazy Little Thing Called Love
What a relief that he didn't sing We Are the Champions. The song he picked was a much better fit for him. I didn't mind his version of it, as long as I looked away from the tv. I can't handle his antics. But his vocal was one of the better ones of the night (can you believe I just said that?).

Paris Bennett: The Show Must Go On
Of course Queen liked Paris - she is one of the only finalists that can actually sing. She owned this song, she owned the stage, unapologetically. It was nice to see her break away from the R&B, and to see her do it so successfully. I hope America is smart enough to keep her on the show.

Worst Performances: Ace, Elliot, Katharine
Best Performances: Paris, Chris, Taylor

38 weeks: Still no baby.

I was going to post about how uncomfortable I am, how I'm not sleeping, I am completely emotional and hormonal and how I can't wait to have this baby already, but I got a bit of perspective tonight. One of my coworkers who was due at the end of July had her baby 3.5 months early today - he is less than 2 pounds. Sounds like he is okay, but he will be spending at least the next couple of months in the hospital. So, while I still hope to have this little boy sooner rather than later, I am very thankful that he will be fully baked when he arrives. If we could all send some strong healthy baby vibes to Amber's little boy Adam, that would be wonderful.

I am also very thankful for my bestfriend Jennifer who sent me these beautiful flowers today (the card says "Hang in there!"). On a day where I didn't think I would even have the energy to get dressed, she managed to put a smile on my face and helped me get motivated to go for a walk (I hear that helps get things moving at this point...). I have been remiss in not posting about her new book - truth me told I am still reading it so I wanted to finish it before I posted. This is her first of many I am sure and I am super proud of her.

I am taping American Idol tonight (who can resist a night of Queen?). I'll watch it tomorrow and post my review before the results show.

37 weeks: Nursery complete (almost).

I vetoed American Idol when I found out they were doing a night of country. I can't imagine why I would need to sit through an hour of mediocre renditions of mediocre songs. And Kenny Rogers? Don't get me started…he's no Johnny Cash is all I'll say on the matter. So, no review this week. Besides, from the lack of comments I'm thinking people just don't give a shit about American Idol this year and I can't really blame them.

Good news on the nursery front - it is almost done. The only things left are to put a couple of pictures up and install the drawer on the crib once Storkcraft sends me the screws that were missing from my order. As you may recall, Scott and I went back and forth on how to decorate the room. I didn't want anything that screamed BOY-MUST HAVE LOCOMOTIVES TO EXPRESS EARLY MASCULINITY and Scott didn't want anything that he perceived as wimpy (ix-nay on the amb-lay). Because I mean, gawd forbid we introduce anything soft and wooly to our little boy, right? When I found the monkey bedding online, I figured I had a winner and I guessed right. Scott approved so the order was placed. The only problem with ordering stuff online, sight unseen is you really don't know exactly what you are getting. I am pleased to say that the bedding is awesome - much nicer than anything I had pictured!
My mom also sewed a matching window valance for the room (thanks mom!) and I completely stole Daymented's carpet idea. And I ordered the exact same glider that our friends Jen and Brad put in their little girl Maya's nursery. What can I say, all of my creativity is going towards making this baby, I got nothing left. I have 3 weeks less a day to go until the little guy's due date. He has already dropped, so my bladder is non-existent, my hips feel like they are being wrenched apart and I am really ready to not be pregnant anymore. I think these last few weeks will be the toughest weeks of all, but at least the beginning my next adventure is in sight.

36 weeks: I don't think you're ready for this belly.

I have received a few requests for an updated belly shot, so here you go - this picture was taken just moments ago. Scott is out doing Raptor things tonight so I had to take the picture myself (check out my sexy sweat socks). My belly is as hard as a rock (it feels like an inflated basketball) and the little guy is running out of room. These days he mostly just rolls back and forth and gets the hiccups. When I wake up in the morning he tends to be mostly on one side, so my belly is all lopsided - quite a sight!

I took today off work so I could rest and get my hair did. I figured that I might scare my baby if he came out and saw my horrible roots and straggly hair. Now I am back to bonafide blonde and the length is more manageable. So, if he is a blonde haired baby, at least he'll know who is mama is. I meant to just sit on my butt today, that didn't happen (though I had 2 naps). The urge to nest is creeping up on me so I had the kitchen clean, laundry done and house organized by 11am. I'm hoping this is a good sign that the little guy is going to come sooner rather than later. The nursery is almost done (just waiting on the bedding and window treatment which should arrive sometime next week) and the baby clothes are washed. We'll get the carseat installed next week sometime and then we wait.

PS: I got a really great message today on my voicemail that went something like this..."Hi Katrina, you must be HUGE by now. Give me a call."

Hey - fuck you! Seriously, go fuck yourself! And that isn't the hormones talking either. I still mean it. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck Yooooooooooooooooooou.

26 Weeks | 21 Weeks | Baby Makes 3

American Idol: Obscure songs of the 21st century.

As much as I was relieved to see that last night's American Idol was only an hour long, I knew that something had to give, and it wasn't going to be the number of commercials. Moving from a two hour format with 11 singers to a one hour format with 10 singers means one thing and one thing only - shorter song arrangements. The combination of these shorter song arrangements (basically verse-chorus-bridge-outro) and some very odd, safe song selections led to an underwhelming night of singing. Part of me was left wondering, why the hell don't the producers of American Idol help these singers out with their song selection? To just say "pick a song from the 21st century" is likely too much leeway. After a couple of weeks of being forced out of their comfort zones (Stevie Wonder and Songs of the 50's) each and every one of these singers picked songs that they were very familiar and comfortable with, regardless of if they would be songs that would showcase their talent or be something that the audience would connect with. It seems to me that most of these singers have not yet figured out the importance of picking songs that the masses are familiar with. We are not connected to these singers yet, so if they want our votes, they need to sing songs that we know and love and sing them well. I would have limited their selections to Billboard #1's of the 21st century. I'm just sayin' is all.

Here we go:

Lisa Tucker: Because of You
When I heard she was singing a Kelly Clarkson song that is still getting radio play I thought "uh oh that's going nowhere good". And I was right. For her to do this song, she needed to bring something special to it, she needed to sing it better than Kelly and that just wasn't going to happen. Her over belting forced her to sing slightly under pitch for the entire song and my throat ached just listening to her. Simon was dead on with his comment that "the song was too big for your voice". Much to big. Lisa, I hope you have your bags packed.

Kellie Pickler: Suds In the Bucket
I'm guessing that country music fans know this song? I'm not familiar with it, so I didn't feel the connection I did with last week's Patsy Cline cover. The song was cute and she sang it well (except that last note on "Loooooooooooooove" - that was pretty rank). I never understand why singers let a good song end on a bad note - pull it together and leave your audience wanting more! The song was not vocally challenging and didn't really show off her voice (we all know she can sing country). I would have liked to see her sing something a bit tougher like a Faith Hill or Shania Twain ballad. Then we would have been able to compare her to something we are familiar with, and figure out where she stacks up against the greats.

Ace Young: Drops of Jupiter
I had to laugh when Ace said he wanted to do something that rocked...lol...this rocks...if you're Coldplay. Again, not a challenging song, but I actually disagreed with the judges. I thought this was one of his better performances of the last three weeks. This genre suited his voice much better and I found him a lot more tolerable to listen to this week. Best part was Paula offering to inspect his scar a little closer - I guess she didn't learn her lesson from last season's scandal?

Taylor Hicks: Trouble
With six years of songs to choose from, this is the song he selects? I mean, I know Footloose was off the table, but this really was an odd pick. I suppose I should be happy that he stood still and didn't torture us with his horrible dancing. The song didn't go anywhere, it was a bad arrangement and the short song format didn't help matters. Hey Taylor - Jay Leno called and he wants his hair and chin back. 29 my ass.

Mandisa: Praise You
The key was too low for the first verse, though she got it sorted out when she vaulted into her upper register. We all know Mandisa has a great gospel voice and she reinforced it with her performance. If I were her, I would have done a song by Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, or Mary J. Blige. To sing something obscure like this didn't help her connect with anyone who doesn't already listen to a lot of gospel music (and those folks are already voting for her anyway). In addition, this song was never able to settle in with the short arrangement. It sounded like one verse plus a bunch of vocal improvisation - not something my ear was able to nail down and relate to.

Chris Daughtry: What If
Okay, so I absolutely loathe Creed. With every cell of my being... so it is hard for me to judge this song. He certainly rocked, but as Scott pointed out (Scott got stuck watching the show with me because dinner was ready just as American Idol came on - hah!) he seemed pretty stiff. When he got into the repetitive "What if, what if, what if" part of the song it sounded like he was a pregnant lady straining to have a bowel movement (too much information you say?). Again, not vocally challenging and definitely playing it safe. It will take more to win this than contest than performances like this.

Katharine McPhee: The Voice Within
Similar to Lisa's performance, if you are going to tackle a song by an artist with the talent of Christina Aguilera, you better be able to knock it out of the park. She started her performance in her upper register which sounded weak because it is actually a part of the song where Christina Aguilera is belting. It only succeeded in highlighting that she isn't in the same league as our favourite Lady Marmalade. If anything, this song gave me a lot more respect for the strength of Christina Aguilera's live performances. Katharine sang this at about 65% of the original - and again, the short arrangement killed her.

Bucky Covington: Real Good Man
This may shock you, but this was one of my favourite performances of the night. As much as I don't like Bucky's voice, this was the perfect song for him. It was mainstream enough that even I was familiar with it and it didn't tax him vocally or highlight his weaknesses. Since Bucky isn't a singer with a lot of vocal prowess, this is a good thing. He seemed relaxed and comfortable and that helped me sit back and enjoy his performance for what it was.

Paris Bennett: Work It Out
Paris is awesome. She is probably a better singer than Beyonce (live anyway) and she has great stage presence. She was the only singer all night who came out and nailed her song right from the start, straight through to the end. She might want to work on those dance moves, she and Beyonce should take some classes together (as Beyonce could also use some help in that arena). I think Paris's challenge in this competition will be singing with more emotional maturity (she's great when she is singing hip/upbeat songs, but I have yet to hear her dig deep and sing beyond her 17 years).

Elliot Yamin: I Don't Want to Be
I have a hate on for this guy. Plus he forgot some of the words right off the top. Boo. Yet again, he wasn't singing in the pocket. It's all well and good to switch up the rhythm of a song if you can stay in the groove and if it actually improves upon the original, but all he ended up doing was singing slightly behind (two-shoes-in-a-dryer syndrome). He seemed almost out of breath as well. Perhaps those bad hip hop dance moves (bouncing on the spot) wore him out. I got tired just having to watch and listen to him.

Worst Performances: Lisa, Katharine, Taylor
Best Performances: Paris, Mandisa, Bucky

"No need to rush baby-mama, take your time."

Before I get started, I have to tell you about one of the best things someone has said to me during my entire pregnancy. On Thursday I was waddling into a building at College and University, and I was about to cross pathes with a very big guy, so I tried to speed up to avoid getting in his way. He looked at me and smiled and said "no need to rush baby-mama, take your time". Love that. I am a baby-mama!

One of the things people keep saying to me is that I should enjoy my last few weeks of "freedom" and do things that I will likely not be able to do for a while once the little bebe is born. This makes me laugh as it is really hard to enjoy much when you can't walk, can't sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time, and are in general completely uncomfortable. It's not like I'm in the Bahamas sipping rum-laced girly drinks...the highlight of my day is getting home from work so I can take my socks off and put my feet up. If I'm lucky Scott will bring me a Perrier with lemon over ice. Pretty exciting stuff I tell you. With only 8 days of work left it's no wonder I'm getting excited (read impatient) to meet our baby. This morning I bemoaned that fact that it could actually be as much as 6 weeks if he is overdue, to which Scott responded, "but it could also only be 2 weeks (gulp)".
Anyway, one thing I knew was an absolute must (in the vein of enjoying my last days of "freedom") was to get together with my girlfriends Vera and Brandie. These ladies remind me what it is like to be single, living the life in Toronto, partying all the time, up on all the latest and greatest...plus they are gorgeous and always hella fun. They threw my infamous bachelorette party (pre-blog days) and while there are pictures, which are scandalous, I will not be sharing them with you, dear readers (okay, maybe just one - this is me on Richmond Street, completely hammered, with cops). They also gave me lingerie at my bridal shower that had more holes than fabric, and what fabric there was...it was completely sheer or mesh (hawt!).Scott and I met up with Vera and Brandie at Young Thailand for dinner last Thursday so they could rub my belly for good luck and I could have one last meal with the lovely ladies before I officially get stranded in the burbs for a year with the little ankle biter. Vera promised me that she will come visit me and that she will not forget about me. I don't think I got that same promise out of Brandie...lol. Vera also spoiled the little guy with a Whoozit toy and a kickass Nike Basketball outfit (her goal being to brand the kid right off the bat). I'll let the branding thing slide as Vera is the cool shit and has style to spare. This after my ongoing battle to keep all things Disney out of the nursery...I figure there is no need to market to a baby straight out of the womb...the exposure to all things Barney will happen soon enough, right?

American Idol: To Barry Manilow (and all your cheesy ass stylin').

Last night's theme was music from the 50's - a much more singer friendly theme than last week's Stevie Wonder debacle. Barry Manilow was the artist in residence who was there to supposedly coach/inspire the singers. Turns out that all he did was shill his new Greatest Hits album and add in unnecessary key changes to almost every song. Thanks for that Barry. Because of you I had to endure 2 hours of over the top song endings and key modulations that would make a Band Arranging 101 professor cry.

Okay, on with it:

Mandisa: I Don't Hurt Anymore
This woman can sing, there is no denying it and this was a fantastic song choice for her. She was in her comfort zone and knocked it out of the park. She is one of those singers that really has no vocal limitations and her only challenge is reigning in all that power. To top it off she has incredible stage presence and oozes personality. One of my favourites to go the duration for sure.

Bucky Covington: Oh Boy
Dude. I don't think he hit the right notes on the words "all my love" (think "trumpet/taps") once. His pitch was all over the place and his gravely voice is really working my last nerve. Thanks to Barry we were treated to a gratuitous key change that added nothing to the song. I completely agree with Simon on this one on the karaoke/"so what" comments. Bucky's days are numbered (if America has any kind of sense...).

Paris Bennett: Fever
Right off the bat I was wondering if she could keep this song reigned in before she blew the doors off (I call this Celine Dion syndrome - starting at 95% and quickly escalating to 200%). She did a pretty good job, though I thought there were some weird rhythmic things going on that made her sound not quite in the pocket. In the second half of the song she completely lost the melody and made some poor note choices (speaking strictly from a jazz perspective). But she's too young to know that and I doubt most people have the training/ears to even understand what I am talking about. Just trust me. Still a favourite though - the girl has a great voice and spunk.

Chris Daughtry: Walk the Line
He started out really well but completely missed the low note on "Because your MINE". Gotta hit that note dude - it's what makes the song. Anyway, I do like Chris as a singer/performer, I think he'll likely go quite far in the competition - but - I do take issue with his cover/interpretation of this classic. The thing about covering a song, is you are supposed to do two things: the first is make it your own, the second is pay tribute while respecting the key elements of the song. He altered this song so much that I wouldn't have even recognized it if they hadn't told me what he was singing. There is a reason the song was written the way it was and he pretty much just rewrote the melody using the same chord structure. But the judges loved it and they think he is being "true" to himself and that he is an "artist". I just can't wait to see what he does when he has to sing a show tune (I'm picturing a thrash metal version of "Pennies From Heaven"!).

Katharine McPhee: Come Rain or Come Shine
I think Katharine is a great performer and has a nice big voice, but she has some weird vocal quirks that she needs to work on. At the beginning of her song she was doing something weird with her jaw that made her voice sound a bit strange and messed up her vowels - I think she likes the overly stylized/Liza Minnelli sound this produces, but it doesn't work on her. I thought her performance was very Vegas/Miss America Pageantish. The band was awesome and it was a real big band arrangement which I don't think she capitalized on at all. Her last note was horribly out of tune. Wow - am I being hard on these singers or what? Bottom line is that America will love this girl for all of her cheesy-Kathy-Lee-Gifford qualities and she'll be in the final 5 for sure.

Taylor Hicks: Not Fade Away
I just don't get this guy's appeal. He truly is a cross between Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald - with all the cheesy moves and über white guy appeal to go along with it. By the way - why aren't there any black men in the top 12 this year? How can that be? In fact, aren't they all about as vanilla as you can get? No Latin flava either? What the funk? I have nothing to say about Taylor except that his song didn't go anywhere and I wish he would stand up straight for once. He'll probably do decently in the competition because all the old people will vote for him because they feel like he is their peer. Silver fox my ass.

Lisa Tucker: Why Do Fools Fall In Love
What the hell was she wearing? She looked like something Banarama threw up. She started out a little behind the beat and out of sync. I think she never really recovered from the weak start. The band arrangement really distracted from the vocals, and it didn't help that she forgot the words. Clearly her nerves got the best of her as she delivered what was easily the weakest performance of the evening. Bottom three for sure, if not a ticket home.

Kevin Covais: When I Fall In Love
Singing softly and intimately does not mean singing with no support. Chicken Little also sang with way too much vibrato and was really pitchy throughout. The song never went anywhere and at times I thought he sounded like a little lamb bahing at the moon. I know that he has the Clay Aitken fan club supporting him, so unfortunately we're going to be listening to this little runt for quite a while, which truly saddens me. Also? Who's Hugh? "When I Fall in Love with Hugh?". Maybe he's more like Clay Aitken than I thought...

Elliot Yamin: Teach Me Tonight
I almost snorted my Perrier through my nose when Barry Manilow told him to try back phrasing a little. This guy is so white he couldn't back phrase his pickup truck into a parking spot let alone phrase something behind the beat. I find Elliot incredibly unmusical - his word stresses are completely wrong and of course we got treated to yet another unnecessary key change. Argh! His closing vocal riff was brutal - I don't understand why the judges love this guy so much. While he may be able to belt out a few high notes, he is as musical as a tree frog.

Kellie Pickler: Walkin' After Midnight
Has Barry Manilow never seen "Coal Miner's Daughter"? How can he not know this song? Regardless, this was a great choice for Kelly to sing. I'm not sure she captured the melancholy nature of the song, but she certainly delivered a strong vocal performance. Another key change out of nowhere - and it threw her off a little, so it really didn't help things. Also, she's a little dim in the brains department...they probably shouldn't let her talk so much. I think she'll make it to about the half way mark in this competition. We don't need another Carrie Underwood just yet.

Ace Young: In the Still of the Night
While Ace is definitely the cutie of the competition I think his talent is limited. This was a pretty wishy washy vocal delivery, with a bit of Vegas stylin' thrown in for good measure. Also, he was doing something weird with his mouth (singing out the side of it?) that really impacted his vowels and pitch. I'm not sure why they decided to close the show with him, maybe because they made him go first last time? I'd put him in the bottom three again.

Worst Performances: Lisa, Bucky, Ace
Best Performances: Mandisa, Paris, Chris

35 weeks tomorrow, X number of weeks to go.

Oh my gawd I am tired and uncomfortable and in pain. The little guy has dropped a bit in the last few days and wow, am I ever feeling it. I thought I had to go to the bathroom a lot before? Hah. Whatevs. If I don't go every 15 minutes the result is crippling pain that has me hobbling to the bathroom, likely requiring Scott's assistance. Poor guy, the romance is truly gone, for the next while anyway. My ankles are puffy and swollen, I haven't worn my wedding ring for over a month, and I checked my pride at the door this morning when I asked Scott to go to the pharmacy to get me Metamucil capsules and Prep H. Hawt! No wonder Scott questions that I will ever want to do this again. I figure it will take me at least a few years to forget how hard this is. I used to think I'd want to have kids really close together in age, now I say "no way no how".

What is strange is that from 37 weeks on, our son really could arrive at any moment. So, technically, he could be here in 2 weeks. But I have a feeling that he will be on the latter side of 40 weeks rather than early (I see the scene playing out with me in tears at my obgyn's office begging to be induced). My mom keeps saying she thinks he will be "right on time" but I know she is just trying to keep my spirits up. If this boy takes after his father he will be super late and then rush through the labour. If he is like me, he will be a bit early or on schedule and give Jennifer just the right amount of time to get here from Ottawa to help get me through this.

I am trying not to think too much about the whole labouring process. I figure he has to come out one way or another. If for some horrible, terrible, unthinkable reason my doctor actually lets me go the standard 2 weeks overdue before helping me out, that means that I will be a mom by May 9th at the latest. That's still seven weeks away. Oi. I don't think I can wait that long little guy. Please don't make me wait that long. Besides, I'm getting excited to meet this little bundle of joy ;-) What is kind of cool is that I will be a Mom on Mother's Day. And this year, I will get to spend Mother's Day with my Mom! I think that will be a bit of trip for her.

The countdown of days left at work started a few weeks ago. I am actually marking off each day as it passes. As of this morning, I have twelve days left in the office. Some mornings I doubt I will make it through to my last day of April 7th. I just want to stay in my pyjamas and lay on the couch and watch recorded episodes of Miami Ink and daydream about Chris Garver. This morning I could barely walk, but somehow, after putting my pants on backwards and then starting to cry when I realized what I had done, I managed to get myself properly dressed, made-up, hair did, and out the door. If it weren't for Scott chauffeuring me door-to-door I doubt I would ever get to work. So, for that I am thankful. He's probably reading this thinking "she's so grumpy and tired right now, I had no idea she appreciated me". But I do. I really do.
The Sopranos Update:
Turns out that The Sopranos without Tony Soprano kind of blows. At first I thought the whole first episode had been a dream sequence (don't you dare go all Dallas on my ass!). Tony needs to wake the fuck up asap because I don't need to spend my Sunday night watching a bunch of mobsters squabbling over his spoils. Also, Carmela looks ROUGH without any makeup on. No need for that!

Grey's Anatomy Update:
Still no sex. But let me just say that I was cheering when Alex told George off for being such a puss about Meredith. As much as I don't dig Alex's scene and I hated him for being so crappy to Izzie's patient/love interest, I totally agree with him on the George front. And would someone fix that dude's hair while they are at it? It looks like he let a 2 year old cut his bangs...well, he is acting like a 2 year old...

American Idol: To Stevie with Love (and apologies).

This is the first American Idol episode I have watched this season. I don't dig on watching a bunch of bad singers get dissed and I don't have enough time to watch Simon et al vet out all the hopefuls to get down to the final 12. So, I am coming at this with no background as to how these singers have performed in previous weeks, I have no connections, I have no idea how much progress anyone has made or if they just had a bad night last night. Nothing.
My first thought in watching the show was "Holy shit, they are making these guys cover Stevie Wonder songs their first night out of the gate?" This seems like a bad idea to me for a few reasons.

1) Stevie Wonder writes some of the hardest material to cover on the face of the earth (he sings it brilliantly and nobody else should ever really try).

2) For the most part, these songs are written for him to sing, and he is a tenor. This means that they don't translate well in other keys so women will have a hard time sounding good covering his material. More on this later.

Okay, my review of last night's performances:

Ace Young: Do I Do
Talk about a porno name, eh? Ace Young? Nice. I thought he started out with high energy and overall he has a good voice. He just never owned the song, he couldn't seem to wrap his voice around it. Also, he's a bit earnest for my liking. Keeners to the back of the bus!

Kellie Pickler: Blame It On the Sun
Carrie Underwood called and she said "you suck!". This was really hard to listen to. She sang with low energy overall and just sounded like she hated the song. I understand that she typically sings country, but man, thank gawd for the short song arrangements. This is a good example of point #2.

Elliot Yamin: Knocks Me Off My Feet
Nice bangs dude. Did you mom cut them for you? This guy is hard to watch. He's the white guy that they let sing in the black gospel choir because he really loves Jesus. I bet Stevie was thinking "damn, how you gonna let some fool mess up my song like that?".

Mandisa: Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing
One name, eh? That's pretty confident, no? She was pitchy at the start but seemed to sing more in the pocket when she got into her higher register. Again, point #2 - it is hard for women to sing songs meant for tenors without completely reworking the melody.

Bucky Covington: Superstition
This is the point in the show where I really started to question my decision to commit two hours of my life to review these singers. Is this really the best that America has to offer us? That said, of all the singers so far, Bucky did the best of making the song his own, gravely voice and all.

Melissa McGhee: Lately
Yet another woman sounding pitchy and low energy, gee, what a surprise. She shouldn't be sitting down at all given this song is already challenging for her. All that does it restrict her breathing and she needs all the help she can get. I thought this performance was brutal, but the judges seemed to like it. A clear case of them hearing something different than what is coming across to the viewers at home.

Lisa Tucker: Signed, Sealed, Delivered
If I were at Healey's, I'd think, "she's a pretty good karaoke singer". But this is American Idol, so I'm thinking "she's pretty weak in her upper register" and she's trying to rock out but it just isn't happening. Again, the judges are hearing something different in the studio than we are hearing at home. This performance didn't translate for me.

Kevin Covais: Part-time Lover
Lol. The fact that this little guy even picked this song is funny. He is the white Erkle. At least he seems to have a sense of humour about it. I can't really hate this guy, it's like watching your little brother at a talent show. You cringe, but hope he does okay.

Katharine McPhee: Until You Come Back to Me
What the hell was she wearing? Regardless, this is the first singer tonight who has actually sang in the pocket. She made a smart choice to sing a song written for a woman to sing, it was actually in a good key for her. I didn't even mind the little bit of twang she added in, I was so happy to hear someone sing decently.

Taylor Hicks: Livin For the City
How old is this dude? I feel like they let Michael McDonald into a high school talent show or something? Isn't there an age limit on this show? He dances like the old people at weddings. Just. Stop.
Paris Bennett: All I Do
She owned this song right off the bat and her voice has an edge to it that works for her. I loved her energy throughout the song and this was by far my favourite performance of the night. The singing during her little Seacrest interview was a bit much, but whatevs.

Chris Daughtry: Higher Ground
This guy has a great rock voice and made a wise choice in terms of song selection. He sang in tune, and didn't try to do all the crazy vocal runs that other singers fell victim to in tonight's show. I didn't love the whole dragging the mic stand around the stage bit, but I always think that looks odd. I'll be interested to see what he does next week.

Worst Performances: Kellie, Elliot, Bucky
Best Performances: Katharine, Paris, Chris

Woke up this mornin', got yourself a gun.

I had to laugh this morning when I was reading Tina's blog about watching The Sopranos. First off, I'm glad that there is someone else who is as hooked in as me. I friggin' love movies and tv shows about the mob. Love. Them. Not sure why, I mean, I don't typically dig on gore and violence and misogynistic men. But I can't get enough of The Sopranos. There I was on Sunday night, settled into bed with this huge baby bump eagerly awaiting the season premiere. Scott will tell you it was all I could talk about all weekend, and I even shut off the ringer on the phone lest I be interrupted.

My favourite parts of Sunday night's premiere included:

- Tony and Carmela's new favourite dinner spot is a sushi restaurant (how cultured)
- hearing Carmela say "Porsha Kai-anne" in her Jersey accent. So classy!
- wondering how they get Gene to hang himself and look so convincing without actually hanging the actor?
- seeing Uncle Junior shoot Tony and then go hide in the closet - what a way to end the show! Holy crap!

The Sopranos almost made up for Grey's Anatomy being such a dud. Bor-ing. I don't think anybody had the sex all episode? How disappointing. Thank gawd American Idol is down the 12 singers. Now that they have skimmed off the non-talent I can start watching and giving my weekly review. For the next 6 weeks anyway, until the little guy arrives and MY LIFE CHANGES FOREVER. I'm not scared. I'm not overwhelmed. Not me. Not at all.

GRR ARGH. I'll take the Fishstick over the Oscars any day of the week.

Was I the only one who felt super bummed that Grey's Anatomy got bumped for the Oscars last night? My Sunday night just wasn't the same. After a weekend of baby classes (more on that later), I felt like I had earned my special hour of tv on Sunday night that somehow makes it okay that Monday is only hours away and work is just around the corner. But no, instead I watched Jon Stewart's monologue (he was very good by the way), saw George Clooney win his best supporting actor Oscar for Syriana (which was the only Oscar nominated movie I saw this year anyway) and then I did exciting things like laundry. And I wrote thank you cards for all of the awesome gifts we got at the shower. But it really wasn't the same without Grey's Anatomy to look forward to.

See, after last week's episode, when Madison got the poison ivy rash all over her ve-jay-jay, and she was laughing and Derek was laughing, I kind of stopped hating her. I hate that I don't hate her anymore. GRR ARGH (more on that later). And wow, George is some kind of pussy. Dude, what did you expect to happen? You know that girl will sleep with pretty much any guy who propositions her. Get over it. And wow (again), how bad an idea is it for Derek and Miranda to start going for walks together in the morning and being "friends". How long do you think it will take before they are rolling around in the leaves? I mean, I can't wait for them to get back to having the sex, don't get me wrong. Just didn't picture it happening that way is all. Nothing wrong with a good nature(d) bonk.

So, anyway, a few months ago I signed Scott and I up for this new parents/labour/newborns class at the hospital where the little guy will be born. I figured better to get it over with in one weekend (2 days) then to drag him out once a week for 2 months. And while I was probably right, boy does sitting in an auditorium looking at spread eagle ve-jay-jays being stretched to kingdom come for 2 days get tiresome. What was good about it was seeing 20 other pregnant ladies, of all shapes and sizes and realizing, hey, I'm about normal. I'm average in the spectrum of pregnant lady size. So suck on that all you people with your comments. By Sunday afternoon Scott and I had about had our fill of slides of newborns and were ready to go home to veg (actually, Scott went to the gym, I napped). Driving out of the parking lot we saw what we both deemed to be the best license plate ever: "GRR ARGH". Damn, why didn't I think of that? That sums up most of feelings as of late to perfection. So GRR ARGH - my hips are killing me! GRR ARGH this kid has had the hiccups all day! GRR ARGH why are cribs so hard to put together?! GRR ARGH I haven't seen below my navel in months! Just GRR ARGH, okay?

32 weeks and counting.

With only 8 weeks to go until the little guy's due date, I gotta say, I am starting to feel a little overwhelmed. We picked up the nursery furniture on Saturday (despite The Bay's best efforts to make that impossible...long boring story) and Jennifer also came to Oakville for the weekend to co-host my baby shower with Stephanie. Jennifer and I got in a day full of girl fun (aka "things Scott won't do with me") which included Japanese food at Sushi Niwa, (where I apparently mortified the woman sitting behind us with talk of circumcision and regaling the details of recent attempts at being intimate where I broke into tears exclaiming "I feel like a beached whale"). We also went to H & M, rented "In Her Shoes", caught up on gossip, all things baby, and Jennifer's new book. Lucky for Scott, he escaped this by going away for a night of male bonding with his buddies which involved copious amounts of beer, poker, and chest thumping. I think he feels like he better get his fill before he officially becomes a dad and his life ends. Funny how men and women prepare for parenthood different. Me, I am researching nursing pillows and getting the carpets cleaned. Scott, not so much.
So, the shower. Ahh, the shower. It was wonderful! Stephanie appeared at our house around 11:30am with Shane and Charlotte in tow, arms laden with decorations and cake and punch ingredients. She and Jennifer went to work and decorated (crazy Monkey theme!) and got the house ready. Scott reappeared from his man cave excursion to pick up our Toronto friends from the GO station (bloggers Adam, Chris and Lulu, non-blogger Karem). Shane entertained Charlotte and helped move heavy things. And then people started arriving. Our little house filled up quickly with friends and presents.

We were completely spoiled (gifts included everything from a breast pump, baby bath and ducky towel set, lots of super cute and stylin' clothes, books (that crinkle!), albums, designer diaperbag, robeez shoes, diapering essentials and nipple cream (gasp!). And there was cake - have I mentioned my love of cake? Also, Stephanie made this super yummy punch that had pineapple juice and raspberries and it was terrific. Almost made me not miss wine. Almost. Scott and I are very blessed to have such wonderful supportive friends.

Yesterday we had another ultrasound to check out the little guy. We confirmed that he is still a he. His heartbeat (156 beats per minute!) is strong, and he weighs about 4 pounds (so we are on track for a 7 poundish baby). Good stuff. We saw him wiggle his eyebrows, and he waved his fingers at us. He is officially in "head down" position, which my sad little flattened bladder can attest to. So now we wait while he cooks a bit longer. This weekend we have baby classes on Saturday and Sunday where we will learn baby things. Not sure exactly what - I hear tell of things like bathing your baby, burping your baby, and we were told to bring 2 pillows and a blanket, which sounds a bit ominous, if you ask me. What have we gotten ourselves into?

McDreamy vs. McSteamy.

Goodness, Grey's Anatomy sure is going hard on the cliff hangers (you had me at hello!). Let's see, since the infamous Superbowl Shower Scene show, they have ended with Meredith holding a bazooka in some dude's chest, had one action packed bomb exploding extravaganza (with a baby to boot), and now we are left with Meredith peeling George's clothes off him? Wowza. Doesn't take much to get that girl on her back (whachoosay!). My main thoughts about this week's show include:

- McSteamy looked like an older, beefier, hawter version of Leonardo DiCaprio - and if I were Madison, I wouldn't stick around waiting for Derek to forgive my cheatin' ass, I'd be back in NYC with McSteamy who actually loves me and wants me

- I loved the Preston and Cristina dancing scene (nice ipod advertisement...), but I loved it even more when Preston gave her the "I am Preston Burke speech". He is so fine...especially when he is acting all indignant and put upon

- I am still in shock about Meredith gettin' jiggy with George, she is going to break his heart and make things super awkward at work. I think she was so sad from seeing her father she let George's promise of never leaving her win her over, but man, this is going to be some drama...brings to mind the phrase "don't shit where you eat" as in, don't bring the craziness into your household or your workplace Meredith!

Okay, now that I got THAT out of my system -
The SNIPPITY SNIP DEBATE

Up until yesterday morning, I thought that Scott and I had decided to have the little guy circumcised. Mind you, I have always felt the decision was Scott's to make (what do I know about having a penis?). The only opinion I offered was from a "aesthetics" point of view (which is biased because it's all I know), and also the fact that with part of my family being Jewish, most of the men I am related to have in fact been "cut" for religious reasons.

Well, let me tell you, Scott went and done changed his mind! Seems like Scott did some reading (damn internet) and found out that not only is there no proof that circumcision has any medical benefits, but the rate of circumcision in Canada has been dropping steadily in the past ten years. In fact, in 2003, only 12 - 13% of baby boys in Canada were circumcised. I was a bit surprised that this issue was back on the table, so I emailed my best friend Jennifer, asking her what Lisa, her boss at Octopus had done (she is known to be informed in the matters of childbirth and little boys). I promptly received the following email from her:

Lisa says Elliot is not circumcised and this is why:

1. She says, "My friends all had boys and only one of them circumcised her kid and she said it was the worst day of her life. You've spent nine months making this perfect baby and then you cut his skin off."

2. The arguments for circumcision usually go like this: a) it's cleaner, fewer infections - this is not true, no one I or Lisa knows with an uncircumcised child has ever had any trouble. b) his penis should look like his Dad's so he doesn't feel weird - Lisa says, "By the time his penis looks at all like his dad's he's going to be too old to be looking at his Dad's penis anyway."

3. Basically Lisa says there's just no good reason to do it.

And you're right, it is getting to be less and less common as the years go by. No one's going to be laughing at your little boy's penis in the locker room. Like you said, most little boys are uncircumcised these days.

Whew. That's a lot of penis talk for one e-mail.

She's right...that is a lot of penis talk! I'm not really looking for anyone else's opinion on the matter, but if you'd like to comment, feel free.

By the way - I am 31 weeks today (9 more to go!).

A hard choice to make.

Bossa's recent health problems have brought to light that having two cats is a bit unmanageable. Especially with a newborn on the way, something has to give. We haven't wanted to face it though, mostly because as much as her nickname is "Captain Bitchface", we love her dearly. I have had her since she was a kitten (she'll be 10 years old this summer) and Scott is very attached to her as well (he is the main cat caregiver in our house, the "dad" if you will).
The main challenge is that she and our other cat Samba have to be separated because Bossa refuses to accept her. This has been going on for over five years and means we are always monitoring both cats, Samba is held prisoner on the top floor of our home, and Bossa is in a constant state of agitation which plays out in different ways that I won't go into here. As I said to Scott last night, "if you are frustrated now, thing of how you will feel when you are going on 2 hours of sleep, have a screaming newborn to contend with, and you have to deal with Bossa too?". While Scott won't be the one to make the tough decision to find her a new home, at this point he has agreed that it is time. So I need to be the heavy, make the rational decision here and pull the trigger.

I wouldn't have even considered letting someone else take Bossa if I didn't know she would be in awesome hands, and hopefully in a situation that would make her happier than where she is now. But a while back, my dear friend Alana offered to take Bossa, and I can't think of a better place for her. See, Alana loves pets, is kind, fun, has a wonderful home, 2 sons, and in her home, Bossa would be the only cat. It may actually work. I include the caveat that if it doesn't work, we will take Bossa back and work on another solution. But I am praying it does work so that I can feel good about this decision and that it's a win-win for everyone.

Last night as I was laying in bed, I started thinking of all the things I needed to tell Alana about Bossa, and I started to feel really sad. There is so much to know, I hadn't even realized it until I started making a mental list.

Things about Bossa:

- she is afraid of the wind
- she likes to sleep on the hot air vent
- when you are sitting down to eat dinner, she will come in the room and give herself a bath, just to be with you, yet still ignoring you
- when you sit on the couch, she will come sit next to you, with her back to you, but leaning into you with all her weight
- she likes to lay in the sun
- she will ask to be let outside, even if it is -10 out, when you open the door she will look at you like "whachoo thinkin' crazy lady? It's too damn cold out there!"
- she likes to eat grass, but you can't let her eat too much because it will make her sick
- she will always complain at you when you empty the dishwasher
- if you are in the kitchen, it must mean that you are there to feed her
- she will greet you at the door like a dog
- she doesn't like to be picked up, but she will tolerate it for a while
- she won't bite you or scratch you (unless you are tormenting her, and even then she gives a warning hiss to let you know "this ain't cool, bitch")
- if she is outside (and you can only put her outside if you are out there with her because she is an indoor cat) but you can't get her to come inside, just shake her food container and she will come running in, at night, use a flash light on her and she will run in the house
- she doesn't have the hops she used to, and if she wants up on something high, she will look at you and meow so you know to lift her up
- she doesn't like other cats and will have a fit if one comes near the house (actually very entertaining)
- she likes to be scratched behind the ears, and she likes belly rubs (but only for a minute or so)
- it's hard to cut her claws - you have to get her when she is relaxed and you start with the front ones, wait a day or so and do the back ones
- she has beautiful eyes, even when she looks like she is eating your soul
- she is very pretty, and she knows it
- if you leave a cupboard open she will go inside to explore, deep kitchen drawers are also excellent
- she is smarter than the average cat
- she likes to wash her paws in her water fountain (a regular bowl of water is not good enough for her)
- you can't leave a big bowl of food out for her because she will eat ALL of it
- she likes to hunt little grey cats
- her favourite place to nap is on a kitchen chair, under the table

- we will miss her deeply, but this really is for the best

Le Sigh.

edited to add: Her favourite toy is a golf ball size ball of tinfoil, which she will bat around the house like a crazy cat