To get you all filled in on what the heck we have been up to the last month or so wont take very long - we have mostly been plugging away at our jobs, and playing when ever we can.
Paul is gearing up at work to jump into the outdoor programs for the summer and has been trying to figure out the details and feasibility (what the-powers-that be will let them get away with and what the kids will be willing/able to do) of different trip plan ideas. Right now, he is even planning a trip for the other youth workers that would simulate the same feeling of challenge that the kids experience when in the outdoors - from some of the ideas we have been bouncing off each other it sounds like it will prove to be a interesting trip to lead and has the potential to really push the abilities and comfort levels of the staff. The idea is that if the staff are faced with the same degree of challenge as Paul will be providing for the youth that it will develop a level of compassion and understanding for how difficult these sort of experiences can be. I think its a great idea. I am a little envious that I wont be able to go on the trip though; whatever they end up doing- I am sure it will be fun!
Other then the trip planning Paul is still doing the 2 till midnight shift and is continually learning the in's and out's of youth work by just getting in there and doing it. Lately he has been out on the Bow River for hours at a time fishing with a few of the youth who are really into it. Its so good that they have the resources and are able to encourage those positive interests that the kids may have! Hopefully Paul will also be able to plant the seed of passion for the outdoors in the trips that they do.
As far as work goes for me, I am still doing the climbing wall thing - teaching and monitoring, and plan to keep at it until at least the end of May. With the warmer weather starting to be more consistent it is awfully tempting to use the baby as an excuse to say screw it to work and just play outdoors for the next few months. However, its nice to have a shift now and again! I am super lucky that when I do work its usually for only a few hours at a time and despite being very involved isn't terribly taxing. Its perfect - work a few hours here, a few there and it pays good enough that its all worth while.
When we're not working we still seem to keep busy doing this or that. We have grand plans of putting in a garden this summer and growing as much of our own produce as we can. The house that we are renting has a great south facing yard with a lot of space for us to potentially use. We are also playing with the idea of getting 3 or so chickens and building them a coop in the yard. Paul and I have both been eating eggs lately and it would be good to know where they came from and that the chickens are being treated humanely. The only problem - as of right now it is not technically legal to keep chickens in the city... however, the UN states that everyone should have free access of growing/raising/acquiring a reliable food source, so any charges that have been pressed against people keeping chickens in Calgary have all been dropped. I think the biggest consideration will really be bribing the neighbors sufficiently with eggs to ensure the bylaw officers are not called in the first place. We'll see how it goes!
I am now in my 34th week of pregnancy, still feeling great, saying active and getting bigger and bigger by the day. I am not having any issues with any of the common complaints of pregnancy, but am definitely starting to feel my hips and pelvis loosen and open up. It's a strange sensation and does mean that I have been taking it easier and am really starting to "feel pregnant". Saying that, Paul and I are going to yoga classes usually about twice a week, I am still swimming, climbing, biking, walking lots and will be starting up in some fitness classes next week! I get lots of rest between activities and am very conscious of how my body is feeling when ever I am doing something physical.
Baby still is feeling strong and wiggley. The midwives tell me Baby has been in a good head down postion for the last month or so, but want me to go in and have a ultrasound to make sure baby is growing well as my uterus mesurements have been a bit on the small side. I am still gaining weight at a steady rate and have started to expand outwards at a suprising pace, so I am really not concerned. All women carry differently and the Midwives say there really isnt anything other then add more protein and water to my diet anyways. I have been doing a lot of protein counts and I am usually getting around 65-75g a day, which isnt far off the 70-80g that are recommened. What I think may actually be more of a consideration for me is my fat and sugar in take; The one thing that I have personally found it hardests to really get enough of in a vegan or veggy diet is not the protein, but the fats! And, since I have been on a sugar restricted diet (I am not even suppose to have most fruits!) for the past few months, the baby may not getting the steady flow of lipid-building foods (fats and sugars). My weight gain suggests that baby is still growing though (it certainly doesnt seems to be going anywhere else thus far). I am gaining about 1 pound a week and am now up to 165lbs and am just now starting to not fit the last of the shirts that I had pre-pregnancy! I do not HAVE to go in for the ultrasound, and I am still trying to decided if I should or not - if there is really not much that we can do anyways (other then increase protien/fats/sugars (?), which I have done already) and its just to see whats up.... then is there really a point? I dont know...
32 weeks!More recent Baby bump photos to come - I swear we have been taking them!
More updates to come soon (I promise!)
Shy
Wow, Ash, sounds like you're doing great! Why were you restricted with fruits? Lots of Love, Cher
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