A Sense of Humour

(Children mentioned in this post.)

Petite's got herself a sense of humour! Just like her Daddy and her big (half-) brother. I love it.

Last night at dinner, Petite was happily eating her meal, no problem and LaGrande and I were discussing the day and upcoming plans over our dinner. Next thing we know, Petite holds up her hands and shrugs, saying, "Fork?"

We turned to look at her (she's in her highchair at the corner of the table between LaGrande and me) and we didn't see her fork at all. So we start looking. Did she drop it on the floor? No, we would have heard it. Did she drop it beside her leg in the high chair? No, not there. Was it under her tray? Nope, not there either. Where in heavens did it go?

A couple of minutes of looking and LaGrande and I were totally perplexed. Petite was giggling her butt off though. We thought she found it funny that LaGrande and I stopped eating to look for her fork.

But the little stinker! She laughed aloud, a broad smile on her face and she reached behind her back and pulls out her fork, holding it high in the air, triumphantly. We laughed with her. Of course, then it was a game; she did it repeatedly and I held up my hand to my forehead, as if searching the horizon, saying, "Where's the fork? Here fork! Come here forky, forky, forky!" calling loudly for the fork to come back. And we repeated the search for fun, all to amuse her and hear her laugh.

It was fun. I love to watch her little personality develop and shine. She's a sweet, loving, gorgeous little girl. And I am SO blessed. Don't I know it.

A Handful of Busy

There's a lot going on right now and just trying to keep up is getting the better of me. As evidenced by the dizzy spells I've had this week. Two people said I really ought to get my doctor to check it out, but I expect it'll pass. At least, that's what I'm banking on.

I'm researching the answers to the questions that I'll be asked on camera on Monday for the TV interview that I'll be doing. I hope I can convey the points that Conceivable Dreams is looking to convey. Wish me luck.

My doctor called yesterday: she is referring me for an MRI for my right heel. I've had pain for more than a year now and I started physio last week. The physiotherapist said, "That's an Achilles tear. Partial or full, I don't know. But that's all Achilles, not bursitis," and he asked for the name of my doctor. I can only surmise that it was his doing that helped get me that referral. We'll see what happens. I have physio again tomorrow morning.

Today is Friday. I usually try to do a This Moment post. Alas... I have no photos for you. Well, I do. But I haven't downloaded them yet. I promise I will. I just need to try to find some time. My time is so tight these days, that I haven't even had a chance to call my own mom this week! And that's a shame. Because I know so many of us have lost our moms already, all all of you would be beating me with a stick saying, "Call your mother!" I'll try to squeeze that in tonight after bathtime routines.

Children mentioned hereafter: Life/Petite Update

Hubby is working 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. (or sometimes 4 p.m. to midnight) so I see him for maybe 15 minutes per day: some in the morning, and a few minutes in the evening if I'm lucid enough to chat for a few when he gets home. It's tiring me out though. I am keeping tabs on LaGrande and her whereabouts and social life (as required of any 16-year old!) and of course, caring for Petite when I'm not at the office. I make up the menus, do a lot of the shopping and deal with meals, sometimes with Hubby's or LaGrande's help for example, in preparation or just putting something in the oven and turning it on before I get home from work with Petite.

And there are nights like Wednesday, when Petite refuses to go to sleep. After a bedtime story, and a snack and milk, she needs to brush her teeth. While she's sleepy when she's having her milk and story, getting her up to do her teeth wakes her up and then she plays and tosses and turns for an hour or more. Wednesday, she didn't go to sleep until almost 10 p.m.! It's crazy. I tried starting the routine earlier last night, and she went to sleep by about 8:50. Still late, but better than 9:50! I sometimes fall asleep next to her but it isn't the ideal situation, now is it? Ugh.

Petite continues to do amazingly well with using the toilet. So much so that at daycare yesterday, she took her nap in her panties, rather than a diaper. Last night after dinner, she peed a little at the kitchen table and immediately stopped herself, exclaiming, "Pee!" LaGrande took her to the washroom and Petite finished the job. She does this on a regular basis now, if she ever starts to have an accident. No big deal. I'm glad that we have hardwood and laminate flooring!

She needs another haircut now too. As an infant, her hair grew excruciatingly slowly! But wow, has it ever picked up the pace! I can't see her eyes anymore. And I need to have it trimmed before we go to the pumpkin patch and Saunders Farm next month for our traditional Halloween outing with the family.

LaGrande got a part-time job and we're thrilled for her of course! It does throw a monkey wrench into the family outings and such, but it's okay. After all, it's what is supposed to happen. And honestly, having a job will give her a boost of confidence again. Good for her! We all need someone to believe in us (other than our parents!) now and then. I'm so proud!

Anyway, all that to say I'm just tuckered out. Life is dealing me a handful of busy and I'm dealing with it. While I'm still reading all of your blogs, I rarely get time for my own. Bear with me; this too shall pass. And I'll upload pics as soon as I get them.

Sending love to...
A shout out to Michelle, who after 35 weeks, had a C-section last night because pre-eclampsia was about to rear its ugly head. Her twins have arrived! We're waiting for updates, but all reports are good. Go say hi and tell her congratulations!

I'm also watching Kelly's blog closely because she is also 35 weeks and almost ready to meet her little girl. I hope everything goes smoothly for her!

Denial of Treatment to the Obese

I heard this on the news this morning: Canadian infertility doctors are considering adopting a policy that would prevent obese women from obtaining fertility treatments. (See: Globe and Mail Article: Canadian MDs consider denying fertility treatments to obese women)

Some studies suggest obese women need more fertility drugs to produce enough eggs during an IVF cycle. This can obviously sometimes result in adverse reactions and side-effects to the drugs required.

Some studies also suggest that obese women are more prone to complications during pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes, high blood pressure (and thus possibly strokes) which would negatively affect the pregnancy.

However, others are arguing that, for example, treatment isn't denied to smokers, who statistically are more prone to having pre-eclampsia during the pregnancy or underweight babies at birth.

Those of you who know me in person, yes, I am obese. My BMI would present a problem for many fertility clinics. However...

• My blood pressure is fine.


• I do not have diabetes.


• I do have long-term thyroid issues.


• I have PCOS. (Both this and the thyroid have contributed to higher weight and a difficulty in losing weight.)


• I do go to the gym between 3 and 5 times per week (for 1+ hours at a time).


• According to my doctor, I am perfectly healthy.


• I confess, I would like to lose between 20 and 50 pounds. But that will still see me with a BMI that is "obese."

And yet... our first IVF worked. I had no problems during the pregnancy. My blood pressure remained great. I had no problems with gestational diabetes. I made sure my thyroid levels were good during the pregnancy. The entire 40 weeks were completely unremarkable in fact. I only gained 9 pounds.

The only time I had trouble in the pregnancy was because of a gall bladder attack, and that is not specific to obese women; it occurs with a large percentage of women who are pregnant. My gall bladder has since been removed.

So should I, by definition be denied treatment? No. I don't believe so. I believe in evaluating the individual, individually. I don't believe that blanket statements or policies which don't take into consideration underlying causes or lifestyle factors is beneficial for the population as a whole.

If Canadian infertility doctors had already adopted this policy, I would never have had the opportunity to be a mommy the first time. I would never know the joy of my little girl. Never feel her kisses or hear her laughter. Never know the fun of experiencing life through her eyes.


If Canadian infertility doctors adopt this policy, I will never have the opportunity to have a second child. And I weigh less now than I did when I did our first IVF.

I'm troubled by this sort of thinking. I am cognizant of the fact that yes, many women can benefit from losing weight before infertility treatments. Absolutely. But I don't necessarily think that denial of treatment simply based on BMI is the right way to go. Not at all.

This saddens me. Many couples and women in this country can be great mothers, and weight has nothing to do with how well (or poorly) they treat their children.

In Canada, another factor comes into play: money. The almighty dollar. For in most provinces, my own included, fertility treatments are not covered by the health care system. So if patients are knowledgeable and aware of the risks, the treatment, the cost, as well as the issues that obesity brings to the table, in the end, it is THEIR money. They should be permitted some determination on how to spend it, should they not? Essentially, a doctor would be restricting a patient from trying, even though the cost of trying is burdened solely by the patient. I suppose there's also the cost of caring for the patient in the event of complications though; that is covered by the health care system so maybe that is why this comes into play.

All in all, a very tricky path to be on. For if treatments are restricted and unavailable to the obese or those with a body mass determined to be too high, where do we stop? Do we then ban treatment for smokers? For those with chronic diseases? For those who drink 'too much'? What about incomes? Can we study the bank accounts of those who walk into infertility clinics?

When are we taking it too far?

Getting the Message Out; Covering Infertility Treatments is EXACTLY What We Need!

I had a couple of people ask about links to the podcast and articles that were uploaded after my French interview with Radio-Canada. I found two articles that discussed the interview I gave.

Traitements de fertilité : l'Ontario suivra-t-il l'exemple du Québec?
(Fertility Treatments: Will Ontario Follow Quebec's Example?)

Des couples ontariens profitent de la campagne électorale pour inciter les
trois principaux partis à offrir des traitements de fertilité gratuits, comme au
Québec.

Des milliers de couples sont infertiles en Ontario.
Une station de
radio d'Ottawa en profite d'ailleurs pour faire tirer trois traitements
gratuits.

Coût exorbitant
Il s'agit d'un concours controversé pour
plusieurs, mais pas pour Gillian Wood, d'Ottawa, qui a dépensé
38 000 dollars en traitements, avant d'accoucher d'une fille il y a
deux ans.

Elle voudrait un deuxième enfant, mais n'a pas l'argent pour
s'offrir le traitement.

Mme Wood fait partie du groupe Conceivable Dream, qui
demande aux partis ontariens de s'engager à rembourser le coût des traitements
de fertilité, comme au Québec.

L'animateur de la station privée d'Ottawa, qui
fait « tirer » un bébé, lui donne raison. « Nous espérons que le
gouvernement comprendra que cette question est importante pour beaucoup de
gens. », dit Jeff Mauler.

And the second article:
Des Ontariens reclament la gratuité de la procréation assistée
(Ontarians Demand Free Assisted Reproduction)

Des couples ontariens profitent de la campagne électorale
provinciale pour demander aux trois principaux partis la gratuité des
traitements de fertilité. D'autres provinces canadiennes ont déjà emboité le
pas. C'est le cas au Québec, où les traitements de procréation assistée sont
couverts par le Régime de l'assurance maladie depuis un an. C'est un modèle semblable que réclame le groupe
Conceivable Dream, qui demande aux partis de s'engager à payer les traitements
de fertilité.

Gagner un bébé
Une station de radio privée d'Ottawa profite
de la campagne électorale pour faire tirer un bébé. Lancé la semaine dernière,
le concours permettra au couple gagnant de se faire rembourser trois traitements
de fertilité, d'une valeur de 35 000 $. Les animateurs de la station
joignent leur voix à celle du groupe Conceivable Dream. Ils disent espérer que
le gouvernement ontarien comprendra que cette question est importante pour
beaucoup de citoyens.

Bien que le concours soit controversé, il est bien perçu
par de nouveaux parents qui ont dépensé une fortune en traitements de fertilité.
C'est le cas de Gillian Wood, du groupe Conceivable Dream. Elle croit que cela
permettra à un couple qui n'en a pas les moyens de réaliser son rêve.

"C'est une démarche coûteuse. Nous avons dû débourser environ 38 000 $ pour
avoir un premier bébé. Une somme que j'ai mise sur ma carte de
crédit."
— Gillian Wood, Conceivable Dream

Mme Wood ajoute qu'elle
voudrait un deuxième enfant, mais qu'elle ne peut tout simplement pas se
l'offrir. Elle songe même à participer au concours.

To listen to the podcast:

1. Go to the Radio-Canada website. (http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/ottawa/bulletins.asp)




2. On the right side of the page, in the calendar, navigate to septembre 2011 (September 2011).
   



3. Again, in the calendar on the right, click on Tuesday, September 13. You will see a list of broadcasts that aired during that week.
   



4. Scroll down to mardi 13 septembre 2011 (Tuesday, September 13, 2011).
   



5. Under the Régional section, click on Bulletin régional CBOF 7 h 30.

Next Monday at 1:00 p.m., I've been asked to appear in a local French-language TV spot (Entre-Nous) discussing the issue of infertility, treatments available, Conceivable Dreams and our own story. It'll air live; I expect I'll be able to link the podcast or broadcast details at a future point. Wish me luck!

By the way, yes, I submitted our application to HOT 89.9's contest "Win a Baby." Wouldn't it be amazing to discuss infertility on the air and (hopefully) try to add to our family at the same time? Wish us luck. We'll need every bit we can get.

Radio Interview

CBC Radio Canada in Ottawa (90.7)...

Interview with me about Conceivable Dreams, The New HOT 89.9's contest to "Win a Baby," what it cost us to get where were are and the need for provincial funding for infertility procedures.

The interview is in French and will be aired on Tuesday, September 13 at 7:30 a.m. with a repeat at 3:30 p.m. and snippets for TV reports accompanying new statistics that will be released tomorrow...

... that I'm not permitted to discuss yet. Listen in and find out.

Ah... election season. Gotta love it. :D

More on HOT 89.9's Contest to "Win a Baby!"

A couple of days ago, I read a local blogger's post (Yumi at To Infertility and Beyond) about the contest at The New HOT 89.9. She expressed her concerns extremely well I believe. In response to her concerns, I wrote the following. I wanted to post it in her comments section, and I will when I get a moment. But here are my thoughts on her points:

*****************

I understand your point of view. Absolutely. However, I do disagree on some of the issues you spoke about.

Having been part of the Conceivable Dreams brainstorming session earlier this year (see my blog post at http://thehardestquest.blogspot.com/2011/03/27-now-thats-drop.html on March 1, 2011) I spoke with the director of the OFC who was already in the process of negociating this contest at that time with HOT 89.9. Everyone at the brainstorming session, REs (including Dr. Leader), the OFC psychologist (Dr. Gervaize) patients (current and former), and those involved with the infertility awareness community were wholeheartedly in support of the initiative because it -raises- awareness. Getting the Ottawa area listeners involved and learning about their own fertility, hearing how difficult it can be for some patients, realizing that a lot of money is required and that the procedures are not covered for Ontario residents, and of course, bringing the infertility issue to the table with the Ontario election at hand, were all reasons why we thought it was a fantastic way to get people paying attention to the problem. Infertility is a health crisis in our society. One in 6 couples is infertile. And it's still such a taboo topic that people are afraid to talk about it, share their stories, lobby government for change, etc. It's slowly changing but this type of contest and the immense publicity that it entails is exactly what might help us get it out there.

I went through IVF in 2008. I've been writing an infertility blog since 2006. I've already been so very public with our struggles and sharing the stories of other blogging friends. I would truly welcome the opportunity to sit behind a microphone at HOT 89.9 and speak to the problem, raise awareness, discuss statistics and help people become aware of the process, grief, worry, fear and immense joy (or alternatively, depths of pain) that a beta test brings. I would hope that whoever wins this contest is well aware of the requirements and is willing to do the same.

The one item that I do take minor issue with is the terminology. (I'm a writer; I'm picky about stuff like that!) "Win a Baby" isn't correct of course. Because we all know that going through treatment, no matter how great the prognosis might be, well... it doesn't always yield a live birth. Good Lord no. It might yield a miscarriage. Or a tubal pregnancy requiring surgery. It may (heaven forbid) result in a stillbirth. But even those things would be helpful for the public to realize. No, it isn't win a baby... rather "win a CHANCE at having a baby". Or "Win the money to go towards trying to have a baby!" But I do see the point of view from the marketing department: "Win a Baby" just screams sensationalism and yes, controversy. As they say, any publicity is good publicity. I have to set that on the backburner and look at the contest itself. A rose by any other name...

I will be entering the contest and although I doubt I'll get far as I've already had immense success with IVF (spending almost $40K to get there), I just hope that whoever wins does a wonderful job of sharing their story and infertility issues to the public. THAT will be a success in my view.


You can find my own journal and journey at http://thehardestquest.blogspot.com/.

Thank you for writing about your point of view. Again, discussion and raising awareness is the goal so I think it's great that we can engage in this sort of chat about such an important topic.
Gil
******************************

In the last day or so, there's been a whole lot more publicity about the contest.
Ottawa Citizen
Metro
Huffington Post
Even our own Stirrup Queen posted her viewpoint! (YAY! Thank you Mel!)

As mentioned in the Ottawa Citizen:

Fertility treatments are a bizarre and simply wrong prize on many levels - the commodification of childbirth, for one. But the radio station may be on to something.

Despite the ethically questionable premise and the awkwardness of future parents having to explain their child's connection to the contest ("that's your radio station, honey, we won you in a contest"), the "win a baby" promotion may, in fact, serve a useful - if unintended - purpose when it comes to helping couples have babies, by raising awareness about how common infertility is, especially when childbearing is delayed. And the best time to start people thinking about that is early.

In fact, that is EXACTLY the intended purpose. To raise awareness. This radio station has a demographic of teenagers and mostly 20-somethings. I think they aim for the under 35 set. (I'm not their normal demographic I know, but I like the music! So sue me.)

And as Mel rightly pointed out, the posters are rather misleading. Okay, it's a downright lie. You can't actually WIN the baby. Of course not. But that is what the posters say. People believe, incorrectly, that having IVF yields a live, healthy baby. We all know this isn't true. We all know the stories of women here in our IF circles who have heartbreaking stories to tell about miscarriages or stillbirths after IVF. About tubal pregnancies. About birth defects that were unexpected. About the stress of going through the IVF in the first place!

As Mel said, the posters serve to perpetuate "this myth that fertility treatments work each and every time. That it’s closer to corrective surgery vs. a game of roulette." That's the issue I have too. Because really, IVF is roulette.

Win, and you win big.
Fail, and a piece of you dies inside.
The dreams and hopes go down the toilet.

That is exactly why I really hope that whoever wins this contest can speak to the issues and tell the real stories of how this works. Tell the listeners about the stress. The grief. The pain. The 'not knowing.' As my readers know, I spent my entire pregnancy worrying about Petite. I really did. Throughout the pregnancy, it was my goal to make it through one day at a time. Just to get from one milestone to the next. That's all I could focus on. The stress never left me at all. Up until after she was born and declared healthy and well, I worried nonstop. I held my breath as they examined her right after birth for heaven's sake, expecting the worst to happen. ALWAYS. That never goes away. Or at least, it didn't for me. Some of us are able to let go and enjoy the pregnancy and all that, but it was never me. That's for certain.

As to those who are turning away from the station, thinking that the contest is disgusting or immoral, I wonder what would happen if they watched their family dwindle in size, no children on the horizon to take on traditions. No opportunity to share family recipes. No one to share stories with around the dinner table. Are they speaking from experience? Do they realize how heartbreaking infertility is? As has been proven, studies show that being diagnosed as infertile is akin to a diagnosis of cancer. The grief is equivalent (I do not speak from experience, but I know infertiles that can on this point). The grieving process is the same.

And to the listeners who are saying, "Just adopt," well, there's a whole lot of things wrong with that statement. No, it's not the genetic link that people are necessarily searching for. But think about it for a moment. Think about the invasion of privacy that is required for the prospective parents. The exorbitant costs involved (I know one woman who paid over $60,000 to adopt a newborn). The excruciating wait that may never end; a friend of mine and her husband have been waiting for 9 years. NINE. They've not yet been 'chosen' to be adoptive parents and it breaks their hearts. Think about those who have been chosen only to have that shattering moment at the end when a birth mother changes her mind at the last minute. Literally. It's so difficult. It's more difficult to adopt than it is to do IVF. Most definitely.

As mentioned on the Conceivable Dreams' Facebook page, all listeners should be contacting our Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Find my MPP) and let them know that we shouldn't have to pin our hopes for family building on winning a radio contest.

A New School Year Begins

Children are mentioned in this post; I feel I've been slack about noting that. So I'm going to try to be more diligent about mentioning it.

School started yesterday for the 2011–12 year. I'll be honest, I've rarely paid attention to the new school year starting. I mean seriously, when would an infertile take time to focus on an activity/event that is specifically for or about children? Once in awhile, I'd go shopping with my girlfriend's daughter for new school clothes. But other than that, I've largely ignored school schedules, bussing information, registration, dates, etc. However, all that has changed.

My stepdaughter, LaGrande, moved in with her dad and me over the summer. She is in her senior year of high school and she changed schools (and school boards) for her final year. This was at her impetus; her dad and I made sure she was aware that she could stay at her old school if she wanted to. She was anxious and excited about a new start and I hope she makes the most of the opportunity. Both her dad and I (and her mom too) are trying to give her what she needs to move forward and do great things with her life. Now if I could just get her to tidy her room!

Another great thing: she's been looking for a job over the summer and yesterday, a local party store called to speak to her about a possibility. She hopes to connect with them today. I am keeping my fingers crossed for her. Think good thoughts for her please!

Because of Hubby's current schedule (he works 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. every day) I fear I'm not going to be able to rejoin the church choir this fall. I wish I could. LaGrande offered to babysit on Thursday evenings while I'm at choir, but that means I'd be taking her away from her studies. And frankly, in her senior year, I want to give her the absolute BEST chance at getting good marks. So I don't want to take advantage of her like that or put her in a tough position right off the bat. If perchance it works out that Thursday evenings she's a little more free, then I may take her up on it. But for now, I fear I'm going to have to keep to the strict routine I have going for myself and Petite so we can make this work for everyone and help LaGrande get great marks too. As well, with some luck, she will have a job for the fall and winter, I need to give her time and space to apply herself to that responsibility and learn to earn her way in life. So it was with regret that I sent an e-mail to the choir director and apologized profusely for not being able to attend at the moment. I will miss it; I really enjoyed it very much. I'm not giving it up entirely as I hope to join along later in the year. But for now, it just won't work. Maybe Hubby's schedule will change later on and that might let me attend. To be continued, I'm sure.

Petite returned to daycare yesterday after it was closed for vacation last week. This week, a new little girl has joined the daycare. Things are changing there and the coming months will see Petite losing a friend or two at daycare and gaining two more. You see, here's who the daycare provider had last year:

All Day

1. Petite (1 year)


2. N (boy; 2 years)


3. O (boy; 3 years)


4. K (boy; 4 years... daycare provider's son who went to school for half a day)

Before and After School

1. R (girl; 6 years)


2. C (boy; 8 years and R's brother)


3. N (boy: 7 years, daycare provider's middle son)


4. M (boy; 11 years, daycare provider's oldest son)

So Petite had three little boys around her all day long. This summer, O was switched to another daycare that had hours which coincide with the school he'll be attending. Now, in the fall, the youngest boy, N, is going to change providers too as he's almost three and able to go to some structured classes at the private school where he'll be going. And K, the daycare provider's youngest son is now in school full time. Poor Petite is going to be all alone!

But over the summer, two more little girls joined the flock! M started at the daycare yesterday; she's about 20 months so very close in age to Petite. Petite already wanted to share her sleep stuffie Pooh Bear with M at nap time yesterday. I expect they'll be close as they get to know each other better. And in about a month's time, another little girl, A, will join the crew. She's only one year old though... so Petite goes from being the youngest to the oldest in one fell swoop! I trust she will be good and caring with the smaller ones. She shows so much concern for others and is genuinely touched by their emotions. It's sweet.

A HUGE development yesterday:
Petite did Number 2 in the toilet! She went with LaGrande to go to the potty when prompted (she's still in diapers, but learning how to read the cues and express her needs) and when she sat down, she said, "Poo poo" and she held LaGrande's hand and did a poop in the toilet! I was so happy for her! She knows she gets smarties when uses the toilet and I obliged quite happily. I gave her a huge hug, picked her up and hugged her tight, kissing her. I told her, "We're going to have to go shopping for panties soon!" She repeated with a grin, "Panties!" and clapped her hands. My gosh. I can't believe it. I,m so thrilled that she's getting it! Good for her!

Halloween is fast approaching. Petite has already expressed a desire to be either a ghost or a monkey. Both of which she can certainly do well, as her "Boo" and "Ee ee, ooooh, ooooh" are perfected. I mentioned it to my sister and bless her, she found a great monkey costume for a wonderful price and picked it up for us! YAY! A monkey it is! When I get the costume, I'll dress Petite in it and have her practice! It should be cute! We'll have to visit some friends and certainly the daycare. We'll pop around to a few houses too. I love to decorate for Halloween. It's been hard though; we live on a dead-end street (a cul-de-sac). And many people around us are older or retired and they don't celebrate. So we've had NO kids visit our house for Halloween in recent years. It just isn't a good area for Trick-or-Treating. But we have Petite now. So even if no one comes to our house, we'll have to make a point of decorating anyway and we'll make sure she gets to go Trick-or-Treating. I remember enjoying Halloween so much as a child. I want to make it special for her too.

The weather is changing. We're thinking about closing our pool. Our windows get closed at night these days. I've had to wear a light jacket to work in the mornings. I'm rummaging for shoes that are not sandals! And the provincial election is on the horizon. More about that to come. I saw the first signs posted in my neighborhood on the way to work this morning. I'll muse on the election in the coming days and the hopes that I have for the radio contest mentioned in the last post, as I expect the topic of infertility to be raised this time around.

I hope everyone out in Blogland has had a good summer. Mine was tough and not that great. But we move on and we get ready for fall activities and events and the coming hibernation of winter. May it bring better things for everyone. Love to all.

HOT 89.9; Win a Baby

You read that right. You can WIN a baby.

For those of us in the Ottawa area, my hunch was right. The local radio station, The New HOT 89.9, is sponsoring a contest. And the winner can WIN A BABY.

Okay, not a baby per se. Though the bus shelter ads are pretty neat, there's a disclaimer that the baby pictured not be exactly as shown! But the winner can win up to three fertility treatment procedures at the Ottawa Fertility Centre up to $35,000 in total.

Here's how it works:

Between Labour Day (appropriate!) and September 28, listeners in the Ottawa area can apply for the contest by going to the website and filling out the form. Early in October, a Judging Panel will review the submissions and select five finalists (and one alternate). On Friday, September 30, those five finalists will be announced and their stories will be shared on the air. Listeners will then be invited to visit the station's website to vote for their choice of finalists. On Monday, October 10, the winner will be announced and they will have one year to follow up with the OFC for treatment, and their story shared with the listening audience.

Rest assured: I'll be applying. I am sure I have a hope in hell of winning.

Think about it. They're going to want some young, pretty thing, newly married, who's been trying for a couple of years with no luck and no money to ever get lucky. They're not going to choose someone with failed vasectomy reversals, with PCOS and hypothyroidism, who already did IVF for one child and now "only wants to have a second baby to be greedy."

Seriously. I figure that's probably how they'll see it. But I have to hope. Because this year, we've had a LOT of crap thrown at us and we're still surviving. We're still here. We ARE going to make it. We don't have the finances that we once did (and that is preventing us from moving ahead right now) but we're still holding on. So the possibility of The New HOT 89.9 being my financial stork? Hell ya. I'm good with that.

I'm working on my application right now. I promise I'll keep you posted.

Home

As you all know, I took Petite "home" to Newfoundland for about 11 days in August. Ah yes, when I say "home" it always means back to Newfoundland. For while I reside and work in the nation's capital, I have no family here per se, and of course, I'm a Newf first and foremost... a Canadian second. (Remember, islanders only voted 51% to 49% to join Canada in the first place.)

Anyway, back at home, our first order of business was a haircut. We saw my hairdresser. She's been doing my hair since I was 8 years old; this wonderful lady has worked on my grandmother's hair, my mother's, mine, and now my daughter's hair. Four generations. We love her so much, we invited her to our wedding. She's more of a family friend now than just a hairdresser. Bless her too; she certainly knows her craft!


This is my new nephew, dozing peacefully on a blanket at my aunt's home. He's gorgeous. And such a good baby. My sister lucked out for sure!



My dad and Petite, playing in Bowring Park. She loved getting out and stretching her legs, running and playing with Poppy!

Again, Petite and Poppy. This time, they're feeding the ducks at Quidi Vidi (pronounced "Kiddy Viddy").

Petite and Auntie B, my mom's eldest sister. We went out for brunch one morning and had a lovely time.

Another of Petite with Auntie B. Here they are in the playground area of Bowring Park. Petite really loves the 'wings'!

My BIL and sister at Middle Cove. Pretty much any evening in the summer, you can go down to Middle Cove beach and make a fire on the beach, have a 'mug up' or just s'mores and snacks with friends. A great way to spend an evening, listening to the waves roll on the beach. Middle Cove is one of my top five favourite places in the world. And I love this pic. It turned out really well with the sun's fading colours behind them.

We even brought Petite to Middle Cove to have some fun and run around, dabbling her toes and hands in the water there. She was up way past her bedtime, but it was fun. Here we are together.

While at home, my sis and I took the kids to get photos done. Here's one of the best. My nephew is about 3 months old while Petite is almost 2 years old in this one.

Voilà. Our trip home in a nutshell. Yes, we had family and friends coming and going all week. We had a get-together to celebrate my nephew's birth. Aunts flew down from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. A cousin flew down the day I left. Another flew down two days before my sister left. We had relatives pop by to see the kids. A former co-worker of my mom's came for lunch one day too for the same thing! (It's ALL about the kids; I'm not delusional!) Auntie B bought a new house and a car (she's downsizing) and I'm told that she sold her own home this week. I missed seeing a couple of friends because of illness in the family and simply poor scheduling and commitments. Such is life.

But for all the insanity, it's still home to me. It always will be. And I miss it terribly.

I know this is more than the usual "This Moment" post. I hope that's okay. I just thought you might like to see how our holiday went.

This week, Petite's daycare is closed for vacation. So to accommodate, I'm working 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. (through lunch and everything) to get home in time for Hubby to go to work for his 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. shift. It makes for a long day. I'm really glad this is a long weekend; we can recuperate a little. But then again, LaGrande (my stepdaughter) goes back to school on Tuesday. We've got some shopping to take care of to ensure she's all ready. Wish me luck!

Oh yes! One more thing...

For those in the National Capital Region, I'm pretty sure that the recent ads I've heard on Hot 89.9, and the poster I saw while out walking two days ago, are indicative of the coming to fruition of an initiative that was discussed at the Conceivable Dreams gathering I attended earlier this year. Stay tuned for more info; I expect that "Labour Day" we may hear some more information. How apropos! :)