Grenada? Africa?

This is for my brother, who has replaced my all time favorite childhood story "Meg, how do I boil water" with his most recent revelation. I was talking to my lil bro Thomas yesterday and he seemed very concerned about the idea of me and Mekhi moving to Grenada, I was wondering what his concern was until he advised that "Things are very different in AFRICA Meg". I thought my ears were broken or something but then realized, all of this time, 2 years, Thomas has thought that I have been dating and visiting my boyfriend who is in Africa!!! Bless his soul, my real question is then why don't I have pictures of elephants? hee hee. As promised, Thomas her is a map of the Caribbean

If you look at the bottom of the map, right hand corner, you will see Grenada and also Trinidad and Tobego which you guessed it, aren't in Africa either. You learn something new every day!

36 Weeks and Counting

Well due to the assistance of my very creative younger sister Hilary (thanks Bean) here is our 36 week prego picture. We had a lot of fun taking these photos feeling very "Americas Next Top Model" in fact I was singing the theme song for much of this photo shoot. The only thing I couldn't get the hang of was moving without ruining the set, yeah I would have been kicked off the set early.

Update

Well its been a while since i've blogged, not really much going on. I'm now on weekly appointments with my midwife and all is going well. Mekhi's head is in the "downward" position, he's got a healthy heart beat and he's content. Not really bugging me too much, but I am certainly beginning to feel quite tired now as we're getting into the last 4 weeks'ish. Its getting harder and harder to go to work (although that is not due to pregnancy, that is due to it being the worst job i've ever had in my entire 26 years of life hahaha) so I have a countdown until May 30th which is my last day of work.

Kellon is onboard the Coral Princess doing his last contract which should end in December. They are now on their way to Vancouver to begin the Alaska run until September, we're quite excited because after Mekhi is born the two of us are going to take a trip to Vancouver to see Kellon during one of their stops there.

Well so far thats the news, once Mekhi is born then we begin the trip to Kenora. YEAH! Can't wait to get there and see everyone from home. Oh and our stop at Aunt Wendy's first, sure hope to get to see as many people as we can. I'll keep you all posted on news and hopefully will have pics of Mekhi soon!!!!!!! Woo Hoo!

SURPRISE!

Well I have to give my family props because I am usually one smart individual who catches on to things quickly. However this past weekend I was invited to Aunt Wendy's house to watch some INSANE family members VOLUNTEER to stick their tongues to frozen metal. Now is this a reason to book time off work, HELL YEAH! So me, Mum, Steph and Hilary pack Ireland into the car 7:30am and make are way through roads which weren't exactly the greatest to witness this event. 5 hours later we made it and meanwhile i'm thinking we're insane to drive 5 hours for this. Upon getting out of the car I see Aunt Wendy with a very sexy apron on standing on the porch and in a few seconds it registers, there is a banner above her head saying "Baby Shower"! Don't I feel like the major idiot, I was fooled by my family, even by those who drove with me for 5 hours, no one admitting that braving this drive was not for the foolish tongue to metal event. So I run inside to find other members of my family, all who of which had been keeping this secret aparently for months, I believe I cursed at all of them and then was very pleased. The day turned into a typical family event, full of unmentionable topics and loud (did I mention loud) conversations. And yes, the tongues were stuck to metal! Those who did not do it as children (thank God I did) ligned up to shove their faces into a container of frozen nails and lick them, coming up with a mouthfull of nails frozen to their tongues!!!! It was straight out of a horror film so of course we giggled like idiots the whole time.

Anyways I do want to thank my family dearly for this amazing surprise, I can't believe invitations were sent and everything and I didn't even hear a word. Guess in a family of big mouths, secrets are still secrets haha. Thank you for those of you who took time to plan the event, organize food, AND thank you all for the beautiful gifts for Mekhi, he loves them already. Kellon sure missed a good day.

Mekhi Carter? Mekhi Cain?

Well this is in response to Laurence's question, what does the name Mekhi mean?

Mekhi has a hawaiin meaning (actually spelt Makai but I like Mekhi better which is the African American spelling) "towards the ocean". Me and Kellon felt that this was the perfect meaning for a baby who was conceived on the ocean, his parents are separated by an ocean and his parents met while on the ocean. Yeah perfect name for our son.

Now the problem is, to pick a last name? I really want Mekhi to take on Kellon's last name, however there are a few concerns regarding travelling internationally and Mekhi having a different last name then me. But that is yet to be determined. Guess we'll just see what happens, one name down, one more to go.

Grenada At Last!

Hey All,

Well i've come back from 7 amazing days in Grenada. I would have to say it was the greatest time i've had in a while. The weather was perfect, not too hot, a nice breeze every day and the ocean was fabulous. We stayed in a beautiful apartment complex that was 5 minutes from the beach so I got swimming time every day! Kellon got some great bonding time with Mekhi (yes we have decided on the name Mekhi), got to feel kicking and see movement and he was SO happy. I think it put everything into a "real" perspective for him. So we spent the 7 days swimming, laying in the sun/shade, using our own balcony (woo hoo!), and visiting with friends we worked with on ships. Just what the doctor ordered ;)

Whats Up Ireland!

Thought I would give a little shout out to my neice, born March 26th and thank God came to the world before I left. What great consideration to her Aunt! Check her out!

Meg & Bumps first adventure

Well to continue with the last minute decisions that I am prone to, me and Bump are flying to Grenada to see Kellon on Sunday! Yup the 30th and staying until the 6th of April. Kellon has rented a vacation apartment on the beach, with a balcony. It looks amazing and I can't wait to be on holidays in the sun!

I'll attach pics once I get back cause internet in Grenada is pretty expensive. Bumps super excited to meet his Dad.

Due Date and Names...Have you Had Pop?

O.k. so my little boy is due June 6th, a nice summer baby coming out in the heat and giving us plenty of time to enjoy the summer together. Names are tricky, girl names were already picked but boys i'm so conflicted. I like quite a few so I've got to narrow it down. Kellon is trying to come up with some as well so we can compare, but if I don't like his then to bad haha.

I forgot to relay my ultrasound story, due to the rush I was in. Has everyone seen the movie "Knocked Up?" Anyways if you have you'll love this. I lie down on the table, warm squishy gel put on me and here we go, all of the sudden the techs eyes bulge open and she's not talking anymore. I'm thinking "oh my God, whats wrong with my baby". Then she said, "sorry when we have to chase a baby around, we can't chat" and so it becamse a cat and mouse game as she raced across my tummy like a highway trying to measure Bump. Then, in a very accusing manner she says "have you had a lot of sugar this morning", I was shocked by this accusation, and said "no" in a firm voice, then she said "i'm just wondering if you've drank a pop this morning cause your baby is doing major summer saults all over the place". Anyways I denied again AND REALLY I HAD ONLY DRANK WATER! I felt like in knocked up when the Dr was like "have you ever had a cigarette, like ever and how many I must know now!". Anyways...once measurements were FINALLY done lady chilled. Good thing to because Bump was about to kick her with his timbaland boots haha.

HE'S A BOY!

Hey all, sorry this will e a quick blog cause i have to go to work like.. NOW. But here it is Bump hs been deermined to be a baby BOY!!!! and i'l let you all chill this for a second, guess who actually announced i was a boy???? Most ofyou can guess that now.. Think rationally

Fine....here it is!

With a bit of bitterness I finally submitted to the camera. As most of you who know me well know i've been avoiding this day like the plague. However after being asked on a daily basis I agreed. I pulled Steph aside, made her sign in blood that all sucky pictures would get deleted immediately and that this posting on the blog would be the only evidence of these photographs.

Here I am, me and Bump, our first official photo together, Bump is 19 weeks and 3 days old.

Here I am!

Well Tom was totally on my case about never blogging, so here it is. No pics, but definately an update.

I'm working full time now in an inbound call centre for AMEX, it is definately not nearly a dream job, in fact IT SUCKS but its full time, money and a way to get through the next few months. I've been in touch with an old boss of mine and am hoping that maybe once the baby is born and I can get off maternity leave then I can work at Fairmont again. Will be great to get back into the Hospitality Industry again.

I was able to come home (Kenora) after Christmas and it is FANTASTIC! Tom and Megan came home, they got engaged, Brandee and Amber were home so we got to hang out and it was awesome to spend time with Dad and Sue. I can't believe I have to go back soon :(

Baby Bump is growing, due on June 6th. Absolutely can't believe it, life has been changing so much. Mum is coming to Petawawa for the babies birth so that should be nice.

Anyways, thats the news, I hope your happy now Tom!!!!!!

Introducing...Baby Bump

Hey Peeps,

Well here is Baby Bump...6 centimetres in length. Not 100% but believed to be 3 months old. They even labled the parts so as to not mistake with an alien haha.

New Car and New Job

Well finally after hunting for what seemed forever, land has shown me some love. I have found a job in Pembroke (about 25 minutes from where i'm living). I will be working for a company called Online Support. Sounds fun and should keep me busy for a while because we all know how well I do with sitting still hahaha.

So in celebration of the new job (having a nice glass of gin and tonic being out of the picture) I took the more expensive route and BOUGHT A CAR! Yup went to the Kia dealership and signed my life away for a Blue Kia Rio 2008. Even better, the car will be mine (as long as I have insurance) Monday afternoon. Oh yeah right after my first day at work!

So I guess I have found my land legs, and wheels :)

New Life

Hello All,

Well unexpected changes lead to unexpected decisions and as you all know...I had to make a big one. So I am off ships and living in Petawawa with Steph, Matt and Kaden at the moment. Its great to be by family and Bean and Clinton are very close however I do sorely miss my ship friends, life and Kellon. Kellon is still onboard the Sea Princess and will be finishing out his contract to put some savings together, once they reach the Caribbean he will also be re-applying for his Canadian Visa and then we can just cross our fingers and pray. Hopefully Immigration will have some faith and give him a visa.

I am job hunting, car hunting oh yeah...all the grown up things I have been avoiding for a while now. Dad is visiting fo rthe weekend so we (me, Dad, Hilary and Clinton) went car hunting. We found a great Kia...Rio5, I test drove it and I love it. Not bad pricing either. So once I get a job, the car will be the next thing coming. Yup big big changes.

But the pics are still coming so here is our walk today with Dad.

Whats New!

O.k. Guys, so I passed CPSC (Lifeboat driving). It just happened to be the roughest day we've had in the entire 3 week course and of course we have to do our driving test!!!! But we passed!

So we had a party!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Celebrate and be merry!

CPSC Oral Test

Hello Everyone!
Well I am on the last week of my liferaft/lifeboat training course. I have learned how to save 2000 people when ship is sinking, distribute rations, heal the sick, not to fire a rocket flare at a plane and how to drive around in that tub and park along side the ship. Needless to say there are some marks left behind from me on the Sea Princess, however unlike previously, these marks are physical as opposed to my usual emotional marks. h aha ha.

Today I did my Oral Exam and I got 100%, no problems, knew all the answers and was confident which the examiner liked. Tomorrow is my last lifeboat driving practice and then the next day is my driving exam. I'll keep you all posted.

By the way, I also go back to Day Work on Saturday so life will change drastically. Talk to you all soon.

Liferaft Training

Today we went to a swimming pool in Barcelona to do practical excercises with liferafts. We took it there while it was in its little "davit" box, through it into the water in the box and pulled the cord to have it inflate. Then we performed all of the tasks, pulling a person into the liferaft, pulling yourself int the liferaft, pulling an unconscious person into the liferaft, flipping the liferaft back right side up and finally a full abandon ship exercise and putting us (15ppl) into this little liferaft and having to bring in casualties etc. It was a fun class, but i'll tell you, my arms are bruised all over the place from being hauled up into the liferaft. So anyways...these pics one is of me pulling Amy into the liferaft, the other is of me when I was launched into the liferaft, I went in head first and then finally me and Joseph holding the liferaft steady. As promised, in all of the pics I am in my "sexy" coveralls!

Driving a Lifeboat

So today was my very first day actually driving a lifeboat. WOW! We went up to Deck 7, wearing our white coveralls like real "technical" working people. Within 5 minutes of climbing around the wires to release the Lifeboat I got my first dirt mark on my coveralls!!!!! I'm sooooooooo technical now!

We did the checks of all the wires and hooks and then were lowering the lifeboat to the ocean. For a brief moment I began to question WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING...as i'm picturing the cable snapping and us plumetting to the ocean. However we hit the water without drama. After a few people had their turn it was mine....super fun, although its a little bit like driving a bathtub, but bigger! Very hard to steer. Now my last turn was just before we were going in so the instructor asked if I would like to park under the cables. I laughed and said "are you crazy" he said nope, give it a try. So in I went, steering towards the ship, praying not to screw up, waiting for the intructor to hell commands and then I realized, he said turn to Starboard and the tub wasn't going as sharp as I would like. I hit reverse yet it was too late, with a bump we hit the ship, luckily it was very very tiny little bump. The instructor laughed so hard I thought he would go overboard, at that time I look up and in the window of the Purser's office is a note "SLOW DOWN MEG!" How fantastic that they would try to help me!

Anyways...lesson learned, must come in slower, must crank wheel harder and must ignore instructor as he had more fun with me doing what I did then if I had made it!!!!! Stay tuned.

CPSC Course

Well I have been advised that finally the curse has hit me. I must take the CPSC course. This course is a 3 week course taught by a Fleet Instructor who comes from Head Office. The purpose of this course is to teach crew to drive the lifeboats!!!! Yup those orange "tub" looking like boats that are awful to drive I now have to learn to drive. Reason being...my emergency duty has be as 1st in charge of a lifeboat and so far because I didn't have the course someone else has to do that part of my duty. But unfortunately this Fleet Instructor has decided to come and its my time, along with 12 other people.

So starting the 2nd of Sept. not only do I have to work from 11pm until 8am but I then have to do handover to learn my new job which will be Front Desk Supervisor during the morning once i'm done my job and then at 2pm I have to go to class until 5pm every day. Sometimes this class is practial, driving boats, sometimes its theory. And they expect that I stay awake through these classes?!?! Anyways...I was pretty upset, 3 weeks of this is a joke, but i've decided that oh well...the course should be fun, another AP is in this course so we should have fun and if I sleep in class that is their fault, they are the ones who've TOLD me I have to do this course.

There may be hints of bitterness in this story because I'm just learning to get over it, but in the end I know I will have fun with it anyways. And i'm sure in the long run there is a reason for everything. So I will have like 0 time to go ashore but maybe I can put in some pics of me driving the lifeboats???? Stay tuned

Lots of love from the cursed.