Time Flies on Maternity Leave!

My oh my, November was a light month for blog posts! I've got no excuses really, all I can say is that life can be surprisingly busy when you're on maternity leave! I've been able to catch up with quite a few friends that I haven't seen in ages. I've also been heading to the gym at leas 3 days a week. I've been looking after all kinds of random items around here that we never seem to get time for. I've been doing the Christmas shopping. I've been looking after car maintenance. I've been cooking baby food and grown up food for the freezer. Oh, and I've been bonding with Mister Smiley, our boy Rod!

November was also a busy month for us on the practical front. It was our turn to host Family Friday night - our regular neighbourhood gathering. Our little house happily held 20 people - 12 adults and 8 kids, along with 2 pots of chili, and all the beer and fixin's that must accompany it. It felt a little chaotic, but I think any get together with 8 kids will be that way, and it felt really good to open up our home, and not just our yard, to our neighbourhood friends. In attendance were Erin and Ally, Connor and Evie, Jack, Lelani and my two as well as all their parents and Lauren's mom. On top of this party, it was the week before the project that Matt has been working on got turned over to the customer. Poor Matt was pretty tapped out at work and still managed to lend a hand getting ready for the party.

As if that wasn't enough, the following weekend was Roddie's Baptism - the party continues! We were very happy to have both of our parents in town, as well as my sister Erin and her (now fiance!) Eric, and Matt's brother Mike and his family - Lynn, Kaitlyn, Adam, Olivia and Ella. More on that in another post (Maybe today if Roddie keeps sleeping!)

Immediately following the Baptism whirlwind, we left on a roadtrip to visit my new niece Hartleigh in Toronto, and took a couple of days to visit Niagara Falls along the way. It was a long trip and a lot of driving, but well worth it on all fronts... more again (including some pictures!) in another post!

As we wrap up November and start the very busy month of December, I am relieved to be back on payroll at my job - still on 'vacation' - for real this time, I am now using my vacation days rather than unpaid leave - but at least earning money again. My leave was accounted for in our financial planning, but it still felt disconcerting to be not earning money for the longest period since I was about 14. I did consign all my maternity clothes and sell a few furniture items on Craigs List, but it's really not the same!

On that note, I am off to enjoy some quality time with my boy!