Well, here it is, my basketball belly in all its glory. About 3 more weeks to go, and it feels like this baby is going to explode right out of my skin, things are getting so crowded in there.

So how about a little game, everyone? Click on Comments under the photo, and give us your prediction for: date of birth, gender, size of baby, length of labour, anything else you may want to add. In fact, we wouldn't even mind some name suggestions :)

A funny little aside: my 12 year-old niece Matayla was recently talking about the baby as "she", and when my sister-in-law asked her why she thought it was a girl, she explained that she couldn't imagine Mehdi and I dealing with all that gross stuff that little boys do, like picking their nose and stuff!

As my due date fast (a little over a month to go!) approaches, my choice of comfortable attire becomes more and more limited. A few nights ago, I threw on a loose red striped maternity shirt and the only pyjama pants I can squeeze into (very baggy plaid flannels) for bed. The outfit felt great, but I don't think it'll be top choice for my hospital ensemble, because Anissa asked me in the morning, "Mommy, why are you wearing a clown suit? And where's the red nose?"

Another funny from my girl:
Anissa was running around naked one day, and decided to ride the new toy horse she got for Christmas. Attempting to round her up, I called, "Lady Godiva, come get dressed!". She of course wanted to know who Lady Godiva was, and when I explained that she was famous for riding her horse naked through the town, she exclaimed, "That's who I want to be for Halloween next year!"

That would get the neighbours talking.

Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2006 was as good to you as it was to our little family.

We had our own mini-Christmas here in Newmarket for which Santa kindly came early, then we headed north to Montreal for a week of making merry. I missed being away from my family for the first time ever during the holidays, of course, but time with Mehdi's family and friends eased the homesickness. Mama Jo went all out for our visit: the food, decorations and her hospitality were impressive as always. Anissa was in heaven, and kept asking, "But Christmas isn't over yet, is it?"

Mama Jo, the Hostess with the Mostest.

Hanging' with Uncle Aziz and Anty Eolie.

Boxing Day at the Biodome, and Anissa gets to meet Caillou (I think Mehdi looks just as thrilled, don't you?)

After watching real beavers in action, Anissa (along with buddies Clara, Leo, Zach and Chloe) got to experience the beavers' life firsthand.

This is ridiculously late in coming, but I want to share with you the reason Anissa has been insisting very passionately for the past few weeks that she is going to have a baby sister, absolutely not a baby brother.

That reason is snuggled up between Anissa and Mariella:



That's precious baby Antonia, and we all fell in love with her during our much-too-brief visit to Toronto over American Thanksgiving. It was fabulous as always hanging out with Natasha, Mariella, and Dan (and his brother Jonas), but that little sweetheart stole the show. So I can't really blame Anissa for wanting a baby sister, too, just like her (still) best buddy Mariella. As she explained this weekend, baby girls are just fancier than baby boys!

I have no feeling either way if it's a girl or a boy doing gymnastics in my belly every night when I'm trying (unsuccessfully) to sleep, but I suspect that when this little munchkin makes his/her arrival, Anissa will be tickled pink no matter the gender.