Shh...

It's finally snowing here after way too many days of rain. Yesterday it was 8 degrees. In Ontario. In January. So wrong! In January, it should be snowing. So all is just a little more right with the world. Not everything is okay, but one thing is better.

Thanks for your comments, by the way, on my sad tail day post... I am not 100% out of the funk today but I am feeling a little better. I think it's part SAD, part work stress, part anxiety. And it sucks that so many of us are going through these feelings. We probably all need a vacation to some sunny spot - to relax, soak up the sunshine for our Vitamin D fix, forget our troubles for a time. I wish!
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Last night I had my painting class. One of my students kept going on last week about how my husband and I should have kids. This week again, she was talking about it, asking me if I was taking prenatal vitamins and so on. I barely know this woman. I am certainly not about to tell her about our troubles. She seemed to be completely oblivious to the vague, subject-changing answers I was giving to her questions, my smile becoming more and more brittle, how uncomfortable I was becoming. I know she meant well and just to be friendly, but it really had a salt-in-the-wound effect on me.

Unfortunately, I know I have done that to people, too. If you've never experienced the loss of a pregnancy, or the frustration of infertility, you don't even really think about it. I've certainly asked people about having kids before (I don't think I was as persistent as my student, but still). I didn't clue in that it might be a painful subject for some couples.

Just saying. Something to think about next time you're wondering why a couple doesn't have children "yet". Maybe they can't. Maybe it's on their minds at every waking moment. Maybe they've been through agony, both emotional and physical, in their struggle for a baby. Maybe they've got a dresser full of baby stuff, a room painted in the perfect nursery colour (Tiddley Pom by Behr's Disney line, btw), hearts longing for a child to love, names picked out, but only bad experiences to show for it... that look on the ultrasound technician's face. The awkward way doctors tell you that you're about to go through hell. Crying from the pain and the loss on the bedroom floor, in the washroom, in the ER.

Maybe it's better not to ask.
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Now that that's off my chest... I do have some more giveaways to share today from other blogs. Don't you love blog giveaways? I do (can you tell?!). I love reading blog reviews, learning about new products, having the chance to win something and try it out. Fun stuff. Here we go:

For baby:

• Win a Thirsties Duo at Dirty Diaper Laundry. Ends February 8th.
• Another chance to win a Thirsties Duo at Haute Tot and Baby Couture. Ends February 10th.
  
• Win a Bummis Organic Diaper Kit at Minnesota Mama's Must Haves. Ends February 5th.
• Win a Snug Organics Sherpa Sleeper at Mom's Best Bets. Ends February 7th.
• Win a set of Bummas cloth wipes at Toddler Mama. Ends February 7th.
• Win a $20 gift certificate to Friendly Fish at Glimpse Reviews (Canadians only!). Ends January 28th.
  

For the ladies:

• Win 15 sample colours from Basic Minerals (eyeshadow) at Coo Coo Courtney. Ends February 4th.
• Win a handbag from Handbag Heaven at Thanks, Mail Carrier. Ends February 11th.
• Win lingerie from Eden Fantasys at Love to Shop Mom. Ends February 4th.

For anyone:

• Win cool printed pillowcases from A Perfect Thing at Sweeps4Bloggers. Ends January 30th.