VeeNDee

From what I've heard, pertussis is the one they want to be within 2 years because they always worry about whooping cough outbreaks or something.

Interesting, my doc still does the one hour and then if need be the 3h one.

I am almost 20 weeks, but i have not felt a thing from the baby yet. at least i don't think i have. Kinda worried about that although i did read it could just be the position the baby is in. I guess i'll find out on Monday at our big appointment.

I am 21 weeks now and only feel the baby move a little-some days I am not sure it moves. Then every few days it has a Kick Fest and I'm like "Oh hi baby!" I don't think at this point we are supposed to feel it regularly. I told the Ob/GYN at 19 weeks that my husband felt the baby kick (he only felt it once and hasn't since) and she seemed shocked and said our baby must be extra strong. But even for being strong it doesn't kick very often. Bet you are really looking forward to Monday!!!

Jen is delta Surrey Bc, is a flight travel for me to get there... How can i managed to go there and then vancouver,, pls let me know, its so stressful

I'm sorry it's so stressful - I do wish they had put them closer to each other.

If you fly into Vancouver which is probably the airport where you will end up, Surrey is about a 45 minute drive away, or over an hour depending on the traffic. If you don't have a car or want to take a cab that far, your best option is probably to take the sky train (basically a raised subway) to Surrey (there is a sky train station at the Vancouver airport), and then a bus once you are in Surrey - not sure how close the sky train station is to Dr. Cheema's. It will take a little longer since it is public transit but you should get there okay. You will just need to give yourself time.

Just wondering if anyone can give me some advice. My husband won't be getting employment medical insurance until October when it kicks in. I just found out I'm pregnant! I want to get it verified by a clinic, and I was thinking of using Planned Parenthood. Am I allowed to use their services? I guess I want to get confirmation first that I am pregnant and I will need to see a Dr. before my husband gets insurance. Is PP considered government assistance?

Somehow I read what you wrote about Planned Parenthood and totally missed the part where you mentioned finding out you were pregnant. Congrats!!!

Baby showers...I am not really sure what is going to happen there. I don't think I will end up with one from the people I know in Canada..it's just too awkward to organize since none of them are down here and whatnot. The people I'm meeting here I've only known a few months so I'd feel weird asking them to throw me a baby shower, and as for my in-laws they don't really have a huge family. Well they do have family but they aren't close at all really, so I'm not sure if they will do something. There is a new church we are attending, but we are brand new and again I feel awkward about that. I may end up being surprised by one or the other of the groups, but I don't feel comfortable asking anyone for that. So we'll see!

Yeah I saw a list of things you are supposed to need for your first baby and it was slightly terrifying. We are just in a 1 bedroom apt, and have absolutely nothing in the way of baby items other than two clothing gifts we got this week and a baby book. Things I didn't even realize you'd need... thankfully we have good family support... but they aren't going to give us the big ticket items. Just knit clothes and babysit I think. I know that clothing won't be a huge issue since I know a few people I can borrow from plus I hear it's super cheap on craigslist or garage sales. There's things you can get by without using, like a changing table and just use a regular table or the floor... I never even thought about the fact we'd probably need a baby bathtub. As far as a stroller I'd like a nice one but will probably end up going garage sale shopping. The one thing we definitely need to buy new is a carseat - not taking chances on that thing. So... no crib, no play pen, but for the first few months at least the baby isn't self propelled and an old bassinet should be okay. I'm trying to rationalize to myself it's ok too

http://www.babycenter.com/0_baby-products-must-haves-for-the-first-year_59.bc

Supposedly that is what you need for the first year...but I'd like to think some of it is optional!

Thank you for sharing

Hello. Our K1 was approved. Just in time to have our ceremony. We are going to magistrate in two days to make it official.

Question about importing cars though.

The border said we had to take her (my Canadian wife/fiance) Hyundai to a national port and pay fees to have it imported.

I have read that with a K1 that she is allowed to bring one car in to the country duty free.

Is that correct?

Anybody have any clear directions as to how we get her car legal now?

Thank you!

Yes you can bring a car into the country duty free. I have one question - does she own her car or is it still financed? If it is financed they may not be able to import it until the loan has been fully paid off. Other people here know more about that process.

For the car, you need to request what is called a 'compliance letter' from Hyundai stating that the car complies to US safety and environmental standards. They may charge you a small fee for this but you will need it to import the car. Basically what you do is show up to the border with the car and tell them you want to import it. They will send you inside to secondary processing where you have to fill out a bunch of paperwork. You will need a copy of your license and registration and whatnot inside with you, as well as the compliance letter. You may also want to know the value of your car for importing - you don't have to pay duty on it but they still want to know the value - I found out my car's value from Kelly Blue Book.

Hope that is helpful!

P.S. I imported my car at an actual border entry because the Seattle Port of Entry officer was absolutely terrible and told me I couldn't import it without a greencard which is TOTALLY incorrect. I ended up importing my car about 4 months after POE because I had to wait for AP/EAD to be able to get across the border and back to re-enter the USA with the car. I imported the car WITHOUT my greencard. So hopefully you don't get someone who doesn't know what they are doing at your local port of entry. I think I just had bad luck with that guy. Sigh.

Oh and I didn't pay fees to import my car either with my K1

Oh one more thing- make sure you take along the passport with the K1 visa inside so they know she is eligible for a duty free import. He photocopied my K1 visa.

Glad you got it Marilyn-what a pain!

P.S. Do you think there is anything wrong with posting ultrasound pics on Facebook? Did you?

Had our 20week ultrasound today. No major problems detected. My MIL was there too and we got to see all its little toes and fingers. It spent quite awhile sucking on its hand and we could even see its tongue when it swallowed. So cool. It was really long (an hour and a half) I think coz we had an intern doing it and then they redid some things later. Got some super cute pictures of the baby!!

We opted not to find out the gender (my husband and I discussed it and both are fully on board) but man, it was hard when everyone keeps convincing you to just find out and I know my MIL really wanted to know so she could buy pink or blue things. Heartbeat was 143 and we were discussing amongst ourselves gender and heartbeat myths, and the tech is like, why speculate when you can find out now? Agh! We tried to explain it was about the mystery (that and getting gender neutral things), and the idea of my husband telling me the gender of our child at birth is super romantic.

I keep staring at this picture of the baby's face.... so cute

At the 5 month mark

Hang in there Pinkrlion... I'm guessing by now you are probably in the "no interview but greencard takes forever" phase. Hopefully not too much longer for you Not sure what the average wait is... I've heard anything from 7 to 12 months. Anyone else know?

That sounds awesome Marilyn! I'd totally suggest it to him but there isn't one within half an hour of our place. There should be more programs out there for dads imo!

P.S. Managed to eat a sloppy joe AND it stayed down!!!

Ugh my husband and I had a lot of fun cooking up some tex-mex sloppy joes together. It is cooking down on the stove now and the longer they cook the worse the smell is making me feel. I hate when that happens! It looked good, I know he is super excited to try the new recipe but it will probably be just him who ends up eating it. I've been doing so much better in general lately though!

The baby cake every month is a bit silly. I think it makes it less special instead of more special. Having a cake every year is something you can treasure as a special memory but having it every month becomes more routine instead. I've seen a few interesting things that people share sometimes... the potty pics bother me the most. I told my hubby never to let me do something like that!!!

As far as the heartbeat, an old wives' tale is that the higher the heartbeat the more likely it is a girl and the lower the more likely it is a boy with about 140 being the dividing line. My husband looked up some scientific studies and they all totally dispute this, showing that boys and girls both have high and low heartbeats, but my friends who have babies say it has been anecdotally true for them. So who knows!!!

Saw the OB/GYN yesterday - she was a bit worried about early heartburn but I didn't want meds. Everything else is fine and now the baby's heartrate is apparently in the 140s so my gender guessing is varying wildly! Next week we have our big ultrasound. So excited to see the baby again

You should be able to track your package until it clears customs..after that it probably wont get tracked unless you send it express mail or Global express guaranteed. When I send priority to Vietnam I can track it all the way to customs but after it clears customs it stops. As far as going to LA and then on to Canada that happens because the international package dispatches happen at SFO or LAX from the west coast. 2 weeks is actually a pretty good average, you should be happy that you don't have to mail to Mexico...

Sigh, ugh I guess that is what happens when Canada is now lumped in with all international countries. I think the postage used to be a separate price but was combined this year although I am not positive. Well, I may just not use the post office and drive stuff up every few weeks instead. Thanks for the tip about how to track it -that could come in handy and I'll make sure to ask for those services when needed

I have over 10 years experience working for USPS. I can answer your questions about mailing and I am happy and willing to help you

I live in Washington State and have family 2 hours away over the border in Canada.

Why does EVERYTHING I mail them get sent down to Los Angeles and take on average 2 weeks to arrive? It's going south instead of north?!

Also, why does tracking stop when the package goes internationally? Canada Post tracks internationally. I am not sure if there is an option I am missing.

But it is driving me crazy!

While waiting, spent a lot of time unpacking boxes and working on AOS paperwork for immigration, including EAD/AP etc. Tried to get used to the neighbourhood, started getting into a routine with the household for dinners. Then we got pregnant in the first month (yay honeymoon!) and are really excited to have the baby. It however left me sick as a dog for many weeks so I spent days on end in bed being ill and losing weight. I'm starting to come around now and eat normally again. I got my EAD/AP but am now focusing attention on paperwork for my teacher certification down here as well as NEXUS for Canadian/US border crossings. Seems like the paperwork never ends. We are also looking into buying a house and whatnot. It's kind of weird being a homemaker without kids yet, but as my husband says I need to take care of myself and rest and try to eat so the baby will be well.

My original plan was to do volunteering until EAD/AP but haven't been well consistently for that yet. Dog walking at a local dog shelter, tutoring kids, something along that line.

Two days ago my husband felt the baby kick for the first time. He said 'Wooahhh what was that?' looking shocked and I replied "The baby!!!" It's nice to have someone else share in that experience!! It does feel weird and the baby doesn't kick all the time but I am slowly starting to feel it more often.

How have you all been feeling lately?

THANK YOU! I am literally making a list off your post! I checked and AB does have long form birth certificates. Problem is I have to be there to order it and I'm in the US. Is this something you have to have? I have my wallet size birth certificate that I've used for everything else.

I will get the passport photos done while here and get my daughter to get hers done US style in Canada.

I so very much appreciate this information. Thanks again!!!

I am pretty sure that the wallet sized card is not good enough. It is odd that you can't just order your long form birth certificate over the phone. I know in BC you could even order it online as an option but I preferred to talk to an actual person just to make sure it was the right one.

Great information. Thanks! Question about the medical. We have to do that in Vancouver before the interview. Is that correct? I'm from Calgary and it would be so great if I could get it done there. Help!

My 17 year old and I both have our police checks applied for. I got blood work showing what vaccinations I've had done and I got MMR and Tdap done a few weeks ago. She has all vaccinations and will get the one that's missing. (I can't remember the name.) The notarized letter from her Dad is the next step.

Long form birth certificate? I've never heard of that in Alberta? Do you know it if varies by province?

5 US Visas photos? Do you mean taken in the US?? That isn't possible?

This is a very helpful post. I hope you don't mind me asking more questions. Thank you!

Well you can either do the medical in Surrey (just outside Vancouver),or you can go to Ontario or Montreal. Unfortunately there isn't a physician who does them anywhere in the Prairies. If you opt to do the one in Vancouver, it is drcheema.ca and click on USA immigration medical exam at the top. Sounds like you are good to go on vaccinations and just finishing that up.

Long form birth certificate basically means it has to have your parents's names on it - I had always just had the birth certificate card with the basic facts on it from BC but I had to order in the long form one. It's actually quite pretty! I am not sure how Alberta does its birth certificates but if you are getting close you may want to look into that soon. It took me about 2 weeks to get mine after ordering it in BC but not sure on Alberta's timeline.

The passport photos have to be US style not Canadian style-they have different sizing. I live close to the border so just got mine taken at a Costco in the USA, but you can get them done in Canada at certain places. You will need to specify that it is for a US version not the Canadian one. Other posters on this board will probably have some suggestions where you can go and get those done, or you can try calling where you'd normally get them done to see if they also do the US version. On a bright note, the US version is less picky on certain things!

Sooo, my husband's work decided to change our health coverage effective June 1, so I rescheduled my June 3 ultrasound for next week instead to be covered. We haven't figured out the new coverage other than we need to get a new doctor and it will cost a bit more each month (of course)....and then still go on COBRA and then new coverage again... figures. American healthcare is so confusing. How many doctors am I going to go through???

When I applied for my license, they let me get the Washington State one right away, but hole-punched my Canadian driver's license. So, technically I still have it, but it's not valid.

Two words for my despicable cravings: ketchup chips.

I'm going home this weekend for Memorial Day and I know what I'm buying by the bag...

AGH!! Now I want them too haha