Little Bubba

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Heres a pic or 2

2009-03-05T11:49:00.002+11:00

My gorgeous kids:

Isla attempting to eat:

Time Flies

2009-03-05T10:00:00.003+11:00

I can't believe it has been 6 months since Isla was born. She is now eating solids, sitting up, rolling everwhere and has just started crawling backwards, so I guess going forwards will happen soon.....eeeeeeeeek!

She is such a little cutie. She looks just like me as a baby but definately has a lot of her Daddys personality (e.g. waking up at the crack of dawn at 5.30am or earlier, going to bed early, stubbornness, determination, I could go on all day). She is also a Daddy's girl and he is her favourite person, though I come in a close second as does Ned. She is such a happy little bub, always smiling at everyone.

I'm too lazy to upload photos much these days but will attempt to come back later if I can get her to sleep (shes a bit clingy today so I'm typing 1 handed). Bye for now.

3 Months ALREADY

2008-11-17T05:57:00.003+11:00

I was looking through all the baby photos of both Ned and Isla last night. Oh my...it has been 3 months since Isla was born and I am feeling a bit

My baby is growing sooooo quickly. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Here's a recent picture of my gorgeous girl: - OK, will fix this later, Blogger is broken and I can't upload atm!

She is 3 months old thinking she is 12 months old. She has amazing head control and wants to sit bolt upright all the time to see what's going on and cracks it if she isn't up straight enough. She loves watching everything that's going on and gets all excited when she sees the older kids playing; she wants to be part of the action! So, a week or so ago, I thought I'd try her out in the Jumperoo I used for Ned. Isla LOVES it even more than he did. I think it is fun for her becuase she gets to use her feet, which up until now she hasn't used much at all. She just ants t be moving. I think I am going to have my hands full....

The babymoon is over....

2008-10-17T15:37:00.005+11:00

OK, so 7 weeks hits and all of a sudden it seems much harder to adapt to life with a demanding toddler AND a newborn. The toddler on his own...fine, the newborn on her own...again fine, the two of them together.....not so fine. In keeping with this theme, the other thing I am finding really hard at the moment is being in babyland all day everyday, lacking adult company and not having ANY time to myself. Meanwhile, my husband, whom I love and adore and would like to spend some time with occasionally, is off working all day, going out for drinks after work, and playing golf (Ok so he's not so bad with the last two things but then again I don't get any "me" time, so why should I be OK with him getting it? Really...why?). Sometimes, I do feel angry and wonder why it seems to be so much harder this time around.

Then I get on the internet and come across gems like this , have a bit of a giggle and then I don't feel so bad any more because I realise I am not alone! It also makes me realise that yes, it sucks that I have to do all this by myself all day everyday, but that my husband, like most husbands, is just trying to adapt as best as he knows how and it is hard for him too, but in a different way. I think a cockpunch might be a bit out of line but maybe a boot up the bum every now and then to help with the kids so I can have a bit of me time is in order.

7 weeks old

2008-10-06T15:48:00.004+11:00

And growing so fast. Isla is such a beautiful, happy baby and I feel so blessed! Neds behaviour has settled down as he has gotten used to the new addition and things are going well at the moment (touch wood). Isla sleeps beautifully at night, only waking once or twice for a feed (unlike Mr booby monster who used to feed every 2-3 hours). She also feeds brilliantly and has gained quite a bit of weight already.

Here is my little princess at 6 weeks:

Everyone now......aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwww!!!!!!

Going well

2008-09-01T11:30:00.002+10:00

Isla is going really well. She feeds beautifully and sleeps really well. She has started waking up a bit more and does have unsettled periods but all in all she is a very easy baby. The only glitch has been that she picked up conjunctivitis so I am currently treating with drops. It did force me to go out of the house for the first time with the two of them though and I was really rather proud of myself as we went to the Drs and then spent a couple of hours at the mall so I felt really good.

I have started to carry Isla more in slings, wraps etc as she likes to be cuddled. I used slings a lot with Ned beause he always wanted to be carried but I wish I had discovered wraps with him. They distribute the weight so much better and it truly is hands free baby-wearing. It means I can also play with Ned whilst carrying Isla which is great. Here is a pic of my little 2 week old princess in a home made jersey wrap:

My recovery has been great and I am so thankful that I got my VBAC as Ned would have burst my stitches open for sure if I'd had a Caesar! I am just about fully recovered now (apart from the Lochia) so I feel really good. Just need to get rid of the jelly belly now but giving myself plenty of time for that. Better go...its lunchtime!

The birth of Isla Anis

2008-08-21T13:03:00.019+10:00

Hurray!!! She's finally here.

ISLA ANIS. Born 17th August 2008 at 4.15pm. At 53 cm long she weighed a tiny 2.770kg (or 6.11 pounds) and had a 32cm head circumference.

Isla's Birth Story:

I thought I had better write this before I forgot things that happened.....As previously recorded in my blog I had been having proper, painful, contractions between 10-20 minutes apart for a few days before I went into full labour before it all just stopped. Anyway, on Saturday 16th August, Matt, Ned and I went for a walk (the same one I did the day before I went into labour with Ned). I had a few braxton hicks on the walk but nothing eventuated, well, not initially. I went to bed that night thinking that I would be induced on the 20th.

At 12.30am on 17/08/08 I got up to go to the toilet as I did every night after which I had a very painful contraction. I tried to ignore it (since I was sure it was going to be another false start) and got back into bed and tried to go back to sleep. 15 mins later I had another one and it was slightly more painful. Another 10 mins later and another one....OK maybe this was going to be something after all....5 mins later and another one. They continued at 5 min intervals for another 15 mins and were getting increasingly painful to the point I couldn't sleep and had to get up and walk around to distract myself from the pain. I packed a lot of last minute things because I knew I was now going to have a baby! I figured I should call the hospital because it might go quickly now. By the time I got downstairs and phoned the hospital, they were 3-4 mins apart and really ramping up. It was 1.30am. Told them we were coming in and got in the shower whilst Matt got ready. I didn't want to get in the car but Matt reminded me that there was no other way to the hospital....Dropped Ned off at Nani and Peres house on the way at around 2am, contractions 2 minutes apart and excruciating in the car. All I wanted to do was get out and we got every red light...some choice words were said (or was that screamed???).

Got to the birthing suites at about 2.15am. Was checked and 4-5cm dilated with bulging waters. Got on the gas with Matt rubbing my back. They put a cannula in and gave me one dose of antibiotics for the group B strep (I should have had 3 all up but there wasn't time in the end). I then decided I'd like to get in the shower so they bought me some portable gas. I got in the shower. After what seemed like forever I couldn't stand the pain any longer and asked for pethidine, an epidural, anything that would take the pain away. Then in a moment of lucidity I retracted my statement. I was checked and 6cm dilated. My waters were broken and I hopped back in the shower. 10 mins later I needed to push so they got me out again (with much arguing on my part, I really wanted to stay in the shower). I didn't want to get up on the bed to be checked but the Doppler was showing that the baby's heart rate had dropped. After some more arguing (lack of cooperating, and all normal Kira behaviour if you ask Matt) I got up on the bed and they checked me, I was 10cm dilated and ready to push so the midwife (Athena, who was really lovely putting up with all the abuse I threw at her to be honest) tried to get me to focus and push. There was a cervical lip which had to be moved out of the way, which she did and then my obstetrician arrived. He wanted bub out quick because her heart rate had dropped so I was put in stirrups and bub had the vacuum extractor attached to her head. A few minutes later her heart rate increased back to a normal level again. After some more pushing and an episiotomy (which I was completely unaware of until afterwards) she was finally out and put up on my chest. I was so relieved it was all over, and it was only 4.15am!! So all in all a very quick labour and birth. AND I had successfully achieved the VBAC that I had wanted!!!

After a cuddle and what have you, Isla was taken to be checked, then cuddled by Matt, and I delivered the placenta and was stitched up. The obstetrician and paediatrician think that there might have been some cord compression in the original position I was trying to push in which caused the heart rate to drop and why when I changed position she was OK again because the blood flow through the cord increased. Otherwise she was perfectly healthy (though had a bit of a cone head from the vacuum). We were all shocked at how tiny she was considering how big I was towards the end, the fact that she was 40 weeks and Ned had been 3.0kg at birth and 4 weeks early!

I was a bit shaky after the birth because I hadn't had much to eat or drink and was a bit dehydrated. So I had a few glasses of water and rested for about 15 mins before getting up to have a shower, and it was the best shower ever! We had to stay in the delivery suite for a while so Matt had a nap whilst I had my first breastfeed with Isla. Whilst we were waiting to be moved to the maternity ward we picked out her name which we both love! We had some breakfast and then got moved to the room where Isla and I were to spend the next few days.

Recovering from the birth

I have to say that recovering from a vaginal birth as opposed to a Caesar (in my case anyway) is soooooooooo much better. My stitches haven't worried me one bit but the bottom end has been a bit sore (very very bruised). Bleeding was a bit heavier to begin with but I expected that. I love the fact that I can bend to pick things up and didn't have to have someone helping me to walk for the first few days etc. Plus, being able to chase round after a toddler and not be in pain or have to refrain from doing anything slightly physical is an added bonus. I didn't realise just how much the epidural etc from my first birth had actually knocked me around until now as well (so I am glad that in the end Isla's birth was as quick as it was so there was literally no time to have one).

Isla's first few days

Isla is my sleeping beauty! She is an absolute champion breastfeeder and can finish a feed in only 15 mins before nodding off again. She also wakes herself for feeds and knows exactly what she is doing. So all my expectations have been far exceeded (and I couldn't be happier). When we left hospital this morning she had actually gained weight; unusual for a newborn! The midwives couldn't believe it considering how quick her feeds are - I think I must make full cream milk!! Plus, she is absolutely gorgeous, though a little jaundiced at the moment but that should peak today according to the paediatrician and then she should start looking a little less yellow. But so far I have to say that I am in love with my little girl!!!!

I created a belly montage anyway so you can see all the shots in one place. Note the 40 week belly shot was taken less than 24 hours before Isla was born!

39 Week Bump Pic

2008-08-16T08:19:00.002+10:00

It is my due date (by Ultrasound) today. My ob did a S & S on Thursday and I lost the rest of my plug after it. I had contractions between 5 and 20 minutes apart ALL DAY yesterday until I went to bed but then nothing.... as per usual. So I feel fine today, apart from a bit of pressure down there but no contractions. I am OVER IT. Well, like it or not, she will be out on Wednesday so if she wants to pick her birthday she had better do it before then!

Anyway, here is my bump pic taken from the other day at 39 weeks:

Hopefully this will be my last one. Otherwise I will do a 40 week one on Monday and post it along with a collage of all the bump pics I have taken this pregnancy. Then hopefully I will have a birth story and some baby pics to post!!!

Catch ya later.

Still Pregnant!!!

2008-08-06T08:23:00.003+10:00

I am still pregnant!!! What on earth are you doing in there little one?

Here I am at 38 weeks:

I am soooooo over it now. Oh well, I guess she knows what she is doing. At least she has allowed me to get Ned back to the Drs for his ongoing coughing/vomiting issues and we are starting to make headway. Off to the paedatrician to see if she has any ideas and experimenting with a few different meds at the moment after his chest X-ray was clear so hopefully Matt won't have to make too many trips with Ned to the Dr if I do end up in hospital.

Back to the Wiggles.....

Impatient Mama

2008-07-29T13:27:00.002+10:00

OK, it is getting ridiculous now. I have been having prelabour for 5 weeks already and I am over it. Come on bubba, if you are going to cause Mummy grief then the least you can do is make me go into full labour, not this start/stop business you've been doing!!! I think she's decided to hibernate for the winter. At this rate she'll probably go overdue (and by then I will be climbing the walls). Plus the crappy weather is making me feel even worse because I feel so unmotivated to do anything.

But hey, at least I know she will be as healthy as possible when she does come and maybe she'll be a better sucker than Ned was in the early days. She has dropped further now as indicated by the head bouncing on the exit and the tiny and frequent peeing! Here she is at the moment:

Better go....

I'm still here.....

2008-07-25T13:20:00.004+10:00

But probably not for too much longer. I am having a lot of pressure and period cramping/contractions now so I think it will probably happen some time in the next week. I am still a little bit dilated and she is really moving down now. Matt is starting to get impatient :) Ned is clingyer (is that a word?) than ever and will not let me out of his site. Anyway, here is a belly shot from the other day:

Apart from the above I am feeling pretty good though so hopefully all will go as planned and I will get a VBAC with this bub. The obstetrician is pretty confident I can do it which is a great confidence boost and very important to actually achieving it I believe. At the moment she is in a good position so fingers crossed....

Off to look around the web now.

Made it!

2008-07-20T15:07:00.002+10:00

Yay - I made it to 36 weeks. Things have realy settled down now and I haven't had any more contractions (well not more than a few a day anyway) since about Wednesday so I am thinking that I will now make 37 weeks too. I think she has found a comfy position and is reluctant to leave it. Well that and its very cold outside my tummy, as I keep telling her. I am glad because Ned has been sick with bronchiolitis again and I wouldn't want to leave him when he has been how he has and I also wouldn't want to expose a newborn to it.

Anyway, just a quick update...

She's in a Rush....

2008-07-11T08:36:00.003+10:00

Well I had my 34 week obstetrician appointment yesterday and told him about the contractions I'd been having (as close as 10 mins apart over 4 hours the day before and irregularly for the past week). So, given Ned came early, he decided to do all my swabs and an internal to see what was happening. I am already a cm dilated and she is engaged. So my hopes of making it to 37 weeks are looking pretty dicey. I am not going to go into labour in the next few days but more likely the end of next week or the week after. Inconvenient for everyone really as I have lots of plans next week and Matt is going to Melbourne for an awards dinner on Friday. My ob is going away the week after next. So if she is going to come she has to either come next weekend (19th/20th) or the weekend after (26th/27th). I'd prefer the latter but it is more than likely she will come the earlier dates. Plus the hospital is overflowing at the moment so that's also a concern.

What is more of a concern is how DD will cope on the outside and if she has to stay in hospital after I am sent home. I don't know how I will cope having to travel back and forth to the hospital for feeds etc and with Ned in tow? I am willing her to stay put as long as possible and hopefully she will listen to me. If I can make 36 weeks at least she might be able to come home when I do.....fingers (and legs) crossed!

34 Weeks

2008-07-07T17:40:00.003+10:00

The contractions/stretching pains are starting to notch up another gear and things are starting to get ready for labour. Matt is going away on the 18th so my money is either then or the week after because my obstetrician will be going away the week after and it will be 36 weeks (when Ned was born). I can only hope that she will stay in there until 37 weeks. Nausea is getting worse at night too and I can only lie on my left hand side to stop it. I am also having trouble bending well and truly now and lifting Ned is getting impossible.

Anyway, here is this weeks belly shot:

You can see how round I am now, particularly in the bare skin shot. I have another appointment on Thursday. Will post again after that.

Getting Closer

2008-06-29T07:23:00.002+10:00

This is a bit late but here is my 32 week belly shot from last week (I don't think these photos are an accurate reflection of how big I am - I look smaller here and I always look a lot bigger at night):

Achey period pains have begun, mainly at night but also durng the day and I'm getting some pressure down low now. I have a lot more pain when she lies on my right so when she does I try to get her to move back. Most of the time she is on my left so its not so bad. Anyway, I am making my way through my list of things I need to have done and the crucial things are finished so I could go to hospital and not really worry now. My bag is almost packed, just have to add a few more clothes (but if need be Matt could always bring them to hospital) and I've just finished washing all bubs clothes and nappies thanks to the nicer weather we finally had this week. I just have a few things I want to sew now and it will all be ready. I am starting to freak out a bit because I may only have a month, two at most before there is another baby to look after - eep!

Woe is me

2008-06-16T06:27:00.003+10:00

I feel awful so I'm posting here to have a whinge. I have a cold (which Matt so kindly bought home from work though he blames Ned). I barely slept with a shocking headache and blocked nose following on from a sore throat. Plus Ned woke up at 5am to do a wee and then spewed all through our bed - nice!!

So today I have already started the washing which I will have to continue throughout the day. I'm annoyed because of this crap weather which means nothing dries and I'm having to use the drier; which I hate doing. Plus I have a massive list of stuff I wanted to start getting through this week before the baby comes (see previous post but then add a few more things which I'd forgotten about). In addition I have to do some shopping becuase we forgot to buy some stuff the other day and the balcony needs to have all the water swept off it because we only just got a new coat of waterproofing dry before it started raining - grrrrrrr! Just what I want to do when it'd cold and I feel like crap.

I also want to get some more sewing done etc and I don't know where I am going to find the time to do all the above and look after myself and my sick toddler. The joys of parenthood...

Anyway, just me having a bit of a vent

30 Weeks - Argh!

2008-06-08T08:36:00.005+10:00

Where has the time gone. I am now 30 weeks pregnant and I feel so unorganised. I haven't done any of the things I had intended before 30 weeks and still have to wash nappies, wash clothes, sew up some cot quilts, sew some all-in-ones, wash the car seat cover, fit the car seat, and pack my hospital bag (at least I have the list for this prepared). I really want these things done before 32 weeks "just in case". On a positive note I did manage to cover the rocker which Ned has tried to reclaim as his (check out my Krafty Kira blog for pics of the rocker). In fact, Ned has tried to reclaim a few of the baby items, like his jumperoo and other toys...hmmm

Heartburn is starting to get rather annoying. I ge it when I haven't eaten enough, if I've eaten too much, if the foo I ate was slightly acidic etc etc. The little girl isn't anywhere near as "pushy" as Ned was but there are moments it feels like she is stabbing me from the inside. Plus I can no longer sleep on my right hand side as I wake up wanting to vomit so I am stuck sleeping on my left side and that gets a bit uncomfy after a while. I will have to ask my ob what that's all about. Well, here is my 30 week belly shot. I think I have grown a fair bit in the last two weeks and I think it is funny that my belly looks a lot smaller in the morning than it does in the afternoons. Anyway I'll post the pic and that'll be it (for now)....

Third Trimester

2008-05-27T17:38:00.003+10:00

Is well and truly underway. Here is my belly shot from last Friday:

Starting to round out now. She is all out in front. In the photo on the left you can kinda see where her head is bulging up high at the front.

Heartburn continues to be a problem and my body is starting to give me signs that she will probably come early like her brother. I am prepared for anything at this point. I am jus starting to get all her things organised. I have moved the change table and cot into our room and recovered her (Neds old) rocker. I am going to try and make her some more clothes too. Anyway, that's it for now...

Hiccups

2008-05-13T11:47:00.002+10:00

26 weeks now and we are down to 2 weekly obstetricians visits - yikes! Bubs has just started having hiccups in the last couple of weeks. It has only been a couple of times so far, so it is still cute. We aren't at the "OMG are you seriously hiccupping again?" stage. Anyway, I am still having heartburn, a bit more frequently now, and the occasional bout of nausea if I either get too hungry or I've eaten too much. It's a fine balance. I'm also going to start taking 2 weekly belly shots, just because I didn't with Ned and I'd like to see the progression as I get a lot bigger.

Ciao for now...

25 Weeks

2008-05-02T12:36:00.002+10:00

OK, I took a belly shot this morning so here it is:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2026/2458490548_63ec82066e_m.jpg

Hmm OK, blogger doens't want to upload my image so I will post the link instead. I will try and upload the actual pic later. Bub is good, she just loves doing aerobics at inconvenient times. Otherwise I am feeling pretty good at this point. I'm not as focused on the preganancy as Ned is taking up all of my time...can you say "demanding"? I have, howevr, purchased some gorgeous little clothes (just a few) so she isn't in all of Neds old stuff. I am still yet to find a gorgeous coming home from hospital outfit but I'm sure I will.

Popped?

2008-04-17T07:26:00.002+10:00

Well I think I have popped now. My tummy is definately sticking out more.

The little girl is going to be a boxer I think. She seems to be a lot more awake than Ned was and is constantly moving around. I haven't had any "alien" movements yet but did have a bizarre dream last night where she pushed her hands out through my stomach and the people I was with were telling me not to worry about it. I was insisting on an ambulance and to call my obstetrician and no one was doing it. The night before last I also had a nightmare that I gave birth (now) and it wasn't a girl at all but a boy that looked fine he was just having trouble breathing. There were no ambulances available so we had to ride to hospital on the back of a fire truck. When we got there the nurses were having a beauty pagent and wouldn't listen to my pleas for help. I finally got sent to "emergency" which was an office with an old lady in it who took the baby, bent it in half and told me "he's dead now, deal with it". I woke up after that but the sense of loss was real. It got me really freaking out until I felt bub move again and then I felt a bit better. Freaky pregnancy dreams!!!

Anyway, I better go get Ned ready for mothers group.

HALF WAY!!!

2008-04-04T11:07:00.004+11:00

I have made it half way. I can't believe how quickly it is going. Here is a belly shot I took yesterday:

Feeling a lot better now. Bub is very active and wriggles/kicks a lot. I think she is going to be like her big brother - uh oh!

Better go

Its a ......

2008-03-26T07:56:00.003+11:00

GIRL

According to the 18-20 week ultrasound I had last Tuesday. The scan itself went for a marathon 2 hours because we were evacuated in the middle of it due to the fire alarm going off from an electrical fault and then when we came back bub didn't want to cooperate and was constantly wriggling. But she is a healthy bub and her profile looks just like Neds:

I was shocked because I was so convinced there was another boy in there. I'm just starting to get used to the idea. I had a bit of a look for clothes after the scan but all I could see was the cute little boy clothes. I am really unimpressed with the lack of variety in girls clothes; it is all pink. I don't hate pink but I'd like my little girl to wear clothes in other colours. Looks like I'll be sewing her up a lot myself which would be good for increasing my sewing skills anyway I guess.

So I know I am slack and should have posted earlier but last week was a bit mad because we went to South West Rocks for Easter so I spent Wednesday packing and Thursday we were off. Plus my laptop decided to muck up after Ned "played" with it. Anyway, I have finally gotten around to it. My morning sickness has just about gone (I don't want t jinx it) but the nausea still comes back again sometimes at night. At least the vomiting has settled (touch wood). Anyway, half way there now, another half to go. The stretching has commenced and my tummy is just starting to pop out (will take a pic when I can find the battery charger for the camera). Anyway, will be back later...

Hormonal Craziness

2008-02-28T13:32:00.002+11:00

Well I am almost 16 weeks and feeling veeeerry hormonal. And by hormonal I mean moody, bitchy, lonely and generally sad. I am crying for no reason (well usually something sets me off and I can't stop and seem to keep going for no apparent reason). My normally level-headed logic seems to have flown off somewhere and I've become this irrational, can't string sentences together properly, crazy woman. Poor Matt has just had to bear the brunt of one such "episode". I am so awful to be around right now, even I wouldn't want to be around me.

On the positive side it seems my morning sickness is starting to slowly ease up. The vomiting has spaced out to about once a week now but I am still battling nausea daily. Though that too seems to be easing in severity. Fingers crossed it is all gone soon and my craziness seems to level out.

Anyway,Ned is running amok so must stop him from doing something that may cause himself injury.

Ultrasounds

2008-02-11T15:31:00.000+11:00

As promised here are the ultrasound pics. It was amazing to see how much bub had grown in just 2 weeks and bub was VERY wriggly at the 12 week scan.

12 weeks

10 weeks

Weird Dreams

2008-02-01T10:33:00.000+11:00

I have been having some very weird dreams of late, as you do in pregnancy. Last night I had a nightmare and the scariest part of it (it was the end part of a long sequence of dreams, most of which I can't remember) was as follows:

I and two other people (figments of my imagnation, not real people, and I couldn't really see their faces) were running through parkland in the dark trying to escape from something (I don't know what). I was scared. I had a backpack on. We came across an empty electronics bunker which we decided to try and hide in. When we went inside and turned on the light we realised there were lots of different types of huge spiders crawling all over the walls and roof. Some jumped on us and they were also in my backpack which I got rid of. We screamed, flicked any that were on us off, and ran back outside. When I turned around to look at the bunker, a 12 month old Ned was just inside the door screaming with tears pouring down his face and arms upstretched as if to say "pick me up". I could hear another baby inside also screaming but couldn't see it. I started to head back to the bunker to save them but one of my companions stopped me and the other shut the door and locked it with a key. They were trying to tell me it was a trick by whoever was chasing us in order to get me to go back inside. I was trying desperately to get to the door and to convince the people I was with to let me help the babies but they were stopping me from getting to the door.

It was at this point I woke up very distressed. After calming down I decided to think about how this related to my life. At the beginning of the dream I was already scared of something. Spiders are my biggest fear. My heart breaks whenever Ned cries and my first instinvct is always to comfort him so this caused a feeling of anguish when I wasn't able to. The baby I could hear crying but couldn't see I think could be this baby in my belly, since I don't know what it will look like yet. So I think that this dream relates to my fear of anything bad happening to myself or my children; particulalry when I am trying desperately to help keep them safe but not being able to, even if I myself am in danger. At the same time it may be possibly relate to me using and trusting my own judgement when it comes to my babies and not listening to others advice; i.e. I am questioning my own judgement but at the same time wary of the advise of others when I think my babies may be put at harm? This is not based on "dream analysis" techniques as I find these really vague and I find that if you try and interpret symbolism it doesn't necessarily help and in most cases just makes it more confusing. A lot of the dream interpretation websites even admit that the conclusions you come up with are probably correct because the dream relates to you specifically.

Anyway, someone else out there may have a better idea on these things since I don't proclaim to know anything about dream analysis and interpretation. I just thought it was interesting since it is the first nightmare I have had in a while.

My morning sickness continues to be a problem so I am soldiering on. I don't think I enjoy pregnancy...

I'm Slack

2008-01-29T17:41:00.000+11:00

OK, so I lied. I had fully intended to scan in the ultrasound pic done at 10 weeks but morning sickness and a toddler have prevented me from doing so. So maybe I didn't lie, I just didn't follow through.....I am due to have my 12 week NT scan next week so I will "try" and post both pics some time after that.

So I have been vomiting a "little bit" and feeling rather bleugh. Today I had the mother of all headaches. Since I rarely get them, and after having spent the morning vomiting, this one seemed to be the worst I have ever had. Panadol hasn't done anything (Oh how I wish there was an ibuprofen alternative for pregnancy).

Anyway, apart from all that, it still hasn't really kicked in that I am pregnant. I still look the same as I did before I was pregnant and of course I can't really feel any movement etc yet. I did feel this way with Ned for a while; although with Ned it was more a "OMG, why the hell did I want to get pregnant when I feel like dying" sort of situation because of how bad the morning sickness was with him. Well feeling sorry for myself only made it worse so I have tried to stay more positive this time around and for the most part it has worked. Well, not much else to report aprat from that I am having blood taken tomorrow which I am looking forward to...and no, I'm not nuts, it's just that my morning sickness seems to get better after I've had it taken. It is almost as if it levels out my hormones.

Better go, I have a timer beeping at me for dinner.

Oops!!

2008-01-17T12:48:00.000+11:00

I've been keeping a little secret... just before Christmas I discovered that I was pregnant with bubba #2. My dates were all over the place so I had a scan just before we went overseas which put me at 5 weeks. We arrived home yesterday and I had another dating scan today to confirm I am almost 10 weeks and my due date is August 16th 2008. The baby is so tiny and is already similar to his/her big brother in that it was wriggling around.

I am just waiting to see the obstetrician this afternoon so thought I may as well update this blog; albeit a little earlier than I had thought I would. I didn't really want to fall pregnant before we went away due to the awful morning sickness I had with Ned but apparently this bubba didn't want to wait. Luckily the morning sickness hasn't been as bad this time (though the flights/bus transfers over and back were pretty awful). So far we have only told our parents and a few friends and that's it. Everyone else will be told over the next week or so. So there's my exciting news. Tomorrow I will scan in the first ultrasound pic and post it so stay tuned....

Blog Update

2007-11-29T16:59:00.000+11:00

I have finally gotten around to making a new template for this blog. I think it looks a lot better but there are a few things I still want to work on. At the same time I have split the blog in two and have moved all the crafty-related stuff to a new blog: http://kraftykira.blogspot.com/ so that I can keep this one specifically for pregnancy and my kids (of which there is just one: Ned). There is also a new blog just for Ned at: http://nedj.blogspot.com/ which is tres cool if I do say so myself. Anyhow, since Ned has his own site and I am not currently pregnant this will probably be a little dead for a while but rest assured that if I do fall pregnant I will be back here. Until then I will be posting in my craft thread and I'm sure Ned will have lots to say.

Au reviour...for now

Ned's First Birthday

2007-05-22T13:15:00.000+10:00

My baby is One - Boo Hoo! He was a very spoilt boy with more presents to come! I made a star cake for his first birthday (I drew the design for it on a piece of baking paper and the cut it out of a 30x30cm butter cake that I had made). Very apt for my little star! He got lots of toys and cuddles and kisses. He was very cute. In the photo above we'd just lit the candles. He was desperate to get to the flames after that so we had to blow them out quickly. I can't believe he his already one! We're having another birthday party for our mothers group on Thurday as all the bubs are having their birthdays this week or in the next two weeks.

Well that's it for now. I will update at some stage on my knitting which has been put on hold due to Ned having been quite sick with flu and bronchiolitis in the weeks leading up to his birthday (he only started to get better on the day before). I caught it at as well and it was shocking. Anyway, my boy is wanting my attention so best be off...

Itti Bittis

2007-04-06T15:21:00.000+10:00

Heres my latest fluffy mail (they were still wet when I took this pic). They arrived yesterday!

Nelson Bay - Australia Day

2007-03-20T15:22:00.000+11:00

A bit late I know but thought I'd post some pics we took of bubba on Australia Day up at Nelson Bay. What a cutie!

I'm not really trouble, I'm just soooooo cute!

Dad, I haven't had enuf, I'm shtill firtsy!

We got heaps of gorgeous photos and I obviously can't post them all but these were the cutest and funniest (in that order).

Disclaimer: I do not advocate giving babies alcohol. The beer bottle in the photgraph above was empty and as with most little boys, ours took up the challenge to grab it when Daddy wasn't looking. I happened to take the photograph as e was blinking which made for a very funny shot.

10 Months Old today

2007-03-20T15:10:00.000+11:00

OK, so I'm not real good at keeping up with my blog, but hey I have a 10 month old (sob) and I've gone back to work part time!

So to catch up on whats happened since I last posted:
* Ned is a really good eater and loves his solids, though he seems to have smaller portions than other bubs his age but drinks a lot more milk!
* He still has no teeth.
* Started crawling backwards at 7 months old.
* At 8 months old exactly he started to crawl (properly, including forwards).
* A day after 8 months old he stood up for the first time.
* At 8.5 months old he started crusing the furniture.
* He talks! He says Dad-Dad, Mum-Mum and Mumma, Bub, Heyo (Hello) and general noises (wawa).
* He loves to sing any time there is music. Whether it be music his toys make, the TV or the radio.
* He gets into everything he's not supposed to.
* He started daycare when mummy went back to work part time.
*He got really sick with the flu, gastro and then a severe case of bronchiolitis. He has lost a lot of weight and is now on the 15th percentile ater finally catching up to the 50th!
* He started swimming lessons and loves it. He can now hold his breath underwater.
* He's even cuter (if that's possible).

Well that's all I can think of at the moment though it's hard to summarise everything and time is just racing away from us. Well I think that'll do for this post but I'll do another one all about our nappy progress of late!

6 Months Old Today

2006-11-20T14:25:00.000+11:00

Well my little bubba is growing up so fast now. He is 6 months old today. He started on solids a couple of weeks ago (just rice cereal) and in the last couple of days I've started him on pear, apple and pumpkin. His favourite so far is the pumpkin. We are still breastfeeding as his main source of food though.

In the last couple of months he has come so far and is now rolling all over the place, tummy to back, back to tummy, and is almost crawling. He's very interested in whats going on around him and loves to get out of the house. Hes a very good baby and really only has a whinge when he is hungry or really tired. Hes developed a bit of a cheeky personality as well and loves to blow raspberries at people and charm them all with his gorgeous smile. Here is a recent pic of my cutie pie:

We go to mothers group every Thursday and so far I have kept so busy that I'm not missing work at all and am certainly not bored like I thought I'd be. We are going to start swimming lessons in the new year so that should be fun too. We've already put him in the water but the water was very cold and he didn't like it at all so I'm hoping that he'll like the warm pool much better.

Anyway this was just a quick update. I'll be back again in a few weeks to update you on his first Christmas!!!

The First 10 Weeks

2006-07-27T17:09:00.000+10:00

We've been home for 9 weeks now so I thought I'd do a run down on the final events in hospital and our first 9 weeks at home.

Hospital: After Ned was born the stay in hospital was a blur of classes, midwives coming in and out to check blood pressure, give pain relief and help with feeding, changing, feeding (or lack of), expressing, lactation consultants and visitors. By the time it came to leave I was so relieved to be getting out of there! Ned was weighed the day we left and he'd dropped down to only 2.8kg. My blood pressure had gone up and I'd had a Rubella shot because my immunity was low. They were threatening to keep me in longer...glad they didn't.

First week at home: Matt had this week off work to help me and it was great as it helped us ease into a new life. We still had a lot of visitors but managed to struggle through. I discovered that feeding at 3am in the middle of winter isn't all its cracked up to be! We also managed to get out of the house and go shopping...

Week 2 at home: I was getting used to being at home on my own with a new baby and trying to figure out what all Neds different cries meant. I also weaned Ned myself off the Nipple Sheilds he'd had to use for the first week at home (it was the only way I could breastfeed initially after he grazed my nipples and was having problems attaching). I was very proud of this achievement as I was told I'd probably have to go to a drop in breastfeeding clinic in order to do it.

Week 3 at home: We had a visit from the Early Childhood Nurse, Leslie, who was lovely. Ned had put on enough weight to be up to 3.17kg - YAY. Still getting used to being a mum and figuring out what was going on. Ned gave his first proper smile this week.

Week 4 at home: Started venturing out a bit more this week for walks and shopping trips. Also went to visit Matts Grandfather for his birthday and the girls at work and my Mum and Sister came down and we went shopping. Have really got this Breastfeeding thing conquered now.

Week 5 at home: Got a call from the local Early Child Hood Centre (ECHC) and invited to join Mothers Group starting the next week. More shopping trips and getting out of the house to regain my sanity. Starting to feel more confident as a Mum. Lots of follow up checks with the paediatrician and obstetrician etc. Ned has a big head which has grown 5cm and a short body which has only grown 0.5cm. But he's up to 4.2kg now.

Week 6 at home: More of the same and Mothers Group Started. Really enjoyed the experience and looking forward to it again. Had already met one of the other mums in hospital : )

Week 7 at home: Ned had his immunisations this week. Poor bub was lying there happily looking at the lights and the Dr and Nurse timed the immunisations so he had one in each leg at once (better than having one followed by the other I suppose). He screamed for ages and was really unsettled most of the day following it.

Week 8 at home: Went and had Neds 8 week check up at the ECHC. Up to 4.6kg now and almost out of all the Newborn Huggies he was given (so we can start concentrating on going Cloth full time soon - YIPPEE). I feel like we are in a groove now and have now adapted to my new life as Mum.

Week 9 at home (this week): Went to a work lunch to catch up with everyone. Ned was the star as usual! My mum and sister came down to see Ned and spent the day with us which was fun. Ned is starting to become a real charmer and smiles at everyone now. All the ladies at mothers group adore him, not to mention the nurses. He is very adorable. Went shopping and met Matts sister for morning tea today. Very productive week.

NED IS 10 WEEKS TOMORROW. I can't believe it has gone so quickly. The fastest 10 weeks of my life. Can time please slow down a bit??? Having my hair cut tomorrow as Ned seems to grab it all the time now and it has gotten so long it is unmanageable.

The near future: Mothers Group at the ECHC finishes next week but we will then continue to meet at each others houses, the park etc. More visits with relos and a trip to the snow (which should be interesting).

Little Bubba - NED

2006-06-02T12:48:00.000+10:00

The next morning at 4am, Little Bubba was bought back to me for a feed. As I looked at him I went through the names on our short list on my head. Only one really fit - our little bubba was NED. When Matt arrived at 6am I told him what I thought. He agreed but we'd think about it a bit longer before we decided for sure. By the next day he was named Ned. Here is a photo of Ned the day after he was born as he was sleeping in the cot in my postnatal room:

The first week in hospital with Ned was very hard. He was so sleepy and not taking to the breast so I was constantly trying to feed unsuccessfully and then having to express in order to get him not to lose too much weight. This in addition to constant checks by the midwives, food deliveries, and visitors meant a very stressed mummy. Eventually I had to see the lactation consultant who gave me nipple shields to help get Ned to attach better and give my grazed nipples a better chance to heal. Before I left hospital my milk came in and my goodness my (.)(.) were very big and sore, especially my right one which I needed to feed off a few times before it reduced down. Ice packs also came in handy. But at least Ned was beginning to feed properly. However, my Blood Pressure did go up as a result of all the stresses mentioned above. A day or two at home and it went down again as I was able to relax a bit and Ned and I could get into our own groove without the constant interruptions (though we still had visitors).

Matt was fantastic throughout the whole process and I was lucky I went into labour when I did so that he was actually there and not at work or off diving somewhere!! He was a great help those first few days at home, particularly when I was still healing from the Caesar and a bit stressed! Ned and I have had a couple of days at home on our own now and are still getting used to things. He is such a good baby compared to some though and I feel very blessed to have such a beautiful little boy.

The Arrival of Little Bubba

2006-06-01T16:37:00.000+10:00

On 20/05/2006, our little Bubba, NED, decided to make his entry into the world a tad early!! I think I am still in shock. Here's what happened:

1am: Got up to go the toilet on one of my usual nightly trips and my waters spontaneously burst. Miraculously I managed to make it into teh ensuite without getting any amniotic fluid on the carpet!

1.10am: Rang the hospital. They said to wait until contractions started before calling back. I would be going in in the morning regardless.

2am: Contractions started about 15-20 mins apart. Pain was period-like but very bearable so I tried to sleep through them.

4.30am: I figured the contractions had come closer together but didn't time them. Pain becoming more intense.

5.20am: Started to time the contractions. Pain was in my lower back and much like strong period pain. Contractions were 4 mins apart. What?? That can't be right. Timed them repeatedly, yep, 4 mins apart. Rang hospital back to say I was on my way. Lucky I had packed my bags yesterday!

5.45am: Stopped for petrol as Matts car was empty and the petrol light had come on. Timed contractions whilst waiting for Matt. They were now 2-3 mins apart and really getting painful now; worst pain ever!

6am: Got to hospital. Matt dropped me off with my labour bag and parked the car and I headed to the birthing suite. They hooked me up to a doppler and something that measured my contractions to check the baby and my progress. They also hooked me up to a blood pressure monitor which measured my BP every 5 mins for the first hour then every 30 mins after that.

7am: Got on the gas to help the contractions. At first I didn;t think it was doing anything but once I got the hang of it it at least gave me something else to focus on.

8am: Contractions 2 mins apart at their longest and excruciating. The midwife did an internal - 3cm dilated. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! Still 7cm to go and the pains were right on top of each other. I figured I still had another 6-8 hours at least. That epidural was starting to sound pretty good.

8.30am: My BP shot up to around 155/95 (it had been a very good 118/70 prior). The midwives were now suggesting an epidural in order to bring the BP down and to help deal with the contractions which were so close together (about a min apart) I was pretty much on the gas constantly. I agreed without hesitation.

9am: The anaethatist, Gavin, arrived. In between contractions I had the epidural inserted whilst I sat on the edge of the bed curled over a pillow. I had to endure another 10-15 mins of contractions before it kicked in but once it did it was BLISS!

9am-12.30am: At some point during this time I was put on an antibiotic drip because I'd gone into premature labour and hadn't had my swabs taken in time (they were due to be done next week). I was becoming exhausted. Even though I felt no pain from the epidural my body was still in labour and I was getting very tired. I tried to sleep but it was hard. At least Matt managed to get some sleep!

2.30am: We were expecting bub to arrive. Still not here yet.

4.30am: This was our next milestone. Still not here yet.

6.30pm: I had another internal by the midwife. I was now fully dilated - HOORAY - and ready to push. BUT, I didn't feel the urge to push. Regardless we gave it a few goes. Nothing was happening. Bubba wasn't progressing through my cervix into the birth canal. The midwife rang the obstetrician. It was at this point I realised things weren't going as they should.

8pm: The obstetrician arrived and we had another few attempts at getting bubba out. Again no luck. He suggested a vacuum extraction would be no good because there just wasn't enough of bubbas head exposed for it to grip well enough. He could have a go at turning and pulling with the forceps. Yep, OK, give it a go....... still no luck. Bub was wedged in my pelvis and not budging. Bugger... Time to face my fears - an emergency caesar was the only option. I was prepped for surgery. Gavin cranked up the epidural to the max and Matt was put into a gown etc. I was wheeled into theatre and all the screens set up etc. Then they began. Matt held my hand all the way through it. I could feel every cut and pull (though no pain) and the obstetrician having to pull very hard in order to get bubba out! But at

8.40pm: on Saturday 20/05/2006 our little bubba entered the world screaming. He was given to Matt and I briefly for a cuddle and photos before going with Matt and the paediatrician for weighing and checking etc. He was a healthy 3.070kg with head circumference 34cm and length of 52cm. He had no breathing problems and was such a good size he didn;t have to go to special care - YAY!

Here were are at birth:

8.40pm-9.40pm: I was being stitched back up and shaking beserko because of the epidural. I felt like I was going to throw up at one point so I was given something to stop it. I hated this hour the most of all my time during labour. I was away from my baby and husband and had no control of my body. Plus I could see me insides reflecting off the light above me - gross.

9.40pm-ish: I got wheeled back to my room (still shaking and with no control over my lower half) where a midwife, Matt and my bubba were waiting. I gave Matt and Bubba a cuddle and kiss before Matt headed home exhausted. Bubba stayed with me where I attempted to Breastfeed but I had no idea. I can't even remember if it was successful - I was so tired.

11pm: Bubba was taken to the Nursery and I was finally able to get some sleep.

Week 36 - 19/05/2006 - The Day Before

2006-06-01T16:36:00.000+10:00

I finished packing the hospital bag (just in the nick of time). I bought some Raspberry Leaf Tea as it is supposed to help tone the uterus ready for labour and can decrease second stage. It tastes OK with honey but I only got to drink it once! I also went for a walk at Long Reef which was really nice and relaxing. It was so beautiful by the water. I wonder if any of these things contributed to what happened next?

Week 36 - The Missed Signs

2006-06-01T16:28:00.000+10:00

I finished washing and ironing everything and rearranged the nursery 5 times (can someone say "Nesting"?). I also finished buying everything else I needed. Matt finally met the obstetrician and we went over the birth plan which was basically to take it a step at a time and be prepared for anything. Next week I am supposed to have an internal to see how I'm going and have some swabs taken. The lower back pain is really starting to ramp up; especially at night. I reckon he's going to come early - like at 38 weeks.

Week 35 - My first week of Maternity Leave

2006-06-01T16:20:00.000+10:00

Have been having period like pain on and off all week. Very painful. Had to spend a couple of days in bed trying to deal with it. I wonder if this is the start of something?? Walking is starting to hurt too with lots of pressure on my cervix. Matt went to San Fransisco this week. I went and did a whole heap of baby shopping in preparation for the impending arrival. I've started sorting through all the things we've been given and figuring out how to wash it all. Plus making a list of things I still need. I've also started packing the hospital bag. The house is pretty much spotless now too! At least I have another 4 weeks to do all the remaining things I need to. Sarah and Jason came over on Tuesday which was nice. He's such a cutie. We went and bought a cot for bub. Its a beautiful white Boori Kingparrot Alice Cot. Its in our room as it didn;t fit through the door to the nursery. I guess bubs wil be with us until he's about 5 or 6 months old and we need to dissassemble the cot to lower the mattress base!

Week 34

2006-06-01T16:10:00.000+10:00

We went up the coast on the weekend and picked up a whole heap of baby stuff my parents had bought us - so much stuff! It was great. We saw my borthers bub too - very cute and looks just like my brother. I haven't been sleeping very well. I've been having strong Braxton Hicks contractions and I need to keep going to the toilet. Plus I keep getting the worst lower back pain. It's so uncomfy I can barely sleep. I hit my head on the shelf in the ensuite and it set me off! I was in tears for hour and I'm so emotional at the moment. Matt went diving today so I went and sat on the beach with some magazines. It was good to get out of the house. I've been a bit of a hermit recently.

HOORAY - I finished work this week! I was very busy frantically finalising everything. To make matters worse I had car trouble (the handbrake wouldn't "grab"). Luckily I finished everything and got the car troubles sorted out. Work took me out to lunch which was nice. I saw the obstetrician and everything is looking good so far. Just discovered Skype. What a great idea. Now I can keep in touch with Matt when he goes away!

Week 33

2006-06-01T15:58:00.000+10:00

Anzac Day happened this week. I didn't go to the march this year as I don't think I would have made it. I finally managed to get the hospital sorted out (they needed some info and a copy of my antenatal card). I had an ultrasound to check on bubs size. Hes perfectly healthy. The obstetrician will go into the report with me in more detail at my next appointment. The sonographer did say that bubs has hair....awwwww..

Weeks 30 to 32

2006-04-19T18:09:00.000+10:00

We attended the second half of our childbirth classes on parenting on April 1st. I really got a lot more out of this than Matt did as it was more for the mother to see what will happen with them and their "new schedule" (ha ha). Matt did manage to destroy a disposable nappy though! It's a good thing we are going cloth. Speaking of which I just got a new stash of baby beehinds (from Davina) and tot bots (from Darlings Down Under). I got some bambo ones of each too and they are sooooo soft. Can't wait to use them.

I'm an Aunty agin. My brothers fiance had a baby boy named Taj on 9th of April after a 40 hour labour eventually ending in an emergency CS. He was 9pd 1 oz (or just over 4kg)!

We went to South West Rocks for Easter and had a fabulous time. Matt, Matt P, Richard and Monique went diving at Fish Rock Cave and I spent most of my time reading on the beach. It was quite relaxing but I still didn't enjoy the night time toilet trips (we were camping).

Heres a photo of me (or my belly) at 32 weeks:

That's it for now (only 3 more weeks of work - YAY)

Weeks 25 to 29

2006-03-26T17:50:00.000+11:00

I am now 29 weeks pregnant - my how time is flying. Heres a quick update on what happened in the last month:

Week 25: Braxton Hicks contractions are starting to happen all the time. They don't hurt but my tummy goes as tight as a rock. I find it happens particularly after lunch on my walk back from the mall and during the night. Starting to buy all the baby things on my checklist. I'm planning on having everything I need for bubs arrival at least a month before he is due so I'm not running around at the last second trying to figure out what I need. Got some very cute baby clothes - mainly bodysuits and all-in-ones.

Week 26: Little Bubba had hiccups for the first time - sooooo cute. Sent in day care forms for the local council long day care centres for next year (you have to send them in early or your odds of getting a place are much lower). I had no idea how to fill them in or how many days I need day care for. Not even sure I want to go back to work at all! Oh well, I can always reject the placement if it is offered to me. A family member went to hospital and our little nephew was baptised this week. Bought a whole heap of cloth nappies: prefolds, fitted nappies and covers online from Little Koala. They are so adorable. I can't wait to use them. Baby hiccupping is becoming more frequent.

Week 27: Bought some more covers off another member at the Essential Baby website. Have bid on a breast pump and food warmer plus a jeep carrycot/cocoon off ebay. Trying to save as much money as possible - becoming addicted to ebay. See Matt's purchases recently!

Week 28: Getting really sick of work. The boss won't hire anyone to replace me and has now gone overseas for a month. I'll only see hem for 2 weeks before I go on maternity leave so it's now guranteed that I have no one to hand over to. Oh well, not my problem. The @#$! will hit the fan as soon as I go. Re: day care - there may not be a company to go back to at this point! No biggy. The sick family member is now home from hospital and doing much better. My brother and his fiance are expecting their baby any day now. I bought a gorgeous "Baby Ski Patrol" outfit from Target for our bub. Also bought some more all-in-ones and a baby hat and mitten 3 pack from Big W. Will come in very handy when we go to the snow in August! Also bought a day time/night time half/half trial pack from Baby Beehinds. I want to compare brands of fitteds. I won the breast pump and food warmer and the carrycot/cocoon. Matts mum bought some more stuff for us as well and my mum has a trailer full of stuff to bring down from the coast (including the cradle).

Week 29: has only just started but we went to our first prenatal class yesterday on childbirth and labour. we learnt some things we didn't know and went on a tour of the birthing suite and the postnatal wards at the hospital so that was good. We have our next one this Saturday on parenting which I think will be even more beneficial since this is our first. Must say that RNSP is nicer than the SAN. I slept terribly last night - my worst night yet. had awful stretching pains, Matt was snoring due to a cold, it was raining, possums were going nuts on the roof and when I did fall asleep I was having nightmares. Hope I sleep better tonight.

Laptop Died

2006-03-26T17:47:00.000+11:00

I had great intentions after my last effor to kepp this blog updated weekly. Alas my laptop died and so did all my good intentions with it. I'm using Matt's laptop today to post my latest updates

Weeks 23-24: Not much happening

2006-02-26T08:22:00.000+11:00

I've hit the cruisy stage of pregnancy now where not a lot happens. I am still growing and bubs is moving lots but that's about it. I feel great and I am getting comments on how good I look at the moment so its all good! I just wish this stage of pregnancy would last a bit longer as I know time is going so fast!

I saw the obstetrician in week 24 and its official - I have the most active, wriggly, baby in the world. The ob had to grab my uterus to hold bubba still in order to hear his little heartbeat! He got an 11/12 out of 10 - am I a proud Mum or what! He was also the most active this week - I love watching my tummy. It's like there's a little alien in there and looks very weird when he's rolling and kicking and punching all at the same time. Matt's cousin had a C-section (her bub was breech).

I've bought some more maternity bras and PJs from the shops, plus some maternity pants and belly tubes off E-bay. The pants are the most comfortable I've ever owned and such a bargain. Why would you spend $100 in a maternity shop when you can get the same thing off E-bay for only $20?

I've become obsessed with cloth nappies of late, looking up all types of fitted cloth, pre-folds, soakers, you name it. I definately think cloth is the way to go. Ecoshop has a great list of links for all things cloth. I'm thinking the best option is to get some trial packs from a few different places and then see which brand suits my bubba best when he arrives. That way I can order the ones I know are suitable for him. Until they arrive I'll use the trial nappies, pre-folds and normal terry towelling nappies with a cover. See, obsessed I tell you...

Week 22: The pram

2006-02-26T08:04:00.000+11:00

I bought the first blue baby clothes for Little Bubba this week. A cute blue wondersuit and a bodysuit that says "When I grow up I want to be a Formula One Racing Car Driver". Much better than the wiggles stuff I'd pointed out huh Matt?! Oh so cute. Little bubba's Aunty Jodie and Uncle Jason gave him a gorgeous grey hooded jumper with zip down the front. It has a blue fleck in it and is soooooo tiny! Bubba grew lots this week and his kicks and movements are developing distinct patterns - I love it. But I don't love the stretching pains that accompany him getting bigger. My ribs are killing me, particularly at night. Plus my boobs have gone up 1 bra size and 2 cup sizes and are still growing. I hate to think how big they'll be when I'm breastfeeding. My tummy is certainly bigger but unless I wear something tight you wouldn't think I was pregnant. I've only put on 2 kilos since Christmas!

We went and bought the pram! It's a Quinny Speedi Sx in Red - beautiful and so easy to manouvre both indoors and out. Here is a picture:

It was reduced from $679 (already down from $800-something) to just $399.95 from Babies Galore. We couldn't go past it. The only problem we've had so far was that it had a punctured tyre when we got it. Matt fixed it though and we've decided to get puncture slime to fill the tyres to prevent them from happening. Can't wait to put bubba in it. We've been wheeling my teddy bears around the house - neighbours must think we're nuts!

Cleaned out the baby's room. It looks a bit empty as Mum still has to bring the cradle down. I'm sure it won't take long to fill the room up. The rest of the house is a mess though with all the stuff that was in that room : ) Bubbas Aunty Sarah and Uncle Dave gave him a gorgeous blue shirt and pair of fleeced jeans with a Giraffe theme. Bubbas Nanny (Matts mum) gave him LOTS of things including trackies, Blue PJs, a green wondersuit, a cute little bear hat, his first pair of shoes (soooooo cute) and 2 pairs of mittens. My bubba is spoiled! My mum and sister have been buying lots too apparently.

Weeks 20 & 21: It's a BOY

2006-02-25T19:31:00.000+11:00

I went to the ultrasound with SIL Jodie and it was great. I got the Sonographer to tape it all so Matt could watch it with me when he got home at the end of the week. She also put the sex inside an envelope I'd given her so Matt & I could still find out together. Little Bubba was given an honorary gold star for being such a good baby during the U/S. Here is a profile photo of my little bubba:

When Matt got back from O/S we sat and watched the video together and then opened the envelope. I had been suspecting it was a boy from early on in the pregnancy, guess my motherly instincts were right! We were both very happy and excited. Even though I wanted either, I was surprised to find I was still a little sad that I wasn't having a girl. I dealt with it though and knowing it was a boy and getting excited about that soon took over. Here's a scan of his little boy bits :)

Weeks 17-19: Moving

2006-02-25T19:17:00.000+11:00

More cold weather in Finland and Switzerland meant more trips to the loo. Missed skiing, but there's plenty of time for that. Spent New Years trying to find the hotel in Dubai. Had a great time in Dubai and Oman (Muscat). My belly was definately starting to grow and bubs was MOVING! I felt him kick properly for the first time in Oman, but it wasn't strong enough for Matt to feel. Little Bubba HATES tight pants and tried to push them down or kick them off. Would have to consider a wardrobe change when I got home.

Matt finally felt bubs kick the night before I was due to fly home and he to fly to San Francisco (for work as usual). London was cold again so bubs took up position on my bladder like before, this time kicking it as well when he/she wanted more room. Saying goodbye to Matt at Heathrow was so hard; I struggled not to cry. Once I was through the gates though I felt bubba kicking as if to say "it's OK mum, you've still got me" and I knew everything was alright.

The flight was horrendous with a diversion to Stansted, a delay in Bangkok and I couldn't get off the plane, and having to circle on arrival in Sydney due to low cloud! Ugh. My ankles swelled up so huge when I arrived home that I could barely walk! I also had an appointment with the ob at 4.15pm (I got home at 11am) and I was trying desperately to stay awake. Alas, I fell asleep at around 2pm (I think) and at 4.15pm exactly I srpung wide awake in panic that I had missed the appointment. My heart has never raced so fast. I rang the ob office to check and luckily he was running late and they didn't need me until 5.30pm - PHEW! Damned jet lag.

I had to schedule my 18-20 week ultrasound. I thought it would be no problem but all the appointments were booked. The only one I could get was for a day when Matt was overseas (again). Damn it! I was gutted and with all the pregnancy hormones promptly burst into tears and cried for hours. The next day I realised it wasn't as bad as all that and I came up with a brilliant plan (with a little help from some EB friends).

Weeks 11-16: Surviving Morning Sickness

2006-02-25T19:05:00.000+11:00

Morning Sickness continued unabated during this time. I had to take at least one day a week off work (usually a Thursday for some reason) as some days were just horrific and I didn't want to be vomiting at work.

My tummy had started to grow a bit and I continued my monthly visits to see the Ob. On one occasion Little Bubba was doing push-ups, so cute.

My SIL, Sarah, had a baby boy named Jason on 29/11/05. He was so cute and we went to visit them in the Hospital. Jason looks just like his daddy but I could still see Sarah in him.

My belly button started hurting as my belly begun to expand. A week prior to Christmas, Matt trod on a pin. He had to have it surgically removed but it meant he would have to have stitches in for 10 days. So no diving for him over Christmas. My last vomit was Christmas Day. Absolutely perfect really as we flew out of Sydney on Boxing Day for Japan. I felt fine on the plane despite my earlier concerns to the contrary. When we arrived in Tokyo it was freezing. I had to get off the train from the airport to the city twice to go to the loo as bubba was hugging my bladder for warmth!

Week 10: Dating Ultrasound

2006-02-25T18:59:00.000+11:00

I went to SUFW for a dating ultrasound - 10 weeks pregnant like I thought. Little bubba was waving its arms and squirming the whole time. I decide I could easily have U/S after U/S just so I could keep seeing the baby. Mum and I went & bought the first piece of baby equipment - the car seat. I also had a visit from some of mums relatives whom I hadn't seen in years so that was nice. My future sister in law (FSIL), Kristy, was already 5 months pregnant at this point but certainly didn't look it! I had my first vomit free day at Mum and Dads since Week 6 - YAY. Waiting for Matt to come back was almost over...

Week 9: Seeing the Obstetrician

2006-02-25T18:47:00.000+11:00

I had my first appointment with the obstetrician in the first week of November. He was running late (which I later find is the norm) but that was OK with me because I was very sick. His office is a beautiful old house in a more expensive part of Sydney. I was comfortable the moment I arrived. I gave him my medical & cycle history and blood test results. He weighed me and did a breast and internal exam before my first ultrasound! The baby was so tiny but oh so cute and I couldn't believe it was inside me. The first baby photo I have:

He suspected I was around 9 weeks but gave me a referral to the Sydney Ultrasound for Women to have a more accurate one done as I have a retroverted uterus. I emailed the above photo to Matt so he could see.

Weeks 7 & 8: Morning Sickness Peaks

2006-02-25T18:23:00.000+11:00

I was told to book into the hospital early as Private Hospitals (particularly in Sydney) get booked up pretty quickly. I was able to get into my preferred hospital without any problems. On the other hand, the obstetrician my GP referred me too was booked up! I literally rang 23 obstetricians before I found one who could take me! He's probably the most expensive in Sydney but very nice and I feel very comfortable with him. Unfortunately the only appointment I could get was on a day went Matt left for an overseas business meeting.

I was starting to discover at this point that your first pregnancy is a strange experience (well, initially anyway). You have no idea what to expect, no matter how much you've read or think you know, as lots of little details seem to be omitted. Morning Sickness, or "All-Day Sickness" is definately downplayed. The constant nausea and throwing up are extremely bad. I try EVERYTHING to ease it and nothing works. I try the following:

Ginger
Dry crackers
Dry anything
Mini-Meals (eating smaller portions all the time)
Milk (don't get me started)
Blackmores Morning Sickness Tablets (don't even make it half way down before they are on their way back up)

The only thing that seemed to help A LITTLE was KFC twisters!! Nearly everything else was a struggle to keep down or just didn't want to.

As a result of the morning sickness, and the fact that a work friend came out and ASKED me if I was pregnant (clearly I wasn't hiding it as well as I thought I was), it was time to start telling people. On 22/10/05 we told our families. Everyone was naturally excited and happy. On 25/10/05 I told everyone at work - nearly all of them (well the women anyway) had suspected. Seeing everyone's reactions was great! I also managed to get my boss to agree that I could start an hour later to accomodate my morning sickness!

By the end of week 8, the nausea and comiting had beome part of the routine; time was dragging very slowly!

Week 6: What do I do now?

2006-02-25T18:16:00.000+11:00

On Monday 10/10/05 I went to see my GP and have the pregnancy confirmed. He didn't bother to repeat the test I'd done but arranged for me to have a blood and urine test done by pathology. My estimated due date was 26th May 2006 based on my LMP. I suspected this was wrong and would probably be revised back by about 2 weeks as I knew when I had ovulated. He told me my "smyptoms are good and indicate a viable pregnancy". I arranged my next appointment with him at which I would get the results of the pathology tests and obtain a referral to an obstetrician.

On 12/10/05 I had my first (of what would turn out to be countless) vomits with morning sickness. The nausea had become almost unbearable and hiding it at work was extremely difficult.

Week 5: Finding Out I was Pregnant

2006-02-25T17:29:00.000+11:00

The weekend after the long weekend in October 2005, we were going on a diving trip to Jervis Bay. Just prior to this I had started to feel nauseous, very HOT, and sore across my chest. I estimated my period was due around 3rd October. So when the nausea started to get worse on the 6th of October, 2 days before our trip, I took a home pregnancy test (Fortel Ultra from Woolies in case you want to know the brand). Well, having been trying for a few months I didn't really expect to see a positive. I was so used to negatives it really didn't cross my mind; I was doing the test more out of habit. I left it for a minute whilst I went about getting ready for work. When I went back into the bathroom I was surprised and elated to see those 2 beautiful pink/purple lines. I called Matt over and said "look it's positive". He didn't beleive it either and simply stated "no way"; but there it was.

So looked like there was to be no more diving for me for another 8 months. This was going to be harder than I thought as I now had to start coming up with excuses for not drinking or diving or any of the other things that a non-pregnant Kira would usually do. We went to Jervis Bay and I didn't drink or dive under the guise of being sick. I pretended I'd picked up a bug from one of the girls at work. I had both Matt P and Dave fooled (with a little help from my Matt). It still hadn't sunk in that I was pregnant even though the morning sickness (as I now knew it to be) started to get worse.

Weeks 1-4

2006-02-25T15:12:00.000+11:00

Weeks 1-4, you basically have started a new cycle and are trying to conceive. You have no idea if it has worked or not. Around the end of week 4 you start to get very period like symptoms: cramping, crankiness and sore boobs. Well those were the symptoms I had only the cramping seemed to be much stronger (implantation??), the crankiness was at a new level (think major bitch) and my boobs were soooooooo sore.

At the end of week 4 was a really hot weekend in October and Matt and I went out on the boat on the harbour as the weather was absolutely beautiful. I packed a great picnic lunch that we could eat on one of the isolated beaches and off we set. Matt was driving the duck a bit erratically and caned it over the wake of anohter boat - and threw me off. I lost my sunglasses and because I'd dragged the lunch basket in with me all our nice food was ruined! Well the (what I thought was pre-menstrual) crankiness kicked in immediately and I let Matt have it for a few hours; I wouldn't let up. In retrospect I think this was the first sign that I was pregnant!

New Baby Blog

2006-01-28T18:42:00.000+11:00

Hello there.

Morning Sickness has finally passed (ending at 16 weeks) and now, after having returned from a fantastic overseas trip to Japan, Switzerland, UAE, Oman, and the UK, I've set up the newest blog site.... Little Bubba.

This Blog is to follow the rest of my pregnancy and the birth of our first baby, a boy, due in June 2006. I've been keeping a written pregnancy diary which I will post extracts from here. I will also post ultrasound photos and anything else I can think of.

I hope you enjoy reading about the amazing experience that is pregnancy.

Kira