Monday, October 15, 2012

35 Weeks!! OMG.....

Soooooo.......today marks '35 weeks' of being pregnant for me. I can honestly say it hasn't flown by but it also hasn't dragged on either. I wanted to enjoy the experience and to remember it as much as I could and I think I've done that pretty well so far! It's not been a breeze but it also hasn't been a terribly hard process either. I've had my fair share of issues but mostly they've been ok.

Over the weekend, I had a second baby shower for our little monkey. Yes, I know, seems greedy right? The only reason for 2 was location, location. Having grown up in Newcastle but having lived in Sydney for almost 6 years now, I have strong ties to both cities and wanted the chance to see friends from both, catch up, swap stories with those who have kids or are preggers and to just enjoy the moment. Told you I wanted to enjoy the experience!

Yesterday was just lovely - a properly gorgeous party in our little flat. My beautiful friend C did most of the organising, with help from my sisters and Mum. The decorations were gorgeous and there was even a Lolly Bar for people to take home a lolly bag!!

We only played one game but that was because everyone was too busy chatting and eating and having a lovely time, which was just perfect.

It was so nice to have all my "Sydney friends" in one place as I havent had many opportunities to get them all together - I like everyone to know each other so no one feels awkward and can always find someone to talk to.
Anyway, the monkey was spoilt and so was I, yet again! The boys had a nice day out in the city so I think all in all, it was a good day for everyone. Even C's Little Girl had a good time.

This week, I have another midwife appointment and I'm getting fitted for some wrist splints, as I've developed carpal tunnel syndrome due to pregnancy and my hands go numb through the night if I sleep on them the wrong way- weird and very annoying. I'm catching up with some friends tomorrow night and other than that, I'm recovering from the weekend. Luckily I was able to have today off work so I plan to rest but also to finish sorting out the flat as it's not entirely back to normal (even with all the cleaning up the girls did yesterday!).

With only 9 days of work to go, things are really starting to hit home....in the next 6 weeks, we will have a very small person to look after. We really will! He will be tiny and totally reliant on us for everything. We will be tired and a little scared but oh, it will be worth it.

I can't wait!

Monday, September 24, 2012

The Good, the Bad, and the Preggo.

It's been a while between blog posts (again!) and not due to a lack of ideas, just due to a lack of energy and motivation (well, I AM pregnant after all!). Right now, I'm sitting up in bed after a nice hot shower. The Englishman is watching the Grand Prix and while I am tired, I'm not quite ready to go to bed. So I thought it might be a good time to bite the bullet and get a post in while I have a little bit of motivation to do so....

Tomorrow is officially "32 Weeks" of pregnancy, which, when you get the pointy end gets a bit confusing. Pregnancy is 9 months, right? and I have 8 weeks left which is roughly 2 months, so I am '7 months pregnant'....but 32 weeks of pregnancy divded by 4 is 8....so am I 8 months pregnant or 7 months pregnant? The discrepancy (I figured out) is due to the 'weeks' of pregnancy being measured from last period, not from conception. So I'm 7 months pregnant but in the 32nd week of pregnancy. Nothing is ever simple is it?

I have been taking a "Bump Photo" every Wednesday (originally Wednesdays were the day the 'week' ticked over) and to look back over them, I can see when my bump really started to 'pop' - around Week 22. Since then it has just grown and grown and I'm having trouble imagining what it will look like by the time I hit 40 weeks as it seems huge already!


 Week 22
 Week 24
Week 26
 
Week 31
 

I think I have been pretty lucky with my pregnancy as I have not had any complications which have landed me in hospital or on any medications. I have however, had my fair share of 'issues'. Some I was expecting (morning sickness/nausea anyone?) but others really caught me out.

For posterity as well as sympathising with other preggo ladies, here is a list of my 'pregnancy ailments': all the worst bits of pregnancy so far!

Word of warning for the non-pregnants: Read on at your peril! But remember this is just my experience and every pregnancy is different (plus I promise I'll end the post with some nice stuff as well.)

* A few old favourites first - heartburn, constant urination, tiredness
These are pretty much a given for almost every preggo lady, I think. My mild level of heartburn is fixed with a chewable minty Quikeeze or two, others are not so lucky. The constant need to pee thanks to the baby monkey dancing on my bladder is increasing, as is the tiredness which seems to be due to a lack of sleep, carrying a growing foetus around 24/7 and actually providing nutrients for the growing of said foetus 24/7. 'Nuff said.

* Pregnancy Congestion and Nosebleeds
Why does no one ever mention this as a pregnancy symptom? The first I heard that nosebleeds were associated with pregnancy was my pregnant Sister in Law, who suffered a bloody nose often towards the end of her preggo time.
Since early on, my nose has been stuffy and blocked. Think post-cold nose, the one where its not all clear and clean but its no longer running like a tap. You need to blow it good to get the gunk out a few times a day and when you go to bed it makes you breathe noisy or breathe through your mouth (and end up with lips like a snow-hiker). In the last few weeks this has progressed to a bit of bleeding when I blow it too much as well - ick. Lucky I'm not a nosebleeder so it stops quick and I dont have to stand over a sink until it stops dripping!

* Tailbone (and other 'down there bone') Issues
At some point around the 20 week mark I started having a sore tailbone if I sat for too long. It gets stiff, and achey, and I moved like a heavily pregnant woman when getting up WAY before I should have been! My midwife sent me to see a physio who wasn't really that helpful, although she made some common sense suggestionst that I really should have worked out myself, like, dont sit for more than 30 -40 mins at a time, then get up and move around.
So the tailbone thing is still an issue but I'm handling it ok. I try to lie on my side at home and at work I have a chair and a fit ball which I alternate between.
The 'other' stuff down there is a  mystery - I often feel like I've been for a loooong bike ride. It's painful and awkward and I can't figure out how to help or fix it. The physio had no ideas. So at the moment I'm just trying to take the same tack as the tailbone issue, and sit all different ways or not sit for too long. I suspect its more to do with the baby monkey pushing on everything with his head than anything else now!

* Calf cramps
These are nothing too new for me, I used to get them when I played netball/ran a lot/was a LOT more active than I now am. Now I dont get the cramps so much as the pre-cramp feeling all the time, especially when I'm in bed. It's just weird, and appears to be waiting to launch a sneak-attack on me one night.

*  Numb arms
Another bedtime ailment and only a recent one. You aren't supposed to sleep on your back when preggo, however when I sleep on my side with my arms bent (because otherwise I'll hit the Englishman in the head), my arms go numb, so numb it seems to take minutes for them to come back. WTF?? Can't sleep on my back, can't sleep on my massive basketball tummy, can't sleep on my sides.........WAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

* Gestational Diabetes
Yep, that's right kids, I got the Diabetes! And yes, I've been fortunate enough (so far) that I have been able to manage just by changing my diet a little and watching what I eat. Over the last 3 weeks I've learnt how to test my blood glucose levels and have lost count of which finger I used to do so countless times each day. I've figured out that chicken schnitzel wraps have too many carbs/sugar in them and that I CAN have a Ferrero or two for dessert if I want. I actually don't mind eating heavily grainy bread/toast and enjoy having to eat my breakfast before I leave the house. I've got my fingers crossed that I can continue to manage this particular ailment, although as its hormone related I may have no choice but to move to using insulin at some stage. At least it goes away once the bub pops out :)

* General uncomfortable/awkardness
Sitting/standing, getting in and out of cars, moving around furniture, carrying groceries.......all of a sudden they are just a bit awkard to do, can feel uncomfortable or just plain painful. It's not a bad one, and its one that I think is pretty universal, but it is strange to notice yourself being really careful about the way you do things without even thinking about it....like standing up from a lounge chair. You just have to lever yourself to the edge and then push your way out, there's no other way to do it!

* Cray-Cray Mood Swings
Every so often, I've had a day or two where I just want to burst into tears at all kinds of things.
Ok, so its been generally once a week at least and often its at nothing at all!
I had one week where I got super upset - both the Englishman and I were having trouble sleeping as we were keeping each other awake with snoring/heaving breathing. One night I had a go at him about it, which made him have a go at me, which ended with me going and sleeping on the lounge and crying until i got to sleep....then crying some more in the morning when the Englishman found me on the lounge and asked if I was ok.....then ended with me in hysterical laughter at this photo:



Anyway, I keep reminding the Englishman that at least the mood swings have stayed being just Happy/Sad swings. No moody/cranky/bitchy ones - thank goodness!

There's Good Stuff Too, I Promise!!

While all these ailments add up to make this Miss Holly pretty tired and uncomfortable most of the time, it has not been enough for me to say that pregnancy is horrible and I would never do it again. There are all kinds of amazing, awesome parts to it as well!  Here are few of my favourite things:

* Maternity Clothes
Yes, you have to buy a bunch of new clothes that cost money and you can only wear them for 9 months or so, and if you don't have kids in the same seasons you may never get to wear them again.
So what? That can happen if you put a few too many kgs on or if you become a marathon runner.
They're still NEW CLOTHES!
And while it can be hard to find nice, good quality maternity clothes sometimes, when you find them, they rock!
When I was non-preggo, I was very careful to choose clothes that hid my slightly-flabby tummy. Hence lots of slighty flowy tops.
Now, I just want EVERYONE to see my bump so I choose lots of tight, fitted or clingy clothes that show off the Bump to the world!The rest of my body hasn't changed too significantly so I feel pretty good about how I look. I LOVE my bump and for the first time have a pair of skinny jeans that are comfy and don't show my bumcrack to the world when I bend over.
I've also been lucky enough to have two lovely friends lend me some of their maternity clothes. This has been a lifesaver and has given me some different outfits I may never have chosen myself but have LOVED.

*Preggo body
I was pretty sure I would be ok with my body changing shape during pregnancy, and I was right. I love the shape I am and have grown into. I have put on a bit of weight all over but it seems minimal, and my belly is quite a tight, round shape. Even better, the Englishman seems to love it too :)

* The little monkey Movements
It's quite a surreal experience, having something growing inside you, and one I still can't quite fathom. It's hard to believe that if for some reason the little monkey had to come out now, he would be a little baby, a real little baby.
Still, he has been making his prescence known regularly for quite some time now, so its not like I ever forget what's going on in there. The little quivers at the start, the punches, kicks, elbows and knees, the full-on tumbles, the hiccups.....these movements are a bit bizzarre and a bit strange but they are also really, really cool.

* The Englishman's Excitement
My wonderful Englishman was happy when I showed him the pink stick with the two pink stripes on it, and has been involved and excited throughout my pregnancy. But this has gotten more and more and MORE, to a point that I never expected. Some days I think he is more excited than I am! He is constantly rubbing my belly, putting his head to it, kissing it, talking to the baby,........he bought a toy for the baby for the first time yesterday and was stupidly excited about it. He got all teary the other weekend after we came home from having a baby shower at my Mum's because, he said  "I get it now". He has lovingly restored the family cot so our little monkey can sleep in the same cot (different mattress though) as his Pa, his Mum and his Aunties. He is selling his beloved car, Ruprecht the Peugeot and has given in to the pressure to buy a 5 door car. He tells me I look beautiful all the time and that he can't wait for the little monkey to arrive! For a man who claimed he was 'too much of a kid to have my own' only 12 months ago, I'm so happy and excited that he gets it and is so happy and excited, too.

They're probaby my favourite, and the most nicest, parts of pregnancy. There are heaps more but quite a lot of them run to more material things (like baby showers and presents, and little toys and clothes and setting up nurseries and reasons to go to Ikea.....amongst other things).
One I would have previously included was "Being able to eat whatever I want, whenever I want" but that's no longer the case. The Diabetes beat that. On the plus side, I'm unlikely to put on too many extra kilos as a result!

So that, in a nutshell, is the last few months and what it has been like for me. If I can motivate myself, I will try and blog some more as I have heaps of stuff in my head at the moment! It's just getting it out through my tendonitis wrists/tired brain/sore tailbone situation.

So come on readers, what were your unexpected 'ailments' during pregnancy, and what were your favourite bits??? Or what are you worried about/looking forward to after the little pink stick shows 2 pink lines?

Sunday, August 26, 2012

A Lovely Weekend

We've had a pretty lovely weekend.

We started off with takeaway Chinese on Friday night. Normally we're very much Thai takeaway junkies but we discovered a good Chinese place up the road and ordered twice in a row. Good sang choy bow, good Cantonese style sweet and sour chicken..... Shame they don't do chips as Englishmen need chips with their Chinese!!

Yesterday we had a sleep in, made ourselves a nice breakfast of scrambled eggs on sourdough toast and tea, then went out looking at cars. My Englishman has finally decided that his little car will be no good for kids and has agreed to upgrade- with conditions of course! (his car also needs a few expensive fixes so while some have to be fixed to sell it, others, like new tyres, we can give a miss.)

We have only been able to agree on one type of car and even then, the sensible side of me thinks this is not the best choice of car. But the little bit of car hoon in me REALLY liked the car- its looks, its sound, it's comfy comfy seats..... We looked at two cars and have verbally bought one! A few financial things to sort out and we will have a new car very soon.

Saturday evening a had a Hen's party to attend for a lovely lady who is getting married in Italy very soon! Her husband-to-be and my Englishman are firm friends, so I'm glad we've gotten to know and like each other, too.
A week ago I had no idea what I was going to wear- being 6 months pregnant I have a limited 'going out' wardrobe (read- almost nothing). Lucky for me, my lovely friend Candice leant me some maternity dresses last weekend, perfect for nights on the town, weddings or other parties which require a certain level of dressing up!
A blazer, tights and boots and I think I scrubbed up pretty well.

after drinks, nibbles, games and some light entertainment, the Hens party headed out for Spanish tapas in Surry Hills for dinner. So.Much.Food!! And delicious too!

A quick dance after dinner and I was ready to head home so said my goodbyes and left the girls to party on. I had such a good time and hope there'll be an opportunity to go out with them another time, sans pregnancy.

This morning has continued the loveliness of the weekend! After a nice sleep in, we headed up the road to the new farmer markets at our local primary school. They're relatively new and I've only been up once before but was keen to head up and get some breakfast, then mosey around and find something nice for dinner. The Englishman was a little reluctant, being a tad hungover from keeping the buck company the night before, but luckily the free range bacon and egg rolls didn't disappoint (they even had brown sauce!!), there was Toby's estate coffee, and we found some yummy pumpkin and ricotta ravioli for dinner with a truffle cream sauce to top it off- mmmm decadent!

We also picked up a massive bag of fruit, all grown in Orange. The stall owner kept slicing pieces of pear off and feeding us- soooo good! We only wanted half a bag of apples and pears but came away with an overflowing bag instead! Not sure what we're going to do with it all......

We also bought some free range pork,apple and cranberry sausages and some cream delight potatoes for tomorrow night's dinner. Yum!

After we got home I spent almost 2 hours tidying, cleaning and generally making the house nice. Now I've say down, I'm done!! The Englishman is doing some more cot painting and after I finish this post I'm going to read, have a nap, maybe eat a pear or find a pear related recipe for later.

Have you had a lovely weekend? What makes a weekend lovely for you?

Friday, August 10, 2012

Future Conversations with the Monkey Monkey

I was thinking this morning about being a teenager and a young adult and all the 'life experiences' I had through this time....possibly brought on by Mrs Woog's posts and blog about alcoholic beverages of choice in your teens.....sub zeros, Bombora and Wipeout all got a mention and got me all nostalgic for my 'escapades' as a 15-18 year old.

But it also got me thinking about all the other things I did when I was a little bit younger: things I was glad I had done, things that may not have been fun at the time but taught me something, gave me some understanding for a different life or a different world, or just plain taught me the things I should avoid at all costs in the future.

And THAT got me thinking about the type of advice I might give my own kids one day.....in particular, one little boy who is currently rolling around in my tummy weighing about 600grams....

So, in no particular order, these are a few things I would suggest/encourage the 'Monkey Monkey' (as he is affectionately known) to do at some point....well, maybe some of them I might not suggest or encourage but just hope he gets the experience without me having to know about it.....

* Live in a Share House. There are so many good things about this and a few bad things but you learn a lot about yourself and about living with others that you dont nessecarily learn when you live at home. And you can make some amazing friends if you choose to live with people you havent met before.

* Work in Customer Service. Retail, Hospitality, Call Centres, these can be Hell to work in, but working in them can give you an appreciation of why store clerks are so moody sometimes, and also of when you know someone is doing everything they can to help you but just.cant. AND you can then rule it out as a career choice (if of course, you want to rule it out!)

* Experience a Relationship Breakup. Relationship breakups are hell and they suck and can be really horrible, but again you learn a lot about yourself and often about the person you are breaking up with. That might mean you realise you are meant to be together, or maybe not. Usually not. And you can learn how strong you really are and also how many people care about you and are there when you can't get yourself up on your own.

* Get so drunk that you never, EVER want to drink again. For some people that might mean having 4 West Coast Coolers, dancing on a table and showing your knickers to strangers, for others that might mean drinking so much you end up in hospital with liver damage. Hopefully it doesnt come to that. Either way, its about learning your limits.

* Go on an overseas holiday WITHOUT your family. Our little monkey will have ample chance to travel overseas with us, since half his family live in the UK! But travelling with friends or a partner is a totally different experience. And travelling in general is definitely going to be encouraged in our house!

When I posed this question on facebook, travel came up a few times (including via student exchange, something I wish I had done myself!) but a few more general comments came up as well.

My gorgeous friend Candice at Measuring Out My Life With Coffee Spoons made the comment:

"I always come back to advice about making decisions that are right for you rather than what other people says is right for you. And about making your own mistakes."

I think this sums up a huge part of what I want for my little monkey. To make his own mistakes and not to regret them, to learn from them and move on. And for him to take any opportunities that he wants to take and to do so with gusto.

What experiences would you want your kids to go through, to shape the people they become? What experiences that you had as a teen and young adult do you think shaped you as a person? And is there anything you wish you'd done that you chose not to or never got the chance to do?

(Mine is going to Japan to teach English - I had the opportunity but my boyfriend at the time didn't get accepted so I didnt go without him. But even with that I can't regret it as I may not have moved to Sydney and met the Englishman later on.......)

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Signature Outfit - Winter

Yesterday, I read this post by Mrs Woog. Her innate sense of style inspired me to share my own Signature outfit.

My outfit is a winter outfit only, although parts of it can be worn in the transitional seasons also. It is a fairly new outfit (2010-2012) but this is because previously, I did not have an outfit for the occaision of "not leaving the house today/now I'm home". And THIS is because previously, I simply wore my pyjamas during these periods of time - Satin pjs are the most comfortable piece of clothing on the planet as far as I am concerned!

Ongoing requests that I not put my pj's on as soon as I get home from my Englishman have created a gap in my wardrobe which I have filled over the past 2 winters, and this is the result:




FIRST - THE UNDERLAYER.

I like my clothes to match so imagine my delight when I came across this wonderful ensemble! Wildcats indeed. It had been quite a few years since I owned a tracksuit (don't ask me why, I really don't understand it myself) and this was the perfect pair to re-introduce myself to the wonders of fleece and hoods.
This was purchased about 2 years ago while living in our previous unit - top floor with lots of windows and air con that would trip the circuit, requiring a phone call to Energy Australia to get into the room downstairs and flick a switch. Hence, the need for warmth, comfort and something that doesnt quite look like pyjamas.
When its really cold, I add a singlet a la Supre or a grey 'Cheetahs' tshirt to this outfit, which fits with the underlayer theme of 'slightly feminine sounding animals as mascots for ficticious sporting teams'.

NEXT - FOOT UNDERLAYER
In keeping again with the feline theme, these little beauties were shipped back from the UK in my last visit to the 'Motherland' (thankyou, TopShop). In fact, they were replacements for the previous pack of 3 bought a few years prior which are still in rotation but looking a bit sad.
Really, how can you resist thick, warm socks with Hello Kitty all over them? The colours aren't a great match for the tracksuit (Blue, Brown or Blue-and-white) but hey, you can't have everything, right?


FINALLY - THE OUTERLAYER and FOOTWEAR

These are only a recent purchase and one that I am thoroughly pleased with. I believe I have many, many years of comfort ahead of me!
This particular set may still be available at your local shop that starts with a big 'K' and includes pyjamas (tshirt and long pants) which don't feature here because frankly, my tracksuit from the shop with the bit red spot is MUCH better.
As I mentioned before, I like my clothes to match. And while my Underlayer doesnt match the Outerlayer, I'm still very happy. Purple being my favourite colour, I'm even more pleased!
Did you notice this dressing gown, like the underlayer, also has a hood? Double warmth for the head if I need to duck outside for some reason. The minky softness of this layer is its biggest drawcard, and the slipper/bedsocks even have grip on the base!
It is also important to note that a dressing gown is adjustable in size, and as I am currently looking like this:

 and still 3 months to go! Adjustability is important.

I will lament the day my Wildcats Hoodie no longer stretches over my bulbous stomach - not quite sure how I will replace this important piece without throwing the balance of the outfit off altogether.....

What is your signature outfit? Blog about it and link to me (or Mrs Woog) or just comment and let me know!


Wednesday, July 11, 2012

More than halfway there....

I've been quiet on the blog front lately: too busy soaking up this whole 'pregnancy experience' I think!
I've been a lucky lady so far as I've had very few issues. No morning sickness, just constant nausea for about 2 weeks and random nausea for a few weeks either side. I've had a bit of indigestion and reflux but very rare. The worst and most constant symptoms I've had are congestion and tiredness. The tiredness has not gone away as promised, though winter always makes me tired anyway.

This weekend we are off to Fiji for a Babymoon! Though the term Babymoom always confuses me: Honeymoons happen after the wedding so shouldn't Babymoons happen after the baby?

Anyway- its our last holiday as a 'Two' for a while and I'm really looking forward to it. Heat, water, yummy food and relaxation with the Englishman, doesn't get much better than that!!

Oh and did I mention we're having a boy? The Englishman is very excited!!

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

New Bump Photos - Weeks 12 - 16

So a few weeks ago a posted my 'Bump' photos so far.


Here's an update:


Week 12 - where we last left off


Week 13....


Week 14....



Week 15.....



Week 16!

A work friend commented that I was looking 'slimmer' even though I've developed a bump....and I don't seem to have put any weight on scales-wise, which was worrying me....then I had a little think and realised that as soon as I became pregnant, I cut out a whole calorie food group - alcohol! So now it all makes sense...cutting out 3-4 glasses of wine most nights has allowed more room for food :-)

When did you start putting on weight in earnest? Was it different for different pregnancies?

Saturday, June 2, 2012

I Like Nice Things

I like nice things. I do! I really, really do. I'm not just talking about 'regular nice' either - I'm talking slightly more fancy nice. I've gotten a taste for it too.

Since moving to Sydney, meeting my Englishman and combining our financial resources, the attainability of said 'nice things' has been, well, attainable. Add to that the fact that the Englishman likes nice things too and you have a recipe for indulgence.....

I like to think I have some restraint when it comes to spending money on the finer things in life - I don't go out and splurge all the time, in fact most of the 'nice' things I have are presents from the Englishman or friends and family. I actually still find it hard to go out myself and justify the spend. I think it's the 'poor uni student' in me ;)

There are some smaller 'nice things' that I dont feel too bad about spending more on. In particular, I LOVE to have nice smelly things to wash in, and Crabtree and Evelyn is my favourite! I have a thing for lavender but rose, vanilla and a bunch of other scents are also on the list. I love to have beautiful smelling soaps and shower gels to wash in, and yummy moisturisers to lather myself in afterwards (when I can be bothered).

More and more, I like to spend a little more money on nice wines to drink (well, not so much at the moment!). It's taking a while as again, I have the 'poor uni student' mentality that involves the idea that 'you dont need to spend more than $15 max on a bottle of wine to get a good one, and really, you should be able to get something good for about $10'. We have started going to dinner at our friends D&D's house on a regular basis though, and they like good wine and really appreciate it, too. So when we go there we make the effort to spend a little more and are finding the quality is often MUCH better.

In the same vein, I really enjoy going out for a fancy meal now and then. Not all the time, but just every so often. My Englishman and I started a tradition a few years ago of booking a 'fancy restaurant' for each others' birthdays each year, so we end up going out for a fancy meal every 6 months. We've been to places like Rockpool, Aria, Red Lantern, and most recently, Marque. It all started with Bill's restaurant in Surry Hills and we end up back at Bills more often as its nowhere near as expensive but still lovely!

My other favourite 'nice things' are presents that I treasure and use all the time - my Oroton wallet that's 3 years old and looks almost new, my pearl and diamond-chip earrings that were a graduation present from my parents, my diamond necklace from the Englishman, my Mimco clutch that the lovely C&D gave me for my 30th, my Tiffany bracelet my Úni Girls gave me for the same, my Oroton brolly, my French Connection winter coat....

I think the best thing about these 'nice things' is that they are classic, good quality, and they last. I use them all the time and as long as I look after them, they stay in good condition. It makes the cost worthwhile.

I guess the reason I am thinking about this now is that with the impending arrival of the "monkey monkey" I am aware that the attainability of these nice things won't be quite the same. Dinners at fancy restaurants, at least for the next 12 months, will be a little too difficult to navigate with a small child. Expensive presents from the Englishman (and for him as well) won't be quite so expensive. And we will have to a be a bit more careful about what we decide to spend good money on when it comes to wines and luxury items.

No longer being 'DINKs' is going to affect our lifestyle - but I think I'm ok with that. I know it will be worth it, to have a little person around to take up all my time, to love and to look after instead.

And when I do get the opportunity to have/experience/eat/drink nice things, I will appreciate them all the more!

Sunday, May 20, 2012

What a Week! And Pregnancy word vomit :P

This week has been HUGE! Since Monday, I’ve visited a friend and her 2 week old baby, watched my Englishman become an Australian, spent a day in the vineyards with a bunch of wonderful friends and had lunch with my Mum’s entire family to celebrate Nan and Pop’s Birthdays! Add to that the drive to Newcastle and back, some minor housework and a big grocery shop, and I’m stuffed!

Highlights of this week include:

Finding out about a few more pregnancies – sorry everyone but my lips are (better) sealed this time!

Having a dance with my ‘Uni Girls’ at Lovedale – LOVE!


Seeing one friend’s teeny tiny baby and having a nurse of my cousin’s little one, Grace

Watching my lovely, handsome Englishman make a pledge to be Australian, get his certificate and sing (well, try to!) the National Anthem for his first time as an Aussie J



Seeing all of my Mum’s family come together to celebrate some special birthdays. Our Pop recently had to move into a nursing home, a choice no one wanted to make and one that Pop was (and is) very unhappy with. But I think he had a good day, he smiled and laughed, chatted to everyone, had a lovely sit in the sun and his eyes just lit up when I brought little Grace over to him. He also loved my cousin’s dog, Scruffy, who came along and provided some entertainment too!

Lastly – I booked into the hospital and met my midwife, Rose, this week. She was lovely and friendly and informative and smart and I felt really happy when I left the hospital. I’m feeling quite confident with my choice to go with the Midwife Program and hope that the experience is as good as I’ve heard.

On a side note – I’m finding out the further I get into this pregnancy (and I’m still only 14 weeks in people!!) that everyone who has ever had a baby has something to tell you about pregnancy . Sometimes it’s practical advice, sometimes it’s ‘things that worked for me’, sometimes it’s opinions on what you should or shouldn’t (will or won’t) ‘need’ for baby, and sometimes it’s about what it’ll be like once the baby arrives – how hard it’s going to be, or how hard it could be.

The only thing I’m finding really hard to take is the horror stories about ‘the first 6 months’. I KNOW it’s going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done, I KNOW I’ll feel more tired than I ever thought possible, I KNOW that I might even feel like giving Baby back at some point! And I know that despite all my own thoughts and feelings and hopes, it may be made even harder by a dozen other possible factors like colic, reflux, post natal depression, problems with breastfeeding, mastitis, and other things that don’t even bear thinking about.

 BUT, I will NOT understand ANY of this properly UNTIL I DO IT MYSELF.

In the meantime, reality stories just freak me out. My emotional-pregnant brain cannot handle hearing negative ‘whatifs’ and really, there’s nothing I can do about any of that stuff right now except have supports around me ready and know what numbers to call.

I LOVE that everyone wants to help and give advice and ideas – I feel so supported and loved and cared for! But please, no more horror stories!

Phew. I feel better now.

ooh - and here's week 13's 'Bump' photo :-)



*Please note, this post is not aimed at anyone – it’s been building for a little while and I just really needed to vent! I feel very lucky to have some many lovely friends and family who want to help me and appreciate every bit of it. Every.Bit. xoxoxo

Monday, May 14, 2012

Obligatory Bump Photos

Soooo I have already started taking 'bump' photos.


Being pregnant and starting a family is something I have been looking forward to for a loooonnggg time, so I guess I wanted to make sure I captured every 'moment' for posterity. Even though looking at the photos so far I can't see much difference from Week 5 to Week 12, I'm hoping it'll be worth it.


SO - here's the deal:


Every Wednesday morning, before I have a shower, I get out of bed and take a photo in the mirror of my 'bump'.


Until last Wednesday, I had been using the mirror to get the 'perfect shot' but my Englishman pointed out that my iPhone can do self takes and wouldn't this give a better shot? For starters, the smartphone wouldn't be in the picture. der.

Here are Weeks 5 to 12:


Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 9 (Week 8 is missing - not sure why...)

Week 10

 
Week 11
Week 12 (I swear the self take feature makes it look so much worse!)



Did you take photos of your 'bump' when pregnant? When did you start taking photos?

Thursday, May 10, 2012

The Word is Out! The Journey So Far......

So.......ever since the little white stick showed two lines I've been BUSTING to tell the world....then not wanting anyone to know 'in case something went wrong'.......then wanting to tell everyone again.....that I'm pregnant and me and the Englishman are expecting a baby!


Yep - 2 lines means 'pregnant'. :-)

I'll try not to go on too much but I guess I want to blog about the journey so far, so I can remember it and so I can tell the 'monkey monkey' about it one day.

Having a baby is something I have wanted for a very long time, but it had never been the 'Right Time' before. By the 'Right Time' I mean a few things - the right time in my life, the right time in my relationship with the right person, and the right time for my 'right person' as well.
After I turned 30 in December last year, and knowing that me and my right person had been talking about starting a family soon anyway, I decided enough was enough and I was going off the pill. In a fit of "I'm a grown up and I can do what I want to" feelings, I declared this decision to my Englishman, stating, "If you dont want a baby yet, YOU can sort that out." My Englishman, bless his heart, turned around and said, "well, I was going to suggest we start trying in the New Year so I guess this is ok".

I was already December 20. Not very long to wait anyway!

Thus ensued the excitement and apprehension of waiting, trying, thinking, trying some more and waiting again. I made an appointment to see my GP, told a few close friends what was happening and the Englishman and I got 'busy'. Getting busy is fun! ;-)

In February, the Englishman's parents came to stay and I thought that I might have been preggers. No such luck but it dominated a lot of our short holiday with them - lots of testing and thinking and second guessing, until it turned out that after 10 or so years on the pill, my body was just having some trouble readjusting to 'normal cycles'.

Around the middle of March, I had a couple of dizzy spells and was a little late, so thought I better do a test. Lo and behold - 2 pink lines!! We were both thrilled and very excited - happy dances and tears galore!

My GP suggested an early scan and I was more than happy to oblige - I was feeling very normal, no morning sickness and other than a bit of tiredness and the dizzy spells, I felt fine. We went for a scan on the 8 week mark and it was lovely - so good to see the little bean (or 'monkey monkey') growing away with a sweet little heartbeat we could see but not hear yet.

From 8 weeks onwards I have had some nausea but no vomiting (thank goodness!) I had a good month of tiredness but that seems to have abated now. As long as I make sure to eat regularly, I feel ok and as long as I don't rush around too much things stay pretty ok.

We have slowly told friends and family since we found out at 5 weeks and everyone has been so excited for us! My favourite reaction was my Mum - who screamed and ran around from the kitchen to give me a massive hug - she swears she was putting it on because I was 'expecting' a big reaction but I know she's been waiting for a grandchild for a long time (probably as long as I have been waiting to give her one!).

Our other favourite was tricking the Englishman's family and friends, as we happened to call them on April Fool's Day to tell them and as the Englishman is notorious for playing jokes (did you know Bruce Forsyth died?), they didnt know whether to believe him. His best mate, Davin, waited until after midday UK time before he even replied to the message!

It has also been lovely to find out along the way about a few gorgeous friends who are also expecting. The day of my 8 week scan I was sitting at work, wanting to tell a good friend but not knowing how (the difficulties of open plan offices!) when she came around to my desk to tell me she had just found out she was expecting! It was just perfect timing and so I have a lovely friend to share my journey with at work.


There are also a few close friends and family who are expecting in the coming months, and after 'facebook announcing', another friend messaged to let me know she is also expecting, and her due date is the day before mine!

Today, we went for our 12 week scan and it was magical. Unfortunately, my Englishman has been ill with the flu for 6 days so wasn't feeling the best, but he made it to the scan and I"m so glad he did. We heard the heartbeat, got to see the arms, legs, brain, stomach, bladder, and cute little nose. It's amazing to think that it's growing away inside me!




So that is the journey so far, in a nutshell. There is so much more to come and now that the gag is off, I might feel more motivated to blog more often. It's all very exciting!

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

New Dress

I got a new dress on the weekend!

It's a work dress but it's still exciting.

You know that feeling you get from wearing a good quality dress that's well cut and fits perfectly?

That feeling is going to get me through work today- after a naughty Monday night out last night with two wonderful friends.

It was totally worth it! And wearing my new dress will help!

Monday, March 12, 2012

A nice little present

My Englishman bought me a little present yesterday. It's small, practical, pretty and I was in need of a new one.

I have also lost one similar before so would not have expected to get another.

At least this one fits in my handbag (but only just today!)

Can you see what it is?

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Kitty Love

I'm hanging out at my sister's house this morning. She and her husband have the most beautiful cat! Her name is Mia.
Mia has grown into her markings and is the kind of cat who loves to have a lap to sit in.
She is also a little psycho at times and will attack boxes, hair elastics and the corner of the hallway!
Her best trick is to play 'fetch' with a hair elastic. She doesn't always bring the elastic straight back as she gets distracted and bats it around, but she does bring it back for you to throw pretty consistently!
And unlike many dogs, she doesn't try to snatch it back when you go to pick it up!
Right now, Mia is settled on my legs. She is soft and warm and not too heavy.
Aaaahhhh, kitty love!!

Friday, February 3, 2012

What a lot of worrying.....


When I was younger, I was very good and not worrying or stressing about stuff.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more and more of a worrier. My Mum always used to talk about how she would wake up at 4am worrying about something and not be able to go back to sleep. I’m not quite at that stage yet but I have been known to wake myself up around 5am with a worrying thought and be unable to get back into Deep Sleep afterwards…

When I look back, I did used to worry about stuff but I was just good at letting it go, especially to go to sleep. These days, worrying and being stressed and anxious seems to affect my sleep a lot (that, and sleeping with The Englishman, who is a light sleeper who can’t handle noises and cannot turn over quietly and easily in bed!). It’s one thing I really dislike – losing sleep, or at least not getting good quality sleep, in the name of things I cannot do anything about.

Normally its just work stress but at the moment I have a bunch of other things rolling around in my head. I’ve been holding on to them since at least Sunday, which is unusual. Normally by now the Englishman would have asked me what was wrong and managed to get me to have a really good cry about it and feel a bit better and less stressed.

The Englishman has asked me a few times, but he’s currently dealing with his own stressors (serious work stress, plus his parents visiting us) so I haven’t wanted to dump on him…. And I knew he wasn’t really up for dealing with me having a cry and needing support because he hadn’t insisted on me telling him what the problem was. He usually insists to the point where he gets angry and this week, he hasn’t. He’s had too much going on himself and he’s really needed me to take care of things at home and also be able to listen to his problems. Neither of which I’ve really managed to do.

What I have managed to do is keep the house to a minimum level of tidy/clean, cook some dinner tonight, NOT yell or get angry when he threw a tantrum at the shops and walked out, and when he said he really needed to sleep after listening to me finally tell him some of what’s been worrying me and start to cry, let him sleep and come out here to the lounge and type this blog entry instead. Because otherwise I would have kept him awake while I tried to stop bawling my eyes out ! Coming out here and typing this has helped a little already and I know eventually I’ll get my cry and my proper hug and I’ll feel better. Just not today.

Anyway, this entry is a little bleak so apologies to whoever reads it! There is nothing seriously bad going on, just a few extra things to worry about. And with In-Laws staying, non-stop weekend plans, work stress and yucky weather, its just gotten on top of us at the moment.

I know we’ll get through and things will get a little better (especially once we sort out a new fridge – GAH!) but right now I just wish I was still good at putting my worries aside at bedtime.

Fingers crossed I’ll drift off a little easier now……… -_-  zzzzzzzz