Wandering Saffa Chick

Your Royal Fix

2012-01-18T09:00:00.003+11:00

Because I can't give my Dad a hug, plenty of pics ;-)

King supervising the hanging of laundry on the back deck.

Having a big splash in the baby bath - he's almost too big for it!

Tummy Time.

In the bouncer - King loves this thing! He will bounce for ages and I keep finding him asleep in it - the only time he'll ever go to sleep on his own. The trick is to lift out the limp heavy fella and get him to bed without him waking too much!

Gotta lurve the sunnies! We get comments from everyone when she wears them. This is also Princess' fake camera smile...

A very ladylike babychino - she didn't spill a drop!

In the park sandpit.

Operation Bumwatch: Fail

2012-01-17T15:53:00.002+11:00

I'm mulling over a post concerning the passing of one of my Dad's brothers last week and the recent diagnosis of cancer in another... but the meantime here's one about wee and poo!

So, the toilet training totally didn't work. The object of the exercise was for Princess to understand that she needed to tell me she needed a wee. She has such great communication skills that I really wasn't expecting a problem...

Princess got to the point where she'd hold a wee for ages, getting really squirmy, then she'd stand on her head to watch it come out. No amount of encouraging her to tell us, asking her if she needed a wee, or dancing and chocolate if we caught some in the potty made any impression. The closest we came to her telling us about her wee was a delighted "Oooo Puddle!" if we missed the event.

After 3 days cooped up indoors watching her little bare bum like a hawk, hoiking her onto a potty mid-wee, and mopping up wee and poo, I was shattered! It was a relief to put her nappy back on and allow her back onto laps and soft furnishings, and to let her roam off out of sight.

To be honest, she probably wasn't ready for this style of toilet training. She doesn't mind a full to leaking nappy and never tells me when she's doing a poo. On the positive side she doesn't mind sitting on the potty and if we get the timing right she'll happily wee and poo there.

My options now are either to mix nappies and potty training - taking her to the potty at set times during the day, or to leave it and try the bare bum thing again in a few weeks. I'll think about it... right now I'm not in the mood for anything potty-related!

Operation Bumwatch

2012-01-15T06:55:00.003+11:00

We are on day 3 of attempting "3 Day Toilet Training" with Princess.

*sigh*

The theory is: you let your kid go bare below the waist, feed them lots of fluids, keep an eagle eye on them to catch the signs that they are about to wee etc, and whisk them onto the potty/loo when they start. If any wee actually makes it into the receptacle there is celebrating and rewards. By day 3 your toddler should recognise the need to wee and will tell you in time to avoid accidents. Nappies are still used during sleep.

Milord took time off work and turned down golf to help me.

It is dawn on day 3, Princess will be awake soon, and I have serious doubts that we will have any success by the end of today. I'm pretty sure that she is getting to know the feeling of a bladder/bowel about to let go, but it just seems to fascinate her more than anything: we know something is immanent when she stands on her head to watch it happen!

It is doing my head in and thank heavens we don't have carpet.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-06T13:25:00.004+11:00

Nearly a week late... RuralChick and her family decided to cancel their New Year's plans and stay home, so we stayed on with them until after New Year.

It was a lovely change of scene, but we were all utterly exhausted and very happy to come home on Monday - sharing a room with both kids and no curtains means that every day begins at dawn. Which is at 5am if you were wondering. While King usually wakes for a feed about then, Princess normally sleeps until 7am. Not with the sun up and Mummy feeding King she doesn't! Then of course it is still broad daylight at 7pm when Princess goes to bed, so she plays in the cot until it is dark. And day naps are pretty short too...

King can sleep anywhere, but an abundance of cuddly adults and playful children meant that he had very little chillout time while awake and he got steadily more twitchy.

Princess can't sleep through Milord's snoring and screams like monsters are in the room, so he got evicted and slept on couches and in kid's beds.

I merely had to deal with double dawn starts and later nights than usual, plus very little solitude - without which I too get somewhat twitchy after a while!

Having said that, I didn't have to cook or clean for a week which was lovely! Milord had friends to stay up late with, King charmed everyone and Princess was overwhelmed with toys and exploring.

It was surprisingly cold - the whole of December has been cool, and at RuralChick's elevation it rarely broke 20C during the day and I had the kids rugged up for winter at night! I didn't mind, but it was nice to come home to warmer weather... much warmer weather!

We've been home 4 nights and are all just about caught up on sleep (well, as much as you can with a 4-month-old!).

Today King had a checkup and his 4-month vaccinations... he was really good and hardly cried, and Princess took no notice at all - I had been more worried about her than him! King is 8.5kg - that's just about off the scale! His height is also nearly off the scale, so he's a proportional Big Boy which is ok. "He's thriving nicely" says the doctor. Oh, yes indeedy!

King sleeps an 8 to 10 hour stretch at night now, and beginning to settle earlier and earlier - he is usually asleep by 9pm. While this means his dawn feeds can be quite early, it is very nice to have kid-free time in the evening! King is a great smiler and started chuckling a couple of weeks ago which is adorable. He gets lots of tickles because I love hearing him giggle!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T14:45:00.003+11:00

We are having a lovely quiet Christmas Day. Santa brought biltong which goes very nicely with champagne... It is sunny and breezy and warm, the Greeks next door are barbequing and playing their music and we could be on holiday in the Greek Isles.

This morning Princess woke to a heap of presents under the tree and by the fifth one totally had the hang of ripping wrapping paper. She even got to unwrap the pressies for King, Milord and me, and was very gracious about passing along the contents after a little testing.

We have skyped all the family around the world who have broadband, and I'll ring my sis in South Africa once it is morning there. I am a new skype convert - my Mom and my Dad and my SIL were all able to chat and watch us open presents almost as if they were here.

The ballerina dress is from my SIL. It is glittery. So are we now. So is the house.

Christmas dinner will be timed for about 5pm, which is Princess' dinnertime and we will all eat together - should be fun, we never eat dinner together! I'm doing roast chicken with a red wine and rosemary jus, roast baby potatoes and roast sweet potato, brussels sprouts and carrots. yum.

May you have a wonderful time with people you love over Christmas too.

Your Royal Fix

2011-12-22T18:27:00.006+11:00

Where'd the last 3 weeks go?

I've been a bit blah. The Groundhog-Day thing of babies and housework sometimes gets me down, and while I'm enjoying Christmas for Princess' sake it does make normal shopping stressful. Plus schools are out so everywhere is full of big kids who don't take care around toddlers, and the usual toddler activities are suspended until the new school year so we're stuck at home. Friends are busy and family is distant, husbands snore in the few hours of the night I am allowed to sleep, and it keeps raining.

Bah Humbug.

Actually things are pretty good. Princess is bright, articulate and funny, and King sleeps an 8 hour stretch most nights and is full of endearingly wonky smiles. Milord and I are rubbing along fine.

My kids have only 2 (much older) cousins, which is a shame as I have oodles of cousins close to my age and it's great. On the upside all my cousins are currently having kids so Princess and King have lots of second cousins their age. 21-year-old Cousin A was in Sydney (from Brisbane) for work experience for a couple of days and dropped by for dinner. She's lovely:

And this is 14-year-old Cousin S who was in town a few months back and stayed over for a night. She lovely too, just rather... 14... and nearly got a clip round the earhole from me when she got cranky with my toddler:

You wouldn't think they're related would you? Milord's sister married a man of Italian descent and their girls have taken those genes, while my kids are so fair they're practically translucent!

I put up the Christmas tree the other day, with a little "help" from Princess! She's pretty good with it especially now that I've shown her how to take the ornaments off without breaking them...

King watches us in bemusement...

The King

2011-12-03T18:14:00.003+11:00

King is 3 months old. He's usually a really cheerful little chap and has started happily cooing and gurgling to us. I have a feeling he's going to be as vocal as his sister!

He's a big lad. He weighed 7kg and was 63cm tall a week or so ago, which puts him at the 90th percentile of the "normal" range. At the same age Princess was 5.5kg.

Most nights King settles around 9pm and only wakes once for a feed. His day naps don't have much of a pattern, but this could be because Princess' needs often come first so we are out and about a fair bit. Luckily King loves being out and moving in the car/pram/carrier! He sleeps or watches the world go by.

King adores his Big Sister. Which is a good thing because she enjoys stroking his head and "kissing" him (touching noses is how she kisses us).

Our only concern is his wonky mouth... When he was born we were told he had a skew jaw from how he'd been lying inside me, and it'd come right. 2 months later it still hadn't, so I went back to the pediatrician. Now it seems King may be missing the nerve that controls the cheek muscles on one side... so when he cries or smiles his mouth doesn't pull back on the left. He also has no dimple or nose-to-mouth grooves on that side.

(I've been told to document his facial movements when crying and smiling to see if there is change - I don't usually photo my kids crying!)

The bad news is that it won't get better.

The good news is that it won't affect his speech or eating, and someday we could try a surgical workaround. It's also not as bad as it could be - he can close his eye and furrow his brow and he does smile a little on the left...

Isn't that a gorgeous smile? How much more gorgeous would it be if it wasn't wonky?

*sigh* I shall just have to get over myself and accept that my boy has a skew smile. Yes yes whatever, but my child shouldn't be wonky!

I'm being tested!

2011-12-02T07:52:00.002+11:00

Things you don't really want to happen when you are handling your kids solo:

1. Princess doing a huge poo in the bath. Even though I was in the bathroom I was busy with King and didn't notice until the water was all brown. And she was drinking it! *shudder* I hate potty training.

2. A huge wasp invades the living room (I'm allergic to bees and terrified of wasps). Turns out it was after the enormous spider!!! Luckily both kids were elsewhere... I drenched the spider in bugspray (I think it was already paralysed, but I wasn't taking any chances) and then emptied half a tin towards the wasp who thankfully flew out the door. Then I flicked the spider out too. I hope the wasp doesn't come back looking for it! (Hey cuz, I thought of you - remember when I stayed over and your fella was out and we dealt with a great big spider?!)

3. King stops settling at 9pm and instead screams until 10:30pm. Then wakes twice in the night instead of once. Then does a huge poo at dawn so only goes back to sleep as Princess wakes up. God I'm tired.

2 nights to go... heeeeelp!

Solo Parenting

2011-11-30T19:35:00.005+11:00

Milord is away for 4 nights on business. I was so intimidated by this idea that I rang up RuralChick and organised to go and stay with her. She is also on her own all week with 2 (older) kids. We planned to put up her Christmas tree and to bake cookies, and it would have been great fun. RuralChick adores babies so would enjoy handling King, and her daughter would have enjoyed playing with Princess. I was going to cook a couple of meals and drink a lot of wine!

Sadly RuralChick's kids have both come down with a nasty virus (which might even be whooping cough!) so I'm not going - it would be simply idiotic to knowingly expose my little ones to that sort of thing.

Last night was night 1. I got through it with a fair amount of wine...

The hardest part is managing bathtime and storytime, because I need my hands (and body) free to manage Princess in and out of the water and into her PJs. Then I need a certain amount of silence in which to read a book! *sigh* It was not much fun, and I may have skipped a few pages [chapters] of whatever I was trying to read with a squalling son in one arm. Then dinner was just too difficult to attempt with King being very unsettled - I had a couple of bowls of chips.

I miss my husband just because I love him of course, but having that extra pair of hands to tag-team the grumbling baby is what I really miss!

King finally fell asleep at 10pm, I had an apple to clear my palate, tidied up a bit and crashed into bed and slept quite well until 5am when King woke. He went back to sleep at 6am and I managed a bit more sleep myself until both kids woke at 7am.

I'm pretty weary, but it could be worse.

This afternoon I will knock up a risotto so that I have something easy to eat with one hand tonight. And I may skip Princess' bath.

3 nights to go...

Update: it is 10pm and King has finally settled. We were doing great until 6:30pm and then he just went mental... hungry but not wanting milk, tired but unable to sleep, scream scream scream (not unusual but pretty rough alone). At 8:30 I just put him in his cot and went off to pick up toys and wash dishes with the scream scream scream coming down the passage... At 9 he finally conked out whimpering in my arms, and at 9:15 I changed his nappy and got a bottle into him and now he is sleeping like an angel.

I need a hug.

I've just poured the last of the bottle of wine and got out some chocolate, and am going to sit quietly with my book for a little while before crashing into my blissfully huge and empty bed!

The risotto was an inspired idea - Princess loved it (risotto's pretty good for a toddler determined to work the spoon herself as it's sticky) and at least I've had a proper dinner tonight albeit eaten standing and rocking the baby. Bacon and broccoli risotto (plus capsicum, carrot and zucchini because Princess and I need a veggie boost) - very yum!

The Princess

2011-11-28T20:02:00.011+11:00

I'm working on a post about the King, so in the meantime here is a post about my Princess!

Princess is a delight. Bright, funny and very sweet. She counts to 20 easily, strings long sentences, and understands choice and negotiation. "Would you like x or y?" "If you wee on the potty you can have a sweetie." "Finish your broccoli and then you can get down."

Edit: That's finger paint on her face. She is grubby not hurt!

Princess has now "fallen in love" with her baby brother. She says "Hi James!" when she sees him and wants to gently touch him and hold his hand. She tells people he is her "Baby Brother!" and lets me know that he is crying/sleeping/yawning etc.

Princess already has the hang of Daddy's iPad. Seriously.

Working on her Emo look already...

Princess is fascinated with water. We let her "Play Puddles" on the side deck.

I go to a few playgrounds and playgroups and Princess is really good around other kids. Actually she mostly ignores them, but I prefer that to the hitting/snatching/pushing stuff I see the others doing.

While Princess still isn't quite walking she can stand alone for short periods and can walk across our lounge (from Mummy to the sweetie on the couch). I think it is now a matter of confidence. I've seen her recover her balance surprisingly well sometime - she just has to do it all the time!

Here comes BatGirl!

Watch out world!

First Cold

2011-11-24T06:29:00.004+11:00

It's 5am. We are having a horrible night. Again. Poor King has caught his first cold and is a bit snotty and can't breathe properly. I think he may have been coming down with it for a few days because we've been having rotten nights for the last few. Where he was sleeping an 8 hour stretch and only waking just before dawn he's now up twice in the middle of the night and very grumbly the rest of the time.

This is the only place King can sleep. I'm not very good at sleeping upright myself, so I might as well blog... it's one of the easier things I can do with 7kg of boy strapped to my front!

The poor little mite caught his cold off me. I've been a bit uck since Sunday, and although I now feel better I've got an irritating cough. So he's got that to look forward to too!

In the meantime we're treating him with paracetamol, nose drops and a snot sucker. It is enjoyed as much as you might imagine!

Post-baby Body

2011-11-18T11:10:00.004+11:00

Here I am again with a post-baby body. *sigh*

I seem to be stronger and have less aches and pains than last time. I guess the constant toddler wrangling pre and post King have kept me sort of fit! My arms are certainly extremely strong from all the lifting I do.

My belly is flabby, but I'm having trouble finding a moment for a set of ab exercises. Princess thinks Mummy lying on the floor is an invitation to play, and I don't often get to put King down during her naptime. Even if I do manage 15 mins of kid-free time, I tend to use it to accomplish tasks that are difficult with a child attached! And while King would be happy to be pushed along in the pram all day, Princess wants to get down to play and explore, so long walks are rare.

One thing I can try to control is my intake. Now that breastfeeding is a distant memory I'm having to deal with a very slow metabolism... I wonder if this is my body's way of conserving fat stores as a new mother? I'm sure I lost fat easier than this before I had kids!

On the upside, I am the same weight I was when I got pregnant with King so I have already lost that baby weight. Now I just need to lost the 4kg I am still carrying from Princess... not a huge amount right?

I had a small weight gain last week and decided to take action! No booze until I get under 74kg. I thought this would be an easy achievement before the weekend, but alas! it seems I will not be having any wine tonight. Unless I have a stupendous bowel movement before then... but that's a bit too much information!

Weight: 74.5kg
Goal: 70kg
NO BOOZE OVER 74kg!

Wish me luck!

Ooh! Ooh! I just stepped on the scale, and somewhere this morning I've lost over half a kilo without anything stupendous happening - I must have had water bloating! 73.8kg - I can have wine this weekend yippeee! (yes yes, but it's my only fun thing ok)

Your Royal Fix

2011-11-12T15:17:00.004+11:00

King in his Bumbo chair. He lasts about 10 minutes while slowly wilting to the side...

He is a lot more comfy supervising the kitchen from his playmat!

Princess has to try everything too of course (she also lies in the playmat sometimes).

Princess loves painting and drawing, which is great because so do I and it's brilliant on a wet or too-hot day. And I can do it with King in a carrier or in one arm if necessary!

Also pencils.

And marker pens. Yes, she appears to be left handed - we don't know where that's come from!

When drawing gets dull we might mess with stickers.

...or we can just play with the pen lids!

OMG! Busy

2011-11-10T20:13:00.003+11:00

K[l]ing[on] doesn't like sleeping anywhere except on Mummy or moving in the pram during the day. After a feed he's happy to play on his mat for about 15 minutes and that's when I run around like a nutter showering, dressing, cleaning, making food or trying to give Princess a bit of Quality Time. Then I have to pick him up again...

Oy.

And No I can't leave him to "settle on his own" - he just screams more and more and more, turning deeper shades of sweaty purple until I finally cuddle him and he snorts and whimpers and hiccups and sobs and I feel like the world's worst mother.

He's sleeping well at night though - he went for 8 hours last night! So I can't really complain. It's just impossible to get anything else done until Milord gets home and takes turns carrying the little guy.

Princess is now getting jealous I think. She wants her Mummy to be able to read/play/puthimdownalready! and when I can't she makes mischief, knowing I can't easily stop her!

It's all a bit... tiring? Stressful? Annoying? But we're OK ;-)

My Dad... is not OK. The growth they cut out is nasty, and that's the second nasty in his abdomen in 2 years and so... well... not a good thing. He's being ever so brave and positive and he feels Fine Really! and doesn't want to talk about it. Which I can relate to.

Milord lost his mum not that long ago to serial cancers though, and he's encouraging me to hop on a plane and go visit Dad while he's still himself before any chemotherapy. If it wasn't for money/kids etc I'd be on my way already! And of course Dad insists he's Fine Really! and I shouldn't come...

We shall see. Milord has offered to take leave and stay home with the kids and we're about to remortgage the house for a bit of cashflow, so perhaps visiting my Dad would be a pleasure all round?

It's taken several broken hours to write this, and now everyone except me is in bed... must go sleeeeeep! photos some other time ...byeeee!

8 Weeks

2011-10-25T14:30:00.003+11:00

King is 8 weeks old and it's the magic number!

He sleeps for a 7 hour stretch most nights and only wakes up for one night feed, which means Milord and I are starting to feel human again. During the day he's beginning to have longer naps too, so I can actually get stuff done and I can play with Princess who has been ever so patient. She's thrilled to have Mummy reading books and colouring in and doing puzzles again.

Until the afternoon and evening anyway, when King gets unsettled again... but that's getting better although it drives Milord crazy! "Why won't you sleep?! You can't be hungry AGAIN!"

I can remember Princess being the same, so I assume it'll pass in a few more weeks.

King is now taking an interest in his surroundings, and likes sitting in someone's lap watching events. He'll follow a rattle with eyes and head, although it'll be months before he reaches for it. He'll tolerate his playmat for about 10 minutes at a time, and on his tummy he can almost lift his head up. He is giving adorable wonky smiles to his Mummy too (he has a short jaw tendon from how he was lying scrunched up during gestation, but it's getting better).

King seems a happy, placid baby so far. Hooray! I thought for sure I was going to get a manic one after being so lucky with Princess!

As for Princess, today we saw a paediatrician for a checkup to see if there is a physical or neurological reason for her late walking. The doctor couldn't see anything wrong, which is reassuring. She's just not bothered and jolly stubborn about resisting the exercises I'm supposed to put her through! Even chocolate isn't a good enough reason sometimes. I'm lucky she's such a sweetie as she has an iron will!

Milord says the stubborn streak is all him. I say the sweetness is all me!

And as for me - I'm now fed up with my blobby body and have enough energy to contemplate doing something about it! In fact I should be off doing a 10 minute tummy workout now. Hmm. I'm sure you're happier with me blogging, right? Okay then!

My weight has stayed around 74kg since having King. I've stopped breastfeeding at 7 weeks though, so now there is nothing burning my extra calories and I have to cut out snacks and reduce my portions. *sigh* This is surprisingly difficult after being able to eat anything and everything for so long! I'm easing into it...

In case you're wondering - I stopped breastfeeding because just like last time I don't have enough milk, and once I start supplementing my boobs go "phew" and stop producing. So a feed on both boobs has to be followed by a full bottle of formula regardless and a feed takes an hour! I don't have that kind of time, I hate having sore leaky boobs, and breastfeeding didn't really thrill me anyway. 7 weeks is pretty good going to my mind, and it's how long I lasted with Princess too!

Hmm what else? I've just had the Mirena IUD hormone thingy inserted so I'm safe for 5 years. No more kids for me if I can help it!

Oh and... can you all send my Dad good vibes? He's had another growth removed from his innards and we're waiting to hear if it's malignant.

Your Royal Fix

2011-10-15T13:26:00.004+11:00

Still coping... just. King dislikes being put down to sleep - I'm thinking "Klingon" would be a better nickname right now! When I have a free moment I shower or tidy or sleep. Or give Princess some undivided attention! Luckily she's not upset about King always being on Mummy or Daddy, or screaming in the rocker at my feet if I absolutely must have both hands free.

I am typing this post with King sleeping on my shoulder.

I'm fine in myself by the way. No depression or even baby blues - I had such great support in the first month that it was easier than with Princess, and even now Milord tries to be home in time to pick up the slack by Princess' dinnertime.

King had his 6 week check on Monday, and a set of vaccinations. He is 5.5kg and 56cm tall - he's growing like a weed! He's not off the scale, but I think he might be a big boy.

Rugby World Cup - South Africa vs Australia. The Saffa Oz house gets into the spirit! (For those not following the rugby Australia won. tch. Tomorrow Princess will be wearing gold too)

Milord multitasking - minding Princess in her bath and King in his rocker while on the phone to work!

Mummy's on the floor! Attack!

King in rare happy moment off Mummy.

Your Royal Fix

2011-09-28T11:44:00.004+10:00

I'd better blog a couple of things before another week flashes by!

My Mom went home on Saturday, and it's a whole different ball game without her help! Plus I miss her horribly anyway... even Milord was sad to see her go - praise indeed from a son-in-law.

King was 4 weeks old on Monday and 4.4kg. That's a gain of over 1.5kg since we came home! He's a right greedy guts. My boobs are no longer keeping up so he gets a couple of extra bottles a day too now. Thank heavens for formula - we'd both be very unhappy otherwise. He's plumped out beautifully!

He's a "good" baby apart from needing to eat quite often (and OMG the poo! What goes in must come out...). During the day he can be a bit needy and doesn't like being put down, but once he settles in the evening he's a good sleeper. He wakes about every 3 hours for a feed but these are getting faster and he goes right back to sleep so it's not too onerous. I'm getting about 6 hours of broken sleep, which could be worse.

Princess is still not jealous, which is amazing because she doesn't see me without King much! We've had to get used to having him scream a bit while I get on with things - otherwise Princess and I would still be starving in our PJs at midday!

Princess is now 13.2kg by the way, which is bang on average.

Princess has started walking! She'll go for miles holding on with one hand, and has begun launching between someone and the couch with Smarties for encouragement.

I can only credit Mom with this achievement, plus she half potty trained Princess too! I'll continue her good work once I don't have a baby attached constantly...

Right, let's see if I can steal a nap before one of my kids wakes up!

I'm alive

2011-09-17T19:02:00.003+10:00

Just very tired! When I get a couple of hours free I go for a nap... how I am going to cope once Mom goes home next week and there is no one to watch the kids during the day I do not know!

King [James] has finally moved from 2 hourly feeds to 3 hourly feeds during the night. This means I can sleep for stretches of 2 hours rather than the single hour I'd been getting... and it makes a world of difference! Last night I got a total of 7 hours broken sleep and actually feel human. When he starts feeding every 4 hours I'll be invincible ;-).

King is starting to be awake for several hours of the day now, and he stares around taking everything in. Princess seems to be quite taken with her baby brother, and asks where he is if she can't see him. She has to kiss him goodnight at bedtime, and likes rocking his bouncer - although we don't leave her with him unattended of course.

Some photos of ...

2011-09-02T17:23:00.002+10:00

The King? The Duke? The Usurper? His Highness? Il Duce?

He's here!

2011-08-31T21:37:00.002+10:00

James Robert Bl@ckadder arrived on Monday 29 August at 11:37am weighing 3.2kg (7lb).

My labour started with my waters breaking at 2:30am without contractions. At 3:30am I had mild contractions, at 4:30am I was hurting so we went to hospital, at 7am I was 4cm dilated and calling for an epidural, and after that it was plain sailing. James has been a very easy baby so far...

Sorry the announcement has taken so long - we have been having technical difficulties! I still can't get the darn laptop to see the camera but I'll upload pics as soon as I can... He looks just like Princess did except with his Dad's dimples and chin - seriously cute ;-)

My Mom arrived here on Sunday evening (how's that for timing!?) and is taking care of Princess. Princess is having a ball and doesn't seem to mind the new man in Mummy's life! Yet.

We will come home on Friday.

James needs a nickname. Any suggestions?

39 Weeks

2011-08-26T19:24:00.003+10:00

I am now a week more pregnant that I have ever been ;-).

No changes from last week in weight or girth, but I ache much more quickly. A short 5 min walk to the shops requires a sit down before I can head back, and then a lie down before I can function again! My lower back and hips ache like crazy when I walk or stand for longer than half an hour... I presume it's because of all the relaxing hormones in my body affecting the bits that should be supporting the bump but aren't!

I had a bit of false labour very early on Tuesday morning - just painful Braxton Hicks contractions that seemed to be forming a rhythm... when I got up and made a cup of tea at 6am it went away and I've had nothing like that since. Milord is as jumpy as a cat on a hot tin roof - if I get up too violently (and getting out of bed can be a bit jerky as I overcome my inertia) for one of my many night wees I get big eyes looking at me from the other side of the bed in case it's all happening!

2 sleeps until Mom arrives, and then I can really relax about going into labour because I know Princess will be well looked after. I have various friends ready to take Princess but it would be perfect to have Granny looking after Princess at home while we are at the hospital.

That's about it - I don't have the energy for anything else!

New Cupboards!

2011-08-19T13:50:00.004+10:00

A few weeks ago we had new cupboards installed: wardrobes in the master bedroom and an AV cabinet in the lounge. Milord's boss paid for them in lieu of overtime or a bonus. We're very chuffed!

This was the AV cabinet when it was just built... it's a bit of a snarl at the moment while Milord sorts out cables - I'll take another shot when he's finished!

These are our bedroom cupboards - my photo stitching program is having issues, things aren't really so wonky! My bedroom is now very white!

And this is the cot ready and waiting for Zeus in the corner of our room. We'll put up with him for as long as possible before moving him into Princess' room with her... Hopefully about 3 months but who knows!? The cot blocks a set of cupboards so we have stuff in there that we don't need to get at too often. Princess seriously covets the mobile!

I've been following an enormously pregnant with twins Girls Gone Child as she prepares the nursery for her girls... I wish we had a big enough house for me to do this. As it is I've been avoiding doing much with Princess' room because not only is the spare double bed in there (guess where Granny sleeps?!), but I've always expected another child to join her. So apart from stickers on the wall that's about it.

Someday, when I grow up, I'll have a room for each of my kids and a proper guest room!

Your Princess Fix

2011-08-19T12:32:00.003+10:00

We have had some AV cabinetry built in the lounge (Milord's boss paid for it plus bedroom cupboards as a tax-free bonus for loads of overtime Milord had done). Milord is slowly cabling everything up. Princess loves it when she sees her dad or me sitting on the floor: "Daddy play!" "Mummy play onna floor!". We get pounced and climbed on...

Princess is also determined to get her hands on our computers. "Computer! Pressa buttons!". A pen will distract her for a little while...

When Princess and I go shopping I usually need a sit down at some point. We find a coffee shop and share a frothy chai latte or hot chocolate (I feed her the froth). "Special tea! Could be nice. Mmmmm!" If the shop has no highchairs she stays in the trolley "Feet onna table!"...

And sometimes I meet a friend for brunch. Princess has suddenly decided sunglasses are the must have accessory - especially Mummy's! I must dig out the ones I got her last summer and see if she'll wear them, but I have a feeling she might prefer the designer ones...

38 Weeks

2011-08-19T12:15:00.003+10:00

Weight at conception: 74.5kg
Weight at 38 weeks: 81kg
Loss/Gain since last post: 1.5kg
Total Loss/Gain: 6.5kg
Bump Circumference: 106cm

2 weeks until my due date! We are now past the point where Princess made an appearance and into new territory... which doesn't feel that different to last week except it's possible I am quicker to tire and get achy. I try to get all chores done in the morning, have a lie down when Princess naps, and then take it easy in the afternoon.

Princess has been introduced to play-dough this week, and will happily play with it for ages in her highchair with mummy, which is a very nice creative way to sit still! Milord tries to be home by 5pm to help out and that's brilliant.

I've begun putting on weight again. I have no idea why I stopped but it could have just been less puffiness. I'm carrying several extra litres of fluid, so the potential to fluctuate is there. Funnily enough I'm only 1cm bigger around the middle than at 35 weeks, but I think the bump is generally larger all over.

I feel pretty good, considering. Take your time coming Zeus - let's wait for Granny to get here in 10 days!

37 Weeks

2011-08-12T08:10:00.002+10:00

Hooray! Zeus is now "full term" and can come out safely. Not that we particularly want him to, but it's nice to know it's safe.

Weight at conception: 74.5kg
Weight at 37 weeks: 79.5kg
Loss/Gain since last post: -1kg
Total Loss/Gain: 5kg

I've lost a kilo! Is that even possible at 37 weeks? I can't believe the baby is losing weight, so it must be me. I have been eating a lot of salads lately, as stodgy meals just don't sit well. You'd think the chocolate would balance everything though...! Maybe I'm just less bloaty. Zeus is very wriggly so I'm sure he's fine.

I'm actually feeling better than I have in ages. My ribs have almost stopped hurting and my bladder is not quite so abused. Zeus may have started dropping, which gives us a bit more welcome space. Of course I'm still 8.5 months pregnant so everything is still hard work, but at least I'm a bit more comfortable!

We've been trying to tell Princess that she has a brother coming. She does point at the new cot and say "Boy bed!", and yesterday she put her arms around my tummy and said "Baby in tummy!", so some things are getting through! Princess also knows the location of all public toilets in the shopping malls we visit - as we get close she begins announcing "Toilet! Mummy wee!". It's very funny!

36 Weeks

2011-08-06T12:47:00.004+10:00

Weight at conception: 74.5kg
Weight at 36 weeks: 80.5kg
Loss/Gain since last post: 0.5kg
Total Loss/Gain: 6kg

This past week has been a lot better than the one before. While my ribs are still sore they are not agonising, and Zeus seems to have shifted off my bladder a little so that's not so squashed either. I actually thought he'd dropped, but my doctor says he's still high - so it must just be me stretching to accommodate him!

Having said that though, I'm not exactly comfortable and I'm getting very tired whenever I do anything... Just rolling Princess up to the shops and back has me aching and in need of a nap! By shortly after dinner time I usually go to bed because lying down is the only position that is remotely comfy... I'm just a bundle of fun! During the night I wake every hour or two to wee and roll over - luckily I have no trouble getting back to sleep, although it's still a very broken night. I'm not going to complain about being able to sleep most of 9 hours a night though - I know what's just around the corner!

I asked Milord the other day to try and be home by bathtime each night to handle Princess in and out of the bath, and he's decided to do a whole lot better than that and start working flexitime and several days a week from home. He'll be doing this until Zeus comes, at which time Milord will take 2 weeks full leave and then go back to flexitime for as long as I need him to. How awesome is that! We are so lucky that Milord can do the bulk of his work remotely.

I'm looking pretty big. My belly button has popped out now, which didn't happen with Princess. It's just a tiny jelly-tot of a pop-out that you can't see through my clothes yet... I think it looks funny.

Hmm what else? I've mostly packed my hospital bag and am working on an overnight bag for Princess. A couple of ladies in my Mothers Group who work parttime have offered to take her during labour, which is a huge relief. We have no family nearby and all our friends work fulltime, so I'm not sure what we would have done otherwise! My Mom gets here in 3 weeks, but we need a contingency plan in case Zeus comes early.

Apart from that I'm getting the newborn carrier installed in the car next week, and that's pretty much everything organised! The cot is made up in our bedroom and I have the nappies etc ready. By Thursday Zeus will be "full-term" and safe to come out, and we'll be ready to meet him!

Your Princess Fix

2011-08-03T18:00:00.002+10:00

35 Weeks

2011-07-28T16:39:00.003+10:00

Weight at conception: 74.5kg
Weight at 35 weeks: 80kg
Loss/Gain since last post: 1kg
Total Loss/Gain: 5.5kg
Bump Circumference: 105cm

Ok, now I'm really over being pregnant! My ribs have started to hurt as they streeetch outward over the poor enormous belleh. Like, really hurt. When I breathe! Coughing and sneezing are agony and normal bending and lifting not much fun... I can no longer let Princess clamber all over me as it's too sore.

Milord didn't realise how bad it was until I had a complete meltdown and sobbed in his arms that "everything huuuurts!". I never get weepy so he was a bit flummoxed and has been treating me like spun glass since! That was a few days ago and my ribs hurt a bit less as they get used to being stretched, but it's still not great. Bras are a problem - I actually went out and got a few new maternity bras with a bigger band size the other day (the cups stayed the same - it's the ribs not the boobs that are an issue), and now they are too tight around the ribcage too. I need to find some bra extenders I think. *sigh* Going without is not an option at this time...

2 weeks to go until this baby is no longer "premature", and I'm hoping he comes ASAP after that! I have had enough.

Apart from that all is well. Our scan showed a baby of perfect average size and a fully functioning placenta, so nothing to worry about there.

Princess has been ill this week - "Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease", which sounds dramatic but it's just a touch of fever, misery, sore mouth and throat and a rash on her hands and feet. She's been a bit of a handful all week but today the rash appeared and now that I know what it is I can treat her with paracetamol and her sunny self is shining through again. Plus she's sleeping a lot better which helps everyone!

For Dad

2011-07-24T15:46:00.002+10:00

I hope this makes you feel better after the hernia op, Dad! I love you xxx

34 Weeks

2011-07-21T13:18:00.003+10:00

Weight at conception: 74.5kg
Weight at 34 weeks: 79kg
Loss/Gain since last post: 1kg
Total Loss/Gain: 4.5kg
Bump Circumference: 104cm

Milord tells me I'm suddenly huge. It doesn't feel that sudden to me! It's still pretty much all bump although I'm beginning to feel a bit puffy and I'm down to just my wedding ring again. My weight is still the same curve as during Princess' gestation, although the bump is a couple of centimeters bigger - normal in a second pregnancy.

I can still do most things, although I don't attempt ladders or anything that requires balance because my center of gravity is a bit off. My back gets tired when I stand and I don't lift anything heavier than my 11kg toddler... plus the 3kg nappy bag and the 5kg+ of shopping... huh. I actually think I did less lifting last time! And I certainly wasn't clambering straight up slides to rescue little people trapped at the top of the jungle gym like this morning!

I'm rather uncomfortable. Zeus' head has dropped down right onto my bladder which is dreadful... I can't wait for him to drop further and get past the poor abused thing! With the bad cough I've had lately I keep wetting myself as the bladder reacts to the extra pressure like a squashed grape with only one way to explode! Nice.

We are off for another scan tomorrow. Princess was an undersized baby - they say this was caused by her/my placenta being strangely small. I didn't realise (until I googled it this week) but a badly formed placenta is a risk because it doesn't nourish the baby properly. Not only do you get a small baby but the baby could actually die before full term! So we're going to have a close look at my innards and check that all is well - if not then I assume we'll plan to have the baby asap. I'll keep you posted!

Your Princess Fix

2011-07-20T14:15:00.003+10:00

My cold has been pretty bad since I last posted, but finally my cough seems to be easing up. Today the weather is officially foul and we've been keeping warm indoors...

33 Weeks and your Princess Fix

2011-07-15T10:42:00.004+10:00

Weight at conception: 74.5kg
Weight at 33 weeks: 78kg
Loss/Gain since last post: 0.5kg
Total Loss/Gain: 3.5kg

The pregnancy is going fine, but I have caught an irritating chest cold. I'm now at the tickly cough stage - for your information honey is a brilliant cough soother. I mix it with lime juice and have a spoonful when the coughing starts and it works! I give Princess the same thing when she has a cough (with a lot less lime juice) and it works for her too. Add a bit of paracetamol to take away the sore throat and I'm mostly ok...

At least Princess seems to be immune to this cold. We've been taking things very easy this week - so lots of puzzles and playing indoors. And telly. Princess came out with a Spanish word during Dora the Explorer the other day - maybe a bit too much telly!

Pics from a park visit this week:

Regarding the Princess - she is a delight. The tantrums have calmed and the talking continues to improve. My life has a running narrative as Princess shadows me around the house: "Mummy shower - bubbles!" "Clean teeth!" "Panti! Bla! Top! Trousers! Sock! Other sock!" "Cuppa tea!" etc etc etc. It's especially funny when I have to bring her into public toilets and the clear loud voice announces "Mummy tinkle wee!"

She's almost counting to 20 and can identify most of the letters of the alphabet! This week she's started giving a peck of a kiss on request to Milord. She loves trying to use a knife and fork and spoon, although it's a messy exercise! She demands singing constantly - "More singing!" - and sometimes tells you which song although the clues are vague "What do you want me to sing?" "Cat!" (I went with the pussycat scaring the mouse under the queen's chair)

Princess is still not walking, but we've come up with a challenge she'll accept to improve her balance - I put slightly sticky flower stickers up at the limit of her reach against the perspex shield in front of the telly and she'll spend ages pulling them off and cruising to the next one. Because there are no handholds and it's a stretch she has to use her core for balance which should improve everything. She loves it and demands "More flower! Reach!" several times a day.

And a couple of videos from the park. Excuse my singing voice - it's my cold!

32 Weeks

2011-07-08T11:59:00.003+10:00

Weight at conception: 74.5kg
Weight at 32 weeks: 77.5kg
Loss/Gain since last post: 1.5kg
Total Loss/Gain: 3kg
Bump Circumference: 101cm

I'm gaining 0.5kg per week which is as it should be. My bump is growing by 1cm per week. Which is also as it should be but a bit frightening!

All is well, I've delegated swim lessons to Milord and have a cleaning service coming once a week. We hoping to have bedroom cupboards built in within the next couple of weeks, and then I'll prepare my hospital bag...

I've been having trouble sleeping lately as Zeus is jolly wriggly in the night and I can no longer sleep through having my organs rearranged. Oh well - not too much longer!

Your Princess Fix

2011-06-27T20:32:00.003+10:00

Meme Time

2011-06-20T10:40:00.002+10:00

I haven't done a meme (basically a chain-letter type post about yourself that you then tag someone else to do too) in yonks. Years maybe. My real-life friend and fellow blogger Nat tagged me for a couple a while back... a very long while back!

Seeing as I'm too tired to do much else today (I think Zeus is hitting another growth spurt as I'm shattered in spite of sleeping well) I think I'll try to catch up on these ;-)

Meme 1: 7 Facts About You

1. I don't think I have any phobias. Certain things will make me uncomfortable or shudder, but not in an uncontrollable phobic way.

2. One of the things that gives me the shudders is cockroaches... I used to be fine with them until the year we dissected them for Biology in school. My home room was the Biology class and the big jars of roaches in formaldehyde hanging around for half the summer gave me the heebie jeebies and that's never quite gone away!

3. I'm a much better mummy than I thought I would be. A few years ago I would have said my major fault was a short temper, but having kids has given me the longest fuse ever! Even with my husband - so maybe I'm a better wife than I thought I would be too... except of course I can't wrestle him into submission and put him to bed if he's being cranky!

4. As much as I dislike being pregnant it really agrees with me! My skin and hair are lovely, everywhere except the bump is slender, my blood pressure is perfect... now if I could just achieve this without 5kg+ of bump hanging out in front. And without having my sex drive take a hike for the whole 9 months. And the peeing when I sneeze thing. Did I mention I dislike being pregnant?

5. The best part of the day is when Princess takes a nap and I can sit down with my book and a cup of tea and blessed silence. No TV, no radio, no chatter, just MEeeeee. I'm one of those people who enjoys their own company and doesn't get bored or lonely provided there is a good book at hand.

6. I am a little surprised that I don't miss the work environment. I used to enjoy the challenge of my job and the socialising around the watercooler, but I don't miss it now that I'm a stay-at-home-mum. I miss the buzz of being in the City, and I sure do miss that paycheque, but working? Nah.

7. I do class what I do as work though. I'm Nanny and Housekeeper 24/7 and it helps to remember it from time to time when "working" people ask if you are "back at work yet". My standard answer tend to be "Not PAID work. hahahah".

Meme 2: Your Blog is Breathtaking

1. What inspires you?
I'm inspired by travel. New places and people and experiences and foods. Being pushed out of my comfort zone and finding a whole new one. Learning a smattering of a different language and goggling at a different culture.

2. What is your favourite season and why?
In Cape Town, it is summer: Barbeques, beaches and hikes on long warm windy days. In London it is spring: Blossoms and buds and bulbs and the whole world waking up after a long sleep. In Sydney it is winter: Bright crisp days but still warm enough in mid-June that the garden is flowering.

3. What are you most looking forward to this year?
Meeting my baby boy! Finishing with pregnancy forever! Having my mum visit and watching her play with Princess and cuddle the new baby.

4. If you could write a book about anything, what would you write about?
Maybe about the trials and tribulations of emigrating to a new country... twice.

5. What is your greatest passion?
Travel. No wait... my family. I can't wait until the kids are old enough to combine the two!

6. If you could change one thing about your life or yourself what would it be and why?
I'd like to win the lottery! But that's not what you meant... ummm. Nothing really - I'm very happy with me and my life right now. But lots of money would be nice!

7. Lastly, what is your favourite novel?
I don't have one but my favourite genre is a good Fantasy - like George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones series. I really wish he could shake his writer's block and finish it!

Meme 3: Me, Me, Me, just Me

1. if you have pets, do you see them as merely animals, or are they members of your family?
I have no pets and I want no pets.

2. if you can have a dream come true, what would it be?
...I'd like to win the lottery!

3. what is the one thing most hated by you?
Racism, bigotry, oppression, slavery... I'm sure there's a single word for all that.

4. what would you do with a billion dollars?
Pay off my house, get a bigger one and buy something nearby for my mum to come live in. Buy my sister an apartment in an assisted living place. Buy my Dad and Stepmom an annual ticket to Australia. Maybe get a holiday house on the beach... Set up a trust fund for the kids. Pay off the mortgages of our closest friends. And go traveling all over the world!

5. what helps to pull you out of a bad mood?
A sincere apology, or a big hug, depending on the source! Wine and chocolate too of course.

6. which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone?
Blessed? Unrequited love sucks, no matter which way it goes.

7. what is your bedtime routine?
I clean my teeth, wash and moisturise my face, take my vitamins, check on Princess, then climb into bed with my book. Milord allows me to read until 10:30pm at the latest!

8. if you are currently in a relationship, how did you meet your partner?
I met Milord on a dive boat off Sharm el Sheik in Egypt. I thought he was so interesting I took his email address and stalked him from across the globe and 3 years later we got married!

9. if you could watch a creative person in the act of the creative process, who would it be?
I'd love to watch a sculptor working in stone. How they envision the item inside the block and expose it is amazing.

10. what kinds of books do you read?
Most fiction, with a lean towards Fantasy.

11. how would you see yourself in ten years time?
I'll be 49 (!), with a 12 year old and a 10 year old, and will hopefully have been back in the workforce for 5 years. I hope I'm a good mum and a good wife with a good circle of friends, and that we do some traveling!

12. what’s your fear?
Anything happening to someone I love.

13. would you give up all junk food for the rest of your life for the opportunity to visit outer space?
At the moment the closest we will come to "visiting outer space" in my lifetime is a trip to the Space Station - which isn't that exciting considering I spent my childhood imagining a Lunar Colony at the very least by 2011. What happened to Space Exploration? No one has even been back to the moon since the before I was born. Disappointing! So, no.

14. would you rather be single and rich or married, but poor?
How poor? Just kidding honey!

15. what’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Listen to Princess chatting to her toys through the baby monitor. Then put clothes on and visit the loo and warm a bottle of milk while Milord gets her up.

16. if you could change one thing about your spouse/partner what would it be?
I'd like him to have a better self image - he's been overweight for so long that he can't enjoy the fact that he's lost (and kept off) 15kg since the start of the year!

17. if you could pick a new name for yourself, what would it be?
A new name? nah.

18. would you forgive and forget no matter how horrible a thing that special someone has done?
No.

19. if you could only eat one thing for the next 6 months, what would it be?
What a horrible idea. Hmm, ok, maybe a pizza with everything - except I'd crave fruit and veg after a few days. No, can't do it!

Ok, memes done! Tag yourself if you fancy any of them!

29 Weeks

2011-06-16T11:40:00.003+10:00

Weight at conception: 74.5kg
Weight at 29 weeks: 76kg
Loss/Gain since last post: 2kg
Total Loss/Gain: 1.5kg
Bump Circumference: 98cm

Feeling ok except I tire easily. The floor is getting further away, and when Princess sits in my lap for booktime she has a peculiar backward bend over the bump!

Randomz

2011-06-15T11:01:00.003+10:00

Because I feel a bit random lately.

I've hurt my back. Shit. I have been so careful to look after myself because aches/illness/etc is the pits when you are pregnant, and now just as I'm nearly over the cold that has been hanging around in my sinuses for over 2 weeks I have a bad back. It's a kind of spasm behind my left shoulderblade, that goes spaz when I bend or twist... like I have to a hundred times a day looking after a toddler! I have no idea how I hurt it - maybe rescuing Princess when she misjudged the depth of the pool ramp yesterday and suddenly sank under the surface and I was there with no memory of getting to my feet from sitting in the water just beyond arms reach! Or perhaps during the tantrum when I decided I'd had enough and it was time for a hot shower...

On that subject I've just moved Princess' swim lessons to Saturday mornings so that Milord can take them over. I'm not struggling exactly, but I think it is time to hand over what I can.

That's also why I'll be looking into a cleaning service this week. I can no longer move furniture to clean under it, and getting the vacuum cleaner under the bed is a bitch!

And I'm signing up for online grocery shopping because managing a laden trolley around corners is almost impossible with no core strength. Don't even get me started on sloping parking lots!

Is it a modern women's dilemma that I feel guilty delegating this stuff? We are supposed to handle the children plus the home plus the workplace no matter what, and surely I am letting down every feminist and suffragette who fought for my right to do all this when I can't cope? Does my husband secretly resent me being a stay-at-home wuss (he says emphatically not, but one wonders sometimes)?

We've replaced our sexy 2005 4WD Lexus with a Mom's Taxi 2010 Honda Odyssey 7-seater. Not sexy but now at least we can fit more than 2.5 adults into the car along with 2 babyseats! The 2 rear seats fold away completely when not needed to create a HUGE boot space, and the car handles really well although we're missing the GPS and rear camera. The insurance reduction balances the car payment increase, so financially it's the same!

It has been raining for days. Serious rain, coming in off the sea torrentially sideways! Very Cape Town. Some towns up the coast are having floods and roofs ripped off, but for us it's just very cosy. Princess is watching way too much telly and not getting any walking practice - I was going to take her to an indoor playpark this afternoon but I'm not sure it's a good idea with my back now...

Princess' walking is ok, although she's still got very little balance. I keep hoping she'll get the hang of walking holding on with one hand, because that would be a whole lot easier for me - every time I try the one-handed thing it quickly becomes a dangle though!

She's such a cutie. She's started guerrilla cuddles... she climbs onto the couch next to me and without warning rears up, roars, and launches a pouncing cuddle! Then she'll go back to watching telly for a few minutes and do it again! I've spilled so much tea and water and wine lately - luckily we have rubber matting on the floor and the Kindle is coping quite well with splashes. If I'm doing something else in the room she'll say "More cuddles! More cuddles!" until I sit down again so that she can pounce on me.

Yes I'm drinking wine. Shut up.

Hey, my Mom's immigration visa has been approved! She'll activate it when she comes over in September and then she can move here whenever she's ready. That happened quickly - it usually takes 3 years but hers took just over 1! I'm hoping she will move over next year sometime...

Ok, Princess is down for a nap. I'm going to go lie on a hot pack and see if this back will ease up...

All ok

2011-06-07T14:20:00.003+10:00

I just have a cold and am not really in the mood for blogging. My head is bunged up and I can't take anything, so it's a bit yuck. I have to sleep propped up on a heap of pillows and my sinuses ache... I caught this cold off Princess, and now I know why she was in such a bad mood for a couple of days!

It's my first real cold this pregnancy, so I'm lucky there. It seems every toddler I see is a mess of snot, which they of course smear onto all the play equipment, so Princess is getting a cold every couple of weeks. I tell myself it's good for her immune system in the long run!

Zeus is growing well and my doctor is very happy with the pregnancy. I have no complaints and no swelling and my blood pressure is the best it's been in years. I guess the housewife thing agrees with me!

There is a cold band of air coming up from Antarctica and it's jolly cold outside. It was 9C on the way to swimming this morning and it's only 15C now. The pool is indoors and warm so I braved my cold to take Princess to swim class and splashing about afterwards. I felt ok this morning but now I'm blocked up and achy again... another afternoon in front of Dora the Explorer rather than out at the chilly park I reckon. Bad Mummy, although Princess doesn't mind!

Your Princess Fix

2011-05-30T11:55:00.002+10:00

Just a quick look at my budding artist. Who is way more interested in eating the paint and crayons than anything else!

26 Weeks - Third Trimester!

2011-05-26T10:49:00.004+10:00

This is a milestone I've been waiting for! Now it feels like the light is at the end of the tunnel... of course physically things are going to get a lot harder now, but it's nice knowing we'll be meeting our son in just 3 months time.

One of Milord's cousins had a baby girl last week and I visited on Monday. I always forget how little newborn babies are! And how much work - the cousin looks absolutely shattered. Breastfeeding is fab, but no one else can do it for you so you never get a break to catch up on sleep... and of course the baby only howls at night. The cousin was relieved to hear that Princess had been exactly the same, as they never mentioned in the "Sleep and Settling" class that sometimes nothing works! The hubbie is unable to take leave, which is a shame, but at least her sister and mum are able to be on hand.

I took over a couple of meals (Thai Chicken soup and a loaf of fresh bread, and 2 portions of Milord's awesome Hungarian Goulash with boiled new potatoes and steamed veg) for her to pop in the fridge. When Princess was new the hardest thing in the world was organising dinner, and I hate takeout, so a decent meal that just needed heating through was the bees knees.

I'm assuming that the newborn phase is going to be a whole lot easier next time, if only because it's not going to be a shock! Of course I'll have Princess to deal with which is a whole new variable, but my mum should be here for a month and Milord's leave is pretty flexible.

The pregnancy is going swimmingly. I tend to forget I'm pregnant half the time until someone uses my bladder as a punchbag, or I realise Princess is draped strangely over the bump when we read a book.

Weight at conception: 74.5kg
Weight at 26 weeks: 74kg
Loss/Gain since last post: 0.5kg
Total Loss/Gain: -0.5kg

I'm still lighter than when I fell pregnant. Hopefully once Zeus arrives I will be too busy to put the weight on again. It does help that Princess absolutely has to share anything I am eating, so when she's around I only snack on fruit!

PS. Thanks to everyone saying I look good! I certainly don't feel thin with this bump... the other day I had to move my car to another carspace because I couldn't squeeze out of the door gap I had (it was a bit tight). Being such a hard, firm bump nothing happens when I "suck it in"! And Milord doesn't do compliments to pregnant women, because all he can see is the Belleh.

Pics

2011-05-18T11:47:00.003+10:00

...of the bump and of Princess... don't you adore her oversized PJs and bunny slippers?!

24 Weeks

2011-05-17T12:49:00.003+10:00

...in fact nearly 25 weeks. In a week and a bit I'll be at 26 weeks and into the Third Trimester countdown. I'm looking forward it sort of - I have a list of things I want to start doing in the Third Trimester like the prenatal exercise DVDs that are gathering dust, and the raspberry leaf tea, and collecting and organising baby boy clothes and blankets and wraps, and finding my nursing pillow and breast pump and stuff.

Nesting I suppose you might call it! There is no reason I can't do this stuff now, except that the Third Trimester feels less jinxy... I don't think you ever stop worrying about the pregnancy until the baby is safely out. And then you get to worry about the baby forever!

I'm very well. I'm less tired than I have been, although my bump is starting to affect my life. I now sleep with a body pillow, which is very comfy because it counters the belly-weight, but it also means I don't move for hours at a time and wake up very achy! I can no longer sleep on my front, which I miss a lot, and I'm not supposed to sleep on my back because the baby weight constricts major arteries, so I roll from side to side every couple of hours when I wake up to wee.

Oh yes, the weeing every couple of hours has arrived too. Day trips are planned around toilet availability, and several park visits have been cut short because "Mummy needs to go home for a wee"!

The way I play with Princess is getting gentler all the time - I don't have the core muscles to rough and tumble properly anymore. Riding my hip is more like riding my bump, and getting up off the floor is getting harder, especially if Princess is in my arms!

Weight: 73.5kg

I am the exact same weight that I was at 24 weeks with Princess! Amazing.

Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T16:44:00.004+10:00

It is my second Mother's Day!

Milord spoiled me by letting me read my book in bed with a coffee while he got up with Princess, then he took her to the shops and came home with croissants and flowers. He also picked up Asian chicken rolls for lunch and has prepared us a Hungarian goulash which is now simmering in the slow cooker... it smells awesome.

In the afternoon we all went to the park and played around for a bit. In a little while Princess will have her dinner and bath and then it's bedtime.

It's been a lovely lazy day!

Yes, her fringe is in her eyes but she won't wear a hairclip and I don't want to cut it! Oh well...

Princess Update

2011-05-02T13:00:00.000+10:00

Hmm, it's been a while since I wrote detail about #1 child! I almost don't know where to begin - she's developing so fast. She is now 20 months old, just past 1 and a half.

Princess can count to 10 (with a little help here and there) and can recognise all the numbers: "On, Too, Free, Foh, Fife, Sick, Senen, It, Nnn, Tin!"

She's recognising some letters of the alphabet too, although not in any sequence. K and X, E and F, O and Q get mixed up and C is "moon!" but we're still completely stunned that she's even attempting letters already! When we are out and about there will be a shout of "Mmm! Mmm!" or "Foh! Foh!" and I have to look around to find where she's spotted an M or a 4!

Princess is close to getting the right shapes into the right holes of the shape toy thingy... Actually she gets the match right most of the time, she just needs to work out how to twiddle the shape so that it falls through. The same goes for her Postman Pat wood puzzle.

She's obsessed with books. She'll pull her board books out of the bookshelf and "read" them to herself ("Bunny... burble burble... hop... Burble... box... cuddle!") for ages, or slide them to me across the floor so that I can read them to her. At bedtime we read her several books and as each one finishes she says "More book?" hopefully.

Princess' speaking is awesome - she has definite sentences now. "More bikkit! Walk park? Truck gone! Read book!" It's great that she can communicate - the other day she got her foot caught in the highchair and started grumbling: "What's the matter baby?" "Foot!"

Of course she can also say "No" to all sorts of things now, and attempt to argue with me. She can throw a tantrum with the best of them when she feels like it, and mummy is the one who catches the brunt of all the boundary testing. I've read that this is because she trusts me to always be there no matter what, so I'm trying to find it flattering that I'm the only one she fights during a messy bum change! When Princess is in the mood to fight her nappy I usually hold her shoulders down and say "Stop it" repeatedly until she gives up (and howls but lets me change her bum). Funnily enough this week she's started yelling "Stoppit! Stoppit!" as I lift her up for a nappy change if she's in the mood for a struggle... nice to have advance warning!

Princess has also bitten me deliberately for the first time last week. It's been coming for a long time - she's bared her teeth at my arm or hand when having a tantrum but always stopped short when warned... Well, last week she got me a good one on the upper arm. That's the first time she's ever been truly yelled at too! It startled the heck out of her and she had a good howl and hasn't tried it seriously since although she thinks about it... "Nooo. Noo bitin."

In general though she's the most placid and sweet-natured kid imaginable.

Princess isn't walking unaided yet, but she'll go for miles holding onto fingers or in her walker. The physio lent us a special walker (which looks a Zimmer frame!) that is brilliant and she'll walk to the local park 4 houses down and all around it and home again quite happily. In fact it's jolly hard to get her to stop, even when you know she's knackered! "Are you tired baby? Want to get down?" "Noo! Walk!"

She's developing strength in her walking muscles, and now just needs to get the hang of balance. It's coming, and hopefully she'll be walking well by the time her brother turns up!

22 Weeks

2011-05-02T11:05:00.002+10:00

...and 4 days. I'm pretty slack with these aren't I?!

Weight at conception: 74.5kg
Weight at 22 weeks: 72.5kg
Loss/Gain since last week: 0.7kg
Total Loss/Gain: -2kg

Waist: 95cm

It's hard to believe I'm actually 2kg lighter than when I fell pregnant! I don't particularly enjoy pregnancy but my body loves it - healthy eating and most of the calories being burned up with creating a new person. It's certainly not being burned up in exercise - I'm just too tired to blog never mind exercise!

I eat well and I don't really watch what I eat, although I try to avoid junk. I find I can't eat much at one go though - my stomach is too squashed and I get full quickly, and if I overeat I get horrid indigestion so there is no point!

I've got quite a bump now, and I'm close to the stage where I begin hitting things with it. And I can't squeeze past anything either - it's all solid!

I feel pretty good in spite of the tired. I'm sleeping well and the nosebleeds have stopped. Luckily Princess is an easy baby to look after - she'll play with books and toys (and watch telly - oops bad mummy) for a good part of the day. We walk to the local park and rough-and-tumble on the bed a few times a day, which is about my limit! My bump isn't stopping me doing anything yet, although my lap is getting smaller.

I'm almost exactly the weight I was at this stage with Princess, and my bump is only 3cm bigger than it was... considering I started off 4cm bigger at 13 weeks that's acceptable.

I'm positive Zeus is wrigglier than Princess was - Milord has felt him kicking already! Either that or we know what to feel for this time...

21 Weeks

2011-04-25T18:35:00.002+10:00

...and 4 days. I've been very tired lately, and blogging is just not on the radar! I'm sleeping at least 8 hours a night, but I still need a nap most days - maybe Zeus is going through a growth spurt.

Weight now 71.8kg - we're growing gently ;-)

What else? I've been getting some bad nosebleeds, generally when I'm asleep, which is gross. None for over a week now thank goodness.

Oh and I can feel Zeus moving now - I'm sure I feel him more than I did Princess! I can even feel a nudge or two from the outside when he's very squirmy.

20 Weeks

2011-04-14T20:59:00.001+10:00

Halfway!

71.5kg, feeling fine, gotta dash - away for the weekend for a wedding!

Your Princess Fix

2011-04-09T11:06:00.003+10:00

Lots, because it's been a while!

19 Weeks - It's a Boy! OMG!

2011-04-08T12:48:00.004+10:00

I skipped week 18... been a bit distracted plus I knew that this week we'd probably be finding out the sex and so I thought I might as well wait until now.

This morning we went along for our 19 week scan and there on the screen was an unmistakable PENIS! eeeep. It's a boy! I know nothing about boys... this is going to be a huge learning curve all over again! The baby is now known as Zeus.

Everything looks perfect with Zeus and now we just count down to the big reveal in 21 weeks time.

My weight has crept up to 71.5kg, and I'm not surprised as my bump is getting rather big. I need to take a photo - maybe later today!

What else? Mom left for the UK yesterday, which was a wrench. She's been here for a month and it's been great - she totally bonded with Princess and took over a lot of housework, most bathtimes, and lots of book, toddle and playtime. I actually had time to read a few books while she was here!

Princess is asking about her "Ganny" from time to time, but no meltdowns about her absence thank heavens!

17 Weeks

2011-03-26T12:40:00.005+11:00

I'm being really slack with these. I think we have second-child syndrome happening already - with Princess I took photos of the bump every week like clockwork and itemised my symptoms. Now it's a bit old hat!

I'm feeling good. My weight is steady around 70kg. I get the odd sciatica twinge or nosebleed but it's not bad. I can't feel the baby yet but that's probably because my placenta is in the front this time and forms a cushion.

I'll try to take photos and measurements next week!

Update: my bump is 89cm, 2cm less than last time I measured! That makes no sense, as my bump is definitely bigger... I wonder if I've been losing back-fat? Bizarre.

Walking - almost!

2011-03-23T16:55:00.003+11:00

Princess has decided she likes being "walked" from one end of the house to the other repeatedly... it's rough on our backs but she really enjoys it!

16 Weeks, and Your Princess Fix

2011-03-20T11:31:00.002+11:00

All going well. I've lost a little weight again and my bump feels bigger, although I haven't measured it. I had a checkup last week and all is progressing as it should.

Mom and Princess have bonded like crazy, and while we haven't exactly been hectically busy we have been doing lots together. We visit the pool twice a week, we've been to the zoo, and we visit the park and take walks along the river. Mom and I set up a furniture "obstacle course" every day and tempt Princess to cruise along it with books and biscuits! She's getting quite good at it now, and has started demanding to "walk" from one end of the house to the other too.

When Princess naps we read books or garden, and it is very chilled. Mom's extremely easy to live with (even Milord says so!).

15 Weeks

2011-03-12T10:40:00.002+11:00

15 Weeks fell on my birthday.

I had a very nice birthday this year - Princess was in an even lovelier mood than usual and Milord and Mom spoiled me. I got a Kindle and a Kichenaid mixer, which are both very exciting in rather different ways! In the morning Milord took us for brunch, I had a 2 hour nap in the afternoon while the others looked after Princess (bliss), and that night Mom babysat and Milord and I went out for dinner for the first time this year.

I don't think I could have asked for a better day!

Milord has been off his diet for a week (he broke 100kg last Friday) and intends to go back onto Lite n Easy 5 days a week starting Monday. In the meantime he jokes that he's eating and drinking as much as possible while he can. This would be funnier if it wasn't true!

I'm allowing myself one glass of wine a week now that I'm in my second trimester. This still means that I watch the others boozing 99% of the time, and it is just as annoying as last pregnancy... and if I had an extra bedroom to get away from Snorey McWinebreath I'd be a lot happier! *sigh*

Weight at conception: 74.5kg
Weight at 15 weeks: 70kg
Loss/Gain since last week: -0.5kg
Total Loss/Gain: -4.5kg

Thigh: 57cm (no change)
Waist: 91cm (no change)

My bump feels harder and more pronounced, and I've lost a little more weight. I think I'm eating less often than last time, as looking after Princess and snatching meals is quite different to grazing at a desk all day! I still need the odd nap, especially since we've been having relatively late nights with a visitor in the house. Luckily no one minds me wandering off for a lie down when Princess is napping!

Granny's Here

2011-03-09T19:19:00.003+11:00

Princess is in heaven!

14 Weeks

2011-03-06T11:31:00.004+11:00

A bit late - I've been frantically getting ready for Mom's arrival tomorrow! While my house is never disgusting I do have a relaxed attitude towards dust. And the inside of ovens and fridges. And my Christmas lights were still up outside the front. And the laundry needed a spring clean. *sigh* I really hate housework. I do it, but I hate it!

Plus we'll be taking Princess into our room while Mom gets over jetlag so I've moved everything around to fit in a cot. And rearranged Princess' room so that it's nice for a grownup to live in for a month.

Just a lick of dusting and a thorough vacuum left to do and we're ready. Mom lands at 7:15am tomorrow and we can't wait! I've had photos of Mom on slideshow on our digital photoframe for the past week: "There's Granny! Say Granny. Granny. Granny. Where's Granny?"

Princess can now identify her Granny and say "Nanny", which is very cute and may well stick. I've always wondered why so many grannies were called "Nan" and "Nanny", and it must be because the "gr" sound is very hard for babies. Princess has pretty good enunciation, but "r" and "w" are still mostly beyond her.

On the subject of our impending addition, things are going great. I'm staying the same weight while my bump is growing and I'm nearly out of all normal non-stretch trousers and shorts. I'm now at the stage where I'm too big for normal clothes and too small for my maternity wear...

Weight at conception: 74.5kg
Weight at 14 weeks: 70.5kg
Loss/Gain since last week: 0kg
Total Loss/Gain: -4kg

I didn't get around to measuring my bump and thighs this week...

Other preggy symptoms: nosebleeds (when I wash my face), itchy moles, dodgey bladder when sneezing, the odd tingle/stab in my boobs... that's about it.

Words

2011-02-28T08:00:00.002+11:00

At her 18 month checkup, which will be happening in a few days, we will be asked how many words Princess has. I've been writing them down and have got up to 121. This is a lot!

ankle
apple
baa
baby
bag
ball
bangle
beads
bear
bed
bee
beetle
bib
bird
bite
boat
boob
book
bottle
bowl
box
bra
brush
bubble
bucket
buckle
bus
buzz
bye
camel
camera
car
cat
chair
chick
circle
clap
click
cluck
cow
cuddle
cup
daddy
dog
dolly
door
Dora
dot
down
draw
drawer
ear
eat
eye
fairy
fan
fish
floor
flower
foot
fork
frog
grass
hair
hand
hat
head
hoo hoo
hopper
horse
hot
kick
knee
leg
moo
moon
more
mouse
mummy
neigh
no
out
ow
owl
paper
peach
pear
pig
plane
play
poo
pool
pot
roar
shadow
sheet
shoe
shower
snooze
spider
spoon
star
stick
straw
table
tea
teeth
tiger
toast
toe
towel
toy
truck
tube
turtle
tweet
up
water
wee
zebra
zip

Your Princess Fix

2011-02-26T19:14:00.004+11:00

Princess has discovered cuddling Teddy (she's actually saying "Cuddle!" here),

read books with Daddy,

played with post-it notes with a little "help" from Mummy,

and experienced finger paint for the first time! (She thinks it's a bit messy at the mo)

13 Weeks

2011-02-26T19:02:00.002+11:00

Not much new to say here since my last post...

Weight at conception: 74.5kg
Weight at 13 weeks: 70.5kg
Loss/Gain since last week: -0.5kg
Total Loss/Gain: -4kg

And I suppose I'd better start recording these too:
Thigh: 57cm
Waist: 91cm

They're both definitely smaller than at conception as I can fit into trousers now that I couldn't a few months ago.

That waist measurement is 4cm more than this time in Princess' pregnancy. I was a lot fitter then (and had been doing sit-ups like mad to hide my pregnancy!), and my tummy has never quite recovered from preggy #1, so I guess that makes sense. The thigh measurement is the same as it was back then.

Interesting to be the same weight and thigh circumference as last time!

Drumroll Please...

2011-02-21T12:52:00.004+11:00

I have awesome news! I am 12.5 weeks pregnant, and today we had a scan that was "as good as it is possible to be" so I guess it is safe to tell you now...

The baby is due on the 1st September, I'm feeling pretty good now that the first trimester is over, and life is peachy. Oh, and if you've been reading my blog and wonder how I got through Christmas and New Years - I faked drinking and no-one noticed!

I've been writing posts about my pregnancy on the sly, which I will now reveal. If you want to read them all together then click here and read from the bottom up!

And some pics. I decided the "bra and knickers" shots from my last pregnancy were a bit too... revealing... so I'll try to take these in the same dress all the way. You can make out my bump just fine, without being assaulted by the cellulite!

12 Weeks

2011-02-18T18:16:00.004+11:00

12 Weeks! I've made it through the first trimester! Woohoo! I visited my obstetrician this week and heard the baby's galloping heartbeat and nearly cried.

We're still not telling anyone, as until we've have the scan for genetic abnormalities we can't really relax. We'll be going for that on Monday. If the baby has Down's Syndrome or something like it we won't be keeping it, but I'm hopeful it's ok.

I feel better this week - I don't have to nap every day, and can now actually get some exercise or baby-unfriendly cleaning done while Princess is asleep. I've unwrapped my prenatal yoga and pilates dvds and given them a go. They're really gentle but I was stiff the next day so they must have achieved something! I've also cleaned my oven which was extremely gross - it hadn't been done in over a year... ugh.

Weight at conception: 74.5kg
Weight at 12 weeks: 71kg
Loss/Gain since last week: +0.5kg
Total Loss/Gain: -3.5kg

I've stopped losing weight. This is because I am eating properly again, (including greens and salad yay!) and also of course because my bump is growing! I can still fit into my pre-preggy pants, but they're getting tight around the firm lower abdomen. I generally wear loose summer dresses in this hot weather anyway, so my bump is not obvious yet. With Princess I stayed at 71kg until 18 weeks, so I imagine I'll do the same this time too.

I can't wait to get the all clear and tell the world my good news! Not sharing has been killing me.

Your Princess Fix

2011-02-17T19:33:00.004+11:00

A few pics of the Princess, and a couple of videos from dinnertime today. Mealtimes involve a lot of chat and entertainment and a bit of food...

11 Weeks

2011-02-11T19:49:00.003+11:00

My appetite is slowly coming around - this week I'm eating fish and meat again. I had a divine salmon steak the other day, and takeaway moussaka and lasagna since. I still don't want salad or greens, but I have a fair bit of fruit and bread and cheese. And lots of vitamin pills, don't worry!

I've gone off sweet stuff though and don't feel like the chocolate biscuit with my afternoon tea any more... that might be why I have lost 1kg since last week!

Weight at conception: 74.5kg
Weight at 11 weeks: 70.5kg
Loss/Gain since last week: -1kg
Total Loss/Gain: -4kg

I'm back into my pre-Princess clothes. I have a definite flabby bump starting though, and I'm too knackered to exercise, so I don't look as thin as I am. Apparently. Thanks hubby!

I still need to nap when Princess naps and I have the odd peculiar moment, but I'm feeling ok. Apart from the insomnia at night. Now that's annoying! I lie awake for hours, too tired to do anything else, but unable to sleep until midnight. I guess I'm anxious... *sigh*

Lite 'n Easy

2011-02-11T16:28:00.004+11:00

Milord is doing brilliantly on Lite 'n Easy! He has lost 9kg in a month, without going hungry. Absolutely amazing!

He's been so good too - he hasn't touched any alcohol, and if he gets the munchies he snacks on celery, carrots and fruit. He cycles to and from work most days, and has been doing laps in the swimming pool a couple of times a week.

Milord is now 3kg off his initial goal of 100kg, which he hopes to hit by the end of Feb. At that point he'll slack off a bit and have the odd drink and some steak and salad, but he intends to stay on Lite 'n Easy most days of the week in the hope of getting down into the mid 90s. Which will be smaller than I've known him!

If the Lite 'n Easy people find this blog and fancy using him as their poster boy: drop me a note!

In this photo you might be able to see that he's a lot thinner, especially around the face. (Princess loves tumbling around on our bed - she follows us into the bedroom and kneels up next to the bed saying "Bup! Bup!" until we play with her.)

I went off Lite 'n Easy a while ago - microwave meals just don't do it for me and I'd rather make a toasted sandwich if I'm not cooking for Milord. Having said that - being off the booze and not cooking big meals has caused me to lose 4kg since the start of January! I'm now 70.5kg. My bum has disappeared, I have only one chin, and all over I'm slimmer. I'm comfortably back into my pre-Princess clothes, and loving it! My tummy could be firmer, but that's just a case of exercise.

Annoyingly, Milord can't see my weightloss. He says my flabby tummy gets in the way of his perception. Bastard.

Phew! and a Princess Fix

2011-02-06T19:25:00.006+11:00

It has been so hot!

Thank heavens Milord convinced me to put in air conditioning last year... we have been hiding indoors except for visits to pools while outside gets to silly temperatures.

While the whole week has been well over 30C (86F), yesterday it got to 41C (105.8F)! Our aircon struggled, but at least it held the house to 30C and below. We left the aircon running all night as it never got below 30C overnight, and today the temps got to 34C before a cold front finally arrived. I've been tracking the approach of the cold front for days, praying for it to save us from the infernal heat, and now it is 21C (69.8F) outside and 25C inside (77F)! Milord is cold!

I realised I haven't been taking photos of Princess - just been a bit unmotivated in the heat! Here are a few to make up for it.

Princess is a total bookworm. Several times a day she kneels in front of her bookshelf and pulls down the books, saying "Book!" and whinging until I join her to read one (or several) books. I use books as bait to make her pull herself up to standing against the couch, and then we read books with her standing up. (Princess isn't pulling herself up voluntarily yet, which she needs to practice)

Doesn't she look skinny standing up?! I can't get over how 1-year-olds shoot up like weeds.

Playing on daddy is a favourite pastime. One me too, but daddy is much rougher and she loves it!

Yesterday, before it got so hot, we took Princess to the beach for the first time since she was 4 months old. She enjoyed the sand but hated the sea - I think the waves freaked her out. If I stood in the surf holding her she moaned, and if the waves wet her then she screamed. Next time we'll find a tidal pool without waves...

In other Princess News she has started swimming "classes" once a week. We sing songs and dunk them under and encourage kicking and paddling and so on. The hope is that Princess will become confident enough to be able to bob up and get to the side if she falls in... She mostly enjoys herself, and afterwards spends some time in the shallow toddler pool which has bubbles and fountains. She loves that! When I decide we've had enough and pick her up she fights me, but then is very happy to see a snack and has a great nap!

Last weekend Milord fixed a baby carrier to "my" bicycle (his old refurbished bike) and we took Princess for a short ride along the river. It's a front baby seat which attaches to the frame between my knees, and she really enjoyed it. She kept saying "Ooooh!" and chattering to me, and it was good fun. I was surprised - I really thought she hate the carrier or the helmet, but she was fine.

I wish we'd taken photos. Her yellow bike helmet is so enormous she looked like a happy mushroom! I'll take some next time.

I'll try not to be so long between Princess Fixes from now on!

10 Weeks

2011-02-06T19:22:00.004+11:00

A little late... I haven't been in the mood for blogging.

I still feel tired and peculiar, so that's good! I am getting to the point now where I can contemplate a steak or rack of ribs, so hopefully my appetite will come back soon. I remember I ate a piece of salmon at 12 weeks last time, so I hope that happens again this time!

Weight at conception: 74.5kg
Weight at 10 weeks: 71.5kg
Loss/Gain since last week: -0.5kg
Total Loss/Gain: -3kg

I think I may have popped, but losing so much fat means I am not really aware of it! My jeans are finally fitting without the muffin top, which is nice.

Loose End

2011-01-29T16:41:00.002+11:00

I have the house completely to myself...

Milord has taken Princess off to a barbeque and I'm home alone. I've been feeling a bit run down so he's giving me "the afternoon off"! I can't remember the last time I had more than an hour without Princess. It's weird. I keep hearing the neighbourhood kids squawk and look around for her...

...I also keep having to stop myself doing housework!

I've set up the hammock and have a book and a glass of fruit juice waiting beside it.
Aaaaah.

9 Weeks

2011-01-29T16:26:00.003+11:00

Ok, that was a rather rough week!

I've been feeling awful - seriously tired and slightly nauseous, with terrible bloating in the afternoons. Thank heavens I get a nap when Princess naps, but I've spent a lot of time lying on the couch or floor while she is awake. The housework got very neglected with just "lick and promise" cleaning happening... I'm so lucky Milord is on the Lite n Easy meals so I don't have to worry about feeding him.

A couple of days ago I started feeling a lot better, although I still need a nap during the day. The house is clean with fresh towels and linen, and I'm caught up on laundry. Princess has a mummy who actually plays with her and takes her out to the park and the pool again!

I have an appetite back, but meat and veg and salad taste wrong (metallic and/or cardboardy) so I'm living on fruit, bread, pasta and cheese. I'm taking an iron supplement on top of my usual preggy vitamins to make up for the lack of meat and greens, so I should be ok. With Princess my tastebuds came back at 12 weeks and I expect that to happen again this time.

This pregnancy is almost exactly the same as Princess'. My Mom says this could mean I'm having another girl, but who knows? I don't believe the Old Wives Tales.

Weight at conception: 74.5kg
Weight at 9 weeks: 72kg
Loss/Gain since last week: -1kg
Total Loss/Gain: -2.5kg

I expect to drop to 71kg within a couple of weeks, and then to stay there until approximately 20 weeks when I'll begin gaining serious bumpness. That's what happened with Princess, anyway.

Teething Pause...

2011-01-24T11:30:00.002+11:00

Just thought you'd like to know that Princess is doing ok - we are now 3 days without pain. Her teeth haven't erupted yet, but maybe they were shuffling the others around to make space which was causing issues.

It is so nice to hear Princess wake up chatting to her dollies instead of with pained whimpering! Any whining or screaming is of the usual toddler "I want!" variety, which I can handle.

8 Weeks

2011-01-19T10:26:00.003+11:00

We went for an Early Pregnancy scan this morning, and it's all looking good!

I was so relieved to see the little flickering heartbeat inside the jellybean that tears began streaming down my face in the dark room. It's been a very hard few weeks, but now I can perhaps start looking forward to my new baby... whose due date is Princess' birthday! eep.

We've nicknamed the jellybean "Xena (Warrior Princess)", as it's the silliest female superhero name we can think of! If Xena turns out to be a boy we'll come up with something else.

We're not telling anyone yet except my folks (because I just have to share!!!). Milord says he's not going to tell anyone until my third trimester... yeah right! I imagine we'll do the traditional 12 weeks.

I'm feeling very "8 weeks" pregnant. I am exhausted and food tastes funny - last night my Lite 'n Easy dinner got rejected in favour of tea and toast! Milord said his was fine so it's probably just me - I may have to stop ordering them. I get the odd wave of bleaurgh, but that generally means I'm hungry or thirsty, if I can convince myself to ignore the nausea and eat something it goes away.

Weight at conception: 74.5kg
Weight at 8 weeks: 73kg
Loss/Gain since last week: -0.5kg
Total Loss/Gain: -1.5kg

Ok, I'm off for a lie-down while Princess naps. Thank the gods for naptime!

January Detox

2011-01-19T10:03:00.002+11:00

Our January detox is going well. I'm nearly 3 weeks off the booze and Milord is just over 2 weeks. He's doing Lite 'n Easy for all meals and I'm joining him for the dinners, because I'm not going to cook just for me! I'm pretty good at eating light during the day anyway, so it's good to have portion control at night.

Milord has lost 2kg and I've lost 1.5kg. Not bad going! I am now 73kg, the lightest I've been since I was breastfeeding in Sept 2009(and run too ragged to feed myself).

The Lite 'n Easy meals are actually pretty good. There have been a few items that we'll try to swap out in future orders, but we've not totally turned our noses up at anything! The best part has to be that no lunch or dinner repeats for several weeks.

Milord has even reduced his amounts, as he wasn't getting through all his food! (He was on the top calorific option, with 3 meals, 2 light snacks and 1 large snack per day. Now he's just on 3 meals and 2 light snacks.) He's being very good and has dropped his daily couple of full-cream cappuccinos for black coffees, which also helps.

I'm now at the annoying point where my fat clothes are too loose and the trousers fall down, but my normal clothes give me a hideous muffin top. I ought to be exercising too, but it's been really hot and sticky lately (and I'm lazy)! I will though, as I'm jolly flabby, especially around the middle. My mummy-tummy needs some serious attention!!

Teething Hell

2011-01-15T12:05:00.005+11:00

*sigh*

Poor Princess is about to cut her canines, and they're giving her serious trouble. She wakes screaming from every sleep and it's taking double the painkillers to help her cope. (I try to avoid meds, but when my usually cheerful baby is weeping and clinging and unable to eat I'll do anything!) It's been nearly 2 weeks now - she has the occasional couple of days where she seems fine and I breathe a sigh of relief, but the next day the screaming and gnawing start again. It's very draining (she won't even go to Milord in this state) and I'll admit to putting Princess to bed extremely early a couple of times because I was about to lose it... at which point she conked out and slept like a log so maybe I can praise my mommy-instincts? No? Hmm.

When the teeth ease or the painkillers work Princess goes back to her normal cheerful chatty inquisitive self. She's begun crawling on hands and knees on the living room mat, although it looks like it takes extreme concentration to coordinate everything and she reminds me a lot of a chameleon hesitating along a branch! When she reaches the slippery wood floor or wants to go fast she still drops to her belly to push along. Princess has also got the hang of a very sturdy squat-sit, and can reach a lot higher than before...

Words (surprisingly clear most of the time):
Pool
Towel
Ball
Door
Seeds (what I call the raisin seed mix Princess snacks on)
Peach
Cheese
Teeth
Toes
Feet
Keys
Car
Daddy
Mama (sometimes Mum-mi)
More

Princess understands a lot more than she can vocalise, and when we do the "Where's the horse/flower/sheep/butterfly etc" game she gets it right 9 times out of ten. She's constantly pointing at things to learn what they're called, which is awesome but does my head in eventually... How many times must I say "Nose. Chin. Eye. Nose. Mouth. Nose." as a small finger pokes my face?

Of course Princess is testing her boundaries too. Food gets deliberately dropped on the floor while she looks me in the eye. She hits me in the face and bats food from my hands when I'm trying to feed her. She tried to bite me this week - but stopped at the last moment which was lucky for her as she would have got shouted at for the first time! On the whole I ignore the bad behavior and it soon stops when she doesn't get my attention. I've surprised myself with the extent of my patience, and I hope I can keep it up!

I've been told that babies don't understand negatives like "Don't do x", so I've started saying things like "No, yucky!" instead of "Don't eat that!" and it seems to work better... sometimes.

And naturally even when I am at the end of my tether just one cuddle makes it all ok again. Princess' evening lullaby ends in "...dreams come truuuuuue" and she often echoes "ooooooo" which makes me melt.

Wish us speedy tooth eruptions and a long gap before the next lot!

New Years Resolutions?

2011-01-10T15:19:00.002+11:00

I've never been much of a one for New Years Resolutions. My goal for this year is simply to carry a perfect baby to term, and that depends more on luck than anything else!

Milord has decided that he has to do something drastic about his weight - he put on weight in sympathy when I was pregnant with Princess and has had as much success as I have in losing it! He does plenty of exercise - he cycles to and from work and swims laps a couple of times per week - so it comes down to food. And booze.

We don't eat much junk but we do have trouble with portion control, especially if I knock up a stunning roast. That which should feed us twice disappears into Milord's second and third helpings...

So we're signing up for Lite 'n Easy - one of those weightloss programs where they send you all your meals and snacks for every day of the week, prepackaged and/or frozen. Milord is doing 3 meals a day and I'm doing breakfast and dinner, party in solidarity and partly because I'm not going to cook just for me while defrosting his meal! I'm leaving lunches flexible.

I think where we'll struggle is not hunger, as there seems to be plenty of food in the plan, but in quality. We are used to meals made with the freshest meat, salad and veg, and on the plan every dinner is pre-cooked and frozen with frozen veg on the side. I can't remember the last time I had a completely frozen meal (excluding pies and pizza perhaps).

I gave up booze on Jan 1st as a January detox, and now that the partying is over Milord has joined me. He says he won't be drinking again until he's lost 15kg. I've heard this before but I'll support him in whatever happens! If he sticks to it he could lose 1kg per week easily.

I'd definitely like to get to 70kg, which is my pre-Princess weight. Ideally I'd like to see 67kg on the scale, which is the weight I was when I moved to Australia. And in my dreams I'd love to get to 65kg, which is a very healthy BMI! We shall see.

I've lost 1kg since the start of the month, and am now 73.5kg. 3.5kg to go to my main goal!

Almost 7 Weeks

2011-01-10T10:58:00.005+11:00

So, here I am almost 7 weeks pregnant.

sigh

I'm having so much trouble getting invested in this pregnancy. I'm doing all the right things of course - no forbidden foods or alcohol and all the right vitamins etc - I just can't let myself be happy about it because I'm too scared I'll miscarry again.

I have made a doctors appointment for 2 days time, and I'll ask her for a referral for a scan so that we can check that this baby is ok. I desperately need to see that galloping heartbeat!

I still "feel pregnant". I'm needing a nap in the afternoon, my appetite is all over the place and my boobs are definitely a bit fuller.

I suppose I should start recording some stats...

Weight at conception: 74.5kg
Weight at 7 weeks: 73.5kg
Loss/Gain: -1kg

Ooooh. I've just found out that another one of the women in my Mother's Group is miscarrying... That makes 3 of us out of 11. Oh that makes me feel even worse!

Who Needs a Trampoline?

2011-01-08T16:03:00.004+11:00

Princess loves clambering on us and bouncing on our bellies! Especially Milord's belly for some reason - can't imagine why!

And for an added Princess Fix, here she is supervising me in the kitchen... I've been bugging Milord to make me a barrier into the kitchen area, but as long as we are careful where we step it's been ok so far. Once Princess figures out cupboards I'll have to install safety catches though.

A Teetotal New Year

2011-01-03T16:07:00.004+11:00

Well, my secret-pregnancy fake-boozing on New Years Eve went well!

I was drinking gin and tonic (sans gin), which Milord was under strict instruction to keep topped up as our mates are a bit good at refreshing your glass once it is empty. That's the reason I couldn't fake drinking wine by substituting apple juice - when a bottle of wine is open we all share, and if your glass is low it will be topped up without asking. Usually a great system, but not good for fakery!

I said I didn't want to mix my drinks so stuck to "gin and tonic" all night. Once or twice I accepted a special glass of champagne or dessert wine, but after a sip or two Milord swapped his empty glass for mine and no one noticed. At midnight I endured the drunken hugs and well wishes and then snuck off to bed.

What stone cold sober at midnight looks like...

On New Years Day I announced I was starting a January detox, which I've done for the past couple of years so it wasn't suspicious. Everyone else was so ill they weren't really surprised at my "detox", and Milord had fun pretending to tempt me with wine!

A couple of times I got cornered into eating smelly cheese or bit of pate, but I just had a little and then moved away.

The hard part was putting up with the bollocks people spout when they've had a few! Our companions are Milord's friends, and while I get along with them they can be hard work usually - never mind when I'm completely sober! I went to bed very early once I was "on my detox" and read my book rather than put up with it... nobody seemed to mind so that's ok.

Regarding the pregnancy itself, I think it's ok. I haven't bled in over a week, and actually Milord reminded me that we'd had sex shortly before the bleeding which is a common cause in early pregnancy, so that eases my mind. My boobs have started feeling heavy with the occasional stabbing pain (this is what happened last time) and I am generally a little weary with a suppressed appetite, so I'm "feeling pregnant".

I won't be completely on-board with this pregnancy until I see the baby's heartbeat, but I have a good feeling about it.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-03T16:01:00.003+11:00

A bit belated - we've been away for a few days. A friend is housesitting her brother's massive property including horses and chickens, and ourselves and 2 other couples with babies joined them over New Years.

It was very relaxed with lots of food and drink and at least one rugrat underfoot at any one time. The weather was perfect and the pool warm but cool enough to be refreshing.

A very pleasant start to the year!

We are home and it is raining and cool and Princess is enjoying being in her own bed again...

Christmas Day - behind the smiles

2010-12-29T18:55:00.003+11:00

Actually, there was a serious blight on my Christmas Day. At about midday I had a bit of bleeding - just a smudge on the loo paper, but that is just how my miscarriage earlier this year started.

I was so upset. I was convinced I was losing this baby too.

All afternoon and evening I was in a daze, unable to concentrate on conversations or participate. Luckily there were so many people around that no one (except Milord of course) noticed that I was very subdued.

In the end there was no more bleeding that day or since. I'm feeling "pregnant", which for me means I am feeling tired and slightly peculiar, so I hope everything is ok. In the new year I'll see my GP and get a referral for a scan and check all is as it should be.

Avoiding booze on Christmas Day wasn't too hard. I pretended I had a horrible hangover so skipped the glass of welcome champagne. When the Pimms was served I sneaked some of the fruit into a glass of ginger ale which looked the same! I nursed an alcohol-free beer for a couple of hours, and then it was evening and I was the designated driver so couldn't drink.

I'm not sure how I'm going to fake the house party over the New Years long weekend, but I'm considering starting a "detox" on the 1st after faking it the night before!

Christmas Day

2010-12-29T18:34:00.004+11:00

We had a nice Christmas. Princess woke at 6am, and Milord and I sat down with cups of coffee and helped her with her presents. She wasn't really in the mood - she has just cut her fourth molar and it was obviously bothering her - but she cheered up once the painkillers kicked in!

As usual ribbons and wrapping paper stole the show but she does seem to be enjoying her presents too. The main one is a small foam seat that folds out into a sort of bed - she seems to really enjoy sitting in it. She also got books, a hat and bling from us, and dresses, sparkly play-do, a pull-along doggy and a doll from friends and family. A rather good haul!

After Princess' nap we got scrubbed up and went over to our friends for the rest of the day.

We had nibbles and Pimms, then exchanged presents, then had ham and bread, and at 9pm we sat down to turkey with all the trimmings. I had been in charge of veggies and potatoes and decided to precook everything at home so they just needed heating through later - they turned out perfect!

It was all very pleasant. I was designated driver which did make the evening a bit long, but it was very nice to wake up feeling well on Boxing Day!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-23T12:34:00.005+11:00

I don't feel remotely Christmassy this year. I keep getting startled that Christmas is only a day and a half away! I'm sure I've forgotten something important...

This is our tree (in the playpen) - I was trying to get the effect of the string of lights in the background too but my camera doesn't seem up to the task.

Princess has received a couple of presents already, and likes eating wrapping paper as well as dirt. Next year should be a lot more fun for her, or should I say for me!

We'll be having a quiet Christmas Eve, and on Christmas Day we're going over to friends who are hosting a big gathering. First the Aussie thing of cold prawns and cold ham, then later a turkey and all the trimmings. It looks like it's not going to be too hot, which is nice as a roast dinner when it is sweltering is horrible!

We had thought of staying the night but I have decided that when Princess wakes at dawn I want to be at home, so I'll be off the booze and driving us back. Boxing Day with no hangover yay!

May you and yours have a wonderful, happy and safe festive season.

Yup

2010-12-21T16:15:00.003+11:00

Pregnant.

I'm not sure how I feel, but over-the-moon like the last 2 times I'm not. *sigh*

Oh well, at least I'll lose weight over Christmas for a change! We are discussing how to hide my condition from our friends, as we will be spending a lot of time with them over the holidays and I usually drink like a fish. I'm thinking of "faking it" - drink lots of gin and tonic sans tonic, hold a wine glass and pretend to sip while actually tipping it down the bathroom sink, alcohol-free beer etc. I'll also be doing all the driving, and using my Princess' dawn starts as an excuse to retire early at night.

I hate being sober at parties. I get really tired. Bah humbug.

I think I'm a little bit pregnant...

2010-12-20T16:12:00.004+11:00

...the test had a line on it so faint that it may have been imaginary. Tomorrow I will do another, but I'm pretty sure I'm pregnant again. My period is half a day late.

It took us 2 cycles this time, with ovulation tests and very unromantic sex (when your wife actually writes "Shag the wife" in your diary on certain days it takes all the mystery away!).

I feel perfectly normal, although I imagine my mouth is getting that bottom-of-a-birdcage taste that always afflicts me in my first trimester. Nothing I eat or drink takes the slightly dry and gummy taste away. Oh well, better than real morning sickness I guess!

I'm finding it hard to get excited this time, the miscarriage is a bit too raw. I'm also kind of dreading having a newborn baby as Princess turns 2, but I suppose I'll cope like everybody else.

I told Milord and his reaction is as muted as mine. We'll get happy, but perhaps a bit further down the line!

Monday

2010-12-20T10:26:00.006+11:00

I'm feeling lazy. It is 10:30am on a sunny blustery day and Princess has just gone for a nap. I am still in my pyjamas, and while there are plenty of things I ought to be doing I think I might spend an hour on the xbox instead! Maybe this afternoon I'll take Princess to the local pool, as it's cool enough to walk there without dying. Maybe.

A surprisingly bad photo. I thought I was looking reasonable... mmph.

I don't have much news. This past Saturday we visited friends an hour and a half away for a bbq and stayed over. While their house is baby-safe it is still a bit stressful to have a commando-crawling speck-muncher at someone else's house. I'm not really looking forward to Christmas Day at a baby-unsafe doggy friend's house!

Princess is still crawling on her tummy but she's spending more and more time on her hands and knees and will get the hang of "forward" soon I'm sure. I'm teaching her to retrieve toys from the couch so that's a whole new perspective for her, and we have the odd couch cushion obstacle for her to get across.

New words:
"Poo" = yes, poo. I'm trying to get her to tell me when she's done one! Toilet training here we come...
"PoooOoo" = Pool
"Toi" = toy, toe, toast
"Hhhhorh" = horse
"oooOoo" = on dropping something (accidentally and on purpose). I think this comes from me going "oh dear" when Princess drops items from her highchair.

She's actually dropped a lot of her words lately, I think her vocab centre might be in overload! Milord is missing his "Dah-Di!" welcome in the evenings.

I think I'm ready for Christmas. I have a couple of stocking fillers to get and some food supplies to stock, but really my shops will only be closed for a day so there's no drama. I keep thinking of how the UK and much of Europe is snow-bound and how hard it must be for folk to stay warm and well fed. I live in a very easy part of the world!

Princess Videos

2010-12-10T11:01:00.004+11:00

New words:
Eeeeyah = Ear. This is her first 2 syllable word since "Daddy"!*
Aaaah = Arm
Hhhheh = Head, Hand
Shh = Shoulder, Shower, Snooze
Tch = Chin, Chip, Chicken
Ffff = Foot
Ttuh = Toe

Her comprehension is well ahead of her speech though, and if I ask her to show me her nose, chin, mouth, toe, knee etc she will generally point/poke it straight away. Or poke mine if I'm within reach!

Princess is very mobile now in commando-crawling mode, and from time to time she'll get up on hands and knees although she hasn't figured out how to move like that yet. I have had to start vacuuming at least once a day as any crumb of food or dirt goes directly in her mouth... She knows she shouldn't eat crumbs off the floor though and if I'm watching her she'll look at the crumb and then at me and go "aaaaah" which is her response to "Don't eat that!". If she gets something in her mouth that doesn't dissolve (ew) then she'll go "aaaah" at me until I fish it out, trying to avoid the razor-sharp baby teeth.

Today I have already fished out bits of the artificial christmas tree, but yesterday I'm pretty sure she ate a dead fly off the windowsill. She was sputtering and "aaah"-ing but there was only a black smudge in her mouth when I had a look. Yuck. I'll be glad when she grows out of this stage!

Here's a couple of vids of playing and chattering for your amusement ;-)

*I know "ear" doesn't have 2 syllables, but it does to Princess!

Family Album

2010-12-05T17:32:00.006+11:00

I read somewhere that it's nice to make your baby a little photo album of family, especially if they are distant, to help them learn faces and names. So for the past couple of days I've been compiling a tiny album for Princess. I reused a small sad old board book as I couldn't find a proper photo album that'd stand up to the abuse...

In this album are pictures of [living] immediate family, godparents, and my best friend who has agreed to be Princess' guardian once she's settled in Australia.

I presented the album to Princess this morning and she can't get enough of it! She's good at identifying Mummy and Daddy, and we're making progress on the rest ;-)

For those of you in the album who read my blog, here are the pics I chose:

Guardian

My Mom

My sister

My Stepmom

My Dad

Apart from that life is good. It's been raining all week and I've been playing the new xbox Assasins Creed. When the rain pauses I'm trying to finish off painting the front of the house, and weeding the garden.

Princess is practicing commando crawling, and is jolly quick underfoot! We have to barricade half the house and keep doors shut. Our Christmas tree is set up inside the playpen!

Life is pretty darn good.

Bad Poems 6

2010-11-29T09:00:00.002+11:00

I'm posting some very old poems that I wrote when I was 17 and 18. Some I knew were terrible at the time!

I still like this one. After 20 years it still exactly encapsulates the way I feel at the start of a new relationship!

Broken heart now fully healing,
Deadened senses new set reeling,
Lost emotions again feeling,
Sorrow stealing, armor peeling,
With soft kiss sweet promise sealing.

Leave behind past love’s betraying,
Impulse throughout clear thought playing.
Distrust fades while hope is staying.
Doubt delaying, judgment swaying,
Trust what trusting heart is saying.

Set heart’s battered banner flying.
Take the chance instinct is lying.
No more from emotion shying,
Tears all drying, fear denying,
Love is worth the risk of trying.

Dec 1990

That's it for my old poems. I do have a bunch of old limericks too, but they name people explicitly ("There was a weird nutter called x...") and that's just not cool to post on the internets.

Toddler Food: Courgette (Zucchini) Cheese Ham Muffins

2010-11-28T13:14:00.004+11:00

I rack my brain for things to feed Princess these days. She can eat anything except egg white (like in scrambled eggs, a little bit cooked in a muffin is ok) but she wants to pick it up and feed herself so that begins to rule out anything sloppy.

She has lots of sandwiches cut into little squares, and at night I'll cook her fish fingers or crumbed chicken with oven chips and veggies. While Princess seems quite happy I've been looking for finger food ideas, and here's one that went down a storm... with Princess and with Milord and me!

Recipe found here:

lunch muffins with ham, zucchini and cheddar
(makes 12 muffins)
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbs baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
¼ cup canola oil
1 large egg
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup chopped ham

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the centre. In a glass measuring cup, whisk together milk, oil and egg. Pour liquid mixture into the dry and bring together with a fork just to moisten ingredients.

Gentle fold in cheese, zucchini and ham.

Oil the cups of a regular-sized muffin pan. Divide batter evenly between the twelve muffin cups. Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes, until a tester inserted into the centre of the muffins comes out clean. Let cool and set in pan for about 5 minutes then transfer muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container, or make a double batch and freeze.

I made mini muffins, and this makes a lot more than 24 mini muffins - I cooked the leftover batter as a very thin loaf!

While these were awesome, I'll make a couple of changes next time. I'll leave out the salt as between the ham and cheese they were salty enough already. I also might just use 2 cups of flour, as there was far too much.

The Princess and the Pool

2010-11-25T07:24:00.003+11:00

Crawling!

2010-11-24T08:07:00.002+11:00

Bad Poems 5

2010-11-22T09:00:00.002+11:00

I'm posting some very old poems that I wrote when I was 17 and 18. Some I knew were terrible at the time!

I think I know who this one is about. For the life of me I can't remember anything I had to fight to overcome to be with him... oh well.

Fight the Flood

I always take the easy route
Avoiding stress to hide.
I run before the rushing wind
And ride the changing tide.

Oh, it would be so simple now
To give in to the wave,
To float upon the swirling push
Which tries me to enslave.

But flight would be away from you,
And that I cannot face,
And so I try to turn and stand
To fight the flowing race.

You lean into the mighty flood
And feel your soul ascend:
A kite upon the winds of love,
To reach joy without end.

Nov 1989

Your Princess Fix

2010-11-21T16:51:00.003+11:00

Just a quickie...

Princess is moving! Forwards! Just an inch at a time, using toes and elbows, but we are very excited!

New words:
"Puh" = Plane (pointing at the sky as an aeroplane rumbles overhead. Every 60 seconds some days. Sigh)
"Ffff!" = Flower. Also food, fruit and hungry...
On seeing a cup of coffee: "'p" = Cup. Followed by "Yawyawyaw" (= Owowow. I'm trying to teach her that coffee cups are hot!)
"T!" = Tongue (often while holding said tongue in her fingers)
"Teh" = Teeth
"Hhhhaah" = Hair (while running her hand through it)
"Buh" = Button. Which must be handled and sometimes chewed. Mummy doesn't let her chew on mummy's buttons, but Milord has been known to end up with a soaked collar!

We've started going to a local pool occasionally and Princess LOVES it! Loads od kicking and splashing and floating. I'm trying to teach her to close her eyes and mouth and hold her breath but she's having too much fun and swallows half the pool. I guess the main thing is that she's having fun, right?

Bad Poems 4

2010-11-15T09:00:00.001+11:00

I'm posting some very old poems that I wrote when I was 17 and 18. Some I knew were terrible at the time!

Something tells me I was a bit over school in my final year!

The sky’s a clear and pastel blue
With fresh green grass beneath.
The brook’s agleam with sparkle new
Since rain fell on the heath.

Small birds are winging through the air
With happy, laughing cries.
They’re unrestricted, flying fair,
And their joy never dies.

On such a lovely winter’s day,
With frost so soon to come,
It’s really sad we have to stay
In school all cold and glum.

We need to stand beneath the sky
And see the stream adance.
We need to laugh, we need to fly,
Whene’er we have a chance.

Don’t hold us back, don’t weigh us down,
Please set us free to run.
Our childhood’s fading fast and still
You keep us from the sun.

Nov 1989
-----------------------------------------

Here I sit among my peers,
Schoolwork coming out my ears,
I am feeling bored to tears,
How I hate this class.

I just want to sit and sleep,
Education you can keep,
Go and take a flying leap,
How I hate this class.

Here I am slumped in my chair,
For this work I do not care,
This is more than I can bear,
How I hate this class.

I want to get up and flee,
Can’t somebody hear my plea?
All this boredom’s killing me,
How I hate this class.

I am drooping in my seat,
All these facts I must repeat,
Simple problems have me beat,
How I hate this class.

Hear the teacher’s constant bray,
Why must I suffer this way?
From this place I’d gladly stray,
How I hate this class.

Nov 1989
---------------------------------

Teacher

In eyes, piggy behind lenses
Evil fire sputters green.
Snide and nasty looks are sent out
Making her seem more obscene.

Bulging jowls of fat are flapping,
Fishlike mouth a thin, hard line,
Puffy hands are clenched in anger
As she watches for a sign

Of things not as she would have them.
Then she fills her lungs again
Startling bats down from their perches
When she squawks, just like a hen.

No one, you say, could be like this,
You think that I have made it up.
But, I tell you, it’s the pure truth,
Can’t someone please shut her up?

Nov 1989

Summer is Here!

2010-11-13T10:25:00.004+11:00

We're having a very hot week with temps reaching 30C every day. I have half pumped up the huge paddling pool I got off eBay (I got too hot and tired to finish pumping it up - I'll do that on a cooler day!) and Princess LOVES it.

We're filling it from our rain tanks so it's guilt-free, which is good because I have to empty it every couple of days to keep it nice.

I had a couple of my Mother's Group around yesterday, and the pool handles 3 adults and 3 babies just fine! Awesome.

Between the pool and the new air-conditioner indoors it's going to be a very comfortable summer.

Parklife

2010-11-10T08:09:00.000+11:00

After lots of rain over the weekend the sun came out and Princess and I spent some time in a couple of local parks. She finds grass fascinating!

Bad Poems 3

2010-11-08T09:00:00.003+11:00

I'm posting some very old poems that I wrote when I was 17 and 18. Some I knew were terrible at the time!

I think these two are both about a chap I dated briefly in my last year of high school. I'm positive we only snogged (badly), so why he deserved such vitriol I have no idea!

Malicious Verse

When you read this, if you can,
You will discover, nasty man,
That my opinion, you great nit,
Would be hard on a pail of shit.

You gross, slime-minded scummy toad,
So like what’s been smeared in the road,
Your stagnant, reeking, dirty thoughts
Would make a slug feel out of sorts.

Bile rises at the sight of you,
You uninspiring used tissue.
Oh, all in all you have less charm
Than bird droppings on a pig farm.

You’re utterly pathetic when
You try to act as other men:
Yes, all of you from head to toe
Is so repulsive, don’t you know.

Your feeble trying to impress
Makes all respect you even less.
Why don’t you just throw in the towel
Before frustration makes you howl.

I do not like you, you can tell,
So bugger off and go to hell.

April 1989

Ode to a moron

We heard a rumor just last week,
A tale that made us stop and shriek
With laughter, anger, shock and rage,
A story that would stun a sage.

It seems some stupid, macho prick,
Whose sad, self-centered, dumb and thick
Ideas would make a worm think twice
Before he sprung them ‘fore our eyes,

Has been spouting, throughout town,
A boast that proves him such a clown.
He says that at the Social he,
All innocence and purity,

Was pestered, hounded, set upon
‘Til all his patience was quite gone.
It seems that two of his “old flames”
Succumbed to passion and played games

With his emotions, and the night
Soon lost all joy and all delight.
The Social seemed quite drab and grim
With these two hussies chasing him.

He said this to a friend of ours
Who straight collapsed with mirth for hours,
Because she knows, as do we all,
This brain-dead twerp does not hold thrall

O’er either of us two, and we,
Although receiving this with glee,
Were also upset and incensed
At his guy’s cheek and felt most tense.

We then conspired together to
Choose fitting penance just for you
And thus wrote this, so from now on
Do kindly take the hint, moron.

May 1989

Your Princess Fix

2010-11-05T09:32:00.006+11:00

It's been a quiet week - yucky weather and I have a new xbox game that's been taking up a lot of time! Princess rolls around at my feet amusing herself with her toys, chatting non-stop. She's managing to sort of crawl backwards for surprising distances, and I am sure she'll get the hang of forwards soon!

Princess has started self-feeding herself the odd meal, and her coordination is coming along nicely. It does mean meals now take over an hour, but at least I can prep my dinner or clean the kitchen at the same time! I have to watch my step though, as it is apparently interesting to drop peas to the floor and watch what happens...

This past Tuesday was the Melbourne Cup horse race. It's one of those nation-wide celebrations, and I had my Mothers Group over and we did a little sweep-stake and wore silly hats.

New words:
"Boh" = "Boo" while playing peekaboo
"Bow" = "Bowl"
"Poo" = "Spoon"
"Kuh" = "Cup"
"Kah" = "Car"
"Buh" = "Bird"

Over the last 2 days Princess has started going "Mmmmmmah! Mamamamamama" so I'm very hopeful there might be a "Muhmeh" in my near future! Her "Dahdeh" is too adorable.

Oh, and 2 new teeth - her first baby molars - have arrived! So that's 10 teeth now.

Bad Poems 2

2010-11-01T09:00:00.001+11:00

I'm posting some very old poems that I wrote when I was 17 and 18. Some I knew were terrible at the time!

This one was written for my best friend in high school. We were inseparable and I would have walked through fire for her. At 19 she cut me out of her life because her boyfriend didn't like me. Bitch.

To Jay

Laughter is infectious, Jay,
I have to crack up when you do.
I see you shake with mirth, and I
Can’t help but giggle ‘long with you.

When you snigger and collapse
I have to laugh until I cry.
It’s not the joke so much, but how
You grin at me and wink your eye.

Thanks for laughing with me, Jay,
It means so very much to me.
I hope you’ll stay forever more
A friend from whom a smile comes free.

Nov 1989

First Kisses

2010-10-26T11:19:00.004+11:00

I just had to tell the world that my baby girl has given her mummy kisses for the first time!

We were playing at pulling faces and making noises with her in my arms yesterday, and started doing kisses ("mwah mwah mwah!") at each other. Then as I leaned in to plant a bunch of kisses on her cheek she gave me kisses on my cheek! And then the same on the other side!

Of course I haven't been able to get her to do again, but those little baby kisses are branded on my face!

Squeeeeee!

Bad Poems

2010-10-25T13:55:00.006+11:00

While reading a recent post by Maleesha, where she posts rediscovered childhood poetry, I remembered that I too had some old poems lying around.

In my final year of school and my first year of art college I was rather into writing poems. I thought they were pretty good at the time. Some of them are really broken-hearted/bitchy stuff about boys - whose names and faces escape me now. Ah, youth - it was all so intense back then. I wouldn't relive my teens and early twenties for anything!

I think I'll post some of these old poems per week, for your amusement!

This is [the only] one that Mom thought was good enough to print out and hang on her office wall:

Hot sun shining in a dazzle,
Splash of brill’ance to the eye.
Gleaming interplay of colours,
Ripples flash beneath the sky.

Green leaves rustle in the treetops,
Branches tossing to and fro;
Roots are tugging, pulling, straining
Deep within damp soil below.

Leaves are falling, twisting, turning
To the water, crystal clear.
Lapping wavelets bear them gently
Where the winds of chance may steer.

‘Neath the shimmer of the surface
Calm does everything enfold.
Light is filtered, soft and soothing,
Dappl’ing forms in green and gold.

Downward, gliding to the lakebed,
All grows dimmer, twilight land.
Tangled in thin strands of plant growth
World of mystery; free, unplanned.

Through this atmosphere of quiet
Eddies sigh their steady way,
Always bending, never breaking,
Life through movement, constant sway.

In this swirling, watchful, silence
Thoughts are loud, ideas whole.
Far away from hate and turmoil
Reach inside and touch your soul.

June 1989

I obviously had a thing about meter. Still do, actually.

It's been quite a week

2010-10-24T09:45:00.005+11:00

Another tooth, learning to clap, playing in the park, and the first visit to a swimming pool this year!

Too cute!

Princess has had her eighth tooth arrive this week. It is the second bottom left incisor - so now she is "balanced" again. Like the previous tooth there was very little drama, just a week or so of wanting to gnaw on things. It's just clearing the gum-line at the moment, so Milord can't see it without his glasses on yet!

I've been trying to get back into some semblance of a routine now that my beloved houseguests have gone home and Milord and I are over our colds (I caught a mild version of his ManFlu, but luckily Princess was fine). If it is a nice day I will go for a walk once Princess has had breakfast, then do some tummy exercises during her nap. I'm keeping a food diary and trying to keep under 20 Weightwatcher points a day Mon-Thurs, and we're also avoiding booze on those days.

Happily I only gained 1kg while Dad and StepMom were here, so that should be easy to get off again... and then to work on the other 4kg I've been trying to lose for a year!

Often my walks will involve stopping at a playground, as Princess now enjoys the swings and seesaws. There is even a small slide at one park where I can (while straddling the slide) sit her at the top, take her hands and help/pull her down the slippery bit! I think she enjoys it...

Yes, she is in her PJs. It's quite early in the morning!

During the week Princess and I traveled into the City for me to have a haircut. I left her with Milord at his office while I went for my cut, and she charmed everyone! My hairdresser got a bit carried away when I said I'd like my hair a little shorter than usual for summer, but it will look alright in a couple of weeks I hope...

Friday was a stunning day, so I gathered up towels and cozzies and took a walk to our nearest public pool - 45 min away (the nearer one is under reconstruction). First Princess and I played in the super-shallow baby pool, then I took her into the big pool for a little bit. I have taught her to close her eyes and hold her breath when I pour water over her head, and now we are working on her doing the same when "gliding" on her front... She seemed to enjoy herself, but then she got very cold. I felt like a terrible mummy as it took her ages to warm up, even dressed in several layers! I now have a blanket packed in the pool bag!

Yesterday was gorgeous weather again and Milord was keen on a pool visit too, so we headed back to the swimming pool - only to find it closed indefinitely for renovation! Seems it's been leaking badly... so now I have no nearby public pool until the end of November. Eeek. I've just bought a huge paddling pool off eBay!

Today is Sunday, and the weather is filthy. Blustery rain, and lots of it... our raintanks must be filling up nicely. Milord is playing xbox, Princess is having a nap and I am catching up on blogdom. My suburb is having a street festival today - oh dear! If it clears up we may take a walk up the road for a look - there are supposed to be bands, art displays, food stalls etc. I guess it won't be too crowded this year!

Hats!

2010-10-18T09:44:00.004+11:00

I bought Princess a couple of new summer hats the other day, as her old ones are far too small. She's pretty good about wearing hats, luckily. I also got a headband that can be used to fancify her hats, or be worn on its own!