Keira Charlotte

Since not a lot is happening now I thought we could try something different. I have selected ten questions and Dave and I will answer them independently. Then we have sworn that we will put them on the site as they were written. Personally it gives us both a insight into the overall experience.

Here we go....

#1 What was your first reaction to the news of the pregnancy?

Dave
Initially I was surprised, then I became excited. I remember the following day buying Dad to Be books. I never got around to reading them until a month or two before the birth. Throughout the pregnancy it’s felt rather surreal……but as we’ve only a few days to it’s tremendously exciting.

Sian
Absolute shock! Numb & excited at the same time!

#2 Name three highlights of the pregnancy?

Dave
#1 Making the trip to the UK to tell Mum & Dad. We gave Mum a charm for her birthday. It was a tiny dummy – we were hoping she’d put two and two together and figure it out. Just in case she didn’t we had a backup pressie – a jewelled Swarovski pram. She figured it out on the first go asking “Are you trying to tell me something?” - we replied “Yes” and she burst into tears. Then oddly, she got up to grab the phone to ring her best friend Margaret followed by Aunty Betty. Dad was sitting in the other chair unaware of the present that had been opened. Sian suggested that we should tell Dad what was going on. He piped up, “I know what’s going on – you’re having a baby!”

#2 Telling Jez and Lisa – Shortly after returning to Australia we had to invite Jez and Lisa around to tell them. I opened a bottle of bubbles and proceeded to wish Lisa a happy belated birthday. I must have timed it badly as Jez had taken a mouthful of sparkling bubbles when I announced “…and we’re having a baby”. He proceeded to spray the contents all over the kitchen– what a shock it must have been !!

#3 The journey of knowing you’re to become a father. From the start when we knew and we hadn’t told anyone else I was listening to a podcast (BabyTime) on the way to work each day. It was a special time, our little secret. I’ve enjoyed the chats at work between the recently new dads, and those of with more year’s wisdom. I’ve been told it’s a life changing experience. I’ve been told there’ll be lots of dirty smelly nappies. My answer to both is – I can’t wait. I’m so looking forward to the good and the bad.

Sian
The 12-week ultrasound, watching & feeling the baby kick & squirm & shopping for teeny-weeny little clothes.

#3 What would you prefer – a boy or a girl?

Dave
I’ve had mixed feelings about this from the start. The way I see it – there’s pros and cons of each. If it’s a boy, we’re going to be skint……well have you seen how many great kids toys there are? Train sets, racing sets, computers, batman, spiderman, superman.

If it’s a girl then we’re going to be skint….well have you seen how much girls wear, makeup, shoes, bags, accessories?

If it’s a boy then there’s kicking a footy, playing cricket to look forward to, yet I believe there’s always a stronger bond between girls and their fathers and boys with their mothers. All in all I don’t really mind.

Sian
I have always had a gut feeling it will be a boy but I do not mind either way. In fact girls clothes would be more fun to dress the baby up..

#4 Has your relationship changed during this experience?

Dave
Yes – I think I’ve become a lot more patient!. I think Sian and I have become closer – I think we’re even more of a team than we were before. We’re both looking forward to being family and doing all the those family things together.

Sian
It has definitely made us closer & happier than ever. The planning for the baby has been great fun and we feel truly blessed.

#5 What is your favourite item purchased for the baby?

Dave
I think the most favourite item must be the jogger – until we get around to buying that train set anyhow! They’ve thought of everything for that piece of equipment – I really appreciate the thought gone into every little detail.

Sian
This might seem like an item more for me than the baby but the most invaluable item was actually a gift from a friend and it is a pregnancy pillow. As my belly got bigger it became more and more necessary for support during rest times.

#6 What was the downside to the pregnancy?

Dave
I guess the downside to the pregnancy was the fact that Sian had to finish work earlier than what would have been ideal. It meant that she’s been off work for 3 months before the baby has even arrived. Not a lot happens at home during the day and it was hard for me to realise how bored Sian got, since I’d been stimulated by going to work every day.

Sian
Feeling & being physically sick until 24 weeks of the pregnancy! At the time I didn’t think I could continue. Feeling ill for a few days is horrid but for months just drives you mad! Keeping the pregnancy a secret whilst being so ill is also not easy!

#7 What do you hope the baby inherits from your partner?

Dave
Her sense of humour

Sian
Dave’s deep brown eyes, temperament, I.Q, sense of humour & morals.

#8 What is your biggest fear about being a parent?

Dave
I think guys struggle against the females in many ways when it comes to being a parent. Females seem to have this inbuilt ability to nurture and care, and know what to do with babies. My biggest fear is related to the fact Sian used to be a nanny for several years, and that I’ll be too afraid to make a decision in case it’s the wrong one. I don’t want to have to defer and ask Sian’s advice every time I need to do something.

Sian
Ending up with a teenager that that is out of control has no respect for anyone and that you cannot understand. But then that’s impossible right?

#9 What is something you look forward to doing as a family?

Dave
Overall I’m looking forward to doing being there for each other, sharing the moments., sharing the good moment, and sharing the bad ones. After all, without the bad ones, we have nothing to compare the good ones to. I look forward to days in the park, days at the pool, days at the beach and rainy days cosy and warm at home. Most of all, it doesn’t matter where so long as we’re all together.

Sian
Waking up everyday to crawling babies in your bed, Christmas mornings & holidays in England.

10 Any advice for other couples?

Dave
Yes – hurry up and have kids so you can babysit for us.

Sian
Keep sharing the new experiences, especially about the baby’s movements, try to maintain a budget & resist some of the opinions pushed upon you by well meaning individuals.

Baby development info –

Length is now about 49cm from head to toes. Weight is about 3400gm

I have been getting increasingly weary with the weight of the baby and getting quality rest is difficult. I am actually considering moving out of the bedroom so that Dave can get better nights sleep as I toss & turn awkwardly & breathlessly. Some tingling down my legs is the result of the baby’s head being engaged.

Getting restless & anxious about the big day now. I often find myself open and closing the drawers in the nursery just playing with the miniature outfits in there and trying come to grips with what is about to happen. Dave taking everything in true Dave style – unfazed and just in a hurry with excitement to have it all begin after such a long wait.

This is going to be a long wait from here…time seems to have slowed down considerably! We will keep you posted.

Before I forget – Thank you to those that have signed the guest book, it means a lot to us as this will be a souvenir us and our baby to keep. And to those that haven’t – Please do!

Just when you think your skin can only stretch so far…….

It is getting harder to write these blogs as I am doing so much less so there seems to be much less to write about. My mind is active so it is good to know that some part of my body is getting some exercise!

We are as ready as we are ever going to be to be parents. The nursery is done, the belly watching (although still awesome) is getting frustrating because you just want to see the person behind it and the toilet trips …well what can I say….
Dave is surviving the nightly disruptions of me coming and going from bed really well. He has really geared up lately and is doing more and more around the house. I have given in to the fact that I simply can’t do a lot now and he knows that I appreciate his help. Pregnancy has taught me some real lessons – I now respect my body much more in regards to rest and what foods you eat. As it is nearing to an end it still amazes me what amazing feats your body can achieve to bring another human being into the world.

As the due date gets closer I am getting more anxious about making the ‘right’ diagnosis for the aches & pains you get. I often feel that I do not want to ‘be a bother’ yet thankfully Dave makes the logical decisions when we need them. I have been getting ‘new’ pains in my lower abdomen and had a brief bout of vomiting again. Now I am almost tip toeing around the house in p’j’s, having warm baths and just taking it really slow. In many ways I want to hurry this up but I also realise that this time is also precious. Still I never thought I would want my ‘old body’ back but I am looking forward to having this baby being an ‘option’ to carry rather than a ‘have to” If that makes sense.

We are officially having a baby that is classified ‘to term’ now. Any baby’s arrival before 37 weeks is apparently a premature birth.

Baby development info

Length is now about 48.5cm from head to toes. Weight is about 3150gm. The toenails reach the top of the toes. The lanugo (fine downy hair) is almost gone but many babies are born with it on their shoulders and back - it does disappear soon after birth. The baby looks quite plump by now. Your baby's placenta now covers about 1/3 of the inner surface of the uterus and processes around 12 litres of blood per hour (or 600 pints in 24 hours).

All well with obstetric check up – baby still happy to be head down bum up. Went to the hospital to have my next Anti D injection. No more now until after the birth, apparently at the birth the doctors will take a sample of the baby’s cord blood and if it is a negative then I do not need to have anymore as we (and have been) totally compatible. If it is a positive blood type (which is highly likely) then I have one last injection.

I am sitting here thinking of what to write and yet I am getting kicked right in my ribs on my right side! It is rather hard to type whilst reclining so it will simply be a battle of wills to keep me writing this while I am being battered!

I have just got back from my weekly obstetrician appointment so before I forget I will mention that all is ‘swell’ and that the baby’s head is engaged. Otherwise known as in ‘blast off’ position!

I have had a lovely week full of friends and family popping in and bring all sorts of goodies with them. From hot lunches, dinners & morning and afternoon tea! Thank you to all of you, and it was so nice to just relax, chat & show off all the gadgets we have for the baby. The nursery is actually finished now with the last remaining canvas’s hung and the recliner complete with plumped up cushions just waiting for some action!

Baby development info

Length is now about 47.5cm from head to toes. Weight is about 2900gm. The baby continues to grow and snuggle down in your pelvis. Folds of fat occur in behind the knee and in the creases. The gums are now rigid - ready for sucking!

Sleeping is strange now, days & nights blend into one. I wander the halls at night then seem to drop into a deep sleep just as Dave is getting up for work. Pillows - they sure do become your best friends for a while. It is now incredibly hard to turn over at night (trust me Dave knows this). Sleeping beside me at the moment must be like sleeping with a crocodile wrestler. The first step is rocking back and forth, then hugging my favourite pillow as I do the fabulous flip! Not elegant at all and becoming a little dangerous for Dave who is pretty close to being bounced straight out of bed and onto the floor!

Dave and I have both been pleased with the fact that I haven’t spent much on maternity clothes. I am, in fact, still wearing my pre-pregnancy work clothes, yet I confess that my favourite ‘outfit’ involves my pyjamas. I have finally made my peace with the dilemma regarding whether to wear clothes under or over the bump. Over the bump is the way to go! It makes you feel funny sometimes and if someone drops in then you tug your pants down a little so they don’t have a giggle. I have really only bought 2 tops and spent about $30. This does not include the requirements for the hospital which does cost a bit – I am sure that you do not need as much as they ask you to bring but who am I to argue time will tell!

Well not long to go now – 2-3 weeks maximum! My tummy is huge and I never tire of looking at it when I’m lying down. Not exactly round though – more like a thin layer of skin covering some arms, legs and little bottom. It almost has corners! It is pretty cramped in there now so the movements are more squirming with the occasional hearty kick just to remind me who is boss around here!

It’s not often in life to be able to see your belly so close up! I keep badgering Dave to ‘look..look..look’. As soon as he looks at it or puts his hand on my tummy the baby seems to go quiet. This is frustrating for both of us and Dave has even said that he “can’t wait for the baby to be born now” rather than sit and watch my tummy move around.

I have come to terms with the fact that my belly button will more than likely not pop out, as I’d once hoped. A shame really – I always joked that when the baby was ‘cooked’ then my belly button would pop out with a ‘bing’ like a oven timer and I’d have an ‘outy’.

Ok, this is blog first. Dave is finally writing an entry.

It’s been quite an eventful week this week. It started when I arrived back from the UK on Saturday morning at 5.30am. Jez, Lisa and Sian came to greet me at the airport and chauffeured me home. We both went to sleep almost immediately. Sian had been following the flight progress via the internet and was probably more tired than I was.

This was, I think, the first time I’ve actually suffered from jetlag. Maybe it was because I’d only been in the UK for 3 full days and my body clock was still getting used to GMT, but I was exhausted. We slept until just after lunch.

We managed to stay awake for most of Saturday afternoon to be able to go to sleep normally Saturday night. I spent a fair amount of Sunday sleeping too.

Monday morning arrived as expected, and I was eager to get back to work. The alarm didn’t even get chance to go off, before I was up and raring to go. I was, grossly unaware at this point that in close to 24 hours from now, I’d still be awake…..again.

The drama started on Monday evening after we both settled down to watch the BBC production Hotel Babylon. About 10pm Sian started feeling uncomfortable, a tightening across her chest. She’d felt this before and it had lasted a couple of minutes previously and passed. So we weren’t overly concerned.

At 10.30pm the uncomfortable pain was still present and I decided to ring the Maternity Hospital. They asked me a number of questions, and determined it would most likely pass with a couple of Panadol.

The Panadol seemed to do the trick. At first, anyway. At 11.30pm the pain had come back and we decided we needed to go to the Hospital.

Upon arriving at the local hospital in Ferntree Gully (good practise for future emergencies) I explained my wife was 35 weeks pregnant and was experiencing chest pains. We were rushed through in front of all those waiting patiently in the Accident and Emergency unit.

Sian was hooked her up to all the hi tech beeping and blipping machines, nurses came in to take blood, take blood pressure etc, etc. The doctor came in and examined her, an Obstetrician was called in to ensure all was well with iBlob.

At about 3am after pacing around the bed in the cubicle we were told that all was fine, but they’d like to take another blood test at 4am. We figured there’s no way Sian would be getting out of there until 5.30am so I decided it would be best to go home and get some rest. After all I had a 9.30am meeting that had been rescheduled from the previous when I was in the UK.

I’d set the alarm for normal time, 5.30am. At 5.15am I was woken by something. At first I wasn’t sure what it was. I found my way to my feet and realised it was a phone ringing. I grabbed my mobile….but it wasn’t ringing. I grabbed the home phone and couldn’t figure out how to use it. The ringing stopped.

I tried dialling 1471…which is the answering service in the UK. That’s right, I thought I was still in the UK. After only 2 hours of sleep I’d forgotten where I was.

1471 didn’t work. I tried pressing the green handset symbol on the phone, not sure of what I was trying to achieve. Then some lady answered ‘Hello’. I thought that’s unusual. That was an Australian accent. I was still thinking I was back in the UK.

I’d rung the Hospital somehow…and she managed to work out who I was and told me that Sian was ready to come home. I got showered (still confused as to where I was), took my time to get ready and went off to pick Sian up.

We weren’t home for long before it was time for me to get going for work….didn’t want to miss the 9.30am meeting. By 11am, the meeting had finished, and I was ready to fall asleep standing up. So I decided it was probably best to go home and get some rest.

Of course, the trains running during the day stop at absolutely every single stop. It was warm. I had to move seats as the sun was bearing down upon me, making me feel even more tired. I didn’t want to fall asleep on the train and miss my stop!

Finally got home at 1pm and went straight to sleep….and so did Sian.

I’m now - very nearly over the jetlag.

Oh yes, nearly forgot. The doctor confirmed it was Indigestion. As the pregnancy nears it’s end the baby is taking more and more room up. It’s putting pressure on organs which would normally cope very well. But over the next couple of weeks, we need to eat small amounts often and leave out the Chocolate!!

Baby development info –

Length is now about 45cm from head to toes. Weight is about 2700gm. The last month of pregnancy begins. The baby’s arms and legs are “plumping up”. All organs are well developed and just are putting on the finishing touches. The baby takes up most of the room in the uterus. If the baby was born now, you'd be happy to know that there is a 99 percent chance of the baby surviving.

I wish time would speed up a bit now! Because I have so much ‘time’ you would think I would get a lot accomplished and the house would be running like a well oiled machine and squeaky clean….the reality is the days are still as long as they used to be but my energy is at an all time low. Dave is still the voice of reason who patiently explains that this isn’t for much longer and that I should get the rest while I can. I am incredibly lucky to have such a supportive husband who copes with my stubbornness & frustrations with such patience.

The odd piece of chocolate seems to distract me as well...haha

Daddy has actually read & completed a few books on babies! I was wondering if I had to rip off the covers and put the baby books inside some computer manuals for him to find and hopefully read ☺ Okay I am kidding, he read them on his own volition and often mentions little ‘tips’ to me that he has learnt. I was told quite seriously one night to make sure I had a bag packed at all times to make going out with the baby easier…and to restock it when I take something out! The first fatherhood decisions….

The baby is incredibly active now! Just when I think the movements could not get any more dramatic they do! I even joked to Dave that I could almost grab & hold what appears to be a little hand, foot, elbow or knee when it protrudes from my tummy. One day I watched something pressed firmly against my right hand side actually move all the way across my belly to the opposite side before settling! It is hard to describe, but truly amazing and one of those experiences that you wish you can share. I am pleased that it is so active as I have read that at some point (due to the lack of room to move) that the activity seems to slow down or stop and that is when you need to do ‘kick counts’ to reassure yourself that everything is okay. So far so good..

Baby development info –

Length is now about 44cm from head to toes. Weight is about 2500gm - a whole 21/2 kilograms! The baby’s eyes open and shut during sleep periods - just as they do after birth. The surfactant coating the alveoli in the lungs will now minimize the risk of apnoea (stopping breathing) if the baby is born now. Doctors can give the baby an artificial surfactant, which will assist in maturing the lungs if born early. Only 6% of babies are born before 34 weeks.

Dave has been in England for his father’s funeral, which was a fitting tribute to an amazing man. We kept in touch everyday via Skype with the web cam hooked up. It is amazing that you can speak to anyone in the world with such good quality reception and image for no extra cost other than your normal internet fees! Whilst Dave was away I spent the time resting as much as possible (in between a teeny bit of painting a couple of feature walls and shifting some furniture). I did not particularly want to have to do the hospital dash during this time, as I am sure you can understand. So I did what I call ‘sat on the egg’ and waited eagerly for his return.

The baby is still in head down position, which is obviously great fun for the little munchkin to be able to use your ribs to kick off for entertainment when bored in utero! Who would have thought there was so much fun to be had using mum’s body parts as toys! And my bladder is so bouncy too – hours of enjoyment to be had throughout the long nights for a bored baby! Not too many Braxton Hicks contractions at the moment though - which I am hoping continues – I am not a big fan of them!

Dave has yet again done some more shopping at Mamas & Papas for our nursery, which has been completely stocked with the stunning furniture and accessories from England. The room is so incredibly stunning – I just wish the store would come to Australia as there is truly nothing here that compares, and there is a real gap in the market for this type of store in Australia. We now have the last remaining items from the Millie & Boris range and there is no more room in the nursery anyway! Joan has been very generous with sending items as we need them, to ‘complete the picture’.

A quick thanks to all the guys from work who have been in contact just to see how I am and catch up on news. It feels like a long time ago that I worked and it is nice to still feel included in the workplace news! I do enjoy a chat, and it doesn’t involve moving too much! So big Hi to all of you and I will keep in touch! Also thanks Dad for checking up on me while Dave was away!

We have found a solution for the disposable nappy vs the environmental concerns. My Planet is a company that recycles disposable nappies and turns them into things like recycled plastics and paper & cardboard. The company brochure says that the plastic is often used for park signage, jetty planking or outdoor furniture. So if you ever sit on a park bench that might be a bit stinky – that might be why! Haha. Seems like a great solution as it costs only $7 a fortnight for pickups & supply a good sturdy bin to store all those aromatic gifts from your beloved offspring.

Our final antenatal class is now over so we are now experts!! At least I don’t think we failed the classes. The group we were in was quite large (28) and for some reason the size of the group was not overly conducive to forming any close friendships. The one class we did as a ‘catch up’ was much smaller (8-10) and was much easier to chat and get to know people. There is however one couple who we will endeavour to catch up with and they are due before us so that will be pretty exciting. It is strange to think that when we are in hospital we have a very good chance of being there with many of these other couples as they run the classes by due dates.

During the classes we often had to split up as mums and dads to do little activities such as write lists of ‘what you will lose with having a baby’ (men) and ‘what will you gain…”(women). I know Dave is pleased that that part of things is over as the male group tended to be overly ‘macho’ and most answers were things like ‘the beer fridge will be taken over by milk bottles’ and the standard pub & mates time being sacrificed. Dave is really looking forward to the baby’s arrival and doesn’t enjoy the tone of these group sessions where a lot of the ‘dads’ try to outdo each other in witty macho jokes. Dave simply cannot wait any longer – he is super keen to hurry this process up as he wants to “SEE IT”

Baby development info –

Length is now about 42.5cm from head to toes. Weight is about 2300g. The amniotic fluid is at its highest level - this will remain constant until delivery.

Well the bump is huge – I find it hard to believe that it can get bigger and not be in danger of exploding! Is that possible? I sure hope not but it is amazing to see what your body can do! If anyone hears a big bang – it just might be me! It must be getting pretty squeezy in there, as the lurching from side to side is really weird to watch. I wonder if the baby gets bored. Once you have done one somersault you have seen all there is to see in a big bag of liquid.

The ‘waddle’ that I tried so hard to avoid is impossible to not do. Apparently it is your bodies’ way of preparing for the birth by relaxing the pelvis & hips. It says in many books that ‘you will be grateful for this when the baby arrives’. Now human bodies are pretty amazing and I am sure this is a great perk at delivery – but 6 weeks or so BEFORE you get even close to the delivery!! Maybe it is designed to do this so early for other peoples entertainment perhaps. Sometimes I overly exaggerate this waddle and lurch along with my arms ‘monkey style’ just to make Dave giggle.

This is a hard week to write the blog which is why it is so late. We are all feeling the loss of Dave’s dad Charles after a bout of ill health. We want to remember the great moments we all had with Charles and like to think that our baby has his or her own guardian angel. Chas is now not limited to where he can ‘travel’ so he can be with all of us and watch our baby grow up.

Chas was blessed to be cared for by such a devoted wife during his illness and he benefited from a better quality of life than many by being in familiar surroundings for as long as possible. A great man who possessed amazing wit, twinkling eyes & cheeky humour – we certainly hope that his grandchild inherits these great qualities from him!

New life forges forward in utero as it was meant to, regardless of what is happening on the outside. I get physically exhausted easily which can be frustrating at times when you think it can be controlled by stubbornness and mind over matter. I am very stubborn and need to ‘surrender’ to what is happening! Sometimes I rest halfway up the stairs and although I have had minimal weight gain simply lifting one leg in front of the other takes on ‘gritting teeth’ proportions. My breathing is audibly shallower and I am hot and sweaty most of the time. Regardless of the weather the air conditioning is on until my ears go icy cold!

The baby’s movements are quite dramatic now and I have read are supposed to peak around this time. Sometimes when I can feel that the baby is going to ‘roll over’ I brace myself as it can feel a little icky (like being on a roller coaster ride) If the baby moves whilst I am walking I often find myself veering to the left or right due to the shift in balance!

Braxton-Hicks contractions are more regular and increasingly stronger. Now that I know what they are it is not scary but they are certainly uncomfortable. It feels like a belt has been tightened around my rib cage and pulled tight, held for a couple of minutes then released. Not pleasurable at all.

Baby development info –

Length is now about 41 cm from head to toes. Weight is about 2100g

I have noticed that the baby seems to be more active at certain times. I have always meant to put together a movement diary but never quite got around to carrying a notepad. For some reason 11pm seems to be what I have decided to call ‘Copacabana time’ after that fabulous Barry Manilow song which makes you want to dance around the house with the fruit bowl perched precariously on your head! A conga line in utero must be a little boring as the only participant ☺

Shame that Dave is pretty much unconscious by this time of night but he has seen (& felt) some rather spectacular somersaults.

The last antenatal class we had was on ‘baby massage’ which was really nice. A couple of mums brought their babies in and stripped them off and massaged them to soothing music. The babies loved it and I have to say that the music certainly soothed me as I wanted to curl up on the floor and go to sleep too!

Dave has decided that after the baby is born he will go to the dads baby massage class and then that can be a special activity that he & the baby can do as a regular routine. It is so important for the dads to have some special time .I think it is a fabulous idea because while he does this maybe I can disappear for a hot bath with no distractions for a brief time (Yayy)

Okay now I am feeling a bit panicky! Not long to go now and I feel like spinning in circles worrying about all the things that need to be done FIRST! Alright I admit, Dave is thankfully my voice of reason who without a hint of hysteria explains how we are very organised and there are only a few little things to do..really. I am fast suspecting that no matter how much you do you will never actually ‘be ready’.

I am having a real dilemma with maternity trousers, you either have to pull them up to your chin to cover the bump comfortably or have them under the bump. Now under the bump is much more comfortable but comes with the slight disadvantage that if you are carrying anything or simply walking for that matter the next thing you know is that your pants are around your ankles! Not a good look! Dave is suggesting braces after enduring many walks with me hitching and lurching along like Frankenstein (with a similar expression on my face) behind him! I could start a new fashion trend

Although normally horrified at the thought of taking photos, I have decided to give it some thought. My belly is HUGE! And now I know why pregnant women waddle! I have tried so hard not to do the waddling & the sitting back in the chair with your hands behind your back but it has been impossible to avoid. Sitting upright is awkward as it feels like I am squashing the baby and this theory gets confirmed by an almighty boot in the ribs! Once it made me literally jump upright with a frustrated yowww! I realise that there probably isn’t a lot to do in utero but if I could move my internal organs away from this kickboxing baby I would. I mentioned to Dave that this baby is either going to be an Olympic athlete or someone with anger management issues.

There is no limit to the amount of pillows required to sleep well now. Two under your head (for heartburn) one under your belly (for support) one behind you (to stop you rolling onto your back and thus restricting blood flow to the baby) and one between your knees (for backache)! Dave was amazed to see one morning me happily snoozing on my back with all of the pillows askew. I explained that yes it takes 20 minutes to arrange all the pillows before closing your eyes at night but at 3am when you are on your 3rd or 4th loo trip during the night the arrangement importance seems to be much less important than closing your eyes again! Oh I was curious so I worked out how much water I am drinking in one day and it is over 4 litres! Dave jokingly suggested that maybe I can save time and effort and tip the water straight into the loo!!! Very funny!

Baby development info -

Length is now about 40cm from head to toes. Weight is about 1900g. It is starting to get a bit tight in there and you may notice the movements change to elbows and knees moving rather than the baby moving position entirely. Due to the deposits of white fat underneath the skin your baby's skin is no longer red, but is now the wonderful newborn pink colour.

We are still going to our antenatal classes although we did miss last week. It is interesting watching Dave’s face when the nurse is demonstrating things like epidurals and how the needle comes out but the tube stays in your back for ‘topping up’ pain relief. Considering Dave cannot handle the sheer torture of having a band-aid removed from his skin – thank goodness it is me in charge of the child delivery! Otherwise we would be childless or adoptive parents I can only presume.



Today’s obstetrician appointment went very well, a good strong heartbeat & measuring in at 32 weeks in size. Interestingly the baby is in what Dave and I call ‘rocket position’ so it is ready to go head down in the pelvis. This also explains my ribs being kicked on my right hand side. I asked my doctor when I should be getting my supermodel figure back - she asked me when I last had it!! Surely she doesn’t suspect that I like to slightly embellish the truth sometimes…

P.S. I managed to get a quick photo up !

Wow! Where did the week go?? I have no idea how I used to squeeze work into my daily life! The nesting instinct is either very strong or my eyesight has improved to the point that I can actually see dust falling! I have a list of things to be cleaned and I never thought I would see the words ‘skirting boards’ instil me with the urge to get going!

Well time is ticking away and we are in ‘single digits’ of weeks now before the big day. Some days I wish it would hurry up and others I am happy to enjoy each day and the new experiences that come with being pregnant. I cannot imagine getting any ‘heavier’ (belly wise) so that is going to be interesting.

One night I talked Dave into being very patient and watching my tummy without looking away as I have actually seen my belly ‘lift up’ suddenly and it is a really strange sight. In the past Dave has got either bored or too tired to watch so he has missed out. Well he saw a spectacular show the other night with lots of rather awkward movements from the baby, which made my tummy lift up and get very ‘bumpy’ like a foot just kicked the wall of the uterus. Extremely hard to explain but I am doing my best. He was thrilled and said the same as I did – it certainly looks a bit weird. To think that the baby is now only about one third of it’s birth weight so the movements are going to get interesting!

Feeling generally very good although the tiredness seems to be coming back now. I really struggle through the day if I do not have an afternoon sleep and I find that my back aches if I am on my feet too long. One night recently the baby must have been in ‘party mode’ and kicked and flopped and whatever baby’s do in there (how much is there to `do?) for what felt like the majority of the night. I found myself walking around to hopefully ‘rock it to sleep’. Not sure if it worked really but it gave me something to do that wouldn’t wake a snoring daddy-to-be. I was sick that day and Dave suggested that the busy night may have played a part and that it was concerning as we are both hoping for a ‘dream baby’ that sleeps a lot like Dave did when he was a baby!

We have received some beautiful canvas’s from Joan & Chas to keep our Millie & Boris theme going in the nursery. We haven’t put them up yet but the nursery looks simply gorgeous and the quality of the products from the U.K is excellent.

It is Dave’s birthday today and he has a surprise party for him tonight, he thinks only one couple are coming but another two couples are coming. I mentioned to him that this would be the last birthday that he will be able to eat his birthday cake without a child sneezing on it, poking fingers into it or putting their open dribbling mouth directly on top of it! And Dave says he can't wait for those days! I made a Delia Smith Austrian Coffee & Walnut cake - and whilst it was absolutely fantastic according to Dave, it just wasn't quite the same as Mum's!!

Dave woke to find a lovely pile of pressies and cards under his pillow. One of them was from iBlob, with a card that said ‘see you soon Daddy’.

Baby development info –

Length is now about 39cm from head to toes. Weight is about 1700g. The baby’s permanent teeth have developed and are “waiting” in it’s gums. The baby is very aware of the surroundings and it’s eyelids will open and close. It will even look around and turn toward light. We tend to think of the uterus as a dark place but the uterus actually can be light and dark depending on your environment. Our baby is at it’s most active this week as there is still enough room to move about. There is lots of rapid brain development at this stage, as the nerve fibres develop to allow brain impulses to travel faster and so increase the baby's ability to learn.

Funny comment I saw on a website “30 weeks is when you start to lie on the settee watching TV with your trousers undone and your belly hanging out like a complete slob”. I have been using a elastic band in the button hole of my trousers to ‘expand’ them without having to buy more clothes or have them fall down when least expecting it. Saw it on the Internet – what a great tip!

I had my first sample of Braxton Hicks contractions yesterday. Sometimes things can be a little scary as you worry that you might be blasé about a serious pain by thinking it is something ‘normal’. This pain had me a little concerned before it faded away and then came back a few minutes later. Once you realise what they are you can relax. For those who are thinking ‘what are Braxton Hicks’ they are sort of ‘practice contractions’.

It is hard to believe that in 8 or so weeks I will be a mother. Dave will be a father. We will be a family. Wow. We need to organise a weekend away, I figure it may be quite a while after the baby arrives for us to do anything baby-free & spontaneous. That is likely to be years….like 18 perhaps!

Also this week we finally bought a couch for the back room - a great buy on Sunday afternoon and making two trips home with it in the back of the car. We ended up selling quite a few things we no longer wanted on eBay and purchased it with the proceeds......everyone's a winner.

Well it is time for the antenatal classes and I have been working with Dave on nappy folding before we get there so that he is confident and super fast when challenged by other prospective dads ☺


A nurse who is very professional runs the classes and the class content is very thorough. The class size was 28! And I have to confess that there was only myself and another mother that looked older than 22!! The nurse would ask questions of all of us sometimes and it was really uncomfortable when people didn’t say anything out of shyness I presumed. So I answered a few questions and then got teased by Dave for being a ‘miss know-it-all’ . Going to the hospital on a regular basis is really helping de-mystify the surroundings and making it much easier to relax, we both feel that had we not gone to the hospital so regularly then when the baby arrives the hospital would have seemed a much scarier place.

We have done some more shopping (does it actually end or do you keep ‘needing’ something new?) We now have everything except the baby bath that is an ‘essential’.

Of course there is still a couple of things that are on the ‘want’ list but are certainly not ‘needed’. There are just so many cute things available and it is hard to stay in control of what is required.

I now see my obstetrician every two weeks which is nice. She is a lot of fun and I really look forward to seeing her and receiving a good dose of reassurance that all is well.
My weigh in was interesting – no new gain so the whole weight gain in almost seven months is about 2kg. The baby is flourishing so there is no concern there and is even measuring at around the 30-week mark! Must have been the result of eating the light & fluffy chocolates instead of the heavy caramel ones last week..haha

The baby’s movements have changed quite dramatically recently. Instead of the little kicks I used to get all the time now I get what I can only describe as stretching and shoving movements. Sometimes it is quite uncomfortable! One night recently it hurt when the baby moved and I suspect that it was sideways and getting a bit squished!

My obstetrician felt the baby’s position and said she could feel its bottom right up high so its feet have been kicking my ribs and its head is down lower in the pelvis. I am still on a non-stop toilet loop, sometimes I am only just coming out & I think maybe I should go again! I am drinking a lot of water now though. I am sleeping well with the heartburn easing after I discovered to cut down/out a few minor things containing caffeine and having a small glass of milk before bed & immediately after waking. Just a few loo trips during the night but the quality of sleep I am getting is still very good.

The baby clothes have been washed in soap flakes and hung in the sun before being ironed & packed away. I can honestly say I have never enjoyed hanging washing as much as I do now. It is great to stand back and look at all those teeny weeny clothes! I even called Dave to see, Dave laughed and mentioned that the neighbours might panic thinking the baby has arrived. And because everything is in sets of 4 on the washing line you could even assume we had quads!

Baby development info

"Length is now about 37.5cm from head to toes. Weight is about 1500g. The head is now in proportion to the body and the brain is controlling temperature and primitive breathing functions."

Sian surprised me this week with a lovely little Ipod baby suit which she'd ordered from the US. I can't wait to try that outfit on the little one!!!

From what Dave and I can gather quite a few people read this blog these days and we would love to have some friends and family say hi to us and let us know they are reading. At the bottom of this blog is a little ‘comment’ tab and if you click on it you can leave us a message. Please do – it would thrill us to bits! We are also keeping this as a record for us & the baby – a little piece of history for all of us!

I always knew that there was a skinny person inside me just waiting to get out – and the funny thing is now there truly is!

I have had my first injection of Anti D at the hospital this week. These injections are so that my blood does not attack the baby’s blood (as I am a negative blood type and the baby is more than likely to be a positive blood type). It will also protect future pregnancies.

While I was at the hospital for the injection, they ‘hooked’ me up to the foetal heart monitor just to check on how things were going. The nurse then had to leave me as she had a patient currently in labour so I had about half an hour by myself. To hear the heartbeat is always a thrill and when my obstetrician checks it, she does it very quickly and I always find myself wanting to hear it just a little while longer. So I got to play around with this very expensive machine, located the heartbeat and sat there very content. One nurse popped her head in and asked if I wanted to be ‘unhooked’, I grinned and asked for a just a little while longer. The only thing that would have made me happier was if Dave could have been there. The heartbeat was around the 150 beats a minute mark.

We finally finished the nursery by putting up the wallpaper border. It really looks like someone’s room now and it looks really cosy. Now we can spend the next 10 weeks shifting the furniture around trying different ‘looks’ - we're having a Feng Shui Baby!!

We start our antenatal classes on Monday 27th February – this class goes for two hours and is titled ‘Early Labour’. Topics include nappy skills, when to come to hospital, induction of labour & a tour of the hospital. Should be very interesting. I can only presume that the nappy skills will be most useful whilst at the hospital since they use cloth nappies because we have planned to use disposables at home.

From now on I will be seeing the obstetrician every 2 weeks. I’m currently now at the stage of leg cramps, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, itchy skin, aches and pains, swelling, heartburn, indigestion and . . . the baby's arrival!

Definately time to focus on the positives and prepare for the ride.

Baby development info

Length is now about 36cm from head to toes. Weight is about 1300g. About 9 out of 10 babies born now will survive with intensive care services and the help of medical technology.

Our little miracle is growing and developing at an astonishing rate!

We wanted to say a big thank you to all the friends who’ve been giving us bits and pieces, you know who you are and we’re very very appreciative.

There is not a lot left to buy now although we still need to buy a baby monitor, rocking chair, nappy bag & baby bath with a stand.

The baby’s bag is all packed and zipped up! And our neighbour Peta (who is also pregnant with a really cute button belly) bought me a great little pregnancy pillow, which sits like a little wedge under your tummy when you sleep; it certainly helps take some of the pressure off the spine.

Dave is in training to be a dad, we purchased a mountain bike & helmet and he has plans to get fit in preparation for the baby’s arrival and the crash course in housework he is more than likely about to encounter *grin*

We’ve also bought a couple of packets of antacid tablets for heartburn, which has started pretty much on cue. In fact Dave has it too! Who says we are not sharing the trials & tribulations together. It is funny how you read week by week what new experiences pregnancy has to offer and if it says heartburn then heartburn it is. So far I can pretty much tick off the list of symptoms.

The best news of the week is that Dave can now hear the baby’s heartbeat by simply resting his ear against my tummy!

This week marks the beginning of the third trimester!

Things are great here – because I am not working I am able to manage my energy levels much better and obviously rest when I need it. Little things around the house that have needed doing for quite a long time are now getting achieved with real gusto. Although I do find it awfully frustrating that if there is anything heavy then I have to wait until Dave gets home to help me. A hard lesson for a stubborn and a once fiercely independent person!

Dave is exhibiting his first real signs of pregnancy – whilst I seem to have some of my memory back his has gone who knows where! I have never known Dave to forget so many things as his has recently. He states that it is because he is “having to remember all his stuff and my stuff”

I have discovered a really cute quirk of the baby’s. If it is a little quiet in utero and you ‘knock’ on the tummy – it knock’s back! How clever is that? I have jokingly started telling people that we have a genius on our hands as it is learning morse code already!

I keep reading in all the pregnancy books tips on getting a good nights sleep at around this stage in pregnancy. So far I am sleeping well (in-between toilet trips anyway) but as the ‘best’ way to sleep is on your left side (due to blood flow to the placenta) I am waking with an incredibly painful left arm! Sleeping comfortably takes some planning these days.

Food cravings are now concerning, with sweets now firmly established as the attraction. I was never very interested in chocolates or biscuits pre-pregnancy preferring savoury foods to sweet foods. Now it is a real battle to look at a plate of sliced fresh fruits when my brain is screaming ‘there are biscuits in the kitchen! Go get ‘em!’ I will battle through this latest challenge and if it gets too tough then I have choices. I can -

a) Give In and keep telling myself I can deal with it later
b) Be force fed whilst blindfolded
c) Justify my actions, as iBlob obviously needs chocolate and biscuits right now
d) Eat only the ‘fruit filled’ chocolates like the Strawberry Creams!

Baby development info

Length is now about 35cm from head to toes. Weight is about 1150g. The eyelids are open and eyelashes are present.The lungs, liver, and immune system still need to fully mature, but if born now, iBlob would have at least an 85% chance of surviving.This week, the membrane that has covered iBlob's eyes will split apart to create the eyelids. Now a new visual discovery begins for iBlob.At this point iBlob's eyes are probably blue. They will only take their true colour some time after birth.

The great news is that since I have now gained 2kg in the whole six months and the baby weighs 1.1kg now things are not out of control! I will certainly not deprive the baby of good nutrition as much as I kid around sometimes though. The weight gain apparently steadily climbs from here on. My tummy feels rock hard now – really odd, you can feel all around the ‘edge’ of the uterus and sometimes you encounter an extra hard bit. I joke that if we keep poking and prodding we may end up with a child with a big dint in its forehead or one squinty eye!

We found out that if Dave puts his ear against my tummy he should be able to hear the baby’s heartbeat! So far he hasn’t heard it but to think that he should be able to hear it at least soon is pretty amazing. For some reason, that still baffles me, when the baby is kicking madly I often get Dave’s hand so he can feel it. The baby seems to settle almost straight away then resume the kicking party as soon as Dave removes his hand! I cannot figure that out but have read another women’s account of the same behaviour on a pregnancy forum on the Internet.

The blood tests results for gestational diabetes and Rhesus negative antibodies (as explained in last weeks blog) are good news…..no reason for concern.

I am on maternity leave (although I do have an unfinished project for work to complete) and it is amazing how many people ask if I am relaxed yet!

It has only been a couple of days so work is not yet a distant memory!

Feeling very healthy although heavy and sometimes breathless & have icky burning bile in the back of my throat most of the time. I have bought some new maternity swimwear and already tested them out! I love swimming and now that I am on leave I hope to do quite a lot of it. The outfit is quite cute and it is in two pieces with the top obviously having a bit of room for the ‘pooch’. When you swim though it has a habit of lifting up like a tutu but luckily there is a second section underneath so you can retain some decorum!

My most recent appointment with the obstetrician went well, she is really lovely and I certainly feel like I am in the best of hands for the delivery. Dave is still yet to meet her but at this stage the appointments have not been worth him having to leave work and lose the income, as it is normally a chat, blood pressure, heartbeat and an abdominal palpitation.

Every time you turn up you need to weigh yourself and tell the obstetrician. I discovered that if you lean back ever so slightly you weigh a kilo less! When she asked the weight question I couldn’t help grinning and telling her I wasn’t sure which weight to pick – the one where I have gained 2 kilos or the one that I have lost 1! We had a laugh and since I am now 6 months pregnant and haven’t gained any weight (after losing a lot because of the morning sickness) we chose the gain of 2 kilos. Dr. Hughes commented that that’s pretty good but the gaining weight will start from here on anyway.

Sometimes it feels like an obstacle course of worrying. I mentioned my recent concerns about the baby’s movements being less energetic than normal during the last week and was reassured yet told if I had any concerns to ring the hospital and go in so they can do a quick ultrasound. It is hard to know who you call sometimes between your obstetrician, doctor & hospital.

This appointment had an extra feature, with a measuring tape draped over the doctor’s arms when she was feeling the size of the uterus on the tummy. She measured the size of the uterus from top to bottom to check growth. Apparently we are around the 28-week mark! This apparently does not mean a lot as changes in uterus size for the duration of the pregnancy are normal but it shows a good healthy sign as it is ahead rather than behind. This does not mean that the baby is due any earlier!

We went to Waverley Private Hospital for the tour one evening after work that was informative yet brief. I think for me personally seeing the teeny babies in the nursery made me realise how real this was and we will get one of those!! The young lady who showed us around was pleasant enough. The hospital has a fabulous reputation and although Dave would have liked to have the option of a few hospitals this is the only hospital that my obstetrician works at and I do not want to lose her.

Amazing how much you can type when you get started! I always think – ‘there is nothing to write about!’ Dave is the driving force behind the writing of this blog, although he rarely writes anything. A man of few words with a wife that talks/types too much I suppose!

In regards to blood types, I am A negative which is referred to as Rhesus negative. Apparently 85% of the population is Rhesus positive and 15% Rhesus negative. My blood type comes with some extra medical care being required during the pregnancy.

Rather than try to explain it I will insert some information on it from another website.

“If an Rh negative woman becomes pregnant to an Rh positive man, their baby may be Rh positive or Rh negative.If the baby is Rh positive, there is a risk that some of its Rh positive blood cells may enter the mother’s bloodstream during the pregnancy or birth.If this is left untreated, the mother will develop antibodies to the baby's Rh positive blood.If a mother develops antibodies, these antibodies will cross the placenta and may destroy the baby's red blood cells, in this or in future pregnancies. If not treated these babies may be anemic, or at risk of brain damage or even die before birth. An injection of Anti-D can be given to an Rh negative mother, which helps stop her immune system making antibodies to the baby's Rh positive cells.If you are Rh negative and have not formed antibodies, you will be offered an Anti-D injection at 28 weeks and at 34 weeks of your pregnancy.”

Dr. Hughes explained to me that at delivery the baby’s cord blood is tested, if it is Rhesus negative like me then I will not be given the last injection and in fact would not have needed any during the pregnancy as we would have been compatible. Although we do not know Dave’s blood type I think we can take a good guess that it will be a positive and we will have to wait and see for the baby’s type in 13 weeks or so!


Baby Development Info

Length is now about 32.5cm from head to toes. Weight is about 910gm. Our baby now has fully formed fingerprints and his bones are continuing to harden.

I have to go for some more blood tests and also the Gestational Diabetes test this week.

I am starting to think the menfolk have it easy throughout this time!

Anyway I am looking forward to some time to relax, go swimming, catch up with some neglected friends and cook some yummy lunches and dinners for my great hubby!

Definitely out of breath a lot now and recently had some worrying moments when the baby had a couple of very quiet days. This whole experience simply makes you worry all the time. After just getting used to the super kicks all of a sudden they were very gentle. My girlfriend Carolyn who is my pregnancy mentor (after having 4 herself) reassured me that sometimes they might be ‘at the back’ which only after she said it did I remember reading that unless they kick directly at the front of your stomach you will not feel it as there are no nerves on the other ‘sides’ of your uterus.

I even did some research on foetal movement kick records and did what they suggested. Eat a good meal, drink a sugary drink and lie down on your left side and count kicks in a one hour period. Any more than 12 and your totally fine – I got 10 in just under 10 minutes so I think I am just getting myself worked up for nothing.

Baby development info –

Length is now about 32.5cm from head to toes

Weight is about 910gm

“The lungs begin to manufacture a substance called surfactant - this keeps the tissue of the lungs from sticking to itself and allows the baby to breathe. The baby’s nostrils start to open.”

Have a nice bump now which I love! Sometimes it does feel uncomfortable though and rolling off the bed or the couch is hard to do in an elegant way! I am so so thankful that the morning sickness is over just remembering that makes me amazed that we made it through that time. And some poor women have it much worse than I did.

Headaches have eased – I am almost to nervous to state that in writing in case it comes back with a vengeance.

We're going for a tour round the Waverley Private Hospital this week which is going to be very exciting!!

Time seems to be flying along now – I remember when we found out about the pregnancy and time from one week to the next seem to take ages! Now it seems to be going really fast!

The good thing is that we have purchased all the big things now so aside from nappy bag, bath & monitor that is it. Probably a good thing since this week we are expecting our bill from the obstetrician which will be around $2000 with a further $900 a bit later on.
This baby is costing a fortune so you would like to think that you can pre-order things like manners, good looks & talents wouldn’t you?

Dave suggested that I go to the library to borrow some books as I am reading a lot as moving around seems to make me breathless & dizzy and I still get the headaches but (fingers crossed) they do not seem as severe as before. I now have a huge stack of baby books – I wonder how much you can read about babies & pregnancy before it gets boring.

It has been incredibly hot here with a particularly bad bushfire season with other states sending fire fighters to Victoria. Although I realise that I am feeling hotter than normal the evaporative cooling has been on all day and nearly all night for the last week. The night temperatures have generally been in the high 20’s celcius.

Baby Development Info :

Length is now about 31cm from head to toes

Weight: is about 800gm

“The baby can now react to loud noises by a blink or “startle" response. They continue to grow and most of the weight gain is in muscle, organ and bone mass development. The baby’s hearing and taste senses are developing”

It appears that the fruit & vegetable craze is pretty much over and has been sadly overtaken by a keen interest in potatoes & anything sweet. Hopefully this will not be a long lasting craze as it is not the healthiest.

We've attempted to put the new baby seat in the car this weekend....only to realise we have to take it out on Saturday as we're going to a wedding and taking some friends !!!

Well it is getting harder and harder it seems to keep these blogs churning out on time!

A combination of factors played a part this week. I am still getting bad headaches and sitting at the computer doesn’t help them. It has also been stinking hot here and we have been turning off the computers as they generate so much heat. As I am still ‘dipsy’ I actually thought about jokingly stating that I had forgotten how to use a computer!

I have done some research on the headaches and I am aware that there is little chance that I can do anything except get rest and take as few panadol as possible. Apparently during pregnancy there are changes to the eye which can affect vision and some books even advise to not bother getting your eyes checked until after the birth. I am however considering making an appointment for Physiotherapy as it may be related and can only be a benefit I suppose. If the headaches do not ease in the next week or so I will consider making an appointment to test my eyes.

On a positive note I have not been physically sick for quite a while and am now totally fascinated with my bump and the energetic little baby inside! I even rang Dave at work one day to say that perhaps we should add the name of ‘Jackie Chan’ to our list as this day was the most energetic ever with constant kickboxing going on! I have come to terms with the fact that you obviously spend a lot of time worrying during pregnancy as I often get worried that I haven’t felt anything in a little while and then worry about if it is okay to be this active? Someone told me recently that you will now spend your life worrying about your child, this is just the beginning!

We have arranged all the items that are on the list that the hospital gave us for the baby after hearing a few stories of babies being born around this time. Apparently there is a good chance with expert medical care that if it was born now it could survive. Quite amazing! Dave and I are both loving life at the moment, to add a baby to our lives is going to be simply fantastic and we cannot wait until May!

We have bought the car seat now and boy is Dave in heaven with all these new toys to install. Not that he reads the installation manuals, that seems to be where I step in once he gets frustrated (which I admit is not very often) The car seat we bought is a Safe N Sound AHR Platinum. We mainly decided on this car seat based on the statement that it is the safest car seat in Australia. The funny thing is that this car seat comes with stereo speakers inbuilt into the headrest. Of course with our interest in technology it is pretty hard to convince people that we bought it for the fact that it exceeds all safety standards. Although I will admit that Dave has already tested the speakers by plugging in the iPod which is an important test considering that our children will need to be able to hear Billy Joel as soon as possible. This is our last ‘big purchase’ (I think). The only things left now are things like a baby monitor, bath, nappy change bag & things that are on my list for the hospital like champagne & chocolates & ear plugs! (kidding)

Baby development info –

- Length is now about 30cm from head to toes

- Weight is about 700gm

One fascinating bit of information that I found out is that the baby’s eyelids are now no longer fused closed yet the pupil is still protected by a membrane for another week or so. I can’t imagine that there would be a lot to look at in there but it is exciting for us to think our baby is opening its eyes. Apparently the definite colour of the eyes is not yet established but as we both have brown eyes it would be rather odd if it didn’t have brown eyes!

Eating habits are still very similar to the recent past, still cannot get enough fruit and vegetables and this has also been a bonus for Dave who is also eating so much more Fruit & vegetables than ever before. Dave is confidently whipping up huge bowls of leafy green salads while I drool! Breakfast has been the same for a while now with Coco Pops the main attraction.

We have been out to do some shopping for maternity clothes; Dave has become skilled at so many things since this pregnancy began. He selects good choices for maternity clothes even stating that they are ‘on the list’ before he races off to look through the 000 sized baby clothes. There are so many cute clothes and if we knew the sex of the baby we would be in shopping heaven. Dave got excited over a teeny outfit of what I call overalls but he calls them dungarees. So far we only have white baby clothes in the cupboard – staying safe!

A widely known saying is “You know you’ve made it when you own a Beema” The saying of course is referring to a BMW car. We bought our new pram/jogger which just happens to be called a Beema! It has a bassinette that can be securely fastened to the jogger for newborns, it was an extra cost but well worth it. The only thing we were not happy about is the fact that when we picked it up and paid for it only then did the saleswoman say “You’re warranty starts today” Considering it is a 12 month warranty and the baby wont be using it for 4 months or so we thought it was a bit cheeky – especially as Dave had contacted them to notify them that we would not be picking it up until February. They then rang again to ask us to pick it up so we did to save any more bother. I can honestly tell you that we will not be returning to Babyco in Narre Warren again! So we have it all set up and it looks great. I dared Dave to walk around the block with it maybe with a teddy or our small dog Polly in it but he went all shy!!

Morning sickness a distant memory now, I have only been sick once in the last 10 days which is great. However the headaches have returned and drive me crazy! I am bored of lying down on the bed looking at the ceiling when there is so much to do. My eyes seem to be much more light sensitive now and watching TV or using the computer makes them sore then soon after the headache thumps. Before I even open my eyes I have them most of the time. I am considering getting my eyes tested but as I have previously seen a doctor about this there is not much that can be done. ‘Just rest’ arghh! If it wasn’t for the darn headaches I think I could say I am in the ‘swanning stage’ because everything else is great!

Still eating tons of fruit and vegetables! I cannot remember ever having so much interest in what is in the fruit bowl before! The great bonus of this is although feeling heavier and looking pregnant now any weight gain is pure baby. My next appointment at the obstetrician is in February so I will close my eyes and weigh in like a good patient.

My tummy is much bigger and higher now as the uterus is apparently well and truly up above the belly button now. Although I feel quite chuffed that I can squeeze into most of my old clothes they soon hurt around the middle and I end up pulling them down and walking around like an American teenager! This is saved for around the house, at work I have some modicum of decorum!

I can honestly say that my heart rate has increased somewhat during this week of pregnancy. I have read that it is normal and just a sign that my body has to work a little harder.

Baby development info –

Length is now about 29cm from head to toes

Weight is about 630gm

The baby’s eyelids and eyebrows are well developed and even though the baby’s eyelids are fused, he or she is now making blinking movements. The first signs of teeth appear as buds beneath the gum line.

“Taste buds are starting to form on baby's tongue. Also, brain and nerve endings are so developed, the baby can now feel touch. Baby starts to experiment with this new sensation by stroking his or her face or sucking on a thumb. Your curious baby may even start feeling other body parts just to see how they move! These are the beginnings of exploring the world.”

Lots of kicking and wiggling around - I am concerned that the baby and my body clock are not in synch as when I finally nod off to sleep it apparently is party time in utero! If this continues after the birth we will have to negotiate appropriate times for fun (I can wish can’t I?)

Apparently this is the time for singing and reading to the baby as it actively listens. I am hoping that Dave does not decide to read a technical book on software development and I will encourage him towards his old favourite about Len the lighthouse keeper. I will dig out my favourite Dr Seuss books, especially The Sneetches, The Magic Faraway tree & Mr Men books.

Dave is truly amazing; I only wish that every woman could have a husband as attentive and supportive as he is. Although I often feel terribly guilty that some household chores are either not getting done or taking forever to get done, Dave mucks in and is always by my side telling me to take it easy and to rest.

Wow! I do not know what happened to this week! That’s not really surprising as I am so confused all the time anyway. I am starting to be a little blasé about my foggy brain syndrome and simply tell people straight away that a) I do not know what day it is & b) I do not know when I am working next. Those seem to be the most common statements anyway. Dave will be thrilled to know that I am aware that it is January! He loves telling people how three times in one day last month I was standing beside the Christmas tree frowning whilst trying to figure out what month it was. He thought that the Christmas tree might have given me a hint!

Things here are terrific, I am feeling generally much better and meals have miraculously started arriving on the dinner table again. Loaves of bread are baking in the oven and homemade vegetable soups are the latest craze. Pre-pregnancy diet consisted of probably 20% fruit and vegetables yet now feature in 99% of food! So it has been a great bonus for both Dave, the baby and me.

I have a lot more energy now and I am sure that my work schedule reduction is definitely the main reason. I would love to say that the morning sickness is history but although much rarer it likes to strike when least expected now. I woke for work on New Years Day feeling good yet 15 minutes into my hour long drive I was sick extremely violently. Luckily there was a blanket on the back seat from when we took Arnie to the vet so that saved some mess in the car but didn’t spare it (or my entire outfit) entirely. So I went back home to start the day again with a fresh set of clothes & a speedy wipe down of the car. I could only imagine what people were thinking as it was 6.15am on New Years Day and I was sick whilst sitting stationary at a roundabout! Hopefully that will never happen again.

New Years Eve was quiet yet thoroughly enjoyable spent having dinner with close friends. I was almost cross eyed with tiredness by midnight but made it and stood outside with Dave watching the fireworks. It is amazing how many people get access to fireworks (with are not legal unless a organised & controlled event). I like watching fireworks but I do feel sorry for the animals in the area not to mention it was 43 degrees Celsius and one stray spark……

Baby development info –

Length is now about 28cm from head to toes

Weight is about 500gm

The baby's eyelids are still fused shut but the retinas of the eyes are fully developed and it now has distinct eyelashes and eyebrows. The baby's hair follicles are now pigmenting to give the baby's hair colour.

“By this week, your uterus is now higher than your navel. It may even cause your navel to stick out”. I would like my belly button to pop out then I can experience life with an ‘outie’ how cute!

Lots of little kicks and lurches these days, I keep thinking that I must keep a little ‘movement diary’ as there is a theory that when the baby has active time in utero it keeps to the same active time once born. Not sure how true it is but I would like to see anyway. I often like to rub my tummy as I think it soothes the baby (maybe not but I like it anyway)

Merry Christmas!

According to Dave’s rules – Christmas Day cannot begin until at least 7am. Hmm okay I said but you can’t change the rules on the spot. To cut a long story short – Dave won and I restlessly tossed and turned, had a shower, played with the dogs while Dave went back to sleep until Christmas Day could begin on his terms (The rules must be different in England and in Australia the sun is high in the sky by early morning)

Well the Christmas madness hit and we all got very very spoilt. iBlob did very well and got many stunning gifts from Joan & Chas (as did we!) who know exactly what iBlob needs & loves from Mamas & Papas! We cannot wait to have the baby arrive and play ‘dress ups’!


Christmas Day lunch was great with family in Melbourne and we got to meet my sister Serena’s new boyfriend Alex who is from Spain. Great guy, great family feast, very relaxed and thoroughly enjoyable. Oh – Thanks Dad for my morning sickness tablets, a blessing to have a Naturopath in the family ☺

I am always excited by Christmas and what Santa may have tucked under the tree ☺ I even tried to explain to Dave that on Christmas Eve as we went to bed at 11.40pm that if I simply waited 20 minutes it was then technically Christmas Day and I could charge down the stairs to open the gifts! Dave put his foot down on that idea and I reluctantly curled up to attempt some sleep. 6.00am I awoke and couldn’t help but whisper & poke and basically annoy Dave until he sleepily opened his eyes. “Oh are you awake?” I ever so innocently said!

According to many books week 20 is the halfway mark, that’s based on the 40 weeks though, so in my calculations (and I am definitely no mathematician) we are over the halfway mark!

My tummy is now pushing the boundaries of some of my clothes so I think a shopping trip is imminent. It is hard to believe sometimes that it is real and that we are 5 months along. I have been wondering about when the baby ‘kicks’ and I feel the baby moving around all the time but not ‘kicking’ as such. Well I got my wish while sitting at the computer this morning with a sudden jolt in my tummy – I immediately froze and ‘thump’ there it was again! Four times in total! I was so excited I had to ring Dave at work to tell him!

Okay some development information –

His (or Her of course) length is now about 27cm from head to toes. Weight is about 450gm

The baby is starting to grow scalp hair - though genetics play a large role in the amount of hair a baby has at birth!

Work – I have officially begun my roster of 8 hour shifts working on administration projects with minimal client contact. This has eased my stress level which was going sky high the last week and was becoming unmanageable & unhealthy. I took a few days off then began my new role which is brilliant! I am starting to enjoy the pregnancy again now that the stress has eased and love the new challenge of the administration projects I have been given the opportunity to do. As long as the guys can tolerate the fact that the office is always arctic (I am always so hot!) with the air conditioning on it will work out just fine!

A big thank you to Gordy & his stupendous wife Kaz for our new baby socks! I knew as soon as Dave saw the ones with the frogs on them they would become the favorites. Dave used to have a frog toy who was his best friend (sounds a bit sad really..haha) and frogs seem to be a real attraction for him especially as we live opposite a lake!

Well today was the day we were in such a hurry for!

The good news is that iBlob has all fingers, toes, arms, legs & everything we have – just smaller ☺ The only not so great news is that we didn’t get a good picture like last time. Sorry about that but this ultrasound was a lot more difficult to see what was what! Apparently as the baby grows it gets harder to see good clear images like profiles as the baby is so large and close to the ‘surface’.

Click here for the photos.

iBlob is so long now! The feet were right up high stretched out fully and the head was down near the waist line of my jeans. All fingers and toes were counted and we saw the baby swallow a big gulp of amniotic fluid. Then just when the Sonographer mentioned to us that she needed the baby to roll over – our baby obliged! Obedient already! Fantastic!

We got a great view of the heart beating away at 135 beats a minute which is perfectly healthy even though I was curious as to why the 12 week ultrasound was somewhere around 150 beats a minute. It was explained to me that the baby has the ability to regulate its own heartbeat and it would be incredibly rare to get the same result each ultrasound.

We were shown the bladder which was full and is a great sign that the kidneys are functioning – I can assure you that mine are functioning in double time, in fact I was joking to Dave saying that I might put a sign on the toilet door ‘Sian’s Office’!

The due date of 17th May 2006 remains the same with all tests cleared today and all growth in line with the 19 week stage.

Okay – THE BIG QUESTION! – BOY OR GIRL??

Not that easy to answer actually! Dave asked the sonographer when we arrived if she could write the sex of the baby on a piece of paper and seal it in an envelope. We then planned to either keep it or send it to Dave’s parents for safekeeping or opening.

Before the sex of the baby could be determined a ton of other tests that were more important were done. At this time the baby’s hands were beside the body and one curled in a fist under the chin.

Then the moment to check came – and lo and behold…..the baby’s hands were now beside each other over the groin! The sonographer laughed and said that perhaps the baby heard us talking about finding out the sex in our mysterious way!

So…No idea….Sorry no revelations to be had ☺

...until we get the next peek at our baby!

We have the next ultrasound on the 21st December so it will be a fabulous Christmas present! I am still working on Dave about buying the ‘beetle on wheels’ for iBlob ☺

My tummy is certainly ‘up and out’ now right up to my belly button. I sometimes find that I have been pulling my pants up above this line if I am not wearing the maternity ones which are pretty cool – I call them ‘v-neck pants’ for a laugh!

Sleeping can be tricky sometimes and I sometimes think that by the time you get the hang of all the pregnancy adjustments it will all be over and iBlob will have arrived to bring about the real chaos!

Thanks for the comments Sarah & Joan about the baby clothes. It can be confusing sometimes about the baby sizing.

I have had a meeting at work with management and my work hours will be decreasing very soon. Due to the field that I work in it is not easy to simply change my duties so for the next 10 weeks or so I will flit between what duties I can find that are not direct care related.

Again due to the work I will be finishing sooner than ‘average’ and at this stage that date looks to be around early February. My colleagues & management have been really supportive and we have all been working towards working out a solution. No one seems to remember this ‘situation’ ever happening before in a male custodial facility. I have my ‘male midwife’ Gordy who sure does know more about pregnancy than I do to advise me and make sure I take it slow sometimes. Les laughs at anything gross & Mr.D who assures me that if I am thinking of relaxation cd’s playing during the birth – don’t bother!

What a team!

How about some news of iBlob....his (or her) length is now about 25cm from head to toes and weighs about 330gm. The baby continues to develop and fingerprints are set down. About 1-2 hours after I eat, the baby receives its’ nutrients. I have read that I might get hiccups, but at this stage but I haven’t noticed any.

I (Dave) thought we might get the ultrasound operator to write down their findings of the sex of iBlob and put them in an envelope - an idea I picked up from Dan and Kerry and their podcast.

I've often wondered how people with kids find time to do everything, since I can't find time to do all the things I want without kids yet!!! Well I guess we'll find out in a few short months.

We recently found this site which really made us smile.....and I guess one day soon we'll have to get one !!

Dave has also been putting together some links on the left hand side of the page.

Well the title may make a few of you think I have hit the gym, trust me I haven’t! I have been put on a course of Iron to combat my fatigue and teary moments. It is hard to sometimes comprehend that you do not have the same element of control that you normally do regarding your emotions & concentration. It is like thinking ‘in a fog’ and not being able to ‘snap out of it’. This by the way is a very real problem during pregnancy!

I have only had one bout of morning sickness and am feeling generally much better yet get out of breath & tire easily and feel much much heavier now, so I think this is the start of the ‘honeymoon stage’ Finally!!

Week 17 check up went well. I was a little nervous about the weigh in as I feel that I have been eating all the time, yet thankfully a ton of salads & icy poles (my latest craze).

After preparing myself to face a weight gain I was bamboozled to find out I have lost 1kg. I am now 3kg lighter than pre-pregnancy weight! Now I know things will change but right now I am thrilled with the result. This is nothing to be concerned about at this stage.

The heartbeat was heard, although a little tricky to find as iBlob was hiding ‘in a corner’.
I have felt iBlob move quite dramatically at times with a kind of ‘rolling’ lurch. If I try and lie on my tummy now in bed it feels like I am lying on top of a tennis ball. Quite a strange feeling, such a hard round ball! Sleeping seems to be an art form now as I have to find some comfy positions I have never tried before like on my left or right side for the entire night. It's recommended that pregnant women do not sleep on their backs. You don’t realise how many little things in life you take for granted and how set in your ways you become.

iBlob’s length is about 20cm from head to toes, weight is about 240gm.

Fat deposits are forming under the baby’s skin - this will help control their body temperature after birth - babies are very poor at controlling their body temperature.

The baby now weighs about the same as the placenta and has a covering of fine, downy hair called lanugo - this continues to develop until about the 26th week of gestation and then gradually disappears - though some body hair may still be evident at birth.

It is likely to be aware of loud sounds that it hears outside the body and may respond with sudden movements. This certainly seems the case when I sneeze. I do not know why but I seem to sneeze a lot more than I ever have before.

Dave & I cannot wait until May!! How can this baby not be amazing with Dave’s brains & Dave’s good looks!! (have a guess who wrote this bit!)

The shopping is fun and I really want to buy iBlob a gift for Christmas but Dave thinks it is a bit silly especially with the shopping list as it is!
I really think iBlob would love one of these for Christmas don’t you??

This is our LAST CHRISTMAS as a couple! I find that exciting!

Its seems like the caring switched last night, when I (Dave) came home feeling a little unwell. I reckon it was something I'd eaten at work the day before. However the good news was that I went to bed at 7pm and Sian looked after me all night and even used the new (expensive) electronic thermometer to determine I had a high temperature!! Just need to use it several thousand more times now, to justify the cost

4 months!! Well things are going well! Not quite ‘swanning’ yet but at the very least upright with energy, eating & holding most of it down! Yayy!

Whilst the nausea has predominantly moved on it got replaced with some pretty yucky headaches. These headaches were mind blowing as soon as I opened my eyes in the morning and so I started taking Panadol. Panadol by the way is the only thing a pregnant woman can take so thank goodness it exists! I went to the Doctor to check how many Panadol’s are okay to take whilst pregnant and I got a very non-committal “Just try not to take them and rest instead, but if you must then try not to exceed 4-5 a day” Not a very reassuring answer – but I suspect that no one wants the liability of stating something regarding pregnancy.

Anyway enough about me lets talk iBlob. If I get caught typing ‘he’ - it is not because we know anything (which we don’t yet and hope not to find out) but it makes it easier to write about, and ‘It’ seems a bit alien, doesn’t it? Just in case anyone is wondering now, we are both happy to have a boy or a girl Dave says the best way to determine the baby’s sex is to……..wait till it’s born!!

So, iBlob measures about 16cm and weighs about 200g now (about the size of an avocado). All organs and structures have been formed and a period of simple growth begins. iBlob even has fingerprints and can blink, suck his thumb & can hiccup, cough or even cry in the womb! Aaaahhhhh. The baby is even emptying his or her bladder every 40-45 minutes. What a luxury! – 45 minutes, Gee I want to swap as I am ‘emptying my bladder’ every 20 or so minutes. iBlob has a good deal there!

The first movements of the baby are called “The Quickening” and can be felt as early as 14 -16 weeks. So many websites or books are slightly different. I can honestly announce that I have felt iBlob move! It feels like bubbles in your tummy and it is rather strange yet exciting! I tried to share it with Dave but iBlob must have gone all shy! I doubt whether through your tummy it could be felt yet anyway but it was worth a shot!

Work planning is underway with some options being discussed. Possibly shorter shifts, roles change at some point and perhaps some work off-site. My doctor today recommended shorter shifts with more regular breaks and no physical restraining allowed. We are looking at options and entitlements now and the guys at work have been incredibly supportive to me (even in my current ditzy state).


Had a huge surprise yesterday - iBlob seems to have access to the VISA card !! I received a beautiful delivery of a dozen red roses, a bottle of Champagne, some Pot Pourri, and some lovely Chocloates! Unfortunately I can't enjoy the Champagne, so iBlob had Dad in mind!!!

Dave is definately ‘swanning’ instead of me and loving the pregnancy experience and the future role of a ‘Dad’. Dave has said that he will/should write some of this blog so I am going to save the next bit for his perspective!



The executive decisions regarding the strollers were made this week. We went out on Sunday to check out the various baby stores around the area. We've found that Baby Bunting has an extensive range of products, whilst BabyCo is a little nearer. We ended up putting a Beema Q jogger on layby, with additional Bassinette (which kind of makes it into a pram).

The only 'big' things left are the Baby Car Seat and High Chair. We won the bidding on a chest of drawers on eBay which I'm heading off to pick up on Saturday morning That should just about finish off the nursery - and we'll get the borders put up soon - I promise Sian!!!

I'm really looking forward to the next few weeks, particularly the second Ultrasound. I have been told that it is possible for an untrained eye to tell if its a boy or a girl.....and I'm sure even though we don't want to know, we won't be able to stop ourselves looking!!

If anyone out there has Skype - we've just signed up to try it out - davemgraham is our Skype Name - give us a call.

Well another week over – this is like waiting for Christmas morning when you were a child and lying awake in bed! The morning sickness is almost gone, and today marks the third day in a row without throwing up…yay!! Still feeling tired and just so I don’t get too confident the days seem to start and end with brain throbbing headaches which tend to stop me moving about from sheer fear of then being sick! I keep hearing that this is the ‘honeymoon’ period when you are supposed to glow and swan about in your halo of motherhood…hmm maybe next week….

A lot of the food aversions are gone even though I still associate some foods like chicken at the moment with being sick (except KFC Chicken Zinger Burgers!). I am starting to be more aware of what I am eating and was relieved that my next craving (after the pickled onions surge) was actually salad sandwiches. Absolutely has to be on white bread though with slabs of beetroot and I do miss the slice of ham.

Poor Dave, I must be like a broken record at the moment. Every evening I struggle to say positive things and the day’s events seem the same with the same weariness and frustration. Dave doesn’t seem to be able to win as if he says the same response as the day before I get teary and want more affection. I am aware that I am a bit emotional and fragile at times & thankfully this is not a daily event.

I am feeling ‘heavier’ and my tummy has popped out really low. Sleeping style seems to be a changing thing as sleeping on my tummy is just not so comfortable now. Not a big deal though as in-between toilet trips who has time for sleep anyway!

Work has been truly amazing; the guys are all excited as this is a totally new thing to happen in a male secure facility. Although I am conscious to not put too much of my workload onto the other staff they encourage me to sit when possible and keep an eye on me. One of the workers the other day even noticed my face apparently going pale and came over to ask if I was okay – the funny thing was it was at that moment that a wave of nausea hit me and off I went to the bathroom! He knew before I knew! I have to make a doctors appointment and get a list made of ‘limitations’ so that my manager can create a work plan and staff the facility accordingly.

I actually thought I felt the baby move the other day, it is hard to describe but what I felt I could almost imagine the movement to be with the baby rolling over. From what I have read it is a little early but we will never know for sure. Only four weeks until our next ultrasound! Can’t wait for that!

I have my list from the hospital with what to bring, I am confused! For the baby it says ‘grow suits’ – I know what they are but in every store I go in Newborn is either size 00000, 0000 or 000. This I will need to figure out at some point – I bought a ‘newborn hospital set’ at Target which is tagged a 000, yet a girlfriend said they would be too big and to get some of the other sizes. Since I need 6 of each item it sounds expensive and possibly silly to have 18 grow suits in each size! If anyone has any advice can they click on the ‘comment’ tab or email me.

I really need to do some clothes shopping as I am ‘hiding’ in only two tops for work. Although the current clients at work are aware of the pregnancy (and quite fascinated) I do not like to advertise or expose my tummy as we do get many kids with all sorts of intellectual disabilities and it simply isn’t worth the risk. I anticipate because of the nature of my work I will more than likely finish up much earlier than most people, I have been told that if you stand on your feet for four hours a day then you should stop work at 32 weeks, my shifts are 12 hours so who knows when that might mean.

Got to grab some ‘Formal’ clothes for Jez’s Graduation at the Victoria Police Academy in December. – That’s gonna be interesting !!!

Anyway this is a precious day to waste sitting typing as I have a little energy (after lying in bed all day yesterday) and need to do domestic stuff and might treat Dave to some Low Fat Banana muffins for when he gets home. Sounds all warm and fuzzy but just might turn out to be dinner if I crawl into bed again afterwards..haha


Ooo little tip - the ticker on the homepage will only change the ‘due date’ if you refresh the page. Otherwise it is going to be a long long time before iBlob arrives!

14 weeks tomorrow! Well it has been a long time since I have updated this blog. As much as I wish I had kept it up to date I ended up feeling generally so unwell for a while that the thought much less the possibility of sitting at the computer was impossible. I will try and recap to bring this up to date.

Morning sickness was happening when last I wrote yet geared up afterwards, lemonade turned out to be my saviour as food became non-existent in my world so I ‘coasted’ on the sugar in the lemonade for quite a while. I was concerned with my (lack of) nutrition and spoke to my obstetrician who reassured me to just get what I could into me but not to worry to much as it would hopefully end around the 12 week mark and that the baby’s nutritional needs around this early time were not too great anyway.

Well the decision was made to make the flight to the U.K to announce our fabulous news to Dave’s mum and dad. I tried to be brave for Dave’s sake but my anxiety level about the flight and feeling so unwell did result in some tears. I wanted to ‘be’ in the U.K just not sit on a plane for so long with the nausea, stuffiness, food smells, reclined seats crushing your knees and people looking at you when you had a face washer over your face. Turned out to be not as bad as I had worked myself up to think it would be. The blanket that the airline provided me with some privacy when the nausea hit me and I didn’t actually physically be sick – just felt it. Dave was attentive (when awake...Haha) and did what he could, but there really isn’t much anyone can do.

The trip was wonderful although short, announcing the news was great and especially a very proud moment for Dave who is looking forward to being a father. I can already see how things will be for us, I will manage the day to day stuff and try to have some rules and boundaries as a family and Dave will be the lovable Dad that will be a child and animal magnet the moment he sets foot in the door. We are looking forward to this whole new experience as a family so much! Okay, I am losing track as usual - back to the U.K.

If I had a crystal ball it would have been nice to have known that only a day after arriving I would regain a small amount of energy & appetite. This information would have saved some of the anxiety level before the flight for both of us. I still struggled with any meal other than breakfast and never really knew what I wanted or even if I wanted anything. Lemonade was the only exception.

Whilst we were there we shared our 1st wedding anniversary with Joan & Chas, who had organised an amazing luncheon at a fabulous hotel. The attention to detail was amazing and we felt really special. The board at the entrance to the hotel announced our anniversary, the music from the wedding was played throughout lunch, the table was scattered with silver anniversary wishes, a replica wedding cake tier was presented as well as a personalised platter of chocolate & fruits – all this which was arranged by Dave’s parents to our amazement and sheer delight. On top of all this special attention I ate my first ‘good’ amount of food for at least a month! A great day for all of us.

Before we left we discussed finding out the baby’s sex, Dave did not want to know and I did. I wanted to decorate the nursery and couldn’t bear the thought of having to do yellow or green! We saw a picture of a nursery in an Australian pregnancy magazine and we both fell it love with it. It was all neutral warm beige/caramel tones so we decided that would be how we did the nursery and solved our boy or girl issue. Strangely enough this furniture (although in an Aussie magazine) was not available in Australia, and was made in the U.K! Virtually where Dave’s parents live to boot! So to cut a long story short we bought the cot, mattress, cot top changer (these look like a great idea!) and flew them back to Australia. We also filled a new suitcase that Joan provided with all the bits and bobs we needed & wanted like sheet sets, bumper, baby sleeping bag, bouncer, soft toys & more. Most of it is already set up and the room freshly painted, but we still have to do the wallpaper.

Well as I know Dave has already written a short note about the ultrasound I will not prattle on. All I can say about that is after seeing it for me personally my whole perspective on life has changed. Dave has even said to people that I am much more relaxed these days and that I don’t let little things get to me as much. Seeing a teeny tiny fully formed ‘person’ lying inside you with arms & legs moving around makes you realize the precious gift that you have been given and your obligation to make its arrival into the world a safe & loving one. When the baby’s heartbeat was heard Dave choked and it was a beautiful & emotional moment for the both of us.

I am now back at work; my energy level is probably about 80% of what it was pre-pregnancy. I have been told by my obstetrician not to expect to get it all back and to take the transition slow with work, especially as the shifts are 12 hours long.

My work are arranging a work plan for the rest of my pregnancy up until maternity leave kicks in – its really nice to know all the guys at work are looking out for me.

We spent yesterday and today painting the nursery, putting up the blockout Mamas & Papas curtains up, moving one of the flyscreens from the dining room to the nursery window, erecting the cot, and cot top changer.



Take a look at more photos here.

I spent 2 hours with Customs and Quarantine on Thursday getting the cot and some other bits and pieces we sent over from the UK when we were there a couple of weeks ago. Yep they do make cots in Australia, but we fell in love with the whole Mamas & Papas range - and just had to have it! At least the cot is a cot/bed and should last 4 or 5 years hopefully.

So we've got a few months left before the big day, and some might say we're a little too organised, but I guess we can now sit back and relax and do the fun shopping for car seats, strollers etc!!

We had our first Ultrasound today...WOW....From the fathers perspective, this seems to be the first real 'evidence' that it's really real!!



The most moving part was the heartbeat - there really is a living little person living in there. You can find a couple of movies from the ultrasound here.

No news.......just very tired

Over the 7 week mark now, I can’t wait to hit the 12 week mark! Morning sickness still a problem, it isn’t dramatic just feel ‘yucky’ all the time. Most of the time all I want to do is lie down in bed as the waves of nausea isn’t so noticeable. I am struggling with my work, I try to keep a brave face with Dave but I often feel teary before leaving for work. It is so hard to pretend I am fine at work and what I find ironic is that you keep the secret until 12 weeks yet that’s when apparently you get some relief from the tiredness & nausea. Being on night shift is working well though; I had to request 2 more weeks on nights with my boss to get me through to our holidays. I gave the reason of being able to stay on the same timeframe as the U.K. Lucky it worked or I was going to throw in the towel and tell my boss the truth of the situation. I weighed myself the other day after being sick at work (finally happened but I think no one found out) I have actually lost weight! Whilst one of my fears is to turn into a beach ball I must try harder to get my eating on track. I am eating healthily it is simply the tiny amount that is being consumed that is the problem. I wrote into pregnancy website who offers a free response about pregnancy concerns. I explained that I am no longer able to swallow my vitamins (which incidentally cost a small fortune!) I received a response that says I can break the capsules into yoghurt and grind the calcium ones up and add to food or drink. So that’s great news. I will feel much better once I get back on board with them. I am looking forward to the day that I can cook something for Dave and enjoy it with him. I feel that he is being neglected at the moment yet he always denies this – he is always so strong & kind.

Lots to look forward to, only two weeks until holidays then when I return to work I can announce our news which will shock the pants of everyone. I only hope that I don’t get asked to not work with the clients until I am ready. I realise the risks and once the staff know of the pregnancy I will be in no more harm that someone working at a supermarket.

Well I think that the morning sickness has got me now, feeling queasy nearly all the time but so far holding down what little food I manage. Foods that are easy to eat seem to be anything bad for me like fried hot salty food or chocolate. Foods that are difficult to eat seem to be anything healthy aside from cereal which is a reliable ‘safe’ food. Starting to struggle with even swallowing the pregnancy vitamins now, I spat out the calcium tablet last night and only managed one of the two vitamin tablets I was meant to take today. Considering they are custom made for pregnant women I can’t understand why they are so horribly big! Reading tons of information about birth options, things have certainly changed for the better for women. Sometimes you can read almost too much but I would rather do that than miss some important information. Still feeling tired but handling it better, working night shift is a better option for me at the moment so I have requested to stay on nights until we go on holidays. Fighting the desire to madly purchase baby things and do up the nursery until the 12 week mark. Dave spoiling me, sometimes I feel guilty but mostly I feel special and so incredibly lucky with my lot in life. A gorgeous, kind, intelligent & funny husband, stunning home, our furry friends, great job with lots of rewarding features…to add a baby will be simply divine!

I am simply bone weary. I seem to sleep all day and all night and still get exhausted after being awake and moving around for an hour or so. I wish my job was sitting down a lot.
My appetite is better, although no particular food entices me I have had cornflakes for breakfast & some chicken for lunch. Did some housework in the morning –never seem to finish what I start though. Slept all afternoon. Dave has nicknamed the baby iBlob, which is really cute!

11.40am Dr Zenner appointment, confirmed pregnancy (yet again) and confirmed that it is safe for air travel. DVT is the main concern. Got a referral for a Obstetrician to make an appointment with before we travel. This obstetrician works at Cabrini and Waverley Private so Waverley looks like a likely choice so far. Feeling good overall, no nausea, still off my food though and cannot sleep enough. Slept from 1pm until 4pm and could easily go back to bed for the night at 6pm. How can a baby the size of a pea make a healthy adult so incredibly tired!

Feeling good overall - sometimes I feel like it could all be a mistake and I get paranoid that all of the reading of the symptoms might mean I might be reading too much into things. On the other hand the bloatedness, bone weariness, sore breasts, occasional nausea, food aversions & occasional emotional fits must mean something. And there was those 6 positive pregnancy tests, even if they were wrong then I went to a doctor who confirmed it. I think I am feeling a bit of Dave’s need to see ‘proof. I might go and get a blood test. I have my appointment on the 5th October but that is such a long time to wait.

Have got a horrid headache yet am too nervous to take Panadol. It says it is okay on the internet but I might see if I can just rest for a bit. Dairy food has become my best friend, cheese slices and crackers I can nibble on whenever I want without feeling queasy. Unlike eating an orange the other day that nearly made me sick. I am desperate to have achieved the 12 week mark without problem, it is so scary to think you can be so excited and yet have the chance of it not happening hanging over your head. I bought some caffeine free & sugar free Pepsi, doesn’t taste as good as the normal Pepsi but it is nice to know that I can have a fizzy drink for a treat. It is amazing how much stuff goes ‘out the window’ in a pregnancy! No wine, no sneaky cigarette at work, no caffeine, no hot spa baths, no Salami!! Ouch that one hurts - I love salami. It is all worth giving up in the hope that we can start our beautiful family that we both look forward too. We live in such a fabulous place for kids to grow up, the lake across the road ripples with the fish swimming in it, the squabbling ducks, noisy frogs & dopey ibis wading through the water never getting bored. I want to get started on a nursery but I have to wait until 12 weeks when all will be safe.

Well tonight I go back to work after spending the weekend digesting the news. Dave is already spoiling me; it is really nice and makes me feel special. We went to Borders on the weekend to browse some books on pregnancy. I bought a pregnancy companion book and Dave chose a ‘How to be an expectant father’. It is funny how everything seems to make sense now – I had a cold that I could not possibly get rid of and it lasted 2-3 weeks and that was strange. I thought that it was the cold that was making me so incredibly tired. I mean I have been tired before but not like this, this was like making a cup of tea was just not worth it and I could easily sleep around the clock. Aside from being tired I have been lucky with the lack of morning sickness, with only one bout driving home from work one morning. My appetite is virtually not there but I eat simply because I know I should for the baby. Dave is feeling excited yet wants more proof, in his words he wants to see ‘the blob’. I understand how he is feeling, it is hard for him as no physical changes of me are obvious and neither of us wants to get our hopes up if something happens. I keep reassuring him that we have now got 6 positive confirmations! – 1 from a doctor. And every single symptom is there. I have made an appointment for when my doctor gets back from holidays on the 5th October. We will be hopefully heading to the U.K to announce the news in person to Dave’s parents mid October. By then we should be 10 weeks into the pregnancy and should be able to arrange an ultrasound to see ‘it’ for the first time. Bit nervous of flying hurting the baby, the discomfort and the loo trips but I am sure it will be okay.

Well we found out on the 16th Sept that I was pregnant. After 4 home pregnancy tests were the same then a phone call was made to Carolyn to vent my feelings. I was confused initially as the reading on the test was not a ‘cross’ at all, I even called the company..twice. The poor guy kept telling me I was pregnant and I kept saying I might do another one. I even drove to the chemist to buy 2 more boxes! Carolyn rightly pushed me into going directly to the doctor and not waiting days before finding out. I went to the doctor who smiled and said ‘congratulations’. I was smiling yet quietly stunned – it was finally happening! And after all my fears of it never happening! The doctor even worked out the due date. May 17th 2006. I was 5 weeks and 2 days pregnant!

Hmm how to tell Dave…he came home from work, made a cup of tea, took off his shoes and tie and sat on the couch telling me about his day. I confess I have no idea what he was saying – I was trying to figure out the best and most special way to announce the news! I had to fight this stupid grin that was all over my face while he was telling me about his work. I ended up taking the cup of tea out of his hands (I was worried he might throw it across the room in shock) kneeling in front of him and simply blurting “I’m pregnant” Lucky I spent so much time figuring out how to say it..haha. Dave was very happy and big bear hug went on for a long time.