Where's the ball?

On Friday night I went to visit my friend's new baby - a very cute 7 pound baby girl. While I was holding her, Blob started kicking like crazy!
Now I thought that must mean this baby is a boy because he is taking after Josh and bashing my friend's kids up, but other people have said that it means it is a girl because she must have been jealous...hmmm only time will tell!

We have been trying to explain to Josh that there is a baby in my belly, but he is just not interested in hearing anything about the baby... while his cousin Riley is interested in an entirely different way... At Hayley's party yesterday, after playing with some balloons, Riley came up to me, lifted up my top and asked me where the ball was!!!!! So funny!

Lock me up now!

My pregnancy brain is getting worse, I think I should be locked up... it started with me losing Josh's Thomas fork... which he had used on Friday night. I looked everywhere for it and the only thing I could think of was that I scraped his leftovers from his plate into the bin... sure enough, after scrounging through the rubbish bin (outside bin too! ) I found it . After a dishwasher cycle it is good as new!

Then I went looking for by bathers today to go swimming. I couldn't find them anywhere. I had them last Monday for swimming, and I left them in a shopping bag on the washing machine. It seems like Kel saw the bag there and thought it was rubbish and sat it on the inside bin. Then apparently I took the bag outside and put it in the outside rubbish bin... so that one was a joint effort! And that was before rubbish night, so no more bathers! I am spewing about that one! I spent ages trying to find the perfect bathers. I had my requisite padded top, bikini with pink rash top to go over the top. And I lost the lot, as well as a pair of shorts (since my swimming boardies don't fit anymore) I went out today to try and find some more, but I can't find anywhere in Melbourne that sells swim wear in Winter!!! I'm sure I could find them in a surf shop, but they would cost $80 just for the top half!

Josh has kindly given me his cold (must have been those sloppy kisses)... so it is really hard to breathe. I can't take anything like Codral, so I just have to put up with it with some Lemsip, and eucalyptus oil in the oil burner. I think we are going to go through a pack of tissues between us.
I hate not being able to breathe through my nose, especially at night. These last few nights Josh has had the vapouriser in his room, but tonight I am taking it. We bought one of those new plug in things from Coles today so we will try that in his room tonight.
Sweet Dreams!

PS. The photo is taken at 22 weeks and 4 days. (I think we are coming up to 24 weeks this week).

22 Weeks and 3 days

Not much has been happening in the past two weeks. I saw the OB again, after the ultrasound. Everything is going fine. The only thing that he mentioned that I wasn't too happy with was that about my weight... now any sensible man would know not to comment on a woman's weight, especially not a pregnant woman's weight! He basically said he only wants me to put on between 12 and 14 kg for the entire pregnancy. When I told him I put on 20kg with Josh his eyes nearly popped out of his head!

So even though he is a bit silly for going on about the weight thing, I can't help but think about it in the back of my mind and try and eat healthy foods and cut back on the junk food. The funny thing is that I am actually weighing less this time that I was with Josh at the same stage.

Anyway, I won't have to see him again until 29 weeks after I have the blood glucose test for gestational diabetes.

We went to the movies the other day and saw The Da Vinci Code in Gold Class! It was so nice to have a night out, and to relax in those nice recliner chairs eating wedges and sour cream, pizza, and sticky date pudding for dessert! (That was my day off from being healthy!). So much better than just popcorn and coke!!!

I worked out the other day that we have four months to get Josh out of nappies before Blob comes along! Wow - four months! That doesn't sound like much to me! I still can't believe that we are going to have a little baby. I wonder what Josh will be like? I will get to see soon, when a couple of my friends have their babies. I think that he will probably be jealous at first, especially when I am sitting in the rocking chair feeding the baby, but I think he will be really helpful too, like when I need him to get me nappies and stuff like that.

Well I am feeling hungry - again! (What is new?) Better go see what I can find.

Our Cheeky Little Baby

Oh wow, what a week, well actually it has been two! For some reason my Blog site became blocked (they thought I was a SPAM Robot!!!) and then the site was totally gone. I was not happy Jan! (And that is an understatement).

The worst part was that I hadn't even printed any of these pages yet, so that is the next thing on my list of things to do.

So, where was I?

We had an ultrasound at 20 weeks. This is the big one where we found out the sex of the baby... or did we? No, actually this time I wanted it to be a surprise - and the baby did too. It was lying on its belly most of the time being very secretive!

Blob did put on quite a show though, giving us a wave, the thumbs up sign and even sticking its finger up at us (how cheeky!).

In the photos you can see the hand print, and the foot print. The middle picture is of the thumbs up, but it is a bit hard to see. There is also a really good profile shot.

I have been feeling so many movements lately... especially at night time. Kel has even felt the movements now. This morning Blob had an elbow or a knee, or something, sticking right out just above my belly button. It stayed there for about 10 seconds, it was so cool!

I had the closest thing I've come to a craving the other day, actually it was after the ultrasound, me and Kel went out for lunch together to the local Country Club. I had the yummiest Lemon Squash, and since then I have been wanting lemon cordial, lemon slices in water and sour lollies! I wonder if that means anything?

I started going to an antenatal aqua class last week. It was so nice and warm in the water, and I actually got a good workout too!

Well I am going to save this now and hope that it works.

A Belly Photo - 15 weeks 3 days

Here is the first official (published) belly photo. I am actually in shock because I look the same as I did at 20 weeks with Josh.

I think I felt the first movements on Easter morning while waiting for Kel to wake up. I was just lying there and I felt little bubble movements... but then again, it could have been gas!!!
But I did feel it again this morning.

Today I was sorting out all the baby clothes into different sizes. It was so weird to look at all these tiny clothes that Josh used to wear, and I could even remember the first time he wore some of the outfits, or I knew straight away what size it was.

We will definitely be right if we have another boy! We have got Josh and Riley's old clothes. We do have a few girls outfits that we had bought last time, or that used to be Hayley's. But anyway, girls can wear blue right???

We really don't need any bibs... I think we have got enough to wear three a day for a month before we would have to wash any! And we have lots of hats, and HEAPS of shoes (thanks to Riley's donation).

Fifteen weeks - and maternity pants already!!!

I am in shock today... I went to get dressed this morning and the pants that I wore one week ago don't fit me anymore. So I had to get out my maternity pants! I am only fifteen weeks and already wearing maternity clothes!!! My belly has just popped right out over the weekend. The other thing that is wierd is that my old maternity pants were too big! Like, even the thighs were baggy, so I must have lost weight since I was pregnant with Josh - strange because back then I was going to aerobics twice a week, and all I have been doing this time is going for a walk at lunch time. I haven't put on any weight yet, but I have a bigger belly and boobs!

I have been doing lots of reading lately. A book that I just finished was called "You don't have to have a repeat cesarean". Reading that book has made me feel confident that I should be able to attempt a VBAC. I read in two places that when a baby is brow presentation it is impossible to deliver naturally! It makes me wonder why they couldn't work that out earlier for me. And having a posterior baby (the baby's back on my back) makes for a very difficult labour. I knew last time from 38 weeks that Josh was posterior but they didn't tell me anything to do to try and get him to turn around. I have now read a whole heap of stuff about 'Optimal Fetal Positioning' to encourage a baby into the right position. The most important thing is to sit with my back perfectly straight - not slouched. Since I spend most of my waking life sitting down (at work and on the train) I had better keep that one in mind.

Everybody Knows!

On Wednesday we had our 12 week scan. It went really well, and the Ultrasound (US) guy was very good. He obviously loves his job - he just got so excited when the baby moved around!

I can't believe how much the baby has grown in three weeks! It has arms legs now, and was rolling around onto it's stomach, then back onto it's back.

Then we headed for the OB. It was a long wait this time, and a pretty uneventful visit, except for us trying to talk him into giving us a referal for the US so we didn't have to pay the $60.

The next US is at 18-19 weeks. Then we see the OB a week after that.

Today I finally told everyone at work. I printed a copy of the US and put it on my wall at my desk. It took two hours for anyone to notice (that is what it is like working with a bunch of guys!!!). And of course they noticed when I wasn't there! Lenise said that she thought that I was the week before, and another couple of girls made the same comment! So I guess I couldn't hide it much longer anyway! I actaually got sprung on my lunch break last week by someone from work while I was looking at baby stuff at Big W! Luckily I think she just thought I was looking at stuff for Josh, coz she was there buying stuff for her boy.

Nothing much else to report... no morning sickness, I have started to put away the clothes that I won't be wearing for a while, and I bought a few pairs of pants and loose tops.

Ten Weeks

Well things have been plodding along nicely. Slowly we have told more people. Now I just have to tell the people at work. Though they probably have started to guess already - we had a drinks night on Friday night and I was asked why I wasn't drinking. I said that I was trying to be healthy. I don't think they bought that one! I will probably tell them in a couple of weeks time, when we hit the twelve week mark.

I told the rest of the family at Ben and Anna's wedding. I wasn't going to, but I had been getting some comments - I actually think this was the world's worst kept secret! And it turned out that half the people at the wedding knew and were coming up and saying congratulations, so after all the formal wedding stuff, I told the future great-grandparents the news.

I have been taking a photo each week in the same position in the same clothes, so I will be able to see how I grow each week. This week I think the belly is really starting to show, my pants have been getting tight, especially by the end of the day. Oh and those nightly toilet breaks have started already. It seems to be 2am every morning.

I think I will go and update Josh's website now, and put in a link to Blob's website. How exciting, it means I might actually get some comments to my messages!

I can see you Blob!

Today we had our first scan - to try and work out dates. I was amazed to see proof that there really is something in there! Blob certainly lived up to it's name - looking like not much more than a blob with little buds for arms and legs. The sonographer was able to show us a beating heart, a stomach, a bladder, the cord and we even saw the baby move a little bit. I am in awe that all this has already been created at 9 weeks and 2 days of age - that is the date that came up after he did the measurements. So that means I am a little bit ahead of where I thought I was... hmmm interesting.

Here is a photo - the very first photo of Blob!

Checking out the facilities

We are coming along nicely at about 8 or so weeks now. I have been to see Dr Samuels on Thursday. We had a nice chat about birthing options - I don't think that I have mentioned yet that I am hoping to have a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After cesarean). A lot of people think along the old lines of "Once a caesar, always a caesar" but there has been a lot of change in that area in the last twenty years. I have been doing lots of research so I know all my options. I can probably go into that another day, today I just wanted to talk about my first OB (obstetrician) visit, and the visit to the hospital.

Dr Samuels is a man who looks like he is in his 50's and he has a strange accent that we can't quite place. The best part is that he fully bulk bills all his visits and the ultrasounds. He told me that we can talk about VBACs more when we get closer to 30 weeks. Hopefully this baby won't be posterior (babies back lying against my back) or big (like Josh was). Otherwise it is quite likely that I will have an elective cesarean.

I am booked in for an ultrasound next Wednesday to try and work out dates. They aren't too sure of dates at the moment and they want to nail it down a bit more accurately. I'm not really too fussed about the dates, but I will be very happy to catch an early glimpse of Blob.

Today we took a tour of the Bacchus Marsh Hospital, where we are planning on going this time around. I really wanted a change of scenary from Werribee, plus Bacchus Marsh is a lot quieter, and I am more likely to get a room to myself. They have two birthing suites (with double beds) which look like hotel rooms. They are new rooms built last year. Then there are two labour rooms, which are pretty basic rooms to have the baby in. Then after the baby is born, you spend 24 hours in the birthing suite, then you are moved to the ward. It sounds like a lot of moving around to me, but anyway... Another plus about Bacchus Marsh is you don't have to pay for parking! And it is only 15 minutes drive from our house.

Those wierd pregnancy dreams!

You have got to laugh at some of the dreams you have when you are pregnant. I was reading over some that I had with Josh the other day. I'm glad that I wrote them down, because there is no way that I could remember those dreams now!

I had a dream last night that I was hugely pregnant, and the baby was pressing its face against my stomach so you could see the impression through the skin. Then I told Kel to get a camera. While he was gone, suddenly the baby was lying on my belly, it was a girl with dark chin length straight hair, and she looked like she was a two year old! I put her on the boob for a feed and she started talking to me, complaining that I was doing it wrong!!! Cheeky thing!!! I was not happy that I had given birth to a 2 year old!!!

I'm about 7 weeks now, nothing much happening yet... I have been getting up to pee the last couple of nights, and I have been more hungry, but that is about all. Oh and I think I noticed a new stretch mark yesterday. I wouldn't have thought it possible, but I was in the change room at Target with all those mirrors and lights. It is a darker colour than the other ones. Boo hoo, I guess that I will be getting lots more of those over the next 8 months.

Big Brother

Over the weekend we told most of the family (and a few friends) about Blob. Kel made a thirt for Josh that said "I'm gunna be a big brother". Then we just let Josh tell everyone! It was funny waiting for them to notice the tshirt!

I'm at the weird stage now where it doens't feel real. I haven't really got any symptoms yet, so I just keep hoping that everything is ok. At least when you get morning sickness you know everything is ok!

Tick Tick

Here is my ticker. It will tell you how many days along the little blob is.
Hopefully if it works properly, you should be able to come back to this over and over and it will be on the current date.

Hmmm only 246 days left according to my ticker! That just seems like so long away! Not much has changed on the outside, nobody else can tell that there is a little Blob growing in me... but I have noticed that my sense of smell is really sensitive at the moment, my back is aching (not sure why) and my boobs are sore!

A funny thing happened at work today. Well I should start at the start... I woke up in the middle of the night with the feeling that somebody was poking me in the ribs from the inside. It hurt and it was keeping me awake for about an hour. I asked Dan at work about it (coz he is studying to be a nurse), but I didn't mention the fact that I am pregnant. I will tell them at about 12 weeks. Anyway, he took my blood pressure, and it was good, and he suggested that maybe I was pregnant and that the baby was trying to get out! :) So funny, I will have to tell him that story in another 8 weeks!!!

Introducing - The Blob

Wow - This is my first entry for Blob's Blog. Today is the 1st February 2006, and at 5am this morning, after waking up with a bursting bladder, I did a pregnancy test. It was a test left over from last month, because I just didn't believe the tests last month and ended up using three before I actually believed that it was negative. Anyway, this time I wanted to make sure there there would be no need for squinty eyes, or magnifying glasses, so I waited until day 35. It was a mean feat, and I must thank my buddies and chocolate for helping through it! I did the test, and I swear it was only 30 seconds later that this bright pink line showed up! Amazing! What is even more amazing is that the faint line in the test is the 'control' line, and the dark line is the 'test' line. So there is no doubting this test result!!! Not that I needed to test anyway... I had a feeling that this was the month for us.

I took some measurements today - my vital stats, so that I can compare them when I get big and fat. The main ones are: 63.2kg, and a bellybutton measurement of 86.5cm.

Oh and if you are wondering, we are due in October 2006. That is all I am giving away... since nothing is set in stone anyway, and I have been known to go 10 days overdue anyway!

It feels so weird that by the end of this year we will have another addition to our family. I have already started to get ready, by doing up the back room for Josh. We will leave his room as the nursery and move him into the back room when he goes into a 'big bed'. Now that will be an adventure!