Merry Christmas!!

This years Chrissy was lovely.. A long event that was spoiled by a sick child!! We were due to go as a family to my brothers place as its his daughters first birthday. (6 week old Evie!)

Saturday we had a lovely day with the Butlers. Eating yummies and swapping presents :)

Sunday was yard day, in preparation for the Trampoline arrival and then Monday morning at 2.30... Someone decided that a 40.2 temp was the way to go! Panadol and Nurofen sorted it out well enough for us all to get back to sleep and he was in good spirits in the morning so off to daycare he went. (Bad mummy of the year award I know!!) Picked him up after my appointment and turns out he had a bad ear infection. More antibiotics!!! This poor kid has them at least once a month... Anywho. We took him to get checked up today and all fine.

I had my first hospital appointment for v2.0 Monday. All going well. Next visit in 2 weeks for a blood test. Morphology scan booked for 13/2!! Seems so far away!! Can't wait. 

World Worst Blogger....

I have lots of photos and goodies to add here but alas.. doing them at work when I don't have access to the files really isn't great!

1 hour to home time! YAY!!

Ahhhh

Sitting here on a Sunday arv listening to some tunes would normally be great. But.... When the kid is sick and I'm hungry and don't know what to eat its not so great... That is all!

Got the job....

Working Wednesday and Friday for the friends business....

Money worries gone...







for now...

11 months - are you serious?

Where has my baby gone?

All I can see is a cheeky little monkey that just wants to walk and talk and do everything for himself.

He's amazing! He's started saying words with meaning, imaginative play, drawing/painting (at daycare... I don't do craft!) He's got Mumma, Daddy, Hi, Ta, "P" sound for Bundy/Puppy, Nan-nan/Nana and Nap(py) He dances, walks behind his pusher - or anything he can push for that matter. I just want to stop time. I have to keep telling myself that it's not a few weeks til his birthday.. It's not.. Can't be... Just can't!

Speaking of which.. seriously... how hard is it to check your diary/calendar when you get an invite and rsvp? I know that there is a rsvp date - no drama's - but why make me wait til then to hear whether you're coming or not? It's annoying!

Here's the invite I did up... or not.. don't know where I've saved it!

I have been working three days a week and subsequently had Zeke in daycare. I have seen my fill of snot and I tell you - I'm O V E R it! He's had an ear infection, throat infection, chest infection and croup! Like seriously!! How much can their little bodies put up with. I cannot wait until winter is over and all the colds and flu's are gone for another year. Hopefully this summer will be a hell of a lot less rainy than last. Maybe it'll keep the stupid super bugs we've had around this winter at bay a little.

So - what else has been happening here? Bitch face moved out. Stupid cow! She didn't clean so I had to do it.. but it's so nice to have the area back. It's a great little play space.. and now a mini gym. We have purchased a Treadmill and Elliptical. Just have to get in there to use it. Zeke being sick hasn't really helped there. We have friends and their daughter staying with us until the end of November - so it's a bit of a crowded house at the moment - but everything is running really smoothly! We're only at week two though! :) Both kids are in daycare on a Wednesday and Friday so if it happens that I am not working on those days it can be a nice relaxing day at home... Silence... it surely is golden!

My three days of work have dropped back to one (due to the economic climate yada yada yada we can't afford you at the moment, don't think it's going to turn around at the moment blah blah blah) so I only have one day now and am on the job hunt.... again.....

I have a semi trial at a friends business tomorrow morning and an interview with a temp agency tomorrow afternoon. I'd rather work at the friends business as it suits the daycare days I have and I can continue to work at my other job on a Thursday. But when it comes down to it - wherever the money is coming from is where I have to go unfortunately. Loyalty is one thing... Roof over head and food is another entirely!

Off to get the little booger from daycare soon. Then we're headed to the Sports Club for two for one dinners. Can't say no to yummyness for $20!!!

Signing off... the worst blogger EVER!!!!

Thinking about a sibling....

I had thought that my Ovaries and Uterus had shut down - from holding other 5 & 6 week old bubs at my mothers group. I cuddled - they were cute - and I gave them back without a pang of anything... but then a good girlfriend of mine has recently found out she's expecting again and I felt a wave of jealousy... Does this mean I want another one? Or do I just want to go through the experience with her again? I couldn't imagine having a 20 month gap between babies... I think it would do my head in! 2 x nappies... back to constant night waking.... (you know compared to just 3/4 times like now... O.o ) I wouldn't class myself as clucky - but I do have a small yearning for a second one - and I am settled on the age gap we've decided on of 5 years - but then I think we'll get there.. and I won't want to do it then... Ho Hum....

Working Mummy...

So as of today I am officially a working Mummy....

I have been doing 1 day a week for a while.. but I didn't class it as work. I am now doing 3 days so it's definately part time employment...

Ahhhhhh.....

Time to be more organised.. Instead of sitting on my every growing rump thinking and contemplating my jobs around the house I'm going to have to do them - on a Tuesday and a Friday.. cause.. they're the only days I have! I'm on the waiting list for a Thursday to come up at daycare as I don't want to be relying on the parentals for that days care. (more me than them as they love having him)

He's doing so well at daycare. He absoloutly loves it!!! They've had a few staff changes in the room since he's started that I'm not too impressed about.. (I'm not so happy about my CCB% dropping to an even lower 38.73% either... damn you income!) but all the ladies seem nice and he's not a clingy type person either. We expected that he would get sick upon starting and he didn't disappoint! An ear infection that has required a double dose of antibiotics - which has been an absoloute pleasure! Oh.. and did I mention there's a massive looking tooth trying to pop its head through too... I don't think I've ever gone through so much panadol!!!

I hope the toothy hurries up... cause he's falling behind his September mates on the teeth stakes - he only has two down the bottom.. everyone I know has like 6 or 8! It's crazy!

As for Stu and I - sleep, work, home, sleep, work, home, sleep <----- That's Stu
and me... everything else!! Poor bugger has been super tired lately as he's seconded to a team that does Thursday night and weekend work. He's going to the GC on Wednesday for a week (I'm joining him for the weekend! Thanks QH!) then to Hervey Bay in a fortnight from that... (again - I'm joining him!) and then Townville in a fortnight from that one... (if only they'd pay for my flights... I've never been!!) I'll be glad to have him home at the end of it.. Organising me and Zeke for work and daycare without Stuey's help is going to be interesting to say the least! The extra money for travel allowance and overtime is very helpful though..... I guess you have to give and take somewhere!

I have no updated photo's unfortunately - as I've been spending too much time actually playing with him rather than just watching him... (I absoloutly LOVE this age!! He's learning so much each day.. Kinda getting the hang of what NO! means!!!)

It's my task for tomorrow between cleaning the house, doing clothes washing and some advance cooking to sit and take some photo's of him playing.. He's just amazing. Love him sooo much!

Hope you've enjoyed reading! Night Night!

Single Parenting....

Stu has done multiple trips away of late... this one is the last one thank god...

I can't do this shit alone!

Just for you!!!

Blog updated Kyles!!!

Oops.... I'm still alive!

Life is busy... So busy in fact I haven't had a chance to get onto here.. or maybe I have just forgotten I had a blog - as I forget many other things lately!!


Ezekiel is now 6 months old... (Someone pinch me!!!) I can't believe how quickly all this is going.
On the home front we've pretty much decided that we're not going to be moving. We had the house appraised by many agents and it's just not going to work! So we're stuck in good old cabo town for another few years! It's really not THAT bad in the scheme of things. We have everything within 30-40 mins. Beach, Major Shopping, Bush, Camping, 4wding, Hospitals, Restaurants, Some half decent schools and all the Daycare Centres you can poke a stick at. I also have some lovely friends in the immediate area who help to keep me sane.. even though we're at the same freaking shopping centre ALL THE TIME!!!!

I did a little work around the time that Brisbane got flooded (that's another story.. fun fun!) and it was at that point that I had to give up breastfeeding - and I honestly still miss it. I miss the closeness with him, the snuggles, the quiet times. I don't however miss the fact that I was the only food source! As a result we've had a couple of child free nights and I'm about to spend 4 days on the Gold Coast without baby! Stu's down there for work and I have the opportunity to stay with him - and babysitting has been offered (for the human and fur babies) so I'm taking it! I have no doubt I will miss him terribly - but - I am going to enjoy those few days of just being Jessica again, not Mummy, not even Wife for most of it as Stu will be working.. But just me! And you know what I'll fill my time with??? Probably sleeping and texting mum to make sure Zeke is okay!


He cut his first tooth a couple weeks ago - and he was pretty good about it! Generally grumpy and clingy (not that I minded as I was at work!! haha!! sucked in Grandma!) and then *shazammmm* a tooth!!! Waiting for the next one to come through. I'm hoping that happens while I'm away!!


We're in the process of trying to replace the Statesman as it's just become too unreliable, and then after that's sorted do some major work to the Jackaroo... (we think it needs a new starter motor!) I look forward to driving around in a near new 4 cylinder car... the wallet is going to thank us for the reduction in the fuel bill! (have you seen the price of fuel lately??? GASP!)

In other news Stu's parents have retired just this last week. They'll have lots of spare time to travel now which is nice! Lots of long trips in their future. Starting with a few weeks in Cairns, and then Adelaide, and then Killarney for Soni's 60th. They're prepping the house in Brisbane for sale ready to call Caloundra home. I hope they enjoy this next phase of their lives!

My family are doing well... nothing notable to mention here! All just plodding along! Taking Jemma (FSIL) out to dinner tonight for her Birthday... Hoggies here we come!

I think that's about it. Life is now consumed with feeding the baby, changing the baby, bathing the baby, cleaning the house, cooking food, doing washing, going shopping, helping out friends in need, babysitting, cleaning, mowing, dusting and did I mention cleaning! Seems never endless... and it's just going to get worse once he starts crawling (which isn't even on the radar at the moment!!) Ahhhh.... time just needs to stop!!!

Love him the most....

I love him when he's smiling and happy and garbling away... but this is how I love him the most!!!

Super Lazy!!!

As we come into the Silly Season and I have things on every weekend, I am realising how fast time is actually going!

My little man turned 10 weeks old today.. By the time Christmas is here he is going to be 3 months old... 1/4 of the way to 1! It's freaking scary!!!

He's coming along beautifully. He was weighed in the Clinic today and has come in just under 6kg! He no longer stays in one place when he's on the floor... he shuffles his position around! He's starting to attempt rolling onto his side and is still only waking once a night for a feed. (Except during his growth spurts... which drive me insane!)

In the last month we've spent just over a weeks holiday at Nambucca Heads with Stu's Parents, Gone camping at Tweed Heads with Mick & Kylie and this weekend we'll be chilling at home trying to tidy up the yard a little! (Fingers crossed for a happy baby so I can be of some assistance too!)

We have decided to try and cut some expenses.. as everyone knows things are tight everywhere! The Foxtel has been suspended ($90 a month saved - I couldn't bring myself to cancel it just yet!)
The Home Phone plan has been changed ($40 cheaper a month!)
A food plan has been created... (big savings there.. cause I take a list with me!)

oh - and then interest rates go up!!!

Bye bye savings!!! I'm thankful though that I don't have to find the extra money to cover the repayments.. it's already there!


Back onto Baby.. I could set my clock by him.... Feeds at 2am, 6am, 8am, 10am, 12 noon, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm and a top up at 7pm! It would be better if he would sleep for a bit longer than 30-40 mins between each of those feeds.. but we make do. He's super happy, smiley, almost laughing, and loves to box! His hands are in a fight pose almost all the time.. clenched into little fists! The only time he's relaxed is when he's in the bath or sleeping! He's amazing and I love being a mummy... but... I'd kill for a full nights sleep!!!

Melbourne Cup.... Cadbury!

I had a Piccolo of Sparkling Moscato Rose' (really nice FYI!)

Half a glass and I was feeling rather warm!

Glad I got them to put ice in my glass to water it down a little!!!!

Camping.. with a 5 week old....

..not too bad!

We hired a camper trailer which made things so much easier. The set up which usually takes both of us an hour plus... Stu had it done in an hour by himself!

I'll put some photo's up soon! I'm too tired and while bubs is sleeping I have to do some stuff round the house.. cause we have guests for dinner....

Never ending!!!!

Photo Shoot!!!

More Firsts....

Today is my first day at home alone with Bubba as Stu has had to go back to work. I made sure there were no tears as he left cause he feels bad enough already about having to go back to work - and I've managed to keep them at bay so far!

I did my best not to rely on Stu while he was home as I wanted to make sure I could do it myself - the same with the night time feeds and such - but it was nice to know that he was here and I could pass Zeke off to him if I needed to pee... had to eat... needed 5 mins me time! I'm now going to have to multitask... and listen to a bit more crying I think!

Because I'm crazy - I'm going out with him today too!!! Meeting with my friend Nikki who had her little Rylee a week before Ezekiel. We're having some coffee and cake (which will be our weekly date followed by a visit to the drop in clinic to weigh both bubbies) and then I have to get a few groceries... Should be.... FUN!

I've not driven with him in the car as yet... so that will be interesting.. I've really not pushed the pram either.. I think Daddy enjoyed doing that too much! So it's all me today! Wish me luck!

At least I don't have the hassel of taking formula etc with me as Nikki does.. Boobies are all good for my little man! He's feeding so well that I have not been able to replenish the stockpile that was in my fridge! I'm hoping we don't have any spac attacks anytime soon that require extra milk that the boobies don't have! I do have three lots in the freezer.. but was hoping to save them as the start of my stockpile for going back to work in the new year (seeing it lasts 6 months in the freezer!) I will have to give bubs the two small bottles that are in the fridge sometime today (will make it up to a full feed) and then should be able to express again!

We had some photo's taken yesterday.. I can't wait to see the finished product! It's going to make some grandparents very happy at Christmas time.. If I can stop them printing copies for themselves before then! Got a really nice family shot... He wasn't co-operating very well but we still managed some good photo's of him! His cord stub also fell off yesterday! So happy.... means I don't have to work around it anymore!!! WE HAVE AN INNY!!!

One week old already.... :(

Mummy's scared!!! It's going too fast already!!!!

I think we're kinda in a routine! He's a good feeder. Every 3-4 hours. I can almost set a clock to him... I'm not going to count my chickens just yet though cause it's all bound to change!

Off to the hospital tomorrow to see the Physio's about his little foot (slightly turned in cause of how he was in the womb.. just needs to be exercised out) and to be weighed again to see how much MORE weight the little heffer has put on!!! (He was up 100g from coming home Sunday to Tuesday afternoon!)

As for me... the weight just seems to be melting off...

From Induction Day to coming home I dropped 8.9kg (brought almost 4 of it home with me though!) and since have lost a further 4.1kg... they're definately right about breastfeeding helping!!! Just need to figure out how to fit some exercise in to tone things back up now.... hrmmm....

Introducing... Ezekiel Martin

Arrived at 1.53pm on Thursday 23rd September 2010, weighing in at 8lb 9oz, 51cm long with a head circ of 36cm.

Birth Story!!

41w 5d

Wednesday 10am

ANC visit to discuss options as overdue. Dr asked me when I wanted to be induced - to which the answer was.. "Now would be great!!" and it turns out that it was because my blood pressure was 155/100!!! He got me to do a pee sample and go and get some bloods done at pathology and then report to Birth Suite. Stu had come up to the appointment after doing a work job - so had to go back to Redcliffe (30 mins) drop off the work car.. get our car and all the hospital stuff and come back. I text my mum while I was waiting for bloods and she arrived about the same time as I reported to Birth Suite.

They put me on the CTG to do a trace and then did an internal to accertain I was not ready for business - AT ALL - so they inserted a Cervadil to soften things. They waited for Stu to get back and it was all done and in by 12.30. They monitored me in BS for a while to check that the Cervadil wasn't causing issues for bubs and then sent me to the ward. Mum and Stu did some car swapping and manouvering and got me some Macca's on the way back.. which I ate.. and then ate my hospital dinner too!!! (oops!!)

The Cervadil is supposed to be in for 24 hours.. and soften the cervix enough that they can break your waters and go from there at the 24 hour point.. well... my body wasn't happy about that.. It decided that it wanted me to start contracting pretty much straight away. I went from 14 mins to 7 mins to 3 mins!! That said we were out wandering the car park and trying to get things going! The actual Cervadil thing fell out around 11pm so they took us up to BS again to do another internal to see how the progression was going... 2cms... BLERGH! The pains were uncomfortable, but nothing really in the scheme of things. They gave me some Panadol and told us to get some sleep. Managed maybe 2 hours.

Thursday 7am

Dr came in and broke my waters in the hope it would speed things up... well.... it did... for a little bit - but then it all just SLOWED! They mentioned the Syntocin drip and we discussed how I wanted to labour and deliver etc... and it was all put into place to happen if the labour hadn't progressed by 10.30 which is when I was due another internal... (there is no such thing as dignity anymore.. seriously!) Had a canula put in (that was ouchy too!) and more bloods drawn before they got me situated and started on the drip at 11am. Bubs was engaged and ready and cause they couldn't get a good trace off the CTG we had the head clip thing done. (Sorry honey... they said it wouldn't hurt!)

Thursday 11am

Internal from 10.30 showed that I had gone to 3cm... Whoopdy doo!!! They 'stretched' me to 4... and then started the drip. It goes in increments 1, 2, 4, 8 and so on. I started contracting straight away.. I managed it without pain relief until they had increased the drip to 4 (I remember Stu saying they'd missed a step!) At that point she came back in and gave me the gas.. 30 good stuff /70 oxygen. We also removed the dress I was wearing and got me up and into the position that I wanted to labour in... Hands and knees.. over the bean bag on the bed... and I didn't move from there until after the birth! I remember saying I wanted to go and wee... but then things heated up.. and I'm pretty sure I pissed myself... multiple times! She asked if it had relieved the pressure so I guess I did anyway!!! I don't know when they did it but they so nicely turned the gas up to 40/60 at some point... obviously I was getting too loud or something!

Thursday 1pm (guessing!!)

The paperwork in my folder said this is when I hit 10 cm... so I'm guessing it's when the urge to push started... and they said to go for it!!! I asked for an Epi... (too late!) Told my mum she was a martyr..... sorry... effen martyr! (she was going to leave but we really needed her to be there! she kept asking Stu if he was okay with it...)

The gas at this point and my breathing were the only things I could concentrate on.. the contractions were so strong and fast.. there's just no room left for you to think about anything else. It didn't help me to moan and groan and grunt either.. cause that just took away the focus on the task at hand.

I obviously shit myself.. cause I heard her say that she was going to wipe me... cheers! Should have just done it!!! and I can still feel the fingers of them trying to stretch my perenium cause it just wasn't working right! that was fun too... They had to keep moving me back up the bed cause I kept bearing down and pushing myself back instead of pushing bubba out.. It's all instinctual.. but it took a bit for my brain to catch up to what it was supposed to be doing... I think hearing the Dr say something about forceps helped me regain my focus. Especially when I hadn't heard the Dr come in... turns out that with my contractions bubs head was going in and out and his heart rate was dropping each time. So much so that the machine was alarming and they just turned the noise off so Stu wouldn't stress over it!

There are no words to describe the actual birthing sensation... OMFG fits well here though. It's just a burn that you have to push through... there's no way around it... nothing you can do to stop it - other than push through it. I heard them say the head was out and to do another few pushes and then the shoulders were out and gush... it was over! (I wasn't dropping cause he was plugging the escape route! All the waters were up behind him!) Stu said the rush was on to get him over to the baby crash cart cause he was purple. They shoved the scissors to him and got him to cut the cord and then we waited for the cry.. for what felt like forever... I was still out of it cause to me.. I didn't know there was other stuff going on so was still trying to figure out what was happening!! It's like an out of body experience - 'cept... you don't leave your body! After being in that position and pushing for almost an hour it was really really hard to turn over... I almost ended up off the bed... I had to be lifted over so that I could get the placenta out.. One push and it was done. They brought bubby over to me.. but he was wrapped and I wanted him naked! Skin on Skin dammit!!!! I was instantly smitten. Stu was in tears... so was I... Mum was in charge of the camera!!!

Thursday 23 September 2010 1.53pm - Our lives changed forever! No longer just us.. now us three! A family in the real sense of the word. A little life, created in love that is ours to cherish forever and ever.

40w+3d

So....

Knock Knock....

Hello....

Where are you....

I really really really want to meet you....

You've been SUPER DOOPER active in there the last few days... is this because you're running out of room or are you looking for that big flashing green 'GO' button that I keep telling you to press??

Well.. I've had breakfast... so that's a good start for the day - so you can start your decent now if you like... We really don't want the Dr's at the hospital to induce us cause that hurts alot more than what it has to if you start things off normally little man...

Going to take some more panadol now to combat this ear pain..

So...


HURRRY UP... (you know - like the blackboard used to say in Mr Squiggle!)

Due Tomorrow.....

You know what I have realised this morning - while leisurely eating my toast and jam for breakfast - after waking up at 6.. and cuddling with Stu for 30 mins.. and then watching the news in bed until he left for work at 7.30.... I'm not going to be able to do this for much longer......

It scares me to think of how much is going to change when those pains start and we have to head to the hospital. I know the benefits of having a child will FAR outweigh the negatives (although I may require reminding sometimes!!!) but I like it just being Stu and I! I like the split decisions of lets go out to dinner instead of cook - or i'll just duck to the shops quickly.. just need my purse and phone... It's not going to be so simple anymore!!!

I was pretty lazy yesterday too... Went back to bed and read for a couple of hours after Stu had left for work.. then watched some TV... then ate... then had a bath... I could have easily cooked something for dinner last night.. but it was just easier to go to the local for the two for one dinner!

I'll be going from washing twice a week (sometimes only once!) to daily... the sleep pattern isn't going to change too much cause I'm up every two hours without fail to pee anyway.. but it's not like that during the day.... I can rest in the day time! Most of our meals will have to be either quick and easy, or slow cooked so that they look after themselves... or.. I'll just spend Sundays cooking and we'll reheat during the week! I'll probably end up with my groceries being delivered cause it's just too much effort to go to Woolies to get them myself! Checking the mail will be a 'Stu Job' on his way home from work!

All the apparent negatives aside... I am soooo looking forward to meeting this little man. I can't wait to see him and hold him and love him (more than I already do) I can't wait to learn about his personality, and to teach him things, and see whether he's picked up Stu's or my brains... (God I hope it's Stu's!!!) I also can't wait til he sleeps through for his first night... I think that is going to be just AWESOME!!!! (will be a long time coming though - and I'm prepared for that!) I look forward to seeing all of my close friends and family become part of his life - I can't wait to see him smile when he starts to recognise faces... I can't wait to have our first family holidays and camping trips - and realise that we are now our own family unit.. we don't just slot into our parents lives anymore - we are the parents now! It's mind boggling.

I'll leave here in pain.. and come home with a little miracle!