My little dreamer!

I am just laughing so hard right now!

We've had Jasper's mattress/big bed on his bedroom floor for a little while now so I decided that today was the big day...today we would start the transition (at least for his lunch-time nap anyway, tonight he will go in his cot).

He usually takes about an hour of playing quietly in his cot before falling asleep so, after putting him in his room around 1pm I wasn't shocked at all to still be hearing little noises at 2pm. I tackled a few jobs around the house (contacting the manufacturers of the damaged change table/bath thing, did our internet banking, and put a load of washing in the dryer) and then went in to check up on him.

Ok, before I show you what I found I'll say that we usually have a door jam device on the top of his bedroom door so he can't shut it (and therefore can't slam his little fingers!). For this momentous occaision I took the door jam off and put a safety device on the inside knob so the door would stay shut...Jasper can't open doors with these things on the knob. This is probably only significant in that, in order to check up on him in there, I needed to open the door.

Here's what I found...

I said, "Hi sweety!" thinking he was just staring out the window or something. Ha ha! I pulled the curtain back and saw that the poor little thing was definitely fast asleep in a most uncomfortable position! I gathered him up in my arms and placed him, for the first time ever (!!!), in his big bed...pulling the covers up too -- but not before ducking outside and getting a couple of classic piccies of my little dreamer!

And here is the little man nearly an hour later...hasn't moved an inch. Awww, what a big boy using a pillow!

I forgot to mention...

Something that I can now laugh about but which mortified me at the time...

When my mother and I pulled into my driveway after our long long trip a friend of mine was here dropping off my tuppaware order. We chatted for a while, had a little peak at her new bub sleeping in her car, and then they left. Remmy came over to give me a second hug since we returned and, instead of whispering something sweet in my ear, he whispers, "I didn't want to say anything while everyone was here but you've started to retain some water!"

Yes, he really said that!!!! I was so mortified! Actually, just that morning I had commented to mother that it was the first time I had really had to push my wedding rings on...so I knew I was starting to puff up a bit! I don't know if it would have made a difference if he had waited to tell me this but mother and Terry were still here and unpacking the car, so I had a bit of uncomfortable self-consciousness until we were alone and he could apologise!

I'm finding it pretty funny now...just how wrong/rude/insensitive/inappropriate he was but it does remind me of a similar experience when I was pregnant with Jasper...the mother of a lady Remmy works with saw me out shopping and says, "Oh, is that you Chenoa? You're so much bigger than I remember!"

Now, I didn't take too much offence at this, thinking that she meant my belly had grown, but then she added, "Oh, don't worry, it's all in your face!"

How rude is that!??!! ha ha

Catch-up post!

My goodness, so much has happened since I posted last! I have been far too tired to keep up with this poor blog so a catch-up post is in order.

Firstly, here is my 35 weeks + 1 day belly pic. Yes, I am getting very large and uncomfortable now! I missed my 36 week photo as we were on holiday but I'll do my best to remember my 37th.

Speaking of 37th week, I looked through all my old photos today for the date Remmy and I did a plaster cast of my pregnant belly with Jasper (as we have the same cast ready to do again this time around) and we discovered that it was done at exactly 37 weeks + 2 days! This means that we'll do the mould in exactly one week. It will be exciting to see if I am much different with this bub...I think I'm sticking out further and, after 'putting on' the Jasper-cast tonight, we know that I am a bit narrower this time...this could change in one week though I suppose!

As far as baby preparations go we have made quite a few purchases of late. We have bought a new bassinet (as I was starting to really dislike the idea of bubs going into his own room straight away and our port-a-cot is too big to fit in our bedroom)...

...Jasper got the beginnings of a new bed (Remmy is in the process of making it for him...should be finished really soon!)...he hasn't slept in it yet but is enjoying pretending to sleep on it. We'll have to get him started in it for day sleeps but I'm not entirely sure how to have success with this...must do a bit of research.

...we also ordered a 3m long security gate so that we have a 'parents-only' area in our house. This is fantastic as we can now bring in some pot plants from outside, we're using our glass coffee table for the first time since I don't know when, we don't have to worry about Jasper bumping his head on the corners of the glass dining table, we have the whole computer and desk area safe, and we can finally start decorating with ornaments! We haven't yet had any energy for decorating but it's so good to know we can! ha ha. Another purchase we made was for a baby bath/changing station that fits over the bathtub. It's a fantastic invention but unfortunately when we unpacked it we discovered that 2 of the main parts had cracks/splits in them. We e-mailed the company some photos of the damage and they apologised, saying that they've had troubles with their couriers, and they sent us replacement parts. Would you believe that these parts are damaged too? Yep, we're so keen to use this invention (it means an end to having a change table in either of the boys' rooms, plus it will save us water -- apparently the bath can be used up to age 4 but can hold 100kg so could be useful for a bit longer! -- and, being in the bathroom where there is a heat lamp, little newborn bub won't get cold in Winter), hopefully we can sort something out with the company...I guess we had best take some photos of this lot of damage and let them know!

One very scary (for me!) new development is that Jasper can now climb up his cubby house ladder and can't get down on his own! Unfortunately for us both I am too short to help him down myself so we aren't spending much time outside lately! He was bound to discover the cubby one day...all it took was for me to host mother's group here and he soon saw how much fun the other kiddies were having climbing up there. The whole episode got us talking about the difference between 'wrapping kids up in cotton-wool' and protecting them. I have always been a bit of a nervous nelly when it comes to Jasper's physical safety but I have been giving him more freedom to explore and grow lately. This ladder-climbing has thrown me though because, as one of my mother's group friends so aptly phrased, they're going to get their first broken bone sometime. Hmmmm, yes, they might break a bone one day but I'm not so much worried about a broken bone as I am a fatal accident...a fall from a cubby perhaps, landing on such an angle as to cause fatal damage! Ok, so maybe just a tad melodramatic but seriously, how could I ever forgive myself if I ignored that jittery-feeling I have sometimes and something serious happened? So, the mission for the cubby house area now is for Remmy to take Jasper out and give him lessons on how to get down safely (both down the ladder and the slippery dip), and, for those times when I'm the only adult around, Remmy is going to make a quick device we can hook over the first few rungs of the ladder so Jasper can't get up...just until he's confident and skilled enough to not need help down. For me, this is a good mix of parental responsibility while teaching independance and safety.

The most important thing, however, that has happened since I've been on here is that Sam had her baby boy!! She called him Javier (Jay for short). It was an exciting day for everyone because it was also our mother's birthday!

Pretty much immediately after he was born he was taken away to have a stent put in his heart. I don't fully understand what that was for but he is due to have his big operation (to switch the heart valves so his blood can properly oxygenate) soon...maybe even in just under a week!

As Terry's birthday was just a few days after mother's, Remmy and I hosted a big birthday BBQ on the Saturday night to celebrate. It was here that Mother and I decided that we'd go on a road-trip to visit Sam and Javier (and Sam's partner, Ritchie). I was hesitant at first, wondering if it would be just my luck to go into labour on the road, but decided in the end that it was worth the small risk. Actually, we left on Monday and by Monday night I was having very painful Braxton Hicks almost constantly! We were getting pretty worried but after stopping for the night and getting a bit of rest I was as good as new (and the Braxton's were never that strong or persistant for the rest of the trip...lucky!)!

Sam seems to be doing really well thankfully! She's staying in good spirits and is spending a lot of time with her new little man. Javier is just adorable! I was so glad I was able to have a cuddle with him...I was a bit nervous the entire time though because we were warned not to touch him too much as it would excite him, yet my unborn bub wouldn't stop kicking him...making him wriggle and his little heart rate seemed to race! I was holding my breath just waiting for the buzzers to go off! Thankfully he was fine! Sam and Javier are now in the cardiac hospital where he's to have the big op. I'm sure everything will be just fine...I will, however, be holding my breath with the rest of the family until he's safely at home in *hopefully* a few short weeks.

Jasper was such a good boy for the entire trip! We have a dvd player in our car so that saved our sanity a few times but all-in-all I've never met a happier, more patient child! We were amazed! Here are a couple of piccies from one of our many visits to a road-house (taking 2 days to drive there and 2 to drive back you can imagine how we were happy to see the back of such establishments! ha ha).

Even though I knew we wouldn't have much time, I couldn't go to QLD and not pop in for a quick visit with my old very good friend (and one-time flattie) Lydia, and her adorable little girl! They live just on this side of the NSW border so we got to see them on our way home for the shortest amount of time. Lydia hadn't changed much and it was so good to meet little Alana! Here are some happy snaps...

Actually, looking at them reminds me that Jasper had a massive tantrum while there which, while probably being due to a bit of teething, was pretty disgraceful! Check out the middle photo again, I could hardly keep him in my arms! ha ha

Just in case you haven't seen enough pictures from our journey, here are some cuties from a quick coffee break (hot choc in my case!) at McCafe. I don't think I ever did get around to posting piccies of Jasper wearing his monkey harness so here you go!

Hormones!!!!

Far out there have been some hormones flying around our house of late (and I'm not just talking about those coming from the pregnant lady!)! Won't bore you with the details, instead will post up my 34 week pregnancy photo...

...a comparison one of 34 weeks pregnant with Jasper (I'm much more 'in front' this time!)...

...and get busy around the house (as it's sure to make me feel better than dwelling on the effects of hormones!)!

Out with the old...

Today Jasper's new nappies arrived in the mail...Weenee's flushable pads and pouch pants! They're quite a cool invention but time will tell if they're something we want to invest in for full-time use for both Jasper and this next bub (when he reaches 6kg...there's no way I'm buying more than 2 sizes! ha ha).

http://www.eenee.com.au/index1.html

As usual we spent some time outside this afternoon so I took a few pics. They're not the best quality of pics but honestly he was moving pretty fast and I wasn't keen to run around looking for a good shot.

What a big cuddle he got when Remmy came home!

You wouldn't guess that I only mowed the lawns yesterday would you? Perhaps it just looks a bit messy because we didn't bother edging! I'm too nervous to cut the grass too short as I don't want to kill it (we're not very experienced with such things having come from a house with a courtyard only!)! ha ha

We also sold Jasper's old nappies today! He only had 5 but gosh they went fast...3 to one, 2 to another (and plenty of others interested!). I loved those nappies but we can't help it Jasper has a sensitive bottom. Here's one last look;

I had big plans for this evening but it got late very quickly! Might try and get a fairly early night.

The sad fact...

...about being me and 7.5 months pregnant is that life becomes so difficult! Even the small things like rolling over in bed and finding your hips/pelvis click either out of, or in place while your legs are fighting a cramp in both calf muscles.

I thought the low-point of my day though would have been Jasper helping me pull off my bed socks this morning (I need to wear socks because the aforementioned trials of rolling over in bed prevent me from using any bed covers!!)...not so! While getting ready to mow our lawn today I decided upon wearing joggers (as I am still nursing blisters from last week's effort in slides) only to find that I could not do them up under any circumstances! I was so shocked, helpless, and embarrassed that I started to cry, and that is how Remmy found me about 10 minutes later. He helped me do up my shoes and apologised for not making life easy for me lately when I've been going through some issues myself. That was nice...life clearly isn't all bad as long as you have someone to help you through the difficulties.

7 to go!

Graduating to 33 weeks pregnant has surprised me! I don't know what I was expecting but all of a sudden it feels as though I have so much to do and no time at all. I can officially say that our baby is going to be here next month! Wow, that is exciting!

For the first time...EVER...someone has commented (after asking how much longer I have to go before bub arrives), "wow, not long then?"...usually I get, "really? I thought you were due any day now!" ha ha. Actually I think these photos do make me look smaller than I am (due to using a different angled mirror to the other photos I've taken throughout the pregnancy), but in all honesty, I'm doing ok! I'm probably bigger than I was with Jasper at this same point but I keep telling myself I'm not purely to avoid the self-pity! I still harbour some hope for a VBAC so I simply MUST NOT grow as big as I was with Jasper! I'll keep using this 'small' mirror and skew my perception...I'll try not to notice how big I *actually* grow. ha ha