Help me knitters!

I really want to make this but have never knitted with circular needles! I need help knitters!!

Click here for pattern..

from http://strandinthehandpatterns.blogspot.com

Brighter day...

Mother & daughter (source)

My mood has shifted dramatically in the last few days. I am feeling positively chipper today! Pretty sure this shift has happened because we have had a really wonderful Christmas break followed by Molly's 4th birthday party at our place yesterday.

It has been so nice to be surrounded by family and friends who we love and who love and support us so well. My mother is on annual leave until January 10th and we have already spent more time together in the last few days than we have in a very long time. I really need that right now. To feel completely myself and comfortable with another woman who knows me so well.

I met with my midwife this morning and mum was able to attend the appointment with me. It was really nice to see how quietly excited and proud she is to be involved in this process. During the appointment we spoke about my good glucose challenge results (yay body! you rock!) and the need to continue eating really well for the remainder of the pregnancy. I expressed how glad I am that the Christmas period is over and I can get back to some kind of food routine. I don't think I am the only one who feels like this. We also discussed some practical stuff around the birth pool and what supplies to have ready for the birth and about what factors may lead to a decision to transfer to hospital for the birth. I feel really good about this and am confident that we will work really well together and make the best decisions we can at the time.

I was right about baby's position.. head down, back on my left.. anterior (at the time she palpated my belly). It's nice to know I can trust what I am feeling. I don't think I had a clue last time and just trusted the midwife's guess.  For the record, my BP is a little up from last time 130/80 but still in a normal range. Babe's heart rate is 152bpm. Belly is right where it should be for size and my midwife said the baby feels just the right size for gestation. Not too big! :)

All good to hear!!

After the appointment I enjoyed a bbq steak and salad at mum's place before heading to the shops on my own to get some groceries. This sounds like a pretty boring way to spend the afternoon however for me, some mama time followed by alone time (no matter what the activity) is just perfect. Planning to make a yummy pumpkin, lentil and zucchini soup for dinner. But before that, I think I'll take a nap! What a nice day!

I hope your post-Christmas period is as nice as mine is turning out to be!

xo

More wisdom from Gloria Lemay via Ilithia Inspired

Here is a post I just read which hit the nail on the head with how I am feeling about this birth. Sazz posted recently about the need to live in the present and not think too much about the past or what is to come. To allow the body and mind to just experience what is happening right NOW and take that same philosophy into the birth.

I have been living with fear that this baby will end up having a similar birth to Molly (induced labour, epidural, on my back, forceps, episiotomy, respiratory distress, special care, breastfeeding challenges etc etc etc) and I have been having trouble letting go of that fear and just living each day knowing that this baby will have the birth it deserves, in it's own time if I can just trust that my body will work and everything will be ok. I trust birth.

When I feel this fear I am going to use this as a mantra of sorts... I trust birth.. I trust my body.. I am doing all I can to ensure this babe gets the best birth possible.

Sazz posted a recap of Gloria Lemay's talk on this issue... Please go read it here if you are interested.. It's about goats and birth so it's definitely worth a read! :)

Christmas morning cuteness

31 weeks

I am SO over working!

It's boxing day and I am sitting here in the office feeling very "blah" and wondering how on earth I am going to get through the next 9 (or so) weeks until this baby is born. I predict feeling a little more peaceful once I am on leave (my last day is January 15th- bring it on!). I already feel as big as a house and am having a little trouble today in finding the inner "goddess". I know she's there somewhere, I see her in just about every other pregnant woman. I just feel so damned disabled, sore and awkward! I am sure I felt like this last time but have probably blocked it out.

I have been getting a lot of braxton hicks contractions (John likes to call them Toni Braxton hicks). I don't think I had this many last time. I am getting them all day. The baby moving, getting in and out of the car, going over speed bumps, turning over in bed.... all these things cause them to happen and they are quite uncomfortable at times. I hear of women who don't even notice them happening but these cannot be ignored. They only last 10 -15 seconds and aren't painful. They just take my breath away. I am trying to view them as getting my body ready to come into labour spontaneously at the right time. Hopefully the "right time" is not past 42 weeks as I am so uncomfortable already and the thought of another 10-12 weeks is just completely depressing to think about. Having said that, this little one will come when he/she is ready and I will not be rushing the process due to my own discomfort.. just let me have a whinge. I think cutting caffeine and increasing water should help calm these BH contractions. 

I am seeing my midwife on Tuesday and I am interested to see what position she thinks the baby is in. I get most of my bigger kicks in the upper right area of my abdomen but sometimes around the front so I think that s/he is head down and flipping from a posterior to an anterior position with it's back mostly on the left. From my own poking and prodding, the head is still totally mobile above my pubic bone and occasionally moves near my right hip bone.  

My nutrition has been a bit all over the place with lots of Christmas treats! Although yesterday I didn't actually go overboard at lunch and dinner as I am quickly running out of stomach space and I fill up quickly. Lunch was a yummy mix of roast turkey, ham and mum's regular spread of delicious salads and of course a fab pudding. We had dinner with John's family and I pretty much had a plate of roast parsnip, carrot, sweet potato and green beans. I could not manage any more meat but did have another small serving of pudding afterwards. As the night wore on I just couldn't get comfortable in any position. There was seriously not one chair in the house that I could sit on. It was a lovely but very busy day with a lot of driving and talking and pressies and food. I think my body was just craving home. Once I lay down in my comfy bed I was out like a light and didn't wake till 7:30.

 This week I am sticking to fruit, veggies, meat, fish, rice, oats, yoghurt and water. I am starting to drink a cup a day of red raspberry leaf tea with a little nettle and peppermint as I have been feeling flat and like I am low in iron. The RRL tea may also help with the BHs. I take a pregnancy multi and have started taking iron too.

Tomorrow is Molly's 4th birthday party and I have asked everyone to bring a plate as I seriously do not have the energy to prepare party food (I am making a cake though) and I assume most people have Christmas leftovers they can bring. We are going to the local playground and I have organised a couple of games- the actual facilitation of said games will most likely be delegated to John. I hope the weather holds out and we don't end up needing to go back to our house.

Anyway.. enough whining from me. Hope you all had a lovely Christmas or festivus or whatever you celebrate- if you celebrate... ugh! I'm tiring myself out!

Here is me at 31 weeks.. tired and bloated and needing water and good food!

Please leave me a comment! I love hearing from you!

xo

My ballerina on Christmas eve..

Money money money

I am hoping it will be fine  however I am beginning to have a little anxiety around how we are going to manage financially next year.

I have 10 weeks paid maternity leave from my work which I am taking at half pay over 20 weeks beginning in 4 weeks! (yikes!) So this will mean an increase in Centrelink payments (I hope). Then the 18 weeks of paid parental leave will start. And after that, we will be 100% reliant on Centrelink until I return to work in January 2012.

This freaks me out.

I know people do it all the time.. just, usually not US!

So.. the frugality will continue.. which is the way we want it anyway however it's nice to choose it rather than being forced into it.

The other thing is, out lovely housemate will be moving out mid next year as she is getting married so we are praying for the right person to come and take her place in our home. It really needs to be the RIGHT fit for our family. If you know of anyone wanting to live close to Melbourne city and who would like to join our somewhat chaotic household, please let us know!

If we don't find anyone we will have to move.. and probably to a teeny-tiny apartment. Which would not be ideal!

Anyway.. enough complaining... it's nearly Christmas!

Choc chip cookies... a (not so) secret family recipe

For SoFawned

Chocolate chip cookies

Ingredients:

125g butter softened

1/2 cup caster sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1 egg

1 3/4 cups self raising flour

1/2 tsp salt

125g choc chips (I use milk, dark and white together)

60g chopped walnuts (optional but nice)

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180 deg C. 

Cream together butter and sugars, add vanilla and lightly beaten egg. Mix in SR flour and salt until a soft dough forms. Stir in choc chips and walnuts. 

Roll into balls (teaspoonfuls) and place on a greased and lined biscuit tray making sure to leave space for spreading. 

Bake in moderte oven for 10-12 mins or until lightly golden. Allow to cool on the tray for approx 5 mins before transferring to wire racks. Makes approx 40 small biscuits. 

30 week bump

It might just be what I am wearing, but my bump doesn't seem as big. Maybe I'm just getting used to this thing.

I weighed myself this morning and a pretty happy to report that I am 15kg up from my starting weight. I know this sounds like a lot to some people but for someone who gained nearly 40 in her first pregnancy this is good news! Now I just need to lay off the shortbread and mince pies over Christmas and we should be able to scrape in an even 20kg gain for the whole pregnancy (how average of me!)

Just wanted to post a little shout-out to Danielle at Hello Owl. You and your family are in my prayers and in my heart. Big hugs. Please go over there and offer some support.

Sad sack...

I have been totally miserable for most of the day.

For no reason..