2.5 Weeks

Totally unrelated but Pecan & his/her first club stamp - I am a terrible Mother!

So only 2.5 weeks left of work (but who really counts Thursday and Friday, once Wednesday is over it's all uphill from there). 2 more Mondays is still my favourite thing to say but I know I'm going to feel lost when it's over. Until the nesting bug kicks in, which I really hope it does with the state of my house at the moment!

I've already got a haircut lined up for my first week of leave and Mum has organised a sort-of family photo shoot. I can't wait to get some proper bump photos (yes I'll be posting more soon, according to Hubby I have a beachball in there), my cousin who is getting into photography really wants to get some but I'm not very camera friendly and would feel slightly uncomfortable but we're definitely taking him up on his offer of doing baby photos. I'm still tempted to get some professional ones done but then again saving $100s is lots more tempting.

I've got lots of fun plans to do before Pecan makes his/her debut including a yummy 7 year anniversary dinner with Hubby at Rockpool. Our anniversary falls on Melbourne Cup this year so I'll definitely be taking advantage of that during the day (plus his exams will be over so triple celebration, unfortunately he still has thesis work to complete the week after).Hopefully I'll have a win on the horses this year, if I was really organised I'd do some kind of lunch but I think I need to calm down with the baking and organising and just relax.


Speaking of which this weekend (& Tuesday night) will be dedicated to making dessert on Sunday for my sister-in-law's birthday and organising an Engagement Dinner for my Mum and her partner. My other SiL who moved interstate is coming back for her birthday which means I get to see my beautiful nephew and fast-growing niece again, definitely looking forward to that. They both seem to have grown so much (just from looking at photos!) since we last saw them in July, but kids have a habit of doing that.

Quiet Life of Violet - Guest Post

My Thankful For post has gone up at the Quiet Life of Violet. She is an amazing blogger that I'm really glad to have stumbled upon and highly recommend you check her out (and my post of course - shameless self promotion haha).

To anyone new who stumbles across my blog from Violet's, a big 'Hello' :)

Bonding with Bubs - Week 32

Size: approximately 42cm and weighing around 1.7kg

What's Pecan Up To: kung-fu fighting haha It is insane in my belly and I love it! Getting fatter too.

Symptoms: Still feeling uncomfortable and even though I'm trying to lean forwards to encourage Pecan to move head down my belly is getting too big to do that.

Cravings: frozen yoghurt, fresh fruit and coffee

Keep that away from me: the smell of the seafood section in Woolworths BLERGH!

Weight: between 80-81kg

 

Feelings: Excited about finishing work but I feel bad for my boss, she came in and said she was depressed because the last 3 weeks were going to fly by. I'm not really nervous about becoming a Mum but nervous about how much my life is going to change.

Random: We have our next scan on Friday afternoon so I get to find out where my naughty placenta is and where Pecan is sitting. I'm super excited to see our little baby again.


We've also been throwing around names, we think we've picked a girls name (still no middle name though) but having no luck with boys names (I've changed my mind about the one that Hubby really likes). So I'm guessing we'll be having a boy ;)


Also on a side note I completely forgot to say my Mum got engaged during their Italy trip. We're all very excited and I can't wait to dress Pecan up for the wedding!

Cooking Class

Last weekend was a birthday celebration (of sorts) it was a belated present for one of my best friends (who should be in America by now...lucky thing!) and a very early celebration for my other best friend. We all signed up for a French pastry class.

Now whilst I know my way around a kitchen I was scared of pastry, it's still my aim to make a pie before I turn 26 but I'm quite happy just baking cakes etc... Well the fear has definitely gone away after a wonderful class, granted I was on team Rhubarb and therefore didn't have anything to do with cooking the pastry but I did pipe choux pastry out of a piping bag and that's pretty impressive for me!

I can't really remember what the desserts were called but I'm glad I got photos of them before we demolished them. I have to admit the second one (with our rhubarb filling) was my favourite. Helen, our awesome teacher, was fantastic at making us feel at home whilst at the same time teasing/teaching us, I would definitely recommend this class to anyone in the Perth area - although don't do it when pregnant because you get a free glass of wine/bubbly at the end. My face must have looked aghast because Helen asked what was wrong and I lamented that I was pregnant (can't see how they didn't realise with my bump!) and therefore couldn't drink :( Although I did sneak two sips which went straight to my head!

The only negative I have to say about the class was that it was my first experience with someone making an unwanted comment re: my pregnancy. I hear it bemoaned everywhere - people putting in their opinions, rubbing bellies without permission etc... but I hadn't experienced that until then (maybe I exude get the hell away from me vibes haha). It started out innocently enough the woman asking if this was my first and then how long I had to go. When I told her 9 weeks her jaw dropped and she said where on earth was I putting it all and that she guessed having a small baby would be easier in the long run...unless it was a big baby and there wasn't a lot of fluid! Needless to say I walked off and ignored her for the rest of it, stuffing one's face with yummy desserts is a good cure for idiotic people!

Bonding with Bubs - Week 31

Size: approximately 41.3cm and weighing almost 1.5kg

What's Pecan Up To: not being in a good position but enjoying himself/herself nonetheless I'm getting beaten up so much but I love it! Also gaining more fat and Pecan's irises can dilate/respond to light.

Symptoms: Feeling very uncomfortable still eg: bending over...

Cravings: coffee, strawberries and ice-cream

Keep that away from me: again still nothing really

Weight: between 80-81kg

 

Feelings: Itching to finish up at work and amazed at how quickly the weeks are going. Really hoping that Bubs gets out of breech position but I'm not too concerned at this stage.

Random: We've decided if I have to have a c-section then we'll be going with the hospital closer to us seeing as we chose not to go private and Hubby can't spend the night in a public hospital.

Pushing the Envelope

This little baby is already pushing the envelope and after my appointment today I can see that's just going to continue!

For starters we've got the 'reaching' placenta (find out at our 32 week scan how that's going!);

Then we had the first failed glucose test followed by the marathon glucose/blood test resulting in me almost fainting (but all is good with that HURRAH);

Now we have - is that baby's bum or head? I'm pretty sure that's it's back....um at the moment you're baby is breech....

oh Pecan what do you have in store for Mummy next?

I'm not too concerned though, lots of sites suggest that it's common for babies to keep moving around and that they wouldn't start to worry until 34-36weeks. So judging by how things keep turning out to be ok I'm not too concerned. Especially because Pecan is such a mover and shaker in there.

I'm just so excited for the weekend, I've been exhausted after getting prodded to try and figure out exactly how Bubs was reclining and now I just want to curl up on the couch with some bad food and tv - luckily Hubby is keen on that as well!

It's a Dog's Life

This post was going to be about relaxation and making sure that no matter what everyone always has some selfish time but I looked at the photo and felt happy and sad.

Happy because Loki will always make Hubby and I smile no matter what, I feel like we're always randomly pointing out something silly he's doing and laughing about it (such as the above where he'd fallen into the back of the chair but was still chillin'). Sad because he has no idea what November is going to bring!

I think he will cope ok with the new addition but it will be sad to lose him as 'our baby'. Now if you're not a pet person you probably think I've gone a little cuckoo but trust me pets weasel their way into your hearts until you'd wind up doing anything *cough* including spending mass amounts of money to fix ligaments...thank you Bella *cough* for them.

Hubby was never a pet person until he met me, he didn't really have anything against animals they'd just never played a big part in his life. Cut to over six years ago and he became entwined with me and at that point my one dog. Fast forward to now and he's experienced raising a puppy with another dog whilst housesitting for my family when we were in New Zealand (fresh into our relationship so I knew he was a keeper); dragging a full grown Golden Retriever over a fence after she escaped at Dad's place; looking after an old dog in a plaster cast; watching Marley and Me with 3 grown women bawling their eyes out; and going to 'just' look at puppies and coming home with a dog of his own. He knows that our Christmas tradition will always start with a visit to the dog beach (I cannot wait for this year with Pecan) and that you can teach a puppy to go 'toilet' pretty much on command (this is a lifesaver and I highly recommend doing it!).

So Loki has been insanely spoilt, his toys are strewn around the house and his eyes lit up when he caught sight of an elephant I bought Pecan! Part of me knows he will be ok but there will be some major adjusting for all of us to do. For starters he will have to stop having 'little dog syndrome' and realise that being bossy is not on. He makes it well known that he doesn't like being woken up at odd hours so there's another big adjustment for him as well! I hope it gets balanced out by the fact that I'll be at home a lot more and that he will have more toys (I've resigned myself to the fact that Pecan will lose that war!) I just hope that his jealousy issues are placated by the good things that will come out of all this.

I'm hoping that he will love Pecan just as much as we will and that he'll guard him/her with his life. If everything goes well we know he'll be the perfect dog for our child's 'first' dog and if anything goes wrong hopefully it won't be too drastic and he'll quickly learn his lessons.

Bonding with Bubs - Week 30

Size: approximately 40cm and weighing over 1kg

What's Pecan Up To:waking me up in the middle of the night and moving around like a maniac! Opening & closing his eyes, lungs & digestive system pretty much formed.

Symptoms: I'm feeling really really uncomfortable :( and still another 10weeks to go, I finally understand why woman start wanting their babies out a bit early. Today I ate pancakes at about 11am for a late breakfast and felt terrible until about 3pm goodbye stomach and digestive system!

Cravings: no real changes here still fruit.

Keep that away from me: nothing really

Weight: 80.9kg (At the moment I seem to be sitting around this)

 

Feelings: How on Earth did it get to 10 weeks before Pecan is due!

Random: Got 2 more maternity pieces thanks to a good Mothercare deal finally another awesome pair of business pants YIPPEE!

Sun and No Surf

I love Fridays! Today because Pecan woke me up so early I decided I might as well head into work so I could finish the day earlier than usual. Lucky for me it turned out to be a good move on Pecan's behalf because this afternoon is amazing.

I quickly got into my dog walking clothes - thank god for my dance pants from highschool that still fit my ever expanding belly - and then bundled Loki into the car and off we drove. I wasn't too sure exactly where we were going, usually if it's just me I go to our local oval (yesterday the view across the river was stunning) but I kept driving today and headed in the direction of our big dog park. As I was heading to the usual spot we get out and park I remembered they had a little 'dog beach' on the river and immediately pulled in there. BEST IDEA EVER! It's only a short little walk but Loki was sniffing at everything, digging up a burnt stick and the water was out so he was happily trotting around in the tiny amount of water left (which he never normally does because my Mum and sister scared him off water when he was a puppy). After the walk I just sat down to enjoy the sun and starting thinking about what the midwife had been saying in our class last night about breathing. She'd suggested visualizations but I'm not that kind of person so instead I just sat there enjoying the sound of the river, the sun and just let myself relax. I've decided this will definitely be 'my spot' and if the weather stays nice I know it will eventually become Pecan's spot as well. Perfect for the dog, not busy and a short drive away from home, I couldn't ask for anything better!

Bonding with Bubs - Week 29

Size: approximately 38cm and weighing around 1.1kg.

What's Pecan Up To: more fattening up is going on in there, Pecan is developing a big head (haha) and he/she's brain is developing rapidly too.

Symptoms: insomnia is starting to kick in which really sucks and I'm getting super uncomfortable bending over.

Cravings: lots and lots of fruit but specifically strawberries, oranges, grapefruit and also coffee. Oh and alcohol it's finally hit me but still abstaining.

Keep that away from me: chicken unless it's mixed in with something

Weight: 81.3kg (thanks very specific digital scales)

Feelings: Realising all the things we're going to miss out on (specifically travelling). Still very excited but just a bit ok definitely going to have some major adjustments around here.

Random: Whilst I hate the insomnia last night I felt all of Pecan, I don't know if he/she was stretching out or what but I felt arms and legs. Pecan is definitely letting me know that my belly is no longer my own.

No More Sleep-Ins

Curling up on the couch just isn't the same!

I realised that this was going to happen when we decided to take the plunge into parenthood but silly me was hoping it would happen after Pecan made his/her appearance or at the very least when I was resembling a whale! Sadly I keep waking up at 6am (or even earlier) and not being able to get back to sleep, whilst Hubby can simply roll over and once again be sleeping in seconds.

But instead it's made me productive and at least I get a bit of housework done so that we're not consumed by it for the rest of the weekend. For example this morning I've: done a load of washing, made pancake batter in preparation for Hubby waking up and had a shower/washed my hair - not major things but every bit counts right?

I've got a bit of a To-Do list for this weekend and hopefully I can get it all done.

1. Go to my Nana's house (with my little sister) and pick out things that we want - I feel terrible raiding her unit but my Aunty wants us to and my Nana has now been moved to a nursing home in the country to be closer to my Dad.
2. Vaccuum - this will be Hubby's job with all our stairs and bending I'm out of commission (yay!)
3. More washing...hopefully the rain stays away so I can avoid using the dryer.
4. Use my maternity clothes voucher at MotherCare - I'm only using 1 pair of work pants at the moment and if I spill something on them I'm stuffed! Although I did try on a cute dress from my wardrobe that could work I just need some maternity leggings.
5. Figure out my sewing machine and at the very least start on a project. I have several lined up from pillow cases to a baby blanket.
6. Go on a date with Hubby - definitely something cheap because we're running low on $$$ (damn baby shopping being so tempting). This is the most important and something I want to factor in because with him studying so much and Pecan's due date moving closer and closer we need to make time for 'us'.