2007.... A Year in Review

Ok so I did this last year and thought I would carry on the tradition

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
Flew to South Africa....
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
i dont make them
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
I became a great aunt to Paige Maree
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No
5. What countries did you visit?
South Africa
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
cant think of anything
7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
August 11......my wedding day
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting married...can that be an achievement????
9. What was your biggest failure?
I dont think i had one this year...
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nah not really
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My wedding dress and passport
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
No one really
14. Where did most of your money go?
Our trip to South Africa and wedding...though the exchange rate helped
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Marrying the love of my life and my honeymoon to Shamwari....game drive
16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
Making a memory - Bon Jovi
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier...and in love
b) thinner or fatter? The same.....
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Nothing really I am pretty happy with what has been this year..
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
wasting time
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent it with my Fam.
21. Did you fall in love in 2007?
every morning when I wake up next to my hubby
22. How many one-night stands?
NONE
23. What was your favorite TV program?
CSI Miami
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don't think I actually Hate anyone ... dislike what some people do .. yes ... but don't hate anyone
25. What was the best book you read?
OHhh my sister introduced me to a great series...Laurell K Hamilton....Anita Blake(Vampire Exicutioner) BLOODY FANTASTIC
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Nothing off the top of my head...
27. What did you want and get?
My happy ever after
28. What did you want and not get?
not bringing my wedding dress home
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
dont know
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I cant remember LOL.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
nope cant think of anything...
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
EKKKK horrible....
33. What kept you sane?
coffee....lots of coffee
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
cant think of any.....
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Nothing really don't pay any attention to all that stuff
36. Who did you miss?
My new family in South Africa....they are so far away
37. Who was the best new person you met?
Darains best friend Wayne and Wife Miriam in SA
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.
Good things DO happen
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
umm cant think of any at the moment...will work on it though

Christmas 2007

Christmas day this year Talia and Eloise spent Christmas eve with their dad so we only had Matthew and Megan Christmas morning. My mum and her husband George came and stayed with us over the holiday period which was really nice.

The two older girls were dropped off at 1pm and we were then able to open up all our presents. I received some beautiful gold ear rings and a gold bracelet from Darian and we gave each of the girls a scooter each. The kids had so many presents.

Matthew had the hang of opening presents this year and it was so nice to see him getting into it. We ended up having lunch at 4.30 ish and had a nice quiet Christmas night.

21 Weeks

At 21 weeks the baby is 25 cm long and weighs about 1/2 a kilo.

The baby's skin is being increasingly covered by vernix. This is a thick, white, greasy cream that protects their skin in their watery environment. Vernix disappears by about 40 weeks, but if the baby is born at 39 weeks or less, you would notice it is still on their skin. The baby's eyelids are still fused shut but the retinas of their eyes are fully developed and they now have distinct eyelashes and eyebrows. The baby's hair follicles are now pigmenting to give them hair colour, looking dark, fair or red!
The baby's blood circulation is completely functional. The umbilical cord system continues to grow and thicken as blood travels with considerable force through the body to nurture the baby. The placenta is now almost equal in size to the baby.

The baby's different organs and systems are maturing. The fetal digestive system is functioning in a simple way and the baby can swallow amniotic fluid. After the baby swallows the amniotic fluid, he is able to absorb water and sugars from the fluid and then the waste is passed as far as the large bowel. The baby swallows the amniotic fluid in order to prepare itself for life outside of the womb. Some babies consume as much as 17 ounces of amniotic fluid in a 24-hour period. The baby already has a high number of red blood cells and the white blood cells are beginning to be produced. Taste buds are being formed on your baby's tongue this week also.

Yes its been a long time and I am slack!

I have been neglecting my blog lately, does anybody read it anyway????

So I am 19 weeks and 3 days pregnant. All is going well and my belly has seemed to stop growing a bit so I don't feel HUGE for my dates anymore. Darian and I went and had the anatomy scan on Monday and everything is looking good and bubs is healthy.

The big news is that it is a BOY.....

We were not bothered what sex the baby was as long as it was healthy but knowing makes it easier to but for and the kids can now talk to their brother....all the girls wanted a brother so they are happy. Matthew is in his own little world so I guess he doesn't really care.

I finally went and had my hair cut and coloured on Wed, its only been about 9 months since I had a hair cut. It turned out ok. Darian and I went to his work Christmas function that night at the Left Bank Fremantle so getting out and about without the kids was nice. Mum came up for a few days and baby sat for us.

Other than that the kids have finished school for the year, their last day was yesterday and I have enroll led them into the local school next year which is walking distance. Eloise was a bit sad about leaving her old school so I am hoping she will be happy next year.

So that's been the last few weeks in a nut shell I will try and keep up with the weekly baby updates too :)

19 Weeks.....

The baby's crown-to-rump length is 5.2 to 6 inches this week. The baby weighs approximately 7 ounces and will increase its weight more than 15 times between now and birth!

One of the most amazing aspects of your the baby's growth and development is that of the fetal brain. The baby's brain is one of the first organs to appear. The baby's oversized head shows the brain's importance in his development. Because the nerves that connect the muscles to the brain have grown into place, baby's movements are consciously directed. The baby's ears stand out from the sides of the head and the buds for your baby's permanent teeth appear. The baby's arms and legs have reached their relative proportions and his feet are approximately one inch long.

18 Weeks......

By week 18 of the pregnancy, the baby's crown-to-rump length is 5 to 5.5 inches long. The baby continues to develop fat layers and weighs about 5.25 ounces. The baby will continue to grow and develop, but the rapid growth will slow down for a little while.
There is still space available in the uterus and the baby will be active for periods at a time. The baby may sit cross legged or turn somersaults.

Around this time, the baby becomes more sensitive to the outside world and shows her presence through powerful kicks and prods. The bones through which sound is passed to the inner ear have hardened and the part of the brain that receives and processes nerve signals from the ears are developing. This means that the baby can hear now. The baby will get used to familiar sounds, such as the mothers heart beating, familiar voices, blood rushing through the umbilical cord and other daily routine sounds. The baby will become startled if he hears a loud sound.

17 Weeks......

The baby's weight has doubled in two weeks and now weighs about 3.5 ounces! The crown-to-rump length of the growing baby is 4.4 to 4.8 inches.
The uterus is moving up and is now approximately 1.5 to 2 inches below the navel.

Huge changes continue to take place within the developing baby. This week fat begins to form and will continue to do so until he is born. Fat is important to the body's heat production and metabolism. Right now, at 17 weeks, water makes up about 3 ounces and fat 0.018 ounces of the baby's body. In a baby at term, fat makes up about 5.25 pounds of the total average weight of 7.7 pounds. The placenta is continuing to grow at an amazing rate. The placenta will continue to develop in tandem with the fetus and it will weigh more than a pound at birth! By this week, the placenta is large and well established with a network of blood vessels that exchange nutrients and waste.

The eyes are facing more forward. The ears are now close to their final position.

The baby is more flexible with ability to move head, mouth, lips, arms, wrists, hands, legs, feet, and toes.

Fingerprints are forming now.

16 weeks 2 days

Yay today a electrician came to fix the oven. It stopped while I was cooking a roast Sun night and its fixed now. I hadn't realized how much I used it until I couldn't.

I got Talia to take a photo of me this morning before time got away again and the pregnancy was over and no pregnancy shots. So here I am 16 weeks and 2 days.

I have felt the baby move for about a week now and cant wait till its strong enough for Darian and the kids to feel it. We went and bought a change table on sat and I managed to pick up a bassinet on eBay. I like to get things early as I know when you get big and heavy the last thing you feel like doing is shopping....
So we are basically ready for the baby, just a few things like a rocker and clothes...they can wait...May baby....warm going into cold....tough one. I will have to get a bit of everything.

All the girls are so excited, every day Eloise asks if the baby has grown and she has even started to talk to my tummy.

week 16.....

At this point of the pregnancy, the baby is approximately 17cm long and weighs 200grams. Not only is the baby growing, the uterus and placenta continue to grow to accommodate the growing baby! The amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby is increasing and there is about 7.5 ounces of fluid.

The child can grasp with his hands, kick, or even somersault.

At this time, the baby is holding her head erect. Because her muscles are developing, she can make some faces now. The baby is able to squint, frown and open its mouth. There is enough calcium in the bones that they will show up on an x-ray. The baby's fingernails are well formed now and the legs are longer than the arms.

Week 15......

The baby's crown-to-rump length is approximately 4 inches and it now weighs approximately 1.75 ounces. The baby is close to the size of a softball

The baby is growing at an amazing rate and looking more like a human every day. Because the baby's skin is so thin, you are able to see blood vessels through the skin. Lanugo hair covers the baby's body, but it will be gone when baby is born.

The hair on the eyebrows and head continues to grow. Some babies are born with little or no hair and others have a head full of hair! If I were have an ultrasound at this point, I might be able to see the baby sucking its thumb. Even though the eyes continue to move to the front of the face, they are still widely separated. The baby's ears look like normal ears and continue to develop externally.
The bones that have already formed continue to get harder and retain calcium. The baby is very mobile and flexible at this point. It can bend her arms at the elbows and wrists and she can also make a fist with her hands.

lazy day sunday

Yesterday was going to be warm so we decided to fill up the small pool for the kids to swim and play around in. The kids had a great time and I managed to get some photos I have been a bit slack of late.

14 weeks pregnant....

The baby's crown to rump length is 12 cm (3.2 to 4.5 inches) long and he weighs approximately 1 ounce now. The baby is about the size of the average fist.
At this time, the baby's face is becoming more developed. The cheeks and bridge of his nose appear and the ears move from the sides of his neck to much higher on his head. The eyes continue to come closer together.
A big development from this week onward is the development of lanugo. Lanugo are the fine hairs that grow over almost all of your baby. The hairs grow in whirled patterns that follow the grain of his skin. These patterns later give way to the baby's fingerprints. The lanugo will be shed before birth and replaced by thicker, coarser hairs.
The baby's thyroid gland has matured and starts to produce hormones.The embryo`s soft cartilage is now being replaced with ` real` chalk bones.
The baby has eyebrows, but no eyelashes. Fine, light hair also begins to grow.

A slow week.

Well it hasn't exactly been slow as lots always happens when you have kids. I was suffering from a head cold for a few days and because I couldn't take anything I felt like I was dying. Because of this Matthew missed out on Play group and gymbaroo this last week. He also had his physio review, she had received the report back from the pead and checked him over. He is still not running or jumping (he does a cross between a fast walk and trot)
He is still walking by rolling his hips, which turn his knees in and thus causing the over balancing and pigeon toes. She thinks its from all the "W" sitting (not that he does that much anymore) so we are to get him to sit crossed legged to stretch the opposite tendon. Hope fully this will loosen and he will walk better. He is to see her in a month and if she doesn't see an improvement she wants him to see a orthopedic surgeon . Have no idea what they would do...I guess its a wait and see thing.

The girls are good, they spent the weekend with their dad. Eloise is very excited about the baby asking every day if the baby has grown and how big is it now. She was too young to remember Matthews pregnancy so this one is really real to her. I cant wait for the baby to start kicking so she can feel it.

Other than that nothing much is happening. I have applied to a near by school to see if I cant get the girls in there next year but because they are out of area we have to wait until final figures for next year are know and then we are considered. So we wont know until the end of the school year if the girls are going to a closer school.

13 weeks, whats happening.....

The baby now weighs 14 to 20 grams. The crown-to-rump length of the growing baby is 2.6 to 3.1 inches.
The baby is now about the size of a peach.There is a milky membrane that surrounds the baby. It is pierced by the umbilical cord and is made up of two layers, which are fused together. The placenta provides most of the nutrients and oxygen that the baby needs.
By this week, the placenta is well formed and ready to take over hormone manufacture from the ovaries. The placenta will produce progesterone and estriol. These hormones will be crucial in the maintenance of the pregnancy. Tissue that will form the baby's bones is being laid down, especially around the head and limbs. The nose and chin are becoming more prominent. The baby's eyelids meet and fuse together and they will not open again for nearly four months. The eyes started out on the side of the baby's head and they are now moving closer together on the face. The ears come to lie in their normal position on the sides of the head. If examined outside of the womb, you would be able to distinguish male from female at this time.

The sockets for all twenty teeth are formed in the gums, and vocal cords are beginning to form.

12 week scan

today we went for our 12 week scan.....very exciting...
Even though this is number 4 for me there is nothing like seeing that little jelly bean up on that monitor. The little heart was going ten to the dozen and it was jumping up and down...all healthy and good
the heart beat is sitting at a very good 161 beats a min.
We will know the results of the test in about a week.

Catch up with an old friend

Today I went and had coffee with an old school friend of mine. I haven't seen her since about Feb 1997. She has just returned home from living over seas and she is going back to live in South Africa for a year as her partner is from there and he is unable to immigrate here as yet.

It was great catching up.

Now that I am home I am very tired.....cant wait until I get my energy back....at least the morning sickness has gone

Tomorrow we are off for our 12 week ultrasound to check for Downs syndrome and just to make sure everything is OK....

12 Weeks....whats happening

The baby's crown-to-rump length is almost 2.5 inches and it now weighs between 8 and 14 grams! In just three weeks, the baby's size has more than doubled and begins to look alot more human. Even though I won't be able to feel the baby moving at this time, I would be able to stimulate him and he will squint, open his mouth and move his fingers or toes.

Because most of the structures are already formed at this point, few will be formed after this time. The structures will continue to grow and develop throughout the remainder of the pregnancy. The baby's skeletal system now has centers if bone formation in most of the bones. The digestive system is capable of making contractions that push food through the bowels and it is also able to absorb sugar. The pituitary gland beginning to make hormones.

The baby develops reflexes and the skin is very sensitive.
The brain is fully formed, and the child can feel pain. the baby may even suck his thumb. The eyelids now cover the eyes, and will remain shut until the seventh month to protect the delicate optical nerve fibers.

My girls are back home !!!!

Yesterday we drove to the airport and picked up the girls. They have both grown taller over the month and look so happy. Well not as happy as their mum :)

We came home and the girls unpacked and showed me all their new clothes that they were given. Darian then went and picked up Meg for the night and the kids spent the rest of the afternoon playing...

Will have to take some photos of them....

Pig hunting in the Northern Territory!

Great photo, thought I would share it....

Week 11...whats happening now.

The baby measures about 5 cm from crown to rump and weighs about 8 grams (0.28 ounces), nearly doubling in size during the last week!
Baby now has a limited ability to suck and swallow, although this action is not fully mature until 24 to 28 weeks.
Their taste buds have developed enough to taste the amniotic fluid that surrounds them and their kidneys are now functioning and secreting fluid into their bladder. The baby will soon pass a type of clean urine into the amniotic fluid, in a continuous cycle of swallowing and urinating this fluid to keep their kidneys functioning until birth. The baby also breathes amniotic fluid into their lungs to strengthen the muscle under them and to regularly practice rhythmic expansion of their lungs.
Their stomach now produces gastric juices and they have about 20 baby teeth in their gums! The baby's sex organs are still developing and their typical male or female characteristics are not obvious yet.
Baby's movements are now more coordinated and purposeful. Regular movement is now important for your baby's growth and development. Without it their muscles would waste, their joints would seize and their bones would become brittle. Movement of some description is now a daily part of the unborn baby's life (when they are awake!)