Merrry Christmas and a happy new year!

Well Santa has come and gone on Ethan's first Christmas. It was a big day for him but it was also super exciting! He got super spoilt and now we need to find space for all of his new toys. I can't wait until next Chrsitmas when he'll be more aware of what's going on.

Aunt Flow also came back a couple of weeks ago and I think I might be gearing up to O again. I really hope we catch the next egg. I can't wait to have another bubby. Ethan lights up my world every day and I can't wait to share that love with another small person.

He's also desperate to crawl and spends all of his time rolling around on the floor. He's gotten himself up on all fours a few times but just needs the coodination to get moving. I think it will only be a couple more weeks before he's on the move.

Ethan's first Santa Photo!!!

Ethan loved having his Santa photo taken :-) He was the absolute centre of attention and had Santa and the elves gushing over him. They all commented on how easy he was to photograph. 

He's also getting very close to crawling!!!

On another note, I have just ovulated for the first time since having Ethan. We did try around O time but I won't be too worried if nothing comes of it. Getting Aunt Flo would at least be a step in the right direction. A few more days and then I can test :-)

November, 2013

Last month we had Ethan baptised. It was a beautiful but exhausting day. We had a photographer take some beautiful family photos and photos of his baptism. Memories to cherish forever. He is now the cutest little Catholic that ever lived and his Nan Medley would be the proudest Nan ever.

Ethan is also sitting up independently now, self settling in a sleeping bag and just dying to be on the move. The difference a month can make!!

October, 2013...

I'm having trouble finding time for this but I really want to keep this going for the first year of our gorgeous boy's life. He's almost 6 months old now so we're almost half way to his first birthday. This thought actually makes me a little sad because soon he'll be a stampeding little toddler and he won't be my baby any more.

I think my body may be starting to get back into the ovulating business but I'm not too sure yet. It could just be more body playing tricks on me again. I've been taking vitex for a month and if AF hasn't returned by January, I'm going to make an appointment with Dr Greening to get things going again.

Anyway here's a snap shot for October. Daddy photo bombed us!

Where does the time go?

Ethan is already nearly 5 months old! It is going way too quick.

We've organised his baptism for the 20th of October and we just can't wait to show off our little man. He's also just moved into his own room for night sleeps as well because he was getting way too big for the cradle. I have to admit that I was a little sad to see his empty cradle when I went to bed.

Here is a picture of our gorgeous little man in his big boy cot.

Can't wait to have another bubba!

Father's Day 2013...

Josh's first Father's Day was great! We had lunch with the family at Grandma and Poppy's house and we're going out for woodfire pizza for dinner. Can't believe it was a year ago that we told our parents that little man was on the way :-) A lot has changed since then.

Bubba boy is 16 weeks!

Time is going by so fast and he's growing so much! Ethan is now on formula because I got mastitis again and I couldn't bear the thought of going through it again. I was getting that sick that I physically couldn't look after him and I thought formula was a better option for both of us. He took to it like a fish to water so we're all happy here. Josh looked after him while I was sick and he said that it would've been easier going to work! Glad he appreciates how hard caring for bubba boy is :-)

Ethan and I are going down to Melbourne to meet his Aunty Kathryn, Uncle Mat and cousin Ryan in 2 weeks. Can't wait!

Something must be funny :-)

Ethan is now 12 weeks and 5 days old. He has rolled a couple of times and seems to get really frustrated when he can't get all the way over.

He now smiles all the time and he chuckles! It is so cute!

I thought I would also add a comparison shot of Ethan and Josh. He looks like Daddy all over!

Ethan aged 12 weeks

.

Josh age unknown

9 weeks old...

Ethan is now 9 weeks old and although it hasn't been without it's challenges, he's a relatively easy baby to look after. We go to bed at midnight and he wakes for a feed at around 4am and then up again at around 8am. If we're lucky, he'll let us sleep in until 9am.

He's growing faster and the breastfeeding is going good but I think I'll switch him to formula at around 6 months just so I can regain some independence from him. We can't really leave him for too long with anyone because he needs the boobs and pumping isn't that easy.

We were so excited the other day because he rolled over for the first time!!! It was rollong off his tummy time pillow but I say that still counts. He got half way over all by himself later in the night but didn't quite make it all the way over. Both me and Josh were standing there like idiots making rolling motions at him like the force of us moving would give him he tip he needed to get over.

Sleepy Bubba Boy

Smiles!!!

Ethan is 7.5 weeks old and we caught some smiles on camera finally :-)

This and that....

Well Ethan is now 5.5 weeks old but it feels like he's been here forever. We've seen one smile but that's it. He's a very serious young man. This pic was taken when he was 4 weeks old.

So far, it's had it's ups and down. Although I know he's not a difficult baby, I did think it would be pretty easy with both me and Josh home at the moment. Ethan is currently having a rare day sleep in his cradle but generally likes to be held all of the time so it has been tricky getting anything done. 

As soon as we try to lie him down, he wakes up. Thankfully he seems to recognise the difference between night and day and has good long blocks of sleep in his cradle while we're in bed. I was naive and thought that he would sleep most of the day in his cradle and it would be easy to get everything done LOL. 

Josh has been a bit grumpy because he's not getting as much "me" time as he would like but I would love to see how he would go if he had the boobs. Yesterday afternoon he gave me the afternoon between feeds off which was great. I fed Ethan and then closed myself in the bedroom for a few hours and as much as I love our little man, it was fantastic to just to be alone for a while. 

Next weekend, we're going to an ice hockey game in Sydney and we're leaving Ethan with Mum and Dad. We're having around 6 hours bub free. I'm looking forward to it but I'm also a little nervous that they won't be able to settle him or Dad will get frustrated at him crying while Mum is out working as she has one client while we're gone. I really hope it all goes well. 

Anyway that's about it. Not much to report at the moment. 

Life with Ethan :-)

Well so far we haven't been without a few hiccups on the beginning of our parenting journey. Josh caught a cold a few days before Ethan was born and unfortunately passed it on to our little guy. Poor Ethan has ended with quite a stuffy nose :-(

At one point, I was sitting with Ethan and trying to comfort him at 3am, all the while thinking "This is all Josh's fault." In the cold hard light of day the following morning, I knew those thoughts were completely terrible because Josh didn't purposely get sick. I was just very unfortunate timing.

We had an appointment with the baby nurse yesterday and she suggested saline nasal drops to clear his nose. We went to the chemist and I said to the girl behind the counter that we needed something for a 2 week old to clear his nose and she said that you can't give him anything. At this point I was really confused and said that nurse had suggested saline drops so she checked with the pharmacist and she assured her that saline drops were completely safe for newborns.

The saline drops have been a godsend because before that, we were just suctioning his nose to remove the mucus and it was taking hours to get him to sleep. Last night, he slept a thousand times better which meant that Mummy got to sleep a thousand times better.

Everyone has been saying that he is completely adorable and it is so true. I was so thankful that he is cute because I have always been really honest about other people's babies so I was worried that karma would come and bite me LOL.

Anyway here is a photo of our gorgeous son. We may be sleep deprived but it is worth every sleepless night.

He's here!!!

Well we ended up having a c-section but I don't regret it. He is a big boy and would've really hurt coming out the natural way. I was really nervous and emotional on the day of the c-section. I was excited/ sad/ happy/ scared and all of the above but all went well and I'm healing perfectly.

I hated the 24 hours of recovery straight after the c-section because I couldn't get off the bed. I had a catheter in, a drip and drainage. Generally a lot of tubes and wires coming off me. They had to take Ethan to the night nursery that night because I couldn't get up and care for him like I needed to. I didn't like them taking him but in hindsight, it was necessary and I got a good rest.

We got heaps of photos of the procedure and I'll upload them once they are saved on the computer. I have to also say that I am stoked that I decided to go a head with the procedure at Figtree Private. I was very seriously considering switching to Wollongong but so glad I didn't.

The staff at Figtree Private could not have been better. I know at Wollongong I would've been kicked out on day 3 as soon as I was physically able to leave and I would've been an emotional wreck. They wouldn't have been as helpful with breastfeeding and I would've been a mess by day 5 with the feeding and pain.

At Figtree, you press the buzzer and the staff are there immediately to help you with feeding or pain meds. I only had to wait a couple of times and they were so patient with me. Anyway I better make the intoduction.

Introducing

Ethan John Medley

Born 7th May, 2013

Weight: 4.2kg or 9 pounds 4 ounces

Length 52cm

Possibly my last blog update before bubby arrives!!!

Well the pregnancy coming to a finish one way or another within the next two weeks and although I'm going to miss my bump a little, I'm so excited as well. I can't wait to meet our little man. He has been a long time coming and the rainbow after the storm of trying to conceive.

As this may be my final update before bub, it is essential to add another bump photo so this is me at 38 weeks.

Little man is still riding very high and no matter what I do, I just can't get him to move down and engage. I'm now accepting my fate that this will probably be a c-section birth but I know I need to do what is best for me and little man and if that is how he is meant to make his entrance into the world than so be it. If not, fate will intervene and bubby will drop down and engage within the next few days to make a natural birth possible. 

Still waiting...

Well I am now 37+4 weeks and getting very impatient. I have been blessed with a reasonably easy pregnancy and although I'm slightly uncomfortable now with some back pain and hip pain, I don't really have much to complain about.

Up until around 35 weeks, it still felt like the pregnancy would go on forever but once I reached that milestone, Josh and I realised that the pregnancy is nearly over and we started feeling like children waiting for Christmas. I'm going to miss my bump I think but after such a long journey to get here, I feel truly blessed.

Bubby still hasn't dropped and I mentioned to the midwife yesterday that sometimes he seems to come down and then he'll go back up. She warned me that could be a sign that he isn't going to fit through the pelvis. I am spending the next week preparing myself for the possibility of a c-section.

I really wanted to try a natural birth but I also don't want a traumatic entrance into the world for bub and be traumatised by the experience myself. If Dr G says that a c-section would be best then I will trust his opinion. The only other pain with a c-section is the healing time.

I've been told that you shouldn't fall pregnant again within 6 months of a c-section which bothers me because I wasn't planning on using any contraception after the birth. We aren't going to be actively trying in the first year but we certainly weren't going to avoid it. I think I'll just go with my instinct during that first 6 months and if I notice O signs, I'll just abstain at those times.

I think Dr G will make a decision next Monday and some time next week, I'll be holding my little man. Bring it on!!!

Please engage bubba boy!!!

I had another ultrasound today and bubby now weighs 3.5kg!!! I then went to an appointment with the OB and he said that bubby is not engaged at all and we can't attempt an induction until he drops down so I will be monitored until 39 weeks and if he hasn't dropped by then, the OB is suggesting a c-section as bubby will be getting pretty big by then. I really hope I don't need a c-section.

Time to try any means necessary to get bubba moving down!

Massive bump!!

I seem to be expanding very rapidly at the moment. I'm loving my bump but it is uncomfortable at times.

35 weeks :-)

Yesterday was my last day at work and the girls bought me a lovely bunch of flowers and a gift card. It was really nice. Gonna miss the kiddies a little but so looking forward a little break before bubby comes out. 

Bubba Boy :-)

I had another growth scan yesterday and Tic Tac is now in the 90th percentile for growth. He now weighs approximately 2.7kg. He's making me a bit nervous because I'm worried that Dr G or the diabetes specialist will want to put me on insulin due to bubby's size. I really hope not.

A part from him being a big growing boy, the ultrasound tech said that he is perfectly healthy. When we got to the ultrasound place, bubba started to kick around like crazy like he was excited about the scan. As soon as the ultrasound started the lady laughed and asked if bubba was always this active. Even Mum got to feel him move! The technician said that she could have played with bubba boy all day.

We got some gorgeous pics and I think bubba is going to look just like his Dadddy <3

Love you little Man!!!

Little man's room coming together :-)

Well it has caused some stress but our little guy's room is starting to look like a nursery. I swear whoever designed flat packed furniture should be sued for the cost of everyone's marriage counselling.  We eventually called Josh's Dad and he came and helped us finish the cot.

In other news, we may have to switch to Wollongong hospital instead of Figtree Private. The costs keep mounting and NIB isn't really helping us with it :-( More appointments this week as well. I see Dr G today, the diabetes educator tomorrow and I have a scan on Wednesday YAY!!!!

8 more shifts of work to go....

Tic Tac at 30+5 weeks

Just thought I would add Tic Tac's most recent ultrasound picks. He's measuring in the 85th percentile and I'm still measuring 2 weeks a head on fundal height. Dr G thinks I will be on insulin sooner rather than later but I'm ok with it because I gave it my best shot with the diet.

Josh thinks he might have the Clarke feet LOL. I think he has the Clarke lip :-)

A day for appointments...

Well today I'm having my first appointment with the diabetes specialist. I have written a food diary to take with me and I think I may have actually lost weight in the last couple of weeks because I've been writing everything down. I'm sure Tic Tac is getting what he needs though. I hope he doesn't put me on too strict a diet.

I also have an ultrasound this afternoon so that Dr G can keep tabs on how fast Tic Tac is growing. He doesn't want him to get too big. I expressed my concerns about whether I'll be able to have a natural birth as Mum wasn't able to because of her bone structure so Dr G has given me a referral for a scan to check it for me. I'm very happy with that because, although I would love to have a natural birth, I don't want to suffer through hours of labour only to find that I can't do it and need a c-section anyway.

I know how truly blessed I am to be pregnant and I thank God every day for my gorgeous baby boy but it's coming to that time in the pregnancy when I'm just plain tired. I feel huge, my back aches and I can't get comfortable in any position. Can't wait to meet my little boy and have him on the outside. Only 4 more weeks of work to go!!!

9 more weeks until due date :-)

Been a while...

Well I've been lazy lately and it's been over a month since my last post. I thought I would add a bump photo so that I could keep it up to date.

29 weeks :-)

I have finished the painting in Tic Tac's room and Josh's Dad and Uncle came over and put the wall paper up for me. I'm very happy with the final product. Now the room just needs to be furnished and the paint off the floor. 

In other news, I think the powers that be have decided that my pregnancy has been going a little too easy so they've thrown in a case of gestational diabetes. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised considering the PCOS and being overweight but it's still upsetting. 

I'm trying not to let it get me down though because I know it can be managed with diet and exercise but it's just so hard to meal plan and exercise around work. I'm so tired after work that I get home and rely on the easy options. I've dieted plenty of times before but it's always been diets designed around allowing everything in moderation so this GD diet seems rather strict in my eyes. 

Obstetrician appointment this morning and I'm really looking forward to seeing bub again. Can't wait!!!

Josh's photo tribute for his Mum...

Josh made this movie for his Mum and it was played at her funeral. I think that it is truly beautiful. I still believe that she is our angel in the sky who sent us our precious Tic Tac. Maybe one day our baby boy will watch this and I would love him to know that his Nan Medley loved him and wanted to meet him so badly even though he was not yet conceived when she passed away. One of her biggest sadnesses was that she would never get to meet her grand children but I believe that she knew about our little boy even before we did.

Getting our nursery painted :-)

Well we've started work on little Tic Tac's bedroom. Yesterday we went to Bunnings to pick out the paint colour and get the necessary materials to paint the room. I felt so inexperienced because I really had no idea what I would need for the job. We just walked through that section and picked out the things that looked essential. I was asking Josh to help me pick out the paint colour and his response was "I don't know. Bubba won't even remember what colour his room is!" I think he wants me to finish nesting LOL.

Anyway I got home and spent the afternoon putting painting tape around the edges of the room and power points. It took a lot longer than I was expecting. Today I taped some newspaper to the floor and Josh fixed the minor dints that were in the walls. Now all we have to do is wash down the walls with sugar soap, sand paper back the wall filler and we will be able to start painting next weekend. I'm hoping by the following weekend, we'll have the paint job finished and the wall paper up. I'm so glad I didn't leave this all until I was super pregnant because it's not easy work.

Here's a before photo so that I can document the process. I'm going to take another one after the walls are done and then a final photo of the completed nursery. So exciting!!!

On another note, Josh actually got to see Tic Tac kicking me last night :-) He's finally started kicking hard enough for it to be noticeable on the outside. He's not very active though. He kicks mostly at night and I almost never feel him kick during the day. He's going to be a night owl like his Daddy.

Happy Birthday Baby Daddy

22+1 week

Well it was Josh's birthday on Saturday and we went out for dinner to Hogs Breath with his family. I ate way too much and was struggling to breath towards the end of the dinner. I decided standing up was my best option for lung expansion. When I stood up, Josh laughed at me and said "Damn you look so pregnant right now. 

I still can't believe that a parent at work said "Oh are you pregnant?" last week when I mentioned my pregnancy. From my point of view, it's pretty damn obvious. 

I am loving my bump at the moment but today is going to be a struggle I think. The temperature is set to hit 43 degrees and I'm going to work. I just wish I could call in sick because I'm already feeling a little seedy but we've already got one staff member on annual leave and she is not being replaced so there's every chance that I'll have to work back. I'm going to boil in my skin :-(