Day 9 and All's Well...

Well Sean is 9 days old today, and all is going well. I won't bore you with the monotonous routine of feed, sleep, nappy change, feed, sleep... or the "too much info" of what it's really like to be a new parent, but I can honestly say that there is no greater love on this planet that that of a parent and child. You do things for your child that you wouldn't do for anyone else, especially the 3/4 hour it takes to get up and feed and change him. It's going to be more of a challenge when Ian goes back to work next week... he's my chief nappy checker!

Kath :)

Quote of the Day (www.quotationspage.com) Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616):

Everyone is as God made him, and oftentimes a great deal worse.

It's a Boy!!!

As you can tell by the title, last Monday at the Obstetrician went really well. She put me straight into hospital and things were moved along on Tuesday morning. After six hours in the birthing suite (the last four hours were the actual labour) we were blessed with the arrival of our beautiful little boy, Sean Ian William.

Sean was born at 2.08pm on Tuesday 19 April, weighing 6lb 15 oz (3.1kg)and 50cm long. The not so funny part was that he got stuck and things were a little tricky for a while, but the funny part was that he was born while the afternoon repeats of The Bill were on - this kid has taste!

Thank you all for your messages and prayers of support throughout my pregnancy (especially when I was such a grumpy cow at the end). Thank you also to dave, Julie and all the others who kept everyone up to date while I was offline - much appreciated :)

Kath xo

+4...

Still here. Still blogging, answering calls/emails of concern ("yes, we're still here") and it now takes a 3-point roll to get out of bed. Bubs now has people talking to it. It's quite funny - it ranges from "C'mon sweetie, we want to meet you" to "GET OUT" (me whilst on the phone to our US friend, Pete). All the babies associated with our town that have been due over March/April have now been born. Even the ones due after ours. My day is filled with fervent prayers for patience, sleep and not doing much else.

My situation is being reviewed on Monday if nothing happens beforehand, with likely inducing on Tues or Thurs next week. My parents and Jen (sister) are coming up to Newcastle on the weekend and staying for about a week.

Might as well go and brush up on my Monopoly X-Box score...

Kath xo

D-Day ?!?

Well today is the day I find out when our little one is going to join us. Thankfully the end of the road is near. I really can't wait to hold her/him in my arms. Unfortunately I don't know if/when I (or Ian) will next get to blog. If you can't wait for info, I can access my hotmail via my mobile - try the address below and put Bubs? in the subject line (then it directs to me!) if you can't wait till I get home.

Yesterday I broke with this "resting" nonsense (which until it was due, was fair enough, but there is no way I am going to rest up if Bubs isn't going to play the game and come on-time (which was Monday) or early - it's give and take in this family Bubs!!!), washed the car and pulled a few weeds from the garden. I was actually sweating like a pig! Still nothing!

On non-baby stuff... watched CSI: NY last night (I have seen it before) - I wonder if it is going to be like CSI: Miami, which I now like, but not as much as the original CSI. At this stage it isn't impressing me too much. Thoughts?

Kath xo

Today's the Day... or is it?

Well here we are! Today (11 April) is my baby's due day. Guess what? As at 3.26pm No baby! We've had a few tell-tale movements (or rather pains) over the weekend, but when it comes to producing the goods, my little angel has decided to continue it's hibernation. Ian, myself and even my Dad have our bags packed in anticipation. My Mum has called to see if I'm okay and I shocked one of my child-veteran friends (mother of four, grandmother of at least eight) that I am (in her words) still here.

I cannot find any raspberry leaf tea in Gloucester (the health food shop lady was very sympathetic) and the idea of walking is enough to kill me!!! (Remember, I have been forced to do nothing since 10 March). Any other ideas are welcome!!!

On a happier note - did anyone else find the wedding on The Bill (ie June & Jim's) more interesting and exciting than Charles & Camilla's?

Kath xo

GO THE DRAGONS!!!!

32-6 To all you Manly fans out there - this is a score that should (for the next week at least) be etched on your minds!!! Congrats Brownie and Lads - it was worth the wait!!! (you can see sportsmanship is one of my strong points, hence why I don't play sport). If the above link works, it's well worth reading...

Kinda makes up for Southern District's beating by Sydney Uni in Shute Shield...

Kath xo

4D

My bags are packed, my conversation topics are limited (please, if/when you talk to me, it's okay, even good to talk about more than just Bubs' arrival), I am getting very impatient!

Yesterday I went for my (now weekly) checkup with the midwife (obstetrician is away). I found out that if Bubs doesn't arrive by next Wednesday's appointment (it will be 2 days overdue) we will be looking at when it's being induced (was I happy to hear that). Apparently since my blood pressure has been high, it won't be more than about a week over the due date (another sigh of relief), so that means in less than 2 weeks I will officially be a Mother!!!

This brings it's own concerns - will I screw the kid up? will it make me rich and comfortable in my old age? will it eat normal food (some of my friends' kids make me wonder!)? will it like me? will I like it (more a question for 13-15 years time)? will it look like me or Ian? or both? will it bring home stray pets/boyfriends/girlfriends/friends-in-general that I need to feed and house? what will I do if it supports the (NRL) Broncos, or worse still, Manly??? (I can handle rejection of Faith, you can pray about that, I don't think rejection of football teams are really a prayable thing...) or worse still (AFL) Carlton? (see what resting at home does to you)...

By the way, I am still open to name suggestions - the more laugh-producing the better!

Kath xo

6D...

Yep, we're into the counting down of days, (hopefully) not weeks until our son/daughter's birth. I was chatting to my Mum last night and she couldn't understand my rationale of "If this baby isn't out 8 days after it's due, I want a good explanation from my obstetrician" (The 8th day is her surgery day (ie in theatre etc)). What threw me the most was that by 39 weeks (where Bubs and I are now) both Jen and I were out into the big wide world! And she wonders why I am being insistant!!!

Today is also Ian's Birthday!!! He's not into the whole Birthday thing like me but I have seen him go a little red at the prospect, especially since he's getting roast lamb for dinner. I have "told" Bubs not to arrive today unless they want to share their birthday for life...

For those of you who are X-Box fans, here's a laugh - I have spent a lot of time in the X-Box suite and am actually getting good at Monopoly for X-Box. There are 2 AI's that I won't play with, and another one I am dubious about... sign of the times.

Kath xo

The Value of Life

The last couple of weeks have made me really think more about the value of life, particularly human life. The news has been hilighted by stories of peoples "right" to die versus the "right" to live.

This morning I was woken with the news that Terri Shiavo had won her right to die, or was that lost her right to live; The Pope, John Paul II was allegedly being given his Sacrement of the Infirmed (or "Last Rites" in the old language), and last Monday in Indonesia there was a horrific earthquake, and the people there didn't have much time to think about rights or rites.

I just looked up ninemsn for the latest news and Terri's passing doesn't rate a mention in the latest news. The earthquake in Indonesia still rates, as does The Pope's condition. I just feel that something is wrong with this world, that we don't as people have the same care and love that God has for His Creation. He cares for each little sparrow that falls, and we (yes, I am very guilty of it too), as a whole don't seem to give much thought to the health or mortality to those around us, let alone those accross the globe.

Food for thought ?!?

Kath xo