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So there we were - 7 days overdue and hanging out in the delivery suite. I was wearing my birth t-shirt (see photo above) and bouncing on my birthing ball while DSO reclined in an easy chair next to me. We watched Series 1 and 2 of Seinfeld on our laptop.
My waters had been broken and at my insistence we were waiting to see if contractions would establish themselves, before resorting to the drip. We waited in vain for about 4 hours or so, and by the end even Jerry Seinfeld was failing to distract me. At one point I started looking through all the mysterious cupboards around the room.
In the first I found what appeared to be modular stirrups addition to the bed. It was very IKEA and I speculated what they would call it, maybe the GYNO? Anyway, I was in for more of a fright when I looked in the next cupboard to find a tray of instruments - all obviously designed to poke and prod vulnerable flesh! It reminded me of Lisa Simpsons visit to the dentist - “Now, this little girl is the poker, and this is the scraper, and this little beauty is the gouger!” After that discovery DSO banned further looking in cupboards!
By 2 o’clock I was sufficiently resigned to the fact that Tertia wasn’t coming out on her own so they put up the drip! In retrospect I didn’t need to be so frightened of the drip as I went on to have a very smooth labour.
In Australia we play a particular code of football called Aussie Rules. It seems strange in a world context but this game is an absolute obsession in our region of Australia. It dominates the news, social life and the hearts and minds of most locals.
The day of Tertia’s birth happened to be Grand Final Day - the biggest day of the annual football calendar. There was a tv in the corner of the delivery suite and although DSO and I are far from football fanatics we had the football on the tv, albeit with the sound off.
This had 2 beneficial effects:
1. Dr Ob had another woman in labour at the same time in another delivery suite but having the footy on the tv in our room meant he spent much more time with us.
2. It was the perfect thing to look at between contractions, I was vaguely interested and could be easily mesmerised by the movement and energy. I also got to look at the footy players smashing and crashing around and think - yeah, you think your tough but look at what I’m doing!
The weird thing was that the contractions started at the bounce, the game goes for 100 minutes and Tertia came into the world at the final siren!
By far the most surreal moment of the day was when Tertia crowned only to retreat again. I looked up at Dr Ob who said - “Oh she’s disappeared, don’t worry she’ll come back with the next contraction”. Waiting for the next contraction I noticed that both Dr Ob and the midwife had their heads turned away from me, watching the final moments of the game - for some reason I found this strangely comforting. In a few minutes, and at the final siren we delivered a beautiful and healthy baby girl.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank a few people. Firstly, Dr Ob for his skill and care during gestation and delivery - thank you for helping us bring three healthy and wonderful babies into the world.
Thanks also to DSO for being the best birth companion anyone could wish for, I expected the calm tenderness but who knew we could find so much humor in the day?
Finally, thanks Jerry Seinfeld - you really are a comic genius!
birth, labour, newborn, Seinfeld
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Here she is - a perfect little girl born 29 September 2007.
Big Sis is beside herself with excitement, and Little Bro is well, just beside himself! I am recuperating well - and yes, we made it to the Park Hyatt! All of this and more will be the subject of future posts, this is just a quick one to introduce our gorgeous baby girl (8lbs 4 at birth).
Any suggestions for her Down with the kids! “name” are much appreciated.
birth, new baby
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Perusing all things pregnancy related on the internet (as pregnant woman tend to do), I’ve found lots of lists of things to do as you approach and then go past your due date….
Here is the real list with the addendum “when you have a couple of other kids already”:
- Tidy something up, this nesting urge is unrelenting!
- Leave the room you have just tidied, return to discover the kids have untidied what you just tidied. Tidy it again.
- Try and sneak into the new babies room to pat your belly and gaze at the baby clothes, don’t let the other kids see you otherwise everything will be dragged around the house and turned upside down!
- Re-read the sections of your pregnancy books about the onset of labour, seeking a magical key that will tell you when it is going to happen. Of course, there is no magic key, and you have read these sections over 100 times. Wonder idly whether this is how people with obsessive compulsive disorder feel?
- Make plans for the week ahead so you have other things to focus on, but secretly fantasise about calling from hospital to say you have had a beautiful baby and can’t make it!
- Produce your best fake smile to every person (and there are a few every day) who say “Oh - your still here!”, and “How long now?” or worse still “You don’t look like you’ve dropped at all!” At all costs avoid the urge to physically assault them, it’s a bad look in the third trimester.
- Do yet another load of washing to make sure all your undies and pjs are clean for your “hospital bag”. Feel disappointed when, after another labour free day or night, you have to take something out of your hospital bag!
- Take the kids through what is about to happen - “You might wake-up one morning and mummy and daddy wont be here - that’s because we’ll be at hospital having the new baby!”, watch their eyes glaze over and realise that they don’t actually believe it’s ever going to happen.
- Feel a twinge or a really strong Braxton-Hicks, maybe it’s starting? Sit there looking optimistic for a few minutes and then realise it was nothing!
- Run through the care arrangements for kids in your head - mother in law is out this morning but neighbour is there, double check mobile number is handy. Neighbour leaves at 11am but friend up the road should be contactable then. Test yourself on fallback plan at random times of the day, every day - just in case. This needs to happen every day from 38 weeks!
- Consider natural remedies, maybe book in for acupuncture? Dismiss them as costly and possibly ineffective, plus if you can get someone to look after the kids long enough you may as well have a sleep! Once dismissed immediately start considering them again.
Oh - was that a twinge? No, false alarm…
40 weeks pregnant, labour and birth
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We ventured on a family outing on Sunday with one of Big Sis’ favorite friends, the 4 year old boy next door. It could well be the last time we take an extra kid anywhere - until our hand is forced and we buy that 7 seater family van - but let’s not think about it yet (the mere speculation gives me the shivers)!
DSO enjoys our car’s automatic sunroof. I on the other hand spend my days minimising sun exposure for the family and really only appreciate it at night, in the middle of summer!
It was a touchstone moment when DSO opened the sunroof and glanced over his shoulder expectantly to hear the - “Wow, that’s cool!” and “I love your car! ” erupt from our 4 year old passenger.
DSO smiled and nodded, looking pleased - but his face quickly fell as realisation dawned:
“I can’t believe I’m trying to impress a 4 year old with the features of my car!”, DSO exclaimed.
No DSO, neither can I - but when you spend the majority of your time with under 5’s I think it’s inevitable, and on the upside they are a pretty receptive audience!
family car, family drive, sunroof
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One of the jobs of being a parent is “keeper of memories”. You can’t hold onto every piece of Kinder “art” or photograph every play date, but keeping a reliable record of your kids early life is an important (and stressful) part of the job description!
The digital age makes it easy to store away lots of photos and easy to manage them in greater numbers but to really enjoy them you do need to have some in your hand - old style, hard copy.
I’m currently choosing some shots of Big Sis and Little Bro to print on canvas as feature pieces. Why canvas? I think they look really effective on walls, especially when you are looking at a larger size. Coincidentally I have been asked to review a website for canvas prints called Brilliant prints - an internet specialist in canvas printing. So what do I think of them?
The idea of doing it all over the internet really appeals. Dragging 2 little kids into a print shop and trying to keep them out of trouble while I make decisions about prints, size, price and style is not my idea of a morning well spent! The internet allows me to sort it all out while the kids are asleep and have DSO give his opinion! The three business day (plus freight) turnaround sounds great.
Brilliant Prints also has a money back guarantee which takes lots of the scariness away from the internet transaction - if it turns up and its not what you expected then there is a money back guarantee. There is no money up front, you pay the invoice enclosed within 7 days, so they must really have confidence in their product!
The canvas printing pricing looks competitive compared with the local providers. They are an Australian business operating out of Queensland. The website is easy to get around and has a great section dealing with the how and whys of canvas printing. I will post an update once I have ordered and received my canvas prints!
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I was keen to encourage Big Sis to dress herself and she has embraced it with both hands! It’s been an interesting process teaching her appropriate clothing for weather conditions and events.
It’s Springtime here and quite under her own volition she has developed her own trans- seasonal style. She wears a long sleeve top and trousers with a skirt and t-shirt over the top. Depending on the random combination selected she can look quite funky!
Sometimes she gets to the end and puts her Snow White dress over the top of it all. I think she’s noticed that a little girl dressed as Snow White gets lots of attention - something Big Sis likes!
The main issue at the moment is that she is only wearing about 30% of her clothes because everything has to be pink, or ‘approximately pink’. I say ‘approximately pink’ because on some days lilac or a rosy purple seems to be tolerated. It reminds me of those celebrities that only eat a particular coloured food. These days I read something like “Demi Moore only eats food that is green or purple” and I think - “What is she, 4 years old?”
Anyway, I’m riding out the pink fixation without comment - I figure she has to grow out of it and it probably isn’t worth an hour long argument every morning. Choose your battle, as they say in the kids’ instruction manuals.
Little Bro is observing all this with interest and although he doesn’t insist on choosing his clothes or dressing himself he has developed his own particular preferences. Being a boy they tend to be around comfort rather than fashion or colour.
He refuses to wear belts and as soon as he sees one produced hides his head in his hands and screams - “Tight!”
This morning I put him in a pair of tracksuit pants and he exclaimed loudly “Aaaah, comfy!”
dress ups, dressing kids, snow white
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Ten days until my due date and I have an extra reason to hope for a straight forward delivery - it’s called the Park Hyatt! In order to free up hospital beds mums that have a complication free delivery can be moved across to a 5 star hotel to endure their confinement in the lap of luxury!
That’s right - a 5 star hotel room (with a nursing station on the floor) and all it entails - room service, cable tv, movies on demand.
The marketing material made me laugh - particularly the suggestion of a massage or beauty treatment at the day spa. None of the photos of relaxing women had, in my opinion, given birth in the last 24 hours! Your milks coming in, you are really uncomfortable and you are not going to lie peacefully on your front for a massage? Even sitting on your bottom for a facial or pedicure would be unbearable - and what about the product of your labor? Your little baby who needs to feed every five minutes and sleeps unpredictably, if at all?
The other thing that intrigues me is how they get you to your room. There is a pretty grand reception and entrance way and I’m sure the “normal” guests don’t want to be queued at check-in behind groups of traumatised looking woman, limping along in their pjs, pushing their tiny baby in one of those plastic hospital cribs on wheels? Surely it would bring the ambiance down? Do we have our own segregated entrance and lift?
I wonder if they ever have any trouble with crazy mums acting up after a few too many panadeine fortes- throwing the tv out the window or flushing breast pads down the sewerage, that kind of thing?
Despite my cynicism I’ll still be looking for a space, with three little kids it could be a long time before I get to a hotel room again - DSO will have it written and highlighted on his copy of the birth plan - “Enquire of midwife as to availability of Park Hyatt, and insist we are put on the list!”
Maybe the whole thing is an elaborate experiment to get the cesarean rate of the hospital down? It could really speed up that second stage of labor having something to focus on - push that baby out before the woman in the adjacent room to secure your spot at the Park Hyatt!
If I get there - I’ll make sure I post to let you know what it’s like, surely they’ll have a free internet connection?
38 weeks pregnant, confinement, newborn, park hyatt
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When Local Girl at An Island Life tagged me I wondered - what’s a meme? Thanks again Wikipedia! So here goes:
A philanthropist awards you $50,000 with the stipulation that you may use half of it for yourself and the other half you must use for the benefit of others. By “benefit of others” it can mean anything really, buying a gift for a family member or donating to a charity.
1. How do you spend the money on yourself?
It would have to be a holiday. Given my advanced state of pregnancy I could either wait a couple of years until all kids are old enough and visit France and Italy, or we could pack up and go somewhere tropical - like Fiji or Bali? Two weeks in Fiji or Bali wouldn’t cost $25,000 you say? Well, I say we stay at a rock star resort and take a nanny with us!
2. How do you use the money for others? Please be detailed, so if you say “give X dollars to charity”, let us know what charity and why you select that one.
I would invest the money through a trust and allow my kids to be involved in allocating it to charities which they research and want to help as they get older. For the moment, the interest could be used to sponsor kids overseas. As my kids get older they could have a greater hand in how the money is spent.
3. If you were to spend part of your money to have a performer do a show for you, who would it be and why?
This is a tough one. I’d probably try and find someone for my kids, their friends and all the kids in the neighborhood, I’d host it in the local park - how much do the Wiggles cost these days? (ha ha!)
4. If you were to use it on a new vehicle for yourself, what kind?
I’m not really into cars. How about some really flash new bikes for the whole family?
5. If you spent part of it to go to a “fantasy” camp, what type would you choose?
I’m not sure I know what a fantasy camp is - and this time Wikipedia was no help! If it means time out in an environment which I’d really enjoy that is activity focused, it would have to have an educational bent - eg a French camp where you enjoy French food and wine and practice the language; or a writers/readers camp where you read and write and discuss it all ad nauseam…. ah bliss!
6. If you were to use it to buy season tickets for a sports team, what team would it be?
I’m not all that into sports. However, I’d probably buy tickets to the Australian Open - I don’t mind watching tennis. I’d want my own corporate box however, so all my friends could come and we could eat and drink and be merry!
7. If you were to use it to go on a cruise (assuming you like cruises) where would you cruise to?
I have a horror of cruises, based around the fact that you can’t get off and that I’m not that comfortable with humanity. Having said that I would love to travel to Antarctica by boat, which I guess technically qualifies as a cruise.
8. If you were to use it to go to NYC to see a show (or shows) what would you see?
I love that town and would love to see absolutely anything, although preferably something obscure and cutting edge that we would be unlikely to ever see in Australia!
9. Totally off subject (but since Fall is coming) what is your favorite carnival food?
I think there is a bit of a cultural gap in this one - I’m not sure I know what carnival food is? Is fairy floss an appropriate answer?
Anyway, now to join some more to the meme:
Emma at Health and Fitness Fact or Fiction
Karen at Pediascribe
Malin at Infektia
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Welcome to the carnival of family life - I wont detain you here with an intro - because there sure is a lot to read! Enjoy..
Great stories
Zantariah presents My Mother - The Cat Lady of Harbord posted at Zantariah - make sure you read this one, it’s a beautiful story and some beautiful family photos! Also, it’s set in Australia!
Karen presents I’m tired and I want to go home posted at Lion and Magic Boy.
Char presents She Put A Peanut Up Her Nose posted at Raising A Healthy Family, saying, “A dose of daily drama”!
Sherry presents Making it through the first day posted at Chaos Theory, saying, “Surviving the first day of Kindergarten - both mom and daughter make it through!”
Deb presents A bittersweet moment… posted at Mom Of 3 Girls.
JHSEsq presents I get that sinking feeling . . . | Colloquium posted at Colloquium, telling the story that every parent fears - when you can’t find your child!
Lynnae presents Our Camping Adventures - Part 1 posted at From Under the Clutter.
Stephanie presents Enjoy it While You Can posted at Adventures in the 100 Acre Wood.
Mom & dad presents Glasses For a Five Year Old - Bad Doctors, Worse Prescriptions posted at raising4boys.com.
Humor
Kevin presents Kids Can Be So Easy To Entertain! posted at More4kids.
Anne-Marie from A Mama’s Rant discusses the delights and challenges of holidaying with little kids at Family Fun At Two Miles High. Having experienced car travel with 2 little kids myself I think that maybe Napoleon took less stuff when he invaded Russia!
Micellaneous Mum presents Roll up, roll up, plenty to go around posted at Miscellanous Adventures of an Aussie Mum. Ah - the muffin top, they should write it up in the “post-partum” sections of the pregnancy books! Also - another Aussie blogger - hello!
Jill presents One More Reason to Avoid the Gym posted at The Diaper Diaries.
Linsey B. Knerl presents Fighting for Five posted at Facipiers and Stinky Toes.
TerryM presents Mom On Wheels: Childbirth Through a Child’s Eyes posted at The Chocolate Chip Cookie Family.
Sheila presents From the Mouths of (Driving) Babes posted at The Driving Woman, saying, “When your teen is in driver education class, she’s not the only one who gets a lesson.”
Jenny presents Splin-teriffic Fun posted at Mommin’ It Up!
Jeremy presents My son’s top five imaginary characters posted at Daddy Dialecti. This is hilarious - who says action figures need to come from Disney or Pixar?
Robert presents What Commercials Can Lead Too posted at Kintropy In Action, saying, “The message and the interpretation and entirely different things when a tv beer commercial and a five-and-a-half year old are involved.”
Expat Chef presents Blame it on Sesame Street posted at The Expatriate’s Kitchen, saying, “All I ever needed to learn, I got from Sesame Street. How did we all forget this?”
Kerri presents My Mad Homemaking Skillz posted at My Name Is Mommy.
Sweet memories in the making
Corey presents The Joy of Reading! posted at Living and Loving Every Minute of It! Kids books is one of my favorite things about being a parent - and it looks like Corey agrees with me!
Karen from At Home with Grandmother Wren posts Little Eyes Watching You, contemplating how kids learn to behave from how they are treated and what they observe.
Shinie shares her childhood fun at Fair Weekend with her own little Munchkin, posted at “Well, I guess this is growing up”
Bluskygirl presents Making Memories for Your Children posted at Goddess, saying, “How to spend time with your kids and make memories that will last them their lifetime.”
Karen presents WHEN YOUR HUSBAND IS A COMPUTER GEEK…… posted at PediaScribe Blog
Gameguy presents Some Toys are Special posted at play2relax.com.
Lill presents More Than an Art Lesson posted at News from Hawkhill Acres
Serious issues - things to think about!
Megan presents Children Blamed for Child Sexual Abuse posted at Imaginif…, saying, “If you child was abused, was it their fault? I don’t think so. Please, help our kids by listening and responding to mythical statements.”
Abel Cheng presents Family Relationship Key to Youth Happiness. But How? posted at Parent Wonder. This article contains some great tips to building a great relationship with your kids.
Terri presents Three Seashells and The Fight Against Childhood Obesity posted at The Health and Life Mixing Bowl.
Summer presents Boys for me, please posted at Wired For Noise. A big issue - the sexualisation of our kids, where will it end?
Stephen presents Getting Married Young posted at Amalgam of Me.
Leigh presents Setting an Example: The Best Way to Defeat Bullying posted at Teen Health 411.
Fiona presents First Day at Day care - Tips for Providers and Parents posted at Child Care Only.
Craig presents I have a Dream! posted at escape from the rat race.
Lisa presents Postpartum Depression posted at Let’s Talk Babies.
Millionaire Mommy Next Door presents Help Me David Wann Kenobi; You’re My Only Hope! posted at Millionaire Mommy Next Door.
Donetta presents Carnaval of family life. posted at A Life Uncommon.
Family budget/money
Erica presents 10 Ways to Afford to be a Stay at Home Mum (and go back to college) posted at LittleMummy.Com. Having kids really focuses you on using your money wisely so you can make the right decisions for your family, as opposed to being locked into lots of compromises to maintain income. Some good tips in this article!
Super Saver presents Adventures of A Lifetime posted at My Wealth Builder.
Cade presents Build Your Business By Building Your Life And Family posted at Write To Right.
Savingadvice presents Kindergarten, Money and Positive Incentives posted at SavingAdvice.com Blog, saying, “Encouraging kids early to learn about money”
Tips, questions, suggestions and recommendations
Kailani presents Parenting Advice To Myself posted at Local Girl.
Michelle presents Getting Kids to Go to Bed posted at scribbit.
Chief Family Officer presents Swaddling Tips posted at CFO: Chief Family Officer.
Annette presents 10 Things I Learned While On Vacation posted at Frugal Journey.
Mommy Babble presents Do You Notice How You Read to Your Kids? posted at Mommy Babble.
Veteran Military Wife presents Make Your Kids Smile…Today and Tomorrow! posted at Life Lessons of a Military Wife.
Grace For Gayle presents God’s Reward System? posted at Grace For Gayle.
Mandy presents Tool’s For Dads posted at Building Blocks Blog.
Csara presents Be careful what you wish for posted at Baby Talkers. Until I had kids I never talked about sleep - now it’s one of my favorite topics! Csara writes about one of her families milestones.
Kelly presents School Year’s RESOLUTIONS - Call for Bloggers posted at Pass the Torch, saying, “Kelly’s writing School Year’s Resolutions this week, and she’s inviting bloggers to join her!”
Kerri presents Dinosaur’s Binkit by Sandra Boynton posted at Play Library.
Cory presents Back to School posted at marriageactually.com.
Stephanie presents What?! Where can I sell them? posted at Stop the Ride!, saying, “Check the comments for places you can buy and sell used cloth diapers now that eBay no longer allows it.”
Discipline/ Improving behaviour
Lori presents Are You in Favor of a Time Out Chair? posted at Lori, saying, “There’s a follow up article to this on How to Make a Time Out Chair - which appears the next day.”
Suzanne presents Parenting with Love & Logic posted at adventures in daily living.
Feeding the family
Busy Bee from Busy Bee Lifestyle provides some clever ideas for Birthday Treats for School; I particularly like the tip of providing a full list of ingredients in case any kids have food allergies.
GP presents Kid Friendly Breakfasts posted at Fish Creek House - INNside Innkeeping, saying, “With back to school here again, kid friendly breakfasts that both you and your kids will love”
Julie presents 300 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Home & Dining Experience posted at Declutter It!
Leigh presents New Slightly Revamped Recs to Fight Child and Youth Obesity posted at The Family Fork.
Homeschooling
Liz at Practical Living Blog discusses her reasons for choosing to homeschool in - To Homeschool or Not to Homeschool : That is the question.
Leslie at The path talks about the first day back in the classroom as a homeschooling mother - and particularly the issue of frustration, in Not too bad not too bad.
Alta presents Is This Where I Live posted at Love Country Living.
Summer presents A Day in the Life of a Homeschool Student posted at Mom Is Teaching, saying, “Ever wonder what those crazy homeschoolers do all day?”
Pets
Matt presents Picking up the Poop posted at The Pet Haven, saying, “Having a dog, much like having kids, requires certain, basic, responsibilities. Cleaning a dogs mess is one such example.” This is an issue that touches me - having both a dog (which I pick up after) and kids who tread in the stuff that other pet owners don’t pick up!
Miss D presents Five Tricks To Cure The Most Common Dog Behavior Problems posted at Prefurr.com.
Kate presents A Note About Puppies for Pregnant Women posted at Babylune, saying, “From the bad ideas file.”
Kids parties and fun
Aruni presents Babble Soft’s Blog » Blog Archive » Planning a Transformer Themed Party posted at Babble Soft’s Blog.
Pickel presents My Two Boys: Boo! The Best Products for Halloween posted at blogname.
HowToMe presents How to Make a Birthday Tablecloth posted at HowToMe
That concludes this edition! Over to Mama Pickel at My Two Boys for next weeks edition! Thanks for visiting.
Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of family life using this carnival submission form.
blog carnival, family life, stories
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You may remember my post about shopping at an educational toy shop for Big Sis’ birthday. Well, it appears that while I was busy my erstwhile (then) 3 year old was letting everyone know that she wanted a “My Little Pony” for her birthday.
When all the presents were opened we discovered a large proportion of guests had followed her directions, it’s like she put a poster up at Kinder! “My Little Ponies” have now taken over our house. Big Sis is delighted and plays elaborate games with them for hours, her favorite is one where the ponies all have magical powers that allow them to bring the dinosaurs back to life!
Oh well, at least she didn’t request Bratz dolls!
I'm Leisa - a thirtysomething woman, living in Australia. My immediate family consists of a daughter (Big Sis 4 years), a son (Little Bro 2 years), a baby girl(Tertia), husband (or Darling Significant Other - DSO) and a dog. In a past life I had a "big job" in the "real world" as a corporate lawyer. These days I live in a different dimension - I'm "down with the kids".
