tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14518935723434043342024-03-13T22:49:45.555+10:00Faith, Hope, Happiness & LoveLittle rays of sunshine...Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.comBlogger166125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-33138265922565394562015-10-09T13:02:00.001+10:002015-10-09T13:02:12.100+10:0014 Weeks Baby!!!! :)Dear future pregnant self - it's really happened!!! I'm practically healed!!! At 12 weeks I was completely miserable feeling sure I'd NEVER recover, then 2 days later I was feeling amazing!!! Now 2 weeks later I am up and down a little, but generally a MILLION times better!!!! I don't have a lot of time to write at the moment, but rest assured future miserable sick pregnant self, you totes get better at the end of the first trimester - all will be well :) :) :)Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-69832221783969088392015-09-20T15:11:00.001+10:002015-09-20T15:19:55.160+10:00I'M SO HAPPY TO BE PREGNANT!!!!I just spent a few minutes writing a post (below) about how terrible and awful I feel, and how I'm having a very difficult time being pregnant. It is awfully hard and tough at the moment, but it is also, AWESOME!!!!!!!!!<br />
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I am soooooooooooooo excited!!! :) I am overwhelmed a lot lately with all the 'hard' that comes with this time (that will hopefully be finished soon!!), but it feels like I have a bunch of layers of hard, starting at the outside - physically it's so hard, I'm so sick, then there's the next layer in of emotional hard - hard not being as 'there' as I want to be for the children, hard not looking after my husband and making his food the way I like to, hard being completely helpless and reliant on others to get my children to school, etc., being so useless, bla bla, bla Actually I think the emotional hard is a few layers all on its own. <br />
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But THEN, inside of me, right at the centre, surrounded by all the hard, is a sparkling ball of excitement and anticipation and wonder and gratitude and thrill and SO MUCH LOVE, that sends shivers and happiness through all my other layers when I can push aside the 'sick' and 'guilt' enough to let it!!!<br />
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Because we're having another BABY!!!!<br />
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We have 4 so far and there's not one among them who isn't AWESOME and AMAZING and INCREDIBLE, and one of the BIGGEST BLESSINGS OF OUR LIVES!!!! <br />
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And those little angels are sure excited about the baby in my tummy!! As often as I can stomach it they are lying beside me rubbing my belly and talking to the baby :) They can't wait to find out whether it's a boy or girl (tiebreaker round!!! ;)), and see it and hold it and cuddle it!! The girls are way too excited about how fat I'm going to get again!! ;) <br />
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Lately as I lie on the couch almost constantly, watching the children play, I often find myself just grinning at their awesomeness. I love the way the girls are joined at the hip every second they're not in school. Their imaginations are fabulous - they're mermaids, or princesses, or teachers, or pirates, or fairies, or doctors, or Mums, or aunties, or whatever the day brings. They look after each other, and they look after me.<br />
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In this whole long journey so far of me basically being almost completely useless to these girls, they have not waned in their wonderful and helpfulness. I am completely amazed at how incredible they've been - and I expect them to be good - they usually are!! :) But they are <i>soooo</i> thoughtful and sweet! They pray for the baby and me, they ask if they can get me anything, they look after their little brothers, they help out whenever they're asked cheerfully, and without complaint. I seriously can barely believe how wonderful they are. And I'm so grateful for them, and grateful that they're not just sick of me being sick and frustrated with the whole business and just wanting more attention. They are the exact opposite, and have been so comforting to all of us!! I never want to treat the girls like they have responsibilities like James & mine. We are the parents, and it's time for them to be children and enjoy their time. We definitely teach them to work and look after their things and look after each other, but not in a way that makes it their 'role' at this time. Their role is to grow and learn and progress and love and build beautiful relationships and be happy and feel free and safe. They'll be parents and homemakers of their own homes one day, and hopefully they will love it like we do!! I don't want them to have a bad view of having children or a home to look after through any negative connotations of growing up in a big family and having big burdens placed on them through me not doing <i>my</i> job properly, if that makes sense. Anyway, they have 'stepped up' at this time so beautifully and eagerly, without even being asked, and though they're helping me at times with things that I normally would never ask them to do, I'm so grateful that they're so kind and excited and happy to help, and they have seriously made this hard time so much easier for me by being such angels!!! I can't stress how awesome they are. And how cheerful and sweet!!! And they have been such comforts to their brothers when I am being sick or something and they've led them away to play and distract them while I sort myself out! Ana cleans the entire house every day she is home. Without me saying a word to her I'll suddenly notice that they toys are all gone, and she's gone about and tidied everyone's rooms and made their beds. What 4 year old does that?! And Maggie gets home and assumes a place as everyone's entertainers and defenders, and reads to her siblings and thinks of fun games for them all to play together while I try to pull myself together. They are both angels.<br />
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And then I watch the boys play. And they're soooo so different to each other. SJ is so quiet and sweet, and he has his own little world of cars and planes and dinosaurs, and he likes to share it with people, but it's special for him. He loves giving cuddles and kisses and grins shyly when he comes and 'plants one on me' ;) Christian just walks around trying to discover and destroy anything he can get his hands on at this stage, and he's so neverendingly cheerful and persistent and bouncy and loud, and loves being the center of attention!!! They, unlike the girls, have spent this time fighting hard to get a bunch of attention from me. If one of them is cuddling me the other will inevitably try to cuddle me too! - It has been very difficult for me when I'm super sick and it's really hard to have them crawling all over me, but what a blessing! I have these 2 completely perfect and adorable and so different sons, who are so happy and sweet and loving, and love crawling all over me lol. And SJ is starting to talk SO WELL, and loves testing out his language progress, and Christian is just so ridiculously confident in every way, nothing is a boundary to him. Watching them makes me feel so happy - until the terror of them both thundering towards me for some quality cuddle time when I feel like I'm going to be sick comes round again ;) <br />
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It's been my longest ever break between children, and I am SO EXCITED to have a newborn baby again :) I'm so excited to hold its tiny hands, and snuggle it all day long! I'm so excited to feed it and look after it, and be awake feeding it in the middle of the night like we're the only two people in the world who are awake at that moment. And I am SO excited for the love it's going to be getting from every angle around here!! :) SJ seems to understand this time that there's a baby in my belly (he was 100% oblivious with Christian lol), and he has been soooo gentle and sweet patting my belly, and the girls are all over it. They have been super big sisters/mother hens for a good 2 and a half years now (longer for Mags!), and are VERY excited for the new addition to our family. They are having fun anticipating whether girls or boys will overtake the other in numbers around here, and keep chatting about what all of it's physical features will be, from the curly/straight hair debate to whether <i>one</i> of the children will have 'matching green eyes like Mummy's', or continue the 'brown eyed baby' trend the rest of this family follows :)<br />
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And of course James is super excited as well :) At the moment he's all business trying to get us through this hard time and look after me and the other children, but he is the most incredible dad, I am so grateful he is my husband and our babies' father!!! They are soooooo blessed - we all are! - to have him!!! :) Sometime in the first few hours after bub is born, we always manage to have some time up at the hospital while our other children are with our mums, and I will rest while James holds the tiny new baby in his arms and gets to know him or her. It's such a beautiful time for both of them and I'm excited to see him bonding with the next one!!! :)<br />
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I know it's going to be hard/busy when bub is born next year. When we had Christian last year and suddenly had 4 children 4 and under it was struggle time for me - I think it took me about 7 months to feel like I got my head above water again!!! But what a blessing of a challenge!!! By the time this 5th one is born Maggie will have turned 6 already, and she and Ana will both be in school full time, so I'll just have the 3 at home each day. Every baby we have had has been such a happy, wonderful miracle in our lives, I really can't express how happy we are to know there's another on its way. We feel sooo blessed!!! When we were first married and it took us a long time to finally get Maggie, I don't think we could have imagined how blessed we would be to be surrounded with such beautiful children so quickly afterward!! <br />
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Oh and I know I said it but I'm so excited to have a newborn!!! I've always thought newborns were kind of boring, but since I've had mine, I've realised they're the most interesting, beautiful little things in the world!! :) I will happily spend hours just staring at my baby, laughing every time it yawns, excitedly pointing every twitch out to James, or whoever is 'fortunate' enough to be nearby ;) Babies are awesome. They have no downsides. Unless you count sleep deprivation as a 'downside', which you might be justified in doing ;) But they are just perfect, and straight from God, and it's so exciting to be holding in your arms the tiny bub that's been chilling out in your belly for 9 months!! And so exciting for all of us to shuffle down to a 'new normal' in our family, with another little bundle of fabulousness.<br />
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So although I mentioned 'the hard stuff' in this post, and in great depth in the post below this one, if you look at the video in the post below <i>that</i> one, you'll see how excited I am ;)Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-55523505535656895332015-09-20T14:31:00.000+10:002015-09-20T14:31:05.197+10:00Future Abby: read this when you are pregnant and morning sick...Hi future self. So I'm 11 weeks and 2 days pregnant :)<br />
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I am really, really sick. And have been for about 6 weeks now. The last 6 weeks have been horrifyingly bad for me - I don't know why they came as such a shock (this isn't exactly our first rodeo!!), but as much as I <i>know</i> it's going to be hard, you really and truly just forget every single time, and unless you're IN the moment, you can't quite imagine it. It's like labour I'm sure, but that's a while off for now, so I don't need to worry about it yet!! (As terrifying and horrific as labour is, the things I've learnt that stand out the most to me from the other 4 births are,<br />
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a) you usually live through it (I literally and quite seriously could barely <i>believe</i> I was still alive after Maggie's traumatic labour and delivery hahaha :)), and<br />
b) YOU GET A BABY AT THE END!!! SO YOU BARELY <b>CARE</b> WHAT YOU JUST WENT THROUGH!!!!!!!! :) SERIOUSLY!!!! :) NOTHING BEATS THAT!!!!)<br />
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Anyway, I'm at a point in this pregnancy where according to my pregnancies with the 4 children we already have, I should start getting better in a week, and be almost entirely well in 3 weeks. But I'm having some trouble believing that. Will I <i>really </i>and<i> truly</i> just wake up and be able to get out of bed like a normal person?! Will I be able to stop eating constantly and not want to be sick every time I move an inch?! Will I really be able to eat whatever I want? Could I just eat a normal sized meal 3 times a day and nothing weird and awful and desperate 50 times inbetween each? Could I do my washing without sucking the heck out of a Preggie Pop in desperation that I'll be well enough to get all the pieces on or off the line?! Will I actually be well enough to <i>fold</i> the washing? Push the pram? Make dinner? Play with the children? Will I <i>not</i> feel like a bacon & egg muffin & hashbrown meal is the only thing that can really save me each morning??!!!<br />
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In my head I <i>think</i> I will. I mean one day, surely? But I am having a really hard time believing it!! <br />
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I've basically been a useless sloth for a while now. I've barely taken the girls to school - probably not more than 3 times in the last 6 weeks at least. They have spent a LOT of time in before & after school care, taken early and picked up late by James, they have spent time before/after school in James' office, my Mum and Dad and brother Oli have done a bunch of school runs for me, and friends have taken them and brought them home (even taking them to the playground for a play a couple of times!). I guess the whole 'school' thing has added a different dimension to this pregnancy - I usually just cancel everything during these first few months and stay home, but I think it might be illegal not to take your children to school?! ;) I've barely cooked, or cleaned, or made food. Mum has spent so much time coming over in the mornings and helping with the boys until their naps, at which point she's made lunches and popped them in the fridge for later, often made dinners, and I've you know, sat on the couch or in bed pathetically. James has been working SO HARD at school and home this term (probably his busiest school term ever - terrible timing!!!), but has had a lot of late nights, and Mum's even come over sometimes at night to help with dinner when James was busy. But when James has gotten home he's had to clean up everything, get school uniforms and lunches ready for the next day, catch up on washing, etc. etc. Basically I've been a huge burden on my husband and children and parents and siblings. Which is actually really hard to stomach for a long period of time. The constant guilt and feeling of helplessness has really gotten to me!!! (Though at the same time I'm HUGELY grateful!!!!! They are amazing. I am sooo blessed!!!! But sorry guys!!! :S :S :S)<br />
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Anyway, (you'd think the complaining couldn't go on much longer but I've been playing Take 2 for years, and my complaining is on another plane ;) - so I'll cut myself off ;)), I've read back on some of my old blog posts, and was sort of comforted to see that I really was super sick at the start of each, and I really did get better by 14 weeks. But were all of those <i>really</i> as desperately bad as this pregnancy?!! - Cause I don't remember anymore!!<br />
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SO I wanted to write this to reassure myself: This pregnancy is the WORST EVER. It is SOOOOO HARD!!!! I can do NOTHING and feel COMPLETELY HELPLESS AND GUILTY. I am 11 weeks along and definitely no improvement yet. <br />
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And <i>now</i>, I'll wait till 14 weeks and report back to future pregnant again me, on whether or not I really and truly improved. That way maybe next pregnancy I'll be able to hold on to this, and let myself believe in a brighter future ;)<br />
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So good luck current me, and future pregnant morning sick me. Fingers crossed my '14 weeks' magic moment keeps holding true!!!<br />
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And now I'm going to write a post about how excited I am to be pregnant. Because I am :)Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-72542392049342543102015-03-24T14:22:00.002+10:002015-03-24T14:22:29.980+10:00Just saw this again. Love it :)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-52278425006292178372014-08-13T19:20:00.002+10:002014-08-13T19:20:31.515+10:00Banana Milk :)I love Milo, but I can't keep drinking Milo because it's 'junk food', sigh. But I keep craving milk (or Christian does, and I have to drink more to make more!), and not wanting to waste my treat for the week on a Milo (oh did I mention I find it hard drinking plain milk? - ew!), I asked James (who was on his way to the shops) if he could see if there was any yummy but not junk food milk. He paid me out for a second and then he suggested I just blend a banana in some milk. Genius. I blended milk, a banana, a little cinnamon and a little vanilla essence (it is sugar free!) and it was delicious!! I don't like ice cream, so it was like the yummiest version of a smoothie for me, ever!! Loved it - weight loss win!! :) Honestly I think it might be fattier than a Milo - but less addictive for me, because it doesn't taste at all like chocolate ;)Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-87424791333240605052014-08-13T08:55:00.003+10:002014-08-13T08:55:48.152+10:00"I'll tell you what, you've got your hands full!"<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15.359999656677246px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em;">
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Every time I go anywhere, people stop me and say this. Like, LOTS of people. There's a lady who sits on her front porch every morning when we walk to school, who says it <u>every</u> time we pass. People stop me at the shops and say it. Everyone I bump into at school says it. I know they just want to say something - to comment on the fact that we have 2.35 more children in our family than the average Australian household these days. I think they want to empathise - to let me know they know it must be busy having 4 young children. Generally it's a friendly comment, but often it's a little incredulous, and like they think I'm a little nuts. A bit of me is worried about what they'll all be thinking and saying when we have more kids! It's not like 4 is <i>that</i> unusual after all - I know heaps of families with way more!!</div>
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I don't really know how to respond to this. </div>
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"Oh my word you're right!" </div>
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"Oh these aren't mine - kids are just drawn to me.."</div>
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"Yeah.. hey what do you say about lightening my load a little and carrying these two through Coles for me?"</div>
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I pretty much just laugh awkwardly and say "Yes...". </div>
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<br />I just saw a much better response quoted under a random painting of a mother and baby:</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">"If you think my hands are full, you should see my heart."</span></i></div>
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Much better.</div>
Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-35070117297162938892014-08-11T22:41:00.001+10:002014-08-11T22:41:34.992+10:00Fitness Challenge! Week 4So as of today I've lost 3kgs. It's exciting, especially considering I haven't been able to work out a great deal, since I keep injuring myself! It's been soooo frustrating on that front! - I still feel super unfit and weak, but I'm stoked that I'm managing to lose some weight just by the eating part of the challenge, yay! <br />
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Walking, running, weights, everything else seems to be out of reach though, so I've pulled out a 'Mumalates' DVD a friend gave me a couple of years ago - it's specialised pilates for post pregnancy, so hopefully I'll have something good to report before long?! I'm hoping that if I build up strength slowly, I'll be able to move into more active and rigorous exercise soon! Netball is still going - I'm completely useless, cause I've hurt a ligament in my left leg and as soon as I start moving into a jog/run it pulls again or something and I can barely move! :s But hopefully I build up a little more fitness through that once a week, since I'm not really able to treadmill :P<br />
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I am sooo tired all the time with these 4 childrens, it's hard to keep up with anything at all that means taking a great deal of time out of my day that doesn't involve them, so blogging about the challenge is at least as hard as fitting in exercise!!! lol.. But I'm still going!!<br />
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Oh and my 'treat for the week'-s have been getting less awesome, because I can't 'take my chocolate' the way I used to be able to, sigh. It's partly good cause it means my body is used to healthy stuff and not junk anymore, but partly sad, cause I love eating chocolate!!! lol.<br />
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Anyway I'm not thinking straight so I'd better go to sleep, hopefully this made sense :p<br />
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xoxAbbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-63905962594259973472014-07-15T22:27:00.000+10:002014-07-15T22:27:03.808+10:00Fitness Challenge Again! Day 2So sore.<br />
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So, soooooooooo sore!<br />
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Hardest part of my day has definitely been the process of sitting down. So sore - ! Those squats! That bridge! I didn't even do that much and they're killing me today!! And I was so much sicker with my silly cold that I didn't do much in the way of my workout today - just light cardio, I skipped the weights altogether (James said I could!), so hopefully it doesn't make it a lot longer for my body to get used to it.<br />
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Dreading my first game of netball tomorow morning - I've been walking around all day like there is a pole stuck up my back - how will I run?!! My poor teammates!!<br />
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Also, not eating after 7pm can get boring, but also empowering. I can almost hear my body saying "Yesss! - That's a bunch more calories we don't have to burn off!" when I turn away from treats! It's making me want to make a cute weight loss chart so I can tick off the kg's I think I can feel myself losing ;) <br />
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Also also, aside from waking up to feed a LOT (baby Christian has been SUPER unsettled the last few days :( ), I slept in until 8:30 today, and I felt like high fiving myself for leaving out the 'get up by.....' rule I was talking about yesterday - there's that WIN I was talking about!! Bless James being on holidays and looking after the other 3!! :)<br />
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I'm not missing chocolate too much, cause I've been delightedly planning my treat for the week. James bought me a chocolate milk cause he knows I love them, and he thought he'd tempt me into having that for my treat for the week "instead of going crazy and eating a platter of massive amounts of cakes and things" - ahh he knows me too well! But I haven't drunk the milk yet - I think I'll hang on to my options for now ;)<br />
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Sweet dreams, fingers crossed I manage to move my limbs tomorow! ;)<br />
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xoAbbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-1272329053605214372014-07-14T17:36:00.001+10:002014-07-14T17:36:07.826+10:00Fitness Challenge again! Day 1This morning I got up before my children, which seems against nature!! I weighed in at 13kg's more than I want to weigh in at, sigh! - so I know I've got a lot of work to do! :) I have put on some weight again since losing it post-baby - I think the last 2 weeks being on holiday and eating an awful lot of Nutellas and hot chocolates (all of which I can comfortably blame Jonny for - he and Jessima bought me a giant jar of Nutella (YUM! Whoever invented Nutella deserves a crown...and their very own island... which they can prooobably afford now...!) and he fixed my teeth so I can eat hot stuff again :) SUCH an awesome brother!! :) :) But I digress...) has helped me become plump and lovely. But it's time to get it all off!!!<br /><br />I'm aiming to get down to a more comfortable weight within 12 weeks - in time for my birthday, yay!! :) <br />
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Until then I'll be...<br />
Working out 5 days a week<br />
Not eating after 7pm each day (except for special occassions/outings - I mean everyday eating)<br />
Drinking at least 2.5L per day<br />
Eating only 1 dessert/treat (I'll miss chocolate, sigh..) per week<br />
Trying to reduce my portion sizes a little and not replacing chocolate with bread as I have a tendancy to do... mmmmm... bread... ;)<br />
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I'm trying to remember if there's anything else I'm doing, but at the moment I can't think of anything?! I want this to be a lifestyle thing for forever though, so I don't want to be so rigid I can't wait "till it's over". Also I want to get strong and healthy so I'm not scared to have another bub, cause at the moment I feel like a bit of a wreck!<br />
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Usually when I'm doing a fitness challenge I have a 'get up by...' time, but at the moment if I ever manage to sleep in I'm going to call it a WIN lol :) <br />
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But anyway, I got up and worked out. It was miserable, as it always is at first!! My left knee was 'clicking' when I was doing squats and stuff and ended up really hurting so I focused on my arms for a bit, and then I did my 40mins on the treadmill, which I don't have enough endorphines to enjoy yet!! ;) All day I've been eating sultana biscuits instead of the pack of Tim Tams in the cupboard. I'm exhausted and can't wait to drop into bed later!! But I'm kind of enjoying how much it all sucks cause I know it'll be awesome soon, and it'll only get easier as I keep going!! :) And I'll be able to fit into all the cute clothes in a box in my wardrobe. YAY! :)<br />
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Bub wants me so I'd better go, but I wanted to write about this so I don't let myself drop the ball on it (also, sometimes Claire gets bored at work - 'shout out' for Claire! ;))! On Wednesday I have my first netball game of the new season (I think I'll finally get to play a whole season this time between babies, fun! :)) and I'm confident I'll be awful and unfit, but I'm looking forward to improving on that front too!!<br />
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Wish me luck!!! :)<br />
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xo<br />
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PS: I just read back on this and I realise I didn't complain <i>nearly</i> enough!!! I didn't mention the head cold I have and that I was coughing along the treadmill like a sad but determined unwell, unfit little blob!! (Don't worry - at the time I enjoyed a good whimper and felt appropriately sorry for myself.) Also, I weighed like, 4kg's less last time I weighed myself a couple of weeks ago! How much does that suck?!!! Sigh...<br />
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(I think that was better, yeah? :))Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-89004055134421704152014-06-10T11:45:00.001+10:002014-06-10T11:45:12.651+10:00Maggie's Future...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-6112495451129878772014-01-11T09:16:00.000+10:002014-01-11T09:16:02.318+10:00Maggie's Piano Lessons 1 & 2Last Saturday (the first of this year!) I started teaching Maggie the piano.<div>
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I'm not actually very proficient at the piano myself, but I did learn when I was younger and although I didn't keep it up much, I know the basics.</div>
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Our plan is to teach her until I am in over my head, and then pass her on to Tammy to become amazing :) Like Tammy :)</div>
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I just wanted to write up what I do each week with her, for my own reference next time I'm teaching the piano to someone from scratch (like Ana, starting the first day of next year...) and so Tammy can come on and tell me if I'm doing stuff way wrong! :)</div>
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So Week 1:</div>
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Learnt that the notes correspond with letters A-G. Learned how to find middle C, and place both thumbs on middle C and the rest of the fingers on the other notes in basic piano position.</div>
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Week 2:</div>
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Learnt a basic scale just with the right hand - singing 1-2-3-4-5 as she went up. When she had mastered up, learnt down. Had some trouble and tears - said it was too hard. I got on and played some Disney songs she recognised (like, one handed lol) to show her how fun piano can be when you learn it, then sat with her to have another go, and helped place her fingers a few times. By the end of the lesson she got it, and was very excitedly playing her 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1 over and over. If she masters it this week I plan on teaching her to do it with her left hand next lesson, and start introducing the notes on paper afterwards.</div>
Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-78436384077125693282013-11-13T12:03:00.005+10:002013-11-13T12:11:31.175+10:00People With Kids Don't Know<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Tammy sent this to me recently and James and I had a good laugh :) It's so funny. Every single day I'm in fits of laughter between going insane - such an awesome ride having children around!! :)</div>
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***Okay for some reason I can't get the link to the video to come in here, but if you click here:</div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFQfylQ2Jgg">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFQfylQ2Jgg</a></div>
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You can watch it... so funny :)</div>
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In other news, Maggie's going for her kindy interview on Monday (yes, they actually reject kindergarten-ers they don't think are up to the challenge!!). I can't believe she's leaving us!!! She's currently here 'standing out' because she and Ana were having a crazy pre-naptime party in their room despite my urgings that they cease and desist. Ana's throwing a mega tantrum, clearly overtired after the party. She'll be asleep in no time :) SJ's fast asleep, tired out from our huge morning at the grocery store - bless! Fingers crossed in another hour I'll be sitting on the couch with my feet up eating lunch with all 3 cherubs sleeping peacefully!! :) More likely SJ will wake up the SECOND Maggie and Ana finally succumb to sleep - they are like clockwork these guys lol :)</div>
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I'm DONE with morning sickness and I feel like I have a new lease on life! - SO exciting to not be sick, I can survive the getting fat and tired now :) And enjoy the 3 babies we have before number 4 joins us!!! 15 weeks pregnant, so I'm really, REALLY excited to find out what we're having in just 5 more weeks!!!!!</div>
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Christmas soon!!!!!!! :)</div>
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Perth trip sooner!!!!!!!!!!! :)</div>
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James gets to not work on his holidays for once because he's in a grown up job where holidays are paid!!!!!! :) I am making all sorts of fun family Christmas plans - going into the city to see the parades and pantomimes and lights and Santas - can't WAIT!!!! :) </div>
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Ana's mega tantrum still going... I'm sure she'll run out of puff soon... fingers crossed... :)</div>
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Loving this 'holiday' weather - it's AWFULLY STICKY AND HOT and I can feel a good Summer STORM coming on soon!!! :) We had a massive hail storm on Sunday, tis the season!! Feels like Christmas :)</div>
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Hope everyone has a FABULOUS day!!!!!! :)</div>
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xoxox</div>
Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-11441547183069218062013-10-28T19:54:00.000+10:002013-10-28T19:54:51.282+10:00Bucket ListI don't really usually dream too big or make a bunch of goals. My goals in life have always been pretty simple - be a fabulous homemaker, make our kitchen the heart of our home and always bake and cook for our family, be up to date with ironing, be a good Mum and wife of course, be a good person, don't get fat. Well okay it's not all that simple - especially since I keep getting sick and having babies at the moment - but it's all pretty much within the walls of our home. I'm secretly not that adventurous. I tend to be scared of everything. I have an extreme imagination, overthink everything, and worst-case scenarios flock to me wherever I go. It's actually something I have to consciously work on all the time, or I'd never leave the house! - or be in the house alone! lol... James is very adventurous. And I know it would be better for me to be so - experience more, enjoy more of what this world has to offer, be less afraid of unknown people and places. And my own shadow... :)<br />
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Anyway, I thought I'd write a bucket list. Don't get the wrong idea - it's not going to be full of skydiving or anything of the sort! But I'm trying to look outward a little more, not be afraid to make bigger plans. Some of the things like 'own our own home' have been lifelong dreams, and now that I look at the few I've already jotted down, they're not adventurous at all! - but I'll keep adding to it and I'll try to look outward a little more :)<br />
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Own our own home<br />
Serve a mission with James<br />
Write a book (probably a children's book)<br />
Visit every capital city in Australia<br />
Travel to Europe<br />
Travel to America<br />
Attend a session of General Conference in the Conference Center<br />
Go on a dinner cruise<br />
Go out to dinner somewhere where the dress code is 'formal'<br />
Paint at least one surface in our home an exciting colour<br />
Have $10,000 in the bank, 'just in case'<br />
...hmmm.... bucket lists should be much longer an more exciting, right? :P<br />
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Meanwhile, here's my list of things I want to do/see with James when we go to America one day! - This one was MUCH easier to write, because I wasn't trying to think of 'outside the box' things I want to do. I already want to do all these one day! :) When I started writing about travelling up there I just started this list for fun - maybe we should just call this my bucket list instead??!! ;)<br />
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American holiday bucket list ;)<br />
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Eat a pretzel with cheese sauce in a 'mall'<br />
Eat at the Cheesecake Factory<br />
Eat at California Pizza Kitchen<br />
(clearly I have fond memories of some of the food there! ;))<br />
Attend a session of General Conference in the Conference Center<br />
Visit the Sacred Grove<br />
Visit Navoo, Illinois<br />
Visit James' mission parents<br />
Visit Dad's old mission companion's family<br />
Play in snow<br />
Times Square<br />
See a show on Broadway<br />
See 'local' New York - hopefully get some people who know New York to tell me where to go/what to see in terms of meandering around eating at fun places, visiting cool markets, etc. Spend at least a day or two doing 'laid back' New York!<br />
Go to Disneyland/Universal Studios<br />
Do a session in as many temples as possible - Including SLC!<br />
Walk around BYU<br />
Shop (pack very light on the way over! ;))<br />
Shop at Deseret Book<br />
Visit Park City<br />
Visit the Humanitarian Center in SLC<br />
Do all the Temple Square Tours - the Lion House, etc.<br />
'This is the place' monument<br />
Ice skate outdoors<br />
See the Christmas lights on Temple Square<br />
Eat pizza in New York<br />
Hollywood walk of fame, Chinese theatre etc.<br />
Buy something at the Kodak theatre boutiques again<br />
Go to the 'You've Got Mail' cafe in New York. Eat there.<br />
Central Park<br />
Catch an NBA game<br />
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Clearly we're going to be there for quite some time, and clearly we're going to have a limitless amount of money. So this trip may be in 30 years. Or more. But still, it's fun to dream!! Also, it became clear to me while writing this list that our trip will span from the first weekend in October, till at least Christmas haha - well, timeframe sorted! ;)<br />
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Can't wait to add to this list as it comes to me - a lot of it's based on what I did/ate last time I was there ;) Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-45528622088661222332013-09-16T14:32:00.001+10:002013-09-16T14:32:21.203+10:00Sister Love!I just got off the phone to my beautiful sister-in-law Jessima who moved far, far away a few months ago now, and it hits me again how much I miss her! And how lucky I am to be so very blessed sisters-wise. I was born with an older sister, the Tamster, who's always been perfect in every way - including being the best big sister on the entire planet. Then Bethany was born, who's one of the sweetest, nicest person you've ever met, she's ridiculously nice. Both of them are. And then my brother Jonny married Jessima, who's another one of the sweetest, nicest people you've ever met, and she just opened up her heart to all of us and we all adore her. Then Micky married Bec, and they've always lived so far away but they still make an effort to come and see us and they've just had baby Saphira and Bec is such a sweet Mama! Some people don't have any sisters at ALL!!! And I feel for them terribly!! James has a half sister who he only found out about semi recently and who he's never met, but I hope one day we do, because I can't imagine missing out on another sister relationship! She lives overseas, and is about 5 years younger than us I think - maybe more? But the thought of another sister thrills me. And I've got another 2 in the bag sometime in the future when Boliver take on their vows and marry another couple for us! It's so exciting wondering who they'll be! :) Sisters are so nice.<br />
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I feel like such a wonderful parent, because Maggie and Ana have each other. Forget buying them a swing set - I just birthed each of them their lifelong BFF. You're welcome, girls :)<br />
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And I'm pregnant at the moment (and dying. Was morning sickness <i>really</i> this bad every other time?! HOW do I forget this?!) and hoping to give SJ a brother (yes, I'll love it just as much if it's female ;)) so that he can have a brother like I have my sisters. And while I've been dead and dying of morning sickness Tammy and Beth have both come over and done my dishes and helped with my girls and brightened my days!! My wonderful mother has been over a LOT, and I've been over there and she's looked after my babies and done the days' meals for us so I didn't have to gag over the sink for hours too. I am so grateful I can't even tell her properly. She is wonderful. And she has so much of her own stuff on at the moment and has been dropping everything to come and help me. I am so blessed with wonderful women in my life!!<br />
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And now I should mention the amazing guys too - from Oliver making me toasties when I was hunched up on his couch the other day to Ben helping with the children and Dad making me Sunday night dinners, I am so blessed - and I haven't even mentioned James, who has been 'The Man' - coming home from work, making dinner, doing dishes, putting children to bed, cleaning everything and then pulling out all his tons of marking and report writing for his reports that are due next week, while I lie limply on the couch barely even pulling out a smile. And he does all that in addition to looking after me and running out to get me anything that I thought would make me feel better if just for a moment! <br />
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So very blessed! I hope the J's move back one day and we can hang out with them again. I feel like I took them for granted when they were here and I miss them!! And Jessima is down there all alone being supermum with her 4 children under 5, baby Jayde only 5 weeks old and Jonny working long hours in the new business!! And now I so wish I could help them!! (At least when the morning sickness goes away Jess :P). It's Jenna's birthday today, and I wish we could see her and cuddle her and wish her happy birthday!! Maggie talks about Jenna and Jordan and Jacey and Little Baby Jayde 'who we haven't seen yet' all the time, and loved calling her up to wish her happy birthday earlier :) <br />
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I'd better dash - my little baby man is crying and he really is the sweetest baby boy I've ever seen in my life, he has me completely wrapped - it makes James roll his eyes at least 20 times a day - another reason it's good I'm pregnant - this way hopefully I won't spoil Stanley-James too much when I get busy with the baby :) But for now, I'm his - and I'm off. But I'm really so grateful for my sisters! And brothers, and parents, and everyone, and this baby in my belly that's making me so sick but I know that I'm going to love it forever, and I'm so excited to be adding another little perfect person to this family who make me feel like the luckiest girl in the world every single day! Oh poor SJ - really going now! xoxoxAbbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-67180543047778925522013-06-18T22:14:00.002+10:002013-06-18T22:14:15.738+10:00Random Stuff...<ul>
<li>I'm so tired! Tired tired tired. All the time, tired. Tireder than I ever thought it would be possible to be! I'm so tired! lol :) Everyone says the jump from 2 to 3 children is the hardest, and I have to admit it's tough!! It's SO WONDERFUL to have these 3 perfect, wonderful, adorable (if at times insane ;)) children, I'm totally smitten by them, but it is kind of tough lately!! :) I dream of getting 6 hours of sleep in a row. And then I wake up and feed again ;)</li>
<li>Our little boy SJ is the sweetest, cutest little boy in the history of the world. I'm completely in love with him :)</li>
<li>Maggie is the rockingest 3 year old ever - love her to bits - she's so funny, and so much fun. She's like my little sidekick :)</li>
<li>Ana's my other little sidekick. She's so sweet and funny - she loves to laugh and be happy and dance, and she makes us all happy :)</li>
<li>James gets holidays every couple of months. We never realised until now how AWESOME it is that he's a teacher!!! He's on holidays again next week. He asked me what I wanted to do in the holidays. I looked at him and my eyes widened with excitement, and I said "I want to have an entire day of naps, where you just watch the children, and I sleep all day, just waking up to feed SJ!! ........ and we should hit the theme parks or something 'fun' too I guess...". I think he's going to let me do it too, and it feels like all my dreams are coming true!! lol :) I'm excited to hang out with him also :)</li>
<li>I've been ironing :) Which has been one of my dreams of housewife-ing forever! I finally feel like a real woman when I see James go to his wardrobe and pull out a neatly ironed shirt all ready to go for the day. It makes me feel like I'm being an awesome wife lol :)</li>
<li>I should be ironing right now! But I feel like I need to 'let out' more random stuff about my life, so I'll probably do this again soon... It's 10pm-ish, and Maggie's still not asleep. Sleeping pills for children sound like child abuse!! Until you have one who won't sleep. Then they just sound like a good idea.</li>
<li>James is at the semi-formal. Bringing back memories - I so wanted to go but apparently they don't let randoms in? :)</li>
<li>I haven't been working out since I broke my toe 5 weeks ago and I've been getting terribly fat :s But it's only sore a little now, so I should get back into it this week... or next week, after my nap day? I'd like to be skinny again and fit all those cute clothes in my wardrobe. The whole getting fat and pregnant and then trying to get skinny again cycle is a little trying, but the children are worth it - they totally rock :)</li>
<li>I'm out xox</li>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-57709058042159528212013-03-21T09:37:00.003+10:002013-03-21T09:38:07.625+10:00Fabulous News:<div style="text-align: center;">
I'm wearing my pre-pregnancy jeans!!!!!!<br />
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- I'll let you know when I manage to do them up!</div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-83899743761502055512013-03-13T08:55:00.000+10:002013-03-13T08:55:09.753+10:00Lately I've Been Wondering.......<div style="text-align: center;">
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Lol. So, so tired! :)</div>
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I just started walking again last week, and started working out properly this week. Last night I was sobbing and wobbling through my training last night while James barked things like "Come on you're not even trying!" and "Breathe!!!", (to which I wanted to yell "I <b>AM </b>TRYING!", and "I <b>AM </b>BREATHING!!!!!" but lacked the energy...sigh...lol). I was reflecting on the fitness challenge I did and wrote about on here back in July-Sep 2011, and how impossible I thought all the tasks James was giving me then were, and how by the end of it I could do them all! And lost all my 'Ana' weight! :)</div>
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It's hard to focus this time though, because James has developed - through obviously coaching and training people<b> way too much</b> lately - a crazy 'coach' persona, and it makes me want to giggle SO BAD!! He's like some crazy sergeant off a bad army barracks comedy movie, and it sets me off every time he tells me what to do. Maybe because he's so authoritarian about it and I'm like "James I'm your <i>wife</i>, not some random army cadet you have to bark orders at!" but it was really disrupting my workout, because when you're a body of jelly instead of muscles, and you're desperately trying with all of your might to perform some grossly out-of-your-ability-level-right-now squat or lunge or lift with weights, and somebody makes you giggle, you almost collapse, and nearly die by hitting yourself over the head with your own weights. And I was tired and James did <i>not</i> think it was funny, so I was a jelly laughing crying determined little mess. I'm sure I'd laugh about it now if my stomach wouldn't explode with the pain! I'm meant to be out the door with the girls to the park in 10 minutes, but oh my it's so hard to move, and my fingers are some of the only muscles in my body which can comfortably move right now lol. Okay, <i>okay</i> - I'll go! I'd better start losing weight and growing muscles soon, and get FIT - which is the whole point, isn't it? So I can have some ENERGY to make this lovely family dinner every single night, and fit into some clothes that don't have belly bands in them! :) Ah, good times!! Getting up now, eeeeek!! :) xox</div>
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PS: It's really, <i>really</i> hard, but LOVING having 3 babies!!! :)</div>
Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-25230213829113254122013-02-08T12:10:00.001+10:002013-02-08T12:10:25.839+10:00WowHad a baby, moved house, James started work, etc. been a crazy, crazy month!! But have been blogging that on my private blog. Just saw this and loved it :)<br />
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<br />Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-23309521423067029662013-01-03T07:25:00.001+10:002013-01-03T07:25:15.641+10:00He Turned!!!We went for a follow-up appointment at the hospital yesterday afternoon, and the ultrasound revealed that Boy has somersaulted and is back in a good position for birth - YAY!!! :) So no weird external turning procedure with a 40% chance of having to book in for a caesarian! YAY!!! :) Am so excited to be able to have him naturally, whenever he feels like coming :) Now all I have to do is remember to sit forward a lot so he's not posterior. Posterior isn't nice. Yay Boy!! :) Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-32234848598754032822013-01-02T09:22:00.001+10:002013-01-02T09:22:42.126+10:00Happy New Years!!! :)Had the best New Years Day yesterday!! :) I've been wanting to get some jobs done lately that just seem so 'big' in my current state! It was James' last day of holidays and he was SO wonderful, bless him! And the girls, who have had a crazy last few weeks, amenably slept for hours, so we could just 'do our stuff' :) <br />
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First, we got rid of Christmas! Our house looks so lovely and clean and neat!! We put away all of the Christmas decorations and cards and cushions, and everything else, and put out our usual house stuff. Especially after the final vacuum, taking with it the last of the pine needles, it felt REALLY good! :) I organised all of our Christmas things into new storage and organising containers I recently bought a million of, and love the new organised system!!! :) I cleaned out the rest of the top of Ana's cupboard while I was there :) We also managed to find places for ALL of the Christmas toys the girls received - no small feat!! And I reorganised (even though they'd only had it for a week!) their little kitchen, and when they woke up we went through it together so they KNOW where EVERYTHING goes, and hopefully it's not as crazy in future! :) <br />
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Then, we organised everything Baby Boy :) Until we move in the next few months, he gets 2 drawers to his little name - and a bassinet, if all goes according to plan and it EVER gets here! (We order through a shop which sell everything SO MUCH CHEAPER than everywhere else, but Maggie's cot, which we ordered over 3 months before she arrived, didn't arrive until well after they told us it would, after her birth! They told us the bassinet would be here before the end of December, but alas - now they're saying end of January - and this boy will be here before then! :s Hopefully it arrives <u>just </u>after he does?!!). Anyway, I pulled out all of the lovely boy clothes we got for Christmas, and blankets, and toys, and organised them all :) This is one of the FUNNEST parts of getting ready for baby :) I put all of the clothes and blankets in the wash, and then used the drier instead of hanging them out, because it makes them so much fluffier and softer!! :) I plan on having an ironing day this week, and getting them all beautifully ironed and folded and put away :) It's so fun doing 'blue'!!! :) With organising Boy's things, came organising my things too - to pack our hospital bags :) I'll finish up properly when Boy's clothes are ironed and ready :) It's all pretty exciting though! I know I'm not quite in the 'nesting' stage, because as much as I love and was loving getting things ready for him, the urge was not accompanied by any kind of burst of energy, and I had to keep sitting down abruptly and resting cause I felt like I was going to faint half the day! :p So hopefully that comes soon, and I can have another useful day or two before he gets here :) <br />
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We also managed to get out for a little grocery shop in the afternoon, including our first pack of newborn nappies ready to pack into the hospital bag :) Sadly by that time I ended up sitting on a couch in the shopping centre and James running in to get the groceries (I love grocery shopping! :)), but we did it :) James had (between helping me get things done all day) also been 'Mr Fix-It'-ing, fixing up a bunch of odd little things - he's always so onto stuff and handy, I love it! :)<br />
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By the time we put dinner away and the girls went to bed, I felt fantastic!! Everything is so clean and neat and organised right now, happy sigh!! :) I sat on the couch and ate watermelon and read a book, and at some point fell asleep until James woke me up and took me to bed. He used to carry me, but the whole 9 months pregnant thing seems to have ended that for now lol :) <br />
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So Happy New Years Everyone!!! Hopefully this year is as clean and fresh and exciting as Day 1 was for me!! :) Bring on our Baby Boy and James starting teaching and everything else - 2013 is looking like our best year yet!!! :) Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-46484833696378575102012-12-24T09:03:00.000+10:002012-12-24T09:03:37.756+10:00Breach Baby Boy! :S<br />
Went for a scan last week to check the growth of baby boy - they were worried that maybe he wasn't growing fast enough again, like Ana. <br />
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Good news: Growth is great!! He is much bigger than either of the girls at this age. Doesn't sound great to me in terms of birthing him, but great in terms of he's healthy and strong!! - And apparently I have a 'juicy, fat' placenta going in there, so that's good too lol :) <br />
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But the doctor at the hospital called me this morning to tell me that baby is breach - which we'd noticed during the scan, and been a bit worried about! She said baby might still flip on its own until about 37 weeks, at which point he'll be too big. I'm 36 weeks and 1 day today. I have an appointment next week, and they're going to scan me at that appointment, to confirm baby's position. If he hasn't flipped into birth position by then, they'll book me in for some very long-named procedure through which they try to externally get the baby to flip, 'so that they don't have to give me a caesarean'... I'm completely terrified and anxious. Maggie's posterior birth was hell, and I'm desperate to have this baby naturally - please baby just get into position!! The doctor also said (in response to my slightly edgy query) that there's nothing I can really do to flip the baby. She said all the spinning babies and sitting forward stuff is great for posterior babies, but we don't need the baby to spin a little - we need it to do a complete somersault... Mum said she had a couple of us breach, and people used to all the time and it was fine, but apparently it's higher risk with the cord and stuff so they don't really let you deliver naturally with a breach these days.<br />
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I'm a little upset cause baby boy was <i>beautifully</i> in position a few weeks ago - the midwives and doctors were saying he might come early, because his head was so low in the birth canal and he was was all ready to go!! So why did he flip?! The ultrasound lady (who has a teenage son who's causing her a lot of grief right now!) said "It's a boy! - This is just the beginning!" :) Which made us laugh :) But come on baby, flip back!!<br />
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So if you feel like praying for us to have a right-way-down baby, please do!! I would really like him to flip, or that very long-named procedure to come through, so that I can have him naturally! I can't wait until he's here! Pregnancy and childbirth continue to completely terrify me!<br />
Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-10594736684158742502012-12-18T07:39:00.000+10:002012-12-18T07:39:00.704+10:00HE DID IT!!! :)I feel like I should just mention...<br />
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...that JAMES GRADUATED FROM UNI WITH A FABULOUS JOB FOR NEXT YEAR!!!!!! :):):)</div>
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No more paperwork for a while :) - except maybe for him signing the contract :) We are SO excited and happy and relieved and grateful!! :) BEST early Christmas news we could have received :)</div>
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YAY!!! :)</div>
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What a wonderful blessing :)</div>
Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-73769378765835166462012-12-05T11:22:00.003+10:002012-12-05T11:22:45.291+10:00Yumm-o!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I just published that last post about my Days of Health, then I went to the news, and saw this in an article about pizza hut:</div>
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<a href="http://asset.ninemsn.com.au/img/000/000/271/713/Hotdogstuff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pizza Hut's hot dog stuffed crust has been released in Australia." border="0" src="http://asset.ninemsn.com.au/img/000/000/271/713/Hotdogstuff.jpg" /></a></div>
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I know why we're all obese. It's because no matter how much we look at that and grimace at each other and say 'Ew!!!' it honestly looks awesome to me. Along with all the 14 year old boys ... lol :) I'd totally try it!! :) Focus, Abby! Focus!!! I'd better go and eat some crackers and cheese.</div>
Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-54735351234277177892012-12-05T11:12:00.000+10:002012-12-05T11:12:02.949+10:0082 Days of Fitness: Day 38So it was 84 Days of Health, minus 1 day for Christmas, and then another for our Anniversary Max Brenner and box of chocolates!! (By the way, I only ate 1 of the 3 James bought me - and the other 2 are stashed away... for... some other day... ;)). <br />
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James thinks I should scrap the 'days' thing, and just be a healthy person all the time, and I'm seriously contemplating it! Have I mentioned how much clearer my skin as been? I've always refused to pay any attention to the 'chocolate isn't good for your skin' thing, but I gotta admit my skin's been great since I started this!! <br />
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My health days were getting super, SUPER easy, but since our Anniversary it's been a lot harder to stick to!! Ah Max Brenner!!! I made chocolate brownies for family dinner on Sunday night, and I really, <i>really</i> wanted some. I acted cool though (of course) and was all good, but the fact that the 3 leftovers were <u>still</u> sitting in our fridge untouched by yesterday (after 2 full days of opportunity for James to eat them!), started killing me and I asked him to eat those 'awesomely delicious' brownies asap so I could stop thinking how ridiculous it was that he had such amazing brownies to his name and they were going untouched!!! I must admit it's not exactly points to my cooking skills that I can so confidently proclaim them 'delicious' and 'amazing' - Betty Crocker had a lot to do with it!! ;) (Her triple choc fudge brownies mix, I can't get past it... mmmm.....).<br />
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But the benefits still outweigh my wishing I could eat chocolate. So again, glad I'm sticking to this thing!! And I really think I'll keep a lot of it up after baby comes, because I'll be wanting to lose the baby weight, and keep feeling healthy and strong for the recovery. By the way, I should mention my weight gain all but stopped about 38 days ago - BIG benefit!! With Maggie I was out of control weight gaining, and with Ana I was a little better, but not this good. So yes. Still here. Still healthy. I just (along with every other woman in the world) wish chocolate could be that awesome and be amazingly good for you!!!<br />
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Oh wait, before I go - one non-benefit: I'm pretty low in calcium - not getting that glass of milk in every block that I was before, and it's affecting me. There was the broken toe thing, and my nails are chipping and breaking like crazy. I told James it was because of no chocolate, but he thinks it's because I'm pregnant.. scoff...sigh...Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1451893572343404334.post-66520892685996814622012-11-29T10:03:00.000+10:002012-11-29T10:07:36.203+10:00Boyz II Men :)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So last Friday night, for our awesome 5th wedding anniversary (yay!!) we went down the coast to see...</div>
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BOYZ II MEN</div>
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(I know, the title of this post may have given this away a little)</div>
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A few months ago I heard they were coming, and when I looked it up tickets had JUST opened, so I immediately bought them!! THEN I called James, hoping he hadn't already booked us into something else. Thank goodness he hadn't! :)</div>
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We love Boyz II Men :) I have actually seen them in concert already... twice... but James had never seen them in concert, and we always said if they ever came back we'd go, so awesome that it happened to be on the day of our anniversary!! Perfect :)</div>
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For my own personal record (which is really what me writing on this blog is about!) here are all the concerts I've ever been to... in chronological order.. because I like that :)</div>
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2005 Boyz II Men</div>
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<img height="243" src="http://edubzentnj.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/yahoo_boyzIImen.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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With Anitapee :)</div>
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Awesome, of course!</div>
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2006 Boyz II Men</div>
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With Briony :) </div>
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(they came 2 years in a row! They're SO great!!)</div>
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2007 Keith Urban</div>
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<img height="400" src="http://www.musicya.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Keith-Urban-Greatest-Hits-18-Kids.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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With Tammy :) </div>
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Keith knows how to throw a concert - he rocks!!</div>
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2007 Lionel Richie</div>
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<img height="253" src="http://www.frontiertouring.com/web_images/image_gallery/album57_1254280455_07.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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With James - honeymoon date!!</div>
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I actually bought the tickets when we'd just been dating for a little bit, but I figured we would either be still dating or engaged or something by the time the concert came around - lucky! :) Lionel Richie, was amazing, and we loved, loved it!</div>
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2010 Tim McGraw </div>
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<img height="400" src="http://countryfannetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/McGraw-SoVo-CD-Cvr-fnl_300.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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With Tammy - he was awesome, but cut, cut, cut the 3 preshows!!</div>
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2011 Keith Urban</div>
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<img height="163" src="http://www.hitcountry.tv/sites/hitcountry.tv/files/uploads/keithurbannov10.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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With Tammy! :)</div>
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Seriously his concerts ROCK!! He's coming back in January, exactly 6 days after my due date (sigh)... so Tammy's going WITHOUT ME for the first time, sigh... At this concert I was 8 months pregnant with Ana - and we were in the 5th row! - it was AWESOME, I was sooo held back by my giant belly lol :)</div>
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2012 Tim McGraw and Faith Hill</div>
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Front row tickets with Tammy!!!</div>
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AMAZING concert experience, loved every second!!! :) Wrote about it <a href="http://faithhopehappinessandlove.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/tim-faith.html">here</a>...</div>
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2012 Carrie Underwood</div>
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- with Tammy - incredible voice, awesome concert! Wrote about it <a href="http://faithhopehappinessandlove.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/carrie-tammy-me.html">here</a>...</div>
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And yes, Tammy and I are the concert people. We love them. And we love country music :D</div>
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And now 2012 Boyz II Men :) - with James :)</div>
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Aren't they so cute?!!! They've been together for 21 years now, and they've definitely still got it!!</div>
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They sang on The X Factor Australia a few nights before we went to see them, and although I'd been really enjoying the X Factor, it was CRAZY how much better Boyz II Men were when they came on!</div>
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It annoyed me that they weren't even really advertised for the show - One Direction (via video link lol) and some guy I'd never even heard of got top billing. Don't people know how AWESOME Boyz II Men are?!!! And how LUCKY the X Factor contestants were to sing with them?! (SOOOO lucky lol) :) They were the first CD James had, and 1 of the first 2 Tammy (and therefore me :)) had (oh WAIT Tam! - Was that CD borrowed from one of your friends?! I just remember listening to it over and over!), so we both grew up loving their songs I guess! And they rock.</div>
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And look what they've been up to since they last visited:</div>
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Yay Boyz II Men!! :) </div>
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Anyway our date was perfect :) James had gotten off work a little early and we'd had a late lunch and outing with the girls, so we weren't very hungry for the buffet dinner at the casino before the show we'd been contemplating having. To my surprise, not only did James buy me chocolates for our anniversary - and I'm talking 3 boxes of chocolates cause he wanted to make sure he got ones I liked - he suggested we go to Max Brenner for 'dinner' before the show instead!! So we're talking 82 Days of Health now - we had an awesome pre-show dinner date at Max Brenner :) Then we went up to the concert :) I hadn't brought the camera, and iPhone cameras aren't very good (:p) so any photos I tried to take of Boyz II Men didn't really work, but here's James and I in our seats before the show, with some weird funny lighting thing happening on my neck...</div>
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We were pretty excited :) We had fun playing Boyz II Men trivia up on the big screen while we were waiting for them to come out, and when they did (sans pre-show - YAY BOYZ II MEN!!! (I hate preshows...)), they ROCKED it!! :) </div>
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Back in the day, they used to dance a lot - like, old school boy band styles, kind of motown, very choreographed, super cute. At the other 2 concerts of theirs I've been to I don't remember ANY dancing, but they did kind of a Boyz II Men through the ages thing and totally busted out the moves again, we LOVED it!! :) And those guys are seriously some of the best singers in the whole wide world - when they just chill out and sing a capella together, it's just awesome! I can't even describe how good they are. But, the best :)</div>
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As they did at the other concerts I've been to, they handed out red roses to people near the front when they sung "I'll Make Love to You", you should have HEARD them going off to 'Down on Bended Knee' - on one knee, and we all got out our mobiles to call our Mums when they sung 'Mama'! I was in a bit of despair when it was time, because I think there were too many phones going at once and I couldn't get through!! But I kept trying, and got through just in time for Mum to hear the end of the song :) Once again, they grabbed the phones off people in the front row and sang into them - can you imagine?! Sigh... :) Oh I didn't mention... we were pretty far back, because I called and requested an aisle seat cause I knew I'd be hugely pregnant and might need to get out if I was uncomfortable or cramping up or something, so although there were lots of 'closer to the front' seats available, I bought ones closer to the back. I think James was a little disappointed, but it was still awesome, and I was really, really grateful to be on the end when everyone was up and dancing, because I could stick my head into the aisle and see them dancing away on stage :)</div>
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(just thought I'd throw another pic in there - they're getting a bit old these days, but they're the old school cool guys lol :))</div>
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The only disappointment was the no t-shirt thing!! I have a Keith Urban, a Tim McGraw and a Boyz II Men shirt, and we wanted to get James a Boyz II Men shirt, but they weren't selling any!!!! The only thing they were selling was a meet, greet and photo after the show, but they were pretty pricey and we didn't buy. James said next time, we're buying lol :) I'll have to bring a better camera or it'll be wasted!! Hopefully they come back again one day soon :)</div>
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Anyway, I wish I could chuck a video up of the whole thing and share it, but I can't, sigh... I wish I did for me too, so I don't forget! But it was a fabulous concert and a perfect date :) See? Not even our bad date record could spoil these guys!!</div>
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And James? Well, stoked to have been married for 5 years and perfectly happy and in love :)</div>
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Can't wait for the next forever!!!!</div>
Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13508311593157719111noreply@blogger.com2