7 weeks

Ashton is seven weeks old today! Wow I can already see how much he has grown and the last week I have been kept awake on and off from about 2am. Thankfully the last two days have been better. I haven't seen anymore smiles yet but I'm sure they won't be far off.
Well our four eldest are now on school holidays so now we really have six kids full time! Actually we had an extra for the night on Sunday so we had seven lol, unfortunately we don't fit that many in the car. I had my six week check-up on Monday and my scar is now looking (and feeling) good. I now weigh 67kg and he checked my BP which was 100/60. I had to have my pap smear as it had been two years since the last one. As I left he said "see you with the next one". I'm not sure if he was joking or for real lol.
Dh is working today umpiring cricket and it is hot, and even more humid. It's only about 30o now but it's meant to get up to 36o and yesterday was disgustingly hot. I have the air conditioner on in my room but I have too much housework to do to be able to use it, although the boys can go in and play quietly if the heat is getting to them. Thomas although quiet now has fits of hyperactivity every now and then and about an hour ago somehow knocked the whole curtain and curtain rod down with a ball???? ~ Susan

Ashton finally smiled last night at 8-30 for me! How lucky I am, this little boy has so many people around him that I feel blessed I was the one to see it first. Ashton's hair is still a dark brown and his eyes though a deep grey/blue will probably turn brown. He still has a bit of yellow in the white of his eye but hopefully it will be gone soon. Well Ashton is doing quite well, still crying somewhat for periods of the day but he is definately growing. I had him weighed two weeks ago and he was 10lb so hopefully I'll get it done again soon. As for me I'm actually a little sore on my scar and have a crampy tummy. I haven't stopped since I left hospital because I can't just look at the housework and not touch so I guess I'm paying for it. Our boys finally have a cousin on my side of the family with the arrival of my sister's baby on the 15th of November! She had a little boy weighing 9lb 5oz! Ethan has been a nightmare in regards to baby Ashton, continually touching him. He pulls at his arms and legs and even sucks on his feet if I'm not looking. I can't leave Ashton in the same room sitting in the rocker for fear he will drag him out. He has already dragged him accross the cot by the feet by climbing up and reaching till he grabbed him. He also offered him Nutri-Grain but I told him that baby Ash has his milk and didn't need it. Well three more days and the boys are on school holidays. This will be interesting, holidays with six children at home. I will have to get organised so we can make sure we do a few things at home even if it's something simple like cooking. Well a busy week it is with swimming carnivals, presentation night, classroom break-ups and in the middle of it all it's my 32nd birthday tomorrow! It will be another rushed day I'm sure and I even have to attend presentation night for the boys so I don't think I'll get to celebrate much. I am grateful though to be blessed with my sometimes sweet six sons. I am one very lucky Mum and I know it. ~ Susan

4 weeks

Wow baby you are four weeks old already! Yes we had a beautiful baby boy on the 19th of October weighing 4075g (8lb 15oz), 50.5cm long and with a HC of 37cm.
We named our sixth son Ashton Leander. Born with dark hair and blue/grey eyes you are the image of your older brothers. I must get back here soon and write the birth story if I can remember it all.
Oh and to top it all off I became an Aunty on Tuesday night to a beautiful baby boy Jack Alexander!
~ Susan

Wow it's hard to believe this time tomorrow I will be at the hospital waiting to have my baby. We still haven't settled on a boys name yet. I have made some cute cot cards for the hospital crib and have the pink one with "Amelia" on it and the blue one with "Ashton" on it but have printed out some alternative boys names in case. The names include Isaac, Christian, Aidan and Aiden but I am at a loss. We have never had so much trouble settling on a name. I had my blood test to cross match last night so that is all ready. Will be sorting out a few more bits and pieces around the house as well as getting Ethan ready to go to Mum's tonight and Caleb to a friends as he leaves for camp in the morning. Our hairdresser is booked for 5pm tonight too so as I said a lot happening in such little time. Dh is still part way through painting the lounge too so I have curtains washed and ready to hang but I don't think I will get them rehung before tomorrow morning as enamel wouldn't be dry yet. Oh well looks like what I get up to with things will just have to be it. Feeling very excited though at the prospect of meeting baby. ~Susan

I had my ob appointment today and things are going well. The heat is almost unbearable here though with an expected 35o today and even higher predicted for Saturday. It's only midday and my feet are already swollen. BP was something over 60 though so it's fine and I didn't gain weight this week thank goodness, I dropped slightly so now I am just over 80kg, close enough to 80. This means I have gained 22kg not 23 and I hope it doesn't go any higher. I hope I can eventually get back to 58kg again like the last three times although I'm scared I won't. Tidying bedrooms again today and then I'll work on my Christmas Swag and the doll I am reborning. ~Susan

I had the worst night last night. Woke at around 2am with pains in the chest like I had a snake squeezed tight around me and it lasted till nearly 6am this morning. It was so awkward that it didn't matter which way I lay it hurt and I had myself propped so high but nothing worked. I just lay there and waited it out trying to relax and be calm until it passed. The strangest thing was that this happened when I was pregnant with Ethan at almost the same time I'm sure. I know it was a Sunday night and quite possibly about two weeks before his c/s. I ended up in hospital that night not knowing what was going on but the ECG showed up nothing so I knew this wasn't my heart and that it would stop eventually. I just think it's strange that it all happened again at about the same stage. Praying it does not repeat any time before bubs arrives in just over two weeks. I have rested most of today in the hope that tonight is much better and also because my feet have been so swollen. ~Susan

I am super busy lol, I am super nesting, cleaning everything, mopping just houseworking almost all day till 7pm when I fall into bed and dh is stripping the walls in the dining room now in preparation for painting this week I hope. The children are still on holidays for another week although last week I had some relief as they had a kids fun day at the local community centre for three hours mon - thurs. On the Wednesday I took my eldest little boy on the train to the city to have his braces put on. He went really well but I was so tired had to keep sitting down although I kept going so I could check out all the baby clothes I saw lol. I finally finished work coming off night duty on the 5th of September but it seems they are short staffed so I've since had a call to work ND the night before the braces (which I just couldn't do) and a shift this afternoon till 11-15pm (I have no idea how I am going to go being on my feet till that late and even staying awake as it is way past my current bedtime). I am starting to feel a huge tightening accross my whole tummy every day but it's irregular so it must be BH. My labours are usually felt in my tummy and down the front of my thighs even when I've had the m/c's so I know it's nothing yet. Only four weeks and one day till my c/s but I'm in panic mode about getting everything done lol. As long as I don't go into labour at work as legally I'm not allowed to leave until I find another RN and apparently NOBODY else was available even though I'm now officially on leave???? I have this to do list for around the house and love the feeling of crossing things off as I get them done. Really though I am ready enough for baby I just want things to be perfect. The clothes, nappies, sheets, towels are all washed. My suitcase is basically packed except for baby things and my going home outfit. Baby's is all organised as my very good friend has bought the most gorgeous "boy" and "girl" outfit so we will wait and see and she will wash it up ready to come home in. I'm still not sure about the carseat as Ethan is staying put for now in his because he is now an escapee and a booster just wouldn't do it. We are moving him from the drivers side of the van to the passenger side because you wouldn't be able to squeeze past a rearward facing seat for the baby anyway so I'm washing Ethan's seat since we had to move it. I do still need to clean the pram up but that's not urgent. I've done a major spring clean in each of the boys' rooms but the problem is it just isn't staying like that???? Oh well I've finished breakfast now so it's off to another day tidying up. Ethan has reached the "Terrible Two's", well about a week before his birthday he did! He is refusing to sit in his highchair, climbing on the kitchen table, pouting when he gets told off, putting on the biggest fake sulks lol (especially when he peaks at you with a grin part way through), getting into almost everything, the toothbrushes, toothpaste (our bathroom door doesn't shut properly at the moment), kitchen cupboards, opening the fridge (even though he can't get anything out) and this week even biting ouch. If we talk about baby crawls away and fake sobs so I think he may be a little jealous already??? ~ Susan

Well today has been a day of milestones for Ethan. We had noticed for a few weeks Ethan was telling us when he needed to do a number two so we thought it was about time to give it a go. We gave him a few trys the other day but to no avail but when he started grunting today on he went and no number two but he did his first wee on the potty. We gave him heaps of praise which he loved but not enough to wait a bit longer for anymore today. Our other milestone today was moving into the big boy bed. I finally got into the little guys room and moved all their toys out again (will reinstate the no toy rule for their room) and removed the excessive ironing pile off the potential bed. I washed all the boys sheets, blankets, doona's and covers and freshened up a set for Ethan so now I have three Winnie the Pooh doona's in the room and it looks much better without Caleb's evergrowing stash of toys. I was going to wait until tomorrow to put him in but when he went down before Martin took him into the "new" bed and there he is. Have put the cot mattress down on the floor beside him in case of a mishap but let's hope all goes well. As for bubby it is 12 weeks from today and counting until my c/s and it feels very close right now. I am panicing about getting our room sorted out and washing all the baby clothes and things up on time. I am literally huge now and can feel the weight of my belly especially after working a shift or two at work plus my sciatic nerve also plays up bad after a shift at work. I had my glucose tolerance test last week so see the ob tomorrow when I will get the results. Anyway better go have been on my feet sorting out bedrooms till late this evening and I need to put my legs up and maybe watch some tv (me watch tv??? yep lol). Night, Susan

Well I have hit the halfway mark already and hasn't it gone fast. My very special friend bought me two 0000 all in ones for the baby which kind of hit a nerve and made me realise that yes we are going to have another baby and maybe I should start looking too lol. Went down to David Jones and Pumpkin Patch yesterday and saw some of the cutest things BUT I didn't and don't want to find out what we are having so I can't really buy anything without it being a waste of money. If it's a boy I'm all for gorgeous baby blue clothes and if it's a girl well we would just have to have pink so I bought nothing. I have even been scouting around ebay just wondering if maybe I should try my luck at guessing but ???????. I'm pretty sure a guess at a boy would be spot on but what if ??????? you never know it could be a girl. So tired last night after shopping then cooking tea I went to bed early but none of that tonight I'm working till 11-15 so probably won't hit the sheets till after midnight. ~ Susan

It's been ages I know. Will come back one day and update on the scan. I have now put on at least 8kg and certainly have one huge tummy going here. Indigestion started right on fifteen weeks (seems early to me), with the morning sickness gone now I am hungry (a lot). I have been in the kitchen cooking way more then when I'm not pregnant that's for sure. My next scan is on the 2nd of June and I will see the ob the same morning. Right now though I am so worried because I haven't felt this baby kick. Just before my last appointment at nearly 14 weeks I had felt the occasional bubble but I sit and I sit and can't feel a thing. I lay in bed at night just waiting for any sign of movement and nothing. I know my placenta is anterior again so could have something to do with it plus bubba was very content on the scan and lay there with his/her legs crossed but c'mon I need to feel movement. My little sister is due ten days behind me and already has one little footballer kicking away. ~ Susan