Bachelorette...for a while anyhow!

We had a good weekend away, though it was nice to come home to the dogs and cats! Being a short week it was pretty busy at the office, and then having to fit in a blood test for my rash (no idea what it is, but hopefully they will find out soon) and then a yucky drink and blood test for my diabetes test - cross your fingers on that one please! I managed two aqua classes which were good, I am finding those the best way to exercise right now, and they do help a little with the insomnia which has been tough this week.

Rupert has gone to the UK for just over a week and I am missing him already, and Murray has headed off to New York to run the marathon for his 50th year, so I am solo mum to two dogs, four cats, two fish and an evergrowing baby bump. She's been very active, lots of jumping around and kicking, particularly at night. While the boys are away I am taking it easy though I do have to work over this weekend on month end. I've just sat down and written all my thank you cards from the baby shower - I just love going into the nursery and looking at all the cute wee things! I ordered the cutest drawer knobs - little bumble bees with pink wings, they will look sweet :-)

So, will report back when I have the results from the tests, and on Tuesday I have my first ante natal class so that will be interesting! So, 28 weeks is here, and it feels like the end of the pregnancy is almost in sight - but that will be start of a whole new adventure!

TGIF!!!

Friday! And a long weekend here in NZ - we are heading up to stay with my Mum at the beach. A couple of days of rest and relaxation, just what the doctor ordered. And Mum gets to check out my baby bump!

Speaking of the doctor, had my check up on Wednesday and all is good. Interestingly, they told me that they wouldn't get me go past 38/39 weeks due to my age - so that will bring the due date back to mid January. I am so not complaining! Things will start to get busy now with appointments - blood test next week for 28 weeks, including the dreaded glucose test for gestational diabetes - very much hoping to pass that one. Then a scan at 30 weeks and again at 32, plus obstetrician appointments every 2 weeks. Oh and fitting in a visit to the naturopath, and then from 35 weeks weekly appointments with the midwife and obstetrician. Gah! I am going to need to go down to part time work just to fit it all in - that will happen in November.

Mostly I am feeling well. Reflux is definately my major problem, and mylanta helps. I've had a few very disturbed nights with reflux, a sore hip and aching leg and baby kicking, so last night wore myself out at aqua class and slept through the whole night. Bliss! Walking seems to aggravate the pain in my thigh from baby sitting on a certain nerve - after a walk it feels like my thigh is on fire. Very painful! The rash is still there, but seems to be fading - apparently I have to have another blood test next week for that as well. I guess all those IVF blood tests are good training for this!

BUT isn't it wonderful? Six months today, 27 weeks tomorrow. Baby is around 35cms from head to toe, and her heart beat is strong and sound. She is active and wiggly and certainly lets her Mum know she is there! I even felt her head and foot at my doctors appointment! So, a few physical aches and pains are NOTHING compared to how excited I am :-) She even gave her Daddy a really good strong kick the other night. Wait till I show her how to tickle him when she is big enough!

Ready to drive home...

Yes my car is a station wagon! And yes - it was completely full!

To all those from C and C who may be reading this - thank you SO much! I may not have mentioned you by name, but you are all on the roster for babysitting duties! I'll miss seeing you every day, but I'll still be around.

For the rest of you - milestones coming up are another doc's appointment tomorrow, six month milestone on Friday (whoop whoop) and then a quiet weekend with hubby at my Mum's place.

Some of the team

Packing up the car!

To my left holding the pink balloon is Aasta - her new career definately needs to be party planner, she is wasted on accounts!

More baby shower!

Just one of the many beautiful gifts!

The baby shower!!

I work for a wonderful company. In the five and a half years I have been with them I have made so many good friends and shared some really fun - and sad - times. I have an awesome boss who has been so supportive over the years, as well as worked my butt off! My co worker and good friend, Aasta (aka as mini-me) organised the most beautiful baby shower. I was sooo nervous! Especially as one by one folks left the office for appointments - with little grins on their faces!

Soon it was time to follow my replacement, Victoria, to the secret location - a lovely venue at the squash club overlooking the lake. Decorated beautifully (in pink of course) with a gorgeous afternoon tea and all of those who could make it from our various offices. And was I spoiled? Oh yes! This wee girl is going to be the best dressed bub this side of LA - and what was lovely was not only the clothes, but the practical gear as well - teething rings, a baby sling, oh all sorts! The presents just didn't stop coming.

My boss Martin (honorary female for the afternoon) was there too, and he and his lovely partner Kim gave me the most gorgeous cot quilt, sheet and bumper set. There were so many beautiful gifts I would hate to single any out - suffice to say that my car was full of balloons and presents for the drive home. I even managed not to cry (too much) and am looking forward to some quiet time in the nursery sorting and finding homes for all the wee things. And Annette organised games (use a ribbon to guess my waistline was rather interesting as most were way bigger than I am really). And the vouchers from one of the offices for mamma massages couldn't have come at a better time!

So, all in all, I was extremely spoilt - will post some more photos so you can get an idea of just how special everyone made me feel :-)

Baby's room

Yesterday after taking the dogs to Wag n Walk (lots of fun, dogs are still recovering) we fit in a visit to the furniture store. We bought the chest of drawers and bookcase - they match, the colour is just a bit strange in the room! I'd already got the change table in white as well, and the cot is whitewashed, so right now the room looks a bit neutral! Planning on a bright rug, some wall art (maybe her name in big pink letters) and once we have sheets etc on the cot and a foam pad on the change table it should be good. The chest of drawers has one wee stretch and grow in it, plus some blankets and sheets I was given, so I need to start thinking about what else I need. Months yet though right?

Must admit to a few tears - setting up the bookshelf especially. The teddy bear on the top right hand side is mine from when I was 6 years old and we stopped in Sydney on the way to New Zealand. 37 years later I finally get to give it to my daughter. Same with the books - they were ones I loved as a girl, and I've always wanted to be able to share them. I know it will be a while before she will be reading them herself, but I read and talk to her now and I don't think it really matters what the material is :-)

Yesterday we also visited the hospital to see where it will all happen in roughly 14 weeks. It all looked fine - especially the tubs! Am looking forward to those...and I guess the rest of it will happen how it happens! No point worrying about that now :-)

It was a tough week at the office last week - we had a major burst pipe which took out the phone system - I managed to save the server from the downpour! So our financial team is a little behind - we have three computers linked directly to the server and using a vodem for internet access so I think this week is going to be a little interesting - I certainly won't be able to work full time as I currently don't have a computer!

What I am nervous/excited about is the email I got from my co worker Aasta on Friday afternoon - telling me to be ready to follow another co worker on Monday afternoon to a secret location for my work baby shower. I've never been to a baby shower - and certainly not my own! I'm terrified...hehe. They are such sweethearts. I'll tell all about it in the next post...time to go rest up a little, been busy all day sorting the baby's room and heading off to our lovely neighbours for a cool spa and takeaways tonight!

Today's scan

Today was my 25 weeks and 3 day scan - otherwise known as "the aged mother is paranoid" scan. I just couldn't wait till the next scheduled scan at 30 weeks - I know she is growing, but I wanted to be sure she was still on target and everything was looking good.

She is. It is. She's still measuring about a week ahead, and everything looks just fine, single umbilical artery and all. Estimated weight is .929 kilos - so nearly the big 1 kilo :-) She is active and beautiful and healthy and ours.

On a day when New Zealand cried for the loss of the little Aisling I really really needed this confirmation. My heart goes out to the Symes family and I hope that they can find some peace now that she has been found.

Twenty Four Weeks!

It's been a big week - Rupes got home on Monday, so lovely to see him and have him home again. We had a work function on Wednesday, and Thursday night I did my first deep aqua class - it was great, harder than I thought it would be but felt nicely weary and tired when I got home. In addition to all that work has been crazy busy, so it's been a balancing act between getting done what was needed to at the office and still getting enough rest at home.

Baby girl is active! Am loving it...feeling her moving just gives me a thrill and it's neat to lay there (or sit there) and feel her kicking around or moving positions. Such a reassuring and exciting feeling - to know that she is doing well inside me and soon she'll be out to say howdy. Well. Maybe she won't say that for a while, but the time to wait is starting to feel really short. Only something like 16 weeks to go!