Mitch & Harry's big day... and Robin & Rachel's too...

Mitch and Harry were very fortunate to be part of their uncle's (my cousin's) wedding yesterday. It was a lovely wedding and despite the blazing heat the bridal party looked wonderful. Rachel the bride looked serene and beautiful and Robin just glowed with happiness.

Many months ago the boys were asked to participate as page boys and so yesterday they were dressed in their finery and helped celebrate this special occasion. When we initially explained the concept of a wedding to the boys and their role, Mitch became quite distraught and it was only after a big cuddle that he confessed "But Mummy I don't want to marry Rachel. I want to marry you!". After reassuring him that Rachel was not seeking his hand in marriage he agreed to be a page boy.

It took a lot of convincing for them to get dressed - especially as long-sleeved white shirts and bow ties are not their standard outfits - but the effort was worth it. And after posing for the photos they were whisked away to Maccas by Auntie Pat (our only Angel) and home to recuperate from the stress of behaving for so long!

As for Master Jackson he only dozed on and off but was a consummate reception guest (he even had his own tiny place card)...

Sorry it has been so long between posts - promise to post again soon :-)
Wishing each and every one of you a joyous New Year,
Lisa xx

Today I turned 41!

Morning started with Kev sleeping in and then taking off in a hurry - and forgot to say "happy birthday". Then one of my dear friends came over and brought a cake and the boys helped her decorate it - which was lovely. The hot weather really limited us from doing much, so we watched the boys play and tried to settle Jackson.

Poor Jack had a rough day - which coincided with a visit from the CYH nurse who was fabulous! She took ages with us and thinks that I am overfeeding him because I have such a huge supply and because he seems to want to feed so much. She said this also is happening at the same time as the notorious 6 weeks stage when babies are becoming a lot more alert and are often unsettled... couple that with the heat and it explains our recent rough patch. So was advised to move him into his cot - a lot more air circulating about than with a basinette, stretch out feeds to 3 hourly as he is clearly not dehydrated (he demonstrated this by weeing on her shirt) and propping up the cot to help with his reflux. At present (even with the basinette propped up) you can actually here the reflux and he starts coughing and choking. Poor little mite has just cried and cried today. Best thing is that the nurse will be back on Monday to check on our progress and will if necessary book us into a day stay program.

So after all of this and a 39 degree day with two increasingly grumpy boys I have demanded take away for tea.

And what better way to celebrate (?) getting older than a few Maxine cartoons :-)



Hugs

And life goes on...

Our precious baby boy is almost 6 weeks old and it is hard to imagine life without him. He certainly has made his presence known over the past few days as he prefers to be continually held... which is okay when your doting Grandpa is visiting from QLD, but difficult when Mummy & Daddy have chores to do and two big brothers demand some attention too! Nevertheless he is a delight :-)




We have just had the most wonderful week with Kev's Mum & Dad visiting from QLD. They rented a cabin close by and took the boys out and about most days. And just to make it even better the boys had sleepovers with them too. This gave Kev & I some much needed alone time - although a certain young man didn't give us much time (grin). The boys adored having Norm & Iris here and today they have both commented how much they love them. It is really special to see such a bond developing between them. And norm must go down as the doting grandparent of the year!!! Jackson only needed to squawk and Grandpa was there for a cuddle and some kind words. We may need to send Jackson up in a postpack for a visit every 2 weeks so Norm can get his baby fix :-)



Apart from that the big news is that boys are starting some school visits in preparation for next year. They had their first visit this week and were so excited! The older school children really took them under their wing and it was lovely to see both boys confidentally playing in the playground with their new found friends. So next thing is to buy their uniforms and school bags in preparation for the big transition.

As for me - I am looking forward to a visit to a craft show tomorrow with my friend Mandy - some retail therapy should be just the ticket.

Love to all,
Lisa xx

My beautiful boys

Mitch and Harry adore their little brother as these pictures clearly show. The only danger is that Jackson could be loved to death (grin). They are so protective of him and are so proud too. It really is a very special time for our family.

Hugs,
Lisa xx

Computer genius

In amongst the constant nappy changes, breast feeding and no sleep I manage to spend some time scrapping - thanks Kev :-)

Here is my latest layout of Harrison with the computer - he really enjoys spending time playing his alphabet and number games...



Hugs,
Lisa xx

Photos...

Just had to share some of our recent photos...

At home with three boys...

Life is good!

Mitch and Harry have a mild cold, but are otherwise well and are so kind and gentle with their little brother. Mitch keeps asking to kiss Jackson's hands - and give him "very gentle cuddles Mum". He is needing a bit more Mummy time so I have started asking him to bring a book into the bedroom and snuggle up next to me whilst I feed Jackson. That way I can read his book and talk with him, whilst he who must be obeyed has a feed. Mitch has been having angry outbursts about minor issues - I think partly because he is tired (coughing a lot at night), but also because everything has changed in his little world. I certainly won't tolerate bad behaviour, but I understand it. So we are going back to basics with the visual schedule, early bed times and lots of reinforcement of good behaviour. He is still my sweet Mickle Pickle - and I have to stop myself from laughing as he stomps off to his room and slams the door! So reminiscent of my own childhood behaviour, when I would go and throw myself on the bed after arguing with Mum and Dad. The only thing was that being not the most coordinated of people I would often roll off the bed and hit the floor (grin).

Harry has coped with this huge change a lot better than I thought he would - he is actually coping better than Mitch. He is extremely protective of Jackson and runs to tell me each time he hears Jackson cry. He is also extremely understanding of the time I need to spend with Jackson. This surprised me because he has always been extremely dependent on me - but it seems my Harry Koala is growing up! He is happiest when he is helping and loves to help me with Jackson. And sweetest of all he gave Jackson his favourite little toy puppy - but Jackson "asked" him to take care of it for him until he was a bit bigger. He still has his upsets - but no where near the meltdowns we experienced 6 months ago. With a few calm words he seems to be able to settle himself down and tell me what is wrong. This morning for example he ran sobbing into our room - it turned out that Daddy had told him he couldn't wear a certain t-shirt because I had laid it out for Mitch (the night before). There was much male angst in the Reid household for a few minutes until I realised that Harrison remembered I had told him that he was going to wear two t-shirts (one long sleeved and one short sleeved) and he thought he was supposed to wear Mitch's one! A moment later he was happily getting dressed and headed off to child care.

I am so proud of my older boys and their loving attitude to the little interloper in their midst :-) I am sure the three boys will be best of friends as they grow up.

Best news of all is that last night Jackson slept for long periods and I managed to get some sleep - the world sure is a brighter place when you feel rested :-)

Love to all,
Lisa xx

Home with our sweet baby boy...

Today I finally came home with our sweet baby boy - it was so wonderful to just walk out of the hospital with him in our arms. He has settled straight into his routine of feeding, cuddling and sleeping - fingers crossed he manages to sleep well overnight! Last night he insisted on feeding every hour for 5 hours - so today I am really tired.

Just happy to be at home with my boys. Mitch kept running up and giving me cuddles. He told me at least 10 times this afternoon that he missed me and Harry just seemed to want to hold onto me for a lot of the evening. It is a huge adjustment for both boys, but I am hoping that with the extra time Kev has on leave we will be able to establish a routine which works for us all...

Well time for another feed - love to all,
Lisa xx

Introducing...

Jackson Kevin Reid
Born at 1.52 pm by c-section
Weighing 3.2 kg/ 7lb 3 oz
Length 50cm
Family overjoyed at the safe arrival of our long awaited beautiful boy!
Mum doing well and still on cloud nine.
Dad at home recovering...

Heading into hospital...

Well after a long (thankfully) and eventful (not so thankfully) pregnancy I am heading into hospital today for two days of work up including steroid shots before our little man is delivered on Wednesday at 37 weeks. This pregnancy has been SO different and I am hopeful that our little man will only have a short hospital stay, although I realise that he will be in special care for a few days until his sugar levels stabilise (due to my gestational diabetes). I have been so grateful for the support I have received from friends and family, even though as my Dad says "this is the longest pregnancy in history!". I can't wait to share some photos of our precious surprise bundle with you all.

Hugs,
Lisa

Only four more sleeps to go...

... until we meet our baby boy.

The bags are packed...
The food is in the freezer...
Child care is organised...
Now I just want it to be Wednesday alreay :-)

Thank you to everyone for their love and support,
Hugs,
Lisa xx

Some scrapbook layouts of the September Challenge on S4L

These are my latest layouts - there was a September Challenge on S4L and I managed to complete each one. My favourite is of Harry wearing his Ben 10 Jarmies from Auntie Mary & Uncle Malcolm - thanks to Great Auntie Wendy for the fabulous photo :-)







Hugs,
Lisa xx

Coming up to 36 weeks and only 10 days to go!

It is hard to believe that we only have 10 days until we meet our beautiful baby boy. The nursery is all organised - had to swap our change table because the drawers were a bit funny, but the store were terrific and did a swap with a discount for our troubles yesterday. Now the change table is filled with tiny clothes. Kev fitted the kiddy board onto the pram - this means that Mitch will be able to just jump on and off the board when he gets tired. He would have fitted into a toddler seat, but we thought that a little more independence would be better for his ego :-)

The freezer is filled with meals - including the boys' favourites - Tuna pasta and Bolognaise sauce. Even Boadie our dog doesn't miss out because I have cooked and frozen dog stew for her. The house is as tidy as it is going to get - I mean the windows need a wash and sure the carpets could do with a shampoo - but I know my limits (at least I do at the moment!).

I have even found some time to be creative with some scrapbooking and card making. I don't know how much time I will get to do those things once the baby arrives! And as you can see the spring cleaning and organisation extends to the blog - I have tidied it up and changed the template - not much of a change, but I like it.

Well time for me to enjoy some solitude as Kev and the boys are out for a few hours. I may even get some more scrapbooking done.

Hope you have a great week,
Hugs,
Lisa xx

A sketch site for those of you who love scrapbooking...

One of the talented ladies on Scrapbooking 4 Less creates her own scrapbooking sketches - these are a great source of inspiration.

Check out her blog...
Jan's Sketches


Hugs,
Lisa xx

35 weeks and an overnight hospital stay...

Well I reached 35 weeks yesterday and just to make the day exciting I ended up in hospital with a hypertensive episode. I have been feeling completely exhausted for the past week and felt quite strange so did my BP at home and it was 180/110. Luckily my local GP was able to see me where my BP was 170/110. So off to the hospital for some monitoring - and they decided to keep me overnight for some monitoring. No signs of pre-eclampsia, although I have sowllen feet, hands and face... but my blood and urine tests are all clear. The baby is doing well and still moving about a lot. Was discharged this morning to my great relief - since I hadn't expected to be admitted I had no toiletries etc and felt yucky. So back home for a shower and then fell promptly asleep on the lounge for almost 2 hours.

So I now only have 1 week and 5 days before admission for steroids and then delivery in 2 weeks (on Sept 30th). I am so grateful that our precious baby has had this extra time in utero - so far 10 long weeks more than his big brothers. BUT I am looking forward to meeting him and finally feeling a bit better.





On top of all of this Mitch had his ear surgery just over a week ago - this was because the cartilage never properly developed in his ears and as a result his ears folded every time he put glasses on. Now an adorable 5 year old with an elastic strap on his glasses is very cute - but fast forward to when he enters that awkward teenage stage and we decided it would be best for him to have an op now. He really was incredibly brave - althought the stitches which cover the back of both ears must be uncomfortable to say nothing of the bandage he had to wear all of the time for a week! Now he is just having to wear the bandage each night.




And then... last weekend we finally had the boys' fifth birthday party at Hungry Jacks. It was a hot, dry windy day, but everyone braved the day and made it extremely special for Mitch and Harry. I was totally exhausted (and really just wanted to crawl into bed), but two beautiful little boys needed to celebrate turning 5 years old...

Mmmm... now I realise why I am feeling so very tired - maybe I should just climb into bed and stay there for the next 2 weeks...

Hugs,
Lisa

PS - please forgive the quality of some of the photos - discovered 2 little sticky fingerprints on the lens of my camera - seems one of the boys fancies himself as a photographer.

HUSBAND'S REVENGE - a very funny clip

Scrap the Boys

Check out this scrapping challenge site I came across the other day - it is for boys only layouts and some of the work is truly inspiring!

Scrap the Boys

I even entered my Nutella layout. I am thinking of entering a layout in the September challenge too. So check it out and place a vote for your favourite layout.

Hugs,
Lisa xx

33 weeks today...

I saw our OBGYN today and she informed me that Baby Reid is actually 2.5 kg (estimated) NOT 3.5 kg as the radiographer had previously told us. This is a huge relief (no pun intended) and means that our not so little man is growing at a steady rate and while he is big, he is not unusually big for his gestation (considering my Diabetes). Hopefully now I will be able to get some sleep. The past few days have been stressful as I was really worried that this sudden weight gain would be impacting on his health, but the doctor reassured me that our baby appears to be doing well.

The plan is still to deliver him on Sept 30th at 37 weeks and I will be given steroid shots for 2 days prior to help with his lungs. Because of the Diabetes he will need a stay in Special Care for breathing, feeding and probably jaundice, but hopefully he will be able to come home when I am discharged.

Taking a deep breath now and trying to enjoy this last month as we await the arrival of our beautiful baby boy,

Hugs,
Lisa

One of my layouts...

I love this layout of Mitch - very simple, but captures the concentration of learning to ride. The boys' Grandad was the one who finally got them to understand how to ride - even though I had to go inside because I was getting so worried they would fall or be psychologically harmed. Harrison in particular loves to ride and insists on doing so rain, hail or snow if we got to Grandad's place.

Hugs,
Lisa xx

Our not so little boy...

Yesterday we went for a follow up ultrasound to check on my ovarian cyst (which is being removed post c-section) and our precious baby boy. According to the technician the baby weighs approx 3.5 kg. This is on the upper limits of normal for 32 weeks and could be related to my Diabetes. My BP was also up, not surprising I suppose since I heard I am having such a big baby!!! So BP meds and Diabetes meds were adjusted. The good news is that our (not so) little man seems to be doing well.

The facial 3D shot is slightly obscured by his umbi cord and the fact he wouldn't cooperate (why doesn't that surprise me).

Hugs,
Lisa xx

I finally managed to do some scrapbooking!

Yes finally I have managed to get this addled brain working - I must be well and truly feeling better! Last night I made two simple layouts for the boys' albums. The plan was always to get their albums up to date before the baby arrives... but the best laid schemes of mice and men often go askew (as the saying goes). So I am just grateful that I can enjoy this creative outlet again :-)

Each layout has the letter from Santa the boys received on Xmas morning...

31 weeks pregnant - only 6 weeks to go

Well I am now 31 weeks pregnant (and one day) and we have only 6 weeks to go to my c-section! I am still finding it hard to believe that we will have a new baby in our home in a month and a half. Poor Kev is no doubt sick of me saying this and telling him every time the baby kicks. This is all just so new and after the worries of the earlier weeks it is lovely to realise how far we have come.

I saw our OBGYN yesterday and she commented on how well I have coped despite the medical issues (if only she knew) and how she had serious doubts in the early days whether I would make it past 28 weeks. She listened to the baby's heartbeat and did my measurements and was pleased with my progress. I LOVE this OBGYN she NEVER weighs you and is very matter of fact about everything and at the same time reassuring. I suppose another bit of good news is that I haven't gained much weight with this pregnancy (lets face it I had a lot onboard already) and so I am hoping after the baby arrives I may not need to drastically change my diet from my current Diabetic one. The only thing I have been craving is pasta! The serve you can have for a meal on this particular diet is tiny and I have been dreaming of fettucine puttanesca and a glass or two of shiraz!

Apart from that I am slowly recovering from the flu - not unwell, just really tired at times. The boys are also showing signs of fatigue with the extra child care sessions, but at this stage it can't be helped. When Kev goes on paternity leave we are going to reduce their child care hours right down so they get more of their beloved jarmie days. And then Kev's folks will be coming down from QLD for a week - so I am sure this will give the boys the energy boost they need :-)

Thank you to everyone who has been so kind to us - for the meals cooked, the child minding given and most of all for just being there. We truly appreciate it.

Much love,
Lisa

Mitch & Harry are 5 years old!

Today our beautiful boys turn 5 years old!

Hard to believe that this time 5 years ago two tiny struggling babies came into the world. Mitch born first weighing 660g and Harry born 1 minute later weighing 840g. And it was the beginning of a long struggle for survival.

Today two very excited little boys climbed into bed at 7am to tell Mummy & Daddy that they were 5 years old and "big boys".

We love you beautiful boys,
Mummy & Daddy

Swine flu...

Well it is official! After feeling absolutely dreadful with aches, pains, headaches, low grade temps, coughs and runny nose I went to the local ED as I couldn't get in to see my GP. They sent me to the major tertiary hospital because they were concerned about my BP and some swelling in my hands and feet. Ended up spending 3 hours in labour and delivery and just bfore I left they did a nasal swab. Today I booked an emergency appointment to see my GP as I still wasn't feeling any better - and he confirmed that I have Swine Flu. So I have started on Tamiflu.

This has all been extremely stressful (as you can imagine). BUT the benefits of the medications are widely reported to outweigh the risks. One fortunate aspect for me has been that despite my symptoms my temperature has never gone above 38.1 and that my lungs are clear - the two most significant risks for mother and unborn baby being very high temps and secondary bacterial infections. The other is that I am a fair way along with the pregnancy - 30 weeks tomorrow and therefore this should not affect the baby's development in any way.

Spent a fair bit of time on the phone with the hospital registrar today and he was very reassuring. So now it just a matter of getting over this illness.

Here is a link for anyone who is interested on the current CDC guidelines for managing Swine Flu in pregnancy...

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/clinician_pregnant.htm

Hugs,
Lisa

29 weeks today!!!

Today we reached 29 weeks with no sign of Baby Reid arriving soon. He is certainly making his presence felt and loves to perform his gymnastic's routine especially at night. It is such a comforting feeling to know he is moving about - although I imagine as I get closer to 37 weeks it may be more forceful. Today I packed his bag for the hospital - I honestly am not really sure what to pack as the boys came so early and it was at least 3 months before they could fit into any clothes. But I have packed his little clothes and some odds and ends. In the next week or so I will pack mine - must get some nighties which are modest. Kev is still scarred by the vision of a mother (not me) in NICU who was rather large and wore sleeveless nighties and no bras. Let's just say it didn't leave much to the imagination!

Apart from that we are plodding along. The boys and I have another cold - nothing serious, but when you can't take anything stronger than a Panadol and you spend half the night heading to the toilet it can be rather fatiguing. Today I did my chores before midday and ended up falling asleep for several hours. Not really feeling any better now, but if I spend the evening in bed I definitely won't sleep tonight.

Well, here's hoping that the next few weeks pass easily - only 8 more weeks to go :-)

Hugs,
Lisa xx

28 weeks...

Just a little post to let you know that I am now 28 weeks pregnant and at this stage everything looks to be going well. Okay, well I could do without the high blood pressure and diabetes and all of the meds...BUT the baby is growing well, moving a lot and shows no signs of arriving early. I saw the OBGYN today and she has scheduled me for a c-section on Sept 30th - when I will be 37 weeks. The reasons for delivering a bit earlier and by c-section are mainly due to my existing pregnancy issues and the fact that if they let nature take its course, then there could be increased risks for the baby (and me). At this stage it is predicted that our little baby boy will go to Special care for anywhere up to 3 days while they stabilise his blood sugar levels, but hopefully when I go home so will he! The hospital even offers a boarding room (in the ward) where I take care of myself, but can stay for several days if our baby needs extra time. During the c-section the doctors are also going to remove my right ovary with the troublesome cyst and perform a tubal ligation ( we are happy with 3 beautiful boys). So I imagine that I will be staying in hospital for about 7 days - 2 days before the c-section and 5 days after. BUT if I make a speedy recovery I am sure they will happily discharge me earlier :-)

We are organised and are now just counting down the weeks. The nursery is decorated and ready for its new occupant. I have managed to purchase lots of cute tiny clothes (probably too much but who cares!). And last weekend I went out with my beautiful friend Pat and my beautiful sister in law Kelly and purchased a divine red pram and a change table. So it feels like we are as organised as we can be at this stage. Those of you who know me well won't be at all surprised to learn that I even have two lists stuck to the nursery door with things I need to bring to hospital for me and for our baby boy. Now here's hoping he is just as organised (grin).

Hugs to all,
Lisa xx

My latest scrapping layouts...

A couple of weekends ago I was lucky enought to go away with a group of girlfriends for the weekend. There was lots of eating, lots of shopping and a little scrapbooking thrown in for good measure. Here are some of the layouts I finished...









And here is the close up of the paper piecing Koala...