The last few months

You know, I used to think I had a handle on it. But boy oh boy, six kids are hard to keep track of :) So, the end of this year, Christmas included was crazily unorganised for me. But hey, it all got done in the end.

November was Lukas 3rd birthday. I suppose the fact he doestnt cry at Happy Birthday means he is growing up. Obsessed with Toy story and Ben 10, I think he liked his birthday present….

Or maybe not…

( just kidding. Thats the ‘angry face’. He loved his police car)

We started December with school concerts in the church hall, end of year break-ups, and another disappointing raffle (19 prizes and we didnt win one!!!)

I continued to dress Eden in all things pink and frilly.

 

And she retaliated by learning to crawl (just in time to destroy the Christmas tree- which by the way is BLACK oooh new tree and I loved it!!)

Hey, shes learning! And…..

Whats that you can see (apart from the ‘thats enough photos’ face?)

 

Yep, its teeth! Two teeny tiny perfect pearly white baby teeth.

* so, while I am here, and also, posting her birth story soon ( she will be one in just a few weeks!) a health update.

Eden is finally caught up on her immunizations (she was delayed because of a chest infection when she was due for her 4 month needles) She is just over 16 pounds, which is low (off the scale my tiny monkey!) but steadily gaining. The doctor is referring us to a paediatrician at her next visit (12 months) just to check out her weight and development.

Eden also sees a physiotherapist every 6 weeks, she is doing well, reaching all her milestones (she only had trouble with rolling) and she has another appointment in two weeks.

She also sees the hospital doctors once a year until she is 5, she has another appointment in February.*

And then, Christmas! An all time grand total of 19 people fed! And about 1200 photos haha. Edens first Christmas. The kids all were spoilt rotten again, and Luka terrified of Santa, but all in all it was a great day, spent with family and friends, surrounded by children, and a ute load of rubbish!

So, late as usual, but 

Merry  Christmas and Happy New Year

love from everyone at Chapman Crazyhouse xxx

( the crazyhouse also now includes a bird, 2 blue-tongue lizards and soon, something little and fluffy!!)

**as promised, next year I shall return with a vengance! I cant wait to catch up with my over-the-ocean mates ( Kimber watch your mailbox my lovely!) **

A boys gotta do

When its the start of summer,

and stinking hot,

then it starts to storm,

a boys gotta do,

the only thing there is to do.

Whats that you ask?

Why, jump on the trampoline ,

in your underwear,

of course.

What?

Youve never tried it?

Well,

Luka fully recommends it!

 

*the haircut however- i fondly call it the ‘Barney Rubble’- is endorsed by no one in the family. Both boys had killer mohawks, then in the next school newsletter there was a note, “ Mohawks and similar haircuts are not permitted at school… blah blah blah ( yes i know its a wild haircut but come on, Jai is in PREP, and hes a good boy, and we only spiked it up once) so we just let them grow them out, hence the ‘Barney Rubble’… Not a good look, but I still reckon he pulls it off:)

My glorious riot of colour

(12 December 2010)

I am by no means a green thumb. Far from it. In fact, i may have invented the term ‘brown thumb’ just for myself. I kill plants. I dont know how, but no matter how hard i try, I kill them. (Luckily for us, Rani is in charge of the veggie patch). So, you will understand how surprised I was when this popped up in the garden.

Even more surprisingly. I didnt plant it.

 

When it first appeared , i thought it was a weed. Really. Well, come on, like i said, I didnt plant it.

Then it flowered. In September.

I looked at it, and the words ‘glorious riot’  just popped into my head.

Weird.

I thought about it.

Then it hit me.

My glorious riot of colour had appeared right where we buried my precious son. My precious son, who would have turned one in September.

And now I am becoming a , dare I say it, a green thumb. The garden is weed free and thriving,

and  when I am near my glorious riot of colour, I swear I can feel him.

Pulling weeds out from between the flowers feels like I am finally getting to take care of my third son, the son I missed out on.

I know he  sent us Eden, to help us heal, and you know what?

I think that this little bush represents everything my son could have been.

A spectacular, glorious riot.

Smitten

with my almost 11 month old….

And yes, i promised to blog more, and i will. But this year truly was about soaking up this girl.

This beautiful angel. I feel so blessed each and everytime i look at her.

Two teeth,crawling,getting into stuff,still a mamas girl.16 pounds!!!

I miss you guys,i really do. I mean, i really miss you! And next year, I shall return with a vengence.

But for now, its all about them

And her….

The headress

Well, what a week! Almost a flood, currently blowing a gale force wind. And the headress…

Oh my, almost as stunning as the tutu.

 

Let me tell you that we are all seriously infatuated with this girl… She has taken over our whole lives, and we love every minute!

I am so missing your lives…. And arent you so lucky… Ill be back tomorrow!!

Yes its me

Back, sigh… Damn computers and internet, so new computer, new internet connection, back. Well, i will share a big updated blog very soon (plus i think some overall blog facelifts are in order) but for now…

We initially started having no internet because hubby had no work ( something had to go) And even though i missed you all TERRIBLY, i started to enjoy having no internet, and the kids… oh my, the fighting has almost stopped, they COMMUNICATE with me again!! So yep, Im back, but to a limited 1/2 days a week.

All I want to say is that i am so happy with my family, and every time i look at that little bean I think of you all … we love you!!

Isnt she amazing!

So yep, I will return this time. I am so so so dying to catch up with everyone's blog. This will take forever! (I hope these pics publish for some reason i cant see them?)

Remember me????

Yep, we are back. New computer, new internet connection, I have missed you all SOOO much. I think about you guys EVERY time i look at my sweet precious miracle Eden. So, here i am, back again, hope you remember me! Prepare to be bombarded with my life again. Love you all, so glad to be back!!!!! I have about 4 billion blogs to read and write now:)

So blessed

To have all of you!!!

Yes, I have been so neglectful of my poor blog! Reading them, writing them, terrible all round! THE BIG NEWS…. Bean is home, has been home for 11 days to be exact. It was 26 days… 26 days I could not have made without all your thoughts, and prayers, and messages. I could never begin to thank you all enough xoxoxo

I am just so…. utterly, completely,obsessed :)

Cant put her down! I update more regularly on  my facebook page  ( if you have one, you can add me if you want!) but just have not blogged. Slack I know. I kept notes while bean was in hospital, and have been wanting to blog it, but have just been too distracted.

Wouldn't you be distracted by that  face?

Or that one?

*sigh* Bliss.   * Tutu from Kimber :)

So, forgive me for not blogging.

I have a very special reason:)

this made me cry… again..

 

as if 1 depressing post   wasnt enough…..

 

 

How Preemie Moms Are Chosen~*~
(Erma Bombeck)
Did you ever wonder how the mothers of premature babies are chosen?
Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth, selecting his
instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he
observes, he instructs his angels to take notes in a giant ledger.
"Armstrong, Beth, son. Patron Saint, Matthew.
Forrest, Marjorie, daughter. Patron Saint, Celia.
Rutledge, Carrie, twins. Patron Saint...give her Gerard. He's used to
profanity."
Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles.
"Give her a preemie." The angel is curious. "Why this one, God?
She's so happy."
"Exactly," smiles God.
"Could I give a premature baby a mother who knows no laughter? That
would be cruel."
"But does she have the patience?" asks the angel.
"I don't want her to have too much patience, or she'll drown in a sea
of self-pity and despair.
Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it.
I watched her today. She has that sense of self and independence so
rare and so necessary in a mother.
You see, the child I'm going to give her has a world of its own.
She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy."
"But Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."
God smiles. "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect She has
just the right amount of selfishness."
The angel gasps, "Selfishness?! Is that a virtue?"
God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally,
she will never survive.
Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect.
She doesn't know it yet, but she is to be envied.
She will never take for granted a spoken word.
She will never consider a step ordinary.
When her child says momma for the first time,
she will be witness to a miracle and know it.
I will permit her to see clearly the things I see--
ignorance, cruelty, prejudice--
and allow her to rise above them.
She will never be alone.
I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life
because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."
"And what about her Patron Saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in
the air.
God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."

I aint no MckMama, or the post in which i sigh. A lot…

Obviously, I aint no MckMama. You can tell this by my non-blogging.

I would like to be keeping a record of this time (or, maybe secretly I wouldn't) but am just ….ugh…. who knows.

*Sigh*

Some days I come home so happy, over something as little as *she had her 1st bottle* at 6:30am 2 days ago or something HUGE like

*we have breastfed for 3 days in a row, only for 10 minutes, but still so thrilling I cried*

or

she put on 60grams last night!!

But then she will vomit (bad apparently, and she always vomits up her vitamins) or my milk will dry up (seems to be ok now, but  stressful,which is bad,which makes me stress more)….

*sigh*

I am just all over the place. If I'm at the hospital, i feel guilty leaving the other kids, if I'm home i feel like I'm abandoning the bean.

*Sigh*

It has been 12 days. Yesterday, an open cot was mentioned….if…she gets her feeding sorted.

*sigh*

I heard the ‘staff assist’ buzzer today, and mourned my last few months of pregnancy.

*sigh*

I just want her home so badly

*sigh*

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Bean

My dearest baby bean,

We have waited for you for so long. So many people have thought of you, and prayed for you. Now you are here, I feel beyond blessed. Today, you are 1 week old. Happy 1 week birthday my angel.

I never thought I would know the meaning of things like

Nasal gastric tube

bolous feeds

what your bpm and sr should be

what your ‘stats’ should be

what your bilirubin level is

your ‘gestational age’ in reference with your ‘lb age’

this is killing me. seriously. I am beyond tired, weepy and crying all day. Seeing you is so wonderful, I never thought I could just sit, and watch someone , for hours. Never thought taking your temperature, changing your  foot probe, changing nappies  and feeding you with a syringe down your NGT would make me so happy. Never thought I would be so very excited that you were weighed.

(she is now 3.9 pounds, down from 4.4 pounds. They have upped her feeds and today she started pentavite along with the caffeine she gets daily at 12pm)

But this is killing me. Leaving you, I always cry on the way home. I know I am not getting enough sleep, but there is no way around it. And tonight, with your Daddy back at work, I feel as though I am abandoning you.

Today, I held you for almost 45 minutes. You opened your eyes, those big blue eyes. You are so adorable, and placid, I cold hold you all day.

We should be reaching milestones now, your first smile, your first longer than 20 minute sleep. Instead your milestones are measured by increases in your feeds, the turning off of the blue lights, and weather or not your alarms are going off.

This is killing me. My milk now ‘lets down’ at the exact time of your feeds, even at home. The breastpump is a cold substitute.

You are 35 weeks on Saturday. Maybe, just maybe, I will be allowed to try and feed you. Last night, you tried to eat your hand as it brushed past your mouth. I was thrilled!

Bean, I want you to grow,eat,get fat. I want to bath you and dress you and photograph you. But mostly I want to hold you. To sing to you, to dance with you, to sleep with you beside me. Hurry up, beanie. I miss you.

love , Mummy.

Im in love with that little bean!

Day 5.

Today I am on a high. It hasn't been like this since she was born (I've been a mess) … Leaving her is the most awful feeling. But seeing her is perfection.

Eden is now on 28mls of milk every 2 1/2 hours. On day 2, she was on 3mls, so a huge achievement! She hasn't been weighed or bathed yet, she is still solely in the humidicrib, but i am getting  a little cuddle a day, and it is absolute bliss. Im hoping she will be in an open cot soon, and I can bath her and hold her…

Today I farmed the kids out and spent the whole day with her. I am home for dinner, then will go back up tonight. She has jaundice today, so will be under lights for 6 hours , but otherwise she is doing great!

I know she is doing so well because of all your love and prayers!

We can never thank you enough!!!

THE BEAN HAS ARRIVED

Eden Elizabeth was born Wednesday night, after a placental abruption and emergency c-section. She was 6 1/2 weeks early, and is in special care. I wanted to let you all know she is here, and safe, and perfect. I am home, and a wreck. I have lots of photos, but will be back to blog later. I have been home for 2 hours, and am now going back to the hospital to be with her. thankyou all so much for all your love and prayers during my pregnancy, i can never tell you how much it means to me and the bean.

This girl

As we prepare for our last baby girl, our first baby girl is about to turn 13.

My firstborn, we learnt everything along with her. A pair of teenagers who knew nothing, yet somehow we still managed to raise a beautiful, well mannered (well, mostly-except for those teen angst moments), oh-so-special girl.

Who I guess I will have to start calling a young lady:)

I love this girl so much.

Guess???

what

we

got

for

Christmas (and finally assembled)

* yep, im quiet again. Its school holidays here, and really hot, hubby has just had his holidays and i have been so busy with well, life! I am missing you all ( you know that right?) so much! Kimber, i am about ready to switch phone company's just so I can text you, its very frustrating! Heres hoping ill get some blogging time in 2 weeks, when I will only have 1 baby home!! (well for a month or so anyway)

Beanie girl is doing great, kicking my ribs and making me pee 500 times a night! My bag is packed full of pink things and i cant wait to finally meet my miracle girl:) I am 33 weeks tomorrow!!!