she's here...

After a surprising early water break (38 weeks) Zoe was born on Saturday after a speedy labor (around 1 hour). Eli and I rushed off to the hospital after mum arrived to look after the boys only to be a bit worried as no signs of contractions or labour had started. I was actually starting to panic I had gotten everyone worked up for a false labor. The nurse was deciding whether to send us home when she suggested maybe Eli and I take a little walk to see if anything happened first. Within about 10 minutes I was on the floor crawling up the stairs to get back into the delivery room, with Eli laughing all the way. Marti arrived as the contractions started to get more frequent and stronger and we were well into the swing of it within about another 20 minutes.
OK so if you haven't had a baby yet and think you are going to maybe you might skip this bit : )
I had Zoe pretty much drug free (a little gas which kinda freaked me out) and even though it was pretty quick from go to whoa, I have never experienced so much pain in my life. The boys were both induced under an epidural and this was a complete shock to me. Eli is now telling me at one point i was screaming out "HELP! HELP!, WHAT'S GOING ON?" which everyone found kind of funny as it seemed pretty obvious to everyone there what was happening except me. I think I was fully expecting to have my drug fix and ease my way through the labor and by the time I was in full panic mode and begging for some drugs it was too late. Anyway, in retrospect I am so happy I have experienced a natural childbirth, but I am so glad that will be my last.
We are all settling in pretty well here, I am still pretty amazed I have a little girl, and I am a Mumma of three... who would have thunk it. What a blessed life I have with my little family.

my beautiful family looking so happy at the wedding in june...

Saturday Night with Mart and Spidey...

We have been so lucky to have a steady stream of aunties and Nanas and Grandpas coming to visit so we don't get lonely while Dad is away. Mart came up tonight and the kids love having Spidey here. Spider is actually asleep on Kai's bed right now and it was the easiest Kai has ever gone to sleep... I can really see Kai wanted a dog at some stage in the future.
I made scrambled eggs for dinner which seems to be the one thing that the kids completely finish off with no crumbs left.
I was actually a bit worried because one of our chickens went missing tonight and I was out with the torch looking for her and finally found her on top of the chainlink fence around the side of the house, I think she may have flown up there and gotten stuck, I was really glad to get her back into the pen safe and sound... I love those chickens... and not just for the yummy scrambled eggs : )

friday night at our house...

Celeste and Owen came over last night for pizza. I was feeling pretty tired but was really glad for the company. The boys jumped around for a little while and then spontaneously took off their clothes and crashed out in a heap. I was a bit of a screechy Mum last night and now looking back at these photos see that the boys were just being boys and having a lot of fun... I think I'll try and lighten up a bit next time.

a little while between posts...

Last week Eli and I went out for dinner at this great Indian restaurant we have found and then onto Oscars for a drink. It was a great night, but I had started to really feel something brewing in my chest, a lot of coughing and wheezing. Anyway it was just really cold and I felt it intensely, but then ignored it, as you do. Next day at about 4pm I was hit with a fever and flu like a freight train, it was like a matter of 20 minutes, I was fine and then I was just not. Anyway, upshot is I spent the night at the local Hospital and it was all a bit scary. The nurses kind of rushed me through to a bed in Emergency after ready my vital signs and it was the very first time I have had an oxygen mast, which for me was pretty full-on. I usually wait this sort of thing out, but thought because of the baby I should be checked out and to have the nurses react so swiftly was a little alarming. Anyway, turns out I had a bacterial infection in my chest and "The Flu", whether it was swine flu or not I can't tell, apparently we all have it. But I have been recovering slowly but surely, mainly with the help of hubby and Mumma. Mum actually spent pretty much the whole week helping me out with the kids, she was a God sent and I really don't know what I would have done without her.
The boys are great, they were a bit confused, and even angry when I would hop back into my bed after a small spell of playing "Mum, you're not sick anymore" Kai would say. But I have to say a scare like that has made me realize how much I need to keep well and look after myself more, which when lying in a delirium I swore I would do, but of course I'm almost back to all my old bad habits, no slippers on cold tiles, sheer tops in arctic weather, chocolate breakfasts and bare feet outside in the rain, etc... as you do.

chillys in the hillys...

It's been pretty chilly this week. Lots of fires going at night and rugging up during the day. Eli got back on Wednesday and it's been great to have him back home again. He is adjusting to the cold and time difference, so he has been a bit dazed. The kids are pretty cute with him, they keep running up to him for a hug and kiss, It's like they keep seeing him for the first time. It just makes you realize how much of our comings and goings effect them... they absorb everything even if it doesn't seem like it.
I have been working a little, but also just putting a lot of time into the house. It's amazing how when it's cold you have to do lots of prep, make sure fire is ready for the night chill, make sure all beds have warm, fresh sheets, hot water bottles, hot chocolates... I must admit though, I kind of love it. I remember when I was young I would love to play nurse and make everything perfect for my sick patient, it's like that again... I love making all the small details around the house perfect for everyone. I warm PJs at night and set up fire so it only needs a match to go, I even love having dinner on the go before the kids get home so they can walk into the warm aroma. Anyway, this will all probably fly out the window once I'm knee deep in nappies and baby puke... but for now it's fun trying to be Carol Brady : )

funny little boy...

Liam has been talking so much these last few weeks... He is saying such funny little things, like "I love you darling" to his nanny. He always needs to talk on the phone whenever I am on it and is now able to say more and more. It's so fun to watch him develop, Mum keeps telling me to get the video camera out as we are really slack about videoing anything, I know she is right, it will all pass by in the blink of an eye... hmmmm, must remember to ask E where the camera is when he gets back.