It's been a while...

Since my last post, that is. But for good reason. Actually, no good reason other than being busy but it does mean I have more to babble about.

Monday week ago was D-day as far as the RatBag's future is concerned. Thankfully we settled by consent and now we have some detailed orders in place, and that means one court case out of 2 is DONE! Hooray! As part of our agreement, the RatBag goes to HeEx for half of the school holidays in a week-about fashion, so he was dropped off last night and will be there until 2pm Christmas day. That's hard to swallow, but I want him to have a quality relationship with his father, and vice versa. Besides, in our agreement, I get him for his first day of Prep!

On Thursday I caught up with one of my close friends from high school, and she's pregnant with her first due a week after me. She has a doppler, so the kids got to listen to BellyBub's heartbeat in our lounge room, very cool! Then we had a midwife appointment and everything is going swimmingly. Phew, at least something is going smoothly now!

Sunday my uncle and aunty and their kids (identical twin girls, same age as Little Miss and an almost 2 year old little dude), who live down south, are up for Christmas, so we caught up and had a BBQ yesterday which was fantastic! Last time I saw my uncle and aunty was on their wedding day back in 2003 - so meeting my little cousins and watching them play with my kids was excellent!

I can't believe we didn't take any pictures, but I did take a 20 week belly shot - excuse the crappiness, my camera is dead so phone was my only option.

Whoo hoo, halfway!

The count down to Christmas is on, thank Christ I've actually finished my shopping and won't be rushing around last minute like I tend to do. Go me.

He's definitely got balls.

Today I had my morphology scan. Although I've had 4 prior scans, seeing your little baby wiggling about on that screen never gets old. In fact, I could sit there all day and watch in awe!

We got confirmation that BellyBub is a boy, but it was blindingly obvious at my emergency scan at 13.5 weeks, so I was not surprised. For those of you who don't know, I desperately wanted a girl - but that was not meant to be and I'm glad I've had the extra time to adjust to the little boy bits growing inside me. Great news also that everything is measuring to date, with some measurements up to a week ahead, so all in all a fantastic result. He was quite wriggly and very compliant, allowing the sonographer to measure everything. The only thing I found strange is that she didn't get a Crown-Rump length, so I'm unsure exactly how big BellyBub is. Oh well, I know he's the picture of health and he's having a party in my tummy tonight, so what does it matter?

Presenting.....BellyBub!

Things are coming along nicely

I've been quiet for the past few days, which is very unlike me and I anticipated to post at least every 2 days, but I started writing and realised a few times that it was wayyyyy too boring and would have made your eyes bleed so I decided to DELETE.

Sunday was a glorious day - starting off with a sleep in, followed by beautiful buttermilk pancakes with berries and ice-cream thanks to TheMan! I only wish I had have taken a picture so I could share with you the deliciousness!
We then just chilled as a family, and went and had lunch at the Outlaws (Dave's parents), my brother-in-law, my sister-in-law (and confidant, haven't thought of nicknames for them yet, watch this space) and their 2 kids MiniMan and Lala.

Yesterday brought with it a very important document I've been waiting a couple of weeks for, pertaining to TheRatbag and our Court fiasco involving him. Lets just say, this document held exactly the news I wanted to hear (and more!) and I couldn't be happier, but definitely not too cocky. Now it needs to translate into Orders at the hearing on Monday - hopefully the last so we can get on with our lives and continue to get prepared and excited for him starting Prep in January!

Speaking of which, today's excitement was receiving TheRatbags' class list, teacher and class room for next year. I've had him practicing his teacher's name and class name. He is very excited to have some of his friends from pre-school in his class, and also the prospect of meeting lots of new friends.

On this rainy day, I've spent it doing bits and bobs of housework, trying to keep TheRatbag entertained, and drafting legal documentation. Luckily, I actually LIKE drafting said corro, and I best get as much practice in considering my career goal is to become a kick-ass barrister! I will not be sorry to see the end of the process though personally, and I think my experience will bring empathy to the profession that someone who has not been through it cannot give.

Fast approaching 19 weeks and have my morphology scan this Saturday morning, I love seeing BellyBub so I'm looking forward to it.

18 Weeks

It's beginning to look alot like...well, you know.

Yesterday marked 1 December - the magical day that the Christmas tree gets put up, and we finally accept that it's happening all over again! Am I the only one who thinks that Christmas paraphernalia is creeping into stores earlier and earlier every year? It gets the kids all over excited way too early, and leaves me trying to explain that Santa isn't coming for a long time yet! I swear they do it just to cause us parents grief.

I took the kidlets for their Santa photo yesterday, here's the result:

I bought each of them an advent calendar, and while LittleMiss gets it, TheRatbag asked me at least 3 times if he could eat number 2 yet. *Sigh*

Then we put the Christmas tree up...

Voila!

I've noticed it lacks in the tinsel department compared to my friend's trees, but what it lacks in tinsel it makes up for in BOWS! Oh, how I love bows!!

Patience - not something I possess

I am impatient. There, I said it. I've been on hold to a certain Government agency for 14 minutes and counting, and I'm ready to throw the phone with it's stupid music, through the window.

I have alot of things I'm waiting "patiently" for at the moment - The RatBag to come home, my official uni offer, the email saying which class TheRatbag will be in next year, my morphology scan, court date, finishing work, Christmas, all in the next few weeks. I know come the New Year it will have felt like I blinked and all of these things happened, but that doesn't stop me from wanting everything to happen now!

Having gone down to 2 days a week at work, I am happy to be spending more time at home, tending to the "housewifely duties" as I like to refer to them, and not having to endure 3 hours of public transport on a daily basis. Actually being a part of the weather instead of watching in through a window is lovely too - my office has a great view but what's a view when you can't actually feel it?

LittleMiss came home today - after having no children for 3 nights, it's really wonderful to have a little voice in the house, and it always makes me laugh when she comes home and has to "check" how big my belly has gotten, then the subsequent "Whooooah". Very cute!

Speaking of, here is the latest shot of the belly in which BellyBub resides:

17 weeks - no, just one, I swear....

I got through to the abovementioned Government agency after 24 minutes....that's 1 minute better than last time, WHOO! 

The nuts and bolts of it

So here I am - joining the world of the "mummy bloggers"; never did think this day would come but I'm way too lazy to hand-write a diary, and I loooove to keep records of everything so I guess it was inevitable.

I am in no way witty or funny like other mummy bloggers I follow, or here to entertain anyone as such (if you find what I write entertaining, that's a bonus). I just want an outlet in which to document this craziness my family and I call life. Maybe some of you will relate, maybe some of you will find our disfunctional yet functional family amusing, sad, wonderful - that's all for you to decide. But as long as I have something to say, I'll post about it.

So, with that out of the way, here's a brief history of who you'll (if there is anybody) be reading about:

Me:



Hungover, cos that's how I feel mostly when pregnant - and pizza in the background sums it up nicely.

Wow, I didn't think I'd sit there blankly for a few minutes not knowing how to decribe myself. 24, Mum of one, step-mum to another, and baking a 3rd due sometime in Autum 2012. I've just been accepted into Uni next year which I'll undertake part-time (nutcase, I know). I currently work for a global construction company doing admin, but finish up at Christmas time (yay!).

TheMan:

Doing what he does best!

31, amazing dad and step-dad to the kiddies, and he's obviously the one who helped create surprise #3. He's a jack of all trades but has a small business in the pool maintenance industry, and he is very good at what he does. He loves to fish, which I'm sure you'll hear about as we progress (he's currently out fishing!!), is a water baby and has a killer tan which my pasty ass is jealous of and hopes he passes onto BellyBub. He is the most simple yet most complicated person I've ever met.

LittleMiss:

One of the rare occassions she isn't wearing pink!

5, just finished Prep, lives with us 50% of the time. Loooong blonde hair likened to that of Rapunzel, huge blue eyes, caring soul who is always making sure we're all ok. LittleMiss is a bossy boots, she takes the role of big sister very seriously. Was a little devastated when she found out BellyBub isn't a girl, as she is all things pink and attends an all-girls school.

TheRatbag:

Suave.

4, starting Prep in 2012, lives with us majority of the time. Sandy blonde hair, sparkling blue eyes, an absolute boy's boy but ever so affectionate and sweet at the same time. Stubborn and strong willed like his mother, loves to annoy his step-sister endlessly, and is super duper excited to be having a baby brother.

BellyBub:

Will post a proper pic after the next scan

Currently 17 weeks gestation. This pregnancy was not planned, and hasn't been easy, with trips to the emergency department, low blood pressure causing fainting and zombie-like tiredness, but I'm feeling movements on a daily basis now so finally starting to believe that this is all actually happening. I reiterate that this was a SURPRISE baby, but very much wanted and loved - just a little earlier (at least 12 months) on the timeline than we'd pencilled in. Found out at 13.5 weeks at an emergency scan that we're expecting a BOY, absolutely no mistaking those balls, but will double check at our morphology scan on 10 December.

On top of all the excitement and joy we have in our family, we have 2 massive stressors - I will refer to them as SheEx and HeEx. Both TheMan and I are currently embroiled in custody battles with both She and HeEx, which makes leading a normal life even harder than what it tends to be when kids are living in 2 homes.

We're trying not to let all of that get in the way of leading a happy and fulfilled life, and are excited for 2012 to roll by! "Things can only get better" is the mantra I'm living by.

Shit, now that song will be stuck in my head all. fricken. day.