Medical Guinea Pig

Using my authority as parent and legal guardian (and of course with the agreement of co-parent and legal guardian DeepSpice), I decided to enrol BallFiend in a research study to test out the new H1N1 (Swine Flu) vaccine.

The research team are recuiting about 150 kids across Melbourne. I saw an ad in the MX 'news' paper a few weeks back, and decided that as I was very pregnant, any chance to prevent BallFiend picking up the flu virus and then passing it on to me (or Thumper once bub is born) was probably worth taking. Plus there is the good karma earned through altruisticly furthering research in medical science.

So yesterday, after I had rushed around in the morning (return library books, grocery shopping and then attending a local breastfeeding meeting), I made it home just before 1.00 pm, in time for our appointment with the swine flu researchers.

A doctor, a phlebotomist and a nurse walked into a bar my house and BallFiend began his career as human guinea pig for science.

First, an anaesthetic gel was applied to BallFiend's arms to numb the spot where a blood sample would be taken. Then he mucked about while the gel took effect and I signed numerous consent forms. Next the blood sample was taken. Doctor Jenny distracted BallFiend by blowing bubbles while Judith the phlebotomist drew the sample. The gel must really work because BallFiend didn't even notice his arm had a needle in it.

I had mentioned to him earlier in the day that the doctor was going to come to our house and take some blood out of his arm. He has watched both DeepSpice and me have blood samples drawn before and seemed to find it very interesting, so he certainly had no sense of fear about this procedure... just interested. I asked him what colour he thought the blood would be and he said green (currently, his favourite colour).

When BallFiend saw the blood sample - a very dark purple colour - he said "it's black, not green!"

Next came the actual vaccination. He was busy watching his favourite TV show: 'the funny men' (or as it is officially known "The Upside Down Show") and not really paying much attention as his shoulder was bared for the jab. Then suddenly screams and tears as he felt the prick. He turned around to the doctor and said "I don't want it anymore!" while she tried to offer him a Disney-themed sticker. BallFiend has little interest in stickers, so this didn't really help much, but he was easily consoled when I offered him a chocolate cupcake. So although I'm sure it hurt a bit, it was probably more the shock than the pain that made him cry.

A few minutes later, he decided he did wanted a sticker and he looked over the sheet, trying to find one with a ball. Eventually he spotted one with Goofy playing with a basketball. But BallFiend only wanted the ball, not Goofy with it. So I handed him some scissors so he could cut the ball out. He did so, but got frustrated when he accidentally cut the edge off the ball. So then we had to find another copy of the sticker in order to obtain a whole ball. He insisted that I cut this one out for him and then he returned the Goofy part of the sticker to the doctor.

Next there was a 30 minute observation period, to ensure BallFiend didn't have an allergic reaction to the vaccine, and during this time, the nurse explained to me out to correctly fill in the various diary forms for the study. I was asked to note any pain, redness or swelling at the injection site and if BallFiend had an elevated temperature, vomiting/diahorrea, irritability or loss of appetite over the next 7 days.

Then the research team were on their way and I was left to get a weary but hyped-up BallFiend off to his cot for a nap. So far all was going well. BallFiend went off to sleep and I had a short rest too. Then did some housework and started making a pumpkin and ginger soup.

DeepSpice came home around 6.00 pm, and BallFiend's aunties, CutLuce and DesignerSis arrived to help me with final plans for his birthday party (to be held this weekend). After party planning and dinner, we got BallFiend ready for bed, took his temperature as required for the study (37.7 C), and bundled him off to the cot.

Around 9.00 pm, both DeepSpice and I were feeling worn out and ready for bed too, but our plans for an early night were interrupted with the sound of BallFiend crying and coughing. He was vomiting and thus began our long, long night! DeepSpice remade the cot with fresh bedclothes while I comforted BallFiend and we muddled around trying to work out what to do.
His temperature was now 40 C, so I stripped his clothes off and we gave him some water. DeepSpice rang the research team's number and left a message (we were instructed to let them know if BallFiend got a temperature above 39.5 C).

More vomiting. Time for Panadol... but then we discovered the bottle in the fridge was past expiry. So DeepSpice went to the local pharmacy to get some more while I continued to cuddle our dear, sick, little boy. He kept dozing off in my arms but being 8 months pregnant, I couldn't sit still in one position for long, and kept disturbing him every time I moved.

The panadol worked pretty quickly to reduce the fever and by about 11.00 pm, BallFiend's temperature had come down to 38.6 C, but he needed to be held upright to sleep because lying down seemed to bring on more nausea and vomiting.

We decided to set up the sofabed in his room so DeepSpice could sleep with BallFiend whilst leaning up against pillows (not something I was going to be able to do very easily whilst pregnant). I left DeepSpice and BallFiend and by midnight, I was tucked up in bed. I slept till about 3.00 am until I was roused by the sound of BallFiend vomiting again. This time it was mainly just dry retching - nothing left in his tummy. But he seemed to quickly improve - his temperature was down to 37.4 C and about 10 minutes after vomiting, he was saying he wanted to get up and kick a ball in the hallway! So I left DeepSpice to try and convince BallFiend that it was still the middle of the night and time to sleep!

I decided I needed an early breakfast before I went back to bed, then I slept for about an hour, but was woken up around 4.00 am due to a combination of very uncomfortable braxton hicks contractions and lots of squirming and somersaults from Thumper. Finally at about 6.00 am, I fell asleep again, only to be woken at about 7.45 am when BallFiend decided to get up and play. He was full of beans! No sign that there had been any dramas from the previous night. Not so for us, the long-suffering parents. DeepSpice had managed to sleep on and off through the night, sitting upright for quite a few hours and then eventually lying down after BallFiend was properly settled into sleep. We were both walking zombies.

Someone from the research team phoned at about 9.00 am responding to the message that DeepSpice had left the night before. I also got another follow up call around 1.00 pm. They had decided that BallFiend would not be getting the booster shot, which was planned for 3 weeks time. I was very relieved to hear this, as I don't want another night like the last one, especially not in the week that Thumper is due!

PS. The pumpkin soup turned out OK, but I burned the onions! Not a bad effort, all things considered.
--

My old bomb

Truth be told, our car is a bit of an old bomb. It's a 20 year old Toyota Camry wagon that we bought it in 2000 for about $8,000, after trading in DeepSpice's bright blue Mitsubishi van (which was even more of a bomb). At the time the Camry was in reasonable condition, with about 165,000 km on the clock. Now it has done close to 200,000 km. Even though the body is rusting, the suspension is crap, the upholstery is a bit grotty and generally, the car is old and tired-looking, I am generally very happy with it. It has a has very reliable engine and we get it serviced regularly to keep it that way. Our mechanic reckons it will run until at least 300,000 km, no worries!

It is due for service in September, around the time Thumper is due and DeepSpice and I have been deliberating about whether to get it serviced early... just to be sure that it is going to get us to the hospital when I go into labour. But of course, each week that we get closer to the due date, I get more and more reluctant to be without a car, even for a day. What if I go into labour early and the car is off getting serviced?!

Anyway, the decision was made for us on Wednesday...

I had just been to an appointment with the midwife on Wednesday afternoon, then I drove straight to creche to collect BallFiend. He has had a big week: on Sunday he got to hang out at home with DeepSpice while I went off to my baby shower; on Monday he had a playdate with MasterW (and his little sister LittleMissIz) while I went to a physio appointment, then he was dropped off to Gran and GrandPaul at about 1.00 pm for a 2-night stay (more preparation for when Thumper arrives). On Wednesday morning, BallFiend was dropped off at creche by Gran and GrandPaul (apparently to much protesting). So, I was eager to see my little BallFiend, and was pleased to get to the creche by 4.00 pm.

Then disaster struck!

I parked in the creche carpark, got out of the car and then noticed what looked like smoke coming out from under the bonnet. I backed away slowly from the car wondering what the hell I should do. The car was parked right next to the creche playground and if it was about to catch fire, kids would need to be evacuated out of the playground urgently.

An electrician drove into the carpark in his van and I asked him for help. He quickly established that my car wasn't about to burst into flames and that the smoke was actually steam. The radiator hose had got a hole in it and was spraying hot water under high pressure everywhere inside the engine cavity. The sparky put a rag over the leak to protect the alternator (fortunately I happened to have a rag in the car - either a sign that I really am a 'mum' now, or perhaps it is just a hang-over from my 'be-prepared' my days as a brownie and guide!). I waddled as fast as I could into the creche and phoned the RACV.

It was now about 4.15 pm and RACV said "a mechanic should be there in the next 20 - 40 mins". They took my mobile number and said they would text if there was a delay. Then I called DeepSpice and asked him to leave work ASAP to meet me at creche - if I was going to be walking home with a worn out nearly three-year old, I was going to need some help! Then I finally was able to say a proper hello to BallFiend, who gave the impression that he hadn't missed me at all for the past 2 days and was more interested in trying to throw his hat onto the roof.

About 30 minutes later (around 5.00 pm), I got a text advising that the mechanic would be another 80 minutes! So I rang back and gave the I'm-a-pregnant-woman-accompanied-by-a-small-child sob story. They said they would see what they could do.

DeepSpice arrived and a few minutes later another mum (who I know through our playgroup) arrived to collect her daughter. She offered me a lift home which I eagerly accepted! DeepSpice transferred BallFiend's car restraint into her car and we were home around 5.45 pm. Poor DeepSpice got to hang out in the carpark waiting for the RACV. Seems that my pregnant-woman plea worked though, as they came before 6.00 pm and DeepSpice arrived home with our car in a (temporarily) drivable condition around 6.10 pm. He was escorted by the RACV mechanic who said it was possible that the head gasket might be cracked due to engine overheating from the leaking radiator hose, and that if the car's temperature gauge rose suddenly to pull over immediately.

On Thursday morning, DeepSpice took the car to our regular mechanic to get a proper repair done on the radiator hose and luckily the mechanic could fit us in for a service at the same time. Our dear old bomb gave another sign that it is aging... on the drive there, the handle to adjust the wing-mirror broke! (At least it didn't wait until after we got it back from the mechanic!) Anyway, our mechanic fixed the radiator hose, serviced the car, said the head gasket seems fine and replaced the broken wing-mirror handle. The bill came to $345.00 (with $45 for the wing-mirror handle).

Not too bad... considering that VolubleK just had to get a computer chip in her Volvo replaced and it cost her over $800! And that is why I love my old bomb!
--

salmon

No I don't want any! I don't want any salmon!
I-don't-want-any-Salmon-can-I-have-some?

BallFiend watching DeepSpice open a packet of smoked salmon for dinner. (He then sat down and ate the salmon).
--

Pregnancy update: 33+2

Nearing the end now... just over 6 weeks to go! I finish up at work at the end of this week and I can't wait!!

Measurements at 33 weeks pregnant:

• Waist: 119 cm (was 114 cm at 29 weeks)
• Hips: 102 cm (not sure why, but this is 1 cm less than at 29 weeks... weird!)
• Weight gain: 10 kg (in truth, some of it is probably due to the chocolate teddy bear biscuits I have become addicted to!)
  

The bump is big, big, big! Though thankfully has dropped down lower, so I can breathe OK most of the time. Unfortunately it also means that Thumper is lodged right down low in my pelvis (a good position in preparation for birth but bloody uncomfortable for day-to-day living). I can't bend to tie my shoelaces. My abdominal muscles seem have abdicated so I have pathetically low core strength. Took me about 15 mins to push the trolley across the car park when I left the supermarket today! Basically, everything is a great effort - especially getting up from sitting, squatting or kneeling on the floor (something I seem to do quite often due to BallFiend being only 92 cm tall).

Current aches and pains:

• Still have the deep muscle soreness in my right gluteal muscle.
• Sacroiliac joint still aches.
  
• Still get the stabbing muscle pain, like a stitch on the lower right side of my belly, if I walk for more than about 5 minutes.
  
• Also get out of breath quite quickly, even after only mild exhertion.
  
• Ribs sometimes sore around the back, presumably due to being flared out to accommodate Thumper.
  
• Have had a few cramps in my feet.
• Kicks, prods and other movements by Thumper cause sudden, and sometimes painful, twinges at times.
  

I saw a physiotherapist today (after waiting for 2 weeks for an appointment!). Had some massage and got some stretches to do, plus some other tips on managing the pains:

• use a heat pack on sore muscles;
• walk on smooth, soft surfaces eg. grass rather than the footpath;
• use a lumbar support cushion when sitting;
• minimise walking;
• do stretches daily (in particular, on hands and knees do the 'cat' stretch (arching back) and a 'hip-to-shoulder' sideways stretch);
• when standing, shift my weight to the centre of my foot (rather than having it forward on the ball of my foot) as this activates the core muscles and will help take the load off my sacrum;
  
• could try water therapy - eg. walking in a pool;
• keep knees together (or as I put it to her 'be more lady-like'). Eg. swivel with knees together when getting into or out of a car;
• Sleep on left side with a pillow between my knees (I already do!);
• Wearing low-heeled, soft-soled shoes, eg. runners.
  

Nocturnal interruptions

• On a bad night, I wake approximately every hour. There is no comfortable position anymore. Mainly I lie on my left side because of my sore back, bum and leg. But eventually the pressure on my left hip gets too much and so I have to wake up to turn over (as this requires a major readjustment of pillows between my legs). Then I lie on my right side until my sore muscles complain and I turn back to my left side again.
• On a good night, I sleep for 8 hours straight (this is usually following 5 bad nights in a row, when I get to the point of sheer exhaustion, so nothing will wake me, however achy I am!)
  
• One to two toilet breaks on a typical night (usually around 1.30 am and 5.30 am).
• Occasional early breakfast at 4.30 am.
  
• BallFiend still sleeping well (7.30 pm until 7.30 am).
  

The tenant (Thumper):

• Is head down, ready for the big day (at least this according to the midwives and obstetrician, who have examined me at the past couple of visits).
  
• Doesn't really kick or thump so much anymore. More inclined to make lots of large movements, full body turns or lots of little squirmy, tickling movements, and these are often really, really low down in my pelvis.
  
• Still get the occasional thump though, but I guess it is getting pretty squashy in there.
  

Fitness regime

• Continue to do Yoga class each Saturday. No longer accompanied by The Librarian, who brought LittleMissF into the world on July 7 (a week early).
  
• Walking is pretty much out, on advice of the obstetrician and physiotherapist - apparently my aching pelvic area is showing signs of pelvic instability, so I have been advised to keep walking to a minimum.
• Lying on my side on the couch during the day! (Resting is good for the body too!)
  

General Health

• Diet continues to be 'reasonable' - at least some fresh fruit and vegies daily, but well-balanced with chocolate and other sugary delights.
  
• So far, still free of Swine flu. Apparently the epidemic has peaked in Victoria now. Although advice to pregnant women is stronger - ie. wear a mask, avoid crowds, etc. Still taking Vitamin C daily.
  
• Sore throat persists - a background annoyance, but not the worst thing in the world. Doctor has done some tests (which I still haven't got the results for!).

Birth/Baby preparation

• Currently reading Birth Skills by Juju Sundin (highly recommended to me by several people).
  
• Have done two of three Hypnobirthing classes and finished reading Hypnobirthing: the Mongan Method prior to the first class.
• Practicing hypnosis techniques a little bit most days. (Approximately 3 nights a week DeepSpice and I do a session together, the rest of the time are exercises I do alone.)
  
• Still remembering to do pelvic floor exercises most days.
  
• Picked up the sofabed a few weeks ago... ready for DeepSpice on those nights when he needs to sleep away from a screaming infant.
  
• Occasional and usually incidental discussions with BallFiend about what it will be like when Thumper is born. Trying not to make to big a deal about it and at the same time, make the most of opportunities as they arise. Eg. if another mum is breastfeeding her baby, I will point it out to BallFiend; we talk about what babies do (not much but cry, sleep and poo) and I have told him that DeepSpice and I will be very tired when Thumper is born. Also been making the point that once Thumper comes to live in our house, it will be for good. So many others have told me that the older sibling loves the new baby for about 2 weeks, but then gets really peeved when they find out the arrangement is permanent!
  
• Maternity leave sorted out - I am taking 12 months plus another 6 months long service. Handover at work pretty much complete - just a couple of tasks still to finish off. But mostly the last two days at work are catching up with people to say goodbye.
  
• Nesting... still no signs. But have been trying to get those last few home renovation essential projects done: DeepSpice has been nagged into draught-proofing of windows (a couple still to go); I have had quotes for external awnings, internal blinds and a security door for the front door (still trying to finalise which company to use though); have done more decluttering with a successful eBay auction completed last Thursday; Tilers are booked for next week to finish fixing up the fireplace in the backroom. Still, the 'to do' list has plenty more left on it, and no end in sight! I will give up shortly, I'm sure.
  

Overall...

It is really hard to 'enjoy' this pregnancy compared to my first one. The aches and pains have been worse, from much earlier on, and there is no rest time with BallFiend already in my life. More often than not, I find myself thinking "What have I done!! What possessed me to want a second baby?". I am dreading the thought of all-night sleep deprivation that comes with a newborn, and I can't comprehend how I am going to give any time to BallFiend or DeepSpice. Worst of all, with BallFiend being nearly three years old, our life is just starting to feel really 'normal' again - we are getting back some time to ourselves (mainly in the evenings, but also because BallFiend is now old enough to be more easily baby-sat by others). When Thumper arrives, so will the chaos and no doubt it will be another three years before we get back to this stage where life is more managable again. On the positive side, I am still looking forward to having a tiny baby to cuddle, feed and adore again; that and 18 months away from paid work!

--

no time for carrot

I'm sorry but I don't have time for carrot at the moment.

BallFiend, at dinner refusing to eat his vegies but insisting that he should be allowed to eat a slice of bread with 'free-nut butter' instead.
--

A special moment

Last night, CutLuce came over to look after BallFiend as DeepSpice and I were going out to a HypnoBirthing class. While I was getting BallFiend into his pyjamas, CutLuce was quizzing him about who his best friend is...

CutLuce: "Is LittleMissL your best friend?"
BallFiend: "No."
CutLuce: "Is LittleMissP your best friend?"
BallFiend: "No."
CutLuce: "Is MasterW your best friend?"
BallFiend: "No."
Me: "Is S. (at creche) your best friend?
BallFiend: "No."
Me: "What about L. (at creche)? Is he your best friend?
BallFiend: "No."
CutLuce: Is DesignerSis your best friend?
BallFiend: "No."
CutLuce: Is DesignerMonkey your best friend?
BallFiend: "No."
CutLuce: Is Wigward your best friend?
BallFiend: "No."
CutLuce: Am I your best friend?
BallFiend: "No."
CutLuce: So who is your best friend?
BallFiend: "Mum."

My heart melted!

When I set out on this parenting journey, nearly three years ago now, I never had the slightest comprehension that my child would one day describe me as his best friend! Whilst I do remember reading ages ago that a young baby sees their mother (or primary carer) as their main friend and playmate (and not just as a carer and provider), I had sort of forgotten this. I suppose I assumed that because BallFiend is older now, and more independent in his play, this does not really apply anymore.

But in that instant, when BallFiend named me as his best friend, I gained a whole new insight into how he views me and our relationship. To me, he is my son and I understand our relationship as being primarily about responsibility - ie. mine! I need to love him, raise him well, care for him physically and emotionally, guide him through life and help him learn and develop... and ultimately ensure that he grows into a healthy, happy, independent adult. Each day is 'work' that I need to do towards this end (and usually with many challenges to be negotiated in doing so): serving meals, changing nappies, brushing teeth, reading stories, playing with toys, talking about the world and all the things in it, providing (positive) discipline, and settling for naps/sleep, etc.

In that one special moment, BallFiend made me realise that despite the number of times a day that I...

• grow bored with re-reading him the same story,
• get fed up with 'helping' (ie. instructing/coaching) him pick up balls to return to the ballpit,
  
• become impatient while waiting for him to finish a meal or get dressed;
  
• put my needs and wants ahead of his, or
  
• lose my temper,

I must still be doing something right!
--

CAPS LOCK TRAINER KEY

DOES SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAVE A SHOUTING PROBLEM?

Fix that CAPS LOCK key forever!
--

It's party season!

Last weekend was the official opening of "Party season"... in my world at least. We had a pre-season warm up when LittleMissIz had her first birthday party on June 14, then things really got underway last week. Here's the birthday schedule for the coming few months:

• DesignerSis - 25th birthday dinner on June 25,
  
• LittleMissP - 3rd birthday party on June 27,
• MasterS - 1st birthday party on June 28,
• FunkyOrganMan's daughter - 1st birthday party on July 4,
  
• GrandPaul - 60th birthday party on July 4
• LittleMissL - 3rd birthday party on July 19,
• Gran - 61st birthday on August 1; then
• BallFiend - 3rd birthday party on August 9.

There are a smattering of other birthdays for family, friends and playgroup mums and and bubs in August and September, but the majority are in June and July. Then there is a bit of a break before xmas brings on the next round of festivities.

Of course, this party-season phenomenon is hardly surprising, given that our 'mothers group' was set up by the maternal child health nurse specifically for mums who all had their babies within a 6 - 8 week period. The addition of second babies also born at this time of year only increases the party-season atmosphere!

It's all great fun - especially for BallFiend. Unfortunately he overdosed on party food at MasterS's party and was incredibly hyperactive for hours afterwards. He also got itchy rashes all over his body. So clearly something in the food wasn't good for him. I suspect it was food additives added to things like chips and 100s & 1000s (on fairybread).
--

I, Me, You...

I don't know I
I don't know me
I don't know you
Ha hee hoo
Ooh ooh ooh

A song, composed by BallFiend.

(Yep, he just came out and sang it while we were in the middle of eating dinner tonight - homemade smoked salmon and sweet potato pizza.)
--

Quarter time

Assuming she lives to 100 years of age, yesterday marked quarter time for DesignerSis. It is hard to believe my baby sister is so very, very old! Nah, just kiddin' she's still just a kid. But a very mature, responsible and well-adjusted one... especially considering the sort of role models her big sisters have provided.

To celebrate 25 years since her birth, we all went out for dinner at Hellenic Republic with DesignerSis - me, DeepSpice, BallFiend, Wigward, CutLuce, DesignerMonkey and StompyDad. We ate ourselves to a standstill all, for around $32.00 each. The repast was fantastic - we had:

• Dips (Taramosalata and Melitzanosalata)
• Tiganites Patates (Deep fried potatoes chips)
• Fasolakia (green beans with feta and pine nuts)
• Kefalograviera Saganaki (Spanikopita served warm with peppered figs)
• Patzari (beetroot roasted in cumin)
• Revithia Plaki (chickpeas cooked in tomato and olive oil)
• Loytianos (snapper, baked to perfection)
• Chicken and Lamb off the spit
• Moussaka

Followed by:

• Bougatsa (Semolina custard wrapped in filo pastry)
• Loukoumades (Greek donuts)
• Risogalo (chocolate rice pudding)

The service was excellent, the food was excellent, the only thing I can really fault is that the music was too loud to talk over. This made it particularly challenging for keeping a tired, yet enthusiastic BallFiend in check.

He had refused to nap in the afternoon, so was particularly tired, then I had plonked him in creche for an hour and a half while DeepSpice and I did a parent re-education camp to learn some new strategies for dealing with those more difficult toddler/pre-schooler behaviours. Then we rushed out to dinner and kept BallFiend out till 8.00 pm (half an hour past his bedtime). However, a little after 8.00 pm, it was clear that BallFiend was exhausted so DeepSpice decided to take him home to bed, whilst I got to stay on and enjoy civilised adult conversation, and more importantly, dessert.
Apparently once he got home, he got a new burst of energy and ran through the house excitedly. However, DeepSpice skillfully calmed him down with a story and had in bed a mere 30 minutes after arriving home. To reward his altruism, I took home a donut for DeepSpice.

Overall, and despite his tiredness, BallFiend was very well-behaved for a 2.75 year old - he threw a few bits of food and made an interesting 'installation' in his water glass using nothing more than strips of lamb, Melitzanosalata and paper serviettes. Mm-mmm! He also seemed to enjoy eating the food - he tried the chicken, beetroot, the dips and pita bread but was fairly cautious about trying other things. As he is getting older, it is getting easier to eat out with a small child... pity this newly acquired possibility for a social life is about to be smashed to smithereens when Thumper arrives in just over two months time.
--

Return of the Twisty One

Made the trip down to the local op shop this morning to:
(a) drop off the results of my latest decluttering (a big bag of clothes and a few toys), and
(b) try and find a few more maternity items to keep me clad for the next couple months.

I am running out of pants because my recently-acquired maternity wardrobe is mostly light-weight linen pants best suited to Summer and the office-wear pants remaining from my first pregnancy are too small. I have been getting very sick of wearing the same one pair of pants to work and the same one pair of 'mushroom' colour corduroy pants when I am not working. I also have a stretchy elasticised belt to connect up the fly of normal, non-maternity pants. The kit is a set of three belts but unfortunately I have lost the smallest one, which is the size that I need to be able to wear my regular jeans. DeepSpice's leather belt is a reasonable, but not terribly comfortable, replacement. So I was pleased to find a couple of pairs of pants that will hopefully see me through to the end of the pregnancy. I also looked for coat or cloak that would fit over my bump, but no luck... only really ugly and massively-too big ones available.

BallFiend of couse was my faithful companion on this shopping trip, and he had been very patient while I tried on 6 pairs of pants in the fitting rooms, so afterwards we went to look at the toys. In a dusty, dark corner at the back of the store, he was delighted to find a Twisty One and since it was only $4.99, how could I not indulge him? We also found a pack of 10 used golf balls for $3.99 which I got for him to take to creche. (His carer said if I could bring in some golf balls she would set up an activity for the kids to do golf-ball paintings, just like Justine does on one of BallFiend's favourite episodes of Play School.)

I also picked up a replacement beanie for BallFiend (his other one has disappeared at crèche) and a cot mattress protector. Then when we got to the check-out, there was a big shelf of little toys and an invitation to 'pack your own bag' for $3.99. Of course, amongst the toys were plenty of small balls, some just the right size to fit the Twisty One, and given that my chances of wresting any of these back from a now hungry and tired BallFiend were zero, zip and zilch, I let him fill up a bag.

Then we rushed home, so that we could eat, squeeze in a nap for BallFiend and get ready for a busy afternoon and evening. DeepSpice and I are going to a free parenting seminar at BallFiend's crèche, then in the evening we are all going out for dinner to celebrate DesignerSis's quarter-century.
--

Pregancy update: 29+2

I am now 29 weeks pregnant (plus 2 days to be really precise) and had another check up with the midwife today; I was accompanied to my appointment by MidwifeS.

It is all good news...
My glucose tolerance test results are fine, so no further testing for gestational diabetes. Hooray! My blood pressure is normal. And, Thumper is measuring at an average size for gestation! So no worries about it being a bit too large. Hooray again!

It must be noted that the first midwife to measure the height of the fundus got a reading consistent with 32 weeks pregnant, which freaked me out just a little bit! Then she tried to listen to Thumper's heartbeat with the doppler, but had trouble getting a reading. So she got another midwife in who got a measurement consistent with 29 weeks - 30 weeks. Phew! The second midwife also found Thumper's heartbeat without too much touble at all. The belly-poking and prodding also determined that Thumper is lying head down, bum up, with its back towards my left side.

Then I did a pre-arranged tour of the regular birthing suites and materity wards (just in case I end up in there rather than in the FBC for whatever reason). The birthing suites are pretty much standard issue - largish rooms, with up-and-down type 'birthing' beds, en suite, resusitation table in a cabinet, etc. They offer a range of equipment for labouring mums (gym balls, floor mats, bean bags, birth stools, etc.).

The maternity wards where mums and bubs have their post-natal stay are also quite nice and modern. A basic clean room with two beds, separated by a curtain. Sink for bathing the baby, TVs (as if you would have time to watch one!), a wardrobe and drawers, bar fridge, telephone and a chair to feed in. Down the hallway are a few little sitting areas. But I also found out that the hospital has 7 single rooms with double beds to allow partners to stay. These are only available to mums who have had a normal, uncomplicated birth and who want their partners to stay with them. So if the need arises, I have to remember to ask for the 'partner package'.

Then MidwifeS and I stopped for a late morning tea and spent some time chatting about all things birth-related. I headed home after making my third toilet-stop for the morning whilst in the hospital and was halfway back to the car (as usual, I had to park miles away because find a parking space anywhere within 1km of the hospital is a nightmare), when I realised I had left my folder of pregnancy notes in the toilet. Stupid pregnancy-brain.

Overall, I am feeling much better about the pregnancy and birth now - I think getting the reassurance that my health is good and my baby is growing at a normal rate has made a big difference. Now if only I can get over this stupid cold and sore throat...
--

The great separation

Just enjoyed a lovely dinner (roast chicken and vegies, in particular my favourite - roast potatoes, beetroot and carrots!) at Gran and GrandPaul's house, then left BallFiend there for TWO WHOLE NIGHTS! The longest time he has been away from us ever!

This is part of preparations for Baby #2, who is now referred to as Thumper, because of the great big wallops I have been feeling for the past couple of months. (Whilst in utero, BallFiend was referred to as "The Wrigglor!" because he wriggled and tickled a lot, but didn't really thump as far as I can recall.)

The plan is for BallFiend to spend at least two nights with Gran and GrandPaul whilst Thumper makes its grand entrance. So this is trial run #1, with trial run #2 planned for July or August.

Anyway, after dinner, we got BallFiend into bed, then DeepSpice and I went home to our weirdly empty-feeling house. It's only for two nights, and I will see him again on Tuesday morning... but I am sure I will be missing him terribly by tomorrow evening.
--

crooked food

"My food went crooked."

BallFiend, coughing as a bit of food went down the wrong way.
--

Baby caddie

At the playground this morning with HM and MasterT:

BallFiend: "I have a baby."

HM: "Do you?"

BallFiend: "Yes. I keep it in here." (pointing to my belly)

HM: "That's very convenient for you."

I wonder if BallFiend will also expect me to be his caddie when he takes up golf?
--

Testing times

Yet another hectic morning... I had decided to go and have the Glucose Challenge Test (GCT) today. I had phoned the pathology collection centre nearest my house a few days previously to check what I needed to do (and was told no appointment necessary, allow 2 hours, no fasting, etc. ... and advised bring a book to read!). I arranged for Gran and GrandPaul to babysit BallFiend, and planned my entire morning around having the test done.

So much for planning! Turns out that the real test was a test of my patience (and I hereby award another black mark against my hospital ... although admittedly, they are not entirely at fault). The pathology request slip listed a clinic in East Brunswick as a collection centre, and being only 5 minutes from home I decided to go there for the test rather than make the 30 minute trek out to the hospital pathology department. However, when I arrived at the clinic, I was told that the slip was out-of-date and that they no longer provide pathology collection services to my hospital. The pathology technician was very apologetic - he said that the hospital had given me an out-of-date slip.

So I jumped back in the car and rushed out to the hospital. Once again, no parking within 2 light-years. By the time I got inside, the pathology waiting area was full of people. I waited about 25 minutes then received my ever-so-tasty fizzy, glucose drink.

As I had an hour to wait until the blood sample was due to be taken, I dropped into the Family Birth Centre to tell them their pathology request slips are out-of-date. The midwife was grateful to be told this and said she would let the other midwives know. Then I sat down and worked on my "list of things to pack for hospital" until it was time to have the blood sample taken. By now, the waiting area was almost empty. Clearly I would have been better to put off doing the GCT until the afternoon!

At 12.00 pm I was back in the car and on my way home. All was going well, until I got to a train crossing just as the boom gates went down. However, not a train in sight! There was a side street just a metre ahead of me, taunting me with a way out, except I was in the right lane and there were two other lanes of traffic blocking my way. Thankfully, after nearly 10 minutes of waiting for the non-existent train to pass, the cars in the other two lanes finally got a clue and took a detour via the side street. At last I could escape (which I promptly did) and took an alternative route home.

I was greeted by BallFiend: "You go away mum! Go back to work!", a typical welcome-home when he is annoyed with DeepSpice or myself for leaving him.
--

Big Earth Ball

"That's a big Earth ball... you couldn't pick that up!"

BallFiend, on seeing an animated image of the Earth during the weather report on the 7.00 pm television news.

Comment from DeepSpice: "I could almost hear the gears spinning [in BallFiend's mind] as he tried to work out a way he could pick it up!"
--

Pregnancy update

Now that I am in my third trimester (a fact which had to be pointed out to me by VolubleK, as I was living in denial, and insisting that I was still in the second!), I thought it would be timely to do a quick preggie update.

Measurements at 27 weeks pregnant:

• Waist: 103 cm (was 87 cm pre-pregnancy)
• Hips: 114 cm (was 104 cm pre-pregnancy)
• Weight gain: 6.5 kg
  

The bump is unmissable now, which is good because it makes getting seat on the tram easier. However bad as I am now big enough to be quite uncomfortable in bed. I have had to sleep on my side for many weeks now, with a squishy pillow tucked in under the bump, and as of last week, a cushion between my knees (to keep my upper leg horizontal from the hip to the knee).

I am big enough that I can't bend forward easily (so trimming toenails is pretty challenging) but I haven't yet reached the stage of frequently knocking my bump into things, as a result of miscalculating my own inflated abdomen's size (something I did quite a bit towards the end of my first pregnancy.)

Current aches and pains:

• Deep soreness in my right gluteal muscle, particularly aches at night and often the pain extends down into my hamstring and calf muscles.
• A stabbing muscle pain, like a stitch on the lower right side of my belly if I walk for more than about 5 minutes at a reasonable pace.
• Ribs are sore, especially lowest ribs on right side - feels like they are being pushed outwards (they probably are!)
• Sacroiliac joint feels 'stuck' and is often achy.
  
• Occasional heartburn, but as with my first pregnancy, this was worst around 20 - 22 weeks, and has subsided since. If I keep following the same pattern as when I was pregnant the first time, I anticipate that it will return with avengance towards the end of the pregnancy.
  

Nocturnal interruptions

• Toilet breaks at 1.30 am and 3.30 am on a typical night.
• Early breakfast at 5.30 am (occasional not regularly required, thankfully!)
• On the plus side, BallFiend has been very consistent in his overnight sleeping patterns, in bed at 7.30 pm and waking sometime between 6.45 am to 7.30 am. (This morning he slept in till 8.15 am... Bliss!!)

The tenant

• kicks a lot and very vigourously, however there are long periods of quiet in between these periods of activity. This gives me cause for hope that, once on the outside, the baby might fall into a regular pattern of sleeping fairly quickly.
• could be a big one! According to the 20 week morphology ultrasound scan, the baby was measuring a little large for gestation age. At my most recent check-up, the midwife also said that the baby is measuring large. This could mean nothing, other than the baby is a bit bigger than average, or it could mean that the baby is actually a week older than I originally thought (ie. I got my dates wrong), or it could mean that I have gestational diabetes! Argh!
  

Fitness regime

• Yoga class each Saturday, usually accompanied by The Librarian, who is about 9 weeks more pregnant than me. Finally found a new class that is suitable, after being excluded from my usual yoga class due to being pregnant (my teacher's insurance no longer covers her to teach pregnant women, even though she was insured to teach my last time I was pregnant... stupid insurer, changing the rules!)
• Tried the pre-natal/post-natal class at the local fitness centre. It was OK, but a little too gentle, not really what I was looking for (though I think this will be excellent for post-natal fitness and intend to go after Baby #2 is born).
  
• Walking. Not in a dedicated, once-a-week type of way, like I used to do when BallFiend was 6 months old, but I do try take every opportunity to walk, aches and pains permitting.
• Thinking of either going swimming or water aerobics (but heading into Winter makes this less appealing) or going to the general fitness class at the physio around the corner from my house.
  

General Health

• Diet is not great I have to admit. I am just not as motivated to maintain an 'excellent' diet, in the same way that I was the first time I was pregnant. Could be a result of having to prepare meals that a fussy toddler will eat. Could just be that chocolate tastes better than silver beet. Still I am eating a reasonably balanced diet so not doing too badly.
  
• I have been taking Vitamin C in a (pathetic) attempt to try and strengthen my immune system against the impending threat of Swine Flu. (Given BallFiend is at crèche twice a week, mixing with kids whose older siblings are probably attending flu-infected primary schools, I have a horrible feeling that it is only a matter of time until someone in our household gets it.)
• Sore throat persists. It first developed after CutLuce's Hens Night and lingered around for weeks, finally flaring up again just in time for her wedding. It remains a low-grade sore throat, mainly affecting my right tonsil, not bad enough to see a doctor or take sick leave but sore enough to be annoying. Stupid suppressed-due-to-pregnancy immune system.

Birth/Baby preparation

• Having been trying to do some reading of birthing techniques, etc., but not motivated enough yet... guess I need to be closer to delivery-date.
  
• I am remembering to do my pelvic floor exercises most days.
  
• Nesting instinct - hasn't really kicked in yet but I did get really motivated to tidy up and declutter the house over the past week or so.
• Bought a mattress for the baby-basket that will serve as bassinette for Baby #2. This was the basket that I slept in as an infant. I had intended to use it with BallFiend, but never got around to buying a new mattress for it. So this time I am being more organised: $20 at Clarke Rubber got me a 50mm foam mattress. Hooray!
• Have ordered a sofabed so that either DeepSpice or I have an alternative place to go and sleep when Baby #2 is keeping us up all night. Plus, if I go into labour in the middle of the night, we can have a family member (probably CutLuce) come and stay with BallFiend overnight, while DeepSpice carts me off to the birth centre.
  
• Trying to interest BallFiend in using the potty, moving out of his cot into a big bed and numerous other 'big boy' things. He occasionally shows interest in toileting, has adamantly stated how much he loves his cot and doesn't want a big bed like all his playgroup friends, frequently asks to be spoon-fed (which we hadn't been doing for some months previously) and has even started to play-act being a baby (crawling, cuddling, etc.). Still, I have no intention of telling him that he has to grow up and be a big brother... afterall, I wouldn't be doing that if there wasn't a sibling on the way. As an eldest child myself, I often disliked being made to be the grown-up, responsible one, just because I was the eldest.
• Organising maternity leave arrangements. I am very lucky as I qualify for 6 months maternity leave (or 12 months maternity leave at half-pay) and on top of this I am also due for long service leave. So if I want to, I can take up to 18 months off work in total. But it is a really hard deciding exactly how long to take - what is best for my children vs my career, etc.

PS. So much for a quick update!
--

Compelling reading

The Dark Mountain

by Catherine Jinks

Whilst a story about a pioneering New South Wales family and the hardships they face in the 1800s should be interesting, one wouldn’t necessarily expect it to be compelling. Yet I couldn’t put this book down.

The story is told through the eyes of the eldest daughter Charlotte, as she grows up under the shadow of her stepfather, a violent drunkard (her own father having died a few years previously). A central focus of the story is Charlotte’s quest to find out why her mother would marry such a man, and as a result, lead her family into danger and despair. We can only know what Charlotte knows, so as there are gaps in her ability to comprehend her situation, we are in the dark too. As the story unfolds and Charlotte progresses into adulthood, we come to understand more of why her mother may have done the things she did.

The book is based on a real family, the Atkinsons, who lived at Oldbury, NSW, Australia.

See more about The Dark Mountain

Dinosaurs and poo

One of BallFiend's current favourite stories, The Berenstain Bears and the Missing Dinosaur Bone, follows the adventures of the three Berenstein bear children as they try to solve the mystery of who took a dinosaur bone from a museum display.

So, rather than staying in and cleaning the house, I decided I would take him to museum instead, as they have a dinosaur exhibition on at the moment. A train journey and dinosaur bones! What more could a two-and-three-quarter-year old boy ask for!

I got BallFiend dressed, did a quick load of washing and hung it on the line (despite showers being forecast for the afternoon), packed the nappy bag (into which BallFiend also packed a toy car, a ball and a book), and some sandwiches for lunch, then we were off in time to catch the 10.10 am train. The train journey was well received - so much so that once we got off, BallFiend cried, demanded to go back on 'my train'.

On arriving at the museum, I realised that this whole excursion was probably a really bad idea from a health-perspective: there were swarms of primary school kids everywhere (and all dressed in the most ghastly uniforms. Honestly! Who comes up with the designs, the colour schemes!!), touching everything with their probably-swine-flu-infected hands. And BallFiend was of course following along and touching every surface that the other kids had just touched. Being pregnant, I really, really don't want to get the flu. Stoically, I pulled out my bottle of antiseptic handgel and we continued on.

BallFiend seemed to quite enjoy it, although didn't seem to be especially impressed by the enormous dinosaur skeletons. What he liked was the interactive displays - buttons to press, wheels to spin, levers to pull, etc. - and running around on the small stairways, ramps and tunnels that connected different areas and rooms. He also liked:

• the giant squid and the accompanying animated movie showing a whale catching a squid for lunch;
  
• the funny mirrors which distort one's image. (Not something that really appealed to me, since my bump already makes me feel like a beached whale, seeing myself looking even fatter and dumpier was not what I needed!);
• the bugs - butterflies, moths, ants, enormous spiders, praying mantis, beetles, etc.; and
  
• various other stuffed/preserved animals or their skeletons (snake, monkey, gorilla, platypus, fish, turtle and more).
  

The thing he liked most was playing outside in the Children's Garden. This area is not so much a garden as a rubber-asphelted space with a few trees dotted through it. But it does have fun activities for 'children aged 3 - 8' such as stilts, hula hoops, shapes to jump on, quoits, blocks to build with and some tuned wooden boxes which play a scale when walked on. BallFiend spent most of his time kicking his own ball around the place, until he saw a grandfather showing his grand-daughter how to roll a hoop. Oh the joy! A new thing that rolls around and can spin. BallFiend was capitvated and from then on it was hoops, hoops, hoops.

Whilst in the Garden, I bumped into JH, a friend of Gran and GrandPaul's. She was there with her grandson who is a year younger than BallFiend. I suddenly became aware that majority of adults in the Garden were either (a) grandparents, (b) pregnant women with one child, or (c) mothers with two children under three years. No wonder every single adult there looked rather worn out. The only adult who didn't look tired was a staff member who's job seemed to be returning the quoits, hoops and stilts back to their stations. She didn't look tired, but did look grumpy. I know how she feels... I am so sick of picking up balls and other toys around our house and putting them away 15 times a day!

After the Garden, we trekked up the long, long ramp, past the rainforest garden (because the lift was out of order) to the human body exhibition. We saw preserved specimens of human tissue - including a brain, a digestive system and a skeleton. There was also an interactive display of how food is digested. BallFiend particularly liked the model of a poo (enclosed in a perspex display case... and I hope it was just a model!). He also liked the full-scale sculptures of a (naked) human family which shows how humans age. The sculptures are based on a real family of people covering an age range of 75 years to an infant aged 2 weeks. (It was slightly unsettling when BallFiend grabbed the penis of the 75 year old man, but thankfully there was no one else around to see.)

Next stop: the cafe for lunch and afterwards BallFiend enjoyed a babycino (with a marshmallow on the side!) and a gingerbreadman biscuit. Then a quick stop at the museum shop where I got a little, cube-shaped puzzle with small, metal balls inside that you have to try to fit into little holes. BallFiend loved it, playing with it non-stop all the way home.

The train journey home was uneventful, except BallFiend had developed a cough (Argh! Swine Flu? Bloody primary school kids!) and I had to keep covering his mouth for him, since he refused to do it himself. Once home, I was totally exhausted but BallFiend was full of energy and didn't want to have a nap. Thankfully he did, eventually... and I got to rest for about half-an-hour before he was up again and running about like a maniac.

The high-spirits continued all evening, all through dinner, and getting ready for bed. Thankfully DeepSpice was home at 5.30 pm to help take over while I collapsed on the couch. Eventually, a recording of an old Play School episode was deployed to help calm our little bundle of energy and he was finally in bed at 8.00 pm.
--

Twine...

I'm just undunning the ball.

BallFiend unrolling a ball of twine.
--

in conversation with BallFiend

Telephone conversation between BallFiend and GrandPaul:

BallFiend: Hi GrandPaul. What-you-doin'?

GrandPaul: Hi BallFiend, how are you?

BallFiend: I'm two!

GrandPaul: No, not how old are you... How are you? Are you good?

BallFiend: I'm good thanks, are you good? Uh, do you like basketball GrandPaul?

GrandPaul: Well, it's OK. I like football better.

BallFiend: Do you like basketball GrandPaul? I'm eating yohgurt. Do you like yogurt GrandPaul?

GrandPaul: Yes I like yoghurt, I have it for breakfast every day.

BallFiend: Umm, do you want some yoghurt? Can you do this [pulls a silly face]

GrandPaul: I don't know what you are doing. I can't see you because we are talking on the phone.

[BallFiend looks intently into the phone; leaning forward until his nose is squashed into the phone.]

BallFiend: Your nose is missing. You are no nose, you are no nose... [repeat to fade]
--

Mother's Day

I really only wanted one thing for Mother's Day - to sleep in till at least 8.00 am (well, that and a box of Roses chocolates). BallFiend woke us at 6.45 am. So no sleep in, but at least it wasn't a 5.30 am wake up I suppose.

Still, I did get to lie in and have a hot cup of tea and breaky in bed, many thanks to DeepSpice (although he does this for me most days, so it wasn't really a mother's-day specific thing). Then BallFiend brought me in a gift that he made at crèche - a noteholder to go on the fridge. We have now officially reached the point where the endearing-yet-truely-awful-handmade-gift-for-mum-on-mothers-day rite-of-passage begins. I remember many long weeks spent at school in Grade 2 making my mum a padded coathanger. This tasteful craft project involved:

1. collecting plastic bread bags
2. cutting bread bags into strips
3. tieing the plastic strips around a wire coathanger
   

It was a long and tedious process and I was bored-to-tears after about an hour of assembling it. Still my mum claimed she loved it... and whether this was true or not, she continued to use it for her jackets for the rest of her life. I suppose it was functional even though very unattractive.

Anyway... at 9.15 am, DesignerSis and Wigward arrived to take their nephew out to the Aquarium to see the penguins. It was weird waving goodbye to BallFiend as he drove off in another car. Apart from when he went with VolubleK after the Wedding, he has never been taken anywhere in a car without myself or DeepSpice being in the car too; and this was the first time I had ever actually watched him drive away without me.

Our child-free morning was spent industriously - planting new trees and other plants in the garden (purchased at CERES Nursery on Saturday):

• a Eucalyptus forrestiana (Fuschia Gum) to replace the E. kitsonia that died in the January 2009 heatwave;
• a Scleranthus biflorus - a groundcover in the back garden to replace a Phormium (New Zealand Flax) that didn't do well under my 'complete neglect' gardening regime. When we had the garden landscaping done, I specified only Australian native plants were to be used, but somehow four of these NZ Flax snuck in. They are water-hungry things... there are two still hanging in there.
  
• a Grevillea nudiflora (Curvy Tops) - a prostrate groundcover for the front garden;
  
• a Kennedia prostrata (Scarlet Runner, Running Postman) - another prostrate groundcover for the front garden;
• a Grevillea pteridifolia (Golden Grevillea) - another tree in the front garden... actually I had intended to get a 2m bush but didn't read the label properly so have ended up with a (potentially) 4m high tree. Hopefully it won't be too big!
• I also bought a punnet of lettuce seedlings and a punnet of spinach seedlings but ran out of time to plant these.
  

In addition, I shifted a daisy bush (to make room for the Grevillea tree) and DeepSpice put our hard rubbish out on the street ready for collection on Monday.


After gardening, we had organised to lunch at a restaurant with GrandPaul, Gran and StompyDad. We had planned to enjoy lunch unencumbered by BallFiend, but the Aquarium trip didn't take as long as I hoped expected, so BallFiend was back in time to come along.

I was concerned that he would be tired out and ready for a nap at about 1.30 pm, but he held up just fine and loved his spaghetti. So did the people at the next table who said they got a real kick out of watching him eat it, strand-by-strand, biting each one in the middle then sucking the ends in. Personally, I enjoyed watching the grandfathers, seated either side of BallFiend flinch and cry out in horror every time a bit of bolognese sauce went anywhere other than BallFiend's mouth!

Gran, DeepSpice and I shared a tapas platter and I also ordered a pasta dish but as this hadn't arrived by the time everyone had just about finished their meals, I asked the waitress to cancel the order. She was very apologetic that my meal had been missed and so didn't charge us for BallFiend's pasta as compensation. I was happy, since I had got too full on the tapas to fit the pasta in anyway!
--

Hot Air Balloon

Apart from balls, the other thing that BallFiend loves is balloons. Usually, he just plays with them, kicking and batting them around the house. So I was very impressed with his creativity when he grabbed an empty pot from our recent garden-a-thon and plonked a balloon (obtained at the last ABA meeting) on top and said "Look Mum, a hot air balloon!

Summoning the Spirit of Playschool, I quickly grabbed some string and sticky tape so we could turn his idea into a reality. "Avalant" was given the privilege of making the maiden (and only) voyage. Sadly, the hot air balloon was soon cruelly dashed to pieces on the floor after encountering a violent storm known as Cyclone BallFiend.
--

Theiving Bastard

Some bastard stole my wallet out of my bag during a staff function at work yesterday. Apart from losing cash (over $300) plus other items of value, and having the hassle of having to cancel my credit cards, I lost my evening because I had to muck around with completing a report at the campus security station, then a police report.

After being at work all day, I hardly got to see BallFiend at all before he went to bed.

And later in the evening I had another episode of Braxton Hicks contractions (probably induced by the exertion of having to walk around the city to the police station), just as I was about to eat dinner. So was left feeling tired and ill, and at the same time hungry but unable to eat.

Pissed off.
--

Holiday at Johanna

Another long weekend away, probably our last getaway before the birth of #2. I say 'holiday' in the title of this post, but a holiday with a two-and-three-quarter year old child is not like the relaxing times we used to enjoy in our pre-BallFiend, DINK lives. There are no sleep-ins, no leisurely days spent having late breakfasts, little time for reading books and eating out at classy restaurants is replaced by takeaways at the park or a hurried counter meal at the local pub's bistro.

Still, it was nice to take some time away from the normal routine at home and for us all to spend time together. And it will really allow me to appreciate an 'indulgent' holiday, should I ever get to have one... I am dreaming of an weekend away, with DeepSpice on our own. Hopefully we will squeeze one of these in if Gran and GrandPaul can be roped into minding BallFiend for two consecutive nights. (So far, he has only ever stayed over for one night at a time).

Anyway, about the holiday...

Day 1 - Saturday, May 2nd

The Plan: depart home by 11.00 am, drive a bit, stop for lunch somewhere, arrive around 3.00 pm. Dinner about 5.30-6.00 pm. BallFiend in bed by 7.00-7.30 pm. Relax for the evening.

Actuality: depart home at 1.00 pm (after lunch), BallFiend's whinging starts 30 mins into the drive. We hold out for an hour, then stop in Geelong at Rippleside Park, where we found a fantastic playground. BallFiend however couldn't care less - he had seen a kid with a soccer ball who is playing kick-to-kick with his dad. He runs off with his own soccer ball under his arm. The next 30 mins are spent with BallFiend and his new friend Aiden (aged 4) being 'soccer players'.
Eventually we manage to drag BallFiend away, and depart Geelong around 3.00 pm. Our hopes that BallFiend would now be exhausted and so would fall asleep in the car quickly fade, roughly in direct proportion to the increase in whinging and whining coming from the back seat.

We press on, and make it through Lorne. I love this scenic part of the Great Ocean Road. Unfortunately the windy road is too much for BallFiend who gets car sick. We have a few short stops for false alarms, then an extended stop at Wye River to clean up the vomit and change BallFiend's clothes. DeepSice takes him for a walk on the beach to recover while I go to the general store to see if I can get something sugary that might help BallFiend feel better. As I leave the shop, someone calls my name and the first weird coincidence of the holiday occurs as I see a former neighbour SR. We lived on the same street as kids and were really good friends, and I hadn't seen her for years... though I see her parents every now and then, and alway ask how she is.

After a short chat, we continue on our journey, for another 30 mins until the next "I feel sick" stop. Another false alam. We drive another 10 mins, then stop to clean up more vomit. This time we stop on a precarious corner at the top of a cliff. BallFiend is well enough to throw stones over the cliff but still looks pale, so I squeeze in the back seat next to him when we drive off again. It is now 5.30 pm and getting dark. Finally he is weary enough to fall asleep and does so, holding my hand. Our poor, sick little boy.

Half an hour later (and 5 hours since we left home!), we arrive at our destination - the fabulous Johanna Seaside Cottages (which, strangely enough, is located at Johanna, a tiny locality along the Great Ocean Road). I dash into reception and get the key, then we drive up to our cottage at the top of the dunes. By 6.30 pm we have unpacked most of the car, and plonked a sleepy BallFiend on the couch, where he sits mesmerised by the flames in the fireplace while we prepare him a quick dinner. He enjoys a bath after dinner and perks up enough to put up the usual protest about having his nappy changed and teeth brushed. But we still manage to get him into bed by 8.00 pm. Finally we get to have something to eat and watch a bit of TV before crawling into bed.


Day 2 - Sunday, May 3rd

We were supposed to stop at a pharmacy on the way from Melbourne to get a prescription filled for DeepSpice, but we didn't go past one in Geelong and by the time we reached Apollo Bay, everything was closed. So our first errand of the day was to drive half-an-hour back to Apollo Bay to the pharmacy. A staff member from our accommodation assured us that they would be open until midday. Of course, it wasn't open. The 'checkout chick' (who was actually a woman in her 50s) at the supermarket said the pharmacy is usually open, but the pharmacist had to go away somewhere this weekend and they couldn't get a locum in for today.

We end up spending the morning in Apollo Bay anyway - a quick spot of grocery shopping for those few things we forgot; a quick browse in a boutique gift shop and then we head over to the beach for a walk. We have to stop at the park on the Esplanade first, to change BallFiend's pooey nappy and to let BallFiend play at a drinking fountain which has a public art sculpture(!) as its base. It is a cone-shaped thing, covered in mosaic, with a channel that spirals down around it where the water drains away. BallFiend just has to try rolling his ball down the channel and this keeps him fascinated for ages.

Then just as we are finally ready to drag BallFiend down to the beach, my second weird coincidence of the holiday occurs - someone calls my name and I look up to see MC and his wife. MC is a friend who I met when I was doing a postgrad course back in 2000. We hadn't seen each other for a few years, but had just become 'Facebook friends' a few days previously. We have a long chat while BallFiend kicks his ball and runs through my and DeepSpice's legs. It gets to lunchtime, so we say goodbye. Then I go and buy pizza for lunch while BallFiend finally gets to go to the beach with DeepSpice. After lunch, BallFiend has a play at the playground and then we entice him back to the car through careful dribbling and chasing of his soccer ball.

We get back to our cottage and have a quiet afternoon. BallFiend 'helps' me prepare vegies for dinner (Shepherd's Pie) - he peels an onion, layer after layer, until there is no more onion and then uses a unique 'stabbing' technique to peel the potato.
Day 3 - Monday May 4th

Finally the sort of holiday day I had been wanting - a lazy morning pottering about. Then down to the chook shed to collect eggs. BallFiend is excited to find one egg in the nesting boxes. I take BallFiend for a swim in the allegedly-heated indoor pool, but it isn't very warm and we only last about 10 mins. He is blue and shivering but doesn't want to get out.

Then we drive down the road to Johanna beach and spend some time climbing on rocks.
BallFiend loves it and doesn't want to leave, so eventually has to DeepSpice carry him up the steep, sandy path off the beach ('cause apparently he's too tired to walk). Then he spies steps that lead up to a lookout and suddenly he is off at an incredible pace for someone with such tiny, tired legs.
At the top, he strikes up a conversation with three stoner-surfies who are hanging out. "What you doin'?" he asks, over and over.

We go back to the cottage, have lunch, try and get BallFiend to nap. Give up on that idea - he has a rest but won't sleep. So after a while, DeepSpice and BallFiend go outside to play in the fenced yard (with balls, of course), while I put on a load of washing (all the car-sick stuff) and then take a pregnancy-induced nanna-nap. Then I take BallFiend for a walk down to the paddock so he can get a bit more worn out kicking his soccer ball around while DeepSpice prepares dinner (Chicken Risotto).

After dinner I am struck down with what I think was probably a very strong Braxton Hicks contraction - or rather a series of them. They last for about an hour, with each contraction sticking around for about 5 minutes. Nowhere near as strong as real labour, but much stronger than any that I had experienced when pregnant with BallFiend (and I didn't get them until much later in the pregnancy with BallFiend). I was left feeling crampy, nauseous, worn out and concerned enough to call the midwife for advice. I wasn't overly concerned, except that we were about a 90 minute drive from the nearest hospital. Eventually, I started to feel a bit better, but I still went to bed early - about 9.30 pm and was asleep soon after.


Day 4 - Tuesday May 5th

Our last day. BallFiend is awake at 6.40 am but happily snuggles in bed with us for 15 minutes or so. Then we get up, have breakfast and get packing. So much stuff for just a few days away. I cannot imagine how we will ever get to go on holidays once we have two kids - we would have to take two cars! I have even less idea how my parents used to pack our family of five into one car and take us interstate for a month over the January holidays.

Checkout time is 10.00 am and I am amazed when we are nearly finished packing by 9.30 am. But we still keep finding last minute things to do for the last half an hour, so end up leaving the cottage right on the dot of ten o'clock.

We decide to give BallFiend a good walk before the car trip, so DeepSpice and BallFiend walk across the paddocks to reception while I drive the car down and pay for our accommodation. Then we head off to the Otway Fly treetop walk.

This place is fantastic! There is a 'visitor centre' (translation: place where you pay to get in which also has a cafe and souvenir shop) with a great little playground outside. They have free stroller hire, which we decide to make use of. We start the long walk down through the rainforest to the actual treetop walk (about a kilometre). A few metres into the walk and I can't believe how cold it suddenly gets. In the car park, it was a nice warm sunny day - about 18 degrees. But in the rainforest it feels like it must be only 15 degrees. BallFiend enjoys pushing the stroller down the hill and admires the plastic gutters that are built into the dirt path every so often. Definitely a city boy, and not a nature-lover.

A detour half-way through the rainforest walk takes us past models of dinosaurs, supposedly to emphasise the ancient nature of the rainforest which apparently hasn't changed all that much since pre-historic times. To me, the dinosaurs were little more than a tacky, touristy thing (most of the species represented weren't even ones that would have occurred in this part of the world). But BallFiend thought they were great - especially the broken one (a Triceratops model which had a crack in its neck, leaving its head lolling down). BallFiend said "we need tape [as in sticky tape] to fix it" and asked a passing couple "Have you got some tape? We need to fix it", much to their amusement.

We also saw lots of little mushrooms and other fungi - BallFiend wanted to touch each one and then DeepSpice would quickly wipe his hands in case he got poisoned!

On the treetop walk itself, BallFiend ran along the walkway and climbed to the top of the 45m tower with DeepSpice (he walked up all the steps except for the last 10 or so!). I decided not to climb the tower in case the exhertion brought on more Braxton Hicks. He was making good progress on the walk back along the treetop walk too and we were starting to think that lugging the stroller along had been a complete waste of effort, but then BallFiend tripped over and his true tiredness was exposed as he bawled and asked for his dummy and blankie. So the stroller got used after all. We carted him back to the beginning of the treetop walk where there is a buggy-stop for 'people with limited mobility' who need help getting back up the hill to the visitor centre. That was definitely me and BallFiend, and I was very grateful not to have to walk back up the hill! By the time we got to the top, BallFiend seemed to have been reinvigorated - enough to walk, skip and jump all the way back to the car - about another 500 metres.

Back in the car, BallFiend started whinging almost straight away - he wanted to go back to the dinosaurs. This time I resorted to an Easter Egg-based distraction. We decided to drive back using the in-land route, via Laver's Hill and Gellibrand, to Colac and then home via the highway. As much as we love the scenic Great Ocean Road, a car-sick kid is not worth it. Unfortunately there was lots of roadwork being done and we kept hitting 40kph zones. On the positive side, all that walking had worn BallFiend out and he went to sleep fairly quickly.

We stopped in Colac so that DeepSpice could finally get his prescription at the pharmacy, but they took forever to serve him... we were stationery in the car for long enough that BallFiend woke up. I was anticipating a tedious and difficult drive the rest of the way home - with an overtired toddler whining in the back seat. But thankfully, he was quite good and not too demanding for over an hour. We eventually stopped at a truckies roadside stop on the outskirts of Geelong and BallFiend had a little play at the playground there. When we left, it was starting to get dark and by the time we reached the Western Ring Road entrance, peak hour had hit. Still it wasn't too bad and we arrived home about 6.00 pm.

Not a particularly relaxing, rejuvenating holiday, but definitely an adventure and at least a little bit restful.
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