Sunday, August 8, 2010

Nobody more Youi than you.....except you that is

Now I don't usually use this blog for goat style rants about loonacy and idioticness in the world but I have been moved to do so.

When I moved to Australia and kitted myself out with a truck of suitable qualities.  You know, nothing extravagant just the essentials such a a modest engine (4L plus); good traction control (such as 4 wheel drive); an adequate carrying capacity (comfortable seating for five people and all their dive gear should about do it) and so I arrived at the economically little city run around that is the Nissan Patrol 4.8L GU ST.

I then got to looking for insurance for this little beast.  I was particularly impressed with an advertising campaign by an Australian Insurer who ran the tag line "Nobody is more youi than you, that's why we insure you for how you use your car".  Sounded brilliant I thought.  They have things like cheaper policies if you don't use your car to commute to work, or if you only own a small car, or you only use your car at weekends for trips etc.  This was a breath of fresh air after the insanly simple UAE system of "4% of the value of your car" regardless of whether you are a insane driver.

On this basis I took out insurance back in February and it was half the price of the next cheapest quite because I commute to work by ferry.  Brilliant!!

Well, in preparation for the big trips the co-pilot and I intend to take peanut on just as soon as he is old enough for his child seat we have had a few minor modifications made to the truck.  You know, the little tweaks like steel front bumper with super winch in case we need to drag an elephant out of the way, a dual wheel carrier steel rear bumper in case we get TWO punctures at once and 80mm lift kit (upgraded to super-stiff heavy duty springs) to safely carry all the extra weight.  In a summary we finished off the vehicle as I'm sure Nissan really wanted to make it but ran out of time on a Friday afternoon and so cut a few corners.



Well, upon reversion back to my youi insurance compnay to inform them of these little imprvements it would seem that while there is nobody more youi than me, it would seem that I am just a little too meie than me and suddenly I am completely unisurable.  It would seem that I can be as me as me provided you are a tofu knitting bunny hugger eager to buy a car and leave it at home and go to work on your bike........and do nothing more exciting with your car than add an air freshener.

I am now on the search for another insurance company; one that can handle somebody as youi as I want to be.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Mmmmmm an Idea

I believe my good friend and best man (who shall remain nameless to protect the innocent) has descovered a possible and fool proof solution to my imprending child rearing terror:



I'll say no more.........other than ask if anybody has a Brazil lonely planet I can borrow?

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Christmas in July

Imogen and I had our first experience of a rather strange, but completely understandable, tradition of our antipadian hosts and that is the Christmas In July.  I kid you not, a lot of these people have a second christmas celebration in July!!  Now at first I thought this was a rather daft idea but I guess it makes sense.  In Australia it is hot and balmy on 25 December which is entirely un-christmasy.  However, in July it is cold, misrable and usually wet.........just like those fond memories we pommes have of old blighty.

And so it was that the co-pilot and I found ourselves heading to Eaglereach in the Hunter Valley with the Sydney Sub-aqua Club for a fantastic knees up.  We arrived on Friday night after taking 2.5 hours to make the 60minute journey from Newcastle (where I am currently working) due to a combination of:

  1. A cat that bolted for the door as we were leaving (40 minutes to find and catch the little bugger)
  2. Called in to work to get wallet only to find they have an alarm system......half hour to wait for security
  3. GPS that was 10km out on the location of the place and being lead up a 3km farm drive
  4. Thick fog meaning it took us another hour to finally find the place despite being only 5km
But eventually we got there and a great place to get it was.  The place is a wilderness retreat on the top of a hill, which basically means lots of nature trails, wildlife and sleeping in fancy (really VERY fancy in many case) portacabins.  And the copilot got her fix of her new favourate native wild life - the kangeoo.

Well, enough chatter, here are some pictures:

The kangeroo's were pretty tame

 So tame in fact this little fella came and joined us for a beer
 and stuck around for about an hour and was pretty darn nosy.

Although sometimes, nature can be a bit too.......erm.....natural

 There were also a few great little off roading trails

which presented a few challenges for Jules and myself with a bit of trail building and rock crawling

and back at the ranch it was a good long soak in the hot tub


and then Saturday evening we were off to the restaurant for a great turkey dinner and a damn good knees up.  I'm afraid I don't have too many pictures of the evening itself (a bit too much vino to make the camera work.

Although I do have to say, and if you are opposed to open shows of affection (and I know they are rare from me), you know you have a stunningly good lucking wife when she can look this good even when she is 30 weeks pregnant:

I reckon I'm a pretty darn lucky bloke.

Well, most of the time

Friday, July 2, 2010

Who's Yer Daddy!!

As Imogen has suddnely disciovered her writters prowess, and produced some quite amusing posts, I thought I better get a word in edge ways.  Now, being a bit of a day dreamer (yeah yeah OK, a lot of a day dreamer) I was doing a few random searches around the wide world of webs and came across what I have to say is the COOLEST baby outfit ever:



If anybody is looking for that must get gift for a Dad to be this would be right up there with them (hint hint HINT!!)

Other greats include:                                           Chewy:

and R2D2 
Or for the baddies out there - a storm trooper


It is just a shame they don't do a Luke Skywaker in x-wing fighter pilot suit.  As mum will know, along with the double inner curve, this was the much longed for toy to complete my collection.  I eventually got the curve, but to this day have never been the proud owner of a Luke Skywalker.

I did originally search for "Where can I get Star Wars baby clothes?"  and got back the answer "Tatooine".  You have to be fan to know why that was so funny it made me laugh out loud!!


========================LATE BREAKING NEWS====================

Best of all worlds, they do a Luke Skywater in X-wing fighter pilots outfit for PEANUT!!

Thursday, July 1, 2010

29 weeks and counting

Today Peanut is 29 weeks old.  We have been to the hospital again today to check blood pressure and to see how he is doing.  I also had to see the diabetes educator as I have been told I have gestational diabetes. 

First, I saw the diabetes educator to learn how to monitor my blood sugar and get information about what to eat and when to measure sugar levels.  Everything seems fairly straight forward and I now also have appointments with diabetes specialists, dietitians and nurses in order to monitor myself and Peanut.  Apparently Peanut could grow really large if sugar levels are not controlled and he may be more likely to be over weight as a child.  He won't get diabetes just because I have it but it does mean he will also be getting too much glucose meaning his body will need to make more and more insulin to cope.  Hopefully the diabetes will go away again after Peanut is born.  They will test me again when he is 6 weeks old just to check.

I have been given target sugar levels and given options of things to eat before I see the dietitian, who will design a diet especially for me.  They have also said that they may need to change items on the diet list as some people respond differently to each food.  I have to eat mainly carbohydrates, low fat and hardly any sweets and chocolate, which doesn't seem fair when your pregnant and should be able to eat what you like!  Looking at the items on the sample menus I would say the diet is very similar to what I have been eating already.  The diabetes lady did say that if eating the diet does not control glucose levels they will need to supplement my insulin to control the levels.






The diabetes educator will speak to me every other Thursday, between diabetes appointments, to check my sugar levels and make changes where necessary.  I do seem to get pretty good care from the Australian health system.  The doctor rang me this morning to say that I did have gestational diabetes and by 1:30pm I was at an appointment to find out how to sort the problem out.  They made all the appointments for me and gave me lots of information. 

Next, I was off to see the birthing unit to have my blood pressure and Peanut monitored.  He is going to be the best cared for baby in the world.  My blood pressure was good today, not too high.  After taking my blood pressure and checking urine again I was put on a monitor to see what Peanut was up to.  They strap on two monitors connected to a machine.  One of the monitors measures Peanut's heart rate and the other is to see if you are having any contractions.  The midwives were very pleased with Peanut as he did not move away from the monitor and had a good heart beat.  He wasn't moving as much today but generally is move active in the mornings and evenings. 

The obstetrician checked everything and then I was allowed to go home.  I now have lots of reading to do.  Hopefully everything will go well.  My next appointments are on Tuesday to see the blood pressure specialists and obstetricians.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Peanut's Hyperactive!

Yesterday evening we had to go back to the hospital for antenatal classes and to have my blood pressure checked again.  I expected the blood pressure check to last just a few minutes but ended up staying for an hour and a half making us late for antenatal classes. 

The nurse took my blood pressure which was high, but not too high and then they always take a urine sample to test.  The midwife then joked that my results lit up like a Christmas tree.  There was protein, glucose, keytones and leukocytes so I was put on a fetal monitor to see what Peanut was up to and check he was okay.  He moved absolutely loads and he had a really high heart rate.  Steven was quite interested when Peanut moved because the heart rate increased significantly.  Peanut tried to kick the contraction monitor off my belly, probably because it was cold.  He doesn't like hot or cold things on him.  This time you could actually see the monitor move when he kicked at it. 

The obstetrician came in and said it was good to see him so active but that they now needed him to calm down before I was allowed off the monitor.  I was on the monitor for nearly and hour before they had all the data they wanted because Peanut wouldn't clam down and relax.  The obstetrician explained that the protein and glucose could be signs of gestational diabetes or pre-eclampsia and that I would need to come in again on Thursday so they can monitor Peanut and me again before we go to the blood pressure specialist and obstetricians again on Tuesday.  We were also told that I would need to rest and come back if my blood pressure goes above 100 dystolic pressure or 160 systolic pressure. 

Steven was traumatised by by the antenatal class as we arrived just in time to watch the birth videos.  The videos were fairly graphic and I didn't realise some people had that much hair down there!  I still think that ignorance is bliss where the whole look of birthing is concerned.  Everyone in the room was very quiet throughout the videos.  I haven't found the antenatal classes that useful so far.  I thought they would have a more practical element than I have seen so far.  The most useful part was the tour of the birthing unit and maternity ward last week.  I have found the babycentre website  http://www.babycenter.com better for information and the what to expect when you are expecting book.

Today Steven is away on business and Peanut has had hi first hiccups which was very funny.  Apparently babies don't mind having hiccups like we do.  He has again been very active and I am sure he will look forward to showing his dad his new skill. 

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Peanut Update

Well a lot has happened in the last few weeks.  I have been backwards and forwards to the hospital for loads of tests.  I think I will be the most tested and scanned mother in the whole of Sydney at this rate.  I went for my 28 week scan on Thursday only to be told that my blood pressure was still high (they haven't really been that concerned about it being high so far!) and that as they also found protein in the urine I had early signs of pre-eclampsia.  As a result of this I was kept for observation, fetal monitoring and blood tests to see if I could go home.  Unfortunately Steven rang me while I was having my tests and I had to come clean about still being at the hospital and that I had to stay a bit longer.  He went straight into panicking husband mode threatening to come straight over to the hospital.  As it happens it was lucky he did decide to finish work early and come to the hospital as I was admitted to the maternity ward and told I had to stay for more tests so they could get a good ideas of how myself and Peanut were doing.  Fortunately I had been given a load of leaflets to read about breast feeding and immunising Peanut with vitamin K and for Hepatitis B vaccine, otherwise I would have been really bored.  They put a monitor on Peanut and I had to press a button every time he moved.  The machine gave a print out of Peanut's heart rate and monitored me for contractions.  Peanut sounded strong and happy so no problem there.

Next we were off for another ultrasound.  I wasn't allowed to walk around the hospital so was taken by wheelchair, which made me feel a little bit silly.  Steven arrived just in time to come and see the ultrasound.  The sonographer took lots of measurements of Peanut and amounts of fluid, position and placenta.  This ultrasound was interesting because you could see Peanut much more clearly and the sonographer explained carefully what he was measuring and looking at.  You could even see Peanut's bladder, which he emptied while on screen, nice!  The sonographer asked if we knew Peanut's sex and we said that we had been told he was a boy so he said he would see if he could show us again.  The kept making a joke about seeing traces of nuts every time he went over Peanut's balls.  Peanut still had big testicles and a big willy! Steven was a very proud dad.

After the ultrasound I was starving as I hadn't had any lunch and so Steven had been asked to bring food and magazines with him to the hospital.  It was very funny because he brought loads of magazines including 4x4 magazines and photography magazines.  He did well on the food front as he brought healthy sandwich and salad and a pork pie.  We shared the pork pie (apparently this was his plan!)  Steven was a very good husband and looked after me really well.  Once he had seen the doctor with me he went home to get me a few things.

Now asking a husband to get clothes and toiletries you are never quite sure what you might get as I am sure the ladies will agree.  Well he did quite well.  He brought me pyjamas that fitted and were part of the same set.  He remembered tooth brush and paste and even contact lenses and makeup.  I was very impressed.  When it came to clothes he brought a good selection of those too.  They even went together.  He did however forget a few key items, underwear, socks and deodorant!  Bless!

While I was in the hospital I bumped into one of the ladies from my yoga class who had given birth to a baby girl that morning so I got to see a new baby.  I think the idea of keeping me in hospital was for me to rest and relax as well as to have tests but have you tried sleeping and resting on a maternity ward?  Little babies cry all night long, buzzers go off all night and the nurses and midwives rush around all night talking.  Not very restful.  Then of course you get woken up at some ungodly hour in the morning and are told you have had a lie in, it was 7am!  My idea of a lie in is more like 10-11am, I think we had different ideas.

All the tests from the previous day were repeated and appointments made for me to come back and have more tests and monitoring over the next few weeks.  After all the tests had been reviewed I was allowed to go home as my blood pressure had gone down when resting.  We were given strict instructions that I was to rest as much as possible and do nothing.  The doctor asked me if I was working and said that I would not be allowed to work from now on.

Steven took me home and we spent the day shopping for a camp oven and a few other bits.  I wanted to go to the baby shop but it had closed down.  We bought  a blood pressure monitor to see how different activities affected it.  We found that when I spend the day out and about my blood pressure is quite high but after a nights sleep it goes down.

The following day I was due to go to yoga (I had been told I was allowed to do non stressful things) but after having breakfast in bed I began vomiting which put pay to my yoga plans.  After a long rest on the sofa Steven decided I was allowed to go to the baby shop to buy a changing mat.  When we got to the baby shop we found they were having a refurbishment sale and the pram I had been looking at was reduced from $679 to $549 and was in the colour I wanted (Steven wanted yellow but the pram didn't come in yellow so we got red).  We also ordered the carrycot to go with it as this was also discounted and would take a few weeks to arrive.  Then we found the baby capsule we had been looking at and found that also had $100 off.  Steven then said I could get some sheets for Peanut and another blanket.  We saved a fortune as we would have to buy all this stuff eventually and after a wake up call at the hospital, being told that they may deliver Peanut early if I continue to get pre-eclampsia symptoms, we decided we ought to get a bit more organised.

Peanut's new fish blanket

 Peanut's boat blanket

 Peanut's changing table and new changing mat

 Peanut's toy box

Present for auntie Chloe

 Steven saw this and thought it was cute

 Peanut's new pram.  The carrycot has yet to be delivered.

 Peanut's Australian capsule

Shopping for Peanut always makes him seem really real and a bit scary.  I am now just over 28 weeks and Peanut moves away from cold ultrasound gel and if you put a warm cup of tea on my belly he tried to kick it off.  You can also see him moving in my belly sometimes.  My belly also looks lopsided sometimes depending where Peanut is lying.  I have been following a high carbohydrate diet this weekend ready for my glucose tolerance test tomorrow to see if I also have gestational diabetes.  Hopefully the test will be negative. 

I will let you know how I get on.

After my husband's comment I just wanted to add that I really couldn't do this without him.  I really appreciate the little things he does for me and the way he is already looking after myself and Peanut.  I love him very much. x

Peanut has more clothes

Peanut has received more parcels from the UK.  He has some knitting from Steven's mum.  Myself and Steven have also been shopping and found these really cute little socks and some bibs.  Steven couldn't resist buying Peanut his first Ugg boots.  We have also bought our first piece of baby bedding and decided to use a boat theme in Peanut's room.

 Peanut's bibs, cute socks that look like shoes and his first Ugg boots.


 More Nana knitting from Steven's mum

Friday, June 25, 2010

Still Waters

Walking back from the garage yesterday (truck was in ARB to have new bull bar and winch fitted) and I came across this cracking sight:


Makes you realise two things; there are some cracking sights to be seen when you move around at the slower pace of walking; these sights almost always occur when you don't have the fancy camera with you.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Yeah-in-derry Trip

For the queens birthday the co-pilot and I went on our first trip with the Nissan Patrol Owners Club drive through the Predominantly Green Hills to a little deserted minning town of Yerrendarri, which we pommes thought was prnounced Yerr-in-derry but apparently these antipedians call it Yourendery.

The official trip reporter (Nicci) will be preparing a write up and once this is available I'll share a link here.  In the meantime here are some shots of the trip:

The Starting Line Up
 
Woodies fantastic Arrows - Look at the size!!

We drove through some gorgeous scenery


We Collected Wood and Set Up Camp

And set up camp next to the local airport

But apparently JetStar don't fly here

We Lit the fire
And let it BURN!!

We were visited by Magic Kangaroos

And the vision of an Angel

And set the camera up for a shot to Capture the great star views

New morning we were visited by a Kookaburra

Who shared our breakfast

After breakfast we gathered ourselves up

and on the way home managed to find a bit of a muddy hole

To have a play in and get a bit mucky



Thanks to Dave and Nicci for organising a fantastic first trip which sets high standards in relaxed attitude, chilled chatting around the fire and quality banter for future trips to live up to.  


And thanks to everybody else for making the trip great fun.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Title adjustment

In reverence to my right honourable friend Mr Cooper and his rather pointed observation that the current title might be persived as a little narrow in breadth of remit and likely result in a swathe of 'bloody babies booties shots" I think we can expand the title to "shoes".

That should still leave scope for those so inclind to take shots of juniors foot etitre but leave scope for others to be a bit more creative.

Have fun

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Monday, April 26, 2010

Peanut's New clothes

When we found out that Peanut was a boy we bought his first outfits.  YBOD's mum has also been knitting so we have some pictures of the first things we ever received for Peanut. 



Saturday, April 24, 2010

Our Son!!

For those who are not on facebook and therefore didn't see yesterdays late breaking news, we now know that we are having a son, that he's a strong and lively one and, well......lets just say it was VERY clear he was a boy........yes like his dad ;0)


We are now going to have to start that long and painful process of choosing a name for the fella, after all he can't be called peanut for ever......can he?