Hannah's big day

Here's Hannah!





We got to the hospital at about 06h00 - Shelly was first in line for the 08h00 slot. At about 07h50 we were were still waiting in Shelly's room. At about 07h55 a porter came and wheeled Shelly away, and at 08h18 Hannah anounced herself to the world. Besides the usual amazement at the efficiency and accuracy of modern medicine, my only other thoughts were, wow she is much smaller and much louder than Joshua.

Our concert pianist

Our piano has lots of pre-programmed pieces of music. This evening we had it just playing through some of them, and Joshua wanted to play along...

As far as I know he hasn't seen anyone playing like this, so I don't know where he gets it from... But it is cute!

Reflections on my pregnancy

Well, tomorrow is the day... Unless I still go into spontaneous labour before, we are booked for a caesar at 8:00 tomorrow morning. And then our little Hannah will finally be with us.

I thought I'd just make a note of some of the things about this pregnancy, while I can still remember them ;o) I expect that in the next few weeks I'll be very much a walking zombie, so I've got to use my brain while it's still functioning.

This pregnancy has definitely gone quicker than the first one! We found out I was pregnant at about 4 weeks, as opposed to 7 with Joshua (the home tests were so light that I was doubting they were accurate until I had a blood test done) but the time has still sped by so fast, despite the extra weeks of knowing. I think that having a child to be looking after and trying to prepare for this new arrival helps to make the time go faster.

One other very obvious thing is that my weight has been very different this time. With Joshua I put on 17 kg's, although in my defence I had mild pre-eclampsia with lots of water retention and swelling. So that does account for some of the weight. But now with Hannah I've put on minimal weight. I went to the gym this week to get a final weigh and measure at full term, and I've put on 10.5kg's from my pre-pregnancy weight. So I'm really happy with that! I think what's made the difference was the fact that I had lost the weight before, but also been exercising effectively. So my body was in a much better state to start off with. And the having a toddler to keep you active helps as well ;o)

Some people say you carry more in the front with girls, and more to the sides with boys. Others say the other way around, and others say it's no indication... Well, I have carried more in the front this time round, and last time I think was more to the sides. But that's still a matter of opinion I guess.

Here are the last of my pregnant photos, which Andrew took yesterday.
With both pregnancies everything has been fine with the baby all the way through. I've been very lucky to have healthy babies.

I've had quite a lot of pain in both pregnancies though. With Joshua it was mainly my pelvis, as the ligaments relaxed in preparation for labour the joints would scrape against each other and that was quite painful.

With Hannah now I've also had the pelvis problem, although the pain has been more at the back of my pelvis, instead of in the middle, and what has also caused the most pain this time has been lying down, in any position... But in addition I've had a pinched nerve in my lower back which has caused quite a lot of pain at times. I've actually been to the physio a few times to try and help with that, and I think that did help.

Because of the bad pain at night I've borrowed a walking stick from Andrew's mom, just to help with the first few meters mainly if I have to get up at night. Once I loosen up then I can generally move on my own, although still not necessarily comfortably. But Joshua has been so cute with fetching the stick for me at times. But then he'll sometimes give it to me for 2 steps, and then he wants a turn, and I'm left stranded ;o) It's very funny to see him imitating me ;o)

It's an interesting question as to which pregnancy had more pain... At the time with Joshua I thought it was really bad, and at times with Hannah I've thought it was really bad. My day time movement has been for the most part easier this time round, but the nights have been really bad. Andrew seems to think this one has been worse, but that may just be because he's seen me at night, whereas with Joshua it was more evenly spread, so he didn't necessarily see the true picture. So I actually really can't tell you if one was worse than the other, or if they were about equal. They were different, I guess that's all I can say. (But I will be glad to have it over!)

In terms of fetal movement it's been quite different. Joshua was very active, with lots of kicks and very visible movements. Hannah on the other hand has moved lots, but not the "active" kicks that Joshua did. Hers is more shifting positions regularly. Although in the last few weeks, since she's settled into her final position she's very often been sticking out either her foot or elbow on my left side. And not too gently either. The problem with having less padding is that if the baby is pushing out like that everything just gets pushed with it, and I think it's more uncomfortable, even sore at times. Joshua also got LOTS of hiccups, but Hannah hasn't really. I think she's just been a lot quieter in general! But there are some things that get her excited. A few months ago I went to a piano recital, and WOW did she get excited! And then also when we were looking at names I was sitting making a list on my own one morning and saying them out loud. And when I suggested Hannah she actually responded to it. That's not why we went with the name in the end, but she definitely did like it ;o)

But despite saying that she's moved less violently than Joshua did, I did get a video of her moving around last Sunday, in one of her more active moods. This is really all her! I was only breathing, which you can hardly see...

Unfortunately Joshua hasn't been patient enough to really feel her move. He's been very good though in coming to understand what's happening. We've been talking a lot about the baby being in Mommy's tummy, and we chose her name quite a few months ago, so that we could refer to her with a name to make her more real for him. For the most part he calls her "Hammah", but he occasionally gets the "n" sound right. But if you ask him what's in Mommy's tummy he'll say it's the baby, or baby Hannah, or just Hannah. And in the last few weeks he's also been talking about her as a real person, like us doing this with her and him showing her things.

We also got a book out the library about a family who has a baby, and so we've been looking at that often, and explaining that I'll be going to the hospital etc, and he's going to come and visit, and then we'll bring her home. I actually really do think that he understands quite well. It's still going to be a major shock to the system when it actually happens, but I think he's been as prepared as possible.

We wanted to move Joshua into his own room with a few months to spare so that he wouldn't feel that he'd been ousted in favour of the baby. And he's completely settled in his own room. When we were getting the nursery all ready he was happy to refer to it as Hannah's room, and to know that he has his own bed and his own room. I must say I'm also very glad we moved him out of the cot and into the bed when we did, because since then it's become difficult to even bend over and kiss him lying on his bed. Imagine if I was trying to reach him down at the bottom of the cot!

A couple other small things. With Joshua I did develop that dark vertical line on my tummy, and my skin was SO itchy! But with Hannah I haven't got that line, and my skin has been very comfortable. The itch is probably very much related to how much stretching my skin has had to do. I have got mild stretch marks with both, despite using cream to prevent them, but I think they were worse with Joshua. In general I think my skin has just been happier and healthier this time round, which has been great.

So I think that's my story. If we do decide to have another baby it will be interesting to see how that one compares. One thing that every mother has said to me is that every pregnancy is different. And I can definitely attest to that!

And now it's the final countdown... Our last little while as a 3-people family. Yesterday we impulsively had this "portrait" done while we were out shopping.

I think we're as ready as we can be - but every family will know that you're never really ready... So wish us luck ;o)

Blind colours

This morning while I was feeding Joshua his breakfast I was drawing shapes on his back and he was telling me what they were (he can recognise a circle, triangle and square on his back)

But then he started insisting that the shapes had colours - it was a red triangle and a yellow circle...

...Huh?

Joshua moments - April 2010

Joshua's developed a few little quirks... But then what child doesn't, I guess?

In the mornings I'll often ask him what colour shirt I should wear, and almost every morning he decides that I must wear my purple shirt. Even if it isn't in the options that I give him... But he really likes Mommy in purple apparently. And then when he's getting dressed he almost always wants to wear his orange shirt (of which he's got a few). And he'll very proudly touch and talk about his orange shirt during the day then! But he's started also getting his own clothes out of his cupboard now sometimes, so his choice is now broadening - but probably mainly because he can't always see or reach an orange shirt.

We try to do Family Home Evening with Joshua every week, sometimes more successfully than others... In general it consists of an opening and closing prayer, one slightly more reverent song, and one fun song, and then a 1 minute lesson where we talk about some pictures in the Nursery manual. And of course he has his favourite ones, like there's a picture of a family playing with a ball... But that's my son for you. But what he also often asks to see is a picture of "Je-yus". He takes great delight in looking at pictures of Jesus, often studying them for a long time, and also just pointing out pictures of Him as we're going through a book or something. The main thing that we try to bring out in every one of our very brief lessons is that all the different things we talk about all come back to the fact that "Jesus loves you".

Joshua is also very observant while we're driving around in the car. Almost constantly he'll be telling us about things he's spotting - the cars, trucks, buses, traffic lights (and he pretty much knows red means stop, and green go), umbrellas, planes, animals, bikes, trees, shops - it amazes me how much he's seeing all the time. And when he tells us about it he'll normally also tell us the colour and the size, so he's practising all the time!

He loves to "drive" our cars any chance he can get. One day when we got home we literally were in the car for 45 minutes with Joshua driving! (Andrew's arrival home was the only thing that stopped it)





We were giving Cindy and Richard a lift home from church one day, and on all of the hills around the Bellville chapel the 3 of them in the back were pretending they were on a roller coaster. There were all sorts of squeals and long "uuuuup"'s and "dooowwwwn"'s. Just look at the little tongue Joshua was pulling when he was going down!



We bought Joshua some sunglasses for when we're driving - he often complains that the sun is too bright, and I know that I can't drive without sunglasses. He doesn't always want them, but if he does ask he generally keeps them on for quite a while!


Of course it's not always fun and games when we're driving ;o)

I'm trying to take Joshua to the library every two weeks, and while we're there he'll go and fetch a chair so that he can sit by the shelves that have his books, and then he'll take great delight in looking at all of them. The last time we were there he (completely on his own) chose a train book and a truck book. He's such a boy! And then since we've had the books at home he and Daddy love looking at these books especially when they're together ;o)


Then a couple days after we'd been to the library, when we were driving home, Joshua suddenly started talking about the "libry". So I decided to take a detour so that we could drive past it - and he just looked with big eyes as we drove past, and then we came home and looked at his books again...

Some of the other really cute things he's saying is "e-koo" for "Thank you", but the pitch of his voice tends to be quite high ;o) And I think its much more of a game than knowing that he actually should be saying Thank you regularly. And to get him to say "Please"! Almost impossible! Then when he's looking for something he'll go around asking "Where car" or whatever, but also the "where" is in a high pitch. So cute!

He's also discovered that my name is Shelly... And if he's calling me, he'll often now shout out "Shelly" instead of "Mommy". But he does it completely as a joke, because he gets a very naughty look on his face when he does it. I have to remind him every time what his name is for me. Funny that he doesn't really do it for Andrew.

He's also been taught (mainly by the day mother, I think) that if someone gets hurt they need a hug. So very often if he's hurt one of us (usually unintentionally) or if he sees we're hurt for some other reason he'll come and give us a hug or a snuggle. I love my affectionate boy! (Sometimes he'll just decide to give us a hug or snuggle for no reason too, which is the absolute best!). But when he gets hurt he also doesn't quite have the word right - he always says "hurtyou" or "hityou" as one word to say that he or one of us has been hurt. It sounds really cute, but I know he'll grow out of that pretty soon...

And he loves to walk around and then pop around a corner and say "Boo!" We often have this little face popping out at us. And then in our bedroom we have a full length mirror, but the bottom is probably 75cm above the ground or something. So he'll crouch down so he can't see his reflection, and then its a big game to ask "Where's Josh" (he'll also say it...) and he'll jump up so that he can see himself again ;o)

With all of the playing outdoors that he likes to be doing these days, and with how often he'll ask to go over and visit Granny we've had to teach him not to just run out into the road. But he's actually very good. He'll stop at the end of the driveway and look around (although I don't think he really knows what he's checking for because there are so infrequently cars coming into our quiet culdesac) and only then will we go over the road. There have even been a couple time where we've forgotten to do an obvious stop and he's stopped and we've had to go back to stand with him and check!

Andrew got Joshua to help him put out some bread crusts for the birds. Of course Joshua can't let good food go to waste ;o)

With this pregnancy I've been struggling with some pain - if I lie down, then I struggle to walk for a bit afterwards. So at night if we have to get up for Joshua I was having a real struggle. So I borrowed a walking stick from Andrew's mom just to help with the first few meters while everything loosens up. But Joshua saw me using it a few times in the mornings, and he's realised that when I say I'm sore I often need it. So now he'll often fetch it next to my side of the bed and bring it to me when he feels that I need it. Of course it's often then a matter of sharing it with him... But he's very thoughtful if he thinks that I'm struggling. And maybe also if he wants me to move quickly? ;o)

He was helping me put on a load of washing one morning - I was taking the washing out of the basket, putting the whites to one side, and giving him the darks to put in the machine. And everything I gave him he'd say who it belonged to, what it was, and usually the colour as well! Even socks he mostly got right, which is really impressive ;o) And remember his love for my purple shirt? Well it basically got a big hug before going into the machine!

My dad made a big board for me a few years ago to do puzzles on. Well Joshua discovered it, and decided it was perfect to play with his cars on! It became quite a curse always having it on the study floor!


A row of garages courtesy of Uncle Andrew...


I've started trying to do a few crafty things with Joshua - not really very successfully. But here he was trying to make a picture with torn pieces of paper. He was certainly very proud of his picture! He carried it around like a priceless treasure wanting to show it to Daddy and Granny!

It's been a really fun month! I feel like Joshua has just grown up so much! I just hope he's ready for his little sister ;o)

Joshua and General Conference

"Daddy watch Barney" these are the words I most often hear when I go neart the TV, but something changed this weekend. We decided to watch conference at home to give ourselves (and other people) the best chance of hearing and understanding something. During the first session that we watched we had to pause often as the house was being trashed around us while Josh thought we weren't paying enough attention to him. Conference talks were interupted by 20 runs from the lounge to the bedroom and back, building towers that sometimes were smashed before the foundation was complete, and playing cars.

As conference continued we noticed a difference. His playing became calmer, no more trying to bash, break or beat things. He became more patient with us, we still had breaks (though I began to wonder if they were more for my benefit then his, as I noticed when I watched more then three talks in a row I began to nod off) in which we played, built, drew pictures, and ran (he especially liked this, much to the dismay of an unfit dad) many, many times from the lounge to the room and back.
The amazing though is that he would then ask, "Watch prayers" we would of course then sit down and watch some more conference.

That in itself was amazing, but the amazing continued as much to his Uncle Andrew's surprise. Andrew gets a lift with me to work in the mornings. Josh loves it when Andrew comes as he grabs Andrew and wants to play the car game on the computer that unlce Andrew plays best. They normally play while I finish getting ready. The amazing was on Monday morning when Josh said to uncle Andrew, "watch prayers".

Visually conference to a child cannot be stimulating, the music for Josh does not mention anything about kites, rainbows, colours, fruit, macaroni, or even birthdays. President Monson may come accross as big and loveable, but he is just not purple and he does not have that goofy Barney laugh. Our speculation is this, that Josh did not necessarily see or hear something that won his heart, but that he felt something. And why not? I as his dad felt something good, and Josh has more right then me at anytime to feel the promptings of the spirit.

My new baby!

Ha ha! That got everyone's attention ;o)

We're still waiting for our little girl (probably 3 weeks to go) but I got my piano today!!! We've been married for nearly 6 years now, and we've finally bought our own piano!

We've decided to go with a digital piano - a Roland HP201. Thanks to a family connection who is willing and able to let us use his staff discount we were able to get a better model at a more affordable price, so we've got a really nice piano!

For those who haven't had any contact with the digital pianos that you can get these days - it has fully weighted keys (their term is Progressive Hammer Action) which makes it feel just like a normal acoustic piano. This model has 128 polyphony, so it can produce the full sound of a piano - all 3 strings being hit, including the sound of the hammer hitting the string for each note played. Plus then you get the added features like different tones, a built in metronome, headphones, volume control and it can connect to a computer! And it's all still a lot cheaper than buying a good quality acoustic piano! So I'm really happy ;o) (And it's not just me trying to convince myself that it feels like a real piano - Cindy also agrees...)

Andrew and Andrew went to fetch it during the day today and quickly brought it home before going back to work.

Then Richard came over to help me set it up. He managed to put the base on backwards at first... Although I didn't pick it up either until we were trying to do the next step ;o)
Isn't she beautiful!
Joshua was sleeping while it got delivered and set up, but as soon as he woke up he wanted to try it out!
For some reason he was convinced that it sounded like a boat when it was set to "Orchestra Strings". Go figure...

It's been so nice playing a bit today and just knowing that I can have music in my home again - and now we can have our children learning to play. So this is an investment for our family.