September 2013 down under

This month has been very quiet. I have to admit that pregnancy appears to have slowed me right down. By Friday I just about manage to do the housework and then spend what seems like the whole weekend sleeping. This month I have also been ill with a stomach bug that knocked it out of me. I was off work for a week. Though I am feeling much better now and the baby is development well. I am now 6 month pregnent and the baby is becoming very good at moving. It is currently positioned with its feet just below my ribs, so I feel every kick. Mark and I have decided that it is practice to pedal a bike (thanks to our friend Shane).

We had our 22 week scan on Friday and baby was developing well. On the picture you can see its nose, Mark as spent the weekend comparing my side profile with the scan picture and has come to the conclusion that the baby has my nose. 

The rest of the month we have continued to get things ready for the baby, I have been to a few guide events and Mark is getting his head around funding options for work and mountain biking.  We have also got a new garden table. As this is what I found when I came home one day. 

This is our new table. Bring on the BBQ’s I say.

 

This month we have thanks to our friends Jon and Liz been given a travel cot, play pen, pushchair and baby clothes. My gum tree bargains have continued and I found a bassinet that will fit the pushchair that Liz and Jon gave us. Mark continues to practice his parenting skills with my teddy bear, this time with dressing a baby, though he has stated that it’s hard dressing a small thing. Goodness help him when it’s moving to. 

 

Unfortunately the end of September also marks the end of our friend Kate’s stay in Australia and she has to go back to Bristol this week. We will both miss her greatly. She has become a great friend to both Mark and me. Mark has enjoyed the mountain bike advantages and I have enjoyed the many walks and Saturday morning breakfasts we have shared.  We wish her safe travels and look forward to meeting up again in the UK in 2014. 

Bye Kate 

 

 Breakfast at Queen Cafe

 

Walk on the beach in September 

 

At the end of the month I am very busy with a Guide dog Camp for school students, before we welcome Jane (Mark’s university friend) to Adelaide for a visit.

We hope that everyone is well in the UK. 

Walks around South Austraila between June and September 2013

Here are a few pictures of walks we have enjoyed over the last few months.

Mark's walk up Mount Lofty with Jason and his cousin Garry





Walk with Kate down Normanville
 







Walk with Kate in Scott's creek







A walk down at Port Elliot to see the Whales

















Walk around Granite Island and Victor Habour

Mark's 30th Birthday Day

After all the teasing Mark himself has reach the good age of 30^th. The weekend before his birthday I took him away. He had no idea where he was going. I picked him up from work on Friday night and after a few birthday beers with his work mates, we headed on our hours’ drive to our destination.

Mark quickly realised we were heading South and towards the McLaren Vale wine region of South Australia. I had booked us into one of the MC Vine Yards log cabin for the weekend. This log cabin came with a full stocked mini bar (all included in the price), a breakfast hamper for 2 mornings, a spa bath and a log burn. 

On our arrival it didn’t take Mark long to get comfortable on the sofa with a large glass of red wine, which is where he pretty much stayed for most the evening enjoying the log burn (Mark make fire) and watching the Ashes Cricket.  I myself enjoyed a long soak in the spa bath and then an early night with a good book in a King size very comfortable bed. 

 

After a late start on Saturday morning and great breakfast, we headed out on our own Ale tour. Most people go to the Mc Learn vale for the wine. Not Mark he wanted to check out all the small breweries in the region. Though I have to say a trip to the McLaren Vale wouldn’t have been the same without popping into Foggoo’s Wines (this is where our favourite sparking shiraz comes from and is the 2010 Christmas wine we brought home for parents to try) or Alpha Box and Dice Wines (where all your earthy desires become reality).  This is where we picked up the alcohol for wetting the baby’s head. We decided as Australian’s don’t really do pubs and enjoy house parties instead. We have decided to hold a house party in honour of our new arrival. 

 

Late afternoon it was back to the log cabin for my afternoon nap and another chase for Mark to play with fire, before heading out for our evening meal at The Salopian Inn (excellent food and over a 100 gins to choose from).  This is where I gave Mark his birthday present.

Sunday morning and I have never seen Mark what to leave holiday accomdation so quickly on the last day. The reason for this was I had brought him a flight in a Tiger moth plane and he had to be there just before 11am. There was no worry in that, Mark made sure we were there just after 10am. Between waiting for the flight and afterwards Mark was like a big kid in a toy shop, taking pictures of all the beautiful old planes. For the rest of Sunday’s story I think it’s best I let the pictures do the talking. 

 

 

I think the birthday boy enjoyed his present :-) 

Farrell New Arrival

As many of you may now be aware, Mark and I are expecting our first child in January 2014. I am now 4 months and 3week along my pregnancy. It has been a roller-coaster of a ride to date.  Firstly it took us some time to get our heads around the idea and fact, then suffering with morning sickness all day every day for 16 weeks and extreme tiredness.  Now I think we are both very excited about the fact and are enjoying getting ready for the new arrival.

Getting our heads around the fact

It all started on the 12^th May (which happens to been Australian Mother’s Day this year). I took the test and woke Mark with the words ‘I will be celebrating this day next year’.  Mark’s reaction was a picture, shock and pleasure all in one. The test I used identified that I was very early on into the pregnancy so we had to wait 3 weeks before they could see the baby on the ultrasound and provide us with a date.  I don’t think either  of us really believed I was pregnant until we saw the baby on the screen.  Once again Mark’s face was a picture. He looked like he was sitting in the best Biology class he had ever had, eyes glued to the screen and mouth wide open. He couldn’t take his eyes off the beating heart.  

So the date I hear you all say. Well they have said it is due on 25^th January 2014. Bets are now open for when our new arrival will actually arrive. 

There is one thing that Mark and I have already agreed on and that is that we will not be finding out the sex. We would like the surprise and those of you that knows me well, will know that I don’t deal with pain very well, so my thoughts are that this will keep me motivated when it gets really hard. 

Dating Scan – 8 weeks

 

The pregnancy process begins.

After the dating scan my doctor refers me to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Adelaide for my first anti natal appointment. Their health system is very similar to that of the NHS, but maybe a few years behind the times when it comes to case note, confidentiality and security of the case notes (this my OT head talking now), though their patient care is fantastic. 

My care will be provided by the hospital throughout the pregnancy, as I was not offered a place on the Midwifery group practice. This practice would ensure that the same midwife would be with me throughout my pregnancy. I am not worried that I have not been offered this as one of our friends introduced us to the Midwife Student program. This program means that I am allocated a midwife student that will attend anti natal appointments with us, be present during the birth and visit us for 6 weeks after the birth. We have been very fortunate with this program, as we have allocated a lovely student. Her name is Maria, she has only recently come to Australia herself, and she has had two children of her own. I have to say that she has been a great support to Mark and me.

During our first anti natal appointment we had another scan.

During the dating scan they found something that they wanted to keep an eye on. I am glad to say it is nothing to worry about and today we were told that everything is looking normal and good. For this reason for keeping an eye on things we have had three scans since the ten week scan.

Twelve week scan 

 

Seventeen week scan

 

During my first anti natal appointment I was asked to participate in a research project. As I live with a research scientist I thought it would be hypocritical of me to say no. This study is investigating whether Metformin combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle is effective in limiting weight gain in pregnancy and reducing some of the complications that may occur for women with a high BMI. So for me that means’ that I have to take a tablet twice a day (I don’t know if this tablet is a placebo or Metformin. Now Metformin is the tablet given to patients with type two diabetes and insulin resistance in polyeystic ovarian syndrome. This study is looking at whether this drug could be used as a preventative for gestational diabetes. 

As part of this study I have to have regular blood tests, skin fold measurements and ultra sounds. Once the baby is born they will also take a sample of saliva from the baby at different stages in his or her development.

For those of you that now be worrying, don’t worry no harm will come to me or the baby during this study. Mark and I have ensured that we did our research on this before we signed up to participate.

Morning sickness and tiredness

My experience of morning sickness has showed me that it can be difficult at times to cover up the fact that you are pregnant. On a number of occasions I have had to ask to be excused from home visits and taken an early exit off the bus.  Mark has found it strange how I have gone off tea, coffee, ice cream and chocolate as 3 out of the 4 were my favourite foods and drinks.

I have to say that it has been the tiredness that I have experienced that has been the hardest thing to deal with. It has resulted in me struggling to complete my daily commute by bike to work and Mark lost track on how many times he came home to find me asleep. I am glad to say that my energy levels have now returned, though I have opted not to get back on the bike until after the birth. So I have taken to walking to work instead.

The excitement begins

Now that Mark and I have come to terms with our new arrival, we have begun the process of collecting items for the baby. I have become great friends with Gum Tree. This is a website that sales second hand items. To date I have found a range of maternity tops, a rocking chair, a baby carrier and a bouncy chair. This has also resulted in a free child’s play mat, all this for less than $200. 

Look at the items we have purchased to date. Inculding a baby bath. We now I think just need a pushchair, cot, car seat, coats, nappies etc. 

 

Mark got so excited by the purchases that he had to try them out with my teddy bear,

My body is slowly changing and I have begun to feel the baby moving.

Tomorrow is the 20 week scan, so start posted for updates.