Rainy warm day and the scan

32 week scan

Feeling quite happy and excited. The scan showed us all good news, she has her head down, the placenta has travelled and given clearance and her size is bang on 'average'. Of course it was just lovely to see her little peaceful face, that nose! and her brain and heart and stomach all working away. Love. Nothing more to say.

Back to work

Back to work after ten days off. Now five weeks of work to go. Scan tomorrow to see if my placenta (her placenta?) is blocking her exit or not. Excited to see her on the scan again.

Shed update, as of Friday tools down. Hopefully finished this week.

Charlie trims the apricot tree to accommodate the new shed frame.

Name preference: Elkie
Best activity: Riding to the city on Anzac Day, nearly 11kms in 40 minutes
Adventure dreaming: Snuggles in winter tent
Random worry: Nope, no worries.
Reading: Work emails and mothering blogs

XXXI and the Backyard

Heading off to yoga while the workers toil. 

Day two of the second session of backyard work. Early rain cleared by 9am to glorious sunshine. Shed, guttering, paving, planting, digging, tree removal, neighbour consulting, marble retrieval, and much mud tramped through the house.

Yoga was great though my arms and shoulders felt weak and tired. We did partner work - a massage called 'rub the love in'. Yep, pretty delicious. Then I found a blog post in my inbox about motherhood and yoga. Perfect.

Name preference: Scout?
Best activity: Planting grass
Adventure dreaming: High country cool air
Random worry: Having no muscles
Reading: The local paper at our bench

Cape Conran at Easter

Christmas at Cape Conran has become a tradition of sorts. This past summer we missed out on the ballot and it felt strange to stay home all through Christmas, without the usual packing, cooking and heading off on the long drive.

Easter is a different matter, no ballot, we just reserved a spot. Mum, Jack and us+1. We weren't sure what to expect, without the beach plans, with the possibility of rain... Arrived Good Friday and left Easter Monday. Quite a relaxing few days with reading, snoozing, beach walks, good campfire food and laughter.

Saturday was the Marlo Primary School Fete, our key activity, which yielded jams, baby knits, a few plates and jars of homemade sweets and much entertainment. A hot chocolate as we sheltered in the park and discussed plans for the shed at home.

Marlo Jetty

Sunday we walked along the boardwalk, gazing into rockpools and out to the big breaking waves. Weather was bright, or windy, or grey, and great for walking with no time or purpose. Mum arranged some rocks, Charlie found a beautiful driftwood stick and on the way back there was a kids' sand sculpting competition being judged by a huge rapturous audience.

Conran view

Packing up in the gorgeous morning sunlight, my plan was to visit Salmon Rocks before we left. Mum and Jack had reported wild winds from their visit after the Fete, but it was clear and as I remembered. Charlie explored for bouldering possibilities and we recalled the pleasant visit when Jack fished and we met a cheerful family travelling around the country. We took some profile shots. Ahem.

30 weeks and full of love

30 is a big round number

Ran this fine morning and it felt good. Same pace as a few weeks back.

Still canvassing mothers for their headline advice. Latest: Be flexible, don't invest physically or mentally in things going a particular way.

This is our theme of the week, as we've tried to make some configuration decisions around the house. We settled on building a shed for the camping gear and our archives, which will free up the gear room.

My thinking is to have a nursery corner set up (still not sure if this is in ballroom or gear room) that has the double futon, change table, baby clothes, nappies etc. This would be for day sleeps. Our room would have the crib (attached to our bed) and be the night sleep place.

Thirty weeks tomorrow. And an Easter-Anzac break of ten days starts. Lovely.

Cosmos and Adelaide

Dad asked me who gets to choose his grandfather moniker.

I'm up eating vegemite toast at 5:20, taxi is coming in 20 minutes to convey me to the airport. Perhaps my last plane trip before I become a parent?

Yesterday was our second Cosmos appointment. As we waited to be called, we both weren't sure what the appointment was for. Then I remembered that when you're pregnant, you simply have 'routine' appointments. It went really well. We got called in by a lovely French accent and met another of the 'team' of four midwives who look after me. She was warm and earnest, very intently telling us that babies eat every two hours in their first ten days at home and that it would be impossible to keep usual sleeping pattern and that there's nothing you can do about it as "there is only one master - the baby".

She took my measurements and listened to the heartbeat. Charlie saw the little one punch out, first time.

I asked about supplements and was told I could cease taking any (!). She said it's just a business and that if I eat well I can stop. So I'll just take iron as that's low and low is normal for third trimester.

Overall it was a strangely reassuring visit. Weird when I was already calm. Glad Charlie met one of the midwives.

29 weeks and some advice

Interesting to take solicited advice. 

Speaking with some other newish mums and the top tips were: don't gain too much weight and ask for help. The giraffes really are everywhere. 

Been feeling my most tired yet, but this could be busy days at work too.

29 weeks and 10 kgs gained. Grass growing slowly. 

Will stay home this weekend and try to execute some domestic tasks. Attack the gear/junk/baby room. Order the crib. Write a list of clothes needed and check against those we already have. See if we can take backyard project to next phase. Buy a front door handle.  

28 weeks and feeling chipper

Back from a run. There is more darkness around and it feels like I'm only home when it's night time. Very pleased to wake up on time this morning and lace up my shoes to head off. My runs are down to 2km, really just up to the waterfront and back. A feeling of stretch or ache down my side, and feeling like going to the toilet are the main reasons I'm not going further. My breathing is ok.

Stretch mark aversion is one reason to keep running. They are yet to appear on my rounded belly, but I think my teenage marks from hips and thighs may have increased. Following my Cosmos blood tests, I'm now taking iron and vitamin D supplements in addition to my pregnancy multi. My iron had fallen to low and my D is normal, but apparently I should stay on D anyhow as I'm pregnant. Curious.

Today I'll start interviews for my replacement, just one year after I was interviewed myself for the role. It's a strange process, and one I'm grateful my boss has let me take the lead on. More navel gazing as I figure out what makes someone effective in my role.