Amelie comes home

Amelie came home on Thursday afternoon after getting a clean bill of health from her paediatrician, getting held by Mem Fox during an interveiw, and pooing all over the place for Daniel whilst I was elsewhere (so far she has conveiniantly timed most of her poos to fit when Daniel is looking after her!) resulting in an unexpected bath. It was great to get her home, although its strange that she is all ours. Chloe met her and was very well behaved. And we even survived our first night together without midwife assisstance.

Day 2

Heres some pics from day 2 at the hospital, including Amelie's first bath- conducted by Daniel, Amelie's signature 'I'm a rockstar' move (I've taken to saying 'yes I see that hand' with an appropriate televangelist accent every time she does it), and a photo of the veiw from my window.
Day 2 consisted of Amelie being tough during some injections, charming lots of visitors, having a first bath, and a visit to the physio...for mum's abs!

Amelie's first week part 1

Sorry this has taken a few days. Amelie and I just came home yesterday but all is well so here is the update of what happened this week.

Sunday night we went into hospital to be induced. Daniel was able to head home and leave me there to sleep. In the morning there was not much action so at 10 they said I could go for a walk up to O Connell street if I wanted (the cafe drag in North Adelaide) so long as I was back in 4 hours. Little did they know Amelie was going to be born before that dead line. Pain started about 10:30, luckily I had told Dan I thought the walk was a bad idea...would have lead to a little labour with my latte!
Anyway pain and more pain later our little girl Amelie Kate was born, 3.69Kgs and 51cm at 1:57pm.

Ok there are just no words adequate to describe the experience, but yes there was yelling, with my german doctor telling me the german word for labour literally means pain (by which she meant suck it up you've got no choice now!) and a number or midwives saying 'just breath through it'....ok right that obviously wasn't working too well but they tell you you're doing well anyway. I did ask for an epidural but by the time they got the drip in my hand and rolled me on my back to put in the aneasthetic it was time to push...so no epi for me! The gas made me woozy and gave me something to bite on but I'm not sure it really helped with the pain. Anyway certainly the hardest most amazing experience of my life!!
All thanks to the wonderful midwives and staff and Women and children's Hospital...really first class care the whole time we were there. Great views and great food as well. My favourite bit was the male lactation consultant (he was really helpful but it is funny with this guy saying 'just let me get my breast to demonstrate') I desperately wanted to ask exactly how one becomes a lactation consultant!! Oh and Amelie got to meet Mem Fox and be part of this media thingo on reading to babies resulting in a very brief glimpse of her on channel 9 news and a photo in the paper with a few other new borns.

Anway we brought her home yesterday, and it's all been very exciting, scary, thrilling, tiring....

Still waiting

Today is our due date...really with something like 3% of babies being born on said date I really don't know why they bother!! Not a very good accuracy rate if you ask me!! Anyway they have given us a date to count down to as the midwife says I'll be induced come Sunday night... that created a scary silent moment for Daniel and I sitting in her office, I think having a definite end point just makes it all very real... yes you would think that reality had set it by now, but I'm discovering that reality is something that unfolds itself, bit by shocking bit.
Anyway for the sake of interest heres a photo of me at my most fat, heading off to a musical a couple of days a go.... which, for Copland's interest, Alex was in...

Dan may be annoyed about this...

A photo of our already family member Chloe, discovering the backyard where she will dwell once the next family member arrives... oh and for those who remember Idgy the fish..he passed away yesterday after 3 and a half years of faithful service

making the place ready

A fortnight ago mum and dad came down to help us get everything ready for the baby, so here's some photos from our renovations

well heres the news

Okay so after several phone calls I decided it was time to follow the lead of others and start our blog. After all what else do you do when you are baby focused, fat, and sitting at home, sick with a cold? Somehow working on that last assignment for uni just doesn't cut it. Besides living interstate from friends and family, I love catching up with whats happening via your blogs!

Of course at this point I'm writing not to announce the birth of our baby just yet, but to universally deny that the baby has arrived. No, to all those who have brisvegas connections, our baby is not yet born, we are still waiting... but good to see the rumor mill is up and running! At this stage we have three weeks to go (although I'm currently trying unsuccessfully to trick myself into believing its actually 4 weeks away) and no indication of her coming any earlier. Of course I'm all packed just incase...

For all of those who believed the above rumors generally be assured of two things that will let you know it has happened, one; Dan will be very excited and will undoubtedly ring/sms everyone in both our mobile phones (in my case that may include several people he doesn't know and whom I barely know but have the numbers of)

and two; Dad will email everyone in his address book (including many people who don't know us) our news (followed by photos ASAP) we know this from his history of grandchildren arriving.

Anyway for now I've decided that the modern form of nesting doesn't involve cleaning, but shopping and reading copious amounts on baby care, over and over again. Currently it is the only thing I am motivated to do, but after a spree of lay buying I'm all finnished, so I try and placate myself by browsing and food shopping. At this point with the waiting I envy Copland and Theresa's approach of just not knowing til the last minute!

Otherwise all is well, other than occassionally turning into a raging hormonal psychopath...

PS Dan is not a fan of the blog, he thinks its a bad idea and says there is already enough boring rubbish on the internet...but I say whats wrong with a little more...he'll come round!