| Started to walk - Friday, October 05, 2007 |
Lucas started to take steps all on his own without having to hold onto anything! |
| First Birthday Party - Sunday, April 15, 2007 |
Today is Lucas' first birthday party. He will have no idea what's going on but it's a chance for the other babies and parents to catch up. |
| First Birthday - Wednesday, April 11, 2007 |
Today Lucas is one! My baby boy is now a toddler, no longer a baby baby. Hard to believe!!! |
| Naming Ceremony - Sunday, January 14, 2007 |
Today was Lucas's naming ceremony to officially welcome him into our family, circle of friends and the wider community. It was a very special day and I will be telling Lucas all about it when he's older. |
| First Tooth - Monday, December 04, 2006 |
Lucas has been teething for the past 2 weeks and last week his first tooth cut through. He only has one bottom tooth which is slowly coming up and hopefully the second will cut soon. |
| Rolled Back to Front - Thursday, November 23, 2006 |
Text I sent Daniel: |
| Rolled Front to Back - Monday, October 23, 2006 |
He only did it once but he rolled from tummy to back all on his own! |
| Six months old today - Wednesday, October 11, 2006 |
Lucas is 6 months old today. Hard to believe. Time has gone by so quickly it is scary!!! He continues to be a real delight and amuses his parents to no end. |
| First swimming class - Tuesday, October 10, 2006 |
Today Lucas had his first swimming class and he loved it! Was very chilled about it all and didn't even mind having water poured ontop of his head. |
| Ate Solid Food - Thursday, August 03, 2006 |
Lucas had his first taste of solid food - baby rice! He actually opened his mouth when the spoon approached and managed to roll the rice around inside his mouth and swallow (although a lot of it did end up on the outside!) but he did finish a whole teaspoon of baby rice. |
| Discovered Hands - Monday, June 19, 2006 |
Today Lucas drew his left hand towards his mouth and despite hitting himself in the face numerous time, he did finally get it into his mouth and suck on it. The joy of discovering your own hand! |
| First Bath - Saturday, April 15, 2006 |
Lucas's first bath - wasn't very happy about it as he hates being naked at the moment! Apparently this is quite normal for newborns - they are not happy having all their clothes removed as they literally feel 'striped naked'! |
| Came Home From Hospital - Thursday, April 13, 2006 |
Today we came home from hospital with our precious bundle of joy who slept during the entire car ride. |
| I Was Born! - Tuesday, April 11, 2006 |
Lucas Daniel Wright born 11 April 2006 at 2:51pm, weighing in at 7.2lbs/3.25kg |
| Waters broke - Monday, April 10, 2006 |
My waters broke with a great gush while watching TV - this was it! |
| False Labor - Saturday, April 08, 2006 |
All day I had mild/braxton hicks type contractions and by 8pm I thought I had better start timing these as they were getting a bit more intense. By 10pm, they hadn't changed in intensity and after a phone call to the obstetrician who recommended I have a bath and take some panadol and get some sleep, nothing more came of them. So I had my first taste of false labour or latent labour. |
| 8 Months today - Tuesday, February 21, 2006 |
According to one of the pregnancy books (see below) I am now 8 mths seeing as I'm 32 weeks today! Hard to believe how quickly time has gone by and before you know it, Bean will be here. |
| Baby Shower - Saturday, February 11, 2006 |
Today was my Baby Shower that my friend Karen organised. Was a very special day and Bean was spoilt rotten with all the gifts he got! |
| 6 month mark - Saturday, December 31, 2005 |
24 weeks (6 months) on 28 December 2005. Wow. It's hard to believe that I am already 6 months pregnant now. Time has gone by very quickly actually and before we know it, our little one will be here! |
| Baby kicks! - Monday, November 07, 2005 |
I felt my first two kicks last night as I was lying in bed! It's hard to describe what it feels like but below is the best description I could come up with: |
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Milestones in a nutshell
The Second Year of Wright's life - a couple entries
A couple entries taken from the journal relating to Lucas' second year...
23 April 2007 - Returning to work - has it been a year already?
My year's maternity leave has come to an end and I returned to work on the 16th April 2007. It's hard to believe it's been a year already since Lucas entered our lives!
Going back to work full-time is a big adjustment for our family and not only am I adjusting so is Lucas. He is loving daycare and is settling in really well and his daily report has stated what a happy boy he is and how well he is settling in. This has made a huge difference in helping me return to work, knowing that my little man is happy and being well cared for. He has two naps at daycare and enjoys playing with the other kids and I think he's enjoying the social interaction and stimulation.
Returning to my old job (as a recruitment consultant in the medical bureau division) has made things a bit easier in the sense that I know the job and it's not all completely new! So saying that though, it is a rather full on job which can make you feel exhausted by the end of the day. My stamina is certainly building up and today was a good day so I still felt human by the end of it and hence why I wrote an entry today!
12 July 2007 - Sign language
Last night we were in Lucas' bedroom playing on the floor and he got hold of the music part of his baby mobile. He pressed the on button and the melody started to play. As it was playing he tilted his head sideways and put the palm of his hand flat against his cheek/face which is the sign language for "sleep".
We were so proud and stoked to see that Lucas was able to make the connection of his mobile music to sleep time and the fact both Daniel and I were there to see this!
23 April 2007 - Returning to work - has it been a year already?
My year's maternity leave has come to an end and I returned to work on the 16th April 2007. It's hard to believe it's been a year already since Lucas entered our lives!
Going back to work full-time is a big adjustment for our family and not only am I adjusting so is Lucas. He is loving daycare and is settling in really well and his daily report has stated what a happy boy he is and how well he is settling in. This has made a huge difference in helping me return to work, knowing that my little man is happy and being well cared for. He has two naps at daycare and enjoys playing with the other kids and I think he's enjoying the social interaction and stimulation.
Returning to my old job (as a recruitment consultant in the medical bureau division) has made things a bit easier in the sense that I know the job and it's not all completely new! So saying that though, it is a rather full on job which can make you feel exhausted by the end of the day. My stamina is certainly building up and today was a good day so I still felt human by the end of it and hence why I wrote an entry today!
12 July 2007 - Sign language
Last night we were in Lucas' bedroom playing on the floor and he got hold of the music part of his baby mobile. He pressed the on button and the melody started to play. As it was playing he tilted his head sideways and put the palm of his hand flat against his cheek/face which is the sign language for "sleep".
We were so proud and stoked to see that Lucas was able to make the connection of his mobile music to sleep time and the fact both Daniel and I were there to see this!
First Year of Wright's life
This is also taken from the journal which briefly covers Lucas' first year.
06 June 2006 - 8 weeks old today
Lucas has had his first lot of jabs, has graduated to infant nappies (no longer using newborn ones), already has a box of baby clothes that he has outgrown....and this has all happened in his first 8 weeks - it's hard to believe how quickly time has gone by.
I am loving being a mum and it's no wonder people do have kids. Whilst our lives was so much simpler before little Lucas came along, our lives are so much more enriched now.
But that's not to say having a newborn comes with its challenges and you do get tested to the max!
There are times when he's very unsettled - especially at the 4 week, 6 week and 8 week mark which we have just found out! When they go through their growth spurts they don't seem to stop crying and nothing you do seems to work, and just when you start to think "how much more can I take of this" they've settled down and are sleeping like little angles and have got into a routine again!
Lucas being an Aries baby has a good set of lungs in him and he can scream the house down if he wants to - especially if his food isn't coming quick enough (and he's got that from his mum!) or if he's over tired. But despite those testing times that come with a baby, we wouldn't change a thing and when they break into their first big gummy smile, it makes it all worthwhile!
11 July 2006 - The 12 week mark
Ahhhh the 12 week mark. This is the mark you are hanging out for as your baby is meant to start sleeping through the night, is more alert and awake during the day, is more fun with lots of smiling, laughing, baby babble.....and they're right!
The first night Lucas slept right through without a feed I woke up thinking it was about 5am or so and that he would be due for a feed but in fact it was 7:30am! I had obviously slept soundly and Lucas had too. Not wanting to jinx it we thought perhaps it was a one off thing, but no, he's slept right through the night since then. For those of you who aren't parents yet - THIS IS A BIG DEAL (believe me)!!!!
He's also such a happy chappy when he's awake. Smiling heaps and laughing. You do find yourself doing silly things just to hear him laugh and squeal with delight as it is the most wonderful sound to hear.
Lucas has also discovered his hands and will often have one fist up in the air which he gazes at intently and will then bring it to his mouth. At first he tended to punch himself in the nose or face but now he's hitting the bull’s-eye more than he is missing it!
He is a lot of fun and we fall in love with him more and more each day.
11 October 2006 - 6 months old
Lucas is 6 months and it's hard to believe how quickly time has gone by. I know I keep on saying that but it's so true! I didn't believe it when I was told it but they do grow so quickly.
What has 6 months brought us - Lucas has started swimming classes, is eating solids three times a day, has probably cracked the 10kg mark as at his 5 month check up he was 9.8kg(!), drops toys in order to watch you pick them up, notices the dog now as he laughs when he sees her and likes to grab her fur and pull her whiskers, he hated his 5 month jabs and was quite grumpy for 3 days and then got a cold for a week afterwards, has been on his first bush walk and loved it, he knows who his mummy and daddy are and we think he's starting to sleep through the night again (yay!).
So 6 months has brought a lot and I'm sure another 6 months will bring even more and before you know it he will be one years old!
11 January 2006 - 9 months old
Today Lucas is 9 months old. How quickly it has gone by and my boy is sporting two bottom teeth now which came through in December.
He is such a joy and continues to delight us every day. They grow in leaps and bounds both physically as well as developmentally. Only a couple days ago did Lucas start clapping his hands and yesterday whilst I was putting him in his car seat, he looked over at Daniel and said "Da"! It was so exciting! Since then he has looked at Daniel a couple times and has said "Da" again and we get so excited. A pity it's not "Ma" but I'm sure that will come soon (and this is from a completely selfish point of view)!!!
Lucas had his first holiday in Queenstown in December as we went down for Christmas. He was a bit of a nightmare on the flight down and we were "those people, with that baby". I think it was all so unfamiliar and new that he was quite unsettled and he was only happy if held over our shoulder or at the back of the plane. However, on the flight back to Auckland he was the perfect baby. Not a peep out of him! He sat in the seat between us happy to play with his toys and eat his biscuit and he even took a bottle from me! We were very proud!
In Queenstown he got to spend time with Aunty Indri as well as his other set of grandparents (my parents). Was really nice to see him spend time with them and we hope he gets to see them every year so that he gets to know both sides of the family. My parents gave us a Macpac baby carrier and it was a great way of getting around in Queenstown - especially when we went on walks.
Lucas's First Christmas was a bit uneventful! He had more fun with all the wrapping paper and ribbon than the presents!!! He got spoilt rotten though with so many goodies. I think his clothes and toy quota has tripled!
Am sure the next 3 months will fly by just as quickly and by then Lucas will one 1!!!
11 April 2007 - One today
Lucas turns one today. Hard to believe that a year ago today he entered the world at 2:51pm and that we have been parents for a year (and have come this far!).
A year has flown by and I can't believe what we have accomplished. Becoming a mum has been the best thing to have happened to me (along with meeting Daniel of course!) and it is amazing to see your child grow and develop into a little human being with his own personality and traits.
Already we can tell Lucas has a very stubborn streak in him, he doesn't like to be told 'no', he loves animals, he loves his food (funny that), will have a tantrum if you remove him from something or take something off him that he shouldn't be playing with, loves other babies, is only really grumpy if he's tired or hungry or bored, is a very social baby and generally a very happy baby who can easily play on his own.
We are now entering toddler-hood and I'm sure this next stage will come with a whole lot of new learning curves for us!
Happy Birthday my darling – you have made our dreams come true.
13 April 2007 - Morning bath
This morning whilst in the study on the phone I could hear Lucas banging something on the floor. When I went into the lounge he had managed to get hold of Kali's water bowl (a heavy ceramic one) and his face was covered in water droplets and he had managed to get himself completely wet too! You couldn't help but laugh (as it was either laugh or cry) especially as he looked so pleased with himself!
15 April 2007 - Lucas' First Birthday Party
Lucas had his first birthday party today and what a great social event it was!!!
It was held at his grandparents house and the living room looked like a creche with 8 babies all playing on the floor and us adults all sitting around them.
Lucas had a HUGE birthday cake (we didn't realise how big it was going to be) and it certainly was the focus on the table! We didn't even manage to eat half of the cake and ended up taking the remainder to work to share with our colleagues.
Lucas was very spoilt with all the birthday presents which are now on rotation! It was a very cool birthday party and it was great to catch up with the adults.
06 June 2006 - 8 weeks old today
Lucas has had his first lot of jabs, has graduated to infant nappies (no longer using newborn ones), already has a box of baby clothes that he has outgrown....and this has all happened in his first 8 weeks - it's hard to believe how quickly time has gone by.
I am loving being a mum and it's no wonder people do have kids. Whilst our lives was so much simpler before little Lucas came along, our lives are so much more enriched now.
But that's not to say having a newborn comes with its challenges and you do get tested to the max!
There are times when he's very unsettled - especially at the 4 week, 6 week and 8 week mark which we have just found out! When they go through their growth spurts they don't seem to stop crying and nothing you do seems to work, and just when you start to think "how much more can I take of this" they've settled down and are sleeping like little angles and have got into a routine again!
Lucas being an Aries baby has a good set of lungs in him and he can scream the house down if he wants to - especially if his food isn't coming quick enough (and he's got that from his mum!) or if he's over tired. But despite those testing times that come with a baby, we wouldn't change a thing and when they break into their first big gummy smile, it makes it all worthwhile!
11 July 2006 - The 12 week mark
Ahhhh the 12 week mark. This is the mark you are hanging out for as your baby is meant to start sleeping through the night, is more alert and awake during the day, is more fun with lots of smiling, laughing, baby babble.....and they're right!
The first night Lucas slept right through without a feed I woke up thinking it was about 5am or so and that he would be due for a feed but in fact it was 7:30am! I had obviously slept soundly and Lucas had too. Not wanting to jinx it we thought perhaps it was a one off thing, but no, he's slept right through the night since then. For those of you who aren't parents yet - THIS IS A BIG DEAL (believe me)!!!!
He's also such a happy chappy when he's awake. Smiling heaps and laughing. You do find yourself doing silly things just to hear him laugh and squeal with delight as it is the most wonderful sound to hear.
Lucas has also discovered his hands and will often have one fist up in the air which he gazes at intently and will then bring it to his mouth. At first he tended to punch himself in the nose or face but now he's hitting the bull’s-eye more than he is missing it!
He is a lot of fun and we fall in love with him more and more each day.
11 October 2006 - 6 months old
Lucas is 6 months and it's hard to believe how quickly time has gone by. I know I keep on saying that but it's so true! I didn't believe it when I was told it but they do grow so quickly.
What has 6 months brought us - Lucas has started swimming classes, is eating solids three times a day, has probably cracked the 10kg mark as at his 5 month check up he was 9.8kg(!), drops toys in order to watch you pick them up, notices the dog now as he laughs when he sees her and likes to grab her fur and pull her whiskers, he hated his 5 month jabs and was quite grumpy for 3 days and then got a cold for a week afterwards, has been on his first bush walk and loved it, he knows who his mummy and daddy are and we think he's starting to sleep through the night again (yay!).
So 6 months has brought a lot and I'm sure another 6 months will bring even more and before you know it he will be one years old!
11 January 2006 - 9 months old
Today Lucas is 9 months old. How quickly it has gone by and my boy is sporting two bottom teeth now which came through in December.
He is such a joy and continues to delight us every day. They grow in leaps and bounds both physically as well as developmentally. Only a couple days ago did Lucas start clapping his hands and yesterday whilst I was putting him in his car seat, he looked over at Daniel and said "Da"! It was so exciting! Since then he has looked at Daniel a couple times and has said "Da" again and we get so excited. A pity it's not "Ma" but I'm sure that will come soon (and this is from a completely selfish point of view)!!!
Lucas had his first holiday in Queenstown in December as we went down for Christmas. He was a bit of a nightmare on the flight down and we were "those people, with that baby". I think it was all so unfamiliar and new that he was quite unsettled and he was only happy if held over our shoulder or at the back of the plane. However, on the flight back to Auckland he was the perfect baby. Not a peep out of him! He sat in the seat between us happy to play with his toys and eat his biscuit and he even took a bottle from me! We were very proud!
In Queenstown he got to spend time with Aunty Indri as well as his other set of grandparents (my parents). Was really nice to see him spend time with them and we hope he gets to see them every year so that he gets to know both sides of the family. My parents gave us a Macpac baby carrier and it was a great way of getting around in Queenstown - especially when we went on walks.
Lucas's First Christmas was a bit uneventful! He had more fun with all the wrapping paper and ribbon than the presents!!! He got spoilt rotten though with so many goodies. I think his clothes and toy quota has tripled!
Am sure the next 3 months will fly by just as quickly and by then Lucas will one 1!!!
11 April 2007 - One today
Lucas turns one today. Hard to believe that a year ago today he entered the world at 2:51pm and that we have been parents for a year (and have come this far!).
A year has flown by and I can't believe what we have accomplished. Becoming a mum has been the best thing to have happened to me (along with meeting Daniel of course!) and it is amazing to see your child grow and develop into a little human being with his own personality and traits.
Already we can tell Lucas has a very stubborn streak in him, he doesn't like to be told 'no', he loves animals, he loves his food (funny that), will have a tantrum if you remove him from something or take something off him that he shouldn't be playing with, loves other babies, is only really grumpy if he's tired or hungry or bored, is a very social baby and generally a very happy baby who can easily play on his own.
We are now entering toddler-hood and I'm sure this next stage will come with a whole lot of new learning curves for us!
Happy Birthday my darling – you have made our dreams come true.
13 April 2007 - Morning bath
This morning whilst in the study on the phone I could hear Lucas banging something on the floor. When I went into the lounge he had managed to get hold of Kali's water bowl (a heavy ceramic one) and his face was covered in water droplets and he had managed to get himself completely wet too! You couldn't help but laugh (as it was either laugh or cry) especially as he looked so pleased with himself!
15 April 2007 - Lucas' First Birthday Party
Lucas had his first birthday party today and what a great social event it was!!!
It was held at his grandparents house and the living room looked like a creche with 8 babies all playing on the floor and us adults all sitting around them.
Lucas had a HUGE birthday cake (we didn't realise how big it was going to be) and it certainly was the focus on the table! We didn't even manage to eat half of the cake and ended up taking the remainder to work to share with our colleagues.
Lucas was very spoilt with all the birthday presents which are now on rotation! It was a very cool birthday party and it was great to catch up with the adults.
0-9 months, before The Wright Thing arrived
The following have been taken from a journal of when I was pregnant with "Bean" aka Lucas Wright!
03 November 2005
I am now just over 4 months pregnant (16 weeks) and so far everything seems well (touch wood). My pregnancy has been relatively okay. I didn't have any "morning sickness" but I had plenty of "evening sickness" and a couple bouts of afternoon sickness! It took me a while to figure out the evening sickness but what it boiled down to was eating a small dinner early, usually around 6pm and this usually comprised of a salad and a bread roll or two. Not a dinner I was very used to, so hence the late figuring out bit!
I had most of the typical early signs of pregnancy but I didn't go off tea or coffee (although I think once I had that metalic taste). Smells that hit me hard was bad body odour, vinegar and the cooking of mince. Even now they still smell pretty strong and I try and stay away from them. I have only managed one sip of champagne and it just tasted dry and unpleasant so that is something else I've avoided all together now!
Getting past the 8 week mark felt like a real milestone and then hitting the 12 week mark you feel a bit "safer". Being a half glass empty person (and I am admitting a lot here!) I do worry something will be wrong or go wrong, but I don't spend much time or energy worrying about that as getting this far in itself is amazing.
07 November 2005 - Clothing Dilemma
Over the weekend my tummy has "popped" out. It's definitely there and there's no going back now!
I did spend quite a bit of the weekend looking/shopping for maternity clothes as I no longer fit my regular size pants any more and I just wanted clothes that were comfortable! I even tried low rise pants but they still didn't cut it.
I'm doing a bit of mixing and matching with some pricey pieces along with some cheap basics. The hardest thing is finding clothes for work but I'm slowy getting there! The best advice I have read so far in terms of clothing is below:
"5 key pieces that can be mixed and matched to a huge number of combinations - Basic Bootleg Pants, Great Bootcut Jean, white shirt, little black dress and a basic v-neck top"
I'm working on that little black dress number....!
17 December 2005 - Growing by the day
Am now 22 weeks and 4 days and I feel like I'm growing by the day!
I have had comments ranging from "you're baby seems big" to "you're big" to "are you about due?" to "you don't look that pregnant at all"!. I have read that one will receive various comments regarding your bump size whether it is flattering or not and boy do I know what they're talking about now! The same goes for the "pearls of wisdom" you receive regarding pregnancy. My opinion is:
We are all different and one person's experience during pregnancy (along with symptoms) can be quite different to someone else's no matter how many children you have had!
Luckily I haven't had strangers start touching my tummy (yet) and I think if they did I would take a swipe at them - especially if I was hungry or grumpy. Nausea seems to have come back again but only when the gaps between eating extends for more than 3 hrs or longer.
A new development has been my eyesight. Your eyesight can change in pregnancy due to the increase in hormones and you can build up fluid in your eyes (it's not just your feet and hands) and even your eye shape can change. My eyesight has gone very weak to the point I have had to buy new glasses which are very strong and even after a week of having them, I think my left eye has changed again. It is rather frustrating especially as you depend on your eyesight and my bank account can't afford for my eyes to change every week! I have been told my eyesight will return to their previous state after the birth and I am hoping with all my might they do.
So, apart from the eyesight issue, I am feeling pretty good and am enjoying the pregnancy. Bean kicks and moves daily which is neat and I hear that these movements will only increase in frequency and strength! There are days when you feel uncomfortable, huge and don't think your stomach can get any bigger to days when you feel very feminine and that you are indeed "blossoming"! So overall, it's a pretty good ride so far.
31 December 2005 - Packing, Heat, House
I am now just over 24 weeks and it's hard to believe I am more than 6 months pregnant! Time is going by very quickly actually and sometimes I look at my tummy and think "does the baby have enough time to develop in 3 months and be ready to enter this world?".
I had my antenatal appointment on the 28th December and the specialist said all seems well. We got to listen to Bean's heartbeat again and it is the neatest sounding thing. Really does sound like horse hooves galloping a million miles an hour!
We have sold our house and we move out on 7 January 2006. So after Christmas day which was a nice relaxing day at my in-laws it was onto business with packing. Something I didn't think about when I found out I was pregnant was:
1. What season will I be carrying in i.e. it didn't even occur to me I would be in my second and third trimester in the height of summer!
2. Will we be selling our house and be moving.
As it turned out, I'm doing both! The heat hasn't been too bad in all honesty but when you're packing/doing physical work and the sun is blazing and there is no wind, then it's pretty hot. And I'm talking about HOT to the point where if you looked long enough I'm sure you would see heat waves radiating off me because it feels like that! I have now resorted to wearing a sarong and t-shirt when doing any sort of packing because it is the most comfortable thing to wear (and this is after trying several different items of clothing I'll have you know!).
So here I am at 6 months pregnant, in summer and packing up a house. Not ideal timing but really it could be a lot worse and Daniel has been great through out all of this which has made it a lot easier.
21 January 2006 - Baby Position
3 days to go before I reach the 3rd trimester - hard to believe how quickly time has gone by!
We had a scan done on Friday and it was great to see Bean again. Bub is head down and feet up (otherwise known as "cephalic presentation"). Feet are on my upper right hand side thus get very strong kicks there and a foot or two under my ribs from time to time. Not very comfortable and it feels like a stitch when that happens. The hands/arms are a bit lower down on the right hand side and that's where I can feel little punches or movements so it was neat to know how Bean is positioned. Also made sense that whenever I lay on my right side there would be a lot of wriggling/movement going on!!!
Bean is perfectly average size for the gestation that I am (27 weeks and 4 days now) so that is good to know! Fluid was all good and so was the blood flow and we even got to hear it. Whilst there was no reason to think anything might be wrong, it was reassuring to know everything was fine and well.
We did get to see Bean's face and from what we can tell so far it looks like bub may have my face/cheek shape. I am quite content for bub to cook a while more but at the same time, can't wait to see Bean either!
11 February 2006 - Antenatal Classes & Baby Shower!
We have also started our antenatal classes (have had two so far) and they have been great. Really informative as well as being good fun. There are about 10 couples and all first time parents so we're all in the same boat together in terms of our lack of knowledge and not knowing what to expect!
So far the first class was an induction and also about the pelvis and signs of labour etc and the second class was about the stages of labour. The classes go for 2 hours and the 2 hours go by surprisingly quickly. It's good to know that these people will become your support system after baby is born and that you will be meeting up with them weekly in order to ask advice and bounce ideas off (your "coffee group").
Am just over 30 weeks and today was my baby shower and it was one of the best days I've had!!! My friend Karen organised it and she did a fantastic job as did my mother-in-law who did the food and had the shower at her house.
It was great having about 20 female friends all together to celebrate the anticipated arrival of baby Bean by opening presents and doing some games. We got terrifc presents and this is going to be one trendy baby with the clothes we received! As we do not have much baby stuff, having this shower we have been well set up with items ranging from clothes to blankets, bibs to toys, a bath tub to a bouncer and nappies to books!!! Daniel and I cannot thank everyone enough for their generosity.
The games we did were good fun. We got to taste and guess what was in the 4 different types of baby food we were given and I have to say, some of them tasted revolting! Guests were also asked to write down when they think Bean will be born and what Bean's weight will be, so it will be interesting to see who has guessed correctly. And guests had to guess how many squares of toilet paper fitted around my middle. The number of squares guests wrote down varied from 9 to 24. The correct number was 9 and two people got this right!
So it was a good fun day and one that I will remember. Am quite tired after the excitement and activities of today - I can understand why children get exhausted after birthday parties so I shall sign off now!!!
04 March 2006 - Little Giant
Since 28 weeks I have been measuring 2 weeks ahead of what I'm meant to be and so I was ordered to have another scan done as bub seems large for the dates. As it turns out, it seems that I am carrying a little giant!
Based on the Average Ultrasound Age I am at 36 weeks today but according to dates I'm meant to be 33 weeks and 4 days! Also the weight is 5.4 pounds or 2.4 kg and to think I have another 4-5 weeks to go!!!
We got to see bub's face and Bean looks very much like me - big cheeks and little nose but the stubborness of Daniel as bub would not turn around so that we could see Bean face on!
Also the possible due date based on the ultrasound age is 2 April now. There is also a very high possibility that I will have this baby by c-section due to the size and as my obstetrician put it "a big head won't fit through a small pelvis"! We will only really know what will happen at my next appointment which is on 14 March and if it is medically advised that I have a c-section then we will go with that - I'd rather have that than 18 hours of hard labour only to end up having an emergency c-section.
Due to everything being moved forward, I am now finishing up work on 10 March and can't wait. Physically I'm now finding it hard going and getting a good nights sleep is a thing of the past. So, I'm really looking forward to finishing up work and on the 11th we move into our new house. So hopefully Bean will stay put for now and I'll keep you posted about any more developments.
25 March 2006 - Bub Engaged
Some time yesterday (and I think it was during my facial!) Bean "dropped" or seems to have engaged meaning bub's head has descended into my pelvis.
I may be wrong but I do think my bump has definitely lowered and my side profile shape has now changed. I also have a bit more of a "ledge" between my breast bone and where my bump starts.
All quite exciting but also a tad scary - not long to go now really and hopefully Bean won't arrive before the 2nd April as that's the date my folks arrive and I don't want Bean to come before then!
04 April 2006 - When will Bean make an appearance...
Date wise I am 38 weeks today and we were told we can expect bub any time from 2 April 2006. We are eagerly waiting for bub's arrival (especially my folks who arrived in NZ on 2 April and are stoked they arrived before Bean did!) but at the same time I am still enjoying having bub inside my tummy and enjoying being pregnant - I think everyone else is wanting Bean to arrive more so than me!
I have been having regular Braxton Hicks so things are getting ready and 'practising' for when the true labour starts and it's just a matter of time before that happens.
A baby releases a hormone into the womb which signals that they are ready to be born and thus this starts the whole labour and contraction process.
I often wonder how will I know when I'm in labour but apparently I will know - it's a different sort of pain, it's lower down, it occurs regularly....I am hoping they're right.
I have an inkling bub may come around 5 April and Daniel thinks 7 April. We will either be completely wrong or one of us will be quite correct but then as a friend pointed out, Bean could keep us all waiting a little while longer...
21 April 2006 - Lucas Daniel Wright
Born on 11 April 2006 at 2:51pm at North Shore Hospital, weighing in at 7.2lbs/3.25kg.
Yes, the little one FINALLY arrived after a long labour but it was definitely worth it. My waters broke with a great gush at 7:45pm on Monday 10 April (we were watching Piha Rescue on TV and that day I had also done 20 laps at the pools so there was a bit of a water theme going on here!). I called my obstetrician as my contractions were about 5 mins apart. They started at 5pm but were irregular but then once my waters broke them came on pretty regularly. My obstetrician said to meet him at the hospital at 10pm to get settled etc.
Once at the hospital I was examined (ouch!) and was about 2-3 cm dilated. So I was told to lie back and wait for the contractions to get closer etc. Well, they stayed at 5 mins apart and lasted for about 15-20 secs ALL NIGHT. By 7am on 11 April my obstetrician ordered oxytocin (a drug) to be given to speed things up. That did get the contractions going faster and stronger and by 9:30am I had my first epidural (a god send). By 10am or so I was examined again and not all of the amniotic fluid had broken so they ruptured the rest. This got things going and my obstetrician said he'd be back at 12:30pm to check on me again.
Well he didn't come back until just before 2pm (and now I know he did this on purpose) and when he did come back he said I was 10 cm dilated and could push! I was really tired by now and hungry but something said I could do this and I was determined I would push this baby out and not have a c-section (which people were starting to think as things had gone on for a while and it was evident I was tired).
So with Daniel there and my parents (my dad hiding in the background and my mum up by my head and with one foot on Daniel's hip and the other on the obstetrician's hip, and with 2 midwives coaching me along) I started to push for dear life. 40 mins of pushing and me determined this baby was going to be born by 3pm he finally arrived! It was pretty amazing and I'm still quite amazed I managed to do it but oh so worth it. It is a very unique experience giving birth.
I am enjoying being a mum and we learn something new every day. We know so much more now than we did a week ago and they say it takes about 6 weeks before baby settles into a routine. Lucas wakes up between 2-3 hrs for feeds but goes for longer stretches during the day so hopefully he will get his night and day round the right way soon! He is a little gem though and we are enjoying him heaps. Kali is very good with him - not jealous and is very maternal and gentle. I think she thinks he's not much fun at the moment but soon he will be pulling her ears and chasing her tail!
Welcome to our world Little Lucas.
03 November 2005
I am now just over 4 months pregnant (16 weeks) and so far everything seems well (touch wood). My pregnancy has been relatively okay. I didn't have any "morning sickness" but I had plenty of "evening sickness" and a couple bouts of afternoon sickness! It took me a while to figure out the evening sickness but what it boiled down to was eating a small dinner early, usually around 6pm and this usually comprised of a salad and a bread roll or two. Not a dinner I was very used to, so hence the late figuring out bit!
I had most of the typical early signs of pregnancy but I didn't go off tea or coffee (although I think once I had that metalic taste). Smells that hit me hard was bad body odour, vinegar and the cooking of mince. Even now they still smell pretty strong and I try and stay away from them. I have only managed one sip of champagne and it just tasted dry and unpleasant so that is something else I've avoided all together now!
Getting past the 8 week mark felt like a real milestone and then hitting the 12 week mark you feel a bit "safer". Being a half glass empty person (and I am admitting a lot here!) I do worry something will be wrong or go wrong, but I don't spend much time or energy worrying about that as getting this far in itself is amazing.
07 November 2005 - Clothing Dilemma
Over the weekend my tummy has "popped" out. It's definitely there and there's no going back now!
I did spend quite a bit of the weekend looking/shopping for maternity clothes as I no longer fit my regular size pants any more and I just wanted clothes that were comfortable! I even tried low rise pants but they still didn't cut it.
I'm doing a bit of mixing and matching with some pricey pieces along with some cheap basics. The hardest thing is finding clothes for work but I'm slowy getting there! The best advice I have read so far in terms of clothing is below:
"5 key pieces that can be mixed and matched to a huge number of combinations - Basic Bootleg Pants, Great Bootcut Jean, white shirt, little black dress and a basic v-neck top"
I'm working on that little black dress number....!
17 December 2005 - Growing by the day
Am now 22 weeks and 4 days and I feel like I'm growing by the day!
I have had comments ranging from "you're baby seems big" to "you're big" to "are you about due?" to "you don't look that pregnant at all"!. I have read that one will receive various comments regarding your bump size whether it is flattering or not and boy do I know what they're talking about now! The same goes for the "pearls of wisdom" you receive regarding pregnancy. My opinion is:
We are all different and one person's experience during pregnancy (along with symptoms) can be quite different to someone else's no matter how many children you have had!
Luckily I haven't had strangers start touching my tummy (yet) and I think if they did I would take a swipe at them - especially if I was hungry or grumpy. Nausea seems to have come back again but only when the gaps between eating extends for more than 3 hrs or longer.
A new development has been my eyesight. Your eyesight can change in pregnancy due to the increase in hormones and you can build up fluid in your eyes (it's not just your feet and hands) and even your eye shape can change. My eyesight has gone very weak to the point I have had to buy new glasses which are very strong and even after a week of having them, I think my left eye has changed again. It is rather frustrating especially as you depend on your eyesight and my bank account can't afford for my eyes to change every week! I have been told my eyesight will return to their previous state after the birth and I am hoping with all my might they do.
So, apart from the eyesight issue, I am feeling pretty good and am enjoying the pregnancy. Bean kicks and moves daily which is neat and I hear that these movements will only increase in frequency and strength! There are days when you feel uncomfortable, huge and don't think your stomach can get any bigger to days when you feel very feminine and that you are indeed "blossoming"! So overall, it's a pretty good ride so far.
31 December 2005 - Packing, Heat, House
I am now just over 24 weeks and it's hard to believe I am more than 6 months pregnant! Time is going by very quickly actually and sometimes I look at my tummy and think "does the baby have enough time to develop in 3 months and be ready to enter this world?".
I had my antenatal appointment on the 28th December and the specialist said all seems well. We got to listen to Bean's heartbeat again and it is the neatest sounding thing. Really does sound like horse hooves galloping a million miles an hour!
We have sold our house and we move out on 7 January 2006. So after Christmas day which was a nice relaxing day at my in-laws it was onto business with packing. Something I didn't think about when I found out I was pregnant was:
1. What season will I be carrying in i.e. it didn't even occur to me I would be in my second and third trimester in the height of summer!
2. Will we be selling our house and be moving.
As it turned out, I'm doing both! The heat hasn't been too bad in all honesty but when you're packing/doing physical work and the sun is blazing and there is no wind, then it's pretty hot. And I'm talking about HOT to the point where if you looked long enough I'm sure you would see heat waves radiating off me because it feels like that! I have now resorted to wearing a sarong and t-shirt when doing any sort of packing because it is the most comfortable thing to wear (and this is after trying several different items of clothing I'll have you know!).
So here I am at 6 months pregnant, in summer and packing up a house. Not ideal timing but really it could be a lot worse and Daniel has been great through out all of this which has made it a lot easier.
21 January 2006 - Baby Position
3 days to go before I reach the 3rd trimester - hard to believe how quickly time has gone by!
We had a scan done on Friday and it was great to see Bean again. Bub is head down and feet up (otherwise known as "cephalic presentation"). Feet are on my upper right hand side thus get very strong kicks there and a foot or two under my ribs from time to time. Not very comfortable and it feels like a stitch when that happens. The hands/arms are a bit lower down on the right hand side and that's where I can feel little punches or movements so it was neat to know how Bean is positioned. Also made sense that whenever I lay on my right side there would be a lot of wriggling/movement going on!!!
Bean is perfectly average size for the gestation that I am (27 weeks and 4 days now) so that is good to know! Fluid was all good and so was the blood flow and we even got to hear it. Whilst there was no reason to think anything might be wrong, it was reassuring to know everything was fine and well.
We did get to see Bean's face and from what we can tell so far it looks like bub may have my face/cheek shape. I am quite content for bub to cook a while more but at the same time, can't wait to see Bean either!
11 February 2006 - Antenatal Classes & Baby Shower!
We have also started our antenatal classes (have had two so far) and they have been great. Really informative as well as being good fun. There are about 10 couples and all first time parents so we're all in the same boat together in terms of our lack of knowledge and not knowing what to expect!
So far the first class was an induction and also about the pelvis and signs of labour etc and the second class was about the stages of labour. The classes go for 2 hours and the 2 hours go by surprisingly quickly. It's good to know that these people will become your support system after baby is born and that you will be meeting up with them weekly in order to ask advice and bounce ideas off (your "coffee group").
Am just over 30 weeks and today was my baby shower and it was one of the best days I've had!!! My friend Karen organised it and she did a fantastic job as did my mother-in-law who did the food and had the shower at her house.
It was great having about 20 female friends all together to celebrate the anticipated arrival of baby Bean by opening presents and doing some games. We got terrifc presents and this is going to be one trendy baby with the clothes we received! As we do not have much baby stuff, having this shower we have been well set up with items ranging from clothes to blankets, bibs to toys, a bath tub to a bouncer and nappies to books!!! Daniel and I cannot thank everyone enough for their generosity.
The games we did were good fun. We got to taste and guess what was in the 4 different types of baby food we were given and I have to say, some of them tasted revolting! Guests were also asked to write down when they think Bean will be born and what Bean's weight will be, so it will be interesting to see who has guessed correctly. And guests had to guess how many squares of toilet paper fitted around my middle. The number of squares guests wrote down varied from 9 to 24. The correct number was 9 and two people got this right!
So it was a good fun day and one that I will remember. Am quite tired after the excitement and activities of today - I can understand why children get exhausted after birthday parties so I shall sign off now!!!
04 March 2006 - Little Giant
Since 28 weeks I have been measuring 2 weeks ahead of what I'm meant to be and so I was ordered to have another scan done as bub seems large for the dates. As it turns out, it seems that I am carrying a little giant!
Based on the Average Ultrasound Age I am at 36 weeks today but according to dates I'm meant to be 33 weeks and 4 days! Also the weight is 5.4 pounds or 2.4 kg and to think I have another 4-5 weeks to go!!!
We got to see bub's face and Bean looks very much like me - big cheeks and little nose but the stubborness of Daniel as bub would not turn around so that we could see Bean face on!
Also the possible due date based on the ultrasound age is 2 April now. There is also a very high possibility that I will have this baby by c-section due to the size and as my obstetrician put it "a big head won't fit through a small pelvis"! We will only really know what will happen at my next appointment which is on 14 March and if it is medically advised that I have a c-section then we will go with that - I'd rather have that than 18 hours of hard labour only to end up having an emergency c-section.
Due to everything being moved forward, I am now finishing up work on 10 March and can't wait. Physically I'm now finding it hard going and getting a good nights sleep is a thing of the past. So, I'm really looking forward to finishing up work and on the 11th we move into our new house. So hopefully Bean will stay put for now and I'll keep you posted about any more developments.
25 March 2006 - Bub Engaged
Some time yesterday (and I think it was during my facial!) Bean "dropped" or seems to have engaged meaning bub's head has descended into my pelvis.
I may be wrong but I do think my bump has definitely lowered and my side profile shape has now changed. I also have a bit more of a "ledge" between my breast bone and where my bump starts.
All quite exciting but also a tad scary - not long to go now really and hopefully Bean won't arrive before the 2nd April as that's the date my folks arrive and I don't want Bean to come before then!
Date wise I am 38 weeks today and we were told we can expect bub any time from 2 April 2006. We are eagerly waiting for bub's arrival (especially my folks who arrived in NZ on 2 April and are stoked they arrived before Bean did!) but at the same time I am still enjoying having bub inside my tummy and enjoying being pregnant - I think everyone else is wanting Bean to arrive more so than me!
I have been having regular Braxton Hicks so things are getting ready and 'practising' for when the true labour starts and it's just a matter of time before that happens.
A baby releases a hormone into the womb which signals that they are ready to be born and thus this starts the whole labour and contraction process.
I often wonder how will I know when I'm in labour but apparently I will know - it's a different sort of pain, it's lower down, it occurs regularly....I am hoping they're right.
I have an inkling bub may come around 5 April and Daniel thinks 7 April. We will either be completely wrong or one of us will be quite correct but then as a friend pointed out, Bean could keep us all waiting a little while longer...
21 April 2006 - Lucas Daniel Wright
Born on 11 April 2006 at 2:51pm at North Shore Hospital, weighing in at 7.2lbs/3.25kg.
Yes, the little one FINALLY arrived after a long labour but it was definitely worth it. My waters broke with a great gush at 7:45pm on Monday 10 April (we were watching Piha Rescue on TV and that day I had also done 20 laps at the pools so there was a bit of a water theme going on here!). I called my obstetrician as my contractions were about 5 mins apart. They started at 5pm but were irregular but then once my waters broke them came on pretty regularly. My obstetrician said to meet him at the hospital at 10pm to get settled etc.
Once at the hospital I was examined (ouch!) and was about 2-3 cm dilated. So I was told to lie back and wait for the contractions to get closer etc. Well, they stayed at 5 mins apart and lasted for about 15-20 secs ALL NIGHT. By 7am on 11 April my obstetrician ordered oxytocin (a drug) to be given to speed things up. That did get the contractions going faster and stronger and by 9:30am I had my first epidural (a god send). By 10am or so I was examined again and not all of the amniotic fluid had broken so they ruptured the rest. This got things going and my obstetrician said he'd be back at 12:30pm to check on me again.
Well he didn't come back until just before 2pm (and now I know he did this on purpose) and when he did come back he said I was 10 cm dilated and could push! I was really tired by now and hungry but something said I could do this and I was determined I would push this baby out and not have a c-section (which people were starting to think as things had gone on for a while and it was evident I was tired).
So with Daniel there and my parents (my dad hiding in the background and my mum up by my head and with one foot on Daniel's hip and the other on the obstetrician's hip, and with 2 midwives coaching me along) I started to push for dear life. 40 mins of pushing and me determined this baby was going to be born by 3pm he finally arrived! It was pretty amazing and I'm still quite amazed I managed to do it but oh so worth it. It is a very unique experience giving birth.
I am enjoying being a mum and we learn something new every day. We know so much more now than we did a week ago and they say it takes about 6 weeks before baby settles into a routine. Lucas wakes up between 2-3 hrs for feeds but goes for longer stretches during the day so hopefully he will get his night and day round the right way soon! He is a little gem though and we are enjoying him heaps. Kali is very good with him - not jealous and is very maternal and gentle. I think she thinks he's not much fun at the moment but soon he will be pulling her ears and chasing her tail!
Welcome to our world Little Lucas.
Why blog?
Why blog? Good question indeed...
Having an 18 month old son you realise just how quickly children grow and often you get a snapshot moment where you wish you could have recorded what they had said or done, because that moment can be so huge yet it will happen in a quick few seconds and then be gone.
Blogging is a good way to record these moments and it also means Lucas can read these "treasures" too one day...
Having an 18 month old son you realise just how quickly children grow and often you get a snapshot moment where you wish you could have recorded what they had said or done, because that moment can be so huge yet it will happen in a quick few seconds and then be gone.
Blogging is a good way to record these moments and it also means Lucas can read these "treasures" too one day...
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