The Biggest Photo Post Ever

So, I've been a bit busy.  I haven't been blogging.  Instead, I have been drifting around in a loved-up haze of baby and family.

On 3rd December, we met Zachary.  The most divine, enormous, happy, mellow, cuddly giant baby boy I've ever had the privilege of knowing, let alone producing!  But more of that later on.

What's been happening since I was last on here?  In October, about 7 weeks before Zachary was due, we went on a holiday to Palm Cove.  I waddled around on swollen ankles, complained about the heat, napped, and ate enough for 2.  I was very ill right up until the final days of pregnancy, so I must confess I was a bit of a wet blanket on the holiday, but Tabitha had a marvellous time, spending hours floating around the pool in her swim ring.  We went with my parents, sister, and good friends of ours, M & M, with their twin daughters.

I stayed in the shallows, despite Tabitha's constant attempts to pull me in:

Thankfully, my little sister Q was on hand to entertain Tabby:

After reaching near hysteria over horrendous options in maternity swimwear, I managed to cram myself into a regular pair (albeit size 16).  They were actually quite nice!  The trick is to find a pair with a very low cut back, so that the fabric can pull forward over the bump without stretching too much.  I am most certainly not a bikini kinda gal, so I was pleased with this discovery.

Tabby enjoyed riding the 'baby beanbag':

And told me she was 'playing sand games with the baby brother':

Thankfully, the pregnancy passed relatively smoothly.  Apart from the shocking sickness, that is!  But we made it to 10 days over (as I did with Tabitha) before Zachary decided his time had come.  Unlike Tabitha (43 hours of labour), Zach was fairly obliging with his arrival.

Despite being 10 pounds, 56cm, with enormous shoulders, labour lasted only 5.5 hours from first sign to babe-in-arms.  No drugs, no stitches.  Quite a breeze, all things considered!  Unfortunately, we decided to transfer to hospital for the final half hour - he was born 30 minutes after we arrived at the local hospital - however my midwife was a little concerned that pushing was taking a long time for a second baby, and we decided that it was better to be on the safe side.  As it turned out, he was taking so long because of how enormous he was!  You see, everyone had predicted that he would be around 8 pounds or so, so it was a big shock when he was so large.  He arrived in excellent spirits, quiet and cuddly, 8 and 10 APGARS, and we were back home a couple of hours later, snuggled into our own bed with Tabitha, who was beyond thrilled to be cuddling her beloved baby brother.  After such a straightforward labour, I was pottering around the house that very afternoon, doing loads of washing and baking a cake.  It was nice to spring back so quickly - it took me a few days to even feel like walking after Tabitha's birth.

I will post more of a birth story (although there isn't much more to it!) and some photos from labour soon.

Here are some photos from when Zach was 2 days old:

All of the family hanging out in bed breathing in the beautiful newborn smell:

Tabitha has taken to her role as big sister beautifully, and is the most loving, protective, entertaining big sister Zach could possibly hope for.  His face lights up when he sees her, and she makes him laugh constantly.  Likewise, each morning Tabitha runs into our bedroom, to see "Mumma and Zachy" in bed, and tells him, "I love you Zachy!  Awww Mumma he's so cute!  His hair is so nice and fluffy!"

Lots of cuddles for my big girl, too, in the newborn period:

Miss T counting Zach's tiny toes:

And showing off her 'baby' for the camera, too:

Right from a couple of days old (below, too), Zach has been quite alert, so it's been very fun getting to know his personality.  He is the most happy, delightful, cheerful and easygoing baby - and he loves his mumma cuddles, around the clock if possible!  So he sleeps in my arms at night, and often snuggled into me in a wrap during the day.

Of course, he is also very happy to sleep snuggled into Daddy.  Below, also 2 days old.  He's not exactly tiny!

One of the best parts about a new baby?  The constant refreshing of beautiful new bouquets of flowers on the side table!  Here are a couple of the arrangements I received from thoughtful friends - along with all the new-baby essentials (water, tea, Kindle, skin salves and nipple creams!)

Finally, here are a few quick snaps of Tabitha over the past 5 months, just to get us up-to-date before I launch back into 'business as usual' blogging.

Fluffy hair and Mumma's shoes:

Pigtails:

That's Dr Pigtails to you, Mumma!

Helping The Daddy in the garden - in regulation toddler uniform of tutu, gumboots and a sunhat:

No more sunscreenm Daddy!

How about I put some on you, instead?

Cuddles with Pudding:

Best friends:

Zach loving the beach (holiday in Byron Bay over Easter):

 Tabby's favourite part of the Byron Bay holiday?  The swings.  Ahh yes, travelling 3 hours by plane for a week to swing - toddler logic!

Mr Happiness, AKA the Gentle Giant:

Zach had his baptism in February.  Tabitha got another wear out of her gold dress, from her 2nd birthday party:

Yep, she's still a cutie:

Still loves eating cake:

And helping to bake cake:

Thankfully, she's just as happy with a big bowl of fresh corn:

And here is a visual of overdue mumma (about a week overdue here):

But still smiling!  I actually got a second wind after 40 weeks - I suddenly felt a little lighter and healthier, and started to suspect the baby would never arrive:

Here I am the morning of the day I went into labour, out at Yum Cha (10 days overdue).  I thought maybe if I stuffed myself very full of dumplings, the baby would be pushed out!

Well, actually, it worked, because here I am less than 24 hours later:

Typical new baby photo, right?  He's about an hour old here, and I think I look completely exhausted but very content.

So there you go.  Up to date!  Let's get things back to normal, with some food and some cooking and some baby gear tips.  Stay tuned...

Nesting

I realised, just the other day, that I haven't really entered into a crazy nesting phase this pregnancy.  Last pregnancy, I spent much of the third trimester engaging in that typical, hormone-fueled - and often dangerous - cleaning and rearranging malarkey.  I say dangerous because, in hindsight, some of the things I did were just plain crazy and stupid - moving incredibly heavy furniture on my own (can't wait a few more hours until I have some help!), and balancing on a chair balanced on top of the bed, to scrub the top fittings of blinds with a toothbrush and antiseptic.  I can honestly say that, at the time, it seemed completely reasonable.  Did I mention this was at around 2am, when I was already a few days overdue?!

So, keeping in mind my risky behaviour from last time, I'm sure The Daddy is breathing a sigh of relief that my cleaning nesting drive hasn't kicked in this time!  I think there are three reasons why I'm more laid-back this time.

Firstly, we are in a brand new house, so there are no grimy corners, windowsills or light fittings to scrub.  Everything is freshly painted and clean, and I've spent the past few months airing out the house, clearing out any residual chemical fumes from the build and painting.

Secondly, my back is so bad - even with weekly chiro and weekly remedial massage - that I just physically can't do much cleaning.  Even a quick vacuum and mop can be enough to have me sobbing on the floor.  Thankfully we have a weekly cleaner who performs a 4-hour miracle every Wednesday - she is brilliant, she even polishes my beloved stainless steel bird whistle kettle to a high shine!  Even though I take things very easy, and avoid lifting Tabitha too much, I have to ice my back a couple of times a day, and have been told not to exercise - even walks - by my GP, chiro and midwives.  So crazy ladder scrubbing adventures are pretty much out!

Finally, with the benefit of hindsight, I am much more prepared for, and realistic about, the challenges of having a newborn.  Sparkling light fittings may be nice, but in the early weeks - and months - of having a new baby, eating and sleeping are the real priorities.  So, with this in mind, I am trying to get as much rest as possible (napping when Tabitha does, nice long baths with Tabby in the afternoons etc) and I am also cooking up a storm.  

Now, this is perhaps where the crazy hormonal nesting has come into play...  I have purchased a 389 litre vertical freezer, and am in the process of filling it with (hopefully) 90 prepared meals.  That is, with each meal including enough food for The Daddy, myself and Tabitha.  So around 270 servings.  Yes, it's ambitious, but I've only had the freezer for a few weeks and I'm already half-way there!  I'm freezing a mixture of homemade heat-and-go meals (e.g. tuna and veggie pasta bake, sausage rolls with organic pork mince and grated veggies, paprika chicken, casseroles etc), as well as marinated meats (e.g. I've marinated dozens of chicken drumsticks, pork fillets etc), and finally some bought items, such as yummy frozen prawn dumplings, a few family sized pies and the like.  I have some friends and family contributing a few dishes as well, bless them.

Anyway, I will write a post with more detail about this epic cooking and freezing adventure soon - I'll try and take a photo once it's all done! - but basically, the aim is to have enough meals so that I won't have to cook for three whole months.  Once the baby is a few months old, things should have calmed down a little, and I'll probably be itching to get back into the kitchen.  But until then, we have plenty of nutritious, delicious meals to keep us going.

Ahh, who knows, I still have 3.5 weeks to go until the estimated due date (so probably somewhere between 1.5 - 5.5 weeks until he arrives), there is still time for a cleaning frenzy.  But to be honest, I'm pretty happy to skip it this time.  Although I might just toddle off and clean out the cupboard under the laundry sink for now...