Yesterday I was complaining that I wasn't going to be able to put my Christmas tree up today as we have found termites and I have to go away while they spray. Today the termite man didn't turn up, I rang and left a message asking where he was and then his wife rang and said he was sick. So now he is coming tomorrow which means I got to put our Christmas Tree up today with Haydon.
There is a silver lining in every cloud - provided the termites don't do too much damage in the meantime! Haydon discovered some live termite activity on Wednesday when he went to fix up some timber that was damaged ages ago by termites.

This will be our third Christmas together but our first Christmas Tree. We bought the tree the other week and it has been sitting in it's box tempting me ever since. We still need to buy some more decorations to go on the tree. I wanted to put it up and see what we had before I bought a whole stack of decorations.

We haven't had a good run with pre Christmas preparations for the last two years.
We spent the lead up to our first Christmas down in Perth waiting to miscarry our first baby (before returning Home on Christmas Eve so Haydon could work Christmas Day) and then the lead up to our second Christmas together down in Perth while Haydon had major brain surgeries (3 in 5 weeks) . The positive there was that the surgery was more successful than we had even dreamed to hope. He had his last op 5 days before Christmas, was out of hospital two days later and was able to come to my Dads place on Christmas Day for a family Christmas. What a man!

I keep expecting baby to come early. Given that we have spent at couple of nights in hospital the week before Christmas for the last two years and the theory says that things come in threes. I figure that we will be in hospital at some point in the week before Christmas.

I declared last Christmas the best Christmas ever because Haydon came out of his surgery so well, but I think this Christmas has the potential to top it!

We also get to spend this Christmas together at home, Haydon doesn't have to work and we don't have to go to Perth to do the family Christmas thing. Who knows if bubs will be still inside kicking me a Merry Christmas or on the outside to give us both a Merry Christmas cuddle. Which ever it is - it is going to be a Very Merry Christmas!
Hey I just thought  - if bubs has already popped out then I get to have a glass of wine to toast a Merry Christmas.

If you read my earlier blog you would know how desperate I am to put up our Christmas tree. I have managed to resist temptation and hang out until December first.
Unfortunately as Haydon found termites in our house yesterday we need to get the house sprayed. The pest control man is coming tomorrow morning at 9 am. So we have arranged for me to go away for a couple of nights. Given that I am nearly 36 week pregnant we think this is the safest option.
I had thought of getting up early tomorrow morning so Haydon and I could set up the tree together but he has pointed out that with his current shifts an early morning start is not a good thing for him at the moment.
I guess the tree will just have to wait until I get back!

I had about a day with no heart burn, but it has come back. Isn't pregnancy great - heartburn, swollen feet, tiredness, feeling like a beached whale, no longer able to sleep on my back, getting kicked from the inside. Oh well - 4 and a half weeks to my due date. Lets hope this kid is more punctual than I usually am. I wonder if I can persuade bub to arrive at 38 weeks - that counts as fully cooked doesn't it?
Yesterday we went to Bunbury and bought some new blinds for the bathroom. They replace the most hideous curtains I have seen for a while (except for the ones in the entry). I had difficulty finding blinds that were only 45 cm wide, but I finally did and they were on sale! Haydon put them up today. They look fantastic and let in a whole pile more light too. We are very pleased with the result.
We also bought a sewing machine so I can make some new curtains for the entry hall. Our entry is the size of a small bedroom and as we only have a 2 bedroom house we use it as an office so I spend quite a bit of time in here on the computer Minti-ing. Now that we are coming into summer it is getting very hot in the afternoon. The old curtains are hideous and I mean hideous! They also don't keep the afternoon sun out so new curtains are becoming a priority. Now we just need to find some fabric we both like. We need about 10 meters so it isn't going to be cheap. I haven't sewed in ages so I am a bit nervous. Have told Haydon I want to buy cheap fabric on sale in case I stuff them up.
Today Haydon tried to replace part of the toilet door frame that had old termite damage. When he removed another section he found fresh termites! So now we have to get the house sprayed urgently. Just as well he found it.

Here it is - my pregnant belly exposed in the local paper. This photo was taken for the local paper to help the hospital show off their new ultrasound machine. I am the beached whale in the middle!

Minti has just been named as a finalist for the Australian Net Guide Web Awards 2006 in the parenting site category - for more details on how to Vote for Minti see Clay's blog here.
Congratulations Minti.

Thank you for inviting me to be the 10th featured member. Those are some tough questions - here is my attempt at an answer.

1. Starting with name, location (dont be too specific), how many children (and ages).
   
   My name is Kim, I live in a small town in the south west of Western Australia with my gorgeous husband Haydon.  We have lousy timing – our baby is due on the 30th of December. I wonder if the child will ever forgive us for having a birthday so close to Christmas. My substitute children are two little dogs a 6 year old male poodle called Zac and a 4 year old female poodle bichon crossed called Zali.
   
   
2. How did you find Minti?
   I decided to try to enter as many online competitions as I could and found Minti and the Roomba. After a short space of time I realized that I didn’t care about the Roomba anymore but that I was really enjoying Minti. My Minti addiction had begun. About a month after that I actually won a Roomba. Haydon’s response – “see that just goes to prove that you spend too much time on Minti”.
   
   
3. What's your favorite thing or feature at Minti?
   Do I have to pick one?
   I love the family funnies – as does Haydon – he often comes in to see what I am laughing about and reads them over my shoulder.
   I really enjoying the Minti friends I have made – some of whom have introduced me to Yahoo messenger – you know who you are ladies!
   I quite enjoy blogging – and reading other peoples blogs.
   I love reading the advice section – It is good to get a different perspective on things. I really like articles that look at the positive and thank you Frontier for pointing me towards Flylady!
   
   
4. What's your favorite thing about being a parent?
   I am not sure yet – there are so many things that I am looking forward to.
   
   
5. What has been your biggest parenting challenge?
   So far our biggest parenting challenge would be two years ago when we were told at 15 weeks that we were going to miscarry our first baby. Loosing Baylee at nearly 17 weeks was very difficult, but she brought us closer to each other and our families.
   
   
6. What worries you most about parenting ? (education, health, mental development, physical development, teaching manners, etc )
   Everything – the whole lot. I am scared stiff I will stuff it up.
   
   
7. What's the best parenting advice you've ever gotten from someone?
   I am not sure yet – can I fill this one in after baby is born?
   
   
8. What were your babies first words?
   I am still waiting to find out – maybe ‘Minti’
   
   
9. What is your favorite song?
   Just the way you are – Billy Joel.
   
   
10. What is the funniest thing you or your child or significant other has done or said?
    I am still thinking on this one – will fill it in a bit later.
    
    
11. Using just one word sum up Minti.
    Addictive!
    
    
12. What is the best piece of advice you have got from Minti?
    Another tough question
    Possibly Frontiers article on getting things done a little bit at a time  but there has been so much other good stuff. Samantha has got me looking into getting a reversing camera for the car and  MCM has got me getting ready to use cloth nappies and dry pailing.
    
    
13. How do you deal with your Minti addiction?
    Someone wrote a question in the Q &A a few weeks ago about Minti being addictive and it prompted me to do some soul searching, googling and write an advice article. I am trying to take my own advice.
    
    
14. How does your family deal with your Minti addiction?
    I asked Haydon this question and he said he thinks he deals with it very well. He did concede that I have pulled myself back into line a bit (after a bit of prompting).

I first took up card making nearly two years ago when I lost our first baby in the second trimester. I found it very healing making thank you cards to people for all the support we got. Each card was different but each card had a silver angel on it.
I then made cards for pleasure and then for our wedding -'Save the Date' cards  (complete with fridge magnet), wedding invites, bookmarks  with a cross stitched kangaroo paw as  wedding favors  (Haydon cross stitched the 45 kangaroo paws needed), name cards menus and other table decorations  While I really enjoyed designing and making one off cards making multiples of the same was not my thing.
After the wedding with everything else happening I just haven't picked up my card making stuff again - other than to try to unpack it when we moved house.
Some people get creative during pregnancy - I am finding that my usual creativity  is missing. Today I finally finished two  Christmas cards. Certainly not my best effort but it is a start. Now if I can load them into Minti - here they are

Well today was the day for the pregnant belly with ultrasound machine photo for the local paper that I mentioned in my blog two days ago.
When I met the journalist she said she recognized me as the person who spoke so eloquently at the meeting about the hospital on Monday night. Eloquently??? I am not sure how, speaking into a microphone in front of about 500 people is pretty nerve wracking.
Well getting back to the ultrasound and the big question - "should I ask if they can tell me the sex of the baby?"Haydon and I talked about it and we decided that at this stage we don't want to find out the sex. Only 5 and a half weeks to go - give or take. It would be an anticlimax.
I wasn't sure if they would even turn the machine on - given that it was just a pose for the local paper but they did. I saw my baby's head and part of the brain within the skull. It was hard to see from the angle I was at.
As much as I would love to know I asked not to be told the sex if they saw anything. I will just have to wait and find out when the baby is born.

I am not sure if it is a world wide recommendation or just an Aussie thing but in Australia we are encouraged to keep our cats inside at night. It is to prevent them praying on native animals at night. It also allows our neighbors to get some sleep without 3am cat fights etc.

I have no cats but I do have two little dogs who believe that it is their job to keep cats out of our yard (not such a bad thing - I don't want my car sprayed etc).

Unfortunately when my dogs chase cats they get very excited an noisy. So when they chase cats out of our yard at 3 am they bark repeatedly and wake me and possibly also the neighbors.

Of course I don't want my little dogs barking at that time of night. So I have to get up and get them back into the laundry (no mean feat when they are excited about chasing a cat) and then  lock their doggy door to stop them going back out.

This adds another wake up / get up to my night. I am pregnant so they are not the only thing that disturbs my sleep.
I really wish people would keep their cats in at night, then I wouldn't have to stand in my backyard wearing my dressing gown in the middle of the night trying to convince my excited little dogs to stop jumping up at trees and fences in pursuit of a blasted cat!

I have a few cherry tomato plants in the garden. Yesterday I looked at the second almost ripe cherry tomato for this season and thought -no not quite ready, tomorrow it will be perfect.
This morning I found a snail eating it. That set me off on a snail killing spree. From one small section of garden I caught and killed 30 snails.
I also planted some English spinach a few weeks ago. Now thanks to the snails there is nothing left of it. I really hate snails!

I went down to a cooking demo at the local family centre. Mini pizza's today - it is really more of a social thing. We were talking recipes and I mentioned how easy the cheese cakes I have made recently are. Several people wanted the recipe so I just logged onto one of the computers there and pulled them up on the Minti quick and easy cooking blog. Multi- use Minti!

On Friday I had a call from a friend who is a radiographer at the local hospital. Could they please borrow my pregnant belly on Tuesday?
The hospital has just got a new ultrasound machine and the local paper will be coming on Tuesday to take a photo- some good publicity after all the dramas lately. Would I mind being in a photo?
I said yes
Now I am not sure if they will have the machine on for the photo or it is will be a mock up. It is not my friend that operates the machine it will be someone that has come up from Bunbury to do the ultrasounds for the day. I am unsure if I should ask if they can do a quick scan and tell me the sex of our baby. They couldn't tell at 20 weeks. I am now 34 weeks.
The problem is -

1. I don't want to get the person into trouble for doing an unauthorised scan. I don't think there is a risk to the baby, I know that they do scans if they need to in late pregnancy.
2. With only 6 weeks to go is it worth spoiling the surprise at this stage?
3. Haydon won't be there so do I want to find out without him? He said he doesn't mind which choice I make but he would like us to keep it between the two of us if we do find out.

what do you think? Should I ask ?

Our two little dogs think that the sandpad for our new shed makes a great sand pit. They just can't understand why they get yelled at for digging in it.
Please note the retaining wall it goes all tha way along the fence too. My husband built it single handedly. Clever man!
Hopefully our shed will be finished before the baby comes. We a two bedroom house we really need the extra storage!

Some of you may remember the trials  associated with us buying a lounge suite ( Buying a new lounge suite - check it fits through the door), well there was an up side. We got our money back and found a cheaper suite that fitted in nicely and with the left over money we were able to buy a new bedroom suite.
We ordered it back in September and it finally arrived this week. All self assemble of course!
We really needed a new bed frame. What we had was a double bed, lean against the wall, headboard that I picked up in an op shop before I met Haydon. It was from back in the early days after leaving my first husband when a double bed was fine for me and I was not going to share it with anyone- ever!
Then in front of the headboard was a queen sized ensemble bed that Haydon and I bought together - our first purchase as a couple. It was on casters that slid across the floor away from the headboard if either of us leaned on the head board. We had tried putting coasters and rugs to stop the slide but nothing seemed to work.
Now we have a queensize bed that doesn't skate across the room, two matching bedside tables (to replace the op shop oddments) and a tall boy to replace the chest of drawers my Dad let me take when I moved out of his place 16 years ago. We still have the second hand wardrobe I picked up at a garage sale but it tones in well with the rest of the stuff so I can live with that.
Next I would love a new dining suite - to replace the table my parents had when I was a small child, a table that then  lived in my aunts shed for years when they got rid of it. All the chairs are long gone. I am using the red laminate chairs I bought for $5 each after seeing them on someone's front veranda (being used to hold the paint tin while they painted). I got the red laminate chairs to go with my second hand retro red laminate table that is now my craft table.
When we moved to this house Haydon said that the style clashed with the kitchen here and he is right. What worked in my little 50's fibro cottage in Merredin doesn't work here.
Now I just need to win lotto to buy my dining suite - just a small win would be really nice. Of course they do say you have to buy a ticket to have a chance

I know all the shops have already got their decorations out but how soon is too soon at home? I always thought you were supposed to wait until the beginning of December.

I have missed putting up Christmas decorations for the last four years.

In both 2002 and 2003 I was in the process of moving house.

In 2004 we were told that there may be a problem with the baby I was carrying and we had to wait two weeks until the stage they could do an amnio (15 weeks). Then after the amnio they said that I would miscarry any day. As we lived in a small country town with limited medical services I had to hang around in Perth for nearly 2 weeks waiting to miscarry. My baby was stillborn at 17 weeks, just 3 days before Christmas - No Christmas decorations that year.

Last year a month after our wedding my husband had his first brain surgery on the 17 th of November. As that didn't work we ended up having to travel to Perth again for more tests and two further surgeries. He had his last brain surgery on the 20th of December. It was more successful that we had even dreamed of. He was out of hospital two days later and able to join us for Christmas lunch at my Dads place on Christmas Day. - again with everything going on and being in Perth instead of home we missed the chance to put up Christmas decorations.

On Saturday we bought a plastic Christmas tree. I am eager to put it up but don't want to do it too soon. On the other hand I am 33 and a half weeks pregnant. If baby comes early I could again end up in Perth.

What do you think?
When do you put up your Christmas tree?

Has anyone seen my ankles? They seem to be missing!
I would also be interested to know what happened to my own feet. The sore swollen things on the end of my legs don't look like my feet.
If anyone sees them please let me know.

Forget house work, I keep having to go and lie on my side with my feet up. I have even put a footstool under the computer desk to have them up a bit while I am on the computer, but they still hurt so I have to go and lie down.
33 and a half weeks pregnant and counting!

I just got pulled over for speeding. I don't usually speed but I was busting for the toilet. When the cop got to my window I just said "You got me, pregnant lady busting for the toilet". He and his partner thought it was a fair excuse and let me off with a warning. Apparently I was doing 59 km in a 50 zone. I live on that street and am usually very careful of my speed. I get angry about seeing other people speed up the street. There is a school along that road! I am probably a bit less careful in the evening. I got pulled up at 9:30 at night. But I promise I don't usually speed.

I was on my way home from a  public meeting about our hospital service. They recently tried to cut services but the outcry made them reverse the decision. Tonights meeting was very well attended. We had to move to a gym room because there was not enough room in the original room. There was even people watching from a section upstairs.

Many people came to whinge, but not actually listen! They shouted down speakers and told them that they didn't believe them.
 I ended up speaking to try to give a little bit of balance. I said that as a pregnant lady I had been very concerned about the proposed cuts to on-call theatre and obstetric services, and wished to thank everyone involved in reversing the decision to cut the services. I also spoke about how much my husband enjoyed working at the hospital and said people could be very proud about their hospital. Some people came up to me afterwards and thanked me for providing a little bit of balance.

I think that the fact that the decision was reversed shows that maybe we can have some faith in the system. That and the fact that they are forming a district committee to give the public a voice.

I have to say that I am very impressed with the Roomba. Thank you again Minti!

I have wooden floors throughout my house with a few carpet rugs. I had heard that the Roomba does a good job on wooden floors and having seen it for myself I would have to agree. I am a little concerned that it may be scratching the floors in some places but with two little dogs running around my floors are going to get scratched anyway. It's a home not a display house!
I recently tried Roomba on some of the carpet rugs and I have to say I am very impressed! It has done a fantastic job at picking up the fluff and hair from the carpet rugs. Much better than my not so old - other vacuum cleaner.
I have an ensemble bed that is quite low to the floor, I really didn't think Roomba would fit under it but it does! It really is an amazing little machine.
So far my only disappointment  with the Roomba was that my dogs didn't chase it. We were looking forward to the entertainment. We had the video camera ready to record the show. No show, after a quick look they both ignored it.

I have been having Minti withdrawals. For the last 29 hours I could read Minti but I couldn't do anything. I couldn't vote, leave stars, leave comments, mintimail, blog or clear my watchlist. Oh the withdrawal was torture! So many things i read but couldn't comment on!

With Clay's patient emails yesterday I learned how to turn pop up blockers off in both Explorer and Yahoo. But still the problem remained.
My brother patiently talked me through active x controls this morning - but still not luck!

Earlier today Clay suggested I try Mozzila Fire Fox but I wasn't thinking straight and only just realised that i didn't have to delete Internet Explorer to do it. I wanted to talk to my husband when he gets home from work  before making changes to the system. I remembered about 20 minutes ago that we used to have both on the old computer. So I downloaded fire fox and yes - I am back on Minti.

I have discovered that on firefox  while it doesn't correct your spelling it does underline miss spelled words in red. Now that is handy!

Minti is a little slower on firefox than it was on explorer but I can participate again.

Thank you again Clay for your help.
cheers
Kim

I have not been able to Minti for over 24 hours. I have given up on trying to fix the problem in explorer and am trying firefox

I am still having trouble breathing. When I got to craft today I was puffing a bit and was asked if I had walked. I had to admit to having driven (half a kilometer if that!) and just having walked in from the car. -Admitedly I had my craft box which has a bit of stuff in it.

I left early and came home, minti-ed for a few minutes and then went an lay down until it was time for my doctors appt. He said baby is in a good position. I told him that Haydon said he didn't think I would go for the next 7.5 weeks. The doctor said just wait and see. He did say he would write a letter for me to take to the holiday home in case I go into early labour.

My mother has booked a holiday home in Dunsborough (about 90 minutes drive from here) for just 3 weeks before I am due. Haydon will only be able to be there for part of the time because he has to work. It is so close to my due date I am starting to get a bit concerned about leaving Haydon and home at that time. Especially because we want to do the cord blood thing and so we will have a collection kit delivered to the Collie Hospital. If I go into early labour down there then we risk not being able to get the kit there in time or picked up in time.

Haydon played his second game of touch footy tonight. He managed to stay upright a lot more in his new footy shoes. He played in sneakers last week and has the large graze on his him to show for it.

I missed the start of the game because I drove a guy injured in the early game to the hospital. His mates were still playing so I said I would take him.

Well I am going to go and lie down again - it is the easiest way to breathe.

Life is good!

kim

We went to Perth for the weekend.  Two hundred kilometers away - with traffic etc it now takes about 3 hours each way.

We were supposed to catch up with my friend who has just come back from 6 years away at a bbq on Saturday but it was raining so we caught up at a coffee shop. Elisha, her husband and young son have all just been quite sick with gastro bugs. I spoke to Elisha the day before and said for the sake of the baby (I'm 32 week pregnant) I would prefer to have no physical contact. I guess her hubby forgot cause he gave me a kiss on the cheek when he arrived and then left early to sit outside because he wasn't feeling well.

 We were going to catch up again on the Sunday but my husband (a nurse) and my mother (a retired nurse) both expressed concern that I may pick up the virus and put the baby at risk. So I just got to talk to Elisha on the phone.

It is Tuesday now and I haven't got sick so hopefully I am now out of the woods.

On Saturday afternoon I went to ToysRus with my mother and sister in law Amy. Amy bought a lovely bouncinette for our baby's Christmas present. I bought some 'piddle pads' to protect the car seat from little accidents, some bottles to go with the Medula breast pump I have been given and some washable breast pads. My mother bought us a talking crying doll to try to get the dogs used to the idea that they can't jump up on me when I am holding the baby. I am supposed to pretend it is a real baby to get the dogs used to the idea!

We went out to dinner Saturday night with my brother and his family to celebrate Haydon's birthday from last week and Amy's birthday (which is today!).

On Sunday I went shopping for some maternity bra's. I went to David Jones and got fitted for them. The bra's I bought there are more comfortable than the ones I bought myself in Big W. They cost more but you can see why from the construction.

Haydon started touch footy on Thursday night so on Sunday we got him some footy shoes at Harbour town, and a ball to practice catching.

Sunday night Haydon took me out to a little Thai restaurant and then we got some strawberries and icecream to take back to Mum's for dessert.

We had coffee with my Dad on Monday morning and went to Ikea. Haydon's first visit there ever! All we bought was a garlic press. They were out of stock of the rug we went there to get.

We got back to Collie after 4. Haydon got a bit upset with me because I minti-ed for so long last night.

Today I am not feeling very energetic - haven't been for the last week or so. I haven't done my flylady stuff at all today, and have had to sleep for part of the day. I am sleeping well at night too.

The last few days baby has been moving quite a bit. Haydon starts touch rugby tomorrow night so maybe Ziggy (baby's nickname since we don't know if baby is a girl or boy) is trying to get in on the game.

I went to a garden club meeting this morning. The lady hosting it had a beautiful garden, gravel and woodchip paths. A few trees and taller shrubs but mostly low flowering plants. Also a few sections divided off. Very inspirational. They have their Christmas lunch next month cold meat and catered salads- nothing a pregant lady should be eating according to the listeria brochures so I shall pass.

My one accomplishment today was cooking dinner - kangaroo roast and baked vegies. No dessert tonight unless we want to raid the home made apple crumbles in the freezer.

I also printed the forms off for cord blood banking. We will probably go ahead with it.

Haydon had a busy day in the accident and emergency department (he's a nurse) and then he came home and worked in the garden. The front tap finally carked it. Luckily we had a new one he could put on to replace it with. I brought him out a towel!

Tomorrow they are due to do the siteworks for our shed.

Thats about it for today.

Life is good but I would love some energy.