Our dear Jaimee Rose is nearly 4 months old already. Time surely flies with two kids. Libby has had her third birthday (party at McDonalds Lower Hutt) and started at kindy - and she loves it! We are doing swimming lessons and continuing with music on Thursdays....the weeks go past so quickly.

Tonight we are having an engagement party. Its meant to be a BBQ. And its hosing down outside! Everyone says never plan a BBQ or you'll get crap weather and look whats happened! Never mind we will still have fun.

Im currently doing the C25K programme, its couch to 5km. So a podcast that tells you when to run and when to walk, and its around 12 weeks long I think. Im onto week 2 now, running 90 seconds and walking 2 minutes for 6 cycles. Its hard work but Ive lost about a kilo and a half already! And Im also trying to eat dairy free as Ive heard that it can help with eczema and Jaimee has it quite bad. Her skin currently looks 90% better. So much going on its hard to keep track.

Jaimee has arrived!

On Monday 3rd August at 10.15 am Jaimee Rose made her way into the world. She weighed 4.17kg (9lb 3oz in old measurements) and got stuck on the way out, so it wasnt an altogether pleasant experience. Actually labour felt a lot harder this time around, I think having a cold and being tired contributed, but I was a bit of a mess. Poor Jayson nearly got his hand scrunched off - but he cut the cord! And got to see her arrive. She needed a little oxygen as the cord was around her neck, and she got stuck at her eyebrows then again at her shoulders!

Libby came down with nan soon after, and seemed quite happy to meet the baby, and was quite happy to head off with nan again later that day so not too traumatic for her.

Since being home Jaimee has settled into our routine, shes been taken to music group and walked to kindy and had lots of visitors and lots of presents, actually both girls have been extremely spoiled! Shes breastfeeding beautifully, and sleeping reasonably well so now we just have to gain some weight and we'll be away laughing.

Baby nearly here!

Now 37 weeks pregnant! Hasn't it zoomed past. Working full time helps with that! I finished a couple of weeks ago, and Jayson and I are now beneficiaries as he hasnt been able to find work. I get my paid parental leave from next week, and a nice bonus from IRD for a tax refund so money will be a bit easier than it has been for the past 3 weeks. Its hard to go from a decent amount of money each week to barely enough to cover rent! And Im much to proud to ask for help so struggle through it is. :)

So we are all set for babys arrival, the bassinet is made, nappies on the change table, bags are packed and the carseat in the car...and Libby has been prepped but it will still be interesting to see how she copes with someone vying for her mummys attention! She has been extremely clingy lately and I kinda put it down to so many changes this year - dad moving in, me back at work full time, moving house, not living with Nan anymore...its a lot for a little girl to cope with.

She continues to amaze me daily, she counted her fingers to 10 yesterday, she knows and can identify certain letters (L, O, R, T, I, B, Y, M) and of course numbers - she quite often looks at my digital clock - "look mum a '2'!!" and knows heaps of songs which she loves to perform. Shes only 2.9!! I think she will do well at school, and kindy. She is toilet trained now, we ended up doing a 3 day every half hour potty session and she finally got it. She is nearly out of night nappies, as she is only doing a little wee each night, and is occasionally dry too. Quite exciting! She is a very active girl, and going through a growth spurt at the moment, eating us out of house and home! I honestly dont know where she puts it. Hollow legs like her dad! The photo above is taken by Suz Bolitho, at 26 weeks. Ill put some up of Libby and me and Jayson taken by Suz - we are so impressed by the photos she took!

So hopefully we will have some news of the new arrival in a few weeks time - due date 2 August :)

Adding to the family

Well after much consideration, Jayson and I decided to expand our family. We have had so many changes in the last few months, its been rather crazy. Where to start....
Jayson has moved down from Palmerston North to live with us. My brother moved back from Australia so we had to find somewhere else to live. Since we are expecting, and have two dogs and two cats we decided we neede a three-bedroomed property with a fence that would allow animals! Not easy! But it has been done and we moved on Valentines Day. How romantic.
I am now working full time back nursing, and Jayson is being a stay at home dad. He loves having time with his girl and it means when the new baby arrives she will have a good relationship with him. Im earning good money, and should get paid parental leave when I finish too which will all help in the long run. Jayson plays cricket (indoor and outdoor) so he has games and practise a couple of nights a week and Nan comes to look after Libby and stay the night on Friday. Im enjoying work, and all the lovely money!
Libby is now nearly 2.5 and just so much fun. She loves singing and dancing and knows so many actions to so many songs. We go to playgym on Tuesdays, Mainly Music on Thursdays and swimming lessons on Fridays. Busy, busy!