So much time in the pool has left us with wrinkly fingers and toes, but it is soooo nice to laze about in there and not get sunburnt (it has a Vergola roof over the top).

So the past week has been so busy I haven’t had a minute to scratch myself. So hang on——OK I just scratched my leg, now onto tyring to get a few minutes to note down what we have been up to. Amy is asleep, girls with MIL for the day and Pink on the CD. All is good.

Friday so the arrival of Tania and Brian from Perth. In spite of them being delayed 4 hours, they were in fine form and it was just great to have them here. The girls got re-aquainted with Bronte (7 yrs) and that took all of 5 mintues and they were off. I hardly saw them the whole weekend. They swam, played, dressed up, danced, had fights, made up, sang etc etc. All the things that little girls do so well.

Saturday night we went out to the club and had a great dinner with 25 in total, plus kids. Lots of rellies over for the big Christening on Sunday. I love big gatherings like that. So many people to talk to and not having to worry about the kids, I don’t even know if they ate. All I saw was then mucking around on the dancefloor even though there was no music! They had a blast. Mum was looking a bit worse for wear after her Cosmetic surgury on Thursday. She had the bags under her eyes removed and now she looks like she was in a fight with Mike Tyson. It gets less brusied every day and soo she’ll be looking back to her usual self, but 30 yrs younger – people might think we are sisters!

Sunday Amy, Sam and Jacob all got Baptised. It was a lovely ceremony and so much more special because my sister and brother, and their babies could share it with us. Zoe came up too and got a specail blessing – I was quite emotional because it is not everyyear that a family can welcome 4 new children and have them Christened at the same time and all be talking to each other and loving each others company. Tania and Brian were excellent as God Parents and I am expecting great things from them as Amy’s spiritual and emotional teachers!!!

Tania and I managed to get rid of Hubbys and kids for a shopping trip on Monday morning and it was blissful wandering through the boutiques and Ooooing and ahhhing over the gorgeous trinkets and homewares. It was sad to see them go on Monday night. I wish they lived closer, but hey they are determined to move to Tassie so at least that is on the same side of Australia as us!

I’m acheiving my goal of losing 3 kilos by the time Amy gets the brace off in 3 weeks. I lost 1.2kgs this week, lisa lost a massive 2.5kgs, so I have more motivation to keep going this week. I am feeling much better in myself.

This is pretty fast run down because I have so much washing to do and cleaning up to start. It is another hot day today, so if you need my I’ll be in the pool this arvo!!

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Phew – this has been the busiest week of my life, but I have had an absolute ball. I’ve enjoyed this christmas so much and loved having the family here. The non-stop activity of the past few days has been the best fun, and now that I have time to rest and relax (and clean up) it is even better!

Christmas Eve Kate and Rohan arrived with bags and loads of presents. We went to Mass where we met up with Moi and her family. The children were asked to sit down the front to see a Nativity play of the Gospel. All was going well until I saw a lady grab Jess by the scruff of the neck and give her a talking to. I raced down to see what was going on and Jess had been tackling other kids to the ground in all the excitement, mainly poor old Roisin. No harm done and peace restored I returned to my seat. Then heard squeals of delight as Meg saw a friend from daycare sitting right behind us. It was non-stop action I can tell you.

AMy was quite restless that night and I was up to her every few minutes and then half hour. I was exhausted and in sheer frustration sat on the floor in her room and cried till 4.30am when I finally felt she was asleep and got into bed myself. Justin woke me at 6.30am ad the kids were up to see what Santa had bought at 7am. Justin’s Mum came over at 7.30am to see the kids open their presents and give them a few herself. Kate and Rohan emerged at 9am at which point I put myself back to bed for an hour or so. The family started to arrive here at 11am for an absolute marathon present exchange. There were kids and paper and ribbons and babies everywhere. It was magical.

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For lunch we had 3 trestle tables set out in the playroom and a kids table, and 24 of us sat around and had a most delicious lunch. It was so thoroughly enjoyable.

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On Boxing Day we went to Mum’s where James and Sascha had arrived with Zoe and had another delicious meal and more presents. The next day we hit the shops for some sales bargains (got towels, shoes, some clothes and presents for Holly’s upcoming birthday!). That night everyone came back here for dinner where Justin excelled in delivering Nigella’s Coca-cola Ham.

On the way home from the shops Amy was heard doing some explosive poo’s in her capsule. When we got home I was dismayed to see that they had escaped the nappy and were all over the capsule furry lining and her harness. Oh well, it had to come off and have a wash, and while we were at it, she had to have a bath! SHe loved it and was kicking her legs all over the place and laughing. The harness took ages to dry so she had a sleep without it. 540It was hard going get it back on her after that, and I have to admit that I really didn’t want to put it back on either. Kate got a cuddle before she was all tied up again and I made sure I got about 39! The next day she was due to see the physio and have another adjustment. When we got there the Physio announced that it was Bath day so I had to act all surprised and delighted that we were going to take it off and have a wash. Only 6 more weeks – I can do it.530

Today has been a day of cleaning up and putting things back in their places and finding homes for all the things that the kids got. I have to say that I was delighted with the kids presents becasue they got mainly activites and games and books, rather than clothes and toys with which they have enough already. They have been captivated with dressing paper dolls, colouring books, reading new stories and wearing their new sunglasses. Thanks everyone – these kids are totally spolit, but we love you for it!

And finally, this morning we got a delivery of a new dining table and chairs. The old ones were falling apart and the table was my nanna’s. This new one is so delicious – seats 8, and looks like a real family table. I can see us all around it for the next 30 years.

So that it it for now. My shoulders are sore from typing. I’m sure to have forgotton lots of things I should have said, but I’ll catch up on that in the next post.

Happy New Year everyone. May 2007 make all your dreams come true.

Amy made it to 6 weeks and that means I did too!! Yay – that is quite an acheivement cause “the first 6 weeks are always the hardest”.

Meg had her birthday party on Saturday. 10 little kids running around made quite a din, but it was great fun and she really enjoyed her first “real” party. This was the event that I won in the auction, so it was fully run by a team of 2 and they just came here to the house. Justin did an awesome job with the food and it all went off quite well I think. Just prior to the party I had 2 days with a gastro bug. Bad timing – got me when all my defences were down. Feeling heaps better now though, but Holly got it last night and hence is at home from school today.

We had a change of bedrooms over the weekend. Amy is now on the same level as me in the pink room, and the 3 other girls are upstairs in the “big” room altogether. Jess has progressed to the bottom bunk from the cot, and Meg went to the top bunk and Holly now has a single bed. They have it all decked out with their favourite things and I must say it is quite good and I would have loved something like that when I was sharing a tiny little room with Kate and Lisa back in the 70’s.

Off to the GP tomorrow to have my 6 week postnatal check and to get the results of Amy’s hip ultrasound, and I suppose to be advised about what will happen next in regards to that. I suspect that we’ll be at the Orthopedic Specialists office before the month is out.

Picked up an issue of Scapbooking Memories this morning becasue it has Rach’s Layout on the cover. I said to the girl who served me – “Have you seen this? It is my best friends. She made the cover. Isn’t she clever??” and lucky for her, she agreed!

Better go, dummy has fallen out and all hell has broken loose in Amy’s world 🙂

I’m feeling a little blue today. Tiredness does that to me and I find it hard to be patient with the girls and not feel overwhelmed all the time. When Amy cries I get all tense and worry that I’m not being a good mum. Everyone thinks it must be easy to have the 4th – that I must know everything and be cool calm and collected. But it is the hardest thing ever, not only having a newborn but having the other 3 to contend with as well. I have tears running down my face right now and I don’t know why. Thank goodness it is the weekend and I’ll have some help. Maybe I can relax then.

I’m thinking about hiring a nanny – is that admiting defeat?

Amy has settled into life really well 🙂

Her mother is a different story! Damn hormones – making me teary for no particular reason, making me insecure and scared that I’m doing something wrong, and frightened that tomorrow Justin goes back to work and I’ll be on my own doing all of this. You would think that I’d have it down pat, and yes, I kind of do, but it’s those hormones……

I have to admit though that Number 4 baby is really easy. Having confidence from past babies and knowing how to do a lot of things that with the first one or two I was running blind with, has made this so much easier. Not worrying about a sleep on her tummy, or if I’m using a dummy or not, or why she hasn’t pooed in about 3 days are all things I’d would have agonised over before. Not now. Do what you can to get the peace and the baby comfy, and the mum some sleep.

The nights are going well with Amy waking up at about 1am and then 5.30am for feeds. She goes right back to sleep and I am tucked up back in bed within the half hour. I said she was good! She is starting to be awake a bit more in between feeding and sleeping, and I love it when she looks up at me while I’m cooing at her and telling her about the day and how gorgeous she is. She is looking more like Meg every day.

Speaking of the others – Holly and Meg set off on Friday arvo with mum and dad to Port Macquarie. Sorry if you live in Port Macquarie but about 100 of my relatives are spending the week there at a Family Reunion, so things could get rowdy! Mum and Dad have graciously taken the girls to be a part of it seeing that Justin and I couldn’t go. I miss them more than I thought. The house is so quiet and I keep looking at Jessica and she is wondering why she has all this attention. Usually she has to fight for it:) Make the most of it Jessie.

Wednesday sees the arrival of my in-laws from Perth and I can’t wait to see them and have their company for a week. Floriade is a must see.

Well that is about it for now. I have spring cleaning fever so will run with that while I have the energy.

Thanks for coming by 🙂

Wow, thanks everyone for all your lovely messages and kind thoughts on the arrival of Amy. It has been a whirlwind few days, but she was all worth it and as cute as a button.

Justin got all the main info right in the last post!! Fortunately it was quick in terms of the labour, and I was pleased to have gotton through fairly unscathed. One surprising thing that happened, is that when she was born I cried. Absolutely sobbed. I haven’t ever done that before. I was so overwhelmed with emotion and tiredness, and pain and knowing that this is the LAST one, that it just all flooded out in heaving sobs.

It is nice to be home from hospital and with the kids. Having Justin at home has been great and it is scary to think that at some point he is going to have to go back to work.

ANyway here are a few new pics. If you click on any of the photos it takes you to the gallery.

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G’day all this is the hubby speaking,

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Fran woke me up at 4am this morning to inform me that the contractions were serious and that we’d better get moving. We arrived at the hospital at around 5pm (long shower to wake me up, sorry Fran).

Contractions kept coming on stronger, culminating in the baby being born on 23/09/2006 at 8:14am, 3.96 kgs (8 pounds 12 ounces). She managed to soldier through the birth without any drugs and no stitches.

Fran & baby are doing well and resting in the hospital. The other 3 kids are very excited, especially after seeing the birth video. It grossed out Meg, but Holly and Jess were very impressed.

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So well done Fran! Congratulations on finally getting that baby out! And welcome to the world and our family Amy Clare.

And of course, there’s heaps more photos in the gallery. So be warned…

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Seems like I’ve written this before – another weekend came and went and no baby arrived. I went into the baby’s room this monring just to check that there was no one in the cot in case someone had forgotten to tell me that it had happened! Friday night was looking really promising, but then again it all just stopped. I’m feeling like “The boy who cried Wolf” with getting everyone all hyped up and then nothing. From now on, I’m not saying a word until I’m hanging onto the table and gasping for breath and experiencing the REAL thing!

I had an episode of Baby Brain this weekend, when I turned up to my nephew’s 5th birthday party at the finishing time. I could have sworn that the invitiation said 1.30pm, and well it did……but 11.30-1.30pm. Ooops! Sorry Lisa!!

Great news – my favourite In-Laws are coming over from Perth to visit. They booked flights yesterday for a week over here to meet new grandchild and see our new place. Even Justin’s Nana is coming. It is so exciting and I can’t wait to see them.

That is about it for now. The day is stretching ahead of us, so might take the kids to the park for a bit of a run around. Might get my waters moving too!

Holly’s school hosted a Grandparents Day today. It started off with Mass and then a concert and morning tea.

During the Mass, the priest talked about how important grandparents are, and while I smiled and gave a little giggle, it really made me think about how much the grandparents in my children’s lives have stepped up to the plate.

My Mum is so good to me – I could not manage without her and can’t go a few days without talking to her and asking her advice. She is always happy to see us, to let us stay, to take the kids to swimming lessons and lend a hand. My Dad just does what my mum tells him to, but always lovingly and with a smile on his face.

My Mother-in-law – while things have been rocky between us for a long time I cannot fault her devotion to the girls or her willingness to help me out by doing the school run, picking up, minding them and loving them. She has energy to boot. Her husband Tom just does what she tells him to!

The Perth connection! – Recently discovered and totally cherished, Adas (Justin’s Dad) and Lin have welcomed us into their family and home over the past 2 Christmas’s and have made us feel so wanted and loved that it is really overwhelming. I wish you lot were closer so that we could see you more regularly.

As for the Great Grandparents – Justin’s Nana Helen and my Grandma and Grandpa Mary and Jim, they are wonderful support and inspiration, and as they all age so gracefully I can only hope that some of those genes pass onto us!

I am so lucky to have the support network so local, many friends have no extended family in town and I can honestly say that I don’t know how they manage. I owe these grandparents so much for the way they help me out everyday, even in the ways that they don’t know have, So thankyou treasured Grandparents – we love you all LOTS.

The shock has worn off and I’m reflecting on my reaction to the ultrasound yesterday. I sobbed so much I couldn’t talk. Part of me was overjoyed at the prospect of a girl and part of me was disappointed that I’ll never experience a baby boy – because let’s face it, I’ve had enough pregnancies and don’t want anymore!!!

A couple of things scare me – that Justin is disappointed about a girl when he really wanted a boy; that people will say “oh dear, how are you going to cope with 4 girls in your house” and that others will be sad for me because the elusive boy offspring has not materialised. I have to admit that I feel this little girl will make my family complete and perfectly balanced; and how can I resist the urge to think that I’ll have 4 of my best friends with me until I grow old, taking care of me, providing me with lots of granchildren and mothering Justin and I into our elderly years.

Justin’s reaction to the news was full of relief that we have bought this new house. With all the potential girlfriends and boyfriends that 4 daughters will bring home, we’ll need a lot of space!

And now the quest for a name has begun. Any suggestions????