My much neglected blog...

Ahh, my much neglected blog. All sorts of stuff has been happening while I have been busy elsewhere, and it's time to update. I'm snatching five minutes while Darren is taking the boys to the tip (little boys just love trips like that!) and ignoring all the other chores that are calling to me with their siren song (which is a song of guilt, my siren must be a mother).

Baby News!

I will start my entry with some baby news! No, it's not me. Could you imagine? I wean two babies before I really want to, in order to conceive their sibling, and then have a 12 month gap between number 3 and 4? Not likely! I am pleased that my body provides it's own natural contraceptive for once in my life, and don't intend on even thinking about considering possibly adding another joyous bundle to our lives. No, the new bun baking belongs to my baby sister! Hooray! I finally get a neice or nephew to shower my copious love upon. Carrie is hardly my baby sister, she'll be 30 when her baby is due, but she'll always be my little sister. The baby is due on the 8th of July, meaning there will be only 12 months gap between Austin and the new baby, which I am really excited about. Not only will the boys be getting a cousin, but one so close in age as well.

The new baby is coming a little before it was intended. Carrie is getting married to her long-time partnew Joe in February, and she didn't plan to be 20 weeks pregnant at the time. The dress is already bought (on sale, so non-returnable, hopefully it will alter nicely) and I think she might have been intending on toasting her new marriage with some champagne (maybe a little more than 'some'), but now she will be the Designated Driver Bride!

On a purely selfish note, I am actually quietly pleased not to be the pregnant one for once. I really feel like for the past 5 years I have been missing out on fun stuff because I have been carrying precious cargo in my belly. I would fall pregnant again in a heartbeat when the time is ready, but for now it's nice to be able to go on the rides at Luna Park, instead of being the one watching the bags!

I don't even care what sex the baby is. A boy would be lovely, a playmate for my three. A girl would be fab too, I could finally indulge in my obsession for pink!

The Big Move

I am officially homeless. We moved out of our little house, where my three babies were conceived and bought home to, and are now staying at Mum's until we move into our new house, which we will hopefully settle on the 21st. The movers are booked for the 22nd, so it had better all go to plan. I was surprisingly unsentimental about moving out. Our house was wonderful for the 6 1/2 years we spent there, but we knew from the beginning that it was only a stepping stone, and we would someday move on. We only ever intended on spending 5 years there, and I think that if I had known we would have been able to get a new mortgage on one wage, we would have been out before Austin was born!

I really miss having my things around me. Mum's house is great, and we spend so much time here that it's like a second home, but there is nothing more unsettling than not having your own, familliar things surrounding you. Darren and I haven't even been sleeping in the same bed! Austin takes up so much room, and while you don't notice it in our divine king size haven, in the queen-size spare bed it is starkly obvious. Just too squishy! Whenever I mention we are moving over Christmas, even murmurs things like, 'oh, you'll be so busy' and 'ooh, just before Christmas?', but I can't think of a better time to move. With the public holidays you gain so much time, and the babysitters are all available for when little boys need a break!

The Boys

The boys are going fine. Bowen is in his last week as a 3 year old. He has seemed so much older and wiser than 3 for a long time, that in most our minds he's been a spiritual 4 anyway. It won't be a huge change for him. He's very excited about the prospect of being a year older, and is now counting down how many sleeps until the big day. He also seems to be gaining more confidence now, and standing up to his little brother more.

Bowen is shaping up to being the family philosopher, and if his planned career as 'doing what Daddy does' doesn't pan out, he could easily find a job at a calender company, writing those little sayings for each day. My favourite one so far is, when told to stop letting his brother 'walk all over him':

"You can't walk all over people, you'll fall off!"

Now, I think there's something in there for everybody...

Riordan is just getting more and more gorgeous everyday. He is a real heartbreaker, from his golden curls and long-lashed blue eyes, down to his golden skinned toes. The dimples don't take anything away from his looks either! He can get away with murder with a bat of his eyelashes, and I lose count of how many times a day Mum and I say, "Oh, he's just so gorgeous!"

Toilet training is going OK. I haven't really been too full on with it, Bowen was already in undies by this stage, but for some reason I just haven't felt the urgency with Riordy. It must be that first child syndrome, if I keep going with this apathy as I have more babies, Austin will still be in nappies when he goes to school! He's pulling his pants up and down to do wees, but usually has to be reminded, and poos are still a bit of an issue, he's still learning his urges and waits until the last minute (i.e. the turtles head is poking out) before he says anything, which usually results in him losing his load well before the toilet/potty.

Austin is fast growing up. My littlest man is now 5 months old, and growing rapidly. He's 8.25kgs, not sure how that compares to the big boys (their Blue Books are packed away, in a box far, far away!) but he's a heffalump. A definite Mummy's boy, I've had to leave a work Christmas dinner to come home to him, and cancel the 'big' Christmas party as he just wouldn't have been able to cope without me. Imagine complete and utter hysteria, and you will be somewhat close to what he's like.

Sleeping is our main issue with Austi-man. He's a gem through the day, will self-settle without a whimper, but at night he needs his nipple or he won't even think about going to sleep. We are going to Tresilian on the 14th of January, with my main aim to have him go to sleep in his own bed of a night. I am more than happy to keep co-sleeping, I adore it in fact, especially now he's big enough to just lay in the crook of my arm, nipple in mouth, and only wakes to swap sides. I can cope with that. It's the fact that he can't be put down for any length of time before I go to bed that is my problem. I don't get to spend any 'alone' time with Daz, and that's not good for a partnership. My ideal night would be all boys in bed by 7.30pm, then to sit with Daz until 9.30, then Austin waking for a feed or two through the night, but going back to his own bed afterwards. I don't think it's asking too much.

We haven't even broached the subject of solids. I know from all my years of experience (!) that they don't help a baby sleep through, or anything like that, and although he's a big boy, he can wait a few more weeks. He's showing plenty of signs that he's ready, and I give him the odd taste, but there's no hurry.

Austin has been a sick little puppy this week. Riordan had a virus last week, just a temperature and off colour for a few days. Austin has got it this week, and it's quite scary when a 5 month old is burning up in your arms (he got to 39.7 degrees with an underarm thermometer) and you can't do anything about it. Antibiotics for an apparent ear infection, and plenty of the good boob juice has him much better (he started to get sick on Wednesday) but he is still doing horridly runny, frequent poos, which has given him a terrible bum rash. It's airing out as we speak.

Me

Same old, same old. I'm gearing up to start Uni next year, I'm still not sure exactly what I have to do, and how to do it, but it will all work out somehow.

Weight wise, things have settled right down. My jeans and scales are packed, so I have no idea how I am doing, but I feel quite happy about my body, although I wonder if my belly will ever recover. It's generally flat, but when I bend over it's a bit of a sight. Three overdue babies have somewhat 'loosened' things up, and only time will fix it.

Phew. I needed that purge, and I promise to myself it won't be as long between entries!