Much to catch up on....but

I have a HEAP of news and pics to catch up on, but seeing as I am short of time today (when am I not??), I will post a couple of pics of Biddy that were taken in the past 6 months.  I invested in a couple of digital photo editing programs the other day and I have just had a quick play with them.  I have HEAPS to learn, but am happy with my first attempts.

More to come.....

before

after

before

after

I didn't even note what overlays I used, so I can't tell you.  But they were all purchased from the Florabella collections.  Check them out if you are into this sort of thing.

Another lengthy delay

Facebook is not this blog's friend.  It is because of Facebook that I have been neglecting this site.  I need to rectify this, because unlike FB, the posts on here don't seem to disappear into the ether, never to be found unless you don't want them to!

So....stay tuned.  A wrap up of our lives (with pics) will be posted in the next couple of days.  Much has happened and Henry is hitting some milestones that I want to record.

How a little girl views God

The other day I was in my bedroom getting dressed and Biddy was with me.  She clambers up on the bed and starts jumping up and down like she is on a trampoline.  Of course, like any responsible adult, I tell her not to do this because she could fall and hurt herself.....or fall and dint the wood which would make my bed look ratty.  And as you can imagine, she did fall and got her leg caught in the bottom of the bed.  After extracting herself, the following conversation took place:

Me: did you hurt yourself?
Biddy: No (but said not very convincingly).
Me: I told you not to jump on the bed or you would get hurt.  See, God punished you for not doing as you were told.
Biddy: Who's God?
Me: What?
Biddy: Who's God?
Me: You know.....
Biddy: Oh, yeah.....daddy!

Ha.  He wishes.

Quiet....the tennis/golf is on!

Ok.  What's the deal?

This morning, the kids were watching Sesame Street and it was the episode were Gordon is practising his golf (albeit on a mini golf setup) and the red muppet.....Tully (?)... "helps" him perfect his game by adding various components to the practise area (such as a pillow for a hill, a paddling pool for a water hazard etc..)

But what caught my attention was that at one point, Gordon got fed up with the chatter around him and asked for quiet as he wasn't able to make his shot.  This got me thinking - and discussing with Mark - about the whole issue that surrounds golf, and for that matter tennis as well.

Why are these professional sports people only able to perform a task that they have done hundreds - nay thousands or hundreds of thousands - of times in the absence of sound?  Golfers are seemingly unable to play any shot if someone utters a squeak, and how many times have you heard a tennis ref ask for "Quiet please"?  What other sports are like this?  Billiards spring to mind.

Some may say that these professionals should be awarded the best possible conditions in which to play their shot.  But let's contrast this with let's say baseball, cricket or Aussie Rules (or in fact, any type of footy).  Not only is a batter in baseball facing a fast pitch of in excess of sometimes 80-100km/hr, but the ball is coming AT HIM and is moving around.  It is certainly not a set shot.  And he is doing this with not only ear splitting decibel level crowd involvement, but also the chatter of the catcher (which would be derogatory if anything), encouragement from teammates, and advice from base coaches.  And he can do it.  Usually on a regular basis, or he is out of the team.

Aussie Rules players also have the added dynamic of crowd involvement of the opposing cheer squads using not only verbal abuse to put them off kicking a goal, but visual cues in the form of waving flags, pom poms and scarves to distract the player.  And these players kick goals.  Regularly.

And when the crowd at the "G" gets fired up at not the opposition team, but the drunken yahoo that is being kicked out of the ground much to everyone's delight and singing "you're going home in the back of a divvy van" do you really think that Michael Clarke is going to put the brakes on Daniel Vittori and ask for him to wait until there is quiet so he can face the ball?  Doubt it.

So why are some sports allowed the grace of noiseless vacuums while others have to just carry on regardless?  Is it where the game has stemmed from way back?  A sort of aristocracy versus working stiff?  But that doesn't hold water in respect to cricket.

Whilst Mark and I agreed that we thought the need for silence was a whole lot of BS, we never finished our conversation about it.  So I'm really none the wiser.  But from my point of view, I believe that any professional player should be able to perform under any sound situation.  And perhaps, that's why I don't go to the tennis or golf.

Our new baby

Ok.  I have finally caught up with the blog and now it is time to introduce our new baby.

Most of you reading this blog possibly know of this news via personal contact, Facebook, my Graceful Impressions blog etc... but for those that don't, we are pleased and proud to announce the arrival of -

HENRY MICHAEL SIMPSON BILLING

born Tuesday, May 1st at about 8.50pm weighing 7lb 2oz.

at approx 30 minutes old

Henry's arrival was an experience for many as he just couldn't wait to be brought into the world.  Not only was he 6 days early, but he also decided to arrive only 2 hours and 15 minutes after my contractions started.  As both the girls' labours went for roughly 6 hours each - and the contractions of this labour felt no different to theirs - I figured I had hours to go.  After I decided that Mark should call the hospital and tell them we were on our way (which was 2 hours into it), we got in the car and headed into town.  However, time was not on my side and with absolutely no warning, I needed to start pushing whilst still in transit.

As we neared the hospital, I felt the baby starting to crown and I was doing all I could not to push.  Mark was blocking me out of his mind so he could concentrate on driving!  By the time we got to the hospital, the baby's head was half out and the midwives had no choice but to deliver him in the front seat of the Prado (quite lucky that it is a high car or they might have had to be on their knees to do the delivery!!)  One more contraction and small push and Henry came easily out and into this world!  Oh, and I should say that all of this also happened in the rain.

The fact that I was not probably prepared mentally for it all to happen THAT NIGHT left me reeling a bit.  In fact, I was in a bit of shock, I think, as I shook uncontrollably for about 20 minutes following the birth.  I truly thought that I would go to term and therefore have about 6 more days ahead of me, let alone have it happen so quickly.  The other downside for me was that we didn't get to document Henry's arrival like we had done with the other kids (either photos or video), purely because of the speed.  Mark barely had time to turn the car off, let alone get a camera out.  But we are trying to make up for those missed photos by taking lots of Henry now.

The upside though to having a birth like this, is that the press are very interested in the story.  So we have a couple of news articles about the event.  Plus, the midwives tell me that babies that are born as quick as mine rarely suffer any issues.  Plus, they have beautiful rounded heads!  The other plus, is that I didn't have to labour for hours through painful contractions and as a result, felt amazingly good post birth.

The kids - and Mark - were ecstatic that Henry turned out to be a boy.  I think I was the only one that thought it might be a girl (or was I just preparing myself for another girl??).  Tom is over the moon at having a brother.  The hormone balance is now evenly divided in our house.

with mummy about 5 minutes after birth

with daddy

Bella and Biddy's first glimpse of their new brother

Tom's first visit with Henry

the Billing boys

with mummy and daddy

Mark always gives the babies their first bath.  This has really stemmed from the fact that when Tom was born, I had to have a c-section and as such, it was a bit tricky for me to handle him.  The midwife suggested that Mark bath him and ever since then, we have always had Mark do this first bath.  But he always panics when it comes time to do it...those babies are just so teeny tiny in his enormous farmer hands and he's quite terrified of breaking them!  It is really one of the very few things I have seen Mark nervous about.

look at the concentration

at 3 days old

Henry's first car trip...on his way home

First sleep in his bed at home

Some people to thank:
Doctor Peter Nice for his care of me throughout pregnancy and Dr Anne McGuane for her assistance following the birth (sorry Anne that you missed it!);
Midwives Pauline, Abbey, Lillian and Mandy for their EXCELLENT people and midwifery skills when faced with a rather unusual and speedy delivery.  The fact that they were so confident and competent with the whole situation gave me the ability to just get on and do what I had to do without thinking of "what if"
All the other midwives that took care of me throughout my hospital stay, especially Dot and Rae.  I suffer with horrendous migraines following the birth of all my babies (migraines are not alien to me anyway), and having midwives around that understand and go above and beyond to do things to help get through that period makes all the difference.
To our parents - Alan & Judy and Lynne - thankyou for "manning" the fort whilst all this occurred.  To have family support at a time like this, especially when there are other kids to be cared for, words just cannot express our gratitude.  From looking after farm duties, to getting Tom on the bus for school, to cleaning, cooking, changing nappies, refereeing kids arguments, keeping things oiled and greased and working properly.....we thankyou from the bottom of our hearts.

Mulwala holiday - April 2012

For the first term school holidays, Mark and I took the kids and the caravan to Mulwala for a week.  Really for no other reason than the weather would be better than down south and it wasn't too far away as I was 8 months pregnant.  In fact, we were supposed to be heading for WA these school holidays, taking an extra week either side, in a similar trip that we took to Darwin, but I was just a bit too close to having the baby to do that.  Imagine getting halfway home across the Nullabor and going into labour??!!   Yikes.  Mulwala was a safer bet!

The weather was great - high 20's - low 30's which was enough to get into the pool every day.  However, the pool was not all that warm, so there was much hopping out to warm back up before getting back in.  But most importantly, there was a pool and a playground and nearby, mini golf and other places of interest to keep the kids amused. If the kids are happy, I am happy.

Yep...that water is cold! 

We happened to luck upon a kids festival that was being held in Corowa on the Sunday that we were around.  It was free and had HEAPS of things for the kids to do.

Blowing bubbles

Making bubbles

Trying their hands at circus tricks

Warming up after the pool

Awww...my big strawberry!

We visited a cheese factory that was located on farm.  Like we don't see enough cows!  Maybe we can now claim this trip on tax because we really did talk business!!!

Hmmm...not a particularly good photo of me!

 On the way home, we travelled through Tungamah because Mark's mum's family lived here.  We think there might still be some distant family around, but we aren't sure......

Easter 2012

Easter.  The commercial aspect of Easter is not something that I really enjoy.  It is not because I am Catholic and I think that the whole focus on chocolate takes away from the religious significance or anything like that.  I really don't get into it because chocolate gives me migraines!!!  So it is a bit of a waste of a celebration for me personally.

But of course, the kids get right into it, and even more so as they get older.  Actually, this year, I had the following conversation with Tom.

Tom: Is the Easter Bunny real?
Me: Well who do you think brings you Easter Eggs?
Tom: You and Dad
Me: Why do you think that?
Tom: I dunno.....you probably buy them
Me: Do you see me buying any?
Tom: No
Me: Well, I guess that something has to bring the eggs to you.  Put it this way Tom, if you don't believe, you don't receive
a brief pause in the conversation
Tom: Well I think I believe in the Easter Bunny then.

I blame the influence of school.

Getting a helping hand from daddy

The haul

This is the mess one toddler and one tub of Sudocream can make.  Ever tried getting Sudocream off!!!  It sticks to EVERYTHING including the bottom of the bath.

Some Easter egg baskets I made for my niece and nephews.

April 2012

Contrasting to March, April was a bit busy for us.  So I am breaking it down into sections for you...because there are a lot of pictures!

This is a basic run down of April;

Preggie shots.  I had some professional pictures taken of my preggy belly, and to look good for the pics, I treated myself to a spray tan.  Hence, I am looking damn hot in the following 3 snaps!!

 

36 weeks 2 days

38 weeks and 6 days (last preggie pic - little did we know) 

We had to purchase a new pram for the new baby.  Not because there was anything wrong with the one we had, it was just that between Tom and Biddy and Biddy and Bella, there is almost exactly 2.5yrs.  So when each new baby arrived, the older child was adept enough at walking around for a bit.  At a pinch, we could put the bub into a Baby Bjorn type carrier and the toddler into the pram when things got hairy, but this was not going to work this time.  Because the age difference between Bella and the new baby is less that 2yrs.  And Bella is still some time off from being able to walk around shopping centres/parks/outings etc by herself for very long. Plus, the pram is an excellent - and legal - form of child restraint!  So we needed a double pram, but the only one that I really liked and was going to suit us was a font and back one with the older child in the front.  I decided to finally put the pram together on the Monday night....just as well, because I went into labour the next night!

a baby card that I made for a friend....I actually gave it to her when we were both in hospital!

 Poor Biddy is quite sensitive to insect bites and the night before this picture, she was bitten on the eyelid by a mozzie.  Meds at home did nothing, so a trip to A&E for some heavy duty stuff was required.  It still took 3 days to go down.

 

St Mary's School sports 2012.  Tom is in blue team and this year, the school held the sports on the oval directly across the road from mum's place (which was so considerate as I could nick back there for a sit/cuppa/lunch etc!).  These are some pics of the day.

Tom came first in his 100m.  This is the second year in a row.  Well done.

With cousin Jarrod (grade prep).  Both won their 100m race.