Photography and Mama news

I've started yet another project, but it's a good one!

I'm trying to work on taking better photos!

Here's the link!!!

I'm hoping that I get better and better, and can take superb pictures of my family. I love having a DSLR, but I know that I have to really learn the "proper" way to take photos. :)

All's well out here in our neck of the woods. The lil one just turned 6 months, and I can't figure out where half a year went! It seems so fast that they grow up.

On Monday the older one starts preschool here in Oz, and she will be in school every day! EVERY.DAY.!!! (WOOOOHOOOOO!!) I think she really needs it, as I think she needs an outlet that's not about her sister or being mad at D and me because we have to take care of little sister. I think she'll adjust, just needs time. Lil S is really excited and totally LOVES her teacher whoms she runs up to and hugs each time she sees her!

Can't wait to see the pictures I get for her first day of school!

Hope everyone out there is having a good year so far!

Weather Haiku

(a view of the Todd River here in Central Australia flowing for the first time in 2010 - Picture taken by D)



There has been a flurry of insane weather activity across the globe.. with colder than average temps across North America.. and lotsa rain here in Central Australia... So I got inspired and asked my friends (they are the initials below) on FaceBook to give me a glimpse into their weather via a haiku.

Enjoy!

And if you'd like to submit one, add one in the comments (I do moderate comments, so be nice) :)


My Haiku :

Rainy days are cool
Too many hot days are foul
Drops that cleanse the soul

PC
Beer you are so good
I drink you when it's raining
and all other times.

MB
Fog lowers her veil
the calm before the cold gale
Time for one more ale

JTG
I love rainy days
Few and far between they are
Enjoying the treat

AM
A winter snow falls
Not really but in my heart.
Glad be the penguins.

JG
Sun where have you gone?
Clouds rolled in and snubbed you out.
Now its cold and dark.

When plans go awry

What a heck of a week!!

We celebrated Christmas on the 24th this year since D was working on the 25th. But like the old adage goes... when you plan, God laughs... well D and Lil S got very sick with a stomach virus. They have since recovered, very tired, but overall much better than on Christmas day.

The baby and I remain unscathed (so far). She had a good first Christmas despite all the running around I had to do to help D and Lil S recover.

She played and got a lot of one on one time since the other 2 were passed out sleeping.

Lil S was very happy about Christmas, and she said the prayers at dinner (which are so simple and sweet)... All in all it was a good Christmas, but just not exactly what we planned for...

Hope everyone out there had a good Christmas (or holidays!)

Update right before Christmas

We got back to Oz! Safe and sound!

Didn't love Qantas... lots of issues, but eh.. I guess traveling right before the holidays will always put people in bad moods!

We're slowly readjusting to the heat here.. Last week it was up to 102 before noon!

Well only a few more days til Christmas (and we're celebrating on Christmas Eve - D works Christmas Day) and I better help wrap the presents!

Lil S and Baby M are doing well! S cannnnnnot wait until Santa arrives! All she wants this year is a Corinne Princess doll! She's telling us to tell him every day that she's been super good!

Baby is just getting so round and cute every day!

I've unlocked this blog, but the kids blogs will stay locked, so if you want to see their pages (and I know you) just email me and let me know

ska1ser79(at)gmail(dot)com

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Hectic

So this next month (3 weeks) will be nutso/hectic (traveling/visiting family)... not that posting here didn't already get light with a newborn being in the house... once we get back down under I think it may pick up a bit because it will be 106, and I don't see us being at the park during the afternoon anymore...

But Lil S will start 5 days a week preschool (so that means more driving around)...

I can't believe how quickly a year goes by when there is a little baby in the house... just trying to make it day to day...

Hopefully I'll post again before the new year!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone (if I don't get online again before that)

:)

Wonderfully wonderful

SO more great news!!! Look over at THIS blog :)

I'm so excited! I can't wait to move back (have I mentioned that one or a million times)!

I'm also nervous...we have to look at school districts now... I can't believe the girl who is my first baby is about to be 5... Time feels so crazy and it's going by so quickly.

Lots of big decisions coming up, from where to move to, to what car to purchase, to my school stuff... Gotta do some research and see what's best for all of us. I'm excited, but also relieved that we have about 6 months to make that transition... albeit via long distance!

Here's to great changes!

Can't wait to see the hubby! He'll be here in less than 2 weeks.

P.S. Did I mention that the baby LOVES to watch football (Longhorns or Cowboys only, thanks)! She sits with her Appupa and coos at the players!

Catch up- catch all!

I guess with all the moving we've done, and will do in the future it made some sense to put this blog to private just to the few of you that occasionally visit...

So the good news is that we're moving back to Texas! So excited.. we left back at the very beginning of 2002 and return mid-2010... so that's about 8 LONG years we've been gone!

I'm so ready! Other than that baby M is doing beautifully, growing big and strong! Lil S is gearing up for Halloween, not sure exactly what/who she wants to be... but I'm sure she will let me know hopefully the day before, and we'll scramble to figure out an outfit!

Hopefully off to the movies soon, lots of great ones out there!

Tell me what y'all have been up to!!!

Update... a month later almost!

(a picture of my gorgeous girls)


Quick note

We're all doing well!

Baby M is now up to 7 lbs 7.5 ounces, so getting bigger and cuter!!!

I have put up a blog of monthly letters for her.. so far she only has 1 letter there...

Here is the link.

I can't believe how the time moves when you have a small baby in the house again.

Lil S is about to start 4 year old pre-school on the 31st, she's so excited and we even met a couple of the kids that will be in school with her!

Will try to keep updating, but so much time is eaten up with trying to keep up with the everyday stuff :) Isn't that the case with most of us? ;)

Birthstory

So on the 25th of July, I woke up at about 5am... I thought, oh great... why can I not get a full night of sleep here... well.. it turns out that contractions decided to start right then...

so from 5 am til about 10am they go from 12-10 minutes apart down to 3-2 minutes apart...

at 9 am I called and told the doctor what was going on, they said to come in at 10 am if the contractions held at 2-3 min apart..

needless to say, at 10 am Dad and Mom drove me up to the hospital while my Lil S stayed and hung out her with Aunt RMR and Uncle Seb.

I asked for epidural as soon as I was checked in, received it within that hour.

Dr. Jones was awesome, the numbing agent - not so much!

Then the OB, Dr. Gomez who was checking on baby, told me that with every contraction baby's heartrate was dropping. She thought it was a cord issue. They had given me pictocin, and the next 2 times it was administered they saw that each time baby's heart rate dropped. Dr. Gomez then told me that it would be up to me, but she thought it was a good idea to consider a c-section because if the baby was having issues at this earlier stage of labor, that it might be really traumatic for baby otherwise.

I opted for the c-section, because of her heartrate issues. I didn't want to chance anything with her health.

So they prepped me, and then we were wheeled into the OR... Mom came in with scrubs on, and sat close to me. She seemed very worried, and I just talked to her and told her to breathe. Then as I was talking to her, I hear a scream, and I look up to see this wrinkly lil screaming blood covered baby girl. She was born at 4:50pm.

They take her away (Mom goes over to the baby warmer to see her) and clean her up and get her Apgar scores (9 and 9). She's got a little hat on and bundled up when the nursery nurse brings her over to my head, and I'm able to give her, her very first kiss. I tell her I love her very much. It's when I kiss her that I feel that her cheeks feel like a fluffy little cloud, then I instantly know what her name will be... one that D and I had agreed we both liked, and one that we know that just fits her....



Meghana. (pronounced like Meghan with an Ahh on the end)

Welcome to the world baby girl. We love you so much!


Sisters

Happy Birthday D!

Happy Birthday D!

You're now 30!

We miss ya, hope you eat a whole cake to celebrate!

Love,
your 3 lovely ladies
Mama, Lil S, and Baby M

7 years, no itch!!!

Big Sister giving Baby M a kiss!


Baby M likes her poppi (pacifier) just like big sis used too!



Mama, Lil S, and Baby M



Big Sister S and Little Sister M


Happy 7th wedding anniversary D! I love you, I've loved you for the last 12 years, and every day we've been married has been better than the last. Thank you for both my happy, healthy daughters!

We love you! All your ladies miss you!

:)(:

Our Baby Girl is here!!!

Hello everyone! The kiddo finally arrived today!

Details:
450pm
25 July 2009
5 lb
7 oz
19" long

Her name is Meghana Eleanor
and she's a Leo :)

Baby #2 Update

Unless baby girl actually decides to come on her own... I will be induced on Tuesday and most likely have baby #2 on Wednesday sometime...

Baby is looking good, and everything is going well, just too cozy, so she doesn't want to leave!

Will update once we can!!!

Hurry up will you!!!

Here we are approaching what I hope is the last week, I hope next week this time the kiddo arrives. I remember passing the due date last time, and every day (for 9 days) I was feeling like it was an eternity. I couldn't wait to meet the lil one and it drove me nuts that she was taking her own time...

I'm patient up til the due date, but after that I just can't wait!

All in all I'm ready. Kinda sorta have a name...

We're just ready. Get here lil one, get here soon!

Background change in honor of impending arrival!

In honor of the impending arrival of baby #2 (oooh still no concrete-100%-for sure name)
I changed the background. This is kinda the color scheme... we'll be roomies, since I'll need to be close. The room is a chocolate color and her bedding and her carseat are all a blue-green and chocolate.. it's so cute and yummy looking. Mom got me the cutest cover for the boppy and it's cupcakes on one side and the other side has chocolate sprinkles... Totally cute and delicious looking!

I can't wait to meet her, and I know Lil S is excited about becoming a big sister! It's all she can talk about and tell complete strangers...

Will update as I can or D or my sis RMR will update.

Any day now! :)

30th birthday presents!

Thank you honey (Dennis) for my sweet birthday roses! They are gorgeous! Lil S approves of the beautiful color as do I!

30 is going to be great (tomorrow)! :)


Edit :

Here's a picture of what my family here in Texas did for me :


(sorry it's all backwards.. but I took the pic on iphoto... but you get the idea!)


They made me a wonderful scrapbook of my 30 years! It's such a wonderful surprise! Thank you! I love it!

Hey Shirley...

My lovely husband has given me a nickname... Shirley... and honestly that's about how I feel right now at week 33 of the pregnancy.. (like that huge sheep!) (Plus we LOVE watching this show)

hehe... But he says it with a smile in his eyes, so I always forgive him!

Texas update!

Oooooh! It's been a good week and a half back in the "promised land" of Texas! We've been having a great time visiting with friends and family!

Saw D's Vette, and entered it into a car show and won a trophy! Lil S was so proud! (pictures to come soon!)

We've missed everyone so much this last year! 1 more year to go til we move back!! :)

We're back!!! :)

We got back to the US safe and sound...

Happy to be back and see family and friends!

Trying to get over the jet lag... I'm sure it will take me longer than Lil S!

All is well with baby #2, she's been kicking constantly with approval of all meals (i.e. all of Ammuma's(grandma's) home-cooking!!)

DH - I love you!

Internet,

Have I told you lately (publically) how much I love my dear Husband? (also love this picture of him looking like he's all mad or something, but he looks so mysterious)

I love you Dennis!

Love,
Me :)

Now I'm waiting for the comments where ppl are *gagging*, but hey.. I'm pregnant and hormonal, and I can post whatever the heck I want to!!!