A quiet moment....

My beloved is half way home from across the world. The car is warm while the rain pours down and soft snores from the back create a gentle tempo. A quiet moment to relax for this mummy. Tired from a few nights of broken sleep....molar teeth emerging through red, swollen gums having been waking my wee girl. 

This is our third attempt to run errands this week and the heavy traffic made for a slow trip. An early nap for the a tired babe was inevitable really. And so I wait; thinking I should really keep a craft project in the car for such moments or perhaps have a few podcasts loaded onto my phone. Alas I don't so instead I'll embrace the moment spending a little time writing up posts for the blog. 

The tiny babe in my belly knocks about. Kicks and rolls getting stronger with each passing day. The sweetest feeling. Today is Thursday and my darling is coming home. All is well in my little world.

How fast they grow..........

Nearly two; how on earth can my darling baby girl be nearly two? This thought interrupts my thoughts often during the day. It seems like a mere few weeks ago that we gathered to celebrate her first trip around the sun and yet it is less than a month til we mark her second year.

With Mummy and Aunty Mary on a recent trip to South Australia

Admiring Natures majesty on a walk near Piha

Time is such a fickle thing: stretching endlessly out in front but racing by day by day. Our girl is changing fast, a wild and wonderful toddler. Talking up a storm. She is naturally joyous and so fearless. Happiest outdoors and exploring. We are pleased that Winter is fading into Spring.

"I down Mumma" ...loves to be upside down

The past few months have seen her stretch her independence; sleeping in the cot but with a rail inside of the high side. She resists naps despite still needing them desperately. It is funny to hear her mischief and songs over the monitor she gradually relents to idea of resting. She runs ahead on walks eager to explore and is moving up a level in her swimming classes (graduating from an Angelfish to a Seahorse!).

New words bubble over one another in rush to tell her stories. Stringing together and forming sentences. Continually surprising us with all she knows; numbers, shapes, animals, feelings and colours. We could read her 100 books a day and it wouldn't be enough. Scrapbooks fill up fast with vibrant drawings and toys are put to bed/woken up over and over. Oh what fun she has.

Sneaky ride in the cart

Her Daddy is adored above all else and it is with wonderful excitement that he is spotted at the gate each evening. Makes my heart burst with all the love at the sight of them together. They wrestle and play 'tunnels' under the blankets. He can make her giggle so easily. 

Kelly Tarltons Aquarium

Late night lights exhibition on Daddy's Birthday Eve

There is so much more I could write here as she grows; perhaps though it is the bright spirit she has I want to capture. Just like any other parent I am in awe of my child's effervescence and complexity. So it is with a full heart I will make lists and plan for a small party to celebrate Miss Mae's birthday.

First play in her new sandpit

A new little fox to join our den................

It's been quiet here in this space.....my mind has been writing posts that my fingers never typed. Since I last blogged we were surprised to find out we were expecting right after our miscarriage. This news arrived in the midst of us processing the fact the miscarriage had been due to a partial molar pregnancy. Something neither Mr. Fox or I had ever heard of. It will mean closer monitoring/testing during and after any future pregnancies to rule out complications. 

The first Snowflake and sweet violets

We crossed our fingers and the extra scans all looked well. We made it to the magic 12 weeks only to find out that the Nuchal Translucency Screening Combined Results showed baby was at high risk of genetic problems.

An amniocentesis was booked for 17weeks and tried our best to remain hopeful. The first amniocentesis failed as they couldn't break the membranes and obtain a sample. A long week later we had a successful amniocentesis.The worry was exhausting for us and our families. 

 Two days later we got the wonderful news that baby is clear of the genetic conditions. It was an incredible weight lifted and at nearly 19 weeks along we could finally start dreaming of our little one arriving! We are still floating on cloud nine at this wonderful news.

Little vignette to celebrate our baby

My bump is growing and we are over halfway now. Our due date is New Years Day! This pregnancy has been really tough. My morning sickness has been hard to cope with and there have been many days of lying on the couch while Miss Mae plays beside me. A few times it has been really terrible and recently I spent a couple nights in hospital for hyperemesis and dehydration.

 

Thankfully with new medications I am back on my feet again. Taking it easy, enjoying time the winter sunshine and daydreaming of this little ones face. Oh how sweet it is to await this babes arrival. 

A flannel backed knitted blanket recently completed