Getting back on track

Boy how time flies... Well there is to much to catch up on so I will start from what has been happening lately.

Well Aiden is almost 4 1/2 months old now... I know I can barely believe it myself. He is getting cuter by the day. He is now eating solids as well as his formula which he really enjoys. He is also sleeping through the night now... awake more during the day but I don't mind because he sleeps through the night. He sleeps from about 8 at night till anywhere between 5-7am which is awesome! I just have to go to bed soon after he does, I don't know where that time goes or that I do anything productive but I think it is my veg out time where I watch a bit of telly or doing a bit of scrappin. Aiden is smiling and laughing all the time now. He is just a bundle of smiles... you only have to look at him and pull a funny face and he breaks out in an all encompassing smile... I am still trying to catch in on film or in a picture hopefully one day soon he will keep it long enough for me to take a snap shot. He is trying to sit up by himself now we have to watch out as he is starting to pull himself up and fall forward/ sideways. Just yesterday he was proped up on the bed as we where putting the washing away and he pulled himself up to sit up and fell forward and nearly fell of the bed. Gave me the fright of my life... mental note to self keep away far away from edges... Anyway he loves books I have baby cloth books that he just loves and tries to eat all the time. Whenever Hubby or I are reading and he is on our lap he thinks it is great and tries grab the pages and trun them or crumple them or eat them. He is growing up so fast.

Anyway things have been made houes here as we have been preparing to put out house on the market. Hubby has been busy painting and doing general maintainence around the house. Isn't alway the way that you get your house just nice only to sell it. Oh well such is life. Well the house is on the market so all we have to do is wait and pray that someone wants it and at the price we want to sell it at. We have decided to sell as Hubby want to get out of night work which he has been in for the last 10 years and start a career. He has decided that teaching is his chosen vocation and so that means that we are heading back to UNI. Which unfortunately means that we can't keep the house. Though on the bright side we have decided to move up to the sunshine coast where Hubby's Sister and Son live and where my Mum and Step Dad live. We can't wait to move up there. We love it up there. Fortunately Mum has a granny flat underneath her house that we will be renting, and my Sister in law only lives about 2mins up the road from my Mum how cool is that!!!! We are very excited about the move. This means many hard but great changes for a better future.

In other news my Baby Sister is getting married in october and I am so excited for her. Though sadly she will be moving to Canada as that is where her fieance` is from. But more then anything I am so glad that she is happy and they will have a wonderful life together. We are currently facing issues with find bridesmaid dresses... who would have thought that it would be so hard but it is... and they are all so expensive oh well we will continue our search.

Well I have to got and get dinner organised but I shall leave you with some pics.

A rare pic of me but more importantly one of Aiden smiling.

These are some of the pics that Sara Pearcy took of Aiden when he was 3 wks old my how much he has grown.

And this is my most recent pic taken only last week look at him now such a porky boy xxxx

And finally here are some pics of my Baby Sis and her future Hubby. These where taken By Deep Grey owned by our cousin and her Hubby for there engagement photos and there wedding invites. I just love these ones!!!!

He Came He Came!

Ok just a quick post as I am really tired and sore so I am going to go to bed... but I had to let you all know that our little man came!


Aiden Cooper Gaffney was born 10.42am on 15th Feb 2008 weighing 6Ib 4 and 52cm in length. Here he is just minutes after he was born. We arrived home from hospital today.

All went well and I had him with no drugs! Yay for me.

I will be back to fill you in as I hope to be up to it in a couples of days

2 Days over due.

Our Little Man is still not ready to come yet... Go figure... to much like his Dad I say :) laid back and easy going :) Not that it is a bad thing after he is born.

We had a close call last week. It was Wednesday morning early like 1.30am when I woke up with all belly pain that was just increadible. I got up went to the loo thought I might have been holding on to long but it never went away. Hubby was at work and doesn't usually get home till about 2.30am but for some reason left early and walk in the door at about 1.45am he saw me leaning against the kitchen bench rocking and I looked at him and said "I think it is happening". I calmly said I think you sould take a shower and I will go lie down till your done... well he was jining about and in the end as the contractions where getting stronger I called out to him and said you need to have that shower now... once I said that he went into panic mode :) as men do. Anyway called Mum but no anwser (couldn't hear the phone through her deep sleep) so called my Sister instead to just double check that I was in labour... and I was... then Mum called and got all excited and told me to go stright to the hospital because they where only minutes apart. So we jumped in the car (yes all my stuff has been in the car for weeks. We even have the baby seat in there all ready to go!) and away DH spead to the hospital...

I did call the hospital to tell them that I was coming as my DH was speeding down the highway like a bat out of hell! (I had to tell him to slow down and relax and that everything was ok and that we would get there in good time). When I got there a lovely midwife was there and she examed me and while I was in labour but I was only 1cm dialated so she then gave me some pain killers and something to help me sleep and sent us home... when we got home I was still contracting but managed to go to sleep. However much to my devisatation when I woke up hours later the contracts had stopped and I haven't had anything since! oh I did fail to mention that by this stage I still hadn't had a show or my waters break... I have now had a show but still no waters breaking... what can you do... we have done everything from castor oil to sex and everything in between. He is just not coming till he is ready.

So now we wait. We do have an appointment at the hospital next Tuesday the 19th but I hope not to make that appointment... and if I do I hope that they can help the labour along a little...

Anyways I have been doing some work but not as much as I would like haven't been in a scrappin mood till today so here is some work that I have done.

This is a Layout of my Mumma and Step Dad at my Mumma's birthday party last year. I just really love these photos of them so I decided to scrap them as you do :)

This is a Layout I did of My Big Sis, Ms Zane as some of you may now her as, holding me just days old. I was a little stuck for a Layout plan so I got this map from PageMaps an awesome website that I occationally go to when I am a little stuck. Anyway this one is for my Big Sis who is overseas having a blast and working hard who can't give me hugs like only a Big Sis can. So this is for you Saney miss you heaps but love you more.

P.S I did forget to tell you that I won a prize for my card I did for the Stamp Shak Jan Card Challenge how cool is that! I have never won anything for my work. It was an awesome prize to. I got 3 sheets of A4 cardstock, a Pritt glue stick, Double sided tape, nice ribbon and a pack of nice love embellishments. Thanks to The Stamp Shak for the awesome prize and the change to win it.

1 Week and 2 Days

Well we only have 1 week and 2 days till D-day and everyday seems to get longer :) but what can you do... Trust me we have done almost everything... Our little man is not coming until he is ready which is not all bad :) Though I fear this could be a lifetime personality trait :)

Anyway I have committed to a challenge from Scrapchat to blog everyday and leave at least one comment on someone elses blog... So while I don't think that I will be very good at this challenge I am going to give it my best shot. I hope that I am exempt for the time that I am in hospital with bubs :)

Anyway here is some more work that I have completed since my last blog...

This card was made as part of The Stamp Shacks January Card Challenge where we had to scraplift from a card map.

This LO was part of the The Stamp Shack's January LO Challenge where we had to scrap our fave. beach. This is Happy Valley in Caloundra... and is one of my fave. beaches.

The Stamp Shack is also posting weekly challenges or insperations to give us some ideas for new LO's. This is my week 1- where the challenges was to use word strips. I have never done this before but let me tell you I will be doing it again :) This is a LO about my growing belly... as you can see.

I would be doing some more scrapping tonight but our printer is out of ink and I used my last piece of photo paper discovering that out :) oh well hopefully DH can take me down tomorrow and we can get some new ink and photo paper.

Oh one more thing before I go... my baby Sister's fience' landed in the country today... she has been so excited all week. It is so great to see her happy particularly after lossing her puppy Bear.

Well I will love you and leave you until tomorrow... Sweet dreams, happy days and God bless.

xx Mandy

Tribute to Bear

It has been an emotional weekend... many tears have been shed. But to cut the nitty gritty out basically it happened like this:

1. My sister has a huge fight with her fience' - First set of tears



2. DH and I gave away our baby for the last 3 years China... as many of you may know her from some of my work... she was becoming to much of a handfull and kept running away and with the baby here so soon we decided that she need to go to someone who could give all the attention that she deserves... she went to a really good home and is being spoilt :) - No tears but still sad



3. I get totally over being pregnent and have a moment/several moments of tears - Second set of tears



4. And finally My sister (yes the same sister who had the fight on friday night) had to put down her puppy, one of China's pups, Bear. She contracted Parvo and my sister couldn't afford the $3000-$4000 vet bill that it cost to have her saved and even then it was no gaurentee that she would survive and make it to a nice old age... Bear was only 4 months old.

Bear was a sweet puppy that loved to chew on your toes and lick your legs... she always thought that everything in your hand was something she could eat or chew. She loved to drop at your feet as your where walking and roll over for a tummy rub. She was a good friend and loved cuddles. She had been apart of our family since the day she was born... I watched her grow from this tiny little pup that fitted in the palm of my hand to this small-medium size dog that just loved to be all over you.

Parvo is a very contagious and very fatal deases that attacks the division of cells and because puppy cell division is at it highest in the intestines that is where they usually attack first. It is not something that can be treated quickly and tecqunically there is no cure for it. My sister said that within a few hours she had gone from just being lathargic and mopey to partically parilised, druly with internal bleeding. I am glad I didn't see her this way.

I miss having our four legged friends bantering outside and howling for our attention... I have no words to discribe my sorrow for my sister in loosing her baby Bear... She will be greatly missed and always loved.

So as you can tell this weekend pretty much sucked... life can't always go as smooth as you want it to.

Tonight I leave you with a picture of Bear in her memory who is now in a better place.

2 Weeks 4 Days

Well it is getting to the nitty gritty now and even though my little man's official due date is in 2 weeks and 4 days he can come at any time now. I am getting all the signs that it is close even getting my nesting thing happening in the sense of I have all of a sudden had an urgency to get every finalised and ready for the baby.

I have been working hard the last week to mental prepare myself for a natural birth and practice techniques to deal with the pain and all of that... and I am feeling really positive and starting to get really excited. I keep visualising seeing my little man for the first time and all the emotions that go with that and seeing my other man, my DH, see our baby for the first time as he is so excited! As strange as it may sound I am really looking forward to the moment when we finally see the miracle that has been taking place for the last nine months. I just can't wait.

Anyway I have been working on some scrapping well I participated in the The Stamp Shack's January Cyber Crop and there are my creations.

Challenge 1 - A LO about yourself

As you can see I have taken a simple approach to this challenge and basically used a photo of me at a happy time in my life and just journaled that I am still happy even several years on.

Challenge 2 - A card based on a sketch

This challenge was based on a sketch and since my friend has just recently had her baby I decided to use this challenge to make her a card.

Challenge 3 - A LO about your 5 Fave things

Once again I took a different approach to this challenge. Whist most others did 5 of there personal Faves. I felt that I wanted to do a LO about my better half so I did my 5 Fave things about us as a couple. Whist it is about us as a couple can still get a feel for the type of people that we are as a couple and as individuals.

Challenge 4 - Valentine's Day Card

Well My DBS (Darling Baby Sister) who isn't so little (she's 20) :) she isn't into all of this scrapping business like the rest of us. She is the artist of the family and uses paints, charcoal, oils, pastels etc to create her masterpieces. Anyway since I asked her what I could do she asked if I would make her a card... based on her design so really this is her creation I just put it together for her. I was great to do this activity together to see our to totally different creative minds work together. I look forward to doing something creative together again.

Well I must be off to bed so that I can be as rested as possible for when my precious little man comes.

Take care friends and don't worry I will let you know when he comes :)

3 weeks 3 Days to go

Ok I took the plunge today and let my DH Michael take a picture of me. I haven't had many photo's taken through out my pregancy becuase of the amount of weight (due to fluid retention) I have packed on. But considering I only have 3 wks and 3 days to go I figure I should take a few. So here is me and my tummy.

Here is my tummy in all it's hugeness!

Aside from resting and getting pampered with a foot massage today, I have been a busy girl the last 2 days... here is what i have been up to...

This is a picture and layout of my Nephew Kaleb. They are so beautiful when they are asleep.

This is a black box that I have covered/scrapped as a keepsake box for my little man when he comes. This is the top side.

This is the front of the box and i have done all 3 other sides in the stripe.

Baby Shower invite and New LO

OK as promised here is a picture all be it not a good one of my Baby Shower invite... I would take another one but I have run out of invites... need to make more...

This year I have decided to be apart of the "Gratitude Album" Thread on Scrapchat (http://www.scrapchat.net/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=730). Each month there will be something to be grateful for that we have to scrap. This month January is "Things that make you laugh". I have chosen to scrap two pictures of me laughing and then on a tag state the top 12 (one for each month) that make me laugh. Undecided though I may put another small flower in the top right hand corner but will mull over it for a day as I will need to get more paper to make the flower.

4 Weeks 5 Days to go

Well it is only 4 weeks an 5 days to D day and already I am wishing for the pain of those on contractions and the hard work of labour... ironic I know... though I think my precious little man has other ideas and will be here until the end of near enough. I think this is more about me needing to learn patience and long suffering then it is about him being ready to come... :)

Well today was my final day of work. As of now I am officially on maternity leave for 12 months. Yay! though I don't think that it has set in yet. I am sure that it won't take long before it does :)

I have a whole list of things that I would like to do before our little man comes but the doctors orders are to rest and put my feet up so that my kanckles have a chance to go down... but everything is so out of sorts and is driving me crazy... I guess it will be a slow process and I will just have to suffice with doing a little everyday... though i have been reading a lot and I managed to make 30 baby shower invites... they are so cute... i will take a picture and post it here when i get a chance.

That's another thing I want to do. Because my baby sister has moved from Melbourne and moved in with - trust me she is worth her weight in gold!- Our office has now been turned into the office/scrap room/nursery. So the nursery side has been done but the rest looks like a bomb has hit it and I don't have the room to scrap... so I really want to get stuck into it so I can scrap. I am dying to scrap!

Anyway I better be off to bed as I have some final things to tie up with work and do some errands before I can retire to the bed as the doctor ordered.

I hope and pray this finds you well.

love
Me

Happy New Year - 5 Weeks 5 Days to go

Happy New Year Everyone!!!!

Being the first day of the first month of 2008 I have decided to do the usual new years resolutions etc... Like keep my Blog way more updated then I have in the last 3 months since I started it :).

Well Christmas is over and to be honest I am glad. Don't get me wrong I had a really nice Christmas but I think I am just tired right now being only 5 weeks and 5 days out from Baby being due.

I have had to stop work a week and 2 days earlier then I expected as my body is having trouble coping with the baby and all the things that I want to do so Baby has won and I just have to learn a lesson in patience and an application for doing things in bed. - Mental note to self be more fit and healthy before next baby and then maintain it during the pregnancy.

Though this time in bed has allowed me to read and get stuck into my Baby Shower invites that should have been out at least a week ago but will be lucky if they make it out this week. Why is it that all the cute stuff takes the longest to make... yes I am making them all and they require a lot of cutting out of small pieces... and yes I am aware that I am crazy but they will be well worth it in the end... even if no-one else appreciates them but me :)

My how 2007 has gone fast... I found that once I turned 18 I started to notice every year get faster and faster... and last year was no exception. I have great plans for this year and I feel that it will be a great year... well for starters my dearest sweetheart and eternal life mate, my Hubby and I will be celebrating our 2nd (I know only 2 - but it seams longer then that probably because of everything that we have been through together in the last 4 years together) Wedding Anniversary next week; We are expecting our first baby in Feb; I have my baby sister and one of my step-sisters getting married this year... and it is only Day 1 of 2008.

I have great plans for this year... I hope to discover myself again this time as a mother, I hope to face some personal fears and challenges, I hope to tap into the spiritual me once again, I hope to become a better wife and friend, I hope to be more charitable and give more service. I know there is a lot to do but I feel that with the birth of our baby that I will become empowered and find myself once again actually probably for the first time. I was afraid of being a mother and all the challenges that I would face like would I be able to cope; would I be a good mother; would my relationship with my Hubby change for the worse.... but as the time grows closer I see small positive changes that give me hope and courage. I see that my relationship with my DH is changing but it is getting stronger we are getting closer we are seeing each other in a different light and accepting that and using that as another reason to love each other. I am starting to see the blessing of motherhood and beginning to understand that there is nobility and divinity in my role as a mother. I am starting to feel I guess at times a little empowered by it... I hope and pray that this empowerment that I feel will continue once my beautiful baby is born and as we learn and go individually and together as a family.

I have to say that if still feels a little surreal still... even though I am waddling around with this huge belly. I don't think that it will be come really for me until I am holding him in my arms. I can't wait. I wish he would come now... not just so that I can hold me but for a number of other reasons too....

Well I better be off to bed as my Kankles (yes you heard right I have tree trunks as feet, ankles and legs at the moment) are huge and my eyes so wiry that I can't really seen the computer screen... but never fear I will be back soon

Night all hope this year holds all the wonders you desire and more.

love
Mandy xxx