I think Mark thought me really daft when I collapsed in peels of laughter on friday, but he is silly to think I wouldn't find this funny, as you would too...
Okay, so Mark felt the need to have a haircut on friday, because his hair was getting long, which is fair enough, though don't know how he'd cope with a pony tail but none-the-less, he went off to the barber/salon and instead of the usual guy who cuts his hair, there was somebody else who cut it, who Mark said was quite aggressive in his approach, and I think Mark was fearing he'd be totally bald in less than 5 minutes, but fortunately he was left with a few growing follicles. The best part of the joke is the 'barber' was quite forceful, trying to get Mark to pay R180 for some Rolf Offerman shampoo - now tell me, what is the point when follicles are so few but anyhow, Mark said he'd get some next time, which made me laugh even more, until he told me he just wanted to get the guy off his back. Needless to say, Mark won't be going back there again. Fortunately Mark was relatively unscathed by this incident, but my ligaments took strain and poor baby must have thought I'd gone insane with all this laughing. Sorry my little Biddibob! It's just as well laughing doesn't induce labour, else I'd be delivering right now. I guess I am maybe hard-pressed for a laugh - maybe it's not that funny, but I had to see the funny side.
Other than that, there's not much to report. The pregnancy is still going well, although I'm really starting to feel tired now and plans to do anything too energetic in the afternoons tend to fall by the wayside, to the disappointment of friends and family but hopefully they understand I'm not quite the energiser bunny I used to be. I'll admit I favour having an hour to put feet up and either sleep or read. Having Jordy too who is a real busy boy and keeps us on our toes, makes for an exhausted mom and dad at the end of the day so yes, sleep and rest are a priority right now, as I am 30 weeks and possibly have anything between 8 and 10 weeks to go so not long to go. We are trying to prepare Jordy as best we can for the arrival of his brother, but I don't know if he'll be totally prepared until baby actually arrives. I've read up as much as I can about introducing new baby etc and I hope it will all go well. Jordy loves babies but I've been warned that the second week baby is home, things could be somewhat challenging when Jordy realises baby is not going back to hospital and is here to stay, but we will deal with that when the time comes. It seems odd to be thinking in terms of having another baby, which goes to say that I'm glad we didn't leave it too long as one gets so used to the toddler stage and starting again is going to be new to us again in some respects, but everything will be just fine - albeit some sleep deprivation we have to become accustomed to again, but we might be lucky, as we were with Jordy and have a baby that sleeps through at 8 weeks. What will be, will be. We are most certainly very excited about baby's arrival and as much as it's the second baby, the anticipation of the birth for me, is like having it happen for the first time, all over again. We are really thrilled to be having another boy - as much as I thought it may be a girl, but if we really want a third, we can maybe try for a girl and see what happens, but not for another few years. For now, we certainly feel 2 kids is just right for us. Anyway, time is marching on and monday has certainly begun, so I must dash to do some more work, but was having a giggle about Mark's hair and I thought it was worth posting on the blog, for a laugh.
Have a good week all of you and I will be in touch again soon. We are off to the Drak Sun for a week on Saturday, which we are really looking forward to, but if not before, I will post news on our blog when we return, hopefully with a few pics too!
Take Care!
Luv Robs
Monday, 11 August 2008
Thursday, 24 July 2008
Introducing Baby Biddle No. 2 - In utero
At last... a decent view of our little bundle, who for the last 3 months has been in a breech position and not allowing us to see much at all on the scans. This is our 27 week scan which shows baby looking at us full-on. On the left is the curve of the placenta as he has his face pressed up against the placenta. You might be able to make out the shape of the face. You should be able to see the eye which is a large area of black (circular) in the middle of the pic, and in shadow to the right is his other eye. You will then be able to make out his nose and mouth and his little chin too. I have to say it was quite exciting to get such a good view of our cherub and makes it all the more exciting for us with there only being ±13 weeks to go now. It came as a surprise that baby has moved, which goes to say that a natural birth is still an option unless he turns much later again, making it then impossible to deliver naturally, and it means I'll have a caesar. I am really not phased, but will certainly opt for an epidural if I'm having natural as this is going to be a BIG baby. Only time will tell. We'll keep you posted as we go along on our journey with baby Biddle and start preparing for the big day. The due date as it stands is 20 October but that might still change. Watch this space for more!
x Robs
Thursday, 17 July 2008
Jordy's new haircut
I took Jordy for a much needed haircut yesterday (wednesday) after school and was shocked to see how much hair was coming off, though I'll be honest, Jordy's mop had started to look thatchy so it was high time. Anyway, he was left with a really cute haircut and last night after his bath, Jordy asked Mark to blow his hair dry and this is the end result. Check the spiky hair!
Sunday, 06 July 2008
Our Trip to Clarens
Well, it's hard to believe that we've been away to Clarens and are back home again - time really does fly, but our time away was really great (albeit too short) and was just what we needed! There's no disputing the fact that it was cold (spelt F-R-E-E-Z-I-N-G) but fortunately, having heaters indoors, and having the good sense to stay indoors until the signs of frost had disappeared, we didn't feel the cold as much as we thought we would. To give you an idea... on two mornings, it was still -4˚C at 8am, so we mostly only ventured out from 10am onwards and were usually snuggly tucked away in our unit by 5pm when the temperature dropped again radically. The days were warm and sunny and it was really great to be outdoors - again, not without wearing a few layers and at times, beanies with scarves, but still pleasant.
We stayed at Kiara Lodge with my folks who were there for a week. Kiara Lodge is an RCI resort, just 10 minutes drive from Clarens town, so really close to everything. Clarens itself is about 4 hours' drive from Durban which is not altogether far, but for me if nobody else, I found it a trek and was always glad to get to our destination safely, but fortunately we witnessed no incidents or accidents en-route to Clarens or travelling home. As boring as it was for us, Jordy delighted in seeing the many trucks on the road there and back so that kept him entertained at least.
With all good intentions of putting feet up and relaxing, I can't say we did much of that while in Clarens as there was a lot to see. I can't believe how Clarens has grown since Mark and I were last there, nearly 7 years ago, so it was lovely seeing all the new spots and the changes that have taken place. Some of you may know that Clarens is the home of many South African artists, and it was mainly for this reason we went to Clarens as my dad was asked to exhibit his art, which in theory sounds great... if only it were worth his while. Sadly my dad didn't sell any of his art, which found him feeling quite disheartened but in all honesty, it wasn't the right exposure for him since he was exhibiting with lots of 'beginner/student' artists which is not always going to attract the sort of clientele one hopes for - as opposed to the galleries where the more well-known artists have their art displayed.... but not without a big pricetag to do so. My dad was not able to go for the jugular as it were, and take his art straight to the galleries as he has to become known first, but being winter and with Clarens not being top of the list for many people as holiday destinations go, in hindsight it was bad-timing and also, one is reminded constantly of the credit crunch which affects spending power. It's difficult not to get disheartened, but one has to believe that when one least expects it, something good will come out of this.
Anyway, like I was saying, we went in support of my dad and to see the art in Clarens which was interesting, and after exhausting every corner of Clarens after 2 days, we decided to visit the Big Cat Sanctuary at Lions Rock, near Bethlehem, on our last day at Kiara. It is a big cat sanctuary which focuses on the rescue and rehabilitation of all big cats, from various parks or zoo's worldwide where the animals might have been neglected. There was an article published recently in our papers, about lions and tigers being rescued from a Romanian Zoo and brought to this very sanctuary and it's just as well since these lions were in a bad way. They were being fed the incorrect diet and being holed up in small cages, resulting in their physical development being hindered, leaving them in a bad way. They have since been nursed to good health and fed correctly, and thus thriving in their new home where they will stay until their time is done. It was reassuring to know that this sanctuary is part of the NGO and is sponsored by the likes of German and Swiss companies, so at least there is good funding. It really was amazing to see these big cats - the tigers especially as this is a rarity. The lion cubs were gorgeous and those playful eyes made it really hard for us knowing we couldn't just go and cuddle these boisterous cubs. The cubs had only arrived at the beginning of June so were still needing lots of TLC but were looking good, albeit a bit timid. It was quite amusing to see how interested the big cats were, when they saw Jordy.... seeing him as food more than anything else. I think he sensed this and stayed on the landrover, while the adults got off and walked to the fence separating us from the big cats, making it perfectly safe to walk along the fence on the 'human' side without fear of being attacked. I have to say, the enclosures in which they animals are kept, are really expansive which is nice to see and is very conducive to good rehab, as these animals need to be able to run around freely. It really was an amazing place to visit and we are so glad we did.
That pretty much sums up our trip to Clarens/Kiara as we came home on wednesday last week. Inbetween little visits to the jungle gyms on-site at Kiara for Jordy to play, and being out and about, we didn't stop for very long to just "park off", but a good time was had by all, and we enjoyed the break from routine. Now it's back to 'work' to finish various projects and and start new ones.
You would have gathered I'm sure that these pics are from our trip, but being distracted by the bundle of energy that is Jordy, it was difficult to take any "WOW" shots, and capture the magnificence of the landscape, but maybe next time I will have mastered my camera a bit more to get the 'good' shots. Anyway, watch this space for more soon (I hope). I'll update you whenever I can! With it being school holidays for another week, I think I will be kept very busy by a certain little rascal... need I say more! I'm not quite sure when or how I will fit my freelance work in, but it will get done somehow.
Take Care and have a great week all of you!
xxx Robs (and da boyz)
Sunday, 22 June 2008
Busy times are here again....
Phew, I sure am glad we'll be getting away for a few days to Clarens next week! It's been a rather busy time of late and I actually can't believe I'm already 23 weeks pregnant - time is flying! I guess that can explain why I've not blogged much lately... at this rate I seem to only manage to blog once a month, but will do my best to keep you all posted with news as and when I can.
It's been quite a 'hectic' month... starting with my dad having had a bad fall off a stage, when dismantling visual displays while on conference, and in so doing, he hit his head and injured his hand, neither of which incurred fractures or serious injury, but which has left my dad battling with a painful hand and wrist which has been challenging as he's been doing a lot of art for the up-and-coming art exhibition in Clarens next week, so it's been a stress for him, but his art is absolutely awe-inspiring so we hope he does really well!
Not even 2 days later Anna was admitted to hospital with croup and breathing complications, which meant she and Kirsty spent 2 nights in hospital, with the first 24 hours being hairy as Anna had to be nebulised every 2 hours. Sadly this all happened while Jason was away, but fortunately Kirsty and Anna were staying with my folks at the time, so Westville hospital was a mere 5 minutes drive away (on 2 wheels). Shame, Kirsty has really been through the mill as she's had untold stress with her job lately and then having a sick child nearly finished her. Fortunately Kirsty, Anna and Jason had booked a holiday awhile back, which couldn't have come at a better time and that is where they are now... enjoying the 'bush' - at Ngwenya. Need I even say I'm envious but they deserve this special time together!
Fortunately there have been no further scares and the next event on the calendar was Mark's birthday on the 12th, which he didn't want to make a splash of, but we did go and see the show 'Handful of Keys' again, which didn't disappoint us. It's pure entertainment for those of you who've not seen it!
On the side, I've had quite a bit of freelance work which has kept me busy, and I've also been involved with helping out with the Cygnet School fun day which was yesterday so the last week has been a bit chaotic, getting everything done in preparation, as our stall was the biscuit decorating stall, but it was all in the name of fun. Let's just say that I my hands called a strike after mixing 48 cups of icing on friday night, after a long day at school packing biscuits, smarties and allsorts into bags. I don't want to do that again in a hurry but it was worth it in the end given that our stall was such a success.
All the while we are having renovations being done at home which is exciting, despite the mess, since we've seen change on a daily basis, with our once dilapidated granny flat being transformed onto an en-suite guest room with playroom adjoining it. We made the decision to go ahead with building in January and commenced renovations a month ago and so far all is going well. We are joining the guest room and playroom with the house, to the dining room so it's going to be nice to have everything more accessible. It makes sense to use the space we have so are looking forward to the finished thing, albeit only 2 months or more from now, but all being well before baby Biddle number 2 arrives?!?!? While these renovations are going on, we are busy with Jordy's new room, having gutted it, and adding new ceiling, floors etc so that's another work in progress but he will be able to move into his room early in August if not before. I have tried not to let the 'mess' and upside down state of our house stress me out and while I might be 'nesting',(wanting to get everything organised), there is only so much I can do on a weekly basis. I get teased that I'm the CEO and Mark says that the builders get nervous when I sneak a peek at what's going on because they are all aware of the deadline and they think that with me being preggie, I am here to crack the whip, but Mark's the one doing that!
I can't think of any other news to report except to say that my pregnancy is going well and it's wonderful to feel baby moving so much. At this stage the due date is 20 October but in the event of it being a caesar again which is likely, the baby may arrive 2 weeks early, around about the 6th. I'm pleased to report that after feeling nauseous and exhausted until week 20, I now have more energy and am feeling so much better which is fantastic as I'm able to get more done, though by the evenings I'm reminded of being preggie as I'm usually exhausted and ready to fall into bed by 9pm - I think with Jordy being so active, it contributes to me feeling so tired. Dare I say Jordy is going through the terrible two's stage which is quite challenging at times, but all part of him growing up. He's talking so much now which is cute, but is so much like a sponge so we have to be careful what we say in front of him because he picks things up so quickly. Yikes!
I was actually quite surprised that Jordy was so enthralled with the circus, as I took him today, to Brian Boswell's circus in Durban - with a few of the other moms and kids from our mom's group. Jordy hardly blinked in the first hour and was so entranced with all the activity - not even wanting to sip his juice or eat anything incase he missed something. While I don't normally subscribe to animals being locked up and living in tight confines as they do in a circus, I think it's nice for children to see animals up close, to appreciate them as they are. Need I say, Jordy asked if we can go again, but I think we'll leave it for next year.
Well, I must dash as I need to head to bed to get my beauty sleep before the start of another busy week! Roll on saturday... without wanting to wish time away! We are looking forward to getting away to Clarens on Saturday. We will be staying with my folks for the few days that we are there, as they have a weeks' timeshare at Kiara Lodge, while my dad's exhibiting so it will be a nice break... though with an active toddler keeping us busy, it will be 'interesting'. It appears that snow is forecast so it will no doubt be fun building snowmen with Jordy if it snows while we are there (spelt f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g), but great none-the-less!
Have a good week everybody and keep us posted with your news! I'm sure our news pales in comparison to some of you?! Bye for now! I'll send pics soon, once we are back from Clarens!
Take Care
x Robs and da boyz
It's been quite a 'hectic' month... starting with my dad having had a bad fall off a stage, when dismantling visual displays while on conference, and in so doing, he hit his head and injured his hand, neither of which incurred fractures or serious injury, but which has left my dad battling with a painful hand and wrist which has been challenging as he's been doing a lot of art for the up-and-coming art exhibition in Clarens next week, so it's been a stress for him, but his art is absolutely awe-inspiring so we hope he does really well!
Not even 2 days later Anna was admitted to hospital with croup and breathing complications, which meant she and Kirsty spent 2 nights in hospital, with the first 24 hours being hairy as Anna had to be nebulised every 2 hours. Sadly this all happened while Jason was away, but fortunately Kirsty and Anna were staying with my folks at the time, so Westville hospital was a mere 5 minutes drive away (on 2 wheels). Shame, Kirsty has really been through the mill as she's had untold stress with her job lately and then having a sick child nearly finished her. Fortunately Kirsty, Anna and Jason had booked a holiday awhile back, which couldn't have come at a better time and that is where they are now... enjoying the 'bush' - at Ngwenya. Need I even say I'm envious but they deserve this special time together!
Fortunately there have been no further scares and the next event on the calendar was Mark's birthday on the 12th, which he didn't want to make a splash of, but we did go and see the show 'Handful of Keys' again, which didn't disappoint us. It's pure entertainment for those of you who've not seen it!
On the side, I've had quite a bit of freelance work which has kept me busy, and I've also been involved with helping out with the Cygnet School fun day which was yesterday so the last week has been a bit chaotic, getting everything done in preparation, as our stall was the biscuit decorating stall, but it was all in the name of fun. Let's just say that I my hands called a strike after mixing 48 cups of icing on friday night, after a long day at school packing biscuits, smarties and allsorts into bags. I don't want to do that again in a hurry but it was worth it in the end given that our stall was such a success.
All the while we are having renovations being done at home which is exciting, despite the mess, since we've seen change on a daily basis, with our once dilapidated granny flat being transformed onto an en-suite guest room with playroom adjoining it. We made the decision to go ahead with building in January and commenced renovations a month ago and so far all is going well. We are joining the guest room and playroom with the house, to the dining room so it's going to be nice to have everything more accessible. It makes sense to use the space we have so are looking forward to the finished thing, albeit only 2 months or more from now, but all being well before baby Biddle number 2 arrives?!?!? While these renovations are going on, we are busy with Jordy's new room, having gutted it, and adding new ceiling, floors etc so that's another work in progress but he will be able to move into his room early in August if not before. I have tried not to let the 'mess' and upside down state of our house stress me out and while I might be 'nesting',(wanting to get everything organised), there is only so much I can do on a weekly basis. I get teased that I'm the CEO and Mark says that the builders get nervous when I sneak a peek at what's going on because they are all aware of the deadline and they think that with me being preggie, I am here to crack the whip, but Mark's the one doing that!
I can't think of any other news to report except to say that my pregnancy is going well and it's wonderful to feel baby moving so much. At this stage the due date is 20 October but in the event of it being a caesar again which is likely, the baby may arrive 2 weeks early, around about the 6th. I'm pleased to report that after feeling nauseous and exhausted until week 20, I now have more energy and am feeling so much better which is fantastic as I'm able to get more done, though by the evenings I'm reminded of being preggie as I'm usually exhausted and ready to fall into bed by 9pm - I think with Jordy being so active, it contributes to me feeling so tired. Dare I say Jordy is going through the terrible two's stage which is quite challenging at times, but all part of him growing up. He's talking so much now which is cute, but is so much like a sponge so we have to be careful what we say in front of him because he picks things up so quickly. Yikes!
I was actually quite surprised that Jordy was so enthralled with the circus, as I took him today, to Brian Boswell's circus in Durban - with a few of the other moms and kids from our mom's group. Jordy hardly blinked in the first hour and was so entranced with all the activity - not even wanting to sip his juice or eat anything incase he missed something. While I don't normally subscribe to animals being locked up and living in tight confines as they do in a circus, I think it's nice for children to see animals up close, to appreciate them as they are. Need I say, Jordy asked if we can go again, but I think we'll leave it for next year.
Well, I must dash as I need to head to bed to get my beauty sleep before the start of another busy week! Roll on saturday... without wanting to wish time away! We are looking forward to getting away to Clarens on Saturday. We will be staying with my folks for the few days that we are there, as they have a weeks' timeshare at Kiara Lodge, while my dad's exhibiting so it will be a nice break... though with an active toddler keeping us busy, it will be 'interesting'. It appears that snow is forecast so it will no doubt be fun building snowmen with Jordy if it snows while we are there (spelt f-r-e-e-z-i-n-g), but great none-the-less!
Have a good week everybody and keep us posted with your news! I'm sure our news pales in comparison to some of you?! Bye for now! I'll send pics soon, once we are back from Clarens!
Take Care
x Robs and da boyz
Saturday, 24 May 2008
When I'm big..... I want to fly one of these...
Just a few pics from our visit down to the Air Force Base today, when we went to see Jason fly in from Bloem, after being away for 2 weeks. Jordy was a bit overwhelmed by the noise of the helicopter at first, but he soon lost his fear of "noisy copters" and climbed into the Augusta with Flea and Anna. When he got into the pilot's seat with Daddy, he thought it was just great and he decided then that he wants to be a pilot when he's 'big'.
Thursday, 22 May 2008
Biddle News
I have to laugh at my last effort at blogging, given that it’s nearly 2 months ago and in that I commented about time flying.... but it sure does fly, even when we aren’t having fun! I had all good intentions of trying to give more regular news updates with pics... and then work happened, interspersed with 2 weekend breaks in the berg, which was great, hence the “drought” in blogging.
Well, April 18th came and went and I eventually managed to finish at QPTS on the 25th which was fine, but before I was due to finish there, I got an urgent request from the girls in marketing at bond choice, asking if I was able to do some freelance work, mornings only, which I agreed to, knowing it would only be for 3 weeks, and which finished yesterday. All went well and while it was rather chaotic trying to fit so much into a morning, I enjoyed it, but let’s just say that I really loved having a ‘free’ day today.... doing as little as I needed to, and spending time with Jordy too. Somehow I still managed to be reasonably productive, getting things done at home. So yes, for the first time in months, I didn’t have any agenda or plans and it was wonderful! Makes me want to have more days like this! If only!?!
Of course I do have some freelance work I need to still do, but I feel more ready now to do just that. I also have Jordy’s room to decorate as he is moving out of the nursery and into his own ‘aeroplane’ themed room which should go according to plan (we hope). As you can imagine, Jordy just loves planes and copters so we thought it fitting to choose this theme. Painting and everything else like electrical work always takes a bit longer than we think as one needs to find the right colour to paint the walls etc. We had to put new ceilings in and need to recarpet the room too. We are adding more storage space in the way of drawers which he will need so that’s all happening at the moment, before we can put the finishing touches to the room.We will post pics on the blog when it’s all finsihed.... watch this space for more! We also have a few more projects on the go, at home, which Mark is supervising and producing, but the details of all this will be revealed in due course. Never mind me ‘nesting’..... Mark is doing the same!
All is going well with the pregnancy. My tummy is expanding rapidly now and I’m starting to feel heavy. I’m somewhat relieved we’ve almost reached the ‘half-way’ mark. I do get nervous when I hear doc speak of me having what he expects will be a ‘big’ baby. Jordy was 3.5kg at 38 weeks, so this baby could be rather big, as second babies often are. I’ve been given the option of trying for natural birth, if all goes well, but I’ve been warned not to rule out the caesar option if push comes to shove, (sorry, excuse the pun) so we are just going to take it one day at a time. The due date at this stage, is 22 October, but that may still change down the line. We are going to leave telling everybody the sex of the baby until birth, so we won’t be giving anything away with telling anybody what names we’ve chosen.
Jordy is well and loving school. He’s thriving on the socialising, and after being one of the shyest little kids in class in February, he is now the class clown - entertaining the other kids with his antics. He is actually so much like his grandfather.... full of nonsense, but he is spirited and we love it. I’m actually so glad to be involved with organising the class stand for the school fun day as myself and some of the other moms are organising to have a biscuit decorating stand which will be fun. The fun day is on 21 June but there’s quite a bit of preparation before hand, organising gazebo’s, signage for our stand and getting everything together, but it’s all in the name of fun.
I am pleased to report that at last i’m feeling a bit more ‘human’ after what seemed like a long slog of feeling miz during this pregnancy. The first trimester “horribles” extended into the second trimester by a few weeks but now I’m feeling better. Admittedly, I am still ready to hit the sack by 9pm every night but it’s all worth it! I had better make the most of this good spell to get as much done at home as I need to.... energy permitting!
With that, I am going to sign off for the night, since I need to cook dinner and time is ticking so I must dash, but I will post some pics soon!
I hope you are all keeping well. I’d love to hear your news, so please email me and keep in touch!
x Robs (and da boyz)
Well, April 18th came and went and I eventually managed to finish at QPTS on the 25th which was fine, but before I was due to finish there, I got an urgent request from the girls in marketing at bond choice, asking if I was able to do some freelance work, mornings only, which I agreed to, knowing it would only be for 3 weeks, and which finished yesterday. All went well and while it was rather chaotic trying to fit so much into a morning, I enjoyed it, but let’s just say that I really loved having a ‘free’ day today.... doing as little as I needed to, and spending time with Jordy too. Somehow I still managed to be reasonably productive, getting things done at home. So yes, for the first time in months, I didn’t have any agenda or plans and it was wonderful! Makes me want to have more days like this! If only!?!
Of course I do have some freelance work I need to still do, but I feel more ready now to do just that. I also have Jordy’s room to decorate as he is moving out of the nursery and into his own ‘aeroplane’ themed room which should go according to plan (we hope). As you can imagine, Jordy just loves planes and copters so we thought it fitting to choose this theme. Painting and everything else like electrical work always takes a bit longer than we think as one needs to find the right colour to paint the walls etc. We had to put new ceilings in and need to recarpet the room too. We are adding more storage space in the way of drawers which he will need so that’s all happening at the moment, before we can put the finishing touches to the room.We will post pics on the blog when it’s all finsihed.... watch this space for more! We also have a few more projects on the go, at home, which Mark is supervising and producing, but the details of all this will be revealed in due course. Never mind me ‘nesting’..... Mark is doing the same!
All is going well with the pregnancy. My tummy is expanding rapidly now and I’m starting to feel heavy. I’m somewhat relieved we’ve almost reached the ‘half-way’ mark. I do get nervous when I hear doc speak of me having what he expects will be a ‘big’ baby. Jordy was 3.5kg at 38 weeks, so this baby could be rather big, as second babies often are. I’ve been given the option of trying for natural birth, if all goes well, but I’ve been warned not to rule out the caesar option if push comes to shove, (sorry, excuse the pun) so we are just going to take it one day at a time. The due date at this stage, is 22 October, but that may still change down the line. We are going to leave telling everybody the sex of the baby until birth, so we won’t be giving anything away with telling anybody what names we’ve chosen.
Jordy is well and loving school. He’s thriving on the socialising, and after being one of the shyest little kids in class in February, he is now the class clown - entertaining the other kids with his antics. He is actually so much like his grandfather.... full of nonsense, but he is spirited and we love it. I’m actually so glad to be involved with organising the class stand for the school fun day as myself and some of the other moms are organising to have a biscuit decorating stand which will be fun. The fun day is on 21 June but there’s quite a bit of preparation before hand, organising gazebo’s, signage for our stand and getting everything together, but it’s all in the name of fun.
I am pleased to report that at last i’m feeling a bit more ‘human’ after what seemed like a long slog of feeling miz during this pregnancy. The first trimester “horribles” extended into the second trimester by a few weeks but now I’m feeling better. Admittedly, I am still ready to hit the sack by 9pm every night but it’s all worth it! I had better make the most of this good spell to get as much done at home as I need to.... energy permitting!
With that, I am going to sign off for the night, since I need to cook dinner and time is ticking so I must dash, but I will post some pics soon!
I hope you are all keeping well. I’d love to hear your news, so please email me and keep in touch!
x Robs (and da boyz)
Sunday, 06 April 2008
Where does the time go?
Well, I don't quite know where the last month has gone... it's actually been a blur for the most part. I can't believe it's been that long since I last blogged. So my apologies to you, our friends, for not being in touch much lately, but hopefully after the 18th April, life will be a little less hectic (we hope). I say the 18th because I hope to be finished with my current module I'm writing for QPTS, after which I will be leaving. The initial contract I signed was only meant to be short-term, as a probationary measure, but I have decided not to renew the contract. Let’s just say that it’s just not me, doing that sort of work. I’ll admit I was unsure at the outset, but I was reassured by Kirsty and her friend/ colleague, that I would enjoy it, which I thought I would, so thought I’d give it a shot, but the work volume is huge, and with the long hours and extensive travelling (incl planned trips to Jhb for the future), I just couldn’t cope! Added to that, I’ve felt really exhausted this trimester and have battled a lot with nausea too, but none as bad as my previous pregnancy, thankfully. It’s also a bit more challenging already having a child to take care of, especially since Jordy is quite demanding of us, but again, thankfully there are 2 of us and the childminder to assist.
So yes, I do look forward to having some free time, albeit that I will be busy with the odd freelance job, but it will at least be something I feel comfortable with and it won’t constitute more than 4 hours a day which is far more manageable. I think I’ve bitten off more than I can chew work-wise, these last 2 years especially, but it’s been an amazing learning curve and nothing has been lost. Oh I do look forward to being able to sleep in until at least 7am now and then. Bliss!
We’re all otherwise well, though Jordy has had his fair share of lergies to deal with. He got bronchialitis in March, which fortunately didn’t last longer than a week and then managed to get a viral skin infection this week, which has resulted in an awful rash spreading across his body for a few days, which has been quite itchy. The paediatrician said it’s best left to dry out without over treating with creams so that’s what we are trying to do and it does seem to be improving. The poor child has had to get used to being confined at home and has missed the interaction with other kids because he’s been contagious, but hopefully soon he can enjoy socialising a bit more. He’s still a content little boy, despite the niggles and is at a lovely stage, as he’s starting to say so many new words, and converse with us so much more now too, which is rewarding.
We had our first ultrasound scan, albeit only at 10 weeks, but none-the-less exciting, seeing our baby’s heartbeat and that all is well. He/she is moving around quite a lot already. The next scan at 13 weeks will be the detailed scan which we are looking forward to seeing, on the 21st April. We probably won’t find out the sex of the baby, as we’re keen to leave it as a surprise this time. I guess that could change closer to the time, but we will certainly not give into temptation if we can avoid it. We have our suspicions, but until the baby is born, we won’t know for sure.
We don’t have terribly much to report of late, but we are most certainly looking forward to getting away to the berg next weekend which will be a nice break. I will probably have a chance to take some photos of Jordy which I will post on the blog the week following, so will send a link when I do. I know Mark is looking forward to conquering the Champagne Sports Golf Course which is only 5 mins drive from Drak Sun where we’ll be staying. I think I’ll take my crossword puzzles and lots of entertainment for Jordy, so we can have a chill time while ‘Daddy’ strikes it lucky on the golfcourse.
With that, we’ll say goodbye for now, as it’s way past our bedtime and we’re yawning like crazy, but will definitely blog again before another month passes us by. Have a good week all of you!
x Robs, Mark and Jordy (and sprog #2)
So yes, I do look forward to having some free time, albeit that I will be busy with the odd freelance job, but it will at least be something I feel comfortable with and it won’t constitute more than 4 hours a day which is far more manageable. I think I’ve bitten off more than I can chew work-wise, these last 2 years especially, but it’s been an amazing learning curve and nothing has been lost. Oh I do look forward to being able to sleep in until at least 7am now and then. Bliss!
We’re all otherwise well, though Jordy has had his fair share of lergies to deal with. He got bronchialitis in March, which fortunately didn’t last longer than a week and then managed to get a viral skin infection this week, which has resulted in an awful rash spreading across his body for a few days, which has been quite itchy. The paediatrician said it’s best left to dry out without over treating with creams so that’s what we are trying to do and it does seem to be improving. The poor child has had to get used to being confined at home and has missed the interaction with other kids because he’s been contagious, but hopefully soon he can enjoy socialising a bit more. He’s still a content little boy, despite the niggles and is at a lovely stage, as he’s starting to say so many new words, and converse with us so much more now too, which is rewarding.
We had our first ultrasound scan, albeit only at 10 weeks, but none-the-less exciting, seeing our baby’s heartbeat and that all is well. He/she is moving around quite a lot already. The next scan at 13 weeks will be the detailed scan which we are looking forward to seeing, on the 21st April. We probably won’t find out the sex of the baby, as we’re keen to leave it as a surprise this time. I guess that could change closer to the time, but we will certainly not give into temptation if we can avoid it. We have our suspicions, but until the baby is born, we won’t know for sure.
We don’t have terribly much to report of late, but we are most certainly looking forward to getting away to the berg next weekend which will be a nice break. I will probably have a chance to take some photos of Jordy which I will post on the blog the week following, so will send a link when I do. I know Mark is looking forward to conquering the Champagne Sports Golf Course which is only 5 mins drive from Drak Sun where we’ll be staying. I think I’ll take my crossword puzzles and lots of entertainment for Jordy, so we can have a chill time while ‘Daddy’ strikes it lucky on the golfcourse.
With that, we’ll say goodbye for now, as it’s way past our bedtime and we’re yawning like crazy, but will definitely blog again before another month passes us by. Have a good week all of you!
x Robs, Mark and Jordy (and sprog #2)
Sunday, 02 March 2008
Another Bidiblob on the way...
Hi Everyone,
Most of you may already know, but for those who don't, we have another little Biddle on the way. It's still early days, but today I'm 6 weeks pregnant, and so far, so good. I feel a lot better than I did when carrying Jordy at 6 weeks! Needless to say we are very excited and are really chuffed with the timing.... just what we planned. There will be a 2 year and 8 month gap, which means Jordy will be old enough to appreciate the new baby and hopefully be able to help a bit too. The due date is 26 October, but because I will likely need to have a caesar, the baby might be born mid-october'ish. We will certainly keep you posted with news updates as we go along. Our first scan and check-up is the 28th March so we are really excited and hope the month goes quickly. Mark is already teasing that we must start looking for boys names, but he's actually not phased if it's a girl or boy and neither am I. As long as all goes well and the baby is healthy, we’ll be happy. We are not sure if we want to know the sex of the baby until it’s born so if we don’t reveal anything, it’s because we want a surprise. We still have time to decide, as we’d only likely find out at 20 weeks, but will cross that bridge when we get there.
I can't remember who I might have told but for those who don't know, I am no longer doing wedding stationery, and actually did my last order on friday. I believe I've made the right decision, and am really relieved to have it behind me now. We’ve decided to close the operation, based on many contributing factors, but let's just say that while I enjoyed it, it was too much in terms of the input of hours and creativity, and very little return. Let's not kid ourselves, having one's own business is a slog and I don't believe it's always worth it.... certainly not in this line of work. As I always say though, nothing ventured, nothing gained, and I certainly learned a lot these last 16 months.
Tomorrow I will be embarking on new adventure of sorts - I will be taking up a 3 month contract working for QPTS where Kirsty is employed, and I will be writing training modules/manuals for machine operation, as part of the skills development program. QPTS is contracted to the likes of Unilever, so I will have to go onsite to the factories to do my research, and then will be based at home, producing the modules. I’m really excited about being able to work from home and because this job will be more structured, I will probably have a much better balance between work and play which is great. If all goes well, I will renew my contract for another 3 months, to finish at the end of August, allowing me a month or so at home before our baby arrives. I hope to have a few months at home with our new baby before going back to work, but with it being contractual, the flexibility that goes with it is really great. I just feel I need to do something to be stimulated so hopefully this will be an exciting challenge.
With that, there’s no other news really. My boys are both well. Jordy celebrated his 2nd Birthday last week and had an absolute ball! We had a small party at home for him last friday and fortunately the weather favoured us! Jordy is really enjoying school and is such a sociable little boy. He’s doing well in his swimming lessons which finish at the end of the month, and next term he will be partaking in an activity which Cygnet (his school) offer as an extra-curricular actitity, called Kidisportz - teaching the kids hand-eye-ball co-ordination, so that should be fun. Mark has a long list of things he wants to get done at home now - it’s a case of knowing where to start.
I can’t think of any other news, but we will keep you posted with news on our little Bidiblob #2, when we have more to tell.
Until then, take care!
x Robs
Most of you may already know, but for those who don't, we have another little Biddle on the way. It's still early days, but today I'm 6 weeks pregnant, and so far, so good. I feel a lot better than I did when carrying Jordy at 6 weeks! Needless to say we are very excited and are really chuffed with the timing.... just what we planned. There will be a 2 year and 8 month gap, which means Jordy will be old enough to appreciate the new baby and hopefully be able to help a bit too. The due date is 26 October, but because I will likely need to have a caesar, the baby might be born mid-october'ish. We will certainly keep you posted with news updates as we go along. Our first scan and check-up is the 28th March so we are really excited and hope the month goes quickly. Mark is already teasing that we must start looking for boys names, but he's actually not phased if it's a girl or boy and neither am I. As long as all goes well and the baby is healthy, we’ll be happy. We are not sure if we want to know the sex of the baby until it’s born so if we don’t reveal anything, it’s because we want a surprise. We still have time to decide, as we’d only likely find out at 20 weeks, but will cross that bridge when we get there.
I can't remember who I might have told but for those who don't know, I am no longer doing wedding stationery, and actually did my last order on friday. I believe I've made the right decision, and am really relieved to have it behind me now. We’ve decided to close the operation, based on many contributing factors, but let's just say that while I enjoyed it, it was too much in terms of the input of hours and creativity, and very little return. Let's not kid ourselves, having one's own business is a slog and I don't believe it's always worth it.... certainly not in this line of work. As I always say though, nothing ventured, nothing gained, and I certainly learned a lot these last 16 months.
Tomorrow I will be embarking on new adventure of sorts - I will be taking up a 3 month contract working for QPTS where Kirsty is employed, and I will be writing training modules/manuals for machine operation, as part of the skills development program. QPTS is contracted to the likes of Unilever, so I will have to go onsite to the factories to do my research, and then will be based at home, producing the modules. I’m really excited about being able to work from home and because this job will be more structured, I will probably have a much better balance between work and play which is great. If all goes well, I will renew my contract for another 3 months, to finish at the end of August, allowing me a month or so at home before our baby arrives. I hope to have a few months at home with our new baby before going back to work, but with it being contractual, the flexibility that goes with it is really great. I just feel I need to do something to be stimulated so hopefully this will be an exciting challenge.
With that, there’s no other news really. My boys are both well. Jordy celebrated his 2nd Birthday last week and had an absolute ball! We had a small party at home for him last friday and fortunately the weather favoured us! Jordy is really enjoying school and is such a sociable little boy. He’s doing well in his swimming lessons which finish at the end of the month, and next term he will be partaking in an activity which Cygnet (his school) offer as an extra-curricular actitity, called Kidisportz - teaching the kids hand-eye-ball co-ordination, so that should be fun. Mark has a long list of things he wants to get done at home now - it’s a case of knowing where to start.
I can’t think of any other news, but we will keep you posted with news on our little Bidiblob #2, when we have more to tell.
Until then, take care!
x Robs
Watch out Watford, here comes Jordan
Jordy got the full football Watford gear from his cousins for his birthday and he is so proud of his kit, that he decided to show it off. For those who don't know, Watford is the team that Grant, James and Thomas Biddle support in England.
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