update...

My Isabella is officially fully toilet trained - I am so excited! I won't go into details for sake of her privacy. She is a very private, sensitive little thing who insists on locking the door and being by herself on each visit to the royal room. Let me just say I am thrilled to now have only one daughter needing nappy attention during the day (at least for the next 7-9 weeks!)

She is changing so rapidly and this has been even more evident since she started kindy. Everything is replied to with a "why mummy?" Incredibly inquisitve and follows up with some very intelligent comments and questions...

My Hannah is such a darling, and comes out with hilarious comments and facials. One of the ones that make me laugh the most are when I put her ear drops in or wipe her butt (at nappy time) with a cold cloth... she puts on this funny face, shivers and says "dats weally told mama" (translation - that's really cold mama). The other one is after she fills her nappy, she comes up to either me or Reuben and says... "I done poooooos".

I wanted to pop in this pic of Reuben and the girls, cause its cute and they have so much fun together...












This one here is when we had a sleep out in the lounge a couple of weeks back. We toasted marshmellows in the fireplace and then put the girls to bed on mattresses on the floor in sleeping bags. Sadly they actually didn't last the night out there and we had to transfer them both back to bed at about 10pm. Kind of cool having a wee family night though...

The other exciting thing for me recently was being at my close friend Kristens birth - at least at her daughter Raegans birth. It was quick and intense and drug free. There is something amazing about seeing a new life being born, you can never really get over the mystery of it I don't think. It all brought it a bit closer to home for me though. In 7-9wks that's me! Thinking positive thoughts right now cause I know I can do it - again!

thats all for now - seeing Rhondda tomorrow (midwife) so maybe an update will follow...

27 weeks + 4

well, almost into the third trimester now. I know that these last 3 mths are going to fly by and there is still much to be done! Coco's room still has the girls toys in it (it has been their playroom since easter when they moved in together).

We have a couple of names picked for a boy, but at this stage absolutely nothing for a girl. I still swing to what sex I think the baby is. Some of my friends checked out the scan last week - but still, who knows! Kristen thinks I should of just found out, maybe I should of... the way my belly feels like its exploding, I still wonder occasionally if there's not two in there and the scanner just missed it! Isabella takes delight in looking at and touching my "fat tummy". I try to explain thats not quite the way to describe a ladies belly, I'm just hoping she doesn't go up to some other woman and tell her she has a "fat tummy"... Hannah knows exactly where Coco is when we ask her. She runs over, pulls up my top and either gives my tummy a kiss or points to it. We bought this cute book the other day called "Theres a house in my mummy". The girls love it and I think it has helped them understand a little better what is going on.

Better go, as Hannah is currently pulling off her pyjamas and I'm sure it won't be long till the nappy comes off also

x

Isabella's 3rd birthday and the week that was

I have to say that last week was particulaly hideous. Sunday morning (22 April) Isabella starts vomiting - and continues to do so for the rest of the day. I conceed that it is best for me and the girls not to go to church but send Reuben off at about 1pm as there are guest artists coming to play and he really needs to be there. Lots of fun cleaning up the continual spews with 18mth old Hannah "helping" me as much as she can. Monday sees Isabella wiped out and unable to attend her official first day of kindy

Needless to say Monday night cue Hannah starts vomiting about 8pm... and continues to do so for the rest of the night, finishing off at about 5am Tuesday. Sadly for her mother, Hannah seems to require no down time to recover and is as full of beans as ever. Her mother however feels like death.

Wednesday and Thursday I feel particularly bad, but thankfully no vomiting. Sadly all of Wednesdays outings are canned (being ANZAC day - a public holiday in NZ) and we continue to try and recover while Reuben does accounts all day at the computer

Friday night, joy, joy, Reuben starts vomiting and does so for rest of the night. He is then in sick/recovery mode for the following two days (at least). Saturday sees me freaking out about getting prepared for Isabella's party the next day while attending a wedding for most of the day. I prayed hard that day for lots of patience and compassion for my dealings with both my babies and husband... God really supplied my need that day with two friends being true angels.

Kristen did all my grocery shopping for the party prior to getting herself ready for the wedding (And then another quick shop on sunday morning). Truly, there would've been no food yesterday without her help. Then saturday night as I faced cleaning my home and icing the birthday cake it all went to custard again. Feeling utterly exhausted, the decorating sets pretty much disintergrated. A phone call to my neighbour Tiffany provided me with angel number 2. She came over, cake decorating set in hand, showed me how to put it all together and then set to attacking the piles of dishes in the sink. I did lament to God prior to her arrival how I wished for a dishwasher - and oh how he provided for me that night!

And I don't think the cake turned out that bad afterall!

Mum and dad, I hope you like these pics - Isabella and the rest of the whanau missed you guys yesterday! Hope you are enjoying Athens...

Isabellas birthday cake
Dora the Explorer

blowing out the candles

opening one of her birthday presents

talk about a lucky little girl with generous aunties and uncles, grandparents and even gt grandparents! This pic especially for you mum and dad (grandma and grandpop)

Today sees Reuben at home for another recovery day and fun with Isabella enjoying her real birthday day.

Coco now 21 wks - over half way! Lots of movements and I feel quite certain at present that it is another girl. This is a complete swing from 1st trimester when I felt certain it was a boy... I guess we will know in 19wks!

Today I baked scones.

I thought I might make them plain but as I mixed the flour, baking powder and salt I realised I had to add sultanas to the mix.

It was quite appropriate. It is just one of the many things I remember Grandma for, and today is an important day to remember. Today marks one year since we lost her. Things have definitely changed since she hasn't been here. Extended family dynamics being just one.

She was never elderly to me. Never like some other peoples grandparents who seem old and fragile. Her first trip to hospital aside from childbirth was in 2004 for a hip replacement - she wore it out from simply being too active! For goodness sake! she was playing tennis. dancing, going on trips overseas with her friends, doing heaps in the community and with her church pretty much until the cancer took her energy and strength (and that was only a few months before she died). She knew what was going on in all of our lives because she took an active interest. Hannah was born in Oct '05 just before she was properly diagnosed - she couldn't stop apologising that she couldn't be there with me to help with the baby.

I miss her, we miss her.

Isabella 10wks being held by her gt grandma

Hannah 4wks, Isabella 18mths with their gt grandma
taken at Stanmore Bay 8/11/05

Hannah 3 1/2mths
22 Jan 06 at Stanmore Bay

A precious moment for Isabella (21mths) and her gt grandma
22 Jan 06

me and my Grandma at the beach house
22 Jan 2006

and to add to the mix of today being a day of remembering, we saw Coco at our 20wk ultrasound. How beautiful to see your child (kind of) for the first time. We also saw Coco on the screen at his or her actual size. Coco's little body currently would fit into the palm of my hand with her little legs dangling over the edge of my fingers. How I wished to take him out and cuddle him then pop him back inside. Everything looking wonderfully healthy and when asked if we wanted to know the sex of our baby I turned to Reuben... He replied... "no", and that was that.

18wks + 2 days. Sex or not?

Due to have a scan this week or next. Big question is - do we find out what sex we are having?

Morning sickness gone, energy returning. nesting instinct kicking in big time! Monday we moved Hannah into Isabella's room so this is their second night together. Isabella has such a soft little heart and sings to Hannah, or reads her books to stop her crying once we have turned out the light. It's funny to hear them giggling together in their respective beds.

Almost half way and baby will be here - crazy!!

Speaking of Coco...

At this stage your baby begins to form permanent teeth buds, behind the special milk teeth buds that have already formed. Vernix caseosa forms on your baby's skin. Vernix is a white cheesy substance that protects your baby's skin from its aquatic environment. Imagine how your skin would look if you sat in water for nine months! The placenta continues to grow and nourish the baby. Your baby is physically active and can now twist, swim and change positions - if you haven't felt it yet, don't worry - some women don't feel anything for a few weeks yet.

Your baby is starting to become aware of sounds outside the uterus, you may feel the baby startle at loud unexpected noises. Some people also believe that babies respond to soothing music, and their mother's voice while still in the uterus.

Thats from the little treasures web site. Could feel Coco doing flips the other night which was pretty cool. Coco is a bit over 20cm in length now or her "crown-rump" length (head to butt) is 14.2cm. She weighs approx 190gms. Don't you wish you could take her out just to look at her (and then put her back of course!)

decorating the christmas tree...

Hannah cute as can be (13 months)

Isabella (2 1/2) doing a beautiful job hanging the decorations

All done (or should I say Dunn!)

Happy Christmas!

Photo diary - a year in review.

My baby will be 1yr old on sunday (8th October). It has gone so fast! here is a photo diary up to 9mths. I will post some one year pics after sunday... Hannah is such a character you wouldn't believe! We are certainly in love with her...

This is Hannah approx 1hr old. She was born at home in a birthing pool after a marathon effort from her mother. Hannahs head was OT (basically sideways which meant the birth was a little more ** than it could have been if she was in the right position!Her full name is Hannah Grace Hiringa Dunn. Hiringa means endurance in Maori and we decided this was quite appropriate for our little rascalia! Reuben my husband is dressing her for the first time in this shot. She looks so little! For the record she weighed 8lb 12oz and was 54cm long.

Hannah 12 days old, the hands belong to her beautiful gt grandma (she was diagnosed with cancer approx 2 wks after this photo was taken and died 5mths later).

my little monkey - 7wks old

sleeping on the job - and my haven't those little legs filled out. how cute!... (11wks old)

Hannah posing it up for mama at 7mths

Hannah's cheeky grin (9mths old)

I often thank God for this beautiful little girl. We are so blessed to have her.

Wow, God is so good...

Hannahs week of firsts

Last week was a week of firsts for Hannah. She's almost 10 months (on the 8th) and as cute as they come (at least that's what I think). I would describe her as a pretty laid back girl. She's happy to chill out and not that fussed to get moving - which I am kind of grateful for. The longer you know exactly where they are the better! So 10 days ago she got those little arms and legs co ordinated and started crawling. And now instead of getting upset when there is no one in the room to talk to and watch, she just follows us around the house. Then a day later I was fishing some paper out of her mouth (her favourite place for storing all matter of things) and discovered her first tooth just coming through her little gummies. I think the next one is well on its way as she was fairly grumpy the next couple of days.

yay for the firsts! not long till the first birthday - can you believe it!

Oh, the responsibilty

I love my two little girls. Becoming pregnant with Isabella (our eldest at 2yrs) was like fulfillment of a dream for me (not the pregnant part, more the starting the family part...). Nothing prepared me for the depth of love I would have for them. I love them sooooo much. In fact it wasn't until they came along that I had any comprehension of how my own parents must consider me.

I want to grow my sweet little girls into self-confident young women. I want them to know how much worth they hold, how beautiful they are and how much their heavenly father loves them also. I want them to have excellent judgement of character, to discern between right and wrong and then to make great choices. I want them to love God and to have compassion for others. the list of dreams I have for them goes on. I am praying for their future husbands already - afterall, they may be little toddlers themselves (we do have arrangements with a certain young mans parents for one of our daughters, but I guess the kids may have to have the last say in that arrangment!).

As Isabella is becoming so much more like a little person (rather than a baby), I have noticed her experiencing new emotions (beyond, frustrastion, happy, sad...). I have noticed facial expressions I would describe as hurt. On the occassion I snap at her, for no valid reason, or am grumpy and projecting it to her, or take her to time out when perhaps I have misunderstood the situation and she was just trying to help. I see her little face crumble and it breaks my heart. I know it can't be expected that any parent will be perfect, but I find the responsibility hefty.

snazzibabes

Go to this website and click on snazzibabes... Check out those two cuties in their green butterflies... snazzipants