House no more : ((

Well here we are at 32 weeks TODAY!!!!, the pressure is on, believe me, the pressure we feel is pretty intense. Accommodation is booked, and we have a client reference number from Australian High Commission, but in true Meg n' Bob form, nothing else has been done. God forbid this baby shows up early!!!

Do you remember that nursery I was going to have ready for Toby almost 2 years ago? Still not done. Okay, the house is in a much better shape that it was 2 years ago, we have lawn out the front, gardens, the bulk of the renos are done ... but we still have two bedrooms in the old section of the house to repaint, and the floors to be sanded and polished in the old part of the house. Of course, the nursery is in the old section of the house, and I can tell you now, as much as I want the house to finally be finished ... it is not going to be done any time soon. We have the money to do it, but the energy levels are at an all time low, and the motivation to move four bedrooms worth of furniture into the new part of the house while we fix the old part of the house, is sadly lacking.

New house
I posted about the new house we bought. Well, it didn't go through. It was not  through lack of finance nor want,  rather lack of ability to get our act together to complete all the paperwork, and handle all the rubbish that goes with buying a house. So Friday we pulled out due to inability to secure finance. Que sera.

Mr T
Our beloved is as cute and sweet and naughty and challenging as ever. He is the biggest cuddler and kisser in the world. Yes, he is still in our bed. How can I chuck him out, even if I wanted to?  He is a total bed hog and there have been a few nights where I have woken up with small boy on top of me trying to burrow into my soul. Big wet toddler pashes at 3am are lovely, but our sleep hygiene is not what it could be. Bugger it, I don't care, I have waited my whole life for this child and for his love and to love him.

At Aunty Belinda and Uncle Christian's wedding in his Indian outift. 

Is that a toy gun or a bottle in my pocket?

RECENT TOBY-NESS

Speech. Toby said beach. It came out as something close to bitch, then we got it. Phew, he is not a foul-mouthed 2 year old, he's just learning pronunciation.

Wedding rehearsal. We went to Aunty Belinda's wedding rehearsal, first time Toby has ever been in a church. This was a Catholic church. Toby was taken by the big statue of Jesus. I introduced him to Jesus and asked him, "What does Jesus say?" His reply: "Jeeeez".  We then checked out the statue of Mary and I told him her name is Mary. Toby's reply" "Nanny!" My mum's name is Mary.

Wedding Day. Toby was so well behaved. We didn't care if he went into the church in a screaming hissy fit, that's what babies do. A 1.5 hour Catholic wedding ceremony is no kid's idea of fun. We sat near an exit, and didn't actually need to use it, the worst he did was go harass "Jeez".

Leaving the nest. Toby is in Day Care 2 days a week, Tuesday and Wednesday. He loves it, mummy hates it. These are such lonely days for me.  How pathetic am I?  I have dropped him off a couple of times and wanted to race straight back and bring him home. Anyone who is o FB with me knows my pain (and all-time depressive whinging that my baby is growing up).

Toby is toilet training! Whoot. He nows tells us every time he does a wee (which also means poo) and it is almost impossible to keep a nappy on him, he is the boy of naked! Toby improvised his own potty. He took a bucket from the laundry, did a pee in it, and proudly presented it to mumma. Nice one boy! (What a crap mother I didn't see this coming and buy a dozen potties to place around the house in preparation for this momentous event in her son's life!)

Babies. Toby loves babies. He reads the blogs with me, and also facebook. He sees a baby and says, "Ooh, OOOHH OOOOHHHHHH!!!" We will see a lot of these babies he knows as his Indian friends at the conference end of this month.

Kisses. Toby sees a photo of mum or dad on the computer and kisses the monitor. He skypes with dad when he's away and slobbers his dad's face on the screen. It's kinda sad.

30 weeks and counting down

Just received our latest scan, we're 30 weeks, right on track with bubbo weighing 1.3 pounds +/- 12%. Baby's head is slightly smaller than Toby's was at this stage so I am still thinking girl (or smaller headed boy).  Girl's name chosen, boy's ... argh ... none come to mind. Just a quickie update post, been super busy and super sick from Toby starting Day Care and bringing home a faceful of snot germs he probably pashed off some diseased little urchin at school.

Some toddler toilet humour for you. Made me laugh ...

Happy Third Trimester

We actually hit 28 weeks last Sunday ... ???!! How did that happen? That means baby is viable, if baby were to be born today there a good chance s/he would be okay. Oh Lord. So much to do, give me strength (or drugs).

We have dates, we'll be going to Delhi around 16th June at start of 38 weeks ... Toby's birthday is 29 June, so he will spend it with his Indian family. I hope baby comes before his birthday, look's like we will be doing back-to-back birthdays for the rest of our lives.

Here are some recent Toby pics.

With grandpa. Toby loves his grandpa, they share a birthday.

With grandpa again ... my dad is Polish and has olive skin, my brother and sister are the same, Toby looks more like my family than I do. (I take after the pale Welsh-Scots on my mum's side)

Making a mess with Hommous. Toby enjoys a Mediterranean diet, he is quite the epicurean.

Happy in pink lipstick, he was so proud of himself and couldn't understand why mummy was not pleased. He spread it all over the curtains at the apartment we rented in Brisbane, two days later he did the same thing with margarine - carpets, curtains, TV, walls, his hair .....

With Uncle Greg - note the open mouths - they were watching a belly dancer.

Art! He draws on the walls then shows me and says, "Oh-oh". Starting them cleaning early, I say.

26(ish weeks) ...ch..ch..changes

Happy Easter to all!

A whole month since I have blogged, you'd think we've been busy or something.

Baby
Little bubble is doing fine, 24 weeks scan came in, everything perfect, bubo measuring 750grams and 25 weeks, we are now 26 weeks, or is it 27? I have lost count. Holy Schmoly, that is almost third trimester. Better than third trimester, that is almost viable. Whoot!!!! And are we prepared? No. Nursery finished? No. Accommodation booked? No. Contact with AHC? No. Same as last time, she'll be right ... why do today what you can leave till tomorrow ... or the next day ....

I was just going through pics on Facebook and came across our 3D scans at 21 weeks and I literally withdrew breath, my heart started beating fast and excitement coursed through me as I mouthed, "I love you!!!!" Breathtaking. Wow, another baby. We are still thinking girl, girl's name is chosen, boy's name will always be in debate. Bob has a habit of wanting to name our children after my dead pets. When I was eight I had a ginger kitten called Toby. At 17 I had a ginger doggie called Benji. We are not naming this baby Benjamin! I have 100% control over girl's name, I have chosen an Indian name that will only be revealed after bubble is born. Though a hint for you, it's not Pooja.

Our surrogate Mrs M is doing well. She had low energy and anaemia and had IV iron injections, she is fine and doing well. I think of her every day, she is always in the back (or front) of my mind. I am looking forward to seeing her in June.

Brisvegas

We went to Brisvegas for three weeks. Bob has a fly-in/fly-out, two weeks home two weeks away job, Perth to Brisbane. Tobo and mummy went on the last trip. Bobbo didn't bother to go to work the first week he was having too much fun with us, so we had to stay an extra two weeks. The family is great, we didn't get to the beach house (Stradbroke Island where mum and dad live), but I did manage to look at real estate ... oh ... and buy a house. Talk about impulsive. Well, it was a bargain and we need a bigger house. It's an investment property at the moment and we don't need to put much towards the monthly shortfall as it has long-term tenants. The plan is to move back to Brisbane in a year or two (more like two years). My parents aren't getting any younger and Toby loves his nanny and grandpa, and I want him to grow up with them. The downside of this plan is that Willo lives in Perth with his mum, and I seriously doubt she will let us take him with us, or that he would want to relocate (he has two brothers other than Toby in Perth) ... anyway, I present to you the house - a typical Queenslander in Highgate Hill, good, solid, needs no major extensions or work done to it other than an internal paint-job, salmon pink carpets ripped up and floors sanded and polished (which reminds, I still have half a house here that needs the same) and a new kitchen. For now, the tenants can lives with the pale yellow and burgundy trims ... seriously, whoever thought that was a good colour combination, in any decade???!!!

Salmon pink carpets ... mmm ... noice!

Back deck, upper level .. will look better sans tenants' junk

Deck bottom level - those screens can go.

Back of house, the block slopes down from front to back. There are two bedrooms downstairs and three up, a bathroom on each level plus living area downstairs. 

Scummy front porch, part of which doubles as a carport (there is no garage) - again, 

junked up with tenants' crap.

Front of house, street level - walled in - you can see what I mean about the car parking. 
Fortunately we don't place much value on cars.

Kitchen. The floors are fake timber vinyl .. WT? Must have cost less than polishing the timber floors. Obviously in need of an upgrade, but liveable.

And la piece de resistance .... the back yard ... a blank canvas!!!

Pool? Vege garden? Chickens? Balinese pagoda? Time will tell. 

(Actually my dad says not to get chickens as they will attract snakes and they may 

try and eat my babies ... what sort of a parent does he think I am?!!!)

It's time for this chocolate-filled chicken to go to bed. Yes, yes, I gave in and bought easter eggs, God those Lindt bunnies went down well. I leave you with a pic of Toby ... his antics of late deserve their own post. Just put it this way, he has suddenly shot up and can grab anything off a table or a bench. Here is my little Drag Queen in the making. Yep, that's lipstick.

21 weeks and all is well

I am in the wonderful position where I have survived the surrogacy journey once, and I have Mr Tobo, who is the joy of my life!

We also have our son or daughter due in June. How blessed can one be? I present to you bubble 2!!! 21 weeks and all so incredibly on track and perfect. General consensus is this bubba is a girl. We don't care, but we think girl too. Not that you can ever tell from a scan, but it's fun to guess!

These pics are Toby at the same stage:

Our beloved son!!!

Our beloved son is now a funny, gorgeous, amazing little guy who fills us with joy every single day. And also dread at what we will wake to find strewn all over the house. Our Tobes at 20 months:

Breakfast mummy?

He hasn't figured out how to turn on the gas ... yet ... time for a new baby gate.

Now someone recently (in the past month or so, or it could be longer as time is just flying by) posted a song on their blog with their own pics that go with the song. I can't find it!! I have been going back through the blogs and it's doing my  head in. If you posted this yourself or if anyone knows what I'm talking about, can you please please please tell me the name of the song and I will be truly grateful.

Happy Boy ... random pics

Off to playgroup, check out the size of my feet!!!

Up we go, being thrown around up or down or sideways is the best fun ever.

I am so big now I feed myself. These days I can get the food from the bowl onto a spoon and into my mouth, all by myself!

It takes forever for me to go to sleep, but my bear always helps.

Does it get any better than this? I love my son so much, sometimes I cry because the love I have is just so intense my heart cannot cope with such emotion. And at those times, I cannot help but weep, and I pray - to a God I do not believe in - that we will never, ever be separated, in life or in death, for to part us would be just too cruel.

Lotsa good news

Triple test - returned and all prefect!!! Everything in the green zone of goodness. I checked every single thing, every score, every measurement, every everything on that test result as it was a real trigger for me given the debacle we had with the clinic in Mumbai with this very same test in 2009. Being told our baby had trisomy 18 and a termination was scheduled, fighting to stop a termination (for our personal religious reasons) then having to fight for two weeks to actually get a copy of the actual test result only to find the test was in the same green zone! ... ... Oops, but baby had no heartbeat, even before the test was done! ... Well,  it brought back some very dark days. I guess one never gets over the losses.


Onto more good news:
Our beloved Amber came home with a very unattractive plastic collar around her neck. She was miserable and Toby thought she had a new toy and proceeded to bang bang bang the collar and try to rip it off her.

The good news is that she had a Grade 2 mast cell tumor and they got everything. Poor Ambie has a 10 inch row of stitches along her back, and a dip in her back where they took 3cm of muscle in the cut. She has been on anti-biotics and painkillers for the past week and a bit, and she has bounced back fine! We will have to check her for lumps and bumps as there is a 50% chance of another one popping up, but at this stage there is no need for radiotherapy or chemotherapy.


Is this the happiest boy in the world? Toby figured out how to drag his "special box" up to the cabinet, stand on it and get into the drawers. The pic is a month old, he has now figured out how to bite the child proof catches on the cabinet doors and get into all things of great goodness.

Toilet training!

Enuff said, too early, the elaborate ladder and toddler seat is just a toy for now. It is a fabo toy cause one  small boy can reach the toilet paper roll, pull off all the paper and stuff it down the dunny without even doing a wee-wee.


The bed
And finally ... our boy has been in his big bed for some time now, but we still have the mummy/daddy/baby cuddle up in the big bed. Please see below how this works for us. I am determined for new baby to go straight into a cot, and I am greatly worried about this as we always co-slept with Toby.

So, will I bond with new baby in the same way I could with Toby? If I banish new baby to a cot, will he feel unloved? Will we bond? Will I be a bad mummy for doing this? I seriously can't imagine having me, Bob, Toby and new baby in the one bed ... ah, the mother's guilt starts from the moment of conception!