Update - almost 8 weeks

I just woke up

hmm a little half a yawn
At the beach on a warm day with my mom, dad, grandpa and aunt

Hello Everybody... I am smiling now

Sleepy Sleepy
A bit cross I think
In my 'big bed'


Hi all, Joshua is almost 8 weeks this coming Monday, and time for the dreaded vaccinations. Thanks so much to Wendy and Carolines posts on tips, I've found them both very interesting and informative. Any advice on the vaccinations, Joshua is going for his 6-in-1 next week and am not looking forward to it and think I may cry! Otherwise he is doing really well and is over 5kg by now as his last weigh in at the paedtrician he was 5kg with no clothes on.


Shame she really preformed some not so nice tests on him, knocking on his knees to see the reflexes now I know it is necessary but shame he did not like it.


I am trying to load a lot of pics on the site but we only have dial up at home and is proving very tedious so will have to try and get to an adsl line to do this as I end up getting very frustrated.





Still no luck on the nanny front as yet, I have seen a place in the area called Babies Exclusive and they look after babies exclusively to 18 months but have only been open since January it looks nice from the outside and sounds nice, but am only keeping it at the back of mind as a last resort. And would need to go and have a look.





Yesterday was my check up with my gynae who did not deliver my baby :-) All those visits only for her to be away on bladdy holiday. So now I go and have her check out my 'birth canal' and get told i have to have a papsmear, wasnt expecting that! But anyway all is well and cut is healed nicely and my uterus has shrunk and gone back to whence it came and is probably all ready for another baby. Which is why I asked her to put me on the pill thank you very much. Not that I want to go back on the pill as dont think it is very good for you, but whilst breastfeeding is not a contraceptive and you are at your most fertile just after giving birth, dont think my body could take a shock like that! However am dying to have a little girl, but in the meantime will just enjoy waiting for Sarah Cobley to arrive and then start working on that a little later.





The days just fly by and wish I could freeze time, but on the other hand love all the new things that start to appear the smiles, recognition of my face, gurgling and coos. Bless his little heart this mom is so in love!





Hope these pics load


love Nicci
Here are some pics to keep all our friends near and far updated with our little precious angel.
Love The Lammers
xxx

One Month Old Today

Exactly a month ago Joshua was born ... where has the month gone, already a month off my 4 month maternity leave. Oh how I wish I could stay at home with my boy! Yes infomercials and Days of Our Lives can get a bit much, but I dont want to miss a thing. Then there is the daunting task of finding someone to take care of him. We are in the process of interviewing nannies and it is not going as smoothly as expected, perhaps my expectations are a bit high, but it is an important task leaving him in the care of somone that I actually dont really know. I am hoping to find someone by end of May so I can have a full two months with them.

The days fly by as I am still breastfeeding which is hugely demanding but also quite a bonding experience, it is just me and Joshua in the wee hours of the morning as I let Clive sleep as he has work the next day. I should actually be sleeping now (while he is) instead of trying to update my blog but hey it has been two weeks already since Clive posted pics and I turned 30. Well that was an uneventful day, could not do much for my 30th so saving it for a bit later and Clive and I will celebrate then. Though as Veronica points out, there are lots of celebrations happening all round at the moment. Cant wait to meet little Sarah Cobley, attend Wendy and Kristians wedding and watch my little boy grow more and more each day. I love him to bits and sometimes want to squeeze him and squeeze him but shame then I would squash him hee hee.

Motherhood is the best thing that has ever happened to me... cant wait to do it again... actually can wait a year or two and hopefully give Joshua a little sister.

xxx

Joshua... Growing....

Me & my mom..and again...

Dad.. Your so pretty....

You have a fat nose dad...

Chillin....

Tummy full... Now I'm a tired teddy bear..

I'm an angel... hey??

You Cant Beat the Feeling....

You cant beat the feeling...of motherhood.... You know it is going to be overwhelming, you know it is a miracle, but nothing can completely prepare you for the unconditional love felt instantly as your newborn is put in your arms. Welcome baby Joshua Lamarina to the big wide world, we already cant imaging our lives without you.

You are almost 2 weeks old already and I can already see that you have grown... no.!..slow down I want you to stay little and not grow too fast.

I gave birth on 24th March 2008 at 07:50am at Panorama Medi Clinic. Murphys Law my Gynae was away for the Easter Weekend and I had an appointment to see her on the 25th at 1pm, to discuss 'final details'. Well little mister couldnt wait evidently, either that or it was the Chilli Chocolate Fillet steak at Madame Zingara's the night before that lured him to come a bit early. After a late night at Madame Z, and then a farewell braai to friends down from JHB on the Sunday, I was exhausted. Clive and I got home at 6ish on Sunday evening and sat down to watch dvd's and relax. After eating a little mini lindt bunny i got for easter, I suddenly felt that something was going to come out 'down there'. I promptly jumped up from the couch and said oh oh, and my waters broke. Not a huge gush as you expect as happens in the movies, but quite a decent trickle (sorry for the gory details). I said to Clive, I think my waters have broken, we both experieced a mild sense of panic, but stayed calm afterward and phoned the hospital, who said take a shower and get here within an hour. We still stopped to get Energade on the way!

At the hospital they booked me in and monitored me and said that I had had a 'high membrane rupture' which explained why the waters hadnt been a bucket load. The monitors showed I was in very early stages, no real contractions and the sister on duty said I was in for the long haul, after doing an internal (horrible those) baby was still high and hadnt engaged. They put me in a Private Room for comfort and to get some sleep. Needless to say the only one who eventually got any sleep was Clive, he was exhausted. I had been booked in at 9:30/10pm and things were taking very long, I exprienced mild period pains but that was it and they said I was not dilating. The sister eventually offered me a Pethadine Injection which I didnt really want as had read that this had an effect on baby, she assured me it would be fine and that it would make me sleep. I think she was lying on purpose, it did nothing for me.. except bring on stronger contractions, which she told me were 'baby contractions' and there was no distinct pattern. When she went off duty at 6:30 they wheeled me into the delivery room and I was still having quite strong pains, to cut a long story short, after telling me that I wasnt dilating and me eventually saying give me the epidural as the pain was now quite bad. I had been having the gas which was fantastic, they did another quick internal to check before contacting the anaethetist, only for the sister then on duty to get a shock and say contact the doctor urgently to come straight away, she is already 9cm dilated, baby's head was starting to show. I of course felt the need to push and she was telling me not to, well Joshua was coming and was born 7:50am, and was the best moment of my life when they put him in my arms. It all seems a bit surreal now, how on earth did that little person fit in my tummy!

I had a fantastic stay at the hospital and am coping well at home, though there is so much to do and the day flies by, anyone who says stay at home moms have it easy, should bite their tounges. It never ends, feed, wind, change, do some washing, have a shower, eat, feed, wind, change etc... it just goes on and on. But there are many moments while feeding I just stare at him and hold his hand and talk to him and drink in every moment as I know that each day is a memory and a moment to treasure.

Will keep you all updated hopefully a bit more often.

Love Nicci, Joshua and Clive

xxx

Joshua Lamarina.. Unplugged

Happy 3 year Anniversary

Time has flown and this year we have been married 3 years and are about to have an addition to what was "Just the two of us" will become "Just the 3 of us" - those of you who know the irratating Panarotti's ad here in SA. Thank you for my beautiful roses and card this morning and my tea in bed my hubbie. Love you lots
xxxx

Innocence of Babes

After having a divine lunch at the Valks this past Saturday, took some pictures of the star attractions of the day. They are both so gorgeous.
xxx

Lily Grace Humble

Max Davis

Beautiful little girl - Lily again

Max again

Time is fleeting

3 and a bit weeks to go, pretty soon the countdown will be finished and little Joshua will be here. I had a Doctors appointment this morning and all is looking well, he is head down and she says it is unlikely that he will turn to be breech from here on out. He weighs 3.1kg if machine is accurate, and has a largeish sized head 33cm, but this is more to do with the fact that he has a round shaped head not elongated - (suppose more round = more ouch for natural?) All looks good for natural birth so far, so we will see what happens in the next coming few weeks. She doesnt think that he is going to be late, as apparently my water levels are starting to drop and my placenta is starting to calcify which are signs of maturation of end of pregnancy apparently. So we will see, there are many guesses / bets / predications on birthdate. His initial due date as most of you know is 1st April, I was thinking he may be here on the 3rd but a couple of people have said 27th March, time will tell.

At the moment my focus is to finish work and to read up more on labour and what to expect, although I have done the antenatal classes, I am starting to get porridge brain and feel at the moment like I know nothing. I suppose this is normal and that in any case no book and advice can really prepare you 100 % as each person and birth is different. I must say thanks to Caroline though for your Jungle Juice receipe I am definitely going to be doing this. Can I drink this in labour and / or before or only in labour?

Last weekend was also my baby shower, which was really fantastic. Even though I felt absolutely rotten on the Sunday with flu, I cheered up considerably when I saw everyone and everyone was dressed in blue and we were so so spoilt by all. The nursery is coming along nicely, the only job I have to do really is sort out the cot and moses basket linen, pack and wash clothes and that is about it. I also need to pack a small bag for baby for hospital and add 1 or 2 things into my hospital bag, and then I am as ready as I ever will be.

Last night we had a small braai at Steven and Veronica and Lily and Wendy came and I have to say she is so gorgeous I took a few pics of her swimming which she loves, but did not bring camera with to work today to download so will post those probably on Monday, together with a couple of baby shower pics. In the meantime here is a picture of Baby Lamarina at 36 weeks.

xxxx

I am 35 weeks

Sorry for the lack of posting, have not really had much to say however I religiously check all the other blogs and get frustrated when there are no new posts.

All is well in the land of pregnancy, and have only 11 more working days until I finish work......THANK GOODNESS. Although I know myself I will probably be at home wondering about work, getting phonecalls from them etc. I am hoping that I will just relax, unwind and do some needed bonding with our baby boy that I am too tired to do as am so busy with work during the day and doing light work around the house when I get home. I am getting rather LARGE at present and am dying to see how much he weighs in at our next appointment next week Fri 7th March. Although I think my gynae was trying to scare me at our last appointment which was on 8th February she said he was already 2.5kg good grief he cant be 5kg already, although many have said they are not accurate with those scans.

Some Statistics from http://www.i-am-pregnant.com/:

Your baby now weighs over 5.5 pounds and its crown-to-rump length is approximately 13.2 inches. Your baby's total length is around 20.25 inches at this point. Your uterus is now 6 inches from the bellybutton and the average weight gain is approximately 24 to 29 pounds. Most pregnant women begin to feel cramped and heavy around this time and often become tired of being pregnant. Some women feel like they do not have to room to breathe or eat. You should eat small, but frequent, meals and rest as often as you can throughout the day. Your cervix will begin to dialte and efface within the next few weeks to make room for your baby's head to emerge from the birth canal. Your cervix needs to be 10 cm dilated in order to deliver your baby. This week of your pregnancy your baby's fingernails will have definitely reached the tips of his fingers. When your baby is born, his nails may look long and pointy. Your baby is less likely to scratch himself at this point because of the lack of room in the uterus. Fat deposition will still continue and your baby is getting chubbier and more round. Your baby's shoulders are plump at this point. The baby begins to develop its own immune system.

Isnt the human body just amazing!

Update - 7 and bit weeks to go

A 'little' foot

Just a quick post to update on my pregnancy, I am just on or about to reach 33 weeks and had another gynae appointment this morning so thought I would share the quick update.

All is well and he has moved from head up / breech position to the head down correct position for labour. Gynae says he can still move around so will only be able to tell at 36 weeks what his position is more likely to stay as.

Also he is getting big, now I know that because my tummy feels so big! But he is already 2.5kg !!!! Which is quite big considering I have 7 weeks to go technically. Other than that he is fine I am fine and we are all content. This weekend I am going to do more in the nursery, practice pushing and closing my technically advanced pram, and watch Clive put up our Peter Rabbit border! Hopefully I will survive the 33 degree sorcher that is coming Cape Town's way tomorrow with a few dips in the pool at intervals.

Have a great weekend all

xxxx