Update

When I first worked out my due date, I remember thinking "This baby will be born when the daffodils finish blooming!". Well, the house is filled with the scent of Jonquills that Erin and I picked from the garden and the daffodils nod at me from beside the tank when I go outside, so I guess that means it will be soon!

Erin:
has been a little clingy today and I think the impending arrival of the baby has something to do with it. We talked this morning about how Mummy will be tired after the new baby is born and she may go and visit with someone else while the baby is being born (She is determined that she is going to help get the baby out and will not be dissuaded from the idea!). It will be good for her once we are all settled in, but I am expecting an adjustment period. She has spent most of today in pigtails which makes her look like a grown up girl! She is becoming more and more articulate. I get big long stories about all sorts of things. She got a piggy bank from her Grandad for her birthday and earned her first 20 cents to put in it on Sunday doing some extra work for me in the garden (hauling a big pile of chickweed into the compost bin). She also spent some of her money out of the piggy bank on some flowers to plant in her garden. She was very grown up and takes after her Daddy, having to inspect EVERY plant in the place before deciding on a red flowering polyanthus and a polyanthus that somehow had a purple and a yellow flower on it. We planted them on Sunday afternoon near the birthday flowers her Daddy bought her and they get lovingly watered while I hang out the washing. Yesterday we went to Launceston, which is apparently the most exciting thing ever! She dressed up in her tights, plaid skirt and duffel coat that Nanna Julie bought for her and got complements from all on how pretty she is (of course!). We saw Anna (the midwife) and went shopping then had tea at Hungry Jacks before headding home. She was very well behaved for pretty much the whole trip, much of which involved just standing around for her. I think a large part of that is that she isn't constantly entertained at home therefore doesn't expect it when we are out. She has completed her Ruby doll now, including a spectacular embroidered jacket for her, and has started making Victor, Ruby's husband. There are photos, I just have to wait for the batteries to the camera to recharge so I can upload them!

Billy:
has sprung one of his eye teeth and the other three are starting to poke through. He isn't very happy with it in general, but is coping as well as can be expected. He is more and more talkative with the vocabulary extending almost daily. He had a wonderful time on the weekend when a visitor held him, threw a balloon in the air and made Billy head-butt the balloon soccer player style. He was belly laughing right from the boots! The mischief part of him has been in full swing. Earlier today he came in chewing on one of the baby's dummies! Luckily it still had the hard cover on it so he didn't maul the actual dummy, but he hasn't had one since he was four months old! He seems to be growing as I look at him nowdays. Although he is still a baby in a lot of ways, and loves a good mummy snuggle, he shows his little boy side more and more often. He plays real games now, pretending to eat or feed a stuffed animal (or me!), making animal noises and holding conversations (sometimes with the couch!). Today he spent a fair bit of time standing at the window yelling "Chookie, chookie, chookie!!" for the chooks (who were blissfully ignorant of all the commotion). He generally calls them chooks, but my call for them sounds a bit like "Chooookie, chookie, chookie!" so that is what he copies. He spends time looking at books too, which is great (keeps him still for a few minutes!).

The New Baby:
is waiting at the exit so to speak with the head well down and all systems ready. The end has kind of snuck up on me after all the anticipation!

The House:
isn't too bad at the moment! Keeping to a routine (kind of) works wonders! And I LOVE my new washing machine. At the moment I only do more than one or two loads on Monday (laundry day).

The Garden:
Erin's garden is blooming nicely, if anyone gets the urge to buy her a present some flowers for her garden will always be a big hit! I have the green house 2/3 dug over now and have vague hopes of getting it finished and planted out before the baby arrives.

Jess