Erin:
is loving our new house and is loving having a new baby on the way even more. She is telling everyone she meets that we are having a new baby (or perhaps babies, we could have TWINS!!) and Christopher is now our OLD baby (old as in chronological, not as in obsolete and passe!!). She has also made many friends within the community and has emerged as a natural leader in group situations. She is usually in the thick of the action handing out directions with the level of authority which means that most of the time, the other kids simply do as she asks! The only one to raise objections is usually Billy. She handles herself with a grace and poise I have never seen before and I am often in awe that this child is my daughter!
Billy:
is loving the freedom of being able to go outside without me as I can supervise him easily in the backyard by watching through the kitchen window. He has an even healthier glow thanks to the fresh mountain air although I need to knit him some mittens as his hands get so cold they hurt on frosty mornings or when the wind is blowing off the snow (which is most of the time at the moment). He is excited about the new baby too although gets a little confused at times as to WHERE it is growing. He has been known to talk to my chest!! His first reaction upon being told about the baby was to push on my belly and shout "Come OUT baby!!". He is less of a leader and more of a self motivated, self contained little chap. I usually see him moving with purpose and dignity from task to task as if engaged in accomplishing some great work. He has won over many of the Mums we have socialised with as he runs up to excitedly share his latest discovery ("Look Mummy! BEAR!! Eyes, nose, mouth, hands. BEAR!!!") His own bear at home continues to be his greatest prize. He melts me when he kisses, hugs and rocks the bear before tenderly tucking him into bed. The Big Boy bed has ment that Red Bear often gets joined in bed for a few minutes when Billy feels the need for a little extra affection.
Christopher:
is cutting four teeth at once, but we seem to have managed to get back to unbroken nights again now. He is also crawling like a pro and pulling himself up on things. Far from being neglected with the news of the new arrival he is getting even more attention from Erin as she has taken it upon herself to educate him in the finer points of birthing babies and being an older sibling. As for me, I simply forget to put him down! He is the most huggable baby in the world and his giggle is simply addictive. The fact that he weighs in at about 15 Kg means I have the upper body strength of an elite athlete - but isn't one of the signs of a virtuous wife strong arms? LOL (Proverbs 31:17) He is doted on in the community - country communities are much more family oriented I've found - and our daily walk to the post office has found him out and about in the fresh air much more than previously. The other kids are getting more and more confident with "redirecting" him (i.e. grabbing him by the legs and dragging him around the board floors) when he is touching something he shouldn't. Christopher is amazing when it comes to listening to verbal repremand though. He is far more responsive than I remember the other two being at his age.
The New Baby!!!:
Name suggestions of "Rudolph", "Elf", "Noel" and "Santa" have all been rejected (Beloved CAN be such a spoil sport!) and I am pleased that we already have an established tradition in this family of Unbirthdays where we celebrate the halfway point between birthdays. This means that even if this bub arrives on the due date (Christmas Day) he or she will have one special day not eclipsed by seasonal festivities! Babies always arrive at the perfect time when it is left to the Lord though :) We are over the first trimester tiredness for the most part - which combined with a nasty dose of the flu starting late April which kicked off asthma amid packing to move did make for a challenging couple of months. I must admit though, I didn't think it was so bad when in the midst of it. I'd just take a short nap in an armchair or on the loungeroom floor when I put the boys down for a nap and then carry on best I could. On reflection though, it was difficult not to stress about getting more packing done and keep my priorities straight (God, Hubby, Kids THEN housekeeping!) There were a few times I was tempted to skip reading my Bible and clean something or pack something else and the children DID spend too much time coralled in a seperate room with toys while I worked - which led to some behaviour issues that needed working on. But God has been faithful and I don't feel the kids (or beloved) missed out too badly!
The house:
is already experiencing the DIY genius of Beloved! He is tearing out the lining of one room, has already fixed the leaky roof, fixed up a cupboard to hold shoes and jackets near the door and is in the process of fixing up the back step - all of this while still moving in. He has been working very hard. This has been one of the easier moves so far, although I currently have books but no bookshelves! One of the most frustrating things is we are having trouble getting decent speed internet. Apparently all the broadband ports are currently in use in the area which is very frustrating. We can see the snow capped mountains from our yard though and every day this week there has been rainbows in the snow falling up there. I am in love with this place, it is a pure blessing. The community is wonderful with two people offering me bags of hand-me-down clothes and most people going well out of their way to be friendly, welcoming and helpful.
The garden:
is in dream stage at the moment. In the rare moments we get to wander or gaze out the window during daylight hours Beloved and I have planned exactly where the fruit trees, vege patch(es), sheds, paved area, brick oven and formal garden will go. We are still deciding exactly where the kid's play equipment will go. I can't wait to have the move complete and the new septic and shed in so that we can REALLY make a start.
Exercise:
and weightloss started taking a backseat when I found I was pregnant. The weightloss was impossible obviously and the flu/asthma etc. ment that the exercise was nearly so!! I am determined to stay active during this pregnancy though. We are taking daily walks to the post office which is probably only about 1 Km, but it is keeping me moving. When we move the exercise bike I am going to set myself distance goals and try and cycle a certain distance each week. I would be silly not to try and maintain this wonderful asset that the Lord has given me to make babies!!
Jess
