Samsung Tablet, woohoo!

Such a spoilt girl, I am!  Wyn got himself a Samsung Tab last week, and saw how much I enjoyed playing around with it on the weekend.  I thought we would all just share his tablet - but then on Monday night he got me my own one.  A white one, with a bright pink cover.  LOVE it!!!

I still have a LOT to learn about it though - for now been browsing apps, have downloaded some games for Mia, and, of course, Instagram - so pleased to finally join the world of Instagram.

I'm looking forward to finding a nice appointment book type app, then I can use it for all my salon bookings too.

Oh, how in awe I am of technology!
xx

Mia's favourite books

Mia loves bedtime - because it means it's story time!  I am happy to see that Mia looks as though she will love books as much as I do... And we're having fun in the book shops, adding to her collection in her bookshelf!  Just the other day she and I spent a happy half hour on the floor of Exclusive Books, both going "ooooh" and "aaaah"!

Here's a collection of her favourite books at the moment. She can already quote full paragraphs from most of these books.  I'll include some of these quotes beneath each pic!

"A mouse went for a stroll in a deep dark wood.  A fox saw the mouse, and the mouse looked good."

 "A gruffalo? What's a gruffalo?  Why, don't you know? He has terrible tusks, and terrible claws, and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws!"
 

"Buzz off! That's MY witch!"

"He's somewhere nearby... Eating gruffalo pie!"

The other day I told her I'm busy reading a magazine, and she quoted this book, "hush now, I'm trying to read my favourite magazine."

 "Kisses on noses, kisses on toes-es. Who likes to kiss?  I do, I do! Frogs like to kiss, and dogs like to kiss! 'Normous elephants do, and little tiny ants do!"

 

This is the newest book, so no quotes yet.

We choose one or two books per night, and often at the end she'll say, "let's read it again!"  Bedtime routine just got quite a bit longer...  But it's so special, I enjoy reading to her!  Although I do draw the line after reading the same story 3 times in a row!

xx

Coping with the miscarriage

I'm doing OK.  Surprisingly OK.

I feel at peace that these things happen for a reason.  It's out of my control, it wasn't caused by something I did or didn't do.  It just wasn't meant to be.

I think what makes it easier to cope, is that it happened so very early on in the pregnancy.  I don't need a d&c (scrape), and there wasn't a heartbeat at all yet.  I'm sure these things are much more traumatic once one has actually seen or heard the heartbeat, or when one needs a hospital procedure after a miscarriage, or if it's further along in a pregnancy.

No mistake, I was an emotional mess the first two days, even refusing to talk to anybody on the telephone due to being so very tearful...  But then I accepted what had happened, and realised that I am truly ready to try conceive again as soon as possible.

I had a check-up at my gynea yesterday.  She initially said I don't even need to come in for a check-up, it's unnecessary, but I wanted closure, and I'm glad I went.  Everything looks fine and normal, and we can TTC (try to conceive) immediately.  She recommends that I carry on with my pregnancy vitamins, and take Inofolic supplements too, which is a form of folic acid.  She also gave me two blood test forms to use when I get my next BFP (big fat positive) - I must go for the hcg-count and progesterone blood tests 48 hours apart, to see that all is as it should be.  If I had done it this way last week, we would have known from the start that the pregnancy was not viable...

The gynea says that miscarriages before 5 weeks of pregnancy are extremely common - often women don't even know they were pregnant to begin with and think it's just a late cycle.  It just has to do with the way the cells came together or the way they had to implant, that it just doesn't always work out the way it should.  She called it a 'chemical pregnancy'.

I feel a bit betrayed by my own body...  I am also astounded at the power of the mind - I felt so pregnant, I was experiencing typical pregnancy symptoms such as extreme tiredness, hunger, heightened sense of smell, sensitive boobs... Now I'm not sure if those were all imagined, some how.

Wyn has been a rock of support this week, making dinner, letting me take things easy.  He takes an infuriating approach of "shit happens"...  But he's also positive that we'll fall pregnant again as soon as possible.

Mia doesn't really understand... But she has been so, so special, wiping my tears and hugging me lots.  She brought me the pregnancy book and said "let's see how baby is growing", and I told her there is no baby anymore, she said, "who took our baby?" which set off my waterworks again, so she fetched a tissue and wiped my tears again.  Then she got another tissue, but looked all perplexed when she saw the tears had stopped, so she said, "cry mommy, cry for our baby!" Which got me into a fit of both laughter and tears, because it's so sad, and funny, and a lil bit twisted.

I do, however, understand now why so many people wait until 8 weeks, or even 12 weeks, before sharing the news of their pregnancy with their family and friends.  The job of having to tell everyone, family, friends, forum friends and Facebook friends that the happy news I shared two weeks ago, is now no more... was quite emotionally draining.  But the support was amazing, I got so many special messages from so, so many people, and I appreciated each and every one of them.  I'm sure that's another reason why I'm coping so well, because I have had so many thoughts and prayers coming my way!

Next time around, I will only tell close family and friends, and not shout it from the roof tops like I did... Which is a pity, I like to share good news... But I'll definitely be more cautious next time.

I am very keen to TTC immediately, and I hope that within no time at all I'll be able to carry on where I stopped off, with baby shopping, chatting to Mia about being a big sister, thinking about the sleep deprivation I'm in for, etc. 
But for now...  I will enjoy my glass of wine still!
xx

Miscarriage :'-(

I'm devastated.

I started bleeding yesterday afternoon.

Went to a GP at Intercare who has an ultrasound machine. She did scan, but couldn't find embryo at all, but said maybe it's too early on to detect - did blood test to check hcg levels.
They're way too low. :-( :-( :-(
And bleeding so much.

Had to do more blood tests for my gynea to look at and then she'll phone me for an appointment.  Hope I can see her soon.

I'm heartbroken, but i'll be OK. I know these things happen for a reason, and a March sibling just wasn't meant to be. We can try again.

xx

Potty Training

I've been taking a very relaxed approach to potty training with Mia.  Put her on the toilet before bath time, sometimes she makes a wee, sometimes not.  She doesn't ever tell me before she needs the loo, not even for a number two.  I think that's one disadvantage that toddlers have who stay at home - kids who go to school do potty train a lot faster because of structured potty training amongst all the peers.

But mostly I think winter has put me off actively potty training her - who wants to spend lots of time sitting on a cold toilet seat, walking around bare bum, or with wet broeks! 

However, she's been showing more and more interest in wanting to go nappy-free.  So I've decided mid-winter or not, let's tackle this thing a bit more pro-actively!

I made her a potty training chart, to stick lil star stickers on every time she does her business in the toilet, and after a couple of stars, she can get a present. 

I bought three gifts so long to get started - a set of glitter bangles, a Pez sweetie holder with Pez sweets, and a little Hello Kitty digital watch.  I wrapped them up, showed the prezzies to her and explained to her that she needs a couple of stars first. 

Yesterday went very well with two wee's in the loo! Yay!

I'm hoping to be nappy-free for at least a few months before the nappy-drill starts all over again with a newborn!
xx

Xmas in July Pajama Party!

Two weekends ago, a few friends got together and had a Christmas in July Pajama Party.

It was SO much fun.  It's necessary to switch off from mommy-mode sometimes, I think.  And what better way to do so, than with good friends, good wine, yummy snacks, dressed in pajamas, and getting Xmas presents in July! ;-)

It was actually a sleep-over party too - but I didn't stay the night, came home around midnight. I like my own bed best. ;-)

Special times.
xx

My dietician appointment

I made an appointment with a dietician a few weeks ago, before I knew I was pregnant.  I wanted to go to her, as I know a few people that have been to her and gotten great results with weight loss - but also, she does various blood tests to check all your levels, and adjusts your eating plan according to that, and I quite liked the idea that she would tell me what will work best for ME and my body and my needs.

I decided to still go, as I really want a healthy pregnancy, and the guidelines could still be applicable.

It was really interesting and insightful!

She says my cholesterol is fine, glucose is fine, iron is fine.  Insulin is fine - but she can see that I am "sensitive" to carbs.  Vitamin D levels are a bit low.  She said my thyroid is fine, vitamin B12 is fine too.

The secret, she says, is when to have carbs, and which carbs.  She's advised that I only have carbs at lunch time, or as a snack (a low GI rusk) before 4pm.  She's also quite strict with regards to not cheating, if she says no cheese, she means, no cheese.  No cheats. Eeeeeeee!

The guideline she has given me looks something like this:

• Breakfast: 2 eggs with veg, like tomato, mushrooms, green pepper, onion.  OR 1 cup baked beans.  OR 1 cup cooked oats with cinnamon and honey (only have oats on days that I exercise.)

• Snacks: Biltong, droe wors, cup-a-soup lite. 1 rusk

• Lunch:  Soup, without meat, can have veggies, beans, lentils. 1 slice of low GI bread with fat free cottage cheese and/or tomato.  OR 1 slice low GI bread or 3 Ryvitas with tuna (lite mayo) or cold meat or avo or fat free cottage cheese.  Salad with tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, green peppers etc.

• No cheese.

• Supper:  Grilled fish (no batter), calamari, tuna, sole, hake, salmon, steak, stirfry, chicken, ostrich. No batter or skin. 
• NO boerewors, ribs, schnitzel, prawns.
• Focus on veggies: asparagus, brinjals, mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, gem squash, tomato, lettuce, baby marrows, patty pans, spinach, spring onions, celery, peppers, carrots, peas, etc.
• Choose one of following carbs for suppertime (optional):  butternut, sweet potato, beetroot, rice, baby potatoes, corn.

• Sweets:  Jelly babies, wine gums, marshmallows, liquorice, 75% dark chocolate (2 blocks)

• Cook-in sauces - look for low-fat options, must have less than 3g fat per 100g.

• Avoid white breads, pasta, potatoes, biscuits, chips, cakes, pastries, creamy sauces, butter and margarine.

• Drinks:  water, rooibos, herbal tea.  Sweeto in water for a sweet treat.

And that's that!  Sounds strict, but does sound do-able.  I'm starting right now.

She wants to see me again when I'm 14 weeks preggies to reassess.  She says there's no reason that I should pick up more than 8kg during pregnancy.  Sounds good!

She also wants to put me on two supplements, a vitamin D supplement, and a chromium supplement, which she says will help lots with my choccie cravings.  I told her I'll first find out from the gynea whether it's fine or not.

And then she sells a whole lot of ready made healthy frozen meals, rusks, biltong etc - I bought a few goodies to get me started.

Yay, I feel good, here's to a healthy pregnancy!
xx

A few pregnancy-related thoughts...

I can't get over the miracle of a baby growing week by week in my womb - it boggles my mind, it overwhelms me, it fills me with wonder and awe.

I really hope Mia is going to adjust well to a baby in the house.

I'm so tired already!  And my sense of smell is so heightened, it's so interesting!

I have forgotten so many pregnancy do's and don'ts.  Licked some raw cupcake batter - oops, can't do that coz can't have raw egg.  Ordered a cappuccino, oops, shouldn't do that, too much caffeine.  Used my nose spray, oops, not sure if I can use it!

We won't have a spare room in our house for visitors any more...

It was terrible to not be able to drink wine when I was on the Reboot Challenge - but now that I'm avoiding it for another reason, another lil being, it's much easier to do!

I really want a healthy pregnancy.  Tomorrow I am going to a dietician for some guidelines on how and what to eat.  And I will continue going to the gym, I want to aim for 3 times a week.

I'm petrified of picking up too much weight - it's been so nice to start wearing size 12 clothes, and they're already too tight for me to wear! Sob sob.

Wyn seemed a bit shell-shocked on Friday.  He was very quiet and not as outspoken or showing his excitement as much as I was. I was disappointed, even though I know this is how he is, he doesn't display excitement verbally. But then he sleeps at night holding my tummy... Aw bless.

I want to savour this pregnancy, as we only want two children.

Oh yay @ no AF for 9 months!

Even though I have been through labour and birth, I remain terrified.

Mia is not potty-trained yet.  Hopefully she will be by March next year - but then we will be starting a fresh again...  that will mean that we will go through 6 years of nappies. Eeeeek!

Oh gosh, I'm tired... Have I said that already?

I can't wait for a preggy bump! ♥

I am worried about my business... I can't scale down as much as I did when Mia was born - I literally had to start afresh as I lost quite a lot of clients. Can't do that again...

Let me go catch some zzz's while Mia naps!
xx

I'm pregnant! ♥

Mia is going to be a big sister! ♥

I found out yesterday.  AF was due on Tuesday, but I got a negative result on a home pregnancy test until Friday morning, when it gave a very fine second line, so feint I thought I could be imagining.  Took Mia with me to Intercare and got a blood test done, waited a couple of hours - had lunch at Isabella's with Mia and Wyn, and all went together to get the result - positive! 

I'm 4 weeks pregnant!

What fun to phone all the family members and share the good news.  Giggles and joy and excitement all around!

Mia's sibling is due on the 18th of March 2014.  Wow! Yay! Eeeek!

This was the preggy announcement pic that we sent to people and shared on Facebook:

And this is Mia's reaction to the news:

I think she was reacting to my excited tone of voice more than really understanding the full meaning - but she was amazed, did a happy dance, kissed me, and looked curiously at my tummy.

Two weeks ago I asked her what she would like for her birthday coming up in September.  She answered, "a kitty cat and a sister!"  ♥

xx

Books I have read lately

The last 5 books I read, have all been really good! 
I don't want to give too much away of what the books are about, so will just do a short review on each one.

The Light Between Oceans, by ML Stedman really had a profound effect on me. It's one of those books that just stays with you for days and days after finishing it.  A moral dilemma, so wrong that it feels right.  Told so, so beautifully, I felt as though I was there.  Descriptions of people and places are so vivid and engaging.  Really a highly recommended book!

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult won't disappoint! This book started off a bit slow and I wasn't sure whether I wanted to carry on - but then it grabbed me and I couldn't stop reading!  Featuring a bread maker, a 90-something year old Nazi, and some twists, with enough descriptions of baking bread to have my mouth water constantly!

Nora Roberts is one of my favourite authors.  I took a bit of a break from her books a while ago, as they often follow a similar storyline - heroine's running from their past, falling in love with rugged village men...  and The Witness also does pretty much that as well.  But - it's written really well, with enough suspense to have me on the edge of my seat, enough twists and descriptions to keep me reading way into the night.  Another one that drew me in so much, I felt as though I was there.

Lesley Pearse, definitely one of my favourite authors!  Forgive Me is her latest book, and I must say, I have read better from her...  It's as though she took this main character, made a list of everything that could possibly go wrong in her life, and then worked it into the story.  Just a bit too much sadness for one person to bear.  Yes, it has a happy ending, of course.  Some of Lesley Pearse's other books that really stand out to me are Belle, The Promise (which follows on Belle and is really, really good!), Hope, and Gypsy.  These are some of my favourite books ever.

Spud - Exit, Pursued by a Bear is the fourth and last book in the Spud series by John van de Ruit.  I really enjoyed the whole series, it's written in diary style of a high school boy, and just full of all types of embarrassing moments of growing up, struggling with adolescent issues, family issues, school, friends, etc.  I enjoyed all four books lots, and when I finished this one, I wished with all my heart there was a 5th, would love to know what happened to Spud after high school! 

I love reading.  If you've read any great books recently, please share!
xx

An Update on Mia Mooi

I think it's time I do an update on Mia and her world!

I'm loving her character that is developing more and more each day.  She is gentle with animals, she is friendly to people in town, she likes to share her sweets, and she is very tactile - touches people, gives hugs and cuddles.  She has good manners mostly, saying please and thank you and sorry and hello and goodbye.  She is super sensitive, quick to get very emotional if we say 'no'.

Her communication is just amazing - she speaks fluently in English, and mostly fluently in Afrikaans.  She understands just about everything I tell her.  She loves telling family members "I love you so much!"

Learning:
 - She can count to 15 in English and to 10 in Afrikaans
 - She identifies nearly all colours in English, and all the major colours in Afrikaans
 - She identifies shapes in English, she loves to point out circles, squares, triangles, octagons, rectangles, diamonds, hearts and stars.

Favourite things on tv:
 - Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
 - The Gruffalo
 - The Gruffalo's Child
 - Room on the Broom
 - The Lorax
 - The Little Mermaid
 - Monsters, Inc
 - Tinkerbell
 - Doc McStuffins
 - Mr Maker
 - I can Cook

Favourite books:
 - The Gruffalo
 - The Gruffalo's Child
 - Charlie Cook's Favourite Book
 
Favourite activities:
 - Dancing to music on the tv
 - Playing with a ball
 - Helping me in the kitchen, pouring and mixing
 - Arts & crafts: painting, sticking, cutting (very recently got her a plastic scissor, so the cutting is still very new, she gets a bit frustrated when she doesn't manage, but still learning)
 - Going for walks and finding leaves, flowers, cones, grasses, stones, etc
 - Making a "pillow house" with blankets and pillows
 - Having picnics and tea parties

Potty training is going very slow - but hey, it's winter, the toilet is cold!  I thought I'll wait til August and then focus on that a bit more.

I want to start looking at playschools in the area, and put her name down for next year January.

She truly is the light of our lives, our sunshine child, our beautiful Mia Mooi.
xx

Disney on Ice

On Saturday I took Mia and my sister to see Disney on Ice - Passport to Adventure, at the Coca-Cola Dome in Randburg.

Mia loved it!  Especially the characters that she knew - Minnie Mouse, Mickey Mouse, Daisy and Donald Duck, The Little Mermaid, Tinkerbell - these were all huge hits!

During the part where it was Lilo and Stitch, who Mia doesn't know at all, she hung her bucket of popcorn over her arm, picked up my scarf, and told me, "let's go home" - I think then it started getting a little bit long for her.  But then Tinkerbell came on and had her staring in amazement again!

Lots and lots of kiddies in the audience, of course - but it was nice that the adults could at least appreciate the brilliant ice-skating done by all the characters!