Update on Life with a New Baby :)

Jonathan has commented a number of times since Caleb's birth that I enjoy our babies more each time. I am certainly enjoying Caleb (my thankful journal is full of Caleb related pleasures - including his tooty bottom!). He brings me much delight.

Our first couple of weeks have gone well. Caleb has been an easy baby for the most part. Evenings are starting to get a bit more difficult, but that's pretty normal for any baby! Jon had the first week after Caleb's birth off work, so I was able to rest, and since then we've managed on our own. Many of you made contact with me that first day on my own to see how we were going - I appreciate your loving thoughts - so I thought I'd let you know how things have gone.

We have been going pretty well. That first week solo had times of threadbare patience with the girls, and a couple of weepy days as I yearned for family to share Caleb with (the delight of a baby is for sharing!), but I came into this past week feeling more together and on top of things again. There has been an almost overwhelming amount of laundry (I do cloth everything, pretty much), but so far it hasn't overcome; I've only used 3 freezer meals; and the housework seems to all be getting done (except the kitchen floor - it needs a wash; even the ants are taking advantage!). We've gotten to playgroup the last two weeks, and to our church Christmas Carols event; Caleb has met Jon's work colleagues, and seen one of his great-Grandmas. So all in all, life with another baby is going well.

(For those asking after the breastfeeding, it's going well. My poor nipples were sore for the first few days while getting used to being in use again after 6 months off; I didn't have any engorgement when my milk came in!; I've had one episode of blocked ducts - thankfully it was the weekend so I was able to rest and work on clearing those while Jon held the fort. Mastitis was avoided - potato poultices and vitamin C to the rescue! I had to use my breast pump a couple of times, much to Abigail's delight - she wanted the milk!)

The girls seem happy to have a little brother. They are quite happy to help with him, and have been a help to me. Abigail fetches clean breast pads and cloths for me during feeds, and Sarah will put the wet things in the wash; Abigail fetches and empties the potty for me (we started elimination communication* with Caleb from about 1 week old and he's taken to it quickly), and so on. (Those small things certainly make a big difference; it's nice not to have to get up all the time for everything.) Neither of the girls has responded to Caleb's arrival negatively that we can see, so I am thankful to God for the smooth transition for us all. His grace is good.

I've started having 'mat time' with the girls most mornings - and they seem to have taken to the idea enthusiastically. I'll put a blanket on the ground for us to sit on and we'll do singing, reading, virtue lessons, and letter/phonics practice - things we've always done in the past, but higgedly-piggedly. The girls have also capitalised on the opportunity to get read to even more when I'm sitting and feeding Caleb! We're enjoying lots of the Steve Parish books at the moment (and have been blessed with some of our own - thanks Ruth!) - stories set to photos of Australian animals; Sarah is enjoying a book of action nursery rhymes (mum and dad might remember gifting it a couple of years ago?); and Abigail has cottoned onto a book about tidying up (from the library). Jon organised the toys in his week home, so the girls can easily tidy up the lounge on their own (when prompted) - the book has certainly fueled their enthusiasm!

I've had some small errands needing to be done, so today was the day. I decided that it would be easier to walk the journey rather than getting three kids in and out of the car four times, so I put Caleb in my ergo and the girls in the double pram and we walked down to the local shops to finally get a few things done (single pram tyre finally repaired, Indian shop for gluten free flours, and Bunnings and Woolies to get anniversary gifts for Jon). It was nice to be out walking again. Caleb slept the whole journey.

Today is Jon and my fourth wedding anniversary. That doesn't sound long at all, but having three kids in that time certainly helps it feel full!!! We're also coming up to 11 years of being best friends, so there's a lot to celebrate.

And it won't be much longer til we celebrate the arrival of our third niece/nephew. All the best to Kedesh and David - I look forward to hearing how it goes!


*From about a week old we gave Caleb lots of nappy free time and whenever we observed him 'going' we'd use our cue sound 'peeeeee'. After a few days of that and getting an idea of when he goes, we'd pre-empt those times by holding him over a little potty/bowl while making our cue sound - and he would pee or poop. Now he will often squawk at us when he needs to go - sometimes we're too slow and he wets his nappy, but more and more often now he has waited and contentedly goes in the potty/bowl. EC is the fancy name for how a lot of cultures around the non-Western world deal with toileting a baby/not using nappies.

Sarah's Birthday

It was Sarah's second birthday on Monday. We had a lovely day. At any mention of her birthday, Sarah responded with 'jellybeans!' (Abigail, at the same age, always responded with 'cake'), so jellybeans we were going to have. Sarah put on her new dress (from Jachin and Alisi) and out we went to the shop to get a packet of jellybeans!

For dinner, we wanted to have something that we knew the girls would eat without prompting, so cheerios and chips it was (and coleslaw - that needed a little prompting though :) ). Birthday cake was a gluten and dairy free cheesecake, decorated of course with jellybeans!

We are family!

Caleb is Born!

Caleb Henry was born to us on Sunday 25th November. Caleb, meaning 'wholehearted'**; Henry, after my dad. Our prayer is that he would serve the Lord wholeheartedly - with all his heart, mind, soul and strength.

For those who'd like some of the birth story, it starts in the early hours of Sunday morning. I've had lots of vivid dreams this pregnancy and had woken in the wee hours of the morning disturbed by another. I came downstairs to read my Bible for a bit to settle myself, and as I did I found myself 'pouring' my feelings and thoughts about the pregnancy to God. While I talked I kept thinking of 'ask and you will receive' for some reason, so I asked that bubs would be born soon (and if not, that God would help me wait patiently). Then I went back to bed.

That morning I woke up uncomfortable. After church I went for a big walk but nothing seemed definite. After lunch Jon went out shopping while I rested. About 2pm I texted him to let him know I was having 7 minute contractions. By 5pm they were 2-4 minutes but manageable with some walking and hip circling. Jon took the girls swimming while I walked beside the pool through contractions. All the while I was hesitant to call this the 'real thing' - my due date still being 6 days away.

By 7pm we thought we'd better call my friend, Sarah, to come over - just in case. The contractions dropped back to every 6 minutes, but we put the girls to bed and called the hospital. We got to the hospital about 7:30pm and because the contractions were still only about 6 minutes apart we walked around a little before going to the birth suite. I felt silly at having come in so soon. At ten to 8pm we were admitted into the birth suite, where my contractions picked up again, and I was told I was about 7-8 cm dilated (I was pleasantly surprised by that!). The midwife left us to ourselves and as soon as she left the room my waters broke, the pain escalated and I had to start pushing. Jon called the midwife back and Caleb was born not long after - at 8:09pm.


While I wouldn't call labour easy, it was my 'easiest' labour. The pain only became really unbearable after my waters broke, and then Caleb came within 10 minutes! No tears or stitches, no pain relief, no interventions. Another safe and healthy natural birth. Thank you God.

A couple of hours later we were transferred to the maternity ward for the night (I didn't get any sleep), and eventually got out of the hospital just after noon on Monday (I was very keen to get home).

Abigail is a very proud big sister - she likes to hold Caleb and to put blankets on him in bed. Sarah likes to give him a little pat on the head every now and then. They both seem pleased to have the baby out of mummy's tummy. I am amazed at how big Sarah now seems to me - she's not a little girl anymore! And Caleb, for all the fussing the doctors did, was a perfectly healthy size - 49cm, 3.52kg (7lb 12ozs).

We are very blessed.

** ḵôl (ךל), meaning "all, the whole of" + lêḇ (לב), meaning 'heart, mind, will, understanding' (Strongs h 3606 + 3820), as opposed to the usual ḵâlêḇ (ךלב), meaning 'dog' (Strongs h3612). Caleb was repeatedly described (including by God himself!) as having followed the Lord wholeheartedly. Numbers 14:24 says, "But my servant Caleb has a different spirit. He follows me with his whole heart..." (see also Numbers 23:12, Deuteronomy 1:36, Joshua 14:14).

Bus ride

Abigail has wanted to go on a bus for a long time - with the response, "Yes, one day". After being asked a couple of weeks ago, "Is today one day?" I decided to try and make it happen soon. Today was 'one day'.

Waiting for the bus

I had a library book to return to Garden City and since catching a bus from our place to there is very straight-forward we made it into the bus trip. To Garden City we went, dropped my book off, had sushi and came home (I dared not wander around the mall - money tends to get spent that way and both girls were on foot).

Sarah preferred to sit on my lap during the bus rides as the bus was a bit too shaky for her liking. Abigail happily looked out the window. They both seemed to enjoy the 'adventure' but I don't think Abigail was overly impressed in the end. I shall just have to wait and see what she says about it in the next few days!

Plane, train, ferry and bus rides done. A helicopter ride has been asked for but I've said 'no' to that one!

Monkey bars

We finished making the monkey bars on the weekend, and have since finished making the rope ladders and trapeze (I did the splicing, Jon did all the knotting)(we have still to make a swing). It wasn't long before both girls were up the rope ladder. Sarah proceeded straight up onto the top of the bars; her example eventually inspiring Abigail to do the same. I found that a bit scary - the bars are 2.15m high! - so I think most play will be supervised until we're confident they can get themselves up and down safely. But it is finished and we are very pleased with the result. We trust that it will get lots of use in the years to come - by us and the kids :)

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since we got back from the Bunya Mountains - my chest freezer is full again and my bushwalking cravings are still well and truly satisfied!

There's only a couple more weeks til bubs is due now. I was starting to get impatient for baby to come over the weekend. I had an achy back which I thought could possibly be pre-labour; and having had a rental inspection that week, our house was really tidy so I didn't feel I had anything much left to prepare while waiting the next couple of weeks out. So I prayed that baby would either come or that God would help me think of a list of things I'd like to get done before bubs is born. I now have a list to occupy me :)

This morning the girls and I went to the Gold Coast (the first time I've been to the GC since moving to Australia nearly 5 years ago!) to meet up with a friend from my uni days, Katie, who was over from New Zealand. It was so nice to meet her little boy and to show my girls - to catch up! The girls enjoyed playing on the beach - in the water and then in the sand. We ran out of time to try the playground (our parking meter having run out) so we will have to go back sometime soon as I had promised Abigail a go on the pedal trains. It was a lovely lovely morning.

Jon has started working on the monkey bar set up for the girls. We spent a couple of hours on Saturday morning at a playground store finalising our plans/options and getting the necessary bars, and picked up some things from Bunnings. This week we'll get posts and then it shouldn't be long before its up. Jon has started to make a trapeze with rings and a rope ladder to hang from the bars - he has taught himself how to splice and now is learning various knots (I have been told I have to learn these things too) - so there will be plenty of things for the girls to climb on before long. We trust that it will provide much healthy fun through the years ahead.


My recent scan showed that bubs is healthy; our car air conditioning is now fixed (and the heater turned off!); our rental inspection went fine (though our lounge room floor is now covered with toys again); and I got my hair cut finally (thank you God for Thursday night shopping!). We've also been able to visit great Grandma Sheehy (we went to Wynuum Park together), great Grandma Randall (Jon and the girls introduced her to geocaching while I rested); and Uncle Jono's come to visit (both girls much look forward to seeing him).

Abigail has been unbearably chatty lately and is growing so quickly (we're often coming across clothes she no longer fits); Sarah is talking more and more, and is doing a lot of imaginary play at the moment - very cute to watch. She has taken to a stuffed toy frog lately - puts it to bed and carries it around lots. She can almost completely take herself to the toilet now (still has some trouble getting her knickers off/on). Both girls can be kept happily occupied for ages if given a wet wipe each - they fold it, wrap it, scrunch it, wipe things, use it as a blanket on a toy etc.

For mum and Grandma:
Abigail to Sarah: "We have 2 legs. Wonky donkeys have 3 legs."

I love my girls :)