From 1 to 4

Here are some belly shots of each of my pregnancies. I think this one will be my biggest belly.

Evan the day before he was born.



Glenn, this is obvioulsy not a photo of my belly. Sadly all the short of his birth, including the last belly shot got ruined at the hands of a incompetent photo lab.
But I did this belly cast about 4 days before he was born. Kinda shows how big I got.


Then we have Isla, this was taken a day or before she was born 12 days overdue.


Here I am at 33 weeks with my current little man.



I went shopping to day & was asked if this was my first. I think that's a great compliment given its my 4th!

Our weekend away.

Friday the 12th we drove down to Canberra. Our first big family drive.
We left about 7.30 Friday morning & made our way down via the M7.
It was an ok drive. I HATE long distance drives so it was nice that this was reasonably pleasant.
We stopped twice along the way. Simon was keen to do the tourist drives etc but I really wanted to get to Canberra by lunch time. So insisted we stick to the main roads & save the detours for the way home.
We stopped at one rest stop for a toilet stop & stretch our legs & all that.

I took these photos of the kids. I really like this one of Glenn, He was looking at the little flowers in the grass.





We also made another small stop as Isla had gotten rather upset over her show coming off! Well at least thats all I could figure out was wrong with her.

Once we arrived in Canberra we checked into the motel & then made our way to Questacon. That was fun, chasing the kids around was not so fun, but The boys really enjoyed it. They got to see & touch alot of things. It was a great place for the kids as they got to touch pretty much everything in there.
There was a kiddy spot that they all enjoyed. It had a building area, a little science area with magnets which is always a hit with my kids, a little climbing thing, a water play thing. It was fun.
Then They also got to experience an earth quake & see lightening, be blasted with wind, see how fast they could throw a ball. It really was a fun afternoon.

Evan in the building Pit.



Isla in her Lab coat


Glenn doing some construction.


Evan & Glenn being Blasted with tornado wind


After visiting questacon we did a very brief visit in the national library. Basically walked in, stood there & walked out. But Simon wanted to go in & have a look. But was happy with just being able to say he has been in the national library.
We then headed back to the Motel. The boys thought it was fun, we all had big long hot showers which was a real treat living on tank water & limited hot water. So we all took advantage of that!
Friday night I had a crap night sleep. I am sure I was awake for a part of every single hour of the night. I tossed & turned and woke at 6am with sore shoulders.

Saturday we made our way to the Selwyn Snowfields. I had been told by at least 3 people that it was the place to take kids. We drove to Cooma & had lunch at Macca's & then drove onto the snow. So about 3 hours once we actually got to the snowfields.
I was very disappointed. Yes there was snow but it was patchy. But kids (Evan especially) was excited to see the snow. We got out of the car & the boys needed to pee, so Simon took them over to the side of the road to pee before getting all geared up for playing. I spent a good 20 minutes getting the kids ready in snow suits a friend had lent us, Simon got ready in his bike gear, I got ready in my jeans & gum boots. I thought I would be fine like that. After all I had no intention of rolling around in the snow. I wasn't cold.
So we make our way over to the snow & Glenn tells me he needs to wee! So Simon takes Evan & Isla while Glenn & I hunt down the toilets.
Now you know those holes int he ground with a toilet seat attached you see at rural picnic area's or road side rest stops. They are gross as. They stink. After all that are just a hole filled with shit & urine!
Well picture 10 of those in a row, in a small room with big glass windows with the sun blaring in.
It was the most disgusting public toilet facilities I had ever been in. Seriously It was gross.
So I tell Glenn not to touch a thing. We struggle to get him positioned over the toilet while not touching anything. This was done by be holding him up as he was too short & holding his bits out to wee. He then tells me there isn't any!

So once again I get him geared back up & head back to Simon. Only to pass a kid (say about 3) peeing in the snow, after I had just finished telling them all (Simon mostly) that NO you can not wee in the snow & that the last thing I would want to do is play in snow some kid had pee'd in! but anyway I guess we all have different levels of parenting standards.

So we find Simon & Evan is zooming off down the hill on the toboggan (also lent to us). Poor Isla was just sitting there on Simon's lap with no expression on her face. After a little while we made our way to the bottom of the very big steep hill were Simon & the boys dug in the pile of snow & I held Isla. Isla eventually wanted to be down. So I stood there & watched. Dragged her around a little on the toboggan. Helped Glenn have a few goes down the hill.
Then the fun started....
Glenn's pants kept riding up & as a result his boots kept getting snow in them. Eventually his socks where wet though & his feet sore. So I took them off, set him up so his feet where inside his pants & said not to move. I went back to the car & got him new socks. But remember I am 33 weeks pregnant & it was a blood big hill I had to go back up.
By the time I got back to him he had his now wet inside boots back on, crying that his feet here sore.
Evan had also started. He had hit his head on a sign, got snow accidentally down the back of his jacket & well things just got worse.
Glenn's boots were wet on the inside so the new (2 layers) of socks lasted about 15 minutes before he was complaining again.
Evan kept on & on about being cold.
I was tired & uncomfortable. Remember I said I thought I would be fine in just jeans. Well as I said I wasn't cold. BUT I couldn't sit down at all. I was standing on uneven ground, walking up big hills & dragging kids around on the toboggan.
So when I got back to 2 kids crying & whinging & lost it. Said I was going back & sitting in the car blah blah blah.
But I stopped & just pretty much stood there for another 20 minutes or so until Glenn could no longer handle his wet boots & Simon said he would take Evan up & suss out the tyres that people where sliding down the hill on.
We get back to the top of the hill to find that they stop selling tickets for this tyre thing 8 minutes ago. Evan once again looses it, throws his gloves off & sulks in the snow for a few minutes while we stand there & wait for him to get up.
finally we all storm off to the car & leave.
Evan has now started that he wants to see REAL snow. That's not snow its just ice. There was no convincing this kid that that was snow, that is what snow is.

We spent about 6 hours driving that day to go to the long awaited trip to the snow. Only to spend TWO, yes 2 hours at the snow.
Im sorry but for all those who said Selwyn was great for kids. I have to disagree. It was crap. Never again will I go there or recommend it to anyone with kids.
The area for people on Ski's was fairly big & lots of snow. BUT You couldn't take the toboggan in that area.
The area off limits to Skiing was about the size of a small oval. On a steep hill. Packed with kids & adults on toboggans.
Now Im not saying people can't have their fun. But seriously, do you really thing its a fantastic idea to join 6 toboggan & all slide down a hill packed with people sideways? Sure you can jump out of the way of ONE oncoming toboggan BUT SIX sideways? You have no hope in hell.
Also to "Mr cool" who was Oh so impressive standing on his & zooming down at the speed of light. I wonder just how cool it would have felt had you collected one of the many children on your way down. I seriously believe had he, that child would have came away with nothing less then a broken limb at the very least.

So yes, my take on Selwyn Snowfields is its NOT very child/family friendly at all. Not in the slightest!

But on the plus side I did manage some nice shots. Isla is my fav for that day.






On the way back to Canberra Simon hit a kangaroo. That was exciting. The roo was ok, Simon managed to only side swap it. You can see the scuff mark on the car & the roo was sitting in a field on the side of the road & jumped away when Simon walked towards it. But obviously a stunned Roo as it then proceeded to go back across the HWY that just moments before almost claimed its life.

Simon suggested we go out for dinner when we got back. Actually go out to a restaurant not just macca's. Now in the 12 years we have been together I think that is the first time HE suggested that. So of course I snapped up the chance to eat out for real.
On recommendation of a child friendly place we head to an RSL style of place.
Get there, its packed, we have to pay to go in as we are not members. I asked to see a menus first. Nothing looks appealing to me, there is 1 vegetarian option & well the kids would get chips & nuggets for $7.50 each.

We end up at Macca's across the road.

BUT not before Isla hurts her arm being silly. She was trying to run from Simon who was holding her hand & pulls her arm. She cried & continues to cry & not use her arm while at Macca's. We decide we need to get her seen too.
We find a lovely couple who offer to drive & we follow to a chemist they know will be open, my plan was to get some kids panadol & see what happens.
The chemist tells me of a medical center open till 10 pm (its now 9pm) just a few minutes up the road. So we take her there seems we are close anyway.
She is seen too straight away but I am told to give her panadol & bring her back on Monday if its still bothering her.
She was too upset to be able to tell if she reacted when the Dr touched her arm so I guess thats the best he could do at the time.

We get back to the motel & she falls asleep at the breast (thank goodnes for boobies!) & sleeps through the night. But at one stage I rolled over & had my arm resting her sore arm & she whimpers & cries a little in her sleep. Come morning she is still guarding her arm & crying when its touched so we head for the emergency room.

She starts using her arm while we wait to be seen. Typical but we still wait. She is seen by the Nurse who pokes & prodes with no reaction from Isla. She informs me I should still see the Dr but there is at least a 2 hour wait.
I decide that we will continue on with our plans & see how she goes. Seems we are heading home today.

We leave & head for our last stop for the trip which was the National Dino Museum. That was much smaller then I was expecting so while planed to be on the road back by 2, we head home around 11.30.
The Dino place was good & the kids liked it, it was just small & all done in an hour.

Simon drove most of the way back, taking in his side roads yet still making pretty good time.
We bi pass the M7 this time & head towards Penrith via Campbell town.
we stop in Penrith for a zip around toy R us to pick up a microscope Evan had been saving his weekly pocket money to get. I then drive the rest of the way home.

Overall the weekend was a nice trip. the Snow sucked & we spent money we don't have to the sum of an amount Simon refuses to be told.


But I got some nice photos & weekend away.

Oh, Isla & her arm. All of Sunday driving home she wouldn't use it. It was her right arm & she is right handed but struggled with everything to use her left hand. If you handed her something she would take it with her left.
I thought for sure we would be back at the GP's on Monday.

Sunday night she forgot all about it & has been using it as if nothing ever happened since.
We figure yes it was very sore when she did it & after but then she was just remembering how much it hurt so wouldn't move it incase.

Just a sneak peak

Had my 32 week ultrasound to check on the growth of the little man. He is coming along nicely.

As all my babies do, he was only willing to show us a little sneak peak of his beautiful looks.
Here he is with his arm up over part of his face.