My Pregnancy Blunders

My friend, Geraldine, when she was pregnant with her 2nd child warned me to what she called "Placenta Brain", which she blamed everything on. Now that I am pregnant myself, I am tending to understand exactly what she was saying and agree with her 100%. I completely stuff up things I say, I get halfway through a story and forget the point of it, I say expressions completely wrong, such as "the pot boiling (or calling) the kettle black" or "a watched clock never boils" as well as forgetting things that I am supposed to do. You may say this is normal.....but it isn't for me and I know Geraldine well enough to know it certainly wasn't for her.

Not that any of this really matters. When I think about all that my body is going through in order to grow and sustain our baby, I realise that may be why my brain ceases to work. Unfortunately, the bad news is yet to come......Apparently, a pregnant woman's brain actually shrinks during pregnancy and according to most mothers I know, it NEVER goes back to the way it is supposed to be! I'm doomed to being like this forever!!! Poor Cameron :)

Speaking of Cameron - he felt our baby kick (or punch, or headbutt) for the first time yesterday (Saturday). It was such a special moment between the 3 of us and highlighted that we will be very soon introducing a third member into our own little family. Bubs kicks, punches and headbutts me quite regularly now - each time it feels like a flick or a slight (or not so slight) pulsation on the inside of my stomach. It truly is a magical feeling but even better when you get to share it with your loved one. Cameron was really excited, especially when he now knows he has the ability to wake the baby up and make it start kicking mum. He gets a bigger kick out of this than I get out of bubs! Baby gets quite active when it hears Dad talking or when Dad puts his hands on my tummy and pokes (which he does quite regularly.) It is amazing to have that much of a bond with our unborn child.

We cannot wait for our baby to arrive - new due date is 15th August! We are looking forward to being parents and know that we could not love anything more than we will our precious baby. All is looking good with bubs and I am doing fairly well also, although am completely fed up of the morning sickness, which STILL continues to haunt me too regularly for my liking. Oh well.....at least the baby (and I) are fine and at the end of the day.....thats all that really matters.

ANZAC Day

The 25th of April is ANZAC Day and is probably Australia's most important national occasion, as it marks the anniversary of the landing of Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli on 25th April 1915. The date 25th April was officially named ANZAC Day in 1916. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as ANZACs, and the pride they soon took in that name endures to this day.

In 1917, the word ANZAC meant someone who fought at Gallipoli and later it came to mean any Australian or New Zealander who fought or served in the First World War. During the Second World War, ANZAC Day became a day on which the lives of all Australians lost in war time were remembered. The spirit of ANZAC recognises the qualities of courage, mateship and sacrifice which were demonstrated at the Gallipoli landing.

Commemorative services are held at dawn, the time of the original landing, across the nation. Later in the day ex-servicemen and women meet and join in marches through the major cities and many smaller centres. Commemorative ceremonies are held at war memorials around the country. It is a day when Australians reflect on the many different meanings of war.

A typical ANZAC Day service contains the following features: introduction, hymn, prayer, an address, laying of wreaths, recitation, "The last post", a period of silence, "The rouse" or "The reveille", and the National Anthem. At the Australian War Memorial, following events such as the ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day services, families often place red poppies beside the names of relatives on the Memorial's Roll of Honour.

Information sourced from The Australian War Memorial Website - http://www.awm.gov.au and the Australian Government Website - http://www.culture.gov.au/articles/anzac

The above picture is of the War Memorial at Kings Park in Perth, WA

Happy Anniversary

Dear Mum (Jan) & Ashley

Happy 4 year wedding Anniversary. Congratulations on making it this far. May the years to follow bring you both even more happiness.

Our Love Always

Kathryn, Cameron & Bubs

oxoxox

Congratulations!

Congratulations to our dear friends Ben and Kalee on announcing their engagement - again (they have been engaged for ages but Ben had decided the proposal was stale, so decided to propose again. They have attempted to plan their wedding in the past but for a number of reasons it never eventuated).

I found out the good news today, after speaking to Kalee who told me how romantic Ben was with his proposal. It was so sweet that I had to share it :)

Ben had flowers delivered to Kalee's work instructing her to meet him at Hilary's Wharf (in Perth, WA) after work, as opposed to going to the Gym. He then suprised her with a limo that drove them to the location where they had already decided to "tie the knot" and proposed to her over a really romantic picnic. How cute is that!!!

As I previously said - a HUGE congratulations to you both - You both deserve to be happy with each other. We hope the wedding all goes to plan this time. I really hope I can make it back to be your Matron-of-Honour. Nothing would make me prouder than to stand with you on the most amazingly special day of your lives!

Happy Birthday Dad (Rodney)

Dear Dad / Rod

We hope you had a great Birthday. Sorry we missed celebrating with you :(

Love Kathryn, Cameron and Bubs

xxx

Happy Easter

Even though Easter is not celebrated here in Dubai - we wish all our loved ones a safe and joyous Easter. Enjoy the break away and remember the spiritual meaning this time of year holds. Our love always.

"Dost thou understand me, sinful soul? He wrestled with justice, that thou mightest have rest; He wept and mourned, that thou mightest laugh and rejoice; He was betrayed, that thou mightest go free; was apprehended, that thou mightest escape; He was condemned, that thou mightest be justified; and was killed, that thou mightest live; He wore a crown of thorns, that thou mightest wear a crown of glory; and was nailed to the cross, with His arms wide open, to show with what freeness all His merits shall be bestowed on the coming soul; and how heartily He will receive it into His bosom?"

~John Bunyan~

My growing bump

Okay, it's about time I start taking photos of my growing tummy (since everyone wants to see photos) as bub gets bigger (and consequently makes me fatter) so here they are. While alot of people don't yet realise I am pregnant, or don't believe me when I say I am starting to show.....in these photos - it is obvious that I am. Fortunately, I am still able to hide it and not look (almost) 5 & a 1/2 months pregnant, which has it's advantages at times.

All my new friends in Dubai are saying I am looking well and fabulous for almost 5 and a half months pregnant :) They are all so sweet.

1st February - 11 and a half weeks (my normal flabby pot-belly tummy)

1st April - 21 weeks and 1 day - starting to get rounder.

April Fools Day

Happy April Fools Day - A pinch and a punch from us to you for the first of the month :)

Not alot to report from us this week. Cameron has been working extremely hard (as usual) and has not even had a full weekend to relax due to meetings or phone calls that have to be had. Fortunately, he has some new staff starting in about a month, so his workload should (hopefully) decrease dramatically - Yay for me!

We visited our Doctor yesterday for another routine appointment. We got to see the baby on the screen (which Cameron had not seen for two months) and it was truly awesome. Our baby was punching, rolling, jumping, kicking and wriggling around all over the place. All is going perfectly and we are off for the major abnormality scan in two weeks time. My doctor is fairly happy with my health, although still need weekly monitoring with the clinic but fortunately all is going well. We got to see the baby's ribs this time - it was amazing to see them and the little heart beating underneath. It truly is a magical moment every time we see our baby on the screen. We will scan and put up the photo soon.

I have been far more social these past few weeks, as the morning sickness has eased off and I am feeling alot better within myself most of the time. I still get extremely tired and exhausted but with such an active baby growing inside me, who can blame me! I am starting to feel the baby move now, which is a very special feeling. I go out at least twice a week to coffee mornings now which has lead to a few friendships and other lunch dates. I even babysat one of the little boys on two occasions. It is nice to be getting out again, meeting people and forming friendships with other pregnant people and mums.

We are planning on going to Abu Dhabi next friday for the airshow, so we are looking forward to a day away, doing something a little different. It will be great to get out in the fresh air and take photo's of the low flying planes as they fly circuits over the Corniche in Abu Dhabi. More on that after the event.

Well, have a good week everyone - more from us soon.

x