Karen's Journey

Hi all

Oooops didn't realise it had been a week since I had done a proper update... thanks to you all for the lovely comments about Rachel and also her christening gown. The gown is at least 25yrs old (was given to my sister to use) and was worn by my sisters three children. I do love the two christening photos that I posted on here so just have to get the disk to a camera shop and get them printed off (as our printer isn't that great) so I can put them in to a frame.

So what have we been up to in the last week? Not a lot really - it's been great having Steph home and he still has one more week at home with us. The family are more or less gone now... just got my brother (and his family) from Melbourne to head home and they leave on Sunday. My brother from Chch has gone up north for a week or so and will pop back in here on his way home. It was really hard saying goodbye to my nieces and nephew from London on Tuesday afternoon (their father is my brother from Ireland but they live in London with their mum) - it had been 6 years since I had seen them and it could be that long before I see them again! The only reason they live in London is that their mum is a pom and when the relationship with my brother ended, she met another pom and moved back "home" and not long afer my brother followed so he could still have regular access to the kids and has since met and married an Irish woman.

Anyway, I went off on a tangent there - sorry about that. So apart from that trip to the airport we have done sweet bugger all really. Days at home, going for a walk or two as a family which has been great. We are heading over the hill to Masterton today to spend the afternoon with my sister and my brother from Melbourne as they are over there today as well. This will be our goodbye to the ones from Melbourne but because we see them fairly "reguarly" it won't be as sad but as always I do wish my family all lived in NZ but thats not the case. So once Rachel wakes up, has a feed and nappy change, we will hit the road, have some lunch, do a bit of shopping over there and then head to my sisters for a BBQ tea and at least with it being at my sisters place we can rely on having tea at a reasonable hour as all my brothers tend to eat late at night (i.e. having dinner about 8.30pm or so).

Rachel is now 2mths old (and 2 days)! Can't belive that the time has gone so fast and it is really sad to think that I have to head back to work next month!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! But unless that ever eluding lotto win comes our way in the next 5 weeks then yes it is back to work for me. Will sit down in the next few days and redo our budget and all going well I will be able to go back part time which will make me slightly happier. The Mgr from the daycare centre we have booked Rachel into rung me yesterday to have a chat so Rachel and I are going down there to see her on Monday.

I have won two battles so to speak today... the first one being not getting Rachel up when she wouldn't go to sleep at midnight - I just stood beside her rubbing her side (as she sleeps on her side in a safety wedge for reflux purposes), playing her musical butterfly and using the famous "shhhhhhhhh" and although it took about 12mins she did go to sleep and stayed down till just after 5am and even then she really only woke due to a stomach ache as we are having a few constipation problems at the moment. And the 2nd battle was that I put her down awake (rather than rocking her to sleep) at 8.30am and it is now 10.45am and she is still "out to it"! I know that both of these could be a fluke but definitely gives me the motivation to continue both of these battles to prepare her for when she goes into care. Now, we just have to get into some sort of routine... nothing strict - but something that resembles a routine would be great! But the Mgr of the daycare said she would help me with that when we see her on Monday.

Anyway, enough rambling from me - best I go make sure I have got everything packed for Rachel before she wakes up... hope you are all having a fantastic holiday season and that those on holiday are enjoying themselves :)