Hot mammas!

A while back, a deal was made that Natalie, Tanya and I would take a photo together in our swimsuits. It would be a fun thing and a chance to capture our bellies in the summer sun for posterity. Obviously, I must post this photo on the blog :-)

Like, hello!, we're totally gorgeous and rocking those swimming cozzies!!!! It was also very hot so we were pretty glad to be in the pool ha ha ha!!! Aaaaand, the best bit, our husbands said we're oh so sexy *blush, blush*

Seriously, I think all my friends are beautiful (no really I have BEAUTIFUL friends!) and the two beside me have taken on a whole other kind of beauty. Natalie is literally ready to give birth any day now while Tanya is exactly halfway through her pregnancy and they both look stunning!!! As for me, I'm still giggling about how teeeeeny tiny my bikini bottom is but glad that my boepie has a tan :-)

Swimming with a belly is quite interesting. It feels like someone has strapped a Pollyotter swimming suit to my middle and submersion in water is impossible. Swimming just doesn't feel right but floating on my back has become incredibly easy. I just try to keep upright and literally run in the water to keep moving. It's somewhat comical as I resemble a one-woman aqua aerobics class with no music. Or I push my arms up on the steps to support my body and then float on my tummy. Either way, as long as I can cool off, I'm a happy fish.

Now you're probably wondering if Wren likes the water. Considering that she doesn't move when I'm in the pool, we'll assume that she does. She's already floating in her own pool so she likely feels that I relax and welcomes the cooler temperatures I provide.

Speaking of Wren, she started making some big movements this week and she's keeping Belly Telly going for much longer periods of time. I try to watch as much as possible and I can now see when she turns onto her side, accurately feel exactly where she punches and her feet make little humps under my skin when she kicks. It's very cool!

(FYI - Belly Telly is what I call the entertainment I get from watching Wren move in my belly. You can tell I'm in the TV business when I name the show I get from within my uterus hahahahhahaha!!!)

This is my last post for 2011. We'll be ringing in the new year with friends including our pregnant posse (those of us who cannot drink, drink non-alcoholic champers together. Clever!). I have every intention of dancing tonight so Trevor will be on duty to capture the hilarity that is my attempt at "cool" dance moves.

Whatever you do, don't overdo it, just do it over :-)

We'll see ya in 2012!

Festive fun

Compliments of the season to you all! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!!
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It's been an awesome two weeks for our family but I'll give you the Christmas rundown first. Trevor and I started our vacation time on 15 December and summer showed up just in time. Because we never go away over the festive season, we jumped at the opportunity to spend the long weekend in Hermanus for some quiet time alone, rest and relaxation. It proved necessary for both of us and we came home on the Monday morning feeling refreshed and ready for fun.

Being cool in Hermanus for lunch

First thing we did was get ourselves a nice little Christmas gift in the form of a baby travel system. We had decided months ago we really wanted a Quinny pram and, thanks to some clever shopping on Gumtree and Trevor's skillful negotiating, we got a bargain of note! The second hand set we bought includes the Buzz pram, Dreami carry cot, Maxi Cosi car seat in a matching design, car seat base and every single accessory that comes with the Quinny system. It's previous owner bought the whole system in the UK, it's hardly been used and she sold it to us for less than what the pram alone retails for brand new. In total, we got everything for 60-70% less than the brand new purchase price of the full system. SCORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wren's rides

Feeling very chuffed with ourselves for getting the major purchases done so far in advance, we had a relaxed build-up to Christmas which included our first swim in our pool for the summer. Swimming is weird now but more on that in another post. On the 23rd, we enjoyed a group pre-Christmas dinner. We were 5 couples, all dressed in something red, and we had a beautiful evening together. Of the 5 couples, 3 are expecting so it was unusual for the bumps to outnumber the non-bumps LOL! It was so festive around the dinner table with candles, music, crackers, Secret Santa gifts, Santa hats and heaps of food. There was laughter, good conversation and we gathered around the piano to sing carols. Everyone enjoyed the celebration that we're going to try to make it an annual event. It was one of those gatherings where you could walk away saying that it was a true example of the Christmas spirit and I must say a huge thank you to Clint and Tanya Morris for welcoming us into their brand new home and hosting a splendid evening.

Awesome Xmas cupcakes!

Singing in our Santa hats :-)

Now, I'm used to being at home on Christmas Eve. And by home I mean either my house or my folks' place. So, when Trevor realised that we'd have the entire day and evening to ourselves for a change, he decided we should do something different and go watch a movie that night. It felt super weird walking into the mall at 7pm on Christmas Eve but the movie was fun and it was kinda cool to be doing something out of the ordinary. We then went to my parents to welcome in midnight and exchange gifts.

And there it was: Wren's very first Christmas gift! My parents, clearly getting a head start on buying Christmas gifts for this kiddo, signed the tag by the names which she'll call them, "Nan & GD". They bought her a beautiful white lace Anglais quilt for her cot. I really wanted one but never told anybody so it was quite lovely that my mom and I had a moment of syncronicity which is rare for us. Next to Wren's gift was an equally sized gift from my folks to us and it was the Angelcare Baby Monitor I told my dad about back in October. His only two grandparental tasks were 1.) Pick a name for the baby to call him and 2.) Find a baby monitor. He completed both before the year was out! Well done Dad!!!

My dad, Trevor and I are all gadget geeks so the baby monitor is like a cool toy to all of us. Dad still doesn't quite understand how it works but he'll see when its in use.

It was scorching hot on Christmas day and I made it through church service with flying colours. My children's choir did me proud for my last hurrah, playing Christmas carols in the orchestra was loads of fun and I totally rocked my solos. I'm a bit sad to be out of the music rotation but I know my body was literally pushed as far as it could go. Trevor said he could hear how my voice is starting to take strain between the heat, dehydration and the pressure on my abdomen. I seem to be the only one who forgets that I'm 7 months pregnant. Oh well, I'll sit still and enjoy the music from now on.

I match my parents' Christmas tree LOL!

For the first time ever, Trevor's family and mine had Christmas lunch together. In fact, it's the first meal our families have ever had together. Don't know how it's never happened in the decade we've been together. Anyhoo, it was a great success! The meal was lovely and our families had a good time celebrating the last Christmas BW (Before Wren ha ha ha!!). I came home that night, sat in the dark on our patio and quietly contemplated a very busy and hot day before giving in to exhaustion. Must say I slept quite happily :-)

And so Christmas week came and went. Next year, I'll be running after my little girl, helping her wrap and unwrap gifts, teaching her carols, watching her stare at Christmas trees and lights with faschination and seeing Christmas anew through her eyes. My goodness, it's going to be fantastic!!!!!

Letter to the Second Trimester

Dear Second Trimester
I'm truly sad to see you go. You were happy, easy going and brought so many wonderful moments.

Thank you for little kicks, punches, tickles and bubbles, for helping me get strong in Pilates, for giving me loads of energy, for all the laughter at how silly I look when I dance and for my shiny, thick, healthy hair. Thank you for giving Trev the chance to really bond with his daughter and for those beautiful moments when she moves as he speaks to her.

Mostly thank you for all the laughter and happiness. I've learnt to ask for help, laugh at the fact that I can't get my shoes on, love my new body and I discovered my new favourite form of entertainment: Belly Telly :-)

Admittedly, I haven't enjoyed feeling my ribs stretch and finding new ways to get comfortable when sitting or sleeping gets frustrating at times. But I never forget how much I wanted this experience and I've appreciated and been grateful for every single day, even the ones that hurt a little.

I hear that the third trimester is a bit hectic. I might be very fatigued again, the skin stretching has only just begun and Wren is about to have a massive growth spurt which will undoubtedly put a strain on my tiny torso in the unforgiving Jan and Feb heat. When it gets too much, I'll think of you my friend.

I hope that if we meet again our relationship will be just as wonderful. Trevor and I will cherish the memories you've given us forever.

With a tear in our eyes but a smile in our hearts, we bid you a fond farewell.

Too much of cuteness

Yesterday, a red envelope turned up in our mailbox. It was addressed to me and the sender was listed as "Santa's Helpers". I opened the envelope and discovered two sheets of paper. The first sheet was a letter from Santa's Helpers who wrote that they had received a Christmas wishlist from our Jack Russell, Buttons. I was being asked to kindly heed the wishlist and make Buttons' Christmas dreams come true. Here's the letter Buttons wrote to Santa:

Huge high five to Hill's pet food for this adorable marketing ploy. It ranks right up there with our vet who also sends mail addressed to the dogs by name and surname. Super cute!

It's hilarious that the writing style and paw prints are pretty much spot on for Buttons...if she could write of course. Then again, this is a dog who I'm certain has the brain of a genius. For example, she's learnt how to build her own forts out of scatter cushions. Not only do they provide warmth and concealment, they also serve as protection and space dividers from Rhapsody. Clever solution to an annoying problem!

Many people have asked if we're concerned about Buttons' reaction to the baby because female Jacks are known to be rather jealous and possessive of their owners, particularly female owners. We're not at all worried. She's an easy-going dog and doesn't require constant attention. While Buttons is extremely affectionate, fortunately, she's also quite independent; a perk from her being the runt of her litter.

I've been making an effort to bond with her because she won't be the baby in our house for much longer. She's shown no awareness of the pregnancy like Rhapsody has (R's new trick is to sniff my belly right where Wren is lying) but I'm glad she still wants to cuddle up with me. I just don't want her to feel left out. Between Hurricane Rhapsody and a newborn, it would be so easy to overlook the quiet little Jack Russell who faithfully waits at doors, fetches socks and her rope toy on command and who loves and protects her family fiercely, even if she is the smallest member of our household.

26 week check-up

(I'm trying to eat a sandwich and type at the same time and the sandwich is winning ha ha ha!)

Ok, yesterday was our monthly check-up and from now till due date we'll be with the gynaecologist. Got to love that my gynae's first remark when I walked into her office was "Still a Jack-In-The-Box, I see."

First issue to be dealt with: the dreaded weight question. Dr White, being super awesome, didn't tell me how much I've gained or even how much I weigh now. All she said was that my weight gain is in the normal range and I should stop stressing about it. Halle-frikkin-lujah!!! (At this point Trevor also gave me his "I told you so" look) Like I said in a previous post, I'm pretty good about what I eat and it's a relief to hear that my discipline regarding both my food and my Pilates classes is working. It also means I can enjoy my Christmas treats *doing a happy dance*

Before starting the scan, Dr White emphasized the fact that Wren-Lee is now viable i.e. if she were to deliver early for any reason, she can survive independently of me. Dr White then jokingly said I shouldn't be doing anything crazy like hiking from now on. I replied that getting up the staircase in my parents' house is enough of a hike for me LOL!

The scan itself was a big surprise. Wren looks like a proper baby now! She's got a bit of fat on her body and her face is plumping up. She was scrunching her face up during the scan so we only got a partial picture of her face and can't tell yet who's features she has.

You have to tilt your head to the right and you can see her right eye and a bit of her nose.

According to the measurements taken, she weighs over 900gr and is on course to weigh about 3kg at birth, which is quite normal. She was sleeping at the time of the scan but Dr White says the position of my placenta acts as a buffer between Wren and I so I don't feel some of her movements. She's also in the correct head down position and it's unlikely that she'll move out of there now. All this means is that I'm looking good for normal delivery.

And our kiddo is a bit of a gymnast/contortionist. She seems to enjoy pulling her feet up to her face. All through the check-up, she was bending and stretching her legs to get her feet up. Dr White decided to measure them seeing as she kept putting them right up in front of the ultrasound wand and kiddo's footsies are just under 5cm already!

How cute are those little toes!!!!

I'm really sad that my next check-up will be my last with Dr White. Now that I've gotten to know her through the pregnancy, it's a bit heart-breaking that she won't be guiding me through labour and birth. And she's quite sad too about having to leave her patients right at the end of their pregnancies although she said yesterday she doesn't cry about it anymore. Dr White is aware that the next visit is our last and I'm going to mentally prepare myself now already to not cry. It's difficult to have to let go of that relationship and start a new one with a new doctor who we'll only see a few times before Wren arrives. But, I'm going to welcome Dr van Waart with open arms and hope she's as lovely as everyone reassures me she is.

Please forgive my emotional attachment to my doctor. These days I'm emotional about everything. I cry during TV shows, I cry during speeches, I cry every time I hear John Mayer's "Daughters", I cry watching birth videos. Heck, I get teary just thinking about Christmas, our friends who live abroad, all the babies being born next year and how blessed, truly blessed, Trevor and I am to be surrounded by wonderful friends and family to share in this very special time with us. Even in reading the blog, thanks to you too for being part of this. We appreciate it from the bottom of our hearts.

Whopper weekend!

You can practically smell the happy holiday vibe in Cape Town. The weather is nice, people are relaxed, Christmas spirit abounds and there's lots of good time with friends. Trevor and I are already scheduling things because we're constantly on the go and this past weekend was no exception.

Friday night was the company end-of-the-year dinner and it was at the fabulous Madame Zingara. Our company dinner is really a family dinner seeing as both my parents, Trevor and I work together and my brother was also in attendance. The show was fantastic and Trevor finally got to experience one of Wren's party modes. Every time the music would swell, she'd do a flurry of flips, kicks and punches. I waited until I knew she was definitely responding to the music, grabbed Trev's hand, put it on my belly and he felt just how active and big she is. I've been trying to get him to see it or feel it for weeks already and I'm glad he got the chance even if it was a duel contortionist performance: The act on stage and the one in my tummy :-) 

I must say I'm starting to appreciate the way people look at me now. While I was walking up and down at Zingara, the folks at the tables I walked past would glance at my tummy and smile. And it's quite cool that the other pregnant women there exchanged that "You're a member of the club. Hello to you!" look with me. I took a chance and went over to a lady who's dress I was admiring from afar. The instant she looked down at my belly, she happily told me where she bought the dress. I'm thinking this bump can be pretty useful LOL!

Saturday was my good friend Natalie's lavender-themed baby shower. I've been super excited for this because she really deserved to be spoilt. Although I was carefully monitored by all the friends and family, I helped with the decorating and setting up. My other big job was that of official photographer. I'll show you just a few pics so you get an idea of the party.

Anyway, Natz loved her party and got a heap of great gifts. There was an emotional moment where everyone, especially all the pregnant ladies in attendance, got misty eyed (I couldn't even take pictures because I was crying so much) but there was a lot of love and well wishes for Natalie, Duane and baby Sienna. 

Natalie is utterly beautiful at 33 weeks pregnant and now we're all waiting with much anticipation for baby's arrival which looks to be a bit earlier than planned :-) 

On Sunday, we started a band...or at least we'd like to think we did. 

Our friends, Clint and Tanya Morris, will be moving from their flat into a brand new house this week and we had a little gathering for old times sake. It was decided that we'd bid farewell to their old home with some Guitar Hero. Turns out three pregnant mammas can rock out on a video game!

The Bumps: From left, Twinkle Fingers Tanya on bass, Naughty Natalie on drums and Erin-giser Bunny on lead guitar

Jokingly, I suggested we name our band The Bumps and Clint quickly pointed out that we're actually a group of six if you include our unborn daughters. Still, we racked up a pretty good score. The boys also got their chance to be rock stars. 

The official boy band portrait

From left: Fly Boy Clint on bass, Dashing Duane on drums and The Trevinator on lead guitar

But, everything in life needs a bit of balance. After such a hectic weekend, we'll be enjoying some down time in Hermanus for the coming long weekend. My nickname might be the Erin-giser Bunny but even I need a recharge now and then. Here's hoping I manage to sit still for longer than 10 minutes - Cheers! 

You're joking, right?

I LOVE music! Like seriously LOVE it! I sang in competition choirs all through school but, for church, I've been in the orchestra since I picked up my flute over a decade ago and I've been in the same choir for 12 years. I also started conducting and teaching our Sunday School choir this year. Once Wren's due date was certain, a decision had to be made of when I'd cease all the music activity and Christmas Day was pegged as D-Day...Done Day. I'll be doing all three on Christmas morning before taking a long sabbatical.

My choir master, Neville, and I have a great working relationship. He's pretty bummed that I'm out of the choir soon so, he's been assigning cool solos for me to sing on big occasions. Last night, on a whim, he teams me up with my good friend Gen for a "golden oldie" on Christmas Day and it shall be our grand finale.

After practice, I had a good chuckle with Neville. He said he decided to let me have at the solo because I assured him I can still comfortably pitch the notes at the top of my vocal range. He figured I should leave the choir "on a high note" and he wasn't joking. To quote my cousin Carla, "That's beastly!"

This is Wren's Christmas wake-up call LOL! 

Project Baby Room: It has begun...

The room we once called "The sunny room" has begun its transformation into "The baby's room". Armed with a lot of paint, brushes, newspaper and masking tape, Trevor and I tackled the first coat of paint on the walls.

Thankfully, there wasn't much furniture in the room so moving everything out was a quick job. We packed up the bedding and curtains before Trevor got to work laying down masking tape. Of course, our resident supervisors were on hand to ensure everything was done correctly.

"Hey big guy, whatcha doing?" 

"Lady, we're trying to work here."

 Unfortunately, the supervising staff succumbed to the monotony of the job and eventually fell asleep...

Because Rhapsody is magically drawn towards wet paint, we decided to just let her sleep and carry on painting until we had to tackle the wall she was blocking. She wasn't particularly impressed when she was woken up and sent out into the yard.

Anyway, please don't think that just because I'm the pregnant one I did nothing but take photos. Trevor is 6ft tall whereas I'm much, much closer to the ground so, I do all the painting in the corners and above the skirting.

With all the edges and corners painted, Trev did the first coat and is one of few people I know who paints ambidextrously.

I'm not sure if painting with both his left and right hand makes the work go twice as fast but he was pretty tired afterwards. So, I whipped up a treat he's been requesting for almost a month: A huge steaming pile of flapjacks with maple syrup :-)

There's no going back now. While I was painting it occurred to me that we were painting our child's room. Like, hello, it's OUR CHILD'S ROOM - crazy! It's all becoming very, very real. As much fun as it is to play interior decorator, the fact that the space is for a new member of our family is always front and center. We've been excited about our kiddo from day one but this project feels like our first big step into parenthood and, honestly, we couldn't be happier.

Yummy (mummy)

My doctor gave me one thing to do for this pregnancy: Watch my weight. 

I've been an extremely good girl and haven't really indulged in sweets or junk food anymore than usual. In fact, I've probably been better about it over the course of the pregnancy. But October was a mess with birthdays and socialising and in this last month I fluctuated between being crazy hungry all day and then having no appetite the next day. 

Obviously, I was not impressed to discover I was slightly over the weight I'm supposed to be at for the 25 week mark. Trevor found my distress and disappointment most confusing seeing as he's well aware of how conscious I am of not "eating for two". Plus he thinks I'm drop dead gorgeous with the baby belly so my weight is of little concern to him. 

In the end, what matters is that I'm in great health, the baby's happy and healthy (well, judging by her flurry of activity, she must be having a party in here) and there's no point in stressing over every single kilogram. I eat healthily, exercise and enjoying the pregnancy is more important than panicking about my weight. 

All that being said, we hit the 25 week mark yesterday. Trevor and I were in the Waterfront for a corporate event and he decided that we deserved to spoil ourselves a little. So, throwing caution to the wind, Wren-Lee and I enjoyed a delicious caramel biscuit and vanilla caramel brownie flavoured treat from our favourite ice-cream brand...(I salivate when reading this last sentence) 

Haagen-Dazs = food heaven *drool*

Project Baby Room: The Inspiration

(I wrote the title and now I can't stop the Chicago song "You're the inspiration" from playing in my head. Oy!)

With the festive season fast approaching, Trevor and I were keen to get a move on with Wren-Lee's room. Just like with our wedding and our house, Trevor and I have a pattern when we work together:
1. Vastly different ideas and design
2. We argue about the vastly different ideas and design
3. We attempt to compromise and mesh the ideas together
4. The mash-up doesn't work and we come up with a whole new idea.
5. We don't like the new idea and promptly throw it out leaving us back at beginning again
6. We come up with a totally different idea which we both like and then speed forward

Fortunately, this time around we didn't spend as much time on steps 2 and 3 as we usually do and managed to come up with the final scheme over two weeks. Trevor's designed a graphic that will be on the wall behind the cot based on this pic.

He's done fewer letters and gone for a totally different font which is better suited to a girl's room. The couple who did the room in the photo are both graphic designers and they painted every letter by hand. We'll be doing the same. Trevor says it's a labour of love. I told him I'm the one who has to go through labour, pfft.

Now, for the colour scheme, we've settled on a soft blue and pink combo. Neither of us likes pink girl's rooms and we wanted the room to be restful, beautiful and feminine. The bedroom gets the most amazing afternoon sunlight all year round and it helps to keep the cold aspect of the blue under control. These are the pics we chose the colours from.

Over the next 8-12 weeks, I'll be documenting the room make-over (lots of photos!). The plan of action for Phase 1 (painting) is to prep the walls over the next 3 days, do all the masking tape on Friday and start with the wall colour by Sunday. Trevor's in charge of figuring out how to project the lettering onto the wall so we can trace them out and my teeny tiny steady hands will be doing a lot of the fine work. The entire painting procedure will probably take two weeks to complete but it'll be worth the work when it's done.

I'm incredibly proud and grateful for the amount of effort Trevor's putting into this room. Usually it's the mom who takes the creative lead on the baby's room but I'm fortunate to have a baby daddy who enjoys being able to go back to his graphic design education and use it for something special. So, while he may not do dishes, he might be highly "allergic" to cleaning the house and he's slowly learning to enjoy grocery shopping, Trevor's love and talent will be made visible every time we look into Wren-Lee's bedroom.

Grow, grow, grow the bump...

A lot of people have been asking for baby bump photos. Some people even asked in Texas...

My parents are travelling in the USA at the moment and met up with an old friend, YL Cheung, at a conference in Houston this past Thursday. YL wanted to know what I looked like now so, my mom messaged me and asked that I take photos and send them to her. 

I had just gotten out of Pilates class and was spending the evening with friends. My friend Tanya played photographer and we got two good shots which were quickly sent to the parents. She asked me nicely to post the photos seeing as they are now the most recent pics of me and were taken at exactly 22 weeks. 

Like I said earlier, I just got out of Pilates class when these were taken so make-up and hair were au naturel plus we snapped these on my Blackberry. Even I won't deny that when it comes to photos, iPhones are far superior. But, on with the show, here's me and my belly...

Look at me in 4D!

Apologies for the long break between blog updates. It's been a bit frantic in our household and we were waiting for today's big milestone.

So, we've hit the 22 week mark! And that meant another visit to Dr Linnie Muller for a detailed scan and, the best bit, some 4D scan action.

Wren-Lee is growing beautifully!!! She's right on target with all her growth checkpoints, weighs an impressive 560 grams (I think it's impressive but it's quite normal for her gestational time frame) and she's definitely got my feet. Her daddy doesn't realise it yet, but having my feet means she'll also fit beautifully into designer shoes *sly chuckle* Dr Muller says everything is on track, all her organs are functioning properly, blood flow is great through the umbilical cord and her heart and her brain is forming nicely.

Thankfully, she was quiet today. Wren-Lee's been hyperactive for the last week and I was worried she wouldn't be still long enough for a good photo. But, after 6 straight days of having what felt like a rave in my uterus, she was pretty sleepy this morning. And so we got two great 4D pics. Enjoy and look out for some more posts over the weekend!

She has her little hands up in front of her mouth in this pic

The money shot! 

Interesting name, interesting story...

Wren-Lee

A name most people have never heard of let alone consider bestowing upon their child. 

People are still a little confused or taken aback when we tell them it's the baby's name and that reaction is usually followed by, "Where'd you get that name from?" 

Trevor and I were a bit hesitant to choose names before confirming the baby's gender. He suggested numerous names but part of the problem was that we thought we were having a boy, and yet, not a single name resonated with me. We tried for weeks to find a name and we were obviously caught off-guard when were told at 13 weeks that there was a 70% chance the baby was a girl. The plan for a boy's name was put aside and we decided to start looking at girl's names. 

We spent hours on the internet searching every website imaginable and none of the names felt right. Eventually, Trevor got the brilliant idea of looking through our book collection for a name. It seemed fitting that we'd give our baby a name with a literary reference and researching literary characters was far more enjoyable than long lists of names online. 

At the same time, I'd heard of a new TV series that was getting a lot of positive attention in the USA. The series was based on a book and I started researching the book in hopes of getting some new literature for the summer. The book was called Game of Thrones and it is the first book in series called "A Song of Ice and Fire". Trevor loves epic fantasy sagas and has collected quite a few series in recent years which he usually reads during summer holiday time. He was obviously keen to acquire a new one and asked me to look into the story. 

I discovered that Renly is the name of one of the main characters in the series and something about the name struck a chord with me. I suggested the name to Trevor but we both agreed it was better suited to a female rather than a male. We didn't discuss it again until two days later. By that time, I had decided to put the name Wren up for consideration as well. Trevor still liked the sound of the name but not the spelling. He quickly devised a new spelling and so we got Wren-Lee. 

Wren: A small, inconspicuous bird except for their loud and often complex songs

Lee: A place name meaning "wood, clearing", "meadow" or "sheltered from the storm" in Old English

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how we named our little girl! 

Two fairy-wrens, a male on the left and female on the right

What a week!

We skipped our update last week so please prepare yourself for a loooooooong post.

I can sum up the last seven days like this: Birthday. Braai. Bizarre. Bummed. Baby.

Birthday - I turned 28 on Tuesday. We kept it low-key this year and just the immediate family came over for some cake and conversation. My family got me a gorgeous dress and a spa treatment voucher but my friends also gave me very thoughtful gifts. Marika replaced the wallet she gave me as a 21st gift with a new one. Quite sad to see the old one go because I'd been using it every day for the last 7 years. Natalie got me a Mexican bola which is a long necklace with a chime in the pendant that soothes the baby in utero. How cool is that?! The highlight of this year's birthday was my Irish surprise. Our friends, Darren and Carlyn, live in Dublin and did a little scheming with Trevor. On Tuesday morning, I was greeted by Carlyn's brother, Dale, who was armed with a massive bunch of flowers and a gorgeous chocolate cake - my gift from the Pedro family. It's one thing to be spoilt like that by a family member or even a spouse but it's quite special when you realise how blessed you are to have people in your life who would orchestrate a birthday surprise from a different continent. So, once again, a massive thank you to Doc, Carlyn and the adorable Gabriella for making the 28th birthday one to remember!

Flowers, cake and a happy face :-) 

Braai - We had a little braai on Friday night and the last guests left at 2:30am!!! There was boisterous conversation, plenty of raucous laughter from me and a sing-along to an ancient Tevin Campbell CD. It was just a little crazy but loads of fun! 

Bizarre - On Saturday afternoon, I had a small pregnancy breakdown moment. One second I was preparing to go to a product launch and the next instant I was sobbing. I stood in our bathroom bawling my eyes out and the sobbing got worse the more I realised that I didn't know why I was crying. I wasn't angry or sad or anything. I just cried for no reason. Trevor was in the shower at the time so, he had the fun task of simultaneously washing his hair and telling me how I was like an emotional champagne bottle with too many bubbles which resulted in the tears. I cried for a few minutes, stopped and proceeded to do my hair and make-up. I felt much better afterward and Trevor got another 4000 brownie points added to his score sheet for handling my emotional overflow so well.

Bummed - The Springboks lost their quarter-final match in the Rugby World Cup and Blackberry bombed out yesterday so no BBM or WhatsApp, which rendered my phone nearly useless. Enough said. 

Baby - Yesterday we had a check-up with Dr White. Baby is growing beautifully, everything is normal and it's still extremely active. Dr White says our little Nano's bones are wonderfully strong and dense and we got some good photos. Sadly, Dr White will be leaving her practice early next year. Trevor and I were disappointed to hear she won't be delivering our baby but she's leaving us in the capable hands of Dr van Waart who has over 20 years experience. We'll still see Dr White until January and our last 3 check-ups before Nano's arrival will be with Dr van Waart so we'll get to know her before delivery day.

The big news is that Nano is a girl! We were told at 13 weeks it was highly likely to be a girl but we decided to keep mum until we got confirmation. So, we have a daughter on the way and her name will be Wren-Lee (pronounced "ren-ly"). Yes, it's an unusual name and we've considered that the spelling, pronunciation and possibility of being teased about it may cause problems down the line but that risk exists with any name. As parents we hope to raise her to be confident and thus comfortable with having a unique moniker. Because her name is quicker to say than it is to type out on the blog, I'll refer to her as Wren for now :-)

It's quite remarkable that Wren can hear, the grey matter of her brain is busy forming, the soft tissues of her body has already been formed and all her organs are functioning except her lungs. She's a teensy weensy human who weighs approximately 200g - the weight of a slab of chocolate as Dr White very cleverly pointed out. I'm quite excited for our 22 week scan which is in real time 4D and we'll be able to see her face clearly for the first time as well as watch her move. As Wren grows, I'm appreciating being able to feel her move and she's showing signs of responding to external stimuli like my voice and music. Soon enough, she'll give us proper kicks and she'll also respond to Trevor's voice which he encourages by speaking to her as often as he can.

We're truly thankful that Wren-Lee's doing so well and it only amplifies the gratitude in our hearts for all our blessings. On this very happy note, we leave you with some photos :-)

Side view

High five! Clearly visible open hand in the middle of the pic

Little feet...

Sweet 16

*Fanfare!* We have reached 16 weeks of pregnancy!! Whoop Whoop!
This week we look forward to Nano being able to hear and, the big milestone, proper little kicks or flutters.
Well, we got a bit of a preview this past weekend...

Last Sunday, my parents had a potjie gathering while my brother was also hosting a farewell braai for his roommate. It was a good day but what made it even better was that Nano decided to show off.

Most days, Nano stays pretty hidden. As its getting bigger, I've started to feel how its movements affect the amniotic sac. On Sunday, Nano was on the right side of my belly and pushed itself forward enough to allow my friends and parents to feel the little mass underneath my skin. Everyone was quite excited that they could feel the little nunu.

I also decided to treat myself with, not one, but two slices of cake for dessert. Since being pregnant, my relationship with sweet treats has waned a little and I don't usually have that much sugar in one go. Well, my few minutes of enjoying that cake turned into hours of discomfort. Nano obviously can't handle that much sugar and its hyperactivity meant pinched nerves and a very uncomfortable abdomen for me.

Since then, Nano's been quiet. I don't mind because this has been a hectic week for both Trevor and I. Today is only the halfway mark of 10 consecutively busy days, we're both tired already but we're pushing on. Between Pilates classes, orchestra and choir practice, meetings, driving up and down across the city and a big Thanksgiving weekend at church, we reckon Nano is waiting till Mommy and Daddy aren't so preoccupied to get our attention again. (Daddy Trevor is still attempting to play with Nano by talking to it and shaking Mommy's belly *face palm*)

Spring has sprung in Cape Town so, I'm going to grab a banana and enjoy some sunshine now and I'll leave you with a little fruit to show you how big Nano is this week.

Ninja! Bump!

It's been a crazy week at our house!

On Sunday night, I was dreaming about a giant spider sitting on our bedroom ceiling. At the same time, Trevor was dreaming of fighting a ninja. It's not often that two people's dreams will collide but ours did...and the collision was Trevor's hand with my face LOL!
In my dream, the spider fell on him and in his dream the battle had begun. He struck his hand out and THWACK! got me on the cheekbone. Apparently, I screamed and jumped out of the bed but I don't recall anything except waking up and wondering why I was standing.
By morning, we managed to put the pieces of this little puzzle together and it is, with great hilarity, that Trevor's new nickname is *drum roll please* CHUCK NORRIS.

On Monday, the oddities continued. I was determined to enjoy a nice soak in the tub after many months of going without. We got a bath thermometer and I got ready for some peace and quiet in the water. After some water level adjustments and making sure the temperature was correct, I stretched out in the tub.
Discovered that Nano doesn't like the bath.
About 10 seconds in, I felt the entire amniotic sac moving away from the water surface even though my belly was free and clear of the water. Good grief, it honestly felt like an alien was pulling itself around in my abdomen. At first, I marveled at the odd feeling but then it just felt creepy. I tried to calm down but kiddo wouldn't settle and, after 15 minutes, I got out.

But that wasn't all. You see the bath thermometer is shaped like a little yellow duck. The entire time I was in the bath, Rhapsody was glaring and moaning at the duck. She was hell-bent on hunting the thing and her vigil for the duck continued for the rest of the evening while the duck was safely stowed by our bathroom window.

(The duck is still in the bathroom and she checks on it periodically to make sure her new "pet" hasn't disappeared.)

Nope, the fun doesn't stop there folks!

On Tuesday, Trevor decides to indulge in a relaxing soak in the tub. And once again, Rhapsody is not content to just be a spectator. She actually tried to climb in the bath with him!!!!! He had to fight her off and also abandoned ship after 10 minutes.

As for Nano, it has decided I deserve payback for the bath torment and has plonked itself next to my right hip  and on a nerve. I have tried everything to try to move Nano, even Pilates class didn't unseat this child, but to no avail *sigh* So, I'm plodding along with the occasional twinge.

Also, it is with great excitement I announce that this week Trevor and I chose a girl's name for our little person. We're keeping our name choices under wraps until Nano arrives but the search continues for a boy's name. Drop us a suggestion in the comments box if you'd like. We're open to possibilities :-)

In closing, Trev, Nano, the doggies and I would like to wish you a great Heritage Day/Braai Day weekend!
Our little family will be celebrating Nano and I reaching the 15 week pregnancy stage today and, to mark this occasion, I'm posting the first "bump!" photo.

My butt looks goooood hahahahahaha!!! 

Commentary confusion clarified

Hello!

My dear friends Darren and Carlyn Pedro sent word from Dublin that they couldn't comment on this here blog.
I checked the comments setting and discovered the setting was wrong. It has been changed so anybody can drop a comment on the blog posts.

You are now welcome to go nuts and leave us your thoughts, messages, LOL's, advice or just a "Hello!" :-)

Coming up soon on +1: Trevor dreams of being a ninja...with interesting consequences, Nano meets lukewarm water and Rhapsody hunts a little ducky. Plus, have Erin and Trevor chosen a name for the baby? And who are "The Pregnant Princesses"? *cue dramatic music* All this and more in the next episode...

13 week super scan

Last week Friday, Trevor and I paid a visit to Dr Linnie Muller for our 13 week super scan. Ok, it's not called a super scan. That's my simplification of its actual name: "Nuchal translucency screening test". Mine sounds cooler.

I don't get nervous easily but I was anxious about this appointment. We hadn't had a check up in 6 weeks, I felt like my old self and not at all pregnant and of course I worried about Nano's well-being. Turns out I shouldn't have worried at all. 

Nano is hyper! For almost 20 minutes, he/she wiggled about, did somersaults and stretched in a fine display all for the sake of the camera. I didn't know Nano could do all that already! Nano seems to have inherited its father's sportiness and clearly shares my love of being on screen. It was pretty cool to see how big Nano's grown and is enjoying its swimming pool of amniotic fluid. 

Dr Muller took all the necessary measurements and Nano did everything the doctor wanted it to do at the right time (Good kid!). She also showed us the blood flow through the umbilical cord and my placenta as well the four chambers of the heart. We got a brief glimpse of the lungs, stomach, liver and we could clearly see all the little bones. We counted 5 fingers on each hand and quickly saw the little feet. 

All of Nano's measurements were spot on for the current stage of development and he/she is a supermodel at 10cm tall with a heartbeat of 165 beats per minute. He/she can already open and close its mouth and, according to Dr Muller, has a cute bum. 

So, all's well in the womb. As I write this, renovations are taking place and I'm a little uncomfortable but the kiddo needs room to grow. Still can't feel Nano's movements but I have a sneaking suspicion there'll be a flutter as a birthday present. 

Here are two new pics: Baby's head is clearly visible on the right, tummy in the middle and legs on the left of the pic :-)

Farewell first trimester!

Good bye first trimester! Hanging out with you has been fun!

Thank you for the fatigue (I was an Olympic sleep champion LOL!), the random nausea, the back ache, the indigestion and the complete and utter aversion to cheese and chicken. Thank you also that most of that happened for only two weeks and that I discovered Pilates for the back ache.

Thank you for making me so tired that Trevor had to do all the cooking for a month. I felt like a princess *sly grin* Thank you for bubblegum Steri Stumpie, Zoo biscuits, strawberries and clementines.

Thank you for my little belly, for my awesome cleavage and for my skin looking waaaaaay better. I was starting to get self-conscious and you fixed that pretty quickly. Thank you also for my shiny hair that looks like Kate Middleton's and no longer tangles into angry knots.

We had our bad times but we also had our good times. It was great getting to know you but I can't say I'm going to miss you.

Till we meet again for the next kid, I bid you adieu!

In sickness and in health...

This past Sunday morning, Trevor woke up and said he felt fluish so, I told him to rest. I was out for the morning and only got home at 1pm to find him much worse than before. What happened next is not suitable for sensitive readers (Don't say I didn't warn you!)

Clearly Trevor didn't just have the flu. He was pale, feverish and said he was dizzy. I decided to stay away from him but an hour later he was a little too quiet and I found him in the bathroom, kneeling in front of the toilet. He said he felt nauseous and said I should rather leave him alone. Next thing I know he's projectile vomiting with a decibel level so loud I could hear it above the sound of the TV. *gross!!!!!* I called the doctor's office and got him an appointment. I got Trev out of bed, helped him get ready and even had to tie his shoelaces. 

We got to our GP who diagnosed him with stomach flu and said he needed some shots. Lucky me got to witness two slow and very painful injections being administered into each bum cheek. Because he's contagious, the doc advised that we separate for two days. When we got home, I promptly moved my stuff into the guest room and prepared myself for two lonely nights in my old bed. 

I spent the next three days caring for my sickly husband. I had to give him his meds, prepare his Rehidrat drinks, make sure he had a constant supply of dry biscuits and all this without being able to touch him or spend more than 10 minutes in the bedroom with him. Sleeping alone was horrible and even the dogs weren't happy about being moved out of their usual space. 

You'd think he'd be right as rain today...not a chance! He just went to the doctor again and he's actually got a viral infection plus middle ear infection and his trachea is inflamed.

Oh and here's the best bit: He's still contagious and we have to separate again *crying face!!!!!!!!!!* 

On the upside, it's terribly funny that I'm the pregnant one and the only time I see a doctor now is when Trev's being checked out. In the last two months, I've sat through a gastroscopy, an EKG, one night at a sleep clinic and four GP visits for his clearly suffering immune system while I've had one pregnancy check-up.

Maybe it's time we put Trev on some prenatal vitamins hahahahahahaha!!!! 

Property Of Rhapsody

This may be our first baby but this is definitely not our eldest child. That title belongs to our 2 year old Boxer, Rhapsody. She's extremely happy yet manipulative, sulks when she doesn't get her way, loves to lick everyone and everything and prefers apples and popcorn to ordinary doggie treats. It's an over-zealous 8 week old puppy stuck in a 24kg body with a whip for a tail.

Dogs usually pick up on pregnancy but I thought it would be Buttons, our Jack Russell, who would start acting weird. Lo and behold, it was Rhapsody who decided that I was the new center of her universe. Suddenly, Trevor was the just the other guy in the house who fed her. He even started feeling a bit neglected because she no longer meets him at the front door and, at one stage, refused to listen to his commands.

She follows me EVERYWHERE! She's trampled, stood on and even sat on Buttons to prove a point or just to get Buttons out of the space she wants next to me. (Thank goodness Buttons is a hardy dog accustomed to Rhappy's roughhousing *phew!*) Rhapsody insists on sleeping right up against me even if I'm taking a nap on the couch and checks whether or not Trevor is home like a Secret Service agent. It gets a bit much sometimes but it's adorable that I have my own bodyguard/ninja shadow.

My favourite moments though are when she comes to cuddle up next to me and carefully places her head on my belly as she falls asleep. After all the usual drama, I get a good fuzzy feeling that when this baby is born, they're going to be best friends and she's going to love and protect it with the same intensity she's shown me.
Good girl Rhappy, good girl...

First scan surprise

Like any other couple, we were super excited for our first scan. It was scheduled for 11 August which was more than a month after we found out. It felt like we would wait foreeeeeever.

One ordinary Saturday morning towards the end of July, I was relaxing in bed while Trevor went off to play golf. I got up to go to the loo and, much to my horror, discovered I had started spotting. Completely panic stricken, I called my doctor who said I should just relax and keep an eye on the situation. Trevor was next on the phone and he promptly walked off the golf course on the 6th hole to rush home. We were both pretty scared but eventually I let my "Everything will be ok" guard down and burst into tears. Trevor gave me one of his legendary pep talks and my doctor decided she'd do a check up first thing the next morning.

I spent the rest of the day in bed resting and Trevor kept me in good spirits. The next morning, we hopped over to my gynae's office. It was just us three so she was relaxed in a tracksuit and zero make-up. Dr Lizette White has been my gynaecologist for two years and it was so odd to not see her receptionists or other patients in the waiting room and especially odd seeing her dressed casually.

This was a whole new experience for Trevor. He'd never met Dr White and had never seen the inside of a gynae's office before. How I wish I could've photographed the look on his face as he watched her examine me. Let's just say it was priceless LOL! Thankfully, he was drawn to the pretty lights and crazy buttons on the ultrasound machine so he was happy when she decided it was time to get a look.

Please note: I thought I was 5 weeks along at this point.
Dr White starts the ultrasound and promptly declares, "You're not 5 weeks along. You're almost 8 weeks!" And there on the screen was a little body, with a head and arms and a tiny little thing pulsing...nothing, literally nothing could've prepared us for the sound of that heartbeat...
"Whakata, whakata, whakata..." thumping along at 153 beats per minute.
I tried to process that there was this other heart beating besides mine and Trevor was rather emotional because neither of us were expecting that kind of revelation. It was honestly one of the most beautiful sounds I've ever heard *face lights up*

My doctor said everything was ok and we had nothing to worry about. She chatted to us about our prenatal check-up schedule, warned me that the usual pregnancy symptoms would likely start in a day or two (it kicked in the next day) and sent us off with big smiles and the first three photographs of our "plus one".