Happy Halloween to all those that celebrate it!!!

Halloween is not really big in Australia, however it is becoming more popular and over the last couple of years we have had a handful of kids trick or treating.

My kids don’t go trick or treating but they do like to make Halloween crafts and get dressed up and dance around the house like lunatics.

They also like handing out little lollypops to the kids that do come knocking at our door.

I do watch who we open the door to though. Kids that have taken the time to get dressed up will always get a lollypop off us, but the kids that go door to door wearing their everyday clothes get nothing off us. That might seem a bit mean, but I don’t care, I would be horrified if I knew my kids were wandering the streets asking at every door for lollies.

A question on largerfamilies.com got me thinking.

Did you try to “plan” to have a big family? Or did it just “happen?”

For me the answer I guess would have to be NO we didn’t plan to have a large family. In saying that I always said, even as a teenager, that I would have 8 kids. I always loved kids and was always confident when it came to looking after kids. Which is why after leaving school I chose to run a home-based Child Care looking after 5 kids per day.

I don’t really remember Rob and I talking about having kids, although he did know about my magical number “8″, but I don’t think he ever believed me.

Our first baby was a surprise, unplanned but very much wanted. Baby number 2 and 3 were also unplanned surprises, baby number 4 was in the talking about a 4th stage when I found out I was pregnant and baby number 5 was our only planned baby.

Now that I am pregnant with #5 and the morning sickness part of pregnancy is very much still fresh in my mind I am seriously considering this being our last. But then who knows how I will feel in 2 or 3 years time

So for us a large family wasn’t something that we set out to achieve, more of an ongoing decision. Who knows what will happen in the future, maybe I might reach my magical number “8″, maybe I won’t, it doesn’t matter because right here, right now I am happy with the decisions that we have made and I love my large and soon to be larger family

Did you know that it’s only 67 days until Christmas???

Usually this information would send me into a panic, but not this year. I’ve been saving for this Christmas since last Christmas. So this year I intend to have a stressfree lead up to Christmas Day!

I love everything about Christmas. I love the decorations, I love having the christmas tree up and watching the lights at night, I love christmas carols, I love staying up late and watching the Carols By Candlelight on the TV with the kids, I love doing Christmas crafts with the kids, I love putting the icicle lights up on our house and driving around at night looking at all the other decorated houses, I love watching Christmas movies and cartoons and most of all I love the excitment my children get out of the whole festive season.

It’s always very exciting when the baby of the family, who was to young last year to get into the whole Christmas spirit, starts to understand and get excited about decorations and Santa Claus. This year it’s Rileys turn, he is already recognising Santa so I can’t wait to share the rest of the Christmas experience with him.

We have a few Christmas traditions in our family:

Each year we let the kids pick out a new decoration each to buy. They have already started looking around in the shops.

We go to our local Carols By Candlelight.

We have a family Christmas, which is held a week or two before Christmas day. We get together with my Aunts and their families for a Christmas celebration where we exchange presents and have a big lunch.

Then we spend Christmas day with my parents and brother, my Grandmother and my Aunt and Uncle and my cousins.

Boxing day is usually spent with Robs Family which is great because we don’t get to see them all that often and the kids really enjoy it.

Even though I enjoyed having the kids at home during the school holidays it was still nice to send them back off to school today.

It’s amazing how much cleaner my house stays when the kids aren’t in it all day… hehehehe!

None of the little jobs I wanted to get done over the holidays got done, so I’m going to try and do at least one job a day.

Today I finally sorted out the shoe rack and shoe box. I put all the slippers and winter boots into a box in the garage and magically the remaining shoes fit on the rack. So I no longer need a box as well.

Tomorrow I will go through the kids wardrobes and box up all the winter clothes. That should make their wardrobes a little easier to keep tidy.

My blood test went well on Saturday. I always get all worked up about having blood tests and then once I’m there I’m fine. It took all of 5 minutes and then it was over

For a treat I went and got my eyelashes tinted and my eyebrows waxed and tinted on Sunday. It’s a funny kind of treat really. It isn’t the most pleasant thing to have done but it’s worth it when it’s done. I went to a new salon that has just opened up in the local shopping centre and they were really good. I think my next visit there will be to have a facial. That can be next months treat They also have a pregnancy massage which I’d love to have, perhaps I can persuade Rob to get me that for christmas.

Fetal development in pregnancy week 12:

Even though your little Einstein’s body is still growing quite rapidly and is about 2 inches long right now, the overall super-speedy growth of their amazing brain continues to leave the head proportionately larger than the body— and is actually slightly more than one third of their total body mass! The head and neck are still straightening at this point as can be seen by their little chin lifting off of the chest. Your baby is also actively rehearsing “breathing” by using amniotic fluid to prepare the lungs for future air respiration.
The big news: your little pooper is now officially going to need diapers! Although a majority of the waste produced is transferred to the mother’s system for discharge (to avoid lingering in the amniotic sac), some urine is released to the amniotic fluid and your baby will actually breathe it in before it passing it on to your for discharge. Not to worry, urine–in this particular form is actually harmless to your child.

And how’s mom doing?

Logically, as your baby is growing bigger, so must your uterus. By now, your once-flat and relatively small uterus is stretched to the size of a softball (12-14 cm), but that’s nothing: by the time you deliver it will have grown to 15 – 17 inches (37 – 42 cm). Your uterus is slowly increasing at a rate of approximately one centimeter per week. If you’ve got a burning sensation that extends from your breastbone to your throat, you’ve got heart burn or acid indigestion. To lessen this unpleasant experience: eat smaller meals and avoid fried, spicy, and fatty foods. Otherwise, there’s always TUMS, but check with your healthcare provider first
As your pregnancy becomes more physically visible you’ll have to adjust to people asking you when you’re due and lots of unsolicited advice from women who’ve “been there.” Ideally, this is the right time to share the news with close family and friends and anyone who would want to get involved with things (if they haven’t already) by spreading the news at work and to others. Allowing them this role encourages participation and support in the future—when you’ll really need it!

From: http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/calendar/week12

A note from me: Finally the morning sickness is gone, I’m so glad that part is over. I have a little more energy these days although not a lot more. But I don’t need to have my midday naps anymore!.

I missed out on having the nuchal translucency test as the hospital were fully booked during the weeks I should have had it. I wasn’t upset about missing out on the blood test part of it but I am a bit upset that I couldn’t have the ultrasound part. I can’t wait to see my little peanut. I’m going to have to wait until 18 weeks now….. only another 6 weeks to go….. boo hoo

I’m off to have my first blood test this saturday. Rob is going to have to drive me as I have a habit of fainting when I have needles, although I haven’t once fainted during any of my pregnancies. But I don’t want to take the chance, just incase it happens this time.

I’ve got to go back and see my GP in 2 weeks and I also have to ring and book into the clinic at the hospital.

Fetal development in pregnancy week 11:

Maybe you’ve noticed your child is a stupendous grower! They will be gaining a substantial amount of weight this week, and have already achieved fruit-size-status comparable to a plum. Your little scientist is already starting to explore their body, focusing most intently on touching their head, and especially their face and mouth. The mouth in particular will provide them with hours of entertainment. This happens not only because your baby is gaining coordination, and is therefore able to move a hand on command, but also because their palms have gained sensation and can actually feel what it touches.They’re also developing their swalreflexllex this week. And lastly, your baby’s smelling and other olfactory senses begin developing this week, which when combined with the maturing taste buds, will provide your baby with their first experiences of taste and smell.

And how’s mom doing? If you’ve still been enduring the joys of morning sickness, it should finally be subsiding to the point of non-existence by the end of this week. The growing placenta combined with your little one’s developing pituitary gland have given you a break on hormone production, so now your can focus on the second trimester of pregnancy, which can be most aptly characterized by lots of growth on both you and your little uterus-tenant.
At this point you should be making a conscious effort to gradually increase your consumption of (healthy vitamin rich) food. THIS DOES NOT MEAN LIFE IS NOW AN OPEN BUFFET. Remember, if it’s not good for you, then it won’t do any good for your developing baby either. If you’re finding that you’re often hungry after dinners, don’t simply default to having extra ice cream for dessert. Have a second helping of vegetables and fish, or whole grain bread with jam. Good nutrition is absolutely vital for your baby’s brain and body development.
Additionally, make sure you’re taking me-time to center yourself and focus on your body’s interactions with your baby, listen to relaxing or inspiring music, read good books, think happy thoughts, you know, all the mentally stimulating stuff that puts you in a good mood (in other words, watching international news isn’t recommended). The better you treat your body and emotions now, the healthier and happier your child will be once they’re on the outside.

From: http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/calendar/week11

A word from me: I have been feeling ok lately. Only feeling slightly nauseaous close to meal times. I feel like I have had a much needed boast of energy however there are some days that I would love to just curl up in bed and sleep the day away, like today, if only it were possible!

The kids are still on school holidays, 1 week gone, 1 week to go! This week has flown by, I’m really enjoying not having to go to and from each day and the kids have been really well behaved. Next week may be a different story though!.

Today is the first day of two weeks school holidays here. I am looking forward to not having to get up in the morning to get the kids off to school and preschool. No having to pick them up in the afternoon and no dancing for two whole weeks.

I plan on doing lots of craft, playing lots of games and spending time relaxing and reading my books.

Mind you it’s not all going to be fun and games. I also have a few little jobs that I need to tackle, like sorting the kids winter and summer clothes. Cleaning out the toy room (that’s going to be a big job) and cleaning and sorting the kids room. I have bribed the girls into helping me by telling them that in exchange for their helpfulness I’ll take them to the movies to see Garfield 2. It’s a fair exchange I think