we heart puffs

These are emperor puffs

This is us enjoying emperor puffs.

They are delicious balls of joy and custard from china town which is where we went on the weekend. Well.. we went to the food and wine fair in Hyde park first. We thought it would be one of those fun markets with free tastings and lovely things like that. But it wasn't. It was lots of expensive wine tastings and expensive fancy restaurant food. We are not very fancy people but rather than have our day ruined we decided to visit chinatown for some emperor puffs.

This was a good idea.

Then we decided to catch the bus home. We got to the stop and the free shuttle bus pulled up. Great, we thought. We can catch the shuttle to central and then there are more busses home. But the shuttle didn't really go to central. It went to the opposite side to the one we wanted. So we decided to take a nice bus ride around the city to see the sights, hold hands and have a nice time till we got to the stop we got on at.

But this shuttle doesn't work like that. Oh no it doesn't. We got to circular quay and the bus driver told everyone to get off. So we got off. We were very far from where we started.
Eventually we caught a bus from circular quay all the way back up george st and home. It took us about 45 mins to get to our original stop. So much for a short cut.

I got to have a nice time riding a bus with my favourite man though. Even if it made him a little late to go to the footy with his pals. AND I got a lot of preggo walking in. Not that I really want to hurry the little one on but I guess it all helps.

weekend fun + an unhelpful itch

We had a really nice weekend.

On Saturday Myl and I had a lovely sleep in and then went to breakfast.  Saturday was a walking and bus day and as I climbed the first hill I wondered if I would make it. I took a picture of my feet at the start and end of the day to see if they would swell up like two puppies. I think I did alright on the swelling stakes.

before

after

 Hmm after actually looking at these pictures I would have to say there are no longer feet but puppies on the end of my legs. Oh dear.

We went to a little cafe just down the street and around the corner. It was a really hot day (low 30's) and I'm pretty sure the air was hotter in the cafe then outside but that was ok.
We ate tasty bacon and egg rolls.

Then we caught a bus to Vic Park to meet up with some very lovely friends who have moved away. I got to sit in the special seat.

We had a picnic with our friends and some silly ants decided they would like to join us. It was lovely to chat in the park. There was a nice cool breeze where we were sitting near the duck pond. I miss them lots and lots. :(

After our picnic we went to visit Myles little brother who has just moved to Sydney. He is living in the house I lived in when I first came to Sydney. Good times.
It was a hot day so after we left him we got some slushies.

Then we caught a bus to centennial park for Moonlight Cinema with some friends of Myl from school. We saw Love and Other Drugs. There was a lot of lovin going on in that movie but it was actually quite good. Kinda looked at what it means to totally love someone and give yourself up for them.

It was amazing to watch a movie under the stars. I kept forgetting we were outside and I would look up and see a few clouds and remember. Then I would look at Myl on whose chest I was leaning and we would smile at each other. What a nice way to spend an evening.

Cos I'm pregnant and all I was a bit sore and stiff at the end of the day. I walked in smaller than usual steps for the whole day and got a sore belly everytime I rolled over at the movie but that's ok. There is a huge hunk of baby inside of me. I kinda have to expect these things.

Something unexpected though is my crazy itchy hands and feet. They have been itchy since last Thursday and last night I woke up in the middle of the night going crazy with the itch. This isn't really a great pregnancy sign.

I called the birth centre and went in for a blood test for cholestasis. Its something connected to the liver and is shown by itchy hands and feet. I'm really hoping I don't have it. If I do I might need to be induced at 28 weeks. I should find out by the end of the week though.

What's up Doc?

I went to the doctor last Thursday to get my thyroid results and have a checkup.
My TSH is a little low still but within the normal range which is awesome!
Seems like that little pill I take each morning is working and I don't need to change my dosage.

Our little girl is having a lovely time inside.
My blood pressure was 114/67 which the doctor said was perfect.
My belly is as big as it should be at 25cm.
Baby's heart is beating at 150bpm and she is head down.
She is likely to stay head down till March. I hope she doesn't get bored.
She has been kicking up a storm especially when I sing or play music or when we are at church.

Our little girl is really starting to become part of the family. She has kicked her aunt and uncle and even been given a name. (Still undecided on whether it's going to be announced to the world.)

ALSO

I had such a lovely weekend with family. My brother Ben is getting married on Saturday and on the weekend was his bucks day and his fiancee Evies hens weekend.

My sister and I went along to the hens on the central coast. It was so lovely.
It's very exciting to be getting a new sister and through the weekend I got to spend so much time with the one I already have.

I wish I had taken some photos. It was really quite lovely.

only five days left

The envelope is sealed, the cupcakes will be baked, the lolly bags are ready and you have only five days left to vote.

That's right the It's a .... party is on this weekend!!!

I am so so excited to find out if we have a little fella or lady.

You may not have noticed but down the side of my blog is a poll where you can vote for what you think. So far the blue vote is slightly ahead but it all may change.

I've done a few silly and potentially meaningless net tests to determine whether it's going to be a boy or girl here are the answers.

Apparently I'm 55% likely to have a boy. Well there's great odds for you. I think that is around about the likelihood of it happening anyway.

free range or caged?

I was lucky enough to score a leftover ticket to go and see Lenore Skenazy of Free Range Kids yesterday afternoon with a friend.

Lenore let her nine year old son catch the subway home from the handbag department at Bloomingdales in New York after he had begged his parents to let him. She gave him a subway map, a ticket and some extra money. He arrived home safe and sound and happy.

After writing this in her newspaper column Lenore was met with a huge media backlash. She was interviewed by many people who were amazed that she could do such an irresponsible thing and labeled the "worst Mom in America."

Free Range Kids is all about letting your kids be kids and bringing them up to be safe and independent adults.

Today (mostly but not limited to the US) children are worried about and cotton wool balled so much that they do not learn to experience the world around them. Lenore gave a few reasons for this.

Media - We have news on 24/7. There used to be 30 mins of news each day on television. The media needs to fill up the time slot so we hear about every single child kidnapping or choking or accident of any kind. We watch shows like CSI which show us brutality that does not actually happen that much in reality.  These images play on our anxiety and convince us to keep children indoors so that we can watch more television.

Litigation - A popular childrens toy recently almost made a child choke. This toy had been out since 1994 and had no previous problems. Because of this almost choking the makers were so scared of being sued that they discontinued the line.

Experts - Everyone is an expert nowadays and everyone has written a book or brought out some new product to tell you that you are raising your child the WRONG way and that your fetus/infant/child/teenager is going to die or be seriously maimed by your negligence = fear.

There were so many baffling and funny stories that she told that asked the question who is the crazy one; The parent who trusts that the world is not full of murderers and molesters and lets their kid ride their bike to the library or the one who is so paranoid about everyone being a predator that they don't let their child out of their sight for a second?

link

Lenore is not saying that we don't care about safety or just let our kids wander the streets for their whole lives and she certainly is not so naive to think that there are no predators or kidnappers out there but she believes in equipping children with the knowledge and experience so that they can go out into the world and be safe and helping parents to not be reduced to quivering wrecks every time they think of their children doing something all by themselves.

It was a really amazing talk.

She has a book. I don't think you can get it in Australia so easily but it's on Amazon.

The longest weekend

Wow I have not blogged since Tuesday.

Isn't it funny how time slips away when you are busy.
I have honestly not stopped doing something since Wednesday morning.
(Except this afternoon when I collapsed on the bed and slept from 2-6)

There are so many stories to tell and pictures to show including

- My birthday surprises from Wednesday
- Hot dates
- Wisdom from Womens convention
- Lovely gifts
- Baby organisation
- Four generational weekend away

and much much more.

Interested?
Stay tuned this week for all of these posts. I am much too exhausted to write tonight.

How was your weekend?