Update 10 - 18 weeks old

Hi All, well it has been a couple of weeks since my last update - not totally though my own laziness but because we have been away on holidays in Fiji.

BULA, BULA, BULA (hello, hello hello)..... that is right we have been to Fiji and loved every single second of it, take me back there now!

Oh the heaven, no cooking, cleaning, washing - what more can you want. We would get up in the morning and go to breakfast - anything you wanted (needless to say I have put on weight) then claim our spot around the pool and spend the day swimming and reading. We would swim to the bar for a cocktail and order food to be delivered. Then in the evenings back to the room for a shower, then decide where to go for dinner - hard life. Charlotte loved it......she took to the water like a fish, kicking her legs and having a great old time. She was very popular in the resort with the local Fijian women and was constantly taken from us and would disappear into the kitchens or back offices. She looked so white against their dark skin, it was so funny. She was great on the flight both ways. On the way out I was on my own with her so had my hands full but we coped really well no hassles at all. On the way back James was with us which was even better. She sleep both ways so I managed to read a book and watch a movie. In fact I finished a whole book on the holidays because she was so good......around the pool she just lazed around with us on her own deck chair under the umbrella - hilarious.

It was hard to come back to Sydney...cold, rainy weather - freezing after 30 degree humid days. James got up the first morning back and said "which way to the buffet breakfast" and I said "bread is on the counter, help yourself" - he he he

James has been on holidays for the last couple of weeks so we have been doing things like going to home shows etc, and he has been busy rebuilding the back deck - looks great - so we have been quick busy.

Mum went into hospital today for her big operation - two new heart valves.....scary. I saw her this morning around 6.30am before she went into surgery and she is not due out for approx 7 hours. I will go back up to the hospital later to see her (she will probably be out of it, but i want to be there). I hope everything is going OK, no news is good news I suppose.

OK baby update - wait for it - she is now 6.54kg - and doesn't my back know it......ooooouch. It is killing.....poor old me - and she is now about 68cm long. The Fijian's keep asking up what we feed her as they thought she was a big baby - I was beginning to worry that she was abnormal, but the midwife assured me she is very normal for her age. She had her 4 month check up and passed with flying colours. They said she was perfect, but I already knew that. Lots of milestones reached. Now rolling onto each side, but not quite going all the way. Holding own weight on legs really well now, only need to hold her hands. We brought her a Jolly Jumper and she absolutely loves it - jumps like a mad man. She is now picking up toys on her own - reach etc and transferring them from hand to hand and shaking rattles. She is also making lots of new noises and sounds. One of which sent me to the doctors with her, but turns out she is fine just experimenting with sounds - bugger. I thought she was having problems breathing. Everything goes in the mouth now, and I mean everything - sleeves, shirts, my shirt, my fingers, my hair toys, pens, lids, the list could go on but apparently that is completely normal. Actually at her check up they gave her a toy and watched for how long it took her to put in her mouth, apparently they should do it straight away, which she did. She follows people round rooms now with her eyes. It is a bit distracting when you are trying to feed her but she is very interested in what is happening in the big wide world. She loves to stand and prefers it to lying on the floor - I think she might bypass crawling and go straight to walking.

I am now waiting on the first teeth to come through - a couple of the babies from Mothers Group already have theirs so should not be long. She has already had a few days of grizzleness and temperatures which is apparently a sign. I check every day but nothing yet.

OK - best get back to something constructive.....another update to follow shortly.

Sam xxx