Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Choose your own title

So it's been a while since I've last posted. I guess the creative juices haven't been flowing. Oh yeah, and there has been a holiday in Melbourne/a sick poo monkey and the sudden onset of a 'minor' pregnancy discomfort for me:

Melbourne: I survived, the poo monkey thrived on the attention of her adoring grandparents, visits to the zoo, aquarium, play centre, the novelty of the plane etc etc, husband was happy to be back 'home' for a while.

Did I mention that I survived? Quite frankly find it so hard living in the ILs house, just as I find it challenging when they stay with us. I am a creature who needs private space to collect my thoughts, read etc, my MIL is an extrovert who talks to anyone and everyone and wants to be at the centre of it all, all the time. It can be very draining at times. Luckily I was able to sneak off for 'naps' when the poo monkey was sleeping or there would have been some serious marital disharmony.

So much more to say on the topic of IL relationship dynamics...but it may not happen. At least that's all I am saying for now.

Otitis media: Make that a mega. The poo monkey was really unhappy last Sunday, clinging and cuddling and not speaking or eating (a world first), in other words the complete opposite of herself. We finally managed to get a "Abi's got a sore ear", and so off we went to the new GP clinic at the nearest public hospital.

After a mere forty minute wait (bless this new means of avoiding emergency when all you need is an after hours GP), little miss was diagnosed with a nasty infection of her right ear, which was accompanied by a fever. Off we went with our script for antibiotics and new supplies of paracetamol and nurofen. At least we could help our precious girl.

Well. After lots of cuddles and rest and tears, little miss woke at about 11pm- with a fever of 39.5. Now we've been so lucky to date, never having faced such a high fever or illness until now, where the bonus is that little miss can use words to tell us what's wrong. Two hours after a dose of panadol, the fulfillment of repeated cool washer demands and a fretful mother vigil (please no febrile convulsions, please no delirium) the poo monkey's fever started to abate.

Monday was a write off, with the poo monkey quite ill and actually taking a sleep in bed with me in between bouts of fever- and diarrhea from the antibiotics.

Yesterday there was even more improvement, albeit lots of resting and cuddling involved, and one post nap pre major upset stomach episode tantrum.

Today we have a new girl, happily playing outside and giving me cheek, not to mention eating a ton of food. So I guess we are getting back to normal. Phew.

One positive out of the whole exercise is that the poo monkey has loved having mummy at home rather than work. But that's a topic fraught with mixed feelings for me and shall be told another time.

Usurper vs my pelvis: I find myself at 31 weeks today...eek where did the time go? All is well with daughter number two, and pleasingly I am rather compact for a second timer too (shapewise, let's not talk about the scales where i have the dubious honour of outweighing mr hissychick).

However....my pelvis has decided to pack it in. Symphisis pubis dysfunction, and lower back pain that shoots down my right leg. Apparently it is called Pelvic girdle pain, however I prefer to call it 'what the fuck how am I supposed to get through the next eight weeks or so if i cannot do anything and don;t you realise how that shits me' torture?

I'm trying to do all of the right things:

Pelvic support band? Check

Avoiding housework like sweeping? Check

Avoiding lifting heavy things? Oh come off of it, I'm the mother of a sick toddler.

Pelvic tilts/pelvic floor exercises? Check

Pillows between knees in bed? Check. By the way loving the way I wake up in agony everytime I need to roll over. Rest before baby? Ha!

Oh well, guess I will have to muddle through until next week's OB appointment. I hate the third trimester (for the symptoms, not the baby. Keep growing little usurper!).


What else?

ESP: The poo monkey has the sixth sense, I swear it. Everytime I find myself getting wordlessly exasperated with mr hissychick, she pipes up with her father's first name in the exact tone of voice I use when I am cranky. Last night she even called out from her bedroom just as I was jokingly reprimanding the man!

It's hilarious. She knows her own full name, my first name, her grandparents first names etc etc*, and they are all said in a gentle and loving tone of voice. But dear old Dad, he cops it- and deservedly so.

Other developmental milestones? Too many to mention. Oh ok....she can throw and catch like a champion, she can really hold a tune and is constantly making up her own little songs that actually make sense, she can wield a fork better than june dally watkins herself and is finally, finally riding on push along toys (thanks daycare...and yes she is settled in there happily too). The missing lateral incisor has made a rapid appearance and we actually get to hear yeah and yes rather than no all the time. Woo hoo!

She is comfortable with separation at daycare, announcing proudly to all and sundry when I arrive to pick her up that "Mummy ALWAYS comes back"....and I think we're seeing some empathy too.

Take this morning's conversation:

Poo monkey: Mummy pick us up?
Me: Sorry darling, Mummy's back is a bit sore. Would you like to climb into my lap for a cuddle?
Poo monkey: Abi rub your back...ohhh, can't reach. Mummy kneel down?

And so I did. And she did rub my back before proudly pronouncing "All better" and giving me a cuddle. It's a cliche but it's true...I'd go the moon and back for her.

I guess it's also a cliche to be a bit worried about having enough love for another one...and trying not to think about the birth thing. But those are topics for another time and place.


* Oh yeah, and the name we've chosen for her little sister too. It sounds so cute when she says it too.