Here's Henry! & other stuff :)

Wow, I'm terrible at keeping this blog current. Months have passed and all I can say is I had another baby and life is great with two! :) Seriously, I am so blessed. Henry's birth was awesome! I went into labour at about 3.30am on the 31st of Dec 2012, raced to the hospital with Mum & Marsh and 30-40mins later, which seemed to go super fast, & one big long push - He popped out! So my total labour time was less than 3 hours. I was back home by 11am :) Henry was 6lbs 14, so a little bigger than Gem and I had to get a couple of stitches, ouch! but I was SO proud of myself for doing it all with only gas to take the edge off the contractions. Giving birth is an incredible experience. I look forward to doing it again. 
Henry Michael Hoozer is almost 4 months already! Time flies with two! He is SUCH a perfect baby. I thought Gemma was a perfect baby, she was, but I think Henry is just as good if not an even better sleeper, more placid & he is super happy and talkative. I LOVE his smile, his big blue eyes and his little laugh. He has grown so fast & is already outgrowing all his tiny baby clothes, he has doubled his weight and grown 7cm in length since birth. He is such a pleasant, sweet little guy. There is a lot of time when he just has to hang out on his playmat while I play with Gemma and he is so happy to hang out there for ages without getting cranky. I love having a baby again who will fall asleep on me :) he smells so good & his skin is so soft! ah, I just love him!

Gemma is also growing fast (18mths now), I wish time would stand still sometimes so I could have this time with them at this age for longer. I absolutely LOVE her & she loves her Mama! :) I get lots of hugs, cuddles & kisses every day. She is such a sweet loving, empathetic little girl. Whenever she hears Henry, or another child crying she stops, pulls a sad face, says 'oh no!' and is so concerned about whoever it is who is upset. She showers Henry in kisses too and is so sweet to him. She loves to hold and cuddle him. Gem loves to help me in the kitchen, I can't be in there without her wanting to help mix, cut, cook, knead, do whatever I am doing. She also likes to empty the dishwasher with me :) Her favourite shows are Playschool, Giggle & Hoot & the Wiggles, we are going to see the Wiggles Live this month :) She loves to go for walks to the park, play in water, swim, play with sand, pet dogs, be outside, run, dance, sing, play, read books. This girl loves to read books & I can tell all the reading aloud has really made an impression on her. She can say a LOT of words & clearly too. No baby talk. She is stringing together 2, 3 & sometimes 4 words now. We can communicate with her very well.

I'm so impressed with her understanding and she surprises me with new words almost daily. We have been doing some sight words - showing her words on cards and repeating them, then she learns them and can read them. She has been doing great! I've barely shown her the words and she remembers them so well. We also went on a trip to the Temple last week and told her a little about it, pointed out the Angel Moroni etc.. later that week we were watching a church dvd and a temple came on screen and she pointed and said 'temple!' - she knew! :) she is picking things up so quickly. She is quite well behaved, hardly throws tantrums unless she is super overtired & even then she's not that bad. She experiences a bit of separation anxiety when I try to leave her in Nursery, but we've only just started going so hopefully she'll adjust and settle into it. She loves spending time with her Grandparents & Aunts & Uncle Cody :) She loves her Mama most I think & she will call for me all through the day to be by her side with almost everything she does. As soon as I am out of sight, it's 'Mama? Mama?! Mama!'

 

I do get tired, I do get worn out. I do need a break from time to time. Mothering is hard work. It is utterly exhausting at times. Sometimes I just need 5 minutes of silence on my bed. Or a shower alone. Or to wear something nice that doesn't have throw up or dribble or food smeared on it. I have been really bad about making time for fun for myself this year and I need to rectify that immediately so I don't have a meltdown. I have hubby & two babies relying on me and I can only be my best self for them and help them if I am sane, happy & fulfilled myself. So I need to start making some more time for me. 

At the end of the day I have two super, cute, healthy babies who I love more than words can say. I have a loving Husband and Father for my babies. I am surrounded by helpful family & friends. I have the Gospel & I am blessed daily. I love my Saviour. Life is good.

An update!

I have 7 weeks left (if I go to full term this time) of being pregnant and I CAN'T WAIT to meet this little boy. Seriously, I can not wait to have this baby out of me! I am so hot & uncomfortable in so many ways every single day and it's really getting to me. I hope he comes on the 1st of January, that's only a week earlier than his due date. I don't feel as prepared as I should be at 33 weeks, I haven't looked to see what boys clothes I have, we haven't even got a carseat for him. Considering I had Gemma at 37 weeks I feel like I need to hurry up and pack my hospital bag and make some meals for the freezer and get the carseat bought and installed.. but I am just SO tired and it is SO hot during the day and I don't have a car to go anywhere and the thought of catching a bus ... no way. Thankfully we are able to spend time in the pool & in aircon at home if need be, that is a huge blessing. Mum & Aunty live just around the corner and are always ready to come & help at any moment, they are angels. Love them!

On a brighter note, Gemma is SO smart! Of course I'm going to say that I'm her Mum :) but seriously she is a very clever little girl and I feel very proud (I must be doing something right!). She is 14 months now. She is walking more confidently each day, she will dance, try to jump, bend & stretch & do actions to songs like popcorn popping, twinkle twinkle little star, dingle dangle scarecrow & others. She has seen the chorister at church and now waves her arms around whenever hymns are being sung or we sing at home. She folds her arms for prayer before meals and at bedtime and is sometimes the first one to do so which is great as it reminds us. She has even started to whisper and copy as we are saying the prayer and she tries very hard to say amen but still needs some practice. She follows me into the kitchen and likes to help me stir food & will get her own bowl and spoon out of the drawer and pretend to mix and then feed it to me. She'll pull dish cloths out of the drawer and wipe down the floor, walls & any surface as though she's cleaning. She LOVES reading books, she will sit & have me read books with her for as long as I'll let her, no kidding, she could sit & read for an hour or more I'm sure of it. It's always me who gets up to do something else and she'll pick up a book and bring it to me and throw it at my feet or on my lap and look at me as if to say "Come on Mum! read this one!" :) I think all this reading aloud to her has really had a positive affect because she talks a lot - yes, mostly toddler talk (aside from the few words she can say like 'Mum, Dad, upstairs, num nums, dum dum & a few others), but she understands A LOT! She has a ton of books and in any one of them we can ask her to point to the cow, elephant, baby, chameleon, zebra, pillow, tv, bath, car, aeroplane, penguin, blueberries, buttons - really whatever is on the page and she will point to that thing. She knows SO many words it amazes me. She will see a picture of a refrigerator or microwave and then point to ours in the kitchen or she will see a picture of an ice-block and then point to the garage because that's where the freezer is. She'll see a picture of a child on a playground and then point to her stroller & outside because she knows that when we go for a walk she gets to go down the slide at the park. She is making animals noises now for snake, dog, elephant, monkey, cat, crow - oh & actions :) She knows just about every single body part & she is starting to pick up on colours, so far she knows pink & green. I love her cuddles & giggles & the faces she pulls. I love her spontaneous kisses and the way she looks at me & is always excited to see me. Perhaps other 14month olds are doing the same things or even more incredible things but to me she is amazing! She is my sunshine, I love her immensely.

A little about Gemma

Our Gemma is very clever :) She has learnt a lot in her first year. I can not believe that it will be her 1st Birthday on Friday. The time has flown by. I also can't believe that in 3 months she will no longer be an only child but will be big Sister to her little Brother. I think she will make a great big Sister. I wanted to record some milestones, funny, cute things that she does so I don't forget.

2 months  - smiled, talked, laughed
3 months - eat toes
4 months - says mama dada yaya
5 months - start to sit with help
6 months - sitting, touching everything, headbanging, dancing, clicking tongue
7 months - feed herself rice puffs & other finger foods, talking lots - mama dada baba gaga, drinking from cup, blowing raspberries
8 months - baby led weaning, starting to move forward on bottom, clap hands & point
9-10 months - crawling (scooting on bottom) climb stairs, recognize songs, animals, dancing 
11 months - folds arms for prayer when put in highchair, give kisses & cuddles, pulls self up on furniture
12 months - will make noise & actions to the words dog, monkey & elephant :) LOVES books & can point to correct picture when we say the word, enjoys playing outside, splashing in water, feeding herself yogurt, takes two naps a day and sleeps from 7pm til 5.30am. only breastfed in the morning, loves spaghetti, blueberries, smoothies & almond milk, moves along furniture with ease, can stand unassisted for a few seconds, loves to chase and be chased around the house & likes to check the mailbox. starting to throw tiny tantrums if she doesn't get her way (grits teeth, shakes head & bites her hand!) also loves trips on the bus & to the park and watching, playing with other children.

I love you so very much Gemma it is difficult to articulate (especially without tearing up), but it's like my heart is filled to bursting, it is so overwhelming and consuming and I would & will do everything that I possibly can to protect & care for you and make you feel loved for the rest of your life. You bring me so much happiness, joy that I would never know without you. You are such a sweet little girl and there is only one of you so I feel very, very blessed that you were sent to me. I love you unconditionally and without end & can't imagine life without you. I love you Gemma Kay! & Happy First Birthday! - love Mummy xo