One week

This time last week my baby girl was 6.5 hours old.
I can't believe how quickly it's gone already. I haven't even given you a photo yet. So there you go. She looks like a big chubba in that photo hehe

Having Lola has made me realise I was born to be a mum. I can't imagine being anything else. Even when I'm frustrated, there's nowhere else I'd rather be. I don't find myself wanting 5 minutes to myself. I enjoy having my little people around.
I'm amazed I have been given such a precious gift that is all mine.
These little people rely on me for everything. I am their world. It is such an amazing feeling.

Pat has gone out tonight and asked if I was ok for a couple of hours. I think he feels guilty about going out with friends and leaving me at home. But I really don't mind.
I don't miss any of it.
I don't miss smoking. I don't miss drinking. I don't miss talking about pointless crap with people who couldn't care less.
How could I want to do those things when I have these tiny people, who are tiny for such a short time?
Not that I think badly of Pat for going out at all. He does so much for me and the kids that he deserves a break. He's so hard on himself and takes on so much responsibilty it's crazy. He does almost all the cleaning. All the washing and folding and putting away. He is really wonderful.

This post doesn't really have a purpose. Except to show you how wonderful my life is. How I feel blessed at being able to wake up to my complete little family and that I enjoy every minute - even when I'm stressed, there's no where I'd rather be.

xx

Something's Up.

Seriously.
Something is going to happen. Why? Because my house is clean. My bathroom has been cleaned, I've done two loads of washing today, I've baked muffins. Dinner is already cooked and THE DISHES ARE WASHED after it. As well as all the dishes I've used today. I've even got Rice Pudding baking in the oven! I've put away clothes that were hanging around deciding whether they were dirty or not, made beds, cleared up stuff that has been waiting for the baby to arrive, showered the child, fed said child and now he is asleep in bed.

What's so bad about all that? It's not me. I'm not that mother. I'm not organised. My house is usually a kerfuffle. We have too much stuff and nowhere to put it. And I HATE washing up. Which I have done twice today. Dexter hardly ever goes to sleep this early. I'm certainly never organised to have him bathed, feb and dressed ready to go to bed this early.

I'm sure you all think I'm being completely silly. BUT I think someone (the universe or whoever) is conspiring against me. Why? I feel like this is the calm before the storm.
A lot of you don't know (I didn't blog it) but last monday I spent the night in hospital. Contractions, a bit of a show - everything you want at 27 weeks. The good thing was, I wasn't officially in labour. The bad thing is, I was told to not do anything or I would end up in labour.
They let me go home the next day - they were PACKED! - with a script for Panadine Forte and strict orders to do nothing around the house. Or outside the house, or anything other than looking after Dex, really.
So that's why I'm worried.
I'm stressing, because I thought I had my hospital bag all packed, but guess what? It has no undies in it! How can it be a hospital bag with no undies? It also has no maternity pads OR breast pads. Super organised, hey.

So, that's my rant. Probably, nothing will happen. Maybe, something will. At least if it does, the house will be clean and everything will be organised. Except my underwear, of course.

Back to the Budget

I apologise.
I've been pretty slack lately.

I've had a lot going on (practically on bedrest or I'll go into labour) so things like grocery budgets haven't been the top most priority on my list.
BUT Because we'll definitely need a budget if she does decide to come early (contingency planning and all that jazz) I best get back into it.

So, I have the pram on layby - And I found a cheaper one on the internet and am NOT going to be afraid to ask the stroe to price match it. They have a store policy that cancelled laybys get the money they have paid credited as a store voucher, so I really have nothing to lose. I have a capsule on its way. I have enough MCN's (modern cloth nappies - if you don't use them, you should) to cover TWO newborns. She has a ridiculous amount of clothing. I'm not even kidding. She has more clothes than Dexter and I put together.

So really, all we need under control is our food shopping.

A good CHEAP recipe for you guys.

Quiche
Box of frozen spinach (about 80c from Aldi)
10 Eggs
Splash of milk
2 sheets puff pastry
1/2 block ricotta/fetta/cream cheese (up to you really)

Line dish with sheet of pastry, fill in gaps with second sheet.
Whisk eggs, add as much milk as you normally would.
Add defrosted spinach and whichever cheesee you choose to the eggs and mix in
Pour into your dish and bake on 180 degrees celcius until it's cooked.

(will be solid... kind of like an omlette - you'll know when it's cooked and you can't really burn it...)

Enjoy =]

The who, when and why

I always hate these.
Because everything you read tells you different things about what these first posts should include.

So I'm going to do my own thing, a sort of who we are, why I'm doing this and when the Doll is due.

I'm Jess, mother of one and a half. One, being my 16 month old son named Dexter, who is currently driving his lawnmower into the front door which he just slammed shut. Life is always noisy interesting with him around. Half being the little girl I'm currently incubating. Due in 4 months - 11 May 2011. A very short time away.

Like I've said - We're not poor, but if I don't stop spending, we will be. It's just so easy to spend money. It's hardly ever on myself, usually on my son and Doll-to-be. Or Hubby, who get frustrated becasue he'd rather continue wearing the undies with holes in them that are worn and comfortable, than have me spending money. Especially since he's just bought me a brand new car. I've never had one of those before!

So, this is us. Me, setting myself the goal of spending only $50 a week to feed the three of us. Will be interesting. My plan will be once I'm at $50, that's it. I'm not allowed to spend any more. Probably a couple of Weetbix dinners for the first couple of weeks while I figure it all out.

And, trying to prepare for the Arrival, whilst spending the smallest amount possible... I still need a double pram, a capsule, another car seat, nappies (cloth) and all those other wondeful bits and bobs that must accompany children.

Oh yeah, going to try toilet training my son in the midst of all this too.


So there you have it. If you like it, welcome, stick around. If you don't, GTFO