Bushfires - DEVASTATION !

As I am sure you have all seen on the news, the beautiful picturesque coastal WA town of Margaret River has been struck with devastation over the past few days. Fires have ripped through and destroyed not only a community, but a favourite holiday destination for so many.

30+ homes have been lost.

My cousin, his wife and children live in the area and are one of the lucky few who have not lost their home. This is their backyard; it came within a metre of their trampoline.

This is the home across the road from them!

My brother is a fireman and also lives in the South West of WA, fortunately approx. 20 mins away from the town of Margaret River, however was one of the firemen requested to assist with the containment yesterday. I always have concern when I know he is helping fight such a large fire but also proud.

My thoughts and prayers are with all those that have been affected.

Names ...

Names … how do you choose a name for your unborn child without first seeing their face and knowing that they will have this name for the rest of their lives?!

Since day one we have struggled with names … well more specifically, with boy names.

We have had our girls name picked out since day one but if this bubs happens to be a little bundle of blue, I think he will be nameless.

I have had four boy names bouncing around in my head for some time now … none of which Rob has fallen in love with.

People ask us about our choice of names all the time and certainly don’t mind passing opinion if we say one they don’t like. We have stopped telling people now.

There are so many things you have to consider when choosing a child’s name.

Will it suit them for both childhood and adulthood?!

Does it go with their surname?!

What rhymes with it?! Will they be teased because of a nickname that comes out of it?!

I definitely think having a surname beginning with J makes it all the more difficult. There are so many J names that I love … yes my name is Jayne therefore I am Jayne Jagger, but this was not out of choice, I always said that I would take my husband’s name when I got married and that I did. I got JJ from a lot of my colleagues because of this.

So as we hit the 35 week and 4 day mark, we are still trying to make one of the biggest decisions within this process.

Did you fall in love with a name as soon as you found out that you were expecting? Did it take some convincing for your partner to love it too? Or did you have a favourite letter that you just had to use as the beginning letter?

25th December ... Where are you?!

I had my first ‘I want this to be over’ day today!

I awoke at 5:20am needing to use the bathroom, of course. I went back to bed but couldn’t get back to sleep as I had a splitting headache and felt like morning sickness had returned so I decided to get up. I watched sunrise and made myself some brekkie around 7, this was after taking 2 panadol which did nothing.

I ended up crawling back into bed at 7:30 and luckily went back to sleep until 9. I definitely needed that extra sleep.

I had a busy day ahead so I soldiered on.

The weather was absolutely beautiful so once I had finished running errands, I came home and Rob and I took Dakota down to the river. We are so fortunate with where we live, walking distance to the beautiful Swan River. The area that we are closest to is extremely tranquil and not a glimpse of a road, Dakota loves it down there and spends the entire time jumping in and out of the water. Definitely the Labrador in her shines through on these walks.

Snapped this today whilst sitting on the bench! Having the time of her life.

Lately we have been driving to a certain spot and walking her from there and taking her off the lead once we hit the water, I just can’t walk what seems like such a short distance.

Today was even worse, we parked the car in the normal spot, Dakota jumped out and away we went. I immediately started getting sharp pulling pains on my right side of my belly, we stopped for a moment and then kept walking very slowly. We ended up sitting on a bench half way instead of ending up at our normal spot as the pulling was just too intense. Dakota didn’t mind, she was in and out of the water still.

We began to walk back and the pain was all of a sudden intensified. I walked ever so slowly back to the car, waddling more than ever. Rob kept suggesting we stop but I just wanted to get to that car so I could sit down again.

Upon returning home, I sat on the lounge to delve into my weekly goss mag only to have my back sting with pain. Rob massaged the area but nothing would take the pain away. I had a bath but still, the pain lingered.

I ended up in tears!

The toll that pregnancy takes on your body is certainly intense.

I tried on a pair of my high heels today … I have my sister’s hens this Saturday and would LOVE to be able to wear heels for it. I am a BIG shoe girl so wearing flats even at 36 weeks pregnant just isn’t an option, especially for her hens do.

This particular pair has a strap around the ankle – I couldn’t even get it done up. I tried on my favourite mushroom patent peep-toe’s only to reveal extreme tightness!!

What is this baby doing to me? After travelling along quite well and everyone telling me that I’m all belly, I feel like my body is no longer mine. My weight gain has protruded around to the back, my legs are puffy, my toes and feet don’t look the same, I can no longer wear my wedding band as it is just too tight and I end up in agony when I try to take it off.

I have loved being pregnant feeling all of bubs’ movements and having the joy and excitement knowing that we have created a little person and I am giving this little bean the beginning to his/her amazing life, however, now, I think I can say I am ready to hold the little bean in my arms instead of in my belly.

I want to experience the joy of knowing if it is a girl or a boy, being able to cuddle him/her and having them as a reward at the end of each sleepless night.

The niggling pains are certainly getting to me and it is safe to say that ‘I am over being pregnant’.

I am grateful !!

I am grateful for … my adoring hubby !!

I would not be the person I am today without my sexy hubby by my side. I met Rob when I was still very young and impressionable. What he has taught me over the 5+ years that we have been together, I will never take for granted.

Rob is a very opinionated person, sometimes a trait that I become frustrated with but when I look back on a situation and think about what he was trying to say, his opinions are always trying to help someone.

He self-doubts which always makes me upset because he is an extremely talented, hard-working and giving person.

He has renovated our entire home on his own (with some help from my Dad), he refuses to pay someone an extreme amount of money to get the job done, because he wants it right, he would rather spend the money on ‘us’ and at the end of it, he gets to look back and admire his work.

He always puts my feelings first, often getting angry if he thinks I am taking on too much or getting treated wrongly. He is often asking me to take it easy and take time to myself, this was even before I fell pregnant.

I wouldn’t laugh as much as I do without him in my life. He makes me laugh every day and seems to always turn a bad situation into a good one.

He gets me !

Rob comes from a smaller family compared to mine and took a while to adjust to my large, loud and sometimes over-bearing family. He has grown to love each and every one of them and would do anything for them. This was made evident when my parents went through the toughest time of their lives a couple of years ago. Rob did everything in his power to help them through it.

When I began my maternity leave three and a half weeks ago, I wasn’t entirely sure how we would cope, as Rob works from home. I have loved every minute of it. I have been able to witness first-hand how dedicated he is to his work. We chat and we work as a team more than ever.

Ever since I fell pregnant, he has been an adoring man. Even more so since I finished work and have been at home with him, he tells me every day how gorgeous I am pregnant, how lucky he is to have me as his wife and how excited he is for our little one to enter the world.

Words that I definitely will not get sick of hearing.

We enjoyed a beautiful morning today, we had breakfast at our favourite local café then went shopping. Once we got home, I began to clean the house, he randomly came up to me and planted two big kisses on my cheek and said ‘thank you’. I have never wanted him to acknowledge the work that I do around the home, it is something I have always done and will continue to, as I love making our home look beautiful for us.

He is such a ‘big kid’ at heart. Loves his nephews and godson to the moon and back and will always take time to play lego or sit in a ball pit with them.

Of course he has his flaws … leaving dirty clothes on the floor in the bedroom instead of putting them in the laundry basket, splashing water all over the bathroom mirror when he brushes his teeth and always reminding me ‘alarm’ before I unlock the front door (I have lived here for as long as you have my dear, I have turned the alarm off as I do each time we come home). But, I wouldn’t have my life any other way. My life would be incomplete without him by my side.

I love Rob for everything that he is and I just know that he is going to be an amazing father to our little bean.

 Today I have linked in with Maxabella loves for I am Grateful. Head on over to view other grateful posts ... 




 

12 Years Ago ...

12 years ago today my beautiful niece, AIlish Rosaleen Neeson entered this world. I remember the day like it was yesterday. I was 13 and absolutely delighted that my big sis had given us this beautiful girl who we would cherish for her entire life.

This wasn’t the first time that I became an Aunty. I was actually an Aunty at the age of 9. My brother had been dating this girl for some time, living together and everything and then she got pregnant. Not the most ideal situation when your brother is 23 and his girlfriend is only 17. This is when Cassidy-Rae was born.

My brother being young and foolish never fought for his daughter, his girlfriend left him and moved back in with her Mum whilst she was still pregnant and they had a huge falling out. This little girl came into the world without her Dad and extended family around her and 16 years on her life stays the same.

There have been times over the years where my brother has attempted contact and has even met up with her Mum but she wants nothing to do with him.

It was possibly 18-24 months after Cassidy was born, I was off school sick and was sitting in the Dr’s waiting room with my Mum, this gorgeous little girl with dark brown curls all over her head was laughing and smiling with me, I tapped Mum on the arm and said ‘look Mum, how gorgeous is she’ we were both playing and oohing and aahing over her. What would have been seconds later, her Mum turned around from the reception desk … it was her … it was my brothers ex girlfriend … the little girl just so happened to be my niece and my Mum’s first born grandchild.

Heart-broken does not even come close to how my Mum felt that day.

You can surely understand the joy and excitement when Ailish came along, knowing that this precious baby would always be in our lives, we definitely let her know from day one that we were never letting her go.

She was in no way a replacement for Cassidy-Rae and still isn’t, she is her own person and we, as a family love her just as we have loved each nephew that followed her.

AIlish has stayed the only niece on my side of the family (in which we see). I then have 5 nephews. She often says how much she would love to have a girl cousin (she is desperately hoping that my bubs will be a girl), but I actually think she prefers being the only girl … she certainly gets special attention, especially from Aunty Claire and myself and she will always be Grandpa’s little girl.

My big sis moved her family to the north of WA almost two years ago and although we have seen them during most school holidays since the move, it isn’t the same. My sis and her kids were at my parents’ place every Sunday … it was just known that Sunday’s were family days and we would all hang out together. I really miss that.

My sister and I have 13 years between us. The same age difference as Ailish and I.

We have become a lot closer, I believe, since I fell pregnant. I am extremely similar to her, we view things in the same light and are both very head strong. Now that I am expecting my first bubs I have been able to turn to her for loads of advice. She will be coming down to Perth a week before Christmas and staying for a month. I am so glad that I will have her with me in my first few weeks as a Mum.

Ailish, I’m sorry that I have no control over whether this baby is a boy or a girl but I just know he/she will love their cousin to bits.

Have an absolutely fabulous 12^th birthday, can’t wait to see you when you are down next month.

Uncle Rob and I love you loads and loads !!

Drama ! Drama ! Drama !

Well the last two days have certainly been interesting.

My sister is set to be married on the 17^th December. Less than 5 weeks away.

My sister over the last few weeks has become quite unhappy with her choice of dress. She has been getting it made, and has loved choosing the material and each step in the process.

Until last week.

We went for her dress fitting and the dress was in an almost complete form. She tried it on and unfortunately it just wasn’t what she had first requested. It fit her body in a way that she wasn’t expecting.

Perhaps some background knowledge is required here … my sister has suffered with self-esteem and body issues since around the age of 12. This has been an ongoing battle for her and us as a family.

She never envisioned getting married nor did she envision feeling beautiful in a wedding dress having A LOT of people focused on her for one day.

This moment has come due to her meeting the man of her dreams … he is simply amazing and they are perfect for each other.

Once my sister gets something in her head, nothing will change her mind.

Trying to tell her that the dress she is having made is perfect and she looks gorgeous just doesn’t work. She made a decision to enter a bridal store yesterday to try on dresses to see what other styles suited her, this was then going to help her discuss her options with the dressmaker, perhaps some slight tweaks would mean that she would end up loving her dress.

BUT …

She tried on a dress and fell in love. The dress is simply amazing and is definitely something we all thought she would wear from day one.

She contacted her dressmaker to discuss her options who became quite frustrated with her. Said that she would discuss it further with her this afternoon when us bridesmaids had our fitting scheduled. In the hours that followed, my sister received an email … the dressmaker was completely withdrawing her services, not just for the wedding dress but bridesmaid dresses too.

So with less than 5 weeks to go, my sister has ordered a new wedding dress and we need to go shopping for new bridesmaid dresses.

Yesterday, I am sure you can imagine was a stressful day. Prior to hearing of the dressmakers withdrawn services, we were at the bridal store and my sister and I had an argument and I ended up in tears. She is my best friend, I have been there for her through every up and down, namely more downs, and I was just so upset for her that she had this amazing dress being made and she didn’t feel beautiful in it and now she had found another dress which made her feel simply amazing but it was going to cost her A LOT if she decided to order this one and cancel the other one.

I didn’t have a quick solution for her – I was worried for how this would all turn out, I was extremely tired and feeling every bit my 34 week pregnant emotions, I proceeded to burst into tears.

We had a minor argument and I came home and cried to my worried husband who just held me.

It doesn’t take long for the two of us to make up – I must admit the arguments between us used to be quite frequent, I hated seeing her sick, I hated seeing her treat her body the way that she did and I hated the person that her issues turned her into. She has come such a long way and I am so proud of her for this.

To know that she wasn’t feeling beautiful about the most important day in her life was terrible to watch.

I will continue to update on the wedding … im sure the next few weeks will be a rollercoaster ride of events!

Baby Shower Fun !!

Such a fabulous day !!

I celebrated my baby shower yesterday with my closest family and friends and I had a beautiful afternoon.

My sister and my Mum went to so much effort with the organising. A few girlfriends put on the games and one AMAZING girlfriend did the majority of the sweet treats – she went above and beyond.

I am so grateful to all of them for what they did.

A friend of ours makes the most divine cakes so of course Claire, my sister contacted her for the baby shower cake. It was simply gorgeous which I’m sure you will agree.

How gorgeous is that carriage?! Of course there were baby themed blue and pink cupcakes ...

There were balloons.

Beautiful gerberas adorned the kitchen window sill.

Cant have sweet treats at a baby shower without the themed napkins.

We had cute little lollipops as favours for all of the girls.

Bubs certainly got spoilt.

Of course we played the 'string' game.

Two of bubs' 6 aunties.

Bubs' Grandma Jagger & Grandma McCarthy.

I allowed Rob to hang around at the start so we could get a photo together he he! Mummy and Daddy to be ...

 

And of course with Aunty Claire ... the fabulous organiser!

It was so nice to have an afternoon where everyone was together at the one time and I could spend time with them all. I’m sure even though I still have 6 weeks to go … it will go extremely quickly and we will have a bubba at home before we know it.