Waiting

It's been a while since I last blogged so I thought it was about time to catch up.

My parents arrived almost a week ago to be here for the arrival of this little baby who seems very content not to come early like the last three have. My folks are here for another couple of weeks so I know baby will come sometime while they are here. I would like it to come earlier so we can get out and do a bit more and they have time to cuddle this little bubba. 

We managed to get a pretty good live feed via the Internet of the RWC final. Mum and Dad had brought over some kiwi sweets so we enjoyed watching the game and pigging out on a few tastes from NZ. Yummy chocolate and sweets, Mmmmm.

We had an amusing time arranging some things for the birth. Because we are in a rural area, the hospital facilities are not quite at western standards or Indian city standards. It's clean and I have a great doctor but she wants me to be at the hospital for the birth and not at home and we had to arrange a few things for a "just in case of emergency" situation. So one of the things we had to do was book some blood at the nearest hospital that holds blood. We thought this was going to be a simple fill in a form but in the end we had to call on one of the staff here who can drive and he was spoken to by my doctor to arrange what was needed. The next thing I know we are having to drive about 12km to a hospital (on very bumpy roads) where I got to meet one of my donors... yes you heard right... I met my donor. We did not realise that our friend was having to find people with A+ blood type to donate blood for me. So we had to go and get cross matches done. It's not that I am anticipating needing to use the blood but in NZ a local hospital would have this sort of thing on hand in case of any hemorrhage. It's just a bit more hands on here and a new experience. But it's all sorted now and I am just sitting back waiting for this baby to come. I usually like to have a homebirth but will go to hospital this time just for some safety reasons and to keep others happy. As long as we have a safe birth and healthy baby... that's what counts.

Tonight is Diwali (festival of light), so I anticipate there will be some loud crackers going off. Perhaps if this baby comes tonight we should call it Boomer. We had a bonfire and some crackers with the girls at the home a few nights ago but unfortunately the rain came and cut it a bit short.

We have all been up and down with a virus lately... one with a cough and the other with a fever. I have managed to get over mine now so finally feel fit to have this baby... Come on already!!!! Do you sense my impatience. I'm trying hard to be patient but today I'm not feeling it.

David gave all of the dorms a sheet of paper to guess when baby will come. They are having great fun guessing and are always coming and rubbing my belly or putting their ear to my belly. I don't think I will be short of babysitters.

Here's a few shots of the things we have been up to.

 Almost 39 weeks pregnant

 Gifts from NZ

 Gran and Grandpa watching a playback of a skit the kids did.

 Rugby world cup final

 Bonfire and crackers night... and early Diwali.

Holding the fort

First and foremost I want to say a huge thank you to my wonderful hubby and kids for keeping things ticking along and the household running while I've been out of action. The girls even cooked a meal for guests while I was away.

To fill you in.... long story short. I have been battling a kidney infection for about a month and have been on oral antibiotics. Unfortunately they did not do the trick and my body decided to treat everyone in the doctors waiting room with a dance act of me breaking into great chills and shakes (rigors) So I ended up being admitted to hospital for a few days and getting IV antibiotics. Once my fever and aches and pains had subsided it was a bit of a holiday really where I was able to read and relax.   Probably just what my body wanted actually (although the IV antibiotics were pretty painful). I came home for a couple of days but test results showed that even after the IV antibiotics, the infection was still there. I came down with fever again the next day. So I am now on two antibiotics until baby is born. Bubs seems unperturbed and is wiggling away as usual but my doctor would like to see baby born in 2 weeks. I usually go into labour two weeks early anyway so that will be about the right time.

The hospital was so clean and quiet and most of the staff were great. My doctor is fabulous. One thing that we laughed at every time is that the method of checking ones temperature is with the back of the hand on the forehead.

I had a lovely view through coconut palms from my room and I remember opening the windows one morning and the morning smell of sweet smoke filled the room as people cooked their breakfast on wood burning stoves. Squirrels were running over roof tops and along the coconut leaves and I breathed in deeply enjoying the peacefulness of it all. It will be one of those memories that sticks in my mind.