38 weeks means....

Waddling. I not only waddle, I also have trouble walking in a straight line which means I'm constantly bumping into Peter.

I can't see my feet anymore and have to get Pete to cut my toenails - surely that is a sign of true love hey!

I find it hard just getting up from the couch so Pete helps me up.

My feet (whilst not the horrendous cankles they were in Adelaide) are puffy and often sore.

I wake up every morning with extreme numbness/pins and needles in my hands and fingers. They are also puffing up big time. My face is a bit puffy but it could be worse.

Whilst Pete sits on the couch shivering, I demand the fan to be blaring right on top of me. He just has to suck it up and put warmer clothing on if he's cold.

I cry easily. Enough said!

I know where a convenient toilet is located within a 10 radius from our house.

I wake up countless times during the night, just to change position.

Climbing stairs is nearly impossible. Pete and I caught a train into Melbourne to test what it will be like for his journey to work. We had a walk around the Docklands area near the Ericsson office and then headed back towards to Mall. We climbed a flight of stairs and it stuffed me so much I had to go take a break in a food court and get Pete to run the errands we had to do in the city...I just couldn't walk any more.

I have to hug Pete sideways so my belly doesn't get in the way.

My weekly pregnancy shot no longer shows the "pregnancy glow." I simply look exhausted and 'over it' (at least, that's my opinion anyway)

Having said all this, I'm actually doing pretty well. I just really want bub to come as I'm so excited to meet him/her.

lately...

Pete and I have a crazy schedule. We're normally busy people but this is a big year for us. Pete has just finished his final exams after a fair amount of stress. I know that he'll have done fine though. I said to him that Heavenly Father would not prompt us to move to Melbourne, provide an awesome job there and then not guide him through his exams. I feel so strongly that Heavenly Father is preparing a place for us in Melbourne and that we will move into a good ward.
Pete finished his exam on Friday afternoon, and then set off for Melbourne on Sat morning to house hunt. We'll be renting in the SW area of Melbourne (at least that's where we feel directed towards at this stage). I have 3 more weeks of work to go (2 more with the kids) and have been absolutely flat out. I have done more excursions, exercise etc in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy than the 1st and 2nd combined. Probably not wise, but I just have so much to do before I leave work.

I did overdo it on Fri though. I taught 6 lessons straight (4 of which were excursions), umpired a staff vs student Netball game at lunchtime, supervised an after school detention, then supervised the Middle School student social. When I sat down in lesson 6 and then got up to check on students work I could barely move :-)
I must say though, that I have an amazing group of colleagues who really look after me. I was sat down at recess and told that the roster for the social was changing. Instead of doing 2 duties, I was to do 1 and then go home early. I am so well supported at work and love my colleagues to bits. I'm going to miss them so much next year :-(

So it looks like Pete and I will be moving in the next fortnight. I'm going to stay here in Adelaide and finish work while Pete and a friend take care of the move. I'm praying it all goes smoothly and that we get someone to move in here quickly as well. Pete attended a ward today where his cousin's family go and funnily enough he met an old Tassie friend of mine who is also in the ward after moving in recently with his family. He felt really good there and I'm hoping that he'll find something in that area.

I'll leave you guys with a couple of recent pics from the past 2 weekends. Last weekend we flew up to Brisbane for Siona's wedding (Pete's sister) and then this weekend I had a baby shower. So much fun!

Enjoy x

Siona and John outside the Brissie temple

my friend Michelle and I catching up

Bill and Sue with their daughter Siona and new son-in-law John

Siona with her brothers, Andrew and Peter and sister Karyn

Naw - Siona and Pete

Siona's dress was gorgeous. I included this shot as it showed off
the detail in the back of her dress.

Me and fellow preggie friend Tahnee. She's 39 weeks, I'm 31.

My lovely friends Karen and Judi who organised and hosted
my baby shower yesterday.

Looking big in this shot!

WE WON!

As many of you Facebook followers would know, we ended up winning the Ultimate School Excursion Competition. It was crazy! We were so excited to find out and I could not hear a word the radio announcers were saying because my class was going crazy, the class across the hall were trying to come into my room and it was just insane! Funny thing was (I didn't hear this til I listened to the playback later) was that the radio announcers were joking that I shouldn't take my class coz it didn't seem like I could control them. He he.

Have a listen to the craziness here:



The excursion went off so smoothly. I got another staff member to come along, as well as 5 awesome parents. We walked to the show since it was so close to school. I just love being right on the edge of the Adelaide CBD. The walk was a bit more taxing than I thought though, and I noticed my usually quick power walk, had become a waddle! I felt so heavy that day. I was determined to be on my feet all day, walk around with the different groups we'd arranged etc so I could give myself a test run for what it'll be like in Japan. I was exhausted at the end of the day, but wasn't overly sore the next day. My hormones however, went crazy the following day. I had so many different emotions I was feeling and was a bit of a mess really! More on that will come.
For now, I'll just post a couple of photos from our day at the show...

some of 8MW with one of the strange 'flowerpot' people

the famous show ducks. They change outfits regularly throughout the day and
are guided by the dogs. I'm still not sure whether I thought this was cute or just plain cruel...

The first photo of the day. Just before I let the kids loose...

Pig Diving. Zoom in to see it better...I wasn't sure what Pig diving was until Pete showed me a clip on Youtube. It actually made me cry because the pig on the clip got to the edge of the platform and was baulking but had no where to turn back. I was really upset as the pig was scared. I was crying watching the clip. Thinking it was a bit of the pregnancy hormones kicking in, but I'm still not sure whether I like the concept. Though, this particular Pig Diving event was good because the pig just went right to the edge, had a sniff, then jumped into the pool. Pigs are so cute!

Trying the scones from the CWA stall at the show. The
scones were delish, especially with the home-made plum jam.
These women sure know how to make people happy.
Look how big I am in this pic. It just looks fat though from this angle!

Funny things kids say

It's been a funny couple of weeks at work. My students are classic and always saying the funniest things - especially since I've been pregnant.
When I told my gorgeous class of year 8's that I was pregnant they all broke out in applause and were very excited. When they left class I could see them outside the window in the yard and it was like Chinese whispers in action as my news spread throughout the Middle School. 45 kids left that day on a Zoo camp and when they returned 3 days later the teacher who'd been on camp with them was telling me how they told her my news. The kids exclaimed "Ms J, did you hear what happened to Mrs Watt. " Ms J said it was so funny. They were telling her like it was some big accident and what had I let happen to me. So funny!
The other day I had another teacher tell me that one of my students told her "Mrs Watt has been SOOO nice since she's been pregnant." When she told me who it was I realised it was a boy in my class who I had complimented that morning on his new hair cut. I told him he looked handsome and when I asked the girls they agreed. No wonder I was in his good books!
It will be interesting to hear what other things they have to say over the next few months.

Expecting

So....as most of you would be aware, I'm pregnant!

• I'm just over 13 weeks and due on the 25th Jan (though I would LOVE the bub to be born on Australia Day, 26th Jan)

• We're not finding out gender. I'm a bit curious but Pete really wants the surprise.

• I haven't had morning sickness as such - just had lots or reflux type stuff and heaps of weird burping (no-one ever told me that could happen) Also, am just exhausted ALL the time

That's about all I can think to say at this point. It's exciting but still not quite real yet. I think it will be more real once I've actually heard bub's heartbeat or seen it on the scan.