waiting...

i must admit, i am not the most patient person in the world, but waiting for this baby to come is not bothering me at all. i am completely content to remain pregnant for as long as i need to, which may be even until next monday - probably because i remember just how little sleep i got when madeline was born... but then again i probably have a bit better idea what i am doing this time around. (or do i...?)

we had a lot of visitors today - jamie-lee and zara came to visit and madeline got the most beautiful christmas gift - the tutu dress she is rocking in the above picture. i am in love! then hayley came over and us girls went for a trip to ikea and bought some things that we "neeeeded" (funny how every trip to ikea you don't go looking for anything in particular but end up buying things that you just can't live without.)

ended the day with a trip to the osborne park hospital assessment unit, where baby k had another ctg (heart rate) scan - all is well, it's very happy and... i'm still pregnant with no idea when it will arrive. i did however confirm with the midwifes on duty - that you are normally induced on day 10 - so next monday it would then be. i guess we just wait and see what happens! one thing is for sure, i can not wait to meet the little one.

40 weeks!

check it out! i actually made it to baby k2's due date 

and... well - nothing. 

baby is clearly not ready to join us just yet. so we wait. i have lost track of how many people have messaged, emailed or called today - but i can assure you, i will let you all know! 

it's strange, i never made it to this point with madeline, being induced 12 days early... so now i guess i just sit and wait. wait until something happens - and just hope that it comes when doug can actually get to the hospital in time - seeing as he starts training south of the river on monday for six weeks! i found out this week too, that my student midwife has to take off to england on sunday night for a week, due to a family funeral... so i just hope all goes well! valentines day would have been a cool birthday, but i guess it's just not meant to be. haha.

keep your fingers crossed for me please! 

double date

last night we were treated to dinner at silks restaurant (part of the crown burswood complex) by our beautiful friends jo and thomas as a last hurrah before baby k2 is due to join our little family. spoiled rotten... it was a wonderful dinner, beautiful food, amazingly attentive staff and fantastic company. highly recommend you go check it out.

maddie and baby k also got their fair share of spoiled, with maddie getting some gorgeous clothes (including some from witchery kids... droooool) and a whole bunch of beautiful outfits for baby. maddie is quite the fashionista and loves getting dressed up, so she was stoked when she got up the next morning and found all  these clothes waiting for her. she proceeded to sort through them a few times in a row, placing them all carefully on to the table and telling me all about them. such a crack up...

we feel so loved and spoiled and are so grateful for beautiful friends. ♥

package for baby g

posted this package off for my newest nephew - who is still cooking away nicely - in the uk. my middle oldest brother and his wife katja are expecting the little one in april (and thankfully never read my blog) so i can even tell you all about what's in it... and thankfully because of how organised i was - could send it sea mail - for half  the price! yay!

onesie on top with a handstitched-on vintage tie (found in the op-shop of course) - made by me!

australian animal finger puppets - kangaroo, koala, treefrog, crocodile and platypus - from funky kids at karrinyup shopping centre

waffle wraps - from target australia

fox and deer double sided bibs (tartan backing!!) - from target australia

plastic soliders - from target australia (an absolute obsession of aaron's as a child)

funny magnets with raising your baby tips - for katja

and the cherry on top an amazing vintage tie from the local vinnies (which is exactly the same as the one aaron rocked as a child, please see photo below...) i almost screamed when i found it, i was so excited - i only hope he appreciates it!)

cannot wait til he's here!!! australia post - please deliver! x

behind the red dress

warning and disclaimer...

the following images are confronting and contain topless material. they are not in any way meant to be sexual. the aim of this project is to raise awareness for breast cancer. if you feel as though you may find these images offensive in any way, please do not continue to read this post.

"every day we walk past people. these individuals appear normal but under their clothing, sometimes their bodies tell a different story. beth whaanga and photographer nadia masot aim to find others who are willing to participate in this project so that they can show others that can affects everyone. the old and the young, age does not matter, self examination is vital. it could happen to you."

this beautiful and amazing woman is our dear friend beth. she is the same beth that introduced me to my husband, the same beth that our little madeline beth bears the name of. beth is 32 years old and in november 2013 underwent a double masectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer. the months that followed were both frightening and heartbreaking for her and her husband, not to mention their four young children, yet beth has borne her trials with grace and still come out on top - fighting as always.

after posting these photographs to facebook on sunday morning beth experienced both support and criticism from friends and those who surround her daily life. she awoke monday morning to discover over one hundred and thirty people had removed her from their friends list - as well as learning that her photographs had been reported to facebook over and over for pornographic content. 

facebook has now reviewed her images and ruled in her favour - allowing them to remain in place, for now. however people are continuing to report them, as her message goes global - with thousands of shares - even ending up as far away as germany - on twitter! they will be featured in the wednesday "courier mail" newspaper in queensland, australia - where beth and her husband have lived since their wedding in late 2003.

these images were taken by another dear friend of ours - photographer nadia masot - who has poured her heart into them, she and beth have been dear friends for years, and i can only imagine the heartbreak she felt when taking them. 

ladies, check yourself. beth took these photographs to promote awareness, not to disgust, shame or make anyone uncomfortable. she wants nothing more than to save lives, to ensure that is doesn't happen to someone else. please ensure you are aware of what could happen to you - or someone you love - and feel free to pass this message along.

beth we love you and we always will!

x♥x

happy families...

heaven forbid one make it through a pregnancy without having some cute pics taken, so on saturday we went off to our favourite little park, the stirling civic gardens (for those of you who want to check it out and do your own pics there... it's right next to the stirling train station (near the stirling council offices) - and those who don't know the stations by name, that's next to ikea) and yes - that's the same bench that we have our favourite family pic on!!

dominique is awesome at taking pictures and offered to do them for us, and seeing as it was the coolest day we had had for weeks we took full advantage of it! saying that, it was still pretty hot (about 28 degrees) but at least it was bearable.

maddie has such big personality and is so determined to be independent, that sometimes it's hard to keep her still, but she co-operated well enough for us to get some cute pics in.

it's kind of funny when i think i have never been this far pregnant. to count weeks and days, madeline would have been born the next day... so i have had my pictures done on the exact same day both times. that's kind of cool!

so - now... we are on countdown, there is a week today until baby k is due. i have been to the clinic earlier this week and being that all my blood results were normal, i won't be induced this time around, so i guess we just wait until it's ready to meet us! 

big big thanks to niques for an awesome effort as always... 

we love them!

a testimony of missionary work

“our missionaries are going forth to different nations . . . the standard of truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done.” (history of the church 4:540)

i have a testimony of missionary work. i know that because of it, my family is where we are today. two brave and beautiful women that I was privileged to call my grandmothers, took a chance when prompted by the spirit and listened to the young men who knocked on their doors, not knowing how their husbands would respond. one discovered that her husband had been born into the church (!!) and was less active, the other had her husband wish her well, but swear it wasn't for him... which didn't last long.

because of the decision these women made, my mother and father joined the church and my family was given the opportunity to be sealed for time and all eternity in the temple. my two oldest brothers have served missions. my parents are currently serving a mission assisting the people of western samoa. i met and married a worthy priesthood holder in the temple, who had also served a mission. my family now also has the chance to be together for eternity. i hope that one day my own children may also want to share the gospel with others from the example that has been set for them.

without the missionaries in the world, there would be so many searching for the truth - that would have no chance of finding it. i cannot express the joy i felt when the lowered ages for elders and sisters were announced, allowing for the flood of additional missionaries to begin... and for the call that we are currently awaiting - for dominique! her papers are in and all there is to do now is wait and see where she will be going. it's so exciting - and no matter where she is going, they will be so lucky to have her!