Me and mum have spent most of the week busting it out in the kitchen getting food prepared for the baby shower, we made all sorts for it such as:
Plus other store brought things like Spring Rolls, Samosas, Sausage Rolls, Cocktail Sausages, Chicken Bites, Chips n Dip, Biscuits.
I got my balloons filled with Helium on the friday afternoon with a chemical added into them to keep them up long enough for the baby shower the following day, I spent hours going around shops trying to find just plain pink and green balloons but no one had ANY at all, well they had bright pink but I didnt want a bright pink and they had dark green and I didnt want a dark green either..I couldnt even find matellic balloons....I eventually ended up getting a pack of mixed colours...but I was short one pink balloon....but compromised in the end. I had two chinese paper lanterns too that I put up for decorations.
On the moring of the baby shower mum woke me up asking for help in the kitchen as she flooded it - I woke up thinking well why mother have you got the washing machine going if you flooded the place (the sink in the laundry is usually the culprit here when something falls in it blocking the drain) but it was the kitchen sink she flooded, she had filled it ready to wash dishes and was multi tasking... thankfully we got it all cleaned up, the floor did need to be mopped so it gone done differently..! LOL!
I had never ending Braxton Hicks and Pelvic pain while making sammies and wraps it wasnt easy, I had also run the maternity hospital for the second time (had called the night before) about my pelvic pain but got no help from them again about it. I think we got everything almost done and set up by the time people started to turn up, just had to wait for the savoury foods to be heated through and cooked.
My sister seem to win every game I had going - I had a couple of other games planned but didnt get around to playing them, I had guests leave early and arrive late so couldnt get them all done to plan. But the ones I did have took a bit of brain power for my guests - I think the most fun game was probably the Guess the Baby game - I had printed off photos of my mum and dad, my sister and me, my nieces and nephews, both my granmothers, and simon and his sister all as babies and had numbered them and gave out a list of names and had people guess who was who. Looking back at the results people wrote down its pretty funny seeing who got some of them right and had never met or seen the photos before - and who got some around the wrong way. For example my parents around the wrong way, my nephews, my sister and me - then there were some who got them extreme to the point of Simon and my nephews....or his sister and my nieces. My nana made me laugh when she saw Simon and his sister's baby photo thinking it was her knitting with the blankets they had...I had to go to her nooooooo....she of course knew who were her children and which one was her. She did wonder where I got the photos from of her and I pulled out a stash of old photos of her as a baby and of my dad and aunt growing up...all which she has given over some stage of my life or we have gotten hold of somewhere. I would of loved to have photos of my granfathers and some of simon's parents but didnt have any sadly.
I gave prizes out to the runner ups since my sister kept winning ever game!!! I had gone to Soap Opera in Botany Downs Mall and they have a bathtub full of soap offcuts where you can fill a paper bag up with $20 worth of soap. I did that and had them trim some of them a bit and gift wrap them.
Gift opening was so much fun - my mate and co hostess Yaz sat next to me for it (she was my official photographer for the day) and wrote down every thing I got and who it was from. I think from my wish list we got some of the things I had put on but we were left with some of the most important items not given as gifts - for example a nappy bag which we were really holding out for, I had put a temporary stop on buying more baby stuff with Simon as we wanted to see what we would get from the baby shower. Of course this left us with a list of things we really needed....I ended up getting a nappy bag myself from KMart 50% off as it was the one in stock, so I have been able to at least get Amelia's bag packed ready for the hospital..!
We got some really gorgous things - socks, hats, bibs including some Holden ones (from Aunty Yaz who knows that mummy and daddy are Holden lovers in the Ford vs Holden debate), outfits, blankets, couple of record books, a Peter Rabbit Dinner Set (even with a wishlist given my neighbour just didnt know what to get me, so I had dropped her a couple of hints of much needed items...of course Peter Rabbit was left off the list when I wrote it, but I had told her that Simon loves Peter Rabbit...so thats how we got that gorgous set). All our gifts have been really well appreciated and we do love everyone who got us something. And I have to say thank you soooo much to Amelia's Nanna for the gorgous outfits she got from Marks and Spencer...! Your grandaughter is going to look gorgous for her first year of her life as she grows into them..! xxx As always I love how you wrap your gifts to family and friends...
Even with a number to cater for I did end up with heaps of food left over, esp the sweet food that is, Ive noticed hot foods - the savoury items do go fast at parties over other foods.
End of the day I had a great time and thanks to those who did turn up, I really appreciate your love and support towards both myself, Simon and our daughter. Im still waiting for my mate Yaz to send me all the photos she took. and once I get them I will post some collages. In the mean time here are a couple of my fave ones of Simon with my nieces Meggan and Emma....though he spent most of the day teasing Meg NON STOP, he is a pretty awesome Uncle, and I know he will just as good a father to our daughter when she is born.
Well its been an odd week so far, it seemed to start out fine but then it turn rather dark and it seems I have been sailing stormy waters since. While I have lots to do before my baby shower takes way tomorrow, it was somewhat sunny enough to go to the beach - not warm enough to go swimming or anything but a nice drive out and walk along the beach...bit of one on one time, and daddy daughter bonding given we are 5.5wks off our little girl making her grand entrance into the world.
I headed over and picked Simon up and we went for a drive out to Maraetai Beach, I havent been there for well over 10yrs, actually a little less now that I think about it, I went there for one of my ex best friend's 18th birthday about 5yrs ago. We drove around a bit and found a little parking area where we parked up and went and played on the playground like big kids.....sadly they are the most strangest swings there and well big fat preggo me couldnt get into the swing....Simon took great job out of photographing my attemps of getting into the swing then trying to get back out of it...we had a little go on the slide, I almost got stuck....and played on a few other things...seemed pregnancy isnt very friendly when it comes to play grounds...!! But the photos were cute and funny.
We walked along the beach as the sun was slightly setting then walked down alone a peir where we sat cuddled up, Simon sitting behind me with his hands protectively on my belly...head nuzzled into my hair and neck. His little girl was moving around a little bit...it always gives me a great feeling when he gets to feel her moving or has the hiccups. We took some photos of our hands on my belly and a few other pics of each other. 
It was such a nice little late afternoon trip - only when we headed back home did it all fall to pieces and into tears. And it was such an event that I was almighty lucky I didnt go into premature labour, but it has left me rather upset and making me think some not so nice thoughts....but also thinking other things.....and in all honestly I have no shame in saying what happened - and this person you may be family and related to me via MY daughter, but there is NO way you can make me shut up, freedom of speech. Im well aware you yourself are probably reading this, or you have friends and family back home in the UK reading my blog, spying on me....but you have really well and truely changed my mind on what I thought of you...you make things just a little bit more clearer to me about what kind of person you really are. 
I repsected you, I opened my home to you, and what do you give me?? Absolutely nothing, you have made me feel unwelcomed and unwanted and not only me but mine and your SON's daughter too - your own GRANDAUGHTER..! You wonder why I left when I did? It was because of you, you were one of the biggest factors in me leaving almost 6 months ago....because of how you made me feel. Having me around felt like I was a big inconveneince to you. Your entitled to your opinion, but obviously truth hurts for you to see it put out in front of you - I will NEVER forgive you for what you said to me, and how you almost endangered your grandaughter's life. Not only did you hurt me, but you hurt your son too... but you also have cost your relationship with you grandaughter now. I dont think you love her, let alone want her, and because of that I dont think you should be allowed to see her - left alone with her. But then having cut yourself off from most of your family would that really bother you much? Or are you just happy again that you have undone all the hard work that me and your son have worked hard on rebuilding and sorting out. On the bonding and relationship I have been trying to get him to form with his daughter before she is born....trying to make OUR family work out. 
Because of what you have said and done towards me - you have also distroyed the relationship your SON had with his DAUGHTER...! You clearly dont want to see him happy or taken away from you, but now you have gone and forced him pretty much well and truely away from me but most of all his daughter and because I that I will NEVER forgive you. I hate the way you make me feel, I hate men like you who belittle woman and treat them like a piece of dirty especially pregnant woman so close to giving birth....! 
BUT maybe you havent learnt one thing about me - I have Northern Irish blood running through my viens (as does your grandaughter), and I know how much you HATE them, but we dont give up without a fight... I dont give up without a fight....I also have German blood just like you too, and I am the grandaughter of a WW2 war veteran. I WILL fight for my family....and that family includes your son who the father of my daughter..!! You will find yourself very lonely one day when you have pushed away all of your family and those you love. 
