Two Connally brothers

My doctor in the village wanted me to check in with the hospital gynecologist in the city, because of the risk factor due to my previous C-section. In order to see the gynecologist, I had to see their GP first who would refer me if necessary. He said everything was fine and normal, come back in three weeks.

Well, to give my local doctor something more specific than that, we went and got an ultrasound. Within a second he told me that Nicky, like his brother, was breech (as he was in the previous ultrasound). The other 2 doctors had mistaken his butt for his head. And, like Leo, being in the breech position (or just the fact that he is his father's son) his head had grown more than the rest of his body. I am a little over 35 weeks - Nicky's head is more than 38 weeks, his spine and legs are at 37 weeks. He is already 7 lbs (Leo was a little over 5 at this stage and was born 7lb 3 oz).

They gave me the number of a doctor who can turn him, but suggested I see a gynecologist first, so we went back to the hospital. After explaining what had happened, I bypassed the GP referral and went straight to the real doctor. He advised against having him turned. He says he's already big, my womb is long and narrow, and there is a risk that the procedure could rupture my Cesarean wound. He says we can wait as long as possible, hoping he'll turn by himself, but the chances are this one will remain head up and have to be another c-section. I have to go back every week and see him, and we'll see how things go.

We're still hoping for a natural birth, but I can't help but feel disappointed. Still, when I think about it, the only thing that matters is that Nicky arrives as safely as possible, and seeing as we live 2 hours from a hospital, contemplating delivering a breech naturally is not a great idea.

Other than that piece of bad news, I am feeling great. Still not too uncomfortable and able to work fine, albeit a bit slower.

Leo gets increasingly excited at the prospect of meeting his new brother. He keeps saying things like "when Nicky comes, he sit by Leo, sleep by Leo, play with Leo, etc.". Not sure how to tell him that newborns are not as exciting as he might think, but he'll figure it all out! Can't wait to have the two of them together.

For more photos, click here. There's one photo of Abe and I together - that was taken shortly before Leo arrived - notice how my belly is already almost that big.

New Sows

This week we've been doing some work on the gardens, but most of our efforts have gone to the pig pen. We mucked out the toilet area (we would place hay on top of their poop, which keeps the smell away and makes for a better compost), and put it in a pile in a garden bed we won't be using for a while. While Abe and I did that, Leo carried rocks and filled in a hole they'd made under their water nipple (they quickly learned how to push the nipple so that water would pool up into a lovely mudbath, which had grown incredibly deep). We then put a shade up and made a new hoop house, so that each sow would have a nesting area.

Once everything was ready, we went to the city and bought two beautiful sows. They are still young (born in July 2010), but already showing signs of the immense size they will grow to be. Both are pregnant, one due about 18th May, the other beginning of June.

They had a stressful day yesterday with the 2 hour journey to our place, and when I went to take a photo, they were asleep under the shade in some hay and did not even stir. Notice how their front legs are intertwined (we had considered getting just one due to the cost, but decided that the company would go a long way to keeping them both happy and healthy).

We need to fence a new area for them to graze, although there is no rush, as we will keep them penned up until they are used to this as their new home. This is the first time they have lived with dirt and grass under their feet, so we don't think it will take them long to call this home.

We only went a few days without having pigs on our property, but we are glad those days are over. These two are the beginning of our herd, and we hope that they will long be a part of our family.

For more photos, click here.

Windy Day

It's been a long time since I last blogged, so thought I'd use this super windy day to catch up. Not sure if I can remember half the things we've been doing - it seems like we've been super busy - but I'll try and fill you in on some of our more recent projects over the next few blogs.

I'm now seven months pregnant and getting bigger by the second, so we are trying to make the most of the time while I can still move around and do things (although I definitely get a lot more tired, more quickly, I've noticed, and when I have to bend down for things like cutting wood, I notice a big old bulge in my way). Pregnancy going great though, still not too uncomfortable or suffering any side effects beyond carrying a watermelon around with me, and a very active watermelon at that.

Leo has been great. He is far better at entertaining himself these days, which allows us to work on projects together for limited periods of time or even, occasionally, to rest. Whenever Abe is working online, Leo and I go into the village and play with other kids either in the kinder-garden or at their homes. We have enrolled him in kinder-garden starting in August - won't go every day, but a few times a week - and he LOVES that. He was using a small kid's potty for the bathroom, but he has now started going in the big toilet, so we no longer have to clean the potty. Talking gets better and better - even though it's hard to shut him up at times, it does make the finer points of communication a lot easier. Dressing is almost completely independent, once you lay out the clothes. All of these little changes will help when we have the new little guy around. He's super into climbing, and whenever we go hiking we have to watch that he doesn't run for the nearest rock or cliff - see if you can spot him in this picture. I haven't been taking as many photos recently, but there are some new(ish) ones of him in 34th Month. Any I take this month will go in 35th Month, which I'll create when I have a photo to put in there.

Well, here I go with a blogging catch-up...

She has a penis

Now that I'm in my 20th week of pregnancy, we decided to go and have another ultrasound.

Everything looks great. All normal and healthy. Just one small issue - our little girl has a penis! Yep, that's right, another boy. And before any of you start in with stories of someone you know who thought their baby was a boy, but turned out to be a girl, our little guy was very accommodating in the view he gave us of his junk. Even Leo, who was calling out the body parts he could see, cried "Nicky's wee wee".

Of course at the end of the day, it doesn't much matter either way. But it will take some readjustment. We had always assumed it would be a she, a little sister, etc. Well, Nicola Tess is no more, little Nico took her place!

And he is a very active little guy. I am now feeling him regularly. Thankfully, I have no discomfort or bad side effects of the pregnancy so far, although the BIG months are about to begin! Keep you posted next year.

As for Leo, I realize that I am long overdue for an update. I promise I will do a post on him in January. For the time being, suffice it to say that he's doing great, growing like a weed, in constant trouble, chatting up a storm and excited about Christmas.

Bun in the Oven

Our biggest news at present is that I'm pregnant again, just entering my 2nd trimester.

Though sex is still unknown, calling the baby "it" feels a little impersonal, so until we know otherwise, it will be "she". There isn't a single girl in Leo's generation on either mine or Abe's side of the family, so we think it's about time to change that.

We had our first ultrasound last week, which is always a wonderful experience. She's an active little booger, dancing around, moving her hands, playing with the umbilical cord. When we had our first view of Leo, he turned towards the camera and we had a perfect shot of his face. With this little one however, just as the doctor was trying to measure her head or spine and be about to click, she would lurch away and he'd have to begin all over again.

As far as the day I ovulated is concerned, she is due on the 10th May. However, based on the size of her head and spine, the doctor is estimating 28th April. We had planned this pregnancy so that the kids wouldn't have birthdays in the same month, but I guess she may not want to cooperate... we'll just have to wait and see.

She's definitely been more trouble so far. With Leo I never felt any morning sickness or anything in the first trimester. With this pregnancy, I have felt sick pretty much all day every day. It is now starting to ease up thankfully, so I'm just getting ready to enjoy these next three months. 2nd trimester is definitely the best – all the fun stuff, before the sheer discomfort sets in!