I'm still a bit in shock today. I did a pregnancy test yesterday and it was positive! I am really surprised and feel weirdly unprepared. I definitely want more lovely children, but am worried that I won't be well enough to mind Roo and Poonch. I'm also worried that I'll be slammed into hospital because of the phoney 'obstetric cholestasis' that I was supposed to have last year. It had a terrible effect on Roo and I don't want him and Poonch to go through that again. And I'm still breastfeeding Poonch and had hoped to continue for a while longer. I feel he's still only a baby himself. I asked Roo if he'd like another baby and he said, 'we already have a baby', and that pretty much summed up how I felt.
We are happy really, but just weren't expecting to be expecting again so soon... although I'm not sure yet when 'soon' is. I'll have to wait for a scan to find that out. Which is also worrying me, because these hospital people always underestimate when your due date will be, meaning many women go 'overdue' when they actually aren't and babies get induced out of their cosy dens before they're ready. Ooopsie... don't get me started on my pregnant-women-and-hospitals rant.
Welcome little baby. We are looking forward to meeting you!
Today is the feast of the Holy Family. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, watch over us and protect us and help us to be more like you!

Our boys

I thought I would write a bit about the two lads, as they change and develop so quickly, it can be easy to forget little things they do and say.
Roo is just over 3 years old. He is tall for his age and skinny. I think he grew up rather than out. He likes the (com)pootah, watching telly (Chuggington, Thomas, Bob the Builder, Timmy Time, I Can Cook, Show Me Show Me), all the usual 'things that go' (trains, diggers, rockets, spaceships, tractors, bin lorries) playing hide-and-seek and reading (his Montessori directress says they know to look next to the bookshelf when they can't find him; he can pore over books and catalogues for ages and likes to have something to read when on the potty. Come to think of it, he's quite fond of multi-tasking in other areas too.)
He can be quite sensitive and likes things to remain the same. He is very friendly with other children and is invariably the first to say hello on first meeting. He loves going to toddler group and Montessori ('school').
He likes to eat things he cooks and a 'selection' of other things. Making up stories about Baked Beans helps him eat less favoured foods.
In Montessori, they euphemistically describe him as 'good and assertive', but I'd say he's downright bossy at home! He puts his hands on his ribs and tells me off when he thinks I need putting in my place. I used to think he was trying to put his hands on his hips, but now I suspect he is actually trying to look like a threatening gorilla. He reminds me of my Dad sometimes when he is in a mood to complain. Really though, overall, he's a kind-hearted little fella, who is thoughtful, gentle and always shares food, even yummee things like post-Mass Animal Bars. Sometimes he'll totally surprise you with things he does, like coming up to you with a tissue after you sneeze. I sometimes think he's psychic too... but that just makes me sound a bit mad.

Poonch is 11 months old. He is a sturdy little chap with lots of strength in his legs and arms. He started crawling in the middle of August, but prefers to get himself up on his feet by using vertical things as a scaffold and then he's off cruising. He recently started to bridge gaps by reaching across from one support to another some distance away and yesterday he stood for a secret second without holding anything. He has always been a very smiley little fella, making him very appealing to anyone who meets him. He has a deep, infectious chuckle which wrinkles his nose when he laughs. He has a 'roundier' face than Roo, although friends told me this week he is looking more like him these days, possibly because he has had a lingering cold for the last few weeks and has got less chubby cheeks at the moment. He loves eating and is still at the age when everything goes into his mouth, being particularly fond of paper. He loves playing with Roo's toys in preference to ones more suitable to his age. He has just started pointing his finger at things and also occasionally waves at people if he gets the notion. He decided he'd really get going on the baby talk on Tuesday when Roo was at Montessori. His brother calls him the Baby Monster, but he is what Roo would call a happy /messy monster rather than a scary one. 'Oh no, a big mess! Baby Monshter, Baby Monshter!'
Even when Poonch is hard at work trying to swallow Roo's favourite toys, they get on very well. I'm sure Poonch's arrival was very stressful for Roo, especially with me being in hospital for the best part of two weeks, but he's never taken it out on his little brother.
I consider myself extremely blessed to have been entrusted with the care of these little guys and very lucky to be able to look after them myself. Thank you God for them!