8 Black Street has finally been filled!!!

WE'RE IN THE HOUSE! Yipppeee! We have been sleeping here for just about a week now, having lured the plumber finally with the wrath that only a pregnant woman can manifest. So, we now have new taps in our bathroom and the washing machine is working, albeit with only cold water.

The actual move out day or night as it turned out to be was a bit of an anti-climax and generally a bit mizzy. After more than 5 months of living with my folks, it was surprisingly sad to say goodbye and felt so weirdly like our goodbyes when we left to go back to the States after a vacation in SA. Anyway, as luck would have it, James slept wonderfully in his room for the first night and then the very next day, both Rein and James came down with horrible colds. My poor boys. They are still not well, although James' cold hasn't gone to his chest at all. I wonder if it's the dry cold rather than the damp of Seattle, which has helped his asthma.

Our camera is still at the other house, but I have a picture to show all of you... our househelper!!!! She is a blessing in a tiny package: her name is Sizakele, but we call her Siza (pronounced Caesar like the Roman emperor). I can't describe the BLISS - really absolute ecstasy - of coming home to a clean house or having my family over for curry and not having to do a single dish, except for the rinsing at night. As most of you know, house-keeping is definitely not my forte, in fact it's probably my HUGEST weakness and this takes so much stress off my life. Also, James loves her. She has a 15 month old baby girl and is excellent with kiddies - I often hear peals of laughter emanating from the backyard where James and Siza are hanging up laundry. And to tell you the truth, it's just fab having someone else in the house to talk to.
Will post a pic of her as soon as our camera is brought here.

Baby-wise, no news yet. Oh well, the news at my last appointment was that my cervix is still hard and not ready for labour. However, I have been having HUGE periods of contractions - last night again, so we are expecting little Kate to arrive any day now. I must say I am totally finished with being preggies... I just want it to be over. I know I shouldn't wish for that too quickly....but these last few weeks have been tough with the HUGE tummy and sorting stuff out. My mental patience is definitely running thin and I'm in the foulest of moods.Doc also said that she is 3,6 kgs already (ummm, 7,9 lbs for you in the US) so she'll be a rather big girl, like James.

Not much else here guys. Weather wise we are having glorious days of Winter, but we are recovering from the coldest snap here in 10 years! Shoo, it was bloody freezing and with no insulation in these poor SA houses, we were dressed in hundreds of layers and huddled around our heater most nights. Days only got up to about 53,6 F (12 C) and nights were below freezing. However, now we are having days of 67 or 68 F (19 or 20C), brilliant blue skies and sun. We do miss the beautiful foliage from the Northwest though - it is SOOOO brown and bleak here.

Will post more house pics soon.

Almost there - house and baby...

Here is a post that I wrote a few weeks back now. We haven't had Internet access for the past while, and so I haven't been able to post for a long time.

My Dad said yesterday that I am being really unfair to everyone out there not to update you on our progress. I absolutely agree with him, but everything is still so much of a shambles this side of the Atlantic that I am hesitant to start an update again.

Firstly, since I've had so many requests for this, here is a pic of Juliette 8,5 months PREGGIES:

The obligatory pic with bib and hat on

The BUMP

Pink overalls - never thought I'd see myself opening so much PINK! Miracle!

My Mom held a surprise baby shower for me a few weekends back. The pics are from that day. It was AMAZING, because a)I had NO idea that it was being planned (and we are living in the same house) and b) because my Mom was able to be there and so many of my old friends and family members who were not able to share in James' shower. Was decadently spoilt! Felt like a princess, despite the bulge for that day.

Also to be noted: we are STILL not sleeping in the house!!! However, to somewhat quiet your gasps, I can say that I have cooked curry for my entire family and eaten it around our dining table (the new one we bought just before leaving the US); I have had friends for tea, lunch for the in-laws, made scones and muffins and sort of packed out most stuff. We have curtains in every window, except for the great room, which is a huge accomplishment!

House - Ready, Steady, Go!

Hi friends

Busy, busy this side.
Just wanted to let you all know that we're MOVING IN this weekend! YIPEEEEEEE!! Perfect Mother's Day present, hey! Quick pic because I don't have the energy to surf looking for more pics quite yet:

Kitchen pic pre- alterations. Notice the lovely VINYL on the walls! :)

Post alterations with stuff almost ready for move in - still need to paint as you can see which is being done as I type

Quite excited now about moving in, although don't know how long we're going to be in there before our Kate arrives. I've been having cramps - not terribly bad, but bad enough to stop much activity.

Also a bit of scary news for me is that I found out at my last prenatal appointment that South Africa doesn't offer epidurals on demand. So that means I either decide to induce Kate, which I'm worried about since James was induced and was not really ready to be born, but I'll have an epidural OR do it the natural way (as I was hoping for) with NO POSSIBILITY of epidural. Quite a tough decision...

Am frantic with doing house/ baby prep things etc, so you have all been on my mind even though it seems not.

Also, Mandi Shrimpton, if you read this blog...found the scrapbook album you gave me again this week while starting to pack everything away. It is just amazing. Thank you so much. It made me so nostalgic for the US and all the wonderful friends we've left behind.