20 July 2012

It will soon be 12 months since I became a stay at home dad/student. I remember when I finished up at work that I wondered what I would so to fill in all my time. I have to admit that some has been used wisely and some no so productively. Mariah and I talked about how it might be a good opportunity to expand the family and try for another baby. I wasn't so sure, I mean I would be at school a lot, be under a lot of pressure to do well in my final year, as well as all the other responsibilities that come our way, Me in the Young Men's Presidency, and Mariah the Primary Presidency. So we decided that if it happened we would be over the moon, and if it didn't we would remain happy for the two beautiful girls that we have.

The year went on, things were great, we were happy, Mariah was developing great relationships with Kym and Leona through her morning exercise group. I was happy to be at home with the girls, getting cuddles, and helping out where and when I could. Then school started, and I was home a little less.

School was great this year. I did well in my exams, I even topped the class with one of my final assignments with an almost perfect mark. The weather was warming up and it was beginning to look a lot like camping season. We love camping. But, before camping season could begin, I had 4 exams to sit, two take home and two at school. My take home exams were both due in the first week of exams, so Mairah and the girls packed up and headed to Hobart to stay with Mairah's family so that I could have quiet while I studded.

During the time away Mariah called on numerous occasions, on this particular call she mentioned that she had to go to the shops to buy some "that time of the month stuff." It is always a little disheartening when it comes around. This time though her period was late, quite late and we thought that this might have been it.

When the girls returned home, Mariah mentioned that it wasn't just a normal period, but a miscarriage. She had found an embryo, and later, what looked to be a placenta. Mariah of course was devastated and upset. I was, in my own way saddened. Mariah received a blessing from bishop and that helped her cope. Now Mariah is not one for sharing intimate details about her life, I may be asked to pull down the post, but I believe that there are others that can relate to this and share experiences, as it is more common than people are aware. Some research suggests that up to 50% or more end in miscarriage. So for Mariah, 2 successful pregnancies out of 3 is better than what the research suggests is common. .

On the 20th of July 2012 Mariah will better those odds again when she gives birth to our third child. That is right, we are expecting another. We had our 12 week scan just this week and they say that things are fine.

Mariah has been told to rest up with this one, and do as little as possible. Her mum has been up this week helping out and getting things in order, just as the kids pull them out of order again.

All we know at this stage is that the baby is 13 weeks old, and has all the appendages that it should.

We are excited, the girls are not too sure yet what to think. We went camping with Dan and Rachelle, who are due to have a baby in a matter of weeks, so I am wondering if Hanisi is wondering why Mummy's tummy is not big like Rachelle's... it will be Hanisi, when the baby grows.

Petal Point (Cape Portland) Camp

I had been texting a mate during the week leading up to Christmas about going camping soon. He called on Friday to see if we would be ready to leave in a couple of hours. I was in the city at the time waiting for one of our cars to come back from the mechanic. It was a race, but we made it, minus a few food items.

Petal Point (Cape Portland)  Was our destination. I went there with Mick Reid the year before, this time I was with Dan Reid, Micks older brother. I have know the Reid boys for years, and appreciate their friendship. They are good people and would do anything for any one. Dan and his fiance Rachelle gave us a little extra time up our sleeves to pack because Dan had stopped to help an elderly couple with a flat tyre on his was in to town. That's the kind of people they are.

This is our camp site and the view.

The camp site to the left and the boat ramp/beach access to the right.

This small photo does not do it justice. It is a nice spot. Not over crowded, a few families, no bogans (other than us) and a million miles from no where. We arrived about 7pm Friday night, set up camp had some supper, put the kids to bed and then went to bed ourselves.

On Saturday, Dan suggested that we take a drive and see the sights of the area. I have been to this area of the state many a time. My father grew up in this area. Some of his family still call it home. There is a lot of history here for our family. I am told that in the hills to the right are the ruins of an old homestead where a John Vincent Terry lived, and I assume died. I have not been to the site, however, other family members have. For those of you that don't know my middle name in Vincent, after John Vincent Terry... So this place kind of has a bit of meaning to it for me...

Although I had been here many times, there were places that I had not been to, and neither had Rachelle or Mariah. So Dan and I, who love to explore, took our families to a few places that we thought might be of interest.


Stop number one was Deep Creek, at Eddystone Point. Here we stopped for a swim and a look around the rocks and to build some sand castles.

Dan spotted a Blue Tongue Lizard, so I stopped to pick it up to show the girls. They all had a feel and a play and then we moved him off the road where he was safe.

 
 Milly didn't like having to too close. 

From there we drove around to the Eddystone Lighthouse, which is still in operation and can be seen for miles down the coast. While we camped at Swimcart beach recently we could see the lighthouse at night.

On a TV show that the kids watch there is a character called GRAMPY RABBIT, who works in a lighthouse. So they were calling this Grampy Rabbit's lighthouse and singing the songs that he sings.

In the end it all got a bit much for the kids and they were getting a little hot and hungry ...  Can you tell?

This is the view south from the lighthouse. (looking towards St Hellens way) I believe that these beaches are the Bay of fires.

 

 From there we went and had a look at Anson's Bay. We didn't stay too long as it was full of shacks and a dark gloomy bay. From there we went to Gladstone, the home of my Dad. We had to go here because I had forgotten to bring something for breakfast, and also to have an ice cream and a play at the park.

Just as we were leaving, Dan Spotted an EMU.

We enticed him over with an icecream.... and I almost lost it... He was quick.

We headed back to camp, with just one more stop before we made it back. This time we went to Little Muscleroe bay. The water here was great and we went for a little swim and played with the sand. After a while another family turned up with a million kids. Most were a little older than Hanisi. They had fun burying Hanisi in the sand. They were from Western Australia and were driving around the state. They were going to drive to Strahan from Muscleroe bay.. .WOWZERS.. we explained that that would be about a 6 hr drive from where they were. We left Muscleroe bay about 6pm.

Back at camp it was time to put our feet up .....

Have some dinner.....

Light the fire......

And relax and enjoy our last night of camping. We had fun.. We came home tired, sandy, salty... and ready for our next adventure. We almost decided to head south as soon as we got home... I think we will have a couple of days rest before we head off on our next adventure.

Big Thanks to Dan and Rachelle for the great experiences. Look forward to camping with 'Peanut'