The saga of the swallowed coin.....

A few weeks ago now I returned home from a 20 minute trip to shop to catch the tail-end of a commotion.

Rick was consoling Alex who was looking very sorry for herself. When I asked what was wrong she told me that she swallowed money! Well, I know kids swallow all sorts of things so after a quick assessment realised she was physically ok which was a relief. Rick said that she was coughing and choking a bit in the other room and he called out and asked if she was ok and she replied 'yes' but then came out to him with wide eyes and informed him of her latest snack!

She was still able to eat and drink so I knew it had gone down to her stomach. I called the nurse-on-call - which by the way, is a fantastic service!! I have never used it before and was very impressed. It was just nice to get some reassurance that what you have done is the right thing. She told me to just inspect her poos for the next 3 or so days as it should pass. At this point we thought it was a 5c coin - but then getting a history from a 2 year old isn't exactly easy.

Well, a week had passed and poo-patrol was getting a little tiresome! So I booked her in at work for an abdo xray and then booked her in to our GP to get the referral. Would you believe this was her VERY FIRST visit to the doctor?!! She is nearly 3 and her first doctor visit was for a swallowed coin! Hmmmm!!!

Anyway.... here is the Xray:



As you can see there is a big whopper coin sitting right in her belly. It looked bigger than a 5c piece which raised some concern about obstruction etc. I took her back to the GP that afternoon and she suggested I take her into the Children's Hospital the next day to either have it removed via endoscope or for further review. Alex however, wouldn't leave the surgery until she had been examined on the bed. She said 'we can't go yet, I am not better yet' and demanded her examination! What a hoot!

So, in we go all the way to town. They were fantastic though - we waited in ED for less than 10 minutes before being called in. The doctor immediately said that they wouldn't do anything at this stage and would just let it go. But took the xray and consulted with his registrar. He came back with the same advice. I was a little annoyed actually as he told me that there was no need to check her poo anymore and just to 'let it go'. I was instructed to bring her back IF she got ill, had bleeding, distended abdo etc etc.

This just didn't sit right with me as there was no way I was going to 'leave it' and not check her poo! I wanted to know when the thing was gone!

Anyway, a very disappointed Alex and I left. She was absolutely loving the attention she was getting!!

When I got home I did a little bit of research and found that the general concensus was that coins shouldn't be in the gut for longer than 3 weeks (It had now been 10 days when we went to the hospital). I feared it getting stuck in her bowel and needing an operation so I was going to wait till the 3 week mark and then take her back.

Well low and behold, 2.5 weeks after ingesting this bloody coin she passed it!! (on the day my sister gave birth!) A very black, corroded TEN CENT coin came out. It must have been a bit sore as she was saying over dinner that 'her belly was talking to her and telling her she didn't want to eat'. Awwwww.

Now she is very proud and doesn't hesitate to tell people that her tummy is a money box and the coins come out of her bottom!!!



*don't worry - the coin has been cleaned, disinfected and cleaned again!

AUSSIE OF THE MONTH!

**** I can't believe this post has been sitting in my drafts since the start of MARCH!!!!! OOPPSS!! Anyway, better late than never! ****

Here is a photo of all the preps at Monday morning assembly with the entire school. They started going at the second week and they just look so tiny. There are only 170 students at her school so they can all gather in the ampitheatre nicely. There's Bella up the front toward the middle.

This particular day Isabella was awarded the Aussie of the Month award. I was just too proud!! Every week a student from each class gets the student of the week award and every child will eventually get this over the course of the year. But Aussie of the Month is a very special award and not every child will get it :) She was presented her certificate from the Major of Knox City too.
here she is getting her certificate.

I'M AN AUNTY !!

My big sister Tina and partner Bruce welcomed their new baby girl into the world!! After being induced at 41.5 weeks Tina had a natural birth and safely delivered JORJA LEE !



Everyone is well and of course I am thrilled to finally have a niece! I seemed to be the only one producing nieces for my sisters so it was nice to get a taste of it!

Jorja weighed 8 pounds and is just the cutest little fairy.
Bella and Alex were absolutely besotted and it was a nice insight as to how they will be in about 4 months time with their new brother or sister.



Oh boy I was ever so clucky! Thank goodness I am already pregnant as I tend to come home and harrass Rick for weeks after seeing a new baby!

Our Scan

Well we had our 20 week scan over the weekend :) Still coming to terms with actually being pregnant - let alone HALF WAY!!!!!!

The girls were more excited than anyone I think! They LOVED seeing the knees and feet and watching it kick. They also had such a giggle when the doctor was measuring the head and bubs started scratching the back of it's head!

Everything looks great... bubs is measuring only 5 days ahead now and the heart rate was 136bpm. So now do I think boy ?? At our 12 week scan bubs measured over 10 days ahead and heart rate was over 160bpm!! That got me thinking girl.... so who knows!!!!

I didn't find out the gender... but Rick did :) I didn't want him to really but he has as much right to find out just as I have as much right NOT to ! Rick also found out the sex with Isabella and managed to keep it a surprise so I have no problems this time.

We went to COGUS again but unfortunately the whole 3D thing was wasted this time as bubs had his or her face snuggled right up into the placenta and had one of his hands covering half it's face. Oh well. We did manage one good 3D pic very quickly. He was also kind enough to put the whole scan on DVD for us so we can watch it on our computer as well.

Feeling lots and lots of movements and kicks now. Still can't feel from them from the outside but I love snuggling up on the couch with my belly-buddy and feeling him or her doing somersaults and kicks :) Awwwww.

Here is the 3D picture...... ok, bubs looks a bit alien-like. Isabella and Alex were a bit unsure so I had to explain that it doesn't have chubby little cheeks yet :) You can see it's arm over it's face and the placenta it quickly turned away from.
Here is my new ticker.... it would have to be my most favourite of all of them on the net.

KICKS !

Well it didn't take long after my last post!
I felt the first 2 kicks just the other night at 18w4d.

And now lots and lots of movements... not just flutters.
Awwwwwwww......

Just wanted to share :)

PREGNANCY UPDATE !!

Well I am now 18w3d pregnant! And boy hasn't it flown??!

I started feeling good about 2 weeks ago as the nausea settled and the tiredness isn't too bad now. So I am really enjoying having a belly full of arms and legs :) I have been feeling more and more movements - no kicks yet though. Still those flips and flops and the occasional flutter. I had my scan at 12w4d and I totally forgot to send the update I did, so here it is:

I had a scan at 12w5d and all was well! It took over an hour as bubs wasn't co-operating at all. It was lying upside down and the technician couldn't get a good picture so after jumping up and down for a while and then emptying my bladder it helped!

All the necessary measurements seemed good and he had no concerns. I had the blood test screening for Down's and I haven't heard back from my doctor so I am assuming that I am low risk.

Bubs was so cute.... hiding his/her face most the time but gave a few waves. The technician was a bit of a loss what to do with my dates though - I was 12w5d but bubs was measuring 13w6d ! He said had I not had the earlier scan he would change my EDD but the earlier scan (at 8.5 weeks) would be more accurate.

Regardless... I am due somewhere end of August / early Sept. As we know - not an exact science! Especially when I have no idea of conception LOL

Anyway, starting to feel better although the vomiting hits me at random times now - like last night. Expanding a lot more now and even though I am almost 4 months I am still in shock LOL

Belly pic at 14w1d

So that was a while ago now..... here are some recent belly pics. It feels nice to actually look pregnant and not just rounder.


I had my doctor's appointment yesterday and all my blood tests / screening were fine. My uterus height is also measuring spot on and everything else is great. My scan isn't until after Easter and I will be 20 weeks... I am so excited!

I bought rick a nice t-shirt which he takes pride in wearing :)

The girls are so excited now and Isabella loves asking me everyday how big the baby is now. I can't wait to see how Alexandra goes with a new baby - I am sure she will be doting but hopefully won't mind giving up mummy too much! Rick is also loving my belly-buddy. Now that the shock of actually being pregnant has 'almost' worn off (!) we are so excited and happy. Thankfully at this point we won't need to buy a new car - but the house might be on the market in the next year or so I think!!