It's here! finally!

After many months of paperwork, banks, more paperwork, more bank crap, and yet more paperwork, it is finally here.

After 12 years in his stable job, Hubbs is following his dream . This morning he became owner of a small retail aquarium and pet supply shop!

Here is a picture of the previous owner handing him the keys: (Hubbs is on the left)



It is scary - very scary. He left his stable job - we refinanced to be able to afford to do this, and now we have wriggles on the way, which means I will be on maternity leave soon and we will have to rely on income from the shop to get us by and pay all our bills.

But - it is something he has always wanted to do, and the shift work he was doing was killing him. I knew he had to get out of that and into something else. So it was time! He has been breeding fish successfully at home for about 6 years now and we know a fair bit about fish now.

I think the shop is great. It is the perfect size for us, and very well fitted out. There are 90 tanks ranging from 2ft to 4 ft and although not many currently have fish in them, we will slowly stock them up. It also has a good size area to buy tanks, aquarium stuff and lots of other pet products - dog and cat items, etc. It may look small from the front but it is very long. The website pictures show it a little better. (I will try to take more pictures of the inside to show you how big it really is). It is probably about double the size of most normal little corner shops (if that helps put it in perspective.)

It is in a good location and has a good reputation. The Shop is called "Fish R Us" not very original I know but we will keep the name going. The website is really cool - very happy with that - www.fishrus.com.au - take a look and see what you think.

So - if you guys ever need anything - come check us out (either online or in person) and we can always get things in for you - just ask.

The shop is open 7 days a week, which means I won't see hubbs much unless I go down the shop to him, and once wriggles is born I am going to have to do without hubbs at home helping me which I am a bit scared about. But we will manage.

I want him to be happy and this makes him happy.

I just pray we can make a go of it.

So there - the news is out. May the stress and fun begin.

Almost there

so sorry to keep you all in suspense. Today went as planned. I just have to wait until I get home to really post about it - with pictures! Probably won't be until around 9:30 or so - (2.5 hours from now).

I will tell you then though - I promise.

Tomorrow - hopefully will be a big big day

Just a quick one to let you know everything is okay - just very busy right now.

I will explain hopefully tomorrow.

Hint: The big big thing that i said some time ago was going to happen that would change our lives forever - well hopefully that will be in place tomorrow and then I can tell you all about it.

Very excited, very stressed, very tired.

I have taken 2 weeks off work, and home is feeling like a hotel - we only come back here to sleep right now.

Anyhow - if tomorrow happens like I think it will - I will be able to tell you all about it!

Stay tuned!

21 weeks tomorrow

And in celebration - a rarity - belly shots! (i don't do these for everyone).

Now they are kinda embarrassing because I have horrid stretch marks already - but I don't care about them - more excited about the little wrigglebum underneath.

Here is a 21 week belly shot - Big - aren't I!


and here is the belly shot one. Seriously I am not this big normally. I mean I am not skinny but omg I have really popped out in this last week.


Things I have noticed:

* my belly now rubbs against the steering wheel when I drive - This is very bad because I am only 4ft 10inches tall so I need to be close to the steering wheel to reach the pedals! (stop laughing). Hubbs said the steering wheel is adjustable so going to try raising it and see if that helps.

* it is getting hard to hug hubbs! As you probably noticed by the jumper pic - we have competing belly sizes. I think he is still winning!

* I sit much further back from my computer at work than I used to - any closer and I am hitting the desk. hehe.

* despite all that blossoming, I am actually 6kgs lighter than when I got pregnant - not bad for over half way through this thing. (not deliberately losing weight - I think it is the insulin helping me process sugars better that is doing it).

* My brother and his wife called up to actually see how I was. I haven't heard a thing from them since we hit 12 weeks and told them we were pregnant. 2 months later they were pretty surprised that we were still pregnant and that we had hit 20 weeks! I hope to catch up with them on the weekend.

So things are going okay. This last week I have really felt lots of flutters and yesterday I felt two definate kicks. Nothing today apart from flutters but that is okay - I know it might not be always obvious in the beginning.

The big news I promised you some time ago is only days away now. It has been hard and stressful sorting everything out for it, but we are coming into the light now and I promise you it won't be too much longer before I can tell you. - I can't wait!

We are looking at baby furniture in earnest now and think our first purchase will be the Boori matilda rocker (glider) that we have had our eye on for some time. Jac - you will be pleased to know we found one for $296 on Sale which we think we will just get. We are still wading through the diverse range of cots out there. There are so many things to consider with them. it blows your mind.

Once our Big news hits we hope to also start working on the baby room. The things are combined but only because the big news allows us to clear out that room. i hope I can get started I am absolutely itching to get into it.

Mari sent me the most incredible gift - I only hope I can pay her back for these - she sent me some fantastic fitted cloth nappies - they are incredible! I will take a pic of these on the weekend if I can. I just love them and I am in awe that she would send these to me - please Mari - let me give you something for them - they would not have been cheap and I would love to repay you for them.

I have been knitting booties but not for wriggles - for a friend who is due three days before me. After knitting them I am going to knit something for wriggles - hopefully to try an amazing pattern Summer gave me. (sorry Summer - i don't have a blog link for you that I can link to - please let me know if you do have a blog, I would love to read it).

that's all for now - stay well everyone and thanks for sharing this journey with me.