When T & R came over the kids were so hot we decided to bring the birth pool down onto the patio so they could all cool off.
Of course, filling up the pool proved to be more fun :)
The kids had a great time, which not only cooled them down, it meant us grown-ups could sit and chat for a while!
Chrysalis' good friend, Kesem the magician, arrived from Bangkok to help out with the birth and baby. We picked her up from the bus station and then went to the beach
We spent some time enjoying the calm tropical waters and hanging out on the beach (Chrysalis looks like she still has some growing to do)
Then we went home with the kids from the boat, and Kesem gave a little magic show
Littletree made some small coins change into large coins, much to her delight
And we were all entertained by some amazing tricks.
Chrysalis, with her great big belly has been nesting like crazy
She's set up a trapeze and a hammock in the birth space to hang on for support in labour. Of course, Littletree had to test out the trapeze and make sure it was working fine.
And the hammock got the Littletree seal of approval too.
Then Chrysalis set to work setting up a massive mosquito net around the whole birthing area, so she'll be able to relax in labour without the constant threat of mosquitoes.
The end result was really great - now we have the whole verandah and birth pool enclosed in mosquito net, and everything set up and ready to go for the birth... which could be at any minute, if only we could get Chrysalis to sit still for long enough ;)
One of my past clients, Bonne came over to visit from Cambodia with her now two-year-old son, Pan.
It's so wonderful to see them again, and great to see how Pan has grown - the last time I saw him he was eight days old, and I love seeing how the babies whose births I've attended are growing.
Littletree was also really happy to see Pan, she often remembers his birth and asks how he's growing. The two of them have been playing together happily, and spending time enjoying the pool
though of course there's also a bit of conflict when Pan gets into Littletree's way, as toddlers are wont to do ;)
Mostly the kids get on well, and they go for a run about in the garden most afternoons
We all went out to meet with Frangipani and Jo at Oishi, the most amazing all-you-can-eat sushi buffet...
Ahhh, Heaven!
I seriously consider moving to live in Phuket just so I can eat at this place on a regular basis! It's soooo good. They have these walls of sushi and sashimi, a huge bar of all kinds of cooked food, as well, soups, steamed dumplings, deserts...
And they have another big section of meats, fish and vegetables, ready to cook - you just fill a plate with the bits you want, hand it over to the chefs and they cook it for you, and bring it to the table on a sizzling plate!
It's absolutely devine! (and yes, I know I've raved about this place before). Despite all the delectable delights available, little Noah, was happy just munching on papa's glasses LOL
All the more for us! Chrysalis and I totally gorged ourselves.
While Littletree took full advantage of their indoor playground.
The second day we were on the yacht, after breakfast some kids from a neighbouring boat came over to play; they spent a while swimming, and then the boys decided to do high dives off the crow's nest ladder. I was lucky enough to snap some fantastic photos...
We've gone a couple of times this week with Chrysalis to the yacht where she works teaching two home schooled children, T and R.
The yacht, the Infinity, is about to embark on a sail around the Pacific, visiting remote islands to do work with the people there in coping with climate change.
The Infinity is a huge yacht - 36 metres, so the kids had loads of space to run around and play in.
T and R did a little bit of time spent doing schoolwork, with Littletree watching on interestedly
It was interesting for us, and for Littletree especially, who has been unschooled her whole life, to see how kids do school work when homeschooled with more structure.
But before too long they decided it was too hot to do so much, and they all jumped off the back of the boat for a swim.
The kids, thus refreshed, the girls built a cubby house with sarongs and sheets while R went out wake-boarding
Finally Littletree fell asleep on a bean bag, exhausted from all the heat and sun and running about, and no doubt still a little jet-lagged.
We ended up being on the boat while Chrysalis was working till late, so we slept over, Littletree and I taking one of the cabins onboard. I woke up in the early morning, to be greeted by dawn light streaming in the porthole, and a beautiful tropical island view
Yep, it's a hard life... but someone's gotta live it! LOL
just a brief update - I didn't manage to get my computer onto the internet since we arrived to Thailand; we're still working on getting internet connected at home. So I just now uploaded all the posts I wrote in the last week - sorry they all came in a big clump!
We're now well and settled in here. I've been spending a lot of time making up for lost time in Chrysalis' pre-natal care and preparing for the birth.
We set up the birth pool out on the side verandah:
It looks great there, and it's an ideal location - easy access to the bathroom through the back door, shade, easy to put up a mosquito net and nice size for the pool.
Littletree was a big help testing out the pool too :)
The birth could be any day now, though it looks like there's still another week or two to go.
Chrysalis has her house in return for looking after the owner's two dogs, which have lately been getting into mischief; flighting with the other neighbourhood dogs. It was decided that the dogs should get a bath, and naturally Littletree wanted to help.
I'm not too sure how clean the dog got, but the girls got pretty wet and they had a lot of fun
Meanwhile we're settling in well and enjoying being here and eating lots of yummy tropical fruit and coconuts :)
Littletree and I arrived safe and sound to Thailand; the flight was pretty easy, at least, as far as 9 hour flights can be. We had a row of 3 seats to ourselves, and flying Thai Airways means having relatively comfy seats and personal entertainment screens.
Littletree slept most of the way anyway, since we got on the plane around her usual bed time, and arrived at her usual wake-up time.
We were greeted at the airport by Chrysalis who brought us home to her little bungalow. Here she is:
The house is quite small, but with a lot of outdoor space under big wide verandahs, and set at the back of a really large, beautifully manicured garden, complete with lotus ponds and fruit trees, with a little stream running around one side, and dotted with loads of beautiful, shady places to sit.
Littletree and I felt at home right away. Chrysalis hadn't managed to organise our bedroom yet, so we shared with her the first night, and the next day she went out to organise us a sala; a Thai outdoor bed made from bamboo.
The workers came to deliver the hut straight away, which made for a great comedy. We'd thought they would bring the materials and assemble the sala here, but they brought it ready-made and had to carry it in, which turned out to be a huge mission.
First of all, they couldn't get the sala over the little covered bridge over the stream, so they clambered down and waded through the stream, carrying this big hut. The walk through the garden is quite far wending through trees and flower beds, not to mention it was a swelteringly hot day.
When they finally got the sala to the house, they needed to hoist it over a hedge to get it where we wanted it. Since they were all speaking Thai, and I felt useless to help, I did the only sensible thing; I got out my camera to document the spectacle LOL
Of course, in the end the sala was in place, and the workers could sit and relax with a glass of cold water for a few minutes.
Littletree really loves it
Now we have our bed made up in there and set up to be cosy.
Tonight Littletree and I fly to Thailand. This week has been pretty hectic with organising to have our bathroom remodelled, visiting people, saying goodbye, organising the people who will be living in our house while we're away...
Yeterday we went to the homeschool group; we were scheduled to go for a bush tucker walk, but it was cancelled due to rain, so the group met at the hall as usual. The kids had a great time playing and running around anyway.
Then we went to visit Rinka for a final 6-week post natal check-up. Mama and baby are both totally healthy and happy; great to see.
Littletree was surprised to see that the baby was still so small (Littletree already bought a present for the baby's 2nd birthday!)
So now I just have to work out how to fit all my birth kit and midwifery books into my backpack! (and maybe some clothes for Littletree and I too... if they fit)
I got to meet my new niece for the first time on the weekend. She is absolutely adorable. I will dub her Bella, since she's so beautiful.
Bella is my younger brother's baby, she just turned six months old - the first blood-related niece or nephew I have. I haven't really seen my brother much since he was 14 years old, so it seems pretty strange to me that he somehow grew into an adult and now has a partner and a baby (my brother is now 25, btw)!
Here I am with Bella, my brother and sister-in-law
I recently went for a visit to my good friend Littletripper, who also happens to be one of Littletree's godmothers. Long-time readers might remember other wonderful presents Littletree has gotten from her.
I came home with lots of presents for Littletree, including this microscope:
It's one that Littletripper had when she was a child, amazingly, it still works - just needed a new battery for the light. Since Littletripper grew up to be a scientist, the microscope has got a great educational karma :)
Littletree had a great time looking at all the slides that came with it, and then we looked at hair strands, comparing hers and mine, and all sorts of stuff we found around. So far the most interesting things were insect wings.
Since we're going to Thailand on Thursday, we wont get too much time to explore with the microscope till we get back, but Littletree has been making the most of it!
Littletree has lately been saying she doesn't want to have dreadlocks anymore. She had wanted them in the first place; her hair naturally falls in perfect golden ringlets, and I used to be quite vain about them. I used to brush her hair regularly and she always hated it.
Here's one of the last photos I have of her curls, taken in December 06:
Just after that was taken, Littletree refused to let me brush her hair at all. She ran away from me, screaming "don't touch my hair! I'm getting dreadlocks!"
Ahh well.
So she slowly grew natural dreaddies, and they were just starting to get really long and natty. 
When she said she wanted to cut her dreadlocks off, I explained that then her hair would be really short, and we talked about a few people we know with short hair. She most definitely did NOT want short hair. She wanted long wavy hair, and decided not to cut her dreads off.
But, kids being kids, she still didn't want dreads. Thankfully I took a whole bunch of photos of her flicking her hair around:
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The next day, when I was busy doing something else and not paying attention, she got out the scissors...
Littletree came to me, almost crying, and said, "mama, you were right. I didn't realise it would be so short".
At first I didn't understand, and then I saw the back of her head.
Well, it's her hair and she can do what she likes with it, but she was so sad about it. She refused to leave the house because she didn't want anyone to see.
Lots of things went through my mind, like "I told you so" or "well, you cut your own hair, now you have to face the world like that", or being mad with her, because I would have done it for her, neatly. But none of those things would have been very supportive, and she was really upset; she needed my love.
I cuddled her, and we talked about it. She totally refused to let anyone know that she had shorn hair, and cried at the thought of walking around town like that. So I went into the dollar shop and bought her a wig.
She likes the wig a lot, and her hair will grow.
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