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Citril
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Name: Susan
Location: Glasgow, United Kingdom
Birthday: 6/2/1969
Gender: Female
Interests: A writer, avid reader, keen photographer and lover of travel, I am Mummy to two gorgeous girls, wife to a Highland lad3, and adoptive Mummy to two mad cats! The most important things in my life are my God and my family - come join me in my journey with them.
Expertise: Sharing & caring & laughing
Occupation: Support Worker
Industry: Working in addiction & homless
Message: message meEmail: email me
Website: visit my website
Yahoo:  Citril1
Member Since:
2/15/2006
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| For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:13-14)
As some of you may know, I am pregnant again, due around the 5th November ~ a completely unexpected shock and delight to us all, but a worry too given the dramas with both Charis and Niamh’s births.
On Friday 30th April, we had my 12 week dating scan ~ everything was present and correct, then the sonographer noticed a nuchal translucency thickness (NT) on the baby’s neck, measuring 5.4mm. NT is a collection of fluid under the skin at the back of a baby's neck and all babies have some fluid. An NT measurement of up to 2mm is normal at about 11 weeks, and up to about 2.8mm by 13 weeks and six days.
This can be an indication of one of a few things, the first being chromosomal abnormalities: like Downs syndrome; Turner syndrome (affecting only females, caused by the complete or partial deletion of the X chromosome, the two main features being short stature & non-functioning ovaries); Edwards' syndrome (an abnormal amount of chromosomes in the cells of the body where most babies only survive a few days, & those who survive longer have a wide range of serious medical problems); or Patau's syndrome (most babies only survive for a few days - less than one in 20 survive for six months or more & only a small number live beyond a year, those who do survive have major learning disabilities & severe health problems).
It can also indicate a heart defect of some kind, but it could also indicate that there will be early fetal death.
We were offered 2 tests ~ a CVS (needle is inserted through your abdomen into your uterus and into the placenta) and amniocentesis (needle takes a sample of amniotic fluid from your uterus) which will give us a definite diagnosis of chromosomal abnormalities, but they carry a risk of miscarriage. So we declined them. We were also offered a blood test but this can come back as a false negative, so we declined that too.
Our next move will be to have a scan at 16 weeks to either diagnose or rule out heart defects. After that, I have not a clue as to what happens!
We were obviously shocked and disappointed, but we have accepted that this is all part of our path in life and are holding on to the fact that there is a 50% chance of our baby being born alive and healthy and well. Over and above that though we do have a peace about it all and know that God is fully in control and that all we have to do is trust in Him. He has great plans for this wee soul and we look forward to seeing them come to fruition!
I just want to say a sincere thanks for the support and prayers of family and friends which has really uplifted us and helped more than you can imagine!
The word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.” (Jeremiah 1:4-6) | | |
| Today's task from Problogger was to Promote a Blog Post, and we were shown 11 ways to promote a blog pos. We were cautioned about our use of the techniques, and encouraged to use our best posts and to promote them selectively.
11 Ways to Promote a Blog Post:
1. Pitching Other Bloggers
2. Social Messaging
3. Social Bookmarking
4. Internal Links
5. Newsletters
6. Other Blogs Comments' Sections and Forums
7. Email Signatures
8. Followup Posts
9. Advertise Your Post
10. Pitch Mainstream Media
11. Article Marketing
We were then encouraged to take a look at what we'd posted yesterday and think about where it might be appropraite to promote it. Or, alternatively, to look at a post we are particularly proud of and promote it.
Useful links we were given were:
11 Ways To Increase Your Chances of Being Linked to By Another Blogger,
Run a StumbleUpon Advertising Campaign For Your Blog,
How to Get to the Front Page of Digg - 6 Ingredients of a Successful Digg Campaign
and
Using Social Media Sites to Grow Your Blog's Traffic.
I had already linked yesterday's post via my Facebook and Twitter, but had never thought of the other suggestions. I really didn't think that yesterday's post was worthy of promotion, so I am going to try and find some time to write a new post and promote that at a later date.
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It won't be in the next few days, however, as things are about to get really manic here! I'm heading home with Niamh tomorrow - Charis is going to have a sleepover at Noni and Gramps's - then have a shift at the alcohol rehab in the evening, Then it's pile back into the car on Friday and head back down the A82 to Oban with Andrew and Niamh, and we have Niamh's baptism on Easter Sunday.
Back up the road to Inverness on Monday for 3 evening shifts at the supported housing complex, then BACK down the A82 to Oban for my lovely wee sister's wedding on the 18th! Phew! I'm exhausted thinking about it all! But I promise I will blog photos as we go!
Goodnight Xangaland!
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A wee shot of Niamh at 16 weeks old - she's 6 months old now and I can't believe how big she is!
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Today's challenge from Problogger was to write a list post. He taught us:
8 Reasons Why List Posts are Powerful for Bloggers
1. Lists are Scannable
2. Lists keep posts succinct
3. Lists look ‘neat’
4. Lists can be comprehensive
5. Lists are persuasive
6. Lists can add to the ease of writing
7. Lists go Viral
8. Lists break down the complicated
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So today's task was to write a list post. Yet again I felt slightly disadvantaged because: a) I had an early start with the girls b) I had a 3 1/2 hour drive south to my parents' home c) I am blogging, once more, at 2am.
Then I realised that what I had just written could probably count as a list post!  Tempting as it was to leave it at that, I set my brain into first gear and had a wee muse to myself as to what my list post should be!
Problogger gave us some excellent examples of list posts, a couple of examples being: and
Also useful was a list of 301 list posts!
It did occur to me that this is a technique I have probably employed often, especially with my photo blogs. And many Xangans also use this as a means to blogging.
So I decided to keep my list short and to make it personal.
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5 Reasons Why I AM a Good Mummy!
1. I am responsive to my children's needs, 24/7
2. I make sure that each day has an abundance of love, laughter, encouragement and teaching.
3. I encourage them to get wet, dirty, and scruffy.
4. I nourish their curiosity and love of animals and nature.
5. I give them the respect they deserve and teach them to respect others.
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| Oh my brain is so tired! I had a really awful day - upset my best friend unintentionally; was little help to my Mum who is still searching for an outfit for my sister's wedding in less than 2 weeks; and then had to cover part of a shift at the alcohol rehab - which was actually a good, productive shift, but I spent most of it worrying about EVERYTHING!
But I signed up for this so I'm going to start it!
Basically, today was about how to write an elevator pitch for your blog. Wikipedia states:“An elevator pitch is an overview of an idea for a product,
service, or project. The name reflects the fact that an elevator pitch
can be delivered in the time span of an elevator ride (for example,
thirty seconds or 100-150 words).”
So I had to think about what my blog is about and also about what direction I want to see it take. To be honest, brain fuzz is apparent, so nothing earth shattering hit me! I decided I actually like my Facebook pitch, which has been refined over the last year - "An aspiring novelist, avid reader, keen photographer and lover of
travel, I'm Mummy to two gorgeous girls, wife to Andrew, and adoptive
Mummy to two mad cats! And the two most important things in my life are
my God and my family. I Twitter & Blog." So my 'elevator pitch' for my blog would be along those lines.
A writer, avid reader, keen photographer and lover of
travel, I am Mummy to two gorgeous girls, wife to a Highland lad, and adoptive
Mummy to two mad cats! The most important things in my life are
my God and my family - come join me in my journey with them.
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| It has been so long since I last blogged! Tsk, tsk! I have to confess that FaceBook is my means of contact with my friends in the ether these days. And with Charis now being 3 1/2 years old, and having also returned to work, life seems rather frantic! As you know by my last blog, I was blessed with another pregnancy and this time things went so well. Our baby was due on Sun 26th October, however, as seems to be par for the course, things did not go as planned. This pregnancy certainly wasn't as enjoyable or worry free as Charis's was, and by the time I got to 32 weeks I felt huge and cumbersome, but was determined to keep working! However, when I was 35 weeks gestation, my waters broke ... not that I actually realised (*blushes* I thought I had a bladder problem!!). That was on the Friday , but I carried on with my scheduled shifts at work. On the Monday when I phoned my midwife, she suggested yet another check up at our hospital (I had so many of them throughout the pregnancy, especially towards the end!). So up I traipsed and was yet again strapped to the monitor for and hour, then the midwife went to examine me, only to realise that my waters had indeed broken (I will spare you the details!). As I was only just 36 weeks the day before, and given I had no contractions, was not dilated and the scan showed the baby was snug and well and my placenta was well out of the way of the cervix, the Doctor decided to try to keep me going until the following Monday, to give the baby that few more days extra developement. I was taken in on Tuesday for blood tests and to have a chat with my consultant. I then happily took hubby back to work, where I recieved a phone call from the wonderful consultant I had when Charis was delivered. When she heard that it was me who had been in, she had over-ruled the other consultant and doctor and wanted me in that day!! Talk about major panic!!!! Now, I don't know what other Mums-to-be who are on their second (or more) child are like, but hubby and I were very laxysaisy! We read nothing throughout the pregnancy, didn't seek out classes, and had not packed a thing. We were organised with names though .... for a boy! And it struck us that perhaps it would be an idea to have some girls names, just incase!! So, I went into Andrew's work, he persuaded his boss to let him home early (his work are amazingly accommodating when it comes to time off!), and we rushed home to pack and scroll the internet for girls names! We picked Charis up from nursery, made all our phone calls (poor Mum was working, but Dad was able to travel up that evening so he could watch Charis for us), had our evening meal then the three of us went up to the hospital. Charis was particularly taken with the doctor who came to do all my checks, and to put a canula into my wrist and copied everything the doctor did on Daddy with the toy set she was given! I had as restful a night as one could hope for in a hospital ward, and grew more and more excited knowing I was going to meet our new baby! At 6am on Wednesday 1st October, I was woken by one of the midwives who wanted to check if I was dilated. I wasn't so they took the decision to c-section me and I was given the pre-med than had another hour's sleep. I phoned Andrew at 7am and told him to ome up for 8.30am - being Andrew he arrived at 7.45am so we sat and watched the news til the midwife came through with our theatre gowns. Our consultant for the op came to speak to us, Dr David Herd, a wonderful, gentlemanly, surgeon. He told us that he always took his time with procedures and that I was his only patient for the morning. At around 8.45am I was wheeled through to the pre-theatre room where I met my anaethetist and he and his team gave me my epidural - it was so much more painful than the one I had with Charis, so it took longer than I thought. I was then wheeled through to the theatre, a new one since I was last in and impressive to see! Andrew was brought in and I was delighted to see the doctor I'd seen on Monday assisting Dr Herd. It was very calm and unrushed (unlike Charis's birth!) and one of the nurses switched the radio on to our favourite staion, Radio 2, and the Ken Bruce show. When they had opened me fully, I glanced up at the light and realised that I could see EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!! So I watched them lift my baby out - what an experience that was! She was held up and they told us she was a girl. - she weighed a very healthy 6lbs 15ozs and was 56cm long - 1cm off her big sister! She was swaddled and handed to Andrew while they finished with me, then she was laid on my chest. As I looked at her in Andrew's arm, I knew which name, out of the many we had chosen, suited her - Niamh. But we could tell that something was amiss, and very quickly the decision was made to take her along to the Special Care Baby Unit - she couldn't breath properly. We were so distraught!  Niamh MacDonald Simpson, hours old To cut an already long story short, Niamh (which means blessings) spent 5 days in SCBU whilst they helped her with her breathing. She was too weak to feed off me for the first few days (though she doesn't look it!) so I had to express and she was fed through a nose tube. It was day 3 before I was able to hold her, my arms ached for those first 3 days.  3 days old On day 4 she managed her first feed off me, though tired quickly, so the nose tube was kept in and I continued to express.   Niamh, 5 days old, with Daddy On the evening of Day 5 we were delighted to have Niamh join me in my ward! What a relief, but I didn't get much sleep!  And, to our surprise and utter delight, on Day 6 she passed all her examinations with flying colours and we were told we could take her home that evening! Praise God!
 Niamh, 6 days old, and me ready for home Niamh is going to be 5 weeks old on Wednesday and is absolutely thriving. Her big sister is delighted with her and adjusting well to sharing Mummy and Daddy's attention. And Niamh charms everyone she meets, as all babies do!!  Charis and Niamh God has been so wonderful yet again to us!
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