WORLD PREMATURITY DAY!!!!

On the 17.11.13 it was World Prematurity Day!! My baby came into this world 11 weeks before she was due. It was one of the best but scariest day of my life!! I would like say a HUGE thank you to all the staff at The Royal Hobart Hospital Neonatal Unit for all their love, support, guidance, knowledge and hard work. Because of you our 2.5 month stay meant were able to bring our beautiful healthy baby girl home. I'd also like to thank a special nurse by the name of Sally at the RHH who was there to help me stay calm. Plus my family & friend for their loving support during and after the hardest few months of Steve & my life. I'm going to 'light up purple' for our baby for those lucky families who also got to take there little prem's home but especially for those who were not as lucky as us!!! Amanda<3.

Her Future: I wonder what it holds.

23.10.13 @ 11.35am: As I sit here in my daughter's classroom today I watch her. I don't want my daughter to be an outcast just because her mum is different from all the others!. I want her to grow up & tell people she's proud of who her mum is. I fear even though she's only in Kindergarden that she already may be treated differently by her peers & teachers. I don't want her to grow up, look back & hate primary school because of me & say it stopped her from making friends or doing the best she can at school. I myself really enjoyed primary school. high school's another story! every other week I thought about "harming" myself. I didn't want to be there. I don't want that for my daughter either..I want her to excel at school, I want her to make 1,000 friends (or even just 2 best friends). It's strange the things you think about or worry about when you have kids isn't it.... Amanda <3.

time flies..

the saying "time fly's when you're having fun" is so true. especially for us this week. Our big girl has just completed her second day of Kindergarden/Pre Primary or what ever you may call it. I honestly can't believe this the has finally come! Where did the last 4 years of my life, my tiny babies life go? I don't want to blink to fast because before I know it age will be starting High school [wow! That sent shivers down my spine]. Her first day was a blur for both her and I, we were so tired. But today as soon as she got off the bus [yep she goes on the "big girl bus" on her own] she immediately started chatting my ear off about all the things she got up to today, she even told me who her new friends where. I wanted to cry!! Well good night my friends we shall speak again soon [i may even upload a few pics] ;) Amanda <3. P.S My wound on the bottom of my left foot has FINALLY healed!! [party time?!] nurses are really happy with my progress which makes me very happy. It means I can finally be fitted for proper bandages/wrapping garment. Once I have the appointment I will be taking photo's.

R U OK?

Hello Everyone,
I want to ask you all a question!

R U OK?.....

Today [13th Sept 2012] is R U OK DAY!! R U OK DAY is a national day of action. It's all about inspiring people to ask each other ‘Are you ok?'. Not just today but everyday!! You never know what people are really feeling without asking...so ring you mother,father, partner, best friend and ask them R U OK?. Even if they are you may feel you are the one who isn't,. Ring your doctor/family member/friends they will listen & help.

IT'S OK TO SAY YOUR NOT OK!!!!!!

You never know you could be saving someone's life! Depression is a sielent killer.. we need to speak up about it!!

My personal experience is still [even after 4 yrs] hard to talk about!

I actually diagnosed myself with it. It all started after the birth of Hailee. Having a baby born so early & staying in NICU for the first 2.5 months of her life is one of the hardest things I had to go through!! I asked hubby to ring my doctor and book an appintment to see him. I told him the first 2 days my baby came home from hospital I spent them in bed crying my eyes out! I did not want to even cuddlier her let alone feed her. 3.5yrs down the track I still have some bad days!!! Living my life honestly you have way more bad then good unfortunately. But I'm dealing and I am glad I didn't take my life because I would miss out on all the wonderful/hard things that come with being a mummy & wife!

I also remember as a teenager [around 16yrs old] I used to tell my Nan "I want to run under a bus!!". I had no real friends, never had a boyfriend & felt so lonely. I never imagined I would have a boyfriend, get married or even have a family! I am so greatful to my Nan and some friends for always being there for me through the tough times...and always asking me R U OK?!

Please always remember there IS someone out there who loves/cares about you & doesn't want to see you upset or god forbit take your life.

R U OK? Website:
http://www.ruokday.com/
Amanda <3

Fathers Day 2012.

Hello Everyone,

I have a few pictures I wanted to share with you from last weekend. I hope all the Australian dad's out there got spoilt just as much as mine and my husband did!

Giving daddy his present:

Pancakes with jam have been a little family tradition we do on fathers Day.. this year was extra special because Daddy taught Hailee how to make them!! [even if they do come from the bottle.. hehe ;)].

Then we played outside for a few hours.. it was such a gorgeous day:

Hailee all dressed up for an afternoon at my parents house:

My outfit/hair:

unfortunately I didn't get any pictures at my parents house...boo!!

What did you guys get up to? I would love to hear your traditions whether they be new or have been done for generations. Have a good week guys!
Amanda <3

now & 2013!

Hello everyone! I know there are a few of you who have been patiently awaiting this blog..(and a few who have not Lol). well I not only have one announcement now but I have 2!!!!! No #1. We have two new members to our little family!(uploading a pic tomorrow)One is called Memo (as in Nemo) and the other is named Hill. Lol. strange right, well that's what happens when you let your 3.5 year old daughter name.... her pet fish(s)!!! haha you all thought I was going to say I was pregnant didn't you ;) (sorry to disappoint). Funnily enough there a few people around here who I know are pregnant (or just had a bub)..well I wont be drinking the water that for sure. Ok second piece of news in the Richter household... Hubby and I signed up for THE BLOCK 2013!!!! We just did it last night and obviously won't hear for a while but I just had to tell someone (all who read the blog anyway). I know what you are all thinking! She is out of her mind but if you really know me it has been something I always wanted to do. But never could because of my SB and also having no one willing/stupid enough to do it with me..haha well I've roped husband into sign up with me :D. I do have a few concerns of course(comes with the territory of being born with a Spina Bifida). For one I don't drive so that could be a problem, I cant lift any heavy objects and of course the more obvious problem..me being in the chair is/can be a safety hazard but I'm just hoping they will give me a chance!! I've never been able to do something like this for myself and I think it will be great for "others" to see someone with a disability on t.v doing something they love and proving "we" disabled people can get/do things "normal able bodied people" can do! I hate negative thinking now days so I'm ending on a positive ;). I want to do THE BLOCK 2013 because I love the idea of designing, demolishing & decorating! So I'd like you all to tell me what you think! Good Idea or Bad Idea? Amanda <3.

RIVERDANCE.

Hello Everyone, The night before last Hubby and I got to see Riverdance The farewell Tour! It was absolutely amazing (to say the least). We both had to pick our jaws up off of the floor. I highly recommend you all go see it!!. Even for those who are not that into stuff like this...it will blow your socks of! The cast are incredible as well as the musicians!. Lol I do realize I am using a lot of (!) in this post but I tell you it's NEEDED!!. I had sen the ad on tv for a few weeks now and said to Steve that I would like to go as a mothers day gift i was really saying it as a joke because at the time I knew we couldn't afford tickets. BUT to my surprise he had entered a radio competition..and one! so we got free tickets!!! The only downside was it was a week night and he had to start a 5am..poor thing is so exported still (show went for 2.5hrs). I wish they would let you tape some of it because I really wanted to show you all just how AMAZING they were. Instead I will (try) to put some photos up (from our friend google) haha let's see if blogger will let me tonight... It's been playing up for me for the past two weeks :( Night all!!!! Amanda <3

it's a crazy small world!

Hello everyone, Hope you've had a great week & if it's raining where you are like here in Tas.. I hope you are all staying dry!! Today's post is about all the little things that can bring two(2) families together. Steve & I met over the Internet about 7.5 years ago [as we speak we are having a "discussion" about the exact time/year -neither of us can remember] at that time little did we know how much our families had/have in common. Steve's birthday is 12.11, Brodie's birthday is 21.11, Hailee's birthday is 2.11, see where I'm going here? Lol. It's not just birthdays. it's anniversaries, lucky numbers, and so much more!! Another thing we have in common that you may remember me blogging about last time was my (future) sister in-laws's name is Amanda Jade. Just like mine!. The "similar names" don't just stop there either! ha, I can hear you all laughing My grand mother (on Dad's side) was born Joan Margeret [though was known as Marg Joan], well My mother in-laws grandmother, was also named Joan Margeret Lol. Have any of you guys watched the movie V for Vandetta?! Do you remember the line "remember, remember the 5th of November!" ? Well I say that to Steve about the anniversary of our first date. It was the 3rd of Nov. so I say "remember, remember the 3rd of November." lol. Which is also a coincidence because our little princess, Hailee was born on the 2nd Nov... haha!! I may have blogged about this (but can't remember) while in labor the nurse asked me when our anniversary was, I said 3rd of Nov. She smiled and laughted & said... "That's tomorrow!!" (I had no idea).

this really hurts....

Hello Everyone,

Ive been dreading this post for a while now. Because in my mind she is still here with us. I walk into the house (that she shared with my Auntie) and I'm expecting her to walk down the hallway and greet us.

On the 18th (Oct) my Grandmother (my dad's mum) was taken to hospital after suffering a stoke and sustaning brain damage. The following day my family went up to see her, we all stood by her bed and cried.

(breath in, breath out.. ok keep typing)

This woman known to all her family and friends as Margaret was my best friend, my grandmother, and so much more! Everday I sat there in the hospital holding her hand. Telling her not to go, telling her I needed her, telling her her life was worth living and she needed to stay.

On the 24th I woke up at 6.30 the phone rang, it was the hospital. We raced up there thinking that this was it she was "going" (honestly I dont know how else to write it right now). Again all the family gathered by her bed, we took turns in sitting with her and having breaks, her breathing ext (to me) seemed to settle a bit better, I thought yes! she is going to survive a few more days.

I was wrong.

Hubby had just finished work and he came into the hospital to come see us and take our daughter home (it was aprox 5.30pm). We got in the car thinking everything was fine and we would see her the next day.

Half an hour later (we were nearly home) I got a phone call from my mother saying that she had died. I couldnt believe it, at that moment in time I was glad Hailee was asleep in the back, we pulled the car over and I burst into tears, I was swearing, crying and taking my anger out of the car.

Why had she died just after I had left? I still dont fully understand! I sat with her nearly everyday from 11am til 5-8pm. I was so angry with her, my family and god (even thought I dont believe in him) for taking her away while I was not there. I had some good advice and I sum what believe it from family; "They say that when people die they wait til the person they loved the most in the whole world leaves". Still I would have liked to have been there holding her hand. Have you had this happen to you? and do you believe in this statement?.

I love you so much Nanny why did you have to die?

The last thing she said to anyone was to my daughter "Hi Hailee, I love you" that sentance will forever be etched into my heart.

We came home and went straight into auto pilot (which I am glad for cause I know if I wasn't I wouldn't STILL be able to sleep at night or function during the day). We started planning her funeral the next day. I had told my father I would not be able to say anything at her funeral because I would just be a blubbering mess... I regreted tellhing him that so I decided on Wednesday morning "nope I know she would want me to be there saying something", so I wrote her this:

SHE WALKS AMONGST THE ANGELS
I see photo's of you and cry,
Then I remember the fun had by you and I.
The life you led made us smile,
You were so beautiful and oh so rare,
But life as they say it just isn't fair.
You now walk amongst the angels,
To protect us from above.
Rest In Peace Nanny
Our hearts full of love


{On Friday 28th Oct we had her funeral}
I 'stood' up there about to say my piece, then I looked over at the coffin and I couldn't breath. I blerted out something like "I wote dis for Nan"... then my night and shining amor came to the rescue THANK YOU HUNNY FOR STANDING UP FOR ME AND READING MY POEM. I am so thankful I had my daughter there, she was my stranght in all of this. She was SO well behaved the entire week I couldnt ask for a more perfect daughter at this moment in time. Even my Auntie (the one who Nan lived with) said to me a few times over the 2 weeks that she was thankful to that Hailee was there. She kept everyone busy and drove us all a little crazy sometimes.

I could right so much more but I think I will leave it...

things are at a stand still here

My family and I are going through a very hard time at the moment. So excuse me if I disappear for a few days/week.


Please, please keep us in your thought/prayers tonight.
Thank you!

i "LOVED" the idea of motherhood

Hello Everyone,

sorry i've been MIA the last few days..we have had family over from Sydney and needed the whole weekend to catch up with them hehe.

This post is inspired from a fellow mother who "told the truth" about motherhood and put out a search to see if she was alone in her thoughts... to her suprised at least 60 people replied to her and explained to her she was not.

Watching a family member of mine seemlessly go from "career woman to motherhood" within a short period of time. I became little jelous, yep jelous. I thought that every woman must be able to do it this easy...

as they say
"like water off a ducks back".

From the outside said cousin could have all 3 kids dressed, breakfast served, house cleaned, and 2 of the 3 kids off to school. To the outside/me it seems so simple. But if you spent the day with them I am sure you would see the "ugly side" of parenting.

Falling pregnant myself I began to realise things where not as easy as they looked from 'outside of the motherhood bubble'. Of course being disabled I know it would be harder for me but still.. remember how I told you I suffered from HG while pregnant? Well that's when things started going south.

After having a premature baby who spends their first 2 months in hospital its enevidable one of the parents would go through some type of 'depression'. It hit me like a tonne of bricks. I felt so isolated, lonely, and undefined as a person when I had no contact with the outside world.

How can we be expected to "look our best" 24/7, society wants us to devote ourselves 100% to our family, never complaining, always seeking to look our best. Yeah sure maybe in a dream world.. but in reality. No way!! As im typing to you I am wearing an old t-shirt, track pants and a jumper. If you think thats bad you should see my loungeroom at the moment LOL, toys from one side to the other. Why is society so hard on us these day? expecting us to look/be perfect ALL the time.

Sorry guys.. never going to happen haha.

My Mantra:
A Happy Mum = Happy Kids


What does your world really look like?

Memoirs #3

Hello Everyone.

LATE TEENS EARLY 20'S: (17-22)
* some names are changed to protect privacy*

In late Oct 2005 I met a fantastic guy online...Steve. (Pillow Talk. an app on our phones). I remember we only got a few minutes to talk so we exchanged numbers straight away. I never in my life imagined he would ring me at all, but not even 10 minutes after we had finished talking online. To my shock. HE RANG!!

This guy used to live in Melourne. (funny since how I always saw Melb as my second home since I seemed to always be there for operations)

We used to talk every night after dinner, our conversations would last from 10mins to 4hrs...LOL. The second night he rang i remember he said "I need to go to toilet; here talk to my parents". "i was like wtf?...ok". So for about 5 mintues I talked to 'mum and Dad'. Yep I called them that straight out of the bat!. I hadn't even seen a picture of this guy yet lol. We always talked about getting married and have 3. Yep THREE kids together.

He came over nearly every Saturday to see me. I remember our first "meeting". Mum and I drove up to the airport...Thanks mum!. He looked at me said "hi Amanda nice to see you", then patted me on the head (oh I forgot to mention he's 6'1 LOL. It was pouring with rain, still at least he was here and he was real.

I remember another if our conversations real well. It went something like this..... he rang me and said "guess what?... I'm moving over to Tassie". I nearly fell over! Mid 2006 he moved all of his things into a house "we" had rented. I was still doing my business course and he wanted to live by himself for a while first. I did spend ever weekend there though :P after about 2 months I moved in full time. We went over to Melbourne a few times to see family and friends.

In March 31st 2007 we got engaged. Almost a 12 months later on April 19th 2008 we got married. All our family and friends were there. It was such a fantastic day!!! My in-laws were staying with us for a few days after the wedding. So we decided to go on our honeymoon the weekend AFTER our wedding. Oh wow was that place beautiful (I WILL edit this with pics).

Little did we know that the universe (I don't believe in god). had planned for us to be a bigger family staright away... hehe our first night together as man and wife was the same night I fell pregnant.

All looked great with the baby growing in my tiny little belly (I'm 4'9 and I'm confined to a chair...bub didnt have much room to grow). I I had the worst pregnancy on record I think. I was diagnosed at 16 week in the ER with Hyperemisis.

[WIKIPEDIA.ORG] HG is a severe form of morning sickness, with "unrelenting, excessive pregnancy-related nausea and/or vomiting that prevents adequate intake of food and fluids." HG is considered a rare complication of pregnancy but, because nausea and vomiting during pregnancy exist on a continuum, there is often not a good diagnosis between common morning sickness and hyperemesis. Estimates of the percentage of pregnant women afflicted range from 0.3% to 2.0%. I was so glad when the ER told me this... It meant I finally had a name for what was happening to me during my pregnancy, I would liturally vomit upto 50 times a day (sometimes more).

The doctors planned on giving my an C-section at around 35 weeks. But our daughter had other plans... 7 months later (11 weeks before my due date) we had a baby girl (who was very healthy!) in Nov 2008. - see "Hailee's Birth Story".

to beautiful for words :)

Hello Everyone.

A friend of mine posted this on their FB page today, and I tell you everytime I read it I get teary eyed. I haven't seen it in a few years but as soon as I logged on this morning I knew I just "had to" blog about it. I'm sure there are a few of you out there who has read Samuel Armas' story... but for those who haven't:

A picture began circulating in November. It should be "The Picture of the Year," or perhaps, "Picture of the Decade." It won't be. In fact, unless you obtained a copy of the US paper which published it, you probably will never see it. The picture is that of a 21-week-old unborn baby named Samuel Alexander Armas, who is being operated on by a surgeon named Joseph Bruner. The baby was diagnosed with spina bifida and would not survive if removed from his mother's womb. Little Samuel's mother, Julie Armas, is an obstetrics nurse in Atlanta. She knew of Dr. Bruner's remarkable surgical procedure. Practicing at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, he performs these special operations while the baby is still in the womb.

During the procedure, the doctor removes the uterus via C-section and makes a small incision to operate on the baby. As Dr. Bruner completed the surgery on little Samuel, the little guy reached his tiny, but fully developed, hand through the incision and firmly grasped the surgeon's finger. In a Time Europe article highlighting new pregnancy imagery that show the formation of major organs and other significant evidence of the formation of human life but a few days after conception, Dr. Bruner was reported as saying that when his finger was grasped, it was the most emotional moment of his life, and that for an instant during the procedure he was just frozen, totally immobile. The photograph captures this amazing event with perfect clarity. The editors titled the picture, "Hand of Hope."

The text explaining the picture begins, "The tiny hand of 21-week-old fetus Samuel Alexander Armas emerges from the mother's uterus to grasp the finger of Dr. Joseph Bruner as if thanking the doctor for the gift of life."

Little Samuel's mother said they "wept for days" when they saw the picture. She said, "The photo reminds us a pregnancy isn't about disability or an illness, it's about a little person." Samuel was born in perfect health, the operation 100 per cent successful. Now see the actual picture, and it is awesome ... incredible.

Samuel ten(10) years later:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519181,00.html

I always remember my mum telling me that while she was pregnant with me that she had this "feeling" something wasn't quite right. LADIES LISTEN TO YOUR BODIES!!!.. if you to feel something is "off" then see your Doc and demand tests. If my Doc had just listens to my mother then I to "could possible" have had this op and maybe had the chance to live a "normal life" and walk. But instead he decided to go on holidays *rolls eyes*.

Please feel free to leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts on Sam's Story <3.

The antics of a 2.5yr old...

"what's wrong (insert name)"
"look at me I'm doing (insert activity)"
"no thank you"
"oh no this toy/person has gone"
"what on earth was that?"
"1-2-3-4-5, ready or not, I fineded you"

"what you doing?"
"come on (insert name) let's go outside"
"ry-nos-rus" -rinosarus
"hip-potn-ormous" - hippopotamus
"what you drawing there (insert name)?"
[on phone]"hello, speaking Hailee, yes, thank you, ok, bye-bye"

"don't be silly"
[making noises]" oh I scared/scary"
"shh mum be quiet I'm reading"
"wake up- I love u"
"ring Grandpa?!"  - ends up calling some random Lol
"that's great drawing mum"

"no way"
"king of castle, I a rascal"
"oops daisy fall down"
"humpety dumpety" - humpdy dumpdy
"next one"
"good girl Hay-yee"

Me:what's your name? "Hay-yee Nole Rik-tah"
"what yeah gunna do?"
"I'm/we're back"
"what's that sound?"
"Love my boyfiend Cody"

My cheeky lil' Monkey...


Ha! I know I've been so slack on this writing thing but I'm sure those of you who have a toddler realize just how busy they keep you and how much "me time" you DON'T get. Well we are now coming up to her 3rd birthday :( and I promise this time I will upload pics from her last birthday and this one :P

Hailee's Birth Story!

Hello Everyone.

It was Saturday 1st November and my mum came around to see how I was feeling, I was 28 weeks and 6 days into my pregnancy. My whole pregnancy I was sick and diagnosed with Hyperemisis Gravadarum (HG) and that day was no different!. But as I was feeling a little better during so I decided I was going to finally pack my hospital bag. Though I was scheduled to have a c-section (for medical reasons) at 35 weeks.

I had no idea what was in store for me in the next 24 hours!!. The next morning Steve (my hubby) and I were about to head to a family BBQ. Unfortunately when I got up I found that we were going to have to spot at the hospital.

At the hospital Pregnancy clinic they checked me and said that the babies head was crowning and there was no was I could have a c-section now, I had to have her naturally. Because I was still early in my pregnancy they had to get a few nurses from NICU in there asap, the NICU professor even came in.

After 20 minutes of pushing, nothing was happening so they decided they would have to find another way to help her out. 3 hours after first coming into the hospital Hailee was born! Steve rang my mum and told her, it was lucky mum was still at the family BBQ so everyone found out at once.

I didn't get to meet my little girl until a few hours later. But she was the most gorgeous, precious Little thing in the whole world!. I feel in love straight away.

Hailee 15minutes old.


Hailee Nicole R.
2nd November
1.2 kg (2.2 pound)
Sunday 3.02pm