I wanted to share the beautiful birth announcement cards that I had custom made to mark the arrival of my gorgeous baby boy Oscar.

Our good friend Dawn Sheridan of Sheridan Art created this fabulous Whale-themed design for us and I could not be happier with the finished product.

I had the image printed on a mixture of 15cm by 15cm and 10cm by 10cm recycled greeting cards to send out to family and friends.

I included this lovely black and white photograph of Oscar inside each card.

I also had a larger version of the birth announcement printed so that I could frame it to hang in Oscar’s nursery (when he eventually gets his own room!).

A big thank you to Dawn for creating this very special keepsake!

So it has been two weeks since our beautiful baby boy Oscar made his entrance into the world (albeit a world of yellow and grey chevron!) and we became a family of four.

I might be tempting fate, but so far Oscar has been no trouble at all and I had completely forgotten just how much newborn babies sleep.  It obviously helps that my in-laws are here to look after Sebastian, which means that I can catch up on lost sleep during the daytime and also allow myself some time to recover from the birth.

As Seb has been sleeping through the night since he was 9 months old, the hardest thing has been re-adjusting to waking every 3 or 4 hours during the night.  I am currently sleeping on the sofa, with Oscar in his bassinet next to me, for fear of Seb being woken up by his little brother’s crying.  So while Mr G is getting at least 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night, I am lucky if I get 3 hours of broken sleep before 5am when I get rudely awoken by an excitable toddler bounding into the living room.

Aside from the lack of sleep, I really cannot complain as Oscar is such a calm and contented little baby.  He does not like having a bath or getting changed but I think that is the same for most new babies.  For the last fortnight he has spent most of the day sleeping but then has an unsettled couple of hours around the time that we sit down for dinner, so Mr G has been cutting my food up into bite-size pieces so that I can eat and hold Oscar at the same time.  I remember that Seb was exactly the same in the first few weeks and the only thing that would settle him was lying on Mr G’s chest, where he would then proceed to sleep until his late feed at 10pm.  Oscar seems to have this in common with his big brother and has been sleeping in daddy’s arms most evenings…I am even thinking of nicknaming my husband ”the baby whisperer”!

Sebastian has adapted amazingly to the arrival of his new brother and has shown no signs of jealousy.  He is incredibly curious when it comes to Oscar and keeps trying to touch his hair and face…needless to say we are using the word “Gentle” a lot during these interactions!  I was so worried about how Seb would cope with all the changes and it has been a huge relief to see him take such a keen interest in Oscar.

I survived my first afternoon with the boys on my own today and it gave me some much-needed confidence that I will be able to cope once my in-laws leave.  I even managed to change Sebastian’s nappy with Oscar attached to me in the Baby Bjorn…no easy feat!  The grandparents are still here for another 3 weeks so I can enjoy some precious one-on-one time with Oscar and try to prepare myself for life after they leave.  So look out for some upcoming blogs on the theme of “Organisation” as I try to get my head around juggling so many different balls!

So we had it all planned…I was going to be induced on Friday, 2 days before my due date, and we would drop Seb off at his grandparents’ place en route to the hospital.  As usual, I had my trusty ‘To Do’ list prepared for my final week of pregnancy which included everything from changing the bedding to working through the mountain of ironing!  But first things first, I went for a relaxing facial on Tuesday morning courtesy of my lovely Mum who wanted to treat me.  I also had a bikini wax in preparation for baring all at my induction!

Despite repeatedly telling Mr G that I wanted him to do all the cooking in this last week before the birth, I found myself in the kitchen on Tuesday evening whipping up a couple of lasagnas and a batch of bolognese sauce with the 2kg of mince that Mr G had bought on the weekend without checking the use-by date…turns out it needed to be used by Tuesday!

Later that evening I complained to Mr G that I was getting some cramps and lower back pain, but we dismissed it as Braxton Hicks contractions and carried on watching ‘The Voice’!  I decided to stay up when Mr G went to bed at 9pm (what a rock-and-roll lifestyle we lead!) and despite my best attempts to fall asleep, the cramps became stronger and more frequent and I started to mentally prepare myself for a trip to the hospital.  I tidied up Seb’s toys in between contractions and gathered up my hospital bag before  waking up a slightly delirious Mr G at 12.30am.  He made a quick dash to pick up my mother-in-law and then we set off for the hospital, still convinced that it was a false alarm and that we would be back home within the hour.

Mr G got us to the hospital in record time ( hopefully without picking up a speeding fine!) and, after getting a telling off from the midwife for not calling ahead or bringing my antenatal card, we were escorted to the last available room in the birthing suite.  The midwife confirmed that I was 7cm dilated and may not have time to get the epidural I had my heart set on having.  Luckily for me, the on-call anaesthetist came immediately and before I knew it I was being told all of the possible side-effects of the epidural, which are scary enough to put you off the idea altogether.

The epidural was quick to take effect and within a couple of hours of arriving at the hospital I was fully dilated and ready to push!  My obstetrician arrived shortly after and it only took 2 pushes for our son Oscar Arthur Grose to arrive…a small but perfectly formed little boy weighing 3.05kg and with a full head of dark hair (that explains the heartburn!).

Mr G and I were in a state of shock as everything had happened so quickly and we had not even considered that I would go into labour spontaneously. In hindsight, I am really glad that I got to experience the late-night dash to the hospital and it made me appreciate how much more intense the contractions are with an induction.  It is certainly a well kept secret that giving birth the second time around is much easier and I have to agree with it based on the fact that I spent the longest part of my labour sitting on the sofa at home watching a recorded episode of ‘Made in Chelsea’…either my pain threshold has quadrupled since I had Sebastian or the contractions were simply just more manageable.  I am pretty convinced that I could have coped without the epidural but I just had no desire to!  It is just unfortunate that we have to pay over the odds for the epidural because it was given out of hours…but I assured Mr G that it was worth every dollar to have the pain taken away and he was in complete agreement!

It still feels surreal that Oscar is here but I could not have asked for a more perfect birth experience.  I am not in any discomfort and, unlike when I had Sebastian, I am not battling with breastfeeding as we made the decision to formula feed Oscar from the get-go.  My milk never came in with Sebastian and I was left completely traumatized by my failed attempts to breastfeed him. It had completely overshadowed the joy of having Seb and I was determined not to let that happen this time, so when I was told that it was very unlikely I would be able to breastfeed Oscar I decided not to put myself through the same ordeal.  It means I have been able to focus on bonding with my new son instead of feeling like a failure that I am not able to feed him.

I was desperate to get home when I had Sebastian but this 4 night hospital stay feels more like a holiday…poor Mr G looks more tired than me thanks to Sebastian waking at 4am for the past 3 mornings.  It is an absolute treat having all my meals served to me in bed, and I am becoming quite accustomed to having morning and afternoon tea…I figure the healthy eating plan can start once I get home as it would be rude not to eat the delicious cakes they keep offering me at the hospital!

I am missing Seb terribly but Mr G assures me that he is having lots of fun with his grandparents.  He did come for a visit yesterday but it is fair to say that it was a bit of a disaster.  As soon as he arrived with red cheeks and ears I knew that we were in for trouble as that usually means he is exhausted.  He was clinging to his daddy for the entire time and did not know what to make of Oscar.  I feel so guilty about having to divide my attention between Seb and Oscar, and I just hope that Seb adapts quickly to the arrival of his little brother without too much upset.  I will be doing my utmost to make him feel as secure and loved as possible when we get back home but it is a lot for him to process and I need to be patient.

So it’s one more day of rest for me before I get discharged on Sunday morning and we start a new chapter as a family of 4. Then it is time for me to experience the reality of raising 2 children under 2…blogging every step of the way!

I wanted to write a review of the Phil & Ted Explorer as I would have found something like this useful when I was choosing a stroller. As it is one of the big purchases you make as a new parent, it is important to pick the right one for your family’s needs.  We chose the Phil & Ted Explorer because we wanted a 3 wheel stroller that could accommodate 2 children.  We liked the sporty look of the Explorer and had heard really good things about it from our friends. The main features of the Explorer are:

• ‘Follow-the-Sun’ Canopy with Side Pockets – the canopy provides fantastic coverage and can be pushed down so that it is completely in front of your child.  The large Velcro side pockets are really handy for holding keys, mobile phone, snacks, tissues, etc.

• One-Hand Collapse – The stroller collapses by sliding the red lever across and simultaneously squeezing the button at the back.  We have never managed to collapse our stroller with one hand and Mr G still gets frustrated when he tries to do it.  Whilst I have no problem collapsing it, I definitely need to use both hands to have enough force to push the button at the back of the red lever.

• One-Handed Seat Recline – by squeezing the recline toggle at the back of the main seat you can achieve infinite seat recline positions.  I absolutely love this feature on the Explorer as it makes it very easy to get Seb comfortable for naps in his stroller.

• Easy On/Off Pedal
• 7 in 1 Adaptability – designed to last from newborn to 6 years
• Large Parcel Tray - I am able to fit so much in the parcel tray but I will lose this storage once we start using the double kit.
• Adjustable Height Handle Bar – by pushing the buttons at either side of the handle bar, you can raise and lower the height of the handle bar to accommodate different people pushing the stroller.

• Easily Adjustable Straps with Slide-Up Mechanism – this ingenious feature means that you do not need to re-thread the straps in order to adjust the strap height.

• Removable Seat Liner for Easy Cleaning – the seat liner can be easily removed and wipe cleaned.  Phil & Ted sell cushy ride liners in a variety of bright colours or you can consider getting a custom-made seat liner.  I have ordered a set of custom-made reversible seat liners and strap covers for our main seat and double kit and should be receiving it in a couple of weeks!

Here are some of the accessories that I have bought for our Explorer…

Hangbag

The Phil & Teds Hangbag features 2 drinks holders and a zippered compartment.  I am able to fit my purse, mobile phone and keys in the zip-up pocket, and I can carry a bottle of water and Seb’s sippy cup in the two open pockets.

Cup Holder

The Phil & Teds Buggy Cup Holder attaches to the cup holder locator (on models manufactured from 2010 onwards) on the side of the handle bar.

Jolly Jumper Kiddy Kaddy Snack Tray

This Kiddy Kaddy Snack Tray is a very recent purchase and it fits perfectly to the Explorer safety bar with a strong Velcro attachment.

Peanut Carrycot

We purchased the Peanut Carrycot when we had Sebastian and I still plan to use it with the new baby when Mr G is around to push Seb along in his Trike.  We also have the Carrycot Stand but we really did not use it very much at all – I think I just got a bit carried away on the Phil & Teds website!

Lazyted Baby Bouncer

We also bought the Lazyted Bouncer when we had Sebastian and never used it! So I am determined to use it with the new baby and I think it will be a great thing to sit the new baby in when I take Seb to playgroup.  The Lazyted attachment kit essentially converts the double kit into a baby bouncer and it can be flat-packed for easily portability.

With the imminent arrival of Baby No.2, it is fantastic that I have several options for carrying 2 children in the Explorer…

Car Seat with Double Kit at Back

The Explorer can be used with the infant car seat and the double kit at the back, and I imagine I will be using it in this mode a lot over the next few months.

Lay-Flat Main Seat with Double Kit at Front

Another option is to have the newborn in the main seat in the lay-flat position, and the double kit attached to the front of the stroller.  I think Seb will prefer this viewpoint to being in the double kit at the back.

Toddler/Toddler Mode

Once the new baby is a bit older I will adopt the toddler/toddler mode, with the younger child at the back and Sebastian in the main seat at the front.

Here are the main problems that I have identified with the Explorer:

• Tyres need pumping frequently – it is definitely worth investing in a good bicycle pump as we have found that the tyres get flat very quickly and it makes the stroller very difficult to push.
• Very heavy stroller – the Explorer is very heavy and I have not been able to lift it in and out of the car during the three months of this pregnancy.  This was the compromise that we were prepared to make in order to have a stroller that can accommodate 2 children but it may not suit everyone to have such a cumbersome stroller.
• One-hand collapse can be temperamental – as I mentioned earlier, the one-hand collapse mechanism is not as straightforward as the manufacturers make it out to be.
• Storage dilemma when using the double kit – I have order the Mini Diddie Bag which can be attached to the back of the double seat to provide additional storage.

I may also consider getting the Skip Hop Saddle Bag if I find that I am really struggling for storage when using the double kit.

• Stroller cannot be collapsed with double kit attached – it is a bit of an inconvenience to have to remove the double kit every time I need to collapse the stroller.
• Difficult to pack in Travel Bag – we purchased the Phil & Ted Up & Away Travel Bag for our overseas trip to the UK and I had to resort to watching an instructional video on YouTube to work out how on earth to pack the Explorer up.  In the end, I decided that it was going to be far too complicated to pack up the stroller at the airport when I was travelling alone with a 9 week old baby, and I am reluctant to take the stroller on any future overseas trips given how onerous it is to dismantle it.

In conclusion, we absolutely love our Explorer but it does have its drawbacks.  I do not think there is a stroller on the market that could ever be completely perfect, so it is just a case of working out what features are essential for your family and then making some compromises on the non-essentials.  Although the Explorer is very heavy, I am fortunate that I can walk to most of the places that I need to go and do not need to lift it in and out of the car very often.  I love the versatility of the Explorer and the fact that I can carry two children in a variety of different ways without the need for a wide double stroller.