Cecil Plains, and a slow drive home..... :-(

Well we left Cecil Plains on wednesday morning and the lean that I had seen on Monday was even worse today :(
The van was leaning to the drivers side and there was an 8cm difference between the two sides :(

We had a look under the van but we couldn't see a problem.  The springs were intact.......
We contacted the Burgoynes and told them that we were going to limp the van home and take it in to the Repair Shop on Monday.  They understood.   We will go back up through Clifton on our way north in a fotnights time.
We contacted the Repair Shop on the Gold Coast and booked the van in to check it out and find the problem.

It took us 6 hours to get home... But we got here :D
Graeme and Ronnie came out to greet us when we got home and showed us that the drivers side Shackle was all the way back - in a horizontal position instead of vertical. :( Bugger......
Took some photos on my phone but haven't transferred them yet.

We showed our son-in-law Matt, the photos and he also pointed out that the spring position at the front on the drivers side was wrong.  It is sitting at the top instead of at the bottom - which is why the shackle has moved backwards and is horizontal. Double bugger!!!!

Monday we limped down the M1 Motorway at between 70 and 80km an hour and got to the Repair shop.  Yes indeed the front of the spring on the drivers side has broken and the whole spring needs to be replaced.  So the spare parts have been ordered from Melbourne and we just need to wait for them to arrive and be fitted to the van.  We hope to have it back early next week. 

We were going to go camping this weekend to help a friend celebrate their 60th birthday but it looks like we will be calling in for a day visit instead.

The main thing is that we are both safe and well, so is Buster and the van is being fitted with 2 new springs and everything that goes with that.

A New year and a New Grandbaby :)

We left Wagga Wagga on the 2nd January and travelled as far as Coonabarabran.  It was a full day - leaving Wagga at 9.30am and making Coonabarabran by 630pm.  We set up under some shady trees and settled in for the night at the CaravanPark.  We were up and on our way by 8,30 NSW time the next morning.  We reached Goondiwindi at 1.30pm NSW or 12.30 QLD time and decided to push on as far as possible.
We managed to get to Jimboomba just on 5pm QLD time and surprised Beckie and the family as they weren't expecting us until the next day :)
We spent several days with the family and celebrated Matt's birthday with a BBQ lunch on the 5th.  His birthday was the 4th but his brother had to work - so the celebrations were postponed a little.  We had a lovely day with everyone there to wish him a good birthday.
Miss Gemma was due back from her father's the next afternoon so we stayed until she returned.  We had a short time with Gemma until we said goodbye and headed back to our home.
We were lovingly greeted by my Cousin Ronnie and Graeme and it was good to see them.
We settled into home for the night and then spent the next day getting all the washing etc out of the van.  We had only just begun when we got a call to say that Beckie's waters had broken and that she was heading into the hospital. We freshened up and headed on in.
We were at the hospital for a couple of hours when labour started and at 6pm we all thought that it would not be long and we would greet the little person - gender unknown :D
Well - when they inserted an intravenous canula and took bloods to check levels - EVERY ground to a halt.  YEP - no action what so ever!!!!  At 9.30 the decision was made to transfer Beckie back to the ward and to await action overnight.  If nothing happened then she would be augmented at 6am.
We travelled home and set the alarm for 5am (thinking that we would be called in overnight) but the alarm went off and we were up and showered and on our way in by 5 to 6.  We stopped and got Matt some breakfast and then met Beckie and Matt on the ward.
AT 6.45am we were transferred to Birth Suites with Toni (the midwife) and Hayley (the student midwife) and the process began.  A tracing of the babies heart was commenced and then the Syntocinon infusion was begun.  Good strong and contractions started not long after and official labour began at 10.30am.  Everything was looking really promising and we thought that the baby would be born before lunch - but that wasn't to be.  The little bugger was keeping itself nice and high and not pressing on the cervix to make it dilate.  The Syntocinon was increased slightly and even though she desperately felt the need to push - we had to make Beckie breathe through the contractions.  At 11.30 she was examined and it was found that the baby was STILL "way up there" and didn't seem to be moving down.  We did know that the baby had its back to Beckies back - which explained why the labour was not progressing like her last two labours :(
We tried different positions to try and encourage the baby to move but nothing seemed to work.  Beckie was tiring quickly and the pain was becoming unbearable.  Her blood tests had come back and her platelets (that were low) had come up to normal levels.  She was demanding an epidural to help her cope and so that she could get some rest - and her wish was granted.  At 2.30 the epidural went in and Beckie was coping great with the contractions again. At 5pm she was examined and the baby was still high - so intervention methods were discussed with her and Matt.
At 6.15 the Midwives that had been looking after Beckie all day were advised that after 12 hours they MUST take a 4 hour break.  Two of Toni's team joined us and Di was looking after Beckie now.  An examination was attended and Beckie was finally fully dilated and she was asked to push.  Initially nothing seemed to be happening and then SUDDENLY everything was happening.  From a little bit of 'hair on view' to the whole baby born in less than an few minutes .  YAY  IT is a BOY!!!!!
At 6.33pm Luke Paul Beckett was born.
Am having trouble with the programme - trying to add photos but having no luck.  Will keep trying.

Everything went very well and then at 8pm he was weighed and his vital statistics recorded.
4170gm or 9lb 3 oz, 53.5 cm long (21 inches approx.) and 38 cm (14 3/4 inch) head.  A big boy - much bigger than we had expected :)
Matt's family was contacted and they were bringing in the other children and Darryl was bought in from the waiting room :) and we all got to check Luke out.
Darryl and I left at 10pm and went home for a well deserved sleep.  Both of us had shore backs and legs from our long days :)
We went back into hospital and visited Beckie and Luke the next morning - catching up with lots of lovely friends and Nanna's.  We left at 2.30pm just before the grandchildren were due to arrive and also the excited Uncle Ben.
Since then we have taken everything out of the caravan and will try and get it weighed whilst empty to confirm if the compliance plate is correct or not and then take it to the Gold Coast for some insurance work on the side of the van.
Friday saw Darryl and I go to the Gold Coast and visit with our dear friends Doreen and Ken who were holidaying with their daughter and her family.  We spent a lovely 4 hours with them and it was sad to say goodbye.

Victoria Point :) 18.11.12

Well we have now been home since the 7th November and we have been busy.
We have sorted through all our belongings that were moved downstairs when Ronnie and Graeme came to live upstairs and sent things that belong to the kids to their houses :-D and I am now in the process of sorting out the things to go to the charity Bins. :-)
I have been busy doing some sewing and catching up with cards - and did the Christmas cards the other night - so they are on their way :)
Today we went out to visit the grandchildren and their parents before travelling on to Beaudesert to spend a lovely lunch with the Johnston family for Miss Salli's Birthday and then to also meet the newest addition - 1 week old Abel Trevor Johnston.  What a cute baby - and he felt sooooo tiny :)
We had a lovely lunch at the Happy Valley Chinese restaurant in the main street and then had to say goodbye to them all.  Salli and Gai are off to Raymond Terrace tomorrow for two weddings in two weeks.  We had some rain with very small hail at the start of lunch but by the time we left at 3pm there was sun shine.....
Ben was not able to join us as he had to go to work today :(
Buster has been really good for Graeme and Ronnie if we have had to go out but Graeme says he is a sooky dog :) :D because he is constantly looking for us - or if like today there was thunder - he was following Graeme around like a lost puppy :)
We have had some spectacular storms over the past 24 hours with lots of lightning and thunder but we (at Victoria Point) have not had the deluge that the Northen Suburbs have had.
We are trying to plan our trip south to Taree and Wagga Wagga for Christmas and New Year and waiting on final Doctors appointments for our checkups.

Back in Queensland and Back near Brisbane :)

Hi all,
Well we were at Narrabri on our homeward journey and on Saturday we left Narrabri at 9.45am (NSW) for further north and when we reached Goondiwindi and had to turn our clocks back it became 12.30pm.  The next sign we saw said that it was 'only 3 1/2hrs to Brissy, kids' so we thought we would keep plodding on.... :-)
We got to Warwick and it was only 1 1/2 hours to Jimboomba - so we kept going.  We got to Jimboomba at 5pm and the kids were super excited - so was Beckie and Matt too when he got home.
It was so good to see them and we rang Ben and he and Daniel came over from their unit in Eagleby and spent a few hours with us too.
We have spent a lovely day today with Beckie and the children and Matt was out getting parts for the water filter to go under the sink.  He did manage to come and spend some quality time with us after lunch though.
Tomorrow the children will be at school and daycare and Matt will be at work, but we will stay at Jimboomba so that I can be here for Beckie's antenatal appointment on Tuesday morning.  We will then go back to our home in Victoria Point :-) and see Ronnie and Graeme.
Looking forward to getting everything out of the van for a thorough spring clean and so that Darryl can take out the items he wants to (his stuff only though) hehehehe.