Easter 2010

Wishing Everyone a Happy Easter!

This week was a big week for our two babies, Matty and Mitch. Mum and Matty went to the Sydney Royal Easter Show to watch Mitch who was entered in the dog show. We were all pleasantly surprised to come home with Mitch's blue ribbon for First Place Intermediate Dog in the Finnish Lapphund class! We are so proud of our stunning fluff ball! Despite the extremely long day, Matty did amazingly well. He managed to sleep one of his naps in the pram, but refusing the other. There was simply too much going on to miss out on! He even had a bit of Mum's vanilla ice cream cone.

The video of Mitch being shown is below. Make sure to fast forward the video to 3 minutes and 35 seconds to begin watching Mitch (Armahani Amethyst Armo) in the Intermediate Class. Make sure to notice how he "prances". Our friend Nik is handling him for us, and she is wearing a royal blue top.
Easter Sunday was a very lazy day for all of us. The Easter bunny brought Matty a red dinosaur and his very first chocolate bunny. He absolutely loved chocolate, but Mummy only let him have a little. For the pictures Matty is wearing a baby blue jumpsuit from "Helen's Young Ages" in Jackson, Mississippi. His Daddy thought it made him look like a girl, but Mum tried to explain it is traditional classic boy wear. LOL! His mummy used to wear clothes from that same store as a baby.

For some reason Matty did not feel like smiling alot for the pictures, which is a bit unusual for him. We were still able to get some nice artsy ones. Mitch seemed very proud of his blue ribbon, so we let him wear it for the pictures! Enjoy!

Love,
The MF's

Matty at Ten Months Old

G'day Ya'll,

This month has been very exciting. Matty truly represents the definition of "mobile"...crawling around a million miles and hour, pulling up on furniture, standing and walking along & holding on to furniture. We don't think it will be long for him to start walking.

The house is constantly being updated "baby-proof", but for the moment Matty has a safe spot in the living room...fenced away from electricals and dangerous furniture that can fall over easy like chairs and the flimsy IKEA bookshelf. The 50 inch plasma is attached to the wall by a metal rod, including all the furniture! His nursery is next on our list of baby proofing. We want Matty to have as much space to explore as possible, and there is nothing he loves more than exploring! So he should!

A day in the life of Matty is currently filled with lots of chatting, laughing, smiling, and more and more pooping! Now that he is eating more interesting things (aka: vegemite and rice cakes), our poops have become even more colourful! Yay for mum and dad! Matty loves finger food, but hasn't quite grasped the concept of "one at a time". He trys to shovel it all in, only to gag it all back up again. Mum and Dad learned very quickly only to give him one little bit at a time!

Also, Matty has a total of 4 teeth! It is amazing how quickly this happened! Teething was no drama for our happy little Matty man, and he never lost sleep or experienced even a hint of fever over an incoming tooth.

Enjoy the photos!

Love,
The MF's

Matty at Nine Months Old

G'day Ya'll,

This was a very special month for Matty as it was towards the end of this month that he learned to crawl. For a few weeks prior, he had been in the perfect position, minus one leg staying flat rather then bent. Finally his Daddy started helping him hold his leg the right way so that he could be guided along the floor. With this guidance, it didn't take long for Matty to figure it out! Once Matty got it into his head what to do with his legs, he was off like a rocket. He didn't even take a few days just cruising around a little; he started from zero and went straight to 100!

Early in the month we also decided it was time to throw out the swaddles! Coming back from winter in the USA to the heat wave that is Australian summer, made this idea even more appropriate. Despite the air conditioning, his room would too often be a bit hot to wrap him in double wraps, and anything less than that he would simply break out of. It was even getting to the point where he was starting to break out of the swaddle in the early morning hours, and then would fuss and wake up more because he would get cold in the air-conditioning. It was time! Much to our surprise, he adjusted really quickly...in about a week. We transitioned from the swaddle to a long-sleeve sleep-bag, and once he got used to that we were able to use the sleeveless sleep-bags. We also used a strap called the "Safe-T" strap which was fantastic because it prevented him from standing up and playing in his crib rather than napping, yet still allowed him to sleep in his position of choice. It was soon after we discovered Matty loved to sleep on his tummy! You will see a picture (above) of him sleeping without being swaddled.

As you can also see from the above pictures, Matty and Mitch love to play together. Mitch is very gentle, and often moves and mouths Matty's toys around to encourage play with his human brother.

Also this month, Matty started swimming lessons. He is an absolute natural just like his Mumma! He doesn't mind going underwater, and learned to hold his breath in anticipation very quickly. His mum also started up a hobby for herself...horse riding. It's been awhile since she's been in the saddle, but it's something she's wanted to do for long time. We hope to maybe have horses someday in the future, so better start learning a bit more! Don't worry, she is learning on a very gentle old horse (Clydesdale cross) named Elle. She is a great confidence builder, and virtually bomb proof.


Love,
The MF's

Australia Day 2010

Yes, we're a bit late with this one...

Happy Australia Day!

As usual for January in Australia, it was a stinkin' hot out, so we just stayed in the air conditioning between swims in the pool. We drank a few coldies and had our own snags on the barbie.

Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!

-The MF's

Grandma and Grandpa Ferguson Come for a Visit (January 2010)

G'day Ya'll,

We are so late in posting the above pictures, and truly apologize as we know that Grandma and Grandpa Ferguson have been waiting so long to see them. It didn't take us long to be back in Australia after our USA trip, for us to want the Aussie grandparents over for a visit! Much to Matty's delight, with the grandparents came more and more toys! For Christmas Matty received from his Grandma and Grandpa his first toy box (on wheels) packed full of Fisher Price toys! Such a lucky boy to have such thoughtful grandparents! One of Matty's favourite toys in the toy box was his very first pull along telephone. It teaches him his numbers, sings songs, and allows him to make his own special phone calls when we're not looking. Ha! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa! We love you!

Love,
The MF's

Matty at Eight Months Old

Matty turned 8 Months when we were in the USA, but the above pictures are from when we got back to Australia. At 8 Months Matty was comfortably sitting up on his own, and starting to show small signs of crawling in the near future.

Cheers,
The MF's

Holidays in the USA!

G'day Everyone,

We are back from our trip to the States for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and man oh man so much happened while we were overseas! Where to begin?...

Matty and Mum survived the ongoing plane flight by themselves with Matty being a very good sleeper in the bassinet with not one single meltdown! Mum, however, was very grateful to have her parents waiting in LA since the flight was delayed landing due to fog causing everyone to miss their domestic connecting flights! It was Matty's first time meeting his Papaw, and the two hit if off just great! After a night at the LAX hotel, all travelers made it safely to Jackson, Mississippi the next night. Amazingly Matty arrived the happiest and most rested of everyone! He was all smiles, despite the frustrations of holiday travel delays!

The first 3 weeks of the holiday were with Mum and Matty having quality time with his Mamaw during the week, with Papaw joining in on the weekends. I think it was not even a full week before Matty experienced his first snow in Mississippi! It doesn't snow that often in the deep south, so the fact that it occurred during Matty's first Mississippi visit is pretty special we think. He first felt snow flakes on his face as his Papaw carried him on his back in the Kokopax while we shopped at the Vicksburg factory outlet following a dinner at the Crackerbarrel! The next day, the snow was melting, but we had enough time to get some quick pictures before it all faded away. Picture slideshow below:

Soon Thanksgiving arrived, and it was time to cut that deep fried turkey and casseroles we had been waiting for since our last trip to the USA! It was also Uncle Davis' and and Kate's first time to meet their new nephew, and for us all to enjoy and celebrate in the excitement of Kate and Davis' upcoming bundle of joy! It was so great to spend time with Davis and Kate as we love and miss them so much! Little did we know we would have an early surprise before the end of our trip! Matty even tried a bit of his great Mamaw's dressing, although proving he wasn't quite ready for that yet! The picture slideshow of Thanksgiving are below.

For the next week or two following Thanksgiving, we enjoyed that extra quality time with Matty's Mamaw (and Papaw on the weekends). Mum did lots and lots of shopping, of which, she was spoiled by her parents. We even had the opportunity for Matty's first Santa pictures! See below:

Despite the fun, we missed Mark very much. It was so hard being away from him, and it was a very happy occasion to be reunited again in early December. Despite Mark's extreme fear of flying, he flew all the way from Sydney to Jackson by himself, with hardly a sip of alcohol (his usual security blanket on long haul flights). We were so proud of him, and despite Mark's fear that his son would have forgotten him in the time apart...Matty proved otherwise by saying his first word on the exact night Mark landed..."Da-Da". Important to note: Matty also said "Mum-Mum" the same night, but "Da-Da" did come first. For the days following, we relished in Matty's new discovery of language...often hearing him through the baby monitor as he practiced saying our names over and over again upon waking up in his crib. Also during the trip Matty reached a few more important milestones...he learned to stay sitting up consistently on his own, and also started rolling all over the place. We had to barricade the hard tables around him with pillows so he wouldn't bump his head!

The first Sunday Mark joined us (December 20th) in Mississippi, was a very special day as both Matty and his daddy were babtised together in the same church in which Mary Frances was babtised as a baby. Not only that, but our marriage also received God's blessing since our original ceremony was only civil. It truly was a blessed day! Matty wore a christening gown from a very famous children's store called "Helen's Young Ages". Mary Frances and her mother shopped there when MF was a baby and throughout her childhood. The owner of the store still remembered her, and was in shock that she was now fitting her baby! Pictures and video to come! Stay tuned...

The week following we all took a trip to Memphis, Tennessee and stayed in the Peabody Hotel, ate ribs at the famous Rendezvous, took a carriage ride through the city, visited Sun Studios, and even visited Graceland! Not many Aussies can say they've done this! Mark was most impressed with Sun Studios and Graceland, and despite Mary Frances growing up in the south, it was her first trip to Graceland as well! I think Matty enjoyed the Peabody ducks in the lobby fountain more than anything else, which was also MF's Memphis favourite as a child. The picture slideshow of Memphis is below. Take note of the gorgeous Christmas decorations at the Peabody Hotel.

Later that same week it was Christmas. We went to church that Christmas Eve. Matty wore a very cute Santa overall outfit to church (from "Helen's Young Ages" mentioned earlier). We sang Christmas carols, then came back home to have delicious beef stew before opening presents from the family. Mamaw and Papaw had the most presents to open than anyone! The next day was Matty's first Christmas morning, and Santa brought lots of goodies for our baby boy. Matty wore his "santa riding bucking broncos" pajamas (also from "Helen's") as he enjoyed Santa's gifts for him under the tree that morning! Santa gave Matty a fish bowl of fishies, his first photo album complete with the whole family, a barking Christmas dog, a "Jesus Loves Me" kitten, another stuffed dog, an Elvis teddy bear from Graceland, two Peabody stuffed ducks, an American oppossum. I'm sure there are more to mention, but can't think of it all at the moment. Mamaw and Papaw gave him soft bowling balls and pins as well as his first singing toolbox and stacking rings, and his parents gave him his first building blocks (softie versions). We had another deep fried turkey for Christmas dinner including our favourite casseroles! So yummy! It was a very special day for all of us. We just really missed Kate and Davis, but understood that traveling at this stage in the pregnancy wouldn't have been a good idea. We also missed our Aussie families dearly as well! Pictures of Christmas below:

A few days following Christmas, Matty had the most incredible opportunity to meet his Great Grandmother Peden who we refer to as "Mimi". She came to stay with us for a few days. It was so good to see her again, and we enjoyed our time together. I think Matty was very proud to have finally met her! Pictures below:

Also important to mention was a lucky visit from one of Mary Frances' old high school friends, Cristen. Cristen has two beautiful little girls who we were very excited to meet. Pictures below:

A few days following Christmas we received the most incredible news! It was December 29th, and Kate and Davis' baby girl was born...Harper Rose Peden. We were going to get to meet her before we left! Yippee! We all hit the road again, pulling a Uhaul, bound for Dallas. Davis and Kate had just moved into their new house so we brought some furniture with us. When we got there Kate and Davis were having a bit of a difficult time facing some initial health issues with Harper, so it was awhile before we got to meet little Harper in the Special Care Nursery. When we finally did, it was so amazing, that Mary Frances cried upon meeting her new little niece. Harper is very beautiful, and we were so fortunate to have unexpectedly met her during this trip to the USA. Unfortunately other babies were not allowed in the NICU, so Matty will have to wait to meet his new cousin another time, but by that time I'm sure they will be running around playing with each other having the time of their lives! Slideshow pictures of our visit with Harper below:

On January 3rd we said goodbye, and prepared to fly back to Australia. Luckily Mary Frances was rewarded an upgrade to Business class so we all would get to sit together on the way home. Little did we know the dramas that would unfold as we tried to leave for Australia that night. We made it from Dallas to LA, just fine, although mum was a bit tired as Matty didn't want to sleep too much on that flight. We boarded the new amazing A380 bound for Sydney and were taxing to the runway to take off when an error occurred and the pilot turned us around to check it out. One problem turned into one after the other, and after 6-7 hours of waiting on the tarmac, we were all sent to hotels. Despite being nearly in tears with stress, Qantas surprised us by being very organized and understanding letting us skip lines as we had a baby. Despite the unique chaotic situation, Qantas was very organized, and had everyone from the plane in very comfortable hotel rooms in under 2 hours of leaving the plane. We stayed in LAX for the night before safely leaving out the next night. Qantas representatives kindly escorted me to a pharmacy to buy more baby formula to cover me for the trip the next day. A week after arriving in Sydney, we received an apology letter from Qantas including $2000 compensation towards free travel with Qantas! Very impressive! That should help with our next trip to the states! On the flight out, we all slept very well in business class, and when we woke we were just about home! Matty slept in the bassinet perfectly again, and had no jet lag upon arriving in Sydney! He has truly turned out to be the best traveler of all of us!

Although we had an amazing time, we are very glad to be back home in Australia smelling the eucalypt in the air and hearing the kookaburras call! Most of all things, we are so happy to be back with Mitch! He was full of kisses upon being reunited with mum, dad, and brother Matty! :)

Love,
The MF's

Leaving for the USA...

G'day Ya'll,
Well it is about that time! Matty and I are about to fly to the other side of the world (God help me), to be with Sue-Sue, Pops Peden, Uncle Davis, and Aunt Kate! We won't be back until January 6, 2010! This will be the first time Pops has been with Matty, and I am so excited for the two to finally meet! It's been too long! We leave this Friday (November 20th) which is in about 2 days! We are looking so forward to this, however, I am feeling a bit sad. It is a bit bittersweet as we will be away from Mark for 3 weeks and Mitch for 6 weeks!!! I keep crying about it, and can't stop hugging my two other boys. Mark will join us on December 14th, God willing he survives the flights on his own! Please pray for him!...You think I'm kidding?!

I am truly looking forward to doing some shopping with Mom! This will be my last post from Australia! We'll see you on the flip side! :)
Lots of Love,
Mary Frances :)

Matty's 3 Month Professional Portraits

Finally they are here! These are the ones we purchased! Remember these were taken when he was 3 months old! Isn't our boy just as cute as can be?!
Love,
The MF's

Grandma and Grandpa Ferguson (November 2009)

Hey Everyone,
We were so happy to have Grandma and Grandpa Ferguson fly up to Sydney to be with us again for a few days! I think they were pretty smitten with our little baby boy, and it is so incredible seeing them interact with their grandchild! Now that Matty's personality has really bloomed, it is just incredible watching the bond developing between him and his grandparents! Although, Matty was at first a little overwhelmed in his initial re-introduction, he quickly warmed up, and just couldn't have enough of "grandma" and "grandpa"! We went out to eat both nights they were here, and just kept passing him around the table! This is what life is meant for!
Love,
The MF's

Matty's First Hallowen (2009)

G'day Everyone,
Happy Halloween!...Yes, I realize it is nearly Thanksgiving, but at least pumpkins work in November as well, given, I am such a late poster!

Matty was the cutest pumpkin on the block...or should I say, "the only" pumpkin on the block, besides the other three sitting next to him in the pictures. Even Mitch got in on the action! Although Halloween is catching on in Australia, it is still misunderstood on our street. Despite the fact that I bought all the candy and put the pumkins out this year in hopes of some tricker treaters due to Halloween falling on a Saturday, I was soon disappointed and left stuffing myself (regretfully) with the very chocolate I hoped to see being stuffed into 'trick or treat' bags. Oh well! Maybe next year!..something I say every year in regards to this topic!

Despite our street's lack of involvement, I wasn't going to let Matty's first Halloween pass without 'trick or treating' (giving candy not receiving it) no matter how out of it our neighbours are! Obviously one was...she flat out refused to take candy from us! I have one word for this woman...it starts with "b" and rhymes with "witch", which works for Halloween either way. Despite feeling very put out by this "unfriendly" neighbor, Matty had a great time being a pumpkin and Mark and I had a great "late" night watching Halloween movies, eating popcorn, and drinking red wine (which, for the night, we referred to as "blood"). I'm glad my Aussie husband respects my American holidays, and embraces them with me. Afterall, other than Christmas, Halloween is just the best! I do think the idea of "giving" candy is a lot nicer than "expecting" it, though.
Trick or Treat!
The MF's

Matty at Six Months Old

Hello again,
Well this month we didn't take alot of "other" pictures, although the fact that he is now half a year old is pretty significant! I cannot believe how long it has already been. Just yesterday, it seems, we were bringing him home from the hospital, and I'm sure I'll probably still be saying that when he's turning 18 years old. Time really flies when you are sleep deprived...or should I say, consumed completely with the darling bundle of sweetness that is "Matty". His personality truly shines now, and (although I'm bias) I must say his temperment is to die for. He is such a happy little thing. Even after the "horror" of his 6 month injections he was "loving me" again 10 minutes later. Laughing, babbling, experimenting with his voice, kicking, back hopping, and jumping are just of the few things that describe Matty at this stage. He still is not a fan of "tummy time", and now has learned just to flip over to his back straight away. He has figured out how to move around the room by hopping on his back. It is pretty funny to see. He arches his back and drops it really fast continuously, thrusting himself backwards. He's getting pretty mobile now in this way...moving up to about 3-4 feet on his own from the spot in which I first place him. He also sits up on his own for a few seconds. His most favourite thing in the world is his "Jolly Jumper". He literally can jump for an hour, and for anyone who can see it, they will not be able to keep their eyes off of him. It is hysterical! Not only is it entertaining for the adults around him, but it is also incredible exercise for him!

This month when Matty received his injections he weighed in at 7.8 kg (17.2 lbs), which puts him right in the 50th percentile...just perfect! He is a very healthy and strong little boy!

Also this month we celebrated Matty's first Halloween, and got to see his Grandma and Grandma Ferguson again. The post for these two significant events are posted above with pictures. I thought they deserved their own spot on the blog...as well as another post about our upcoming trip to America to see Sue-Sue, Pops Peden, and Uncle Davis and Aunt Kate!
Love,
The MF's

Matty at Five Months Old

G'day everyone,
Sorry for the delay in showing you Matty's 5th month. This month we continued to work on eating solids, with interest finally showing towards the last week once Mum realized "maybe" she should try something else besides pumpkin. In the pictures you will see, he is actually eating pumpkin, but not really keen on it. :) This month we also purchased the "Jolly Jumper". This is the best purchase we have made for Matty so far. It is the best! During month five, however, he wasn't really sure how it worked yet, and would do a lot of "standing" and "experimenting" with his legs and feet.
Love,
The MF's

NSW Lappie Picnic 2009

Hey Ya'll,
A few weeks ago we went to the inaugural Lappie Picnic/Walk for those with Finnish Lapphund's in New South Wales. There were also some other breeds there as well as you will see illustrated in the video below. Despite the heat, Mitch had a blast that day! I think it was the hottest day ever recorded for early September in Sydney. Matty had a good time as well getting to know all the other "Mitch's". :)
The first slideshow is of pictures from the picnic which involved Mitch, and the second is the video that our friend and fellow Lappie owner, Nik, made. At the bottom of the post there is a link to the slideshow of photos taken by Nik. All pictures were taken by either Nik or Shell. As you can see from the photos, Finnish Lapphunds are such a gorgeous breed! I think next time we get a pup it will be one of the brown and tan ones! There were two very cheeky little brown and tan Lappie pups there, and they were so incredibly cute. You will see them in the pictures and video.
-MF
IMPORTANT: BEFORE WATCHING VIDEO YOU WILL NEED TO PAUSE MY BLOG'S MUSIC PLAYLIST (LOCATED BELOW THE CARLTON FOOTY AND TENNESSEE SYMBOLS ON THE RIGHT SIDEBAR OF THE BLOG)


Nik's Slideshow Link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/terranik/sets/72157622229625095/show/

Matty at Four Months Old

G'Day Ya'll,
Well now that Matty is turning 5 months old, I guess it's time for me to belatedly post pictures of his 4th month! This month Matty's sense of humour has really emerged. Both Mark and I agree that Matty finds life pretty hilarious, and nothing can be more enjoyable for his parents to watch. We think the one thing he finds most hilarious is his Daddy and coming into a close second would be Mitch. Needless to say, this month has been full of Matty laughter, and nothing could make us appreciate living more than this! We are really starting to see a very unique personality come through in this little man, and we are just loving interacting with such a happy little fella.
Matty is just now starting to cope with tummy time, and is spending more and more time each day on his tum tum...although we turn away for a few seconds and he's managed to flip back onto his back again. Cheeky! He is also getting to where he can sit up on his own and play with toys, although this is still very much a work in progress...he does tend to fall over. Matty still loves standing, and funny enough, is starting to pick up his feet when doing this as if he wants to walk. Ummm...I think crawling is suppossed to happen first, Matty!
As for our first experience with solids...Matty was not too keen on that mushy white rice cereal stuff. He just wants to spit it out, and turn up his nose. We've decided to give it a few weeks and try again. Looks like he's going to be a bit fussy like his Mumma.
We got our 4th month injections of which we screamed and cried making Mummy struggle to hold back the tears while seeing the doctor. Also, Matty has become very accustomed to his routine and hardly ever wakes up in the night. He is very happy to fall straight to sleep when he is put in his crib...as long as he is swaddled nice and tight. If arms escape, we're awake! I must say Mark and I are quite lucky! Now, the question is...How will we cope with change in routine like a 20 hour flight to America?! We'll at least we have a few more months to worry about that.
I hope everyone enjoys the pictures!
Love,
The MF's

Mark's First Australian Father's Day 2009

Hey Everyone,
Father's Day for 2009 in Australia was on Sunday, September 6th. This was a very special day for us as it was Mark's first as a new Daddy. We celebrated by going out for a nice Father's Day lunch at The Secret Garden Cafe in Annangrove. Our great friends, Tanya and Gareth, joined us for the special occassion. Matty wore his favourite t-shirt which says, "Dad Rocks", and I think everyone agrees with Matty on this one! Mark is such an incredible Daddy! It is so beautiful to see these two developing such a special bond. All we have to do to induce a Matty smile is get Mark to simply look at him. Matty is in complete awe of his Daddy, and who can really blame him?! I often have to tell Mark to be quiet at night upstairs when Matty is sleeping, because if he hears his Daddy's voice he is all ears and wants to know what his Daddy is up to. I could not have asked for a more loving and "rockin" Daddy for our special little boy.
Love,
Mary Frances and The MF's

A Friend's "Monster" Birthday Party

G'day Ya'll,

Yesterday the Ferguson family [minus Mitch:(] went to one of Matty's friends, Caleb's, birthday party in the Lane Cove National Park. Due to the fact that it was a national park we were not allowed to take Mitch, and were a bit sad about that because it was definitely his kind of thing. Caleb was celebrating his first birthday party with a "Monster" celebration. All the kiddies were dressed up as little monsters, and Matty was a little green dragon. It was a beautiful day, and was the first really hot day since last summer. It got up to about 30 degrees (around 90 in Farenheit). Everyone brought picnic blankets, and Caleb's Dad and family were making some fantastic snags on the barbie (US definition: hot dogs on the bbq). After the snags, we had some little green chocolate monster cake which was so very yummy. Despite throwing a massive fit on the way to the party in the car (due in part to his usual nap time cut short), Matty did seem to enjoy getting out under the gorgeous Sydney blue sky. It was a great day, and although we are a bit bias, Mark and I thought Matty was the cutest little monster there!

Love,
The MF's

Grandma and Grandpa Ferguson Come to Sydney

G'day Ya'll,

We were so happy to have Grandma and Grandpa Ferguson here last weekend to visit their now nearly 4 month old grandson! We had a great time together, and Matty was a bit more difficult to settle after they left! He'd been spoiled and used to all the attention poured upon him by his Aussie grandparents!

It was so nice to see our little Matty interacting with his Grandparents. Lately Matty has been a difficult feeder, but Shirley managed to get nearly the whole bottle into him! It was also obvious that Grandpa and Matty are quite the kindred spirits. While they were both here we all went on a nice pram walk with Mitch as well, and watched the football on the 50 inch while shoveling chocolate and cheese into our tummies! It was great! We just can't wait for them to come back, and also the American Grandparents Sue-Sue and Pops too!

Love,
The MF's

Matty at Three Months Old

G'day Everyone,

Sorry it's been awhile! Now that Matty is awake more than asleep these days, I find it hard to find the time for blogging. I will admit, though, that lately I have been doing a lot of work on the blog behind the scenes. I'm going to be doing a major update to our blog soon...creating photo and video archives. This is all still work in progress!

As for the above slideshow...it is all the pictures of him in his 3rd month of life. He is so aware now, and doesn't seem to miss anything in his waking hours. These days Matty is all smiles and laughs, and although he does have his teary moments, overall it is very clear that Matty is an extremely happy little ray of sunshine. This is such a blessing worth thanking God for everyday for the rest of our lives! We love him so much, and simply could not imagine our world without him.

In the slideshow you will notice some pictures of Matty with his Daddy. There are also some of him with his best mate, Mitch. There are a great many photos of Matty in his sweater playing his little acoustic guitar. Lately Mark and I have been playing a lot of guitar to him and singing, and he really seems to love it. With those big hands and long fingers we are hoping he will take after his musical parents! There are also some photos of Matty wearing a giraffe shirt. In those photos I managed to get him to stand up on his own long enough for me to take a picture. He loves standing, although it is ether leaning against the back of the couch or being supported by mum or dad. If you want to induce a crying fit with Matty, all you have to do is put him on his tummy! He's very strong and can flip over on his own, but he just hates it! Either way it makes us think with all this standing he is going to walk before he crawls as he just has no love for tummy time!

Enjoy the photos, and another update is coming soon!

Love,
The MF's

Matty at Two Months Old

G'day everyone,

Sorry about the delay in posting these photos. I've been very busy getting Matty into a play/sleep schedule now that he is sleeping more during the night and awake more during the day. He is so much fun, and Mark and I are just loving being parents. With all this said, however, sleep is still very much a luxury, but we could not be happier.

In these pictures you will see some of Matty in one of the wicker baskets from his nursery. He is wearing his new gray pea coat, a new snow hat, and his Carlton footy scarf (although we must admit we have not been very happy with those Old Dark Navy Blues lately). There is still a great deal of the footy season to go, so we aren't giving up faith in them just yet, at least, from the look of these photos, Matty certainly isn't! Also important to note is the little Carlton footy bear. He was given to Matty by his Aunty Jo Ferguson while he was still in my tummy.

Also there are some pictures of Mitch with Matty in his cool navy hat and his red hoodie. You will also see so photos of Matty with a very old looking teddy bear. Believe it or not, but this is Mark's old security stuft toy, "Bobby Bear". He is older than Mark...and that's pretty old! HA! Matty just loves him, and I'm sure Grandpa and Grandma Ferguson may have some Mark flashbacks when they see those!

For my 27th birthday we all went to Outback Steakhouse with our friends Tanya and Gareth. They all split the Bloomin' Onion with me, which, if it wasn't my birthday, I would never dream of eating as it is like 1 million weight watchers points! It was fantastic. There are some pictures of Matty in his car seat about to go out with us for my birthday.

The last group of pictures are of Matty and his Daddy as well as some pictures of all of us (including Mitch) on Terrigal Beach in the Central Coast of New South Wales. It was Matty's fist trip to the beach! We had a fantastic day...ate the best Fish n Chips I have ever had, then fed Matty (which took forever), and after all that probably had about 30 minutes on the beach. Oh well...life with baby! It was a great day, and we look forward to many more "firsts" for Matty. Each day with him is such a gift from God, and we are so thankful!

Love,
The MF's

Matty at Seven Weeks Old

Hey everyone,
Just in the last week Matty has started smiling and laughing even more! This is so exciting for Mark and I, and we are trying desperately to capture at least "some" of these adoring moments through lots and lots of photos. There are some great pictures of Matty with his Daddy! Also you will notice many pictures of Matty and Mitch together. They both love their daily time together, and Mitch is getting where he "expects it" every day. Mom and Dad (USA), notice the pictures at the end of Matty in his OshKosh Bigosh overalls. They don't make them that good in Australia! He loves them even though he is still swimming in them. Mark and I think the fact that they are too big makes him look even cuter!
Love,
The MF's

Last Appointment with Dr. Matt Wilson

G'day Ya'll,
This week we went to our last appointment with Dr. Wilson. It was a little sad for us and we will definitly miss seeing him each week! He is such a fantastic OBGYN and did such a great job with Matty and me that we had a personalized Roocci painting made just for him. He loved it and put it straight up on his wall at his Castle Hill offices. Apparently all his patients after me have been asking about it, and this is making him feel very special...and so he should!
Thanks Dr. Matt!
Love,
The MF's

Outing with Nic and her Pups at Meadowbank Park

G'day Ya'll,
Mitch here! Today Mummy, Matty, and I went on an outing together with our friends, Nic Boyd, and her pups, "Jedi" (Keeshond) and "Soaks" (Finnish Lapphund) at Meadowbank Park. We have had previous playdates before, but this was the first with my new human brother, Matty, involved as well. Both of us rode very happily in the backseat of the car together on the way there. For those of you who worry, in the pictures it looks as though I am not strapped in, but Mummy did put my car harness on which attaches to the seat belt for safety. There is no way I could fall onto Matty if there so happened to be a car wreck. Needless to say, we had a very nice time with our friends. We walked along the Parramatta River and watched the RiverCats go by. Nic took some very professional pictures of me, and also some of me with Mummy and Matty and Jedi and Soaks. It was a great day. We look forward to more outings with them in the future!
Woof! Woof!
Love,
Mitch

Matty at Six Weeks Old

Matty is growing more and more every day it seems. He is so much more aware now, and it is such a joy to watch him reacting to this new and exciting world for which he has been born. In the above pictures you will see some pictures of him in his car seat and also in a pair of his really cute "Puppy Love" overalls. Just a note: You may notice that in some the photos there is a little sore on his forehead. That is not a birth mark forming, but rather a little scab after Mummy's fingernail accidentally clipped his forehead when she was changing him. Oops! As of today, it is completely healed so there is no permanent damage...Thank Goodness! There are also some pictures of Matty doing his very adorable little stretch which has become his common reaction after we un-swaddle him after he wakes. The other night I caught in a photograph a very special moment between Matty and his Daddy looking at each other which is also shown in the above slideshow. There are some pictures of him and his Mummy too! Also included are pictures of Matty in his Baby Bjorn and also his Bubba Moe sling as well as some others of him sitting in his rocker. He loves being carried around in the sling or Baby Bjorn although he usually fusses until we get him arranged in them the right way. He is such a little cutie! We took him to his Pediatrician appointment this week and were told he looks like his mother. I can't say I disagree, but I also see a great deal of Mark in him as well. Let's just hope we don't see bits of Mitch appearing as well! It is so exciting finding pieces of ourselves in him. What a blessing!
Love,
The MF's

Saying "See You Later" to the Ciastkowski's

Last Saturday we had to say, "see you later", to our dear friends, the Ciastkowski's (Sunday, Brad, and Kiersten). The Australian Navy has relocated Brad to Canberra for a few years, and they have just bought a gorgeous new house there. I first met Sunday when we were both volunteering at The American International School in Sydney, and then we became friends after we both were hired there the following 2006 school year...her as the K-1 teacher and me as the Preschool teacher. Over the years we have become very close, and I will be so sad to see her go. I held Kiersten in the hospital when she was born over 2 years ago, and Sunday held Matty in hospital 6 weeks ago. In the above picture Kiersten is giving Matty a kiss. We know it is not "goodbye", but rather "see you later". The Ferguson's wish the Ciastkowski's all the best in their new Canberra life, and look forward to visiting them there.

Matty is One Month Old!

G'day Everyone!
Matty is now one month old! I cannot believe it has already been a month since he was born! This month has flown by! The big change we have noticed recently is that it is now VERY obvious that he is looking around and noticing all the things around him. His three favourite things to look at are his parents' faces, Mitch, and his mobiles. He loves sitting in a rocker so he can see the world around him from a more "upright" postion, and this also allows him to see Mitch upclose and personal. We can already see how having Mitch around Matty is going to help encourage Matty's early motor development. It already seems like he is trying to reach out and touch Mitch when he approaches him. It is so cute!
In the above pictures, the first one shows Mark manipulating Matty's fingers. If you are wondering what he is doing, he is trying to help Matty make the "heavy metal" (devil horns) sign with his fingers...he's starting early. Obvioulsy Matty doesn't oppose because, as you can see from the picture, he gave his daddy the biggest smile when he did it.
Love,
The MF's

Matty at 3 Weeks Old

Just some random pictures we took when he was 3 weeks!

Matty and Grandma and Grandpa Ferguson

G'day Ya'll!
We were very happy when Matty got to meet his Grandma Shirley and Grandpa Ian Ferguson during his second week in the world. I think it was very special for him to meet the Grandpa he was named after, and I know Ian was over the moon to meet his first grandson Ferguson. Shirley offered to feed Matty straight away, and like the old pro she is, got a fantastic burp from him the first time she tried. I wish I was that lucky all the time! As Mark said, "It must be Grandma's special touch!" We look forward to many more Matty memories with his Grandpa and Grandma Ferguson! We love you so much!
Love,
The MF's

Matty Holding the Bottle

A day or two before Mom left to go back to Mississippi she discovered that Matty decided to start holding the bottle while she was feeding him. What a smart little man!
-Mary Frances

Matty's First Visit to Circular Quay, Sydney Harbour

During Sue-Sue's visit to Sydney the three of us went on a little outing to Circular Quay. We ate at City Extra and strolled around the harbour for a few hours. I'm so glad that Matty's first visit to the Quay was so beautiful and blue!
-Mary Frances

Matty, Me, and Our Obstetrician (Dr. Matthew Francis Wilson)

Even our doctor is an MF! I cannot speak highly enough about Dr. Matt! He is fantastic! If anyone is wanting to have a baby in the Sydney Hills District this is the guy to go to! There are not many doctors who are willing to give out their mobile phone numbers to ring when you are panicking at 3AM during your pregnancy over some small twinge or pain. For someone like me and Mark who worry over everything, I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to have a doctor who is so laid back and calming. He seems more like a friend than a doctor, and when we would show up for our appointments his receptionists would say, "Time for the party!". With that said, however, he is extremely professional when it all matters, and we couldn't have asked for a more experienced doctor delivering our baby. We were so busy and sleep deprived the day after we got home from hospital that he even came by our house to take my stiches out so we wouldn't have to drive all the way back to the hospital! Also, we think it is ironic that not only does he have the same name as our own little Matty, but he also has the middle name of "Francis" which we think is quite funny considering. We cannot be more thankful to have had him for our doctor (and new friend) and look forward to him helping us with #2 one day! Thanks Matt!
-Mary Frances, Mark, and Matty

Mitch and Matty (My Two Baby Boys)

I think these are my favourite photos yet! No words can describe!
-Mary Frances

Matty and His Carlton Footy

Well, we are starting with the footy early! Mark reckons the first photo is Matty's first attempt at a handball.
-Mary Frances

Matty's "I'm Doing a Poopy" Face

Tummy Time!

Hey Ya'll,
I'm just catching up on uploading to the blog some recent photos. These pictures show Matty in his second week having some "Tummy Time" to help strengthen up his neck muscles. Surprisingly enough, though, he is already holding his head up on his own. He's a strong little bugger! Notice Mitch looking on in the photos. He's such a great brother! There are also some pictures of Mummy, Mitch, and Matty as well as Matty in the sling.
Love,
Mary Frances

Matty and Allison

Hey everyone,
We were so happy when our good friend Allison stopped by to see Matty. Allison is a fellow southerner from Georgia, and has become a good friend to "The MF's" over the past year or so. Her husband's name is also Matt, and I found it hard through my pregnancy not to spill the beans on baby's name because of this fact. We're glad to have them as friends!
Cheers,
Mary Frances

Matty and Sue Sue's First Visit to North Head, Sydney Harbour

Hey Ya'll,
Yesterday we took Matty and Sue-Sue on a little venture to North Head in Sydney Harbour. It is the most beautiful view, and we were so happy to show our little Matty Ian as well as his "Sue Sue" the gorgeous city we live in! After the venture we took Matty to his first Pub visit at The Sands Hotel at Narrabeen Beach so we all could have an Aussie beer (except Matty of course) and listen to the live band play. It was a great day!
Love,
MF

Matty's Room

Hey Ya'll,
Here are the pictures of Matty's room. Everything is navy and white because that is the Carlton Footy colours! Some of the pictures are blurry for some reason. I took some in the late afternoon and also during the day. The rocking chair was my Mamaw's from Mississippi as well as the clock on the dresser.
Love,
The MF's

Matty and Sue Sue

G'day everyone!
Here are some pictures of Matty and his "Sue-Sue". I think "Sue-Sue" is very happy to be in Australia with her first grandchild, and we are very happy to have her. Tonight she is cooking us a good home cooked meal! Thank goodness for Mom! Mitch was also very happy to meet his grandmother "Sue Sue" as you can see from the pictures.
Love,
The MF's

Welcome to the World Little Matty Ian!

G'day Ya'll!

I can't believe he's here, and to think he was really with me all along growing inside me. Mark and I are so in love with this little man. He is the most beautiful thing we have both ever seen. Both of us are often crying, feeling completely overwhelmed with emotion at the sheer sight of him. Although we are very VERY tired, it is so worth every minute of sleep deprivation. We feel so blessed to have him. We have also discovered that like Mum and Dad, Matty absolutely LOVES music! Lately he seems completely enthralled by Crowded House, especially the song, "Don't Dream It's Over". That is why I have made it first on the playlist because it has sort of become "his song".

Matthew "Matty" Ian Ferguson was born at 7:55 AM on April 28, 2009 at Westmead Private Hospital in Sydney, Australia. His birthweight was 3.33 kg (7.3 lbs) and his length was 49.5 cm (19.5 in). He surprised us by not being that bigger baby we originally thought he was going to be; however, he does have a nice round head which even via c-section Dr. Wilson had to use foreceps to retrieve. He said this means he would have certainly had to use foreceps during natural labour, so having it this way probably saved me a long and difficult labour naturally. I am definitely not complaining! In fact, after having experienced a c-section, I cannot imagine even thinking about going about childbirth another way. It was a walk in the park. It was all over and done with in an hour, and I felt no pain at all besides a few little uncomfortable injections via the spinal and the drip of which I wouldn't say either were really too painful. The moment where they pulled him out of my tummy was just as magical as I could have ever imagined, and Mark and I were both in tears. In fact, Mark was with me the entire procedure and a great comfort for me as I was absolutley trembling in fear. With the c-section I felt as though Mark and I were doing it together rather then what you hear about natural childbirth where the Mom is hating her husband and wishing he would just go away. The pain afterwards was not bad at all, and I was just on over the counter pain killers. The very next day I was walking around and showering no problems, and a week later I hardly feel anything. During all the hospital parent classes, I thought it ironic that there were so many new Mums who had had natural childbirth and were having trouble sitting for long periods of time due to pain. Either way, whatever pain is felt, is worth every second. To have your baby healthy and happy in your arms is a life long dream fullfilled.

To those of you who don't know, we named our son Matthew Ian Ferguson for a few reasons. Firstly, given our situation with Mark and our feared infertilty combined with our unusual race against time, we felt that it was appropriate to give him a name that meant exactly what he is to us, "A Gift from God". The true meaning of "Matthew" is "God is Gracious", and both Mark and I felt as though we must give him a name which represents this fact. Secondly, we chose the inevitable "M" name so he can be an "MF" like his parents and brother, Mitch. It is the Aussie way to shorten names by adding an "o" or a "y" on the end, so that is why his nickname is "Matty"; however, we will also refer to him as simply, "Matt". Thirdly, we chose the middle name "Ian" because that is Mark's father's name, and since he seemed to be the most excited out of everyone to hear we were having a boy, we knew we had to give Matty a bit of his Grandpa Ferguson. Sorry Dad, I love you, but "Derryl" just doesn't work! I hope you're not offended!

As for Mitch...the two are best mates already. Mitch is being instinctively gentle with Matty. I am definitely seeing the natural Finnish Lapphund instinct coming out that they are known for with babies and children. I noticed it from right when I walked in the door. Usually Mitch would be nearly knocking me over if he hadn't seen me in 5 days, but this time, he sat still and let me hug him. He first came over to Matty and gave him a little sniff and gentle kiss. He often approaches us when we are feeding or holding Matty and does the same thing. When I am holding Matty and Mitch sees me look down at him, often he immediately rolls over and shows me his tummy as if to say, "Don't worry about me, I'm not going to hurt him." We have also noticed that Mitch likes to lie next to him, and keep an eye on him at all times. We couldn't be more happier with this transition.

Above this post the first slideshow holds the pictures of the birth and also my stay in hospital. Despite missing my family terribly of whom will be with us in the coming weeks and months, I did have many visitors who stopped by to see me and Matty. I am so thankful to have so many friends that care about us. The second slideshow holds pictures of the ride home from hospital and the first week at home. If you need to pause either slideshow to look at a picture a little longer, just press the pause button.
Below this post are three videos of Matty during feeding time. IMPORTANT: YOU MUST PAUSE MY BLOG MUSIC PLAYLIST TO HEAR THE SOUND ON THE VIDEOS!! THE PLAYLIST IS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE PAGE UNDER THE CARLTON FOOTY AND TENNESSEE SYMBOLS. JUST PRESS THE PAUSE BUTTON ON THE PLAYLIST.

Lots of Love,
Mary Frances and The MF clan (Mark, Matty, and Mitch)

My Last Week of Pregnancy

G'day Everyone,
These will be the last pregnancy photos I take besides maybe some that we take at the hospital. I do not want to see myself getting any bigger than I am in these photos, and if I do, I want no record of it. I have officially decided I am done growing larger. Soon I will be back on Weight Watchers, and hopefully will begin looking like something other than a large ocean mammal.

In just a few days time we will be heading off to hospital (Tuesday, April 28th) for the birth of our first born child. Mark and I are feeling every range of emotion in the book...excited, happy, sad, afraid, hysterical, looney, anxious, etc. Although baby Fergie stayed breech for most of the pregnancy, he did decide to turn the right way towards the end, although his nice round head has continued to measure a week to two weeks ahead of the rest of him, making the elected c-section the definite preferred option for me! The idea of foreceps and tearing is not such a pleasant thought for little Mefy! As of my 37 week appointment the doctor thought he would weigh 7 1/2 - 7 3/4 pounds at birth, but decided this week that baby Fergie may reach 8 pounds! The normal weight of a newborn baby is between 7 and 9 pounds, so little Fergie will be just right! Although Mark and I are convinced that he will be the "lollipop baby" with a large round head and long skinny legs, our doctor has assured us he will be very preportional! :) He has also informed us on many occassions that baby Fergie has quite a nice penis size for such a little boy, of which, must certainly be attributed to his Ferguson/Peden genes. Our doctor said, "This is a good thing. You don't want your baby boy to be the smallest penis in the ward!" Our doctor has been fantastic. He is an absolute hoot!

Pregnancy has been one of the most unique and joyful experiences of my life. I was lucky...no morning sickness, no aches, no pains, no swelling, so sleep problems, nothing! Pregnancy was quite enjoyable for me. Nothing can make you feel more like a woman to be given such a gift unique to us girls! What a miracle it is to feel life growing within you.

I remember at 15 weeks pregnant I thought I looked huge, and now the word "huge" just isn't big enough. Poor Mark...I know I was quite the hormonal pregnant wife, but we got through it without killing each other. It has been amazing feeling the little guy growing and kicking inside me. I can't believe the day is almost here when we finally get to meet face to face.

It seems just like yesterday Mark and I were fretting about our fertility, and then soon after there was the excited feeling of seeing the two lines appear on the little stick. Of course, neither Mark or I (being the skeptics we were at that time), believed it until the doctor confirmed. Then the stress wasn't over...we had to wait 8 weeks more to escape the fear of miscarriage which is most common in the first trimester. It was so exciting seeing him grow in all the ultrasounds. It didn't seem to matter in the first 5 week ultrasound that the pictures resembled more of a science experiment than a baby; however, seeing that little heart flicker on the screen made the moment so special and real. Everytime we went for another ultrasound, Mark and I fretted that something would be wrong or that there would be a compication, but God has truly blessed us. Now the day is nearly here and we couldn't be more thankful.

Very soon we will be parents, and life as we know it will be different. I know we have no understanding or past experience that can prepare us for this life change, but somehow, I know we are ready. I know Mark will be the best Dad in the world, and hopefully, I will be an okay Mummy too!

Well, the rest is history. As one of my good friends said... "Better strap in and hold on for the ride".

Love,
Mary Frances

Mitch's Daily Romp with Archie

G'day everyone. A few months ago, we met a very nice family living in our neighborhood who have a gorgeous Lab/Staffie cross named, "Archie". Me and Archie are great mates and both receive fantastic exersise when we play together, not to mention we have the most hilarious fun! Most days his Mum and my Mum or Dad call each other up so we can meet at our local primary school grounds for our daily romp together. It is very important to both Mummy and Daddy that I still receive the attention I deserve when my new baby brother comes. In fact, Daddy will be coming home each day while Mum is in hospital so I can get my daily play with Archie. Woof! Woof!
Love,
Mitch

Painting of Mitch for Baby Fergie

I can't believe I never posted this on the Blog! This weekend I am painting the baby's name on the football. Almost nothing to hide now! I am so anxious for everyone to know his name!
Love,
MF

Tanya's Personalized Painting for Baby Fergie!

G'day everyone!
We are so lucky to have a friend like Tanya! She is my best friend here in Australia, and for those of you who don't know, she is an extremely talented artist. She hosted my baby shower (see the pictures farther down below). In fact, all her artwork is featured up and down the halls, in all the rooms, and even on the paperwork at the maternity ward for Westmead Private Hospital (which just so happens to be the hospital where baby Fergie will be born). Mark and I also had a laugh when at our first Obstetrician appointment we noticed that he too had her paintings on his wall!
She is the creator of "Roocci" -- "Art that smiles" which is "for the young and young at heart". Her art features the most adorable australian themes and animals which are perfect for baby nurseries. Tanya was sweet enough to create a personal painting for Mark and I, and I couldn't imagine a more perfect theme for us. Notice that Kangaroo Mark is wearing his usual winter beenie (which never comes off once the temperature drops below 20 C). He is also wearing a navy and white Carlton football scarf. He is, of course, playing our blue acoustic guitar, while Kangaroo MF sings baby Fergie to sleep...something we plan on doing on a nightly basis. The enchidna is suppossed to be Mitch who is doing his famous "kangaroo" pose...what can I say, he wants to be like his kangaroo mom and dad! There is also a cute Koala and Possum in the Australian gum trees, while they all look/listen under a starry navy blue night sky! How perfect! Thank you SO much Tanya! We love you, and can't wait for you to become "Aunty Tanya".
Love,
The MF's

Assembly of the Crib/Cot (33 Weeks Pregnant)

G'day Ya'll! Today was a great day because Mark decided to put the crib/cot together. He got out the instructions and his handy Allyn Wrenches and went to work. We are very excited to have it finished. We will post more pictures of the crib/cot complete with all its bedding later when the whole nursery is finished. It is all definitely coming together. Also included in the above pictures are tummy shots of me at 33 weeks pregnant.

I can't believe I'm in the home stretch now. I feel huge, and am starting to feel very anxious about having everything ready in case baby comes early. This week I've been rushing around spending all of Mark's money (much to his dismay) on things like baby blankets, swaddling cloths, burp pads, nappies/diapers, etc, etc, etc! I'm even going ahead and getting everything ready so I can pack a suitcase for the hospital so it's ready to go in case baby suddenly decides to make an early arrival (hopefully not). I'm feeling a bit better about things now. My plan is to get everything all ready in March, and use April to sit back, relax, and savour our last month of freedom!

Also this week...the painter has finished painting and the house looks great! We've got most of the baby furniture out of the boxes and in their spots. All the new curtains will be installed on Friday, and the Timber blinds shortly after. Pictures of all our renovations coming soon!

Love,
Mary-Frances and the rest of the MF's

Our Online Baby Registry

To all my American and out-of-state Aussie family and friends,

I have been asked constantly (especially from Americans) if we have an online baby registry, so I thought I would set up one. The store is called, Babies Galore, and it is an Australian store. It is actually the same store I used for my Baby Shower, but I previously only had an "in-store" registry. Now it is online.

If you are in the USA, you can still purchase a gift for me online because the store accepts international billing addresses. This way, if you are in the USA, you will not have to worry about paying for international shipping because the store will be sending your gift to me in Australia from Australia.

The only thing is that on their store's website the prices are all in Australian dollars. If you are in the USA this is good for you because it means you will be paying ALOT less than what the price says on their website. To check for current exchange rates copy the following link into your browser: http://www.xe.com/ucc/
and type in the amount of your gift in the left hand box, then convert from this currency "Australia Dollars - AUD" to this currency "United States Dollars - USD". Then you can know exactly how much you are paying in United States Dollar. This will be a lot less than Australian dollar! :)

Our baby registry can be viewed by copying the following link into your browser:
www.babiesgalore.com.au/viewregistry.php?newcustomerid=86341

xoxox
Mary Frances :)

Baby Clothes So Far...

Newborn (0000)

0-3 Months (000)

3-6 Months (00)

6-12 Months (0)

G'day Everyone,
Any input would be WELL appreciated. Did I get too much or too little of something? Please let me know! I'm leaving the tags on everything so I can return and exchange. If you can't tell, I love the puppy dog stuff!
Love,
Mary Frances

Baby Shower Gifts

G'day Everyone,
This is for my loved ones who were unable to be at my baby shower, especially my Mom and Dad, who I know want to know exactly what I received from my very sweet friends Down Under. Since you can't just come over and see, these website pictures will have to do for now.

For this slideshow you may need more time between the pictures so you can read the captions under each picture (if you're a slow reader like me!). Right after clicking the play button, make sure to then click the pause button. Then you can use the right arrows to click through each picture at your own time.

As for the baby clothes in the pictures, sizing goes as follows:
Newborn: 0000
0-3 months: 000
3-6 months: 00
6-12 months: 0

P.S.> My friend Nadeane also gave me $50 to go towards the fitting of and purchase of 2 nursing bras from a really nice store in Sydney called, "Lyn and Barrett Lingerie". I'm going to go in about a month when it gets closer to the birth.
Love,
Mary Frances

My Baby Shower

Hey everyone,
Just click on the above picture to see the whole baby shower album in a slideshow! Today was an extremely special day for me, Mark, and baby Fergie. My best friend here in Australia, Tanya Roocci, hosted a gorgeous little baby shower for me. The baby shower was at her art gallery, and as you can see from the pictures, she is a very talented artist. I couldn't have asked for a better setting for a baby shower...surrounded by her cheeky little Aussie animal characters! I feel so blessed to have her as my friend, and to know that she cares about me enough to do something like this for me. I think the last party for me was a childhood birthday party which was a long time ago, so this was very special. I must say it felt a bit weird having everyone sit and watch me open presents. It was like being a kid again, but about 50 pounds bigger and with the irony of these presents being for my own child on the way! I had 9 wonderful friends come, and feel so blessed to have that many friends in Australia, plus one who tried to come, but missed the train from the city and then her carpool to the party. Mark snuck in and out to take pictures and say "hello" periodically, but mainly hung out with Gareth (Tanya's partner) doing blokey things. In the next few days I will take pictures of and post everything I was given at the shower, so all my long distance family and friends can see. I received lots of nice things for the baby!

This week Mark and his work offsider, Ven, are going to FINALLY move all of the music, computers, and cinema stuff out so baby Fergie's room can begin to come to life. Then we can have the furniture delivered, which is all waiting for us at David Jones (including the crib and changer, which we thought weren't going to be coming for another few weeks). Next week the painter comes, and the curtains and blinds will be installed soon after. Soon I can stop cringing everytime I walk past a room that, at the moment, looks nothing close to a nursery.

I must say I did miss my American friends terribly today as I know they would have loved to be there. I especially missed Mom. It really didn't quite feel right without Mom there, but I know I will see her as well as my Dad very soon! I also missed my sister Kate, my Aussie sister Jo, and Aussie Mom too. I love you all so much and wished you could have been here today.
xoxoxo
Mary Frances

26 Weeks Pregnant

G'day everyone! Today we took some family shots with the tummy at 26 weeks pregnant. We are also touring the maternity ward at Westmead Private hospital today at 3:30, so that should be exciting. We have ordered all the baby furniture, planned the painting (non-toxic of course), and scheduled the blinds and curtains installations which should all be happening in early March! We are getting excited. I am sure we have a future AFL footy player inside me by the way he kicks! Mitch is also getting excited, as you can see from the pictures.
Love,
The MF's

Mitch's Playdate with Ahsoka and Jedi

G'day, Mitch here! I was so happy to meet another Finnish Lapphund at our local dog park on Tuesday. There are only just over 200 Lappies in Australia now. This little girl's name is Ahsoka or "Soaks" as she is referred to. She is only 6 months old, and just as sweet as pie. I met her and her owner, Nik, as well as their Keeshond, Jedi, at a dog show in Castle Hill. Nik has been a big help to me and Mum as we venture into the dog show ring this year. Already she has told Mum how to train me to stand in dog show position, and I learned in about 5 seconds it seems! At the dog park, Mum, Dad, and me also got to meet Nik's partner, Brendan. We had a great time, and sniffed lots of rears!
Love,
Mitch

Our Baby Boy - 19 Week Ultrasound (December 11, 2008)

Important Note: When watching the video there will be sections where the video will pause for about 5 seconds or more. This is not the video messing up, but rather the sonographer pausing the video to take still photographs. If you keep watching, the video will pick back up again from where it paused.

Qantas Commercial

A New Year for The MF's

We had an incredible Christmas 2008 holiday spent with Shirley and Ian Ferguson (Mark's parents), but we greatly missed our family back in America as well as our loved ones up in Queensland. We are looking forward to an amazing 2009, and wish everyone the same. It is going to be a year of changes for the MF's, some exciting and some a bit difficult. In April/May we will celebrate the blessing of our first born son's arrival into this world! This, we can only imagine, will be one of the most special moments of our lives...and a bit daunting I'm sure! Thank God for the love and support of our family and friends to help us climb the mountains and celebrate the miracles that await the MF's in 2009!

Love,
Mary-Frances and the rest of the MF's
(Mark and Mitch)
xoxoxoxo