Tuesday, August 21, 2012

ask Mummy Gibson

So the other day Collette & Hayden came to visit. Then on Saturday Mum and Lisa came too. We spent the day at the temple all together and Hunna too. We love it when Mum comes to visit. Hunna especially. He has a soft spot for Mum and (now it seems) Aunty Sandra too.

What a perfect lead into..


Ask Mummy Gibson 

Mummy at TOFW last year


You said there are seven children in your family. Can you tell me a bit about each of your siblings?

Pam is the eldest in my family she was 7 when I was born.  She was always the good one and could do no wrong.  I guess she had to be Mum's helper as there were 4 babies in 4 years and then me 3 years later.  She went off to boarding school in grade 7 so I would have been only about 5-6 so I don't have a lot of memories of her after that.  I do remember Mum had the sleepout full of gifts - crockery, cutlery, glassware - everything you can imagine for when Pam got married.  It was like Alladin's cave. 

Pam went on to work in a Bank and after she married and they moved to Melbourne she worked in an office for many years.  

Kerry was next, the first son, but he was a naunter and was always in trouble.  I remember him being put off the school bus to walk home - a long way.  He often got the cane at school and used to run away from home as a teenager.  I remember the anxt of everybody looking for him.

Kerry worked for the Hydro and drove heavy machinery and has continued to do that all his life.

Sandra was next she was a goody at school and got along very well with all the teachers.  I remember when she went nursing and we took her to Latrobe to stay it was really funny not having her at home.

Sandra did 12 months of nursing and then went on to office work.  Later she went back and did her nursing degree.

Sue was next after Sandra - she modelled her life very much on Kerry - she looked up to him and liked being like him I think. At 15 she went to Melbourne to a hairdressing academy which was either a 2 or 3 year course (can't remember)-  What I remember most about Sue was that she had Mum's Myer card and the big stink at home everytime Mum got a bill.  It was taken off her in the end.

Sue became a hairdresser and Mum and Dad set her up in her own Salon in Sheffield for a few years.

When I was 13 I went to boarding school, I think it was the same year Sue went to Melbourne and Sandra started nursing so Mum only had the twins at home then and they would have been only 7 - so from then on really they were the only children. 

There was never any question of Zoe and Tim going to boarding school.  They are the youngest - 5 years younger than me.  Life growing up with them was a little difficult as there were 2 of them and they were quite spoiled - being the babies.  I was always short and fair and Tim was too so I was always considered to be his twin - Zoe on the other hand was taller and dark.  She was born first and I remember coming home in the car from the hospital and Pam was allowed to nurse one of them.  I also remember not being allowed to nurse them or go near them!!  

Zoe did her Education degree after she was married.

Tim worked in Offices, banks etc.


Tell me a little about each of my own siblings.

Of my 4 children I only ever had 2 due dates - Lisa and Jessica were both due on 31st October with Simone and Collette both due on 31st January.  

Lisa was born 11th {update.. 12th} November - she was an extremely difficult birth with 12 hours in final stages and long forceps.  She was not breathing when she was born and Dr. Thomson cried once he got her going.  I was in a ward of 6 and Lisa was in the Nursery night and day - it was very difficult both to learn how to feed her and to bond with her.  I was always in hospital for 10 days and had to be induced every time.  Lisa was a talker from birth - flat out non stop chattering and often in a loud voice. She was excellent company and I did enjoy having her on my own for 3 and a bit years.  

She was very excited when Simone was born and let the whole hospital know in a loud voice that she had a baby sister.
I was worried when I was pregnant with Simone as to how I would be able to love another child so much. I needn't have worried -  Simone was born on 14th February and was so good from the start.  She ate and slept all the time - I used to go in a poke her to make sure she was still breathing.  She only took 36 minutes to be born from being induced(in those days an injection).  She was much quieter than Lisa.



Collette was 9 years later of course and was born on 5th January.  By then I was suffering with blood pressure and whilst pregnant with Collette used to have funny turns - hence an early delivery.  Lisa was 8 lbs. 2 ozs. Simone was 7 lbs. 13 ozs. Collette was 9 lbs. 3 ozs. And you were 9 lbs. 6 ozs.


Collette took 3 1/2 hrs. to be born.  She was also very quiet and just ate and slept.  My babies always slept through the night often 12 hours.  6 years later you came along and took 4 hours to be born.  You were a bit feistier than Collette so it was a bit of a shock.  You still slept all night though.



Thanks again for an insightful post Mummy. x

What have you learnt from your parents and grandparents today?

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