The most magical time of the year...

Each year when November rolls around and shopping centres begin adorning the ceilings with Christmas decorations, I often hear people complain.

"The decorations are up too early," they say.

"I don't even want to think about Christmas," say others.

"Not another Christmas Carol!" also a commonly heard gripe.

Yet when I see the glitter of that first piece of tinsel - I feel a surge of excitement.

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas comes to mind and my mood instantly lifts.

I look forward to hearing the repetitive sounds of Little Drummer Boy and White Christmas.

And, come December (if I can wait that long) as I decorate the Christmas tree, I play my own Christmas Carols.

This year I even downloaded some to my iPhone.

I truly am a Christmas tragic and it's been that way since I was a little girl.

Christmas was always a big deal for my family. My brothers and I would wake at the break of dawn, ensuring my parents did the same, so we could open the pile of presents placed under the tree.



Of course this came after we emptied our stockings filled with gifts from Santa.

A tradition we couldn't bring ourselves to let go of until we moved out of home.

I continued to love Christmas all through my teens and beyond, almost skipping through the crowded malls as I chose presents for my friends and family.

Not much has changed.

I still enjoy watching corny Christmas movies and even admit to wearing Christmas earrings and/or colours on the big day.

There's something about Christmas that just fills me with happiness.

It's about family and togetherness and celebration.

And everyone - despite their complaints about busy malls and last minute shopping - seems that little bit more joyful, with a ready smile and a Merry Christmas wish.

In 2009, for me, Christmas is particularly special.

After a spate of family health scares in the past few years, I feel blessed to have my entire family happy and healthy for Christmas.

And this year I have already been given an amazing gift - my baby son, who will be experiencing the magic of Christmas for the first time.

He has his Santa's hat, his Christmas stocking and a pile of presents he won't yet understand he's receiving.

And with Christmas just two days away, I wish everyone a safe and merry Christmas filled with the love and companionship of family and friends.

Because, in my opinion, Christmas really is the most magical day of the year.

Miracle babies even further out of reach...

The day my son was born, was the most magical, beautiful day of my life.

It was also a day I thought may never come.

Like around 10 per cent of Australian couples, my husband and I were faced with the prospect of perhaps never having children.

IVF was our best, and possibly only, chance at achieving a dream we’d had all our lives. And it gave us our beautiful baby boy.

But soon, many couples in a similar situation may not be so lucky.

Laws to cap the Medicare rebate for IVF are due to commence in January 2010, making the possibility of a life with children even more remote for thousands of middle class couples.

Currently, thanks to the Medicare Safety Net, couples are reimbursed 80 per cent of the actual cost of IVF treatment, leaving out of pocket expenses at around $2000 – give or take a few hundred.

And while this cost is often the only one referred to when the issue is discussed in the media, there are many other associated costs, such as on-going specialist fees, hospital fees and anesthetist fees. In my experience, out of pocket expenses were close to $5000.

As it is, this is not a small cost. And when you take into consideration that IVF can take several cycles, costs can quickly add up to tens of thousands of dollars.

With the introduction of these new laws, the rebates would be capped and this potential extra cost could determine whether or not some couples can continue or begin treatment.

IVF is an emotionally and physically draining experience and, for many couples, their only chance to have children of their own.

The feelings of women experiencing IVF have been compared to those suffering from a terminal illness.

Additional costs would place a significant financial strain on families who simply can not afford to pay thousands of dollars multiple times.

Some couples may simply have to forgo the treatment, taking away their only chance of experiencing the magic of children.

IVF is responsible for the birth of more than 10,000 babies in Australia every year - my son being just one of those babies.

He is our little miracle and the prospect of not having had the chance to have him does not bear thinking.

And like many families, IVF will most likely be our only chance to give him a little brother or sister.

But it’s not because I put my career first, left it too late and think the government should pay for the convenience of having children how and when I would like.

I had just turned 27 when I started my first cycle.

Infertility is a medical condition – 40 per cent relates to female issues, 40 per cent male factor and 20 per cent is unexplained.

Fortunately for us, our first cycle was also the only one, but many couples go through up to ten IVF cycles, sometimes more, before achieving a pregnancy.

The government says those whose treatment costs are $6000 or less per cycle should not be affected by these changes.

But in reality, many clinics charge closer to $8000 per cycle, meaning couples could be up to $2000 dollars worse off.

It’s a tough blow to families already dealing with one of the most difficult challenges of their life.

And sad to think this amazing gift will only be available to the wealthy.

There's something about Grandpas...

When I was a little girl, my Grandpa used to tell me he could punch down trees.

I believed him of course. And thought he was the toughest man in the world.

He could even punch out the monsters hiding in the forest, he said - definitely the toughest.

As I grew up I realised Grandpa used to tell me a few tall tails, mostly relating to his toughness.

But my opinion didn't change...I still thought he was the toughest man in the world.

I used to punch his tummy, you see. And it was as hard as a rock - he was the toughest.

There's something about Grandpas and every little girl looks up to theirs...

I got to thinking about mine, after the Green V Jones boxing match - my Grandpa used to be a boxing trainer. See, tough.

Grandpas have the best stories too. Mine has told me many over the years, most of them true, all of them interesting.

Many have a bunch of fascinating photos or a newspaper clipping to go with them. I could have listened for hours.

I still could.

He lives interstate, but my Grandpa's stories are something I look forward to before every visit.

I had another Grandpa too. He passed away when I was little. He was a war hero, distinguished and handsome.

Yes there's something about Grandpas - and it's not reserved for their little grand-daughters.

We grow up - but in our eyes, our Grandpa stays the same.

I still think mine is the toughest man in the world - and I'm sure he could punch down a tree... if he had to.

My Dad is a grandpa now too - to my son and my niece and nephew.

The boys are still babies - but already I see the way his three-year-old grand-daughter looks up at him, with admiration and love - because there's something about grandpas.

My Dad is turning out to be a pretty special one...and he should be - he learnt from the best.

Just nod and smile politely...

So it seems what they say about babies choosing the cardboard box over the flashy new toy, is true.

Except in my bub's case, he'd rather play with the bag containing his dirty nappy, or his dirty bib, or something with wires, or anything else I feel too guilty to let him play with.

Since becoming a mum I've found a lot of what they say about babies is true.

They put gooey hands on your face right after you've put your make up on, vomit on your new top and wake up just as you put the kettle on.

I've found that one smile from your baby can make your day, staring in to their eyes can melt your heart and hearing them cry can break it.

It's true that you never tire of watching your baby sleep and you'd give up everything to see them happy.

The cliches don't just apply to babies though...

They say new mums love to talk endlessly about life as a mum, sharing anecdotes that cause anyone other than those who can relate (and even some of them) to nod and smile politely as their mind drifts off to things they actually care about.

It appears that one is true too.