28 Weeks: You're a BOY!!

How far along? Today I am 28 weeks..3 days!

Maternity clothes: No new clothes.

Stretch marks: Nothing new to report.

Sleep: Not bad at all... I really can’t complain.

Best moment this week: There have been so many great moments this week! Your scan was definitely one of the best moments, and buying your pram.. We got the Graco Evo (the one we really wanted)!! We’ve brought you quite a few little things this week, and every time we get something new I get stupidly excited!

Miss anything? Nothing - I’m very happy!

Movement: I’ve been feeling lots of movement from you, I almost feel like I feel your every movement. We had a scan on Tuesday, and a midwife appointment on Monday. The scan showed that you are currently head down (laying quite low), looking towards my back with your legs and bum up in my ribs. :)

Food cravings: I’ve not had any food cravings at all.

Anything making you queasy or sick? I felt a little sick last night whilst drinking an alcohol free cocktail, I’ve been drinking them throughout the pregnancy so I don’t think it was a direct result of that particular drink.

Gender: YOU ARE A BOY! (But you already knew that!!) After our long awaited scan which we had Tuesday, we now know for sure that you are a little boy :) We’ve seen your ‘little bits’ twice now, so I feel pretty confident that you are in fact a he!

Hopefully you'll love cats just as much as we do and as much as this little boy does.

{source}

Labour signs: No

Symptoms: A small amount of heartburn. Soreness towards the bottom of my stomach, which the sonographer at our scan said was due to you being so low. Some minor back pain has returned this week, but nothing severe.

Belly button in or out? Still half in and half out like usual.

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or moody most of the time: So happy :D

Looking forward to: More furniture shopping for you tomorrow and doing more work on your nursery. Also your Dad and I have 3 days off work together from tomorrow so I’m very much looking forward to that!

xo
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My Wish List For You.. So far!

   There are so many things to get for you and it's just all so exciting! I am trying to be really careful about every purchase and make sure I do lots of research on things before we buy because first of all I want to make sure that you would be comfortable and happy to use everything we get, and secondly I don't want to waste money on things that end up not lasting very long and then have to replaced quickly. 

  As a first time mum-to-be I find it incredibly helpful and insightful researching and reading other peoples reviews. Here are just some of the things I have my eye on for you:

The Graco Evo

   I've not yet tried this pram out to see how I feel with it, but there are so many good reviews on it! I have been really stumped to find one negative comment about it which indicates good things.

 I love the way it looks, and how easy it seems (from watching a video) to fold down. It's over what we wanted to spend, and that doesn't include the extra bits for it such as the car seat and carrycot, which potentially we are going to want to get also. I'm going to test it out at a baby store and see how I feel, if it feels amazing then it may well be worth the money! But I'm open minded towards other prams, I've definitely not set my heart on this one alone. 

The Fisher Price Jumperoo

  I love the whole look of the Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo, it looks like so much fun!

I've only found mostly 5 star reviews on it, so clearly babies are loving it! It will be for when you are a bit older, but again it is rather pricey at around £100, so whether or not we actually will get it I'm not too sure yet. 

Personal picture frames

  This is something I'd quite like to put up on the wall in your nursery. I am in love with this quote.. 

I found it at this Etsy shop. I am looking for unique things like this to frame (probably using white frames - potentially from Ikea) and this is definitely the sort of thing I am after.

The Hemnes chest of 8 drawers 

  This is from IKEA and it is what we have our eye on at the moment for your room. I love this piece of furniture and we have the perfect spot for it in your room. We would probably use the smaller top drawers for your wipes and nappies etc, and will use the top as your changing table. The drawers underneath the top four, will most likely be used for your baby clothes. I quite like the idea of having some little baskets (which can be picked up also at Ikea) on top next to the changing mat, which would hold more of your essential changing items. 

xo

Nursery: Painted {At Last}

After what has felt like way too long we finally managed to find our perfect colour for your nursery:

I'd describe the colour we have chosen as almost like a light brown mushroom colour. It's has a very neutral tone to it which is completely what we wanted. We really do love it! {And we're hoping that you will too}.

The colour we choose is Crown - Refined from their Fashion For Walls range.
It went onto the walls so easily, it really didn't take your Dad and I long at all to finish the whole room.

We need to clean the carpets next.. I'm hoping that by hiring a 'Rug Doctor' {which I have heard very good things about} that we will be able to remove the stubborn fake tan stains that seem to be cemented into the carpet... which I may have been responsible for a few years ago - whoops!

xo

27 Weeks: Growing Big!

I can't believe that there are ONLY 13 more weeks to go until you are due!!.... I'm just too excited!

How far along? Today I am 27 weeks.. 4 days!

Maternity clothes: Nothing new. Still wearing baggy tops and leggings during the day at work, and then my PJ's when I get in from work after my shower.

Stretch marks: Nothing new so far!

Sleep: Sleep’s been okay - still getting up a few times during the night for toilet trips.. but getting use to it now.

Best moment this week: Painting your nursery!! See it here! We found our colour and we LOVE it!

Miss anything? Nope.

Movement: Your moving really high this week - almost in my ribs!!

Food cravings: Still no cravings

Anything making you queasy or sick? No

Gender: As is stands – you're a little boy. We have a scan on Tuesday to confirm this... CANNOT wait!!

Labour signs: No

Symptoms: Lots of pressure in my ribs, especially after eating.. there's not a lot of room left in my stomach! The itching on my stomach hasn’t been so bad this week. I’ve had some minor heartburn but nothing major.

Belly button in or out? Half in, half out like usual.

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or moody most of the time: Happy! Very happy and excited!

Looking forward to: Our scan on Tuesday! :) Hurry up Tuesday!

xo
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26 Weeks: 14 More To Go!

How far along? 26 weeks.. 3 days

Maternity clothes: The items I ordered in a size 12 came yesterday (leggings and vest type tops), and they are very comfortable! I've been pairing these with some new boots I also ordered, along with jumpers and cardigans which stretch over the growing bump.

Stretch marks: Still using Palmers stretch mark lotion...I haven't had any additional stretch marks. (Still only have the small one on my breast).

Sleep: Sleep's been okay.. My toilet trips have increased a lot over the last couple of days, I am definitely feeling more pressure on my bladder from you. The increase in toilet trips has disrupted my sleep, but I've not really had any problems getting back to sleep. So can't complain really!

Best moment this week: Shopping for things for you with Daddy and testing prams together...it was so exciting and I felt like a child Christmas morning!

Miss anything? Nope - I'm feeling very content and happy with life at the moment!

Movement: You're still moving LOTS and LOTS. Daddy got to feel you wriggling yesterday and not just kicking, which was really nice. 

Food cravings: No food cravings.

Anything making you queasy or sick? I haven't felt sick or queasy but this week I noticed a change in my sense of smell.. It feels like every little thing that I smell is intensified by 100%.

Gender: Still waiting for our next scan for confirmation on this one... It has been on my mind so much, I just want to know if you are a little boy or not for sure! 

Labour signs: No

Symptoms: I am oh so itchy it's unreal, especially on the the bump... I'm trying so hard not to scratch because scratching can cause stretch marks or make pre-existing ones worse. As mentioned above my toilet trips have increased, and I've been feeling a lot of pressure on my bladder. I have days when I have lots and lots of energy then it'll just seem to disappear all of a sudden and I feel absolutely knackered! I've been quite emotional too...which I am blaming my hormones for!

Belly button in or out? Mostly out.. still wearing my belly bar.

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or moody most of the time: Happy but with a few hormonal emotional moments! 

Looking forward to: The weekend! We're still on the hunt for the perfect paint colour for your nursery so we'll be hopefully sorting that out this weekend, and if so then we can finally make a start (Yay!).

Christmas Day Round 2?!

Christmas came around for us again today! We celebrated again this time for Daddy's Granny who has been very poorly recently and unfortunately spent all of the Christmas period in Hospital away from family and friends. So today we went to your grandparents house for 'Christmas Dinner and Games' round 2 as she's now well enough to be home!

L-R: Daddy, Me, Uncle Josh + Auntie Ellie.

Pretty table decorations

Before we went round, we spent the morning at home painting the tester pots we purchased yesterday on to your nursery wall. To say they did not come out at all like they looked on the tins is a massive understatement!... It's shocking just how different the colours on the walls are compared to what the colours on the tins are!... 

 The colours we chose.. 

All very similar looking but just look how they came out on the wall..

From L-R: Crown 'Wooden Spoon', Laura Ashley 'Pale Twine' + Laura Ashley 'Pebble'. 

I'm not impressed in the slightest... Why is this always the way with paint?!..

So we will need to do a bit more research to find our perfect colour, as none of the above are it!! It's a shame because it would have been nice to have our colour picked ready to start painting next weekend but it's not a problem, we will get there! 

Tomorrow is week 26 (which means only 14 weeks to go before we get to meet you!!), so this morning we also took a few bump shots - heres one from this morning...

It's been a truly fast weekend, but I have another day off of work tomorrow, so have a little bit of extra time to get some of the things that we need to do complete.. along with a morning appointment with the midwife, but for now I'm off to bed to relax and snuggle with your Dad and hopefully the cats! 

Goodnight from Mum and Dad.

And Goodnight from Charlie!

xo

Baby: We're Beginning To Buy For You!

Weekends go by so quick! Sometimes it almost feels like I blink and it's Monday again..We spent our Saturday making plans for your nursery and browsing the Internet for inspiration. We spent a rather long time having fun browsing around our local Mothercare store, picking out your first ever cot bedding set, we decided on the 'Loved So Much' range. The neutral colours are what we really love about it, specifically the browns, greys and whites within it, we really feel that this style will fit with the vision that we have for your finished room.

We were lucky enough to find the last bumper pack in the sale, which saved us quite a bit compared to what we would have had to pay if we'd had to purchase all the items singularly - the only item we did have to purchase separately was a set of two cot sheets (which I love the pattern of) also from the Loved So Much range to match the bedding. We didn't purchase the quilt, as you wont wont need that until you are a year old.

Not only did we find your first ever bedding set.. we also found the most adorable baby record book for you! Finding the right book was just so important to me, it's something that is used to record the details of every single momentous occasion of your first year of life along with photographs.. it's something that you will hopefully keep for the rest of your life! I cannot wait to start filling it out!..The inside of this book is just so beautiful!

We spent a fair amount of time whilst at Mothercare having a play around with some of the prams on display and we discovered just how much needs to be considered when we go to purchase you one.. I felt just like an excitable child on Christmas morning learning about all the different things that individual prams are able to do. Jus pushing the prams around the store, and watching Daddy do the same got me excited! I learnt a lot, and came away thinking that perhaps my initial thoughts on wanting a 'travel system' perhaps wasn't for us after all... I suffer with back problems and found messing around with the car seat a bit much, but we shall see... we haven't ruled them out completely!

Heading over to Homebase we picked ourselves up some tester paint pots to test on your nursery walls. We're looking for a neutral colour, almost like a 'mushroom' shade. The top half of the wall in this picture is almost what we are looking for (though perhaps a shade lighter as it will be used for your whole room):

I think we'd then like to then perhas use white furniture for the cot, chest of drawers etc. 

To be completely honest.. it's a hard decision and it's even harder finding the exact colour for the wall then matching it with the carpet, and furniture.. as exciting as this nursery project is going to be it's also a little stressful ensuring everything matches and that we're making all the right decisions.

Saturday evening was very relaxing one... we watched '8 Out of 10 Cats Does Deal Or No Deal' on catch up and we consumed our ever-traditional Saturday pasta meal. Daddy built his Lego train and I spent the rest of the evening researching baby prams for you. Starting to buy for you is so exciting!

xo
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25 Weeks: My Little Rockstar

How far along? 25 weeks...4 days pregnant with you. 

Maternity clothes: I've just come out of wearing work uniform.. now wearing my own clothes! Rather then buying maternity clothes I've been buying a couple of dress sizes up.. Wearing mostly baggy tops and leggings.

Stretch marks: I have small stretch marks on my left breast... they've been there for a while but I honestly don't really mind them. I've been using Palmers stretch mark cream every day! 

Sleep: Has been quite a bit more disrupted then just my normal toilet trips during the night this week... I've found it hard to get comfortable, I've woken up to you kicking me a few times which sometimes hurts and at times makes me jump! I've also found that because I am going to bed on a full stomach usually, I feel tight chested and completely bloated which at times makes me feel like I'm struggling to breathe!

Best moment this week: Someone I didn't know commented on my bump for the first time this week which made me smile :O)!  It's something to do with being a proud mum-to-be that makes us pregnant women happy when random people notice our growing bump. My bump has grown a lot this week, which is really lovely to see because it means you're growing big and strong!

Miss anything? Not really.. Though I guess it would be nice to have a small glass of WKD blue once you are born! 

Movement: LOTS and LOTS! Daddy reckons that you may well become a Rock Star when you're older.... as it feels like you're doing a whole lot of partying in there!

Food cravings: I haven't had any cravings at all.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope

Gender: Our 20 week scan told us that.. you're a little boy! :) However, we are waiting until our next scan which is 22nd January for confirmation before we fully trust the ultrasound as we've heard a few stories where the ultrasound scans have been inaccurate with the gender, so I'm impatiently waiting for your next scan! I honestly don't mind either way, I just want for you to be a healthy happy baby!

Labour signs: No

Symptoms: My upper right arm went numb on Monday, almost like I had a 'dead arm'. I've had very itchy breasts and an itchy stomach.. I've read this is due to the skin stretching over the bump. 

Belly button in or out? Mostly out, more so after I've just eaten. Though it's not all the way out just yet.

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or moody most of the time: Happy

Looking forward to: Our next scan and starting your nursery.. I can't wait!

xo
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Introducing, my cats!

Sammy is the first cat that joined our little family..

    She likes to catch mice, (Unfortunately!), make random noises that can only be described as alien like, chase, slap, and dominate her sister Shadow, cuddle both your Dad and I, eat - a lot, sleep, curl up on our bed and then shed her hairs all over it, and do random jumps in the air (usually at a wall whilst making those rather strange alien type noises). We nicknamed her 'The Smoush' - it's a silly word that we made up. She is a very sweet and special cat (as are all cats). We love everything about her - except the mouse catching!

    Sooty must be one of the fluffiest little cats in the world. 

Her hair is just so long! She is very sweet and very rarely naughty. She likes to follow us around the house, but is usually very quiet about it.

Her bad habits are catching poor insects, and sharpening her claws on our furniture! When we first got Sooty she use to suckle on my dressing gown, it was just so sweet. Sooty absolutely loves to be groomed, but she is the biggest fidget ever, and will not stand/sit/lay still, so I end up having to move all over the house to be able to groom her. Sooty wont usually sit on our laps, she likes to be near us but not on us, and if she does get on us, she will usually get off within a few seconds. She is just adorable!

We rescued Shadow as a stray.

 When I  first saw Shadow she was painfully thin, and was covered in dirt, but it was absolutely love at first sight.  She was clearly a stray, and the vet I took her to confirmed this. No one ever came forward for her, and on the basis that the vet was certain she was a stray, we made her part of our family!

 It turned out, she was in fact pregnant, and she gave birth to four beautiful little kittens exactly nine weeks after we rescued her. I don't believe in breeding animals, (as there are enough strays and animals in shelters), so Shadow has since been spayed, and the kittens were re-homed with loving families, as, at the time we didn't have the room to keep them. Shadow is an angel, she is very much like Sooty - rarely naughty. We went through a horrible stage where Sammy would attack and dominate Shadow, and so we had to have them split up, but after we moved house this stopped!

Shadow likes to sit on the sky box (for warmth). She also likes to find one particular place in the house and only sleep there. Right now she likes to sleep on one particular chair under our dining table, if she isn't there, then she will be found on the sky box. She also likes to eat grass then throw it up in the house (Yuck!).

Charlie was adopted by us from the RSPCA. 

When I first saw Charlie, I knew he was the one! (okay, technically fourth)

When we got him home, he settled in the very same second he arrived. He made himself straight at home by getting into the other cats' beds and playing with their toys, and then when he was worn out he laid on top of me, got into my arms like a baby and fell asleep. He is our only male cat and I was amazed at how well he fitted in. He is such a darling, he often gets into bed with us, and puts his head 
onto mine or Adam's pillow and drifts off to sleep.

His story from the RSPCA, was that he was thrown on a fire and then rescued by a member of the public. I simply cannot understand why someone would do this, and I hope karma will someday reach whoever was responsible. He did have a few injuries on his paws when we first got him, but they healed within days, and I'm pleased to report that he has no lasting injuries whatsoever.

Charlie loves everyone and he loves being involved in everything! His nickname is Charlie Bean because we think the little black mark on his nose looks very similar to the shape of a baked bean, plus he stole a baked bean off of my plate within days of coming home to live with us. I love him very much, as I do all of our cats.. 

A Reason To Blog

Baby Gladwin's 20 week scan photograph

By now I am 25 weeks and 4 days pregnant, and I have come to the realisation that I’d like to start documenting the details of not only my pregnancy, but life in general with my Husband, the cats, and in less than just four months’ time, my first child.

Why? Well, to be quite honest… life is good. I haven’t ever felt more content and happy then I do right now. I got married to the man of my dreams nearly five months ago, and less than two weeks before that we discovered that we are expecting our first child! Since then.. well, what’s that phrase?.. “I’ve been walking on cloud 9”! I figure that this may well be just one of the most amazing times of my life and I guess I just don’t want to forget the details.

Childhood Sweethearts | Ten years on

October 11th 2012 marked a rather momentous day for Adam and I - it was exactly ten years to the day we began our relationship together. 

I still remember the first day, 11.10.02, like it was almost yesterday, it felt special, it was special, I knew that from the very first moment that I saw him, as silly as that may sound, it is true. 

We've done so much, and learnt so much from each other. We've grown into adults, and have changed remarkably from the naive fourteen year olds we both were. Though - we are definitely still as childish as we were back then that's for sure, but I hope we always are. 

I feel so deeply honoured to be his wife, and to share each day with him. My only wish is to spend more and more time together. He makes me so unbelievably happy, and I hope that he knows that. He's my best friend; the best you could have. Always there for me, always making me laugh, holding my hand through the rough and the smooth times that life throws at us all. I can do anything with him, and I'd do anything for him. 

There's so much history, and so much future to look forward to. But I like to enjoy the present; preferably in his arms, in our home, with our cats, and our little baby bump. 

My love for him is unconditional, ten years on or fifty years on, it's forever.