Week 21 : Halloweeeeeeeen

Well the snows all gone but halloween is here. This year only one pumpkin as my partner-in-crime in away in York and John is a miserable old git when it comes to these things. I wanted to do a canabalistic pumpkin but couldn't find a small enough pumpkin to fit in its mouth so instead went for a vegetarian pumpkin, eating an apple - not quite as scary really...

I also finished off the last of the treat bags that I made last year and actually remembered to take a photo of them this year - pretty cool huh?

Week 21 : And ICE!

The next morning the snow is still here but with the addition of ice - the temperature had gone up during the night and then dropped again so the snow was rock hard. I took both monsters out in the garden to play and suprisingly even Thai chased snow balls for a bit - normally only Sherbs favorite game. Sherb, having chased snow balls was still so excited that he spent a while alternating between barking his approval of the snow and dashing about like a maniac!





















I had the anomaly scan in the morning (after chipping our way into the car) - a longer scan than previously but the baby was in an awkward position so although we managed to check all that needed checking we didn't get great pictures. We did see all four chambers of his heart beating away, his spine and developing teeth and John has decided it is a boy but I saw nothing that I thought suggested that.











Mum and Dad got back from holiday last night - a bit of a shock to come from sunny Tenerfie, expecting a mild autumn and to be greeted by snow. They had the day off before going back to work tomorrow so we all went out for a long lunch which was nice and then went back to ours for a cuppa.

Week 21 : SNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!

The first snow of the season! I think such an early showing of lovely, lovely snow can only be a good omen for the baby... Poor Sherb couldn't play in it though (something that we would normally have to physically restrain him from doing) as there were lots of fireworks so he was too scared to do anything other than dash out, pee at speed and dash back in, terrified. That was, until his dad went out with him, which he was poorly dressed for...

I took some piccies to prove it which I will post later.

Week 21 : Grandad

Just had a call from my hubby syaing he was going to be late as the M3 and M25 are having problem today so decided to head off on a detour. He then realised he was desperate for the loo and wasn't too far from my Nan's so thought he would drop in and have a cup of tea while he was there. It made me smile as I love the fact that my grandparents are so laid backed that they will be happy to see him and not fazed at all and also that John gets on so well with them to feel comfortable with just popping in - not something that he would be comfortable about doing with most people.

WEEK 20 : Rhino Dreams

I am having a bit of trouble at the moment - the babys movements are getting stronger and easier to feel and every time I feel it I want to tell EVERYONE and am having to resist posting every time it happens. So instead I shall record my poor dad's misfortune...

He and Mum are on holiday at the moment and on Monday night Dad dreamt that he was in an enclosure with a rhino and that it was charging him. He started to climb the wall but realised that the horn would still reach him, so gave one last heave to get over the wall and in doing so fell out of bed and hit his head on the bedside table, cutting the skin by his eye. Mum was woken by a ginormous yell and pools of blood everywhere. He is now sporting a shiner, poor sausage...

WEEK 20 : German Realisations

We were in Germany this weekend, visiting John's Dad. Unfortunately, the night before we left I developed a sore throat and coughed and sneezed all weekend, but it was good to see him looking so well and so happy. We had a good visit, John helped him buy a laptop and then taught him to use it all weekend and I mostly red my book and made a fuss of his dog, Rambo. To our suprise and delight, Imyra presented us with a fair amount of money for getting ready for the baby which will make things a lot easier but I will still be trying to get some stuff second hand rather than waste.

On the plane home I was tired and emotional and in pain and ill so had a pregnancy moment that resulted with me in floods of tears while poor John tried to calm me down.

The next day we ordered a Maclaren Techno XT Buggy from mothercare (it was on sale and we weren't sure how long the offer would last) and I am extreamely over excited about it!

The baby is becoming more active and seems to be most active around 10.30-ish, enough that John could clearly feel the baby twitching as last night it spent about 10 minutes kicking the same spot. (Normally by the time he has got his hand in place, the baby has got bored and kicks another spot or falls asleep). It is apparently the size of a large honeydew melon now! Also on the pregnant side of things I have come to a number of realisations over the last few days :
1. I can no longer see my feet in the shower
2. The water no longer covers my bump in the bath and
3. I can't shave my legs in the bath anymore as the bump gets in the way...

*sigh*

But on the bright side of things, on Saturday we are officially half way through our pregnancy - Yay!

WEEK 19 : Consultancy sucks

So today I had my appointment at the consultants. John wanted to come along so came home early and we set off with plenty of time and stopped off to grab lunch on the way. We then queued for 25 minutes to get into the car park, before I got out and John queued for a bit more before meeting me in the ante-natal care reception. Luckily they were running late so he didn't miss anything. They took my sample away to be tested and a midwife chatted to us for a bit before the consultant came through. He had a very strong accent so it was hard to understand him but basically there had been a minute trace of glucose in my urine so they need to inform the midwife and I have been told to EAT HEALTHY from now on :( And we just bought two boxes of whispa bars!
Once the consultant was done the midwife came back and explained they were going to be testing me for diabetes in the week before christmas and gave me a glucose drink that I have to starve for and then drink the drink and be tested within 2 hours of drinking. I was quite down after that so John spent the afternoon trying to cheer me up bless him.

WEEK 19 : A scare and two firsts

Well this morning it was all go again - having not been sick in nearly a week I threw up spectacularly this morning and then the last few times there was some blood. I worried about it for a bit and eventually decided to ring NHS direct to see if I should be worried. They said it was probably not too much to worry about but to go to A and E and get checked out. I asked wher ethe nearest one was and they sent me to Heatherwood, despite me asking if the minor injuries unit was going to be able to treat me. Unsuprisingly, I was then sent to Frimley A and E as Heatherwood couldn't treat me. John decided he couldn't wait and came home and took me to Frimley where we sat for about 2 hours (which we were told wasn't too bad) and then a handsome doctor with very large warm hands examined me ( :D ) while JJ stood by and looked anxious. After blood tests etc the doctor decided it was a something-beginning-with-m tear - basically I ruptured some blood vessels when I was sick and nothing to worry about. It was hospital policy for the midwife to check any pregnant woman admitted to A and E so a very lovely woman came down and saw me and John got to listen to the baby's heartbeat for the first time which was a cool outcome to a crappy morning (and left us both a bit teary eyed). The midwife asked if I could feel the baby moving yet and I said I was only really feeling fluttery feelings and that John was finding it a bit frustrating as he couldn't feel it - she said it wouldn't belong before I felt more pokey jabs...

We finally went for a late lunch after checking in with Mum who was also in hospital today (but with a scheduled appointment) she as OK and relieved that I was too. We then headed home and both slept most of the afternoon. While watching tv (sanctuary - not great but I think it will get better) and I got a few particularly strong pokes and finally actually managed to get John's hand there so he could feel before it stopped - two firsts in one day! It was so cool (and at least convinced me that I wasn't going mad and actually COULD feel the baby moving)!

Week 18 : AND SHE'S OFF!

Well, this week Kris finally was heading off to uni and I wanted to pop over to say goodbye so Thursday we joined Mum, Dad, Kris and Cathy (an adopted member of the family) for a somewhat erratic game of Newmarket. I say erratic as Dad kept forgetting to check his cards, I kept forgetting to hand back the dummy hand so it could be shuffled in and getting distracted by a catalogue Mum had that had a wrap that she thought would be perfect for breast feeding in the chilly nights, John and Cathy were competing for title of biggest winner and all amongst uni and baby talk and laughing and mucking about.
We have been struggling over what song we should play to the baby now to help it sleep after it is born and finally Mum came up with a good suggestion that we could both agree on (I vetoed Johns suggestion of Rammstien) - Daydream Believer, by the Monkees so we will have to pop that on the Ipod asap.
Kris and Cath produced a beautiful pizza based meal and I only split the beetroot a little :D At 10 John finally stood up and put his coat on and walked me out the door, pretty much while I was still talking, as it is the only way to get me to leave normally...

Next day, Kris spent the day packing the car and, once Dad had finished work for the day, the three of them headed up to York, staying overnight in a bed and breakfast so to be near in the morning to help Kris settle in. GOOD LUCK KRIS!

Week 17 : A christmassy interlude

Well, I had a great day today. As I have probably mentioned already, my sister is off to uni next week and I will miss her awfully as we have seen more of each other in the last year or so than since we both lived at home! The hubby was going out with the guys tonight so muggins had volunteered to pick him up at the end of the evening an drop him off in the morning. Having dragged my lazy carcass all the way to Horsham, I was coming back pretty much past my Mum's house so stopped off to see Kristy and suggest a christmas run to the local garden centers as Kris would be away during most of the christmas rush.

We then spent a very pleasant morning ambling round talking uni and babies and looking at the gorgeous decorations. In Godalming we found some gorgeous moose decorations that would be perfect for the babies room - I bought the little ones and Kris bought me the big ones for my christmas present. We had a lovely but ginormous lunch at the center (having previously had bread pudding at the other garden center) and then I dropped Kris home and headed back to the dogs, knowing I would miss her more than ever...