2010 A Photo Diary

So there it is - my 2010! If anyone wants to know where any photos were / what they are - just ask :).
2010 involved 3 different countries, buying a flat, a new kitty cat, lots of giggles, having a huge surprise and finding out we were having a little girl. It has certainly been a year to remember, as I'm sure next year will be even more. I hope you all experienced a great year too!
With love and light xo

24+4 - Shopping times

Hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and got everything they wished for! We all got completely spoiled (Mitch, Cupcake and Me!) but me especially - I must have been a very good girl this year! I couldn't even begin to list all the beautiful presents I got; I'm still completely overwhelmed by everyones generosity and kindness. I will take a few pictures of some of the lovely things Cupcake got for Christmas, and hopefully try and post those over the next few days.

I'm also aware that I'm due a bump picture which I'm going to try and take tomorrow (better late than never right?), but I'm pretty convinced that the majority of my bump is now turkey based, so shouldn't be judged too harshly. I have eaten so much lovely food these past few days, and it doesn't really show any signs of stopping over the next few days. Buffets, meals and family gatherings seem to be the order for this week, which is lovely, but I'm also shattered! Not sleeping particularly well - I'm just going to put that down to constantly being excited about something.

Today was a hugely exciting day as we went proper shopping! It started off with a 9am IKEA visit involving free bacon cobs, and ended with collapsing in the bath at about 5pm with very achey feet. Still, the visit proved hugely successful, as we have ordered / bought -

1. The drawers for the nursery from IKEA, ready to be put up tomorrow. Cheap and cheerful, and match the wardrobes already in the spare room. (Link)

2. A few things from the Sleepy Owl range at Dunelm Mill, for decoration and cuteness! (Link)

3. A cot! This should hopefully come early next week when Mitch is still off work, so may even be put up next week too! I'm reeeeally excited that this may be put up soon, and really like the cot we've ended up getting - plain white and simple but seems really chunky and practical. Thank you mum and dad! (Link)

4. Kind of cheating as it was last night we ordered this, but the car seat. I wasn't going to get an expensive car seat - just an Argos branded one, however this on sale last night for about half price so we ordered it. Back to full price this morning! (Link)

So I feel much more organised than previously. Mitch is making the ultimate sacrifice and unboxing his DVDs (temporarily!) to put into folders to make room for baby stuff. This is where I wish we had more room, but we don't, so not a lot of point wishing really! That should mean we can have a shuffle round with furniture and decide what can go where. This, along with the fact my dad is coming to do some shelving tomorrow, should mean I can start organising baby things as and when we get them. How exciting!

Anyway, I intended for this just to be a short update as Mitch is asleep, but you might be able to tell I'm quite excited today :). Little one has still been kicking away a little - still not consistently but I'm attributing that to the anterior placenta still. Seeing midwife again on Thursday so looking forward to that, then it's down to going every 3 weeks!

Big Congratulations to someone who received some very good news over the last few days, and a belated Happy Christmas to everyone else.

With love and light xo

24 - Posi

Wanted to post a huge entry this evening, but not really feeling up to it. However, just wanted to concentrate / focus myself on the positives -

1. It is Christmas Eve Eve :). I love Christmas, and can't wait much longer! Hopefully everyone likes the presents we've bought, I always worry so much about it but it's a little late now!

2. We have reached our "V Day" as it's referred to on BabyCentre! As I am 24 weeks today, baby is considered viable, and every day from now her chances of survival increase I were to go into preterm labour. Not that I will obviously, she's far too comfy cooking away! But it's still a slightly reassuring thought, if also slightly morbid.

3. Our little girl has a name. That is still perfect.

4. I think we've chosen the music for the 3D scan. We needed about 15 mins worth, so will have another listen tomorrow then post the songs for people to listen to.

Must stay positive. x

With love and light xo

23+5 - 2010 Photos

I've been working on a summary post for 2010 on and off all day, but will hopefully get around to posting it in the next few days. Just wanted to look back at what a busy year this has been! For now, here's a sneak preview...

Finally finished (hopefully!) my Christmas shopping today and did another few hours of wrapping, so feel a little more in control now. Going to Meadowhall tomorrow with Chlo-bot but don't need anything, so going to try and make it a stress free meander (how naive!). Need to make sure I keep a drink with me - very nearly passed out in Boots at the weekend, which was very embarrassing, and I just feel like such a fool when it happens!

Getting some great ideas for the songs, also found a few more ourselves. Hoping to make a decision in the next week and try and stick them together in one long mix! Keep the suggestions coming :)

With love and light xo

23+5 - Music

I need help! We're having the 3D scan in just over 2 weeks, and I need some music suggestions for the background - about 15 minutes worth. Everyone seems to have pan pipes or xylophones, and it really makes me cringe!

Ideas so far -

So please - help! Suggest songs for us!

23+4 - Sleep like a dream

Just a little update before I shoot out for the day - I have officially broken up for Christmas! It's about time. I was most definitely ready for this mornings lie in till 9am (like a dream!), although a little frustrated to find I'd not turned my alarms off. But I still had the delicious, uninterrupted, undisturbed sleep that I've been looking forward to for weeks. Consequently, I've woken up this morning full of beans! Hopefully this will last, although now I've written it down... probably not.

I feel like I'm really starting to get an obvious little bump, which is both lovely and frustrating. I'm such a meanie, and trying to avoid spending any money on maternity clothes where not needed. I'd kind of hoped I could just get by in long tops, but even at 23 weeks that's proving difficult! I'm hoping that the sales are full of beautiful, reasonably priced maternity clothes - hoping but not expecting. Maternity clothes are just so expensive for the little wear you get out of them! You should be able to rent them. Or Primark should sell them.

5 sleeps till Christmas! I am still completely unprepared, but I've put plans in place for this week to get my bum into gear. Down to 5/6 people left to buy for which is great, finally wrote a few Christmas cards (sorry if you don't get one - a little late I know!), and wrapping a few presents a day. It would help if I wasn't so OCD about wrapping, but I am so there!

Off to do some lovely Christmas baking, after spending the morning doing cleaning and tidying. Just wanted to add one more thing... our little girl finally has a name. :)

With love and light xo

22+6 - Name!

NatalieDee.com

A few baby links that have made me smile! -

How To (And Not To) Take Care of a Baby

Awkward Pregnancy Photos

Wanted to post a few links, annnnnd just drop by and say... I think we have a name for cupcake! It's something we wrote off a few weeks ago, but then somehow both suggested on Sunday - I actually dreamed about the name on Saturday night, so when Mitch tentatively brought it up again it just seemed perfect! I still don't know whether we're going to keep in secret, or tell everyone after Christmas. Opinions?

I'm so bad at keeping secrets, and this not telling a soul thing is killing me! But, what if we change our minds? Or someone says something negative about her name? Or she doesn't look like the name?

She's been kicking up a storm these past few days, and it never fails to make me smile. We are so lucky, and I cannot wait to meet her :)

With love and light xo

22+3 - Unorganised!

These past few days I've felt a little more movement from cupcake, which is always nice and reassuring (although apparently the novelty of this is going to wear off soon... something to do with bladders and trampolines... I'm choosing to selectively forget this at the moment!). Went to the cinema last night and she kicked a few times, although nothing I could feel with my hand. Well, she stops as soon as I put my hand there - obviously awkward already! However this morning she was kicking away and managed to feel a fair few kicks with my hand, very lovely - although I'm pretty sure Mitch will be jealous!

As horrible as it feels, I'm only just getting the hang of calling cupcake a girl, and referring to her as a she instead of it! Everyone else seems to have grasped it but not me apparently. I considered the fact that this makes me an awful mother but have again chosen to ignore that - selective pregnancy memory is amazing.

Debated the fact that I'm an awful mother / person last night with Chloe. Loads of people due at the same time as me on BabyCentre are incredibly organised. My organisation so far has come down to a t-shirt with a bird on it and a pair of jeggings. Well, not really but thats what it feels like! Baby cannot possibly arrive till April, as she'll be sleeping in my bottom draw.

No luck with names either, although to be honest neither me or Mitch have been looking! I feel like I have forever, so could really do with a prod towards actually looking. Also decided we can't possibly pick just one name as she might not look like that name, so have made the job altogether more difficult by deciding we need at least 5. Pretty sure she's going to be called Baby for about 3 months.

I've booked my 3D scan for the 4th January! So I'll be 25 / nearly 26 weeks - need to find some music to go with this. I'll post about this later. Also realised I never posted my 20 week scan picture so I'll get on that soon.

It's Christmas soon isn't it. I should probably get on that soon. I have officially become Captain Unorganised.

With love and light xo

22+2 - Bump Photo

Quick update with a bump photo - will post more tomorrow! People now keep commenting on my little bump which is lovely :)

With love and light xo

21+5 - Movement

Just a quick post to say that... we felt baby move! I say we, because Mitch felt too :D

I thought I'd felt her a few days ago, but wasn't sure. We were lying in bed tonight talking about her, and Mitch told her she better get a wriggle on soon as mummy was getting worried. Then he put his hand on my tummy, and we both felt something. He looked up at me, and asked if I'd just felt something, to which I replied by almost exploding with excitement!!

We felt cupcake kick a few times over the next 5 minutes, each time both of us feeling it. I even tested Mitch just to check, and stopped telling him when I felt it, but we were both feeling the same thing!

It is incredible, and I just want to feel her again now! However that seems to be my lot for tonight. We are so incredibly lucky :)

With love and light xo

21+5 - Babymon!

Mitch forwarded this and it made me laugh, so here you go! -

21+2 - Christmas

Today has been quite productive, and quite Christmas-y! I put our lovely little tree up, cleaned / tidied etc., baked jam tarts, wrapped tons of presents annnnd watched lots of Christmas music countdowns. Finally beginning to feel a little more festive, which is a relief - I was worried for a while1 Also ordered a big batch of presents online, so we're down to just a few people left to buy for, making me feel a little more organised - my spreadsheet was very pleased!

Nothing to report in the land of cupcake, keep thinking I've maybe felt something but kind of given up all hope! As long as she's okay in there than everything's okay with me. Feel like I'm having an easier time of things lately (am I going to regret writing this?!), as my appetite is fine, my aches and pains are minimal, I'm less lethargic, and generally feeling good!

Having a few ideas for nursery decoration / themes etc. as Mitch wanted to get some ideas together. We didn't want anything too girly, too pink, or too bleurgh (?!), so we've been throwing a few ideas around, and loving the idea of an Owl and the Pussycat theme! Mainly because I love the poem, and we both love owls and cats! Found some really cute wall decals with trees / owls / kitties / moons, and found some super cheap owl bedding that we're going to look at over Christmas, but we may be onto a winner! I'll post more pictures with inspiration soon. Opinions?

Finally, today is Chloe's birthday, so a biiiiiig Happy Birthday to her!

With love and light xo

21 - Update!

So I said I was going to post a proper entry today, and here I am! No excuse really, as today is another snow day! I have never in my entire life seen snow like this, it's amazing. However being pregnant is a slight inconvenience in the snow, due to the lack of snow ball fights / sledging / falling over / general snow frivolities! Still, we had a little wander into Mansfield yesterday, and round to my parents for tea. It's so incredibly beautiful and peaceful. I'm sure I'll be fed up of it next week, but at least whilst I don't have to brave the roads for work it's lovely.

This week has been the week full of ill here, with Mitch being super sick with a chest infection. It's been really hard to see him struggling and not be able to do a lot, but we took a few little walks yesterday to try and get some fresh air, which seemed to help. His fever broke last night, and today he seems a lot better, fingers crossed!

Last weeks Nottingham shop was postponed because of the snow, and I haver a feeling this weeks will be too! So I've not bought any girly clothes yet, however I've got a few adorable bits and pieces from Mitch's parents (including the AMAZING Hello Kitty vest pictured!) which is enough for now!

Still not felt any movement, which is getting quite disheartening. But I found out why at the scan at least - I have an anterior placenta, which basically means the placenta is lying at the front and most likely blocking all kicks etc., as baby has to kick through that for me to feel anything. Not really a lot I can do about it, and at least I have a reason now!

Speaking of the scan, I realised I never really wrote about it! The scan was lovely, and the sonographer was super sweet and lovely. She explained everything to us really clearly, showing us everything she could, even though cupcake was curled up in a yoga pose. We got to see hands and feet, legs, the heart beating away, gorgeous lips, a brief glimpse of a face, and lots of lovely things. Baby was being incredibly lazy and not moving, so we had to quickly drink some cold water to see the gender, but she eventually showed us :)

My parents have offered to buy us a 3D scan for Christmas which I am bouncing off the walls excited about, but I'll update more about that later. The major discussion around this at the moment being the music we choose! This will involve another poll I think...

Everyone's commented on the fact my bump seems to have made an appearance this week, which is really lovely. I love people noticing and I love my little cupcake bump! Ask me in about 15 weeks and I might not feel the same way!

And finally, today I am 21 weeks. Meaning that whatever happens with my due date, I am definitely half way today! How unreal is that?!

Determined to keep the blog going - I'm finding it really interesting to remind myself how quickly things are changing, and how quickly time is going! It's also generated some rather unexpected readers, including Mitch's tattooist (www.tattoos-by-ady.co.uk) who I promised I would mention. Hi :P

Comment with questions or just to say hi, it's lovely to feel I'm not talking to myself!

With love and light xo

20+6 - Catface!

Slightly off topic, but here's a photo of one off my other babies! This is Aeris Boo, and this was taken on Saturday when we only had a few inches off snow. Now we have about... 18 inches? I've never seen anything like this!

With love and light xo

20+6 - Bump Photo

Technically this is nearly 21 weeks, however it's all I've got! Only got chance to take this today because we have snow day! Will update with more info over the next few days, but all is well here.

With love and light xo