33 & 34 weeks

A little behind with writing Eve's development posts as it's the Easter holidays and we've had Charlie with us every day, which is so much fun but also much more manic then usual!

Eve at 33 & 34 weeks:

- We're halfway through the Easter holidays and have had so much fun. We've been into London for the day, we walked along the South Bank and saw Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. Nana came too and we met Daddy for lunch. We visited Charlie's friend little Mr T near our old flat in Sydenham, made Very Hungary Caterpillars at the library with him and played at Crystal Palace Park. We spent Easter Saturday with my brother and family and Bank Holiday Monday with T's family, Eve met Aunty Pat for the first time and we celebrated little Cousin M's 4th birthday. We've been to the the Red House and had a family day at Clandon Park, both had Easter Egg trails. We took them both to the funfair, C got cotton candy, went on the helterskelter and won a snake, E liked the bright lights. Mostly the two of them have been playing together lots and yes, there's too rough on both sides but generally they play well together and make each other laugh!

- Food allergies are a real problem now, we're getting fed up of waiting to see the specialist (one more week to go before our mid-April appointment). She's pretty much allergic to all food, I've added beef to the ok list but that's it, there's currently eight foods that she (and I) can have and it's getting tedious trying to mix up our meals.

- She's also allergic to grass (big red rash on legs and arms) and get's hay fever when we stay too long at the park or in the garden.

- Her eczema is controlled by me slathering her in cream at every nappy change, but she doesn't like having it put on!

- She still rolls everywhere around the living room and is getting really good and turning around quickly. She is obsessed with getting under the rocking chair or to the bookshelves.

- Has the best giggle, her and Charlie laughing together is such a good sound! She joins in laughter if we're laughing and will laugh if you make a funny noise or tickle her tummy.

- Responds to her name, if you call her, she'll turn around and look at you with a big smile.

- I've been slowly selling off her baby equipment, we've said goodbye to two play mats, the stripy bouncy chair and the Moses basket. It's sad to lose these, particularly the  Moses basket and the bouncy chair as these were brand new for Charlie and bring back good memories, but it's nice to have more space, finally our study is a little less cluttered with baby equipment!

Pregnancy update - 33 weeks

The little kicks inside have turned to pushes and jabs as baby runs out of room. I don't remember her big brother ever being this active, she reminds me of her presence every couple of hours with a squirm or a push and the outline of a foot or elbow, head or behind briefly appears and disappears on the surface of my bump. She reacts to taps and strokes and is most active when I sit down for dinner in the evening.

I'm not sure if she's still breach, I hope not. I kind of think the jabs I'm getting up in my ribs are more likely from teeny feet rather than little hands or elbows, but we'll see at the midwife appointment in a couple of weeks.

I took a labour ward tour last week, something we didn't bother with for Charlie. It's not necessary but is certainly calming to visualize the walk from the car park to triage and then onto the room where we'll meet our girl. Queen Elizabeth's is nice, the rooms are bright and clean, much newer looking than Lewisham and with less of a clinical feeling than Chelsea & Westminster. If everything is straightforward they will let us leave between 2 - 6 hours after the birth, if we need to stay, the maternity ward is good with only 3 beds per room. I stayed at C&W with Charlie for 3 days and shared my section of the ward with 7 others, so 3 per room is really good.

I have just 12 working days before starting maternity leave, suddenly after an incredibly long wait, we're almost there! Next week's diary is hectic as I try and cram in as much planning as possible. There's publisher meetings, autumn activity planning and a 2015 brainstorm session, thankfully the following week is less hectic, I'm already beginning to slow down and suspect having 4 or more meetings a day every day is going to be tough.

This bump is definitely bigger than at the same stage with Charlie. We're quickly running out of room for the cat and the boy to sit on my lap. Baxter has come up with some interesting positions, curling up around the bump or using it as a pillow! Charlie prefers to sit to one side and stroke the bump and talk to the baby. He's very good at kissing her goodnight and feeling her kick in the morning. 

Plus I got some nice baby things in the Emma Bridgewater sale, including a lovely patchwork blanket and a teeny vest with lambs on.