Nursery Graduation Day

Last week Charlie graduated from nursery. Tom took a half day and I kept C home in the morning to enjoy some more mama/son time before baby arrives. The three of us walked over to the nursery in time for the ceremony, it was a hot hot day with a brilliant blue sky and a few wispy white clouds.

The graduation was a little OTT, they are only 4! But lots of effort had been made to make it as much fun for the kids as possible. The temperature didn't help, with a lot of people sitting on child size chairs in a hot marquee, but otherwise it was a lovely afternoon.

It started off with the nursery choir singing some songs, then each child was called up by his/her key carer to 'graduate' and collect their goodies - certificate, teddy bear, photo of them in a cap and gown and a medal. After we'd got through all the kids, they all went up to the front to sing a special song - it was the goodnight song from CBeebies, but with the words changed to say 'The time has come to say goodbye...' Then it was time to release some balloons and a general melee at kids and parents were released from the hot marquee!

Charlie is actually staying on at nursery until school starts in September. We felt it best to keep his routine as similar as possible with the new baby arriving, as we didn't want to hit him with leaving his friends at nursery (only 3 are going to his primary school and he doesn't play with any of them...), new baby AND new school in just one month. Some of his friends with older siblings on holiday have now left so this last week he's been having fun helping out with the new 3 year olds who have joined the class! I'm also taking him out of nursery at least one day a week to spend some time with him before the baby arrives.

- Drinking Daddy's water in the hot marquee
- C&T with graduation pic
- Proud boy with his medal
- Collecting his medal from carer Daisy (and nursery manager Mandy). Another carer, Ana is on the left and the little girl on the left is his very best friend from nursery, little miss M.
- Admiring his medal and teddy bear
- Released balloons

39 weeks pregnant

Woah, one week left. I'd love it if she came a little early but suspect she'll be like her brother and arrive late.

Baby is roughly 50.7cm long and weighs 7.2lbs, the size of a mini watermelon. She still moves around a lot, but has run out of room to kick too hard, so she tends to push and squirm rather then jab, it's fun to watch my stomach move all over the place on it's own accord! She reacts to sounds, particularly when her big brother comes and talks to my tummy. At the 38 week midwife appointment her heartbeat was lovely and loud, she's in the correct position though not engaged and probably won't be until actual labour starts.

Mama is fed up of being pregnant in the middle of summer. The heat makes my feet swell and it doesn't help that I have toe infections which the doctor says won't heal until after I give birth due to my low immunity at the moment. I'm tired a lot of the time so taking things pretty easy (or as easy as you can with an energetic 4 year old). Only occasionally getting heartburn and indigestion, this has eased up a lot over the last few weeks.

Today is the official start of my maternity leave as the last few weeks were taking up unused holiday so I'd be very happy if she came soon. The nursery is ready and the study (where we put all the junk that was in the nursery) is now completely tidied thanks to a blitz my mother-in-law and I had yesterday. This weekend T and I will be taking things to charity shops and the dump and then everything will be pretty much ready.

I've also met up with some other Mums and Mums-to-be through NetMums and have a couple more meet ups in the diary for next week.

C and I have spent the day together today, doing all the things he wanted to do to make the most of time without baby. We got out the easel and magnets, we read stories, played with the aquadoodle, made a lego castle and watched How to Train Your Dragon (again). We also had lunch at our local Pizza Express, it's just a 5 min walk from home and it was fun to eat out just the two of us.

What's in my... hospital bag

Today I packed my bag for the hospital, I'm 36 +6 so it's beginning to feel close (though Charlie didn't arrive until 41 weeks).

Here's what I've packed:

(1) Clothes for Mama:
Bath towel (hospital requested I bring one)
Clean clothes for leaving hospital in
Maternity pads
Maternity briefs
Slippers
Dressing gown
2x nighties - one old one to give birth in and one in case I have to stay overnight

(2) Wash bag - toiletries, make up and wipes

(3) Hospital notes and birth plan

(4) Clothes for Baby:
2x small blankets and a muslin
3x long sleeved vests/sleep suits
2x short sleeved vests
Socks and scratch mitts
Newborn nappies
2x newborn hats
Cardigan

Other things I'll be taking are my phone and phone charger, maternity pillow, lots of £1 coins for the car park, bottle of water, snacks and a gift for Charlie from the baby.

The hospital supplied me with a check list in my pregnancy notes, but there's also a couple of good ones on the mothercare site and NetMums.

36 Weeks Pregnancy Update

Things not to forget about pregnancy at 36 weeks

- Hot hot hot, the first day of my maternity leave (17th July 2014) saw the hottest day of the year so far, 28C! With a huge thunder storm in the night the second day started off cool but reached 30C in the afternoon. Baby is like a permanent hot water bottle around my tummy, so lots of ice drinks, foot soaking and sitting in the shade is in order, but there's so much to do. I overdid it on that first day, by cleaning, cooking, baking and mowing the lawn.

- Heartburn is a daily chore, Gaviscon tablets work well when I'm out and about and the liquid works immediately if it hits at home. The little travel pack is a permanent feature of my handbag.

- Baby manages to be pressing hard down on my bladder whilst also kicking into my ribs and lungs.

- Breathlessness, the heat isn't helping, I now get breathless just walking up the stairs!

- Thirst, the heat is making me crave sparkling cold water with ice and lemon.

- Little pushes and kicks. She is just so active, I love having the reassurance though worry she's going to be way more hyperactive then her brother ever was! It is rare that I panic that's she's not moved for a while. The midwife and the maternity guides say that if you're worried to drink a glass of cold water and lie down, but I've not had to do it once, she pretty much moves every couple of hours. Even when she wakes me at 3am, I can't help but smile because she's healthy and well.

- Bio oil, it now takes two squirts from the bottle to cover the bump. I love the smell, it reminds me of my first pregnancy with Charlie.

- Nearly new, now that I'm on maternity leave I'm getting together those final last bits. This week J and I went to pick up a great fisher price play mat from a netmum, we got this along with a scramble bug and leapfrog play table for £45 (saving about £100 on the RRP). They're in almost brand new condition as used at grandma's house. We're lending the bug and table to my 10 month old niece as we won't need them for a while!

- Nursery artwork arrived this week, I now need to get some dusky red card to use as a backing frame so both pictures match the nursery.

- NetMum's Nearly new purchases, bump now bigger than the cat, icy drink and a good book, boy cat bump, cat bump, beautiful baby clothes rolled to look like roses (a present from my work) and the too hot bump in my old beach kaftan!

Pregnancy update 35 weeks

Only 5 weeks to go!

We had the midwife appointment on Wednesday. She's officially no longer breach - yay - and has a nice strong heartbeat. It was beating really fast at first and then slowed down, the midwife explained that this was normal as she'd been pressing down on her head to determine the breach status only half a minute before listening to the heartbeat.

Baby is currently about the size of a honeydew melon, 46cm long and 2.3kg.  She's reacting to sounds and really active with her kicks and jabs. I'm using the 'Kick Me' app to record her movements and her average per day is 555! Charlie is talking to her lots, he often wakes her (and me!) up in the morning, demanding to kiss the bump and say hello to her. He also kisses her goodnight at bedtime and calls her a good girl. His latest name choices are Spanner, Hammer or Elsa (from Frozen).

Mama is having a lovely quiet day today! T is having to work on a Saturday (he's managing his office's move from the Southbank to London Bridge) and C is with the grandparents. I slept until 9am today, something unheard of, I can't recall ever sleeping in that late since C arrived 4 years ago. My bump continues to grow, it's still high and I'm having to sit with my legs slightly apart - not good on the commuter train! I have 3 days left at work before maternity leave and am looking forward to less rushing around. As I don't know anyone expecting in the same area I put an ad on the NetMums Meet a Bump and so have arranged to meet up with two other mamas in the first week of Mat Leave. Both live nearby and we'll be meeting in the park, one has a six week old girl and the other has a 4 year old girl a month younger than C and is expecting her baby in September.

Last weekend we got a few more bits and pieces, a changing mat for the changing table, a newborn bath sponge and a couple of sheets. We have also picked out the gift the 'baby' will bring for Charlie and C chose a soft toy to give to the baby from him.

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.

Flashback 4 years

Looking back at the boy on 21st June for the last 4 years...

2010 - sleepy boy in moses basket

2011 - Lying down for a drink

2012 - Nap time

2013 - New hat

2014 - First time in the new paddling pool

Days Out - Kew Gardens

For Mum and Dad's Christmas present this year we gave them each a day out for 2014. In May we joined up Dad's day out with Charlie's birthday and had a lovely day on The Watercress Line and at the start of June we went to Kew Garden's for Mum's. My brother, his wife and baby I came too.

Kew Gardens in Surrey was a perfect day out for an energetic 4 year old. There was so much space to run around in and so many things to explore. The tree-top walkway was a big hit, lots of steps to climb and then a wibbly wobbly walkway which blew in the breeze - T was not a fan! C also loved a little tunnel near the walkway which was filled with mechanical insect artwork.

There were peacocks throughout the garden and we were lucky to see one displaying it's plumage. Charlie and Grandad snuck around to get a better look!

Baby I is now 8 months old and full of smiles. C was entranced by her and kept on going to say hello or stroking her face or giving a hug.

Pregnancy update - 31 weeks

After waiting so long to get this far, I can't quite believe we're well into the third trimester and only 9 weeks to go before we meet this little one.

Baby is currently the size and weight of a large coconut, from head to toe she's 41cm long and weighs c. 1.5kg. She is much more active then C ever was, with long periods of time at the start and end of the day spent kicking and pushing and generally moving around. At the 28 week check she was breach, but she made a massive movement the following week, so I'm hoping that now she has turned around.

Mama is getting a bigger bump every day. This bump is much higher than with C, little feet (or head) is high up pushing into my chest so I'm getting lots of indigestion this time around. Beginning to get tired again, feet are swelling a little in the heat and uncomfy at night. But I know that it's all worth it and every time she kicks it's reassuring that everything is all ok.

We're getting the nursery ready, all C's baby equipment has come out of storage and the first set of newborn clothes are washed and into the drawers. I've been given some extra things from a mama friend who's 2nd baby is now 6 months, plus we have a few more feminine items picked up over the last few months so she's not totally in boy's clothes! The nursery has some pretty terrible wallpaper, cream with red fleur de lis all over it and the carpet is dark red, so we're going for more of a red and white theme this time around. I'm putting together some ideas on this Pinterest board - Nursery for a Girl.

- Bump shadow on the beach
- Baby girl clothes
- Boy, bump, cat
- Baby clothes washed and ready
- Bump on the beach

Charlie on the beach

Beachy gems from the last 4 years...

Aug 2010 - 3 months - Lyme Regis

July 2011 - 1 yr, 2 mnths - Selsey

July 2012 - 2 yrs, 2 mnths - Isle of Wight

Aug 2012 - 2 yrs, 3 mnths - Greatstone

July 2013 - 3 yrs, 2 mnths - Pagham

June 2014 - 4 yrs, 1mnth - Broadstairs