24 WEEKS ALREADY! - 24 WEEKS

I set up the tripod this morning to take my bump pics. Obviously they aren't perfect but then again I'm never 100% happy with them.


Alternative to bump watch picture.

I took a forward facing picture too for a change.



Here is the video of the progress made on sorting out the boy's rooms.



Pelvis not too bad this morning although I haven't done anything too physical yet. Changed Ellis' nappy twice and it was okay getting up and down to the floor.

Will try and go for a walk in the rain later to post some letters and a special birthday card for Sally who turns 30 today.

I'm really miffed that we didn't plan baby number 2 a bit better. Would love to celebrate my 30th in style but I just can't plan for anything. I so hope that I'm not in hospital on the day and I don't want Dollop born on my birthday either. 2 weeks before would be good so I could be slightly recovered or a week after. It might even arrive on Ella's first birthday, or her party on the 30th which I would end up missing, just like I missed her parents getting married. Doh! Should have thought about all this last year! I have no idea what to do about it. Will just have to celebrate it late I suppose.

TO BUY? - 23 WEEKS, 6 DAYS

I was right about my pelvis. It has been sore all day today so I have been taking it steady. Been wearing my support bandage and keeping my knees together as much as possible.

I think I have decided not to get the new nursery stuff now and will just stick with all the old things. Maybe when the boys are older I will decorate their rooms properly. It is just hard when you are living in someones house to make it your own. I may still change my mind about it and I have until Saturday before I think the sale will finish. Will chat with Rob about it tomorrow.

Bump is huge! I think he has moved around a bit and now I am rather round and sticking out! You will see tomorrow when I post the new bump watch picture.

Still loving being pregnant but I am looking forward to making our family some what complete. I say some what because I'm not sure I want to stop at 2 kiddies. I think Rob does but that may be for financial reasons. I just like the idea of a big family. I would love the chaos in a funny kind of way.

Still can't stop thinking about that house. It would be so nice to have the extra space. I know I would have to pretty much drive everywhere but ah well. It is way too much money so I should just forget it really. To be honest we need a bigger place just to fit all our furniture in! Rob has ordered the nursery furniture but decided we needed to buy both kids the matching bed side tables now. I only just managed to talk him out of buying the matching single beds! This will mean that we will have 4 spare bed side tables (2 are ours as they don't fit in our room!) and an Ikea chair that Rob bought and rarely used. Rob thinks that we will be moved out in the next couple of months but there aren't that many houses coming up for rent that fit our criteria. The house has to be open, airy, light, no laminate flooring, nice kitchen, 3/4 bed, open drive, off the main roads and not over looked, within walking distance of park, doctors, shops, nice garden, garage, plain decor all for under £800 a month would be perfect. Not too difficult really. ;o)

Wishing Rob wasn't away so much at the moment. I keep thinking how hard it will be in the coming weeks and then after when I have 2! Currently I have good and bad days. Some days I feel like I could conquer the world and nothing can stop me and I have so much fun and really enjoy my time with Ellis. Other days I feel like I just can't do it anymore. I hope/think everyone is like that from time to time. It just suddenly gets to you. Being a stay at home Mummy is so full on all the time, it can be very draining.

When I think about going back to work though I firstly like the idea but then my thoughts quickly turn to my boys not having Mummy around. Not that they would mind, but I do. It's a tough job but one that I need to do.

Tried to get a video of Dollop kicking. I think I may have to wait until he is a bit bigger and doing more moving and stuff. Shouldn't be too long to wait now.

Will do a video tomorrow of the progress made on the spare room!

NATURAL? - 23 WEEKS, 4 DAYS

Can't believe I will be 24 weeks on Friday, into my 25th week!

At yoga last night we were talking about the active birth part that Vivien teaches and it suddenly occurred to me, I have to give birth! I hadn't really thought that far along yet and I am in complete denial about it. It actually scared me for a short moment, although I know I will be fine when the day arrives.

Sally and I were talking today about c-section verses natural birth and we came to the conclusion that it is harder for us now because we actually have a choice! We can go the natural route, not knowing what to expect (other than it really hurts) or the c-section route, which we know all about.

My gut tells me that I would prefer to do the natural route as I need to be back on my feet as soon as possible. This may be taken out of my hands when we have the 36 week scan to check the position of the placenta. If that is fine, then I still have breech position or being very over-due. This will all be discussed in April when I meet with the consultant. I hate making decisions at the best of times and these are quite big ones to deal with. A very small part of me wants the decision to be made for me. Time will tell.

I had, up until today, decided what I wanted to decorate the nursery with. It is rather expensive though, even in the sale, and so I have been in two minds. Rob said to just go for it as I think he thinks that will make me happy. Sally on the other hand did her best to talk me out of it and said that I don't need any of it, which of course, she is right about. Just posting that will wind her up, (mission accomplished).

It is the Gingerbread range from Mamas and Papas. I just love it but it comes to just over £200!

http://www.mamasandpapas.co.uk/range/gingerbread/2655/limit-24/page-1/sort-0/

Not sure if the link will work but I tried anyway.

Bump is getting rather large and round. Went out today to try and find some comfy maternity jeans and black trousers. Had no such luck. Either too small or just massive! I have ordered a couple of pairs from NEXT which will arrive on Friday, so fingers crossed one of them should fit me nicely. It is currently a big pain to work out what to wear every day. I am ashamed to admit that the M & S jeans that I bought in a bigger size, have yet to be washed as I have nothing else to put on.

Still currently no aches or pains which is great but I do find that I just do too much. Eventually my pelvis will give out if I don't nurse it properly.

Dollop has gone quiet again the last couple of days. I think it just depends what position he is in. Generally at the moment he kicks down, right through my bladder. Not a pleasant feeling but it is still good to feel it move.

Appetite is still huge so trying to cut down on eating rubbish, although I did scoff about a dozen (literally) chocolate chip cookies today.

Everyone at yoga last night said how pregnant I looked. They hadn't seen me for 2 weeks and I had a huge dinner before I went out so I looked massive. This morning when I got up, there was the small little bump again. I did weigh this morning too and so far I've put on about 9lbs.

Seen a house that I really like. I haven't even looked in it but I just know it would be great, apart from the distance away from the shops etc. It is a 4 bed detached with a huge conservatory which would be used as the day room/play room. The garden is really nice as well which would be brilliant for Ellis in the summer to be playing in. The one here isn't very good as it is filled with stones. He will either be trying to eat them or throw them. The big problem, it costs too much. :o(

Sleeping okay at the moment, using my huge support cushion which is great. I try to use the towel under my bump as instructed by the physio but it just gets in the way when I turn over.

It is still ages away until my next midwife appointment. Last time, it felt like I was going all the time. Looking forward to the 36 week scan, although it will be rather close to the due date!

Getting really excited about having another baby. It would be great if we were settled into a nicer bigger house but I would cope if we were still here. My only hope is that Ellis is okay with all the changes about to come. I don't think he is going to like sharing his Mummy too much.

HOW MANY? - 22 WEEKS 6 DAYS

Sorry, yet another long diary entry. I am wearing a bra by the way but it is only a sports bra. It is supposed to be supportive but it certainly doesn't look like it!

SUCKER - 22 WEEKS, 2 DAYS

Just done the 22 week bump pictures, a couple of days late but never mind.

I tried to suck my tummy in as far as it would go, and here is the result.



I also pushed it out as far as it would go but it looked horrid, so I deleted them.

I have a horrible cold at the moment and I do get a few twinges in my back. But for the last few days, my pelvis seems to be fine.

Dollop has been on the move the last few days. I seem to get most of my kicks to the bladder because I think the baby is currently in the breach position but it does move around obviously.

Sharon, and I think Sally, felt it kick/move on Friday night which was really nice and exciting to share it was some girly friends. Rob hasn't felt it that much yet.

STUFF - 21 WEEKS, 6 DAYS

Went out on my first real shopping trip for Dollop. I bought a mattress for the crib, a new changing mat, storage boxes for the bottom of the wardrobe, towels, fabric book, fitted sheets, money box (same as Ellis), passport cover (same as Ellis) and some more storage boxes for stuff.







Still have some things to get but need to go through all the stuff I have already, to see what I want to replace etc. Need size 1 and 2 nappies, a coming home outfit, memorabilia box, baby grows (seen some nice ones in NEXT), a do do of some sort, sleeping bags and maybe a new play mat as I washed the one I had for Ellis and all the colours bleached.

I was also thinking that for the first month or so I could do with a moses basket as they are lower than the crib I have and I might be a bit sore, especially if I have a c-section, which will make it difficult for night feeds. The crib literally fills the gap between the bed and the wall and it would mean getting out of bed everytime to pick Dollop up and to put Dollop back down! I used to just lean over, scoop Ellis out and on me boob, then lean over and plonk him back in. Loads less fuss. If anyone has a moses basket that they don't mind me borrowing, please let me know.

RESULT - 20 WEEKS, 5 DAYS

Well, the result of the poll is in! It's a BOY! Majority vote was for a girl, but maybe next time ;o)



Not sure if you noticed, but I have amended the colour of the blog from green to blue.

Here are the recent pictures of the little nipper and hopefully I will be able to get some better ones at the 36 week scan.



After the 20 week scan, Mum and I went sale shopping and picked up a few things. I bought for Dollop, 5 bottoms, a jacket and a t-shirt from NEXT, all for £21, bargain!



Ellis and Dollop vest!



From Mum, with thanks.



Will hopefully start on the spare room and loft soon. It is quite a big job, as you can see, so I keep putting it off, plus I need Rob to be free to help me move lots of boxes.



We will be buying the same furniture for Dollop as we did for Ellis. It will be the gents wardrobe which has a drawer in the bottom and a higher chest of drawers this time as this should allow us to be a bit flexible if we move house and the rooms are different. Hope that makes sense. It is Hereford Oak so should last quite a while.

BOY! - 20 WEEKS, 3 DAYS

KICK - 20 WEEKS, 1 DAY

Last night, sat on the sofa watching the darts on telly, I felt some proper kicking. I looked down and could see it kicking from the outside for the first time! Brilliant timing seeing as what had happened that day.

Rob couldn't see it from the outside but as soon as he put his hand on it, he said "Wow!" as the baby was really going for it.

That definitely made our day.

SCARE - 20 WEEKS

My blood pressure was 110/70 - the lowest yet!
Pulse - 70 beats per minute
Temp - 36.1
Fetal heart rate - 155 beats per minute and regular, which was all good.

Really, really want the scan now.

HALFWAY! - 20 WEEKS

The baby measures about 6.5 inches/ 16.5 centimetres from crown to rump and is steadily gaining weight. A whitish coat of a slick, fatty substance called vernix caseosa begins to cover the baby and protects the skin during its long immersion in amniotic fluid. It also eases delivery. The baby's swallowing more this week, good practice for the digestive system. After your baby takes in amniotic fluid, its body absorbs the water in the liquid and moves the rest into the large bowel.

I can't believe I am halfway already. It is going so quickly and before you know it, I will be a mother of 2 in less than 2 years!

Having troubles sleeping at the moment, Ellis is waking up a bit and also because I have to use so many pillows/towels, it is becoming hard to move in the night without having to re-adjust all the support. It's weird because I don't feel like I need it yet but according to the Physio, I do.

Dollop is still only a small mover. Not too much going on in there yet, that I can feel of course. I will be much happier, and more relaxed once the scan has been done. Can't wait to find out what it is so that I can get organised! I think that is something that does unsettle me. I have no idea how I coped when we were travelling, although I think we were still organised. I always did the bags so I knew what clothes went where and I tried to leave the travel arrangements to Rob.

I hope there is stuff still in the sales next week. We went into NEXT this week and they had some nice baby girl stuff. I wouldn't really need any boy things but I would still go back out and have a look.

I think the new year will bring some news. In other words, I think some more of my friends will be joining me in having another baby. I wish them tons and tons of luck with the baby making and hopefully I will soon be able to share my experiences of having another.

Yoga seems to have stopped for the time being. Vivien said she isn't sure what she is going to do with the classes yet and will let me know. I am still waiting. I will be gutted if I can't go. I would actually try and find another class I think, as I really do feel it is quite important. I could do my own at home but it is hard to find the motivation when the chair and computer are calling me.

In the later stages, maybe from 30 weeks on, I would like to go swimming. The only problem this time is having someone to look after Ellis. Rob is probably going to be away 2 nights a week. I think though, I will have to stop line dancing early so I could go on that night instead, when Rob will be home. I would also like to do the active birthing classes but they start at 6:30pm which would mean I would have to leave the house at 6pm. Not sure Rob could make it home in time. We will have to wait and see. Out of all the things I could do, active birth classes would be my top choice.

Anyway, enough waffle, here is the 20 week bump pictures, now and before with new measurements. The figures in brackets are the changes since 0 weeks.

Now...



...before.



Measurements:

Weight = 11st 11lb (+5lbs)
Tummy = 93cm (+8cm)
Upper arm = 28cm (+1cm)
Upper leg = 59cm (+2cm)
Ankle = 23.5cm
Neck = 32.5cm

PHYSIO - 19 WEEKS, 6 DAYS

I had to split the video in 2 parts as I ran out of time in the first one.