My 30th Birthday(Part 1) - Our weekend away

Last year, my husband turned 30. He was adamant that he was not having a party and I was not to make a fuss and he wanted the day to pass by quietly. However, as it was a special birthday, I wanted to do something to mark the occasion, so I decided that we would go away for the weekend.

We did some research online and found a gorgeous holiday cottage in Bridlington, Yorkshire, which was only a couple of hours drive away...and it came with it's own hot tub - bonus. We were there for three nights an absolutely loved it. So much so that when we came to look for somewhere to go for my 30th, nowhere else really compared. We knew we wanted to go somewhere with a hot tub again but everywhere else was either too far away, or ridiculously expensive! After chatting it over with Michael, we decided we would go back to Bridlington.

It has been booked from early in the year and I just couldn't wait to be back there. I was over the moon when we arrived and had been given the very same cottage as we stayed in last year - cottage number 6.

 

On the Friday morning when I was packing, the weather at home was glorious sunshine and really rather warm. I think I got carried away by the nice weather as none of us took our coats, we only took one jumper for Alfie and one jumper for me and Michael didn't even pack anything! As I was packing for me and Alfie, he'd assumed I was packing for him too, so when we got there on Friday night and he asked me what I'd packed for him and was not amused when I told him I'd only packed  a t-shirt and a couple of bits of underwear. He literally only had the clothes he was in and one spare set and swim shorts. Luckily, we were able to see the funny side as we were only there for three nights, so it wasn't the end of the world. He'll be sure to do his own packing next time ;)

The three days we were there were incredibly relaxed. As I'm pregnant, I was happy to let the boys go in the hot tub in the mornings whilst I sat and read my book. On the Saturday we ventured down to the beach, but it was absolutely freezing, and the tide was in, so we had some lunch and had a walk round the fairground and then headed back to the cottage. Alfie surprised me by wanting to go on a ride which went so high. My heart was literally in my mouth the whole time he was up there, but he thoroughly enjoyed it!

Sunday was the most chilled out day we've had in such a long time. Alfie said he didn't want to go out, preferring to stay at the cottage in the hot tub, which suited me and Michael too. We suggested taking him to an animal farm, but he wasn't bothered, so I didn't want to spend money on us going for the sake of it if he was happy not to go. It's very rare we have nothing to do and no plans of a weekend so I think Alfie was relishing not being rushed about and taken from place to place. It was a lovely quiet day. Later in the afternoon, we popped to Tesco to get something in for tea and stopped off at a little pub on the way back for some cake, which was delicious.

I must also mention that last year when we arrived we saw a peacock near the reception. Now, I'm not a fan of peacock's as they freak me out a bit, despite being rather nice to look at. This year, we didn't actually see any until our last night when we got a few in the garden. I was sat reading and one came strolling round the corner, past the patio window!

For the first time, I saw one with it's feathers fanned out (which totally freaked me out, so I am very glad that this photo was taken from the car)!

Monday saw us head to the beach before we left for home. Although it was chilly, we stayed about an hour and a half. Alfie loved paddling in the sea, collecting shells and watching Daddy skim stones across the water. It was such a lovely morning and made me wish we lived closer to the sea. At times I found myself getting emotional watching the boys playing together as I'm all too aware that this is quite possibly going to be our last weekend away as a three before the baby arrives.

Overall, we had the most wonderful relaxing break and it was just what we needed to start off a week of birthday celebrations.

If you would like more info on where we stayed, you can find details at Bridlington Holiday Cottages

Me and Mine - May 2016

WOW!

What a month May has been - definitely our busiest month of the year so far as we just had so much planned for my 30th Birthday!!

I have been counting down to this month all year as not only was it my birthday, but we had a whole 10 days off together, which included a weekend away. Despite us having so much family time, we've rarely taken any pictures together. It very much depends on Alfie's mood and how much I can bribe him to have a picture ;)

We went away the weekend before my birthday for 3 days and night and the only family picture we got was one right before Alfie's bedtime one night, whilst he was having supper. I really just wanted to be in the moment whilst we were away and not constantly thinking about the next photo, or having to persuade the boys to have a family picture taken. We had a totally chilled out time and it was much needed relaxation time!

On the way home from our weekend away, we drove past so, so many yellow fields, but Michael could never find anywhere to stop... Until we finally found one with a lay by next to it. He pulled over and we all jumped out, only for me to realise there was nowhere for me to set my mini tripod up and we'd actually have to stand on nettles to be in front of the field. The finished result is such an epic fail - but it made me laugh! I ended up standing on a nettle, so couldn't go back to re-do it as my foot was so sore and Alfie was getting restless! Oops!

I had an absolutely amazing time celebrating my birthday - we went out for afternoon tea and a meal on the day, had a spa day, a family meal with my auntie's and uncle's and a family party at home to end the week. 

So I'm going to share some pictures of my extended family because this crazy bunch are my family and I love them all to bits! 

My fabulous in - law's! 

All the ladies at the party - sister in law and niece, Sister and Mum, Mother in law, my best friend and my cousin

I also went out for a family meal with my side of the family and we had such a fantastic night!

Me, my cousin and my three great Auntie's 

My auntie, my nan, three great aunties and my cousin

With my grandparents 

All my fab family who came to my birthday meal - Three lots of great auntie's and uncles, my grandparents, my auntie and uncle, three cousins and my cousins boyfriend 

With all the auntie's and uncles

With my gorgeous cousins 

This evening, I took some last minute ones of the three of us in the garden and I actually love them! 

Overally, May has been a faboulous month and I have loved being able to spend time with my extended family - I can't remember the last time we were all together, so I will really treasure these photo's. 

June - we are ready for you! 

Our Dating Scan - Baby Number 2

It was Thursday 21 April.

Michael and I had taken the day off work as today was the day that we would have our dating scan. It was at a new health centre in town and my letter said that the appointment could take up to three hours. With this in mind, we decided that we wouldn't take Alfie and he would go to nursery as normal. I was gutted as I'd really wanted to take him but it wasn't realistic to take him if it could be three hours. So, off he went to nursery for the day.

Even though this is my second time, I was so incredibly nervous. Ever since I'd got the letter with my date, I'd had this nervous feeling whenever I thought about it. I don't know why but I felt so anxious in the build up to it. I'd been focusing on this day for so long - it had been something to work towards but now the day was finally here, I couldn't believe just how nervous I was.

I was glad we'd taken the day off as it meant I didn't have to rush around in the morning and I could try to get myself together as my appointment wasn't until 12.00. It was a glorious sunny day and as we made the short journey there, I did feel the excitement start to build on the way there. Michael was the totally opposite of me - he was like a kid at Christmas and seeing him so excited did actually help me get excited too.

Once there, we were called for after only a couple of minutes. We went in the room and there was two midwives and a trainee - I'd given my consent to have the trainee assess me as I think they do an amazing job. I answered a few questions with the first midwife, then it was time to hop on to the bed. I remember nervously glancing at Michael and I could see the excitement etched across his face. I lay down and the first midwife put the gel on my tummy and started to look around. I couldn't see anything at first as the screen was turned away from me, but Michael could see everything. I lay there for a few minutes taking it all in and seeing the excitement in Michael's eyes. He leant across and held my hand and I instantly felt like everything was ok. When it was finally time for me to see, I felt an overwhelming feeling of relief. To see your baby there in front of you and watch the heart beating, seeing it move. It's like something you just can't describe. At the time of the midwife trying to get all the measurements, the baby was actually doing a headstand, so was upside down. I honestly could've sat there all day just watching him or her and I wished more than anything that Alfie could have been there with us.

 Once the midwife had taken all the measurements and got our scan pictures, it was the turn of the trainee midwife to repeat everything which the other midwife had just done. At that point, I remember being in such awe of the amazing job they are doing and what an incredible job they have. The trainee midwife was great - she seemed to really know what she was doing and had I not been told she was a trainee, then I'd never have known. I didn't want it to be over. I wanted to lay there all day watching this little baby inside me, but the time had come and the scan was over.

We got 2 photo's to take with us and went back outside to wait as I had to see someone else. The wait this time was around 20 mins and by this point, I was really regretting not having brought any snacks as I was really starting to feel unwell and rather sick.

The next appointment was very short and sweet as she only took my sample from me, made a couple of notes in my book and I was sent back to the waiting room again to wait for the next midwife to see me.

Once called, we went down the long corridor, past the room where we'd just seen our baby for the first time and into another room at the back of the building. I was taken in on my own at first as they needed to ask me a few questions about Michael. For those who have been asked those questions you'll know what I mean - of course I wanted this baby with my husband, there wasn't any domestic violence in relationship and I've definitely not been forced into anything. I get why they need to ask them, but I just felt so protective over Michael. He's honestly the most incredible Daddy to Alfie and I know he will be to this one too. He's such a lovely, kind man and the best husband! Once he was brought back into the room, the midwife went through some of the pages in my notes and explained things to me, which was all pretty much the same as last time.

Then we got to the important part - My due date!

By my estimations, I was due on the 01 November, so I was surprised when the midwife brought me forward a few a days to the 28 October!

Leaving there, I felt like I was on cloud 9. It finally felt real - I had finally seen this little baby that I'd been so desperate to look after and protect more than ever in those early weeks. I felt much calmer after I knew everything was ok and as we were finished just after lunch, we decided to treat ourselves to lunch out as we rarely get any time off together in the week.

The day itself couldn't have been better and I'm so over the moon that I get to go through this journey again - sickness, nausea, tiredness and all.

{The Ordinary Moments #18} Paddling Pool Fun

Hurrah! We have finally had a day warm enough to get Alfie's paddling pool out! We bought it a few weeks ago after realising that his old one had a hole in it. Unfortunately, I was working all day yesterday but Michael set it up in the garden and Alfie had so much fun. I was sent a video of him whilst I was at work and I couldn't wait to get home.

Thankfully, it was still warm enough for him to get back in it when we got home at 5.30 whilst we sorted tea out. I really wanted to get some pictures of him, but of course, this resulted in him chucking cups of water all over me! I had to keep dodging them to avoid my camera getting wet!

We had a really, really bad day on Saturday with him and Michael was dreading having him on his own all day yesterday after his behaviour on Saturday, so I was relieved that they had a lovely day together - but I was gutted I was missing out on all the fun!

Hopefully we'll have lots more sunny days for him to enjoy his pool :)

*linking up with Katie - Mummy daddy and me makes three

11 Weeks Pregnant - Baby Number 2!

Due Date: 

Still 01 November, but by next week, I'll have my official due date.

Symptoms:

After getting away with very little sickness last week, this week it's been back with a vengeance! Tuesday, the day I turned 11 weeks, was a particularly bad day as I'd felt off all day and I was really sick at night time which lasted way in to the next day, resulting in me having to go home early from work. I hated having to leave, but I had spent more time in the toilets than I had at my desk. My boss was brilliant though and was so understanding. I'm so glad I've told her that I'm pregnant and I'm not keeping it from her.

Other than the sickness, I've still got next to no energy to do anything and I'm going to bed as soon as I can at night, or falling asleep on the couch, then having to drag myself to bed.

How is baby?

The baby is approx 4cm and has all its fingernails in place and very soon, will start opening and closing it's hands. The head is also very formed, with all the facial bones present. The body is now becoming more proportionate but the head does still take up a third of the overall length.

How I'm feeling? 

Despite feeling so rubbish, I think my mindset has changed this week. I'm sick and tired of feeling sick and tired, so I've tried to remain as positive as I can this week and on the odd occasion where I've had a burst of energy, I've tried to do something round the house, so it's not all left to Michael. I keep telling myself that these early weeks are so nearly over and with that the sickness and tiredness should go too. I've also reminded myself that my feeling and being so sick is a sign that the baby is growing strong and I keep reminding myself that is the most important thing and once s/he is here it will have been worth every single second.

I know how lucky I am to be pregnant and I know there are women who would take feeling this bad and worse just to have a little baby growing inside of them. With that in mind, I've tried to focus more on the positives and not be so hard on myself for not being able to cook tea for my husband or play a game with my son. It won't last forever and in the grand scheme of things, it's only a few weeks that I'll feel like this.

I'm excited for my scan next week. I just can't wait until I can see our little bub on screen and hopefully know that everything is ok. It's getting quite hard to hide now because as you can see from the picture above, I've already got a bump! At work, I'm wearing lots of loose tops of hoodies to try and hide my belly! I'll be so glad when it's not a secret anymore :)

10 Weeks Pregnant - Baby Number 2.

Due Date: 

Still 01 November 2016

Symptoms:

To be honest, this week hasn't been too bad. On Monday, I was sick before work and I felt pretty rubbish all day, well in to the evening. Alfie had been poorly with a cough and cold and had been up quite a lot in the night and ended up in our bed, so I was extremely tired, which I think made the sickness worse.

I'm still feeling really tired and I'm totally off food still, but I'm just relieved not to have suffered too badly with sickness this week and having a few days with no sickness has been a welcome break.

How is baby?

The baby's heart is now fully formed and it's heart will be beating two or three times faster than mine. The jaw is also starting to form, with all the milk teeth, which we won't start to see until around 6 months old. Fingers and toes are no longer webbed and the baby can move it's arms from the wrist and will be able to make little jerky movements. Amazing.


How I'm feeling?

Honestly? Not great. I remember reading a post by my lovely blogging friend Charlotte, before I was pregnant, where she talks about how grateful she is to be pregnant, but how hard she's finding it (you can read the post here) and I can totally relate to how she was feeling.

Pregnancy is the most wonderful thing in the world. To grow your baby inside of you for nine months and have this unbreakable bond with someone you haven't even met, well, it's just incredible. That's not to say it's not hard though. I've found this time round so much more difficult. I don't know if it's because I'm older, because I have a three year old to look after whilst I'm not feeling my best, or if it's just been a more difficult pregnancy, but I'm finding it hard. So much harder than I thought I would. I'm consumed by guilt at the moment. I'm not spending enough quality time with Alfie, I'm not able to pick him up when he asks. I'm very aware of lifting heavy things in these early weeks and sadly that also means Alfie too. On the whole, he's understood in his own little way, but it's also meant that Michael has also been picking up a lot of the slack whilst I've not felt up to it.

I feel like I'm failing at being a wife as well as a Mummy. I see the pressure Michael is under - he's working all week, sometimes driving four hours a day if he's working at the other site, he's then coming home and taking over with Alfie straight away, which includes making tea for them both and sometimes me too, he's also doing the bed time routine, which he's always done, but after getting in and having to make tea, it's meant he's not been sitting down till 9pm some nights, from 7am in the morning. I feel like I've neglected him and it has caused tears on occasions  (mine not his, I might add).

I'm incredibly lucky that he's been so understanding and has never once moaned or complained about having to do so much around the house and with Alfie, or the fact that his tea isn't on the table when he gets in after a long day. I'm so blessed to have him by my side supporting me through this journey.

Hopefully it won't be long until I'm over the sickness / tiredness and I can start to enjoy this pregnancy.

I also had my second midwife appointment this week, but there's nothing really to report as I was only in there about five minutes whilst she did a quick blood test. I get the results back at my scan in a couple of weeks.

9 Weeks Pregnant - Baby Number 2

Due Date: 

01 November 2016

Symptoms?

I started off the week feeling pretty symptom free! I had very little sickness or heaving in a morning and didn't feel as tired. I told Michael that it was a relief not to be being sick / heaving every morning but that I didn't want to count my chickens just yet as I knew it may well return... and it did by the end of the week. On Friday, it was my day off and I had my 1st midwife appointment and I was so ill before it. It was the first time that I've been sick and had Alfie there and I felt so bad that he had to see me being sick... he kept popping his head in the bathroom asking if I was ok and telling me he would wait for me, bless him. It was quite a bad episode, but as soon as I was finished, I pretty much instantly felt better and I even managed to eat breakfast before we had to leave the house! I also started with a mild cold this week, so I feel that took it out of me a little bit, but thankfully it didn't develop into a full blown cold.


How's Baby?

The baby is approximately the size of an olive and this week will transform into the feotal period, from the embryonic period. The heart is already beating strong, but I won't feel this. The ears are starting to form and the eyelids are developed, but will remain closed until much later on.


How I'm feeling?

Excited  and exhausted! As mentioned above, I had my first midwife appointment this week and it was so lovely to have one this early. Last time, there was a mix up with my so I ended up on missing quite a few appointments, so I was relieved that this didn't happen this time. The midwife was lovely and she started all my notes, which in itself made me excited as I still have my notes from when I was pregnant with Alfie. Seeing the midwife made it feel much more real. There's nothing much to report from the midwife as that first appointment was basically just a form filling exercise. My in-laws very kindly took me to my appointment, then had Alfie for a few hours for me, so I could go home and rest. I must admit, as much as I missed him, I was really grateful that I was able to go home and rest after feeling so terrible this morning. I feel like the weeks are going quite fast but that's probably because I'm sleeping so, so much! Gone are the days where I would stay up till past midnight and beyond. I feel like I've spent the past few weeks with me head in a toilet or asleep!

One thing I haven't mentioned yet are the vivid dreams I've been having. More or less since finding out, I have been having the craziest dreams! I usually remember my dreams anyway, but my dreams lately seem all the more vivid.

I'm still not managing to eat much except boring bland food and it's getting me down a bit because I'm so desperate eat proper food, but I can't stomach it, nor have I got the energy to cook it!

8 Weeks Pregnant - Baby Number 2

Due Date: 

01 November 2016

Symptoms?

So the sickness has stopped and been replaced with heaving instead although I did have a couple of days at the end of the week where I had no sickness / heaving at all, which was really rather lovely! That said, I've never been so glad for having two toilets! Every morning I get up and go down as quietly as I can and use the down stairs loo as I'm up a good 20 minutes before the boys - I can't imagine it being nice for Michael to wake up to the sound of me being sick every morning. I'm feeling really rough when I get up and getting out of bed is really, really hard! From the moment I open my eyes I'm filled with dread - am I going to be sick? Do I feel sick? Am I going to be ok? I think it's the worry of not knowing if I'm actually going to be sick which makes getting up so much harder!

On saying that, I'm finding now that my sickness is starting to settle down and once I've either been sick / heaved that it's enough to get it out of my system and I'm ok, whereas a few weeks ago the nausea would linger till around mid morning and sometimes even lunch time.

I'm still incredibly tired and I'm so looking forward to Easter as we have no plans and I really need these four days off! Four days to have slow relaxing morning's without setting the alarm. Four days to hopefully enjoy the time off with my boys. Four days where Michael will be there to look after not only Alfie, but me too!

How is baby?

The baby is approximately two centimetres in size and is growing at around 1mm per day. When you think of that, it's pretty crazy. The fingers and toes have started to develop although they are still webbed and will remain this way for some time yet. The embryonic tail is now almost gone and all it's nerves and organs are starting to function.

How I'm feeling?

I feel like I'm starting to manage things better. I've been eating lots of bland foods and I've found I've really missed proper food - I've been craving spaghetti bolognaise  this week, but I've not had the energy to make it and I'm not sure how I'd cope with such a rich meal, so it'll have to wait a few more weeks yet I think. I started the week off feeling really anxious as I was worried about Easter being a write off - the last three weekends I've been fit for nothing and I really didn't want our four days off to be wasted or for me to miss out on anything because I was resting on the couch. Luckily, I got up on Good Friday and felt fine. I had no symptoms at all and I was able to enjoy the day. We went to my granparents and told them the news and it was the perfect Spring day and I was so lovely to sit out in the garden and feel some sun. It's made me desperately crave the warm summer months!

One exciting this which happened this week was on Easter Saturday, I received my letter from the hospital with my scan date which is the 21st April. At last I feel like I've finally something to work towards. I'm being quite silly in that I'm trying to convince myself that once I get to that magical 12 weeks and I've had my scan, that I'll suddenly start to feel better and this sickness and nausea will go and I'll start to feel great! However, I know that just because I've had a scan that I'll suddenly start to feel ok again and back to my old self. With Alfie, the sickness / nausea lasted until around 13 weeks.

Here's hoping it goes sooner rather than later!