Update on me

Well I'm very pleased I have finished making my Christmas cards and made a dent in my Christmas sweet jars! Although I'm very disappointed to say I am now one day overdue!! And very impatient and grumpy! My first son was born on his due date but I went into labour the day before and my second son was two days early. This is officially the most pregnant I have ever been. Not horrific I know but I had so banked on baby arriving before its due date I am now very miserable!!!

And getting messages every day for the last two weeks asking if baby has arrived yet has not improved my mood!!! Anyway I wont rant for the whole post!

I can't wait for baby to arrive so we know whether we have a little Olivia or a little Oliver! And I am so ready to get on my diet and shift some weight! I never got in 'the zone' after my second son and finally I am and ready to go!

My beautiful boys are so cute with my bump, hugging and kissing it which I must admit I will miss as it is just soooo sweet!

Hopefully my next post will be an introduction to our new addition!!

Start of homemade Christmas presents!

I have been soooo consumed with preparing for baby and trying to make sure I rest etc I haven't done any of the posts I had planned!

However this is a start to my homemade Christmas presents! Sweets in a jar! I have saved any jars I used and have washed and decorated them to make them into something festive!

First I took labels off my jars and washed and dried them inside out. As pictured above!

I then measured the space I wanted my festive paper to cover and cut it accordingly. I stuck it to the jar with double sided tape (a favourite of mine!)

I made a label for my jar (i'm unsure whether to put names or a festive greeting on them-any thoughts?)

And used some left over wrapping paper and an elastic band to make a lid. 

I will fill them with sweet treats closer to Christmas to keep them fresh :-)

I am making a few more at the moment so I shall share another photo soon of them all together!!

Hospital Stay!

I feel i've neglected my blog this week but unfortunately I landed myself in hospital with dehydration and had to go on a drip overnight and be monitored. All is fine with baby and I am home now on the instructions to rest and drink lots!! I am still feeling quite tired so this is just a quick update post but my husband has put a long post on his blog for anyone who is interested - http://charliesandharrysdaddy.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/dehydrated.html

And hopefully I will rest tomorrow and be back next week with some fun Halloween posts :-)

Chilli Loaded Skins

This week I wanted to make a healthy meal but slightly different from our normal choices. So although chilli on a jacket potato is something we would eat, I decided to load the chilli into jacket potato skins and melt some cheese on top!

I cooked my chilli as I normally would, using extra lean mince, onion, mushrooms, peppers, kidney beans and chopped tomato’s along with my herbs and spices. And I also put my jacket potatoes in the oven, however when the potatoes were cooked I cut them in half and spooned out some potato leaving enough to support the skin.

Then I spooned in the chilli and melted some grated cheese on top. Yummy, healthy and best of all, all the family loved it!

Christmas (Im early I know!)

Now I know we haven't even had Halloween yet but as I am having a baby at some point between now and Christmas, I have to get started on my Christmas crafts early. With this is mind I have started making my cards this week and I have to say I am very much in the Christmas spirit!

I have taken a photo of the ones I have made so far......

I'm trying to cut back a little this year as I always seem to send out so many cards and hardly get any in return. I obviously don't send my cards just to get one back but with budgeting for a new baby and the ever rise in the cost of stamps, this was one way I could save a few pennies! I have made a list and I need to make around 40 cards so this is just a little start.

I am writing this before going on holiday and scheduling it to post so that my blog is not quiet for an entire week and I can enjoy my precious family time to the max!!

Growth Scan

Well we went for our scan today and our little one was estimated at 6lb4 at 35+1weeks and we are assured that our baby will not be massive but average for us. Probably between 8 and 9lb.

 

We got two pictures at the scan and I have to say I absolutely LOVE the one we got of his/her face its fabulous and so clear with baby being that much bigger!

 

It was reassuring to have the scan and be told not to worry etc but I was fairly confident all would be ok as we had a growth scan with Charlie and just got told he would be big :-) It was so nice to have James with me and I think he loved it just as much as I did!

 

We are off on our holiday in a few hours, I am just relaxing a little while James packs the car up. I have scheduled a few posts for when we are away so all will not be quiet, check back in a few days to see :-)

Baby Bump-35 Weeks

Well 35 weeks today!! 5weeks/35 days till due date. Although I am secretly hoping for a few days less till baby arrives?! We shall see though!

This was taken just now, I am feeling huge! We are going to our growth scan in the morning to find out how big bumpy is as I was measuring so far ahead at my midwife appointment. So excited and really hoping we will get a picture!!

That is as much as I can say about my ever expanding belly for now but I will be sure to update after we have had our scan!

34 Week Midwife Appointment

Well today was my 34 week appointment with the midwife. When I finally got in 15minutes late after her previous lady coming back and wanting to speak to her again (I didn't mind this at all as we all need a little extra time sometimes) we went through all our normal checks and chatted. All was fine except at 34+3weeks pregnant I am measuring 39.5cm! For those that dont know you should measure 1cm for each week and they will give you 3cm either way for position and different body shapes.

So my midwife is going to ring the scan department at our local hospital to try and book me for a growth scan, although she warned they may want to wait until after my next appointment in two weeks to check that it wasn't a one off! I have to confess I would LOVE to see our baby one last time before it is born and I would also quite like the peace of mind that they checked?!

We shall see, I have been promised a phone call at some point today after she has spoken to the scan department so we shall see!!

I was very lucky and a good friend of mine came round to sit with my boys whilst I attended the appointment, i'm very grateful as I think they would of gotten restless waiting!

Countdown to Christmas

Now with our baby being due so close to Christmas, we decided most people family wise would be receiving a framed picture of all three of our children as a present. However I have seen a very cute idea of hand decorated jars of sweets.

I'm not sure if I will do this for every one of maybe just parents or good friends. It all depends on how many jars I can collect between now and Christmas!

It’s now 11 short weeks until Christmas. We've made a start on presents for the boys, but I’m feeling a list of 'left to buy' presents coming on!

34 Weeks!

34 weeks down and 6 to go! Due date is approaching so quickly, and it will probably continue to do so! We have a mini holoiday at Haven next week and then there will be less than one month to go!

I'm not sure how much difference there is between this picture and my 32 week bump picture, I wore the same mish mash pj’s so that it would be obvious if I had grown much!

I am also secretly hoping that this baby decided to come a little early, even if it's only a day! Charlie arrived bang on 40 weeks on his due date and Harry came at 39+5, two days early! So here's hoping!!

We have a few things left to get but have most and I’m feeling quite organised and prepared! Left to get is a new double pushchair and a winter snowsuit!

Eek! So much left to do!

I have so many projects that I want to do, and so many other things generally in life too!

I need to finish my baby shopping, finish my christmas shopping, finish organising all the new baby bits and then all the crafts/projects I would like to do too!!!! I think I will need to choose a few and get those done as we go on holiday on the 15th and then our baby is due nearly five short weeks later!!

Time seems to be rapidly slipping away from me and my due date seems so much closer and so quickly too! I will be 34weeks tomorrow! Which I think calls for a bump picture? James will have his camera at the ready tomorrow i'm sure.

We did get one more christmas present for the boys today, a Fireman Sam playset! Which they will love as they are both obsessed with Fireman Sam at the moment! However I am still a very long way off being finished! (But then I do actually enjoy christmas shopping, even when the shops are crowded and busy)

For now, happy Saturday and I will be back tomorrow with a baby bump update!

Mummy muddle!

Ah hormones are a wonderful thing, your never sure if your upset with good reason or just a little hormonal! At the weekend someone really upset me, not intentionally I am sure but it got me thinking.

Have I ever upset someone and not even known about it? I hate that I might of as I think manners and apologies are free and there's no reason to upset others! But how would I know?

Just a little mummy muddle going on in my brain as I worry and over think things!

Has anyone ever been told they'd upset someone and they isn't realise? How did you deal with that situation?

Pregnancy-highs and lows!

I love being pregnant, I honestly think it's one of the most magical, beautiful and natural things for a woman to do. Every little kick, movement and hiccup you feel in your bump just feels so amazing and special. A little life that your body is growing and nurturing.

However anyone that has been or is pregnant will tell you there are some not nice bits to pregnancy, the sickness, heartburn, pelvic/hip pain, back pain and many more! So although some days I feel like sitting on the sofa feeling sorry for myself, I always remember that I am so blessed and lucky to be experiencing such a special thing.

What was everyone else's favourite things about pregnancy? And your least favourite?

Two new family members!

We recently got a small fish tank and two goldfish, named Ben and Holly by our two year old! Charlie loved helping put the fish tank together and getting it ready for them.

Now one of his favourite things is when daddy comes home from work, they feed the fish together. Its become a staple in his routine that is not to be missed. And quite honestly it is just so cute <3

Yummy Mummy Goodness

Well since its almost October and the weather seems to have become colder, I decided some delicious homemade soup was in order. Leek and potato soup, so yummy and so easy to make!

 

First of all I gathered all my ingredients-leeks, potatos, large onion, 1.2ltr vegtable stock, salt, pepper and fat free fromage frais.

 

Then I chopped my onion and put it in a saucepan for about 5minutes with roughly 150ml of the vegtable stock.

 

Whilst that is in the saucepan for five minutes, I chop my potatos and leeks. Personally I leave mine quite chunky as I will blend at the end anyway! (Being a mummy is a busy job-save time where you can)

 

I add it all to the saucepan along with seasoning and the rest of the stock, bring to the boil and then leave to simmer for 25minutes.

 

 

Now I am a fan of not wasting anything so I am lucky that my wonderful husband also has a compost heap and uses all my peelings etc.

 

 

Now it doesnt look fantastic after its 25minutes simmering but have faith!

 

 

Next I get my hand blender and blend the contents of the saucepan.

 

 

Then slowly stir in about 150g of fat free fromage frias and then heat slowly and serve!

 

 

 

It was smelling so lovely my husband and I both had a bowl full with 2 slices of brown bread! Yum yum, the rest I put in a container in the fridge to be used up for  lunches etc!

 

A true winter warmer and so healthy and quick! I am very impressed I managed to take so many pictures with two little men 'helping me' and putting one to bed in the middle of my making! And I wouldnt change a moment of it, a hectic, fun, love filled life :-)

 

Lucky lady!

Sometimes when I have a quiet five minutes to myself, I sit and think about my life and how lucky I am. So I thought I'd share, I really do feel like the luckiest lady ever.

My fabulous husband and my gorgeous boys make me smile constantly, they are all truely amazing and my life!

No matter what else happens I can't help but realise how lucky I am. My handsome husband works sooooo hard so that I can be the stay at home mum I always wanted to be, and even when my boys are being mischievous monkeys I am still blessed to have them.

So everyone, take a moment to think about what you love about your life and why <3

So much to do, so little time!

I have so many projects I am half way through and need to finish up! I will be blogging about them as I finish them, I would ideally like everything finished before baby comes.

My problem is I keep thinking of new things I want to do before i've finished the ones i'm doing, however I have written a list and will be working my way through it!!

I will be going to print some photographs this week, to finish some albums I am doing. And since i've only 8weeks to go until bump is here, that means there is only just over 13 till christmas. So maybe a few run up to christmas post?! We shall see!

And since it's 8weeks today, here is my 32week bump picture! Feeling bigggg now :-)

Please excuse the very glamorous and mix and match pjs!

Countdown begins!

Well I will be 32weeks pregnant tomorrow-8 weeks to go! How scary does that sound?! I know I already have children but this pregnancy has gone sooooo fast! Everytime I think I have oodles of time left I then realise its not as long as I think!

This week I waited in for the delivery of our new mothercare cotbed and mattress-which I managed to get at 25% off by looking out for discount codes from their facebook!! My son Charlie was particularly excited as I had told him the babys bed was coming! He got very excited over the boxes and immediately asked me if we could have the baby out now! No such luck i'm afraid son, it's still got some cooking to do!!

I was so impatient to have it put together that even with dodgy hips and back I got the boxes upstairs (it did take me quite a while!!) and opened the boxes, but I was so tired out from that I then had to wait for my husband to come home and help put it together! But put together I think it looks quite at home at the end of our bed :-)

Teething troubles!

My poor little Harry is teething at the moment, the lovely molars!! They look so harsh pushing through their poor gums! After a night of very little sleep and lots of cuddles.... any mummy will know the feeling well, we had a day of clingy cries and cuddles. And my two year old decided today was the day to be hyper.... of course the day I can't move without upsetting my little Harry.

Leaving me feeling doubly useless! Firstly for not being able to stop the pain for Harry and secondly for not being able to play like I usually do with Charlie and tire him out! However they are both fast off now so can't have been that bad!?

Its one of those mummy days where I feel so much love for my gorgeous babies and had lots of time to sit and think about it and contemplate things!

Im hoping that within a day or so Harry will be back to his normal self and him and Charlie will be playing again and lovin' every second <3

The stork has been!

Ah one of my lovely friends had a baby yesterday morning, a beautiful little girl! She did so unbelievably well! Although I didnt make my present I did make my own card!

Simple but special I hope! I wanted something not too fussy so I could write my thoughts inside. I cant wait for cuddles later on, although it makes me very broody for my own little newborn to cuddle-for now my gorgeous toddlers will have to make up for it! My two year old Charlie is especially excited and randomly through out the day comes up to my belly and 'kisses baby' its very sweet and melts my heart everytime :)

And my gorgeous little Harry saw me taking a photo of the baby card and came up to me saying 'cheese' wanting his photo taken! It would be rude not to surely?!

How could you resist that face?! <3

A few recent things

Oh my!! I really did get carried away with being busy with everyday life! Havent posted since I set this up, new aim-post more!!

I have just finished a sewing project that I am very proud of! I don't have a sewing machine meaning everything takes that bit longer but I decided I didnt like my wardrobe doors, so my husband James made me a metal curtain pole and fixed it along the top and I made my own fabric curtain 'doors'!

 

Excuse the mess around and above wardrobe! Baby bits as it is only 9weeks tomo until my due date!!

Another of my favourite hobbies is baking especially with my gorgeous boys! A few things we have made recently are chocolate cornflakes, banoffee pie, flapjack and tonight we made homemade pizza!! Baking with small children is very messy but very very fun!!!

 

All of these so simple to make and soooo yummy!! xxxx

 

 

First ever post!

Well i'm sure as it's the first its supposed to be clever and witty, to make people want to read more........

.... can't be promised! I am a busy mum to two young boys (2years old and 11months old) and due our third in November!! I am exceedingly lucky in that my husband works very very hard so that I can be a stay at home mum to our gorgeous children. I have many good days, many trying days but I love each and every one of them! In between looking after my boys and keeping the house I do try and find time to fit in my hobbies- a favourite being crafts! My latest favourite is a sock monkey, which is a stuffed toy monkey teddy made from one pair of socks! Fab and very good value to make!!

Excuse the toys in the background! This one is my current favourite I made it from a childrens pair of socks so its small and ever so cute!!

I think thats enough for now! But I will try and post again soon.

Katy x