Gimme Five!

Our new baby

2009-03-10T13:29:00.003+01:00

I have no idea who - if anyone - might still be popping in here. I ahven't blogged in such a long time, I guess I just got out of the habit, and for a long time, I had nothing uplifting to write, so it seemed pointless! Anyway, I just wanted to share these pictures of our new miracle baby. I am so thrilled,blessed and overjoyed to be 28 weeks pregnant - baby is due right at the beginning of June. Who'd have thought this would ever happen? Certainly not me. But life is pretty sweet right now :)

No news is good news?!

2008-05-06T21:30:00.004+01:00

Gabe in Doctor Who pose with his sonic screwdriver!

Arlo eats an orange!

Well....life trundles along doesn't it, no matter what we do. We have children growing a little more each day, discovering new things, learning new tricks, giving me an extra grey hair or two (erm...this is not a joke by the way!) Our eldest has just chosen which subjects she wants to continue with at school (she's almost 14) and it seems that she's like her mum, as she wants to study languages. Daughter number 2 turns 12 next week and is desperate to be as grown up as possible. A few days ago, she decided that she is now a vegetarian and has even given up eating her favourite sweeties as they contain gelatine. I'm impressed! Girly number 3 will be 10 next month and simply drives us insane in so many ways. She is ALWAYS right. Oh man, it's really hard to live with someone like that!

As for the boys, Gabriel is just plain Gorgeous. There's no denying it. He has started attending a nursery and when we arrive, crowds of little people run up, crying "Gabriel is here!", so it seems he enchants everyone he meets. And Arlo....well Arlo is what's commonly known as a handful......more trouble than all of his siblings put together and then some!

And me & the Doc.......healing. He's had an op, he's healing remarkably well physically. The same op has healed my heart.

Wow! It's been a while!

2008-02-25T14:52:00.003+01:00

Now I KNOW I said I'd be blogging. Oh dear. ...I think what bothers me is not knowing who reads here, I mean, what if I were to go shouting my mouth off and any Tom, Dick or Harry found out my innermost thoughts (or mother-in-law/neighbour/strange stalker?!!!)

Anyhooooo! Things are going pretty great here chez OK. Yesterday, we booked ourselves a mini-break. Oh no, not THAT kind of Bridget Jones-esque (though wouldn't THAT be nice? You know, doing things which would be illegal in some parts ;)) Nope, we will be staying in a Travelodge, separate rooms for DrOK and myself so that we can supervise the rabble that is our offspring. Cheap and cheerful. Well, cheap at least! We are going to Brighton during the Easter break and I, for one, can't WAIT! The kids have been planning a major spending spree....we live really and truly in the back of beyond and shopping is something we dream about, the girls have plenty of Christmas cash left which is burning a hole, you know what I'm saying. So we plan to make a detour on our way home and do some serious spending. It seems that Gabriel is most excited at the prospect of sampling Krispy Kreme delights. I think I might help him out!

Arlo is turning into a toddler....in fact, I think he probably already is, seeing that he is nearly 14 months old (sob, sob!) He walks so confidently and is the cheekiest of cheeky monkeys. Gabriel announced last week that Arlo is "a glorious brother", they laugh together a LOT! I guess the fighting will start one day, and possibly soon, but I revel in their love for each other :)

There really is quite a lot I'd love to tell you but I don't feel very safe saying it here. Maybe one day I'll tell all, but now's not the time. It's all good though!

Just saying hello

2007-12-19T13:10:00.000+01:00

I really don't know where this year has gone....and it's not been a good year so I'll be glad to see that back of it. We are just getting ready for Christmas here, and after that, of course, a first birthday for little Arlo.

When I was feeling incredibly low earlier this year, I said that my marriage was in trouble. Well, I don't know that it was ever about to completely fall apart, I believe that there is too much love here for that to have happened, but things are back on track and we are working to get back to "us", and I am confident that it will only improve as the months go on.

I reckon that some chirpiness will get me back blogging properly soon, after Christmas I'll have to make the effort for some cheery posting, goodness knows that in a house full of crazy kids there's a story or two to be told! I don't think there'll be a chance to update here again too soon, so I'll wish anyone who pops by a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year xx

Arlo's 11 months old!

2007-11-30T13:56:00.000+01:00

Mine is bigger than yours....

2007-10-30T12:32:00.001+01:00

So we are attempting to potty train. Gabriel is either a)too lazy or b)too engrossed in other things going on around him to do well at this latest challenge. His sisters had all been potty trained for a year at this stage..... Anyway, we were having a little chat whilst changing his pants (he has LOTS of top-notch undies including Buzz n Woody, Bob the Builder and Spiderman...though he's a bit worried about the Black Spiderman ones as he's a BADDIE!!!)

Gabe: You haven't got a willy, Mum
Me: Nope
Gabe: Daddy has......Daddy's willy is big and HUGE
Me:(silently to myself) Has Daddy been putting words in your mouth my darling?!
Gabe: (sadly) MY willy is only very, very small.......(brighter) but ARLO's is smaller!!

Beanz meanz smilez

2007-10-23T14:10:00.000+01:00

Big kids were eating beans on toast and Arlo was eyeing them up, so let him have a munch and he certainly enjoyed them! He saves his best smiles for sweetcorn though!

No news is good news?!

2007-10-03T14:55:00.000+01:00

Thought I'd just pop in here to say that things are a LOT better with me (I should say "us"!).....not exactly "right", but better,which is such a relief.

It was our 13th wedding anniversary a couple of days ago...and the one thing that we can totally agree on is that we still love each other very much. I know that marriage is something that needs working on, I just didn't realise just how difficult it can be when things aren't going so well.

Ours is a work in progress.....and I KNOW that we will get there in the end.

In other news, Arlo learnt to clap hands yesterday and he is the sweetest little man clapping away and giggling to himself.......

Sorry

2007-09-11T11:55:00.000+01:00

I'm sorry.
Sorry that I haven't felt like updating my blog.
Sorry that I haven't kept up with friends' news.
Sorry that I haven't been replying to messages and emails.
Sorry about what's happened in my life to be dragging me down, tearing me apart and eating away at me.
Mostly, I am so sorry that my marriage seems to be in big trouble and I don't know what to do about it.

sigh

2007-07-30T22:24:00.000+01:00

So, my help never came...can you believe it.....the counsellor never even turned up? I don't quite know what to do really.

Anyway, I got myself some therapy in the form of a visit home to Wales, I went to the beach, got cuddles from my mum, got drunk with my sister, got my hair cut & coloured (it felt like a real treat), my sister and I took my girls to see Girls Aloud play live, which they LOVED, it was the first time they'd been to a gig of any kind. Now I am longing to go back, but that's not going to happen for a very long time I don't think, as we alternate Christmas visits between families, and this year it's the in-law's turn (although, now that I think about it, we didn't go anywhere last Christmas as we were awaiting a very important delivery, so maybe I can wangle a Wales visit this year??!!!...oooh, good thinking on my part!)

I don't know who might stumble on this blog, and it's open for the whole world to read, so I can't go into details (though I know that there are people reading who are aware of what's causing my sadness...don't know if that's the right word but I do feel extremely sad) but it's just not going away. I don't know how to move on. I guess I need to seek help from another source, as the one I'd pinned my hopes on went and let me down.

Anyway....going home was a wee bit of therapy, let me show you why :

That's all for now folks....send me some happy vibes please (or some cake would do.....)

Rock Bottom

2007-07-05T09:18:00.000+01:00

Well that's it. I've sunk about as low as I could have. I have asked for help and am finally getting some next week.

Pom pom, anyone?

2007-06-25T12:30:00.000+01:00

We went shopping on Saturday, I needed to pick up my new specs for starters, it's been over 4 years since I last had new ones, so I think I deserved them! I normally spend an absolute age trying to find the right pair, but this time, I found some I liked and just went with the feeling rather than dragging DrOK with me around every single shop, looking at hundreds of frames and....then going back and getting the first ones I'd seen (am I the only one who does that? Surely not!)

Soooo, we had plenty of time on our hands, and cash burning a hole in our pockets (ok, so that part is a total LIE, the truth is that the summer sales had started!), we went for a mooch around some clothes shops. Everyone got something, even MOI!

I was with my 2 big girls and baby boy in Dotty P's looking at skirts...we all piled into the changing rooms for a trying on sesh. Periodically, I pranced out of my cubicle to show Meg, who was waiting ouside with Arlo. When I got to the very last item, a bright green skirt, I came out and said to her that it was WAY too short for me.........her reply? "No Mum, it looks fab! You look like a cheerleader!" Of course, at this point, curtains started twitching and various heads bobbed out for a look. I was horrified! Until.....one lady yelled, "BUY IT! If someone told me I looked like a cheerleader, I'd get one in every colour!"

So I bought it :)

Another month, another birthday!

2007-06-21T13:47:00.000+01:00

Today it's my baby girl's turn to have a special day. I can't believe 9 years have passed since she came into our family, time really does fly. This little madam is absolutely infuriating, maybe that's because she is my mini-me?!?! I think she's going to go a long way. Happy birthday my little love. xx

New Tricks, part 2

2007-06-21T13:44:00.000+01:00

Eating real food! (and not too happy about it haha!)

New tricks

2007-06-18T15:41:00.000+01:00

Sitting up..

Peggies

2007-06-14T13:39:00.000+01:00

Arlo's teeth! Plus my fingers! So hard to get a pic.

Out of the mouths of babes

2007-06-11T11:22:00.000+01:00

If you look at this pic (taken pretty early on Saturday morning, hence bed-hair...of the unsexy kind, I'm afraid!), you will notice that I have a fairly large mole on my left cheek. I've been musing recently over the benefits of having it removed. What's putting me off is the thought of scarring....and after all, the whole issue of removal is one purely of vanity, so I have to weigh up which scenario is worse...a big brown lump on my face or a red scar which will fade more as time goes on?

Well, my dear little Gabe may well have helped me on my way to deciding after a little conversation we had a couple of days ago. We were having a nice cuddle and he was running his fingers over my face when...

Gabe: Ooooh, Mummy, what is THAT??? What's it called?

Me: That's called a mole.

Gabe (chuckling): Nooo Mummy, don't be silly! That's not a mole! That's a nipple!

I think I need to have a chat with the doctor ASAP!

All smiles

2007-05-21T12:35:00.000+01:00

This is my new, improved Arlo. He's turned into a veritable happy chappy! This morning, 3 needles were jabbed into his legs, the nurse said she was worried he'd no longer like her (!), but after the merest hint of a whimper, he was ogling Sister Angela in her uniform once more and grinning like a loon (men and uniforms eh??what can you do??)

Question, questions

2007-05-18T14:47:00.000+01:00

Things are better here. Thanks, folks! I know it will all come right in the end.

In the meantime, HeatherAnne has asked me some questions, so I guess I'd better get my thinking cap on.

If you could add any new course to the the UK's curriculum, what would it be? I'd make sure every child knew how to make the perfect cup of tea for their dear old Mum.

If you joined the circus, what act would you most want to perform? I'd probably be the strange bearded lady.

If you could own another home in addition to the house when you presently live, where would you want it to be? I'd have a home in Tenby, with fabulous views out over the sea.

If you had an extra hour every day and you had to use it to relax, what would you choose to do? Do I have to "do" something? I'd rather do nothing, and savour the peace.

What is your favorite movie of all time? The Wedding Singer. Not sure I'd dare to watch it now after a 5th baby, I might actually wet myself laughing.

My beloved Tenby

A confession about depression....

2007-05-15T10:31:00.000+01:00

I don't know who's been looking in lately, but if you've been around, you'll have noticed that I haven't exactly been prolific in posting. But the recent triumphant return of KellyWell has spurred me on! So (deep breaths) here goes......

I've got a new blogosphere. I've been privately blogging over on Vox, so some of you reading this may already know some of my woes. And that's the point. I have been sinking further and further into some kind of post natal depression. I haven't wanted to admit it to the world at large and in all honesty, I feel a little vulnerable writing this, after all, who knows who might be reading? It's a new thing for me, I have never experienced such a low after having a baby, which, let's face it, should be a joyous time. Well, not for me, not this time. When my other 4 babies arrived, I was filled with such intense love for them, each time I revelled in new mummyhood. The shock of recent months has knocked me for six. I've looked at my sweet new baby boy and thought he can't possibly be mine. I've thought about maybe letting someone else have him......surely someone else, anyone else, could care for him so much better that I could.

I've looked at my husband and wondered who the hell ARE you? I've felt like I didn't know him at all. He has done things which have seemed (and still seem) alien to me. It was as though I never really knew him at all. I didn't want him near me, I didn't want him to talk to me, and I certainly didn't want him to touch me.

I've looked at my older children and wished they'd leave me alone. I kept thinking Give me peace, let me be, why won't everyone stop asking for a piece of me?

I've looked at myself in the mirror and loathed the person looking back at me through her sad and tired eyes. I've not recognised her. She is old and fat and ugly. She has deep lines on her weary face. Her eyes have no light. She's a frump. A poor excuse for a human being.

All this has happened and I have been well aware of how it's depression which has been doing this to me. I've known somewhere inside that my husband loves me and wants nothing more than for me to be happy. Several times, he has said "please let me love you". I know the kids have wanted their old silly mummy back, not the grumpy woman who either yells at them or the monosyllabic misery sat on her arse in some kind of sad stupour. I know that Arlo has deserved so much more than the robot who has "cared" for him on autopilot.

But something has changed. There has been a shift somehow. Maybe I should have asked for help. I didn't do that. Now, suddenly, I feel so much brighter. I have been laughing with the girls. We have danced around the house, we've been singing and giggling and being silly. Arlo and I have been bonding. We've cuddled and smiled and laughed and dribbled (him not me!) Gabriel has been the one constant in everything. My darling little man. Soooo many times he has said to me "be happy mummy!" and thrown his arms around me. I've taken some time for me. I've bought some new clothes to see me through the final 15lbs I need to lose of the 54 I gained whilst pregnant. I got my hair cut. I bought some new perfume and make up. I bought some undies. Not mummy knickers. Proper, frothy stuff! I needed to love myself a bit to be able to be loved by others.

As for DrOK. He has hurt me. I wrote about it months ago and won't go into it again. But a little effort to be nice goes a long way (I mean on my part) I am not stupid, I know all too well how much I love him (even if I've been feeling angry/let down/taken for granted/blah blah) It's precisely because I love him that I've been feeling so badly about certain issues. We're getting there.

But today...now TODAY is a good day. It's Meg's 11th birthday. It's a day to celebrate, to have fun and to eat cake! Speaking of which, I'd better go to my kitchen a create a masterpiece.

I'll be back very soon. My blogging drought seems to be at an end.

Wingardium Leviosa!

2007-04-11T14:36:00.000+01:00

Since Arlo found a wand at the park, he wants to be the next Harry Potter...

...but Gabriel just wants to be in the Village People!

Bedlam!

2007-03-26T12:33:00.000+01:00

So....we bit the bullet and ordered a proper "big boy's bed" for Gabriel. Such a shame...he loved his cot. He would happily go down for an afternoon nap (which would often last THREE HOURS!) and bedtime was no prob at all. At first, he was not too sure about the whole thing, but was excited at the prospect of Buzz Lightyear bedding, so we were hopeful. The bed arrived 6 days ago. Lots of fun was had bouncing on the mattress before the bed was assembled by DIY Daddy ("Look Mum! I do exercises eeeeeevery morning!"), plenty of keen helpers on hand (hmmmm...) At last, the bed was ready. It was a bit high though for a diddy 2 yr old!

Yep, still bouncy! Yep, totally super-cool Buzz bedding. Yep, knackered little chap who'd not slept that afternoon. NOPE...he didn't want to go to bed. So we all had a go at piling in. Even I got in for a snuggle. Luckily, he really was exhausted, so he fell asleep after a couple of stories involving the time when Buzz got his first big boy bed :)

Now, I know we've been lucky.....Gabe has always got up at 7.30 - 8am. Maybe it's because he simply couldn't get out of the cot. But no longer.......now it's 6am. He wanders into a random bedroom to wake someone up, he's not too choosy, just wanting a pal to play with! 6am isn't too awful I guess....but he's also taken to wandering in to our bedroom at silly o'clock. "It's too dark", "It's too scary", "It's too cold" etc. ARGH! And there is absolutely no chance of a nap in the afternoon any more. I don't dare get in with him to encourage him, as I know that I'd be the one left snoozing whilst he causes havoc downstairs (of course, there is also the small matter of baby Arlo!) The day after he got the bed, Gabriel disappeared at approx 4.30 and where did I find him? Oh yes....totally zonked in the bed where he had refused to nap a few hours earlier.

can you see the curly head peeping out?!

Twice in the following 4 days, he has flaked out on the living room floor mid-afternoon (admittedly, he was poorly yesterday.....a day which involved a tired mummy putting toddler back to bed at 5am only for her to lie in a pool of puke which he'd ever so kindly forgotten to warn me about......ewwwwwwwwwww!) I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that one day, one day very soon, my little monkey will revert to his former champion sleeping habits. Send your snoozy vibes this way folks! (Tomorrow night would be good as DrOK is off on his travels and I'll have the two teeny terrors, including of course a boobmeister.)

I think those of you who've been reading my Vox blog will allow me the indulgence of an extra wee piccie again of baby boy here. He's such a serious, thoughtful little guy. But scrum-diddly-umptious ....

Hamburgers!

2007-03-07T12:53:00.000+01:00

DrOK has several business trips coming up. At the end of the month, he is off to the U.S. of A. for 2 and a half days. In all honesty, I have absolutely no idea why he's going, nor where, although he is flying business class so I'm sure he'll be alright. I told him I wanted to put in an order for some stuff from BabyGap.....I am addicted to their cute PJs (of course not for myself, though I do wish I could squeeze into them!) and I love their dungarees (I think they are called "overalls" across the pond?) He said "I won't have time for shopping". NO TIME FOR SHOPPING??? What's THAT all about?! I am not best pleased! (He did jokingly offer to stay on another day in order to spend some spondoolies...)PLUS, I'd like to know why here in the UK we have to pay so much for our Gap goodies? I drool over sweet little things on their website and gasp at the price in $...just so unfair! So no beautiful bargain babywear unless there is a shop at the airport in the Big Apple (where, coincidentally, I intend to spend my 40th birthday on 4th December 2009, anyone wanna come?!)

He is also off to Germany (again!) on the day the kids go back to school after the Easter break, this time to a conference in Hamburg for a week (what excellent delights can you get in Hamburg??!) We were chatting about it this morning over our early cuppa and he said he was "off to Hamburg to see some Hamburgers!" Little Gabe's ears pricked up and off he slid down the stairs. A moment later, he returned, shoes in hand. "ME go get hamburgers!" He did look cute in his retro BabyGap pjs and new shoes! But oh, the disappointment upon learning that Daddy was going to work and he couldn't go along! A weekend trip to MacDonalds was promised. And that made it all better :)

At Last!

2007-02-20T18:15:00.000+01:00

Finally, at 7 weeks and 4 days, I managed to get a pic of this little tinker smiling! And also, at last, I really feel in love with my boy. It's hard to explain, but something just didn't "click" until now, I don't quite know why....

Here's to many more smiles ahead. And one day in the not too distant future, I may even find time to blog properly (if my brain ever kicks into gear again!) I promise to at least try, and to visit blogs and maybe even comment!!! (It's slightly difficult with a baby on your knee and a toddler asking for this, that and the other!)

Cologne

2007-02-07T14:30:00.000+01:00

As part of the girls' Christmas haul, they received a day trip from the Doc and I. We did this as none of them had ever flown and they were desperate to get on a plane (of course, he was the lucky so-and-so who got to accompany them) So, they dragged themselves out of bed at 4.30ish one Saturday morning and off they went for an exciting day out in.....Cologne!

They had done some research on the internet and discovered that there was a chocolate museum so they planned a visit there to break up the shopping and eating! Although as it turned out, shopping and eating also occurred at said museum. Imagine their utter delight (and my envy) upon discovering that it wasn't just any old choc museum.....oh no....it was the LINDT chocolate museum! And not only could they watch the delicious chocs being made, they were also allowed to taste them. Grrrrrr! However, I shouldn't complain TOO much as a yummy pack of truffles was transported back to blighty for poor old Mummy Milkmaid who had been stuck at home with two small boys. Delish! They must've enjoyed their taste testing as when they visited the caff, they could only manage a drink!

Afterwards, in order to ease their guilt (yeah, right!) they climbed to the top of the cathedral tower. Apparently Cologne cathedral is Europe's tallest and by all accounts they were absolutely cream crackered by the time they reached the top. They said the views were fabulous, but the photos they took look rather like a grim industrialised town to me!

Next followed a short sightseeing tour, which involved the most hilarious sights (or so I am told) . You can take a gander for yourselves at the photos they took. Firstly, for your delight, is the statue of some important old bloke on his trusty steed. I expect it was some kaiser or other, the girls couldn't tell me....they were too busy laughing at their pic of a horse's behind. And next came a most amusing statue of a naked man. Some small girl or other took pics from several angles.

Honestly, these kids are complete and utter heathens! You cannot imagine the amusement caused by these photos, lots of chuckling and sniggering....

After their brush with culture, during which they found themselves on a filmset for a German cop show (I kid you not, they were filmed in the street and found themselves unwitting extras in the filming), they ventured into the shopping centre of Koln and spent what was left of their Christmas money. How excited they were to find a "fabulous shop, really mum, it was GREAT!" Oh yes, dear reader, my children have witnessed the wonder of.......C&A hahahaha :)

A very long day almost over, they headed back to the airport, where there was time to partake in that most excellent german meal of...pasta...before heading back home, tired, aching, but oh so very happy!

One Month Old!

2007-01-29T12:33:00.000+01:00

Arlo has reached the grand old age of one whole month! It's been a very long and difficult month for me as he is really hard work. He loves to take a bath, it's strange how his daddy nearly always gives him his bath, I think it's DrOK's way of helping me out. He's always been a fabulous father to all our children but hasn't really done much when they were tiny. But he can see how hard the last few weeks have been for me and has been doing his damndest to make things a little easier on me. You see.....Arlo cries. And cries. And cries. A lot. Nothing really settles him apart from going out for a walk, when he falls asleep in the pushchair and he wants to breastfeed pretty much all the time he is awake. I haven't bothered trying to express yet but think that is on the agenda this week, we'll see.

Anyway, Arlo finally decided to be nice yesterday and napped a little but also was amused by a rattle (WOW!) and was such a smily gurgly little man that I actually ENJOYED time with him for once. It's been such a shock to me because none of the others have been so trying and I have really great memories of their early days. There's been pretty much nothing of that this time around until now. The best thing for me has been to see how his siblings are with him, especially Gabriel, who quite clearly adores his baby brother and wants to kiss and cuddle him as much as possible. I can't believe how gentle he is with him! The downside is that Gabriel has really and truly hit his "terrible twos", so I find myself having to take a deep breath and count to ten many, many times each day. We are getting there though, and Gabe certainly makes up for the naughtiness by his adorable nature, which we are still seeing most of the time.

So today, to celebrate, Gabriel and I have made a cake (most of it seemed to end up on Gabe's face! Here's to a more settled and enjoyable month ahead..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Medallion Meg!

In other news, Meg took part in a cross-country race on Friday. 9 local primary schools are involved, kids from years 5 and 6 come together and race at our girls' school (it's the biggest one in the area). Meg qualified last year and was really pleased to come 26th out of just over 50 girls. This year, she was pretty much overjoyed (!) to come in a very respectable 10th place of the 50 runners, especially because the top 10 received medals, so here she is, proud as punch, showing off her shiny medal.

Where in the World?

2007-01-13T17:00:00.000+01:00

We live somewhere that we never intended to. Miles from any family and it feels like it's the middle of nowhere. We relocated here from the Essex/Suffolk border, pretty much by accident. We had lived there for 8.5 years and never allowed ourselves to consider it as "home" as we had always thought we'd only stay there for a couple of years. We'd only gone there as that's where DrOK was offered a really good job after completing his doctorate. SO, when his employers asked for people to take voluntary redundancy, we had a long chat and decided the time was right, we wanted a new start after some bad times (mostly involving losing a baby...)

So that's how we ended up here.....DrOK went along to an interview "just to get some practice" and got offered the job. The primary school our younger girls attend is excellent, the high school our eldest attends seems to be steadily getting worse and worse results. It's really not that good at all. DrOK is not exactly thrilled with his current employment and we are all getting itchy feet. But it's a huge decision.

We met at university in Liverpool and we both loved it there. Eventually, we got fed up as we were broken into several times, plus a drug dealer was shot dead in the next street! So away we went to Essex but really believed we would one day return to Liverpool, especially as housing was so affordable. But of course, in the meantime, Liverpool has become cool and hip, and as a result, house prices have rocketed. But I still have a longing to go back, I have just seen Liverpool on tv and I really do often think of it as "home".

However, I also saw a programme about Cornwall the other day and it looked so much like my REAL home in Pembrokeshire that I LONGED to go back. How I would love to bring my children up back in Wales.

It's a tricky one. Moving would be so stressful, it would involve DrOK looking for (and finding) a new job, plus we'd have to find decent schools for the girls. Of course, then there's the small matter of selling and buying a house. BUT it could mean a better (ie happier) life for us all. Not that we are unhappy as a family, just that there is something not quite right.

Maybe I'd better buy a lottery ticket.........

Ol' Blue Eyes

2007-01-13T10:45:00.000+01:00

I have tried and tried to get a shot of this young man without his tongue sticking out, but have failed miserably. Maybe we should've called him Tim? (as in nice but dim.....!)

A new little miracle

2007-01-09T12:32:00.000+01:00

I haven't blogged in a while but I'm thinking you'll forgive me, after all, I have been rather busy with other things!

Christmas passed me by in a haze.....I'd been having contractions on and off for several days and woke up with strong, regular ones on Christmas Day at 4.30am. I truly believed this was it, but no such luck. I was just left exhausted and retreated to my bed once the children had opened all their presents. The next day, my midwife visited and informed me that there was to be no midwife available over the following weekend, so no homebirth. She insisted on making an appointment for me to visit the hospital to be monitored and for "chat" with a registrar regarding induction. So off we went the following day for the appointment, which was farcical to say the least. THEY had insisted on it and had me booked in for 10.30am. Finally, at 1pm they managed to lay their hands on a machine. So I wasted 2.5 hrs just sitting around, even though they had known I was coming. Then, I was told I "HAD" to see a registrar, but that would mean a 2hr or so wait. I pretty much told them where to stick it and agreed to come back the following day (Thursday) and even agreed that I would come in for induction on the Saturday. When I turned up the next day, I was told Friday would be more convenient as all the ladies already booked had managed to give birth without induction (jammy for them), so Friday it was.

We were asked to come in for 11 when we discovered that they were "too busy" to start me off. (I really wonder why I had opted for a home birth, hmmmmm) So DrOK went home as they were talking about leaving me until 6pm or later. Anyway, at 3pm they suddenly got the go ahead and I was pretty pleased to see a midwife who had looked after me when I was having Gabriel. She told me she would get me started "don't worry" (Yeah, right, I was petrified!) DrOK called at 6pm to see if it was ok to bring all the kids for visiting at 7, which I told him I was really looking forward to. BUT by 7, I was having contractions every 5 minutes and oh boy were they strong. It was agony from the get-go. So of course, we all had a quick cuddle and then they had to go back home, only for DrOK to whizz back, apparently at 90mph! At 8pm, the nice midwife examined me, I was shaking uncontrollably, I'm pretty sure it was the shock of how quickly and painfully labour had started out. She declared me to be at 4cm but was worried that the baby was in fact breech and went off to find a portable scanner and a Dr. I was almost praying for a c-section at this point as the pain was pretty unbearable, but it turned out that baby was indeed head down and simply had a very bony bottom (this has turned out to be true...I have never seen such a bony behind!)

Off we went to the delivery suite (finally!) and at 9-ish, we were introduced to Jenny, who was to be our midwife. It was her first day (she was experienced but had only just joined the staff) and she turned out to be fab. I gladly grabbed the gas & air and all was once more well with the world. At approx 11.10, I had to climb on to the bed as my legs just couldn't hold me up any more and the midwife said she would maybe break my waters as I was just about 10cm, but I gave a teeny weeny push and my waters broke all by themselves, which was a first for me. The amount released was absolutely amazing, it splattered all up the walls a couple of meters opposite the bed, the floor was flooded and the trolleys with all the equipment on were soaked! Eventually, at 11.20pm, DrOK and I became proud parents to a 5th baby and our 2nd son. He was shocked by his birth and I can hardly remember him being whisked off for some oxygen, he was completely motionless and floppy (DrOK later told me how terrified he had felt at this moment, I have vague recollections of being teary and scared) but within moments, he was pink and wailing. What a wonderful sound, music to my ears :)

When we were left on our own, the Doc and I expressed our utter amazement at what we had been so blessed to experience again. Our own little miracle, who hadn't been planned, but who was so obviously meant to join our family.

So here he is, Arlo, with eyes the bluest blue, absolutely adored by all his big sisters and his big brother too. He breastfeeds like a pro and even manages to (sometimes) sleep for 3 hours at a time at night! So new, so perfect, so loved. My baby.

Perfection Personified

2006-12-31T18:06:00.000+01:00

Amazing, adorable Arlo Joseph OK arrived at 11.20pm on Friday 29th December, weighing in at 8lbs 7oz........his Mummy is totally and utterly besotted!!!

Hanging on until the bitter end

2006-12-27T23:28:00.000+01:00

This is what a 42 week belly looks like. It FEELS enormous and very heavy! I have caved in and admitted defeat....called my parents today and they are coming tomorrow for a few days. I have agreed to go in for induction on Saturday 30th December, 17 days overdue. It will be my Auntie's birthday, we lost her in 1982, so it would be a very special day for my baby to come along. Of course, he/she might have other plans and a homebirth could still happen if it all starts by itself before Saturday morning. I finally feel relieved that it will be over soon. I can hardly walk and am in quite a lot of pain in so many ways.

The next time I update my blog, it will be an announcement!!!! :)

Last Day with my Baby

2006-12-19T14:53:00.000+01:00

Well, he has just gone down for his snooze, so that's it......the last of our time together as just the two of us. In a couple of hours the girls will be at home for the Christmas break and in a matter of days (who knows, even possibly hours I suppose...) there will be a new kid on the block. This young man will not be Baby Gabey any more.

I have felt so very lucky to be Gabriel's mum. He is a constant joy to us all and has brought so much to our lives to enrich our OKWorld. We are all always musing "What would it be like without Gabriel? What would we do for fun? Who would make us laugh and make every day an adventure?" I was at a very low point before he came into my life and there were days when I truly didn't believe I could ever be happy again, but he just fills my heart with love and happiness. I realise that sounds dreadful when you consider that I have 3 other children. I adore them too, but I guess I feel like I was given another chance with my little son and he just makes it so easy to love him. Silly as it may sound, I am going to miss him when I have a new little person who will depend solely on me for their care. Moments I can spend with my boy will be even more precious.

Enough of this wistfulness.....am about to embark on a brand new adventure....and now we are all just waiting to discover who is going to share the ups and downs along the way! Come on baby, NOW I am ready to meet you xx

40 weeks!

2006-12-13T21:40:00.000+01:00

This is my baby bump on the day he/she was predicted to arrive...i.e.TODAY!!! Far too late now though (oh WHAT a surprise!) I am starting to get annoyed with that husband of mine who keeps banging on about getting baby out before Christmas...also the world and his wife who keep telling me how I MUST be totally fed up and so ready to welcome little one. Well, no actually, I am quite content to continue for a wee while yet. My midwife is coming to check me over on Saturday and has offered a sweep to try to get things going but I am seriously thinking of politely declining. Am I crazy?? Well, maybe. But you know, babies do not stay put forever and this little one will be here in a matter of days no matter what I do. I think I would rather let him/her decide when the birthday will be.

And how am I feeling? Crampy and having niggling little pains but still not quite believing that I am about to become a Mummy again!

The hormones are winning

2006-12-11T11:44:00.000+01:00

I nearly cried when I saw my midwife on Friday. We were discussing the actual birth and it hit me that babyOK really and truly will arrive in a matter of days, maybe 2 and a half weeks at the very most. It still doesn't seem real (I had my mum tell me yesterday that "you've done it enough times now to know that it REALLY is going to happen!" Erm, yes, Mum, ta v much!)

An old man in the street stopped me to ask how long was left...I told him 5 days and he nodded, saying, "yes I thought so! Good luck with the happy event!" I nearly cried.

THEN, we were watching Cars on DVD and guess what? I really and truly did cry. At Cars. That was when I knew I was done for. Those damned hormones.

DrOk had a VERY scary weekend though as I was nesting...that's not normal behaviour for me. I was like a mad woman, pointing out dusty corners, the odd cobweb, then I decided Gabriel's room needed a declutter. SUCH a bad idea. I pulled pretty much everything out but then, of course, it all needed putting back! Everywhere I look, I can see jobs which need doing. I think it's made worse by the fact that I am supposed to be having the baby at home plus the fact that we are a family of slobs! Imagine socks under the sofa...crisp packets on the windowsills...dirty cups behind curtains. Do you get the picture? (And that's just my husband's handiwork!)

Last night, I was extremely brave indeed and took a bath with clary sage oil. I even let DrOK be a husband to me! (do you like my euphemism???!!) This baby feels fully cooked and good to go (midwife could only feel 2/5 of the head so it's all set in position). That husband of mine is absolutely convinced he/she won't keep us hanging around this time (last night I had a first....I sat down on the stairs and immediately jumped up in shock yelling"aaaargh, it's a HEAD!"......the Doc was in stitches and said he'd not seen me move so quickly in a LONG time!)... but I am not so sure. I've never had a baby on time and don't expect it to happen now. And not that I am under any pressure or anything, but DrOK has given me strict instructions to give birth NOW so that he gets out of his board meetings today and tomorrow (wishful thinking on his behalf) and the kids keep begging me to PLEASE have the baby before Christmas so we can play with him/her.

I'll have to see what I can do then :)

A Duvet Day

2006-12-06T11:40:00.000+01:00

On Monday I reached the grand old age of 21 again (yeah, right, who am I trying to kid??? OK, so I am now 37!) and after a nice brekkie in bed with croissants and coffee, then a pressie opening sesh, the day started to go downhill. I guess it's just no so very exciting to have a birthday as you are getting more ancient and decrepit! But we had planned to go to Frankie and Benny's, you know, for the authentic New-York-Italian-style grub, and the kids were excited.

The food was really delicious, I had lamb shank, but the portions were ridiculous for a massively preggers woman. I managed maybe half and had to forgo my beloved cheesecake (I wished I'd not bothered with the "proper" food and gone straight to the dessert menu......)but it was good to see the kids tuck in and have a great time. However.......

By the time we got home I was feeling decidedly ill. The effects of overeating I told myself. By 2am, when I was extremely well acquainted with the toilet, I wondered if it was a simple case of eating too much. The pain was almost unbearable, my stomach was KILLING me and the cramps were excruciating. I really believed that the baby was about to come, until it dawned on me that despite the pain, I wasn't having contractions, Braxton Hicks or otherwise. Anyway, eventually the alarm went off at 7am and DrOK woke to find me in agony and exhausted after yet another sleepless night (I think this made the 4th night in the past 2 weeks when I have spent more of the night in the bathroom than in bed....wish I knew why it keeps happening?) Thankfully for me, he decided to call in and say he was working from home, so I got to have a duvet day! I spent the whole morning snoozing in between listening to my 2 boys playing "to infinity and beyond!!!!........Buzz Lightyear to the rescue!!!!" I stayed in bed for the WHOLE day which is unheard of. And the most bizarre thing was when I woke this morning and discovered that it was 6.30am and I had slept ALL NIGHT for the first time in months! Even after a whole day in bed. I think I must have really needed my duvet day.....

Now I have realised that the baby has really slowed down movement-wise. Just waiting now....and waiting....and waiting.

Feeling Festive?

2006-12-01T13:30:00.000+01:00

A conversation from 7am today

Meg: It's December!!!! You know what THAT means?!

Moi: Wow, yes, Christmas and the new baby coming!

Meg: Muuuuuum, I mean we can open our advent calendars!

Moi: Ah, yes, we'll wait until after school.

I plod back up the stairs with tea and coffee and as I go, I hear.......

Meg: Well, she OBVIOUSLY hates us.

Liv: I can't believe she is so mean. She doesn't love us anymore.

Just call me Ebenezer.............

My "babies"

2006-11-27T11:39:00.000+01:00

Though I'd indulge myself and post a little pic of my BIG baby and my wee little one whilst he still IS my baby. How strange that in a matter of just days or a few short weeks, this little baby boy will be a BIG BROTHER!!!! This was taken yesterday when they were having fun at the annual switching on of the festive lights in town. Bless 'em.

No news here (is that good news? haha!)

Sock it to me

2006-11-21T11:44:00.000+01:00

I have an "odd sock bag". Believe me, I need it. Yesterday, I looked at it and it was truly overflowing, so I set about finding partners for the poor lost souls floating around in the bag (in fact, here I should probably confess that my odd-sock-bag had been put inside another bag as it was full a couple of weeks ago.....)

So have a guess at how many pairs I found? The kids and DrOK guessed. 11 pairs, 23 pairs, 30 pairs. No, no and no. I found 63 pairs of socks!!!!!! But what seemed even worse was the fact that I was still left with over 70 odd socks left in the bag!!! So where are the missing socks???? Answers on a postcard.........

36 week pic!

2006-11-18T23:48:00.000+01:00

Something a little different this time......here is my preggy bod.....a belly cast the Doc made tonight. Can't say it was fun to do but I reckon it turned out ok, especially as we didn't buy a kit, but bought what we thought we'd need. Cheap and cheerful!

And poor DrOK stood lamenting the fact that he'd never carried a baby so he tried it on for size! (I nearly peed myself taking this pic as I was laughing SO hard!)

Got to wait 2 days for it to dry out properly, then we can sand it and maybe decorate it. I'm thinking of leaving well alone though, I reckon we would probably c*ck it up, as we are the most unartistic bunch going........Could always use it as a fruitbowl......

Yeah, but no, but....

2006-11-15T14:29:00.000+01:00

This is our new toy. In all honesty, it's about time we got something like this......a biggish family needs a big fridge and the bigger freezer also means I can put handy stuff in like loaves of bread (there was never any room before) plus I can maybe think about freezing meals for after baby comes. Had to go on a card I'm afraid (such is life in our house) but we saw it in the shop and decided to have a quick look on the internet rather than just buying it and guess what? £100 cheaper on Curry's website than in the shop or in Comet PLUS free delivery instead of the £50 we were quoted in store. Saving of 150quid...result!

We also bought a slow cooker on our last shopping trip, again thinking of making life easier post-baby. DrOK, normally a rather romantic kinda guy, appalled me by asking whether I wanted to be presented with said item for my birthday at the beginning of December or should he wrap it up for Christmas? I cannot repeat what I said here, being a public domain and all that. You'll have to use your imagination. Instead, I took the liberty of ordering this :

which arrived this morning. He can damn well wrap this item up instead!

Except......except.....I feel so guilty. About the fridge/freezer (we already have a fridge and a freezer of course) and the slow cooker (handy but not necessary) and of course the lovely ring (an item of beauty but not exactly needed). There was an advert on tv about Pampers donating money for vaccinations in 3rd world countries. DrOK pooh-poohed the whole thing, saying they would hardly notice that the money had gone but I pointed out that at least they are making the gesture. And what I find truly appalling is that each injection costs 2.5p, that's 2.5p to potentially save a child's life and here we are buying more and more and more STUFF.

Sometimes I am sickened by myself.....but then again I do love the ring. I am a lucky cow to have been born when and where I was. Aren't we all? Sitting at our computers like we are doing right now, warm and full-bellied. Hmmmmmm.

A huge sigh of relief

2006-11-10T20:43:00.000+01:00

Today I had my first appointment with the midwife for a whole month, which seems pretty unbelievable to me, how times change! Anyway, I was amazed and more than a little relieved to discover that the little monkey has finally decided to turn head down, I was seriously having visions of surgery......everything was normal, BP, wee etc...the abnormal thing was the midwife's demeanour. She is normally not the easiest person to chat to but today she was like a different person, she was even NICE to me! Last time I saw her, she talked about homebirth as though it were some kind of pipe dream, today it was THE plan. She talked me through all kinds of things and when I quizzed her, she said that only one woman in recent months ended up not having her planned home birth so she really didn't see why I should miss out. She assured me that the team would do everything they could to make sure my baby was born in my own home, I was gobsmacked but THRILLED! Then she booked my next appointment for my own home so that I could meet the one member of the team I had yet to clap eyes on, and that way, I would know all the 5 possible midwives who would come to guide my new baby into the world.

Oh crikey! It's getting so very real now! This week has flown by, only another 5 until baby's EDD....7 weeks max until little babyOK gets to meet all these people who have been waiting for so long for him or her to arrive. I am scared, worried, nervous, excited, all rolled into one. Pretty normal I'd say! :-)

Oh the shame of it!

2006-11-07T12:11:00.000+01:00

On Saturday, the Doc was working in the garden, when he suddenly came bounding into the kitchen in a whirl of excitement. "Guess what I just found on the driveway?!" he asked me, all breathless styleee! I had no idea, of course.....but it turned out to be a compost bin. We had ordered one from the council a very long time ago and although they had taken our money, said compost bin had failed to materialise. I have to admit I was rather surprised at the Doc's reaction but it takes all sorts eh?

Anyway, imagine his joy at slinging in teabags and banana skins, satsuma peel and apple cores !(we also got a handy kitchen worktop sized bin) In went the mouldy Halloween pumpkin. In went the grass cuttings. Such excitement, the like of which I hadn't seen in a while...........

........and then..........yesterday, the doorbell rang. There stood my next door neighbour. With a confused look, he asked if I had seen a.........COMPOST BIN, which had been delivered to him whilst he was enjoying a weekend away. I blushed, I cringed. I CONFESSED, damn it! My husband had STOLEN freaky neighbour's bin! Although, in all fairness, it had been put on OUR driveway. I apologised most profusely and told him we had already put lots of stuff in it. He was very good about it and said that if we chased ours up, he would have that one when it came. He had wanted it for his grass-cuttings and now of course, he wouldn't really be needing it for a while. PHEW! He thought it was disgusting though, that he'd had to wait since August. When we went back through our records, it turns out that we ordered ours in APRIL!!!! Even before we knew BabyOK was on the way, that seems a lifetime ago now....

A little light reading for today...

2006-11-06T10:50:00.000+01:00

The Doc bought me a present.......wish me luck!

Raspberry Leaf Tea

2006-11-01T17:33:00.000+01:00

Age is just a number

2006-10-30T11:27:00.000+01:00

My mum had her last baby, my kid sis, when she was 35. Oh.....my.....God.....we all thought she was ancient. And once I'd started having children of my own, I vowed I would NEVER have a child over the age of 30 as I felt it was just too old. My mum was always the dowdy, dumpy one. She didn't wear nice clothes (said she wasn't interested), didn't wear make-up, didn't get her hair done very often, didn't like contemporary music. She was just OLD. Of course things change. I told DrOK how I felt and he laughed long and hard. He explained that I wasn't "old" at all.........and told me to take a look around me at the other mums we knew my age. He had a point. I can see that I have a much younger outlook than they do. The kid sister who was born all those years ago has a habit of telling me to "grow up" and my mum thinks I can be very childish and immature. She thinks I should "act my age". For example, she wonders how I can bear to "listen to that rubbish", why I would waste my time reading Heat magazine......but mostly she wonders how on earth I can wear skimpy knickers. Apparently, at "my age" I should be wearing belly warmers, big pants should seemingly be the law for 30+ (lord knows what should happen when you get to the "ripe old age" of almost 37!), knickers really should, in her opinion, reach your belly button AT LEAST!!!!!

I used to look young for my age. When I was about 34 weeks pregnant with my first baby, we went away for the weekend with the in-laws and had to have passes made up to use all the facilities. The woman working there didn't know whether I should have a junior or adult pass and asked me if was "over 16 yet"??? DrOK laughed hysterically, I was 24 and massively pregnant!

And yet.......these last few weeks and months, I have felt old. I've thought so much about my dear old grandmother. She had all kinds of health problems and it's amazing that she didn't rattle when she moved as she had so many prescription tablets to take each day. She was in pain ALL the time with terrible arthritis. She spent her days sitting in her living room with the tv for company, except of course for several visits a day from my mum (she lived opposite us). I was away at university, and then living away in Essex when things were really, really bad. But she winced when she rose from a sitting position, pain etched onto her face. She never complained though. She had to hold onto furniture or the walls for support simply to go and get into the next room. When the pain was really too much to bear, she would whimper "Mama!" which always made me want to cry. Well, I am in pain, and when I move, I move like my grandmother, shuffling slowly and holding onto things for support. There are of course differences though.....my pain will go away after the baby is delivered. Hers just went on and on. I moan about my pain and complain to poor old DrOK. She bore hers with dignity. She had a December baby, Dec 30th. It was her 4th baby and she'd been in bed for weeks with lumbago, she really was in agony. On Dec 30th, she called to my grandfather to help her along the landing to the bathroom, as she needed the loo....halfway along the (unfinished) landing of their new house, which had no banister nor railings, a baby flew out! Luckily, my grandfather was on the ball and caught her before they all went over the side!

I'm really hoping that my birth doesn't go like that! Although she didn't even realise she was in labour due to the constant pain she was suffering. But more and more, I am desperately wanting a new baby daughter so that she can have my grandmother's name. I miss her so much, she passed away as I was having my 20 week scan with the Fruitcake. I should have used the name back then. Because now, my chance might have gone.

Twins my arse!

2006-10-22T21:38:00.000+01:00

Jayne's comment was one I agreed with....she said she thought I looked bigger in my 28 week pic. I had said that to DrOK and he laughed at me, but here's a photo the Fruitcake just took which I think shows the lump as it REALLY is (Master G is adamant we shall be calling it "Bobbie Builder"....I think NOT!) The Doc has now said he likes Thomas and Joseph if it's a boy. Thomas is out because it was my maiden name and I was glad to get rid when I got married, Joseph is disqualified because of Christmassy connections....we agreed ages ago that we wouldn't use anything remotely connected to Yuletide shenanigans. Last weekend, MIL announced that it would be "a crying shame" if we didn't use a Christmassy name so we told her that it would have to be Rudolph....she was not amused....

The Doc left tonight on another business trip. He reckons he'll be back on Tuesday night, only to fly off again on Wednesday. I am feeling abandoned and have an awful dread of going into labour. V unlikely I know, but wouldn't it just be sod's law?? Braxton Hicks are making themselves into a HUGE nuisance, last night a worrying development when waves of backache accompanied them. FAR too much like labour for my liking. Still, my earliest baby hung on for an extra 9 days after the EDD, so am not feeling too anxious just yet.....

And just a comment on my size....a woman I'd never clapped eyes on before served me in the supermarket the other day. She didn't ask how long I had left or when my due date was. Oh no, siree. She simply gasped, grinned and exclaimed, "Oh! You are having TWINS!!!!!"

Hot and Heavy....

2006-10-18T09:59:00.000+01:00

...or how I am feeling at 32 weeks

Haha, I wonder who will find my blog now from googling :-)

32 weeks. Good God, where does the time go? And how in the hell have I ended up with a 44 inch "waist"???? I am gobsmacked! Am seriously wondering how it's ever going to shrink back! I am so very, very heavy and any kind of physical exertion leaves me panting and struggling to breathe. This pregnancy has been so very different from my others, I have never felt so huge nor so incapacitated. Maybe it is nature's way of telling me enough is enough. Now feeling that this really is a boy....the Doc has made a couple of name suggestions at last but they were AWFUL, we are no closer to finding a moniker for the poor little bundle if it happens to be blue.

I saw my midwife at the end of last week, I laughed out loud when my blood results appeared on the screen....my hb has gone up, in spite of the fact that I never remember to take my iron tablets, and my glucose has gone down, in spite of the vast amounts of sugary crap I have been eating. The midwife laughed too and told me carry on with whatever I was doing, as it seemed to be working for me! My BP is 100/60, so all is good there. Bloody baby is breech. Still, plenty of time for that to change, though getting down on hands and knees is an absolute impossibility for me these days, won't be able to turn baby that way, I have excruciating back pain (still no physio....) and the ligament pain is a killer (apparently it tends to get worse with each pregnancy)

The midwife had news regarding my planned homebirth. When I was booked in with Gabriel, the Community Midwives were on call for me from 37 weeks, now, due to cost-cutting, homebirth is only available from 39 weeks! This shouldn't affect me with my history but it's just so wrong. The other point she made is that her team of midwives can now be called into the hospital if they are on call for a homebirth....which means that if the hossie gets their phone call in first, it's tough sh*t on the woman labouring at home. At least the midwife was as angry as I was at that piece of news. I really can't see how I am going to get my homebirth. I have wanted one now for so long and it looks like I will never achieve it. I've still found no one to have the kids when I am in labour if I end up going to hospital. I mean, what idiot will want 4 extra kids, possibly on Christmas Day????? DrOK reckons we should just plan to take them to the hospital with us and tell them it's their tough sh*t as they will have been the ones to c*ck up our homebirth plans.

Still, it's not all bad.....I do have HUGE bazookas ;-)

Top Weekend!

2006-10-16T10:14:00.000+01:00

Well, DrOK and I managed a short shopping trip to Manchester's shopping mecca and I made a beeline for BabyGap where the snowsuit I have been coveting for a while turned out to be a bit crap so instead I purchased several smaller (actually TEENY, totally diddy) new baby garments. And then I found a cute cuddly snowsuit in M&S, yippee! I can't quite believe that our new baby now has some new clobber, I am soooo excited! (As FirstBorn would say, "It's WELL wicked, yeah?!"......but she doesn't understand why we snigger at such phrases bless her little cotton socks, or in fact her larger socks than mine!)

MIL was so very well behaved, she even commented on how it was "all baby" (maybe she was trying to get in my good books!) and only touched my bump ONCE! I gasped in surprise at a HUGE kick and her hand flew onto my tum.......I simply explained that as bubs is breech (little bugger), the kick was in a very personal place and she WOULD NOT be feeling it! That did the trick haha (it was also the truth!)

Then, on Saturday night, we all went out for a meal, the Doc's parents, 2 brothers, his sister and their families and us lot too. I must've eaten something dodgy as I subsequently spent all of Saturday night in the bathroom being very ill indeed and discovered to my delight that I had lost 4 lbs!!!! Result!Made my weekend!

PS I WILL get that husband of mine to sort the computer, normal gratuitous Gabriel pics will soon be resumed, think they are needed as he is officially (in my mind at least!) the most wonderful small person on the planet :).....for the time being anyhow!

40 years

2006-10-13T10:56:00.000+01:00

40 years....that's a LONG time isn't it? Well, on Sunday, my parents will celebrate their Ruby Wedding anniversary. They got married on 15th October 1966, Mum's 24th birthday. They are having a big family party but we won't be there to join in the fun. It's a damn shame, especially as they didn't do anything for their Silver Wedding because my dear grandfather was deteriorating rapidly and died the following day.......

I can't honestly say that I believe the olds have been very happy. But 40 years is still an achievement, especially these days. I fully intend to celebrate my own Ruby Wedding in 2034!

BUT instead of attending my parents' party...... I shall be enduring my parents in law for the weekend. We couldn't afford the time nor the money to visit both and we had promised to visit the Doc's family some time in October. Fair enough I guess, as we haven't been there since last December. Bit knackering though, especially for poor old DrOK, who will be driving back on Sun, only to leave the house by 5am on Monday to go off on another business trip. Oh, what a glamorous life he leads.... I shall console myself with the retail therapy on offer, I feel baby purchases coming on!

Sorry for distinct lack of blogging but I haven't got any gossip, and my brain is totally void of anything even remotely interesting PLUS I cannot upload any pics either, DrOK has been mucking about with the PC. Grrrrr. Right, off I go, lots to do, packing for our weekend jaunt and I'm off on the long trek to see the midwife later, she wants to discuss blood results apparently...oh the joys :-)

It's a boy...

2006-10-09T10:12:00.000+01:00

Or so I was told on my way home from walking the kids to school. Some random neighbour who I've never spoken to before and only seen a couple of times asked me how long I have left to go. The look of horror on his face soon changed to PITY and he kept saying "ahhh, bless!" as though I were some kind of simpleton gymslip mum! (I reckon he is younger than me too!) THEN he starts going on about how it's definitely a boy as I am carrying all in the front and it is totally round like a football. Hmmmmm. THEN he comments "It's MUCH bigger than last week"......this is what freaked me out a bit. I don't see this man ever. I don't know him at all, except that he has a daughter at my girls' school and 2 toddlers. The reason I was slightly freaked was that he looks sooooooo incredibly pervy. Added to which, he has a website advertised on the back of his car which I happened to look at and it was for his "photography business". Now, it looks like my children are more adept at photography than this guy, I reckon he splashed out on a digital camera and decided he could make a few bob...from....glamour photography. Now I have nothing against glamour photography in the slightest. Most people could tell you that I am boob obsessed (with my own, I hasten to add, I don't spend my days ogling other ladies' knockers!) BUT this was the seediest, dirtiest looking stuff, even though the women had undies on for the most part. I can't share the web addy with you, cos if it this bloke googles, he could find my blog and see what I've said but ewwwwwwwwwww!

I told the Doc, who seemed to think it all hilarious, joked about stalking and asked if I reckoned this man could see into our bedroom. The smile was wiped off his face when I said that YES he could see in if he had binoculars. Good job I only open the curtains after I am dressed......

Life and how it is

2006-10-06T14:59:00.000+01:00

There's something very wrong about the discovery that one of your contemporaries has passed away. It's happened to me before and the shock is indescribable......we are programmed to believe that we will be old and grey when we finally shuffle off this mortal coil. But of course that's not the way things work out.

Yesterday the doc and I received our copy of the Liverpool Alumni magazine, I look forward to it as my time at university holds many wonderful memories for me, especially as it's where DrOK and I met as undergraduates. I was casually flicking through it when I noticed a name I recognised.......someone who had been on my course, who I had sat next to on many an occasion, who had been my partner during exercises and seminars. And now I was reading that she had died. It didn't say how, where or when. But it was too soon. I joke about being "old", "past it", "decrepit", whereas in reality I know I am none of those things. Once more I am shocked by the death of someone too young. Siobhan, wherever you are, I hope it was quick and painless.

Remember to do your living before it's too late.

1st October

2006-10-02T10:10:00.000+01:00

12 years ago I went to a wedding. In all honesty, it should have been a total shambles. The bride and groom were living about 200 miles away from the wedding location and the mother-of-the-bride was supposed to be organising it all......but she was really worse than crap. Also a tight-wad. The bride always suspected that this had a lot to do with the fact that the couple had a baby before they got married. A photographer was refused on the grounds of being unnecessary, the requested hairdresser was refused and a god-awful one found with a week to spare. A dressmaker was found to make a budget wedding dress....it was so poorly made that it was unwearable, so another dressmaker was drafted in to try and save the garment. The reception venue was chosen by the bride's mother and was truly nothing special.

So the wedding day arrived. The bride felt fat and frumpy, in an ill-fitting, ugly dress and strange hairstyle. No one told her she looked beautiful, neither of her parents even said she looked nice. But the ceremony went ahead and in the years which followed, the bride and groom, who had been so disappointed at the way the wedding day had been planned (though it turned out to be quite fun, as they laughed and danced and drank, surrounded by friends and family), well, as time went on, they realised that the wedding day itself mattered not one jot. It was the marriage and their relationship which were important.

And yesterday, 1st October, the Doc and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary surrounded by our children and still very much in love. The girls made pancakes which they brought to us in bed (and proceeded to scoff themselves!) and presented us with a card and a box of chocs which they had bought with their pocket money, bless 'em. We had a lovely family day , taking the kids out for a big lunch in a place with a soft play area. The last 12 years have not all been sweetness and light,there have been plenty of highs and lows, but without the lows, how would we ever appreciate the highs? And there have been plenty of those. I'm looking forward to all the highs yet to come. I love my Doc.....he's a good 'un.

Nappy brain?

2006-09-28T10:12:00.001+01:00

Blonde AND pregnant. Maybe not such a great combo.

Take the other day, for example. I was in the supermarket and struck up a conversation with the checkout lady, which revolved around my little chap and his glorious curls, big eyes and impressive eyelashes (yeah, ok, I am biased in my opinion of him, but she was the one who started it, she was full of admiration) Anyhooooo, I made some comment about how it was a shame my girls didn't have the same kind of curls and this woman asked me how many children I had, we chatted a bit about girls/boys, blah, blah, yadda, yadda........and then she said "Do you know what you are having this time?" I was astounded and a voice in my head was asking how on earth does this woman know I am pregnant?????? Thank God my mouth didn't quite manage to get in gear, as I happened to look down and suddenly remembered the huge lump that is my belly (refer to previous post!) I felt such a fool.

Later on, the Doc and I were flicking through the million and one channels (you know how it is, so many channels and nothing to watch), we'd been bemoaning the fact that we simply can't find a name. Well, we came across Kath and Kim, we'd never watched it so decided to give it a whirl. No huge belly-laughs, but plenty of chuckles along the way. Anyway, the bloke in said programme was called Kel. "Aha!" say I, "That's quite a cool name for a boy! I really like it!" DrOK was looking at me as though I'd gone mad. "You ARE joking?" he asked. I said nope, I thought it was cool, and anyway, it was my great uncle's name, Kel. He sat and shook his head. "Have you thought how it sounds with the surname?"

D'oh

My bun is baking nicely, ta!

2006-09-21T10:08:00.000+01:00

Well yesterday I reached another milestone, I am now 28 weeks and into the 3rd trimester! When I started having babies, 28 weeks was what was considered viable, I guess medicine has come a long way since then. When I went to school to get Livvy, one of the mums decided to tell me I am "huge" and wondered how I was "bearing up"!!!!! She said I was "all baby" and that it looked very heavy and difficult to carry round all day. Well she had a point about the last bit, I have now , to my shame, put on 33lbs, whoops! Which means that I am carrying the equivalent of Gabe & a bit more around with me all day every day, no wonder I am knackered eh?! But I did confess to her that I have expanded elsewhere, not only in my belly, but my arse is huge too! PLUS I have boobs, somehow I've gone from a 34A to a 36DD!!! (I haven't heard any complaints though......unfortunately, I know I will have to say goodbye to them someday in the future again, boo hoo!)

After a very long week, I feel more human now, thank you to anyone who made a kind comment. The Doc has been suffering a different kind of pain to me, he really has been in a bad way some of the time. Maybe it's mean but I am glad! He hasn't moaned too much as he knows I'd find it hard to sympathise but he's had painfully bruised bollocks poor sod! We have a good understanding now though, and we are looking forward to our 12th wedding anniversary in 10 days or so. Think we are going baby shopping at the weekend because...WE ARE HAVING A BABY!!! Hurrah :)

It's good to talk

2006-09-18T09:24:00.000+01:00

A few days ago, I wrote about something which had happened. I can't bring myself to say the word. I don't think when I wrote that post that I expressed myself very well. I just told you the bare bones, the stark facts. I mean, who amongst those who read could have imagined that for the next 3 nights, I wouldn't sleep? That I would lie awake and continue with the crying which had been going on during the long and very lonely days? That I would lose 5 lbs because I couldn't eat? That I wouldn't be able to even look at my husband......that I couldn't speak to him or bear to be near him. That I couldn't let him comfort me in the middle of the night when my choking sobs woke him. To say that I was utterly distraught would be an understatement. I had this empty feeling inside, I simply could NOT believe that the man I have loved for so long and who professes to love me, could have done this thing which he knew I didn't want and could never fully agree to.

After a 3rd night of lying there, thinking about what was going to become of us, I could take no more and I woke him, just as daylight was beginning to break through. There was something I needed to ask him. He couldn't understand my whispering and inched closer so that he could hear. I tried again but couldn't make myself understood through my gulping sobbing....but eventually he did understand and do you know what he did? He kissed me. He kissed me over and over and over, through the tears and the copious amounts of snot, he kissed me long and hard and passionately. Then he showed me how much he loved me. And a couple of hours later I let him show me again. And we talked. I mean REALLY talked. For the first time in what seemed like an age. We've both been so stupid. We haven't expressed ourselves properly. I thought he wouldn't go through with it, I thought I'd made my feelings clear. He thought that I'd somehow become resigned to the inevitability of it. He wanted to take away the fear of losing me (all going back to that damn ectopic) and he wanted to take away the possibility not only of more children, but the hurt of more babyloss. I can't remember the last time we had time like this together. We stayed in bed until midday, it was lovely. And at night, he showed me his love again! ........he's now had to take an extra day off work and is walking like John Wayne!

It all seems so perverse that from all the hearbreak and sadness of the last few days that we could come out of this so much in love. The thought of losing him was more hurtful than anything else in the world. In a very strange way, which I could not have imagined, the intense hurt and misery actually served to remind me of how much I love this man. There is no one else for me, I knew straight away that we would be together like this, it was like a thunderbolt, Cupid's arrow certainly struck deep when we were thrown together.

I'd ask you to forgive this self-indulgent guff, but you know what? That's what blogging is all about, don't you think?

I'll finish by telling you some stuff that makes me feel MAD. I can't believe that a man (or a woman for that matter I suppose) can make themselves infertile without the agreement of their spouse. It seems so very morally and ethically wrong to me. And you know what? The doctors he saw never even bothered to ask him how I felt about the whole thing. I guess I am just the insignificant little woman sitting at home. Why doesn't a spouse have to consent? I am seething about it. The other point I would make is that guidelines exist........you are not meant to have this carried out if there is a baby on the way, nor if there is a newborn on the scene. I am 6 months pregnant, a fact which the doctors knew. Their comment? "Ah, so you are shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted" How amusing. There is no reason to suppose that anything will go wrong with this pregnancy BUT the guidelines are there for a reason. I wonder if the NHS pay divorce costs? Because I truly believe that this is the kind of thing which can contribute to marriage breakdown. I am hurt, there's no denying it. I haven't accepted it and I won't ever agree with what he's done, but I can do nothing about it. It's done. And we have the rest of our lives together to work at being happy. With 5 loved and wanted children (YES, it's possible to want more than the average 2.5 and it's also possible to have 5 children with the same partner and still be happy, despite the massive amount of people who presume that I am having a 2nd family with a new partner)

Nature boy

2006-09-15T14:07:00.000+01:00

It's rather warm for this time of year, wouldn't you say?!

Barren and Buzzin

2006-09-14T10:09:00.000+01:00

Well here I am. The very essence of fertility. Ripe with child. And yet.................

Today the Doc has rendered himself infertile. Of his own volition. And by default, he has done the same to me. I honestly do not believe that I would ever want another baby after this one comes along but he has taken that away from me. He was, in fact, booked in to have the op 8 years ago this week. He finally cancelled the appointment with 2 days to go when he realised I meant what I was saying about being totally against it.......I had told him he may as well not bother as there was no way I'd be having sex with him ever again if he went through with it! The whole issue caused an almighty row, of course our lives would have been so very different if he had gone ahead..............but now it's done. And I am left confused and a little bewildered. This is really going to take some getting used to.

*******************************

For his birthday, Gabriel got some Buzz Lightyear pants. He's very proud of them, Buzz is a big hero of his. Anyway, he's not near ready for potty training but he enjoys wearing his pants over his nappy. He's coming along in leaps and bounds at the moment, every day is bringing something new and wonderful, and, after another new first yesterday, I clapped my hands and said "Oh who's a BIG BOY then?!". Hmmmm, he thought for a moment, then pulled down his shorts and exclaimed, whilst pointing at his privates "Buzz Lightyear Big Boy!" Well, who was I to argue?

Baby Love

2006-09-06T13:37:00.000+01:00

Gabriel loves his new baby brother or sister, his favourite thing in the world is to kiss my bump!

This is my view of the proceedings!

And this is what happens when his beloved new sibling kicks him in the chops!!

A cautionary tale

2006-09-05T13:26:00.000+01:00

Yesterday, I just could NOT access our ebay account. At first I wondered if ebay was experiencing some kind of problem, but after several attempts and being told that I was entering the wrong password, I got in touch with DrOK to see if he'd been messing without telling me. He said no, and sent an email to ebay. It appears that some other b**tard had decided to hack into our account and purchase a laptop on our behalf. 1700 quids' worth of laptop. Upon further investigation, although it was marked as payment sent, it seems that the b**tard had used some other poor sod's paypal account (luckily for us, ours had a smallish spending limit, maybe that's why it hadn't been bought on our paypal account). We cancelled the credit card just to be on the safe side. Unfortunately, this all means that I can't make any ebay purchases for the time being, nor can I use paypal.

A frenzied checking of accounts ensued, another credit card had been used and goods to the value of £400 ordered over the internet. Luckily, we were covered, so that card was also stopped. In fact, we have 4 credit cards on the go, so we stopped them all. The Doc also made arrangements for his debit card to be changed. Not quite sure how our details had been stolen, but it was to do with internet shopping, even though we had all kinds of security doo-dahs installed on the computer. DrOK thinks maybe the kids have been getting click-happy again, after all, they have introduced a couple of viruses over the last few months.

So please....make sure you have security measures in place.......

Hmmmmm

2006-09-04T15:00:00.000+01:00

"Having sex in the final weeks of pregnancy can help to start your labour, right? Wrong, according to a new study, which found that, in fact, the reverse may be true.It's long been thought that semen helps to trigger contractions when the time is right because it contains natural prostaglandin. But researchers who assessed nearly 100 pregnant women during the last three weeks of their pregnancy found it didn't make any difference. In fact, women who had sex during the final weeks of their pregnancy had longer pregnancies of 39.3 weeks on average, while those who didn't had pregnancies which lasted, on average 39.3 weeks"

~ Mother & Baby Magazine

I've had pregnancies of 42+2, 41+2, 42+0 and 42+3. Conclude what you will ;)

A Pain in the Arse

2006-09-01T16:46:00.000+01:00

Well I just got back from seeing my midwife (a bit of a novelty these days, I suppose I could have a bit of a rant about the amount of tax the dear ole Doc pays and how things are going downhill but that would make me sound like an old woman so OF COURSE I shall keep schtum!)

I had considered sticking a post-it note to my file so that I wouldn't forget to mention my back but believe me when I say it would not have been necessary (yes, I forgot to do it!). I had struggled to get to the surgery with the kids and she watched with interest as I hobbled to the room. Then I couldn't manage to lie down on the bed for quite some time......getting up again was "interesting" to say the least. I was nearly crying and actually cried out in pain. Even I hadn't realised quite how bad things were up to that point. So I am to be referred for physio. I really have no idea what that means, I am guessing that I will be shown back-strengthening exercises to help me, as the midwife put it, there's no way I can manage with that kind of pain for the next 15+ weeks. Give me drugs is what I say!!! (Only joking!) The midwife made some kind of comment about how I am having this baby close to the last one so that'll be why I'm struggling. I didn't like to say that 1+2 and 2+3 were closer than these two. I suppose she was being polite in not mentioning my age!

On a lighter note, she had the scan report from 3 weeks ago which she attached to my notes. I can inform you now that poor little OK baby is like its mum.......short legs, pinhead and fat tummy. Ho hum :)

Gorgeous Gabriel and his Greek Goddess

2006-08-29T14:53:00.000+01:00

On Sunday, Gabriel and I made the long trek across town (oooh, must have taken all of two minutes!) to meet Bobs'n'Nic at their buddies' house, where they were spending the Bank Holiday weekend. I recognised Tom (buddy) immediately as the man who freaked me out in Tesco a couple of months ago! I was perusing the chilled food when I noticed a man heading in my direction, he looked as though he might speak to me...and speak to me he DID "I know who you are!" he said, and for one moment, one totally crazy, freaked out moment, I had NO IDEA who he was. And then it clicked! Phew! It was a BIG relief when I realised who he was. I did wonder though whether I had been screeching at the kids or moaning at the husband, or whether I'd simply been too engrossed in the bacon!

Anyway, after much sorting of time and venue, we had finally arranged our meeting, I was worried about Gabe's increasing shyness, but after an initial first few minutes where he wasn't quite sure what was going on, he warmed up VERY quickly and soon made himself at home. I should have realised he would do so, as T&H had such a beautiful, child-free home! (ie pristine and gorgeous! Just perfect for grubby little fingers to explore!)

Nicole and Bobbie were just as I had imagined, immediately really friendly, and Nic was an absolute darling, she'd been practising her new friend's name and could say it better than Gabriel can say it himself! He wasn't so very keen on her attentions to begin with, but they soon seemed to be rolling around on the floor together and playing (mostly) nicely with each other, allowing Bobbie and I to get to know each other a bit better. Not quite sure that I like her as much as I had imagined because.......she has the most beautiful, perfect baby bump! Absolutely gorgeous, I did feel like Mrs Blobby in comparison, especially as Bobs is a good few weeks ahead of me! The only stress was trying to keep chocolate covered fingers away from the walls and furnishings (many, many apologies if I failed, I certainly tried!) I must say that it seems Bobbie has healing powers, as my back hardly hurt at all during the visit, even when I sat on the floor and subsequently had to get up again. Very strange but also very nice and a blessed relief.

Must be love, a bit of wrestling on the floor!

Look what I found hiding behind the curtain! Don't know what G was looking at in the previous pic, there was no-one there! Think he must have been on the lookout for another mischief-making opportunity!

V.B.D.

2006-08-24T11:50:00.000+01:00

Well, yesterday was V.B.D..................so I guess you are wondering what I'm blethering on about?! There are 2 meanings for this.

Number 1.

Viable Baby Day........That's right folks, yesterday I reached an amazing 24 weeks! DrOK had a bit of a laugh at me when I said it still hasn't quite sunk in, in spite of the belly, boobs, backache et al. So here is the bump in all its 24 week glory (Well, not quite ALL its glory, my 24week undie shots even scared ME *gulp*) I SOOOOO could not inflict that on friends :-)

and....

NUMBER 2.

Very Bad Discovery........I was so completely gutted when I realised the Doc's musings last week were correct. I've been having the most horrendous backache, it's very low down on my back (as DrOk so beautifully put it last night "ahhhh, so it's below your bumcrack!") and is absolute agony when I stand from sitting, try to walk, or try to lie down in bed. I ordered a most fetching maternitybelt , which hasn't helped at all and looks and feels VILE. Anyway, the backache all but disappeared when we were in Wales, apart from the odd twinge. Unfortunately, it seems it wasn't the healing properties of Wales (any Lost addicts might see what I'm getting at there!), rather it was as the Good Dr guessed.....the cause of my pain is sitting at the PC. What's a girl to do? It doesn't actually hurt when I am sat here but as soon as I attempt to stand, the pain defies description. I've tried my birthing ball, but that doesn't help in the slightest. DrOK has already told me off today for being naughty and coming on here but I am addicted!!!!! Anyway, I'm gutted as you can all imagine! Methinks I will have to ration my PC time..............

Birthday Boy, Belarussian Bride and Bleached Blondes!

2006-08-22T13:39:00.000+01:00

Phew, we are totally exhausted after a flying visit to Beautiful Wales which was jam-packed with family events and friend-visiting! After a shorter than ever journey of only 5hrs (how?????!!!!) we arrived at "Granny's" at approx 11pm on Wednesday. A certain young man had stayed awake for the WHOLE journey as his sisters snoozed the miles away.

Of course it didn't mean he would sleep in (well, why would you on your birthday?!) and I heard him stirring at 6.30ish, already a 2 year old big boy ,born at 5.56am. The girls amused him for an hour or so until we had a big OK family gathering on the bed and began the frantic task of ripping open envelopes and wrapping paper, all accompanied by an enthusiastic "Wow!" each time something new appeared! He was a very lucky boy and got lots of Buzz Lightyear goodies, including some big boy pants (NOWHERE near ready to use them but v, v cute!)

After a birthday "treat" where he cried at the food presented to him in one of Tenby's finest establishments (and ate ice cream with choc buttons plus jelly sweets from a Noddy lucky bag for his lunch!), we headed back to Granny's where the cousins were waiting, including new cousin Oliver, who decided to throw up on me as Gabe blew out the candles! I was extremely close to throwing up myself as I scoffed WAY too many cakes :)

The next day, we were up early and into town for a haircut at my fave place, andrewprice , THE place to have your hair done in Tenby. Sarah does my hair, she's the big boss and I've known her since school. BUT I think I made a bit of a mistake as I told her she could choose my new colour and she went for a MUCH lighter blonde than anticipated EEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!! I was pretty glad to leave, as all the junior staff seemed to want to chat with me, asking how long I had left and gasping when I told them it would be a Christmas baby, then fussing around me like mother hens "are you SURE you are comfy sitting there? Are you SURE you don't want another drink? blah blah blah" Bless em...but it DID get rather tedious and in the end I had to reassure them that I wouldn't be giving birth within the next few hours.....they left me alone after that!

A quick trip back to Mum's to get ready, then off to the event of the weekend, big bro's wedding! Anna, the bride, looked lovely, though she'd had almost black hair the last time I'd seen her and here she was a blonde bombshell! It was all very emotional once it got going.....there was a small curly-haired little boy giggling and putting everyone off to start with, even the registrar got the giggles (I pretended not to know him haha!) then when it came to the vows, my soppy brother got all choked up promising to love Anya and that set me off, much to the surprise of many people there (I can show my feelings to complete strangers on the WorldWideWeb but have a bit of reputation as a hard case at home!) Damn pregnancy hormones! Then it was all over and we went off to Carew Castle for photos (ladies' heels sinking into the mud at this point!) Photos all done, partying commenced, after a mad drive through the Pembrokeshire countyside, teeny, tiny, narrow lanes taking us to our destination. We enjoyed a fab meal (yes, of course I ate and drank too much!) and then baby bro best man stood up to make his speech, starting off with a tame joke which raised a small chuckle, until a HUGE guffaw from the little curly blond at the back of the room in the highchair....yup, 'twas my son, who continued to provide the entertainment until he collapsed, exhausted after such a fun time. I've added a little montage of the day as I just couldn't choose pics from the hundreds we had! Didn't manage to get pics of everyone, but I think it's all family, nephews and nieces etc, even my ma and pa are in there somewhere. You can enjoy/be bored/have a nosy/get romantic!! (delete as required!) Don't know what I've done as it hasn't come up as usual, just click on the Bride from Belarus to get started :)

Ian and Anya 18th August 2006

Brilliant Builth!

2006-08-22T09:43:00.000+01:00

On Sunday, we popped in to meet the Garners! I think my parents were worried that some mad axe murderers were waiting for a gory bloodfest when they discovered that Kell was not an old uni bud, but rather just a *gasp* internet friend!!!!!!!! Haha! Dunno about "just" internet friend, for me it felt like going round to an old mate's house, even the Doc was really relaxed (don't suppose he realises that he's been seen in just his undercrackers............) I wasn't really on the ball after such a knackering few days (update on that will have to wait) and didn't get many pics, most upset not to get a shot of a very young looking Mrs G! But here we have a few.....the main man of course, delicious Sonny, who was just so warm and soft and gorgeous, I had such a wonderful cuddle :) However, a few miles down the road after we left, I realised I had FORGOTTEN MY HEAD-SNIFF.......gutted! The Fruitcake sneakily picked up an unsuspecting Sonny and had a cuddle for herself, she adored him and has talked about him a lot! She was also very taken with little Sylvie Sausage, who was gorge and very chatty, Gabe however was a bit wary, as you can see! He kept giving dirty looks, then when she kissed him, he looked as if to say "Gerroff me woman!" I think he quite liked it really though :) All too soon it was time to leave on our mammoth trek back home, not before Meg had declared that she wanted to move to Builth though, which certainly got DrOK thinking because we'd only been in the car for a few minutes when he said he was going to start looking for a job in Wales as requested by all the OK young ladies......... actually the first thing he said when we left was..."What a lovely family they are" Well, I could've told him THAT already!!!!!
PS, I almost forgot to say that the fragrant Kell did not disappoint and was enjoying her trademark tipple of.......pink champagne! That's my girl ;)

Musings from a Mushy Mummy

2006-08-16T10:41:00.000+01:00

Two years ago today, I went to the hospital to be induced. I was scared. Not scared of the induction, not scared of the labour........I was scared that I wouldn't be able to love the baby who was wriggling and squirming inside me. I had been so desperate to conceive again after what had happened before, I was like a woman possessed. It had all been so easy when I had the girls, whammo! Preggers at the first go. That's not what happened once I only had the one fallopian tube. I didn't sleep on the night of 27th November 2003, I lay awake the whole night thinking how I couldn't go through the trying any more, I was going to give up my quest and be thankful for my 3 healthy girls. The next morning, I shook as the word pregnant appeared in the box.....and then I cried. I sobbed.

Anyway, 16 days overdue, 16th August 2004, I waddled into that hospital, disappointed to not be getting the home birth I'd planned, wondering what the next few days had in store. Finally, at 5.56am on Tuesday 17th August, the midwife said "Would you like to deliver baby onto your tum?".....which I took to mean did I, myself, want to help my own baby into the world? I sat more upright on the bed and looked. Half a baby was already out. Big eyes were gazing into my own, two skinny arms outstretched towards its mother's. It was as though the whole world had stopped and no one was in it apart from me and my baby. I gently put my hands under the baby's arms and within seconds was holding this new perfect person. I lifted a leg and my first words as this baby's mummy were "Oh, so you ARE a flippin boy then!"

I wasn't prepared for the overwhelming feelings which enveloped my being.....which STILL overwhelm me today. I was in love. And this perfect little person makes it so easy to love him. He is a light in the darkness, joy when there is pain. He is the sunshine in my daily life. If he only knew it, he helped me heal.

Happy Birthday my sweet little man, you will never know just how much I adore you. I am so thankful that you came into our lives and love you more than I could ever say. xxxxxx

Mummy's little helper....

2006-08-14T17:35:00.000+01:00

Gabe woke from his nap after we'd all eaten our lunch......I went to get him something to eat but my Firstborn decided she was going to be grown up and sort some lunch out for her little bro, she duly sent me away. Hmmm, though I, isn't that nice, a helper, someone to do little jobs for me and ease the burden.

I wandered in a few moments later to see what delicacies she had unearthed for him and discovered his lunch was..........a packet of crisps.

Still, it's the thought that counts, eh?

PS I found him some "proper" food after he'd munched on his Nik Naks!

Just for fun!

2006-08-11T13:34:00.000+01:00

I was surfing the net and came across a baby prediction game, when I clicked, it was the same thing that Jemma did WAY back in the day before little Jove came along (How on earth is he already 5 months old???!! Wow, time really does whizz away from us!

Anyway, just for a bit of fun, try popping over to http://www.expectnet.com/index.php and see if you can't guess what I'm having and when. The all-important game name you need to enter is "OKbaby5"........who knows, we may even find a wee prize for whoever gets closest to the truth!

A wave from baby!

2006-08-09T15:01:00.000+01:00

My dear readers, I have had plenty of ultrasound scans in my time but I have to say that today was an absolute joy! We arrived at the hospital with all kids in tow, having told them they'd be staying in the waiting room, but we saw other families go in with kids so decided ours could come in and "meet" their new sibling too! I'd been worried in case there was something wrong but decided I'd still like them to be involved, whatever the outcome.

So say a big HELLO to my new son......or daughter LOL!!!! We decided it would be fabulous to wait for a surprise at Christmas so I explained that almost as soon as we entered the (luckily large!) room. The lady doing the scan was just fabulous, she let us know everything she was doing, pointed out everything in detail ("There's the brain" "Ooooooh" says Livvy Fruitcake, "Do I have one of those?" to howls of laughter from everyone in the room) Baby looks perfectly healthy, although of course we can't take that for granted, but nothing obviously wrong......and is still growing at exactly the same rate, giving me a date of 13th December, so as usual, I am expecting to go 2 weeks or so over, bringing us VERY close to Christmas Day itself *gulp*

In the picture you can see a waving hand and a leg curled up (baby had its legs crossed!), the heart is clearly visible and the dark spots are kidneys and bladder. Wonderful, simply wonderful! I am one happy Mummy :)

PS Have you ever seen those baby-wipe warmers you can get? Well my hospital has an ultrasound gel warmer!!! No more freezing cold surprises as they squelch it onto your tum!

Potato Ponderings

2006-08-08T22:13:00.000+01:00

Is it a heart?

Or is it a bum?

The Fruitcake just can't decide!

We finally dug up her prize crop of potatoes and Little Miss Fruitcake was delighted to find this little gem in her tater tub :) She originally thought bum but after some thought, she decided that a heart was far nicer!

Fearless Fruitcake :)

2006-08-07T09:40:00.000+01:00

The girl who was too scared to learn how to ride a bike (at the grand old age of EIGHT already, yikes!), suddenly turned into a Fearless Fruitcake when confronted by RinTinTin, the largest pony at CenterParcs. Don't quite know how she ended up with the biggest one, maybe she did it on purpose as she had a sixth sense that RTT would tread on her Daddy's be-sandalled foot as he led her around the trail (yes of course we laughed and no, of course I wouldn't have laughed if it had happened to me!) She LOVED her riding experience, I was utterly amazed. My grandfather kept horses and ponies, he was mad about them and had his own stables, but I was always too scared to have a go, apart from on William the Shetland pony. I did like to ride in his carriages though.....I think he would've been proud if he was looking down on his great-granddaughter that day. Apparently, Gramps was a bit of a horse-whisperer and could tame the most ferocious of beasts....his love of animals hasn't rubbed off on me. The Doc often laughs his head off at my distain for the natural world. An example? Waking in the morning, I say "Eugh, can you hear that noise?" He replies "All I can hear is the birds singing" EXACTLY!!!! Oh dear, for a country girl, I am not very "countrified" though I do love to be beside the seaside at my beloved Tenby.

As Livvy was on horseback, her big sisters were beginning their intrepid Adventure Trail. As it turned out, Meg was probably a little too short, as it was a course aimed at adults really, and she found it much too tough, she couldn't really reach from one foothold to the next, so she admitted defeat and came down from the trees to a well deserved Coke! It was really so very high up, you can't tell from the picture, but to give you an idea, N was the youngest by far on that day (she's 12) and the only girl too. Quite a crowd was gathered underneath, all oohing and aaahing, saying "Regardez cette fille!" in amazement! I'm sure all the attention spurred her on to finish the hour-long course, she was so very proud of herself at the end, even if she did moan for the next few days about her aching limbs! We were really amazed and delighted, as she is the LEAST sporty kid in the world!

Lost

2006-08-06T13:20:00.000+01:00

Midway through our first week on holiday, we had a major crisis. We had spent almost all day at the pool complex and it got to a point where neither I, DrOK, nor little Gabe could take any more. The girls were all keen to stay and enjoy themselves for a little longer so it was agreed that as long as they were sensible and stuck together, they could follow us back in half an hour or so.
The half hour passed and no sign of any girls, but we weren't too worried as that's pretty normal. About 10 minutes late, I shouted to the other half that they were on their way up the path.......except that they were not all coming. When I did a double-take, it was clear that Meg wasn't with them. Their reaction was "Isn't she here yet?". Apparently, she had marched off in a strop as they were walking too slowly and she'd told them she'd see them when they got back.
The Doc got out his bike and went off to have a quick look, but a phone call a few minutes later revealed that she was nowhere to be seen. A mild panic overtook me and he continued looking. Several minutes later, another phone called confirmed she still hadn't turned up. The Doc made his way for help as quickly as his legs could pedal. I was absolutely beside myself with panic at this point but was trying to keep it together for the sake of the other kids. It was at this moment that the two other girls started wailing........and I mean wailing. You know when there is tv footage of war or disaster and the women are just wailing with their heads in their hands? Well that's what they were doing. The Fruitcake was saying over and over "I can't believe she could be gone forever!" and Firstborn was saying "It's all MY fault!" They were absolutely doing my head in..............I was pacing the room, staring out of the window and clutching my phone.
Eventually, about half an hour after the girls had arrived home, I saw a bedraggled and bereft looking 10 year old girl trudging her way towards me. I don't think I have ever moved so quickly in my entire life, in spite of being pregnant. I FLEW down the path towards her and swept her into my arms, at which point we both collapsed sobbing.
A French lady was lingering at the side of the path and explained to me that she had found Meg crying, shaking and alone in a completely different part of the park, totally lost and very, very scared. Apparently she had been asked to get into a car and had refused, thinking it could be dangerous, but she trusted this lady (thank god) and she'd been led safely back to us. The search party was called off and we were all back together once more. Meg cried a LOT that evening. She had been petrified, alone in a strange place where everyone was French, so she couldn't even understand what was being said to her. Later on, the Doc and I admitted to each other that we had both feared the worst. I honestly had reached a point where I didn't believe I would see her alive again and I thought you'd be reading a very different story in your newspapers back home......................

Which brings me to another point. When I was waiting for news, I found myself thinking that I would give up my new baby in a flash just to have her back safe and sound. At that particular moment, I had such bad feeling towards this new life inside. It's got me wondering how I really, really feel. Yesterday was the day I was due to give birth to the baby I lost back in December. I've had very mixed feelings about the whole thing, but have tried to cope with it all by telling myself that if that baby had made it, the new one wriggling and jerking around inside me wouldn't have been joining our family. Just as Gabriel wouldn't be here if I hadn't lost the one before him, nor N if I hadn't had losses before her. I can't imagine this new person coming along and usurping my G as baby of the family. I know that's natural and most mums have feelings like this, I've been through it before myself, but this time it's different. I can't explain why. G is the most wonderful little person I've ever known. Ever. I love him with such a ferocity that I'm thinking there won't be anything to give to the new kid on the block. I know I'm being silly, but there it is. I've said it now.......though I know in my heart that it will all work out fine, just as these things always do. Scan on Wednesday, I am looking forward to another chance of seeing baby. Think I need another 4.5 months just to get used to the idea of being pregnant, I am still in shock!

Oops, forgot the pics!

2006-08-04T13:51:00.000+01:00

I tried to keep it nice and short, don't want to bore you all to death!

Create your own video for free at www.onetruemedia.com

So good to be home

2006-08-04T12:19:00.000+01:00

Ooooooo, CenterParcs!!! Fresh air a-plenty, walking, cycling, swimming, getting back to nature......yep, you've guessed it, I didn't like it at all!!!! What a pain in the arse, quite literally my friends. Ever seen a pregnant lady riding a bike? Nope? Well let me tell you there is a good reason for it. I felt like I was providing the entertainment most of the time, plenty of French and Dutch people grinning at me like loonies, either that or taking a second look to make sure they weren't imagining it. But I think most people like to see big preggie bellies, as I got a lot of smiles and "bonjours". The kids adored the pool complex, after a day or 2 Gabe was getting very daring on the waterslides, he now has to climb up the back of the bathtub and launch himself in whilst yelling "wheeeeeeeee!" I had to take it easy, just getting up to the Dome was an expedition in itself and left me knackered! It seemed like the week whizzed by, we didn't do very much except spend hour upon hour in the water, interrupted by a day out in Orleans, where we had a wonderful meal and managed a bit of shopping.We also had a day out at Chambord, a fabulous chateau. The heat was so oppressive that we couldn't have done much anyway, for most of our first week it was over 35degrees, so amazingly hot that just existing was hard work. And the night-time thunderstorms were a sight to behold, wow!

And then it was on to Paris. Disneyland Paris! The kids were SO excited and I confess that I was too (even though I was already totally knackered at this point!) There were yelps of excitement as the Parks came into view, G made the most noise, even though he had no idea what was going on! Unfortunately, the weather in Paris was not great, suddenly the temperature dropped about 20 degrees! There were lots of rain showers but we made the most of it. We only spent one day in the park, but it was a very full day. Gabe slept for hours, so the girls and their daddy got lots of time to ride the rollercoasters whilst muggins here traipsed round like an old lady, rubbing back, then belly, in a vain attempt to stop the aches and pains! I was absolutely so hacked off though, I don't think I could put it into words.........I had explained that all I wanted to do was watch the parade and that we needed to get there as early as we possibly could. But could they manage to do that one thing for me? Hell no. I very nearly cried. The Doc was a complete and utter pain in the arse. He has "baby of the family" syndrome (ie he is a spoilt brat) that is all I shall say on the matter. The next day we went into Paris itself which was pretty much a disaster! The girls were desperate to see the Eiffel Tower, it took such a long time to get there, then the crowds were massive (of course!) so we didn't queue to go up the tower, we trailed up the Champs Elysees (I spent the whole time thinking Paris with kids is a bad idea, I'd had fun when I went before), though we were impressed by the sophistication of the French, a lovely boutique on one of the most stylish streets in the world was playing the Bratz album (no, I didn't know that myself, I was informed by my more knowledgeable daughters.......)

Don't be cross with me..............

2006-07-21T09:26:00.000+01:00

Righty-ho, maybe some of you need to take a deep breath. I'm scared you are going to tell me off!!!! My poor little man has been really suffering in this heat and the sight of his mental curls sticking to his head was really not pleasant at all. SO........on a mad whim, I dug out the hair clippers which Dr OK HAD to buy, but of course has never used, and checked out if they actually worked. What I mean to say is..........I made the Doc do it so I couldn't be blamed when it all went terribly wrong (or maybe I mean that I would have someone else to blame!!)
He seemed to enjoy the novelty of his first haircut, and afterwards........

we were all delighted with the results!! I was delighted because my boy still has his curls (phew!), he was delighted because he feels so much cooler (he can't stop rubbing his head, he's chuffed!), and DrOK is delighted because I am not cross with him LOL! :)

We won't be here next week when I am 20 weeks, though we are thinking of taking the laptop on holiday. I think I would feel too guilty to be blogging whilst we are meant to be having family fun, so here's a pic of baby bump at 19+1, do you think he/she is growing nicely? I think it looks a bit like I have a ball shoved up my top! Please excuse strange face pulling, it was so sunny outside and I couldn't see! Not very clever as that's a sure-fire way to give yourself wrinkles ladies!

Nowt so queer as folk

2006-07-19T11:21:00.000+01:00

I've been waiting for ages to find out when my brother's wedding will be. He announced ages ago that he would be tying the knot again in August (his first wife left him, married life was "too boring", then she promptly moved in with someone else and basically started on the same cycle all over again with this other bloke........)

Anyway, he found himself a really lovely girl (I can say "girl" as she is only 24!!), the only hitch was that she's from Belarus. She came over to Wales as part of her degree in English and stayed for an extra year after she met and fell in love with Big Brother (my sibling, not the tv extravaganza, though now I come to mention it, maybe.........) Anyway, I think she would have stayed then, but she had to return to Belarus to finish her degree, as they had told her if she didn't come back, she wouldn't get another chance. There has been an incredible amount of red tape for them to get through but they have finally booked the day. 18th August. The day after Gabe's birthday. The day after Dr Ok returns from a business trip to Russia. So it's not great timing for us. Either we have to travel late at night on Gabe's birthday or leave very early in the morning on the following day to arrive exhausted for a wedding. It takes over 6 hours to travel home, so neither option is vastly appealing!

BUT we will certainly be going anyway, as we have a new little person to meet.

Here in all his newborn glory is Ollie, my new nephew. I am in need of cuddles and head sniffs! In fact, there are of course TWO new people to meet..... so many of us were very excited yesterday at the arrival of Sonny , I know that I was, and I'm hoping to meet the lovely Garner family en route to Sunny Tenby! I wonder if head sniffs will be allowed???? Hmm, maybe I'd better ask permission!

I was amazed to be told that BB (see above) had not called in to see his new nephew, nor had he phoned, nothing, nada, zip, zilch. How strange. If I lived a couple of miles down the road, wild horses wouldn't keep me away. Still, nowt so queer as folk.

Anyone for an orgy?

2006-07-17T11:30:00.000+01:00

Forgive me please, but I am feeling rather incensed. We had an appointment for Firstborn with the nurse practitioner this morning. Next Monday, we are going to France on holiday and poor FB is expecting a visitor (ladies, you know what I mean!), so we were after a bit of help to keep her away, as we intend to do a lot of swimming. The nurse was lovely, she examined FB and did all the necessary health checks, asked plenty of questions to make sure it was all suitable, then printed off the prescription and wished us a Happy Holiday!

Most conveniently, the pharmacy is contained within the surgery, so I waddled along with my FB and current baby to collect the tablets. The normal cheery pharmacist wasn't there today, in his place was an old man. He came out with the tablets and said it was most unusual for a 12 yr old to have such a prescription. I nodded and held out my hand. He snatched back the bag and asked why would a 12 yr old have need of such a prescription? I could feel my blood starting to boil but answered that we were about to go on holiday....at which point he cut in and demanded to know "What exactly would you be intending to DO on this holiday?" I was feeling pretty furious by now. If FB hadn't been there squirming (she knew exactly what kind of tablets they were.......contraceptive pills to suppress her period), I think I would have let rip, but I smiled sweetly, replied that we would be SWIMMING, grabbed the bag and left him muttering about the fact that it was all "highly irregular".

FFS, who the hell did this man think he was? We'd followed proper procedure and been seen by a health professional who had agreed that the prescription was right and proper (and necessary for our holiday to be a success!), yet he was basically questioning my morals and even suggesting that I was encouraging my 12 year old child to be having sex (well at least it would not have resulted in an unwelcome pregnancy!!!!) So off we went and I bought her the pack of fags she'd asked for to enjoy with her bottle of cider later.............................

What a wally!

2006-07-14T09:46:00.000+01:00

I think most of us own at least one of these, but I bet none of you call it what we do in the OK house. From what I can tell, they are known as "bath lilies" but once upon a time, many moons ago, a small OK girl decided it was actually a "wally washer". Please don't ask me to explain....I mean, who knows what goes on in those burgeoning brains (I'm sure I don't have a clue most of the time!), but the name stuck, and will do forever more.

We have at least one each, mine is a fetching shade of deep pink. This morning, I was just exceptionally exhausted and as I lingered in the shower, I suddenly realised that in my stupor, I'd somehow "wally washed" my earlobe........that's not something I'd normally do and it wasn't the actual problemo, OH NO..........what suddenly hit me was that my earring was no longer there.

I wear cute little diamond studs. I never change tham anymore, unless we are going to a party/wedding/event, for which I might have bought special jewellery (for that, read NEVER!). They are not only gorgeous but they are precious to me, as Dr OK bought them for me after we lost our ectopic baby. He told me that he couldn't bear to see me so sad and wanted to bring some sparkle back into my life. I loved him for it then, just as I love him for it now.

Luckily, he was in the bedroom. I blocked the plughole with my foot, turned off the shower and YELLED!!!!! He came running and soon understood my predicament, grabbing the wally washer and proceeding to search for my diamond stud. PHEW, and there it was, in all its sparkly glory. On further investigation, the butterfly back was next to my foot, so all was well!! I've now decided I won't wally wash my ear ever again :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I tried really hard to get a nice photo of all the kids yesterday as it was Ni-Ni's birthday but they never seemed to look at the camera all at the same time.......either that or they were trying to outdo each other on the silly face front. This was about the best I could do.......we had a lovely time and the most chocolatey cake on the face of this Earth was demolished by ravenous small people, with a little bit of help from a couple of big people too :) Another 5 weeks to recover, then we have one more birthday, but in the meantime, off on our hols in ten days, yippeeeee. Though I read in a magazine last night that mums should only pack for themselves and children under 9....can you IMAGINE what the 2 big girls (and the husband for that matter) would end up wearing for nearly two weeks???? I shudder at the thought! At least I now have a gorgeous tankini and matching flowing kaftan jobby to sit relaxing by the pool in, thanks to kid sis. No cocktails for me though I suppose *sigh*

The best day of my life

2006-07-13T09:49:00.000+01:00

No, I'm not talking about today.........it was 12 years ago today, that was the day my life changed forever...........I became a mummy. Maybe I should say that it turned into the best day as the clock passed midday, as that's when she was born. 12noon exactly, Wednesday 13th July 1994. I'd never felt anything like the overwhelming, all consuming love I felt at that moment. It was as though I'd been waiting all my life for this little person to join me.

If only I'd known what a cheeky little monkey she was to become, what a handful she would be as she grew into a toddler! But it was complete and total, utter bliss. The Doc and I had made a perfect little person, tiny and wriggly, with a shock of dark hair (which freaked me out at first as I knew that I'd been born so blonde that I looked bald!) She didn't stay dark for long though, and soon had a full head of very blonde curly locks! The feeling was so wonderful that we did it all over again....and again...and again! And soon.....well you know all about that :)

She's a Liverpool lass is my Firstborn, very proud of the fact too, even though we moved away when she was 17 months old. She likes to tell everyone that she is a Scouser!

This morning at 7am, she opened her presents. We went shopping at the weekend and she chose an mp3 player, a new pair of jeans and some cute Converse, she's been after a pair for AGES! What she didn't know was that I'd been shopping for some extra goodies, so she now has some more new gear to wear on our hols (11 days and counting!!!!!) Tonight we are having an old-fashioned tea party, which is always scrummy but ever so much work! And at the weekend, she is having 3 friends for a sleepover. So I don't expect to get much kip on Saturday night! Happy Birthday Neen, next year you'll be a TEENAGER.....yikes!

Phew!!!!! or....Fate intervenes and saves the day!

2006-07-12T13:33:00.000+01:00

This morning, something happened to Gabe......he was confused and didn't quite understand what was going on. I combed his hair!!!!!! I had taken the mental step of deciding to get his hair trimmed. I needed to go into town to have a blood test retaken, as the gormless nurse had cocked it up last time (I was the gormless one this time, as I forgot to take the necessary form with me but we went ahead and I had to call her later with the info for the hospital, d'oh!!)

Anyway, after a very stressful time at the surgery and also mooching around the shops looking in desperation for a couple of surprise birthday pressies for FirstBorn, not to mention spending £150 on entry tickets for Disneyland Paris at the travel agent's (OUCH!!), we finally arrived at the hairdressers.........no appointments necessary. There was only one hairdresser working ,which was a surprise, and a couple of grey-haired little old biddies patiently biding their time. The hairdresser watched me struggle in with the buggy and still watched as I settled myself on the bench, finding a magazine to browse, then finally, once I was comfortable, she piped up "Are you waiting for a haircut?" Erm, well YEAH! "You're going to have a very long wait, might be worth coming back later"

So........................I still have a Curly Wurly to feast my eyes upon. I am SO glad it turned out as it did :) I won't be hurrying back and the comb is safely put away so he needn't worry about that either!

Gay by name.......

2006-07-12T12:01:00.000+01:00

There is a young man who lives in this house whose greatest pleasure in life is handbags and shoes. That is....until this week. For it was a few days ago that this sweet little boy learned how to SKIP!!!!!!!!!!!! No more running in the hall, he skips gaily along lost in his own little daydreams :)

Just some stuff.

2006-07-11T11:14:00.000+01:00

Last night, we did a little OK gender prediction poll and it was 3:2 in favour of a boy (Gabe didn't vote!), According to you lot, 4:3 boy, 1 no idea and 1 saying "boy or girl" (yes, YOU Sasha!!!!)

Here are the results of the OK jury:

Mum: Girl, born 25/12 (hehe!), 7lb 11oz
Dad: Boy, born 28/12, 8lb 3oz
Nini: Girl, born 22/12, 7lb 12oz
Meg: Boy, born 21/12, 7lb 9oz
Liv : Boy, born 23/12, 8lb 2oz

Only time will tell...................of course an ultrasound could possibly give us one answer but last night Dr OK and I were chatting and we seems to have come to an agreement that we won't be finding out the sex. We'd both like it to be a surprise for the family at large and if we were to know beforehand, I just know that one or other of us would blab. You lot can be VERY persuasive you know! Not that I have an appointment yet, it seems that the hospital here only bother to send out appointments at 19 weeks. So I guess that I will be in France when it finally lands on the doormat and could possibly need to go to the hospital the day after we return. I wonder if siblings are allowed into the scanning room, or even if I would WANT them there? Meg was off school sick last time so she was privileged to get a gander at her baby bro mid March, the others had to wait until 17th August ! Goodness knows what we'll do if they are not allowed to come. Anyone know a babysitter? I'm trying not to think about the actual birth. The ideal would be for me to have the baby at home in the middle of the night, but these things NEVER go to plan do they? Well, not for me they don't!

Except that when I finally got my first proper antenatal appointment last week, the midwife was really lovely, much more so than when I saw her 2 years ago. She didn't hesitate to write on my notes that I was having a homebirth (if possible), whereas I'd been told there was no chance. PLUS she said she believed my dates to be more accurate than the flamin scan gestapo. So that was all good. Though when she had a feel of my tum, she raised her eyebrows, grinned and said "This baby is growing VERY nicely!" and that if that was all she had to go on, she would say I was even further on. Which means nothing given my history (babies ALL born late, ranging from 9 to 17 days late). All I will say is that this baby will be born in December :) Just like his/her mummy (I came EARLY!!!!!!)

*********************************************

School reports came home and Liv's was no surprise. Plenty of wonderful comments, she is very bright and doing very well but....she needs to stop talking so much so that she can actually get on with doing some work. *Ahem*. Nothing new there then. Meg's WAS a bit of a surprise, a really wonderful one. She is pretty much a quiet, unassuming girl. She is so very popular and has loads of friends and it seems she has no need to worry about her SATS next year, as....she has already reached level 5!!!!! So a glowing report from Meg's teacher. We don't get our big girl's report until the last day of school, but she has been offered extra-curricular Latin lessons as she's done so well at German this year. So it's all good. Just Liv needs to shut up! My mum often asks me if Liv wears me out with her constant chatter and the answer is a resounding YES! She often comes home with most of her lunch still sitting in her lunchbox, you can guess why. Too busy nattering to get on with munching!

Baby Love

2006-07-10T09:18:00.000+01:00

24th August 2003, just after 7pm. I fell down the stairs. No bones broken but a LOT of pain for a week or so afterwards and very extensive bruising all over my body. The next morning I discovered that as I had been taking my tumble, my kid sis had pushed her first baby into the world. Sympathy pain????? thought I.

9th July 2006, just after 1pm. Sat in Norwich on a shopping trip, cursing same sister for not having sent the promised maternity clothes I needed. Enjoying KFC bucket with family until I swallow a chicken bone!!!!!! Agony ensues for the rest of the day. On our return home, I discover that as I swallowed said chicken bone, kid sis had been pushing out her new little son. Hmmmmmmm.

PLEASE ANNA, NO MORE BABIES!!!!!

Ok, so I admit, poor little sis was probably smarting a little in her nether regions, but my throat really, really hurt!

SO......welcome to the world little Oliver, a brand new Welsh baby boy, born a whole 12 days early.(I'd like to know how she's had both her babies early.........) If he'd waited another day, just 11 more hours, he would have shared his mummy's birthday. I remember the day she was born so vividly, I was 8 years old, it was 10th July 1978. Mum had been in hospital for over a week with high blood pressure and it was her due date so she was induced. (They were taking extra-special good care of her as she was "elderly" at the grand old age of 35 *gasp*!!!!!!!!) It was a boiling hot day and we finally got the phone call to say that the baby had been born at 8.26pm, a sister at long last for me, I was sick to death of having 3 brothers! It was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to me at that point in my life. We ran around the village (VERY small place and we knew everyone, they were all "Auntie" this and "Uncle" that!!!) telling everyone the good news, when we bumped into eccentric Auntie Bertha (unfortunately a REAL relative, my grandfather's sister) she was a bit of a nutter and was dressed in a FUR COAT in the middle of a scorching July evening. She grabbed me and smothered me in the coat, I couldn't breathe as she threw back her head in glee at the arrival of "Hannah", she would NOT accept that the baby was in fact called Anna and called her Hannah until the day she died!!!

My lovely, wonderful grandmother kept herself busy handing out ice cream cornets in celebration, there were people galore, all kinds of cousins etc, all wanting to "toast" the new arrival. Happy days!

So a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Anna and Oliver, cannot WAIT to meet my new little nephew but unfortunately will HAVE to wait until August. I'm still cursing that flaming sis though, I need my damn maternity clothes!!!! Love ya kiddo xxxxx

The Story behind the Mark on my Arm......

2006-07-08T16:51:00.000+01:00

Well me dears, 'twas 1976 (yes, I suppose most of you were just twinkles in your daddies' eyes back then, but still...) I was in Class 2 at primary school, in Mrs. Griffith's class. I'd had a spectacular falling out with my pal Joanne Morgan. She crept up behind me in class and stabbed me in the arm with a pencil......SNAP....the pencil lead came away from the pencil and got lodged in my arm, where it has remained ever since!!!!!!

See, I told you you'd never guess! My mum attempted all sorts to get it out, I seem to remember her digging about with a compass (YIKES, that was worse than the original attack!!!!) but the freakiest thing was that she somehow decided that putting some bacon rind on my arm covered with a sticking plaster would somehow draw the pencil lead out. Hmmmm, I know we are from a village in the back of beyond but purleeeeeeeze!!!!!! Sometimes my mother freaks me out big time! Needless to say it didn't work but the doctor seemed unconcered, after all, it's not actually lead in a pencil, is it? And it seems to have caused no permanent harm, though maybe I could use it as an excuse for certain things (I'd never thought of that before!!!)

Can anyone beat this as a bizarre object to be trapped in their body for over 30 years???

Girl or Boy bump?

2006-07-06T15:14:00.000+01:00

OK, I know there are some "experts" out there who can tell boy vs girl bumps a mile off. So whaddya reckon? Pink or Blue? Arthur or Martha? Diggers or dollies? Personally, I've never been able to tell and haven't got a clue this time either. Dr OK wants to find out at the scan, I don't think I do....though I still don't have an appointment yet and I am supposedly 17 weeks! Off to see midwife tomorrow, so I shall get her to chase it up for me.

The Name Game

2006-07-06T12:18:00.000+01:00

We asked the kids what names they liked......Meg came up with Star, Liv liked Amanda but Gabe just kept making a slurping sound. The other kids thought it was hysterical and bump is now referred to as "Schluuuuuuuuurp!". Here's little Prince Scrummy himself perfecting his pronunciation

A Tagged Five

2006-07-06T10:04:00.000+01:00

I've been tagged by Nic so let's see how I do....

Five things in my fridge
Feta (to eat with my......)
Rocket salad
Leftover chilli from last night
Bottle of Schloer (which I pretend is alcoholic, hic!)
Plums (lots of them)

Five things in my wardrobe
Newborn baby clothes I got out of the loft to sort through for my sister (sooooo cute!)
Boots packed away for the winter
Size 8 clothes which I can't see how I will ever get into again (boo hoo!)
Boxes of old photos which need sorting
Big beachbag full of the family's swimwear (nowt to fit me though!)

Five things in my handbag
My fave Estee Lauder lipgloss which I can't use as preggy hormones make me feel sick if I try
About 20 old shopping lists
Gum
notebook (but no pen!)
Sunglasses

Five things in my car
Well, I don't drive it but......
Zutons CD
Bag of mints
Carrier bags ready for recycling next time we go to Tesco
Sick bags (always there in case needed!)
Dr Ok's sunglasses

OK, not very interesting there, pretty standard stuff I guess! I'm just gonna tag anyone who can be bovvered!!!

Can you guess what it is?!

2006-07-05T20:59:00.000+01:00

No, I'm not talking about the brown freckly thing. I mean the OTHER mark on my arm. Go on, have a guess............

Animal/Vegetable/Mineral

2006-07-05T13:02:00.000+01:00

I had been browsing online sales, looking for baby clothes, as the urge to purchase is becoming greater by the day! Dr OK phoned and I HAD to have a moan..............

Me : "I've been looking for clothes for the new baby, but all I can find is stuff for boys or girls!!"

Reply: "What other kind IS there?"

D'oh.

Clare TV

2006-07-05T09:10:00.000+01:00

Everything seems very slow in Blogland of late.........I guess we are all enjoying some much awaited sunshine! I am personally starting to struggle in the heat. I can't quite believe that I have been 9.5 months pregnant in heat like this and coped ok, as I am currently wilting and needing to rest a LOT!

Yesterday, Dr OK decided he was "ill" and needed a day off work......what this meant in theory was that he would lie in bed resting. The reality was that he took over MY beloved computer. I spent the morning mooching around the house feeling VERY hard done by. I was reduced to watching daytime tv. Hmmmmm. The Wright Stuff on channel 5 had a discussion on contraceptive failure. Basically they were taking the p*ss out of people who claim condoms have split on them. Also joking about women who claim that's the reason they've needed the morning after pill. Well in November 2002, a condom split chezOK. Mrs OK was on medication at the time and had been warned in no uncertain terms by her GP that she MUST NOT get pregnant. So the morning after pill was called for. The morning after pill failed, not only did it fail, but it also caused the fertilised egg to implant in her fallopian tube, blah blah blah......this led to a very sad chain of events. I was angry and upset to watch this programme and thought about calling in to see if they found my story amusing but I thought better of that plan.

The next inane piece of televisual delight was Phil n Fern. I do confess that I like them, I just can't be bothered to sit in front of the tv like that during the day (how times change, it seemed to be the law when I was a student!). They had a piece on "affordable fashion" (for which, read "pile of crap") and to my amazement, an article about BLOGGING!!!!! It seems people who write blogs do it because they are sad, lonely, troubled individuals. They need somewhere to confess and to feel some kind of validation. I can't say any of my blogging buddies come across in that way! It's all a bit of fun for us, n'est-ce pas? (Yeah, yeah, ok, I admit that I often have a bit of a moan and a whinge....but you know, in reality of course I am a Grumpy Old Woman!)

My television viewing continued into the evening. A spot of Wimbledon was followed by an eagerly awaited World Cup semi-final, where both the Doc and I were willing Italy on. It was a fab match, but my eyes felt so heavy and I got a shock when I suddenly realised I was hearing the commentator shouting "It's gone in!!!". I had fallen asleep and missed Italy's goal, scored with only a couple of minutes to go in Extra Time. I looked across at my dear old hubby and he was gently snoring!!!!! So I nudged him and we both managed to keep our eyes open for an extra minute or so, just enough to see Italy seal their win with another goal. Gotta feel sorry for the Germans, but Italy deserved it. France and Portugal tonight......we are cheering on France, not because Portugal beat England, but because they have played some sublime football. I suggested that we could call the baby Zinedine. Well, I'm sure he'd be the only Z OK in his class hehe :)

Deutschland über alles!

2006-06-30T10:38:00.000+01:00

Sometimes, boasting is the ONLY way to go...! My Firstborn surprised and delighted us last year when she achieved level 5 in all her SATS (the highest level awarded). We were so pleased and as a consequence, she found herself in the top set at her new High School. She was a bit put out to discover that the language class offered to her was German, as she really was desperate to learn French. But it then transpired that in her 2nd year at High School, the best performers in German would also be taught French. She resolved to try her damndest as she was SOOOO keen on learning French. I have wondered if it's because I was a linguist that she wants to learn so badly, but, whatever her motivation, I now have news to share....

The same FB who seemed to have no aptitude for languages at the beginning of the year has recently come TOP (of the top class!) in German!!!!!! She even scored 100% in her oral exam! She wanders round the supermarket, picking up random products and asking in German if I need Brot/Milch/Apfelzaft und so weiter!!! I am a proud Mummy! :)

Brace yourselves

2006-06-29T12:26:00.000+01:00

I suspect most of you know that I am a Welsh bird here in exile in Norfolk, 6+ hours from my beloved home. I manage to get by (my tongue is stuck most strongly in cheek!) but I do miss home terribly from time to time, today for example, I would have LOVED to have been sunning myself on the beach in the most wonderful town in the world.....

There is more to be missed than the actual place though. All my family are there, including my kid sister, who is currently 36+6 pregnant with her 2nd baby, which we know is a little boy (she already has a little girl who will be 3 in August). The last time I saw any of my family was 2nd January, the day we left after a short post-Christmas visit. It was also the day she told me she was expecting, I think she was about 12 weeks pregnant at the time and wasn't showing at all. SO.......I called her to ask if she would email me a pic of her huge bump (apparently it is MASSIVE but all bump, very neat and I am sure absolutely gorgeous), it seems strange that I haven't seen her properly pregnant.

To my utter amazement, she refused. She said she felt fat and frumpy and was not willing to be photographed. She then expressed enormous surprise when I told her that the Doc takes pics of me in just bra and knickers every few weeks to document such a special time, we did exactly the same with Baby G. I told Dr OK about all of this and we were both in agreement that the pregnant body is a beautiful thing, we both felt very sorry that A didn't feel confident enough to let me see her wonderful amazing body. I am in awe of what my body is doing. I don't love my body by any means, it has been ravaged by 4 full term pregnancies and also by losses, including surgery for an ectopic, but it is creating a whole new human being. I am in awe and wonder and so I have decided to inflict it upon you!!!! I was far too shy to do this before my sister made her comments. I want to celebrate what is happening....even if I have been overindulging and I am not all bump, but rather part bump, part flab (not forgetting stretch marks and scars)

So....sharp intake of breath..... here for your delight (ahem!) are two pictures. On the left, Mrs OK at 16 weeks with baby G (Feb 2004) and on the right, 16 weeks with new bubs (last night!) Avert your eyes now if easily offended!!!

*
*
*
*
*
*
*

Sorry if I scared you!!!! I had to giggle though yesterday...Meg and I were in my room and she asked me to try on a maternity dress I'd bought, so I stripped off to bra and knickers (as above) and she gasped and said, "Mum, you are HUGE!!!!!" so I had to explain that there are 40 weeks of pregnancy, I normally go to 42 weeks and that I was currently only at the 16 week stage. She was horrified poor love and utterly bewildered as to where the baby will find room to grow! I am not feeling brave enough today to show you the last pic we took when G was still inside, I think it would scare ME far too much to see that!!!!.

Blah Blah Blah.

2006-06-26T12:07:00.000+01:00

When I started blogging, I really loved it.....for me, it was never going to be a "diary" type of blog as I don't really do very much of note. It was a place to share thoughts and feelings, maybe show off a little if and when the opportunity arose and also maybe have a bit of a chuckle.

Most of you reading this will know that I had an original blog which I had to scrap due to certain indiscretions on my part.......I realised that someone had found my ramblings by googling one of my children's names and it really freaked me out for all kinds of reasons. Yesterday, I fully intended to write about some proper issues I have but then I realised that this really isn't the medium for doing so. So I need to think of something witty and amusing instead. BIT of a problem there, as nothing, zip, zilch, nada, comes to mind. A thoroughly boring time is being had by all. The Doc is sat in front of the TV every evening enjoying the spectacle of the World Cup, and his wife is most likely to be found enjoying said event alongside him. I first discovered the joy of the World Cup in 1978, when my Mum was in hospital pregnant with my kid sis. It was a funny old time, Mum was taken in for quite a while....difficult as she had 4 children already. We were told that children weren't allowed to visit, whether that is true or not, I don't know, but it meant we didn't see her for a couple of weeks. Dad would go off every night to make the 25 mile trek to the hospital and we would sit in front of the football. I LOVED it. That was also the first year I remember being enthralled by Wimbledon, which took place at the same time.

Unfortunately, I got a red card and missed the final. I think Dad decided that he didn't want pesky kids ruining his own enjoyment. Mum and baby sis had at last returned home by then but we were told to keep out of the bedroom for the first few days. All very strange......and not the way the Doc and I behave when new little OK is revealed to excited siblings. WHICH REMINDS ME AGAIN.....I am sooooooooooo thrilled to be giving them a new baby brother or sister!!!!!

Fruitcake was trying to explain to her baby bro that Mummy has a baby in her tummy. He looked utterly bemused, poked his finger in his belly button and said "Baby!" I wonder how he will react at Christmas time. I can't wait to find out. G has informed me that it is a boy but I have absolutely no idea. Not an inkling. All I know is that I'd better be ultra-organised this year. No buying a turkey on Christmas Eve! I was thinking of doing my Christmas shopping , like, NOW hehe! (Obviously not, that is SO not me!) I wonder if the kids would be upset if Father Christmas just left them a wad of cash and told them to "get yourself something nice"??!!!

Ah well, more World Cup action tonight, more men in shorts to watch......though I am not entirely sure the competition is quite as exciting as the Quidditch World Cup. Now THAT would be worth seeing!

My baby girl is growing up

2006-06-21T09:42:00.000+01:00

8 years ago today, it was a Sunday.......Father's Day to be precise. It was scorching hot when DrOK and I arrived at the hospital at 9am, eagerly anticipating our new baby boy, who was going to be named Gabriel. At 1.34pm, out popped.....a third little GIRL! I was overjoyed and amazed as I'd really wanted a girl but had truly believed we were due a boy (especially as it was the first time we'd had a boy's name picked out!)

So 1.34pm, Sunday 21st June 1998, weighing 7lbs 14.5oz, Olivia Alice OK made her grand entrance into the world, plastered in poop! It was EVERYWHERE! Under her nails (long, as she was 2 weeks late), caked in her hair, between her toes, and in her ears. I wailed "I wanted to give her a kiss!" The midwife encouraged me to do so..."But she's covered in pooooooooo!" Poor little Livvy!

I fell in love with this little wriggly, pink person immediately but little did I know she would turn out to be a total fruitcake! I am allowed to tell you that she is a total nutter, as she herself is the first to admit this is the case...in fact, I think she's proud of the fact. She is infuriating but hilarious, annoying but sweet, she drives us crazy but she is so very loving and tender. She's our baby girl BUT..........she is EIGHT ALREADY!!!!!! How in the world did that happen? The passage of time is so very scary, it goes so quickly. I think you learn to slow down a bit after your first child, there's no urgency to be moving on to the next stage.

Anyway, at 6am, a very loud Fruitcake appeared in my bedroom, yelling "PRESSIES!!!!!" but of course I am an old fart and told her to come back at 7am, when we'd all be more awake. Eventually 7am came round, the Doc was an absolute star and went downstairs to make coffee, juice and croissants for an impromptu breakfast in bed (yes, my bedding is now smeared in chocolate), the six of us chomped away on our yummy treat, then down to serious matters.....presents and cards. I think it's safe to say the Fruitcake now has more money than her mother, as our relatives all send money seeing as they live so far away. She is also the proud owner of a Nintendo DS (Meg was sick to death of being pestered by her sister wanting a go on hers!). She got a new outfit, complete with sparkly flip flops as desired, and most importantly, in her eyes at least, her very own pack of Thornton's Special Toffee (yes, of course chocolate smothered!)

What she doesn't know is that we are going to eat at Pizza Hut or Pizza Express tonight. She thinks that I am cooking. HA! Fat chance! On Saturday, she is having a birthday treat with her best friends, they are going to the cinema followed by the ubiquitous MacDonalds. Unfortunately, I shall be staying home (heehee, not sure how I managed to pull that one off!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOU NUTTY FRUITCAKE!!!

XXXXXXXX

Used to be a Wino, now I'm just a Whine-o

2006-06-19T11:40:00.000+01:00

Oh. My . Lord. Things haven't gone my way over the last couple of days.

Yesterday was Father's Day. The girls had been asking to go for a day out at the beach so we had it all planned. The weather was predicted to be scorching hot, a picnic lunch was prepared by my husband's own loving hands and a work colleague of his had recommended a beach which was apparently very quiet and had no distractions of amusement arcades and shops selling tat. Perfection. We were all really excited, I was looking forward to lying on a beach reading whilst taking in some rays, the Doc was anticipating fun in the sun with his many offspring. Slathered in suncream, we set off.

The traffic was appalling. As the journey wore on, the car's occupants grew more fractious. Then the sun went in. Eventually, we found the beach, down a long, narrow, winding, sandy path. We paid the geriatric attendant our £2.50 parking and piled out of the car for the short walk down the path to the..........stony, grassy, windy, dirty stretch of what looked like scrubland. No wonder it was deserted. But there was more joy ahead. The big girls and Dr OK decided to have a quick stroll to the water's edge, where they came upon......dog poop. Yummy. We sat, shivering, for 20 minutes on a rug, the kids wrapped in towels trying to keep warm. We stuffed out butties in our gobs and left that beach pretty sharpish. On our way back to the car, we saw more doggie doo. Needless to say, the decision was already made never to return.

We decided to go home, to our lovely garden, which is a real suntrap.......except not yesterday. The promised sunshine failed to materialise so the day was a bit of a disaster. Later on, we had a barbecue, which we ate outside, shivering! Still, DrOK didn't complain and he managed to watch plenty of football.

This morning, I had an appointment at the GP's to "discuss results of blood tests". I had no idea what that meant. My hunch was that, as usual in pregnancy, I was anaemic. BUT they had tested for syphilis....surely it couldn't be THAT? Or, more sinister, a glucose test had been carried out (a simple blood test, not the hours-long tolerance test carried out in later pregnancy) and I was so very worried. HOW COULD I LIVE WITHOUT CAKE???????

When the girls woke, I explained that we needed to set off earlier than usual, as I had a 20 minute trek to the surgery after dropping them off at school. The inevitable happened, of course, and we left for school 10 minutes later than necessary. I was FUMING and screeching like a banshee at my bewildered kids. I felt so ashamed of myself, but I had explained over and over the need for speed. It meant that I practically had to RUN to the surgery, no fun when pregnant at all. When I got there, I could hardly breathe and was in quite a lot of pain too with my loosened pelvic joints. I explained why I was 10 minutes late and where I'd had to walk from and.........they told me I'd missed my appointment. Maybe you could come back this afternoon? Ummm, no not possible to walk all the way back again with 5 children. Well we could do you a favour and squeeze you in at 10.40. Of course I had to agree but by now I was crying. I felt like such a fool but was in such a state, breathless, in agony and so very hormonal. One and a half hours later, I returned, after mooching around town (no fun I can confess) and lo and behold, the receptionists could not even bring themselves to look at me. The GP said my iron was verrrrrrry low and I needed tablets. In fact it was not that low at all but was a little on the low side, so I took the tabs and ran (ok, I shuffled uncomfortably) out of the surgery and made my way (very slowly) home. Where I was a total rebel and drank TEA, which of course inhibits iron absorption and I DON'T CARE!!!!!!!!! But happily, I do not have syphilis! And my glucose level was 4, which means nothing to me in the slightest but is apparently fine. I'd eaten crunchy nut cornflakes for brekkie just in case I was banned after seeing the GP!

Sorry for the moan. Next time, I KNOW I will have something more joyous to share, as my little Fruitcake is about to celebrate her birthday..................

Please allow a little rant.

2006-06-16T12:46:00.000+01:00

"Oh Maaaaaan, would you look at that??!! "

"I had one of each and that was MORE than enough for me.... "

.....this is what I heard in the playground at school. I am obviously showing then, as EVERYBODY was staring at me like I am some kind of freak. Well...in my humble opinion, I think the other people are freaky, you know, the ones who seem to think of their children as a burden rather than a blessing. I was also pretty hacked off with the hospital ward sister, who took my history and then declared "Wow, you really ARE a glutton for punishment, that is a LOT of pregnancies". What an idiot she was, she could see that I'd suffered pregnancy loss several times. I wished afterwards that I had asked her if she had ever lost a baby. I also wished I had smacked her in the chops.

I'd like to publicly declare that I love having babies and I love having children. I am also apparently unusual because my children are all by the same man. It's been assumed that I am having a new family with a new partner. Well, nope. I love my husband and he is a fabulous father who provides for us all, cares for us and looks after us. SO THERE!

The next person who makes an inane comment ("oooo you are braver than me" etc) had better watch out. I have raging, rampant hormones!!!!!! Plus, I am actually the luckiest woman in the world :)

Zippedy Doo Dah!!!!!!

2006-06-13T14:59:00.000+01:00

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

I blubbed like I was the baby, I apparently have a crazy little wriggler in there who made it very difficult to have a proper look and get a decent pic :) My dates have been moved forward by exactly the same amount as with bubba G, 9 flippin days (I am not v happy about that) so I am now "officially" due on 13th December and will be 14 weeks tomorrow. This little one is upside down, but you can clearly see the little legs and we saw fingers and toes, it was AMAZING!!!

Huge sighs of relief all round!

Shoe Crazy

2006-06-12T14:54:00.000+01:00

I decided that I had no choice but to hide Master G's beloved wellies, so I guess he just HAD to find a replacement..................................... and for HeatherAnne , here he is in wellies and pjs last week! Looking at these pictures, I am thinking the time may have come to give the poor child his first haircut!

SCORCHIO!

2006-06-12T09:35:00.000+01:00

Oh....my....lord. Always the same with us Brits eh? When it's cold, we want heat. When it's raining, we want sun. When we have a spell of dry weather, we need the rain. And when it's BOILING hot.......ooooooooh, I need some relief! I am the sort of gal who, at the first sign of some rays, am togged out in skimpy vest, dragging comfy recliner chair out into the garden. One cool drink fixed and a chunky novel later, I am in seventh heaven. No matter that I can feel skin slowly sizzling, I HAVE to stay there as long as humanly possible. What an idiot eh?

After a few days of this, it occurred to me that I really wasn't feeling too hot. Actually, scrub that, I WAS feeling hot, and particularly bothered. What I should say is that I was starting to feel rather unwell......and yet......the sun, calling my name... It has taken so much willpower to stay in the shade over the last couple of days. My skin is turning nicely brown but I really have been feeling weak and ever so slightly sick (morning sickness has at last abated, only to be replaced by mild sunstroke!)

Today, thunderstorms are brewing all around the country, but apparently not here, the sunshine is absolutely glorious. I am feeling the need to return to bed for a nap, it's amazing how soporific a bit of sun really is. Of course, it doesn't help if a 21 month old little man decides to wake at 2.20am and remain awake until nearly 5am. I cannot believe that's what happened last night. He was just sitting on our bed, in between his Mummy and Daddy, giggling and trying to tickle us. Much as I love him, I was NOT amused. I can't figure out why he did it. He should have been utterly exhausted, as he spent the day running around like a loon in nappy and WELLIES of all things! His feet were sooo sweaty it was gross, I swear that kid would wear his wellies to bed if he were allowed. He terrorised the poor rabbit for half the day, chasing her with an evil chuckle. Luckily for her, Romy is pretty nimble on her feet, and managed to find sanctuary under the trampoline!

I intend to have a boring kind of day today, after a very lazy weekend (of course we couldn't go anywhere as the Doc seems to think it is the LAW for him to watch every single World Cup match!) Still, I am not complaining as I like footie too. If only my beloved Wales had qualified.......... Tomorrow is the day I have longed for and dreaded. My scan. The doc has taken the day off work to come with me. I am trying for the old Positive Mental Attitude. There's surely no reason for anything to be wrong. Hopefully my next update will include a first picture of my new little boy (OK family straw poll indicates this to be the case, 3 : 2 , with little G abstaining!!!) Ah well, only 6 months or so until we find out for sure :)

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

2006-06-08T09:57:00.000+01:00

GOOD: The sun has come out at last, yippee!!!!! So yesterday while little G slept, I sat in the garden on my comfy reclining chair thingumybob and sunned myself whilst reading The Da Vinci Code

BAD: After a short while, I realised that I'd forgotten to put on any suncream and was, in fact, roasting my own flesh.

UGLY: Bright red sunburnt arms.

GOOD:Eating lots of proper food, nutritious and fresh.

BAD: Eating excessive amounts of said food.

UGLY: Putting on 9 lbs in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Bugger.

GOOD: My hair has suddenly gone thicker and less greasy, I am normally a 7-day-a-week hair washer

BAD: According to the proverbial old wives, this probably means a boy and there is not a single boy's name I like at the moment.

UGLY: The arguments likely to prevail as a certain Dr tries to persuade me to use some dreadful name or other. (Yes, he has NO taste in names)

GOOD: I have a cleavage!

BAD: Eh???? There isn't one :)

GOOD: Having a blog to express myself, whether it be happy, sad or worrying times

BETTER: There are people out there willing to read my drivel

BEST: It's you lot, my blogging buddies, lovely, lovely ladies and I appreciate every word you have said, you are a fab support network and I'm glad to share the highs and lows with you xxx

Gimme Five!

Our new baby

No news is good news?!

Wow! It's been a while!

Just saying hello

Arlo's 11 months old!

Mine is bigger than yours....

Beanz meanz smilez

No news is good news?!

Sorry

****sigh****

Rock Bottom

Pom pom, anyone?

Another month, another birthday!

New Tricks, part 2

New tricks

Peggies

Out of the mouths of babes

All smiles

Question, questions

A confession about depression....

Wingardium Leviosa!

Bedlam!

Hamburgers!

At Last!

Cologne

One Month Old!

Where in the World?

Ol' Blue Eyes

A new little miracle

Perfection Personified

Hanging on until the bitter end

Last Day with my Baby

40 weeks!

The hormones are winning

A Duvet Day

Feeling Festive?

My "babies"

Sock it to me

36 week pic!

Yeah, but no, but....

A huge sigh of relief

Oh the shame of it!

A little light reading for today...

Raspberry Leaf Tea

Age is just a number

Twins my arse!

Hot and Heavy....

Top Weekend!

40 years

It's a boy...

Life and how it is

1st October

Nappy brain?

My bun is baking nicely, ta!

It's good to talk

Nature boy

Barren and Buzzin

Baby Love

A cautionary tale

Hmmmmm

A Pain in the Arse

Gorgeous Gabriel and his Greek Goddess

V.B.D.

Birthday Boy, Belarussian Bride and Bleached Blondes!

Brilliant Builth!

Musings from a Mushy Mummy

Mummy's little helper....

Just for fun!

A wave from baby!

Potato Ponderings

Fearless Fruitcake :)

Lost

Oops, forgot the pics!

So good to be home

Don't be cross with me..............

Nowt so queer as folk

Anyone for an orgy?

What a wally!

The best day of my life

sigh