Good to go.

Had my 36 weeks midwife appointment on Friday. Not sure if is good new or bad, but according to her baby had dropped. She also stated that as it is my 3rd when they drop labour isn't far away. Hoping that she hangs on a bit until 37 weeks. We are still no ready the house is a state and the nursery needs a good sort out. Baby also doesn't have a name or clothes yet.
Since being told this news every little twinge is being analysed, is this labour?

Counting down the days.

So, I'm now 35 weeks and 3 days or 32 days to go until we get to meet the newest member of our family. Not sure if I've mentioned it but we are having a little girl. It is the first time we have chosen to find out the sex. James is pleased. He commented that because it is a girl he can play with her if it was a boy Penny would have to play with it.
The pregnancy is going well and did seem really fast until now. With 5 weeks to go I'm fat, aching in all places and lazy. Still is isn't as bad as I was with Penny so I am grateful for small things.

Penny's first day at nursery.

Another first in our family this morning. Penny had her first day at nursery. As we both wanted to see her off we dropped James off at school. He went in a lot better this morning, still clingy but giggling with it rather than lots of tears. As normal there was a bottleneck of parents trying to sort their children out, tackling bags, book bags, indoor shoes and coats, myself included. As a result we were 15mins late to nursery,  whoops, nog the ideal start. Anyway, after a quick kiss and cuddle she toddled in with out looking back.
With a child free morning I decided to treat myself to a book and a cream tea in the village. Knickers to the housework.
On pick Pen up, she had had a few teary moments when she had realised that we weren't there. But she said she enjoyed it and played with trains. I think she will be ok when she gets use to it.

First day.

James has now had 2 days at big school. Each morning he has been fine getting ready and doing his new routine.  He is happy until it comes to leaving him. At the moment parents can go in the classroom and help them put their coats and bags away and put their indoor shoes on. Quick kiss goodbye and the tears start. The TAs have to peels him away from us so we can leave. Hopefully, we can start leaving him at the door soon and this might subside. He is absolutely fine minutes later. Penny starts nursery on Monday but I think she will be fine. 

Starting Big School

It is 9.30 in the evening, I'm on my own and sobbing. The reason? My beautiful little boy is starting big school on Thursday. Even though he can drive me to distraction I'm going to miss to insane, random conversations, the constant running commentary which I can barely keep up with, his liveliness and eagerness and energy.
I worry he will find it all too much, the days too long and tiring. That his imagination will be squashed with in confines of school work and getting it right.
I know that I will not be the only one who will miss him. His little mini me follower will feel the same way. I only hope his teacher will grow to love him and his quarks as much as me.

Relief

Last Tuesday was my 12 week scan day. Dad babysat the children while John and I went to our appointment. The relief when I saw a moving little baby on scan was astonishing,  I didn't realised how wind up and worried I was.
Today we told James about the baby. John asked him to guess what was in Mummies tummy. "A baby" he whispered, then bit smiles. Then asked for 2 babies. He said hello to it and confirmed he could hear a very tiny heartbeat. We shown him the scan photos and he chose one to keep. We also talked about what a baby might need and he said he would save his clothes that are too small. At first he wanted a brother, then sister, then back to having 2 babies. At least he is happy about it.

Party and poorly sick.

So this is has been a month of ups and down.
Up-My beautiful little boy has turned 4. Not so little now, but he still loves cuddles and kisses from everyone. He had a small party at home and was truly spoilt with all the gifts he received.  A huge combine, scalextrics, lots of Lego, tractors and jcbs.
Down- I've been really sick with this pregnancy. Even the thought of food is enough to make me run to the bathroom. At 11 weeks it is just starting to ease off.

Drum Roll Please.........

It's a big fat positive. Baby number 3 is on its way and I can't stop smiling. Gone are the previous doubts about money, where to put it and how we will manage. I've gone into doing everything by the book mode. Out goes the coffee, steaming hot baths and sherry. Bring on the gorgeously small baby clothes and let the cooing commence.

I'm I, aren't I?

This morning I took another test which has the tinest of lines so I'm still not sure if I'm pregnant or not. I also think I've got over the shock now, my mind has turned from getting fat to pretty prams and having cleavage again. I think if it turn out negative I would be very dissppointed.

Not sure if to laugh, cry or hide under the bed.

Today, for no reason accept that I felt different, I took a pregnancy test and to my shock/suprise there was the faintest trace of a pink line. Looks like baby number 3 is on there way.
After last years miscarriage I decided that my two gorgeous children were enough. I didn't want to get into the cycle trying, then the months of worrying. However, last month very gradually, broody baby ideas returned. Low and behold within 2 weeks I'm pregnant.
Not sure what to think at the moment selfish me doesn't want to put weight on again after nearly lossing 4 stone, nor are the pregnancy aches and pains or birth appealing. I have also given everything baby related away so will have to start again buying stuff.
I have always wanted three children, three seems complete to me. The idea of having a small baby to cuddle makes me smile.

PS. Not sure how I will manage without my coffee machine.

Where are the Penguins

This is a conversation that James and I had in the car yesterday.

Me: Look it's snowing.
James: Yes, lots of snow (after a moment) Mummy where are the Penguins?
Me: We don't have penguins in this country.
James: But its snowing, Penguins like the snow.
Me: Yes they do but they live far away in different countries.
James: Where are the kangaroos?
Me: Kangaroos like it hot and live in Australia.
James: Can we go?
Me: No sweetie, it is along away on an aeroplane. You can see kangaroo and penguins in a zoo.
James: Do you have to in a plane to go to the zoo?
Me: No we go in the car, there are lots of different animals.
James: Can we go on a plane to the zoo?

Another stone gone.

I've now lost 3 stone in total and even though I look a lot better, bizarrely I'm more uncomfortable and less confident in choosing clothes and wearing them.
I'm still off cake and sugar but I do have a little taste of the cakes I've been making.

John's big 40

On the 10th August John celebrated his 40th birthday. We had a BBQ at home with the family. Despite the dodgy looking rain clouds it kept fine and we had a lovely time.
This was just one of his birthday cakes. He was very lucky and got 2. I made this one and his mum made a lovely chocolate cake with a rubix cube, Dennis the menace and Kermitt the frog on it.
For his prezzie we went to Swindon computer museum,  Wookey Hole and Borwood House to see Tractor Ted.

Baking Crazy.

I don't know whether I'm suffering Bake Off blues or the lack of cake is sending me into a mad baking woman. But I'm in a baking frenzy at the moment. I've cooked jam tarts, tea bread, Victoria sponge, tarte titan, cookies fairy cakes, crispy cakes and cupcakes. I found Nigella's How to be a Domestic Goddess in a charity shop for the bargain price of £2. I'm looking forward to trying some the recipes.

lovely Autumn family day.

I've had the most lovely day. We headed to Belton House, as they had a Halloween trail and it would be the last time we go before they close the outdoor play area.
The sun was shining, the trail was lovely and James enjoyed finding the body parts. We stayed in the play area for ages, Penny was exciting toddling around finding leaves and sticks and going on the slide and enjoying the swings. We threw, collected and kicked leaves around and rode on the little train and saw deers.
We ended the day by having a MacDonalds and the kids had a early night completely exhausted.
Fabulous.

Catching up.

As always my blogging post are sporadic. This is a very brief catch up of our summer.

Great Yarmouth with Grandad.
In September we all had a weekend in Yarmonth with Grandad. We dug on the beach, went to Petits and dug there. Penny enjoyed the slides round, round, round she went, not even stopping to sit down she just walked off the end.

National Trust.
We have tried to go to Belton as often as possible to get our moneys worth from the National Trust card. Both children enjoy the play area, which is also big enough for us to use as well. Looking forward to the new one they are building for next year.

Days out.
We have been lucky enough to go to Norfolk show, Sandringham show, Heckington show and Spilsby. We have visited windmills, the beach, watermills, parks and castles.

A fab Summer, but feeling a little sad knowing that this time next year James will be at school and our random days out are going to be limited.

Silent Sunday

Cake Lace

Just recently I've been playing with my new toy, Claire Bowmans cake lace. Unlike a lot of these things often there is a knack or you have to be super patient, which I'm not. This however, is quick, easy and is ready to go almost straight away.
You just mix the 2 ingredients like it states on the pack. Spread it on the silicone lace moulds and pop it in the oven to dry. 10mins later it is ready to peel from the mould and use. It looks and feels like lace and if stored right can stay flexible for 6 months. I'm going to try colouring it black next and go for a goltic looking cake.
Here is the result. My Grandma 91st birthday cake.

Step away from the cake.

With a little will and a lot of effort and a huge amount of encouragement from a horrid stomach bug, I've managed to lose a whopping 2 stone.
For years I've been a size 18 and too be honest wasn't really bothered about my size. When I made an effort I scrubbed up pretty well.
However, in March I had the dreaded flu which exhausted me and I just didn't want to eat. Then I had a miscarriage and everything went wobbly and fuzzy. So it was a while before I started having proper meals. Combined that and going back to work with a pack up instead of drinking coffee and picking all day and without me realising it I had lost quite a lot.
I still didn't realise I had lost weight until May, when I visited Katie, she took one look at me and said wow, then pointed out that I had lost most of it from my arse and my clothes didn't fit.
By the end of June I weighted myself (I don't own scales) and I had lost 1.5 stone. Since then I have made a conscience effort. I no longer have pudding and biscuits after my meal. My coffee machine make such delicious coffee that I don't need sugar. I worked out that I was having at least 7 coffees a day with 2 sugars in them. The biggest thing is I've stopped picking in between meals. Apart from that I haven't changed my diet. The hardest thing was giving up cake. I've now nearly lost a total of 2 stone, I would like to get down to 12 stone, that means I have 8lbs to go.

Teeth, puddles and cats.

Teeth.
Hurray, Penny at last has her first tooth coming through and we all know about it. She is unsettled at night and off her food. Hopefully that tiny bottom tooth will soon be out and everything more settled.

Puddles.
James' lastest "job to do" seems to be digging a large hole, dumping the mud on the patio then filling the large hole with water. He then gets all his outdoor diggers in and splashes about. The result is one very muddy garden, and a very mud but very happy little boy.

Cats.
Saturday night both James and Penny stopped at Grandma's while we went to a BBQ. Penny now has a new word to her vocab, cat. Though it sounds more like at.