Goodbye 2012 – it’s been a great year!

If someone had told me last New Years Eve how much my life would change in 2012 I wouldn’t have believed it!

After so long trying for Little Mr A it came as a complete shock in February when I found out I was pregnant!  I had just about resigned myself to the fact that perhaps 1 was our lot and we would have to make do with just Little Mr A.  Then came an even bigger shock in April when we found out we were having a girl.  All this generation of my family are boys and I didn’t think we had the gene to produce girls!

It’s a what?!!!

Also in April this year we moved from a house we hated to a really nice house in a great little village.  Looking around now I know we made the right decision in moving again after 6 months in Hull, even though it was stressful at the time!  It has meant we have spent much more time together as a family even though we were further from work.  Earlier in the year, before I went on maternity leave, we would all go into town together to work and nursery, rather than me getting up as Big Mr A and Little Mr A were going out the door!

In July/August we had a great holiday together in Dorset which was just what we all needed after the upheaval of the move and, to spoil Little Mr A before Little Miss A came along.  We had a great time and even managed to see some of the Olympic sailing in Weymouth (even if we were really far away!) and it was great to be involved in such a great event, even in that small a capacity.

Olympic sailing in Weymouth

My boys in Dorset 2012

Come September it was time for Little Mr A to start school.  I found it very hard to let go of my little boy for the first few weeks, he still seemed so young!  After a few teething problems in the first half of the term, since the October holiday he seems to have calmed down a lot and is settling into school life really well.  I am so proud of his achievements so far and loved seeing his Christmas play!

October came, and along came Little Miss A.  After a great birth I am absolutely loving having a baby in the house again, she is so easy and fun and I can’t wait for all the exciting times we have ahead in 2013.

My two gorgeous children!

I am very excited about 2013 and all the fun and adventures it will hold for the ‘A’ family.  Big Mr A starts his new job next week and although it means more travelling and less time with the family during the week I am hoping weekends will become even more of a quality family time together.

Happy New Year everyone, hope you all have a great 2013!

Day 5 and still no baby

After feeling like things might finally be getting moving yesterday I have woken up today feeling nothing again today 😦 I am getting so uncomfortable and fed up now and knowing it could still be another week away just doesn’t bear thinking about.

According to Big Mr A I am just tired and mardy.  Maybe one of these days they will get to know what it feels like!

Oh and the next person that tells me ‘she will come when she’s’ ready, well I will not be held responsible for my actions!!!

How did everyone else cope with going overdue? Any tips to take my mind off it?

End of moan…….!

Forgotten symptoms of pregnancy!

  It’s funny how after 4 years your mind simply forgets all the horrible bits about pregnancy.  Here is a list of the symptoms I have suffered from that I had gladly forgotten from the first time around!

1. Feeling sick and generally rubbish – I have been lucky in both pregnancies not to have had proper morning sickness just a general feeling of being unwell and headaches.  First time around this kicked in from the first few weeks but, as I had just been put onto chlomid for fertility problems I assumed that was making me feel unwell, never for one moment did I imagine I was pregnant!  Second time around I knew instantly why I was feeling ill.  Luckily by the time I got to around 12 weeks in both pregnancies I started to feel much better.

2. Tiredness – First time around I got to be quite selfish.  If I was tired I would take the day off work and spend it in bed or on the sofa watching daytime TV!  This time has not been so easy.  Having started a new job only a few months before it was difficult to take any time off and, having Little Mr A meant I couldn’t come home and slob out either as there was always something needing to be done or games to be played!  Thankfully, again at about 12 weeks, the tiredness started easing and I got some energy back although there has still been plenty of early nights and weekend naps!

3. Heartburn – I suffered terribly with heartburn when pregnant with Little Mr A.  Many nights were spent awake with the acid bubbling and burning away.  I quickly learned what set if off and only once made the mistake of nipping down to the seafront for ice cream and donuts before bed! Everyone said that bad heartburn meant a hairy baby and boy were they right!  Little Mr A had a big mop of hair that is still a nightmare to tame to this day!  That does make me slightly concerned that Little Miss A will be a bald baby as I have hardly suffered with heartburn at all this time (except for last night when a combination of coke and chocolate before bed did not mix well!).

4. (Too much information alert!!) Piles and Constipation – Pregnancy is so glamorous isn’t it.  I vaguely remember having a few problems ‘down there’ when pregnant with Little Mr A, but nowhere near as bad as I have had this time around!  Around 6-7 months pregnant I was only going to the loo about once or twice a week.  It didn’t matter what I ate, nothing would shift it so to speak!  Anyway this led to me getting piles which were so painful it was difficult to walk, sit down or sleep!  I tried creams but they just didn’t seem to help the only thing that took the edge off was dosing myself up with paracetamol.  Thankfully this has now passed and, although still there, are not painful.  This has definitely been the worst symptom to deal with second time around!

5. Hormones and Irrational Emotions – I will readily admit I have always been a very hormonal and emotional person but being pregnant seems to make me 10 times worse!  When pregnant with Little Mr A I was an absolute monster and really difficult to live with for the first few months.  How Big Mr A stuck it out I don’t know!  This time around, I am sure Big Mr A will agree that i have not been so bad.  The last few weeks though I have been incredibly emotional and crying at everything (a particularly emotional Eastenders had me in floods quite recently which in turn upset Little Mr A!).  It hasn’t helped that Little Mr A has started school recently as this is an emotional time for anyone let alone when you are pregnant!  Big Mr A and I have had quite a few arguments recently, sometimes over silly things that I can’t even remember what they were about!  Many a night has been spent sat watching TV in silence!  Luckily I have had my mum close by as a shoulder to cry on and get me through the tough bits, thanks mum xx

6. Swollen Hands and Feet – Early on in both pregnancies my hands have become the size of spades!  I made sure this time around I took off my wedding ring nice and early as I didn’t want to have it cut off in hospital again!!  As for swollen feet, yuck!  During the summer it wasn’t too much of a problem, I could get my sandals on without too much bother, however, now boot season has arrived it is a different story!  It is difficult enough to try and put boots on when you are 9 months pregnant and can’t bend over properly let alone having elephant feet to try and cram in!

7. Lack of Sleep – This was a problem for me early on in both pregnancies as I like to sleep on my front.  I don’t think I would have got any sleep if it wasn’t for my long body maternity pillows!  They are an absolute must for any pregnant lady.  The only problem I find is if you need to turn over you have to take the whole thing with you which can take some time!  My main problem now, towards thd end of my pregnancy, is the need to get up for a wee every night!  Trying to get my massive lump ouf of bed is not an easy task!  Luckily the house we moved into has an en-suite so I can roll out of bed and straight back in again!

8. Pain of childbirth – I think this is the best one your mind is good at forgetting!  I remember it hurt but I can’t remember how much or what the pain really felt like!  I only remember the most amazing bit of the whole experience where your baby is placed in your arms and you think what a miracle you have created!

Don’t get me wrong, although there are lots of rubbish bits about being pregnant I love it and would do it all again in a heartbeat (o.k. maybe wait a few weeks before you ask if i want another!).  It is amazing feeling your baby move for the first time and, as they get bigger being able to share that experience with your family.  And, in the end, all the bad bits are worth every second when your gorgeous baby is handed to you!

They were my experiences of pregnancy.  Did anyone have any other weird and wonderful symptoms?

The big day is nearly here!

6 weeks to go with Little Mr A – no wonder I made elephant noises during labour – I was the size of one!

 Only one day to go until my due date and I am getting very impatient!  I am at that stage now where I feel like I have been pregnant for years not just 9 months!  Although I am nowhere near as big as I was during my first pregnancy (and can still get into my pre-pregnancy jeans with the help of a belly belt!) I can’t get comfy, don’t sleep properly and just want Little Miss A out so we can get on with enjoying our next stage of family life.

After already having 6 weeks off from work on maternity leave I am getting very bored now.  The house is clean, washing and ironing is up to date, Little Miss A has everything she could possibly need for the first few months of her life, washed and organised in her nursery and I feel like Phil and Holly are part of the family!

 First time around I was incredibly lucky.  The day before my due date, even though I had had no twinges, I went into labour.  I was certainly not expecting this and it took us both by surprise!  After a few hours in labour I went to the local hospital, only to be sent home again as I was not far enough established.  I tried to relax in the bath without any success then proceeded to spend the next few hours rolling around on the floor screaming whilst Big Mr A decided it would be a good time to test out the stopwatch on his phone!  Eventually, when I could take no more I demanded to go back to the hospital.  When we arrived it turned out I was now 7 cm dilated and in too much distress to even try having the water birth I had really wanted.  I quickly grabbed the gas and air and guzzled it down, apparently making lots of elephant noises in the process!  After much screaming and fuss Little Mr A was born at 17 minutes past midnight on his due date.  Not quite the nice relaxed birth I had wanted but I am sure I was not the worst patient ever!

Second time around I am determined this birth will be calmer and more relaxed.  I really want to try a water birth this time and am determined not to scream as much (maybe I should pack a gag in my hospital bag!).  I know that I am probably kidding myself and when the contractions start I shall be, once again, rolling around the floor making lots of fuss!  Big Mr A also has a new phone so I am sure the stopwatch will be tested out again before he can take me to hospital!

So come on Little Miss A we are all desperate to meet you!

1 day to go with Little Miss A – That’s better!

My family life so far…

Hi and welcome to my blog.  Thank you for taking the time to visit my site.

For my first post I thought I would tell you a bit about me and how my gorgeous family got started….

THE BEGINNING…

 

I met my husband aged 18 at a local hotel where we were both working, me as a waitress/general dogsbody and him as a chef.  I would love to tell you it was a fantastic romantic meeting and we fell in love at first sight, however, this would not be true!  Big Mr A had bet with his work colleagues that he could get a date with me and I was on the rebound from a recently ended relationship!  Hardly the making of a big romance, or so I thought!  To top it off Big Mr A asked me out in a giant walk in fridge in the hotel kitchen!  Anyway, despite this I agreed to a date and that was the start of our relationship.

Skip forwards two years and we got engaged.  Again, not the most romantic engagement (as it was supposed to be), Big Mr A chickened out of proposing at Edinburgh Castle and popped the question in our B&B instead, which had a lovely view of Tesco out the window!

Another two years on and I was walking down the aisle, enjoying the happiest day of my life.  I am glad to say this was a much more romantic occasion and Big Mr A’s speech will stay with me for the rest of my life, it was so special and personal and I was so proud to become his wife.

STARTING TO EXPAND THE FAMILY…

 

We enjoyed a couple of years of marriage without children before we decided that it was time to start a family.  I am sure, as with most people attempting to get pregnant for the first time, we assumed it would take a few months and wham bam I would have a bun in the oven.  Unfortunately this did not happen for us.  It took almost two years for me to become pregnant after beginning to explore medical assistance.  It was heartbreaking at the time as a lot of friends around us were having their first child and we wondered if it would ever happen for us.  Finding out we were pregnant on Boxing Day 2007 was the best Christmas present we could ever have asked for!

 

I was incredibly lucky to have a great pregnancy (although I moaned plenty at the time!) and on 17th August I went into labour.  18 hours later, at 12.17 a.m. (on his due date) our gorgeous Little Mr A was welcomed into the world.  We could not have been happier and couldn’t wait to enjoy family life.

CHANGING TIMES…..

We enjoyed two great years together as a family before Big Mr A got a new job which meant he was away from us both during the week only to return home at the weekend.  As you can imagine this put a strain on family life but unfortunately we could not sell our house so were not in a position to move together as a family.  Working three days a week and looking after a demanding toddler on my own was hard work and made me appreciate my husband and our marriage.

A year passed and still the house had not sold so we made the big decision to rent out our family home where we had spent 3 years raising our beloved Little Mr A.  I was lucky to find a job very quickly and we made the move in October 2011.  At first we had moved into a city (from a nice rural town) but unfortunately after 6 months we decided that wasn’t for us and quickly moved again to a nice little village a few miles out of the city which is much friendlier and more suited to family life.

AND SO TO NUMBER TWO….

 

Just as we were settling back into family life together we got the big shock that we were having another baby.  After not really trying but having not been using any protection for the 4 years since Little Mr A was born we were so happy that we had not have to go through the stress of trying as we had the first time around.  Things progressed well and we decided to find out what we were having at our 20 week scan.  I was convinced I would have another boy as there are no girls in this generation of the family, just boys!  Hearing those words ‘It’s a girl’ was a shock but the look on my husband’s face was amazing, he had wanted a girl the first time around (although he obviously loves Little Mr A to bits!), it made me feel very proud to be able to give him his little girl.

 

I finished work about 6 weeks ago, as Little Mr A started primary school and it was easier for me to finish early so that I could drop him off each morning and pick him up every afternoon.  It has been a big change for all of us but he loves school.  I think it has been harder for us to let him grow up so soon (he has only just turned 4!).  He has changed so much since he started, he is certainly not our ‘baby’ anymore.

Well that brings you up to date.  I am two days away from welcoming Little Miss A to the family (fingers crossed!) and cannot wait.  I have been much more relaxed this pregnancy and can’t wait to be a mummy for a second time.  The nursery is ready, her wardrobe is fuller and more fashionable than mine, the pram is set up with it’s new material and brand new change bag and we are just waiting for her to arrive so we can start the exciting new chapter in our lives.