Purple Hugs - Babe in arms!!

[IreneH]

I did a degree in arts, humanities and social sciences and then did a PGCE and qualified as a teacher.

Catherine is doing an Open University in law and is now in her 2nd year. She went into hospital (is in labour as I write) this morning and took her course books with her.

Irene xx

 

[Purple Hugs]

How wonderful, fingers x'd the birth goes well and the books do the trick! Be sure to let us know how she gets on won't you!?

your learning sounds great, are you still a teacher? I'm not sure I'd have the patience, or stress management skills! lol I helped out when Erin was younger but always left with a headache that took hours to shift! lol

 

[Purple Hugs]

Well, that's it. Our foster placement left an hour ago. I can't lie and say I'm not relieved, cos I am, but it's still a bit weird, no more fostering. I just hope truly that she settles this time, her Social worker thanked us and said that at least she has a true reflection of her behaviour now, she was in an overly restrictive placement before us.

So.. onwards and upwards.

Erin's guinea pig died night before last, she buried him last night. He is her only pet of her own, so I spoke to graham today - guinea pigs are a bit 'old' when it comes to the kids, we have one left, but he's got bad eyesight .. sounds funny I know but I don't think he'll live to be a ripe old age and he's already 2. So am thinking we should get something different but something that is still low maintenance.. so we're heading out with Erin and Adele later to pick a rabbit! it'll still be Erin's pet, so she'll be over the moon I'm sure! She wanted rats a while back but not really got anywhere to have them without the dogs getting to them - both would kill 'em given the chance - and not really got the spare money for a decent cage etc.

Anyway.. we'll see what we come home with! lol

 

[Purple Hugs]

lol at the cats and the not working!!
Hope you've had a chat with them about baby arriving! lol baby will soon make a stamp on their lives, but I'm sure they'll all be fine

 

[Purple Hugs]

I'd say the change of sleeping habits is better long before baby arrives that way there is no associated jealousy.

I haven't had cats but am used to dogs.. both of mine have slept in the kitchen for years, but the eldest did sleep on our bed for a while, but not with little ones around.

Baby and cats will soon learn a certain element of respect for each other.. once baby is crawling/walking

 

[MrsDannyDyer]

Great news about the college course. Sorry your foster daughter is away, but glad you can have some calm in the house now and enjoy your pregnancy more stress free xx

 

[Purple Hugs]

Thanks hun ((Hugs)) it's been bliss this weekend! Adele our youngest is still playing up a little, but she's been copying the behaviour she's seen from fosling, so it'll settle in time I'm sure.

Fingers x'd I get onto the college course.

14 weeks today and I'm down 2lb on the other day!! 13st 4lb - very happy as I'm still eating too much so it's just down to cutting back fat content and eating more fruit etc.

Went swimming (all of us) yesterday. Had a lovely swim. Adele jumped into the pool all on her own for the first time! She did it 3 times but took water in the third.. hopefully we can get her to settle to it again! lol
Erin was swimming really well. Was amazing to reflect that last year she couldn't swim. Her swimming lessons really have done her well - They've cost us around £200 but to see her so active in hte pool doing lots of different strokes and enjoying them all is wonderful.

I banged my arm on the wall in backstroke - wall was closer than I'd thought. Banged my watch and didn't realise the glass must've popped out. One £300 watch is now not working.. hope it's just the battery but I doubt it, as it was waterproof till the glass went! spoke to the life guards and hte manager about the glass, but they reckon it will likely have floated, we couldn't find it.. so hopefully they're right. They said the filter is designed to take things that big so hopefully that's the case, but at least I told them.

Sun is shining today.. Heading up the horsey yard for a while

 

[Purple Hugs]

boy it's been hot for the last couple of days Have been bringing Thunder (my pony) in for the day - he's been loving the break in his stable I think - it's much cooler in there and the flies leave him alone too.

Am suffering from swollen feet the last couple of evenings - I'd forgotten how uncomfortable swelling can be.

See my midwife next wednesday, less than a week now. Really can't believe it!! lol Time is going so fast!! It was 5 weeks ago I saw her last and the gap between appointment seemed huge, it's really flown by though.

Hubby is almost finished our bedroom ceiling - we had a change around of furniture so are ready to paper and paint soon. We're not sure if we'll use paper to be honest, we're testing it! lol
We're painting our bed too.. sounds weird but it's dark green metal framed, we've had it for years, but we're having a white bedroom. would love a new bed, but now we've stopped fostering we can't afford it really. so.. with proper metal paint we will do a 'changing rooms' type of makeover! lol

 

[Purple Hugs]

totally not pregnancy related but this morning is not good.. we had a wicked thunder storm last night.. went to bed listening to it. Power went off before we went to bed and we had to switch the fuse box back on.
Then it must've gone off around midnight - irony was I was likely still awake - didn't realise, was up again at 5am but didn't put a light on (loo visit). Graham got up at 7am to find my tropical tank completely off.. no oxygen, filter nothing.. have already fished out a few baby fish that didn't make it.. and now I'm watching one of my plecs (sucking type fish), he's my most expensive fish and a bit fussy - he's now wedged in plants still breathing but looking like he's on his last legs.. or fins as it were. :cry:
I have 4 plecs in there and all of them were struggling, they can't come to the surface for air like fish can.

I've got the tank back up and running but we won't know for a week or so the true damage as the bacteria that helps clean out the ammonia etc will have died off too...

I hope I don't lose too many.. but I'm expecting the worse. :cry:as it'll likely happen.

My other tank is fine as it's goldfish in their and their hardy things. lol

 

[Purple Hugs]

Thanks I know there will be some casualties over the next week or so.. just hope it's not my fav's! But.. there we are.. not much I can do. We're trying to set up something in our bedroom that will beep or something if the elec goes - so that if it happens again we know about it.
We quite often get 'blips' in the power here, because of our location but they've always been when we are up and around.

 

[Purple Hugs]

really good thanks, chilling today. doing nothing much! lol
been reading up on hypnobirthing.. hoping that breathing exercises etc will help with the birth in time.

 

[Purple Hugs]

oh no!! lol it's much cooler here today, we had terrific storms last night.. hence the power cut. Biggest and longest storm we've had sinc we moved here 2 years ago.

Have just spoken to the college local to me, they have an open evening and am popping along to meet the tutors for the course I've applied for, and see around the facilities. I've still to wait for an induction day / interview but fingers x'd I get on. I've applied for the part time course that is held 2 days a week so am hoping that there are less applicants for this being week days.

 

[Purple Hugs]

Just checking in.
15 weeks today!! wow the last 10 weeks have FLOWN by!! lol
5 till halfway point.. amazing stuff.

Hubby and I were both able to clearly feel my uterus yesterday (when I am lying down) which was lovely.

Have little rumblings in my tum tonight but not sure if it's trapped wind or baby.. will hold fire on judgement just yet.

This amazing pic is on my sig this week - am posting it as it's so pretty and will gone next week! lol

Got my midwife appointment wednesday and can't wait. hope they listen to the heartbeat!!

Am relieved also that we are not having the downs testing, I know it was our decision so it's no surprise, but I go on a forum elsewhere (sorry to admit that) and there is a club for each month of birth - well there are loads of mums out there worried sick now about there 'odds'.. they're having invasive testing and risking miscarriage. I really couldn't handle that!! There really is a good side to ignorance is bliss.. I'll handle things later IF I have to, and still love my child.

So.. after that serious note, we FINALLY set up our spa yesterday.. all got in with it FREEZING!! lol honestly it had only just finished filling but it was a hot day! lol
Today it was a very civil 31 degrees. and lovely this evening after a busy day.
Am honestly considering setting it up in the kitchen for babies arrival.. at least as pre-birth pain relief. I should explain it's an inflatable type big enough for the 4 of us though. Holds around 800 litres of water, and goes up to 40 degrees.
will speak to my midwife later this week about it.

So.. that's me caught up and my ramblings. lol

 

[shelbell]

It is a lovely pic PH, wish I could say the same about mine! Last weeks was rather alien like too, so enjoy this weeks while it's there

 

[Purple Hugs]

lol you'll soon be past it Shel
Hope you're feeling well - am sweltering in this heat!! might get in the spa in a bit.. lol

Definately felt a kick this morning.. amazing stuff!! Will bring me comfort for sure.

Here's a scary bump pic.. and a before one that was taken a couple of days after the egg met the seed so to speak! lol

 

[Purple Hugs]

Am excited to have the midwife today at 1pm...
Slept terribly last night.. stupid dreams kept waking me up. :sigh: and was up 4 x for a pee.

Feel shattered this morning but off up to see my horse and need to get some housework done before school gets out - given my appointment i'm assuming that i need to get this all done before 1pm. lol

 

[Purple Hugs]

Well midwife visit went fab.. all is dead on how it should be.
BP is slightly up for me, at 110/68 - almost normal which was surprising but it is blooming hot so thats likely why.
Baby heart rate listened too - never ceases to amaze me - and the other midwife counted it at 152 bpm..
According to one of those prediction things this means it's a girl.. but we'll see! lol Graham did laugh when I looked it up after we got home!
Measured my uterus at 15.5 which is dead on for 15 +3 that I am today.

So.. don't see her for 6 weeks now!! which is the week after my 20 week scan.

Checked if they have a birthing pool for use at home but they don't. Midwife said that I can use our spa for pain relief but likely end up having baby out of the pool as they don't do many water births, not all familiar with them and she herself hasn't done one for years..
So.. will aim for it to be warm pain relief only I'm ok with that, at least it will help keep me relaxed and if the kids are around they can join me! assuming my waters don't go or anything while i'm in there of course!

 

[Purple Hugs]

Ooh my ticker has swopped over! lol
16 weeks today!

Bought a bargain for baby at the car boot sale this morning - a mothercare winnie the pooh etc cot mobile - nearly new looking - for a bargain £3!

Really chuffed as love a cot mobile but given that we are trying to budget wasn't sure whether I could justify £20 for one at the moment.. was thinking it would have to be an xmas pressie! lol

Also in the week I got two pairs of velour trousers with feet in (in white) in mothercare knocked down from £4.50 a pair to £3. I love those on babies in the colder weather as no socks to be lost! lol

slowly and steady the baby bits are building.

Feeling good, baby woke me last night would you believe!! Turning somersaults I think! lol could really feel it dancing around.

 

[Purple Hugs]

I can't believe it's the school holidays next week this means the 6 weeks holidays will rush by in a whirlwind with my girls and then it'll be SEPTEMBER.. I have a few things on in Oct/November so can't wait for the winter months as it'll be really 'real' and happening!
Hubby got all excited today bless him and said if baby arrived tomorrow we'd be ready! lol he didn't mean what we've bought but emtionally And he's right.. though I told my tummy not to get any ideas that it had to 'cook' till December! lol
He's right though, mentally I've totally gotten over my nerves and from holding back 'in case' something went wrong.

We picked up a breast pump and single bottle steriliser today - for the microwave. for a bargain £3.75 when they should've been £15 for the two! very pleased. Handy as anything too as I bought a breast pump after I had Erin to try and express as was struggling to get her to feed, didn't work.. but the blooming thing cost me £45!!!! it was 10 years ago mind you and from boots. lol

Bumped into a mum from the swimming pool today her son was in lessons with my eldest. She has a 5 month old and knows (via text contact) that I'm pregnant. it was wonderful to catch up and she said to let her know if I'm having a boy and she'll pass loads on which was lovely of her.
There is a mum at school who proudly told me she's pregnant (6 weeks) and today a neighbour two doors along told me she's 6 weeks too!! lol So it's wonderful to have a couple of ladies to share being pregnant with. I've really mised my friends since being pregnant as they're so far away and since we moved things have become more distant really.

Really hope I can make some friends with babies when baby arrives. I'll have to scare hubby and have a coffee morning or something at some point! lol

 

[Purple Hugs]

well we found another bargain last night at Toys R Us - real nappies (bambino mio) for £79.99 instead of £99.99 - so picked up a kit Great news as they've come on so far since eldest was born and being our own baby (not foster baby) we're ok to use re-usables.

Had our final meeting with our Social worker today to end our fostering. Nothing much to do than sign a few bits of paper. She bought us a lovely lily pot plant and some biscuits and a card. So that was nice. Sent on some messages from our old link workers, and that was about it really.

Feeling good pregnancy wise - though had a terrible day of nausea all day yesterday. All better today.
Can feel my uterus in line with my belly button now so it's definately growing upwards.. no flutterings for a couple of days now though. Am not worrying as this can be normal early on.

Bought a lovely big shrug earlier, it's like a purple wool cardigan style with a shrug. Really pretty, wanted something to keep me cosy n' warm without tying up at the front so that it will grow with me, and I want to look pregnant rather than just fat in jumpers that are too tight! lol

So.. that's me caught up, hope you are all well.