Today is/was Bubs Due Date

So we all know babies very rarely arrive on the due date and I honestly didn't expect Bubs to.


We had some irregular pains and tigthenings yesterday which led to nothing. The mucus plug also came away yesterday but that doesn't mean a lot either when it comes to predicting when labour will happen.


I had a midwife appointment today. Everything is fab with me and Bubs is good too. Bubs is still head down and the tip of the head is in the pelvis but the midwife said baby will still be able to move in and out of the pelvis so it may not mean much.


I'm measuring 42 cms which is strange for me. I've only ever measured ahead with Gwen but at the end was spot on for dates. This time around I seem to be 1-2 cms ahead each week. This doesn't seem to worry the midwives but I have to admit it's worrying me as I've got to push Bubs out and I'm dreading the thought of a big head like Gwen's again.


I go back in a weeks time on November 1st and they can offer me a sweep then if Bubs is engaged otherwise it'll be a case of waiting until induction is booked. Hopefully Bubs will be here by then.


Here's my 40 week belly photo.

39 Weeks Pregnant

Another week has passed us by and draws us ever closer to meeting Bubs.


I've had braxton hicks galore over the last week. Bubs has been pushing down although it hasn't led to the head engaging yet.


I managed 2 school runs today and am now suffering and walking like a cowboy and quite sore on my pubic bone. My belly has dropped and is measuring smaller than last week.


Time has been flying by and hasn't slowed at all. Most people say how much the last few weeks seem to drag but it seems that just as soon as a week starts it's ending. I'm just wondering when Bubs will arrive.


I'm back at the midwife next Tuesday and I'm hoping we don't make that appointment but think I'm hoping just a little too much there.


So here's my 39 week belly photo

I'm measuring at 44 inches

Wow It's Been A While

So what have we been up to since last week.


To be honest not a lot has happened until today.


I entered a competition on a facebook page to design a fitted nappy and give it a name. I designed a cream coloured nappy with red, white and navy cotton thread trim and red and navy snaps and named it Jack as in Union Jack. The facebook page's owner will order a batch of the nappies in my design to sell on her website and I also get a nappy in my design too. I'm not sure when I get the nappy but can't wait to see it and of course will review it when I get the chance to use it. The nappy I won is made by Sloomb

Cerys failed the Kent Test which is to see if she is suitable for grammar schools in our area. We were fully expecting this as she's not at the year 6 level yet in all her subjects. We've now applied for the schools we want her to go to and have a long wait until March 1st to find out which school she has gotten in to.


We ordered a change mat for Bubs last week. We usually buy one of those large rectangular mats with foam around the edges and covered in plastic. We find they pop easily and  then you have foam hanging out of them. I decided that this time I wanted to avoid them and try something smaller. I looked at all the cloth change mats but found they weren't very thick and didn't feel comfortable using them with a newborn. I then came across the Bibetta Roll 'n' Go mat. It's small, plastic but not hard it's soft, very padded, can be rolled up and you can wash it in the washing machine. It arrived today and I love it. I can't wait to use it with Bubs. It'll be nice not having a huge change mat laying around the living room.

I also won a 20% off code for Bububebe nappies on their facebook page. I happened to be online when  Lisa, the owner, was having random giveaways after reaching 2000 fans. We've already bought Bubs a Bububebe nappy so we're going to buy another using the code for Bubs or Gwen for a christmas present.


We bought a new digital camera last week. Whilst at Howlett's our camera decided to play up and have lens error after lens error. So Darren, knowing we'd need a camera soon for Bubs birth, went out and bought a Samsung ES9. We've been using it and it's pretty simple to use and takes fab photo's. I'll have to get Darren to review it for the blog. I think he's just pleased we have a camera that won't cause problems when we need photo's taken of Bubs.

38 Weeks Pregnant

Today I hit the 38 week mark.


I had a check up with the midwife. Everything is fine with me. Not that I ever really have any problems and since my iron levels are great there's not much to worry about.


Baby is doing great. Bubs kicked the midwife off my tummy when she tried to listen to the heartbeat. Bubs was laying with their back on my left side and is still head down.


y belly is measuring at 39 cms so just 1 cm ahead and I' usually spot on so not sure if we have a big Bubs in there or lots of fluid. The midwife did say Bubs is a good size but not sure what her meaning of 'good size' is.


I'm booked in to see the midwife for October 25th, so 2 weeks time, which is my due date. Hopefully Bubs will arrive by then although I won't hold my breath I'm good at going over.


My waist is measuring 45 inches which is equally Gwen's record and I think I've dropped a little compared to my last photo.

I also bought Bubs a new outfit on Saturday. I simply couldn't resist it.

Howlett's Wild Animal Park

Yesterday we made a surprise last minute trip out to Howlett's, which is near Canterbury, Kent.


We arrived at around 11:30am and bought passport tickets which allow us free entry for a year. These cost £39.95 for 2 adults. Gwen got in free as she is under 3. They take your photo and store it on their system so they know who the card belongs to.


We strolled around looking at the variety of monkey's, big cats, rhino's, elephants, deer, red river hogs, ant eater, gorilla's, capybara, bison and lemur's.


Gwen found the monkeys climbing and jumping hilarious. She would try to call them over to them doing the noise you use to catch a cat's attention. She'd tell me to push her closer to the fences so she could see better from her buggy too. She found the gorilla's fascinating and I'm pretty sure she was dying to get in there with them. She could have sat there all day watching them.


We had a rather lovely lunch from the restaurant. I had a cornish pasty, which was gorgeous, hubby, Gwen and my in laws, Tom and Trish, had sausage rolls with chips. 


We then visited the nearby gift shop. Gwen loved all the teddies and we bought her a podling parrot. We found a t shirt for Harvey for christmas with t-rex's on it and 2 little dinosaur skeletons for the boys for their stockings. I loved looking at all the gem stones, fossilized tree slices and the magnetic gem stones. We treated the children to little note pads and zebra pencils.


Trish, my mother in law, had fun with one of the siamese cats that live in the manor at Howlett's. She had it sitting on her lap in the gift shop while we were having a look around.


We found a lot of the animals weren't out in their enclosures or very cleverly hidden out of sight. Which was a little disappointing but that's animals for you.


It was lovely and quiet walking around as there weren't many children in the park as it was a school day.


Here's some photo's from our day out.

Howlett's was a lot of fun. Gwen went last year but screamed most of the way round but she appreciated the animals more this time and loved walking around with us. It's a fab day out as a couple or as a family. It's easy to get to and great exercise and you don't even realise just how far you're walking when you go around the park. The passport tickets are a brilliant idea and well worth investing in. The gift shops are great for little treats for children and adults. I found a beautiful little charm bracelet and charms to clip on it. There's even a little farm shop at the entrance selling lots of yummy goodies, all very mouth watering.

If you live near Canterbury it's definitely a place to visit Howletts

Dolly Cupcake Wilmslow Cake Pop Review

Cerys won a competition on facebook for cake pops from Dolly Cupcake Wilmslow last weekend. She'd been dying to get them all week and on Saturday morning the postman delivered a package addressed to Cerys and we all knew what was inside.

She opened the parcel so carefully like it was a bomb due to go off lol. The cake pops were so well wrapped I had to do most of it for her. There was no way that those cake pops were going to get damaged Louise had done a fab job of making sure they arrived safely.

We let the children choose which cake pop they wanted to try and Archie and Jorja went for these cake pops.

Cerys, Harvey and Gwen all chose these cake pops.

Each cake pop was wrapped in clear plastic wrapping with a little tie to keep it sealed. They looked very pretty and extremely yummy.

Archie and Jorja's cake pops had chocolate cake as the center with a strawberry icing and little white chocolate stars on the outside. They found them a little hard to bite but once they'd managed a bite they made short work of them.

Jorja with her cake pop too show what it looked like inside

Archie was kind enough to let me taste his cake pop. Wow was it yummy. The cake in the center was so moist and chocolatey. The strawberry icing was lovely not too overpowering and went great with the chocolate cake. Jorja and Archie both loved their cake pops. They both said they couldn't find anything bad about them and they'd love it if mummy bought them some more to eat. Archie did say that he'd love a chocolate cake pop with chocolate icing and chocolate sprinkles though but I just think he's addicted to chocolate lol.

Cerys, Harvey and Gwen's cake pops had chocolate cake in the center with strawberry icing and then covered with chocolate sprinkles. Again they found them a little hard to bite into but once in them they managed ok with the rest.

Cerys showing the inside of her cake pop

Cerys let me taste her cake pop. It was again a lovely moist chocolate cake in the center with that just right strawberry icing and the chocolate sprinkles just made it that bit more chocolate tasting. Cerys and Harvey couldn't find anything bad to say about their cake pops. They loved them and said they'd love more of them. Cerys is also dying to know how Louise makes them. I took Gwen as eating all of hers as a sign that she loved hers too.

Gwen enjoying her cake pop

I really couldn't recommend these cake pops enough. They are £1 each and worth every penny. They are fab little treats and I'm going to get some for the children for their stockings this year. They aren't too messy even Gwen managed to eat hers without getting too covered. They are delicious and look fantastic.


Click here to find Dolly Cupcake Wilmslow's cake pops and other cakey goodness.

Meet Our Furry Family Members

It's about time I did an entry to introduce you all to our furry friends.


We have 3 adult cats. Our eldest cat is Fifi, she's 3. She came to live with us with her brother, Bumble, but when we got our younger cats he disappeared and we haven't seen him since.

Fifi

Next we have our younger cats, Ruby and Callie. They are sisters and were 1 at the end of April.

Callie

Ruby

Next we have our newest addition. Bella was born July 28th and is one of Ruby's litter of 3 kittens. Bella is obsessed with feet.

Bella

We also have Bella's brother Little Dude living with us until he finds a new home. He's a very hyper little kitten and attacks anything he sees.

Little Dude

We also have non furry friends in the shape of 5 Giant African Land snails that reside in the kitchen.

37 Weeks Pregnant

Another week has passed by and I've hit the 37th week.


I've been having a lot of braxton hicks and pressure of Bubs moving down lately. I'm blaming the warm weather and not quite drinking enough fluids.


I'm still managing to do the school runs even though it tires me out but I'm liking that I'm not stuck indoors just yet.


My waist is still measuring at 44 inches.

I'm starting to get excited at the thought of having a new little one around in 3-5 weeks time. I can't wait for the cuddles and using tiny newborn nappies again.

Thinking about Christmas

Today I've been looking ahead to Christmas.


So far we've not sat down and really thought of what to get for the children or other relatives we buy for. We've just been buying bits and bobs when we see things and we're starting to loose track of what we've gotten people.


So I've made a list for what we have so far for the children's stockings and what we have so far for presents then I made a list for what we need to get for stockings and presents.


The girls are easy to buy for when it comes to stockings but we seem to be struggling a little with the boys.


When it comes to presents we are struggling for everyone except Jorja.


Jorja constantly tells us what she wants and apparently if she doesn't get a Hello Kitty chair she'll cry. She's also after Barbies and anything Hello Kitty, nice and easy.


Cerys is at the age where she's too old for most toys but isn't really into anything that we can get her loads of. All she's asked for is a Twilight Team Edward bag.


Harvey and Archie are pretty much in to the same things and that's Dr Who lego playsets and figures, lego and angry birds.


Gwen has 3 presents already. An Iggle Piggle costume, Holdens Landing nappy and a rocking horse. We're stuck for what else to get her.


Then there's Bubs. This Christmas Bubs will be about 8 weeks old and have no idea what's happening so was thinking of clothes, rattles and maybe 1 big item for use when older.


I'm yet to figure out what to get hubby. I have an idea for one thing but after that I haven't a clue.


This seems to be a year we're struggling. Last year we found it so easy buying for the children.


Think I need some inspiration but where from?

We've not been too busy lately

So I would have posted sooner but we've not had a lot going on.


We've had the kids feeling a little off in the last week but not a full on bug just tummy aches and feeling tired. Archie was sent home from school twice and Cerys had the day off on Thursday as she felt sick. Archie was sick once on Thursday night. They seem to be getting over it thankfully.


The kiddies have been wanting Moshi Monsters cards so we've been treating them to packets when we can find them in shops. Not sure what is so great about them but the kids love them.


One of our kittens went to live in their new home on Wednesday. The couple were lovely and I think she's going to be their first pet. We still have the little boy living with us and hope he finds a new home soon.

I've noticed I'm starting to struggle with walking to the school and back. I get so sore in my pelvis from where Bubs head is resting that I then start walking at a snails pace so I suspect I may have to give up trying soon.


Gwen had her first hair cut on Thursday. She'd been long overdue for a trim but I didn't feel confident enough that she'd sit still for me to have a go at cutting it. With this warm weather she's been so hot and her hair has been so messy I thought it was time to just have a go. I ended up taking about an inch off the length and she looks so much better, no more straggly ends.

And finally Cerys won a giveaway on a friends facebook page today Dolly Cupcake Wilmslow for Cake Pops. She'll be doing a review when it arrives which will be posted on the blog. She can't wait to try them they look so yummy.