The Lakes, Lunches and Lurgy!

Had a hectic few weeks as usual. Aside from the baby groups, Henry went to Bents with his Auntie Becky, Nan and Gran and met Father Christmas! It's got me so excited for Christmas!

We were out for lunch A LOT at Billinge Garden Centre, Cedar Farm, The Drunken Duck and The Three Fishes. God knows how I am going to shift this jelly belly with all the food I am consuming!

Henry was also at the doctors after picking up hand, foot and mouth virus :-( It's the first time he has caught anything apart from a cold but he didn't seem ill and thankfully it didn't affect his eating and sleeping! 

Which reminds me, he was 6 months old exactly this week so we put him in his own room. Felt really sad about it because my baby is growing up!!

I also gave up breast feeding this week, another thing I feel sad about but I feel 6 months is definitely enough. So it's hello to normal bras again! Yay! 

 

Loving the preppy look

Went for a preppy look today. Need to get back to the USA where Abercrombie and Fitch stuff is waaaaaay cheaper than over here!

Nearly 6 months!

The wee man is nearly 6 months old and I can't believe how fast that time has gone. I keep saying every night once we've put Henry to bed that I'll write my blog and every night I forget because by the time I've cooked dinner, ate dinner, stacked the dishwasher, done the never ending laundry, put clothes away, etc. etc. I decide I want an early night! 

But I am going to start it up again. 

So what have we been doing in the last few months? 

Henry's social life is much better than mine what with 'baby sensory', 'rhyme time' and swimming every week. Add to that, afternoons with the grandparents and lunches out with friends we have a pretty hectic week! 

We managed to squeeze a holiday to Portugal in too...

and we've started weaning.... 

And I had a cheeky weekend away with the girls for Emma's hen do...

Halloween fancy dress fun!

Oliver and Henry

Coordinating outfits! 

Henry with his Aunties and Uncles!

Time flies!

 I can't believe how time flies! Henry is 9 weeks old already!

So, what have we been up to?
Since I last blogged we have got ourselves into a decent routine and have been out and about most days. Henry has had lots of play days with his friends...

Andrew and I have both had our birthdays and went out with friends (and babies) to the Church Green in Lymm. 

www.aidenbyrne.co.uk

Very nice and the weather was sooooo hot! Cute outfit?

Taking advantage of the hot weather at Sara and Rudi's bbq...

Back in the skinnies!

Finally I am able to fit into my fave pair of skinny jeans for a lunch date with a friend. 

Henry is now weighing in at 7lb 5oz and is much more alert! We are getting lots of smiles and a bit more sleep. He is settling from about 9/10 pm till 2am but then he is up every hour wanting feeding! I cannot wait for the day I get a full night of unbroken sleep!!

I've started giving him some tummy time on his play gym and he is already lifting up his neck. Clever boy!

Unfortunately he has developed a rash on his face and neck. Health visitor says it's nothing to worry about and has prescribed him some cream so fingers crossed it'll clear up soon!

Checking out his reflection....

Tummy time! 

Ready for a lunch date...

Holly's baby shower lunch

My friend Holly is due to give birth this week so I spent the afternoon with the girls (and Henry) having lunch at www.oesterestaurant.com

Henry was on his best behaviour and only woke up for a quick feed! Have been so lucky with him while out and about, he's good as gold. 

Fashion choices are limited when breast feeding so wore one of my new 'breast feeding friendly' blouses and skinny jeans. 

Loving the play gym!

Back to work!

I took Henry into work this week which was lovely.  Was only meant to stay for an hour but ended up there for nearly 4!

It was great seeing everyone and the students got to see Henry before their exam. Let's hope he is a good luck charm and they all get grade As!

Henry has had lots of play dates already and loves his best pal Oliver....

Sleepless nights

The last few nights have been pretty horrendous regarding the lack of sleep but last night we turned a corner. Been topping up Henry's feeds with expressed milk and it seems to get him to sleep longer. 

Midwife was worried he wasn't putting on enough weight :-( but last time he was weighed he'd put on 2 ounces so we are on the up!

Lunch date with Henry

Can't believe Henry is nearly 3 weeks old and in that time it's been non stop with people visiting, lunch dates and mid wife appointments. 

Also went shopping with the two grannies as I realised that hardly any of my wardrobe is breast feeding friendly! Bought a few blouse/shirts from good old Primarni including this one which is actually a man's shirt!!

No time to post!

Well it's been 11 days since Henry arrived and I've not had chance to post much. So here's a bit of an update. Feeding is going well and he is sleeping for chunks of time in the night. Last night he fed at 2am then 6.30am then 9.30 so I reckon I got quite a bit of sleep! However midwife is saying I need to wake him to feed him in the night! As if! Sleep is precious and Henry seems happy as am I because I can function in the day!

We've had loads of visitors and Henry has been given loads of gifts! He is very lucky. 

Mummy meltdown #1

After Saturday night's never ending feeds and approx an hour sleep I had my first meltdown yesterday and there were tears! 

We were getting ready to go for our first walk as a family and when we went to get the pram out we realised it was all still in its wrapping and polythene!! So we were frantically trying to unwrap it but all I could think about was the fact that I had this window of time before Henry's next feed to try and sleep and go on the walk. On top of this the 'w' word had been mentioned which meant Captain Jack was doing his best seal impression (he always does this when excited about a walk) and it was relentless!!! Then it came to putting Henry in his pram.... Well I wasn't sure whether to have him at the top or at the bottom, with a snowsuit, without a snowsuit, with a blanket, without a blanket.....aaaargh!! I ended up ringing Caz to see what to do! By the time we were ready to leave the house I had a little cry and vowed to get some systems in place for stuff like this!!

So the Raybans were put on to disguise the tears and the dark circles that are now starting to form around the eyes and off we went. 

Henry slept, I wished they did adult prams so I could sleep myself, and we completed out first walk together. Our little family; me, Andrew, Henry and Captain Jack. And I have to say the sunshine did me some good!

Later on my mum and dad came round and cooked us Sunday dinner and gave us time to try and get some sleep so I managed a few snippets of precious Zzzzs but not much. I have to say out of everything; dirty nappies, sore nipples, crazy feeding patterns, crying, by far the worst thing is the lack of sleep. It is horrendous. Worse than horrendous. I have gone from 8 hours sleep to practically 2. Very, very difficult. 

So onto the night time. I was dreading it.

Well as it happens this has been the best night so far. Henry was fed 3 times in the night as opposed to 5/6 times the night before. I have managed to get some sleep and Andrew has too. Henry settled in his Moses basket but only after we continuously rocked it.  So fingers crossed all is good. 

Getting used to mummyhood!

Settling in!

Last night, I'm pleased to report was nowhere near as bad as the night before. Thank God! 

Andrew and I have managed to get at least a few hours sleep and Henry seemed to settle a little bit more in his Moses basket, although he settles best on us!

Saw the mid wife today who was lovely and my mum and Sara popped round and sat with Henry while me and Andrew slept for a few hours! Amazing!

Henry also met his cousin Emma for the first time. That was soooooo cute! 

First night at home

So we got home from the hospital and Henry met all his grandparents and Auntie Becky and Uncle Lee. All was well until bedtime.  

Oh my giddy ant. After Henry sleeping so well last night in hospital, tonight has been a nightmare!!

I am currently sitting with him in my arms after feeding him for what seems like hours. He falls asleep and as soon as we transfer him to his Moses basket he screams the house down. Me and Andrew are taking it in turns two hours at a time to try to sleep. Will definitely need some more supplies of Touché Éclat to sort out my dark circles. 

At least this blog gives me something to do in the middle of the night!

Here's a few snapshots from the day....

The day Henry arrived!

Happy birthday Henry! 

So here's the story.....

At about 2am on the 22nd May I woke up with mild period pain and was tossing and turning until about 3.30am. Nothing major but I had a feeling that this was it and the next few days would be a world of pain! 

After a pee break I got back to bed and slept until 7.30 waking up with hardly any pain at all so I thought it was a false alarm and started thinking about the 'sweep' I was booked in for on the 23rd. So up I got, went to the loo and got my 'show'. Brilliant! This was the beginning after all! 

I then started with a few minor aches, like mild period pain, but got in the shower to start my day as I had a lunch date with Caz and Ellie. 

During lunch at Caz's the pain was increasing so I arranged for my friend Sara to meet me back at home so she could show me how to work the TENS machine we had all bought.... I hadn't even read the instructions! 

Once home the TENS machine was strapped on and contractions were coming four every 11 minutes. It did relieve them somewhat so was a good investment for sure! However sitting on the toilet also relieved the contractions too! 

After ringing the antenatal unit I was told to stay at home until the pain was unbearable. This didn't take long! After getting on the bouncing ball twice, and throwing up (not at the same time!) I decided to ring them back and tell them I was coming in. There seemed to be no break between contractions and I had had more of a 'show'.

So in the car we got and what a journey. Red light after red light and road works made the short journey seem sooooo long! 

We arrived in the hospital car park at 2.47 and I had to squat down a few times on the kerb as the contractions kicked in. It was sooooo embarrassing as the hospital was fairly busy with the fag ashes smoking outside who got an attractive shot of me crouched down baring my pregnant bum to the world. I was in a mini dress and had removed my tights for more comfort. Not my sexiest moment. 

After wincing down the corridor and going up to the 4th floor we got to the antenatal/delivery wards. We were told to wait in the waiting room. Well, by this point I needed to push, no kidding, it came on that strong. So I went to the loo and WHOOSH my waters went! I'm sure I actually heard a pop like a water balloon! After that I felt like I needed to push and was screaming for help. Two midwives ran in, hauled me off the loo and put me in a wheelchair. I didn't even have chance to pull my knickers up.  So I'm being whizzed down the corridor in a wheelchair with my Hello Kitty knickers round my thighs. Hilarious. Poor Andrew running behind with all the bags! 

Gas and air, about ten pushes and out Henry popped. Didn't even have chance to change into my nightie! 7lbs exactly, born at 3.59. I couldn't believe it. I was in shock. It was so quick and actually not as painful as I'd expected! 

Henry was put on me straight away and me and Andrew were just gobsmacked that we had produced such a perfect little boy. 

Then the fun began. The placenta had to be delivered and would you believe it? the bugger would not come out. So to cut a long story short... I had a longer placenta birth than baby birth. Had to have a bloody spinal block and go to the operating theatre!!! It took them over an hour in theatre to remove it and the experience was not pleasant. 

So, after me giving birth on gas, air and 2 paracetamol I had to basically have an epidural for the placenta. Hideous. I was so tearful in theatre as I've never had an operation, I've hardly even been to hospital apart from the maternity ward! 

It's now 1.30 in the morning, Andrew's gone home and Henry is asleep. I really should get some sleep too but I can't stop staring at our new baby. I'm paranoid about sleeping in case he stops breathing. Plus I'm sharing a room with a girl who snores! 

I know every mum says this about their own baby but Henry really is perfect. He is just gorgeous and seems very chilled out like his dad. Breast feeding is going well so far and he seems to love his sleep as much as his mum. 

 I just love him and can't wait for him to meet all his family and friends including Captain Jack. Now that little meeting will be interesting....

Day 2: Waiting for baby

Bought a couple of pineapples as I heard they can help bring on labour! 

Day 1: Waiting for baby.

Baby was due yesterday and I honestly thought it would arrive on time. How wrong was I? 

Hadn't arranged anything this week just in case, so have been very restless and bored today! Went to mums for lunch, visited Andrew at work and then watched Midsomer Murders! Rock and roll!! 

Have things planned for rest of week to stop my boredom!

One day till due date...

Trying to keep busy before Baby arrives so me and Andrew nipped to Barton Square at The Trafford Centre to pick up a few house bits. Nursery is still not quite finished but will be soon! 

Yikes!

4 days till due date....

Look in the background! I've almost packed my hospital bag finally!!!

Day 2 of maternity leave!

Yesterday I raided my husband's wardrobe and nicked a white shirt and jumper but made it a bit girlie with some collar tips! 

Random post!

For some reason only my right foot seems to be swollen... Bizarre. 

Antenatal class

Had our antenatal class today 9.30-4pm. Everyone else in there was due in June and July and there was a collective gasp when we said we were due a week tomorrow!! 

It was quite interesting but could have been done and dusted in half a day. 

During the 'relaxation techniques' bit I got a major fit of the giggles. Trust me not to take anything seriously. 

Andrew and I are soooo tired now so think we'll order a takeaway and watch a film!!!

Penultimate day in work!!!

Thanks to Sara for lending me this maternity dress, it's been sooooo comfy. 

Heard a student in the corridor today say as I walked past 'oh my God, she's still in heels and ready to drop! That's inspirational!!!' Bless. 

No more hospital appointments!

Had my final midwife appointment today. Baby's head is engaged so good to go.... Hope I get a week or so to watch trash tv before I go into labour!! 

2 weeks till due date.

Looking enormous for mine and Andrew's 6 year wedding anniversary dinner at http://www.sancarlo.co.uk/manchester