Saturday 29 March 2014

Two.

March 2014, you have been quite a month!

Happiest of birthdays to my first born: Two whole years of happiness and pure joy.

Such a sunny, independent and strong-willed little girl. A doting and besotted big sister. We are so proud of you.

We are absolutely blessed.




Friday 28 March 2014

Word of the Week

Something will happen at midnight tonight. I'm not ready for it. I am trying to pretend it's not happening.

Tomorrow I wake up a mother of a two year old. I'm not ok about this. I'm suddenly acutely aware of just how fast they grow up. I'll blink and she'll be a teenager.

I know she'll only continue to get better as a two year old. I know this. But I can't get my head around it. 

So this week's word of the week is...


Thursday 27 March 2014

Family Photo Friday #13 - 28/03/14

We enjoyed a visit from one of our favourite sets of people last weekend and made the most of dry weather to get out and get walking. We even managed a few geocaches! We stopped for a quick photo - poor Lowen is in the pram in the underneath seat - so once again, she was there for the photo, just not in it. Second child issues? Must try harder!



I had some problems with the linky last week, it shut far too early so quite of few people weren't able to link up. Annoying and not the first issue I've had - let's hope that's the last one! 

Let's recap the rules! 



  • Share a family photo from your week just gone. It needn't be a Family Photo Friday specific post, I don't mind you recycling! You can join in weekly, monthly or just whenever you can. It can be a formal portrait or a snap from your phone, something you posed for or something you caught when no one was looking. It could be from a day out, a gathering, an activity at home, it doesn't matter so long as it gives a snap shot of what your family looked like during the week that's just been.
  • Give us a brief explanation of your photo. 
  • I'd love it if you could grab the badge to add at the bottom of your post and Tweet about it using #familyphotofriday - my Twitter handle is @oneformybaby12.
  • Pop over to visit at least two other bloggers and see what they've been doing - maybe you can watch their family grow and change too!
  • Leave a comment if you can.


  • I promise to visit as many of you as I can and I'll pick my favourite photo to share next Friday.

    Happy photo-taking and memory-making!


    Family Photo Friday @ Thursday's Child, Friday's Thoughts





    I mustn't forget

    It's hard to believe that we are flying through week 3 already.

    You've grown so much - last week you'd piled on 11oz in 7 days.

    You are getting stronger, you're starting to straighten out and you've perfected burping to a fine art.

    You have set your routine.

    You're starting to smile - and it's definitely not wind!



    I can't believe how much I've forgotten about newborns... It's only two years since we were here before... Here are five things that I don't want to forget:

    That newborn smell - is that what womb smells like? If so, I get why babies don't want to come out. That smell is fading now, but there's something lovely about kissing a newborn's head and taking in that smell. I can't describe it, it's a sweet kind of smell, but every mother who has held her has commented on it. That newborn smell. 

    That tight grip - the grasp around your finger, that takes hold of your hair and wont let go, so tight that you could hang them on a washing line and they wouldn't fall.

    Innocence - they really don't know ANYTHING other than comfort, hunger and sleepiness, and the sound of your voice. And it astounds me even more this time, having watched how much they change and how much they learn so so quickly. They really do start with nothing. A blank canvas for you to make your own.

    Blink and you miss it - they fall asleep on you and wake up looking completely different. Their eye colour changes daily, one minute they look like daddy. Then mummy. Then suddenly you catch a glimps of another relative. And it keeps on happening. Isn't nature clever.

    Skin like the most luxurious fabric - Blissfully soft and smooth, still fuzzy like a peach and absolutely perfect. 

    I want her to stay little forever. These days are all too few and all too precious.







    Friday 21 March 2014

    Family Photo Friday #12 - 21/03/2014

    I won't lie - I'm finding it hard to make time in my day for social media right now, and I've neglected my blog the last couple of weeks. I know, I have a good excuse, but I hate feeling like I'm doing a bad job.

    That means that I truly can't remember which photograph from last week was my favourite. I visited everyone that linked up and enjoyed reading about your weeks. I promise to be less slack this week.

    Anyway, I finally got a photo of us all while we popped out for some fresh air last Sunday. Lowen is there, even if you can just see the top of her head peeping out from the top of the Moby! 



    Let's recap the rules! 


  • Share a family photo from your week just gone. It needn't be a Family Photo Friday specific post, I don't mind you recycling! You can join in weekly, monthly or just whenever you can. It can be a formal portrait or a snap from your phone, something you posed for or something you caught when no one was looking. It could be from a day out, a gathering, an activity at home, it doesn't matter so long as it gives a snap shot of what your family looked like during the week that's just been.
  • Give us a brief explanation of your photo. 
  • I'd love it if you could grab the badge to add at the bottom of your post and Tweet about it using #familyphotofriday - my Twitter handle is @oneformybaby12.
  • Pop over to visit at least two other bloggers and see what they've been doing - maybe you can watch their family grow and change too!
  • Leave a comment if you can.


  • I promise to visit as many of you as I can and I'll pick my favourite photo to share next Friday.

    Happy photo-taking and memory-making!


    Family Photo Friday @ Thursday's Child, Friday's Thoughts





    Thursday 20 March 2014

    Word of the Week

    We've settled in. We're adjusting. Routines are forming and things are working out... We've survived this far. Relationships are growing, strengthening, bonding is taking place, memories are being made.

    My home of full of happiness. It doesn't get much better.


                                                      







    The Reading Residence

    Friday 14 March 2014

    Family Photo Friday #11 - 14/03/2014

    2014 is zipping away, isn't it? How are we in the 11th week, half way through March?

    Well, I'm back on my feet after my absence last week - I was (still am) in a baby bubble and am hugely grateful to Char for looking after Family Photo Friday last week. Things are settling down here, although I'm not sure you'd agree if you saw the state of the house right now! 

    Now, the one thing I've not managed to do is get a photo of all of us yet, or at least not since we were in hospital and that's made its way on here already, so this weekend I'll make sure that happens. But here's a picture from bedtime last night, I don't think I need to write about just how much joy there is in our household right now! 


    My favourite photo from last week came from Becoming a Stay at Home Mum - I've seen lots of pictures of Monkey with various family members, but it's SO lovely to see them all together! I also enjoyed her blog revamp... Good work, Caroline! 

    Let's recap the rules!

  • Share a family photo from your week just gone. It needn't be a Family Photo Friday specific post, I don't mind you recycling! You can join in weekly, monthly or just whenever you can. It can be a formal portrait or a snap from your phone, something you posed for or something you caught when no one was looking. It could be from a day out, a gathering, an activity at home, it doesn't matter so long as it gives a snap shot of what your family looked like during the week that's just been.
  • Give us a brief explanation of your photo. 
  • I'd love it if you could grab the badge to add at the bottom of your post and Tweet about it using #familyphotofriday - my Twitter handle is @oneformybaby12.
  • Pop over to visit at least two other bloggers and see what they've been doing - maybe you can watch their family grow and change too!
  • Leave a comment if you can.

  • I promise to visit as many of you as I can and I'll pick my favourite photo to share next Friday.

    Happy photo-taking and memory-making!


    Family Photo Friday @ Thursday's Child, Friday's Thoughts





    Thursday 13 March 2014

    Word of the Week

    Who knew that two little girls under two could generate SO MUCH WASHING?!

    The washing machine, aged 5 1/2, was on its last legs before our family grew... But I can hear it weeping as it spins, very noisily, through its second or third load of the day.

    Lowen is quite sicky... Not just into a muslin, nope, everytime I put on clean jeans... And baby poo does manage to leak... Needless to say these loads are unavoidable.

    So, the soundtrack to my first week flying solo now D is back at work...


    Wednesday 12 March 2014

    Getting to know you

    My lovely little Lowen.

    What a whirlwind week it's been since we came home to start the next chapter of our lives! What a joy you are!

    What have I learned about you so far? Well, you're one chilled out little peach! You don't care where you sleep and you don't object in the slightest to cuddles with your sister, which don't appear to be the most relaxing of embraces at times. You hate being naked, and having your nappy changed is a bit of an ordeal. You love being warm, and don't kick blankets off like your sister always used to. You're a hungry little creature, but sometimes you guzzle too fast and make yourself sick. Anything out of a bottle must be served warmer than room temperature or your dribble it back out. You look more like me as a baby than your sister did, but you have your daddy's enormous big toes! You are strong, so, so strong and your head control is incredible. Your eyes are starting to turn blue around the edges and you look wise when you open your eyes to take in your surroundings. You are a good sleeper, particularly at night. You are determined, and I can see the same strong will of your sister in you already. You are absolutely perfect.

    "And though she be but little, she is fierce."









    Saturday 8 March 2014

    Sisters

    Here they are. They bring tears to my eyes.

    It's not all four of us, but my slightly late contribution to Family Photo Friday...

    The love they have for one another already is astounding.



    Family Photo Friday @ Thursday's Child, Friday's Thoughts

    Friday 7 March 2014

    Word of The Week

    New baby.
    Two beautiful daughters.
    Family time.

    Gush gush gush.



    #WoTW

    Family Photo Friday #10 - 07/03/14

    Family Photo Friday is being hosted over at 


    this week.

    Please pop over and link up there.

    Normal service resumes next week!

    Family Photo Friday @ Thursday's Child, Friday's Thoughts

    Thursday 6 March 2014

    She's here!

    Yellow turned pink on Monday at 11:03am when we welcomed Baby Lowen into the world. A smaller, hairier version of her sister, 5 days early and weighing in at 8lb 4. 

    I don't feel I need to write much. Her birth was a planned section at a different hospital after a previous traumatic emergency section, and I can hand on heart say that it was the most phenomenal experience of my life.

    I walked to theatre holding my husband's hand... I got to meet everyone who was looking after us... I was the first to find out she was a girl and I got to hold her immediately. And within an hour of her arrival, I was back in my room, feeling amazing and enjoying my new baby. I suffered insignificant blood loss, I remember everything so vividly and I came home last night and was able to enjoy both my girls together. I am sore, and still rolling around in bed like a turtle on its back in the night trying to get up, but I am healing well.

    I feel empowered by Lowen's birth, I feel in control of my choices and I am enjoying every second as a mother of two.

    Meet Lowen. She's one perfect little peach.















    Post Comment Love




    Tuesday 4 March 2014

    Yellow

    So, anyone who follows me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram will know that our yellow bump turned pink yesterday when we welcomed our second daughter into the world. 

    And while our story in photographs will appear once I'm out of hospital and settled at home, this week's theme was the perfect opportunity to reflect on a whole pregnancy of yellow, in comparison to my first pregnancy, who was declared "probably pink" at 21 weeks gestation and confirmed at 34 weeks before she arrived a little over due.

    Team Yellow. Have I loved it? Yes. Would I do it again? In a heart beat. Were there benefits to knowing the gender before they arrived though? Completely.

    When we found out E was a girl, baby preparations became a military option. Her freshly painted mint green nursery was accessorised with pinks and purples and everything we bought was girlie. We found choosing name options easier as we didn't have to worry about the blue ones. I felt able to bond with my bump imagining my pink bundle out in her pram in her spotty foot muff, and dreamed of girlie nights painting our nails and putting on face masks.

    With L being a planned section, we've known that it... She would arrive on March 3rd since 18 weeks gestation. We also had a better idea of what our baby would look like this time so we still wanted there to be an element of surprise. And surprise it was when the consultant held my baby above me yesterday and asked me to tell her what it was, as in the last days of pregnancy I had convinced myself I was having a boy and low and behold the spitting image of E, be it a smaller version, hung above me, ready to be the little sister.

    But Team Yellow has caused some denial and some laziness at Thursday's Child HQ. If you've read any of my pregnancy posts you'll know that the last 39 weeks have drifted past in a haze and I've been very last minute in my preparations. Poor L has a very limited neutral wardrobe ready to be worn, no bed set up at home yet, and arguments over boys names which were completely unnecessary. She only just got her car seat out of the loft a few days ago.

    I would say I kept my cool about Team Yellow until 36 weeks. And then frustration kicked in. But frustration for a few weeks was worth all of it for the huge surprise. And she looks lovely in greys and yellows, and she even rocks blue stars. And I won the girls name row.

    So I raise a glass to Team Yellow... To the impatient woman and to my beautiful new daughter.





    Guest post - Life Before Kids

    It's an honour to have Rachel from activities4kidz here today guest posting while I'm out of action and I'm really grateful to her for taking the time to pen something for me. Today she's reflecting on how life has changed for her since having kids. There's certainly plenty here that I can relate to!

     
    In my life before kids (now known as LBK), I was a twenty something primary school teacher who spent a fortune on clothes, shoes and nights out! I lived at home with my parents until I was twenty six weeks pregnant with our first, Harrison, so had no responsibilities! Now, with two boys under three, my life couldn't be any more different - and I wouldn't change it for the world! Seeing what my childless friends on Facebook are up to though made me think about LBK and what I miss most.

    1) Sleep! I've gone now almost three years without a full, decent night's sleep. Harrison started sleeping through at seven months, by which point I was pregnant with Alex, and who sleeps the whole night when they're pregnant?! Alex is fifteen months old and is yet to sleep through. He rarely sleeps more than two or three hours at a time. Yawn....

    2) Alcohol! The thought of going and queuing and paying for nightclub priced alcohol sounds like my worst nightmare these days, but what I'd give to go to the pub or have a glass (or bottle!) or three of wine at a friends house! I still breastfeed Alex so a big drinking session is out of the question. A glass of wine at home occasionally is about as much as it gets!

    3) Drinking a hot drink whilst it's hot! 80% of the time my coffee is stone cold, or at best lukewarm by the time I've remembered it or had chance to drink it, and microwaved coffee is vile!!

    4) Wearing clothes not covered in snot/milk/sick/good/other unknown substance! Yes, I've succumbed to the typical slummy mummy uniform of leggings and long tops, because after ten minutes whatever I wear is covered in something, and leggings don't need ironing!!

    5) Listening to inappropriate music! I love hip hop, rap, rock - all full of sweary inappropriateness. I used to love blasting it out in the car. Now it's more likely to be Gangnam Style or the Hokey Cokey on repeat.

    However, I have swapped those days for days full of giggles, cuddles, sloppy kisses and 'love you mummy'. I get to cuddle up to little warm bodies, see their faces light up when they discover something as simple as their own shadow, heat their little chatter about everything and anything, and that is more amazing than anything in my LBK.






    Visit my blog http://activities4kidz.wordpress.com to see all the things we do at home, or follow me on twitter @activities4kidz



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