CharlieBeth's "My Life As Mumma Walker"

We think Jack might have chicken pox. The last couple of weeks Jack has been a pain for his poor daddy. To be honest it's not something I've taken too seriously! Mark always says Jack's been a little monster and then he's a sweetie for me. But he has been off with me too. We'd put it down to Terrible Twos but now we're starting to rethink. Last night he refused to eat his tea. Flat out refused. He often tries it on with his meals, but this was a tried and tested meal that he normally likes, and while he started out ok he soon got to the stage where every mouthfull was spat out and we had tears. So.... thinking that he was just trying it on we did what most people / parenting guides have suggested and took the food away saying there was to be no more until the next normal meal / snack time. It felt mean, like we were sending him to bed hungry. But he wanted to go to bed, and didn't want to eat so what can you do? He slept for almost 14 hours! And when we

No more work for a year!!!  Whoohoo! I got a box of nice choccies and a hug from my few remaining staff on site and my last day was pleasantly uneventful. I managed to stay clear of *her*, was wished well by the bosses and told it was ok to bring baby in to see everyone (but on a quiet day considering my due date is in the busy summer!) It feels odd though... Last time the birth was imminent... due two weeks after my last day, but born 1 week after. This time I have ages! And loads to do... but still. A bit of an anticlimax. I am simply going to HAVE to throw myself into my nesting phase! Our new bed comes on Monday. This bed that we have was here when I moved in, and it's dropping to bits! Literally. It's broken and has been for months! So we've used the Argos vouchers we have been saving for the last couple of years (many thanks to friends and family) to buy a nice new one! Yay!! The old bed is divan, this one isn't, so we instantly have some more storage s

So I had my consultants appointment today. I have issues with my kidneys that they wanted to check up on, and also because they considered Jack to be "big". Apparently he was 4.4 kilo (I only do lb & oz) and if he's 4.5 he'd have crossed some threshold or other.... Don't fully understand. But the consultant is worried that this baby might also be big. Bigger even. And if it looks like I'm going to have a bigger baby this time she's implied that I should opt for a section. I don't want a section. The alternative being (again, if baby is big) an early induction. Like 37 - 38 weeks. IF my cervix is soft enough. A better idea.... but still not ideal! I want to do this relatively naturally! (as in GIMMI DRUGS for the pain, but let baby some when baby is ready, and out door nature provided!) I had a 3rd degree tear with Jack which has caused some fiber damage to my bum (making going to the loo difficult if I get even so much as a hint of consti

I am so pleased with this pram.... you may have guessed by the number of times I have mentioned it already. Yesterday I actually got to get my hands on it for the first time! It's in SUCH good condition for a secondhand pram too! Aside from the "pull this tab" arrows (on the bit to collaps the pram) which have faded a bit you'd never know it wasn' brand new! I don't think it got used very often. And it HAS come with a raincover too, which wasn't mentioned anywhere. So that's another saving to add to the list. Jack seems to quite like it too. He's had a sit in it. He automatically tried to get into the bigger seat and was slighly miffed that he had to sit in the smaller one, but if we'd had the car-seat attached he wouldn't have even known there was a choice. Jack's had a go at pushing it around too! And had a sit in the car seat to watch telly. It meets with his approval! Mark's impressed with it and agrees that I have found a

So yesterday I was considering making tomorrow a pamper day for me.... well today I logged into my Fertility Friend Pregnancy site and this was todys tip: Pamper Yourself : If you can make the time, try to pamper yourself. Better yet, let others pamper you. This may mean a warm (not too hot) bath, using lotions, accepting a massage, enjoying your favorite movie, or listening to music by candle light. Not only will this make you feel rejuvenated if you are fatigued by your pregnancy or if you feel depressed by your changing form, but after your dear baby arrives, it will be a rare luxury indeed! (Though one you should still insist upon from time to time, especially when you are feeling worn out). Sounds like a plan!

I'm feeling a bit down today. I've not had a brilliant day at work. It was nice working with Sarah and chatting to Elaine but the rest just gets me down. And I've been so tired and achey today, made all the worse by my wellies splitting, my pumps not fitting comfortably over my poorly toe, and having to plod round the site in my high boots on account of them being the warmest and most comfortable thing left. And in truth they were neither warm nor comfortable by the end of the day. I'll be buying some new ones on Tuesday. But the main thing is that I had built myself up for the scan so much.... and now (brilliant though it was) it's over and done. I wont see Squiggle again until the birth which still seems like such a long way off (19 weeks to go from tomorrow). I know I have other things to look forward too. Squiggle-wise I have: finishing work next week, being Viable at 24 weeks, moving into 3rd Tri at 27 weeks, baby shopping etc. I can also book in for a he

Squiggle at 20 weeks (no details) Originally uploaded by chiggster This is our wee Squiggle at 20 weeks!!! We had a cracking good long scan this time. It was a guy doing the scan for us this time and we both got the feeling he must be pretty new as he was ever so careful to explain everything to us, and check over ever last millimeter of Squiggles body in the finest of details. Squiggle is shy though, crossing his/her arms across their face so we couldn't see mouth, nose or eyes for ages! The guy had to jiggle my belly to try and wake baby up!! It was a miffed Squiggle who finally let us see that lovely little mouth. We got to see the heart in colour too, red and blue for the different chambers pumping away. Nothing at all worrying to report *cheer* Hubby was sent out right at the end so we could see if Squiggle is a boy or a girl.... but I should have known. Since letting us see his/her face was tricky enough there was no way this shy little baba was going to op

As I said to my hubby earlier today, I have expensive taste, but low expectations :oD I have been browsing nice, pretty change bags. The one we got with the original pram is ok, but it's a bit dull and the zip is starting to go. But to be fair, it was a freebie and has had some serious use! I just fancy something a bit prettier this time (and the old bag will be fine for Mark to use if he doesn't want to carry something girly!) I found a range of bags by a brand called Oioi and they really are LOVELY! But have a look at the prices! They are DAFT! There is no way in the world I could afford one of those, or justify even trying to. Yay for eBay!!! It's 2nd hand... but the accessories are unused and the bag is in good condition. And its lovely, just have a look how nice that is! It's the Carry All size too so it's plenty big enough to carry two kiddies worth of gubbins... and can even be used as my hospital bag! How much? £20 including postage... 2nd c

Hee hee hee! I've got RIGHT into this Sunday Roast business... Today was Lamb! I've been saving that till last for a few reasons, firstly it's bloody expensive so I had to wait until payday (it cost over £8 for this lump of meat), and secondly Mark is very - erm - particular about his lamb which puts me off cooking it in case I get it wrong. But I didn't! I was LOVELY! Nice and tender, full of flavour... I did roast spuds again, and roast parsnips too, as well as veg and gravy. Even Jack wolfed his lamb (which I didn't expect after not managing the beef last week). There's still quite a bit on the bone to carve too with it being a big leg, so we'll be able to nibble bits for the next couple of days too. Just need to find something nice to do with cold lamb. Seems a shame to just stick it on a butty. I've also been getting stuck into my sewing again. Squiggles sampler is more than half way done. This is the bottom half. I've got a bit furt

It's all really starting to sink in! And I'm getting really giddy about it! As of today we are 20 weeks gone.... with 20 weeks to go! (give or take) The 20 week scan is on Thu morning, and I MIGHT JUST find out what we're having, but don't worry, I'll keep it to myself! Tomorrow Kate & Dave are going to pick up & pay for our pram. I only have 4 more working days left before maternity leave. It's all sooooo real now! For the first 18 weeks or so this whole pregnancy didn't feel real at all. Now it's all I can think about! I've started a poll about gender too, here's the link: http://www.learnmyself.com/personality.asp?p=take-poll&qp=34669x40DB452e and here's a few bits of info that might help you decide: Hubby's family is predominantly male (or so I am told) and it is apparently his half of the baby making chemicals that determine gender I feel VERY different this pregnancy, and only have a boy to compare again

I fell out with N Power a while ago, they are just a bit rubbish. Remember years ago when they used to plug themselves as being the energy provider who would send you just one bill for both electric & gas and therefore save you money? Yeah? Well, it was a lie. At no point in the 8 - 9 years I was with them did they ever set this method of payment up. When I quizzed them they simply said "It's not available". Add onto that the small things like a total failure to spell my name right, change my name on the bills once I got married, inability to answer straight forward questions like "how much should I be paying you".... Well. As I said, I'd had enough. I don't pretend to believe that any other providers would be any better, but I fancied a change and British Gas gave me a call on a day when I was particularly hacked off with N Power. So I switched. Today I got a cheque from N Power for over £270 is money I had OVERPAID them! Whoo hoo! (I always tho

I have been complaining that I have not felt this baby move since before Christmas. And I was starting to worry ever so slightly too. I'd planned to go to Apple Tree tomorrow and attnd the drop in centre so I could hear baby's heart beat (something the MW suggested I do) but with the snow being the way it is I doubt that the nursery will even be open. I was having to start thinking about coming to terms with waiting another week to make sure Squiggle is ok... And then, last night, once I had climbed into bed... I felt a shuffle! I practically held my breath and waited for another one - just in case it was wind or my dinner digesting etc - and there was another, and another! Whoo! Not enough for Mark to feel anything yet (well, there wouldn't be) but I am SO thrilled! Will not be forcing my self down the hill to Apple Tree in the snow and ice now.

An odd combination maybe? Totally unrelated for the most part actually, other than both happened today. We've woken up to more snow today. I knew it was supposed to snow because I'd checked the weather yesterday when my car refused to start. I thought that if the weather was going to get warmer through the week then I would swap yesterday for another day when the car might actually work. But it's forecast for snow, strong winds and general nastiness! So I got a jump for the car (thanks Ian, my newest hero!) and trudged in. Sure enough today: Snow. Reasonably deep for Lancaster too! Only I had to get into the office today to sort out my expenses, find out why I hadn't been paid back to 2 days I was owed, and complain bitterly about the bank charge I had incurred as a result. It's a "today or never" thing... so today it was. For those of you who come to visit us... DON'T TRY TO DRIVE DOWN OUR HILL IN THE SNOW! Today I learned to SKI in a car! Lots

So I'm getting this new years resolution off to a good start. Yesterday I bought a shoulder of pork to roast today for the "Sunday Roast"... And it was LOVELY! I am really getting the hang of having a proper working oven again. The pork was just cooked right, not pink, not tough. The crackling was crisp and yummy. I did baby carrots, broc & coli, gravy and roast tatties. As it turns out it was only the spuds that weren't perfect... they just weren't crispy enough. They could have done with another 5 - 10 mins under a high heat to crisp them off... but they tasted fab so I'm happy enough with that for this week. It seems that roasting meat really is the way forward with Jack! He devowered his roast pork in much the same way as he did his roast chicken on New Years Eve. And he even had some crackling. Me and Mark felt strangely proud as we heard him crunching away on it (first proper work out his grinding and chewing teeth have ever had). It must have be

One of the things my hubby bought me for Christmas was some soluable aida for my cross stich. Something I have been after for a while. One of my magazines (I have dozens of cross stich magazines) has some lovely designs for baby clothes, and there are plenty of other patterns I can use for the same sort of thing. I have also made a start on the birth record I bought for Squiggle. It's by the same designers as the one I made for Jack so they will look really good together too. But I fancy trying something more than just my cross stitch, and there is a crochet magazine being plugged at the moment which says it can teach you who to do it, and gives you some of the stuff too. I already have a few bits and can just about manage a foundtation chain, but I am utterly lost on the rest. The magazine I currently have (not one of the new ones) has patterns for baby clothes and toys as well as blankets, and I really want to give them a try. I tried to knit Jack a blanket, but I am SO

New Year Avatar Originally uploaded by chiggster New Year was a bit of a flop this year. These nasty colds that are doing the rounds are well and truely settled in this house. I'm still trying to come out of it, and my dear hubby is sinking deeper into snot. Lovely... We wound up with an early night and some movies, a kiss at midnight, and then sleep. Still. I managed to cook up a nice New Years dinner. I roasted a chicken (having recently over come my phobia of roasting poultry) and some spuds. And it was pretty damn good! Jack couldn't shovel chicken into his tummy quick enough! Which is amazing for Jack who tends to avoid meat where he can. On to New Years Resolutions.... anyone else got any this year? Mine are to start cooking proper Sunday Dinners (now we have a good oven, there's no excuse!), and to get the hose decorated again. Our room, Jack's"big boy" room, the livingroom, and (if pushed) the stairs & landing too. Mark suggested that he