Kitchen Before and After

Kev finished the kitchen just before Christmas, he has made a really good job, considering its just a re-hash to tide us over until we do the loft conversion and put a whole new kitchen in.
The old owner has even asked if he can do a kitchen for him in one of his property's. Penny as you would say "it's his business"

Before



















After

Head down

Its definitely head down, so no need to worry yet, but the head is still very high up which maybe an issue, the midwife said "oh we just let you go into labour and hope a few good contractions will bring the head down". Fingers crossed the head comes down before I go into labour or as she said as the alternative is a c-section.

39 Weeks

Bum or Head

I just had an appointment with the midwife, she is pretty sure that the baby is head down, but not 100%, she can't tell if its a little bum or a head at the top. Because its my first baby too my muscles are quite tight and its hard to really feel properly. So I've got to go to the hospital tomorrow for a scan, if its breech then they may try and turn it or we will have to discuss an elective caesarean. I'm feeling very uneasy about the whole thing and Kev is telling me not to stress which is just winding me up and getting me even more grumpy.
I'm grumpy because I developed stretch marks on Boxing Day, after almost 39 weeks and to get them right at the end. It must have been my big Christmas lunch, they are really small just around my belly button but I thought I had gotten away with not getting them. Its not so much getting them its just to almost make it to the end of my pregnancy and get them which is gutting. I shouldn't complain as everything else has been fine so far. Fingers crossed little Spiros is head down tomorrow.

Merry Christmas

Yesterday we went supermarket shopping at 5am!!! And it was busy. I think everyone else had the same idea as us. We have everything for our big Christmas Dinner tomorrow for just the two of us, roast beef, roast potatoes, yorkshire pudding, brussel sprouts, carrots, peas, and little sausages wrapped in bacon. Followed by toffee and pecan roulade and organic vanilla ice cream.
No baby developments, just lots and lots of crazy kicking last night and I'm really tired.

Comparison Photos

Me at 12 Weeks when I thought I looked really pregnant!!! and me now at 38 Weeks

Enough DIY

Ok I know we have to get it done and this is the last big job but its really getting on my nerves, the washing machine is in the living room, the cupboard doors are off and I have to try and squeeze my body around things, I have lots of brusies on my upper thighs to prove I'm not squeezing enough. But I shouldn't complain because Kev has done a great job, he has worked non stop really since we moved in to get everything looking nice for us. He's great. My DIY hero. So please little Spiros don't come until after the holidays so your Dad can have a chance to relax first.
Photos of the big bump and me looking grumpy in my messy living room.

So Bored

I'm getting really bored now, watching 4 episodes of Charmed a day is loosing its appeal, and there is nothing else to do really around the house, well that I can do anyway.
On Monday the power went out for 3 hours and I completely freaked, I thought is was the end of the world, almost in tears, I was so worried that it wasn't going to come back on and I would have to throw away all the food in the freezer. But I did get to meet our neighbours which was good and they seem really nice. I'm glad it wasn't today because it is absolutely freezing here, very frosty.
Just did a quick measurement and my tummy is measuring 43 inches wide, its been 42 for about a month, I'm hoping it doesn't get too much bigger.

Last Night out for a while

We went out for dinner last night with another couple, they are pregnant too, she is 4 weeks behind me. Quite possibly our last meal out for a while. I'm looking extremely fat and Kev is looking hung over from his works party the night before.

Bumps and Babes and Check up

This morning I met up with two other Mums to be in Hertford. There was meant to be 8 of us who are all due in January but the others were busy or still working. It was nice to talk to other first time Mums as well, we all had the same worries and concerns. We are going to met up again at the end of January again with our babies.

Also had a check-up with the midwives today, I had three of them, so they were very thorough, they were admiring my firm stretch mark free belly as well!!! I'm measuring a lot bigger than is normal but they seem to think I have a lot of fluid and its not all baby. Little Spiros is very low in the pelvis but not quite engaged yet so they think I will be another few weeks at least. But everytime I go out now I keep on thinking what would happen if my waters broke in this shop or on this bus or things like that, I don't really want to venture too far away from home either.

A little more organised

Well the house is gradually getting there, at least we have a fridge in our kitchen now not in the baby's room. We put the cot up yesterday and organised a few other things in the room as well, its starting to look a bit like a baby's room now. Now I've got loads and loads of baby washing to do, sheets, face cloths bibs etc and there is no point waiting for a nice day, no chance of that in the middle of December.
Still no stretch marks on my giantantic belly but my skin is very stretched, it feels very thin and I can feel Spiros feet when he kicks. Fingers crossed I don't get them as I've only got another 3-4 weeks to go.
I'm thinking about packing a bag for the hospital this week, I don't think its coming soon though, I think hes too cosy inside. (despite everyone including complete strangers telling me it looks like i'm ready any moment)

36 Weeks

and looking huge, I think I might have dropped a bit, hard to tell from the photo though.
I got two more lovely presents today in the post, little Spiros is so spoilt already.
We still don't have a working oven, its been a week now, we have done the microwave pasta, the pot noddles and the George Foreman grill, I'm getting a little bit grumpy about it. Cyril the gas man, one of Kev's mates came to install the gas hob but he didn't have the right fitting, and now it could be another week before he is back, so much for cooking and freezing meals before the baby comes, we could be having a microwave Christmas dinner at this rate.

35 Weeks

I couldn't decide which photo made my bump look smaller!!! So here's both, feeling like a 20 tonne whale now. If things fall on the floor I tend to just leave them until a pile develops and I pick them all up at the same time. It too much effort and not to mention the huffing and puffing. I have done some mailorder shopping for the baby today so that has cheered me up. The hospital tells me I'm 35 weeks but I'm convinced I'm 36. This baby is just getting too big for me. Its not moving as much anymore either, its running out of room, especially compared to last weekend when it was going crazy when we were staying at Kev's parents.

Another Year Older

I had a lovely birthday yesterday, even though it did start a bit early with birthday text messages at 5am, (we are 13 hours behind over here Kiwi's)
Thank you to everyone for the cards/messages and presents.
My naughty husband spoilt me and gave me a huge bunch of roses and lilies and chocolates, I told him we need to save our money but he never listens to me. He also got me the canvas's I was wanting as well which I am going to paint animals on for Spiros room. Not much progress on the room yet, by the end of this weekend hopefully we will have the kitchen sorted.
We went to the supermarket and I stocked up on Nappies and wipes and stuff if it did decide to make an early appearance we would beable to manage.

New Hospital

I booked in yesterday to my new hospital, the two midwives that I met seemed very nice, and they were all very organised. Kev feel asleep in the chair while we were going over my records from the old hospital, apparently he did it a few times but woke himself up, I only caught him once and whacked him. Poor little love, we did get up at 5.30 and he drove all the way down from his parents and the room was very hot.
The baby is head down, the midwife had to get a second opinion though as it was moving lots. I'm measuring two weeks bigger still so instead of 34 cms I'm 36 cms.
I had a blood test as well and didn't even feel faint, she took three tubes, Kev said I looked like a little kid when I came out the the blood test cubicle I had a big cheesy smile on my face - I was so proud of myself for not feeling faint.
I'm 29 tomorrow!!!!

Weekend with Kev's Family

We had a lovely weekend up in Lancashire with Kev's family, we stayed Thursday night with Graham, Ali and the kids and then three nights with Kev's parents.
Marian spoilt us all and cooked a huge roast dinner on Saturday, it was kind of like a Christmas dinner really since we won't be there for Christmas.
I had some men who I didn't even know rubbing my tummy in the pub on Friday night, and lots and lots of stares too. Luckily the pub wasn't too busy, we stood by the door so I didn't overheat and it wasn't too smokey.

Kev's family have been so generous and given us loads and loads of baby things, which is really good for us since I haven't been working and us just buying the house money is a bit tight at the moment.

Matt, Kev, Livy & Harriet

Why you shouldn't wear Stripes

33 1/2 Weeks

What was I thinking when I brought this top! I kind of thought that the stripes across my belly might detract from how large my breasts are. Apparently not. They shouldn't make maternity clothes with horizontal stripes anyway, its just cruel, because disillusioned pregnant women like me buy them thinking it looks ok in the shop and then we see our reflection in a shop window and realize it was a big mistake. People already think I'm ready to drop now as it is so I might just keep this one for wearing at home.

But I don't look pregnant from behind though, well not really, just a little bit bigger around the hips, I even got a toot from some boys in a car, they were coming from behind, they must have got a shock when they actually drove past and saw my belly!!!

Lots to Do

There is still lots to do around the house, especially the kitchen and Spiros' room, the sofa still hasn't arrived either. We will hopefully get the kitchen done next weekend, and then I will have my new oven, so I can start stock piling the freezer with meals and baking for January. We are going up north this weekend, both Kev and I can't wait, it will be almost three months since our last trip up. A photo of Spiros room, but hopefully within 3 weeks it will be transformed, its full of stuff at the moment and even our fridge. I will post another photo once its done. Lets hope he doesn't come early.
Also another photo of me painting the bath panel, don't worry I had both the windows open. (Please ignore Kev's 90s sports top that I'm wearing) At the moment i'm wearing that around the house and a really old pair of trackies, which can only sit under my tummy, I look like a middle aged man with a beer belly!! Very attractive.

Communication with the outside world

At Last!!!
Finally the cable guys came around and installed our TV/phone and broadband. Both Kev and I were going insane, we could only get one channel on each tv at a time and then it was fuzzy and black and white most of the time anyway. So I have gone back to a few old posts and added photos as well.

I had a check up last week with the doctor and she said Spiros was head down and very low in my pelvis which she was surprised at. I'm also measuring two weeks bigger as well, "A nice big healthy baby" she said. Nooooooooooo. I don't want a big baby, but apparently smaller babies don't make for an easier birth anyway.

Both Kev and I have been busy doing things around the house, we are working on the kitchen now, these are photos of work in progress, I will post some new ones, once it is all done, its a race against time now to get everything done before Spiros is born. We were planning on just living with the kitchen as it is until we do the loft conversion but we have decided to improve it because we don't know exactly when we will be able to do the conversion.

I went to a card making class on Wednesday which was lots of fun, Kev kept on saying it will be a great opportunity to meet new people. Joan and Chris the other two in the class were telling me it was a great way to relax in their retirement!!! Maybe I will have more luck with the mothers group.

Another Week in Hertfordshire

And 32 Weeks
Another week has passed in our new house and we are a little bit more sorted. Kev has loaded lots of stuff into the loft space so we can actually get into our lounge and spare bedroom now. Still no sofa or telephone yet, should have the sofa within a few weeks, but the phone/cable people are taking their time.
We have a new washing machine too, delivered by the 9 fingered man, Kit Kat - (four fingers) someone who works with Kev, Kev wasn't home and he couldn't lift it up the stairs by himself so I had to entertain him for half an hour, Kev was really worried I was going to ask him why hes called Kit Kat, supposedly I ask inappropriate questions!!! But we had a great chat about fish and NZ.
And hopefully next week we will have a new fridge/freezer and oven.
I had a nice chat with a man on the bus today, he was telling me all about his wife's agonising childbirth and his father picking up the superbug at hospital. Thanks for that!
I have taken a photo of myself, but I won't beable to load it until we get the internet at home. Little Spiros is still moving lots, both Kev and I can actually feel limbs now which is quite freaky.
I have a doctors appointment this afternoon, she will be booking me into a new hospital in our area which will be good, also I got a call from NCT (National Childbirth Trust) asking if I was still interested in doing their classes, they are hoping to organise a class in our area before Xmas, if its after Christmas it won't be much benefit to me or little Spiros

31 Weeks and lots of tears

We moved in ok, but for a few days we were surrounded by boxes, our old place was a lot bigger and we brought stuff to fill the space when we moved from our flat in Camden.
Both Kev and I love the area, I've been exploring a lot, well really just hopping on the wrong buses and then trying to find my way back home. I got it completely wrong and ended up crying my eyes out on the side of a main road, a bit embarrassing now, but it felt like the worse thing ever when it happened. A few other scenes this week too - hormones!!
We don't have a landline yet, so I'm doing this on the computer at the library, fingers crossed next week.