The Mummy Tag

Even though you are meant to be tagged in these mummy tag post off someone I am totally new to blogging and do not really no any other mummy bloggers yet, so i have not actually been tagged. I have seen these posts on a few other parenting blogging pages and thought they would be a good way for people to get to know me a little bit. So here goes.



The Mummy Tag

1.) Are you a stay at home or a working mum?

 

I have actually just left my job as a support worker for adults with learning disability's after my maternity leave ended. I am going to be a stay at home mum for a few years, but I have been a full time working mum in the past.

2.) Would you have it any other way?

I know I am very lucky that I am able to be a stay at home mum but in a way I actually miss my job. I miss going to work and earning my own money and having a life away from the home. I have been a full time working mum in the past and I know how hard it can be juggling work and children, I really struggled in my job working through my last pregnancy due to the long shifts and nature of my work. So overall I think I wouldn't have it any other way at all, especially now I have two children and another on the way.

3.) Do you co-sleep?

We currently do not co-sleep and we never have with Sophia my youngest, we are really lucky that she has always settled and fell asleep in her cot on her own. We have never had to bring her into are bed or cuddle her to sleep or anything, she likes to just be put down in the dark and silence and falls asleep. However with my oldest Chloe I co-slept with her from about 7 months until she was almost three, she just would not settle in her cot and was quiet a clingy baby and used to have to be cuddled to sleep. I think that was also because I was a single parent then too.

4.) What is your one must have item for your baby?

The best thing we have brought Sophia apart from the basics that you need are a fisher price rain forest jumperoo. We got her it when she was about five months old and she still loves it now and goes in it everyday at 10 months, she loves to sit in it and watch the telly and jump about.

5.) How many kids do you plan on having?

We already have two daughters and I am currently pregnant with baby number three. I always said I wanted three children but I think the other half would like four children as he is one of four, so we will see after this baby if we have any more or not.

6.) Date nights how often do you have them ?

Oh god I wish we had date nights! We never have them since having Sophia, we have the odd night watching a DVD and a takeaway but that's it these days. It is a shame as we use to have them every week before she was born, as Chloe use to stay to stay at her cousins overnight most weekends.

7.) Your children's favourite TV shows

I know its really bad and some people might criticise me for it but both girls love the TV. Chloe loves watching icarly, victorious, Jessie and TV shows like Saturday night takeaway, the x-factor and Britain's got talent. Sophia loves Sofia the first and Doc Mcstuffin on Disney Jr channel.

8.) Name one thing you brought before you had your baby and never ended up using?

With Chloe I went out and brought every baby thing you could buy as she was my first and I had no idea what to buy, I ended up spending a fortune on things she never used. So second time around I was more clued up and only brought things I knew I would need. I still ended up buying far to many toiletries when they were on offer at supermarket baby events, we have enough toiletries to last her until she is about five!

9.) Your child's favourite food?

Chloe's favourite foods are Indian food, she loves going out for an Indian meal and eats more then I do! She also loves cucumber and eats big chunks of it all the time and cake.

 

Sophia has been a bit funny with foods but she is starting to improve her eating, she will only eat finger foods she won't take anything of a spoon. She loves grated cheese, anything cheesy she will eat.

11.) Weight gain before during after and now?

Ah I hate talking about weight, I obviously weigh more then I should! Before I had Chloe I was normal weight but I gained 4 stone when pregnant. I lost it all within a year. With Sophia I was overweight before I had her and I only gained 7lbs while pregnant with her, as i had gallstones and couldn't really eat much. I actually weighed two stone less after she was born then before I had her. Now I am pregnant again and I dread to think how much weight I will gain,  baby seems to like lots of unhealthy foods.

12.)Dream holiday with your kids?

Disneyland Florida, I was lucky enough to go there when I was a child and I really hope we can take are children one day as it was magical. Chloe has been to Disneyland Paris twice, once with me and once with school and we are hoping to go back there again in two years as a family.

13.) Dream holiday without your kids?

To be honest at the moment I don't think I would want to go anywhere on holiday without my children. I would miss them too much and feel guilty that they were missing out on a holiday, so we are planning lots of holidays on are own once they are grown up. If we were to go anywhere I would probably just go to Edinburgh for a night or two and stay in the hotel Du Vin, me and Lee went there when we first got together and it was amazing.

14.) How has your life changed since having kids?

I was only 18 when I had my first child and that was 11 years ago, so I don't really remember life before I was a mum to be honest. But going from one child to two was quiet a change as I never seem to get any time to myself these days and I survive on a lot less sleep and have even less of a social life and money to spend on myself. I wouldn't change being a mum for anything, I love it and couldn't imagine life without children now.

15.) Finish the sentence "It makes my heart melt when ........."

Every day the girls both do something that makes my heart melt, Chloe is always saying or doing something nice and Sophia is learning new things everyday. I love getting hugs and kisses of my girls. The thing I love the most is when I see the girls together and how much they love each other.

16.) Where do you shop for your children's clothes?

I get most of the girls clothes from next, Debenhams, Marks and Spencer's and sometime asda have nice things in. I also go to Mothercare for Sophia and Chloe now likes to pick her own clothes and is starting to take a interest in fashion, she likes new look and river island teen selection.

17.) Favourite make up and skincare product?

I used to spend a fortune on make up and skincare from department stores but I now have a lot less time and money to spend on myself. I don't wear as much make up these days but the one beauty product I can not live without is ysl touche eclat for hiding dark circles, I also love clinque moisturiser.

18.)  Huggies, pampers or supermarket nappies?

Both my girls have always used pampers nappies, I have tried other brands and the aldi ones are good but I find pampers the easiest to get hold of and the best.

19.) Have you always wanted kids?

Yeah I have, I have always wanted three or four.

20.)Best part of being a mum?

I love everything about being a mum everyday the girls amaze me and I fall in love with them a little bit more every single day. I often look at them and I am so proud and can not believe that I made two such perfect happy girls, I feel very lucky to be a mum.

16 Week's Pregnant

I had my 16 week midwife check up today and got to hear baby's heartbeat which was lovely. At first they couldn't find the heartbeat and I was starting to get really worried. I have not felt movement for a few days, this baby seems to be really lazy. I am finding it strange as I am used to having really active babies, after a few minutes they found it. Baby was just really low down and as soon as they found the heartbeat baby starting kicking away inside me.

I had my blood pressure checked and it is totally normal, so my blood pressure tablets must be working. Their was a trace of protein in my urine but the midwife was not concerned about that. I got all my blood test results from my booking in appointment back which were all normal. After the midwife appointment me and the other half went out for a meal, just for a pub lunch but it was nice to actually spend some time together for once as we don't seem to get much time together these days.

My mood swings are still really bad and I am crying a lot over really silly things, I have started having really vivid dreams lately too. I keep waking up during the night and finding it hard to get back to sleep, which is a pain when I have to get up at 6am every morning with Sophia. However I am starting to get much more energy now and feel like my normal self again which is wonderful.

How I am feeling this week.

I am feeling much better this week, I have a lot more energy although I am still an emotional mess crying and snapping at the other half a lot. I am still being sick every night and feel pretty rotten of that, I hope I am not sick right up until baby is born like I was in my last pregnancy.

 I think i am eventually starting to get the 'pregnancy glow' this week, my hair is looking much better and is not all greasy and horrible like it has been and my skin feels really smooth and soft although I still look really pale. I am defiantly starting to get a bump this week and I think I am going to have to start wearing maternity clothes now.

 

 

Read my 15 week's pregnancy update

        

15 Week's Pregnant

I am finally starting to get the smallest hint of a bump at last although it seems really high, I can't wait to get a proper bump and actually look pregnant and not just fat! I had a huge bump by now in my last pregnancy, I was wearing maternity clothes by 12 weeks but I am still in my normal clothes at the moment in this pregnancy. Although I am starting get a small bump I do currently just look like I have put on weight rather then looking pregnant. It probably doesn't help that i am still eating kebabs and lots of stodgy food's like crumpets, bread and potatoes. I seem to be hungry all the time at the moment, at this rate I will have a 14lb baby and put on 4 stone in pregnancy weight.

My mood swings are still bad I seem to go from happy to angry to crying in about one second flat. I am finding this pregnancy such an emotional roller coaster. I just want to be happy and relaxed and enjoy this pregnancy after having two awful previous pregnancy's. I am still feeling a few fluttering movements and kicks off baby which is lovely, although I think I was half expecting to feel big kicks and rolls like I was feeling at the end of my last pregnancy. I honestly forgot what the early movements feel like.

I am starting to feel a bit more human again now and not so tired any more so we had a nice family day out on Sunday. We went out for Sunday lunch and to Mothercare to look at baby things, in particular double buggy's as we are going to need one as Sophia is only going to be 15 months when baby arrives - we just can't seem to find one we like. I need one that is suitable for a newborn and a 15 month old but I don't want to spend too much because we are probably only going to be using it for about 6 months. We also still have Sophia's oyster pram which we are thinking of keeping for the baby, as it is less then a year old and in immaculate condition - plus I absolutely love the oyster pram. When we went shopping I couldn't resist buying baby a cute little baby grow from next saying born in 2014, Sophia had the same one when she was born saying born in 2013.

How I am feeling this week

I am finally starting to feel less tired and I am actually staying awake until about 9 pm lately, which is an improvement from the 7 pm bedtime I have been having for the last few months. As I said I have started getting a small hint of a bump and I am feeling baby's movements.

I am still craving cans of coke and kebabs but I am also wanting lots of chocolate and ready salted hula hoops this week too, I am dreading getting on the scales! I have started being sick this week I have been sick every single night after my tea, I thought I had been lucky and escaped morning sickness this time around but obviously not.

Baby's update this week

According to my app baby is about 4 inches and weighs 2 and a half ounces, about the size of an apple and is forming taste buds.

 

You can read last week's pregnancy update 14 week's pregnant

14 Week's Pregnant

I know I will sound a bit mad saying this but I am still finding it hard to actually believe that I am pregnant, which is crazy as I have seen the baby on the scan with my own eyes. I still don't have a bump or any pregnancy symptoms, which is probably why I am feeling like this. Although I am sure I have been feeling the odd little fluttering in my tummy. I know it is still very early to be feeling movements, but I felt movements from 16 weeks with my girls and they say you feel them earlier in subsequent pregnancy's.

My mood swings have been really bad this week, I feel sorry for the other half having to put up with me. I have been vile to him recently, I lose my temper at the slightest little thing and shout at him and I am being really snappy. He hasn't even done anything wrong, damn you hormones. Talking of hormones in my last two pregnancy's I had lovely thick shiny hair and amazing glowing skin but this time around I still have lank greasy hair and pale spotty skin. I actually look like I have been partying too hard and look hungover, which I haven't done in almost two years! Everyone seems to think the fact I am not 'glowing' and have not been sick this time means that I am having a boy this time, I still think I am having another girl.

I went to the midwifes this week to get my bp and urine checked and everything is OK, I have to go weekly to get them checked because I am at risk of pre-eclampsia, so they just want to keep a eye on things. That's all I have been up to this week, its still early days so not a lot to report pregnancy wise.  We haven't started baby shopping or anything yet which I must start getting around to, luckily we don't need to buy very much as we have most of the baby equipment we will need off having Sophia.

How I am feeling this week

As I just mentioned I still do not have a bump. I just look like I have gained a bit of weight and been eating to many pies, which I actually was doing last week - I have gone off them this week . This week I seem to be craving cans of  full fat coke which I am trying to limit to just one every few days due to the high sugar and caffeine content. I am also still liking kebab and garlic sauce but i have been trying to be goodish and just having them once a week with salad and ordering a small one.

I am still fitting in my normal clothes, my mood swings are still terrible and I am still so tired all the time and going to bed really early on a night time. So much for thinking I would feel great in my second trimester.

Baby's update this week

I have a pregnancy app on my phone that gives me updates on my pregnancy each week which I like to read to see how baby is developing. According to my app baby is the size of a lemon and weighs about one and a half ounce, they can even suck their thumb.

13 Week's Pregnant

I had my scan when I was exactly 13 weeks pregnant giving me the due date of 26th of august 2014.  There is only going to be 15 months and one day between my youngest two if baby arrives on time which  I am not counting on as my girls were both overdue. When I went for the scan I felt so nervous, I was half expecting there to be no baby there due to my lack of symptoms. I even said to the sonographer I don't think I'm pregnant because I don't feel at all pregnant, she must have thought I was crazy! But as soon as she put the probe on my belly up popped baby on the screen in front of me and there was defiantly a baby there all right, I heard its heartbeat and it was wriggling around non stop. The baby looked so  big even though it is only 9.8 cm big, I couldn't believe the difference in size and how clear a 13 week scan is compared to a 12 week one.

Finding Out We Are Having Baby Number Three

 

In my previous two pregnancy's I have read Emma's diary each week, I loved it! I always love hearing about other people pregnancy's and births and watching TV programs like One Born Every Minute, I always thought it would be nice to record my pregnancy in some way, so I can look back on it one day. So now I am pregnant again I have decided to start up a blog and record not only my pregnancy but also are family life and my children's childhood. I think it will be a lovely way to remember things in years to come.

So here goes my first pregnancy update which I will do each week, this post is about finding out I was pregnant and the first trimester.

 My period was due the week before Christmas 2013 but I did not think anything of it when it didn't arrive, I just put it down to my hormones still being all over the place after having a baby six months previously, just having had surgery to remove my gallbladder and the stress of Christmas. I certainly did not feel at all pregnant no sickness, no food aversions, no cravings. Nothing at all.

So it was not until the middle of January when it even crossed my mind to do a pregnancy test, mainly due to the other half nagging me to do one because he said I was moody and thought I was pregnant again. I was so convinced I was not pregnant that I even bet him £10 I was not. I done a test and it was blank, no lines came up at all. I had not peed on the stick enough, what a waste of ten pounds. The next day I went out and brought a two pack of tests just to be sure, as soon as I done the test two blue lines appeared. I still didn't believe I was pregnant so I done the other test and once again two blue lines appeared, I certainly did not feel at all pregnant. I was in complete shock.

We had not even been properly trying for a baby, I came off the pill as I had just had surgery and was advised to stop taking the pill to prevent blood clots after surgery. We said we would just see what happened in regards to having another baby, we always said we wanted another baby and for their to be a small age gap. It was still a shock it happened so quickly. The other half was absolutely over the moon and not just because he won the £10 bet he loves being a dad, I think he is hoping for a boy this time around but I have a feeling it is a third girl.

I feel absolutely fine this trimester I don't feel at all pregnant compared to my last pregnancy where I was sick as a dog and went off loads of foods and drinks. This time all I feel is really tired, I have been going to bed at 7pm with Sophia my youngest. I also can't bear the smell of cheese and onion crisps, I have banned them from the house.

 



I had my booking in appointment with the midwife at 10 weeks pregnant, it felt really surreal being back at the midwifes so soon after my last pregnancy. They checked my bp, urine, height, weight and took my bloods and spent a hour filling in  mountains of forms. I was giving the choice of two hospitals to go to, I have decided to go to Newcastle RVI again because they were fantastic when I had my last baby there. I am classed as high risk due to having recent surgery on my stomach and high bp in previous pregnancy's, also probably because I'm overweight too although the midwife didn't mention that.

We have told close family that I am pregnant, we kept it quiet from Chloe (my oldest) and everyone else until we had the scan and passed the first trimester. Pregnancy is such an amazing time and I can not wait to record everything on this blog.

Why Write A Blog?

Since going on maternity leave from my job as a support worker in 2013 I have found myself a bit bored to be honest. I miss going to work, earning my own money and having a life away from home. Don't get me wrong I absolutely love being a mum and I know that I am very lucky that I can afford to stay at home with my children for the next couple of years. I have been a full time working, single mum in the past and I know how hard it can be.

But I sometimes feel like I am unfulfilled, that surely there is more to life then school runs, housework and cooking, all day, everyday. I miss adult conversation and using my brain (although to be honest I think I have major baby brain at the moment). I thought about going back to work but we just wouldn't be able to afford the childcare and I don't think anyone would employ someone who is four months pregnant! I contemplated setting up a craft business from  home but I'm not very crafty or taken up a hobby but I'm a bit limited in what I can do with being pregnant and having a baby and sulky tweenager in tow.

I have also found I simple just don't seem to have the time for myself, I find it a luxury just to have a shower these days. And after a day of school runs, baby classes, shopping, housework, cooking and taking the eldest to numerous after school clubs I don't have the time or energy for anything other then slobbing on the sofa watching t.v for half an hour once the children are in bed. I am normally flat out in bed myself by 9pm.

By chance I came across blogging, someone I know has a family blog and I always thought it was a nice idea to have a record of places you have been, I have even visited a couple of places recommended on the blog. Then by chance one day on twitter I came across lots of other family related blogs and I started to think maybe it was something I would like to do one day.

As a family we are always eating out and going on days out, I thought a blog would be a lovely way to record and remember things we have done in years to come. Also with being pregnant again it will be a lovely way to record my pregnancy, as i have no records of my previous pregnancy's. When looking at blogs there does not seem to be that many Newcastle based family blogs about, so in a nutshell this blog will be a record of my pregnancy, places we have visited, places we have ate and my normal everyday family life in Newcastle.

We are just a normal working class northern family, we don't go to fancy restaurants or on amazing holidays; so I don't think many people will read my blog. I am not doing this for free stuff or to earn money, although that would be fabulous I realise it is unlikely to happen. I am doing this blog to keep me sane and to give me a break from watching Doc Mcstuffin 5 times in a row, to use my brain and to give honest reviews of places we have been in the Newcastle area. My views on pregnancy and being a mum, the main reason is because children grow up so fast and I think this is an amazing way to keep track of are family life, we will be able to look back on this in years to come. Thank you so much for reading I hope you come back to read my blog again soon .