Welcome to the World my beautiful Holly....

Holly was born on Wednesday 20th July at 5.02pm at Lewisham Birth Centre weighing 8' 6".

The morning of the 20th started for me at 6am when I suddenly realised, "...  my waters have broken!!!" I leapt out of bed and woke up Greg and ran into the bath room.  It was a strange feeling.  Exactly the same thing happened with Ella and she was born so quickly...  I was exited thinking "wow I am going to have a baby today" and yet knew... "oh my god - here we go...  ".

My Mum had been staying with us for the past week and a half and was sleeping in with Ella. I quietly went into her and told her.  Ella was fast asleep so Mum got up and made us a cup of tea while we got the car packed up with our stuff.  Mum, bless her, made us the worst cup of tea in the world as she panicked and made it so quickly it tasted horrible...  so we took a breath and Greg made one whilst Mum and I just tried to chat!

We left the house 20 minutes later, with Ella unknowing and with that strange trip to the hospital.  I am not even sure Greg and I uttered a word on the way.  When we arrived, I got the once over and then was told I didn't have to go home (my Labour with Ella was SO fast that they were concerned about me going to far) but that I should go for some breakfast, a walk and see what happens. 

So we found ourselves in a cafe outside the hospital where Greg had a full English (to keep his strength up) and I forced down a couple of pieces of toast.  We then took a walk around the park near to the hospital and rougly an hour later my contractions started and we headed back to the Birth Centre where we were shown to our room (with out a pool) and were made a cup of tea.

Then we watched daytime telly whilst I had some random contractions which were not too bad and annoyingly not moving too fast.  'The Baby', as Holly was still at that time, was not in a great position so I had to do a lot of walking to get her to move.  Then we had problems with my blood pressure as it kept shooting up so eventually I had to have a blood test.  I HATE blood tests...   but after I had it the rest of my water broke and then I had a contraction which, when it had finished, I turned to Greg and said "that's more like it!!".  1 hour later and I was ready to push!  So in the end it was all as quick as we were scared it might be - but we were safe in the Birth Centre, but I STILL wasn't in my Birthing Pool!

Ok - so I kicked off a bit at this point as I really wanted her in water.  And they sorted it for me with even the Birth Centre Manager mopping the floor of the room opposite ours were they had just moved someone out for me.  As soon as I got into the pool I needed to push....  but it was also lovely to be in the warm water, the lights down low and some classical music playing in the background!  Ok - so the pain was immense and I can't lie and say that there wasn't a moment that I thought "WHY DID I WANT TO GO NATURAL...  WHERE IS MY EPIDURAL?????" but just 40 minutes of being in the pool a little girl was past to me and my heart melted in a way that only seeing your own child for the first time can melt it....  she was perfect in everyway.  I looked up at her Daddy and just loved him even more than ever - if that was ever possible. 

But the biggest shock of my life was that Holly was 8' 6".... HOW?  My bump was smaller this time, I was smaller this time....  Ella was only 6' 12" ...  I am only 5 foot 3!  Wow.

Greg and I bought Holly home - via the Fish and Chip shop -  5 hours later.  Ella was in bed fast asleep. I had spoken to her before she went to bed and she had told me that I was bringing home her baby sister that night...  she was so exited!  So when we got home I ate (some of) my chips, my Mum had a cuddle with her freshly born Granddaughter and then Greg and I headed to bed for a well deserved cuddle with our new bundle snuggled up beside us.  Shattered, sore, but chuffed to bits!!!

The following morning Holly woke up with a little mewing cry, and very soon after there was a knock (yes a knock) at our bedroom door.  Ella came in slowly and quietly, stood at the end of the moses basket and just looked shocked for about 2 minutes, but then came into bed with us, had her first Holly cuddle and just there and then our lil' family was complete.

Ready, Steady.... 1 day to go!

Well this morning I got a reminder on my phone and a calender reminder on Outlook both saying "Due Date" which is ....  eekk... tomorrow.  As most people know the likelihood of this lil' girl coming tomorrow is SO small but it is always a day to mark even in an annoying way because you know that from the day after it you will be in, what can only be described as, 'No-Man's Land'.


To be honest life has not been very eventful since my last post, but that is the way life is supposed to be right now I guess.  There is a rather huge event on the horizon so being 'boring' now is actually really rather a relief. 

I am continuing to have a lovely time with Ella, and her favourite thing of the moment is painting Mummy's bump (like Auntie Nicky did). It is actually quite a nice thing to do as I can sit quietly and chill out whilst she just gets on with it.  Of course I have to join in!   But I LOVE painting Ella's face, especially her nose, and she does let me paint her as a pussy cat...  as long as she does me too...

So we are ready to go.  We picked my Mum up from Heathrow on Saturday (my brother was flying to the States  - we hadn't gone to extra expense to fly her down from Kineton) and so she is now at home with me (and everywhere else... my shadow) until the baby comes and we are filling Ella's days full of fun and creative activities.

And how am I going to Celebrate my Due Date tomorrow?  With a hair cut...  thought I would l leave it to last minute in case I don't get to the hair dressers for another 6 months!  However it might be the quickest hair cut I ever have if they know it is my Due Date...  get me out of there as quickly as possible.

Let the Ground Hog Days commence.

Spa, The Birth Centre, Ella's First Sleep Over... and more Nesting...

I am, through all the waddling, being kicked to death and feeling the size of a Tower Block, having a rather nice time of it!  Since my last posting, I have been enjoying some pampering, some quality time with my Man and with Ella and getting even more prepared for the arrival of my next lil' girlie.

So we are now into my 'Delivery Month'.  It is funny to think that, even if she is really late, my baby is going to be born this month.  Then again it is not hard to hide it.  I am truly huge now.  I know the tell-tale signs. I now have to sit down to put on my knickers, I have to take a large deep breathe before getting off the sofa and every kick she gives me feels like she is going to break something in my insides!

However, I have been able to watch Wimbledon  - which I LOVE - and the best thing of all is that Greg decided it was a good time to take me away for a Spa Night!  Ahhh just what the doctor didn't order but should have...  it was wonderful.  We went off to Rowhill Manor near Dartford on Monday afternoon.  The two of us hadn't even been out of the house alone together, child-free, for nearly 11 months so that alone was a treat.  Ella got to have her first sleep over with Max her 4 year old cousin (and really didn't care less about Mummy and Daddy leaving her...  ) and I got to float away in a pool on the hottest afternoon so far this summer. Then I had a gorgous facial followed by dinner, bed and the following morning  - A LIE IN!  Couldn't have been better. 

"I am really missing my Mummy and Daddy"
(thanks for taking some lovely photos Chloe)

Ella was, of course, shattered on Tuesday.  Apparently her and Max lay awake 'chatting' until very late (what the hell do a 3 and 4 year old 'chat' about) and so she slept for 3 hours on the sofa on Tuesday afternoon.  It meant that I had to go alone to the Birth Centre Chat and Tour later that day (I was the only woman there alone...  but hey ho).  I have been accepted to go there which is great.  It is really nice, and I should get my Water Birth which I am hoping for.  

It looks like a rather nice Travelodge (ok it does have some weird chairs / swings / birthing balls and a HUGE pool in the room) and not clinical at all... which is perfect as I hate hospitals.  Check it out here. My labour with Ella was so scary because it was SO fast, and that is my only concern this time around... i.e. I don't want to have her on our bathroom floor. Because of this they have promised me that any twinges at all and I am allowed to go in and just wait...  which is a great relief.  Only a week now until my Mum is due to arrive to start the waiting game with us.  I really want this baby to hang on until she is here now, which I think she will.

So the rest of my week has been spent trying to do as much as possible with Ella and making the most of her whilst so it my only child  - quality time with her now feels so important. 

Even a quick trip to the park is worth the effort, but she is also happy for us to be doing colouring, playdoh (or playdydoh as she calls it) watching Toy Story (for the 100th time) or just reading stories. 

Bless her  - she is so exited about her new baby sister....  and yet she has no idea what an impact it will have on her little life!  But I am sure she will be a great Big Sister.