Month 7 as a mummy of 3

April 2015

This is my last post where I'm a mum of 3 under 4. Which has surprisingly upset me, not that anything is magically going to change overnight, life's still going to be chaotic but it means that this magical time of having 3 really little children is coming to an end. It means that S will soon be starting school, E will soon be talking properly and be 2 in just a few weeks and H will be crawling and walking before I know it. I wish life had a pause button so that I could just sit back and really appreciate how special these ages are.
We didn't get off to a great start this month and spent most of the Easter weekend in and out of hospital with H, you can read about that here. Other than going to hospital we had a nice Easter the children got spoilt as usual with lots of lovely presents. Me and my mum both buy presents instead of chocolate because otherwise they end up with so much that I don't think they appreciate it.

S has had a couple of play dates over the half term and It's made me realise that she really is growing up. At both play dates the children wanted to play upstairs. But we've never put toys in S's room as she only goes in her room to sleep and get dressed. It seems that by the age of 4 it's the norm for children to have toys in their room and to spend time in it on their own. After S's birthday we decided that she could keep her Barbies and dolls in there and see how she gets on with them before putting anything else in.

More bedroom news that H has gone into his own room now, so far so good. The first night he slept through but unfortunately it was a fluke and he usually wakes at some point in the night. It's so strange having an empty room when I go up at night. But it's nice to not have to creep in anymore.

Primary school places were announced this month and like many other families we were disappointed and didn't get our first choice. I do feel very strongly about as it was the school that I went to, it's a Catholic school and although we're not Catholic me and the girls are practicing Christians and I want them to go to a school that has these Christian values, I know not everyone will agree with me on that, but I believe that we should all have the choice of where our children are educated for whatever reason that may be. So we are appealing which is really stressful and annoying because all of S's friends know where they're going and we are still in limbo. Hopefully by my next monthly blog post I'll know more.

Our major event this month was S's birthday and party! Peoples kindness never ceases to amaze me, she got so many lovely cards and presents and had such a lovely time at her party with her friends. Where the last 4 years have gone I really don't know. She's such a head strong and stubborn little girl and at times has me tearing my hair out, but she's also so kind and caring to E and H and will always come and apologise after she's been naughty, it makes my heart melt. Happy Birthday to the little girl who made me a Mummy and the person I always wanted to be! 

This month hasn't all been perfect and I've certainly had my bad days including the day after S's party, you can read about that here. It has had its good points especially the week after when we had some lovely weather and that instantly put me in a better mood. On the Wednesday, once we picked the girls up from nursery we went for a picnic in the park which certainly made me feel like a better mum seeing them all so happy and having fun.

I've also made myself start going to baby classes, I've never really gone to them before because I hate going to places where I don't know anyone. When S was first born I went to a baby massage massage class which I really enjoyed and I've been to the odd play group but usually end up sitting there holding back tears as I'm not very good at meeting new people as I'm really shy. I decided at the start of the month that I needed to overcome my fear as it's not fair that the children should suffer because of it. There was a new class starting locally which seemed like the perfect opportunity for me because with it being a new class there wouldn't already be 'cliques' so I wouldn't feel like an outsider and with it being a class as apposed to a play group I knew the parents wouldn't just be sitting around nattering drinking tea. We have been to 3 classes so far and absolutely love it. It's on a Thursday when S is having swimming lessons with nursery, it's nice to have a bit of time with the littlest two. It's been a long time since anxiety has severely affected me(nearly 3 years), recently I have felt it creeping back in but doing this has really made me feel like I've kicked its ass and told it to jog on.

H still can't quite sit by himself he just doesn't seem interested in it, he would much rather be on his tummy trying to crawl, I suspect that by next months post he will be off. he still loves cuddles which is so nice as by this age the girls weren't as bothered and would rather be off playing or exploring, I'm going to enjoy every moment  of my extended baby days. Has anyone else found that boys love cuddles more than girls?

Trying his hardest to crawl

Thanks for reading
Elly xx

Month 6 as a mummy of 3

March 2015

I cant quite believe that I've been a mummy of 3 for 6 months now, I really don't know where the time has gone, but here is my 6th month....

If you read my blog post last month, Month 5 as a mummy of 3, you'll have seen that Mr was having some interviews for a promotion at work and we are very relieved to say that he got the promotion *does a happy dance* It's going to mean some pretty big changes as although the money is much better it also means that he will quite often be doing 50 hour weeks. It's going to be strange as some days he'll be gone before we wake up and not back until the children are already in bed, I feel like I'm really going to have to step up as a mum and be there for the children more than ever and I'm going to have to stick to our Routine more just to make the days bearable. I am hoping that it means I might get a little bit more blogging done as I only tend to do it when Mr is working late and it looks like that's going to happen a lot more often now.

Mothers day wasn't quite as I'd imagined it to be as Mr was working all day and my parents were on holiday, so I spent the day at home with 3 rather bored kids, we made cookies but that was about as exciting as it got. The joy of  been a mother, never actually getting a day off as much as you want one, unfortunately children don't understand about mothers day so they still spent the day making a mess and filling nappies. It wasn't all bad I did get a bottle of wine, a nice bunch of roses and some chocolate to enjoy when they were all in bed.

S the little super star has got her 2nd swimming badge, I'm so proud of her and can't wait to take her again to show us how well she's doing. Although I received a letter from nursery saying that after the Easter holidays they will be having a new swimming teacher as they were not happy with the current one and some parents have complained, apparently she was grading them as group rather than on a more individual basis that they normally do. Neither me or Mr had private swimming lessons as children, I had lessons through school and Mr taught himself on a holiday one year. Because of that we didn't know what pace to expect her to learn, so we were pretty happy with her progress, maybe with this new teacher she'll have a few more before the end of the school year.

Yet again we have had an illness, this year we seem to have had one thing after another. This month its been stomach bugs,  we've had two! I desperately want it to be summer so we can have a break from all these bug, I've really had enough this year it's literally been one thing after another, as soon as we get over one thing we've got the next. Fingers crossed that's it for a while now.

We don't seem to have done much with the 'littles' recently, so we took them to the soft play centre on Mr's day off. It really reaffirmed to me just how much we need a car. We went for a bus waited half an hour for it turn up, when it finally did there were already 2 pushchairs on so we couldn't fit, another 20 minutes until another bus came that didn't take us as close so we had to walk the last mile in the rain. By the time we got there I was so stressed, but determined that we were going to spend a nice day together, seeing how happy they were made it worth it. But with a car we would have been there an hour earlier, I wouldn't have been stressed and we wouldn't all be soaking. It also wouldn't have cost us £10 for a taxi back home. I really hope we have a car by the end of year.

Thanks for reading 

Elly xx

Month 4 as a mummy to 3

January 2015

This month has been mainly spent indoors, started by a week of quarantine while S had chicken pox. I was really impressed with her, she never moaned or complained, she just spent the days doing jigsaws, practicing writing and watching her favorite TV programmes. She had to miss the first week back at nursery which we were both upset about, the last few days of the Christmas holidays she was becoming quite hard work, I think she missed the stimulation. The spots soon scabbed and she was back the next week. I thought E and H had got away with it but 12 days after S's had scabbed they both came out in spots. It was definitely harder as E & H couldn't tell me what was up and the fact that two of them had it at the same time didn't help and we had a couple nights with only a few hours sleep. But I'm glad they've all got it out of the way now while they're still young.

H has had a nasty cough for over 5 weeks so we decided that it wasn't just a cold that his sisters had given him and we'd better get it checked out. I'm still not 100% sure on what any of it means and whether he has got asthma or if he might have it in the future but the doctor gave him an inhaler to take 4 times a day for a couple of days then just as and when I feel he needs it. The problem is I've never dealt with asthma, so I have absolutely no idea what I'm looking for. Luckily Mr had it as a child so has a rough idea, but the Doctors appointment was so rushed as he was already running 20 minuets late and you could just tell that he didn't have time for me, so we left more confused than we started and have decided to keep giving him the inhaler as he needs it and in a few months take him back to a different doctor and see what they say, unless obviously it gets worse then we'll go back sooner.

It's been another big month for H as I've weaned him. I'm sure there's a lot of tutting at me now for not waiting till he was 6 months, but after 2 weeks of constant crying and wanting so much milk he kept throwing it up I decided it was time. And he's taken to it like a fish to water, the girls only had a spoon or two of baby rice for the first few days but H ate 10 spoons at his first taste and hasn't stopped since. He seems so much happier now that he has a full tummy. I'll probably do two weeks on an evening meal, then introduce breakfast and another two weeks and introduce lunch. I much prefer to make my own baby food, but this time I don't feel that I'm going to have as much time as I had with the girls so I've stocked up on jars and pouches for him. So far his favorites are Ella's Kitchen - Bananas bananas bananas and Hipp organic - Vegetables with rice & chicken. The girls are both really fussy eaters and I'm determined to give H as wider variety of food as possible in the hope that as he grows he'll be more willing to try new things, unlike his sisters who seem to live off the same 4 meals! 

After been stuck inside with chicken pox we were just starting to enjoy getting out and about again when we had a load of snow, S just had to have one day off nursery because I physically couldn't push the pushchair through the snow, we had lots of hot chocolate and snuggled up watching telly. It was nice having an unexpected relaxing day at home, but I didn't fancy doing it for long. The next day Mr went and bought some sledges for the girls to make getting out and about a bit easier, and life carried on as normal. I use to love the snow but now I dread it, as nice as it is to look at, all I want is to carry on with life as normal.

Thanks for reading

E x

Month 3 as a mummy of 3

December is always a special month for us, as it's our wedding anniversary on the 1st, which Is a lovely way to start the month or it would have been if I hadn't forgotten to buy a card, and had to go dashing down to the shops at 9 am! This year I also decided to start a new tradition, a 'December box.' I filled it with some new books; activity books; Snowdog pens; chocolates; a magic Santa key; jigsaw and most importantly our "Elf on the shelf" Eddie although I didn't buy an official 'elf on the the shelf' because to be honest they're faces freak me out a bit. The girls loved him and really enjoyed hunting for him every morning, this is definitely a tradition we will be doing every year.

This year December has also been a special month as we got H Baptised. I really enjoyed myself as I was so much more relaxed and laid back about  than at the girls Christenings. I think because I've done it twice before I knew exactly what to expect. Everything went to plan the only thing that didn't was that it started to snow about 40 minutes into the party, so a few people who lived out of town had to go in case got worse and the roads were closed (this happens quite regularly through winter here).

My nephew turned one in the middle of December, It really upset me, I really don't know where the last year has gone. I wasn't even pregnant with H when I met my nephew for the 1st time. I remember holding him and being really broody and really wishing I could have another baby, but thinking that I can't because it wouldn't be practical. Little did I know that less than a month later I'd be getting a positive pregnancy test!

S's nursery concert went really well, she did great and really enjoyed herself. I felt a bit of a loner as Mr had to work with it being so near Christmas and all the other children seemed to have both of their parents there, she didn't seem to bothered that daddy wasn't there and had such a big smile on her face when she saw me sat in the audience. 
Nursery has had her so hyped up for Christmas, I love it as much as the next person but its been getting a bit to much, she's constantly bad tempered because shes so tired. I know this is just what happens but its our first proper year of it and i'm really surprised just how much it does effect them. Its like nursery treat them like a wind up toy, they keep winding the children up then let them go as the holidays start, so you're let with one over excited child!

This month we had lots of fun doing Christmas crafts; we painted baubles; made reindeer footprint pictures; made magic reindeer food and lots and lots of Christmas biscuits. It was a great way to pass a few days when it was too cold to go out. And they made nice cheap presents for people.

Keeping up with the tradition that we started last year, we went to see Santa on the 23rd, with my mum and this year my sister and nephew came with us. We go to a lovely one in a cavern, we were really impressed as well as it was the same one from last year, he has a lovely welsh accent, which for some reason makes him feel more authentic. 

Christmas was a bit of a blur as usual- after months of build up, a late night building toys and then overly excited children waking you at some unearthly hour, it seems to pass in a sleepy haze especially after that glass of bubbly with lunch. We spent most of the day with my family which I love as its just like being a child again and love seeing my children having the same wonderful Christmas's that I had. Last year we had Lunch at home that Mr made, it was nice but it's not Christmas without my mums Chrismas Dinner. Like every year I can't believe how kind and thoughtful some people are and all 3 of them were spoiled rotten, as a parent its one of the best things seeing your child's face light up as they open their presents. The only problem this year was that E decided that she couldn't be bothered to unwrap them as it looked to much like hard work so insisted that I unwrap them and she'd play with the toy.

Month 2 as a mummy of 3

This month has definitely had its ups and downs, it started off in October half term when we went straight from a chest infection to a stomach bug on Halloween. I was so upset the girls didn't even get to wear their costumes. I'm glad that they were too young to know that they had missed out on it. I'd had such an action packed week planned with them, with lots of crafts and fun activities for them to do, but they'll just have to wait until next year.

When we were finally all better Me and Mr went shopping for some new clothes for me with my birthday money, that I had saved from September, but typically I spent most of my money on Christmas presents and clothes and treats for the kids. And then I spend half my life complaining that I have no nice clothes that fit me, but some how children's clothes and toys look so much more appealing.

Me and H had our 6 week check, which went great, he's putting loads of weight on, now weighing in at a hefty 11lb 8oz. I still can't get over how big he is compared to the girls, I almost feel like I've missed the newborn stage. But I'm just glad that he's healthy. The Health Visitor came to our house on the Monday to do weight, height etc. And then we went to the doctor on the Tuesday for the physical exam. H had a few tiny spots on his private parts which I'd assumed were a little bit of nappy rash, But my Health Visitor was positive it was thrush and made sure she wrote a big note about it for the Doctor, sure enough mother knew best and it was nappy rash, I know its better to be safe but sometimes I feel like they just like to make you feel like a bad parent for not thinking it might be serious and taking them to the doctor, but I'd have wasted his time anyway.

As soon as S went back to nursery after the October half term they have been leaning the songs for the Christmas concert. Now don't get me wrong Christmas is my favorite time of year, I love everything about it, I start thinking about the next Christmas on boxing day, but my patience is already starting to wear thin with songs that I've never heard before and bless her she only knows half the words and gets frustrated that she can't remember the rest. I know she'll be amazing in the concert and will love every minute of it, i just wish they would of waited a few ore weeks before starting or at least send a song sheet home.

It's been a very tough few weeks and after 7 weeks of it I was at my wits end, always someone crying or needing something, E and S fighting over stupid things, the never ending jobs that are messed up as soon as you do them, the hundreds of nappies that need changing and the sheer tiredness of it all. So after me breaking down in tears to Mr, on his day off I was sent off to the shops with just H who slept the entire time, to get some fresh air and time to myself. It was a great chance to reflect on everything and by the time I'd done I was missing the girls and ready to go back to the mad house. I need to learn to take a break before it gets too much, Mr keeps joking that I'm going to give myself a heart attack because I get so stressed trying to leave the house on time.

I would love any tips on how to stay sane.....

Ex

34 & 35 weeks

34 weeks

I Feel like I've been hit by a bus I'm so tired, by 10am most days I'm dozing off to sleep in the chair while the girls play, I feel terrible but physically can't keep my eyes open, most days I doze on and off for 20 minutes and I have to force myself to get up and do something. The weather has cooled down a bit which has made my life a bit easier and a lot of the the swelling in my feet and ankles has eased up a bit now.

I had my 34 week midwife appointment on Monday, and everything was fine my worries about him been breech were put to ease when she reassured me that he's head down. I'm measuring a 2 weeks behind but they weren't concerned as the girls were both quite small, so I must just be following the same pattern and having another little baby again.

 35 weeks

E has hit the terrible twos early and if she doesn't get her own way the whole town knows about it. Mix that with S' s usual paddys and i'v been tearing my hair out, wondering how im going to cope with 3 children when I can't cope with 2. 

Peanuts nursery still isn't ready, i'm really starting to get stressed about it now. Its just been problem after problem with it, first half the plaster came off the wall when we took the wood-chip off, then for some bizarre reason the paint wouldn't stick to the ceiling, all the wallpaper I want Is out of stock and now we've started wallpapering we've realised that there's not one straight wall in there. So i've no idea what its going to look like when its finished could be a complete mess the way its going. Fingers crossed it works out in the end.

Thanks for reading  x

38 & 39weeks

38 weeks
Having a tough week again this week, I have a terrible trapped nerve in my back I think it might be sciatica as when iv been lay down for a while it sends shooting pains down my right leg that buckle it, its worst in the middle of the night (which is a great excuse for Mr to get up with the girls) and bizarrely is gone by the morning. Having disturbed nights is wearing me out again though and most days im falling asleep by 10am. Just hope he's not too late so all these symtoms will go.

39 weeks
I got very excited as my bump dropped bang on 39 weeks on Wednesday, so I got my hopes up thinking that he was only a matter of days away but he still hasn't made his appearance,  which is probably a good thing as two days before my due date I've started doubting our name choice, I think we'll still go back to the original one but I'm not 100% thay it goes with our surname. Its such a hard choice and something that you've got to live with the rest of yours and their life that it shouldn't be a rushed decision,  its really upsetting me and making me angry that we can't agree on a name that we both like. And with the birth being so imminent its so important that we get it right.
The other thing thats annoying me is all the people asking if I'v had any signs yet. With E it made me laugh when people asked me because it seemed to be bugging everyone else more than me. But this time with it being a much more tiring pregnancy with more ailments, I find myself getting really cross when people ask, I'm just glad that most have being by text so I've just ignored them.
Our first week of S being in nursery 3 days a week has started and being quite a challenge to be out the house on time I can't imagine what its going to be like with a newborn baby aswell!

21 & 22 weeks

21 weeks

This week was my local NCT (National Childbirth Trust)  nearly new sale, I sold a lot of my girly stuff, had a good clear out but at the sale itself I managed to spend twice as much as I made. if you have one near you they are fab, the bargains you can pick up are amazing, just make sure you get there in plenty of time because they are really busy. I became an NCT member as it means that you can get in early and get the best bargains. To find out more go to nct.org.uk 

I made my first blue purchase this week, some cute little hats from Next, I don't want to go mad and buy loads, I just wanted something to make it real. It doesn't seem to have sunk in that I'm having a baby boy and somehow doesn't feel right knowing, hopefully it will sink in soon.
The nursery is very slowly coming along i'v started to fill the holes in the walls and done a bit of sanding on the skirting boards and door frame, I'm glad I started it in plenty of time because its taking forever to find the time to do it.

22 weeks 

This summer is going to be hell for me, I don't like the heat very much anyway but being 6 months pregnant through it is awful and so far we've only had a week of it, hopefully its going to be a typical British summer and rain for the next 3 months. Although the nice weather has meant that Mr has got in with a lot if outside jobs finally.  I can feel Peanut's bum now when his back is facing outwards, poor little man bet he's sick of me poking him already.

19 & 20 Weeks

19 weeks

Other than my scan at the end of the week not alot has really happened, I looked after my 4 month old nephew for the first time which was great fun. It was on S's nursery day so I had a go at the nursery run with 3 children and got to use my icandy pear in its double mode for the first time which I loved. I also made a start on the babies nursery and have striped all the wood chip of the walls, just got to buy the wallpaper now, we've decided that although we know the baby's sex we're still going keep it very neutral, just incase they got it wrong because I doubt I'll feel like decorating when iv just had a baby.

20 weeks 

Another boring week really, Mr had 2 days off in a row so managed to get a little bit more done in the garden it might be half done by the end of the summer if we're lucky. Im sure my bump has gotten smaller since 18 weeks im not sure if its just the early bloating has gone now or if the rest of me is just getting bigger making my bump look smaller. Kicks are definitely getting stronger and more of a routine now, which is comforting for me as I feel like I can keep an eye them.