What did I do all day before I had children?

Do you ever wonder how you always seemed to be so busy before you had children, but looking back you had so much free time that you just didn't use wisely? I really can't remember what took up so much of my time. There was always a massive washing pile and always washing up to be done that I never seemed to have time to do. Up until I was 20 weeks pregnant with S I worked 6/7 days every week, so I can sort of understand that I didn't have much time, although I had every evening free. But from 20 weeks I left one of my jobs so I only worked 2 days a week and the house was never spotless, I didn't do any of the jobs that I dream about doing now, like cleaning all the windows, pulling the sofas out every time I vacuum and cleaning the oven on a more regular basis. I didn't do anything crafty or make wonderful meals, if anything my meals were a hell of a lot worse and usually involved opening the freezer for some vile ready meal, something that I've not even bought for the past 3 years. I didn't read books any more than I do now and I didn't even know that blogs existed. I honestly cannot figure out what I did all day!

H has had a nasty cold the past week so is spending most evenings asleep on me again, as lovely as it is to have all these cuddles sitting looking at all the jobs that need doing is killing me, there's some crumbs under the coffee table that need sweeping up and the girls toy till needs putting away, I can see smeary finger prints on the telly and unit that desperately need cleaning. Don't get me wrong my house is far far far from spotless now but other that toys that are to big to put away been out on show the house is a hundred times cleaner than it was pre-children, there's always a washing pile but I now do at least one load a day and I still find time to make a homemade meal every night and on the few nights that I've either been to busy or we've been out I use meals that I've batched cooked and frozen myself instead of shop bought.

Maybe TV was better 4 years ago and that kept me stuck to the sofa all day! If I could turn back the clock the house would have looked liked a show home.
Has this been the case for you or was your house cleaner pre-children?
E xx

Routine

Is it just me that finds that Christmas completely messes with your routine? Well it's now the 13th February and I'm still not back to normal. So I've decided it's time to take action and we now have a very structured plan that's pinned to the fridge to help us stick to it. I've also drawn the the times on little clocks to try and help S start to understand time. 

I don't expect us to stick to the plan perfectly everyday, because some days we obviously have to go out and 3 days a week S has nursery, but hopefully it will just give the children enough of a routine that they will be more settled, better behaved and have a better nights sleep.
I have just about managed to keep our bedtime routine in tact over Christmas, but with 3 children having had chicken pox we have had a few nights where it's gone out of the window.

So here it is our new routine:
7 am Wake up and get dressed
7.30 am Breakfast time
8 am Brush teeth & hair. Hats, coats & gloves on if it a nursery day.
8.30am Telly time or play while mummy sorts the washing and does any other jobs that desperately need doing.
9.30 am Craft time - paint, draw, make or bake
10.30am Snack time
11am Educational play- practice writing with S or flash cards with letters or numbers. And practicing words with E.
12pm Lunch time
12.30pm Quiet time and reading
1pm E's nap time
2pm General playtime- a chance for them to choose what they play
2.30pm Outside play whatever the weather
3pm Snack time
3.30pm General play
5pm Dinner time
5.30pm Quiet time and reading
6pm Bath time, brush teeth, ready for bed, supper and bedtime story
7pm Bed time

Do you find having a routine helps your children?
E xx

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

First month as a mummy of 3

Week 1

We had a great first night with H, he settled himself in his Moses basket and slept loads, the girls spent the night at my parents so we could concentrate on getting to grips with feeding especially since we were told after he was born that he was tongue tied. It was great to have some time alone with him to bond.

This time I decided that instead of rushing around and going out straight away that I would rest at home and try and keep visitors away for a few days. I've felt a lot better in myself for it, after having E I had terrible "after pains" 4 or 5 times a day some lasting nearly an hour and were so painful I would debate ringing A&E, this time I've had one after pain that wasn't as bad as I remember them being and generally my whole body has recovered quicker.

Nursery runs are pretty hard luckily I've got Mr to help and some days he takes S on his own which is much better, I'm so worried about how I'm going to do it on my own.

On Tuesday (4 days old) I finally felt up to going out, so just after Lunch we started to get ready but all 3 of them started to play up. Both girls started having paddys over silly things like which shoes they were wearing and H filling his nappy twice and getting hungry.  Mix that with Mr getting stressed because he couldn't figure the pushchair out we ended up staying at home everyone having a nap, then we started again and went for a little walk down to my mums for a brew. So we made it out in the end just 2 hours after we intended to leave. 

On Wednesday my student midwife came to do the usual checkups, he lost 5% of his birthweight and they allow up to 10% so that was fab. She checked his feeding and we're doing great with that aswell so I'm feeling really pleased with myself this week.

Week 2 

On day 10 came a really sad day for me, saying goodbye to my wonderful midwives. I really wish you could have midwife care longer before being passed onto the health visitors, Midwives know all your history and know you personally mine saw me through 3 pregnancies, delivered two of my babies and looked after me postnatally for all 3. My health visitor on the other hand has changed for each baby and I've never really taken to any of them I've and have always felt very judged by them and always feel like I'm treading on eggshells with what I say and if I say the wrong thing I'm going to get told off like a child at school. As silly as that sounds In my experience its how I've been made to feel, I really hope that I've just been unlucky and there are some lovely health visitors out there.

This week we also braved our first shopping trip to the local shops, I was pleasantly surprised by how well it went. H pretty much slept through it, E was really we behaved and happily stayed in the pushchair and S stayed close and walked nicely just with the odd blip because she wanted to go on the buggy board that unfortunately doesn't fit on my iCandy Pear when its in double mode. All in all it was a success, the next step is going to be doing it on my own!

E seems to have suddenly grown up she can now point to the correct body part when asked and now says please and tries to say S's name it really does only seem 5 minutes since she was H's size.

This week H has become a real person when we registered him, I'm hoping the doubt about his name will get,  I think it's just as everyone's said it goes with the surname but he's a HH so I wasn't  100% about it, I love his 1st name but I dislike my married  surname.

Week 3

Mr started back at work after his 2 weeks paternity leave, it's  been a hard week I wasn't ready for him to go back, the thought of being on my own was so daunting. But I found the best trick is to split the day into sections, get to lunchtime, then till 2, then till 4 when I start making tea, then till bath time at 6, then it's just bedtime and RELAX! I never know what shift Mr's going to work so some days he's home till late morning and works late, others days he leaves the house before we wake up and is back in time for tea. It's hard with it being like that and I wish he had a job with a regular shift pattern, but I'm grateful he has a job that can support me being a stay at home mum.

Week 4

This week has been incredibly hard we've all had colds and just generally felt rubbish and I've really not felt like doing anything at all, the washing pile has built up and up and  the house is an absolute mess. It's surprising how mush washing we make, I'm optimistically hoping that I'll get into a really good routine of doing it, and it won't seem as bad. 

The nursery run is still hard getting 3 children and myself up and out of the house by 8.30 is tough, but the girls know the routine and we've not been late so far.
I'm making the most of H sleeping a lot and when S is at nursery spending as much quality time as I can with E. I'm really concerned that she's going to feel left out 

It was my local NCT(national childbirth trust) sale this week . I love going there's  always amazing bargains and it's nice to spend some time with my Mum and sister. I also sold at this sale which is a great way to have a clear out, and unlike a car boot or table top sale they take all the stress out of it, you label your items up in your own time at home, drop them off and them pick up any unsold items after the sale,  then just sit back and wait for your cheque in the post. 

  E xxx

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E xxx

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36 & 37 weeks

36 weeks

This week I had my home pre-birth visit, which went really well, me and Peanut are both doing great and the midwives are happy for me to give birth at home. She left me with my home birth kit that contains everything for the midwives and two bottles of enthonox. Now i'vr got the definate go a head for a home i've ordered my birth pool liner. I've been putting it off as I didn't want to waste my money if they turned around and said I couldn't have a home birth. I've also ordered the crib sheets which were the last things on my list that I still needed to buy, its like a weights been lifted off my shoulders knowing that I've got everything he needs.

The nursery is so close to being finished that I can finally start getting excited about it, its lovely going and sitting in there at night I just cant believe that he's going to be here in the next 6 weeks!

37 Weeks
Yay I'm finally Full term, so feel free to come anytime little man I'm (near enough) ready for you!
The most fruststating thing at the minute is when people say "not long now" I just want to scream " I know" at them, and I'm just stating to get a few "no baby yet" or "any signs yet", I'm sure people must know how annoying and frustrationg it is to hear that especially people who have children themselves but they just cant seem to help themselves.

I've been in alot of pain this week and think I've got sciatica or a trapped nerve because if I get out of bed at night I get a shooting pain from my back down my right leg that makes it buckle underneath me with every step I take, in a way its nice because Mr now has has to do all the night wake ups with the girls but at 37 weeks pregnant I'm needing several toilet trips a night that now are impossible. Even with all the pains and tiredness I still don't want this pregnancy to end, I really do like the feeling of having a baby inside me and them being all mine I don't have to share them or pass them round for cuddles, I feel like I'm the only one that really knows them and the only one with a bond with them.

This week I'm starting to get abit nervous about the birth as I keep having flash backs to E's and remembering the pain I was in. But  there's only one way out so I'm just going to try and put it to the back of my mind and deal with when the time comes. To take my mind off it I've been trying to keep busy and with a little bit of help from my nesting instinct I've made lots of meals to freeze and washed all of the baby clothes and bedding. For the freezer I have made chicken and mushroom pies, shepherds pies, lasagne's and some mushroom soup, its not alot but I'm hoping that it will just save me cooking a few days especially when Mr goes back to work and I'm to tired to do anything.

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