I know that 3 weeks after giving birth is still early days. I guess what I mean at this stage is taking hold of my eating habits. I've eaten a heck of a lot of junk in the past couple of months - late pregnancy and early days, and I need to break the habit of wanting to reach for a chocolate bar or something equally bad for me, and instead be reaching for a pear or an apple when I'm desperately hungry and trying to grab a snack.
I know that if I don't take a hold of those habits now, I'm going to find it even harder to get going when I'm actually actively trying to lose weight.
BUT, I'm also getting lots of rest, drinking lots of water, and sleeping when I can (which isn't often in the day, cos Sophia has a nasty habit of cat napping for only 10 minutes at a time!)
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Taking control
Sophia is three weeks old today. It's time to start taking control of my weight again.
I'm blogging again at my personal weight loss blog, and also at One Weigh or Another.
I'm blogging again at my personal weight loss blog, and also at One Weigh or Another.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Early Days
A few photos from the very first day, in fact from the first couple of hours.
And one from today - blending into the buggy!
She's yelling for a feed, so I don't have time to comment anymore. Enjoy!
And one from today - blending into the buggy!
She's yelling for a feed, so I don't have time to comment anymore. Enjoy!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Go to bed sleepy head
My beautiful baby girl is actually sleeping better, only waking for one feed a night. She lost a lot of weight in the first 10 days or so, so as of last weekend we've been adding in formula to top her up. It was a hard decision for me to do, because I've always known that I wanted to breastfeed. I am still breastfeeding, but we're adding in formula after some of the feeds, and in particular the evening and night feeds.
Since we started them she's been sleeping so much better, only waking for one feed in the night, and sleeping for between four and six hours at a stretch.
However, while we were still being woken up at least 3 times a night, or woken up for long stretches of time, there were several things that I did or said which illustrated just how sleep deprived I was. Unfortunately the lack of sleep has also made me forget all but one of this things I planned to write in this blog post, so I'm only able to share that one...
I made a cup of tea for Menard. It was only when I stopped to wonder why it was taking so long for the teabag to make the water turn into tea, that I realised that although I'd filled the kettle, I hadn't actually boiled it!
Since we started them she's been sleeping so much better, only waking for one feed in the night, and sleeping for between four and six hours at a stretch.
However, while we were still being woken up at least 3 times a night, or woken up for long stretches of time, there were several things that I did or said which illustrated just how sleep deprived I was. Unfortunately the lack of sleep has also made me forget all but one of this things I planned to write in this blog post, so I'm only able to share that one...
I made a cup of tea for Menard. It was only when I stopped to wonder why it was taking so long for the teabag to make the water turn into tea, that I realised that although I'd filled the kettle, I hadn't actually boiled it!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
In the middle of the night
I go walking in my sleep.
Not a proper post, just checking in to say we're alive. My baby girl is two weeks old now, I have no idea where that time went, all the days just seem to blur together!
It's been a tough week, I've had mastitis and Sophia lost a lot of weight - more than the expected 10% of her birth weight. Things are settling down a bit, and I think we're on the up.
Not a proper post, just checking in to say we're alive. My baby girl is two weeks old now, I have no idea where that time went, all the days just seem to blur together!
It's been a tough week, I've had mastitis and Sophia lost a lot of weight - more than the expected 10% of her birth weight. Things are settling down a bit, and I think we're on the up.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
One week old
Sophia Louise is one week old today.
The very first evening at home
Tiny hand, day 4
Here's looking at you kid
She's got hairy ears!
And her feet are big like mummy's!
The very first evening at home
Tiny hand, day 4
Here's looking at you kid
She's got hairy ears!
And her feet are big like mummy's!
Thursday, October 08, 2009
She's here!
Tiny's here.
We're all doing great. Totally exhausted, but great.
She doesn't have a name as yet.
She was born at 3.33am on Wednesday the 7th, weighing 8lb 2oz.
We love her more already than we ever thought possible.
We're all doing great. Totally exhausted, but great.
She doesn't have a name as yet.
She was born at 3.33am on Wednesday the 7th, weighing 8lb 2oz.
We love her more already than we ever thought possible.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
D-day!
D being 'due date'.
Things might be happening a little around here. Certainly not labour yet, but signs that it might be on the way. Tiny's at least reminding me that he won't be staying in there forever. We'll keep you posted.
Things might be happening a little around here. Certainly not labour yet, but signs that it might be on the way. Tiny's at least reminding me that he won't be staying in there forever. We'll keep you posted.
Monday, October 05, 2009
bleugh
I hab got a cold and a sore throat and earache. The doctor says it is just a virus (thought it best to get checked out, just in case).
I feel a bit icky. Tiny can stay put for a couple of days, and I'll snuggle down with a duvet on the sofa. I think Menard has it too, but he's still gone to work this morning. Hopefully we'll both get better soon.
I feel a bit icky. Tiny can stay put for a couple of days, and I'll snuggle down with a duvet on the sofa. I think Menard has it too, but he's still gone to work this morning. Hopefully we'll both get better soon.
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Psst
Tiny here. I've got to stay in a bit longer so that mummy can disprove all the old wives tales about ways to bring labour on. Although she says she's not convinced by the castor oil idea, so we might give that one a miss.
I'll be out and about soon, but in my own time. We'll keep you posted...
I'll be out and about soon, but in my own time. We'll keep you posted...
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
I will follow him
follow him wherever he may go.
My bump's taken on a life of its own in the last couple of weeks. It's at its biggest, and I'm acutely aware that I'm following it around anytime I go anywhere. Tiny's certainly making his presence felt, as no doubt he will in an entirely different way once he's actually here in person.
In the meantime, I'm just getting increasingly uncomfortable and so ready to have this baby. Please come soon, Tiny.
My bump's taken on a life of its own in the last couple of weeks. It's at its biggest, and I'm acutely aware that I'm following it around anytime I go anywhere. Tiny's certainly making his presence felt, as no doubt he will in an entirely different way once he's actually here in person.
In the meantime, I'm just getting increasingly uncomfortable and so ready to have this baby. Please come soon, Tiny.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
one more river *
One week today. Well, till the due date anyway. Who knows how many actual days it'll be. As HP said in a text to me yesterday, it could be a couple of weeks, or it could all kick off in the next half hour!
Hopefully it won't be in the next half hour, cos I can smell something delicious cooking, and I'd like to still be feeling like tasting it once it's cooked (My wonderful husband is cooking curry. Yum!).
This afternoon I actually started packing my hospital bag. Well, actually there's stuff piled on my bed, but it's actually there, not just ideas in my head or in my notebook! I will start putting things in the suitcase, but that's currently in the wardrobe and it's booby trapped under something else, and if I try to get it out by myself there's bound to be trouble. But yes, we have stuff. Lots of stuff, ready to be packed in the suitcase. It's definitely better than yesterday's 'start'!
* I was going to title this 'one more week' but that somehow reminded me of a line from a song, which is how it ended up being 'one more river'. That may make no sense to anyone but me, but I get it, so that's ok.
Hopefully it won't be in the next half hour, cos I can smell something delicious cooking, and I'd like to still be feeling like tasting it once it's cooked (My wonderful husband is cooking curry. Yum!).
This afternoon I actually started packing my hospital bag. Well, actually there's stuff piled on my bed, but it's actually there, not just ideas in my head or in my notebook! I will start putting things in the suitcase, but that's currently in the wardrobe and it's booby trapped under something else, and if I try to get it out by myself there's bound to be trouble. But yes, we have stuff. Lots of stuff, ready to be packed in the suitcase. It's definitely better than yesterday's 'start'!
* I was going to title this 'one more week' but that somehow reminded me of a line from a song, which is how it ended up being 'one more river'. That may make no sense to anyone but me, but I get it, so that's ok.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Still pregnant - 8 days til due date
I'm still pregnant. Contractions come and go, but since they're not developing into anything I've told them that I'm ignoring them until they decide to shape up properly and get on with it.
Not a lot else to report. I've written the list of things to take to hospital, that's a start, right?!
Not a lot else to report. I've written the list of things to take to hospital, that's a start, right?!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Showered with blessings
Tiny and I were well and truly showered on Sunday afternoon. A couple of friends organised a surprise baby shower for me, and Menard was in on the surprise too. A bunch of crazy but lovely folk invaded our home for a couple of hours, bringing fantastic decorations, yummy food, and lots of presents for me. It was lovely cos my Mum, Menard's Mum, Yvonne his sister, and my sister Bekki were all there too. A great combination of friends and family.
I didn't take any photos, but I know Bekki and a couple of others did, so I'm sure they'll appear online at some point...!
(Our net's been down for a couple of days. Well, I say down, what I actually mean is we need to buy a new top-up voucher for it. This is written at my Mum's house, but hopefully we'll have the net up and running at our place again soon).
I didn't take any photos, but I know Bekki and a couple of others did, so I'm sure they'll appear online at some point...!
(Our net's been down for a couple of days. Well, I say down, what I actually mean is we need to buy a new top-up voucher for it. This is written at my Mum's house, but hopefully we'll have the net up and running at our place again soon).
Friday, September 18, 2009
More photos
HP's hen party, 25th July.
Yes, I have pants on my head!
At HP and Steve's wedding, 15th August. Check out that bump! And my wonderful purple shoes :)
Yes, I have pants on my head!
At HP and Steve's wedding, 15th August. Check out that bump! And my wonderful purple shoes :)
Thursday, September 17, 2009
A few photo highlights from the year
Progression of bump:
At our wedding, 5th April. Not much of a bump, indeed I'd lost weight in the week leading up to the wedding, so the dress actually fitted me less well than it had the week before.
Outside the registry office, May 30th. Definitely the beginnings of a bump. I'd bought this dress the week before in a charity shop, and only wore it the once. By a week or so later it no longer fitted!
At my cousin Pete's wedding, 8th August 2009. Wearing the dress I'd worn to his older brother's wedding back in summer 2007 which was pre-weight loss. I'd been intending to try to sell it on e-bay, but it's coming in handy again as it goes over the bump!
At HP and Steve's wedding rehearsal, 13th August. I was worn this dress/top and trousers so many times. In fact, if you asked someone who saw me a lot over the summer to predict what I'd be wearing the next time they saw me, if they said this outfit they'd probably be right about 90% of the time! (Obviously I washed it lots too!)
At our wedding, 5th April. Not much of a bump, indeed I'd lost weight in the week leading up to the wedding, so the dress actually fitted me less well than it had the week before.
Outside the registry office, May 30th. Definitely the beginnings of a bump. I'd bought this dress the week before in a charity shop, and only wore it the once. By a week or so later it no longer fitted!
At my cousin Pete's wedding, 8th August 2009. Wearing the dress I'd worn to his older brother's wedding back in summer 2007 which was pre-weight loss. I'd been intending to try to sell it on e-bay, but it's coming in handy again as it goes over the bump!
At HP and Steve's wedding rehearsal, 13th August. I was worn this dress/top and trousers so many times. In fact, if you asked someone who saw me a lot over the summer to predict what I'd be wearing the next time they saw me, if they said this outfit they'd probably be right about 90% of the time! (Obviously I washed it lots too!)
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
List writer extrordinaire
As anyone who knows me could probably tell you, I love writing lists. I am a list writer. Whether it's a shopping list, or a to-do list, or a packing list, I love it. There's something about taking a fresh piece of paper, and a pen, and organising thoughts into a logical process.
Some of my lists have become famous, or at least immortalised, within our family. There's my shopping list, which is a tick box sheet of things that we regularly buy, laid out roughly in the order that you encounter each product as you go round the store. It's saved on the computer, so every couple of weeks my dad prints out a few more, and they sit on top of the freezer. That way as soon as someone thinks of something that needs to be bought, they can tick off the item, and when my mum goes shopping, she knows at a glance what needs to be bought. I think I need to steal or reinvent the list for me and Menard to use too, cos it is a handy way of keeping track of the fact you're out of beans or sugar or soy sauce, without having to make sure you tell everyone verbally six times.
Then there's the holiday list. It started off as pen on paper, but later also got transferred to the computer. It was the list we'd use as a reference point when we packed to go on summer holiday together (so again, I'm talking about me and my sisters and parents). Each year I'd update it, taking into account the location we'd be staying, and for how long, and all those sorts of things, but the basic backbone of the list remained the same.
So yes, I love writing lists. I wrote lists for my wedding, I wrote lists for HP's wedding. I even wrote a list for HP (or rather in consultation with her) to help her know what to pack to take on her honeymoon.
I've said all that to ponder the question, why have I not made any physical lists to do with having Tiny? Sure, there are many lists going round in my head all the time. Things like what we need to buy/make/get ready for Tiny's arrival, what I need to get for me before Tiny arrives, what I need to take in my hospital bag, even what to put on a birth plan etc etc. But I've yet to actually put pen to paper on any of these.
I think part of the problem is that I am the sort of person that does things at the last minute. All my best essays at university were written as all-nighters the night or two nights before they were due in (as were my worst pieces of work, but for the sake of argument we'll just talk about the good stuff!). Our wedding was planned in two and a half weeks, we had to just get on and do it, and we did. But, the thing about Tiny's arrival is that it could happen tomorrow (or even today, although it seems doubtful, given that I haven't really noticed my bump drop, which suggest Tiny isn't very engaged as yet), but it could also not happen for another month. Babies are considered to be full term when born any time between 37 weeks and 42 weeks. Yesterday I hit the 37 week mark, which means the end's in sight, but it's not near enough in sight to motivate me to write lists!
I can't cope with the anticipation. Tiny may be born this week, it may be another few weeks. I don't know. And the not-knowing stalls me into inaction. It's almost as though once I've done something, like pack my bag for hospital, I won't have anything left to do. So I don't do it, cos that means I can still have something on my mental to-do list. However, I can't leave everything until I'm in labour, which means I need to take myself in hand. Which means actually writing some lists. The most obvious of those lists that need to be written at the moment is knowing what to pack in my hospital bag. I've got several different suggestion lists from a number of sources, and I plan to consult those, but I'd also like those of you who've ever been there and done that with the whole giving birth thing to weigh in with your suggestions. Pretty please!
Also, as a slight aside, I look at some of the lists and think "heck, that's a lot of stuff", so I'd also like to know what you actually packed your stuff in. Is this a pull out the holiday suitcase type of event, or a couple of rucksacks, or what? (I know at the end of the day it doesn't really matter what you take and what you take it in, it'll just be comforting to me to know what other people have done!)
Oh, and yeah, it appears I'm blogging again. I have got some belly pics from the course of the pregnancy that I want to share at some point, but I really need to upload stuff from my camera - it currently still has photos from our wedding way back in April on it, not to mention all the other stuff that's happened since!
Some of my lists have become famous, or at least immortalised, within our family. There's my shopping list, which is a tick box sheet of things that we regularly buy, laid out roughly in the order that you encounter each product as you go round the store. It's saved on the computer, so every couple of weeks my dad prints out a few more, and they sit on top of the freezer. That way as soon as someone thinks of something that needs to be bought, they can tick off the item, and when my mum goes shopping, she knows at a glance what needs to be bought. I think I need to steal or reinvent the list for me and Menard to use too, cos it is a handy way of keeping track of the fact you're out of beans or sugar or soy sauce, without having to make sure you tell everyone verbally six times.
Then there's the holiday list. It started off as pen on paper, but later also got transferred to the computer. It was the list we'd use as a reference point when we packed to go on summer holiday together (so again, I'm talking about me and my sisters and parents). Each year I'd update it, taking into account the location we'd be staying, and for how long, and all those sorts of things, but the basic backbone of the list remained the same.
So yes, I love writing lists. I wrote lists for my wedding, I wrote lists for HP's wedding. I even wrote a list for HP (or rather in consultation with her) to help her know what to pack to take on her honeymoon.
I've said all that to ponder the question, why have I not made any physical lists to do with having Tiny? Sure, there are many lists going round in my head all the time. Things like what we need to buy/make/get ready for Tiny's arrival, what I need to get for me before Tiny arrives, what I need to take in my hospital bag, even what to put on a birth plan etc etc. But I've yet to actually put pen to paper on any of these.
I think part of the problem is that I am the sort of person that does things at the last minute. All my best essays at university were written as all-nighters the night or two nights before they were due in (as were my worst pieces of work, but for the sake of argument we'll just talk about the good stuff!). Our wedding was planned in two and a half weeks, we had to just get on and do it, and we did. But, the thing about Tiny's arrival is that it could happen tomorrow (or even today, although it seems doubtful, given that I haven't really noticed my bump drop, which suggest Tiny isn't very engaged as yet), but it could also not happen for another month. Babies are considered to be full term when born any time between 37 weeks and 42 weeks. Yesterday I hit the 37 week mark, which means the end's in sight, but it's not near enough in sight to motivate me to write lists!
I can't cope with the anticipation. Tiny may be born this week, it may be another few weeks. I don't know. And the not-knowing stalls me into inaction. It's almost as though once I've done something, like pack my bag for hospital, I won't have anything left to do. So I don't do it, cos that means I can still have something on my mental to-do list. However, I can't leave everything until I'm in labour, which means I need to take myself in hand. Which means actually writing some lists. The most obvious of those lists that need to be written at the moment is knowing what to pack in my hospital bag. I've got several different suggestion lists from a number of sources, and I plan to consult those, but I'd also like those of you who've ever been there and done that with the whole giving birth thing to weigh in with your suggestions. Pretty please!
Also, as a slight aside, I look at some of the lists and think "heck, that's a lot of stuff", so I'd also like to know what you actually packed your stuff in. Is this a pull out the holiday suitcase type of event, or a couple of rucksacks, or what? (I know at the end of the day it doesn't really matter what you take and what you take it in, it'll just be comforting to me to know what other people have done!)
Oh, and yeah, it appears I'm blogging again. I have got some belly pics from the course of the pregnancy that I want to share at some point, but I really need to upload stuff from my camera - it currently still has photos from our wedding way back in April on it, not to mention all the other stuff that's happened since!
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Back to work AGAIN
Tomorrow school starts again and I have to go back to work. I have no idea where I'm gonna find the energy to survive it, but at least I only have to do 7 days of it, and then I'm off on maternity leave.
Being realistic, I'm likely to be scarce around here again for a bit, but I'll be back again once I'm done, hopefully!
Being realistic, I'm likely to be scarce around here again for a bit, but I'll be back again once I'm done, hopefully!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Hey
It's just struck home to me that after all these years reading Mum/Mom blogs, I am a blogger who's going to be a Mum! Ok, so talk about stating the obvious, but remember this is the girl who can freak herself out by forgetting that she's pregnant when she wakes up in the night, and then get a shock catching sight of the BUMP* in the mirror.
I'm still working on what exactly I'll be sharing on here. It's one thing blogging about myself, it's another blogging about others like Menard and Tiny. I don't think I've crossed the line yet, but I'd also rather stay the right side of the line, while also sharing with the many many friends I've made in the blogging and online world. It's a tough one, so bear with me!
* written not in capital letters just didn't convey the size of the bump well enough, hence BUMP!
I'm still working on what exactly I'll be sharing on here. It's one thing blogging about myself, it's another blogging about others like Menard and Tiny. I don't think I've crossed the line yet, but I'd also rather stay the right side of the line, while also sharing with the many many friends I've made in the blogging and online world. It's a tough one, so bear with me!
* written not in capital letters just didn't convey the size of the bump well enough, hence BUMP!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
The afternoon nap
is here to stay.
My husband knows me more than I'd sometimes like to admit. Especially when it involves his saying words like "Debs, go have a lie down, you know you're tired". Somehow those words desperately make me want to fight against sleep, to stay awake to prove my point, that I'm right, and no, it's not tiredness that's made me go all grumpy and slightly spaced out, and just sit in the chair and stare into space and.... But he is right. He's so right. And for the last two days I've reluctantly admitted that, and gone to lie down. And today I didn't wake up for another two and a half hours. I really did need that nap!
I have no idea how I'll survive going back to work this week. School starts again on Thursday, and I'm working until the following Friday (so seven days). I've already warned Menard that I'll probably be horrible to live with, and that I imagine it'll be similar to when I started the job - I cam home and went to bed, my parents woke me for dinner, and then I went to bed again! I have a feeling he's going to be taking a lot of the household load for the next couple of weeks, but I guess it's good practice for when Tiny's here.
My husband knows me more than I'd sometimes like to admit. Especially when it involves his saying words like "Debs, go have a lie down, you know you're tired". Somehow those words desperately make me want to fight against sleep, to stay awake to prove my point, that I'm right, and no, it's not tiredness that's made me go all grumpy and slightly spaced out, and just sit in the chair and stare into space and.... But he is right. He's so right. And for the last two days I've reluctantly admitted that, and gone to lie down. And today I didn't wake up for another two and a half hours. I really did need that nap!
I have no idea how I'll survive going back to work this week. School starts again on Thursday, and I'm working until the following Friday (so seven days). I've already warned Menard that I'll probably be horrible to live with, and that I imagine it'll be similar to when I started the job - I cam home and went to bed, my parents woke me for dinner, and then I went to bed again! I have a feeling he's going to be taking a lot of the household load for the next couple of weeks, but I guess it's good practice for when Tiny's here.
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