I am SO lazy..

...and tired. We've had builders working on the apartment above for 5 weeks. 5. I am on my last nerve and so, so tired. I don't sleep well at all these days and can't even squeeze in a cat nap in the day. Hey ho - 3 more weeks and we'll living in our new 2 bed apartment - hoo-fucking-ray.

I could write more... about the complexities of choosing nursery furniture or the fact I was in the ER room last Wed but I'm simply far too lazy. Suffice to say, everything is ok and I'm suffering with muscular problems/possible SPD.

I'll leave you with some recent photos and promise to make more of an effort next time...

28w pics:

Tardiness, heat and brioche rolls

So, yeah, I know - I've been pretty lapse with the 'ole blog recently. I re-read a few posts recently from last year - so much more enthusiastic back in the day. Decided today would be the perfect opportunity to update - apparently the temperature may hit 34 in London so I am sensibly hiding inside and attempting to keep cool. I don't even think being pregnant is really that relevant - everyone I know is struggling at the moment and according to reports there appears to be no break for this English heat wave. *fans self*

On Monday we reached the fantastic milestone that is 24 weeks. We were quietly jubilant, and yet: we still worry. I think as the weeks go on we allow ourselves to become more attached and therefore the idea of a loss is simply incomprehensible. Of course the likelihood of that happening is extremely slim but still - we worry.

Regardless of our various concerns we DO need to get organized and therefore the spending and nesting has begun in earnest. (Pretty difficult considering we are in the middle of a house move which may fall through so we are currently in limbo land) We have purchased the pram, which I guess is one of the bigger purchases out of the way - we went for the Bugaboo Camelon 3, in black. Had absolutely no intention of buying such an expensive pram but after trying out various models we were won over (well, The Wife was) Turns on a penny and so easy to fold up - do NOT want to be wrestling with a pram come November. We also purchased the car seat (maxi cosi cabriofix) and the mattress for the cot, which potentially could be going back. I've been picking up sleep suits weekly on my travels/online in various sizes - collection building up quite nicely. We also have a stack of gifts already which we are extremely grateful for.

Due to the lack of space in our current property, we had decided to just purchase a cot but 'if' the house move goes through and we have a second bedroom then we are buying a nursery set from Mama's and Papa's. Hopefully we should know by Friday, so fingers crossed pls!

There are so many other things to get but I need to take a deep breathe and realize Rome wasn't built a day. Baby NFC will not remember if we don't have 3 wraps available for him the day he arrives. I can feel myself getting caught up in the FTM hysteria and commercialization of it all and I *really* didn't want that to happen....but is it even possible to fight it?

On a physical level I'm doing ok (major lower back pain at the weekend) although no weight gain at all, in fact loss. Very odd considering the size of my bump at 24 weeks and the fact people keep referring to the size of the bump. My next MW appointment isn't till 28 weeks so hopefully the MW will be able to measure my tummy and give us an indication of what we are looking at.

How far along? 24+2
How big is baby? Corn on the cob!
Total weight gain/loss: loss - 7lbs
Maternity Clothes: dresses, flip flops.
Have you started to show yet? Yeahhhh no hiding this puppy!
Sleep: Struggling but mostly due to teeny tiny bladder and the heat
Best moment this week: Hitting 24 weeks!
Miss Anything? Not so much now.
Movement: Baby kicks all the time – very exciting to see tummy move
Food cravings: Sugar. Muffins, brioche rolls, and bacon sandwiches
Anything make you queasy or sick? Feel very sick each morning again but it goes once I have eaten
Gender prediction: Having a BOY!
Symptoms: Very sore lower back
Major purchases this week? Fuzzi Bunz cloth nappies

21 weeks

Well - almost.

Anomaly scan today - all perfect! 

And 21 bump:

Kicking along...

Today we are 20+1 - such a pregnancy cliche, but where is the time going?

I am happy to report that baby boy is a kicker - esp in the evenings and early morning. We celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary on Saturday and he kindly performed on cue for The Wife - she was ecstatic! So not just inside kicks, outside ones too - and the thrill of it never gets old. Now he is kicking and moving around lots I barely use the Doppler. Occasionally, if I need a little reassurance but generally I'm starting to feel less anxious - yay for less anxiety!

So I'm basically just chugging along, ticking off the weeks now. Playing Housewife has well and truly lost the novelty factor. All my friends work and The Wife works incredibly long hours at the moment (whole other story) and I can't really start to nest as we are looking to move to a bigger property end of July. Once we are moved in I can start looking at nursery stuff and furnishings but so far: we still haven't bought one thing - no wraps, bibs, prams, cots - nuffink.

Friday is the 20w scan (well, we will be 20+4) - I always seem to be last on the list with the NHS scans but one shouldn't complain - they are free after all! Hoping baby has grown sufficiently - a side effect of obstetric cholestasis in pregnancy (oh, did I forget to mention that?) is the baby stops growing and potentially he could come quite early. There goes my home birth plan!

Here's a link for anyone interested: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/itching-obstetric-cholestasis-pregnant.aspx#close

Basically 1 in 100 women suffer with this, and lucky meeeee - I'm that 1. I have weekly blood tests and see the MW to check the heartbeat - in all fairness they are all over it, which I am extremely grateful for. But I've lost weight and am now maintaining and as a FTM I'm not quite sure what is normal or not, re: weight gain. MW said I have a nice little bump but to me, it seems small/hasn't gotten much bigger recently. Anyway, hopefully I will have good news after the scan Friday.

Anyone else experiencing Braxton Hicks? I'm getting them day and night, which initially concerned me but apparently it's normal. Another little thing to mention on Friday - lets hope I remember!

How far along? 20+1
How big is baby? Cantaloup
Total weight gain/loss: loss - 7lbs
Maternity Clothes: leggings, empire line sun dresses
Have you started to show yet? Definitely
Sleep: Getting better but still asleep by 9 most nights
Best moment this week: The Wife feeling kicks!
Miss Anything? Just my old life, to an extent. Seeing friends more often, being more active. Life is quite quiet and sedate these days
Movement: Baby moves all the time
Food cravings: Finally have moved on from the seabass obsession. Now craving Nutella on toast, chocolate....still loving fresh fruit and salad.
Anything make you queasy or sick? Only feel sick now if I don't eat regularly
Gender prediction: Having a BOY!
Symptoms: Just the chocolate cravings and tiredness
Major purchases this week? Still nothing...
Looking forward to: 20 week scan on Friday 

It's a BOY!

Today we are 17+1 - wow.

I am extremely grateful but still riddled with worries. I don't think the pain of a mc will ever leave me. I've spoken to a few pregnant ladies who have also experienced mc and they all feel somewhat similar - the mc has stolen a little bit of joy from this pregnancy. If we can just get to 24 weeks I'll calm down. Promise. Erm, I do believe I said that about 12 weeks.... *blink*

So: we just arrived back from a weeks vacation which was much needed and appreciated. Private villa with pool and lashings of sunshine. The only major downside to the vacation is that since my return I've done nothing but scratch - today is day 5 and I'm starting to lose patience. I can confirm, however, that sickness has well and truly left the building - hoo-RAY!

... And last week, around 16+3 my bump appeared - yippee! It's all starting to feel very real, esp since we had a gender scan last Thursday and it was very evident we are having a boy - little flasher! On top of that, in the past two days I have felt movements which surprised me - I figured it would be a few more weeks till I felt something. 

How far along? 17+1
How big is baby? An apple!
Total weight gain/loss: loss - 5lbs!
Maternity Clothes: leggings, empire line sun dresses
Have you started to show yet? YIP!
Sleep: Better but still up and down to the bathroom
Best moment this week: Joint tie between finding out we are having a son/feeling him move!
Miss Anything? Pâté!
Movement: ripples all of last week on vacation - now actual movement eeek!
Food Cravings: Pineapple, salad, sea bass
Anything make you queasy or sick? Not anymore but the smell of chicken cooking really made me feel unwell at the beginning
Gender prediction: Having a BOY!
Symptoms: Snappy (sorry Wife!)
Major purchases this week? Nothing - we haven't bought a thing!
Looking forward to: 20 week scan

13 week scan!

The question now... boy or girl?

9+5

Went for a reassurance scan today. Had the surprise of our life when the baby waved at us and wriggled about - could see legs, spine....we were both very emotional. HB is 170 which is apparently good. Roll on 12 week nuchal!