Thursday, December 31, 2009

The first snow day of 2009!

(This was on the 20th December, but only getting a chance to upload now!) I know it doesn't look like very much snow, but it is very exciting here in Ireland where we normally only end up with slush!




Monday, December 28, 2009

New Year Resolutions

We had a wonderful Christmas! I will do a Christmas post shortly, after I organise the photos!

Now onto the time of year where we each try our best to keep a few New Year Resolutions. Mine are:

Lose 14lbs
Have a baby before the end of 2010
Learn to drive asap
Take vitamins regularly
Get a housework schedule in place and follow
Have at least 1 date night a week with hubby
Take Ollie camping!

This year I have made my resolutions in reach. Previous years I have made some incredibly silly resolutions but this year I want to be able to actually keep these.

If you want to join in Friend Makin Mondays pop over to aefilkins! If you want to join in Show Us How You Live pop over to Kelly's Korner

Monday, December 21, 2009

Friend Makin Monday - All I want for Christmas...

I am so excited for Christmas this year. I have a few things I really would like!

I would like Ollie to have an amazing Christmas.

I want to see as many family members and friends as possible.

I want Belfast to have snow so deep that it lasts more than a few hours. Ollie loves the snow.

I want to get pregnant for Christmas. I am on my second cycle since my miscarriage. Fingers crossed.

...and some pressies :)

Burt's Bees Marshmallow Vanishing Cream


Spotty Tweed Bag from Monsoon


The True Blood (Sookie Stackhouse) Books



Cath Kidston Notebook
...and some bath bombs.

A fish died. Again.

The oranda died before we even thought of a name for him. I have bad luck with fish huh! He got swim bladder again and I researched it online and apparently it is most common in orandas.

The other 2 fish are fine though. Lively as ever. I have thought of names! The black one I have named Shakira.... because he does a funny thing with his front fins that looks like Shakira's funny shoulder dance in 'She Wolf'... the sucker fish is now called Bill (Bill from True blood... vampire... sucker fish... get it?). So Shakira and Bill. I hope they live longer than any previous fish. If I have no luck with fish then I certainly should never ever ever get a dog!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Ollie twisted my arm...


...and so we came home with 3 fish instead of 2!!  We got a weird sucker fish. We also got one oranda and one black moor. I have no idea what to call them. My friend suggested I call the black googly eyed one 'Bug' and I like that.... but can't think of names for the others.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Exciting Day!

Today my mum is taking us out to a really good fish store to buy new fish for Ollie as an early Christmas present. I wonder what type we will get. You have to help me think of names!! I found it hard thinking up the first set, but now have to think up another set!

Since our last fish died, the fish bowl has been in the cupboard under the sink. Ollie has been opening the cupboard, pointing and saying "bish, bish". It has been breaking my heart.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Christmas Home Tour!

This is the wreath we have on the front door. I love having a wreath and love that it has friendly snowmen on it.


We only bought our house in June this year and it is an awful lot bigger than the houses we have had previously, so to be honest, our house still looks a little bit bare even though every single one of our decorations are up. Hopefully we can collect more in the years to come!

My mother in law bought this stocking for us last year, but it is a little bit too big to put stuff in and any big things we have are normally wider than the stocking. Looks nice on the wall though!



Our collection of small Christmassy things that don't really have a place yet, all sit together on the mantlepiece in the dining room.

This is our countdown to Christmas Santa! If I ask Ollie where Santa is, he runs and points here. Look 11 days to go!!!!!

My mum bought this advent calendar for us last year. I don't know if it is clear enough, but there is a little Santa there in day 14. You just move him from day to day. I think when Ollie is a bit older, I will start putting little treats into the pockets for him to find.

Ollie and I made this reindeer together. We also made one for both the Granny's. Those are his cute little handprints!

This is our tree. Our tree has no colour scheme. It is just a fun, higgledy piggledy, multi-coloured, mixed up tree and we love it. I like that nothing matches and it just looks fun and cheery.

Ollie made this decoration and the one below, at mother and baby group. Aren't they cute!

Last Christmas, Ollie's Great Aunt gave him some decorations that were knitted by his Great Grandmother. Apparently she was able to knit ANYTHING. Below is a decoration, a knitted soldier and a knitted Christmas cracker!!



This is the Santa on the top of our tree.

And below are Ollie's very own decorations. The first one is a mini snowglobe. It snows when you shake it. I had to buy it because it said Oliver on it. The second one is from his Granny. I am going to buy him a decoration every year and when he moves out I will give him a whole box of decorations that belong to him that have been collected over the years.



And last but not least... here are some presents!!!

Were Ill!

Ollie and I, that is. We have both had a cold for about a week now, Ollie's was worse yesterday and he took ages to settle last night, when usually it is so easy. He didn't wake in the night though and woke today sounding a little bit clearer. His nose is constantly running though and he is hardly eating anything. He didnt have a single meal yesterday. Just a few mouthfuls of other people's dinner and that was it. I'm taking him to the Dr. today because I'm worried about his lack of eating and I want his cough to go away! Heopfully the Dr. has some magic medicine.

At least we are both sick with the cold now and should hopefully be better this week, than catching the cold NEXT week in time for Christmas.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

I have a niece!!

My sister in law gave birth last night to a little girl who they have named Rebecca. She already has a son who was born 2 weeks before my Ollie, he is called Conor. Ollie now has 2 cousins, a girl and boy. It's very exciting for him, but of course he is too young to realise how exciting it is.

I had a cry last night. I am so so happy for them, and so pleased its a girl, but at the same time I am hurting a lot right now too... because I won't be getting my baby.

I'm sure I will be fine. We are going to visit them on Saturday and I have asked her if it is ok that just James, Ollie and I come on our own (she has a ton of friends) and she just texted back to say she totally understands and of course that would be ok. I don't want to start crying in front of her friends... but I might not cry at all. I just think it's nice she understands it is going to be hard for me meeting little Rebecca.

I have to go to the Drs on Monday for blood tests to make sure all my levels are up (iron etc).

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Happy 1st December!

Happy 1st December, love from Ollie (and me) x

p.s. Both our fish are now dead. I'm feeling better and will be back to posting regularly when I finish tidying my house today :)

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Busy Busy Busy

In the Hughes household we have been very busy! Were getting ready for Christmas and getting over colds and it looks as though Jack might bite the dust. He has been floating on his side for 2 whole days now and just looks about ready to give up. Fingers crossed he pulls through though!

I did a full scale tidy of the house the other day. I hate putting up a Christmas tree when the house is a dusty mess so the house is now ready for the tree! Were planning to put it up on Saturday. Quite early I know, but we always have it up for the 1st December, but 1st December is a Tuesday.

Ollie has not been so well the past few days. He had a very upset tummy, no appetite and a slight temperature but his mood was good. His nose is so so runny. Poor boy. He seems to be on the mend now though, his appetite is still not great and he is refusing to feed himself after learning how to do it independently.

I hope he is feeling much better for Friday, because he is going to meet Santa for the first time! Our local shopping centre has a Santa that my friend is convinced is the REAL one. I can't wait to take him. On Saturday my step dad is taking him on the 'Lapland Express'. A local steam train with Santa aboard.


Last week I recieved a massive bunch of flowers from a group of friends on a forum I go to. They had done a collection after they heard my bad news. Aren't they gorgeous. I honestly couldn't have got through the past few weeks without all of their support.


As far as that goes, I am doing ok now. I still am feeling in a bit of a rut, but I'm getting out of it. I'm keeping myself very very busy and on Sunday we had more closure in the form of a negative pregnancy test. I had had 2 faint ones before that, but it's finally completely over now.

I'm in the middle of working on 2 blog designs and then I will finish with my announcing the new side to my business. I never got around to doing that!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Number 71 on the list complete

"Buy a good mobile phone"


I actually got this last month but forgot to do my post for it. I love it! The camera is really good on it too. I didn't even have to buy it at full price! My auntie bought it but recieved a new phone for her birthday only days later, and she preferred the new one and so agreed to sell this phone to me for £20!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

motivation...

Has anyone got any spare they can lend me? I have SO SO SO much needing done with regards to housework, blog design work, blogging, Christmas.... and I just feel in such a slump right now. I think I need a pull! :( I thought I was feeling ok about things, but I guess I'm not. SIL is due her baby any day now and I don't know how to feel.

I promise I will write something fun soon and let you all know what Ollie is up to... and promise to get back to the blog designing!

x

Monday, November 16, 2009

Soooooo Clever!

In the past 2 days, Ollie has learnt 4 brand new words... (train, nappy, daddy - he has previously only said dada, bubbles) and now knows the parts of the body. If I ask him where is his nose, bellybutton, mouth, foot and leg he will point and if i say where is mummy's nose etc he will point at mine too. It has only happened in the last couple of days and its so so cute. He now has 23 words!

He is also understanding phrases much better. It seems you only have to tell him what something is once now and he knows what it is forever.

I'm very very proud of him.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

They have names!

The white fish with the red on his head I have named Flash (as in Flash Gordon) and the fish with the big black eye, I have named Jack (as in Jack Sparrow with all the black eyeliner and creepy moustache). So Jack and Flash. Also these names are easy for Ollie to learn.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Number 40 on the list complete (Our new family members!)

"Buy 2 goldfish"



Ok... so I know they aren't goldfish, they are orandas. Aren't they cute? I'm finding it really hard to think of names though. I'm bad at thinking up pet names!!

One fish has red on its head and the rest of it is white.... the other one has one normal eye like what the white fish's eye looks like but also has a very large black eye....poor thing. My friend has been over and suggested we name the white one Ariel (The Little Mermaid - red hair and a fish tail).... and suggested for the one with the big eye - Popeye, Will.i.am or Taboo from Black Eyed Peas (teeheee).

I don't know.

They're cute though aren't they! Ollie loves them. He has attempted to say fish a couple of times tonight and has managed the first half!

anybody else good at thinking up pet names?

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Guess What!!?

Were just about to go out and buy some fish! We've never had fish before, but we have been looking after my friend's while she is away on holiday and Ollie seems really interested. I've always quite liked fish.... can't wait!

Will post some photos of them when we come home!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Halloween!


I know they are so so late, but with the week we have had I haven't been up to posting them. So here they are!! We didn't do very much. We had my bff and her fiance over (and their little baby Ivy, who Ollie adores), we got Dominoes Pizza and played Scene-It.


Ollie LOVED the fireworks that were happening outside. Anytime any started I would run out the front of the house with him so he could see them. He was mesmerized.


I carved a pumpkin, made pumpkin soup (but accidently let too much pepper fall in, it was alright though), pumpkin muffins and roasted the pumpkin seeds, letting nothing go to waste. The pumpkin seeds were gorgeous!


Ollie dressed as a mummy (really the only comfy outfit I could find for him because his that fussy about hangy things and things on his face or head!) and his friend Ivy dressed as a witch!

Some happy pictures of my boy (a trip to the play park)





Don't you love his big boy coat? It was an early Christmas present from his Nana.

It's all over now

The miscarriage is over. We went to the hospital yesterday after a lot of very bad pain and awful bleeding on Sunday night. I knew at that moment on Sunday night that I was losing the baby.

I made an appointment for Monday afternoon and we had a scan done which confirmed that the miscarriage is finished. Everything is gone. I'm myself again. I'm right back to the non pregnant me and I feel ok and feel relief. I am pleased my body was able to do it itself without the need for medical intervention and that we can now focus on moving on and looking forward. I'm not even cramping today and I'm hardly bleeding anymore.

It's over.... it's entirely finished. So surreal though that we ever went through the whole last fortnight.

I want to say a massive thank you to you all for your very kind words, virtual hugs and for your prayers. I promise I will get to replying to your comments.

Hopefully I will have more happy news to share with you all soon.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Sorry I didn't update sooner (this post might be sensitive or TMI)

Unfortunately James and I received bad news. The baby did in fact stop growing at 6 weeks. We are devastated but are also dealing with it ok. To be honest, I think we had both mentally prepared for bad news the whole week so when we heard it, it was not the biggest shock.

The first Dr. who came in to do the ultrasound could not see a thing and I was hopeful that things were completely over. That would have been the better bad news. She got another Dr. to come in to have a look and she saw everything we saw last week. She measured the baby again and noted a slight size difference (even though this could just be due to a different Dr. measuring the baby last week than the one measuring it this week). Even so, she had to note this difference (of less than a mm) which means she can not legally advise of my options without waiting a week to scan again.

The Dr. did tell us it was bad news, but she also said I can not undergo the operation to remove everything without waiting the week. For me, it is the worst news. I really wanted some proper proper closure on the whole thing, but we are waiting around another week. I have already decided that I would like the operation when I am advised of my options on Friday.

As I have had a missed miscarriage (which means the miscarriage is not picked up on until further on after the baby has stopped growing - the baby stopped growing at 6 weeks and I should have been 9 weeks on Thursday) the chances are the baby could still be there between 12 - 14 weeks which is the average time to lose a missed miscarriage. I can't wait that long for things to happen. I just want it to happen, so I can deal with it properly and move on.

I am bleeding at the minute and to be honest (sorry in advance for TMI) it is a lot redder and a lot heavier than before the scan. One of the Drs took a swab with a speculum and everything and it was agony. I think she may have prompted things to start to happen naturally. I might go back on Thursday and be told it is all over and there is nothing left.

I hope this post is making sense. I am finding it hard to write everything down.

I'm dealing ok and so is my hubby, because we had the long week before this scan to come to terms with the fact that it might very possibly be bad news. I think the worst is over us now and I am trying to be really strong and positive about the fact that I have such a wonderful little family here with me to make me feel good and the fact that James and I are still young (he is 29, I am 25) and we have lots of time to have another baby.

I am upset about the fact that things were just so so perfect. The age gap, the time of year the baby would be born... different things.

I have fab friends who are really helping me through this. I know they are they for me if I need to talk about this, or if I need to just talk about normal stuff. I'm very lucky. My family are all helping me so much too.

Ollie has been in the most amazing form and it melts my heart just when I think of how wonderfully behaved he has been the last couple of weeks. He has become so so affectionate and just keeps doing little things that make me smile and laugh even though I'm not feeling good. he just lifts my spirits.

I know we will all be ok. I don't think I will ever get over this completely, and I won't forget my due date or the little baby I should have had on that date, but I will cry less and my heart won't hurt as much.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

sigh

Only one more day to wait until we know what the situation is. I'm so nervous. I am going to be in pieces waiting until 10am tomorrow morning. At least we will know one way or another.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

This is going to be a long one

There is a complication with the pregnancy. I had a small bleed on Thursday so rang to make an appointment at the Early Pregnancy Unit at the hospital. After making the appointment I went to the bathroom again and noticed that the bleeding was worse.

When we got to the hospital on Thursday we had to sit waiting for a whole hour. I had a full bladder, which they recommend for early scans. It was awful waiting. I remember the girl who went in ahead of me coming out in tears and I got really scared.

Once we were in they tried to do a tummy scan but could not see anything, and joy of joys they had to do an internal scan instead. I had to have an internal with Ollie and they are NOT nice. The 2 doctors didn't say much while looking and I had a feeling that something was wrong.

So... the baby is measuring 6 weeks instead of 8 (it is only 2mm when it should be about 6 or 7mm and that was the moment that I knew everything was not quite right) and they were unable to find a heartbeat. This could be because it is so early. I couldn't believe what he was telling me and I burst out crying, booked another scan for Monday 9th November and headed home with James. The scan on the 9th will tell us if there has been any growth in which case we may see a heartbeat, or it will confirm that the baby stopped growing at 6 weeks.

Were devastated. Were in limbo, not knowing whether to feel hopeful or whether to feel upset. I think the fact that we were made to wait 11 days is just awful. I went to my Dr. on Friday morning inquiring about blood tests but he told me they could not do those because even if my hormone levels were rising still it would not be a definiate answer. I would just end up with another maybe. My Dr. rang The Royal Hospital and asked them why they had not booked me in for a scan in the interim. Why had they made me wait so long and what harm would it do. Either I would get a definiate answer sooner or we would be no further to a conclusion in which case I wont be any more upset than I already am. So I have another scan booked for Thrusday.

I'm petrified for Thursday. To be honest, I think I have been preparing myself for the worst. I don't hold out much hope, but little glimmers keep shining through.

I will be 9 weeks by my dates on Thursday and 7 weeks by the scan (if baby is alive and well). Sometimes they don't see a heartbeat until closer to 7 weeks...

I just don't know what to think until then, or how to feel. I desperately don't want to go through this.

I am sorry if this post sounds jumbled...

Friday, October 23, 2009

7 weeks pregnant

Woohoo! I was 7 weeks pregnant yesterday so only 33 left to go.

I still don't feel sick in the slightest, but I feel hungry ALL THE TIME. I also feel like I want to cry all the time. The tiniest thing stresses me out and the silliest things on the tv have me sobbing into a cushion. My mood is totally changeable. James is being so so understanding though and even Ollie seems to have realised that it would be best to be on good behaviour for the moment because he is being a little star for me.

I am surprised that I am already getting a slight bump. I did show very early with Ollie so I guess I shouldn't really be surprised because you show faster with your second. I have already ordered myself a pair of maternity jeans and 2 maternity tops.

I spoke to my midwife today and have asked to change hospitals. The one I am currently booked in with do not tell you the sex and we could not afford a gender scan which costs £240!! I HAVE to know the sex. I am like that. I definitely can not go for 40 weeks not knowing. I found out with Ollie and feel like it made birth that little bit easier because I already knew what I was getting. I am now booked into The Royal Hospital. Apparently it is amazing and friends who have given birth there said they recommend it. Plus, they have private rooms which you can pay for.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Monday, October 19, 2009

We had the busiest weekend!

On Friday we tried out a new group... Rhythm and Rhymetime (in place of the group I no longer go to...) and I was not impressed. I met a friend in town and we walked 20 minutes to get there, we sang nursery rhymes for about 1/2 hour in a way too crowded room and that was it. It was over at 3 and then I found out that there was not a single bus home for an hour. I don't think we will go back. For half an hour of singing, a 20 minute walk, a 50 minute wait for a bus and then a 20 minute bus ride just doesn't seem worth it.

On Saturday, Ollie had TWO 2nd birthday parties to go to. The first was at 12 and there was an entertainer there. Ollie didn't seem to want to mingle with the other children (or the entertainer) and hid in the kitchen with his daddy for most of the party, but he did come out when they played with drums and when food was served. The party was for his very good friend Josh. The second birthday party began at 3 so by the time we got there, Ollie had not had a single nap (unless you can count 20 minutes) all day and I figured he would get very grumpy. He didn't get grumpy at all. He had a lot of fun playing with his friend Ruby (who's birthday it was) and eating lots of marshmallows and krispie buns.



The City Hall in Belfast had a family fun day on Sunday to celebrate it's reopening and they were holding a Baby Rave. I had heard about Baby Rave before but had never been. It was fantastic!! It took Ollie a little while to get into it because he was quite overwhelmed at the start. There were lovely black and white upside down umbrellas and mobiles hanging from the ceiling and there was a DJ, who played ska music with a large tv screen behind him flashing big black and white images. There were big balls, silk scarves and parachutes to play with a lots of Baby Rave employees dancing around and entertaining the kids. To top it all off, it was free!





Ollie tried feeing himself with a fork for the first time on Sunday night and he did really well. He is also getting a lot better using the spoon in the morning for his porridge.