What's new Gracie poos?

This little girl continues to excite and amuse us every single day. It's been so fun to watch her growing and developing her own personality and quirky habits. I love being at home with her and already dread the return to work. She is totally ace. I've tried a million times to post a video and it wouldn't let me so it's on Facebook if you're interested in a sneaky peek.

At the moment she is managing to sit up pretty straight, and holds her head up very nicely; she smiles a lot; she is falling in to a daytime and night time pattern which thankfully includes 7-9 hour sleeps at night! Wow!, she coos and talks back at you in the loveliest tone when you sit her on your lap and talk to her, she knows exactly what she wants, how she wants to sit or who she wants to be held by and let's you know, she sits and studies books when you hold them up in front of her, she is spending at bit more time in her bouncy chair but prefers to be hugged, her hair and nails grow very quickly (I love sitting and stroking her super soft hair, it's long at the back like a little baby mullet grab!), she is wearing big girl dresses to church now instead of always being in baby grows, she loves her cousins and will especially sit and chat to Jenna who totally loves her back,she likes to bury her head when she wants to sleep(if she's lying on me she will bury her head in my arm or actually pull my hoody over her face!), she pushes her legs super straight so that you'll hold her in a standing up position - she wants to be like the grown ups! (don't worry - we don't let her take any weight just yet), she LOVES her aunty Emily!

Oh I could go on and on. Needless to say we are really enjoying our little sweetheart.

Amazing Grace

Sorry Grace - I know you will hear that through out your life, but there is no other word for it - you are simply amazing. I am spending almost every minute of everyday with you, and it's my first time at being the mummy. You are only three weeks old, but already I can't remember a time without you and I can't imagine what it would be like if you weren't there.

I sat in the bedroom with you this morning and you were still poorly from my antibiotics. I cuddled you whilst we listened to the Rockbye Baby Beatles, which somehow seemed to calm you down. You looked me straight in the eye, and just to check I moved my head side to side a little bit, and your eyes followed. I said "Mummy loves you Grace" and you smiled at me!! (Some might say it was wind, or a flook but it wasn't and we know it!). I love you so much my pretty girl. For all your funny faces and poopy nappies and cuddles and sneezes and your lovely hair that you let me stroke and for how daddy behaves around you and how beautiful you look in everything you wear and because you are my own tiny person.

I will try my very best to never let you down.

x

A few pictures of Baby Grace...

Grace having a little nap...

On the changing mat - just before the crying started.

she's got an iron grip on anything she touches!

Michelle on the run with the nearest baby she could find... security kindly escorted M & M back into the hospital and set things straight.

Photographic evidence of someone trying to snatch or gorgeous girl.

Tiny toes... what more can you say?

Mike and Michelle think Grace looks like daddy when she is asleep.

The armed robbery only lasted a minute, but Grace insisted on keeping her hands in the air long after the incident was over.

An exhausted daddy having a moment with his special girl...

Katie and Elaine holding Grace Emily Richey after they had cleaned her up. They were wonderful and supportive throughout the labour, and were kind enough to allow Mike to be Michelle's primary support - rubbing her back, helping her through every contraction, keeping her focused and calm, and helping her with the difficult pushes. They even let Michelle throw up on him!

Grace finally getting some colour in her face and body.

Daddy cried more than Grace when she arrived!

Just minutes after the birth and Grace is lying peacefully on top of her mummy who herself made a quick transition from screams of pain to serenity and adoration.

Hayley and Donna spent the early hours of the pregnancy occupying M & M with conversations about Harry Potter! As the look on Michelle's face indicates, this was still way early on. Pictures showing Michelle in the more painful moments were strictly verboten.

A surprise for the ladies when they walked into Grace's new home!

Second Anniversary

Although this is a pretty belateed post - Mike and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary. In March. I know - I am a terrible blogger!

We went down to Startford Upon Avon for the day to enjoy the touristy sites and see Romeo and Juliet at the Royal Shakespeare company.

Sometimes Mike feels as though we have been together much longer than 2 years!:


Shakespeare's birthplace brought out the theatrical in Mike, in anticipation of the evenings entertainments!
There were a lot of interesting and original shops. One for witches and wizards. I wonder what audience they were trying to target? They did have one book that interested me though - if I'd have known about this earlier I would have bought it - I have a bun in the oven myself!
The old buildings and alley ways were really pretty even though it was quite a blustery day. What the picture doesn't capture is the guy on the other side of the door, rattling and trying to get out. The Royal Shakespeare Company never fails to impress. I know Romeo and Juliet inside out - but they still made the characters fresh which gave the plot a slightly new spin without trying too hard. Mike and I had to proove we were there - we were backlit - it adds 10 pounds! :-)

Mike can now say that he's trod the boards at the Royal Shakespeare society - and been kicked off!

I can't believe it's been 2 years already. They have been the best of my life so far - it's great to be married to your best friend.

Lovely Lady Lump!

Some days I feel like time has flown, and others I think 'Crikey, I've been pregnant forever!!' . I am at 33 weeks today. It's a lovely feeling to be nearing the end and knowing that so far, for baby at least, all is well.

We had a wonderful baby shower last Friday, thrown by my good friend Rebecca Head. My how baby was spoiled with lovely clothes and things that she will need. It was really nice to have the girls together, chatting and eating Rebecca and Claire's marvelous cakes and treats. Thank you Rebecca. I loved it!

I suppose the only thing to say is, Mike and I are ready. As we'll ever be. I've been a rubbish blogger lately but that is my update.

Perhaps the next pictures you will see will involve a cute new little someone.

M x

Musings on the bump

I am happy to report that the bump is growing and all is well with Baby R. I feel like I am suddenly growing a lot bigger. I know some of you will be thinking - you ain't seen nothing yet girl! but baby is about 3lbs now and we got a bag of flour out last night that weighed just over 3lbs, man no wonder the lower half of my body is feeling a little different. When I glance over at those scan pictures though . . .

Since discovering I was pregnant I have had feelings of extreme nausea, months of non stop vomitting, sudden changes to my eye prescription, spotty skin, greasy hair (so much for the glowing thing!), inexplicable tears, irresistable exhaustion, raised blood pressure, a newly discovered blood mutation (seriously?), itchy itchy skin, super over active saliva gland, an abhorance of peppers and lettuce (I smell them from miles away!), crazy freak hairs growing on my face and tummy, an inny that is slowly becoming an outy, an inner alarm clock that wakes me up every night at 3.30am - I'm sure you've had the same and worse! -

but having said that -

I have never: felt more blessed, had more reasons to stop and smile to myself at kicks only I know are happening, had a more lovely, patient and thoughtful husband, wanted to spend more time with my sisters and their kids, spent more time thinking about the meaning of names, looked at one picture quite so much, felt as confident in a swim suit ( I swear I have a newly found strut waddle as I walk around the pool!), waited with so much anticipation of someone's arrival!

I was always quite nervous about being a mum. I wondered if I had it in me to give up my own interests and the things I wanted to do, especially with all the challenges that I'd seen come along with parenthood. I wondered what it would be like to give up work (at least for a time) and whether I would go crazy at home with only baby talk for company. As my tummy has started to grow and I've heard our little girl's heart beat and seen her kicking around I feel like I would give up anything. It's been a total change in me. I'm not worried at all anymore.

Baby R, thank you for all the changes you have already made to our lives. We simply cannot wait for you to arrive!!!

In a sharing mood

OK, so I'm just filling a bit of time while Mike is doing homework at my work office. I wish I had a picture of my pregnant tummy to show, but I don't at the moment. I know I know - how hard can it be? Well I'm definately not taking one tonight as I'll be going swimming and that's not a picture I'll want to share!

What I thought I'd share instead is a couple of blogs I found recently that I thought were really cute or cool. I don't know if any of you follow blogs that aren't for people you know, but it's quite nice to see peoples projects or pet things that they love to do. So here are a couple I've found just recently that I've enjoyed browsing:

http://cocorosetextiles.blogspot.com/

and

http://www.rosannemaryruth.blogspot.com/ (also known as Hungry Hearts)

I think I am starting to dream of living in Cornwall and anything I see or read that makes me think of that place sets my imagination off. I imagine myself living down there, working at something creative, and driving round a letterbox red camper van. Guess what I found a picture of my perfect van on one of the blogs! Here it is :

Come on - I know some of you have blogs you read and really love - share away. I'd be totally intrigued to see what you find cool!

And by the by I will be back soon with bump shots. Don't be surprised if you are surprised at how big I'm getting!

Peace out x