Well.....

SO long since I've posted!!! Nearly the end of the summer, only a few days left before work starts.... not good!!

All is well here. Life is good!! Ellie is thriving, taking a bottle really well, but not sleeping through the night anymore!! SHe's a little love though. She's so big now that she's going to have to go in her cot in her own room very soon....

Steve and I are well. I'm back at work next week. Looking forward to it and dreading it at the same time.... I'm dreading leaving Ellie more than anything, although with family looking after her for 3 days and our lovely childminder for 2, she'll be completely fine! It'll be me in pieces, not her!!

My friend Lynsey who I used to work with has been to see us this week. She brought Ellie some lovely PJ's!! She looks so cute!!
Will post more soon, things to do!!

Life...

Well, life continues!! All my friends now seem to be living on Facebook. No-one's blog is updated... and I doubt very much that people are reading this!! But nev' mind!!
Ellie is diong really well. She's sleeping all through the night, most nights, from about 9.30pm till 7am. She's putting on weight well, sucking her thumb, chattering loads and generally being a star!! She's got a new bottle, called NUK. German apparentlly, meant to be the bee's knees. She took it quite well last night, not so well today, so praying she'll be ok with it tomorrow.... she really does need to take a bottle, or a cup, or a something. She doesn't realise that I won't be there forever when she's hungry... Went to a weaning group thingy this week. It was quite interesting, Think we might try Ellie on a bit of banana this week and see how that goes!! Will keep you posted!!

Facebook....

Have just joined Facebook, which apparently is the new big thing!! Not sure exactly what it is, but I guess I'll find out! Steve apparently has lots of friends, as most of Pais appear to have joined!! No-one I know from school or work is joined, so I guess I'll borrow some of his friends!! And be friends with him too!!

Pics of things!!

Here we have pictures of.....
Ellie sucking her thumb...









Ellie in family christening robes, being a model!!















General cute pictures of Ellie!!!

What a lovely day!!

Well, what a lovely day it is!! The sun is shining, and the world is a beautiful place!! It is every day I know!! But it seems more so when the sun is shining!! Ellie and I have been for a walk this morning with some of the mums from the children's centre. One of the girls who works there has organinsed a walking buggy group thingy on a Wednesday morning. It was the first one this morning, and although the walk itself wasn't a fab walk, it was nice to get out and about with people. Myself and 3 of the other girlies went, and also 3 other nice ladies. It was fun, being out in the sunshine, chatting and having a laugh. Then up to Caroline's for lovely lunch!! We have decided that we could actually do nicer walks ourselves down the burrs, setting off from Carolines, or there are other places we could go.. but not sure whether we'll do that instead of or as well as the group walk thing. Anyway, it was a nice way to spend an hour or so.
Tomorrow we are all doing baby massage, that should be fun. Am hoping that Ellie enjoys it and doesn't scream for an hour.. will let you know!
Ellie is now 11 weeks old!! She is a little star, sleeping for about 6 hours in one go at night, and than a bit more after a feed. She's a very content baby, lying happily on her playmat while I make a brew, or post on here!! She is being a bit grumpy at the moment when she's tired, she's not quite got the idea to just close her eyes and go to sleep!! She's putting on weight nicely, and has lovely chubby little arms and legs!! She has also learnt to suck her thumb in the last week or so, and is often found sucking her thumb quite merrily!! We love her to bits! She's looking forward to giving Steve his Father's day present!! As well as sending all her cards to grandpa's!!!

Bit of a week

Well, it's been a bit of a week! Monday I had an interview for a job at the school I did my teaching practice. I felt the teaching bit of it and the interview went really well. I left Ellie for the first time for more than 10 minutes too. Grannie and Grandpa and great aunties Anne and Margaret looked after her, and apperently much fun was had by all! It was all most strange, being babyless, and back in work mode. Was glad to go back to just being mum afterwards! I didn't get the job, on the day there was someone better, although the headteacher told me she wanted me to get it. She said to apply next time something comes up, as she'd like me on her staff. I was disappointed not to get it, but realistically it would have been a HUGE thing to move schools this summer.
My mum came to visit on tuesday. We shopped for patterns and wool for her next baby-knitting project! W drank lots of tea, and ate nice strawberry chocolates from Thorntons! A lovely day!
Yesterday Ellie and I had a bit of an adventure!! We took Steve's mum and John (Nanna and Grandad!) to the airport, as they yet again jetted off to Cyprus... we were very jelous! Well, that was an adventure in itself, but then getting to school was the funniest bit! Apparently all I had to do was go round the M60 past Trafford, but I kind of detoured via the M6, which was very scary!!! Ellie was incredibly relaxed, being asleep and all, but I was rather nervous!! However, all was fine, and we got safely to Prestwich to drop Avon bags off at school, and have a few cuddles!! Looking forward to a few visitors over half term next week!!
Today has been baby clinic day!! And Ellie now weighs..... 12lbs!! She has put on 10 oz this week! Which is amazing! She is 9 weeks and 2 days old, and is thriving! She is a little love, smiling and cooing her way into every one's heart!! She's a star and we love her very very much! We are going to the Burrs later to have some food and a walk with my antenatal friends and babies!! I think Ellie is probably the heaviest now, apart from Finlay who is bottle fed!!
No big plans for the bank holiday, although Steve is going fishing tomorrow afternoon with his brother! Think Ellie and I may go to Lesters to buy a thin Grobag as it's getting warm in our house at night, even with the heating switched off, and our thick one is getting too warm!! Fun and games, will have to resist all the other lovely things they sell....

Growing girl!

Ellie is a growing girl... she is now 6 weeks and 3 days old, and she's doing really well!! She weighs 10lb3 and is growing out of small clothes! We are enjoying meeting up with friends and doing fun things... we went to the Burrs for a walk today!!

worth doing...

The Breast Cancer site is having trouble getting enough people to click on their site daily to meet their quota of donating at least one free mammogram a day to an underprivileged woman. It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on "donating a mammogram" for free (pink window in the middle). This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the numberof daily visits to donate mammogram in exchange for advertising. Here's the web site! Pass it along to people you know. http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/

Ellie's first holiday!

Ellie had her first holiday this weekend! We went to Spring Harvest with Mary and my dad, and the Greenies. Ellie was 15 days old on the first day of our holiday!! Lucky girl!! We had a great time. Meetings were good, as was watching them on sofa in the chalet on TV! What a great idea!!! Lovely to have a break, and to spend time with proud grandparents, and good friends!! Pictures may follow, Ellie had a picnic on the beach!!

Weight gain etc!

Steve and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary this weekend. As you can imagine, we had other things to think about, so apart from a lovely lunch (provided by the lovely Mary!) we didn't do anything. Not even buy cards for each other! Aparrently, 6 years is iron or wooden objects, so we probably didn't miss much by not buying for each other!! Ellie was a far better present!

Talking of our little princess, the midwife has been and weighed her today, and she was 8lb! We think this may be a couple of ounces over her real weight, as she'd just been fed... but she's definately putting on weight! Which is good!

We're taking our first family holiday on Thursday, to Spring Harvest at Skegness. Steve and I have never been before, and obviously Ellie has not been out of Bury yet!! We're going with my Dad and Mary, and our friends the Greens are going too. I'm looking forward to a change of scenary; it should be fun!

More pics of Ellie.

Ellie is doing really well! She is 9 days old today, and gorgeous! So far she is sleeping and feeding well, and the midwife was really pleased with her weight gain !

She was born on Wednesday March 21st at 12.51 am and weighed 6lb8. She stayed in hospital with mummy until Thursday 22nd. She has had lots and lots of visitors, and tons of presents and cards. The pink Bunny in the picture was a present from Toby Green. Thanks Toby!! When the midwife came on Tuesday she was 7lb1, and didn't cry when she did the heel prick test!!

More news soon.

Ellie Grace has arrived!

Overdue...

It is 16th March, 2 days past the planned delivery date... but it seems that the stork is awaiting stock.
We are very sorry for the inconvenience and we hope that this matter will be solved as soon as possible.
We would like to thank you to have waited for the past 9 months and we are asking you to be patient just a few extra days.
We are hoping to sort out this delivery problem shortly and you should be receiving your parcel by the 28th March 2007 at the very latest.

Yours sincerely,

The factory that makes pink and blue babies

Nearly there.... we hope!!

Well, tomorrow is baby Wilky's due date... not that that really has much to do with anything!! Apparently there is a 5% chance of a baby being born on its due date!! So that's a 95% chance that baby won't be arriving tomorrow!!! I have to say, we are both eager for baby to be here. Steve wants to see baby, as do I. I'm looking forward to being able to sleep comfortably, and wear clothes that aren't HUGE! So that also has something to do with my eagerness for baby to arrive. I will say at this point, before 500 people email me to break the news, I do not expect to get large amounts of sleep in the next few months, but the idea of lying on my stomach, or my back without suffocating is appealing!! We will not be ringing you all tomorrow to say that baby is NOT here, but will of course get messages around when baby does arrive!!

The problem with nesting!

Now then, after spending the last 8 months telling anyone who'll listen that the nesting instinct won't be coming near me, I am loath to say that I think I've gained it! Now, don't get me wrong, I am not cleaning every spare part of my home, nor has my house become the neatest ever, it still looks just the same as ever, but a small part of me is urging me to get things ready for baby!! Now, this varies, from cleaning the tiles in the bathroom, through baking lovely biscuits, and straying into cooking home made soup to freeze.
I have 2 problems:
1. Is it better to start a job and not finish it or just not start it?! I ask because the majority of the tiles in my bathroom reflect the light in a never-before-seen-in-my-bathroom kind of a manner!! It started off being a mission to clean the grout between the tiles near the bath, and became a clean the tiles exercise! However, when I got to the towel rail, and the cupboard respectively, I gave up!! My slight excuse was that it was past tea time, I was starving and my knees hurt from kneeling on the floor, but still, a job not quite done!! The grout looks a million times better, and the tiles you can see whilst in the bath, or on the toilet do look lovely and shiny!! It really is the ones you'd have to squint to appreciate anyway that still need a quick scrub to glisten... but should I have bothered? Most of me thinks yes, but then everytime I walk in now I feel like I should finish them off..... I guess that when I do get inspired again it means that it'll only take a few minutes as most of it's been done...
2. Now, I have read tons of books, magazines and websites on almost every aspect of pregnancy, even glancing over a few on the good old nesting instinct!! They all, without fail, tell you that the best thing you can possibly do on your maternity leave is cook!! (Actually, I think rest was perhaps the best thing, but cooking was definately the second best!!) Now, I like baking, and Steve has been the grateful recipient of many lovely baked treats in the last few weeks, although not apple pie I have to say, which he loves dearly!! But at the weekend I got inspired!! A trip to Tesco later and I was merrily making soup to freeze. I mean PROPER sou!p!! A huge pan full of mushroom soup and a pan of carrot soup too. Lovely lovely recipes from my stepdad, talk to me very nicely and I can pass them on to you!! Lovely and easy to do, so very tasty, and of course, good for you!! I had bought tubit things from Tesco to put soup in and put it in the freezer, and here came the second problem..... WHERE DO I PUT ALL THIS FOOD I'M GOING TO MAKE?! I had plans you see, plans beyond soup, plans to double the portions of what I normally make and freeze half of it....... Except no-one had told my freezer!I'm sure I'm not actually the only pregnat person in the world who doesn't have a chest freezer, but the pregnancy books/magazines and websites don't mention that to fulfil your true status as fab pregnant person by cooking and therefore providing meals for your expanded family after baby arrives, you have to have a chest freezer!! Part of me now feels cheated out of the experience... although i have to say, I'm not too gutted!! Admittedly, if we ate all the pies, chips, ice creams and ice cubes that are in our freezer, we could perhaps squeeze in a little home made goodness, but really, why should we?! I really am glad that Betty at church is organising a meal rota for at least the first few days after baby arrives!! Doubt very much I'll be awake enough to defrost frozen goodness had I room to freeze it anyway!!!

My mum's lovely coconut wafer recipee

Well, having made lots of biscuits and the like in the last few weeks, I wanted to post my current favourite recipee! This recipee came from my mum, and I remember her making these when I was a kid!

Coconut wafers:
4oz butter
4oz caster sugar
2 tblsp golden syrup
2 tsp lemon juice
4oz plain flour
2oz dessicated coconut
Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the syrup. Add lemon juice, sifted flour and coconut. Drop the dough in teaspoons onto a greased baking tray. Bake below the centre of the oven, gas mark 4 (180c) for about 12 mins. The spread lots!! Allow to cool slightly on tray before lifting onto wire rack.

I have to say, the butter really does make all the difference! I didn't have quite enough today, so used good old baking marg... and it's just not the same! They are less like wafers and more like crunchy biscuits, really not as good!! These are biscuits of the they're-nearly-all-gone-when-you've-finished variety!! They are extremely moreish, but can induce feelings of nausea!!!

Less than three weeks to due date!

Well, we are now less than 3 weeks away from due date!! Baby is really on its way!! I have now washed some things, admittedly only moses basket sheets (Thanks Wend!) but still, that's something! Still huge piles of body suits, and sleepsuits and the like to wash, but trying to diminish our washing pile first!!
Still strange being off work, but have to say that I am getting used to the lovely long lie-ins! I know, I know, it'll only last till baby's born! I'm realistic enough to realise that baby will not be doing lie-ins!!
All very scary now! Think we're more or less sorted though!!

No more work....

Well, having had the best part of a week off so far, I have to say, it's a very strange feeling to NOT be going back to work next week! Keep sitting down and feeling like I should be doing something.... but of course, only housey and baby type things to do, no work!! Sure I'll get used to it, it's just habit I guess!! Have met up with a couple of the girls from our antenatal class for a brew this week. Has been nice to have people to chat to about baby related stuff!! Without boring them!! My mum is coming to visit next Monday, and we're going to knit!! Want to try a really cute pattern, but when I tried it myself I ended up with not enough stitches!! My mum is a much much much better knitter than me, so am hoping between us we can work out where I went wrong!!
Have enjoyed baking this week! Made chocolate chip buns, Steve's favourite!! Also got out recipees for some other lovely things, including my mum's coconut wafers... they're oh so lovely! Had intentions for this evening, but my mixing bowl is currently at the Manna House, holding popcorn I think for the Oscars ceremony!! Must remember to tell Steve to bring it home later!!
More posts soon, maybe pics and things.... lots of baby type jobs to do, like washing and other things....

FINISHED SCHOOL!!!

I have now finished school!! It's now half term, and my maternity leave starts next sunday! YAY! The staff at school bought baby lovely things from Next, and we've got vouchers too, which is amazing! A couple of my kids bought pressies too, including chocolate, flowers and a lovely photo frame!! Sad to be leaving, but glad too!!

I've finished my little white cardi.... here is a picture of it!!

Will post more soon...

Cool link!!

Wend has this link on her blog, and having watched it, decided it should be on ours too!! Dominos taken to a whole new level!! You've got to see it to believe it! http://video.uk.msn.com/v/en-gb/v.htm?g=b156b03e-e286-47ba-958f-4c3b4d92476e&f=&fg=email

Ofsted visit!

Ofsted have been in school this week, Monday and Tuesday. As you can imagine, just what I need when I have 2 weeks of school to go before half term and maternity leave!!! The phonecall came last Wednesday, and although PANIC was rife in school, I managed to just tidy my room, plan as usual and not get too stressed. Didn't seem worth it to be truthful!! Some poeple came into school on Saturday morning, which seemed beyond the call of duty to me!!
Anyway, they came and observed part of my maths lesson on Monday morning, which didn't go particularly well, due to an oversight on my part!! But that was it! No return visit..... So I think I got away lightly!! They are feeding back to senior management and no doubt we shall hear about it later this week or early next week. I have to say I don't expect the report to be glowing! From most of the discussions in staff room, the inspectors have had more negative to say than positive. I am happy to be proved wrong though!!!
Anyway, I have my PPA time (Planning, Preperation and Assessment, also known as a break from my class!!) this afternoon, and a midwife's appointment tomorrow afternoon, so am looking forward to a slightly more relaxed 24 hours than the previous 24! It'll be nice to just drift through lessons again tomorrow and for the rest of the week, instead of watching up the corridoor incase they walk in!!

New Home for Sheba

Further to last weeks post about having to take Sheba to the dogs home, wanted to let you know that she is now rehomed!! When I took her on Saturday last week they told me they thought she would have a new home before the end of the weekend, and be there by this weekend. They were ever so lovely, taking lots of details, and being nice to and about her! She was of course good as gold, giddy as ever!! I phoned in the week, as I'd not heard from them. I was slightly worried she'd been naughty and nobody wanted her!! But she was gone!! A friend of the girl I spoke to had taken her home the day before!! Which is fantastic news. I feel much better now, knowing that she's gone to a new home where they will love her and look after her. The dogs trust told me that she'd be signed up for obediance classes and agility classes too, as she's a collie!!! I can just imagine her! She'll have a whale of a time!!

6 weird things about Hazel....or as many as I can think of this early in the morning!!

Have been meaning to do this for a few days now... not sure I understand the whole tagging thing, but guess I just send a link to a few people who might do the same....
It's only 8.15 in the morning, am at school wasting a few minutes, so please allow me to start off slowly... may only manage a couple of things, although with some help from Steve I'm sure I can make it up to 6 later!!
1) I love eating custard cold.... now I'm not actually convinced this one is weird, but Steve certainly thinks it is. I like custard as it comes out of the tin, or carton. NOT proper custard that's cooled down, that's all skanky.... just good old fashioned processed custard!!
2) I hate driving with the sun visor down in the car, even when it's sunny!!! It's just in the way, distracting.... don't know if that's just me or not. It really does have to be blinding me for me to have the visor down. Don't mind so much as a passenger, just driving really!!
3) I hate ironing. Now, I don't actually think this is so weird... I just don't see the appeal... but some people iron everything and would therefore think it very weird that I go out of my way to avoid ironing!! Just ask Steve! We have a basket with ironing in, and some of the things in there we've forgotten we own!! Mostly, things get washed and dried and hung up, you never know, the creases might drop out!!
I'm going to have to give up, brain struggling to think about anything, and how weird I am is proving a challenge!! Will continue later, or tomorrow, or when I remember, with help from my husband I'm sure!! He could probably make the last up to about 12 for me never mind 6!!

Goodbye our little doggie....

We are having to say goodbye to our dog, Sheba. She is going to the Dogs Trust home in Leeds to find a new family to love her. She is a star, but we're just not in enough for her, and she's so very giddy...... We love her lots and lots, but with new baby on the way we just can't have her anymore. We tried to find someone to have her, but much as lots of people love her, no-one can look after her..... It's the best thing for her, and she will no doubt find a new family really really soon.

The rather bizarre picture is the dog under the bed! She always slides right under and kips, this is actually quite a lot of her showing... sometimes it's just the tip of her tail!!!

We have photos!!

As promised, photo's!! We have put together and installed the cot, and also put in a baby changer. We're not sure whether there will be room for that, but will have a think and see!!! The photo of the lovely curtains doesn't really show the true niceness of them!! They are really really nice, come round and have a nosy!!

Getting there...

We have carpet!! And curtains!!! And a lovely new light pendant and lightshade!!!! No batteries in camera, really was going to pictures this evening!! Will have to rummage for or buy some suitable batteries tomorrow! Room looks like a proper room now!! Ready for the lovely cot the Greenies have given us, and all the lovely things the baby is inheriting!! It's all starting to feel very real now!! Steve commented to me last night that I needed to start getting things together for a hospital bag!! How scarey is that!! Need to find a bag too!! How big will it need to be?! I'm guessing taht I need to gather together the appropriate things, before I know how big the bag will need to be!! Going to find a suitable list in a book, or online, or both, to see what I'm meant to take with me.... 9 weeks and 3 days till due date. I'm really hoping baby doesn't decide to make an early appearence... although I know she probably won't come when she's mean to!!
Had a very nice evening with an old friend of Steve's and her family tonight, from his days on Pais. 7 years since we saw them we think... very plesant and hopefully we'll see lots more of them.
Pictures soon, work tomorrow... not good!!

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2007! We pray God's blessing on you and yours this year. Our year will be very different from the one that's just passed I'm sure. With only 10 weeks to go until our baby's due, I expect within a short time life will be very different!! It's all very exciting, if rather scary!!!
Pictures of baby's room to follow when I find the computer.... it's mostly painted, we have a curtain rail, a blind, curtains and lampshade ready to go up......