Some bump progress

From the previous post's photos where there was not yet much to see, baby has grown quite a bit all of a sudden! I found the most change so far between 18 and 20 weeks. That was also the two weeks while we were on holiday on the boat with our parents and I think all that relaxation, good food and sunshine helped!

(Click on the photo to enlarge)

Compared to others I know who are at the same stage of their pregnancy as I am I'm still pretty small which I'm now thankful for as I'm sure the bigger I get the more challenging work is going to get. I thought there's not been that much change in my bump size but this evening I tried zipping up a particular jumper and it was pretty tight... I will have to wear it with the zip down now!

While Andre's parents were visiting us here in England after our lovely holiday in the British Virgin Islands with my dad and Colleen on the boat (more about that soon), we visited Ikea as we like to do. Mainly to look at cots. But we ended up buying some other bits and had to leave the cot for another trip as we didn't have enough space in the car. We might try to go back there next weekend for the cot. Instead we bought some great storage units for baby's room. Marietjie and I built the boxes to go in the unit while Andre and his dad built the bigger stuff. 

We also got a lovely wicker basket/ chest with lid to store toys in the lounge in and so hoping to avoid our lounge looking like a day care!

We've started getting baby's room ready. I just completed the painting this evening. The whole room, including the ceiling was magnolia, which is the colour you see in the lounge in the photo above. It was a bit much. So we've now painted two walls and the ceiling white and the other two a light grey. I'll post pictures of that soon. Tomorrow morning I'll check if the grey I did today need any touching up and then I can clean the room and move furniture back in.

Oh and something I've decided not yet to announce on Facebook... It's a girl! Here in England as I've probably mentioned before, you only get to go for two scans. Two on the NHS anyway, in other words free. Any more you can go for privately and will have to pay for. So we went for our 20 week scan on a Friday afternoon. Baby was not showing any interest in saying hi to us and was fast asleep throughout the scan. The sonographer had me jumping up and down, tilted the bed so my head was lower than my feet and sent me on a walk, but nothing could wake her up. Due to that she couldn't check everything that needed checking and also not tell us whether it's a boy or girl. Luckily as more check needed to be seen, e.g. checking baby's stomach which wasn't visible due to her position, I was booked for another scan the following Monday morning. Again she was asleep but a few jumping jacks this time woke her up. The sonographer was able to tell us that she thinks it's a girl but that it's not very clear. That didn't help us much as we can't exactly go out buying pink if we think it might be a girl. I booked a private scan then for the Saturday and this time it was very clear! A girl! So many people like the surprise of not knowing, but we both just preferred to be able to prepare the room nicely and buy a few nice things too.

Second 20 week scan

We've been for our first ante-natal class too. I think it might be called pre-natal in the US, not sure about SA? We decided to go for hypnobirthing classes which is all about relaxation and relaxed breathing and Andre helping me to basically go into a state of self-hypnosis to calmly and naturally birth our baby. Anything to help me through what has been a bit of a scary thought to me having to do it naturally here unless complications arise. Many people also say that babies birthed through hypnobirthing are calmer and happier and will more easily go to other people which will be great to have. Not that we want to hand our baby over to others, but it will help to give us a break when needed if she'll be happy to be with family or friends for a bit.

So anyway, that's enough for now. I'll try to again get more into regular blogging, but we do have a lot to do around here in the next 4 weeks before going on our last holiday before becoming parents. Some serious gardening to do and on rainy days I'll be trying to completely edit all the video footage of our last holiday before starting on the next one.

Baby bump 12-16 weeks

Here are the first three photos. We're only taking one every two weeks because as you can see there isn't really any difference. I could even suck my tummy right in and not look pregnant at all! But I thought you might like to see the slightest bit of a bump there ;-)

I bought my first pair of maternity trousers. Black ones for work. They are so so comfortable. Everyone should have them. They're 'under the bump' ones so only difference is they have a soft stretchy band instead of zip and button at the top. Feels like I'm wearing jogging bottoms but looks and fits way better than my previous work trousers. At the moment I have no desire of ever getting rid of them after pregnancy!

*update (29.6) oops, I see I messed up a bit here saying it's 12-16 weeks and then posted pics of 10, 12 and 16 weeks, totally missing 14 weeks (we take one every other week). Not that it makes any difference, there's really not much to see there! Not much change between 12 and 16 weeks!

Apple tree blossoms

I just took this picture this morning. The apple tree has started blossoming in the last few days only and already looking this beautiful. I should have probably waited a few days to take it as there are more blossoms to open. Hopefully we'll have lots of apples this year as we had none last year.

(click on the picture to enlarge)

We've just had a lovely sunny few days. Now rain is predicted for the next four days until Saturday. I'm really hoping it will be better weather by the weekend so I can plant out the pumpkins. They're wanting to get out their pots now!

First baby pictures

The last of the backdated pregnancy posts. I'll be 16 weeks tomorrow and will be taking another belly shot, not that there's much to see yet.



11 April 2013

Since after the Easter weekend I'm feeling so much better again. Before that I've been very tired and nauseous. Easter weekend was spent being sick for the first time since being pregnant. Not morning sickness, but more like late afternoon sickness. Not fun and I'm very grateful it only lasted that weekend. That seemed to have gotten it all out of my body and now I'm pretty much back to feeling like my normal self. Andre is speechless seeing me do cooking and cleaning and tidying around the house again!

Now it's only the headaches that still bother me. I've bought a dvd- yoga during pregnancy. It's really good and I'm enjoying it. At least this way I'm getting some form of exercise. It also helped get rid of this morning's headache I woke up with.

Yesterday Andre came with me to the hospital for the first scan. It was exciting getting to see our baby and we were amazed at how much detail you can already see. It's only about the size of an egg right now, but you can already see the little nose, skinny legs and tiny feet. Arms were crossed over the chest. 

Andre had a better view on the sonographer's screen and said he could see the heart beating. I got to watch on a smaller screen which was great too. She did all the measurements and checks and said all looked absolutely fine which we are grateful for.

New due date is now 20th October.

Tulips colouring our garden

I think my favourite flowers are now tulips. They're just so nice and bright after winter and really stand out in the garden. I want to plant more bulbs every year, a different colour every year too. We first had the yellow and red blended tulips, so they're both red and yellow in one flower. They're finished now and next we've got red and yellow separately. Lots of red ones and a few yellows together which you can see in the background of the photo.

Last weekend Andre discovered this:

We're hoping to now have lots of flower magic in the garden this summer! You just sprinkle it wherever you want flowers to grow, and then water.

The greenhouse is filling up fast. The courgettes and pumpkins have only just moved in, but will be moving out again before we go on holiday in two weeks. The tomatoes, peppers and chillies will also then go into larger pots, but stay in the greenhouse.

Just look at the speed at which pumpkin seeds grow. I never knew they grew this fast! This is exactly 11 days since I placed the seeds in the soil.

Nearing the end of the first trimester and sickness starts

Saturday 30 March 2013

I'll be 12 weeks this coming week and am looking forward to the first scan on the 10th. Although I've not been feeling a 100% I've considered myself lucky not to have too many pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness for example. Spoken too soon as I've been sick the past two days for the first time since being pregnant. There is a bug going around so I can't be sure but I don't feel as rough as the people who've had the bug claimed it to be so am thinking it's now late afternoon sickness instead of morning sickness. Both times have been in the afternoon. I'm very very happy and grateful to be pregnant but can't really say I'm enjoying it yet, other than the first week of finding out and telling family. I can't stand not feeling 100%. And to top it all I've now got a cold which I'm hoping will not drag on for weeks as it sometimes does.

Not meaning to complain, as I said I'm very happy and grateful.

Ouma has been knitting!

 23 March 2013

My mom showed us on Skype the first baby sock she's been knitting! Loving it!! xx

Looking forward to seeing what else the grandmothers-to-be will knit! ;-)