The calm before the storm, two days till D day, living in limbo!

Evening!

It's been a while since I wrote anything down, and with the upcoming arrival of little miss England, I dare say it will be a while till I write anything down again!
This pregnancy has felt like the longest time ever, and also it's flashed by so quickly. It almost felt like a shock when it occurred to me I'm in my last few days of pregnancy ever! I'm 100% sure I'm finished once she arrives, I have always always wanted two boys and a girl, and as my best friend says, I'm a jammy cow and got exactly what I wanted. Although it took a lot of time and heart ache to get to this point! I feel I'm full of contradictions, I absolutely adore the feeling of her squirming about in there,  her feet in my ribs, her hiccups. At the same time I'm so ready for it to be over, to close the chapter of pregnancy and birth and start a whole new one with my two awesome little boys and my DAUGHTER!


My due date is arriving in two days. I had been getting very stressed and wound up about the idea of going overdue. It almost felt like going overdue was a failure of some sort. That my body should have birthed my baby by that point. She's my third why isn't it happening yet!?  But, actually, I've realised that's all shit and I was being really hard on myself over nothing! I have had a fair few false starts, a few runs of Braxton hicks then nothing, which is rather frustrating! If it's a small glimpse into her future personality, I'm in trouble!


I've just been keeping myself busy, filling our weekends with parties and trips to the park, woods, cinema as soon these things are going to be made so much harder to organise! Plus now every cupboard, drawer and wardrobe in the house has been sorted and I finally feel like the house is ready for little miss. The nesting instinct has hit me hard this time. I found myself hoovering the garden the other day, after cutting the grass and weeding front and back. It's almost like a compulsion, I can't relax until it's done!

Recently both boys have started back at nursery and Danny has started reception. I'm so proud of the both of them. They absolutely love it and they are gaining in confidence and knowledge amazingly quick. It's hard letting my little dudes go, but they are growing into brilliant little men and I couldn't be prouder of them. (ahh, getting all teary now!)


## WARNING, MUSHY CONTENT ##

Connor has always been a bit of a git for sleeping through the night. He's the best he's ever been now. He still wakes but only for a drink or a wee and does go straight back, unless he sneaks into mine!  The other night I went upstairs and found him snuggled right in the corner of my bed. Usually I scoop him up and tuck him back up in his own bed. But I just needed to cuddle him. It hit me he's going to be a big brother soon, and not the baby anymore. That these moments are going to become rarer and rarer and eventually he won't be sneaking into my bed, or holding onto my hair or bra strap to fall asleep. I didn't realise when Danny stopped until he had, and now my little bumble monster was going the same way. I snuck in next to him and held him, ran my fingers through his hair and drank in his sweaty little head.

I also told Danny to come in with us when he woke up too early. I held him close and wondered when the hell he got so big. That little 8lbs bundle with a shock of black hair was now laying next to me his head nestled in my neck, his toes tucked under my knees.

There's no words to describe it all really. I seriously can not wait for Evelyn to arrive, to hold her to see her face, to see who she looks like. How big she will be. If she has blue eyes like her Daddy and biggest brother or brown like Mummy and Connor (one of the boys is going to be miffed as she's the tie breaker for the "blue and brown eyed teams" ha!) For her to grow and discover her likes and dislikes, to learn all about barbies and Disney Princess', to find out who she is. To just complete our beautiful little family.

But for now,  until she's here we are just taking time to enjoy and appreciate everything we have already. To enjoy uninterrupted baths and Netflix binges after the boys are asleep, not having to feel like a pack donkey everytime we leave the house, sleepless nights,  becoming a dairy cow again, being constantly covered in bodily fluids. Poo explosions, the list goes one!

So I shall carry on bouncing on my bloody ball, drinking raspberry tea, eating pineapple and curry, walking blah blah all the old wives tales that don't work! Living in limbo land, hoping every little twinge is the beginning of something amazing, waking up every day wondering if today is the day, whilst rubbing my aching ribs and back...Feeling in a constant state of being a little bit terrified, and hideously excited!

It won't be long before she comes and rocks the boat, and blows it straight out of the water into a whole new lake, one with mermaids!

Thanks for visiting! XxxX

7 weeks to go, and the lists are almost complete!!

Hellooo

It's been a while! Isn't it always!  I have to admit I've been Netflix binging as I really wanted to finish prison break before baby arrives.. I did that, and orphan black,  orange is the new black, game of thrones and currently on the last season of sons of anarchy, which is amazing!! Haha, don't judge me, Craig works nights and the boys are in bed at 6:30/7 so I have to amuse myself one way or another!

I got myself in a bit of flap. I realised I was finally into single.figures of weeks before little miss arrives and I hadn't finished her room, still had a long list of bits to buy, not washed a single thing or even thought about my hospital bag. Whoops. I'm pleased to say that I'm ALMOST finished everything now and all my lists are NEARLY all ticked off!

First off,  her room! I still keep walking into it and thinking this is crazy, that a real actual little girl will be in here soon. My little girl! I went with green and pink, flowers / roses as I found on pintrest that apparently Evelyn is a name of a rose type flower? I can't say I know if it's definitely true or not....

A David Austin rose, surprisingly hardy fragrances of peach and honey. Which sounds pretty cool!

Another big theme in her room is faries. I instantly loved the idea of bringing the idea of a fairy tale into her room, because that's what she feels like. Our happy ever after, the final chapter in our family. Here's a few pictures of everything and my favourite pieces.

The little fairies are what the boys chose for her. They both collect the schleich (not a clue how to pronounce that) animals, dinosaurs and dragons so it seemed fitting to start with the fairies range now too! Danny liked the rainbow hair one and Connor liked the other ones socks! 

The glass jar with the petals inside are the petals from the piñata when we revealed to the boys they were having a sister! The photo frames are just plain white ones i jazzed up with a bit of bung out decoupage paper, and I'm pretty pleased with the result!

The chair and chest were gifts from my sister. I absolutely love them both. They fit in so beautifully with the theme and the chest has a little Willow leaf engraved on the top (her middle name will be Willow because David, Craig's dad,  would always joke that his girl Willow was in there when I was pregnant with the boys.) And of course Evelyn on the top. I always knew somehow that if I ever had a daughter her name would start with an E. I would only really look at the E sections in baby girl name lists. Evelyn just hit me straight away, and realising it means wished for child is even more perfect!
  It's been a real roller-coaster of a pregnancy. Not that I've had any times of worry or scares (touchwood!) I have been so well looked after and baby is being checked and scanned a lot. Here's a pic of her last scan, it's her face!!  Slightly creepy but amazing!!  Looks like she's got her mum's chubby cheeks!!

It's just been hard to remain 100% positive and.not let the nagging voice of doubt and worry dilute the most exciting of times. Occasionally I've let it get the best of me, I sat and sobbed before I started painting her room. Terrified that I would have to paint over it or something ridiculous. I got so annoyed with myself for allowing myself to get in such a flap but I suppose after so many losses it's hard not to! But enough of that, she's a little fighter and apparently an up and coming cage fighter!  I regularly get a foot or a bottom poking out of my tummy!  I have a little prediction that she will be a total headstrong, stubborn little miss (with two older brothers I think she may need to be!) I can really picture a little girl, dark wild hair down to her bum in a messy pony tail, wellies and a dress covered in mud and searching for faries and goblins!  How perfect would that be!

I've now washed everything up until 3-6 months and all the bedding, blankets and soft toys so everything smells like babies! The hospital bag is almost done, just need a few more toiletries and snacks (I'm a third time mum, i know I'm going to need my own snacks for afterwards as A. I will be soooo hungry, and B. The buttered toast and shrivelled jacket potatoe just isn't going to cut it!! I'm hoping, and have been given the green light by my consultant, to have a water birth. I had one with Danny and it was so perfect! So all being well,  I should have another! I've packed a rather garish bikini top I got in the sale ready to go, it did make me chuckle when I had to explain to the checkout lady I really won't be needing the matching bottoms!! Haha! Yak!

The summer holidays are well and truly underway. We have been out almost everyday. Lots of meet ups and playdates. I'm really lucky to have so many lovely mummy friends!  Craig is off work next week (hooray!) and we have lots of exciting bits planned. Will be so lovely to have some time together with him too. We may even do a spot of new car shopping as well,  think me might need something a little bigger! I think Craig is more excited about this... He may be nice and let me pick the colour at least!

Anyways, think that's enough of a ramble on tonight. I'm off to watch sons of anarchy (so obsessed!!)  I do love this quote from it though!  The man makes sense!! And he's a bit gorgeous!

Thanks for visiting! XxxX

Changes are a foot...

It seems that myself and my family are going though a rather exciting time of positive changes right now. Which, I am so thankful for and a hugely excited for so thought I'd write them all down!

It's been a busy few weeks for Danny, and more on its way. He starts in reception class in September and he's so excited. We find out on Monday which class he will be in, everyone seems lovely so I'm sure he will love it. Ahh, my first born baby all grown up and needing uniform! Next sale,  I'm coming for you! He has been trying to convince me that he really, definitely needs a pet corn snake for his birthday (in November).  I'm probably about 75% convinced. He really does love animals and he borrowed 8 different books about snakes from the library this week. He gets me to read them to him at breakfast!  He loves watching videos on YouTube about how to care for and feed a snake (he has my warped sense of humour in the fact he finds it intensely interesting to watch a snake devour a mouse..) He is a lovely boy, but he's one of a kind. He's four, but would wonder around a toy shop for hours, lost. Unlike Connor, who looses his shit at anything car related and absolutely loves his toys and is always making up games and carrying a bag of random items around with him. He is dangerous to take into a toy shop!
Danny wants a microscope and a telescope a toy scorpion and a dinosaur fossil for Christmas and spends hours at his little desk drawing, writing and looking at books. His dream is to be a zoo keeper, and I think one day he will be an amazing one!

Connor is doing really well at nursery. He's not getting upset when I leave him now, just when I pick him up like a sudden rush of emotion, poor little munchkin. He is going to be starting three full days in September. Which will be a big change for him as he only goes two afternoons and a morning at the moment. I'm sure he will love it though. His speech is coming on so well now, he's still a little fuzzy at times but he soon finds a way to show you what he means. I do hope he can hold his temper at nursery though. He's a right little strop at times. He has been known to lamp his brother round the head with a remote control before...

Another big change that's happened in our little family recently is Craig passed his management interview. I'm so so proud of him. He worked so hard for it, and never gave up. Even when he wanted to at times. He's an amazing role model to our boys and I know that they (and our soon to be little lady)  were his determination behind it all, which... Just makes me love him that little bit more.

I'll turn 26 in September, which sounds really old Ha! It also means I'm a year closer to 30. Which is a big age to me. I wanted to be married by 30, it could still happen! Need to seriously start saving for it though, which with Craig's new job is a possibility now!! Plus, I would like baby to be about 4/5 so she could enjoy the day too, dance with daddy and wear a pretty dress! Plus, that gives me enough time to loose my wobbly bits! There's a lot of them ha!

I was also told during my Mother's diagnosis that I probably wouldn't make it to my thirties with her still here. She has picks disease (early on set dementia). She lives in a residential home and I visit her when I can. She seems to get a little worse each time. It sounds funny, but she always forgets I'm pregnant, so she always seems really shocked and I get the big reaction to the news over and over. So God knows what she will be like when I turn up with a random baby to see her, her first granddaughter...
It's hard to see her sometimes,  and I feel like I stress her out more by visiting. She always cries when she sees me, which I don't know if it's a good or a bad thing!?  Life sucks sometimes, I really do miss having a mum about, especially with young children and, another on the way.

And of course....The biggest, most dramatic life changing event due to happen in September, although for some reason I keep telling everyone October,  (due sep 28) is our baby girl's arrival! She is going to turn everything upside down and inside out and I can't wait!  It honestly still doesn't feel real. Even though I'm a walking walrus and she's going utero gymnastics in there It still feels a bit like a fairy tale.
Our kitchen is being redone in a few weeks and we need to keep her room as empty as possible to store all the kitchen bits and new kitchen in until it's finished. I can't wait for it to be done! A, because it's going to be a complete nightmare as the boys break up from nursery and what the heck am I going to do with no washing machine or oven for a week!? Argh! I don't even have a washing line, because I snapped it ha! Oh well, will be worth it when it's done as our kitchen now is way older than me! Plus, I can then put up her cot bed and her chest of drawers can come in, which I am uber excited for!!! My super clever sister is painting, waxing carving a beautiful old oak chest for her and I can't wait!! It's going to be amazing! I've almost ticked everything off her list now too, I found this little pink doll for her,  and had to get it as it reminded me of the one I had as a baby!

It will be so lovely to finally start unpacking it all, washing all the clothes and bedding with white fairy fabric conditioner (absolutely love that stuff it means cuddly lovely snuggly newborns!!)

This pregnancy has gone quite quickly, and the slowest ever at the same time. I think with everything that happened before I fell successfully with her (Past blog here) has left permanent scars. I worry about her every day and can't wait till she is here and safe in my arms. I don't quite want to announce her name, just yet. Although all family and friends already know it!  And it won't change! It means wished for child, and she certainly is!

Sorry, I didn't mean to get so deep in this post. I'm not hoping for sympathy or what not. Not at all. It's just I try to write from the heart, and what I've written about is my life and real. I've had a rough ride of it at times, but hasn't everyone? I try to take something positive from every situation, to learn from it and grow. For example,  in relation to my previous post link, i've learnt that because of the losses I've suffered before falling pregnant this time that due to tests I have been offered, I may have a blood disorder that causes my blood to clot quickly. It can't be confirmed until baby is born and my hormones are all back to normal but would most definitely, be the reason for all the heartache. Which, is particularly important to me because she is a she! If I do have this blood disorder,  then maybe when she wants to start a family she can be tested beforehand and never have to suffer like I did.  Which, is pretty special.

Anyways, now off to watch another episode of Orange is the new black, which is a lot easier and more relaxed than prison break,  that I have just finished....and totally loved! Even if I do now have a huge crush on Michael Schofield!  Ha!


Until next time!

Thanks for visiting!  XxxX

Our longleat adventure!

Yesterday Craig and I took the boys to longleat zoo. We had been there before we had the boys (which seems a lifetime ago now! Ha!) and with Danny so mad on animals and bugs and Steve Backshall we simply had to visit again with the boys!

Our day started at 5.30am. Well,  Connor decided he was so excited and was in my bed poking me, twiddling my hair  and whispering time for zoo? From 3am..cheers kid!
 It's about 250 miles from us, and Craig simply wouldn't hear anything about staying in a hotel or travel lodge! It was a waste of money and we could do it in a day easy. Plus, Danny decided he couldn't bare the thought of not sleeping in his own bed so I knew this was a battle I was going to loose!

We stopped off on the way for a wee (I'm currently 25 weeks pregnant!) and a drink and to be fair to the boys they were pretty well behaved. 4.5 hours in a car is a hideously long time but they napped, had breakfast in the car, read some books and partook in a little car karaoke... Connor is pretty good at singing shut up and dance with me! And Katy perry's roar! We did get stuck in traffic on the motorways (I seriously hate motorways now) and we had all started to get a bit grumpy but then we saw the sign and we had finally arrived! We did pass longleat centre parcs too and Danny was a little annoyed we weren't going there ha!

As you drive in you drive past longleat house, which is pretty spectacular. There's a huge lion statue outside too the whole thing screamed impressive and Danny asked if that was Buckenham palace and if we could pop to see the Queen!!

 We decided to try the safari part of the park first. You get given a cd to play whilst you drive around that's full of info and facts about the animals you can see. This really pleased animal Danny. We parked up at the 'African village ' and saw giraffes being fed and wondered around wallaby walkway and the lemar enclosure. Both of these are pretty open and you really get to see the animals up close. The wallabies were laying about and not up to much but the lemars were great fun running and chasing about, Connor spotted a mummy with two babies and he thought the three that were swinging upside down and shaking out their treats were really funny. 

The zoo keeper who was in the enclosure was really friendly and chatted about the lemars and told Danny a few of their names. 

We then found the trading post and the deadly 60 Base Camp.  Deadly 60 is Danny's absolute favourite thing ever. It's a kids programme hosted by Steve buckshall and he travels around the world finding all types of different animals and gives them a rating, he was recently on TV in a programme called fierce, which is the same kind of thing but he is honestly Danny's complete hero and he wants to be just like him. Connor enjoys watching too but I think, currently he would rather be lightening mcqueen or Blaze the monster truck!! 
The boys found dinosaur fossils, Danny chose a velocorapters killing claw necklace and Connor a t Rex tooth. They were so excited!

The first animal we met on our safari was the girraffes and zebras again, then tapiers and flamingos!

The next part you have the option to bypass as as the signs say they will attack your car! We decided to whip off the aerial and go in! We drove around the enclosure and saw a few mummy and baby monkeys and started to wonder what all the fuss was about, until this brute came along!

He jumped on our car, showed us his butt tried chewing off the jet washers on the front of the car and after completing what I can only presume was a tap dance on the roof of the car, pulled off the back washer cover! The boys thought this whole thing was hilarious and couldnt stop giggling. Another monkey sat on the roof of the car infront scratching his butt and eating an apple, again hilarious!

Once we had escaped the very cheeky monkeys we then drove past Anne the elephant who was hiding out in her house, visited the ostriches, who walked right infront of the car and honestly seeing one up close is so different to books and TV. Their legs and feet are really prehistoric looking! Then a little further along and there's three enormous rhinos grazing next to the car, which is crazy! The camels were shedding at the time and one really did look a little funny as he was almost bald on his head minus a few old grubby man straggly comb over style bits left!

Next it was onto the deer park, there were a few heards of other deer type animals, I can't remember their names really just that they all weed and pooped a lot which the boys found very funny! The red deer enclosure had a little Hut in the middle you could buy deer food in and feed them. Craig got a bit of a shock when one decided try and join us in the car!  The boys stroked and fed her too. Craig was covered in deer slobber haha!

1 week post pink bombshell!

So it's been a week since we found out this little baby we are expecting is infact, a girl! I was in total shock when the sonographer said she was infact a she! Even though deep down I'd had a feeling this baby was a little pink one, I kind of ignored myself and got myself used to the idea of three boys, whilst secretly hoping my hunch was correct!

 Rather embarrassingly, as soon as the words 'little girl' left her lips I had the biggest grin on my face and shouted I told you so at Craig! Baby was very well behaved during the scan, unlike her brothers! She was happy to show all she needed to and kept me and Daddy grinning away with her wriggles and tucking her mini toes under her bottom! It's too cute for words!
 Because Connor was born small and I had to be induced early due to lack of fluid they are keeping a close eye on us this time, so I'll see her again in 7 weeks and every few weeks after that until she arrives!

I left the hospital with a sore face from smiling like a total weirdo and went straight into next to buy the pinkest, girliest frilliest things we could find. Craig thought I was totally ridiculous and kept laughing at me squealing and talking total nonsense about pink and frilly. Once we were back in the car, after another hysterical outburst of THEY ARE SO FRILLY!! We caught each others eye, laughed and then I burst into tears! It was one of those silly moments we won't ever forget.

 I am so happy to be having a little girl but at the same time I'm almost a little wary about being so excited incase they made a mistake..which could happen I spose. But my thinking is..she didn't have a willy then so she won't be growing one now!

We had to wait till Danny was home from nursery to tell the boys the news together. Danny practically ran home! We filled a piñata with pink paper and the frilly socks and a little sleepsuit that says best little sister we had brought earlier. I am so glad I videoed their reactions finding out they are getting a sister, it was beautiful. Danny was sure she was a little girl too so he was extra excited, about being right! They are going to be the best big brothers ever. They love listening to her heart beat through a doppler and her kicks and wriggles are sometimes strong enough to feel through my tummy now. It's started to become really real for them now that their actual little baby sister is in there!

The boys are sharing a room again now, they asked to go back in together even before I was pregnant so that was handy! So the spare room is soon to be transformed into a pink and green fairy utopia!  I've gone a little crazy buying pink rose lights and all things fairyish. I can't wait to decorate it all! Here's a few ideas I'm hoping to recreate from pintrest, and a few bits (only a few!) I've already brought!

I've always brought cardboard letters and painted the names of my babies for their rooms, and we have had this name in mind way before I was pregnant. So I made her little name all ready last night. I didn't paint it though I decoupaged....which is a posh way of saying I cut up rough pieces pretty paper and glued them on with pva ha! I love how messy and rough you can be with it yet it gives you instant satisfaction!  I'll probably redo the boys names now too as they are looking a bit beaten up!

So I'm still getting my head around it all. I'm seriously going to need to enlist some help on how to do some basic pretty hairstyles (I can just about put my hair in a pony tail and usually look like I've just got out of bed in the hair front... so she's doomed!) I need to figure out whatever the hell girls watch and like on TV...got a feeling dinotrux and fierce aren't going to cut it...and how to even dress a girl!  Boys are simple...pair of jeans, and trainers that go with everything and t shirts usually with dinosaurs or cars on done, everyone's happy. Girls!? Tights,  head bands, matching knickers and shoes!? Couple of pairs of trainers aren't going to cut it here! Lots to learn, but what an exciting thing to learn!

Thanks for visiting! XxxX

10 day countdown!! 💙💗

 So we are officially into the 10 day count down for my 20 week scan! I'm excited and nervous, as I always am when it comes to scans, I'll be puking and squealing whilst about to explode from excitement... Or the ridiculously over full bladder!

I can not wait to find out if this little one is a boy or a girl!  It's especially exciting this time, as with the boys I was so definitely sure they were infact, boys I didn't really wonder at all. This time however, I've not got a clue!  No feelings, no hunches... nothing!

Craig and I have a little bet on,  he thinks that baby is a boy and I say a girl. Looser buys the first outfit! We always go and buy the most ridiculously gender stereotypical outfit once we find out the sex, little blue checked shirts for the boys and you can bet after two boys if this one is a girl....I'll be picking the pinkest, glitteriest tutu mad outfit I can find!
I wouldn't say it's a hunch, but if I had to choose I would guess this one may be a little girl simply because of how different my pregnancy is this time to the boys. With the boys, my skin was clear and beaming, my hair was soft and silky and my nails were so strong and lovely. This time! Wowza! Totally different!  My skin resembles and spotty teenagers, my complexion is well...grey, my hair is kind of a mane/ birds nest mix up and well my nails are hideous. They are so short and stumpy, I've even had to stop wearing falsies because they are so weak and crap!  I'm pretty sure I may be growing a beard too...  So yeah, I'm looking great! Haha!
I've read all the old wives tales going and I'm still tied, this baby is giving nothing away! I've borrowed a doppler from my sister in law so I'm going to try and count baby's heartbeat for a minute as apparently the number can give you an inkling.... Although this is probably crap too!

 Seriously how do people cope with not finding out! I've had the most bizarre dreams lately about it all, giving birth to a boy but every shop only sells girls clothes, a boy who looks like a girl the lot....it's driving me mad! Plus, everything nowadays especially clothes, bedding even prams are either definitely boyish or girly. In my mind anyway. I do find all white and plain clothes a little dull too...I plan to be very prepared this time round (ha!!) and have everything ready. I just can't see how I could if I didn't know baby's sex!

I've got a few ideas on the baby's room for either sex. (I think planning the room is one of my favorite things!) Danny to start with had a rather dull cream and brown room with bunnies and sheep wall stickers, it was nice but a bit boring. Once we moved he had a nautical theme, red blue and white bunting and striped wallpaper with the quote 'sons are the anchors of a Mother's life' I still plan on having an anchor tattoo someday! Connor had a jungle themed room. Green and orange with foam leaves and orange painted flowers covering his wardrobe. Cuddly monkeys and giraffes and a big jungle book picture (my favourite Disney film!) I still now call him my little bumble in the jungle, much to his dislike!
 This time if bubs is a boy I'm thinking grey and light blue with an elephant theme, ive even got photo frames and a large elephant cuddly in mind ready to purchase in a few weeks!

Girls I'm thinking pink (of course!) and maybe white? Fairies, flowers and fairy lights! Possibly green and pink..with a secret garden kind of feel? Again, I've already picked out a few must have bits just incase! It's really exciting browsing the babies sections again! Danny kind of gave me the inspiration for the girls room because he got his little schleich (over priced plastic animals he collects!) catalogue the other day and was looking through all the fairies and princesses section and has decided on a few must have items for his possible little sister!

The boys are getting more excited about the whole idea now they have noticed I'm becoming a mammoth woman! Seriously, I feel huge and I'm only just about half way!
Please excuse the pic, not my best...but when my tummy is as big as my butt...That's quite impressive! Ha!

Plus they really loved listening to baby's heartbeat with the doppler, which was so adorable!

I'm going to get a piñata and have the boys bust it open showering them in either 600 pink or blue silk rose petals to reveal what their youngest sibling will be. I'm so excited! Just hope they just beat the piñata with the bats....not each other!

But yes, only 10 days to go till I can finally start buying and planning! Yey!!

Thanks for visiting! XxxX

A brilliant little big day with my little big boys

Today was a big day for us! Connor had his first afternoon at nursery!  I was hoping that being my second son to become old enough to go to nursery I would have felt more prepared but nope, of course I spent the whole last few days worrying myself silly and considering hiding him and myself away in a distant cave somewhere.

We have spent ages talking about him going after the Easter bunny has been. We chatted about his peg, his lunch box everything and even though he would occasionally get upset and say "no, I'll miss mummy" and cling to me he (even though I couldn’t see it) was totally ready.

He walked in, sat himself down at the table and started eating his lunch like he had done it a million times before. He even waved goodbye and smiled at me! I'm both beaming with pride and a little taken back he didn't even cry for me! Ha! Funny how the mummy's mind works...or maybe that's just mine!

With Connor at nursery I was able to spend some quality time with just Danny. Something I haven't really done since Connor was born. The odd trip to the shops here and there but nothing like this.

I gave myself up to the mercy of my four year old son and asked him what he would like us to do for the next 2 and a half hours. We ran a few errands, brought some budgie food (seriously,  this kid loves his budgies! He cleans their cage every morning and changes their food and water and is always chatting to them, it's really lovely to watch!) even if they are squawking cheeky little poop machines!

 We also found and brought the monster truck Connor needed to complete his Blaze die cast collection, which is pretty awesome!  It doubled as a well done on your first day and a thank you for giving me my sanity back and sleeping in your own bed again for the last week present. Safe to say he was thrilled and currently is sleeping in bed, along with 7 monster trucks...

We then went to Costa, I have never taken the boys into Costa simply because it's always been a no way it will be a nightmare in my head. But this was really lovely. He 'took me to Costa to cheer me up' ain't he a cutie!?  We sat there chatting away about how he wants to be a zoo keeper when he grows up but that he will call me to come and help him pick up the poop because I'm so good at it! Cheers son! He had a giant marshmallow tea cake and, to my surprise ate the whole lot!

After our little Costa date (and a Mother son karaoke session in the car) we went to Danny's favourite place of all time, an owl sanctuary in Fritton. This is also the pet centre that we brought our budgies from. We wondered about cooing at the fluffy little ducklings and said hello to all the owls there. As a special treat Danny even held his favourite owl (he has all the keyrings, fridge magnets and pictures of this owl... He's a little obsessed)  Fluke, the barn owl. He loves him that much he didn't even mind when he did a huge poop all the way down his jumper haha!

When we were waiting for Connor we were watching all the children playing in the playground and then ending the day with lining up in twos to walk inside. Then I saw the boys key worker running along the playground after Connor who apparently decided the line wasn't for him!  That's Connor alright!  He did conform to the line in the end ha! The staff said he had been really happy and confident, laughing and smiling all afternoon. After a quick cuddle he was so excited about his new car he couldn't wait to get home to try him out. Not a tear insight.
Super proud of my little dudes, it sounds strange but today they both seem to have grown up a little, which for once,  doesn't feel like a bad thing.

Thanks for visiting!  XxxX