The Bowling Ball...

This week I am 36 weeks pregnant and definitely feel like I am carrying the title of this post, baby seems to be quite low and 2/3 times daily episodes of hiccups are more than mildly discomforting now.  

Bubs is around 6lb in weight now and apparently around 50cm in length.  Having had a few bump shots taken, inadvertently, by Pip this week I thought I'd hop on the scales and see how much podge I've put on and I weigh in at 12st 4 or 168 pounds, which means the baby is 1 28th of my weight at the moment.  I'm not sure whether that's a scary thought or not...  It does mean I should probably cut back on the Raspberry Magnum ice-creams once bubs arrives though...

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

To be frank I am a bit done with being pregnant now,  mainly because the weather this June/July has brought actual hot weather here.  Fancy, summery weather in the summer in the UK, who would have thought....  

It is taking it's toll on me (and probably every other preggo in the country) and on a particularly hot night I found myself considering the purchase of a wonderful fan/light combi that the Coram's had when we stayed with them.
Our only large fan is in the attic - somewhere - and the extendable steps that the Cole family share for such purposes are up in Farnborough with Rob while he hides the last of his house move in the attic, so the temperature in the house is being controlled by the use of pulled curtains and strategic room use; the sun moves from the back to the front of the house during the day, so the kitchen is avoided in the afternoon unless absolutely necessary!

Prep for bubs arrival is done, as much as we can, hospital bag is packed (with a little re-packing when I think of something or swap something out), the spare bag for Pip to being in the next day (if necessary) is also prepped and all but labelled with a bright pink sticky so he doesn't forget it...  The gift from the baby to James is wrapped, I'm not sure anyone else who may be around when he opens it will thanks us as it's a noisy train book, but he will love it which is the more important part!
All the newborn washing is complete, including sheets, bouncer, bassinet cover and other random bits and bobs.  I'm not sure why I am listing this out now, probably to sub-consciously check I haven't forgotten anything!  I have realised that I have purchased more than I realised for this new arrival but hey-ho...

Despite my thinking that mat leave wasn't going to involve much rest so far it has been an equal split.  We have maintained James mornings at nursery and by the time he's home he tends to drift off for a nap for a couple of hours.  As I am really not sleeping well at the moment, I managed 3 hours last night, baby's movements or a trip to the loo, then I can hear Pip's not quite snoring or the noise from the docks and I struggle to get back off, these 2 days of "rest" are just the ticket, if this baby could be the opposite to it's big brother and believe in sleep during the day from it's first day of life then hopefully I can have some recovery time those first 2/3 weeks too! (Dear baby, please note this request, love Mumma x)

Ta-da

With the rest I mention above I have managed to complete a fair bit of knitting and even my first crochet project!  The blanket above I started when I was pregnant with James but as a couple of friends mentioned they were going to make one and mum knitted a pram blanket for us too mine went, very much, on the back burner and even, I'm slightly ashamed to say, gained a couple of tea stains on the yarn ball.  Thankfully good old Daz soaking overnight has seen these off and I am rather proud of the finished project.

Below are some up to date pics of the dude, who has discovered "colouring" recently and also discovered that crayons work not just on paper...

Giant Otter watching

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