The Daniels family

I forgot we have settled on a name

2009-07-21T21:00:00.002+01:00

He is going to be Owen Jack Daniels, some are calling him Jack and some are calling him Owen, he is getting fairer by the week and drinking for England, or Wales or South Africa !

Its not the hormones, its the kids!

2009-07-21T20:15:00.003+01:00

Oh my oh my, I just had to write down my day today just to make sure I am still on this planet. It started with a phone call from our nanny at 7am saying that her house had caught on fire and she was rescued by her brother in the middle of the night. She is OK but spent the night in A&E and is rather devastated as her parents have just left on a 3 week holiday to Florida, leaving her in charge of the house.

Clinton then left for work, its great he has his second big boiler job and its only around the corner so I thought at that point things were looking up but no. I realised that I had no car still because our 4 year old Toyota verso has engine problems and we have spent just shy of £1000 and it still isn't working. I also discovered that Clinton left the pram in the car! so I was stranded with 4 kids in the house again. I didn't feel like cleaning up after the kids all day so I dusted off the baby sling, strapped Owen to my front and took the 3 girls on a scooter ride to the shops, luckily missing the rain that we had throughout the day. All was looking OK and it was 2pm, over half way through the day and no crying spells, no disasters... was this to be a fabulous feel good day or was the worse to come! Bete then sprung a surprise on us and insisted on cleaning the house even though I had cleaned it the day before! So I repaid her by filling in various forms for her in English. During this time Cerys decided to swing on the wardrobe door in her bedroom and ripped the entire thing off, she then hid in my room and decided to throw Clintons fathers day present (a belt) out of the window, which is now stuck on the roof. (I don't think he liked it anyway). So the naughty stairs have started to get used again, thank god Bete did show up to hoover them and make them comfortable for my terrors. Oh I forgot to mention the hour and half lunch we sat through to eat one sandwich, an occurrence that happens regularly in our house, they tend to take it in turns on how fussy they are. Next episode was finding my nail varnish, yes, Cerys managed to paint her fingers and toes, not just the nails, the whole bedroom stinks of nail varnish but surprising I cant seem to find any on the carpet!! I am sure I will tomorrow.

What finally made the tears come was the next incident, whilst I was feeding Owen his 6th lunch Erin came down looking all pleased with herself...."look at my lovely hair style!" WHAT....I said and I saw that the back of her cute bob was all wonky, not that bad but not the straight look. "Oh dear" was my calm reply, we will have to straighten that up next time you are due for a cut Erin, that was a bit naughty, don't tell me Cerys did it" ...."No mummy it was Megan, but I cut Cerys hair for her!!!!" WHAT..... I screamed as I ran up the stairs with Bete close behind and then I saw the mess, hair everywhere and Megan with a dustpan and brush trying to hide the evidence. Cerys didn't seem bothered at all, she has a huge gap in her beautiful locks that now reach her bum, well they did, not anymore, Erin had cut the back close to the scalp, I really don't know what we are going to do but my response at the time was to cry. I couldn't get my head around the fact my baby girl was no longer going to have the long hair I always dreamed of. Very selfishly reaction I suppose because when i calmed down and asked Cerys how she felt, she replied "I want short hair anyway mummy". The rest of the evening was pretty quiet, apart from the building work next door, i sent Megan and Erin to their rooms for punishment and Cerys got to watch a bit of TV. When it was time for bed I discovered that Cerys had wet the sofa, oh great another evening up to my arms in soap suds and finally i got a call at 8.30pm from my tenants saying they had been broken into and they wanted us to come in and fix the door, i explained as politely as i could that all damage should be covered on their household insurance and it wasn't our responsibility as a landlord to pay for a new door and lock. My tenant was rather rude and said he would look at his contract and confirm this and with that hung up!! Oh what a great day I am having and the evening is just beginning!!

One week old

2009-06-08T14:33:00.001+01:00

Baby D is doing just fine, he had his heal prick test today and managed a litte squak but he didnt make half the noice that Erin did which was a week old. The prick test takes blood sample from the heal of the foot and is sent off to lab to check a few things like the digestion system etc. He also lost a bit of weight, now weighing in at 3.8kg (birth weight 4kg) which is odd as I thought he was getting bigger. No worries though as this is usually the case with breast feed babies.

The last 2 nights he has slept through from 1am till 7am, i dont know whats in my milk but it does the trick!

The girls havent lost interest yet, they are still fighting over him but at least Megan is now back at school and Sonia is here to help with the other 2 and I have some fabulous friends like Olga and Esme who have taken the girls off my hands and entertained them, leaving me with time alone with little baby D.

Baby D week one of his life

2009-06-07T23:21:00.002+01:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

hi everyone

2009-05-14T22:55:00.002+01:00

Only 11 weeks to go

2009-03-10T23:28:00.004Z

Can you believe it, many can't, that I only have 11 weeks to go before I pop out a boy! Well it is a bit shocking that I am having number 4 but very exciting all at the same time. I do hope this little one doesn't put me off children, make me crack up, or turn me totally grey. I do love a challenge as you all know but 4 kids under 6 in a recession, we must be mad, well I am.

I use a number of different social networks to keep in touch with family, link up with old friends or even network with potential new business but sometimes reading about your past can become rather depressing. I got stuck into Linked In today as I am building a list of guests to our next networking event. I soon discovered that many old friends, old colleagues have done extremely well with their careers, Directors, CEO's, Owners,entrepreneurs...but where am I!!! I am working part time, trying my hardest to win new business for a tiny business, about to go on maternity with only statutory pay - something ain't right here me thinks! where have I got to? what happened to my Alpha and my Audi? They were replaced with a people carrier. What happened to those crazy nights out? they were replaced by TV and popcorn. What happened to the luxury holidays to far off distant places, diving amongst the coral and bungee jumping off bridges? they were replaced with package holidays to Spain or camping in the south of France.....that's where I have landed up. I was moaning to myself on an email to an old friend Chloe and she made me realise that I have achieved quiet a bit in my 30 odd years....I have done many things that others havent, travelled the world, driven fast cars, seen the sights, worked through a number of jobs and to top it all off I have achieved something that many havent, I have 3 beautiful little girls, I'm still married to my handsome prince, with a couple of houses in a nice area at the same time as pinning down a very responsible job... well that's what I hope anyway. Thank you Chloe for making me feel better about myself and realising it is friends and family that make you successful. Sorry to get all silly, it must be the hormones. I thought I would end this blog with a nice photo of the girls last week, after a birthday party and insisting I painted their faces.... yet another skill I have mastered since having children. Next time I will tell you a few stories about bump number four!

2009-03-10T23:25:00.001Z

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Fun in the snow in 2009

2009-02-20T17:50:00.001Z

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Bike rides in the cold

2009-02-06T23:36:00.000Z

Teaching three girls to ride a bike at the same time is not a fun thing to do on a freezing saturday afternoon. I really must be mad but we ended up in the playground of Danson park with a nice hot cuppa. Not sure if the girls enjoyed the bike ride but they loved the playground and chocolate on the way home!!

2009-02-06T23:20:00.001Z

Having fun in the snow in January 09

update from the daniels family

2008-09-16T23:47:00.000+01:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

2008-07-21T16:32:00.001+01:00

Make a Smilebox postcard

Its been a while

2008-05-07T14:11:00.001+01:00

It has been a while and i now intend to update this blog site and use it properly, only problem is i have forgotton all my passwords and logins. Thank god for Cookies because i just logged into Blogger.com and it got me straight in.

i will blog more very soon, promise

I cant believe I am back

2007-06-01T11:19:00.000+01:00

I cant believe I have finally managed to get into my blog account. I have tried a number of times and technology has prevented me. My firewall was too good!!

Well I would love to write lots but unfortunately everyone wants me, all the girls, the school, clinton, the cleaner, god why cant I just have some time to myself !!!!!!

New additions to the family

2006-12-10T22:47:00.000Z

It shows that I haven't written in ages because I havent yet told you of our new addition to the Daniels family. Schelton and Ursula had little Amy the end of September, she is days old here but she must now be 3 months. We would love a new picture guys to update the album. We are bad at keeping in touch, I do try and remember but as I mentioned in my last entry, where does time go. Every minute seems to be jammed with things to do, sometimes I feel like hiding somewhere, thats where a tree house would come in handy. Maybe thats what we should build the kids, then when they are in bed I could hide and pretend nothing existed. Don't worry folks I am not losing it, just having one of those mad moments. I really must go now, my feet are going knumb. Just for all you lot in the lovely hot South Africa, it is bloody freezing over here, frost and everything in time for Christmas. Love to all xxx

Long time no hear

2006-12-10T22:15:00.000Z

So sorry I havent written in months, well here goes. We had a lovely evening last night at Rachel and Mikes new pad and enjoyed the company of their guest including the lovely Mamta, Raj and Nikhil. It was Mamta that mentioned I hadnt updated you all in a while so I thought I would get my newest pictures up for you all to see.

Megan with her moody model look, Erin showing off her tongue and cheeky Cerys with her little laugh I love so much. They are all growing up so quickly and it scares me how time flys by so fast.

Lots has happened since my last drunken input, we are now settled into our lovely new home, the garage is leaking more than ever and Megans toys have gone mouldy but the handy Clinton has gone up on the roof and has filled it with this tar stuff this afternoon. Megan has just done her school play and was an angel, Erin is driving me bonkers but is getting better, even though she is a handful she is so amusing and has us laughing a lot of the time. Cerys is getting huge and is on solids, last week she got her first tooth and the second one is now on the way. Clinton has lots of work, thank god, the tenants have paid their first standing order on time and we managed to pay the bills for the first time without me earning a salary. I have decided to take another 6 months off work, which is a huge relief because I just couldn't face leaving the little ones quite this soon and the cost of childchild stress's me out beyond belief.

Mum and Dad are well, their flat is coming on nicely, It will be rented out after christmas and it is rather trendy and posh.! Anyone out there wants to rent a cool 2 bed pad, 5 minutes walk to the station, fanstatic london views, hot tub outside the front door and superb neighbours let me know.!!

We are off to Wales for Christmas and I really can't wait, both my cousins Catherine and Victoria are pregnant and the kids are so excited in father christmas squeezing down that huge inglenook fireplace. It makes it so much more believeable having a huge chimney for him to fit down.

Recently we had a few good old friends come and visit for the weekend. Firstly Vicky and Dave with little Lucy came up for the weekend, it was great seeing them and good for Megan to have her little friend to come and play. The following weekend the lovely Amanda and Simon came to stay and made our anniversary, without them I would have been home alone because Clinton managed to drag himself home at 9.30 rather worse for wear. Amanda spoilt me as usual and made me not one but two beautiful necklaces. She has done so well and anyone hasnt visited her site yet you must www.jewelleryrocks.co.uk. She has just launched her new site and business too www.shinneyrocks.co.uk so if you are keen on making your own jewellery look no further, Amanda can supply you with all you need.

Anyway I really must dash, I have photos to print, plates to wash and a drink in the fridge with my name on it xx

well oh well oh well

2006-10-22T04:51:00.000+01:00

I am here, at long last. My compter is attached and I am very drunk. I am home alone because Clinton has decided to stay out longer but poor old Esme has saved the day and looked after the kids until 4am because I quite forgot the time!! I feel so bad but I really didnt know the time. Any way I must tell you a funny quote tonight, my lovely daugher Megan slept in my bed tonight because of the firewoks, well after my night out I lifted her and she said "why are you moving me mummy, isnt emmsee (meaning esme) not there for me anymore? I replied "of course darling" she replied "well go away then and leave me alone" Well that is just bloody charming... On a serious note Es you are one in a million, I owe you one, Thanks Es, you are very special xxxx

An icecream moment

2006-09-16T02:03:00.000+01:00

Kids just know

2006-09-16T01:52:00.001+01:00

I braved Sainsburys today with three kids. I managed to avoid shop assistants as Erin slowly munched her way through almost an entire bag of grapes, Megan suddenly became thirsty as she passed the Robinson squash bottles so I gave in and opened a mini can of lemonade, bad I know but it was better than a screaming tantrum in rush hour shopping. When we passed the flowers Megan said something that made me melt. She stopped in her tracks, held my hand and said " Mummy, lets get Batty some flowers, I think the pinks ones will make her smile". At three years old she has picked up that Flowers make you feel good. Megan loves her Batty I really think they are soul mates, she just adores her.

It is sad how far away you are from those so close to you

2006-09-16T00:17:00.001+01:00

We have had lots of sad news over the last few weeks, a family friend has been diagnosed with cancer, another friend has spent a long spell in hospital and has thankfully just returned home and finally another family friend died this week. Pete Selwood, an old friend of my folks, died of a bone cancer. Due to his disease he ended up an alcoholic and died a very lonely man because his family and many friends gave up on him, he became depressed through the drink and gave up on life. I have few memories of Pete but my folks have many.

We have recently lost Clinton father, the thing I am most sad about (apart from his death) is because we didn't talk to him as much as we should have done. I think the moral here is it is so good to talk and it doesn't take much to listen, it is only time and if we can't give up a bit of our precious time to those we love, what is the point in loving. Also you have to help yourself and if that means seeking professional help, that is not such a bad thing!

So to all thoses out there who politely run a mile when your friends or family talk about the same old problems, don't think 'I have my own problems to deal with', don't pussy foot around topics like death, love, depression, illness and problems, help that person face them, you may make all the difference. It may be a certain type of person or someone really close to you that will bring these things up head on and depending on how one is feeling at the time depends on how openly one accepts that persons help.

Also those that want someone to listen, next time don't shrug off any help offered and just say 'Oh I'm fine, there are people far worst than me!' Just take it or seek it. It may be easier to talk to a stranger, someone who isn't living or trying to live your life may have a clearer view on things. Sometimes a solution is never reached but talking about it can ease the sadness or stress or worry. Sometimes you may have to go against your morals to find a cure.

It is so important to be there for the ones we love, even if it is just an ear, it is better than ignoring what is going on and hoping it will get better. When we get older we are more likely to be struck down with illness, know someone that has died, been through a divorce, suffered sadness of sorts or suffered stress.

That is enough of the serious stuff from me.

Where does time go

2006-09-15T23:56:00.000+01:00

Cant believe how quickly time goes by, so much happening I just don't know where to start. Megan is going through a very difficult stage, I think it is because of the attention that the younger ones are getting. Everyone is coo's over Cerys and playing with cheeky Erin and they tend to ignore Megan or when they do speak to her she just ignores them and looks into the air as if she didn't hear. It can be really embarrassing especially when people start a full blown conversation and Megan just looks up at me and says "I don't want to be here mummy, I want to go". She is going through the "want, want, want" stage and if she doesn't get the response she wants she just screams, squeaks or cries. I do try and ignore her noises but sometimes I just have to react. Just like today in B&Q.... I tend to meet the world and his wife in B&Q, after all it is our favorite bloody shop at the moment. Megan started off all quiet and sweet, then I needed to change some paint, that of course I wasn't aloud to change as it was a mixed Dulux paint. I thought I picked a white paint with a hint of brown (called Hessian), but it came out pink on the wall, silly me I thought Hessian was from the brown family not the pink one!! Well, I ended up with the lovely Lola, who was actually Little Miss Josslen. It was so funny, she had a very straight face but kept cracking jokes, I thought she was being serious, she just wasn't having my excuses of choosing the wrong colour and wasn't going to accept blame so Megan just had to step in and entertain her with a huge screaming tantrum in B&Q. " I don't want to stay in this place any more mummy, its not fair, I want an ice cream like you promised me". I was left in what seemed like a huge isle with Erin throwing her shoes at customers and Cerys screaming for milk......"God give me Strength" is what I was screaming in my head. I left the store with the same pot of paint and spent an extra £30 on storage boxes....Clinton wasn't too happy but didn't complain when he saw the stress on my face when I returned to our half painted new home!

Anyway I have now decided to paint the playroom pink as to not waste the 'Hessian' at £28.50 a tin!!!

corr blimey Moses

2006-09-05T16:41:00.000+01:00

It has been a while since the last input of the Daniels life. Time just goes by doesn't it. So have many funny episodes in my life, each one I think I must put that one on the blog but rarely get the time to tell you.

I haven't mentioned much about the new house have I? well it may be because I still think it is just too good to be true and I really see this house as a life changer for us. Many of you that know me will know that my current home (Sun Lane) has seen me through many happy and sad moments. I bought the house 14 years ago, my first home, first place of independence. All my mates were concentrating on university and what type of drink to buy each week and I was all grown up, waering expensive suits, Cheap shoes and a paying a mortgage each month. This first little house has seen many relationships, not just from me or course but most of my mates would bring their new catch to mine because I was the only one with a pad of my own. I had a separate fridge for beers, which was always the full one, I was rarely in the house to cook, the local cab office knew me personally and I very rarely visited the supermarket in day light hours.

Of course now everything has changed. The booze fridge has been dumped for a large silver fridge freezer and the vodka bottle now lives on the shelf. The local cab office has now changed hands so many times I know no-one and cant even remember the number by heart. I now seem to live in the supermarket, actually I use the supermarket as the highlight of the week at times. (all the desperate housewives will understand). Sad I hear you all say but there are up sides to 'the Change'. I make good use of the sofa and the kettle and TV. I have upgraded all three and now have a fab big silver TV, so huge one that takes over the whole room, a new sofa that makes a fab bed to catch up with the odd bit of sleep during thrilling daytime TV and finally some really true best mates that help to entertain the party animal that I will never lose. When I do go out I really do it in style and actually lose days from my life!! (will explain later). Back to my little end of terrace in Sun lane. All three of my treasures have started their little lives here, I started and ended my first grown up relationship here, met my lovely hubbie here. My best buddy Becs found Sun Lane as a fab sanctuary after the end of her marriage (6 years ago), So did Esme call this place her home and stayed here for a year the last time she ran away from the US. Goodness this place has really seen a few sites and will be really missed but.... I am not losing Sun Lane, I am using Sun Lane as my bank now, I have taken out a nice large mortgage and have bought my next pad, with a big garden, front and back, drive for two cars and a garage. It also has huge potential to convert into a 5 bed, 3 reception roomed house for the ever increasing Daniels family......Goodness I was just interrupted by a screaming Erin who has had enough of her wobbly headed turtle, that chimes when you put shapes in it and she is screaming the house down for attention, this has just been added by Cerys lower pitched cries as she has now managed to kick herself sideways out of her little chair (she is strapped in but is rather long and strong for her age) and has just kicked over an entire can of diet pepsi, apart from that the patient neighbours may just give in and report me for neglect as I try my hardest to steal 10 minutes from my beauty's to write to you. Another reason to leave is because Megans school is closing in 30 minutes....What a bad mother I am...I will be back later to tell you some funny stories...Promise

BB

2006-08-11T23:13:00.000+01:00

Guess what...bing...fuzz...f**k...I am trying to do a Pete but not very well...We have tickets to the Big Brother final!! We have to be at the studio at 4.30pm!! next Friday At the moment its Myself, Es, Becs and Lisa how very exciting. I never get to do things like this. Must go, need to catch up BB Big mouth xx

Forgot to mention

2006-08-10T00:06:00.000+01:00

We have finally got around to building our own website. Lots more to do with it but its a start. The package we are using is very limited and only lets us have 2 photo albums, which is not good as I was going to do it mainly has a photo diary. So lots of work needed to make it fun to read. Have a look anyway www.thedanielsfamily.org.uk.

Finally a bit of fitness to finish us off

2006-08-09T22:55:00.000+01:00

Last weekend the Daniels family took our new car over to the Excel centre to watch Buttons, Hilton and Tim flex their muscles and put us all to shame as they succeeded in doing rather well in this years
Triathalon as an elite team! Paul was 4th out of the water (I must add that a woman was 5th, but she must have been well fit Paul!!) Hilton's chain came off which held him back a minute or two but we think Tim did well in the run, the last leg. It is hard to say because there are so many people doing it but I was well impressed with the boys. Clinton is now talking about doing it next year instead of the marathon...Anyone want to join him!! We would have stayed longer for a few beers but Erin was running around the pub eating everything in sight and Megan wanted to sleep on the big leather sofa in the bar, so we decided to make a sharp exit before the tears came. The boys had a good turn out, Clinton had a good chat with Hilton and his family and I caught up with Mark, Ranson, Emma (King) and Sujata, just a few that came to support the lads. I hope to find out where they were placed soon - Well done guys! Top stuff

Party time but poorly Cerys

2006-08-09T22:29:00.000+01:00

I mentioned in my last post a few fab times I have had. Well two of them have been in London with my work colleagues and friends. I braved the tube in the heat and got myself into Soho to celebrate Nat's birthday one week and then Damiti's leaving do the next. It was fab and I really got to know a few people better, which was even better.

It was lovely to see Nat on her birthday, after a few glasses of wine Nat showed us how to mount a motorbike and Mark entertained Damiti, Hannah (his lovely girlie) and myself over dinner. We went for an Italian to soak up some wine and had quite a giggle. Damiti is a friend and over the last 6 months I have grown much closer to Nat, however most of my colleague didn't really cross the line of friendship, if you see what I mean. This night was great as I got much closer to Mark and got to see a different side of him, I do hope this friendship stays there, I had a top time Mslash.

The following week was a heavy one and from what I remember it was great. We danced lots and drank even more. It was one of those nights that just carried on and on and everyone was on such good form they just didn't want to stop. Becs, Clare, Laura and little Clare were out too. Damiti was rather merry before I got there but we did a grand job of sobering her up with chips and coffee. I caught up with the Emmas and Becky too, which was great and ending the blinding evening with Harvs, Clarky, Becs and Clare clubbing in Leicester square. I believe I was practicing my ragga moves with lots of strange men!! Thank god Clare was there to save me again. The evening ended with me losing my memory, forgetting my pin number, the ATM eating my card and me having a stand up row as I didn't want to get into a dodgy cab. Clare dropped both Becs and I off first! I couldn't get the key in the door and Clare had to wake up poor Clinton to get me in. I then had to express milk so not to poison my beautiful little girl!! As she was on the bottle she slept all night and didn't wake until 9am....What a darling.

The only problem that has occurred from my recent partying (only done it a few times in the last month) is that Cerys has been on formula milk a few times. I have managed to continue expressing so not to encourage my milk to dry up but Cerys hasn't been herself over the last few days. I am not sure it is down to the milk but that is the only change she has had. I don't want to get too gross on you but she hadn't had a poo in 3 days and I was beginning to get worried. I had her all packed up in the car this morning ready to take her to the doctors when she had an almighty poo, it was very very runny and rather green, but since then she has been back to her normal happy self so all worries are over!

Goodness it has been a while - sorry but a long one

2006-08-09T21:43:00.000+01:00

I will break this up into bits to try and make the read more fun!

Those funny moments - I have been blessed with a few funny moments over the last few weeks and some great evenings shared with new and old friends. The pictures in this entry shows how responsible we are as parents!! Please don't judge, the kids had lots of fun, even though it was rather late at night and there was mud involved, we were trying to get them into bed, honestly. They just had a shower outside in the garden rather than the boring bath...Just to make a change! The kids decided to water the garden with the contents of the paddling pool and as you can see there was a lack of grass (Due to the hose pipe ban, blame the government again). Before we knew it there was a mud bath in the middle of the garden, one of the kids fell over and got covered in mud, this caused a small giggle, which they then thought would get more of a laugh if they all rolled around in it. Little Cerys slept through the entire event and so did Erin (thank god!). I hope Esmes garden wasn't too badly damaged by morning. It did need a good old water!

favorite tastes and smells - Everyone has their favorite smells and tastes but have you ever thought about your favorite sounds! Well I discovered one of mine tonight. I have had a very nice relaxing evening alone. The kids were all in bed by 7pm, a bloody miracle and absolutely marvelous. I had an inspiration yesterday, bought on by Nat's brother (Nat is friend at work.) He said he had a huge clear out of clothes and shoes and threw things away that he hadn't worn in 6 months, well I am always given myself excuses to not through away things like...Im pregnant, I'm not pregnant, I am feeling fat, I am fat, I am going to lose weight and get into that, I am working...I am not working....I am a party animal....I am a housewife. Therefore one does need a rather large wardrobe with all my identities, however saying all this I have now decided to go for it and give it up to charity. Getting back to my point about sounds and tastes I must continue. I have been having a good clear out and then decided to go shopping, my mind was set on spending money....But could I find anything I liked...No I couldn't. I ended up buying a bargain teeshirt for Clinton and my dad and a towel for Megan, however I did treat myself to a large tub of Coconut cream scrub from Marks and that how I began my evening. After a long soak in the tub, dye on the hair, quick manicure and pedicure (by myself of course) I really fancied a vodka and diet coke! Drinking alone, I hear you say, has she got a problem! But I remembered one of my favorite sounds. That sound is the metal lid of the vodka spinning off the bottle and the sound of cracking as the liquid hits the ice....What a lovely sound, it always reminds me of those intense America movies, just before a naughty moment or when some gangster gets shot, I suppose it makes me feel like I am all grown up and living in the movies. Well I am all grown up now and even though it feels like I am being naughty having a vodka and diet coke alone, I don't suppose this is really that strange....I mean I am a 36 year old woman with 3 kids and a big mortgage....Damn, that is what I had forgotten whilst I was floating away in the bath!!

Batty and her best buddies

2006-07-16T14:30:00.000+01:00

Some of you may already know that the kids call my Mum Batty. Very odd I hear you say but there is a reason behind it. Mum has two best friends from childhood and they are in the picture here. Sue, in the red shirt and white trousers lives in the US with her husband Paul. She has 4 lovely kids and 2 grandkids so far and came over last week for a holiday. Sue's mother was called Atty, which means nannie in one of the Indian languages (apparently she spent time in India) When Mum (in the middle of the picture) became a grandma she didn't want to be a granny or grandma and we already have a Nana in the family (my nana). She thought so much of Atty as a child and wanted to follow in her footsteps but my uncle thought it much more apt to be a Batty instead of Atty and that just stuck.!

Mums other best friend is Rachel (right hand side of photo with the brown top on). Rachel is my Godmother and lives to the north of Newcastle with her hubby Mike. She has two kids that are all grown up now and have moved out. It was so nice seeing the three of them all together and I just hope that I remain close to my friends like they have. Even though they all live many miles away and don't often meet up together, when they do get together nothing changes and they chat just like the old days. Mum had a lovely time with her old pals.

No fear

2006-07-16T14:02:00.000+01:00

We have now established that our middle daughter is either mad or has no fear. She jumps off the stairs, loves the slide, climbs everything, usually me when I am feeding Cerys but her recent one is in the hot tub at my folks house.

Mum and Dad have just had a hot tub delivered to their new deck, it is fabulous and is like a mini swimming pool for the kids. Megan can stand in it but as the tub is all different depths she is very cautious when walking around it, it actually took her days to get the confidence to get in alone and even now she doesn't like it when the bubbles are on. However Erin is a different kettle of fish. If someone is in the tub she wants to get in and she just doesn't care if she goes under the water, she does it again and again, most of the time she cries afterwards but she just keeps on doing it. They do have fun in the tub but you have to watch them constantly. Even though it gives you peace and quiet you can't really relax and close your eyes incase Erin disappears in the bubbles!

We did have a near miss last week. I forgot to bring Erins swimming knickers so we put her in the tub in her birthday suit. She whinned to get out and even though Erin constantly whinned we were a bit baffled because there were people in the pool and she seemed to be enjoying herself. After mum lifted her out she proceeded to poo all over the decking and then sit in it. Yukky yukky yuk.....I couldn't stomach cleaning in up because it was rather soft and smelly, so mum did it in such a matter of fact way. It didn't bother her at all!! it is great to have parents like mine, they are so laid back and a bit of poo doesn't bother them at all!

Playing games

2006-07-16T13:57:00.000+01:00

Erin is such a cheeky monkey now, she has learnt to climb the stairs but she cant come down, what she tends to do is get to the top and then scream to come back down. However last week she climbed the stairs and found something very interesting at the top! We had watched her get to the top safely and then she went into her room to play. We then got on with household stuff....like watching TV or surfing the web when everything went very quiet. Normally this means trouble with Erin because the only time she is quiet is when she is asleep or doing something naughty. Clinton ran up the stairs to find Erin had filled the entire toilet with her toys! She found this quite amusing but we didn't because Megan keeps forgetting to pull the flush after going!!! nice one Erin

Jacobs and the trampolean

2006-07-03T00:04:00.000+01:00

It was Jacobs birthday this week too, he was 3 years old and invited the girls to his party in a jungle gym in Beckenham. Wow, this place was amazing, it had bumper cars, a merry go round, an amazing 4 tiered soft play gym and full sized trampoleans to show off on. Well I have a rather embracing incident that I actually managed to hide very well, something that mums all over the world will appreciate.... My little Megan isn't the bravest of children, so I find myself doing all the activities she should do first, well that is my excuse anyway. We ventured up the stories of padded scaffolding to the top to find a floor of trampoleans. Megan was hesitant to jump so I did and something rather scary happening. I was obviously having too much fun making Erin bounce and as I jumped all my muscles went and hey presto my pelvic let me down!!! Thank god the toilets were close by!! and thank god for hand dryers! thats all I can say!! What more do mums have to go through, it was bad enough having to stop suddenly on the A20 and hold Megan out the car door, let alone feel embraced for myself! Anyway, all ended well and we all enjoyed the party, so thanks very much Rachel, Mike, Jacob and Charlotte, we had lots of fun xx.

Daisys birthday

2006-07-02T23:53:00.000+01:00

Little Daisy is 2 tomorrow and celebrated by having her party today in the glorious sunshine. Here are some pictures of the happy event.

Bath time

2006-07-02T23:15:00.000+01:00

I don't know about you but bath time are fab in our house. I used to see it as a bit of a chore when I was working, it just took too long but now it is fun and no longer a routine. Sometimes the girls bath on their own but when I have the time I love to get in with them. We have lots of fun, play bubbles and games in the bath, Dora the explorer is one of Megans favorites and the counting tiles that Lisa and Gary bought her is another. Erin just likes to splash and make mess. Today we had a well needed bath after daisy's birthday. Erin was covered in sticky stuff from head to toe. A mixture of icecream, sausages, strawberries and ham topped with a fine layer of mud, whilst Megan just had birthday cake and jammy doggers over her face, neck and hands. We always enter a party looking lovely, dressed up in party dresses and jewels, hair all nice in plaits or bunches and they end up looking like they have just been in a wrestling match with the marshmellow man on a very hot day!

Bath time today was an event. First of all it was just myself and Erin enjoying a few splashes and then Megan joined us for a hair wash and eventually Cerys came in because she was needing a feed so I thought I would do feeding and cleaning at the same time. Well not the best idea I have had in a while. I did think it a bit mad to bath a year old and a five week old at the same time. It wasn't the space it was the fact that Erin likes to stand up and sit down several times a minute and most of the sitting was in the direction of myself and Cerys. Cerys took it well and barely made a sound but I thought it best to remove Erin in case of a drowning incident. Megan then decided to leave as her fingertips were disappearing...that left just Cerys and myself, the two of us just looking at each other and talking silly, as one does with a newborn!!. It was just lovely, Cerys eyes followed my movements and she smiled as I talked, we had a lovely time, that was until she decided to poo all over me!!! yes the moment of bonding was totally ruined by yellow runny poo everywhere....how gross...all my fault, I shouldn't have attempted to be practical and share my bath!

The pictures are after our bath, a very happy empty Cerys.

Catching up and many thanks

2006-06-28T20:35:00.001+01:00

Cerys is 5 weeks today and what a spoilt little girl she has been, well she totally deserves it because she is such a good little baby. She is so content and only cries when she is hungry, she sleeps very well. Sorry guys she is still sleeping through the night, up to 8 hours, I just can't believe it. She now weighs a grand 10lbs 15 and comes in at almost 90% on the centile charts, quite a bit above average. She is a healthy little girl to say the least and rather long.

Cerys has had many visitors and has been out on lots of visits. Last week we took a trip to see little Oliver Davis and Lynsey and had lunch with the lovely Clare Grayer. Lynsey cooked lunch and entertained us with cats and mice. I must expand on this..... Lyns lives in a beautiful house in Chislehurst, we were having chit chat in the kitchen looking out onto her lovely garden and suddenly Lyns let out a little cry as her cats were playing with a little mouse on the patio. Both Lyns and I rushed outside and shoed the cats away whilst we established the damage they had done to this rather cute creature. Unfortunately its back had been broken and its back legs were not working. Lyns couldn't pick it up so I did and put it into a little box, We did try to put it out of is misery but just couldn't do it. Lyns picked some grass to make it a bed and then produced a box of Alpen for its lunch!!! It still makes me chuckle remembering Lyns pile up enough cereal to bury the poor rodent! "it can pick out the best bits!" were her last words as we left it a bush in the front garden to fend for itself. In the meantime Clare was entertaining our children, who I forgot about for a very short moment!

We have also had some family visit, my uncle and Aunt drove up from Sussex to visit the new addition, they brought some lovely outfits for all the girls and Megan had a wonderful book that she loved pretending to read. Megan is going through this very embracing brattish stage when she goes silent, she won't say goodbye, hello, thank you and is generally rude when people have made a real effort. I know she is a lovely little girl because I see her every day but unfortunately guests only see her during her horrid moments, so all the people that have bought kind gifts for the girls please be assured that Megan does love your company and your pressies and talks about you all when you aren't there, honestly.

Clinton and I managed to make it out the house to Nigel and Sues garden party with both Erin and Cerys. We thought we would have problems in getting the girls to sleep but eventually they both managed to let us mingle with guests, it was great to catch up with Nigel and Sue and their charming family. My god daughter Jessica is now 11 and starts Sylvia Young's school of drama in September, I am so proud of her. She is a talented young girl and is oozing with confidence. Hope you like the photo guys.

Thank you - I must stress how grateful we are for all your kind gifts and money. We have received so many beautiful outfits and toys from our friends and family. It is so touching to know you are thinking about us all. We have enough in our Cerys collection to buy the trip trap high chair and a cot bed, it is unbelievable how generous you have all been, so thank you again. I am so sorry I haven't got around to calling and talking to you individually, I will do I promise.

I must get on with dinner before Clinton gets back from Golf....Forever the un perfect housewife...Finding it quite hard to get the house wife things done, my mind keeps slipping onto more fun things like making lots of money....More about that in my next entry!!!

Picnics in the park and raising money for charity

2006-06-22T18:56:00.000+01:00

Almost forgot to tell you the outcome of the NCT waddle and Toddle last week. It went well, even though we didn't get the amount of people we wanted, we got the weather, the prizes for the raffle and goodie bags and quite a few people with their picnics. We raised around Â£250 but thisdidn'ttincludee the money from the sponsorship. Megan raised Â£55 on her own, so lets hope the other waddlers did well.

We also had another great picnic in the park near my parents called the Pleasurance. They raised over Â£500 in membership fees, cakes stalls and biscuit painting. That was another fun day, even though we discovered Erin and Danny had chicken poxs.

Manic weekend in the sun

2006-06-22T18:43:00.000+01:00

We enjoyed the weekend in the sun at Mum and Dads. Mum organised a small gathering for Gill Knight, as she has been living in New Zealand now for 4 years and is on her first visit back. Gill is a friend of mine as well as Mum and Dad, she is also Vickys mum. Vicky and her daughter, Lucy also came to visit from Somerset and they all stayed Chez Gays.

All week mum and dad have been frantically getting the house ready, not the usual tidying that most people do when guests come to stay, no, my parents were building a summer house, erecting fencing, terracing, building steps to the garden, foundations for the hot tub, sanding and oiling the decking. Now to put you in the picture the decking of my folks place is the size of my entire house, a great place for kids and grown ups to relax and BBQ. That is exactly what we did all afternoon on Saturday and Sunday.

We did have a few scary moments with children in the hot tub and the thought that we had lost my brothers puppy huskie dog but all ended well at the weekend

One of those embarrassing supermarket moments

2006-06-22T18:22:00.000+01:00

A very rare picture of Doctor Erin....Exhausted after a hard days work in the surgery.... I must briefly explain, Erin is really into playing doctors and wears Megans stethoscope most of the day, all the fashion these days you know.

Just got back from Sainsburys with Erin and Cerys, usually Cerys is nice and quiet in the buggy but not today, oh no, I had both children screaming as I picked up my contraceptive pills from the prescriptions counter! Moments before I entered the Supermarket I noticed that yet again my boobs had leaked, so i turned my teeshirt around and put my bag on my back to hide the stain. Unfortunately I had chosen to wear a V necked teeshirt so it really looked like I was either a sandwich short of a picnic or i was trying to hide a stain on the back of my teeshirt. To shut Erin up I gave her the packet with my pills in it, well not just the packet but the pills too, not very mother like but it shut her up, what I didn't realise was my darling child had also found the leaflet on the Mirena coil, another more painful looking form of contraception that was offered to me by my doctors. At that moment I then bumped into the wife of one of Clintons rugby friends, who I noticed was dressed beautifully, was calm and was with her very glamorous 16 year old daughter, who wasn't screaming waving various forms of contraception precautions in front of all the rush hour shoppers in Sainsburys. After a painful 10 minutes I left for the checkout, rather embraced and frantically packed my little bag of shopping before I met anyone else I knew!! Jesus and that was the exciting 10 minutes of my day today!

Its been 3 weeks since my last confession

2006-06-22T15:21:00.000+01:00

I can't believe how time flys, its funny isn't it, when I was working my tits off, coming home to start my real job as a Mum and housewife I still managed to find time to write my little blog, now I am a full time mum I just don't find the time, there is always a baby that needs changing, feeding or just attention!! Working was a walk in the park!

Well Erin and Cerys are having their nap and Megan is at nursery, i have sorted a bag a clothes for charity, done the washing and shopping, the house is tied and I have even remembered to eat lunch! So its about time I updated you.

Cerys is now 4 weeks old, she is gaining weight by the minute, well the amount she drinks is amazing. My boobs are huge, I am continually finding myself in embracing situations as I keep forgetting to buy boob pads, I now just wear dark tops, much easier! Cerys was 10lbs 2oz last week, probably more now. She has grown out of most of her newborn outfits and is now wearing 3 month plus. Her eyes are still blue and she has retained her lovely black hair. I have eventually managed to give her a manicure and I didn't manage to cut her fingers, a better job than Erins first manicure when I managed to cut the top of her thumb off, bad mother!

Erin is now walking, she is so funny and is making good use of her nappies for padding as she dive bombs the floor every 5 minutes. Megan is going through a bit of an annoying stage at the moment, she is fine when she has 100% attention but as soon as we have meal times, bath times, bed times etc all together she kicks off. I have had to bring back the star system for going to the toilet because she has started wetting herself again. It is all down to attention and dividing our time efficiently. So thanks to all those time management courses I have been on I am concentrating of best use of time, scheduling things to do and making each one of my girls have the quality time the deserve. I am hoping this works!

Thank God for Friends!!!

We have had lots of visits from good friends. A few weeks ago Damiti came to visit us bringing pressies for all the girls (Thanks hun). She bought the girls some lovely outfits, I must mention this because it made me laugh, anyone who knows Damiti will find the funny side. Erin opened her pressie to find a lovely Yellow outfit, well actually it was a top but in true Damiti style she thought it was a dress, well it just about covers her nappy, "she could definitely where that as a dress" stressed Damiti. It bought back memories of Damiti in her jumper dress at Christmas, that just about covered her nappy too! Thank you very much Damiti, the clothes are just lovely and they have all been worn.

Clare and Becs came over to see me but it was hard to get them away from the girls. We had a wonderful Thai meal in Blackheath, followed by drinks in the local, then when that closed we managed to find a few late drinks in another public house and finally I managed to drag them back for a few more at mine. They then called a cab before I managed to get Take Take on, I don't know, they just haven't got what it takes anymore. Here are a few pictures of the girls in Cerys action.

I can't forgot my good old pals, Esme, Amber and Lisa, who are continually there for me, popping in to keep me sane. We have walks and picnics in the park with the kids and catch up on all the gossip. I don't know how I would get through the days without friends to keep me sane.

Its lovely to catch up with a few old friends like Venetia, Fiona and Emma, all have come over for peeks of little Cerys, all baring wonderful gifts, I am so lucky. Anyway I have a doctors appointment and guess what....I am late!!

Visits and treats

2006-06-06T23:59:00.000+01:00

I would like to thank all my friends and family for all their kind gifts, cards and flowers. I can't believe just how generous everyone has been. It is amazing how many lovely things Cerys and the girls have received. I have had 9 bouquets of flowers over the last 2 weeks and have been made to feel very special. I have also seen lots of people, which has been so nice. Those that know me well also know that my door is always open, I am one of these people that do love company and do like to see people, so it is nice that people have popped over to meet our new arrival. We have also been out a few times too. On Sunday (day 4) we headed off with the family to our local, the Vanburgh Tavern. We had lunch with Mum, Dad, Gary, Lisa and little Katie, the kids all played together in the garden whilst I managed to catch up on more gossip with Lisa, great stuff!. We then went to a friends birthday BBQ last Saturday and a big family picnic on Sunday in a local park near Mum and Dads. The weather is nice and hot now, this enables us to do much more with the kids, it just means we are not tied to pubs and peoples houses.

Cerys is almost 2 weeks old now, she has put on 7oz and weighs 9lbs 11oz. The midwife was meant to visit today but she rang saying she was too busy and has booked to come next week. The health advisor came today to do a hearing test but the machine was broken so she too is returning next week!. Cerys has had her heal prick test and has been given the once over by the midwife last week so we have nothing to worry about. She is still sleeping through the night, which is fantastic, looks like she likes her sleep, just like all the Daniels family. I don't think our friends believe us but it really is true, they are all good sleepers, this is probably why I keep having kids because I do get to sleep!

We did have a bit of a shock at the weekend with Erin, after our outings with friends and family we discovered a few spots on Erin.....yes she too has contracted Chicken pox!!! We thought we had one little jealous girl but what we have is one little sick girl. This has been the reason for her screaming, annoying moaning every second, non interest in food and clingy behavior, how bad do I feel! At least we can give her drugs now we know she is ill! Whoops, what about all those children she has been in contact with over the last few days, all the people at the BBQ, picnic, pub and playgrounds. Our first call was to Esme, who told us Danny has come up in spots and yes he has chicken pox, so far we haven't heard of any more cases, fingers crossed we haven't infected too many people!!! Well it is good for kids to get it young, less picking and scaring....We hope.

I think I am all up to date now. I must write more often. My aim is to write less and be more witty.....I will give it a go on my next entry. Lots happening this weekend, we have the Waddle and Toddle in the Park with the NCT. I have already managed to get lots of pressies for the raffle from the local shops, looking forward to the event, I hope a few of you can join us or at least sponsor Megan, she is walking the mile, she doesnt know it yet but she is!!!

Day three and out in the rain

2006-06-06T23:48:00.000+01:00

Day three. Its Saturday. What happens on a Saturday, Rugby. Yes you heard it, Rugby. The tickets had already been bought!! Clinton went to Twickenham with the boys. I didn't mind and sadly I was looking forward to see if I could cope with 3 kids on my own for the day. Unfortunately it rained most of the day but that didn't stop me. I was determined to get out of the house. I packed my small bag, loaded the car up with all the necessary things. Esme then met me in her car with her two and we headed off to the park just as the heavens opened. Esme pointed out this was rather stupid with a new born child, which I reluctantly agreed. As we were all in cars we decided to go to 'Tigers Eye', a play barn in Thamesmead. We managed to tire out all the kids and Cerys slept through the entire event. I took her out the pram for a cuddle and to make sure she was still alive! She is really a very good baby, I still wait for her to change into a demon child but really think this fabulous behaviour will continue.

Home sweet home and reunited

2006-06-06T23:27:00.000+01:00

I couldn't wait to see my other 2 angels and show them their new baby sis, so we drove straight to my parents, who were looking after Megan and Erin during the whole birthing experience.

Megan looked tired with her chicken pox or Chicken pops as she calls them. Her spots had all turned to scabs and were no longer infectious. Erin seemed to have avoided the ichy disease, or so we had hoped!

Megan didn't seem that interested in Cerys, she gave me big cuddles and then demanded to go to the park. Erin on the other hand seemed quite clingy, wanting our attention or anyone's attention really, which of course she got. After an hour at mum and dads, baby cuddles all round we attempted to take Erin and Cerys home, whilst Megan got what she wanted and headed off to Greenwich park with her Batty (grandma). When we loaded the car and pulled out of the parking space, who should pull up but Farah. Pete (Clintons best friend) and Farah live next door to my parents, Farah had just returned from swimming with her little boy Kamran and within minutes we were invited in for lunch and a relax. This was a very kind offer because the last thing I wanted to do was cook. After soup and macaroni cheese we headed home to Sun Lane, all I wanted was my bed and a good few hours sleep. I fed Cerys at midnight, my milk must have come through because she fed for a long time. By now my boobs were very sore, my stomach was contracting with every suck, with that comes the pain, it feels like contractions all over again and will continue until I finish breast feeding! Oh joy of joys.

I kept waking through out the night, even though I was so tired. I was worried that Cerys was still asleep, I woke at 4am, 6am and then finally at 9am. By 9.30 I was beginning to get really worried and decided to wake her up and feed her. She slept over 9 hours on her second night! Apparently, as she is a large baby, she is stronger etc and will feed for longer, this means she is content for longer. Long may it remain. I really can't believe it, we have been blessed I am sure.

Congratulations Shila

2006-06-06T23:23:00.000+01:00

I wasn't the only to give birth on 24th May, Shila beat me to it and had little Dylan at 5am. Congratulations Shila. Nat was worried about us both going into labour together, well lucky we had both left work by 24th! Can you imagine both of us bursting together, VNU would have remembered that one!

Good luck with Dylan and send me some photos for the blog.xxx

B Day - 24th May 2006

2006-06-06T21:13:00.000+01:00

At last I have managed to get online and tell you all about the birth of our third daughter. It all started at 00.50 on 24th May, that was the time on my clock radio as the first contraction rudely awoke me. I coped with the contractions every 6 to 8 minutes until 2.30am then I had to wake Clinton from his beauty sleep to attach the TENS machine to my back. A Tens machine sends electronic pulses up your spine, sending messages to the brain to release endorphines, this is then meant to act as a pain killer. Well it worked till 8.30am, by then I had enough of the TV and was rather board of writing down the times of every contraction, which were still every 6 to 8 minutes. I woke Clinton in hope this might make the time pass more quickly. By 9am I put a call into the meridian 20 midwives and by 10am they turned up! Thank god it didn't happen quickly, Clinton would have been delivering on his own! By 11am my waters broke, which was a very funny experience. I have to tell you because it was hilarious. I was lying on the bed, covered rather comfortably with a sheet, by this time I was hooked up to the gas and air and had dilated 7 cm's, therefore well on my way. Next contraction came and it felt like someone turned on a fire hydrant, you know the ones that cars hit in American moves whilst being chased through the streets of San Francisco. Thank god I wasn't in public, I could just imagine it happening on a tube or standing in San Marcos (local Cafe at in Soho) waiting for my toast and marmite!! I felt a big pop and then a huge whoosh and the sheet that was covering me flew across the room and hit the double glazing, it was so funny, I wanted to bust out laughing, it wasn't painful, just felt like a huge release, I felt my tummy just softened and got smaller, of course it didn't look any smaller it was just a feeling. When I opened my eyes I just saw the midwife and her student getting dressed in the plastic aprons, as if they were about to make a cake and get ready for the birth, which they assumed would happen with the next push, how wrong could they be.

4 hours later after yet another examination I was still 7 cms dilated, the first bottle of gas and air was almost empty and the midwife, Kemmy, decided to call and Ambulance and get me into the Queen Elizabeth hospital. I felt a bit of a failure by this point, I really wanted the experience of a home birth and so desperately didn't want to go into that hospital again, I just hate hopitals, the noise, smell and the after care is not a good experience but if my baby was in any distress it was the best place to be I suppose.

The ride in the Ambulance was fun, Shame the paramedic wasn't in shape, but he was very charming and of course I got the neighbours gossiping. I managed a laugh out of the concerned midwife when I apoligised for my nightie and trouser combination, said how embarrassed I was that I wasn't matching for the general public when I hobbled passed all the smokers in the entrance of the hospital. It is always at times like this that you bump into people you know and you just really don't want to see, just like when you nip out to the supermarket on a Sunday morning and bump into a friend or a friends mother, wearing your favorite old stretched track suit, no make up or the make up from the night before half way down your face and your hair all tied up because it needs a wash (which of course you intend to do after that first cup of tea, with milk that you have run out of!!) Well I was having one of those moments in the hospital corridor when I bumped into one of the rugby wives whilst inhaling yet another dose of gas and air. She wanted to help me get through the next contraction but to be honest I just wanted to step into a hole and swallow me up. Don't get me wrong, Rugby wife's are not like footballers wife's but still it is not nice to me seen by known public panting and sweating in your nightie and trouser combi!!

Anyway, continuing on my journey, reached the ward at 3.30, got settled into the delivery suite and met the new midwife, Fay. Kemmy left me to continue on her home visits with her student. She did this after digging around my veins to attach a drip. Kemmys attempt didn't work, just caused me to cry a little more and my hand to swell twice its size. Then Fay gave another vein a try and she had no success. By this time I was in quite some pain, I don't know what was worse the 2 inch needle that was trying to enter my body or the huge baby that was trying to exit!

Kemmy left, apolising lots for causing unnecessary pain and the consulant arrived, he inserted the needle in seconds, causing very little pain in comparison and the induction drip began, this was meant to speed up my contractions, but hey that didn't work either. All the Daniels children just love my body too much, they just don't like coming out into the big wide world, hey, who can blame them!

By 6pm I was still 7cms, the contractions were still every 6 minutes and felt very similar, I was exhausted and couldn't bare the thought of walking around, god I hate exercise at the best of times! I then politely asked if I could have a stronger painkiller as I was rather tired and wanted this all to end NOW. Fay gave me all the chat.."Oh but you have done so well, just lets see what happens in the next half hour" Then the consultant said that baby had her head sideways and was stuck, this was the reason I wasn't dilating any further, therefore if nothing happened in 2 hours I would have to go to theatre for a C section. When he left I managed to find it in me to stand up, I was really very uncomfortable lying down, as you can imagine. Literaturally once I stood up I felt very different, she must have turned and with the next push out she popped. I had one huge contraction and out she came. Clinton had just walked into the room after one of his fag breaks and got to me just in time for me to squeeze the life out of his big hands. Normally they take the gas and air away from you but there was no way they were taking that out of my mouth. I was rather worried about my crowns breaking but managed to forget the dentist for the next few minutes while I inhaled the sickly gas that made me feel all light headed. The last bit happened so quickly and the pain disappeared instantly after baby was born, all those mad hormones clicked in again and everything was forgotten as my 9lb 4oz beauty was passed up to me between my legs!! Another very weird experience, looking down at this little blue creature, wiggling with an ugly tube patrouding from her stomach. I remember repeating to Clinton " oh god look Clinton, look, look at her, isn't she amazing" I just wanted to cry and felt so proud that I had got through what I think it is the most extroadinary thing a human can do, it is just amazing that we can produce something so innocent, so perfect. I felt so luckly that I have been through such an experience, even though it is painful, exhausting and tiring - that was just making her!!!

So there you have it Cerys Teresa Daniels was born at 18.32 on 24th May, she was 55cms long and weighed 9lb 4oz, she has the most amazing head of hair and grey blue eyes. She was very calm and had that small bleating cry that Megan had, very unlike the high pitched scream of Erin. Cerys breast fed within 15 minutes and was content most of the evening. I stayed in hospital because she had Meconium (means she pooed inside me!) the mid wife's had to monitor her over the night. Well one midwife looked at her once at 3.30am and woke us both up, NICE. I had a very sleepless night in hospital, the ward alarm continually went off, the cleaner then decided to come into my room at 5.30 to bleach the toilet then at 7am the porter came in and shouted "breakfast is ready", they were the only people that stepped through the door. By 11am I demanded to see a doctor or I would discharge myself in 30 minutes. A consultant was with me in 10 minutes, he apologised he was 3 hours late, gave Cerys the once over and signed me out. I had already packed, washed and was ready to get out of the maternity ward for hopefully the last time. If there is a next time I will have a home birth!!!

Just how long now

2006-05-23T10:48:00.000+01:00

Well I am 40 weeks and 3 days and still intact. Bump is feeling rather hard now but I am feeling ok. Well I am much better since I was told that I am Anemic, suffering from an extremely low iron store. Although I am taking enough Iron my body isn't storing Iron. This can cause a number of things, it can cause bleeding or your blood not to clot, a small baby at birth, tiredness, pale skin and general fatigue, which all happens in pregnancy anyway! Anemia a condition where red blood cells are not providing adequate oxygen to body tissue. This happens when your body has a deficiency of iron. Iron deficiency anemia is a decrease in the number of red cells in the blood caused by too little iron and effects 50% of pregnant women.

So there you have it, I need to eat more spinach and steak and take 600mg of iron a day and bingo I am back to normal. Well I feel much better within a day, so it must be working. However the midwife yesterday seem to be more worried than me. She opened her conversation with, 'I don't think you should have a home birth because their is a very high risk of a haemorrhage, so I would like to admit you to hospital'. I responded 'OK, when would that be?', she then discovered I had a show the on Sunday and talked me into thinking my waters had broken and decided that I should be induced today! I explained this was my third child and without sounding rather slack about the general upkeep of my body that my pelvic floor muscles weren't those of an 18 year old and may not be working as they should (you ladies will know what I am getting at!). After a number of calls to a consultant and hospital midwife, Claire (new midwife) was forced to examine me, she still was unsure whether my waters had gone and still insisted that I wake up at 6am and get into hospital, bags all packed for a short stay.

Holy moly, thank god it is my third child, even though I shed a tear it was only out of pure frustration at the thought of being in that hospital for a third time. I relunctantly rose at 6am, woke poor Erin at 6.30, still got a smile (bless her) and Clinton drove us to the delivery ward. I explained again to the student midwife that this was all a big mistake and there was no way anyone was sticking a drip in me if my waters hadn't gone. I did preempt my short visit by putting a call into another midwife the night before, (after their shifts had changed, another good thing to know that midwives shifts change at 8pm!!) I spoke to Vicky, a friend of mine and fellow NCT helper. She said don't worry, its probably nothing, down to a leaky pelvic floor muscle and after a quick examination I would at home in time for GMTV.....Which I am pleased to say I was.
So, I am here again, writing about my woes of waiting whilst I can hear Clinton battling with a set of shelves for Megans new bedroom. My poor little Megan has been with my parents for two nights now covered in Chickenpoxs. I did visit yesterday, even though I have been advised to stay away but I just couldn't resist. She was sick on Sunday night as well but thank god she is with my mum and dad, who she loves to be with so much, I know she is in the best hands but I really do miss her. Her room is looking lovely and I know she will really enjoy it when she comes back. Must dash as Erin is now seeking attention by head butting the underneath of the computer.

Pampering

2006-05-21T12:18:00.000+01:00

As well as bed buying, nesting and waiting, this week I have managed a bit of pampering too. It is a must for all pregnant women to pamper oneself in times of largeness and stress. Last week I had my locks cut off, I now have a shorter and more practical hair style, this week I have gone a reddy brown colour and covered the grey. I had a manicure and Pedicure because I can't actually reach my feet anymore.

I can't really fit into many clothes as bump has grown yet again. If NML could see me now she would be very scared. NML is one of my fellow work colleagues and blogers, I thought of her today because she became rather anxious about my size as I grew larger by the day, worried that I might pop in the office. Well I am much bigger now, I must take a photo to show you all but I am pleased with my nice round bump. I have seen some horrid looking ones in the past covered in stretch marks and veins, mine is rather firm and milky, no stretch marks or veins, just the odd foot sticking out from time to time. Bump can hold a bowl of icecream perfectly and a pint fits nicely on the top too, unfortunately the strongest thing I can stomach in my pint is water or milk at the moment.

After my last home visit from the mid wife I learnt that pineapple is very good to start things off, so we have stocked up. I have tried the lot, curry, raspberry leaf tea, long walks, a bit of how's your father, which was more like exercise than romance. I must admit I did giggle when I had to hold my legs in the air afterwards to encourage all the right bits to reach the right bits, if you see what I mean. Sorry don't like to get too graphic but that is what the midwife told me to do and I have been taught to do as I am told.

Now for the gross bits, so if you are reading this NML or any other screamish person, be warned. I had a show this morning, which is one of the first signs of labor. It is when the plug of the cervix comes out, rather gross really, a slimy plug of mucus with a slightly red/brown colouring. I told you, not very pleasant. But as it grossed everyone out I managed to grab a bath alone....Yes alone, with no child trying to wash my hair, throw toys at me or weeing in the bath. Just me and the bubbles and bump, it was bliss. I even managed, god knows how, to shave my legs!! Very impressed with myself. Whilst lying in the bubbles, watching bump glide around bubbles, rather like the Titanic dodging those ice bergs, I couldn't help notice how rather perfect my boobs were becoming, at last. One thing I have noticed this time around is my boobs haven't really grown that much, well now boys I am pleased to say they are starting. Now if MSlash is reading this he would be well impressed because they have reached that perfect proportion, as in nipple and boob size, sometimes in pregnancy you end up with the most enormous nipples but mine rather at that rather perfect stage. I dare say in a few weeks time they will be in a right mess but at that precise moment in the bath, all alone, they were perfect.!!

One final shock of the morning and the entire reason for me to turn on my computer was the shock that came next in the bath. After a good 10 minutes alone I was pleasantly surprised by a little quite Megan, asking very politely if I would mind terribly if she joined me in my bubbles. As she asked so nicely I melted and agreed, only if she sat at the tap end mind you!. As I attempted to pull off her vest I had a bit of shock.....Spots...And big ones....Some had even started to weep......Oh my god....... Chicken pox had finally struck the Daniels household, a day after I was due to give birth.....What else can he who can not be named put on us.!

I had noticed a spot on Megans face the night before, but she seemed really embraced by it and just wouldn't let me look at it so I just ignored it and with my pregnancy brain I forgot to look when she was asleep. Within one hour these spots were coming up everywhere, over her back, tummy, legs, arms and even her head. Poor little thing, then I caught her looking for wet wipes, I thought she had wet herself but she just answered 'no mummy I just need them because of the spikes in my bottom are hurting', I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, poor little lamb.

She has been very good though, they aren't itching yet and after speaking to NHS direct we thought it best to send Megan to the grandparents for a few hours and pray for labor to happen in the next 10 minutes!! I am still waiting a good two hours after I said goodbye to my eldest spotty one! Actually I am still waiting for my darling hungover husband to appear to look after me!!! fine chance that is going to happen! Sore point about the hangover, but I really can't be bothered to moan anymore about men, beer and rugby......I have to just got to get on with life how it is and be grateful for what I have!

A week of waiting

2006-05-21T11:42:00.000+01:00

What an odd week I have had of waiting. My first week with no work, felt very weird not to wake with the alarm, not to have to get on a smelly tube every morning and night, having to worry about forecasts or issue sizes or not getting my commission paid because the market is in a bad way. Instead I have screaming children, housework, people continually looking around the house and the worry about giving birth in a few days or weeks, oh joy of joys, being a lady of leisure, you can never win can you!

Luckily Megan has still been going to nursery 3 days a week but Erin, of course is now with me 24 hours. It is lovely seeing so much of her but she is at that very annoying stage where she wants to be with you all the time, she wants to be held and played with constantly. Anything you eat or drink she wants too, this proved to be rather funny with my curry the other night and a boiling cup of tea she wanted to poor over herself. When she doesn't get what she wants she just shrieks and boy can she make a noise....Cant think where she gets that frustration from!!.

So this week has been a week of nesting and organising. It has taken an entire week to decide which bed to buy Megan and we have decided on a fairy castle mid level bed (with out the slide, seemed a bit OTT) We have searched high and low, looked at every website and visited many show rooms, from Stompa and Flexa to MFI, Ikea and Argos, we have done it all. I didn't realise there were so many brands of child's bed around and at all sorts of prices. Again the Scandinavian seem to be the best and most expensive too.

On Friday we did Lakeside retail park, in hope it would start off contracts but 7 hours later we ended up in Ikea with a sofa instead of a bed. We have finally bought a new sofa, not a leather one, like we had decided on about 6 months ago but a huge sofa bouncy one. It looks like it is custom fit to our front room, stretching along the entire length of the wall. Both Clinton and I can lie at each end and just about touch toes, what luxury. There were times when we liked to just cuddle up on the sofa, now we like our own space...How funny.

So I am now 40 weeks and a day pregnant and still nothing. I did have a few twinges in the week but think that was down to the way I was sitting!! Bump has dropped and is now very uncomfortable. Back ache is here but heart burn has slowed down, thank god. Hormones are racing and if anyone dare say just how big I am I think I will implode. God people are so rude, I mean you don't go up to random fat people and comment on how obese they are do you, so why to strangers feel they need to comment to a very hormonal person on how huge they are and how uncomfortable they look.....Jesus give me strength.

A very sad week for the Daniels family

2006-05-16T21:22:00.000+01:00

Sorry I haven't written in some time, I just haven't been up to it. In my 38th week, reality kicked in and made my pregnancy seem so unimportant in the big picture of life. On Monday 8th May we had a phone call from South Africa to inform us that Terry, my father in law had been killed in a car crash. Words can not explain how this made me feel, shock was the only thing I could feel. My colleagues were great, Paul got me in a cab and sent me home to Clinton, who was looking after our girls, Danny and Ellie. My mum came and picked up the kids from Clinton, leaving just Erin fast asleep and unware of what was happening around her. When I arrived Clinton was just silent. He wasn't talking about how he felt or expressing any emotion. I just hugged him and just stayed with him whilst he phoned around the world letting his relations know this terrible news. Its times like this that the grapevine does work. We told Pete the news and he then informed a number of close friends, this was great because Clinton received many texts and calls from people around him that really care and want to support him in times like this.

The next few days were just very odd, lots of questions, some left unanswered, about Terrys terrible death. He was involved in a car crash with a lorry on the main road into Capetown. The coroners report said he had a heart attack, which then caused the crash. They say he was dead before impact, however this still hasn't been confirmed in Clinton mind. I do not think the reality has hit him yet, the reality that he will never see his dad again. It is hard when you don't have regular contact with someone on a daily basis, when you don't see or hear from them day to day, it makes it hard to believe that a relationship is over. Feelings of guilt also set in, guilt that we should have made more regular contact, more phone calls and visits but we can't turn back the clock, we can't change the past, only make things better for the future. I know how hard it will be when we go to South Africa and the big friendly giant isn't there to give us a hug, to make Clinton laugh, to reminisce about rugby and entertain us with his humor. This is when Clinton will morn his father.

Clinton thought long and hard about flying to South Africa, the decision was hard because I am 38 weeks pregnant and he just didn't want to miss the birth of his child and leave me alone. This in itself brought me back to reality, I didn't think he would have responded like that and found comfort in his words. The funeral was on Friday 12th. Clintons Granny Sheila flew down with her step son Michael, Des and Julia drove down from Welcom, Clintons godfather managed to get there too. Schelton (Clintons step brother) and Ursula were strong and held things together for everyone. Noleen (Clintons stepmother) and Lianne (his half sister) stayed with Schelton during those difficult days, I can not think how horrid it must have been. Selfishly all I keep thinking is how I would have been if I had lost my lovely Dad.

Clinton wrote his feelings down, I think this showed his family far more feelings than actually being at the funeral, it shows how he would like to remember his dad.

Dad

Sorry I couldn't be there today. I am where you would want me to be, in London looking after Eve and the kids and waiting on the arrival of your fourth grandchild who is due this week.

I remember standing outside Cape Town airport 2 years ago on my way back home to London. We gave each other a big hug and both burst out crying much to the discomfort of onlookers. Although I believe that two good looking, big 6 foot 2 men hugging in Cape Town is quite normal these days. It reminded me that you are my dad, I am your son, we love each each other and that's all that matters.

I'm not going to stress what a great man you are because I know you are and so does everyone else. Instead I am going to remember the thing that sticks out most in my mind about your personality, your laugh. Even a bad joke was funny when you laughed. What a great laugh you had and you laughed a lot which made me smile and that's how I will remember you.

We never did find out who could drink the most beer in a night. I think we ran out of beer and time. Things don't often finish the way we want and there is never enough time to say and do the things we want. So next year in France when I watch the Bokke beat the Poms in the world cup I will have a good few beers and laugh a lot with you.

Don't worry about Noleen shes in good hands. We know how much you loved her and we will make sure she sees your grandchildren grow.

Always

Clinton, Eve, Megan, Erin and Bump
xxxxx

38 weeks - 6 days left of work

2006-05-04T07:36:00.000+01:00

I woke this morning at 5.30 and it is my day off! Can you believe it. Erin stirred and by the time I got back into bed I was just wide awake. I tried my hardest to sleep but got excited about the things and cores I had to do today. That is another sad thing about me, I get excited about work things! very odd. Instead of going on line and answering work emails this morning I managed to catch up on my blog, so I am very pleased with myself as it is only 7.30am.

By 6am I was on my first cup of green mint tea, a new drink I have discovered after dining at a Moroccan restaurant with the lovely friend, Clare (Fluff). Green tea is very good for your system but tastes horrid so by adding mint leaves and brown sugar you end up with a very tasty drink. I haven't had a real cup of tea in 3 days and feel much better for it.

I am now approaching my 38th week of pregnancy, have 6 days left at work and really have done no preparation for number 3. Clinton pointed out last night that if was to go into labour next week my parents are away and we don't even have cover for the kids!.

Well as Megan and Erin were both late I am just assuming that this one will be late too, but one should never assume! I did a few radical things yesterday. I asked the estate agency to take yet another £10k off the asking price of our house to encourage a sale and I cancelled one part of my mortgage direct debit as I really don't trust the bank to do it on time and I don't want yet another £600 taken out of my bank account this month.

I am now 38 week pregnant, bump 3 should weigh about 7 to 7.5 pounds / 3.1 to 3.4 kilograms and she continues to build her fat stores that will help regulate body temperature after birth. Her organ systems are fully developed and in place, but the lungs will be last to reach maturity. (Even when baby is born, it may take a few hours before she establishes a normal breathing pattern.) Most Caucasian babies are born with dark blue eyes but both Erin and Megan were born with brown eyes, in fact we have had doctors saying how unusual Erins big brown eyes were. The colour of most baby's eyes in the first minutes after birth won't last -- exposure to light changes a baby's initial eye colour. Most African and Asian babies usually have dark grey or brown eyes at birth -- their dark eyes becoming a true brown or black after the first six months or year. Multiracial children often turn out to have the most beautiful coloured eyes, just like little Molly.

One thing that I have noticed throughout my pregnancy is the congestion I have been suffering. It feels that I have constant hay fever and my ears and are all echoey, it is very annoying as I have to keep asking people to repeat themselves all the time, I just can't concentrate when lots of people are in the room talking, but hey what's new!. I am still very flemmy too and now I constantly need to go to the toilet but when I get there nothing happens, again very annoying.

My home birth kit was delivered this week and I am off to the mid wife today for my next check up, I think everything is going to plan.

Anyway I must get Megans breakfast, she has finally woken and today she does seem in a much better mood! Lets hope it stays that way.

Christening, naming ceremonies, birthdays and BBQ's

2006-05-04T07:12:00.000+01:00

What a busy Sunday, after a mad Saturday. With no girls in tow (they were enjoying a morning with their grandparents) I had a nice long bath, alone! and got ready for the church on time. Clinton and I went to watch baby Alexander Follows get christened at St Johns Church, the church where we married and had Megan christened. I really enjoyed the ceremony, had a good old sing song, even though Clinton smelt of alcohol and found it really hard not to laugh at the ladies singing next to him or the godly words from the sermon. Clinton is not a religious man and would rather discuss dinosaurs with vicars than miracles, but that is an entirely different story.

After church and our polite conversations with the christening party and the vicar we descended on my folks with orange juice and pain aux chocolate and rescued them from our little treasures. Megan was dressed in her party dress, Erin in her Kango silver trouser suit (bless) and we arrived at the first christening party, Flash and Kate. We spent a few hours there, it took us a time to leave as Megan managed to wee all over their rather nice unsoiled sofa (what a sofa to pick to pee on!) and the cream carpet! Flash insisted in washing the sofa covers, there and then and asked politely for me to make sure the stain was out of the carpet! I felt awful and made a quick escape to the next party at Kirten and Iains.

We made it just in time for the speeches, just as the clouds came over their lovely garden and the sun disappeared for the day. The kids still enjoyed all Euans birthday toys, the giant Thomas the tank engine, the mini bouncy castle and the sand pit. Euan managed to pop the bouncy castle by eating it and a few of the girls managed to pop Thomas by continually jumping from a height into it! By this time i was beginning to feel my pregnancy. I tend to just listen to everything around me and not get involved in conversation because my mind doesn't actually function and I just find it hard to communicate. Sounds very odd, even though there was so much happening around me I just didn't have the energy to be entertaining or to talk to anyone. This is the time when its great to have a baby because you can just disappear and watch some crap on TV and blame it on the kids.! It was a great party but by 9.30 I had really had enough and was ready for my sofa. Megan was tired and grumpy, Erin was starting to get hungry again! We all left before the curry came out and we got a second wind!

What a day, actually what a weekend so far!

Showered

2006-05-04T05:55:00.000+01:00

Saturday 29th April - my third baby shower or storking as Becs has now christening the annual event. Rebecca arrived very promptly at 11.30 with 4 lasagna's in her car, whilst I was still trying to get the two kids dressed and ready as well as trying on my 4th pair of trousers, that still didn't fit. The sun had decided to come out on us today, so I finally settled with the three quarter length jeans and by the time I got out the house I realised I had only remembered to shave my under arm and not the legs! Well it is very difficult to reach the old pins at this stage in pregnancy as you can imagine. I did attempt to paint the toe nails, which took long enough as I had to come up for breath on each toe!

Finally got to mums about 12.15, after a quick tour of their beautiful home we got the lasagna's in the oven and and the salads chopped for the arrival of my first guest, Kirsten. Kirsten's little boy Euan is a few weeks younger than Erin and she has been frantically organising his naming day and birthday (combined) which was all due to happen the next day, therefore she had a number of things on her mind, like the 100 guests descending on her the next day! However in true form she came for a good few hours to celebrate my next popping!

Within the next hour the girls started arriving. It was lovely to catch up with everyone again. Sarah and Kath (two of my eldest friends from nursery) came, I haven't seen them for at least 6 months. Amber, my best mate at school and true friend came for the afternoon with her mum, Nonna Lynn (1/2 Italian), it was great to catch up with Amber and Lynn as they look after Erin in the week and I hardly ever see them. Sounds odd but being a working mum, Clinton and I drop Erin off on the way to work and Clinton picks her up, I stay in the car really and very rarely get the chance for a good old gossip. So even though my child and husband catch up with Amber on a daily basis I don't because work still occupies my time.

The good old girlie crew Sally, Cathy, Damiti, Lisa, Venitia and Clare G entertained us with tales of their growing up experiences. We had lengthily discussions on collonic irrigation, ways of losing weight, getting healthy, men, work, life and for good measure I added in the odd vibrator story to add a bit of juice to the conversations. Lynsey and her gorgeous boy, Oliver, came along, she looks great and is getting on with the wonders and woes of baby life. I hope to see more of Lyns when I am off, its so important to give each other support, sometimes you can feel really alone, even when there is a lot happening around you, it is also nice to have a bit of change, so Lynsey, we must meet up more over the summer and break that routine.!

This time around I did the sensible thing and asked the girls not to shower me with lots of lovely gifts, as it is my third time now and I do feel a little guilty in accepting more goodies from my friends. However there are a few things that I do need for bump 3 that are a little more expensive. I have always longed for a Stokke Trip Trap high chair and have felt it a little extravagant in the past to pay out £120 for a couple of pieces of wood that resembles a chair, however Mum and Dad bought Erin one for her first birthday and they are fab so I thought it would be lovely to get a matching one for number 3. We also need a cot bed and a cozy toes for our Phil and Ted double buggy. The wonderful Becs did a collection and so far we have Â£155. This is fantasticic as I can now start to order online and get the things I really need. So thank you all very much for your kind gifts and donations, I can't wait to show you all my goodies when they arrive.

There were a few faces missing on Saturday but I hope to catch up with them over the next few weeks or after Miss Daniels decides to arrive. We did have quite a long day that didn't actually stop until the early hours! My life has never been conservative and I am not a predictable person, always surprising myself really. Jonathan came to mums to pick up Rebecca and Sally and the remainder of the Lasagna's in the evening, they left about 11.30pm.

I forgot to mention that the boys left for the rugby club at about 2.30 to watch the last game of the season. Clinton and Dad took Simon, (Lynseys lovely hubby) to consume a number of pints and watch their favourite sport. Well Dad returned at 9.30pm, rather worse for wear, I believe Simon stayed out as well and as for my hubby, well you can imagine......Beer, rugby club, music, mates..Yes you can imagine, it took wild horses to pull him away, literally.

A12.30am, on my way home, (I did leave the girls in bed at mum and dads,) I decided to call Clinton as I had his door keys. He was enjoying the atmosphere, the disco was going strong, as we now have a late night opening at the club. The beer was flowing and all teams were celebrating the last game of the season. My plan was to drop the keys off and retire to my bed for an un disturbed night of sleep. How wrong could I be, whilst I was on the phone to Clinton a fight broke out next to him, a fight between a man and a women. Now I know that female rugby players can be just as tough as the men but this particular girl did not deserve to be hit, yes hit, by one of the first team! Who is an international player and goes out with Kirsty Gallagher! Samson is an arrogant, silly, little man. He has short mans syndrome and to top it off thinks he is an Adonis. All these things put together and the fact he hit a girl didn'tnt really appeal to Clinton and caused him to become rather bothered, to say the least. So my short visit to the club ended up with me trying to stop a storm in a teacup for bubbling over. It took quite a few men to get Clinton in the car, he wasn't very impressed with the young Samson's behaviour. As I left the club I managed to get a quite word in with the woman basher myself. It took everything to stop me placing a large slap across his pretty little face. The conversation went like this.....(team mates were laughing and geering as Clinton and co exited the building, followed by large pregnant woman) one person shouted, 'Oh my god she is pregnant!' I turned to face the guilty Samson, bent down to his level and quietlyly said 'You are a very silly little man'. He then shouted and who the F..... are you! His mate?' I then soberly said 'No, his wife'. He then replied 'Do you want a thump as well then?'. At this point I nearly popped but due to my 8 month baby, my calm approach and the fact that I didn't have a vodka in me I just stood up, smiled and left the building. All these witty things popped into my head as I exited, all these clever words and reactions that I really wish I could have done at the time but things never happen like you want them to, do they!. I really hope Samson gets disiplined but I doubt he will because the club need him and boy does he know it! Well what comes around goes around. At least Clinton didn't hit him and cause even more gossip for that club to brew on over the summer.

Those embracing moments

2006-04-28T09:25:00.000+01:00

Oh god, I have had my fair share of embracing moments but I really experienced a monty python moment yesterday. My morning started off well, even though Megan wasn't in the greatest of moods I still managed to reach Paddington by 9am to meet Steph. I had a hand over meeting with one of my nicer clients, Sharp. My client, Jenny, recently started at Sharp and she is just lovely, a mad Queen fan, very nice, a good laugh and professional with it. Steph and I were introduced to her boss, who was rather nice too, if you see what I mean!!. He was so refreshing because he was so excited about his products, so positive and well...just happy.

Now, I have done a few embracing things throughout my pregnancy, sneeze and wet myself, laugh so hard I snort, constantly bumping into things, people and animals with my bump and I have even fallen over in a train station during commuting hours, ripped a whole in my best maternity trousers and embarrassed a colleague that I am not that familiar with, he just didnt know where to put himself! very funny. But yesterday I think I topped it all.

I was in the middle of pitching CA, trying to justify why sharp should promote their solar panels and TV's in a computer mag (I mean, a bit far fetched by I need to feed my children). I felt the burning sensation creeping up my wind pipe that many us of pregnant women feel, then suddenly it all went horribly wrong and I burped, well thought that I burped but I actually brought up sick or bile or what ever you want to call it but I had no choice but to swallow it and continue pitching....god the things I do for Computeractive. Luckily Steph saved me without even knowing it, she continued talking about the LCD market whilst I quickly ate a biscuit to get rid of the taste of acid. Really quite horrid and it could have been a very embracing situation. I am becoming a liability.!

My favorite times

2006-04-25T22:19:00.000+01:00

My favorite times with the girls have to be bath times. They both love the water, especially Erin. Megan doesn't like her hair being washed or water in her ears, she is much more delicate than Erin, but she does love playing in the bath. Erin is a rough and tumble little thing. Don't get me wrong she does have her wimpy sensitive times when she cries if you laugh at her or make loud noises when she is tired but she is much tougher than Megs.

Managed to get away from work quite pronto today so I got to the station by 6.30. Clinton insisted in picking me up in the car as usual (he doesn't like me getting on the bus at the end of a long day!). Even though Megan was fast asleep, Erin was wide awake and full of the joys of life. As soon as we got home we played lots with her hammer and peg set (thanks Becs, she loves it), then all her rings that fit on top of each other. She is such a show off, she knows how to put all the rings on top of each other and she posts all the shapes through the wooden shape thing. Much quicker than I have seen any baby do! Very impressed. Yesterday she also hit a milestone. She walks! Yes she walks with the help of support. She stood up holding onto her little chair and pushed it across the entire floor. Fab stuff, we all started clapping, which of course made her clap and fall over. She was really chuffed with herself and kept showing off, again and again.

Erin and I had a lovely pamper session tonight, after her bath I have her a nice massage, cut her nails, brushed her hair, cleaned her ears and everything. We ended up having cuddles for so long I quite forgot about Eastenders and missed the first 15 minutes. God I must have been enjoying myself, not much makes me miss Easties. I do love those quite moments with my girls, its fun and it calms them down before bedtime.

Thank god there is crap on TV tonight, it has encouraged me to make Erins thank you cards for her 1st birthday, a bit late I know but I think its important to keep in touch with everyone. I have some stupid program on behind me about Girls Aloud, oh my god, what a pile of poo, they are all so blond (sorry to all my blond friends but hello....TV will show anything nowadays). Anyway I suppose I best stop bloging and get myself into bed, boy do I need my beauty sleep and I want to catch up on NML blog to find out what is happening with her new man. Very exciting stuff.

running and snoring

2006-04-24T10:55:00.000+01:00

My day started at 4am, when my darling husband took 10 minutes to connect the key in the front door and open it. Thank god Trevor was with him because I don't know how he would have got home in one piece. I did hear Trevors kind offer to put him to bed but Clinton grunted he would be ok and then took 35 minutes to climb the stairs, undress, bounce off every wall in the house and fall into bed. Within seconds the snoring began and every 15 minutes I pinched, squeezed, kicked and shouted at this slug like body to achieve silence, which unfortunately didn't work.

Eventually Megan crawled into bed (on my side this time) at 6.30am, she even commented on 'Daddies noisy nose' so we escaped downstairs to the sofa and fuffly blankets to watch the marathon runners prepare for the big start.

By 9am we were fed and dressed and outside in the rain watching the elite women run around the Sun in the Sands round about. We then met our lovely neighbours who invited us in for tea and bacon butties. What a lovely start to the real morning. I managed to get a now silenced Megan into Marie and Bens house, with our wet buggy and a moaning Erin, when the mobile went, it was a wet Lisa and Katie Louise, who had watched their first marathon and were also up for tea and bacon butties. So we were all entertained by little Louis (Megans 3 year old friend) and Ben at number 11 Sun Lane, whilst Clinton slept like a baby in his bed until 2.30pm!!

By 3.30pm I was ready to leave Clinton with the girls and run off with Fluff to London. Clare treated me to a night of Ballet. I had a lovely night, we drove to London, which did take 2 hours but I did enjoy the journey as we chatted lots about life and the universe. We then had a lovely meal at a Moroccan restaurant off Regent street followed by a few hours at the Apollo cinema to watch a film on the Ballet Russe, all those prima ballerinas, how they started the ballet Russe and how it finished. It was great, I really enjoyed myself and again Clare made me feel special. Thanks hun x

Family picnic

2006-04-24T10:24:00.001+01:00

What a lovely Saturday we had, the weather was wonderful and we took real advantage by having a BBQ at the Rugby club. This sparkled up my horrid Friday and gave me the chance to have a good old gossip with all lots of the girls. Danny (one of our Fijian friends) is leaving England, so boy did we send him off with a bash. As a true rugby player he started on the beers at 10am, so by 2pm he could just about stand and by 4pm when we tied the guitar to his hands he had to be held up by friends whilst he played and sang some great Fijian songs.

I managed to paint about 10 children faces, it was great, I just sat in one place, was spoilt with drinks and food, whilst I managed to keep the kids quite for a few hours. It was funny in the evening watching all these butterflies, bunnies, mice and vampires running around the club house. My evening was a little quieter. I took Molly home with the girls (Fionas little 18 month girl) because Fi was working. The girls were great, mine went straight be bed after their baths and Molly went to sleep in my bed (which she apparently never does) by 9am. So I had a chilled evening on the sofa watching crap TV in between a bit of shut eye.

36 weeks now

2006-04-22T01:21:00.000+01:00

Bump 3 is really growing. By the end of this week I will be full term. This means she can be born any day now. (Babies born before 37 weeks are premature or pre-term, and those born after 42 weeks are post-mature or post-term.) I am feeling increased pressure on the lower abdomen and notice that baby has dropped, I thought it was because my muscles are weak but apparently this is all very normal. This is called lightening or engagement. My lungs and stomach will finally get a chance to stretch a bit, even though I am still quite short of breath. The reason for my breathlessness isn't just because I am a shorter than average person and haven't got a lot of room in my tummy, it is because the top of my uterus is up under my ribs, apparently I should try getting down on all fours to take deeper breaths, yeh right, what a site that would be, once I got down I wouldn't be able to get back up again. Walking is increasingly uncomfortable, it sometimes feels that baby is going to just fall out or being kicked out as she is a real kicker, much worse that Megan and Erin. I also feel I need to wee all the time and it is annoying when I do reach the damn toilet for nothing to happen, very frustrating.

I should at this stage be practicing my pelvic floor exercises but I am just too lazy and just keep forgetting!

Apparently baby now has her fingernails and has a fully developed pair of kidneys, her liver can also process some waste products. There's much less amniotic fluid and much more baby in your uterus, which has expanded to a thousand times its original size. I am now 11stone 7, shouldn't really be telling you my weight! I have put on 23 pounds when the norm is between 25 and 30 pounds, so I am doing ok, I was a little overweight to start with but I am happy with my weight today anyway. My belly button has got bigger and looks horrid, I don't like belly buttons at the best of times.

I saw the midwife yesterday, she took two lots of bloods and tested my urine for protein. Got the same telling off for not drinking enough water but apart from that everything is ok. All the aches and pains are just normal, so are the swollen fingers and feet, dry lips, tiredness, heart burn, emotions etc. She just told me to put my feet up....Is she for real, when am I going to find the time to do that!

That has to be it for now, I have written way to much this evening and have a busy weekend. Tomorrow we have a big BBQ at the club and on Sunday we have the London Marathon and Fluff is taken me to the movies to see a film all about the ballet, we were both ballerinas in our youth you see, just one of the things we both have in common.

Why do I give a damn

2006-04-21T23:31:00.000+01:00

What an end to a week. I am now 36 weeks pregnant, have 3 weeks left at work and 4 weeks till I am due to pop. Even though it is my third time around I am actually still petrified about the whole birth thing. I am not a screamish person and may appear to be confident and cool about birth but secretly inside and am pooing myself! I can remember that it was painful, even though I can't remember the pain. I also remember it all being over and how relieved I was when I saw my little girls kicking with all their fingers and toes, eyes and a nose! I know Clinton will be there for me as well as my wonderful supportive family and friends but I still get that shock of reality hitting home saying 'Hey girl, its you that has to do this one and you have to do it on your own, no one else can do it for you, no one can stand in your place,' and that is what scares me!

It's not like a stumbling block at work when you are worried about presenting and putting it off for another week or getting someone to answer the phone In case it is that difficult client you haven't got an answer for, this is real and its something that you have to do. God there I go again, scaring myself and talking crap, if you are pregnant, please don't worry about my words, it is just reality kicking in. Most people are living this all the time, I kind of try and put real things aside until I am ready to deal with them.

Back onto my nightmare week. Work work work, it really is swings and roundabouts. I do have some great people working around me but sometimes they do drive me crazy. There was an incident today when one of my colleagues exploded at me because I attempted to answer a problem in his absence. I look at the whole situation now and can't work out whether is just a sign of either insecurity or youth but it is still really bugging me at the way my colleague reacted and spoke to me. Maybe I shouldn't have made contact with this client and just left them to fester, however being a professional and also being the most senior person on the team (not that my colleague views that of me) I am also the Account Manager of the concerned client. It was also suggested by others around me to make the call, which I did. I established the problem and was attempting to solve it when my colleague returned and erupted just like the little green furry sprite in the advert on TV. His face turned into a pickled beetroot, all squashed and angry and he began shouting like a fish wife. At first I thought he was talking to someone else or acting out a scene from a movie, because he is a bit of a joker, but oh no he was aiming this anger at me. I look at the situation now and see his reaction rather animal like, trying to guard his den, protect his actions, however you want to describe it, the only reason why it angered me was because he spoke to me like a child, implying I had no right to stick my nose in where it wasn't wanted when all I was doing was trying to stop one of my clients from reducing my commission at the end of the month, as simple as that really. This whole silly discussion just highlighted the reason why I am not happy in my job, I used to react like that to justify myself, it was something I did 10 years egos, when he was still at school. I forget I am surrounded by keen young individuals who want to prove their worth and strut their stuff. To be honest with myself this tells me that maybe I should be proving myself too, I mean you are only as good as your last sale (I hear them all say) but I feel I am in a role I did long ago, it makes me realise I just don't have the same wants as those around me and maybe I shouldn't be trying to fit into this role anymore. I can't be bothered to raise my feathers, strut my stuff and justify my existence! I am one of the most experienced members of the team and am very capable at raising issues and uncovering problems. After all should I really be trying to justify my worth, I am expecting my 3rd child as well as being in my 15th year in sales. I think I can quite positively say I have already justified my existence to the company or they wouldn't still be paying my wages. Anyway I feel much better for saying all this now.

One last nag about the way that people do treat each other. It makes my blood boil when people feel like they have the right to shout at each other without engaging their brains first. I know that women suffer from hormones but today was a true demonstration of the male hormone and how anger brings out the worse in someone. God why am I going on, it is only work and as I said earlier I only have 3 weeks left of it. As you can see this situation has really bugged me but I must get on with life and not dwell on silly things like this. Hormones, hormones, hormones!!!

Easter Egg Hunt

2006-04-21T23:09:00.000+01:00

One great thing about having kids is you just don't need to grow up. Even though Clinton didn't want to be Peter Pan for the day I wanted to be Tinkerbell. Mum and Dad had already hidden lots of eggs all over their house and I continued to add to Megans calorie intake. After lunch Megan and I began our hunt, about 30 minutes later we returned with lots of goodies and brown faces! Megan didn't seem too disappointed when she found out that the Easter bunny was made by Lindt and could fit in the palm of her hand. The egg hunt really took it out of me. The start of my 35th week was taking its toll. I was so pleased that I had another day away from Soho but unfortunately still felt so tired. My heartburn was as bad as ever, my fingers and feet were growing too much for my liking and my lips have again reached that really dry sore state.

Baby is formed now and is just getting bigger, she is really moving so much now, I thought this was the time to calm down girlie, but no!! don't be silly she is half me isn't she and just can't stay still. My skin feels so stretched and it feels so odd when you can actually see her feet sticking out of my tummy. Even Megan is seeing how baby is taking it out of me. She suggested I rest for a while when we went for a walk and got me to sit down and eat crisps half way down a hill. So sweet when your 3 year old say 'Now Mummy I think you need a little rest now, lets sit here and have a rest with some crisps, they will make you feel much better'. How funny!

35 weeks and counting

2006-04-21T22:47:00.000+01:00

Last weekend I reached my 35th week of pregnancy. I somehow got a second wind on Saturday and decided to take the girls to the park by foot. Well actually I had no choice really, Clinton took the car to play golf and I had to run away from the house as the dull Peter was bringing yet more potential buyers around to see the house. I really couldn't be bothered to sell the benefits of my lovely home to yet another cheesy couple so decided to get out of the house before they reached the door.

This proved quite a fate. I woke early and managed to hoover, scrub, polish, dust and tidy the entire house before 11am. Quite a feat as it was only 6 hours since some young chap thought that I was disabled! The next hour could have made it in a Carry on film. Megan has reached that point during her third year of life that everything can be done on her own. I did leave an hour to get her dressed in 2 socks, 1 vest, 1 pair of trousers, 1 jumper and 2 shoes. After 45 minutes of screaming 'me do it' 'no mummy, not like that' 'stop it mummy' Megan was still naked, the buyers were sitting in their car opposite the house, Erin was finally still and quite sitting in her pram and I was no nearer getting out of the door before Peter tried for the 45th time to sell my house. I finally forced Megans clothes on, strapped her into the double buggy and then struggled for approximately 1 1/2 minutes to physically get the buggy out of front door. All of this was infront of a rather embarrassed estate agent with his 4 viewers!! Funny enough we haven't had any feed back from them!!

By the time I reached the park, both kids were asleep and I was again in tears, baby 3 was kicking the life out of me, my knees were throbbing and I just felt entirely hopeless, weak and pathetic and all I wanted was a huge hug from Clinton and be told that everything was ok and that I actually look like Lara Croft before she started raiding the tombs. There I go again, living the fairy tale dream that everyone wishes for on their 30th birthday!.

Turning 30

2006-04-21T22:04:00.000+01:00

Well I turned 30 a few years back now but I seem to be going through the experience with a number of friends and colleagues around me. Some manage to experience this fate easier than others. Clinton really enjoyed his 30th last September and partied lots with his closest friends, didn't complain or moan or worry that he no longer had a two in his title. However some people don't half make a song and dance out of it! I mean I know I'm the wrong side of 30 but big deal! I just get on with life. When I hit 30 I was young, free and single, my life was really quite different. I had a fabulous party, organised by one of my closest friends, Rebecca. I had all my family and friends around me and was really looking forward to the future. However so many twentyniners complain that they haven't reached the ultimate position they want to reach, they haven't met their match, their soul mate, haven't sorted out their career or had the family they had always dreamed of. I just look back and think what a ridiculous way of thinking to wish your life away that quickly, how sad are some people, my 30th birthday now seems to be a huge turning point for me, everything changed when I reached 30th. I met Clinton, got married and had my first beautiful child. Yes my career slowed down a little but still the rest of my life started falling into place. So if you are worried about turning 30, just give yourself a slap and be grateful you have so much to look forward to!

Onto the reason for this rant of being 30! I went to a great 30th last weekend for Sally. A bright and glam friend of mine, who threw a wonderful bash in a fab manor house in Dulwich. She went the whole hog, and why not! pink balloons, party bags, hand made party cakes, candy floss machine and a huge projector and screen playing old movies whilst Jonathan the DJ played his tunes and we all boggied on down till the early hours. The beauty of being sober is that I can remember the entire evening and got to talk to lots of interesting people. Had great chats with Cathy, Jeff and Julie and long discussions on South Africa, state of the property market, careers and politics with Anton. I was even insulted by a city boy who found it fascinating that I could dance and smile with my disability! I assume he was implying my pregnancy as I wasn't wearing my MBT's at the time and didn't feel I looked at all disabled! Hey ho. I did manage to refrain from showing him the negative side of hormone levels, made a comment on his delightful tie and suit combinations and continued to shake my funky stuff with a few of my saner friends.!

I still managed to get home to put Clinton to bed at 2am, as he had fallen asleep infront of the TV once again!

Everyone sick

2006-04-12T13:02:00.000+01:00

Oh joy of joys, everyone is sick and crying, what a great way to start the day! Erin woke the entire street at 5.30, apart from Clinton, who slept through everything as usual. She was standing in her cot crying her heart out when I discovered she had a temperature of 37.8 (nearly 100). She wouldn't eat or drink, she just wanted cuddles. This calmed her down a lot, then Megan started. She has developed a horrid cough and a nasty attitude to go with it. So imagine this, I am walking around the kitchen with my eyes half shut, my tummy hanging out, trying to work out where Erins bottles are. I accidentally left one of the wall cupboard doors open and walked straight into it, banging my head. Luckily I am a short arse or it would have whacked Erins head instead. I then have to sit through Postman Pat and the Tweenies at 6am, trying to wake myself up.

By 8am Erin has managed to eat and drink, this brought her temperature down to 37.2 (still very high) I was quite pleased that we didn't need to use drugs to do this. Then Clinton manages to get himself out of bed and gets Megan dressed for school, he takes her to school and I take a nice walk to the doctors. After waiting about 40 minutes in the surgery I am then told off for bringing an ill baby into the well baby clinic!! Whoops, so sorry about this, I am a working mum and didn't realise this was a doctors surgery for healthy people, how bloody silly of me!!.

I managed to see a doctor who told me Erin had a high temperature (I had already gathered that one!) and an ear infection!. I explained that she had just finished her second lot of antibiotics this year and I really didn't want her to have any more just yet. The doctor then told me she was probably now immune to those antibiotics and she needed stronger ones, however 70% of ear infections actually go on their own with a bit of tender loving care and lots of Calpol. So I then departed the lovely clinic, unchained my pram (cant be too sure these days, especially in SE3!!!) and headed off home, with a hot little upset Erin.! Still none the wiser why my little girls is always ill!.

Now I am back at home I need to try and close the next issue of Computeractive, which isn't looking good what so ever! Jesus, why isn't life easy!

Braxton Hicks or the real thing

2006-04-07T13:45:00.000+01:00

Over the past few days I have been experiencing braxton hicks. In my first pregnancy I got them much earlier and I only had a few in my second but this time I have had them much later on, as in this week. Yesterday was bad, I didn't actually move off the sofa all night. It was lovely, Clinton made me dinner and I totally forgot to show my appreciation. I sometimes forget to speak when I get home, especially when full of hormones, tired and emotional. I and totally forgot to say thanks or show my thnaks to him. I know I complain when I feel I am taken advantage of and then I go and do the same back, so I am so sorry Clinton, I do appreciate you.

Braxton Hicks are practice contractions, they are named Braxton Hicks because Dr John Braxton Hicks first wrote about them in 1872. It would have to be a bloody man who discovered them wouldn't it, probably because no one would have taken a woman seriously in 1872!. I find that a nice warm bath soothes the feelings. They aren't painful, just annoying and uncomfortable. Doctors believe that Braxton Hicks contractions are part of your body getting ready for labor, and that they get the processes of effacement and dilation going in preparation for delivery. (This is called 'ripening'.) So there you go, I am finally ripe!!

I can't believe I still have 6 weeks to go! I really think I might just pop!

Watching the cheesy dancing was a giggle

2006-04-06T12:58:00.000+01:00

We had our team night out last night, which started in The Eagle with Ostrich burgers and grapefruit and soda. I was stuck, literally, behind the table and couldn't really move, so had lots of good chats with the girls around me. I updated them on our storker buyers, a very scary Aussie couple. Now I know I am a bit anal but hello.... this couple are beyond believe, I just have to tell you the story.

Monday was their third visit to 15 Sun Lane. We were asked if we could remove our children at 6pm for an hour so they can listen to the sound of the house!!!. Now I know we are close to the A2, however chucking my kids out of their bed for a mad Aussie bird to listen to the house is a bit extreme, but we are desperate so we did it.

After returning at 7pm to put the kids to bed, I then decided to cook a nice Spaghetti Bolognese, only to be interrupted, just before serving up, by the mad couple again. After about 30 minutes of very odd questions 'what kind of wood are the doors made of!' they left us in peace. Well for a short time because just as I took my last mouthful of pasta we heard another knock at the 'Wooden' door to discover our storker buyers had returned for the 5th time (3rd time that day) to have another little chat. By now it was 9.45, the conversation started 'we aren't in a chain and we imagine you would like to complete quickly......so..... We would like to offer you', well then my blood started to boil as they offered us £30k under the already dropped price, because these experienced first time buyers!! said it was the norm to offer 10% under the asking price these days!. I gritted my teeth and told them that if we were to sell our 3 bed, newly decorated, lovely Victorian end of terrace house in SE3 (don't you know) for £250k we wouldn't be able to live in a house in the South of England let alone a 4 bed one. They didn't really hear me as they repeated their insulting offer 3 times, I then very politely became more animated and actually mimed my disappoint at the nutters until they stood up and left, still saying 'We will leave our offer with you to think about'.....Hello how deaf are some people.

We did have a good laugh about it afterwards, even got a laugh out of the Estate agents, they weren't very happy to hear our buyers had offered us a price directly!!

Anyway back to our night out, after I managed to get free from the corner of the restaurant we retreated to another local establishment to a few more beverages....I moved onto the diet cokes....whoopee I hear you say. We were entertained by the lovely Mark (known by the A team as M Slash) he keeps us all giggling with his tales, I wish I could go into the content but this is a family site and I wouldn't want to shock anyone. The heaters outside the pub did keep us warm for a while but when the Aussie barman switched them off at 11pm we got the hint and decided to continue the evening in a seedy student den called 'Rustys', a favorite of P Dots. The clientele were 99% male which worried a few of our macho men to start with but after a while the young ladies started to appear, who in turn encouraged the boys on the dance floor.

Its funny being sober as you can watch personalities grow stronger and people become more daring. The Paul's were chatting to a few dollies on the dance floor when I decided to make my exit and escorted the lovely Emma home in my car at 12.30am. I had been to Huntingdon and back to see a client that day so fortunately had my car with me, very convenient as it only took about 30 minutes to get home to my bed. A good night of entertainment though, I can't wait to join in the cheesy dancing and the vodkas again, something I do really miss being pregnant!

First dry night for Megan

2006-04-06T12:41:00.000+01:00

Yeh at last, Megan went through the night without wetting her bed, no steaming pyjamas on the radiator in the morning! No scrubbing matress's and washing sheets every morning. It did involve us lifting her twice in the middle of the night, after my team night out but it worked.

Erin is on her second lot of antibiotics, poor little love. Her bad chest is back, snotty nose and gummy eyes...very pleasant. Hopefully the better weather will help her mend.

The support belt is back, very unattractive but a must at the moment. Bump is very low and getting bigger. I dont think I have put much weight on in many other places but I do feel very heavy, god knows how i am going to make it through the next 7 weeks!. I have confirmed my last day at work is on 12th May....due day is 20th! Can't wait.

Approaching my 34th week

2006-04-03T22:18:00.000+01:00

Boy or boy, I do feel big now. It is mad. Baby D is very low now and it is hard walking at first. I am like a wind up toy, I start of slowly but when my cogs begin to work I can pick up speed. My heart burn is really playing up too. The old wives tale of heart burn is a hairy baby and this is true in the case of my other two, both were very hairy. They did lose that furry look after a few weeks, but not the most attractive thing dressed in pink!

Getting very tired now too. As I am so big I do manage to get a seat on the tube most days, I do try to read my book but after one paragraph I am asleep. I almost missed my stop today and tried to move quickly but my body just stayed behind, it must have looked quite funny trying to jump out my seat at Green Park.

All the team is back again, all but Damiti. She is now hot desking and spends 2 days a week on the 3rd floor with her new colleagues. M Slash had a mad weekend with the boys and a girlie in Bournemouth, P Diddy had his usual footie weekend and booked his hol's and Nat had a school reunion in Ireland with her school year, where they thought she was married with a kid! Nat was on form, she returned from Ireland to her new man and turned up with her suitcase at work today! Go Nat go. I haven't caught up on her blog yet but have this little feeling that she may be a little Lovvvveed up!

So the team is on form but the mags we are selling aren't all going that well, but hey ho, as long as the crew is enjoying life. Work is work after all and I have finally stopped taking it so seriously! Well this week I have anyway.

Shila and I are going to have our pregnancy leaving do's together. We are both leaving the same day, 12th May. I do hope I will make it, at the moment I am finding it rather hard getting in every day, it would be so much better if I could work from home, but I dare not ask! Shila looks very neat, it reminds me of my Erin pregnancy, very nice, I am jealous. It doesn't help my hormones when people mention how neat and small Shila looks, it just highlights how huge I am. Oh well, people just don't realise the hormones that float around your body when you are pregnant, even the ones that have had babies!!

No wonder I am tired all the time, I just can't sleep or get to sleep at night. Since having kids I just can't turn off and go into the lovely deep sleep I used to be able to do. Well with the help of half a bottle of vodka and several diet cokes I would be able to achieve that state but not in my current role as a pregnant mother! As I am yawning at my own writing I best take advantage. I know how my colleagues feel when reading all my boring call reports now. Must get some beauty sleep because boy do I need it. Good night peeps, speak soon xx

Out with the girls...or in with them

2006-04-03T21:16:00.000+01:00

Rebecca hosted a great night at hers with a few of the girls, the idea was to talk about new business ventures we could occupy our time with. As I am on maternity in 6 weeks I wanted to get some feedback on my idea. I won't go into depth about it as I want to build a website and do a business plan before I get too excited, but it is a way of working closer with Clinton, getting him lots of work and employing others to take on bigger jobs. I am really quite excited about the marketing and sales side of the business. We already have a LTD company set up for Clinton, this is just expanding it and taking on new work. I need to talk to an accountant now to look at tax problems we may face and how to employ others. Rebecca is also going to see if funding is available to get a professional website off the ground and Laura is going to help advertise the service by giving testimonials and promoting our service on the Telegraph intranet. That is all I am going to tell at this moment in time, just watch out for the website!

Onto the girls night. It was lovely to get out on a Saturday night, beats babysitting and waiting for Clinton to return from the rugby club all tanked up. We had lovely lasagna, cooked by the wonderful Rebecca, followed by lots of yummy pudding, ice cream and very healthy fruit. As the evening progressed and we went through the main topics of ideas, taxes, government and politics, men and marriage.

Rebecca and I suddenly realised that everyone had retired to bed or gone home, so we got on updating each other on everything that had gone on in our lives over the last few months. Bec's is doing really well in her business, I am so proud of her, she is so good at what she does and at last things are working out for her. Thank god she left VNU when she did, things have gone in the right direction. By the end of the year she will have a deposit for a house! She is planning to move in with Jonathan, she is so happy with him, it is great to see. Bec's is also so supportive of the things I do, she gives advice but doesn't force her opinion on me, just what you need from a friendship. Her and Pete (Clintons best mate) have been a godsend in our relationship, I don't know what I have would have done with either of them. It was great to spend some quality time with Bec’s and boy can we put the world to rights and catch up with all the gossip, we continued for hours, me on the fizzy water and Bec’s on a number of bottles of White. At 4am we realised the time and called it a day, I could have carried on till breakfast but thought better of it. It was a lovely evening, thanks Bec’s, I really needed that.

Erins 1st Birthday

2006-04-03T20:57:00.000+01:00

Bless her, Erin wasn't on form for her birthday, has yet another cold that went straight to her chest and eyes, she woke up with her eyes stuck together and her nose stuck to the bed! After a nice clean up and breakfast we made a start of all her lovely pressies. Little Euan McCloud joined us at midday and helped open her lovely gifts, even though he is 3 weeks younger than Erin he is a little more advanced, he is standing and walking holding on, where as Erin can just pull herself up and hold on. I think Megan enjoyed all the pressies, she acted surprised as she opened each present she wrapped and then played with all the toys, not letting Erin have a look in. It nearly ended in tears. In the afternoon Erin spent her birthday at the rugby club, crawling around the floor attempting to hoover up all the crisps, we escaped by 7pm, got home for a quick dinner, bath and bed because Mummy was out on the town!! Clintons time to babysit!!

Little Lal

2006-03-28T14:41:00.000+01:00

And here is little Lal, what a mixture of Mamta and Raj. Very chilled in Barbados. Congratulations to the Lal family on Raj's holiday win. Raj recently won sales person of the year, his gift was a £2500 holiday to the Carribean. I remember when I was young I won a holiday at VNU....but it was to Paris not Barbados.

I can't believe how much Nikhil has grown, obviously likes his porridge.

Little Oliver Davis

2006-03-28T13:52:00.000+01:00

Bless, Oliver is now 4 months and Lynsey is enjoying her hourly walks with the pram. I can't believe I still haven't seen him. I think visits have calmed down for Lyns and Simon now so hopefully I will get a few hours cuddling next week. It doesnt seem long ago that we were chucking vodkas down our necks in St Katherine dock! God how time flys!

new babies

2006-03-28T13:46:00.000+01:00

New babies on the scene. Sarah Speak at work has recently given birth to little Joshua, he is putting on 12 ozs a week, which is loads, proper little lad. Looking forward to seeing him when he makes his first trip into Soho in the next few weeks.

This is all making me broody!

Katie and her god mum

2006-03-24T00:12:00.000Z

Gary was wearing the bonnet and cardi 40 years ago. Now that is scary.

Katie and myself propping up the bar in the rugby club after a quick visit to the font and a splash with the vicar.

What a good little girl she was, not even a tear.

Me and my girlies

2006-03-24T00:09:00.000Z

Megan was rather tired after running around chasing the boys at the rugby club.

Hey girls look at my tan! the weather was fab in Newcastle! well the rain was muddy!

Lisa with Godmums and Katie Louise, then below Gary, Lisa and Katie louise

2006-03-24T00:02:00.000Z

Little mover

2006-03-23T23:40:00.000Z

Goodness this baby loves to move. I nearly grabbed her foot today, or some limb anyway. She is constantly kicking me and moving around my body. It is funny because when she pushes her foot out if you push it back she moves it all around, you can actually see it moving, really quite wierd.

At 32 weeks she weighs about 4 lbs/1.8 kilos and will actually look like a baby now. She is about 18inches/45 cms long, well I will have that confirmed next tuesday by the mid wife. Her organs will continue to mature, however she will be fine if she comes into the world tomorrow!(we would like to think so anyway). Apparently brain scans at this age show that at eight months they can dream. She is also passing urine getting ready for the big wide world. The books say that I would have gained 3 or 4 pounds this month!! more like 7 or 8!!.

Her lungs are almost fully developed and she can open and close her eyes. Apparently she can see what is happening in the utero, she can tell light and dark! That must make her a night owl then because that is when she wakes up for sure. I have a dancing queen inside me! If you shine a torch at your tummy the baby may react and reach towards the light. I will have to try that with Megan.

I am feeling short of breath and there is a reason for this too. The uterus is pressing against my diaphram because the baby is not fully down in the pelvis. When it comes to the second/third child the head doesn't engaged until the last minute. The muscles are much more relaxed on the third time round. Very annoying though because when the baby drops it makes more room to breath, oh well, I will just have to pant lots!

Fame

2006-03-23T13:33:00.000Z

Fame at last, well in some sort of way. I have just submitted my first article into the NCT newsletter on creating a web log. I will let you know how it goes, never know it may be the start of a new career. I do love a challenge.

Also had some more great news. Clinton and I are going to be an Aunty and Uncle again. Schelton and Ursula are having a baby girl, their due date is 26th September. You never know it may be born on Clintons birthday. There is another reason to go to South Africa on our winter holidays!

Mates

2006-03-22T13:38:00.000Z

Just got a lovely picture of the Beresford Knights on their spring time break to Egypt. I can't believe how quickly little Lucy has grown. Vicky is doing well in her career, moving up the ladder at BT. Its good to hear that some companies promote mums!

What a weekend

2006-03-21T23:33:00.000Z

4 days in Newcastle, what a lovely time we had. Although it did rain quite a bit we had fun. I was rather tired by Monday afternoon and slept like a baby in my own bed but had fun on the way. The adventure started on Monday morning when mum kindly dropped us at North Greenwich tube for our 2 tubes, 1 train and 1 taxi journey to our hotel in Jesmond, Newcastle. Four hours of travel is quite something with 2 kids, a bump and a frustrated husband. I only booked 2 seats on the train as children are free and I just thought I was being practical saving money. We were very lucky that 4 people had reserved seats next to us but didn't bother turning up, so we nabbed them, well who would mess with a baby throwing food everywhere and a toddler singing twinkle twinkle little star for hours at a time! At first the elderly couple next to us smiled sweetly at our little darlings singing and playing but after 2 1/2 hours they actually packed up 10 minutes before the train stopped and stood by the doors....bless.

We were beaten to the hotel by one of our friend Trevor, who took the room next to us, poor guy, didn't realise what he had let himself into to. Not only did he have our two little darlings one side of this cardboard room, the other side he had the Butterworth’s with their little 2 year old girl Milly, who loves running around in circles. Trevor didn't get much sleep all weekend, well that wasn't what he expected anyway!.

The lads went out on Friday night, returning at 5am after consuming lots of lager and kebab pizza (don't ask). I was still half awake when they returned as we were staying in the nosiest hotel in the world. It was Paddies day, there was football and rugby on in Newcastle and Jesmond is famous for its stags, hens and students. We just happened to be staying on the main stretch, surrounded in bars, clubs and restaurants. Well I wasn’t to know when I booked 11 of us into the hotel for the weekend....whoops....and it wasn’t cheap either.

Saturday was fun, I went to Lisa’s parent’s house to meet the Vicar for a rehearsal for the next day..... forgot to mention, we were on a christening weekend and I was the god mother to little Katie’ Louise. The Vicar was cool, told us a few bars to go to in town (one was a topless one!!) He also accepted the invite of a few pints of Guinness after the christening at Kingston rugby club! After the Vicar left I found myself being whisked off to a beauty parlor for a quick spray tan....well I had to join in with the locals and fit in with everyone else. The only problem was I did rub the thick liquid that was sprayed all over my body and even though I washed my hands within hours they turned a nice shade of orange. Thank god I didn’t have to wash the sheets either, left that up to the hotel staff to sort out! Well at least we got our moneys worth.

Megan got her own way and we visited the beach of Whitney Bay, the winds were almost gale force, the rain was horizontal and the chill factor was ....well horrid. Megan still managed to run off into the sea and get her pink tights and white trainers full of sand and water. She had a paddy because she wanted to take her clothes off and she managed to tread in dogs poo before we forced her into her pram and back on the tram to meet up with my parents who drove up from London to join us for the christening.

I had a little scare getting off the metro, at first I thought I felt the first signs of labor but put it down to the old pelvis moving into place or the baby dropping, what ever it was it wasn’t very pleasant and caused me to sit down for a while, whilst Clinton had this fear on his face thinking that his 3rd born was going to pop out in Newcastle on a train!

Three rugby matches later, Clinton got back to the hotel to take over baby sitting duties whist I hit the Toon with the girls. I did feel a little over dressed in the party town of Newcastle, most of the locals were in belts shirts and backless tops, no coats, hats or scarf’s, I even saw a few flip flops in the freezing rain, quite amusing but personally I don’t find blue pimples very attractive, hey hoy, they do enjoy themselves in Newcastle. We had a top time on Saturday night, I enjoyed a few diet cokes!! and lots of Chinese food and entertainment from my mates Lisa, Farah and Marion.

By Sunday morning I looked like I had just spent a few weeks in the Caribbean, Clinton was rather shocked at how brown I was. As it was practically snowing outside so I decided to take a bath to chill my tan down a bit, I think it had the right effect eventually! We had a bit of a rush getting onto the coach but with my French polished nails, a top fake tan and glossy lips I was all set up for the special day!

It was a great day, quite a long one but everything went well. The short service was followed by a party in Kingston Rugby club. Even though the Falcons weren’t training as expected we still had a smashing time. The kids wore themselves out, Mum and Dad offered to take Megan home to London in the car so we only had little Erin to pack the next day. Again my folks made our lives and all the other commuters lives a lot more pleasant on the way home.

The hormones did kick in when I said goodbye to my oldest daughter on Sunday night. I blame it on the pregnancy but when they left for their long drive back to London I had this sudden nutty feeling that I would never see her again. How odd is that! Something that has only developed since I have had children. If I don’t have the control over a situation I don't feel comfortable at all, very odd in deed. However Mum and Dad called us at 10.45 that evening to let us know they were home safe and sound, at least I was able to sleep soundly on Sunday night.

Well Monday was the end of our lovely weekend, after a walk around the Toon we jumped on the 15.55 back to Kings cross and were picked up by the lovely Esme at North Greenwich, where our journey began three days ago, what a weekend!.

Trying to look good

2006-03-15T20:27:00.000Z

This morning it took me ages to get ready, apart from finding it harder than ever to roll out of bed in the morning I am also finding it hard to get into my clothes. I wore a long skirt today that I don't really think I should have worn. It had a rather large split up the back and as I am such a short arse I had to roll up up several times above my bump to stop it dragging on the floor. I was totally unware that this then made the split much higher than it should have been. It wasnt until a colleague pointed out my figure hugging split shirt to realise I probably had a little more on show than I had intended. Well if you haven't got it flaunt it!!

Bump is reallypopping out now, I am sure I am bigger than before. The heartburn is slowly coming back and my lower back is still rather weak. God I am complaining again, so sorry. Work is going on and on, I am pleased I have a fun group of people around me or I don't think I would get through the days. It makes so much better having people that make you laugh around you. I really can't see how I am going to fit in and enjoy life at VNU on my return, oh well I will just wait and see.

It was Bampys (my grandads) birthday on Monday. My folks went to Wales and took both him and my Nan to watch Wales play Italy. They loved it, shame the score wasn't more positive but is probably saved Bampy from a heart condition, he does get very excited when Wales win.

We are off to Newcastle at the weekend, I am going to be a Godmother again, I can't wait to see little Katie Louise all dressed up in Church. What is more exciting is the reception afterwards. Lisa and Gary have hired Newcastles rugby ground, Kingston Park. Apparently on Sunday the Falcons train and guess who plays for the falcons - Jonnie Wilkinson.....I can't wait to see him in his shorts!!

One last thing is Erin, she is coming on leaps and bounds, this weekend she pulled herself up to standing, said goodbye and waved at me. She also has another 5 teeth coming through. 4 at the top and one next to her two front teeth. She has been a little grumpy but after a big cuddle she is all back to normal. Erin is such a cuddly girl, my best feelings are her cuddles, she holds on to your hair and strokes it, it is so sweet. What a cutie.

beating from the inside

2006-03-15T19:40:00.000Z

Not only do I get a beating from the inside I am also getting one from the outside. Last week I over did it, on Friday I managed to get myself into work but didn't feel I was there. The A team weren't there to distract me, the boys were in Germany and Nat was in a client meeting and I just felt so flat. It felt like I was in a goldfish bowl, everything was loud and echoed, things were coming to me at one go. I felt dizzy and kept seeing stars. By 10.30 my colleagues had found the first aider on our floor and took me to the sick room. I didn't even realise we had a sick room, it was great. I sat in the dark, cool atmosphere on the second floor and felt a lot more relaxed but still the heavy feeling lingered over me. I remember this happening with Megan once and totally forgot the horrid feeling of being totally pathetic.

By 11.30 I was in a taxi on my way home. When I got home it was like a mad house, the kids had turned the front room upside down and for a minute I wished I stayed in the sick room. I got myself into bed and tried my hardest to sleep, all I could hear were the kids shouting and screaming and the phone kept ringing. By 3pm Megan and Erin were both asleep, Clinton went to the shops and I finally managed to get some sleep. By the evening I felt much better.

I am now back on the iron tablets, I have a rather low blood pressure, which is better than a high one and my midwife called me in the evening to check up on me. I still haven't seen the midwife properly, the earliest time they could fit me in was March 30th, how mad is that. I have only seen the midwife once during this pregnancy! It’s terrible really and it’s not just down to me this time, I have tried a number of times to get an appointment. I just hope bump 3 is all ok.

Moaning!!

2006-03-09T13:39:00.000Z

Hey men, watch out, its time for one of those pregnant moans!! and not the panting kind! Being pregnant isn't easy, its a time where you should pay extra attention to your loved one, shower her with compliments, listen and cope with her tantrums (its just the hormones) and give her lots of loving and compliments. Now when you are pregnant with your first your partner may be alittle more aware of the changes your body goes through, your mood swings, your ups and downs, but when it gets to your third there is no reason to ignore them!!! You still need the same attention, excitement and compliments. Even more so because I am now put third in the que and bump has dropped to 4th.

It must be hard for partners too because how should they react, they can't feel it kicking, doing flip flops, they don't feel the terrible stitches, the heart burn the sudden pang of saddness for no reason at all, sudden tears when reading an article in a news paper or even watching the news. It is really the most oddest feeling I have ever experienced and I honestly believe it is down to hormones because I have tried explaining how I feel to Clinton and I think he just thinks I am nuts and blames it on being a woman. I have also explained it to girl friends who haven't had kids and they also think I am nuts. Maybe it is me and I am nuts!. The worst of all is when people generally do care and want to help and there is really nothing anyone can do apart from just listen or let you cry....how sad does that sound and how pathetic!! but it is true.

By the second or third pregnancy imagine how hard it is for a partner to get excited for you that bump is moving in a certain way or for them to again listen to those moans of not feeling right but not being able to put your finger on what is the matter. The only advise I have out there for those partners is to PLEASE just listen and communicate. Let us know how you feel and tell us that we are still special, beautiful..... dont just be quite and pretend it isn't happening to you, that really doesn't help!. Enough moaning for now, lunch is nearly over!

feeling refreshed at 29 weeks

2006-03-07T09:12:00.000Z

I know that pregnant women tend to forgot things but I have forgotten something rather important. I have forgotton to make an apppointment with the midwife, actually I have only had one appointment in my entire pregnancy. Whoops!! I know I am laid back but I do scare myself at times. I thought for one second that bump 3 may be breech and that would be a bit worrying, I really don't want a C section!!

I was looking forward to coming into work today. Yesterday I did laugh lots. We have moved desks and I am sitting with 3 very funny people. The banter is great, it makes work so much better. I actually got up earlier today to start the day off. So if you guys are reading this, thanks for making my time in the day more fun!

I have also discovered something new pregnant ladies, well its not new but I must have refused to believe it. Its not good to have hot baths! Well I never, i do love a hot bath, however I rarely get the chance as there is normally a child that wants to join me, jump on my head, help wash my hair and generally ruin my quiet time....but I love it really. When you are pregnant your body is generally 1 degree C higher than normal, having a hot bath will increase this further, it seems more harmful in the first trimester and may cause birth admoralities, high blood pressure and even varicose veins. Well I never, how worrying is that.

Anyway, I am closing issues today and training with online so I best get myself in order. Back soon!!

Being a God mother

2006-03-05T19:19:00.000Z

I have always taken the Godmother role very seriously. I have one god son and one god daughter and I feel very privileged that I was asked. I have made sure I have remembered every birthday (even though sometimes I have been a little late) and every Christmas. I must admit I haven't visited my god children as often as I would have liked, due to where they live, but I would really like to think they could both call me when they needed to. My Godson, Charles was even contemplating doing his work experience with VNU (where I work), he decided to do a ski season instead, not sure why!!!!

Well, there are 2 reasons why I have brought up this topic. The first reason is I am going to be a godmother once again to little Katie Louise, the daughter of one of my top girl friends Lisa. I am absolutely delighted at being asked, especially as the reason for my good relationship with Lisa was actually through Clintons friendship with Gary, Lisas hubby. Clinton and Gary are very good rugby friends and introduced Lisa and myself a good five years ago in O'Neils public house over a vodka and diet coke. Ever since then Lisa and I have grown our friendship and really been through thick and thin.

The second reason for this godmother topic is due to the godmothers both Clinton and I chose for Megan. Rebecca is one of the bestest friends you could ask for, a very loyal person, who would drop anything for one of her friends, who can just be there and support you without actually doing anything because she is so special. She is a fab god mum to Megan and one of the best friends a person could want. I truly appreciate the relationship we have and couldn't think of a better person to influence my daughter through out her life. Amber is my other best friend, one of my oldest chums from those long off school days. She is also very loyal and has always been there for me. Its cool because she (like Rebecca) doesn't ram solutions down my neck but listens to me and helps through just being there. Our friendship has really grown over the years, I have always looked up to Amber, even as a young girl and listened to her wise words of wisdom. Its friendships like Ambers and Rebeccas that makes having godparents worth while.

I feel really bad that we haven't yet had Erin Christening, it is something that I really do want to do. However as time goes on, it makes total sense to do a combined christening with Erin and Baby 3. We can have one big party then. The only problem we will have is who is going to where the family christening gown!!! Maybe I will make a replica. It is also important to have a christening for the right reason. Many people have faiths but don't actually believe in the same one. I do believe in god but I don't want to push that down anyone's throat or have anyone criticise how I feel about what I believe, I just like to believe. The only problem is attending church. I would truly like to go more often but unfortunately Clinton isn't a believer, he doesn't actually enjoy the church experience, I think it makes him feel rather uncomfortable so he just won't come with me. So if I did go from week to week I would be there on my own with 2 1/2 kids and I don't think that would be much fun.

I will find someone sober to come along with me one Sunday morning, I am sure.

Anyway, I must get on, I have enjoyed my own company for a while now and must get off and share the smelly nappy's. Speak soon x

Yummy Sunday lunch

2006-03-05T18:53:00.000Z

You just can't beat a home cooked Sunday lunch, especially when its cooked by your mum and dad. Yum yum, just what the doctor order, roast beef, roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and veg with lovely thick tasty gravy, yum yum. God anyone would think the reason for my size is my love for food!! However for the last 3 years I have been blaming it on child birth!!!!

I am enjoying the hospitality of my parents as we speak, Megan is playing with Batty (that is her nana), Erin is playing with the cat and Clinton is playing with .... the remote control on mum and dads new 32" LCD. I have the chance to catch up on my blogg.

I have more news on Erins developments, even if this is a blogg for bump 3. Erin blew kisses yesterday, she is rather bright even if I do say so myself. She gets around rather quickly too, not walking, just crawling. She is very determined to do things, she can already put the hoops on those pole things and build bricks. She has even mastered the shapes through holes toy (can't think what you call them). Megan was never good at that, she always gave up or got board, where as Erin will persevere.

Erin also loves a cuddle, she gets that from me, she is so cuddly. Megan on the other hand has grown used to it, she now likes a cuddle but as a baby she wasnt really that clingy.

Well I am pleased to say that this weekend has not been dominated by the rugby club. Those rugby widows out there will appreciate where I am coming from. I do love rugby but there are limits to the time we (or should I say Clinton) spends there and 12 hours on a saturday day is a bit abnormal. Especially when Sunday is spent recovering from the experience. Therefore this weekend was just a delightful 2 hours, finished by bath time, kids in bed and then a kind of early night. Only problem is Erin is teething and did actually keep us up most of the night. It was nice to see Clinton in the morning with out a sore head and we managed to go shopping with out rushing. So all in all a nice weekend, even if we didn't do much.

Growing pains

2006-03-05T17:06:00.000Z

I am now 29 weeks with bump 3 and it does seem I have slowed down on the growing side. I am still huge, don't get me wrong, much bigger than Shila in my office, but hey hoy its my third little bump and I have to face facts that I will never be one of those yummy mummies everyone talks about.

Work is as busy as ever, I really do need to stress less about unimportant things like work, however I just cant seem to let go (some things can't change). Anyway the horrid stitches have finally stopped, meaning I can actually walk from the tube to work without making silly noises or have people staring at me. My lips are still extremely dry and my gums are still bleeding, but I did suffer this with both girls.

Bump 3 still hasn't a name. I love Lola but not many other people do. I found out an old family friend had a little girl 2 days ago in the Queen Elizabeth. So congratulations to Ceri and Geraint for their little bundle of joy. I believe they were going to call her Erin, however have now settled on Eris instead. (not sure if that is spelt right, but thought it a very pretty and an unual name, just what I am looking for in a name.)

Bump three will be fully developed now, in fact if I gave birth next week it is now pasted the life threatening stage, all organs are formed, they are just getting larger now.

I must go, my husband is yet again moaning at me to get off the computer, back soon for more don't worry x

Godness I need to update you

2006-02-20T09:28:00.000Z

Cant believe I havent updated you on bump in so long. I have been rather tired and my tummy has a stitch constantly on my right side. I developed this lump on my chin that seemed like a cold sore and I stupidly squeezed it and now it really hurts and looks horrid. Very odd, it has now been there nearly a week, I am getting a little worried as it doesnt seem to have cleared up. If it is still there in a few days I will have to go to the doctors.

Anyway what a mad weekend. We went to Wales for Gary and Sophies wedding. We drove up on friday and stayed with Nana and Bampy. We had a lovely time. Mum, dad, Nana and Bampy had the girls on Saturday whilst we went to Builth Wells for the wedding. It was a beautiful day and evening. A few of the rugby crowd were there, I had good chats with Gaynor, Rebecca O'sulivan and Jo (Jones), didnt manage to boogy this time, too busy chatting. The place was beautiful, in a place called langieod hall. It was owned by Laura Ashley, she renovated it to its former self, absolutely stunning and would be a perfect home for the Daniels family, set in lots of roaming fields, with its own fishing lake.

Anyway driving home last night was rather scary, it was raining so hard and we could hardly see, even though we made it back to London in very good time (3 hours 20 minutes). I was so stressed when we stepped into our freezing cold house. My tummy was just tense and emotions were all over the shop. Very odd feeling, one I really dont like. I kept thinking very horrid thoughts about car crashes and the girls dying. I really dont know why I think thoses things, it is highly annoying and I really try to put them out of my mind but it just kind of takes over everything. I ended up speaking to Clinton about it in the car, which did make him slow down a bit, bless him, he probably thought i was finally losing it. I Hope I am not the only person who feels like this.

Finally I forgot to tell you about my Valentines. Clinton made me feel very special, which was a lovely surprise. Thats sounds aweful doesnt it. When I managed to fall out of bed in the morning Clinton gave me a lovely card, Harry Potters newest book, a lovely top for work and some chocoates. I was really quite surprised and touched at the same time. I had a mad day and ended up in Bucks visiting a client that afternoon and didnt make it home till 7.30, however Clinton had arranged for Esme to come and baby sit whilst we went for a pizza and a movie. It was very lovely and was exactly what the doctor ordered, i was really quite touched and loved spending the time with my lovely hubbie.

Anyway, must fly and get on with some work!! its Monday!!

Fame for my friend

2006-02-17T09:21:00.000Z

My colleague and friend at work is famous. She has been blogging for some time and gets over 7000 hits a month, it as fab site and shared amongst a few, however she has just had a review in the Express and now everyone knows about it. Poor love, but its a great site and thats why it has been picked out. I was worried at first in doing a blogg because I do tend to write how I feel and was worried about people reading my inner most feelings, but I know my site will never be that popular so it should be ok.

Arrrr work

2006-02-10T13:55:00.000Z

God, why do we work? is it really to just pay the mortgage! I must be living in the land of the fairies, thinking that i should feel like work is important and just as much a part of my life as other things I work so hard at. I really dont want work to be a chore, something that I do to pay the mortgage. Oh well I won't rant, I suppose i just have to get on with it.

Mum is in hospital today having a little operation on her knee. I wanted to talk to her before she left and work stopped me, AGAIN, its getting in the way. I am going to pop in tonight with flowers and family to see how she got on.

I managed to walk to work today with out holding my tummy, I didnt get a cramp! fab stuff. Still continuing to grow though, I am sure I slowed down at this stage with Erin. Still very tired and quite snappy but hey hoy, that is just the joy of being pregnant.

Bump is getting bigger

2006-02-09T14:55:00.000Z

Goodness me, my little girl bump is getting a little too big for comfort and I just keep wanting to eat even though I am not hungry!

My back continues to feel rather weak. I have one of those pregnancy belts, looks horrid, just a huge piece of elastic but seems to do the trick. Only problem is I keep forgetting to put it on.

I seem to be working to much too, I am falling back into those late days again and its not fair on Clinton and the girls. I just cant seem to leave work at 5.30, its mad. When things get quite in the office I can concentrate and get much more done. I must get back into a strict routine and leave work on time.

My mate Fiona, bought me some special creams from Marks and Spencers. Did you know that the high end beauty creams at M&S are made by Clarins!! So instead of paying £35 for the Clarins, its £10 from M&S and it is the same product!! One of the creams that Fi bought is meant to reduce cellulite, not that I have lots of it but I thought I would give it a go. Well every morning, after a shower, I put it on and Megan normally watches me doing it. It is so funny the things she says "why are you doing that mummy!", "me go mummy" "that looks funny mummy". I will let you know how it goes but nothing has really changed yet!

Poor Erin is ill again, she has just finished her anitbotics and is has all come back. Her eyes are sticking together, poor love. She is still so full of herself and a very happy little girl, so it isnt effecting her personality. Mum is going to take her to the doctors this afternoon to see what they have to say - yet again!

Over the worst of it

2006-02-06T10:08:00.000Z

Erin is finally getting over her recent bateria infection of the eyes, ears, nose, throat and chest. Two weeks ago we had a 3 hour visit to A&E, where we were given anti biotics and eye gel. After her course of 5 days she became addicted to the medicine. She loved it. Erin is now back to her normal self. She is getting around rather too quickly now and loves falling off the sofa and bouncing on the bed with her big Sis.

Bump 3 is getting rather large, my back is pretty soar today but thankfully my lovely friend, Damiti, has treated me to a massage in Soho to make me feel better, thanks Dam.

Back to work to close another issue. Bye for now

2006-02-04T11:48:00.000Z

Here is Erin, she is really getting around now. This week she has pulled herself up on the sofa, on 1st Feb she turned over in her cot and woke herself up. Erin is crawling like a frog now, she splits legs, one out in front and one behind and pulls herself along the floor, it is very funny to watch. Such a character in one so small but alittle cutie. Another favourite of hers is to put clintons mobile in her mouth and ring it! it makes her laugh lots. Erin has also discovered coal, yep she loves it, unfortunately didnt get any photos of that little one!

The Daniel girls

2006-02-04T11:02:00.000Z

Weekend at last, so I thought I would learn how to really use this site and try adding some pictures of the current daniels girlies. Baby is kicking lots and the stitch has really started again above my right hip.

Its mad, everytime I walk I get a bad stitch, the average train commuter must think I am crazy because the only way to ease it is by rubbing it, whilst breathing funny!!

Well here goes, first a picture of Megan.

How it all began

2006-02-03T14:16:00.000Z

Baby D number three. - concieved mid August - due 20th May 2006.

Well number three is on its way, growing far too quickly and causing quite a stir. You happened rather quickly! and now little Erin has settled down we are all excited with your arrival on 20th May. It would be nice if you were to come on time because your naughty sisters both drew things out and in true Daniels style arrived late.

Well bump three was discovered rather late in the day. I had just returned to work, got my career back on track, accepted offers on the flat and the house and we were looking forward to our next holiday in South Africa in February. Then I started noticing thoses eractic mood swings, weight gain and falling asleep standing up finally gave it away. I then took a visit to the doctors as I refused to believe the test and they took my blood to really prove to me that we were expecting again.

As you can imagine lots of things were going through my mind - my poor body, can I cope with this. Little Erin, would she have enough time at being a baby (sounds mad but she was only 4 months when we conceived!). Work - what would they think about me popping another sprog out. House - where will we fit everyone and of course can we afford it.

After the innitial shock and the doctors visits, scans and bloodtests I finally told the world at about 17 weeks. Mind you if people thought I was just fat they were either being polite or were nuts. I didn't have much time to get used to pretending I was just fat because bump 3 started kicking at 18 weeks and over Christmas my tummy erupted in a rather large turkey shapped bump.

January 23rd was the 5 month scan (23 weeks). The scan was totally amazing, we saw everything, had a long look at the heart and could even see the flow of blood through the left and right side of the heart. We saw the kidneys, liver, bladder, intestines, arms, legs, fingers and toes. It was fab, the ultrasonographer then looked into babys mouth and you could see everything, the tongue, nose, gums etc. Very cute......then finally we saw the what flavour our third baby is....another little girl.

I am thrilled with a girl, think it would be lovely to have 3 girls together, all close too. Erin and Megan are so different, really quite scary how different they are in personallities, I do hope they all get on. Charlies angels or Clintons angels.