Parents-again

Again, its been a while!

2009-06-19T15:51:00.001Z

Loads to tell you, Belle still moaning, Evie still behaving like a 3 year old! More to come soon….

Swimming update

2009-04-20T06:45:00.001Z

Went swimming with the kids to our gym pool yesterday. Its small but the same depth for the whole length. Evie can stand up in it, albeit on tip toes!

She’s coming on well, we don’t allow her to have armbands anymore as she has the confidence to swim without them. She has a tendency to swim ‘standing up’ at the moment as her backside sinks more readily than it should, but overall she is getting there. I think she’s getting too big for the pool and we need to get her a couple of lessons in the bigger public pool, so she can move on to swim out of her depth.

Isobel, in slight contrast, has a frightening amount of bravado, confidence and down right cockiness when she’s in the water. Still in armbands she virtually struts around in the pool. Always trying to climb out without using the steps, and then jumping back in when she does manage to haul her little body out.

She kept on and on about wanting to take her armbands off yesterday, so we obliged, she stood on the side saying she wanted to jump in, I said “you’ll sink!”, her reply “no I won’t”… well she jumped and of course she sank. Don’t you just love the blind adventure of em!

Brownie badges

2009-04-05T21:29:00.001Z

Evie has been sworn in and has 2 badges already, Hostess and communicator!

First day in the garden at 156

2009-04-05T21:26:00.001Z

Spent most of the day today tidying and playing in the back garden. Girls played out the back in the car park on bikes and I rode around on Evies' larger bike pretending to crash into them. Had a spell of football and rugby, much laughter had by all.

Time for Miss Mop

2009-03-16T21:41:00.001Z

Our constant instructions about clearing up seem to of back fired with Isobel. Couldn’t find my watch (Arsenal one, 40th present from Mum) this morning, went to work naked.

Anyway, Lynne couldn’t spot it today, nor could I tonight. Sitting with the kids in the bath, Lynne asked “have you seen Daddy’s watch?” … Isobel immediately replies “Yeah I put it in the bin”… Yeah right we say……. After she then burst into tears we realised that this needed further investigation… Couple of minutes later I pulled a food logged watch from halfway down the kitchen bin.

Apparently she thought it was broken.

Rubbish day tomorrow, would never of known. A watch mystery was averted.

Brownie update

2009-03-02T14:50:00.001Z

Evie’s allowed to wear her ‘uniform’ from tomorrow! Then next week she takes her promise…….

“Very able”

2009-03-02T14:47:00.001Z

Evie cam home with a letter the other week reporting how ‘able’ she was and inviting her to a ‘workshop’ type affair one Saturday this month. Apart from the obvious relief (upon receiving the letter, Lynne thought she was due a sit down with the head!) we are so proud of Evie. It turns out her ‘skill’ is in the gym, primarily gymnastics. So looking into extra classes for her.

3 going on 30

2009-03-02T13:47:00.001Z

Putting Belle to bed last night, rearranged her pillow, caught something on my hand, pulled it out and it was the cover to the DVD ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’.

She’s been watching it to death for weeks, obviously getting comfort from its pillow presence during the night hours when its not viewable!

Selfish Evie

2009-02-28T00:12:00.001Z

One thing about Evie is that she has me me me trait that appears every now and then. Take tonight, in Tescos, she had chosen a sweet and waited for it to arrive once scanned, just at that point I asked her to help me pack, she grabbed the sweet and went to run off, I took the sweet back and repeated my request, nope, didn’t want to know just stropped off and started to cry.

She has to grow out of that.

Poor Belle

2009-02-28T00:08:00.001Z

Fell over on way to pick cats up tonight, flat out on her chin and managed to put a tooth through her bottom lip. What a mess, she was upset for a while.

Lump is going down now, hopefully she won’t look too bad tomorrow!

Evie at 7yrs 3mths

2009-02-05T22:39:00.001Z

Evie’s a bright kid. She seems to enjoy school, being taught and learning most of the subjects. English, spelling, writing etc she loves. She can work well in maths but lacks confidence.

Her personality? Well that’s a difficult one! She is away with the fairies a lot of the time.

More…..

What Isobel says…

2009-02-01T10:04:00.001Z

Tower – use: “I need a tower to dry myself”
Jovis – Use: “I watched Jovis and the amazing technicolor dreamcoat on DVD!”

[more to come….]

Toothless hag

2009-02-01T09:47:00.005Z

One of Evies front teeth is finally out. Been hanging on for dear life, but shes now gone all gappy!! The other is wobbling now as well, so soon she'll be able to eat off a spoon without having to open her mouth!

Quick one…

2009-01-31T11:20:00.001Z

Evie can now swim without armbands. The pool at the gym we go to is the same depth all along it’s length and she can stand up in it, which makes it much easier to teach her. I have been trying to show her how to swim, what to do with her arms and legs etc, but she needs a few ‘professional’ lessons to teach her the right technique and she’ll be away!

Isobel at 3yrs & 5mths

2009-01-31T11:17:00.001Z

A lot of the time she’s a bright intelligent joy who greatly benefits from having an older sibling, especially a sister. She loves songs, singing & dancing and although we can’t hear much of a voice at present, she has got some serious moves in her locker already!

She’s always taking in as much as she can. Watching TV or a DVD, the concentration on her face is inspiring. Caught her mouth agape for an entire ‘Simpsons’ episode the other day, silent, apart from a couple of bursts laughter! I wonder what she sees!! Watching her in the car, she stares out of the window, looking around, takes in all in… “spongebelle boys pants”.

Now, having said all that, she can moan for England. She can turn the taps on ….. at well, the turning on of a tap. In her defence its because she’s tired sometimes and as she has now given up her afternoon nap coupled with the fact that the Christmas fairies have flown away with her dummies, she is more irritable/irritating more of the time. But she does use her “moaning arsenal” at will, to great, or dire, affect.

Food wise she is pretty good for her age, mostly she’ll eat everything on her plate, including the veg. In fact put carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, cucumber in front of her it disappears. She loves cream cheese on crackers at the moment. Then other times, “just toast”…. “Please” (as we are trying to make her say!)

Welcome back…

2009-01-23T21:14:00.001Z

Long time since I was thrown up on…… Isobel fixed that one tonight. poor Belle, sitting across my lap, head in my chest, then all hell lets lose. All over me and her, half of her face was covered as well as my t-shirt, fun taking that off I can tell you!

Kids, don’t you love em!

Jan 09

2009-01-13T06:27:00.000Z

Evie started brownies last Tues, 2nd week tonight. Its right up her street, social chaos with a underlying set of rules. Both well at moment, Isobel had a night terror last weekend, first one for a long time, might of been caused by us trying to keep her off her dummies! Which is going well, the xmas fairies have got them all..... Apparently.

Can't go without mentioning black sunday, the mess, the disrespect, the general apathy re a mountain of xmas presents reached a peak on the 1st sunday of the year, resulted in the girls entire toy collection (old and new) , dvd, tv and radio being uprooted and banished to the loft. Felt awful doing it but had to be done. Significant improvement in behaviour has meant the tv, computer and a toy or two each have returned in from the cold.

Kids! Whoed ave em!? ........ I would.

Lost in time...

2008-12-15T08:20:00.002Z

Been a while again. Sorry. Hard to remember to do this sometimes. Anyway, what's happend in last few months. Moved again(!), girls seemed to have settled in quicker this time. Evie's Xmas play was last week, 'The Magic Christmas Box', she was a 'star' and must say she took the role on fantastically. Lots of coughs and colds about at the mo, Evie had a day off last week and Isobel is again drawing out her dose, she can't seem to shake it off, hot/cold/ok/hot/cold/ok. Had a day out with Nan in London yesterday (Lynne's birthday), 'Winter Wonderland' in Hyde Park, all things considered, very strange and disappointing day. Isobel ill, expensiver rides, Evie just can't skate! and she sent us both flying, capped off with a couple of rows (with general public). Anyway, more about kids soon.

Damn that wasp

2008-10-21T18:20:00.002Z

Poor Isobel got stung (on the forehead) on Sunday. We'd gone over to join Lynne who was doing a boot sale. Arrived to a rather sedate boot sale, Lynne went off to the little girls porta-loo and then all hell broke loose. Evie fell to pieces after witnessing the attack and I had to deal with both girls and a sudden in flux of punters. Fantastic. Lynne got back a few mins later to chaos, funny how it can change so quickly.

Anyway, got Belle home, applied the sting contraption and some cream. She felt sorry for herself for the rest of the day and is now scared of flies.

Catch Up

2008-08-26T07:56:00.002Z

Been a month since last post, a month of summer holidays. Kids are well. Evie has become far too attached to her thumb brace, it keeps dropping off and shes destraught when she thinks shes lost it! Anyway should be able to get rid soon, if we can pry it off her.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ISOBEL !! 3 TODAY !! Mummy is taking you out with Evie and Nanny Brenda for a picnic.

Poorly Evie

2008-07-31T11:04:00.003Z

Her tonsilitus is back, with a vengence. Ulcers on the roof of her mouth aswell. Shes on another course of anti-biotics. Isobel having trouble coping with her current lathergic sister and Evie just wants to be left alone. Great start to the holidays, hopefully a week with Nan & Grandad will cheer them up!

Not a thumbs up from Evie

2008-07-21T21:18:00.004Z

Poor Evie. Last day of school and she wakes up with tonsilitus, misses all the last-day fun. Then on a trip on the Thames she leaves her thumb in the door and it slams shut. Broken. Got to have 'splint' on it for 6 weeks!
Anyway, great day had by all, apart from the swollen digit. And I feel awful as I thought she'd done it herself, being silly as she does. But no, it was some elses fault. Sorry Evie.

IT'S GONE UNDER !!

2008-07-14T17:26:00.003Z

Found out Isobel's poo strategy, she waits till shes got absolutely no choice whatsoever and the head is showing before she goes. In the meantime she spends all day on and off the loo because she obviously feels like she wants to go, but when shes on, the feeling subsides, gets off... minute later back on again... then off... and so on.... phew
(ps: "it's gone under" is what she says if the richard disappears down the u-bend)

Evie Weissmuller

2008-07-13T11:55:00.002Z

After making a start on holiday Evie's "arm-band free" swimming took a giant stroke forward today. She was swimming and jumping in full of confidence!! Well done Evie!

School Report July 2008

2008-07-11T15:39:00.003Z

Evie's progressing extremely well in all subjects. Her interest and abilities in reading, writing, drawing are at very satisfactory levels. However(!), one area she needs to improve on is her listening skills, comment from her headteacher, Mr Billings as follows:

"A positive report Evie, well done. However it would appear from reading this that you chatter a bit too much. Try to save the chattering for the playground and the listening for the classroom."

Evie's own comment about her experience as a Year 1 student:

(Handwriting isn't her's but the spelling & grammar are unchanged!)

Evie . . . . sigh

2008-07-09T16:31:00.007Z

She's been extremely difficult lately. It's almost as though her conscience is someone elses, as though it doesn't realise it's hers.... The mess in her bedroom was extraordinary, so much so that we packed it all up and put it in the garage, her toys, TV, games console the lot, she was only left with her books. How did she react? After initially being upset she then took great joy in showing her 'new room' to her nan!
She's also in possession of the clearest path between two ears, you tell her off, explain the problem, give her the speech etc etc, she nods, agree's, won't do it again, blah blah blah, then 2 minutes later shes doing something else naughty.

Oh they are so cheeky!

2008-07-09T16:27:00.003Z

"I don't like breakfast ..... EVER!" or indeed "I don't like anything..... EVER!". She has also caught onto Evie's intriguing way of refering to the both of them as a collective, example: "We want two biscuits", "We want to go out into the garden".

Evie's Sports Day

2008-07-03T17:42:00.004Z

3rd July 2008

Regresssion

2008-07-02T20:59:00.002Z

Poor Belle, all blocked up again, desperate to do a 2, won't do it..... had to put nappy on her tonight, oh the mess tomorrow.

Living with chimps....

2008-07-02T20:52:00.003Z

This is the latest picture of Evie and Isobel. Nothing is where you leave it, cupboards get re-arranged and the mess !! My god the mess!

At this moment theres a perfectly harmless remote control for our lounge lights lurking somewhere in the house, it aint where I left it, why oh why do they feel the need to hide it !!

She's done it!

2008-07-01T14:24:00.002Z

Finally, after much persuading, bribary and sitting her on the loo for 15 mins, she did it... Yes, a No 2.... (either that or the cat is learning some manners). No pic, obviously. Well done Belle!!

Looney DaddyBelle

2008-06-30T10:32:00.006Z

Morning success

2008-06-28T07:13:00.002Z

Never been so happy to see a bowl of wee in my life. Belle did it, a full 'morning' bowl, and her nappy was dry, progress I think that is. Well done baby!

It's Michael Bentines Potty Time!!

2008-06-27T22:10:00.002Z

First week over, not much to show for all our effort apart from perhaps an odd smelling lawn. Bless, she is trying her best.... to break the world record for holding her bladder... stomach as tight as a drum....

She has managed a number 1 a couple of times on the loo, but has had a few 'accidents'... 1 to 2 is too big-a-leap at present (although I thought she'd done one in the garden earlier, turned out to be one of the cats... then again spose could of been a tramp, took picture, won't ruin your tea by uploading here.)

Don't worry Lynne it won't take her months, but she won't be dry by tomorrow, somewhere inbetween me thinks.

We've all been on a summer holiday....

2008-06-27T22:05:00.002Z

Now, Lynne and I need another one, without the children who wore the same pair of stroppy knickers everyday.... Phew....
Meal times was the worst, soon as we would step over the restaurant threshold, it would begin. Wanted to go get her meal, not sit and wait at the table, then wanted everything on her plate, then wouldn't eat anything.

More coming soon.

The story of the lowdowaha.

2008-05-30T15:14:00.002Z

"Daddy, wheres the lowdowaha?", "eh darling?", "the lowdowaha", "take your dummy out I can't understand you...", (dummy is prized clear...),"the lowdowaha..."................... silence for a few seconds then it hits me, in the background, in another garden a few doors away I hear the unmistakable tones of a 'lawnmover'... a lowdowaha, of course it is.

The things they do....

2008-05-30T07:02:00.005Z

Right, things they both do that drive us wild now, but we will forget about in a few years.

Both: How noisy are they!! Soooo loud, especially in the morning, playing schools
Belle: Whines. God can she whine, she can whine for England in the Olympics, she even whines about us sorting out the problem that made her whine in the first place.
Evie: Excitement containment valve is broken (we can't tell her anything until the day or we'll get questioned in such a fashion the gestapo would've been glad to have employed her)
Evie: Still can't sit on a chair without looking like shes going to walk away any second, one leg and one bum cheek is always prepared for a quick escape.
Evie: Shes working out which of Belle's buttons she needs to press to be the most annoying.

Cream...

2008-04-27T10:11:00.002Z

"Evie...."..... "Evie....."...... "EVIE!"..... "What?"... "What are you doing?".... "Singing and dancing, why?"... "Wheres Isobel?"..... ..... "Playing with cream.....".................

One broken baby wipes holder (where I rushed into her bedroom and stepped on it), a baby with what looked like a pair of magicians gloves on, cream over the carpet, play boxes and of course all through her hair, a bath and hair wash later.... I'm just relieved I caught her before she touched anything else..... kids.

Nov 8 2005 to April 20 2008

2008-04-20T11:34:00.003Z

Just re-read posting entitled 'Naughter Evie..' Not much has changed with her behaviour! All the above still apply... (back to having loads of toys again, we're so crap...)

Cakes....

2008-04-20T11:29:00.002Z

We won't let the kids have cakes so Evie draws them instead....

Izzy?

2008-04-19T09:06:00.002Z

Predominantly used by my ex-wife, we don't call Isobel this anymore. Shes now known as Belle (pro: Belly - you should see it!) or Belle (pro: Bell). Of course there are derivatives, smelly belly, is-o-bel or simply "Introducing the amazing Isobel, professional whinger!"

Evie has still got the geebees, so EvGeeBee is a fav.

Just so we remember.... (or not an advert for having kids later in life)

2008-04-19T08:57:00.003Z

Maybe it's just our age, I dunno but the older I get the more I (STOP MOANING ISOBEL!! - "itsa mine pencils!!"), anyway... the more I appreciate sleep. Isobel is doing her damnest to destroy my relationship with slumber. One night this week (forgotten which one, best for my sanity) she got me up (Evie this time, "Shes got my little crayon!"... "Play nice or it all goes in the bin!") where was I? oh yeah, she got me up 8 times during the night. Starting at 2am and finishing at 4am, fan-bloody-tastic... ("can I have the brown Isobel?".. "Nooo"...). Each time its different, either hear her crying in bed, standing ghost like next to our bed, standing at our door or just walking about...... Anway, remember this when shes giving us grief at 2am and she hasn't got it in yet from a night out!

In the mornings... weekend

2008-04-19T08:33:00.008Z

Saturday morning. Breakfast. Spread out on the breakfast table is the night befores activities, namely Evie's drawings covered with her own artwork and the stickers she got with her ' Charlie & Lola' magazine. Mistake, on our part, or mine, with Lynne at work its down to me to clear up, I didn't, too tired, built a bed, just wanted sleep. Anyway all this means Evie wants to resume her work this am and of course that means Isobel has to be involved! God she can whine! Everything that exits her gob, when shes in these moods, is a whine,whine,whine! Whatever Evie's got, she whine that she wants it, Evie chooses something else, she whines she wants it. Can't do the zip up on her cardy, she whines... wants something, she whines! What a professional!!

To Evie's amusement she just created this for me, she laughed.... shes a comedian that one.

As I click 'publish post'... guess what Isobel's doing..........

Been a while.....

2008-04-15T17:43:00.005Z

2 1/2 years to be precise! Anyway, lots has happened, obviously! Not going to play catch up, but hopefully will now try and add posts more often.

Isobel is now a toddler and what a typical one she is! Evie is 6 1/2 and what a typical 2 year old she is!

Naughty Evie

2005-11-08T18:59:00.001Z

Straw that broke the camels back. Evies attitude has been really bad for a while now, rude, untidy, answering back etc etc.... So in a fit of desperation we removed every toy from her room into the garage, except one.... and had a serious talk (like you can with a 4 year old !)Whats happend? Shes been really good ever since, improved in all areas !!

Eureka ! She likes water !!

2005-11-08T18:57:00.000Z

At last, for almost a week now Izzy loves having a bath. Infact shes gone full circle, replaced screaming in the bath for screaming after the bath... . Anyway she loves the actual bathing experience, splashes about and coos. Evie has taken to joining her aswell.

Thought it was about time . . . .

2005-11-01T14:58:00.000Z

She's about 6 weeks old here.

Through the clocks change !

2005-11-01T14:44:00.000Z

The dreaded affects of the loss of an hour after we have spent much time getting Izzy into a routine, never really surfaced. Infact our 4 year old is having more problems coping, up with me at 6:30 this am, wide awake and raring to go.

Izzys doing really well, feeds down to 5 lots of 6oz's (max) a day and shes asleep from about 8 to anything from 6 to 9 (yeah, have to wake her up!) the next morning. The 11:30 'asleep' feed has been a little awkward last few nights, she tends to try and wake up so it takes ages for her to stop shaking her head from side to side and latch onto the bottle, once shes on though, its down the lot and back to sleep.

Recognises us all now. Has smiles and kicks and arm waving for me and her Mum and a kind of puzzled look when Evie is dancing about. We've moved onto the next nappy size and have had to buy bigger vests. She weighs almost a stone now and alot of her clothes don't fit, even the ones shes never worn. Much easier to keep a 2 month old baby in a sleep suit, skirts just ride up!

Another night through

2005-10-19T07:57:00.000Z

Izzys normal hebegebees wern't so bad between the hours of 7:30 and 9:30 last night, she was settled and asleep by 8:00. I fed her at 12 (stayed up to watched repeat of Sparta Prague v Arsenal in Group stage CL, which featured a truly superb Henry goal) still asleep and she didn't wake up till 8 this am. Thats the first time she has done that for Lynne (!) so maybe shes settling down into a pattern. Last few nights shes been waking up around 5 for a feed so even that wasn't too bad.

When I got up at 6:30 for work and couldn't remember if Lynne had got up to feed her, so poked my head round her door ro see if she was still breathing, as you do, and she was ! Thought I'd smelt a rather 'full' nappy aswell, so decided to leave that one for Lynne. Funny thing was the distasteful emission wasn't Izzy it was one of the cats, sorry Lynne, and sorry boys, out every night for you from now on.

Lots of smiles

2005-10-11T22:11:00.000Z

Had a couple of decent nights last week, Isobel slept through till 7:50 on one occassion ! ... short lived as woke me up for feed at 4:30 last night. Lovely. Shes smiling much more and seems like shes laughing sometimes. Still has her screaming moments, goes on for an hour or so, but shes getting better slowly. Her oral thrush has gone now, after we had to get some new creamwhich we have to rub on her tongue. She weighs in at 12lb 2oz now (well a week ago!) Health visitor is complaining,'you feed her too much!' pah we say.

Evie is still brilliant with her sister and can be awful with us. Her naughtiness has reached new heights, running away in Tescos, making mess etc nothing more than any normal 4 year old but we sense she is feeling the fact that shes not the only one.

First of many.... we hope !!

2005-10-01T18:42:00.000Z

Isobel slept from 9:30 thru till 6:15 last night. Lynne woke her up for a feed (which she had whilst asleep) at 11:30, but she slept thru. I kept waking every hour expecting to hear her ! Even had to check she was breathing ! Anyway gotta go coz shes crying !

Worst night ...... so far

2005-09-21T10:58:00.000Z

Izzy has her screaming moments every day. Usually its during the day or early evening, can go on for a few hours. Last night she started at 7pm and we finally got to sleep at 1am, constant screaming/crying, can't calm her down, doesn't like being held, put down, fed, nothing works.. what a joy ! Lynne says shes doing it again now, fantastic.

18 days old

2005-09-12T12:27:00.000Z

Isobel is doing well on the whole. We are having trouble getting rid of her oral thrush, shes had it since birth and is continuing to irritate her. The medicine we have for it is almost run out with no sign of it getting better. Problem is its administered via a dropper and has to act on contact, try keeping it a babies mouth for more than a few moments, especially if it tastes disgusting, as it does.

Her worst times are during the day, she is difficult to settle and in fact up until today spends most of her waking hours crying, the fully fledged cry is something to behold ! ... makes the fillings shake in your teeth.

Her feeding for the first week or two was erratic, almost demand feeding, we have been trying to stretch it out to every 3 or 4 hours.

Heres the schedule at present:
Feeds: 8 - 9, 12 - 1, 4 - 5, 10 - 11 This can vary. During the mornings she usually wakes once at anything between 2 and 4:30. Waking her up at 11 for a feed is almost impossible so we tried a different approach and let her sleep, big mistake ! She woke up at 1am and then 4, taking an hour and 15 mins to settle both times, and it was my turn for that shift, great !

Shes asleep in the swing as I type, looking lovely.

First 10 days

2005-09-06T13:39:00.000Z

8 lb 15.5 oz at birth, 9lb 1 oz after 3 days and a whopping 9 lb 11 oz after 9 days.

Shes been feeding a little eractically every 3-4 hours and takes anything from 5 to 2 oz's of milk. Shes had oral thrush which affects her feeding and she cries alot during the day, thankfully we have some medicine for that, but those drops could take a few days to clear it up. She normally has a last feed at 11pm or 12am and then wakes up at 3 and 6 or, like last night 4 and 7. Mummy and Dadday doing alternate nights.

Evie is better now, never been a problem with Izzy but bad attitude towards Mum and Dad.

Me and Evie registered Izzy's birth yesterday. Its official '5' daughters and one son ! Phew. Thats enough, seeing the doc about the snip on friday.

On her way...

2005-09-06T13:06:00.000Z

We spent the next 6 hrs in the post natal ward. Lynne was having contractions for most of that time. It got to 9pm and after much concern, they finally had a spare bed for us to use in the labour ward.

Irish Mary the midwife was assigned and waited. Lynnes waters were broken around 11 and she still hadn't had any pain relief. The gas and air wasn't working and it got to 1am and she had to have a pethadene injection. Lynne said all it did was make her drowsey, the contractions were very intense now.

The next couple of hours dragged on for me, but poor Lynne was out of it and having very strong contractions. Mary asked her to get on all fours on the bed, that lasted about 15 mins, during which she managed to bite my knuckles and almost break my fingers ! Mary also asked Lynne to lay on her back, no way that was happening. The most comfortable position was on her feet bent over the bed.

It was in that position that she gave birth after some hairy moments when she seemed to be losing the plot. Midwife was worried she didn't know what to do, trouble was, she didn't. Evie was born with Lynne under paralytic drugs from the waist down, so the pushing sensation was alien to her.

Anyway, after going through pergatory ! Isobel arrived at 3:23, purple and covered in vernox (?) which only appears on babies born early ! so perhaps she was just that.

After helping Lynne have a bath and popping home myself, all 3 of us came back home by 12:30 on friday 26th. Nanny Brenda and sister Evie were here to welcome Isobel.

Back in Thursday 25th

2005-08-30T10:07:00.000Z

We left on the wed evening after telling midwife that we didn't want a repeat of hanging around waiting for a bed, so we would phone on Thurs AM to see if beds had become available, otherwise we'd stay at home.

Strange I thought that we got a call from them at 7am advising that a bed was free, hmmm, anyway we trundle off back to C/Ford.

Turns out, in all the confusing of doing their job (!?) the bed the referred to too was the bed we'd been stuck to for most of the previous day... fantastic.

3 more hrs passed of enduring the same boring bed neighbours '2 across, 2 words, 4 and 3 letters ??' , her Mum then supplied the answer, this went on and on...

Midwife appeared and advised that we should getting the inducing drug (Prostin) about 12, this was finally given to Lynne at 12:50 on Thursday 25th.

Lynne had to lie still for 1 hour and then we could have a wander. Went down to Tescos and bought some bits and pieces for lunch and cam back to Hospital. Lynne said she noticed the contractions had changed. We sat on bench in grounds and ate. Midwife wanted to check Lynne over at 3 so we went back upstairs. The Prostin could take upto 6 hrs to work, if nothing happens then another dose would be given at 6:50pm.

So what happened on Wednesday 24th?

2005-08-30T09:59:00.000Z

Wed 24th: Arrived at St Johns for inducing appointment at 8am, only to find out that the labour ward was packed solid, so they weren't going to start the inducing process yet. Nothing happend for the next 12 hrs, no space in the labour ward all day. So we stayed put and listening to music, read papers, did crosswords, put up with irritating bed neighbours and generally watched new staff come and go with the shift changes.

By 7pm we started to lose the last drop of patience. Midwife wanted us to hang about and maybe get process started at midnight. One of the luxuries of being induced is being able to do it at a time convenient to you, midnight isn't top of the list. So we went home...... had fish & chips with Nan (who was at home with Evie).

She's here !!

2005-08-30T09:56:00.000Z

First of all, heres the important stuff, 'Isobel Ruby' was born at 03:23 on Friday 26th August, weighing in at 8Lbs 15.5oz.. phew.

Tomorrows not just another day

2005-08-23T22:28:00.000Z

Been off work since friday 19th, when they attempted a 'membraine sweep'.... Lynnes been in pain/contractions/braxton hicks for weeks now, but still no baby. I'm convinced they got the due date wrong and its really this weekend. Anyway, Lynne is now term + 12 so time for the serious stuff. Off to St Johns in Chelmsford tomorrow for an 8am appointment to be induced, could take 12 hours, lets hope not. Funny, St Johns, 20 years after it started, back again....

The 12th .... Pah !

2005-08-15T09:14:00.000Z

Another kid who can't be bothered to arrive on time . . . great. On tenterhooks now for the rest of this week. Lynne still having contractions, but not leading to anything. Lauren is staying with us till wednesday, which will be handy if its a home birth !!

Ho hum

2005-08-10T09:44:00.000Z

2 days to go and Lynne is in pain and extremely uncomfortable most nights these days, looks like little blighter is refusing to make an appearance on time, much like Evie did. Warm up that ventrose !!

Due this friday !?

2005-08-08T18:12:00.000Z

Lynne thought she was going to give birth this morning, but the pains subsided. 4 days till due date, whats the birthday going to be !! Anyones guess at the moment (much like its name !!)

False alarm

2005-07-21T07:16:00.000Z

Monday (18th) I'm at work and Lynne calls, "think you'd better come home... contractions every 7 mins ... ", oh shit... I wasn't keen at first, its 3 weeks early, can't be right. I asked Lynne to call midwife and explain. She calls me back and midwife says come into hospital to get monitored. Problem is baby is seen as 'pre-term' as its not reached 37 weeks yet, so Braintree Hospital won't take us, we have to go to St Johns in Chelmsford. I try and reach my Mum as if she can get Lynne to the hospital, once they know what the situation is I can get back from work if the baby is coming. Can't get hold of Mum so I travel home.

I get home and call Mum, shes in and is free to come round to sit with Evie. Lynne and I get to St Johns about 2:36. We are shown to a room and an hour later are seen by a midwife (Rachael) who straps the monitor onto Lynne . . . contractions every 3 to 4 mins, babys heartbeat is fine. New midwife takes over (Doreen) about 15 mins later. An hour after this the lack of food gets to me and I pop out to Tescos to get sustained. I stock up on a few goodies for the wait ahead and get back to the Hospital car park to add £4 to the pay and display (sees us through for 24hrs worth of car parking). Get back to the room only to discover that Doreen has removed the fetal monitor after examining Lynne and discovering she is not dilated atall.... sigh, so much chocolate and crisps, no excuse to eat them.

It turns out that the 'contractions' were Lynnes IBS trouble playing up again, she had a terrible evening that night, awake hourly and vomiting frequently, "I'd rather of giving birth" she told me.

Things have settled down now, Lynnes much better. I've picked a date out of the ether and the babys birthday is 7th or 8th of August, Lynnes convinced its coming on the 1st... more from desperation & hope than science I fear.

Lynnes all done

2005-07-06T13:46:00.000Z

No more work for Lynne. 6 months or so off... shame we'll be up all hours for most of it !!!

All necessary bodies are in place !

2005-07-06T13:42:00.000Z

The move we have been hoping for finally happend last Saturday (2nd July). So furniture is in place in new house and boxes are dwindling fast. Almost ready for new arrival as last bits and pieces have been purchased for the baby. Evie is suffering from 'Relocation Sickness'..... waking up few times in the night, spilling talcum powder in places you don't want it and generally seems out of sorts, hopefully she'll improve over next few days.

Evie . . .

2005-06-27T09:07:00.000Z

Poor Evie, shortly to get hit by the bombshell which is a sybling. Although we think shes gonna be ok. Went to Mel & Dan's for a BBQ yesterday and she was quite the little Mum to Grace... We'll just have to keep an eye on her as she has a habit of changing babys nappies, could be quite messy if No 2 has done a No 2 at the time.

Names

2005-06-27T09:03:00.000Z

Hmmm... having trouble with this. We want something unusual. Lynne seems to be obsessed with names which are only names because they have one letter missing from a name that actually is a name. Apart from this the favourite at the moment is 'Isabella' as previous number one, 'Ruby Valentine' has been ruled out, due to sounding like a porn star and is also a character in Eastenders.

Bag is packed

2005-06-27T09:02:00.000Z

Few weeks to go yet but partly because Lynne is as organised as the person who invented the word and also partly because shes convinced the baby is going to appear early, she has packed the hospital bag.

Last week at Work

2005-06-27T08:53:00.000Z

I'm hoping Lynne is going to be able to relax some more this week as friday is her last day for about 7 months. Shes in good health (found to be anemic last week, so on the iron to, well, 'iron' that out) Bump is growing well, midwife says she looks larger than the 33 weeks she is now. From the back you'd never know Lynne was pregnant ! (something shes very pleased about ! although I'm sure her backside has shrunk, something I'm not so enthusiastic about). We have a busy week, due to exchange on sale tomorrow, if goes through then will be moving to rented this Satureday, so much packing to do.

Waiting . . .

2005-06-13T14:22:00.000Z

Lynne is beside herself with angst, tiredness and downright fedup-itus. She finishes work in 3 weeks, baby is due in 9. We are sure that neither baby or mother can last that long. Evie hasn't got a clue whats going to happen - nose out of position, big time.