Nursery

I've been meaning to write about Isaac starting nursery since he did last month, but haven't got round to it. Today was his sixth session and I was asked to fill in a little bit on a sheet for his first five sessions record which was the catalyst I needed to prod me into action.

Click to enlarge

I had originally wanted him to go to a different nursery, but I missed out on getting him a place by two lousy  weeks! Imagine the frustration when I phoned up! So that's it for the year now. I shall see about getting him on the waiting list for when he turns three, but for now he attends our local day nursery twice a week for four and half hours at a time.

We went to look round the nursery in early November. As soon as we got there he was off! Quite happily played with the toys while I went on a tour with the admin lady. We arranged his two two hour settling in sessions for the following week and those went just fine. The tears started when I picked him up from his first session. The next time we went he saw the nursery gates and clung to me like a limpet shaking and crying that he didn't want to go and he didn't like it. It was so horribly traumatic for both of us that I wondered if I'd made the right decision - I went home and cried for half an hour straight and I know it took him a long time to settle that day. 

Since then it has been easier to drop him off at each session and today he wasn't upset at all!

He LOVES nursery now. When I pick him up he happily jabbers away the whole walk home about what he's been doing and what he likes. He made cakes today! The staff all love him and comment on how good his manners are. He thanked one of them for changing his pooey nappy today! Apparently they've been trying to take photos of him playing, but every time he sees the camera he scrunches his face up in his funny grin or he doesn't see the camera and looks deadly serious while concentrating. Bless.

So, it seems to be going well. PHEW!!

And we're still friends, he even tells me he loves me now *mummy gush*

More maternity antics

I've done yet another load of washing today. This is good though because it means the weather is good enough to hang clothes outside! Hurrah for the sun!

I changed the date of birthing pool delivery from Saturday (yesterday) to Monday (tomorrow). This is good because it means that we won't have boxes lying around while the girls are here and also endless questions relating to said boxes from said children. I do think the Wiggler is trying to break out of me though so I'll be glad when it's here & set up. I can sit in it & watch DVDs!! *Must buy plastic sheet things/shower curtains* I really did think there would be a chest burster moment last night, but exiting from the side rather than through the sternum. As much as I love the Wiggler, I won't half be glad to have my body back. I've got some serious pelvis action going on what with the poking and Wiggling™!

I made some fitted sheets for the crib last week!

I used this tutorial. I think my pregnancy dementia is climaxing in super stupid because it took me several goes to get it right. Maybe I should've printed it out rather than thinking "I can remember that". Seriously, it's very sad and a tad worrisome! Please tell me I'll get my brain back post-birth!

I also made flat sheets from the remaining part of the sheet so I now have 2 of each. So here is the crib in its made-up glory :-D The little bear is a gift from Mum. Can you believe that my Dad made this crib 35 years ago??

I know it's virtually impossible to distinguish between sheet & blanket, but that's the joy of a direct flash and phone camera combo. I still can't be bothered to get my other camera out. Maybe when not pregnant I will. In-fact, I know I will because I hate direct flash.

I think a hooded towel project is on the cards next week, now that I've wrapped my pregnant brain around it that is! However, there are loads of tutorials for making a hooded towel. Some have pleats in the back & some are just squares sewn together. I don't know which one to make! Which one my machine will stand is probably the question I should be asking. Hmm...

I've got my presenting scan on Wednesday next week. I'm sorely tempted to ask what gender the Wiggler is...although we've come this far without managing to find out so I think a few more weeks will be tolerable, especially as I've stipulated on the birth plan that we'd like to find out ourselves, rather than the midwife telling us. I've decided that I'd like to cut the cord. The Wiggler has been linked to me by the thing for the whole pregnancy and I think it fitting that I should end the permanent physical connection.

I've been drinking raspberry leaf tea so I'll be interested to see if it has any effect on my labour. Will it be possible to tell? Scientists will say no because there isn't a controlled environment in which it can be tested and "everyone is different", but the midwife may have an opinion? I've also ordered some arnica 200cc in preparation for baby time. I was going to take some anyway, but didn't realise it came in a 200cc strength! All I have around the house for general use is 30cc, but birth/labour is pretty traumatic for both mother & baby so I guess 200cc is a better bet. Also, some sweet almond oil for perineal massage. I hope there's enough time to do some before the Wiggler makes it's appearance...after last night I'm not so sure there will be!

Maternity leave and mobiles

So here it is, ze mobile:

My lovely husband put it up for me today :-D They look a bit porky on this picture - I think my phone has distorted them a tad. If I could be bothered to take a proper picture with the Nikon I would, but I really can't right now.

I finished work today! WOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! The last day for 52 whole weeks. It's still quite surreal and hasn't really sunk in because it's the weekend. I know that it means that The Wiggler is now imminent. Hopefully not before-pool-arrives-imminent, but the due date is a darn sight closer than it was! Erk! My work mates very kindly bought me some crib blankets and a swaddling blanket - which is exactly what I needed - I wonder how they knew?! Hmm LOL! Anyhoo, we have pretty much everything we need now. I'm still debating a baby bath. Some people say they're a waste space, time and money. Other people say they're great.

We had our final antenatal class yesterday and went for a curry afterwards. Rebecca has arranged loads of coffee mornings at each other's houses over the coming weeks and a reunion in October. It seems so far away, but I know the time will fly. I've learned so much from the classes and genuinely do think they've helped both Simon and I on our journey through this pregnancy. So the ladies will be visiting my house on Wednesday for drinks & stuff - best get some biscuits in! Or...shall I make brownies...hmm?

Le cot

We...well mostly Simon...put the cot together today :-) Looks fab don't you think?

It's very difficult to take pictures in the nursery now there's more stuff in it; getting a bit cramped - good job there isn't anything else to go in except for a chair!

It's amazing and a little strange to think that there will be a Wiggler to go in it quite soon...I know the crib will be used for the first 6 months or so, but still - it's quite overwhelming!

We're getting to know people at the antenatal class now which is really nice. I can't quite believe how worthwhile the classes are; I knew they'd be helpful, but from an emotional viewpoint they've saved me. Simon and I are much closer as a result of going and we're both really excited about the arrival of The Wiggler now. It's great to be around other pregnant women for a start and for Simon it's been terrific to meet other Dads-to-be. Normalising emotions and concerns is hugely beneficial. We even went to the local pub for a drink after the one last night. I seriously recommend NCT classes to anyone having a baby who wants to know more & meet other people in the same situation!

I really didn't think I was the type, but it turns out that I am - I found this pregnancy ticker at lilypie.com which I've decided to add to each blog. However, I'm only copying the image onto each post so that it stays as a sort of record of how pregnant I was/old Wiggler was when I wrote something.

Stuff update

Not been doing very much of late what with it being so flipping hot & sticky. So here is a picture of the chest in the nursery:

We finally decided to go with the original curtains. You can kind of see them in the picture.

Here is a picture of the Stokke!!

Isn't it amazing?! I keep playing with it. Can't wait for the Turner Prize (as Auntie Maj calls it) to make it's entrance so I can put him/her in it!

I have another midwife appointment on Thursday so I'll write more after that. Work is becoming incredibly tedious & I'd like nothing more than to have started my maternity leave. I shall persevere for as long as I can so that I get more time with The Wiggler post birth. I get "foot in diphragm/ribs" quite a lot and "bladder punch" too which is an unusual experience to say the least. I shall be glad when I have my body back to myself again! Then I can sit without the feeling that something is stuck in my ribs, which it sort of is I suppose.

I sent Simon a Father's Day card from The Wiggler - he found it highly amusing. I'm glad he did because it took long enough to learn how to do speech bubbles on Photoshop without asking him for help!

Cheese-o-rama

It's my ELBOW at the top. Anyhoo...I'm off to be hot & sweaty away from the computer now.

Nursery & car seat

We picked up the car seat from Mum's today (at the same time as the chest of drawers and mirror). It's ace! We went for the Maxi-Cosi Cabriofix in deep red. This is the one that goes with the Stokke (which is also in Red) as part of the travel system so luckily our choice was limited! There are soooooooooooo many car seats & base unit things. Decisions aren't my forte at the moment.

We've painted the nursery! Finally. Painting skirting boards is my least favourite job, officially. It's so fiddly, especially around radiator pipes & when there's carpet - bleh. Anyhoo, we've done it now & we really love it. The worst part of the prep work was getting the effing border off. Who sticks a border onto woodchip?? In this day and age? Seriously. We managed to get most of it off and the glue that was too stubborn, we left and painted over. I suppose the woodchip was a bit of a saving grace (I can't believe I said that) as the glue remnants look like part of it when painted over! Wooh! Score.

These are the colours we've gone for:

Door = hideous

I know the door is hideous. We have plans to change all the doors in our house, but there are 13 so that's an ongoing project on the back burner for now. I took the photo above this way because if I took it facing the window it distorts the colours. I took one facing the window anyway so you can see more of the room:

Dubious phone pano

So now you get the gist of the room; the carpet is a chocolate brown. It's not the biggest, but babies are small! We have some pictures (donated by Mum from her house - Mickey Mouse limited edition paintings - thank you!) to put up and a mirror that goes with the chest of drawers. The cot is coming some time in July I think. We have the mattress already.

We're still um-ing and ah-ing about curtains and the light. We have a blackout blind so the fabric isn't too much of an issue. We were going to have an Alfie set as there is a changing mat too and it would be nice to have some matching stuff, but having painted the room I don't think it would go. Then we saw this but decided it'd be too much white. We quite liked these, but think it would be green overkill. There are loads of really funky nursery sets at Walmart, so bright & colourful. What is this English obsession with pastel, pale colours for babies? It's INFURIATING! I decided to have a look on the Ikea website on the off chance, they usually have some good kid's textiles. This is what we found for curtains, and we're still struggling with the light. This is by far the most challenging room decoration project ever. Even looking at the Ikea curtains again I'm not sure they'd look right; maybe if the walls were white instead of the colour they are. Hmm. Perhaps Alfie wouldn't look so bad after all??! My god this is getting out of control...enough.