A Week Ago Today....

Andy and I were blessed with our daughter Anya. I cannot believe she is a week old already. It just seems like yesterday when we were bringing her home from the hospital. She is slowly settling into a routine and is a very happy baby. She sleeps...A LOT! She sits in her little pillow on the sofa with daddy or in bed with mummy most of the day and then sleeps in her cot at night...and she usually only wakes once or twice during the night for a nappy change and a feed.

She's wonderful and she is quickly becoming a daddy's girl. It is so adorable to see the two of them cuddled up together. I have never seen Andy happier! He looks at her sometimes with such love that it makes my heart ache. He was born to be a daddy and he will be great at it I am sure.

Speaking of which, it is time for me to wake him up so I can grab a quick nap before Anya needs feeding again. I have added quite a few more photographs as well. Click on "Anya at Home" to the right.

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

She's Here and She's Perfect!!

Anya Jane Cashmore
Saturday, 22 December 2007
10:37pm
7lbs 8oz
20 inches/51cms

Well she was 10 days late but she was worth every moment of waiting! On Saturday, 22 December Andy and I were given an early Christmas present....Anya Jane Cashmore! She is absolutely perfect - although it was an incredibly difficult journey for her as well as for Andy and me:

Saturday, 22 December 2007

8:45am - My waters broke as I was just going to sleep (yes...hadn't yet been to sleep from Friday). Rang Andy and work and brought him home.
9:15am - First contraction (OUCH!) - they then carried on for the next hour at roughly 8 minutes apart. I have a nice long soak in the tub and put on my TENS machine (nerve stimulation machine thought to interrupt the pain signals to the brain and release endorphins to fight pain naturally -- useless piece of tat!)
10:15am - Contractions get longer and start coming every 5 minutes. Time to get ourselves to the hospital...and quick!
11:00am - Booked into the hospital, contraction are now 2-3 minutes apart although they felt like they are one on top of the other. Examined by midwife and find out I am already 6cms dilated! Bring on the entinox/gas & air (laughing gas to those of you across the pond)!! It takes the edge of the pain but makes me feel like I'm not in the room. Didn't like that. Start pacing the room and leaning on Andy.
12:00pm - Given an injection of pethidine for pain relief in addition to the gas and air. Still feeling the pain, but just don't really care anymore! Although Andy is looking a little bruised and his thumb may be broken. Do you think the midwives would give him some drugs? :) I'm still standing and leaning on Andy.
2:00pm - Examined again and I am now 8cm dilated. Midwives tell me I will be ready to start pushing soon. STILL have not sat down...still leaning on Andy.
4:00pm - Examined again. The magic 10cm mark has been reached but baby's head is still quite high up. Told to push with each contraction if I have the urge but not to force it. Given another dose of pethidine and begin to gently push the baby down. Still standing.
7:15pm - Baby's head is down and I am told to begin pushing with everything I've got! Given another canister of gas & air and begin pushing standing up, leaning over the bed.
8:00pm - Contractions begin to be less regular and baby's head still hasn't even crowned yet. Change position and get on the bed on my hands and knees. More gas and air and more pushing.
8:45pm - Midwife decides that I need to be moved to the obstetrician-led section of the maternity unit so I can be given a drip of oxytocin. This will make the contractions stronger and more regular. She leaves the room to get the paperwork and arrange for the transfer. Baby however, is doing very well.
9:00pm - Midwife returns mid-push and oddly my contractions are now very strong and very regular. She decides I don't need to be transferred and I continue pushing.
10:00pm - The baby's head still has not crowned and the midwife tells me she will have to do an episiotomy to allow room for the baby to come down. This means I will need to get on to my back...ugh...which I really didn't want.
10:15pm - After a few minutes on my back and a couple pushing, the baby finally crowns (without the episiotomy)!! After a dozen or more really strong contractions and even harder pushes.....
10:37pm - IT'S A GIRL!! She is alert and calm and quite possibly the most gorgeous little thing I have ever set eyes on. They place her straight on to my tummy (one definite advantage to being on my back) and we have about half an hour to bond and cuddle and then the midwife takes her to be cleaned up and weighed. Then it's time for daddy to get his turn as well before he has to leave for the night.
12:00am - I head to the bathroom for a much needed soak in the tub and Andy gets some one on one time with his new daugher.
1:00am - My sister-in-law Jane arrives to take Andy home and Anya and I move from the delivery room to the ward to settle in for our first night.

We had two nights in the hospital and came home to be with Daddy on Christmas Eve around 6:00pm. Anya has already settled in well and is sleeping and eating well. I actually managed to get around 5 hours sleep last night which amazes me! She is a wonderfully calm and quiet baby and we are completely in love with her already.


There are plenty more photographs, just click on the links on the right side menu.

Videos

"Moments After Birth" (2.77MB)

"Being Weighed" (1.23MB)

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

Fashionably Late...MY ARSE!

Ok...I am now 9 days overdue and I am losing my mind!! I had a sweep done on Tuesday (OUCH!) and was really hoping that would kick start labour. Last night Andy and I thought lil' bean was on his/her way. I started having contractions around 6pm and they were coming between 16 and 20 minutes apart. We got so excited! The contractions then started getting further apart and then disappeared altogether around midnight. *sigh* oh well.

To make matters worse, the hospital is now refusing to induce labour until a full 14 days have elapsed. This means that I won't be induced tomorrow as originally planned, but will now have to wait until Boxing Day!!! So we may not have our baby for this Christmas unless s/he decides to get moving in the next couple of days.

So, we're disappointed and I'm bordering on absolute exhaustion, but at least we know that within the next week we will finally get to meet lil' bean. We're just so impatient now and each day seems to drag on forever. I'm really hoping labour starts on it's own. I don't want to be induced. I would much rather have a natural labour and delivery. Being induced will add hours and hours to our time in hospital and I was looking forward to going through the first stages of labour at home with Andy. Fingers crossed, that may still happen.

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

Lil' Bean is Fashionably Late

It's official...my baby has no concept of being on time! I am 40+2 and still no signs that s/he is coming any time soon. *sigh* I am so tired and every part of my body is aching. As much as I have loved being pregnant, I would love it even more if it would just be over now. :) I'm scheduled for a sweep on the 18th and induction on the 21st if the sweep doesn't bring on labour. So at least we know that within the next week our baby will be with us. Knowing the end is in sight is definitely helping to boost my mood. The lack of sleep and aches and pains are bearable because I know now when I will get my body back!! And not a moment too soon either...I am HUGE!!


Andy and I are very excited and cannot wait to welcome our baby and become a family....and just in time for Christmas as well.



Lots of love
Summer
xXx

Four Weeks To Go!!

Oh my god!! That hardly seems possible. I am 36 weeks pregnant and this time next week I will be classed as full term. The time is absolutely flying by. I can't believe I am 8 months pregnant. I truly never thought I would be in this position and, uncomfortable as it is sometimes, I wouldn't trade this experience for anything in the world.

As desperate as I am to have this baby and get control of my body again, s/he needs to stay in there for at least another two weeks while we finish up the bathroom. We had new windows fitted last week and next week the plumber is coming to rip out the bathroom suite and move some pipes. Then Andy and I have a week to get the walls prepped and tiled before the plumber returns to fit the new suite.

And our poor girl Cill was back in to the vets yesterday to have her teeth cleaned and ended up having all but 2 removed. She doesn't have any of her canines anymore and the poor little thing is miserable. But hopefully, she'll feel better than she did before and will be with us much longer now. At least, that's what I'm hoping.

So life is hectic and stressful at the moment, but by keeping busy maybe the next four weeks will pass faster. I can't wait to meet lil' bean after so many years of waiting for him/her.

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

7 Weeks and Counting.....

Only 7 weeks left to go and I can hardly believe it! The months have absolutely flown by and lil' bean is going to be with us before we know it.

As of last Friday I am 7 months pregnant and getting bigger by the day! I wake up every morning and cannot believe that I am even bigger than I was the night before. I still have 7 weeks of growing to do but I can't see how I can get bigger than I am now.

As big as I look, I have behaved myself. I have kept my diet very balanced and on the whole relatively healthy. And so far, I've only gained 15 pounds which, from everything I have read, is damn good!

I'm feeling really good and I start my maternity leave at the end of this week! I am so excited! Andy and I will get some time together before the baby comes which we desperately need and we'll also be able to do all the last minute preparations together. It's finally starting to sink in for us that we're going to be parents. It's exciting and scary at the same time but we are definitely looking forward to it.

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

So Very Tired...

The time is flying by and I can't believe it. It still feels like just yesterday when we found out we were having a baby and now here we are approaching 31 weeks pregnant. Just 9 weeks to go...63 days and we'll be parents. It is finally starting to feel real and although it does scare me a little now and then, Andy and I have never been happier. Andy smiles so much now. He is finally letting himself get excited and it shows. He touches my belly all the time and every night before I go to sleep he rubs my belly and talks to lil' bean. It is the sweetest thing.

I am starting to get a little tired of the big belly though. Don't get me wrong, I love being pregnant, but between backache, lack of sleep, my lungs being used as punching bags and my bladder a trampoline....I'm feeling a wee bit fragile. :) It will be better once I am on maternity leave though (three weeks to go!) so I am holding out for that when I can catch up on my sleep and start getting ready for lil' bean's arrival.

We still have so much to buy though. I just hope the bank card holds out and doesn't burst into flame!! :)

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

Scary Shit!!

Andy and I had a pretty major scare with lil' bean on Wednesday. Andy came to collect me from work to take me out for lunch and I fell as we were walking through the town. I have no idea what happened, I don't remember tripping or stumbling - one minute we were walking down the street and the next minute I was on the ground. The scary thing is, I landed face down on my stomache! Lil' bean was kicking up a storm immediately before I fell and when I stood up I couldn't feel him/her moving anymore. It scared the piss out of me and I got pretty panicked.

Some nice people who work in the town were trying to calm me down and got me to sit in the post office while they called for a paramedic. The paramedic arrived, followed closely by an ambulance and they took me to the labour and delivery ward of Stafford hospital. After checking the baby's heartbeat and being seen by a midwife and an obstetrician, they let me go home. The baby seems to be fine - the heartbeat was strong at the hospital and at home that night s/he started kicking again! I am so relieved.

I still need to be careful though and take it easy for the next week just to make sure everything is ok. But lil' bean is back to her active self and I haven't had any more tummy pain since the hospital on Wednesday, so I am not quite so worried anymore. Andy and I were terrified on Wednesday (even though Andy stayed calm throughout everything) and are so relieved that everything is fine. As anxious as we are to meet lil' bean, s/he needs to stay in there for 3 more months to make sure s/he is strong and healthy.

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

6 Months (or 27 Weeks)

I am 6 months pregnant today and, oh lord, the belly just can't get any bigger. I feel huge and awkward at the moment and Andy takes great joy in laughing at me. :) But at the same time, he takes great joy in just touching my belly...so I won't complain. It's nice to see him so happy.

The long awaited photograph....(in maternity clothes because I just couldn't pour myself into my old clothes)
I also had my Glucose Tolerance Test today. Gawd that was boring. Sat in the hospital for 2.5 hours and they kept pricking my finger to check my blood sugar levels. Ick! I should have the results in a few days though...so fingers crossed, everything will be fine.

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

Only 93 days to go...

I just looked at my baby ticker and it says:

Summer is 26 weeks and 5 days pregnant.
Only 93 days to go.

I can't believe that!! Where have the last six months gone? It has gone so quickly and on one hand I cannot wait for those 93 days to go by but at the same time, I am in no rush for this baby to be born. I absolutely love being pregnant and feeling our tiny baby moving around inside of me. I am not sleeping through the night anymore but, tired as I am, I quite like waking up in the middle of the night and just lying in bed with my hand on my growing tummy. The house is quiet and calm and it's so nice to have some time with the baby.

The stereotypical "pregnant lady hormones" have kicked in as well. I have to be so careful what I watch on television as the slightest thing can set me off and get me crying. And it's not weepy crying either - it's all out sobbing! The latest thing is the Andrex puppy. There is a commercial here with a yellow labrador puppy playing with rolls of toilet paper and it sets me off every time. It's to the stage now where I have to change the channel. :)

Otherwise, we're doing well. I finish work in 7 weeks (and counting) and cannot wait. It'll be really nice to have some time with Andy before the baby comes. We very rarely get any length of time together because of our work schedules so it will be good to have some "us" time.

I have my Glucose Tolerance Test on Tuesday as well. I have to go into the hospital Tuesday morning and have a series of blood tests taken over three hours! I'm not looking forward to it at all, but it's being done to rule out gestational diabetes so it will be nice to have my mind put at ease about that. And then it's back into the midwife the week after. I'm now at the stage of my pregnancy where the midwife wants to see me every 3 weeks.

The last 26 weeks have flown by and before we know it, we'll be celebrating our first Christmas as a family. I cannot wait for that!

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

Blog Upheaval!

I'm trying to sort out a new layout for my blog at the moment. Unfortunately, this means there may be quite a few broken links and missing photos until then. I'll try to get it sorted as quickly as I can. Until then....bear with me.

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

Roll on October 26th!

My maternity leave is all booked with my employer and MAN am I ready to go! I am struggling at work lately and cannot wait until I can have some time away. I still love my job but I'm really starting to feel like they are all taking advantage of me and/or they don't appreciate me. I am on a pathetic wage because the business is still new and still trying to establish itself financially. I completely understand why they can't pay me more (I see the accounts) but it still bothers me that I work so hard for such a paltry amount each month. And to make matters worse, my manager has gone a bit off the rails lately. He split with his partner about two months ago and has been a bit distracted since then. He comes in when he wants, he goes home when he wants and he disappears for hours at a time during the day. Now, I am trying to be understanding and not blow my top at him, but we are a tiny office (only 3 of us) and in the afternoon I am on my own if he is out on appointments or if he disappears. I'm six months pregnant, tired and need a little help now and then. I can't go at the pace I used to go at, but he doesn't seem to realise that. I feel abandoned 90% of the time and it stresses me out, which is something I definitely do not need right now!

I know it will sound incredibly arrogant, but I cannot wait for my maternity leave to start because then everyone at work will finally realise just how much I do. I don't think they quite understand the amount of work I do or how I manage to keep this office running smoothly. Big headed as it sounds, they are going to be in for a shock when I am gone and I'm looking forward to that. Just once it would be nice to be told that I am doing well, that I'm appreciated, that they understand just how much stress I am under. I really doubt that will ever happen, but it would be nice.

Until then....I have 8 weeks to go until my maternity leave (or 33 days). I cannot wait! I'm going off a little earlier than planned so Andy and I can have some much needed time together before the baby is born. Also, because I don't think I need any extra stress in the last few weeks of my pregnancy and would prefer to approach labour and delivery being calm and well rested. I'll have about 6 weeks off before the baby comes and it will be nice to potter round the house getting everything ready for lil bean!

I will be 26 weeks tomorrow!! Lil' bean could be with us anywhere between 11 and 14 weeks!! How exciting is that??!!

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

Updates....

I've finally managed to update some of my photographs!

• 4 new "Pregnancy" photos
• 19 new "Mom in the UK" photos
• 5 new "Family" photos
• 7 new "Miscellaneous" photos

Go take a look!

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

5 Months Pregnant!

Well, I am now 5 months pregnant and the belly has definitely arrived! I feel absolutely huge, but I love seeing it get bigger and bigger each day. I am feeling great though...no sickness, no major aches or pains and looking forward to the 26th of October when I got off on maternity leave!


Oh and we have the baby's room ready and waiting for lil bean to arrive. It's absolutely adorable and I can't wait for our son or daughter to make it their own in a few months.

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

20 Week Scan

We had our 20 week scan yesterday and were excited to find out whether we were having a boy or a girl. Instead, we found out that we have a stubborn child who refused to open his/her legs. When s/he finally opened their legs we discovered that cheeky lil' bean had cleverly tucked the chord between his/her legs!! So...obviously, we are not meant to know. We were a little disappointed yesterday, but now that I have had time to think about it, I am actually glad that we didn't find out. This will be the biggest and the best Christmas surprise Andy and I have ever had and that it exciting. I still can't wait to find out...I guess I'll just have to wait another 17-20 weeks!

The most important thing that we found out yesterday though was that our baby is healthy. Everything looks good and s/he is incredibly energetic! It was almost impossible to get a clear photo as s/he refused to stay still long enough for the technician to snap one!! Our lil' bean loves doing summersaults!!

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

Letter to my Baby

There are so many things I want to tell you about and to remember.

Like the day your daddy and I found out that you were there inside me. Or the day I heard your heart beating for the first time and cried and laughed because it was the sweetest sound I had ever heard. There were the times I spent absent mindedly stroking my tummy wishing you could feel my touch and know how much I love you. There was the first time I felt you move inside me and realised it was possible to love you even more. And the magic of realizing that you are really here and alive!

I want to tell you about how we picked your name and how we chose it years ago when you were still only a dream. I want to tell you about how hard daddy and I fought for you and how badly we have always wanted you. I want to tell you about how happy you have made us just by being there. How I dreamed of you several times and woke up smiling.

I want to tell you of how you were conceived out of so much love and joy between your father and I, and how much we have loved you since that day. And soon, I will also want to tell you of how you were born. But all this will have to wait a few more months.
A few more months and we will be able to tell you everything.
To share our lives together.
To love you forever.

All my love
Mummy
xXx

Feeling Settled

I absolutely love being pregnant! Yes there are back aches and the rest to deal with, but that is such a tiny part of it. I love knowing that in a little under 5 months time we are going to be holding our son or daughter. As happy as I am, it still sometimes feels a little unreal. I cannot believe that Andy and I are finally going to be parents after wanting it for so long. This has been such a long difficult road to get to where we are now. There were times when I just wanted to give up and stop trying because it was devastating each month when we found out we weren't successful. It became the focus of my life and it could have easily affected my marriage.

Having said all that....I would happily do it all over again just to feel the way I feel now. "Happy" doesn't even begin to cover it though. I am overjoyed, excited, ecstatic but at the same time I have never felt so settled in my life. I am married to the love of my life who treats me better than anyone else in the world, we have a home together and will soon be welcoming our first baby into the world. Life is absolutely wonderful at the moment and I couldn't ask for anything else.

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

Starting the Nursery

Andy and I have chosen the paint and the border for the nursery!! Ok...it's starting to feel real now. We're painting the walls a pale yellow colour that has a touch of cream to it and using a pastel yellow and green Winnie the Pooh border! We've chosen all the furniture from Ikea and are going down to pick it up on the 1st of August!

I can't wait to see it all come together!! I'll post pictures as soon as it's finished!

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

First Baby Gift!!

We received our first baby gift today from my friend Marie-Pierre in Canada. It's a play matt and it's adorable! Andy and the cats have been eyeing it for themselves but it is staying in the package until the baby is born!

Thank you Auntie Marie-Pierre and Unlce Sebastien!!! I'm sure the baby will love it!


Lots of love
Summer
xXx

4 Months (18 Weeks 1 Day)

This is a photo of me at four months. Not much of a belly yet (although it feels like I have one...I'm in my first pair of maternity trousers finally) but what the hell is happening to my ass? Do you think I'm carrying the baby at the back?? :)

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

A Bit of Excitement!

What a strange day today!! The UK has been at a critical security rating for the past week or so since the two car bombs which were discovered in London as well as the incident at Glasgow airport when a car was sent on fire and driven into the terminal. Last week, it came to light that one of the alleged terrorists responsible for the Glasgow attack was living and working in Newcastle-Under-Lyme (which is about 15 minutes drive from where I live).

Well yesterday, three police cars pulled to a stop directly outside my office, and 6 members of the Armed Police Response team jumped out weapons drawn, yelled at a man on the sidewalk and arrested him. For those of you who are not from the United Kingdom, the police officers here ARE NOT armed unless they are a part of the Armed Response Unit. Even then, this unit is only called in to service very rarely in the most extreme cases. We still do not know what happened yesterday or whether or not it was terrorist related. But it was incredibly frightening and it is the talk of the town today! I live in a very small town, so for something like this to happen is pretty big news.

Of course, we managed to capture what happened on our mobiles!

If I ever find out what it was about, I'll post it on here.

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

Consultant Obstetrician Appointment - 17w1d

Andy and I had our appointment with the consulting obstetrician at the hospital yesterday. The midwife thought it best since I had surgery in the first few weeks of my pregnancy. The consultant didn't seem at all concerned by the fact that I had surgery - she seemed more focused on the fact that I have PCOS. Apparently it puts me and the baby at a higher risk of gestational diabetes. So she has ordered a Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT) in 10 weeks to see how my body is handling insulin production now that I am off my medication. She did keep saying that it was only routine and nothing to worry about, so I'm not overly concerned at the moment.

Just three more weeks and we'll know whether it is a little girl or a little boy!! I can't wait!

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

16 Weeks and a Heartbeat!!!

We had out first appointment with the midwife today and she said everything seems absolutely fine. My blood pressure is a little low, but nothing to be concerned about.

Most importantly, we finally heard the heartbeat!! It was absolutely amazing!! Andy looked stunned and I cried (of course I did...I cry at the slightest thing). I think it seems very real to both of us now! We're so excited!!! Have a listen here.

That's it for now...more later!

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

15 Weeks 4 Days...

...and I am feeling great! I am getting bigger and bigger every day and I love it! My skin is going absolutely insane and I couldn't care less. Andy and I have wanted this little baby for so long now it still doesn't always seem real to us. I cannot remember ever feeling this happy or settled in my entire life. It is such a wonderful feeling knowing that in just over five months we will be holding our son or daughter. I have never met this little person or even heard his/her heartbeat....I have only ever seen an ultrasound of him/her and already I am completely and totally in love. I sometimes find myself crying for no reason other than I was thinking about the baby and crying from happiness. I really do not want this feeling to end.

The other bit of excitement we had happened a few days ago at a friend's wedding. The DJ started playing music and we all started dancing...and I mean we ALL started dancing. Lil' bean is obviously a fan of ABBA!! It was amazing. It was the first time I felt a real movement (other than a flutter) and I almost didn't realise it was the baby. Since then I have been rubbing my belly and talking to him/her as much as I can. I am desperate to feel him/her move again! :)

We have a busy month ahead. Next week we are in to the midwife for my 16 week check where we will FINALLY get to hear lil' bean's heartbeat (YAY!) Then the week after we have an appointment with the consulting obstetrician to make sure lil' bean is well and happy (because I had surgery early in pregnancy and because we used fertility drugs). And finally...in four weeks we have our second ultrasound and we'll get to find out whether lil' bean is a he or a she! Oh and then...a week after that lil' bean's Nana Jane arrives from Canada to help us get the baby's room ready and to spend ridiculous amounts of money!! :)

All is well....Andy and I are both really excited and cannot wait for December. Actually I think we are both looking forward to November when I go on maternity leave. AND we just found out that regulations have changed in the UK and I am entitled to 9 months instead of 6. So it looks like I will be going to back to work in August instead of May!! YIPPEE!!

That's all for now...but I will be writing more often in the next few weeks as we get results from upcoming appointments!

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

13 Weeks and 6 Days.....

And getting REALLY fat! :) This is me at three months pregnant.



Lots of love
Summer
xXx

First Scan - 11 Weeks

We had our first scan today and everything is going well. Baby looks healthy and normal. But good lord, we have a little gymnast inside me. S/he was rolling around like crazy it was really difficult for the sonographer to get a clear photograph.



Lots of love
Summer
xXx

11 Weeks!

I've not updated this in quite awhile. I've been away on holiday and since coming back last week I've just not been up for spending time on the computer.

It was nice being back in Canada and seeing everyone. Two of my friends are pregnant now and it's nice to have others who know exactly how I'm feeling. It was especially nice spending time with Sherrie because she is only two weeks ahead of me and everything is happening to us more or less at the same time. The poor husbands were completely ignored when we went out for dinner. We were both too busy "comparing notes".

The midwife appointment went really well. She didn't have any real concerns. I have my first scan in two days!! Yay!! And she has booked me in to see a consultant in July for a check. No concerns, but just to be safe because of my recent surgery as well as the fertility drugs. Better safe than sorry.

I'll add another entry as soon as we get home from the scan.

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

7 Weeks

Well I'm now at 7+1 and everything I have read says that things like morning sickness should be diminishing now. I must be a late bloomer because morning sickness and heartburn have hit full force within the last few days!! I tend to get evening sickness more than anything else and it's almost impossible to eat anything after 5:30 or 6:00pm. But I don't care...I have wanted to be pregnant for so long that I will gladly take any and all sickness, tiredness or bloating that comes as part of that package.

I am still in complete shock and sometimes I "forget" that I'm pregnant. It doesn't seem real to me yet. I need to hear the heartbeat or have a scan...that will make in 100% real to me. The midwife is coming in 5 days for my first appointment and I'm hoping we'll be able to hear the heartbeat then. Apparently the midwife will try, but it's not always easily heard this early on.

So, I'm tired, grumpy, have sore breasts, feel like throwing up every minute of the day......but I cannot remember ever being this happy.

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

6 Weeks!

Well I am now at almost 6 weeks (5+6) and am feeling better by the day. My friends bought me a pregnancy journal and according to the notes, the heartbeat started a few days ago. I have my first appointment with the midwife in two weeks and I can't wait to hear the heartbeat...I cannot wait to hear MY baby's heartbeat. I have only known I am pregnant for just under two weeks but I am already so in love with this little baby.

I was in to see my doctor last week and he has taken me off Metformin which is wonderful...for the first time in two years I do not have to take pills every day. He also put my mind at ease about my surgery and all the medication I had. I'm not going to worry anymore. All I can do is take extra special care of this baby and hope for the best.

I have all the standard "symptoms" - bloated, nausea, sore breasts, insomnia but I am loving every minute of it. We have wanted this for so long that it sometimes still doesn't seem real.
We are happy, settled, and cannot wait to hold our child.

Lots of love
Summer
xXx

Four and a Half Weeks and Feeling Good

Well, my hubby and I discovered we were pregnant four days ago and are still trying to believe it. We have been trying to get pregnant for so long it's hard to believe that we have finally succeeded. My husband and I started fertily drugs last month and amazingly, they worked in the first month!! It is all the more unbelievable because I had surgery last month. I cannot believe that through the surgery and all the pain medication this little baby is still there and still growing.

We are so excited and cannot wait to hold our little girl or little boy in our arms. It's Easter long weekend at the moment so we won't be able to get in to see the doctor until Tuesday at the earliest. But we know with absolute certainty that we are pregnant....Andy didn't believe with the first test so he made me take another one...still didn't believe it after that so I took another. I think he's finally convinced. I'm more concerned about speaking to the doctor about my surgery and the medication I took. Also, I am on medication for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and I need to find out when (or if) to take myself off the medication.

We're happier than we have been in a long time. I know it is still very early days but we both feel really good about it. We have a strong little baby who survived surgery an we cannot wait to meet him or her.

Lots of love
Summer
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