WEEK 20 - I won....I got my own way....we found out the sex....and....

So we debated all the way to the hospital today still not agreeing on whether to find out the sex or not. 

Hubby was adamant he wanted to wait for the surprise. However being aware of his distinct lack of patience, I remained quietly confident that he would buckle when directly faced with the opportunity - and I was right! 

He gave in!

Ta-da!!!!

So we are having a little boy! 

Very exciting. And the baby was nice and healthy, and showed no obvious signs of any issues to my absolute relief! 

I have to admit, I was kind of hoping for a little girl. Only because selfishly I wanted to take her clothes shopping etc, and had also ear marked some adorable little girlie outfits, and dresses 'to-die-for', that will now look completely wrong on my little boy. 

I wouldn't do that, I couldn't. Could I??

I love seeing the scan. It all becomes so real at that moment, and I could watch that monitor all day. I wish you could buy one for home so you could see what the little guy is up to every so often. Not that I have any idea what it is I'm looking at! I can't tell what is what, I just smile, nod, and say ahhhhhh a lot, pretending I do.

Before the lady asked if we wanted to know the sex, my husband, Andy, said that he thought he already knew. He was convinced he had noticed a little suspect shape around the groin area but didn't want to say. And he was right! Trust the man to focus directly on that area first! He even asked at the end of the scan if she could measure it, which was well embarrassing. She wasn't the friendliest anyway and that didn't impress her one bit! - It was funny though!     

Not only that but my bladder was at bursting point when I went into the scan. So much so that when she pressed I had to really try to stop myself from exploding. Then (as I currently have a cold - annoying) I had a coughing fit and thus did wee a bit! My maternity jeans are bright blue and it was definitely noticed. My husband found this very entertaining.  

Since the scan and the reality has again sunk in, I am thrilled it's a boy. My step-son Leo who is now 10 years old, is an adorable young lad and is absolutely no bother at all. If our new arrival turns out anywhere close to Leo then we will be truly blessed. 

What this means now though having three boys in the household is, of course, that I can no longer sit by and be a spectator when they play FIFA. I am going to have to get involved now for sure. 

I am glad we found out the sex, as one of our friends made a really great point that you can now start calling the baby a him, rather than an IT! We can also get cracking on names, and the nursery, and lots of gorgeous clothes. I just want him here now. Im growing impatient already, as well as larger, and larger. 

Baby brain & Bella brain = Trouble!

I am more than well known for my Bella brain. I have to confess I am rather clumsy and a little scatty too. Most of the furniture, and crockery in our house has suffered the effects, along with the new carpet I burned with the new iron that I dropped and broke, and the Ironing board I bent (although this one was due to trying to surf pissed on top of it). 

My husband has grown to accept the ever familiar sound of a cup or plate crashing in the kitchen when I'm cooking and doesn't flinch now. Maybe we should have the kitchen tiles replaced with thick foam ones, or a trampoline type surface so they come bouncing back up for me to catch them? 

I could go on with many examples but to name just a couple. There was the time when I was in a shop and came out to my partners car (at least I thought it was his) and jumped straight in with a complete stranger who nearly had a heart attack. And the last job I had where I went for lunch and my bag straps caught a traffic cone that I dragged for 20 yards before realising, much to the amusement of my new colleagues. The list is endless and I am sure my friends and husband can recollect better than I can but you get the picture. 

I have read about 'baby brain'. Is it a fact or a myth? They say that it is true and that it's official term is 'pregnancy - induced - fog'? It can make you forgetful, over-sensitive, and unable to focus on logical tasks. Has anyone else suffered from this? Only today I received a call from a good citizen who had handed in my purse. Luckily I had some phone numbers in my purse and they called my husband who told me the purse was found on a roundabout?!

Suddenly it clicked that after paying for my petrol Id left my purse on the roof of the car and drove off. My husband is always saying that when I drive it's like being in a washing machine, and perhaps the fact the roundabout is 10 yards from the petrol station would suggest maybe it is? It didn't stay on the roof very long! 

The amount of times I go to put stuff in the fridge that shouldn't be in there and stuff I go to put in the cupboard that belongs in the fridge. And finding words too?! I can't find my words at the moment. 

Maybe I am using it as an excuse but If it's possible to be any more clumsy then I am sure it is happening. I wonder if I am alone on this? I hope not! 

Anyway, I got my purse back, and whats a cup or saucer between friends? I am loving being pregnant and chuffed to bits with my last scan. I can't wait to meet my little boy and hold him.

I just hope i don't drop him! 

WEEK 16 - Mamas & Papas baby? - eBay baby more like!

I'm a proper bargain hunter me. 

If you want to find me; besides the pub (pre-baby), you will find me browsing the charity shops, scouring the discount racks at T K Maxx, upside down in the bargain bins at New Look or shopping till I'm dropping at B&M. Oh how I love B&M. I could stay in that shop all day. Infact my husband (who literally despises shopping) will always stay in the car in the hope it will speed me up. It doesn't work. 
I sometimes worry that some interfering passer-by will report me for leaving him in the car for such prolonged periods; like they would a dog! However I am a responsible adult and so I always leave the window open an inch or so for him. OK, maybe I shouldn't be tying him to the steering wheel but.....Bless him...!!!

I once took him to a.......wait for it.....CAR BOOT! His favourite day of the week is a sunday. He loves a lie in and then to hit the pub for the day, watching the football, and putting a few losing bets on. He doesn't call it sunday, he has renamed it to 'his-day'. He say's there are seven days in a week. Six of which he can be selfless and a doting husband, and so one day is not much to ask for. Fair enough...
Anyway, you can imagine his excitement when I begged him to go with me on a rainy sunday morning to the car boot. I assured him that it can be great fun and that he might actually enjoy it. 

He didn't. 

He whined all the way there and complained all the way round. I remembered seeing other mums with their kids thinking how well behave they were! 
The experience of me unintentionally DESTROYING 'his-day' was bad enough for the poor fella, but my bargain hunting was just too much for him. He was mortified when I bartered with stall holders over their already mega discounted ex-prized possessions. 
He told me off for asking a lady who was soaking wet standing in the rain if she would accept 50p for the £1 top she was selling. He quickly gave her the £1 and hurried me off to the car. I guess that was a step too far. Apart from the hot dog van he hated the experience. 
Needless to say he hasn't returned with me.

The point of this story is that now we are expected a baby we obviously are going to need a lot of stuff. So last weekend we take a trip to Mamas & Papas to pick out a few things for our little one....and... 

Oh My Lordy Lordy!!!

£200 high chairs - why? Will the baby eat better food? Will it grow up to love sprouts and eat sprout sandwiches every day for its packed lunch? Will it make less mess and not throw up all over it because it knows it's a Mamas & Papas £200 bad boy? I am guessing the baby wont know (or care) how much it costs or where it came from? The little cherub is only interested in getting fed, throwing it up, then shitting it out. All for us to clean up! 

I have to be honest....I hope that's ok? 
I think spending as much money as possible on your baby so that it has the best of everything is just ridiculous. I think there are lots of areas where it's worth it for sure, like comfort and safety, but I do believe that some of these prices are getting silly. 
Of course there are folk who buy certain brands so that it looks really great when people come round to visit, and is why there is a market for it. Some of these brands can name their price and there will always someone willing to pay it.....to.....should I???? Oh I'll just to say it...show off!  
I wonder if Mama's & Papa's were to carry out a social experiment giving away (pain free) tattoos for your babies forehead of their logo, how many would do it? Of course nobody! That was a JOKE!

Don't get me wrong the stuff in Mamas & Papas is lovely, but is it really necessary to pay so much for certain things? Typically on my visit I picked up a right bargain (out the bargain bin) that was reduced from £38 to £10!!!! It was a beautiful thick all-in-one winter suit. 
Can't take me anywhere!

But later that hour...

I asked the lovely assistants for some...assistance with the pram set ups. She was super helpful and showed me and the hubby all the mod cons and special attachments and so on. At first I thought my husband's head was going to explode as he processed all this information. He could't for the life of him get his head around the way one bit came off and another bit attached and then a car seat also attached. He was like, "we only wanted a pram"! 
So the lovely lady asked if we would like her to price up the pram/push chair/car seat/hovercraft thing and came back with just £1200. 
TWELVE HUNDRED ENGLISH POUNDS! 
That's before nursery furniture, high chair, walker, playmat, swings, rockers, bouncers, bath stuff, food, clothes etc etc.

Does my bum look big in this?

This super pram was the bees knees and the lady told us how the material was made from the belly of a rare duck billed platypus (not really), and how the sides were so strong it was made from crash proof, drop proof, bullet proof, bomb proof, and just about anything proof material. (not really again - but almost) 
Now I know that technology has moved forward since we were kids and our parents were kids, but I wonder, how did they cope without such luxuries? How did they manage without this fancy stuff? I would guess it is because it isn't necessary. What will we have next? ipads built into the prams so they can watch 'Three men and a baby'?

After a good laugh watching my husband look a total prat making a hash of getting into a harness we 'scarpered' to Mothercare! 

Where's Wally?

Mothercare (whilst less expensive) still showed signs that this baby (as cherished as he or she is going to be) is going to cost a BLOODY FORTUNE!

So after a long day shopping for baby we hit costa to discuss what on earth we are going to do. We threw around many ideas of how to raise the extra cash to be able to buy all this stuff. Ideas such as; Bank Of 'Mum & Dad', downsize, sell all my heels (his daft idea), stop him going to the pub on 'his-day' (my daft idea), being the next Bonnie & Clyde (actually a good one but we haven't got the balls - well I haven't) 

And then it hit us - eBay!!! We will find all of these wonderful items that others have spent thousands on and pick them up for less. Ding!
I understand that nobody wants to buy second hand stuff for their baby but really, who will know? I'm not talking potty's here, but pram's and nursery furniture that has hardly been used and as good as new. It will save a fortune and then we can sell it on as second hand (JOKE)

Thank you eBay you have saved me from selling my heels. And the answer to my initial post topic question; Mamas & Papas baby or eBaby baby?:

I guess it's going to be both!

My only slight worry is that one day i'll be strutting into Costa with my 6 inch heels, pushing my 'all singing-all dancing pushchair/pram/car seat/hovercraft super thingy' (thinking i'm the coolest cat in there); only for some mother in the queue to shout "'ere' that was my pram and I sold it on eBay for £300".

"And the cheeky cow still asked for a discount"

WEEK 13 - A new kind of maternity fashion? Or In denial?

So, I'm hardly two yards over the start line and already my beloved wardrobe is fast becoming redundant. A no-go area. Waste land! 
When I open the doors and sift through my once cherished but now almost useless clobber, desperately looking for something to wear, I find myself trying to be 'creative'. 

It's a sad, sad sight when those Argos pine doors creak open. The lines of half-ironed clothes look like the unwanted sale rack at Primarni. I feel like they are staring back at me with their two fingers up laughing right in my bloated face. They look disgruntled as if they are thinking:- where was our say in this? You never asked us if it was ok to get knocked up, so don't come crying to us when WE DON'T FIT YOU ANYMORE!!! 
Perhaps they aren't really thinking that?! It will be just my imagination I'm sure. As if clothes would think like that. Im sure they are thinking nice things...??? 

Like some wannabe fashion designer I am trying to think outside the box! Do my jean buttons really need to meet? A belt with a huge buckle would look cool and bridge the gap? Or maybe even a scarf around my midriff, or even a massive clock hanging from my neck? - why not? Flavour Flav can get away with it so why not me? Then I have to remind myself that I am not a superstar rapper. 

Can you imagine?

I went to meet my friend last weekend for a COFFEE!!!!! Thinking about it, that could have been the first time we have ever had such civilised drinks together? We actually got know each other all over again!  

I got dressed up for the occasion like it was my big night out for the month. Fake tan was duly applied (This is ok when pregnant I have checked) - Infact when the midwife asked - "any questions for me?" - I do believe that was my first one? 

Closely followed by... "and hair dye?" (This isn't recommended until after 12 weeks, which is good I am now over that period, because my roots are so bad it looks like a huge bird of prey has shit on my head)

Anyway...so I met my friend. She kindly complimented me on my appearance and that I was apparently 'blossoming' - but little did she, or anyone else in Costa know, that the maxi dress I wore beneath my jacket was indeed entirely open at the back. Yes that's correct, I was literally hanging together with bits of string! 

It was without doubt the comfiest I have ever been outdoors. It was like being out in my onesie all day! I would recommend it to any soon-to-be mum, although Im well aware that I will shortly have to give in to the inevitable, as my belly continues to expand beyond the point of no return, and I find myself succumbing to the lure of MATERNITY WEAR!!  

Out of sight....out of mind!!!

The one thing I refuse to stop wearing are my heels. I am sure there are people reading this who have either already had a baby or are further gone than me, who will be thinking yeah, yeah, you just wait! 

But my calves are like elephants, built from years and years of training shoe, and flat shoe avoidance (obviously elephants don't wear shoes at all, but you get my meaning). 

My husband was mortified when I packed a case full of heels when we went snowboarding. He may have found that ridiculous when the snow was 6 foot deep, but little does he know, if I could have got away with wearing them on the snowboard I would have! 

I am going to have to be very careful when laid on the hospital bed in all my glory that I don't poke the midwives eyes out with my stilettos. That would be awful! 

When my feet swell up there is always WD40, which apparently fixes anything that won't budge. I'm sure with some lubricant and a bit of gentle persuasion ill get those heels over my ever expanding duck feet (as my husband calls them) GIT!  

In all honesty I am doing nothing to assist my crusade to wear my existing wardrobe for as long as possible. Yes I am eating lots of salad and good stuff, but my oh my, how my baby luuuurrrvvveeesss chocolate and cakes! I can't believe how much baby loves choccy. I am not the type of mum to not listen to my baby's growing needs and so....

Me captured stuffing my face...well if it makes baby happy!!

Regardless of the wardrobe (and my expanding situation), I am going to continue to enjoy my new 'eating for two' diet and my first pregnancy. What will be will be, and as long as I am expanding then there is a healthy baby on board. 

I'd take that over a little black dress anyday!

WEEK 12 - I'm having a baby!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally I am 12 weeks pregnant and can let the cat out the bag (so to speak). I hate keeping a secret, I really do. It actually pains me! I am one of those who will shake the presents under the tree because I can't bear to wait a few more days. When I was a child I would hunt the house to search for them before they were wrapped. Let's face it parents are not the best at hiding presents, and clearly greatly underestimate the cunningness and ability of a child to covertly infiltrate the cupboard under the stairs!!

I'm Bella; I've just hit the ripe old age of 31, and like many women, I have met my fair share of losers! You know the ones....who think buying a knackered old bunch of flowers from the garage on the way home after a very necessary row over a tea bag (for example) is going to make everything just perfect again?!

Well now I am married; On January 18th 2014 to be precise. It was the perfect day. The dress of my dreams, Jimmy Choo shoes (2nd hand off eBay) that I had to take off after the 'I DO' bit because they killed my feet. And copious amounts of vino (which made my feet all better again!).
Oh how the vino did flow. And did I mention my gorgeous, loving, (non 'garage-flower' buying husband) who said YES? It was amazing.

Everyone looks better in B&W!

Here I am just over one year later, and I have discovered I am pregnant with our first baby. I actually did the test in the early hours of a Sunday morning in April, after a heavy night on the town with my hubby. He kindly pointed out that my breasts were popping out of my brassiere, and that we should maybe check the cause of this mysterious phenomenon.
Arriving home with our kebabs in tow, I went straight upstairs to check. Let me tell you that JagerBombs and urinating on tiny sticks do not go too well together!! Luckily I had a few tests at home and managed to verify that indeed I was pregnant!

'After washing my hands I ran down to tell him the great news' 

We could hardly contain our excitement (we had to pause Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway) and then we danced in the living room singing and jumping for joy. The reality soon set in as hubby returned the glass of vino (he had just poured for me) back into the bottle and stored my kebab for his supper the next evening. "You can have my salad" "I'll get you a glass of orange - mummy!"

Now I am over the '12 week don't tell anyone other than close family - just incase' phase, I can finally start to tell all of my friends, who, let's just say have been a little shocked. Being known as a party girl most of my adult life, my close friends found it hard enough to accept I was getting married. But now a mummy too!!!!!
Wait till I get myself a 7 seater and start saying things like 'Im just off on the school run" OR "eeeeee, don't they grow up fast" That will really freak them out!

So now I am 12 weeks a lot has happened. Time for a quick catch up...

• Went to doctors and he said I wasn't!!
• Panicked 
• Tested myself again half an hour later (5 times) and they were all positive. 
• Rang doctors to complain (think he was dipping the wrong end in my sample)
• Went back and this time he dipped the right end in and I was pregnant again! (Yey)
• £50 worse off for all the test kits (Grrrrr)

All that was just day 1...and so....

• Supremely knackered for the last 3 weeks, lots of lie in's and breakfast in bed. (Milking it!) 
• Supremely hungry (not for weird stuff yet like coal or soap) - mostly cake and biscuits (Midwife advised to eat a bar of chocolate a day for Iron) Brilliant!
• A small amount of morning sickness but nothing major touch wood!
• My first scan at 12 weeks (just yesterday) 

See Doc......I definitely am!

Here's our little creation!

I was incredibly nervous for the scan. I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if they said there is no baby, you have just been eating far too much girl! Then there was the worry if baby would be ok. Thankfully it all went really well, and what an amazing experience to see my baby for the very first time! He or she was a lively one, and was kicking and moving around. They did struggle to persuade baby to move onto it's side at one point to which my hubby said to be that stubborn it had to be a girl!!!

I was really amazed to see that despite the size of the baby how visible the features were. Apparently my baby is the size of a Plum! They must mean a prize winning plum as my jeans stopped fitting me a long time ago! When it gets to the size of a peach I hope they don't mean the one from that Roald Dahl book? As long as I am expanding it's a good sign so I don't care, and also means a perfect excuse to shop! Here I come 'Primarni'!!!! 

My ongoing dilemma is if to find out the sex of our baby. My husband wants to wait to keep this as a lovely surprise, but going back to the earlier part of this blog I am not the best at being patient. Can I wait another 28 weeks???? I don't know....hmmmmmm