Tats the idea!

Hiya all,

The title may give away what this post is about. I just want to get everyone elses opinion on tattoos?

I'm obsessed with la and Miami ink, I think Kat Von D is amazing.
I've been brought up around people with tattoos, my brother and sister are both covered in them, and my dad has some old army tattoos. So they have always been around. My mom however hates tattoos she lives by the saying that her dad used to say to her 'if god wanted you to be technicolour you would of been born technicolour' all be it that he used to say it to her about makeup, she's taken it and given her own meaning now!

I got my 1st tattoo when I was 16 (I no I was underage) my sister went with me and I got a small red heart on my hip, like the one Kelly Osbourne's had got on the series of the Osbourne's. Thinking back I had put zero thought into it and just wanted one! A year later me and Gareth decided the ultimate mark of dedication was to get our names tattooed on each other, I was 17 and we snook off and get them done!!
Not the brightest trick we ever pulled I must say, when my mom found out a few months later she nearly killed me. In hindsight as much as I love my partner, and as much as I never want to be with another person, I just think the whole name tattoo thing is very Jeremy kyle and very tacky!
We are however talking about having them covered with a lock and key design, but we are still trying to get more ideas for a final piece.

My 3rd tattoo is by far the best and most thought about of them all. Being older I put more thought into it, more research of the tattoo artist, we found a brilliant lady who owns a tattoo shop called Tataholics and she is just brilliant,I took a basic image into her and she drew up and advised as to what she thought would look the best. I ended up with my beautiful feather tattoo and my little dudes name. I choose the feather because all through my pregnancy I kept finding white feathers, they would just be everywhere. I like to believe in angels and like to think the white feathers where my guardian angels watching over me and Harry, and Harry is my little angel so a feather is fitting.

I am however the worlds biggest hypocrite because if my little man came home with a tattoo I would be so sad. Being a mommy, I understand my moms concerns and issues, I was all for the fact 'its my body I'll do what I want with it' but now having Harry I get the fact that, she made my body, and likewise I made Harry's body, and I won't ever stop him doing what he wants but I would be a little sad if he did get a tattoo, especially without telling me like i did.

Have you got any tattoos? What's your opinions on them?

Love Lucy x

Say what?

Hiya all,

Hope you had a lovely weekend, I'm going to address something today that I've found myself talking about over the weekend, speech.

I'm very aware that children 'do things in there own time' I heard this over and over when Harry was learning to walk as he didn't do it until he was around 18months old. I no there is no guide book with children and another clique that's very true is 'every childs different' and you shouldn't compare any of our children but with the popularity of social media comes a platform for everyone to do just that, with out knowing it sometimes.

A 'friend' of mine, I use the term loosely its someone I no through my partner who I'm 'friends' with on facebook, has a 19month old who she's constantly telling everyone how advanced he is, and how she's been told by her health visitor how brilliant he is. Well this is fine but sometimes when I read things she writes I think 'really?' Last week it was that he can count to 5 and that he knows his colours and shapes. Her latest statement was that he can say over 100 words!! Now that's a bold statement to make in my eyes because it then imploys she's sat there and counted each word that comes out of his mouth.

This got me thinking, so I sat and watched Harry and wrote down on my phone all the words he can say. Harrys 22months and I had never thought much about his speech before, as he has no problem communicating with us to let us know what he wants. In total Harry can say around 14 words clear enough for us to know what he means.

Mom
Dad
Nan
Dan (what he calls me 90% of the time)
Daisy (as in upsy daisy)
That (showing us what he wants he points and says 'that')
No (his favourite word of all time apart from when its said to him)
Oh no (when he's dropped something)
Err no (when offering him things he like to ponder with the errr then drops the no)
Moo (when seeing a cow)
Eyes (he's obsessed with eyes)
Awww (more of a noise than word)
Tar (as in thank you)
'Whatstha' (like what's that but said as one word)

I've asked my mom if she thinks that harry has a issue with speech and she said flat out 'no'! my brother took forever to say his 1st words and my mom said she was worried that he would never speak but he did and he 'did it in his own time' and now he never stops talking, he's in his 30s with his own business :)

It just shows no matter how hard we try we all end up comparing our children even tho deep down we all no 'there all different, and 'do things in there own time' we can't help but question there development compared to another child

Overall I'm not worried about Harry, if he needs help with his speech in the future so be it! But I'm happy with his progress so that's all that matters.

I just wonder what my 'friends' statement about her child will be this week, maybe he will be holding a lecture about quantum physics!!

Love lucy x

Can i have my records back please? . .

Hiya,

As I mentioned on my last post, I've applied for a copy of my pregnancy and birth records from when I gave birth to Harry back in 2010.

Do you remember those green notes that were our best friend through pregnancy that we were told 'take them everywhere with you' and then when we got to hospital they were whisked away never to be seen again?!

Well I was doing a bit of reading online and stumbled across a post on one of the babycentre websites that said 'how to get hold of my maternity records'
A light clicked on and I thought, right if I'm entitled to them I'm having them. I'd love to see what they wrote though my labour, will make for interesting reading.
also your baby's birth notes, you no the ones that are filled in at hospital and then taken yet again by the midwife when they sign baby off.

I thought, like i think many people do, that when your medical records are taken from you that you can never get hold of them again, i thought they were locked away in a chamber of secrets (I'm a huge harry potter fan, thought id sneak a little pun in) but this is not the case, its just not well know that we are entitled to a copy at anytime.

Well its pretty simple, all you have to do is, ring or write to the hospital you gave birth at, and just explain that you want a copy of your birth records please.

I've written a letter, I'm expecting a application form back to fill in to prove I am who I say I am, and then I should get copy's within 40days, it says on a website I've read that the hospital may charge a £10 'admin' fee. But I don't mind paying that to get back what is rightfully mine anyway.

I'm going to put mine (when they arrive) in my 'pregnancy and birth' memory box. I'm obsessed with memory boxes, so what perfect thing to read when I'm older to remember what exactly happened, fill in the blanks from when I was in theatre and what i have forgotten.

I'll let you no when I get a letter back from the hospital and how much they charge me for it too.

Have a lovely Saturday

Love Lucy x

Friday ramble

Hiya all,

Hope your all enjoying your Friday's what ever it be that your doing, personally I've been waiting in for the Asda food delivery (which we booked for between 12pm and 8pm and it came at 1pm so it was a bonus)
Writing a letter to try and get a copy of my hospital medical records from when i gave birth, i want to use it as part of my 'pregnancy and birth memory box', and i think it should be interesting reading what they wrote about everything that happened, i didn't no i was entitled to a copy and when i found out how to get hold of a copy i was right on the case.

But finally and most importantly, sourcing all things arty for my little dudes cbeebies birthday card!
Its something that Ive been waiting to do for ages, i did one last year for his 1st birthday and i was like a big kid with the PVA glue and glitter making my 'work of art' and then i got a bit teary having to send it away knowing i wouldn't get it back (i get attached to things way to easily).

Here's a video of last years card if you are interested.
(you may here some squeal's in the background, and talking that me telling my dad to shut up because i was videoing)

Well this year I'm going bigger and better because now Harry loves the birthday time, he points at the children's pictures and we have to go 'aww that's a nice little boy/girl' so I'm hoping if I'm lucky enough to get it shown this year again he will be doubly excited to see his own picture and name read out.
This year I'm going with a In the night garden theme, as that's my little mans favourite, last year his favourite was Waybuloo.

I like to be organised because you have to send your cards in 6weeks in advance if you can for a better chance of it being shown.

I will post a piccy of it when its complete but so far i have found most of my supplies, still need to locate my pens, stickers and loose glitter, so tonight when my dudes in bed it will be 'mister maker' time (or Art Attack time if you were a 90's Child like me).

Hope you all have a lovely weekend what ever you get up to

Love Lucy x

Harry and the adventures of his manky blankie

 Hiya all,

A very rare and ground breaking moment took place in our house yesterday, something that happens only once in a blue moon, it took some covert operations tactics from me and my Mom but we did it, what are we talking about you may say? The answer..

WE WASHED HARRY'S BLANKET!!

OK OK you may think and??
But this is no ordinary blanket, this is the special blanket, one that's lovingly known as 'MANKY BLANKIE'

This plain looking blue crochet blanket came into my life when i was pregnant with Harry, it was made by a work friend of my moms and i was very grateful, i love hand made things.
When Harry was born it was March and it had not been too cold we had brought a few different types of blankets, fleecy, cellular, fluffy, but the day we got home from the hospital it was a bit colder so out came the woolly blue blanket, and that's where the love affair started, from that day on he would not have any other blanket, he knew it wasn't his blankie. He like to rub it onto his face and poke his fingers and toes through the holes when hes sleepy.

harry with my brother

sleepy boy

I think its lovely that he has a comfort blankie that he wont be without, but the problem when he wont sleep without anything else, has to have it next to him when hes eating and has to take it EVERYWHERE with him is, it gets filthy very fast. This is where the problems arise, he goes ape if anyone touches his blankie, so getting it in the washer is a epic task.



Yesterday morning the blanket was practically crawling into the washer itself it was that manky, so whilst his attention was on Mr Tumble on Cbeebies we swooped and put it in the washer. Within seconds he knew it was missing, his spidey sensed must of been twitching, he ran into the kitchen to find it spinning around in the washer, he was banging and pointing and tried the handle a few times, the panic on his face was clear. Bless him he was so worried.

We ended up hurrying the washer up and popping it in the dryer so he could finally be reunited with his lovely blanket.

I love that my dude has a blanket, used to have one too that i dragged all around with me where ever i went, and Harry's daddy had a lamb that was his comfort, so much comfort in fact hes dropped apart and only had 3 legs and no ears now!

What does your baby use for comfort?

Love Lucy x

Salt dough memories - Free Fun :)

Hiya all,

Today's post is about the fun you can have almost for free with your child or toddler.
Most people have the ingredients to make salt dough in there cupboards but I've calculated at asda it would cost you £2.11 for all these ingredients.

what you will need:-
(oo i feel very blue peter writing this)

• Flour
• Salt
• Water

This is for the basic mixture, but for added fun you can add food colouring, and also vanilla extract, this not only gives a lovely smell but is meant to keep the mould away.

Use a decent sized cup or mug, and use this as your measure, so much easier than using scales.
Its 2 cups of Flour, 1 cup of salt, and a half cup of water. You can make more mixture by doubling or tripling the measures etc

Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl, then slowly add the water, this is where you can add the added extras of colour and vanilla extract if you want too (Ive been told lemon juice works just as well too)mix with your hands, to form a ball. if its too dry add more water and if its too wet add more flour.

Once your dough is at this stage this is where you can have your fun with it.
i let little man have a play around with it and he loved it, i just let him play in his nappie as he hates clothes at the best of time, and i didn't fancy putting messy clothes through the washer and clogging up the washing filter with flour!

I picked up a bag of cookie cutters from asda for £1.97 for 25 and theres some lovely shapes, all be it that some don't come out correctly (the horse turned out more like a giraffe but hey ho) but you can use what ever you have in your house to make shapes, or what i want to do make a hand and food print plaque.


You may have seen a few of the hand print plaster of Paris kits around, we had one for harry when he was newborn but it didn't work too well and we ended up in a mess with no hand prints to show for it and its was around £7 wish i had thought about using salt dough back then.

Once you have made your shapes and you want to keep them just leave them in a cool dry place to dry overnight and they should harden nicely, but if you want to keep your dough and use it as play dough, just stick it in a air tight container in the fridge.

My little man enjoyed printing his hands, but no so much his feet, must of been the cool feeling on his little toes.

Hope you have lots of fun with yours :)


Love Lucy x

Health Visitor MIA?

Hiya all,

I just wanted to post about health visitors, i have seen a few posts mention the fact that they have health visitors come round to there houses to check there child developments and weight etc, and a few of my friend who live local get one coming around too but Ive not had one visit since Harry's been about 4 weeks old and they only came once and just told me about signs to watch out for with post natal depression and gave me a pack of leaflets.

Its not that i want or need one, i was just wondering who has one and who doesn't?

If i want harry to be weighed i have to take him to a Surestart baby clinic that's run for a a hour and half every Monday, but to be honest they are always filled with chavvy mothers (sorry for the stereotype) that make me feel intimidated, so i don't bother going, last time i went was 27th June 2011(only no that because i just checked Harry's red book)

I had to take him for a 1yr check up but it was when he was 11 months old and they gave him blocks and he passed them from hand to hand, they asked if i had any concerns i said no and they asked if his eyes had been followed up by the hospital (will eventually do a post about Harry's poorly eyes) and that was that, we were there about 15mins max.

If i ever have any health concerns for Harry i take him to the doctors, so what role does a health visitor play?
am i missing out?

Though id end with a picture of the dude himself, doing a bit of chalking!

 

Love Lucy x

Review:- BigJigs Wooden Railway

Hiya all,

This is going to be my 1st review, iv decided to review one of Harry's favourite toys that he had for Christmas from me and his Daddy.
Since hes been born his Daddy has been waiting for the day to come that he can sit down and play with a train set with Harry, and this Christmas we thought he would be the right age.

We looked around on a few sites and toy shops and noticed they all seemed a bit too plastic and too old for his age, we wanted a more classic looking one. But then we found this lovely Bigjigs train set on the Play.com website. The price was brilliant £14.99 (and i had a 10% discount code) so i ordered it.

Come Christmas day it was wrapped and it was one of the largest presents there so he kept it until last. When he opened it I'm not going to lie, he didn't have a clue what it was, even though the picture on the box is clear, i was imagining in his head he was saying 'yh thanks for this nice colourful box, this will come in handy'
Boxing day when all the hype of Christmas day had dyed down slightly Harry and Daddy sat and un-boxed the train set, i don't no who was more excited.

The set we brought is the Bigjigs Wooden Rail: Figure of Eight Train Set (43 pieces)

Harry has loved this and without fail has had us sitting playing with it with him every day.
You can make the obvious figure 8 track as on the box, but you can also do your own thing, Harry likes us to make a circle track. The trains are magnetic so stay together nicely, and it comes with a family of people, houses, some trees, little signs and cars.
We may be breaking the rules a little as it is advised for age 3-8 (Harry's nearly 2) but we supervise him and used our own common sense with our child and we think its perfect for him. 

excuse the mess!

For his birthday in March we are going to buy some more extensions and extras for it which is great there are some lovely things that you can 'add on' 
I would say the only problem we have had is the box is a little flimsy for the wooden track to be put back into once you have finished with it but that's no big problem as we have now got a little storage box that we put the track in when we are finished now.


I would say if your child enjoys imaginative playing, with cars and such like then this is perfect, even if you have a little girl, Bigjigs do a 'fairy train set' that's very cute.
Over all the price is great, the quality is brill and its something that will grow with him, he will have alot of use out of this and many hours of fun, and so will his Daddy.


* thought i should add that we purchased this with our own money and have not been paid in anyway to give this review its all our own opinions :)


Love Lucy x

Made with love

Hiya all,

Today i wanted to share with you all a lovely gift that Harry received from his amazing Fairy Godmother, and my best friend, also called Lucy.

Lucy's very talented Mom made these lovely Peppa and George knitted piggys. I just adore them and sort of don't want to let Harry keep them, i want to steal them for myself.
Harry like many other children out there loves Peppa Pig and has a few of the DVDs and he immediately recognised them when i gave them to him. There so soft and cuddly, perfect for any Peppa Pig fan!

Lucy's Mom is so talented, i keep saying how she should open up a Internet shop selling all her beautiful handmade goodies. 

She makes some amazing bags, hats, phone covers and novelty's!

Here's another little knitted item she made, a little buzzy bumbley bee!
There were 10 of them that she made for my sister who used them at her workplace (she works in a school) but i couldn't resit stealing one for myself. 

I don't no about you but i just love handmade gifts, just gives that personal touch and i no it was made and given with a lot of love.



Love Lucy x

We three bears.

Hiya all,

I thought i should share a picture of my little family, we took this today, its a rare moment to get Harry still and smiling long enough to get a picture.

This ones definitely getting put in a frame i love it.
The title is about the fact we call each other bears, daddy bear, mommy bear and baba bear :)
I love our bear names, don't no if Harry will still appreciate it when hes 18 though.

Hope your all having a lovely Saturday.

Love Lucy x

Help Harry Help Others

Hiya all,

Today I'm going to talk about another little boy called Harry,
An amazing, clever, funny, unselfish, bighearted boy called HARRY MOSELEY.

Picture of Harry from his official website with his bracelets

You have all probably heard of this brilliant boy, who tirelessly worked to raise money for his charity HHHO.

Harry had a brain tumour and fought hard and long for 4years you can read his full story here
http://www.helpharryhelpothers.com/harrys-story/

Harry wanted to make a difference and boy he did, he made beautiful beaded bracelets and sold them for his charity, all harry wanted to do was help save others.

Sadly on the Saturday 8 October 2011 Harry lost his battle, but his work still carrys on, his lovely family are continuing to work hard for Harry's charity as that's what he would of wanted.

From the 1st moment I saw Harry's story on our local news, it stuck in my mind, I don't no if it was the fact he was a local boy, the fact he was also called Harry like my boy or the fact he was doing something so brilliant and selfless, but his story got in my head and stayed with me.

So what can we do to HHHO?

Well Harry's website is here where you can purchase bracelets and donate anything you can afford all the money goes to Harry's charity, such a worth while cause.

I've got mine, have you got yours?

My 2 lovely bracelets

Love Lucy x

Driving me up the wall. . .

Hiya all,

As I'm writing this now (on my phone to copy to my computer) I'm sitting on an ASDA car park, in a 'normal' car parking space with Harry in the back while my mom has gone in to get some bits and bobs.
The problem that I'm seeing more and more of and that has been heightened since I've been a mommy, is the total disregard of 'parent and child spaces' why do people think its perfectly fine to park in them when they have no children with them at all. I've just witnessed 2 spaces been taken by fit and healthy looking people who have no children with them and not even a child seat in the car?! And this is not the 1st, I see it time and time again when I'm out shopping, I wish they realised why these spaces are so necessary and its not just 'oh I'll park there, I fancy a bit of extra room'

I'm planning to write to our current PM about the issue of these spaces, at present there is no regulation to stop these careless people parking in them because its closer to the shop door for them. I wish they new what its like to have to go shopping with a baby or toddler and have to park, get out, get the pushchair out get baby out of the car seat, into the pushchair or trolley, all without bumping the car next to you with your door as you do it. Likewise when you get baby back into the car, never mind the bags of shopping. These spaces are for parents with children for a reason.  I highly doubt 90% of them would do the same with a disabled spot, park in it because its empty and close to the shop. This is why we need regulations on these spaces, give out parent and child badges as they do with disabled bays, surely this would open up a nice little job for someone who's job it would be to check these badges on car parks, and if they were not displayed and you didn't have the correct car seats/booster seats in your car you would be fined.
I'm fully aware its not as simple as to do this but it would be nice to think it was

The Peter Kay joke springs to mind:-

'I took my mom for a big shop the other day, i dont mind taking her because we can park in the parent and child space - Peter Kay'

Just wish people had a bit more thought about these spaces, I may start a petition
Who's with me?

Love Lucy x

Harrys Birth Story

Hiya all,

I thought it was pretty fitting after watching one born every minute last night that I write down Harry's birth story.

12 week scan

I will start with my due date of the 16th of march (my partner Gareth's 21st birthday) and all was fine, no signs of the dude.
I had a midwifes appointment that afternoon, and as I walked into her office she noticed my face was extremely pale (more than normal as I am anaemic anyway) and I was breathless, I had thought nothing of it because ever since being pregnant I had been tired and breathless, they eventually diagnosed I had a missing valve in my heart at around 26weeks, so I wasn't overly fussed by being breathless it was normal, but the midwife thought I should be checked out and advised I go to the antenatal triage at the hospital.

My sister in law left work and headed to the hospital with me, I must admit I was very nervous as I'd never been in hospital before only to visit others and for my baby scans. I was hooked up to a monitor and a few tests were done, Gareth arrived from work flustered, he thought it was the time, not exactly the way he wanted to spend his 21st but hey ho, I could see the nerves in his face as he didn't no what was happening as we sat nervously behind a curtain. A male doctor came over and did a internal, can honestly say one of the most painful time of my life. I grabbed Gareth's hands so tightly and screamed like a baby. They eventually decided I wasn't in labour at all and baby was fine, but I was however extremely dehydrated so was hooked up to drips and taken to the maternity ward, very hard seeing all the other Mommy's up there with there little baby's and I was there in the corner bed with my huge bump and a drip in my arm.

37 weeks

On the 17th I was so upset, openly crying to the doctor when he came around that I wanted to go home, he took one look at my badly chapped mouth and said not a chance, I remained on the drip, watching Mommy's wash and change there baby's and come and go. It was hard.
18th of march came and I was adamant I was going home, i had got chap stick on to hide the cracked lips and the doctor finally said yes I can go, so 6pm came they removed the cannula and I practically ran off that ward. I remember getting home and just being so grateful of seeing my own bed.

21 weeks scan

The days of 19th, and 20th ticked on, I heard every wives tale under the sun to 'bring on labour' I was exhausted and did want my baby but some of the things were bizarre, and if it was going to happen so be it, I don't think any amount of rubbing frogs on my head* would help!

4d scan 27 weeks

Sunday the 21st, Gareth thought it was about time his son came so he got me doing laps around our garden, he wouldn't let me back in until I had done 25, and our garden is not small! PE was never my forte at school so I was less than pleased about all this physical exercise.
That afternoon, I was getting niggles, so i got a note book and started writing down times, they were getting closer but not painful at all, I didn't get my hopes up, we had my moms home made chili for tea and it was lovely. To bed we went and the niggles continued, but still not too bad, at 3am I woke with worse pain, and Gareth helped my put on a TENS machine that we had hired from boots. It was great, I went back to sleep wearing it. At 7am Gareth left for work, me telling him I'm fine, honest, I'll phone you if I need you, roll on to half 8 when I was mooing on the bedroom floor things had changed, my sister was here and I'd locked myself into the toilet, as I was sure I was going to poo myself! I wasn't gonna have a baby just a giant poo that's what the pain was like, right in my bum. My sister told me in no uncertain terms to get the hell out of the toilet, so I got out and finally spoke to the hospital they told me to go up to see what was happening. My lovely sister in law Ellen, drove me there, how I don't no as I had my head right in her lap because I felt so sick, she recalls almost abandoning the car on the car park around 10am and I was met on the ramp by a midwife and a wheel chair I was put in a room, put my fetching nightie on and was examined, I was 7cm!! The pain was bad but bearable, Gareth was informed and he shot to the hospital from his work, he looked worse than me not knowing what was happening again, I remember him walking me to the loo because again I thought I needed a poo (AGAIN!) but I didn't, turns out they were just contractions and pains in my bum area again. I was given gas and air (which i thought had a lovely biscuity tatse) and manged to have little naps, my waters were bulging but never popped like you all see in the movies, so were popped for me and around 12 dinner time I was fully dilated and ready to go.

daddy's 1st cuddle

pushhhh and 3 hrs after being fully dilated out flew my boy, 3:25pm in the afternoon he literally flew out, it was no gradual thing, all at once this perfect boy was here. My reply was 'what's just happed' i was in shock about it all. Harry was taken to the heat box to be checked over! When the midwifes saw his size the soon realised why he was 'stuck' after being told i would be having a 5lb baby by the sonographer at the 4d scan, i had just given birth to a 9lb 6oz baby!

He was 100% fine, I on the other had was not.

I felt fine but the nurses and doctors faces said otherwise. My placenta came out after having the injection to speed it up. Harry was fed and changed and cuddled by his daddy and auntie Ellen. I didn't get much chance to hold him or do anything, which looking back is upsetting. I had lost quite a bit of blood and was still bleeding a while later, a older lady doctor came in looked at my blood loss and felt my stomach, 'oh no she said', great just the words of reassurance you want to hear isn't it! She put on some gloves and told me to take some gas and air. I can't put what she did next any other way, she shoved her hand up inside me and pulled out what can only be described as 'yacky slimy bloody gunk' turns out some of the placenta had been left in and could of easily poisoned me.

before theatre

Soon after this I was rushed to theatre for the bleeding and to check nothing else was left inside. I remember the anaesthetist coming in and his mouth was moving but I couldn't tell you what he said I felt like I was in a bubble it was all going to fast, all I wanted to do was hold and cuddle my boy. I had some fetching surgical stocking added and a catheter. The lovely midwife Tammy in tow, and the trainee midwife too, I asked if she would hold my hand because I was terrified, and Gareth had to stay in the room with Harry. He tells me he felt so alone, was left with this little boy who needed feeding and changing and he didn't no what to do. Luckily while i was in theatre his Mom came down and changed Harry and helped out Gareth.

I had an epidural and was moved onto the table I remember pinks song 'like a pill' was playing on the radio in the room and I managed a little sing along. 

Looking up into the mirror light above I remember saying 'I really need to get my eyebrows sorted'. The weirdest feeling in the world not feeling your lower half, looking to the end of the bed, seeing 2 legs in the air and asking who's they were and being told they were my own! Odd, very odd! I was all stitched up on my 3 2nd degree tears and was wheeled to a 'recovery room' I shall use this term loosely, because it was more a store room with a rattly air vent that sounded like a aircraft was gonna land at any moment and piles of chairs and other random implements.

 'fish tank'

Gareth had to leave about 9pm and I was alone, in a store room with my baby in a 'fish tank' so far away, I couldn't reach him and I obviously couldn't get out of bed because I had no feeling and to top it off, no emergency button to ring for the midwife. I could hear the screams as other mothers gave birth in rooms around me. I rang my sister in law in tears, she was at home, I told her what had happened and she rang up the hospital and got someone in to me, who then gave me a bed bath and told me her life story of how her husband had left her and her kids didn't want to no her, I am normally a really good listener but at that moment in time I was so tired, and just wanted to sleep, i didn't need to no her problems too.

finally got a cuddle 11pm 22nd march 2010

Finally I was moved rooms, to a smaller 'store room' but at least it had a working emergency button that I had to press every time Harry needed a feed, which made me feel a useless Mommy at the time, i no now i couldn't of done anything about it. That was a long, lonely night, this is the side they don't show on One born every minute. Luckily the trainee midwife that came to my aid was one who had been at my own doctors for my regular appointments and she chatted and cooed over Harry and it was nice to see a familiar face.

cuddles with Dad on the ward

The next morning, the 23rd I was taken up onto the ward and finally felt a bit normal as they removed the catheter, and I could get washed and fresh and finally feed and change my baby myself. I had another night in hospital on the ward and when my Harry's ear tests all came back OK on the 24th March we were off home, I ran for the doors again much like before i had had him, but this time he was with us in his car seat, i felt so lucky. I didn't look back once!

leaving hospital

Getting my baby home was the most amazing feeling ever, that's it I was a Mommy, me and Gareth had made this most perfect of baby boy, and he needed us and we were going to be there every step of the way for him and that was the best feeling ever.

I'm so sorry about the length of this post, its just when I started it all came flooding back and I wanted to be honest.

bounty picture 1day old

Harry
22/3/2010
3:25pm
9lb 6oz
59cm long
Full head of beautiful dark hair

Love Lucy x

Born Middle Aged

Hiya all,

As its drawing closer to my parents 40yr wedding anniversary and my Moms ^0th Birthday, todays post is going to explain a bit more about myself and my family, and my decision to have a baby at a young age.

My parents are both older than the 'norm' and when my Mom had me she was 39, back in 1990 this was extreamly frowned upon and she tells me she was treated like a old lady, nower days women go onto having babys well after 39 and its not seen as a problem.
I have a older sister who is 18yrs older than me and she was pregnant at the same time as my Mom with my neice who is 3months younger than me, my brother is 14yr older than me. They both have there own families and children. Me and my partner live at home with my parents and Harry, and I love it.

Growing up with older parents, has not had many draw backs, proberly the most annoying is the whole 'is that your nan/grandad' in primary school when they picked me up but I've never missed out on anything, if anything, I've gained, there's not many kids that new all the words to patsy cline and daniel o donnel songs at the age of 7, and who had a talking enclocopidea of knowledge about history and any other subject you wish to ask my Dad. But the reason and the sadest downfall to having older parents is, I have never had a Grandad as sadly they past away before I was born and my Nans died when I was around 5 so I feel I've missed out on the having a Nan and Grandad thing, i would hear the kids at school saying 'Im sleeping at my Nans house tonight' and i would feel ever so jelous, as ive got older i just wish they were here to see me now so this is why I decided to have Harry at a young age, I wanted my Mom and Dad to enjoy my child growing up without being too old to realise it, and I never wanted Harry to feel how i feel with no Grandparents. As morbid as it sounds, I'm aware I won't get as much time with my parents as I would like, I am extremely close to my Mom and Dad and couldn't live without them, this is part of the reason I still live at home with them, I just want to take and cherish every second with them and want them to enjoy every second of there only Grandson (they have 3 grandaughters from my sister and 2 from my brother) I'm so lucky to have a partner that understands how I feel about wanting to be with my parents and live with them for as long as possible. Im not saying i want to stay here forever, as Harry gets older, he will be wanting his own space no doubt, and so will me and Gareth but for now home is where my parents are. My Parents have a caravan that they regularly go to so we do get the house to our selves sometimes, and its nice, i think we have got the balance right. My partners parents are polar opposite, they had him very young moved to there own flat, got married and then divorced when he was little, but he understands where I am coming from with my feelings.

I come under some micky taking from my sister who has in the past told me I have been 'born middle aged' as I'm not the typical 21yr old, I'd much rather sit in with my Mom watching Corrie having a giggle than off out drinking and clubbing the night away.

When I was pregnant I was 19 and to be honest was treated a bit like a scum bag who had got pregnant young, I was placed under special attention by the 'underage pregnancy' midwife, she visited my house and was shocked to find I had been referred, after asking my education and partner status, and being taken a back to find I had 11 GCSES and a NVQ level 2 in beauty therapy, had been with my partner for 6yrs, we were STILL together and he was in a full time job. I was swiftly removed from the underage list and was told in her words 'I had more common sense than most older moms to be' but even now I still get looks when I'm out with Harry because I still look so young but I will stand by my choice to have him so young and I think it was the best decision I've ever made for me my partner and Harry.

I want to thank my parents for giving me the best childhood and upbringing ever, and if I can be as half as good with Harry then I'll be chuffed.
Pictures above are of my crazy Dad dressed as elvis and my Mom with her 2 oldest Grandaughters Christmas 2011.
I like to think i keep them young as my Moms 60 this year and my Dad 69

How old was you when you had your baby/babies? Are you a child of a older parent?

Thanks for reading
Love lucy x

Mom, Mum, Mommy?

Hiya all,

So today ive decided to bring up a topic that I found myself in full debate over last week.
It all started with a face book update by myself telling about the fact that Harry has now decided to call me DAN. As plan as day he calls me DAN, now he can say mom, and he has done in the past but the last few weeks he’s decided that DAN is more of  a fitting name for me. I wouldn’t mind but my name isn’t Danielle or Danny or no one close to us has this name so I have no idea where he’s got it from.
I said ‘I wish Harry would stop calling me DAN and start calling me MOM again’ and wow I opened a whole jar of worms here. I got comments saying ‘he should be calling you MUM, MOM is a American word and is not part of the English language’
Then my friend who’s family are Geordies said ’well I use MAM’ a lot of my friends agreed with me that they also had always used MOM. My older sister has always referred to our MOM as MOTHER, and my older brother calls her MUV like a shortened  version of MOTHER
Well at this I couldn’t believe it I hadn’t never given it a second thought, for all my 21years, I had used the word MOM and never anything different, so I did a bit of research and turns out that MOM isn’t American like I was initially told and was more of a regional thing, as I live in the west midlands MOM is a very West Midlands word.
Who knew there was so much debate over the subject ay? When I 1st met my partner (nearly 8 years ago now) he always talked about his ‘pap’ I later found out this to mean Granddad, and his Great Granddad is ‘big pap’ living my sheltered west midland life, I had never heard of this word, my partner who’s family are originally from Northampton all use this word. Just shows how diverse our country is. I don’t think there is a right or wrong word to use, and I’ll continue to use MOM for mine.

So my question, what do you call yours? And what do your children call you?

To be honest I don’t mind what Harry calls me, just as long as its not some random mans name as it gets a little awkward  him shouting it at me walking around the supermarket lol

Love Lucy x

A quick piccy of me and my MOM (all be it 2yrs ago)

Hello out there!

Hiya everyone!

For all those who havnt come from my old blog i thought id give you a 10 point random run down of who i am and what this little blog will consiste of.

1#  Im lucy *waves* im 21, i am primarily a Mommy to my little dude Harry. Harry is 21months old and is in my own words AMAZING!

2#  Please expect alot of spelling and grammer mistakes. Its my downfall, but its part of who i am so who cares.

3# I do alot of these :) bit of a smiley face addict when writing.

4# There will manily be alot of posts about Harry, days out, milestones in his life.

5# I have decided to come back into the blogging world after over a year absence, i feel now i want to blog again and if for nothing else make a record for my dude.

6# Harry may be refered to on this blog as Harry, Dude, Baba, Haribo etc this is a regular thing in my house, he answers to all

7# I have no real structure, it will be hit and miss contents wise, i just write about what i no, what i like (and dont like) and what i find interesting

8# The blog title comes from my absolute obsession with leopard print, if it can be made in leopard print il have it, and the fact im a Mommy

9# Tv addict is my 2nd job, i will literally watch anything from Downton Abbey to Man vs food!

10#  Maybe i should of stuck with 5 facts, as im struggling here, but hope you get the idea :)

So that about wraps it up for my 1st post, i have alot of work to do on layouts and backgrounds and i have alot of ideas in mind for some more posts so hope to see you soon :)

Love Lucy x