Wonder.

 

There is so much wonder in being a first time parent. That can mean lots of "what am I supposed to do?!" moments but also many, many precious times of watching in wonderment at discovering each new stage.
I am enjoying Matilda Rose every single day. I am enjoying being her Mum. 

I still can't believe I'm a mother.
I still can't believe how very lucky I am to be HER mother. 

I've spent the past 3 or so days washing, drying and folding our laundry. Yes, you heard right. And I'm only about half way through. Yep, there are only 3 of us. 

Cue "the neverending laundry" to the tune of The NeverEnding Story. 

 I thought it'd just be easier to bring Matilda's entire drawer out than bringing her clothes back and getting them into her drawer at some point. When Mr Woo got home and noticed her drawer full of sweet clothes in pretty patterns he said "Matilda, your clothes look like a fairy tale". How sweet huh?
Even with 3 poopy diapers today, very-very little sleep, a teething baby, a very messy flat, no shower, I only realised at 10pm that I hadn't brushed my teeth yet, clean underwear???, making 3 different dinners, and sitting here in dirty clothes I still feel so blessed. I still feel as though I am living my fairy tale. My dream come true...only a little messier....

♥

What a Happy Girl

The 2nd most common remark Matilda receives is "what a happy baby". She really is. She is a joyful, smiley, spunky little firecracker of a happy girl. She's also very, very funny. 

Mr Woo & I often crack up just watching her. She has funny little noises she makes, words fail me in an attempt to explain what exactly it is she does, but she makes us laugh.
Not only is she herself a joyful wee soul, but she brings joy to everyone she comes in to contact with.
We often visit the nursing home where Mr Woo works. The residents LOVE Miss Matilda. 

There is a wonderful baby shop in town that we frequent because the owner is besotted with the little Mouse & has been from our first visit!

She waves and says "heeeeeeeyheyhey" to people at the bus stop and in shops. 

This girl is a Lovie.
Yesterday we were in Liverpool, she waved and waved at a homeless man who was selling Big Issue magazines and reached out for a man who volunteered in a charity shop. Once she leaned over a kissed an elderly woman in the doctor's office waiting room.

During my pregnancy Mr Woo and I would often discuss what we'd like Baby Woo to be like & I always said "I want her to be a loving, caring, considerate, giving & empathetic person". I think that's exactly what she is. Oh how my heart swells with love & pride for this happy little girl!

6 days!

Oops! I'm not doing a great job keeping up with my countdown....that's probably a good thing at the end of the day. I am making an effort not to get hung up on dates as this baby girl does not have a calendar! She will come when she's good and ready! 

Last night Mr Woo climbed up into the cramped and messy loft to put away boxes and other clutter, the flat looks so much better! Now just to tackle the laundry everywhere and the dusting that needs doing and the vacuuming and scrubbing and food shopping and rabbit potties and rearranging of the nursery.....

Uuugh....maybe I'll just lay down for a little while instead ;)

If Baby Woo hasn't arrived by her due date I have to go to the hospital again for an antenatal clinic appointment. My Mom aka Mema {to her granddaughters, Baby Woo will be granddaughter #3!} will be here by then. So I think I'll ask her to lets make a day of it! Go to the hospital but how about a nice lunch after and maybe getting our nails done! It might be my last chance for a while once baby comes! 

Baby Woo just gave me a big kick...I'll take that as her seconding that notion :)

35 weeks

A few people have asked if I'm having twins! Nope, I'm just massive. 

One kind person said they thought my bump was small for 35 weeks. They're my new best friend :)

Wednesdays are my actual countdown day, so 35 weeks as of yesterday. Yesterday I was very uncomfortable and tried to rest. I gave myself a few small tasks too. Baby Woo's stretches and kicks hurt when my bump is hard with "practice" contractions. My hips and lower back have been sore so I've been taking  lots of baths to help with that. Sweet Mr Woo brought home some lavender bubble bath to soothe my aching bones. 

Regardless of my late pregnancy aches and pains and heartburn I am still enjoying being pregnant. It's so amazing. My body has been housing a whole new person! Feeding & protecting her!

 I love having my little baby with me all of the time. She is due to arrive into this world in 5 short weeks! It seems like yesterday Mr Woo and I found out she'd be coming into our lives.  I am blissfully unaware of how much our lives may change. I have no clue how we're going to feel. But I do think we'll be very happy. Our lives never being the same again doesn't strike me as a bad thing. I've seen my husband becoming a father and my love for him has deepened. I've become a zealous protector of this tiny soon to be born person. It is as though a switch flipped and I will do anything to make sure she is safe, healthy and happy, even now. 

I've been so touched by the kindness and love others have shown Baby Woo. People that I hardly know have made things for her and given sweet thoughtful gifts. Cousins that I haven't spoken to or seen in years have bought gifts and have written to ask about how I'm feeling. It's truly remarkable. 

Babies grow joy. I'm sure of this now. 

  

Before I start crying and need to blow my swollen nose (yes, my nose has swollen. People don't tell you that your NOSE will grow in pregnancy! Thankfully it returns to normal postpartum.)

I'd better show you the photos of the onesies the sweet ladies from Baby Woo's shower made! Including a few that a special friend sent in the post as she wasn't able to attend the shower! Thanks Vicky! 

i love buttons. 

Baby Woo has some very thoughtful and talented Aunties doesn't she?!

I need to introduce you to Baby Woo's newest friend....

I'm pretty sure I told you about Benjamin in the last post.

the lovely changing table...now I need to get in gear to make a matching cover for the changing pad!
notice my Rennie heartburn relief on the shelf? Ha! 

There ya have it folks...One week closer to holding Baby Woo! Hasn't it been an exciting week?! Mr Woo and I are attending our Child Birth class on Saturday. I'm a tiny bit nervous, maybe because it's all becoming very real! Ready or not, she's coming! 

Baby Woo's Shower

Sunday was our day for spoiling! 

Our dear friend Heather, who only just had an accident at work and ended up with a concussion, threw Baby Woo & me baby shower! Baby showers are only just sort of coming into popularity over here in Blighty, so it was extra special. 

Despite her concussion and 8 stitches she organised everything and got over early to prepare, with a little help from her boyfriend Andy. Andy put up Baby Woo's shelves too! So all the thoughtful presents had a home ready and waiting :D

mmmm!

The girls sent me out for coffee and decorated. 

We got some exciting news! There is another baby on the way! 

THE MOST ADORABLE AND YUMMY CUPCAKES EVER! 

What every celebration needs, a Christmas tree! 

How about a few more pix of the nursery, which is still very slowly coming together....

Gorgeous Door Hanger from Auntie Faith

How cute are these two who will live on the bookshelf! 

Little Snoopy! Thank you Faith! I searched everywhere and never found one! 

The start of Baby Woo's college fund thanks to Auntie's Toni & Krista  

Baby Woo's books! 

Tikki Tikki Tembo, Matilda and The Story of Little Black Sambo :)

Vintage Planter, minus the plant because I am terrible at keeping plants alive....

Just a few soft toys! There may not be room for Baby in there! 

That ragged raccoon is my teddy Rocky.

My very favorite of Baby Woo's dresses! 

It was an intimate gathering and we had such a lovely time! We ate lots and even sampled baby foods for one of the games! Gross! I'll tell you, I am glad I've made the choice make baby food from scratch! It was sooo gross even being the good organic stuff! 

We played some other games including "Guess the size of the bump" - not a nice game for the heavily pregnant mother to be you guys! 

One of the last things we did, and my favorite, was to paint onesies for Baby Woo! I still plan on stringing them up on a line so we can see them all and how precious they are, so those photos will be for next time, but they're lovely! Very sweet indeed. 

Our friend who so generously gave us the crib has given us the matching changing unit too. Her husband dropped it off early Sunday morning & I managed to put it together today! Photos to come...

I brought out the carry cot and dusted it off today as well....there was something residing in it already....

A SPIDER!!! EEEEW! I hate spiders! And this one was big and gross. It ran away under the crib!
Daddy Woo will have to find that thing and get it outside.
Another sweet surprise for today was Daddy Woo came in with a GIANT teddy bear! He won it at the community club that he runs on a Tuesday! Thankfully Benjamin Bear has taken over for the spider in the carry cot. 

In a few short weeks time my tiny baby will take over for Benjamin Bear in the carry cot & I am so excited! 

Mr Woo & I will be attending our childbirth class on Saturday and then I've got a final scan to check on the amniotic fluid levels. 

THEN IT'S CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will see my midwife after Christmas. Then it's just waiting for my body and baby to say it's time! 

34 Weeks

I am still surprised every day at how quickly these months have passed! So many people told me to expect time to draaaag, but I have experienced the very opposite. Maybe because I have loved every moment of being pregnant. It's been an adventure of discovery and magical! I've not always felt well and now I'm getting quite uncomfortable in every part of my body, but I have LOVED growing this baby & bonding with her. 

Even when she wallops me or I have painful practice contractions or terrible heartburn I treasure it. 

Some of you, my dear friends, have told me how heartburn is a sure sign of baby having a head full of hair...looks like you were absolutely right! 

I had a scan yesterday to check on Baby Woo's growth. We saw her in so much more detail, her little pursed lips, cute button nose and "mop of hair"! At first the sonographer said "she {baby} has some fuzz on her head...nope, she's got a mop of hair!". We could see it even though it was just a normal 2D ultrasound! 

Just like me, Baby Woo will enter this world with a head full of luscious locks ;)

My Mom said I looked like a spider monkey with all of my dark sticking up hair.
What do you think?

Baby Me circa 1977.

 I guess Baby Woo won't be needing any headbands in order to wear the sweet bows her Aunt Lindsay is making, she'll have enough hair to just clip 'em right on! 

During our check up yesterday the doctor found that I have polyhydramnios or too much amniotic fluid around baby. It's a very mild case, but as a result I had some blood tests to check for infection. I do not have diabetes or any of the other issues that can cause polyhydramnios and we will go

back to the hospital in 2 weeks for another scan to check on the fluid level again. 

The doctor isn't worried and neither are Mr Woo &  I. It's a pretty common complication 1 in 100 pregnancies. At this stage, being so close to full term the only action they might take would be to induce labor early if I am too uncomfortable, that might be a huge blessing actually!

This Sunday my sweet friend Heather is throwing a baby shower for me. It's going to be a very small and laid back affair, but I couldn't be more excited :) 

I'll take lots of photos so that I can share what we get up to!

I'd better get back to making this custom necklace and bracelet order or else! 

TTFN 

x

30 Weeks!

Can you believe it?!!!! 

Only 10 weeks or 70 days until my due date!! 

Baby Woo has been quite quiet for a week or so, she's been worrying me. Mr Woo & the internet said that it's normal as the there is less room in the bump for kicking and punching. But today she has been very busy, which has been a huge relief! I can feel something round on the left side of my bump I wonder if it's her head or bottom. How cute if it is her cute baby tocks?!

I should hopefully be finished at the shop in the next couple of weeks....fingers crossed for WEEK rather than weeks. I'm finding it harder and harder to spend the entire day in the shop, it really exhausts me. Last week I had to catch the bus in the dark and rain. It was pretty awful. I haven't felt right since. 

Soooo, I'm hoping it'll be sooner rather than later. 

In the mean time I've been reading the twilight books, drinking lots of tea, making gift & price tags, birdie ornaments and soaking in the tub...while reading the twilight books. 

This cute little baby growing in my belly is getting heavy, she's got a lot of weight to put on in the next few weeks. I've still got lots of prep to do and I need to get this flat in order, it's a mess! 

The grant application was returned denied. There has been a clerical error so I need to follow it up. Uuugh! Don't they know I need to order the crib mattress?!  Off I go, to make a brew and get typing my "hey! you've made a mistake" letter. 

Bye for now x      

A few more Baby Woo Nursery bits.

My dreamy Heather Ross Far Far Away fabric 

The finished dust ruffle!

I used a vintage sheet for the bit that will fit under the mattress. It isn't necessary, I could have used some muslin or something but why be bland! 

The gorgeous wall hanging made by my half sister! She has given us so much! I've been spoiled beyond belief! 

The owl clock made by my sister! It works! 

She even made a rag quilt!!! Love it! It's so soft! 

Owls!!! 

I can't thank my sister Bess Anne enough. She has gone above and beyond! She has lavished us with love and generosity. The last time I saw Bess Anne was at our father's funeral in 1997. We have really bonded over my baby girl. It has been such a precious time. I guess the crafty gene runs in the family! Can you believe all she has done?! And she's not done yet, she's ordered some prints that I "liked" on facebook and is sending those too! I am gobsmacked!

In other news I sent of my maternity grant application today. Hopefully it'll be approved and I'll be able to finish the nursery. I need to paint. I need the crib mattress, sheets & blankets for the mattress, a rug, a dresser to use as a dresser and changing table. Hmm....what else? Mr Woo & I have decided to get a Tripp Trapp High Chair because they grow with the baby. We need a camera & I would really like to find a dryer if I can. Our clothes do not dry well in this rainy humid weather & I have to wash them again when they've gotten all smelly.
My friend is going to help me clean the carpets, pick out my paint, help Mr Woo paint and hopefully help me hunt for the dresser! There is a lovely vintage chest at Becnicks that I have my eye on as well! It's perfect for toys and blankets, fingers crossed that it doesn't sell until I can get to it! We're getting there, slowly but surely.
I have given notice at the shop, I am really looking forward to having the freedom of not spending looong days with no breaks. It's already starting to get dark at 5pm and the temperatures are dropping. I won't be sorry that I won't have to wait for the bus in the cold and dark. I'll miss spending time with the girlies but I can always visit. It'll be even more sweet to visit with Baby Woo in a couple of months time!

p.s. I'm 29 weeks pregnant today!