Update on the photo session

Well the photo session went well, they were very excited,
and a lot of the shots are going to be 'on the move'
natural type pics, but the lady was great and had heaps
of patience so i'm hoping we got enough decent ones to buy.
We went to a soft play area straight from the studio (yes
they still had enough energy for that lol) and to a resturant
after that. It was a lovely day :-)

I have been invited to view the photos next Saturday.
I've also decided to get Charlotte photographed then too, as
she expressed an interest. Its going to be an expensive month!!

Here are a couple of pics taken before we went, i experimented
with my programme, in making them black and white. Makes a change :-)

Nearly a month down in 2009 already!!

Soon be Christmas haha
I already have 4 presents, don't laugh i have lol

So what are we up to, well not a lot really :-\, Andy
is on a job, returning today after a week away. David
is working long hours too. Michael is here there and
everywhere with his strong network of friends. Charlotte
has finally got herself into a decent morning routine
since the Christmas break. She is mildly autistic and
its takes her a while to adjust to change.
Stefan is refusing to go to school, and i am phoning his
support centre on Monday to see what can be done.
In-between times he is home annoying the little ones, and
eating anything that doesn't move fast enough grrr
Lewis and Holly are great, getting into mischief but if
you cant do that when you are 4 and 3 when can you???

They are having their photos taken tommorrow at the local
studios. I've never had proffesional ones done of the two
of them together, so i hope the results are ok. I plan
to bribe them if all else fails lol

The rest is pretty deep *Alert*

I didnt quite know where to write this, i thought about the
forums i belong to, or Facebook, but here seemed as good
as place as any!
I am still struggling with my decision to stop trying for
another baby. I keep telling myself its the right thing
to do, after all i have 7, whom i feel VERY blessed to have,
but i still feel as if my family isn't complete. If only that
'feeling' would go away i would be ok.
At the moment i feel useless as a human being, its all I've
ever done, have and care for babies, i feel redundant, like
i have no worth any more. I know Holly is only 3, but she is
so independent, its like she's a lot older (she goes to the
toilet alone, she makes her own sandwiches and drinks ect.
I am dreading September, Lewis will be at full time school,
Holly at nursery and I'll be at home alone for the first time.
The last time i had that situation i was working, but who's
going to employ a 44 year old with no experience, especially
in today's financial climate?
I used to love my forums, but now all the emphasis is on those
who are either already pregnant or on who are still trying,
which is only right and proper but its like my opinion doesn't
count any more, I've even had the case where everyone else has
received an answer except me and this has only been since I made
my decision.
Perhaps i should find alternative forums, ones that focus on
children of a similar age to mine.
Sorry if this is offending anyone, i had to get it out or I'd
have burst!!

Boy that feels better :-)

Any one ever felt like this? did that yearning ever go away?

My project!

Ok the tree was gone and we were left with an
empty corner!! so my creative juices started flowing
(Andy hates it when that happens hehe) and i came
up with a unit that could be sat on and have storage
underneath. I drew a sketch and hubby set-to.
I made the covers, which wasnt easy considering the
foam was a weird triangular shape lol
What do you reckon! i'm quite pleased with it :-)





And Holly trying it out!

Christmas Day and New Years!

Sorry this is sort of after the event, but i
just don't seem to get the time any more!
We had a great Christmas :-)
I was quite organised this year even allowing
time to make a festive jumper for my
daughter and do loads of baking, gingerbread,
cookies ect.

Christmas Eve, and the table all set ready for
the next day

The presents laid out under the tree


The day itself :-)
David

Michael

Jessica in the jumper i made her!

Stefan

Charlotte

Lewis

And Holly!


Dinner was lovely, it was a joint effort between Andy and myself :-)

A lovely day surrounded with my family :-)

We then went away for a few days to Pontins, a family resort, where
there are loads of activities laid on for the children during
the day, competitions, character appearances ect as well as a
indoor pool and soft play areas. Then on the night it was more
fun for the kids and live bands for the adults. It was nice to
get away for a while.

All ready for the nights entertainment



The girls with Postman Pat


The 'Blue coats' (entertainment staff) teaching a dance


Then it was back to reality and a New Years party to organise.
It was only family, but by the time you include all the girl
friends/boy friends, its quite a crowd lol

The spread

The chocolate machine and all the goodies to dip in to it yummmmmm

The bubbly ready for midnight

A bit of karaoke

and BANG!!! it was 2009 :-)

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!

2 More sleeps till the big day :-)

Well its been busy busy busy here, but i guess its the
same for everyone! Lewis had a trip to see Santa
at the children's farm with his nursery, then came his nativity
at the local church and then of course his party! Holly
also went on the trip and she had a party at the Toddler group.
In-between times I've been writing/posting cards, making food
lists/shopping, wrapping presents as well as trying to keep
the laundry down and the house tidy Phew!!!! All done now though :-)

Saturday i allowed myself a day off and we all went to
Cadbury World in Bournville. We've been before, but i must say
they've made a lot of improvements and we had a great time!
Here are the cream egg cars.

Lewis found a friend in the 'History of the Cocoa bean section'

Holly wasnt keen on the dark though

In the village of Victorian shops

The ride there


The computer interactive room. Lewis is the one with his arms out :-)

Here they had to jump on pictures of chocolates that
appeared on the floor and when they did they either unwrapped
or smashed to pieces! If you look in the mirror behind, both Lewis
and Holly are mid-jump in these pictures lol


The shop and Holly ready with her basket lol

Lewis by the disply in the reception

The park


A good day for a reasonable price, i would definatly recommend going
if you can!!

Here are a few more pictures :-)
Nanny's visit!


Our outside tree!

And a collage from Holly's Christmas party!

Well i think that's it for now! The next time i post will probably be
Christmas Day. Merry Christmas to Everyone :-)

I cant believe how much time has lapsed since i
last wrote here *blush*

Well i suppose my biggest news is the decision to stop trying
for another baby. I am sad, but ok with it at the same time!
I looked at the facts, 4 miscarriages in under 2 years,
the fact i don't seem to ovulate without clomid any more
and perhaps more seriously, i seem to be having the
symptoms of ovarian cysts, so yeah, i am a mum of 7 :-)
and i am going to enjoy my little ones to the
max for those special months before they start school.

Also Lewis has had a birthday, he is now the grand age of 4!!
i did a joint party for him and Holly as their birthdays are so close.
(Holly will be 3 on the 15th Dec)





Oh and Christmas is a coming *doing a silly dance*
my favourite time of year! how can anyone NOT enjoy it???
I shop all year round, basically picking things up as i see them.
I've tried the last minute thing, but that creases us financially
and i can never find anything for anybody under pressure.
Our Decorations generally go up early and Andy is just as
'kid like' about it all as me, which is lucky lol







We have lots of traditions, like Christmas eve, we always
watch a family movie whilst peeling the vegetables and making
the stuffing for the next day, then we leave a carrot and a
mince pie out for Santa, and a card signed by all the kids,
then they trot to bed with a sack.
Christmas morning they open their stocking presents and run
in and out each others rooms, but they know NOT to go
downstairs until i call them.
I nip down first and put the fairy lights on (and the kettle lol) and
down they troup. They have breakfast first, THEN they are allowed
to open their presents. One by one with everyone gathered round
from eldest to youngest until they are all done (i have to make sure
each child has an equal amount!)
My Dad used to visit at this point, but since his illness we have left
the younger ones with the older ones and drive to his house instead
(he only lives 10 mins away), where we exchange presents and have
a drink. Then its back to check on the dinner.
By about 4pm we just collapse in the chairs and watch the
kids playing with their new things.

People say we spoil them, but heck if that's what i want
to do :-)

Someone asked about potty training??
To be honest i dread it each and every time, but its never
as bad as i imagine. To start I leave a potty around the
place for quite a while before i plan to train, and if they
want to wear it as a hat, that's fine too lol
at least they know its nothing to be frightened of.
Then on or around their 2nd birthday i start letting them
run around with nothing on and sit them on occasionally.
Most times they will do nothing and just get up again,
but if they manage something i praise them to the hilt
telling them how clever they are, and eventually they
seem to get the message.
One thing i don't do is scold if they wet themselves
or do it where they shouldn't, Its a case of, oh well it
doesnt matter, just do it in the potty next time :-)

Well that me for now, hope i havent bored anyone too much!!

2nd October 2008

Well i had my 24 hour BP machine fitted today! I had the reading
of 170/100 at oneof my doc appointments and 165/99 at the
next, so as you can imagine shewas a little concerned!
I was quite apprehensive, as i've never had one of these contraptions
before but all it is, is a cuff on my left arm with a tube going round
the back on my neck leading to areader/pack which is attached to
a belt which i can either wear around my tum (yeah right hehe) or
like i am as a sash (over my head and through one arm) and its
sitting on my hip.

There is nothing uncomfortable about it, just a bit odd when it
inflates by itself, you get a little tingle just before, so at least there's
a bit of warning. It takes it every half hour during the day and every
2 hours in the night, 1am, 3am, 5am and 7am, so thats going to be fun!

I have it taken off at 11.30 tomorrow and they plug it into
their pc for the results. So far itsbeen 145/85 ish, so nothing to
worry about :-D