Pregnancy number 2 (well, 4th really)

I just want to say that I'm so grateful for the chance to be having another child. It looked so unlikely at one point that we'd even have one, and even though I'm grateful to have Aurora & would be happy with just her, we really wanted her to have at least one sibling because we feel it's an important lesson in life. After all we both had plenty and learned a lot from our experiences with them, things which can't be learned or experienced any other way. I know it won't be easy, especially at first while I adjust to this new reality of having two children, far from it. In fact it actually scares me a little. Some things I feel more confident about because I've already done it once, and other things I'm more worried about because I've done it before and know how hard it was and this time I'll be doing it with a two year old as well. Part of me worries that he or she won't be anything like Aurora, which is silly because I know all children are different, but I know how to handle an Aurora because I've already got one and she's been pretty good up 'til now, so I know I can manage it. I also worry (as I know a lot of women do), that I won't love this one as much, I mean how can I possibly love any child as much as I love Aurora? I worry that I won't be good or patient enough to look after two children on my own most of the time. Although it had its good points, when I was looking after two children before for several hours at a time, even though one of them wasn't mine, I found it hard and didn't really enjoy it and looked forward to when she went home. I'm hoping I only felt this way because I didn't have the same love and connection to the other girl that I did with Aurora and so wasn't as patient as I would've been had she been mine. I often wonder what he or she will be like, whether it'll be a he or a she, what their hair will be like and whether it'll look like me or Tristram. When I think about our respective families, it seems crazy how different all the siblings are, in looks and personality. Especially between first and second borns, in both cases you wouldn't even know they were related they're so different. It just makes me wonder.

So the pregnancy itself is going pretty well I think, nearly in the third trimester, already pretty large and feeling regular, good, strong movements from within. So far it's very similar to my experience with Aurora, which leads me to think it may be another girl; ridiculous heartburn, gone off the same foods, craving the same foods and generally feeling pretty much the same, although last time I was a bit fitter and healthier which helped. Tomorrow I have the joys of a glucose test, which will hopefully be all good as I'm hoping to have a nice, natural, water birth in Chorley instead of having to go to Preston, which I will do if there are any complications. Despite my concerns I am looking forward to this experience greatly and I know I have been well and truly blessed. I sure hope it continues.

Nursery Time!

Out of all the ways Aurora as progressed in the last few months one of the things I'm proudest of is the church side. She loves going to church. She gets really excited as we walk through the car park towards the chapel. She also folds her arms for prayers and recognises Jesus. She can say his name (kind of) and does whenever she sees a picture of him. We have a picture of him on the landing and whenever she goes to bed she waves goodnight to it.

Last week was her first official week in nursery. Not only did she not cry when I left, she didn't care. She was too busy playing. As long as there's food, toys and other children to play with she's happy. It is a little sad when she doesn't seem to miss me, but I am relieved she is this way as that is how we've tried to raise her.

Izzy Whizzy Let's Get Busy!

2 months ago now I started looking after another baby, a 5 month old girl named Izzy. It is a challenge, not just adjusting to looking after 2, but looking after one that's not mine and who I don't love as much as Aurora. I was surprised how quickly and well Aurora adjusted to the change, quicker than I did. She still gets upset when she wants my attention and can't have it, but she is 18 months old.  She loves playing with Izzy and 'helping' with things like bottles and changing. They are very cute together.

Who's the best? Aurora!

Aurora's favourite word is her own name. She loves it, especially now she has discovered princess Aurora and realised how much princess stuff she actually has. Because of this we like to ask her questions to which Aurora can be or is the answer. For example, what's you name? Who's the best? Who's beautiful? Who's a silly girl? When we ask these questions she doesn't just say her name, she announces it, usually raising one or both hands in the air. Sometimes she says daddy instead, but that can be funny too depending on the question.

Child development: theory vs practise

When I was at school, one of my favourite classes was child development.  I enjoyed learning about what it would be like to have a child, how it would grow and develop, but it was all theoretical, just words written in books.  Although I got an A without too much difficulty, nothing prepares you for the reality and the feelings of love and pride you will have in your child, even when they do the smallest thing which to anyone else would be of no significance.  Over the past few weeks I've been watching Aurora play a lot and just enjoying the experience, witnessing her learning and development firsdt hand, as it happens.  She has progressed from picking up toys, shaking them and then dropping them to actually playing with them, doing things with a purpose, developing her imagination through playing her own little games which no one understands but her.  One of her favourite things to do is play in the kitchen.  She opens the cupboard with the plates and bowls and gets out all the plastic ones (not the breakable ones though, she has figured out the difference and knows they are off limits).  At first it was just frustrating, having to pick it all up and put it away again several times a day so we don't trip over anything, but when I actually watched her play with them and what she did with them I realised she was learning.  She was learning about stacking, the difference in size, shape and colour.  When she tried to carry 3 bowl separately, she realised it was difficult, so she stopped and stacked them, making the task far easier.  She has also started stacking the coloured rings on one of her toys, rather than just tipping it up side down and leaving it, thinking that was what it was for.  She doesn't yet get them in the right order, but she is learning.  Same with her little wooden puzzles and her plastic farm and animals.  Another of her favourite things to do is pretend to be on the phone.  She loves playing with the actual phone or our mobiles, but also he toy phone and often hands it to me so I can pretend I'm talking to someone.  She often walks around the house the house holding some random object to her ear and talking.  I so wish I understood what she was saying.  One of the things I love most is when she walks up to me with a big smile and then hands me something she has found with such pride.  Items can vary from a toilet brush, a soggy peice of tissue, an empty packet she has got out the bin, or an item of clothing she has removed from a radiator or washing basket.  It's often inconvenient, but the look on her little face more than makes up for it.  It times like thios when I'm so glad I'm a stay at home mum.  I can't imagine leaving her every day and missing out on these moments, they are truly priceless.

Autumn fun!

 

 

Last week I looked out the window and noticed all the wonderful colours and blanket of leaves that only autumn brings. I decided to take Aurora out the front to play on the grass and test out the new wellies.  She didn't get into it right away, but after I threw the frisbee a few times and she brought it back she started having fun.  Someone walked past as we were playing in the trees with a fluffy little dog.  She had a great time stroking and playing with the dog, but it was short lived, luckily the nieghbours cat came along.  I almost feel sorry for that cat, as she would not leave it alone.  She was only trying to stroke it, but she was chasing it all over for about half an hour.  It kept hiding in the bushes, then coming out when he thought it was safe, but there was Aurora, waiting!

Fun at Grandma's

During her 2 month visit back to England from Dubai, we went to visit Aurora's grandma in Darlington and had lots of fun!