5 months and counting...

I have officially been crowned the worst blogger of 2008, courtesy of Jay!! So I am updating.





Lee had his 30th birthday and Finley spent his first night away from us. I cried when I left him but had a thoroughly enjoyable night once we got out. Finley got his Daddy a t'shirt that says 'Who's the Daddy', a book for him to share with his Dad and a mouse mat with a picture of Finley on. And, of course, Lee got the PS3 he wanted, from his Mummy.





We have had a rocky week last week with Finn and most of his buddies either having sickness and diarrhoea or a nasty cold. Finley spent most of Father's Day being sick over Nanny B, oops. He got his Daddy and Grandads' a nice mug with their pictures on which they all loved. We enjoyed a nice BBQ with all the family at my folks and Lee's folks joined us too, apart from the puking Finn was an angel (of course).

With Grandad B

Last week was really difficult, Finley just wanted to be carried, not held, carried. And now he is about 19lbs it starts to hurt your arms after the 2nd hour!!! Arms like Madonna though (well not quite). Naughty Mummy thought it was a new phase, as he has also learnt that when he puts up his arms and cries I pick him up. Well, now I don't think it was a phase, he was just feeling a bit under the weather as this week he seems much better (apart from 9:30-10:30pm - another story). He is now the proud owner of two bottom teeth, with his top ones making themselves known via dribbling, night screaming and Rosy cheeks!! Hence the waking between 9:30 and 10:30pm, which is exactly what happening a couple of weeks before his bottom teeth cut through. He somehow managed to get himself in bed with me last night at 10:30pm, I must be a meaner Mummy and let him cry is out for a bit but I hate seeing him in distress!!!



Finley has a new love in his life called Poppy. She's my friend's gorgeous little girl who is 12days older than Finn. They absolutely love each other it's very cute. They smile and reach out for each other bless.

First love Poppy and Finley

We had some lovely photo's taken of Finley and us yesterday, we can collect them July 10th - I can't wait.

More pics

Holidays,weaning, sleepovers, teeth and parties

Soooo much has been happening.... where to begin.

Holiday

We went to Padstow for a week which was fab. The weather started out lovely, then went rainy and thundery and then went nice again! Finley was super on the journey, of course. We went for lots of walks and had a lovely relaxing time. Finley developed a lovely bond with Moby. We went for a nice walk along the beach with Fin in the sling, we had to cross a stream (which was quite deep because of all the rain). Moby kept barking like mad trying to get us to hurry across and Finley laughed so much at Moby he nearly choked, it was hilarious.

On 'Apprentice Night' we had a huge thunder storm. It rained so hard we had to turn the tele volume to max. Then all the power went off and on and off and on, Lee and I were mortified, it meant we had to talk to each other!! Eventually the power came on but we had no tele reception - gutted. And as for Finley, he slept right through it.

Last Saturday Finley slept over and Nanny and Grandad B's, is first night away from home. Or course he was super fine, probably looked after far better too!! Lee and I had a good night out and a not so bad hangover the next day. Sunday was Lee's party day. Finley enjoyed all of the company. He sat happily with all of his friends and relatives having cuddles. Today was the day we found IT. Finn was happily sitting on my lap chomping on my finger when OUCH - he's only gone and grown a tooth bless him. No wonder he keeps getting whingy and having glowing cheeks!! He is now the proud owner of one shiny, sharp white tooth bottom right!! Well, we had to get him a toothbrush which he loves.

Since 17 weeks Finley as been having little food 'tasters'. We had decided we'd try him with little bits and follow his lead. Well now (age 19weeks) he has a full lunch feed, without his milk, followed by some water. He loves food! What can I say? He follows his Mummy and Daddy!!

Update!!

It's been a while so I thought I'd better write a quick update. Finley will be 17 weeks old this Thursday (that has flown by). He is doing really well. We have finally got his hair to lay flat, but now he just doesn't look like 'The finster' so we will have to make it spiky again. Finn is progressing well with his poorly neck. The CO seems to be working well - money well spent I think!!

We are off to Padstow tonight for a week. Finley's first proper holiday, we can't wait. We have decided to travel down during the night so hopefully he will sleep and because the weather is so hot and sunny (I'm not complaining though). I will post some holiday pictures when we get back. Gotta dash, packing to do, whilst Fin is asleep - he didn't get up til 7:20am this morning, what a blissful lie-in!!!

Cranial Osteopath

Finley went to see the Cranial Osteopath yesterday about his neck. He was very good and talked through everything with us. Being very honest, he told us that Finley would get better over time but he would be able to help him along the way, so we are going to take Fin weekly for a few weeks and see if it helps. It's very strange, Finley lays down whilst the Cranial Osteopath gently manipulates the muscles and bones in his head and neck. Oh course our little man was as good as gold - isn't he always. Fingers crossed it'll work and Finn will be a 'lefty' as well as a 'righty'.

Update - 13 weeks old

We have been bvsy, busy. Last weekend we took Finley on his first trip to the seaside. We went to Emma and Owain's in Wales. Finley was super on the journey, he slept most of the time only waking up when we stopped for a McD's!!! We went on the windy, windy beach for a walk - god was that hard work pushing the pushchair on the sand against the wind!!

On Tuesday we went for our second baby massage class, which was 'interesting' Finley was to busy eyeing up the girlies though - he is his father's son! I give him a little massage every night after his bath, it is meant to be calming and relaxing. I don't quite think Finley thinks so when he just screams "Give me my supper and stop messing around" . Oh well.

Yesterday Finley had his second Jabs. He didn't even flinch at the first one but cried a little at the second, then he giggled at the HV (I think it was the blue rinse that made him laugh). We had him weighed and measured. He is now 15lbs and is 62.5cm long, no wonder my arms are getting toned!! After the Docs we went to see Nanny and Grandad H and Finn enjoyed having a good giggle at his Grandad - I've never heard him laugh so much, it was so cute.

More pictures to come, I left the camera and Em & O's - silly me.

Roll Over! Roll Over!!

Whoo hoo Finley has rolled over. I put him on his tummy on his play mat and he rolled over WOW! Of course I had to make him do it again, erm and again, erm and again and one more time just for good measure. What a proud Mummy and Daddy we are!! Our 12 week old genius.

Pics, Finley - 10wks

Finley loves to giggle.

"Thank you Uncle Mark and Auntie Jo for lending me

the 'Bop & Pop', I love it even though I'm still a bit little for it yet"

" Mum, it's hard work holding my head up".

" zzzzzzzzzzzzz, told you so"

Physio App

We went to see the physio yesterday about Finn's neck and it was very good news. There are no major problems with his neck muscles or bones he just has a bit of a stiff neck. We have got to continue to encourage him to look both ways and focus on getting him to turn his head to the left (which we have been doing and already seen a great improvement). And also we have to put him to sleep on his left side. We are really pleased YEAH!!

Finley had a really happy day yesterday he spent all of his awake time laughing and smiling, he's soooo cute. Last night, however, he decided to keep us awake again!! Although it wasn't really his fault he had a major blockage, if you get me!! I was very delighted this morning to hear lots of grunting and groaning and to smell the most rancid smell ever!! Gross!! Oh well, at least it put a smile on the little man's face.

Bath time with Daddy

Finley enjoyed his bath with his Daddy tonight. The best bit was when he weed on him when I was taking this photo!! Lee didn't find it as amusing as I did!!!

More pics (age 9 1/2 weeks)

"I love my Eeyore"

That 'Morning' has finally arrived!!

Everyone tells you about that special 'Morning', the one where you wake up, look at the clock and go into shock when you realise OMG it's the morning and you haven't been woken by a crying baby. YEAH it finally happened this morning, after his second night in his own bedroom.

As usual Finley was bathed, fed and in bed by 7:30pm. He didn't take all of his bottle and when he woke up at 8pm we thought we were in for a 'bad night'. But he settled straight back down and we decided to go to bed at 9pm - 'just in case'. That seems to be our motto at the moment!! Well I heard Finn murmuring and it was 4:30am!! The shock, he hadn't had all of his night feed and missed his late night feed, surely something was wrong. So I went a made him a bottle and gave it to him - 'Just in case'. He then went back to sleep and we even had to wake him for his 7:30am feed!!!

Jab, jab OUCH!

Yesterday the little man had to have his first set of immunisations. We had been advised to dose him up with calpol an hour before but we decided to go cold turkey (evil parents). Finn was an absolute angel, of course. We arrived at the docs and decided to weigh him first. OMG 12lbs 10oz, no wonder I'm getting muscles like a body builder (well that was a slight over exaggeration). Finley has put on 2lbs 5oz in 16 days, although this is a lot he is now exactly where he should be on 'The Graph', which is a complete pain in the arse and makes all new parents worry for no reason!! I advise any new parent not to look in their 'Red Book' and just enjoy their baby!!

Well after we weighed Finley we went to see the evil nurse, who is actually very lovely. He had to have two needles on in each thigh. My poor little man let out a little whimper when he had each jab and looked at me teary eyed as if to say "Stop her Mummy, please it hurts". I actually think it was far worse for me a Lee than for Finley.

After his jabs we had a chat with the HV about a few things and we have now got an app for Finn to see the physio. Finley has always preferred to sleep with his head to the right but over the past few weeks he hardly ever turns to the left. We have been really encouraging him to turn to the left over the past few days and it seems to have worked. He is currently asleep turned to the left, HURRAY!!! Hopefully it wont be a problem but better to be safe.

We have decided that tonight is the night that Finley gets to sleep in his big bedroom all by himself. I never realised how loud a baby can be when they sleep. He grunts, groans, cries and even squeaks yet he's fast asleep, which, I hasten to add his Mummy and Daddy are definitely not!! Hopefully all will go well as he is used to his cot by having his daytime naps in it!!

Sleep.... and that is what again!

Finley is a very happy and contented little baby and he has always slept well. We prided ourselves in the fact that at 2 weeks he practically slept through the night - the health visitor even told us we had to wake him up for feeds (yeah right!). Well now I'm shattered, Finley now goes to sleep at about 7:30ish after a good play in the bath. He doesn't normally wake until 12-1 ish and goes back to sleep fine and then its a 'cot party' from 4 until 7 ish. Oh yeah Finley decides to wake up and then he can't decide what he wants - he wants feeding, then he wants rocking, then he wants his musical toy on, then he wants his dummy - OMG he's as indecisive as his mother!!! We have even tried waking him at 10:30 to give him a feed, stupidly hoping it would see him through the night, and would the little rascal wake up? No chance, we changed his nappy, tickled his hands, feet and face, even poked him and he was still fast asleep! Oh well, the joys of parenthood!

Today we have got up and got dressed, Finn in one of the only babygros that still fit him, he's grown so much. I put his coat on to go for a walk. He was all buttoned in, looking nice a cosy with his hat on when he looked at me, gave me a huge 'melt your heart' smile, turned his head and promptly threw up all in his hood. NICE!!

My gorgeous man's gorgeous smile.

Splish Splash

Finley is 8 weeks old today - he's growing up so fast!! He has started to giggle and talk, his favourite word as AGOOH, which we have to repeat back to him everytime he says it (poor thing).

Last night he had his first 'big' bath with me. He loved it, he happily kicked away and it was far easier than having to sort out his baby bath and lean over. Tonight he has enjoyed a bath with Daddy, he loves kicking his legs about and floating in the water - he will be swimming soon!!

Today Finley went to see all his baby buddies (or rather I went to see my Mummy buddies). Finn spent the whole time asleep only waking for a quick feed, having a sneaky nose around before promptly falling back to sleep. Today he has hardly been awake - will he sleep tonight? I hope so as the hall carpet needs cleaning tomorrow so I need a good nights sleep to prepare for the carpet cleaning session! What fool left a bin bag full of dirty nappies on the landing for Moby to 'enjoy', ermmm .... maybe me!! Pooh just clashes with a cream carpet, OOPS!!!

New Photos

Having a Mummy cuddle.

Finley in his 'CHAV' tracksuit!!

Here he is enjoying cuddles with Grandad - he's fascinated with his glasses!

Finley enjoys having his hair washed, although it takes ages to dry - he has so much!

Finley in his 'big' bed for a nap.

Busy Busy

What a busy week we had last week! Finley had a great time playing with his cousins on Friday, until we got caught in a hail storm. There was no time to put the rain cover on. Poor Finley had a blanket shoved over his head as I ran as fast as I could back to the house. I was soaked as was poor Finley's Aunt and cousins and as for Fin, he was fast asleep and dry as a bone!!

So, Friday night we have our first visitor (on an evening) for a takeout (of course). Fin was as good as gold. He was happily playing on his playmat, grinning and chuckling. I put a rattle to his hand and he grapsed it and put it in his mouth - my baby is a genius!! Of course he has perfect hand-eye, or hand-mouth, co-ordination, it was no fluke, of course he realised exactly what he was doing. Our very own baby Einstein!!

On Saturday we left Finley with his Nanny and Grandad whilst we nipped to the shops. We whizzed round the shops as quickly as we could feeling like we'd left an 'arm' behind. It felt strange not pushing a huge buggy about and having to get a shopping basket as opposed to loading the buggy. We arrive back and surprise, surprise Finley is fine and the world has not ended!!

6 (7) Week Check

Well Finley had his 6 week check yesterday, although he was 7 weeks old to the day. He didn't have to be weighed as he was weighed earlier in the week - 10lbs 5oz.



Finley's growth stat's

• Head circumfrance - 39.5cm (was 34cm at birth)


• Length - 59cm (was 56cm at 3 weeks)


• weight - 10lbs 5oz (was 8lbs 1oz at birth)

He's growing well!!

After his measurements we are called into the docs where she did a thorough check up. Our little man was completely chilled out about it all. He didn't even winced when she did the hip check (where they move their legs to see if their hips dislocate). After he was examined we sat and chatted to the doc for a bit. Finley sat on my lap staring and smiling and the young student the whole time - what a FLIRT, just like his Daddy.

After the docs we went to see Nanny and Grandad H. Finley enjoyed all his Nanny cuddles but poor Grandad wasn't very well so he didn't have a cuddle just in case he passed on his germs. He also enjoyed lots of Bertie licks (the dog -not a human!), even thought his Mummy didn't want him too!

Our Gorgeous Baby

Our beautiful boy, look at all that hair.

"I'm just like my Daddy, I love to sleep."

"I started to smile when I was 4 weeks old. It took my

Mummy a while to get a photo of me smiling." Finley age 6 weeks.

The Recovery

After B-Day

After Finley was born we were taken up to the ward and Daddy B had to say goodbye for now, he was allowed to return a few hours later when it was visiting time. The epidural wore off and the pain started!! I had always worried about the labour pains and had not even thought about the 'after pains'. I pressed the buzzer for the midwife and screamed for pain relief (preferrabley the gas & air again). The midwife explained that I had had a 3rd degree tear, which was quite bad and extremly painful. I was given pain relief which helped a little - time was the best healer.


As I was healing Finley had developed quite bad jaundice. He was now our 'little yellow man' after two days of phototherapy he wasuch better and we were finally allowed home.

The History

Well where to start......

After deciding that we were finally ready for a new addition to our family, as if you are ever really ready, the 'hubby' and I were very surprised to find out I was pregnant the very first month of trying. I'd heard so many stories of people trying for such a long time I couldn't believe how lucky we were. In fact I didn't believe how lucky we were! I spent the first 12 weeks paranoid that every little twinge and ache was 'bad news'. We even had an early scan at 6 weeks due to bleeding. There was a tiny little 'bean' and a little flicker. Our little man's heartbeat, our miracle!

The Scans
So as time went by, very slowly during the weeks of sickness, we decided to find out the sex of our baby at the 20 week scan. We arrived very nervous, we were both desperate for a girl. As the sonographer scans she was explaining that the baby was growing well and all appeared good. So we ask her to find out the sex and the little bugger wouldn't move. She was very kind and suggested I go for a walk to try to move the baby. After a short walk we return to the room. More cold jelly on the belly and she finally says 'I think it's a boy' the baby moves a little and she says 'It's definitely a boy'.

The Secret

Although we both would have liked a girl we were very pleased our 'little man' was safe and well. We decided to keep the sex a secret to everyone apart from our parents. So after the scan we went a bought a cute blue outfit and met our parents at the pub for lunch. The plan was to show them the outfit so that they knew we were having a boy. With two girls on one side and two boys on the other we were to give one set of grandparents a 'first'. The Nannys were so excited and they thought they knew what we were having until I pulled out the outfit. It was worth it just to see the shock on their faces - they both thought we were having a girl!!
Anyway we managed to keep it a secret, from most people, until Fin arrived. My family were all convinced we were having a girl, they even bought pink cards and pressies!! They were very shocked when Finley arrived.

The Pregnancy

After the reassuring scans I was happy and confident that everything was ok. I suffered a little bit of 'afternoon sickness' but other than that everything went well. My tummy was swelling, 'Little B' was kicking and I was enjoying every minute.








The Birth

My dream was a homebirth so we bought a pool, had our practise runs and were excitedly anticipating our arrival. The day after my due date my waters broke. The contractions started almost straight away - not too painful but close together. Within a few hours the pain was unbearable so we called the midwife. We asked her to collect the 'birth pack' on the way as it had the all important gas & air!! TWO HOURS later she arrives with no birth pack. By this time I was in agony, the labour pains were all in my lower back. She examined me - I was bound to be at least 7-8 cm - NO CHANCE 3cm, OMG HELP!! Plus 'Little B' was back to back, which was not good news.

We decided to go into hospital as we knew we were in for a long night, we didn't realised quite how long though!! Once in hospital the gas & air was welcomed with deep breaths and I didn't let go off it for 17 hours!! I was as high as a kite. I also had pethidine and an epidural, so much for my natural birth. Finally 30 hours after my waters broke I was 10cm but 'Little B' was still back to back. The docs suggested I push, an hour later he was still not ready to meet us. The docs wanted to try the ventouse so I was prepped for a C-Sect just in case and taken to the surgery room. With my epidural topped up (luckily) they went ahead with the ventouse, I heard it 'pop' off 'Little B's' head and knew it hadn't worked. Time for the forceps!! Eventually 'Little B' born Thursday 17th January 2008, 2:01am, 8lbs 1oz. We named him Finley James (after his Grandad James). He was whisked away to be checked over and after a brief cuddle he was whisked away again with his proud Daddy to be cleaned and dressed. I on the other hand had another ordeal to face - 45 minutes later, after being stitched like a patchwork quilt, I could finally join my new family.

First Photos

Our poor swollen Finley. Even though he was bruised and swollen he recovered well, and so did his Mummy - eventually!!