My goodness do I feel reaaaally pregnant now! The weeks are absolutely flying by too, and it really feels as if I'm going to blink and my due date will be here. Talking of due dates, for some reason I just have a feeling I'm going to make it there this time, and maybe even beyond too. But who knows!

HOW FAR ALONG?

32 weeks & 5 days

DUE DATE?
14th January 2018

GENDER?
Girl!

HOW’S BABY DOING?
I use the Baby Centre App to check on baby's progress - baby girl now weighs roughly 1.7kg and is as long as a kale leaf at around 42.4cm long. Her finger and toenails are now full formed, and if she has an itch she may even scratch it (cute!). By this stage most babies are head down, but who knows with this little lady. She is always on the move.

WEIGHT CHANGE?
I actually stepped on the scales last week, as I was really interested to see how much weight I've put on. I've put on 4.6kg which is about 10lbs, which I'm actually really happy about. I don't know whether it's too much or too little, but it sounds okay to me!

SYMPTOMS?
Lots of hiccups and braxton hicks this last week, and all the baby wriggles too. My ribs are still in a lot of pain most of the time - although I'm unsure if this is from a foot, bum or head! 

SLEEP?
I've had a another rubbish cold recently, so while that's been at it's worst sleep has been awful! When my cough hasn't been keeping me awake though, I've been sleeping like a dream. I did get woken the other morning by baby girl though. She was pushing into my side so much it was pushing me up!

CRAVINGS?
Nothing of note this week!

HOW I’M FEELING?

My goodness am I well and truly at the waddling stage now! I'm slow, putting on my shoes is difficult and once I'm on the floor I'd rather just stay there... How I'm going to cope with another 8 week I'm not sure.

MISS ANYTHING?
Being able to wear normal clothes! My coat doesn't fit so I'm extra chilly when out and about, and I've still not found decent pjs that don't cost the earth!

FAVOURITE RECENT OUTFIT?
I feel as if I'm repeating the same few maternity t-shirts at the moment. I've got a few new bits on order to collect this week though, so fingers crossed I fall back in love with clothes again!

BEST MOMENT THIS FORTNIGHT?
Getting the last bits ready for bump and thinking about organising / building / preparing! I'm planning on washing the baby clothes in the next few weeks, and I've made a start of my 'hospital bag' bits too... eek!

LOOKING FORWARD TO?

It's our biggest girl's birthday on Sunday, so I am SO excited to celebrate her this weekend. I've then got another midwife appointment on Monday, so I'm really excited to hear how baby girl is doing. Fingers crossed she's head down still!

You can see how this pregnancy compares to Parker's (my second) here.

Linking to the Bumps & Babies Linky with Let's Talk Mummy

Inspiring the Design of their First Grown-Up Bedroom | Guest Post

This is a collaborative guest post

Joy Richards is the Sleep Specialist at Happy Beds, one of the UK’s fast-growing bed manufacturers and retailers. When she’s not discussing all things bedroom-related, she’s raising her young family and indulging in a pasta dish or two.

I don’t know about you, but I dreaded the idea of transitioning my little one from her cot to her very first ‘big girl’ bed. I was expecting sleepless nights and tantrums that ended up with three in a bed, but thankfully I was given some sage advice that meant we all settled in relatively smoothly.

What’s the secret? Creating a room that excites your child. We’ve always got our little ones involved in the design process, and tried to make their bedroom somewhere they want to spend more time. If they happen to drift off to sleep then… bonus!

With that in mind, here is a little children's bedroom inspiration.

Build a Bedroom That Grows with Them 

If you enjoy a spot of painting and are a dab hand with design, then you may not mind doing a complete bedroom makeover over a few years. However, let’s be honest, most people aren’t Handy Andy.

If you’re looking for a fuss-free future, invest in a design and furniture that will grow with your child. In terms of kids beds, bunkbeds or a mid-sleeper are perfect as they really make the most of a room’s footprint, and can provide you with much-need storage too.

Plus, if your family does expand that little bit more, there’ll be no need to buy new furniture!

Choose Neutral Furniture and Add Pizazz with Accessories 

With time, not only do children physically grow, but their style and tastes do too. They may be obsessed with Paw Patrol now, but this will likely change. Therefore, we’d recommend investing in relatively neutral coloured furniture and adding colour through bedding, curtains and decorative accessories instead.

Why not invest in some brightly coloured, patterned bedcovers that your kids choose themselves? Alternatively, a soft bedroom rug or a funky lamp are always a simple and affordable way of adding interest to a bedroom.

Storage, Storage and More Storage 

As you probably already know, for such small people, children have an awful lot of ‘stuff', and they do like to get messy. That means effective storage is essential.

Bold coloured storage tubs are always a practical winner in my book. But, if you’re looking for something that is a bit more aesthetically pleasing, why not purchase a monogrammed toy chest? Not only will it look fabulous and help you hide away the clutter, but it’ll give your child a sense of ownership as it has their initials printed proudly on it.

Ensure You’re Not Investing in Style Over Substance

Last but not least, before you reach for your debit card, ensure you’re not investing in style over substance. You want the items you purchase to not only look good, but to be robust and safe. Therefore, you should always balance out quality and getting a bargain. Sometimes it's worth spending that little bit more, if you know it'll last for many more years.

How did you make the transition from cot to 'big' bed?

The Siblings Project | November 2017

I think this month's Siblings Project pictures are some of my favourite ones of the year, and they were probably the easiest to snap too. Taken on one of our many family days out this month, I told them to smile and they could get a treat after.. a minute and lots of cheeky grins later, we were done! Chocolate is always a winner right?

Despite saying how well Indie and Parker were getting on last month (and the cuddles in the picture above), we seem to have hit a wall again. They're hardly sharing, constantly squabbling and my goodness the bickering! 

Their age gap is so wonderful in many ways, but I think it's becoming tricker as Parker gets older too. He wants to join in with everything, but still doesn't quite understand about rules and how to place 'nicely'. Coupled with Indie's complete lack of sharing, you can understand how the arguments begin.

Thankfully we've still had plenty of lovely moments this month, especially when it comes to bonding with bump. Both of them love to cover my bump in kisses and feel her wriggle about. I know they're so excited, and I just cannot wait for our little trio to finally meet!

30 Weeks Pregnant {Baby Number Three}

30 weeks pregnant and oh my goodness am I feeling it! I feel as if this is another little milestone of pregnancy too. Less than 10 weeks to go (or maybe even less if this little girl arrives early like her big brother). There's still so much to do, and just not enough time...

HOW FAR ALONG?

30 weeks & 3 days

DUE DATE?
14th January 2018

GENDER?
Girl!

HOW’S BABY DOING?
I use the Baby Centre App to check on baby's progress - baby girl weighs around 1.3kg and is just over 39.9cm from head to heel (the size of a cabbage apparently). She's almost at the length she'll be at birth now, but there's still pleeeenty of weight left for her to gain.

I saw my midwife again on Monday (a week early as she's away next week), and it was a brief but lovely appointment. I got the results from my 28 week bloods and unsurprisingly my iron levels are a little low. Thankfully I don't need tablets, but I do need to hunt down some Spatone and alllll the leafy veg! All my other checks were perfect though, and baby girl is now head down too. Fingers crossed she stays there from now on!

WEIGHT CHANGE?
I have absolutely no idea! 

SYMPTOMS?
Constant braxton hicks, lightning crotch, rib pain... all the glorious symptoms of the third trimester! I'm basically exhausted constantly too, so I think that's a clear sign that I reaaaally need to slow down (not that that's possible when you have two young children already).

SLEEP?
I seem to go between sleeping through wonderfully, and then waking up loads feeling thirsty or needing the loo. I'm still loving my Theraline maternity pillow though.

CRAVINGS?
I don't think I've necessarily craved anything, but I've been baking loads recently.. so maybe that's my body telling me I want all the sugar?

HOW I’M FEELING?

Really bloody pregnant now. Walking is also becoming increasingly difficult, as I end up feeling as if I've been kicked in the foof afterwards! I lovee being pregnant, but I'm almost near the 'get this baby out NOW' stage.

MISS ANYTHING?
Being able to get up and pick anything from my wardrobe to wear. Once again I have nothing to wear!

FAVOURITE RECENT OUTFIT?
I won't lie... probably my pjs. Nothing fits anymore!!

BEST MOMENT THIS FORTNIGHT?
I'm absolutely loving watching Indie and Parker bond with bump. Parker asks to 'see baby' constantly throughout the day, and loves giving it snuggles and kisses. Indie has decided to name her AnnaElsa (yes.. that's one word), and I just know they're going to be the best big brother and sister when she's born.

LOOKING FORWARD TO?

Getting more prepared for this baby girl. We have a small list of things we need to buy, and then it's just a case of washing clothes and setting everything up. I'm oh so excited to build our co-sleeper and have it ready for her arrival!

You can see how this pregnancy compares to Parker's (my second) here.

Linking to the Bumps & Babies Linky with Let's Talk Mummy

Keeping Warm During Winter Days Out

If you're a regular reader of my blog, then you'll know how much we enjoy getting out and about as a family. Not much stops us, especially the weather! Even if it's a chilly Winter's day or raining outside, you will still find us enjoying the outdoors - even our Me and Mine photos in September were taken on the beach in the rain! Over the years, we have just learnt how to wrap up warm, so that we can still get out and enjoy ourselves.

Dress Everyone in Layers
If you're unsure what the weather will do, dressing everyone layers is the best approach. If it is cold in the morning, just wear extra clothes and then remove them as the day warms up. Retailers such as Simply Be sell a wide range of jumpers, coats and even thermal underwear, which are great for this type of dressing. I've found I now naturally leave thick and heavier items on the shelf, and instead opt for lightweight jumpers or cardigans that are I can pop over a t-shirt or shirt.

Keep Wellies and Spare Clothes in the Car
If you're planing on going out when the weather is wet, definitely go out prepared! During the winter months, we usually keep wellies and spare clothes in the car. It is also worth keeping an old towel in the boot (this is also handy for if you've taken your dog for a walk too). This way you will be able to dry everyone off a bit, and then the towel can be used to protect the inside of your car from the worst of the dirt too.

Remember Hats and Gloves
Make sure everyone has a pair of gloves as well as hats (and scarves if it's extra chilly). Studies have shown that keeping your hands and head warm will make a huge difference to how comfortable you will feel. If you're like me and need regular access to your phone or camera, it might even be worth buying touchscreen enabled gloves. They are far more convenient as you don't have to constantly take them on and off!

Wear Suitable Footwear
I have already mentioned that we keep our wellies in the car, but we also make sure that everyone´s regular footwear is at least showerproof (especially Parker's who as you can see, always manages to find a puddle wherever we go)! Boots or closed shoes are much more comfortable to wear too. It's worth keeping in mind that winter footwear usually needs to be a little bit bigger too, so that you can wear thicker socks / wellies socks with them. This boot buying guide explains what you need to look for when choosing winter footwear.

How do you keep warm on Winter days out?

This is a Collaborative Post