Wow, such a cute and freaky video

Click here to play video

Sorry to moan again but it is far too hot today.

I have good intentions to get up early today and to clean the bathroom and kitchen and do lots of other housework and to get things sorted out for Bert's arrival and I what have I ACTUALLY done today.

Got up really late at 8:30am lay on the sofa watching rubbish TV and eating ice lollies between naps

On the bright side I managed to get two 'three hour sleeps' in last night between wakings which has made me feel more awake than I have in days

As for the last couple of weeks I have been going to bed at 10pm, dreading the night ahead. Waking at 1.5 hour intervals thoughout the night and having to waddle to the loo every time I wake up plus I have an hour period around 3/4 am where I can not sleep at all, so I normally read a book for a bit then.

I understood that having a baby meant sleepless nights but I didn't think I would have so much problems sleeping BEFORE the baby arrived.

Oh well, only 2 weeks and 3 days to go to my Estimated Delivery Date

Another good appointment, baby Bert is still head down and is further down my pelvis, i.e. dropped but the baby's head can still be moved manually, so the baby is not yet 'engaged'

Baby has a steady heart rate of 150 beats per minute.

I have no protein traces, my blood pressure is stable (which was a concern as my ankles started swelling up last week and my left leg is bigger than my right, my what a freak am I !!!)

I assume the legs swelling is due to the excessive heat wave, so I'm trying to drink more water and keep my feet up more and I caved in and bought some of those throng sandals which I hate but which don't hurt my feet like my slip on sandals are now doing.

I can't believe that Bert could be here in 2 weeks and 4 days !!!

I both can't wait for baby to come and want baby to wait another couple of weeks, so I can finish stuff around the house

Happy Birthday to my Dad

Today my parents, sister and me went for a 1.25 mile walk about this lovely bird/duck and dragonfly nature reserve. My BH cramps were kicking in big style as I walked around, so my mum kept asking me if I was alright (bless her).

I really enjoyed the walk and being near the lake and in the wood, meant it was fairly cool to walk and we saw lots of beautiful blue and orange dragonflies, some were so massive !!!

On the way home we stopped at a marine cafe, for really tasty icecream..yum yum

Love you daddy, I had a lovely birthday day with you

This is for the mothers who have sat up all night
with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up puke
laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid
saying, "It's okay honey, Mommy's here"

Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end
soothing crying babies who can't be comforted. This
is for all the mothers who show up at work
with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their
blouses and diapers in their purse.
For all the mothers who run carpools and make
cookies and sew Halloween costumes.
And all the mothers who DON'T.

This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies
they'll never see. And the mothers who took those
babies and gave them homes.

This is for the mothers whose priceless art
collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors.
And for all the mothers who froze their buns on
metal bleachers at football, hockey or soccer games
instead of from the warmth of their cars,
so that when their kids asked, "Did you see me,
Mom?" they could say, "Of course, I wouldn't have
missed it for the world," and mean it.

This is for all the mothers who yell at their
kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair
when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner.
And for all the mothers who count to
ten instead, but realize how child abuse happens.

This is for all the mothers who sat down with their
children and explained all about making babies. And
for all the (grand) mothers who wanted to, but just
couldn't find the words.

This is for all the mothers who go hungry,
so their children can eat.

For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice
a night for a year. And then read it again. "Just
one more time."

This is for all the mothers who taught their
children to tie their shoelaces before they started
school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro
instead.

This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to
cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.

This is for every mother whose head turns
automatically when a little voice calls "Mom?" in a
crowd, even though they know their own offspring are
at home -- or even away at college.

This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to
school with stomach aches, assuring them they'd be
just FINE once they got there, only to get calls
from the school nurse an hour later asking them to
please pick them up. Right away.

This is for mothers whose children have gone astray,
who can't find the words to reach them.
For all the mothers who bite their lips until they
bleed when their 14 year olds dye their hair green.

For all the mothers of the victims of recent school
shootings, and the mothers of those who did the
shooting.

For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers
who sat in front of their TVs in horror, hugging
their child who just came home from school, safely.

This is for all the mothers who taught their
children to be peaceful, and now pray they come home
safely from a war.

What makes a good Mother anyway?

Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability
to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a
shirt, all at the same time?

Or is it in her heart? Is it the ache you feel when
you watch your son or daughter disappear down the
street, walking to school alone for the very first
time?

The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from
bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back
of a sleeping baby?

The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M.
when you just want to hear their key in the door and
know they are safe again in your home?

Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug
your child when you hear news of a fire, a car
accident, a child dying?

The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our
thoughts are for young mothers stumbling through
diaper changes and sleep deprivation...

And mature mothers learning to let go.

For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.

Single mothers and married mothers.

Mothers with money, mothers without.

This is for you all
Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best we
can. Tell them every day that we love them. And
pray.

"Home is what catches you when you fall - and we
all fall.

Baby is still head down but not yet engaged, he/she is moving well and has a strong heartbeat of 145 to 150 beats per minute, so everything is looking well

My midwife has filled out my home birth form and that will be sent out to all the midwives on call for next month with additional bits of information on me, like I have requested a water birth.

Oh my everything is getting closer, I'll be getting my home birth pack delivered by the midwife on the 18th July and then I'm in the normal allowed zone for an home birth 36.5 weeks until 42 weeks.

So assuming my blood pressure and protein in urine levels stay normal and Bert remains head down, we are on for a home birth

Four weeks and four days to go...not long enough and far too long at the same time

Congratulations on living a third of a century and for surviving the last 10 years loving me !!!

I love you more every day

Your loving wife

I am very happy being pregnant, I have been very lucky (crossed fingers) that my pregnancy has so far gone very well too date. (35 weeks and 1 day today)

The only negative things I have had to date is some discomfort when walking, heartburn, period pain like BH and general aches and back pain mainly at night.

I love feeling her/him move and kick and although I am looking forward to meeting him/her, I hope the baby stays put until my due date or thereabouts.

Then my DH and I will be starting the new adventure of being parents...argghhh

Getting close now