Cheeks!

Day 5 and he's filling out!! My milk is coming through and my boobs feel like they have been stuffed with hot wet flannels, they are ridiculous in size too. I guess that they will go down over the next few days. They are doing the trick though and Leon is well fed and doing proper poos.Earlier this evening on changing him before a feed, he peed for the first time without his nappy on. I caught it no problem but we were just happy and proud!He is according to the breast feeding books I have, Leon is a guzzler; he feeds long, in 3-4 courses with changes inbetween and burping over about an hour and stuffs himself, then goes a good 3-4 hours between feeds as appose to grazing and feeding more often. Then he mostly sleeps (see picture above this morning with Tob too).Today's military operation started with his first ever bath (he's been top'n'tailed) followed by a visit to M&D's. I thought a good start would be to have him in the bath with me - I would get in and tob would hand him to me and then I hand him back. It worked well. I was expecting after the histrionics we got washing and changing him (he really doesn't like being naked whatever the temperature), but he really liked it. I put him on my knees and gently lowered him into the water and within a minute I was swishing him around he looked really chilled and loved it. I handed him back to tob and he started crying again but was fine once he was dressed.Then getting to M&D's by the time we'd fed, changed, he pooed, changed, put on a wash and got knows what else, it was about 1.30 by the time we got there.Lunch was lovely then between courses Leon started crying, I went through the whole list before I realised it was another pooey nappy, that's two in one day - up to now, he's only done one in a day so I wasn't expecting it. I will be checking more frequently now :)Then Ellen suggested we have a sleep while they took Leon out in their Silver Cross, fabulous idea. Out like a light. They had him back in time for his feed. 

I took this this morning I will try to blog every day as this bit goes so fast. My stitches aren't doing too badly, I need to keep reminding myself to rest as I feel happy and energetic mostly but then I crash and have to just sleep.
My boobs are like swolen melons and could heat a house, looks like my milk is coming through. Leon's done his first green poo and after the amazing amount he has guzzled today he has slept the rest of the time with only a bit of sick up just now. I'm keeping an eye on him as I type, muslin at the ready.
Last night I also tried a reusable nappy, it felt really good on him and unlike the huggies it doesn't suck all the moisture out of the poo leaving it harder to clean off his skin. He doesn't like being changed!!! that and hunger are the main things that he will have a good cry about. His suction while breastfeeding makes Dyson seem like a walk in the park. He may be laid back but he's very strong and will already hold his head up if you put him on your chest. He has very powerful if ineffectual rooting urges. It's lovely to be around him. He's lying next to me on the V pillow, mostly asleep, making little sounds, faces, stretches... another little sick up. His strong neck means that instead of it coming out he moved his head sideways and tried to swallow it back again. I managed to stop some of it...better out than in and all that.
Any second I expect he will start thinking about feeding again, it's been a long day for him, first trip into town, Grandparents keeping him entertained this morning. First day today on new milk which needs much more winding and both him and me are still getting used to the process. It wouldn't surprise me if tonight doesn't go as smoothy as last night's 2 feeds and mostly quiet night.
We all need our rest. 

 

I took this first thing on our first morning at home. He is feeding well and sleeps lots. It is really something to just sit and stare at each other, make faces and just be with each other.
Leon is mostly chilled but can be very insistent when it comes to food, so much like his parents really. Etonox is seriously good shit, I would recommend both childbirth and gas and air to anyone who likes to try other dimensions. The other worldly experience that is Labour - I found that you are right on the edge of lucidity and surrendering to nature but boy, you do have to take the coaching as there is definatley some important techniques.
I was right about the Kraftwerk Tour de France CD and parts breathing and endurance wise did take me back to some of the crazy endurance events I've done and as well as fanatical Spin Classes at the YMCA. It was the perfect music to give birth to. Having said that the active phase was only a couple of hours and the 2nd stage (the bit when he arrives) was under an hour which is relatively quick. Once Leon had arrived, they put him straight on my chest, it was so amazing, then I started a blood bath resulting in the room instantly filling with 20 people, 5 on each arm, the others in other nether regions, according to the birth summary I lost 800ml blood. Bit more than an armfull. Both my arms were turned into pincussions and for about 4 hours I was tapped up on both sides but able to breastfeed and chat. Leon has the makings of great side burns so rather than the billybob punk look I think what with his chilled disposition during Labour, he is more 'easy rider' and will grow up to be a biker. 

Home!

We got home late last night. Not a bad first night, he fed 3 or 4 times and we even got some sleep :)

Mummy and daddy with Leon

new arrival

Leon Thomas Jones was born yesterday, 1st Nov 2006, at 6pm, weighing 7lb 13oz (3.54kg). Christine and Leon are both well.
He's a cutie - dark curly hair, sideburns, and a seriously cool disposition :)

Toby

I have to go to addenbrookes now everyday to be hooked up to the ECG machine to check he's happy and so long as the leakage is clear and I don't have a temperature I will refuse induction as long as I can. The NHS site recommends 96 hours, Addenbrookes like to do it in 48 hours but they can't force you to. We've done loads of reading up from books, mummy mags and the internet and they all say the 'risk of infection' is based on outdated research. I was really torn at first but from what we've found out, even from the NHS sites, we are within our rights and sanity to hang on as long as the baby is comfortable and I don't have a temperature etc.
I just hope Bbob won't 'push' this too far as the Doctor I saw this morning was quite intimidating and wanted to keep me in right there. Tomorrow I only have to go to the midwife bit, which is thankfully doctor free so I think that they might have the message. I've not booked an induction and have said so long as his vitals and mine are OK I will wait. It means going into Cambridge everyday, the car journey at least bounces him about! With any luck it won't be much longer.

Waiting is the hardest part...

I look forward to introducing him to you soon!

My waters went last night so it shouldn't be too long now, the midwife came and took a swab and took all the vital signs. I've not had much more than a couple of twinges since then. Last night, when they went Bbob was fast asleep and didn't wake up or move which is why I called the midwife out. Of course when she put the monitor on him he was fine and when she left at about 4 am he woke up and wriggled while I was trying to sleep which was reassuring.
So far we've played monopoly, watched a film, bounced about on the birthing ball. I've got through about 6 surf board size pads, they have all been clear of muconium so I'm optimistic we might make it before I need to think about being induced. There's a snow white mucus on them which I presume is the creamy stuff all over the baby when he comes out.
Anyway, I hope it won't be much longer but we could be in for a long night...

Still comfy...

I did wonder if he'd be a Halloween baby when we heard the due date was the end of october. There's plenty of time and he'll come when he's good and ready. I did eat lots of cabbage last night in the hope he didn't like cabbage! I get small contractions and period like pains lower down - I wonder whether I'm in the latent stage and it's just likely to be long and slow, some latent stages take up to three days. They say if you are lucky you can sleep through the milder contractions and it might be anytime that I hit the 'active labour' stage where I'll need the pool to get from 6cm to 10cm dilated for pain relief. It's possible because I'm home and feel safe and relaxed that this early bit will be not too traumatic or tiring. I've been riding the pain, telling myself it's a good pain and that my cervix is slowly enlarging. When I get the breathless feeling as it contracts, I breath like I'm cycling quite fast but not up hill and that helps; suddenly it I notice it's gone a way and I'm breathing normally again.

Off to the shops for a good walk and plenty more yummy food.

It fills via a hose from the hotwater tap and there's a pump to empty it. There's no heater needed, just top up with hot water. 

Our Kitchen Pool

For those who have asked me in depth about how on earth we fit a pool in the kitchen. Here is the photographic evidence. 

For those stalking the blog and wondering what I look like at the moment.. HA! take a look at this belly then! I hope it doesn't give you nightmares!

Still waiting, watching endless episodes of scrubs or spongebob square pants and bouncing on my birthing ball to heavy metal (or anything else I like on the music channels).
I plan on walking round the block this afternoon a few times to see if that doesn't convince him to be born.
More tea anyone?

cats

Got this from Lisa, friend at my last work. Bit rude in places, but very, very funny

no news, says report

Yesterday Christine had another examination - BillyBob is 4/5ths engaged, which means he's on his way, but taking his time. Lots of kicking and hiccups, and he's in the right position, quite low down now, but no way of knowing when he'll make an appearance.

The examination was early, 9.40, and it was a lovely morning as we walked up to the Lantern centre. And while I held Christine's hand and slowed to her pace, somehow the nervousness I had felt recently changed to eagerness and excitement. Cant wait to meet him :)

The astute amongst you may have realised that it was Monday yesterday... no I hadn't started paternity leave early, I had both a dentist and a doc appointment to go to, so I'd negotiated the day off. Wasn't restful though! M&D came over and, like mini whirlwinds tidied up the kitchen, front garden, hedge, lollipop tree and borders! Me, I ended up digging out gloop from the back drain (glue and grout and sawdust from the kitchen works I believe). Took a while but I eventually got it flowing - worth the effort as we'll need it to empty the birthing pool (it comes with an industrial pump!).

Now I'm back at work, have to try to concentrate on learning the system, quite hard! Wondering when my phone will buzz and I'll rush to the train :) Can't wait :)

I'm into my 40th week today. Mum and Michelle are here and would like Bbob to make his appearance. I recon he's a bit too comfortable in there. When Mum arrived, after the statutory cup of tea, within hours we were in town checking out the clothes shops, both michelle and Mum got some nice stuff while I sat on benches in the sun - there's not much point in my buying anything at this point in time. Saying that, yesterday in Cambridge Miche and I 'did' TKMAX and both found fabulous coats for under £40. One shop was my limit though.
Mum's just told me I'm spending too much time on the laptop radiating my bump. Noone told me!

birthing pool

I tried putting the birthing pool together today. Took a while to unpack the box and work out what bits were what, but it wasn't that hard. It's bigger than I expected - good job M&D took the table away! It's fibreglass pannels that screw together with a liner. We've left it in 2 pieces so it'll be quick to assemble, and I've attached the hose to the hot water for ease of filling. Should be good :)

Last day at work

Ahhhhh, officially on maternity leave.

The day started with a little too much denial that I wouldn't be around to fix their Adobe problems, create super quotes and stir up stuff noone else will because I don't believe in 'putting up with things' and somehow can take the mick but remain focussed on improving the situation. As I've been backing away, I've realised how much my tenacity and curiosity has taught me and that other admin team members didn't have/need/aren't expected to be Adobe wizards who can fix strange requests or formulate spares pricelists with no technical knowledge whatsoever. I had fun doing it. I hope my replacement does too...

We went down the pub at lunchtime. I spent the afternoon in a vain attempt to give Sue, my replacement anything I could think of that might help. Lots of people came over to chat, swap home emails and eat my M&S chocolatey bites. I got presented with an enormous card, a cute baby outfit and some Mothercare Vouchers.

It feels funny leaving. Having a kid's going to be harder work, more challenging and more rewarding. A new Chapter begins...

39 weeks today!

Just had an antinatal, BP good, 39 cm tum and 3 fifths palpable so all is well. This means he's moved down since the last examination, a bit further and he's officially in place. Still have a cold. I'm looking forward to Michelle and Mum arriving. I'm bored silly here, sitting at home.

My pool has arrived. Bbob seems to want to put it together. I have a cold, which better sort itself out soon.
I spent all of £3.50 at a car boot sale on a Barbie 4 seater cabrio (with seatbelts!), touring bike, barbie shoe shop, barbie swimming pool. I've boxed it up along with some outfits I won on ebay for a couple of quid and Maaike's 5th birthday is sorted for Sunday. I've even managed to get a black barbie so I hope she well be happy with a big box of Barbie heaven. I don't think she will mind it all being 2nd hand, if I'd have got this lot new, it would have been more like £100. I've boxed it with loads of streamers so it looks all birthday present like. I'm quite chuffed with myself really.

I would like to start going to the Calling, once Bbob's old enough for a babysitter. I recon there's a couple of other mums I've met who I could drag along too.

Foooood...

Cool Test

Apologies, a Jo Stubley in Canada just sent me this test, I thought, I know exactly where to post this...

Everyone keeps telling me I look knakkered. Hummmnnnn I think he might have engaged as I walk like I have a coconut between my pelvic bones. With the drop I think Bbob has gained some leg room. I think I have a little cyclist in there.

The nursery's looking good!

It's been all go this week!

Last Sunday James, our neighbour, helped me move the old green settee from the living room to the garage, and my dad helped me dismantle the futon sofa, which was in the nursery, and reassemble it downstairs. This gave me the room to build a changing station, which we'd bought the day before at Ikea.

Then during the week the wardrobe arrived from Littlewoods and I built that, and Christine emptied the old wardrobe into the new one.

Today my parents came round to help us prepare. My dad helped me move the old wardrobe into the garage for extra storage. He also built the cot (from Kiddicare) while Christine and I did our weekly shopping :)

We're planning a water birth in the kitchen - we're hiring a big oval pool. So my parents have taken the kitchen table, and mum cleaned the floor this afternoon (under the table there was a layer of grout or something that only came off with a good scrape). She also painted the exposed skirting, hoovered upstairs and cleaned the bathroom, which was fantastic!

I finished off the fixings on the wardrobe, did lunch (tuna jackets), cut and fitted a piece of skirting that I'd put off doing, sorted out the garage and looked after Christine, who arranged things in the nursery and drank raspberry leaf tea :)

So it's all coming together - I ceremoniously unrolled a pay-mat we'd got at Ikea and plugged in the glow-in-the-dark thermostat (glows blue, yellow, orange or red showing you if the room's the right temperature for the baby). My mum put a Poo bear and a train on the windowsill and put a blanket she'd knitted for us in the cot and Christine piled up the rest of the toys in a toy tube (also Ikea...) so it's looking really good :)

Firefly tonight on Sci Fi! Yay!

I'm being headbutted from the inside in the bottom by a baby with hiccups, I've had almost continuous braxton hicks since I got home too. More Raspberry leaf tea anyone?

Well, lovely day off again, to relax and take it easy. So far so good. Tob, Tob's dad and our neighbour, James got rid of the sofa and brought down our lovely futon sofa from up stairs last night so i'm finally sitting on a sofa I can actually get out of without resorting to rolling onto hands and knees or human assistance.
I put on a cup of coffee from my posh Senseo Machine while doing this and that, you know emptying the dishwasher sorts of things. I'd managed to make a perfect cup of coffee, just forgot to put a mug under the spouts.Now to watch Angel, drink the second attempt at a cup of coffee and enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasts.

Snoozing

Work today, by 11.30am I really felt like a sleep. Not like the afternoon sugar crash, far more exhausted. I'd been offered use of the first aid room earlier in the pregnancy if I needed a snooze and i thought this would be the time to take advantage. I waited until after midday and made myself comfy for what I thought would be 45mins. I got woken up at twenty to two by Sally saying my interviewee had been here for 20 mins and they'd been looking for me! whoops. Maybe if I do that again I should take my phone and set an alarm...It was a good snooze. It's 9pm and I'm off to bed now before I find something interesting to do/watch/read.

The Midwife's just left, she's fab!I told her the plan and she's well up for it. She said lots of homebirths happen in Ely and she hopes she'll be on call for mine. We went through where the pool will be, what I need to put in place and what here role will be. Sounds like they are pretty hands off and will do whatever we say. She also went through the types of things, like baby passing muconium early on which might mean I'd need to go into hospital - some of the situations Tob could drive me in, if there were emergency circumstances, there are Ambulances in Ely so that minimises the wait.I'm so excited! she wasn't at all phased, she said I right for a home birth and that I had a healthy confidence in my own body.On the statistical side, I'm measuring 38cm at 36 weeks so he's on the big side and he's head down and not engaged but in the right sort of direction for the time, so heading down but not all the way there yet. BP was on the low side of normal which she was happy about.Result! Bbob is happily kicking and wriggling as I type and I'm so relieved to get the midwives blessing and not have to resort to snotty letters.

Allergic to cats?

US hypoallergenic cats go on sale

They still poo in other people's gardens.

Back to interviewing

My replacement for my job handed in her notice on friday. She said we were all very nice but the job had too much admin for her. Funny really, as she didn't really take even the initiative to pick up a phone. Her previous job she said she had a harem of girls under her, in my job, I work along side Product Managers and Engineers doing stuff with and for them - a bunch of old techies. I suppose I'm married to one so I find it much easier than chatting to a bunch of girls talking about big brother, heat magazine and how much the fake nails cost. I knew she wasn't right but it wasn't my decision. If that's her idea of too much admin she's not getting into the products or the projects. Her loss. This job was better paid too.
Maybe this time round, now that they only have 2-3 weeks with me only working 2-3 days a week they might listen to me. Interviewing from Wednesday.

Timewaster

If you think you know your dark, horror and sci fi and you have a couple of hours and access to the Internet Movie Data Base you might enjoy this, Tob and I did with some clues and help from other fellow movie lovers from the Goth Film club on Live Journal and I looked up a couple on IMDB.
If you need any clues, just ask!

Dark Movie timewaster

Home Birth?

We just had the 2nd half of the antinatal classes which covered homebirths. I was initially not keen, partly because we are a half and hour to an hour depending on the traffic from the hospital and partly I wasn't keen on the idea of a birthing pool at home.
Well that's all changed now and we are looking at birthing pools, aromatherapy and who knows what else will crop up.
I'm actually quite relieved, my biggest fear seems to be more along the lines of being in hospital and railroaded into having stuff done I don't want.
Having had Sarah the Goth round on Friday with her beautiful bundle of newborn boy, her sharing her homebirth experience has made me feel better about it too. It was good to see her anyway, as it had been a while and I was glad I was able to off load some of the abundance of new born boys clothes we've been given - I still have enough for at least 2 or 3, maybe more!
I'm actually looking forward to the birth a bit more now, without the hospital bit (unless of course it all goes pearshaped - the bags are packed anyway).

Corr excellent cd...

I've been buying various CDs mainly for Bbob to listen to while I go to sleep - he gets his fair share of Ska, Metal, punk, Goth and and alternative during the day either on 6music or in the Car but I wanted to give him the benefit of a bit of Mozart and Bach among other things so I bought a few of the obvious bits of organ music, cantatas I've always liked but never got round to getting, I guess my parents had them cos they were inprinted on my brain anyway along with the Archers theme tune.

In the process of searching for the bits I wanted, I've come accross some fab Cello music, Yo Yo Ma, for one. I got a double album of peices performed by him on his cello with everything from The good the bad and the ugly, to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, to my favorite Bach thing but done on a cello rather than as a cantata with choir. I do love a bit of cello.

Then theres Arvo Part, a russian composer I've descovered on the Freak Zone on BBC6, also quite a find. It's like depeche mode meets stravinsky played on everything from just violin and piano to dirty great church organs - just not the sort of thing you expect from a church organ. He's been around for decades.

The corr excellent was something completly different though, when I got home today there was a 'new' Kraftwerk CD - Tour de France Soundtracks on the doormat. It's recent for them - 2003 and absolutley fantastic. I have some remixes on Spin Tapes I used to use for teaching indoor cycling and this is more and better. Believe it or not, I got it because it's good endurance music I might find useful in labour. Ok sounds mad but the breathing in it might just work. Even if I don't go near it in labour, I plan to find a way to combine it with anything vaguely with 2 wheels and headphones as soon as I've been signed off by the doctor to exercise.

New job!

I started a new job today!
It's a company called The Automation Partnership, in Royston, who make robots for the life sciences (cell storage, cultures, that sort of thing, not animal testing or GM).
I'm going to be doing software support for two of their existing products - bit of coding, bit of solving user's problems. Should be fun :)
Went by train, which went very well, 10min walk from the station and I arrived bang on 9am. Lots of people to meet, forms to fill in, documents to read! I was impressed that they had a PC up and running for me, the org chart already had me on it, and my photo, that they took as I stepped in the door, was up on the intranet by lunchtime!
Everyone seemed genuinely pleased to see me, and I've even got a 'buddy' - someone whom I can ask questions without feeling I'm interfering.
It's a nice bright office, and I get on well with my boss, so so far I'm very pleased and I think I'm going to like it there :)

antinatal

We've been to our first antinatal class today. Whew, exhausting!
But well worth it as we discussed everything from what to put in the bags and what the partner's role is, to the stages of labour and pain relief. We also covered where to park :)
And we had a video of a birth, which, once the head was out, was over with a plop, which I wasn't expecting. Good to know what's going to happen.
Next Saturday is what to do with the baby once we've got him! :)

Sleep...

Sleep is a bugger, especially with last nights thunder storm. I now wake up early hours hungry, starving hungry. I've been getting loads of braxton hicks during the night which make me hot and sweaty and are usually accompanied by cramps in most of the muscles in my feet and legs depending on how I try to reposition myself. Like a ginormous woodlouse...

Head down and healthy at 34 weeks

We had the 34 week scan today to check he's growing according to schedule and to see which way he's facing. They measured his head, his tum, his leg bone and the gaps where there is no baby (not much!), calculated his weight now and estimated his birth weight if he goes full term. The measurements were all average so they were happy with his growth, he weighs approx 2.2kg/4lbs and 15 oz which, if he puts on about half a pound a week puts him between 7 and 8lbs, same as Toby and I were so that's a good size.
He's head down and on his side - not back bone to my back bone (causes complications if he was apparently). The conclusion being he's a good size, positioned as he should be and I'm in good health (did the usual wee and BP tests). So they wont see me until I go into labour now, I'll have the usual midwife visits. We have booked a tour the end of Sept to have a look around the delivery bits of the Rosie.

33 week bump!

 

quick personality meme

My Personality

Neuroticism	13
Extraversion	71
Openness To Experience	77
Agreeableness	4
Conscientiousness	45

Test Yourself Compare Yourself View Full Report MySpace Surveys, Bebo and MySpace Codes by Pulseware Survey Software

WoW video

An excellent music video of WoW characters set to Weird Al's Hardware Store:

Just superb :)

A Scanner, Darkly

Last night, Ozzy, Christine and myself met at the Arts cinema in Cambridge and had a delicious crepe, then headed into 'A Scanner, Darkly'.



Well, I'd not read the book, so didn't know quite what to expect. Visually it's a bit like an animated graphic novel as the film has been pained over. Interesting, but not as artistic as Renaissance. There was a lot of well studied character mannerisms of addicts, very well done, and a bit of a looping plot, but as it was Philip K Dick, I was expecting it to be more SF, to be honest (according to wikipedia, the SF aspects that do exist were intoduced to make the book sell, as it wasn't like his normal output).
There was one interesting effect however; the undercover cops have suits that hide their identity and shimmer, switching between millions of people - one scene with two of these suits talking to each other made my brain go into meltdown - suddenly I lost my grasp on who was who and had a moment of panic - I assume that's what a 'bad trip' would be like, so that was interesting... but not something I'd like to repeat, thank you!

On the way home in the car, Chris and I had a discussion on our awareness of our existence - what's the tipping point between when a baby is born (with built-in processes, such as how to learn, but without self-knowledge, memory or reasoning) and when it becomes aware? If 'awareness' is just the application of built-in processes, is free-will a mirrage?

Cheers to Ozzy for organising :)

Bach, purple nasties and visualisation

Found a really nice knee legnth purple shirt dress yesterday, I've been after one for ages. I thought with black trousers and a black long sleeved t-shirt it would look really cool. I look like I'm about to go painting or throw a pot or two. Either that or a non-conformist nurse. Looks like it will come in handy with the old messy play with toddlers in a couple of years. Oh well.

I've been going through my Yehudi Gordon Natural Birth book and making notes in what has now become our birth note book (really beautiful note book we got for our first aniversary from my Maid of Honour, Kari). I've only covered the first stage and I'm knakkered already. I like the visualisation stuff, that sort of thing works for me, it got me through the London Triathlon anyway.

Listening to Bach, which is very nice :)

33 weeks today, 34cm tum

I had an anti-natal today, true to form, my blood test results were normal to very good, my tum is growing well, if on the bigger end of the chart, also good. Everything seems to be pretty normal so far which I'm very happy about.
He moves around alot, wriggling, kicking and tickling me from the inside, giving me wind (my excuse anyway).
I'm pretty big and easily tired.
After my anti natal, a friend, Sarah came round with her 10 week old daughter, leah. She is lovely. I had a good cuddle with her in the rocking chair while Sarah and I talked mum stuff - nappies, baby swimming, sleeping and feeding stuff. All good prep.

 

We had to put on a play, and it turned into a very strange and funny version of little red riding hood
Play "Spot Lee in the woods"
IronBeard and some others take the higher ground
 

Trapped LRP

The aftermath of combat
Summoning the spirit of the wind
IronBeard rallies the troops (yep somehow I ended up leading the group ;)
 

Grumpy 7 month pregnant fire mage 

Cool eh? I'm married to a Dwarf! 

Trapped LRP

Over the weekend we drove up to Derbyshire to play Trapped, an LRP event run by my friend Kes. In a bit of a role reversal for us in terms of characters, Christine was a fire mage and I was a dwarven fighter. Weather was patchy, but rain held off during the day so we were able to run about fighting monsters, summon the elements, solve quests, put on a play, dodge waterbombs(!) and generally enjoy ourselves :)

Belatrix and IronBeard

Some of the players and crew

A very scary monster!
 

Renaissance 2006 ***** 5 stars!

I'm getting this on DVD! We saw this at the Arts Picturehouse. Very arty, a veritible visual treat for the senses. A bit old 2000ad, stark black and white images. Music fab, it's french, uses the best of the new animation techniques from the US without the annoying animals and somehow has the best stylistically of japanese anime. Cool film, must tell Dad to see it. 

Capote **** 4 stars

A good job, a very good job on the part of the screen play and Phillip Seymour Hoffman was excellent. It's interesting to get into another bit of 20th Century American history. It does cover a subject I know quite a bit about; the death penalty in America. As usual it concentrates on the human being being executed - when you get to know a person, no matter how evil, they are a person. Truman Capote comes to the conclusion they are guilty and deserve to be executed, doesn't stop him crying at the execution and being deeply effected by getting into the world of the killers. 

kohlrabi

So... what do you do when you get a kohlrabi in your veg box?
1. Look it up on the internet and find a recipe
2. Grate it and fry with onions, and have with left over saussage, cabbage and mum & dad's potatoes, fresh from the ground - yummy

 

bump

I took this about 2 weeks ago, showing the bump, but really I should take another one as it's growing daily! 

Well the weekend is drawing to a close. From Friday evening to this evening we had an open house. Friday was more like just family, Saturday, it rained continuously which made the whole BBQ garden idea totally unworkable. Tob and I got together and resigned ourselves to this and then regrouped to have an indoor BBQ, put the ovens on, organised the furniture and got on with it.It was good fun, got to see lots of people I haven't seen for ages. We got given alot of bottles of champagne and a selection of nice plants.
All sorts came round, possibly only half of the potential guests - I'm sure if the weather had been better more would have shown up.
Friday afternoon there was a surreal moment when Dad turned up, I was making some trifle and I had my Mum and Dad in the same room bossing me and my trifle around, it was hillarious, a real family trifle!
Saturday afternoon was quite hard work, keeping everybody fed on 'bbq' out of the oven, trifle, alcohol, coffee and tea depending on their tastes.
My boss came too, which was a bit of a surprise, OK I did invite him but I invited loads from work, I knew a couple were definatley coming but I'd not had confirmation. He's such a nice bloke, luckily him and his wife liked the home made trifle.
Sunday, the weather was much better so we actually had a BBQ outside, with two lots of people, some for lunch and then a new batch in the evening. I don't think the dishwasher has been on so much in the space of 48 hours before.I'm shattered but happy.
We now have Brent and Jantine for the week to finish off the party food while they sing sing sing in Ely Cathedral. Tob's introducing Jantine to World of Warcrack, Brent is just finishing off the 2nd knitted booty for Billy bob and oh, they've just logged off and are getting out the Dance Dance Revolution Mats for a little dance off!!! I'm just watching....

Walk the line - 4.5 stars Excellent

Both are totally believable. Amazing story. Johnny Cash and June Carter, amazing people. The music was great and I'm left with a better understanding of the history of 20th century music. 

It's been a weekend of extremes. I made a starbucks style frappuchino at home with Green and blacks chocolate ginger icecream, espresso and milk, which would have been stimulating enough, but then I ate a chocolate espresso brownie bought from waitrose with a huge latte made with my impressively tasty Senseo Coffee maker and frothy milk. I was up until 1.30 am!
Tob and I watched 'Walk the line' the Johnny Cash film. Good film, restless evening. Fortunately, I drank jugs of weak Bottle green Sweet lime cordial (new found flavour) to try and make up for the diuretic effects of the coffee chocolate high.
I managed to sleep it off Sunday then spent what was left (about 30 mins) of the morning plus the early afternoon doing pregnancy yoga. I'm having a very relaxed day. I've made a list of stuff to make a hospital bag. It seems like a good time to start thinking about these things. I've got almost everything already, just the new born nappies and disposable knickers!
So far the list looks like this:
Baby:
Pack newborn nappies
Wipes
Mini Sudocrem tub
Portable changing mat
3 newborn vests
2 Babygrows
2 Sleepsuits
2 Blankets
2 sets scratch mittens
Hat
Cardigan
Car Seat
2 prefolds
Hooded towel

Me:
Travel Hairdryer (ask Sarah)
Shampoo, Conditioner, Showergel
Bodylotion/face cream
Pack of sanitary towels
Disposable knickers
Night Dress
Slippers
Dressing Gown
Pyjamas - 2 bottoms, 2 vests
Change of comfortable clothes
Breast pads
2 Flannels
2 large towels

CD player & CDs & batteries
Magazines, books - big birth book
Birthing/fit Ball
Support Pillow
Snack Bag
Bottles of lucozade

If anyone thinks of anything I'm missing, you know the drill.

Well I'm on my 5th episode of Buffy season 1. No more chocolate brownies. Tob is very sweaty and smelly having just cut the grass and keeps threatening me with his stinkyness. Next DVD please Tob, thanks.

Shattered. Billybob is preparing me for night feeds I think. From about 3am he swoops and kicks, waking me up every so often, more often.
Last night I got all inspired again about the rehearsal studios. I've resigned myself to not having the energy or time to do the survey and business plan until the new year after a really poor response to the survey I did with ADeC using their bands mailing list. The best way to get some real figures is to be going to plenty of local gigs and talking directly to people. Well what with trying to avoid smoky places, late nights and alcohol, plus not having any spare cash to go to gigs, this is a bit difficult right now. One thing at a time.
I got a few interesting emails to the elyplugin email address I set up - mostly people who have contacted the ADeC about what's available and they've mentioned my plans. It was really good to be communicating with interested people even if my response has been, it's on hold until next year. I might have found someone interested in sharing it as a business. This appeals to me as I work better in a team. I didn't really think of it that way until this came up but I can see this becoming more of a reality if I can share research and writing of business plan with someone who sees the same vision as me.