14, 15, 16 and 17 week bump

Another update! Time just seems to be absolutely flying this time round. Dont get me wrong I know its not time thats going fast, it's just the fact that Liv is well and truly my distraction. Between running around with her, and dealing with the countless hospital appointments and playdates I genuinely sometimes forget that Im even pregnant - I dont however forget when I'm waking 5 times a night needing to pee! OH THE JOYS!

Overall:
The last couple of weeks have been a real mixture of feelings. Overall my mood is great - I'm managing to keep up some positive thinking, and reading my positive 'Yes Mum' cards are proving to be a great source of solace for me (more on these later) also surrounding myself with positive people is having such a great impact. Aside from my mood, physically I havent been particular great - I have had a few ups and downs but mostly I think the positive thinking is really helping me.

Size:
Yep, I still feel and look huge! Didnt help that I wet to family gathering at the weekend to only be told just HOW MASSIVE I was by pretty much everyone. So, either I am going to be giving birth to a T-Rex or my body is just so slack from first time round! It's certainly making 'dressing' really trying!

Symptoms:
Thank frick, the sickness has GONE! no more being on meds, no more rushing off at the drop of a hat to vomit in the nearest hidden corner (no, really) and at last I can FINALLY eat!!!
The sciatica is pretty much back to full throttle now, and sleeping is pretty much non-existant! I think I think I need to make this official: I dont think Im going to get a proper nights sleep for another GOD KNOWS HOW MANY YEARS! Ive tried different positions and pillows between my legs but its not helping one iota. My GP has said that it is just an unfortunate side effect and that I have to live with it, but Im still going to try and help myself: cue me googling non stop for exercises and products that can help!
Im getting alot of aches and pains down below, I think theres some more stretching going on, which is an odd feeling - I'd kinda forgotten all about this side of things.
Tiredness is still a common factor in my life and its not just a sleep thing, I feel more, exhausted this time round, and I'm pretty sure this is down to my over active toddler demanding I take her outside and run ragged after her ALL THE TIME!

Cravings:
Still loving the fresh orange juice but as for food, that is about it!

Sleep:
I WANT SOME!

Gender:
Still unknown. Still leaning towards thinking its a girl..... eeek!

Low point of this week:
Going to bed at 9pm most nights because I am so exhausted

High point this week:
Sticking to all my fixed plans I made the week previous and Liv having the time of her life!

I need you

I try my hardest to be there for anyone and everyone... it's just something inside me that I feel compelled to do. I like helping people, not because I get something out of it, I just do it because I hope that other people think the same in this world and go on to treat others the same. 

Recently I heard some news that truly shocked me. It was news that affected a friend of mine and the closeness to home hit me. My friends son, who was 2 years old at the time had been diagnosed with High risk, stage 4 metastatic neuroblastoma. A type of cancer that affects fewer than 100 children a year Reuben was one of these figures.

As tests promptly started on Reuben, each piece of news to his family seemed more devastating, as in 50% of cases of this aggressive type of cancer, his primary tumour was found in his abdomen but had already spread to bones and bone marrow before anyone had any idea. 

Just weeks before, Reuben had played alongside his friends at birthday parties and attended pre-school like every other happy 2 year old who was really looking forward to Father Christmas visiting.

He spent his 3rd birthday and New Year's Day in hospital, has undergone MRI scans, bone marrow and tumor biopsies, a blood and platelet transfusion, two rounds of chemotherapy to name but a few procedures. 

His journey has just started. And even though everyone they have encountered working in the amazing NHS are doing their very best to help their little boy,  the statistics make for grim reading and there will come a time, that we all hope, when he will be in remission and eligible for further treatment not yet available in this country. 

Over the next year Reuben and his amazing family will be turning their attention to fundraising efforts to help raise funds for overseas treatment once he is in remission. The initial costs for this are anticipated to be £250,000.

And this is where I come in, as a fellow mother (soon to be to two children) my heart goes out to them, and I cant NOT help. I cant even imagine how they cope every day, how they stay strong, how they continue to fight - they are all courageous, incredible human beings and this is why I must TRY to help. So here goes...

That's right, my beloved hair is going and in return I hope you ALL can donate something: anything, it doesnt matter the amount but I need you all.Forgo your daily coffee for a month, put down that pair of shoes you want, and say no to that bottle of wine, put yourself in their shoes: I would do anything in my absolute power to save or help someone in need and now you can do the same. Please donate HERE

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Reubensfight 

As I look on at my daughter and feel utterly blessed, I feel compelled to help this family, my friends, get through the toughest battle yet.

PLEASE HELP.

International Women's Day

Girls, what a time to be alive.... seriously. As women we've always been pretty formidable but now, things have ramped up a level. We are finally being recognised as an equal sex, and gender worth taking note of. No longer are we being ignored, beaten down - finally we are being noticed for the kick ass.

I wanted to share the love on this International Women's Day of some ladies who quite simply I look up to in awe, the ones who make me believe I can do better, achieve more and be proud of me. So here goes:


Mother Pukka:

Mother Pukka or a.k.a Anna Whitehouse has been a formidable, mama in action creating a whole shit storm of kick assery! Not only does she speak to us mamas and papas on real, down to earth way about this thing we call parenting but this woman gives us so much more. Currently working on something called The Flex Appeal. Working her teeny stylish ass off for more flexible working which EVERY parent dreams of. This woman amazes me with her candidness, her ability to make us all feel as ease, the way she does everything with such style and flair (including wearing some pretty amazing lip colours) but everything she works on is for US, this remote, online parenting community. WHAT A LADY!
Go check out her Instagram HERE and website HERE,

Mother of daughters: 

This lady is my absolute girl crush - mama to 4, yes thats 4 young beautiful women, midwife by trade but all round amazing lady. Clemmie is someone I've followed on Instagram, read her blog Gas and Air from start to finish and just loved seeing grow into the superstar she is. Being a midwife by trade, Clemmie instill in us the power and knowledge we need to birth our babies the way WE want. Being pregnant with number two now this is something I am so keen to get right second time around, and following this woman has made me feel strong enough to do so. She's a girls girl, creating her stance in this world and well n truly leaving her mark - whilst parenting 4 girls! WOW!
Go check out her Instagram HERE and website HERE

Maia Grace Trudgian:

Another 'insta' fave of mine, and man this woman should be on the covers of magazines - just look at her, she's beautiful. Maia is my kinda girl, she is who she is, never shys away and dares to be different. Her wardrobe is like my DREAM and has a growing, owner of ever so successful business Lucky Little Acorns that she started all by herself. As well as being pretty darn the full package she is a superb mama to the stunning gorgeous little Bronte. She's just like you and me and brings her warmth to her Instagram. She's def one to follow.
Go check out her Instagram HERE and LuckyLittleAcorns site HERE

Susie Verrill

LOVE THIS LADY SO MUCH. She's the type of girl you long to be your best friend. She often makes me laugh so much I snort out my daily coffee on her Instagram stories, she has the hair of mermaids, the most gorgeous little boy who is probably the best dressed toddler Ive ever seen, oh and she writes the best blog I've read in a LONG time! My Milo and Me, is the first 'mummy blog' that made me nod my head in agreement, made me cry tears of laughter and also through the fact that someone else has made feel like Im not alone. Susie is a gem.
Go check out her Instagram HERE and blog HERE

The Mummy Diary

Ive known of Ellie for a while -we have worked together and well, she is just the loveliest lady EVER. Mama to 2 gorgeous kids, this woman has picked herself up and shown us all just how strong us women can be. Truthful, thoughtful, candid and owner of the best jelly shoes I've ever laid eyes on, this lady fully deserves an accolade. Her parenting and lifestyle blog is one of my favourites, and she loves cake... whats not to love?
Go check out her Instagram HERE and blog HERE

Rachael Kellett

Rachael, in my eyes, was one of the first people who owned a brand selling MAMA type apparel. I fell in love with her MAMA tees and since then her little shop has got bigger and better. Since then, this amazing lady has given birth to another little bubba and yet shes added MORE products and is going great guns! The woman is unstoppable. She is also the owner of the best fringe and shiniest hair I've ever clapped eyes on.... win win!
Go check out her Instagram HERE and her shop HERE

Mother like no other

Becky is another mama who is taking the apparel world on, and beating it good and proper. I've followed Becky on Instagram for a while and I fall in love with everything she produces and the stories behind it Part of every sale goes towards a charity very close to my heart PANDAS, but most of this is a mama who is juggling being a parent with creating a brand, a kick ass brand that manages to team my FAVE colour combos together. Total love for this actual babe.
Go check out her Instagram HERE and her shop HERE

Go forth fellow women.... lets go be incredible together... lets build each other up.... 

Judgement day

As a 20 something, childless, unmarried woman, being judged or judging someone was not even on my radar. I used to go about my daily life just BEING, happy as larry with not a  care in the world. If someone had made a judgement on me I probably wouldn't of cared, a young carefree mind will do that - you just don't worry. Fast forward to now, a grown woman in her 30s (33 to be exact) and I find my every day life is just crammed full of judgments, and from the least expected people.

First up came the judgments over not being married to my long term partner and not being bothered about it - "surely you think its time to get married, you've been together far too long to still be boyfriend and girlfriend" Next up came the decision to have children - "So... it wont be long before you two are going to have children". The endless comments and judgments came thick and fast - people are opinionated, I get that but sometimes this obvious views of MY life from OTHER people was a little hard to stomach.

Of course when Liv came along, the style of judgement changed and from whom they came from. Strangers, family, friends and dare I say it, other mothers. Style of feeding, type of routine, style of parenting, occupation - pretty much everything warranted SOME kind of opinion or judgement from others. Now being a 30+ fully grown adult, these opinions and judgements DO affect me. No more Miss carefree, every word and comment affect every part of my everyday life - I hold the words inside me and just like that, when Im alone, or having a bad day they all come back, spoken to me, out loud. Making me self-doubt. Self-doubt when youre a parent is soul destroying - how can you teach your offspring about the positive, happy things in life ? to remain positive? I look at the things I do and wonder if I'm failing my child, failing my husband, failing myself - just those few words from a person can cause me to self doubt my entire being.

I hope those people who DO judge, read this and realise that the few tiny words that fall out of their mouths can have an affect more than they realise, and how detrimental it can be to fellow mothers.

Lets learn to be kind, compassionate and most of all: NON JUDGEMENTAL. You never know when you might NOT want to be judged.