A Name at Last!

We have now, after much disscussion, decided on a name for our son! His name is; Nathan Clifford Doggrell. We had originally narrowed our choices down to two name, neither of which were Nathan but we couldn't decide on the one we thought sounded best! Andy wanted Clifford for a middle name because it was his Dad's name. Neither of the names we liked for first names sounded quite right with that to us. So when my family came to visit us on Monday we talked about it a lot and ended up with Nathan, which I really like and seems to suit him I think! Well, just a quick note today, just thought I should let people know!

Baby Doggrell!

We are delighted to announce the arrival of our beautiful baby boy! Born 28th November at 8:53am, weighing 7lb! He doesn't have a name yet because we still can't decide on one! But we will let you know as soon as he has one! It was quite a long and tiring labour but we are all doing fine! More details and photos to follow!

A Year Already!

A year ago yesterday we were getting married! I can't believe it's a whole year already! And what a year, I never would have thought this time last year that all the things that have happened would have happened! A new baby due soon! I think that is the most surprising thing, we didn't imagine that a year ago! It been a good year, not always easy as there have been a lot of changes to get used to, but a good year all the same! I thank God for the past year and pray that we have many more together even better!

Autumn Days

Ok! A break from baby things now! Since I first started noticing the leaves changing I've been humming a song called Autumn Days that I used to sing at primary school. (I've just discovered that apparently it's by Estelle White and you can find it here; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9mvrkQbzgc&feature=player_embedded )
I love autumn! The colours are so beautiful, until of course the leaves all go brown and mushy in the rain! But the clear, sunny, crisp days make me want to be outside! The other morning I decided to give into the temptation, take a break from the housework and baby preparation and go for a short walk (with my camera of course!) I don't get very far these days, just into the fields at the back of the flat, but is was nice to be out, making the most of being able to just do that sort of thing! Here are some of my pictures; (sorry about the rubbish layout, can't get it to behave!)

Very good news!!

Just a quick post to let you all know that I had my appointment to check what way round our baby is at the L&D today and thankfully baby is head down! So I didn't have to have it turned round after all! Thanks to everyone who gave me support and tips on how to persuade baby to go head down because if it wasn't already then they must have worked! The doctor had a feel of my bump and because sometimes it's hard to tell which bit is head and which is bum he also did a scan. So we got to see baby again too, which is always nice, even if it was brief! Baby is so big now that it takes up the whole screen! Not long now until we get to see baby for real! Just four weeks until my due date and I can't wait! I'm feeling really heavy and slow now and getting so impatient to actually have my baby, even labour seems less daunting!

Breech Baby?

Well, I had another midwife appointment yesterday. Everything was ok generally which is good news! However when the midwife had a feel of my bump she couldn't really tell which way around baby was. After a few (uncomfortable) minutes prodding and poking around the midwife decided that I need to go to the hospital to have it checked out properly in case baby is breech. (head up, instead of head down like it should be!) If they find out it is then they will try and turn it around because giving birth to a breech baby is harder and can cause more problems. I've got an appointment at Luton and Dunstable hospital next Wednesday and they will tell me then which way round baby is.
I don't really like the idea of them turning the baby around as it could be uncomfortable, maybe even painful, but if it makes the birth easier and is better for my baby then I guess it will be worth it in the end. (so long as it doesn't decide to turn around again as soon as they've done it!) If I'm honest I'm a bit nervous about it and I really hope baby is head down, but if not I'll cope with as and when I have to! Andy will be there to look after me though as always and with him to look after me what do I have to worry about?!! Seriously though, he has been wonderful throughout this pregnancy and I don't think I could have managed so well without him! I think he's going to be a wonderful dad too!




While I'm talking about baby things I might as well mention the antenatal class. We had our first class last thursday. Despite being a bit unsure of what was involved I enjoyed it and it was really good to meet some other parents also expecting their first child around the same time. What surprised me was how much I knew that other people didn't. I guess I took it for granted how much I'd picked up from Child Development at school, my training at college and generally from talking to mum and other people. I don't claim to know everything, not by any means! I still have lots to learn and even just that one class has helped, I feel much more relaxed about the whole thing already. I would recommend going to one of these classes to anyone, even if it's just to meet other new parents. I'm looking forward to the next one on Thursday now!

Baby Brother!

Here's a few pictures of my baby brother Ben that I took at the weekend, when were up in Shrewsbury briefly which I can't resist sharing because he's such a cutie! (well at the moment he is anyway!!) He's starting to look so much like my dad!

Baby Update!

I realise that it's a while since I updated you on how things are going with the baby. Well, we decided to change the hospital I plan to give birth in. (As you may have guessed from the scan being at the L&D not in Hemel!) I was automatically booked in to Watford hospital because that is the nearest hospital to us in the county. However after talking to people we decided that Luton and Dunstable sounded like a better option. It's a lot easier to get to and the service sounds like it's better too. The L&D is in a different county though so it's been a bit of an ordeal getting sorted out there! I had to go to the hospital to get booked in there and to tell them all the information I'd already told the midwife in Hemel! I also had to have my blood taken again so they know what blood group I am and I probably have to go for another scan. It also mean I have to carry aroung two sets of notes, one for each county! It a bit of a pain, but they are just trying to make sure I'm properly cared for and that baby gets the proper treatment so I don't really mind!

As for baby it seems to be developing just fine! I feel it kicking and wriggling a lot these days, mostly on my right, just under my ribs! At my last midwife check she thought it might be in the breech position at the moment, but there is still time for it to turn around the right way!

All in all things are going well! I feel fine, getting tireder now and feeling heavier and fatter! But every day is a day nearer to being able to hold my baby in my arms!

30 Week Scan

Here's some pictures from the scan I had at 30 weeks. Normally I wouldn't have had this scan but because I've changed the hospital I plan to give birth in from Watford to Luton they wanted to double check that everything was all ok! It was really nice seeing baby again, especially as you could see a lot more detail. We even saw baby's tongue when it was swallowing! It was strange how such a normal, everyday thing made me go 'ahhh!' Pregnancy does strange things to you! Anyway, everything was fine as far as they could see and they told us baby was about 2lb! That makes me realise how much baby will grow between now and when it is born, assuming it will be about 6-8lb! Andy thinks he saw evidence that it was a boy, but I don't see how!

Summer Holiday!

Well, it's been quite a while since I last wrote anything! Sorry about that!

What have we been up to? Well, we had a lovely two week holiday in August, starting off in Shrewsbury at my mum and dad's. We finally got to meet my newest brother which was nice! He frowns a lot but it's very cute! As you can see from the pictures Andy had his fair share of cuddles with Ben!
It was also nice spending time with Tim and the rest of my family, including a really lovely afternoon at my grandparents house, where we had to go looking for General Custer who was, apparently, on the hill behind the house!!

Then it was off to Aberwystwyth, for the EMW conference. This meant Andy had to survive his first ever two nights camping! It didn't help that he had a bad back, but I think he managed ok! Even if we did have a serious lack of space in my tiny tent! We booked the camping before we found out I was pregnant and although the camping was ok, I hadn't taken into account that I wouldn't fit into my sleeping bag when it was all zipped up! Andy of course found this really funny! At least it wasn't too cold at night! It was good to catch up with friends at the conference and we heard some good teaching, which is the main thing! Friday night was Andy's favourite because we were in a bed and breakfast! Andy mum was at the conference for the whole week and after booking the camping we decided to book a holiday with her in Wales. There wasn't much point going back to come and pick her up so we booked a B&B for the last night. It was a really nice little place in the town and the breakfast was fantastic!

Then off again! This time to a holiday cottage for a week near the seaside town of Aberaeron. I really loved Aberaeron! All the houses by the sea are painted different colours and it was really pretty in that seaside light! The cottage was really nice too and only a few miniutes drive from the town. Simple, small and basic but everything you need for a weeks holiday! It was a nice relaxing holiday with not much going on but we had some nice trips out and about, including an afternoon at Pen Bryn beach, and a wildlife spotting boat trip from New Quay, among other things. All in all a lovely break! Here's a selection of my favourite photos from the fortnight;

A Baby Brother!

I'm very happy to announce that I have a new baby brother! Benjamin Alcock was born at 8:46 this morning, weighing 9lb 4oz. He doesn't have a middle name yet, but I'll let you know as soon as I know!

This is the picture that Dad sent me via phone and as yet the only photo I have! I'm quite impressed that dad managed to take one and send it at all! (actually when he phoned he did confess that mum actually sent it!)

We're not going up this weekend as we're busy and we will be up in Shrewsbury for a few days the weekend after, but I can't wait to see my new baby brother!

20 Week Scan

Last weekend I visited my family in Shrewsbury. Andy had things to do at home so I got the train by myself there on Friday and back again on Monday. I spent a lot of time talking about baby things with mum! It was a nice girly weekend! Tim did wake up at six am on Saturday morning, but actually he was mostly very nice and had even saved some of his birthday sweets for me!

As you can see I had my second scan yesterday. (usually done

about 19/20 weeks, but I'm just about 21 weeks this week!) This scan is mainly to check that everything is developing normally. I felt sorry for the lady doing the scan! She was a traniee (so there was someone else there as well just to observe) and our baby was being very awkward! Most of the time baby wouldn't stay still, and even when it did it still wasn't being helpful! When she tried to look at the head his positioned himself so it was tricky to see, and when she tried to look at the kidneys baby put his hand over his stomach! Oh well! I guess it all helped with the training, and I don't suppose ours was the first! She seemed to know what she was doing anyway! (by the way I say 'his', because I don't like saying 'it'! We don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet!)

Anyway, everything was fine, as far as they can ever tell from scans, which is good news! To tell the truth, I was a little worried as baby had been less active than usual over the weekend, so it was reassuring to see know everything looked fine! Of course that evening baby was back to his usual activeness!

Bump!

Look! I'm getting a bump!!! Only a little one, but it's there all the same! I'm 20 weeks now and I've got my second scan next week. It's exciting, but because of what they're looking for I'm a bit nervous as well. I have no reason to think any thing's wrong, but of course you worry all the same!

I can feel baby wriggling quite a lot these days! Andy even thinks he felt a kick once, but usually baby stops kicking whenever he puts his hand on my bump! Awkward child! But all being well, he'll feel something soon enough I'm sure!

Visitors!

The weekend didn't stop being eventful after Wimbledon! We had my friend Sarah, from Shrewsbury to visit from the weekend, which was nice as I haven't seen her in a while. It's always nice to catch up with up with old friends and we had a nice relaxing weekend, chatting mostly!

But Sarah wasn't the only visitor! We discovered a starling in our loft on Saturday morning, which was still there in the evening. I think it may possibly have come in from the nest in the next door bit of loft. Anyway, Andy....well he isn't very good with birds, so after he went out to help with Exodus Sarah helped me get it out. It was hot in there and I think it was frightened by the thunderstorm. It wasn't what I had planned for us to do, but I'm so glad Sarah was there, I don't think I could have done it by myself!

Wimbledon!

Every year Andy enters a ballot to win the chance to buy tickets to Wimbledon and this year he got the chance! So we got tickets for court three on the Friday of the first week! Andy's wanted to go for ages so he's been really excited about it!

We decided to get the train rather than take the car thinking it would be easier. Well, after getting to Euston and realising we should have got off at Watford it seemed we might have been wrong! But we got there eventually and it was nice to walk past all those people queueing and go straight in! The forecast said it was going to rain and it did look a bit cloudy when we left home, so we took jumpers, coats and umbrellas, only to get there in hot sunshine and cloudless skies!

Despite the delay we managed to get to our seats in time to see most of the first game. (men's singles) I enjoy playing and watching tennis but I've never been into it in a really big way and I enjoyed being there more than I thought I would! I think maybe it has something to do with the atmosphere there is when you're actually there.

I can't remember the names of everyone we saw, but you can see yourself from the pictures! (click on them to see them larger)

It was too hot to sit in the sun for too long, so after a bit we went in search of strawberries and cream! (and some lunch) I'm not sure about the place we choose to sit for lunch though, as a tennis ball that came over from one of the courts behind us! Then back to court 3 for a couple more games and more sitting in the hot sun!

We had our dinner sitting on Henman Hill, or Murray's Mount, or whatever people are calling it these days and watched the centre court game on the big screen. We had a look around the shop, but most things were quite expensive! We were very tempted by some of the baby things, but they were either boys things or girls things and we don't know what we're having yet!

We didn't realise how late it was getting and it was about half nine before we left, but not before we'd had a last wonder around the grounds, Andy had managed to get autographs from two female British tennis players, and we'd seen Sue Barker!

We are making the most of being able to do things together just the two of us at the moment, without all the extra things that babies involve! (Not that we are regretting having a baby, but things do get a bit more complicated when a baby is involved because that has to be your priority)

The train journey home was horrible and a bit of an ordeal, but that aside it was a really lovely day! And the sunset on the way home was really beautiful!