Merry Christmas

From us all have a super festive time x

Advent 15 - 23

Advent 15 to 23 a cluster and a oopsie daisy as mini1 said because in her own words "I'm just too busy, I'm being a star, visiting, writing and wrapping and I want to do my reading"
I must admit she had a point so we took a week out also celebrated a birthday and had a few bugs!
So here we are and mini1 has done these for you to see....

Advent 14 and 1 year on....

A different doodle today not exactly a festive one but one to mark the date that exactly a year ago today mr loveliness opened the doors to all animals in which he provides outstanding care and quality of service to everyone's best friends.
A year on the practice is doing great, we miss dadda/hubby due to his long days and only two days off in all that time but are so proud of his exceptional hard work dedication and amazing practice.
We love you x

Copyright 2012 journey of loveliness

Advent 13

A little late today so busy busy busy mini1 almost finished her Christmas cards and side tracked with sticky labels too.
Here are 2 label creations side by side; what jolly festive buds they are....

Copyright 2012 journey of loveliness

Advent 12

Today is ....
12-12-12
twelve twelve twelve

so on the 12th of the 12th of the 12th we bring you a colourful picture it's also in keeping with todays weather as we do have a sprinkling of snow maybe later enough to do this......

let's build
copyright 2012 journey of loveliness

Advent 11

December 11th

Another morning feeling festive and proud as mini1 played a star role in the christmas play. Granny came along this morning which was lovely and minimini1 spotted big sis straight away today and at fairly regular intervals shouted out her sisters name with pride, her clapping and on the spot dancing was in itself a beautiful performance and as for our 12 week old BoBo .... he slept on!

winter flowers 
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Advent 10

Today was the school nativity play all reception and year one....wonderful, loved it, wept and felt incredibly proud.
Thought mini1's angels were in keeping with the day....

Angels
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Advent 9

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Advent 8

Pompom Forest ....in the making
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Advent 7

Sorry we are a little late with this one we took a day break from doodles and went cutting and sticking with many reindeers ....lots are needed to pull a sleigh!!

Copyright 2012 journey of loveliness

Advent 6

The trusty pair who deliver the treats and work very very hard....

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Advent 5

This weekend nanna and poppa are joining us to put up the tree and fill the home with decorations and twinkly lights, Mini1 thinks she'd like a tree just like this one.

copyright 2012 journey of loveliness

Advent 4

Today mini1 has a school trip travelling by coach but it would be super fun to travel by reindeer!
Here is her own special Red Nosed Fella

December 4th

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Advent 3

Today mini1 doodles you two of the three kings!

Happy 3rd December

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Advent 2

Today mini1 is on the christmas cuisine trail with this festive bird Tarquin the Turkey or as minimini1 calls him "Boc-Boc"

Happy 2nd December

copyright 2012 journey of loveliness

Advent 1

Morning all on this '1st' crispy December morning. We have just opened the first door for mini1 and minimini1 will be doing hers shortly.
We thought it would be good to share our advent pics with you so each morning mini1 will do a picture to share.

Happy 1st December here is BabyA with tree

copyright 2012 journey of loveliness

Poke

Minimini1 is forever finding a hole and poking something into, be it a tiny hole in the garden wall, a key hole or her nose!
We usually discover her poking activities as we are about to lock up and the key won't turn or as on Friday when she turned around and pointed to her right nostril and said "baby pom-pom...gone!" At first I wasn't too sure what she was talking about as she had just finished having a medical examination by our Doctor friend (partly due to the fact that the hospital did not check her out during the early hours of the morning....another story) So as our dear friend had called to put my mind at rest it was perfect that we had a Doctor. The penny then dropped and it suddenly clicked as to what happened.... Minimini1 had poked a teeny tiny 'baby' pom-pom up her nose!, we managed to tilt her back, have a look with a torch/magnifying gadget. I ran for tweezers and thankfully the extraction took place!

Girls words...

Upon meeting their new brother the little ones age 2 and age 4 had a few lines and actions that will stay with me forever and this is something I just adore about children 'innocence'.
Mini1 "oh wow it's Bobby (this is not the name!!) He is so cute look at his nose, can I see his new legs too"
"so has he just popped out of your mouth?"
Minimini1 " ahhhh my baby brother" cupping out her hands "me hold" poking at his face "eyes, nose"

Welcome Mini BoBo

Early but all good. If I look back over the past 24-48 hours and the circumstances I can't believe that I'm here at home with family around me, 2 little girls who are now very excited older sisters.
At 35 weeks plus 3 the feeling of 'pop' and your waters going isn't a great one. On the plus side it was Sunday morning and I had a good support network to call on.... Midwives first, amazing and as always I will forever feel indebted to such wonderful people and our parents.
Its wrong to assume that a pregnancy could follow a similar pattern to previous but I did; I'm always at home, this now became a discussion due to the fact that baby would be classed as prem, I'm always quick ... but no contractions. So here I was good support but incredibly anxious.
Well I'm leaving out the details till later but all was well, here he is and he was another home birth who eventually came quickly :)

On his way....

So midwives are downstairs I'm apparently contracting but feel nothing?! I usually get a sign as with mini1 and minimini1 and then an hour or so later after a speedy homebirth I'm holding a baby!
Well I'm 35+3 days, 1st came 36+3 and 2nd at almost term. They were different yet similar however this one is so far very different.....
Waters broke 7am ish
Mr Loveliness packed a bag just in case
Midwives came been monitoring us and giving massage and reflexology and now 9 or so hours later I'm apparently contracting although cant feel them and having a lie down.... All very strange!!
I'll keep you posted xx

The night before the big day!!!.......

Ahhh what a sweet heart she is, only a few days ago I had a small girl, frustrated and ready for her big day, (hence the weekends performances!) tonight there she is opening her first day at school cards (thought best to do tonight rather than in the morning) she is chuffed to bits and incredibly grateful which is heart warming and makes both I and Mr Loveliness feel so proud.
As you may know I am a little drawn towards the one-off kind of gifts but I knew what would make my little girls heart melt, so I put my own thoughts and opinions aside and yesterday purchased "Brave" who resembles Mini1 a treat...it's mostly in the hair....not seen the film!!! yet!!
So we've just gone up to bed, Minimini1 went first and then before stories we pointed to Mini1's sofa with her uniform all laid out and there to the side was a wrapped parcel, already she was excited however the excitement went through the roof when she opened her Brave Disney Doll!
Yes she was happy, grateful and chuffed to bits but her doll, but her words were so heart warming; "Oh thank you thank you Mummy and Daddy" "Oh what a wonderful day, I am so lucky aren't I?" "I'm sooo excited about my new school tomorrow and meeting all new children and friends".
Mini1 is certainly growing up fast and such a Brave confident well mannered little girl she is who makes me feel extremely proud. Have a super day my special star xxx

First School Day Countdown...

Monday.... today minimini1 stayed and crafted a beautiful butterfly with my wonderful help Thee-Thee! Whilst Mini1 and I took a trip to the salon for school hair cut, well a tidy up and a trim really. Mini1 loved it, the big seat, the cape, the pampering, blow drying and styling and coming out of it as Lola would say like Princess No-Knots.
We also had a trip to the shoe shop and swopped the original school shoes for the ones I had on order and hoped would arrive... they did and mini1 loves them especially after finding out her big cousin (age 7 to her 4) has these ones too!
Tomorrow will be just me as both girls will stay and play with Thee-Thee. I hope to go out and find a fab school bag and a first day school present. I think I have something in mind, not something I love but I know mini1 will and she'll be super surprised as it's not my usual kind of 'one-off' gift!
Night now x

I blame the moon!

I can't tell you how it upsets, annoys and gets me when our days together go wrong. I don't expect a 'perfect' day because well what is 'perfect'? but i guess what i really mean is I just want happy family days, fun, limited amounts of screaming and as they only come around once a week at the moment then 'together' is a huge start!!
During the night I had one of my frequent bathroom visits and couldn't help but notice the beaming moon shining in so for now I'm blaming yesterdays family day outcome on the moon!

What happened I hear you say......
Starts off Mini1 has appeared to lose interest in anything and everything......My Loveliness offers her with the choice after our very happy lovely breakfast together if she'd like to join him on the dog walk, usually it's a no thought "Yeeeeesss" but not yesterday, "No thank you Daddy I'd like to stay here with Mummy". Okay I think to myself I have both minis here and i'm getting this paranoid labour feeling coming on! I know it's too early at almost 33+ weeks but Mini1 came at 36+ and both came very quick so you really don't know. The Braxton hicks are unbelievable in there frequency and strength but I must keep telling myself they're only Braxton hicks.
So here I am at home with the Mini's starts off ok then off goes the telephone, now the one thing that Mini1 has an interest in is the telephone and expresses it ! Minimini1 has also started to notice and would like it too, the result is I have to put it down as the pressure is actually making me feel more sick and paranoid, they do eventually settle into happy sisterly play together with the play kitchen (which later Mr L confiscates!!)
Day progresses we check out a new park, not totally prepared for its paddling pool section which both girls want to go in and Minimini1 expresses very loudly her unhappiness in not being allowed to go in! Mr L gets more frustrated and annoyed we leave in a cloud of screaming noise.
I read stories and eventually get some kind of calm and quiet in the car only to arrive home and Minimini1 starts again because she wants Mamma not Dadda to get her out of the car!!
We don't eat together, I get in and do a kiddie sitting and later we have ours, so much for the family roast!
I like to read back and reflect on posts with fond memories, I have not put in the whole days/weekends events here because frankly this is enough for me, I have left out the (solo) shifting of 3 tons of logs, the toy confiscation (now almost empty bedroom of Mini1), my breakdown of tears which felt like very early baby blues (hope to avoid these come the time!). Sometimes I can think that the not great day wasn't really that bad but then when we went to bed Mr L said those words "What an awful weekend it's been after a very hard week with another to follow" I felt for him because it is hard for him too.
We are soon to become five which brings its own pleasure and difficulties and although I'd never change my life and children and baby on it's way I do sometimes look back and realise how very easy life used to be.
I hope Mr L has an okay week, of course I want the business to be busy but not so much so that we get burn out. Since the 14 December 2011 he has only has Sundays not at the surgery but even then he is on call 24/7, he is tired and will get increasingly so (as will I!) but I hope we get a jolly weekend this one to lighten the load.
Well I'm not too sure how this reads probably a bit jumbled but as always I'm having a juggle moment!
I'm off for now and will return with happy stories ( I remain the optimist!)
xx

shop online....

Well the weeks are counting down now, I kind of thought I had lots of time 6 weeks back as I imagined there would first be 'summer' well that didn't exactly come! There was the new niece; mmm well she has arrived and then there is school for mini1, aaarrrgghhh she starts next week, so after that the next 'big' event is arrival of little boy bop (yes he is quite a dancer at least that is what i'm experiencing... he has some moves!)
Anyhow I've been checking out some more online finds and I just want to share these fabulous online stores and some of their lines, three are here for starters, I'll be sharing more soon.....

Laurette



Histoire

AM.PM

Welcome new niece....

and well done sis!
So I'm late posting this...in fact a week late I was hoping to post along with all the lovely news of cuddles and excited cousins, pictures and tactile news, but no!
We are seeing the second week of what feels like quarantine, almost 2 weeks ago it all started with A&E, since then we've had, breathing issues, lack of sleep, antibiotics, then last night Mr Loveliness walks in with the flu shakes! So you get the picture we haven't had a real welcome party to our new niece/cousin.

What is really sweet though is that 'O'the new big sister is very proud of her baby sister and has taken everything on board....enjoying the many (other) visitors along the way.
My sister opted this time for a hospital birth after having quite an ordeal last time. I'm thrilled to say that this time although it was still a very loooong labour following being induced she did have a natural (assisted) birth and with getting the right care for her she is now fully enjoying being new mum again and this time with the right prep and expectations of breast feeding she is going great in that area too.

Well to round off until our visit i'm thrilled to report that mum baby and family all well just a little tiredness now setting in.
New baby details....
* Female
* born at 39 weeks + 6 days
* on 16 Aug 2012 time 9.36pm
* 8lb 10oz

Here is baby......

These few words can have an assortment of reactions. When I told mini1 2 and half years ago that she'd be getting a new sister she was fine but then at just 2 years old herself I don't think she fully understood.  I find this time round very different, minimini1 now 2 years old is very much mamas girl and prefers mama over almost anything (except chocolate!) so she is showing similar reactions as what I experienced first time around, but I suspect on arrival she could be very different. Mini1 now however is four and very curious, upset at times but not about having an additional sibling but at the fact it is a boy, I think I've mentioned before as far as she is concerned the baby is a girl and she'll be called lovely!
I'm finding 30 weeks with a visible bump that the chats about baby are easier, there is something they can see ' the bump '. As with many topics there are amazing books out there and we ourselves have played with baby dolls but what I came across recently tops all this.
The very talented Fridas Tierchen. The new doll in the collection is this wonderful pregnant mama who has a bump, bump/baby comes out, baby is swaddled and popped into a sling. The simplicity, play and imagination is perfect for little ones and a great tool for explaining in a fun way how things are going to go. I think a trip to the online shop is to be added on the to-do list and there are some great fancy dress masks on there too, so possibly presents off baby to his new big sisters!

oops sorry!

We've had a lovely family weekend including an amusing mishap!
Okay so it was most amusing for me but I was oh so sorry......
This morning as I was just prepping breakfast; croissants and fruit salad Mr Loveliness came downstairs and handed me a pair a clippers saying "can you just check the back and tidy me up?" he was referring to his head as he wanted me to check the back of his hair line/neck. Without too much thought I did the small amount of trim that was required and then without thinking I asked him to lean his head back and started to randomly shave into his head?! Obviously he quickly turned and said/semi yelled "what are you doing?" Honestly I wasn't sure, no idea why I was doing it or what I was doing. I really wanted to apologise as I just couldn't believe what I'd done, I blame the bump and tiredness. Oh but the hair a great big square chunk taken out of the side! "Oh dear, chuckle chuckle" was all I could manage. This evening I look over to Mr Loveliness and am quite getting used to the grade 1 or 2 head look he has been kind of forced to support. At least it is summertime and hair grows back pretty quick.....doesn't it?

Remember me dolls

Following on from yesterdays post here are the pics as promised. When we were deciding on our farewell teacher gifts we did think about doing individual dolls that looked like the teachers. Mini1 though thought that this would be better..... dolls that look like her so that the teachers will remember what she looks like when she has left. I like the idea and biased as I may be I'm sure doll or no doll those who know mini1 will always remember her.
The added fun part to this was chopping up lots of letters and picking out the correct ones to spell names, Mini1 then picked the doll that she thought the teacher would like best.

eventful morning followed by farewell and hello makeries...

What a morning........
Post office visit for all the order that have piled in over the last 48 hours (smiley face)
Followed by what felt like supermarket sweep, why?
2 year old decided to kick, scream and have a major tantrum when I got her out of the car seat, continued to do so as i wrestled her into the trolley (with 4 year old hanging on the side) and screamed 'stuck...out' all the way around. I decided to approach this with an 'it's not happening' attitude as there really was not much I could do apart from give in to her and go home, frankly this was not an option.
The little one was one thing piercing me but more so was the interference, comments and raised brows of the grandparent generation, the raised eyebrows were further raised when they looked at the 4 year old (who was being very well behaved) in her full fancy dress attire and also the 'bump'.
Well all returned to calm once we got back in the disco, radio 6 on and homeward bound :)
On arrival home, minimini1 had a run round the garden with the hound before popping her up for a nap whilst mini1 and I designed and made farewell gifts ready for her last afternoon at day nursery which is fast approaching....photos to follow
We also had a little makery session with a mini family mobile-esque creation for baby, photos of this one also to follow....
Mr loveliness just arrived so off to prep lunch, be back later with pics x

Delivery of new bits for mini boy boo!

So I want a few new bits as I may of mentioned once or twice. Honestly of recent I've been too busy to think about things and from time to time forgot what will be happening in October however whilst pinning away the other night I became aware that H&M's new kids home has just launched, woohoo I thought as I had enjoyed and pinned the preview images. Logging on I was not disappointed and here are a few items that were added to my basket some in stock and have been delivered today and some yet to arrive, so far so good, pleased with colour and quality and fantastic price, ahhh boy boo you're a lucky little bub already :)

how life changes...

Five years ago we were standing at Peckham Registry Office, there i was in my Viv dress, Borough Market flowers, Mr Loveliness, brown linen suit (that was swopped for shorts when done!), our folks and siblings. My ring was tucked away after it had just been dropped off by (patient) jeweller Jeremy Hicks from the other side of London on his motorbike.

If a bird had whispered into my ear then that fast forward 5 years and you'll be mama to almost three, living outside of London, driving a Discovery with a black lab plus all the other changes we've gone through I'd have said no, that can't be. Hey!, it is and yes life is incredibly different and I'd be untruthful to say I don't miss those days but i wouldn't change what i have now for the world. 

Our wedding day as I'm sure everyone says was the best, for us it was, it suited us, local, only close family and friends. Hubby and Pop went to Borough market at 7am to collect fresh pastries for our champagne and pastry breakfast which we tucked into on our return from Peckham Registry Office. Later our neighbours amazing company put on the best canapes and gorgeous staff that went on for hours with flowing champagne which seemed forever and was incredibly delicious, the sun shined all day, we danced and then enjoyed a DIY serve yourself and be merry b-b-q with my dad on constant hand as chief of the charcoal!

I've taken some time this morning reminiscing and showing mini1 the pics as she is very keen and excited about the anniversary (she thinks celebration = party and cake!) and she loves to lok at photos and always says "tell me about it"

I'm sharing below 2 snaps, not your usual wedding snaps but one that shows the wonderful work of Vivienne Westwood and the flowers of July and another that is not exactly a wedding pose it makes me chuckle, it's probably one of the images that would not be included in the album for most, mmmm i wonder what we were saying?

pink peony

My second midwife that saw the care and delivery of minimini1 mentioned that her favourite flowers were peonies. As the birth took place end May they were in abundance and as part of a thank you we got her the biggest bunch of these pink frilly beauties.
I too love peonies, they remind me of mr loveliness and myself enjoying a trip to Amsterdam that we took when pregnant with mini1, we brought bulbs from the flower market and enjoyed the blooms that followed each year.
This year with the continuous rain we are getting I've been enjoying more cut flowers than usual as most years we spend the majority of these months outdoors. Here are some cut peonies I brought a couple of weeks back and they are still providing us with a beautiful display.

baby makery #2

This is a little cheat makery but I wanted to share it and add to 'his' little pile.

I was all set to do my makeries on Monday afternoons whilst the girls play at nursery but with a big project I've just taken on and midwife appointments sharing the same slot I'm having to re-juggle when the baby makery can take place.

This makery is a pre-done one but I love the simplicity of the pattern and colours too.

The little body underneath is a heat transfer I did before the printer died! .....new printer to get so I can have more heat transfer makery sessions.

what's been going on....

sooooo much..... 

Entertaining the little ones as the weather continues to not brighten. 

Booking appointment with independent midwife

School parents evening ready for September!

New work project that's really exciting

VAT return, not so exciting to say the least

Baking, playing, crafting and making peg dolls riding on cardboard cut out animals

In addition to this there has been other daily chores that have been so time consuming but I've also been enjoying reading a recent article in this Tuesdays Guardian about an increase in fear of giving birth to mums to be, we need to offer the good happy positive birth stories, I have two that I'm happy to share and hope the October birth of our mini newbie will be as positive (already positive thinking and it will be a breeze!)

In addition to the article on pre-birth, Radio 4 had a good listen this morning about life, sex and relationships post birth.

If you'd like to hear a positive birth story pop back and I'll post during the next week, got to dash now me and mini1 are ready to take out our lemon drizzle cake and drizzle with that lovely lemon syrup, mmmmmmmm

makery for baby #1

I have made oodles of things for the girls, I'm not so sure if it was easier or more natural as it was 'girl' stuff, themed and with a hint of girl print, colour and pattern but with this time the bump is a boy and not being involved with as much boyswear design or boy print designing I thought it would be a fun challenge to get into the boy mood and create some bits and bobs for him, they might work out they might not but the sewing, stitching, drawing, cutting, sticking, will all be fun.
So what am I going yo get going on first....

As with all parents we like our babies and children to get a good night sleep it's good for them....and us! On that note my first baby make is a dreamy cloud with home grown lavender filled dream drops.

striped linen & liberty cotton lawn

cut out shapes ready to go

hand stitched detail to cloud 'dream'

                         

 finished cloud with lavender dream droplets


I'll be back to the makery fun again tomorrow whilst my girls are at afternoon day nursery and after my independent midwife visit. Tonight I'll be thinking about the next makery for baby.

Sunday lunch with friends

My father-in-law kindly culls the local 'bambi' population so from time to time we acquire some rather tasty joints one of which I'm roasting up to share with friends today for a family friendly good fun lunch....

some of the things needed to get going on the prep

after chopping and drizzling we have a delicious orange fennel red onion and olive salad on a bed of water cress and rocket leaves served with a simple dressing of e.v.o.o and lmon juice

orange fennel red onion and olive salad on a bed of water cress and rocket leaves

into the aga..... venison sitting on a bed of tiny tatties 

Have a lovely Sunday all and if the sun shines with you enjoy the added pleasure!