Edward is walking!

Quite confidently. Not all of the time. Still waves his 'jazz hands' as he goes, and is a bit stiff-legged, but he's off! We went to Charlecote House on Saturday, and he walked around by the side of the river with his sun-hat on, and for the first time joined us all on the picnic rung. (We need a new, bigger one!).

His learning seems to have gone up a gear, each day there seems to be a new noise (he can do a 'piggy' noise, say 'Go!' and is just learning 'oh oh'... He gives proper hugs, and is usually full of smiles. Apart from when I think about not giving him his morning breastfeed. This morning I wondered if I could just change his nappy and bring him downstairs but he went absolutely crackers, crawled into Elizabeth's room minus his nappy, and lay on the floor screaming in quite an amazing display of tantrumdom.

Elizabeth woke at 2am this morning having had a bad dream about dinosaurs. I couldn't get back to sleep afterwards, so consequently feel like I've been shot in the head. Keep feeling tearful as I seem to have a permanent headache and am worried that I've got a brain tumour that is ultimately going to separate me from my children. Found myself crying en-route to Sainsbury's this morning as I pictured the scene when I would be told the news. Read in 'What to Expect...' that pg headaches are very common, due to hormones and stress, so I probably need to calm down. Have been drinking litres and litres of water to no avail. It is incredibly hot. Hotter than I remember when I was pregnant with Elizabeth in Summer 2006. Am now 24 weeks pregnant. Think I'll stop here, and just stay at this point. Itching (left shin and back of left leg) is fairly manageable. Tired. Still got lingering cough/cold thing. Tired.

on the up (again!)??!

Finished the course of antibiotics on Friday, and although I'm still coughing and suffering from cold-like symptoms, some of the dead-wall exhaustion has lifted, and I'm beginning to feel more human again.

Edward has learned to 'blow his nose' i.e. he gestures with a tissue towards his nose and makes a blowing noise. We took them to Attingham Park on Saturday morning and on the swings he seemed to respond to me saying "one, two, three, go!" by attempting to say "Go!". Still favours "Boo!" and clutching his ears/head/face, can now point to his hair, and brush his hair with a hairbrush, and is crawling up the stairs at every opportunity. More confident steps - can easily walk the length of the room now - but won't do it as a matter of course.

Elizabeth's behaviour, dare I say it, may be turning a corner. Or it may just be that I'm less tired. We're certainly locking horns less, and although she is still incredibly wilful, and downright annoying at times, she is also more fun to be with, and we're getting on better. For some reason she seems to say she likes me, but doesn't like husband, but in reality she plays with him endlessly...

Husband had to work on Sunday, so it feels like mid-week already. Tired. House on the market on Haughton Drive near to Kate's but with way too much work needed for us to tackle. Would be a perfect house though. E-bay catastrophes are being cleared up. The woman from Church Stretton is coming to re-collect the smoky double buggy this evening, and the failed wedding dress for Barry's wedding (Isabella Oliver, black 'swing' dress, £62) was returned on Saturday, awaiting payment for both.

Tired.

the perils of Ebay, oh and a new Prime Minister

We went on Sunday to collect our new Maclaren Triumph double buggy and were feeling pretty pleased with ourselves, found it ok, spent an hour at Carding Mill Valley courtesy of our new National Trust membership, picked it up... warning bells rang when the woman said it had been stored at her mum's house, and her Mum was sitting in the garden smoking. I'm still suffering with cold/chest infection, and haven't been able to smell or taste anything for a week, but husband confirmed it smells really smokey. Got it home and went mad. Have washed the covers, cosy toes, head huggers etc, but there is a smokey smell that just won't go. Have asked for a partial refund, but don't expect to hear anything back.

Gordon Brown resigned yesterday, and after getting the children bathed and to bed on my own completely for the first time (husband on course in Leeds) I sat down to watch David Cameron arrive at 10 Downing Street. Felt a reversal of the excitement I'd felt in 1997 when I watched Tony Blair arrive. Now feel quite anxious, from a selfish point of view, that our family benefits are going to be cut. Husband reassures me that it should be good for business - we'll have to wait and see.

Edward continues to climb. Dining room chairs, small tables, the red chair in his room - he can't resist. No serious falls to date, but many bumps. Increasingly grumpy at the moment too. Am seriously tired, still have a sore throat, still on antibiotics. Grrrrrrrrrr.

ill!

22 weeks today... and really ill! I've been suffering with a cough for 6 weeks now, and about a week or so ago I developed cold symptoms too. To begin with I was exhausted, having to lie down all the time, feeling really wiped out. Then I felt a bit better, but these last few days I've gone downhill again and feel awful. Rang the drs this morning as am so fed up with feeling sick whenever I cough, wheezing, feeling exhausted and now dizzy too. They have prescribed antibiotics which I have to pick up this afternoon so hopefully I'll start feeling better soon. Another house viewing tomorrow morning. Theatre this evening to see 'Mum's the word' assuming I'm well enough. General Election yesterday - results bit of an anti-climax. Hung parliament. Conservatives have more overall seats but not enough for a majority. I voted first thing yesterday morning and was about the 8th person to vote at that polling station, putting my cross next to the Labour candidate's name... Mark Pritchard retained his seat for The Wrekin though...

21 weeks apparently!

We had the 20 week scan on Friday, and I found out I am actually 21 weeks pg. The scan was fine - we all squashed into the tiny scan room, and Elizabeth stood entranced while Edward dropped a mobile phone repeatedly while the measurements were made. Apparently it is 'not a small baby' - 'a little fattie'. (!) We bought the obligatory picture and came home to begin the Bank Holiday weekend.

Exhausted. Spent Saturday morning in an absolute frenzy getting the house ready for yet another viewing, while simultaneously packing a picnic and getting ourselves ready to leave without messing up the house again. Spent the mid-part of the day in Leicester with Dave and Claire and the now 5 month old Iris. We went to Abbey Park and enjoyed a lovely picnic by the water with ducks everywhere. Dave's car being broken into put a dampener on an otherwise lovely day.

We drove back and managed to win an ebay auction for a double buggy - our first official step towards having two babies! Have to collect that from Church Stretton at some point. Collapsed in front of Casualty with a Burger King, and thus ended our Saturday.

Spent Sunday morning at Attingham Park wandering around the mile walk, enjoying being middle class National Trust members. Home for husband to mow the lawn front and back while Edward slept, and now I'm making the tea in readiness to watch a DVD tonight.

Election week approaches. Have watched all three leadership debates and although I dabbled with the idea of Liberal Democrats for a while, am sticking with Labour, for all the good it will do. Have a feeling they will not be in power this time next week.