My Life.... an Update

When you're pregnant, it can seem that suddenly your whole life is all about the baby you are carrying. I think this has come across a bit on the blog and I want to get back to blogging reguarly and blog about more than just my pregnancy. First of all I thought I would update you all on what's been going on in my life lately other than my expanding waistline....

Firstly, I am soon to be a mother of a two year old. How scary is that?! Cameron turns two on 13th September. It seems like only a few weeks since I was celebrating his first birthday and making his Fireman Sam cake (how times change, he now wants nothing but Night Garden!). How scary how fast time passes, before I know it he'll be going to school! Cameron has grown up so much in the last couple of months. He looks like a proper little boy and he's talking in little sentences. He says he wants something now, and says please and 'ta' without needing to be prompted, which I'm very proud of. He is also fiercely independant and wants to do everything by himself, from getting his own breakfast to going to bed at night. I love that he can do so much now, but can't help feeling neglected now he no longer needs me so much.

Cameron practising at being a big brother!

Yesterday I took Cameron swimming, along with Tim and my sister who is visiting from Essex for the week. Cameron was swimming by himself, which I was thrilled about. I was worried that he wouldn't pick it up as I stopped taking him swimming at around five months old, but luckily he now loves his weekly swimming trips and has really taken to the pool.

Our wedding fund!

I have been engaged for a couple of months and am loving being able to plan my own wedding (as you will know from reading my wedding planning updates). I can't wait to move in with Tim in the New Year and be a proper little family. Tim has been amazing as my pregnancy progresses. He is always willing to come round for a quick hug to cheer me up when I've had a stressful day, and he makes the most of the time he is over at the weekends to try and make me feel like a princess, even when I feel more like a whale...

Tim painting my toenails as my bumps grown too big for me to reach!

He has also just bought me a maternity dress for the upcoming family events, which I couldn't afford to buy myself, as well as a gorgeous chunky knit cardigan for when I come out of hospital with the baby, to make me feel a tiny bit stylish!

As I mentioned before, my sister is currently staying with me for the week. I don't get a chance to see her that often as she lives with my dad in Essex. I haven't always got on with her as there is a seven year age gap, but we have reached an age where we both have things in common which is great. I've enjoyed taking her into town on shopping trips and having girly pampering sessions in front of the TV or a chick flick with a big bowl of popcorn. I'll be sad to see her go, but she should be coming back in just under three weeks for Cameron's birthday party.

My sister with Cameron just after he was born

Planning my own wedding has made me want to get back into planning properly and I am looking forward to when we have moved and I am able to start up my business in Events. In the meantime I have been planning lots of family events such as my upcoming Baby Shower, and my mum's 50th birthday party, which is just two days before my due date! I love how organised you need to be when planning events, it makes me feel more focused. I can't wait to have my own business!

I have been filming for an upcoming BBC3 show on parenthood, which I've been told will air either the end of this year or beginning of next. It has been great to have something to focus on during my pregnancy, and will be an excellent memento to look back on when the children are older.

Happy :)

Life in general is amazing and I feel so lucky when I think back to how things were this time last year. I had just finished my degree and was waiting to hear back about whether I had graduated or not, I was a single mum and felt like I would never find a guy who wanted a girl who already had a son. I am so happy how my life has turned out and look forward to the next chapter of my life as a mother of two, moving in with my fiance, planning my wedding and starting my own business. I really do feel as if my dreams have come true...

Three Engagements and a Birthday

My engagement wasn't the only one in the family recently. A couple of months beforehand both my cousin and my brother proposed to their girlfriends. Last night was the first chance since Tim's proposal for us all to get together and celebrate as my brother and his fiancee live in Newcastle and my cousin and his fiancee work long hours at a restaurant. My brother's fiancee had her twenty-first birthday only two days ago as well so we celebrated that at the same time.

It was pretty stressful and I got a bit worked up at a couple of points (arranging a meal with 22 other people is not an easy task!) but it went pretty well and I even managed to add some finishing touches to the cakes.

All three of the weddings are most probably going to be held in 2015 so that will be a busy year for our family!

Celebrating Our Engagement!

On Wednesday night I had a night out with friends of mine and Tim's for our engagement. It was pretty low key and relaxed and not everyone could make it mid-week and at short notice, but we wanted to make it for a time when our mutual friend was back in Bournemouth. We are having a seperate meal for our families to celebrate with us in a couple of weeks time.

We went out to a local wetherspoons bar and got a couple of bottles of pink champagne for people to toast us with.

Although everyone kept saying it was ok for me to have a bit of the champagne, I had a sip and left it at that. I have totally gone off all alcohol (not that I would drink much during pregnancy anyway) so stuck to Cranberry juice through the night.

After wetherspoons we moved onto Yates, I was quite proud of myself for hanging on until 11pm before giving in and going home (after stopping off at Subway for my favourite sandwich an Italian BMT yum!).

I had a great night and it was lovely to celebrate with our close friends.

Our Trip to Newcastle

The day after getting engaged I had to leave my new fiance and travel on the long car journey up to Newcastle to visit my brother to celebrate his engagement and house warming party.

 We left at half six in the morning on the Friday and arrived around half past one, which was pretty good considering just how far Newcastle is from us! Cameron was amazing on the journey and so well behaved, even though he only slept for a couple of hours. When we arrived, we took our stuff to the travelodge where we were staying (which was awful!) and then went over to my brother's new flat. We had to go shopping just after arriving as I had somehow managed to forget to pack any shoes for Cameron (and as we left early in the morning he hadn't been wearing any at the time!). I bought him a pair in Next which he loves!

That evening we had a chilled out time at the flat, meeting some of my brother's fiancee's family and eating pizza- yum! We were exhausted from the early start and long drive so went back to the hotel relatively early.

The next day was spent looking round Newcastle town centre, having some lunch and doing some shopping in the Next sale. I also met up briefly with a girl I originally met over the More! magazine page who lives in Newcastle, Amy and her two beautiful daughters. She gave me a load of baby girl clothes and some newborn nappies which was so kind of her. It was nice to finally meet someone I have been talking to online for a few years now!

After getting back to the flat I helped out by cooking the party food before everyone else arrived and the party started. I was exhausted again so spent most of the time sat down chatting to some of my brother's friends who had also travelled up from Bournemouth. Cameron was being adorable all night and amusing everyone.

It was quite sad when it came to saying goodbye that evening, but we will be seeing my brother and his fiancee again in August so it isn't too long this time.

On Sunday morning we left at 9am and got back to Bournemouth mid afternoon, absolutely shattered! I finally got to see Tim and we did our first bit of wedding planning in front of Four Weddings, scaring ourselves how expensive even a budget wedding is!