I'm Pregnant!!!

Well here's a blog I wasn't planning on writing for at least another year! If you've read my introductory blog you'll know that Mr P and I have 5 children between us. We found out yesterday that I'm expecting number 6! 

Our youngest is coming up for 3 in June, and we'd decided that we wanted another baby, but not until he was in full time school. So September 2014. That meant we would start trying to conceive in January next year. Well, since making that decision, we've perhaps not been as careful as we had been previously. Ok, there's no perhaps about it. That pink line on the home pregnancy test shows we definitely haven't been very careful. We're both a little bit shocked if I'm honest, but thrilled all the same. 

I don't know why I'm so shocked. We've never really had to try to fall pregnant. My first baby was conceived the month after finishing on the depo provera injection. I'd come off it so that it was out of my system by the time we got married 3 months later and we'd be ready to start trying for a baby straight away. Apparently I didn't need that long for my body to find its rhythm again! Then my daughter was conceived when my son was just 6 months old, again without really thinking about it. Then I was pregnant with my other son by the time my daughter was 6 months old. That whole 'breastfeeding acts as a natural method of contraception' is a myth! So the fact that I have fallen pregnant again without really trying shouldn't come as such a surprise.

I sat here yesterday, a day after my period was due, with a gut feeling that I was expecting. But I didn't want to allow myself to think it in case I was setting myself up for disappointment. The only thing I had to go on was my absent period. And then I noticed the distinct blue-black bulging veins in my ankle. I'd first had them when I was pregnant with my daughter, and then again with my son. That's how I knew I was expecting him. I'd not had any periods since my daughter was born, and when I saw my ankle was bad again I just knew that was the reason. The same happened yesterday. The penny dropped, so to speak. 

I told Mr P and he insisted I took a test. I wanted to leave it a few days in case my body was throwing a wobbly. I hate the disappointment of seeing a negative pregnancy test, and although deep down I knew it wouldn't be negative, I didn't want to risk it. He won in the end though. He convinced me to test. I did what I had to do then handed him the test and he closed the bathroom door on me. When it flung open again not 30 seconds later I just knew it was positive. I didn't even need to see the emotional grin on his face to work that out! 

We are both over the moon. Ok, so it's earlier than we had planned. I didn't want to be doing 3 school runs a day with a new born in tow, but it's not the end of the world. I'm a firm believer of what will be will be. Obviously it's very early days, so it wont be public knowledge for some time, but seeing as very few of you know my true identity I thought this was a nice way to document it. 

The Right Way To Raise Children

What is the right way to raise a child? Who knows? Who has the right to tell you you're doing it wrong? 

Yesterday, I got quite upset by a friend's comment on my Facebook status. Maybe I over reacted? But the thought of being judged on my parenting skills deeply offends me. Basically, he implied that it was wrong of me to have 2 pyjama days in a row with my children. We had nowhere to go, the children don't object to playing in their pyjamas, I don't see the problem. But I was in tears at his comment. It got me thinking. Should I be taking them out and doing things on a daily basis? Or is it ok to have a few lazy days?

Another thing that always upsets me is 'he needs a haircut!' Erm, excuse me. He's my son, maybe it's up to me to decide he needs a haircut! My youngest is 2 and a half and he has chin length blonde hair. I think he looks cute. It in no way makes him look like a girl, as people tell me, he is quite clearly a boy. He will get a haircut if and when I decide it's necessary! 

Next on my list is people telling me I can't buy my eldest an Internet tablet because he's too young. Again, surely that's for me to decide? He was 5 in January and he really enjoys playing on my husbands iPad. We have decided that we would get him his own (nothing as expensive as an iPad, but a cheaper alternative) but he has got to earn it. We've found reward charts effective in the past where he'd need 5 stars to get a treat. Well since the treat is significantly more expensive than a kiddy magazine this time, we figured he'd need a few more stars, so his target is 50. A few people have said he's too young, but honestly, these days I think not allowing them to use the latest gadgets will only hold them back. The school they go to uses iPads in the classroom, so I think continuing the use at home can only be a good thing. 

Anyway, I won't waffle anymore, I'd be here forever if I gave you every example of people trying to tell me right way to raise my children. But really, my children are cared for, well fed, clean and happy. Who are these people to tell me I'm doing something wrong?

I'll be back soon with another entry. 

An Introduction

Right, where do I start? 

I'm a 26 year old stay at home mummy to 3 little monsters (who will no doubt become the main feature of this blog!) I met my husband when I was just 19 in the grottiest pub in town. He was 33, recently separated from his wife with 2 young daughters. Imagine my dad's face when I introduced him to my new 'boyfriend'! I don't think my parents thought it was the smartest move I'd ever made. 

Well, things moved pretty quickly. I moved into his flat after a couple of months, we got engaged after 9 months and were all set to marry by the time we'd been together for 18 months (between me turning 21 and him turning 35, 'so the age gap looked slightly less'! His logic, not mine!) 

I fell pregnant with my first child 14 weeks before the wedding (another awkward conversation with my very traditional parents!) and gave birth to a son in January 2008. 6 months later, on our 1st wedding anniversary, we found out we were expecting our second child! Our daughter came along in March 2009 after a very stressful pregnancy. Then, true to form, 6 months later we discovered that we were to have a third child! Our second son was born in June 2010. Phew! 

Ok, that's the family, now for more about myself. I'm a fairly confident outgoing girly girl (I still feel young enough to carry the title of girl!) My favourite pastime is shopping, although I have neither the time nor the money to shop as often as I'd like. I'm a very sociable person, I love getting together with friends regularly. I enjoy music. I have a very eclectic taste, ranging from The Beautiful South to Westlife to Rihanna to Kings of Leon. Totally random! I spend far too long trying to keep the house tidy (impossible when you have 3 little people to contend with, plus 2 extras at the weekend!) I love to read. I have lost countless evenings inside a book that I've picked up to read just one chapter of. What else can I say about myself? That's pretty much me, in a nutshell. 

So there you go. A little introduction to the person behind this blog. Enjoy.