Looking for a GRUFFALO at Wendover Woods [Vlog]

We’ve been trying to get the kids outside as much as possible this summer. While I’m still mostly mobile in pregnancy and the weather is good, we’ve looked for as many free/cheap days out as possible. Why blow the bank before school uniform has to be bought right?

When looking up things in our area, I stumbled across Wendover Woods. Living in Bedfordshire they’re around 90 minutes in the car from us- it’s a bit of a drive but we spent all day there so definitely worth it! 

Wendover Woods are absolutely enormous, Id have called them a forest. Among the wood there are loads of trails to take- running, orienteering of different levels and for children they have a “play trail”, Gruffalo orienteering trail and even a Zog trail!

We took on the play trail first, which has wooden structures dotted along it for children to explore and play on- a very easy course with two length options it was perfect for our two and four year old.

After a picnic we took on the Gruffalo trail. We paid £1.50 for a pack which had a map and stickers and questions for the kids to answer at each stop. This course was very bumpy and steep at times so difficult with a pram but we managed and they loved the big statue at the end!

Check out our video of the day, and definitely check out Wendover Woods if you want a good excuse to get outdoors!

27 Weeks- Pregnancy Update

Do you want to know a secret? The “second trimester energy boost” is a big fat lie! Or at least it has been in my case..

I’ve been absolutely blessed this pregnancy. I’ve made it to 7 months without throwing up even once and if I compare to my pregnancy with Archer where I suffered heavily with hypermesis I can’t complain at all. It’s a hugely different experience and I was genuinely terrified I’d get that sick again. It just goes to show how different it all is every time.

Another difference is in my general aches and pains. I had bad SPD with Archer (can you tell I had a hard pregnancy with him?) and by this stage I was barely moving and about to rely on crutches and then a wheelchair... yes I’m aching but knowing it’s a risk in advance has meant I’ve taken it a whole lot easier. Jack does the strenuous tasks around the house and I’ve been implementing the movements recommended by my physio last time before it’s too late and it’s really helping.

Other than exhaustion that’s had me in bed or wanting to be in bed before it’s dark a lot of nights, I suppose the second trimester has been good to me, but the summer hasn’t.

I’ve never been pregnant this far into summer and the heat has me suffering unbelievable amounts. It’s made me feel drained and swollen and sweaty and I feel like I can’t breathe at night. I’ve been taking a damp towel to bed and sleeping with it on top of me! Pro tip right there my friends.

Baby boy kicks up a storm every day and has done for weeks. He’s definitely more mobile than the other two ever were which does mean one minute he’s kicking my bladder and I have to run to pee, and by the time I get there he’s kicking my stomach and I’ve got heartburn like you wouldn’t believe.

It’s all going very fast and I’d forget I was pregnant if I wasn’t getting so uncomfortable and worn out easily.

I genuinely have no idea how much I weigh. I focused so much on it the last two pregnancies that gaining or losing had me so anxious.... I don’t need that stress and I know I’m eating healthy and how my clothes are fitting (maternity only now!). The midwife will start measuring my bump from my next appointment onwards and though I’m showing big (third baby’s do that) I’m currently not worried about being too big or too small.

At 27 weeks, I can’t tell you the last time I saw my feet when standing without leaning forward and I haven’t seen my “downstairs” without a mirror in months now... I’m not sure I want to!

Craving wise I’ve moved beyond vinegar after months of obsession and I’m firmly into cold crunchy things. It isn’t as intense as my ice obsession with Isla but I can happily munch an entire punnet of grapes in one sitting (I do not recommend this though, as it swapped me from constipated to the other extreme).

I’m definitely shaken up about how simple this pregnancy is compared to my other two but I won’t complain in case I tempt fate! I’m enjoying it, although the hormonal tears may have you fooled. I can’t believe I’ll be full term in 10 weeks... anywhere between 10 and 15 weeks and he will be here!

My Heartbeat Bear [Review and GIVEAWAY!]

I’m a ridiculously sentimental person, especially when it comes to my children and pregnancies. I may not go as far as to keep the tests (the pee sort of put me off!) but I’ve got everything from from paperwork to the straps I wore when monitored during each labour!

Being sentimental I was obviously thrilled when I was contacted by My Heartbeat Bear- during my last two pregnancies I had no idea this sort of product existed at all and I’d have jumped at it if I had!

I still have grainy recordings on my phone from my home Doppler (purely for fun and bonding of course) from both Isla and Archer but for this baby I had the opportunity to do something special.

I was sent a beautiful bear to put baby’s heartbeat inside, this one being the 16'' (which is one of their most popular, no surprise there as it’s gorgeous!). It took me so long to pick- there’s a bear for every taste. Each bear comes with a small sound box that you can record up to twenty seconds into, and save, to then be put inside the bear and sealed for playback with a simple squeeze. This stage was surprisingly easy and only took me one attempt at practice before doing it for real!

I just took the box to my midwife appointment as she has a brilliant Doppler and as it was only twenty seconds she didn’t mind me holding the little box up to record at all! It came out perfect and clear and I’ve been quite obsessed with playing it back. When I had a practice I used it to record a sound off my phone which also worked perfectly- it couldn’t be easier.

It’s been fantastic for Isla and Archer, Isla especially. She’s older so understands a lot more and likes to give the bear a cuddle and “listen to her new brother” which I’m sure is helping with future sibling bonding. Archer likes to dance when it plays the heartbeat- I suppose it does sound like a little dance beat!

I’m ridiculously happy with this bear and the hormonal emotional side of me could gush about it for hours. The team at My Heartbeat Bear we’re even kind enough to send a little “boy” ultrasound T-shirt which is a part of their new accessory range, which adds an even more personal touch.

If you’d like to check them out for yourself (as a pregnant woman I definitely recommend one for yourself or as a gift for someone you know!) you can find them at https://www.myheartbeatbear.com

Thank you again to My Heartbeat Bear, I’m thrilled with it!

GIVEAWAY!

The team at My Heartbeat Bear have been kind enough to offer my readers the chance to win their very own bear! If you're pregnant, or know someone who is, be sure to enter! If you win, you can choose between the Pink 8" Little Princess Heartbeat Bear, or the Blue 8" Little Prince Heartbeat Bear!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

AD! I was gifted one heartbeat bear in exchange for this review. All words and opinions are my own.

Am I excited for baby number three?

Baby number three! It still blows my mind to write that or say it out loud. At the beginning of the year we weren’t even sure if we definitely wanted to go for another pregnancy, and now I’m 27 weeks pregnant! It’s all going exceptionally fast.

We found out via a private scan at 16 weeks that we are having our second boy and that means there’s not much preparation needed. The hoarder in me made sure I kept ahold of all Archer’s clothes from preemie to present, as well as his old crib, play mat, swing.... you name it I kept it all just in case! It’s going to save us a whole lot of money and shopping over the coming months but part of me is strangely disheartened by this fact. 

I wondered in the beginning if it was a little bit of gender disappointment- I’ll likely get into this in another post- but my preference initially had been for a second girl and I was super excited about another healthy baby boy but yes, part of me was a little sad about no more girls. Looking back I do realise in hindsight that this was a purely materialistic reaction. Having another girl would mean I could shop, as I had nothing of Islas left over and I feel shopping (even second hand as I often have for the children) is a big step in getting prepared and excited for a new arrival. I’m getting over this ridiculous concept by throwing myself into sorting and cleaning what we have, picking up token items here and there and hand making a lot of things for him. 

Another strange part of being pregnant with my third is the reaction of those around me. While I understand nothing will quite compare to how family and friends react to your first ever pregnancy and first little arrival (we noticed the second pregnancy was met with excitement yes, but definitely more muted as is natural) your third is an entirely new ball park. Instead of congratulations, the initial reaction from people is “you’re brave!” and comments about how “I’d never do it!” in regards to a third child. 

It doesn’t mean the third child is any less loved or anticipated but strangely it has had a little effect on how I feel. I feel a little sad for this baby- everyone wants him, we love him already... I am ridiculously excited to bring the final member of our family into the world- but I can’t help but feel guilty over the lack of fanfare. The midwife has me reassured that this guilt is mostly hormonal and that it’s normal for subsequent pregnancies to feel as though I’m “going through the motions” but it’s still there. 

Of course I am excited for baby number three. I’m excited for a loud house, being more squashed in bed in the morning than I already am and for Jack being wrapped around another little finger. I can’t shop or do much to prepare, and other people may not care as much as we’ve done it twice before already, and it may even feel a bit boring as it’s been such an easy pregnancy... but yes of course I’m excited. 

I know this post has been mostly rambling and a clearing of my thoughts but I’d love to know if anyone who reads here has felt even a little similar in their subsequent pregnancies?

All the best x