Introducing Miss Imogen Juliet Yvonne Gray

When I had my 12 week scan, they gave me the due date of 28th November 2011, and then at my 20 week scan, they changed it to the 4th December 2011. I assumed that at some point in that week I would hopefully have a baby! Nonetheless, I felt hard done by, when I went past the first due date!! I was interested to see if we would manage another November baby or if we would be sneaking into December. As it happened, at 1am on the morning of the 2nd December, my waters broke, with an immense gush. I woke up and in the absense of any contractions, I called the hospital for advice, where they said to pop in for a check. (Side note - when I checked my mobile, there was a text from my mum letting me know that 2 of my friends who were pregnant had beaten me to the finish line the day before!! Becky Urie and Michelle Younce, thank you for kick starting my labour!)

We went into hospital for them to check me and they kicked me out because I was 'too happy'! Seriously, they said I can't be in established labour because me and Lee were joking and laughing! So I went home to wait for some contractions. So we tried to get some sleep, and I finally started some contractions about 6am. Mum was already here from earlier, so she took Isabelle to school and Kaelyn to her house for the day. Me and Lee chilled while my contractions got closer together. I finally called the hospital to say we were coming in about midday. We were in the labour ward by 12.30pm and I requested the birthing pool which they filled. I was in the pool by 1pm and then after some serious contractions, was pushing and she arrived at 1.55pm. We were so relieved to finally meet our little girl, who was very relaxed!



This is me just before I got in the pool, realising this was most likely (hopefully!) the last time I would be pregnant so needed photographic evidence of such! Sorry, not everyone needs to see this, but I do! Believe me, the close up was a lot worse!

Just after I delivered her, they asked me if I wanted to get out of the pool, and as you can see, I was really hot (temperature wise, NOT attractive!!) so I got out of the pool to cool down. I think it was a combination of pushing, which is hard work, and the fact the pool was like a very hot bath, lovely for contractions, but means I end up the colour of a beetroot! Anyway, I was able to finally have a real look at her and enjoy a cuddle, though she decided to do her first poo on my stomach, to the midwives and my husband's hilarity!

Here is our little princess after her first bath to remove black tar like poo from her body! Such a little cutie! She weighed in at 7lbs 10oz, so just a perfect size.

My Mum and Dad, and Lee's Mum brought the girls in to see us. By this time, I had been stitched up, got some pain relief, had a good bath, and cooled down! (Plus a little make up!) I am as happy as I look, because I have 3 beautiful girls and a husband whom I love, plus lots of lovely family! Lucky me! What a fantastic and possibly slightly crazy festive season we were in for!

New Photos 2011

I thought that I had better put these photos up before life gets crazy with the new baby and Christmas. In September, Isabelle's school had a photographer in, so I was able to get pictures of the two girls again. It is wonderful to see how much they have both grown up, and amazing to think that we will need to get new ones done in the new year with all 3 of them!

Isabelle is really growing fast. She is 7 and comes with a teenage attitude! Though, can be the most helpful person around the house, and is learning lots of important skills like cleaning, cooking simple meals, taking care of animals, helping with her sister, as well as all the new things she is learning at school as well. She loves History, Reading and Writing.

Isabelle lost quite a few teeth earlier in the year and they have taken a long time to grow back in. Only just now (in November) have the two front teeth fully started showing. For a while she felt very embarrassed about it, but I love that this photo has captured a moment in her childhood, when she was without all her front teeth! She will no doubt hate them in the future, and maybe braces will be on the cards, but as a mother, I love my gappy girl!

Kaelyn has grown a lot since the last photo we had taken of her. She has just turned 2, (if baby is overdue, maybe I will get her birthday photos onto the blog!) She has a little more hair!! Not much, but it is thickening up and she will wear a head band now which helps make her look more girly! She is talking a lot more which helps to know what she wants! She is also very eager to learn and loves to help mummy in the kitchen and around the house. She is very good at helping to unload and load the dishwasher, with direction!! She is still always full of energy, and therefore, still takes a good nap on an afternoon, for which Mummy is grateful, and long may it continue!! (Or at least until I can recover from having the new baby!)

Both our girls are an absolute delight to be with and we are looking forward to welcoming another little girl (we think!) to our family. Then in the new year we will try and get some photos of all of us!! Wish me luck!

It's a ...............

So we had our scan on Monday 18th July 2011 and we found out that we are, most likely, having another sweet princess! The scan pictures aren't very good, because she had been co-operative for the sonographer whilst she was doing her measurements and checks, so when it came to photo time, she wasn't helpful! Oh well!!

We are very excited about the prospect of having 3 girls that can grow up together as sisters. Isabelle came with us to the scan, but Kaelyn went to Grandma's house, as we didn't think she would appreciate the experience, and it might have made it difficult for the sonographer. Isabelle thoroughly enjoyed watching the baby on the screen and was even more excited when she found out it was a girl. Lee is thrilled to be a daddy to another girl, but is apprehensive about the thought of the teenage years! We feel incredibly blessed to have a healthy baby growing and on her way to join our family. Girls are how we roll, so roll on December!

Baby Gray

So I have been very bad at keeping up to date with our blog, however, I have an excuse, at least for the last 4 months anyway!! I spent the months of April and May, almost entirely on the sofa, struggling to get control of nausea and slipping in and out of sleep. (I think someone is telling me this is my last one!) A little one will be joining our mad family in December (I know, good planning there. As if December isn't busy enough!)

This was our 13 week scan and everything looks great! He or she is a little wriggler, and now at 16 weeks, I am starting to feel the movements. Obviously, this is baby number 3, so the bump is coming along nicely!! We have our 20 week scan on July 18th and we are hoping to find out whether we are prepared already with the pink or if we need to re-evaluate our baby supplies. Isabelle is excited to be a big sister again, but dubious about whether a baby brother would be as fun as a baby sister. I did explain that you can't refund or exchange a newborn! Kaelyn is oblivious to the changes going on!

We are indeed very excited for another baby Gray and look forward to meet the new little individual. I will try and keep the blog updated, but I can't make any promises! Especially once I am caring for 3 precious ones. I am in awe of anyone who has more than 2 children.

Kaelyn's first birthday 21st November 2010

I know this is more than 4 months late, but I always say, better late than never, especially with scrap booking, blogging, crafting, hobbies, etc, which inevitably get prioritized to the back of the queue in these busy days!! Our sweet girl turned one on the 21st of November 2010. It has been a simply wonderful year watching her become a very active, happy, loveable little person. She loves her big sister so much it is amazing to me and she loves every animal on the planet and has a unique way of trying to hug them all!! She is literally never still unless she is unwell or sleeping! We just wouldn't be without out Little Miss Kaelyn Rose and we had a wonderful weekend for her birthday. Normally, I am of the school of thought that believes, that a one year old doesn't know it is their birthday, and any celebrations are for the adults only, however our Kaelyn absolutely loves opening presents and LOVES other children. So we decided to have a couple of our friends over who have similar aged children for a lunch party on the Saturday and then have a small family buffet on the Sunday after church. Kaelyn absolutely loved both her parties and soaked up all the attention!! She thoroughly enjoyed the party food also and pretty much ate her body weight in the stuff (not terribly hard as she doesnt weigh a great deal!!) Here is a photo of me and my lovely one year old opening one of her presents. This was a huge hit, a musical princess book with a wand!! Here is Kaelyn, covered in obligatory birthday chocolate having cuddles with her doting daddy

I love this photo of us all when we were singing Happy Birthday to Kaelyn. I felt so bad because I ran out of time to make a cake so we had a shop bought one! Major guilt trip for the mother! Everyone was telling me to get over it, the things we do to ourselves!!

It will be her 2nd birthday before we know it!! Though maybe I will be up to date on the blog by then! Or maybe not?!?!?

School Picture September 2010

This is a picture of the girls, once Isabelle was back at school, after the Summer. (I still can't believe she is in Year 2!) They always take individual photos in the Autumn, and class photos in the Summer. Luckily, this year, we had the opportunity to include Kaelyn in the photo too! They all turned out really well and needless to say, Christmas presents were sorted for all the family! I love these two little treasures!!

Just a cute photo

There has been a serious lack of blogging in the Gray household of late. I could come up with various excuses; we moved house in August, when we started back at school we had a MUCH longer walk to school, I started a new job at the local cinema on a couple of evenings a week, our 11 month baby is very much on the move and gets into EVERYTHING, etc!! The list could go on and on!! In reality, Mummy just needs to get herself in gear!! So, no more excuses, and I thought I would start again with a cute picture of our girl, 'helping' us pack up ready to move house!! She was actually more of a hinderance, but gorgeous nonetheless. And I promise to post some pictures of the new house ASAP, though, hopefully on a good, tidy day!!