Day Zero Project - Host a Baby Shower

I have never been to or held a baby shower before and as part of my Day Zero Project I decided to have one to celebrate my second pregnancy. 
  I had to do some research online as to what exactly happens at a baby shower and from this I felt three games would be an appropriate amount to do with prizes.  Game number one involved my guests bringing a baby photo of themselves which we hid in a box and pulled out one by one so we could guess who was who.  This provided a lot of laughs and proved a good ice breaker especially for any guests that did not know each other. Game number two was something I got from the internet, a number of personalised scratch cards where two of them were winners and gained prizes when scratched off.  Game number three was a home made quiz entitled, 'How Well Do You Know Mummy and Daddy?' and I gave the guests ten questions about me, Dean and Jacob such as our favourite movies and how big is my bump?!
 
My two fabulous best friends offered to do my food for the shower and thank goodness they did as they did a much better job than I thought I ever could!  Their theme was Sunday Afternoon Tea including vintage tea cups with sugar cubes, cupcake stands, ham and cheese sandwiches and home made scones!

I was squealing with delight!

Another friend of mine made these unique cupcakes:

They have my 20 week scan picture on which some would say was weird as it felt like we were eating the baby but they tasted good!

My amazing friends also hand made bunting and paper chains:

The whole afternoon was well thought out by them and I cannot thank them enough for taking the pressure off of me as well as all their hard work, whilst holding down normal jobs and university at the same time!

My handiwork was put into providing favors and prizes for my guests:

They received a baby boy themed toy chest which when opened included two mini eggs and a baby themed charm!  I wanted to give my guests something unique and nothing tacky, I could easily have done a bag of sweets which seems to be the main favor idea but having something to keep and remember the day was a much better idea and made it personal.

My games and prizes table which also including a guest signing book so I could receive messages, advice and words of wisdom from my guests!  I am in the process of finishing the book with photos and items from the day to have as a keepsake.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my amazing friends for all their hard work, spectacular gifts and for spoiling this baby before he has even arrived!

A nappy cake, tons of baby grows, scratch mittens, blankets and teddies were gratefully received but the packaging was so pretty, I didn't want to open or use anything!

Me centred around my guests, caught scoffing my face with cup cakes!

365 Day Photo Challenge - 208 / 365

208 / 365 - Wellies at the ready!  Me and my friend were in a London taxi on route to the Madonna gig at Hyde Park and so were prepared for the rain!

365 Day Photo Challenge - 207 / 365

207 / 365 - I went to my friends birthday party and she displayed this magnificent cake stand made out of vinyl which she hand made herself!

365 Day Photo Challenge - 206 / 365

206 / 365 - A rare family photo of all three of us together on Jacob's special day xx

Pregnancy Diary - Food Take Over!

I never realised how much food would play a big part in my pregnancy, in every way, not just cravings but how much I eat, what I eat and when I eat!
  In my first trimester, I suffered from terrible nausea, I was not actually being sick but felt sick constantly and to top it off, I was dead ill with diarrohea and a winter cold!  Alongside this, I suffered a little with a slight metallic taste in my mouth which changed the way I could taste things.  According to the Hipp Organic website, this is not uncommon and this is what they have to say about it in particular:

                                                    Metallic Taste in Mouth (Dysgeusia) in Pregnancy

A persistent metallic taste in the mouth otherwise known as dysgeusia is a surprisingly common pregnancy symptom and occurs even when you are not eating. Like a morning sickness it should settle down in the second trimester when the hormones settle down a bit. Liz the expert midwife at HiPP Organic, talks about this symptom in more detail and offers some practical advice for mums to be.

The pregnancy hormone, oestrogen seems to play a role in controlling the sense of taste. Also in pregnancy, the sense of smell can become very heightened because these two senses are closely linked so the taste changes may be connected to the smell changes. There is also some suggestion that the taste can be attributed to increased iron levels in the blood stream.

Try sucking sugar free mints, or combating the taste with acidic foods if your stomach can take it such as citrus juices and lemonade, foods marinated in vinegar or even pickles. These foods are strong enough to break through metallic tastes and increased saliva production which may help wash the taste away.
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I have to say the taste of metallic put me off my favourite food item, chicken, and a paranoia that every time I cut into it, I thought it was raw!  At the moment, I am able to eat breaded chicken but the thought of eating bare chicken such as a roast, still puts me off!   I did try ginger biscuits to help with the nausea and this worked for a period of time until I got sick of eating them! 

 

In my second trimester, the metallic taste subsided and my cravings for all things spicy began including Nandos medium sauce to go over my chips!  I fell in love with savoury items such as scotch eggs and rice, and went off chocolate a little, but had a taste for cake icing!  I would also think about food constantly, even when I was eating it I was wondering what I would be having afterwards right up until bed time!  I would have huge portions of food too which I know is not recommended but my appetite was ridiculous and I was eating new foods too. 

  To incorporate a healthy diet, I would have an apple a day, some veg where I could and try to have a mixture of protein and carbohydrates.  I have found it a bit of a struggle to remain healthy as I have been enjoying my food too much, but it is not all junk food, I have to say!

Now that I am in my third trimester,  the heartburn has kicked in big time so eating spicy foods is beginning to hurt even though I want them even more now!  I have increased my intake of curry, pizza and salsa sauce but I cannot help it!  Plenty of Rennies are sortng me out though!

  I am hoping my chicken aversion does not last long as I miss it, and I am worried that once I have had the baby, I will go off my food as I did with my first son and practicaly had to start again!

  The saying, 'eating for two' seems true except I think I just hav a huge appetite and have read that being pregnant does not mean you have to eat for two!  Maybe a little extra but nothing crazy like an extra meal.  So I am bearing this in mind and continuing the way I eat.

 

Food has played a big part in this pregnancy and I hope that this wont reflect in my weight after having baby!  I have been lucky in the past to have a slim figure and not have to watch what I eat, I hope this does not change and go back to my junk food diet after!

365 Day Photo Challenge - 205 / 365

205 / 365 - A very proud mummy this week when Jacob received his Siddur, (prayer book) in Year one alongside a wonderful presentation that everyone worked hard towards putting together.

365 Day Photo Challenge - 204 / 365

204 / 365 - Yesterday we ventured out in the rain to Gullivers Land especially for Jacob as he has had a great week at school.  Here are the boys having a go at one of the activities involving a digger, scoop and balls!

Pregnancy Diary - Hands off the Bump!

Im at the stage where you cannot escape my bump, whether it brushes passed you unintentionally, or whether you get a suprise when I turn around and this huge lump is just there!  I have been told by many that it is a 'neat' bump, which I have taken as a compliment. When I was pregnant with Jacob I was more of a rugby ball shape where as this time I look like a football!
  When I have seen pregnant women, whether they are my friends or strangers, not once have I been tempted to touch their bump, so I have been surprised by the number of people that get pretty hands on with mine!  I dont mind friends and family having a feel, most of them usually ask beforehand and I feel everyone has an involvement with this little one so its fine.
  Its the strangers and aquaintances that freak me out and go for the hands on approach without asking!  Its just weird!  Why would you want to touch someones pregnancy bump whom you have never met before?!  And the fact that these people think its acceptable!  I mean, you would not grope a strangers tummy flab and so to me its the same thing!  Its an invasion of space, and privacy as I also believe being pregnant is a personal thing and one to share with loved ones, not strangers!
  Of course, I am proud of my bump and although I am a little self concious of it, I know I'll miss showing it off when the baby is born. 
  I have also noticed the amount of strange looks I get by the public when I am out and about.  At first I put it down to paranoia, but people definetely give me the strangest looks when I am out shopping.  They look at the bump first, then realise I have a face and then turn away as if in disgust! I have even had a woman 'tut' at me before!  Its as if being pregnant is alien to these people and they cannot accept it!  Honestly, I think it is ridiculous that people can be this way!
  Still, I am gloriously happy with being pregnant, despite the side affects that come with it!  My bump is a sign that baby is growing, healthy and doing what mother nature expects us to do so lets embrace pregnant women but for heavens sake, hands off the bump!