Swishing!

Hello everyone, my name is Alexa and I'm a (not so secret) swisher...

I was introduced to this craze by a friend of mine last week and now cannot wait for my next fix! Before any of you with your mind in the sewer (like mine usually is) start thinking it's some sort of rudy thing,it's far from it! Swishing is the swapping of clothes you no longer like/want/fit into in a party environment, the inclusion of cupcakes and wine is optional yet highly advisable.

We had a great time and one girl was lucky enough to walk away with a brand new set of GHD straighteners as a girl had brought them to get rid as they were an unwanted gift from an ex and she couldn't stand them in the house any longer! Another lucky girl ended up with a few brand new Ann Summers bras as one lady organises Ann Summers partys and was getting rid of her samples, unfortunately I'm far too "blessed" in that department to have been able to benefit. I was lucky enough to come away with some shoes and a couple of skirts, not bad to say the majority of the girls are rather teeny tiny!

Any way I thought it was something that some of you lovelies may be interested in organising with your mates as we all really enjoyed ourselves.

In other news I am now a whole year closer to being 30, it's been a year since our amazing weekend in Edinburgh and Fancy Pants is now three months old!!!

Lex xxx

Still Going!

Hi boys and girls, I thought I'd better check in with everyone seen as I've been quiet for a while! Hope you're all well :D

So lets get down to the business in hand... Weight Watchers. Last week I had a gain of 1 lb which I was expecting to be honest. We had a messed up week of Mr B working away for the full week in Wolverhampton, so my Mum came to stay for a few days. This meant that I couldn't get out and about walking as much as I would have liked as she's not great with her back and has heart trouble, however I made up for it by walking my little legs off as much as I could leading up to WI today. It paid off too as I had a loss of 2 lb this week! Woooooo! So thats 4.5 lb since returning from maternity leave hahahaha.

As you may know, I get a bit obsessed with planning and being as organised as I can be. Well it seemed to pay off this week as one of my best friends and her gorgeous little girl came over on Wednesday for an adventure to get some material to make the gruesome twosome (our babies!) Christmas stockings. Mrs A is doing well on Slimming World so I made us veg soup to give us strength to battle through the crowds! The vat of this has seen me through the week, and the scrummy healthy lunch that Mrs A made for our crafty day on Sunday was delicious! We were very very good too and had a sliver of cake rather than the chunk of cake (with cream or ice cream) of lunches past. I'm also pleased to report that Mrs A had a great loss at her WI too this week.

I'm hoping to keep the planning and organisation going this week. I've planned all our evening meals for the next week, and I'll have to go to the market for the veggies a few times so I can hopefully gain so activity pro points too! It's times like this that I'm greatful for the basket under the pram, I shudder at the thought of having to carry shopping now hahahaha.

Getting out and about with Miss Fancy Pants in the pram keeps me from going stir crazy, and I'm proud to say that she is the youngest member of the playgroup and the play gym (not that she does any playing yet, just glaring at the kids having fun!). To be honest I've not taken to motherhood as easily as I hoped I would, and the brain mush has returned with a vengence unfortunately. I'm very lucky to be able to be as honest as I am with Mr B and my family, I know not every one is lucky to have such a great support network and as I said getting out to play groups and other meets is really helping.

Any way, thats enough of that. Do any of you lovelies who go to WW meetings have any of the new cook books? I've been flicking through them at the meeting this morning (I have the hearty cooking if thats what it's called with the blue cover) and wondered if you could recommend any of them?

Have a great week,

Lex xxx

The Results Are In...

The weigh in results are in for my first week back at WW, and I'm very chuffed to report a 3 lb loss! Woooo! I have a feeling that the result may have been higher if there hadn't been a dash to KFC after an unexpected visitor left and there hadn't been un planned takeaway pizza and wine with my parentals on Saturday night...

So the lessons learnt from the first week back is to plan as many meals as I can, even if the unplanned KFC and pizza were very scrummy. The goulash I should have made on Saturday was very nice when we had it on Sunday which was a bonus. The recipe came from a WW book I picked up in "The Works" shop, its the old point system but I have converted a couple of the recipes into the propoints and it didnt take long using the recipe builder tool online. One bonus of living as close as we do to town is the amazing market we have for all the fruit and veg, and we are able to walk to at least one super market if we need any other bits. So I get to shop, and earn activity points hahahaha.

Got a busy week this week unfortunately. Got to take Miss Fancy Pants for her first injections and for a check up on her hips due to my cousin and Mr B's brother having clicky hips. To be honest I'm sure she's fine seen as she has learnt how to ram her feet into us to push herself up!

It's a sad thing to say, but I am enjoying being back on the plan already and this is only my second week. I really want to get to goal by the summer time, fingers crossed for me boys and girls!

Lex xxx

I'm Back Baby!!!!

Well boys and girls, as the blog title suggests, I'm back to blogging and as of Tuesday back at Weight Watchers!

The last eight weeks have gone crazy fast, miss fancy pants is now over eight weeks old and is a proper little bruiser weighing in at over 10 lbs! Not bad for someone born 3 weeks early at all!

So down to business. I re-joined WW on Tuesday at a totally different meeting here in Barnsley and am once again doing the monthly pass so am tracking online and on paper as that works best for me. The weigh in wasn't as bad as I expected to be honest. My last recorded weight was the day after I found out I was pregnant and I was 13 st 2 lb, and on Tuesday my weight was 14 st 6 lb. So one stone four pounds of baby weight really isn't too bad going at all I don't think, especially considering my aversion to our fridge and cooking things during pregnancy!

It feels nice to be back on the plan once more, for now any way! My brain mush has come back with a vengeance so to have something that I can "control" is making me feel a bit better. I know it's not a great way to think but that's how I feel at the moment. But more about that in another post...

Any way, please have all fingers and toes crossed for me for this week with the plan! I am finally catching up on every one's blogs now that miss fancy pants has a more regular bed time!!

For those of you who would like a sneaky peek at my gorgeous girl, here she is...

Lex xxx

Baby Bean's Debut....

I quickly posted the other day to share our amazing news with you and I just wanted to post a couple of pictures of our gorgeous girl :) Would any one like to hear the whole story of her arrival?? Let me know.... I will however share that my waters went in a very embarrassing way in a supermarket........

So with out further a do, let me please introduce you to Miss Nancy Florence Broadhead. Born on the 30th of August at 2.59 pm and weighing 7 lb 5 oz.

Lots of Love,
Lex xxx

Surprises!!!

Hi boys and girls I hope you are all well. Just a quick catch up really seen as everything has gone more than a little bit mental here in the B household!

After finishing work on friday the 26th of August, and looking forward to a couple of weeks relaxing and pampering (with a spot of nesting thrown in...) baby bean decided to make an appearance on the 30th of August!!!! Thats a grand total of no maternity leave people!!!

Mr B and I are shocked and stunned but Bean is more than fine and is a beautiful little girl :)

I will update you all properly some time this week hopefully,

Love
Lex

Single Figures!

Well well boys and girls, we are now well and truly into single figures on the count down clock for the arrival of little Bean! How very exciting and utterly terrifying at the same time!

Bean is now 35 weeks cooked, so it's five weeks to D-day unless Bean decides we aren't making an appearance and then the powers that be let you go over by two weeks. So in seven weeks time there should definitely a little baby living in our house!!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKK!!!

On a brighter note I only have 10 working days left which feel very surreal but I'm sure I'll soon get over that ;) Here are a couple of pictures of my ever expanding bump, I'm sure I'm expanding by the second now. These were taken two weeks ago...

So the tests for gestational diabetes went well, apart from it being a red hot day! The poor student midwife couldn't get my arm to stop bleeding so it ended up looking like there's been some sort of massacre on the day ward, woops!

I have ended up having to invest in a gym ball to sit on at home too. After going so far with no issues or complaints, I now have sciatica and a condition where your pelvis starts separating so driving and walking have been very interesting! My lovely midwife recommended trying the ball and gave me some exercises that seem to be helping which is great. An added bonus is that I'm also working some muscles whilst I'm sat on it as there is no way on earth that you can slouch or relax on one of those things!

We attended the antenatal classes at the hospital instead of falking out for the rather expensive NCT ones in our area. Mr B controlled his squeamish-ness very well bless him, and he even asked some questions! They were very informative all in all, although I did freak out a little bit on the labour ward when one of the rooms looked more like a cell than a room where you could make yourself comfy...

Any way, I don't want to bore you with baby ramblings too much! Merry Monday everyone

Lex xxx

28 Weeks and All's (S)well!

Hello my lovelies, I hope you are making the most of the British summer! Personally I've never been a fan of heat and the sun, being of the ginger and freckly persuasion we don't mix well. Yet another weekend has flown by, I'm sure that the government is making some sort of cut backs on those too, I swear they lasted for ages when we were little kids!

Not much to catch up on with me to be honest, thank fully both Bean and I have recovered from an evil virus that was doing the rounds. It knocked me for six, and I passed it on to Bean to. Apparently it's very unusual to do that but not un heard of, trust me! I ended up being off work for a week due to feeling like poop and Bean scaring me and not moving much at all.

Once again Mr B organised a lovely treat for us both at the weekend. I am a bit of a "Grand Designs" geek if I'm honest and I love architecture and finding out how stuff was made and how it works. I have two favourite episodes, one being a house made out of wood in some woods that is so beautiful and magical it could almost be something a bit Harry Potter-ish, and the other is a castle that's in ruins that the owners completely re-build and end up having to run as a B&B to finance the project. We stayed there on Saturday night!

Here is Peel castle at Hellifield near Skipton in all it's castley glory.

The bedroom that we stayed in had a four poster bed with flags on the top! Sounds naff, I know I'm not doing it justice but it really was very very pretty. Growing up next to a castle I have always been fascinated by them so it was amazing to actually stay in one!

So back to the matter in hand, bean has now been cooking for 28 weeks which means that I only have 12 weeks left until I pop! How very scary! I only have 8 weeks left to work (not that I'm counting down or anything ;) ), come 3 pm on the 26th of August you will not see me for dust, well once I've waddled to the car...

This week is a week full of appointments unfortunately. Due to me still being classed as over weight when I fell pregnant, I have to be tested for gestational diabetes. So I have to fast over night tonight, and I'm not allowed to eat or drink anything except water until the glucose test is over at around lunch time tomorrow. Then I have to have an injection called an "anti-D". I only found out my blood group the other day which is O negative (apparently rare, you know I don't like to conform!), and they assume the baby's blood is positive. If the baby's blood transferred into mine with this pregnancy there would be no harm done, but if we have any more babies then my body could try and treat the pregnancy as an infection and terminate it. All scary stuff! Then Wednesday it's off for a routine 28 week midwife check up and yet more bloods! I'll be like a pin cushion by tea time on Wednesday!

Bean has been very active the last few days, although last night takes the biscuit. Mr b fancies Beyonce like you wouldn't believe, and the lady in question was headlining at Glastonbury last night. Cue Mr B sat on the edge of the sofa drooling with the sound up totally ignoring anything I said! Bean obviously appreciated the music and was jiggling and dancing away, Mr B reckons Bean was doing the single ladies dance in there as you could see my belly move!!

Any way, here are some sneaky update pics for your perusal:

I still don't think I'm that big to say I'm over 6 months gone now. Although I have felt very heavy and slow over the past few days due to the heat.

I suppose I really should get on with some work seen as I'm out of the office for most of the week on baby related business. Wish me look with the vampires, sorry, nurses over the next few days!

Lex xxx

Blog Problems!

Hi everyone, I was just wondering if any one else is having issues leaving comments on other blogs? My account is playing up and is either not letting me comment or completely missing off my name!!!! Grrrrrrrrr!

So please accept my sincere apologies as I am wanting to comment but cannot! Seren and Jen, I have been trying without any luck what so ever to comment on your awesome blogs for ages :( I am here honest!

I hope this will sort it's self out soon!

Lex
xxx

6 Months Cooked!

Hello there my lovelies, I hope you are all well. I know I said I didn't want to bore you all with baby ramblings, but I also seem to have lost the ability to type anything at all! I do apologise!






Bean is now six months cooked, so three to go (around 13 weeks) to the due date! I hope it takes after me and is nice and prompt...







Here is a picture taken last Saturday before Mr B and I went out for date night, to say I'm now as far gone as I am I don't think I'm huge just yet!

All the changes that are supposed to happen to your during pregnancy are happening, and it's freaking me out if I'm honest. The fact that my body is no longer my own, and I have no control over how much it grows or stretches is really difficult to get my head round. I had got used to the way it was shrinking and the amount of energy I had, and now I have very little energy and a bump that makes it hard to reach things on the floor!

The doctors have referred me for counselling as my head mush is getting a hell of a lot worse. I am so thrilled to be having this baby but I really cannot get my head around it at all. I suppose when you've been told for the majority of your life that you will never be able to have kids, it takes some getting used to when all of a sudden you can. I'm just hoping that maternal instinct takes over once the baby is here.

I was doing a spot of nesting the other day and found all the WW mags, trackers and books from before I found out. It feels like a million years since I was tracking, and to be honest I can't wait to get back on it after Bean is here (obviously after the 6/8 weeks you have to wait). My diet isn't too bad really, fruit is back in favour big style. But unfortunately so is chocolate, I even passed up the chance to have a nice desert on date night as I needed a Mars Bar instead!!! CRAZY!!!

Any way, I shall update you all soon,

Lex

xxx

24 Weeks Gone, 16 Weeks to D-Day!!!

Hello boys and girls, I hope you are all well. I'm still here plodding along, although a lot more slowly than I would like!

I am now 24 weeks gone, and look like I am now actually pregnant instead of just looking like I'm putting on weight or in need of a big trump! I'm surprised at how firm my bump is, I thought it would be a bit like having a big belly again, but it really isn't. Bean is growing nicely as far as I know, I'm at the midwife on Wednesday for a check up. I think this is when they start measuring how big my bump is getting and see if it's growing as it should be. There is plenty of movement in there now, mainly when Mr B is around as Bean seems to love his voice. Although music tends to get Bean moving too, favourites include most things by Rhianna or Beyonce (Mr B thinks Bean is a boy due to this!), Tainted Love, and most things of the cheesy pop ilk! This baby definitely doesn't take after me!!

Once again I am working on a Bank Holiday, although it is now chucking it down so I'm glad to be tucked away warm and safe! It seems like months since we were trying to relax at the caravan in Skeggy, but it was only last week! I say trying to relax as we were both hoping for lie in's due to the fact that I'm up for 5.30 am during the week, and Mr B isn't too far behind me. Unfortunately we chose the one week in Skeg where the hard standing for the cars was being re-surfaced from 7.30 am every bloody morning!!!! Grrrrrr!!!

My maternity leave dates have all been made official now with HR, I will leave on the 26th of August which is 12 weeks away!!! Not that I'm counting of course...

Lex xxx

Baby Spying!

Good morning my lovelies! I just thought I'd check in and share how the scan went yesterday...

For those of you who aren't sure, the 20 week Scan is the main one for finding out if the baby is growing well and as it should be. They take all sorts of measurements such as the spine, checking for spina bifida, making sure the placenta is OK and head measurements. You can also find out the sex of the baby if you wish at most hospitals.

Bean cooperated fully (very well behaved!) and then got a bit fed up of being poked as we could see it stretching and curling up out of the way! The only measurement the lovely lady couldn't get was the skull as Bean had moved quite far down into my pelvis out of the way. The only way to get this was to fill my bladder up!! I've never NOT had a full enough bladder!!! So I had to return to the grotty waiting area to drink more water and wait to be called back in.

The scanning lady managed to get a measurement the second time but then couldn't get us a decent picture without us finding out what sex we're having! We really don't want to know, and apparently Bean was laid with legs wide open so it would have been very easy!!! It was lovely to see the heart beating and Bean wriggling about, then relaxing with arms in front of its face (think Adam Ant's "Prince Charming" dance...) and then hands behind the head! Mr B is now even more convinced its a boy, I still think it's a girl as it was very well behaved!!!

So without further a do, here is baby Bean Broadhead due on the 18th of September:

Bean's side

Top view of Bean, those are hands next to the head :)

Bean from the side again


Getting very excited now as Mr B is whisking me away for a secret belated anniversary weekend after work tonight. Convinced I've forgotten something important though!

Lex
xxx

Acceptance

I hope you lovelies are enjoying yet another Bank Holiday! It's glorious up here in South Yorkshire, although I'd much rather be at the seaside eating an ice cream (no doubt with the rest of the country...).

Now those of you who have been reading my ramblings for a while will know I suffer from head mush from time to time. The last couple of months have definately been mushy times, and my head has been all over the place. Over the past few days I've kind of reached a level of acceptance for all the changes my body is going through. It has been harder than I ever thought it would be to accept that my body WILL and IS changing and expanding, and for once I don't have control over it. I've gone from being praised for losing weight and being able to exercise and push myself if I felt like I needed to, to feeling like my body has been taken over and is no longer my own! Please don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change being pregnant for the world. It's been my dream for as long as I can remember to become a Mum, even if it has been a total surprise to us both!

Mr B is workeing like a trojan to get Bean's room ready, well at least empty of non baby related things anyway so I have been incharge of putting everything on ebay as he won't let me lift anything!!! It's so frustrating!!! There's stuff everywhere upstairs in the house as he's been making little piles of things here, there and everywhere! Grrrrrrr!!!! Saying that, as long as it's done before September it'll be fine.

This Thursday see's us going for the next scan appointment! Bean is now 20 weeks cooked, which is just over half way there. This is the scan where they check everything is OK with Bean's spine and check that its growing as it should be. We could also find out if Bean is a boy or girl but we've decided not to find out. I can now feel kicking too which is really surreal!

I suppose I should get on with some more work, I just thought I'd update you all quickly.

Enjoy the sunshine everyone,
Lex xxx

Merry Easter!

Hello boys and girls, merry Easter to all of you too!

I'm here at work as usual, although there's hardly any one in so I have managed to get the very interesting end of month reports sorted. I Hope you all have lovely things planned for the long weekends that we have thrust upon us.

Not too much has changed here in sunny South Yorkshire. Desperately trying to find some non-tarty maternity wear! Seriously, I have seen some denim hot pants for sale in New Look. Not a look I shall be re-creating even if I do start melting in the heat!! So far I've managed to get away with some tops that had been too big for me before I found out I was pregnant, not too bad really to say that I'm now 18 weeks gone which is nearly half way!!!

Preparation for Bean's arrival is not going too well to be honest. As I'm sure you all know by now, I'm a serial flapper. Poor Mr B this week has had to put up with numerous tearful rants about how the baby will arrive and have to sleep in a cardboard box.... My parents have now bought us a moses basket which is beautiful. It's hard to find unisex things like that as most things are either blue or pink, and with us not finding out the sex it has been a bit frustrating.

As I said I'm now 18, nearly 19 weeks gone which is almost half way! I can't believe it! I have felt a few flutterings which is lovely, and bean went a bit mental after I had some ice cream the other day which was very distracting whilst trying to watch Harry Potter hahahaha.

Here is a picture to keep you up to speed with bump watch:

I'll try not to leave it too long next time!

Lex xxxx

Cravings....

Bean has now been cooking for 16 weeks, and according to the fountain of all useless knowledeg that is the internet,is now approximately the size of an avacado... So far my cravings have been pretty mundane. I've "needed" orange juice, melon, grapes, marmite and orange tango over the past 4 months, so nothing exciting at all! The new ones I have developed a need for over the last couple of days are chilli doritos, chocolate in any way shape or form, and now tuna mayo. More specifically jacket potato with tuna mayo, but I'm not fussed how it comes to be honest! I cannot stop thinking about it and its driving me insane! I escaped work earlier on to pick up some veg for in tonights curry, and didn't make it past the sandwich fridge in the entrance in Asda as the tuna was calling me! I really don't think I have EVER eaten fish of any variety before 10 am before today... The healthy eating is going much better so that's one thing off my mind, I have even planned to make a WW red thai curry tonight which I'm really looking forward to making. Healthier options are worming their way back in I'm very pleased to say, yesterday I chose an apple juice instead of a scrummy hot chocolate in M&S Cafe, and then a little pack of carrot sticks and humous instead of a yummy giant bun. Please excuse me whilst polish my halo...... hahahahaha. The one thing I am really struggling with is my ever increasing size. I am wanting to embrace it and be proud, but in actual fact I find myself feeling frumpy and thinking that I look like I've just put weight on rather than having an actual bump. I know that it's due to me getting used to shrinking in size and celebrating that, and now growing in size is going completely against all that thining that I'd conditioned myself into. I just hope that my head catches up soon.... Right I'm off for a cup of tea, as I have also developed a liking for that too! Lex xxx

Bossy Chef Lex Is Back In Town

I am pleased to report a break through boys and girls..... I managed to cook a healthy meal from scratch with chopping vegetables and everything! Hurrah! Now that I'm through (fingers crossed) the yucky stage, I'm hoping to be able to get some healthy cooking done and get Mr B and I back on the straight and narrow. I had to cancel my WW membership after my 12 week scan so I don't have access to any of the meals I had saved apart from the few that are scattered about at home that I didn't donate to my boss' wife when she signed up. So any meal ideas would be greatly received please! I am breaking the habit that I got into when I first found out about bean, which was two slices of toast as soon as I wake up and then something else breakfasty a bit later on. As of today that habit has been binned and it's been replaced by my old friend porridge. I've not gone back to my proper porridge oats yet though, as I have been testing the water with oat so simple due to me hating the texture of the oats a few weeks ago. So far so good with meals so far today, porridge, chicken salad for lunch and then beans on toast for tea as I'm on a 12 hour day today which messes with everything! I made the tough decision the other day to cancel my gym membership. I didn't really want to do it but I have only been going occasionally and not using it how I used to. I did find it a bit upsetting but once bean has arrived I shall re-join. If I could go before work it would have been ideal as that's when I feel at my most energetic, but the gym opens at 6.30 am and I start work at 7 am. Plus I did some research on the classes that I could go to as a preggers person and they are all at dinner time! How very rubbish!!! I haven't written for a while as I'm struggling what to write. I don't want to bore people by turning this into a baby blog, but at the same time I want to scream from the roof tops that I'm cooking a miracle bean!!! What are your thoughts boys and girls??? Lex xxxx

Oh Exercise...

Dare I say it with out being potentially lynched and thrown out of blog land forever.... I'm missing going to the gym.

Just before I'd found out about little bean growing in my tummy I had been really pushing myself in the gym, and on the treadmill especially. My plan for this year was to do my usual race for life with my sister, and also take part in the Leeds 10k on my own. To prove to myself that I can achieve something that I never thought I would be able to do. I have never been a runner, but now love that feeling of pushing yourself to make that last 0.1 of a mile or the sense of achievement when you've gone for longer or faster than you ever have before.

As you can imagine, this has had to go on the back burner until next year, mainly due to bean but also partly due to the enormous boobs that have sprung up on my front! I did not sign up for these bad boys, and apparently they'll grow some more!!!!!! HELP!!!

I am trying to keep active, but I have no energy for anything "proper" at the gym. I'm trying not to beat myself up about it, but after getting into a routine of going it's hard to accept that I have absolutely no energy. Walking and swimming are keeping me going but I keep looking at the treadmill with a sense of longing.... weird I know! Please don't think I'm out to moan, I just want to get back into a sort of exercise routine before I get too big to do anything!

A very kind lady at the gym has pointed out which yoga classes and aqua aerobic classes would be good for me, but they're on at lunch time which doesn't help me at all! I have gt a week off in April though so I'm aiming to try a few classes out then.

I've been yhinking of adding photos of my ahem blossoming tummy as a kind of bump watch. My family have passed comment that I no longer look like I just need a big trump and that I have the beginnings of a bump, I'm not convinced though...

I have pulled my top tight to show you what lies beneath...

I was a bit put out the other day when a random bloke at work came right out and asked if I was pregnant or had just started piling back on the weight that I had lost! It was a good job he caught me in a good mood, that's all I can say.

Love to you all,

Lex xxxx

Spilling The Bean...

Hello my lovely bloggerinos. The time has come for me to be able to share my very very awesome secret with you. I know a few of you have guessed, and guessed correctly too! so without further a do, let me introduce you to little bean...





I am now just over 12 weeks gone and am feeling on top of the world. The yuckyness is now passing and I almost managed to cook a meal on Sunday without gagging too much! Little bean was asleep all through the scan, even with all the prodding and poking that was going on. So the only picture we could get was of bean asleep on its side with back and bum facing towards us!

As you may already know, this is a massive thing for Mr B and I as I was told that I would not be able to get pregnant without any help such as IVF as only one of my ovaries was definitely functioning as it should be.

I had started WW to kind of get a head start if we did eventually need fertility treatment in a few years time. I though I'd lose weight, have a few years of being a skinny minnie and Mr B and I enjoying our selves. But it seems that mother nature had other ideas for us!

This may be too much info for some of you so I do apologise now. I had never ever been regular with my periods at all, until I'd started losing weight. I had hoped that it might help them and it did thank fully! It was Mr B that spotted that we hadn't had a "visitor" for a while at the beginning of January, but we thought nothing of it as I just thought it could be a bit of stress from work etc plus I was on the pill so we'd pretty much ruled out pregnancy all together.

When the "visitor" still hadn't shown up a few weeks later, we decided between us to do a test to rule it out before I went to the doctors to see what was going on. One of the symptoms of the condition I have, is that if you're one of the few girls to have periods, you will have an early menopause. So you can imagine that I was panicking that my baby making days were over before they had even begun!

So I peed on the stick of doom, and I swear the positive line showed up straight away! It was a good job I was still sat down other wise Mr B would have had to bring me round!

Mr B is even more pleased than me bless him, but we are both still stunned and shocked and cannot believe it's real! I had worked my self up into such a state that they weren't going to find any baby let alone a heart beat yesterday that it didn't register with me at all when they span the screen round to show us!

So there you have it my lovelies, the truth in full! That feels great to get off my chest I can tell you!

I don't want this blog to turn into a baby blog by any means, I really don't want to be a baby bore! I am still going to the gym, it is however a lot less frequent at the minute though. Plus I am going to take up some sort of yoga/pilates jobby to make me super supple so I can cough and then the baby will just magically appear all clean and wrapped in a fluffy blanket...

Lex xxx

Spring Has Sprung

I have decided that I have hidden away for far too long, and have given myself a talking to! I am determined to post blogs even if my brain is mushed.

I would like someone to answer me this though..... How did we get from Christmas to March in such a sort space of time???? What on earth has gone on??? I'm sure some one has stolen some weeks away from me!

I'm in a very good mood today, I think it's mainly due to the fact that the sun is shining up here in South Yorkshire and there's a general feeling of everyone being in a good mood in the office for a change! All this makes for a smiley Lex! The fact that my friend is off to the farm shop to bring me a yummy ham salad is also adding to the air of giddyness.

Weight Watchers is lagging I'm afraid, so far so good though as I have been maintaining pretty well even though I haven't really been eating nice healthy home cooked meals! Severe brain mush does not aid reading recipes I can tell you! My severe aversion to certain smells is also not making it easy for me to even enter the fridge.

So, not much has been happening here in sunny Barnsley. We have had a few lovely days out to the coast and to York with some nice long walks here there and every where.

I've so many blogs to catch up on, so if I comment on an older post please don't think I'm going mad! Hope everyone is ok, love to you all.

Lex xxxx

Secrety Secrets...

Well my lovelies, my absence is in excusable and I apologise profusely for my amazing disappearing act.

My head is officially mushed. It's bad. Not in the kind of way it was before when I had a bit of a melt down. No, this time it's all new and exciting and involves something I never dreamed in my wildest dreams could happen as it has done. I have lost all ability to concentrate on anything at all, and I'm sorry to say that WW has all but gone out of the window for the time being.

But I'm sure you'll understand when I can spill the beans properly in a few weeks time.... ;)

Any Guesses??

Lex xxxx

Fear Not..

Fear not boys and girls, I am still here however I am suffering from a severe case of brain mushyness! (Seriously, it has taken me four attempts at writing this sentence!!)

Work and home life are all manic and busy so I haven't had much time to think about composing anything half decent, I have managed to read most of your blogs but I'm sorry for the lack of comments. You deserve better my lovelies! :)

I missed WI last week due to a Dr's appointment, and it's not looking good for a loss this week. At a risk of giving away far too much info for anyone, I just can't "go" if you get me. It's now been a fair few days and there seems to be no movement (if you'll excuse the unintended pun!).

Any way, I just wanted to check in and say that I am here lurking in the shadows, an enjoying reading all your posts.

I'll write a proper post soon I promise!

Lex xxx

Busy Busy Busy!

So much for posting on Monday! Hope everyone had a great weekend and started the week as fresh as a daisy and raring to go, unlike my new trick of turning the alarm off and rolling over for a while longer...

Thank you for the lovely comments on the new layout of my blog, I thought it was time for a change. I love the slightly Cath Kidston vibe it has going on. I'm not great at IT so it's not exactly how I would like it but it's on it's way!

The last few days have been as far from WW friendly as you could ever imagine. Mr B and I have had to contend with hospital appointments, hospital visits, doctors appointments and fitting in both sets of parental units. Suffice to say that most pre-planned meals/ideas went careering out the window, let alone just flying out of it!

To be honest I've not been in the right kind of WW frame of mind either, which hasn't helped matters. I have tracked everything, but my heart really hasn't been in it. I'm sure my mojo will return with a vengeance at some point! Part of it may be due to some news I received the other day that may affect future plans big style, but more on that another day.

I Zumba'd my little heart out once more on Friday night. Our usual lady is still off and I would like her to come back soon please! The replacement lady is alright but she doesn't have the same kind of energy or enthusiasm and that's what I need to keep me distracted from clock watching. Plus I'm still not convinced that a country style or funk/soul style song is what Zumba is all about... What does everyone else think??

So after earning a fair few activity propoints Friday night, I earned some more wandering round York on Saturday and some more avoiding old ladies in town on Sunday! Surely these will go towards cancelling out the awesome hot chocolate that I had the other day. I was good and had it with skinny milk and no whipped cream even though I was very very very tempted!!

If you haven't checked out the beautiful Seren's page yet, you really should! She posts some scrummy gorgeous recipes such as the roast red pepper and chorizo risotto that is delicious. I made it for tea on Sunday night and Mr B scoffed his and then kept trying to convince me I was feeling full so he could finish mine off!!!! No Chance pal! Here is the link to Seren's blog http://thewwfoodie.blogspot.com/ I dare you not to feel hungry after reading the recipes!

Lex xxx

Sausage Roll Saga

Distractions are everywhere. No matter who you are or how strong willed you are, there is something that is out there to get you. Once more boys and girls I am ashamed to say my calling today was for the worlds naffest sausage roll...

I had three bites and lobbed it, it was vile! It's a while since I last got the urge to visit the scary sandwich van lady to buy her lardy laden baked goods, but alas today I cracked. Forgive me WW for I have sinned... oh but now we have party points so lets see if they are worked out in mouth fulls instead of grams or ounces to calculate the damage.

I'm not usually easily distracted by things like this due to my very stubborn/bossy nature plus my ability to escape into "lex land" every so often. This was a favourite skill of mine when dealing with two younger arguing sisters when they were younger. I have also taken to removing myself if possible from what ever is happening that might make me However I do sometimes think that you have to listen to what you fancy other wise you might end up doing even more damage!

WI this week was another great result, a loss of 1.5lb. Taking me ever closer to the 6 stone mark!!! Yaaaay!!

Lex xxx

Going Bananas...

The wanderer has returned! Our Internet decided it didn't like us during my week off which is why I haven't had chance to get on and keep in touch with every one. Needless to say I have lots of reading to catch up on once Virgin decide to fix our Internet...

Today is my first day back in the office, and I can safely say it's like I've never been away, and not in a good way. I have done some serious thinking whilst I've been off and decided it's time to bust a move in some form or another! I'me sure everyone gets fed up in their jobs, but I have stuck it out for too long now and am in need of a change. It's time to be proactive rather than be a serial moaner, even though I know I am extremely lucky to have a job at all now a days.

As predicted, my week ended up being jam packed full of lots of little bits. Mr B is off poorly at the mo, and we barely spent any time together at all which was a shame, but I suppose we can't have it all seen as we had a fab weekend socialising and slobbing on the settee. I spent the week catching up with friends, eating cakes, going to the gym, meeting new babies, and doing lots of walking. Work seems like such a nice quiet place to be after writing that little lot down!

I am keeping up with the running in the gym, and I keep on doing my cheesiest grin when I've completed my 20 mins. I'm now on to 1 minute of walking and 3 of jogging, and I'm amazed that I can actually do it with out keeling over. Off for a gym session tonight too, as I'm trying to keep up the 3 times a week hing I had my heart set on. So far so good on that front too. Zumba class was run by a different lady this week. She has a very different style to our usual lady Libby, much more relaxed and a bit more like an aerobics class. I enjoy the dancing style that Libby does, and I didn't feel like I had as much of a work out as normal either. Fingers crossed that Libby comes back from her holiday sooner rather than later!

I went to Yong's house for tea on Tuesday and we were nattering about me becoming a leader and what I'll have to do, and I can honestly say I can't wait to get started now. I have just started learning how to be a clerk at our meeting now too, we had 12 more new starters on Wednesday, I know the numbers will dwindle eventually but it gave me an idea of what might happen this time next year for me at "My" meeting... It was nice to eat something different, we had quorn chilli. I really like quorn whereas Mr B can't stand the stuff, so I either just cook it for myself or don't bother!

Tuesday night also saw me discovering a new favourite pudding, bananas and custard. I know it sounds boring but it's so comforting and feels like a proper little kid desert and it only works out to 3pp per bowl. I use 1 or 2 small bananas and 1 small tub of ambrosia low fat ready to serve custard. Yummy yummy!!! Yong also introduced me to vanilla flavoured canderell sweetener. I've finally found some in Salisbury's on my lunch break today, and made myself what felt like a very luxurious coffee with one of those little babies in. I can highly recommend them!

Just like the awesome Starfish, I too have rediscovered my love for bananas. I still ate them on the old points plan, although I did tend to scoff the "kidsize" ones so they were only 1 point, I did have them most days too unlike many other bloggers who's posts I have read. I don't go over board with them, but I am enjoying being more creative if you will... The smoothie maker has been dusted off, some bananas have been frozen for a sweet treat, some just scoffed straight out of the skins. If any one has any ideas please let me know!

WI on Wednesday was a great result once more. I lost another 2 lb this week which is taking me ever closer to the 6 stone gone mark for the WI before Valentines day. 6lb to go in 4 more WIs. I'll give it my best shot but I won't give myself a hard time if it doesn't happen, at least I'll be closer to the end!

Well I'm sorry that this has been a bit of a mishmash of a post, I'd also left my little blog planning notebook at work so wasn't able to scribble things down. This weeks task is to become more organised!

Lex xxx

The Start Of A Well Earnt Rest...

I will probably regret writing that title at some point in the next week! As of 3pm this afternoon I am on holiday from work for a whole week!!!! Wooooo Hoooo! (Electra that one's for you ;) ). I have no doubt in my mind that I will end up planning things and being busy, but at least I won't be at work.

Firstly let's get onto the important topic of the post festiveness WI. I had a gain of 3lb before Christmas, and last night I had lost that plus 2 more lb's had melted away from somewhere too. An awesome result even if I do say so myself. So due to my 5lb loss, my weight is now at 13st exactly. I have set myself the mini goal of being at 6 stone gone by the WI before valentines day as we're going away and I will need to be comfortably in one of the pretty dressed I purchased in the sales. I was very pleased when I took my measurements the other day too. I have lost an inch from my waist and my bust in the last month too, plus some from my arms, thighs and calves. BONUS!!!

I'm feeling very positive and optimistic this week. I think being at WW and seeing all the new starters had made me get all excited and thinking that I'm going to be the one welcoming new starters soon hopefully...

I have been to the gym twice this week so far, and snow permitting, I shall be at Zumba class tonight. Stupid snow appeared from no where this morning round here, what's all that about?! Many lovely blogs recently have had posts about running, and they have inspired me to jump on the band wagon (or tread mill) and join in too. I have found a 5K training plan on the net and have started to follow this. I have been dabbling with running on the treadmill for a while now, so after reading through everything I have decided that seen as I have a brisk walk every day any way, I should start at Week 3. I managed a 20 min session the other day that was alternating between 1 min of walking and 2 mins of jogging, and I did it! The whole 20 mins, with out feeling too tired or anything! I did however get some strange looks with the amount of grinning that I was doing though...

I treat myself to some new gym clothes the other day too, I think this has also helped me to feel more confident in myself. My bright pink Nike running leggings are amazing even if I do say so myself...

Enjoy your weekend every one. Thank you for the comments from the lovely new ladies too, hope you like what you read enough to comment :)

Lex xxx

2011 Has Arrived!

Welcome to 2011 everyone! May it bring you all lots of love and happiness.

Once more I need to say a mahoooosive thank you to the girlie's that commented on my last post, one in particular made me cry (you know who you are!) in a nice way I might add! I love getting comments as I'm sure most people do too, it makes me feel like there are people actually being interested in my various ramblings. It's very nice so thank you very much!

We are now on the third day of the brand spanking new year, how is everyone coping with the dregs of food and drink left over from the festivities. I'm quite chuffed to say that our fridge is just about bare and the fruit bowl nearly empty thanks to my hopeful attempt at damage limitation due to the very scrummy curry on NYE and a party at a friends house last night. My friend Linda is an amazing cook and last night was no exception! Anyone for venison or gammon that literally falls apart as it's so tender? Or a mushroom stuffed with pate and then baked? No? More for me then....

It wasn't too bad though as it was a buffet and she'd done a huge bowl of salad and various bits of carrots and peppers so I mainly picked at those although it would have been rude not to indulge a little bit! I was soooo looking forward to some trifle too, but the little kids that were there scoffed the lot! How very rude! There's always next year I suppose.....

I've been reading a fair few of your lovely blogs and everyone's different resolutions for 2011. So here are my goals/resolutions/things to do in 2011:

• Get to goal! This HAS to be top of my list for this year for obvious reasons. I've come this far and I KNOW I can do it. I feel a million times better than this time last year, so I need to carry on and not revive those bad habits that got me here in the first place. Although they did help me find all you lovely people which is very nice :)
• Become a WW Leader. After only switching to monthly pass at the end of June, I now love my meetings and wouldn't go back to just being online unless I had to for some unknown reason. I love the friendships that I have made and the support we all get from each other and from Yong. Everyone I have spoken to about becoming a leader thinks that I have the right personality to do it and to enjoy it too. So watch this space...
• Up The Gym Visits. I really want to push myself to go to the gym three times a week at least. I do enjoy going but I want to try to include different things in my workouts now, and try some different classes. Can anyone recommend any?? Off to get some smaller gym clothes in the sale after work tonight to encourage me.
• Visit America. We both want to go and visit our friends over in California as we don't want it to be another 2 years before we see them again. So far we're hoping to go out around November/December time this year. That sounds quite scary on reading it back, we've only just finished December!
• Spend More Time With Friends. We all have different things going on in our lives, but we need to make the effort to spend time with each other this year and not just have snatched phone calls or texts!
• Say "No" More Often. This is one that I really need to work on! I need to become more selfish with my time in regards to work, pleasing people and helping people out. I don't want that to come across in a bad way as I really don't mean it like that. I have spent all my life doing the "right" thing and wanting to please as many people as I can all at once, sometimes to the detriment of relationships and friendships. This then leads to massive guilt trips on my part wondering if the person who, in my head, I have let down will ever forgive me or will hold it against me. Whereas in reality they've probably just got on with what ever was happening anyway. I have started saying no to my family more often too which I found so so hard, and is not getting easier as of yet but I'm hoping it will.
• Save More Money. Simple, just don't spend it on things I don't NEED. I might think I need yet another handbag or some more shoes, but in reality I really really don't! That money can be saved up ready for America or just be saved!

Right I shall leave it there seen as I've probably bored you all to death with this post!

Lex xxx