Visiting the Millers

Our weekend plans had to be changed last minute due to our nephew getting sick, plus Poppy sprouted a tooth and also was suffering with a horrid cough and cold...so instead of hitting London for the whole weekend we went up early on Sunday to see Poppy's cousins Gracie and Louis. 

We started the day on Clapham High Street drinking coffee to wake us up (our second of the day!) Poppy sat in her high chair and was being nosey as usual! 

We are delicious food with Matt and Lisa and Poppy went swimming with Gracie. All the kids were on great form and there were no tears the whole day. Lots of chatting, playing, chilling and enjoying the sun...it's great when you can kick back and relax with your family. 

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We were trialling feeding Poppy and travelling back gone, transferring her without her waking into the cot...but the trial failed and she woke the moment we stopped the car. We had to borrow a fan from James' parents as the house was just too hot and Poppy just wouldn't (couldn't?!) settle. Finally we got her down and went to bed ourselves. It wasn't even late but I felt like we had been battling with Poppy for hours...as much as I love the sun, and I KNOW we always moan when it's not there but...it's just TOO HOT at the moment!!!!! 

Breakfast at Juliets

Poppy is now nearly 7 months (what? where did that time go???) so we thought it about time that we would head out for breakfast together (oh and I would start blogging again! No more excuses!) We headed to our favourite Tunbridge Wells eaterie Juliets and it didn't disappoint...James fed Poppy her porridge and I got to catch up on some magazine reading...we ate eggs royale and talked about life and how happy Poppy makes us! We went early and walked around the old high street before dining...it was gorgeous: no people, the sun was shining...silent except for out chatting daughter. It felt like we were on holiday and we had big smiles and happy hearts. 

Eating breakfast out is one of our all time favourite things to do, and for a load of reasons (plans, routine, tiredness) it's taken a long time to get around to doing. The biggest change when having a baby is that spontaneity goes out the window and time is not your own...but I think now we have succeeded in breakfast out it will be the first of many...

Can't quite believe it...

I'm sitting here while JJ is away working, staring at Poppy, staring at my 8 week old baby girl...and I can't quite believe it still. I can't believe as she lays on my tummy that 8 weeks ago she was inside me, that she existed but we had no idea what she looked like, what sex she was, what she was going to be like...and now we know all those things but we still don't know who she's going to become! What I do know though is that our baby girl is awesome, she's beautiful, and she makes me smile and my heart swell...

It feels like she's been here forever but a year ago we were planning on trying for a baby, and in an instant she was made but she could have been someone else, another baby...she was meant to be ...god, I love our baby.

Just amazing...

It's tiring, it's hard work, it's exhausting...

But it's amazing. Being a mummy is the most rewarding thing I've ever done. I just look at her and my heart sings with love. She is incredible in every respect and wows me everyday with something new she does...

Poppy & JJ...

Its funny because I know that JJ (although TOTALLY happy with a little girl!) really wants at some point to have a boy, but seeing him with Poppy is just the most incredible thing. He manages to calm her down in a way that I cant, she can lie on his chest and fall asleep but on me all she can sense is my milk...she looks at him with adoring eyes (hey, I know that look well!) and when he picks her up her tears always stop rolling. There's something so magical about the bond between a father and his daughter, and I'm so pleased that JJ got to experience this. I had 9+ extra months to form a bond with my bump, she grew inside me and she kicked and punched and moved around and hiccup'ed! But for the Dad it must be harder to really have that bond until the baby comes out...

And boy, is it an incredible bond. I see the way he looks at her, and checks up on her...the way he cares for her, the way he LOVES her...and yes of course you would get this with a son, but I know the way that I felt and still feel about my Dad, and how my mum had the same feelings with my Grandpa. Its a magical bond, and I can't wait for it to strengthen as she gets older...

New years resolutions...

To be the best wife I can be to JJ. To be the best mother I can be to Poppy. To be a great friend, to spend lots of time with my fabulous family and mostly to love, love, love with all my heart and soul...

Here's to 2013 and what it may bring!

Mums the word

Today was a great day. Grandma and Grandma Miller dropped in and looked after poppy while I showered and made myself look presentable! Then Poppy, JJ, Grandma Sarj and I went for a walk and Poppy slept the whole time...then she slept some more so I could tidy the house and sort all the Christmas presents...then she slept some more so I could sort the washing and my wardrobes...and then she slept some more so I could finally feel like I had some control back!

I love being a mummy. Yes there have been days where I have felt like a feeding machine and I've felt overwhelmed at this change in my life...and yes I've been emotional and tired and exhausted and the thought of not getting a whole nights sleep again for a while freaks me out...but I only have to look at my little girl, the little beauty that JJ and I created to know its all worth it. The tears, the milk...the pooey nappies!!! I just love looking after her, helping her grow, love looking AT her...Being a mum rocks!

Been a little busy...

Some things you just have to wait for, and we had to wait 9 extra days to meet a certain someone...Poppy Rose Sarjeant was born on 15th December weighing 8lbs 7. The birth was the most painful yet the most rewarding thing I have ever done...and she is simply wonderful! I have never felt love like it! So she's been taking up a lot of my time recently - and she's totally worth it.

Poppy Rose...I just cannot wait to help you grow and see who you end up being, it's going to be an amazing journey!

Poppy Rose

So I haven't been posting for a whole because I was off having a baby! A baby girl to be exact! What an incredible surprise! Poppy Rose Sarjeant born 15.12.12. She is the best christmas present ever! She's a week old now, and has been an absolute joy...I couldn't love her more if I tried. It's amazing how much she has changed in a week and how wonderful its been getting to know one another. ...she's incredible and JJ and I can't wait to embark on this incredible journey with her...our little family!

Devotion

6 years ago today my gorgeous Grandpa died...but this isn't going to be a sad post, in fact quite the opposite...because although our family has been without him for 6 years, we had him for so many more...and some people don't even grow up knowing or having their grandparents...some people aren't that lucky. And that's how I feel today: lucky. My grandpa was amazing. A true gentleman; kind hearted, loving, generous, fascinating...my grandpa was someone who took me to my piano lessons and always walked on the roadside of the pavement as to protect me. My grandpa made me feel like I was such a special girl, I would light up the moment I saw him. My grandpa taught me that the glass is ALWAYS half full...and I do believe it is.

But he also taught me something else...and he didnt do this alone. He taught me about LOVE. He taught me about devotion*. I grew up watching a man SO in love with his wife (my beautiful, loving and wonderful spirited Grandma) being respectful, courteous and kind. I watched him make beautiful presents and cards for her, and then I watched as my dad did the same to my mum and I learnt to do the same. I saw in them what I wanted, what I deserved...they paved the way for my future. My mum chose a man like her father, and I have done the same. Grandpa, Dad and JJ...3 amazing men with such similar qualities. I grew up wanting what they all have, and in the end, thats what I got. 

I think about my Grandpa every day...every time I see a white feather (which is a lot as I have A LOT of cushions much to JJ's annoyance!) and I often think about how sad it is he never got to meet JJ, or how he wont meet Blue or see our lovely house which I know he would have loved...but then, as I said to my Grandma just this morning...Grandpa is in us all. He is in our hearts. He is a part of us all. He helped shape us...he helped shape me.

So today I am not sad. I feel happy and I feel blessed. My Grandpa may not be around for me to tell him that I love him, but he knew...he knows...and he rocked. 

See...the glass is always half full...

* The picture is of a small art piece that sits in my Grandmas garden called "Devotion" that my grandparents bought together. It's beautiful, just like their love.