Meredith Carson... Across the Pond and Back Again...

If you know me, you may know that numbers have never really been my thing. I blame genetics and my mean first grade teacher who stressed me out with timed math facts tests, but that is another story. Anyway... numbers, I realize are an important part of our world. I have the utmost respect for mathemeticians, math teachers, statisticians, finance gurus, etc, but I have personally chosen to tune numbers out of my world whenever possible. I realize what a luxury this is since I have a husband who is very good with finance and figures. Please don't sic Suze Ormond on me. Anyway...back to the convoulted original point of this story. Numbers hold little meaning for me. My husband has always been completely amused by the fact that I never seem to know how old I am. Once I hit 21, there seemed little point in keeping track any longer. My age started to seem slightly important again when I contemplated another pregnancy since all of the medical world has us women convinced we are ...

For all of you back home who aren't able to witness my blossoming fabulousness, here is a photo of me and Sophie taken at Roath Park in Cardiff yesterday. (That is an ice lolly she is triumphantly brandishing. ) I am just about 20 weeks now, and have been able to put my worries to bed (mostly) for the past couple of days. I know that worrying is completely un-productive as well as unhealthy, but it's also a very normal thing for a pregnant gal to do. So I am breathing and remembering that at this moment all is well, and no matter what happens, I am one very blessed person. Yesterday was a lovely day. The four us went over to Roath Park and hired a boat to take out on the lake. We enjoyed rowing in the sunshine. I actually enjoyed watching George mostly do all of the rowing. I also enjoyed feeling the sunshine on my face and watching Emma and Sophie frolic around the gardens after our boat ride. They enjoy each other so much. Today the sun is shining again, and I have n...

Apparently yesterday was the hottest day of the year (thus far). This is a concept the Brits seem to be thoroughly obsessed with. We nearly reached 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and it was lovely. From the smell of things, I think everyone in our neighborhood had fired up the backyard barbeque (including us). The best thing about the day for me was lying on a blanket atop freshly cut grass in our backgarden. The girls joined me in the sunshine, and we enjoyed clever conversation, cheese, crackers and grapes. It doesn't get much better. Later on in the evening our friends, the Collinses. joined us for a barbeque. I couldn't resist the opportunity to snap a few pics of the girls. Pictures taken in natural light are always the best. Today it is rainy again, but we are basking in the memory of the sun and holding out hope that it will return again later this week. Emma in the garden Sophie knows how to pose like a champ. Yep, she's a 'corn lover'! Happy Memorial D...

Today's scan showed that my cervix is within normal range...slightly on the short side of normal, but still normal. This is good news. Despite all of the contractions I had earlier, I continue to maintain at "normal." Even more encouraging is the fact that my contractions seem to have slowed down this week, and I am feeling lots of fetal movement in the evenings. And to answer your and Sophie's question: No, I don't know if it's a boy yet! (Notice I didn't say "boy or girl" as everyone, Sophie included, is convinced I am carrying a boy. Me, I don't much care. Really. I will be happy with any healthy baby.) The kids have the week off school next week, and George has the week off work as well. We are all looking forward to this. No big plans really. We are just hoping for sunshine and an un-irritable uterus. Happy Memorial Day weekend to my American friends!

Yesterday I went in to the ante-natal clinic where I met with a consultant, not MY consultant, mind you, but a nice consultant nevertheless. It was actually the same consultant I saw the first time I went into the ward panicked about the contractions I was having, so she remembered me and my drama. (At this point, I am starting to wonder if I will ever actually get to meet "my consultant," or if this even matters at all. Did I mention there's no place like home?) I brought in my previous maternity records which she seemed only mildly interested in, but she did listen and agreed that perhaps I should be monitored more closely. Eureka! So I will be going in again on Friday for a scan of my cervix. I am very hopeful that the scan will reveal that all is closed tight and that there is no need for concern. Then I plan to heave a great sigh of relief and relax a bit more... or even stop relaxing SO much! That is my plan. Whatever the case, I am happy that a British me...

It's always nice to reflect around the time we celebrate birthdays. This weekend (especially the part that came after the chaos of the birthday party), gave me an opportunity to savour our lovely girls. I felt especially endeared to the birthday girl since her big day was a reminder of how fast she's growing up and what a wonderful person she is. George and I did a good thing bringing her into the world! Last night Emma was putting off going to bed by engaging me in conversations about everything under the moon. I can't say I minded too much. Late night (9 pm) conversations with Emma are one of my favorite things in the world. We started off in my bed with her reading me a story about Vikings. At one point we could hear Sophie crying from her bedroom. She had apparently bitten her tongue and was being well-tended to by her Dad. Emma stopped reading and said, "Just a minute, mom. I just really need to go and check on Sophie and make sure she is okay." I assured Emm...

Emma's birthday has come and gone, and everyone has survived the turning of seven. Mark my words, let the record show...I will never have 13 seven year olds without their parents in my house again. It was a bit chaotic to say the least. The majority of the party games got thrown out the window. Thank heavens the sun came out and we could thrust them all out into the garden at intervals. Whew! Most importantly, Emma appears to have had a lovely time. Instead of asking for presents, she requested that her friends bring donations for charity, and she was able to raise over 50 pounds which will be sent to Oxfam. We are proud of our first born. She is certainly a star. Now I've just realized we will have another kid's birthday this year!! This one, however, will not require party games and fairy cakes...although if you feel compelled to send me cake, by all means, do so. And as I have been feeling more and more nudges and flutters, it is starting to feel more and more real. Plea...

Today has brought me some comfort in the form of female friends. Earlier today when I wrote, I was obviously feeling very burdened. Two friends stopped me at school and asked how I was doing...because they genuinely wanted to know. It wasn't just making polite conversation but genuine concern. I hesitantly unloaded a bit of my grief and found myself feeling a bit lighter. Throughout the day at home I took it pretty easy. The day is pretty much a blur. Later in the afternoon before going to get the kids from school, I received a call from my friend and PTA cohort Liz, who expressed her genuine concern and commiserated about the "hit and miss" business of maternity care with the NHS. She also offered up a good friend of hers who is on the senior staff at the local University Hospital. If, after meeting with my consultant next week, I find I am still feeling less that satisfied with my care, I am to call Liz, and she will put her medical friend on the case. Once a...

Bear with me now… Have you ever had one of those dreams about needing to pee? In your dream you try to pee, but it just doesn’t happen. Or you are desperate to find a bathroom, and one never materializes. Finally you wake yourself up and realize that yes, you actually do need the toilet. Sometimes, if you are my husband, you occasionally don’t wake up before relieving yourself, but we won’t go into that. Well, last night, in the middle of the night, I found myself in a similar situation. Only this time I dreamed that my life was full of stress. The headteacher at Emma’s school was screaming at me about how I had improperly handled my job. (I think I was a teacher again in my dream.) Then, in my dream, my husband was screaming at me about being a complete failure. (You all, of course, realize that this was a completely far-fetched dream at this point.) I found that my dream-self was desperately on the verge of tears. I wanted so badly to weep, sob, break down, etc. My dream-...

Being pregnant is a worrisome time for me as much as I hate it. I know for most it is a joyous and exciting time, and it is certainly that for me as well, but it also brings on big-time stress and worry because of my "issues" and my nature. I had five years to forget about the worry. Back at Christmastime when we were looking at all of our kids' old baby pictures and feeling all broody, no one remembered the worry, but it's here again with this pregnancy. That is part of the reason I haven't been blogging as much. I don't want to write about my fears. You see when I am pregnant, not only do I worry more, but I also become more superstitious. I feel that committing my fears to paper...or the Internet...or even saying them aloud gives them power, and right now, they don't need to be any more powerful. I am continuing with positive thoughts and daily affirmations (Stuart Smalley style, of course) and am also trying to listen to my "Baby Stay In...

Celebrating the finale of Harvey... "Let them eat Harvey Cake!" Yes, I know my blog has suffered. I have had a lot going on the last couple of weeks. Fortunately Harvey was a big success for the most part. George and Emma came to see the show on Friday evening. (Sophie got to have her favorite babysitter, Sinead, all to herself.) During the intermission Emma came backstage and told me that she was really loving the show and that seeing it was actually "warming her heart." She also confessed that she was very excited about the fact that it was only halfway over and already past her bedtime. It is still the case that our dear Emma requires much less sleep than the average bear. She hung in there at the after-cast-party until 11:30 pm and enjoyed eating nearly all of Harvey's whiskers. Earlier this week, I had a bit of a panic. I had been experiencing a lot of strong contractions. With my history and the fact that I have barely just settled into the second trime...