Greedy Guts is coming early

Hola,

We went to the doctors this week for a scan (at 36 weeks) and he says he is going to induce me before my due date. The reason being that he can see that the placenta is starting to get used up and won't last until the date (which is 4 weeks away). He says this is because Olivia has been taking a lot from it all along and thats why its wearing out quick. So we are going to see him next friday (when I will be at 37 weeks and 2 days) and he will arrange a date to induce me. Yesterday she weighed 3 kilos 229 grams - or so says the guestimator computer says (which is 7 pounds and 1 oz). I read in a book last night that that is the exact average weight of a full term baby - so she is a greedy guts as she has reached that weight at 36 weeks!

Up until yesterday we were thinking she would be coming in about 4 to 6 weeks. Now it looks like in about 2 weeks - which is very different! I have been told to stop swimming and pack my hospital bag because if my body cottons on to the placenta issue then it may well kick start labour before next week. Arghhh!!!

I went and bought the car seat yet on Friday - so we can get her home from the hospital. There are loads of other things that I haven't sorted out yet .....as I thought I had at least a month. Not everything is essential though so I'm not too fussed. All she really needs is clothes, nappies, food and a place to sleep - and thats all sorted.

I keep meaning to pack the hospital bag every day but I never get round to it. I think I have some sort of mental block on that one - don't know why. I am gonna try and get things ready this afternoon - well at least put them on top of the bed in Olivia's room ...even if they don't make it into an actual bag. I have realised that I haven't got any adequate pyjamas to pack into this ere bag. All mine are like cheerleader outfits - little shorts and vest tops. I don't have anything suitable for breastfeeding or for being visited. I'll go tomorrow to the shops and see what I encounter. I went on Friday but didn't see anything suitable in the shop where I went. I did manage to buy a breastfeeding bra though. Have you seen what they are like? Obviously you mothers out there will have seen them but most of you reading this won't have. Well, they are pornographic if you ask me. I felt like a dominatrix. This flap thing comes down and leaves you with a bra on through which most of your boob and your nipple sticks out. Totally S&M if you ask me.

S xx

more from the mountains

In the mountains with Leire

Hola,

We have had a really good weekend this weekend. We went up to the farm on Friday night with Xabi and Jessi and baby Leire. The idea was to go mushroom picking on saturday in the new 4x4 that Jose's Dad has bought for the farm. We got up early (7am), made omlette baguettes, packed our bags and off we went. Well we didn't find any mushrooms at all but ended up having a great day out in a wonderful setting.

Jose and Xabi took us up to the area where their great grandparents are from and it was really spectacular. Totally cut off and in accesible without a 4x4 - perfect. While the boys kept wandering off into the forests to look for mushrooms, Jessi and I sat in the sun taking in the views and looking after Leire (who behaved wonderfully by the way and seems to be a natural in the countryside).

We saw a deserted mansion in the distance and walked up to that to set up camp for lunch. Jose's idea - and I must say a very good one. We felt like the Famous Five (except with a baby instead of a dog). You'll see from the photos that Jose and Xabi encountered a snake - a very poisonous one! Jessi and I didn't dare go near the area once they told us that a bit from it would defintely kill Leire and my unborn child .......but that they might survive if they got to the hospital in time. We don't know how lucky we are in the British isles - there 's nothing so dangerous lurking underfoot is there. The dangers in the UK come in people form.

The track had been so bumpy in the 4x4 that on the way back I decided to walk a few kilometres instead of getting back in. Jessi came with me with Leire in a sling on her front - breast feeding at the same time. If anyone had seen us - me mahusively pregnant and her breast feeding in the middle of nowhere - they'd have thought we were indiginous or something. There was no one about to see us though so we didn't get to notice any reactions.

S xx

Fish and chips by the sea

This weekend my Dad was at our apartment in La Zenia, so Jose and I went down there for three days to spend some time with him. On the saturday we went to a village called Bolnuevo in Murcia. An old fishing village that has now been invaded by the English and turned into a holiday spot - like many of the coastal resorts in southern spain.

We went there because it is going to be the nearest beach resort to Dad's new golf apartment (that will be built in the next 18 months). Its developed a lot over the last few years but its still small and got a sleepy feel to it. Salvador - the fisherman in the pictures was telling us all about his life there and how its changed over the years. He was a great character. I asked him what types of fish he caught in the waters off that beach and he had us there for about 20 minutes telling us his life story. Bolnuevo used to have just 60 houses in a line along the front and each housed a fishing family - of which his family was one. He was the oldest son and started fishing with his father at the age of 8. He's now 74. He says there are only four of those original families left now and they just fish for fun these days - as they are all his age or there abouts. He manages to sell some of the fish he catches when the tourists are here - because the restaurants want a lot. In those times he can get about 6 euros per kilo for his catch ......but then in the quiet months he can only get 1 euro per kilo - so he just eats it all himself.

Salvador was a true fisherman - he says he wants to die on that beach and that he has got that beach and those waters in his blood. He doesn't know anything else. He only learnt to read and write when he was 19 and had to go into the army for a year. Before then he could only write his name.

We had fish an dchips and mushy peas in one of the "english pubs" on the front. Not because we are uncultured brits but because it was the only thing open at the time we were looking for something to eat. The fish was amazing though - the biggest I've ever had, totally fresh and freshly battered.

So, if you ever happen to be in Bolnuevo (south of Cartagena) get yourself some fish and chips at the anchor Inn and say hello to Salvador - who is sure to be fiddling with his little boat on the beach.

S xx

6 weeks to go!

Here we are! I really do feel like 2 people now. Put on 2 stone so far - but it is all there in the tummy really. Legs and bum a bit heavier but nothing to worry about for the old recouperation stage.

I spent a day with Jessi (my sister in law) on the farm yesterday and I must say that it made me feel really lreaxed about this whole process. I swear she looks thiner than she did before pregnancy - and baby leire is only 5 weeks old. Jessi and I seemed to put the same weight on at every stage and we are teh exact same height - so hopefully by xmas time I'll be looking as good as she does now.

Leire was a pleasure to have all day. I was doing lots of the tending to her - think Jessi was holding back and letting me have a practice on purpose. Its just like playing at dolls when you put her clothes on. Not that I ever played with dolls much as a child. I was more into anything that involved running around. Maybe I was saving the dolls bit for now - when its necessary.

Leire stops crying imeadiately if Xabi sings the Barcelona football club anthem. Its hilarious! It works every time. He says he used to sing it to Jessi's tummy to make sure Leire would be a barca fan but it has had the effect of calming her because its something melodic that she recognises. Lets see what taste in music Olivia has! I put all sorts of different things on when I'm in the house - from Flamenco right through to full on gun toting Hip Hop.

We are in the process of making olives. Well obviously not "making" them. We have picked about 10 kilos from the trees at the farm and now Jose wants to try different ways of treating them. You have to leave them for a bout a month I think - in all sorts of different herbs and concoctions. His late grandma used to make them and since she has passed away (a year and a half ago) Jose's dad has taken the baton. However, we are not overly impressed with his results and so Jose is going for it early in the taking over of traditions time line and wanting to give it a try. I'm all for it but a bit worried that this batch will turn out rubbish because we have got to do them tomorrow night in a bit of a rush as we are going to La Zenia on Friday morning and they can't really be left until we get back. I would ahve prefered to have not had to have done it all in a rush, pero bueno, we'll see what happens. Its not like there is a shortage of olives to try again with. They have got about 80 olive trees.

A man in marroco told us to put orange peel in with the olives - so we are going to try that one out. See Jose was investigating the olive business back in June in Marroco - he's been thinking about this for a while.......which is a shame that we are now going to actually do it all in a bit of rush. I'll keep you posted.

S xx