I am so excited to introduce the newest perfect addition to our family, Charles Mark aka Charlie.

Born by scheduled c-section on Friday, our little guy was a whole pound heavier and 1.5cm shorter than E but otherwise his twin.

The c-section was a surreal experience and it's recovery while uncomfortable is bearable and no worse than a third degree tear. The surgical team warned me it would feel like some one was doing the washing up in my stomach and strangely, that's exactly what the sensations were like... lots of pulling, tugging and pressure but thankfully no pain.

Charlie Bear at 3.5 days old so far is a dream sleepy baby that feeds like a dream and sleeps ... E never slept, not at all from day 1 so to have a baby that needs to be woken for feeds is quite the novelty here and I'm definitely not taking it for granted.

Most importantly and to my absolute joy, E is a delightful big brother who couldn't be happier about his new status and that his 'bubby' is here. He loves to touch him, talk to him and kiss him but is extraordinarily gentle and sweet.

We have come home today and while it was a little sad leaving after receiving such thoughtful attentive care, it's even better to be in the comfort of our home with my boys, all my boys, and watching E fall in love with his baby brother.

How far along? 37 weeks ... Baby is full term.

How far along? 36 weeks ... And I'm officially on mat leave! Hooray for some time out before our world gets turned upside down in the most amazing way.

How far along? 35 weeks ... Where the heck has time even gone? I'd hate to think how fast any subsequent pregnancy would pass if we were planning any more.

How far along? 34 weeks ... OMG I'm having a baby in a month give or take!

How far along? 33 weeks ... only 2.5 weeks till maternity leave starts and 5-6 weeks before we meet B2! S actually had a mini freak out earlier in the week exclaiming we hadn't done anything to get ready for the baby and its all snuck up on him. Cue laughter from me and the reassurance that all we have to do is put the capsule in the car, everything essential has been done/organised otherwise.

How far along? 32 weeks ... Boy, girl? Arghhhh its killing me! I'm feeling so disorganised as I have 2 enormous boxes of newborn clothes - one pink, one blue - and I don't know which to unpack so they are just sitting in the nursery awaiting D-Day.

How far along? 31 weeks ... I'm now hanging out to know if we are having a boy or a girl! I still can't believe I've managed to last this long without giving in.

How far along? 30 weeks ... we spent the weekend trying to get our heads around the fact we will have a newborn in around 8 weeks! Time really has flown for the most part this pregnancy and I guess a lot of that is because I have E as my main focus rather than the pegnancy itself ... chasing a toddler doesn't leave much time for reading pregnancy books and thinking about the changes to come.

How far along? 28 weeks ... the 3rd trimester is almost here!.

How far along? 27 weeks ... the 3rd trimester is almost here!.

How far along? 26 weeks ... I'll be on mat leave before I know it at this rate.

How far along? 25 weeks ... and counting down. 

How far along? 24 weeks ... the end is near... enough! Only about 10 weeks of work to go. 

Stretchmarks? my Mothercare cream is still doing its job, none.

Symptoms: lots and lots of Braxton Hicks contractions this past week and more than a little uncomfortable. Particularly if I don't drink enough water. The heartburn is also showing no signs of abating. 

Sleep: not great as the toddler is teething I suspect and crying out on and off. He's also had dirty nappies overnight which is extremely unusual :(

Miss Anything? oh how I'd love an icy cold Stone & Wood Pacific Ale in this heat!

Movement: baby never stops wriggling and its kicks are becoming a little more forceful as time goes on. You can definitely see some movement from the outside clearly now.

Stretchmarks? None... my magic cream is working thus far..

Symptoms: Just the usual tiredness and heartburn but its to be expected I guess. The doctor has ordered some bloods this week to check all levels to be sure the ongoing exhaustion is nothing more than running around after an active toddler while pregnant. 

Sleep: last night I had a solid 9 hour sleep and for the first time in forever, I woke up feeling rested and well rather than as  though I hadn't slept at all.

Miss Anything? I have thoughts of Camembert and Brie in my head constantly not to mention a craving for a McDonalds chocolate sundae - no kidding, I never eat these but they were all I could think of when pregnant with E and I ate them every night for a week after he was born and haven't since.

Movement: baby still feels really low but my bump is high with lots of rolling movement and hiccups ... loving every little flutter.

Stretchmarks? No sign so far.

Symptoms: tiredness but that's probably more to do with the early rising of camping plus the heat wave we've been having. The killer heartburn also seems to have kicked in and even water is an agitator.

Sleep: completely out to it once I get to bed. I love sleep!

Miss Anything? Camping definitely wasn't quite the same without midday beers and joining my mum and sis for wine and bubbles.

Movement: lots of kicking and wriggling from the little bean... Feels like it's quite low.