{this moment}

{this moment}  - A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember

My Toddler & his broken bones :(

{this moment}

{this moment} - A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

Mama & Baby Bear

Gordys 70th Birthday Celebrations!





The photos above tell the tale of our weekend away with the extended family to celebrate the patriachs 70th Birthday.

Grandad Gordy and his brood celebrated all weekend - A dad, a wife, 3 sons and their wives and children celebrated the beauty of family life. We even had time to remember our dear friends and blow a few bubbles for a special little blog baby - these are for you MM xx

{this moment}

{this moment} - A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

3 Generations of Lewis Boys celebrating the patriachs 70th

International Kangaroo Care Awareness Day

Today was International Kangaroo Care Awareness Day. What's that? I hear you ask, well for babies like our little E who were born early, Kangaroo Care is essential for their development, it helps parents and babies bond and is known to be beneficial for growth.

So what is Kangaroo Care?
Kangaroo care is a technique practised on premature babies where the baby is held, skin-to-skin, with an adult. Kangaroo care for prem babies is often restricted to a few hours per day, but if they are medically stable that time may be extended. The first time I was allowed to hold Evan, I literally had him for 6 hours straight. He was so calm & still & peaceful & so happy to be next to me. When he was in his incubator he would twitch on & off & it would freak Craig & I out thinking something was wrong. I swear that day, when I held him for all that time he was still ..... calm .... sleeping & content. I was so so so happy to finally hold him after all that time. All my dreams had come true. 

Evan had been born 3 days earlier in what can only be described as the most horrendous & traumatic time of our lives. Poor Craig endured a hellish 24 hours which resulted in the emergency birth of our son, who once delivered struggled to breathe, was grunting & fighting for his young life. I was in a hell of a state also having succumbed to the perils of pre-eclampsia that was very nearly eclampsia. It wasn't how we'd planned it in our heads, we wanted a calm birth, with Craig cutting the cord, we dreamt of being the 3 of us together, meeting one another, holding each other tight & thanking God for our miracle but Evan was whisked away to NICU & pumped full of drugs & put on a ventilator, and I was stitched up and pumped full of drugs and put into a temporary coma to recover from the trauma. It was quite literally awful - but he was here & although we weren't sure of what the prognosis was for either of us at that time, we were both alive. We were so grateful, we thanked God for keeping us safe and I slept ... I slept for a very loooong time.

3 days later, the nicu nurse said "would you like to hold Evan?" I nearly lost my lunch there and then on the floor. "Would I like to hold him? - I would LOVE to hold him" tears falling like hail stones from my eyes, I can't tell you HOW HAPPY I was to be asked that question so on the Friday, 15th October 2010 I held my son, for 6 hours straight for the first time in his life and I was on cloud nine. 

Inserting Baby E for Kangaroo Care 

Daddy having Kangaroo Cuddles

Mama Kangaroo & her Joey 

Take a look over here at my friend Kylie's blog, she too had a premmie and has blogged about her Kangaroo Care experience and it's more relevant to Kylie as she's an Aussie living in the UK :) x

This week

A few sentences of the things we have been doing, what has captured our imaginations and the things we love. 

This week, we have been ... 
:: enjoying the bank holiday with both sides of the family, a beautiful day at Bowood House in the sunshine.
:: relishing in the free time that my wonderful sister in law gave us. Taking care of Evan for the day meant Craig & I could re-connect. Breakfast/Brunch shopping gardening all the things we can't do with Evan around.
:: finding out that working mums really have a rough deal.
:: reading lots of stories, Evan currently enjoying the Topsy & Tim tales me: the night circus.
:: learning how to be patient. We could all do with slowing down a bit more.
:: eating seasonal, local produce mostly vegetarian fodder. 
:: waiting  for the sun to shine again.
:: meeting new people at a 'tweetup' 
:: anticipating a weekend of fun with the Lewis's as we celebrate the patriarchs 70th birthday! 
:: remembering that home is where the heart is & nobody loves me more than my boo 

:: wishing you peace in your heart today and all week long.

{this moment}

 {this moment} - A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

Evan & Chums 

Guest Post at Make Do and Push

Our lovely blogger friend Hannah has hosted our responses to her question "What's in your change bag?"

You can read it here: http://www.makedoandpush.co.uk/2013/05/whats-in-your-changing-bag-7th-may-2013.html

Take a look at Hannahs blog if you get time, she writes beautifully & posts some gorgeous photos x

A visit to Great Grandma

I'm so lucky that I have my Grandma still alive, In 3 years time I will be forty and she will be 85 so by Grandma stakes she was a youngster when I was born in 1975. I'm so glad that we managed to make Evan whilst she was still around. She was desperate to be a great grandma, having watched all her friends become one way before she did. She absolutely adores our little man & likewise he adores her. It's so cute watching them together, 2 wonderful people at different ends of the age spectrum.

My Gran lives alone just 20 miles away from us in Gloucestershire, up until recently she had a lovely black labrador called Gemma to keep her company but unfortunately illness took her too soon & now my Gran is once again on her own. She really is a marvellous woman, so independent & strong. You wouldn't think she was the age she is. She keeps herself busy by volunteering for many things, like charity work, reading for talking pages - a local paper that is put on the tape for folks who can't read or have little or no eyesight. She also helps once a week at the local school, sitting with the children listening to them read. She loves it, & equally they love her.

On Saturday we spent lunch with Grandma. She took us to a local cafe in Cam, Berryblue Cafe & Bistro It's a lovely, bright, modern cafe close to her house. Recently opened, it offers a selection of light lunches, tea coffee & cake. It was scrumptious - all of us feasting like kings for a very reasonable price. If you are in the area you should check it out.



Oldest & Youngest members of our family feasting.


Afterwards, we went back to Grandmas & had a walk in the orchard where she used to take her dog. We played Billy Goats Gruff on the bridge & chased the butterflies. It really was a lovely sunny day.


Playing Billy Goats Gruff



Chasing Butterflies



We then came home for a quick cuppa before it was time to go & we got chatting about TV. I told her about a show I was watching called 'The Village' - have you seen it? My Great Grandpa fought in WW1 as did his 2 brothers, unfortunately they didn't come home & I asked her about them. Much to my surprise she was able to show me photographs of them both, I wish I'd taken a photo of them to share with you. It was very emotional seeing their faces in these photos. So young & so full of life. Creul, wicked war.

Samuel Edwards - died in France, December 1915 aged 30.

Charles Edwards died in Turkey, August 1917 aged 21.

My Grandpa George fought in the final year of WW1 & did his brothers proud, he won a bravery award for going over the top & taking some German soldiers as POW's. The very thought of that goes against all my beliefs of humanity but at that time, that's what he was there to do and for that reason he makes me feel very proud. Grandpa George - I wish I'd met you maybe we'll meet again & just maybe you are having a ball with your brothers in heaven, I hope so.

Happy Birthday Matilda Mae x

Today is the 2nd of May. 

On the 2 May 2002, the Lewis family welcomed a long awaited little girl. Charlotte Emily, after having a family full of boys she was a breath of fresh air, today she turned 11. We are so lucky to have watched her grow into a feisty, happy & healthy little girl and in a few weeks we will be celebrating her special day with her.

Charlotte - 18 Months

Our friends over at Edspire should also be celebrating today, for exactly one year ago they welcomed Matilda Mae into their family, but this isn't meant to be. Matilda was taken too soon, taken by SIDS. 

Matilda Mae - 7 Months

It seems so sad that we are happily celebrating our beautiful nieces special day, when a family so dear to us are still mourning the loss of their precious little girl. Evan and I took time some time away today and went out to remember Matilida Mae in a way that's become her thing. Blowing bubbles. From now on, when I see bubbles, I see that beautiful little face. Fly high little girl ... you are so loved, loved by so many xxx

Bubbles for MM xxxx