Its been a really good week this week for most things. We decided to go shopping over the weekend for baby items. I didn't want to go before the scan as I wanted to make sure everything was okay with the little ones.

I kept all of Katie's baby things, but even with having some things from Katie, we still had to buy some items again, after all we are having two babies. We've bought a moses basket as we already have one which the babies will sleep in for a while, hopefully they will be in them longer than you would normally because they maybe a smaller birth weight. We was going to let the twins co-share the cot, but we have decided we are going to buy another cot further down the line as they may not settle together when they are a bit bigger.

We've bought two new car seats, and whilst we were looking around we were asked if we would like to try them in our car, they advised us that we should check them in the car to ensure a snug and safe fit, the only problem is that we are going to have to change our car because it is too small. We only have a 206 at the minute and there is no way we would be able to fit two car seats in the back as well as Katie's booster chair /seat. We will have to see if they fit in the new car. Paul is looking at people carriers, I really dislike them, they feel like little mini buses. I know its more practical for us to have one but I'm not that keen on them - I love my little 206.

We've got two bouncers chairs and two changing mats as Paul's mum used to look after Katie when she was little so we bought some things double which is lucky really as we don't have to buy these. We've saved all of Katie's toys from when she was a baby, so Paul is going to get these out of the loft next week so I can clean them all. They are all boxed up but I prefer to clean them regardless.

We have decided to buy a Out N About Nipper double with the swivel wheel, we went to buy it but the shop didn't have any in stock so we are waiting for this to come in before we go ahead and buy it.

I've bought a new changing bag, although now I've got it, I'm not sure its going to fit all the baby items in, so I'm going to look round for another one just in case. I can always sell this one on ebay.

We got a lot of Katie's old items out of the loft, her bibs, baby grows, baby vests, clothes that can be for girls or boys, cot blankets, sterilser, baby bath - you name it it came out of the loft. I have washed, cleaned, sterilised and ironed everything so the majority of things are ready. I have also been buying nappies, baby wipes, baby shampoo, baby bath items so we can be ready. I did read in a recent newspaper article that a couple with twins used 80 nappies per week, so I thought I'd better start buying some so it won't be so expensive once they are here. There's nothing like being prepared eh!

I have also bought Katie a couple of items as I didn't want her to feel left out, we've also asked her what things she likes and we've bought a couple of baby clothes and asked her to pick some so she feels involved in everything.

I'm employed as a Housing Officer for a Housing Association and it means I have to travel around, most of my schemes are far out so I end up driving to Ashbourne, Chesterfield, Ashby, etc and I have noticed I am starting to find the driving a little too much. I have felt a bit sick and my stomach feels squashed when I've been in the car for more than 15 minutes. Even as a passenger I'm finding it uncomfortable.

I'm not sleeping very well, although I seem to have an abundance of energy and don't feel very tired at all, I just can't seem to get comfortable when I sleep. I feel like I need to be propped up pretty high all the time. On Tuesday evening, I was a bit short with Paul and ended up sleeping downstairs. Paul thought I had fallen out with him, when I actually just couldn't get comfortable and my stomach was feeling really tight and very heavy, my back was aching and I just wanted to rest my back against something. I was more comfortable on the settee but I struggled to get to sleep and when I did, I woke up 10 minutes later needing the toilet. I've noticed I'm forever needing the toilet and I keep forgetting to do my pelvic floor muscles.

I'm going to ask my consultant if I can use a Tens machine to help with my back pain. They don't usually advise you to use one until you are at least 37 weeks without consulting your midwife, so I will ask at my next consultant appointment on 4th September.

Unfortunately, my constipation, heartburn and piles have returned so I think I will need to keep taking the lactulose on a regular basis. I have tried to increase my fibre intake but there is only so much you can eat. I did start eating 6 weetabix a day, 3 in the morning and 3 at night, which worked really well but I just got so fed up with it. I think I am going to have to revert back to it. The doctor was definately right when he said you get things twice as bad when you have twins, my problem is I didn't have any problems when I had Katie. I hardly knew I was pregnant until my last couple of weeks.

The envelope with the sex of the babies in still hasn't been opened, I must admit I have been itching to open it when I think about it and people keep asking me about it and asking me to open it but I still have my doubts. I also don't want to ruin it for Paul by blurting out the sex by accident. We had a look in Next and I was looking at the boys clothes and Paul asked why I was looking at them and had I looked in the envelope. Its just that I am used to looking at the girls clothes - so imagine what it would be like if I knew - I might give it away so maybe for now I won't look. I think I am going to look just before they are due or towards the end of October - sorry guys but I won't be able to tell you just in case Paul reads this as he sometimes does.

I've started to feel really irritated or annoyed about little things, people ask how I am feeling, and when I say ok or not bad, Paul pipes up - that I'm always moaning about my belly or my back - he's only saying it in a bit of fun, but sometimes it miffs me off, especially as I don't really say it. I've been humping things around (not really heavy), but its just that you don't have as much energy as before, so I don't keep going like I used to, so you are a little huffy and puffy. What sometimes doesn't help is when you do something and Paul can see me huffing and puffing, he doesn't always ask if he can help, he sometimes waits for you to ask - I have found that really irritating - but I think its just my hormones!!

I have noticed I am not as tolerant as I normally am with things and sometimes have lost my temper with Katie, when normally I would talk to her about things or let it go over my head, so I have ended up apologising to Katie for raising my voice at her and I've explained why - not that it makes me feel any better. So I am trying to count to 10 when I feel anxious or irritable or go in the garden for a bit of space. I don't remember being like this with Katie or maybe I've just forgotten.

I seem to find sitting still for long periods of time hard and am always trying to find a comfortable position.

I've recently read that to prepare the baby for turning head down, is to sit forward so you stomach is between your legs or to even sit facing the back of a chair or to be on all fours - I do try to do the first one, but find it uncomfortable for my back - I'm going to try the latter two over the next few weeks if they haven't turned on their own - its a little early for them to be head down just yet.

The babies are really moving about and I just can't get over it, I want to video them over the next week so we can keep it on camera. I wanted to look at doing a pregnancy shoot, but not really sure where or who to use - so if any of you know of anyone please feel free to let me know.

Anita visit The Pregnancy Photographer they specialise in "bump" photography, you can visit them at www.thepregnancyphotographer.co.uk

I've recently put Katie into a local kids photo competition, it was just nice to get a couple of photo's of her, I must admit I'm not really bothered if she wins. I don't need a competition to tell me whether she is beautiful or not, I know she is (very biased I know). She is being so good and she is being great about the twins. I know she will be great with them when the arrive and I can't wait to see her face when she sees them. I've attached a couple of pics of my Katie - see what you think.

Take care

Anita

In the Womb - view at 25 weeks

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