We are having a baby!

I've always wanted to be a Mum. For as long as I can remember I day dreamt about it... when people asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I did have some "career" thoughts but I always came back to wanting to be a Mummy. As the oldest of four I think I always had that maternal instinct, I loved helping with my siblings and for as long as I can remember felt the want to protect and love them. My Mum and I, we're best friends.

There's a pretty special bond there and it's my dream to pass that same bond and relationship onto kids of my own one day. I have utmost respect for my Mum, she's an amazing woman. Her and my Dad are an amazing team... bringing up four kids (all of us very different), working full time, allowing enough family pets to run a small Zoo with at times, encouraging us to follow our dreams; they loved, supported and stood by all of us all of the time. They taught us all about strength, determination, respect and above all else they taught us about love.

Having found my own love, I feel so ready for the next chapter. Scared but ready. There is no right or wrong way to do things, no order and fewer expectations these days I reckon. Thinking back I always thought how nice it would be to get married, own a house and start a family. In that order. But you know what, we're not doing things quite like that and that's ok because we're happy.

Making my parents granparents and teaching my little person the love and respect I was taught... well it all sounds quite lovely really! So much to learn, so much to look forward and the thought of it all... well I'm ready (potential famous last words)! So you can imagine my excitement when I found out last October that we're expecting.

Mum & Dad arrived for a fortnight's holiday just a week after we found out. Very much still in the 'honeymoon' phase, I couldn't believe my luck. Living on the other side of the world from them, I always thought I'd have to tell them big news like this on Skype or Facetime! But I didn't. Although very early days there was no way I was passing up on the opportunity to tell them face to face. It was perfect!

So, I'm now 17 weeks with my first and while all my years of being the oldest and looking after other people's little ones have taught me so much, this pregnancy thing is a WHOLE new ball game! Join me on my journey... if you dare! I can't promise not to share too much, or to only share the good bits; not only would that be dishonest, it wouldn't be so much fun either ;)!