14 months!

Wow seriously, did I really let it go so long?

It is really difficult to know where to begin when you have spent the last year on a crazy roller coaster ride, with it's ups and downs all the way along... first let me explain a little something..

One of my last posts before I took this, ahem.. extended break talked about someone who was using Eden's pictures on a fake Polyvore profile. I have to be honest and say it really bothered me and although I contacted the website and got the page shut down it left me seriously questioning the safety of the Internet and my little girls photographs. Since then though, I have been using instagram, and posting pictures on my secure profile on Facebook and I think the time is right to get back to updating this little space I have here because I would like to share them with my family in later years.

So what's been happening?

This little lady had a 3rd birthday party! (she is 4 in November)

 

 

E was diagnosed with vesicouretal reflux and last month she had keyhole surgery at Alder Hey Children's Hospital. To say that we have had a tough 12 months would be a serious understatement. We found out through numerous scans, x-rays, tests that Eden's right kidney is malformed, either damaged due to the numerous kidney infections she has suffered, or maybe a deformity that she was born with. She has around 20% function on this kidney and probably full function of the left side. As you can imagine as parent this was pretty devastating and luckily they got her in pretty quickly to operate on her ureters, having what the call a STING procedure. So now we go back on Wednesday to find out if the surgery has worked.. pray for us please!

 

 



 

 

On a brighter note we have started pre-school!

 

 

 

"World Day" at school. Eden dressed as a Flamenco Dancer Hola!!"

 

 

She so loves pre-school and her teacher. Only recently has she started to talk about the other children being her "friends" and telling me about the things they get up to. It is adorable.

 

 

I promise to update more often, these months and years are like fleeting moments that I don't want to forget, ever.

 





6 months in

So I have a new phone and along with this blogger app I guess there should be no reason for me not to post, so here goes.

For one, I cant believe it has been so long since we moved into this new place and what with all of the jobs we have been doing around the place I blinked and suddenly we have a little lady on our hands. It has been a busy 6 months and at times, actually quite often I have felt overwhelmed. I do think I have always been quite a laid back person but I think there has been to many changes going on and it has caused me a lot of anxiety. For one being out of work has at times been difficult cos I felt (And still do) a lot of guilt for not bringing any income in. That being said it has been fun and challenging spending this time with Eden before she starts preschool in January.

So I'm hoping to be around a lot more now. If you use instagram then look me up, my username is littleshel.

For now xxx

Untitled

Managed to capture a lovely few pics of Eden and Daddy last week, where loving how well she expresses her love now. I can't imagine her ever being a moody teenager and not wanting kisses from Mummy & Daddy.

Shel x

Forever Friends

I took Eden to one of these soft play places yesterday, and we met up with a couple of her little friends. We had a really nice time and I was so happy because we had no tantrums, no tears and she even played a little with the other kids. For me it feel's like a real achievement because she is usually not really into other kids but I have been trying to talk to her a bit about her friends and to tell her how nice they are.

I think it's finally working. My friends adorable little boy is only a few months older than Eden and I have this romantic view of them being life long friends and being really close etc etc etc.. but Eden has never been amused with him at all. It's a shame because he is such a sociable little thing and when he has wanted to play with her previously she has just cried or ran away from him; so I was so happy that we hit a turning point and she was really interested in him. They even exchanged a few kisses and posed together for a few pictures (none of which are good mobile pics but I like the out takes just the same).

Next, we will work on "sharing".

Shel xx

Dressing Up FUN

*WARNING***

Seriously adorable images to follow :o)))

Was a bad mum today as i made Eden get dressed up in her Halloween costume as she never got to wear it in November, what with being sick at the time.. i thought i may aswell try to get my moneys worth, plus it's nice to try and get a Halloween pic every year.

Well she took it like a champ considering, i had to put it on her doll first to convince her to wear it hehe.

One thing that strikes me looking at these is how much older she looks, and how she has begun to pose and listen to what i ask of her when i take pictures. The poor kid has had a camera trust in her face since birth but surprisingly seems to really like it.

Oh, by the way my "i" key keeps sticking so i can't make a capital.. very annoying indeed!

Shel xxx

I'm Back

It's been a while :o)

I have been focused on other things that have been going on and unfortunately writing/blogging has had to take a back seat.. SORRY I promise to be better... so what's been going on with you?

We have had craziness, in no particular order..

HOUSE MOVE - (at short notice) we spent the first month living out of boxes with the house down to bare brickwork (not good with a toddler I might add)

SICKNESS - Eden was hospitalised on CHRISTMAS DAY for a bacterial infection/fever/convulsion...

REDUNDANCY - yup....nuff said

So as life goes there has been a lot going on and some major lifestyle changes that we are still trying to adjust to. It has been tough but I am trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel now. I feel like there has been far too much stress to contend with. I am thankful that we have the new house to focus on and with me losing my job we have had to pull Eden out of nursery which she loved :o( but she is keeping me busy so there is no time to feel sorry for myself.

As Eden goes, well every day is FUN, CHALLENGING, REWARDING and HARD but I wouldn't have it any other way. We are waiting for her hospital visit on 15th Feb to confirm that she has thallasemia and to hopefully sort out a treatment plan of some kind. You see, she gets sick really easily, as well as being tired and lethargic a lot.. it has been really tough but hopefully we are now getting somewhere.

I'm sorry I feel like I am ending this post on quite a downward note but I will try to leave you with some niceness from the past few months. xx

BIG modelling job

Flower Girl

Dancing with her boyfriend

2nd Birthday Gift

Beauty at 2

New Pose :o)

Bye for now xxx

Moving On

To say I have been busy is an under statement. Along with the general, working, sick toddler, day-by-day stuff we are buying a new home.

After 2 years of our house being on the market in a BAD housing market we decided enough is enough as I cannot stand the cramped conditions in our house. As much as I love the place, and it does hold a lot of special memories for us being our first home together that we basically gutted and renovated we have decided to bite the bullet and rent it out. That way, we get to hold onto it but without the burden of having to live here.

So thats that.

We found a bigger semi locally with a fantastically large garden by local standards that is going to be amazing for Eden, an extra bedroom, upstairs bathroom instead of downstairs, and an extra loo. I could go on, probably one of the most important things about the house is that I am just up the road from one of the bests primary schools in the country.  I am so excited.

Only problem, we have to renovate this one too.

Were not scared of the work cos we have done it before, however we didn't have an inquisitive toddler in tow last time. How we are going to tackle that I have no idea. As we don't have a tenant yet were going to try to do as much as possible before we actually move in. I think if we tackle the main rooms then any other less important stuff can be done at a later date.

Well, my touchpad won't allow me to upload any pictures but I promise I will soon. Has anyone completed renovations with a toddler around? I would be interested to hear how that went!

Shel x