A baby is coming... November 21st.

Earlier this year, in February, David and I found out we were expecting another little bundle of joy.
This is our fourth pregnancy! - Our third earth baby. And, although it was a bit of a shock, we were both very excited when we seen the positive test result.

Fast forward to now 22 weeks.
We had our 12 week scan in May, and found out Peanut is due on the 21st November 2019.
We then had our Gender Scan, followed by a gender reveal party on the 9th June 2019, with all the closest people to us there.

We had our Gender Scan done, in Window to the Womb.
This was the first time we have used them, and honestly? I would go back in a heartbeat.
All the staff were absolutely fantastic, and couldn't do enough for us to make our experience with them 100% perfect.
From start to finish the whole experience was out of this world, and not only did David and I enjoy it, but our girls both enjoyed it aswell.

We got given gender reveal canons, aswell as a heartbeat bear which recorded the heartbeat onto it in the gender colour.
And went home to celebrate with our family.

The girls popped the canons which revealed confetti in ... PINK!

Yes.. we are having our THIRD baby girl and couldn't be anymore ecstatic.

We had our 20 week scan on the 27th June 2019 - and she is already a little monkey and keeping everyone on their toes.
Due to the position she's currently lying, the sonographer couldn't get a view of her heart and chambers, so we have to go back on the 25th July for a re-scan of her heart.

To be honest though, every scan we have had so far, she has been a little rascal. She's very alert already and hates to be disturbed, so as soon as they start to scan me, she becomes very active, jumping about and kicking, so it's been impossible to get a proper look at her, but so long as she is growing well and healthy, that's all we can wish for.

The girls obviously cannot wait to welcome their baby sister into the world. Lexie-Anna I thought, being the baby of the family, would have taken this news badly - but surprisingly she has been so protective of my bump, and the love she has for "Skyla" as she has named her (LOL) - is unreal.
I just hope she won't be too disappointed when we let her down gently and tell her baby isn't going to be called Skyla!
Although, at this rate, at least her big sister is actually thinking of her, and named her, for me and her dad can't seem to agree.

A McCullough Family Catch Up

Well, I guess it's time for a McCullough catch up! - Just a wee bit of an insight to what we have been up to from December! 

Obviously December was an extremely busy month, with Christmas Nativities, Christmas Showcases in the dance school, Christmas parties, visiting family, and then off course Christmas Day itself and the whole hype leading up to it. 

School Nativity:

So this year, for the second year running, Lacey-Beth played the part of an Angel in the school nativity - and Lexie-Anna played a Star - Unfortunately, I couldn't get a proper photo of Lexie-Anna to upload as other children that I don't know them or their families personally were in the pics, so I can't obviously upload them. 

Anyway - the school nativity was fabulous as always, and the girls really enjoyed taking part. 

A bit of a bittersweet one this year - as it was Lexie-Anna's first school nativity, however, it was also the last nativity Lacey-Beth will take part in, as from Primary Four onwards, they don't participate. 

So it was a bit sad that it was the first and last time we'll have seen the girls, together in a nativity, still lovely all the same. 

ABD Dance Exam and Medal Test:

So, another huge milestone reached for Lacey-Beth. On 17th December, she took part in her very first dance exam and medal test. The exam she had to do the examination dance moves / stretches that she had been learning for weeks since August - and the medal test she had to perform her Jazz/Modern solo to go for a Bronze medal. 

And after a six week wait - she finally got the results, and she PASSED both! 

She passed her exam with a merit, and passed the medal test with a high merit. 

This is the first time her dance school have done examinations, and the first time Lacey-Beth has ever sat such an important exam. She loved every moment though, and was so proud of herself, as were we very proud of her. 

And she's now moved up a level for the next exam! 

Dance Christmas Showcase:

The girls took part in their dance school's Christmas Showcase performing a dance each on stage. 

Lexie-Anna was a gingerbread lady, and Lacey-Beth a snow woman. 

The Christmas show as always was incredible, and the girls really enjoyed themselves, and loved performing.. Their dance school always puts on a fantastic show for both Christmas and End of Year. 

Photo Competition:

Lacey-Beth entered a photo competition for a local shop in town, and WON

This was the photo she entered with, captioned with - Dancing infront of the Tree

She won a christmas hamper from the shop - so kind of them. The basket they gave her was absolutely beautiful, and im now using it to keep all my cleaning products in. 

Sweet Shop Competition:

I, also feeling very lucky, entered a competition for a new local sweet shop in town, to win a giant lolly - and won. So the girls were over the moon to get this huge lollypop that was bigger than them. 

And no, they couldn't finish it. 

Hand Foot and Mouth:

Lexie-Anna came down with hand, foot and mouth disease, which unfortunately meant she had to miss a week of school. And unfortunately, during this week, her class were doing fairytale day, which she had been looking forward to, bless her. So, we decided to do fairytale day at home, and let her have one of her christmas presents a bit early, to cheer her up a bit - so she was over the moon to dress up as Rapunzel. Her favourite princess atm. 

Improving with Writing Work: 

Lexie-Anna is definitely improving with her writing work in school. She's doing fantastic, and her teachers have said she's a little pleasure. Very hardworking and tries her hardest at everything shes asked to do! Very proud to hear such a good report, especially as I know she had been fretting about going. 

The Ear Piercing Incident:

Lacey-Beth decided she wanted to use some money she received from her great grandparents on Christmas Eve, to get her ears pierced. 

Now - a little story here - Lacey-Beth got her ears pierced for an Easter Present, two years ago, which she let close over, because she was terrified about changing the earrings, and needed to after one of the studs fell out - so two years later - with her closed holes, she was desperate to get them pierced again - using the argument, she was older now, and wouldn't cry, and would be brave, and everything else - So I said, fine, its her money, let her do what she wants with it - so yes, she was brave, she got them pierced no issues - but now, two months later, shes gone and let them close again, due to being afraid to put new earrings in after a problem with Claires Accessories studs. 

FML

So NO.. while shes under our roof - she will NEVER have another piercing again! 

Christmas Eve:

 Christmas Eve, we had a quite day! We went into town for a walk that day, then had a chinese for dinner that night, while we watched the Christmas Chronicles on Netflix. 

The girls had a bath and put their Christmas Eve PJs on, and LOVED their LOL Christmas Eve Boxes. 

Christmas Day: 

We had a lovely Christmas Day! Spent the day at my Mum and Dads for dinner. The girls had the best day ever and got everything they asked for. Lacey-Beth is absolutely smitten by her Baby Boy - Jack! 

The Luvabella Boy! 

Definitely worth every single penny! 

A magical Christmas, and spent with the most important people, which is all that matters. 

D a n c e:

The girls are still loving their dance days! 

Lexie-Anna got pupil of the week just after Christmas and it made her week - and Lacey-Beth is coming on well with her private lessons and is LOVING her new solo. 

First Dance Competition of 2019:

Lacey-Beth competed in her first dance competition of 2019 at the start of January. It was a Lyrical comp, so she only danced her lyrical routine, but she got to wear her new lyrical costume, and it was beautiful on her. 

She didn't place in this comp, but she loved every moment and had a ball. 

Meatballs:

Lexie-Anna has always hated eating Mince - spag bol was never a favourite of hers. 

However, I made some meatballs last week, and she loved them. 

I was so chuffed that she had tried them, after thinking she wouldn't entertain the thoughts! 

Such a challenge for her to do this, and now she's found a new food she can enjoy at dinner times! 

So yeah, this is pretty much it in a nutshell. Nothing else much exciting has happened over the last month or so! 

Hope you have all been well? 

Once again, the bad blogger side of me has shown it's ugly head. I apologise. I haven't been blogging since 29th September. 
Not much has really happened since then, as let's face it, our lives aren't exactly the most interesting, fun or exciting, nothing much happens. 
But, i'll do a 'catch up' for you all, just so you know what we've all been up to since September. 

Well, around the first week of October, my mum went abroad - it was her first ever holiday, abroad. She turned the big 50 in April and her sister turned the big 60 in September - so their Brother and his wife, surprised them both with a holiday to Greece during the first week of October. 
She absolutely loved it - A week of peace without me, or the girls annoying her. Peace away from her husband (my dad) - and away from my brother. No-one bothering her, no worries, no stresses, some much needed and well deserved time for her to relax. It was strange, I will be honest. Me and my mum are so close, we don't go a single day without seeing each other - even if it is only for five minutes after or before the school run - (pffft who am I kidding? it's never for a quick 5 minutes) - so going from seeing her every single day, to not seeing her at all - and barely having contact as lets face it, overseas calls cost a fortune, and the fact she was too busy lapping up the sun to be bothered with texts or phone calls, and rightly so. The girls missed her like crazy too, and I know she missed them, but, she was back within a week - and everything went back to normal. 

While she was away, I got gas heating installed in my own home - and my Dad and David decorated Mum's living room for her while she was away - so it was a busy week at home for us aswell. 

The night before the gas was due to be installed - I had to stay over night with the girls at my Dad's - as our beds had to be moved, and everything piled on top of them - So it was nice to have a bit of quality time with Dad - as that's something we NEVER do, ever.. We watched a movie with the girls and he got munchies in for us all. It was nice. 

The gas getting installed left a HUGE mess - but it was totally worth it. The heating ever since we changed over has been incredible. We are all so much warmer. It's a lot cheaper to run, and the water pressure since changing - WOW! - I would definitely recommend gas heating over oil heating, any day. 

The girls started at a new girls brigade in October also. Their old GB was lovely, and all the leaders so nice - unfortunately the girls didn't really know anybody, and so were not enjoying it for those reasons, so we moved them to a new Girls Brigade that all of their friends attend, and so far, they are absolutely loving it, and look forward to going each and every week, which is fabulous! 
How cute do they look in their new uniforms though? 

Lacey-Beth took part in another dance competition in October - WLDF (world lyrical dance federation) - where she danced her Jazz Solo and Lyrical Solo! 

She placed 7th Place, in the Under 8's Section with her Jazz Solo and 8th Place in the Under 8's section with her Lyrical, and won two trophies, so she was overwhelmed. 
She was planning on taking part in the improv section - but backed out at the last minute. 
The competitions are definitely giving her a new found confidence. 

Lexie-Anna returned to dance for a second year - after taking a month out, she decided she wanted to go back. We've put her in on her own, well in a class on her own, without Lacey-Beth with her - and to be honest, it is the best move we made, shes become a lot more independent instead of relying on Lacey-Beth, and she can enjoy learning the dances more, rather than Lacey-Beth bossing her about. 
She's looking forward to performing in the Christmas Showcase next week. 

Lexie-Anna's class in school were doing the topic - "what do I want to be when I grow up"
and Lexie-Anna has decided she would like to be a Paramedic. 
She's become really interested and obsessed with paramedics since October. 
My granda (her great granda) - took sick, and the paramedics came out to the house. She witnessed this, and became intrigued in what they do, and how they helped her Granda Benny, and ever since then, she has said, she wants to be a paramedic when she grows up.
She loved it, that the paramedics came into the school for a visit to her class aswell. 

The girls had a very busy week leading up to Halloween - School had a Halloween Disco, and the girls dressed up as a Broken Doll, and a Candy Witch - then their youth club had a halloween disco - again Lacey-Beth went as a broken doll, and Lexie-Anna as a Zombie Bride - then Halloween it's self they dressed up as a Broken Doll and Witch for trick or treating. 

Halloween was also Lacey-Beth's 7th Birthday! I can't believe my first born, is now seven years old. 
We celebrated earlier on in the day, with a trip to Build-a-Bear, followed by lunch at Cosmo's all you can eat buffet, and a shopping trip in Belfast - visiting Castle Court's The Entertainer, and Lush Cosmetics - where the girls picked out some Halloween Bath Bombs and Bubble Bars. 

We then had cake when we arrived home - a gorgeous LOL themed birthday cake, for an LOL mad little girl. 

It was a nice chilled, relaxing day, and she said it was the best birthday she had ever had. 

We put our Christmas Tree up quite early on in November - I have no idea why, I was feeling a tad excited at the time, and thought, yes, let's do it - But, our Charlie came down once it was all up, and was loving the lights.
He's almost 5 months old, and will soon be celebrating his first Christmas, it's hard to believe. 

And lastly - in the last few days - Our elf Peppermint returned - bringing with him his Wife snowflake and their babies - Buddy and Cindy-Lou-Who. 
And the girls also went to visit Santa in the grotto at the school Christmas fayre. 

 

That's us all caught up to date! 
Like I said, nothing very exciting, just the days of our normal everyday lives. 

October's Library Visit | A few days early

Technically this is supposed to be October's library visit, but we're a few days early.

Our previous library books were due back today, so had to be returned, so we just collected some new books while we were there. 

So this month, 

Lacey-Beth's choice picks are:

- Jacqueline Wilson - Cookie 

- R.L Stine - Goosebumps 

- Kate Pankhurst - Mariella Mystery investigates the disappearing dinner lady 

- Gillian Sheilds - When the world is ready for bed 

- Camilla De La Bedoyere - Whale Shark 

Lexie-Anna's choice picks are:

- Elfida Vipont - The Elephant and the Bad Baby

Ladybird Books - Goodnight Peppa 

- Richard Dungworth and Jane Massey - One Little Baby

Sean Taylor - Crocodiles are the best animals of all 

- David Walliams - The slightly annoying elephant 

We already had Jacqueline Wilson's - Cookie out last month, unfortunately never got the chance to finish it, so Lacey-Beth has decided to take it again so as we can finish it off. 

I am looking forward to reading David Walliams book also, I've heard so many great reviews about his story books. 

This month I also decided to take out two books for myself aswell, just to give me a bit of bedtime reading. 

So I've went for 

Jane Elliott's - Mummy's Little Girl and The little Prisoner 

Unsure how i'll feel about them, they sound like a book thats going to have me crying, but I am keen to get stuck back into reading. I used to adore reading, but the last book I read was 50 shades of Grey because everyone else was raving about it. 

Can anyone suggest any decent reads for me to give a try?