Year 2 Day 3: Pick-Me-Up Parcel

Here's to a speedy UN-delivery from Royal Mail. I'm convinced they didn't even knock yesterday when my parcel actually arrived -- then again, I was spark-out upstairs. Still, to my annoyance, Matt plucked the notice out of the mailbox when he returned home on his dinner break from work, so off I went this morning to The Waterfront so I could collect said parcel from the Brierley Hill sorting office.

I must say the contents of the package, along with the thoughtfulness of the sender were really the only thing that saved me being in a funk all day. I say this because when I returned home and checked the post for Saturday, the only thing that occupied our tin mail receptacle was a single envelope from the Directorate of Urban Development of Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council -- undoubtedly the very opposite of good news. It seems as though my well-written challenge of the Penalty Charge Notice I received from the 19th of September "after careful consideration of the circumstances" was found to have no grounds for cancellation of the charge.

To this, my mature and educated response is...JERKS!

If you weren't already up to snuff on this particular rule...the pavement here in the UK is still classed as a 'highway' although it makes NO sense to me and I don't understand how I, as a motorist, should have already deduced this on my own. Needless to say it's looking like we will have to pay the fine, but I won't go down without a fight. A rough draft of a letter to the local MP is already in progress.

But back to the happy bit...my parcel!!

A fellow expat pal (and fellow Ohioan...shout out to St. Mary's *whoop, whoop*), Nikki (who has incidentally produced two absolutely GORGEOUS kiddos), has generously passed on several baby clothing items from her little boy who was born at the beginning of this year. They'll be absolutely perfect for the cold, winter weather of bunny's first few months and they're adorable to look at on top of that! Matt could see my eyes sparkle with excitement in the anticipation of placing these cozy garments on our own little guy.

Tiny confession: I even joked about trying them on the cat, but no worries...Matt quickly shot me down.

Anyway, a huge THANK YOU goes out to Nikki from Matt and me (AND baby) for thinking of us! Very awesome of you!! xx

Day 254 of 365: Meg, Matt & Baby Makes 3!

Yep, exactly what it looks like it is...a Bennett in-the-making! I had my first scan today at Russell's Hall and Matt and I learned that our little bean isn't 12 weeks, but 14!! The due date has gone from the 22nd of December to the 10th. It has to be THE most amazing moment of my life (right up there with our wedding, of course). The baby was all squirmy and I joked with Matt that it better not have my T-Rex arms and midget legs. It was almost a bit like a bobble-head...but still so precious and I loved every second!

We actually discovered we were pregnant Easter weekend (when we moved to the new flat). This has since put us back on the net searching for something with a bit more room and preferably out of Dudley. It's not awful, but we just enjoyed Kingswinford so much more.

Anyway, they said it was too early to determine the sex, so it will have to wait till my 20-week scan in July (which thankfully is after school breaks up for the summer). I also got a letter in the post today that I didn't get chosen for the summer job, but to be honest, nothing can bring me down today...so I'll just keep looking for something else. No worries.

We told Matt's family (parents, sister & her fiance) as soon as we knew, but then told my Nan in the States on Mother's Day (US). It just happened that my aunts were all there at the house with her and they got the news as well.

Today was THE DAY, however...when the gag-order had been lifted and I was finally allowed to announce it on my facebook OFFICIALLY. I can't believe I was able to hold it in so long.


Look what we made!!