NEARLY 4 WEEKS OLD...

Hey there,

so Reuben is now nearly 4 weeks old... how time flies on the other (more preferable) side of pregnancy!

Rick has been back to work for 2 weeks now and mum and baby are coping not too badly at home by ourselves (not that we have been by ourselves much as Nana amd Granny have been down to visit a few times!).

Reuben is now 9lb 6oz and still growing fast...he eats A LOT!! All three of us are having a ball
Below are some more recent photos of Reuben.

Glad to announce the latest Allen arrival...

So as most of you probably know Reuben Joseph Allen (Ben) arrived into the world on Monday 29/1/07 at 12.27pm. He was 8lb 9oz and 54cm long.

Since then we have been enjoying every minute of parenthood (including the sleepless nights, it all seems so worth it!). Reuben is a very good baby (or has been so far) doing everything baby should do.

Rick is off work this week on paternity leave, so we'll see how well mummy copes on her own next week!

Below are some photos... the first week of Reuben Allen.

UPDATE

Baby Allen must be very comfortable, as there is no sign of movement yet!
Now a week and 2 days overdue beanie has no choice but to be delivered next Thursday night or before (if it decides to come out of its own accord).

That will have given beanie an extra fortnight of warmth and comfort and that is plenty!!!

Thanks for all the prayers, will keep you all posted but at least we can say that by next weekend Allen junior will have arrived!

x

so...

So still no little allen appeared yet. Today is my due date, however only 5% of women go on their due date so I am guessing it will now be sometime in the next fortnigt (o my goodness, can I keep carrying this 10lb bump around for another 2 weeks?)

Happy birthday to Stacey for yesterday... hope you had a good one!

we will keep you posted on the beanie thing- everyone jst keep praying.
Thanks

xx

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS ALL ROUND

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME (because I came first)
and also to little Caleb my special birthday buddy nephew ... 1 today!!

The pictures below are me on my 1st birthday...


Hope everyone (I know a few people) who's birthday it is today has a good one-

xx

As promised... He-Man

Anyone who can translate this please leave a comment. In a couple of days I will post the script which we think young David was trying to say...

don't worry Dave, your cool!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Well everyone,

its great to see that my days sitting at home can be more interesting as the Canada Allens and Elia now have started to update their blogs. I love reading them guys, it keeps me busy!!

Christmas was lovely this year. Very relaxing and totally pampered! Spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day at L+L's with Winnie. Lovely day of food and craic (although we did eat so much junk most of us felt ill!). This was my first Christmas day at the Carrick Allens and really enjoyed it! Presents were great too...

We then travelled up to Ballymena on Christmas night to celebrate a second Christmas on boxing day. Apparently Christmas day had been non eventful in Ballymena without the presence of rick and I (lol) so we opened more Christmas presents. Boxing day was lovely with my nana and papa, we also got to visit some of my other family. Very relaxing...



New Year was spent with Keith and Jude, Calin and Mia. An indian and some champagne was a great way to bring in 2007. Rick and I popped into the Ulster Hall to see my wee bro play sax on stage- it was a very good set and enjoyed listening to him.

COMING SOON

A RICKNKATE BLOGSPOT EXCLUSIVE

STARRING
DAVID ALLEN "HE-MAN"
"defender of ne nooniverse"


Will be available with subtitles...

WATCH THIS SPACE

This is worth a look- TRUST ME!!

Just watch and listen-

if it isn't up and running yet come back and visit soon, as it will be working shortly!

Mum and Stewarts Birthday

Well my little Bro stewart was born on my mums birthday 18 years ago tomorrow. A very important year for them both as stewart hits the big 18 and mum the smaller and more insignificant 50!!!!!

Sunday was Stewarts birthday lunch of choice which was the red panda at junction one. Lovely meal. Then home to open presents (stew got a chocolate fountain).



Tonight we went with nana and papa to Ballyrobin for mums birthday te surprise (it was a surprise up to a point). Again another lovely meal and a great night had by all!!




HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM AND STEWART...

Christmas is near, its that time of year!

Well, we had a great nights craic at the senior allen house last friday night! I didn't realise making ginger bread houses could get so competitive (what was I thinking, with lilian, rick, nicola whyte and may green in the same room of course it would be competitive!) anyway, it was loads of fun and here are some pics of the finished products...by the way we should have won beacuse we had a window!!

The following day Lilian and I went and bought a Christmas Tree. I have never chosen a real Christmas Tree before but apparently it was my fault that the trunk bent half up the tree... it was fun, although lilian did all the decorating. That seems to be the way I help her decorate, to sit back and watch! :)

To further the Christmas spirit Rick and I took my nana and papa mccartney and ricks granny winnie to Crawfordsburn Inn for afternoon tea on Monday. Apart from the service lacking a little professionalism when we arrived the food was delicious and the atmosphere was perfect. The fire was lit and while we ate our scones and cream and cucumber sandwhiches we simply had a great time. These are memories to be treasured for sure!!

So long, farewell...

Well, as sad as I am to say this, I finish work today. Slightly earlier than originally planned but when beanie says stop, I stop!! So after 19 weeks in the Department of Health at Stormont, I am leaving.
Civil service definitely has its benefits and I have learned a fair wee bit from the Doctors here (especially since I plan to go into psychology type things at some stage!)
Well bye bye government ppl...

also tonight we are going to the allen parents to make ginger bread houses (secretly quite excited). The Christmas spirit has begun...

xx

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

First of all today is Daves birthday in Canada.... so HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE and hope you have a really good one!! Missing you guys!




Secondly, above you will see two pictures...one is Louis Walsh (manager of bands such as westlife, girls aloud and mentor on x factor). The second is a headshot of my uncle Bill who works in the TV industry (very important person!!) in America.

Can you guess which is which??
Leave all comments below...

xx

An update

Felt that we haven't written in a while but that is mainly due to the fact that we haven't been doing anything out of the ordinary.
Anyway, here is boring blog entry.

So, we have been busy but just working, church stuff and getting the house ready for beanie's arrival. Katie and Rick finish work in 3 weeks for Christmas woohoo!! Rick will go back but Katie wont. Rearranging furniture, building wardrobes, tiling bathrooms...very time consuming but these things need to be done before Christmas!

Well I don't like reading blogs without pictures... so here is a pic of a pram very much like what we bought for beanie a couple of weeks ago- how exciting.

Preggers Katie

Well as I said last week I feel huge and ever expanding. As some of our friends (Janet in US), (Steph in France) and of course the Allens in Canada have not seen Katie in some time...

this is what she looks like!!




She is a bit uncomfortable and beanie is a real mover, but both are well...
all very exciting!

...and I love you BABY

Babies, babies , babies,

and boy do I still feel VERY pregnant- 10 weeks and counting!
Both sets of friends who were pregnant have now given birth! Keith and Emma (who Rick sails with) had a wee boy last Thursday and called him Ben and Keith and Jude (from James Bond pics below) had a wee girl this morning and called her Mia. All mums and tots well.

Just me to go now! Can't wait to see the little babies, get some practice in, I don't even know how to hold one!

Pics should follow soon
K xx

Not much happening- but lots going on...

Well after the super duper James Bond night I was totally wiped out and was off work for a week...but feeling much better now!

Rick has been very busy over past couple of weeks but nothing too exciting has been happening.
Did you know there is such a thing as RLS (Restless leg syndrome). well there is and I have it...very annoying!
Last weekend we went to see Shaun Groves, Christian singer from Texas, it was brill. Stewart had bought Rick tickets for his birthday. Highly recommend buying the CD!

well out bowling this weekend which should be good...

Katie

Bond...James Bond

Friday night Rick and I went with Keith and Jude tp a Casino Royale, James Bond theme night at the Europa. It was brill, we got all dressed up and had a beautiful 4 course meal. The night was organised by Firefighters to raise money for Childrens Cancer Research. There was an auction, ballotts and then different poker tables and things all geared up to raise lots of money. Jude and I couldn't think of any pregnant James Bond girls but we reckon we didn't stick out..too much!!

Mount Stewart

Well Rick was working this weekend so Lindsay and Lilian came down to Greyabbey on Saturday afternoon. We went to Mount Stewart and the harvest food fayre. It was nice to nibble my way round. I have never exerienced the Farmers Market at St Georges Market but apparently this fayre didn't compare! I did come away with some goodies though!


Rick is also working today so down with mum dad and stewart. Enjoying a day of not doing very much!!

Katie

Birthdays and dinners...

I finally got a chance to catch up with the girlies...apart from Janet who is on her year out in America! We had a great nights craic and Lauren cooked the most amazing meal!

A wee while ago Evie Mills was 2! Can you believe it?! I think she had a great party and loved her fiary princess outfit that we got her!

Tuesday was Ricks birthday so we had a McIlrath birthday in Ballymena on Sunday and an Allen birthday at Winnies on Monday night. Both were great and Rick did pretty well from them...he should have a birthday more often.
He was the non significant big 2-8! Striding ever closer to 30...I have to laugh, when he is 30 I will still be younger than he is at the minute!




Well this week should be clamer than usual...looking forward to next Friday though. Rick and I are going to a James Bond night at the Europa with Keith and Jude! Should be good.
Thats all for now.
K xx