word of the week

Well this is probably more a word of the fortnight, or perhaps even longer! Since I last wrote here it feels like lots and lots has happened, and while I'm not quite sure how February is nearly over, at the same time we seem to have crammed lots in to the shortest month!

The day before my birthday we got the brilliant news that The Husband had successfully been offered a new job. It is a promotion and a move to a new organisation, so it is an incredibly big achievement, and I am amazingly proud. It was a fabulous start to a long weekend of celebrations. We went on a bear hunt on my birthday (although I was sad to read the attraction has closed permanently after Storm Doris), it was a fun way to spend some time as a family, and then we had a lovely meal with my parents and Grandad at night.

We have also been to visit the church where we got married for a lovely mass, and then our wedding venue for a coffee. It felt special to be back and have our little boy with us. Valentine's day included a family 5k run as part of the running challenges I have been doing, and a meal at home.

The last week has also marked six months since our little boy was born, and in fact it turned out to be exactly a year since we told people I was pregnant at my 30th birthday party! After 6 months it's about time I actually decided what to call him on here, so I'm going to go with his initial, T, for want of anything more original! He is now sleeping in his cot in his nursery, and it felt like a big step for him to move out of our room, though a full night's sleep is proving elusive still! We also started the first steps to weaning but it has not been as straightforward as I expected, with lots of mess, and quite a lot of coughing and vomiting. A much thinner apple puree seems to have been more successful the last few days, but still only a morsel at a time! He is full of a cold, and teething too (we have a first top tooth making its appearance), so I'm pretty sure that must be playing part, and writing this I realise that it's less than a week since he first tried any food at all, so perhaps we are not doing too badly really! I didn't really get in to the habit of doing milestone posts when I was pregnant, or since he has been born, but I may yet do a six month one (albeit a little late) as I feel it will be nice to look back in the future and read what he was like at this age, particularly as we looked at his first outfits tonight and were shocked (and a little teary) at how much he has grown already.

My lovely Grandad has had quite a few scans and hospital appointments in recent weeks, and is also recovering from the same cough that seems to have laid most of us low repeatedly since Christmas. He is doing well otherwise, and if he wasn't having any tests we wouldn't know that there was any need for him to be seen, but it is always worrying seeing a loved one going through appointments and scans, especially when it's someone like my Grandad who is always so fit and well. Luckily we have had lots of happy trips too, including a brilliant concert at the Bridgewater Hall with him, and a fabulous night seeing Sheridan Smith in Funny Girl.

This week there have also been surprise visits from my best friend, new bedding purchased and duvet dry cleaning after an early morning vomiting explosion from T, and the usual swimming and library trips. I also managed to catch up with A Year with My Camera reading this weekend, and made some actual notes in a new notebook with pretty pens, which was a fun way to spend half an hour. I realise this has mostly turned into a diary post, but I wanted to spend some time reflecting on everything that has happened recently. This week has been quite tough at times, between the teething, the vomiting, the clean-up operations and the appointments for my Grandad, so it has been a lovely way to end the week realising how much the good stuff far outweighs any of the less positive parts. Having said that, I have just also realised that in order to finish my February challenge I need to do 8 miles in the next 2 days, so perhaps the whirlwind isn't over just yet!!

word of the week

Another Friday and another word to sum up the last week, which has been a great one. There has been lots of socialising this week. I always make an effort to get out each week to the library baby group, and the swimming pool, but I don't really know anyone at the different sessions, and the introvert in me isn't brilliant at small talk so I tend to throw my energy into singing nursery rhymes!

This week has been full of baby giggles, and he wakes up every morning grinning, which is always a lovely way to start the day. After work friends came to visit, I called to see another friend at the weekend to drop off her birthday present. I wimped out of her party as I was still getting over the last of the cough and would have hated to pass it on, but I'm glad I made the effort to say hello, albeit briefly.

We saw The Husband's parents, and nephews, and then Grandad came over for Sunday dinner, so it felt like a real family weekend. On Monday Mum joined me at the library, and then we nipped to the shops, and it was lovely to have some adult company during the singing! On Wednesday I popped to see some friends and their little boy. They live fairly nearby, so I made the effort to walk the mile and a half, which was a lovely start to the day enjoying the sunshine with the baby. Then the quick visit turned into a whole day, and lunch, and a really good catch up.

Then yesterday included a walk to the park with the baby, Mum and Millie, followed by a lunch out. It was brilliant to sit, do crosswords, drink tea, all with a giggling baby for company. Last night The Husband and I had a delicious meal out, an eight course tasting menu that was a Christmas gift from my grandad. Mum and Mal provided expert babysitting services, and we had a relaxing night out, one of the best meals we've had in ages, and I even had my first glass of prosecco in well over a year. It was a fantastic night, and it was lovely to come home to a sleeping baby, and a sleeping dog, snuggled up with their grandparents after a happy night.

Now it is Friday and the weekend is almost here, ready for lots of family time with The Husband. Today has already included lots of cuddles and laughs, and now the baby is smiling in his sleep on my chest. Later we will go to the library and there will be nursery rhymes, and a story, and I might even brave some small talk!

word of the week

After a weekend feeling really grotty indeed, I am feeling very appreciative today of the fact that we seem to be improving (and hoping that The Husband doesn't succumb to the same bug!). It has been a lovely week all in all, and there is a lot to be thankful for.

I am grateful to our parents for giving us the gift of a holiday for Christmas, we had a brilliant trip and it was a perfect first holiday as a family of three. I'm also grateful that they looked after Millie while we went, and spoilt her rotten with lots of cuddles and walks. All of the staff at the hotel also earned my utmost gratitude, making us so welcome and relaxed during our first experience of holidaying with a baby.

I had a lovely afternoon out with my grandad yesterday. I am so glad to have him so nearby, and to have the chance for him to see his great-grandson so often, especially as he can make him giggle like no-one else.

Today some work colleagues are popping in to visit, the first time I will see them since I went on maternity leave. It is brilliant of them to come by, and I'm glad I have made good friends over the last few years.

Today our little boy turns 5 months old, and I am increasingly thankful for our happy, wonderful son. He is such a delight, and I love how the simplest of things make him launch into the most joyful laughter. It is so incredible to watch him grow, to see the world through his eyes, and to get to be his mum; I am most thankful for that privilege, and he makes it so easy.

And I am also thankful for my amazing husband. He who finds my lost keys, tapes up my frayed phone charger so it is safe, brings me a cheeseboard and an artfully sliced milky way for supper when I couldn't decide what I wanted, changes endless nappies, lets me lie in on holiday to try and recuperate, sorts out my car insurance, transfers our broadband, switches all of our devices over to the new router and who generally makes this little family work.

I realise it has been a little saccharine this week, so I hope you survived all of that without feeling too nauseated, but after feeling really miserable last weekend and crying to The Husband that I just needed to remember that we would all feel better eventually (slightly melodramatic perhaps?) I'm celebrating the fact that I was right, and that this weekend should be a much healthier, happier one! Thank you, also, to all of you who have visited, and commented, it is always very much appreciated.

word of the week

As I mentioned last week, a weekend full of re-organisation beckoned, and it was a fruitful one. After an early morning trip to Ikea (helped by the lure of a cooked breakfast after a very early wake up courtesy of the baby) we stocked up on storage and got sorting high and low. I will stop wittering on about it, as I also mentioned it at length here but it has really made such a difference. I feel so much better when I open the wardrobe or the kitchen cupboards and everything just seems a little more under control.

Which has been much needed this week, as we have had a baby who has been full of a cough and cold, that I have now started with too. It has been a testing week, our first experience as parents of having a poorly child, but I think we have kept each other sane. The Husband got home last night and went out with the baby for an hour, so I went to bed at 7pm and caught up on some much needed sleep, and felt much better for it. We had a better night last night too, less disturbed, and hopefully before long we will all be feeling well again.

I have tried to be better at blogging too, and I actually wrote a post this week that wasn't part of a link up, which is novel for me. I also joined in with #1day12pics over on instagram, so I feel like in small ways I'm managing to carve a little time out. I'm currently writing this with the laptop balanced on my kneecaps and a baby snoring on my chest!

My running had been getting better too, I was consistently managing less than 15 minute miles, and actually enjoying getting out. This week it has slipped, and I haven't got out with the exception of a quick walk to the library and back for baby group on Monday. I'm trying to be kind to myself and accept that it just isn't a priority this week, but I'm also conscious of making sure I don't get out of the habit for too long and lose my progress.

We have a few days away next week, so if we are not better by then, then I'm sure a few lazy days together relaxing, visiting the spa, and enjoying some extra family time will see us right. Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

word of the week

This is my first word of the week post for quite a long time now, can you tell I am full of New Year energy with the sudden influx of posts on the blog. I decided to make it easier on myself and include my word electronically rather than hand draw it, however after half an hour of trying to work out how to produce a word as an image, find the consistent font and colour to match the blog, and then find a format that would upload it without a line running across the top of the image, I'm thinking a spot of calligraphy may have been easier!

So, although this week is obviously full of new beginnings, there is a sense, also, of things coming back around. The house is returning to normal, with decorations down, gifts put away, and a return to simpler, less indulgent food. The Husband was in work between Christmas and New Year, but the return back this week truly marks the end of the festivities and life regaining its usual rhythm.

A return, for me, in the last week to some old habits. I'm trying to find more time for blogging, for the occasional burst of calligraphy, for cooking, and reading. It is starting to feel like balance is creeping back in, and after this post, I sense that I am managing to enjoy some of those things that I had lost touch with in recent months.

I've also returned to the A Year With My Camera project. I joined in a little haphazardly at the start of last year, but never got beyond snapping with my phone, and reading the emails. This year I've put the proper camera on charge, which I'm seeing as a first positive step, and I'm also trying to encourage my mum to join too, in the hope that a bit of teamwork will keep me more accountable!

I think we will shortly be returning to Ikea too. Having gone on a spree last night getting lots of storage and organisers for various parts of the house, we have got the bug, and are spotting a few other places where a little organisation would help. I'm not sure if it's the New Year, or having spent so long in maternity clothes and now having to tactically pick clothes suitable for feeding the baby, but I've definitely got the urge to purge my wardrobes and return some calm and order to the rails.

Hope you all have a great week.

word of the week

A fairly alliterative word of the week post, brought to you by the letter W it would seem, although the overriding word has to be waiting. Today brings us to six days after our due date and the baby is still content to stay put. I keep reminding myself that anything up to 42 weeks is normal, but it has been such an odd week, such a strange feeling.

Each night I go to bed wondering if tomorrow will bring news, waking overnight and lying there trying to guess whether anything has changed, whether anything feels different, getting up each morning and accepting that things are just the same. It is hard not to watch every twinge, every tightening, hoping that it might possibly be the start of something. It is hard not to worry, which is generally my way, trying to reassure myself that the baby is safe and not focus on concerns that something might go wrong.

I have been doing lots of walking (and eating pineapple, making increasingly spicy curries, bouncing on a birthing ball, and following midwife advice trying acupressure and aromatherapy oils). We had a trip to the beach yesterday, and I took Millie and some music on a long walk across the fields on Friday (can you spot her in the above picture?!). It is tricky not to succumb to the sense that there is something I could, or should, be doing, and I am trying, but mostly failing, to not get frustrated at the inquiries from people pointing out that the baby has not arrived yet.

It has been wonderful to have my mum so close, to accompany me to appointments, take me out on spontaneous trips when it becomes clear that another empty day stretches ahead, and to give fabulous foot rubs too. Soon enough things will change, although I am trying to adjust to the idea that it may not happen spontaneously! Hopefully, this time next week I will have different news to share, but for now I wait, and wish, and wonder when we will finally meet our baby.

word of the week

It has been a week of contrasts, seven days spent in an odd limbo. Tomorrow is our due date, so the week has been a bizarre blend of getting on with life as normal, whilst waiting (impatiently!) for something that has not yet happened.

The days have been restful, plenty of relaxing, yet with an underlying restlessness that finds me pacing the house in the early hours. Looking back, it has been a nicely busy week. I have done lots of cooking, had days out with my mum and Grandad, coffees, lunches, an art exhibition, shopping with a friend, walks with Millie. Yet there is that sense of not having achieved the biggest thing, of waking up each morning and wondering what the day might have in store.

I feel ready, each evening I say to The Husband that I feel we are as prepared as we can be, I just want to meet our baby. Yet we both know that we can never truly be ready for the change that is coming, that it is beyond what we can imagine, and when things eventually start happening I expect the calm confidence I have currently will quickly disappear!

The weekend has been gentle, but with an undercurrent, perhaps more for The Husband, who has not known whether he will be going back into work tomorrow or starting the week on paternity leave. For now, there is no suggestion that the baby is on the way imminently, the alarms are set, and Monday will bring the start of another normal week, much like the last. And yet, there is the promise of this being an extraordinary week indeed.

word of the week

It has been tricky trying to sum up the recent days in a single word, and in the end I have opted for "change".

Since I last blogged, maternity leave has kicked in and there has been a real change of pace! Funnily enough, having never been a morning person, I am suddenly up with The Husband as he heads to work and pottering around the house from quite early in the day. Not, unfortunately doing anything overly productive, the nesting instinct has been stronger in The Husband who is cleaning and sorting things at an alarming rate, but it has been nice to make the most of the mornings, with the radio and the dog for company.

There have been some lovely days with family and friends, including a surprise spa day with my best friend just over a week ago, a fabulous afternoon tea with my Grandad, and a few trips out to garden centres. After the spa day, I also got the courage to visit the local pool this week, and really enjoyed swimming a few lengths and being in the water after so long. I've also got back into the habit of planning meals, enjoying stocking up the freezer and trying some different recipes, like the onion bhajis I shared on instagram. Tonight there will be toad in the hole, with Grandad joining us, and potatoes from my parents allotment - it's all very domesticated around here isn't it!

I also treated myself to a new radio and bluetooth speaker for the conservatory, and once that arrived I splashed out on some new storage baskets which I have been meaning to buy for years! It is one of my favourite rooms, especially in the summer, and it is lovely to sit in there with Millie and enjoy the peace and quiet.

There have been a few unwanted changes too, like this time last week when our food-obsessed beagle suddenly stopped eating and starting being sick. We were having a lovely day celebrating my mum's birthday, with presents, a family meal, and a successful attempt at an eton mess cake creation, but she definitely wasn't quite herself. After lots of watching and waiting, we finally succumbed to a trip to the emergency vets late on Sunday, and after some injections (and giving thanks that The Husband is on the ball with pet insurance, because I definitely am not) we were sent home with a rather lethargic dog to look after. After a few days of rice and some paste from the vets which she seemed to adore, she is entirely back to normal. It's funny that we spend so much time telling her not to jump, lick, bark, and so on, but when she stops doing all those things we desperately want her back to her mischievous self!

Then on Friday, when I was already having a day fretting about whether the baby was moving enough, I inadvertently wiped my whole phone. Despite The Husband's extensive efforts on Friday night, the photos and messages were not retrievable, and I learnt the hard way about making sure you regularly back up. I was pretty devastated on Friday, there were (perhaps a slightly disproportionate amount of) tears, and I generally was feeling rather sorry for myself, especially to think I had lost the pictures from the last eight months, particularly with it having been my 30th celebrations, and the duration of the pregnancy. Gradually though, The Husband and my mum set about sending me photos that I had shared with them, and pictures they had, and there have been more than enough to fill the void! It was also lovely to look back over them all and reminisce about so many happy occasions, and realise how many wonderful memories there have been. In that spirit, the picture above is one from the collection I have re-acquired in the past few days, taken from the birthday meal my parents treated us to at Northcote.

So, while not all of the changes this week were particularly planned, and in some cases, weren't that positive, I'm glad to say I end the week feeling very happy indeed, with our beautiful beagle, as giddy as she can be, with the wonderful memories we have made over the last year, with the fabulous family we have, the new addition that will soon be joining us, and for tonight, with the prospect of toad in the hole and good company!

word of the week

It has felt like there have been a number of small milestones over the last week or so, and the days have, as a result, been filled with flowers, which is my word of the week. 

Just over a week ago I finished work, for what will be, hopefully, a year of maternity leave. This last week has actually been annual leave, so I don't officially start the maternity leave until tomorrow, but my last day in work for rather a long time has now passed. As The Husband has been off this week too, it hasn't quite registered yet, but I imagine as he heads to work in the morning it might suddenly start to be a little more real! I actually left my placement permanently, as when I return I will be starting somewhere new, so there was an added sense of finality. My colleagues had very kindly got us a gift, and a bunch of flowers, to mark the occasion, and I left with promises to return soon, with our new arrival.

The following weekend involved an afternoon tea with my mum, and a few lovely ladies who happen to be our neighbours. It was the second time we have had a gathering in recent months, and it was another lovely afternoon. The icing on the cake was when my best friend arrived as a surprise to join us, it was lovely to see her, and she had also brought me some flowers to celebrate the start of my leave.

The Husband and I have both been off this week, partly to celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary. We went away for a couple of nights, not too far from home, and it was lovely to spend a few days together. As the traditional gift is fruit or flowers, some of my presents were floral themed, including a lovely notebook and pen, and also some specialty flours (great minds think alike Tess!). We returned home to a chilli plant from my parents, and the beautiful roses you see above from my Grandad. Then, on Saturday, a knock at the door brought a bouquet of roses from The Husband too, who hadn't wanted to let the occasion pass without buying me actual flowers too.

So from tomorrow, I shall be 37 weeks, which is officially full-term, and officially on maternity leave. There are a few small trips planned this week, so my days aren't looking too empty, and when I am at home, I am lucky enough to have a house filled with flowers to keep me company too!

word of the week

This week has been all about preparation. Preparing to finish work at the end of next week has meant plenty of long days getting things finalised. Gladly, after starting last week feeling like there was a lot to get through, plenty of progress was made, and hopefully this week should be a gentler final few days.

We had an antenatal class this week, and have subsequently gone into a flurry of activity packing a hospital bag and buying some additional bits and pieces that we hadn't yet got. I still don't think I have got to the point where I believe that we will be lucky enough to have a baby soon, but with tomorrow marking 35 weeks I guess it will be sinking in in the not-too-distant future!

The baby, however, is not preparing, and is still happily doing somersaults around on an hourly basis. It was breech at my last midwife appointment, and still seems to be regularly switching between various positions at the moment, so we shall keep our fingers crossed it is taking after its mum and leaving things until the last minute!

I've also been trying to prepare for our forthcoming wedding anniversary but it is proving tricky to buy a gift for The Husband when the fourth year tradition is fruit or flowers. He is somewhat averse to fruit, and I don't think he would share the same appreciation for a bouquet as I would! If we had an endless budget I would go for some variation on the theme and buy him some kind of Apple product, but as it is I might have to think a little more creatively. If I come up with anything ingenious I shall be sure to let you know.

Hope you all have a good week!

word of the week

Well where to start with this week, such a weird one it has been. The word in these parts has been results, of varying types, and today has found us curled up on the sofa, cuddling the dog and trying to escape from the world for a little while.

After an appointment just before we went on holiday, and then a few mishaps with cancelled tests, I have spent this week waiting for some results. It wasn't for anything major, just some episodes where my heart was racing a little too quickly, and although it was more than likely one of those odd pregnancy side effects, it was better to make sure there was nothing else underlying it. It meant that in the interim I was advised not to drive, just until anything more serious was ruled out, so this week has involved me getting well acquainted with public transport. It was fine, and the novelty of travelling by bus would have been even stronger had I not been quite so far along in pregnancy, and had it not typically ended up being a week where I was travelling to lots of different places, more so than usual.

Gladly the investigations were ok, and the symptoms have improved, so this week should not be quite so complicated as far as commuting goes. Some of the tests did flag up a few co-incidental findings that will need another look at when I am no longer pregnant. Again, although nothing serious, it has made me feel a little cautious, and whether it is exacerbated by the idea of becoming a parent, but I have had an increased sense of needing to look after myself, and to ensure I am doing what I can to keep myself well. However, the need to eat more healthily and indulge in fewer treats is one the I find challenging, enjoying cooking and baking, and subsequently eating! I still found myself baking this morning, however I then quickly boxed everything up for The Husband to take to work, and delivered the rest to my parents, to remove the temptation to sample everything I had made!

Then, of course, there has been the EU referendum result. It feels too significant not to acknowledge it here, but, as I have said before, I tend to avoid too much in the way of serious discussion on this blog. However, particularly having revisited my old blog when I was looking for something recently, I realised that I used to write in a different, perhaps more involved, way and it made me feel keen to strike a better balance. I can't easily verbalise how I feel about the result, it was not the one I was hoping for, obviously that leaves me with a sense of disappointment, and I must admit to being fearful for the future. Having tried to inform myself as best I could, I also find it disconcerting to feel that my views are the (slight) minority, and to comprehend what that means about society. I do believe in democracy, and accept that the result is what it is, and that people on both sides of the debate have made decisions for a variety of reasons. What I struggle with is the amount of misinformation in the lead-up, the propaganda and promises that are now so quickly being denied, and although that has long been a facet of politics, it feels to me at odds with the idea of a democratic vote when people struggle to make sense of the facts in the process of trying to make such a decision.

There is far more I could say, but others have said it far more eloquently than me, and I ultimately respect everyone's right to vote in the way that they wish. I am shocked at the outcome, and only hope that the result will not lead to some of the more extreme repercussions that are being heralded in some discussions. I hope that in time a way is found to move forward that doesn't revolve around the us and them mentality that seems to persist currently, and that somehow leads to positive change rather than the negative consequences that are currently filling the headlines, but that feels a long way from where things are at the moment. I must say that I have found the blogging community to be of comfort, to read posts from a number of people, and realise that despite the majority vote being to leave, there are a great many people who share similar sentiments to me. I find it reassuring to know that there are plenty of others out there who share the same view. It is not because I think everyone should be the same, but because, at a time when things feel fractured and divisive, it is good to feel united with others; that sense of belonging brings with it hope. 

word of the week

After going away for our holiday last Friday, I think the word of the week has been "peace". We escaped with Millie to a beautiful cottage in Gloucestershire, and had a wonderful trip. The setting was idyllic, and I do have plans to post separately about our accommodation, I was that impressed with it. The week included plenty of walks with the dog, a day at the horse races, a farmers' market, board games, jigsaws, lots of books and leisurely days.

The secluded setting meant that we woke each morning to birdsong (occasionally drowned out by Millie's barking!), and the cottage was a lovely home from home. Days were spent pottering around, wandering for walks with Millie, curling up with cups of tea and enjoying our own company. In what seemed to be a particularly violent week as far as news goes, it was jarring to be enjoying such tranquility yet to be greeted with relentless bad news on the radio each morning. I was grateful for the space and calm we had, and was even more appreciative of the peace in the wake of so many different tragedies.

I was thankful to have the time together, our little family, and without the demands of work or the chores of home it was a gentle reminder of how happy we can be just sharing our days together. It is exciting to think that our next family holiday could well include another member, and that it may be a very different experience as a result! Perhaps peace might not be as suitable a word then, but hopefully no less enjoyable! 

word of the week

This week's word is "celebrate". Although work is fairly hectic at the moment the weekend has been a happy one. We have celebrated my close friends 30th birthday with a small gathering on Friday night followed by a surprise party on Saturday. Luckily we managed to get through Friday night without any slip-ups and she was well and truly surprised the following day.

I did a little baking, some lemon and lime cupcakes, to take on the Friday. As my cousin and his family were visiting from London we also saw them for an hour or so on Friday before the party, and happily there were spare cakes to take to my parents' house and share. Although it wasn't any particular occasion, having tea and cake and catching up, especially when we don't see them very often, felt like a celebration too.

Another close friend has had some brilliant news from work, achieving amazing progress despite some tough times in recent months. We popped by today with a bottle of bubbles and a card to congratulate her. Then it was home for a dog walk, where we saw the ducklings above, and a gentle afternoon celebrating the sunshine with an ice cream and a sit in the garden with my parents and grandad. 

word of the week

The word this week is definitely "out". The lovely socialising of last weekend continued, with a trip to the theatre on Tuesday to watch Daniel Kitson, and a night out watching Bruce Springsteen with The Husband, my parents and my brothers. 

We had also had art class on Monday, so Thursday night was a designated easy night! We still got out, taking Millie for a walk in the sunshine before a quiet night in.The bank holiday weekend has been lovely so far, with a long lunch with friends yesterday, and then a few hours sat in the sunshine this afternoon round at another friend's house.

I've also been out at two maternity appointments this week, a vaccination on Monday and bloods on Wednesday. Monday is officially thirty weeks, so after that, our weekly countdown will be down to single figures. Time seems to be flying by! 

word of the week

I was going to have "home" for this week's word, but realised I had used that not so long ago, so instead I have chosen "back". After a few days away, and a long four and a half hour drive, it was good to be back from Cardiff on Wednesday night, to a clean, tidy house, and dinner in the oven, courtesy of The Husband. There was also a newly purchased pregnancy pillow waiting for me, to try and help me with the still elusive sleep. I keep waking up in the middle of the night and finding that I have rolled onto my back, which breaks one of the very many rules on the excessively long list of things to worry about during pregnancy! Millie took to the pillow straight away, as I found her snuggled up in the middle of it almost as soon as it arrived. I can't say I have found it quite as comfortable, and it did get rather unceremoniously dispatched to the bedroom floor at three in the morning the other night, but the pillow and I are gradually learning to love each other.

Then on Friday night, my parents returned from their holiday, and it has been lovely to have them back home. Today we had a gathering at their house to celebrate my stepdad's birthday and also my auntie's birthday, both of which are this week. So it was also back to doing some baking, and I made a bakewell tart rather than a cake, as it is one of my stepdad's favourites.

This week will be back to a more normal routine at work, although it also back to that time of year when I have to submit a portfolio of evidence. Despite promising myself every June that I will do it more gradually, over the year, May rolls around and I suddenly find myself needing to do a long hard slog at it to catch up. It isn't helped by the fact that there have been lots of changes to the process and the content which are taking me a while to get used to, but I will be very glad when it is done.

And I know I keep saying this, but I do hope that soon I will get back to posting a little more often, and catching up on replying to comments. I do read all of your comments, and all of the comments about Millie in last week's photo made me smile! Thanks again for visiting, and I hope you all have a lovely week ahead.

word of the week

After lots of travelling in recent days, this week's word is miles. We took a trip to London and back yesterday, which involved just over 7 hours on the road. Luckily for me The Husband did the driving, and I was able to sit and enjoy the journey, and his company! I was also taking part in the 1day12pics project on instagram, and although lots of the pictures ended up like the one above, it was good to be joining in. It was a lovely day spent with our family, sitting in their garden in the sunshine, and gratefully loading the car with all manner of fabulous baby things that they were kindly giving us. It was so good to see them and to spend a few hours catching up.

We arrived home and then after a lazy morning of pancakes, I was back in the car to do a three hour drive to Cardiff today as I am visiting the city for work for the next few days. It is my first time to Cardiff, and the scenery was superb as I drove here in glorious sunshine. It is always a little bittersweet being away from home but hopefully it should be an interesting few days.

word of the week

No attempt at calligraphy this week, instead a completely unrelated picture from my walk with Millie today (pre-downpour), so you will have to believe me when I say that my word this week is: classes.

There have been a multitude of classes this week, The latest term of our art course has started, and it was nice to be back with sketchpads and pens, and a few hours of escapism on a Monday evening.

Having started a series of pregnancy pilates classes a few weeks ago, I skipped my first class this week. Sleep was still proving evasive, and after a particularly wide awake night on Monday, I got home from work on Tuesday and decided that a nap was probably what I needed most. It was a shame to miss the class, as, although I always get home and have to talk myself into going back out again, I enjoy the hour, even if it does require the wearing of leggings, and standing on one leg, neither of which I would describe as my forte. However, this week it seemed more sensible to try and rest, and we then did a late evening supermarket trip where I bought every lavender product I could source, and some herbal tea and horlicks. The lavender and horlicks seem to be a winning combination and the nights since have been more restful. I haven't dared try the tea yet which sounds like a potentially unpleasant blend of chamomile, lemon, lavender, rosehip, fennel and spearmint, but it was called snore and peace which was a tempting offer as I wandered the shop in a daze.

On Thursday evening we had our first antenatal class, and though I was feeling in need of a night where I got in from work and didn't have to immediately turn around and go out again, it was a really interesting few hours. It felt a little daunting at times, especially the picture quiz which revolved around spotting how many things, in what seemed to be a perfectly pleasant nursery, could harm your baby, but overall it was a nice balance of different topics. I do feel like I missed the class on "how to bloom in the second trimester", as those weeks have been and are pretty much gone and I don't recall feeling anything other than round and pale. Similarly, some pointers on how to start thinking about when the baby will be get here rather than if the baby will get here would be a huge help, as I still don't seem to be able to let myself believe that things will actually be ok! The Husband has worked so hard all weekend getting the nursery repainted, and we have a new carpet coming this week, so things are starting to come together in that respect, and the furniture is ready and waiting to be assembled, so hopefully we are acing the class in getting prepared for a new arrival.

I'd also love a lesson in blogging, as I seem to be losing followers at a rate of knots, and I didn't exactly have a surplus to begin with! There hasn't been much of interest in these parts in recent weeks, I do realise, although I do think as I look back over this post I might be slightly overcommited at the moment! Hopefully I will get back into writing here more regularly at some point, and posting a bit more of a variety of things, other than my two Sunday night contributions only. In the mean time, thank you for visiting, and I hope your week is a lovely one.

word of the week

One of the first signs that I thought I might possibly be pregnant, way back in late November, was the onset of some incredibly vivid dreams, and every couple of months since I have had spates of rather intense recollections as I wake in the morning. In the last week or so, though, I have instead found myself sleeping very little, and for some reason suddenly being an incredibly light sleeper.

I've never been easy to wake, sleeping through multiple alarms, much to the frustration of The Husband who often has to turn off the incessant bleeping coming from my side of the bed, as I remain peacefully oblivious. Recently I am being woken by the slightest thing, and am getting to the morning feeling drained by frequent bouts of being wide awake in the small hours of the morning. It hasn't been helped by the fact that when I am asleep I am having awful nightmares, the kind where you shock yourself awake, and find yourself struggling to breathe, heart racing, and, on more than one occasion, crying too. Hormones are incredible things! The Husband, has impressively, managed to learn the art of comforting me back to sleep while apparently not actually waking up himself. This was revealed when I thanked him for knowing exactly what to say to settle my panic and helping me drift off the previous night, and it quickly became clear that he had no recollection of either of us having been awake at all. Quite a skill to have!

Having spent all week looking forward to the chance to catch up on sleep over the weekend, in the end I did the opposite and feel all the better for it. We have deliberately been up early both days, and have had a lovely weekend. By ten o'clock yesterday morning the shopping delivery was unpacked, pancakes had been cooked and eaten, a cake was in the oven and my baking cupboard had been reorganised. There was cooking, a visit to friends, and some time in the garden sowing seeds in our vegetable planter and tending to the herb garden. This morning we had an early morning walk with Millie, enjoying the sunshine, followed by a trip to pick up supplies for the new term of art class that starts tomorrow, and various bits of pottering around the house. It has been good to be up and about and making the most of the days, a weekend well spent, and now to bed and hoping that sleep will not be quite so elusive tonight. 

word of the week

I have been toying with the idea of having  as my word of the week for a few weeks, but the weather felt too changeable to commit! After taking a day off on Friday so we could visit the Lake District with family, including our relatives from Australia, it felt like the right word to sum up our week. There has still been some rain, and cooler weather, but wandering through the Wordsworth Daffodil Garden in Grasmere, enjoying the sunshine and the blanket of yellow, it was a perfect spring day.

This weekend has included meals with the family, a trip to the shops which included some baby purchases, and plenty of walks with Millie. It was lovely to wander through the park today, no coat required, even if Millie was too distracted by the sights and smells to feign any interest in chasing her ball. There was a snuggle on the sofa with Millie in the early evening light, followed by a trip to the theatre for The Husband and I. This afternoon paperwork has been sorted, the house has been cleaned, flapjacks have been baked, and now, a bath and a book beckon.

I hope you all have a lovely week ahead.

word of the week

The last two weeks have absolutely flown by, I think the clocks changing and the long weekends have added to that sense of time shifting and moving apace. For us, Easter was spent entirely at home, some cleaning and clearing, and gentle days with films and dog walks. After a busy start to the year it has been great to have a few weeks with no major plans, and it feels like we have made the most of the time off, relaxing and being productive in equal measure.

The shorter working weeks and the lighter nights have meant more energetic evenings, and Millie has been enjoying the evening sunshine as she bounded around the fields. Today there was a meal out with family visiting from Australia, and yesterday was a completely free day, which felt like a luxury. We got up early both days, had leisurely breakfasts, pottered around the house and enjoyed being home. I made soup, and a lovely roast aubergine dish, and this morning there were homemade american-style pancakes using a recipe that will definitely become a favourite. The house is feeling more organised, and lots of little jobs that have been on the to-do list have been gradually crossed off.

It has been a perfect mix of special celebrations and gentle normality, and home is feeling like a lovely place to be.