a whale of a time

Just went swimming, am immensely proud of myself. 8 lengths! Now back on Le Couch where I've refuelled with tea and toast. Btw I must say I think I look pretty good in a bikini, even with my gigantic stomach. Took a couple of photos, might put them on the blog, if I dare....

calm down, dear

After an incredible nights sleep (slept straight through from 1 am until 9 am!) I was full of energy this morning so decided to attack the kitchen. There was a huge pile of washing up to do and once I'd done that I was on such a roll, I just carried on cleaning. But after about an hour of activity I started to feel faint and had sit down and have something to eat. In a way it made me feel a bit better about sitting around so much, it proves I am not just being lazy!

blog shite

I need to sort this blog out. I need to make a nice header. I need to figure out how to put photos up in a better way, I am currently always putting them on straight from my phone, which is why the resolution is always crap. Unfortunately I am not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to these things! Maybe my clever sister can help me (hint, hint).
I am really enjoying blogging again, probably because I'm not putting any pressure on myself. I don't post everyday and I don't think too much when I do post. That's what has put me off in the past, really thinking through each post, what am trying to say, how is this coming across etc. It's completely pointless, especially since this blog is pretty much just for me, it's not like I have (or aim to have) lots of readers! But I enjoy writing and and it's always fun looking back through old posts, remembering things that I would have otherwise forgotten.

Easy peasy

A new picture for the baby's room! It's a beautiful wrapping paper from Oliver Bonas, framed in an Ikea frame. So simple and cheap!

Bit of a moan...

11 days to go... So close, but yet so far away! Did I tell you I'm bored?
I have been so lucky my whole pregnancy, apart from the morning sickness in the beginning, I've felt great and had lots of energy. I didn't get why everyone said the third trimester is difficult, I felt absolutely fine! Until now...
The last couple of weeks I just can not get comfortable. On the couch, in bed, on a chair, it's all uncomfortable! I wake up at least once an hour each night with back ache, leg ache, you name it! Change position. Prop my bump up with a cushion, put a cushion behind my back. Half an hour later, same thing again! I am so lucky not to be working as I am exhausted all day from a terrible nights sleep. Everything is difficult, getting on to the couch, and off again. Getting in to bed, and out again. Putting on socks. Putting on trousers.
I went swimming yesterday, doing slow relaxing lengths, the pressure taken off my body, it was lovely. But afterwards! My whole body felt like it was made out of led! I could barely fit in to shower cubicle (the doors opened inwards!), the towel didn't fully wrap around my body (slight underestimation from my side), and getting dressed was a nightmare. When I finally got home I plonked myself on the couch and didn't move again (other than to change positions, arrrgh!) until bed time.
I think that's enough of a moan for now, pretty sure you get where I am coming from. Can't wait for that little counter to say "0 days left", even though I know I'll probably have to wait another age after that!

Must. Get. Showered.

I've reached that point now where I am just extremely BORED!! I've not worked in so long and I've pretty much got everything ready for the baby's arrival. I've even washed all the baby clothes and bedding AND made up the moses basket and carrycot. It was fun, kind of like playing with dolls. You know when you were little and you'd make a little bed for the doll with blankets in a little basket. But with an actual moses basket. Where an actual baby will sleep. Very bizarre.

All that is left to do is wait. And wait. I wake up in the morning and try and think of a reason to have a shower. There isn't one. Basically I am becoming very, very lazy. Yesterday I dragged myself out of the house and had lunch with my friend Heather. Today I may or may not leave the house, only time will tell. Tomorrow I'm having lunch with my sister Sabina, a very good reason to get out of bed.

In other news, I can now comfortable rest my cup of tea on my bump. It just sits there, resting between my boobs, freeing up my hands to type. Very handy.

Time for change

My friend Maria went home to Sweden yesterday after visiting me for a long weekend. It was so great having her here and I was sad to see her go. We've been friends for so long that we can talk about everything and anything. And we do. We talk and talk and talk. It's like a mutual therapy session. She gives me a different perspective on things and I always feel like she understands exactly what I mean.

I've had many epiphanies these last few days. I need to compromise less. I need keep the pieces that make me me, regardless of how other people feel about them. Because everytime I take a step back to make room for others opinions of me, I make myself a little smaller, a little less important. It gets harder and harder to remember who I was at the beginning, who I really am. There is only so much you can sacrifice in the name of peace. I want to stop fearing the consequences, stop trying to be so sensible. Stand up for myself, be myself and let the chips fall where they may.

Maybe 2012 will be the year.

how time flies...

26 days to go? Can it be true??
Although I wouldn't mind an early delivery in about 2 weeks, thank you very much...

getting there

Dear oh dear... The last few days have been all about getting the baby's room ready. My sister came over on Saturday and helped me paint the walls cream (more like off white, once it had dried, damn those colour cards!). It took 3 coats of paint to cover the cement green paint underneath! While she was here she also cooked a delicious meal of meat(free) loaf with mashed potatoes and vegetables. On Sunday I went to my antenatal class (James couldn't come as he had a terrible back ache) which was interesting. We talked about everything from pain relief to the colour of baby poo. The last couple of days we have spent sanding the sash windows and painting all the woodwork. It was hard work and very time consuming but the room now looks really nice and bright. James is going to put together the chest of drawers tonight and then I can FINALLY start to everything in order in there.

I know that the baby won't even be sleeping in there in the beginning and that I probably won't go in to labour for another 5 weeks but it's really important for me to get the everything ready, and the way I want it, in time. I want to be totally prepared and have thought of everything we need in case the baby comes early. I think that really the reason I am being so anal about is that I feel like it's something I can control. I can't control when the baby comes, what labour will be like, or how things will be when we take the baby home. So by filling my days with baby preparations I can feel like I am taking an active part in having the baby, if that makes any sense!

Or maybe I just have too much time on my hands....

Update

One month to go (minus a day)...


Snack of choice: sugar snap peas

Christmas and New Year

Christmas has come and gone, as it does every year. We spent a week in Dublin with James' family, a week that flew by. I love visiting Dublin and spending time with his family, it's nice and relaxing and always a good laugh. Plenty of delicious food and the wine and champagne flows freely. This year I mostly watched others enjoying the booze and only sampled a mouthful here and there. I am thinking next year I will make up for it big time! I was spoilt rotten by James as he gave me some really lovely presents that were just perfect, things I had wanted for ages. New Years was spent in our flat with James' mum, who came over on the 29th. We stayed in, James cooked a whole seabass baked in a rock salt crust and we had rhubarb crumble for dessert. We watched Jools Holland Hootenanny, which is becoming a tradition, we've watched three years in a row now.

The weather is miserable and rainy today so we have stayed in all day drinking cups of tea and chatting and James' mum did a reading in her Tarot cards. According to the cards the baby will be fair (James has green eyes and was very blond when he was little and my mum has blue eyes so it's a strong possibility!), but she couldn't see if it is a boy or girl. I guess only time will tell!

First of January. A little over a month until my due date. I really can't quite believe it. Time goes so quickly and there is still a lot to organise and yet I am almost wishing the days away now, I can't wait to meet my baby for the first time.