The weather has not improved but I am defying it here, I have been making lemonade and pretending it's not snowing outside. I love making lemonade in the summer and a friend had mentioned she adds basil to hers, which I thought sounded a bit strange but I gave it a whirl. It adds a really nice flavour and tastes so refreshing. Looking forward to making some more over the summer. 

Ingredients
3 lemons (minus seeds and skin)
Handful of basil leaves
6 tbsp of honey
3 cups of water
1 cup of ice

Put the whole lot in a food processor and whizz. Pour into glass and add pretty straw. You may want to vary the quantities above to suit your taste. 

34 weeks

Woah! So, at this point the weeks are flying by. We started our NCT classes last week and wow it has given us a kick in the bum. We had lots of bits sorted but we quickly realised we needed to tie up other loose ends and get the last few bits and pack THE bag.

I know people have mixed views on the NCT classes but we have found them so useful. It is nice to have friends nearby going through the exact same thing. We found the classes to be packed full of great information and have been a great reassurance to us, all the possible concerns or worries are discussed and we feel much calmer and better prepared. I also really liked that the dads were so involved. A lot of dads I know want to be involved in pregnancy and the birth, want to ask questions and understand what is happening but so often are shut out by old-fashioned attitudes, which is so sad. At the NCT the dads play an active role and are invited to ask questions and contribute their fears, anxieties and the things they are looking forward to. Our tutor was also fabulous at explaining and defining their role as supporter, what is expected of them and even what they should pack in their hospital man-bag - things like food, to maintain a stable mood!

I said before that I was worried about slowing down, that is definitely happening now. I've definitely got my waddle on and more upsetting is that my legs have started to mottle, swell and have gone a nice red shade. None of my friends have experienced this so it was a little surprise. Midwife says all very normal and should go away after the birth.

It's also very difficult to get a good night's sleep, with all the loo-trips! I hear this is good practice for when the baby is here. 

I now try to avoid overly-luxurious low sofas/seats because unless there is a crane nearby or a strong man, it is almost impossible to get up again. Mum recently tried to pull me out of a sofa, she almost went over my head and behind it!

Another thing I have noticed is that you become a messy eater in the third trimester, no, not because you are so hungry you eat like Fantastic Mr Fox (that was the second trimester), but because your bump puts you further away from the table. This is no big deal at home as I tend to hold plate/bowl with hand or rest on bump so nearer to mouth, but you can't do that in all situations. The forkful of food has a further distance to travel from plate, over bump and to mouth. My washing has increased a lot because of this and I have started to travel with little stain remover wipes because of the number of accidents. After mealtimes I really start to resemble Jim Royale, the swollen belly with stained clothing! Clio has also become wise to the bump ledge, that gathers crumbs. Whenever, I sit next to her she gives the bump a once over just incase I missed a stray crumb. 

The baby's room is almost ready. Having fun arranging...and rearranging the bits and bobs I have been collecting. We have also been having a lot of date nights, as strongly recommended by ALL my parent friends. This has been really nice, making the most of our last few weeks as a duo. Now most of the work is done on the house, we've also been really enjoying lazy Sundays with food, films and duvet.

Blogshop London

So a couple of weekends ago I was thrilled to be attending Blogshop London with the amazing Bri Emery and Angela Kohler. When I first got into reading blogs, Bri's was one of the first I fell in love with. DesignLoveFest is one of those blogs that makes you go all tingly with excitement and you have to read the entire blog the minute you find it. For the last two years I have lusted after a place on the blogshop which Bri and Angela run. I never thought at 7 months pregnant I would be going but my lovely Dan surprised me with a place on the course. I am still a little overwhelmed at the gesture and thoughtfulness.

I had high expectations for the course, how could you not when you see Bri's blog?! The workshop went above and beyond my expectations. I have learned so much from that weekend, that I am still digesting it. But it wasn't just about the learning, it was so nice to be in such a beautiful environment (Custard Studios in Shoreditch), a room flooded with light, huge windows and all white and being among such creative and talented people too.

The course is not for the faint-hearted, it is hard work and pretty intense. I would say that you need to be Mac confident and have at least dabbled with Photoshop. Dan had bought me a Wacom tablet too so I could learn how to use some of the handwriting features - I struggled using it in class, I really needed to have become familiar with it at home first, my mistake.

I have come away from Blogshop feeling so inspired and enthused, like I say, not just because of the mammoth amounts of knowledge I have gleaned but because of the positive energy that exuded from those studios all weekend. It was particularly nice for me to have a couple of days off baby-obsessed mind. As we near the big day, I have been so focused on preparing myself and the home that it was really nice to have a couple of days to be uber selfish and do something creative, so absorbing and just for me.

So spring is supposed to be here, yet we still have minus temperatures and snow is falling. I just see this as more of a reason to bring spring in to the home. I have bought Primroses for the garden and they are currently stationed in the conservatory as I fear they may die if I put them out now. They cheer the room up. I have been busy making spring seed packs for friends, decorating the house for Easter and writing Easter cards.

I made the seed packs with yellow sweetie bags (I have hundreds of these, I use them as much as possible). Inside I packed some seeds I had from last year, some I collected from my garden and some I bought. I also added in some of these beautiful vintage flower seed pack labels, which I found on Ebay, wrapped in bakers twine and then stamped label. 

I get really fed up with seeing Easter eggs and all the ridiculous plastic packaging they come in. So for my nieces  I have made up cardboard baskets filled with mini chocolate eggs and chicks with hats - is there anything cuter then a chick in an Easter bonnet??

I also found a double duvet cover from a charity shop, vintage Laura Ashley with daffodils and geese on. I picked it up for £2 and made them in to two tote bags, one for a dear friend and one for me. So even though it is bitterly cold, I shall be wearing my spring tote bag and willing the spring to come. 

For those that have asked about Blogshop, my next post will be all about it. 

29 Weeks

It has been a little while since I have last updated so here we are. Now in my 29th week, the bump is starting to feel heavy. It has been a tough few weeks, I had the mother of all colds that turned into a chest infection, which turned into bruised ribs and torn ligaments! Just as I thought I was getting over that I have come down with yet another cold.

The third trimester has brought with it tiredness and breathlessness.  I am sticking to my yoga which is really helping. I find the need to stretch overwhelming at the moment and it also helps me to relax. We have finally made decisions on all the baby stuff. How difficult is it to choose things??? There is just too much choice. The breast pump and baby monitor have probably caused the most stress, trying to weigh up the pros and cons having read all the reviews. With the first you are having to do things a little blind, you're not really sure what it is you want from a breast pump or baby monitor.

We probably have more than we need but I am a planner by nature and for me to feel relaxed and calm, I have to have all boxes ticked. We've been lucky to get a few hand-me-down's too that we are so grateful for as babies are expensive business.

I have so enjoyed making up our little man's room and searching for the cutest books and toys. I feel like I am getting to know him more and more. His movements are becoming more familiar, I like to read to him and am so enjoying washing his little outfits and hanging them in his wardrobe.

I have a mild sense of panic about my body slowing down in a few weeks, so I am trying to get as much done now, in the hope that when my body does slow, I can simply relax. The thought of not moving and just reading is quite appealing at the moment.

The third trimester has brought back the tiredness that I had in the first, come 6pm I am fit for nothing. It has also brought back the weird pregnancy dreams, last night I dreamt that I grew a nipple on my face, my main concern was what people would think when I try to breastfeed! Lots of dreams that he has arrived already and that I had forgotten all about him and left him downstairs.

I have a feeling that I will really miss my bump, it's such a lovely feeling and the most special I have felt my whole life. The weeks are flying by now and although I can not wait to meet our baby, I am squeezing the most out of each moment.

Although I have not found the time to blog as much as I thought, I have enjoyed the process. It's therapeutic and also has put me in touch with lots of other lovely mums that have been a great source of information, advice and inspiration.

Valentines Day bump...

27 Week bump. I even got a red rose from my tiny boy, think daddy may have helped!

Treasure hunting - latest finds...

A selection of my latest treasure...

I was so thrilled to score the 1950s plastic beach bag, it will now be repurposed and used in the office as a small magazine rack. Yellow is my favourite colour so these beads will get a lot of use come summer. Found the bag from a guy who does house-clearances and the beads came from a charity shop. 

I have been on the lookout for a tin with handles for a while, a rare sight in my experience. I picked this up from one of the stalls in the market square off Columbia road. This will be my new seed tin. From the same stall I picked up the little cardigan, I love the colour combo. The little tin has the cutest illustrations of woodland animal friends so will make a great addition to my little man's room. 

Technically I did not find this delightful recipe tin, it would be so hard to come by in the UK. This was another item I have been searching for. Recipe tins seem to be much more popular in the USA, and with the shipping costs I have been reluctant to have one shipped from Etsy. I have come across a few in the UK but they lack the 'kitschness' and colours. I love the colours on this one and the smaller size. I will repurpose this as my new business card holder for the office. My dear friend Amy brought this back from a trip to the US for me - I just love it.

The Sanderson curtains was a stomach-butterflies find, they were hidden on a rail in a charity shop, all 8ft x 8ft of them! Mint condition. I love the warming colours. They will be made into new cushions for the sofa. 

Pretty Plates! I need these, like a hole-in-the-head but you know, I just can not resist a pretty plate. I got 6 of these beauties to add to my burgeoning crockery cupboard. 

So that's a selection of the loot from the last couple of months - roll on car boot season. I have not forgotten my treasure-hunting blog post for Kent, the weather has just made it near impossible to get any decent photos. I will be posting though very soon and I will do a separate post for each town I like to visit since, if I covered all in one go, it would be a mammoth post.