I'm Pregnant!

My last post was written 9 months ago, and just before we found out we're having a baby! I haven't been able to write since - for some reason I've felt so secretive and private about being pregnant. For the first few weeks I absolutely loved being in a bubble with my husband and being the only ones who knew we were growing our first baby. We had a private scan at 8 weeks just to check it was real, and seeing the faint flicker of a heartbeat on the screen will be something that stays with me for life. A silent tear streamed out of my left eye with no warning, and I knew I was in love.

Today, I'm 39 weeks pregnant, and ever since we found out about our baby every waking moment has been spent preparing for when it is finally here. Suddenly buying our first home became a huge priority. We've been renting various dodgy flats in London for the last 8 years, and saving our pennies to finally buy our own home, but suddenly with the impending arrival of a mini-us we went into overdrive and after finding house that was right for us, we completed just six and a half weeks later. It was all a little bit stressful to say the least but I'm so pleased we have a little home to bring our baby back to.

I'm now on maternity leave and so close to our due date that I finally feel confident about writing about the pregnancy. So here's how its been...

First Trimester 

I was so bloated in the first trimester that I already looked pregnant at around 8 weeks and had to buy maternity jeans. Morning sickness started at around the 6 week mark and I was physically sick every other day. I was only ever sick in the morning before work. I'd wake up so thirsty that I'd drink a large glass of water and invariably then throw up. I also felt really queasy in the evening, and the only thing that helped was eating really bland food. I tried ginger and unfortunately it gave me no relief. In terms of cravings I was a lemon water obsessive, and a salt and vinegar fiend. I felt exhausted but couldn't sleep. The 12 weeks scan was definitely a silver lining to the first trimester and I felt so much better at around week 14. 

Second Trimester 

It was the dream everyone says it is. We went to Rome for a long weekend when I was 24 weeks pregnant and I walked for miles with boundless energy and ate copious amounts of pizza and pasta. I felt like myself with a ravenous appetite and a chunky bump.

Third Trimester 

This trimester was much like the second and overall I've enjoyed it. I've been practising yoga to counteract the niggling aches I've had from my desk job and completed my Pre and Postnatal Yoga teacher training at 31 weeks. From 36 weeks onwards I've started to feel really large and much more uncomfortable, particularly in my left ribs where the baby has conveniently lodged its cute little bottom. When I drop something on the floor I watch it fall, almost in slow-mo and think 'Noooooo, I can't possibly reach that'. I then limber up and make various grunting noises as I squat down in a highly unattractive formation.

I wouldn't say that I've been one of those glamorous, glowy pregnant ladies, but I have been happy, and at every stage I've been amazed at how clever the human body is. The due date one week count is now officially on, and I'm a nervous ball of excitement. 

South African Safari

We decided to do our Safari in the Eastern Cape as it was a great starting point for our trip along the Garden Route. It also meant we didn’t have to take anti Malaria medication, which was a definite plus. We flew into Port Elizabeth and drove our hire car straight to Hitgeheim for one night of relaxation pre our Safari adventure. The journey from Port Elizabeth was somewhat bumpy and made me aware that I should NOT have booked a small car as it really wasn’t suitable for the dirt roads. Whoops!  We trundled along in our Ford Fiesta at 5km an hour and I really regretted trying to save money on our hire car., although it did increase our budget for the amazing food that was on offer! When we finally arrived at Hitgeheim we needed something pretty awesome to brighten up our moods, and I’m pleased to say Hitgeheim did just that. The views were epic, and as we relaxed with our welcome drinks the stress of the journey drifted away.

The rooms were perfect and the comfortable beds were just what we needed after our flights, which totalled 20 hours. We ate an awesome barbecue for dinner, with delicious glasses of unlimited wine! It was a shame that we’d only booked one night at this awesome hotel, but we were equally excited to get back on the road (in our Fiesta!) and arrive at the Lodge for our Safari.

We stayed at the Pumba Lodge Game Reserve near Grahamstown and it was without doubt one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever stayed. Our guide, Justin, answered each and every one of our (sometimes ridiculous) questions and managed to bring his humour with him, even on the 6.30am drives. It was so incredible to see so many beautiful animals, and I felt relaxed and content as I stared, open mouthed at these majestic, and somewhat cheeky animals.

We had some slightly hair raising moments, like when a bull elephant blocked the path and refused to move for a solid 10 minutes, and when reception called our lodge to explain we needed to stay inside as there was a leopard lurking in the vicinity! Seeing the giraffes staring at the sky as the sun set stood out as an amazing moment.  I wouldn’t say this lightly; this Safari was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Yes, it cost the same as a month’s rent in London for just 3 nights, but it was worth every one of our hard earned pennies. I’d say this was a once in a lifetime experience, but I’d love to go again, so maybe it’s more of a thrice in a lifetime experience.

Did you know that a group of giraffes is called a tower? No, neither did I!

Weekend in Paris

My oldest friend moved to Paris with her job at the end of last year. She is without doubt one of my favourite people in the world, she's also my running partner, confidant, and one of the most lovely people you'll ever come across. The only positive of G moving to Paris was the fact that I could visit her, and eat pastries aplenty. 

I've been to Paris with my husband (then boyfriend) before so this time I was keen to explore some different areas. After catching up over copious amounts of tea in G's beautiful Parisian apartment we headed out on our very own walking tour.

If I'm honest much of my visit was largely chatting, and walking, interspersed with the odd Patisserie, however, I did visit two 'touristy' places I think are worth mentioning. If you're looking for an incredible view over the whole of Paris then head to Sacré-Cœur Basilica. We made the decision to climb the 300 steps to the top of the dome, which was probably wise considering the Almond Croissants we had devoured. The view was breathtaking, particularly for G as she's nervous of heights!

My other recommendation is the Musée de L'Orangerie, which is a short walk from the Louvre. Among other pieces this art gallery houses a cycle of Monet's water lily paintings. It was awesome to take in something I've only ever seen on postcards. I could attempt to say something profound about Monet's masterpiece but its seems that would be unnecessary...

'Everyone discusses my art and pretends to understand, as if it were necessary to understand, when it is simply necessary to love.' Claude Monet

I love G and I loved our weekend in Paris. That's enough for me.

Is there anything you'd recommend for when I'm next in Paris?

Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016

2015 was the year we got married, and it seemed to go by in a whirl of Pinterest, table plans, dress fittings, peonies, and confetti. The day was so special yet the planning was relentless! I'm looking forward to 2016 being a year that is less orchestrated because, after all, life is what happens while you're busy making plans. Some of the most memorable moments of our wedding were not planned. Did I hire the above dog, cute child, and miniature pony to ride next to the wedding car? Nope, I sure didn't, and it was pretty special.

Instead of an endless list of things I'd like to achieve, I'm going to put just three goals into writing.

Find a home 

My husband and I have been renting in pricey London since moving down after university.  It would be really lovely to paint some walls, plant some veggies, and have friends round for dinner in a place of our own. If we could squeeze in a dining table then I think I'd be one happy lady!

Finish more books

I am absolutely terrible at starting a book and not finishing it. The stack of books on by bedside table is completely unacceptable.  It's often not a reflection of how good the book is but a reflection of my fleeting attention. I 'm currently reading The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle. I will finish it.

Travel 

Seeing new places makes me feel alive. Surely that's a good enough reason?!

What are your goals for 2016? I'd love to hear.

Bath in Autumn

I absolutely love Bath and have spent a few wonderful weekends there. The last time we visited we relaxed in the Thermae Spa, which was phenomenal and had beautiful views over the city. On this occasion we fancied leaving the day up to chance a little. However, I'm a girl who likes a plan so on the drive there I looked at the top restaurants on TripAdvisor and found that number one was a little Italian place called Sotto Sotto. We weren't even sure if it was open but headed down the steps to the basement entrance anyway. We were really lucky to get a table as someone had just rung up to cancel. Perfect timing. I can one hundred percent understand why this restaurant has so many positive reviews the staff were so attentive and the food was delicious.

With tummies full of bread and pasta we strolled around the the streets taking in all the beautiful sites and festive shop windows. It was a really relaxed day finished perfectly with my first ever Chai tea at Picnic Coffee. Again, this place had the friendliest staff, and my husband ended up getting me a little Turquoise ForLife Teapot from there as I've lusted after one for so long. As our parking was about to run out we quickly headed to the Tea House Emporium so I could get some loose leaf tea for my new fancy pot. They had such an awesome range of Tea there so it was hard to pick just a couple. If you're wondering I went for an Earl Grey and a Moroccan Mint tea. I'll sign off here... I suddenly have the urge to make a cuppa!

A few days in Dubai

I've been to Dubai before but only ever as a stopover where I've always been furiously running to the next flight. We arrived in Dubai early in the morning and it was lovely to be able to get a taxi to our hotel with the sun shining so we could really see the city. I've been told so many times that Dubai looks a bit like the fictional Gotham city, and it really does. Tall buildings with sparkling glass tower over you and I couldn't help but be impressed by the Burj Khalifa.

We stayed at the Movenpick IBN Battuta Gate. The staff there were so incredibly helpful and the bed was super comfy so I couldn't couldn't fault it. We were only in Dubai for a few days visiting some friends but we really tried to pack in as much as we could.

My favourite evening was spent strolling along the marina walk followed by a short and inexpensive trip on the Dubai Ferry. It was fantastic to float across the marina and take in all the twinkling lights, and look in awe at some of the incredible yachts. We got off the boat at the stop next to Pier 7 and went for an awesome meal at Asia Asia. The restaurant had views of the marina, and a bit of a clubby feel, which made us feel a bit like we were back at uni - in a good way! My favourite dish was the avocado and prawn sushi, which was incredible, although my husband did steal a few pieces. I'll forgive him though, it was delicious.

We also headed to the Palm, and the Atlantis resort where we made the most of the Aquarium. We even found Nemo. We also did some less touristy activities and spent some time in some of the HUGE malls as well as venturing to The Cheesecake Factory, as we don't have one in  London, and I knew my husband would be astounded by the size of the portions. Dubai has so much more to offer than I could have imagined, and we left having only scraped the surface of this awesome city.

Valentine's in Bath

We spent Valentine's day in one of my favourite places, Bath. The only photo I took was the above, which is a cup of English Breakfast Tea. How very dull! I took this photo while we were queuing for the Thermae Spa. Looking back at this photo it makes me realise what a lovely day we had because I didn't stop every few minutes to take a photo or a selfie or an Instagram. This photo was it! We were actually in the moment, and what a wonderful time we had.

I highly recommend a visit to the Thermae Spa, the open air rooftop views are stunning, and considering it was rather busy we felt really chilled and enjoyed every minute of our two hour time slot! There's something about being in water/swimming that makes me a hungry gal. I would stand looking wistfully at the vending machine after a swimming lesson when I was little! We had a delicious lunch then meandered around the shops. I bought some  gorgeous gifts for a couple of my lovely friends from an independent market stall called Bertie and Jack. Then it turned characteristically chilly and we headed home for a warm cuppa and some sofa time. I didn't do well at documenting our day but we did a really good job of enjoying ourselves!

I hope you all had a super Valentine's.

With Love from London

I moved to London straight after university to get a job because that’s what many of my friends were doing. I moved to Clapham because that’s where everyone I knew lived, and it felt like a safe extension of university life. I no longer live in Clapham and have moved around different boroughs and experienced my fair share of interesting rental properties. The most memorable was the flat with mites in the sofa, and badger paintings on the walls. Lovely. Seven years later I’m still in here..

When I've been out for dinner in London and I've got the time to walk to the station instead of getting the tube, that’s when I love London. Walking over any London bridge when it’s late and the lights are twinkling makes my little heart sing. London has an incredible buzz and there really is always something going on. It’s awesome that I can go to the theatre on a week night (The Curious Incident of the Dog at Night was epic), and go to museums for free, and eat an amazing array of food. We managed to get tickets for the Olympics in 2012 and the atmosphere was incredible, and my love for London came to an all time high. I remember watching the Hockey while the rain beat down. I had soggy feet all day (I still haven’t learnt to always prepare for rain), but when I got home I said ‘that was one of the best days of my life’, and I meant it.

The London parks are stunning and I’ve enjoyed many a run through them with one of my best friends. I’ve run the Royal Parks Half Marathon and tried to take in the beauty, while attempting to keep my heavy legs going. Richmond Park is the largest of the Royal parks and it’s amazing for marathon training (11km circumference), and there are even deer wandering around just minding their own business. We took our Kindle’s and a picnic blanket last summer and read for hours with no awareness we were even in London.

Part of why I love London is because it can feel like everyone is here, and that’s also part of the reason I struggle to love it. It’s just so blinking busy. I’ve become acquainted with so many armpits on the daily commute, and sometimes it’s tiring battling through another crowd. It’s also silly expensive to buy a house/flat/studio/shed. I would love to own a real home someday and paint the walls, and have, dare I say it, some outside space. Ever the optimist I went to see a few flats, which looked amazing in the estate agents pictures. When I arrived the first one was above a Chicken Shop and the extractor fans pumped out the smell of their ‘secret blend of herbs and spices’. All that being said I’m aware of just how lucky I am to live in this wonderful city, so for now we’re staying put.

With love from London…