She's here!

So, 6 weeks after her arrival, here's a short post about the new addition to our family.

Our little girl, Lucy Lloyd, arrived at 03:10 on 17 November 2015, weighing a healthy 8lb 3oz.

Even though the birth didn't go quite according to plan, all that has faded from memory by now, and I'm loving motherhood.

The first couple of weeks were hard, trying to adjust to this new person in our lives. But now that the Other Half is back at work, we've got into a rhythm and I love seeing her change and develop every day. She's perfect in every way...even when she's filled her nappy or is screaming the house down for no reason whatsoever.

Welcome to our world Lucy Lloyd, I can't imagine life without you.

The baby list

Another big gap between posts I'm afraid!

Well, it's been a busy few months - pregnancy symptoms, trying to stay awake at work, ticking baby-related chores off a gazillion to-do lists and, of course, buying all the baby essentials, while trying to not get ripped off...easier said than done.

I trawled the internet for the ultimate baby list and finally settled on Mothercare's version, which seemed extensive (like them all!), but also with a pinch of common sense.

It's expensive, it's exhausting, but I'm finally done.

Here are a few of my main purchases...



The pram

It took me a loooong time to decide which pram to buy. It seemed like the biggest and most important decision. After reading a million reviews, asking parent friends what they thought, and a few trips to Mamas and Papas, we (ahem, I!) decided on the Sola 2. For some reason, the lime green version was half the price of the red or black version - I actually preferred this colour, so happy days!

The seat lies flat and is therefore suitable from birth, which means there's no need for a cumbersome carrycot. I was a little concerned about this as we're having a November baby. However, the carrycot was an extra £70, was very big, and I really believe that a foot muff will keep the little one cosy enough.

The pram arrived last weekend and I'm still trying to work it all out. But now it's here, it seems very very real.

The car seat

Another of the big and important purchases. I actually bought this with the pram at Mamas and Papas as there was an offer on at the time. The car seat can be extended as baby grows, so hopefully it'll last us a while. We took advantage of the car seat fitting service as well. The member of staff was so knowledgeable and friendly, and gave us a chance to try it out before we left. It's very simple to fit in the car, without the need for an (expensive!) isofix base. I loved the orange colour, but decided to go for the more baby-friendly black option.

The cot bed

Even though the Little One won't be sleeping in the cot bed for a while yet, my Dad wanted to get us something as a baby gift, and this seemed ideal. It's from Argos and was in the sale at the time. It's much bigger than I anticipated to be honest, but hopefully that just means it'll last longer. It seems very sturdy and I really like the simple but elegant style it has.

The moses basket

So, I've read on many a forum that these are a real waste of money as babies only use them for a few months. Therefore, in an effort to save a few pennies, I bought a second hand one from Gumtree. The basket hasn't been used, and the stand is in great condition. I paid £20 for both, and after a bit of research, I've found that the basket is actually from John Lewis (£35) and the stand is from Mamas and Papas (£30) - so a great save. I also found a (new!) mattress on ebay for £8.

All in all, it has been an expensive process, but I've also managed to grab a few bargains along the way. There are always sales around and it's definitely worth waiting for them, especially for the big purchases. Also, there's nothing wrong with second hand baby stuff. You might feel like you want to buy all new for your first born, but to be honest, mums generally take good care of everything they buy and you can get better things for the new member of your family, for less money - definitely worth it in my opinion.

Only 6 weeks to go now...!

The pram

The car seat
The cot bed
The moses basket

A Beautiful Mess - the app!

So I've been searching high and low for a cheap and easy to use programme to edit photos. And I've found one, at last.

I've been following A Beautiful Mess for a while on Instagram but I've never seen them advertise their awesome app. I bought it yesterday (79p (or just over a dollar) - bargain!) and I'm already hooked. I still need some time to play with it properly, but the first few photos came out pretty well, I think...

                                

                                        

                                         

Very basic at this point but I'm sure I'll get the hang of it. Anyone else loving the app?

My favourite blogs

What really got me started with writing my own blog, was the sheer amount of good blogs already out there. And I'm constantly finding more. The list is growing and growing, and I'm doing less and less work. Ahem, even though I only read them in my lunch hour, of course.

So, here's a round up of a few of my favourites:


Florence Finds is a blog by new mum Rebecca. She talks about her beautiful baby girl, Bea, her home renovation projects and her capsule wardrobe.

A Cup of Jo is written by full time blogger Joanna Goddard who is a mum to two gorgeous and funny little boys. She blogs about everything and anything - easy supper recipes, fashion trends, cool NY apartments, and everything in between. She also posts very regularly, at least a couple of posts a day.

Seeds and Stitches is the combined effort of mums Davina and Hannah, two crafty and ethically minded women who blog about magazine shoots, craft events and family life in general.

A Baby on Board is a new find for me. Being pregnant meant that I couldn't resist googling popular pregnancy new mum blogs, and this came out top. And it's easy to see why. Gill, a mum of two, writes beautifully and funnily about the ups and downs of life. A definite favourite.

Have you got any blogs you'd recommend? I'm sure I could find time to read them...

Big News...

Apologies for the lack of posts, once again - this is becoming a bad habit, isn't it?

But today, I'm here to share some wonderfully beautiful and exciting news...we're having a baby! And this little bundle of joy should be with us by November.

It might sound awful saying this now, but I've always been unsure about starting a family. The responsibility. The pressures. The sleepless nights.

What if I want to sit and read all day? Or go to Paris for the weekend? Or go to Glastonbury?

Well, all that has changed, and I'm beyond excited. The Other Half and I have been together for almost seven years, and as he's nearly six years older than I am, has always been a little broody. Whereas, I certainly have not. Don't get me wrong, I looove playing with other people's kids, and am a pretty good entertainer, but having a child of my own? Wow, that's something else.

We started talking a bit more seriously about it last summer and by New Year 2014/15 we were sure that 2015 would be the year. We went to Thailand and theeeen, I was pregnant. I'm now in my 17th week and getting a pretty decent sized bump.

Life has already changed quite a bit for me. Thankfully, I'm over the major bouts of sickness and headaches, and even though I'm still pretty tired, I'm starting to feel a little bit more like 'me'. Well, except for the sleepless nights, the back ache, the lack of appetite, the ever growing bump and a million other little side effects that no one ever tells you about.

All those side effects aside, I'm enjoying being pregnant. The Other Half says I look 'glowing' at the moment and the bump is changing from being a 'fat belly' to a 'pregnant belly' - the other day, I was actually offered a seat on the bus because of it. Oh yeah!

I'd really love to get more into this blog from now on, and even more so when I'm on maternity leave, but who knows how things will go. I'll just have to wait and see.




Photos:
Glastonbury
Onion
Bus sign

Hello again!

So, another big gap between posts - sorry about that.

Last time I was here I was on my way to Thailand, and boy did we have a great time! The Other Half and I, my Dad and his Partner spent 2 weeks in the sun, eating Massaman Curries, having massages, drinking cheap beers, going on boat trips and reading.

Oh yeah, the Other Half also proposed!

I honestly couldn't believe it. We've been together for just over 6 years and I'd almost given up. He's romantic but very very subtle. I've hinted and hinted. But the Boy did good. He chose my ring, made sure it was the right size, hid it for half the holiday and...went down on one knee. He's a keeper!

And now we're home and on a mission to (not plan a wedding as everyone wants us to!) sort the house out. We need wardrobes, a sofa bed for guests, a bathroom cabinet, wall hangings and...we need to sort out the rising damp. Boo. We've had a couple of people in and it's going to cost us upwards of £2,000...for something that needs doing, but that we can't actually see. Oh the joys of being a homeowner.

Anyway, this is a bit of a rambling post. To be honest, after getting home from our holiday and getting back into the swing of things, I intentionally didn't blog or use Instagram for a while. I was worried that I was developing a serious case of Instagram Jealousy. Admiring everyone's perfectly decorated houses and staring longingly at illustrations or crafts they'd created, wishing I had the time to invest in these things. It was getting me down.

So, on holiday, aside from texting my mum and brother about the engagement, I switched my phone off. It was bliss. I wasn't constantly checking for emails or updates, and cursing that I had no time to do the things I wanted to do.

And it's been great, for a while.

It's given me the time to realise that my life is pretty great and I don't need a blog or Instagram. However, last night I was curious, and had a sneaky peek at my last post. And it was good. I enjoyed reading it. And I enjoyed writing it last month.

So, I'm never going to be a big successful blogger, but this is a good way for me to ramble on about things, express my opinions and have a good old rant.

And as for Instagram, I've resistsed the urge to post anything since returning to the country, but I do love to look at all the pretty photographs. I'm not 100% convinced it's a good idea for me to keep looking through the photos, but I do love the ideas I get from certain posts with regards to baking, crafts and illustration. Maybe I just need to sieve through the people I follow, and use Instagram as a very useful and inspirational tool, not an app that turns me into a big green eyed monster.

Anyway, rant/ramble over - enjoy the rest of your week everyone! xx





Photos:


The Thailand ones are my own
Comparison is the thief of joy
Comic strip
Niki Pilkington

Craving creativity

Well haven't I been quiet recently? Sorry about that, life has gotten in the way.

Recently I've been feeling unfulfilled. I've always had trouble loving my job, primarily as I'm a translator - nothing very exciting but it pays a decent wage. However, a year and a half ago I managed to get a new job (still translating!) and all of a sudden I didn't hate it any more. Now, I'm not saying that I love it either, but you get where I'm going with this.

However, recently I'm so bored at work. Maybe it's just a phase, or maybe this is it. It feels unbelievably depressing to think that this is what I'll be doing for the next 40 odd years. Sigh.

I'm not sure what else I want to do. Or what I can do. I just know that this isn't it.

I love being creative. I love learning new skills, trying things and doing what I want to do. I know, I know, I need to pay the bills. But surely, there must be a better balance than this?

I have all these ideas in my head, all the projects I'd like to start and all the new skills I'd like to master, but I just haven't got the time. What is a girl to do?

I hate being in work all day, planning my evening so I can have at least half an hour of crafting. Only to get home later than expected, more exhausted than expected and then having no time for me. It's getting me down.

Hopefully you haven't clicked on this blog hoping for an answer as I don't have one, yet. I'm determined to figure this out, but I'm unsure how to do that right now.

Oh life is so hard.

Don't get me wrong. My life isn't really that hard at all. I have a good job that pays well, I have an amazing boyfriend, we bought our first house last year and we're off to Thailand in a few weeks. What on earth is this girl moaning about?

I've always been a worrier and I guess this could just be one of my worrying phases, a time before we potentially start a family, when I potentially have less time to myself. A time when I'd like to have a few crafting skills under my belt so I could potentially, one day, maybe, make some money out of it.

I'm very realistic (or pessismistic?) here and know that to make a decent amount of money out of crafting is hard. Like, really hard. But it would be nice to cut down my hours translating so I could do a bit more of what I truly love.

Anyway, I'm glad I have this blog, even if I don't contribute very often. It feels like a diary of sorts where I can ramble on about what's bothering me, and hopefully find that someone else feels exactly the same.

Happy Thursday Everyone - have a good one! xx

Bulb photo
Brain photo
Creativity photo