imp'ish: inclined to do slightly naughty things for fun

How you you resist a little piece this cute...especially when it has an equally sweet tagline? Just a quick peek at one of the 'slightly naughty' internet purchases I've made for the little one. Quick stats on imp'ish: designed in NZ, handmade in India using organic cotton, created by people who receive a fair wage and work in a healthy safe environment. Good for you clothing.

This was purchased from the beautifully curated 'online shoppe', I Ran the Wrong Way, a thoughtful and considered array of good finds. (As well as charming clothes for little babes they stock another of my favourite children's books, The Black Book of Colours, and lovely goodies for the home.)

This isn't an advertisement! Just a recommendation for a beautiful range of clothing for the little ones and a great spot for online shopping...I've picked up so many beautiful goodies thanks to other blogs so I'm just sharing the love.

30 weeks

Wowers. It's been a pretty hectic week and I've been a bit neglectful on the blog front. Our bump pic was taken in a rush one morning and I've only just got around to uploading it. There are a number of major events we are preparing for at work and I've just found out I'll be acting Director for the next 4 weeks before I start my maternity leave. Yikes!

As much as I adore the people I work with and the industry I'm in, I'm really looking forward to the next stage: nesting & resting. Not long now, little one, and we'll have more time for pottering about, yoga, watching the bulbs flower (they are springing up everywhere now), reading books, quilting, sewing, smartening up your little corners in our house and preparing for your arrival.

This week:

I'm loving...vanilla ice cream (Connoisseur brand), pears, long baths, the little one's rolling movements across my belly, reading Ina May with Meu Amor in bed at night.

I'm loathing...this constant indigestion, my limited maternity wardrobe, potatoes, the smell of toast (weird).

Mama's making me a quilt

So many lovely things coming in the mail lately. I'm such a fan of ordering online - the anticipation of a parcel is so much better than the instant gratification that comes with lugging a plastic bag out of a store, wouldn't you agree?

The Ink & Spindle Allsorts Quilt Kit is one of the goodies that arrived in the past week. So beautifully packaged too. I admired it unopened on the coffee table for a while! My mum promised me she'd make a quilt for the little one, but had given away a lot of her old fabric a few years ago as her quilting days (she thought) were long gone. I'd been keeping my eye out for patterns on the internet - something that could look a little wonky and imperfect, given that Mum was protesting that she might be a little rusty - and came across this beautiful kit sourcing the link for one of my previous posts.

I love that Ink & Spindle hand screenprint their fabrics and make efforts to ensure they are ethical and sustainable. Plus they just seem like really sweet ladies having fun in their studio. I wish I had the time at the moment to create a little stash of my own screenprinted fabric, but I'm not a superwoman and think my time is best spent in a non-toxic environment (i.e. at the sewing table!). Am sure it'll be a lovely project for Mum and I to work on together in those last few weeks...if the hormones stay in check!

Ps. Thank you for all your lovely supportive comments on my last post. We had a scan at the hospital today which came up clear. In fact the little one looked very cosy and happy in there, pouting and blinking and curled up like a yogi. Apparently the little one is a little one (at this stage), being on the 'petite' side of the scale - but still well clear of the danger zone. Phew!

29 weeks

Fuzzy and faded. Perhaps a reflection of my state of mind last night at the hospital, but not a fair depiction of the how I've felt this past week (great).

A little bit of bleeding sent me in to the Birthing Centre twice in the past few days. As I have negative blood they have been treating any bleeding with caution, although it has only been small amounts each time and I've been cleared each visit. The first time around I instinctively felt that everything would be fine and we were lucky to see our very supportive midwife and a gentle doctor. Last night, however, our midwife was attending to a lady who was birthing and we were sent upstairs to the understaffed and sterile delivery suite - a completely different atmosphere to what we've been fortunate enough to experience in the Birthing Centre. This time we waited in plastic chairs in a corridor, were given a bottle of water as an afterthought, met with a 'very busy' doctor, and left hours later having been offered very little comfort and a mumbled explanation. I've been at home today resting, feeling a little drained.

However, a lovely thing to come out of each visit was being able to listen to the little one's galloping heartbeat. I'll never tire of that sound or the feeling of a little body bounding around in the belly.

As I mentioned, apart from this experience, I've felt great. A little more energy than usual and I think my mini meals are doing wonders for the indigestion! I've been practising relaxation and visualisation with this fabulous CD and book each night (K will often join in too), and sometimes get the opportunity to close my office door at lunchtimes and stretch out on my yoga mat. I look forward to these practices every time and feel it doing wonders for my state of mind. I'm just hoping to feel rested and healthy for when the time comes to birth. Getting closer...

Peek

A little look at the set up pics that K managed to snap...more to come soon. We had such a lovely afternoon and I think the little one loved being centre of attention, bounding around with every belly rub...uh oh...

28 weeks

I am rethinking the way I eat at the moment. After a long and painful weekend of indigestion and tummy pains, K and I stocked up on healthy snack-type foods (corn thins, nuts, sesame crackers, chickpeas, vegtable sticks, etc) and came up with some tasty light meals for dinners. I keep reading that eating small and frequent meals is best. I'm much more of a grazer by nature anyway (or a 'picker' which seems to really bother everyone who I've lived with!) so am loving the variety of mini meals throughout the day. Feeling slightly better as a result too.

Luckily my dear parents are now back from overseas and Mum brought around a basket of provisions to nourish me and the little one over the weekend: homemade pumpkin and bean soup, fresh coleslaw, stewed apples and nut bars. What a goodie. She has also been busy planning my baby shower with two of my sweetest friends. The little afternoon tea (no games, just cups of tea, cakes, belly rubbing and good times) will be held this Saturday. Am sure it will be tops. Pity that these lovely ladies won't be there. I miss them terribly.

An old friend

I've had this lovely Klippan fabric that we bought in Sweden tucked over a cushion, masquerading as a cover, ever since we moved in (November last year).

Finally I dusted off the old Janome and, using a very basic pattern saved from an Ink & Spindle kit, I whipped up a little cover. Even found some sweet spotty fabric for the underside. Think I've got my sewing mojo back.

Ordered some of this beautiful fabric which arrived in the mail last week...Another cushion and perhaps something sweet for a friend's little girl, due end of August? Will suit a Spring baby, no?

27 weeks

We had such a beautiful weekend away in Bowral and I think I'm still on a bit of a high. It felt very special to dedicate a whole weekend to thinking, pondering and discussing the birth, and spending the time to prepare and meditate with no distractions. I've come away from the course and our time together with the confidence to surrender (thank you also Jodi) and empowered by the knowledge that my body is made to do this. I am in awe of how our bodies make birthing possible and how perfectly mama and baby work together. Whilst what will happen at the birth will remain a mystery until we experience it, we have gained a real belief that through the practise of relaxation and visualisation our minds have the potential to be calm and ready for the journey - with all its challenges and surprises. The fear has subsided and its place is a resolve to work with each other and do our best to make this a memorable experience. I am not alone in this journey and K is very much a part of this preparation and indeed, the birth. I feel reassured.

Throughout the week I have noticed that the little one is stepping up the frequency and force of moves. Vey cheeky. But oh so lovely and fulfilling at the same time. Already I am sad that one day soon I won't be feeling the little taps on my belly.

Skin feeling stretched and on more than one occasion I have suffered from the 'eyes are bigger than my belly' curse. Tums is my new best friend. Bok choy, apples and marshmallows have never tasted so good. (Obviously not all together).

Ps. I know you can't really see my belly in this photo, but we were running out of time this morning. You can't really see the dress I'm wearing either, but it's been one of the only pieces I've had to purchase to accommodate my expanding bump. If you haven't come across the talented Klei yet, you are in for a treat. I've bought a few pieces of her ceramic jewellery and the lovely neck scarf in the photo - but was very happy to see her selling beautiful, easy to wear linen dresses at a market in Canberra recently (she's usually found at Melbourne's Rose Street markets). It's a little like an apron (although I'm not really selling it by saying that, am I?!), very comfortable, isn't necessarily maternity wear and gets lovely and crinkled throughout the day.