Bare Belly

Some of you have been asking for pictures of my bare belly and in every single pregnancy book I read, they say it's a good thing to take at least one picture of the naked belly before giving birth - for future memories. While some people have no problem whatsoever to expose and show their bumps with pride and excitement, I actually feel a bit embarrassed and in all honesty, I don't really like all the bad things that happen to a pregnant woman's belly. I realise the bump may be cute the first three/four months but then I hate the stretching skin, the blue veins, the linea nigra, and worst of all the deformed belly button. So, it took some time and strong convincing before I felt comfortable enough to take a picture of my bare naked bump. Not even Rob is allowed to see my belly that much these days, this shows how much I love you. I took the picture myself using the vertical mirror in the closet; it's the best I can do, so please don't ask for more :)

I am in the middle of week 32, only 8 to go, and officially in month 8. Pregnancy is a quite long process, nine months are a long time for a woman to go through all this, don't you think? And every week brings something new. The first four months for me were all about exhaustion and nausea and vomit. Then it was mostly tiredness and adjustment to the new weight and shape of my body. The level of energy is definitely much lower than its usual self and with time I had to learn to accept my new limits. I need to rest every time I feel down, put my feet up and make sure my back is in a comfortable position. However, despite all this, I have come to realise that a woman is meant to do this, we are able to deal with all the things that pregnancy brings along the way. And in the end, it hasn't been too bad so far, I really cannot, and do not want to complain. 

Apart from the obvious gain weight, my body isn't really too different. I have a round belly which I don't usual have, of course, and much fuller legs. I am looking forward to having my waist and skinny legs back, I must say. With time though, I'll be patient. Feet, arms, hands, face, hair...everything looks the same-ish, otherwise. I haven't got stretch marks, at least not yet (fingers crossed!!) and I can still wear some of my normal clothes. I can walk and run a few errands. Of course I am rather slow and it takes me some time to get to the tube station, work or the grocery store, but I eventually get to my final destination. I can still sleep ok, both on my back and my side and I enjoy eating. Lately, I have been suffering a little bit from nausea again, but nothing drastic and definitely not as bad as the first months. 

Now I am looking forward to going to Pescara for a few days and spend some time at home with my family and friends. I have a few things planned already: my cousin's wedding, my first baby shower, my early birthday celebrations, so I really hope to be able to go. I have a doctor appointment on Monday and then a midwife appointment on Tuesday, where they will have to assess that I am fit to fly. Legally, you are not allowed to fly after week 36 but from week 28 you need a special letter from your doctor to show to the airline crew. Let's hope everything goes well. I am only a bit concerned about the insane heat wave that is affecting Italy at the moment. I have been quite lucky here in London since the temperatures have never gone higher than 28 degrees, with an average of 20-21 degrees. Currently in Pescara there are about 38 degrees. Worst scenario I will be lying in bed with the air conditioning on all time! And if people want to see me, they will have to come visit me.

Toms Toms Toms

I have blogged about my passion for Toms before. 

I own a couple of Toms already but if I could, I would buy every single colour and pattern version of them. They are so incredibly comfortable and versatile. And it makes me feel good to buy a pair of shoes knowing that another pair will automatically be sent to a child in need.

Yesterday, on my way home from work I passed by Office and saw a lovely new pattern that I hadn't spotted before. You know how much I love polka dots and all shades of blue, so these shoes seem to have been designed just for me.

Believe it or not, I didn't stop to buy them. I was tired and wanted to go home. However, they may find their way to my flat soon! :)

And since we are on the subject of polka dots and comfortable shoes, have you seen the new collaboration between Henry Holland and Superga? It's an explosion of polka dots!

I am not sure I could wear the high ones (2790 Flatform), as cool as they look, but the classic Superga (2750) are quite cute. Now, the question is: pink, green, or blue?

Anniversary Celebrations

So we have come to the end of our two-day anniversary celebrations. 

Day 1 started with a nice homemade breakfast and ended with an evening out in Theatreland, in the West End. It's not that easy to dress up with an expanding bump, but I tried to wear something nice for the occasion anyway.

It's not proper Summer weather in London at the moment but the temperatures are just perfect for me, not too high and definitely not low either. It's nice not to wear a jacket but at the same time it's great not to be sweating all the time. 

As you can see, the bump is regularly growing. I am at the end of week 31 now, only nine weeks to go (or less!). I am getting every day slower and slower but I can't complain, things are still going pretty smooth.

At 6.30pm our car arrived and we were driven to the Royal Drury Lane Theatre to see Shrek The Musical.

Unfortunately, the musical wasn't great. I don't think I disliked it as much as Rob but I was certainly disappointed. The good things about the movies are the wittiness and the songs, both these things were taken away in the musical. I don't quite understand why but all the songs were new and specifically written for the musical. Why would you do that when the soundtrack of the movies is so good and entertaining? This is a mystery to me. Anyway, the story is still sweet and we enjoyed an evening out in bustling London. It was crazy busy on a Monday night and it took us forever to get back home, I have never seen so much traffic in London. I wonder how it is going to be in a month time for the Olympics!

Day 2 was perfect. Rob came home from work and surprised me with a colourful bunch of gerberas. Aren't they lovely? I told him he has won the *best husband of the year* prize :)
He has done so much for this anniversary and I am very grateful.

For the evening's dinner Rob picked Gaucho, here at the Tower Bridge. We love this restaurant and their meat is just delicious. I loved this choice for many reasons: it's very close to our flat, the ambiance of the restaurant is very cool and the food is to die for.
Here is a picture of me and the bump a few minutes before leaving the flat.

I really enjoyed the short walk to the restaurant and Gaucho certainly didn't disappoint. We started with non-alcoholic drinks and appetisers; it was so weird to be drinking a non-alcoholic Mojito but let me tell you, it was sooooo good! Rob opted for a *fake* Pina Colada instead.

And then the amazing meat, all the iron I needed for the day.

We ended the meal with a super yummy dessert: I had the best white chocolate and yogurt mousse I have ever had with a nice and refreshing mango and coconut sauce. I didn't even have the time to take a picture, I just ate it and loved it!

So this is it, our first wedding anniversary has come to an end. I had a great time. One year down, the rest of our lives to go...

One year as Mr and Mrs

On April-1-2011 Rob and I promised eternal love to each other in a small town-hall in South London in front of the registrar, a witness, and two good friends.We joked it was an April fool.

Vale & Rob | Civil Cerimony from Colors Design Studio on Vimeo.

A couple of months later, on June-25-2011 we confirmed our promise in church in Italy in front of our beloved family and friends. That day was magical for us.

Today, we celebrate our first wedding anniversary. A full year of happiness.
The day has started with a yummy breakfast. I made chocolate croissants and cappuccino. It was the first time I tried to make croissants, and thankfully, they turned out rather good. I was pleased and Rob really enjoyed them.

Rob and I had extensively talked about the anniversary and how we wanted to celebrate. We had to change plans a couple of times. Originally, way before I got pregnant, we had decided to go to Santorini. Remember we were undecided whether to go to Santorini, Greece, or New Zealand for our honeymoon? We picked New Zealand in the end because we thought it would be more special for the occasion, and therefore decided to leave Santorini for our first wedding anniversary get-away. Then, back from New Zealand, I got pregnant and with time we realised that going to Greece at the end of June may have not been a very wise option. We looked at alternatives and we warmed up to the idea of celebrating on the English coast, in Brighton. However, traveling is getting a bit harder for me these days and given that we will (hopefully!) be going to Italy in a couple of weeks, we thought it may be more sensible not to stress my body and baby O too much. So, we will celebrate in London instead. Tonight I am taking Rob to the theatre to see Shrek The Musical. We love the movies and the soundtrack and I thought it would be cute. Baby O will enjoy it too, I am sure. And then Rob is taking me out for dinner tomorrow evening. Details to come. 

So, given that we both organised something for the two evenings, we agreed that we would not exchange gifts. The musical and a nice meal out would be our gifts to each other. But then Rob surprised me this morning...after breakfast he asked me to sit on the couch and close my eyes and when I opened them, this was sitting next to me:

Inside, the iconic Speedy 35. In the weekend we will go back to the store to have my initials added. Which colour(s) should I choose? I was thinking yellow...

Today, I am an explosion of joy!

All that glitters...

Oh, I am in love with these Miu Miu loafers!

I like both colour options, blue and gold, but I think the blue ones are just delicious. 

Sadly, they are a bit pricey for me, and I can't justify such an expense at the moment. However, if they go on sale, I can't promise to be able to resist the temptation :)

A different Saturday

Most of our Saturdays begin with a nice breakfast out in one of the local cafes and then food shopping at Waitrose for the week ahead. We usually have our list of things to buy and by 11.30am are home, ready to start planning lunch. And this morning we did the same, we left the flat at 9.15am, had breakfast and then headed to Waitrose to buy food, but not only food this time. For the first time we found ourselves wandering in the baby care aisle. I am starting to get things organised for the hospital bag, just in case, and we needed a couple of things for the baby, such as cotton wool, wipes, and newborn nappies. The old Vale would have spent half an hour in the beauty aisle looking for the perfect and best scented bath cream, the new Vale spent half an hour staring at diapers! How things change. Apart from the usual suspects, like Pampers and Huggies, there were some obscure brands (at least new to me) that however attracted my attention. In the end, we decided to go with Naty. Naty is an entrepreneurial company that provides ecological options in personal and baby care. I am always up for green options so I decided to give it a try. Once back home I went online and read several reviews, and they all seemed pretty positive. The best features of these nappies are that a) they are eco-friendly (100% chlorine-free - based on biodegradable materials - 100% GMO free) b) they don't smell all chemically c) they don't seem to cause nappy rash d) they can last for long hours and e) they look great (the newborn size nappies are white with little grey hearts on them, aren't they sweet?!).

Now, I am aware of the fact that we will need to test different brands and see what works best for us and the baby, but these seemed a nice option to start with. Do any of you use them? Would you recommend them?

After lunch Rob went out to run some errands and I hand-washed all the little clothes to bring to the hospital for Baby O. The hospital gave a list of things to bring, such as vests, nightgowns, hats, socks, and baby clothes to go home with. I selected three outfits for Baby O, one if it will be very hot, one if the weather will be iffy, and one if it will be cold. You never know in London....

The old Vale and Rob would have spent a Saturday afternoon at the park, walking along the river, shopping, going to the movies or getting ready for a nice evening out. Now, it's all about the baby. Again, how things change! 

The best part of the day, however, was when Rob came back home and asked me to close my eyes. I was resting my legs in bed and immediately closed my eyes getting excited at whatever surprise he had for me. And when I re-opened them, two wonderful baby outfits were laying in bed next to me. Rob didn't have any errand to run, instead he went off to the Ralph Lauren boutique in Bond Street and bought two wonderful dresses for his daughter-to-be. Needless to say, he touched me.

Oh Baby O, we can't wait to have you with us!

Your Olympic Games Tickets

This morning we were just about to sit down to have breakfast when the door bell rang. Delivery. There are several packages we expect to be delivered these days, mostly baby stuff (e.g. changing table and storage boxes, changing mat, baby clothes) and a few other things (e.g. gifts for upcoming friends' birthdays, shoes for me and some other stuff for the house) but we were definitely not expecting this! And you can imagine our excitement when we opened the package and saw what was inside:

A year ago when the first round of tickets went on sale, Rob and I applied to as many tickets we felt comfortable with. At the beginning you could just apply for tickets, hoping to get something. Millions of people frantically visited the London 2012 website that day and so did we and many of our friends. Naively, we thought we were going to get something but then with time we realised how hard that would be. A few months went by and one day I received an email with the notification that we had been allocated two tickets for the Women Volleyball Semifinals! I was so happy as this was one of my favourite events to attend. Having played volleyball when I was younger and being a big fan of the sport, this was a special event for me. Unfortunately, not all our friends have been lucky getting tickets, at least not at the first round. So we feel blessed.

Now the *problem* is the game will be on August 7th, just three weeks before my due date. Will I be able to go? How big will I be then? London will be a mess to get around those days and I will certainly be less tolerant than usual. However, as of right now I still plan to go, it doesn't happen every day to go to an Olympic game and I would hate to miss this experience. And who knows, perhaps baby O will get so excited, will let me enjoy the game, and then will try to come out a bit early! Everybody wins!

Changing Table: Change of Plan

Remember the nice changing table that we selected for baby O? Well, we called the baby boutique in Putney and unfortunately they did not have it in stock, and given that it is made to order, it will take up to eight weeks to be delivered. That would take us to mid-August. I would have waited but Rob was getting impatient. So our search for the perfect (mostly right-size!) changing station began again. As I explained before, the real problem is the size. We are trying to fit the changing table in our en-suite bathroom since we have no extra space available in either of the two bedrooms. Worst scenario, I could move all my jewellery and perfumes from the top of the chest of drawers and make space for the changing mattress, nappies, wipes and baby products. However, I really would like to have a dedicated space just for this, and possibly have it close to the sink where I will be washing her at the beginning. 

So yesterday I found a changing table that would fit. It's not aesthetically amazing but it will serve its purpose. We called to see if it came with the nice mattress pictured in the image (blue or pink) and of course it doesn't! The shop doesn't sell it and the lady had no idea where we could find it. It's only part of the picture for their catalogue. Thanks! So, we found the right-size table, now the problem was to find the right-size mattress, since all the changing mats are of course bigger in order to fit to the standard changing unit. What a mess! 

Of course, my evening was devoted to finding the mat, while watching the England-Ukraine match.  In the end I discovered a cool, modern brand Farg&Form. I have a feeling I actually was in their shop in Stockholm when we visited a year or so ago. Anyway, Farg&Form specialises in bold and bright patterns. The signature pattern for kids' products is clouds, but they also have polka dots, stripes, sheep and frogs.

So I browsed the online shops in the UK that sell this brand to find out that they do make a nice size changing mat that would perfectly fit our changing unit. Hurray! After a little hesitation on the colour, we opted for the pink and white cloud mattress, which will be lovely on the grey table.

I then ordered three wooden, scalloped boxes in white, pink and grey to store all the baby products, nappies and wipes in the shelves below the table. We are now all set!

Wahaca and shopping

Yesterday Rob and I went to Westfield in Stratford to do some shopping. Around 11.15am we left the house with a list of things to buy and were on a mission to buy as many items on the list as possible. Yes, you guessed it right, mostly baby stuff, she is sucking all our energy and money already! 

Going to a mall is not what I would call one of our favourite pastimes, in fact, we rather hate it; however, it is convenient to shop in a place with lots of stores condensed in the same area. So, we went. Before getting wild shopping we checked The Street, the outdoor area where all the nice restaurants are, and after wandering a little we opted for Wahaca. We both fancied some good Mexican food and I had heard from friends that this was a nice place. The atmosphere is absolutely amazing, very cool, colourful and vibrant. It resembles the style of a Mexican market, where you can eat reasonably priced, fresh and tasty food.

It was our first time so everything on the menu sounded delicious. We finally opted to share black beans and cheese quesadillas and marinated chicken taquitos; we then each ordered chicken burritos. To drink, a deliciously fresh Citrus Frizz, with lime, mint and sparkling water. Everything was absolutely tasty. We definitely recommend this place and we will be back ourselves! 

Shopping with a full stomach is much easier. We weren't able to cross everything off the list but we bought some essentials, such as Avent binkis (it took us forever to choose what we thought may be the right ones...honestly, this is hard!),  nightgowns for the hospital, maternity nursing bras and a couple of big dresses for me (still not maternity, I try to avoid those!), some baby clothes and of course Sophie La Girafe, so highly recommended! Rob enjoyed some good shopping for himself too, mostly toiletries and underwear, but at least it wasn't just a day out for the girls!

We got home around 5.30pm and I was literally exhausted. I am not used to being out for so long anymore and everything tires me out. Unfortunately, I even had to take a paracetamol as I developed a bad headache. Thank God I am working from home this week!

Modern Moses Basket

Rob and I are not going to buy a Moses basket, even if it's such a lovely thing. When you don't have a lot of space, you need to think carefully what to buy and what to avoid. Hence our decision. However, if we could get one, I would seriously be considering these stunning Moba baskets. Their bright colours, ergonomic, eco friendly design with its fully recyclable, wipe clean, breathable material that doesn’t degrade over time are just the kind of things I like.

Perhaps for Baby O #2!

29 Weeks

Today I am 29 weeks pregnant. I have got 11 weeks to go, unless baby O decided to come early, or late. Things have been quite smooth and apart from the usual exhaustion and the occasional backache, I can't really complain. It's very helpful that I can work from home, I could never imagine facing the tube and the London crowds every day to and from the office, and sitting at my desk for seven, eight hours straight would just kill me. At home I can wear comfortable clothes every day, I can rest my feet and legs every time I need to, I can walk on the balcony if I need some fresh air and I am in control of what I eat. For this I will never thank enough my boss and colleagues! 

I had a midwife appointment yesterday and everything seems to be going well, both mummy and baby are in good shape. My iron level was a tiny bit low last time we checked, so they decided to take another blood test to see how things are doing. In the meantime I have been trying to increase the number and type of foods rich in iron since I cannot take iron tablets, they make me sick. All the other usual checks were otherwise fine: urine, blood pressure, measurements, baby heart beat. All in order. Baby O has been moving like crazy lately, I hope she will calm down when she is out! But it's nice to feel her constantly, it's still kind of crazy to think that there is something *alive* inside my belly. 

And here is a little update on the bump:

As you can see, it keeps growing. Thankfully, it still doesn't weight too much and I can carry it fine. I haven't put on any extra weight since last time I updated you, so for now I am still seven kilos over my pre-pregnancy weight, which is quite good at this stage. Fingers crossed things won't degenerate!

I am still able to wear my normal clothes, of course not everything, but I haven't had to buy many maternity clothes for now. Leggings and dresses are the most comfortable fit at the moment and I try to do my best to rotate the few things I have that still fit me. Jeans and trousers of course must be maternity though, like the ones I am wearing here, and even those are not super comfortable.

Otherwise, I have still got a good month at work before I officially go on maternity leave, and two months and a half before my due date. I am hoping and looking forward to going to Italy in a few weeks for some relaxation at the beach, my cousin's wedding and long chats with my friends. 

For now I just keep enjoying the pregnancy as much as possible and of course am waiting for the day!

Bugaboo? Check!

As agreed, Peter Jones delivered the Bugaboo last Wednesday. I was so excited when it arrived! However, we didn't have the chance to set it up until a couple of days ago. Rob was busy at a conference all day Wednesday and Thursday and came back home very late both evenings. Wednesday he left very early in the morning, around 6.00 am, and didn't get home until 11.00 pm. However, as soon as he entered the flat and saw the Bugaboo box in the hall he told me that he wanted to open it and assemble it. Thankfully, I was able to persuade him to wait a day or so, it was late and he was very tired. But this is to say how excited he was too! So, we only got to it on Friday evening. Thankfully, it was very easy to put together and it only took us twenty minutes or so to have it all built and ready. I absolutely love the colour we chose, in fact I am glad we didn't go with pink, this green is just special, I think. Do you like it? 

Thanks again mum!

Christian Louboutin's Exhibition

Today was the day my girlfriends and I had been waiting for for quite a while. At 3pm we all met outside the Design Museum to visit the one and only Christian Louboutin's exhibition. Needless to say, the girls and I were all quite excited. 

We collected our tickets and went up to the first floor, ready to be impressed. I wasn't sure what to expect but I was certainly up for some theatricality. The stairs were adorned with hula hoops and shoes in nice circus style. Disappointingly, this was the only area were pictures were allowed. 

The entrance to the exhibition room resembled the Moulin Rouge entrance or something like that, you get the point: gold and velvet curtains. It really felt to be entering a theatre, not a museum.

I wish I could take pictures, I would have loved to share them with you. Inside, it was an explosion of Swarovski crystals, feathers, extreme heels, red soles. It was magical. I really enjoyed the set up, I was catapulted in a fairy tale: an *Alice in Wonderland style* maze, a carousel, an hologram of Dita Von Teese dancing, a video of Monsieur Louboutin himself dancing and lots and lots of shoes and boots everywhere. Surprisingly, there were many men in the room, lots of couples. There is no way I could have convinced Rob to come along! Baby O, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying the exhibition too and kicked very hard. It's never too early to appreciate the beauty of shoes, I suppose.

After the exhibition we all went to a local cafe' to enjoy a sweet treat, and we chatted and gossiped for hours. It's nice to have a girlie day every now and then...

A Pink Package From Denmark

Today Baby O and I got a lovely package from Denmark full of pink sweet things. The gifts come from my very good friend and former flat mate, Anya. I got so excited when I saw the box and so did Baby O who started kicking harder than usual. I think she can sense when I am happy and then she behaves accordingly :) 

All the goodies were packed in a nice pink, white and green bag and inside it was an explosion of pinkness! Bright pink doilies, pink heart balloons, pink and yellow confetti strips, polka dots napkins and pink and purple cards. Everything you need to throw a nice, little party! In the package Anya also included some sweets for mummy-to-be. I am particularly looking forward to the liquorice and coconut candy! She knows what mummy likes. 

Thanks very much my friend, this was such a lovely surprise!

Is She Ready?

My bump has dropped down considerably in the last few days, it's very low now, or at least that's how it feels. Also, Baby O has been moving more than usual, you can literally see parts of her body stretching out of my belly. She kicks so hard that it hurts. I wonder if she is trying to tell us that there isn't enough space for her anymore, or perhaps that she is getting bored. 

I was born early and the doctors have been telling me that there is a chance our baby will be early too. Of course, nobody can really say. My mum was due August 23rd and I was born on July 17th, so more than a month before the due date. Apparently with no warning whatsoever, on the night of the 17th my mum was in bed when she felt completely wet and realised that her water broke. No pain, no contractions, absolutely nothing. Now, I am not saying that it is already go time for us, but it's probably wise to be prepared. 

With that in mind we have been cracking on with the list of things to buy and sort out for the baby. Here is an update:

1. Cot (+ bedlinen and accessories): We have ordered the Stokke. We chose the grey option and opted for white bedlinen, bumpers and canopy. All the accessories have arrived already while the cot should be delivered in the next couple of days. I will post a picture once we assemble it. I can't wait to have it next to my side of the bed!

2. Pram (=stroller): We wanted a Bugaboo and we ordered a Bugaboo! We knew that we wanted a Cameleon, we just had to choose the colour. I loved the denim base with the cream carrycot but we thought that cream wasn't a very clever choice, it could stain easily. I also liked the grey base with the soft pink carrycot but Rob thought that pink was a too obvious choice for a baby girl; also, if we will have a second child and we will have a boy, pink wouldn't work at all, and given how expensive the Cameleon is, it probably made more sense to go with a neutral colour. We therefore opted for the new, limited edition jade green with the grey base (not black as in this picture). Green is Rob's favourite colour. It's also my mum's favourite colour and given that she is sponsoring this, we thought green was the right choice. It's also a new colour, which means there aren't many in London yet, which is good, considering that 90% of the prams in London are Bugaboos. At least, we are a bit original with the colour. And I have to say, in person, this shade of jade green is really beautiful. It should be delivered tomorrow morning. Again, I will post pictures once we assemble it, hoping that it won't be difficult to do it. 

3. Changing table (+ mattress): We would like to go with the nice one I posted previously on this blog, however, it is only sold in an independent baby boutique in Putney Bridge (still in London but not very close to us). Rob has all the details and will call tomorrow to see if we can place an order on the phone, given that it's not possible to buy it online. For the changing table we will use the money that Rob's parents have generously given us for the baby. Thanks!

4. Wardrobe: bought and built. I have already stored and hung all Baby O's clothes. Pictures to come.

5. Car seat: we are still investigating whether we actually need to get one or not. We don't have a car, so we wouldn't really be using it much, but we need to understand what the legal requirements are when you take a cab. Apparently, it may be possible to just enter with the pram into the cab and then fasten the seat-belt all around it. Eventually, we will have to get a car seat, two in fact, for when we go to Italy and the US but for now we may be able to avoid this expense. Fingers crossed!

6. Bouncer chair: I finally accepted that I would not be able to find a bouncer chair I really liked. However, I found one from Mamas and Papas that is quite discrete and not too flashy. It still has all the important features, however: four lullabies (I hope the tunes are good!), gentle vibration function, and detachable toy arch. I like the fact that the arch is detachable in case Baby O doesn't really like the toys! For the bouncer we are using money that has been given to us by a family friend, thanks so much Joyce!

All the other items on the to-buy-list (i.e. bath tub, nappy disposal system, baby carrier, changing bag, pump, milk bottles, binkies, steriliser) are still to be bought, apart from the digital scale that we have decided not to buy! Nevertheless, we have made good progress and in the next few days we should have all the essentials so if she is ready, we are too!

Baby Boy Room

Baby O is not even born yet and my grandmum is already asking us if we plan to have a second child! I find it hilarious but I suppose she wants to make sure we plan things properly. Before getting pregnant Rob joked around (at least, I hope he was joking!) that he would have liked to have five kids; now, looking at all the expenses and attention a kid requires he has changed his mind and tells me that perhaps we will be fine with just one. I personally would like to have two, but we will see how it goes, let's not get ahead of ourselves!

Anyway, I was flipping through a magazine this morning and saw a funky furniture line that I think would be very cool in a baby boy room. All from Italian design brand Seletti.

Jubilee Weekend

It's a very long weekend here in the UK. Thanks to the Diamond Jubilee we have Monday and Tuesday off and the whole Country has been in celebratory mood since Friday evening. God save the queen! 

Last night Rob and I started the celebration with the Coldplay concert at Emirates stadium. We bought tickets a very long time ago, way before I got pregnant, and even if I was very excited to go, I was a bit concerned about the thousands of people walking to and from the stadium. Nevertheless, we decided to go. We saw on the Coldplay website that they would start playing at 8.45pm, so around 6.30 we left the flat and slowly made our way to Arsenal. 

Once we got there I spotted at least two or three other bumps and the girl queuing in front of us was pregnant too and due in just two weeks. Well, this is what I call a brave mother! She gave me the courage to go to the women's volleyball semifinals at the Olympics in mid August, for which we have tickets (I am due on August 29th...we will see...!). The concert was ok but definitely not Coldplay's best show; however we enjoyed it and I loved the glowing wristbands that they handed at the entrance. 

Today was the big Jubilee pageant, the highlight of the Jubilee festivities. A thousand of boats and vessels sailed through the Thames from Wandsworth Bridge to the Tower Bridge for the grand finale, right where we live. We hosted a little afternoon tea party with our friend Amy and her parents and I got very patriotic with the decoration of the table and the cake. 

We watched the whole parade on the telly for over three hours and from time to time we went out on the balcony to look around. 

Despite the horrible weather there were people celebrating out on the balconies and waving their flags. It was a great day to be in London, something to tell Baby O one day...