Limited Edition Bugaboos

About a year ago, this time of the year, Rob and I started looking into pram's options. As you may remember, we knew we wanted a Bugaboo Cameleon, we just had to decide the colour, and it wasn't easy. In the end we opted for a limited edition jade green. Sometimes I wonder whether we made the right choice or not and if we should have gone with something more neutral, say sand or cream. However, I must say, it is nice not to see many jade green Bugaboos around, especially in a city where 90% of the prams are Bugaboos. Last year there weren't many choices. This year, instead, the options are much nicer, I think. If we were expecting a baby now I would definitely go for the Sahara limited edition Cameleon.

I simply love the neutral and honeyed beige tones. And the details, such as the inside quilt and the leather handles are very stylish. Definitely a winner. 

Also, if money wasn't an issue, I would have loved to buy the Bee special edition in navy and neon yellow too. So cool, and so now with the neon accents.

Well, I'll never get the chance to get any of these puppies. So, this is for all the expecting parents out there...and if you are pregnant now, check out this dress from Madderson London, I wish they had it last year, it is simply gorgeous.

Nine months recap

Nine months are a long time for a woman to be pregnant, I have said it before and I'll say it again! 

In all honesty though, I cannot complain. In the end my pregnancy has been pretty straightforward with no major problems. It has definitely been an interesting journey, with ups and downs, and lots of changes. My body, of course, is what has changed the most. If I look at the first pictures I took, back in week 12 or 14, I cannot believe how big I have grown. I seriously cannot wait to have my waist back...together with my skinny legs! And...I cannot wait to start clothes shopping again. I want nice pairs of trousers, lots of them! But first thing first, I want Baby O to come out...I can't wait to see her!!!!

"Last" Week (or so I hope!)

So, today I enter the 40th week. Somehow, it's hard to believe it has been nine months already. If I think about the moment we found out I was pregnant or the moment we told our parents, I get a bit emotional. It has been quite a journey. I am certainly ready to have this baby now but thankfully I am not feeling impatient or anxious. I just can't wait to see her. I haven't had any nightmare about labour yet, which is very good, and I am not too concerned, strangely. I mean, I know it's going to hurt and the process will last for a while but I am not too scared. This baby has to come out and there aren't many options! 

Unlike her mummy, she doesn't seem to be in any particular rush, so sorry for those who voted for her birthday to be on the 19th and 20th. Next guess on the poll is for the 25th. We will see, of course, you will all know when it happens. 

Last time I posted pictures of the bump was two weeks ago. Back then I thought it couldn't get any bigger but I was wrong. Look at this watermelon! 

The last two weeks have brought a big wave of tiredness. I am constantly exhausted. However, I try to stay fit as much as I can. I can't really walk too much but I still enjoy a short stroll along the riverside. Apparently, walking also helps to speed up the process, so bring it on! In fact, I am about to go out now and am thinking to skip the lift this time. Six floors of stairs here I come. Anything to help Baby O to come out! I have also added some chilly oil in my gnocchi for lunch today. Do not underestimate the power of spices! And tonight we will try with pineapple and raspberry tea.

Another gift of week 39 has been super swollen feet. I bet you can tell from the pictures. Even flip flops are not that comfortable any more. 

Apart from this though, I am doing ok. I don't sleep well but that's mostly because of the heat. We sleep with the window open and the fan all jazzed up but I still manage to sweat. Next baby will have to be born in winter! 

The very good news is that my mum is now in town. She arrived a couple of days ago, which means help help help. She has been treating us with the best dishes and has already baked a kilo of Rob's favourite biscuits, the famous *ciambelline all'anice*. It's very nice to have mum here, I feel more relaxed and so does Rob who is starting to panic a little about the big moment and needs some help. Interestingly, I seem to be the most relaxed among all...My dad is not even here and is already all nervous. He is flying over next Thursday and I truly hope to have given birth by then...I don't want too many panicky people around!

Full Term

I am now officially full term! Baby O could be born any minute now and won't be considered premature. Technically, I am not due until August 29th but I wouldn't be upset if Baby O decided to come a bit early.

Life has been quite hectic lately with the Olympics but I have been trying to enjoy it as much as I can. Surely I am very slow and get tired very easily but I am trying to stay active and live my life as much as possible. London is just beautiful these days, even more than usual! It would be a shame to lock myself in the flat until Baby O comes.

As you can see from the pictures below, I am rather big! The bump, I mean. Thankfully, however, I can still carry this belly fine, it's not too heavy and doesn't hurt my back too much. I can walk and sleep just fine. Nausea, indigestion and heart burn are still there but they are part of the game, so I can't complain. The iron tablets I am taking seem to be helping a little and I am not as out of breath and weak as the last few weeks.

Now, let's hope the next couple of weeks are going to be smooth! Th clock is ticking...

36 Weeks

Today I am 36 weeks pregnant. This week is a crucial one as at the end of it I will reach an important pregnancy milestone: Baby O will be considered full-term and I could give birth any day. Life is getting a bit more complicated; I am always tired and out of breath. I need to rest very often and spend a lot of time on our rocking chair (thanks Ila!). 

I have definitely become bigger, as you would expect, and the bump is now rather prominent. Thankfully, I can still wear normal clothes, dresses are surely the most comfortable option. I haven't weighted myself in a few days, our scale doesn't seem to be working properly (or so I say!), but I have a midwife appointment next Tuesday and I will definitely check the damage :) 

Thankfully I can still sleep fine. I usually fall asleep on my side but then I tend to turn on my back in the middle of the night. I do take a couple of trips to the loo but I can safely fall back asleep. So, I can't complain. 

I am getting slower and slower and walking has become a bit of a chore. But it is good to get out of the flat whenever possible to get some fresh air, so I try to force myself out every now and then. 

The annoying bit is the nausea. I am never really hungry and do not enjoy eating. I have troubles digesting and have a bit of heart burn every now and then. What a joy! 

Moreover, something has started. I don't know whether they are the *famous* Braxton Hicks or not but I have started to have tightening pain in my lower belly. The tightening is short but it is quite uncomfortable, sometimes it even makes me scream...I wondering how loud I am going to be during real labour! I am taking them as a sort of rehearsal and try to practice my breathing techniques, although I am not really sure how prepared you can really be once the real thing kicks in! I have to say, I am still quite relaxed but I am getting more and more aware that the big moment is approaching. 

This is why this morning I finally wrote my birth plan. I have used all the headings suggested by the midwife at the antenatal class and will discuss it with my midwife at the appointment next Tuesday. Writing what type of delivery I would like to have and what types of pain relief I will want to try made the all thing much more real. Let's hope it is not going to be too long and too painful!

London Baby Shower

Today was the day of my London baby shower and what a day that was. I had such an amazing time.

I had been looking forward to today since the moment Natalie set a date for my baby shower but when my Italian baby shower got cancelled (oh well, postponed) for the reasons you already know, I got even more and more excited about this London do. So this morning I woke up and after a lovely breakfast with Rob I got ready. I tried a couple of outfits on and finally went with this one. I wanted something sweet and with pink touches, of course! So I picked a blue dress and pink accessories, shoes, cardi and bracelet.

When my girlfriends saw me they were all kind of shocked at how big I am. The bump keeps growing and growing, I wonder if Baby O will be a big baby or this is just a fake :)  One thing for sure I hope to get my body back as soon as possible after the big event. 

The baby shower was simply amazing. We ate lovely food, chatted as only good friends can, had fun playing a game, opened gifts and took a stroll around Barnes. 

Natalie organised such a fun game. She printed photos of famous people when they were babies/kids and we all had to guess who they were. Some were very easy but others took some time to identify. It was so much fun! 

And after playing the game, Baby O and mama had the most fun opening the gifts! Look at all the wonderful things we got: a Dior milk bottle with its case (how chic is this??!!), sleepsuits with union jacks and tea-cups, stickers to mark every month birthday, a clay baby prints kit, cardigans and a super sweet pink and blue dress. Also, my lovely friends brought gifts for my recent birthday; I got a mother-to-be set of organic body products and a book of the best tea houses in London. My girlfriends and I have already decided to use this book to start a new series of monthly afternoon teas around London. I can't wait! I feel so fortunate to live in a cool city like London and most of all to have such amazing friends.

To thank my girlfriends I made little thank you bags with white, pink and black cupcake cases. And ladies, if you are reading this: Thanks again for such an amazing day, you are the best! 

Week 34: We are growing!

Yesterday I entered week 34, only six weeks to go (or hopefully less!). Time doesn't really fly when you are pregnant but it's good to see that it still goes by. And if I think of the first four months and all the nausea and sickness, in all fairness, it does seem like ages ago and I have kind of forgotten all those bad moments. People did tell me I would, but I never thought I could forget how sick and bad I felt for three-four months...well, the good news? You do forget and I suppose that's why you end up having more than one child! 

A little update on the bump and how mama and baby are doing.

As you can see from the pictures, we are growing! I have just weighted myself and it looks like I have put on almost 10 kg! Everybody told me that from month 7 we (me and the baby) would have grown and grown and grown, and I guess they were right. The bump is definitely bigger and heavier; however, I must say, I can still walk fine and my back doesn't hurt too much. My legs are chunkier and the face is a bit swollen too but otherwise I don't feel terribly big and bloated, let's hope I don't *explode* in the last month! I am still able to wear some of my normal clothes. This stripey dress, however, is a maternity number which I think, and hope, to be able to wear even when I won't have this bump anymore. I hate wasting money on maternity clothes.

I am off work at the moment as I took days off thinking to be able to go to Italy (sad face!) but I am not really doing much. I get tired quite easily and need to rest often, so I am mostly at home trying to sort a few things out. I have had a long to-do-list on my desk for quite some time and am glad to be finally able to scratch some of the things off the list. Still a way to go but it's a start. 

I do try to go out every now and then though, it's good to get some fresh air and a little bit of sun. This morning, for example, I took a nice little trip to Earl's Court and visited my friend Steph, her mum and lovely baby Juliette. I had a great time, we chatted as only girls can, went to the park for a bit and ate delicious chocolate croissants. I got to hold Juliette for a bit and for a moment I imagined to be holding my own baby girl, it will be amazing to finally have her with us!

The annoying bit of this week is that I am quite nauseous; this morning I woke up and the nausea was so strong I thought I was going to be sick straight away. But it looks like the "four-month training" I had at the beginning of the pregnancy is helping me to cope with it now. I was strong and went to the kitchen and still enjoyed a lovely cappuccino and two chocolate muffins instead. I must say I am not very hungry these days but I try to force myself a little because I know that baby O needs nutriment and I am her only source of energy at the moment. I mostly crave fruit and sweet treats, I have been devouring so many ice-creams lately!

As for my mood, apart from the little disappointment for not being in Italy at the moment, I am very happy and excited to see this little girl. We are ready for you love, whenever you are...

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!

Honey, does my bump look big in this?

I have just got back from an all-day workshop and am exhausted. Let me just say that with this heat we were in a room with no windows and a very poor functioning air conditioning. Everybody was suffering but I suppose things are worse for a pregnant lady. Anyway, I toughened up and thankfully got to the end of the day in one piece

What I loved about the workshop was all the attention by bump got. At lunch and tea breaks we were all talking about babies and being pregnant. One common comment from the attendees was: "Wow, your bump is very big!" Now, as soon as I got home I decided to take a picture (Rob is not in town so I had to use Photo Booth, hence the poor quality) so that you can judge. I think this bump is literally growing day by day. I am now 27 weeks pregnant and officially in month 7; and for the curious ones, I have put on 7 kilos. What do you think? Does my bump look very big? Too big even? 

By the way, this is not a maternity dress, so I am thinking: if I can still fit into this dress, which I have bought years ago and wore it so many times in my skinny days, I am still fine, right? :) 

And for those of you who are not on Facebook and therefore haven't seen these pictures already, here are two pictures I had fun taking. I needed some fun activities after a long day in a boiling hot cage, you see!

A Nursery for Baby O

As I mentioned yesterday, this morning Rob and I went to visit a nursery close to our flat. I don't know what I expected, but I left the place with mixed feelings. You know when you think: This is not good enough for my little sweet daughter? That kind of feeling. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the place and the members of staff were all incredibly sweet and nice. All kids seemed to be having a good time and enjoying being there. However, we were not super impressed and we have decided to keep looking. The very good thing about this nursery is that it's very close to both our flat and Rob's office, so in terms of convenience, this is a winner. It's still kind of pricey though, so it makes sense to explore other options. There are two nurseries that we are touring in the next couple of months and we are also considering the nanny option. We will see what we end up doing. One thing for sure is that we need to feel happy with the place where we will be leaving our 5-6 month old baby! The search continues. 

Also, I give you a little update on the bump. It's finally warm enough in London not to be wearing tights. It's sunny and warm, it really feels like Summer. Rob and I have been sitting on the balcony these last few evenings after dinner just chatting and enjoying the view. Everything is so much nicer when the weather collaborates! 

So, I am now in week 26 and Baby O keeps growing and growing. I feel like my belly is getting bigger and bigger every minute and she moves constantly. Here is a couple of pictures taken this morning. Go ahead, you can say it, I am huge! And I have still got three months to go!

Apart from being tired and sleepy all the time (the heat is not helping!), I am actually doing ok. A bit of swollen feet and legs and an annoying back-ache, but I certainly cannot complain. I can still sleep fine and still manage to fit into my normal clothes. I can't wait to open my Summer clothes boxes to finally start wearing proper Summer stuff, which I plan to do next weekend (it's a long weekend over here, the Diamond Jubilee weekend, so I will be able to take my time and wash and organise everything between Saturday and Tuesday). 

This weekend will be rather busy but I am very excited for both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday I will be going to my friend Steph's baby shower. She is 36 weeks pregnant at the moment and still looks amazing. I can't wait to be with the other girls, showering her with gifts and attention. And then Sunday Rob, Steph, her husband Andrew and I will be going to the movies to see What to expect when you are expecting. They couldn't choose a better time to release this movie. It will be fun!

What are your plans for the weekend?

Spring Has Sprung

We have been having amazing weather here in London, I love Spring, but this is not really what I am referring to in the title of this post. 

Week 17 has brought a little bit of a bump explosion, at least that's how it feels to me. You the judge:

And I am slowly starting to feel better and therefore more energetic. Today I got in the mail the prenatal fitness DVD that I ordered on Amazon and that my good friend Steph highly recommend. Perhaps I can give it a try this weekend together with some long strolls at the park! I will let you know how it goes...

Week 16: The week of butterflies

Every week brings something new and the 16th week for me has been the week of the butterflies. I entered the week on Wednesday and that same evening I started to feel something in my belly. It's definitely not the baby kicking yet, too early for that, but after some reading I understood that it's not just air in my stomach but it is indeed the baby moving, and I must say, Baby O moves a lot! It's an interesting feeling, as anything with pregnancy. It feels like my stomach has been filled with water and there are things floating in there. It's not painful at all, perhaps a tiny bit uncomfortable. But then when you think that that is your baby having fun in there, it all becomes acceptable! 

This week I have also learnt that unfortunately I haven't said goodbye to nausea for good. The last couple of days have been atrocious. Oh well, it's part of the game, I guess. One thing, however, that I have decided to do, is to give some more thoughts on what I am going to wear. I have to say, it is not easy to dress up when you feel crap and don't look good. But if you pay no attention to what you are wearing and you don't look after yourself, you are just going to look even more miserable. 

So tip number one for Vale: add some colour to your wardrobe (hopefully the transition to Spring will help as my Winter clothes are all navy, grey and black!) and wear a little bit of make up if you are too pale or your eye shadows are just too big!

I am still not wearing tight clothes so my belly is not that visible...but that's my style in general. Maybe I'll get better at that!

Vale 16 weeks + 4 days (front)

Vale 16 weeks + 4 days (side)

And a bit more...

People have been asking for new pictures of the bump. I didn't realise how attractive a pregnant woman's bump can be! Anyway, I am happy to oblige. I must say, my little bump is still quite little and doesn't grow as fast as you people would like. However, you can definitely start to see something. My tummy is no longer flat, if it has ever been.

You also tell me that the shape of my bump will help you *determine* whether I am expecting a girl or a boy...so here are two very recent pictures. What do you think?

Vale 16+2 (front)

Vale 16+2 (side)

Make sure you vote, time is ticking :)

COS is the word!

After getting a bit frustrated with maternity clothes and panicking on what I will be wearing in the upcoming months, I have finally realised that I don't in fact need to look for maternity clothes, or at least I don't need to limit myself to the boring and dull maternity clothes available in shops these days.

As I am slowly starting to feel a bit better, last Saturday I ventured a shopping trip to Covent Garden with my friend Ilaria. We mostly did some window shopping but then we stumbled across COS and I decided to give it a try. With its Marni style cuts (at a much lower price!), there were quite a few things I could try on and I even ended up buying two dresses: a half-knitted half-silk navy midi dress and a knitted blue and white dress. There were many other things I could have bought but I want to wait for my bump to expand a bit more to make sure that I will indeed be able to fit in these lovely dresses.

The following items are on my wish list at the moment:

I actually tried this on and loved it. However, I tried the Medium and it was a bit too big. They didn't have a Small. But I will go back! And who knows, maybe I will need a M in a few weeks....

It looks like I may be wearing a lot of navy stuff!

And these are some of the looks I may still be able to rock, even with a bigger bump! Thank you COS!

To be continued....

From Nothing To Something

Two weeks have gone by since we made our little secret public. Not much has been happening, really. I am still struggling with nausea, at this point I fear I may be one of the *lucky* ones who have it for the entire pregnancy. But, life goes on and thankfully I am still able to be happy and appreciate how blessed we are.

I have started to have the urgent need to show a bump, even if little. And, very slowly, I guess, we are getting there. Before you say anything, I know that my bump is still pathetic but it is growing a tiny bit a a time. And let's not forget, I am not used to this at all. My weight has been the same (=52 kg) since I was a teenager! So, my body needs its time to adjust to the new status!

 

Vale 14 weeks +1 day

Of course, I am still wearing my normal clothes. Dresses are a bit more comfortable these days, but otherwise there is no need to invest in maternity clothes yet. Also, I am so disappointed at designers. I cannot believe in 2012 maternity clothes still look so dull. I will stick to normal clothes for as long as I can. My concern is the two weddings I have in Italy between the end of June and mid-July; by then I will be almost seven months and I am assuming the bump will be a little bit bigger than now :) I need two cool dresses. If you see anything out there, I value any suggestion!