U-handblog

Mum Me

I love her to the point my heart will burst, but it doesn't, it just loves her even more.  Mabel has been in our lives for 2 weeks and 3 days and how life changing they have been.  Many of you said to me that she will be the most beautiful thing I will ever make - and you were right.

Thank you so much everyone for your kind congrats and to those of you who sent cards and gifts (I will get back to card senders in the next few weeks, sorry about the delay).  We've been bowled over by the kind baby cheer from sooooo many of you.  Hundreds!  Hey Mabel did you know you've got hundreds of lovely cyber aunties :)

Al has managed to wangle lots of paternity leave and he is really enjoying being a daddy.  He is positively dippy over his daughter.  I love hearing the daft voices coming out of the bathroom as he changes her (for the time being Al is in charge of waste disposal, and why not, he loves changing her nappy!).  We are actually a family, I am a mum, I have a daughter!!!!  

At the moment we are laying low and enjoying the baby bubble.  In some ways it's like a hands on activity holiday.   It's been wonderful living life fully moment by moment, trying to drink in and record the precious passing moments as they race by.  In my work I spend so much time working to deadlines and working a season ahead.  When you have a babe to love and care for all of that goes out the window because the farthest you can think ahead is the next feed or change.  But this is good, I've found myself  enjoying life in a completely different way by slowing riiiiight dowwwwn.  It's true that being woken up twice a night isn't great, but being able to sate her hunger and make her comfortable is great. I wake up in the mornings when she she wakes me up.  I look into her cot and think 'aw she's so lovely and I get to look after her today' - hurray!

 

Al and I a week or so before Mabel came on da scene. 

Remember those bootees that I crocheted?  Sooooo cute (even tho I say so myself).

'Grumpy chops' Mabel (or perhaps she's pondering on something deep and meaningful).

She already has Al wrapped around her little baby fingers (can't say I blame him!)

Mabel likes a bit of strumming on the guitar.

Granny and Granpa visited last weekend, they actually squabbled over who got to hold her.

My Dad is also great at making silly faces and voices, Mabel certainly approves.

We've been out and about making the most of the sunshine, ahh bliss!

Little and Large

Happiest Chinese New Year! It was actually yesterday, but I was soo tired I spent most of the day napping.  In my waking hours I still managed to craft on.  During preggo-nancy crochet has remained my crafting saviour. I miss sewing a lot and I know I'll loose the crochet hooks and return to sewing when I loose the appendage. But for the meantime I spend a lot of time on our sofa. (Al sits on another one so I dont have to share-bliss!)  It's become my napping, lolling and crafting command centre. On it and around it are:

• 5 pillows
• a blanket
• loads of yarn and a pair of scissors
• 2 crochet books and hooks
• 1 bottle of water
• lots of cake and biscuit crumbs
• a pot of hyacinths (yummy scent)
• and (finally after 15 years of our beautiful relationship) I have commandeered the TV remote

 

Taken earlier today (at 32 wks).  Little and Large.  I'm large and these crochet bootees that I made are little!

 

Yes, so I'm feeling rather large and short of breath right now. But it's all good, she seems quite happy in there and still enjoys her daily moving and grooving.  She seems fond of: Radio 4, my high BPM dance music, the hum of the sewing machine (I got that one sorted as a priority!) sizzling and other cooking sounds, Al's making funny voices and playing spider on my tummy and my shower singing. That aside it would be nice not to have have to lump her around anymore, my arms and legs are short enough as they are thanks!

How can such a large bump have such tiny tootsies?

 

Pink is nice and all, but I don't think I'll be making many items in pink for the girly.  I can leave that to the shops (which are awash with shades of Barbie pink (or blue).  Why do shops do that? 

 

Ever increasing circles

Increasing Family Circle

Heya everyone!  I hope you are all well, and you all had a wonderful Christmas/Hanukkah/get together.  I think ours was the best Christmas we've had in long time.  Al and I spent it with my clan/our clan.  We all actually managed to get time off work and be together for the first time in ages. Many of my family hadn't yet seen my bump, it got loads of lovin'!  Our baby will be the first of my generation in my immediate and extended family.  My mum told me that since she told my 80+ Grandma that we're expecting Grandma has been glowing more than usual. We can't wait to appear in the 4 generations piccy: Grandma, my Mum, myself and Beansprout.  As us 'kids' (of which I will always be one) grow up a bit and find life partners, the family gets even bigger. As some of you may already know Al and I finally tied the knot last Sep and so my family made a bit of fuss of him.  And my cousin is going to marry a lovely chap next July, (phew that gives enough time for my bump to shrink a bit for the big day).   Awww, my family rocks, I feel sooo blessed to have access to so many happy faces, cuddles and belly laughs (and deeeelish home cooking).  I think that this is the stuff of real value.  I'm happy to stay in and not be one of the hordes of shoppers that queued up outside Selfridges on the 26th for a designer this, that and the other.  

After Christmas dinner we had a great game of cross-cultural; guess who I am. It took Al a while to guess his identity, but he got there in the end.  He's such a bright boy.

Increasing mess on my kitchen table

Whilst on the subject of being in happy place, I'm sooooooo relived to have finally finished work on my 2nd book. The publisher and I really sweated over this book and we are all delighted at the results.  I know that your opinion is the one that truly matters, but I will (at least) say it really does look the business. The projects are as modern as the cover design and layout is fresh.  Dare I say the 2nd book looks much prettier than my first?  Yes I do dare!  Hehe!  The book will be released next year end of May/early April.  Now I've stopped working on my book I can concentrate on turning the writing/work room into a nursery - it's back to sewing on the kitchen table for me. Ho hum!

 

Increasing belly (which in keeping with the circular theme: is now round)

Me: taken earlier today, week 28.  I'm now just about waddling into the third trimester.  Doctor husband and all other professionals are happy to report that all looks well (mum doesn't think she looks that great, but really doesn't mind about that at all). 

My bump did well this Christmas, it got rounds of applause, pats and strokes! 

 

Increasing crochet circles!

Yeah, so at this stage I can no longer sew for any protracted length of time without my back aching and  my belly constantly bumping against the table edge.  Ahhhhh I can't sew!  Panic panic panic, I have to do some sort of craft!!  So I looked for a craft that is very portable and not too mentally involved for my baby brain.  Seems like crochet is the answer.  I got me a crochet book and some Amy Butler Belle yarn and I have been crochet hooked since!  It's perfect for keeping me in craft whilst lolling about whale-like on my bed or sofa.  At some point I'll join these squares to make a big throw and I reckon I'll get round to making the cute bootees as well.  By then Beansprout might have joined the party and my belly will have receded sufficiently for me to be able to sit comfortably behind my beloved sewing machine - that is if I'll be able to stay awake long enough to switch the power on! 

What craft did you turn to when your bump got in the way?

Today I can reveal that my baby bump is a...

Yesterday, like excited children sneaking to the family Christmas tree Al and I went to the hospital for our 2nd baby scan. We've been dying to know the sex of Beansprout ever since we found out that Beansprout had come into our lives. Well, we found out the best new ever!  Beansprout is a girl!  And up to now, all is working well and looking beautiful. We are both soooooo very happy. I haven't stopped grinning like a happy monkey since.  On telling my Mum (who squealed very loudly down the phone) the news I could practically hear her casting on her knitting needles.  My fingers and thumbs did some serious texting action on my phone and in return we got some sweet loving back.  And now my fingers and thumbs are playing tag with my little girl, who this week seems to enjoy a spot of tap dancing.    :)

Love, friends and family, family, friends and love; there's nothing like it and there's nothing better....

 

Me and my bumpage (with Belle the sock monkey - who's there for scale and cos she's nosey) earilier today.  We are 20 weeks and feeling good.

Hello darling girl.  I love you more with each passing hour. X

 

And then we are three. My wedding and baby pics

Well, our whirlwind romance (of nearly 15 years) has finally culminated in nuptials. I have to say, being married is lovely!  We both assumed that the piece paper wouldn't make much difference, after all we've been getting along quite nicely for years.  But actually it has made a difference,  it's not easy to put into a sentence, but if I had to, I'd say: 'things feel cosier, more in-sync, and more fun'.  The media portrays skinniness, sexiness, and 'non-commitment' as ideals to strive for.  Personally I think slippers and commitment are where it's at.

I've loved Al for a long time (at times I've wanted to jab forks into him too, but), he's my best friend, my favourite comedian and he's really great to hang out with on day to day basis. So when he asked me to marry him of course I said Yeah! ....fast forward 3 years (after Al proposed in 2008) we found out that we are having a little one.  In the grand scheme of things I know it's ordinary to meet someone and maybe have a kid/kids, but at the same time it's the glam-est thing ever!  It's going to be an adventure and I'm going to need your advice!  I know full-well I can wave goodbye to lazy long lie-ins.....

Our wedding was a very modest affair.  I've never dreamt of flowing/big white wedding dresses or colour schemes and if truth be told, we both felt that that style of wedding is too public for us. So with the whole family's blessing, we went for a super modest wedding; just us and 2 witnesses grabbed from the street. It was just perfect for us.  And next spring the family is going throw a big ol' knees up to celebrate - which will be great fun.

So here are pics from the wedding, our honeymoon in Cornwall, and finally of our Beansprout.

 
Here we are outside Brighton Town Hall just before the ceremony. I'm jacked  up high on caffeine and I have big butterflies in my tummy.  I'm wearing the most amazing item of clothing that I own: a sumptuous Favourbrook velvet coat.   Al gave it to me many Christmases ago and I've never been to a do posh enough to do it justice (the photos certainly don't do it justice).  It was perfect to wear for my wedding and maybe if I have a girl, one day she will want to wear it too.

For anyone who's wondering: I was the first one to giggle (no surprise then!)  Luckily the celebrant was a very nice lady who didn't mind that Al and I didn't seem to be taking it all in our solemn stride :)

...giggling aside, it was no less romantic.

Our heroic witnesses.  Thank you ladies, we couldn't have done it without you!

Heee heeeeee!  We've done it now!

After getting married we had lunch at a fave local restaurant. For desert we shared a bannoffee pie. Look what they did!  Awww!

After lunch we drove to (windswept) Cornwall for a long lazy weekend (phew man, we needed it!).  We stayed in a lovely hotel and spent all weekend lolling about reading, walking and having spa treatments. Giggedy-giggedy!

As you can see my undercarriage has begun to expand as Beansprout begins to take up more room. But actually it's quite nice to be growing bigger like this and to eat accordingly (without the usual calorie paranoia).  Though I've heard that in the 3rd trimester you can feel kind of whale-like so I'll just enjoy this gentle expansion whilst I can...

 
At the Eden Project - sigh, he's so handsome....

In the Mediterranean dome there was a gorgeous brass band playing.  The acoustics in the dome were fantastic and the music simply made everyone very happy.  What a wonderful Sunday treat!

"Hello there Beansprout!"  Yesterday I had my first scan (at 13 weeks) and I'm pleased to report that thus far all is well.  During the scan I saw that Beansprout likes to dance, it was throwing some very energetic and groovy disco shapes - just like mum used to in her heyday :)   It was magical to see Beansprout for the first time.  Later in the day Al sent me lovely text telling me how he felt at the time.  So this has to the most grown-up thing we have ever done, it's scary, but it feels right.  We both feel very lucky to have this opportunity.

Oh, if Beansprout turns out to be a boy, he will still know how to sew and cook (at least). Mum's gonna see to that!

 

How Al proposed to me in Ta Prom, Cambodia

If you liked the last gorgeous holiday tune, I'm sure you'll like this yummy holiday tune as well.

Oh wow!  Yesterday I had the nicest time reading your marriage well wishes. I made myself a hot choccy and read all of your lovely comments in one go.  We're really touched that so many of you wish us well. Thank you so much!  I must say, he's extra happy at being called good-looking, gorgeous, a model etc..

It's really nice that some of you have even been to the same temple - it is a magical place isn't it?

OK so I'll post a little about the holiday over the next couple of posts, but this one will be about the proposal. It will help me remember it and I may show it to the little ones that we may have one day.  It happened a few days into the holiday on the 22nd September.  Al had been planning to pop the question even before he left to do his work in clinics back in July.  He bought the ring in Thailand and he was in cahoots with the owner of The Villa Guest House where we stayed in Siem Reap, Cambodia (where Ta Prom temple is situated).  The kind owner and lovely staff all knew about Al's proposal plans and they all helped Al to make it a big beautiful surprise.

On the morning Al proposed we got up super early to go and see the sunrise at the main Cambodian temple Angkor Wat.  Accompanying us was the delightful Mr Lim, our charming, funny and knowledgeable guide (yep, he was in on Al's plans too)...

Here's Mr Lim, an all round lovely chap who knew his stuff and who has a great SOH, just ahead of me - whilst I'm having a little boogie.

Even at the crack of dawn at Angkor Wat, the tourists were already out in force, still it was nonetheless stunningly beautiful - I'll get a flickr set sorted out v soon.

The sun just beginning to rise at one of the entrances to Angkor Wat.

After seeing the Sunrise at Angkor Mr Lim said that he was going to take us to see another temple that (at this early hour) would be completely deserted.  He said that with no one else at this temple you'll feel like an explorer and to cap it off parts of Tomb Raider were filmed there!

As we approached the Ta Prom temple, the atmosphere felt different from the previous busy temple, it was serene, ancient and otherworldly. Mr Lim was right, we had the place to ourselves.  The morning light was magical, the grass almost too green and the water buffalo grazing by the moat outside made for a magical setting. 

The Ta Prom temple was incredible. Save for some walkways and some scaffolding (for safety) nature has been left do her thing and she was - in grand style. There were vines, roots and trees growing in, around and out of the beautiful ruins.  There was also moss covering some of the façades adding to the ancient feel of the place. 

The temple has been made safe for visitors, but it's been left in it's natural overgrown state as much as possible...

...for instance, this huge tree is actually growing right out of this ruin, the root system inside the ruin is incredible...

...don'tcha think?

Whilst we were walking around the temple agog at the beauty of the place.  We came to the walls of an inner courtyard.  Mr Lim told us that men and women had their own separate entrances to this courtyard so he would have to guide us to our appropriate gateways.  I thought that it was lovely that after all this time folks still observed this little custom.

The 'female' gateway to the courtyard.

Mr Lim led Al off to the gate for males and some moments later Mr Lim returned to lead me to the gate for the females.  On the way to the female gate Mr Lim told me that Ta Prom temple was quite grand because the Prince had it built in honour of his mother.  Apparently the temple was built in peaceful times and the Prince was loved by his people so much so that a beautiful statue of the Prince was placed inside the courtyard in his honour.  

So as Mr Lim and I arrived at the female gate at the courtyard gate Mr Lim said to me "here is your Prince" and there was Al in the middle of the courtyard, looking yummy standing in the centre of a circle or orchids, lilies and candles.  I turned around to see Mr Lim had vanished.  So I approached Al, he handed me traditional garland of heady smelling jasmine flowers, he said some very beautiful things, asked me to marry him, I burst into tears and he slipped the ring on my finger.  Forever more I will associate the smell of jasmine with that beautiful morning. After Al and I hugged the life out of each other Mr Lim re-appeared and he is the chap who took the pics of Al & I together. :)

Mr Lim's lovely wife had turned up much earlier to arrange these pretty flowers and candles (at Al's request) on the ground so we had a cute little flower circle to get engaged in. 

The courtyard in which Al proposed (you can just see the flower circle in the background).

Aww!

Of course, there was no statue of Prince to be found anywhere in the courtyard.  Al had cleverly cooked up the whole story of the male and female gates and the statue of the Prince so Mr Lim could convincingly split Al and I up so Al could get into position.  I believed every word!

My description of this ethereal place is pretty lame (it's the most wonderful temple I have ever visited) so I hope these photos do a better job.

Hello, I love you, let's get married!

Hiya Everyone!

Here's a gorgeous holiday tune to brighten things up wherever you are - hope you like it :)

This is your roving bag making reporter checking-in from Bangkok, Thailand (a couple of days before I come home). I hope all is well back at your place and the Fall/Autumn weather is being kind.  It's been a bit tricky finding a fast-ish internet connection and besides we've been having too much fun - yipppeee!  I'll keep this post short and sweet because it's late, I need yet another shower (it's so hot and humid here) and I can't upload my squillion pics onto this ancient PC. 

I'll just say that on this holiday Al and I have: swum in waterfalls, ridden on elephants (as Mahouts) and given the heffalumps a nice wash in the river, sailed down the Mekong river, gone floating down the Nam Song river in the inner tubes of truck wheels, eaten way too much yummy food, I got a dodgy tummy (which is par for the course really), and last but, by no means least Al proposed to me in the most enchanted and deserted Cambodian Temple called Ta Prom. It turns out that he'd been planning it for months!

 

I'll get some pop corn sorted and get the holiday snaps out when I get back home.  I've missed you!  OX

Read how Al proposed to me in Cambodia.