Elasticated Trousers

16 weeks pregnant and I am proclaiming my love of elasticated trousers.  I wouldn't say that I am 'showing' but I can absolutely tell that my waist is thickening.  Most of my pre-pregnancy trousers are now pretty tight around the middle and are becoming increasingly uncomfortable.  I must admit, I have resorted to wearing maternity trousers but find that because I don't have a bump yet, they fall down.  The answer.... belly bands!

I haven't bought one yet but it is my mission for the weekend.  Must find a belly band!  There are many different brands out there, I know because I've done some research.  George of Asda do a 2 pack for £8. or you can buy a branded one for about £14. Basically it's a piece of stretchy material that you wear on your belly over your pre-pregnancy trousers to cover the zip area.  Some offer added support and some come with fastener extensions for your trousers.  You mean I can wear my pre-pregnancy trousers through my pregnancy?  Amazing! 

I have to say that I find maternity clothes somewhat frustrating.  You spend money on a new wardrobe that you will only wear for about 6 months of your life.  I was lucky with my first pregnancy in that I stopped working at 6 months.  I could get away with wearing jogging bottoms and my husbands t-shirts every day. Sure, I had a few items for when I wanted to look presentable but mostly I wore what I already had.  This time however I'm planning on working for as long as possible and will need a pregnancy work wardrobe.  I've been given bags by friends but the 6 inch height difference means that none of the trousers fit me.  I've scanned e-bay and am hoping to pick up some bargains there but mostly I'm hoping to find pieces in my exsisting wardrobe that will 'grow' with me.  Tunics,  longer tops, jersey knit dresses and elasticated skirts have all been earmarked for potential pregnancy clothing. 

While it's tempting to treat myself to new clothes during my pregnancy I have to be reasonable.  That money could go towards a new stroller or a family outing/vacation.  Do I really need that beautiful maternity summer dress from Boden?  No, not really. 

Pilates, I love you.

I've been attending a weekly Pilates class for nearly 18 months.  I've seen the benefits in my daily life, increased flexibility, strength and range of motion.  I find the hour that I spend focusing on my body movements and breathing both relaxing and energizing at the same time, if that makes any sense!  My lessons are on a Sunday evening and I find it an amazing way to end the week and prepare myself for the week ahead. 

I am lucky, my instructor is a trained pre-natal pilates instructor and while the classes are not strictly for pregnant women, she is very good at making the changes necessary so that I am still able to work the same muscle groups safely.  While I am still able to do pretty much all of the exercises safely at this point I have trouble with my balance and tend not to do too many exercises that require me to be upside down.  She's given me a book to read 'Pilates for Pregnancy' which I've only stared reading.  It's a brilliant book that not only gives a simple explanation of the theories and principles behind Pilates but the changes that your body goes through and how certain exercises can and should be modified throughout pregnancy. 

All of the research and reading I have done suggest that Pilates is the perfect exercise to do during pregnancy because it works the muscles and ligaments without putting stress on the joints and back.  I'm hoping that my increased muscle strength and tone will help with a quick labor! 

So far the muscle strength I've gained in my abs has helped to hide my baby bump, 15 weeks today and still very little sign of a belly!

Clean vs. Tidy: A job for Super Mom!

One of the unfortunate side effects of pregnancy is ridiculous tiredness, especially during the first trimester.  While some days I feel that my energy is returning to its pre-pregnancy level, other days I feel as though I could sleep for days at a time.  Thankfully this weekend I was full of energy because the housework has been seriously neglected over the last 14 weeks. 

During the week I try my best to ignore the dust bunnies that congregate in corners and at the base of the stairs.  This weekend they were out in full force.  I was beginning to worry that they were plotting a takeover so it was time for action.  Out came the dustpan and brush, the vacuum and the mop.  After a few hours of sweeping, vacuuming and scrubbing my house no longer looked as though it hadn't been cleaned in years.  It was clean, but not tidy.  Piles of papers still sat on the kitchen counter, toys were strewn across the floor, dishes piled in the sink waiting to go in the dishwasher... and this is my dilemma.  Which to do first, clean or tidy.  Honestly, is there time to do both?  Tidying should in theory be an ongoing process of simply putting things away in the right place the first time, but alas my husband and daughter are still in training.  I simply don't have time or energy to clean or tidy after a full day of work so the piles grow larger throughout the week.  I complain to friends about cleaning and their suggestion is to hire a cleaning lady.  Oh the luxury!  But cleaning ladies don't tidy, they clean.  I don't so much mind the cleaning part but the constant tidying I find mind numbing. 

I know that I must make more of an effort to put things away in their proper place the first time but I can't help but wonder if dust bunnies can be trained to tidy up. 

Getting those artistic juices flowing!

In an attempt to indulge my artistic side I've been focusing on decorating Livylu's room.  After Christmas we moved her into her 'big' girl room.  I wanted to make sure that we did this well before the arrival of baby Marshmallow so that she didn't feel as though she was being pushed out and replaced.  I've been doing a lot of reading on how the introduction of a new baby can affect an older sibling and want to do as much as possible to make this a positive experience for Livylu.  But more on that later!

The boring part of wallpaper stripping, painting, furniture sanding and painting took ages to do, mostly because I kept putting it off.  New carpet was added and a super duper new bed purchased.. and the entire time all I could think about was blinds and duvet covers and wall art!  Finally I get to let myself loose.

Ikea is amazing.  I found some fantastic lampshades there, a fun net canopy and useful baskets there.  I'm a sucker for a bargain and HomeSense  (an affiliate of TKMaxx or TJMaxx if you're Stateside) came up trumps in the bedlinen department!  I found a beautiful Cath Kidston duvet cover for a fraction of the price.  Somehow it still takes second place in my daughter's eyes to the heinously pink Hello Kitty duvet cover that my husband brought home as a surprise.

I'm still trying to get the accessories and wall decorations right.  I find Pottery Barn Kids to be a fantastic source of inspiration, although I could never justify paying those prices! I especially like the Cherry Blossom ArtI'm hoping to have Livylu help me to paint a large canvas to hang on the wall over the fireplace using this as an inspirational starting point.  I think that seeing her artwork on the wall will give her a great sense of accomplishment and pride in her work.  My wonderful friend and writer of the FoxyMilk blog framed a picture Livylu drew during one of our visits.  Nothing fancy, just a white frame with a white matt, but it looks amazing!  I'm hoping to hang a collection of them together on the wall, Livylu's own little art gallery!

My newest contribution was hung last night, home made bunting.  Considering that my sewing skills are rudimentary at the best, I'm very pleased with my accomplishment!  I purchased some fantastic fabric offcuts on ebay(the patterns are gorgeous, this picture doesn't do them justice!)  and followed some instructions found online and voila! Fun, festive bunting!  Terribly easy and wonderfully effective!

One thing I'm still searching for is a large white wall mirror to hang over the dresser.  I have an idea in my head of exactly what I'm looking for but thus far have yet to find something within my price range.  I'll continue my quest for the illusive mirror and perhaps find something completely different and much better in the process, here's for Sunday optimism!

Another idea I'm considering is hanging cork board on the wall under the bunting.  I like the idea of having a place to display Livylu's newest artwork but I'm not sure how I feel about thumbtacks in a 4 year old's bedroom.  Perhaps I'll hold off for a few years!

An Update

Things have certainly changed since I first started writing this blog.  My ultimate goals are still the same, I want to be a healthy and happy Jo, but the addition of a new little person does change things! 

One of my goals was to find a job that I am happy to get up to every morning, something I love to do and something that I find personally rewarding.  Obviously I would need to find something that offered me a good work life balance.  My current job is good, school hours and term time only, part time, but it's not perfect.  For starters, it doesn't allow me to drop off my daughter at school in the morning. Thankfully I've found a way around that and I share drop off responsibilities with a good friend, but I really do feel like I miss out.  I know that I'm lucky, with the economy the way it is a lot of people don't have jobs.  Mine is close by, reasonably flexibile, fits in fairly well with family life.... but it's not what I ultimately see myself doing, especially since I'm facing a salary cut from September. 

The pay cut and the arrival of baby Marshmallow have started me thinking of other options.  Thankfully the UK has very good maternity pay, especially compared to the US.  I'm hoping to stay at work as long as possibly before I give birth.  I'm sure I'll regret the decision in July but the longer I hang on, the longer I'll get paid.  I've also started looking into the possibility of offering childcare from my home.  Our village school doesn't offer before or after school care and amongst my friends in the village there is a definite need for childcare outside of school hours.  I'm hoping to get myself set up for September so that I can earn a little extra money on top of my maternity pay and build up my reputation and experience for the following year, when I hope to be able to run a successful childminding business. 

Is this what I saw myself doing 10 years ago?  No.  Absolutely not.  But it's what works for my family and what works for me.  It just goes to show how much one, or two little people can change your whole outlook on life.