Maisie Fantaisie Cupcake Wrappers

I'm the first to admit that my cupcake baking technique has a long way to go and that perhaps I get a little ahead myself when it comes to making them look pretty, rather than just concentrating on making them edible.

But anyway, just look at these fab cupcake wrappers from Maisie Fantaisie Cupcakewrappers:


They have loads of gorgeous ones. I love the car ones above, but they do great girlie ones too. Now I just need an excuse to get some - Christmas, Birthday, New Baby?

Holiday Snaps

Water Babies

If I had to sum up my summer holiday in one word it would be 'swimming'. My children spent the best part of the four weeks that they were in France frolicking in the pool.

Freyja can already swim. She learned while we were on an extended holiday in Dubai last Easter where, with the advantage of being able to swim every day, we finally persuaded her to lose the completely deflated water wings she was insisting on wearing. She started swimming lessons last September and was quickly moved up to the next class and then at the beginning of the summer term she was moved up again. She now stands a good head shorter than the rest of the children in her class, but she manages to keep up. And after four weeks swimming every day through the summer her swimming has noticeably improved. Not so much her strokes - she still doesn't really have the strength to do much of a front crawl - but in her general confidence and ability in the water. She swims confidently under the water now, swimming through our legs, diving down to get weights from the bottom and happily leaping into the deep end.


And Theo also gained in confidence. He was reluctant at first but then decided (probably because of all the attention his sister's swimming was getting) to get in and use his hands on the side to work his way around the whole pool. He then tried swimming with water wings on which, once he realised he could stay afloat in them, he loved. And then we bought some noodles, which they use in the lessons, and he was able to swim with these, only letting go and having to be rescued twice...!

Theo starts lessons in September and I think these four weeks will be a big help as he can be a bit nervous of the water and still doesn't really like getting his face wet.

Summer Holiday

I am very lucky to have this wonderful holiday home in France to visit:


My parents bought the house over 20 years ago. At that time it was pretty much uninhabitable but over the years they have restored it to an amazing holiday home for all the family to use. As a teenager, I used to find the visits every single summer, which always involved a huge amount of work on the house and garden, a little boring. But as I've got older (and the house has needed less work) I have appreciated more and more what a wonderful place we have thanks to my mum and dad.

This summer my parents flew out with Freyja and Theo and Adrian and I joined them 10 days later. The children have had almost a whole month in France, mostly spent swimming, but also exploring, chasing butterflies, being driven round on the tractor, helping my dad stack logs ready for the winter and generally getting to enjoy a sense of freedom and nature that they do not normally experience in their day-to-day urban lives.

My brother was also there with his two boys - the first visit for them since Anna passed away in October last year, so a difficult but important step for them all. The four cousins played and swam and fought (well, the three boys did anyway, Freyja stayed out of any confrontation!) for the two weeks they were all there together. And with their older cousins to look out for them (Harry is almost 11 and Max turns 9 tomorrow) there was even more opportunity to explore the area, play in the den and have picnics down the field, out of sight of the grown-ups.

My dad said they looked like the Famous Five when they went trekking off - except there's only four of them. The 5th arrives in October.

Holiday Bump - 32 weeks

Here it is in all it's glory.


And that's a Perrier in my hand, not a beer...

Topshop Maternity Lingerie

Last night I braved Oxford Street after work to go to Topshop. Turns out that Oxford Street on a mid-week evening is just like Oxford Street on a Saturday. Total hell. Shoppers were queuing out the doors to pay.

Luckily, Topshop takes its maternity customers very seriously and you can go to the front of the queue to pay. Well you can if you are not far too polite and self-conscious to do such a thing, like I am...

Anyway, I was lingerie shopping. In previous pregnancies I have made do with M&S practical and comfortable nursing bras, mainly because anything a bit pretty costs a fortune. But Topshop now do gorgeous maternity lingerie, all suitable for breastfeeding.

I got this set:And also a very lovely deep purple set. I wanted this one too, but they didn't have my size:
Definitely worth a look if you want something pretty but not too pricey (the bras cost £18). I am making the most of my enhanced cleavage - as I know exactly what happens to it afterwards...

The Gallery - Birth

The Gallery this week is Birth.

I'm taking it quite literally - I knew exactly which photo I wanted to put up. This is Theo, just moments after his arrival. His cord was cut while he was still inside and upon arriving he had to be resuscitated before I got to hold him.



But here he is in my arms and we are looking at each other for the first time. There is something in that look that breaks my heart - he doesn't look too happy about what has just happened to him. There is something accusing in his expression and in that little eye peeping up at me. But he also looks like he knows me. And he looks like he expects me to make things alright.

This photo, taken only minutes into my son's life, makes me feel everything - the love, the responsibility, the wonder, the pain, the joy and the hope - that a bringing a new life into this world comes with.

I look at him in this picture and I wonder how I can possibly live up to everything that I need to be for this little person.

Child Free Couple

Adrian and I are without children. They have gone on holiday with my mum and dad and I will not see them for 10 days. That is the longest that I have ever been apart from them.

It is marvellous and horrible all at the same time. The house is quiet, I have way too much time on my hands. Getting up for work in the morning, normally the most stressful part of my day, is quick, easy and I'm ready way too early. We've been out for dinner and are plannng our next few evenings, determined to make the most of our freedom. We are going to go to IKEA.

I do miss them, but not terribly yet. I'm enjoying the novelty of being child-free. I get moments of anxiety when I worry that they might not be okay, or they might need me when I am so far away from them. Things pop into my head that I feel I need to warn my mum and dad to watch out for because I am not there to do it myself. But on the whole I am just enjoying this time and giving some much needed love and attention to my unborn baby.

But ask me again in a few days and I am sure that my arms will be aching to hold them again.