First Trimester: Telling Luke

When I was pregnant with Leo, telling Luke wasn’t the exciting moment it should be. We were younger, 20 to be precise. Luke was scared, I was scared.

This time around we are coming up 30, in the process of buying our first home together, and we’re engaged. We’re already a family, and I knew this time around that we were both more than ready. I knew that this time Luke’s reaction would be one of excitement.

Ironically the dates I had calculated gave me a due date of 11th February 2020 (or so I thought! This due date will change drastically over the course of the next few posts/weeks!), 5 days before we are due to fly out on a family trip to New York. A trip that we certainly won’t be able to make as I’ll either be way to pregnant, or we would have a teeny tiny newborn in tow.

I racked my brain for the best way to present the tests to Luke. I started drawing (I’ve always loved sharpies) and before I knew it, I had drawn Luke, myself, Leo and our crazy spot Lux. Behind us was a New York sky line and taped above it was the first positive pregnancy test.

Next to us I drew a little baby with the year 2020 close by...

Next to each of our cartoon counter parts I wrote our birth years. Finally at the top I wrote ‘GUESS WHAT...’

I found the shoe box that I had asked Luke to dispose of weeks ago, popped in the drawing and the tests, before covering it all up with tissue paper (the joys of a shoe box eh!)

I placed it on the coffee table, hid the phone on the shelf ready to hit record when Luke eventually arrived home after work.

A few hours later, Luke materialised. I was excited to share the news, nervous, excited some more... and also convinced that the tests were wrong.

That I couldn’t possibly be pregnant.

He came into the living room and saw the box on the table, immediately assuming Leo had put it all together. 

He began to open it, at first he saw the drawing which he again assumed was Leo’s handiwork.... then he saw the tests.

I could tell by his face, by his reaction that he was surprised, surprised but really excited.

Our family was growing again, we were going to become a family of 4 (or 5 including the dog), and now instead of planning a 2020 wedding, or a 2020 trip to the Big Apple, we were going to be welcoming a 2020 baby.

First Trimester: We’re Pregnant!

I don’t know what made me test. 

It definitely wasn’t a gut feeling, and it certainly wasn’t that I was sure that those two pink lines were going to pop up. 

In fact I was absolutely positive that this test would be negative like all of the other ones before them. 

You see I was convinced that I wouldn’t be able to conceive again. 

Why you ask? 

Ever since I had my implant taken out 3 years ago in January, my cycles have never returned to what I would deem normal. They ranged from 30 days to over 50, with no assemblence of a pattern and no sign that they were ever going to become regular ever again.

There were times I had pretty much convinced myself I was pregnant, when my cycles would go into the 30 days, 40 day.... 50 days....but I never was. Flo would pop along out of no where and shatter any illusion that there was a little baby growing away inside of me.

At the end of last year I decided to start tracking my ovulation, well occasionally, I never was religious about it. It wasn’t with the end goal of getting pregnant, it was actually for two reasons. The first reason was to see if I did actually ovulate, and the second reason was to see if I could take a guess as to when my period would come after ovulation, you know to try and get some predictability back into it all.

What I worked out was that I ovulated at different times each month depending on how long that cycle was going to be. I knew if I ovulated later then it would be at least 2 weeks before my period would rock up. 

I discovered that I could actually feel ovulation at some points, and I wasn’t alone in that and it even has a name - Mittelschmerz.

I had never put the association together with the lower abdominal ache and the time of the month. But I’m now absolutely positive that the two are and we’re linked.

This month there was a high chance that if I could conceive, I may have. 

I had ordered a bunch of those cheap One Step Pregnancy tests at the same time of the Ovulation Tests, when your cycles are as confusing as mine are, I discovered they were good to have to hand.

I did an ovulation test on the 21st May which was a strong positive. I also had that familiar ache low down on the right side of my abdomen. 5 days later we flew out to Cyprus, not once did I think I could actually be pregnant while we were away. 

I felt completely normal... 

It was the 3rd of June 2019, we had arrived back from our holiday in the early hours of that morning. Leo and I were snuggling up together watching Casper The Friendly Ghost on Netflix, and out of nowhere I decided to try one of those cheap tests...

I dipped the stick, popped it back on the wrapper and stuck it on the window sill. I boiled the kettle and happened to glance up. 

It almost looked like there was a second line on the test.

I went in for a closer look and a few choice words came into my head ‘no #*$@ing way!’. It must be a fluke, there was no way that the test could be positive.

Then I remembered that there was a First Response somewhere in the house from a false alarm where Luke was adamant that I was pregnant last year. Of course.... I hadn't been.

I found it and started pumping the water back into my body. I waited until I could finally use it and then watched the positive line on what I considered the more reliable test come straight into view. 

I was still in denial, but I now had 2 positive pregnancy tests. 

There was no one home but Leo and myself, for now I was going to have to contain my shock, excitement and sheer disbelief and watch Casper.

Luke had no idea, he didn’t even suspect. How could he when I didn’t even feel pregnant? 

Then my mind went into over drive about how I was going to tell him...

Wedding Vs. Engagement Ring – What’s The Difference?

Image by Gena M via Flickr

An engagement ring is an important part of the marriage proposal. Usually, it is a beautiful gemstone that’s set on a band. Sometimes, the engagement ring is referred to as the wedding ring, but this is incorrect. So, let’s look at the differences between the two.

The Wedding Ring

Image by  diamondcentre via Flickr

Wedding rings are the rings that partners exchange during their wedding ceremony. Usually, these are simpler bands compared to engagement rings and don’t have a prominent gemstone or centre diamond. During the ceremony, both partners normally receive a wedding band and they place them on their third fingers on the left hand. Since the wedding band is put on the same finger as the engagement ring, brides often choose to move their engagement ring over to the right hand just for the ceremony. View the Diamonds for Less custom wedding bands in Toronto to choose the perfect ring for your partner.

Men tend to receive their wedding bands on their wedding day, at the ceremony. The men’s varieties are usually thicker in width and made of one type of metal, such as platinum, gold, or titanium. Some men’s band contain small jewels or diamonds.

The Engagement Ring

Image by Tambako the Jaguar via Flickr

An engagement ring is presented at the time of the proposal. As tradition, women receive the ring and wear it right from the time of the proposal to indicate she is spoken for. Engagement rings vary greatly in style and price, but diamonds tend to be the most common choice.

What Do the Rings Mean?

The tradition of an engagement ring dates back a number of centuries, when a man would ask his beloved’s hand in marriage by presenting her with a valuable ring in exchange for the approval of her father.

Over time, engagement rings have become more extravagant as they grew to represent a man’s wealth. While this may be a dated notion, the tradition of offering an engagement ring has continued.

Should You Wear Both an Engagement Ring and a Wedding

 Band?

Since the engagement ring is often the flashier ring of the two, many women choose to wear the engagement ring on their left hand or they stack their wedding bands beneath the engagement ring. Some women prefer just to wear a wedding band. It’s really down to personal choice.

Often, men prefer to buy an engagement and wedding ring set to ensure the rings match in style and can be comfortably worn together. But, this is not a set rule, and you can buy the rings separately or even have them custom made.

What About the Cost?

Both engagement rings and wedding bands vary in price depending on the metals used, the size, and the diamonds or gemstones. Generally, engagement rings will include at least one diamond whereas most wedding bands don’t have gemstones, which means that engagement rings are usually more expensive than wedding bands. How much you choose to spend on the rings is a personal choice that comes down to budget and preference.

Both rings represent the bond you and your partner have committed to each other. Whether you choose something elegant and understated or flashy and big, it is a piece of jewellery that will show off your commitment to one another.

Uggs - Boots that last

Years ago my other half treated me to a pair of Uggs, I think this was partly because he was fed up of seeing the worn out soles on my unofficial Ugg boots, and I have to admit that all these years later they are still serving me well. The soles are still in fantastic condition and they are looking over all super.

This one pair of Uggs has ultimately converted me, because as with anything else in life you really do get what you pay for. I have a feeling that my Uggs were a Christmas present dating back from before Leo was born, which makes them over 6 years old. 

How amazing is that?

I used to think that the initial cost was quite pricey but when broken down over a 6 year time frame it really isn't much at all. It is for that very reason that I have been considering a new Uggs purchase now that it is officially winter boots season. 

As I have a perfectly good pair of what I refer to as traditional Uggs (black knit ankle length), I have been considering something a little different. There is a fantastic Ugg Sale on LovetheSales.com and they currently have these gorgeous Ellecia Wedged Boots in Chestnut, they are very similar to a pair of boots I already own, but they don't get worn very often as they are so uncomfortable (which again reiterates that you get what you pay for!), and if a new pair of Uggs lasted as long as the pair that I already have, it can only be a win.

When it comes to wedge boots they are my absolute favourite, but unless I can combine the comfort with the look, then I can't help but put them to the back of my closet. I don't mind paying more for something if I know it will get used, they will be comfortable and they look good (even 6+ years later!).

Every girl needs a pair of brown ankle boots, and I think that I may just have to pick a pair up from LovetheSales!

After all £138.00 over 6 years works out as a complete and utter bargain!

A Top Tip for Freeing Up Space in your Home

If your home is cramped and there is little room to move around, it can be incredibly frustrating and stressful. This can make it difficult to relax and also challenging when you have people over. When you have a family, any spare space seems to immediately get taken up by clutter and this only contributes to your stress. This is why it is important to look for ways to maximise your space and create a cleaner and tidier looking home.

A Smart Switch

One top tip is to replace your traditional doors with sliding doors. These doors slide in on themselves instead of outwards, consequently freeing up a huge amount of space. The doors are an often overlooked part of a room, but their arc takes up a large area when opening/shutting and this contributes to the cramped feeling.

The Benefits

When you have sliding doors throughout the home, it can look fantastic and create an open plan and minimalistic feeling. Not just this, but this also allows for easy access as they can be gently pushed open. Using them to access the garden can bring the outdoors in and create a flow between indoor and outdoor spaces. If you use glass sliding doors, this will also allow plenty of natural light to cascade through.

In addition this, these doors can also be efficient insulators when fitted with composite gaskets. When they also have aluminium seals and fixed leaves, they can also offer great security when used as a door between your garden and home.

Primarily, it is the space saving that makes these doors worthwhile and particularly if you have limited space or a large family. You could use the extra space for storage or for a piece of furniture, but it is also worthwhile leaving it empty as this will really have a positive impact on how the room and entire home looks and feels.

Elsewhere in the Home

In addition to internal sliding doors and glass sliding doors to your garden, you could also consider sliding cupboards and wardrobes; these are a great way to free up space in the bedroom. To find the widest range of sliding doors, as well as all the accessories and hardware you need, you will need to visit hardware stores like Barrier Components.

If you have limited space in the home and find that it makes it difficult to relax, switching to sliding doors could have an enormous impact on both your mood and property.

#WorkSpaceWonder

Working from home was a dream come true for me at one point in time, it was something that I had wished I was in a position to do for a long time, and as amazing as it was, it turns out working from home can sometimes be harder than you may think.

Much harder.

First of all your hobby becomes your full time job.

It's something that you go from doing in your spare time, to actively full on working on, setting goals and really developing a brand. Everything has to be consistent, and you have to make sure that your brand is exactly how you want to be perceived.

I made the decision years ago to have my entire brand over hauled, it gave it a fresh new look and was something that made me really happy, the only thing it was really missing was a few mascot costumes! I guess you could say that Lux filled that role.

When you're working from home people don't really seem to consider it as working, because you are not going out to work in the conventional way (and let's face it blogging and freelance writing is a new age sort of job, especially when you are your own boss!). 

People call upon you for a favour that hinders your bottomless to do list, the dog decides he needs a 2 hour walk because he quite simply won't settle when he knows you're in the house, or you have to go and pick your poorly child up from school.

So yes, on a good day working from home is a dream come true, but there are so many things that can and do go wrong. This chain of thought got me thinking about my ideal work space, and I have to admit that I do have a pretty good setup (now that I have managed to invest in a desk chair!), and not to mention that I can work in my dressing gown and slippers if I so desire (and do when the weather gets colder!). 

There is no fighting over the office temperature, no freezing under the air conditioner, and I can quite simply revel in the cosy warmth that I covet. As I type this I am wearing the thickest fluffiest cardigan that I own, and I have matched that with a rather nice pair of slipper socks. At least this way when the doorbell sounds and I am face to face with yet another delivery driver, I won't have to look quite so embarrassed. 

So what would my #WorkSpaceWonder be?

Ideally I would like a dedicated office space, right now I have my desk setup in the front room, but ideally to have my very own office with a door I can shut on the world would make life so much easier. Right now that is not an option, but this means that my two other family members are forever placing paperwork, toys and everything else onto my desk. It's not ideal, it can be rather annoying... And I have to clean my work space off most mornings before I can even sit down at it. It feels like I am forever having to sort through paperwork that isn't mine, I try and leave only my to do list and essential work load on the desktop, but they of course have other ideas...

I had a pretty good setup all in all, it's a constructive place to work and above all else I can be flexible, flexible for friends, for family, for the pup. Working here, working from home allowed me to go and visit my Granddad in the care home on a weekly basis, it meant that I got some special extra time with him, it might not always be an ideal circumstance working from home, but how lucky am I to have been able to take that time out of my working day to spend with my Granddad.

I am now back in an employed position, and I have to say that I love being back in an office environment, but it is nice to know that my home set up is still here whenever I want to dust my self employed hat off.

An Expecting Bride To Be? Here’s How To Throw Her a Hen Party

Life is really unexpected and it’s possible that you’re the maid of honour of a bride-to-be who’s expecting a little life soon. While it’s a beautiful experience to be pregnant, it can be a real challenge for you to throw a pregnant bride-to-be a spectacular hen night. Though the alcohol, the dancing and the drinking games are not an option for the pregnant bride-to-be, that doesn’t mean you can’t throw her an amazing hen do. 

Bump or no bump, a bride-to-be deserves to celebrate her last night of freedom with her girls and here’s how you can throw her and her bump a memorable hen do. 

1. Movie and Sleepover Night

You can plan a hen night right at home instead of going out. Get some favourite films of the bride-to-be, set up a projector screen, get some popcorns, non-alcoholic drinks, set up a candy bar and couch up to watch movies all night. You can also play some non-drinking games with the bride-to-be like truth or dare, have a photoshoot and then end the night with a sleepover in pink pyjamas and gossips. 

This would be a completely safe, comfortable and fun hen night for a pregnant bride-to-be. 

2. Combining the Baby Shower and a Hen Night

If the bride is in her third trimester or if her baby shower is due very soon, then you can also combine her baby shower and hen night. The first part of the event can be a baby shower where all friends and family members of the expecting mother shower her with gifts for her baby and the second part could be exclusive for the bride-to-be and her friends. Here, the hen gang can shower her with gifts that she can use after she gives birth to her baby and you can also play games or have a cupcake or fragrance making class. You can plan activities for the hen night which the pregnant bride-to-be can participate in. 

3. Salon and Spa Day

What’s perfect for a tired, uncomfortable and stressed out pregnant bride-to-be than a day at the salon and spa? Getting her hair done, having a little mani-pedi party, getting a massage with her best friends, it’s the recipe for the perfect, relaxing hen night. 

You might have to check with the spa whether they are equipped to serve a pregnant lady or not. There are many spas that are not suitable for a pregnant women, so you might have to do a bit of homework to see which one is best suited for your bump-y bride-to-be. 

4. Afternoon Tea, Shopping and Dinner

If you can’t do a hen do in London, bring London to the bride and surprise her with a fancy afternoon tea complete with cupcakes, biscotti and lots of fruits for the little one she’s carrying. Take the afternoon forward with a shopping spree where each of her friends can swipe their credit cards for whatever the bride-to-be demands. End the night with a dinner at her favourite restaurant and you have yourselves the perfect package for a hen night for an expecting mother and a bride-to-be. It’s comfortable, fun and memorable. 

5. Karaoke Night

If the hen likes to sing, then go out for a night of karaoke and have fun. However, if too much noise and crowd is not what the pregnant bride would like, then host your own karaoke at home and sing at the top of your lungs. You can complete this with delicious food to go with the party, some pink and cute decorations to give it the perfect and complete look of a hen night. 

Conclusion

A bump on the belly shouldn’t stop you from organising a cute, memorable and fun hen do for the bride-to-be. Afterall, it’s her last night as a Ms. before she becomes a Mrs. So just subtract the perspiring dancing, alcohol and the noise from the recipe of a hen do and you can still make it fun, jolly and unforgettable. The key ingredients of a hen do are friends, fun and food. So if you’ve got the three Fs sorted, then you are not far behind from hosting the most beautiful hen do ever!