Thirty

Thirty years - me.  Plus 12 days.  

Thirty weeks - Baby.  Give or take some depending on who you believe! (If you're to believe the lady who served us dinner last night I'm closer to 37 weeks... hmm... thanks for that.)

To celebrate both things, me making it to 30 fairly gracefully, definitely joyfully and Baby being in existence and not long before what I might now refer to as The Take Over (or, birth of our firstborn) and just because we need little holidays while we can take them easily... we went away.  And we stayed in the most charming Stone Cottage we have ever stayed in.  

It was on a total par with the gorgeous renovated stone church we stayed in for our honeymoon until we were sitting outside in the garden by the creek (ok, it had a few points going for it that the church didn't) when an bunny, A BUNNY, came hopping up to us then just hung around!  Seriously! A tame bunny just hopping around our feet while we ate hot cross buns in the garden of our stone cottage next to the creek.  Hello fairytale.  

I snuck after that bunny and took so many photos, video'd it and got my big belly close enough to pat it.   Cuteness.  

The rest of our min-break included a tour of the Beechworth Courthouse (far more interesting than I was prepared to give it credit for), local apples, delicious pizza at the Bridge Road Brewers, sending telegrams, learning how to send my name in Morse Code, chocolate, lounging around and finishing 2 books each in 2 and a bit days, chasing a bunny around the garden, eating fair-trade organic peppermint dark chocolate, a visit to the museum to see the Tasmanian Tiger, a spa, sleep ins, chatting with random people, locally made sorbet, rolls and hot cross buns from the famous Beechworth Bakery, walking and resting and laughing and enjoying each others company.

So, so refreshing.   Happy Birthday to me! 

(P.S. remember all that blonde hair from when I was little? This is now my natural colour.  The lightest ones in there are white not blonde.)

Old Snaps

Just sorting through some old folders looking for things, as you do, and came across a few precious pics that I've scanned for whatever reason.

My cousin Nathaniel and I.

Me 'holding' my sister Jes.  Look how great I am with babies! I'm going to rock this mother thing with skills like that. 

This is how you bath the baby...  (how fantastic is the fabric in the background!)

I believe this is when the mullet was called the Lioness Cut.  And, quite frankly, I rocked it.  Add a bubble pipe and it's all party. 

Have I ever had eyebrows?

And just incase you were all wondering where I get my amazing fashion style from - Dad, the living proof of the 20 year fashion cycle.  Good one dad! 

Can't find your shoes?

Check under your desk.

And that's how the routine goes most days.

"Where are my..."

"Under your desk."

Yeah.  You know that conversation that women have when they talk about how their husbands/partners leave stuff everywhere?  I sit there in shame because my husband could have that conversation about me.

I leave stuff everywhere.  But today is Saturday, international day of housework and I'm a big grown up 30 year old now so I'm going to clean it all up.  And keep it clean.

Until it's more convenient to leave it right where it is.

Because after all -  I always know where my shoes are.  Under my desk.

Anyone else got The Shame right now? Huh??!

Breaking news:

A pram has been purchased.

That's kind of a big deal.  It's our first brand new purchase.  Everything else so far is second hand.

We  can add it to our minimal collection:

• Cot (no mattress or sheets yet!)
• Cradle ( also no mattress or sheets)
• baby bjorn carrier
• cloth nappies
• Chest of drawers

The End.

Oh, and a few lovely articles of clothing that we've been given by excited friends and family. 

Still no place to put any of it since the baby's room is still my art room.  It will happen.  

And even if it doesn't - we have a pram! 

Maternity Clothes

My body and I have never had the greatest time shopping for clothes.  Since losing weight though I had started to find some satisfaction walking into a shop and having clothes look good on me instead of having to stretch, pull and twist things so that I could hide the flabby, lumpy, unflattering bits.  It was a good feeling.  Getting dressed in the morning was a satisfying experience.

Then my belly started to expand with this baby... Boobs, not so much.  Thank heavens because let me just say, bra shopping was already an experience akin to hunting for the Golden Egg.  But thankfully I can get some pretty nice maternity bras in my size, in a store in town for a price that, while it would horrify some of you who walk into Target and buy off the rack in those wonderfully common sizes, I deem quite reasonable for the engineering feat that is required for my small frame and ample bosom.  

(wow.  Just went there didn't I?  Well, it's real life around here.)

But the Belly.  How was I going dress it?

Early on a kindly elderly lady offered me a few of her old slip dresses.  By elderly I mean the lady just became a great grandmother.  And by old slip dresses I mean... hahahaha!!! Thanks but no thanks.  Sweet thought but not going to happen no matter how hot summer got.

I knew I wanted to stick as close to my personal style as possible but how that was going to look I didn't quite know.  Especially since my summer look is 'how little can I wear while feeling decent and cool?'

One bonus of getting pregnant after losing 17kgs is that the sizes in my wardrobe range from a 10 to a 16.  And tops ranged from medium to extra large to hide the muffin top and cleavage.  So here's a list of what has and is serving me well so far:

• Dresses.  I already had a few excellent stretchy dresses that cut in under my bra line and fell loose.  These have lasted me quite well and one particular black one by Metalicus will no doubt last until the end with cardigans or a long sleeve top underneath.  A friend has loaned me a wrap around Metalicus dress, which is gorgeous and so comfortable, and a few other actually maternity dresses that I'm yet to wear.
• Tops.  So far the only tops I've bought have been extra long regular singlets from Target.  I bought a few white ones to lengthen out other tops and 2 others when I can only handle wearing one layer.  I have a black maternity one on loan from the same friend (TIP: get friends who've had babies and are happy to share clothes!).  The rest of my tops have been found in my own wardrobe.  Satisfyingly some of the tops that were tight when I weighed 82.5kg's are still just a bit loose on my 6 month pregnant belly.  And since most of those I'd bought for covering up they're mostly long enough already and look much cuter than some of the maternity stuff with all the loose bits and gathering.  I find I look much less like a beached whale and more like a pregnant hottie when I wear tighter fitting tops.  Just saying.  And I have comments from friends and husband to back that up!
• Bottoms.  Summer kicks me in the guts every year so I am eternally grateful that this hasn't been a consistently hot one.  To cope with the heat we did have I whipped a up a few skirts with stretchy waistbands to add to the one stretchy maxi skirt I already owned.  I made 2 maxi skirts and one shorter one above my knees.  Completely comfortable and totally gorgeous.  (Pictures maybe one day when I can organise that)  But I also wanted some shorts and my regular shorts didn't last much after the 4th month so I busted out and bought some great black maternity shorts for $40 online.  I like my shorts to actually be short - not 3/4's or knee length.  Hey, with spindly little chicken legs like mine why not show them off a bit?  That I get way too hot in long shorts.  I think I've worn them at least twice a week every week since buying them.  A well spent $40.  For lounging around when it's bit cooler or walking in the morning I have some tights.  My non maternity ones are still comfortable if I roll the top down and wear a long t shirt but the maternity ones and track pants that have been loaned to me are fabulous for no pressure points.  Not so great for walking because, despite my belly getting bigger, my backside is still as flat as anything and nothing stays up without a tie or tight elastic.  Still - If I'm just at home those high waist bands a brilliant.  Finally in the 'bottoms' category: jeans.  I am without a doubt a jeans girl and as soon it got cool enough for a minute I went out and bought 2 pairs of maternity jeans.  I tried on quite a few and couldn't find any I liked until I hit up Jeans West (Fits Best.  For Real).  These jeans have a high stretchy waist above the denim, the denim itself is stretchy and they have those little stretchy elastic and button contraptions in the waist band to adjust for having no butt.  I am in love. I bought the 2 pairs in the picture.  And I'm telling you - these babies make my baby look good.  

That's pretty much my maternity wardrobe covered.  Of course all shoes are flat shoes but they always were.  And there's a few cardigans and jackets in there as it's starting to cool off a bit now and they don't have to do up over the Belly. 

I'm comfortable.  I happy with my outfits.  I'm so, so grateful for the few loaner pieces I've added to my collection and I still feel like me.  Pregnancy wardrobe success I feel.