Introducing ... Razor Read II

Before there were any thoughts of a baby ... we decided to share our lives, hearts and home with our very own fur baby ... Razor Read II.

Razor at 5 weeks old 

Razor is only 9 months old but he has been with us since he was around 8 or 9 weeks old.  He is a Lachon puppy which is a cross between a Lhasa Apso and Bichon Frise to you and me.

Words cannot describe how much we adore this little one.  He is super friendly, mischievous, cheeky and smart, he is an absolute joy.

Razor was named so, in a bit of a tongue and cheek way as he is pretty fluffy and cute but it was also an old nickname of my husband, Garrath which is where Razor Read II comes in to it.  We thought it would be fun to resurrect it for our pup who is far from being anything fierce or razor like but somehow the name seems to suit him so well.

Before Razor, I wasn't much of a dog person but now I would offer my home to ALL the dogs (if only my husband wasn't allergic to most breeds!).  Even passing a dog in the street, I just want to stop and pet them.  I really do need to get a grip.

Razor even has his own dedicated instagram page and Facebook page.  It's ok, I can hear y'all judging me.  I was prepared for that.

We only hope that he and the baby become the best of friends once he/she arrives.  I am currently reading up on the best way of introducing a pet to your new baby as I don't want Razor to feel jealous or left out but equally he will need to learn his limitations.  So, if any of you are dog owners or other pet owners and have had to introduce your pet to babies/children, please pass on any tips you may have!

Razor is a big boy now! 

Bump Update - Week 25 and a bit

I don't know if bump updates will be a regular feature on the blog although i do love reading and comparing notes on everyone else's bump updates, however, here it goes as a starter for ten ...

How far along?  25 weeks and 5 days 

Total weight gain:  4lbs went on last week! Still shocked by this one - in the early days, I hardly ate a thing but in recent weeks I have been stuffing my face.  Some days I have gone up a couple of lbs but when I check again a day or 2 later I am back down to my original weight - and no there is not something wrong with my scales!  However, as of week 24 the scales have crept up - i expect this to continue with vigour.

Maternity clothes?  I hate them! I have bought a couple of pieces from Topshop that have been alright (their jeans were awful for me) and some things from ASOS which are a hit or a miss.  I am mostly sticking to some bigger sized clothes just now or squeezing into stretchy dresses that were already in my wardrobe.  I have to say I do prefer something very fitted over my bump - anything too smock like makes me feel fat and frumpy! 

Jacket:ASOS
Breton Tunic: Topshop
Glasses: Uniqlo
Bag: Reiss
Lippie: MAC Lady Danger 

Stretch marks? None so far.  I religiously use Bio Oil or Coconut Oil on my tummy, bottom, thighs and boobs! TMI ;) 

Sleep:  I seem to still sleep no problem but occasionally wake super early and can't get back to sleep.  I was extremely exhausted in the first trimester and it seems to keep returning on and off, despite having a lot more energy these days.

Best moment this week:  Feeling my baby move.  I felt I waited a long time for it so to finally feel some somersaults is lovely.  As of Monday, the movement became much more often - i seemed to have missed out on the bubbles/butterflies stage of baby movement. 

Worst Moment This Week:  I spent the weekend in Paris which was absolutely lovely but I soon realised that I wouldn't have the energy or stamina to fit in everything I wanted to.  By the end of the weekend, my feet were in bits and I was walking like I was giving birth in my jeans!! 

Food cravings:  My cravings are quite random and sporadic.  This week, my sweet tooth has really returned and I want creme eggs, however, I mainly crave citrus fruits, baked potatoes and plain old water a lot of the time! 

Miss anything?  I rarely miss alcohol but my husband was enjoying some lovely cocktails in Paris and I was dying to take a swig but I stuck with my mocktail which I am sure was just as divine!  Other than that, I miss runny egg and soldiers and I want pate and smoked salmon all the time.

Movement:  Movement only really started as of week 22/23 but I can feel it getting a little stronger and more frequent which is reassuring that everything seems to be going ok. 

Anything making you queasy or sick:  I haven't had pregnancy sickness at all which is really lucky, although I have felt sick through exhaustion in the early stages.  This week, pizza and peppers are making me feel queasy not to mention a strange aversion to the supermarket Lidl, which makes me feel like gagging anytime I am near one. Weird. 

Belly button in or out?  In. 

Happy or moody most of the time?  Pretty happy with a bit of anxiety thrown in.  I do, however, cry at everything - the news, cute puppies, the thought of holding my baby for the first time, movie trailers.  I am an emotional wreck! 

Looking forward to:  More baby movement and our 4D/3D scan which is booked in for early March! :) 

Angelsounds Fetal Heart Detector

I think one of the greatest things all mums to be look forward to is feeling their baby move.  It gives you that added reassurance that things are going ok in there, as well as help you really bond with your baby.

I was told to expect to feel my baby move between weeks 17 and 24 in my pregnancy but by week 18, I still hadn't felt a flutter or even the hint of a bubble, as some mums describe it.   This made me feel a little bit worried - as everything does in pregnancy - but even more so that all the other mums to be that I know in real life and online were already feeling their little bumps squirm away long before me.

The paranoia is very easy to get to you when all you hope for is a healthy pregnancy and baby but I have been determined throughout my gestation period not to jump on the phone to the midwife at the least wee thing that doesn't seem right.

Now to be fair, at 18 weeks, I still didn't have anything to worry about but I wanted some peace of mind, especially the more I heard all the other mums talk about feeling kicks and punches from their little ones.  That's when I decided to purchase the Angelsounds Fetal Heart Detector.

I didn't do too much research on it to be honest, I basically went for the first doppler style device that had a half decent review on Amazon and didn't cost too much (£18.99).  I purchased it along with the Anagel Fetal Doppler Ultrasound gel (£2.50).

The device is really simple.  It comes with a set of headphones to plug into it but I prefer using a loud speaker so both my husband and I can listen to our baby's heartbeat.  You literally plug in the speaker/headphone, using the sound dial for volume and apply some gel before placing the device on your tummy.  On first go, you might have to do a bit of manoeuvring around to find the heartbeat but once you find it, it's amazing and the sense of relief hits you!

It definitely helped me feel a little better with regards to not feeling any movement but finally at week 22,  I finally felt some baby gymnastics! :)   I seemed to have missed the flutter/bubble/butterfly stage and jumped straight to the sensation of baby doing somersaults in my tummy.  It is something I just couldn't imagine before but it's absolutely lovely and not half as weird as I expected it to feel!

It just goes to show that we are all so different and no 2 pregnancies are the same.

Has anyone else used a home doppler device?  Did anyone else miss out on flutters in the early stages?

Reiss Alma Bag

The dreaded maternity clothes shopping has started and I have to say it absolutely sucks.

There is so little out there that is actually stylish or fashionable in any way for pregnant ladies.  Topshop give it a good bash but it can be a little overpriced, although their jeans are the best I have found.  H&M is only good for leggings and longer length t-shirts in my opinion but who wants to be stuck in leggings for months on end?  New Look, well everything I have found there just looks so mumsy! I know there is a bit of irony in that statement.  Isabella Oliver has some beautiful things but the prices are just ridiculous unless it's for an occasion.

Anyway, I am trying to counteract frumpy maternity clothing through clever use of accessories and that is where the Reiss Alma bag comes in.  I first saw this gorgeous, feisty looking bag on fellow Scottish make up artist' Kirstin's instagram.  She commented that it was the colour of MAC Lady Danger ... and as one of my favourite lip pies ...  I was sold!

This bag is still quite pricey so I had to make sure it was still practical enough for motherhood.  It has a long strap so can be worn over my shoulder or over my arm for a more sophisticated look.  Being able to change it up is great for juggling all that comes with looking after a baby.

 It is made from a lovely soft leather and the gold detailing is so very chic.  There are also adequate pockets inside for phone storage and some extra lippies.   It will also look fabulous while I am on the tourist trail in Paris!

The Alma bag is on sale at the moment in Reiss so grab it while you can!

Babymoon booked!

We like our holidays and we especially love out city breaks.  With a baby on the way, we are ready for our world to be turned upside down and that will probably mean we won't be able to travel as much as we'd like.

With the third trimester just around the corner, my husband and I decided to book a baby moon :)

photo sourced from weheartit

Coincidentally falling on valentine's weekend, we have booked to go to Paris.  We have never been before and it really is a city I would prefer to visit as a couple before baby arrives.

I have always wanted to go and especially can't wait to hit up some French pharmacies for stocking up on skincare! I also hope to pick up some inspiration for our baby nursery which is already taking on a slight French vibe.

For those who have already visited this gorgeous city, I would love it if you could give me your recommendations for must sees, places to go.  I already have the usual site seeing on the list but I am sure you all have some hidden gems I should know about!

Baby's getting big!

I am now 22 weeks pregnant, over half way there!  That means I have quite a bit to catch up on blogging wise, whether it be my plans for dealing with labour or choosing a new pram.  Why don't I start with the exciting part for any expectant mum?  Baby scans :)

In the UK, most women have their first scan at 12 weeks, just as they are coming to the end of the first trimester.  I ended up with a scan at 8 weeks.

Shortly after I found out I was pregnant, I flew to Ireland to visit my friend and her family for the weekend.  What should have been a great weekend turned out to be filled with a bit of panic and anxiety.  On my first night, I started bleeding.  Although, I had no pain or other symptoms that might determine a miscarriage, I naturally worried for the rest of the weekend.  As soon as I got home, I booked an appointment at my doctors who referred me for an ultrasound immediately.

Thankfully, all was well and the bleeding I had is actually quite normal for mums around 7-8 weeks.  It is know as implantation bleeding.  Implantation is the attachment of the fertilised egg to the uterine lining.  It can cause slight bleeding and isn't anything to worry about but as far as my doctor was concerned it is always something to have checked just to be on the safe side.   Anyway, my scan went well and resulted in this little blob on the screen ... who at the time was still around the size of a sesame seed!

8 week scan 

The next scan happened at 12 weeks, which is standard scan to ensure all is going well in the initial stages.  At this point you get to really see your baby for the first time, although he/she may still look a little bit alien like.  My baby was moving around like a mini raver, clearly taking after his/her father! It was surreal to watch your baby move on screen yet still not feel it inside of you.

12 week scan 

At 20 weeks, I had my anomaly scan.  I found myself quite anxious through this scan despite how fascinating it is.  I couldn't relax until all measurements had taken place and the nurse was able to say everything is progressing as expected.  The best bit of this scan is not just getting to see the increased size and shape of your baby, but the detail of things like the heart and it's chambers and valves.  Such intricate detail is shown on the screen, it does leave you in awe of modern day medical technology!  This scan didn't photograph as well as the baby was moving about so much and kept holding his/her hands over it's face.  Rascal.

20 week scan

With that being the last of my scans, we have decided to also book a private 3D/4D scan as it really is so exciting to get a glimpse of your unborn baby.  We didn't think we could last another 4 months or so without getting to see him/her again so we are scheduled in for the beginning of March :)

Can't wait!

She's back!!

It has been over a year since I have even dared look at this blog never mind written a post.

Thanks to a busy home life trying to juggle a social life, decorate my new home and balance an often stressful work life, I lost all motivation to write.  I also stopped taking time for myself, so there was no products to show off and tell you about, no new make up looks and I became much more at home in my jammies than dressing up in heels.

If you follow me on instagram, you will have been able to follow loosely what I have been up to and you will know it is nothing worth blogging about.

I did play about with a new blog name for a while but the truth is I missed Saskia.  She was my blogging buddy and I liked having an alter ego to express myself through.

So, she's back .... But not quite as you will remember her.

On Thursday 26 September, my period was 2 days late and urged on by a friend, I drove to my local supermarket and picked up some cheap pregnancy tests not really believing anything would come of it.

I don't remember much in between other than within seconds of taking the test - 2 lines appeared and my husband and I tried to get to grips with the news in between fits of laughter! Did anyone else do that?  Must be nervous excitement/disbelief/shock!   Although, we had been discussing having a baby and planning for it, we really hadn't expected things to progress so soon but we were nonetheless delighted!

So that's where my journey begins.  When I found out I was pregnant, apparently my teensy weensy baby was only the size of a sesame seed.  Quite miraculous that now at 20 weeks pregnant, half way through my pregnancy, I am sporting quite a bump!  As well as posting about the good old stuff, make up, clothes, interiors, I hope to document my pregnancy and experience of life as a mum when the time arrives.

I can't remember a lot of the old tricks of blogging, like resizing pics for instance but please bear with me ... i'll get there! Baby brain or not! ;)