Parisian Babymoon

It's been over a month since my Valentine's babymoon in Paris so I thought I would share some snaps we took while away.  

Although we arrived in Paris on Valentine's Day, I can't say I found the city to be as romantic as everyone tells me it is.  In fact, I failed to see where much of the city lived up to the hype but in saying that I still loved it and would definitely visit again.  We stayed in Le Marais district where we had a playing ground of cool shops, bars and restaurants.  I would definitely recommend this area to anyone visiting. 

The weekend became a bit of a tick box exercise at times as we had so little time to spend there but wanted to see and do so much.  Of course, I had time for a french pharmacy haul but I may need to divulge the contents of that haul in another post. 

For now, I will leave you with some of our photos, which for the record have been massively pared down as we took so many.  It was just fantastic to fit in one last city break before the baby gets here, especially to a city we hadn't seen together. 

Pram-a-rama

One of the most overwhelming, dauntless tasks as a parent to be is choosing the right pram for you and your lifestyle.

I had a list of requirements for my pram and before I went shopping I had an idea in my head what I wanted already.

* I knew the famous Bugaboo was out for me, as an attractive a pram as it is, it's just too low for my bad back, so height was important.
* A cupholder was a must.  Sounds ridiculous but ever since I had to forego a cupholder in my car, it has been an ultimate pet hate for me.
* It had to have an option of front and rear facing.
* Had to be lightweight enough for me to humph in and out of my car boot.
* Suitable for summer walks and days out with my newborn

It became clear it was a travel system I was looking for, rather than just a pram or buggy, so the search began.

The best tip I got from other parents was to go and see, touch, feel and road test (within reason) as many prams as you can.  So off, husband and I went to the Pram Centre in Glasgow which stocks pretty much every pram brand you can imagine and then some so we could have a proper informative pram testing session.  The staff at the Pram Centre really know their stuff, so getting a demonstration of each pram before we tried for ourselves was essential and very helpful.  After our visit, we had narrowed it down to 3 prams/travel systems:

UPPA BABY VISTA

Why I liked the Uppa Baby Vista:
* Forward and Rear facing options
* Sturdy build I felt confident in
* Good manoeuvrability
* Good basket space underneath
* Nice high seat/bassinet height so no bad backs lifting baby in and out
* It's an attractive pram

Why I didn't like the Uppa Baby Vista:
* There was something about the material that I didn't like.  Personal preference but it reminded me of a school bag although I am sure it is super durable
* No cupholder!
* Felt a little heavy to push around
* Looked similar to other prams (stupid reason)

STOKKE XPLORY

Why I liked the Stokke Xplory:
* Height! I loved how close I would be to my baby if I were to choose this pram, it would also save my chiropractor visits! (this was the pram I had decided on in my head before I even started my search)
* I loved the quirky design while still remaining sleek
* Forward and rear facing seat
* Good size change bag attachment
* Adjustable handle bar

Why I didn't like the Stokke Xplory:
* No cupholder!! This came as an extra at a ridiculously expensive price
* It was pretty expensive, not just the initial outlay but every accessory you would want to go with the pram was so overpriced
* I didn't like the handle bar so much, felt difficult to manoeuvre in store
* Was lightweight but almost felt so light that it may blow over in a gale
* The dismantle procedure didn't seem as easy as others

ORBIT BABY G2

Why I liked the Orbit Baby G2:
* It has a cupholder - YAY!
* Forward, rear and side facing seat positions.  Basically this is one of the only prams where the seat rotates 360, especially good for if you are living the cafe/lunch lifestyle as a new mum :)
* Fabric was beautiful and all organic and eco friendly, as well as nice and gentle for baby
* Adjustable handle height
* Seat height was high enough for my needs
* Bassinet also comes with a rocker that can be used at home
* Transfer of toddler seat, car seat and bassinet is super easy
* One hand fold down
* Lightweight
* Compatible with maxi cosi car seat (although I think most prams may be nowadays)

Why I didn't like the Orbit Baby G2:
* It's not the most attractive pram although the design is very unusual/moon buggyish
* No undercarriage basket (although there is one now available but yet to come to the UK)
* Small changing bag attachment

So, can you guess which one I went for??

Well, judging by pro's against cons, you have probably guessed it was the Orbit Baby G2.  We managed to get a great deal from Peppermint Nursery which included a car seat and some extras.  I do occasionally sway on my decision and wish I had gone for the Stokke or Uppa Baby but ultimately, Orbit Baby was ticking the majority of my boxes, so we will soon find out if it lives up to expectation when baby arrives.  As a side note, the Orbit Baby G2  has now been superseded by an updated model, the G3.

Anyway, my tips to you when buying a pram/travel system?

* Road test even if it is only in store.  This means having a good push about with it - up and down stairs if possible.  Try folding down and back up again, lifting it for weight etc
* Check the prices of any added accessories you may need to purchase.  Buying a pram is expensive as it is and you really don't want to be shelling out a lot of money for beneficial extras further down the line
* Think about your lifestyle, do you have the luxury of a car or will you have to lift your pram on and off public transport?  Do you live in an urban or country setting? These factors make such a difference to choosing a pram.

In a few months time, hopefully I can update you on my Orbit Baby experience and let you know if I actually did make the right decision!

TriBeCa - Glasgow South

I am lucky in that I live pretty close to the recently opened TriBeCa Glasgow South, sister to the West End's original Glasgow TriBeCa.

On the opening weekend, we decided to do brunch with my sister and brother in law to check out our new local.

Previously Leo's, the place has been given a massive makeover, looking a lot fresher, a little bit bigger and heaps cooler.  The atmosphere was also much brighter and relaxed from it's previous get up as Leo's.  From walking past most days since opening, I could see it was pretty busy all of the time but luckily for us my brother in law had managed to grab us a table before we got there so not waiting for these pregnant cankles :)

On offer were delights such as pancakes, french toast, burgers and bagels - all too delicious for words but stupidly I was the one from our party who decided to go with a non descriptive, boring option.  Don't get me wrong, there was nothing wrong with my tuna panini and fries but it just wasn't the choc chip and berries pancake my brother in law ordered or the french toast and maple syrup my husband was tucking into!

Despite my own dud order, I got to sample everyone else's delights.  Perk of being pregnant, people like to feed you.  The pancakes and french toast were amazing and even more to my surprise, the vanilla milkshake was scrumdiddly... I am not normally a milkshake fan.  I am also assured the burgers are to die for, although I didn't sample myself.

Needless to say, I enjoyed it so much and was left craving pancakes for the rest of the week, that Ann from Girl in the City Glasgow and I arranged a little rendez vous the following week.  My second visit wasn't quite as great with my water being missed from my order, no chocolate chip for my pancakes so had to make do with nutella (god forbid), a lack of berries in my berry portion and no glitter or silver balls on my milkshake (these things matter).

Not to mention Ann's order arriving sans bacon initially and had to be sent back.  So, a little disappointing on the second visit which has me wonder was the effort only put in for the opening wow factor and they are already tiring of the crowds?

It certainly doesn't make me want to hurry back but with my maternity leave just around the corner as is TriBeCa to my house, I might find myself hanging out there more often as long as the same little hitches don't continue to occur.

Bump Update - Week 29 ... and a bit

My laptop has been out of commission for the last couple of weeks so I haven't had the chance to update my blog as regularly as I would have liked in my new guise as a 'mummy/parent' blogger.  However, the laptop miraculously came back to life today so I thought it was an opportune time to post another bump update.

Dress: Ghost (non maternity)
Watch: Swatch

How far along?  29 weeks and 5 days 

Total weight gain:  In the last 4 weeks my weight gain has gone from a mere 4lb on to a whopping 14lb on!  My appetite hasn't increased greatly so I think thebulk of this must be baby/placenta etc.  I hope. 

Maternity clothes?  I am pretty much alternating the same 3 or 4 outfits and I absolutely detest my Topshop maternity Leigh jeans with both pairs needing pulled up every 5 minutes of wear!  I have ordered some other jeans, tops and dresses from ASOS however, so hopefully it will add a boost to my maternity wardrobe.  My best buys so far have been non maternity clothes from H&M but glide elegantly over my bump without looking frumpy. 

Stretch marks? Still none.  Thanking my lucky stars but don't want to speak too soon! 

Sleep:  I have had a cold and chest infection this week, which has left me unable to sleep for wheezing, coughing and generally sounding like Darth Vadar :( 

Best moment this week:  To be honest, i find most days to be pretty good being pregnant, even despite my chest infection and other ailments.  A highlight of the last couple of weeks has been seeing the nursery come together. If you follow me on instagram, you might have had a sneak peak already. It is getting there bit by bit and I will hopefully be able to show you the finished results shortly. 

Worst Moment This Week:  We transferred to a new hospital this week (more on that in another blog post) and I was given another scan.  Unfortunately, they felt the baby was smaller than would be expected so they want to monitor how things are moving along.  If baby remains underweight/small then I may be placed at high risk for the birth and may have to be induced earlier.  Keeping my fingers crossed that it all falls into place and that option isn't required! 

Food cravings:  Not really craving much but on a sweet tooth note, Cadbury's Flakes are my fave at the moment! 

Miss anything?  I miss not having a cold or cough.  Every 2 weeks I seem to come down with something and in fact the past 3 weekends, I have felt a bit poorly.  Getting back some normality healthwise will be very welcome. 

Movement:  Movement happens a lot just before bed, in the morning and around lunchtime.  It usually comes in the form of a few massive somersaults then some cheeky prods and pokes from baby.  I love it!  

Anything making you queasy or sick:  I went through some queasy days around week 27/28 but it never really came to much.  This week all my coughing and wheezing has made me pretty queasy. 

Belly button in or out?  In. 

Happy or moody most of the time?  Happy happy happy.

Looking forward to:  Feeling better, completing and organising the nursery, and finally getting my hosptial bag packed :) 

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?