Summing it all up

It's a Thursday evening in November and tonight's warming dinner of chicken with coriander, chilli, garlic and ginger is happily bubbling away on the hob while Florence and the Machine plays in the background (via Spotify, she's not in my living room). So it seems like a good time to pause, reflect, and write about everything that's been going on lately.

Today started with an 8am alarm, an 8.15 rise, a hot shower with an almost-delicious shower gel that smelt of white chocolate and eucalyptus (a strange combination and not one to be transferred to the kitchen any time soon) and a decision to make on what to wear. I opted for skinny jeans, an almost-still-white long sleeved top, green flowery tunic dress and cosy chocolate-brown cardigan. Nothing overly unusual so far until I tell you I spent the night in bed with a pillow behind me, one between my knees and one under my tummy. Which I had to move every time I needed to get up to the loo (three times in total). And that the skinny jeans are elasticated to fit over-the-bump. Oh yes, there's a little someone planning to join our family next April.

The top left photo is the most recent at 18 weeks. Earliest is bottom right, 13 weeks.

I know this won't be news if you follow 52 crafts, where I've also been pretty absent of late.

As I write, little one is kicking me gently. I've only been feeling more noticeable movements for the last few days but the flutters have been present since 15 weeks and they're pretty amazing. At week 19 all seems well so far with no morning sickness, quite a lot of tiredness and some back niggles that are under control thanks to the aforementioned military placing of pillows.

So that's one bit of news. Oh yes, there's more.

I left my job as a communications manager, at a place I'd worked for 11 years, exactly two weeks ago. Two weeks that have flown by at an unbelievable pace. As despite not "working" I have been busy on a pretty damn big project to move me, my husband, Toby the dog and baby bump to California. All being well, and there are a few official things to sort out still, we'll be living state-side by Christmas.

So as you can imagine, we have a lot to plan, pack and decisions to make: do we ship the table? how about 20 cookery and craft books (yes, clearly)? where do we want to live? house or apartment with a pool? how do we find a doctor? You don't want to see my project plan!

It's all very exciting though and we feel very lucky to have been given such an amazing opportunity. And we couldn't be more happy to be starting our much-wanted family.

We are lucky, happy, a bit scared, excited and growing rapidly (me and baby, not Ben). I think that just about sums it up.