Dreaming of being here...

... instead of at work. Damn reality!

Not long to wait though, this time on Friday work will be a distant memory and we will be sitting on that sun lounger soaking up the sites and sipping cocktails, I mean mocktails... can't wait!

Oh my God

How gorgeous is this kitchen (and that blue)!

Note to self: must stop daydreaming about how big a kitchen I could have if we moved back to Oz. Be content already!

Seen here

Wowzaz!

Don't ask me why the hell am I looking at pictures of swimmers in my current state (i.e. 5 months pregnant...) but I couldn't resist posting this pic. These swimmers are absolutely divine! When I need my next diet inspiration (like today I guess, cept I am taking 9 months off), I will stick a pic of these on my inspiration board.

Wowzaz!

Seen here

PS. As an after note, my husband just hilariously revealed his ever so practical nature, and it had me in stitches. We are off to Thailand next week for 9 nights (babymoon time, bring.it.on!) anyway, I have been meaning to try my swimmers on for days now to make sure they still fit. When I did this post I called hubby over to show him how incredibly beautiful these swimmers were and the only thing he had to say "don't think you would like to swim with those big tassels hanging off you..." to which I promptly replied (complete with full visual of Thailand next week in my head "I don't think they are intended for swimming laps, more like swanning around a resort pool looking incredibly gorgeous". Sometimes men just don't get it do they:)

What do you think?

So this whole boy thing has got me thinking about nursery themes/colours...

Last year during our trip to Paris, I spotted the most adorable window display for a children's shop called Zef Piccolo. I took some pics (sorry, don't have them now to post unfortunately) and always thought that if we had a boy, I would love to use the colour scheme from that window display (navy, red and white - with stars and stripes).

Whilst I still LOVE the idea, I have googled, and Ohdeedoh'ed, and project nursery'ed for some inspiration using this colour scheme, but have really turned up a blank. The only real images/ideas in these colours tend to be nautical themes, and that's not what I am after.

In my quest however, I did stumble across the pinwheels above (which I promptly purchased) from the lovely Etsy store ElizabethSt. I must say that I am a bit partial to this colour scheme, and may be persuaded to change tact. What do you think?

The paper is from Anna Griffin. I am on the hunt to see whether she also produces the prints in fabric. That would be too easy wouldn't it! Will let you know how I go...

It's a boy!

I seriously can't believe it. Think I am still in shock...

On Wednesday we went for the morphology scan and most importantly found out that the little one seems to be perfect (as far as they can tell that is). We also found out that the little one is a boy!

I have always wanted a little girl (sorry, but it must be said). Since I fell pregnant I have had a very strong feeling that it was a boy. Thankfully I have spent the past 5 months thinking it was a boy and mentally preparing myself for this... or so I thought. Before you judge me, let me explain that of course I don't care what sex the baby is, I only care that it is happy and healthy. But because there are so many girls in my family, and because I have two young sisters, I only know girls. I didn't intentionally want a girl, I just naturally thought that that's what we would be having.

Well despite having spent the last 5 months thinking I was having a boy, when the doctor confirmed my suspicions on Wednesday, I have to say I was a little shocked. Seems I must have still held a little inkling of hope deep inside that it would be a girl. We have spent the past couple of days getting used to the news, and to be honest, we are thrilled!

Boys are always so close to their mummies, and they are much easier to handle in their teenage years! All that ahead of us, but for now, let the shopping begin...

Nursery colour schemes

Without knowing the "flavour" y.e.t. we haven't fixed any colour schemes for the nursery. We do have a few ideas floating around in our heads, and are quite fixated on navy, red and white if it is a boy. But what about a girl...

We don't want pastels, and definitely don't want all pink (although there will certainly be some pink!). I stumbled across this pic on Emma's blog yesterday. It is from here. I LOVE it - the right amount of girly cutsie without being too girly or cutsie, know what I mean?

Little HB

I can't tell you how relieved I was to finally hear our little ones heartbeat (HB) yesterday. In previous scans we had certainly seen it's little HB, but it wasn't till yesterday that we actually heard it.

Ever since the first scan, our bub has been nicknamed HB, simply because right from the start the doctors have always commented on what a strong (and fast) HB our baby has.

Seems odd then that I have spent the past two weeks worried that it may have stopped ... when the doctor asked if everything was ok (we didn't actually need the appointment yesterday), I explained that we were just being paranoid first timers who needed reassurance that the little one was doing fine. It had been 7 weeks since our last scan, and to be honest, it was just too long.

Whilst we didn't get to see the little one, it was so re-assuring to know that he/she is doing fine.

Is this weird? Am I weird?

My belly is growing so I know I should feel re-assured, but I have heard/read so many heartbreaking stories about couples losing their bub around the 17 week mark, and I am sure I had almost convinced myself that we would be one of those. Does that make me morbid? I had no signs that anything was wrong - well except the lack of pregnancy symptoms, which I can hear you all say I should actually be rejoicing about! Now that we have gone the longest stint between scans, we are back to the regular 4 week scan, so here's hoping for no more freak-outs.

I walked out of the doctors and back to work yesterday with a little skip in my step rejoicing in the fact that I might actually be a mummy one day soon, that I was still pregnant, and that we might actually make it all the way and be blessed with a little bubba at the end. I don't know why this is so hard for me to accept, like it might be stolen from me at any minute. Perhaps its about control? Something is happening in my body/life which I have no control over. Maybe I simply can't handle not being in control? Could that be it? I guess that's what faith is for then right? And perhaps because my faith is not the strongest, I am having trouble believing that everything will be ok. Who knows?

There are some big questions there, might have to ponder this one a bit longer... for the moment, I am just going to stop worrying and enjoy being pregnant:)

Image from here

What's happening round here

Rather than post on anything particular this morning, I thought I would post on nothing in particular and fill you in on what's happening round here at the moment ("round here" referring to the Holden household). So here goes, in no particular order...

* Anna Spiro provided another light bulb interior design moment for me last week. We have a side board in the living room and an empty wall above. I have been toying with the idea of making it into a picture/collage wall for a while, but have fallen in love with the pic above and the idea of having a mirror in the room. Think it will work wonders to open the space up and make it look bigger. Incidentally, was meant to go shopping on Saturday for said mirror, but ran out of steam... figure I will also have to buy some new lamps to go along with it. Such a chore:)

* heading to the doctors this morning for a scan. To say I am uber excited is an understatement. Haven't seen the doc since I was 12 weeks (which is a whole 7 weeks ago now) and it feels like a life-time. Truth be known I am really being a paranoid first timer, cause I have another appointment (for the big 20 week scan booked for next week), but I just couldn't hold out any longer. Have been playing a mental game with myself for the past 2 weeks to test out whether I truly am a paranoid first timer, and turns out I am - can't pretend any longer...

* have been having horrible pregnancy tension headache's since entering the second trimester - thought all my dreams had come true when the morning sickness stopped, but seem to have replaced said morning sickness with headaches. Don't get me wrong, I am much preferring the headaches, which aren't constant, but when they do come, they seem to last for 3-4 days:( Had my third come on yesterday, but managed to spend the day resting, so hopefully I have put that one to bed.

*other than the headaches, and the expanding waistline, no other real pregnancy symptoms at the moment. Oh, I have had a sniffy nose (which they say is par-for-the-pregnancy course), but other than that - thinking it is true what they say about it being the "golden" trimester. Hope it continues that way... sans headaches and sniffy nose if I want to be really picky (you can dream can't you...)

* haven't felt any baby movement yet - had a few little flinches which resemble gas (charming hey... especially considering they may well have been gas). The books say any day now, so hopefully I will feel something soon. I shouldn't admit that I do stop still sometimes and focus on my tummy so much, thinking, "can now be the moment I feel something"... please!

* had Indian takeout for dinner last night. Planned to make Cote de Boeuf (with the most amazing piece of beef), but after a day already spent in the kitchen - I {attempted} to make brioche (cinnamon scroll brioche to be precise) which didn't work, then homemade pasta for lunch (which incidentally, did work), I couldn't face the kitchen again. Truth be known, whilst I could not be bothered cooking dinner, I was also less than enthused facing the kitchen with the mountain of dishes I had created from the morning cooking session. Rather than clean it up (which would have been too sensible), I cursed the fact the Luisa (our maid) had to have a day off... nice of me hey! BTW - before you say anything about the maid comment, it is true, we have a full-time live-in maid, just to look after my husband, myself and the little CoCo dog. One of the many perks of living in Hong Kong I must say, although (and you will curse me for saying so), it is hard work having a maid:) More on that anon.

* soooo looking forward to Chinese New Year - we are heading to Phuket for 10 days and we both can.not.wait!!!! Having not gone away for Christmas, we are hanging out for our next holiday. Seriously, as in we laid on the couch yesterday just dreaming about all the things we were going to do (or not do as the case may be).

* having trouble working out the visiting schedule for when bub arrives. I can see that having a child is going to be one of the most difficult things about living away from family and friends (derrrr you might say). We are currently debating the whole - when to have the parents visit thing. On the one hand, you want your mumma to come to the hospital and meet your precious little one asap, but on the other hand, knowing that that means you will also have a house full of visitors when you come home from hospital, is a daunting prospect. Will and I have pretty much decided that we need at least a few days at home with the little one before we welcome the first lot of visitors, but having decided that, I'm not sure I can handle not having my mum come and visit at the hospital. Not to mention that I want to see her, I also feel a huge pang of guilt that she won't see her grandchild until he/she is a few days old, and will never see the little nursery crib, the hospital room, etc etc that her grandchild was born in. Ok, so I must admit that if I was referring the Nambour Hospital (where my husband and I were born), I could probably spare mum the experience, but we have decided to go to the Matilda, which is more akin to the Four Seasons than any kind of hospital. She should see that right?

*had loads of skype sessions recently. Our little nephew turned 5 on Saturday (can't believe how time flies!!) and we got to see him rafting away on his new Konnect (which for those of you who are not in the know, as I was a week ago, it is part of the Xbox which enables you to play video games with NO hand controls... can you believe it??). He was so cute, and even cuter was his precious daddy who had made him a chocolate cake for his Birthday. We also had skype sessions with Mum and Eb's and my FGM (fairy god mother) Roz. So good to see everyone!

* booked in for my first pregnancy massage tonight (I tell a small lie, I had a couple in Bali last September before I knew I was pregnant). I have chosen a place right beside our apartment for 2 reasons - they had a sign up advertising pregnancy massages (thought that implied they must know what they are doing...), and secondly, they are cheap. They invited Will and I to have a peak at the room when I made the booking and it didn't look at all inviting (in fact it didn't look like it had ever been used), and so Will has been trying to convince me to go somewhere more expensive (when does that ever happen...). I figure they are worth a try. If they are good, I can justify having a weekly massage. Alternatively, if I have to go to the Grand Hyatt or Mandarin Oriental (all top places in HK for pregnancy massages), I will only be able to justify going for one every month or so. Worth the risk? I'm still debating... wish me luck.

I'm sure there are loads more things going on but think I will spare you the rambling (plus I need to get ready for the Dr appointment!)

Have a good week:)

Image from here

Janet is coming to HK

Ok so I am not a closet fan, but I must confess that in my youth (i.e. mid to late teens) I was totally in love with Janet. I can recall locking myself in my room and listening to her "Janet" album belting out her lyrics at the top of my lungs (perhaps even with a tear in my eye sometimes), thinking that she was the only one, aside from Alanis Morissette, who truly understood what it was like to be me.

I can say hand on heart that I probably haven't listened to JJ for the past 10 years, although I am quite excited about her upcoming tour to HK. Especially considering it is called "Number Ones" so hopefully all my old faves will appear.

Best of all, I managed to convince my darling husband to come along - in fact, he didn't need any convincing truth be known, and so V Day this year we have a date! I can't wait.

The Bump

Whilst Jess was staying over Christmas, I finally remembered to take some pics of the bump (i.e. my expanding waistline) - this is the one and only time in my life that I will ever be happy to visually document an expanding waistline I can tell you!

Will and I are going to take some more pics on Saturday - we are feeling slightly guilty that I am now in my fifth month and only have 2 pics to show the little one of his/her journey inside.

I {heart} you!

How sweet is this heart shaped berry wreath!

I spotted it this morning on Etsy and just had to share:)

Flavours

Being in my 18th week, it is only a couple more before we get to find out whether we are having a boy or girl. As I may have mentioned, I am convinced it is a boy - not that I have any preference whatsoever.

Because there are so many girls in my family, I had always imagined having a girl. When I fell pregnant, I just couldn't imagine having a boy. Our friend Jess remarked the other day that she didn't think I would know what to do with a boy - to her, I just simply had to be having a girl! Well, from day dot I started imagining having a boy, trying to get my head around the possibility and alas, it stuck. In fact, not only am I now convinced we are having a boy, I am actually looking forward to it.

Thankfully, the wait is almost over. I do hope the little one co-operates at the ultrasound so that we get to find out! And in retrospect, I think it has become non-negotiable that we do find out (not that we were debating it). Imagine being in the delivery room, as utterly convinced as I am that it will be a boy, and then giving birth to a pink flavoured one! That might just be a bit too much emotion for this mumma to handle... not to mention all the cute boys clothes that would go un-used:)

Pic from here