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

New Years Eve

What are your plans for this evening?

Will remarked during the week that we should really be going out to paint the town red tonight considering it will be our last NYE sans children. That all sounded like a good idea until I reminded him that I would be painting the town red...sober!

I guess, unbeknown to us at the time, last NYE was really our chance to shine! Can't even remember what we did to be honest. Sad, I know.

After abandoning plans of all night partying, we decided that a night in experimenting with our new Kitchen Aid pasta attachment was the perfect recipe (Christmas pressie from my lovely in-laws). Whilst I was getting my hair done last night in prep for date night, Will went and purchased supplies for our feast tonight (an assortment of mushrooms, ever so thinly sliced veal, pasta flour,eggs, delicious cream, truffles (of the mushroom variety) - YUMMO). Fingers crossed the pasta works out...

The thing for me is, I have never really been a big fan of NYE. My favourite day of the year (aside from my Birthday and perhaps Christmas Day) is new years day. The first day of the year. It is (and always has been) really, I mean fundamentally, important for me to spend new years day with a fresh head and a positive spirit. This is somewhat hard to do with a hangover as you can well imagine...

So no matter what I usually do on NYE (and I will admit there have been a few exceptions to this - probably around the ages of 18, 19, 20 - ...), I usually try not to drink too much so as to wake the next day feeling less than 100%.

So now you all want to know what we have planned for new years day. To be honest, nothing extraordinary. We are going to visit a friend's new bub in hospital (I guess this qualifies as extraordinary, especially considering he was delivered super early and did not have the easiest time in his mummy's tummy), then we are going to lunch at a (semi) (sense a trend here) new restaurant in town - 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo by Bombana (what are the chances he will be cooking on new years day - unlikely I say) (I guess this is also kind of extraordinary considering that I have wanted to try this restaurant for ages and now I finally get to go). Then we are having some friends over for dinner, which whilst not extraordinary (cause we tend to do this a lot), will make a lovely end to the first day of the year.

Usually we are back home in Oz for new years day and hence we spend the day outside in the glorious sunshine, at the beach, going for picnics, spending time with the family.. all that jazz. Oh, I do miss home this year:(

Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, make sure you enjoy a glass of bubbles for me:)

Date Night

Tonight is date night in the Holden household (well outside the household to be exact, but you get my gist). I don't think Hubby has cottoned onto the fact that we also have a romantic evening planned for tomorrow night to celebrate NYE. Who am I to say anything - two date nights in a row are fine by me...

So I am off this afternoon after work to have my hair done (desperately overdue btw), then out for dinner at a (semi) new restaurant called Lily & Bloom.

Let's hope our night is not as eventful as the one shared by Tina & Steve in the movie...

The world is such a small place...

... made all the smaller through blogland!

A couple of weeks back I was in London (for work) and managed to snag a day for shopping. I have to be honest, I didn't do the town justice - I only managed to do two shops (but boy did I do them well). Which two shops you ask??? Mama's & Papa's (for obvious reasons) and Liberty (for obvious reasons!).

I managed to spend the entire day in just two shops, and it was heaven! Whilst strolling the floors in Liberty I stumbled across a display of the most delightful tableware ever. I couldn't resist, and bought two matching cups and saucers (the pink & blue one in the pics above). The brand was not one I had heard before, Pip Studios, but boy did I love everything in their range.

Anyhow, I was actually sitting here this very morning sipping my morning coffee out of my lovely new pink cup when I read the post by Cannelle et Vanille and stumbled across this pic and a story about Pip Studios. All of their products are so delightful - I just wish my suitcase had of been bigger :(

Small world hey - who would have thought that my little indulgence in Liberty would turn up in a post by one of my favourite bloggers...

Annechovie sale!!

Yeap - you read right! All stock in Annechovie's Etsy store is 50% until the end of the year...

I have to confess that I might be slightly addicted, having purchased all of the prints below - and I am sure I have forgotten some... hurry on over here and nab yourself some before it is too late!

Whilst I have all of the above in my collection (saving them up for the cluster wall of my dreams) I can't believe I don't have 1 of Annechovie's iconic "Keep Calm and Carry On" prints. I may have to allow myself just 1 more print to take advantage of the sale ... I'm thinking pink ...(does that surprise you!)

Louise & Zoe - I am thinking of YOU right now...

I know it is a little late for Christmas wishes - but if I could wish something for you girls it would be a shoe closet just like this one!

Pic from here

Note to self: DO NOT MAKE THIS RECIPE!

One of the most perplexing things about being pregnant is that my taste buds have totally changed. I don't mean that things taste different, but I desire different things than I used to.

A couple of examples...

Whilst I have always liked fruit, since I have been pregnant I can't get enough... and when I eat it, it tastes so beautiful I wonder if I have ever tasted something so yummy in my life. Last night pineapple and cherries were my victims - and they quite possibly were t.h.e BEST tasting cherries and pineapple of my life (I'm not joking). Incidentally, my husband thinks I am mad - I am constantly chucking fruit in his mouth and making him verify how beautiful it tastes...

Milk - I have n.e.v.e.r been a milk drinker. When I was a kid my nanna used to have a milk glass for each of her grandchildren. I never had one cause I never drank milk (and yes, it has scared me)! It's not that I don't like milk, give it to me in coffee aNy day and I am a happy chappy, but I have never been one to drink a straight glass of it. Since I have been pregnant, I am constantly dreaming of tall icy glasses of milk (with a few drops of vanilla essence) - YUM!

These two changes I can cope with, in fact, I would be quite happy if they stuck around after the little critter was born (no disrespect intended, that's the name we/I have given to our little munchkin) - BUT - the next one can disappear as fast as it came...

I have always been a savoury girl - ALWAYS! I worked in a gourmet deli through High School and I am well and truly on the savoury side of the fence - except for now... from the minute I fell pregnant I have had a crazy sweet tooth. It is so weird for me cause I have never been one for chocolate.cake.sweets.desserts.lollies. Ok, well perhaps I have always had a soft spot for ice-cream... but now I can't get enough of the sweet stuff. I now understand when people say that they can't open a pack of biscuits without wanting to finish the entire thing in one go.

This for me is weird, super weird. Going from the girl who would always chose a bag of crisps over a piece of chocolate, I cannot understand how, being pregnant, can change your self of taste. I am constantly amazed by it, and am constantly hoping that I will revert to my normal savoury self! I am not looking forward to the gestational diabetes test - if ever there was a candidate, it was me!

Anyhow, I digress... the reason I started this rambling was to explain that my former, un-pregnant self, would never have though twice about this homemade nutella recipe - I would have admired the gift idea and moved on... but now, oh no, I am a changed woman. This nutella recipe has to be made (and consumed) asap. Doesn't it sound divine. I have no idea what cocoa nibs are, nor whether I can get them in Hong Kong, but I am determined to find out!

The worst thing of all, if I make it, I will have to eat it... ALL!

Photo and recipe via Bon Vivant

A woman should have...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
something perfect to wear if the employer,
or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
a youth she's content to leave behind...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
a part juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
one friend who always makes her laugh...
and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems,
and a recipe for a meal, that will make her guests feel honoured...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
a feeling of control over her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to fall in love without losing herself...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without;
ruining the friendship

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
when to try harder.. and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that she can't change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that her childhood may not have been perfect...but it's over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to live alone...even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
whom she can trust, whom she can't, and why she shouldn't take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
where to go...be it to her best friend's kitchen table...
or a charming Inn in the woods...
when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she can and can't accomplish in a day... a month...and a year...

I love reflecting on this. Every time I read it it gives me a sense of empowerment, and a yearning for self improvement. Whilst there are many things I can tick of the list, there are many more I still need to work on.

I have two younger sisters - 16 and 20. If I was given a piece of paper and told to impart my wisdom for how to live their lives, this would be it! Not because I have conquered it, far from it in fact, but because I believe that as women, you need to be empowered. Empowered and in control of your life.

It doesn't mean that there won't be times when you need to lean on someone for support, emotionally or financially. What it means for me is that you are not dependant on someone for emotional and financial support. That if that person was to disappear, however devastated you may be, you could pick up the pieces and carry on, with the knowledge and ability to know that you can take care of yourself.

Whilst I am c.o.n.v.i.n.c.e.d that we are having a boy... if I am blessed with a little girl, these will be the lessons that I will try to impart on her as she grows up. Easier said than done, I know...

Photo - I am really sorry but I don't have any idea where I got this pic from. If you know, please tell me so that I can properly credit the author