That nesting instinct...

has kicked in already! I'm 31 weeks now - don't remember when it happened last time. We were doing our usual Sunday afternoon clean up - Rob tends to do most of it - when I was gripped with cleaning mania. Starting clearing surfaces....wiping down cupboards...I even cleaned and reorganised my fricking spice rack....

I just couldn't stop! I kept seeing things that needed doing. I just finished cleaning the counter when I decided to de-crumb the toaster - which meant I had to clean the counter again. I was like an OCD person!

I finally stopped - my back was killing me and I felt a bit faint! I had forgotten that irrational urge....as those of you who know me well (especially Mox who has lived with me) will know...i'm not a tidy person. I don't mean you could nominate me for How Clean Is Your House (not these days anyway) but i usually do a good surface job and pile clutter all over the place....

Blimey. One good thing about pregnancy eh - my kitchen is gleaming......

I'm off to bed but will try and clean my teeth without looking at how dirty my bathroom is or I'll ever get to sleep!

Bump this morning.... 

Not your average chain letter

I got a fab email from a stonecutter pal today - a recipe exchange. There were two names on it - hers second and another in position one - you send a recipe to the person on position 1, then forward it to ten friends - putting the sender's name at No 1 and yours at No 2. Easy peasy. And then you get recipes by email! They send it to 10, putting your name at No 1 and the recipes roll in.

I've already had 6 come in and I only forwarded it this morning! I've never done a recipe exchange before and am really enjoying this. It was hard to pick just 10 friends to do it so I may do another one. Or see if I get it back from mutual friends.....it's been really lovely.

So if I sent it to you - thank you for continuing it on - I don't forward chain letters but this was such fun!

Oz has been an angel today - this afternoon anyway (he was at nursery this morning). We went to Tescos and he helped me with the shopping. I'm so tired now though....I'm typing this on the laptop as he watches Harry and his bucket full of Dinosaurs - he's entering a dinosaur fetish I think (Oscar, not Harry).

He's been talking to my bump today. He likes the name Freddie today...though he still thinks we should call it Baby. By the time it's born, he'll probably want to call it Stegosaurus.

So much for more time!

I've been rubbish haven't I! Not posted for ages.....I haven't been on the computer much to be honest - third trimester knackeredness has hit with a vengeance, plus it's uncomfortable on the seat in front of the computer. I keep meaning to find my big birthing ball from last time and wobble on that in front of the puter! It's in the loft somewhere.

All is well here though. Oz is alternately a demon or an angel - sure I've written that before. My lovely Mum is here at the moment so she's entertaining him in his new room - he still hasn't slept in the bed - it's too much a novelty still!

Went to my local JobCentre today to get my Maternity Allowance form checked over - waste of time. It's a grim place - chock full of huge security guards - three of whom stopped me in about 10 foot asking to see my appointment card. I kept explaining that I'd made the appointment by phone - they must have a lot of aggro in there - and I'm not surprised - it's a depressing place. I had to wait half an hour before being told by the woman that it looked alright to her, she'd never done one of these forms before, she was income support, but that she'd send it off and they'd write to me if there was a problem. I patiently explained that that was the reason I'd made an appointment - to ensure that there wasn't any inconsistencies or missing information. I asked if there was anyone else who could help me...she said no. WASTE of time.

We had a lovely weekend though - one of our oldest friends, Simon, came down with his wife Yuki and their daughter Lillia. She's an angel - 7 months old. They stayed overnight on Sunday as they had an appointment at the Japanese Embassy on Monday to get Lillia's passport. Here's Yuki and the beautiful girl....and then Daddy and Daughter flaked out on the floor!

Here's a pic of Oscar on Halloween - the only one i managed to get before he refused to put the costume on again - he didn't like it!

In other news....LAB still isn't pulling them in - despite us offering FREE entry this week! We only had 1 customer. What do we have to do? Pay them to come? I'm trying to hang in there and keep positive but it's very demoralising. On the up side, met a wonderful woman, Remi, who is going to be our life coach - she's fab. She thinks we're doing brilliantly so I believe her.

Erm - what else have i been doing? I can't bloomin remember. Congrats to Bobbie whose son arrived this week.....Happy Birthday to Pearl for Friday....erm.....general lurve all around to everyone - and again...my Mum is fab (I know she reads this you see!). She's just hoovered Oscar's bedroom.....hoorah!

Happy pootling....

It's my first official morning "off". Dropped Oscar to nursery at 8...dropped Rob to the station at the same time....and came home to my empty house. All mine until 1 when I pick Oz up again. It's my replacement's first day of Monkey Music and I have been sending her good vibes.

But I'm loving this!!! I've gently tidied the kitchen up a bit..just pottering and pootling around...no rush at all. The plumber came round to look at my bathroom- don't know if I mentioned this but I'm getting the best ever Christmas present from my parents this year - a brand new bathroom - our current one has a teeny bath and hideous enormous sink....it's awful. I haven't had a decent bubble bath for 4 years....and that's my addiction - my main way to relax - a candlelit bath.....

I didn't realise but we'll probably have to move in with Mum when they do it (don't know if she realised that either!). But it's going to be amazing. And done before Christmas.

So a pleasant half hour discussing bath options, towel rails, tiling...fantasising about a huge deep wide bath.....

Now I'm pottering again....tidying up in the front room - the window cleaner has just been. I'm going to stop and have a cup of tea in about half an hour...

And I've got the same tomorrow....and Friday....and every week until 2Bee arrives.

NEVER thought I'd be a happy housewife....but it's nice to have some time - no pressure -no rushing to get cleaning done before Oscar wakes up or anything....no pressure to get it done today as I've got tomorrow and Friday morning....just ME time....something I haven't had during the day for ages......

Thank you for all your comments with the names by the way - REALLY useful. It was my shortlist - Rob hadn't vetoed any as such but he didn't really love them all - and there were so many! It was a very big short list. We've narrowed it down to three....that we both love. And this is what will stay I think until we meet the little man himself and decide what he looks like. Then we may call him something totally different (Oscar was never on our shortlist)

So - it's either Benedict....Stanley....or Freddie. I love them all but am veering towards Stanley - Stan the Man......and Freddie works with our surname quite nicely. Though I love Ben too, Rob's sister has a Ben so the other two are out in front. My mother HATES Stanley. But then she hated Oscar as a name too......

I'll probly change my mind again before January - but it's closing in - can't BELIEVE where the time has gone. Bump is getting bigger by the day and is starting to be uncomfortable...i'd forgotten that heavy pulling feeling on the sides of your stomach - very crampy. My boobs have started to get sore again as they're gearing up to the final stages - again I'd forgotten about that....I'm officially on the home stretch now - third trimester.....

So there you go - you can tell I've got time cos that's the longest post I've done for ages. I'll probably spend more time online this week - but have rationed myself to email check and blog this morning as I want to tidy up and clean my pit of a house. So more tomorrow.

Just feeling so smiley this morning I had to share the love. Hope you're all smiling too.