A hole in the ceiling and and a spurting bump

Top Six things from the last month

• Tim and his friends cut a hole in the ceiling with a saw and installed a loft ladder (yep, I'd have said that was a job for pros too but...)
• We don't have a single unpacked box left- in the main bit of the house. They are now all up in the fabulous newly accessible loft, woohoo! Yep, still unpacked and they'll probably still be there when we next move but hey, out of sight out of mind and all that...
• We painted the spare room and Shelley has painted her room and they look scrummy (makeover posts coming soon!)
• Tim's parents arrived from NZ to stay for a month (hence the hurry with the spare room), it is lovely having them here and they are even going to help us strip wall paper.
• Ten days camping in the South Downs and the Cotswolds- in the coldest August Britain has had for 17 years (how is our luck?!) but still we had a beautiful time with some amazing friends and food - and some brilliant wild swimming spots. Particuarly memorable was Gullet Quarry - breathtakingly beautiful (and unnecessarily scandolous) - it was like being in an altogether different world.
• Wrigglewriggle has had a MAJOR growth spurt. 31 weeks old now and truly living up to the name. Fists up in my ribs, it's bottom has turnd my belly button into an outy, my whole tummy convulsing as if an alien is about to burst out. I love this wee thing.
  
  

I love lamp and B for Betsy

After the brilliant news that we are exchanging on Monday (house buying speak for swapping contract for cash) and a joyous evening of dancing to the All Stars at The Scoop I arrived home late on Friday night feeling not at all tired, but very craftilicious and filled with energy. I tried milk drinking, yoga, all sorts, but I was just too excited to go to sleep so took it out on some objects around the house.

First, I bettered an old lamp with the aid of some scrabble letters. I love lamps, their ambient warmth, the endless possibilities of crafting them up. And I love scrabble letters; glued on to the end of clips to stick in my quiff, stuck onto old wood with a dollop of paint. So I did a little match making, using a line from a Coldplay song. Lights will guide you home (Minus some vital L's and a G- anyone got any spares?)...

Then I paired up a white summer blazer with a cherry dress, both of which fit me no longer, and made a B for Betsy, our little friend, offspring of the fabulous Mel, who is having a birthday tomorrow. Mel used to run the kids club I went to and now she is Mum extraordinaire, with a whole hoard of the coolest little people in a lovely Camberwell home too.

Off to go an play with my mums just-bought chickens, yay for poultry in the garden, fresh eggs daily. Maybe next summer we will get to go on a chook buying journey ourselves. Woop woop!

Introducing Nessa and Stacey...

Update on the whare and the pepe

After putting in the hard word on the house we are trying to buy the vendor's lawyer assures us that exchange should happen this week, with completion next week. Our ultimatum of 31st July will "definitely be met".... or so he says! This should be cause for celebration but I think after so many promises we still feel hesitant about getting out hopes up.

Meanwhile the bump is steadily growing - 5 months old now- and wriggling around no end. We are trying to remember that the baby is already a little person so are attempting to sing and interact with my tumultuous tummy, which provides me and Tim with mucho laughter.

A friend lent me an amazing book about Hypnobirthing. It sounds, well, yes, let's face it, odd/Paul Mckenna-ish. But it is much more logical than the title might suggest. It is filled with beautiful birthing stories, the history of obstetrics and natural child birth, as well as loads of tips about preparing for birth. I have read loads so far this pregnancy but this is my top book so far, I devoured it in one day.

Oooh, how I love, love, love being pregnant and am so looking forward to birthing this little soul.

Progress on Chez AitkenRead et le bebe

Just a quick update as I feel things have moved even since last week on both our little house and the bump...

So, the entanglement of bureaucracy that has held up our purchase of our Camberwell house seems to be nearing the end. Last night we popped over and met the vendor there, a lovely woman, who seemed confident that all would be finalised within weeks. We even have draft contracts! We are getting very excited once again, although when I saw the garden I got palpitations. I had in mind that we would move in and lay out our seedlings but in the three months since we put the offer in it has turned into the Little Shop of Horrors! It's a jungle out there and definitely not ready for an instant BBQ.

Also, here is the latest bump picture, yes, there is actually a bump there! Can you see it?! I had many formal complaints at the last two pictures being so unbumpus. I have felt Wrigglewriggle (named by my three year old nephew) moving around and even Tim felt it the other morning. Yikes! Very exciting. Here is Wrigglewriggle: 17 weeks today! (Or so they say!)


Well, it is Friday, I am off to enjoy some beautiful evening sun. Have a delicious weekend!