What I love and hate about pregnancy so far ☺

Hi pixierinos ☺

I read a post recently about what the blogger hates about being pregnant, and it was an amazing post. If I knew how to link posts I would link it here but I don't (anyone want to tell me ☺) but if you all head over to her twitter page there's a link there (@hibabyblog although it wasn't written by her)

I'm only 30 weeks pregnant currently, but I thought I would share what I love and what I hate about pregnancy so far. 

hate
I'm going to start with what I hate about pregnancy so my post ends on a high point ☺

Sickness
I've been one of the relatively unlucky ones in that I started off with really bad morning sickness that lasted all day, and fainted at work etc for the first four months. Every time I ate or drank anything I was sick, and on a morning it was just bile which left an awful taste in my mouth!! I couldn't even keep water down! After those four months I went down to being sick twice a day, but feeling nauseous all of the time and now I'm sick on a morning. I hate being sick and JJ won't even cuddle me while I'm being sick as the smell makes him sick so I'm all alone!! I really envy those of you who haven't had any sickness!

Smells I can't stand strong smells. JJ had to stop using spray deodorant and aftershave when I was in the house as the smell just made me sick and light headed. I can no longer use all of my favourite lush products, and perfumes and I can't even spend much time in boots because of the smell! I can't wait to be able to use air freshener again!!

Leg cramps now that I am bigger in the bump department, and still working 6 or more days a week my legs have taken a bit of a battering, and boy aren't they letting me know it!!four or five times a night I am woken up by cramp in my legs!!I have taken to keeping my mirror on the floor by the bed-im not weird, the thing that gets rid of my cramp is putting my feet on a cold surface (none of this stretching through the pain malarkey for me!), we have a carpet and the only cold surface I could find was my mirror ☺

Stretch marks I am lucky and haven't got stretch marks on my bump, but weirdly i have got them on my thighs which I hate! Just hope they don't get any worse!!

People feeling my bump I don't mind when it's my friends or family but I don't like when people I barely know (like colleagues) just randomly put their hands on my bump. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't hurt me (yet) it's just a bit weird to have people I hardly know touching me!The baby always stops kicking when people feel the bump too, it might be a coincidence but it happens every time unless it's JJ and he speaks to it first!

love

Now for the good parts (other than getting a baby at the end of it obviously).

Feeling the baby move there are no words to describe how amazing it feels when the baby moves or kicks. JJ has told me that he loves when baby kicks as the smile on my face is amazing, I have my very own smile for my baby. When I am feeling down, or stressed, the baby kicks and my mood instantly lifts. I think it is one of the main things I am going to miss when I have the baby.

The bump I am lucky as currently I am all bump and except for a slight change in my thighs I have stayed the same from the back. It is such a cute bump and is perfect ☺

Shopping I love that I can go shopping and spend loads of money without getting wrong off JJ as it's all for the baby  all of the pretty baby clothes I have cooing over for years I can finally buy!!

Baby toys I'm not being weird here but I love playing with baby toys! I used to love babysitting my auntys foster kids as it meant I got to play with all the toys and pretend I was doing it for them! Yes baby A you do want to play with this cute little teddy bear that crinkles when you play with its ears!!

Milk this is a weird one but I love milk, I always have and since JJ and I have lived together he has been getting a bit annoyed at how much milk I drink but now that I'm pregnant he doesn't complain!!

Food although I haven't had any cravings and I am more likely to start hating a food than craving it, being pregnant does give me a bit of an excuse to be flexible with what I eat. If I want veg I have veg but if I want chocolate I will have chocolate (although there is someone I work with that glares at me when I eat sweets or cakes!).

Early nights I am 25 years old and I should be able to stay awake all night but honestly even before I was pregnant sometimes I just wanted a nap or an early night and now I have the perfect excuse :-)

That's my loves and hates for now, what are yours?

xxx? 

My daily makeup routine

Hi pixierinos  ☺

For my first beauty post I thought I would write about what makeup I wear everyday for work and for weekends when I don't have anything special planned.

Face

After I have moisturised (will be in another post) I apply primer. I am not actually sure how I feel about primers right now as today I forgot to put it on and my makeup actually lasted longer 😐 but the primer I generally use is the revlon photoready prime + antishine.  I have only been using this for about a week, it is a balm like texture and although it comes with a sponge I like to apply it with my fingers. It reminds me a little bit of the benefit porefection primer but is clear rather than the beige colour of the benefit primer.

I then apply collection lasting perfection concealer (not pictured above as I realised afterwards I hadn't included it and then couldn't find it!!) Under my eyes as it brightens the whole area up and since I have started doing that I have had so many compliments on how radiant I look.
The foundation I am currently using is one i  was in love with for about three years before I decided I fancied a change, and is revlon colorstay foundation for oily combination skin. I have this is the colour buff chamois which I think is the lightest colour but has yellow undertones rather than pink. I've only started using it again since last weekend but I do love it, it is a bit thicker than I remember and I have been having trouble getting the product out of the bottle (no pump) but I'm not sure if this was just a dodgy bottle 😂 it doesn't last all day for me but does look flawless for about 8 hours.

I apply the foundation using the real techniques buffing brush which is super soft and perfect for foundation application!

Cheeks

I recently started using the soap & glory peach party as a blusher as I was using a darker blush but wanted a change for the summer! This is very shimmery so if you're looking for something with a matte finish this will not be for you! It is a colour wheel so you could use each colour separate but I tend to just swirl the brush over them all as it gives a gorgeous golden peach glow.

I apply this using a brush I got in a bronzing kit as I lost my blush brush (if anyone has any recommendations please let me know) so I'm not sure of the make.

eyes

I start by using soap & glory it's about prime in bright light. This is a very white colour which is perfect for me! I dot a little bit onto my eyelids and smooth out with my ring finger then let it dry a little. This can be used by itself which I have done occasionally and it does last all day which I love.

Currently I am using the soap & glory lid stuff palette,but for work I only use two of the colours : vanilla and pink t.  This gives a brightening effect to my eyes which is perfect after a night of little sleep thanks to leg cramps!

I apply the eyeshadow using the real techniques contour brush. Again I do need some eyeshadow brushes so any recommendations are welcome ☺

The mascara I am using is another product I used to be madly in love with and recently started using again and is maybelline one by one volume express mascara. I love the rubber brush of this product as I feel like it separates each eyelash individually and makes my naturally long, curly lashes look like falsies!

Eyebrow

I desperately need my eyebrows threading but even though they are a bit unruly right now I still like to make them look presentable by using loreal brow artist super liner pencil in 03 brunette. This has a little brush on the lid to tidy the brows, a pencil at one end and wax at the other end to set it for the day. I will be honest and admit I very rarely use the wax but I love the pencil!!

Lips

Currently I have been using no7 chubby stick in delicate pink. I think this was a sample I got when I purchased some other no7 makeup a while back, but I love the colour of it for the summer months although it is a little drying!!

I finish off by spraying urban decay de-slick makeup setting spray all over my face to help my makeup to last that little bit longer.

That's it for what I do currently.
What makeup do you wear?

💖 xxx

Designer or non designer clothes

Hi pixierinos ☺

I will be doing a whole other post on what clothes we have bought for the baby but I thought I would do a quick one on why we have bought them from the shops that we have got them from and not all designer ones.
My fella is a scouser and if any of you know anyone from Liverpool (or follow @scousebirdprobs on twitter- you should she is hilarious and such a lovely person too) you will know that looking their best and wearing designer clothes is important to them, or at least is important for their kids (so the parents can wear primark but the kid has to be wearing designer clothes). When I first started 'seeing' JJ he actually told me that in order for me to go out with him I would have to wear all designer clothes, or at least get them from places like zara rather than wherever I was getting them from at the time (new look)!!I laughed at him!!
Coupled with my fellas thoughts on how the baby should be dressed, a colleague at work is pregnant and is always telling me how many things she has bought from places such as ted baker and jasper conran, armarni etc and wouldn't dare dress her child in anything from asda, mother care or next!she spends about £30 at the very least on each outfit and then tells me! I will admit that the clothes are cute, but so are some of the cheaper stuff.

I am not from Liverpool (although I don't want you to get the impression that I look like a scruff! I do dress well as new look and river island do some nice clothes now and I shop at zara now that I'm married lol), and I am not marrying a footballer (like my colleague is), so most of the clothes that I have bought have been from next or asda. 
Asda keep having baby and toddler events where the clothes (and other products) are on offer and I'm not ashamed to admit that I have taken advantage of this especially for when the baby is first born and the first few months as they are constantly growing and won't be in anything for that long as they will out grow it! The quality of the clothes from asda and next are amazing, and do seem as if they won't fall apart or anything while the baby is wearing is them, and feel soft enough for the baby to be comfortable in so I don't see any reason why not to buy cheaper clothes at a time when they will maybe only be worn a few times.
The clothes from next are very good quality too and are super cute!they were a bit more expensive than asda but reasonable too (£10 for a pack of three sleepsuits).
Don't get me wrong, I do have one or two things from junior jasper conran range but they were bought as a present and JJ has his eye on some dresses if we have a girl but they will be for when the baby is a little bit older and will get more wear out of it.

I thought I would write this post as my colleague at work makes me feel like I am depriving my child, and makes me feel a bit trampy by not buying only designer clothes when the baby is still a baby (when it is a toddler JJ will most likely dress it in only designer labels and I won't have a choice) so I felt the need to defend my actions.

Do you any of you feel the same way?

💖xxx

29 weeks update

Hi pixierinos ☺

Last week I did a 28 week update so I thought I would do a 29 week update ☺

My baby bump seems to me as if it has got bigger (I have had to wear a bigger lab coat again this week at work), although I still have no stretch marks on my tummy (touch wood). although I do have more stretch marks on my thighs now!! I do keep applying bio oil but sometimes I am too tired on a night and literally just fall into bed. JJ keeps getting annoyed at me for not looking after myself and the stretch marks so I should probably try to apply it more regularly.

I have been working a lot of long shifts at work which involve me being on my feet all day (just the way the rota has been done) and I don't know whether this is the cause or if it is because I am carrying extra weight but I keep getting really bad leg cramps during the night 😢 I wake up at least four times a night with cramp in my legs and I have tried a few things such as massaging them and having a hot bath etc but nothing seems to help yet (any suggestions please let me know ).

My heartburn has been getting worse and gaviscon is still my saviour ☺

But on a more positive note, the baby still moves loads and seems to kick me just before I eat something rather than after so I think baby knows when food is coming 😀 baby also kicks when JJ cuddles the bump which is super cute! And has started to make more movements as if dancing which is weird but also cute. Whenever baby moves I like to tell it how much it is loved already as baby can hear now and I want it to know how much it means to me and JJ. 

We have the drawers and the cotbed  up in the baby room now so all we need now is the wardrobes but JJ is being a bit lazy at the minute so it is taking a lot of persuading!
Once we have the baby room sorted we will be getting our new bedroom ready for the baby's arrival but luckily I am only 29 weeks so I still have a little while yet.

We have a list of the things we still need to buy and are going to buy them as soon as I get paid at the end of the month, but my colleague at work pointed out that I don't have to panic like I have been that we don't have everything in yet as we can always buy things once the baby is born and as long as the baby has food, shelter,nappies and love it will be fine ☺sometimes I get caught up in wanting everything to be perfect and forget that the most important things we already have. 

I think that is everything for this week  ☺ let me know if you enjoy reading posts like this ☺

💖xxx

Purchases for the baby so far

Hi pixierinos ☺

I thought I would do a post about what JJ  (my husband) and I have bought for the baby so far, we still have some stuff to get and we probably have things we don't need but we are first time parents so we are learning 😀

Travel system /pushchair
My parents actually bought us a silvercross travel system from mother care when we told them that I was pregnant (it is their first grandchild). We chose a travel system because it comes with the pram part for when baby is small and the pushchair part for when baby is a toddler and has a car seat that fits into the frame. It was the car seat that sold it for us as my parents live 2 hours away in one direction and JJs  family lives an hour and a half in the other direction so it means we can take the baby in the car and not have to worry about fitting anything other than the frame and car seat into the car.
I can't remember the name of the one we got but I do know the car seat was ventura plus, and the whole system is black and grey as I prefer those colours to the brightly coloured ones.

Chicco next to me crib
We chose this rather than a moses basket because it is bigger and can attach to the bed and stand alone. This means that the baby will be able to stay in it for longer than if we got a moses basket, and I feel better knowing that we can attach it to the bed so that the baby gets to sleep close to us without actually being in our bed (which is obviously a massive no no!). It is also light enough that we can take it with us to our family's houses like a moses basket and can have it anywhere in the house. The colour we chose was a light silver as it matched the furniture that we have in our bedroom but since we bought it we have decided to switch bedrooms so it no longer matches but is still pretty!

Three piece furniture set
We got the haxby set from mamas and papas. It contains the drawers with changing unit, wardrobe and cot bed. We chose this one because JJ liked the colour and design and thought it looked well made compared to the one I liked from mothercare.  We decided on a cot bed as it means the baby can stay with the same furniture until it is about 4 or 5 years old which we thought was really good. I will be doing a separate post on this ☺

Tommee tippee sangenic nappy bin
We got this as it seems like a good thing to have, from what I understand of it it can hold a few nappies (can't remember the exact number) and so would save us from having to make constant trips to the bin.

Tommee tippee newborn bottle set
We got this on offer and it contains a steriliser and a travel steriliser, a soother, some measurement cups, bottles, teats, bottle holders (the ones where they keep the bottles warm or cold), tongs, milk storage cups,
We got this because it was on offer and it seemed like very good value (it still does). I will be trying to breastfeed but we thought we could use the bottles anyway and the steriliser etc.

Tommee tippee perfect prep
My sister bought us this as her friend has recently had a baby and said that this was a lifesaver especially during the night.  We got it in black as I thought it looked better in black than white.

Room thermometer
We bought a room thermometer that changes colour with the temperature so can also act as a night light for the baby and easily let's us see whether the baby will be too hot or too cold without disturbing the baby.

We have lots of clothes, nappies and wipes but I will do another post on  clothes and I don't think nappies and wipes are that exciting 😁 we also have bedding and sleeping bags for each age group (eg 0-3 months 3-6 months etc).
We have just ordered a changing mat, video monitor, bath support and some toys.
Has anyone got any suggestions what else we need?
I may have forgot some things ☺

💖Xxx

28 week update

Hi pixierinos!

I had my 28 week antenatal appointment yesterday and happily everything seems fine ☺ my bump is measuring 27cm  (not really sure if this is a good thing or not ) and the midwife could feel the baby's head and bum and spine and everything seemed fine!! It was a bit weird as I have been very careful not to press my bump too hard, and the midwife squashed it with some force to feel the baby!!I panicked a bit but baby seems fine today and is moving about and kicking as normal ☺

I also had bloods taken and I am the biggest wuss in the world with needles (you wouldn't think I have my ears and belly button pierced and 2 tattoos but there you go) so JJ  had to hold my hand and I very nearly fainted and went sick!! So embarrassing but then JJ took me to Wetherspoons for some peri peri chicken (hello Wednesday club ) and chocolate cake for being brave (no I don't know how I will cope with labour either! ) hopefully everything will come back okay ☺

I also had to go to the dentist and again JJ had to hold my hand!!The dentist told me I was brave when he had finished so I now think that they think I'm a bit 'special' lol but never mind!!

That's all the pregnancy updates I have for now ☺

Speak to you all on Monday,  have a fab weekend

💖xxx