Wednesday, June 6, 2012

New Bump Photos - Weeks 12 - 16

So a few weeks ago a posted my 'Bump' photos so far.


Here's an update:


Week 12 - where we last left off


Week 13....


Week 14....



Week 15.....



Week 16!

A work friend commented that I was looking 'slimmer' even though I've developed a bump....and I don't seem to have put any weight on scales-wise, which was worrying me....then I had a little think and realised that as soon as I became pregnant, I cut out a whole calorie food group - alcohol! So now it all makes sense...cutting out 3-4 glasses of wine most nights has allowed more room for food :-)

When did you start putting on weight in earnest? Was it different for different pregnancies?

Saturday, June 2, 2012

I Like Nice Things

I like nice things. I do! I really, really do. I'm not just talking about 'regular nice' either - I'm talking slightly more fancy nice. I've gotten a taste for it too.

Since moving to Sydney, meeting my Englishman and combining our financial resources, the attainability of said 'nice things' has been, well, attainable. Add to that the fact that the Englishman likes nice things too and you have a recipe for indulgence.....

I like to think I have some restraint when it comes to spending money on the finer things in life - I don't go out and splurge all the time, in fact most of the 'nice' things I have are presents from the Englishman or friends and family. I actually still find it hard to go out myself and justify the spend. I think it's the 'poor uni student' in me ;)

There are some smaller 'nice things' that I dont feel too bad about spending more on. In particular, I LOVE to have nice smelly things to wash in, and Crabtree and Evelyn is my favourite! I have a thing for lavender but rose, vanilla and a bunch of other scents are also on the list. I love to have beautiful smelling soaps and shower gels to wash in, and yummy moisturisers to lather myself in afterwards (when I can be bothered).

More and more, I like to spend a little more money on nice wines to drink (well, not so much at the moment!). It's taking a while as again, I have the 'poor uni student' mentality that involves the idea that 'you dont need to spend more than $15 max on a bottle of wine to get a good one, and really, you should be able to get something good for about $10'. We have started going to dinner at our friends D&D's house on a regular basis though, and they like good wine and really appreciate it, too. So when we go there we make the effort to spend a little more and are finding the quality is often MUCH better.

In the same vein, I really enjoy going out for a fancy meal now and then. Not all the time, but just every so often. My Englishman and I started a tradition a few years ago of booking a 'fancy restaurant' for each others' birthdays each year, so we end up going out for a fancy meal every 6 months. We've been to places like Rockpool, Aria, Red Lantern, and most recently, Marque. It all started with Bill's restaurant in Surry Hills and we end up back at Bills more often as its nowhere near as expensive but still lovely!

My other favourite 'nice things' are presents that I treasure and use all the time - my Oroton wallet that's 3 years old and looks almost new, my pearl and diamond-chip earrings that were a graduation present from my parents, my diamond necklace from the Englishman, my Mimco clutch that the lovely C&D gave me for my 30th, my Tiffany bracelet my Úni Girls gave me for the same, my Oroton brolly, my French Connection winter coat....

I think the best thing about these 'nice things' is that they are classic, good quality, and they last. I use them all the time and as long as I look after them, they stay in good condition. It makes the cost worthwhile.

I guess the reason I am thinking about this now is that with the impending arrival of the "monkey monkey" I am aware that the attainability of these nice things won't be quite the same. Dinners at fancy restaurants, at least for the next 12 months, will be a little too difficult to navigate with a small child. Expensive presents from the Englishman (and for him as well) won't be quite so expensive. And we will have to a be a bit more careful about what we decide to spend good money on when it comes to wines and luxury items.

No longer being 'DINKs' is going to affect our lifestyle - but I think I'm ok with that. I know it will be worth it, to have a little person around to take up all my time, to love and to look after instead.

And when I do get the opportunity to have/experience/eat/drink nice things, I will appreciate them all the more!