the gallery: boys

This is a photo of the boys in my life and a glimpse into how they enjoy spending time together. I know, I know...it's a really bad photo. The lighting is horrible, the background is of a shabby office and baby Nate, well, he is just a blur in the shot. But in a way it's a great photo because it is a peek into what happens when we visit Daddy at work.

When they play the throw-baby-into-the-air game, the laughter and joy on both of their faces delights me. I do get a little nervous about how high hubby chucks Nate into the air, but I force myself to sit on my hands and let them get on with it because it makes them so happy for that brief moment.

This post was written in response to a prompt from The Gallery on the Sticky Fingers blog. Why not check out The Gallery to see what other people have posted?  

the gallery: bond

Baby Nate and I have a special bond, of course we do. We are with each other every hour of the day, we sleep much of the night in the same bed, we do activities together, eat together, we are infinitely bonded to each other and it is incredible. 

However, there is something extra special and heart-warming about the relationship that my husband has with Nate. The father-son bond they have is so meaningful; I could spend hours watching them interact. They give each other a look that is only meant for the other. And daddy is the only person that has dunked Nate under water at swim class. In fact, a lot of their bonding time is water-based. Since the day we got home from the hospital, Mr M has bathed Nate every.single.night - no joke, there hasn't been a night that he has missed in the past 6 months! 

Recently Mr M has also started getting up early with Nate on a Saturday morning to allow me to sleep for a couple much needed extra hours. I don't see what they get up to, but every now and then I can hear a giggle from downstairs and I know that they are happy in each other's company, and building a bond with each other that will last a lifetime.  

This post was written in response to a prompt from The Gallery on the Sticky Fingers blog. Why not check out The Gallery to see what other people have posted? 

the gallery: picture postcard

The theme for this week's Gallery is Picture Postcard. This photo of Marrakesh is a few years old and nothing to do with my pregnancy journey at all, but I couldn't resist digging it out from the photos on my computer and using it for this week's post. I hope you don't mind. 

I went to Marrakesh with my good friend in September 2010 and we wandered the narrow, busy streets in awe for 3 days. Towards the end of one particularly hectic and hot day we stumbled into the Djemaa El Fna square  in the center of the city and found a shabby cafe  to drink some tea and relax. Little did we know it was the perfect location to watch the sunset over the square. 

As the sun went down, the portable restaurants starting popping up one by one and we literally watched the square come to life! I like this photo because the colours are so vibrant and the Atlas mountains can be seen in the background. It's my personal picture postcard.  

This post is linking up to The Gallery on the Sticky Fingers blog. 

the gallery: morning

Recently, when not raining, the mornings in Suffolk have been gorgeous!  The rapeseed fields are in blossom and the skies have been filled with beautiful clouds. Or at least that's what my husband has told me. I must confess I haven't been waking up early at all unless it is to go straight to work, and I didn't take this picture, Mr M did. He is very good at getting up and out, enjoying nature on his bike or with the dogs. I, on the other hand, have been very good at trying to enjoy as much sleep as possible when I can.

Everyone tells me I need to make the most of sleep before baby boy arrives...or maybe I'm just lazy, not sure yet. 

This post is linking up to The Gallery on the Sticky Fingers blog. 

the gallery: action

I haven't been the most active person in my pregnancy, especially since my legs started going all weird and tingly. With this in mind, I was hoping my Saturday morning ante-natal yoga class would get my blood pumping a little.... but it was cancelled at the very last minute. 


As I sat in my living room feeling sorry for myself because I had no class to attend and Mr M was out on a bike ride and wouldn't be back for hours, Sasha stared up at me with her cute cocker spaniel eyes and I knew just what to do! Luckily the sun was shining at that moment so I found Sasha's favourite rope ball and we ran out to the garden to have some play time. 

We spent a good 45 minutes together with the ball. I would throw it and Sasha would run to get it then whip it around her head viciously, whacking herself on her back, her sides, the top of her head. Bailey sat himself in the sun next to me and observed with amusement. It was fun and active and a great way to spend a Saturday morning.

This post is linking up to The Gallery on the Sticky Fingers blog. 

the gallery: easter

In Easter's past, due to the generous 4 day weekends here, Mr M and I have gone on adventurous little trips. One year we went to Rome, another year it was Paris and then last year  it was the south coast of England. This year it has been much more low-key: we went on a quiet walk with the dogs through the woods in the rain.

To be honest, it was lovely! And I have been meaning to go on more walks to keep my ever-expanding body active, so I felt very accomplished after our stroll.

In future years, I'm sure Easter will be more about painted pastel eggs, chocolate and fun kiddy activities. But this year I was happy to keep it calm and relaxing ahead of baby's arrival. 

This post was written in response to a prompt from The Gallery on the Sticky Fingers blog. Why not check out The Gallery to see what other people have posted? 

the gallery: at peace

The theme for this week's gallery is At Peace. 

As I stated on my very first post, Mr M and I recently went on an indulgent spa break in Surrey - our last holiday on our own before baby M arrives. 

The entire trip was incredibly peaceful, helped by the sunny weather and the fact that we stayed in bathrobes more or less all day. This photo was taken from the window of our room - isn't the view divine? I really felt at peace here, and fully enjoyed the quality time with hubby before our little man comes along this summer. 

This post was written in response to a prompt from The Gallery on the Sticky Fingers blog. Why not check out The Gallery to see what other people have posted? 

the gallery: extreme close up

I took this photo of Bailey a few months ago and think he looks absolutely adorable with his wispy eyelashes and quirky expression. 

In many respects I consider Bailey to be my first baby. Mr M and I got him as a puppy shortly after I moved to the UK, so he has been with us through everything.

When the new baby boy comes along I know it might be a struggle to spend quality time with Bailey while dealing with a demanding infant. I only hope Bailey understands how much he means to me.

This post was written in response to a prompt from The Gallery on the Sticky Fingers blog. Why not check out The Gallery to see what other people have posted?