Oct 23 2013

15 Weeks… Some Freaky Old Symptoms

Posted on October 23, 2013 by admin

And so I’ve stumbled into the second trimester with a grateful sigh of relief. I’ve only been sick twice in the last week and put that down to squashing baby in my sleep - call it retribution. The exhaustion is still there but Craig is now well used to me sloping off to bed the second he walks through the door from work. Yep, from this point forward, I’m determined to embrace the bump.

Already I’m experiencing a new wave of pregnancy symptoms at week 15, and some I never had at all when I was carrying Dexter…

Week 15 pregnancy shots as found on Bounty and Weekly Pregnancy Guide

Vivid Dreams…

I’ve always been able to recall my dreams the next morning, and I’ve always had pretty spectacular ones. I’m often battling terrorists, child abductors, and other baddies in my dreams but they’ve been particularly nasty over the last few days. The trade off is I’ll often get to date a celebrity or two, I look like a Bond girl, and am seemingly indestructible. I must admit, every morning when I wake up I’m usually even more tired than when I went to sleep the night before. I’ll have been shot at, chased and (sometimes) ravished all in the space of 5 short hours. I know it’s 5 hours as baby has me up every night at 2am and 4am for a wee-break.

Gurgley Belly…

This is the same groaning noise most of us will experience when we’re starving hungry or have downed a can of Diet Coke, but ten times noisier. I used to get this all the time as little girl, and it would always happen at really inappropriate times… during exams, at the cinema, when I was having a cuddle with a boyfriend… now history seems to be repeating itself. Now, regardless of what or when I’ve eaten, my tummy will squeak, gurgle and whinge almost constantly. During the day this is barely noticeable to those around me, but come nighttime when Craig and I are trying to get to sleep and it’ll be as irritating and disruptive as a neighbours car alarm.

Telekinesis…

I lose everything and everything. Daily. This includes car keys, house keys, mobile phone, remote controls, make up… pretty much all my daily essentials will regularly go walkabout. Okay it would be silly to suggest that pregnancy actually causes telekinesis, or that my lip gloss has grown legs, but it seriously feels like it!

In fact, I’ve found myself exhibiting some really odd behaviour recently… I’ve thrown toilet rolls down the loo, put dirty washing in the bin, and was very close to giving Dex a drink of washing up liquid and hot water yesterday. Craig has also started calling me “Arthur” (as in “Half-a” Job) as I keep starting chores and not finishing them.

The answer most likely lies in the fact that I’m shattered, distracted, and easily frustrated now I’m lugging a mini person around. At least I hope it’s this and not the early signs of a mental disorder.

Flutterings…

When I lay in the bath my belly is now like an island poking up through the bubbles. This island comes complete with little waves as baby’s jitterings cause the water to ripple. It’s mildly amusing to watch and something I didn’t spot with Dex.

I’m also beginning to feel notice more and more stirrings in my tummy, particularly when I’m laying down. To be honest, I’m not even sure if I’m making this up or being over optimistic, but I’m sure I can feel baby auditioning for Team GB’s gymnastics squad in there. It’s not the fist bumping, feet flexing, head butting movements that soon lose their novelty some 20 weeks in, it’s more like baby is getting up to some sneaky forward rolls and serious dad-dancing whilst we can’t see them. I wouldn’t mind but, having experience in these matters, I’ll be waiting for 12 months+ before he or she will pulling out those moves on the outside of my tummy.

Breathlessness…

Just walking the stairs I’m now having to take a ten minute pit stop to get my breath back. It’s really prohibiting! I had every intention of doing my Pregnancy Pilates DVD everyday, I really did… but now I struggle with the physical act of merely getting off the sofa and popping a disc in the player. It would be okay if I could manage something less strenuous like a weekly swim but the last time I managed anything like a doggy paddle was back in 1994…

So that’s me. I can’t resist a good old whinge hey? If anyone has any other freaky pregnancy symptoms to report - past or present - do leave a comment.

Oct 22 2013

Let There Be Light! - Maximise Light in a Dark Home

Posted on October 22, 2013 by admin

I’m getting really good at looking past decor and the bare bones of a house. Given Craig and I have been on a few viewings recently, we’ve had to retrain our brains to look past some pretty horrendous seventies wallpaper, Formica kitchens, and olive-green bathroom suites - if we were too fussy we simply wouldn’t be able to afford anywhere here in Reading. But one thing I just can’t get past, is dark and dingy reception rooms. As most of the houses in our price range are terraced, many of the ‘through’ rooms are boxed in with light fed in by windows to the front and back, making them feel really cramped and oppressive.

So I’ve been doing a bit a research to work out how we can make these houses work for us. Let’s face it, we can’t magic up another £30,000 to get the space we really want, so we’ll have to be clever, invest a fair old chunk of money over time, and plough lots of time and love into the project. With this in mind, here’s some ideas on how to maximise light in a dark home.

Skylights

I’m reliably informed these are also known as Roof Lanterns. In any case, if you are planning an extension from scratch (particularly where rooms face north), this has to be the best way forward. This will flood a room with natural light and maximise light in adjoining rooms. Skylights also take up no wall space which is fabulous for kitchens where wall space is at a premium.

For even more impact, you can add a full ceiling multidimensional roof lantern and make it into a real feature. These will be sure to add value, as well as light, to any project.

Conservatories

Conservatories are considered to be permitted development and are therefore the ideal solution where planning permission is tricky. They also make fabulous sun-filled dining rooms, playrooms, and gyms where furniture is not limited to the perimeters of a room.

Although conservatories vary in cost from the ridiculously cheap, to the downright expensive, it’s not worth scrimping on them as badly designed conservatories can be a huge energy drain for a home. Spending a little more on good insulation and energy-efficient glazing will help retain warmth and make it a useful space all year round. Self-cleaning glass for roof panels is also worth the investment in terms of easy upkeep.

Bi-folding Doors

When extending is simply not an option, replacing at least one exterior wall with bi-folding doors or huge windows can work wonders. It’ll involve some clever room design to ensure your new feature is unobstructed, but if you have the space, it’ll certainly help open up an otherwise oppressive room.

To further ‘bring the outside in’, consider using the same flooring indoors and out. At the very least keep floor levels the same, match floor colours and ensure any floorboards run in the same direction to help give the illusion that the room stretches beyond the glass. Coordinate furniture on each side of the glass, and use greenery inside as well as out to further merge the spaces.

Decor

When your walls are the biggest surface area in your room, using wallpaper with a reflective sheen will multiply the light source in the room. You can also get carpets with reflective fibres, glossy tiles and high sheen laminate to carry on the theme beyond the walls. At the very least ensure you stick to a light colour scheme (including flooring) and inject personality and warmth through your furniture instead.

Finishing Touches

Strategically placing floor to ceiling mirrors in a room are a great way of adding the illusion of extra depth and reflecting light, however limited. Glass furniture and other transparent materials will also desist the eye from focusing on one specific section of the room. Finally, create smaller pools of omnidirectional light by introducing cut glass ornaments such as vases, bowls and candlesticks.

Lighting

If all else fails bathe your room in layers of artificial light. Try experimenting with heights of light sources such as floor lamps, table lamps and low hanging ceiling lights. Throw out bulky shades and leave bulbs exposed to make the very most of what you’ve got. Positioning mirrors and other reflective surfaces immediately behind bulbs (or even candles) will also add additional layers of light in darker pockets of the room.

So there you go! Have you ever tried any of these techniques? If you’re brave, do share a picture!

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Oct 21 2013

Christmas Ideas… Alphabet Soft Play Mat Review (From Soft Floor Kids UK)

Posted on October 21, 2013 by admin

Dexter’s at that difficult-to-buy-for stage at the moment. At 17 months, he’s very easily distracted and would rather pull out cables from the back of the telly than sit down with a toy. We’ve therefore really struggled to come up with practical Christmas gift ideas this year.

When the guys at Soft Floor Kids UK got in touch to ask if Dexter might like to try a soft foam play mat, I simply had to say yes. Not only could this make an ideal Chrimbo pressie for little man (obviously we’ll have to wrap it back up after this review - didn’t think that one through did I?!), our entire downstairs is hardwood flooring and Dex is constantly tripping over his feet. Luckily, he hasn’t had any significant bumps and grazes yet but it’s only a matter of time and I’d like to keep him looking gorgeous for as long as possible. Foam tiling is the perfect solution as it’s easy to keep clean and soft enough to roll around on.

We choose a 30 Piece Alphabet Soft Play Mat as we had a very specific area in mind for our mat to live in our lounge. The pack features the full alphabet and 4 additional shapes (a triangle, square, star and circle). All the letters and shapes pop-out from the interlocking tiles making it great for improving little finger dexterity, and a fun puzzle for children who are beginning to learn the alphabet. We also managed to make some cubes out of the tiles (although it was fiddly as the letters kept falling into the centre of the cube!).

Dexter was hugely excited to help mummy and daddy lay the mat down. They lock together easily and you need only gently pat down the finished article to ensure you’re not left with lumps and bumps. The surface is lightly textured which feels great under your feet and is incredibly soft to touch.

It’s worth noting that these mats come out BIG. As each tile measures 30cm by 30cm, you’ll definitely want to measure up your free space before selecting your play mat. Our covers a 5ft by 6ft area but we tend to shrink it by using less of the tiles so it fits comfortably in our living room - you’re supplied with plenty of edging strips in all the different colours so you have this flexibility. It also comes in a nice zip lock bag for storing individual tiles away (or indeed the full set, when you fancy turning your lounge back into a grown up zone).

They’re bright and attractive, and would be suitable for both sexes. I’m also incredibly impressed with the thickness of the tiles, I’m no longer wincing when I’m on my hands and knees with Dexter, or sat for long periods on my bum. Dexter also managed to nap on them the other day which should be regarded as the ultimate testament to how comfy this mat is!

In terms of practicality, the tiles are made from high-quality, closed-cell (non asorbing), EVA (Ethylene-vinyl acetate) foam and are 100% non-toxic and formamide free - try saying that after a few glasses of wine! In short, it means they’re easy-peasy to wipe clean, non slip, and incredibly durable. They’re also tough enough to use outside on decking for summer play.

At £34.95 for the set shown above, I’m aware there are slightly cheaper versions available in supermarkets. However, the quality is far superior and these tiles are lovely and thick and look fabulous. The removable letters and fact you can build cubes from the tiles also means they’ll grow with your family when your little ones are less likely to take a tumble. I’m delighted with our set so would happily recommend to anyone struggling for Christmas gifts for pre-schoolers.

You can find Soft Floor Kids UK on Twitter (@SoftFloorKIDS) or G+ (Soft Floor Kids UK) for more reviews and information.

DISCLOSURE: We were sent this gorgeous mat to review in return for our honest feedback. All thoughts, opinions and pictures are my own - and that’s my gorgeous little man in the piccies too!