The Devil's in the Details

At times like this when it's not really practical to do much clothes shopping, I do tend to turn my attention to all the little details and accessories I could use to alter and augment my look instead. After all; earrings will still work and scarves will still coordinate whether I'm 7 months pregnant or 6 weeks postpartum.

So what sorts of little trinkets am I looking forward to possibly gifting myself with this Christmas?

1) I'm a sucker for plaid and I love this scarf from Zara. If I could have button-down shirts and throw blankets in this sort of plaid, too, I'd be on it all in a heartbeat.

2) Much as I tend to have my mobile in my pocket, it feels like a very grown-up thing to have a proper watch to wear...and I'm pretty picky about watches. This Wanderlust watch from Feral would be loads of fun, and just slim enough in the band not to get on my nerves.

3) I don't usually go in for cocktail rings, but when I spotted this one from Crave Jewelry over on Diana's blog, I had to admit it looked pretty cute. And I like a nice way to add some pops of colour to my wardrobe...especially in the winter, and especially when I keep finding myself drawn to lots of greys and other neutrals in my clothes.

4) Seriously, I don't know what it was that made me change my mind so much about leopard print. These Russell & Bromley shoes would be a lovely addition once my feet are down to a normal size again!

5) This Anna Joyce clutch is gorgeous. Yes, I'll be spending most of my time toting nappy bags around over the coming months, but for those times when I can get away with nothing but a clutch, something like this would do the job perfectly.

6)  I've been loving my new necklace from Edor Jewelry. Anyone who's been following me on Twitter or Instagram has caught sight of my snaps of it...I've been wearing it most days lately. I'm getting in all the wear I can before it has to be traded in for a while in favour of more baby-friendly jewelry!

Anything you've been coveting lately? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

A Little Something Extra

At E's party last weekend, everyone came bearing gifts, but Rachel came with a little something extra...not for E but for me.

One of the blogs she reads - The Alison Show - is run by a lady who makes these lovely leather mobiles. Rachel had apparently ordered one at some point, but it had come in the wrong colour scheme. Rather than making her return it, Alison suggested that she, 'pass it along to someone who will appreciate it.' And that person was me!

The mobile is the limited edition Gigi colour scheme. I love it! It looks brilliant in the nursery: Ethan is quite taken with the idea that it's in there for the new baby and that the baby will share his room after a while.

via, The Alison Show

It's always nice to have or do a little something new every now and then!

Nice and Nearly Essential - Mum Swag

After doing a bit of a Pinterest clear-out this morning, not only am I inspired to properly clean out my own real-life closets (a task that has been far too long in coming), but I've also had a bit of a think about what sorts of things I'd enjoy having as a soon-to-be new (again) mum. Some of what's made the cut to my list is stuff I already have, but most are things I've had my eye on as nice-to-have versions of useful mum kit.

1) The Sture & Folke comforters look absolutely adorable. The fun tags, the velvet patch, the huge fluffy goodness. If I weren't already so invested in making E a duvet cover, I'd love to have one of these for his bed. As it is, they're also meant to be good for use in the buggy as well, for walks on cold wintery days.

2) Stork Sak bags look amazing. And having seen them in person, I can say that they look just as good for real as they do on the site. My first nappy bag is one my mom bought: it's huge, it has a changing mat, and it has a few good elasticated inside pockets. It's been a brilliant bag, but now, really, it's moving up to be E's overnight bag, and isn't quite up to the task of being a nappy bag for two little boys. The above Tote and the Nina bag both have loads of space - just like our current bag - but they also have bottle warmers and a few more dedicated interior pockets for little odds and ends. I'd have to give it a proper look, but these bags seem like the sort of thing that could keep me - and the boys - organised. And that's a tall order!

3) I've said it time and time again: I really want Chewbeads! I like fun, chunky necklaces, and with another little one on the way who won't take long until he's in the grabbing, pulling, and chewing phase, I don't want to worry for the safety of my jewellery. (In other words, my lovely new Edor necklace will be taking a hiatus soon...) It's nice to have something that's not only sturdy enough to withstand tiny fingers, but is perfectly safe for the inevitable trip into tiny mouths. I had a Fat Face necklace that E used to chew on and I always worried about the paint from the beads coming off in his mouth. That wouldn't be a problem with a Chewbeads necklace.

4) Have I mentioned how stupidly excited I am to try out my new Aden & Anais muslin swaddle? Because I really am. It's huge, soft, cute, and not the sort of precious material that you'd pout over in the event that your sweet little monster sicks all over it. I'm looking forward to seeing just how well it holds up wash after wash; and with such a light and thin material, I think this will always be our dedicated swaddling blanket. You can always add extra layers later on. Of course, I apparently breed children like myself who can still overheat while sleeping in the dead of winter. When E asked the Husband to turn his fan on last night at bedtime (mind you, it's currently the coldest day of the season so far), Husband definitely looked at me and said, 'He's your child!' So, it's nice to know that I can wrap up my next boy without worrying that he'll get too warm in his swaddle.

5) I freaking love my Planet Wise wet bag. Yes: I got it because I cloth diaper, but it's still useful beyond the realms of cloth nappies! I've used it to hold E's soiled and muddy clothing if he gets particularly filthy on an outing: it's nice to know that in a serious emergency (you know the kind I mean) that you can safely tuck away dirty clothes without fear of any lingering smell or transferring stains until you're home to bung everything in the wash. I also regularly take it with us when we go swimming: even the medium-sized bag that we have is capacious enough to hold all of E's wet swimming gear and mine at the end of some time at the pool. Honestly, from the pool, to the muddy park, to the poop-covered emergency stop, I can't recommend this thing enough. Also, I have to give a shout-out of thanks to John & Sherry over at Young House Love for writing the cloth nappy post that put me onto this thing in the first place!

So there you have it; some of the bits and bobs I have - or would love to have - for day-to-day mummying. My next step? To consider the nice nearly essentials for:
-breastfeeding fashion
-cloth diapering
-potty training

After all, I'll be looking forward to those first two again in very short order!

(A Belated) Mommy Monday: Pregnancy Style

It's been far too long since I've done one of these. To be honest, I've really let this sort of thing go during this pregnancy. The first time around, you don't have anything at all, so you know that you'll be spending the time and the money to find things that will fit you as you expand over the coming months. The second time around, though, you're only replacing things that wore through the first time, or perhaps adding in pieces for a different season.

I, however, will be having my second boy in a season not too dissimilar from my first, so aside from a pair of new maternity jeans and replacing a good bra, there wasn't too much that I really needed to have this time around. Plus, when you're spending most of the time chasing a toddler as well as gestating a new person, there are times where what energy you have left just doesn't go towards looking your best. Lately, though, I've wanted to change that.

Outfit 1)
  Top: Mamas & Papas
  Scarf: Vienna Naschmarkt
  Cardigan: Mistral
  Jeans: H&M
  Boots: Clarks

I loved this outfit when I discovered I could put it together. It suddenly felt so effortless to look like my usual self that I wondered why I hadn't made the extra few minutes' effort sooner. And I love anything that allows me to find a way to work in non-maternity pieces. That way, my wardrobe feels more versatile and I can save money not buying things I can only ever wear when I'm 6 months gone or more!

Outfit 2)
  Scarf: Bath Fashion Museum
  Jumper: Next
  Jeans: Mamas & Papas
  Wellies: Debenhams

I'm a sucker for big scarves. This was a birthday present to myself on our trip to Bath the other year. The giant fluffy layers of mint and cream polka dots are fun and they nicely add a pop of colour to what is quickly becoming a very neutral-heavy wardrobe. The jumper is one I snagged in the Boxing Day sales on our first Christmas after getting married. I loved it when I saw it, then hardly wore it since. This pregnancy, I seem to have rediscovered my love for it, and I'm sure it'll be making many more appearances before the end of the year.

Outfits 3)
  Top: Laura Ashley
  Gillet: Target
  Leggings: Sainsbury's
  Socks: M&S
  Boots: Clarks

I took E out yesterday to do a bit of shopping (we needed blank cards for all the birthdays rapidly approaching) and decided to make a pit stop into Laura Ashley. When I saw this top on the 60% off rack, I had to try it on. Not only was it a steal, but even in my usual size it accommodates my bump nicely; meaning it works usually, maternity, and during the infamous and transitional Fourth Trimester.

Speaking of the fourth trimester, I have a special place in my heart for the Fourth Trimester Bodies project. It's our right to feel how we want about our bodies, but I love projects like this for reminding us that feeling ashamed or inadequate shouldn't be the assumed condition for everyone. There's a much wider spectrum to what's normal and beautiful than we sometimes give credit for.

Mummy Recon Mission

The other week, along with the usual junk mail, I got a standard-issue letter from a (relatively) local business: the A3 Baby Barn. If I wanted to come and check out their premises, I could present my letter for 15% off my first purchase at their store. I'll be honest, I wasn't desperately in need of anything, but I thought it would be worth having a go, so I invited my friend Kerri - whose daughter is E's best friend - to come along for the ride. The additional bribe of some time at nearby Garson's Farm may or may not have been mentioned.

With only one wrong turn (thanks, Google Maps), we made it there in decent time. They really weren't kidding when they said this place was a barn! We were both impressed with the space and selection of prams, pushchairs, and general baby accessories. The kids were mostly impressed with the chance to stretch their legs after most of an hour in the car.

Aden & Anais swaddles, StorkSak changing bags, and our kids being cute.

Something that really struck me? I loved seeing brands in the store that I'm used to only seeing online. My main example? The Aden & Anais muslin swaddles. With the possibility of 15% off, I thought it was worth considering the purchase of one for the arrival of the new baby in December. And the best part about seeing these things in person is realising just how big the A&A swaddles are! Seriously, I don't know what I expected, but these things were huge.

I did get one in the end. I was sorely tempted by the giant red stars, but it was slightly more expensive than the pattern I ended up with. And really...I may just get the red stars pattern later on if this swaddle ends up working really well for us. I'm super excited to test it out. For reals.

My new paper aeroplane-patterned Aden & Anais swaddle.

My only suggestion for improvement? Maybe nice paper bags for your purchases with the store's logo on. Not necessarily a matter of priority, but a nice touch. Otherwise, I really liked the variety of products and brands on offer and the chance to see and test things properly before committing to buy. The barn is in a gorgeous area and has a fantastic selection of good brands to test and see. Their strength seems to be pushchairs, but the array of toys, bath accessories, changing bags, swaddles, & carriers on offer certainly don't suffer for that emphasis.

Personally, it's now my goal to weasel my way into getting a StorkSak changing bag. I'm still lusting after the Nina StorkSak in aubergine that I saw while we were there...that baby caught my eye from across the store. Technically, I have two bags already, but one has mostly become E's overnight bag (yes, Mom, that's the WF bag you got me) and the other one just barely fits what I need for E, and definitely won't stretch to accommodate the bits and bobs required for a toddler and an infant.

On to the rest of the day! After our productive stop at A3 Baby Barn (I also picked up a Christmas present) it was time to take the 15-minute drive and hop over to Esher to see Garson's again. Kerri wanted to grab a pumpkin to cook with, the kids wanted some more time to run around, and I just wanted to be back in my happy place.

The kids had the best time running around in the pumpkin fields, and actually got really into sitting on the pumpkins to pose for pictures. They chased each other around, shouting each other's names, chattering about the pumpkins, and generally burning off energy. So much so that they complied easily when it was time to hop in the trolley and take a brief tour of the farm shop. No surprises here, we walked out with more Bear Nibbles for E and Snowy to weather the trip home during rush hour on the M25.

Sitting together in chairs...because, chairs.

Now, at the end of the day, we're sat in my bed: E watching Bob the Builder and me blogging. He was so good today that I wasn't even fussed about letting him have a dinner of porridge and bread with Nutella. Really, any day that involves taking 2 toddlers in the car for a total trip of about 2.5 hours that doesn't involve either a) tears, b) potty accidents, c) injuries, or d) all of the above, is an unmitigated success. Add in the chance to scope out a great new store and wander around in the gorgeous autumnal ambiance of pumpkin fields, and I'm absolutely sold.

PS - just to say, the ladies over at the Baby Barn have no idea I was going to blog about them: their coupon came totally unsolicited in the post. Anything I've said in this post is entirely my own opinion.

A Place to Begin

Things have been quiet on the blog lately, and usually that either means that things have been anything but quiet here...or I've been in desperate need of lots of naps and naptime Doctor Who marathons. Lately, it's been the latter.

Seriously, people. When I was this pregnant with E, I was just finishing up work over at Jane Austen's House Museum and preparing to move house. I then spent the next four months painting, hanging curtains, unpacking, and marathon-watching Gilmore Girls, because Autumn. The thought of doing any of that right now makes me want to crawl back to bed and request another round of cinnamon buns. So, for a lack of any original content of any interest, I hereby direct you to some of my favourite parts of the internet from that last few weeks. Enjoy!

This article from the New York Times was really interesting...and definitely triggered my guilt reflex about not eating enough veg.

via, The Old Try

The Old Try is an awesome store with some fantastic prints. Especially for anyone who's from the South (or for some unknown reason wishes they were). Anyhow, I've been coveting these Maryland flag prints for ages and I'm finally scheming to get them and hang them over my couch. At heart, I'm still a Glen Burnie girl.

via, Weck Jars

I love the look of some of the Weck Jars. Especially the juice jars...I'd love having that 1L juice jar to do iced herbal tea and all sorts of other drinks. Plus; we could take it in the car on our many National Trust outings.

via, A Beautiful Mess

A Beautiful Mess has felt just a little too hipster for me lately, but I loved the look of this lavender iced coffee recipe. And, I'm sure it's also possible with any number of coffee substitutes, if you're not a fan of coffee.

via, Young House Love

I wish I had the tools and the patience and the space to build E a toy kitchen. Screw all of this sexist nonsense about it being a girly toy; I'd build him a toy kitchen in a heartbeat. Especially if I could get it looking as cute as this Reader Redesign from YHL.

People, it feels like autumn here now and that is a big effing deal to me! I wore my boots on Sunday; I wore them with stockings! I wore a scarf out to walk E to play group today and didn't get overheated. It's glorious; and I actually have to monitor how long I keep the windows open for fresh air rather than in the hope of tempting a nonexistent breeze through the windows...because it might get too cold! And so, in honour of autumn, I leave you with these fun recipes to try:

via, Spoon Fork Bacon

Spoon Fork Bacon's Kitchen Sink Chili looks awesome. Even this self-proclaimed expert chili cooker might have to give it a try.

Nigella's easy Macaroni Cheese is a staple in this house. Serve it up with some chicken Kievs or sausages and peas and it's perfect cold weather food. (Or, if you're like me, you can just heat it up and eat it on its own for lunch!)

via, Spoon Fork Bacon

Spoon Fork Bacon's Savoury Bread Pudding is another winner. I've made it twice now - once at a family dinner, and once to bring to a friend who was poorly - and I've loved it each time. It's a bit time-consuming, but it's dead simple and makes a great filling meal on its own, or comes up as a tasty side dish in a lovely roast dinner.

via, Love with Recipe

I haven't yet tried this sesame chicken recipe from Love With Recipe, but I'm dying to. It's been ages since I've had proper sesame chicken: both of our last attempts to order in Chinese left me highly unsatisfied with the paltry attempts at sesame chicken that were on offer. If this is a winner, I won't be ordering out any time soon.

Like the song says, 'It's the most wonderful time of the year...'

In Need of Pampering

I was reading this post on Young House Love the other day and it got me to thinking: what sorts of purchases do I consider an indulgence? I mean, aside from trips to get hot chocolate and a muffin at Starbucks. And as the list of Nice Things I Want But Don't Need started to compile itself in my mind, I thought, once again, of what this Christmas will be like.

We'll have a 2-year-old who - hopefully - gets really into the whole idea of unwrapping presents and seeing the tree lit up. I'll be doing my usual song & dance about decorating as much of the house as I can manage. Oh yeah, and I'll be massively, hugely nine months pregnant.

With that said, my main priority isn't so much a low-key Christmas, but one in which I get a little pampering before the achy, wobbly, baby-head-smelling, sleepless nights set in.

via, Just Nails

There's a place called Just Nails back in our old neighbourhood. I'd love to go, relax, and get a nice mani-pedi for an afternoon. That alone would make my day.

via, GraceandLaceCo

Of all the boot socks I pinned the other night, I think these ones from Grace & Lace Co. on Etsy are my favourite as there's no question that they're actual full socks. Plus, who can't like that lovely goldenrod colour?

via, Russell & Bromley

Russell & Bromley do lovely shoes: I have loafers and driving moccasins from them to attest to this. Alas, at the moment, between the heat and being pregnant, I can't really wear them much before my toes get squashed. That said, once things start returning to normal in the water retention department, it'd be nice to have some low-heeled leopard print for when my £7 Sainsbury's pumps meet their inevitable demise.

via, Ruby&Joy

This lavender eye pillow by Ruby&Joy is cute, and it's not even expensive! Plus, I'm in the grip of a bit of an obsession with lavender: I want to grow it, and have it in little sachets to make the drawers smell nice, and use it with rosemary to make a fun spray for the sheets or to make the house smell nice. Seriously; I need to get something lavender-smelling just to take the edge off reminiscing about our trips to lavender fields nearby.

via, Crabtree & Evelyn

The Gardeners Hand Lotion from Crabtree & Evelyn. I can't overstate how much I love this stuff. When I was buying presents for our mothers at our wedding, I snagged a bottle of this for myself on the pretense of 'taking advantage of the sale'. Since that was over 3 years ago and the hand soap I had has long since run out, I'm overdue to replace it. Or at least, that's what I'll tell myself.

via, Nigella

As I mentioned the other day on Facebook, I love my Nigella Express cookbook. When I was leafing through it yesterday evening, I was appalled that I'm not cooking more of the recipes in there. People; this is good food! And, because it's the express book, it's all pretty easy. That said, I will look forward to just relaxing if I can ask the Husband to do us up a dinner of Nigella's. Perhaps the chicken schnitzel with bacon and some macaroni cheese on the side?

So that's my list, really. Things I'd like, but don't need, that would make me all warm and fuzzy inside. And outside too, if we're talking about those awesome boot socks. For now, though, it may be time to enjoy the rain and get my hot chocolate fix for the morning.

A Place to Begin

Looking for a few links to make your way into the weekend? As Ethan's currently parked in front of a Bob the Builder marathon while playing with his cars, I thought I'd cobble together a few things that I enjoyed looking at this week.

via, Hansel from Basel

Hansel from Basel have brilliantly cute socks. And some pretty cute tights as well. I've been looking for a pair of orange winter tights for ages, and as this pair are on sale, I might just be putting in an order this weekend...


I don't usually recommend movies (no real reason for that), but this trailer for Her really caught my eye. It sounds just bizarre enough to work, and I have to say; Joaquin Phoenix is really rocking that mustache.

via, A Beautiful Mess

As it's finally getting chillier here, I've been thinking about fun soup recipes to try. This black bean tortilla soup from A Beautiful Mess sounds mouthwatering. Guess what I'll be making the boys eat before the year is out!

via, Toyella

These floating duck bath toys look awesome. And unlike the cheapy version we snagged E ages ago from the grocery store, it looks like these actually float upright and don't just keel over onto their sides. It's worth having a peek over at the rest of the kiddy swag on Toyella: it's all so cute!

via, The Brooding Hen

Speaking of children's toys, I desperately want to try this project from The Brooding Hen. A PVC piping waterworks for the bath? That's just up our alley.

via, NYTimes.com

I loved reading this article from the New York Times on stay-at-home-mums trying to break back into the work force. That said, as I'll be in a similar position of trying to get back into work in another few years once my kids are bigger (and actually born!), it was a bit depressing to read just how difficult and dismal everyone's prospects sounded after taking the time out to spend with their children.

via, Canister

This Steep Canister is gorgeous, and it fits with Mason jar lids to make it water tight...you know: if you're enough of a hipster to just have Mason jar lids lying around the house to spare. Even without them, I'm a big enough pottery enthusiast to want this mug all for my very own.

Have a great weekend!

Budget Babe: New Mummy Edition. The HATCH-to-Hospital Box

I have a confession to make. I'm not enjoying pregnancy this time around. It's only been 20 weeks and already I'm counting the days until the end of December. I know I won't enjoy the immediate aftermath of giving birth any more than I'm enjoying being pregnant (which is nearly not at all), but at least I'll have a cute new baby to watch Ethan play with.

So, in my please-get-this-baby-out-of-me anticipation of the end of the year, I got inordinately excited when I saw this: the HATCH-to-Hospital Box. A gorgeous pair of knickers, a cosy nightshirt and robe, and some ultra luxe cashmere socks. The only niggle? It's an exorbitant $248! (Or, for those of us who need to do the conversion, £160; which is still too much.)

via, hatchcollection.com

My eyes nearly popped out of my head when I saw that price tag. Of course, it didn't stop me coveting that set. I may even have my pregnancy hormones to thank for making me cry about not getting nice things when I'm so fed up with gestating a tiny human. Thankfully, the Husband suggested a project: find an alternative to each piece in the HATCH-to-Hospital set and blog about it! All the other blogs I checked were simply touting the virtues of HATCH's latest indulgence (check here, here, here, here, and here), and while I can get behind the mentality of, 'you're pushing a person out of your body: treat yourself!', I'm not exactly in a position to demand that my treat be £160's worth of post-birth night attire. So, with that in mind, let's take a look at some budget-friendly options to the super swank HATCH-to-Hospital Box.

The nightshirt:

1) ASOS's Alas celestial nightie @ £55.00. Quite a bit more colourful than the HATCH option, though it could, concievably, still cost just as much. But with 100% cotton jersey fabric, it ought to be just as comfy as the HATCH option in that gorgeous grey modal.

2) The DKNY Seven Easy Pieces sleepshirt is another great option, and much closer to the aesthetic of the HATCH shirt than the ASOS option. At £50.00 it's only slightly cheaper, but it is 93% modal, so the feel will probably approximate the HATCH original better.

3) The grey striped sleep tee from Debenhams's Lounge & Sleep line is the most economical option at only £14.00. It's not as wide and flowy as the other options, though, so it might be best to buy it in a bigger size than normal to accommodate that immediate post-birth wobble more comfortably. It's a 60/40 cotton-poly blend, so it doesn't necessarily sound quite as soft as the lived-in-tee-shirt feel you're meant to have with the HATCH shirt (and presumably get with the ASOS and DKNY options, as well), but those buttons look marginally breastfeeding-friendly if that's the route you take.

4) Seraphine's Gemma button down nightie is definitely the most breastfeeding friendly of our 'Match' options. No surprise there, as it comes from a company which does lovely maternity wear. And at £35.00, it hits the middle of our price range. The navy colour is lovely, though I'm not sure how that 97% viscose is going to feel in comparison to some of the other fabrics. And like the Debenhams sleep tee, I'd get this one a size or two bigger than you'd normally wear.

The robe:

1) The F&F striped jersey dressing gown from Tesco is a possible contender to do the job of the HATCH robe, but for less cash-ola. It's only £14.00, but with a thread content of 65% polyester, it may not be the most breathable of fabrics. So, if - like me - you run hotter when pregnant and nursing, this may not be the best replacement.

2) Mothercare's Blooming Marvellous charcoal maternity robe is 100% cotton and, in looks, is a brilliant substitute for the more expensive version by HATCH. Plus, at only £18.00, this more breathable, jersey-knit alternative won't set you back much more than the Tesco option. Looks like a winner to me.

3) If you'd like something a bit more glam, this Kiku enchanted crane kimono from ASOS is a brilliant choice. It's still 100% cotton, so you can still enjoy the comfort of those breathable, natural fibers while managing to look quite smart in those first bleary-eyed days of new-motherhood. (Yes, you count as a 'new' mother even if this is your sixth kid. New baby = new mummy.) At £68.00, this option is definitely more pricey than the first two, but when compiling your HATCH-to-hospital replacement pack, if you save elsewhere, you can certainly splurge here.

4) Mamas and Papas's grey hooded dressing gown hits the middle of the price range again at £35.00. But, at 95% viscose, I personally think you get better bang for your buck in terms of quality by going with the Mothercare robe. Plus, who wants to faff about with a superfluous hood anyway?

The knickers:

1) My first choice is a somewhat unorthodox one. Mothercare's over-the-bump briefs still have nice lacy details while providing full coverage; just like our HATCH original. However, for anyone else who's not terribly keen on under-the-bump bottoms, or who wants to avoid waistband chaffage near a c-section scar, these pants might be a nice option. Plus, they might help hold in the wobble a bit while you're still mostly bedridden and thus, make you feel a bit more together. Plus, they're 100% cotton and only £10.00 for a two-pack. Can't say fairer than that!

2) Debenhams's micromodal full cover briefs are a brilliant look-alike, and come in at only £6.50 per pair. These knickers will come close to the feel of HATCH's modal nightshirt against your skin, but they still have that ever-necessary cotton gusset to keep your lady-bits feeling fresh. Or, well, as fresh as they can be in those first days after squeezing out a person. (#letsbereal)

3) Intimissimi's cotton and embroidery French panties (wow, I can't stand that word) are a brilliant option if swish knickers are where you want to splurge in our HATCH Match kit. They're 88% cotton and only clock in at £12.99 per pair. Plus, with a boy-short cut, they seem a bit less likely to ride up, and at 88% cotton, don't need to rely on a natural fiber gusset to keep the swamp crotch at bay. (#letsbepainfullyreal)

4) The Hanro Moments briefs at John Lewis tip the scales on our cash-splashing for knickers at £23.50. But, they are 100% cotton and a full brief cut, so that money will get you good breathability and coverage. And again, with lace along the top seam and leg openings, it's a great look-alike for the HATCH original.

The socks:

1) The White Comapny's cashmere socks are a bit steep at £32 per pair...but then; they are 100% cashmere. Plus, in addition to the charcoal colour I've picked out, they also come in white, pink, and a grey that approximates our HATCH originals. Not a bad choice.

2) These L.L. Bean 12" socks are Merino wool rather than cashmere, but coming from this well-established New England outdoors brand, you know they'll keep your toes all toasty. And for $19.95 a pair (£12.80 for the rest of us), they're a bit cheaper than going for the all-out luxury of cashmere.

3) If you'd like a bit more colour in your snazzy cashmere socks, then try Pantherella's options from Woods of Shropshire. All made in England from English fibres, these babies are still 85% cashmere with a bit of stretch added in for durability. Plus, they only come in at a quite reasonable £19.50 per pair. Not bad for the luxury of cashmere!

4) These cute oatmeal socks from Toast ring up at only £19.50 per pair. Alas, they're also only 23% cashmere. Still, if you're not fussed about having a 100% cashmere sock, but just want something cute, cheap, and comfy, then these babies ought to do the trick nicely.

The Best:

So now it's time to weigh up all of our options. The HATCH-to-hospital box set, as you recall, clocks in at the tills at a whopping $248, or £160. From all the options in our Match sets, you could spend anywhere from £48.80 (Debenhams sleep shirt, F&F robe, Debenhams knickers, and L.L. Bean socks) all the way to £178.50 (Alas nightie, Kiku kimono, Hanro knickers, and White Company socks) recreating this pampering pack for your first post-birth days. Here are my picks for the best of each set.

The best sleep shirt: This, really, is where I would splurge and go for the DKNY sleep shirt. Since it's modal, it seems most likely to feel like the HATCH original, so I think it's worth the cash-splash. (£50.00)

The best robe: Much as I love the Kiku kimono, I think my no-contest winner in this case has to be the Blooming Marvellous robe from Mothercare. (£18.00)

The best knickers: As a fan of the boy-short cut, I think my heart goes out to the Intimissimi French pants. Plus, they're still 88% lovely, breathable cotton. (£12.99)

The best socks: Pantherella's socks are still more than 80% cashmere, like the White Company pair, but at only £19.50, they're definitely the more cost-effective option.

The best total: £100.49

So, for my favourite picks I still come in at the tills a good £60 under what I would pay to get the HATCH-to-hospital box. And, since all of my picks are from UK-based companies, I probably do even better once you factor in shipping costs versus the ability to buy at least 3/4 items directly in-store. Not bad for an afternoon's Googling!

What would your favourite picks be from this collection? Is there a good Match option you think I missed? Should I do another Budget Babe post like this one? Tell me in the comments!

Doing a bit of grazing

So I wrangled a voucher for the very nifty graze.com the other day. All I had to do was sign up on their website, rate the snacks they had on offer, and they'd send me a free box of tasty treats to try. I highly recommend this sort of thing. Sometimes it's just fun to get a little something special in the post!

The bounty hunter and honeycomb flapjack were each just as awesome as I expected. The basil-infused crunchini were a nice surprise. I knew I wanted some savory options, but I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this one. Turns out it was a great alternative to the two sweet samplings I had in my box. As you can see in the picture, I wasn't too keen on the seeds in the end. Not that they were bad, but they sort of needed something to go with them...like a salad.

Part of me thinks I ought to let this free box be it...but then part of me really wants to let the boxes keep coming for a few weeks just so I have a tasty treat to look forward to every fortnight.

If anyone in the UK wants to give this a try, (though maybe you can do it abroad, I don't know!) they do encourage people to share the love. I was emailed a code for other people to take the chance to try out a free nibble box if they wanted. I say, go for it! You can try it out, see what you think, and cancel after just the free box if it's not your jam.

Just type that in one the graze website and then take your sweet time browsing through all the awesome options of little snacks that they have to offer.

Between this and the first nice weather all week, Friday is turning out to be quite nice. If only I could set up a little paddling pool for E...

Lazy Day

For a plethora of reasons, today is a lazy day for me. It's one of those days where I really had to cast about for some motivation to get dressed. Luckily, E has been happy to roll with my lazy attitude today. We watched some Sarah & Duck in bed, let him run around the house and play with his toys, made some more granola bars, and read books in bed until nap time. Now I'm back in bed and catching up on my blogs in Feedly. If I didn't feel guilty depriving him of the company of other children, I'd stay home from playgroup today and continue to veg out with some pizza and a movie.

So, in lieu of anything interesting going on with me, I thought I'd share some interesting things I've found from other people. Enjoy!

Swoop bags. If you had any idea how much Lego there is in our house, you would understand why this appealed to me straight away. I knew what I was getting into, though. This is what comes of marrying a man whose Wikipedia mention centres around his Lego gun building skills. (Also, how proud am I that my husband is on Wikipedia!?)


A cheesy joke is always fun. A drunken cheesy joke can be even better. And finally, a drunken cheesy joke, animated lovingly by your spouse has got to be the ultimate winner of the cheesy joke competition. This made me giggle.

Kim over at Day with KT is brilliant...I know I've said this before. How much do I appreciate her corn salad recipe? Tonnes. Let's just say that there will need to be stake burritos going on in this house very soon to give me an excuse to make some of this stuff.

Teal's post on getting your act together and making what you pin on Pinterest has me inspired. Those taquitos look awesome, plus, I always love being able to do the projects that inspire me. (Hopefully, once I'm over my bout of laziness, I'll have a Pinterest project to share with you soon!)

Thank you, Design*Sponge, for mentioning the company Chasing Paper. This is a wallpaper-loving renter's dream. Of course, so are the removable wallpaper tiles from Hygge & West, but with our tight budget, I'm not holding my breath.


People: I. Love. Steven. Pinker. I highly recommend listening to his TED talk above, though you should know that it does the topic no justice. To really get the feel of it, I strongly suggest getting the book that this TED talk was based off of: The Better Angels of Our Nature. The Husband and I are each working our slow way through it now, but it makes an amazing case for the fact that far from needing to be nostalgic for the 'good old days' when the world was so much better, we're actually living in the most peaceful period of human existence that time has yet seen. Even just the first chapter of his book will blow your tiny mind...it certainly did mine.

Have fun!

A Place to Begin

Happy birthday to me! In the spirit of celebrating the anniversary of my birth, the Husband has taken the day off, and once E wakes up from his nap we're heading out to let me do a bit of shopping and then tonight it's dinner out and Star Trek: Into Darkness, with the oh-so-adorable Benedict Cumberbatch. Ginger or no ginger: he's my type. Tall, thin, pale, blue eyes, deep voice, English. Seriously people, I know I have a type...every last one of those descriptors fits my husband, too! Are you ready for 139 minutes of ogling Mr. Cumberbatch, Chris Pine, and Zachary Quinto? Because I am.

Happy. Effing. Birthday. To. Me.

So what goodies will I leave you with to peruse while I go enjoy my birthday spoils? These ones:


Goodmornings.org, via SwissMiss.
 I like the idea behind this. It's such an easy thing to do to say 'good morning!' as a way to brighten your day and someone else's.

My feet have traveled plenty of places. Edinburgh, London, Salt Lake City, Rome, Venice, Copenhagen...they'll even be going to Vienna next month! I'd like to come up with a fun photo template like this to save all of the fun places we get to visit.

I do love so much of the stuff that Diana at exPress-O links to and this cute story of a trans-Atlantic relationship is really fun. I like the idea of the split screen narrative, because when such an important part of your life is so far away for so long, it really does feel like you're living in two different places at once!

Here is today is a good way to get some perspective; and I love the minimalist style of the animations and the graphs. I feel like the only thing it could possibly be missing is a .gif of Neil deGrasse Tyson giving you a thumbs-up. Let's get on that, people.

Poketo and Lisa Congdon have made tea towels! These look absolutely adorable to me and I have Poppytalk to thank for showing them to me this week. Also: no idea who Lisa Congdon is? Have a gander at some of her work...

So yes, a lot of the cute clothes I've seen lately are either specifically maternity, or are pregnant friendly. This isn't on purpose. But with a shirt as cute as this one from ASOS, surely you can justify buying it with or without a bun in the oven!?

I don't speak French, but I still loved how cute this Olive Us episode was from Design Mom. Little Red Riding Hood? Too awesome.

via BOBgear

So eventually I'd need a double buggy, but if I had my way and money was no object, this BOB jogger would be mine all mine! But then, Runner's World did give a good review of quite a few good joggers that are less likely to break the bank.