Staying healthy and happy has been something of a challenge, especially at the beginning of my pregnancy where I was very ill over the winter, and with the significant changes to my moods, eating habits and enery levels, and I will admit that at the time where it has been most essential to maintain good health and balance I have quite often struggled to do so. In fact if I'm honest the first few months of my pregnancy passed by in a bit of a blur or just trying to do anything to make myself feel better (and not always being sensible about this! Cue fizzy cola sweets...)
However, the last couple of months have bought with them a strong sense of mental clarity and more physical and mental strength and energy, just in time to prepare for our new arrival.
We have been following a much simpler diet these days, observing a mostly macrobiotic approach to cooking (and lifestyle) and have felt huge benefit from having a more natural diet and slower pace in life. The main additions to our meals has been eating more sea vegetables and fermented foods, and trying to eliminate all sugar and processed foods, especially processed grains, entirely. Obviously still eating organic food as much as possible (which is almost entirely). I can't recommend the change enough for generally improved health, well-being and inner peace. There is a line in a book I'm currently reading called Meditation and Life: World perfection through self perfection. I believe strongly in the truth in this, and that we need to look inwards and find peace within ourselves in order to bring peace to others.
In short, I have become very calm and am generally feeling much better (though this may be largely as a result of moving to Wales!)
Practically, we've not been up to all that much. Without the garden to keep us busy we don't really have a main focus in terms of making things, and really we're just back to repairing things around the house.
Having moved to Wales Will has taken up spoon carving and is well on his way to having his first home-made spoon, carved from driftwood found on the beach. I have also had a go myself and am quite keen too.
I continue to fix clothes (mainly Will's pants - pointiest bottom in the West) though these days mostly either hand sewing or using my very ancient manual Singer, as my electric machine and I aren't currently seeing eye-to-eye. The peace and quiet of using slower methods has been wonderful though, and I have realised that I would like to gradually eliminate most of our electrical devices. We are already on our way as I broke the blender last week, so I am now in search of a large pestle & mortar (if anyone has any leads??)
Despite all of my good intentions I have only made a small handful of items for the new baby, including a single pair of booties (though why I think a summer baby needs booties anyway...?), a woollen blanket and a small patchwork quilt (which I am particularly proud of as it is made from the wadding from our old mattress protector which finally gave up the ghost, fabric scraps from a local shop, and secondhand edging, all put together slowly and without electricity!)
In an attempt to keep myself busy while I wait for the new arrival I also crocheted a jumper (during a heatwave, naturally) with wool Will & I got for Christmas. It's a little long in the sleeve but all in all I'm feeling pretty chuffed and now itching for the weather to cool down so I can start making jumpers for the baby!
Other than that really all I've been doing is trying to prepare for our homebirth, which I am very excited about. Last month Will and I did a course on hypnobirthing and we are feeling very positive and confident about the natural process of childbirth. We have been trying to prepare the house to make it a clean and comfortable place to labour in, have been smudging the rooms with homemade smudgesticks and working on keeping ourselves calm and peaceful. I think this is something I would like to talk about more, but after the baby is here and I am able to reflect on the experience. This will be my last entry until then as I am now nearly 40 weeks pregnant. So until then, think of us and we'll see you on the other side!
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