We picked up the pram today (or the Assault Vehicle as Newt prefers to call it).

It’s a Bebecar Loola, and we got it because it fits in the car boot (always a good idea), and is supposedly lightweight. Well, either they have a different idea of lightweight than I do, or pregnancy has turned me into a complete wuss, because I can’t lift it!

Anyway, we also got various accessories including the parasol, changing bag, rainhood and obligatory car seat and car seat base unit.

The lady at the shop – Bug-a Lugs – fortunately showed us how to install the car seat base and then how to attach the car seat to the aforementioned base. All in all that seemed OK, but we’ll still need to practice. Then she showed us how to use the car seat without the base (and that seems a little more complicated).

Then we came home, and worked on putting the rest of it together. I’ve just read a review somewhere that said that it was “easy to put together, the instructions were well written, and it took less than half an hour”. Well, that certainly makes me feel inadequate, or that person had a different set of instructions than I did! Basically the instructions were a series of pictures with arrows pointing to things and “Clac!” written next to stuff. Clac presumably being the French for Click.

Well, between us DH and I have the grand total of 4 degrees, and it took us more than half an hour to work out how to reposition just one of the harnesses! But, we persevered, and managed to work out how to put the car seat on, and how to put the normal seat in. We then put our temporary baby double Professor Bunny Rabbit in it. The harness seems rather large (either that, or Professor is just not quite baby sized), but generally it seemed to work quite well.

We have managed to put the brakes on, lock and unlock the front wheels, fiddle with the handles, and finally fold it up into a manageable size. As I’ve said, it’s far too heavy for me to ever get it out of the front door, but other that that, it’s fantastic!

Seriously though, it’s all getting very close – I have a baby seat base in my car, and a pram in my hall. Next week I’ll have furniture in my nursery – then all I need is a baby!

Another trip to Mothercare today to get some more bits and pieces that we need (and several that we probably don’t!). We bought some more bedding – some of which we won’t need for ages, like a duvet cover, but if we don’t get it now, they’re bound to discontinue it aren’t they?

I lost the battle on the baby bath, so I now have one of those as well, and a baby box to put baby toiletries and stuff in. I managed to get the pram blanket I wanted – which was very lucky because it was the last one they had. I got a lightshade, and a bouncy crib thing – just a plain one, which wasn’t all that easy to find because most of them seem to rock or vibrate or do all manner of fancy things, and I just wanted a plain one. But, as luck would have it, the only plain and boring one they had just happened to match our ‘theme’ anyway.

I didn’t get a nappy stacker, because I’m not really sure whether I need one or not. But it’s certainly not something I need immediately, so I guess I’ll just wait and see.

I also had a good look at clothes in Mothercare, Mamas and Papas and Next, and I’ve come to the conclusion that you can have fancy, pretty clothes if you’re a girl, but not if you’re a boy. I’ve got a wedding to go to in June, and I also want a nice outfit for baby’s first outing to church and all that. Loads of choice for girls, nothing for boys. There are nice boys clothes for casual stuff, and lots of cute combat trousers that I love (just need to find a mini Metallica t-shirt to go with them). But that’s not really appropriate for church or a wedding. So the hunt continues.

And I’m also 37 weeks today, so this baby can arrive whenever it wants to now. However it seems perfectly happy where it is at the moment, and is showing no signs of wanting to join the outside world just yet.

Well, we’ve finished the painting in the nursery! Yay!!!! Apart from a few teensy bits of tidying up around the edges, and some cleaning of sockets etc. Yesterday the carpet men came and installed the new carpet in record time. Yay. I wouldn’t normally advertise for them, but it was from Simply Beautiful Floors, and I can’t recommend them enough. The man in the shop stopped me buying ridiculously expensive carpets, or ones that would have bits of baby sick trapped in them for all eternity. They have an obscene amount of choice in terms of carpets and wooden floors and well, all things flooring, and I’ll definitely be a return customer (in fact, I’ve already seen a carpet that would look lovely in our lounge, but don’t tell Mr Newt, because it’s cream, and that’s a stupid colour to choose with small child on the way).

Slight problem with the furniture. I phoned up today to find out about delivery, and was told it wasn’t all there yet. Anyway, it eventually transpires that the wardrobe got damaged somehow, so they’re waiting for another one that should arrive by the end of next week. So I’ll be getting a cotbed, mattress and dresser/changer next week, but I’ll have to wait a bit longer for the wardrobe. But I’m glad they noticed it was damaged, rather than me having the hassle of sorting it out once it had arrived.

Once it’s here, me and my mum are going to have fun playing with all the bedding and other bits, and more shopping trips to Mothercare are no doubt in order.

I’ve also been back to clinic today – everyone there knows me by now! But, my sugars are good, no insulin for me (which I’m VERY happy about). And despite the fact that I’m measuring hideously large, all is well. Had a quick chat about induction, and I will be able to have a stretch and sweep the week before (sorry, possibly TMI), because I’d really rather go into labour spontaneously if I can, but I can’t see that happening to be honest. I’ve got a growth scan next week, so then they’ll decide what they want to do with me, but my best guess at the moment is induction at 38 weeks, which means beginning of May!

I’m off to my work leaving do tonight (even though I actually left a while ago), and it’s shared with another girl who’s due just one week after me. I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone, because to be honest, I’m a bit bored. There’s only so much lounging around the house you can do before your brain starts to turn into mush and you start thinking that the people on Jeremy Kyle are actually quite sensible, normal people. I’m also looking forward to eating Italian. I shouldn’t do it, but I’ll probably be a little bit bad and have a pizza, and just hope my sugars don’t come back too high. But it’s only a one off, so I think I’ll be fine. Plus, baby likes pizza!

Well, so far it’s been a lovely Easter weekend, and Newt and my mum have been hard at work in the nursery. The colour is going on the walls, ceiling and woodwork now, and I think it’s going to look really good. The one-coat emulsion needs two coats (obviously!), and I was a bit worried about the colour to start with – I thought it was going to be a bit dark, but now it’s dried it looks great. So tomorrow I’ll get to do my little wall in the afternoon, and hopefully Newt will get another wall done in the morning, so I think we’re almost on track for finishing before the carpet arrives on Wednesday.

Well, the decorating of the nursery continues.  Mr Newt put a first coat of undercoat on the walls, but it was very watery and splattered EVERYWHERE.  Then my mum took over.  The skirting board has now had two coats of undercoat (I think), and the walls have had a second coat too.  Just the ceiling to do, but no one seems to want to do that.  I’ve been fairly useless and only done one little wall.  My excuse being that I can’t bend down and breathe at the same time any more, therefore I can’t paint below knee level.  Yes, I could sit down and paint, but then I run the risk of never managing to get up again!

I have also painted on some colour swatches, and I think I’m decided on the colours we’re using.  I’m going to have one chocolate coloured wall, and the rest will be a beigey-cream colour.  I’m off to B&Q to buy the paint after antenatal clinic tomorrow.  That leaves us the Easter weekend to paint (along with the rest of Britain who’ll be doing DIY no doubt), and then the carpet is delivered on Wednesday.  Then furniture the following week, and then I’ll be able to take some photos of all our (well, my mum’s) hard work.  Must remember to buy her something very, very nice for her birthday.

I’ve just finished the Pansies block of Floral Bellpull.

I’ve been working on this since I finished Easter Fairy – mainly because it was the only properly kitted up thing I could find! Our spare room is realy cluttered at the moment because we’re doing up the nursery, and I can’t find anything! Anyway, it was a good decision, because I’m really enjoying working on it.

I’ve now started the Morning Glories block, and that’s coming on quite quickly really.