BABY SHOWER + CHOCOLATE = PERFECT.

A beautiful friend wanted to organise a baby shower for me. But feeling like I had two in my first pregnancy made me feel a bit greedy having another one.

So we compromised. It was a 'no baby shower' Baby Shower. You know: fuss free, game free and present free (but there were some naughty friends who couldn't resist a present or two).

I guess you could say that it was non-traditional. Held at a chocolate cafe called Koko Black (delish!) we sat around in a circle and talked about babies, birth and other stuff that girls, when put together discuss on the odd occasion.

Now that the day is over, I am reflecting about friends. And how blessed I am to have so many wonderful ones. I know that I could go to any of these friends with any problem and they would be there to help, to support, to make me laugh. Even be there for a should to cry on.

There's a saying that goes something like this: if you live life and have just one good friend, then you are blessed. I confess, I don't know the word that means more than blessed. Because that's how I feel today.

Above: Daniella (the baby shower host) & I comparing bellies (she at 34 weeks, me at 37 weeks); and my beautiful friends.

the twinnies' birthday

You probably don't know this, but my dad is a twin. And not only that, he just turned 60 this week. So, just 36 weeks into my pregnancy (!) I flew to Hobart to spend time with my dad, his family and his twin sister Di, who also flew in (from Adelaide) to join in on the celebrations.

My visit was meant to be a surprise, with my step-mum scheming a few weeks back. But the surprise was short-lived as Dad found out soon after the tickets were booked (naught, naughty - he shouldn't have been reading messages on my step-mum's phone). Nonetheless, it happened (well, it almost didn't after a short emergency at Tiger Airways - let's just say that I was a little close to my due date for their comfort!).

Apart from the fact that my step-mum is an amazing cook (among other things - her latest thing is renovating), our time in Tassie was gastronomic. Oh, and fun too!

Dinner at an Italian restaurant for the twinnies on Thursday night, and Pavlova at home for dessert, Friday included eggs for breakfast, apple & cinnamon pancakes for lunch and then sweet chilli salmon for dinner... yum!

My big tummy looks like I'm going to have a baby, but I think there might be some reserves from this weekend!

Seriously though, apart from being waited on hand and foot (Maria does not let me do ANYTHING), spending time chilling with family, was hearing just some highlights of their 60 years. The best bit: absolutely no regrets.

Above: Di, my step-mum Maria; Dad; Me, Madison and my beautiful sister Daisy; Di, Dad & The Pav; Saying goodbye at Hobart airport.

baby bump

It's been a while since I shared with you pictures of my baby bump, and now I have the perfect ones to show you, complete with my beautiful Madison.

I was privileged to be asked by the very talented Felicity Thomson if I could model for her. She was updating her website, and needed some maternity shots. I gladly accepted. And aren't the photos just beautiful?

Above: Me at 33 weeks. And to compare... Below: Me at 32 weeks (last time).

ready for baby?

It's been a week of normality(?) now that the renovating has mostly finished.

New tenants have moved in, rent has gone up, and it's really only another day or two of working on the investment properties before everything is finished (for a while anyway). There is relief to know that we are at the end of renovations and not at the beginning. I think I could actually cry if I had to do that much work again being this pregnant! (Did I mention I have 4 weeks to go?)

I'm not sure if it's just me, but I think it takes about a week to settle back at home. You know, unpack the bags, do ALL the washing and unpack the trailer of tools and mattresses, not to mention clean the house that has been pretty much vacant except for the spiders and our odd sleepover. It's like camping with all the EXTRA bits. I think there we even unpacked some spare pickets to tease us for the fence that we desperately need at our house.

But the inspiration for today's blog is the comment made by a friend assuming because of my anally retentive nature, that I was all ready for the baby.

Confession: I haven't been. That is, until just very, very recently.

I guess with all the busyness of renovating there hasn't been much time to think about the baby actually coming. Plus there's been a part of me that hasn't cared too much. Why? I guess I'll just be unorganised again 6 weeks the other side of childbirth so who cares? And the other part (obviously the more organised side) that's freaking out about not having absolutely everything ready right this minute.

The organised side won. And this week is evidence of that.

On Thursday I bought a newborn grobag and a bunch of Avent plastic containers and grobag baby wrap, Friday I bought newborn nappies in bulk, some wraps and cradle sheets (after a very, very thorough clean of the house - no corner was left unturned) and today. Well, that's something else.

There have been lots of little jobs outstanding for some time now (backdating Christmas) and today I found the hammer, drill and screwdrivers (all still in the boot of the car) and did every single job (except one - I really need DH for that one). Then I finished painting the wardrobe in Madison's room (it's been at this stage also since before Christmas). I cleaned off the paint on EVERY hinge in the house (the wardrobes that we finished before Christmas), then cleaned the new wardrobe. And without trying to give away what we're having, I culled and went through all of Madison's baby clothes.

Then I did something very exciting.

I put up the cradle. Yes! It was so exciting that even Madison said the baby was kicking in his stomach (did I mention that he has a baby too?). He was quite the excited little boy.

So, apart from the baby's and my hospital bags, I'm ready for this baby.

THE PICKET FENCE ON OUR MINER'S COTTAGE.

While we were working on the last extension, a tenant from another property gave notice and so we decided some work ought to be done on that one too.

It's a beautiful property, my husband's first home. His girls were born there, and it was his chance at a real self-sufficient hippy life. So it has lots of sentimental value. And did I mention it's a beautiful property? It's an old miner's sandstone cottage, built in the 1850's, ruined and rebuilt in the early 80's (by my hubby). Three acres of farmland in a quiet pocket on a tourist track. The road is actually the old coach road to Melbourne from the gold mines in Castlemaine.

The picket fence was getting quite derelict and so we decided on a whim that, hey, we could whip up another in just a few days. Plus other minor repairs like fixing a very rusty water tank, some glass panels and some other odds and ends.

We did it all, and I think the fence particularly is gorgeous. It's amazing what a new fence can do to make a place look great again.

Above: The fence pulled down, the fence beforehand, and after.