The First Trimester

Oh Hai,

I've got 15 minutes before I have to dash out the door to collect Darcy from school and rather than do the 85 jobs I have on my list (ring the solicitors, load the washing machine, open the post etc), I thought I'd write this blog post!

With the end of the first trimester in sight (we had our official NHS 12 week ultrasound on Monday which gave us an official due date of January 1st!) I wanted to write up my thoughts and feelings on how it had been. Partly because I know when you find our you're expecting, your favourite thing to do is read anything and everything on the matter and also because I want to look back on this and have captured the moments.

I'll start by saying my first trimester has been a healthy one and that's the most important thing. I had a small bleed at week 11 which felt frightening (should I talk about this further or is it TMI?) but after an emergency scan I was reassured and baby is fine.

I have suffered a lot less than many women. My friend's Marie and Reb both had HG and so comparing my experience and calling it 'bad' feels quite wimpy!

Here's how I felt -

Initially, very overwhelmed. Although we'd discussed and planned to start trying for a baby in Summer, by Spring we were pregnant and I was shocked how quickly it had happened. I felt unprepared and struggled to wrap my mind around the concept. That sounds so silly considering I knew I wasn't being careful with contraception, I knew we were going to try in May and I knew I wanted a baby but still, I felt overwhelmed. A few weeks on though and I'm fully onboard!

Tired. OMG the tiredness hasn't been like, 'oh I'd love a little snooze later', but like, 'shit me I might literally lay down on the floor of Tesco and sleep for 4 hours in a minute'. Thankfully I work from home and Darcy is in school so I've been able to take plenty of rest hours but I can't imagine how challenging it must be for people who work in out-of-the-home environments or Mum's of pre-schoolers. I tip my hat to you ladies!! I still don't feel like I'm back to my pre-pregnancy energy but I'm not napping every day and I'm hopeful that'll get better.

Sick. Whilst I've rarely actually been sick, I feel sick every. single. day. Morning til about 2pm I'm fit as a fiddle and then come the afternoon it's game over. By evening I can't be in or near the kitchen because the smell of everything tips me over the edge and I can't remember the last time I fed the cats their stinky meat pouches! (Don't worry, Liam feeds them!). It's the least fun feeling sick. It sucks the joy out of everything and leaves you grumpy and sloth like. I've noticed it's eased off a bit this last week so touch wood that continues please. Ginger biscuits and regular little dry snacks have helped. I've also been drinking so, so, so much water which I think has helped too.

Hormonal. Sometimes I have felt so low for a few days in a row and googled pre-natal depression because it's so unlike me to feel so down. I think the nausea and tiredness held me back in day to day life and that sucked the joy out of things, making me feel super deflated. I couldn't seem to get any buzz or zizz and just felt quite lonely and grey. I don't think I realised how rubbish I felt until I didn't feel like that anymore because although now I still have moments of anger/sadness that feel much stronger than usual, I don't feel as grey. Liam has been a saint through my moods. God bless him.

As far as pregnancy symptoms go, that's pretty much where I'm at. I've had a few little things like bigger boobs or going to the loo a million times a day but they haven't seemed as news worthy as the ones above.

In all of these things, the things that have helped have been just taking it slow. Boring and tedious but I've found 'pushing through' leads to even more exhaustion, tears and set backs the next day. I'm really thankful to have such a supportive partner in Liam and have felt very much like I'm in a team and not doing it all alone which has been so, so appreciated.

I won't be doing weekly updates on my youtube channel but I might keep you updated a bit more over here if you are interested? I've really enjoyed blogging about pregnancy so I'm sure you'll see a lot more from me over here, do let me know what you'd like to read about!

Toodlepip!

xx

Baby Pentland Is On The Way!

Oh Hai,

The most likely scenario here is that you've come over from my YouTube video and already know the news but in case you're new - I'm pregnant!! 

I wanted to write a blog post on it in case I forgot to talk about all the things in the video and to document this, it's quite the moment isn't it?

Seven years ago this Summer, in 2010, I found out I was pregnant with Darcy. She was a planned baby with my then-Husband and after a good pregnancy but traumatic delivery, in April 2011 my beautiful little girl was born. 

With the memories of a difficult birth and the breakdown of my marriage looming, I vowed not to have any more children. I was pretty set in that. 

Over the years lots changed. Business boomed, Darcy bloomed and I learnt how to run my life as a single Mum. I thought about having more children and thought it would be nice but didn't think I'd meet the right man or be in the right frame of mind to start a new chapter of life. 

Until Liam. 

Liam walked into my life last Summer, quite unexpectedly. For the first time in my single life, I wasn't excessively looking or dating with any intent. I'd decided I'd be alone forever but just enjoy drinks with hot men here and there and flirt mercilessly, haha. 

Turns out, Liam flipped that idea on his head and over the year, we've found we fit perfectly and have built a wonderful life together. My deep down hope was to find a man who would love me and accept and respect Darcy. What I've found in Liam is so, so, so much more. Hurrah for love and for good men!

From the off we talked about having a baby at some point in our future and had planned to start seriously thinking about it this Summer. At the end of April though, after feeling completely exhausted on a photoshoot and suddenly realising the dates (honestly it was like in a film where suddenly it hits you), I took a test and hey presto, that Summer baby was already cooking! An early blessing!

We. Are. Thrilled. 

We waited quite a while to tell Darcy (she's SO excited, more on that later) and clearly, have waited a little bit longer to tell the rest of the world but I'm getting to a point where I won't be able to hide it at events much longer and with the book tour coming up, I thought I should let the cat out the bag! Also, I'm desperate to make baby-related content! I want to do product reviews, share my tales, hear about yours, shop (me oh my I can't wait to shop for it) and just yanno, be open!!

Baby Pentland is set to be a much welcomed addition to the family, making his or her appearance January 2018!

I'm a Mother of TWO!!! 

I hope you will be happy for us all as we embark on this adventure of blending our family, giving Darcy a baby brother or sister and becoming parents together. If you have any Q's, pop them in the comment section below and I'll pick a few to A in a future blog post. 

Thank you always for all your support, I'm going to need it over the next few month- pregnancy is hard work haha!

Toodlepip!

xx

Glossybox features Wilde Like Me!!! Say whhhaatt???

Oh Hai,

Thank you for all your support on my last post - an update before an update, you guys are seriously the best. 

Today I wanted to show you something really freaking exciting (to me and hopefully you!) because it's a bit of a full circle moment. 

(Each box is filled with a selection of beauty and lifestyle samples. This edition included - Sanctuary Ultimate Salt Scrub Sachet, 111 Skin Space Defence Bright Eye Lift Gel, Manna Kadar Cosmetics Sheer Glo, Sleek Makeup Power Pump Lip Crayon and Batiste Stylist XXL Plumping Powder)

Back in 2011 (have any of you been around for that long??), I was invited to a blogger pr event for a brand called Glossybox. They were a beauty subscription service you could sign up to and each month a pastel pink (sometimes changes for seasons or special months) box pops through your door full of samples, vouchers and loveliness. They hosted an event one evening on the London Eye and Zoe and I travelled down for a night of fun and laughs and to celebrate the glory that was Glossybox. 

Six years later and I'm in one of those little pink boxes! Sort of! 

As you'll all know, my new book, Wilde Like Me, is out June 29th and thrillingly, I have collaborated with Glossybox to have a sample of my book (the first couple of chapters) in their parcel of goodies! How cool is that? 

(Oooeeee my book!!)

As well as my book there is a host of beauty bits that I'm sure you'll love. I've listed them above but I'll also talk about them here because who doesn't want to chat beauty more often??

Sanctuary Ultimate Salt Scrub Sachet - This is actually a product I'm going to use tonight because it's been a big week and we're seeing friends this weekend. You can either use it as a quick scrub in the shower or let the oils sink into your body as you soak in the bath (that's the one I'm going for!) and then you'll be left exfoliated and glowy!

111 Skin Space Defence Bright Eye Lift Gel - As I get a bit older and continue wearing contact lens for longer than I probably should each day, I find myself constantly reaching for eye products to give me that fresh-awake look. Super excited to let this work it's wonders!!

Manna Kadar Cosmetics Sheer Glo - If you know me, you'll know I'm a huge fan of highlighted luminescant skin so this is absolutely something I'm glad to recieve in my box. It's summer too so you could use a dab of this down your skins when you're wearing skirts to give your legs an extra gorgeous sheen. 

Sleek Makeup Power Pump Lip Crayon - I'm a long time lover of Sleek and at one point collected ALL the palettes so I have high hopes for this little number and feel confident that I'll like it. 

Batiste Stylist XXL Plumping Powder - Big hair, don't care? This is one of those powders that you sprinkle onto the roots of your hair, massage in and it gives you amazing lift and volume. Personally I think the bigger the better with hair so this product certainly gets my vote!!

Lucky for us, Glossybox have offered readers of my blog a a voucher code to redeem 50% off their first box plus a free beauty gift. This offer is valid until the end of June 2017 with one per customer and UK only. Simply enter LOUISE50 at the checkout and the box of joy plus a big sneak peak of my book are yours!! 

Glossybox will also be hosting a Facebook Live broadcast on Wednesday the 14th of June and there will be an opportunity to win a signed copy of Wilde Like Me - there are 10 available so you're in with a good chance - hurrah! 

As the book hype revs up and more and more of my favourite people and brands get on board, I feel more and more buzzy with excitement. I've already had so many people tag me in their insta flat lays of the box which is lovely- you guys take some gorgeous instagrams, oooeee!

Do let me know you order or already have the box and do let me know what you think of Wilde Like Me!!

Toodlepip!

xx

An Update before An Update

Oh Hai, 

Guess who isn't going to be winning consistent blogger of the year any time soon? Hi, yes, it's me. *Takes a bow*. 

Sorry, so sorry. Things have been, well, that's what this post is all about. People say, 'I've been so busy' quite flippantly, myself definitely included, but honestly, things have been so bloody busy. 

That's not to say I never have a single free hour or so to dedicate to my blog but just that I have been busy re-distributing my time. This year and last I have been forcing myself to do something quite shocking every single day- shut. my. laptop. I know, this is f*cking crazy but let me tell you ladies (and 3% of men google analytics tells me that reads), it's wonderful. Actually using my eyes to look at things and be part of the world around me that isn't digital has been great. Great for me, great for those around me and great for my mind. 

As well as dancing about in real life using my eyes to look at non-screen things, I've been beavering away (hate that phrase, makes me think of oral sex- 'beaver') on a few other things so I thought I'd take the opportunity to tell you about them now. Next week there'll be another update on something else pretty wild, but that can wait.

1. I moved house! I'm sure if you follow my vlogs you'll know this but I now inhabit a different building each day. The building itself is an upgrade on the previous in terms of size and location but in terms of love, I'm not there with it yet. My old house still has a piece of my soul. I made so many memories there and most of them amazing. I started this blog there, I bought my baby home from hospital to it, I had a million parties, guests to stay, cosy nights, christmas trees, paint jobs (lets never discuss the time I painted the door blue, hated it and painted it back to white again) and laughs. It was a happy home, the happiest home I've ever had actually. 

The time came though to spread out, I wanted more space, I wanted something solid to invest in and the time was right for a change. In the new house, I'm about 80% unpacked but the final 20% is all the sentimental crap you carry with you through your life (I have my late Mother's wedding dress, as well as mine from my now divorced marriage- where on earth do you put things like that?!) and finding homes for all of it and putting your stamp on the place. I think because I haven't built a lot of memories there or put my stamp on it yet that I'm struggling to bond with it. Does that make sense or do I sound like I'm losing the plot? It's a time thing I think. You can't rush the accumulation of knick-knacks and junk. You can't just buy it all either because that's not the same. You need to pick it up bit by bit on days out or delirious 3am online shopping binges with memories and love attached. It's a luxurious 'problem' to have, so I'll move on.

2. I've travelled. Since we last spoke here (aside from my tour update) I've been to Malaga with Liam's friends and family for his 40th birthday, New York with Liam again for his 40th birthday (you're only 40 once right??), Disneyland Paris with Darcy and about 45 little day trips for various things. When I compare this to last year where every other week I was dashing off meeting the Pope or partying at Cannes Film Festival (yes I know, I'm exceptionally cool), it's not that crazy but it's felt rather full on. Life this year is so much more homey than last. 2016 was a game of juggling motherhood and dating, it was like I was leading 2 separate lives. This year it's very family, cosy, homey. It's nice. Perhaps soon I'll buy a frilly apron so I can bake organic wholewheat protein cookies whilst managing my mini empire- how very modern. 

3. Book, book, book. I've only mentioned this about six hundred and forty five times but I WROTE A SODDING BOOK. The book itself isn't sodding but I say this so often I think I might tattoo it to my forehead haha. Before embarking on this task, I thought I knew everything I need to. How wrong I was!! I wrote a non-fiction on 2015 and so felt I knew the score and everything that came with it. Fiction though is a whole different ball game and I knew from the off I wanted to have full ownership and control so that meant buckling down and working. It's been a steep learning curve (and there were times I certainly wished I hadn't started) but the sense of joy and pride from finishing and knowing I've given it my all is immense. This week we (Liam, myself and my publishing team) drove to Diss on the east coast to see it being printed into an actual book. I've mentioned on instagram but I'll repeat it here- it's absolutely fascinating how they put a book together, so much skill and craft and finesse goes into each book. Next time I'm in Waterstones, I'll take a moment to think about how much goes into it all. Wilde Like Me (my book) is officially out on June 29th so this month will be full of work towards promoting it and making sure it sells well. Fingers crossed!! You can pre-order yours HERE. 

As I mentioned above, there's a bit more to tell but I thought I'd leave it with these three first and then commit a whole blog post to the other project next week- I'm sure you'll like it! 

Feels nice to write over here. If there's anything you think I should focus on in the blog world, let me know because I'm a little lost and in need of a push in the right direction. 

See you next week, 

Toodlepip!

xx