So finally we got there… yes, we went babe-less to Calcot Manor for a weekend break.  And oh my god was it bliss; sheer bliss. I have to tell you because every mother should do it.  I slept for 10 hours each night in an enormous six foot bed, sprawled out like a star; it was utter heaven.

Two hours from London, Calcot Manor feels like your own private weekend pad  with roaring fires, a choice of chick-lit by your bed and three seperate  sitting rooms, each with it’s own twinkling Christmas tree and library stash.  I  started to chill-out the moment the smiley receptionist checked us in.  Later, we found Calcot’s groovy pub; The Gumstool ( named after a local hill) and a recently renovated spa – a must visit for any exhausted new mum.  I had the Cornish Spiezia  facial, which plumped up tired-looking skin and filled it with a load of organic goodies; making me look 10 years younger for dinner.

 Nearby is Tetbury with it’s Prince Charles’s Highgrove shop and a plethora of antique shops to  have a good rummage through.   We had the best time and I came away refreshed, re-invigorated and almost forgot about the kids, that is until we started to miss them on Sunday and headed back to london for a cuddle. (By the way, if you can’t bear to leave them, Calcot caters for kiddies too).  So, from now on,  I will  be putting Quintessentially Travel  on speed dial, as they carefully directed my husband to this little gem.

Seven months on and I have to say I feel very lucky to have my gorgeous two children, they are the best Christmas present I could ever have.

Plans for the New Year?  It’s time to get fit!

So my little boy is now 4 1/2 months and boy has he been hungry! I can safely say that this time I have had to cheat to get some sleep. Baby rice in the bottle at night  from 8 weeks old was the only way forward.  Four months on and finally he is sleeping through, mainly because I have started weaning him, and yes I did wait until he was 17 weeks old if there are any health visitors out there reading this!

So, with a little bit of sleep, I am certainly feeling more normal and I have decided it’s definitely time to get out of the post baby rags and tidy myself up a little.  First came the haircut; I went straight to my gorgeous friend Nicole at Daniel Galvin for a chop, which instantly made me feel more human. Second came the hunt for the ‘perfect pair’ of jeans which was a relatively easy job  after my first child was born as I squeezed into a pair of denim flares in a jiffy.  This time it was much more difficult and the hunt became a complete obsession.  It started at Westfield where I tried endless pairs of skinnies, flares, straight legs, boot cuts, you name it they  all got a go! Every weekend, I would leave the children with my long-suffering hubby and off I skipped in search of the “perfect pair’.

But, despite the flattering mirrors and patient shop assistants  nothing looked right.  Eventually, I decided  throwing money at the problem was the only way forward, so I ended up in Donna Ida,where yet again I tried on several  pairs  until I eventually spied a pair of navy blue J Brand cords. Of course, cords were not what I was supposed to be looking for, but since nothing else worked I thought I would give it a go.  And suddenly, wow my bottom felt snug,  my legs were long and hey presto out I went with a pair of J Brand cords and a VERY large whole in my pocket.  But, damn they are worth it; there’s something about terribly expensive clothes that make you feel amazing when you wear them.

So all in all, we are getting back to normal, life is becoming a little easier (basically because I am getting some sleep) and we are starting to establish a daily routine. Yes, some days I tear my hair out but, I feel like I am beginning to get back to normal. I’ve started to write again (hence this blog) and I’m trying to exercise, even if it’s just a fast walk with the buggy. Oh yes, and I’ve also  a little treat to look forward to , my husband has booked a weekend at Calcott Manor in December, we are leaving the kids for  some time-out and a weekend of sleep and pampering. I can’t wait!

My little man arrived 2 weeks and 2 days early and  I have been in a bit of a daze  ever since!  Just after I posted my last blog, I was told my tummy was a touch on the small side and they were concerned my placenta wasn’t working properly.  After a number of tests and many hours spent at the brilliant Queen Charlotte’s hospital,  it was finally decided that I should be induced .. and to my delight my little boy was born on the 2nd of June.

It has been a blurry few weeks, Fergus is now 8 weeks old and life juggling two is busy, this is the first time I have got to my computer properly since he was born and only because I have someone here to help!  However, this does feel like a real family and although it’s exhausting it is a lot of fun.

Since, time is no longer on my side, I will be brief in writing what little delights have made the last 8 weeks even better.

The first one was of course the post!  Every morning for a while a bundle of cards and presents fell through my letter box which apart from providing much amusement to my toddler; who spent hours ripping open the paper was also great fun for me.   I have been living in a world of pink, (thanks to my 2 year old girl), and I was suddenly introduced to refreshing blue with gorgeous little blue  cardigans -Bora’s cashmere is to die for, as are there little baby  hats with cosy ear flaps that will keep out the winter cold.  However, my most covereted present so far is the Marie Chantal Angel baby grow; It just makes every one laugh and I can’t help it, but he looks utterly angelic  in it.. Even if  he is not!

As for shopping, which is now a complete nightmare unless I can steal a few hours on my own.  I have discovered online is the way forward.  So when faced with a much-loved goddaughter’s christening, I went straight to Astley Clarke.com to solve my problems. Their brilliant personal shoppers sorted me out in jiffy, and a gorgeous Monica Vinader bracelet was delivered speedily to my door within hours. It’s a truly brilliant service and made what could have been a nightmare an easy present.

Other than that it’s been pretty much bottles, nappies, cuddles, cooo’s and baggy eye syndrome. However, I feel like I am finally coming up for air and it’s back to reality. So, I am suddenly booking hair cuts, pedicures (thanks to the cowshed in nottinghill! )so that I can get back on track with a blast!   My next mission will be a miracle pair of jeans to hide that post baby tum… Watch this space.

36 weeks and the tiredness is really beginning to take hold. This, my increasingly busy toddler combined with my total obsession to get the house spick and span, get the nursery ready (which until today has been under a cloud of dust sheets as the house is being painted) and trying to work is totally exhausting me.

Last night I went to bed dreaming about bedroom curtains and rearranging the nursery again! This is much to my husband’s amusement who thinks the nesting period is rather funny and totally bonkers too. I do remember frantically trying to dust the inside of my bedroom window at the end of my last pregnancy when a friend rang up who laughed hysterically at my out of breath chatter while I continued to dust and talk at the same time…… bonkers.

My last-minute frenzy to get everything ready has left me on a mission to stock up on all the gorgeous baby treats and products I swore by last time. The first thing I will be investing in is Burts Bees Buttermilk lotion; it is heavenly, delicious and kind to your baby’s skin. Even my mother, can’t get enough of it and took a bottle in her bulging suitcase all the way to Abu Dhabi just to make sure my sister’s baby boy would smell of it too. Nursing bra’s are next on my list (a boring job, please note leave your toddler at home) you have to be measured properly and they really aren’t that attractive either, but Elle Macpherson’s range is pretty and doesn’t make one feel like you have a plaster stuck to your chest.

Style in pregnancy is difficult, but not impossible if you invest wisely. I don’t go down the maternity clothes route unless it’s something I would actually wear if I weren’t pregnant. I live in dresses and my staple black maternity leggings, or fake tan legs for when the sun comes out (Xen-Tan is the best) and I accessorize with a whole load of jewellery. Long necklaces and my new Carolina Bucci little Girl Charm bracelet are my must-have pieces… I get so many comments on them; it’s a canny distraction from the bump!

Now, off to the midwife for a check-up. I always measure just under the required amount per week, so let’s hope I am on target today – must stick out the bump!