The C word

Is it too early the C word? I'm going to anyway, Christmas is coming!! I know some people dread the festive time of year and feel it gets dragged out for months but I LOVE Christmas. I love the list writing, the planning and thinking of gifts for people.

I know Marcus is going to have no idea what Christmas is this year but I wanted to give him one gift that could be used in years to come, a gift that he will come to know was given to him on his first Christmas. I decided to make a Christmas stocking.

Firstly I ordered a selection of fabrics from ebay. For £10.50 I got the most gorgeous package of fabric scraps. I got out some other bits and pieces that were hanging around in my craft box to get the creative juices flowing.

I found a great tutorial online for making a 'stitch and flip' patchwork stocking. Good old Kirstie Allsop, here is the link if you fancy giving it a go- it really is very easy!

So one afternoon I found I had some time to start playing...

And I got hooked. A couple hours later, with a few interruptions from the little man, the stocking was finished! I was shocked it came together so quickly and minus a little issue with the lining at the top, very happy with the end result, voila...

We have a Christmas craft fair on St. Martins at the beginning of December and I am considering making a few to sell, along with maybe some patchwork hearts, but I am going to be realistic and see  if the time presents itself. 

Anyway back to the planning of a Halloween party, I'll think some more about Christmas next month.

October sunshine

Today it is windy and raining and we have happily resigned ourselves to the fact that it is an indoors day. However over the past couple of weeks we have has some gloriously sunny days. It has felt wonderfully autumnal and the island has a lovely relaxed vibe, the vibe that comes after a season of working very hard and feeling ready for a break! There is time to stop and chat to people and I have already seen some friends more in the last two weeks than over the whole of summer.

Autumn on the islands is different and I do have to confess that it is at this time of year, whilst being my favourite on St. Martin's, I hanker for the mainland and trees! I miss falling leaves and the obvious change in landscape, the opening of the view you get as the trees shed their leaves. Having said that we still have signs of autumn over here, the golden bracken and skeletal cow parsley provide a rather lovely frame for the sea.

We also have some pretty impressive mushrooms growing in random spots across the fields.

And a sure sign that winter is on the way, boats pulled up and tucked away.

While the weather has been so nice we have been out and about showing Marcus the island ie. testing out how off-road our all terrain buggy can manage- so far we are impressed!

I was particularly excited to take Marcus to the beach for the first time. Barney isn't too enthusiastic about swimming in the sea so I am already planning on getting Marcus started from a young age so I have a little person to splash around with!

Among our adventures was our first trip to Tresco with our little man and a lovely bunch of friends. Unfortunately in all the excitement we didn't take any photos but Marcus was a complete star (and loved the boat journey!). The trip out has also given me so much more confidence to leave the house for a set time as well as dealing with feeding in public- something I was a little nervous of but was completely fine! 

As well as having fun I have also been trying to get the house back in order. Due to my pregnancy lethargy there are a few areas of the house that have been completely ignored. Last week I set to work on a massive cleaning mission, doing a little bit at a time. Although you are told to rest and take it easy with a newborn I can't explain how much better I feel now that it is done, it was worth a few days of feeling extra tired. I have even my kitchen shelves up (thank you Ryan) ta dah...

I cannot believe that Marcus should still be inside me for nearly another week. For one thing I don't think I could of hacked 4 more weeks of being pregnant! But mainly it is just amazing how much he develops each day and strange to think that it isn't meant to be happening yet. We have had a very special three weeks getting to know each other and although it is sometimes hard (especially as I do love my sleep!) now I have relaxed things are seeming to go much more smoothly and be more enjoyable as a result. Barney and I look at Marcus every day and wonder how we could have made something so perfect.

And every day he also makes us laugh, a lot. 

The best made plans

So, according to my plan I will now have finished the nursery curtains, the freezer will be full of home cooked meals ready for our convenience and the house will be sparkling clean, everything organised and ready for 29th October, our due date. However it would seem our little bundle had a different plan and couldn't wait any longer to come into the world.

Marcus Daniel McLachlan, born 7.23pm on October 1st on route to Truro on the Royal Navy Search and Rescue helicopter XV705.

After a week in hospital full of joy and fear, tears and laughter we finally brought baby Marcus home on Monday. As we flew over the islands, Marcus fast asleep enjoying the sounds of the aeroplane, it felt like Christmas. I cannot explain the feeling of excitement, the feeling that we have all this to share with our little man.

Being home was overwhelming and after the routines of hospital it felt difficult to know where to begin. A lovely friend made us a very tasty bolognese for our first night, I cannot explain how welcome this was, tasty food with very little effort! (Enjoyed with a little glass of sparkly..)

After an initial flurry on unpacking (and throwing away all the mouldy food in our fridge!) I sat in the front room listening to Barney chopping wood in the garden, our cat happily purring away and little Marcus murmuring in his sleep next to me in his carrycot. I don't think life can get any better.

The cards and gifts we have received have been overwhelming. So many people are so excited about our  new arrival, he certainly is a lucky boy.

Our lives have changed forever but it is already hard to imagine what life was like before Marcus came along. My heart is so full of love for my two boys.