Hello!
How are you? I hope you’re keeping as well as you can. I’m still staying home and only going out for dog walks as per the advice and I know a lot of you will be experiencing the same. I’ve spent a fair amount of time snuggled up on the sofa reading, which has been quite nice. Do you like the photo at the top of lovely Wotsit snuggled up too? Doesn’t she look cosy?
I have actually called in to a couple of QVC shows now, which is lovely because I really do miss the team and all of you so much! I especially loved joining in for a couple of beautiful items on Diamonique Day and I’ll be joining Simon for a Diamonique outlet hour tomorrow (Thursday 7th) at 10 a.m. I’m hoping there’ll be more too!
Also, if you’ve missed them so far, don’t forget to have a look at my IGTVs on Instagram. They’re going up every Thursday lunchtime with either a bake or cook-a-long. Did you see the blueberry muffins? I know a lot of you are keen bakers and have tried a couple of the recipes I’ve posted on here, so do have a look at those. And if you’re not a keen baker, they are also a good one to try because they are just so easy!
I’m posting those as part of our #QVCAlwaysWithYou campaign on social media and advise you follow the hashtag to see some other great things that are going on like book clubs and sing-alongs etc. The wonderful thing I’ve noticed lately is how our lovely QVC viewers have been so caring and kind during this strange time and that my colleagues too are trying their best to keep everyone going. I have to say, as someone sitting a little on the sidelines, I think the team that are still going into the studios are doing such a fab job!
And I want to say thanks to all of you for kind messages on blogs and on social media – I so, so miss being on your screens, so I’m really happy to hear from you while I’m at home keeping me and bump safe.
Speaking of bump, I’m officially in the third trimester….the last one?!! EEK! So exciting and scary all at once. I’m trying to get things a bit more organised as I hadn’t done ANY baby shopping before the advice to stay at home came in, so there’s a lot to get. First things first, though, and that’s sorting the nursery. We have a small third bedroom in our house with a lovely outlook to the garden and that’s where baby will be. We didn’t find out if it is a boy or a girl so I wanted something neutral but not too bland. I picked a nice light sagey green and decided to pair it with bright white for a nice fresh look. My husband Lawrence was huffing and puffing and asking why I can’t ever simply just paint the walls all one colour when we were using the spirit level to get the line straight along the walls!! Anyway, Here it is so far.
As you can see, a lot more to be done and chosen… carpet, blind, curtains, etc. We will be having a second-hand cot from some very generous friends and I have picked a chest of drawers that will double up as a changer, but I’m not able to have it delivered yet. I am, however, very pleased with the way the paint looks and I keep going in there feeling a bit more excited about things now.
Our lovely cot-donating friends also gave us some clothes and blankets a while ago and I was sorting through them and some bits that I bought the other day. Monty came in and decided he liked the look of the blankets for a little lie down himself, so I tucked him in for another one! Doesn’t he look comfy?! (All to be washed before baby of course!!)
Now I know a lot of you reading will have done it all before so I’m going to ask a question – what’s your best bit of baby advice? Or, best advice for soon-to-be/new Mum? I’d love to hear it all from you!
In the meantime, I shall be perusing our amazing gardening offers because my husband very kindly did lots of weeding and turned the soil in our flower beds for me. We’ve very heavy clay soil, so there was no way I could do it at the moment but he’s sorted it all out and I think it is certainly ready for some new plants etc. I’m loving spending time in the garden at the moment; for me, sunshine without too much heat is lovely.
Speaking of sunshine, if you’ve not tried Ultrasun for sun protection yet, then I strongly recommend you do! Being very fair myself, I have always started wearing suncream as soon as the sun pops up in spring, but obviously we are learning now that it is a good idea to wear an SPF much more often. I have spent my life being covered in sun creams and have tried most on the market. I found Ultrasun before I started at QVC and I will never look back. Even my Dad, who also has fair skin, loves it. To get sun protection that sinks in fast, doesn’t make you feel sticky and sweaty and works all day is a godsend. I also really suffer finding protection for my face that doesn’t make me break out, but this ticks the box too. So if you’re enjoying the garden like me or going on walks in the sunshine then why not give it a go? Remember, we do have extended money back guarantee on at the moment too! Here’s a little snap of Monty from a recent sunny walk of ours. I felt sorry for him and Lawrence that day because I was VERY slow up the big hill… not quite the brisk walker I used to be!
That’s it from me for now, I’ll be back here in a couple of weeks but please feel free to comment and I’ll try to get back to you or come and say hello on social media. I hope you’re looking after yourselves and that you have a good couple of weeks until I’m back here again.
Kathryn x
23 Responses
Hi Kathryn,the painting in the nursery looks great I love the colours, taking the white down onto the walls makes the room look bigger. If you want some plants for your garden you can do worse than order from Qvc, I find Plants2gardens brilliant! Now for your question about becoming a mum, I’m a mum of two grown up daughters and grandmother to three grandchildren,who by the way I’ missing greatly at the moment,I would say try and rest as much as you can and go with what you feel is right,as it usually is. A happy and relaxed mum is a happy baby!! Good luck and take care. Love Debbie X
Thanks sk much for your kind ckmments and advice Debbie 🙂 x
Hi Kathryn
Love the walls in your new nursery. What colour is that emulsion? It looks so lovely and such a good blank canvas for the baby decorations.
Best wishes for the future and stay safe, love Jennifer.
Thank you Jennifer :). The colour called Salix I think. We thought it would be calming…fingers crossed!
Hello, treasure! Two things. First, Wotsit is the best name for a ginger cat I have EVER heard. Secondly, “sunscream” is the best typo I have ever read. I’m a factor 50 girl too since I’m allergic to the sun, so if you didn’t call it that on purpose, can we do so from now on, do you think?!
Can’t give you specific mummy advice as my babies have fur…but I suspect “this too will pass” might be very helpful in making light of the worst and the most of the best!
Haha it was a typo but I agree…it should be sunscream from now on!! Thank you for getting in touch 🙂
Hi Kathryn. Great read as always.
I’m a mum of 2 boys aged 3 & 7. With number one son I was always trying to do everything perfect and felt a failure if it didn’t go exactly as I planned. With number two son, I did ‘My best’. Which was more than enough, and I didn’t get stressed worrying about every-little-thing.
Another thing I struggled with was having ‘me’ time. I had the familiar ‘mummy guilt’ if what I was doing didn’t revolve around the children. So do make sure you delegate whatever you can, to whoever you can, and enjoy doing something just for you.
Thirdly, make the most of now. Babies are wonderful, there is no denying it, but they do take over most of your time so enjoy your time while it’s still just the two of you.
Lastly, when your baby is around 5/6 months old I definitely recommend getting a Jumperoo. I got one second-hand for not a lot of money and it proved to be the best thing we ever bought. It gives you that 20 minutes or so to get things done.
Most of all…just love your baby.
Take care
Lisa X
Hi Lisa, thanks so much for all that advice…I really appreciate it and I’m sure I’ll find myself looking back in it when baby is here. You take care too 🙂
Do not listen to any other persons experience and remember every contraction is one step closer to delivery
I like that and have heard it a couple of times so will deginitely try to keep it in mind, thank you 😉
Can you out your recipes on your stories page for those of us that don’t use instagram it would be nice to see them
Hi Patricia,
I’ll be including the blueberry muffins recipe in the next one 🙂
Hello Kathryn, Wotsit is adorable and Monty too, all snuggled up! The baby room looks lovely, it’s a gorgeous colour, good choice. I can’t give any baby advice as I too only have fur babies, 3 cats, one called Monty aswell. I’ve noticed that you have gorgeous skin so your applying spf has certainly paid off. Take care of yourself, XXX
Hi Sandra. Thanks for your lovely comments. And give your Monty and the other too a cuddle from me!! You take care too 🙂
I remember reading all the baby books before my first baby and feeling very smug about being fully prepared and knowing that being a new mum was going to be a doddle.
Baby hadn’t read the books and no way was he going to sleep for eighteen hours a day!
Just do it your way Kathryn, you’ll be a brilliant mum.
Thank you Freda! Have to say I’ve read a bit but not too much…think I’ll just wing it haha! 🙂
The best advice I can give you is to get plenty of sleep, sleep or nap when the baby does for the first few weeks at least, then later when baby is older and he/she is sleeping through the night you will be back to normal also, routine is most important, babies love routine, they soon get to know whats coming next so are more contented, good luck.
Thanks for the advice Christine…I’m practising the daytime naps already haha! 🙂
Hi lovely Kathryn the best advice i can give from having my own son is enjoy every minute because time really does fly. They grow so quickly. Sleep or nap whenever the baby does so that you can recharge your batteries and i personally used to make sure once a week i would have pamper time, even if just for an hour, while baby is with dad where you just lie back in the bath and do your skincare or whatever you enjoy. You will feel so much benefit. You will make a lovely mum. Enjoy! Lots of love xx
Thanks so much Karen, great advice and very kind if you. Will make sure the husband has read your comment too so I get my pamper time! 🙂
Good Morning Kathryn
Enjoy every moment, don’t worry about the night feads I truely loved them. The house being dead quite no traffic total peace just you are your baby its magical.
Hi! Kathryn, missing you on QVC, Hope you are staying safe and well. All my 4 children are all adults now but I really recomend that when your Beautiful baby sleeps you sleep, and don’t feel guilty. Take care and hope all goes well with the birth.xx
Hello Kathryn, I’m so pleased that you’re keeping well and your little nursery looks so peaceful and full of love. You asked about advice and I thought I’d mention a couple of things said to myself by an old lady when I was pregnant with my eldest baby (goodness she’s 44 this year !!).
1) Every morning, give yourself 10 minutes to wash your face, put on abit of make up and brush your hair
2) You’ll get loads of “un-asked for advice” from very well meaning people about babies, your response can be “Gosh I never thought of that” or “Ooh, I’ll try that” or “What a good/brilliant idea!” And then, follow your own gut instinct first.
Look after yourself and really enjoy this last few weeks with your lovely husband !!