Welcome

Well you know how it goes...new baby arrives and you hardly get a chance to eat let alone blog! However, I thought you should get a chance to meet wee Niamh (pronounced Neev). Niamh arrived, rather quickly (she was born on the bathroom floor as I didn't make it in time to the hospital!) on 3rd May at 01:32am weighing 8lbs 10ozs. Lovely, healthy, very happy and very pink. We are getting into a sort of routine and I get quite a bit of sleep most nights.
Grace has taken to being a big sister like a duck to water and she is very chuffed with her wee sis.

I have also managed to get five paintings to the gallery for the summer exhibition, three of which are below. These three are of the harbour at Tobermory, Mull. The exhibition opens on the 8th July so I hope I sell something.

Hope you are all well. x

Pigging out on Chocolate!

Well it's that time of year again where you eat WAY too much chocolate and always regret it afterwards. Happy Easter to everyone and hope you are enjoying the holiday weekend. We have had a very creative couple of days here in the Smith household. On Saturday after being out and about at the car boot sale, doing an egg hunt in the local museum, having lunch out, a spot of shopping and a trip to the park (which included a ride on the miniature railway...I'm sure health and safety really shouldn't let 37 week pregnant ladies on but no one said anything). After all that we all sat down (including daddy) for about 2 hours painting and decorating paper plates with different designs and I think they look pretty spiffy.....

I think they will be taking pride of place on Grace's bedroom wall very soon.

After Sunday morning tea and toast, Daddy took Grace to the shops whilst I set out two egg hunts...one for both Daddy and Grace and the other just for Grace. The first was just finding halves of cardboard eggs hidden around the house whilst the second were carefully hidden clues and puzzles for Grace to follow which finally led her to her chocolate egg booty. A bit slow at first, but once she got the hang of it she was off like a flash. Really good fun to watch and will be a sad day when she no longer wants to do treasure hunts. Happy Easter xxxx

Heavy stuff

Well as usual I have neglected my blog so I thought I would up date all with the progress of my bump and some photos of what we have been up to recently.


As you can see I am getting VERY big and boy is baby heavy! Only five and a bit weeks to go and we are getting pretty excited. We haven't decided on names yet (we don't know what we are having) and still some essentials to purchase but I have my labour bag packed and some nappies bought so we'll be fine. I'm hoping to have the baby in the one and only birthing pool here in Paisley's midwife led unit, so I have told them that when I am ready to come in they have to chuck whoever is in the pool out! I had Grace in the same pool so fingers crossed. I had the midwife yesterday and all is fine...baby and mum all doing good. My pelvis is still giving me jip but my hubby is doing a grand job of looking after me and a lovely friend of ours is picking up Grace on a Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to save me from doing too much. Our neighbours Miss B and Mr S are doing a much appreciated job of taking Grace out with their dogs so she can stretch her restless legs. So many lovely people who live nearby that I have got to know over the past couple of years.Miss Grace and I haven't been very well the past week but we are both thankfully on the mend...so many bugs about with the change in the weather. It is so so lovely seeing the sun out and a few flowers after such a cold and snowy winter.

Playing at Rouken Glen Park and a very big tree!

Homemade fairy cakes on fancy plates

School photo day

Things I like to do with my daddy

I have started three paintings for the summer exhibition at the gallery I used to work for so I'll post them up as soon as I'm finished...hopefully in the next couple of weeks xx

It all comes to light

For about a year now anytime I wanted to listen to music on the computer whilst on the computer I have had to unplug the lamp and plug in the speakers leaving me a bit in the dark and straining to see the keyboard! However, just this very minute I realised I had a spare plug beside the TV! Don't ask me why it has taken me so long to realise this....sometimes I'm a bit slow x

I'm enjoying typing along to the soundtrack of 'Juno'...thank you to my lovely neighbour Laura B. for the loan xxx

I have been a busy bee around the house sorting, throwing this and that out, cleaning, making way for the new little person who will be joining us soon. My home is slowly getting there but I still see lots to be done. However, today I took a bit of time out watching two episodes of The West Wing surrounded by ginger cats....my hips needed the rest (so so sore and going to see the physio on Friday thank goodness).

Well the update on the parcel of my two painting commissions that I send back on the 21st December to the USA is that they think it is lost and never even left Paisley! Grrrrrrrr is all I have to say to that.

Well I will leave you with a video of my favourite tune of the moment by Paolo Nutini called 'Candy'. The words are gorgeous and there is the added bonus of the lad coming from Paisley....you see him every so often on the train to and from Glasgow eating a fish supper with his pals. Keeping it real!

That Monday Feeling

Not feeling too hot today so taking it easy today. We had a busy weekend doing jobs out and about and in the house. Some would call it nesting, I call it early Spring cleaning :O)

Over New Year we went to visit my folks in France for a bit of r'n'r and had a lovely time. It didn't snow...just a bit chilly x

Despite the cold Grace spent half to holiday outside walking the dogs, feeding the nutty sheep apples, collecting the chicken eggs and feeding the ducks....happy as can be x
If I had room in my suitcase I would have come home with a dog and another cat but I don't think my two ginger lap-hoggers would have been too chuffed!
Well I had better go and do something productive whilst waiting to hear back from the parcel company who still hasn't been able to send my two paintings to the USA. I sent them express delivery on the 21st December and they say it's all down to the bad weather. Not so good considering the delivery time is supposed to be 1-2 days!

Oh and here is the second commission in all it's glory:

A Fresh Start

Usual excuses for being away for so long and the added extra of Christmas. Thank goodness that is all over for another year and I wish you all a very prosperous and happy New Year.

To get me going again here are just a few images of what we have been up to the past few months:
Enjoying the Christmas fayre in Paisley

Staying warm with big hairy ginger cats on our laps (What a sight!)

We officially had a white Christmas and the snow is still here....time for it to go now I think.

Enjoyed all the sparkly lights *****

Sis made loads of yummy food over Christmas including this gorgeous chocolate yule log..mmm

and together we cooked our first ever stuffed turkey and it was amazing! Pat on the back sis xxx

....the cooked bird in all it's glory....

....and we ate the lot!

Opened up one or two presents!

Went for a snowy walk on Christmas Day...brrrrrr

It's nice to be back xxx