Five Years With The Most Amazing Person I Know

This is long overdue, but I celebrated five years with Stephen on 24th May. I can't believe I've known him for six years now and I've been lucky enough to love him for five of those years.

We may be saying goodbye to just Charlotte and Stephen (and Max) and that chapter of our lives is coming to a close. But I can't wait to become a family.

We chose to celebrate the best way we know how. Eating.

The flowers he bought me.

Me and bump decided to whip out The Dress for such a special occasion.

Posing in the mirror.

I had the Rustico Garlic Bread to start and Stephen had Goats Cheese with a pesto dressing.

We ate at Ciao - a local rustic Italian restuarant in my home-village of Poynton in Cheshire.

I had Tortellini Fantasia and Ste had a steak with a mustard and brandy sauce with vegetables.

I'm all about these kitsch little guys!

Believe it or not the restaurant was full five minutes later.

I love you.

Dessert. Mediterranean Trifle for me and Tiramisu for Ste.

And that was our Last Supper. It couldn't have been any more perfect.

My Leaving Presents from Work

On Friday, last week, I left work. I'm not going to be gone forever, but I'll be gone for ten weeks - almost three months. I hadn't given much thought to leaving - I was too busy trying to make sure I'd ticked everything off my list and finishing what I believe to be the greatest Handover Pack known to mankind (I'm thorough).

Needless to say, when it came to my leaving present I was left gobsmacked.

I haven't had a baby shower as such. Without sounding silly, I've not got many people around me that I feel that I could invite to one. And I hate expecting people to give me gifts. I much more of a gift giver than a receiver. My family have been really supportive and have all helped out with bubs' requirements anyway and I've planned every penny meticulously so that I could get him every last thing he will need. And then some. He IS my baby boy after all.

Over the last few months, I've not treated myself to much. I've cancelled hair appointments. Used up every last dreg of beauty product available to save buying more. And I've even squeezed into last year's summer clothes (thank you God for not making me turn into a whale with pregnancy).

So when I arrived back to the office, after a farewell lunch together as a company, I could have cried. In fact I did cry. Later on at home, when there weren't any boys around.

My lovely colleagues, understanding that I'd done as much as I could for bubs, decided to make sure his mummy was treated too. And this is what I got.

Our litle collection of good luck and congratulations cards!

• A bottle of Jack Daniels - my tipple of choice. I can't wait to have a glass of this once he is out! 
• A bottle of bubbly - to toast his arrival.
• Three summery Rimmel nail varnishes - all of which I've worn already in excitement. 
• Dior Show Mascara - my ultimate favourite and not something I often buy myself. 
• A £30 River Island voucher - to treat myself to something pretty once he is here. 
• The cutest bottle of Jean Paul Gaultier Classique for Women that I ever did see.
• A massive Body Shop set - full of body butter, polishes, scrubs and shower gels so I can face labour head on, with beautiful skin and smelling like a coconut!
• Lion King and Winnie the Pooh books for bubs. I love reading so this meant a lot.
• A jungle play mat - I need two of everything as my mum will be looking after bubs when I'm back at work and now this another thing I don't need to buy or worry about my parents buying. 
• The cutest bear balloon ever!

A card from a lovely PR friend of mine.

More cards!

As well as all of this, I had lots of cards from clients and work contacts, along with a voucher for Babies'R'Us and a big bunch of flowers.

My hands were shaking when I opened these gifts and I couldn't actually get over the amount of gifts I was given. I know I few of my colleagues (and obviously friends!) read this, so here's another thank you. It was one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for me.

I'm off to run a bath and cover rmyself with Body Shop products!

Pregnancy Update: 40 Weeks Pregnant - Happy Due Date to Me!

39 weeks and five days pregnant. And that's Chanel's Ming on my nails if you are curious.

I've not gone into labour! I promise!

I haven't blogged in a while because the last two weeks have been quite the whirlwind for me. I finally finished work last Friday, when I was 39 weeks and two days pregnant. It was possibly one of my biggest achievements to date and listening to my body has meant that I've worked for as long as I could and I don't have too much of a wait until he is here.

Over the past few days I've tried my best to relax and get some naps in while I can, but I've been nesting like a crazy person! Today, I completely gutted and rearranged my kitchen. I cleaned out all of the cupboards, cleaned my fridge, threw away old receipts and even a stir-fry sauce with a best before date of 2011 (awkward moment). I've written a long list of things to do while I'm off so the days don't get too boring.

My newly arranged Baby Cupboard, complete with bottles, steriliser, breast pump and God knows what else.

Three days into maternity leave, I can tell you it's pretty much a 50:50 situation. It's not all that it's cracked up to be - it can be lonely and you need some serious distraction while you tick off the days - but the rest is pretty compulsory. I do like waking up and considering whether I need more rest. I do like not having to worry about the stresses of a working day. But I miss the interaction. I miss being myself. At this point in my pregnancy I feel like a vessel. And it's made even worse by the constant calls/texts/Facebook messages along the lines of: "Is he here yet?" I know people mean well, but as if I wouldn't tell you! Can you imagine me answering with: "Oh, the baby? Yeah I had him last week! Didn't I tell you?"

This was me before my last day at work at 39 weeks and two days pregnant.

Trust me. I will make every man and his dog aware of the happiest day of my life. I promise.

I had a midwife appointment last week and everything seems to be on track. She thinks he's a good 8lb baby. Ouch. He just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Tomorrow, I will find out my proposed induction date and I'm booked in for a sweep and JESUS I'm scared.

I don't hold out much hope for the sweep being particularly enjoyable. For those who a blissfully ignorant, a sweep is essentially where your midwife will sweep the membranes of your cervix away from your baby's head, if you are favourable and his head is engaged enough. This obviously means an internal. I know what I'm doing tomorrow morning. Where is my Venus razor?

The full effect of just how big I am now. Excuse the make-up-less face.

I'm really nervous about having this done. Not only because, for the first time ever, a fellow lady will be touching my lady-parts (ick) but because it could lead to labour.

Don't get me wrong. It's my due date and I'm on the cusp of going overdue now and I obviously can't wait to meet him. I'm desperate to meet him. But at the same time, I'm scared. I'm nervous. I don't know how I'll handle the pain. I'm worried he won't like me when he's here. I'm worried I won't make him happy. That I won't be able to breast feed. And that time will go so quickly that I'll end up back at work before I know it. I'm also sad to close a chapter of my life with Stephen. Last week we celebrated five years together and I will miss those times we shared "just us" though I can't wait to become a little family.

I'll try and post every day, so you know I'm still here! But for now, could this be my last ever bump shot? Send me labour vibes!

Excuse the PJs. I have gotten dressed today. 40 weeks pregnant.