It’s been three months and now I’m pregnant…

Posted in Pregnancy and Baby.

Oh hi!

It’s been a while, hasn’t it?

Well, I have a good excuse. I’ve been busy growing a baby!

pregnancy maternity style

Dress, Topshop | Jacket, Primark | Flats, Jane Shilton | Sunglasses, Miu Miu

Tomorrow I will be 15 weeks pregnant, and that just seems crazy. I mean, I know how it happened and everything (looks to camera) but most of the time I still feel like I’m 23 and not yet a fully functioning adult, despite actually being quite responsible and level-headed. Yet here I am, 6 months away from bringing home a tiny human that’s totally and utterly dependent on me to keep it alive. Fuck.

I’m not thinking about that bit now, though. For the past three months I’ve been in hibernation, battling constant nausea and bone-crushing tiredness, eating things that are mostly beige and hiding from my friends in fear they would sniff out my secret. Then 12 weeks rolled around, my scan showed that all was well and I measured six days ahead. And so the jig was up, the secret was out and I could finally stop pretending to be on antibiotics to explain my sudden love of sparkling water. Apparently me not having a G&T with dinner is VERY unusual…

topshop maternity dress stripes

The first trimester wasn’t so bad, to be honest. The tiredness kicked my ass and I had to have a constant supply of Mini Cheddars to get me through the day, but I’m lucky enough to be able to work from home so most days were spent sitting on the sofa in a stupor, watching the same few episodes of Friends over and over.

Those dark days (lol) are behind me now, though. The glorious second trimester is here and I’m feeling pretty great… I may even have the ‘pregnancy glow’. The biggest change is my energy which is back with abundance, meaning I can get through a whole day of work without a three-hour power nap and stay up past 8pm. Literally, every night is party night in the Allison House. I’m still pretty picky about food – I have a very definite idea of what I fancy eating and anything different just simply won’t do, which is why I had a highly embarrassing mini-tantrum when I was given the wrong order at the Chinese takeaway last week – but at least I don’t feel sick, right? And my hair is shiny, my skin is clear and my nails are strong. So generally, I’m loving life and it’s all very new and exciting.

I’m hoping to start regular blogging again now I’ve rejoined civilisation… not always about pregnancy because I imagine that’s quite dull for someone who’s not (also I have Mumsnet for that and I’m not ashamed), but I’ll document my journey, show you my preggo style – thankfully no longer restricted to leggings and pyjama vests – and share little milestones along the way. There’s so much to think about, one of the biggest being what I’ll do with my business when there’s a baby to look after, and I’d love to hear from other mums and mums-to-be in similar situations.

So, that’s all from me for now – thank you, truly, to everyone who’s liked and commented on our various social media announcements. Rob and I were really touched by the response, and getting the news out there really made it all feel real. Exciting stuff, eh?

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Some thoughts on carbs

Posted in Food.

About a month ago, I joined a new gym and signed up for my very first personal training session. I hadn’t really done any exercise for 3 months, but I breezed into the session thinking it’d be a ‘getting to know you’ kinda thing – a brisk run on the treadmill followed by 20 squats and something with a kettlebell, maybe.

I was wrong.

An hour later I was standing at the top of the stairs outside the gym, wondering if it’d be easier to throw myself down them rather than use my completely useless jelly legs. I spent 20 minutes sitting in the changing room, convincing myself I didn’t need to vomit. It took me 45 minutes to walk the usual 10 back to my studio. I was broken.

It didn’t deter me, though (although that second session took a real Rocky-style pep talk) – I’m 4 sessions in now, and my PT and I understand each other. He’s great at pushing me without making me feel like I want to die, and I already feel stronger and fitter. He also gives me excellent nutrition advice, which is never linked to weight loss because I’ve told him I’m interested in strengthening, not shrinking. And one of the main things he tells me is that carbs are hugely important in a healthy diet, especially if you’re exercising.

what to eat after the gym

When I was invited to take part in the New York Bakery Co’s #BuildUpBagel campaign, I thought it’d be a great chance for some carb-loving. Because who doesn’t love carbs? Whether you’re exercising or not, losing weight or not, carbs are really important to a healthy diet and you shouldn’t cut them out, ever.

I’m generally not a fan of ~healthy living gurus~ (my Deliciously Ella cookbook is now used to keep my bin lid closed…), but #BuildUpBagel is fronted by ‘The Body Coach’ aka Joe Wicks, and his advice is really spot on. I hate that so much ‘healthy lifestyle’ advice is wrapped up in weight loss language, but Joe’s tips include ‘step off the scales’, ‘ditch the fad diets’ and ‘listen to your body’, all of which are really inclusive, encouraging ways to get fitter.

So, back to the carbs. My PT sessions are at 10am on Wednesdays, so after a swim and a shower I come out of the gym at 12pm, ravenous and ready to refuel. My trainer has given me a good basis for creating my post-workout meals – protein to rebuild, healthy fats to strengthen and carbs to energise. With that formula in mind, I created two Build Up Bagels to get me going again after a tough session.

post workout snack ideas

Turkey, avocado and tomato

For this recipe, I toast a plain bagel, smash some avocado with salt, pepper and a little lemon, slice some tomato and stack it all up with turkey on the top. The turkey provides a protein boost while the avocado brings those healthy fats, and the tomato ensures it’s all really fresh and delicious.

healthy snack ideas

Peanut butter, banana and maple syrup

After a tough time in the gym, I often crave a sugar hit to get me going again. This is a great healthy (ish) version that gives me the boost without the refined rubbish. For this recipe, I toast a Cinnamon and Raisin bagel then spread with peanut butter (I love this one with sunflower, pumpkin and flax seeds), top with sliced banana and drizzle with pure maple syrup.

I like mixing up my post-work out meals, so the #BuildUpBagel campaign is a great source of inspiration. And anything that helps stop the demonisation of carbs is fine by me!

What do you eat after exercise?

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Why I Don’t Live in London

Posted in Home.

Whenever I tell someone what I do for a living, there’s one question that crops up almost instantly:

“Do you not need to live in London for that?”

As a freelance ~content creator~ working mostly in the fashion industry, living in London – one of the world’s leading fashion cities and home to the biggest brands and advertising agencies – would probably be beneficial for me. I’m sure I’d get more work, as I turn down at least a job a week because the client wants me in-house in London. And I’d certainly have more opportunity to network if I was able to attend the endless stream of London-based events I’m invited to.

But I don’t live in London. It’s not because I can’t afford it (although the cost of renting is MIND BOGGLING) or because I’m a scared of ‘the big city’ (Leeds is the 3rd largest in the UK, you know).

It’s because I don’t want to.

things to do in haworthHaworth, West Yorkshire

When I first went freelance back in 2011, I had a big wobble about living Not In London. I was working with a high fashion label and flying to New York for Fashion Week – when people clocked the British accent, they asked what “fashion’s like in London” and I felt like such a fraud with my Zara heels and LS postcode. I’d just nod and smile and do my posh phone voice so no one would guess I wasn’t actually part of the London Fashion Scene.

When someone asked me what part of London I lived in and I replied “Shoreditch” (classic), their response was “me too! Whereabouts?” which left me flustering about for an answer (Dalston? Are they the same place?!) before walking away mid-conversation and promising myself I’d be more truthful from then on.

I toyed with the idea of moving down for a while, but Rob was wholly unconvinced and to be honest, I don’t think I ever wanted to go. I thought I needed to, but it was really just a bad case of FOMO clouding my judgement and the promise of all those burger restaurants reeling me in (it was 2011, after all).

glamping yorkshireRyedale, North Yorkshire

So I didn’t move to London. I stayed in Leeds, a city that’s only 40 minutes from where I grew up. And there are a few reasons for that…

Firstly, I’m a bit horrified by the cost of living in London. I think when you’ve been in the north for so long, it’s even harder to wrap your head around paying £700+ per month for a room when up here you’d get a 4-bedroom house for that. Travelling everywhere by public transport seems like a hassle when you’re used to the convenience of a car. Handing over £7 for a single G&T is simply ludicrous. Northerners are renowned for being tight but actually, stuff is just much more affordable up here.

Secondly, I’m just a little chippy about moving to London. As someone who doesn’t live there, you’re kinda reminded of it All. The. Time. We hear constantly how ‘everyone should live in London at least once’ and ‘when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life’, but really – why should we have to uproot ourselves just for a shot at a decent career in a creative field? Why should we move away from family and familiarity to experience culture and decent public transport? Can we not have that outside of London, too? There is LOTS to say on this subject, going right back to Thatcher’s dismantling of northern industry and beyond, but that’s a topic for another time. Let’s just say, the decision to live in the north often requires justification, and I think that’s straight up BS. 

My last reason is my most straightforward and my most compelling – I’m a pretty homely person, and I love being near my family. I can’t imagine moving hundreds of miles away, unless it was to America (hey Manhattan, I’m still waiting for your call).

I feel very strongly that the north will only start to challenge London in terms of jobs, culture, investment, etc, if we stay and build our lives here. So that’s what I’m doing, and that’s why I don’t live in London.

How about you?

corn exchange leedsCorn Exchange, Leeds

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Five Things I’ve Learnt Since Turning 30

Posted in Home, Writing.

I may be slightly too eager with this post – I turned 30 less than a month ago, after all. What could I possibly have learnt in the 27 days since my 30th birthday? Nothing of note, surely?

Probably not, no. But I’m a big fan of milestones and chapters – I like to work towards them and navel-gaze about them. And if you’ve read any of my ~content in the last year, you’ll know I’ve been gearing up for this birthday since I turned 29. So I feel like I have at least a bit to say about turning 30 – enough for five semi-salient points, anyway. So here they are…

things i've learnt since turning 30

It really does feel different to 29
Last week someone asked me ‘how does it feel to be 30?’ and I rolled out my stock answer (honed after many months of being asked how it feels to be married) – ‘exactly the same as being 29!’. But actually, it doesn’t. It feels different. Not in a ‘time to hang up my partying shoes and and buy a slow cooker’ kind of way, but more of an acknowledgement that I’m starting a new decade of my life; one that will probably look very different to the last one. It’s a good feeling – refreshing and restorative.

It’s easier to leave things behind
Maybe it’s the combination of a milestone birthday and a new year, but turning 30 has really helped me let some things go. When I ticked over from 29 to 30, I was determined that I wouldn’t spoil my shiny new decade with problems from my 20s. So I made a decision to ‘leave them behind’ – things that weighed me down in my late 20s aren’t coming with me for the next 10 years. I just won’t allow it.

Sensible things are more important
At 28, the thought of ‘being too sensible’ struck fear into my impulsive heart. Savings, tax bills, buying a house, fixing the car, sorting the cellar out, doing the glass recycling – all these things were (and tbh, still are) intolerably dull. The difference now is, I recognise the importance of boring, sensible things. It’s the one thing that just suddenly clicked – like I couldn’t bear to be a 30 year old woman with six months of glass recycling festering in the garden.

Your People become vitally important
My 30th birthday was a big event with lots of celebration (what can I say, I’m a drama queen) and my family and friends went way beyond to make it special for me. Being surrounded by people who make you feel entirely loved is the best thing in life, and there’s no room for anyone who doesn’t. Leave those behind in your 20s – they’re clearly not Your People.

It’s ok to change your mind
For me, turning 30 was a career milestone. With a whole new decade stretching out in front of me, I’ve started to seriously think about what I want to be doing in 5/10 years time… and it’s probably not what I’m doing right now. That doesn’t mean I’m packing it all in (don’t worry, clients!), but while I spent my 20s working towards a very specific career goal, I now feel like I have more options. I don’t have to continue on this linear career path – I can make small changes, try other things, start from the bottom. I’m not worried about ‘losing my place’ on the ladder while I step down to do something new. And the prospect of that is way more exciting than Instagram likes.

So that’s it – five things I’ve learnt since turning 30. They’re all pretty personal to me, and they account for the privilege I have to do things like try a new career path or leave problems behind – I know not everyone is in the same situation. I’m planning to update this post with my progress and more things I’ve learnt as the year goes on – a timeline of turning 30, if you will!

If you’re celebrating a milestone birthday or you have one coming up, I’d love to know what you’ve learnt – share your thoughts in the comments.

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Vlogmas #3 – A Christmas Cottage Adventure

Posted in Weekly Vlogs.

A couple of weekends ago, my entire extended family travelled from all over the country to Shropshire, where we spent a few days eating, drinking and generally being merry.

Despite protesting cries of ‘I don’t want to be on YouTube in my pyjamas!’ and queries like ‘why are you filming your sister slicing a loaf of bread?’, I captured the whole weekend on camera for Vlogmas. So here’s episode 3 – the one with some good, old fashioned family fun. Enjoy!

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