So my last week at work has been and gone and I am finally on maternity leave. It doesn't officially start until June 2nd (as this upcoming week is half term), but the important thing is that I now have seven months before I have to go to work again, which is awesome. Although I'd been looking forward to my last day for ages, and despite work becoming physically difficult, I still had mixed feelings on the actual day. Finishing work means that my due date is only round the corner!
With this in mind, I've decided to stop delaying and actually pack my hospital bag/ wash the baby clothes / read my childbirth book etc.. Tom's parents bought round the car seat yesterday, and my sister the Moses basket today, so we are in gearing up mode. I've passed the 37 week mark so could technically go into labour at any time but I can't see it happening soon. I have a feeling I'm going to go past my due date, though hopefully not by too much. I have a sweep booked in for nine days after, I'm hoping that won't need to happen!
I've been reading lots lately, but I've not been a very good blogger. I only posted one review this past week, despite having a backlog of at least three to write, and I've hardly visited any blogs or left any comments. Which is a shame, as I've missed keeping up with the blogging world and all of your blogs. Hopefully I'll have more time this upcoming week to catch up with all of you.
This past week, I decided to be contrary and read a classic that isn't my classics club spin book, as everyone knows I'm awful reading to a list/deadline. The classic I picked up was Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell, which I ended up enjoying more than I thought I would. It's a quiet sort of book and reading it was a peaceful experience, like reading Little Women. I'm also dipping in and out of On the Map by Simon Garfield as my non-fiction pick, and I've just started my first Murakami, Norweigan Wood.
This week, I've been reading:
Review posted:
What an exciting time for you! Wishing you all the best.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting that you're on maternity leave! But scary too, I'm sure. I've been such a bad blogger lately too, I'm sure the internet will forgive us though hehe.
ReplyDeleteI love that you get seven months maternity leave! Definitely a good deserving break. Don't worry too much about not being a good blogger - I can see that it will be very hard to keep up, plus we'll all be waiting for you here when you're ready! Do keep us posted when possible! And enjoy these few weeks.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on maternity leave! Try to take it easy. I know I did far too much in the week or so leading up to Greyson's birth and wish I'd have relaxed a bit more. Glad to know you enjoyed Cranford since it's been sitting atop my classics TBR for a while now.
ReplyDeleteI am also terrible at reading from a list or on a deadline! I find myself constantly adding additional options to my Classics Club list... Always good to have choices though and I figure if it's a classic it can count :) I've read so many books lately and have a huge backlog of reviews, but try not to worry about it too much.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get a chance to relax before baby comes now you are officially on leave -- I'm sure this is both an exciting and stressful/anxious time. I wish you all the best in the coming weeks!
I'm glad you liked Cranford as well; I had the same response to it - a quiet kind but a cosy and nice read. I'm curious to see what you think of Norwegian Wood as a first Murakami book, I know it's such a hit and miss for people so it's hard to predict.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to scare you, but wow your due date is so soon - where did the time go?! I'm sure your filled with all sorts of emotions right about now. When my little one was born I had an 'elective' (I had use of that word as it really was not elective) C-section and so was booked in the op the week before my due date, I couldn't imagine going over that 39 week point - I was a shambles of emotions and aches and pains and all sorts. I hope you don't end up going over your due date, I'm sure you'd get very impatient to meet the little one.
ReplyDeleteOn a whole other note, I'm interested to know what you think of the Murakami novel. I attempted one of his books last year - 1Q84 - but wasn't entirely keen on it.
:-)
Bits & Bobs
So exciting! I hope your baby stays put until about his due date, but not over it, and enjoy your maternity leave! 7 months sounds awesome! Though it'll probably fly by ;)
ReplyDeleteHope all goes well with you in your maternity leave! I know what you mean about Cranford. By description it doesn't sound like it would be as interesting and enjoyable as it is, in fact. But it's got an engaging gentleness about it. Have you ever read Sarah Orne Jewett's The Country of Pointed Firs. I think of those two books as cut from the same cloth, though Jewett was American and Gaskell was English.
ReplyDelete7 months of maternity leave! Sounds like a dream to me :) Enjoy! I can imagine the mixed feeling though.. I wonder how I'll feel when the time comes (by that time you'll have your baby already, how exciting!)
ReplyDeleteI completely understand about Cranford. It is a very quiet book and the first time I read it I didn't quite get what was so great about it (but that might've been because I was looking for a story a la North & South). When I reread it last year I really enjoyed it though. I'm glad to hear you did too.