Easter long weekend with family

We had the most glorious long weekend over Easter. It was a time of home and hot cross buns, Dad's bread and eggs of the chocolate variety, beach walking and bump growing. She's grown a lot this week. He or she has grown, I should say. Week 17 has been a big one. I'm still 50/50 about the gender, leaning no way in particular. Though I did have a dream last week that it was a boy, named our favourite boys' name. He was a little cherub. We're so in love already.

On Saturday we visited my grandparents for lunch. Ben did a few little jobs, including helping Nana with her iPad Air (she's the coolest), and we made salad rolls with English cheddar, my favourite. We were gifted a knitted chick that held a chocolate egg, as well as chocolate Lindt bunnies and a darling knitted doll for bubs. We adore our grandparents, and their home.

That night we went to Mum and Dad's house and Dad made woodfired pizza. Mum served a quince cake with her poached quince, alongside Dad's homemade peach ice-cream. Goodness, that sounds too much, doesn't it? Typing it out I realise how spoilt we sound, as we bask in all their delicious talents. They just can't help themselves, they're naturally awesome and talented. As are Ben's parents! On Friday, after cooking with my friend Camilla and her Nonna (such a sweet invitation), we welcomed Ben's folks home from Hong Kong. My mother-in-law bought bubs a bag full of adorable, teeny tiny clothes and me a denim-style dress, which I haven't stopped wearing. My in-laws are so loving and generous. Ben's dad tells me to not walk so fast because I might slip, and then serves us crazy good Cantonese food. Yeah, between both our parents, we're incredibly well fed.

But back to Saturday night...

For pizza toppings (using Dad's usual base) we went simple, with Mum's homemade passata with roasted tomatoes and capsicum, as well as various cheeses, rocket and herbs. And then kind of jazzy, with a bianca base of Dad's garlic oil, plus caramelised onions, prosciutto, their homegrown figs and walnuts.

Easter Sunday morning started with a visit from the Easter bunny. He left some Lindt carrots and animals, which I felt was really sweet. I've kind of avoided chocolate during my pregnancy, (besides raw cacao), as it hasn't really been enjoyable (too strong in flavour perhaps?). But I introduced a little milk chocolate this weekend. And it was good.

We took advantage of my brother being around this long weekend and planned a "Parsley bedroom makeover day" (we call our baby Parsley, see this post for a sort of explanation). That morning he came over with my folks and we enjoyed a breakfast of Dad's homemade sourdough fruit bread with a side of local apples and Greek yoghurt.

Mum brought her sander over (her proficiency with power-tools amused my brother to no end) and we prepped a cabinet, ready to be painted and moved into Parsley's room. We took our spare bed to Mum and Dad's house, and we swapped a wardrobe for the cabinet before a trip to the tip (luckily our neighbour has a trailer). My darling day bed is now in bub's room and I'm googling cots, looking on gumtree for a high chest of drawers and deciding on what colours to paint the cabinet. I'm trying to get as much done early so I don't have to push myself when I'm giant and waddling.

And now it's Easter Monday afternoon and I'm sitting on the couch, having just made soup and toast for lunch. The smell of chicken stock and bolognaise simmering on the stove reminds me that my nausea keeps improving. Ben is to my right, checking emails. Soon I'll bug him to watch a movie, which will probably be the final hour of Harry Potter number 7, part 1. I see cuddles and more chocolate goodies in our couch future.

It's been a really lovely Easter long weekend.

Heidi xo