Due to the increasingly active movements of a nocturnal baby Helena is fast developing an online shopping habit…

People always ooh and aah about how lovely it is to feel them kicking, but I certainly wouldn’t call a foot/knee/elbow in the ribs (and other unmentionable places) the most enticing part of pregnancy.

Lyla on the other hand is sleeping soundly, mainly because of her newly acquired dance fever. After watching the first episode in the series of Strictly Come Dancing there have been repeated requests for “more dancing please Mummy”. This is then followed by her hurling nearby toys around the room and cuddling them affectionately in congratulation of their fantastic performances. She is a much kinder judge than Craig Revel-Horwood.

A definite upside to sleepless nights is the opportunity for a bit of sneaky online shopping. I’m on the hunt for a present for Lyla from the baby when he/she is born and top of the list is a doll’s cot. First up is www.notonthehighstreet.com where I spot the rather gorgeous ‘cradle deluxe’. My only condition is that Lyla doesn’t attempt to put the new baby in the cot; I’ve been told that my brother who was also two at the time, tried to feed me raw meat at 48 hours old. Possibly not what the midwife would recommend.

The idea for dolly accessories may have come from a recent trip to Wallington, a picturesque National Trust property in the nearby countryside. As well as vast gardens to play in, the main house has a room full of doll’s houses perfect for both mummy and daughter to enjoy exploring. We even managed to pick up some yummy local produce for dinner from the onsite farm shop on the way home, that’s my kind of multi-tasking.

Back to shopping at an unfortunate hour, I am drawn to the Crew Clothing website. I have my heart set on a pair of their ‘lounge pants’, a fabulous wintery evening option. If I’m going to compete with the sequins on Strictly I need to be looking my best come Saturday night!