When I had our first daughter we had a newborn photoshoot out of a sense of, well, duty, and while I was thrilled with the results (read about what was involved and see the photos here) it was quite a stressful experience e.g. getting a week-old baby into the car, driving to a studio and […]
Yes. Still pregnant. It’s a funny feeling, knowing that the baby could arrive at any moment, and indeed that if things were different, she could have been with us for weeks, thriving on the outside. As it happens, she’s thriving on the inside eg getting bigger and bigger, which is a good thing, […]
I look back on the weeks when I felt huge and want to laugh – at 38 weeks now I am truly enormous. Then I was barely showing. I was a NYMPH. Walking/waddling for more than 10 minutes hurts. There are lots of involuntary noises when sitting, standing, rolling, breathing etc. […]
I know, I know. 38 weeks pregnant is NOT the ideal time for a mall trawl, but as you might have gathered from previous posts, I’m in a small (major) bit of denial about the imminent arrival of my second child, which means I’m totally unprepared. And she is due next week. […]
Now, I don’t want to jinx things, but I’m feeling pretty good… 37 weeks pregnant is officially the ‘fully cooked’ stage and if this one comes early, then her lungs should be mature enough to function without help. At my last scan the doctor said her head was down, but she wasn’t […]
I consider myself something of a pushchair aficionado. Much like after the summer I spent selling sunglasses when I couldn’t help but check out what shades everyone was wearing (I can still identify a pair of polarised Oakleys at 20 paces), since becoming a mum, I can’t resist eyeing up what wheels fellow […]
I’m not quite at the ‘get this baby out of me NOW’ stage, but at 36 weeks pregnant I’m not far off. Soon I’ll be 37 weeks, and the baby will be fully cooked, which will put my mind at ease somewhat, even though that means I actually have to give birth and […]
I hate to break it to you, but there’s no such thing a stress-free kid’s birthday party – but please keep reading, because there ARE things you do, and people you can contact, who can make it considerably less painful. Even if you’re on a budget. At the weekend we celebrated Phoebe’s second […]
This is going to be a quick update, because I really need a nap. And have a two-year-old’s party to organise. What was I thinking…? Highlights of this week included: Discovering the best hot chocolate in Dubai (photo here), which is covered in burnt marshmallows and salted caramel sauce. Can you […]
I wouldn’t say I’m a sceptic – I have a few too many Pollyanna moments for that – but I’m definitely prone to the odd eye-roll, side eye and eyebrow raise. There are just some things that just aren’t for me. Simple as that. I’m sure you’re the same. Over two years […]
I’m Helen Farmer, an editor and journalist, mum to 4-year-old Phoebe and 2-year-old Tabitha, wife to Nick and a mummy blogger in Dubai (even though I don’t really identify as one, but I blog, and I’m a mum, so there you go). I’ve been living in the Middle East for the last 10 years, working in books, magazines and broadcasting, shedding some light on the good and bad of life, work and motherhood in the UAE.
The Mothership is for you if you’re a busy, active mum who can’t stand small talk, bad info and twee blogs that make out that mothering is all unicorns and rose petals, instead of admitting that you can love your child so much it terrifies you – while still wanting a night in alone watching The Great British Bake Off with a double G&T or a night out pretending you don’t have children.
