I’m sat here writing this post at the very end of May, knowing that very soon our time as a family of three is coming to an end and we will be joined by our newest family member. It’s such an exciting but nerve wracking time too - everything is so unknown. I wonder what he’ll look like, who he’ll take after. Will he be dark like me and his Dad, or will he be a carbon copy of his older brother, all blond hair and blue eyes? Will he be the same child of extremes as his brother, or, like so many younger siblings I see, will he be more laid back, more adventurous? And how will we all handle settling into life as a new little family?

But although all of those thoughts are on my mind, the main thing I’ve been trying to do this month is to appreciate these last days where Max is still the centre of our world. I’m so conscious that he’s about to have his world turned upside down, and although he couldn’t be more excited about the arrival of his little brother, and knows how close it all is now, I’m sure it’s going to be a huge adjustment for him. We’ve been enjoying lots of time together, just soaking up the sunny days in the garden together - enjoying ice creams, splashing in the paddling pool, and getting out all the garden toys.

Our family photos this month were taken nearer the middle of May, rather than the last minute attempts we often make. I wanted to make sure we got them done before I wasn’t capable of heading out and about any more! We found a beautiful quiet spot on our visit to the Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park, and for once we managed to have all the equipment with us - tripod and remote shutter! Of course, Max still insisted on operating the shutter himself, so we ended up with a mix of in-focus and out of focus shots, but I couldn’t be happier with these. We all look so happy! Our last photo as a family of three.