The Mummy Tag

I was tagged by throughnikslens to do The Mummy tag, a post where you answer 20 questions. Usually I forget about these so I thought id get it up straight away, and let some of my new/old readers know a little more about me.

1. Are you a stay-at-home-mum or a working mum?
I'm a bit of both, I work part-time..three days a week.

2. Would you have it any other way?
No, I think this is the perfect balance as I get the best of both worlds. I took advantage of the full fifty-two weeks maternity leave so didn't miss any of those first precious moments, yet still now get adult conversation. Although leaving him is the hardest thing in the world, there is nothing better than seeing his face light up when I get home. And although people think im crazy for it, I will be returning to this routine after having the Little One currently living in my tummy!

3. Do you co-sleep?
Sometimes. Rio slept through from around 12 weeks old but as he's got older we've found a few nights a week he will climb in between us..no tears, no fuss, just puts his arms around both of us and snuggles back to sleep! & if by doing that it means we all get a good nights sleep..so be it!!

4. What is your must-have item for your baby?
For a baby or for Rio? For Rio its footballs, these were his motive to grab, crawl and walk. For a baby? A rocking moses basket! When your zombie-fied in the night there's nothing easier than just sticking your arm out of the duvet and giving it a little soothing rock!

5. How many kids do you plan on having?
I'm currently pregnant with baby number two, my OH says this is the last one but a few years down the line I can see us making it three. (que message on lunch break telling me no! haha)

6. Date nights – how many a month?
We've only had three since we've had Rio, but do plan to do more, maybe one every two months? You'll be surprised at how liberating eating out just the two of you is!

7. Your child’s favourite show?
Peppa Pig and Ben & Hollys little kingdom! He knows they are on back to back all day so I cant even get out of watching them...constantly!! On valentines day we returned home to my dad sat on the sofa watching Peppa with Rio.. my first words were "well it was worth the money to not have to watch this for once". He's slightly obsessed and at 22 months know all the characters names!

8. Name one thing you bought before you had your baby and never ended up using?
Under the mattress breathing monitors! You spend all your time watching your baby sleep/checking their breathing that they really aren't necessary. Ours are still in the box.

9. Your child’s favourite food?
Whenever you ask Rio what he wants he says "Sausages, beans"..Meaning please make me a mini fry up.. he loves mushrooms and dippy eggs! He's started to be a big fan of porridge again and will say "mmm nice, isn't it?" after every mouthful!

10. How many cars does your family have?
One. I hate driving, much to the OH's dismay.

11. Weight gain before pregnancy during and after and now?
Before pregnancy, the first time around, I was underweight. In fact, I weighed 6stone4. After having Rio I thankfully managed for the first time in my life to hold onto a bit of it and stayed at 7stone8. I'm now 21 weeks pregnant and a few pounds over 8stone.

12. Dream holiday with your kids?
Somewhere we can do something different every day. I know the typical answer is Disney Land but I think Rio would be happy anywhere there was wildlife and a swimming pool. Safari maybe ;)

13. Dream Holiday without your kids?
Somewhere hot where we can top up our tans and go for lots of nice meals.

14. How has your life changed since your baby has been born?
Me and Craig have always been ridiculously close but having Rio has made us a family. Its cheesy to say but I think we were made to be parents.  None of us was ever too bothered about going out drinking so the whole 'missing life before' doesn't really come into it with us.

15. Finish the sentence: ‘It makes my heart melt to see…’
My OH and Rio together, even now 22 months on I still get butterflies watching them.

16. Where do you shop for your kids?
Next. I don't think that there is any competition kids clothes wise.

17. Favourite makeup and skincare products?
Makeup wise its Rimmels wake me up foundation, along with my trusty Lasting Perfection concealer. Skincare, I love lush and soap and glory for bathtime and liz earle cleansing wise.

18. Huggies or Pampers?
Pampers caused nothing but leaks when we had Rio so I don't know what I am going to do this time around now that Huggies have bee discontinued!

19. Have you always wanted kids?
Yes, apart from a brief period after I was my sisters birthing partner!

20. Best part about being a mum?
Everything!

Bravado: Maternity bra review!

I spent most of my teenage life unblessed in the boob department. I took the 'fake it till you make it' approach and wearing padded push up underwire bra's became the norm. Thankfully by the time I got to sixteen/seventeen something began to happen and then I got pregnant with Rio at 20 and well...the rest is history.

With Rio my boobs never really hurt though, even after birth. I had family members telling me to put lettuce leaves on to ease the pain and I was sat insisting they were fine.

Image courtesy of google search

This time around is a different story, my pregnancy symptoms began with the tell tale boob tenderness and it has progressed ever since. Day time for the most part isn't too bad but when I walk to the toilet in the night, they are agony! Re-adjusting the bones underneath my bra is horrible and I finally had enough and went on the hunt for a good maternity bra.

A trip to Mothercare proved unsuccessful, so I thought it was very apt that I returned home to an email asking me whether id like to try out a Bravado! Designs maternity bra. I sent over my size and eagerly awaited the post man! And he didn't disappoint. Not only was it a maternity bra, it was also a nursing bra..two birds with one stone and all of that, with extra clips meaning you can eventually convert it into a normal everyday bra. If that isn't value for money I don't know what is!

I'm usually a 32D but pregnancy so far has took me to a 34DD making me a Medium in The Body Silk Seamless Nursing Bra. I have to currently put the back strap on the tightest setting meaning that I will have plenty of room to grow throughout the upcoming months. My first impressions were that it was like a sports bra, only adjustable..which later proved to be just the thing I needed to help my night time problem. I liked that it didn't just come in black and white as I'm due to have my baby in the summer months and the pink (orchid pink) will be perfect under my very girly wardrobe!

At first I didn't like the elastic strap that is created when you unclip the bra to 'nurse' but when I actually used my mind and figured it would stop the strap slipping over your shoulder I soon saw the
geniousness of it!

The only fault I, and later my OH, found with the product was that the foam cups seemed very round and obvious but as they are removable this seems a little picky. I think I will later replace them with breast pads anyway in terms of 'covering the nipple'.

Its a ....

What better excuse to eat lots of cupcakes than a gender reveal? We had a batch made up, some with pink centres, some with blue. Everyone was given a cupcake with the correct gender inside and told to bite!

 

Myself, Craig & Rio are proud to announce we are TEAM BLUE and expecting another little boy!

19 weeks pregnant // 22 month old

I'm a bit behind with both of these posts but seems as though I'm on a weeks holiday from work I'm going to pop them both into one post instead of dwelling on it.

There was no sickness/nausea from me, which is quite a result as Rio had a sicky bug and it was a struggle at times with the smell. Why does it always smell cheesy even when cheese hasn't been consumed?

The only thing i've noticed more this week is the bottom of my back grinding when I roll over in bed at night, I have to wiggle around in pain until the bones pop back into place....horrible!! Will have to ask my midwife about that one but i'm guessing its because everything loosens up to make room for the Little one.

I'm now 20 weeks and currently 3 days away from finding out whether we are team blue or pink! Keep your eyes peeled for a gender reveal at the weekend!

I also cant believe it is only two months until Rio turns two now! That seems crazy and I think at two these monthly updates will stop and I will just post what he/we have been up to. I love the stage he's at..such a personality. And although I am nervous about the adjustment to two children..im sooo excited to see them together!

His current favourite things are: Peppa pig/ Ben & Holly / Jumping in puddles / Playing football / Drawing / Juice / Sausage rolls

A walk in the wind!

I cant remember the last time we had a good outdoorsy day out. (What with the weather and the fact that I work weekends.) But today we had a pretty good one at Potteric Carr. You can see our first visit here.

 

Rio walked all the way from the entrance to the café, pretty good going for a one year old, it must be over a mile.. before stopping off for a lovely jacket potato lunch! The weather held out and we managed to go another route on the way back. (Even if my pregnant bum did have to lift his pram over a fallen tree..horrible England wind).  We did intend to build a bird box as that was todays activity at the reserve but left it abit late (Asda closes at 4 on a Sunday). But it was still a lovely day out as usual, proving that the annual pass was money well spent!

Little one: 18 weeks.. pregnancy progress!

This week I stepped out of my comfort zone and attempted to vlog my 18 week update instead of blogging it. Rio skipped his nap and was in a cheeky mood so it basically ended up being a video of bloopers. I like to call it..The one where Rio calls mummy 'dog breath'.



This week Little One is around 12cm long and raises its chest up and down to mimic breathing!

 

Sickness:

This week has been great sickness wise, up until someone decided to be sick up the entire route of the school run. That day everything set me off! And I found my self gipping away at the weirdest of things.

 

Movement:



Movement is the biggest difference again this week. After my OH felt the baby move things seem to go awfully quiet in there. For around three days I wasn't sure I even felt anything. I put on a brave face but eventually expressed my concern to my OH who told me to ring the midwife. Just as I was getting her number up the baby rolled over so fast it made me feel funny, and the kicking started again. I'm guessing my bump growth gave it enough room to hide away kicking things I couldn't feel for a while :)

Bump:

A little more growth this week bump wise. Ive purchased some over the bump jeans, which I never though I would do, and their sooo comfy. I braved the scales too and ive gained 7lbs at 18+6 which is pretty good and normal for around half way through..i think.

 

 

Other:

After a few days of itching, my belly button has decided to pop out...yes already!

Parent tidying: The art of moving mess from one place to another!

When your the parent to a toddler, or multiple children, it feels as though your forever tidying up. Yet at the end of the day when you throw yourself on the sofa to relax to the soaps all evidence of that is well and truly gone! On numerous occasions I've actually been guilty of taking photo's of my gleaming clean house just to prove to my OH that I don't just sit drinking cuppa's all day, encouraging Rio to cause chaos. Yes - I am that sad!

While tidying today I suddenly became aware that 'parent tidying' is totally different to 'pre parent tidying'.

Behold...Parent tidying: The art of moving mess from one place to another. (Where it looks relatively less messy).

First you want to pick up the washing. (Usually found around every corner of the house) & deposit on the top of the mountain waiting to be washed.

Now rapidly pick up all toys and shove them into toy boxes, only enticing your little one to scour through that very box while looking for whatever's at the bottom!

Then let your little one loose on the 'shake & vac' so the carpets smell fresh, even if they are currently covered in jam stains etc until you remember to actually pick up the darn and blast it carpet shampoo-ey stuff! Hoover with toddler in toe mimicking the very thing and tripping you over with theirs! ..Only to realise its 15 minutes until lunch time so that was a pointless expedition!

Whip out the baby wipes and wipe all skirting boards/surfaces!

 Seconds later your toddler spots where you've been hiding the play dough all week!

And the fun starts all over again!