Pregnancy + app! My New obsession!

Although this baby will be my second, I still find myself obsessively scouring websites for week by week updates of what the Little One is up to in my tummy. Although I have opted out of the emails this time I do still like to know what he looks like, and how big he is. When I saw on twitter there was an app to do this and more I jumped at the chance to try it out!

With the Health and Parenting Pregnancy + app, not only can you see what the baby looks like you can also..count kicks! A god send in later pregnancy if your ever worried about reduced movement.

I love how its tailored to you and very personal. It knows your name, tracks your weight, your health, tells you what to eat etc..heck it even has a list of names to help decide if your struggling. Talk about everything in one place!

The app can be downloaded and used for free up to 14 weeks (which I think is amazing as I know from personal experience this 'danger zone' can be utterly nerve wracking and when you do most of your 'research')..  after that you can opt to purchase the version to continue to unlock all the features.

I was sent a code to try the full product for free but as id recently switched contracts to a blackberry, not an iPhone I opted to buy this through the windows store instead and now have this on my laptop. I was very kindly offered a refund but protested as this product really is worth every penny and more..the contraction feature alone cost me more last time!

Pregnant ladies, this one is for you!!

Is it strange that I also got slightly giddy when I saw there was a baby app for the first year coming soon too?? Eeek!

Rio, an update!

Its been far too long since i did one of these posts so i thought id pop a little update on.

- Rio now has two double teeth, one at either side on the bottom.
- He loves brushing his teeth, and will point to his brush and mime brushing everytime we go in the bathroom.
- His eyes are changing colour. Blue on the outside, green in the middle, hazel on the inside..gorgeous!
- He will repeat words when you ask him to and is learning his animal noises.
- His natural ability with a football is astounding, Craig plays and coaches so hes definitely passed that one down.
- He understands and reacts to everything you say. And lets you know if youve understood him wrong.
- Hes so cheeky! I was testing new running trainers and as the salesman crouched down to help, Rio perched himself on his knee! I was in shock, more so when he took a liking to his fringe and gave it a little tug. Absolute terror!
- His favourite drink is strawberry milkshake
- He's putting together words and will say things like "I want a boc, I want that ball, I wanna go outside"
- He'll run off mid nappy change and sulk "no bum", meaning he doesnt want his nappy back on. Priceless!

A letter to my 15 year old self..

Dear Victoria,

Yes i just used your sunday name, no your not in trouble, turns out in the future you actually prefer it. Crazy right? Theres alot more crazies but first and foremost..stop killing your hair with bleach women, in a few years you will have to go from this..

to this! & guess what.. you'll love it! You'll then enbark on a neverending cycle of growing it out and cutting it off again and this wont stop until you realise you'll need it long for your wedding. Oh poopy..rewind!!

Okay, so that guy your dating? forget him..pretty soon your going to meet the type of guy that everyone dreams about, for a while you ignore him but after that the rest is history. About six years from now you will actually have his baby, even after swearing you will never get pregnant after being Zoe's birthing partner, oh yeah she has a baby too..congratulations your an auntie, multiple times!!

Together the two of them have changed your life, your two misters - without a doubt your everything! Oooh yeah, its a boy..but you know that from about 14 weeks anyway, you were always a little freaky like that. A month after giving birth you will get engaged but i wont give you the details and ruin it for you :)

Dont worry about your shyness, being a mum reinvents you! You finally find a job that you enjoy, its not everyones idea of doing great but who cares? No its not going to horse college but you do get back in the saddle. Your saving for a mortgage & a wedding...you have a dog!! Yes you, miss "i'll walk 15 mins in the opposite direction just to avoid a scary stray" ..ohh and your a stone and half heavier than pre pregnancy..calm the heck down!! I know it seems scary right now, but you will look back and realise you needed to.

Lifes just beginning..for both of us (or whatever, you get what i mean) x

...Want to join in too?? head over to http://www.writelikenooneswatching.com/ and link up!

A treat for mummy

Its no secret that i've always been a girly girl, but now that im a food covered messy haired mummy make up has taken abit of a backseat and its abit of a treat to actually sit and spend time on my makeup instead of chucking abit of bronzer and mascara on. A while ago i discovered two people i know are also bloggers..crazy right? heres me naively thinking im a loner. One of which has a fashion blog, through that i found her little handmade shop and came across a brush roll i fell in love with. I had to have one made, and instead of stopping there i pushed the beauty boat out and asked if she'd be able to make me a matching makeup bag..and well the rest is history!!

 

 
 
 
 

I think the pictures speak for themselves are far as her talent and creativity goes!! Mummys to little girls id recommend checking out the little dress and the cushions!!

Laura's blog: http://misslaurameow.blogspot.co.uk/
Laura's shop:  https://www.facebook.com/#!/polkadotteapotdesigns?fref=ts

Another proud mummy moment!

To encourage Rio to learn more words i dug out the alphabet books. Not only can he now say apple, octopus etc he can sit and point to 90% of the book when asked. I have to admit we've been driven a little coocoo reading and rereading them..and at times moaned 'nooo Rio not again' but watching him suprise us at hard ones like 'quoits' makes it more than worth it!

What he wears..

I have an addiction with buying Rio tops, it doesnt help that at 14 months he's still in the little sizes (mainly 6-9 ) ..everything looks cuter smaller! When something catches my eye i just find myself buying it..and thats what happened today. I think you'll let me off though when you see how amazing this one is.

Voila!!

Top: Next £9 .. 9-12 month
http://www.next.co.uk
 

What little boys wardrobe is complete without a top with a detachable cape?

Play mate & chicken pox

Ive never never seen Rio move, or let me get him ready so fast as when i say, "do you want to go see Jacob?".  Hes at that age where he'll happily play independently but he blooms around other toddlers.

Its strange to think these were only took yesterday as today he is covered in spots. Thats right, my little mister has chicken pox.

I think quite alot of the blogging, vlogging, youtube watching community will know who fleurdeforce is, sadly her beautiful spaniel passed away recently and as a fellow spaniel owner watching her vlog left me in tears. I cant even imagine losing Jessie. She went missing once after being spooked by another dog for three hours and they were the worst of my life. I paced the canals, the fields, the streets until it was dark but i couldnt give in, just when everyone else had given up hope (she's scared of strangers so no one would be able to read her tag etc) a lady called my OH and said she went to take her dustbin out and there was a litle bark from behind it. We raced over and there she was! Its made me realise that since having Rio she has taken a backseat on here and she shouldnt have, shes such a huge part of my life too. So for future reference when you see her face on here every now and again..this is Jessie..my little dog - a heartbeat at my feet!

My thoughts are with Fleur & Mike, Woofy was such a character!! xx

Dear Rio

Today is your first birthday. Where has time gone? It seems like i met you only yesterday, 6lb6oz of perfection suddenly there on my belly. Seven minutes, thats all it took, that flew too. The past year has been the best one of my life. You've changed me so much, its like i was meant to be a mum. You've been ahead in every thing you do and while thats amazing, its also scary. I imagined you taking a few steps at one not running around the house with a ball. Your ball crazy, like your dad. You seem to have his skills too, and one day soon he will teach you everything he knows. Everyone asks "is he good?" i always tell them the truth, your a godsend, we dont know we've got you. You've got such a cheeky personality though, your little face makes me chuckle everytime. Words cannot describe how happy you have made me, and how much i love you. You won't remember your first birthday, but i hope you enjoy it anyway.

All my love always..Mummy :) xx

 

If you havent already read it, Rio's birthstory can be found here..

http://walkingtalkingpollypocket.blogspot.co.uk/p/rios-birth-story.html

This week Rio has cut the back of his head open, bumped the front so it looks like an egg, crawled away & sat down mid poopy bum change & vomitted up the stairs. Life as a mummy is so glamorous ;)

 

 

11 month update

When Rio was born and people asked how old he was, i loved being able to say it in weeks..but there comes a time when you have to start saying it in months. When next month comes i feel that i'm meant to move on and say "hes a year old". But i wont..i refuse! Its too general and sounds far too old..maybe if i say "he's 18 months old" etc, i can convince them (and myself) that he's still a baby. But he's not is he? He's a little toddler. Dont get me wrong i love watching him grow up, and cant wait to have a conversation with him but..wahh!

- He says things like "quack quack" , too adorable!

- He's a pro walker but refuses (even though he can) to get up from the floor when he's fell over, and crawls to the next object to get back up again.

- He's got super cuddly and loving, mainly for me :) hehe

- He's got 7 teeth with the 8th on the way

- He can understand everything you say and responds in the right way

- He's still ball mad, even more so now he can walk around kicking it.

- We chose his godparents

- He's obsessed with watching me flush the toilet, strange child

- Rio had his first hair cut, and needs another one already!

- He's started escaping during nappy change time.

- When you say "go nan nights/sleepies" he's put his head on the pillow and closes his eyes

- He finds you jumping in the air hilarous, i tend to leave this one to Craig.

 -We havent found a food he doesnt like yet
 

Sorry for the lack of posts and comments on yours..my laptop screen is playing up so im having to plug it into the tv, which is kinda cool but a major nuisance.

A year ago..

A year ago today i was full term with Rio, talking about how painting your toe nails whilst being pregnant is a chore, and telling you to not even get me started about blind shaving!! Haha. I recommended that cervix lighting should be renamed 'lightning' because thats certainly what it felt like. And i looked like this.  (this was actually took two weeks before but oh well)

Little did i know that i could let alone would grow alot bigger than this!

Looking back on it now makes me miss my bump. Miss my little baba kicking, wriggling and hiccuping inside me. But makes me happy that i started blogging. It makes me look at my 11 month old terror napping on the sofa with his daddy and think.. "god where has the time gone?".

If i could give an expectant/new mother any advice at all, it would be to take far too many pictures, especially of those first moments, because looking back..it is nowhere near enough!

My first mothers day

Sunday was my first mothers day :) i think..do you class the one where there in your tummy? probably not, i didnt!

I dont like really obvious gifts & luckily Craig knows me so well that i didnt just end up with 'mum' keepsakes and flowers. Dont get me wrong, flowers are nice sometimes..i just prefer them as a random suprise. Saying that, the last time Craig suprised me with "flowers" it was a poinsettia near christmas.

10 points for spotting the spelling mistake!

He suprises me does my Craigy. I babble to him while im browsing beauty magazines/blogs in bed, thinking he's dozing off and blanking me, but he's secretly memorising everything i want. Apart from the bubble wand. He randomly likes to buy me these himself. Last time he came home with 'the mum'. More fitting for the day, but anyhow..like he says "it goes well with the bath bomb".

1. Id been browsing the Lush website, and said "ooh these have petal in, isnt that a good idea?". Normally i stick to my oldtime two favourites avobath & fizzbanger so i will have to give these a try.

2/3. These are both finds from the latest glamour mag. I've got fine hair but never really bought products designed for it. Since Rio likes to grab handfuls of my hair and snap it off not only did i need a product designed for it..i also needed another to strengthen it. I was getting too tempted to cut it all back off again so along winning louise from sprinkleofglitters straightner competition, this has given me an extra little boost to keep going.

4. As said above this was a little suprise. I think for the money their a little on the pricey side compared to a bottle of bubble bath. But its a little big of girly luxury :) and i love it!

We also went out for carvery, yumyum! & picked a mum shortbread up in asda. It was no cooplands shortbread man (which i buy all the time now i have pushchair in tow and can get away with pretending their for Rio) but we enjoyed it all the same. Blogger on the other hand doesnt like it and wont let me upload the picture!

Rio's first haircut

As much as i loved Rio's curls, they were getting crazy. So we finally gave in and took him for his first hair cut.

Aww nice and neat ^^ the curls were back at the back by bedtime though, much to my delight :)

Happy mothers day everyone, and if like me its your first..an extra special happy to you!!

'The' update

Other than the birth story, i think this is 'the' update in mummyworld blogging. Well other than getting pregnant again but i'm not planning that one yet.

Rio can walk!! Wahhh writing that makes me sad. Okay it doesnt, im secretly happy clapping inside and doing a little dance but still, i should be sad. My little baby has reached a major milestone. 'THE' major milestone.

^^ Where did he go, how did this happen ;)

Something just clicks in Rio overnight. One day he cant do something, the next he can. Everyday he knows something new. One day he couldnt sit up..at all! The next he could..like a pro! The same for crawling..well snippering..it took him a while to get out of that little stage ;) A few days ago, hell even yesterday, he'd only do 4/5 steps, then realise what he was doing and sit down! No amount of coaxing could get him to try it again. But today.. something clicked. Step step step step fall. Hear mummies praise. Get back up. Step step step step step fall. Over and over again, until suddenly falling wasnt a big deal. Then he got wise and started putting his arms out and up for balance, even stopping in between groups of steps every now and again to re centre. Yes sometimes he falls after 4/5 steps still, yes he still aims for the furniture or me. But he's doing it. And i guarentee by his first birthday there will be no stopping him. :) Wahhhh!!

He also has two new teeth, also over night..what a trooper!

Thats seven now. Sometimes he uses them seven teeth to bite now too! i guess this is one of those bad habits you have to learn children not to do. *sigh* .. even though it was midly amusing when he clamped onto Craigs nose as he was nodding off..for me anyway ;)

Sunshine; take two

The sun was out again this weekend, still bitterly cold.. but does that matter? If the suns out in England, you go out! Although if your one of those silly sausages that go out dressed all set practically for a beach, then shame on you! I can see your goosepimples from across the street. What is it with us? A bit of sunshine and we all head outside, in shorts and sunglasses. A bit of snow and we cannot leave the house! Everythings at a standstill.

Destination of choice?? The petting farm. We took Annalise along as Rio isnt really old enough to do any 'petting' safely, without losing a finger or two anyway. This place was no "white post farm" but we all enjoyed the obstacle course & pedal carts none the less.

 

Ooh yes! Even i attempted this bad boy, but from the other "rock wall" side. 

Your all looking at it thinking, well that isnt daunting, even the little girl is having a go.. yes because she has trainers on and someone to catch her.  Craig was filming me so i bet he'd happily see me slip a little...which i very nearly did! Note to self: Slobby pumps are not correct climbing footwear!

 

Off to bed, sleepyhead!

As a mummy to a boy, i have major girl clothing envy when out shopping. I like 70% of girl clothes and yet find it so hard to really fall in love with something for Rio, apart from PJ's. Boys really have the advantage on cool PJ's.

 

I'm a sucker for anything 'cute dinosaur'. We often refer to Rio as Rio-saurus or saurus so my insides squeel when i see things like this! He even says rawr sometimes now..that reminds me of a tweet i recently saw. "Anyone who thinks rawr mean i love you in dinosaur obviously hasnt watched jurrasic park..it means im going to eat you". But just for today, i'll pretend it means i love you ;)  Next sleepsuits & vests wash so well.. which is great for me seems as though Rio seems to stay in one size for so long. He's 11 months in 9 days and these are 6-9, with some growing room! This pack is £15-£16 in store. And can be found here http://www.next.co.uk/x51892s2#133147x51 The middle ones my favourite!

 

 

 

Primark have some Mr Mischief ones that are a gorgeous shade of blue for £6.

 

And these yojojo ones were amazing from Asda before the mess ;) promise.

 

Storytime for saurus!

I'm a bookworm, so was delighted when i noticed that Rio loves storytime. Today he even tried turning the pages with me. My heart melt. See, ive said it before and i'll say it again til you get bored of me, "its the little things in life that makes you smile".  I've spent so much money over the years on books, spent so much time down the aisles at the library..i still do now sometimes even though i own a kindle.

Then i discoved carboots & charity shops. Its only sane with the amount of books i want to get Rio that i do the same for his too. I love the idea of reading a book and passing it on. Yes, some are keepers that you will read and reread but its never good to be a hoarder. Unless you've got your own in house library, then hoard all you like you lucky person!!

A few posts ago i mentioned the potty poo poo wee wee book i got for 10p, after research i noticed had i bought this online, via sites such as ebay , it would have cost me between £11-52, used!! I really like this book and i think its great one for both parent and child around the potty training age. The ended put such a smile on my face, and my dads when he too sat and read it to Rio.

This week i picked up two more books. I'm not 100% sure on the cost as two books and a top came up to £1. Bargain. I was too stuck up in my teens to even shop in primark, now look at me scouring charity shops. Thats motherhood for you.

 

 I really loved the meaning behind this book. Augustus has lost his smile, no matter how much he looks he just cant find it. Until he realises "its the little things in life that make you smile" ..see i told you ;)

This book didnt do it for me as much as the others i have mentioned. I liked how it was a story that got all the woodland animals to sleep. As thats how i see it being in our house. Bath, bottle, book, bed. But other than that nothing really set it apart.

As usual im open to book suggestions in the comments :) i do actually buy them sometimes ;)

Bit of a different post for me, let me know your opinion on that too!

Making the most of the sunshine

It's no secret that sunshine in England is as rare as _______.. i want to say rocking horse shit am i allowed to say that on here? Urm, fill in the blank with something rare of your choice. So when it made an appearance today i popped Rio into his pushchair and took him on his first trip to the park. I know i know, 10 months old and hasnt been? What a bad mother. This one even has ducks..bonus! Two birds with one stone and all that.

 

 



We both had such a lovely day :) ..baby group tomorrow if we are up and ready in time. Why do they make these things so early and at the other end of yonder?

Im giving out medals

Yep..im giving out medals to all you mummies that can feed your baby and not get food anywhere. My dad can..oooh he sits there and perfectly disposits the food into Rios mouth leaving him all clean and pretty. Me? Pshh i just pile it in,and wipe off the excess with the spoon..sometimes he'll even clamp his lips and turn his cheek to me so i get it on there too!! Its worse when you having nothing in the house thats 'baby edible' and have to use one of those jars..bright orange food making your baby look like a simpson when you wipe it off!

 

Oooh thats better!!

2/52 (project 52)