Mummy & Me - May 2018

May has been a fantastic month, we've had glorious weather here in the UK with lots of bank holidays and family days out. We've just come back from our yearly holiday abroad. Last year we went to Marbella in Spain and stayed in a relations villa with family. Ava was just 11 weeks old at the time, it was her first holiday abroad and Noah's second time. They both love to go on holiday and both travel so well.

This year we decided to go to Puerto Pollensa in Majorca, just the four of us. We booked 11 nights, all inclusive in a 4-star hotel and it was just what we needed!  The location was perfect, the hotel was fantastic, the food was delicious and the weather was stunning! Whilst we were there I celebrated my 30th birthday which really made the big day even more memorable. We came home this weekend and I've had major holiday blues, so much so I'm thinking of booking something else later this year.

With going on holiday I had so many photographs to choose from this month. Nick had taken so many candid shots of the kids and I but I've managed to whittle it down to three. The first is a shot of Ava's first time walking on sand and into the sea. Some children don't like the feel of sand and can be scared of the sea, but not Ava! She's so outgoing and loves to explore and experience new things. The next are two shots of me playing with the children in the pool and baby splash park. We spent so much time in and around the pool, the kids loved it! Oh, what I'd do to be back there right now!

Trying To Conceive My Two Children

Trying to conceive, they call it a journey for a reason. It's a decision which will change your life forever and is an experience which is filled with so many different emotions, no matter the outcome. Noah and Ava were meticulously planned and I have fond memories of our experience. Although they are still young, it still feels like a lifetime ago that we decided to start a family.

When we started trying for our first baby we knew that it could take months or years to fall pregnant, but we were very fortunate for it to happen right away. With it being my first pregnancy and with everything happening so fast I was understandably quite nervous. I googled everything and was constantly symptom spotting.

Thankfully my pregnancy with Noah was very straightforward, minus a little spotting in the first trimester. As a first time expectant Mother, I was dreaming of a peaceful water birth but that wasn't meant to be. I was induced, a week before my due date due to his movements changing. It was a long and drawn out process but after 3 days in the hospital, he was born. He weighed a 7lb 2oz and was the sweetest thing I'd ever laid eyes on. Holding him for the first time, I'd never felt a love like it.

Fast forward three years and we decided to start trying for another baby. We felt it was the right time as we didn't want a huge age gap between our children and we envisioned ourselves as a family of four. As I fell pregnant so fast with Noah we thought the chances of it happening again were slim to none. I didn't dare to look at any statistics and instead went in feeling excited and hopeful. Yet, it happened again, we fell pregnant straight away. My friends joke that Nick only has to look at me and I'll fall pregnant. 

My pregnancy with Ava was a little harder on my body, perhaps because I already had a three-year-old to look after and it had already gone through the wars in my first labour. I was overdue this time around and although my waters broke, my contractions never started. This resulted in another long and drawn out induction, but my darling Ava was born safe and sound, weighing a whopping 9lb 4oz. I wish you could bottle up that feeling that you get when you have you meet your new baby for the very first time.

We know that we were lucky to fall pregnant so quickly as it's not so simple for some couples, for a whole host of different reasons. I have friends who have really struggled to fall pregnant over the years and on many occasions I've willed it to be easier for them. 

I know people who've really struggled the first time around but then fell pregnant very quickly on their 2nd, 3rd, and 4th baby. I have friends in same-sex relationships who have big decisions to make before they even start trying to conceive, such as how lesbian couples decide which of them will conceive and the experience of using sperm banks. Lastly, I have friends who have waited until they are older to start their family, who've then struggled to fall pregnant due to what they put down to as their age.

Trying to conceive is one heck of a journey but one thing is for sure, those babies are sure worth it! Do you have any trying to conceive stories that you'd like to share with me?

My Sunday Photo - 21/52

5 Tips For Decorating Your Garden

If you have just moved to your new home or you are thinking of ways to make your garden look beautiful, don’t worry, we got you. In this article, we will discuss some tips for decorating your garden to look exactly how you have imagined it. Decorating your garden can be one of the best parts of moving to your new home. It is a great opportunity for family bonding, and it makes a great family activity on the weekends.

1. Beautify The Garden Entrance

If your garden has an entrance, you should consider dressing it up with ornaments and ornamental plants. If you do not have a garden entrance, you can create one. The entrance can serve as a gateway into a relaxation zone that you have created with your garden; it also adds some elegance to your garden. You can include connected paths leading from the entrance to other sections of the garden. Paths leading to other areas of the garden can be marked to add a sense of adventure.

2. Ornaments and Finishing

Your garden is incomplete without ornaments. Many only think of garden ornaments as an afterthought, but they actually serve an important purpose when decorating your garden. Ornaments can serve as a guide to how you shape and use your garden space, and influence the ambiance of your garden. You can invest in some wrought iron tents and lanterns, curved benches that are carefully arranged to look pretty and practical.

3. Repurpose Old Household Objects

That old wooden box you are planning to discard will probably look better in your garden than in your bin. You can incorporate old items such as old wine bottles, tires, and old and rusty wrought iron buckets.

4. Include Lighting For Nighttime

You can decorate your garden such that it looks like an entirely different space at night. Your garden can take on a romantic ambiance at night if you install the right kinds of lights. Consider lighting up the garden paths, hanging outdoor lanterns from trees, and tall light lamps around the patio.

5. Furniture and Decoration

The style of furniture (tables and chairs) you choose to put in your garden plays a very big role in the outlook of your outdoor space. But it is not just about littering the space with expensive furniture, they have to be cohesive and blend with the theme of your garden. Moms can be very particular about colors, but if done right, the outcome can be amazing. Garden furniture can be the perfect finishing touch you need to complete your garden. You can check out furniture123.co.uk for amazing garden furniture.

- post written by AndyHenderson.

How To Take Control Of Life's Misfortunes

Life isn’t always easy, but that doesn’t mean you should quit trying to make the best of whatever it is you’re going through at the time. Make it a goal to take control of life’s misfortunes and notice how much happier and healthier you feel overall.

Worry and stress can take a toll your emotional, physically and mental wellbeing so you always want to make sure you keep it in check, even when you’re going through tough times. Spend less time complaining and more of your days better understanding what’s in your control and what you can change to improve your situation.

Seek Advice

You’re not the only one who’s ever been through a rough time and had to face reality head-on. Reach out and ask others for advice and support when you’re experiencing down days or moments in your life. Take control of your misfortunes by learning what others have done to get past their difficult circumstances in the past. You don’t have to go through what you’re experiencing all alone and pretend like all is okay when it truly isn’t. Allow others in and be vulnerable when you’re not in a good place and you’ll likely thrive.

Problem Solve

You never know when you may run into a situation where you lose your home, belongings and data due to a catastrophe such as flooding. Know that as a flood victim you can take advantage of companies that provide services to retrieve your data safely and securely. This is a great example of how you can problem solve your way through adversity, instead of sitting around sulking and feeling sorry for yourself. Think like this and you’ll always quickly be able to get yourself feeling better fast when confronted with unfortunate conditions.

See the Bright Side

Your mindset plays a major role in how well you’re able to take control of life’s misfortunes. Work hard to see the bright side of what’s going on and make a list of all the good that could possibly come from it. Being negative and pessimistic will only cause you to stay down for a longer period of time. Get back on your feet fast by using a positive mindset and attitude that keeps you hopeful and forward-thinking.

Don’t Give up

Tell yourself that giving up isn’t an option when you’re faced with life’s misfortunes. Doing so will only set you back longer and make you feel sad and upset in the long-term. Continue to work hard and seek solutions to your issues and you won’t even think twice about giving up on yourself. You may find that you’re even happier or more satisfied in general once you get through your trying times.

Conclusion

Life may not always as easy and smooth sailing as you’d prefer. Improve your outlook and take proper action to help you gain back control when faced with life’s misfortunes. Stay encouraged that you’ll have better days ahead if you can continue to hang on and remain strong.

- This is a Collaborative post.

photo credit: Sworldguy Acadia Beach via photopin (license)

Preparing Your Child for Their First Road Trip Adventure

Many couples shy away from travelling once they have children, but it doesn't have to be a reason to put travel plans on hold. Babies, toddlers and kids of any age are never too young to be introduced to the world, and there are many parents taking their children across the country and the world.

If travel broadens the mind, there's no reason why you shouldn't start your little ones early, and many children's first adventure is a road trip with their parents. Here are some top tips on how you can prepare your little ones for their maiden voyage on the open road:

Talk Them Through the Journey
To avoid any unnecessary issues once you start your road trip, make sure there are no surprises by talking through your entire journey with your child beforehand. The more you make it sound like the epic adventure it is undoubtedly going to be, the more excited and more invested your little one is going to be, and it will be so much fun for everybody when you hit the road. One great way to do this is to print off some maps and highlight the route to give them a sense of the scope and point out what you will be doing at each point. They won’t be able to hide the excitement.

Pack Accordingly

A great way to get your child psyched for your road trip adventure is to pack your bags together, so you can talk about what they are going to need in relation to the weather forecast and what you are going to be doing whilst on your travels. You can even go a step further and surf the net for any last-minute stuff you might need for a holiday, whether it’s these night driving glasses (to help you see better if you are traveling at night), a new bag or some useful travel accessories such as water bottles and sunglasses. Either way, you’ll have fun packing that bag before you go away, and the little one will be raring to go from the moment the zips are closed.

Be Ready for Anything
A road trip adventure can be as planned or as spontaneous as you like, but one thing you should be 100% prepared for is if anything goes wrong - whether that’s with your car or with your child’s health. You don’t want to suffer a tyre puncture and find yourself in the wilderness with no way to reach out to get it fixed, so make sure you have the tools to put it right or have the contact details of your breakdown service and insurance company to hand if you can’t deal with the issue yourself.

If your little one suffers from any ailments - or even if they don’t - you should have plenty of medication available, as well as a first aid kit for any accidents. You never know when something might occur, so you should always be prepared. You can deal with issues and salvage your trip if you’re ready for anything, so plenty of prep time is required before you set off on your adventure.

Have Plenty of Entertainment on Board
It doesn’t matter how excited your little one is for the trip; there are inevitably going to be long stretches of boredom once you’re out on the open road. There’s only so much scenery that children can cope with before they need to be stimulated in other ways. These can be colouring books, a pen, and paper, or you can go digital and take portable DVD players or laptops on board with you. At least that way they will be giggling at a Pixel film instead of moaning at you that they are bored of staring out of the window. There is also no better opportunity to have a sing-along than on a road trip, so get some playlists ready and prepare to sing your heart out.

Get Them Invested in the Trip
You have been planning this first road trip adventure for a while, so why not get your little one invested in the trip from the beginning, and build up the excitement as you go? One way to do this would be to have a countdown in place. Start the day with an excited burst of “one week to go” and so on, and see if you can incorporate your upcoming experience into your little one’s daily routine, whether that’s reading up and where you’re going, or by drawing up some maps. If your child is at school, there might even be some opportunities to talk about their trip in front of their class. It all goes towards them having an amazing time when the day comes to a head off.

Give Them Tasks for the Trip
A superb way to prepare your child for their first road trip is to give them tasks to complete once they’re on the trip. These can be things to look out for when you’re on the road (such as wildlife, trees, and cars) to documenting their experiences via photos, videos and keeping a journal. Not only will this be stimulating, educational fun for your little one, but you could potentially have many great keepsakes from your road trip when it comes to an end. Imagine how great it will be to have photo albums, videos to watch and a personal experience journal from your child’s first adventure? You’ll never get another chance, so take advantage of all these great options where possible.

Help Them Create a ‘To Do’ List
While the road trip will be planned out by the parents, it’s important to involve your little one in the decision-making process. You can do this by helping them create a ‘To Do’ list whilst on your road trip. This could include all manner of things, such as catching a sunset, driving off-road, visiting a theme park, or anything else that comes to mind. There is no reason why you can’t tick all the boxes and make sure your child’s first road trip adventure is one they’ll never forget.

- This is a PR Collaboration.

photo credit: Miradortigre Caminitos de Nueva Zelanda via photopin (license)