De ja vu

De-ja-vu, what do you think? Four-week old Max came to Charlie's birthday BBQ wearing one of C-bear's teeny weeny baby-gros, and it just happened that Charlie had worn the same one to Uncle Andy's birthday BBQ almost a year earlier when he was two weeks old. These photos of their doting Nana make me smile - already these cousins are so close!

PS - Charlie was so sweet with his little cousin, he was so interested in watching the baby and very gently stroked his foot!

Friday's Baby Picnic

We were so lucky with the weather, it was a gorgeous day. We had 6 babies and their Mamas and the picnic was so fun. I had baked a mountain of cupcakes including baby friendly Dutch Apple and lemon & orange and for the Mamas we had chocolate & vanilla and chocolate & orange. I also made picnic bread and everyone brought along a little something.

Charlie got lots of presents, everyone was so generous, and he loved crawling around the picnic blankets and stealing sharing toys and food with the other babies.

Birthday Weekend

I.am.exhausted.

But Charlie's two parties went well and I'm now Mama to a one year old - wow!

More photos to come.

xx

Seeing double

I first posted about this in my Daddy's Little Clone post last year, but our boy is still a spitting image of his Dada. Here's some updated pics. What do you think?

May Bank Holiday Weekend

We spent the extra long BHW visiting my parents in Wiltshire. Every year the village a couple of miles from there's has a Scarecrow Festival. It's lots of fun and more to come in a later post when I've got the photos from Tom's phone.

The weather was glorious, Charlie spent a lot of time in the garden with the new toys Granny and Grandad had found for him - a toddle truck and a mega block cart. We also saw my school friend's 4-month old baby girl, Freya, for the first time and Uncle Simon and Auntie Nicki joined in with the fun.

It was a lovely weekend, C-bear was very much the centre of attention and it was amazing how spending time in a different environment can help his development. With Granny and Grandad's help he can now use a shape sorter (put the circle in on his own and the rest with help), almost run whilst pushing the toddle truck up and down the garden and is grasping the concept of 'open' and 'shut'.

For the love of lists

I am the List Queen. I love them, I can't function without one and if something needs to be planned the more sub-lists the better! My job covers a wide area so I've always got 5 to 6 (or 10 to 20) things on the go so a To Do list is essential.

But even at home I need a list. I've got this week off work. Monday was the May bank holiday and Friday (tomorrow) is Charlie's baby birthday picnic, followed by his birthday bbq on Saturday. Military planning has been put in place and my lists have been essential. We've had:

Guest lists for the picnic and bbq
Food lists for what to serve at both
Sub-food list to buy the ingredients
Party decoration list
Miscellaneous extras list

Anyone else list crazy or is that just me??

(please note just by writing the list of lists above has got me frantically checking I've covered everything!!!)

Day 5. heart come alive.

Day 5. Write a blog thanking someone who has made your heart come alive.

When I saw the title for today, I immediately knew I couldn't thank just one person it would have to be two. My boys.

Thank you to Tom, who I fell in love with in the first week of uni, who's been with me for over eleven years and who's put up with the good and the bad. Who makes me laugh and who I share complex, silly, coupley jokes with, who has introduced me to hundreds of films, music and TV I would never have seen. Who always remembers birthdays and anniversaries, whose the perfect road trip companion and who's a wonderful Father to our boy. I don't say it enough but you were the first person to make my heart sing.

Thank you to Charlie, who has made a massive impact on my life. Who makes me laugh and smile and happy even when I'm zombie-tired. Who I can't wait to watch grow up but also miss being a newborn. Who loves me unconditionally and shows it (much to Tom's displeasure) at the best and worst times. Who, in the first second of being placed above my heart made it jump and sing and come alive.

Day 1. I have a three month old and already I'm thinking, I'm going to miss him at this age. Have you felt that way, and what age do you miss the most?
Day 2. What makes you uniquely you?Day 3. A photo that makes you happy
Day 4. Style 31. Post a pic of you in your favorite outfit.
Day 5. Write a blog thanking someone who has made your heart come alive.
Day 6. Your most embarrassing moment
Day 7. Do you believe in the "cry until he sleeps" method?
Day 8. Have a beauty secret (e.g. hair tip, make up tip)? Share, please!
Day 9. What virtues do you value in yourself?
Day 10. What are some of your favorite MAC products, and what foundation/powder do you wear?
Day 11. Post a recipe. Or if you don't cook, try a new recipe and write about how it turned out (pictures please!).
Day 12. Write about what wears you out as a woman.
Day 13. A YouTube video
Day 14. Style 31. Post an outfit pic!
Day 15. What do you wish for?
Day 16. How old was Carter when he started sleeping through the night and how did you do this?
Day 17. Write about 3 things that make you happy.
Day 18. If you could, what would you tell yourself before you had your baby?
Day 19. Write about your significant other
Day 20. Write about your job and why you love it or hate it.
Day 21. Write about your most vivid childhood memory. Post a picture of you taken over ten years ago.
Day 22. What did you do today?
Day 23. Who's your celebrity look alike?
Day 24. What is God teaching you presently?
Day 25. Style 31. Post a pic of your favorite comfy clothes.
Day 26. What do you hope your grandchildren will say about you someday when you are gone?
Day 27. Who are your favorite bloggers?
Day 28. Write about your insecurities as a woman.
Day 29. Your day, in great detail
Day 30. What do you think is going to happen to you after you die?
Day 31. Your favorite quote

Running (with some walking)

This morning I went running for the first time in two years! I used to run 3-4 times a week, I'd get up early and go before work, running along the river to Battersea Park. I loved the time to think, the empty silence of the early morning and challenge of pressing myself onwards and beating past achievements.

My Pilates course finished a couple of weeks ago and I've decided to step up an exercise notch. I haven't done anything proper to shift the baby weight and with a year almost gone now is the time to do it!

So this morning I went for a run. Yes it was only 20 mins, yes my muscles screamed, my legs ached, my lungs felt like they were on fire, I walked as well as jogged and I could constantly feel the wobble of my saggy baby belly but I'm so happy that I've finally taken the plunge and got out there. If you've never run it's hard to describe, but those first moments as you set off are euphoric, you feel strong and capable and natural. I was worried I'd forgotten what to do (!) wouldn't find the right pace, stumble or not make it but as soon as I got out there it felt like I'd come home. Running was a part of my life and without realising it, I've missed it. I used to do a quite complicated warm-up (taught to me by my Sports-Science degree holding cousin) and was sure I wouldn't remember it all, but each stretch led onto the next and soon I was warmed up, relaxed and raring to go.

When life is so busy just being a Mum when else do you have time to listen to your favourite tunes rather then nursery rhymes, think - really think about stuff rather then half think whilst keeping an eye on what catasrophe the baby will get into next - I spent this morning planning the flavours of cupcakes for C's birthday parties (lemon, mocha, vanilla and chocolate), deciding what outfits we should wear for the parties (C- monkey shirt and jeans, M - summer dress) and whether I should vote Yes or No in Thursday's Referendum (still not decided).
Time is an issue and I'm not sure where I will fit this into my Mummyhood timetable, but having done it today I realise how important it is to keep going so will maybe sacrifice my one day a week weekend lie in to spend my me-time more productively. Let's just see how it goes...

Day 4 - Style 31. Post a pic of you in your favorite outfit.

This is a pretty bad shot, but it's my favourite outfit at the moment - summery daisy dress, leggings and cardi - perfect for our current blue sky days.



Day 1. I have a three month old and already I'm thinking, I'm going to miss him at this age. Have you felt that way, and what age do you miss the most?
Day 2. What makes you uniquely you?Day 3. A photo that makes you happy
Day 4. Style 31. Post a pic of you in your favorite outfit.Day 5. Write a blog thanking someone who has made your heart come alive.
Day 6. Your most embarrassing moment
Day 7. Do you believe in the "cry until he sleeps" method?
Day 8. Have a beauty secret (e.g. hair tip, make up tip)? Share, please!
Day 9. What virtues do you value in yourself?
Day 10. What are some of your favorite MAC products, and what foundation/powder do you wear?
Day 11. Post a recipe. Or if you don't cook, try a new recipe and write about how it turned out (pictures please!).
Day 12. Write about what wears you out as a woman.
Day 13. A YouTube video
Day 14. Style 31. Post an outfit pic!
Day 15. What do you wish for?
Day 16. How old was Carter when he started sleeping through the night and how did you do this?
Day 17. Write about 3 things that make you happy.
Day 18. If you could, what would you tell yourself before you had your baby?
Day 19. Write about your significant other
Day 20. Write about your job and why you love it or hate it.
Day 21. Write about your most vivid childhood memory. Post a picture of you taken over ten years ago.
Day 22. What did you do today?
Day 23. Who's your celebrity look alike?
Day 24. What is God teaching you presently?
Day 25. Style 31. Post a pic of your favorite comfy clothes.
Day 26. What do you hope your grandchildren will say about you someday when you are gone?
Day 27. Who are your favorite bloggers?
Day 28. Write about your insecurities as a woman.
Day 29. Your day, in great detail
Day 30. What do you think is going to happen to you after you die?
Day 31. Your favorite quote

A Right Royal Knees Up

We've been away so I'm a five days late with this post. I'm not a massive Royals fan and there was no way I was going to venture into Central London with the little man, but I did watch it on the TV and I taught Charlie to wave a flag!

The printers at my work gave us a tongue-in-cheek Royal Wedding celebration box, so Charlie and I unpacked it, played with it and we took some of the goodies with us to visit my parents in Wiltshire.

Inside were William and Kate masks, a tea-towel, a wedding cake, fake engagement ring, trivia cards, sweets, elderflower cordial, confetti and bunting!