Author Archives

admin

Snow joke

by

image

So we made it as far as the end of the street today with the pram before the wheels got compacted with snow, snow dog loved it but its frustrating not getting our daily quota of good fresh air! On the plus side I won some delightful hot choc last week so that has been keeping me going and Niff has been learning to crawl so its been worth hanging around the house to watch her getting around!

Any tips for baby proofing would be appreciated as it feels an overwhelming task, why do we have so much stuff at floor level!?

A letter to my eight month old

by

A letter to my eight month old

Dearest Niff,

My how you’ve grown into a beautiful, bright and inquisitive girl! When we brought you home we all marvelled at how alert you were, and that alertness has turned into a real interest in the world around you, you’d rather play than eat, rather sing than sleep and rather dance than rest, you’ve brought energy, passion and love into my world and I’ll hold your hand forever as we explore the world together.

It’s no coincidence in my mind that the first song we played after your birth was this Mumford and Sons track, Roll Away Your Stone, it seemed so appropriate, spirited and fitting:

“Stars hide your fires,
These here are my desires
And I will give them up to you this time around
And so, I’ll be found with my stake stuck in this ground
Marking the territory of this newly impassioned soul”

No mother could capture the feeling of bringing a child into the world, if I feel brave one day I may share your birth story, but for now all I can say is that it was the most intense moment of my life and sparked the beginning of yours, the time and circumstance was challenging but so so rewarding.

Keep looking at the world in wonder little one, love forever, Mammy x

Born yesterday

by

I read this at school and still find it beautiful now, Born Yesterday, For Sally Amis, by Philip Larkin

My husband told me he wishes for our daughter that she be happy above all things, this captures that sentiment beautifully.

Tightly-folded bud,

I have wished you something

None of the others would:

Not the usual stuff

About being beautiful,

Or running off a spring

Of innocence and love -

They will all wish you that,

And should it prove possible,

Well, you’re a lucky girl.

But if it shouldn’t, then

May you be ordinary;

Have, like other women,

An average of talents:

Not ugly, not good-looking,

Nothing uncustomary

To pull you off your balance,

That, unworkable itself,

Stops all the rest from working.

In fact, may you be dull -

If that is what a skilled,

Vigilant, flexible,

Unemphasised, enthralled

Catching of happiness is called.

Things I like…frugality!

by

Oh I can get myself so excited about a bargain! January is the frugal month, and we’re in a very frugal period as a family as I’m no longer being paid for my final three months maternity leave. Aside from planning to love every minute I don’t want to be fretting about depleting our savings. We’re long term Aldi and Poundland shoppers but have gotten savvy by using the MealPlanner app on my tablet and sticking to it is saving a whopping £30 a week.

An amusing ‘invest to save’ stance has been taken on treats and wine (shhh!), buying in bulk in Aldi to stock up the treat cupboard to prevent those PMT trips to the local convenience shops! I’ve found their rich tea biscuits and jaffa cakes, and Poundland’s excellent bags of Matlow Swizzels treats have fallen onto the weekly ‘essentials’ list – everyone needs a little pick me up, right?

Finally, we’ve planned two ‘no spend’ weekends which is a great achievement and makes me feel a little glow of pride as I’d love for our little girl to be money savvy and we’re starting off family life on the right footing!

Mindfulness and motherhood vs distraction and stress

by

I am a self confessed worried mother, one of my biggest worries on my journey as a new mother has been how easily I find it to become distracted particularly by technology. I decided to take the “hands free pledge” – my own interpretation will be to reduce my time on mobile devices and computer to time when my daughter is sleeping. Its a paradox that I fear returning to work, whilst guiltily racking up time spent not living in the moment with my darling girl. I am under no allusions that as an information crazy researcher my thirst for constantly checking emails and texts will be difficult to ignore, but I am determined to master my own way of mindful mothering. This beautiful poem by R Knight, Slow Down Mummy inspired me to write this post http://www.drmomma.org/2012/01/slow-down-mummy.html

So I guess I’m pledging to look into these gorgeous blue eyes more and my computer less, how lovely, now when you put it like that what could be more perfect!?

image

Things I like – home, hobbies, lifestyle

by

I’m mad keen on magazines and beg, buy or borrow all the big glossies, yes, that’s right, ALL! I love to read and am an OU student so its a big contradiction that I’m the geek reading academia whilst sneaking peeks at Vogue and Gurgle! I’m partial to a cup of Twinings Tea whilst I study and since pregnancy have been working my way through their caffeine free selection!

I love vintage, quirky, handcrafted over mass produced but like a few luxury brands, The White Company and Urban Outfitters to name a few

You’ll never , ever see me without makeup, its fun to play with and I love luxury beauty treats. Faves are Lush, VO5, MAC and lately Illamasqua, total guilty pleasure territory? Try Aromatherapy Associates and Lush`s Gorrilla Perfumes

I’ve a penchant for gold jewellery, doctors bags and shoes, being size 9 isn’t easy but its becoming less of a struggle to find fashionable heels!