Silent Sunday

Three Month Old Joel

Three months on, My little man has grown so much in that time and starting to burst out of his 0-3 month sleep-suits. He is still feeding a lot especially at night so every 2-3 hours I'm up but I'm wondering if this week if he has been going through yet another growth spurt or maybe I'm not producing enough milk.

I felt Joel's sleeping became more predictable in the recent weeks which I was handling ok because I had some 4-5 hour periods of him sleeping in his Moses basket but as I say it has gone back to 2-3 hours in the last week which really does make the difference to my mood as I feel so tired all the time and become irritable quickly. Questions like do I want to continue breast feeding arise as I'm thinking I will struggle to get him to take a bottle later on as the last time I expressed he wasn't happy until I gave in and gave him the boob but I really don't want to breast feed beyond teeth.........ouch! Even the thought sends shivers down my spine.


Ollie still has a bottle of milk at night for bed which is not easy to stop. We've managed to cut down to one only but he sees it as his bedtime routine and a comfort but he's two next month. It just makes me think if it is hard to give up a bottle will it be hard for Joel to give up the breast. I really don't want to be breast feeding a toddler.

Joel has also became incredibly alert over the last few weeks, he watches Ollie a lot. He has been trying to talk to us with sweet little coos and gurgles. His smile also turns into a little chuckle.

I cant believe how quickly it has gone. 

Silent Sunday

Tattoo....yes or no

Ideas

After Ollie was born in 2011 I had the urge to get a tattoo, something to symbolise the new chapter in my life. I never got round to it in the end because I couldn't decide what to do. Now after having Joel, especially in the last couple of weeks that urge has come back so I think this time I will act on it. I'm thinking of two small hearts on my wrist - one for Ollie and another for Joel.

When I was 18 I had a small butterfly tattoo on my hip as it seemed naughty and a bit rebellious for me as I was always a goody goody at school, very quiet and just did as I was told. I've never regretted it but always thought about expanding it at some point. Maybe adding another butterfly, the first one I had is me starting out in life and another would be me now.

Does anyone else have a tattoo and why did you get it?

Things That Make Me Smile

As last week wasn't a great week for us at all with illness I thought I would write a post about things that make me smile, here they are in pictures.

His smile makes me smile

Ollie makes me smile every day, he can be a menace and very testing with my patience at times but he's a very funny and loving little boy.

Panda in the ball pit

Ollie loves his panda and for the past week panda has had to come down stairs and sit in the ball pit every morning so I had to capture this. Panda also has to go to bed with him every night.

Bright Eyes

Joel makes me smile especially when he gazes up to me during or after a feed and has a happy little face with his bright blue eyes. He's so innocent he can't help but make me smile. 

 
When I think about my little family I have created I can't help but smile.

Is That A Sale

I only posted about sales over a week ago - Woohoo! A Sale...Again and the same shops are now launching Spring sales...........I don't get it what were the sales before. High street shops and supermarkets are permanatly having a sale of some kind.

Here are a few sales on:

Dorothy Perkins

Next - coming soon

Select

Peacocks

George 

Tesco Clothing 

 

Things We Buy When We Have A Baby

When you expect your first baby I think almost all of us mums want to buy everything for the little arrival because we think we need it. When you get to your second you start to think why the hell did we need all this stuff and is it really that useful.

For instance the little plastic baths....why? Wouldn't the sink do. I did buy one for my first and before long he was too big to fit in it and too heavy to hold at a silly angle. Unless you buy one of those bath stands or have enough room to put on a changing area to be at least waist height I wouldn't bother. It all came flooding back when bathing my two month old baby boy who is already over 13lb which destroys my back and knees as we have to put the bath on the floor.

High chairs are another why do they put materiel straps that cannot be removed so they can be cleaned. It didn't enter my head when we first bought a colourful high chair from John Lewis but after months of my now nearly two year old flinging food everywhere just to get as messy as possible the straps and the materiel around the seat are disgusting and it's impossible to get all the crumbs out at the sides. I can't imagine what bacteria that could be living in that chair. My advice to the new mums out there save yourselves time and money and just get one of the simple ikea chairs as they are easy to clean. I'm trying to persuade my hubby that we should get one and ditch the John Lewis chair as when child number two starts needing a chair do I really want him sitting in child number ones food stained chair.

We've had to buy a double buggy after having two little ones so close. ill be honest I chose this particular buggy because it was in a sale in mama and papas but already my toddler looks too big for it and we've only just started using it. It's pretty flimsy and its not easy to fit in a car boot and storing it is another problem as you can't actually stand it up. Think, Think, Think and try a buggy before buying.

When we had our first child I really wanted the Zezu Pramette as it could be used as a pram then turn into a buggy. I hardly used it as a pram as baby one didn't like being flat so he cried all the time. I found it heavy and far too big, you have to take it apart to store it and put into a car.
If I had my time again I would have bought a travel system so the travel seat just slots into the base so you wouldn't have to wake your baby to put into a buggy.

Teething toys are another waste well it was for my first as he wasn't interested in toys that he could bite into he went for anything else but.

I'm not entirely convinced with Moses baskets either as both my babies have been a nightmare to settle in one and when they eventually do they have out grown them. Both ended up sleeping on my chest most of the time although Ollie used to sleep in his bouncy chair for a bit as he wasn't lying flat. If I'd have known the trouble with sleeping I would have bought a rockable crib for Ollie as most babies seem to nod off easily when rocked.

We got a Video monitor when we had Ollie but it's still in the box. He was such a bad sleeper as a baby he often went to bed when we did and he was in our room for 8 months anyway. When he did go in a cot we used to spend at least an hour in his room to get him to sleep and then it was our bed time so the monitor wasn't needed. I'm not sure I will use it with Joel either as again he's in our room for the time being so a pointless buy.

Does anyone else have any baby pointless buys they would like to share?

This Time Last Year & Now

It's strange how sometimes you start thinking back over the last year at any point in the year. Over the past day or so I have been looking back at what last year looked like and how it is now.

March 2012:

• I was a mummy of one little boy who had just started to walk and about to turn One. 
• I was dreading going back to work full time after maternity leave. 
• My husband was going to be made redundant. 
• My poor grandad died.

I was not looking forward to the year ahead at all as it just felt like it was going to be a tough year all round with family, work and finances.

March 2013:

• I am a mummy of two little boys one turning Two next month and the other 3 months old. 
• I don't have to think about work again until December so can enjoy being at home with my boys and meeting new mums. 
• My husband has a new job that is challenging and could bring great things for him and our family.

I am looking forward to the months ahead to see what they will bring - it is looking a lot brighter and hopefully good things will come our way.

Silent Sunday

What A Week

After my post on Wednesday about a Day To Forget it has turned into a week to forget.

I felt much better on Thursday so I got the boys ready and went for a walk for fresh air which helped me no end after being stuck in the house for five day's straight and when we got back Ollie and Joel fell asleep......RESULT. Some me time finally so I had lunch and read a mag in peace but it wasn't long until Joel woke up, he's been so unsettled recently.

Hubby came home Thursday afternoon which was a sigh of relief. Missed not having him around.

After dinner I started to feel very sick again aggghhh! I wish this bug would disappear, seems to re-appear if I eat but I have to eat something as I'm breast feeding Joel, maybe that's why he's unsettled he's not getting enough milk. This carried on into Friday feeling rough on and off throughout the day so it was a big struggle to occupy two small children especially Ollie who was back back to his normal self wanting constant attention. All I wanted to do all day was to sleep. Still feeling rough through to evening hubby made a bit of dinner but I couldn't manage much and Ollie fell asleep in his chair so he was in bed by 7.30pm and I was by 9pm.
Hoping for lots asleep....I wish, Joel woke several times during the night and the only way to send him back to sleep was to feed him. Its so exhausting.......I only want sleep so I can recover.

Saturday now and feeling ok although after having breakfast I felt that bubbly tummy again and the stress head just will not go away. So I escaped to pamper myself with a bath, paint nails and wash hair - I just NEEDED some time to myself after being with the two boys 24/7.

Do any other mums out there need alone time?

A Day To Forget

It was my 32nd birthday yesterday but not a very happy birthday. Ollie was ill Monday with sickness with some nasty nappies so none of us had any sleep that night and yesterday he was grizzly and wouldn't eat. I hoped and prayed I wouldn't get it but yesterday morning it happened to me.

It was quite horrendous my first few days alone due to hubby being away and illness strikes. Ollie has never really been sick so it scared him it was horrible to see as you feel so helpless this was mainly Monday but yesterday he wouldn't eat or drink until much later in the day plus he was so tired so for me to feel ill was the worst thing to happen - mums cannot get ill.

With trying to comfort Ollie, make sure Joel was fed, clear all the mess after several clothes changes in the night all while I was in and out of the toilet. The toilet then decided yo block and the washing machine wouldn't work aaaagggghhhh! By that point the tears hit me as I was exhausted. Luckily my mum came to the rescue to help me - I really needed it.

It was about midday before I actually opened any birthday presents and cards but it didn't feel right, I had some lovely presents and cards but all I wanted to do was sleep and get rid if the bug. I didn't even bother with the usual birthday cake and candles which is a first but I had no appetite.

Always next year.

Breast Feeding Beyond Two

Would you really want to breast feed beyond a year let alone two. They are toddlers and eat normal food why do they need breast milk?

I breast fed Ollie until he was four months I would have for longer but my milk dried up as I also used formula because I was told he would sleep more at night - he didn't.
I'm still feeding Joel at 2 1/2 months and hope to continue but the thought of doing it beyond two years freaks me out, it would feel wrong to me.
On a post I read earlier on Facebook, women were continuing to breastfeed for 3 years and over..........utter madness they are so big at that age I don't understand it.

Is it me or does anyone else think this is odd?

First Night On My Own

For the last 10 weeks since having Joel I have had my hubby around day and night. He got up with Ollie while I tended to Joel throughout the night, he has been doing most of the cooking and housework. He now has a new job and the next two weeks is away on training so it's all down to me to sort the boys, cooking and house uh oh! I've been spoilt having the help for so long.

Last night was my first night alone in probably years so you can imagine it was pretty weird.
My mum and dad helped me get both boys sorted for baths and bed so I wasnt completely on my own. Both boys were asleep by 9pm so I thought I'd get an early night but actually didn't until 11pm as those lovely neighbours of mine had their tv blaring - so inconsiderate. Anyway I was woken at 1.45pm by Joel for a feed then shortly after Ollie started crying so I went in and stroked his head and put his covers back on and then didn't hear another peep, of course Joel woke a couple more times but all in all it was a successful night. 
 


For the rest of the week I have friends popping in for lunch almost every day so I still won't be completely on my own. I thought if I didn't arrange meet ups I'd have no hair left by the end of the first week by pulling it out lol!

My 2nd Mummy's Day

Ollie came running to me this morning all smiles with a large heart bag. Inside I had a red with white dot tea pot (very me) and a beautiful card with Ollie and Joel's thumb print inside. 

After that a new Cadbury tray appeared with tea in the pot and a croissant for breakfast plus a milk carton of chocolates yum. 

Happy Mother's Day to all the mums out there.

Silent Sunday

Chocolate

As a birthday treat FOR ME we had a day at cadbury world. It's an early treat as hubby is away for my birthday which is on Tuesday.
Me and hubby are chocoholics and a day doesn't go by without some form of chocolate and I think we have past our love for chocolate onto Ollie. Only the other day I asked Ollie what would he like for breakfast and his answer was chocolate oops! I will have to think that one through in future but of course I didn't give him chocolate.

Anyway here is our day at the chocolate factory in pictures which ended in a glass of wine as it was a rather stressful day.
Taking a 22 month old toddler wasn't really the best of ideas because he was pretty bored I'm not sure why I thought he would enjoy it.

much needed glass of wine

Woohoo! A Sale.....Again

 

Alot of high street shops seem to have spring sales on already.

Dorothy Perkins have announced a 4 day sale of added lines. 

I am a big fan of scarfs as they are a great cover up when breast feeding in public so this stripe scarf is a must. 

I like hearts and the colour navy so this jumper is great.

My favourite shop is New Look at the moment who also have a sale on with up to 60% off. I have already made a few purchases from here. 

I spent £40 and bagged:

2x pairs skinny jeans
1x jumper
1x stripe top
1x pair of shoes 
 
If I had have paid full price for this lot it would have cost me £88.95.

BARGAIN!

 Love these purple heels at a bargain £10 were £19.99.

 

 Happy Shopping

 

Sleeping

Joel seems to have a better sleeping pattern at the moment with the odd unpredictable night but he tends to fall into a deeper sleep between 10-11pm then often wakes between 2-2.45am and mostly he will stay in his Moses basket during this time. After this first wake up it can then be two hourly wake ups so fingers crossed as time goes on it will last a little longer as from 6am he tends to wake up properly which I find too early.

Ollie tends to go to bed between 8-8.30pm then can wake between 8-9am but again we also have the odd unpredictable nights where he wakes up once or twice through the night and wakes up around 7am in the morning.

I think my ideal would be 8pm to 8am but that's never going to happen with both at the same time. It's mad really as I'm always tired but I still tend to go to bed around 11-11.30pm so I miss a chunk of sleep I could have but I blame that on the hubby as he stays up until then.

Oh I Love Those Shoes

Months ago I fell in love with the Ruby Shoo collection especially these two lovely beauties 'Loren' wedges and the'Monroe' black heels.

Loren

So at Christmas Deelicious had a sale and I managed to bag them both as Christmas presents woohoo! I couldn't wear them at the time as I was 8 months pregnant and haven't had the opportunity since but with two weddings this year I think they will finally come out of their boxes. 

Monroe

I just like looking at them as they are gorgeous. Deelicious have only just gone and put new ranges in stock - take a look they are all lovely and some have matching bags......Heaven for us girls I think :)

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