36 Weeks Pregnant {Baby Number Three}

23.12.17

9 months pregnant. Wow! Although I feel as if I'm in the "I feel as if I've been pregnant forever" bubble now, I really do think I'll miss my bump when it's gone. Especially as this is definitely the last time I'm going to experience all the ups and downs of pregnancy.

HOW FAR ALONG?
36 weeks & 5 days

DUE DATE?
14th January 2018

GENDER?
Girl!

HOW’S BABY DOING?
I use the Baby Centre App to check on baby's progress - baby girl is roughly the length of a romaine lettuce this week, weighing around 2.6kg and measuring just over 47.4cm long. She's now shedding what's left of her downy lanugo hair and vernix - both of which she'll then swallow, which will then become part of her meconium poo.

I saw my midwife for my home-booking appointment yesterday, as well as my 36 week antenatal check. It made everything feel a lot more real, especially talking through where the pool is going to go, and the procedures. She also dropped off the home birth box, and the birth pool is being delivered this week too, so we're nearly 100% ready to go now! In regards to antenatal checks, everything was perfect. Baby girl is still well head down, and now 3/5ths engaged... and boy can I feel it!

WEIGHT CHANGE?
I don't even want to know anymore.. especially with Christmas just around the corner!


SYMPTOMS?
The constipation is back.. yay! I think it's due to the iron I'm taking, as well as the fact everything is so squished up now. Either way I'm hoping it passes soon, as it really makes you feel miserable. 

Braxton hicks are almost constant in the evenings now, and usually accompanied by period like pains too. I'm hoping it's a sign that my body is getting all prepared, so when labour does come it is a little quicker. Although I'm still certain she's going to be late!

SLEEP?
Sleep is pretty awful if I'm honest. I'm waking so much to go to the loo, and rolling is just impossible. I'm finding I'm waking in the night randomly too, and then struggling to get back to sleep. Which is incredibly frustrating when you have your husband peacefully snoring away next to you...

CRAVINGS?
Nothing of note recently.

HOW I’M FEELING?
Exhausted, achey, heavy, and pretty bloody huuuuuge. I am oh so excited though! My sister, who was due a few weeks before me, welcomed my nephew into the world this week. Meeting him and having those newborn snuggles has made me even more excited. I still can't believe I have a baby just like that in my belly though!

MISS ANYTHING?
Feeling 'normal'. I have completely forgotten how it feels to be able to walk around and not feel tired and out of breath. I just want to sit on the floor and play with the littles, but everything hurts too much to do anything. 

FAVOURITE RECENT OUTFIT?
I recently worked with JoJo Maman Bebe, reviewing some of their lovely maternity clothing. I think my favourite piece is this maternity and nursing top - it's so clever, and stripes are my favourite!

BEST MOMENT THIS FORTNIGHT?
We've got everything prepared for baby! We have built our co-sleeper, the clothes are all washed and put away, and I have my home birth box / hospital bag sorted. 


LOOKING FORWARD TO?
Enjoying our last Christmas, and hopefully New Year as a family of four! We have so much to look forward to in 2018, and I just want to enjoy every last minute with Indie and Parker before she's born.

You can see how this pregnancy compares to Parker's (my second) here.

Christmas Maternity Style with JoJo Maman Bebe | Review

21.12.17


At the beginning of the year I had the pleasure of working with my local JoJo Maman Bebe. The beautiful new shop had so many lovely items for little ones that I lusted over, and a maternity section that I dreamed of browsing one day. So when JoJo Maman got in touch a few weeks ago, I was absolutely thrilled!

I was sent some of their beautiful maternity items from the winter collection, and I've loved styling them over the last few weeks. I'm now 36 weeks pregnant, so buying maternity items this late wasn't something I thought I would do. But I've found that with a lot of JoJo's items, they're designed to last beyond your bump. So I know I'll be wearing nearly all of these items once baby girl is born!



Maternity leggings are something I kept putting off buying. But oh my goodness. I have been most definitely missing out! These comfy cotton maternity leggings are so soft and comfortable to wear. The bump band can be worn over or under the bump (I'm an over the bump kind of gal though!), and where it's seamless you can't notice it under clothing. The biggest thing I love about these leggings is that they're not see-through! A huuuuge plus - especially during pregnancy.

As it's so close to Christmas, of course I didn't want to miss out of the festive clothing. I thought this ruffle maternity jumper was the perfect subtle way to embrace Christmas - but not be too garish. The knitted red jumper is not only comfortable and soft, but it is lovely and warm to wear too. I love the pretty ruffle sleeves, and because it has been designed to fit all throughout pregnancy, I know this one will definitely be staying in my wardrobe once baby is born.


I practically live in snuggly jumpers in the winter, so just had to choose this ribbed maternity jumper too. It comes in a range of colours, but I opted for the pink as it's my favourite colour! I was a bit surprised by how oversized the jumper is, and I do think I could have probably sized down. But the slouchy fit means it's really comfortable to wear, and I can just throw it on with some jeans and feel dressed down, but still stylish!





The final piece of clothing that I chose was the lovely striped maternity and nursing top. Stripes are my absolute wardrobe go-to, so I was drawn to this top straight away. It wasn't until it arrived though that I realised how practical and clever the top actually is!

Designed to last throughout pregnancy and beyond, the top features cleverly concealed feeding slits to make breastfeeding (whether at home or out and about), that little bit easier. If you didn't know though you wouldn't notice - and I think this striped version makes the slits that little bit more discrete too.



Overall I have loved all of the pieces I received from JoJo Maman Bebe. They've been worn, washed and worn again on repeat for the last few weeks, as they're just so lovely! Their clothing is on the more pricier side, but the quality really does show. And the fact that so many of their items are designed to last beyond pregnancy, means that they're worth spending that little bit more too.

Disclosure - I received these items of clothing in exchange for this review. All opinions are honest and my own.

The Siblings Project | December 2017

15.12.17


And just like that, another year of the Siblings Project is complete! I cannot believe just how much my two have grown this year. Not just in the obvious way that they're both looking huuuuge now. But with they're relationship too. They started the year not really knowing how to play together, and with Indie well and truly still the boss. But now they're very much on the same level - true partners in crime!

It wasn't until I was looking back on the year's photos, that I realised that we took almost identical ones for last December's post. Even down to the same Christmas duvet cover! With such awful weather in December though, and it most definitely being the month of snuggling at home, I think it really is the perfect photo setting.



We're still struggling with siblings squabbles and sharing issues this month. But honestly? I think that's just part of sibling life now. Most of the time they really are so lovely together.. so I think we're just going to have to embrace it, and take every day as it comes.

An exciting milestone this month though, is that we officially signed Parker up to start Indie's preschool in January. He'll only be going a couple of mornings a week, but he's already soo excited. Indie came along to his settling sessions, where she loved showing him around and introducing him to everyone. You could just see how proud she was that her baby brother was there, and it was just so lovely to watch!


I am oh so excited to share another year of Siblings pictures next year. Especially as January's picture could be the ones to include our littlest love! I have loved watched the relationship between Indie and Parker grown over the last 2.5 years. And I absolutely cannot wait to see how the dynamics are going to change when their baby sister arrives. 

So I'll end with a round-up of this year's Siblings pictures, and here's to an even more exciting 2018!

January
February
March 
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Protecting Delicate Skin with Baby Dove | Review

14.12.17

From the moment my babies were born my mothering instinct kicked in, and all I wanted to do was protect those precious pink bundles. Even now that they've grown up and are no longer tiny newborns, I haven't lost that feeling.

I know that there are soo many things that I can't protect them from. But something I am in control of are the products I use on their delicate skin. Of course finding a bargain during the weekly shop can tempt me to try something new - little ones are expensive after all, but as our youngest Parker suffers from sensitive skin and eczema flare ups, we do always try our best to choose the most suitable products.


So when I was asked if I wanted to try some of the new Baby Dove baby care products, I jumped at the chance! Building on Dove's 60 year heritage of moisture, mildness and gentle care, the Baby Dove range has been specially formulated to go beyond mildness. It helps replenish essential moisture and puts nutrients back into your baby's skin, and is so gentle it's been paediatrically approved to use on newborns as often as every wash.

Baby Dove is available in two dermatologically tested ranges. The Rich Moisture range consists of head to toe wash, baby bar (just like the Dove beauty bar we know and love), shampoo, lotion, nappy cream and baby wipes. The 'hugs and kisses' fragrance throughout the range is oh so lovely. I'm sure most parents will agree that there's nothing better than the smell of a freshly washed baby, and this fragrance doesn't disappoint.

The Sensitive Moisture range has been specially created for baby's with more sensitive skin. The range includes head to toe wash, lotion and baby wipes - all of which are fragrance free and gentle on delicate skin.




As we enter the colder months, it's become even more important that we use suitable products on Parker's skin. The Sensitive Moisture head to toe wash has been lovely and gentle on his skin. It still foams up and creates plenty of bubbles, which is fab as I know a lot of gentler washes don't. Plus both little ones have loved the novelty of the pump!

Despite being 2 and 4, lotion after a bath is still a key part of our routine with the littles. We've been using the Rich Moisture lotion on both of them, as although it's not fragrance free it is still dermatologically approved and paediatrically tested and the Head To Toe Wash is also pH neutral, so I've trusted it on Parker's skin. Not only has it left them smelling beautifully baby fresh, but their skin wonderfully soft too.


Dove has always been a brand that I've known and trusted, so I think it's wonderful that they've created a range for little ones too. We've loved using the products, and I cannot wait to try them on a newborn once our third little bundle joins us in January!

Baby Dove is available in store and online now at all major retailers.

In sponsorship with Baby Dove

34 Weeks Pregnant {Baby Number Three}

8.12.17

34 weeks pregnant, and I've definitely hit a wall. I'm just so. bloody. tired. I have zero motivation either (not helped by the colder weather), so I feel as if these last few weeks are going to draaaag even more. Ah!

HOW FAR ALONG?
34 weeks & 4 days

DUE DATE?
14th January 2018

GENDER?
Girl!

HOW’S BABY DOING?
I use the Baby Centre App to check on baby's progress - baby girl is roughly the size of a cantaloupe melon this week, weighing around 2.1kg and measuring 45cm long. She's still laying on those layers of fat, which will help her to regulate her body temperature once she is born. Going by the size of my bump, she's definitely filling out now!

I saw my midwife at 33 weeks, which was a rather exciting appointment. All checks were good, and baby girl was head down still. Even more exciting was the fact she was 2/5ths engaged already (something I could definitely feel). I'm pretty sure she's still bouncing in and out now, going by the lighting pains.. but it's a positive step!


WEIGHT CHANGE?
I'm pretty sure I'm half baby and half hot chocolate and marshmallows these days... I reckon that small weight gain is going to be rising pretty rapidly over the Christmas period.

SYMPTOMS?
I feel incredibly sorry for whoever has to spend time with me at the moment. The pregnancy hormones are real! I am just so heavy, tired and uncomfortable now, that the littlest thing will set me off... whoops.

Braxton hicks are pretty constant, and actually becoming pretty painful at times too. Oh and the lightning crotch I mentioned above too.. ouch! I feel as if my bump is so low now, so at least that's a little relief on my ribs.

SLEEP?
Oh how I miss sleeping well. If I'm not waking for a wee, I'm just awake in the middle of the night tossing and turning. I reaaaaally hope it doesn't turn into pregnancy insomnia, because I know how torturous that is.

CRAVINGS?
I'm not sure the hot chocolate thing is a craving, but I'm liiiiving for them right now. Just typing this I want to pop to Costa and grab a festive version.

HOW I’M FEELING?
I absolutely love pregnancy, but these last few weeks are oh so hard. I just feel like I want to hibernate and sleep all day now. But that's just impossible with two little ones and a house to keep running. I'm still loving all the baby wriggles though.. there's nothing like those!


MISS ANYTHING?
Sleep. Having energy. Being able to do things without it being a huuuuge effort... Can you tell I'm feeling pretty done now?

FAVOURITE RECENT OUTFIT?
How have I gone this long without maternity leggings? I finally caved and bought myself some, and they are AMAZING. I do still love my maternity jeans though - you can read about how I've been loving my Mothercare jeans here.

BEST MOMENT THIS FORTNIGHT?
Washing baby clothes! I forgot how amazing the smell of baby washing was, and just how lovely it is to have teeny tiny clothes hanging out to dry. Now I've just got to sort them all out again, and pop them away until she's born.

LOOKING FORWARD TO?
Jack's parents have offered to have the littles next weekend, so we can get all the last its sorted for baby girl. So that means building the co-sleeper, packing the home birth box and finding homes for everything. I'm so excited!

You can see how this pregnancy compares to Parker's (my second) here.

Linking to the Bumps & Babies Linky with Let's Talk Mummy

Indiana's Unicorn Themed Fourth Birthday

7.12.17


With soo much going on with Christmas, preparing for baby and two little ones to look after, I'm so late sharing this post. But as this blog all started because of Indiana, I thought it was better late than never!

Our biggest girl celebrated her fourth birthday on the 26th November, in a full on pink and girly celebration. She was absolutely adamant she wanted a unicorn birthday this year, so that's exactly what we gave her! Her birthday tee this year was from Rocket and Rose, and I found her adorable unicorn horn on Etsy, from a seller called Little Lapins. Complete with her pink sparkly tutu, she made the perfect unicorn princess.

We started the day with snuggles in bed, and then it was downstairs for presents and balloons. After searching far and wide, Indie got her wish of a Fingerling (you can see her other gifts here), and I think she was over the moon. We headed to Frankie and Bennys for birthday pancakes, and then to Scotney Castle to search for princesses.


The rest of the day was lovely and relaxed, as we spent time at home so she could play with all of her gifts. Family then joined us in the afternoon for birthday cake (unicorn shaped of course), and more gifts. Her absolute favourite one by far being her unicorn pillow pet - she's carried it around with her every day ever since!

At the end of the day, it was so lovely to hear Indie tell us how much she loved her birthday. Birthdays have always been special, but this one just seemed even more so as she was so excited by the whole thing. She was even kind enough to let Parker help her with her presents, which was an unexpected surprise!



I am so excited to enjoy this next year with Indie, and to experience the wonders that a four year old brings. I just cannot believe my biggest baby if four... where have those years gone?!

 

Third Trimester Maternity Style with Mothercare Denim

6.12.17

At over 34 weeks pregnant with my third baby, I am well and truly living in a full maternity wardrobe now. Although if I'm honest, even some of those bits have started to become a little on the smaller side! I've been in maternity wear (especially bottoms) from very early on this time. Which has just given me more reason to embrace proper maternity clothing.

An absolute staple for myself, and most pregnant women I think, has to be a decent pair of maternity jeans. They're easy to pair with tops or jumpers whatever the season, and give you so many more outfit options compared to a dress or leggings. And recently I've been testing out a few different pairs from Mothercare's new Autumn / Winter collection.


I've always thought Mothercare's maternity range was aimed at the older mum. With very basic and rather 'unstylish' items, that really weren't my style at all. But honestly, I've been really impressed! The denim collection has soo many different styles, that I think would impress even the most style conscious mama.

The first pair I picked were these washed black over the bump maternity biker jeans. What I love about these jeans is how soft and stretchy they are. I don't feel squeezed into them, and I can move and sit comfortably without them falling down too. I lovee that the over the bump band is seam-free, as it means it's not visible under thinner tees. It really does give that extra support that I've needed too - especially during these last few weeks of pregnancy.



Not only are they comfortable, but they're stylish too! They have added details such as the stitch detail at the knees and zips at the ankles; making them look so much more like 'normal' jeans. They also have a button fastening, which although doesn't actually keep the jeans up, adds to the overall look of them too.

Mothercare jeans are fab as you can order a size as well as a length - an essential for me as I'm so short! I found that these jeans are definitely true to size, and the length is perfect for me.



The second pair from the Autumn / Winter collection that I selected were these frayed ripped knee over the bump skinny jeans, in the darker denim colour. These jeans are most definitely my style, with the ripped knees and blue denim. They have been given a faded and distressed look to make them more stylish too, which is something I really like about them.

Again, these feature the seam-free bump band, which makes them so comfortable to wear. I prefer to wear them over my bump to add that extra support (and it's a little bonus layer on colder days!). However you can also wear the band under your bump if you prefer.



I'm personally not a fan of the frayed hem detail on these jeans, as I don't think they look as good with certain shoes. However as you can see in these photos, they're super easy to roll and change if this is something you agree with.

These jeans also feature a functioning button and belt loops, which creates the illusion of a low rise design. I love this extra detail, however I do think that as my bump gets bigger this will make them harder to wear. I did also find that these jeans came up small, even though I ordered all three pairs in the same size - so this may be to do with the low rise detail. It's such a shame, as I think these are my favourite style!


The third and final pair of maternity jeans I have been testing, are these blue super stretch over the bump jeans. This pair are the most basic jeans I picked, but I wanted some that would go with everything else in my increasingly limited wardrobe. And I think these would be perfect for so many different occasions, either dressed down how I've style them, or dressed up for a special occasion!

They are soft and stretchy, meaning they are really comfortable to wear. And the fact that they don't have any fancy details, has probably made them the comfiest pair out of the three I tried. Although they do also have the frayed hem which I'm not really a fan of.



Just like the previous two pairs, these jeans have the button detail and seam-free bump band. However for some reason, despite being the same size as the other pairs, these ones actually feel slightly on the bigger size. I do find myself having to pull them up throughout the day, and they just feel generally looser.


Overall I've been really impressed with the Mothercare Denim range. The jeans are stylish, super soft and comfortable to wear, and they just feel like they're going to last. With each pair priced around the £35 mark, they do appear expensive. But as they're designed to grow with you (with the help of the bump bands), they really are a great investment... and I know I'm going to be wearing mine once baby is born too!

You can find out more about the Mothercare Denim range here.

We received these items in exchange for our honest review. All opinions are honest and my own.

32 Weeks Pregnant {Baby Number 3}

26.11.17

My goodness do I feel reaaaally pregnant now! The weeks are absolutely flying by too, and it really feels as if I'm going to blink and my due date will be here. Talking of due dates, for some reason I just have a feeling I'm going to make it there this time, and maybe even beyond too. But who knows!

HOW FAR ALONG?
32 weeks & 5 days

DUE DATE?
14th January 2018

GENDER?
Girl!

HOW’S BABY DOING?
I use the Baby Centre App to check on baby's progress - baby girl now weighs roughly 1.7kg and is as long as a kale leaf at around 42.4cm long. Her finger and toenails are now full formed, and if she has an itch she may even scratch it (cute!). By this stage most babies are head down, but who knows with this little lady. She is always on the move.


WEIGHT CHANGE?
I actually stepped on the scales last week, as I was really interested to see how much weight I've put on. I've put on 4.6kg which is about 10lbs, which I'm actually really happy about. I don't know whether it's too much or too little, but it sounds okay to me!

SYMPTOMS?
Lots of hiccups and braxton hicks this last week, and all the baby wriggles too. My ribs are still in a lot of pain most of the time - although I'm unsure if this is from a foot, bum or head! 

SLEEP?
I've had a another rubbish cold recently, so while that's been at it's worst sleep has been awful! When my cough hasn't been keeping me awake though, I've been sleeping like a dream. I did get woken the other morning by baby girl though. She was pushing into my side so much it was pushing me up!

CRAVINGS?
Nothing of note this week!

HOW I’M FEELING?
My goodness am I well and truly at the waddling stage now! I'm slow, putting on my shoes is difficult and once I'm on the floor I'd rather just stay there... How I'm going to cope with another 8 week I'm not sure.

MISS ANYTHING?
Being able to wear normal clothes! My coat doesn't fit so I'm extra chilly when out and about, and I've still not found decent pjs that don't cost the earth!

FAVOURITE RECENT OUTFIT?
I feel as if I'm repeating the same few maternity t-shirts at the moment. I've got a few new bits on order to collect this week though, so fingers crossed I fall back in love with clothes again!

BEST MOMENT THIS FORTNIGHT?
Getting the last bits ready for bump and thinking about organising / building / preparing! I'm planning on washing the baby clothes in the next few weeks, and I've made a start of my 'hospital bag' bits too... eek!

LOOKING FORWARD TO?
It's our biggest girl's birthday on Sunday, so I am SO excited to celebrate her this weekend. I've then got another midwife appointment on Monday, so I'm really excited to hear how baby girl is doing. Fingers crossed she's head down still!

You can see how this pregnancy compares to Parker's (my second) here.

Linking to the Bumps & Babies Linky with Let's Talk Mummy

Inspiring the Design of their First Grown-Up Bedroom | Guest Post

18.11.17

This is a collaborative guest post

Joy Richards is the Sleep Specialist at Happy Beds, one of the UK’s fast-growing bed manufacturers and retailers. When she’s not discussing all things bedroom-related, she’s raising her young family and indulging in a pasta dish or two.


I don’t know about you, but I dreaded the idea of transitioning my little one from her cot to her very first ‘big girl’ bed. I was expecting sleepless nights and tantrums that ended up with three in a bed, but thankfully I was given some sage advice that meant we all settled in relatively smoothly.

What’s the secret? Creating a room that excites your child. We’ve always got our little ones involved in the design process, and tried to make their bedroom somewhere they want to spend more time. If they happen to drift off to sleep then… bonus!

With that in mind, here is a little children's bedroom inspiration.

Build a Bedroom That Grows with Them 

If you enjoy a spot of painting and are a dab hand with design, then you may not mind doing a complete bedroom makeover over a few years. However, let’s be honest, most people aren’t Handy Andy.

If you’re looking for a fuss-free future, invest in a design and furniture that will grow with your child. In terms of kids beds, bunkbeds or a mid-sleeper are perfect as they really make the most of a room’s footprint, and can provide you with much-need storage too.

Plus, if your family does expand that little bit more, there’ll be no need to buy new furniture!


Choose Neutral Furniture and Add Pizazz with Accessories 

With time, not only do children physically grow, but their style and tastes do too. They may be obsessed with Paw Patrol now, but this will likely change. Therefore, we’d recommend investing in relatively neutral coloured furniture and adding colour through bedding, curtains and decorative accessories instead.

Why not invest in some brightly coloured, patterned bedcovers that your kids choose themselves? Alternatively, a soft bedroom rug or a funky lamp are always a simple and affordable way of adding interest to a bedroom.


Storage, Storage and More Storage 

As you probably already know, for such small people, children have an awful lot of ‘stuff', and they do like to get messy. That means effective storage is essential.

Bold coloured storage tubs are always a practical winner in my book. But, if you’re looking for something that is a bit more aesthetically pleasing, why not purchase a monogrammed toy chest? Not only will it look fabulous and help you hide away the clutter, but it’ll give your child a sense of ownership as it has their initials printed proudly on it.

Ensure You’re Not Investing in Style Over Substance

Last but not least, before you reach for your debit card, ensure you’re not investing in style over substance. You want the items you purchase to not only look good, but to be robust and safe. Therefore, you should always balance out quality and getting a bargain. Sometimes it's worth spending that little bit more, if you know it'll last for many more years.

How did you make the transition from cot to 'big' bed?