Lilah at 11 Months Old

20.12.18

This time last year I was almost full term, anxiously awaiting the arrival of our baby girl. And now here we are, with just a few weeks to go until our beautiful Lilah turns one. Howww did we get here already?! 


Lilah is still a petite little lady, weighing only 18lbs 11oz (at 48 weeks). She's fitting nicely into 9-12 month clothing and following her growth curve nicely, so neither we or the health visitor have any concerns. She is eating absolutely loads, and now she's only having 2 bottles a day, I think we need to introduce snacks as she seems hungry constantly! Since last month she has also popped another tooth through (a molar!), which I cannot believe.. she's going to have a full set in a few months at this rate.

Development wise, Lilah is definitely a walker now. She walks around the house flitting between toys, and as she can stand herself up there's no stopping her. We haven't got her any shoes yet, but I think we'll need to soon so she can walk about outside. That's not saying she doesn't 'talk' at all though, as she is constantly babbling / screeching away to herself.


This month is such an exciting one for Lilah, as we're celebrating her very first Christmas! She is already obsessed with all of the twinkly lights and pulling baubles off of the tree. Although I don't think she was so sure about Father Christmas - there were no tears though which is a win right? I can't wait to spend lots of time together as a family over the next few weeks, and I'm sure Lilah is going to be over the moon to have her daddy home for nearly 2 weeks!

I cannot believe that the next time I share one of these updates our baby girl will be one. Although I'm quite pleased I only have one of these flower photos to capture, they are impossible these days!

5 Tips for Stress-Free Wedding Planning

19.12.18

Is there anything more stressful than planning your own wedding? If you are right in the middle of all the organisation right now, then I’m sure you will agree that it can be very difficult being a bride-to-be. That’s no reason to turn into a dreaded bridezilla though. So here are some ways you can reduce your stress, and ensure that you don’t snap anyone’s head off in the process!


Give Yourself Plenty of Time
First of all, it’s always a good idea to give yourself plenty of time to plan the wedding in the first place. If you leave things until the very last minute, then you will only end up feeling very rushed and under pressure. Ideally, you need to start planning the big day at least six months in advance, although many couples like to start a year or so before their wedding. Just remember that the longer you spend planning the better your wedding will be.

Consider Hiring a Wedding Planner
You don’t have to plan every part of your wedding all on your own. If you are busy trying to juggle your wedding planning alongside a full-time job, then it could be worth hiring a wedding planner. They can take care of some of the big jobs such as liaising with the venue, and organising caterers. When you are looking for a wedding planner, it’s worth taking a look at a couple of different people. Ask for quotes and to see their portfolios. This can give you an idea of who can help you create your dream day for the best-possible price.

Ask Close Relatives and Friends for Help
It’s also worth asking your relatives and friends if they can help you with certain jobs too. You might want them to check out wedding bands such as The Smooth Criminals, and come up with a shortlist for you to check out. They can also help you find a designer for your invitations as well as a photographer. If one of your family or a friend is a keen baker, then you could even ask them to make your wedding cake.

Understand that Things Might go Wrong
You are only human, and you will only have a certain amount of control over certain aspects of your wedding. Unfortunately things could go wrong, but that shouldn’t be something that gets you down. It’s always good to always have a plan B in place so that you always have something to fall back on. And remember that you will be marrying the love of your life, regardless of any problems!

Take a Break from Planning
If you feel like things are starting to get on top of you, and that your stress levels are creeping up, then take a break! Don’t worry if you do forget about your planning for a few days. You’ll always be able to pick it up again from where you left off, and you will feel a lot more relaxed and refreshed as a result.

This is a collaborative post.

The Siblings Project | December 2018

15.12.18


I cannot believe this is my last Siblings project post of 2018! This year has seen my duo turn to a trio, and my big two welcome their baby sister into their little gang. It's been amazing to watch Indiana take on the big sister role again. She was born for the role, and absolutely loves playing and looking after Lilah. Parker has definitely struggled with the big brother role sometimes (he was the baby for 2.5 years I suppose), but I know he is smitten with his baby sister really.

December has been a really fun month so far, and having our cheeky three definitely make it that much more special. It was the first year Indie and Parker really got into helping with decorating the house - although I think I may have preferred it when they didn't help so much... Of course Lilah has spent every day since destroying said decorations, but I think I'm going to be really disappointed when they're gone for another year.


I love looking back on how our three have changed over the year, and I think this year's will be extra special, as it has captured Lilah's whole first year! So here's a look back on the Littles this year...

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


Making Room for Nature in your Home

3.12.18

Your home goes beyond the realms of your interior decor. While many homeowners focus their entire attention on designing exciting interiors, they can sometimes neglect their outdoor decor. If you own a house (bungalow, terraced, or even detached property) with a front and back garden, you can’t afford to ignore how the exterior of your property affects your homely feel.

Would you feel at home if you parked the car on a messy drive every evening, and had to fight your way through an overgrown garden to get to the door? If the answer is no, then here’s a short guide on making your outdoor space homely again! 


The eternal challenge of birds in the garden 
If you love the idea of a vibrant red robin stopping in your garden in winter, you know that you need to prepare the spot in advance. Bird feeders are hugely popular - not only because they provide the guarantee of attracting birds into your garden, but also because they’re an easy and practical way to inject new life into your outdoor decor.

The more birds come to your garden, the more likely you are to struggle with stains on the driveway, the walls and the windows too. You can, however, protect your premises by using targeted bird control service, such as the addition of pigeon spikes to deter them from perching on your window sills and porch. An elegant alternative to the bird feeder is to add a pond, which will provide water to the birds and limit droppings to a small area.

The green garden that turns to chaos
If you’ve been dreaming of a wild garden you’ve probably come to realise that it takes a lot of work to manage the wilderness. Creating a naturalistic and untamed look comes down to one method - managed landscaping. The selection of plants is essential. You need to create a frame with evergreen shrubs, perennials and ornamental grasses to bring structure and natural filling. Last, but not least, garden maintenance plays a crucial role in the design of your untamed backyard. Remember that greenery adds a stylish finish to your home, but it’s not designed to take over the property!

Bringing a plant indoors makes your home healthier It’s been widely accepted that the presence of nature can be soothing. During the warmer months of the year your wild garden can help you to relax, but then comes the winter, and the garden disappears. You can find peace in making a place for nature under your roof. Houseplants are not just a stylish eye-catcher in your decor though. Plants actively help to purify the indoor air; boosting your mood and your cognitive abilities. 

This is a collaborative post.

Easy Ways to Personalise your First Home!

Living in a rented property can sometimes be a bit impersonal. Landlords have a lot of rules about what you can and can’t do to the house, and most won’t let you paint the walls, let alone put up any pictures. You never quite feel at home because you can’t put your own stamp on the place. But when you finally buy your first family home, you’ve finally got the chance to make it your own. Now that the house is actually yours, you can do whatever you like with it - so don’t hold back. Today I'm going to share some easy ways that you can personalise your first home!

Hang Some Photos 
Family photos are the ideal way to personalise your home. Get some of your favourites printed out professionally, and take them to a picture framing company to get them displayed properly. Remember, it’s your house so you can drill into the walls wherever you like and put the pictures up. Just don’t go overboard and cover every surface with photos, because you might regret it later. Put up a few in the living room and some in the hallways, and the house will start to feel a little more like home in no time.


Paint the Exterior 
The easiest way to change the entire look of the house is to paint the exterior. It’s also a good idea if the house is an older property, because a new coat of exterior paint will give it a bit more protection against the weather. Chances are it’s currently a bit of a neutral colour, so why not paint it again in a more interesting colour? If you think painting the entire house is a too bigger job, you can still give the outside of the house a bit of a lift if you just paint the front door instead. The door is like the centrepiece of the exterior of the house, so if you paint it in a bright, eye catching colour, it’ll make a big difference!

If the house has nice wooden windows, that’s another simple detail that you can change. The window frames will really stick out if you paint them in an interesting colour so don’t limit yourself to a boring brown or black. Just make sure that it still goes well with the rest of the exterior colour, especially if you’re leaving it as it is.

Swap out Fixtures 
If you don’t like the bathroom or the kitchen in your new house, you could rip the whole thing out and replace it all. But that’s going to be pretty expensive! You can still update the bathroom and the kitchen in the mean time though, by swapping out the fixtures. Replacing the taps, or the handles on the toilet will cost a fraction of the price, but jazz up the room. Just make sure that you’re matching the new fixtures with the rest of the decor if you aren’t making any more changes.

Have a Good Clean 
The smell in your home makes a big difference, and it’ll make you feel more at home if it smells just like your old place did. Give the house a thorough deep clean before you move in, to make it feel fresh and more like your own home. If you use the same products you used in your old house, it will make your new home feel more like yours!

Change the Light Shades 
The light shades are an accessory that people usually underestimate. You don’t notice them that much when you’re walking around the home, but if you’ve got interesting ones they can make all of the difference. Why not replace the current fittings with something more exciting? The right light fixture can be a great centrepiece in a room and it’s a simple way to inject a bit of your own personality into the room.

If you’re going for a more rustic decor style around your home, you could take the light shade off entirely and put in some vintage effect light bulbs instead. That stripped back look works great in a room that has a very traditional feel.

Get Inventive with Colour on the Walls 
If you’ve been living in rented properties for a while, you’re probably fed up with cream coloured walls. It's great for keeping a property neutral, but it's also soo dull! But there are no limits with your own home, so you can do whatever you like. Feature walls with bold patterned wallpaper or even a mural are a great way to completely revitalise a room and make it your own.

When you’re picking colours from the room, you need to consider the function of the space because different colours are best suited to different activities. If you’re painting the living room then something like red probably isn’t best, because it’s not a very relaxing colour. And if you’re painting a home office, you should go for blues and yellows because they encourage focus and creativity. Just make sure to have a good think before jumping into painting walls crazy colours!


Accessories
A lot of people get rid of a lot of unwanted items when they’re moving house. But make sure to keep some items though, because you can use some of them in the new place. Anything that has personal memories attached to it (like small ornaments that you bought on holiday) are ideal for personalising your home. Be careful not to make areas too cluttered though, just pick a few select pieces that are special to you and your family, and dot them around the house.

Get Everybody Involved 
Your home should be a reflection of your family, and the best way to achieve that is to let everybody pitch in and make decisions about how to decorate it. Have the whole family come along when you’re picking the colour schemes and furniture for the house, choose family photos together before you put them up on the wall, and let your little ones have a say in designing their own rooms. If you do it this way, you’ll get a bit of the personality of each family member in the home and it’ll all tie together brilliantly.

This is a collaborative post.

How to Plan a Successful Wedding

29.11.18

So, you have found the perfect wedding venue, but what do you need to do next?

There is so much to consider when it comes to planning your special day. Of course, you want to ensure that everything is just how you want it to be, which is why it is best to be as organised as possible. Keeping that in mind, read on to discover some of the venue-related tasks you will need to embark on, now you have decided on where you would like to have your dream day hosted.

Firstly you will need to begin by thinking about the theme and the colour scheme for your big day. Sometimes a venue can determine this; ff you have chosen somewhere that has a very unique design, you will have to play towards this, otherwise, you could end up with a room that looks a bit confused! Of course, if the wedding venue is neutral and gives you the opportunity to really add some colour and style, then the sky is your limit.


Do you want a traditional or modern styled-venue?

What colour scheme are you going to go for?

When choosing a colour scheme it is advisable to stick to three colours maximum. This will ensure everything blends beautifully and looks stylish. You can also use the likes of Pinterest to create a mood board, so that you can see what everything is going to look like together.

Aside from this, you should also consider the prospect of hiring some extra special treats that will make your big day special. Most people hire a band or a DJ, however there has been a trend for wedding magicians and other unique entertainment options lately too. Why not hire a Photo Booth like one from Photo Booth Rental Fort Worth? This is a great way to keep your wedding party entertained, while also capturing memories of your big day. You could even get guests to use the pictures to create your guest book - much more fun than just a written message! Don’t forget the photographer either - photographers like Daz Mack are a great choice, because they put the fun into wedding photography, and you can see work samples too.

In addition to this, you have plenty of other ways to make your wedding stand out. Have you thought about having your very own sweet stall, or why don’t you hire a photo booth and silly props! There are plenty of great ways to bring an added dash of fun to the occasion. You could even create your own cocktail and give this to guests to toast with, rather than having the standard champagne or prosecco. 

Last but not least, you will need to deal with the finishing touches. This includes everything from your table centrepieces, to the catering and the favours. Table centrepieces must be considered taking into account not only the style of the room, but the size of it. If you are having a small and intimate wedding, tall table centrepieces may dominate the room and make it difficult for people to converse with one and other.

Make sure to think about the wedding favours you are going to give guests too. Most people tend to go for something like a small chocolate or another type of edible favour. There are so many different unique ideas out there, so do a bit of research first. It is always nice to pick something that is special to you and your partner.

And finally the most important thing you need to do, is to make sure you enjoy yourself. Don’t let the stress take over. You’re getting married and planning the occasion should be half of the fun!
This is a collaborative post.

Lilah at 10 Months Old

28.11.18


I cannot believe how late I am with Lilah's update this month! She turned 10 months a few weeks ago now, but with Indiana's birthday and everyone being poorly, it's been difficult to find time to sit down and write. I haven't had time to take her to the weighing clinic either, so I don't have an update on her weight this month. But it has been a really exciting one!

Lilah is definitely growing well and is now fully in 9-12 month clothing. She's still a petite little lady though, and everyone always comments on how small she is for her age. Although what she doesn't have in size, she definitely makes up for in personality. She is constantly chatting and squealing away (she now says mama!), and my goodness does she make herself known when she isn't happy with something. She will stomp her feet at you and tantrum like a teenager when she doesn't get her own way sometimes. And although it's loud and hard work sometimes, can actually be rather cute!

Meal times are still her favourite part of the day, and Lilah loves most things put in front of her. She's getting really good with her pincer grip, and preloaded spoons are a little less messier now. As well as her meals she's still having three bottles a day - although she's not too fussed about her 3pm bottle some days, so I reckon we'll be dropping this one soon.



There have been some huge developments with Lilah this month, and she's quickly becoming a little girl and not a baby anymore. Two more teeth have popped through giving her a total of 8 already. And most exciting of all... she took her first steps! Very quickly she's learnt to stand herself up independently, take 3-4 steps, and can crouch and stand back up again if she falls.

I always knew those first steps weren't far off, but I still couldn't believe it when she did it. And despite Lilah being our third baby, those steps were still just as special. And probably the most bittersweet too, as it feels as if those baby days are coming to and end for the last time. And I don't think I'm ready!

3 Great Tips when Buying a House to Renovate

27.11.18

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
The cost of buying a home is out of control, and if you’re trying to buy a new property, you probably won’t be able to afford the space that you want. But you can save a lot of money if you buy an older property, and then renovate it instead!

It’ll take a bit of work and you won’t be able to move in right away, but you’ll be able to get a lot more for your money. However, you’ve got to be careful when you’re buying a property to renovate. If you take on a huge project that you can’t handle, you’ll end up sinking way too much money and time into it to make it liveable, and actually be worse off. So if you are considering buying a property to renovate, here are some tips to help you make the right choice.

Always Get A Survey Done
This is the most important step when you’re looking at any property, but it’s particularly important when you’re buying a house to renovate. If all of the work that needs doing is mostly cosmetic, you’re going to be fine. But if there are big structural issues or a giant hole in the roof, that’s going to be incredibly expensive and time consuming to fix.

You need to remember the exterior of the house as well, because any damage could cause you a lot of problems with insulation and damp. It’s important that you are aware of any problems like this before you buy, otherwise, you’ll end up stuck with a house that you can’t afford to fix up. That’s why you always need to get a survey done - because you won't have the expertise to spot these problems

Planning Permission
When you look around a house, you’ll probably start making plans about what you’re going to do to it straight away. But what if you buy the house and then find out that you don’t have the permission to do any of that stuff? That’s why it’s important to look into planning permission and find out about things like party walls before you agree to buy the property. What is a party wall, you might be wondering? A party wall is any wall that you share with a neighbouring property.

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash
This can be a big problem when you’re doing renovations, as you’ll need to get a party wall agreement with the owner of the other property, if your work will impact them in some way. Always make sure that you find out what work you can actually do, before you commit to buy somewhere.

Be Prepared For Competition
The low price for these properties attracts a lot of potential buyers, especially as house prices are so high at the moment. So you need to be prepared for a bit of competition. The offer that you initially put in may be beaten by another buyer, so always budget a little bit extra, and don’t go in with your highest price first. It’s also important that you don’t get your hopes up because sometimes, somebody else will be able to pay more than you can afford!

This is a collaborative post.

3 Wedding Mistakes NOT to Make!

25.11.18

Every bride wants her wedding day to be special, and something she and her guests will always remember. Planning the wedding of your dreams can be a lot of hard work, but hopefully it will have been worth it when the big day arrives. There are mistakes made at every wedding though; here are just a few you should try to avoid!

The Bride (And Groom)

Most of the focus on any wedding day is on the bride. What is her dress like? What flowers will she be carrying? How many bridesmaids does she have? What you must remember is that there is one other very important person at your wedding - the groom! It is just as vital that he feels well dressed and comfortable. A bespoke suit from a company like Colmore Tailors, can really help with this.

Other important members of your wedding are your guests. They need to have a good time or they might remember your wedding for the wrong reasons. You would hope a pleasing experience will happen naturally, but this isn't always the case. You have to work hard at making sure they will be entertained, and have good food and drink. Make sure to try and speak to everyone during the day too.

Personal Is More Important Than Impressive

You could spend fortunes trying to impress your guests, but personal touches will always mean a lot more. Whether you spend 30p or £30 on centrepieces for tables is irrelevant, but if the wedding reflects who you are as a couple it will be much more successful. It is too easy to lay out far too much money on things that do not matter, but just remember that money isn't everything.

Why not try and make personal touches towards your guests too. If you have place name cards, write something personal on the back of each one. They can then take that away as a memory of your special day. 


Consider Your Guests

Whatever their situation your guests will have had to make an effort to attend your big day. They may have had to hire babysitters, booked transport or taken time off work. If you want everyone to be able to make it, you need to give them as much information as possible well before the wedding. The whole thing with a wedding is that it is yours and your partner’s day, but if you want it to be successful, you sometimes have to put yourselves last.
This is a collaborative post.

Preserving The Beauty Of Childhood

19.11.18


Childhood is one of the most beautiful and important things there are. If you lived a great one it will most likely affect your personality for the rest of your life (and you’ll often long to return to that innocent, childhood state). If you weren't so fortunate however, it could influence your entire life perhaps more chaotically.

We can overcome our childhoods, but we’re all absolutely a product of it. This means that as a parent, being the guardian of childhood isn’t a fantastic title given by someone with too much imagination. It’s a complete necessity for a parent to do everything they can, to allow a child to live free from the shackles of adulthood!

Of course, this doesn't mean they should be spoiled, allowed free reign over every single decision, and never disciplined. Childhood is hard to deal with, and even an excellent parent will find it challenging. It’s also always amazing to see just how much of your child’s personality is seemingly packaged with them the moment they begin to toddle about. Thankfully, preserving the beauty of childhood despite these challenges is possible, if you take into account the following advice...

Settling Issues

It can be very wise to settle issues in your family unit, before they start to influence the children in the family. For example, relationship issues might need to go through the impartial lens of family solicitors, or you might need to follow arrangements best made by your family counselor. Children are very smart and can tell when issues are taking place. It’s very hard to lie to them about this, and of course, lying to your children isn’t something you would ever want to do either. For that reason, taking issues by the horn and resolving them can make for a much better childhood.

Play

Children need to play, that's a fact! And actually, it’s one of the most important things a child can ever learn. Play simulates life in the microcosm, from sharing with their siblings to learning the rules of fair play. A child tests their personality and learns completely new things throughout the course of their years of play, and will begin to absorb the unwritten rules of the social landscape with their peers. Children need to play. So let them - preferably in social activities or using their imagination, then constantly allowing them to play video gaming consoles.

Growing Up too Quickly

We’re often quite disgusted to see dolled-up children that attend beauty pageants, with their pushy mothers and fathers. But we might not look at ourselves and see, in less obviously irritating ways, how we might be pushing our children to grow up too fast. If your 10 or 11 year old is allowed to watch films unsuitable for them, or is experiencing unsuitable things from hanging out with their older sibling, then it might be worth keeping an eye on them. If your 13/14 year old daughter wants to play with dolls still, let her! Help your children hold onto their childhood as they should, because they’ll have plenty of time to live as someone with responsibilities and adult cares in the future.

With these few simple tips, preserving the beauty of childhood is sure to take place!

This is a collaborative post.

The Siblings Project | November 2018

17.11.18

I haven't taken many fancy pictures of our three this month, but I thought these quick snaps were too lovely not to share. Lilah is SO eager to get out and about on our outings now, and we cannot wait until the three of them are off adventuring together. And of course I wanted to share our Halloween pictures too, because they're just too cute not to share!

I actually cannot believe we have an almost 5 year old, a 3 year old and a 10 month old now. This year seems to have gone by in an absolute flash, and all three of them have grown and changed so much since my Siblings Project posts at the start of the year. And now we only have one more of these posts left!



Apart from half term, this month has been a relatively quiet one. We had a lovely Halloween with allll of the sweets, and the littles in the cutest outfits. Indie wanted to be a witch, Parker was a skeleton dinosaur (yes, it was as cool as it sounds), and Lilah was a baby witch to match Indie. Jack took the big two out trick or treating after work, which they are still talking about now!

We have had some lovely days out throughout the month too, including a soggy trip to Scotney Castle and fireworks with our friends Harriet and Josh. But as we have so many exciting events coming up over the next few weeks, we decided to enjoy our free weekends as much as possible. Because once Indiana's birthday rolls around, it will be Christmas before we know it!


Starting School | Indiana’s First Term in Reception

5.11.18

With October half term over, and the countdown to Christmas well and truly on, I thought I'd take the time to write about Indiana's first term at school. Although I'm still in a bit of denial that she's a school girl (she's still a baby in my eyes!), Indie has settled into the routine of school really well.


At Indie's school they staggered the reception children's starts. Half of her class did morning sessions and the other half did afternoons. Indie had just over two weeks of afternoons, before she actually went in full at the end of September. And although these were great for easing her in gently, they felt far too long in my opinion. Indie is one of the older children though (she's 5 in a few weeks), so maybe that's why she seemed ready a lot earlier!?

Despite being ready, those first few weeks of full days were still rather exhausting - for all of us! The school day starts at 8.30am (8.45am if we're running a bit late!), and I collect her at 3.10pm, so it's a much longer day than preschool ever was. I don't think she ever stops when she's there either; with so much to see and do, she doesn't want to miss out! It has meant plenty of overtired outbursts in the evening, and keeping weekends as simple as possible. But we're hoping as the weeks go on, she gets used to the busy weeks a bit more.

I can tell she has already picked up and learnt so much over this first half term though. From her very first day, she has been coming home and telling me about the phonics she has learnt - pointing out the letters, singing the little phonics songs and always, always writing and drawing. I think I could decorate our whole house with the amount of artwork she comes home with - it's impressive she gets anything else done during the day!


We are so pleased that Indiana has settled into school life so well, and so quickly. Despite not knowing anyone on her first day, she's made lots of new friends already, and there's no issues with her eating her school lunches either! We have our first parent's evening this week, so I cannot wait to hear about how she's getting on even more.

I really hope she keeps her love of school for a long time - we are just so, so proud!

5 Steps to a Stress-Free Wedding

1.11.18

The process of planning a wedding can sometimes be a little very overwhelming. As well as sometimes being more frustrating that you would like it to be! Rather than getting down or letting out your frustration on those around you, you should work gradually towards your end goal. Setting milestones for yourself that you can tick off as you go along. It’s not only a good way of tracking the process, and but splitting things into bitesize chunks makes them more manageable too.


A Successful Engagement
Let’s start right at the beginning - because nothing can start until you've achieved a successful engagement. That's the most important thing of all when you're starting the process of planning a wedding. If you haven’t proposed yet, finding the right ring will be vital, and 77 Diamonds engagement rings might be worth considering. You’ll want to get the proposal just right and make it memorable!

Narrowing Down the Guest-List
The guest-list is perhaps one of the most stress things to work out when you’re planning a wedding. You don’t want to miss anyone off, or make anyone feel bad that they’re not invited. So try to approach it carefully; taking everyone’s feelings into account. At the same time, you should remember that a bigger guest-list will mean a bigger and more expensive wedding too. So don't just invite people for the sake of it.

Booking the Ideal Venue
Once you’ve got the venue confirmed, the whole wedding usually starts to come together and feel more real. That might sound like a strange thing to say, but when you can visualise the location in which your wedding is going to happen, it definitely does start to feel more real! So booking the venue is a major milestone that you’re going to be working towards when you start planning.

Finding the Dress
Another special moment is finding your dream wedding dress. When you put on that dress and it looks exactly how you wanted it to in your imagination, there’s no better feeling you can experience. It might take many days (or weeks) of searching and trying on wedding dresses, but it’s all worth it when you find 'the one'.

Reaching the Big Day Without Becoming a Bridezilla
If you manage to get to the big day of your wedding without turning into the worst kind of bridezilla, then you will have certainly achieved something that many brides don’t! With all the stress and planning that goes into a wedding, it's no surprise brides go a bit crazy some of the time.

There are many milestones that you’ll pass on the way towards getting married, but the ones mentioned here are probably the most important ones. When you tick each of them off you should stop to appreciate your efforts, and be happy that your wedding preparations are moving in the right direction. Good luck!

This is a collaborative post.

Lilah at Nine Months

23.10.18

Those 40 weeks of pregnancy seem to go by oh so slowly - especially towards the end when you're just waiting for the day you'll go into labour. But once your baby is born, those weeks seem to fly by so so quickly. Especially when you've already go older children!

Lilah is now 9 months old and I just cannot believe it. She's actually 40 weeks, meaning she has been out the same number of weeks she grew in my tummy for too - how crazy is that?! She has finally reached the 18lb mark too (18lbs 5oz to be exact), meaning she is now double her birth weight. Size 6-9 month clothing is becoming a litte small, so I think we'll be slowly transitioning to the next size over the next few weeks


I'm actually a little upset that Lilah's two front teeth have finally popped through, meaning she has 6 teeth now. Her toothy smile is soo sweet though, and they've defintely helped her with eating. She absolutely LOVES her food, and will actually get angry if you don't give her food fast enough. Banging on her tray, screeching at you, and trying to steal your food too - it's so funny!

Development wise Lilah is still mostly speed crawling, climbing and cruising. She is pulling herself to stand solo constantly though (which was terrifying at the beach yesterday), and can now stand by herself for about 10 seconds. I don't think walking is that far off now, so wish us luck!



She is such a happy and vocal little baby, and is constantly chatting away in her own little language. We still haven't got a proper 'mama' out of yet, but she can wave and say 'bye'. And if anyone says mama to her she instantly looks at me, so I guess she knows who I am at least!

The biggest development this month is probably the start of separation anxiety. She hates being left (especially by Jack), and will scream and cry until the second you pick her up. It's making getting things done a little trickier, and she really hates being left in her buggy when I have to go into the classroom to pick the big two up. Any advice would be really appreciated!

A Trip to the Pumpkin Patch! | Pick Your Own Pumpkin, Sevington 2018

18.10.18


Autumn is definitely my favourite season. The sunny but chillier days, crunchy leaves and of course Halloween. One of the main reasons why though, is because of our yearly pumpkin picking tradition! We have been visiting Pick Your Own Pumpkin Sevington for the last few years now, and this year they invited us to check out a few little extras they have to offer.






Pick Your Own Pumpkin is a family run farm in Ashford, Kent, and is easily accessible from the M20. The patch is completely free to visit, and they have plenty of wheelbarrows available to collect your pumpkins in - or whizz your little ones about if you're like us! You just simply collect as many pumpkins as you want, and pay for what you've picked (based on size, prices range from £1 - £5). 

This year there's even more on offer at the patch aside from the thousands of pumpkins. The Fizzy Squirrel have a lovely little trailer at the farm, offering Prosecco, mulled cider, soft drinks and a few nibbles too. Another new treat trailer this year is from Out Of The Box Events, who are serving fresh wood fired pizzas (and chocolate pizzas) too. Both of these trailers are only there at the weekend, but other hot drinks are available from the Naked Espresso van daily though. There are also toilets on site (including a baby change), so there's no need to worry.







We absolutely love our visits to Pick Your Own Pumpkin, and have come home with a whole array of different pumpkins, squashes and even a few cobs of corn that the littles collected from the parking field. Indie and Parker are still talking about our visit, and have even taken the littlest pumpkins in to show their friends at school!

My favourite ones we picked this year are definitely the white/green ones, they are so unique and interesting! They have soo many on offer in the field though, so there's still plenty of time to visit before Halloween. They are open 10am - 4pm on Saturday 20th October through to Sunday 28th October. I'd keep an eye out on their Facebook page for updates though, just in case.





We were invited along to visit and gifted our pumpkins, and treats from The Fizzy Squirrel and Out Of The Box Events. I was not paid for this post, and all opinions are honest and my own.