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

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.

The Siblings Project | October 2018

It feels as if I was only just writing up last month's siblings project post, and now I'm sharing October's post already! Since my last post, we have fully got into the swing of our new weekly routine. Indiana is absolutely loving school and comes out full of stories and excitement each day. I can tell Parker is well in need of the upcoming half term break though, as he is completely exhausted by the end of the week. And so am I to be honest!

We have tried to keep weekends as low-key as possible these last few weeks, as everyone simply has no energy to do much. Trips to the park and lots of lazy afternoons at home have been just what we all needed. This month's siblings pictures were taken on one of those park trips - matchy matchy outfits meant I just had to get some snaps of our trio!

I love Lilah's little expressions in these photos, as they really do sum up her blossoming personalty. She probably thinks her mama is crazy plonking her in these random spots, making crazy faces to get her to smile. Indie and Parker are clearly used to my craziness by now, but she still just gives me the most confused and unimpressed little faces. It's hilarious!

It's crazy that just a few months ago, our trio was just a duo. It honestly feels as if Lilah has been part of our sibling tribe forever, and I really couldn't image life as a family of four anymore. Three littles is loud, chaotic, and full of hard moments. But it really is the best. And I cannot wait to see how the dynamics are going to change over the years.

Six Simple Ways to Save Money this Autumn

Autumn is the favourite season of myself and many others, and it’s pretty easy to see why. While the weather can be somewhat questionable at times, the beautiful colours, the Halloween chocolate, and the Christmas shopping more than makes up for that (as do the hot chocolates and pumpkin spice lattes of course!). That being said, with this shopping and the sudden drop in temperature, it can be easy to spend more than you really should. So today I'm sharing 6 easy steps to follow, if you want to save some money this Autumn season.

Cook your Own Meals

During the blistering heat of summer, very few people want to get in the kitchen and work over an even hotter oven, which often causes families to spend more and more on takeaways and meals out. Thankfully, throughout autumn and winter, you don’t have this excuse. For this reason, you should cook your own hearty foods, like soups and chillies, using cheaper, seasonal ingredients.

Keep your Home Cosy

When the cold weather hits, far too many people choose to turn on the heating to keep warm. Instead, you should work towards creating a cosier home, so you don't have to turn on the heating too early. Invest your money in rugs for the cold floors and snuggly blankets and jumpers. You should also find and block any draughts and install insulation in the roof, as this will keep you toasty without increasing your energy bills.

Switch Out your Fireplace

A fireplace is a lovely addition to any room, but if yours uses wood as a fuel source, then the maintenance costs can be outrageous. With that in mind, you may want to consider switching to an electric fireplace instead. This is a lot more energy efficient, so you’ll stay warmer for less! They also usually require little, to no maintenance too.

Start Planning for Christmas Now

Many people try to avoid “the C word” until Halloween and Bonfire Night are out of the way, but starting your Christmas planning earlier can save you money in the long run! If you start in Autumn, you have time to shop around for the best deals and can also spread the cost, so you don’t have to face a huge dent in your bank account come December. Most stores have big sales during October too, so you can get most of your presents for half the cost!

Enjoy Better Travel Deals

There are plenty of ways to save money on holidays, but one of the very best is travelling out of season. With that in mind, autumn is the perfect time to book a getaway. Most destinations are a lot quieter this time of year too, as children are back at school. Just make sure you pick a destination that has the weather you are after!

Shop for Next Summer Now

If your patio furniture, barbeque, or gardening tools were left a little worse for wear when the warm weather left us, you might be thinking about replacing them for next summer. Instead of waiting until the new year, why not buy them now? You’ll most likely find all of the garden and summer items have gone into the sale, and therefore you won’t have to stress trying to source them next year!

The leaves and temperature may be falling, but your bank balance doesn’t need to. If you want to save money this autumn, then why not consider these 6 easy steps above?

This is a collaborative post.

Four Ways to Encourage a Healthy Diet

One of the most significant problems in the modern world is the state of our nutrition. In some Western countries, more than 70% of adults are either overweight or obese! But what many people do not realise, is that obesity is a problem that begins in childhood. Food is an essential part of life, so it’s vital that we instil good habits in our children from as young as possible.

One of those habits is to make sure that children start cooking at an early age - rather than getting their calories from fast-food or unhealthy snacks. So today I thought I'd share four easy, but fun ways that you can encourage your little ones to enjoy a healthy diet!

Play At Cooking

Very young children won’t be able to cook straight away, but that doesn't mean you can't get them involved. Using a wooden toy kitchen is a perfect way to introduce children to food and is the perfect entry-point into the world of cooking. Children can practice cookery using their imagination, and when they are old enough, move on to do the real thing.

Get Them To Think About Food Combinations

As adults we know that all the best recipes out there combine different flavours and textures. Sweet and sour, lime and coriander, chocolate and mint - these are all classics which have been learnt through experience. But children don’t have any of this knowledge and so need to learn it from scratch. One of the ways you can do this as a parent is to set up a tasting session with your children. Get them to combine different flavours, and tell you which ones they think work and which don’t. They’ll soon get the hang of it, and won't even realise they're learning while having fun!

Start With Foods They Like

You might hope that as soon as your child learns to cook, they’ll begin with healthy foods. But as any parent will tell you, pigs will fly before their child prepares a plate of vegetables or a salad of their own free will. That’s why it’s a good idea to begin their Masterchef adventure with foods that they actually like! Baking is an excellent starting point, and so is pizza making. Choose recipes where the making part is a lot of fun, and children can customise their meals according to their preferences.

Never Force Cooking

Children, like adults, have an inbuilt desire to do what they want to do. So forcing them into the kitchen and making them join in won't always be the best way to go about the situation. Instead to get children to use the kitchen, it’s far more useful to avoid negotiation entirely and simply hand them a mixing bowl and get them to start stirring. Or to ask them whether they like the icing pattern you’ve started on top of a cake and if they want to finish it.

This is a collaborative post.