I haven't written an update on our little Lilah Bear since she was 2 years old, and since we celebrated her third birthday last month, I think it's about time I did! Of course Lilah's 3rd birthday was a much lower-key affair this year due to lockdown, but we still managed to celebrate her special day with a mermaid themed party at home as a family of 5. It was so lovely to see how excited she was for her big day, although she's still not happy she has to wait another whole year for it to be her birthday again!

Lilah has grown and changed so much over the last year. She's super tall now, with beautiful blonde curls and bright blue eyes. I always have comments on her age as people don't believe she's only 3 - it's strange for me too, as both Indie and Parker have always been so short for their ages. She has been wearing 3-4 clothing for a long time now and even some of those bits are on the shorter side. It's been SO lovely to see her in lots of Indie's old bits of clothing though, it brings back all the memories. She's potty trained during the day, and still naps most days too.

In September Lilah started preschool a couple of mornings a week. We originally had a shaky start with lots of tears and trouble separating, but after a few weeks she was running in and absolutely loving her mornings. I love seeing all her little creations and hearing about her day; it sounds like she has lots of little friends already.

Of course a big part of the last year was overshadowed by Covid and all of the restrictions that followed. Thankfully Lilah has only really seen the positives of this though. Having all of us together at home, being able to play with her siblings every day, lots of fun adventures close to home and making those special occasions extra special. Of course she has missed seeing family, but that's why I am so thankful she started preschool and was able to still play with friends and her teachers there.

Development wise Lilah has come on in leaps and bounds. She can count up to 20 and beyond (although just like Indie and Parker did, she struggles with 16), she loves to jump and dance and sing, and she's amazing on her scooter too. You could definitely describe Lilah as a girly girl - obsessed with pink, princesses, dressing up and jewellery... it's a struggle to even get trousers on her most days, it's dresses only!

Lilah loves PlayDoh, Frozen, dressing up, dancing, colouring, scooting on her Micro Scooter, Youtube Kids (Diana Show), and playing small world / role play games. She's still very much obsessed with her dummy and muzzy too, something we really need to work on removing soon (the dummy that is). Lilah doesn't like being left out - if Indie and Parker are doing it then so can she, sharing and still isn't so keen on certain vegetables.

In a few weeks time Lilah will start going to preschool for longer hours and staying for lunch. She's so excited and I am too, but I'm also really sad about it at the same time. I feel like I've missed out on so much time just the two of us! But I know she's ready for this next step, she's definitely not our baby anymore.

4 Steps Towards a Successful Home-Business

Do you ever feel that people don't take your business seriously because you run it from home? This can crush your morale, especially if you are just starting out. But of course working-from-home doesn't mean unprofessional. Especially if you follow these tips and tricks I'm going to share in this post!

Have Specified Working Hours
While running a home-based business gives you the freedom to work at whichever time you want. You should try to give yourself some structured working hours - especially if your business means you have a customer base that need to be in contact with you.

You should come up with specific working times, which you should clearly describe on your website. Your customers will know the hours in which they can place orders or ask questions (even if the answers aren't completely instant). By having specific working hours you create a sense of professionalism, and it also helps you to create a good work / home balance for yourself as well.

Have a Work Station
Having a specific room or area in your home dedicated to your work is a great idea, not only to maintain a healthy work / home balance, but also to make your business appear more professional. Keep the area as clear and clean as possible to keep you motivated too. One of the best flooring styles you can use is an engineered wood floor accomplished by Flooring365, which makes the room you are using look presentable.

Invest in the Right Equipment
Having the right equipment needed to run your business is equally as important. You don't necessarily need the most high-tech, expensive items. But it is a good idea to shop around and find the right products for you. If you spend a lot of time at the computer, then a supportive computer chair is a must for example. 

Put the Needs of the Customers First
There is a famous saying in business that says, 'the customer is always right.' This applies even in a home-based business where you should give priority to the needs of your customers. If a client orders for a certain product or service, you should ensure it is delivered on time without delays. A happy customer will keep coming back, and hopefully they'll bring their friends too!

This is a collaborative post.