Me and Mine July

July has been the busiest month of our year, it appears nearly everyone we know was born this month and we have had so many parties!  Add into that the bloke passing his driving test, and we have ended the month on a high.  In fact, we ended it by driving up to London to meet one of my favourite bloggers who took some lovely photos for us!

The bloke spent the first two weeks of this month unemployed, as there was a break before he started his new job, and we have spent so much time as a family this month that it seems right that we get some great shots to capture it.  

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Dylan and I

He is the one who made me a mama, and for that he will always be not only my son, but my teacher. He is so big in so many ways, and still so small in others and I have to remind myself so regularly that he is only three.

Before him, I didn't exist, not as the person I am now anyway.  He was born to a twenty three year old girl who hadn't really held a baby before.  She hadn't changed a nappy, pushed a pram or felt that love that takes over every cell in your body before.  I held him for the first time, I knew his name  - we knew his name even though we hadn't agreed on it until that moment, and somehow nearly four years have passed.

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Molo at Melijoe

You may have noticed that I have a bit of a love with scandinavian clothes and Molo create stunning photo print designs as well as some more simple pieces.  They don't come cheap, but they are sure to stand out, and the quality is superb.  All three of my boys have some Molo in their wardrobe, and I thought I would share some of my favourite pieces from the current autumn winter collection.

In fact, we have three out of these six already.  I love the simple star top with the sleeping animal trousers and watch this space as Finn has these ready to grow into.

Archie has the star jumper top centre and the simplicity combined with the quality make it perfect for the coming season.

I love the bird print at the bottom with the little pops of colour, and I would love the space themed ski jacket for one of the boys this coming winter - I can imagine it on Dylan.  The cars blanket is so different, and I know that all three of mine would love it.  Not only does it look cosy for Finn, but it is a great talking point for all three, discussing their favourites - bound to brighten up any buggy this winter!

Molo at Melijoe by beckygower on Polyvore

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Life with 3 - Month 5

Finn turned 5 months this weekend, which means we have spent five whole months as a family of five.  I keep being told 'hasn't it gone fast', but somehow it hasn't.  It feels like Finn has been part of the family forever.  It feels like a whole lifetime ago that we were in SCBU, and I can barely even remember writing our four month update, it was so long ago.  Things are going at a great pace, I feel like I have time to appreciate where we are now, and I am hoping the the summer holidays stay slow, as I think September is going to be a whole new challenge to the parenting three thing.

This month has seen the end of nursery and preschool ahead of the summer.  We have spent more time at the beach and the park than ever, and I can't wait for a summer of freedom.  The most challenging thing as a non driver is still transport, as Dylan gets so tired, and if we are out all day, he struggles to walk home sometimes.  This means I can either take a double buggy with two seats and Finn in a sling, or I have to somehow persuade a boy struggling to keep his eyes open to nap.  There was a situation this month that left me pushing Dylan and Archie in the buggy (Archie squished into Finn's carrycot), whilst carrying the only one of the three who was awake - not an easy feat!

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The Last Two Months

We have less than two months left, fifty five days, until Dylan starts school.  It has come around far too fast, it feels like only last week I was holding this small person in my arms, not knowing what to do with him, overcome with amazement.  I can still hold him in my arms, but he doesn't sit so neatly anymore.  There are longs limbs hanging over the side, a head full of hair, and a weight I struggle to carry.  He is tall, broad and smart.  He is nearly four, and we have two months of freedom left.

When he was born, we had all the time in the world.  I would waste days just walking with the pram, just laying next to him on the floor, just cuddling in bed, refusing to get up.  He was my baby, my first born, and I couldn't imagine him being any older than he already was.  These four years seem to have crept up on us, and I now have a 'preschooler'.  I can no longer call him a toddler.  He will always be my baby, but this boy, my son, is a child now.  

It is two months until he will be dressing in a little white polo shirt, smart grey trousers and a navy sweater, a bookbag in hand and excitement in his eyes.  Two months until he marches off into his classroom, full of children he doesn't know, and although he will do it confidently, it is such a big change for him.  He started preschool in a class of friends, but he starts school alone.

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What the Boys Wore - Vertbaudet

The bloke got made redundant at the end of June - something we found out was happening the same week Finn was born, but that still seemed to creep up out of nowhere.  The place he works was relocating to the other end of the country, and alongside having a new baby around, he has been job hunting.  Thankfully he found another job that he is really excited about, but there were two weeks of unemployment in the middle.

Somehow he timed this period with beautiful sunshine and as strange as it was having him around so much, it was lovely to be able to do things as a family more.  We spent one of the nicest days down at the beach, and Vertbaudet had sent us some summer bits for the boys to wear.

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Archie and I

It seems strange when I realise that Archie is the only one of our three children that we planned. His elder brother was a complete surprise, but we decided when he was 9 months old that we wanted another, and it was only a few days before we fell pregnant with Archie.  It was a second easy pregnancy, this time over the winter and the night I went into labour still feels so clear it could have been last week rather than over two years ago.

I remember sitting on my laptop, talking about making plans for my due date, so that I didn't spend all day waiting, and the bloke was out with friends on strict orders not to drink too much, 'just incase'.  When I went into labour in the early hours of the next morning, it took me a while to be convinced that it was really 'it'.

Archie was born in the water after a quick and lovely labour, just in time for breakfast, and by lunchtime we were home.  He was smaller than his brother, the first comparison I mentally made, and so different to him too.  He was born bright eyed and calm and the bloke and I knew from the start that we would know we had him.  He was so alert and awake even in those early days, and I fell instantly in love with him.

He was a mummy's boy, wanting me and only me, and he never drank from a bottle.  He made it impossible to leave him, and mostly I didn't want to anyway.  His eyes were big and blue, his hair wispy and white, his smile full of mischief.  He always knew how to get his way, and I always let him.  

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What the Boys Wore - We are Scamp

You may have noticed that I have been avoiding blue when it comes to dressing Finn, and I have had so much fun finding him bright, colourful and most importantly comfy clothing.  We are Scamp are a company that make beautiful laser cut gifts (which you will see more of when I eventually put up Finn's nursery tour), and they also have a small selection of beautiful screen printed babygrows.

I absolutely adore this one, it is completely unisex and fun, and Finn has the words 'Dream big little one' hanging above his cot.  As his wardrobe is pretty colourful, we have no problem finding things to match, but it looks lovely on its own during this hot weather too.  The sizing is pretty accurate and the quality is fantastic.  Finn is wearing 3-6 here and has plenty of growing space ( he is 4.5 months and around 13lb).  They can be washed at 30 degrees and the colour stays bright

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My Top Five Products for a Feeding Mum

I have been the mum that would try breastfeeding with no pressure. I have been the mum hiding in a toilet, worried about breastfeeding in public.  I have been the mum that weaned onto bottles.  I have been the mum who knew she would breastfeed before her baby was even born.  I have been the mum proudly breastfeeding.  I have been the mum who breastfed a toddler.  I have been the mum that cup fed.  I have been the mum that bottlefeeds.  I have been the mum that does her very best for her babies, and makes sure they are fed, happy and growing.

I have breastfed, cup fed and bottle fed, and whilst there are some products brilliantly designed for a certain way of feeding, there are also a lot of products that are just fantastic for those mums that regularly feed their children.  Here are my top 5

-Muslins.

Muslins are genius things, so simple, so underated until you have a baby to feed, and then you realise their worth.  I used them as a light cover when I felt nervous feeding in public, I have used them as a burping cloth, and as a makeshift bib for a baby with reflux.  However I feed my baby, I make sure I have a muslin close at hand.

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What the Boys Wore - Half Pint Chic

The evenings are getting warmer and it is becoming a real challenge to get Dylan to wear something other than long sleeves and legs to bed, despite the fact he gets so hot in the night.  It is still a challenge to get Archie to wear anything at night (even in the middle of winter), as he has worked out how to undress him self at speed.

Half Pint Chic sent the boys a pair of Mini Vanilla pjs each, and they have had no problem getting ready for bed since.  The onesies are short sleeved and short legged and have buttons down from the neck to help get them on.  The RRP is £28 for these, but Half Pint Chic are selling them for only £12.  I would suggest sizing up on these as we found the boys' current sizes are already a bit snug.  

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Sleeping Like a Baby - Even in Summer

I have been really lucky *touch wood* with all three of my boys, they are sleepers.  None were sleeping through at an amazingly early age, but they all like their sleep, and my nearly four year old still naps several days a week.  

The recent hot weather has made sleeping difficult for us all, so I thought I would offer some top tips for helping get a good night's sleep, whether you are three months, three years or three decades.

*Dressing for the weather is a great start - Dylan is still insisting on wearing long sleeves and trousers most nights, but he is then covered in sweat within minutes.  We try and dress the bigger two in shorts and a vest for bed, and Finn is in just a nappy and a short sleeved vest at the moment.  We check on them before we go to sleep and can put on a light blanket if the temperature has dropped.

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The Snuzpod Downstairs

It may be that Finn is my last, or that I am a bit of a clingy mum but we haven't started putting him upstairs to bed yet.  He is ready for bed with his brothers at half seven, a routine he put himself into, but whilst the bloke takes the big two upstairs for stories, clean teeth and bed time cuddles, Finn and I have milk and snuggle on the sofa.

I am an absolute co-sleeper convert, and I love the fact we can use our Snuzpod as a moses basket downstairs.  I bring it down in the evening, adding on the extra side, and it sits on our coffee table.  We have a huge coffee table so it sits comfortably on there but I always make sure one of us is in the room with Finn just in case. (Snuzpod do not recommend using it on a raised surface).  I love that I can watch him sleeping, as the side that zips on is a transparent mesh and Finn doesn't seem bothered at all by the noise of a typical evening in our house.  As a moses basket it can be rocked too, as the bottom is curved which makes it ideal for any close calls.

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Summer Adventures in Whitstable

There is so much I love about the summer - waking up to the sun already in the sky, washing drying on the line, summer dresses, iced coffee, dipping my toes in the sea, children in the paddling pool, cider in a pub garden, and of course how easy it is to explore.  

You don't need to load up the buggy with raincovers and coats, you don't have to worry about it getting dark and al fresco eating is ideal with a toddler (or two) around.  Last weekend we hopped on the train to Whitstable, which is only about 20 minutes from us, for a change, and the sun was shining for us all day.

We have a sandy beach on our doorstop, and our buckets and spades are hung up ready to go at a moment's notice, but the pebbly beach in Whitstable needs none of this.  It is amazing how long two boys can be entertained just with water and stones.  They made piles, they had a tea party with them, they practiced skimming and they searched high and low for their favourite ones.

We wandered along the promenade first, looking at the stalls selling their homemade wares, and kids toys, and then found the fish market.  Lunch had to be fish and chips, but we went for freshly caught prawns and crayfish as they are the boys' favourite.  

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My Pampered Baby

Finn was born a blogger's child, and that comes with responsibilities.  He didn't seem to mind too much having to visit a baby spa though, in fact he seemed completely in his element.

Picture fresh white walls, a feeling of calm as soon as you step through the door, relaxing music and a warm welcome from Laura Sevenus, the owner and an infant swimming expert.  The Baby Spa is the kind of place you can picture celebrities and is located in an exclusive Kensington postcode.  

Finn seemed to feel at home as soon as we arrived, and he certainly took well to life as a pampered baby.  Having three under fours, I am not allowed to take the boys swimming on my own, so this was Finn's first time in water other than the bath, and the Bubby was unlike anything I have seen before.  A patented floatation device that looks like a donut around their neck, it allows babies to float and stretch out whilst remaining safe.  I have a baby with a very ticklish neck, so putting it on wasn't so easy, but I could see his body relax as soon as he slid into the water, and he floated around looked relaxed and content.

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What the Boys Wore - Zeek

I was recently introduced to a fantastic app that lets you buy and sell gift vouchers,  and it immediately appealed to the bargain hunting part of me.  You can sell unwanted gift cards for cash that you can use on something you really want, and you can buy giftcards at discounted prices, so saving money on clothes, food or whatever you buy - if this isn't an excuse to go shopping, I don't know what is!

Zeek gave me some credit for their app, and with the boys needing some updates on their summer wardrobe, I chose a mixture of Next and Mothercare vouchers.  For £35 I got £38 of Next vouchers and for £20 I got £25 of Mothercare vouchers.  These prices included recorded postage so for £55 I got £63 worth of vouchers.  I bought the boys each two T-shirts and a pair of shorts from Next, and I got Finn two summer outfits from the Little Bird range at Mothercare.  As I was intending on buying these clothes anyway, I made real savings, and I am going to be buying supermarket vouchers from there regularly, as it will save me money every week - Tesco and Sainsbury come up very often.

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Life with 3 - Month 4

We have completely given up on being anywhere on time this month, but we are embracing the freedom too as we head into the final few weeks of nursery where it is allowed.  My mum told me that the reason she had a third baby so close to the first two was so that she didn't have to do the school run with a newborn, and I have to say, I think it makes a lot of sense.  Finn will be 6 months by the time Dylan starts school, and I think it may be easier to get us all out the house on time after 6 months of practice.

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