Fathers Day Gift Ideas

Fathers day is very nearly upon us and if you haven't started shopping for the man in your life then you are not alone.  The bloke has very kindly offered to test a few fathers day gift ideas (it is really hard work living with a blogger sometimes), so check out his reviews below.

The Braun 380s-4 Electric Razor

What they say:

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10 Reasons I Love being a Mummy

Being a parent is one of the hardest, yet possibly the most rewarding jobs in the world and I could spend all day coming up with reasons why I love it.  Here are my top ten reasons that I love being a Mum:


Morning Smiles

Somehow, all the tired tantrums of the day before and the constant night feeds are forgotten and forgiven when I see those cheeky little grins in the morning. I can't think of a better way to start the day.

Newborn Snuggles

A newborn baby curled up asleep on your tummy is one of the best feelings in the world.  Falling asleep with them cuddled up is priceless and now that I know how fast these early days go, I am enjoying my snuggles with Archie even more

Breastfeeding

Some people hate it, some people do it purely for the health benefits and some just love it.  I am in the latter category and I love the closeness, the cuddles and the fact that only I can fulfil this need for my baby boy.  Breastfeeding also burns 500 calories per day which is a giant bonus!

The Excuse to be a Big Kid

Suddenly it is completely acceptable to splash in puddles, roll down a hill and spend the day building sandcastles.  There is an inner child in me that has never grown up and I love being able to be silly, sporadic and  get messy with the boys.

The Pride

No matter where we are going, I feel myself standing taller when I push my gorgeous children around.  I am so proud of the beautiful babies that I made and I love to show the world.

Watching the Bloke
Not only do I get to be a mummy to two beautiful boys, I get to share the journey with my best friend and watch him become a father.  I get to witness the bond between him and his sons and see them learning about each other every day.

Pushchairs

Now I know this isn't for everyone, but I appear to have a bit of a buggy obsession, and I love checking out the gorgeous new designs.  Even if you are not a fan of pushchair shopping, you can't help but admit it is lovely not to have to carry shopping bags anymore!

Seeing the World in a New Way

Dylan's excited squeals of 'WOWEE' at everything from an ant on the floor to a biscuit helps me see the wonders of the world through fresh eyes.  This morning we stopped walking to watch and giggle at the leaves blowing down the street in the wind  - something I never would have noticed had it not been for the toddler by my side.  Seeing the world through fresh eyes is invigorating.

A Purpose

Before having Dylan I hadn't quite worked out who I was, what I wanted to do and where I was going. I found out I was pregnant and suddenly I had a purpose.  A direction.  Suddenly my life had a meaning that it didn't have before and I have so many more reasons to follow my dreams.

Grandchildren
I get to give my parents two beautiful grandsons and hopefully one day my boys will give me some grandchildren too.

So those are my ten, what would you add to the list?

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A Father and Son

With the newest member of the family being exclusively breastfed, it means that any one-on-one time with the boys is often Archie with me, and the bloke with Dylan.  There are upsides and downsides to this but at the moment I am loving watching the bond grow between my son and his father.

They are as thick as thieves as I see the bloke sneaking Dylan chocolate raisins behind my back and there is constant giggling coming from them when they are together.  Their bedtime routine now involves a 'flip' as Dylan is somersaulted over the bloke as they lie on the floor, and flying superman-style up the stairs.

say Cheese!

Daddy has always been in charge of bath time, and I can guarantee that by the end both boys will be completely worn out, and that my bathroom floor will be soaked! It is their time to unwind after the day and the excitement on Dylan's face when we suggest it is bathtime is lovely to see as he scrambles up the stairs as fast as he can. 

The boys have their own games, their own words and their own special moments and as Dylan's language grows I can only see the bond between them getting stronger. The bloke is a great dad with a baby but I can see that he is in his element with a walking talking toddler to play with.  

I am loving having bonding time with Archie and I know that once he is a little more independent he will join the boy's club and I will be left looking on.  Luckily I love to watch my boys, and I may get to drink my tea in peace then!

Did you find that your partner bonded more during the toddler years?

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Becoming a Father

The bloke and I were unprepared for pregnancy and I don't think the reality of having a baby hit us until there was a tiny little newborn in our arms.  I like to think we both adapted well and Dylan's birth will always be the best and most life-changing day of my life.  It was the day I became a mother, found a new purpose and realised just how big my capacity to love someone was.  I think being a mother, you find that love and protection is usually instinctual.  We have nine months to bond with this foetus growing inside of us and I loved feeling him kick knowing that nobody else knew what was going on - our own secret communication.  When Dylan was born I felt like I already knew him and that he had always been a part of my life.

The bloke took to being a father straight away too and right from the beginning would enjoy an hour of time alone with his son every night whilst I got some uninterrupted sleep.  He would pop Dylan on a cushion on his lap and enjoy him being there as he watched TV or played on his computer.  As the little dude grew he would change nappies, bathe him and feed him dinners and he loved pushing him proudly round in the pram. It wasn't until Dylan

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