Oops I Did It Again

Life has a way of not going to plan, and that isn't always a bad thing.  I often feel like my life is one big adventure, full of moments you can really feel it, like when I went skydiving or white water rafting, as well as the moments that don't seem quite so exciting but are part of it all the same, like cuddling a teething baby at 3am or watching How to Train your Dragon for the tenth time time that week.  

If you had asked me at 21 as I backpacked across the world where I would be 18 months from then, pregnant would certainly not have been a word you would have heard and if you had asked me to describe life at 28 then the life I am living would not be it.  The twists in this adventure have led me to this place though and I couldn't be happier.  

I have three beautiful boys, my first born, the one who made me a mama, who teaches me every day and asks the questions I struggle to answer.  My wild one who makes his own rules, he explores life with his whole body and who shows his love so fiercely.  My dinky one, who is getting less dinky by the day, who has taught me my own strength and who needs me so much.

This summer our three babies will become four.  A new twist in this adventure we are living, a new chapter in our story and a new child to love.  A final sibling for my three boys, the final piece in our puzzle.  We have lovingly nicknamed him (or her) Britney, as in ' Oops I did it again' as his entrance will mean 4 children under 5 years old and a new challenge for us all.

Who has got something in their tummy?

Mummy has!

Due in July 2016

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What the Boys Wore - Me and I

I first discovered the Swedish brand Me & I at a Baby Show when Dylan was small.  I had a chunky baby who wore cloth nappies and their clothes were perfectly designed for him, with a generous fit, long bodied vest and some brilliant prints.  We still have those first items I bought and they will be worn by their third child this winter.  Everything lasted so well that it is one of the few brands I know I can pass down through all three boys and Finn will still look great in.

We have bought much more Me & I since then and were recently sent this beautiful vest and dungaree combo for Finn.  I just love the colours (I can't resist anything yellow) and the print is so unisex and childish that I know it will be easy to find a new home for once it is outgrown.  The quality is superb and after several washes this is still looking as bright as ever.

The fit for the dungarees is wide and even the chunkiest tot will fit comfortably.  Finn is certainly filling out now and I love the relaxed look on him as they seem to hang just right.  The cuffs at the bottom of the legs mean it doesn't matter if they are a bit long and the vest is printed on the inside of the cuff so you can roll the sleeves (like I have in these pictures) and they still have apples all the way down.

Me and I consists of an organic baby collection, unisex kids clothing up to the age 12 and then a seperate section for women's clothing too.  The prices reflect the quality, individuality and are at the top end of what I would pay for my children.  It is knowing how well they last, that we have clothes that are on their third child and still looking as good as new that makes me keep going back to them.

At the moment Me&I is sold through sales representatives that can offer parties or personal orders, but they are looking to make a UK webshop in the new year.  You can find all the details on how to host a party or find you local representative on the website under the 'how to shop' section 

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Me and Mine December

The end of December means the end of the year which is a scary thing.  Whilst the days are at times long, the years are inevitably short and the end of 2015 means my baby boy isn't the newborn I still see him as anymore.  Our family has grown this year, we have learned, fought, worried, laughed and loved and December's photo had to be taken in front of my parent's Christmas tree as it has been for the past two years.

Every Christmas day we spend there, eating too much, spoiling the boys, playing cards and being a family.  This year was quieter with my little sister out working in France for the winter season but we had a wonderful weekend anyway.

December has been a slower month than I intended, we didn't fit in half of what I had planned and I liked it that way.  There will always be next year, we still had fun and my big boy needed some calm and quiet time to help him cope with the tiredness that comes at the end of your very first term of school.

We have managed another whole year of our monthly photos and it is definitely something I will be continuing into 2016.  I hope even if I do ever stop blogging that this is a tradition we keep up, as our year has been full of beautiful shots (mixed with last minute phone selfies of course).

This month

Mummy is loving the whole Christmas weekend, Yule Log, winning at cards and her new slippers

Daddy is loving the Pacman light he got for Christmas, time off work, the excuse to eat more cheese than usual and his new computer monitor.

Dylan is loving the giant Christmas tree in Covent Garden, the trumpet that Father Christmas brought him, having a pyjama day and learning all about animals with his new book.

Archie is loving  seeing the Snowman, the fart gun his Aunty and Uncle bought him, singing Rudolph the red nose reindeer at the top of his voice and having his big brother home from school.

Finn is loving finally getting his first tooth, alpro yoghurts, wrapping paper and the baubles with bells in them.

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Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016

As we said goodbye to 2014 and entered the new year, my overriding emotion was excitement.  Whilst I am sure we had other things planned, the most immediate and important was welcoming a new person who was still growing inside me.  Our year was always going to start with an adventure and Finn's arrival was certainly memorable.

By the end of February our year was already nothing like the one we had planned.  Our beautiful baby boy was born with a congenital virus and admitted to the Special Care Baby Unit to be looked after.  Our perfect son was fighting a battle and we were told it was one he may not win.  I always think it is amazing what you are capable of when you least expect it, and we all have a strength within that we do not know until we need it.  The three weeks Finn spent in hospital were the hardest of my life, but we all came out of it with a new love for the amazing support network of family and friends who reminded us every day that we could cope and that we were.  They provided childcare, an ear to listen, baked goods to keep us going and relief when we needed it most.  We learnt that as a family we can get through anything and it made every milestone Finn meets, every new skill he learns that bit more amazing.

The month after bringing Finn home from hospital is a bit of a blur still.  Real life was imposed on me rather abruptly and with hospital appointments to take all three children to several times a week, it seemed we didn't have much time to settle into our new life as a family of five.  I couldn't have been prouder of my big boys as they coped so well with the changes, despite the fact Finn was usually the focus of attention and they bonded even more than they already had.  As the appointments slowed down, we settled down too and found our new routine, our new normal.

It was Dylan's last summer before school and the adventures we thought we would have were overshadowed by three cases of Chicken pox and two hospital admissions.  Dylan got his first pair of glasses and when I look back at the early photos from the year, it looks like there is something missing from his face.

September was all about my big boy as he started school and he just loved it from day 1.  He has always been so desperate to learn and school seems to be satisfying his natural curiosity.  I am constantly amazed at how much he is learning, how quickly he is progressing and how keen he is to go in every morning.  The boy who wouldn't go near a pen in August wrote his own letter to Santa this year and I could read at least 80% of it.

Before school started, we managed to fit in two holidays, a long weekend down in Cornwall and a week away in Denmark. We knew school would mean our holidays were dictated so it was lovely to be able to go away without worrying.  I love to travel and having children isn't going to stop me, the boys love going somewhere new, especially if they can pack their own Trunkis.  We took a ferry over to the Isle of Wight as well for a weekend break.

October was an exciting month for Finn and I as we jetted off to Jamaica for the week and I still look back on the photos just desperate to go back.  After spending most of the summer in isolation we loved enjoying some sun (as well as the all inclusive luxury).

The lead up to Christmas seemed to be ever so long this year, but the big day still came around all of a sudden.  Ours was quieter than normal, although with three children it is never that quiet of course.  Family, food and fun were the order of the weekend and I am sure I left my parents house twice the size as when I arrived.

As the end of the year is now here, I am looking back on 2015 with pride.  We handled everything that came our way and emerged the other side stronger.  I won an award for blogging, got to visit two countries I have always wanted to see, welcomed a beautiful third boy into our family and my first baby, the one that made me a mama started school.

I know 2016 will bring its own adventures, life is never that quiet with three under five, but I don't know where it will take us yet. We are going away in January and I can't wait to see some real snow again, watch the boys learning to ski and enjoying the delicious hearty French mountain food.  2016 will see Archie getting his funded hours at nursery and Finn and I having more time together.  Dylan will go into year 1 in September  and before any of that Finn will celebrate his first birthday.  I want to start finding some time for me and am planning on taking up swimming again as I just love being in the water. 

Here are some of the photos from 2015 that really make me smile:

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A Little Christmas Message

This year is Finn's first Christmas and whilst that is incredibly special, Christmas with a 4 and 2 year old is even more exciting.  Finn will be clueless as to why we are all so jolly, where his stocking appeared from and what is really going on.  Dylan gets it completely now though, he knows the story of baby Jesus, he knows that Father Christmas lives in the North Pole and delivers presents to boys and girls, he knows Christmas is about friendship and giving and family as well as gifts and his excitement is contagious.

Those two big little boys of mine have been patiently counting down with their advent calenders, discussing what they hope Santa will bring, planning what they will eat and dreaming of the man in red and his reindeer.  This year they both 'get it', although at 2, I know it is only going to get more exciting for Archie.

Finn's first Christmas is so special, he will be dressed up, spoiled by family and eat at the table with his paper hat on alongside us (if he hasn't eaten it already), but it is his big brothers that will really make it what it is.

Our Christmas is all about family, and we are fitting in as much of that over the two days as we can.  My uncle is celebrating his 70th birthday on Christmas Day so there is even more to celebrate this year.  We will give modestly, love generously and eat greedily.  

To everyone who reads my online ramblings, who follows our story or who knows us in person, I wish you the merriest Christmas.  I hope your day is special whatever you choose to do, whoever you decide to spend it with.  

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A Christmassy Day in London

I love London, especially as Christmas approaches and they go all out on lighting up the city so spectacularly.  I will find any excuse for a day up there with the boys as we can always find something to do, something new to see and an adventure to have.  There is something so magical about the big city and they do everything on a different level to our local towns.

Last weekend we headed up first thing in the morning to go and see the Snowman.  I took Dylan last year and it was just amazing.  I knew it would be something that would become a family tradition and this year all five us turned up at the Peacock Theatre to watch the show.  The Snowman brings the classic book and film to life on stage and is perfectly designed for toddlers and small children.  With two halves, both under an hour it isn't too long to expect them to sit still and with all the magic on stage even Archie coped (the child who doesn't understand the concept of sitting or still).  

The snowman really does fly across the stage and the dancing is spectacular.  The boys loved when all the snowmen meet Father Christmas in the forest and we loved watching their faces light up.  Even Finn seemed amused although he did snooze through at least half of the show.

Once it was all over, we walked over to Covent Gardens which is less than 10 minutes on foot as we had reservations at Jamie Oliver's Italian.  None of us have ever eaten at one of Jamie's restaurants before and we were keen to try the fresh food and check out the kids menu that is more adventurous than your average chicken nuggets and chips.

The service was fantastic and I loved the choice that the boys had, with titles like 'chicken lollipops', everything sounded really appealing and all the food was fresh.  Our waiter was fantastic with Finn, we struggle sometimes as he is allergic to dairy and egg but he gave us different options and made sure Finn's came straight away so that he could tuck in.  The boys' meals looked delicious, although the salad in a jar wasn't a hit as both are completely scared off as soon as you put lettuce in there. 

The bloke and I ordered starters and mains, and they were all lovely.  The desert definitely stole the show though, the chocolate pudding was soft and exquisite and the salted caramel ice cream had so much flavour and a perfect texture.  The service definitely made the meal that bit more special as every member of staff seemed to go above and beyond what I expect in a restaraunt.

After lunch we took a leisurely stroll back to the centre of Covent Garden as it is my favourite part of London.  It was our second time this season, but the boys were desperate to see the giant Christmas tree again.  Last year we loved the Lego santa's sleigh and this year's Santa Express didn't disappoint.  The queue was pretty small at 4pm and so we didn't have long to wait before the boys could board the train and press the buttons to make the steam come out.  (The sleigh is there until the 29th December).

There was plenty to see and do, from street performers to watch and shops to browse to the spectacular lights and trees all around.  It really brought Christmas alive and we came home feeling festive and ready for the big day.

Thank you to Sadler's Wells for our tickets to see The Snowman and to Jamie's Italian for our meal

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What the Boys Wore - Little Green Radicals

It may feel more like September than December when we step outside, but the school run first thing in the morning is still pretty chilly and Finn likes being wrapped up warm in a snowsuit.  We haven't had to dig out the serious waterproof one we will take skiing, but the lovely people at Little Green Radicals sent us something perfect for this cold weather.

I just love the enchanted wood print and the bluey-green coloured background.  My favourite thing has to be the inside though, which is soft and fluffy made from organic sherpa cotton.  The legs and arms can be folded over to cover little fingers and toes, although my long-legged one can't have his feet inside so we pair it with soft-sole boots.  The kimono style opening makes it really easy to put on and take off and the lack of padding makes it ideal for babywearing.  Finn seems to be snug and warm inside and the fit is great on him.

I would say it is pretty true to size, Finn is wearing the 6-9 months here, and at 9 months old he is at the top end of most 6-9 clothing now, not quite into 9-12 months yet.  It is only the legs that are getting short, but this is a problem we have quite often.

If you fancy something a little more feminine, this snowsuit also comes in a pink 'birdcage' print that is equally gorgeous, however I think the enchanted castle print would look lovely on a baby girl too.

I am a big fan of organic clothing, and finding items that are made to be worn, last well and still be passed on and I have no doubt that this snowsuit will see plenty more babies through the winter once Finn has outgrown it.  It has been worn a lot over the past few weeks, washed several times and it still looks and feels as good as new.

This snowsuit is currently priced between £46 and £48 depending on size - I think this is good value considering you are paying for an organic product made with fairtrade cotton and in ethical working conditions.  The snowsuit is really well made and seems pretty durable so far.

 Thank you to Little Green Radicals for keeping Finn warm this winter.  

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