Share Your Outdoors

My memories of childhood involve building sandcastles on the beach, swimming in the sea, climbing trees, rolling down grassy slopes and being outdoors.  My childhood was before the days of laptops and tablets, when kids TV was only on for a short while each day and when playing 'out' on the street was the normal.

My children are growing up in a different time - technology is everywhere, staying indoors is becoming more fun and too many things are considered too dangerous for them.  We still love getting out though, exploring our environment, discovering nature in all its glory.

This is what our outdoors looks like . . .

Being outdoors means fresh air, dirty fingernails, scuffed knees, windswept hair, worn out children, blue skies and feeling good.  Our go-to spot is always the beach - it is only a short walk from our house and the possibilities are endless.  We never get fed up of going, we never get bored and there is something so healing about watching the tide

We have a harbour down at our local beach and it is the perfect spot to sit and watch.  The water lies more still, the boats all line up and there is so much to take in.  We sit outside and eat our ice cream discussing which boat we would like and why and we love to watch the world go by.

There is nothing quite like the freedom of exploring the woods - there are insects to discover, log piles to navigate and trees to climb on.  There is always something new to discover and their imaginations run wild.

The Aspinall Foundation are asking bloggers to #ShareYourOutdoors for a chance to win some amazing prizes and I nominate Victoria (VeViVos), Hayley (Sparkles and Stretchmarks ), Sushi (Beach, Walk, Muse), Kara (innocent Charms Chats) and Jennie (Edspire) to take part.  You can win an overnight stay at Pinewood Shepherds Hut including dinner and breakfast!

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My Breastfeeding Essentials

Cora is the fourth baby I have breastfed.  I fed her brothers for different lengths of time and I have no clear idea of how long I intend to feed her for yet.  I know that at the moment it is working for both of us and I hope that we have many more months left.  I love everything about breastfeeding, how easy it is once you get past the initial hurdles, how cheap it is, how lazy I can be, how much less I have to carry in my changing bag.  I love the bond it gives me with my babies and the fact that as soon as they start crying they come straight back to me.

I really believe that the only things you need to breastfeed are you and your baby, but that doesn't mean that there aren't products that make things easier and comfier along the way.  These are my breastfeeding essentials:

1) LanaCare breastpads - These are so comfortable and made from wool which contains natural Lanolin.  They are huge and cover the entire breast as well as helping to protect from mastitus and blocked ducts (which I have been lucky enough to have never suffered from) and they are low maintenance.  I have never leaked through them or had any issues.

2) Lanolin cream - Babies can take time to get a good latch - after all they are learning too, and evenings spent cluster feeding can leave your nipples feeling rather sore.  Lanolin cream is by far the best I have tried and you can leave it on to feed unlike some alternatives that need to be washed off first.

3) A nursing dress - this may not make everyone's essential list but I love wearing dresses and made sure I bought a few that were feeding friendly so that I didn't feel so restricted in what I wear.  Check out Frugi, JoJo Maman Bebe and Tiny Vikings

4) Plain Vests - I have a huge drawer full of plain vests which I now wear under everything.  I cover them with a nice top and when I need to feed I use the 'one up one down' approach.  The top comes up and the vest pulls down so that I can feed baby without getting a cold tummy.  I love the H&M longer ones and they are only around £4 each

5) Food and Drink - It is so easy to forget to eat properly with a newborn and I seem to be constantly thirsty when I am breastfeeding.  I have a whole stash of water bottles in the fridge so that I can always have one with me and I don't have to worry about spilling it (or the boys spilling it!).  Having snack bars makes life so much easier too and you can get ones that are specifically designed for breastfeeding mamas like Nutrimum and Freida's Pantry which are packed full of vitamins.

Whilst you can feed a baby without any of these things, these are my essentials for making life easier and more comfortable.  What are your breastfeeding must-haves?

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The Last Firsts

Every first is exciting and we are experiencing them so regularly.  First smiles, first steps, first day at school.  Dylan had his first sports day recently and it was amazing watching him run alongside his class,  playing as a team, jumping in a sack.  With Cora we are dealing with the last firsts though.  She is our last baby, the final member of our team and her firsts will be the last ones we marvel at, the last ones I photograph with joy, the last ones we proudly share with the world.  

Cora's first day was the last time I will hold a brand new baby of my own.  Her first bath was the last time I will cuddle a baby so tiny in the water, her first steps will signify the end of having a baby in our house.

Everything about knowing she is our last baby is emotional.  I love this stage, the squishy newborn bubble of sleep deprivation, nappy changing and sleepy cuddles.  I know how quickly these early days go and I still can't get my head around the fact that this baby girl of ours is already six weeks old.  Every day feels so precious knowing I will never hold my baby this small and fragile again.  Every first of hers is a last for me and every day, week and month that passes is a step closer to the next stage and the end of this one.

Dylan's first are so exciting, a step forward, something new for us all.  Archie's are anticipated and amazing still, Finn's are so special as we remember how far he has come and Cora's are wonderful and slightly sad at the same time.  Today I packed away her 'up to one month' clothes, and they are going to be passed on to another newborn, not saved for one of mine.

This is the last time I will watch the boys welcome a new sibling, watch their faces as they take in how tiny this new person is, watch the beginnings of their relationship.  I am taking comfort in the fact I get to watch it all develop, see them grow together hoping the four of them stay close.

The first big smile that I am so eagerly awaiting will be the last time I spend so long trying to get a baby to show me affection.  The first time Cora starts to crawl will be the last time that we babyproof the house, her first day of school will by the end of having a child at home.  I am so excited to be part of their childhoods, so blessed to be their mother and get to experience it all, but please can we just slow things down a little? I am not ready for any more last firsts.

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iCandy Peach Blossom

With two children that can't yet walk, a double buggy is a part of our everyday life and Finn and Cora have been enjoying their new set of wheels.  We bought our first iCandy pushchair when we were pregnant with Dylan over 5 years ago and they are a brand that we trust and love.  The iCandy Peach Blossom is a versatile double travel system which I have found comfortable for both children, easy to push and ideal for getting around.

This pushchair can be used for two newborns, two toddlers or a newborn and toddler.  Both positions can be used with a carrycot, car seat or child seat although so far we have only used it in the combo shown in these pictures.

Cora has a carrycot on the bottom and unlike the apple2pear this one is rigid.  It feels and looks secure and snug and is easy to attach and remove.  The carrycot, like with most double buggies, is relatively small but Cora fits perfectly and still has growing room in all directions.  It is suitable for overnight sleeping and we often use it for daytime naps if she lets me put her down.

Finn sits up top at the moment and as a large 17 month old he still has plenty of space.  The straps are easy to adjust and do up and he loves his new ride.  The seat can be reclined easily and Finn has no problem falling asleep in there.  In this mode, the seats both face outwards, but when we change to two seats we can have them both facing in, with the top seat closer to me.  I do miss having Finn facing me and that is one of the only changes I would make to the peach blossom.

The peach is easy to fold, but both seats and the adaptors need to be removed first.  It doesn't take long and everything slots back in to place very easily.  The chassis has a long strap so that it can be carried over one shoulder and that has been brilliant when taking it out and into the car.

The black chassis really stands out and I love the colours of this pushchair.  I chose it knowing I would be using it for both a boy and girl and I love pushing it.  We are finding that the black frame scratches more than our others but with four small children to hustle out the door each morning it may be the way we treat things.

This pushchair can also be used as a single and I have loved taking it out with just one baby in it as well.  In double mode with a carrycot the basket size is limited ( but still able to fit in two raincovers, two blankets and jumpers for all four children) but in single mode the basket is huge and perfect for shopping!

I love pushing the peach and can do so one handed with no problems.  Curbs are easy to manoever and it is much lighter than I expected considering there are two children in there.  We have the seat unit ready for when Cora is sitting up so I will update this post when we have given it a good go with two full size seats.

I love this pushchair and it fits our needs perfectly at the moment.  Both children are comfortable and secure and I love the way it feels to push.  This buggy looks great and we have so many compliments.  

The Peach Blossom is currently £955 for the main components, and then an extra £172.50 for the carrycot.  There are lots of other co-ordinated accessories you can buy from footmuffs to travel bags to cup holders.  

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What the Kids Wore - Duns Puffins

Life with 4 is busy but I am not letting being completely and utterly outnumbered stop us from getting out.  I find myself doing head counts quite regularly and I am really appreciating the benefits of bright clothes and dressing the boys in matching.

When this Puffin print came out from one of my favourite kids clothing brands, Duns Sweden, I knew I needed something for one of the boys but the fact that the print comes in three different colours and so many different items means I couldn't resist ordering for all four of the children.

Dylan has a t-shirt in blue and Archie in yellow.  Finn has a summer romper suit in the same blue and I chose a footless sleepsuit for Cora in white and orange.  Their older child sizing is really generous and I did the super geeky thing of ordering a dress in a child's age 13 which seems to be roughly an adult size 10.

I love how unisex all these items are, the bright colours that stand out in a busy park and the wonderfully soft organic cotton.  

I ended up ordering from several retailers in order to find all the items I wanted in the right sizes - Funky Little People, Uni and Jack, Heimoose and JuicyTots. 

 It won't be long until they refuse to wear matching but for now it makes days out easier and they just look so sweet together!  There will be no questioning that they are all mine anyway.

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Nun Night Four Year Old

My baby boy, what a year this has been for you, life has changed for us all, but for you the most.  As a four year old you have started school and considering you are one of the youngest in your year, you have thrived and exceeded.  You walked in on your first day with such confidence and your love for learning has never wavered.  You have thrived  in the classroom, made friends in the playground and gone in with a smile on your face every day.  

As a four year old you have learned to ski - something I didn't do until I was in my twenties.  Considering you are naturally quite cautious, you ended up ahead in your class and on the green slopes by the end of the week.  We were so proud, not so much of how well you did, but of how well you tried, putting in so much effort every day.

It was as a four year old that you became a big brother for the third time - something not many your age can say! You have so much love for all your younger siblings and I think your little sister will soon have you wrapped around her finger.  You are protective and caring and the best biggest brother they could all ask for.  You and Archie are still so close, inseperable at times but you do fight like brothers - you both hit out but you make up in seconds.

Four was the age of superheroes, discovering real Lego, playing Christmas at least once a week, questioning everything, collecting football stickers, dropping your nap (apart from the odd occasion), learning to use Netflix, being introduced to computer games and your feet not growing (not even half a size all year). 

Tomorrow you will be 5 and you are pretty excited! You still don't really ask for anything, you are looking forward to getting presents, but you don't know what you want exactly.  You do know that you want to be bigger and you defintely want birthday cake.

It seems crazy to think it was five years ago that you made me a mama, 5 years since you came into our lives and changed everything. You started everything, your brothers and sister wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you.  You turned us from a couple into a family five whole years ago.  That baby I held in my arms with long legs and round cheeks has become a wonderful child.  No longer a baby, a toddler or a preschooler but well and truly a child.  You are polite, caring and loyal.  You make us laugh and you frustrate us too.  You can hear a packet of biscuits being opened from a different room but like most males I know you have pretty selective hearing! 

My baby boy, on the eve of your fifth birthday I need you to know how much I love you, how proud I am of the boy you have become and how much I enjoy being your mama.  You challenge me every day and I am the person I am because of you.

Sleep tight my gorgeous four year old,  for tomorrow is a big day.
Love Mummy xxxxxxxx

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1 Month Baby Girl

A month of cuddles, breastfeeding, co-sleeping, siblings, teeny fingers and toes and that newborn smell.  A month of noise, sleepless nights and adapting to our new normal.  A month of our baby girl.  

How on earth has a month passed? It seems like only yesterday I was sat cuddling this perfect, tiny little thing on our sofa waiting for her brothers to get home and meet her.  Surely it was only last week that I was laying in bed awake, too busy watching this brand new life to be able to sleep.  In other ways it feels like Cora has always been a part of our life, that there has always been 6 of us.

This first month has been wonderful and it feels even more perfect after the nervous and stressful first weeks of Finn's life.  I have spent every moment with my baby girl and 95% of those we have spent cuddling.  For the first two weeks she wouldn't be put down, and in all honesty I didn't really try.  I fed her and held her in the day and we fell asleep each night, her on my chest.  After a couple of weeks she started to sleep for small periods in her crib or in a pram and now at a month she can sleep in the day when put down and she does her first long stretch at night in her Snuzpod crib before joining me.

The nights are pretty unpredictable, as life with a newborn usually is.  There are nights (well night) where she only wakes once for a super feed and there are nights that we see every hour and sometimes every half hour.  There is no routine yet with anything and Cora stays downstairs with me until I go to bed.

The boys have taken to having a baby sister so well.  Dylan is a pretty experienced big brother and he has taken it all in his stride.  Archie is that bit older than when Finn was born and he is full of questions whilst being incredibly protective.  Finn is curious and excited, wanting to stroke her and cover her in kisses.  This little girl of mine is so lucky to have these three big brothers and I am hoping they continue to stay close as they grow.

At her last weigh Cora was 8lb 13oz so I can presume she is now over 9lb.  Her 'up to 1 month' (or size 56 in Scandinavian brands) clothing is fitting perfectly and her newborn (up to 7.5lb) vests are  just about fitting still too (what she is wearing in these photos).  I am not ready to start a pile of things that don't fit, I am not ready for my newborn to be growing out of things but I have a feeling in the next week or so these vests will be sent off to a new home.  We are preparing to start on the 0-3 month clothing soon as these babies of mine don't stay small for long.

Cora is happiest on my chest still, she loves to be cuddled, carried in a sling and to sleep curled up against me.  She is happier on her tummy than on her back and she loves to poke her tongue out.  Her little face has changed so much in these past four weeks as the swelling has subsided and her delicate features are more visible.   Every day her eyes seem a little larger and she becomes a little more alert.

This first month has cemented Cora's place in the family.  She is the 'new baby', our baby girl, the final member of our team and one that we wouldn't be without.  Our days are busier, noisier and I am learning to do a lot of things one handed.

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