Dreaming of Diamonds

Family Time | West Midlands Safari Park

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 08 Sep 2016 15:00:00 +0000

A few weeks ago we went on a lovely family day out to West Midlands Safari Park. Even though the weather was a little dark and drizzly we had a wonderful time. We bought along my 7 year old sister for the day too.

I wanted to share some of the pictures I took with you guys.

I've been to a safari park a couple of times before but my partner has never been. Aoife slept through most of the drive through safari and woke up close to the end. We had my sister in the front with us so she could get closer to the animals but she was too scared to feed them. The funniest moment was when the car got attacked by ostriches.

Due to the weather a few of the animals stayed inside, but there were still many other animals to see. I loved seeing the African Wild Dogs, the Spotted Deer and also the adorable baby Rhino they have.

After the safari we went around the Discovery Trail and also had a lovely walk around the Land of the Living Dinosaurs. The anamatronics are really cool looking, and it was so interesting to learn about all the different dinosaurs.

My little sister really wanted to go on the amusements so we also spent a lot of time there letting her go on all the rides, as well as winning some prizes and playing games in the arcade.

When we left the safari park both my sister and Aoife were asleep in the back of the car. We were all quite tired when we got home. It was a really lovely family day!

Have you ever been to a safari park? What do you think of them?

The end of Maternity Leave

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 05 Sep 2016 10:14:00 +0000

This weekend marked the official end of my Maternity Leave. I tried to prepare myself as best I could before returning to work, but I think no matter how much you try to prepare yourself it's still an incredibly difficult thing to be away from your child for any amount of time.

It's really hard to go to work when you have a cute little face like this looking up at you!

Whilst I was working on my return to work with my workplace I became incredibly anxious. The end of my Maternity Leave seemed to come around really quickly and I found myself wishing that I didn't have to go back to work. I worried about child care and missing important firsts among other things. Even though she's cared for by her Dad when I'm working I still worry about silly things that I know her Dad would be able to deal with. It's not that I don't trust him because he's a fantastic Dad, but we both have different parenting styles and I'm so routine focused where as he's more of a wing it attitude.

The first day back at work was the hardest. Since I work 12 hour shifts I was worrying about how I'd cope being away from Aoife for over 12 hours. Our family were saying you'll be so busy that your mind would be occupied, but it didn't matter how busy I was I would still worry constantly. I think I made it harder for myself returning straight into 12 hour shifts. For 9 months I'd only spent a handful of times away from Aoife, which were for a couple of hours each. I'd never spent an extended period of time away from her.

I did get emotional at times, especially when people were asking about how my daughter was, but on my third shift I felt it was easier to talk about her without getting overly upset. I also felt really really guilty. I felt like I'd abandoned my daughter and that was the feeling that was hardest to deal with. I really doubted my decision to go back to work because as her Mum I should be there 24/7 and I wasn't. I kept thinking in my head that I was a bad mum because I wasn't at home looking after her. However, I think it's made me feel more appreciative of the time I get to spend with my daughter too.

Don't get me wrong though, in some respects I'm glad to have returned to work. I feel good to be earning money again so I can contribute more to the household. I get to go into adult mode and have adult conversations instead of spending hours at home speaking baby which can make you go a little crazy at times. I also feel good that Aoife is spending more time with her Dad and making their bond stronger. I love how her face lights up when he comes home from work and the looks and smiles she gives him when she's spending time with him.

I still need to get used to the new routine I'm in. I literally miss everything when I'm at work as my partner does her breakfast as I'm leaving for work, and she's usually already asleep and in bed when I return from work. Plus, getting up this morning after doing three 12 hour shifts in a row was very difficult as I still felt very tired physically, but I'm also glad to be back spending time with my daughter and returning to our usual routine.

Have you returned to work or are returning to work soon after having a baby? I'd love to hear how you feel or coped with such a big transition!

Turning 26 | The Little Dessert Shop

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 11:01:00 +0000

On Tuesday I turned 26! Don't you find each birthday starts to loose it's speciality? I woke up and I was like it's my birthday? It feels like a normal day!

My partner took us away to Wales for the Bank Holiday weekend so I didn't plan anything until the evening of my birthday. Since opening in Wolverhampton, I've always wanted to go to The Little Dessert Shop. However, it was always always full and there were queues coming out of the doorway so this always put us off going. I love dessert but not enough to be queueing for it.. Now that the hype has calmed we decided we would finally go for my birthday with my mum and sisters.

My partner and daughter got me birthday cupcakes too!

I always said I'd get waffles but when I was looking in the menu I couldn't choose for a second. I love dessert so much that my stomach took over my thinking for a minute.

I chose a Ferrero Fantasy waffle after seeing all of the pictures on Instagram of the waffles they offer there. There's so much choice so it took everyone ages to choose what we wanted. This waffle is covered in Nutella and Ferrero Rocher pieces as well chopped nuts. It's also served with whipped cream and chocolate ice cream.

I also had a mint aero milkshake. It had little pieces of mint aero at the bottom too. They kept getting stuck in the straw though and my sister managed to choke on a piece that got lodged in her straw.

I needed to show the mint aero paradise sundae my mum had too. It was massive! I'd managed to catch a cold for my birthday too so I decided against having ice cream haha. I need to have one of these though. They do a bubblegum one I have my eye on!

I really really enjoyed my dessert. It was so delicious and the portion sizes are great. Since it was much quieter we didn't have to wait long either. I'd love to go back again and try some of the wafer baskets or crepes instead. I actually struggled to finish my waffle and I never struggle to finish dessert but it was really filling. I think everyone struggled to finish there desserts to be honest.

I also had lots of lovely cards and gifts from my friends and family for my birthday. Everything is so cute and lovely!

Have any of you guys ever been to The Little Dessert Shop?

Baby Update | 6 Months Old

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 14:01:00 +0000

Aoife is now six months old! It’s amazing how quickly the time has flown by. Since the three month update I wrote Aoife has grown and developed so much and has hit so many milestones. At the minute Aoife has chicken pox but she hasn’t changed other than the fact that she’s super spotty.

Weight

The first picture is at three months old and the second picture is at six months old.

She came in at 18lbs 4ozs when she was weighed. There was a little concern from one of the Health Visitors we saw that she might start becoming overweight; however, the last Health Visitor we saw said her weight was perfectly fine. She’s currently in 6 – 9 month clothing and I’ve started buying 9-12 month clothing to get a head start. Everyone comments on how lovely and chubby her thighs are.

Feeding

We’ve been through a few milk changes in the last three months. We’d changed from the hungry baby milk to the comfort milk as Aoife was having a few tummy troubles. However, she ended up with having a lot of problems with reflux instead so we’ve switched to the reflux milk, which really seems to suit her. She has 7ozs of milk on a 4 hourly basis during the day.

As for weaning, we started a little bit before six months, but Aoife really seems to enjoy tasting food. We started off with baby rice, and then moved onto single flavours of fruit and veg. We also introduced a small amount of baby porridge in the morning and she absolutely loves it. I add a small amount of pureed banana, apple or pear into her porridge and she gets super excited when she starts eating it. We’ve been trying with finger foods and they just end up crushed and smashed on the high chair tray rather than in her mouth. She also has her first tooth coming through now.

Sleeping

Aoife is very set on her sleeping pattern. She sleeps from around 9pm – 10pm til 6am – 7am. She also has two naps during the day. Her first nap is from 9.30am til 11.30am and her second nap is from 2pm til 4pm. Occasionally, she may have a little nap after dinner but that’s not often. I’ll usually go to bed around an hour after Aoife goes so I can get a good night’s sleep too.

Playtime

Aoife really enjoys her playtime. I need to buy her a baby walker soon, but she’s doing very well with her sitting up and she enjoys sitting on her floor mat with her toys around her. She’ll pick up which toy she wants and will play with it for a little before picking up another one. She’s also taking more interest in our cat and the cat in her. She likes to reach out for her but she’s very gentle and hasn’t pulled on the cat yet. I think she’s just interested in how cat fur feels. There’s no sign of crawling yet, but she’s close to rolling onto her belly. She can get onto her side before she flops back onto her back so any day now I can imagine her rolling onto her belly. She also loves faces at the minute. She loves pulling on hair and she enjoys trying to grab glasses and people’s teeth.

Personality

I got Aoife and Daddy matching t-shirts for Father's Day. I think Aoife really likes it. Aoife loves to talk. She talks to everything as well as constantly blowing raspberries! She really loves seeing and talking to her cousins. She’s recently had two newborn cousins too so she has even more cousins to speak to. She’s also very smiley and it’s rare to see a frown on her face. A lot of people comment that she’s very golden and that we’re blessed to have a baby who’s so set in her routine and is always happy.

Milestones
♡ Sitting up unaided
♡ First tooth cutting through
♡ Dropping toys from her high chair on purpose
♡ Blowing raspberries constantly
♡ First virus
♡ First family holiday
♡ Shuffling around on the floor
♡ Pulling on Daddy’s beard
♡ Eating food in her high chair
♡ Finding and playing with her toes

It’s also going to be time to return to work soon and I’ve become quite anxious about it. I don’t spend much time away from Aoife, so going from spending little time away from her to spending 12 hours away from her is going to be very difficult to adjust to.

I’m excited to see how much Aoife develops again in the next three months! Hopefully there will be some crawling and maybe another tooth.

PINspiration | Holiday Wardrobe

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 29 May 2016 16:30:00 +0000

As we're going away for the week tomorrow I thought I'd share some pinspiration on my blog today. I'm sharing a board I've been pinning a lot to recently and that's my holiday wardrobe board. It's filled with summer clothes that have inspired my holiday wardrobe for the week away.

From jeans, to rompers, maxidresses and bikinis; this board has a little bit of inspiration for all areas of holiday fashion.

I have many more boards I can't wait to show you guys in more pinspiration posts! If you like my holiday wardrobe board then please follow me on Pinterest for many other boards. I'm forever pinning stuff!

What kind of clothes do you have in your holiday wardrobe?

See you guys in a week!

Wishlist | Alice in Wonderland

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 May 2016 14:24:00 +0000

My wishlist post today is coinciding with the new film Alice Through the Looking Glass; the sequel to Alice in Wonderland directed by Tim Burton. I love the story of Alice in Wonderland and I can't wait to see the latest film. I saw the first Alice in Wonderland in the cinema with my sisters. Of course, I also love Disney's classic Alice in Wonderland as well, and I watched it a lot throughout my childhood. In my excitement I created an Alice in Wonderland themed wishlist.

How cute is everything!? I've fallen in love with the Cheshire Cat bow and the Irregular Choice shoes. I love the design of the heel with the teapot and tea cup. I collect Pop! Figures too and a Cheshire Cat would be a great addition. I also love the Urban Decay eyeshadow palette and I'm hoping I'll be able to get my hands on it at some point. The design of the packaging alone is amazing. When I saw the 150th anniversary edition of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland I thought the cover was gorgeous. I don't own a physical copy of the book either.

Are you going to see Alice Through the Looking Glass? What items are on your Alice in Wonderland Wishlist?

Nails | Cheating at Watermarble

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 23 May 2016 09:24:00 +0000

I love watermarble nails, but I'm not the best with the technique and it often becomes frustrating when everything seems to be going wrong. I was watching the How to Cheat at Watermarble Series on the Simply Nailogical YouTube channel (one of my favourite YouTube channels by the way!) and I decided I wanted to try one of the cheats. The cheat I tried was making watermarble stickers. I'm going to show you how that cheat went, taking you guys through it step by step as a sort of mini tutorial.

So firstly, I wanted lovely bright summery watermarble to match the warm sunny weather, and so I went for these three polishes from the Rita Ora collection from Rimmel. I also used a freezer bag as the base I'd make my stickers on. Lastly, I used one of my nail dotting tools so create the swirly marble effect. I've seen people using cuticle sticks for this too, but I decided to use the smallest dotting tool I had.

It's quite easy to create the watermarble effect. I made stripes of polish and used the dotting tool to swirl the polishes together. There's something really satisfying to watch the colours swirl together. One tip I'd also say is make sure you've put the polish on thick otherwise you get really noticeable lines in the swirl design, and to also be quite quick with drawing your swirl design. I also kept a cotton pad with nailpolish remover soaked in to clean my dotting tool after each sticker.

I ended up over making the stickers just in case a few went wrong or they ripped whilst I was trying to remove them. I know that in the future I wouldn't have to make so many stickers, but it's good to have a couple of spares just in case. After allowing them to dry I also put a clear top coat over the top to lock the design together.

Peeling the stickers off was definitely the hardest part. All I can advise for this bit is to be nice and slow and take your time, otherwise you can destroy the stickers you've made. I also left these stickers to dry for a few hours; just in case.

Instead of using white for a base coat I used pink instead. I measured the stickers against my nails and cut out parts that I thought looked nice or interesting then I applied the stickers using a clear coat of polish. I have to say that I 100% prefer this method because there's also a lot less mess and they apply really well as stickers and stick very well to the clear polish I used.. I used a little pair of scissors to cut away the excess, and then used a cuticle stick to push the sticker on. Then I used a nail file to get rid of the rest of the excess.

Finished nail look

I used a glittery top coat too, because I always need to have glitter in some form on my nails. I personally loved this method and I found it so easy to do. I did these around 2 weeks ago and the stickers have hardly chipped and some nails still look perfect.

I'll definitely use this method again to create more watermarble looks in the future. I love being able to avoid the mess and also the disappointment when you dip your hand into your watermarble design and it comes out horrible.

What do you think of watermarble nails? Would you use this little cheat to create them or do you prefer the water method?

Disney | 5 Favourite Films

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 17 May 2016 14:30:00 +0000

Today I’m sharing 5 of my favourite Disney films. One of the things I’m really excited for when Aoife grows older is to show her some of my favourite Disney films and have a Disney film afternoon or weekend. There has always been 5 films that I have loved above all other Disney films.

| Basil the Great Mouse Detective

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched this film growing up. I love it to pieces. It’s one film that I can also quote word for word. Rattigan is also one of my favourite Disney villains because he’s so classy and sophisticated; although he is incredibly scary at the end of the film. I feel like this film is so underrated because I never hear it mentioned in anyone’s favourite Disney films.

| Mulan

The soundtrack to Mulan is wonderful. The moment the music starts playing you can’t help but belt out ‘Let’s get down to business, to defeat the Huuunnns.’ What makes me love this film is Mulan’s character and the undying love she has for her father that she would dishonour her family to save him from going into the Chinese army. Lastly, you can’t mention Mulan without mentioning Mushu. I think he’s one of the most funny and memorable characters in any Disney film.

| Oliver and Company

This is another film that I grew up watching with my sisters. When we used to choose a video (…video!!?!?!) to put on before bed most times we would choose this one. The beginning is so upsetting when poor little Oliver is the only kitten who wasn’t homed. Dodger is such a cool character too. It’s cute how he takes Oliver under his wing. The film shows that it doesn’t matter how small you are, you can still be filled with a lot of love and courage.

| The Aristocats

The Aristocats is an oldie, but it’s such a goodie. I’d love to own so much Marie merchandise. How smooth is Thomas O’Malley too? It’s kind of a no-brainer that I love this film being a cat lover. I can feel how much it affects Madame Adelaide when she discovers her beloved cats are gone. I’ve felt it a few times in my life where my cats have gone missing and the despair you feel is immeasurable. One of my favourite songs from any Disney film is also Everybody wants to be a cat.

| The Emperor’s New Groove

Another film I can quote all the way through. This film is definitely my type of humour. I love Yzma and Kronk go to Pacha’s home; so funny! How can you not love Kronk and his spinach puffs either? The message of this film is so poignant; the importance of being unselfish and also the importance of friendship and kindness. I’m also very much like Pacha because I believe that everyone has some good in them.

Of course, there are so many other Disney films that I really enjoy; Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Frozen, Hercules to name a few, but these 5 will always be my favourites, not just because of the films themselves, but because of the memories that also come with them.

What are some of your favourite Disney films? Are there any Disney films you think are underrated or overrated?

Playlist | Eurovision Party

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 14 May 2016 14:00:00 +0000

Who else is excited for the Eurovision Song Contest tonight? I’ve watched it every year for many years now. I reserve the night of Eurovision to make sure that I can watch it without any interruptions except for Whatsapping my family and friends about the entries. I’ve always wanted to have a Eurovision party too. In my excitement for tonight, I’ve made a playlist of my favourite songs from the previous Eurovision Song Contests to get the mood started and I thought that I’d share them with you.

I haven’t listened to any of the entries for this year because I like to hear them on the night for the first time. I’d say come on Great Britain, but it’s a running joke now that Britain always does terrible and gets nil points haha. I wish our entry all the best though!

Anyway, do you have a favourite song from the Eurovision Song Contest? Or a Eurovision contestant that has always stuck with you?

Sample Review | Grounded Chocolate Orange Coffee Scrub

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 May 2016 14:00:00 +0000

I recently ordered myself a sample packet of Grounded’s Chocolate Orange Coffee Scrub and decided to let you guys know what I think. Since I have sensitive skin I find it better to try a sample of a product first instead of outright buying it. If it doesn't cause a reaction with my skin then it eliminates me wasting money on a product that I can’t use. Especially as a mum, it's important to me to make sure I’m spending my money on something that I will use.

I was looking forward to receiving the sample because I’d seen so many good reviews on Grounded products everywhere. Plus, I’m a lover of both coffee and chocolate orange, so I’d already had high expectations for this product.

Let me tell you that this product did not disappoint at all. I’m generally wary of using scrubs particularly on my face but this scrub isn’t harsh on the skin at all.

The minute you open the packet you’re hit with this delicious scent of coffee first and then the smell of chocolate orange floats in. It smells so good that you could eat it. The scent that fills your bathroom is heavenly.

Speaking as someone who has issues with their skin, this scrub did not irritate or inflame my skin in any way, which I can get with some products. I felt there was a noticeable difference in my skin after using it. My skin felt quite soft, nourished and had helped especially with some of the areas of my skin that are very dry and flaky. It was nice to remove a product and not feel dried out but instead to feel nourished and clean.

I applied the scrub to my face and body and left it on for the stated 10 minutes before washing it off. The only downside is the mess you make when applying it (so make sure you apply it in the bath or shower!) but we all need to get down and dirty at least once and the mess didn’t really bother me because it was easily cleaned up and made my bathroom smell delicious at the same time.

So, would I buy the full sized product based on the sample? Of course! This is definitely a next payday purchase for me. I’m looking forward to trying other grounded scrubs. Here’s a link to their website if you feel that you would like to have a look at their products.

Have you used any Grounded coffee scrubs? What are your opinions?

Sun Awareness Week 2016 | Safeguard your Skin

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 09 May 2016 14:16:00 +0000

May 9th to May 16 is Sun Awareness Week in the UK and it seems fitting that the sun has finally appeared whilst I’m blogging about this. I’m writing about this because this is something that I feel is really important to share but is also something I feel personally strong about. I have fair skin, fair hair (originally) and a lot of moles meaning that I’m in a high risk category when it comes to skin damage from the sun. I can’t spend much time in the sun because my skin burns terribly. Now that I have a baby, I also need to safeguard her skin from the dangers of the sun. So, as it’s Sun Awareness Week, I’ll be writing about a few things you can do to safeguard yourself, and your little ones, from the sun.

What is Sun Awareness Week?

Sun Awareness Week is run by the British Association of Dermatologists as part of their national Sun Awareness Campaign and aims to educate people on what they can do to prevent themselves from and also detect skin damage caused by exposure to the sun. They also aim to educate and encourage people to self-examine themselves for signs of skin cancer. As well as this, another aim is to further educate people about the dangers that come from sun burn and also about the links of excessive tanning and sunbed use to skin cancer.

What can you do to safeguard your skin?

| Stay in the shade

The hottest part of the day is from 11am til 3pm so it’s advised to stay shaded during this time. I personally try to avoid spending too much time outside in the sun unless we’re in a place that’s very shaded. If I need to go out with Aoife I will always put her canopy over her pushchair as well as having her sunshade umbrella over her. I also try to think of a route that isn’t in direct sunlight if we’re walking and a route that might be shaded by trees or tall buildings. It’s also important to remember that if you do get sunburnt you shouldn’t spend any time in the sun until it’s cleared up. Also, don’t wait until you feel too hot or feel like your skin is burning to seek shade from the sun, because the chances are that you’ve already burnt your skin.

| Apply sunscreen

The NHS says that a sunscreen that’s SPF15 should be suitable coverage, but I always cover myself in SPF50+ as well as covering my daughter in it too. Sunscreen also needs to be applied at least 15 – 30 minutes before you leave the house to let it absorb into your skin, and it also needs to be reapplied on a 2 hourly basis or if you’ve been swimming, sweating etc and don’t have a waterproof sunscreen. Also, apply sunscreen to every single part of your body. Get someone to apply it to the areas that you can't reach. Just remember that babies’ skin is also much more sensitive than ours. Even if it doesn't appear to be that hot, still apply sunscreen. You can never be too protected.

| Cover Up

A lot of people think less is more when the sun comes out. I know it gets incredibly hot so many people feel like getting out their strapless tops and short skirts but it’s so easy to cover up and keep cool at the same time. I find that clothes made of lightweight cotton or chiffon are really cool to wear, but are also really good looking and are perfect summer items. Having a good hat is also important. My sun hats are very wide brimmed for more coverage, and my daughter’s sun hat covers her neck as well as shading her face. Don’t forget the sunglasses either to protect your eyes. I see so many people wearing only sunglasses without a hat; sunburn on your face is not pretty and is painful. I know from experience.

| Take everything with you

Always make sure that you take everything you need with you to make sure you’re protected from the sun. Before I leave my apartment I make sure I have sunscreen, after sun lotion and water in my bag, as well as making sure I have our hats and Aoife’s sunscreen umbrella. Even if it doesn’t look bright and sunny when you leave, if you’re going to be out all day then you need to ensure that you have everything you need to stay protected from the sun. Also make sure you check the weather forecast before you leave to see how strong the sun is going to be.

| Know what to look for

Make sure you know what you need to look for when you’re checking your skin, and to also check your skin on a regular basis is. Knowing your skin and knowing if you’re in a high risk category is also important. Generally, those with fair skin, fair or red hair, light coloured eyes or someone with a lot of moles are in the high risk category. I have many moles so I keep an eye on them for any changes and I know I can see my GP if I’m unsure or if I’ve found something that concerns me. There’s also a handy Mole Self-Assessment Tool on the NHS Choices Website. If you do find any changes please go and see a GP. Moles are generally harmless, but it’s better to be safe than sorry and the longer you leave something the harder it will be to treat if it does turn out to be cancerous.

What do you do if you get sunburnt?

First things first, get out of the sun right away because you’ll be causing your skin more damage. Make sure that you drink plenty of water to cool you down and prevent dehydration. You can apply a cold compress like a cold flannel to the area where you’ve been sunburnt to help cool down the burnt area. Alternatively, having a cool shower will also help to cool the skin. You can also use water based emollients, like Vaseline, to help keep your skin moist and cool. After sun lotions also do the same thing so keep some handy with your sunscreen. Unless it's particularly bad then most sunburn can be treated at home with these methods as long as you avoid any further prolonged time in the sun.

Are you supporting Sun Awareness Week? Do you cover up when going out into the sun?

Baby's First Week | 9 Tips for Survival

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 06 May 2016 13:30:00 +0000

I’m going to share some tips today for surviving the first week that baby is home. I’m writing these tips from the viewpoint of a woman who’s had a caesarean; however, I think women who have had any type of birth might benefit from these tips.

The first week is going to be so difficult. I wish someone had told me how difficult it would be so I could have prepared myself. I’m not saying I thought it was going to be a walk in the park, but I was never fully prepared for it; especially since my idea of the perfect birth flew out of the window and I wasn’t expecting to be recovering from a cesarean.

| Sharing is caring

Sharing is so important. When I was trying to breast feed my partner said he felt left out that he couldn’t help me with the feeds, but in reality there was so much more he could do to help. He could look after Aoife when she was napping so I could have a moment to myself, he’d bring me food and drink, help change her nappy, carry her to her cot for me and just generally keep me sane.

| Meal prep

I wish I’d prepped some meals for when I’d come home from the hospital. I didn’t feel like cooking so I turned to convenience foods like chocolate and crisps which didn’t help with the post pregnancy pounds. I think it’s very important to make sure you have a stock fridge and some meals in the freezer so you can just unfreeze it and eat.

| Sleep when baby sleeps

I struggled the first few weeks because I’d never sleep when Aoife was asleep. When she was asleep on my chest I felt like I just had to sit and stare at her instead of getting a little nap in. I’d definitely say to all mums to make sure that you get your sleep in; especially during the day when baby has their nap. Because I wasn’t sleeping, I was becoming very emotional, crying constantly and feeling a lot worse that I should have been.

| Look after yourself

Don’t forget to look afyer yourself too! You need as much pampering as your little one. I spent so much time looking after my baby that I completely forgot about myself. It might be a little difficult to find the time to look after yourself, especially if your baby wants very frequent feeding but pampering could include having a sneaky sweet snack, having a shower, putting your favourite film on or reading your favourite book. They might get interrupted but for a little while you’ll feel like you’re having some time to yourself.

| Ask for help

It’s very scary to ask for help. I worried about people viewing me as a bad mum for asking for help. However, if you don’t ask you don’t receive. I’m not talking about help from just professionals. If your partner has to go to work then ask a family member or very close friend to come and give you a hand. I think it’s important to remember that, especially if it’s your first baby, that your partner can be as clueless (or even more clueless) as you are, so having help from a relative or friend who has had children will feel invaluable. If someone offers to help grab the opportunity with both hands.

| Set up camp

I made myself a little corner camp with everything I needed so I didn’t need to move as much which helped my post cesarean pains. I had a table with a bottle of water, a few snacks, my pain medication (which is not advisable if you have other children around), some books etc. I also made sure Aoife’s Moses basket was very close so I didn’t have far to carry her. It helped because both my back and stomach were sore following the caesarean so walking was a little bit of a struggle for me.

| Forget the housework

Don’t worry if the dirty dishes are piling up, or if the hoover needs putting around; who wants to do that when you have a little bundle you want to dote on? I thought my apartment felt like a dump and I felt a little ashamed when people did come over but no one cared and that’s what you need to remember. This is also where your partner can step in to help by taking on some of the housekeeping responsibilities.

| Limit visitors

This one sounds a little mean because everyone will want to see your little one and you’ll want to show them off, but at the same time you’re going to be tired and run down and need rest. I’m not saying don’t let anyone come round, but set some rules. Let your family and friends know what time they can come round or what time they need to leave by. They’ll understand; especially if they’ve had children themselves.

| Watch your stress levels

This is the most important tip of all. Babies pick up when mum is feeling distressed and can become distressed themselves and then both mum and baby are in floods of tears. It might feel difficult to destress but there is a light at the end of the tunnel and after the first week the second week will start to feel much better. If you can survive the first week then you will survive the rest of motherhood. If you feel that you are unable to cope please talk to your partner, someone in your family, your health visitor or GP.

Are there any tips that you would recommend that helped you survive your first week home with baby?

Confession | Star Wars

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 May 2016 10:19:00 +0000

Today is May 4^th, or alternatively, Star Wars Day! I’m also going to share with you my Star Wars confession. Are you ready? Here it goes…

I’ve never really cared for Star Wars.

Don’t get me wrong. I’ve seen all of the films, except for The Force Awakens, both as a youngster and now as an adult, but they’ve never made me want to go back for more. People find it hard to believe because I’m into things that are considered ‘geeky’ so by their 'geeky standards' I should also like Star Wars. But I just don't.

I can understand why people really enjoy the series, but it’s just never really held my attention enough when I’ve watched the films to make me want to go back and watch them again. I’m not saying the movies are bad; on the contrary, there are some parts of the films that I enjoy watching. I’ve just never thought they were these amazing films that people hype them up to be.

I think one thing that also makes people wary are the mega fans who make you feel that you have to 10000% love the films. I know you shouldn’t judge anything by what you see on the internet but when you see people writing things like ‘People who don’t like Star Wars should be shot’ then for me personally it really puts me off being associated with things related to it.

Are there any other people who feel the same?

3 Simple and Easy Breakfasts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 03 May 2016 17:30:00 +0000

I always used to skip breakfast. How can you get excited about a bowl of cereal or a piece of toast? Breakfast is supposed to be the important meal of the day though. So, I decided to find some new things I could have for breakfast that made me want to actually have breakfast. Today, I'm showing you 3 of my favourites which I also think are really simple and easy breakfasts to make.

French Toast

This was the first time I'd ever made french toast. I can't believe I never tried to before, it's so simple! I topped mine with strawberries and blueberries and a dusting of cinnamon. I'd only ever had french toast once before making it myself too, and now I like to make it all the time.

Strawberry Pancakes

I'd also never tried to make pancakes before either but making the batter is really really easy. I'll usually either do blueberry or strawberry pancakes but strawberry are my favourite. I dice strawberries to put in the batter too, and top it off with some Greek yogurt and more strawberries.

Grilled Sandwich

I never thought about having a sandwich for breakfast. I usually put ham and cheese in the middle of my grilled sandwich,but I've put bacon and egg in there before. It's super filling too. I usually have this breakfast if I have a busy day ahead so I can burn it off.

What do you think? Simple and easy breakfasts, huh? What are some of your favourite breakfasts?

What's in my handbag?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 17:30:00 +0000

I thought I'd give you guys a little peek at what is usually found in my handbag. Bigger is better at the minute and my handbag happens to be so big that I haven't got enough things to fill it with. However, it means it won't be hard to find the things I'm looking for!

The Bag

This bag was a Christmas gift from my honey's Mum and it's wonderful and huge with handy pockets inside. The lining inside is also leopard print which is also me. I love the gorgeous burnt orange colour; so vivid.

The Essentials

Purse~ I got this purse from New Look and I love it so much. It's definitely me in style and has many handy card pockets inside. Travel card holder~ This used to be more useful when I had more travel cards (like train tickets etc) but now I use it for my bus pass. I love the cute Engrish on it haha. Keys~ Of course! My key charm is an adorable bear I got as a souvenir from the Black Country Living Museum. Very hard to loose my keys when there's a huge bear looking after them. Not pictured~ My phone and sanitary towels.

The Rest

Deodorant~ I'm really self concious about sweat and smelling so I always make sure to have some deodorant with me. Sun cream~ Now that the sun is back I always make sure that I'm carrying high factor sun cream, which is usually a kids one; especially since I'm pale and burn super easily. Mirror~ I got this cute little rose shaped mirror from Boots and it's been in my handbags ever since. Hair brush~ My hair brush was one of the first things I ever decoed. The deco has worn a little now but I still love it. Lip balm~ Lastly, lip balm because I tend to have very dry lips from time to time.

What items do you carry in your handbag? Any neccessities you can't leave the house without?

3 Great At Home Weight Loss Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 17:30:00 +0000

It can be a struggle, especially with a new baby, to be able to go out to the gym to loose those post pregnancy pounds. At the minute I don't have the time nor money to go out to the gym and so I've had to find methods of weight loss that I can do at home and that are budget friendly. So, I thought I'd share 3 great at home weight loss resources that I have been using to help shed the unwanted post pregnancy pounds.

YouTube

I think YouTube is a wonderful resource for so many different types of exercise and weight loss videos. I've made myself a few playlists of videos from different channels that I've been working into my weight loss routine. Some of my favourite fitness channels include The Body Coach, Fitness Blender, Popsugar Fitness, XHIT Daily and BeFiT. Some of these channels include lots of different types of exercise such as dance, yoga, boxing etc as well as some recipes that always look super yummy.

My Fitness Pal

As well as exercise, healthy eating is also important, especially knowing what your body actually needs in terms of calories, fats, proteins etc. I use My Fitness Pal to track what I'm eating, my water intake and my calorie burning. I love standing there scanning barcodes on my food and seeing my graphs change. I also did a lot of reading about the types of food I should be eating and implemeted those into my meals.

Videogames

I feel sad for the Wii U because I think it's such an underrated console, and it's been incredibly useful for my weight loss routine. I have always loved dance games and I own a few from the Just Dance series. The games also have a sweat option which can be used for exercise and weight loss. Plus when you're dancing it doesn't feel like a chore which exercise can sometimes feel like and it becomes a lot of fun.

My honey also bought Wii Fit U for me. I used to play the original Wii Fit and in my younger years I lost 2 stone just using that game alone. The Wii Fit U also come with a Fit Meter that you attach to your clothes that tracks your steps, calorie burning and MET data which you then sync into the game. I'm currently doing the Walking Challenge to London on the game. It has an array of different types of exercise too and I've become a little addicted to playing Puzzle Squash!

Let me know what kind of things you do to keep fit or loose weight! I'm always looking for more ideas to incorporate into my weight loss routine.

Cesarean Awareness Month | April 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 14:58:00 +0000

April is Cesarean Awareness Month, which aims to teach and support women as well as raise awareness of the issues that come with cesarean sections; both planned and unplanned.This topic is so important to talk about and raise awareness of. Not just because I had to have a cesarean section with Aoife, but importantly to raise awareness of how it affects women both physically and mentally.

I won't lie; I never wanted to have a cesarean, it was the last thing I wanted. I was so terrified when I was told I had to have a cesarean. Aoife decided to turn into a breech position at the last minute. You can read about Aoife's birth story here. You get told about all the mechanics of having a cesarean but they never discussed with me how I may feel mentally afterwards.

Recovering physically didn't phase me, I'm used to post-operative recovery and the kind of complications you can get. Mentally, it was a little harder. My hormones were bouncing around everywhere already, and on top of that I had a little resentment of my body. I was really looking forward to experiencing labour and a vaginal birth but I missed out on both of them. I was also in pain, couldn't pick up my own baby and watched all the other mums looking after their babies whilst I struggled.

You ask yourself - Did I really give birth? I didn't do anything. Does it count as giving birth if she came out of my stomach? It also upsets you because you're not able to look after your baby without needing help. After a little while I came to realise that having a cesarean was the only way to make sure my daughter was born safely. There were no other options.

With my next pregnancy I will definitely try to have a VBAC but if I have to have another cesarean then I will feel a lot more content and informed as I've already had one. To all of the mums who have had a planned or an emergency cesarean - never feel that you're any less of a mum! Being a mum means loving your baby and keeping them safe and you did that by giving birth in the safest way for your baby. Cesareans are by no means the 'easy way out.'

I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions on this topic. Have you raised any awareness for Cesarean Awareness Month?

Spring Style | Baby Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 12:58:00 +0000

I love shopping for baby clothes! Whenever we go out shopping I just have to look in the baby clothing section; which bores my honey because he's not really into clothes shopping. There are so many options, especially now spring is here and lots of cute skirts and dresses are out in the shops. So today, I'm going to show you guys some of my favourite baby spring outfits that Aoife has been wearing.

Cute and casual

I love a simple pair of jeggings because you can mix and match it with a cute top and a cute little pair of socks or shoes. I found this top in Morrison's for £2 too. I am really loving Nutmeg clothing from Morrison's at the minute. So many cute items and very very good prices. I'd definitely recommend mums going and having a look. They've also recently had a sale so we've been able to pick up a few cute clothes in bigger sizes.

Coral Florals

The top and skirt were a gift from Aoife's Auntie and the cardigan was from her Great Grandmother. I wish I had an adult sized version of the skirt! It has built in shorts underneath too. What you can't see is the adorable bow at the front too.

Pink Florals

I found this dress in Mothercare and I just had to get it for Aoife. I think the print is so beautiful and just perfect for spring. Even though the dress is quite long I pair it with white tights because sometimes it still gets very cold.

Pastel Pink

This outfit was another gift from Aoife's Great Auntie and it's absolutely adorable. I love the built in feet with the cute little bows because at the minute Aoife still looses her shoes a lot. It also has heart shaped buttons!

Wedding style

And we also attended my honey's Cousin's wedding recently so we thought Aoife deserved a very beautiful dress to wear. We found this dress in Mothercare (and everything else Aoife is wearing in Mothercare too) and I instantly fell in love with it. Daddy and Aoife looked very smart together.

As you can see Aoife also loves sitting up at the minute! She's very very strong now and holds her head up very well. We've recently converted Aoife's pram into a stroller and she has been enjoying seeing all the beautiful spring sights. I also love how chubby her cheeks have become!

What kind of spring outfits do you think are perfect for a baby?

5 objects I love in my apartment

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 16:15:00 +0000

Our apartment is still pretty bare in some places as we had to put our money into buying baby items instead. However, there are some objects in my apartment that I really love, and so I'm sharing 5 of my most loved objects with you today.

My bump to baby photo frame

I found this frame on Amazon and I snapped it up right away. I always knew I wanted to have my scan pictures out on display instead of hidden away somewhere. The photo at the end was taken the day Aoife was born when she was resting on my chest.

My Tsum Tsum shelf

My collection is growing and pretty soon I'm not going to have anywhere to put all of these Tsum Tsums. At the minute I think they look really good on this shelf and they've not toppled over yet.

My fluffy quilt and bed

My quilt is so plump and I just love wrapping myself up in it, especally in the winter when it's really cold. Some nights Aoife and I sit in my bed and watch a film before I try to get her off to sleep.

My large photo frame

This is one of the pictures from the photoshoot I had done with Aoife when she was 2 months old. I think it's such a gorgeous picture so I had to get it framed to show it off. It's also guarded by a couple of my piggie statues. I'm one of those people who love to have pictures everywhere.

My spring surface protector

Before having this I used to have a heart shaped chopping board on my work surface. Sadly, it started to crack and also became a little mishapen and wobbly when I was trying to cut on it. I saw this recently and thought it looked so cute. I think it looks great on the kitchen work surface. A sneaky snap of my mug with my morning coffee; Bruce from Finding Nemo.

Let me know what your favourite item is in your home!

Aoife's memory box

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 19 Apr 2016 16:30:00 +0000

I've always known that I wanted to keep memory boxes for any and all children that I have. I wanted to keep momentos from throughout my pregnancy and also mementos collected through their childhood.

I'm a very sentimental person and I love keeping momentos and souvenirs myself from the things that I've done or from the places I've been.

After the jump you'll be able to see what we've collected in Aoife's memory box so far.

The hat is the hat that we put on Aoife when she was born. When we got home I washed all the tummy gunk off it and placed it in her memory box. I've also kept her first dummy. Due to Aoife's intial tongue tie difficultes she couldn't use dummies. She couldn't latch onto them so they just used to fall out of her mouth.

I also kept our congratulations cards and Aoife's first Christmas cards. Aoife got more Christmas cards than her daddy and I. To make them more tidier I used some ribbon I had left after wrapping up my Christmas presents and tied them into little bundles. I'm planning on keeping her first birthday cards too.

I also picked up a photoalbum to keep all of our photographs in. I might need a couple of albums though with the amount of pictures that both my honey and I take of Aoife. I really love photo albums and when we were kids our mum would sit with us and the photo albums and talk us through the pictures.

I've been writing little comments next to all of the pictures explaining what we were doing or how we were feeling.

And lastly, this is Aoife's baby journal that was given to us from her great grandmother. I've been writing in it since I was around 12 weeks pregnant detailing everything for Aoife to read when she gets older. It's also full of different pictures I've taken throughout my pregnancy, as well as my thoughts and feelings.

I update Aoife's baby journal regularly; it has all her weights in, her milestones and other tidbits such as the card I sent her daddy for Father's day when she was still a bump, her birth notification, her hospital tags etc.

I'm planning on decorating the top of the box to make it more personal. I was going to add Aoife's name, plus her date of birth and maybe some cute little animals.

Do you keep any momentos from your pregnancy or as your baby grows?

A year ago today!?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Apr 2016 16:10:00 +0000

One of the most exciting yet scariest days of my life happened this time last year! Can you guess before you carry on reading?

Yes, I found out I was pregnant!

It's a bit silly really! The only reason I took a pregnancy test was because I was one day late with my period; which could have easily been through stress or overworking.

But something told me to take a test. Maybe it was because my body was always like clockwork?

I wasn't even confident I'd get a positive result because I had no symptoms what-so-ever. Maybe it was wishful thinking? So, I decided to use one of my cheap eBay tests instead of one of my Clearblues or First Responses.

It was kind of a scary wait. I'd not long finished a night shift so I needed to go to bed because I had work that night too but I thought I'd test before sleeping because otherwise I'd end up staying awake with it on my mind.

And when the positive result come out I didn't believe it. I thought because it was a cheap test it was lying to me. I decided to try out a clearblue instead.

When the positive result came up on the Clearblue then I believed it.

The first thing I did was cry! It was a happy sort of crying though. We'd been trying for nine months so as each month passed with no results it started to feel like we'd never have a baby. I remember crying for ages; I just couldn't stop.

I felt scared because when I got those positive tests it became real. In 8 months there would be a baby. The thing we've been hoping for so much. It was actually really hard to believe.

Then you really want to shout it from the rooftops that you're pregnant but you're too scared to in case something happens. Finding out you're pregnant is such a hard secret to keep from everyone; especially when people know that you're trying for a baby.

When I found out I was 4 weeks along. It's good finding out early because you can make sure you're looking after your body and baby (ie no alcohol, taking folic acid etc) but at the same time the wait is much longer!

And now, we have a happy bouncy baby girl~

Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Machine | My Thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 17:25:00 +0000

When I first heard about the Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Machine I was a little sceptical; mainly about the price more than anything. Being on maternity leave means I don't have money I can just splash on anything. I had to budget to make sure we had everything we need and can get everything we needed to during the month. As well as that, why did I need a perfect prep machine to do it for me?

However, I did end up buying a Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Machine and now I'm going to tell you what persuaded me in the end and what I think of it.

With Aoife's feeding difficulties due to having a tongue tie (which you can read about here), the 15 minute wait to make her bottles, especially during the night, made me think that I needed some kind of help in the bottle prep area. The lack of sleep and a screaming baby made the night feeds quite difficult at times.

Even though we tried to anticipate her feeds there were still times where she'd throw a curve ball and want feeding sooner so we had to go through the rigmarole of boiling the water, adding the formula, letting it cool, testing it, maybe cooling some more... And with a screaming baby it made the wait feel a lot longer than it was.

By chance, I had an email from Mothercare with their sales so obviously I had a look; I can't resist sales! On the first page of the sale page they had the Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Machine on sale for £60. Right away I placed it in the basket and grabbed my card to pay for it. For ages our friends had said how much having a perfect prep machine had made a difference to their bottle feeding and suggested that we get one to help with the night feeds. Plus with it being half it's usual price I could also afford to buy it.

I was super excited for it to arrive. I was at the door everyday waiting like a child for a couple of days. As soon as it was delivered I snatched it out of the delivery person's hands and set it up putting it through the cleaning process so we could start using it.

It's honestly, hands down, one of the best things I've ever bought. Cutting bottle prep from 15 minutes to 2 minutes; it's wonderful! It's also incredibly easy to use, even if you've only had one hours sleep and you're not functioning properly you won't go wrong. With Aoife's tongue tie difficulties we also had to over make her bottles so 4ozs was perfect for us but I know that a lot of newborns don't drink as much as 4ozs.

We don't use Tommee Tippee bottles either, we use Philip's Avent bottles, but you can use these bottles with this prep machine which is also a huge bonus as we didn't want to go out and buy new bottles when we already had enough. The bottle stand is adjustable so you can fit different sized bottles underneath the dispenser.

At first, the very loud finished signal it gives was a little annoying, especially when doing a bottle for a night feed, but I've gotten used to it now so I don't really hear it. Other than that, I don't have any bad words to say about it. I love how it looks on my kitchen work surface. We chose the white one because we thought it looked clean. Plus, you're free to comfortable your baby whilst it's making the bottle which is harder to do if you've got to keep checking the milk temperature.

When I told my mum about the Perfect Prep Machine she said it was cheating, but I think anything that helps a mum or dad is a good thing in my book. I'd suggest buying one of these for other mums and dads, especially if they're struggling during the night feeds.

According to the instructions, the filter in the Prep Machine lasts around 3 months, and we've recently changed the filter in ours, which did last around 3 months. The filters are easy to find online and we ended up getting ours from Argos for £7.99. Replacing the filters is really easy too.

Have any of you mums have a Perfect Prep Machine? What do you guys think?

The If I Could Tag ~

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 18:30:00 +0000

I saw this tag over at Pale Girl Reviews and I thought it looked like a lot of fun to do. If you do this tag please link me back; I'd love to read!

If I could live anywhere...

I wouldn't leave the UK since I'm too attached to my family, but my honey would love to live in Cornwall when we retire and he's slowly talking me around to it. Personally, I'd like to live somewhere quaint, quiet and peaceful. Maybe somewhere in the countryside?

If I could have any home...

I'd love to have a home with a big kitchen so I can do lots of baking! I wouldn't want a big house, but I'd like a house that's comfortable enough for our family size where we wouldn't have to worry about running out of space quickly. I'd love a beautiful old fireplace in the living room that would be wonderful to sit in front.

If I could have any garden...

I'd love a garden with a nice lush green lawn, lovely flower beds and a little pond with Koi fish. A garden that's nice to sit in in the summer and have a barbecue in so we can entertain others. I'd love a little decked area with comfy seating and a patio heater so we could sit outside in the evening too.

If I could be on holiday right now...

Since I have Aoife I wouldn't go overseas for quite a while, but I'd love to go to Tunbridge Wells in Kent to see my family there and to have a nice quiet time. It's been quite a few years since I last went and I miss my family very much. Plus, I love exploring the town and going up to Hastings for the day.

If I could have any job...

Even though I love my job right now, the other job I would like to do would be to be a travelling nail technician; like travelling to homes and stuff to do people's nails and for occasions. I'd just need to do all the proper training first but I have a lot of the equipment (minus a car! haha) and do a lot of my family's nails.

If I could have any talent...

I'd love to be a naturally good at cooking! I don't care if I can't sing, dance, draw, juggle etc; I just want to be able to make a nice looking omelette! I'd also like to be able to cook meat to perfection. I'm very good at overcooking and undercooking but not cooking to perfection.

If I could live any day again...

This one is a little tough for me since I can think of a few days that I would like to experience again; the birth of my daughter, the first date with my honey, Disneyland Paris. I miss some of the days when I was in college with my friends too and I'd love to relive them.

Mum and Baby Wishlist | Holiday Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:30:00 +0000

Our little family is going away for a week to Wales in early June! I like to be organised very early and so I've started to make a list of the things that both Aoife and I will need, which ended up turning into a holiday wishlist. Aoife will be almost six months old when we go away.

Neither of us have really got any holiday or warmer weather appropriate clothes; assuming the weather will be nice and sunny in June. As well as that, there are a few other items we will also need for travelling and as other essentials. There's so much you have to think of when you have a baby because you have a lot more to pack!

Clothing
As well as dresses for the day, we'll both need something to wear during the evening for going out, and also some beach wear because if the weathers hot we'll definitely take a trip down to Aberdovey and to the beach.

Mum
1. Parisian Coral Floral Print Cold Shoulder Maxi Dress from New Look

2. AX Paris Navy Floral Print High Neck Midi Dress from New Look
3. Lace Trim Kaftan from Oasis
4. Bow Espadrille Sandals from Asos

Baby
1. Navy Spot Dress from Mamas and Papas

2. Floral Dress from Mothercare
3. Floral Frilly Swimsuit from Mothercare
4. Scallop Riptape Pram Shoes from Marks and Spencers

Accessories
As well as needing good sun protection in the form of hats and sun cream, we'll also need a travel cot as well as something to keep both Mum and baby occupied; especially if Aoife is having a little nap on the way there.

Mum

5. Oversized Straw Hat from Asos

6. Piz Buin Instant Glow Sun Spray SPF30 From Superdrug

7. Go Travel Ultimate Memory Pillow from John Lewis

8. Animal Crossing Happy Home Designer from Game

Baby

5. Floral Mouse Keppi from Mothercare

6. Nivea Sun Baby Lotion SPF 50+ from Superdrug

7. Sweet Dreams Classic Travel Cot from Mothercare

8. Lights and Sounds Pink Buggy Driver from Early Learning Centre

What items would make it onto your holiday wishlist? Have you ever travelled with a baby? Please share your experiences! I'd love to hear about them, especially if you have any tips for going on holiday with a baby. Can you think of anything that I should definitely remember to pack?

10 things I've learnt about blogging

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 16:30:00 +0000

I've been blogging for around six years now and in that time I've learnt so so much about blogging. There is still so much to learn though but here are some of the things that I have learnt as I have gained experience in blogging.

Dedication is the key

Nothing happens over night, and that's the same with blogging. It takes a lot of patience and dedication to build up your blog and following. Blogging isn't for people that don't have patience. There are a lot of people who think that they'll start a blog, lots and people will come flocking to it and they'll get loads of free stuff when it just doesn't happen like that. Nothing ever comes for free.

The importance of promotion

When I first started blogging I never promoted my posts, but now I use social media to promote recent blog posts, on top of also promoting older posts to draw in traffic. Since then I've really noticed how important it is to keep on top of that promotion. Obviously, you can't be glued to social media 24/7 but with websites such as Buffer and Instapult you're still able to keep on top of promoting your blog and they're so useful.

Don't worry about blog stats

Saying that, it doesn't bode well to constantly worry about your blog stats. When I first started out I'd constantly refresh my stats every hour and it just brings unnecessary pressure to pull in crowds of people to your blog. It doesn't matter if you get 50 reads or 500 reads on a post. What matters is that you've written content that makes you happy and that you're proud of.

Write the content you want to write

It shows in your content if you're writing about something that you dislike or you have no interest in. Writing about the things that you love and enjoy always shows through the content that you write. It also makes it harder to initially write the post. I love writing about things that excite me. Blogging should make you happy; it shouldn't feel like a chore.

Organisation makes everything easier

I used to be so unorganised with blogging. I'd have post drafts and photos in lots of different folders. Now I plan and structure everything using a spreadsheet (it's what works for me!) so I know what I'm doing, what needs working on and what post is going up and when. It makes the process from start to finish feel hassle free.

It takes up a lot of time

Preparing a blog post takes up so much time; taking the pictures, editing them, drafting the post, editing the post, proof-reading and correcting any errors, and not to mention the promotion after the post has gone up. With a newborn your time is greatly reduced which is also where organisation can really help when it comes to blogging. When I first started I had no idea one blog post took so much time.

Finding your niche is hard

I still don't really have a niche, that's how hard it is but don't feel pressured into having to fit into a niche. You can feel pretty daunted because there are so many blogs out there in the niche that you might want to be in; however, you will get there at some point. You may go through several niches before you find the area that you want to stay in.

You don't need fancy equipment

When I first started blogging I used to envy the bloggers with fancy cameras who had these beautiful clear photos, and then I learnt that it's not the equipment that necessarily makes the perfect photo. You can have an expensive camera but take unappealing photos. You need to learn about positioning, lighting and editing and how it affects the photo that you take.

Never compare yourself

Comparing yourself to someone else is always a dangerous thing; not just in blogging but in any circumstance. You won't be you if you aspire to be someone else and you'll never feel truly confident in the content that you write. You should celebrate who you are and what makes you you. The individuality shows through your content and it's what will make people feel like they want to get to know you through your writing.

There's always something to learn

I'm still learning things and I'll never stop learning things to do with blogging. Yesterday I learnt you could verify your website on Pinterest. The other week I learnt some new bits of coding to help with my layout change. I also learn things about myself that I didn't know before; things I'd like to do and experience or forming new opinions on topics that I never used to pay attention on.

I have to say, I now feel truly confident in what I write on my blog. It's taken years to get there but I couldn't feel happier now I've reached this point.

How long have you been blogging and what have you learnt during that time?