Things I Have Learnt About Myself

Since becoming a Mummy I think I have finally found my identity. I have definately learnt alot about myself in such a short space of time.

- I am A Complete Worry Wart
Before becoming a Mummy I didn't really worry about much, not consciously anyway and if I did it was probably about pointless things anyway. Now I worry about everything. Is Scarlett too hot? Too cold? Is she being sick because she has over eaten or because she is poorly? Is she getting enough milk now that shes started sleeping through the night? If she sleeps for too long, is she still breathing? Am I doing this right? Is this hurting her? Everything that I could possibly worry about - I do!

- I Can Show My Feelings
Well it's more like I do show my feelings as I don't really have a choice because when it comes to Scarlett I cannot help but express my feelings otherwise they would simply overwhelm me and I would explode!! My family have also said that I am a lot nicer person (not that I was horrible) since having Scarlett as I am more compassionate and thoughtful. The saying is true, 'you don't know what love is until you have a child of your own!'

Taken from pinterest

- It's Okay To Ask For Help
I've never really liked asking for help, I guess I'm stubborn. But since having Scarlett I've learnt to ask for help, mainly due to my worrying! I'll ask my Mum's thoughts on something that is worrying me and usually she makes me see it clearer. If I need to get ready but Scarlett is unsettled I'll ask my Mum to watch her whilst I shower. Life is a lot easier if you ask for help!

- I'm Stronger Than I Think
Being a new parent is hard. You are faced with all these new, different and unusual things and it is hard to adjust. You will resent your old life and sometimes you will feel like your not up to the challenge, but you are! Everything happens for a reason and you have been blessed with a baby because your baby needs you! When Scarlett smiles at me, it makes everything worth it and it gives me a reason to continue doing what I'm doing!

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#MummyEssentialProject | Week Two:Clothing

It is the second week of Mummy's Essentials by 'Mummy Bloggers' and it focuses on the essential clothing items for your little one.

- Sizes
For some reason we thought we were going to have a big baby so did not go mad on newborn sized clothes, we brought mostly 0-3 months, with a few up to 1 month. However she was born at 7lb 10oz so the outfits we took to the hospital swamped her! We were very lucky though as family brought her newborn clothes the day she was born so we had clothes to dress her in and they obviously I enjoyed shopping for yet more clothes! I would recommend getting a few of the essentials (bodysuits and sleepsuits) in newborn, up to 1 month and 0-3 months. Scarlett has only just started wearing 0-3 month clothes and shes over 2 months old!

-Weather
I would recommend thinking about the time of year it is when your baby is due as I brought a snowsuit in both newborn and 0-3 months. We only used her snowsuit a few times when she was first born, once being when she came home from the hospital and she probably won't get any wear out of her 0-3 months (if the weather remains nice).







- Bodysuits
I swear by these. Scarlett wears one under every outfit, whether that be a sleepsuit or a dress because I don't want her to get a chill on her mid-drift. They also look very comfortable and will stop any uncomfortable clothing irritating her skin. She has mostly white vests (although I was tempted to buy all pretty colours) as it is practical and can be worn under anything.

-Sleepsuits
I think comfort is one of the main things to consider when dressing your baby. Scarlett spent her first few weeks in sleepsuits or comfortable trousers and a top. They don't have to look boring either. We got plain sleepsuits for her to sleep in and pretty sleepsuits for her to wear during the day. (You can see my post on my favourite sleepsuits here.) Sleepsuits are practical as well as comfortable as you don't have to take them off to change a nappy (and you have to do lots of them with a newborn) so again I would recommend getting a few in each size.

- Hats, Socks and Scratchmittens
We went slightly overboard with hats because we brought some and then lots of her sleepsuits came with a matching hat. However we only used a hat for the first few days as they now don't recommend your baby wearing them indoors. We did use a hat when we went out though to keep her head warm but you could probably get away with only having 3. Alot of her hats are not going to get any use because we are going into summer so she will need a sun hat.
Socks are a must have thought if you plan on dressing your baby in outfits as there feet are one of the places they lose the most heat.
Again we went slightly overboard with scratchmittens because everywhere you look they are written in essential lists. We got some tiny ones and some larger ones so that we definately had some that would fit her. However we used them for the first few days and then the Health Visitor said its very good for babies to feel things as they wave their hands around so we stopped using them apart from at night because her little hands got cold. Somehow she managed to take them off at night so we stopped using them at night too! Also alot of sleepsuits these days have built in scratchmittens.

Gap Haul

We visited Windsor on bank holiday Monday (you can see this post here) and GAP had 30% off which ended that day, so obviously I just had to have a look. There clothes are just so cute! I would of brought the whole of the baby section if I could but I managed to limited myself to 5 items! I thought I would share them with you.

 

 

Top left to bottom right:

 

Star Flutter Dress usually £12.95 but I paid £9.06

Paddington Bear for Gap Pleat Top was in the sale for £8.99

Lace Trim Leggings in Calypso Coral usually £6.95 but I paid £3.50

Balloon Graphic Bodysuit usually £6.95 but I paid £3.50

Dot Print Logo Pant usually £8.95 but I paid £6.26

 

I cannot wait to dress Scarlett in these outfits, she is definately a Gap baby! They are just the cutest and I even saved myself £13.48. What do you think?



Todays Thoughts

Whilst sitting on the sofa this morning watching Lorraine, Scarlett snoozing next to me, it dawned on me just how much my life has changed in the last year.

James and I have been together for 6 years, 7 in August, but in the last year we have achieved more than we did in those 6 years.

- We Moved Out
A year ago, on the 4th May 2013 (I will always remember that date, 'May the 4th be with you!'), we finally moved in with eachother in our own little flat. It was perfect for us and we were finally moving forward in our relationship! It was so lovely coming home to James everynight after work, although I missed my Mum so bad.

- We Were Pregnant
Now I can't remember the exact date (I wish I could) but just after my 21st birthday in June, we found out we were pregnant!! It was such a shock because I didn't plan to get pregnant so soon, but I would not change it for the world. I had not long been promoted to Assistant Manager at work and I felt like I was letting people down. But once I got over the initial shock I felt this instant feeling of love and I just knew this was going to be the only thing that mattered to me! I had a tiny human growing inside of me and I could not be happier. I struggled to get used to being pregnant at first, so would hide my bump under scarfs etc. It wasn't until the end of my pregnancy that I finally embraced my bump! If it wasn't for the bump you wouldn't of even known I was pregnant. I had such a lovely pregnancy, apart from SPD, and can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed it and missed it once she was here!

- James Proposed
I remember James saying we should get married before the baby was due, but I managed to talk him down (I didn't want a rushed wedding as I only plan on marrying once and want it to be perfect). After all we weren't even engaged!
Then on our 6 year anniversary James took me to London for the day and we visited all of my favourite places. It's all a bit of a blur but whilst walking through Green Park we sat on a log to admire the views and next think I know James was down on one knee infront of me, a simply beautiful ring glistening in the sun! I honestly could not tell you what he said, but I said "YES!" and hugged him so tight. I was engaged to my best friend!!!

- Our Baby Was Born
On 2nd March 2014 (12 days overdue!) our beautiful baby girl, Scarlett Jane, was born! Our little family was complete (for now) and I felt feelings I didn't even know were possible! That day I believe I was born too. From that day on I was going to spend every day loving my baby with all my heart.

Before Scarlett I wasn't really passionate about anything. I felt that my life was made up of going to work, coming home, going to bed, getting up and doing it all again! Now my life has a purpose and a direction.



Our little family <3

Scarlett's First Proper Day Out!

Because it's bank holiday Monday, we went for a family day out. My Mum, sister Charlotte, Scarlett and I took a trip to Windsor.

I think everyone else may have had the same idea though as we queued for quite a while before finally getting into Windsor. Then there was the tiny matter of finding somewhere to park and that proved quite difficult. Eventually after driving around numerous car parks for about an hour we finally found somewhere to park. Needless to say Scarlett did not enjoy any of the above!!

 

The weather was okay in Windsor but not as nice as it was in Hertfordshire yesterday. However I much prefer the views in Windsor to Hertfordshire. It is somewhere I would consider living as it would be lovely to have somewhere nice to take a stroll and it is somewhere I would love to ride my bicycle (that I do not own yet, but is on my list of things to buy!)

 

 

Once parked we took a stroll through a beautiful park and watched everyone playing in the fountains. I cannot wait until Scarlett is old enough to do these things (not that I am wishing her life away!). Then we mooched around the shops and once again I found myself buying yet more baby clothes, as Gap had 30% off which ended today, so I didn't want to miss out!! We then grabbed an icecream and walked down the River Thames, Scarlett loved looking at the water. Next to the river was yet another park/green where people gathered in groups and were having barbeques, playing games and just generally having fun! It made me wish I had a big family to do this with, although I love my family the way it is!

I used to visit Windsor when I was a small child with my Nana and Grandad so it was lovely to return and relive these memories but with Scarlett and her Nana. There are lots of old photo's of my sisters and I outside Windsor Castle and I remember my Nana used to tell us if the flag was flying it meant the queen was there. We always got so excited thinking we were going to meet the queen, obviously we never did! The castle was beautiful just how I remembered and just as in the old photos.

Scarlett loved her day in Windsor just as I did as a child! I hope to make many more memories with Scarlett and her Nana, like I did with my Nana and Grandad.

I would definately recommend a trip to Windsor if you have not been before. Even if you have, go back, it is so peaceful in a busy way!

I hope you have all had a lovely bank holiday weekend!

Good Morning Britain

Hello lovelies,

Whilst watching Good Morning Britain at 6.30am, as Scarlett decided this was a good time to awaken, I was disgusted by what I was hearing! Did any of you see it?

A doctor talking about taking into account the age and health of a person and determining whether cancer drugs should be rationed for elderly patients. I think this is absolutely disgusting! 

Through personal experiences, I feel elderly people are not helped enough considering they are the people who have made our lives the way they are now! We are further letting them down if we deny them the treatment for cancer, such an evil disease! 

Why should it be acceptable to let elderly people suffer? Just because they've lived their lives? Why should they lose their right to life?

I could not imagine how I would feel if I was told my grandparents were denied a potentially life saving drug! I would be absolutely heartbroken. 

I hope this never comes into place because every elderly person is either a parent, sibling or some family member of someone somewhere!

 

Rant over!
 

Have a lovely bank holiday Monday everyone :)

#MummyEssentialProject | Week One: Furniture

I came across 'Mummy Bloggers' on the lovely Gemma's blog so I thought I would join in! Week 1 focuses on the furniture items which have been most useful.

I didn't really get a lot for Scarlett, being a first time Mum I listened to other people too much! I didn't get a moses basket because everyone said they grow out of them too quick and they're a waste of money, but I regret that now.

However I did have a crib. Sorry for the lack of photo's but it is now at my Mum's house because she got too wriggly for it so is now in her cotbed! The crib was made by my Grandad 25 years ago for my elder sister and we all used it when we were babies. So it meant a lot to me for Scarlett to be able to use it. Obviously we sanded it down, re-painted it, brought a new mattress, sheets etc and we checked the space between the bars was okay! She just used a little cellular blanket in there, before we started putting her in her sleeping bag.

For her nursery furniture we found 'Mamas and Papas' Vico set in Argos. You can find this here.

Picture taken from argos.com

I fell in love with this furniture set as soon as I saw it, and trust me I looked at a lot of them! When I was only about 17 weeks pregnant I first saw this and it was in the sale for £449.00 from £599.99 but my partner, James, said it was too early to buy it as we only have a 1 bed flat at the moment. I'm pretty glad I didn't buy it then as when I did eventually buy it it was only £399.99!!

Picture taken from argos.com

The cot has just about everything you look for in a cot, apart from a drop side! It has an adjustable mattress base with 3 positions, although you'd have to take one of the sides off to move the base, so we just put it straight on the lowest so it lasts her until she goes into a bed. It also has teething rails so once she is standing her gums will be protected. This cot also converts into a junior bed so will last her until she is 4 years old! What more could you want?

Picture taken from argos.com

This dresser features a safety barrier around the top to create a dressing/changing area which we have found very handy. It also has lots of space for her many clothes!

Picture taken from argos.com

This wardrobe has 1 hanging rail and a shelf at the bottom, which can be taken out for when shes older and her clothes are longer. I was in two minds about getting a nursery wardrobe as I'd eventually have to buy another one when she was a lot older, but to be honest this wardrobe is not that much shorter than ours so it will last her a good few years yet.

I was very impressed with this furniture when it came as it was very strong and solid. I've never really been a fan of Argos furniture as it always looks and feels so cheap but I'd recommend Mamas and Papas furniture.

Nana's Birthday

Yesterday was very busy as it was my Nana's birthday, so we went to her home to give her all of her presents!

Due to her suffering with Dementia we thought we would make her something personal to remind her of her past. We found the gloves she wore on her wedding day, a silver horseshoe given to her on her wedding day and what we think must have been the rose my grandad wore, and framed them for her. The finished result was beautiful!

She seemed upset by this present as she didn't know/remember what these things were. It's so upsetting to see my Nana suffering with this illness!

None the less it was lovely to spend some time with her, as it always is!

Scarlett: 2 Month Update

Yesterday was Scarlett's 2 month birthday! It seems like just yesterday she made our family and I honestly don't know what I did with all my time before she came along. Yesterday was very busy (hence not having time to do this blog yesterday) as it was also my Nana's birthday, so we went to her home to give her all of her presents!

Weight

I had her weighed on Tuesday when she was 8+2 weeks and she weighed 11lb 4.5oz! She was 10 lb 8.5oz when I had her weighed two weeks previously.

Eating

She is on Cow & Gate First Infant Milk with size 1 teats. We make up 5oz bottles and sometimes she finishes these, but she usually drinks between 3oz and 5oz, every between 3 and 5 hours, dependent on how she feels. Sometimes she has hungrier days than others.

Sizes

I have finally had to admit that she has grown out of her newborn clothes and up to 1 month is getting a bit snug too! However 0-3 months seems to drown her so we just have to try a million outfits on her before we find one that looks as though it may kind of fit! She is still in size 1 nappies, although I doubt that will be the case for much longer.

Daily

We don't really have a daytime routine as she wakes at different times, and she is still young. So we just take the daytime as it comes, but usually she feeds between every 3 to 5 hours (normally 4) and just sleeps as and when she wants too! She enjoys being outdoors and having lots to look at.

Sleep

We seem to have got into a good bedtime routine which consists of bathtime (every other day) half an hour before her last feed, which she loves, and then feed, sleeping bag and bed! Lately she has started sleeping from her last feed (between 9pm and 11pm) until about 5am - 7am and then feeding and going back to sleep! This makes for a happy Mumma!

2 months old

The Things They Don't Tell You About Pregnancy and Parenthood

I'm sure when you were pregnant everyone had a horror story about their horrific pregnancy or birth. However there are many things noone tells you about pregnancy or parenthood. Below are the things I was not aware of in both pregnancy and parenthood.

Pregnancy:

- You will start to judge your partner differently because they are not just your partner they are now the father of your child, so you expect so much more from them! You will also probably resent them because their body is not changing, they are not having to watch what they eat and they get to sleep the whole night feeling comfortable!!
- You will argue with your partner about everything baby related because you both have different views/opinions. You will start thinking 'maybe we aren't that compatible after all!' For example, baby names. You will like one name and your partner won't. You will then start thinking they are just doing it to annoy you!! You will eventually agree on a name though, you may just have to compromise.
- However you will feel closer to them because you now have a child that will bond you together for life, so you begin day dreaming about your perfect little family!
- SPD and other pregnancy related problems! I had never even heard of this until I went to the doctors with a pain in my lower back that was worse when I sat/laid/stood in certain positions. Now I know of it, everyone seems to have had it! Why did they not worn me?!
- People will always put you down on your choices. I followed all guidelines throughout my pregnancy in relation to foods to avoid etc. Everyone would constantly say, "oh for goodness sake, they never told my Nan that when she was pregnant and my Mum is still here!" "They change the guidelines all the time!" BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH!!
- Pregnancy becomes your new identity! No-one asks you how you are, its always how are you and the bump/baby. People will also feel it is now acceptable to touch your tummy when they would never have done that before!! It is one of my pet peeves. People will also treat you as if you have a disability! I am pregnant, not incapable.
- You will have the most horrible and upsetting dreams!! Apparently it is very common and you will dream of your biggest fears. There were many of nights James had to wake me because I was crying and shouting in my sleep!
- People who have NEVER bothered with you, or haven't in a while, will crawl out of the woodwork and want to be involved and want to tell you what you should or shouldn't do! Go away, I have all the people I need, I do not need anyone else!!
- No matter how scared you are of the labour, you have to go through with it!!

35 + 5 weeks pregnant

Parenthood:

- Again you will resent your partner as they haven't had to give up their job, their identity, their sleep etc. Even though you don't mind and you knew what you were giving up, you still resent their practically normal life!!
-  Time flies by. Yes everyone tells you "enjoy them whilst their young - they grow so quick" but you wake up in the morning but after feeds, winding and nappy changes, it's bedtime again!! So don't think what will I do with all my time once the baby is here. They answer that question for you!
- There is such a huge pressure for new Mums to breastfeed. That was my every intention but Scarlett did not take to it and did not feed for the first 12 hours (after much trying!) and we ended up in A&E the day she was born as she had low blood glucose levels! It was there the nurse suggested formula milk. I still to this day, 8 weeks later, feel bad about not being able to breast feed her!
- People will soon forget about you and all their attention will be on the new baby! They won't ask to see you, they will ask to see your baby.
- You will lose friends (well supposed friends) as you do not have the time to see them all the time like you used to.
- Everyone has different methods of parenting and will probably comment on the way you are doing it or will compare your baby to theirs! This makes it very hard to be proud of your baby, because their baby did that too!
- The weight does not fall off of everyone after having a baby and the stretchmarks do not disappear. I am really struggling to lose my baby weight and often get comments such as "are you pregnant again?" or "did you buy that dress when you were pregnant!"
- People will ask you, "is it a girl or a boy?" when it is pretty obvious based on the pink hat she is wearing and the pink blanket she is wrapped in!!

Scarlett Jane, born 02/03/2014 at 7:08am weighing 7lb 10oz

However everyone tells you, "becoming a parent is the most amazing thing ever!" "you do not know what love is until you have a child!" and believe me it is true!

My Weekend

Weekends are normally a really busy time, rushing here there and everywhere to see people we do not see during the week - due to James working. So this weekend was relatively quiet.

On Saturday we went to pick up our new car, a black Vauxhall Astra. Now usually I'd be uber excited but I just wasn't getting the bubbly giddy feeling! Maybe it was because I worry about spending large amounts of money! Or maybe it was because it was something else that wasn't going to be mine. On a positive note we now have a 5 door car so outings are alot easier and Scarlett has a lot more room!

In the evening, James and I went out together for the first time since having Scarlett 8 weeks ago. Scarlett spent the evening with Nana and her two aunties, Ellen and Charlotte. I never realised being without Scarlett would be so hard, I just wanted to get back to her! She obviously wasn't as bothered about being away from me as she was fast asleep when we got back and slept until the next morning (apart from feeds)!!

Scarlett relaxing in Auntie Charlotte's bed!!

Then on Sunday we spent the morning relaxing before doing a mini food shop and cooking a yummy roast dinner!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend :)





Check back tomorrow for 'The Things They Don't Tell You About Pregnancy and Parenthood"

Eyebrows

I have non-existent eyebrows, due to having fair hair (even though my actual hair is not actually that fair anymore!) so I usually get them tinted and waxed and pencil them on in between tints.

The lady who usually does my eyebrows got me some tint a while back but I never got round to trying to do it myself. After finding a facial wax that could be used for eyebrows I decided to give it a go! You can find the wax here.

Okay so I started by getting together all the things I needed to do my eyebrows.

I used:

- Vaseline

- Cotton buds

- Cotton wool

- Eyelash/eyebrow tint

- Tint developer

- A pot to mix the tint

- A brush to apply the tint. I used an eyeshadow brush.

- A bowl of warm water

- Veet facial wax 2 in 1 pen

My eyebrow before

I started by applying vaseline to the skin around my eyebrows, to stop the tint staining my skin, using a cotton bud. I then put about 2cm of tint in a pot and added between 8 - 10 drops of tint developer and mixed it together using a brush.

I generously applied it to my eyebrows brushing the same way as hair growth.

I left the tint on for about 5 minutes before wiping it off with a dry cotton wool ball. I then reapplied the tint until it was dark enough (personal choice). Once I was happy with the colour I then wiped over my eyebrows with cotton wool dipped in warm water.

Next I prepared the wax and read through the instructions. I then applied the wax by following the instructions. It was very easy to prepare and apply. It was not great at removing the little stray hairs but it was totally pain free! So I just used tweezers to remove the hairs the wax didnt.

My eyebrows after





It has not made a great difference but my eyebrows are more noticeable and tidier. It is a great (and cheap) way to maintain my eyebrows between getting them done professionally but I think I will continue to get them done professionally every now and then.



Yet More Baby Clothes

So since Scarlett has been here, I am constantly browsing and buying baby clothes! Every shop I go in I head straight to the baby section. She is 7 weeks old and already she has a wardrobe FULL (and I mean full) of clothes and 3 draws!! She probably has more clothes than Mumma and Daddy put together!

Well yesterday I popped into town as my Mummy had to return a few things, I had in mind the things I needed and my plan was to just get them! Needless to say, I brought more baby clothes. I just cannot resist!

Now I'm not usually a fan of Primark baby clothes but yesterday I got two of the cutest outfits to add to Scarlett's summer wardrobe! All we need now is a bit of sun.

I saw these outfits and I just had to have them and for £13 for both outfits, you cannot go wrong!

However Next is just the best place for baby clothes. Sometimes it can seem very expensive (especially as babies grow so quick) but you can pick up a bargain and it is good quality.

The sleepsuits were one of the first pink things brought, from Nanna, for Scarlett when she was born (as we kept her sex a surprise). I was so sad when she grew out of them, quite quickly, so I rebrought them in size 0-3 so hopefully she will get more wear out of them! They are quite pricey for sleepsuits, at £16, but there detail is beautiful and make lovely daytime outfits. You can buy these sleepsuits here.

I fell in love with this 2 pack of leggings (you can buy these here) as I love to dress Scarlett up but also want her to be comfortable. They were just £7.50 for 2 pairs and they can be worn with anything. Saying that I HAD to buy tops to complete the outfit and I found this 2 pack of t-shirts (which I already have the matching hairbands, so they were perfect!) for just £10. You can buy them here. Then obviously the frilly socks were just a must have, as she can wear them with her pretty dresses in the summer! They were just £5 for 3 pairs and can be brought here.

So all of this came to £38.50 for 5 outfits (which is not bad), but I only had to pay £13.50 as I had a £25 pre-paid visa, which had been brought for me by one of the parents at work before I went on maternity leave! So all in all an absolute bargain!

All Smiles :)

Scarlett is 8 weeks old on Sunday, where does the time go?! Everyone always says "make the most of it, they grow so quickly!" and you just think seriously how quickly can they grow? But as the saying goes, time flys when your having fun! I cannot believe that 8 weeks ago we started a new chapter in our lives and became a family, but I also feel like she has always been a part of our life.

She gave us her first proper little smile, not caused by wind!, at about 5 weeks old. We tried so hard for weeks to catch it on camera, only to fail miserably :(. Now we cannot stop her from smiling and I'm telling you, she plays up more for the camera!!

When she smiles, it simply makes my day as her whole face lights up and I feel like it is a genuine happy smile! She has even begun gurgling and making her own little noises. This is the reason I take way too many photos and constantly video her (even though I have to admit I was pretty camera happy before now!).

'A daughter is one of the most beautiful gifts this world has to give.' - Laurel Atherton

Hello!

Hello and welcome to Just Another Mumma Blog.

I am a new mumma who loves spending time with my beautiful bundle! My life has changed a great deal and I have started a new chapter in my life, so what better way to start a new chapter than with a new blog!

I had the idea of starting a blog whilst sitting on the sofa watching daytime TV, with Scarlett laid on my chest snoozing away. I wanted to find something to do with my spare time, as trust me there is only so much daytime TV you can watch before you have seen it all!

You will find anything from my learnings of motherhood to my daily life. It is basically a space for me to write about everything in my life, kind of like a diary and something that hopefully I will be able to show Scarlett when she is older.

I am a friendly person so please just drop in to say hello!