Thursday 28 January 2016

The little things. 4


My weekly round up of happy photos! Have a lovely weekend ahead.

Love, Us

Monday 25 January 2016

Lulworth Cove and Durdle door


As a Christmas present to ourselves, we bought ourselves a tula! I've been coveting one since we outgrew our solly wrap and finally caved in. And oh my, I love it! And Elin loves it, just look at that face^ We decided to pop over to Durdle door for an excuse to use it, and also take in some of the great outdoors. It was a seriously misty day, but actually all that mist *just* burnt off when we took the decent to the beach and we actually had really beautiful weather for it. It was so refreshing. Theres nothing like a bit of January sunshine, if you ask me!

So here are some shots from our less than lazy Sunday!






Durdle door is really amazing. We are so lucky to live so near such an amazing piece of natural beauty. I'v only been twice before but it always makes me so impressed. We want to one day kayak or swim beneath the 'door' just to say that we have. We'll have to wait for Elin to grow up a bit though, for that.



I really do love this carrier! I'm so excited by it. Plus the colours and pattern are really cool and fun, and its so comfty. I could have forgotton she was there. But then again, we switched so James was the one carrying her back up that hill. If you've been there, you'll understand why we switched ;)



This little miss is teething big time. 4 top teeth in 10 days, makes for a very tired mumma. She's also clearly got her molars on the move too. These nubby keys have been a god send, sent by her god father, ironically. She later fell asleep in the tula but carried them the entire way to lulworth which was pretty cute. 





These first two shots James caught when I didn't realise. I love how happy I look because it really was such a candid moment. And then the shot there of us three, well; Elin's new favourite thing in the entire world is playing human peekaboo. James ducks behind me, jumps out, she squeals with joy, and this goes on and on. But its so adorable and cute we don't mind at all, obviously! 

And then we've got Elin's first pair of converses. Every mumma secretly wants a little mini me right? Her Auntie bought these when she was born and they finally fit. Literally there is nothing cuter than a baby in converses. The fact that she's able to walk in her walker and sofa surf in them is just amazing.



And again, James getting camera happy without my knowing. I'm rubbing off on him more and more by the day. I love that he takes pictures of me nursing now too, he totally gets that I want to cherish those moments. 


Family selfie, just as Elin starts hitting the snooze button!




After messing about on the beach we walked back up and took the paths over to Lulworth. Every time we get out and go walking I say we need to do it more. And we really do! I felt so good afterwards, full of fresh air and happy feelings. We said we'd invest in walking boots, because converse and James nice Topman shoes possibly weren't the best choice of footwear. It was still lovely none the less. And with Elin soundo up there it was almost as though we were dating again, like when we first met. We held hands and were silly and for half an hour were just a couple and not parents. Is it wrong to say that? 




Lulworth cove is really lovely too. Its so tranquil there, the waters are amazingly clear and the air was extra crisp. Its definitely worth seeing and again I'd love to get the kayaks out down there. We watched other families playing in the water, skipping pebbles and I know we were both imagining how we'll be in a few years from now. I can't wait to teach Elin all about nature and show her places like this- although I need to brush up on my geography a bit first. I really want to teach her through experience and give her  a childhood packed with amazing memories. So, hopefully we can spend a lot more time here, swimming or picnicing or whatever. 


Anyone else love Lulworth and the door? We really are so lucky living on such an amazing stretch of the coast. People travel thousands of miles to see view like this, so it would be wasted if we didn't get out there a little. We had so much fun together.Have you any photos to share of the cove? I'd love to see!
I hope you all had a lovely weekend, 

Love, Us.





Thursday 21 January 2016

The little things. 3


Happy thursday everyone! We're three weeks into January now and apparently this week we are graced with the most depressing day of the year? I haven't looked much into that (because hey, who needs an excuse to be sad!) but here are my weekly round up of excuses to be happy! As always this post is focused on my favourites- our family, but also in the mix is a perfect boiled egg. I always say I can't even boil an egg- I really can't- but good job I married someone who could. Honestly, those eggs were seriosuly perfect. I found a new level of love and respect towards James in that moment!

Have a brilliant weekend ahead everyone! How are you all spending it?

Love, Us

Sunday 17 January 2016

Love life outside!


As part of my resolution to get out in the fresh air more often I thought I'd share these shots today,, from the most beautiful evening at the beach last night! We went out for a walk while dinner was in the oven and happened upon an incredible sunset. It literally took my breath away. I felt so blessed and appreciated going out at that point so much. Here are a few photos we took while we were there.




It was literally one of those perfect moments that the elements came together to give us all a little boost and just make me super grateful four our life. Cheesy I now, but it was such a good evening!


Just stopping for some milkies to warm her up! Ps, I now shes not in a coat- she was in the wrap most of the time so was nice and toasty, just with slightly rosy cheeks!


It was one of those lovely evenings where if you looked one way it was dusk with the moon above you, and you look another way and the sun was thowing the nicest light onto everything. Pictures just don't do that justice. The sea was also so calm and clear.




I mean, seriously, how beautiful is this view? As i'm getting older I'm appreciating things like that more and more and a picture perfect sunset actually made me so happy after a fairly ordinary day. Being with my people and having nothing really to do was a really lovely feeling. Sometimes having no real plans scares me, but sometimes, like this night, it makes me feel exceptionally content with life. I could've sat here for so long, but sitting still with a baby is pretty rare these days!



How much do I love these two? Seeing James as the most wonderfully Daddy makes my heart swell and I am so proud of both of them. I'm a massive stress head so taking time like this with the people I love grounds me like nothing else.

I shared this last photo on instagram this week with the tag #lovelifeoutside and the lovely Alison from Anniebobs featured us. Check out and join in with the hash tag if your like me and thrive in the outdoors! I can't stand being between four walls and like me, Elin is like a wild animal even at this age. We need to be out and about to keep both our sanity. Its also good to distract me from the continuous stream of housework piling up! There's lots of inspiration if you look up that tag and maybe it will encourage you to get out and enjoy the beauty we have all around us too. You can also see her weekly round up on her blog, here http://www.anniebobs.com/

Previewing this post I realize just how glad a night like this made me. It was definitely what I needed even if I didn't realize that I needed it. So I'm gonna add to my resolutions and say we need to watch a sunset (or sunrise if I'm feeling really optimistic) at least once a week! It refreshed me like nothing else, which you can probably tell from reading this!

Happy Sunday everyone! Have a brilliant week ahead, 

Love, Us


Thursday 14 January 2016

The little things. 2

A flying post today to show you this weeks round up of 'happy days'. Except I've thrown in 2 reminders and repeats of last week too, to fill the 3x3 grid. 


Have a lovely evening everybody! 

Love, Us

Wednesday 13 January 2016

Reflection.

Three weeks ago, one of my closest friends and Elin's fairy god mother gave birth to a bouncing baby boy. I literally am bursting with pride and joy for her and her perfect new family. She and her fiance are the most natural parents I can imagine and Reggie is so gob-smackingly-handsome he makes my ovaries flutter. Holding and cooing over a new born again has been incredible and I can honestly say that I LOVE him dearly. I am so grateful to share in this journey of motherhood with such an old friend. 

I can't stress enough how happy I am for these guys, and how proud I am too.



See, all 8 pound and 11 ounces of little Reggie were born at home in an (I can only imagine) incredible home birth. Honestly, its the birth plan I had typed and saved on our computer, the plan I had wished for so dearly. I am so glad that Verity and Josh got such an empowering birth, but I'l be honest, its dredged up some hidden feelings towards my own 'birth'. I have up until now fully OWNED my planned C section and embraced that day wholly, but I'd be lying if I said hearing about her wonderful and empowering delivery doesn't make me a little heart sad. So this post really, is just to remind myself how friggin' amazing Elin's birth day really was!

During my pregnancy I romanticized childbirth a lot. I still do a little. But I really wanted that all natural birth experience. The sort that leaves you on a high for weeks, full of euphoria because LOOK WHAT MY BODY CAN DO. I obsessed over my idea of a perfect birth. It wasn't to be for us though. Obviously very few birth plans actually go to plan, but mine was pretty much scuppered from the off. I won't go into all the reasons that we scheduled an 'elective' C section because that's sort of irrelevant at this stage. I know that it was the safest option for my baby and I don't regret putting her needs over and above my own wants. That's what motherhood is about really. Besides, we get pregnant to have a baby, not to give birth. Once the decision was made and we were all booked in, I knew that I had to really embrace the decision. I still have people tell me now how wonderful natural birth is and pity me as I haven't experienced it. Well, I'm here to tell you that 

MY C SECTION WAS WONDERFUL TOO.

In the end- I loved it!

It was the day my beautiful girl came into the world.

The day that we became a family, became parents.

The day that changed everything, impermeably, and forever.

How the hell can I be sad about that?



For anyone who may be in a similar position facing an 'elective' C section I'm sending good mumma vibes your way. Its a grieving process of sorts, but know that no matter what, it is still your birthing experience. It is still the day that you gave birth. You can make it as wonderful as you can think of and make it a truly personal and positive experience. Here were some of our requests:

We made a sound track for the surgery. All our favorites, plus babies, and she got to be born to something meaningful for us. (Admittedly in our case this was one direction, but still!)

No one was to announce the sex. We didn't find out what we were having for 9 long months of pregnancy and I really didn't want some strange unknown doctor blurting out what we had. It was always gonna be James. And it was him who told me (even though we totally couldn't figure out her bits and both were pretty cautious about making the grand announcement to a room of experienced surgeons, doctors and midwives- but that's another story)

Elin was separated from me for mere seconds. This obviously might be different if baby is in distress but for us she was gone for no time at all, always in my sight and James by her side. She then got bought to me and was not taken away again for anything.

I got skin to skin during the surgery. Once she was out I held her on my bare chest while they finished off the procedure. I was able to feed her within an hour of her birth. 

We filmed her first moments on our go pro!


I had plucked my eyebrows prior to the section so didn't look to horrific for first photos. Totally shallow I know, but when life gives you lemons and all that!

They kept the cord long so that James could still cut it. I'm so pleased he still got to do that ultimate daddy trick.

I was up and walking laps of the maternity ward within six hours! It helped my recovery so much. I knew if I couldn't rock a natural birth I would rock recovering from a section. I can be a little bit proud to have done that.


This all helped me claim back control over my birth and make it ours. I honestly don't regret my section in the slightest and would encourage any mum facing one to go into it positively and embrace the cards that you are dealt. One day I would love to get the chance of labouring and giving birth vaginally, and I hope that I do. But if I don't? That's not the end of the world either. Babies have a plan that we just don't now about and I'm happy that Elin's plan gave me that day. I will always cherish that day with all my heart.

However our precious babies are delivered- we are all super women in our own right! 

But we can all agree that delivering a nearly 9 pound baby at home for your first born is still bloody amazing and I think I'l always be a bit in awe of my friend.

Love X








Friday 8 January 2016

London, Baby! Part 2

After my last post ran unexpectedly long, and Elin started needing me to focus on her a bit more, I needed a second post to finish up about our London trip! So this is just that, London, day 2! I took way fewer pics today as we were a lot more tired, but I still thought I'd share these here, too.




We took Miss to the science museum. It was free, with lots of space to crawl and play, and indoors and warm (unlike somewhere like a zoo, for instance). She loved this area full of toys and sensory games and had a blast. There were lots of older kids but Elin really isn't phased by them and gives as good as she gets which is great. As always, she won't remember but I love to watch her explore things. It was perfect for that, here, as it was so geared up for kids of all ages. I love seeing the curiosity on her little face as she discovers something new and exciting.Hopefully we can take her back when shes older and can appreciate it all a bit more, but for now, she still had some brilliant play time which can't be grumbled at.



James is a massive fan of sushi, so am I, but he takes it to a new level. We were both so excited for Elin to try it for the first time. Plus the high chairs in YO! sushi are really cool too. This baby led weaning thing has been so much fun and watching Elin explore her food is part of the beauty. I'm not sure much of the sushi got actually eaten but it was touched, smelt, tasted and chewed which are four pretty good steps if you ask me! It must be so strange to try these new and amazing foods but I hope one day she'll be loving sushi with us, and this is how to start her! She did, however, demolish their fruit salad so she was a happy diner!



We then decided to take Elin to Hamleys toy store. Both James and I are just big kids really so we enjoyed it here too, and once again it was so interactive for Elin even at her diddy age. If your in London with kids this place is a must. Even if you don't buy its a lovely experience for the littles and it really does transport them into such a fantastic world. These are memories I can't wait to make when Elin grows up a little bit. I just want her childhood to be magical, not with lots of things necessarily, but priceless memories together. So we're starting a little young, so what?



I realize that the second day we took far fewer pictures. This was mainly as James was in charge of the camera and he is far less snap happy then me,but also because I managed to get a bit of sales shopping in too! That was such a good treat! The next time we get up to the city it will be just the two of us (!!!!) to enjoy James Christmas present- a walk over the O2. We're so excited for this; but there really is nothing like showing off our little girl in the city. She really does love being in new places and seeing lots of people so it was such a positive trip. We also got some time together as a family without pressures of work and the unintentional stress of the festive season. 

What do you do when in the city? Any tips for things we can do for a 'grown-up' trip up later this year? We're always on the look out for interesting haunts or the best places to eat. I'd love to hear!

Love, Us.