What They Wore- September Weeks 1-2

It's definitely started to get cooler the past few weeks so we've pulled out a lot of warmer items. I've also realised in the past week or so that Isla mostly owns shorts and dresses in her current size. They were all she wore when potty training and she gets so hot so fast as well- definitely need to invest in some more tights and thicker leggings for the coming months.

Here's my outfit highlights for Isla and Archer over the last two weeks!

Isla

This pinafore dress was gifted to us by Isla's great grandma. It's from next. I honestly wouldn't have thought myself to buy something this style, but it's such a nice heavy material, perfect for layering over the colder months and it does look adorable on her.

This dress is from Tu clothing and is a lovely warm cotton. Not too thick so it's also perfect for layering with a cardigan and some thick tights as it gets colder.

Archer

Blast off! I absolutely adore this set from F&F Clothing. The bottoms and top came together and honestly monochrome is my favourite aesthetic. I love the bold design!

This is another outfit from F&F Clothing. A gorgeous modern 3-piece with robots all over. Matching outfits really are the best on babies right?

The final outfit for Archer really embodies the weather in the UK at the moment and sends off some proper Autumn vibes. Who doesn't love a proper cosy jumper on a cold morning...!

Are you looking forward to comfy cosy clothes now it's getting colder? Let me know what your favourite thing is to wear on a cold morning!

Steph xo

Painting with Straws- Toddler Friendly Activities

Painting is always a big hit in our house. It's a fantastic activity for children who love to get messy, and can be used in educational setting as well. It encourages the exploration of colour, fine motor skills when holding brushes and it's a great sensory activity if you let your little one get their hands involved.

I decided recently to do something new with Isla and let her try painting with straws.

To begin we combined bubble mix and paint- the resulting fluid can be quite watery however so we added in a good dollop of PVA glue to keep it thick and make an interesting texture. Then I handed Isla the straws, ensured she knew not to drink through them and let her go to town!

There is no set method and it is always good to let your child lead- I feel like hovering and instructing too much would discourage them from using their imagination. 

When you blow bubbles with the paint mix, they pop and create a fantastic splat effect on the paper. Blowing bubbles with the paint through the straw also helps to develop oral motor strength which helps to aid pronunciation and speech skills.

Isla also really enjoyed scribbling through the paint with the straw as it made a scratchy effect, blowing bubbles and blowing the paint already on the paper.

We talked a lot about what colours we were using and what happened to the paint when we tried different things- flicking, blowing bubbles, dotting onto the paper and mixing with the colours together. You can encourage them to understand their understanding of cause and affect by asking lots of questions e.g. "What do you think will happen if we blow the pink into the green?" and letting them test it for themselves before answering.

It was a lovely way of adding in some new skills and learning different ways to put paint to paper.

We also found that because we had used PVA glue as a thickener, Isla had a cool colourful layer dried on her hand which she really enjoyed pealing off- it fascinated her.

How do you like to shake up a simple activity like painting? Let us know!

Steph xo

What's in my Changing Bag- Baby & Toddler Edition

Now that I'm a mum of two, my changing bag has reverted back from a backpack full of snacks and a few nappies (when it was just Isla) to a whole sack of "just in case" items and "you never know" essentials.

Since there is a risk of either child ruining their clothes/needing the toilet/being hungry at any moment, I like to ensure I have something for all occurrences and keep the bag ready to go so I don't have to do the mad scrabble before we leave.

I got my bag off of Amazon- a brand called Kidzzone- and it looks close enough to handbag to still be fashionable, with a lovely waterproof inside and lots of pockets to lose biscuit crumbs in.

For the toddler:

• Spill Proof Cup: We use both the Nuby variety and the Munchkin 360
• Snacks: For nutrition and bribery purposes
• Spare pants and shorts/trousers: Potty training has gone well, but we still like to prepare for an accident just in case
• Spare outfit: Because you never know
• Fold up raincoat: If it's cold, Isla will wear a coat out but I like to keep something waterproof handy in case she isn't under the raincover on the pram
• Sun cream: This is for the baby too, to keep them both protected
• Sunglasses: For the rare sunny day
• Toys: We usually have a handful of cheap toys that Isla can fiddle with if she is stuck in the pram for a long time
• Plasters: Isla is a little bruiser and scrapes her knee every other day

For the baby:

• Nappies: I try to keep at least 5 in here for a day out, around one an hour and a half although he rarely needs changing that often
• Wipes: helpful for both the toddler and baby, for everything from bums to hands to wiping tables
• Nappy Cream: We use most brands, but at the moment we're using E45
• Muslin Clothes: For spit up, dribble, and Archer loves them to snuggle as he falls asleep. Also good as a cover for breastfeeding if it's windy or I want to cover up a bit
• Spare Outfit (x2): For the inevitable poo or puke explosions
• Spare dummy: Archer can shoot a dummy two metres through a crowded area, never to be seen again. 
• Sun & Winter hats: I keep both handy because British weather is ridiculous and unpredictable
• Coat: An easy to add layer if it gets cooler
• Nappy Bags: Great for stuffing dirty nappies in till you find a bin, and also to use as wet bags to bring home any soiled clothes or toys
• Travel Changing Mat: For if we can't find a baby change- any surface becomes suitable or cleaner at least

For mummy:

• Purse
• Hand santiizer
• Reusable breast pads
• Nipple cream
• Snack
• Sterilising anti-bac surface wipes

What's in your changing bag? If you have anything you can't live without let me know!

Steph xo

A Letter from Mummy at 100 Days Old

10th September 2017- 100 Days Old.

Archer,

How can it be, that a hundred days with you feel like a thousand or more? It's like you've always been here. Always been staring up at your sister with fascination, or babbling away to daddy or snuggling close to me in your dreams.

I'll admit that after Isla was born, I was worried I wouldn't be able to love another little baby as much as I love her, but I do. I love you more than I ever have imagined or hoped. So does your daddy. So does your sister.

You're already such a sweet little boy, and oh so cheeky. I am so excited to see what you become over the years to come. I'm ever so proud to be your mummy.

It's been a whirlwind since you were born. There have been a lot of tears from everyone (mostly me) and a lot of laughter. You have changed our lives so much, but I don't ever want to look back.

I feel so blessed to have you. Thank you for the last 100 days, and here's to a lifetime more.

Mummy x

Toddler Holiday Essentials- What's in Isla's suitcase

I know that summer is basically over, but because of the cost increases in the school holidays we usually go on our holiday after the children go back at the start of September. This does mean unless we get a rare hot September, our holiday is cooler (and as we holiday within the UK it's often wet), but the resorts are always much quieter which is great if you've got toddlers or very young children.

We're off on holiday in the next months, so I'm sharing my essentials you should pack for a toddler, and what's in Isla's suitcase.

Clothes

We are going away for a week in Autumn so we will be taking outfits where layers can easily be added and taken away for the changing temperatures. I always pack for the possibility of an outfit change a day (potty training toddlers are unpredictable) but don't over pack more than this- if she were to need more, there are always shops around.

Just in case it is sunny, we're taking sun hats for good measure to keep her protected!

Swimming

• Huggies Swim Nappies. Isla is potty trained in awake times but all that exercise and time in the pool.. I'd rather play it safe and I love the Huggies swim nappies- we've never to this day had a leak with them.
• Swim ring & Armbands. Previous years, Isla has had one of those inflatable seats or been limited to our arms but we find that with a ring and arm bands she can swim freely without being held. The armbands stop her slipping through the ring so with supervision we are confident she is safe.
• Beach Ball. Even in an indoor pool, it isn't a proper holiday without one!
• Swimming Costume (and a spare just in case!)

Travel

• Mess free colouring (so she doesn't stain anything where we stay or in the car)
• Snacks
• Spill free cup (Nuby and Munchkin have some trustworthy options that wont flood your car or aeroplane seat)
• Travel Potty, for the inevitable stop

Toiletries

• Travel Potty Seat. Isla is dry in the day so we will need this for in the caravan and about the town.
• Sun cream. Even on cloudy days she will need protecting as we are outside most of the day.
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Shampoo
• Shower Gel
• Night nappies
• Talc (Throw it at them after being on the beach and the wet sand dries up and drops off!)

Do you think there's anything we've forgotten? We will of course be taking a few toys but will 

probably be too busy to stop and play!

Let me know what else you'd take in the comments!

Hyperemesis Gravidarum- My Experience

It's a condition you've probably seen plastered all over the news this week following the Duchess of Cambridge announcing her third pregnancy. For the third time, she is suffering with Hyperemesis Gravidarum, a condition I suffered with during my second pregnancy.

If you have seen it in the news, there's no doubt you've seen this condition referred to as "extreme morning sickness". I need to say now that this is a ridiculous expression and the condition is nowhere near comparable to morning sickness of any sort. It is a serious and dangerous condition that resulted me being on IV's and heavy medication in an attempt to keep my body from drying up completely from dehydration, that thousands of women suffer with in silence.

When I was pregnant with Isla, I did not throw up even once. Slap my back and applaud, I was kicking pregnancy's ass. My second pregnancy, with Archer however, was a different story.

It all began in the early weeks when our household was hit with norovirus. Everyone seemed to get better after 2-3 days and stop throwing up except for me. I assumed it was morning sickness, except it was all day, dozens of times an hour. I would throw up until I was choking on nothing as there was nothing to come out. I couldn't keep anything down, and even imagining being sick would lead me to run to the bathroom.

Smells would set me off- something common in pregnancy... but even thinking about a smell again would have me running to the bathroom. I would wake up feeling dry- my skin felt dry, my mouth was dry, my eyes burnt. I ended up being so so often that I had to have IV fluids to top myself up. I was taking sickness pills that left me in a zombie like state as a side effect, but I had no choice.

I couldn't look after myself from exhaustion, or look after Isla. I regularly had to leave work as a result of the sickness. I was told morning sickness generally staves off around 14 weeks, but this continued into the third trimester. I would faint from exhaustion, often in public places.

By 30 weeks pregnant, I had gained no weight. I was actually lighter than when I had fallen pregnant due to the excessive weight loss caused by throwing up! My bump continued to grow perfectly though thankfully.

Hyperemesis Gravidarum is far from "extreme morning sickness". It is a lonely, crippling condition that I would not wish on anyone. It left me wishing away my pregnancy. Lots of people kept telling me it was normal and that I'd chosen to be pregnant so had to deal with it but this really isn't the case.

I hope that anyone suffering gets the help and support they need- ask relatives and friends if you need something, make sure the GP and midwives take you seriously, and don't let anyone brush it off as just a normal part of pregnancy. There are also some fantastic support groups you can find online and on Facebook and in most communities.

Did you or anyone you know suffer with HG? Share your story- I'd love to hear it.

Steph xo