Me time for busy mums

I love being a mummy. Even when I was little, I would always be walking around with a dolly feeding it, burping it, changing its clothes and nappies. Like most little girls, I was obsessed with babies. Little did I know at the time, having a dolly was a LOT harder work than a real life screaming, pooping, puking baby yet i wouldn't change it for anything on this earth. We are allowed to moan and cry and even break down sometimes. People that don't have children do not realise the extent of the work of it and we all do need some time alone to refesh our batteries. Having 'me time' makes a whole world of difference to your energy and even patience. Some parents, like myself, get very little time alone. I can't even go to the toilet or shower alone! This made me wonder, what can I do to create some time alone so I can be the best parent i can be? 

I posted this question on a few social media sites asking for some ideas. This is the list that came out of it :

🌸 Take a nap. When baby is sleeping, you sleep too. 

🌸 Go for a walk or run. Alone! Just taking a walk in a park or round the block revives. Running, not so much my thing but if it's yours, put your headphones in with your favourite music and run around some beautiful scenery. 

🌸 Have a bubbly bath. When the childs father is home so you aren't disturbed of course. 

🌸 Go shopping. Even window shopping of food shopping. As long as you are child free. 

🌸 Do your nails or get them done professionally. We all love being pampered!

🌸 Have a cup of tea. When the child is napping, make yourself a cup of tea and watch your favourite tv show. Mine being jeremy kyle! 

🌸 Endulge in your favourite chocolate. Eating chocolate alone means you actually get to have it all to yourself without the child stealing it.

🌸 Go out with the girls. It doesn't have to be a wild night out. Get a babysitter and go for lunch! 

These are only a few of my favourites. I cannot stress enough how much, even just an hour of me time, makes a difference to your stress levels. A lot of new parents do not want to rely on other people looking after their children so they can take a break but trust me, were all in the same boat! 

Please let me know what your favourite activity is to do alone! More ideas are welcome and i hope someone found this helpful! Till next time...

Love xx ❤ xx

Confessions of a tired mummy

Do any other parents feel so tired that they just cannot find an ounce of energy? Yet you have this tiny person relying on you to be the fun mum. I am one if those mums today.

When i became pregnant with my son, i wanted to be the best i could be. I wanted his childhood to be filled with fun and exciting memories he could look back on and be proud. Nobody realises how much energy is taken away when you have a small, hyper, energetic person around. What doesn't help this is that my son does not sleep well which i will write about in another post.

I am a working mother, admittedly i only work part time which is 3 days a tweek for me. I work as a carer which in itself is a heavy and demanding job. What rattles my cage is the men. The childs father who goes to work and comes home and moans if they are asked to help with even such a small job. You get the comeback of 'i haven't been doing nothing all day' ARGH! That's the worst thing i could hear when i have spent the day at work myself, came home to entertain and look after a 2 year old and done all the housework, yet you cannot go and get a pair of the child socks for me? I am so glad we do not live back in the old days where the men did nothing after work, although, since the women didnt work maybe i would have more energy and patience for this. What is everyone elses thoughts on this? Maybe i am just ranting in today's post BUT ... Surely i am not the only woman that thinks this? What is the worst thing your other half has said to wind you up? Please let me know to make me feel a bit better about this situation! 

Love xx ❤ xx

Happy New Year!

Good evening fellow parents!

Happy new year to you all! I hope you all had a special night whatever you may have been up to.

In my household, we started our NYE 2014 with a long walk around our area. It was very cold but Kyle loves being outside in any weather. Especially when its raining so he can get his wellies on and splash in the puddles! There's nothing more enjoyable than seeing him have so much fun doing the most simple of things. There is a lot of parents i have seen that don't allow their children to splash in puddles or step in mud ect. I personally don't see the harm. Everything can be put in the wash as soon as you get home! As for getting cold, it is more of an excuse to snuggle up on the couch with a lovely cup of tea or hot chocolate! I believe children should have all the fun they can so long as they aren't at risk of being hurt of course! Anybody else agree?

Anyway, after our walk we came home for, as the already said, change of clothes and warm drink! We played some games Kyle recieved from santa. He is 2 and half so myself and boyfriend decided to start trying to get him into games we can play as a family as there is only so much playdoh shapes, book reading and car driving on the floor you can do in one day. For me, being a girly girl, its hard to enjoy car playing over and over again haha. Of course i do it to keep a smile on my sons face.  There isn't much family type games out there for his age, though father christmas did make a great choice! Kyle recieved the pop up pirate game from Santa this year so as a family we sat down to teach him the concept of 'taking turns'. Surprisingly, it only took one go! Daddy was the looser and Kyle still likes to remind him of this. I highly reccomend this game for the toddlers as it is really easy to learn, play by themselves or with family, up to 4 players. Here's a link  http://m.toysrus.co.uk/Toys-R-Us/Toys/Games/Games/Tomy-Pop-Up-Pirate-Game/0027195

Next, we made some Peppa Pig muddy uddle pancakes. The mixture comes already prepared in a bottle, you just add milk. Kyle loves Peppa Pig! Out of my mummy friends i believe I'm the only one who enjoyes her too. Is that strange? Compaired to some childrens programmes, to me, it is definately one of the better ones although i didn't think much of their pancakes! I'm not sure if it was because they were chocolate ones, because they were for kids - meaning less sugar - or my cooking! Pretty sure it was the mixture though and wouldn't recommend them. Even after Kyle decorated them with syrup and sprinkles, admittedly they were just about edible, i still won't be purchasing them again!

To end out NYE we made a picnic! After we were all comfy in our jammies, Daddy too of course, i sliced up some apples, plums and oranges and added in some wotsits and mini cheddars to Kyles picnic plate. This was his first time trying a picnic, or as he says, a 'pick it'. He really enjoyed it! He put a blanket down to sit on and took through ALL of his teddies. Of course i had to take a picture of this moment!

Kyle isn't much of an eater which i have been worried about for some time, even though his BMI is perfectly fine and my health visitor has no worries. As i have said, he is 2 and a half yet he is still wearing an age 1 and a half trousers. No matter what i do he won't eat proper meals and i mean i have tried EVERYTHING. So now, i let him pick. Obviously still cooking him meals and sitting him down when we have dinner too but not trying to push him into eating. Any fellow parents with this problem, please do get in touch with any tips or advice! The picnic idea was a good one though. He ate some of it which i was happy with. 

After Kyle went to sleep, myself and the other half sat down to watch the Inbetweeners 2nd movie. I loved it, Gary wasn't so sure. He preferred the first one but i think i preferred the second! Sure he was just saying the first not to agree with me :) 

At 12 midnight i recieved my NY's kiss but that's as wild as my night got! The joys of being parents but i had a really great family day with my boys, i wouldn't have had it any other way! 

I hope you all achieve any hopes and dreams you have for 2015. 

Love xx❤xx