Beauty Wishlist #1

Bodyshop Instablur £14 / MAC face & body 120ml £28.50 / Nanshy 4 in 1 sponge £5.95 / Real Tech expert face brush £8.99 / Tangle Teezer aqua splash £8.99 / Garnier micellar cleansing water £3.32 on offer

Not just a mum

Don't get me wrong I love everything about being a mum even the bits I'm going to mention in this post that will come across as I don't BUT as much as I am a mum I'm also a daughter,sister,aunty,great aunty,fiancee,friend and most of all still human underneath deep down in mum mode me.

I can't be the only mum who feels once she has her babies that the invites seem to stop for nights out,lunch,shopping etc 

As if because your a mum you no longer have an identity of your own and your now just so 'n' so's mum.

I'm very lucky to have friends that will invite me out even when they know my answer is very likely to be a no or that I'll leave early, I admit alot of the problem is my own I haven't actually said to my friend shall we go for lunch? fancy a bit of shopping today? how about a girls night? That I am awful for and how I still have friends popping to see me or even bothering with me is beyond me.
It's very rare that I am ever me anymore I'm in mum mode 24 hours a day 7 days a week that is my own fault Andy is always sending me off with some money in hand to treat myself but I always come home with stuff for the girls.
I feel selfish for saying it but everywhere I look other mums are treating themselves or being spoilt and I'm really jealous of that I can't seem to treat myself with out feeling guilty! 
Even when I'm out my only thought is about getting home to my babies again, I attended a blogger meet last year (my first) and I was me for a little while Andy told me not to feel like I needed to rush home and just relax for a bit and I actually did, I switched mum mode off for a bit and was me for the day (of course the girls were still on my mind) and I couldn't not buy them anything. But I realized I could be me for a few hours and it would take me to mention I was a mum for them to know and not feel bad about it or rush home as quick as I could.
 It felt good for awhile I've said that I was going to make more time for me be it the shops alone,stop by for lunch with a friend or even just a little pamper night.
I was to treat myself more too as well as make more of an effort with my appearance instead of going out with my awful skin,hair chucked in a messy bun and wearing clothes that fell out first and fit, for years I've never really properly treated myself because I would always think about what I could buy the girls or Andy out of the money I'd be spending on myself and I'm always left wracked with guilt even if I really needed that bra because my boobs no longer fit in any of my others. I don't consider myself and my needs as important anymore
But I'm human too I deserve a treat every now and then right?
 I'm not talking thousands I'm talking £2O here and there, making the jeans,handbag,shoes or whatever it is I've had my eye on for so long mine! 
Now both girls are at school/nursery I have 2-3 hours of ME during the day and god does it feel weird but I think it's time I made better use of that time leave the housework,leave flapping about to get shopping done and have a soak in the bath,have a face mask.

please tell me I'm not alone?

Blogging Goals 2015

So we've done the general goals for 2015 so lets set some goals specifically for blogging!

- Interact with more bloggers I make a point of commenting on  as many blog posts as I can but I'd like to have the confidence to tweet another blogger every now and then.

 - Find a happy medium on what I post at the moment I'm a little lost on what I actually want my blog to be about I want it to be a bit of everything you'd expect a mums life to be like. I'm trying to find a happy medium and not post all about one thing all at one time and have a nice balanced mix between all topics, I considered another blog just for beauty/fashion posts but I doubt I'd keep up with them both. 

- Start Vlogging of some kind the ideas are there I just need to be confident in front of the camera and not end up a stuttering mess every time.

- Actually learn to use my camera to the best of its ability My camera isn't the best camera but it certainly isn't the worst camera either I just really suck at all things photography.

- Attend a blogging event or two I attended my first blogging events last year and they were so much fun to be a part of I aim to get myself stuck into as many as I can this year.

- Get some blog cards made for events I've never felt like my blog is good enough to have cards but there's nothing worse than going along to a blogging event and having to rip a piece of paper up to jot down how to find me or spell it out for someone to note it down on their phones when all other bloggers are handing over their pretty pro looking cards.

- Have a blogging schedule Blogging would be so much easier if it was all written down in advance on what my posts will be about etc, I'm suffering from bloggers block way to often for my liking.

- Take part in twitter blog chats I see them going on quite often but don't take the plunge of taking part too as I never feel I fit the category or that I'm a good enough blogger to be taking part in those chats.

NEW LOOK | Sale picks

Everything here can be found over on the newlook website in the up to 7O% OFF sale.

Taking it back - Birth story edition | Daisie

As I didn't have a blog when I was pregnant with the girls I'm going to do random 'Taking it back' posts. 

Starting with Daisies birth story as it's the eventful one!

14th July 2O11
It's induction dayyy!! With my induction time coming up in a few hours so a soak in the time before I set off, Andy rushes upstairs with my phone it's the hospital they have no beds to start my induction to night and I'm to call in the morning to check if any beds have become available.

15th July 2O11

8am phone call from the hospital they finally have some beds available to start my induction.

Quick flap around to find someone available to take me in to have this little lady we finally arrive by 1Oam in time for my bed.

Wrist bands given shown to my bed and a few rules gone over it was time to wait for the nurse to become free to start me off with my first pessary I'd heard them mention to the lady opposite there was a 3O minute to an hour delay, I met the midwife that would be caring for me had all my checks done and she gave me my first gel at 12:45 she said she didn't expect it to be very long my cervix were very thin and she could feel Daisie's head very low down (YIPEEE) I met a child doctor who explained everything that would happen once Daisie was born who said I could go and have a look at the special baby unit to see where Daisie would be going if I wanted to take a peek, The gel wasn't doing much and it was finally time for my second gel 7pm the midwife checked me over and I was still only 1-2 cm dilated. 

Second gel done here come the bad boy contractions!! With some time to pass we decided we'd go and have a look at the special baby unit after a quick peek the man on duty was concerned my waters might go while there so back to my ward we went. Contractions still coming strong and hard so I took some paracetamol and codeine neither did anything by now I was shattered and just wanted to sleep but laying down was impossible so the midwife offered to check me over with all that pain surely some progress was made? Then came the news no one wants to hear when they are in that amount of pain STILL only 1 almost 2cm dilated so the midwife offered me some pethidine after asking all questions possible about it affecting baby she gave me some pethidine along side a anti sickness injection. 

Then she decided to let me know it can work in two ways totally stop/slow down labour or speed it up WHATTTT? 

After the pethidine kicked in I was finally able to settle down enough to get some sleep and relax, We were told all day that it wouldn't be long and baby would be here so with me settled for sleep Andy headed home. 

Just as I started to nod off POP! As casual as ever I say to my mum 'something just popped, Yeah it was my waters its running down my leg' Off she went to let the midwife know over hearing the midwife say yeah I'll check on her in a minute while I'm calling Andy hoping he'll feel his phone vibrating in his pocket and pull over, No answer he wouldn't be home for a good 1O minutes as he literally just left I knew because his bike was that loud. Along came mum back from alerting the midwife then comes that pushing urge so off ran my mum to let them know I was now pushing in came flying the midwife checking me over with one of the most shocked faces I've seen she asked where Andy had gone, Telling her he had gone home she said get him here NOW! I jumped from 1-2cm to 8cm delivery suite was rang and a room was being sorted for me as a second lady came in with a wheelchair for me with a baby pushing as hard as Daisie was sitting in that wheelchair going over bumps was not the most comfortable, We arrive at my room with the cleaners still in the poor cleaners were practically screamed at to get out and how I wouldn't care that the floor was dirty! Once in they told me to get onto the bed with the help of the midwife which almost ended up covered in sick helping me out of the wheelchair because I'm polite I swallowed it instead of throwing up all over her YUCK!

On the bed I get, before I know it Daisie is crowning and there she was at 23:23 placed onto my chest as perfect as ever and just as I'd said through out my pregnancy she was small and had lots of hair just like her dad did. It happened so quickly that it took Andy all of 14 minutes and being followed by the police for speeding to get back to the hospital he walked in as Daisie was being cleaned up and dressed.
We had our cuddles then it was time for me to have a bath and for Daisie to be taken up to special baby unit for an x-ray and to have her breathing monitored for the night.

With Daisie tucked up in special baby unit by daddy for the night after her first bottle I was taken back to my ward lets just say the sickness injection didn't work and I painted the cube shaped toilet in sick I've never seen so much 2 bowls and a floor filled. 

Looking back at my notes once we were home my 3 stages of labour were

1st stage was - O1.15

2nd stage - OO.O8

3rd stage - OO.19

I'm sure you can see how Andy manged to miss Daisies birth.

Have you been induced? How was your experience with it?

Valentines has landed at LUSH

1- Lonely Heart / 2- Lots of Love giftset / 3- Unicorn horn / 4- Floating flower / 5- Cupids love / 6- Heart throb / 7- Two hearts giftset / 8- Love locket

Have you got your hands on any of the valentines range yet?

I'm ... Because

I saw this post over on Jemmas blog and with the little message at the bottom about everyone reading to fill it in and link her to their posts I just had to fill it in for myself. So here goes


I'm weird because...

• I can't be touched or touch things when my hands are wet or even after when they are damp, I have dry them cream them and then dry them again then maybe I can touch things without wanting to vom
• I don't like beans or cheese but I can eat them together on toast
• I like chocolate but hate anything chocolate flavoured but I hate strawberries but love anything strawberry flavoured
• I'm terrified of moths and butterflies, they seem so dusty and beady eyed AHH..

I'm a bad friend because...

• I take forever to reply to messages even tho my phone is in my hand majority of the time
• I'm never the one to contact and make plans BUT that stops this year

I'm a good friend because...

• Whatever you may need I will go out of my way to help you if I can
• I tell Andy everything but if you have a secret you don't want to be told its safe with me

I'm sad because...

• My babies are getting older and are slowly asking me to stop doing certain things now like walk them right up to their school doors and would rather I waited at the school gates
• Andy still has toothache after 3 days and a visit to the dentist 
• I could only think of 2 things that makes me a good friend and struggled with the 2nd which really hit home with how bad of a friend I've been to some of the best friends in the world! 

I'm happy because...

• Its the weekend.
•  My monkeys are happy
• Issy came home with her 4th spelling cert for getting them all correct on Friday

I'm excited because...

• I get to go shopping soon and get my hands on some ripped knee jeans atlast
• My baby has her first birthday party invite from school in the week
• I may just be able to make my first MAC purchase soon

Just like Jemma I'd love to read your answers if you take part

LUSH - Blackberry Bath Bomb

Lush Says

'As soon as you drop this into your bath, tension is banished as the bergamot and frankincense oils are released. Bergamot is used in aromatherapy for anxiety, depression and nervous tension, and is both relaxing and uplifting as well as antibacterial. You’ll soon feel calmed as frankincense oil helps slow down breathing and induces a feeling of wellbeing.'

This is one of those bath bombs that I simply picked up for the price to fill my basket a bit more but like all bath bombs I don't read what it does,what it has in it etc. 

I give it a sniff and if my nose approves in the basket it goes, popping it in my bath instantly turned into a lovely shade of purple with random little bits that looked like little drops of ink BUT there was also this strange blotches of a kind of film floating around the bath too, I can't even think of a way to describe so I've provided a picture below.

 Once I'd jumped in the tub they did eventually disappear but when I lifted my leg I had random streaks of purple across my body, luckily with a bit of body wash it came off but cut my bath short as I just wanted to get out. The strange kind of film had also started sticking to the side of my bath which only meant one thing the longer I was in the harder it would have been to remove from the sides of the bath.

To make up for all the staining this bath bomb did kind of make up for it with a little surprise!

Despite all its cons after reading the uses of some of the ingredients used for Anxiety I think I will repurchase and put it aside for a day that I'm struggling with my anxiety a bit more than on a usual day. 

Just to see if it helps in anyway.

Living with a Threenager

Ahh.. your darling son/daughter has turned 3, Wahey you can wave goodbye to the terrible twos your little angel will now return to their very well behaved self without any major melt downs, crazy outbursts, attitude and their horns + tail disappear and back comes that pretty little halo returns. boy the terrible twos can be tough!

Welcome the threenager

It really is pretty much a teenagers attitude stuck in a three year old.
I don't remember the threenager stage with Issy but Daisie certainly has this threenager stuff down to a T
here's some examples of just some of the daily melt downs/problems we come across day to day.

Whats that I can't have my 5th drink at bed time? what on earth do you mean? how dare you tell me no!

I shall scream this house down.
Why have you cut my sandwiches the way I always have them? Did I ask for them like that Ahhhh.. OFF WITH HER HEAD
Why on earth have you made me the pasta I asked you for? I want a picnic lunch!
I don't want to wear a hat, We leave for nursery and all of a sudden I want my hat whats that on your head? I'll wear that one.
Put new boots on do they fit Daisie? Yeah they fit start the walk to school for the 2nd time 'Daisie are your boots to big?' Yeah...
I need the toilet take my leggings off for me slave of course she doesn't call me her slave but she may aswell.

Are you often punished by your threenager for things they actually asked you to do?

Ebay Wishlist #1

Coat / Handbag / Brush set / Blouse / Jeans / Ankle boots / Necklace / Cardigan / Holly Hagan book / Over knee boots

My baby is going to be 7!

It doesn't seem possible that on Monday my eldest baby is going to be 7, Although with her teenager like attitude it's also hard to believe she is only 6 and not much older. 

Talking in the nail shop the other day I was telling them about her strops and a lady beside me asked how old she was and was shocked when I replied 7 she thought I was talking about a teenager! 

We hear the whole no body loves me in this house, I'm going to move out and my favourite one I'm not going to breathe anymore threat when she isn't getting her way, Ah kids!  
I've also been told that when she starts year 3 in September I don't need to walk her right up to her school doors anymore she can go in alone while I take her sister round to her door.
Where has my baby gone? I don't think I'm ready for her to be so grown up yet :(

Every year I feel the pressure of making sure each of my girls have a birthday party to remember, This year will be the first year that Issy hasn't had a party that all of her school friends get an invite to.

This year she will be having a little pamper sleep over with her cousins including lots of munchies, films and a pizza but what she doesn't know is that Elsa will be paying her a visit and delivering a gift for her and each of her friends in the afternoon.

We'll also be going shopping at some point with any birthday money she gets because just like her mum she loves a visit to LUSH, I was planning on her having a party there but she kept changing her mind with what she wanted to do for her birthday and with her birthday drawing closer gathering the money together for each of her many ideas became harder to do.

Air pure Wax melts

Before christmas one of my favourite bloggers posted about Air Pure wax melts she found in poundland stores, you can read her post on them 'here'

Being totally candle and wax tart obsessed it was my mission to track down some for myself! Shortly after reading Shannon's post I came across the Festive Vanilla and Gingerbread ones in my local store which after a squeal went straight into my basket but my hunt wasn't over there I was 2 scents missing Mulled Wine and Peppermint, I was getting my hands on the other two even if it killed me.

After doing my usual daily rounds of the store after the school run there they was waiting for me so with another squeal in my basket they went to with an extra pack of mulled wine for my mumsie.

They are all quite festive scents but it goes without saying the candle section of poundland has become a regular haunt for me in hope some new scents pop up soon.

 Each pack is like a little bar of chocolate with 6 cubes to break up and use in your wax warmer/burner, I'm sure if you fancied a stronger scent of your chosen scent and the bowl on your burner/warmer is big enough you could use two rather than the one.

I'm yet to use them so I can't give you a review on how strong they are, how long they last etc.. 

But it is something I'll post about once I've used them if anyone is interested.

Interview with a blogger - Prettylittleteacup

While suffering with a bit of bloggers block (all the post ideas are there I just don't have the words for them)

I threw some questions at Heather from over at prettylittleteacupp and she was lovely enough to answer them for me, So here's my questions and her answers... 

Whens your favourite time to blog? 
Properly the night time when its the most carmist, like say after ten when i wont get a random knock at the door!

When did you start blogging and why?
 wow this was about 5 years ago, I had a tumblr and would stumble on some personal blog post and thought it would be a really good idea too start a pregnancy/ ttc blog as it was a good place too share it with other woman going through the same niggley bits

How did you come up with your blog name? 
Well i was in a charity shop looking around for the best bargains like you do then an old woman said wow thats a pretty little teacup and i feel in love with her words

Whats your favourite thing about blogging? 
How you can just pour your whole heart into you post, and people will reply back and give you tips! its like adding you own personal touch too the world

If you could meet one blogger who would it be?
 Bee!!!

Whats your favourite thing to blog about?
 Lifestyle

What ONE tip would you give to a new blogger?
 Just write what in the heart

What are your must haves for a night of blogging (if you set a night to blog)?
 Big cup of tea, notepad, earphones and phone
 
What are your blogger must haves? 
camera,phone etc camera, phone, notepad pen

Do you schdeule posts or write and publish as you go?
 Both, depends if im busy the day before im about too blog, then its just a touch of a button too publish

What are your favourite kind of blog posts to read?
 D.i.y, blog helps, lifestyle

How do you blog?
laptop,phone app,tablet etc Laptop

Do you have a blog plan or do you post as and when you think of blog posts?
 I plan my blog post, but I do alot of the time do random post where i pour my heart out too the world and there dog

Have you made friends through blogging be it online or offline? 
yeah quite a few and there amazing girls and hopefully get too meet them one day

Is there anything you would change about the blogging world? 
nope i love the blogging world it so laid back and lovely!

If you don't already follow Heather you can do so here
Blog - prettylittleteacupp
Bloglovin - http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/11987929

Bargain of the week

Okay so it wasn't quite this week but was only last week or so, I saw a post on a make-up swap page I'm in on facebook for real technique brush sets scanning through at £5.5O at asda.

I've wanted some real technique brushes for awhile now after seeing them all over the blogging world but could never justify the price tag for myself when I rarely wear make-up BUT at £5 can I really let that offer pass me by?

Of course while on the food shop it goes without saying I went to hunt some of these babies down! Not expecting to find any as the make-up section in my local asda is pretty pants.

To my surprise there was quite a few of both sets there (eye starter set and travel essentials) 

I ran to self scan to check what price they were scanning through at and there it was that gorgeous £5.25! 

I don't wear eyeshadow so I didn't get myself an eye starter set, pretty impressed with myself as the old me would have bought them anyway for the sake of a good bargain. Kind of gutted to as I may one day start wearing eyeshadow and as they say 'nothing haunts us more than the things we didn't buy'

 

I was even more impressed today when I popped into superdrug on the hunt for the real techniques sponge and spotted the brush set I have for £2O.99! 

 

LUSH - Luxury Lush Pud

 Lush Says...

'This year, our Lil' Lush Pud has had a luxurious makeover... with a soothing lavender fragrance and calming pastel colours, this bath bomb is perfect for bed time, or any time you want to relax. This bath bomb shares a fragrance with our Twilight bath bomb. With lavender oil, ylang ylang and tonka absolute, you'll be soothed and calmed as little islands of colour float out into your bath water.'

 I know I'm pretty late with this one as christmas has been and gone now but I'm only just making my way through my christmas bath bombs, Each time I had a bath through out the christmas period I just wanted to get in already rather than taking photos before hand so never used them and saved them for when I had my camera to hand (bad blogger).

I had luxury lush pud last year when the bottom was purple and loved it so it goes without saying it was a must have this year too, This year was no different to last year the burst of colourful enough to get anyone excited to jump in. I was even accused by Issy of making my baths more fun then theirs naughty mummy so the luxury lush pud is without a doubt on the girls list for next year too.

As promised it leaves you perfectly relaxed ready for bed or whenever you really want to relax,

Better yet a bath full of so many colours and you don't need to spend the next 1O minutes scrubbing the bath to get the colour off when you get out PERFECT!

Last mum through the gate | Anxiety & Me

 

 

People often mistake seeing me rushing through the school gates of a morning as me being late or just generally crap with timing.

Truth is I could quite easily be at those gates by 8:3O most mornings (doors open at 8:45 for the kids to go in) but I purposely make sure I don't get to that gate until 8:45, if I do happen to be earlier than that I'll walk the longer way to school and if we are still early instead of going along to the school and waiting for the doors to open, I'll pop into my mums on route to pass the extra time even if its just 5 minutes.

I do this on purpose to avoid any socializing when it comes to waiting in the school at every chance possible the thought makes me shudder, it's just not something I can do.

Luckily a few mums will go out of their way to speak to me if I happen to cross their paths as they know I suffer with anxiety, if every parent at the school was the same as those wonderful ladies maybe just maybe I'd happily go along earlier and let Issy run wild with her friends before she goes in but right now as much as it pains me to say it I'm really not able to just yet but I WILL!

I'm yet to do a school pick up without ending up into a big stress ball (I feel myself go literally like a puffer fish)

having so many people around me puts me on edge and really stresses me out.

To the point I've often left the school looking like a pyshco effing and jeffing away to myself all hot and flustered, It honestly does feel like that day is out to get me Daisies falling over, Issy's running away, the girls book bags are hanging open, I'm piled with coats and whatever else the girls have brung home from the day at school everyone's looking, I'm sweating as if I've just finished a work out at the gym just get me home already.

Things I planned to, should and want to be enjoying ends up leaving me in more stress then what the days up to the girls births did, I want to enjoy watching my girls run together while I'm loaded up like a donkey but anxiety gets the better of me and turns those joyful moments into my own miniature hell!

To help with the end of the day pick ups I take my headphones, pick a bench as far from people as possible but one that's in between where Issy comes out and Daisies nursery so I can be found by both and listen to my music until Issy walks out and then its round to the nursery to collect Daisie. 

Once those headphones are out the fun really begins

If you suffer with anxiety and have school runs to manage I'd love to hear your coping techniques

Goals for 2O15

- Learn to drive and stick to it, I stopped doing my lessons to focus on passing my theory after failing 3 times a few months before christmas I gave up until christmas was over with so it's full steam ahead with practicing now. Then it's back behind the wheel I go

-  Eat and drink more healthily. Drinking a litre of cherry coke a day really can't be doing my body any favours as much as everything else gives me ulcers, I need to make more of an effort hunting down a healthy drink option.

- Make more time for me! When my me times arrives once the girls are tucked up into bed I don't really do much different to what I do when they are awake, So it's time I made my me time count be it a soak in the tub,curled up with a good book,catching up with my TV programmes or blogging it needs to be done with a face mask or freshly painted tootsies at least.

- Stop being a lazy cow! I whinge and moan about looking like crap but I never actually do anything to change that I spend the extra time I have that I could be doing my make-up with spending an extra 3O minutes in bed, catching up on instagram & Facebook to check what I missed or just general lazing about before I have to go out.

- Kick my panic attacks in the butt, since coming off my anxiety tablets they've returned and are now controlling my bed times. I make sure I'm in bed by 12:45 the latest or I end up having a panic attack that I'm up so late and could be sick (crazy considering I was in bed by that time and still woke up at 3am being sick just the other day) I sorted them out once I will do it again! 

- Be less stressy, I really am a dragon especially in the mornings you just have to look at me or ask me to repeat myself and if it was possible it wouldn't be shouting that would leave my mouth it would fire.


- Use social media a lot less, I very rarely update my Facebook status or anything but I'm on it constantly checking whats going on with the world, I'm a serious people watcher I'm forever checking instagram to see what others are up to and missing whats going on in my world.

Guest post!

Dear Bee. *honeybee emoji*

I would just like to say thank you!, thank you for just being you! the amazing woman you are! 2014 tough me that frindship doesnt have too be face too face in real life but the long conversations the random words! if people could see what we talked about we would be locked up in a mad house  shouting too each other in opposite cell's!  
there is no need for a x factor sob story the only thing I  want too say is that you amazing and You have inspired me too be me! and I love you alot! lots of love heather over at Prettylittleteacupp xoxo