How long will I love you.....

As long as stars are above you And longer, if I can!

I don't know if it's just me but I spend most of my nights with soppy music playing while getting emotional looking back at pictures of my girls and thinking about how much my girls have grown and how much they've changed.

How many things I got wrong, how many things I'd like to go back and change, how many things I could have handled better, What I can do to improve myself as a mum and so on...

Broody Broody Broody....

Everyone around me seems to be announcing their pregnancies or giving birth, It's impossible not to be broody especially when my sister in-law has just given birth to a gorgeous little girl!

As I'm sure every mum will know when your child gets to an age were they aren't exactly babies anymore

the whole world seems to ask you when your having another and tell you it's time for another

and it's been no different for me & the girls are no exception, Every other day Issy & Daisie ask me can they have a brother they even have a name for him, why don't I have another everyone else has 3 kids and the excitement from them when I'm bloated after a meal is just soo cute! Daisie is turning 3 in July and will be starting nursery in September.

We started trying for Daisie when Issy was in nursery and I fell pregnant quite quickly  and that was the plan for number #3 when Daisie started nursery too.

It seems like such the perfect age to have another while Issy's at school, Daisie would be at nursery while I'll be at home with baby BUT

As much as I really want another and as much as my womb & heart are begging me My head is screaming 'OH HELL NO' 

I've been a mum since I was 16 and I love every moment of it but as selfish as I may sound I would like at least a year were I can treat myself a little and my body being my own of course If we had another now every penny we get would go towards stuff for baby (most of our money now goes towards the girls)

I'd also like to be driving for atleast a year before we have another (as much as the thought kills me) 

So we can enjoy some days out with the girls and maybe a holiday or two.

While all those thoughts are circling my mind I also have many PRO's to having another now,

When the girls and baby are of an age to be left alone I'll still be of an age to be able to live the life I didn't have in my younger days, I'm not talking clubbing maybe a girly weekend away or something! Without the guilt and worry of leaving the kids behind like I have now.
They would all be of an age were they would be practically begging me to leave them alone just for a night or two. Where as If I put off having another for a few more years there will always be a baby to stop me from enjoying some time away, I have always said I don't want any more once I hit 3O to the point I've considered being sterilized at 3O (I know there's no way my broodiness would allow that) but I'm still set on having 4 children so unless I have twins that little plan I've always had will be going out of the window.

I don't believe their ever is a perfect time to have children, When you feel ready is the most perfect time you'll ever get.

Where did my babies go?

Today my youngest little lady used her potty all day all of her own accord in the morning she decided today would be a potty day and she stuck with it all day. With hair now down her back that falls in lovely curls she finally allows me to brush it and make it look pretty for her, She'll be turning 3 and starting nursery next year :'( 

My eldest little lady turns 6 in around just 3 weeks!

She got a little make-up set at our early christmas at my partners mums 

she hasn't left it alone since she got it, reapplying her lip balm and nail varnish once she's finished dinner or done something that's chipped it.

Ah the terrible two's

You've just got to love this stage right?

The terrible two's have recently arrived, I suppose we were quite lucky as more often than not it's usually before they've even turned two that they start.

 Daisie's at that stage were you daren't say the word no or it's a fall to the floor kicking and screaming situation, Bed times a great game of musical beds to play jumping into her sisters bed as she's trying to sleep, she's worked out how to open the bedroom stair gate so she likes to come down and let us know how proud she is that she done it, If she asks for a drink/food it has to be her way and immediately if you've altered it in anyway or ran out of her favourite juice/snack your going to know about it, take something off her shes not meant to have is a throw whatever is near by and then herself to the floor, If she wants it she MUST have it even if her sister had it first

Writing this I realized she might sound like a really spoilt little moo but trust me she is told no
and the naughty step is being introduced now that she understands what its all about

Whens to old?

Recently Andy suggested we get Issy a little more stylish and not so smothered in character stuff like hello kitty, Minnie mouse etc as he's concerned she may get bullied at school, Everyone has the usual black/navy coat, biker jackets, parker jackets and generally really cute stylish coats and there's our little Issy in a pink coat covered in hello kitty's. It's cute but of course having your child bullied is every parents worst nightmare. I'm terrified she may start having other kids call her a baby or comment on the fact her clothes are a bit babyish at times but at the same time I want her to know if she likes and she's happy others opinions really don't matter,  I know shops sell character clothes for older girls but they have more of a stylish design to them and aren't so child like, Of course I don't want to take her childhood away and make her grow up to quickly either, I see plenty of other little girls the same age as Issy looking super cute and very stylish with their little bun doughnuts in, big bows, little bags etc

So I'd like other mummy opinions are we panicking to much? 

she will be 6 in January

I think we should opt for the more stylish designs of characters and not the so toddler looking designs which fixes the problem altogether she's not having her childhood ripped away, she's stylish and she's happy

Peppa pig - Multivitamins

I spotted these in asda for £1.5O and they seemed perfect for getting some vitamins into Daisie with her being a peppa pig fanatic and them looking just like packets of sweets.

Each box contains 7 sachets and each sachet has 3 peppa pig heads in and have come in a variety of flavours Apple,Blackcurrant,Orange & Strawberry

each sachet has VITAMINS A,B,C,D & E

You can also get Multivitamins Gummy George pigs, Vitamin C gummy peppa pigs & Calcium + Vitamin D gummy peppa pigs.

So far so good Daisie thinks they are sweets and always asks for another pack, Issy how ever heard they were vitamins had a pack and wasn't keen so I'll be seeing what else I can get for her and will be keeping the vitamin part secret, I'll definitely be stocking up one these on my next food shop

We've had the tooth fairy visit

Issy lost her first tooth on the 28th October and her second wobbly tooth has finally made it's exit :) her new teeth have already come through behind the wobbly ones slightly. She got £1 for her first tooth even tho she forgot to put it under her pillow before she went to bed, She also had £1 from the day before as a treat when she realised she had £2 once she had put both of them together she gave one to her little sister so they both had £1 to spend at the shops :')

Do you have any tooth fairy traditions?

 I'd love to have a little tradition for the girls as they grow up but I'm totally clueless on what atm

How I chose my girls names

Isabella-Rose

Issy was originally being called Trinity until I found out she was a girl then I suddenly hated the name, I always wanted something different the list for her was pretty big, After growing a sudden hate for my chosen name it was back to the list although her name was never on the list, She eventually got her name after combining my dad's mum's name and her dad's dad's mum names into one, Her dad's nan being Isabella and my nan being Rose. I don't know why but I've always spelt her name as Issy and never Izzy it wasn't until recently I noticed it wouldn't always be pronounced the same but I just can't seem to change my ways.

Daisie Yvonne

Although Daisie doesn't have a hyphenated name like Issy does I'll always make the fact her middle name is Yvonne where I can. 

Andy's nan took ill earlier on in my pregnancy and we went to visit her in hospital it was only then that Andy found out what her real name was she always liked to be called Margret but her tag on her mug had Daisie Margret on it so it was then we decided if Daisie was a girl we would call her Daisy but I would make the name different by spelling it with an 'IE' I also wanted to spell it with a Z but after searching on google and only getting porn links I decided against it, On my early sexing scan at 16 weeks we had a call to say Andy's nan had passed away :( 

Further on when I had reached around 2O weeks, I was going to the midwife then heading to my nans but that morning I had a text she was in hospital an by that afternoon I was rushing up there to see her, That afternoon I was saying my last goodbye :'( 

So Yvonne was added to Daisie's name, I'm so thankful that before I had to say my goodbyes she touched my bump and we let her know Daisie would be called Daisie Yvonne :')

CCAM - Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation

At my 21 week scan with Daisie, we found out she had a lung condition called CCAM. Yep I bet your thinking exactly what I was thinking 'What the hell is CCAM' Finding out my baby could possibly have to be whisked away before I even get the chance to hold her for an operation to remove the mass from her lung totally shattered my world and left me in a daze for weeks.

I suppose I best explain a little about what CCAM is so you have an inkling of what I'm talking about. CCAM is a congenital disorder of the lung similar to bronchopulmonary sequestration. In CCAM, usually an entire lobe of the lung is replaced by a non-working cystic piece of abnormal lung tissue. This abnormal tissue will never function as normal lung tissue. The underlying cause for CCAM is unknown. It occurs in approximately 1 in every 3O,OOO pregnancies.

It really frustrates me that there is no awareness and not even a booklet to read when you find out your baby has CCAM, I know the numbers are very slim in the above write up but kings college in London has a CCAM clinic every thursday and the waiting room was always FULL with delays of an hour every time we had an appointment there which was every 4 weeks from 21 weeks. I'd love for there to be more awareness on CCAM although the numbers are small when your sitting in a full hospital waiting room the numbers really don't seem that small.

Daisie was due her second CT scan when she turned two to see where we stand with the surgery front. We are still waiting for the letter tho I will be chasing them up if we don't hear from them soon. From her first CT scan she had at a week old they didn't feel surgery would be necessary but what scares me is all the way through my pregnancy they couldn't repeat enough how they like to take it out because they don't know what happens when it's left in. So of course it really concerns me as to why now they are considering leaving it in.


you can find out more about CCAM in more detail here

My potty training tips!

So i'm slowly starting potty training with Daisie now she prefers her pull ups to nappies now :) I know not everyone agrees with them but it works for me and Daisie, she loves the pretty minnie mouse design and she loves being able to check the wetness indicator. 

First off ALL children learn these sort of things at their own time and when they are ready, you will come across other little ones that are trained way before your little one, ones that are trained ages after yours, some trained around the same age as yours etc.. Neither child has a bad parent they each have an awesome parent that waited for them to let them know they were ready rather than pushing it on their little one because someone else's little one is trained.

Right for my actual tips

1- Make it F.U.N
2 - Don't get stressed over accidents even if it's on your fave rug, these things will happen
3 - Praise as much as you can even if it's just your little one sat on the potty
4 - Make a HUGE fuss 
5 - Let your little one let their teddy/dolly have a go too
6 - Have the potty/toilet seat in the same place so your little one knows where it is
7 - Have a potty in every room your little one tends to be in for a lengthy amount of time



These are my tips so not everyone will agree with them but they are what I've found worked for me and my girls! I will be adding more to the list when I think of some more

They sell potty training books that encourage little ones to have a go on their potty just like the little ones in their book, some make sounds and some also come with stickers