The joys of Parenting :)

Myself and my little lady are like two peas in a pod. When I could have my vino on A friday night before BUMP came along I used to put juice in a wine glass for her so she could be like me!And we would have a little party. The fun part of having kids is all the childish things you get to do. I thought about this yesterday as I grabbed some wipes to clean around my car. I realise how much I use wipes not even for my little girl but for everything around the house!! A quick dust wipe, a swipe over the sink, a polish over the floor to remove any stains – and so on the list is endless!! So I compiled a funny list of what I can share with my little lady and how having a little kid can take you into the wonderful world of childhood 🙂

1. The leftovers – By this I mean food. I don’t know about you but kids treats are the best. Take the Kinder Egg chocolate, yum! Now you are never going to buy yourself an egg but you can enjoy the remains left behind by your little poppet! Similarly I am not a yoghurt lover, but those little petitis filous are yum, and a little pot is just perfect, plus vitamin D and calcium-perfect 🙂 And not forgetting all the yummy treats such as candyfloss,sherbits,fizzy crackling candy- why else do we take trips to the funfair eh !!

2. The shampoo –  This is happened me. Quick shower reach for my shampoo and I can’t even squeeze a blob out, so it’s strawberry scented kids shampoo for me and it truly smells yummy – L’oreal do a delicious one ! Also I have been known to use my daughters pear flavoured detangler also from L’oreal kids range. I smell like a fruity mummy all day 🙂 Plus it really does work on my mummy hair, tames all the frizzy bits and cuts through my knots!!

3. Baby oil – I still love the smell of baby oil and love how smooth it goes on after my little girl is out of the bath. Do I use it? Yes! On wet skin it just soaks in and leaves skin super soft and you can get the scent throughout the day. Who needs expensive moisturisers ?!

4. DVD – Now I know some kids programmes can drive parents crazy! But, what about when your little one finally reaches that stage where they like mum/dad friendly dvds- the ones we actually like!! Toy stories, Tinkerbells, and Disney yay!! I love when my little lady picks out a Disney princess classic like Cinderella or Beauty and the Beast. And, I cannot wait until she is ready for Mary Poppins and Willy Wonka. These are the perks of parenthood, revisiting your own childhood memories with your own kid. I love these moments 🙂

5. Playcentres – Yes they can be nosey and very busy places but when it’s quiet and you can have a sneaky dive into the ball pool or a slide down the big massive tunnel slide, how much fun is that!? It’s guaranteed to make you laugh and laughter is the best free medicine 🙂 You can be a child for a few hours and your little prince or princess will be happy as larry too.

6. The magic – Kids breathe in magic and love the mystery and wonder in so much that they see through their eyes. As adults we lose sight of this. We don’t believe in fairies, or pixies, or that anything is possible if you believe with all your heart. We did at one stage but we lose it. Children believe. They believe in everything they don’t need proof of a fairies existence, my little girl has four fairy doors in our house, she believes there is fairies behind each door, has she seen them ?! Who knows 🙂 Anything is possible with kids. They see the world through amazing positive eyes, and I try to see this too now. I try to see the world like my little girl, sure it’s not always possible but it’s wonderful to listen to her faith and belief in life. Sometimes we need to drop the adult shell and allow ourselves to believe in life again, with all it has to offer.

7. Game boards/ Family games – WHOOP –  I loved board games growing up, monopoly, cluedo, game of life, even the simple ones like downfall, operation, charades. And now they are all gathering dust in the attic. But, they are going to be coming down in the near future when my kid/kids are old enough for them. For now though, I love playing the little preschool games, Mr.Pop, Hippo game and all the cute little games kids love.

8. Playdough/ Coloring – Oh I love making things with playdough. And, how far has playdough come since the 80’s. You can now buy specific sets, cake making, icecream making, it’s endless fun and a great way to help develop your child’s creative side and imagination. Who likes coloring ? Me! Myself and my wee lady sit side by side and color to our hearts content! A big chunky coloring book and markers, crayons, glitter is all you need. Kids love creativity and if you do too it’s a great way to spend fun time with your child.

9.Halloween – When you stop trick or treating yourself Halloween becomes a little bit boring. Until you have kids and then woohoo, the fun begins again! You get to buy costumes for you and your kid and go trick or treating! Even if you aren’t dressing up, the spirit of halloween is massive, the shops are packed to the brim with special halloween treats and decorations, so you have no excuse not to get spookily involved!

10. Santa Claus – The best for last !! Santa is reborn when you have kids! Let’s be honest the day you found out he eh doesn’t exist, breaks your little heart for the first time ever. Christmas is just not the same ever again!! As adults we enjoy the food, drinks, presents, catch up with friends/family, but it’s when little kids appear, that the spirit of Christmas lights up in our hearts again. Even with nieces and nephews when you see their faces light up at the mention of Santa Claus it reminds you how magical Santa Claus really is. When you have your own little kids, the belief comes back and you find yourself believing this guy is actually out there!! It’s the spirit of Christmas, and the kids belief and the fact that you must keep saying “Santa brings the toys”, for fear of letting it slip that you have to buy in the Santa toys soon!! There is so many amazing Santa places to visit the past few years in Ireland, and it’s impossible not to adore all the magic and splendor that is created at these places. They are winter wonderlands for little kids and big kids and parents 🙂

Daddy vs baby

I think my pregnancy this round has been more hormonal infused. I am up and down mood wise I know this myself never mind asking the other half! I blame lack of sleep,sore achy body,lack of relaxation,no wine,and just general pregnancy woes. It made me realise how much our men have to deal with throughout the nine months. Everything changes when you have a child/children and add a new bump in the mix your relationship with your man is not like when you first started dating or got married/moved in together. Here’s a few changes I noticed pre-kids and after kids!

Attention – At first it was you and him. Add in a dog or cat and you were a family! Everything in the relationship was just you two. Sure there was nothing to worry about only where to eat out what to do at the weekend where to go on holidays and so on. Roll on a few years and add a baby to the mix and hello big changes to your relationship. No-one can tell a new mum how much love they will have for their new bundle of joy, dad may as well be in the dog house! Now dads are great but your attention is all turned now on this little baby. Your main concern is the baby. Is the baby eating ok, too warm or cold, why is it crying etc.

Conversation – it’s all about the baby/kids. Off course you ask each other about your day, but apart from that it’s about the children. How they drove you bonkers, what they got up to, how school was, what they ate/didn’t eat. You wonder what you talked about before them!

Texts – Pre kids days texts were similiar to conversation, what you both were up too etc, now it’s either questions relating to the kids or telling you other half what they did/are doing. Forget about all the I love you, I miss you texts – texts are strictly for important stuff, get bread/milk!

Dinnertime – Do you remember when it was just two of you eating. A nice two course meal perhaps, some soup then dinner. Dinners were deliciously hot and enjoyed. You could relax with a little tipple of wine and chill after your day. Hello kids hello half eaten cold dinners(mom only) dad always seems to get his food into him still warm! Mom spends her dinner time making sure the baby/kids eat, a mouthful of her own every few minutes. Rows with older kids for refusing to eat, ages spent trying to convince toddler it’s yummy, dinnertime becomes one of the most stressful times. No wonder moms just dish out what the kids favourite dinner is to dad eventually anything for a peaceful dinner !!

Date night – Well lets be honest you don’t really need this until the little pitter patter of feet arrive. Before kids your eating out and enjoying a few drinks in your local. But, you don’t appreciate this freedom until you can’t just decide on a Saturday night anymore lets go out! So, date night is rare and a chance to get dressed up and free yourself from mummyhood! However, the danger is that you often are too tired at the end of a long week, and date night becomes home night! Bottle of vino, takeaway and dvd/ Saturday night telly and you are a happy momma.

Shopping – Aww I’m guilty of this one. I have to admit pre-mummy days, I would buy wee bits for the man, maybe new gloves, socks etc. Now, oops, I just see kids stuff. My  mummy glasses are firmly on and I rarely wander over to the men’s section unless it’s Birthday/Christmas or he asks me to get something. I think it’s a mummy thing, sure we neglect ourselves too in order to pack out the kids wardrobes!!

Holidays –  Just the two of you… aww holiday heaven. All that matter was that is was hot, cheap, nice hotel, bars, eateries etc. When you finally book your first family holiday – there is a huge checklist and yes the weather is important but so is temp, and then you must make sure the hotel has kids club, kids facilities all nearby. Gone are the lazy sun lounger days for you and hubby, your little bottom will just be sat down when one of you have to chase after the kids!:)

Remember the day after the night out and you both would moan about how much you spent?!Now you moan daily how much you spend. Kids are expensive money in the purse magically disappears!

In the days pre-kids you probably tried daily to be picture perfect hair groomed make-up flawless,clothes chosen to suit your toned body. Fast forward a few kids later we struggle to be so picture perfect!Hair piled up high,a dab of concealor and comfy clothes are the new image;) But we are still loved the same aren’t we ?!!

But that’s the joys and once you have a solid relationship you can survive anything!! Kids make our lives more fulfilled,they sure do demand all our attention but what’s nicer and more loveable than all cuddled up together on the couch these darker evenings 😉

Pretty in Pink

I have found it so hard to find nice cute baby boy clothes! Everywhere I look it’s pretty pinks, floweral pinks, pink bunnies, pinktastic everything!! My eyes are automatically drawn to the pink section in most stores, probably because for the past 3 and half years I have lived in a pink bubble of loveliness with my  my little girl. So embracing the blue team has been interesting! From searching for cute baby boy clothes I noticed that babygros and even vests have “boyish” images. For instance robots, monsters, even aliens!! I mean whats wrong with a little baby boy wearing a babygro with blue hearts all over it?!! It got me thinking that even from a newborn stage boys and girls are completely gender divided. No sooner are they out of our tummy and the world says boyzone or girlzone. It made me think about all the other gender divisions in place out there and how we without even thinking go along with it all.

Clothes -If you are looking for pink dresses with robots on it good luck, robots are just for the boys! Likewise if you fancy putting your little boy in a top with flowers it will be very hard found! It seems boys clothes must have cars, tractors and even dog bones I spotted on a top. Girls clothes seldom have such images, expect to find pretty princesses, cats, and heart images.

Toy store- Enter the toy store and do you ever see the dolls beside the toy cars, lorries and so on. Absolutely not! I never would tell my daughter “oh that’s a boys toy, she automatically doesn’t even look at them. For her it’s straight to the girls toys. Infact one day she lifted a toy drill in a toy store and said look mammy a hairdryer!! Even the lego section, the boys have build cars, aeroplanes, garages, the girls have seasides, princess palaces and so on. I know as parents we don’t mind what they play with but it’s amazing how the male female brain is just programmed to toys of their own gender. Now I know has tots little boys push toy buggies and the little girls play with cars and garages especially if they have brothers, but as they grow up, this soon fades away and they play with their own “gender related toys”.

Kinder eggs – Even when I was a kid I remember blue packaging and pink packaging. Did I ever want the blue noway!! My little girl is the exact same if the kinder egg shows boys toys only she will not get one!!

Nappies – If you have went through the potty training/pull up nappies stage, you will know how clever nappy companies are. Boys pull ups have cars and the girls disney princess/minnie mouse. Have I ever bought the cars ones for Claudia- No. I am part of this gender divide as I chose to buy girly!

Dummies – Before this little baby in my tummy is born, I have already bought a lot of blue, and equally so I have chosen blue dummies! There was pink and lemon ones, but I chose the blue and navy strip ones. There is off course neutral ones, but again clever marketing shows up the gender differences from such a young age!

Books – I read princess stories, stories about little girls and their pets, now I would read anything but Claudia doesn’t ever choose books about cars or robots or monsters friendly or not! Even her learning side is directed towards girl topics.

Birthday Cards – Think pink, unicorns, teddies, hearts, flowers. Boys? Dinosaurs, cars, sports, and so on. Would we even dare give a little boy a card with girly images, and likewise if you handed a little girl a card with a big red car they would be like “hmm is this my card?”

So, even in the womb, we are preparing our babies for a boy/girl world. It’s completely automatic and I don’t think we will ever change!! I mean think of your child’s bedroom, probably the chosen themes are girly and boyish! So, as I continue to seek out cute baby boy clothes I can still shop girly for my little princess 🙂 Ans sure shopping for a princess and prince will be lots of fun in the future.

 

What I would tell me pre-mummy days!

After 3 and half years of crap sleep,no sleep,interrupted sleep,late nights,dawn wakenings I miss sleep soooo much!! It got me thinking about what I would tell pre-mummy me! Here’s a few do you agree ?!

Sleep,sleep,sleep…Don’t feel guilty for sleeping so much ..one day you will regret that you didnt stay in bed longer!!When you are been forced up at the crack of dawn

Enjoy lazy weekends when you could roll out of bed at 12 and lounge about weighing up what you fancy doing

Take enjoyment from the simple things like watching your favourite dvd boxset over and over whilst curled up with a cosy blanket and all the chocolate you can eat. Don’t feel guilty that you did nothing all day but watch tv and eat!

Dare I say it – enjoy your hangovers! So what if you wake up at 2pm and your month is gasping for litres of cola!! Enjoy the day, lie on the couch, fall asleep, eat, watch tv, sleep,eat,repeat !

Did I mention sleep? If you wake up one morning and its wet and windy and dark and dreary cuddle back under your duvet especially if it’s the weekend!

Appreciate your coffee and cake in the coffee shop. Flick through a magazine, thoroughly enjoy that coffee and the peace. One day  you won’t even taste the coffee and the cake might end up flung on the floor by an excited baby or bored toddler.

Enjoy the small things – a luxury bubble bath all to yourself, candles glowing, a little glass of vino and ahhh relax. Kids love baths just remember that when they come along it’s share and play bathtime 🙂

Do not judge mums trying to cope with small kids in shops, coffee shops, restaurants…until you become a mum yourself!! Similarly don’t criticize their attempts to discipline them, it’s so much easier sitting back watching the poor mum in action compared to when you are actually that poor mum in question!

Appreciate your mum – actually you will never realise all she has done for you until you become a mum. No matter how much you love her pre-mummy days, when you become a mum your mum becomes the Queen of Mums 🙂

Love thy body – we all know that after baby has lived in your tummy for nine months that tummy is stretched from Dublin to Cork. It will never be the same again. Sure we learn to accept it and love it ?! But, pre-pregnancy body even with it’s faults is still a little more toned and fresher looking:)

Wonder around the shops leisurely, browse all the clothes rails, try on loads of clothes, basically love the ability to shop stress free. Realise that one day, you will be only in a shop when your leaving with a screaming baby, you will probably never get to try on clothes until you actually buy them, and if you are planning on buying have an idea in your head and grab it as soon as you see it. Kids have no patience when it’s not a toy shop.

Finally sleeppppppp…… !!x

Labour Day !!

After what might feel like eternity the day arrives for your little poppet to make their grand appearance into the world!! Que the soft lullaby music 🙂 With only 9 weeks left until my due date, I decided to finally start buying in my necessities for the big day! Second time around and it feels much scarier and surreal that it’s that time for packing the hospital bag. The final few weeks have flown and it’s really time to start the nesting. I am definitely more laid back this time but honestly more scared as I know what is ahead of me. If I had to tell any new mum some advise about labour day here is a few(that the books don’t mention!)

The waters breaking – I thought this would be like a whoosh and then everything else would progress along – nope my waters had to be broken so I just felt wet and even after that my labour was very slow!!

Thirst – I was constantly drinking water!! I was so thirsty I drank gallions! And my lips were so dry, I may aswell have been in the desert between that and my thirst. Thankfully I had vaseline with me and kept reapplying it when I could.

You lose sense of day, time and year! I lost track of time, didn’t know the day anymore, all I knew was that I had to get this baby out. Time just ticks by, midwives change shifts and you are just oblivious as you concentrate on how many more hours does this last!

Your partner will annoy you in someway – whether it’s him munching away, or chilling on his phone, eventually you will snap at him, and think he’s the biggest idiot ever!

You will cry and laugh and have little naps and become grumpy and exhausted and hungry and fed up and feel so sorry for yourself…a rollercoaster of emotions!

Your new best friends – Between the nurses and midwives for one day only they become your best friends. They might learn so much about you in the space of a few hours – you coming in as a worried/frightened new mum to be and finishing the day as a proud mum.

You won’t hear much of the CD’s you brought in with you – partly because you tune in and out and are too busy coping with the pain and tears!

Birth plan all perfectly wrote out ? – Just be warned how it can change. On the day you might want all the pain relief going or amazingly might decide to go completely natural! Either way don’t dwell to much on the plan, it’s nice to have it but various things can alter the plan.

Contractions are tough but pushing can be equally as tough, especially if you are exhausted. I thought pushing would be easier to get through but found the last hurdle of pushing baby out very difficult. It’s not easy to get the little poppet out like they show on telly!

You don’t care anymore – Towards the final hours of labour, you don’t give a hoot about people poking at you, what state your in and if a male doctor needs to help get the baby out you really don’t give a damn!! I remember thinking how on earth was I going to allow a load of people to rally around my bottom half and poke and feel up there but at the end I didn’t even realise how many where around me!!

The sensation of the baby coming out finally is immense relief and oh my goodness I did it – it’s over, I survived childbirth and the baby is here. A wonderful feeling you never forget.

You won’t remember most of the pain – Yes, you will remember how tough and exhausting it was but half of the immense pain you went through is somehow magically forgotten. And that’s why we do it all over again!! The love for this little baby wipes away the memories of the labour, well the bits you don’t want to remember:)

From that moment on – the very second your baby is placed on your chest you change. You become mum, and a mum whose heart is ready to explode with love, delight, awe and amazement. From that moment the first touch of that little hand and face you realise what love really is 🙂

Shopaholic -me?!!

I don’t classify myself as a shopaholic, I’m more the kind that seems to pick up little bits in a shop even if I don’t necessarily need it.If I go into Pennys I never leave empty handed. It’s got much worse since I had my little girl, shopping for -and with her is just crazy from socks to candles and everything in between we fill our baskets. So when I came home yesterday with another unintended shopping haul I wondered was I a slight shopaholic or just another typical woman who loves shopping. I decided a little bit of both. Here are my reasons why!;)

Empty shop bags – As I opened my wardrobe to hang up latest purchase all I could see was a few random paper bags neatly piled up(I am a hoarder) ranging from pennys,boots,mothercare etc

Then there is the stock pile of new autumn wear I have purchased for my little girl. These still have all the tags still on. What happens is that I get super excited at all the new season stock and keep buying and eh buying

I proceed to check out my shopping spree expenditure. My purse is pretty packed looking but it’s not with cash eh no, it’s jammed with receipts, I don’t even glance through them because then I will be like oh dear!! I pop my purse back into my bag and a huge amount of receipts are lying in my bag. A quick flick through them show grocery,coffee, clothes, food outlet receipts. I am honestly a shopping disaster.

Much worse to add to this list is the postage receipts, these are returned parcels to online clothes sites. I am addicted to sitting down in the evenings snug in my pjs and comfy on the couch and shopping or browsing online. Especially now that I have to dress the bump, maternity clothes on-line is the only way to go! So I can’t even chill out in the evening without hopping about various online stores, it’s too easy to pop things into my virtual basket and check it out while I watch tv too!

Anyone else hide their purchases in the car until their other half is away..It’s not that he would care but I think deep down I know I shop too much so I avoid the “what are you buying now,do you really need more candles?” etc questions! And isn’t secrecy the slight sign of a shopaholic ..oops!!

I do try to justify my purchases to myself, with a new baby on the way they need clothes, I need clothes for my bump, my little girl needs winter stock. Candles, slippers, home decor everyone needs new treats! I do feel a bit aww I bought nothing, if I actually surprise myself and buy nothing, but this rarely happens. I think I’m like most mums and women it’s built into our DNA, shopping is part of who we are!! My own little girl has the shopping bug and only 3 and half years old, she picks up clips, hairbands, new socks and I know that glint in her eyes is just like mine when I shop. I might be hanging on the edge of been a shopaholic..but I prefer to call it the happybuzz syndrome:)

IPAD free activities

Swimming – I said basic and yes this is basic! A simple but fun way for all the family to have some fun and exercise those joints! I hadn’t been to a pool for years until I had my daughter and now we try to go monthly. It doesn’t have to be a weekly thing, but there are swimming lessons all over the country in local swimming pool centres. Check out swimming lessons near you online. There is usually always babies/kids pools beside the main pool so you can take baby as soon as you feel confident.

Library- Another little gem to have at your doorstep. I loved the library growing up and just signed my three year old up last week. Libraries are a great way to teach your children about the world of books and it encourages a sense of independence in them as they choose their own books. The benefits are endless, imagination is awoken, reading abilities are developed, and it encourages their creative abilities and memory abilities. I was surprised at how cool the libraries are now, in comparison to my day! There are little tents set up in the quiet area and tables with crayons and pictures to color. Take a trip I guarantee you that it will be a success.

Get creative – I bought a packet of plain white paper plates a few weeks ago and wow the amount of things we have made!! Now you need paints and maybe some glitter and sequins but really whatever art materials you have at home. From making flowers to ladybirds, spiders,sunshines,batman faces the list is endless. You can google what to make with paper plates and you will be amazed with the list of images you find in relation to it. The only problem is you might run out of places to display them but grandparents and aunts/uncles love all that stuff 😉

Cooking – Home-made pizza anyone. This is an easy favourite for everyone to help with. Buy all your ingredients in any local supermarket and let the kids cooking juices flow. They will love the idea of packing on all the ingredients, sprinkling the cheese, popping on the pepperoni and chicken and the various peppers. Once you have attempted the pizza, you can get them to help out with other dishes. Just keep it simple, let them layer the lasagne, or add the ingredients for a curry to the pot. It’s all about getting them away from the IPAD, and involving them in the kitchen. I know there is days you want to lock them out of the kitchen but just give it a go and see how it works for you.

Board games – Get up to your attic pull out your old favourites and introduce them to the children! I know there are a lot of family games available, but I find kids love anything that used to belong to their parents and you can’t beat the proper old classics! Cluedo, Game of Life, Taboo are all old favourites. Chance Monopoly if you dare, because in my memories this is the one family game where my family had rows over people cheating!! For the younger kids, you will probably need to restock. But they are cheap and cheerful, little oldies like Mr.Pop, hungry hippos and frustration are classics and guarantee an hour of fun.

I know it’s not easy to make changes but if you try one new activity this week, it’s a few less hours spent on all modern technology. Good luck 

Dear new mum

Dear new Mummy,

So your little bundle is finally here!! Congrats!! After 9 months you cannot believe that the tiny baby in the moses basket is actually here!! They say 9 months goes so slow but when the baby arrives all that preparation and research about newborns flies out the window and you are probably feeling a little overwhelmed.

It’s the most beautiful time snuggling and cuddling newborn and you can’t wait to put on all the clothes you bought them. But, the tiredness sets in and then you feel the exhaustion. But it will get better. Babies don’t come with their own set of guidelines, so remember what works for one baby might not suit your baby. Likewise in these early days of nightfeeds, broken sleep, no sleep, it’s easy to compare yourself to other mums. Stop! You are unique, you are finding your own feet in this new life of motherhood. So what if Mary down the road says her child is sleeping 5 hours solid whilst you fight back tears over the two hours sleep you got, she’s probably exaggerating, it’s what mums do at times.

The sleep pattern will get better I know from experience. And you will sleep again, never the way you did before having children but you will close your eyes and wake up after a few hours sleep. You might hear every whimper or breath from your little one, but that’s normal, you’re a new mum, we have super ears;)

Take each day as a step forward, some days you will feel fabulous and proudly show off your new bundle to all who will look. Those are the days to feel proud of you too, those are the days to go to the shopping centre, have your coffee, meet family, and buy something new for you as a treat. As a new mum it’s a rollercoaster, some days you will wonder where the day went between feeds, nappy changes, naps and nursing the baby, and some days you will feel the day dragged. Maybe the baby will sleep for hours and you will feel a little lost and alone as to what to do. There is only so much daytime telly one can watch and sometimes to nap with the baby just doesn’t happen. But just try and rest and take care to mind you. Call up friends, I know as a new mum, childless friends can be no help, but in time you will join mother and babygroups and meet new mums.

I think as a new mum, you feel a mixture of emotions, remember after all you are getting to know this tiny baby , you know they are yours and the love is so strong but it’s a little newbie in your life, and it takes time to get to know one another.

Take your breaks when you can call on your family. Drop the baby to them even if it is to grab a coffee break alone. I know people will say ah sure why would you need a break?, a new baby just sleeps. To those people I would say mind your own business. You as a new mum, need to feel you again, if that means sitting in a coffee shop flicking through a magazine without worrying or watching the baby than do it. A happy calm mum equals happy calm baby. You could read a million baby books but none will prepare you for the first few weeks. You have to go with your emotions, if you feel like crying because you spilt all your breast milk do, if you feel like crying because it’s tough do. Because with the tears there is immense love and joy for that new baby you created. And the smiles out way the tears in the end.

So new mum…stand proud of yourself, it’s the toughest most exhausting, confusing, frustrating job in the world but the most rewarding, most love filled and the one job you will actually want to do again…in that I mean you will do it all again to have another brother or sister one day for your newborn!

So relax, a day at a time, and each day will get easier…

Love another Mum xxx

Life after preschool

So my little diva started a new journey this month – preschool! The first steps for her in the world on her own. And for me – finding my own steps again after 3 and a half years devoted to my little lady. I cried most of the week leading up to her starting off course been mummy I never let her see the tears!I just felt one minute she was handed to me in the hospital as my newborn bundle of cuteness and the next minute I have to send her to preschool all alone …time flew by inside those few years. It’s true what they say the days can be slow but the years fly by. So here we were in September and it was the morning of her 1st day, she was so excited! I had told her about all her new friends and the fun she would have and then she said the words I knew would crush me “but I will miss you mammy”. I fought the tears back and put on the happy mask and I took her to her new start in life without me!Kids are amazing she went in and settled brilliantly.Me?!I was a tearful mess,I went to buy a coffee and as I emptied the sugar in I missed that little voice ask me “can I do it mammy”? I was so happy she was ok but for me I lost my little buddy – only for awhile but time stands still when your missing someone. I guess we were two peas in a pod, we went shopping together,coffee/juice breaks,we had rows with each other, I rambled to her and vice versa.And now it was just me and my coffee!I know on certain days that she would drive me potty I would have paid someone to give me an hours break but now when she was gone I felt lost. The first week went by and I did the usually things whilst she was at playschool though still missing her.The first grocery shop took me 20mins!! Usually with Claudia it takes us an hour between her helping me find the things on the list or us arguing over things she picks and I won’t buy!So when I sailed down all the aisles and through the checkout so quick I was like wow this is odd!! Fast forward to the end of September and we have all settled into our new way now. I have finally enjoyed coffee breaks out now without worrying is she ok. I actually feel a little guilty now because some mornings when I drop her off I think of all the things I can get done when shes away- mums guilt.I think when kids start creche, preschool , school it’s a rollercoaster of emotions for us all.We carried them for 9months and spoil them from birth and it’s only normal that when another stage of their development comes around we feel anxious,sad,proud,happy,nervous.They will always be our babies and we want their friends and teachers to care for them and be kind to them. Heaven help anyone who upsets my baby!!We loved them from the womb and it’s so hard to let someone else look after them however short the time is just because we know their little ways and moods and reasons for tears and tantrums! So there is a new life after preschool for mummies and its finding the pre-mummy you again. She does exist and you survived fine before your little poppet. It’s about doing the things you did before becoming a mummy and finding new hobbies.As  wonderful and amazing they make our lives now – isn’t it nice to enjoy a hot coffee with friends and family again without entertaining your little sweetiepie too 🙂 😉

First Pets

We all know the saying a dog is for life not just for Christmas, well, it really applies to all creatures big and small. And with Christmas creeping up upon us all, many parents could be thinking of getting a puppy or kitten or bunny!

If your children are begging you for a new pet, you need to consider every aspect of taking in a new family member. I love animals grew up with dogs all my life and I have a wee Westie. I had my westie before my daughter arrived but they are best buddies. Like every parent I was worried how the dog would take to the new arrival but from day one my dog loved my daughter like she would her own puppies. Two and half years on and they cuddle up on the couch together and are wonderful to see together.

But, what if you never had a dog and have no idea of the work involved. Maybe you want a kitten because they can roam about and won’t demand walks or are you considering a hamster because they can be kept in a cage and are easily cared for?My point is you need to choose a furry friend that suits you and your family.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing or deciding to get a new family pet.

Company

Dogs need company. After all they are a man’s best friend. So if you are working long hours with no-one at home all day, you need to think is it fair on a wee dog to be on their own all day. Especially a puppy. They would get bored and this is where problems start, your garden becomes a digging pit as they dig everything to pass the time.

Exercise/walking

If after a long day at work, you come home tired and are faced with a crying dog looking for attention or a walk and no-one wants to take them- you are in trouble. It’s not fair on the animal and yes they are cute and cuddly when small, but when they grow bigger some children just lose interest and don’t care. You need to ask yourself when the children don’t want to play ball or walk the dog, will you? Even in the winter evenings, will you wrap up and take the dog for a walk? A dog needs his walk, like we need to get out and about too.

Garden size

If you have a small garden, you need to think wisely, a dog needs a good stretch of a garden. Cats can survive as they are climbers and wonder of a lot so they won’t feel trapped ever.

Cost

Pets of all sizes carry a price tag from when you buy them – food, bedding, kennel, toys, collars etc. Between injections, neutering, and other vets bills it all adds up.

Child friendly

As with all pets you must make sure they are child friendly. Especially if you plan on rescuing a stray, just check out how they are around your child, if they are friendly and loveable. A shy dog or a growler might not respond well around a noisy family environment.

First pets

If this sounds like your situation, why not get a goldfish. The easiest starter pet and definitely not demanding! It also gives your child the chance to show their caring and responsible side if they look after the fish. You could give them the responsibility to feed the fish daily and help clean them out when the water is dirty.

A lot of people choose hamsters too as a first pet. But, be careful they need a lot of cleaning out and their bedding can be quite smelly and more than likely you will end up with this job as the children nurse and cuddle the hamster from a distance!

If you feel your home is ready for a furry friend choose carefully. Children that grow up with pets are usually very caring and gentle and they can form close and unforgettable bonds with that pet. Pets are wonderful just remember you need to treat them like a family member, they need love and attention like everyone 