My Mind And Me - Getting sorted

Getting Sorted

So here I am taking my antidepressants like a good girl, 40mg I was on a high dose. At that point it hit me that I really had a problem, I was depressed and I needed help. Like all antidepressants you have to wait for them to kick in, sometimes its like waiting for a train you've already missed. I was quite aware that I couldn't go on the way I was, not for one more second so even though I was on medication and although I had to give it time before I noticed a difference, I needed extra help. That's when my health visitor referred me to Talking Therapies, a wonderful service of counselling provided by the NHS in Berkshire. I would have 6-8 sessions to get to the root of my problem, because it was NHS based ect and the high amount of people that needed the service you were given a certain amount of sessions.

I was up for it, I think I would have took any help at the time. The first step was a telephone assessment. This made my anxiety so bad, I suffer with telephone anxiety you see and this was my idea of a nightmare. I thought so many times about ignoring the phone call or just cancelling. These thoughts went round and round in my head for the week that I waited, It was like a Ferris wheel in my head, for that entire week I was on edge and as you might have guessed that played to my depressions advantage. I was so relieved  when I got it out the way and optimistic as I had been given a date for my first session. Optimistic for the first few days after getting it more like. As the date got closer the more nervous I got and the more I questioned whether I actually needed to go. I thought old thoughts of I can sort this out myself despite trying and failing miserably beforehand.

On the morning of my first appointment I was ok, I don't think it seemed real and I was busy being a mummy to think about the days events, I also had Katie with me that distracted me too. Katie was really good she booked the cab and gave me a big help in hand getting the girls sorted because as it came to getting ready to go I could feel myself physically shaking. I could feel my breath getting short and myself not thinking straight, I could feel my eyes wanting to leak and I knew what was coming. A panic attack. I needed to stop it because I new if I went into a full attack I wouldn't go, I'd slump  back down into the sofa and pretend I was ok. To calm me down I took a couple of propanadol (tablets for anxiety) which I had previously been prescribed. They do work a treat but on that day they only scraped the edge off as my anxiety was through the roof. Still I put on a brave face for my children and tried to have fun and make them laugh as much as I could in the cab there, may I add the cab driver got lost, that was all I needed.

It was like the walk of doom walking through the hospital to where talking therapies was based. I felt like I was walking into a trap of my own thoughts, feelings and memories. I'm not silly I know what happens  in counselling, you have to talk about things that had happened in the past. If you were to ask me if I were ready to open up about my past I would have said, for my family to have a better person to live with, yes of course I was ready but for me not I wasn't ready, I felt like holding back because the thought of bringing up old memories seemed harder to live with than the depression. I bet you wondered what made me go in and not run a mile, well my family for one, I wasn't going to let them down and maybe I needed to confront my past head on, like confronting a fear. I knew the key to getting better was hid in my memories I just needed to find it.

As I sat on the chair, I felt like a rabbit caught in headlights, I didn't know what to say where to look what to do. Luckily for me It wasn't going to be the nitty gritty of a proper counselling session, this first one was just about going over my assessment, unfortunately we did touch on my past a bit. When it came to it I hesitated, I stuttered I tried to open up a couple of times. I really did try, my mouth would open but nothing would come out it was like someone had put me on mute. Something strange then happened, it was as though someone inside gave me a shove and all of a sudden I was taken off mute and words kept pouring out. You couldn't stop me. Before I knew it the first session was over. It weren't even a proper session it was just an assessment but I felt something had been lifted from me.

I remember feeling good after that day, I felt really positive for the next week and I actually found myself looking forward to my first proper session. But was my positive attitude about to change as I come closer to my first proper nitty gritty down to business counselling session.

Watch out for My Mind And Me next week

Thanks for reading

Until next time

LotsOfLove
Beth...xxx

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Toucan Box!

Hello My Dears,

I wonder how many of you have heard of toucan box? I can honestly say up until a few weeks ago I didn't know what it was, I had heard the name but never really looked into it. Now I wish  I had looked into it sooner but that's where Katie comes in handy. She is always "on it", looking at new things on social media, the internet ect. Yes she was the one that looked into toucan box. Here is me going on and I haven't even explained what it is! Toucan box are a company that sell little activity boxes for children. You subscribe and pay a certain amount and get an activity box filled with everything you need for that activity, no adding to it. In each box you will also get a sticker token which you put on like a little chart poster that is provided and you collect them with the option of "spending" them and getting little prizes for your little one, obviously the more you save the better the prize! Below are some details.

The boxes come in 3 sizes and are 3 different prices.

Petite - £3.95 + £0.98pp and you get this fortnightly so that is £4.93 including Postage every fortnight.

Grande - £9.95 + £2.95pp this Is a monthly box, so in total it is £12.90 a month

Super - £16.95 + £2.95pp this is also a monthly box and in total is £19.95 a month

Katie has bought Ava the petite toucan box and to be honest it says petite but you get a really good fun activity It doesn't seem petite! In my opinion for Avas age (4) petite is just the right size because of her attention span and like I said absolutely everything was included and well worth the £4.93. I can only speak for the petite size obviously but if that is anything to go by then I can only guess that the bigger boxes are good too, though I know they look a bit expensive wrote down on paper. But I want you to remember this is not some rubbish magazine subscription its a proper activity kit for kids. And a plus they send you out a taster box that they will also personalise!

On Sunday I finally got round to making Avas taster box with her, it was an activity to make a parrot puppet thing and an old treasure map.  Everything needed was provided and it was really easy to do Ava had loads of fun and it suited her age range completely. For the treasure map we had to soak a tea bag which was provided in water for ten minuets so we did that and while that was soaking Ava coloured in her parrot with the crayons also provided.

When Ava had coloured the parrot, we got the tea bag and painted the piece of paper (provided) that we had previously scrunched up. Now of course we had to let this dry, so to occupy her time while that was drying Ava completed the parrot by sticking the feathers on It which where again provided. I found that the glue stick didn't really stick them so I had to use cello tape. We then stuck the giant lolly stick on to make it a puppet. The parrot was now finished.

The next step was to take the dry tea stained crumpled paper that by this time was dry, with the stickers provided we made the treasure map by following the how to guide that was included, once this was done Ava had finished her activity and I must say I was a very proud mummy looking at what she had done.

We have now received the next toucan box that we will  be doing very soon  I will be blogging about each one every week to couple of weeks (we are a bit behind). I would say these boxes are very  good especially in the school holidays, it gives them something to do and keeps their minds and their creative side active while they are not at school. I look forward to Avas next toucan box activity!

Thanks for reading

Until next time :)

LotsOfLove
Beth...xxx


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Changes Children Bring

10 Things Children Change

 

 

So this morning as I am sitting there eating my poor excuse of a breakfast when I took the opportunity to think, as a mum you have to grab 5 minuets where you can. I thought about the little things you don't usually realise day to day.

 

Breakfast - Ahh the most important meal of the day. I remember the days of fresh hot toast burning tea and cereal that still holds a crunch that you can have when you want and at your leisure. These days I have to eat at the crack of dawn, and it takes me so long to eat it I have to put up with cold floppy toast, cement like porridge, soggy cereal and luke warm tea. But hey its the most important meal of the day so I got to eat it right?

 

 

Toileting - You can bet your life whether it be a number one 1 or number 2 you will have an audience that's  of course if you haven't sprinted to the toilet and shut the door before the audience have got seated. In this case you will stay there for as long as possible this is your quiet place now. Gone are the days of a peaceful wee with the door open! Toilets used to be a place you couldn't get out of quick enough now you stay in there an extra ten minuets.

 

 

Possessions - It used to be that all your things would stay neatly in one place. You would know exactly where everything was. Now that is no longer the case, your possessions are no longer yours and yours only and you no longer know where  things are, its a game of hide and seek whenever you need anything, and chances are whatever it is, it will be jam covered when  you find it.

 

 

Laying Down - Now as silly as this one sounds I can't be the only one. Laying down used to be a relaxing time where you could gather your thoughts. Not anymore mummy dear. You become a human trampoline and a target for BUNDLE. And I don't know what your thoughts are but a child can sniff out and relaxed adult lying down from miles away.

 

 

Phone - You remember a time when your mobile phone would be pristine. No scratches, no cracks and perfectly clean, and the only apps it would have where those of social media and necessities. Yes ladies and gentleman this is not sacred either. Get used to scratched up phones broken screens (you will be getting them fixed every week this costs a fortune) sticky buttons and every cbeebies app going!

 

 

Food - Remember sitting down with a nice plate of dinner thinking how on earth am I going to eat all that? Well guess what that is not an issue for me any more. You can guarantee no matter how much my children have ate no matter how much of their dinner has gone you can bet your life there will always be room for mine.

 

 

Talking to yourself - Okay so yeah this does sound like a weird one, but that's only because you never noticed it before. In everyday life you make little comments to yourself, little statements and you never really notice it. But believe me with a child you do, they listen to everything, they can hear you and once they do a thousand questions will be put at you about the most pointless statement you said to yourself. But they don't care how pointless it was, they will carry on leading you to feeling like you are be interrogated.

 

 

Sitting of the sofa - Hard day? sit back relax on your sofa it looks like a cloud of pure softness ready for your bum to take the plunge, that is until OUCH. Yep you have probably just sat on a Barbie,  building block, toy car ect. you get my point you can no longer just kick back with out inspecting your seating first.

 

 

Drinks - You know 5 years ago I would pour myself out a drink and there would be wastage where I hadn't drunk it all. These days I don't have that problem but jheez kids I would like some. Turns out when there are children  around you cannot turn your back on your drink for 5 minuets, chances are if you do it won't be there when you look back.

 

Eating Chocolate - Chocolate bar? Just make sure you eat it in the other room or behind a book or something. Believe me if they catch you, you will be in big trouble, eating chocolate without them how dare you? you will then be obliged to give them the rest.

 

 

 

Fair to say kids change a lot! Nothing will ever be the same again but personally I wouldn't have it any other way, what are a few alterations in my life when I am privileged to have two girls as awesome as mine!

 

Until next time

 

LotsOfLove

Beth...xxx

 

 



A Moan From A mum

As a parent you go through so many emotions and so many selfies for that matter. Now come on lets be honest these selfies portray such a shit image of life as a parent. Yeah they are all happy and sweet and cute, but come on realistic? No. Don't get me wrong it is like that..some days okay they are more often than not, but come on I cant be the only one who has such rubbish days that by the end of it I want to stick my head in a blender, now do people selfie them days? No.

This morning looked so promising, I woke up surprisingly un tired, which for me is a rarity. I'm usually walking around half asleep like a zombie at 9 o clock seriously, if you visited at that time you would feel like your on the set of the walking dead. But anyway lets get back to this morning and like I said I was feeling pretty good, I had to check the date because I thought I had been asleep for a whole three months. I felt that damn good. For a woman whom mother nature is calling I was pleasantly surprised, once the shock had worn off I started to get on with my day.

I like to have a look around the house before I start the day, lets be honest I knew the day was gonna be utter rubbish when I saw the flat was an absolute bomb site! I just closed my eyes took a breath and took myself slowly into see the girls. To be real I saw their sweet little smiles and they melted my stress. With that breakfast was next on the agenda as always. I set about making different breakfast for all of us. Ahh. I bit my lip swallowed the stress and got on with it, the girls needed food. It weren't their fault that they fancied different. But like come on it took me that long that when I sat down to eat my blooming toast it was stone cold and floppy! Come on. Really. Meanwhile I was still staring at the pig sty that sort of looked like my home. I had to tidy. Of course I had to I am Mum, cleaner, cook, launderette, ironing lady ... well the list is endless. But I am on my shitty period for crying out loud! I just want to curl up with a big bar of galaxy. (I have finished sulking). One puts herself in cleaning mode and now I'm thinking great I can recruit a little assistant, Ava. Like come on they are toys spread all over the living room floor, surely she will be all up for helping her mummy. I don't know if any of you have experienced I child that is dead against the idea of tidying up but if you haven't its like Godzilla has been unleashed. I had now started a battle which I was now aware was going to last hours. On my side of the tidying up, well that was almost non existent, I had  my little Bella perched on my hip, her bum seemed to be super glued there too. To be honest that I didn't mind. Made me feel wanted and with Bella at the age where she was always on the go I was grabbing cuddles where I could. But you know things had to be done, so along came one handed super mum. By this time I was well into a screaming match with my teenage wannabe 4 year old. No the tidying hadn't been done. But yes we had, had more arguments in half an hour than big  brother had, had in a series. Not to mention time is getting on and Bella is getting ratty! On the brighter side the living room was now gleaming. No Ava did mot cave, I did. Ava 1 - 0 Mummy. My clothes  are now finally on. The girls have been playing nicely. WOO. Nah ah. The bedrooms were well they weren't bedrooms they were toy pits. Ava time to tidy! This was not going to go down well. So now I am trying to do my make up one handed Bella in one arm make up in the other, I have one flip flop  on because the other one had seemed to have grown a pair of legs and my little teenager is gearing up for round 2. VICTORY. My make up is on, yeah its patchy as fuck but its made the face and at this point I really don't care plus I am still trying to get my 4 year old to tidy not good. This leads on to my next disaster, I thought lets guide Ava too her room, surely with it staring her in the face she will want to tidy it but apparently kids can stand mess more than us adults. Did I make it as far as the bedroom. No. What I did do was trip into a wall and stub my toe. OHHHHHH THE PAIN. I needed to go to A&E. It was broken. Okay, okay no it wasn't but it bloody felt like it. A stubbed toe is NOT for the faint hearted. Though my injury had its upside, its seems my hurting stops arguments and makes Ava tidy. Who would have thought it. Note to self, in future when needed to avoid toddler arguments and needing the to tidy their mess just injure myself, don't care how. As long as I'm in freaking pain. Ava 1 - 1 Mummy.  

Do you know what she did after she had tidied and my throbbing toe and shrunk back to normal size and after I had prayed to god to ease my day. She smiled. Simply smiled. No Ava don't do that. That's the bloody worst. It makes my heart melt. It makes me forget, the courage I had built up to confiscate toys, treats ect as punishment. It reminds me that no matter how testing a morning I have had as mummy. I am lucky. I would rather be pulling my hair out over my children than pulling my Hair out because I don't have them.

I love you both my little sunshines.

Thanks for listening to my little moan!!

LotsOfLove
Beth...xxx

Where Have We Been?!?

 

What Happened To Us?

 

I suppose you can say us and our blog dropped off the radar. You would be right. We stopped blogging suddenly with no warnings, not even to ourselves. I know what many people will be thinking, what makes two young girls who are seemingly very happy just stop? If we were from the outside reading our blogs we would be thinking the same. But from personal experience we can both say there can be many reasons, some being life events that you just can't see coming. The reasons to our disappearing act will be explained in depth in future posts. But we can now give you some sort of understanding.  

 

 

Katie

 

 

As you would have knew before we stopped blogging Katie had a number of health problems, a couple being ulcerative colitis and Ankylosing spondylitis. In the past few months Katie's condition has not started to improve she has got a little worse. Katie has been on different painkillers for her increasing pain, she is trying to find the right pain relief to get to her pain. She is also having flare ups very often now. Near enough every night. Safe to say she doesn't get much sleep. The side effects from medication, her illnesses and her lack of sleep have made her have severe fatigue. This leaves her felling pretty poo! she cant pluck up the energy to sit and blog ect. As you can imagine due to her illness and the effects they have on her life it gets her down leading to an on going battle with depression, unfortunately until her health starts to improve her depression prob wont either. She is very much the second half of this blog so I wish her well very soon!!!

 

 

Beth

 

 

 

 

Now we come to me, Beth. The reasons for me were all pretty much new. I had moved to a new town, I have been trying to adjust and settle in both for me and my children. This became my number one priority. It wasn't easy, It was a whole life adjustment for a number of reasons which will be explained in a future blog post. I have now also been diagnosed with depression. This is very hard to talk about. I don't like talking about it, but I feel I now have to share my experiences to help both me and anyone else that have also got it.

 

 

These reasons are the background of the fact we disappeared. I look forward into going into more detail. Katie still  isn't feeling 100% as I explained she maybe doing the odd post when she feels up to It, she is still very much involved in the blog just behind the scenes a bit more at the moment.

 

I can't wait to you are back doing regular posts Katie!!

 

 

WE ARE BACK!!!

 

LotsOfLove

Beth....xxx

Happy Father's Day!!!

I would like to say a huge happy Father's Day to all dads out there I hope you have a wonderful Father's Day and get spoilt rotten! I would also like to say happy Father's Day to those dads that have been lost.

Happy Fathers Day Tommy 

Happy Father's Day Tom! You are so so brilliant. Your the best daddy I could ask for the girls to have and that the girls themselves can ask for. You work so hard for them making sure they never go without giving them all they want and need. You are the rock in this family and we are all so very lucky and grateful to have you. The girls love you millions Tommy forever and always. Xxxx

Happy Father's Day dad!!

Excuse the old photo! Happy Father's Day dad! You have been there for me through everything, been the glue to holding everything together. You were there for me when I needed you most and still are today helping me and my family in every way you can. You've helped make me the woman I have become and am becoming. Thank you dad. I love you xxxx

These men are two of the best men around and both deserve the best out of not only today but the rest of their lives. 

Lots Of Love 

Beth ...xxx

Valentine's

Firstly I would like to say that I hope everyone has had a happy loved filled valentines :). I personally have had one of the best days celebrating love of all kind that is in my life. Obviously I've had the most traditional love of valentines which is the love from my husband to be and my love for him and also the love love of my beautiful children. 

I would certainly like to say a big thank you to my Tommy he has spoilt me rotten! I recieved this morning a pair of Nike trainers and a lovely set of chocolates mug and socks and a marshmallow lolly! Topped off by a lovely meal In TGI Fridays. While I'm here I have to recommened TGI's for special occasions you definitely get what you pay for especially if you have the ribs! 

After the lovely meal I came home to find another gift. So shell shocked that I had recieved something else I couldn't really take it in. I had already been lucky enough to receive something else I was gobsmacked. You see I'm a very grateful person and I never expect anything, I have Tommy and my girls they are enough to make me happy every day and Tommy does so much for me already everyday I would never expect

Anything more from him. But anyway Tom is the most romantic man I have meant and is always treating me so to come home a beautiful  bunch of roses and a lovely valentines card I had tears in my eyes. Roses are my favourite bunch of flowers.

I also loved my card and the thought and effort my Mr Perfect put into it...

The amount that Tommy does for me I wanted to get him something special, something not to over the top but something to say that I know him that I take notice. So using me brain I thought of making him a little hamper using a basket I got at home and purchasing his gifts tissue paper and wrapping paper I was away. And I'm glad to say he loved it in his hamper he got a variety of chocolates he likes, wine, deodorant, Mr perfect boxers and some Mr men socks. 

He loves his card too!... 

Now valentines is not just about the relationship love. I believe it's about any kind of love. Including the love for your children. Me and Tommy really embraced this and made Valentine's Day about all of us, as a family because when you have a family that is what Valentine's Day is truely about. So we got the girls a valentines gift and they also came a long to the meal too we had a really lovely day all together, we got Ava a Disney princess hair set and egg and Bella Winnie the Pooh rattle. 

Overall today has been filled with love and laughter for me and my family. I am one lucky girl. I couldn't ask for a better husband to be I will love him now and forever till the day I die. We also have the two best daughters who we love more than anyone could ever know who we would die for. 

I hope everyone has enjoyed their day as much as I and my family has.

LotsOfLove

Beth...xxx

Challenge Two!

I haven't done a parenting blog post in a while. I thought I may let you all know how I'm getting on with two... 

Those who say having two is easy must be telling porkies! Because I can confess it is one of the most demanding and hard working parenting jobs! I love having my two girls and I love running around all day sorting out my two little princesses. But there is no point lying it does leave me knackered at the end of the day. I Spose you can say having two is tireing, demanding, hard work, joyful, rewarding and most heart warming things in the world and to be honest I wouldn't have it any other way. I love being a mummy of two! 

Particularly at the moment my 3 year old Ava's behaviour has gotten a bit worse. I think maybe at times she may be fighting for attention but sometimes this is not the reason. When you have two especially when one is so young and needs feeds and bum changes there and then when they need them it's hard for the older child to understand that the baby don't understand and the whole daily routine has to managed around the lovely new bundle. It's a good idea to keep the older child involved as much as possible, letting them help with nappy changes and feeds and letting them have cuddles as much as possible. It will help them see the new baby is not a threat but a companion. I've noticed when Ava's helping her behaviour is better, though she can still show off its not as bad. 

 I'm confident I've got the managing of Ava's jealousy behaviour changes under control and I am getting all the tips I can off of health visitors ect to manage the rest of it. She is a lovely little girl but she just puts a litttle guard up sometimes when she's upset or angry. 

 Going back to the  let the toddler help topic Ava is a good little helper always on hand to pass me nappies and wipes and to throw things in the bin ect. She has always been happy to lend her mummy a hand, ending the task with a lovely " I love you mummy " this melts my heart everytime.  I love both my girls with all my heart and there's nothing better than having my little girl helping me with my baby girl. It makes me realise that later in life I will have no worries about Ava because she will be such a loving caring young lady. 

Although Ava has felt the normal sibling rivalry with her baby sister it is clear she loves her the world and will protect her and be there for her for the rest of her life. It's also clear that Bella is fascinated with her big sister and loves her also. I know and am confident that my girls will be as thick as thieves. 

LotsOfLove 

Beth...xxx

Take some time...

Being a mum is the best job in the world. It can be stressful at times but as soon as your little one smiles it's enough to melt your heart and you remember how lucky and gifted you are to be a mum. It's then you see how rewarding it is to be a mummy. 

You will find you dedicate you whole life to this little person or persons you breath live and would die for your child. You probably get covered with their toilets, and food with a little bit of sick on your shoulder. Not the most glamorous but hey we are mums we don't care! No matter how much you take beings mum in your stride you still need to remember you. Even if not for yourself for your child. You need to take a little time for yourself, give baby to daddy or another family member and even if it's just an hour take some time for you, doing something that you like doing, it will at least clear your mind just once in a while. Being a mum with a clear fresh mind will help you through your mummy days allowing you to keep on top of the day. 

It's very easy to get lost and just be seen as mummy not just to your children it to others too, but it is important not to loose your identity yourself underneath all that sick and dirty nappies is the person you always have been and you want your children to know you for you too don't you?  Don't be afraid to get them minded by daddy for an hour or bit more, it will not make you any less of a parent, you will still be a good mummy. 

Yesterday my Tommy made me have time for myself. For the past 6 month I haven't touched my hair and my nails were worst for wear. Tom paid for me to have my hair and nails done, I felt guilty yes. I felt like I should be by my childrens side or putting the money a side in savings "just incase". But now they done and I have had time to reflect and think I feel better in myself I feel more me. Even more when I saw my girls again I couldn't wait to get back to being mum. 

Being a mum don't mean loosing yourself , take time to think about you it don't make you any less of a mum. Be the best mum you can be. Be confident and proud and enjoy every minute with your family, and those extra hour spent with yourself. Love life and be happy and mums remember ... Your doing a good job. 

 

LotsOfLove

Beth...xxx

Toddler Tuesday - Unwell Toddler

Toddler Tuesday 

Unwell Toddler

It is the begging of November which mean weather changes! As its gets darker earlier cold days and long cold evenings. We all feel it. No matter who we are, no matter where we from, male or female or young or old. Though I do find the first to notice weather changes are little ones. 

As the weather has changed slowly the past few days so has Ava. Gradually getting a little cough which has got worse turning in to sneezes and a runny nose, now making her feel full on under the weather. 

Little Ava much is not the kind of girl to lay down and let something make her feel rubbish, she will just not give in to it and rest. Like many toddlers I presume. When they do finally hit the sofa you know that its because they really do not feel well. Ava has had her bursts of energy but always has a come down straight after resulting in her laying on the sofa for a bit which is unlike her. 

I knew Ava was not feeling great from this morning. She laid in bed until really late morning watching children tv. She does this anyway but not for this long. She stayed there when I went to the loo and made her breakfast. On a usual day she would get up and follow me, start running around and causing havoc, being the Ava we all know and love. As a mum you know instinctively when your child is under the weather. Always follow your instincts when being a parent. A mothers instinct is very rarely wrong. No one knows a child better than  their mother. 

Another tell tale sign of a child being under the weather is their appetite. Nine times out of ten their appetite goes down, you may offer them loads of different types of food and they will not be interested. Ava barely ate any breakfast only some and she loves peanut butter on toast! She was not interested in lunch, and she only ate some dinner of a pizza not much of that. I gave her finger foods thinking and great big dinner may look intimidating when she feels like this, the only thing she is liking is vanilla ice cream, that is most likely because it soothes her throat. 

Every child has a comfort. When they are ill they tend to want them more. This is what I find with Ava anyway. She loves milk and it comforts her. She has been carrying around cups of milk all day. When she wouldn't separate herself with it, it confirmed what I obviously knew. Thats she under the weather. I have got my partner to bring  Ava in some calpol  medicine and cough syrup, see if that helps. 

Though she is not feeling great my little angel has kept a smile on her face refusing to be beat. 

Ava keeping a smile on her face

Remember too keep your little one wrapped up when going out make sure they have their winter coats clothes and shoes on! Children for some reason are the first to catch these things.

Lots Of Love 
Beth...xxx

Beth's Baby Shower - Planning, Theme & Budget

As soon As I found out Bethany is pregnant, I instantly started planning her baby shower in my head. At that time she didn't live in Windsor but I always planned to have the baby shower here in Windsor at my house. Then few months into her pregnancy, Bethany moved to Windsor. 


I admit I am a big planner and organised person when it comes to day to day to do list, to birthdays, Christmas and other events ect. In some way it's like a OCD, I have to have lists of what events are coming up and what decorations or budget to set for that particular event. Usually the Mother doesn't know much about the baby shower but in this case I wanted to let Beth have some involvement but have kept some things a surprise. 


LOCATION:
I've picked my home as We have a large front room/dinning area to host and seeing as it is a small private event I wanted to keep it homely and budget friendly.


DATE/TIME:
Weirdly we only decided on a date a few weeks ago. We picked the month November as in October was busy and Beth Birthday and in December is Ava's 3rd Birthday and The due date. We have pick 15th November which fits in perfectly with everyone we have invited as there is no football on that Saturday which is ideal as most of us are football lovers. It will be from 1 pm as most guest are from Essex so gives them time to get here and for us to set everything up. 


THEME:
"Afternoon Tea" is the theme. I chosen the theme before anything else was decided and I wanted to bring a theme into the baby shower to make it more interesting. Cake, sandwiches, tea, coffee and lots of patisseries items yum. 
    

BUDGET:
Im quite known for budgeting for anything really and I always plan ahead. seeing as this year has not been good for any of our finance I know we would keep the budget low but without it being cheap and tacky. There will be about 10 people so it makes it abit easier to get party games, favors and food without breaking the bank.



I will be doing a few blog post over the next two weeks about the invitations, decorations, foods, favors, gifts and how to stick to a budget. Seeing as there is only over a week til the baby shower, we are getting our bum into gear and getting things sorted. Obviously the cake and food cannot be sorted til the day before but everything else is nearly sorted just got to get a few bits and we are done. We cannot wait to spend the day with my side and Beth's side of the family as you know we don't live close. Keep your eyes pealed for the next baby shower post. 


Let's hope Bella doesn't decide to come before the baby shower!! 

Halloween Night

Halloween Night

So here we done a post on our Halloween day and this is our post on Halloween night. It was Ava's first Halloween in Windsor so we made the whole day and night filled with Halloween stuff. From Us and Ava dressed up as Cats during the day, to Halloween Jam "Pumpkin" sandwich for lunch, "Halloween Coke" throughout the day which was limeade, Hot dogs & Spaghetti for dinner which was meant to look like brains but kinda didn't end up looking like anything ha but Ava eat them all up and also had "Ice Scream" with Jelly Worms and Orange glitter over the top to make it look more Halloween themed dessert which she eat all up. We got abit caught up with time so Katie quickly carved up two pumpkins and it was her first time so wasn't very creative haha!! Then Legoland Fireworks on every other night in October & November we all got ready to watch them from out back garden as we are very close to Legoland, so we watch that for 10 mins then off we went upstairs to get ready. We only had 5/10 mins to take off our cat make up and into something more scary which ended up in us looking like a we have been splatted with blood ha!! Ava got into her Ghost outfit and put on some white make up which didn't turn out properly but she looked so adorable. We went trick or treating with Ava and Tommy and apart from Tommy we was all dressed and ready for sweets!!! As I've said it's Ava's first year in Windsor so we didn't really know where to know so we just went local around our road ect but know we know for next year where to go and where not to go. We was impressed with some of the houses going proper Halloween in the front garden and it made us want to go proper OTT for next year. There was tape in people front garden so it was like a maze going in there, was fake blood all over the door and one looked like a scary graveyard!! We deffo will be making our front garden into a scary garden next year haha!!! Here's a few of our pictures from the night.. 

 

We had an amazing trick or treating experience with Tommy & Ava getting right into it and in the end Ava learnt to take more and more sweets and got less shy. Soon as we got home, Ava tipped all of her sweets on the table and we let her chose a couple so she can have before bed and then we took away the rest to have over the next few weeks well months!! There was loads!! Now Halloween is over, all we have left of it is sweets from trick or treat and Halloween cookies we made. Now onto Christmas!!!! 

Lots of Love,

Katie & Beth xx 

Tears At Bedtime

Hi everyone :) a spontaneous blog from me tonight regarding bedtime for toddlers. I have just spent well over an hour putting Ava to bed tonight trying every trick in the book I know of the end result was me sitting in the room till she fell off to sleep. Ava being a happy character during the day her playing up and being miserable and moody is very unusual. 
 Ava has recently started nursery three days a week, yeah they are half days but for a little toddler this can be very tiring and have noticed since attending nursery which is making her more tired, bedtime has become more difficult. Also with a new baby on the way this could be Ava's way of acting out as she hasn't acted out about Bella coming yet. 
 Tonight me and Tom tried many of things to settle and calm Ava down including things I had learnt on the old TV show Supernanny and shows such as This Morning. Things we tried were:

1. Explaining what mummy and daddy are leaving the room to do. 
2. Reading her a bedtime story (she has one every night) and giving it to her to take to bed.
3. Singing her lullabies. 
4. Explaining that mummy and daddy will be coming upstairs later. 
5.Explaining that she got to be a big girl as her baby sister needs to learn from her.
6. Leaving the room and keep putting her back into bed when she got out starting off saying its bedtime Ava to just putting her back into bed without a word. 

None of these things worked with Ava and she eventually went off to sleep with me rocking her and sitting next to her bed and generally just being the room. Now many of people may say I shouldn't have caved in but when your nearly 8 months pregnant and your partners not feeling his best you cant keep it up for hours and yes Ava did win.... tonight. This is not to mean that we wont persevere tomorrow when we both feel a bit better. I want to tell mums and dads out there that have given in to not feel like you have failed or that people have the right to judge and comment should you tell them because no two children are the same not all will think they can do it every night and some will adapt 'tomorrow' night. You have not failed if you need to take the 'easy' option one night to get a little bit of well deserved rest. 

ADVICE FROM BETH:

There is no right way to parent remember this, as a lot of people like to hint that there is but most of time that will be people who have never had children and believe me I have met a few myself! You will always find your own way to parent which will be the right way for you and your child. Even if you have more than one child you may parent them both different (without treating them different) as parenting styles depend on the child themselves. No two children are the same. And some children play up for different reasons maybe some change is occurring in their life this should be take into account. A thought that should be remembered. Look at it this way, children at school meet different milestones at different times, babies crawl, walk, talk and cut teeth at different times. Behavior works the same. So find your way that is right for your child and that will be the 'right way' don't listen to the opinions of others listen to your child and believe in your self and your parenting style. 

TIP FROM BETH:

Keep your ears closed, your eyes open and your head clear. Free your mind of negativity and keep calm, keep on top of the situation and do whats right for your family how you think is right. Follow your own instincts your mothers instinct or fathers instinct because instinct is usually correct. Ignore the noses of nosey people with negative views and concentrate on your life and your family. Most of all be happy and enjoy it. 

Thank you all for reading hope it helped more to come at later dates and enjoy our blog:) 

Take care 

Beth x