Friday 29 June 2012

Sometimes you just have to use jars......




My cousin Bex recently posted on Facebook - 'Has anyone got any tips for looking after two small children?!' (She has just had her second bubba.) There was a comment from one of her friends that was gold, just GOLD. It was - 'You just have to lower your standards'.
Never has a truer word been spoken!
Living where we do, there is serious underlying pressure to always be well turned out. Kids spotless with good hair and designer jeans. Gleaming, perfectly accessorised buggies, yummy mummy's with no sign of baby weight. What is the secret? How do these people have time to blow dry their perfectly coiffed hair, let alone manage a shower in the morning? I find the whole thing exhausting and I am over it!
In my world I puree copious amounts of butternut and broccoli BUT who has time to poach and mince an organic chicken breast??? Not me. Sometimes I use jars.
Sometimes Max goes out with half a haircut because by the time he sits still, my 10 minute window to complete said haircut is gone and I am onto the next thing. So I follow him around the house for days afterwards with my scissors and cut a few offending tuffs whenever I can get him in a headlock!
As for myself, I count it a huge achievement if I manage to shave my legs once a week. I am also (just like Bex) multi-tasking my 'down time'. Facebooking, blogging, drinking coffee, reading snatches of my book all at once. NOT relaxing.
So I would like to say to Annabel Carmel, Gina Ford and their ilk.......I am doing my best. But sometimes I use jars. Sometimes I bribe Max with Kinder eggs. Sometimes Finn eats butternut three times a day (could be why he is getting a decidedly orange tinge.) Sometimes there are more clothes in the washing basket than in the cupboards.
But that is OK.

xxx


Sunday 24 June 2012

Nice to meet you

Lovely catch ups with our dear friend Sheelagh, who met Finn for the first time. 
I think they fell for each other straight away.....





xxx

Friday 22 June 2012

Happy Friday!

I will leave you with a little Gosling......


xxx

Thursday 21 June 2012

Claiming back my boobs

After nearly six months of exclusive breast feeding, I am claiming back my boobs.
Here is the proof that perseverance does pay off........


For the first time tonight, Finn finished a full bottle of formula.
Good boy Finn!

xxx

This week in pictures.....

This week has been all about feeding. Feeding feeding feeding. Cooking, cleaning, feeding and more feeding.
Max has bronchitis, tonsillitis and bad hay fever, so he has been at home ALL week. No nursery for this kid. I have had a touch of the dreaded mastitis. Too many 'itis's' for one week! 
Poor Max, poor Mumma.
Hoping things get back on track as Max gets well. 
Looking at these pics reminds me how blessed I am to have two gorgeous boys. 
The hard work and tough days are all worth it......





Managed to get outside for the one fine day we have had this week!


Hope your week is a happy one.
xxx

Sunday 17 June 2012

Cool shop sighting!

Last night while wandering along the Fulham Road with Richie we spotted this NEW shop.
Wow wow wow! 
I was pawing the window for at least 30 minutes.
How cool is this anchor light?
Let's just say I'll be waiting on the doorstep first thing Monday morning........




xxx

Saturday 16 June 2012

Six of the best & an update

I love clicking and flicking wildly through blogs, getting lost in the links. 
You never know where you will end up or what new things you will discover.
I drag any pics that take my breath away to iphoto and then look at them at the end of the week. 
I have discovered that I am really attracted to certain things........

Collections
Monochrome
Things that are beautifully aged
A little bit French
A little bit nautical 
Quirky, nutty & 'off'

Below are my six top images for the week. (All are via Desire to Inspire)







In other news.......
Finn is starting to take a bottle.
I am starting to believe in a world where life revolves around more than just 3 hourly feeds.
Yay!!!



xxx

Tuesday 12 June 2012

Solid!

We've been giving solids a try for the last week. It's going great. Finn started off only having a couple of spoonfuls and is now chowing down two ice cube tray portions. So far we have tried apple, butternut and carrot. He loves all, but the butternut rocked his world! I have side stepped the baby rice after reading 'French Children Don't Throw Food'. After all, I think the stuff tastes like wallpaper paste, so I'm sure Finn would think so too! 







He's one happy bebe!
xxx

Monday 11 June 2012

Jubilee Muffins

Lemony, yogurty muffins for the Jubilee. 
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Only a week late, but I guess the Jubilee can last a while longer (in our household anyway!)





Recipe from here.
xxx

Saturday 9 June 2012

Hit the bottle



Todays post is a plea. A plea for help, ideas, solutions. How do you get your baby to take a bottle when they really really really don't want to?!
Finn is now 5 months. I have breastfed him exclusively up until now. (Thinking all through, this is a great idea, it's the easy option, his food is so portable ie: it's me, yadda yadda yadda!)
Now I am sooooooo annoyed at myself! Why I didn't think to introduce a bottle early?! Now the little mite is strictly a boob man. No bottles for this kid! He may only be 5 months old, but he is the most stubborn little person I have ever met!
I am pretty much desperate to get him on a bottle as the night feeds are getting me down, way down.
Last night when Finn woke at 2am and I was willing him to go back to sleep, Richard gave me a little tickle to say 'hey are you awake?' and I whacked him one! Sock! Poor Rich!
So far I have tried Avent, Tommy Tippee and Nuk brand bottles. They all seem to make him gag or he just chews on the end. I have tried the milk cold & warmed up. I have tried various brands of formula. I tell you our 'baby' cupboard is pretty rammed right now!
So, do you have a tip or trick I could try? Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

xxx

Friday 1 June 2012

Chryssie's for the Queen







A bit of colour for her Majesty. 
What are you up to for the Jubilee?
xxx