Taking a break...

I know I haven't been doing the blogging thing for very long (3 months to be exact) but I'm going to be taking a little bit of a break. I love doing posts, writing and having a space to share my thoughts, but I'm finding all the sharing and social media side of it is taking away from my time being mummy. I need to focus on being the best parent I can for Luke and currently my blog is getting in the way of that. I'm still keeping my Instagram account and I won't delete my blog incase I fancy dipping back into it every now and then, or taking it up again when Luke's a little older. But for the moment I am going to fill my days with sofa snuggles and playtime with my gorgeous little boy. Thank you to al who have read my posts - I will be back again some day! 

The return of the pole dancing mummy.

I am an extremely excited mummy. As part of my New Years resolutions this year, I decided I would eat a little healthier (mince pies were a staple food over Christmas!) and get back to doing exercise. Before I fell pregnant I loved exercising and did something every day. I found it gave me more energy, made me sleep better and curbed my anxiety. I was a much better person for it. But as I'm sure many of you mummies agree, once babies come in to the equation it all goes to pot... Well that's what happened with me anyway. 

One thing I miss most is Pole dancing lessons. At one point I was going 3 times a week and I was totally addicted. I would twist myself into ridiculous poses, fling myself round like a spinning top and amaze myself at the sheer strength of my body. It also gave me a lot of satisfaction when I would try week after week to master a trick and then I'd finally crack it. At the risk of sounding a little big headed (sorry!) I actually got quite good! 

Obviously while pregnant I had to stop. For a start my incredible teacher won't let you take classes if you're even a little bit pregnant. Bump or not, if there's a baby in your belly you're taking a time out! It was so hard for me, pole had become a huge part of my life and I suddenly had to go cold turkey. I have missed it hugely. 

So on the 1st January I decided that after 14 months of being out of it, it was time to get back on the pole. This Tuesday will be my first lesson back. I will ache, I will be covered in pole kisses (translation: fuck off massive bruises!) and I will have to wear hot pants and a strap top. IN PUBLIC. But it will be totally worth it and I can't wait. Let's get those abs back :-) 

Back to blissful normality...

I am a huge fan of Christmas. And obviously as Luke's first, this year it was extra special. However, as fun as the fairy light, carols and obscene amounts of food were, I surprised myself with just how much I relished getting back to normality. 

This morning was the first morning I didn't have to get up and get dressed. We had a leisurely breakfast and played with all Luke's new toys. We had cuddles on the sofa, watched postman pat, and Luke drifted off into a lovely peaceful sleep. I think it's the first time in over a week that he hasn't had his nap in the car whilst being ferried to yet another relatives house for lunch. 

We got to have a catchup with a mummy friend over lunch and when he went down for his afternoon nap, I got to snuggle on the sofa with a cup of tea and do some much needed blogging. It all felt so blissfully normal. Such a refreshing change to the past couple of weeks of running round like a blue arsed fly, desperately trying to remain festive while secretly wishing I was at home scoffing chocolate in my pyjamas. 

I love Christmas. It really is the most magical time of year. But this year especially, I have found myself craving my simple life full of play dates, baby groups and sofa snuggles. 

And today couldn't have been more gloriously, perfectly normal. 

Sudocrem Care & Protect review

As some of you may know, Luke has suffered with eczema and sore skin since he was very little. Coupled with teething related nappies, my poor baba has ended up with a horribly sore little bottom recently. 

So when I got an email asking if I'd like a sample of Sudocrem Care & Protect, I jumped at the chance. 

Sudocrem Care & Protect is a nappy rash ointment - designed specifically for babies - that offers triple protection against nappy rash at every nappy change:

1. Creating a protective barrier that seals in the skin’s natural moisture and protects even the most delicate skin against external irritants.

2. Conditioning the skin - Vitamin E and Pro Vitamin B5 helps to protect the skin and keep it soft, healthy and moisturised.

3. Guarding against infection - As well as sealing in the good stuff, Sudocrem Care & Protect acts as a barrier to protect delicate skin from the bad stuff, like the chemicals in urine and poo, and from chafing and rubbing.

Because Sudocrem Care & Protect is just for your baby, it is hypoallergenic and has been dermatologically tested. It is also free from artificial colours and preservatives. 

I usually use the original Sudocrem if Luke's bottom is very sore, and at night I still do sometimes. But with a lid that is near impossible to get off while simultaneously trying to stop Luke escaping and a cream so thick I usually end up with more on me than his bottom, I was quite keen to try something a bit different.  

The first thing I noticed was the packaging. It's in a tube so it's a lot easier to fit in the changing bag than a chunky tub and tucks perfectly into the inside pocket. It also has a flip up lid that is super easy to open one handed - a god send as Luke is currently hell bent on getting off the changing table whenever possible so having 2 hands free isn't currently an option! 

It is also a totally different consistency to the original. It is a lot thinner and I found I didn't need nearly as much as it spread around a lot more easily. A little goes a long way. 

Luke had such a sore bottom last week. It was red raw and had little sores all over it. He was not a happy bunny. However within just a few days of using the Sudocrem Care & Protect cream, it cleared up completely. I now use it at every change to stop him from getting so sore again and so far we haven't had any more problems!

                                       Happy bottom = Happy baby! 

If you fancy giving it a try, you can buy it in pretty much any supermarket from between £3.99 and £5.99 depending on the size.  In my opinion, it definitely does what it says on the tin and I would highly recommend it for any sore baby bots out there. 

**Disclaimer: This product was sent to me free of charge for reviewing purposes however all thoughts and opinions are my own.**

I will stop eating chocolate for breakfast...

I will do more exercise. 

I will stop eating chocolate for breakfast and I will start taking pole lessons again. 

I will tone my tummy and I will drink less wine.

I will swear less, drink less coffee and hoover at least twice a week. 

I will stop turning our bedroom into a floordrobe and I will stop buying pointless numbers of high heels (although is there really such a thing?!) 

I will try to be less grumpy, shave my legs before I start to resemble a yeti, stop taking everything so personally and organise my dvd shelf. 

I will control my shopping problem, walk the dog when it's my turn and stop leaving all the lights on when I go out. 

I will remember to de-frost Luke's tea and wash up last nights bottles as soon as I get up.

I will reply to texts, see friends more and I will do the laundry before the basket starts to overflow. 

I will clean my oven more often and change the cat litter before my kitchen starts to smell like it's going off...

Although now that I look at it all written down, it seems a little unrealistic. So I think my New Years resolution this year shall simply be this. To be the best mummy I possibly can, give cuddles when they are needed and make the most of my little boy. And if we're both still alive at the end of the year, then I will have done a pretty great job. I'm sure clean laundry and shaved legs are hugely over rated anyway...

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! 

Our week in pictures - Christmas Day!

This weeks 'Week in pictures' is more a 'Christmas Day in pictures' post. 

We had the most wonderful first Christmas for Luke. He was spoilt rotten, showered with gifts and got very overexcited about the whole day. He got some wonderful presents although as we expected, his favourite thing about the whole day was the wrapping paper! His least favourite thing was most definitely sprouts - he was not impressed and pulled some hilarious faces! 

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed yourself as much as we did. 

(P.s. Can you tell my family likes sprouts?!) 

Blogmas #24 - A Franukkah celebration

After last night I am feeling well and truly Christmasified!

The year we left school and headed our separate ways, my group of closest girlies and I made a pact. No matter where we were in the world or what we were doing with our lives, we would meet up at Christmas and have a big celebratory catchup. That was 6 years ago and last night we stuck by our promise for yet another year. 

Trains were taken from London, planes were caught from Paris and once again I was reunited with some of my favourite people in the whole world. 

Somewhere along the way, we named this wonderful occasion Franukkah, a mash up of my friends sur-name and Hanukkah. I do believe it's because our first ever Christmas meet up happened to fall on Hanukkah. However there is an equally likely chance that it was simply named after far to many glasses of prosecco. We shall never know. 

Our evening could not have been more stereotypically Christmassy if we tried. We drank mulled wine, we roasted chestnuts, we exchanged gifts and in between hysterical fits of laughter (and dressing my poor son up as a French chef!) we somehow managed to squeeze in watching A Christmas Carol (regular - not muppet!) 

It was a truly magical evening and I can wholeheartedly say that other than Christmas Day itself, Franukkah is most definitely the most wonderful day of my year. For me it would not be Christmas without it. I am extremely blessed to have such wonderful, loving, insane friends and I hope we still celebrate Christmas together when we are old and wrinkly and our boobs are by our knees. If any you are ready this, then thank you for a wonderful Franukkah. Until next year...

Happy Blogmas X