Hey guys,
So if you follow me on twitter, you will know that I am moving house this weekend and how stressed ive been about it. I'm one of those people that hate being disorganised and unsettled so the fact my entire flat is turned completely upside down and that there are boxes everywhere is really start to get to me but i know soon it will all be over and I cant wait. Anyway, enough ranting I thought I would do a post on some tips for moving house and things that have come in really useful for me and helped with my stress levels.
Tip number 1: Labels.
We brought some labels from eBay which you put on the boxes to remember what's in them and what rooms they need to go in so that we don't have random kitchen boxes in our bedroom haha. They have actually come in really handy as they also come with content stickers so you can write a short description of what's in the box. You can find the stickers here, they are quite cheap for how practical they are so I really do recommend them.
Tip number 2: Boxes.
We have so much furniture and to buy the amount of boxes we needed would work out so expensive so we (as in we, I mean Hayden) went into our local supermarkets and shops and asked if we could have any of their boxes. Sounds so cheap but it has saved us so much money and we got so many boxes and its all for free. Moving house is such an expensive time so anyway you can save money always comes in useful.
Tip number 3: Bubble wrap.
I have a love hate relationship with this stuff. It is definitely needed for the more valuable and expensive things in our home but its just so time consuming and I hate the feel of it. It can work out so expensive too but we managed to get 100 metres for £16.75 which seems quite expensive but i would much rather pay that than have to pay out for a new television or sofa.
Tip number 4: Enlist help.
What has really helped us the most is the help we have received from our family and friends, they have been so supportive and we genuinely couldn't be more grateful. I've got a terrible back at the moment so I cant do to much heavy lifting so it has come in so helpful that we have a lot of help around us. I know not everyone is fortunate enough to have a lot of family and friends around to help them but if you do, try to enlist as many as people you can. It makes the whole thing a lot less stressful.
Tip number 5: Get a babysitter.
Now some of you wont have small children but we do and i love Albie being around but the poor soul has no idea what is going on. All his toys and his comforts and feeling secure and stable have disappeared so our family members have been looking after Albie some evenings so that we can pack without him being under our toes and asking what we are doing or throwing a random toy car or motorbike into the bathroom box (he's tried). Albies auntie is 7 months pregnant so she has kindly offered to babysit Albie for the big move and he will be staying at my mums that night so we can get his room all ready for him for when he comes home so that its not too daunting for him to come to a new house and a new room without any of his stuff unpacked.
Hope this helps some of you when you're moving house, good luck!
Megan x
Monday 25 January 2016
Tuesday 19 January 2016
Joie Gemm car seat review.
Hey everyone,
Albies safety when we are out and about is always my main priority and always has been from the moment we welcomed him into this world. Trying to find the perfect pram and car seat took up a lot of time and a lot of research as i didnt want to just buy anything. I wanted him to feel comfortable, be safe and practical at the same time.
After doing all this research Hayden and i finally decided on the Joie Gemm 0+ car seat which lasts up to 13kg which is around 12-15 months. For practical reasons this car seat ticked all the boxes, it was light weight, it fits onto our pram using adaptors so that if he was to fall asleep in the car we could just pop the car seat out the car and on to the pram without disturbing him. It is compatible with most pushchairs if you use the maxi cosi adaptors (we did) and also fits on to the Joie pushchairs without the need for any adaptors.
The best part about this car seat is its safety features. It comes with a 5 point safety harness which meant Albie would be securely strapped in and has an adjustable strap so you can adjust it with just one pull. Safe and convenient. Top marks. This car seat has side impact technology to give ultimate protection if were to happen. It has also undergone a lot of strict safety testing which really did help us make our decision.
The car seat has a lot of padding but not to much that your child is squashed. It has a newborn cushion which is perfect to stop their little necks from being moved to much. It also has padded harness and buckle which means that they wont cause any rubbing on their neck. Albie was very comfortable in his car seat and i kind of wish they made adult seats that were just as comfy.
All parts of the car seat are machine washable which came in so handy when we had nappy explosions or any vomiting.
Overall, i am so glad we chose this car seat for Albie and strongly recommend it to all our friends and family. You can purchase this car seat from mothercare, kiddicare, joie and other baby retailers.
Thankyou so much for reading.
Speak soon
Megan x
Albies safety when we are out and about is always my main priority and always has been from the moment we welcomed him into this world. Trying to find the perfect pram and car seat took up a lot of time and a lot of research as i didnt want to just buy anything. I wanted him to feel comfortable, be safe and practical at the same time.
After doing all this research Hayden and i finally decided on the Joie Gemm 0+ car seat which lasts up to 13kg which is around 12-15 months. For practical reasons this car seat ticked all the boxes, it was light weight, it fits onto our pram using adaptors so that if he was to fall asleep in the car we could just pop the car seat out the car and on to the pram without disturbing him. It is compatible with most pushchairs if you use the maxi cosi adaptors (we did) and also fits on to the Joie pushchairs without the need for any adaptors.
The car seat has a lot of padding but not to much that your child is squashed. It has a newborn cushion which is perfect to stop their little necks from being moved to much. It also has padded harness and buckle which means that they wont cause any rubbing on their neck. Albie was very comfortable in his car seat and i kind of wish they made adult seats that were just as comfy.
All parts of the car seat are machine washable which came in so handy when we had nappy explosions or any vomiting.
Overall, i am so glad we chose this car seat for Albie and strongly recommend it to all our friends and family. You can purchase this car seat from mothercare, kiddicare, joie and other baby retailers.
Thankyou so much for reading.
Speak soon
Megan x
Sunday 17 January 2016
Albies is 2!
Hey guys, sorry ive been so absent. As you can tell from the title its been a certain little mr's birthday this week and the build up has been hectic.
It only feels like yesterday that i was moaning about how 9 months of pregnancy was dragging and how much i hated it and i wanted Albie born and now hes 2? Really? How? It feels like hes been in my life forever but in the same way i cant believe how quick the past two years have gone. Hes gone from being an 8lb 11oz baby to a walking, talking toddler.
So i havent really updated any of you guys for a while on how Albies doing, whats he doing or anything like that so i thought his second birthday would be a great time to do just that.
Routine:
Albie has always had a routine, its forever changing and just when i feel like we have mastered one something changes. His day starts at around 7-8am and then in the morning i like to take him out to soft play or a toddler group or something to try and burn some of his energy. He has his lunch quite early around 11.30-11.45 so that he has finished by 12.15 ready to go down for a 2-3 hour nap. Depending on what time he wakes from his nap sometimes we will go for a walk to feed the ducks or to the park or something before Hayden gets home from work ready for dinner around 5. We then have family time after dinner before bath, milk and bed by 7pm. Albie has always loved his sleep and i am so grateful because i really do too. You know when you have new baby and they say 'make sure you sleep when the baby does' well i still do that haha.
Development:
Albies personality in the past year has really grown. He is talking so much now to the point he will have a full on conversation with us and tell us about his day when we ask him. His favourite word at the moment is 'no'. Everything we ask him is no until he thinks about what we asked him.He has very recently started to get a sense of humour, he has started to do things to make other people laugh and will giggle away at the most silliest of things before telling us how funny it is which makes my heart melt. He is also now fully potty trained during the day and has been from around 19 months, we have the odd accident every now and then but its bound to happen.
Relationships:
Albie has always had a very strong family unit around him and hes really starting to form bonds with other family members now which is so cute to see. He now knows what all of his aunts and uncles are called and what his grandparents are known by and when we drive past their houses he knows who lives there which truly baffles me as to how he can remember stuff. Lately, hes been really enjoying playing together with other little people his age and we have some he sees weekly and is always asking about when we are going to see them next.
The past two years have completley whizzed by and my baby is now a little boy with a cheeky personality coming along, before i know it he is going to be a stroppy teenager. I love watching him grow and seeing him learn something new daily. Being a parent truly changes your view on life and the things that used to matter before you became a parent dont and the things that didnt matter, do.
Do any of you have children of this age? Id love to hear or read about them, leave a comment in the comments section below and ill be sure to check your blogs out.
Speak soon,
Megan x
It only feels like yesterday that i was moaning about how 9 months of pregnancy was dragging and how much i hated it and i wanted Albie born and now hes 2? Really? How? It feels like hes been in my life forever but in the same way i cant believe how quick the past two years have gone. Hes gone from being an 8lb 11oz baby to a walking, talking toddler.
So i havent really updated any of you guys for a while on how Albies doing, whats he doing or anything like that so i thought his second birthday would be a great time to do just that.
Routine:
Albie has always had a routine, its forever changing and just when i feel like we have mastered one something changes. His day starts at around 7-8am and then in the morning i like to take him out to soft play or a toddler group or something to try and burn some of his energy. He has his lunch quite early around 11.30-11.45 so that he has finished by 12.15 ready to go down for a 2-3 hour nap. Depending on what time he wakes from his nap sometimes we will go for a walk to feed the ducks or to the park or something before Hayden gets home from work ready for dinner around 5. We then have family time after dinner before bath, milk and bed by 7pm. Albie has always loved his sleep and i am so grateful because i really do too. You know when you have new baby and they say 'make sure you sleep when the baby does' well i still do that haha.
Development:
Albies personality in the past year has really grown. He is talking so much now to the point he will have a full on conversation with us and tell us about his day when we ask him. His favourite word at the moment is 'no'. Everything we ask him is no until he thinks about what we asked him.He has very recently started to get a sense of humour, he has started to do things to make other people laugh and will giggle away at the most silliest of things before telling us how funny it is which makes my heart melt. He is also now fully potty trained during the day and has been from around 19 months, we have the odd accident every now and then but its bound to happen.
Relationships:
Albie has always had a very strong family unit around him and hes really starting to form bonds with other family members now which is so cute to see. He now knows what all of his aunts and uncles are called and what his grandparents are known by and when we drive past their houses he knows who lives there which truly baffles me as to how he can remember stuff. Lately, hes been really enjoying playing together with other little people his age and we have some he sees weekly and is always asking about when we are going to see them next.
The past two years have completley whizzed by and my baby is now a little boy with a cheeky personality coming along, before i know it he is going to be a stroppy teenager. I love watching him grow and seeing him learn something new daily. Being a parent truly changes your view on life and the things that used to matter before you became a parent dont and the things that didnt matter, do.
Do any of you have children of this age? Id love to hear or read about them, leave a comment in the comments section below and ill be sure to check your blogs out.
Speak soon,
Megan x
Friday 8 January 2016
Dealing with an invisible illness.
Hey everyone,
So ive been thinking about writing this blog post for a long time because although there is a lot of information about my illness on the internet, there isnt many posts from people giving there view on living with it.
So since the age of 18 years old i have been living with a condition called Hypothyroidism, i had never heard of a thyroid before so i was shocked to find out that i had something wrong with mine.
Hypothyroidism means that your thyroid gland doesnt produce enough of the hormone needed which can cause you to feel tired, depressed, to have dry skin and hair, sensitivity to the cold and may cause your muscles to ache.
A lot of people dont realise they have this condition as they ignore symptoms or dont realise they have them. I was the same. I had all these symptoms but i had no idea until one night my vision completley disappeared and my eyes started to shake, i was rushed to hospital but with no conclusive answers i was sent home that night. This happened three more times before i finally went to my local GP who decided to run some more in depth blood tests than i had done at the hospital which showed up that my TSH levels were normal but my T4 levels were abnormal which led to me being diagnosed with this illness.
I currently take 50mg of levothyroxine daily and have done since i was first diagnosed which although its a small dosage makes so much of a difference to my life. I always thought i would live this energtic life running round, chasing Albie, playing sports with him but sometimes i find it hard to even have the energy to get out of bed but i do and he really is the reason i get out of bed and do the things that we do together.
People always say to me you look so well and happy all the time, but they dont see how hard some days are, how exhausted i can be and how drained i am if i dont take my medication. Some days are harder than most but its something ive learnt to deal with and although i do have bad days i also have really good days where i do feel that there is nothing wrong with me. Taking my medication doesnt mean my life is back to normal and i do still experience episodes wear i lose my sight which doesnt happen to all people with this condition but it does to me.
Just because somebody looks well and happy, doesn't necessarily mean they are. Never judge someone by what you see on the outside because you never know what is happening on the inside, always remember that.
Hope this helps some of you who have an invisible illness or know somebody who does. Let me know in the comments if have an illness and what it is and how you deal with it.
Take care
Megan x
So ive been thinking about writing this blog post for a long time because although there is a lot of information about my illness on the internet, there isnt many posts from people giving there view on living with it.
So since the age of 18 years old i have been living with a condition called Hypothyroidism, i had never heard of a thyroid before so i was shocked to find out that i had something wrong with mine.
Hypothyroidism means that your thyroid gland doesnt produce enough of the hormone needed which can cause you to feel tired, depressed, to have dry skin and hair, sensitivity to the cold and may cause your muscles to ache.
A lot of people dont realise they have this condition as they ignore symptoms or dont realise they have them. I was the same. I had all these symptoms but i had no idea until one night my vision completley disappeared and my eyes started to shake, i was rushed to hospital but with no conclusive answers i was sent home that night. This happened three more times before i finally went to my local GP who decided to run some more in depth blood tests than i had done at the hospital which showed up that my TSH levels were normal but my T4 levels were abnormal which led to me being diagnosed with this illness.
I currently take 50mg of levothyroxine daily and have done since i was first diagnosed which although its a small dosage makes so much of a difference to my life. I always thought i would live this energtic life running round, chasing Albie, playing sports with him but sometimes i find it hard to even have the energy to get out of bed but i do and he really is the reason i get out of bed and do the things that we do together.
People always say to me you look so well and happy all the time, but they dont see how hard some days are, how exhausted i can be and how drained i am if i dont take my medication. Some days are harder than most but its something ive learnt to deal with and although i do have bad days i also have really good days where i do feel that there is nothing wrong with me. Taking my medication doesnt mean my life is back to normal and i do still experience episodes wear i lose my sight which doesnt happen to all people with this condition but it does to me.
Just because somebody looks well and happy, doesn't necessarily mean they are. Never judge someone by what you see on the outside because you never know what is happening on the inside, always remember that.
Hope this helps some of you who have an invisible illness or know somebody who does. Let me know in the comments if have an illness and what it is and how you deal with it.
Take care
Megan x
Monday 4 January 2016
Becoming a working mum!
Hey everyone,
I wanted to write a post about an issue most mums go through, going back to work after having your baby.
When i decided i was ready to go back to work, i felt like my heart was ripping in two. The thought of leaving Albie for any amount of time was awful, i had never felt anything like it. I went back when he was about 9 months old to work in a shop, it was only for 15 hours a week but it meant i was missing out on putting him to bed and family time on the weekends which to me was really important. So i found a new job working early mornings at a school, it meant Albie would be at the childminders only one hour a morning and the rest of the day i would be with him, i never want to miss out on anything with him so this works well for us as a family.
The first time i left him, i sat in my car and cried but the more i did it the easier it got. He was so content at his childminders that i knew when i was leaving him he would be safe and happy and the reaction i would get when i went to collect him was like no other, his face would light up at just seeing me and i know it sounds silly but i think he appreciates me more now.
Mum guilt is a thing all new mums experience and something that through time does get easier, although you think it wont it does. Never take time with your little one for granted as each day is another day that they are growing up and you wont ever get it back. Before you know it they will be stroppy teenagers.
Some mums need to go back to work for financial reasons and some mums just want to go back to work, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a stay at home mum and there is also nothing wrong with being a working mum, all that matters is that you are there for them when they need you and are always being the best mum you could be. Never feel guilty for trying your best and for doing what you want to do.
I really hope this helps your mum guilt ease just a little and helps make you feel a bit better about your decision to go back to work.
Megan x
I wanted to write a post about an issue most mums go through, going back to work after having your baby.
When i decided i was ready to go back to work, i felt like my heart was ripping in two. The thought of leaving Albie for any amount of time was awful, i had never felt anything like it. I went back when he was about 9 months old to work in a shop, it was only for 15 hours a week but it meant i was missing out on putting him to bed and family time on the weekends which to me was really important. So i found a new job working early mornings at a school, it meant Albie would be at the childminders only one hour a morning and the rest of the day i would be with him, i never want to miss out on anything with him so this works well for us as a family.
The first time i left him, i sat in my car and cried but the more i did it the easier it got. He was so content at his childminders that i knew when i was leaving him he would be safe and happy and the reaction i would get when i went to collect him was like no other, his face would light up at just seeing me and i know it sounds silly but i think he appreciates me more now.
Mum guilt is a thing all new mums experience and something that through time does get easier, although you think it wont it does. Never take time with your little one for granted as each day is another day that they are growing up and you wont ever get it back. Before you know it they will be stroppy teenagers.
Some mums need to go back to work for financial reasons and some mums just want to go back to work, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a stay at home mum and there is also nothing wrong with being a working mum, all that matters is that you are there for them when they need you and are always being the best mum you could be. Never feel guilty for trying your best and for doing what you want to do.
I really hope this helps your mum guilt ease just a little and helps make you feel a bit better about your decision to go back to work.
Megan x
Saturday 2 January 2016
What i got for christmas 2015
Hey everyone!
Happy new year! Can you believe how quick last year went? I certainly cant, it honestly feels like it has just flown by.
I thought i would do a little what I got for Christmas post as I absolutely love reading other peoples, so i thought mine my be of interest to some of you. I genuinely love just spending time with my family at Christmas and believe its more about us all being together and celebrating so i am in no way showing off what i got and i am truly very grateful for my each and every one of my gifts that i received. I was truly spoilt and received so many gifts so i wont list everything i got otherwise this will be a very long post.
My main present from Hayden and Albie was a watch, i have been after a really nice dainty and simple watch for such a long time and i just haven't found any i liked but Hayden proved to me that he knows what i like better than i know myself and got me the perfect watch. It is just a simple black leather strap with rose gold detailing (although in the picture it looks yellow gold) and i just love it so so much.
From my mum and step dad, i got thoroughly spoilt. There are some gifts i haven't included as i want to do a separate blog post on them but i got some new hair straighteners as mine are old and i need to make more of an effort with my appearance, haha. I also received a chrome cast for my TV which i am still trying to figure out how to use but i am getting there and my main present from them was a new laptop which means i can now do more blogging, yay!
I cant believe even at my age, how much i love Christmas and how many gifts i still get but i am so grateful to of received every single item i did and feel so lucky to have such wonderful family and friends.
I cant wait to see what the rest of the year brings.
Hope you enjoyed this post.
Megan x
Happy new year! Can you believe how quick last year went? I certainly cant, it honestly feels like it has just flown by.
I thought i would do a little what I got for Christmas post as I absolutely love reading other peoples, so i thought mine my be of interest to some of you. I genuinely love just spending time with my family at Christmas and believe its more about us all being together and celebrating so i am in no way showing off what i got and i am truly very grateful for my each and every one of my gifts that i received. I was truly spoilt and received so many gifts so i wont list everything i got otherwise this will be a very long post.
My main present from Hayden and Albie was a watch, i have been after a really nice dainty and simple watch for such a long time and i just haven't found any i liked but Hayden proved to me that he knows what i like better than i know myself and got me the perfect watch. It is just a simple black leather strap with rose gold detailing (although in the picture it looks yellow gold) and i just love it so so much.
From my mum and step dad, i got thoroughly spoilt. There are some gifts i haven't included as i want to do a separate blog post on them but i got some new hair straighteners as mine are old and i need to make more of an effort with my appearance, haha. I also received a chrome cast for my TV which i am still trying to figure out how to use but i am getting there and my main present from them was a new laptop which means i can now do more blogging, yay!
I cant believe even at my age, how much i love Christmas and how many gifts i still get but i am so grateful to of received every single item i did and feel so lucky to have such wonderful family and friends.
I cant wait to see what the rest of the year brings.
Hope you enjoyed this post.
Megan x
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