Sunday, February 28, 2016

Maternity Fashion Wishlist ♥

I'm at the point in my pregnancy where I'm beginning to feel very uncomfortable in my normal clothes and I think it's time I invested in some pretty maternity pieces as I have just over ten weeks left and this pregnant mama just wants to be comfy! I can no longer put on my lace up boots without a lot of effort and now that the spring has arrived I think it's time to invest in some new pumps too, just slipping them on would be such a help. Let me share my maternity fashion wishlist with you -

1. Mint Green Floral Chiffon Maternity Dress ($51)
I've recently stumbled across a site called Pink Blush Maternity which sells the most beautiful maternity wear. I'm in love with this mint coloured dress with it's floral pattern, it's totally my style and looks super stylish yet comfy too.

2. Jones Bootmaker Gibraltar Ballet Pumps (£24)
As I said above, I can no longer put on my boots without a lot of effort so I really want a new pair of ballet pumps. These patent ones with pretty bow detail from Jones Bootmaker are lovely and will go with everything.

3. Asos Maternity Stripe T-Shirt Dress (€30.98)
Most days I just like to look casual and grey is my favourite colour (along with pink), so this grey and white stripe t-shirt dress from Asos really appealed to me. It looks really loose and comfortable and that's exactly what I want from clothing during the third trimester.

4. Maternity Heart Elbow Pyjama Set With Printed Shorts (€30.98)
I'd love a new pair of pyjamas at the moment (is there anything more lovely than snuggling up in new pyjamas?) and as the weather is quite cool still but I can get quite warm in bed at night I think these shorts and long sleeve top pyjamas, which are also from Asos, are the perfect solution. The heart print detail on the shorts and elbow patches are really pretty.

5. Light Blue Neon Floral Chiffon Bottom Maternity Maxi Dress ($49)
I've fallen in love with this floral print maxi dress, which is also from Pink Blush Maternity. The patter is one of my favourites and the mix of baby blue and pink is just perfect for spring and summer.

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Thursday, February 25, 2016

Pregnancy Pillows | Premium U-Shaped Pregnancy Pillow With Lavender & FairyBeads Filling | Review ♥

Now that I'm in my third trimester of pregnancy I've been finding it quite difficult to get comfortable in bed at night. Our bed is quite low down, which makes it quite difficult to get out of for those middle of the night bathroom trips and I'm beginning to find it impossible to find a comfy position for my bump. Thankfully, the lovely people at Pregnancy Pillows got in touch and asked if I'd like to review one of their wonderful pregnancy pillows and I of course accepted - my bump was in desperate need of some comfort!

The pillow I chose from their range was the Premium U-Shaped Pregnancy Pillow (£40) which comes with a lavender lining and fairy beads filling. The pillow comes in a choice of seven colours and I chose the lovely sky blue to match my shabby chic bedding. When the pillow arrived I was surprised at how long it was, it's the length of my king size bed which makes for maximum comfort at night or when I'm simply relaxing on the bed during the day.

I shared a picture of my pillow on my Instagram @dollydowsie on the day it arrived and it had a great response with people immediately stating that they had to go and get one for themselves too, well I couldn't recommend it enough for anyone who is expecting and is need of some bump and back support at night or for nap time.

The pillow is super comfortable, it's like lying on a huge beanbag and the fairybeads filling contour to the shape of your head and body too. The fairy beads filling is also anti-allergenic. The U-shape allows me to pop my leg up on the pillow, which in turn supports my bump, the other side of the pillow then supports my back and it's great to have this support, especially at 29 weeks. The outer fabric of the pillow is baby soft and is stretchy too, this makes for maximum comfort for my bump and I. This outer fabric is also removable and machine washable which is great as my toddler loves to lay on it too and has gotten chocolate on it more than once - the horror! The inner fabric of the pillow is lined with lavender which makes for a relaxing aroma, great for sending me off to a peaceful sleep or nap time.

 The Premium U-Shaped Pregnancy Pillow offers -
  • Pressure relief to make sleeping on your side possible
  • Alleviates back and muscle pains
  • Can be used as pain relief for symphsis pubis dysfunction
  • Can be used as pain relief for fibromyalgia
  • Can be used as pain relief for arthritis
  • Can be used as pain relief for upper back, shoulder and neck pain
  • Can be used as pain relief for lower body pain
This pillow has been a great support to me during the latter half of my second trimester and now during my third trimester too. It's helped massively with my lower back and hip pain which seems to flair up at night and it really is one of the comfiest things I've ever lay on. I'm going to continue using it after baby arrives too and think it will also be a great support when feeding baby during the night feeds.

You can find the Premium U-Shaped Pregnancy Pillow (£40) on the Pregnancy Pillows website where you can also browse through their other fantastic pillow options for pregnancy and nursing.

*I was sent the Premium U-Shaped Pregnancy Pillow for the purposes of this review, as always, all thoughts and opinions expressed are 100% my own.


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Wednesday, February 24, 2016

My Serenity Moment With Yankee Candle ♥

Serenity is not a word I would use to describe my everyday life as a busy parent, even though I would very much like it to be a word I could associate with my life... My days can often be stressful and being seven months pregnant with a toddler in tow isn't easy, but I do believe in making time for myself on occasion, letting myself relax completely, in my favourite room of the house and do some things which are quite simple but which I thoroughly enjoy doing.

I was recently challenged by the lovely people at Yankee Candle to share 'my serenity moment', a moment inspired by their beautifully scented My Serenity springtime collection. The My Serenity collection is comprised of four beautiful candles, all with a fragrance that is bound to invigorate the senses and transport you to a phase of relaxation. I just love the pastel colours of the four candles too, they're ever so pretty and perfect for brightening up the home now that the sunnier weather has arrived.

Peony - This is my favourite scent from the collection. The rich scent of spring's most coveted bloom, the peony, entices with notes of bright sweetness.

Lemongrass & Ginger - A fresh, clean mixture of gentle lemongrass and just-cut ginger, pure invigoration.

Moonlight - A subtle blend of bamboo, woody notes and bergamot, as intoxicating as moonlight on the water.

My Serenity - The definition of calm, warm pear and orange mingle with tropical flowers and soft musk.

 I decided to have my serenity moment once my son was in bed. I filled up the bath with some steaming hot water, made sure there were lots of bubbles and a lovely bath melt to give my skin some pampering. Is there anything more soothing than a hot bath when you're in need of some 'me time'? My lovely other half was putting our boy to bed so I retreated to my room, where my fairy lights and floral lights strewn over my curtain bunting and headboard were turned on, these instantly give a serene vibe to the room.

I lit my favourite candle from the My Serenity collection, Peony, and quite soon my bedroom was filled with the scents of those beautiful pink springtime blooms, it's a scent I'll never tire of, so floral, pretty and sweet.

I'm a woman of simple tastes, it doesn't take a lot to make me happy so my perfect serenity moment was simple - lying on my bed, reading a magazine my mother had brought me (ones I don't usually buy for myself, so it's always a little treat when she passes them on), catching up on some blog reading and watching old episodes of The Royle Family on YouTube, checking my Instagram feed, enjoying a Creme Egg (I think I deserve a little chocolatey treat now and again) and practising some mindfulness with an adult colouring book (I'm quite happy with how my little colourful butterfly is coming along).

Simple, serene moments like this before I go to bed are always treasured. Recently my son hasn't been sleeping well and bedtimes have been quite hectic, with him usually ending up in my bed, me hanging onto the edge for dear life just wishing for a peaceful nights sleep. So the fact that I could enjoy some 'me time', followed by some of the things which enjoy most made #myserenity moment just perfect. The beautiful scent of Peony was the cherry on top of my lovely evening.

This is my serenity moment - simple, relaxing and oh so lovely for a mum like myself who needs a little quiet time from time to time. You can view the My Serenity fragrance collection here if you fancy a little moment of serenity for yourself, I promise, you will not be disappointed by the scents, they are heavenly.

*I was sent the My Serenity collection candles for the purposes of taking part in this challenge, as always, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

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28 Week Pregnancy Update | Baby #2 ♥

This is my last day of being 28 weeks pregnant, I honestly can't believe how quickly the last few weeks are going by. It seems as though the days are all melting into one another and I feel as though I'm rushed off my feet trying to get organised, keep on top of the blog, get the house in order and look after Tyler Lee, who's going through a difficult stage at the moment. Thankfully my energy levels have perked up again and I'm able to get through the days without a nap again.

I got the results of my glucose tolerance test and thankfully I don't have gestational diabetes, but I was quite sure I didn't have it anyway. I've gotten out and about quite a bit this week and have gone on walks with my boys, it's been great to get out and get some fresh air, although I think all this walking has brought on Braxton Hicks contractions too.

I never experienced these in my pregnancy with Tyler Lee but the crampy, pain in my stomach, wanting to throw up feeling reminds me of the start of labour and I don't know what else it could be apart from the Braxton Hicks. At least my body is practising and getting me prepared for the actual labour.

I must admit I'm absolutely terrified about the prospect of labour again. I suffered terribly with a very painful thirty-one hour labour with Tyler Lee, who was in the O.P. position and I didn't think it left a lasting effect on me but I was wrong. I now worry about it before I go to sleep at night and I think the anxiety of it all will just make it so much worse once the time actually comes. I want to stay at home as long as I can this time around before going to hospital because the long stay in hospital last time made me refuse a second blood transfusion, something I greatly needed and I'd rather labour at home this time and be accepting of the after care, if I need it, instead.

This week...

Baby is the size of a - tropical coconut, according to my Ovia pregnancy app.

I'm looking forward to - getting the baby's room ready next month, we're just waiting for Jacek to finish his exams and then we can get organised.

My favourite moment was - going to Blarney Castle with my boys. The weather was beautiful and we captured some lovely pictures. It was great to get some fresh air too.

I've been feeling - quite energised this week, makes up for the exhaustion of last week. I've been getting organised and it actually feels great.

I've been buying for baby - I bought two more vintage Peter Rabbit outfits for the baby on Ebay and I also bought a custom car seat from a friend on Instagram, which will hopefully arrive today, I can't wait to see it in person, but I've now put myself on a spending ban and I'll be sticking to it.

I'm missing - a glass of Prosecco or white wine, these sunny evenings are spurring on my lust for a tipple even more.

I'm craving - still no real cravings, baby is so quiet too and doesn't kick much either so I'm looking forward to getting to know their personality more when they arrive because in utero they're giving me no clues to what they like, etc.

I'm loving - getting organised somewhat. I finally went through all of Tyler Lee's old clothes that have been sitting in vacuum bags in my wardrobe for the past two years, sorted what we could keep and washed them all. I also donated the clothes we couldn't use to the clothes bank.
          
I've been meaning to - I actually haven't been meaning to do anything at the moment, I just still need to get the paint for the baby's room but that will all be done after the second week of March.

I can't wait for - my next hospital appointment on the 29th. It'll be good to get my results on the Von Willebrand disease and my GP wants me to bring up the issue of my gallstones and jaw with the hospital too.

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Tuesday, February 23, 2016

My Recent Competition Wins ♥

When I was pregnant with Tyler Lee I did lots of comping, mainly through blog giveaways and Facebook page giveaways and I was quite lucky. I don't know why, probably lack of time, but I gave up comping shortly after his birth, but recently I've gotten back into it (it must be a pregnancy thing of mine!), mainly entering Twitter RT to enter competitions and I'm delighted to say that I've actually been quite lucky!

After my first weekend of comping, back in January, I actually won two fabulous prizes and I've won a few more since then too. I only enter competitions for things I'd genuinely love to win and that seems to be the key to my luck. Hopefully it'll continue!

I thought I'd share my wins here on the blog just to help me keep track of how lucky I've been and because I genuinely love to read posts like this on other people's blogs too.

My first win was a £50 Amazon gift voucher from We Value Any Home on Twitter, this came in very handy as I bought Tyler Lee's retro trike out of it for his main birthday gift.

I won this beautiful ChloBo heart pendant bracelet from Mococo Jewellery on Twitter, RRP £70. I absolutely love it as anything with a heart is a favourite of mine.

I won this stunning crocheted bouquet of roses from Inked Hibiscus on Facebook. I just love the cream and blush colour of the roses, they fit my shabby chic style perfectly.

My first win in February was for a €100 Brown Thomas voucher from HerFamily on Twitter. I'll be going straight to MAC with this when it arrives and will be picking up some new makeup for myself.

I also won this sweet little heart pendant necklace from Life Charms on Twitter, RRP £14.99. This is so lovely and the packaging is just perfect too, love the vintage feel it has.

I also won this bundle of The Art of Mindfulness colouring books from Michael O Mara Books on Twitter, RRP £31.96. These will be perfect for some quiet time in the evenings.

I was delighted to win this shabby chic style frame from Florence & Amelia's on Twitter, RRP £3.99. This will be going in my room to add to the shabby chic decor.

I was both surprised and delighted to win a three month Birchbox subscription from Birchbox UK and Laura Bermingham on Twitter, RRP £30. I can't wait to receive my boxes as I've never tried a beauty box subscription service before.

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Saturday, February 20, 2016

The Difficulty Of Choosing The Perfect Baby Name 2nd Time Round... ♥

Growing up, names were always something I took an interest in, I loved discovering new and unique ones and quickly decided which ones I loved and which ones I thought were just too plain and uninteresting. As a teenager I even wrote a letter to myself, which I opened on my 21st birthday, which included a list of names I loved and funnily enough the names Tyler and Lee were included on the list, although I don't remember being particularly besotted with either of them, I guess it was just meant to be...

Jacek actually chose Tyler's name. He was meant to be Taylor, the name a reference to Corey Taylor, lead singer of one of my favourite bands Slipknot, but we were both put off it when everyone began commenting that it was in fact a girls name and we were expecting a boy. We then opted for Tyler, after the character in Fight Club, who was everything the narrator of that film wanted to be - intelligent, handsome, carefree, etc. and Jacek wouldn't budge from the name, even though I had wanted to call him Samuel, Sam or Sammy for short. His middle name was supposed to be Lochlainn, but again we received criticism for the name, with people declaring they hated it. It was only an hour before he was born that the name Lee came into my head and we decided on Tyler Lee just before he made his appearance into the world. It all seemed to fall into place and I didn't really have to put any effort into choosing his name at all as Jacek wasn't budging from Tyler.

This time round it's my turn to name the baby and to be honest, I'm having an awful time with trying to find the 'perfect' name, if there's such a thing of course. Before I fell pregnant I kept on having dreams about a little girl and a name I loved kept appearing everywhere in my daily life, which I found bizarre as it's not a very common name. We don't know the baby's gender for sure as the umbilical cord was in between their legs when we tried to find out so I'm searching for both a boys and a girls name.

I seem to change my mind on a daily basis, letting other people's opinions and the fact of whether someone I know has already called their child that already, influence me in my decision. I also don't want to name my child something that's overly popular but sadly every name I love seems to be loved by many others too - I guess we all have great taste!

As this baby is going to be born in the summer I'd love them to have a beachy/surfer name if they're a boy and a pretty/flowery or nature inspired name if they're a girl.

The names I currently love and am considering for the baby's first and middle names are:

 Boys -

Beau - of French origin it means "beautiful" or "handsome".

Bodhi - of Sanskrit origin it means "enlightenment" or "awakening" which relates to a Buddhist concept, wherein Bodhi is synonymous with the state of nirvana, being freed from hate, greed and ego.

Fionn - of Irish origin it means "fair or fair-haired", the same as my own name.

Samuel - of Hebrew origin it means "name of God; asked of God; heard by God".

James - of Hebrew origin it means "he grasps the heel. Supplanter".

Tristan - of Celtic origin it means "tumult" or "outcry". In Arthurian legend Tristan was a Knight of the Round Table and tragic hero of the medieval tale Tristram and Isolde.

 Girls -

Meadow - of American origin it means "field of grass".

Siofra - of Irish origin it is believed to mean "changeling or fairy child".

Posey - of English origin it means "a bunch of flowers".

Blythe - of English origin it means "happy or merry".

Rose - a Norman form of a Germanic name it's associated with the rose flower.

Blossom - of English origin it means "fresh".

Belle/Maybelle - of French origin meaning "beautiful". I like Maybelle too as a fun take on Mabel for a May baby.

Fawn/Fauna - of English origin it means "young deer". The Greek mythological deity of fertility and nature was Fauna. She was famous for her chastity.

I'm so undecided but I do really love the names above. I honestly don't know if some of these will actually end up being the baby's name, only time will tell.

How did you chose your baby's name? Do you like any of the names I've listed above?

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Friday, February 19, 2016

5 Tips To Save Money On Home Renovation ♥

Whether you’ve recently moved in or have spent years enjoying your home, renovation is essential for refreshing your house or flat. The main fear for homeowners is that the cost of home renovation will leave them with little to no savings. 

Deciding when to make bigger purchases and when you can save by doing it yourself is tough. To help you make the right call, we’ve collected five big and small ways to save when doing home renovation.

Check Your Budget First 
Look realistically at how much you can willingly invest and where you can splash out a little on fixtures and fittings. 

Also be aware of how much time you have to do the work yourself and when your deadlines are. Buying new lighting is a weekend job, but getting new kitchen cupboards could take a couple of days and will put your kitchen out of commission. 

1. Rearrange Rooms & Throw Away Extras 
Sometimes you don’t need to make a big change, or even pay for one, to make your home feel renovated. By rearranging the furnishings in a room you can make it feel like new. This is something we have done this past weekend and it feels great to have more space.

Try making small changes, like moving a chair near a window for reading, or completely rearranging all the furniture in your room. Experiment for a day or a weekend with new homes for your belongings. Move your kitchen table to the middle of the room and see if you end up with a more engaging communal eating space, or shift your bed and drawers to one side to give yourself a workout space. 

When rearranging look for anything you don’t need and haven’t used in the past year and then throw it away! Preferably by recycling or finding a good charity shop to give it to. We have a lot of our things and some unused toys of our sons to a charity shop at the weekend.

Cost: Nothing but a few hours of your time.

2. Paint A Feature Wall 
Repainting a room is a great way to create a new dimension and change the vibe of the space. But painting a whole room is time consuming, especially as you’ll have to do multiple coats to get a defined colour. While paint isn’t necessarily expensive, even a small room could require several pots. 

However, if you want a quick and cheaper way to repaint a room, consider painting just one wall. Create a feature wall by choosing a single vibrant colour that suits the mood of your interiors, for example a rich red for a bedroom or cool aqua for your bathroom. 

One 2.5L pot of paint will cost around £25. You’ll need about 2L to paint a standard wall and will need to do two coats in order to make a dynamic colour look great. That will cost you approximately £50 and take you about a day - with drying time. This leaves just enough paint left over for touch ups as and when.

Cost: £50 and a few hours of your weekend.

3. Reupholster Furniture  
Furniture doesn’t always deteriorate as fast as the patterns and designs may fade or stain. Couches, armchairs and even dining chairs can become limp and scuffed but will remain entirely useable - but not as aesthetically pleasing. 

So rather than splashing cash on brand new furniture, why not do some home reupholstering and get new furniture without the price tag. Granted you’ll have to look up some DIY reupholstering tips but the skills are fairly basic. 

You can easily sew a new cover for a sofa or re-pack a chair cushion to breath new life and style into well loved furnishings. If you are willing to spend on an upholsterer who already has those skills, you’ll probably be able to find someone locally who is willing to do it for a fraction of the cost of new furniture. 

Cost: £200-350 for a couch with labour costs or less if you’re having a go yourself.

4. Invest In Granite Kitchen Worktops 
Granite kitchen worktops are an investment. They look great and last a long time but come with added cost. While materials such as wood and linoleum come in grades that have their own advantages, they are all prone to damage over a few years. Granite will last lifetimes. 

To afford a granite kitchen worktop you may need to save a little more in advance. But with suppliers offering free quotes and huge ranges, you can afford to take the time to get it just right.

 Cost: £1000-1500 (average) depending on your kitchen counters size and one day.

5. Buy New Artwork 
Last but not least, you can renovate your home by picking up some new art to adorn the walls. Whether this is paintings for your hall, pictures for your bedroom or family photos for the kitchen. 

Buying art is as much down to your taste as your budget. You can find unique artistic renderings of bowls of fruit for hundreds of pounds or tens. However, if you want to save money on your home renovation with a personal touch why not grab a multiple picture frame. Include family pictures, postcards and favourite quote clippings to make a personal decoration for your home. 

Cost: £50-5000 and as much time as you can spare.

Have you done any home renovations lately or have any planned?

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A Peter Rabbit Birthday Cake ♥

As you may have seen on the blog and my social media, my little boy Tyler Lee turned three this week. I honestly still can't believe that I have a three year old, it's amazing how quickly the little ones grow up. His birthday was a complete washout so our planned outing has had to be put on hold, hopefully we can do it this weekend.

Nevertheless, he was delighted with his day at the soft play and all the surprises he received throughout the day. He took delight in telling me he had a nice day and ultimately, that's all that mattered to me, that he had fun.

His birthday cake this year was Peter Rabbit themed and I'm happy to say that he really did love it. I was delighted with how it turned out, the girl who did it really outdid herself with all the decoration and the plain sponge with strawberries and cream filling was just to die for.

Instead of a birthday candle we had a number three sparkler which I picked up in Tesco for like 70c, it was great fun for Tyler Lee.

The cake was so lovely that I just wanted to write this quick post and share some pictures, just in case there are any other Peter Rabbit lovers out there who are looking for some birthday inspiration.

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Thursday, February 18, 2016

27 Week Pregnancy Update | Baby #2 ♥

I turned 28 weeks pregnant today so this update is a little late, but due to all the birthday celebrations for Tyler Lee and from feeling so exhausted this week I just haven't had the time or motivation to turn on the laptop.

This week has been a hard one, not due to feeling ill myself, but Tyler Lee has been consumed with a cough and runny nose for so long now that it's starting to take it's toll on him and he's waking up in the middle of the night complaining of a sore mouth and he won't stop crying. Maybe he's trying to get us ready for the night feeds come May? I'm exhausted, I don't think I can share my bed with him and Jacek anymore because I keep waking up after they've gone back to sleep. I'm bring Tyler Lee to the doctor today so hopefully he can give him something to make him feel better, it's so awful seeing him cry in pain.

I visited the doctor myself about my jaw being dislocated and he wanted to send me to A&E for it, somewhere I just wasn't prepared to go on a weekend, plus, I had no one to mind Tyler Lee. There is still some pain with it but I'm actually relieved that it's not clicking anymore! I also had my glucose tolerance test yesterday, which I booked on a whim the afternoon before because I had totally forgotten about it - oops! The fasting and everything went fine but last night I honestly felt like I was going into labour, I don't think the Lucozade did me any good! I had those 'fist tightening' pains resembling contractions and my body was shaking as if I was freezing cold. I ended up throwing up and this morning I still feel quite peaky. Least to say I'm not drinking Lucozade again! I remember Jacek throwing up from drinking it years ago too.

I have no more appointments until February 29th so hopefully this week my boy can get better and I can catch up on some sleep. I think we're all in need of a rest.

This week...

Baby is the size of a - bunch of bananas, according to my Ovia pregnancy app.

I'm looking forward to - getting into bed tonight, fingers crossed for a full nights sleep!

My favourite moment was - celebrating Tyler Lee's 3rd birthday, I still can't believe I have a three year old!

I've been feeling - exhausted, I only just want to close my eyes and sleep for the day.

I've been buying for baby - I've bought some more Emile et Rose things from Ebay - honestly it's so hard to win the Emile et Rose auctions, people keep outbidding me in the last three seconds! I also bought another vintage Peter Rabbit item, this time a babygro in 3-6 months so it'll be perfect for the autumn. I had some John Lewis vouchers that I needed to use up so I bought some items for baby, including more Emile et Rose things (my new obsession?), as well as some clothes for Tyler Lee.

I'm missing - a full nights sleep and having room to move about in my bed!

I'm craving - no cravings at all, although when I see ads on TV of people enjoying a nice, ice cold glass of wine I can't help but feel a bit sad that I can't enjoy one too!

I'm loving - getting all the baby clothes prepared. I washed some of them this week with the 'special' baby detergent and softener and put them away in a basket, ready for the little ones arrival.
          
I've been meaning to - go and get the paint for the box room, I'm still undecided as to whether to make t a nursery for the baby or a nice little room for Tyler Lee.

I can't wait for - my next hospital appointment on the 29th. It'll be good to get my results on the Von Willebrand disease and my GP wants me to bring up the issue of my gallstones and jaw with the hospital too.



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Spring Fashion For Toddler Boys ♥


One thing I love about the changing seasons is picking up new clothes for my son. Before I had him I always thought that dressing a little boy wouldn't be fun at all but it can actually be quite fun - if you shop in the right places of course. I absolutely detest anything stereo-typically boyish, so you'll never find my boy adorned with dinosaurs, matching tracksuits or football shirts, it's just not our thing.

I've already picked up some new clothes for him and now he's three I've been trying to buy things in outfit form, rather than just on their own as it's nice to have pieces that go together. One colour I'm loving on him at the moment is navy, I think it's a great colour for spring and for my boy who has a tendency to get dirty at the drop of a hat!

One look I love is the Breton stripe and this t-shirt from Zara is a great affordable option as it's only €3.95. I really like mixing up prints and I think the stripes go really well with the blue and navy star print joggers, which are also from Zara. I can never resist a star print for my son, I don't think any mother can actually from what I see on Instagram! The joggers are perfect for him for pre-school too as I hate sending him in jeans, especially when he's moving about a lot.

My son goes through shoes very quickly, his feet just never seem to stop growing! Thankfully there are some lovely and affordable kids shoes available these days that don't involve runners. I really love the navy Vans from Brantano, they look very comfy and stylish too, perfect for wearing with joggers or jeans. Brantano also have a buy one get one half price offer too which is great if you're buying for more than one child or you're like myself and like to stock up on shoes for the little ones. The navy mac is great for those rainy spring days and I really like the striped inside on the hood too, it matches the Breton stripe t-shirt. This mac is from John Lewis and my son already has a yellow one which is gorgeous and has lasted him a long time now so I think the navy one would be a great investment.

This is just one of the outfits I have my eye on for my son, I just can't get enough of navy this season and apparently stripes are going to be big too so it's right on trend.

Where do you shop for clothes and shoes for your toddler boy?


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Thursday, February 11, 2016

Cheeky Chompers Chewy Teething Toy | Review ♥

It's been quite awhile since my boy went through the teething stage (he now has a full set of pearly whites!), but he still loves chewy on things, especially his dummy, various toys he has and even his clothing, in fact, he always seems to be chewing something or other, I guess it's a comfort thing for him.

When I was asked if I'd like to receive the new teething toy from Cheeky Chompers (the brand behind the ingenious Neckerchew), a lovable teething hippo toy affectionately named Chewy, then I couldn't say no, I just knew that Tyler would love him - he has a 'thing' for hippos ever since he received his beloved hippo comforter when he was six months old.

Thankfully I was right, Tyler does love Chewy and he brings him around the house and out and about with him. Chewy joins Tyler at the breakfast table every morning, it's so sweet.

He has also become a great companion for the car ride to preschool and Tyler loves squeezing Chewy to make him squeak.

Chewy is, not surprisingly, a chewable hippo and is made from natural rubber making him perfect for soothing sore gums. He has a velcro strap attached which is a great addition as it means he can be strapped to a child's wrist, to the buggy etc. for easy access and piece of mind that he won't get lost. I love the addition of the squeak he has and Tyler thinks it's just hilarious!

It's great to see Chewy being used by an older child, Tyler is three next week, but he loves his cuddly toys and sees them as his friends so I knew Chewy would be no different. As we're expecting our new arrival in May I can imagine that Chewy will be getting even more use once the baby begins teething too (if it's big brother is happy to share his toy of course!).

I would highly recommend Chewy to parents of any teething babies or who have children who like to have a companion to carry around with them, just like my boy. At just £10.99/€15.99 I think Chewy is a great price and considerably cheaper than other teething toys I've come across before. You can purchase Chewy and browse the other fabulous teething products Cheeky Chompers have to offer on their website.

*We were sent Chewy for the purposes of this review, as always, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

 
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Wednesday, February 10, 2016

26 Week Pregnancy Update | Baby #2 ♥

Tomorrow I turn 27 weeks pregnant, eek! It won't be long until I enter the third trimester and get down to single digits in terms of weeks until baby's arrival. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, the idea of labour and birth seems so much worse now that I know what I'm in store for. I'm just hoping that I don't have a 31 hour super painful O.P. labour again and I'm really hoping for a natural birth again, the idea of a C-section terrifies me completely.

This week our house has been consumed by coughs and colds, it's been awful. I've had to keep the dehumidifier on in our bedroom all night because I couldn't breathe without it. I've also been coughing so much that I've thrown up, thankfully the cough has eased off a bit now. I've also been suffering with my jaw too, it keeps clicking out of place on the left-hand side and as I write this it's out of place and I can't get it to click back in. This has happened a few times this week and it's getting quite concerning so I'm going to have to visit my GP about it.

Due to all the coughing I haven't been feeling baby move a lot at all. This baby seems to be a lot quieter than it's brother and only moves around a little bit in the evening and around nine o' clock at night. I've begun to play music to them by resting my phone on my bump, so far it's been baby Mozart and Deftones, hopefully they'll acquire my music taste!

Lets hope that my next week of pregnancy will be a healthier one again. Tyler will be turning three on the 16th so there will be lots of celebrations and excitement in the house, yay!

This week...

Baby is the size of a - butternut squash, according to my Ovia pregnancy app.

I'm looking forward to - getting my blood test results on the 29th, it'll be good to know for sure whether or not I have Von Willebrand disease, just so I can be prepared for the birth and recovery.

My favourite moment was - getting some gorgeous Emile et Rose and boutique clothes in the post which I had bought from an Instagram friend for just £10, such a bargain and so lovely of her to offer them to me too.

I've been feeling - very sick this week. I picked up Tyler's cough and cold and it has been awful the past few days, I couldn't even breathe at some stage.

I've been buying for baby - some beautiful Emile et Rose clothes from an Instagram friend and I also picked up two pieces from the same brand on Ebay. I've also been gifted two beautiful pieces from a brand called Snoozing Mouse, who have a whole host of luxury baby gifts that arrive in the most beautiful packing. I was gifted the Little Lamb Hat & Blanket Set (£23.99), which are just adorable. Both are clean, crisp white, making them perfect for those who want to pick up some gender neutral baby things. Both also have matching grey little lamb embroidery - so sweet. Both are also made from 100% cotton making them perfect for babies sensitive skin. These are so sweet and a big thank you to Snoozing Mouse for being so kind as to send them to my new little one.

I'm missing - being able to breathe through my nose. Honestly, you don't know just how much your nose does until it's not functioning properly!

I'm craving - I haven't had any cravings this week, if I'm honest, I don't really feel like eating due to this cold and when I do everything seems to be tasteless.

I'm loving - having Tyler Lee interact with my bump. He now says hello to the baby, tells it that he's their big brother, sings Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to it and also lays his head on my bump too, it's so lovely and so endearing for me to watch. He'll be such a loving big brother.
         
I've been meaning to - sort through Tyler's baby clothes and see what can be used for the new baby. I can't wait to dig out all the little cardigans that my Nan knit him.

I can't wait for - my little boys birthday on February 16th. I'm going to have a three year old, eek!

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Monday, February 08, 2016

Expedia World On A Plate Challenge | A Taste Of Italy ♥

I was recently invited by Expedia to take part in their 'World On A Plate Challenge', where I was given the task to create a meal made from Italian cuisine and to share how this meal was inspired by the romance of Italy itself. What with Valentine's Day not being too far away and wanting to broaden my culinary skills (much to my other halves, delight I can tell you!) I was delighted to take them up on the invitation.

I immediately began thinking about my favourite Italian dishes, none of which I had ever created at home by the way, apart from my 'go-to' dinner option of spaghetti bolognase. For this challenge I wanted to broaden my culinary horizons a little and create a delicious, romantic meal, which really did embody to true romance of Italy, for my other half and I to enjoy.

We have both been on holiday to Italy before, although separately and I fondly remember my time exploring the sights of Florence, visiting the art gallery, fawning over the beautiful jewellery in the shops on the Ponte Vecchio and enjoying some delicious Italian food and the biggest gelato I've ever seen. Italy really did have such a wonderful sense of romance to it, what with the gorgeous warm weather, historical sites and the beautiful views. It really is a destination that is ideal for lovers.

Dough balls with olive oil and parma ham
I remember this starter so well from my trip to Italy and it has since remained one of my firm favourites. I had never tried parma ham before my trip to Florence but I'm so glad I discovered it, it's absolutely delicious and goes so well with the freshly baked dough balls and olive oil. It's such a simple starter but one that's great to enjoy with your other half. Nothing is more sensual than finger food, aren't I right?

These are really simple to make and don't take too long at all, they also take about six minutes to bake so are great for when you want to whip up something to eat quickly. To make the dough balls you will need -

200g of plain flour
1/2 tsp of instant dried yeast
1 tsp of salt
130ml of water

1. Combine the ingredients in a large bowl to form a sticky dough mixture.
2. Cover with cling-film and leave the dough to rise until it has doubled in size.
3. When it has risen, knead the dough on a floured surface.
4. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into slices - I cut mine into 14 pieces as I wanted some large and some smaller dough balls.

5. Shape the dough by kneading it lightly and tucking in the corners into the middle. This makes for a nice round shape on top. You can also shape the dough balls by cupping them in your hands. Remember, they don't need to look perfect, this is an Italian dish, the rustic look adds to the charm!
6. Place the dough balls onto a parchment paper covered baking tray.
7. Leave them to rest for a few minutes before baking.
8. Drizzle with a small bit of olive oil to glaze.
9. Bake at 240 degrees for six minutes.

10. Eat whilst the dough balls are warm and soft. Dip them in olive oil/garlic dip/pesto (whatever you fancy) and wrap them in the parma ham.

As this meal was prepared in the spirit of Valentine's Day I also made tagliatelle carbonara - a dish I always order when I got to an Italian restaurant. This was made using fresh tagliatelle and my favourite carbonara sauce from the supermarket (I haven't got the culinary skills to actually make the sauce myself at the moment!). I topped this with lots of Parmesan and it was absolutely delicious, a perfect main for a romantic meal.

To accompany the main I prepared some bruschetta using Italian-style seeded bread, which I cut into halves and topped with pesto, sundried tomatoes and Parmesan. I grilled these and they were a perfect addition to the main, my other half loved his bruschetta and once again this was so simple to prepare.

For dessert we had real Italian gelato in lemon flavour, I thought these would be a good alternative to the limoncello which we'd usually enjoy at the end of an Italian meal but which I obviously can't have at the moment as I'm pregnant. I also got Jacek some Italian chocolate biscotti to enjoy with his after dinner coffee.


We had a delicious, romantic meal inspired by the romance that Italy has to offer and we both really enjoyed it. The only thing that could have made it better would have been sitting on a veranda near the Mediterranean, sipping on a nice cool glass of Italian wine, soaking up the pleasant Italian heat and enjoying some beautiful and romantic views... hopefully we'll experience that one day soon.

*This is a collaborative post on behalf of Expedia.

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