Thursday 31 July 2014

Family Photo Friday #30 - 01/08/2014 / L is for...

I've been really quiet and I make no apology. It's the summer holidays, D is off, and it's been a really busy couple of weeks. His best mate got married, one of my best mates got married, another best friend had her beautiful baby and I had the joy of photographing her two hours new, I went back to work for the end of term and I've started a new business. It's been hectic. Good hectic, but my time for blogging is the scrapings of the jar at the moment. Huge apologies for not having commented, retweeted, popped over etc. Next week I have a date with my iPad and a bottle of wine to get up to speed.

So this photo is my Family Photo Friday picture. It's also my #alphabetphoto picture for L.


L is for loves. My favourite three.


  • Share a family photo from your week just gone. It needn't be a Family Photo Friday specific post, I don't mind you recycling! You can join in weekly, monthly or just whenever you can. It can be a formal portrait or a snap from your phone, something you posed for or something you caught when no one was looking. It could be from a day out, a gathering, an activity at home, it doesn't matter so long as it gives a snap shot of what your family looked like during the week that's just been. 
  • Give us a brief explanation of your photo. 
  • I'd love it if you could grab the badge to add at the bottom of your post and Tweet about it using #familyphotofriday - my Twitter handle is @oneformybaby12. 
  • Pop over to visit at least two other bloggers and see what they've been doing - maybe you can watch their family grow and change too! 
  • Leave a comment if you can. 
  • I promise to visit as many of you as I can and I'll pick my favourite photo to share next Friday. 

    Happy photo-taking and memory-making!


    Family Photo Friday @ Thursday's Child, Friday's Thoughts

    Real Mums of All-Bran Challenge

    Three lesser-known facts about me:

    • I am a notoriously awful breakfast skipper.
    • I could happily eat chocolate as a breakfast substitute on the odd occasion, however.
    • I don't believe in brand campaigns because I never think they'll work.
    So, I'll eat my hat after I write this post.

    Here's a secret:

    Since I ate dodgy fish and chips 8 weeks pregnant with Effy while watching the Cowes Week fireworks, I have never had a happy gut. I spent both pregnancies either constipated or positively upset, and especially since having Lowen I've felt bloated, and somewhat irregular... Just not "right".

    And this is why I was so keen to try the 5 day challenge, care of Real Mums of All Bran.


    Here's the thing. I really felt better as a result of eating a bowl of All Bran for five days. I HATE to admit it, remember point three above? 

    Suddenly my gut felt happier, less bloated, more comfortable, more regular and definitely more "right". And just when I was wondering if it were mind over matter, when I had finished every scrap of the joy I'd been sent, within a couple of days my innards were back to their usual tricks. Cue a trip to the supermarket and a more conscious effort to eat bran. Happy guts.

    There's more to this than a happy gut though.


    First off, when I think of All Bran, I think of my granny eating it and recall it tasting of flip flop or something equally unsavoury... Well, Bran has come along way in 25 years because all three flavours (Golden Crunch, Red Berry Crunch and Chocolate Wheats) we were sent to try were delicious. D and Effy loved them all too. There's no points for guessing which flavour disappeared fastest, however...


    The Chocolate Wheats were a huge hit. Now, I know I said I could happily eat chocolate for breakfast, and this would fill that box. I'd consider it to be a weekend cereal. A healthier treat to start your Saturday. The Red Berry Crunch went down well and what I really liked about it as that you could really taste the berries coming through, and there was a generous quantity in every serving. The Golden Crunch was a definite week day cereal, but enjoyable despite it's slightly more "ordinary" demeanour. 


    Needless to say, the other pro from this challenge is that I ate breakfast with Effy. Recently she's tended to mess around in the company of non-eaters at the table, so it's been easier to potter and leave her to it, but enjoying cereal with her on her non nursery days (she has breakfast with her pals at nursery) has made for a lovely start to our mornings once Lowen is back in bed for her first nap of the day.

    And unlike other cereals, I didn't feel like I wanted a snack three minutes after breakfast. Just slipping that one in there.


    So, I learned a lot doing this challenge, but most importantly I've realised how key my gut is to my mood... A happy gut makes getting on with day to day stuff easier, and I am really trying hard to not be a breakfast skipper any more but eating bran-based cereal daily. I really do feel All-Bran New! I've also learned that bran doesn't taste of old shoe. Hurrah! 










    Friday 25 July 2014

    Family Photo Friday #28 & #29 - 18/07/2014 & 25/07/2014

    Sorry that #familyphotofriday never materialised last week. Someone (!) forgot the schedule the post and then got wrapped up in getting ready for a wedding that D was best man at... Then I went back to work! Thanks for those who asked after me and wished me well.

    Here's a double whammy of #familyphotofriday fun! Feel free to link up your posts from last week and this week...




    Usual rules apply!



  • Share a family photo from your week just gone. It needn't be a Family Photo Friday specific post, I don't mind you recycling! You can join in weekly, monthly or just whenever you can. It can be a formal portrait or a snap from your phone, something you posed for or something you caught when no one was looking. It could be from a day out, a gathering, an activity at home, it doesn't matter so long as it gives a snap shot of what your family looked like during the week that's just been. 
  • Give us a brief explanation of your photo. 
  • I'd love it if you could grab the badge to add at the bottom of your post and Tweet about it using #familyphotofriday - my Twitter handle is @oneformybaby12. 
  • Pop over to visit at least two other bloggers and see what they've been doing - maybe you can watch their family grow and change too! 
  • Leave a comment if you can. 
  • I promise to visit as many of you as I can and I'll pick my favourite photo to share next Friday.

    Happy photo-taking and memory-making!



    Family Photo Friday @ Thursday's Child, Friday's Thoughts

    Wednesday 23 July 2014

    K is for...


    Keen.

    I watched this bumble bee for ages as he went about his business!

    Not going to lie, K was a real struggle!

    Linking up with the #alphabetphoto linky.

    Friday 18 July 2014

    Word of the Week

    A whole range of emotions this week...

    The end of maternity leave. Going back to work. New chapters in our lives. Exciting opportunities. Settling in at nursery. Reflecting on what has been. 

    There's ouly one word for it!


    Wednesday 16 July 2014

    J is for...


    Jump.
    I spent several minutes scanning this enclosure with Effy, looking for the little owls who were meant to live in it.

    Owls all gone now, mummy.

    Then I looked up and this little creature took me somewhat by surprise and really did make me jump!

    Joining in with the #alphabetphoto linky.

    Friday 11 July 2014

    Family Photo Friday #27 - 11/07/2014

    Another week has flown by and I can't even tell you were it's gone. We've been quite busy and I feel like my feet haven't touched the ground! 

    My girls just get closer and closer. Now that Lowen is slightly more robust, she loves messing around with Effy. Here was a moment of quiet in the chaos after their afternoon nap earlier in the week.

    Thank you everyone who takes the time to pop over and link up - I love seeing and reading about what you've been up to!


    Usual rules apply!


  • Share a family photo from your week just gone. It needn't be a Family Photo Friday specific post, I don't mind you recycling! You can join in weekly, monthly or just whenever you can. It can be a formal portrait or a snap from your phone, something you posed for or something you caught when no one was looking. It could be from a day out, a gathering, an activity at home, it doesn't matter so long as it gives a snap shot of what your family looked like during the week that's just been. 
  • Give us a brief explanation of your photo. 
  • I'd love it if you could grab the badge to add at the bottom of your post and Tweet about it using #familyphotofriday - my Twitter handle is @oneformybaby12. 
  • Pop over to visit at least two other bloggers and see what they've been doing - maybe you can watch their family grow and change too! 
  • Leave a comment if you can. 
  • I promise to visit as many of you as I can and I'll pick my favourite photo to share next Friday.

    Happy photo-taking and memory-making!



    Family Photo Friday @ Thursday's Child, Friday's Thoughts

    Wednesday 9 July 2014

    I is for...


    Inamorata.
    My favorite photograph from a wedding I shot on Saturday.

    Linking up with the #alphabetphoto linky.

    Tuesday 8 July 2014

    4 months

    It feels like days, not a month since I last wrote about you. I know I say this every month but I'm feeling a bit speechless about where time is going. A third of a year? It doesn't make sense.


    What a month it's been! 


    We celebrated your baptism last month and you weren't fussed by a face-full of water! You were as good as gold and loved meeting more friends and family. You even slept in your car seat while it wasn't in a moving car. Incredible! (Thanks Mummy Morkus for running my camera while I was busy...)




    At 17 weeks you weighed 14lb 2 and you're very much in 3-6 month clothes. I only had two sleep suits from Effy's wardrobe ready for you though so we had to do a quick dash for some new ones! You suddenly seem incredibly long and increasingly robust, and you're starting to enjoy a bit of silliness with your sister; you don't mind if she accidentally squishes you!

    At 17 weeks and 2 days you rolled from your front to your back and today at 18 weeks and 2 days you rolled from your back to your front. I missed them both. Last week you were in your cot and when I came to get you after your nap you were starring up at me. Today I came in from hanging in the washing, and there you were, cool as a cucumber on your front. Alas!

    You have very little desire to stay still any more. You want to be sat up, stood on laps, in the jumperoo having a bounce or sat up in the pram so you can be nosey. You're more cautious of strangers now though, and you don't always smile at them because they smiled at you.

    At meal times you are fascinated by what we're doing and you would probably shove your face in my plate given half a chance. You can't sit in the bumbo to watch any more as you can flip yourself out of it. So that got all of 2 weeks use! 

    You've really found your voice and my goodness can you shout and squeal! You've also discovered your inner peace and you almost exclusively settle yourself at nap times and bedtime now.



    You're so different to Effy. You're so you. I think you 'get me' a bit more than Effy did at 4 months old... She just used to look at me like I was a loon. You love a selfie and some silly coo-ey noises. Next week you start your settling in sessions at nursery and I feel confident that you'll just breeze through them. Me on the other hand? I'll have my tissues at the ready...

    Saturday 5 July 2014

    Word of the Week

    A busy day out yesterday meant that I'm a bit late to the party.

    Effy's eczema has flared up badly this week, I'm not really sure what's triggered it. But in times like this, we up how many times a day we apply cream. 

    So, this week my word is...


    Friday 4 July 2014

    Family Photo Friday #26- 04/07/2014

    I make no apology for another gruffalo related photo, my second this week. I love this photo of Effy and I. It's SO rare that she "poses" for photos these days, even rarer that I'm in it with her!




    Usual rules...



  • Share a family photo from your week just gone. It needn't be a Family Photo Friday specific post, I don't mind you recycling! You can join in weekly, monthly or just whenever you can. It can be a formal portrait or a snap from your phone, something you posed for or something you caught when no one was looking. It could be from a day out, a gathering, an activity at home, it doesn't matter so long as it gives a snap shot of what your family looked like during the week that's just been. 
  • Give us a brief explanation of your photo. 
  • I'd love it if you could grab the badge to add at the bottom of your post and Tweet about it using #familyphotofriday - my Twitter handle is @oneformybaby12. 
  • Pop over to visit at least two other bloggers and see what they've been doing - maybe you can watch their family grow and change too! 
  • Leave a comment if you can. 
  • I promise to visit as many of you as I can and I'll pick my favourite photo to share next Friday.

    Happy photo-taking and memory-making!



    Family Photo Friday @ Thursday's Child, Friday's Thoughts

    Tuesday 1 July 2014

    H is for...


    Hijacked.
    There is such a thing as a gruffalo.

    Linking up with the #alphabetphoto linky.


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