Wednesday 30 September 2015

Seasonal Chic: Baby on a Budget...

I am one of those Mums that can't resist a cute, themed piece of baby clothing.

Seeing all the baby outfits for Halloween and Christmas has me in Mummy lust. I have to stop myself buying clothing my son can only wear once or twice, as it is seasonal.

As much as I want the bespoke knitted pumpkin outfit for Halloween (with an adorable matching hat for around £20-£30 off Etsy or Notonthehighstreet.com) I am also a realist... One with a budget too.

But I have come up with a solution that can accommodate my crazy desire to see my son in cute themed outfits over the next few months but is kinder on my wallet: charity shops.

I always have a peek in charity shops, being a bargain hunter at heart, and have discovered that many currently have a great selections of Halloween and Christmas themed baby/kids clothing.

The only downside on this is that you have to filter through them to find suitable sized clothing you like but it has produced a few lovely items for my son.

The other day I found this lovely knitted/jumper style all in one for Archie, for Christmas. For £2.00 and with the original labels still on (so I assume unworn) it is a bargain. As I said, it satisfies my need for cute festive outfits but is a bargain.


I also found this lovely Superman themed onesie for £2.00. Again original labels still on. It is perfect for those colder days as it is fleecey inside.


I haven't managed to find something for Halloween yet, despite the abundance of choice in charity shops. But Archie was given this adorable bib for Halloween, which I believe was £1 from B&M.

What do you mean I am too young for trick or treating?
I highly recommend charity shops for anyone looking for cute outfits over the next few months. Happy bargain hunting!

Mama's Chicken Pie


With the nights getting longer and the days getting cooler I am starting to crave those warming, filling British foods that are best enjoyed during autumn & winter.

The salad days of summer are gone, with a lonely lettuce wilting in my fridge... And instead I feel a craving for a family favourite: my Mums chicken pie recipe! This recipe is sacred to me.

It is quick to make, easy to prepare and is also a great crowd pleaser. I also suspect that my Husband married me purely based on this pie/recipe. He loves it and it is his favourite meal... So ladies, I am giving you the recipe that may get your man to finally propose. Use this recipe wisely ;)

Anyway here it is, super yummy, super simple!

Sorry the recipe and quantities are vague. It isn't written down anywhere I just go off memory. The good thing is that it is a really flexible recipe...

Ingredients:
Puff pastry (yes, I use the pre-made, pre-rolled stuff)
3 chicken breasts
1.5 cups of double cream
1 cup of chicken stock
1 leek
Handful of mushrooms (add as many or as few as you want, load up the dish if you fancy it)
1 cup of cheddar cheese (grated)
Knob of butter

Method:
Firstly cut the chicken into cubes and fry off until thoroughly cooked. Add into the frying pan the leek and mushrooms, cut up, with knob of butter. Cook until leeks have wilted a bit.

Place the chicken, mushrooms and leek into a pie dish. Then pour over the cream and chicken stock. Add in the grated cheese and mix in the dish.

Place the puff pastry over the top and place in the oven for 30 minutes at 200C.

Tuesday 29 September 2015

Best coffee in S11

I read a blog post today that says how parenting doesn't get easier... 10 years down the line and this Mum is honestly writing about how it isn't easier. Sob

I appreciate the honesty, but as a Mum of only a 4 month old I sometimes want the sugar coated version. Isn't the next ten years just all about beautiful milestones, family vacations and memories? No?! It seems not.

Don't get me wrong, I understand that it isn't always easy but it seems like it doesn't get easier than what I am experiencing right now. And currently I am clinging to a coffee for dear life after my baby had a fussy day followed by a restless night...

Well, I did want a baby so I best pull up my socks and prepare for the bumpy ride! Luckily I have found a local haunt that serves up a brilliant coffee, and something tells me that coffee and I will be intimately acquainted over the next 18 years (until the day my son goes off to University leaving me a sobbing wreck).

The Seven Hills bakery, I have discovered, makes a pretty amazing coffee. Just a few moments from my home it is perfectly situated to accommodate my parenting induced coffee addiction.

It feels really relaxed, so I can pop in with my hair wet from the shower and no make up on, and just sit enjoying a peaceful coffee while Archie sleeps off his restless night (lucky him).

I love the big windows looking out onto the street, you can do some great people watching. The tables are big and communal, and the whole atmosphere is really one of blissfully watching the world pass you by, and I really needed that this morning. To step out of the pace of life and just watch cars go by and cats roam the streets.

You can tell they take their coffee seriously, it comes in a cute glass with pretty swirls on top, as well as being an all around great coffee. It is strong but creamy! (I know that description sounds like a bad singles seeking advert but I am working on 3 hours sleep here).

In addition to the coffee they offer some delicious pain au chocolats. Seriously... Melt in the mouth, flaky, chocolatey goodness! I may have had a second one... Don't judge, I need the energy. :)

I shouldn't be surprised that the pastries are so good as they are a bakery after all. They also offer local and organic produce.

So anyone in S11 I strongly recommend popping to Seven Hills Bakery for coffee, baked goods and groceries. But especially for the coffee!

They are based on Sharrowvale Road: 232 Sharrow Vale Road open 9am-5:30pm Mon-Sat.

Government for Parents!


As usual the news is all about politics. It got me thinking, if I ran for government what would I change?

I know, if I became Prime Minister it would probably signal the beginning of the end for humanity, but indulge me.

Anyway, I think I would stand for parents, Mums especially, if I ran for government.

What would I change I hear you ask? (Well you probably aren't asking that, but bare with me...)

Well I made up my Mama Lucy Legislation for my Mum-overnment! (Bare in mind this is a bit tongue in cheek)...

Fines and prison sentences for people that give funny looks or tut over breastfeeding Mums in public.
I may not have been lucky enough to successfully breastfed but if I had then I think the threat of funny looks over breastfeeding in public would have made me anxious. Even though breast is best is so heavily pushed by the Government it isn't backed up with normalising breastfeeding in public! So I think anyone who tuts or discourages public breastfeeding in anyway should get a fine and one night in prison. Yes breastfeeding jail would happen under my rule... and all they would get given for food would be bread.... and milk! ;)

Free coffee for new parents.
Government funded coffee from Starbucks for all new parents. We are nurturing tomorrow's leaders, doctors and teachers... We deserve coffee to make it through the sleepless nights.

Midnight feed hotline.
We parents need support through those sleepless nights. We need a service that connects us to other parents during the wee hours of the morning. We could do with someone to moan to who understands the utter exhaustion and can be sympathetic. I needed someone to say "dont kill your snoring Husband as he blissfully sleeps through another night time feed, because one day you will like him again... maybe not now, but one day, when your baby sleeps through the night..."

1 day of free nursery care, per month, for the first 3 months.
The first 3 months of parenting I only got one thing done well: keeping my baby alive and well. And that is pretty great, but the washing, cleaning and my hair barely got done. I would give all parents one free day of nursery each month for the first 3 months. So that parents can get the essentials done. Hell, use the day to sleep because we all know you won't be getting much of that.

Free washing powder for parents with weaning babies.
By the time weaning comes along you probably don't have one item of clothing without a baby related, permanent, stain on it. But when you wean, nothing stays unstained/clean. Between weaning nappies (just don't ask if you aren't there yet) and baby food stains then you won't have one thing in your whole house without a stain on it. I would give all parents free washing powder for the first month of weaning... And just generally wish you luck.

Free back massage 3 months after giving birth.
By the time you have hit three months post partum you have a healthy sized baby, not a teeny tiny new born as light as air. Nope, if you are like me, you have a heavy baby boy that wiggles constantly. Picking him up is like lifting weights all day. It is killing my back! I am sure I am not the only one, so under Mama Lucy legislation all Mums get a free 1 hour massage three months after giving birth. Preferably by a sexy hunk called Sven...

Special on call doctor helpline for neurotic new mums.
I cant count the number of times I could have done with a hotline about one silly concern or another during the first 3 months... I think having a medical hotline specifically for new Mums may actually free up a lot more Doctor appointments.
Source: fowllanguagecomics.com
Free cooked meals delivered to your door for a week after giving birth... oh and maid service.
I think that anyone that goes through labour and then has to get used to looking after a new baby deserve some help. So under my rule all new parents get a weeks worth of maid service and prepared food for free! I might even get Jamie Oliver preparing the meals.

Fines for people who ring doorbells on sleeping babies.
Finally got that baby to sleep and some family member comes over wanting a hug... they ring the doorbell and the baby is awake again. Screaming. Well I say report them and they get fined for such evil acts against parents!

The genius behind my plans are that the costs of these services are paid for by the fines I introduce and I plan to tax cakes... Yes, this may sound crazy. Why would I tax cakes?
Well as a Mum I eat a lot of cake. Like. A. Lot... So I would be happy to pay a bit more on cake in order to get all the perks above...
Anyone with me? Should I run for government?

Friday 25 September 2015

A true tale of parenting...


Today was a day that started off well, just like every other day... September sun created a lovely feel to what promised to be a lazy mummy/baby day. Little did I know that my charming little bundle of love may reduce me to tears of laughter in the baby changing room at my Doctors!

I have been dealing with teething nappies lately. Generally gross and a bit explosive! But today I was subjected to the mother of all uncontrollable, explosive nappies! Just as I was about to be called in by the Health Visitor for Archie's monthly weigh in.

I heard what can only be described as a worryingly massive fart come from Archie's nappy while sitting in the waiting room and it put the fear of God in me. I knew... Just knew, that this was not gonna be pretty!

So I explained to the Reception, who promptly gave me a dirty look before going into the baby changing room... to discover my fate.

Yes, my son had created a poonarmy for me. Everywhere doesn't even begin to cover it. I promptly had to strip him out of his soiled clothes (and quickly as I could hear the Health Visitor calling me in)...

But in my haste Archie managed to pull the nappy bag (containing the dirty nappy) onto his head... Ekkk! You know it is a bad mummy day when your baby gets poo in his hair! I promptly cleaned it off while a naked baby wriggled around the changing mat like it was a game...

After I cleaned up one mess he had managed to roll onto his stomach before promptly peeing on the changing mat.

He managed to create a little pee puddle that he was splashing around in... Oh the shame! Not my proudest parenting moment!

I was reduced to tears of laughter because you just can't make up this stuff (and frankly it is better to laugh than cry over the situation)! I had to attempt to wash him in the hand sink in the end. Naturally I couldn't use the hot tap in case it scolded him, so Archie screamed away as I tried to wash him in cold water... I think the people in the waiting room thought I was torturing him.

I just had to share this... Because this is the reality of parenting!

Sunday 20 September 2015

Autumn Update...

The start of September and the start of Autumn has bought a lot of changes and trials as a Mama... firstly I have returned to work which has been fun but also difficult as we try to settle into a new routine, and adjust. I am enjoying the challenge of work again but I have started feeling a little upset when I leave Archie at nursery.

I didnt get upset the first week when I took him to nursery, I think I was really focused on settling back into work. But now I am settled into work again I have had a few moments of "Mummy sadness" after I have dropped him at nursery. Between dropping him off at nursery and starting work I do miss him, before I get too busy at work to miss him.

In addition to the above I have also had a bout of food poisoning and a bad back to contend with.

The past week has been a bit of a bad one for me ol' body... Carrying around a heavy baby has started taking its toll on my back. This doesn't surprise me with all the baby stuff we Mums have to carry... Carrying the pram base, car seat, baby and changing bag in one go happens an awful lot.

Then there was a nasty bout of food poisoning my husband and I got last week. I only feel like a human again today. Nothing tests your resilience as a parent than being horribly ill while dealing with a teething baby. We had three days that was just about surviving. I don't think any of us changed out of our PJs or had a bath for 3 days! We didn't open the curtains for fear we may scare the neighbours, we both looked that terrible!

Between that and trying to get the hang of working with a baby it has meant I haven't blogged as much as I like to.

But with all the new challenges to overcome there has been great new developments, especially when it comes to Archie!

He is now as long as his carry cot for his pram... He was getting a bit squished in it so he has been promoted to the pushchair part of his Cosatto Giggle 2 travel system. I just can't believe how quickly he is growing! The great thing about the pushchair part of the pram is that it has different settings; so he can lay flat on his back or sit more upright.

Having the ability to sit him upright a bit more means he can see a lot more, and he seems to be enjoying his walks in the park a lot more.

Generally he has become so much more interactive with the world, and his toys. He has started showing a preference for certain toys and teddies... he has a real passion for biting teddies. Even his nursery key worker noted it on his nursery "report card"... Yes, Archie is a baby Hannibal to teddies... So proud :/

Important meeting with his advisers!
Plus Archie and I are loving Autumn! Our walks in the park are so lovely now that it is a bit cooler! We can wrap up warm...

Though Archie's coat may be a bit to big for him still...

I can whip out my Hunter wellies... *sigh of autumn contentedness*

 
And we can generally enjoy the lovely, relaxing walks in the local parks!

I am really enjoying Archie at this stage of his development and really enjoying being a Mum during this time of year. I am also really excited about the coming months!


I am now off to continue enjoying a lovely relaxing Sunday... after a nice long walk in the park this morning we enjoyed a coffee and cake before returning home... we have the fireplace on and a roast in the oven! A pretty perfect autumnal Sunday!

Monday 14 September 2015

Preparing for Nursery...

My little boy has officially started nursery now and it has been a strange experience.

The reality hasn't really met with my expectations, especially emotionally.

A part of me expected to be really emotional about the whole thing, and I did have a few "moments" where I felt a bit anxious but overall it has been absolutely fine... and not the tear inducing event I had foreseen.

Part of me wonders if I am just a strange Mum that isn't feeling the "right" emotional response.

However, I am hoping that the real reason I haven't been a sobbing wreck each time I drop my baby off at nursery is because I prepared myself emotional and mentally.

I have taken the point of view that nursery will be a positive experience for my baby. He doesn't currently have any siblings, and after 35 hours in labour and a C section I am not in any real rush to repeat childbirth just yet... so I think that nursery will teach him important skills like sharing until, maybe, a sibling does come along.

It will also teach him valuable life and social skills from a young age.

He also seems to love nursery too, he hasn't really had any bad days where they have struggled with him being upset. He seems to be quite popular and gets lots of cuddles. In fact he doesn't even seem upset when I leave... he kind of has an expression that says "well bye, what you waiting for? You can leave now..." when I am waving goodbye for the day... dragging out the goodbye.

As well as preparing myself emotionally, with positive thoughts about why it is good for him, I have had to do all the practical preparation... babies seem to need an entirely separate wardrobe for nursery.

Here is a list of what he needs (in case anyone is wondering what a tiny person requires for nursery):
  • Coat
  • Hat for Sunny Days
  • Hat for Cold Days
  • Jumpers
  • Bibs & Muslin Squares
  • Spare Clothing
  • Shoes (yes, he may only be 4 months old but he needs shoes for outdoor play apparently?!)
  • Suncream for Sunny Days
  • Comforters (dummies, blanket etc)
  • Bottles
  • Formula
And of course everything has to be labelled, I have been glued to my sewing machine, sewing in name labels to any baby clothes I come across.

I also have to change the spare clothes, coat, hats and shoes as he grows out of them... told you, an entirely separate wardrobe for nursery. It is a good job I have a coat addiction and he already has too many because he is going to need them!

So that is my emotional and practical preparation for nursery. I can appreciate how stressful sending your child to nursery can be, but if you think about all the good it will do them then hopefully it will be a bit easier.

Also, I would advise looking at a few nurseries, do your research and pick the one you feel happy with. Being happy with who is looking after your baby makes a big difference. We picked one that was really on the ball when we visited and the whole nursery has a great atmosphere.

In addition to this, always remember that a good nursery will follow your routine and instructions on looking after your little one.

On a side note I am really looking forward to my first bit of "baby art" from nursery, made by the chubby hands of my little one!

Wednesday 9 September 2015

7 little white lies I tell (as a parent)...

I don't know about other parents but I sometimes feel that I am keeping things together by a very thin thread.

Those day to day activities that I did without even thinking before I had my baby have now turned into massive tasks, that I feel require planning on an military level in order to achieve them to a decent level.

In addition to this I was never great, before having a baby, at keeping on top of day to day things (like the washing pile) but I have now become pretty useless.

Cleaning and washing has been happening on a "need" basis:

Has everyone got clean pants for tomorrow? Nope... Well best do some washing before I go to bed...

Have I got a clean cup for a cuppa? Nope... best clean a cup then...

With this in mind there are a few white lies I tell people, to make myself feel better about this...

1. Sorry the house is a mess, I haven't had a chance to clean this morning.
Hahaha... clean today? I wont clean today! My teething baby wont let me put him down and I have no intention of using the small amount of time he naps to clean. I am going to have a cuppa and mindlessly watch daytime TV! This mess has accumulated over 3 days and will probably be here another 3... but for the purposes of this white lie I clean regularly, and this mess is merely the product of this morning.

2. The washing pile isn't usually that big, our wash day is tomorrow.
Wash day? Yeah right. I will clean what I need when I need it. If you are lucky! The pile trying to give Mount Everest a run for its money will be there next week.

3. Oh you caught me at a bad time I was just about to do my hair.
I had no intention of doing my hair at all today. Up in a pony tail it goes, and that is just to avoid scaring the baby with my frizzy mop trying to do a Medusa impression.

4. Sorry I don't have any biscuits to offer you with your tea, I haven't had a chance do a food shop this week.
Lies, all lies!!! I did the food shop yesterday but ate all the cookies in 1 day as it was the only thing that got me through the day with a teething baby. I NEEDED the sugar for energy!

5. He is teething...
I don't know if anyone else has similar days, when your baby is just fussy. It could be teething, but you don't really know... It probably isn't, it is just a blue moon and your baby is grumpy (hey even adults have bad days)... but to make myself feel less like a failure I just blame teething. 

6. The body suit couldn't be saved.
Yes, one of THOSE explosive nappies has happened. It is everywhere. You don't even know how it got into some places on your child... It is covering his onesie/bodysuit/clothes... Well there have been times when I just say I cant save the clothing and (carefully) just cut the clothing off him. Rather than wash it and try and get the poo covered clothing over his head... Now if I am honest I probably could carefully remove the clothing and wash it. But, sod it, I can not be bothered to have that level of commitment to a piece of clothing he will grow out of in a week.

7. I put Frozen on for the baby... He likes the bright colours and music.
Again, just lies. I love Disney films and put them on for me. Now I am a Mum I just have a good excuse to put them on. For instance, Archie is currently asleep and Frozen is playing while I type this... but it is on for him of course. :)

I will miss those midnight feeds?!?!


I know I have mentioned being tired a few times, what Mum doesn't mention it every now and then. The midnight feeds have really been getting to me.

However I realised something last night. I will miss them! (I know, I think I may have lost the plot, but bare with me).

I can already tell that my son is growing quickly. My tiny newborn who was unable to do anything is now a thriving three, almost four, month old. He can roll over, hold up is own head, giggle and smile, can see better and is starting to grab things.

It is likely that at some point in the next three months that he will start sleeping through the night.

And I will lose those these precious moments of comforting and his sweet smiles. He often wakes up fussing but the moment I go to him he gives me the biggest smile! How can I not love that? It feels like those cheeky midnight smiles and giggles are our little secret.

I find it really funny, even at 3am in the morning, when he is smiling behind the teat of his bottle. Big eyes beaming full of mischief.

So while I complain about these midnight feeds, that seem to take forever, I also secretly cherish these moments.

Either that or sleepless night have caused me to slowly go insane...

Saturday 5 September 2015

Deliveroo: Good food straight to your door!

Have you ever had a day where you want something good to eat, but you don't want to cook and you don't want the typical take away? But going out seems like a big task. Especially if you are a parent!

As a new parent date nights are few and far between. Venturing out for a meal seems like an indulgent fantasy sometimes!

But after a day where a teething baby has terrorised me relentlessly sometimes I can't face cooking and a salad just isn't going to cut it. But I know that going out to eat, with a 3 month old baby, requires a level of preparation and dedication that I don't have the energy for.

Well, I may have received the answer to my prayers in the form of a flyer through my door.

A flyer from a company called Deliveroo!

This company delivers food from restaurants throughout Sheffield. (They also do this in other locations too including Manchester, London, Brighton and more. For details visit their website here). As I live in Sheffield I am going to focus on the Sheffield based restaurants they deliver from.

Deliveroo proves that not all "takeaways" are created equally, especially when they are offering delivery from restaurants such as the Wig & Pen, Milestone, Craft & Dough, Smoke and more!

I convinced my Hubby, after one pretty tiring day, that we should try out Deliveroo... for research purposes of course! We ordered burgers and a sharing platter from The Common Room.

The food was with us within 30 minutes, the delivery guy was professional and nice and the food was d.e.licious!

I was really impressed with the idea, service and generally the idea of what Deliveroo is offering. This autumn and winter I can eat delicious, restaurant quality food while watching Strictly Come Dancing in my onesie!

And with that in mind I had to share it on here, because there may be other parents out there that need this like I do. :)

This is not a sponsored post, image from http://techview.me/

Tuesday 1 September 2015

My hardest day so far (as a parent)...

Today has been a pretty hard day so far. It is my last day of maternity leave before I return to work tomorrow. I am only going back to work part time so I didn't expect to be so emotional about it. I am generally a pretty practical person.

When my son has his injections I don't get upset, because I know they may save his life.

When he had his introduction sessions at nursery I didn't cry, because I believe the social environment and many toys would be great for his development.

But today I have been teary. I know that nursery will be good for my baby and that returning to work will be fun and provide more financial stability... But part of me is really going to miss this special time, which has been just me and my son.

The time I have had on maternity leave hasn't been all amazing, it hasn't been full with excitement every day... There are days when I haven't really changed out of my PJs, days where Archie hasn't stopped crying, days when I have been exhausted.

What has made this time special is my son. Today has really made me realise that your children are only little once and how important it is to cherish the time with them. At the risk of sounding completely emotional (and making the post way to soppy) he really is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I could happily spend every day with him (no matter how uneventful).... Until he turns 14, because I have heard that 14 is the age that all children become horrible.

It also feels like the end of an era, yes I know I sound way too over the top. But I can't help it. This signifies the end of a time with my son that will never be repeated. When we have children in the future, and I have time off, I will be pregnant or have another baby to look after. So it won't be the same. This is truly a period of time that won't happen again and it does make me sad thinking that one precious stage of his life is already finished.

But I also have to remember that with this stage finishing that other exciting moments and stages are coming up. While I am an emotional wreck over it being the end of my maternity leave I can also appreciate that it is an exciting start to something else.

It feels like we are really starting family life now I am going back to work. Getting into that routine of balancing work and family, and while that is daunting (as I have no semblance of a routine at present) it is also pretty exciting to contemplate. I loved my childhood in many ways. All because of family life, the things that stick out to me are Sunday roasts, time with my siblings after school, school days and lazy weekends. All just time with my family, nothing really special but unique and memorable for their routine. Sometimes the things that we love are the simple things.

No memory makes me happier than thinking of those reliable Sunday roasts, watching Time Team as a family and wishing Monday (and school) wouldn't come around too quickly.

I feel like this is the stage we, my little family, are now entering... And I am really looking forward to every moment.

In the meantime, today I plan on doing nothing except cuddling my little boy, watching him sleep, maybe crying a little and generally soaking up every last moment of my maternity leave (and one on one time with my baby).

Mummy Haul

I love doing "haul" posts, I think it is a lot of fun to share the things I have recently bought and am loving.

I have now done a few baby hauls but I now fancy doing one for myself. I have had to buy a few things for myself lately, just for practical reasons.

The first 2 things I wanted to share are my new jeans. Unfortunately I am not one of the lucky few whose post pregnancy tummy shrank back down immediately after giving birth. I am getting there but slowly... My old jeans fit but come with a muffin top that make me look like a home baked loaf of bread, and sadly my maternity jeans (which I have been wearing a lot) have now got a hole in them.

Salted Wash Skinny Jeans

So I had a nosey on the online Next clearance section and found a couple of jeans I purchased. They are still maternity jeans but instead of the large over the bump panel they have a smaller panel or adjustable side panels (like the shorts I got for my holiday, link to my blog about them is here).

I got some light blue jeans with the adjustable side panel in the "pocket area". I love these because I can make them tighter as I lose the pregnancy weight. I am 5 foot 3 inches so bought them in the short size. When I tried them on I did think I could have gotten away with the regular length size but I really like that they aren't really long skinny jeans. They remind me a bit of Capri pants, but not that short. These are going to be perfect for wearing with boots in autumn and winter. They are also very comfortable. They are only £12 on the Next website too.

Blue/Black Narrow Band Boot Cut Jeans


Link to the Next website here. Pictures are from the Next website.

In addition to these jeans I also treated myself to another pair. These are in regular size and were a perfect fit, length wise. Again they feel so comfortable and they are going to be great for wearing over boots.

The design says boot cut but they do flare ever so slightly. The band across the belly means it is stretchy but it is quite tight. So I will be able to use them even when my tummy goes back to pre-pregnancy size (fingers crossed!). They are only £14 as well.

I highly recommend the Next jeans for maternity wear. These designs would be great for the earlier stages of pregnancy. I find the in later stages, when your tummy is bigger that the large over the tummy band is better. But the great thing about getting these, if you get them while pregnant, is that they will also be handy for after pregnancy while you get your tummy/figure back. Or, like me, they are just great for post pregnancy.

Sorry they are only website pictures, but I have neither the legs or tummy to be modelling them and do them justice. :)

I also had to buy myself some black, flat shoes as I go back to work this week. :(
I am going to miss being on maternity leave so much but I am lucky that I am only going back to work part time and will still get lots of cuddle time with my little boy!

Black, flat shoes may be a pretty boring purchase but I have to share these as they are a great buy/tip. I always, always buy black Crocs for work. My job involves standing and walking around for 8 hours a day so comfortable shoes are an absolute must. My shoes must be smart though, so I buy the Crocs shoes that look like work shoes.. Like these which I recently bought...

Me modelling the shoes... Future foot model? Maybe not...
They are the Women’s Adrina III Flat. They are currently £19 on the Cloggs website.

They do have a pattern on them which is cut out but when I wear these with tights they aren't noticeable and look smart. What makes me love using Crocs for my work shoes is that they are so comfortable. As they are made of that "jelly style" material they mold to your feet instantly so I never get any blisters from wearing them in. They feel very supportive and are washable. They also last for ages. I have a pair of black, flat Crocs that I have had for years and they are still going strong.
Now on an indulgent level, I have started selling Avon and decided to buy some of their products for myself. It was nice to treat myself to some beauty products after 3 months! I bought some items because they are good products and well priced, but I also feel that if I sell the products then I should have tried them myself and be happy to recommend them.

My first order is yet to arrive but I really wanted to share it on the blog as I am really excited about what I have ordered.

Firstly I got some Argan Oil Shampoo, Conditioner and Leave in Treatment. Argan Oil seems to be really popular at the moment so I thought I would give it a try, and my hair is always in need of a good nourishing hair care set!

When I looked up the benefits of Argan Oil I discovered it is meant to be very moisturising, so great for skin and hair. It is also good for a styling agent (it helps reduce frizz... which I definitely need with the damp days of autumn approaching!).

In addition to this I also bought a few nail products. Including 2 new nail varnishes. Their Desire and Tender colours from their Nailwear Pro+ collection. These are 2 of the 3 new colours they are currently promoting which are only £3.00. I love these colours because they are really autumnal and will be great to wear with so many things!

The Avon website also showed this great way of using them...








I definitely want to try something similar with the colours! The full details and tutorial is here.

I also treated myself to some press on nails, for the days I am feeling too lazy to paint my nails but still want to make some effort. I bought the pink set and the floral set on the pictures below. They are currently only £5!


I really liked the smell of their new fragrance Attraction as well. It also comes with a free gift this month. For only £15. I am a sucker for a free gift so bought the fragrance and free gift. I really like that in the brochures they have a lot of rub and smell tabs so you can smell them before you buy!


And speaking of free gifts I am going to buy the new mascara they have out in the current brochure. It is waterproof and is only £8.50 and comes with 4 free items: 2 eyeliners, 1 brow brush and a eyeshadow pen. Told you... a sucker for a free gift! :)


All Avon product pictures are from their brochure/website. If you want to view the current brochure you can do here: http://www.avon.uk.com/PRSuite/custonlineOrderEBrochure.page?acNo=Mzc2NDUwMzE=&source=RFlNQ1VSTA==&custRepOrdr=1

I hope you enjoyed the blog post. Have a lovely day! :)