I know, it’s been a LONG TIME since I wrote a ‘what we’ve been up to’ style post but I miss them! It’s so easy to get wrapped up in reviews, baby updates and now my blog is my full time job, my sponsored work too. After all, I started this blog to be my diary so I really need to try not to forget that. I also absolutely love looking back at all the memories too – I’ve had my blog since 2012, so I often scroll back through old posts and get lost in the memories, so why stop now! So today whilst I’m at home with just Pearl at home, I thought I’d write a post about what we’ve been up to in the last couple of weeks, which I hope will become a regular feature again. Here is our last few weeks…
A LONG THREE WEEKS
In November V went away for work so I had a long three weeks on my own looking after the girls. Two under two is hard enough, but being totally on my own was utterly exhausting. The days were long, the nights were even longer, it just felt a bit relentless – single parents I hold my hat off to you, it’s tough. Of course, being babies they also like to keep your on your toes I had all sorts of hurdles to jump over and obstacles to tackle, like Pearl’s jabs, Pearl projectile vomiting and then not feeding properly, Violet getting Hand, Foot and Mouth then screaming down the Dr’s surgery (which turned out to be a false alarm anyway) and the hardest part of the whole thing – the fact they just WOULDN’T SLEEP. Most nights I got 2-3 hours of broken sleep, max. I feel like at least when I’ve had some sleep I’m more equipped to deal with a raucous toddler or a clingy, poorly baby (or both!) but on such little sleep I really felt like it was a slog. I was just drinking coffee after coffee to keep me going and eating anything in sight to keep me going, my diet was terrible! But, we did it and I feel like if I can manage three weeks on my own and all the little situations that popped up along the way – I can pretty much do anything!
FEELING MORE ‘ME’ AGAIN
As Pearl approached three months I suddenly realised what a ‘new mum funk’ I’d got myself into. When I looked in the mirror I just felt frumpy and dowdy yet I had no time to do anything about it. I was still in my maternity clothes which would fall down when I walked, yet my old normal size clothes didn’t fit yet either! I was sick of my ‘Mum bun’ hair and postpartum hair-loss was starting to show too. Bleugh, being a new Mum is probably the most unglamorous times ever – they don’t tell you about that! So, instead of feeling low about it, I decided I had to carve out time for myself, for some pampering time, self care and to make myself feel like me again.
I got rid of all my maternity clothes and underwear, and instead bought jeans that fit, new underwear (without holes!!!) and some bright colourful jumpers – I also had my hair cut (with about 4 inches off the length and a fringe!) Lastly on Black Friday I treated myself to a Babylis Big Hair AND a Roomba robot hoover – yes, a random combination, but my logic is that I can use the time I usually would spend hoovering on my hair every day instead – genius, right?
Now, when I get ready in the morning I make sure I give myself five minutes extra to make sure I’m feeling good – I try to wear a bright jumper, a slick of lipstick or add details to my outfit like jewellery or my new Nordgreen watch plus I always add a spritz of perfume too (I got this Jo Malone one for my birthday in November and it’s gorge). You’d be amazed at how much of a difference it makes just to give yourself five minutes.
COFFEE’S AND CATCH UPS
Also, in a bid to break my new mum funk, I’ve been trying to get out the house as much as possible, coffees with friends, softplay dates and even just walks around our local village and to the park – just to get out in the fresh air and avoid the dreaded cabin fever. Violet seems to get so bored at home now so wearing her out is always the best start to the day and makes the afternoon ten times more relaxing!
I recently caught up with my lovely blogger friend Lauren and discovered a fabulous new coffee shop I had no idea about – if you are local, The Queensbury is located within Barker & Stonehouse in Hove and does the BEST coffee and waffles in town! It’s a real hidden gem as I wouldn’t think to visit a furniture shop for a coffee but it’s actually such a great meeting place as there is free parking, it’s quiet and spacious and we got to have a browse around the furniture shop too. They have an amazing array of festive sweet and savoury treats, plus their waffles are served with gelato and are absolutely delicious! As Lauren lives in Worthing and I’m on the other side of Brighton, it’s the perfect mid-point for us to meet and catch up – we’ll be back for another visit soon I’m sure!
HOME RENOVATIONS
At home things are looking quite a mess! The preparations to renovate our living room are in full swing, so currently I’m sitting in a room with the wallpaper ripped off, revealing a horrible duck-egg blue wall that looks like it’s practically about to fall off the walls (Sadly, the photo above is not our house but some home inspo I spotted at Barker and Stonehouse this week!) Luckily, we have the builders coming in next week who will skim the walls, ready to be painted. We are in debate as to whether to rip up the carpets too. They were here when we moved in so are probably not my first choice but they are great quality and the cream colour is fine too – but with a black dog and two children they just aren’t practical! I spend most evenings sponging marks off the carpet, from spaghetti bolognese to baby vomit. It’s not ideal at all so we think we might bite the bullet and rip the carpet up too. Of course, this is not great timing just before Christmas as we can’t put any of the decorations up at the moment, but it’ll be worth it in the long run. I’m sure having a tree around a toddler is a recipe for disaster anyway!
I don’t know how single parents do it! I know you’re glad to have V home!