Silent Sunday

For Silent Sunday

It's nearly CyberMummy time...

Well in 12 hours time I am hoping to have settled in, spoken to a few people and maybe even spotted a few 'familiar' faces at CyberMummy.

If you follow me on Twitter you will probably be sick of all my tweets so far and I have to say it will only get worse tomorrow :) For those of you that have no idea what I am blabbering on about, CyberMummy is a conference in London for 'mummy' (and I think some Daddy) bloggers. I am not a massive fan of the name - but why knock something that works - and for me it is simply a great opportunity to meet, in real life, some of the wonderful people I have met online in the past year.

It is exactly one year ago today that we found out that we were expecting a baby and what followed was a scary few months. I don't think I could have got through it all without the Internet and I certainly couldn't have got through the first days, weeks and months once baby E arrived.

So as I get ready to go to bed on CyberMummy-eve I am feeling a little apprehensive and nervous but mainly excited to meet some of my new friends. I'll just need to stop myself from hugging them like some kind of lunatic ;).

Maybe I'll see you there...

PS. Apologies for the lack of photo I haven't worked out how to do that on the iPad yet! I'm practising ready for tomorrow :)

PPS. Here is my meet and greet x

The Gallery: 3 Word Gallery - Four months today

...or 16 weeks depending on how you are counting :)

It has been far too long since I took part in Tara's Gallery on a Wednesday and this week I just couldn't resist due to the theme of 3 word's inspired by Simon Mayo's Radio 2 show. I used to always listen to that on my drive home from work...that certainly seems a long time ago!

Which moves me nicely on to my three words, E is four months today (or 16 weeks but that didn't sound as catchy!). The time has in one way flown and in another way, well it seems like a lifetime ago that he wasn't around. I, we, him have learnt so much in these precious few months. Here is a taster.

We started off by getting to know each other (1 day)

We have been making lots of friends, sometimes successfully (1 week)

There was a lot of crying and screaming in the first couple of months (2 weeks)

But we have received a lot of love and support in the real and virtual worlds (ongoing!)

Luckily there has been some sleeping too (6 weeks)

Along the way there has been lots of cuddles...

And lots of playing...

He loves his milk (14 weeks)

Which has led to this (14 weeks)

One thing is for sure, I certainly love my boy (15 weeks)

Happy 16 weeks! x

[ . . 30 before 30 . . ] 14. Read a book cover to cover

I really enjoy reading but only really find time for it on holiday.

Unfortunately TV and day to day stuff just gets in the way at home and I usually just end up falling asleep! Having said that I have actually read a couple of books that I can use to tick this one off my 30 before 30 list.

The first is Hypnobirthing: The Breakthrough to Safer, Easier, More Comfortable Childbirth. Not your average page turner but for me brilliant. I had heard a lot about hypnobirthing and it really appealed to me as I had had previous success with hypnotherapy for my needle/injection phobia. I believe the power of hypnotherapy is very strong. The question was would it be strong enough for childbirth. Well I would definitely recommend the book to others. There was the usual 'too hippy' for me bits and I didn't do everything it recommended but overall it made a lot of sense. Surprisingly a lot of common sense. The visualisation techniques were especially useful and knowing that the body is designed for childbirth and just to trust it. I truly believe that this and listening to MP3's got me the birth I wanted. It even includes a poem which I really should pin on the fridge for those difficult days now and in the future.

Please, Mum and Dad...
   My hands are small, I don't mean to spill my milk.
   My legs are short - please slow down so I can keep up.
   Don't slap my hands when I touch something bright and pretty. I don't understand.
   Please look at me when I talk to you. It lets me know you are really listening.
   My feelings are tender - don't nag me all day. Let me make mistakes without feeling stupid.
   Don't expect the bed I make or the picture I draw to be perfect. Just love me for trying.
   Remember, I am a child, not a small adult. Sometimes I don't understand what you're saying.
   I love you so much. Please love me just for being myself, not just for the things I can do.

The second is One Day by David Nicholls and is your more typical page turner. It received a lot of attention in the press, had great reviews and Mr B's mother actually bought it for him but I think it was a bit too girly. Perfect for me however. It's tag line is 'twenty years, two people, one day' and follows Emma and Dexter every year from 1988, the night of their graduation, right through to 2008. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me stay up for hours just to finish that next chapter. It is such a good concept for a book and by the end you really feel like you know Emma and Dexter and want to shout advice at them. I would recommend it to all especially as it is now less than £4 on Amazon! Oh, and if you need another excuse it has also been made into a film which is due to be released around August. I will definitely be watching it if only to relive the story again. I just hope they don't ruin it.

I have now started the first of Chris Evans autobiographies which is a first for me. I have never read an autobiography but I thought it was about time I tried. Let's just hope I can finish it this side of Christmas!

Do you read often? Have you any recommendations?

Silent Sunday

For Silent Sunday.

[ . . 30 before 30 . . ] 6. Wear makeup/dress up at least once a month

A selection from my 'style' board on pinterest

Following on from my last 30 before 30 post about my French manicure, this one seems to follow on quite well. I included it on my 30 before 30 list as the daily grind of life means I am normally too lazy to bother.

I don't wear makeup unless it's for a special occasion and understand that this may sound strange to most of you! Even when I do put a 'face on' it's normally just a bit of concealer and some eye shadow. I don't really know why this is but even as a teenager I didn't wear much makeup. I guess I have picked it up from my mum. The most makeup I have ever worn was for my wedding and that was because I got a professional to do it for me (I wanted to make sure the photos looked reasonable!) and even then I asked her to tone it down :)

Just to emphasise my laziness I also tend to end up wearing the same pair of jeans and favourite top for most occasions. Although you will be happy to know I normally wash them in between it is a little dull. I have been letting myself off this recently as not many of my clothes still fit after going up a dress size since having E. This would normally be a great excuse to invest in a new wardrobe but the timing isn't great whilst I'm on the remainder of my maternity/redundancy pay. To help inspire me a little (especially for when funds allow) I have started a 'style' board on pinterest. After all a girl can dream.

The good news is that since little E has been around it feels even more special to get dressed up, straighten my hair, and put perfume on. So, bizarrely this is one of the few of my 30 before 30's that has been easier and a lot more enjoyable since E's arrival! I don't know whether this is because I feel I am 'earning' this right or just that it makes a change but it is certainly easier.

We have been out for dinner a few times, to BBQ's, to a hen party, to a wedding.

This is definitely one that I want to keep up in the coming months and won't be ending when I reach the magic big three-o. In fact, it is likely to become more important the older I get.

Now, where is that anti-aging cream?? ;)

[ . . Wonderful Week . . ] Who am I?

Found via pinterest

Well, it's been a good few weeks since I posted a Wonderful Week as I have been busy living life and somehow not finding the time to blog. I am hoping this changes as when I do actually make the time I really enjoy it and am very proud of it.

I guess I am always a bit nervous about posting as I want everything to perfect. When will I learn that nothing is perfect? Maybe if I was a bit more confident I wouldn't worry so much. There are so many wonderful blogs out there and I would love to be one of them but that will never happen if I don't just get on with it. I can't keep waiting for the perfect post subject to pop up in my mind. Some posts will be great, others not so but I need to keep it up.

When I was mooching around on the Internet the other day I stumbled upon a post that I had somehow missed at the time on the lovely Little Red Buttons blog by Abby. It really rang true, entitled 'Combating blog envy' and has played on my mind ever since. It refers to another post, 'Just say NO to blog envy' on a blog that I have never come across before about that sinking feeling you get after visiting amazing blogs about seemingly amazing lives. Luckily it gives a number of tips of how to be true to yourself and your blog and ignore the stats. Tips such as 'be original', 'respect the originality of others', 'blog blindly', 'be kind' and remember that blogging isn't everything. This is all very easy to say, and read but a bit harder for me to put in to practice.

I think I need to decide what type of blogger I am. I started this blog before little E was even a sparkle in my eye. Does this not make me a mummy blogger. Do I even want to be a mummy blogger? At the end of the day I would like people to read my blog, I would like for it to be enjoyed. I would like to be able to review some lovely products and services that I think others may be interested in. I don't want to review everything and anything, only those things of relevance to my life. I don't want it to be a blog full of reviews or a blog full of memes.  But what do I want?

I do still feel true to my original strapline 'a place for me time, inspiration and aspiration' so I think this is what I need to focus on. Mum or not.

Maybe listening to those at CyberMummy will help me decide who I am in this blogging world.

How did you decide what type of blogger you are? Have you changed over time? Are you happy with your blog? Do you have any tips? I would love to know your blogging journeys x

Silent Sunday

For Silent Sunday.

[ . . 30 before 30 . . ] 18. Have a French manicure

I used to bite my nails until there was no nail left. Then I used to pick the skin around them. Needless to say my nails have never been a strong point.

However, in recent years they have improved. As I have become less stressed and anxious the picking has stopped. In fact they are now pretty good nails.

I always admire painted nails but I have never been able to do them myself. Not being a girly girl this isn't surprising. Therefore it felt like a real treat to have them painted. I have only had them done professionally once before, the night before my wedding. Not too risky I thought, loads of people have their nails done. But no, they were such a state I had to take all the polish off when I got home.

This is why I added it to my 30 before 30 list and with fingers crossed (no pun intended!) I booked an appointment to have a manicure as part of a spa day package. It has been good timing as I was able to use a voucher I got for Christmas, it has fallen just as I needed a day to myself and in time for my friends wedding on Saturday.

So what do you think? I'm pretty pleased.

But, actually the most important part of it is that I was able to spend some quality time with myself. It was heaven. I really do enjoy my own company.

I now just need to not chip them too much before Saturday!

Silent Sunday

For Silent Sunday.