Coming soon is your biggest adventure

Going for my last midwife appointment before our Baby Bonkers arrives has got me thinking about the very start of my pregnancy.

Finding out your pregnant will always come as a shock and is a scary thought. Weather you are expecting it to happen or not. The amount of emotions that were going through my head. I didn’t quiet believe it, I even went out and brought more tests to do at different times of the day, just to be double sure. We had only moved a year and half before, so for us this was definitely a surprise. But a very nice one to say the least.

For me I found out the day after my birthday, after a very busy weekend of celebrating. I should have guessed something was happening, as I didn’t have nowhere near as much energy as before, plus I was going off my food. And that morning I didn’t feel well at all. So when they say ‘ listen to your body’, do it. I didn’t listen to my body, and we got told Baby Bonkers has been cooking for 9 weeks already.

Once it had finally sunk in, the next step was telling Danny the big news. For people who know me they know that I don’t do things simple and I like to do things my way, and different.

I had seen lots of different way people had announced their pregnancy over social media, but they all seemed to be the same. A lot of what I found was boards with names, or the tests themselves. For me this was to simple I needed something more.

I sat down with my pen and paper, and started to think of different ideas in which I could use.

Who doesn’t love a scavenger hunt? This was one of my first ideas. I was going to hit hints around the house, and in each area have a letter. Once all the letters has been collected Danny would have to work out the words- I’m pregnant. However this idea soon got thrown out. As it would have taken to long, and I would have become far to impatient.

Next I thought about creating a puzzle we would have to create, and make up together. But when looking into this it would have taken far to long to arrive.

I was then going to try and attempt to be funny and order loads of nappies and wipes to the house. Then get Danny to collect them, however after a lot of thinking I don’t think he would pay much attention to what was happening, and would properly just take them and not say a word.

None of this seemed to excite me. Until I though what is something we both have, use and love.

The answer was SHOES.

I ordered a pair of baby trainers online, making sure it was a pair that both Danny and myself have. I then placed them on the rug and waited for Danny to come up and realise. At first he was a typical man and walked over them, before realising what I had done. Quickly become very excited and confused, all in one.

We decided that although we were very excited, it was best for us to wait until the 12 week mark. This was for both our family and our friends. The reason behind this being before the 12 weeks, it is often known as the danger zone. Plus we wanted to keep it our little secret for a little bit longer.

Now let’s fast forward the big moment of telling the parents. We invited them over for the day, as we usually do. I was so nervous and couldn’t find the right moment at any part of the day. This is when Danny stepped in and handed each parent the card and envelope. Inside was a card that said ‘ your going to meet someone new’. There were tears, there was cheers and there was a lot of happiness.

We have been so lucky to have the support we have. And I am very happy that I’ve been able to capture each moment and share with you on our blog.

Head over to read more about my pregnancy journey Becoming a mum. Have a look at some other helpful posts too.

And read about our new addition Baby Burr

Perfect has 7 letters and so does foooood

Looking through the cupboards and checking the used by date of the food. I realised I had plenty of flour that needed using.

I didn’t want to make a cake, that is to simple plus that all I’ve eaten lately is cake, so that was a no no for today. But I knew I needed to start getting dinner ready for when Danny gets home. So I decided to make an old favourite Toad in the Hole. This recipe is so simple to make and you only need 5 things to start creating your meal.

I have based this recipe on a portion of 4. Bonus as we have some for dinner and take the rest for lunch.

First you will need:

• mixing bowl

• electric whisk (any will do if you don’t have electric)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil (we use fry light spray- works just as well)

• 12-14 sausages

• 140 grams of plain flour

• 2 eggs

• 175ml of semi skimmed milk

Now the important part- how to cook

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Place your sausages into your desired dish and put in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Whilst your sausages are cooking you will need to add your flour to a mixing bowl, to start creating your batter. Add in 2 eggs and whisk together. Gradually add your milk into the mixture, continuing to mix well.

Once you have created a batter like texture, leave to the side until your sausages have cooked.

Once your sausages are nice and golden brown remove them from the oven allowing to cool. Once they are cool enough to touch, add you batter mixture all over and return to the oven.

Cook for a further 30 minutes. Then serve with some mash and vegetables, and tuck in.

Don’t forget to check out some other recipes

•Food| Drink

‘ We knew when we first sure you, an adventure was going to happen’

Time flies when your having fun is something you always hear. And the first year of a babies life isn’t going to any different. If anything the time will go faster and it will be gone within a blink.

The first and most fun thing we decided to do at the start of my maternity was create a list of our favourite things to do as a couple. Ensuring each thing can be done with a baby. I was then able to colour code sticks in which I put into a jar. As they were different colours this allowed us to choose different activities and outing that were free, as well as ones that would cost a little more.

We want to make sure we make the most out of our time with our little man creating memories we can all cherish for year to comes. We have both sat down and thought very hard on what to include in our ‘ First baby bucket list’.

We have narrowed our list to 10 things we are planning on getting done within the first year of our little man’s life. Some are going to be easier then others but we are up for the challenge!

1. Capture babies hand and footprints each month til 1 year

This is such a perfect way to create a memory walk of baby during his first year, and show you how far he has come within that time. I am wanting to do this on canvas that we can display in his room.

2. Visit the zoo

I may be getting older, but no one can ever tell me I am too big or old for a visit to the Zoo. Having a child is just an excuse for parents to be big kids too right?

3. New born photoshoot

Since moving into our house we love to capture everything, and I have said we would love to create a photo wall. ( which I have started). I couldn’t think of a better way to capture our precious first moments then having a professional photoshoot.

4. Visit somewhere new

We love to get out and about to explore. Weather this be a new park, forest to find, or a walk. We have decided we are going to pack up a picnic, jump into the car and drive off to find somewhere new to explore for the day. Enjoying the fresh air.

5. Plane ride

We love the thrill of getting onto a plane and travelling. However with a baby, now this could be a challenge. BUT we say let’s do it. We don’t know where we plan on visiting, but have said it will be a short haul for the first time. Just to ease us in nice and slowly, or we hope anyways.

5. Build a bear warehouse

This was a tradition for me as I was growing up was to visit the Build a Bear workshop. I still to this day have my very first bear that still has the voice of my mum and dad inside from over 20 years ago.

We want to keep this tradition going and a shopping trip we will definitely be embarking on to get done. When our little man grows up he will hopefully remember the reason behind this and always know he will have us with him too.

7. Visit the beach

All I can say to this is everyone loves to be beside the seaside. However I think this one can wait until the summer.

8. Collect sand from every beach we visit

We are lovers of the beach, weather it be in the sunshine or the rain. It doesn’t matter to us. I have seen so many things on social media of different souvenirs from people getaways. For me I want something different, this is when I thought of collecting sand/ shells from the different beaches we visit and putting them all together in a jar or ornament.

9. Memory book

I saw this and instantly fell in love with the idea. Every month we fill out our memory book of one good memory, adventure or accomplishment we completed. Weather this be pictures, or just a few words on what make it so special. At the end of the year we can then look back at all the things we achieved during the year, setting us up for the new year ahead.

10. Visit 5 different holiday destinations

We are going to be sticking with mainly UK destinations. But we have decided we are going to try and visit 5 different locations over the space of a year. Let’s see where we end up.

Adventure is the key. Grab it with both hands.

Let’s see how much we can get done this year

‘ don’t be afraid to take a whisk’

I am trying to keep myself busy whilst I am off work. Cake is a big hit in our home so I wanted to try something different rather then the usual banana cake I make, or sponge.

I decided to try carrot cake, I had never made this before and I can say myself it didn’t last very long before it all disappeared.

Let’s start with what we need:

• 350 grams of self raising flour

•325 grams of soft brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon

•250 grams grated carrots ( TIP- buy pre grated I didn’t and had to stand and grate by hand)

•75 grams of chopped walnuts

•3 medium eggs

•4 tablespoons of milk

• splash of olive oil

• bowls for mixing x2 •tin for your cake •scales

Let’s start baking:

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees, whilst this is warming up, find your chosen tin and line it with grease proof paper.

*TIP- I use the tins that have the spring loaded side

Mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and grated carrots in a large bowl, adding in the walnuts too

In a different bowl| jug mix together the eggs, olive oil and milk

Slowly mix and combine all the ingredients together.

*TIP- add the wet ingredients gradually into the dry mixture. Ensuring all is mixed well

Now your ready to pour your mixture into your tin and cook for 1 hour or u til golden brown.

*TIP- when checking to see if cooked use a skewer or knife to stab the middle of the cake. If wet mixture is still visible it needs more time

I added walnuts onto the top of my cake to add some detail.

I recently found out that cake can be frozen for up to 3 months if stored and wrapped correctly. Also making sure that it is un decorated and cooled down before placing in the freezer.

Happy Baking!

When your pregnant your made aware of the morning sickness, the aching pains in your body, and the constant weeing. However there are a lot of things that you aren’t told of. Or I wasn’t told or aware until I got faced with it first hand.

Here are the top 15 things I didn’t know and could come in useful for you.

Starting at number 1 we have- You miss a lot of time off work. I found I had a lot of appointments booked in, not to mention the scans. For us living in an area that doesn’t have access to a hospital. We had to add travel time onto this. You will find that in the later stages of your pregnancy you will be having appointments every 2-3 weeks. Some of which happened within the same week.

In at number 2- As soon as you mention your pregnancy people will become very protective over you. So make the most of this stage.

Number 3 we have- Your gums will become more sensitive, and you will notice they may start to bleed. I had to start using a manual toothbrush as an electric make me feel sick, as well as being to harsh on my gums.

For number 4 we have- You will start seeing pregnant people everywhere.

Number 5 is you plan healthy meals, but this won’t stay for long. You will want rubbish food, or something that is quick and easy. Some recipes can be found Food| Drink. My favourite being pickled eggs

Up next at number 6- When you start to get bigger slip on shoes will become your best friend. Depending on the weather flip flop could be the answer. For me I brought slip on slippers and this was what I lived in.

Number 7 and relating to clothing is maternity clothing. I couldn’t find any nice maternity clothes and the ones I did find didn’t fit properly. ( it could just simply be me). However what I did was size up in my clothing. Living in leggings, jogging bottoms and stretchy skirts.

In at number 8. As you get bigger as you may have been told your body changes a lot. In ways you never knew. For me I started to worry when my nice neat innie belly button popped and become an outie. This apparently will go back to normal once your little bundle of joy is here. So don’t worry ladies.

Number 9 is another body fact is everything becomes hairy. First my around my belly button then more around the actual belly. I even caught a few hairs growing on my chin, which wasn’t welcome. Then before you knew it the hair I did have was growing a lot faster then it ever had.

10- Tiredness will become more and more. I should have listened to people when they said you need to rest, as this is one thing I’ve only just started to do, with not much time at all to go. I have a nap during the day, I wake and I still feel tired. And I want to go and have another nap.

For number 11 this relates to what I’ve said but the further on you get the more uncomfortable you get. This isn’t only with your new perfected waddle, but with sitting too. My new favourite seat has become a yoga ball. Also getting in and out of bed, now that can feel like an adventure just in itself.

Number 12- Your body goes through many changes as you get bigger I definitely had my fair share of people coming up and touching my bump without asking. (So be aware of this). Some of this people have been friends and family but other people will notice and think it’s acceptable just because you have a bump.

For number 13 this could just be my family and my set of friends, but I am constantly told I bet there are more then one baby in there. Or asked on a regular basis how many I am expecting. For me my bump isn’t actually that big either.

At 14 is your emotions, they are going to be everywhere. You could be laughing one minute and something happens and that is it you are in the worst mood. There are some days I would set myself up for the day in a good mood and something simple could happen like, what I wanted to wear would doesn’t fit or something has been said to me. Or simply I would randomly just start crying. But take it from me don’t be to hard in yourself. Remember you are doing an amazing job. Make sure you are taking care of yourself. I have written a little helping hand for you. Feed the baby and stay healthy

And saving the best to last number 15 is- be prepared and prepare others for the gas you will start passing. Now this is a smell that is like no other. And it’s going to happen a lot more as you get through your pregnancy. For me and many women I know your be making all of this lovely smells, but you could find it hard to do anything about it. And find yourself feeling constipated on many occasions.

Also just a little heads up be careful when you laugh, cough, sneeze, pretty much do anything. You may find yourself having a little trickle, as your bladder is no more as strong as it was.

‘ Keep calm and pack your hospital bag’

Planning to go into hospital is a scary yet an exciting experience for you. In my case we are going in as a two and coming out as a three.

If your like me and like to be organised. You may have already started to think or even start packing your hospital bag. They recommend that you pack your bag at least two weeks before your due date, but it can’t hurt being prepared and having it all ready can it?

I’ve decided that because there is so much that needs to be packed I am going to have two different bags. One for me and one for baby. This way I will know where to find things and so will Danny. As there is nothing worse then having to rummage through bags to find what your looking for. To help me further I have invested in some bags, that I can write on. I’ll be putting items of clothing in, making it easier to find.

For me I ordered a weekender bag. That I hope all of my bits and pieces for my time in hospital will fit in nicely. The list is based on things I think I will personally need.

• An old towel (chances are you may want to throw this away after)

• Clothing for Labour: nigthie, loose long top

• Slippers/ flip flops ( your feet are likely to sweat and swell, and you want to be comfy)

• Dressing gown: every woman needs their comfort

• Clothes to go home in- selection of supportive maternity bras

• Dark coloured trousers (baggy, and over the tummy)

•Pyjamas

• Toiletry bag: toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, hair bands, deodorant, body spray, dry shampoo, pain killers

• Maternity pads. Breast pads

Now most importantly don’t forget any chargers you may need, as well as a refillable water bottle to keep you hydrated. Forget about the healthy snacks for the day. Pack yourself lots of goodies to keep your energy up.

Your bag is now all set, and next is what your baby needs in theirs. You won’t be needing as much for baby. Plus their items will be smaller.

• Your chosen nappies and wipes

• Pre- prepared formula, and bottles ( if not planning to breastfeed)

• 5 baby-grows/ sleep suits

• 5 vests

• 5 muslins

•Hats and mittens (to keep your baby warm)

• Their own blanket

• Car seat

‘ Say good morning to your body and have breakfast’

A quick and easy breakfast, that is prepared the night before.

If you are anything like me, I would rather have that extra 10/ 15 minutes in bed then have to get up, get myself ready and prepare breakfast. For me cereal and toast can become boring, and not filling enough for the day ahead. Meaning I would sometimes leave the house, without breakfast or still feeling hungry, and soon regret my choice.

This is when we found ‘overnight oats’. We both found these to be very filling and easy to make. This is one of the breakfasts that can be prepared the night before and put in the fridge ready for the morning.

What to add to your breakfast:

Below is the ingredients needed based on one serving.

• A jar or cup to make your oats in

• 75g unflavoured oats

• Never ending amount of fresh or frozen fruit

• 175g light yogurt of your choice

The preparation:

To start off I ensured I had got all of my ingredients and resources ready and lined up. I then washed and cut the pineapple and strawberries and placed to the side.

In your chosen jar. Start to layer your yogurt and oats. I started by adding the yogurt to the bottom and covered this layer with oats, repeating this until the yogurt and oats has all been used.

On the top add your selection of fruit, once this has been completed your breakfast is ready to be placed in the fridge until the morning. There is no need to mix your breakfast, as you want the yogurt to soften the oats.

Now all you need to do now. Is wake up, enjoy and relax.

Have a great day

‘ Those aren’t grey hairs, it’s birthday glitter growing’

The start of a very busy couple of months has started. Danny birthday is approaching very quickly. Meaning I was on the internet and browsing to find some great gifts. If I do say so myself I think I did very well.

When I buy gifts I always try and get things people wouldn’t think of buying. Something unique and special. Which I think I did quite well. Don’t you agree?

These gifts are good for every occasion- birthdays, Christmas or simply to treat for that special someone.

1. Choconchoc

I found a lovely little company called choconchoc. This business is a father and daughter combination, who started up in 2003. They are UK based, which as I’ve commented on in other post, is important to me supporting businesses like this. This chocolate brand can be found in many of your high street retailers including John Lewis, Selfridges and Waitrose. As well as their own website.

The best part is they don’t just do your standard chocolate. Weather you want a chocolate pint and pie or some chocolate cheese and crackers. These are your people. They even have kits for children to excavate dinosaurs. https://choconchoc.co.uk

2. Personalised apron

What better way to show your appreciation to a good cook, ( or so he thinks) then getting an apron specially make with my face. Not only is this a very practical present. As when your cooking you can never guarantee you are going to stay clean, it’s hilarious and rather unique. And at least he won’t be able to forget me. This present is one I will be making sure he wears.

The company I used was https://www.myfacesocks.co.uk. This website do aprons, but also offer a lot more personalised gifts. Starting from blankets to socks and even shower curtains. A bonus for this website is everything I have visited they have offers and deals on. That aren’t to be missed.

3. Spotify music plaque

BEWARE LOVEY DOVEY WORDS.

I don’t know if other couples are like Danny and myself, but we have that one song that we listened to and just stuck as our song. For us this song was Wretch 32- 6 words. For me I wanted something to remind us of this special song, which is when I found https://myspotifyglass.co.uk

The process for this was very easy. I uploaded my favourite picture, and choose the song I wanted. These both will get added to an acrylic slab, and the layout is similar to the song selection on Spotify. Having this you can remember your favourite moment with the song title you love.

4. The adventure challenge book

Now this book I have had my eyes on for a while. But am yet to purchase. This book is dating to a new level. And can make your next date night interesting. If you like surprises you will definitely like this. It’s a dating book with a twist. Each date inside costs between £0 to £50. You won’t know what your be doing until you have scratched it off. Included in the book is a guide of how much it will cost ( can easily change to your budget) as well as how long it may take you.

Make sure if this is a purchase for you, that you take plenty of pictures and add to the pages. https://uk.theadventurechallenge.com

If you wanted to check out another guide for presents. I have created one for mummies to be- The baby made me do it

An exciting time has arrived in our household. Adding that splash of colour to the house of grey. We are starting to decorate Baby Bonkers room. Although he won’t be sleeping in there for a good few months, we wanted to make it look nice and have it ready for when he is big enough. Plus are we really going to have the time once he makes his arrival. My guess is properly not.

The room before hand was painted blue on one side and the rest white. But it was marked and scratched, and was very plain. Not something we like to be. This was and is the last room in the house for a makeover.

Before we started we created a list, of what we wanted and what we needed. It took us a while to create this, so hopefully this can and will help you.

1. Decorating the room

We were lucky enough to have some money left in our budget to decorate Baby Bonker’s bedroom. However we still did his room on a budget starting with the paint. We had decided on a colour and a theme for his room, and knew we had to stick with this. We then waited for deals on paint. A lot of retailers will have deals on, you just need to keep an eye out. We didn’t have to wait for long until B&Q had a 3 for 2 on coloured paint. The paint we choose was ‘Dulux Nordic Sky’. This colour is a sky blue, with a hint of grey. Perfect for any room. We knew as the room was a box room 3 pots would be more then enough. Meaning we would have enough for touch ups in the future.

2. A place to sleep

Just like us, babies need somewhere comfortable and spacious to sleep. For the first part of a babies life they are normally in a Moses basket or a crib and will be in the room you sleep. We opted for a Moses basket that we will be having in our bedroom. The main cot we have for his room, was given to us second hand. So this saved us a lot of money. A tip that will come in cost effective is buying a cot that converts through the ages. The cot we were given, starts as a cot and transforms into a toddler bed. We made sure that we brought a new mattress. As well as new bedding. New bedding shopping is great, as there are so many designs to pick. This was important to us, so we know our baby is having the most comfort.

3. Furniture

Babies take up a lot of room, what with their clothes, and other essentials. In Baby Bonkers bedroom it has a small built in cupboard, which we created our own shelf’s using off cut wood we had from a previous job. For us we didn’t want to spend lots of money on bedroom furniture, or sets that we know we would only use for a little while. This is when we decided to take a trip down to IKEA. A lot of the furtniture already in our house is from here, and we know it’s very good quality so why not. In here we brought 2 tall boy units in white, and some floating shelves for around the room. Another piece we brought was a 3 drawer unit. This we have used as a changing table. Which brings me onto number 4.

4. Changing and Nappy area

For us when speaking about the best changing units, we said personally for us the purpose tables are a waste of money. For some people this works but for us it wasn’t the best way. This is why we decided on buying a drawer unit. This way we have more storage, which is more practical. In IKEA they have a wedge baby care mat. This is designed by having 3 raised walls, this increases safety and prevents falling. It is easily wipeable, and they even sell fabric covers to go over. The baby care mat fits perfectly on top of the unit.

The drawers on this unit are quite deep so we have filled them up, the best way we could think. The first drawer have 3 separate boxes- nappies, wipes and creams and nappy bags. In the second drawer we have vests and baby grows for his size. And lastly the third is mittens, socks and hats. Everything we need all in one place.

5. Electricals

Knowing the perfect temperature of the room really helps. Just like us if your bedroom is too hot or cold, it is going to affect your sleep. For babies this is more important as they are unable to regulate their own body temperature. The ideal room temperature is between 16-20 degrees. Also making sure that you are dressing your baby in the correct clothing. We will be using bodysuits, as well as swaddle blankets for our baby. And according to the weather adjust what clothing. To help us with the room temperature, we brought a gro clock. There are many varieties out there. The one we choose to use was the Tommee Tippee gro clock. It acts as a night light, and tells you the temperature too.

These are the main points, we could think were most important in preparing a new baby room. We hope this will and has helped you. For new mums it’s always hard to know what to do or what is going to be beneficial for yourself and the baby. The baby made me do it, here are some unique but great inventions for us mummies and daddies. Because it’s important to treat yourself too.

We have added some extras into our room to make things easier. As well as things for out and about. We have brought a nappy bin. So we can try and contain the smell. Also we have brought 2 nappy caddy organisers. One for the home and the other for the car, just for emergencies.