My Sunday photo

Cluttering hell

This weekend I decided to clean out the whole house of clutter, evidence of hoarding, little bits of "I'll use it someday" "I need that..just incase"

Well NO MORE. Be gone, wedding tea lights, cables from godknows what, school work, old clothes, the Wii and balance board..coffee machine..computer...

Actually no. 

Couldn't sell the Wii as the sensor is broke, no one wants the coffee machine, I can't find the mains cable for the computer for my dad and the cables are still in a big fat tangle!

The worst part is, some of these things I had to really dig deep and decide that even though I love it for eternity, we haven't used it in four years so make the break and get rid (the coffee machine) & surprise! no one wants the bloody thing anyway!

So now the bathroom is full of stuff for the tip run and our bedroom is a grave yard for the crap we dumped in the loft that we never used, that I got back out again, than nobody else wants anyway!

Honestly I'm exhausted just reading this.

April bucket list

So, April is here already...big fat wowzers!

Time for a new bucket list for the lovely link up with Twinderelmo. I did a few things off my feb list but March was a complete wash out and I didn't even do a list! (Sorry twinder) 

I have a few random things in this one for April but hey it's good to spice things up!

So here goes..

1) Make a baked cheesecake. Love them so much but they always seem like such a ball ache to do...  

2) Get a hair cut!! Closely followed by...

3) Stop cutting my own fringe!!!!!!!

4) Up my walking. This is a continuing one but I'm really slacking at it in any form really.

5) Make some cocktails. A fun one. So many lovely ideas across the net that I'm spoilt for choice at what to do!

A varied list I will admit, but I'm hoping the crazy mix up will keep me eager to complete it.

There is still time to link up with Twinderelmos monthly bucket list!

A dose of Prospective

Lay in bed feeling sick with tummy cramps, feeling so sorry for myself while I'm watching an old OBEM.

Some very poorly babies on tonight, fighting to be alive and its really upset me. They are so tiny and gorgeous, their parents waiting for them to come out of the operation and actually saying to the camera about the little one dying. 

It's really floored me.

Then to top it off I read about a baby on an old babycentre thread I used to read all the time when I was pregnant, one of the little bubs is fighting for her life with meningitis. From just having a temperature and visiting the doctors, to being found slumped. Now fighting for their tiny little lives. Totally heartbreaking and I can't even comprehend how people can stay strong having a sick child.

We were so, so lucky with Freddie. He had a tough few days which could have been totally different. I can't even take in how you can be faced with having such a poorly baby. It's really hit me tonight and I don't know why.

Leaving the baby with the nurses to take over the care. Changing nappies. Feeding. Washing. Comforting in the middle of the night when you cannot be there but would do anything to be. The moms and dads want to do these new baby jobs themselves but petrified of hurting them or not being allowed to for risk of infection or making the baby too poorly.

I have often thought about working as a neonatal nurse, I did some shifts on there to help out and could see only the good side, babies being looked after and going home well.

Now, having my own child I have a totally different spin. I don't think I could have a distance between work and home as would want to help all these babies. How could I leave a shift? How could I comfort the parents of a dying premie? Give hope in the bleakest situation? See the crash teams come in? Take endless blood samples, cannulas, oxygen tubing, artificial ventilation. 

In my current job I can be human but still be a nurse, focus and care but be approachable.

I think looking after neonates I would just try and be a mom and wouldn't focus or distant myself enough. Thinking "what if" this wouldn't help anyone, especially this tiny tiny little dot of a human who is propped in a fish tank, surrounded by wires and strange people. Just wanting Mommy and daddy.

:(

Urgh.

All day today I have been..lacklustre

Totally shattered and drained even on a full nights sleep. Been such a beautiful day and I have had motivation to do anything

Currently wallowing in the bath, trying not to think if the Easter egg stash down stairs that I would love to smash into

Must be an early night on the cards. Freddie is fast asleep in dreamland and the chores can wait till tomorrow! 

Little break

The other day we went for our first family break, just a little sun holiday, we do a lot of these and enjoy them so much, this one was superb, lovely new caravan which even had central heating!

Anyway, we stayed near a little town called Filey on the Yorkshire coast, perfect for travelling to nearby Scarborough and lovely Whitby, somewhere I have always wanted to go.

Along with the travel cot, bottles, milk, food for all of us, baby walker...we took our duvet and pillows to make it more homely..

(Green dressing gown is my security blanket and I sleep with it over my face every night)

As we were in Yorkshire I wanted home comforts and to feel snug..so my first snack was tea, toast and lovely butter

Freddie slept really well in his own room in the travel cot, much to our surprise. Saturday morning he woke up with his top two teeth breaking through and so was very delicate 

Still managed breakfast though and a game of Boo with daddy! All fun and games till we went to get ready and he smashed his head off the bedside table and a black eye promptly followed!

We headed off to Scarborough for the day for crab sambos, donuts and a winning spell in the arcade for hubby, celebrated with fizz in a seafront bar 

Freddie started feeling worse for wear with his teeth so we scuttled off back "home" to get him comfy.

The next day of course was Mother's Day..we spent the day in Whitby, had cocktails, chips and just a nice family day.   As much as I loved Mother's Day growing up and getting gifts for my mom, this year, weirdly as it was my first Mother's Day, I just felt it was a bit.. commercial.. and for the day so? Maybe as Freddie gets older and can do stuff off his own back it will be different but I dunno, I didn't think I would feel like this.. I hope that doesn't sound greatful...but maybe it was too much in your face this year with Mother's Day rammed down your throat? 

Anyway. Whitby was just so lovely, we will definitely be going again and explore more of its cobbled streets and salty sea air.

I managed to find Fortunes smokery, which is nestled between some houses on a windy route up s cobbled street. Literally follow your nose and you will find it! They sell probably 5 products, kippers, pate, bacon, haddock and salmon. All smoked in house and to perfection. If you do something right why change it! Well worth the visit and great prices.

We went to a lovely sea front bar, The moon and six pence, so I could have a cocktail, choosing a butterscotch Martini with a Champagne shot. It was immense!   Creamy butterscotch flavour with a passion fruit twist. They were more than happy for us to take up room in there with Freds puschair and everyone was so relaxed, a real Sunday bar.

Back home now, back to reality, cherished these days away, just us three as soon I will be back at work and things will be changing. Times going so fast and I want to bank all the special moments. The smallest thing. Like today Freddie waved at "Stick with Mick" his fave character from baby TV, we were both speechless and so so happy, over a little wave! It's crazy.

Absolutely

Bloody knackered

So much to do..so little time

Off for a little break tomo which I have been waiting for, for weeks.. Pretty sure the car is going to be overloaded as I have packed the world and its wife (Freddies first holiday) as unlike the Maldives or Devon I can't carry him around in my baby bump! Now he comes with accessories!

Can't wait to get away and have some relaxing time just us three, no early/late work calls for Rich and Freddie has just learnt to crawl so I'm sure there's will be lots of baby/ caravan chaos 

I'm most looking forward to some cockles on the beach..and maybe a big toe dip in the North Sea 

Spring sun..

It's been lovely the past two days. Beautiful spring sun has appeared and made everything seem better! (Even after I was stressed out and sweating my face off at an NCT sale)

I even got to wear my sunglasses, much to Freddies "where has my mommy gone" hilarity!

Hoping today would be as nice. Seems a little gloomy at the moment, have eaten my breakfast outside and the birds are singing but the sun is hiding...

I wanted to get all the bed linen outside to blow in the sunny breeze but isn't looking so likely now..

Homemade gifts: Hokey pokey honeycomb!

Lots of people love honeycomb...our family used to buy it every time we went to Wells-next-the-sea in Norfolk when I was little. Seaside tradition!

My mom especially loves it as she loves a  Crunchie chocolate bar too!

It's so easy to make and great as a quick food based gift to take to a friends or family special occasion.

For a reasonable sized slab, I reduced the amounts in a Nigella Lawson method and used:

What you will need:

50g caster sugar

2 tablespoons golden syrup

1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

What you have to do:

Mix the sugar and syrup in a saucepan OFF THE HEAT

When combined, heat on and it will bubble and should turn a deeper golden brown colour

At this point, take off the heat and quickly stir in the bicarb. It will fizz up like a big sponge, immediately turn out onto a greased surface and leave to cool.

There you go!

Day of rest?

Eventful Sunday so far.. Our cat has just been blown off the roof and me and Freddie are snot monsters!

The cat is fine! 9 lives! 

New clothes

I very rarely have a session of buying new clothes as 1) I hate trying on clothes and 2) maternity pay doesn't stretch very far haha

However, yesterday me & my mom went for a shopping trip with Freddie & in primark I found three dresses for £5 each! No trying on either, straight in the basket.. BONUS.

Now I just have to be all brave and wear them! 

Poorly boy

Lay snugged on our bed with little man in my arms after a nightmare..

Horrible screaming fit and neither of us could settle him or calm him as he was sort of still in a dream :(

Poor little stink 

Scallop starter

Tuesday was hubbys birthday and I decided to cook a nice meal.

We both love scallops so that was the starter sorted, but a little different to what we normally have (cooked with chorizo)

I choose scallops on black pudding with a pea purée and scattered smoked bacon after seeing some variants of this dish in a few restaurants with garlic brushetta and no pea purée or pea purée and no black pudding.

Both dishes had smoked bacon or panchetta, which I kept as the smokey sweet/saltyness goes really well with the scallops, in the same way chorizo works so well

It's easy though, really just making the pea purée and assembling the cooked ingredients. 

You will need (pea purée) 

Roughly 70g of frozen petis pois per person

A medium onion

Pinch of salt

Oil for frying

-while cooking the black pudding and scallops

-Chop and fry onion till translucent

-add in frozen peas and fry gently for a couple of minutes and add salt

-cover peas with boiling water and cook away for 5 minutes 

-blend to a purée. Done.

The dish

- 3 scallops per person with corals

-3 slices of black pudding per person

-panchetta or bacon lardons for scattering

-fry black pudding on both sides till crisp, and keep want in gentle oven heat

-fry lardons and once starting to colour add scallops, with corals removed

- the scallops won't take long, really only a few minutes on each side for some nice colouring.

-add the corals at the last minute as they will cook very quickly, turn over when they start to pop!

Building the dish

- add a heaped teaspoon of pea purée per scallop to a plate

-rest on this a peice of black pudding

-add the scallop gently on top

-scatter the lardons and add the corals 

 

Silent Sunday

I

Cheat day ends with..Date night at home!

Well little one is flat out and what better way to end my cheat day than a home cooked meal and some 'Secco for losing weight 

(To help with the cooking)

And the main event

Lovely.

Cheat day started this morning with homemade waffles:

And of course a portion for Freddie!

As you know I save all my weekly weight watcher points for a cheat day on Saturdays after weigh in, which I make sure I always thoroughly enjoy! 

Pretty sure it won't be long till I'm in bed after this secco! X

Bucket list

A little late in the month I know but here goes...

1) try and lose 14lbs this month (6 lbs to go so far)

2) buy at least one item of new makeup..

3) SORT OUT A LAUNDRY SYSTEM (this may be delayed by a few months* ) *years

4) cut good shopping bill..stop buying stuff I THINK we need when we don't...

5) start upping my walking/ time on my feet (this will be on going) to get my hips ready for when I'm back at work 

This lovely link up is with Twinderelmo and you can join in too!

Saturday's wearings

I'm Due to our boiler packing in we have no heating or hot water!

This calls for thick, Arctic type outfits to ward off the cold.

I'm wearing hubbys joggers and hoody while Freddie has on his festive, fleece, fairisle onsie.

Snug.

X

Mum Tum update..

So this happened this week.. 

I ate so much crap when Freddie came back from hospital so kne wi had to reign myself in..I was starting to feel really blegh.

It worked tho and I'm feeling great today, target isn't too far of from my lowest weight (hyperemesis weight haha) where I feel comfortable.

I'm still determined to start up some exercise once I hit goal to strengthen up and try and ward off SPD in my next pregnancy. Well that's what I'm hoping! According to physio I can "officially" start proper exercise next month.

What a lovely way to start cheat day hahah

Thanks for reading x  

Coughs, snot, sore throats and croup!

Over the past week me and Freddie have had ear infections, sore throats, chest infections & a horrible episode of croup that rocked me to my core.

I had no idea it could take grip so fast, Freddie went down for his nap fine, woke  an hour later slightly wheezy, then about five mins later started with a rasp, Within ten minutes of this I was at my moms for her to try and give him some steam therapy to relieve some of the symptoms, where I said I needed to take him straight to the doctors as he sounded worse, so we did... He was constantly crouping on the way there to the point I thought it was an asthma attack as I could see the classic accessory muscles in his shoulders working overtime (this is where children become exhausted due to using these muscles for want of oxygen) he deteriorated very quickly 

I went into panic mode & as I got him out the car he was blue all around his lips and exhausted. 

He was seen and treated with steroids straight away, they kicked in whilst he was in the ambulance. Once at hospital he had another dose of steroids and he was 95% better, just shattered.

We were allowed home and it took me

A few days to sleep properly as we were warned he would be more susceptible to croup now he has had it. I was sure I would wake up in the night with another emergency situation.

However, he has only had one small episode since and is now fighting off his chest infection.

We both can't wait to get in the fresh air, fighting fit x

Little laughs

How can a 6 month old be so comical?!

We have laughed so much at little man today.. Initially he was doing his usual forcing out farts and burps..really made him giggle today, he absolutely loved it!

Then he was perfecting his crawling backwards around the bedroom, picking up clothes and bras on the way..

The best though, was when he was head banging against his dad, for about two minutes we were all stuck laughing including Freddie who was amazed that we were all having the same reaction.

He is curled up snoring his little button nose off. So tempted to wake him for a munch. I resisted. 💙

No day!

Well I always get too excited about the snow..this morning was no exception. Looked out the window to see this.. 

Shameful!

No snow men here just soggy cat and dog paw prints. 

Smooth-ie operator

New year..new me.

The mantra everyone starts with when jan 1st comes rolling in, I wonder how many of us have given up the resolutions we had already!

I haven't given up mine.. Which was to get a smoothie maker haha (attainable!)

I currently use my blender and pour into a glass and chug it in one, when I was at work this would be before I left house, a bit of a feat at 6.15!

With doing weight watchers, a smoothie is an easy way to fill up, get in loads of fruit and have a quick breakfast all on very little or no points...great for me! Sometimes I beef it out with oats and have a "thickie" or for little or no sleep days..peanut butter and coffee (amazing)

There is a massive fad at the moment for smoothie makers that have an on the go bottle attachment, blend and go! This would be great for me to drink when I got to work or even have when I'm out with Freddie..

but which one?

Cheaper versions that have a lower wattage, less power to crush ice effectively(drives me crazy) or the high speed versions for a lot more money?

What do you guys have? Or am I better off sticking with my blender!