We're so lucky...

Today I had one of those "we're so lucky..." days.

My mom had Moo overnight last night, so it was just me and Woo this morning. She likes a lie-in (for now anyway) and so when we got up, Jeremy Kyle was on. Disclaimer: I don't ever watch Jeremy Kyle, usually we're at playgroup or something by then. But lazy morning =trash TV so...

Today it was a christmas special. There were several children on the show who had done amazing things. And then a clip came on of a beautiful little girl with cerebal palsy. I listened as her mom talked about what life was like for their family and how she had exceeded expectations just by talking and walking.

Now I've always responded to claims that Woo's birth and the following days was traumatic with a big No! It wasn't. The labour was perfect, her birth was an amazing moment, she exceeded expectations from very early on just by staying alive. But I never doubted that she would. Probably through naivety, but still I never doubted her. I did entertain the idea of a disability though, but not realistically. I repeatedly told my husband that if she were disabled, then lucky her for being born to parents who would go above and beyond to help her reach her potential. Everything was positive in my head.

To be honest, I think i was in complete denial and by the time I had chance to process it all, we'd had a lot of 'all clears'. So, no, Woo's birth, and what followed, was not traumatic for me (although I can't say that for my husband).

But this morning i had a real life insight into what life could nearly have been like for us. There was talks of cerebal palsy when Woo was born. My beautiful baby could've been so different. I could've been that mom talking on the tv. I have no idea if the treatment she received after birth helped in preventing this, or whether she recovered all by herself. I have cried a lot today. Some tears for that mom who is living a life she never expected she would. Some for the life I very nearly lived. Some for the life we are living now. Some tears for emotions I'm not even sure of.

Alls I know is, we're so lucky.

I'm a Peer Supporter

I qualified!!!

I qualified as a breastfeeding peer supporter on Friday! I will be running a group in a local town of Bridgetown from 6th January. I have noticed more local moms breastfeeding since having moo and I hope to play a part in increasing those numbers.

If you live locally, come and see us at the children's centre, if not please message me if you're looking for advice!

My Bakes

I love baking <3

It's my passion and my favourite way to pass the time. Except with 2 young kids, the time passes very well by itself and I don't get too much time to indulge anymore.

Mostly, I bake celebration cakes as it's the only time I have a good reason to get the mixer out. One of the first cakes I made was my daughter's first birthday cake. It's definitely not my best work, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed making it and how proud I was of it. I always use organic ingredients and the freshest eggs from hens in my garden! You can't buy cakes as fresh as these in the supermarkets!

I love special occasions, just so I can bake. Here are my favourite celebration cakes made by me!

Moo's 2nd Birthday cake: Peppa, George and a Muddy Puddle

Cake is chocolate sponge with chocolate buttercream.

Cupcakes I made for a friend who had a baby boy.

A mix of vanilla sponge and chocolate cupcakes with vanilla and chocolate buttercream.

Carrot and Orange cakes with cream cheese frosting and Vanilla sponge cupcakes.

Birthday Cupcakes: Vanilla sponge with vanilla buttercream and chocolate sponge with chocolate orange buttercream.

Classic victoria sponge I baked within an hour for a last minute bbq at 37 weeks pregnant!

My sisters baby shower tea party cake

Vanilla madeira cake and vanilla and chocolate cupcakes.

My mom's birthday "Happy as a pig in s**t" cake!

Chocolate orange sponge with Terry's chocolate orange buttercream, chocolate ganache and Kit Kats.

Daddy's birthday cake (a little helper put her hand on it and made a dent!)

Moo's first birthday cake. An ambitious cake for a first attempt!

"Have you got enough milk?"

You know what I've noticed since becoming a breastfeeding mom? People haven't got a clue about it! Two situations brought this to my attention this weekend.

Situation 1: Yesterday we had a busy day. We left the house at 10am and were in and out of the car doing a little shopping and visiting relatives. Woo also has a little sniffle, and is generally a bit groggy since her immunisations on Tuesday. After lots of travelling around, she spent most of yesterday afternoon feeding and snoozing on and off. It's ok, I know it's comfort and she needs that when she's in and out of her car seat all day. Then it came, from someone who's met her 3 times...

"HAVE YOU GOT ENOUGH MILK FOR HER?"

Shut up! When I bottle fed my first baby, nobody ever thought milk was an issue, when actually it had a higher chance of being the case based on the science. So then I feel the need to have to explain why i'm not forcing my baby into a 3/4 hourly feed routine!

Situation 2: Feed baby, baby sleeps, baby wakes, feed baby, she sleeps, she wakes. I express my frustration with me being the only person who can settle her, and why won't she stay settled so that I can have half an hour to update my blog and do some pinning of the pinterest kind?

The support? Well give her a bottle/formula/top up (insert breastfeeding alternative here). This is not advice. I am well aware of the availability of formula and how it works. That is not what i'm suggesting. Here's a tip. If ever your wife/partner/daughter/female relative/friend expresses a frustration with breastfeeding, just tell her she's doing amazing and this is a short time in the grand scheme of life. Suggesting a breastfeeding alternative is not helpful nor what she wants to hear. Sometimes breastfeeding takes it's toll. It'll pass I know. But it's the best thing i've done and I wouldn't change it for all the sleep in the world!

Christmas Preparations

Crafts and Fun

Today is the 1st December hence why i'm writing this surrounded by chocolate wrappers, despite being on a diet! I'm well and truly in the festive spirit!

Over the past six weeks I've been sewing together an advent bunting for the girls in which they'll find messages from Santa suggesting tasks they need to complete each day. After a mad dash to get it finished last night, it was hanging on the wall ready for them to find this morning! I used this tutorial to create it.

Today's task has been to choose and decorate a christmas tree! And so off we went. We found the perfect tree and now its beautifully sparkly in our lounge.

Tomorrows job is going to be to create a fairy to pop on top. Hope your christmas preparations are going well?