Sunday 14 August 2016

A day in the life of a stay at home mummy of 2 - School time.



6.30am - This is when I first hear my littlest girl, Ellie. I tend to ignore her for half an hour, and let her play in her cot. (unless she's crying, which is very rare!) She’s quite a mellow little baby, and will just lay there until somebody goes in to say Hi!

7.00am - This is usually when daddy’s alarm goes off, which in turn seems to wake my biggest girl, Phoebe. She either comes into our bedroom, or 90% of the time she goes in to see her little sister :)

7.15am - Now I finally feel awake enough to get up and get ready for my day. I usually have my 3 year old pestering me for the ipad, or a drink. So whilst I deal with her, I immediately go to Ellie’s nursery, and get greeted by a gorgeous 7 month old, smiling away. At this time, Phoebe assists me with changing Ellie’s nappy, and opening all the curtains.

7.30am - Now that I have sorted my girls out, I quickly nab a wee!! I splash some water over my face, and bring both girls downstairs. At this point we say our goodbyes to daddy. Whilst the girls wave goodbye to Daddy, I prepare the living room. Put the tv on etc, and give Phoebe a morning drink.

7.45am - I sit down for a morning coffee whilst Phoebe chills out and watches a bit of Disney Junior.  At the same time I feed Ellie her morning bottle, of 7oz.

8am - At this point, Phoebe usually starts nagging me for some breakfast. This varies from day to day, but it usually consists of toast, or a cereal, with fruit on the side (grapes, strawberries or raspberries)

8.20am - Finished with breakfast, and morning bottle. Phoebe is very helpful lately, and were trying to inflict some minor chores for her. She helps clean up breakfast, and place all her dishes by the sink.

8.30am - We head upstairs to get ready. On a Pre School morning, I literally brush my hair, wash my face, and brush my teeth! I have my showers in the evenings, to save me more time. But also, I feel like a shower at night relaxes me more.

8.45am - I aim to get both girls ready by this time (It doesn't always happen!!)

8.50am - Shoes on, baby in the pushchair, bags and lunch box in tow. Were ready to walk to Pre-school. We only live around the corner from Pre-School, so its a nice walk every morning.

9.00am - Dropped the biggest one off to Pre School. Now to head home with my littlest.

9.15am - This is usually when I offer Ellie some sort of ‘breakfast’. She tends to have a porridge, 90% of the time. 

9.45am - After clearing away Ellie’s breakfast, she is ready for her morning nap. Ellie, on a good day sleep for up too 2 hours during a nap.

10.00am - After making myself another cuppa (coffee if Im really tired) I crack on with the breakfast dishes, make the beds and tidy up any mess made from the morning. It doesn't take me long and I’m usually sat down by 10.30am ready to eat a quick breakfast. Usually some fruit or breakfast bar. I use this nap to just sit and chill. I catch up with any social media, and literally just relax!!

11.45am - If Ellie isn't awake by this point (Which she usually is) then I go in and gently wake up my sleepy baby.

12.00pm - LUNCHTIME. I really don't eat much during the day. I know, I know, it’s so bad! I just don’t get hungry. But I try and eat to keep my metabolism up. I usually munch on some sort of sandwich! But for Ellie, she has her biggest meal. I make her puree’s, and I’m at a stage where I’m still introducing new foods, before I start mixing flavour. She has had all sorts so far, but this week were on butternut squash :)

12.45pm - Time to pick up the biggest!! Ellie and I usually leave literally the very last minute. We are literally next door to the Pre school. 

1.00pm - Were all home, and I normally have a grumpy, hungry 3 year old on my hands. I offer her a snack when we get in, with a drink. She usually has a banana, or an ‘oaty bar’. (This is a Goodie’s bar, but my daughter calls these oaty bars hehe!)

1.15pm - We chill out and Ellie and Phoebe usually play.

2.00pm - Second bottle of the day. Another 7oz bottle for Ellie, and she usually falls asleep on the bottle. Straight to bed, and this then allows me to spend some time with Phoebe.

2-4pm - Phoebe and I do some sort of activity. Colouring, reading, or watching a dvd. I also spend time in between, doing some laundry and tidying up as I go (If I don’t, then the place ends up in a tip!!!) I try and do 1-2 loads of washing a day, again, if I dont, then it builds up massively!

4.00pm - Ellie is awake. I change her nappy, open her curtains and have a little cuddle with her. Phoebe is usually glued to my hip, so Ellie is always very happy to see us both.

4.15pm - We all head downstairs, and I offer Ellie some water, as she can be a bit dry. She usually has 2oz.

4.30pm - Tea gets prepared and placed in the oven. The girls at this point will be playing with each other. Either in the lounge or Phoebe out in the garden.

5.00pm - Daddy is hooooooome!!! And if has all gone to plan, Tea is on the table.

5.30pm - All done with tea. Let the clean up commence, and again the girls chill out and play.

6.00pm - Bathtime. We bath the girls every night. Some nights Phoebe will prefer to have a shower, but Ellie always has a little bath. Daddy runs the bath, and as he is doing that, the girls are in Phoebe’s room, playing and being silly. (mainly Phoebe!) Whilst they're all doing that, I am running around closing curtains, getting nappies, pyjamas and creams ready for the girls.
Daddy is then handed Ellie to bath first. She has a little splash around whilst I am spending some time with Phoebe. Once Ellie is out, we swap and Phoebe is in. Whilst daddy baths Phoebe, I am drying, and moisturising Ellie. Daddy then takes Phoebe out, and wraps her in a towel. Phoebe usually spends a long time in the bath, so when she is out, Ellie is all snug in her pyjamas.
Daddy then drys and moisturises Phoebe, and gets her into her pyjamas.

6.45pm - I dry Phoebe’s hair whilst Daddy gives Ellie her 7oz bottle before bed.

6.50pm - I brush Phoebe’s teeth, she jumps in bed whilst I grab 2 stories to read. 

7.00pm - Ellie falls asleep on the bottle and Daddy places her in her cot. She goes down very quickly, and Daddy comes in to me and Phoebe to give Phoebe a kiss goodnight.

7.10pm - All being well, I am usually downstairs by this time, to clean up tea.

7.30pm - Mummy and Daddy have finished cleaning and are now ready to chill for the night!!!! Zzzz. 

10.00pm Ellie’s last feed, ‘dream feed’. Again, 7oz. She guzzles it and she's straight back to sleep until she wakes up at 6.30am.

10.30pm  - Dave and I jump into bed, and we chill out some more.


11.00pm - Were asleep!!!!!!

So there you have it. That is as close as what our daily routine can be like. Obviously this varies if were out for the day, or I have work in the evenings. But this is how it is majority of the time.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sophie-Evelyn xoxo
SHARE:

Returning to work after maternity leave.

Well, the time has come. It's finally time for me to return to work. On one hand I am so, so excited, and on the other I'm so nervous, and so, so not ready to leave my baby!

I have tremendous guilt, as with Phoebe I wasn't working until I got this job when she was nearly turning 2. So I completely relished in her first 2 years of life, and I was with her every step of the way.
Ellie is only 8 months old, and Im returning to work :( I do only work evenings, so it makes it a lot easier. I start work at 5pm and finish at 9pm. I'm very lucky that my children are basically in bed whilst I am at work. But, that still doesn't make my mummy guilt any easier!!

It's so difficult trying to juggle everything. You're trying to be the best mummy you can, but at the same time be the best partner/wife. If I had it my way, I would win the lottery and never work again, whilst completely enjoying my life with my children (who wouldn't though ey?)

I keep jumping back and forth from, 'Yes, I am so ready to go back to work, and I've really made the most of my time off', too 'Nope! Nope! So not ready for this at all!!!'

I'm sure once my first shift is over with, I will just be thinking, 'well that was easy!' (minus the sore feet hehe)
But this mummy has to go out and make a life for herself, and get successful in her career.

So wish me luck, and lets hope I survive my first week back at work. My uniform is washed, and ironed all ready. And I've even treated myself to some new work shoes. Hehe.


Sophie-Evelyn xoxo

SHARE:

Monday 1 August 2016

MANAGING ECZEMA IN MY FAMILY


Since I was a young girl, all I can remember is suffering from eczema. I remember it the most and the worst on the inside of my legs. I specifically remember the smell of the steroid cream my mum would apply after every bath, and anytime visiting the seaside, the seawater would sting like you wouldn't believe!!
That was as worse as it got for a long, long time. Until I was pregnant with my eldest daughter, Phoebe. Its crazy what pregnancy hormones can do to you. But as soon as I knew I had this little person growing inside of me, my skin just reacted badly. From acne, to eczema in places I had never had it before in my life. 
As a child, with it being on the inside of my legs, I was always able to hide it, and nobody knew that I had eczema. Now I suffer from it quite bad on my hands. My right hand being aggressively worse. Don't ask me why!

With it being that eczema can be known to be hereditary, it was only a matter of time before we noticed a skin sensitivity in both Phoebe and Ellie. 
Phoebe has always been the worst. Since she was a newborn, I always remember how sensitive her skin was, and her skin was so delicate and flaky at the beginning. (More then a normal newborns)
With my experience of eczema, I have tried anything and everything to 'tame' it. 
My hands can get very, very sore. They can end up cracking, and I have scars on my fingers from this.  :(
As with the girls, its been trial and error in terms of what works best for their skin. The things we like to use the most are specifically things organic and as natural as you can find. We stay clear away from perfumed soaps, and moisturisers.
I've spent so long shopping around, trying to find the best product for us all. But everybody's skin is different. What could work great for Phoebe, could do the opposite to me and vice versa.
Ellie's skin isn't so sensitive, but we still are very careful with what products we use. I like to stick with natural products, like I said. And Ellie is smothered in the Burt's Bee's lotions and bath soaps. These are very popular in our household. As well as this we like to use the Simple baby range. I just find that its a lot more sensitive to my babies skin.

With Phoebe, we literally have to bath her in just warm water sometimes. Her backs of her legs get very, very sore with eczema. I make sure I moisturise both girls every single night after their baths, and this helps massively. 


One cream I have heard lots of high praise about lately is the Kokoso baby range. I have just purchased this cream, and I'm excited to see if it is as good as people have said it is.
I purchased this cream in Boots and I paid £6 for it. Which, compared to some creams I have purchased, this was a bargain!!

I am excited to try it, as it smell delicious, and I will be sure to keep you posted :)


Sophie-Evelyn xox0
SHARE:
© ALL THINGS MUM. All rights reserved.
BLOGGER TEMPLATE BY pipdig