2017 Reflection and What's To Come

I probably say this every year, but how quick has this year gone? So much has happened for me in 2017 that I truly don’t know where to begin.

Drowning in the Parenthood Puddle

Is it just me or do any other parents currently feel like they are drowning in the parenthood puddle, or maybe ocean is a better word? The ocean in the grips of a horrific storm with fifty foot waves crashing down over you every time you break the surface for a gulp of air?

The Children's Chariot - Yippie Yo Review

   

Living in Wales, we are very lucky to get to experience a variety of different landscapes; we have the cities, the beaches, woodland walks and mountain terrains. Now that Aoife is older, we want her to explore exactly what Wales has to offer. 

The Second Born Bond

The bond between a mother and their child is said to be instant, natural, unbreakable. A lot of people find it hard to believe that this doesn't always happen straight away. I will openly admit that I was one of these people, who always wondered "how?"; how can a mother not bond with their child straight away after going through the trials of pregnancy, the processes behind adoption or surrogacy. Just how can they not feel that overwhelming love and connection to their little one?

Lifecake Review

I have always been obsessed with photographs; when I was in my teens there was nothing I didn’t enjoy more than taking photos on a disposable camera with friends and getting them developed. There was always something so special about holding a physical photograph in my hand and being able to keep them; back then there wasn’t a huge social media presence for photographs to be uploaded. Facebook and Instagram didn’t exist; the most we had were MySpace and Bebo which were filled with grainy webcam photos.

Xmas Gift Guide for Children - 0 to 5

 

I always find children hard to buy for, especially younger ones who aren't too sure on what they want. Also, you never know what they already have which makes things even more harder! I've narrowed down a few gift ideas for children aged zero to five to help you out this Christmas.

Winter Woodland Style with me&i- Review

If you know me, then you will know that I am a huge fan of "fast fashion" and wouldn't bat an eyelid at spending £50 on several items from Primark over one good quality peace. This is doing nothing for my bank balance as I get sucked in each time high street stores have new stock and end up having to replace items quickly as the quality is never the best.

Xmas Gift Guide for Men

I don't know if it is just my husband, but he is horrific to buy for. Everything he needs or wants he just buys for himself, so when it comes to Christmas there is nothing for me to get him. Every time I ask him what he wants, his response is "nothing" which isn't very helpful at all.

If your husband, father, brother or any man in your life is the same, then I hope you get some inspiration from this guide!

Xmas Gift Guide for Mums and Mums to Be

Now that Halloween and Bonfire Night have passed, we can finally start thinking of the dreaded C word! There's nothing worse than buying Christmas gifts last minute or having no idea what to get for your loved ones. 

With this in mind, I have compiled some Gift Guides which I hope will help a few of you. The first is for any Mums or Mums to Be in your life; a few of these would actually work for any lady!

The Facebook Birth Groups

When I found out that I was pregnant with Aoife, I downloaded a pregnancy app where I could chat to other women who were due in the same month that I was.

This led to a secret Facebook group being created to ensure that everyone was who they said they were. We had everyone you could think of; the nervous first time mums to those who were on their eighth child.

JewelleryBox Review and Giveaway

I was recently contacted by JewelleryBox, an online jewellery retailer, to see if I wanted to test out a few pieces from their range. I'm a big jewellery person, but with two little ones I rarely treat myself to any new sparkles.

Inspired Wallpaper Review

If I could have any job in the world it would be as an interior designer; there is nothing better than shopping for new homeware bits or to browse Pinterest for inspiration. When we bought our house back in February I couldn't wait to redecorate and put our own stamp on it. 

Turtle Bay Swansea Review

When it comes to eating out, I'm pretty easy to please and much prefer a pub lunch over a tiny à la carte meal. However, I am also a creature of habit and don't like to stray too far from certain eateries or foods that I know I like. With that in mind, I was slightly apprehensive when we were invited to review the menu at Turtle Bay which has just recently opened in Swansea. The furthest I tend to go with trying dishes from another country is ordering a Chinese takeaway, so I was slightly nervous with trying out Caribbean cuisine.

What's in a Name?

When I first found out I was pregnant in 2014, I already knew what I would call the baby had it been a girl. I've never had any favourite boys names but I always fell in love quite easily with girls names, particularly the one I had in mind for my eldest.

Sarah Debnam Birth Photography Review

 "Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still" - Dorothea Lange

I am a firm believer in that photographs can speak a thousand words and capture a persons raw emotion. Our home has photo frames and albums scattered everywhere, filled with photographs of our memories as a couple and then as a family.

The Perfect Parent Brigade

From the moment you are born, you are set out to be judged; from when you are a newborn and people ask your parents if you are a "good" baby to your choice of hairstyle in high school.

Water Confidence

When I was younger I was a real little water baby; I was obsessed with swimming and the best part of a holiday for me was the swimming pool.

As I got older, my love of swimming lingered, however I sadly pushed it aside due to body confidence issues. It is one of those things that I truly regret and I vowed to make sure that my children were never scared of the water.

Part Time Prejudice

Before Aoife was born, I worked full time in a twenty four hour contact centre for an airline. My shifts would range from 7am to 11pm, seven days a week. I enjoyed my job and had a tight knit team of whom I had developed friendships with over the three and a half years that I had been working there for.

Girls Compete; Women Empower

Take yourself back to the 90's: The Spice Girls (my most favourite band ever) were bursting into the spotlight and "girl power" became a worldwide phenomenon.

More recently, everyone seems to have become a feminist, demanding that women are treated equal to men (which I am all for) and vocally expressing their support for other women.

The Silence Of A Loss

Loss: noun

The feeling of grief after losing someone or something of value.