Hello Everyone!
I thought I’d write a little update on us and what’s been going on. Life is as hectic as ever. I probably bring it on myself, I know I should take more time to just be, but when you have a house that needs renovating, three young children and a business there’s rarely any time to slow down. I’m aiming to get to the point where I can look around the house and not feel like it’s so unfinished. It does feel like a home and a home I’m proud of, but it’s a way off from ideal. For those who don’t know, four years ago we moved to this house which is in a good area near a good school but it’s a bit of a project. On Sunday I hardly looked at my phone and it was lovely.
Feeling like a shouty mum
Phoebe said to me the other day – ‘Mum you’re quite bossy!’ – well, I am because they are very sloth like, especially when we have to be somewhere at a certain time, like every day for school. I am just not one of those people who has a regimented routine and has it all down. I have my head in the clouds most of the time, usually thinking about anything but getting ready. It’s usually blog posts, to do lists, wondering if I should change energy suppliers or daydreaming about a holiday or an even rarer prospect, a decent night’s sleep. Then I look at he time and instead of having plenty of it we have 2 minutes to change a nappy, put shoes and socks on and think about what we need. It’s no wonder it’s stressful. I just don’t remember my parents shouting and getting so stressed like I do, maybe I’ve blocked it out? I do remember there were times I was told off and shouted at, but the general day to day stuff I don’t remember being so hard. I shared this the other day on Facebook and it resonated with quite a few people.
Making progress on the house
Now that Daniel is getting older we are making baby steps on DIY and things we need to do in the house. We’ve patched up the bathroom walls and have a coat of white paint on it, which has already made it look 100 times better. We can’t afford to have it tiled, or the ultimate aim is to knock through to the separate toilet and make a big bathroom with giant tiles and a hotel feel. For now, we’re going to go for a beach theme, with pebble floor tiles, sandy coloured walls and I’m painting the rolltop bath blue ( the outside!). We’ll see how it turns out. As I type there are three eastern european men next door plastering the living room and over the next few days will do the hallway and stairs and upstairs landing. It’s a big investment but will make a huge difference. I made a little vlog about the colours, there’s been mixed opinions so far and now I’m more confused. Any comments and suggestions welcome. I decided against wallpaper because it peels off.
I’m going to be a film star
Yes, really! If you follow my Facebook page, you’ll know this, I’m going to be an extra. I’ve done it a few times before, but this year I’ve had greater freedom since quitting my permanent job and this will be the second time I’ve done it in a few months. I seem to be put forward for medical type roles, my last one was as a nurse in one of the marvel films out next year, and this one (filming next week) is again as a nurse for the second Kingsman film. I’ll be writing a separate blog about my experiences as an extra and the amazing studios I’ve visited, also how to get into it if you’re interested. They like it that I have nursing experience and can look authentic.
Vlogmas is coming
I’m getting into my stride with Youtube, I’m trying to upload at least once a week, so far it’s mainly been reviews but I’m doing some off the cuff ones and this December I’m doing #Vlogmas, where I’m filming every day in December until Christmas Day. I’m going to do a special for Daniel’s birthday too. Keep an eye out for those, and make sure you’re subscribed to my Youtube channel. I’ll be posting them on the blog too.
Daniel the Destroyer
He’s living up to his name. If we’re not constantly watching him, he’s destroying something. Or spilling something. Cereal is his favourite. Drinks get spilled, he’s spilled diet coke all over my laptop twice, I’m surprised it still works. He’s super cheeky and loving, he loves giving kisses and cuddles, he is so funny that we forgive him his little antics. He’s fiercely possessive over me, he doesn’t like it if the others are giving a hug, he pushes them away! He is being a little pickle at night time, he’ll wake up and not settle again, often staying in our bed. I’m planning on stopping breastfeeding soon, his birthday is on 30th December when he’ll turn 2, then I’m winding it down. He may have other ideas though! He loves his ‘Boo.’ I want my boobs ‘back,’ although I do have them, they’re mine, but there are a fair few times I’m not enjoying it now. I still enjoy a great many, especially when he’s sleepy and snuggly. We’ll see how we get on.
Phoebe
Phoebe is enjoying the Christmas preparations at school, she is going to be Narrator B in the school play and has lines to learn. I think secretly she wanted to be the Sugar plum fairy, but I think it shows a certain level of intelligence to be chosen as one of the Narrators. Their school is non denominational, so there’s no religious message, but a moral message. I’m looking forward to it so much. I missed last years, I was working, another reason I stopped. She loves colouring and crafting and is writing her own Christmas cards this year. She’s such a sunny natured little girl and very sweet. The relationship between her and her siblings is so precious. She really looks after Daniel and plays with him, plus her and William get on too. Daniel says ‘hand’ and they hold hands, it’s super cute.
William
William is still very much into his gaming, Roblox in particular. We’re getting him a Nintendo 2DS for Christmas, with Tamadochi life pre installed. I’m hoping it will be played with more than a few times. He’s growing up so much, he lost a tooth again recently. I think I may have ruined the tooth fairy for him, his tooth fell out overnight and we couldn’t find it in the morning so he was going to write a note. The next night he forgot the note but I was determined the tooth fairy wasn’t going to forget like last time so she did come and brought £1.50. The next day I asked if she had come, he said no – but I knew the money was there so I was frantically looking for it with him and getting angry. ‘It must be here somewhere,’ I cried, searching under the covers. He found £1 and when he showed me he looked so knowing. I don’t know if he believes anymore. He does believe in Santa though, and I’m glad. I don’t care if I’m lying to my children, I believed in Santa and in a weird way I still do, the magic and the idea of him is there every Christmas for me. He went to see Father Christmas in a grotto and loved it.
Remembering Amy
We’ll be heading to Demelza House Hospice this weekend for the family Carol service to remember the children that are no longer with us. It’s a lovely time to remember and get together with the staff and other families. I feel so close to her when I’m there. If you haven’t read Amy’s story, you can catch up here.
Blogging
My blog has gone really well over the last couple of months, my page views have doubled and my social media reach is growing daily. I don’t quite know why, I think it’s a combination of factors:
- Time of year – lots of brands and PRs wanting sponsored content
- Pinterest – I’ve got onto some big group boards and am pinning more than ever, using optimised images (read my complete bloggers guide to Pinterest for some tips to grow and develop your Pinterest account)
- Volume of posts and time – As time goes on I have more content which in turn generates more views
- A couple of my posts prove popular time and time again with search engines, in particular my posts on ‘Why we shouldn’t use oil on newborns’, and ‘Minecraft Youtubers that are safe for children under 10 to watch.’
- My tots100 score is in the top 200 and has been for a while now. I’m currently number 161. Although it’s not the be all and end all and I’m certainly not the best or funniest writer out there, it helps with certain campaigns, particularly the tots100 ones. I’ve had some amazing opportunities through them, such as meeting chef Daniel Galmiche, playing Anki Overdrive at a Christmas party and attending a glitzy awards ceremony. Upcoming opportunities see me making my own BigMac at McDonalds and reviewing a new buggy.
- Posting consistently – I’ve posted pretty much daily during the week, if not daily then every other day.
I hope it’s not a fluke and will go back down next month! I’m excited to see where my blog is going to take me next year, last January I wrote my blogging and business goals. I’ll be revisiting that list this January and making some new goals. Confidence is key when you’re planning anything, dream big and you’ll get there. I’ve got some exciting campaigns coming up which if you’d told me about a year ago I would have laughed at you. I’ve also started a food blog, embracing my love of food and trying to concentrate on lower GI options, as I’m borderline diabetic. It’s called Mama Foodie. I’d love it if you checked it out and bookmarked it for the future. I’m planning on posting there about my chocolate masterclass at the savoy, and how to reduce the glycaemic index of your Christmas Dinner without compromising on taste. Until next time!