We're Having Another Baby!

Finally we have shared with all that our second baby is due May 2017. And it has got me thinking about wading through newborn valley again, remembering how I felt first time around. My last motherhood post had such great feedback, mainly about how honest it was. Something that bothered me lots when I'd just had Matilda was: I must be the only new mother in this world that feels this way.

Of course, that is utterly ridiculous. It's just that no one ever tells you.

You know it's going to be hard. You know you're going to be knackered. You didn't know you'd be questioning why don't I feel that immediate gush of love other mums are feeling? You don't know just how hard breastfeeding would be, but you want to do it because you're told you should so then you feel bad for wishing you formula fed. Feeling guilty for spending a few hours at the hairdressers to try to feel like 'you' again when the baby is a few weeks old.

I'll tell you why that love didn't wash over me immediately: I just pushed a 9lb 7oz baby out and hadn't slept or eaten for days, then she was sucking what felt like all the energy my body possessed out of me so I could walk around like an extra from The Walking Dead. I am in no way saying I didn't love her, I checked she was breathing every 5 minutes and the first time she properly vomited I told Andrew we were taking her to A&E immediately (sounds so ridiculous now!) I instantly wanted to protect her.

I'll tell you why breastfeeding is bloody hard even though 'it's the best and most natural thing to do' - you've never had a newborn feed from you before so strongly, you want to scream at every feed. They didn't tell me this at my breastfeeding workshop! (Disclaimer - this does get easier by the way and I by no way judge mums that choose to formula feed, I started that when Matilda was 8 weeks old) New mum's won't have gone through this before, it is a completely new experience and one that effing hurts. So give me a break if I want to combi-feed OK? Happy mum happy baby.

I'll tell you why I felt guilty from being away from that little bundle for a few hours - the media made me feel like that. You see these earth-mother types wrapping their babies to their bodies, feeding in public without a care in the world, never leaving them, 'Oh, I would never leave XYZ they must be close to Mummy all the time for bonding' BLAH BLAH BLAH P*** OFF! They make it look so bloody easy don't they. But I was never that woman to begin with so why change now? Matilda was just fine away from me for a few hours! How silly to think otherwise.

Anyway, I spent probably the first 6 weeks of Matilda's like in a total haze, I didn't know who I was anymore. And I cried a lot! Just ask Andrew. No one told me I would feel like that. I feel so much better prepared this time, naturally. I've been through it before. I feel like I sailed through the first trimester with ease (You got this Mama!)

Sure, having 2 kids is going to be bloody hard work but I will in no way let myself feel like a lost woman wading through muslins, nappies and barely wearing any makeup. That isn't me. I like getting dolled up, I love products and my hair and clothes like lots of other girls - so why when we become mothers do we lose that? A baby is an amazing addition to your family, sure it changes you in some ways but it doesn't mean YOU can't still be the YOU that you were before.

I know that was a bit of a ramble, but whether it's your first or fifth baby, I think the above applies in some ways to some women.

Chloe x

What's Going On My Christmas List

As it's the first of November and I'm starting to feel festive already, I'm sharing what is on my Christmas List for 2016. This is only a selection of what features this year, as you can probably imagine the list is much, much longer!

Scent

This is my favourite perfume, if someone is wearing it I can tell instantly what it is. My last bottle ran out some time ago and I'm really missing it in my cologne collection. I'm hoping someone will be king enough to buy the 100ml too (Husband? Mum? Anyone. PLEASE!)

Accessories

I am obsessing over this bag from Zara which will be perfect for Winter evenings and weekends. The embellishment is a big nod to the fauna feel of those Aquazurra boots that I also love but can't afford at £930.

Also from Zara is this pom pom beanie, which will go with absolutely everything and be totally practical in keeping my head warm this Winter.

Next up, cashmere socks from The White Company. I love cosy nights at home, on the sofa with some delicious food, X Factor on and all the comfy clothes. These socks will be a welcome addition to my expanding lazy wardrobe!

Home

We have just renovated our kitchen and I am desperate for this radio to cook to on a Sunday. I love the vintage feel and also how romantic it is to listen to the radio. We love Steve Wright's Sunday love songs on Radio 2!

Beauty

I am on the hunt for the perfect burgundy/browny lip colour and feel that these could be just what I am looking for, both MAC shades available at John Lewis.

MAC Burnt Violet.

MAC Double Fudge.

If you find any lovely wintery lip colours please do let me know!

What are you asking for this Christmas?

Chloe x

Mini Haul for Matilda

One of my favourite things about motherhood is choosing clothes for my girl. That might sound pathetic to some but I am a style lover and this applies to Matilda's fashion too. I have go-to stores that I love to buy from, particularly Zara at the moment, they have some gorgeous Autumn pieces.

So, I thought I'd share a few recent wardrobe updates to take Matilda in to Autumn/Winter.

This two piece tunic & leggings set was actually bought by Nanna Sharron from Dunnes Stores in Ireland. I do love a good striped number, always chic, even for kids. The blucher shoes are Zara and still available, how cool are they?! Wish they had them in my size...

This cute set from Marks and Spencer is sadly no longer available, but I think the print is so cute and the outfit is perfect for casual days. The Converse were purchased from Office and sadly are no longer this white!

How lovely is the print of this dress? Again it is from Zara and a total steal at £9.99. As I type it is available in all sizes and also comes in other colours. Guess where the boots are from? Yep, Zara! They're real leather at £29.99 on the pricier scale for a child's shoe but I loved the fringe detail on these. The ragdoll is Liberty London for Mamas and Papas and is sadly no longer on the website, such a shame because she is a lovely addition to any girls room!

Where do you shop for your littles? Do you also have a Zara obsession like me?!

Chloe x

Feeling The Pressure

Being a mum is a tough gig at times. Let's just be open and honest about that. Sleepless nights, endless crying, growth spurts, mum guilt...the list goes on. Something I've been having issues with lately is the guilt. Am I doing enough with Matilda? Is she a happy child?

I never used to beat myself up over stuff in life, I would get on with it. I didn't used to over-analyse or over-think - it just was what it was.

How motherhood changed all that.

In the first few weeks of Matilda's life, I felt pretty shitty. I'll dedicate more on that in a different post but it took me a while to find my feet, longer than other Mum's it seemed. Then when she was about 3 months old, we started going to baby groups, baby massage classes etc and I felt fully immersed in the new Mother & Baby lifestyle.

At 7 months old I returned to work part time, doing 3 days a week. And its since then that the guilt has grown and grown. On the days when I'm not at work, I feel so much pressure to do something fun with Matilda. Like a trip to the park or beach, a few hours at a soft play centre or a play date with other little ones. But on my days off I have shit to do too. A house that needs to be kept in a relatively clean state, washing that has to be done, food shopping and just other general boring errands that Matilda must hate, right?

I see the Instamums with their seemingly perfect fun filled days out and then think Matilda has spent the best part of an hour plonked in front of the telly watching Peppa Pig with a custard cream whilst Mummy does the washing up and prepares the tea.

She is a happy kid, I know that. And she loves me, no matter how many trips to Morrisons we make. I just have to remind myself of that. I work so that we can have an even better life as a family and honestly, work is sometimes my escape as I don't see my friends as often as I might like. But that is parenthood. My daughter laughs every day, like proper belly laughs and that brings a lump to my throat because she is an incredible little human.

I guess the point of this post is to let out the guilt. And to let other mums know that it is always OK to do what you need to do to get your shit done. So what if you haven't spent all day at soft play or the park? Playing in the garden at home pulling all the flowers from the fuschia is just as much fun to these little people. The pressure we put on ourselves as Mum's can be massive sometimes.

I would love to hear what you thought about this post.

Chloe x

High Street Cleansers You Need To Know About

Hi guys!

I need to update you on two new cleansing products you NEED to purchase. Today. They are so good.

The first is the new oil infused micellar water from Garnier. You may have already tried their normal micellar water with the pink lid? And thought that was really good? It was good, but the new one is amazing! It smells divine, it removes every last bit of makeup from my skin, including my waterproof Lancome mascara which is an absolute bugger to shift usually. It doesn't leave a greasy, weird sheen either that some oil cleansers do. It is such good value for money too at under £6 for 400ml. However, Superdrug have it on offer here for under £4.

The second product is a new cleansing gel from Palmer's. I use this in the mornings to wake up my face and also in the evenings to remove my base makeup. The formula of this gel means it doesn't foam up too much on the skin (does anyone else hate a bubble covered face?) and it is so light my skin feels refreshed and clean, not tight and dry. Palmer's products are great value again, this gel was £3.99 and you can pop this in your shopping basket to purchase now, here.

Let me know if you've already tried either of these and what you thought!

Chloe x

New In: Beauty

Hi guys!

A recent shopping trip to Westfield White City with two girlfriends left my purse a little barren shall we say!

I had a few beauty products on my shopping list so headed to House of Fraser to try out a few. First up, a new foundation. After hearing Victoria from Inthefrow highly recommend the Maestro Glow by Giorgio Armani, I knew I wanted to buy something here. However, my skin is very oily, so the lovely lady advised I should try the Luminous Silk instead. Maestro Glow does what it says on the tin - make you glowy. I don't need any more shine as I have enough from my super oily t-zone come 3pm!

I go for foundations with more pink based tones than yellow as this just works for me, so bought shade 4.5.

I am very lucky with my skin, I'm generally free from any spots and the tone is pretty good. I do get a bit of redness around my nose, but I find a concealer helps with this. I'd heard good things about the Urban Decay Naked Skin concealer and was advised to try shade light warm. It is very lightweight and a shade or two fairer compared to what I had been using, so this a great brightening concealer for under the eyes and down the nose. So far I like!

Also whilst checking out the Urban Decay counter, I picked up their make-up setting spray. A bit of a cult item if you will. They do three types, so I went for the oil control one. The guy at the counter reeled of some spiel about the contents, sorry but I'm no chemist so I have no idea about the ingredients and what they do. All I know is people love this. And that is good enough for me. It can even be kept in the fridge and used as a cooling mist too - love this idea for hot weather.

Finally new tools! I love Real Techniques, so if you've never used any of their brushes before you definitely need to try them. Created by two make-up artists, the collection has everything you need for flawless make-up. I've been raving about their miracle complexion sponge for months now and even mentioned it in a '5 Holy Grail Beauty Products' video on my sister's YouTube channel. My current one is in a bad way so bought a replacement and I grabbed the core collection for my base at £20! It has a large brush for buffing, a smaller brush for contouring, a tapered brush which is great for getting in to corners and I love it for my powder highlight. And lastly a mini brush which I now use for lips!

Do you have any of these products? Or have anything new you can recommend I need to try?

Chloe x

Mini Luxury Leather Haul

Hi guys!

In today's post I am going to show you two new buys I made that I hope you'll love as much as I do.

Firstly the bag. I really needed a weekend and evening option, something small but not compromising on quality. I love my Mulberry Mitzi Messenger bag that I have had for 6 years, but it is too big and clumpy for shopping trips, meals out and the like. I headed to Net-A-Porter for inspiration and came across the Chloe Mini Marcie. Love at first sight. The perfect size for what I needed, and also available in my two favourite colours; grey & blue. Now how could I decide between them?

My heart was saying grey and the heart always wins. I just love her, she's so pretty. The detailed stitching on the front flap is exquisite and I love the minimal gold hardware. It is easy to open or close and another selling point was the adjustable strap - because I am quite tall, to wear this cross-body style I have to have it on the longest strap setting. 

What do you think? You can find the 4 colour options on Net-A-Porter all available for £485.

My second purchase was a coin purse from Aspinal of London. As my Mulberry envelope wallet is too big for my new bag, I decided to get something smaller that would fit in my new Chloe. Aspinal have an incredible sale on until 27th July so definitely check out what's left.

I went for orange just to spice things up a bit, all for the grand old price of £35! For real leather that is such an amazing price, I was shocked to be honest. I also had my initials embossed in gold, just for an added touch of luxury.

So there they are, my two new luxury leather purchases, both of which I am totally obsessed with!

What high-end products are on your wishlists at the moment?

Chloe x

Tips for Travelling with a Toddler

We've recently returned from a 7 night trip to Jamaica. Our first holiday as a family of three, not without its challenges let's just say! I certainly learnt a few things so I want to share those here and to also show you some photos from our holiday.

A concern high on the list was the 9 hour flight to Montego Bay. My plan was to wear Matilda out at Gatwick as much as possible in the hope she would sleep onboard. We walked round and round departures and in preparation for lots of walking I purchased this toddlepak from Trunki. The design is so much more appealing than other reigns on the market, I thought Matilda would like them too. They're easy to use and adjustable to suit your child.

Now a way to keep a toddler quiet is with food! I packed some serious snackage in our carry on, fruit, crisps, biscuits - you name it I had it. Also plenty of juice to keep Matilda hydrated, I get so dry when I fly, it must be drying for our littles too. At 15 months she still has a bottle of milk in the day so we purchased some ready made Aptamil at Boots once we were through security. I would recommend buying the bulk of formula at the airport as you can save space in your hand luggage this way. Plus with liquid restrictions this makes life much easier.

Another fantastic tip that served us well not only for the flight, but also for meal times was downloading TV shows to the iPad. Matilda loves Peppa Pig so I'd bought an entire volume of episodes to keep her happy. Here she is propped up chilling halfway through the flight! We found ourselves scrambling for it during mealtimes too if she was getting a bit ratty and we were yet to finish eating - complete lifesaver! I also packed a few books and toys, along with some stickers but these didn't get used.

I packed a change of clothes and some pyjamas for her, so consider how long your journey is and the age of your child to determine how many outfits you'll need to take onboard. Don't forget plenty of nappies and wipes too.

Jamaica is 6 hours behind the UK, so we had to bear this in mind once we had arrived in resort. I'd read online about getting the child on the new schedule immediately, however Matilda had been up for so long, we'd arrived at our hotel at 6pm, well that was midnight back home and she would have long been asleep so I took the decision to get her some food and ready for bed straight away. She woke once in the night which was a lot better than we had expected. Because of her age she doesn't sleep in a proper bed yet, so the hotel kindly provided a cot for her - make sure you check cots are provided at your destination if you need them!

How cute is this photo! Matilda loved playing on the beach but the sand got everywhere. The answer to this is talcum powder. Honestly the best tip of the lot - after Matilda was done playing and getting ready for her nap, I would lay her down and cover her with talc, leave for a few seconds and dust her off, the sand would all be gone and she could comfortably sleep for a few hours in the shade. Even my husband and I started doing it!

It goes without saying that with the rise in temperature, toddlers are going to need extra water. Matilda would happily sip water from a bottle or a straw and end up playing with bottle as a toy - winner! Just as adults need to think about extra fluids, don't forget to top up the littles with juice too.

Another major concern for any mum taking their kids to sunnier climes is sun protection. I'd purchased 3 bottles of Nivea factor 50 (yes, way too much for a week's trip I know). Every morning I covered her head-to-toe in the stuff, let that sink in and have breakfast. Then before going out into the sun I put another layer on. What I did notice was it irritated her eczema so if your kids have any skin sensitivities please think about this, I wish I had.
Matilda won't wear hats, simple. I was really worried about this as it is so important to protect the head, neck & ears from the sun. I bought this fruit print hat from Mothercare which is now out of stock, but this cute polka dot one from Boots will do the trick. I also made her wear a t-shirt whenever she was out of the shade. Any old t-shirt will do, I bought two in resort with cute Jamaica motifs on.

Finally, water safety. Two things we thought would be good purchases that turned out to be a waste of money because Matilda hated them both were this Splash About swim jacket and rubber ring from Mothercare. All Matilda wanted was to be held in the pool, splashing her hands and trying to drink the pool water! When we were at the beach, her favourite thing was grabbing handfuls of sand and throwing it in the water, adorable!

Overall we had a great time, we loved the hotel, the island and seeing Matilda experience new things for the very first time was worth all the stress and jetlag!

Any other holiday tips you have to share? Let me know!

Chloe x

Drugstore Beauty Haul

Hi guys!

Today I wanted to post about some recent drugstore purchases. Like every girl I love trying out new products and there are some that I am really enjoying, others not so much.

Moisturisers

I have used the original Palmer's cocoa formula before and rather enjoyed walking around smelling like a slab of chocolate. Their range is all reasonably priced and it does a great job of keeping my skin hydrated. This coconut oil formula seems harder to rub in and I'm not a lover of the scent I'll be honest. But I think I got the bottle for under £3 on offer in Superdrug and it'll do.
The Vaseline oil isn't something I've seen before, and I like an oil for summer - it gives skin a lovely dewy sheen that works wonders for dull, lifeless skin that hasn't seen sun for God knows how long! Again this was on offer, it slowly sinks in to the skin throughout the day and keeps my skin feeling hydrated all day. This is my favourite out of the two for sure. I also think it'll be great for my upcoming holiday over a tan, I am not an aftersun lover at all.

Cleansers

Micellar cleansing waters hit the scene big time a few years ago and I remember trying a L'Oreal one but not being overly sold. This Garnier bottle was (again!) reduced so I threw it in my basket immediately as I am getting a bit bored of my current Lancome one. I use it in my morning routine to wake up my skin, emptying a few drops on to a cotton pad and gently rubbing in circular movements over my face and neck, it lifts any excess nightcream and prepares my face for my toner. I really like this water, great for sensitive skin and also fab at this time of year as it is so light.
The Superdrug Vitamin E cleansing oil is just divine. I've used this product before and remember it being great value for money. Nothing has changed! I use this one in the evening after removing my makeup with my Lancome Bi-Facil remover. As it is a dual phase oil, you have to shake the bottle to mix the product. It has such a lovely scent, it helps to remove any remaining makeup from my face and neck, and it also brings moisture back into my skin. Love it.

Handcream

Aveeno is a brand you may or may not have heard of before, if you haven't then you need to try their products! I have heard mothers raving about their moisturisers, using them on their little ones as babies are prone to dry skin. My hands were looking seriously dry and in need of some love so I picked this up for around a fiver. I really believe looking after the skin on your hands is important as that can give away your age! Not that I'm old, but prevention is better than cure. This is a lovely formula, with no overbearing scent. It isn't greasy either, which I absolutely hate in handcreams!

Beauty Sponge

This little orange sponge is a makeup game changer! I had seen lots of beauty vloggers using these little sponges to blend their foundations, concealers and contour creams, and their faces looked totally flawless. Ever find that your foundation brush leaves little brush lines on your face? Well then you need to get a sponge. This one was £6 and is by Real Techniques. I like to apply my foundation with my brush, then I'll apply my concealer under my eyes and blend that in using this sponge, then eventually dabbing over my entire face to get rid of any lines and get a more finished look. Best used when wet!

Superdrug Peel & Eye Cream

These two products I am not so keen on. I have used them a few times now but not really seeing any benefits. I find that the eye cream makes my eyes water so it is generally uncomfortable and the product seems to just sit on the skin and not really go anywhere.
The overnight peel doesn't seem to have made any difference to my face so I am left wondering why I bothered using it. I found it a teensy bit drying, which I imagine would happen with a peel? You have to be very careful to use a day cream the next day with SPF in it too. Both products were a great price, but I wouldn't buy them again.

What beauty buys have you made recently? Any that you love or hate? Let me know in the comments below!

Chloe x

Matilda's 1st Birthday

Growing up, I was always told that as an adult time goes too fast. Now I'm a Mum, I am learning first hand just how quickly the months go.

On 7th April our little Matilda turned 1. That has to be the quickest year of my life! I thought I'd share with you how we celebrated.

For her actual birthday on the Thursday, we had lots of family visiting throughout the day, giving their gifts and eating lots of cake. We popped out for lunch to a restaurant near to us, The Ferry House Inn, which was lovely and Matilda was as good as gold.

Matilda's dress was a gift from her Auntie Courtenay, it's by Stella McCartney Kids purchased on Alex and Alexa. This online boutique has a great choice of brands and you can get some amazing bargains during their sales so definitely check it out.

The following day, Andrew and I wanted to take Matilda out to a soft play centre so she could let loose and go wild! We went to a place called Monkey Bizz in Rochester and it was so busy due to Easter Holidays, so I think Matilda felt a bit overwhelmed! Next time we will go when it isn't so busy I think.

On Saturday it was party day! Now before I became a Mum, I was always the one that said really little children didn't need big parties for their birthdays as they wouldn't remember it blah blah blah! Now I am so obsessed with my baby she gets absolutely everything! So we held a bash at a cute hall 5 minutes from where we live, we hired in some soft play for all the children, laid on a buffet and got a gorgeous Beatrix Potter themed cake made by the same lady that made our wedding cake and my baby shower cake.

Isn't this cake just amazing? All the guests commented on it!

As I was aiming for a 'Spring' theme, my sister Claudia picked up this carrot bunting reduced in Paperchase, I bought some pretty tulips, gerbera daisies, alstromeria and gypsophila from our local Morrisons to decorate the table with and strung up random paper pom poms all around the hall.

Matilda's outfit required a lot of planning, I wanted her to look amazing for her party, obviously. Her dress was Mamas and Papas from their collaboration with Liberty London. I instantly fell in love with the pretty peacock print on the top and the gorgeous tulle skirt. I managed to snag it when it dropped to 20% off during a flash sale, it is back up to full price at £44 but is still online currently to buy here in all sizes. I got so many comments on how beautiful it was.

Party feet! These gorgeous Sophia Webster Mini Bibi Butterfly shoes were a gift from her Auntie Claudia at Christmas, and now finally fit her feet! You can take a look at the mini collection by Sophia Webster here, I want them all for Matilda, Sophia makes some stunning, unique shoes. A pair for myself too wouldn't be so bad either!

I also thought our princess needed some sort of head accessory and I found a wonderful seller through Etsy that makes gorgeous glitter party crowns. It went perfectly with Matilda's dress, although she didn't keep it on for long - I really struggle to get hats and hair accessories on her!

Photo taken from A Royal Fit on Etsy

The party was a huge success, everyone said how much they enjoyed themselves and they were so generous with their gifts for Matilda, I couldn't possibly list everything she got. 

I have to admit I was a little sad when it all came to an end! It was such a perfect couple of days spent with so many special people and what is wonderful about having a child, is seeing just how loved and special Matilda is to them. 

Here is our princess having lots of fun on the soft play!

Thanks for reading,

Chloe x

Bank Holiday Haul

Hi guys!

I hope you all had a good bank holiday weekend?

I had to work on Saturday (bleurgh!) however, Sunday was spent brunching with the girls at our favourite spot Tom at TwentyOne. I had some delicious buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup and fruit. Totally healthy right?

Then it was time for date afternoon/night. Andrew had booked for us to watch the new Jungle Book film, we'd been dying to see it since it came out a few weeks ago. Needless to say it was brilliant so I would highly recommend you go see it!  We had dinner at Cafe Rouge after, I'd never been before, thought it was pretty average - have any of you been?

Andrew had also said he wanted to take me shopping before the film to treat me to a few bits and that was the original point of this post, I wanted to show you the pieces I had picked up.

We are going away in June and I am trying to build my summer/holiday capsule wardrobe, but I ended up with a weird range of items.

The first item I went for was this pretty chambray top from River Island. I thought it would look lovely with some light boyfriend jeans and sandals, ideal for this transitional period we are in.

I am obsessed with blue and white. So chic. This sleeveless jacket is again from River Island and I can't wait to throw it over skinny jeans and a white t-shirt. 

Andrew actually picked this top out for me, I wasn't overwhelmed when I looked at it on the hanger but when I put it on it covered a multitude of sins, the colour looked great with my new brunette barnet and I envisioned it as my new go-to top for casual drinks or dinner. Also from River Island it comes in other colours.

The wide leg trousers above are from Zara. The fabric is light and comfy so I thought these would be great for the evening on holiday, teamed with a white or cream top and a tan. Perfect. I've got some espadrille wedges that I purchased on ASOS last summer that would go great with these as they are rather long too.

This kaftan from H&M made me feel like a Goddess when I tried it on and I knew instantly it was going straight to the till point with me. On holiday we usually head down to breakfast about 8, then straight to the pool so this would be ideal for that.

That is it for this haul, I have a few bits sitting in my basket on ASOS that I am deliberating over and we also have a family wedding on Sunday that I currently have no dress for - uh oh. So no doubt I'll have a few more bits to show you in the next few weeks.

What have you guys been buying this spring?

Chloe x