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Dear Daisy, It is your first day at school...

Quiet Time in the Canaries* #Unexpectedcanaries


When I was pregnant with Daisy Ben and I took a last minute holiday to Fuerteventura to get some quiet time before our lives changed completely. We actually went out of season in January for some winter sun and although it wasn't really sunbathing weather it was comfortable enough to walk and sit around, especially for my round bellied self!

Fuerteventura was beautiful, the sand dunes went on for miles and miles and were so nice to walk through and watch the windsurfers flying by, a little windy but so untouched and natural. It is the oldest island in the Canaries and we found it to have a really rustic feel to it.





When we were there we watched the ferry leave the harbour a few times heading over to Lanzarote and on one of our last days we decided to take a trip ourselves. It was a short trip but really worth it to see another of the islands. Lanzarote felt a little more touristy but was still so beautiful as you can see in the photos below. The port especially was amazing, it looked newly built and felt a fairly wealthy area of the island. We had some delicious lunch there and just watched the world go by a little while enjoying the sunshine for the afternoon. Shame I couldn't join Ben with the seafood paella and cerveza though! Lanzarote is famous for its volcanoes and sadly we didn't see any sign of them due to our fleeting visit so maybe one day we will get to see them. 









I would love to explore more of the islands and actually I would love to return to both of the islands mentioned above with the children, they appear to be really family friendly. The islands are all so varied and offer different surroundings and experiences, the map below goes into a little more detail. I was surprised to see islands on there that I hadn't even heard of so I am going to look further into them. 

We always look all over for our holidays including some of the popular companies such as Thomson but also more niche agents such as Inntravel, they specialise in holidays with the lesser known paths which help to make your holiday a bit more unique and a little off the beaten track which is what we love, even if we have lost that a little bit since having children. 

Which canary island?




#unexpectedcanaries

*PR Collaboration

A Mummy Gift Guide


I managed to get up a little gift guide in good time for both the children and husband but of course neglected myself.

Here are some of my top picks this year:

A Mummy Gift Guide


Lifecake do some great personalised gifts now as well as being a great platform to save your photos on and create time lines. I have actually ordered some magnets for gifts for our friends - I will share some pics over on my social media so keep an eye out!

I have always been a fan of Next PJS and slippers too, I had a lovely pair a few years ago and although they maybe more expensive than say Primark they really do wash well and stay just as nice as when you were given them.

I am a big Marc Jacobs Daisy fan too, obvious reasons (as well as the gorgeous smell)! And of course no gift list is right without some Benefit chucked in there too!


The Niggles & Wriggles Of Nappy Changing: Are Boys Trickier Than Girls? *


One of the first thing I started to think about and ask when i found out I was having a baby boy the 2nd time around was how on earth do I change his nappy? They have extra "bits" compared to what I was used to (I already had a little girl for those of you that don't follow my blog) and it did make me feel a little nervous, no idea why because now I know that a baby's bum is a baby's bum, additional parts or not.




I'm not saying it isn't trickier, there is pointing down to think about unless you want a water feature shooting out of the top of their nappy, and then there are the bits to lift and clean, but as long as you are gentle and make sure they're nice and clean that is all that matters right? I mean girls have creases to tackle which isn't all that easy at times, especially when they get to that age where they just keep rolling and wriggling away! Even though I think they're much of a muchness 40 per cent of parents think baby girls are ‘easier to change’, compared with just 21 per cent who think boys are easier.

According to WaterWipes commissioned research a third of new parents feel ‘totally unprepared’ for and overwhelmed by the thought of doing their new babies nappies. For me this could be down to lack of guidance, you don't often see parenting classes on offer or at least I didn't when I was pregnant. I am lucky to have a niece and nephew that I have been able to practise with but without family I may have been even more clueless. You see on programmes such as "Call the Midwife" all of the expectant mums being taught how to do these things in classes as weird as it may feel it would still be really useful.

The research of 1,000 parents with children under five by WaterWipes, was carried out as part of their #PureLove campaign to champion new mums’ self-belief in those early days of parenthood, where confidence is often at its lowest. And I guess that is when it is all really new to us as new mums and dads and those first few weeks can be really overwhelming as it is.

My top tips would be:

  • ASK! You may think that people would think it is a bit daft that you're having a bambino yet are unsure of how to do something as "simple" as clean and change their bum but honestly they really won't. We have all had those thoughts, I promise! We all have to start somewhere. 

  • Use the time to interact with the little one. sing and chat to them and that will distract them and in turn make the task a little easier.

  • Be prepared for the baby to cry, it is chilly when you get stripped down so it may upset them a little but don't hesitate just get it done ASAP and then have lots of snuggles after. 
Hayley x



*PR Collaboration

Going Potty: My Top Tips for Potty Training


You may or may not have read my post or seen my video on potty training a few weeks or perhaps a month or so ago. We were struggling with potty  training Daisy, or at least making her toilet habits consistent anyway.

Going Potty: My Top Tips for Potty Training

Well I am happy to say we finally have a toddler out of nappies after a long old slog getting her to this point. I should point out that we were not caught up on getting her trained right now but she decided she didn't want to wear a nappy anymore so we were forced into making the move into big girl knickers. We had to follow her lead and in my opinion she wasn't quite ready for it which is why it took quite a few weeks, maybe 7/8 thinking about it.

Had I have been more prepared then I would have done some research before hand and got in some essential "kit" but she kind of jumped it on us and it was a now or never kind of approach. There are some great articles out there and one in particular that really jumped out to me mid- potty training hell was this one from Parentsneed.com giving you some top tips for potty training. If only I had read this before I was jumped on by a piddle pants toddler! It is all about the introduction to the process, and some tips on how to get started and read the signs that it may be time to get cracking with it, find it here.

So my top tips would be the following:


  • Be Prepared - Be prepared to do a million loads of washing EVERY SINGLE DAY for about at least a week. We had lots of accidents and you just can't leave soggy stinky urine clothes hanging around unless you want the house to smell like a men's public urinal!

  • LOTS and I mean LOTS of pants - Cheap but comfy pants or knickers are a must. In my opinion leaving Daisy naked did nothing but make her feel chilly and care even less about doing an accident. At least with knickers on she learnt the sensation of "wetting herself" and I honestly think this is what lead to it clicking and her realising what needed to be done to not be left soggy. 

  • Patience - I struggled with this admittedly. There were days I just had enough of it. Training anybody is tricky but a toddler that is bursting with attitude and moods makes it even harder. We all know that toddlers will only do what they want to do, bribed or not. But being patient and chatting to her about what we were doing and why really did help. 

  • Be Supportive - Not only of your toddler but also anyone else who is involved. Some of us find puddles all over the floor easier to cope with than others. We all have breaking points. And believe me when I say Ben and I had to overcome a few of these days. 
Potty training was definitely the hardest thing we have had to do with Daisy, hands down. I must admit I dread the day we have to tackle it with the little guy, Alex. 

Hayley x

Festive PJs, Bedding & Country Walks: Building New Christmas Traditions*


Two years ago I wrote a post all around Christmas traditions and how that we now had our own little family that we had to start making our own traditions. Well we now have an additional little guy in the family and Daisy is now starting to understand more and more about what is going on.



At 2 and a half Daisy is grasping the idea of Christmas slowly, well she understands something exciting is happening and that Ho Ho (Father Christmas to you and I) is coming to bring presents anyway. That means I can go all out a little more this year and get a little more festive.

We have introduced Elf on the Shelf this year, ours is called Elsie the Elf! She arrives every morning after visiting Father Christmas during the night but she is never in the same place each morning. She gets up to all kinds of tricks! So far she has rolled down the stairs in a toilet roll, hung upside down from our light and drawn all over kitchen floor with chalk. Daisy finds her good fun and loves searching for her in the morning. But I think next year will be even more fun when she gets the idea a little more about how the elf keeps an eye on her for Santa and then goes back to him to update him about being naughty or nice.

I have got some gorgeous bedding for Daisy to put on the night before and will get some lovely matching jamas for both of the children (maybe myself if I am feeling particularly festive, I am not sure Ben will be so keen!!!)  when I manage to get myself to somewhere like Matalan. Just to make it all feel even more exciting and different. Both the PJs and bedding will be a surprise for Daisy! She loves a good surprise!

The bedding below can be found here and is so super soft and just what we were after.
Christmas Traditions


Of course we will pop out snacks and drinks for Father Christmas and Rudolph on Christmas Eve and read our Christmas Eve story in our PJS like we have the last two years.

Over the last few years our wider family has grown and so some things have naturally changed, for example what we get up to on Boxing Day. For the last how ever many years (at least 10/11 for me personally but more for my husband and his family) we have always gone to a relatives house and all had big, yummy lunch after a few drinks at the pub. So we decided we need to start building some new traditions. We have come up with a nice walk up our local hill followed by a drink in the pub and then a late lunch back at our house. I might even find a few games for us to play!!! (My relatives will love it, honest)

Do you have traditions?

A video will be going up on my YouTube channel over the next week or so about traditions too.

Hayley x


*PR Collaboration

A Gift Guide For Daddy


Or maybe just a special man in your life.

I find men so difficult to buy for and always end up asking what my husband wants for Christmas or at least end up taking a peek at his wish list on Amazon for some inspiration. 

I have been having a look around at some different kinds of pressies other than the usual socks and pants I may usually go for (isn't he so lucky? 😂) and thought I would share them with you.


A Gift Guide For Daddy


Beer52 subscription box*- I love a subscription and quite often will get magazine subscriptions for friends or family, I like the idea that they keep on receiving even when Father Christmas has gone off back to the North Pole. I have a code for £10 off that you can use if you wanted to give it a go :) 
LITTLETHINGS10

Something personalised like a leather key ring. When ever I think personalised I think of something a bit more cheesy like a mouse mat but when I did some research there are lots more offerings out there which were much nicer. 

Ben likes cooking and especially likes chillies and the challenge of anything hot so this chilli preserve set would be a great stocking filler. You can also get a chilli beer set on there which is rather interesting, albeit a bit strange. 

And then there are obviously all the usual pressies chucked in there for safe measures. I mean what is a Christmas without new socks and pants?! 

* PR sample but all opinions are my own

Christmas Past and Present

I talk a lot about capturing memories by taking pictures and capturing videos and more often than not I share them on here too. I love to look back on them and see what we were up to at that time or how things have changed since then.

If you have children then you'll know all too well how fast they change and how quickly they grow, they're babies for all of about two seconds. 

I thought I would look back at the last few Years at Christmas and share them here as a mini time lapse! 






Feeling Grateful...


I know, I know. All I seem to chirp on about is the sentimental side of Christmas, I'm not sure if it's my hormones or my age or perhaps just that I am feeling thankful for everything I have this year but I am showing no signs of stopping chirping just yet.

As part of #Blogmas this year I wanted to talk about traditions and the things we do as a family that make Christmas for us but I thought I would wait until our tree etc is up so hopefully I have some nice photos to go alongside it, this blog is written mainly for me to look back on after all and it would be nice to see those memories this time next year.

This past few weeks we have seen most of our family, some that we only see a few times a year and it has been really nice. It reminded me that although you don't see them very often how nice it is when you do and how we should all make more effort to do it more often. These photos were from my parents vows renewal last weekend after being married 25 years, which again I felt lucky to have seen not only this time but their wedding too all those years ago. 

    
 

 There has been so many bugs and germs around these past few weeks and all of us in the house have suffered at some point but also so many of other family and friends have also been victims of the winter nasties too. It's nothing unusual for this time of year is it really but it does remind you how special family are and how we need to spend time rather than money on one another, this is going to sound slightly morbid and depressing but it isn't meant to be as I am also talking about friends who I don't see as often as I would like to too. We will always have money (kind of!!) but we don't always have time. We have to make it and when we do get it then we have to make the most of it. 

This year I'm trying more than ever to share more of the moments we create and enjoy so I can look back on them like a journal so bear with the photo heavy posts coming up!! 

 

 

 

Hayley xxx


A Toddler Christmas Gift Guide: Inspiration


Earlier this week I dared to start to talk about Christmas and actually wrote a post all about how I want to keep the magic of Christmas alive and not make it too based around material things like gifts.
However, that doesn't mean I don't buy anything and well I also have nieces and nephews to buy for too. I thought I would share a few bits with you that I have either bought or are on my list to pick up in the next week or so.

A Toddler Christmas Gift Guide: Inspiration




Asda little angels Christmas nappies are just a little lighthearted gift that perhaps would be suited in a Christmas Eve box if you do that kind of thing. Daisy has actually already got these and things it is very funny to have Father Christmas on her bum! | Peppa personalised book | Baby Annabell | Lily's Driftwood bay | Princess Fancy Dress |

Hayley x

*PR samples may be included

Happy 1st of December! (& A Rant About Santa!)


Well the 1st of December has arrived and I actually can't quite believe it, where has this year gone? I remember this time last year being in the throws of nausea and sickness but being excited for Christmas with Daisy. And now this year we have two little elves to enjoy the holidays with.

I love winter when it truly is chilly and the ground is crunchy, especially those mornings when the sky is actually blue but the ground is white over where Jack Frost has been. I am going to be trying to make the most of those times with the babies whilst I am off on maternity leave, even if it just a 15 minute adventure up the lane or a slow (it's always slow with a curious toddler) walk down to the village. I digress...



Anyway, dare I say the C word yet? Christmas. It is now time to get geared up and start to think ahead and do some more shopping. I have collected a few bits and pieces over the last few months and started to think about it but haven't done much off my mental list yet. Christmas isn't all that materialistic for me, I like to stick to traditions and build our own and spend time with our family and friends. I know most people say this but for me it really is important to try and stay away from the endless list of Christmas gifts that one day my children will request (or demand!) and try to just build excitement and fun around it instead. I am not saying I won't be buying gifts, I love to give pressies and wrap them all pretty and see the faces of the recipients when they open them up but I do think sometimes we can get all caught up in the commercial world a little too much.

I saw a post today by "Mr Claus" on Facebook and it kind of struck a chord with me and so I thought I may share it with you. In my (maybe blinkered) mind Santa wouldn't bring an iPad or a fancy mobile phone and well maybe some parents just can't afford it, so we shouldn't risk some children thinking they must have been "naughty" or that Father Christmas likes them less just because they didn't get fancy pressies because their parents couldn't or simply didn't want to compete. Would that not take the magic away from Christmas?

Maybe the big, fancy pressies should be given by you or friends and family and stick to what Santa is all about. (If that's what it's all about!) I don't know, I am just thinking out loud now!

What traditions do you enjoy as a family? Or what are you trying to make sure you do this year?

Hayley x

I am upset with the pattern I am seeing for so many years now.
What is wrong with you people?
Christmas is not about what you or your child wants and it never was.
Parents are letting their children ask for anything and everything and are not teaching them about the true meaning of Christmas.
Remember this one thing I (Santa) do not bring all the presents, friends and family do. I only bring 1 small gift for each child and that gift has great meaning in his or her life. You and your family give the rest of the gifts. So if you let your child ask for things you will never get them and then blame me you will be killing the magic of Christmas for them and future generations.
I used to get letters from children that started out like this....Dear Santa how are you and Mrs. Claus? They were always respectful.
But now it's This is what I want, then they list 10, 20, 30 things and most of them are very expensive. Now don't get all mad at me, most of you parents get it and do the right thing, I'm talking to the ones that have no clue what they are doing or worst yet are killing Christmas on purpose.
Love Always Santa Claus

How Do You Choose A Holiday For Your Family?



There used to a time when you could just stick a pin in a world map, chuck some belongings in a case and head to anywhere your heart desired. Once you have a young family your choice of holiday destination will depend on various factors such as how far you can travel without having a meltdown (you or the kids!), how hot or cold it will be, entertainment options, food choices etc. The list goes on. You are in no way stopped going to anywhere you wish but you do have to think about it a little more and I guess you need to think that it may not quite be the same as it may have been pre-children.





The below points to think about will lead you to decide on what type of holiday may be best for you; self-catering, all inclusive, villa etc. For me it would completely depend on where you were going and the amenities available. They all have their pros and cons; will you want to do any cooking? Will you need the extra space that usually comes with self-catering?

The Weather
Before you make your destination choose look up the weather for that time of year. Will it be too hot for young children? Too cold? You want to be able to enjoy your holiday without panicking 24/7 if your baby is going to overheat. If you have your heart on a country then look up the best time of year to go that will suit your family’s needs.

The Travel
Children are actually pretty resilient when it comes to flying, they don’t tend to have the annoyance and fear that some of us grown-ups can be instilled with. More often than not they will cope with the journey and surprise you with their patience. However you have to think if you struggle on say a 4 hour flight then think about how a child may feel being contained in a small space with a short attention span. If you feel you can entertain them then be brave and go for it.

We have flown a few times with our young children from as young as 3 months old and never had any issues, we just go armed with lots of snacks and new things to look at – books, toys etc.

Food Choices
Sadly all the exciting stuff that drew us to a country like exotic foods, challenging the local lingo etc. has to be considered. Will you be able to offer your toddler foods that they will be happy with? Babies are obviously fairly easy if they are either being breastfed or bottle fed as long as there is equipment such as kettles available. You can get some simple sterilising bags now of any gear you need to take, so easy and cheap.

Personally we have stuck to Europe with our little ones just because we know what to expect when it comes to all of the above. We always travel either early or late summer mainly due to cost but also the temperatures are low enough to make the most out of the days and not worry about the children too much when it comes to sun protection.

There will be a time in the future when we can become more adventurous and spontaneous with our destinations but we have just accepted that for now we need to plan a little more!







Hayley x

The Nightmare That is Potty Training


One day last month I found myself in the depths of potty training as lead by Daisy. I always said I would try and follow her lead and although I had taken a few hints from her and tried a few times previously it had never lead to much, other than tears. But this time was a little different. She wouldn't put on a nappy (it was even more of a wrestle than her usual toddler paddies) and if we did succeed in wrestling it on to her then it would be off again in no time as she just flung it off, pull up style or not.

 Baby annabel

So it looked like we were heading into the depths of puddles of wee without much notice.

It looked very much like this in the first week "Daisy do you want to put this nappy on?" in which she would glare at you as if you had just asked her to chop of her leg and then grunt back "No, Yuck (yes, she talks like Peppa Pig) Daisy has knickers".

But the the following happened.

Day 1: 4 Accidents! 2 successes! Nasty Surprise on the floor! I mean how much wee can one tiny little girl hold?

Day 2: 2 Accidents

Day 3: 2 Accidents but we have a break through as she woke up and asked for potty - to do her business! Lots of successes! HOORAY! Maybe it has clicked?

Day 4- Accidents central! I can't even begin to tell you how the house smelt! 

Day 5- We had a little rest from it all (again taken by her lead and well maybe a mistake on my side by letting her) but we did have one success when prompted before bath time.

Day 6- 3 Successes

Day 7 - I lost count. A mix of success and accident much like the rest of the week.

As you can see she was pretty happy to do the wearing the pretty knickers with princesses part but not all that adhering when it came to where she did her business. I began to wonder if it really was the right time or if I was taking the wrong signals from her.

But we persevered.

A few chocolate coins, lots of clapping and cheering and singing and cleaning up puddles later and we seem to have just about got there. About 4 weeks later. It has been a messy transition. But hopefully one that has clicked with her and she is happy with. We are still having the odd accident when she is really distracted but in general it is down to one in every 5 or so days, so much better.

One thing I did find helpful was having a doll that used the potty too. We had a Baby Born doll that wees, poos and cries (although I have to admit I hid the food from Daisy that makes it poo as I wasn't quite ready for that mess!) and comes with lots of lovely accessories. She has mainly been on and off the potty and been Daisy's little companion for those visits. 



 
I will update in a few weeks with any tips, advice or watch outs but for now please cross your fingers that my days of cleaning up puddles is almost over!

Hayley xx

*PR Collaboration 

Dear Daisy, You're Two and a Half and Full of Trouble

You are my best friend.

You tell me this every single day, it could change a few hours later when you tell me Daddy is your best friend and not me. How you learn these little phrases and ways is beyond me but it is so cute and a day doesn't pass that you don't make me laugh.

Your personality is certainly in full swing now and you really know your own mind. You know exactly what you want and how you want to get it, god forbid anyone that tries to get in your way.



In terms of development you are a girl on a mission now, running, climbing, dancing and gymnastics are just a few of your favourite things. Basically you are a big ball of energy, that is until you flop in the afternoon just before tea. You don't nap anymore because it was getting to a point where no matter how little you slept you were pushing bed time further and further back. A nice early bed time of around 6.30pm after your tea and bath seems to suit you nicely, you sleep all night and wake up around 7.30am ish. Some days you ask to go to bed in the day and on the odd occasion you do go but I try to distract you from it when I can, mean mummy but really it means you are in your routine and happy!

Your eating has improved. What I mean by improved is that you eat more and you eat more structured meals. Sadly it is still very much beige and seriously lacks in the vegetable department. Thankfully you still love fruit and also you still enjoy a pouch for a snack at times which I ensure have vegetables in! This last few months you actually decided you quite like pasta which makes meal times slightly more varied. I just wish you would eat a nice home cooked meal!! Maybe in time hey, you keep telling me you will eat things when you are "bigger, bigger!".

We hear the sing "Baa Baa Black Sheep" about 20 times a day at the moment, I'm not convinced that you know what you are actually singing but you seem to know all of the lyrics and definitely the tune.

There is never a quiet moment when you are around. If you are not talking our heads off then you're busy chatting away to your dolls and toys, giving a running commentary of what you are up to if not getting stuck into role play. I absolutely love listening to you chatter away, it makes me smile when I hear you repeating phrases we say that we didn't even realise you had heard. The way you look after your babies is my favourite thing to watch, it is like watching a mini version of myself with baby Alex, all be it a tad rougher, louder version!



You have taken to your sister duties well and we don't have to tell you to be careful quite as much as we did in the first few months. You love him very much and give him lots of squeezes and kisses. When he starts to moan or cry you jump up and stand in front of him and sing to him, like you are putting a little show on for him. And of course his face lights up and he smiles away at you! You are his favourite.

You still absolutely love swimming and I take you to the gym swimming and to lessons which you really enjoy. You can pretty much swim now with little help and are super confident in the water. All those lessons as a baby paid off. Once a week I try to take you on my own and leave Alex with Daddy, it gives us an hour on our own where you have my full attention which I think is nice to be able to give you from time to time. You seem to really soak it up too and natter away, and maybe not surprisingly but you behave so well. And well when I think about it is because you aren't trying to fight for attention (which you really don't need to do little lady) and well there are little frustrations because you have all the help you may need and the time for us to understand everything you are trying to say.

You are such a lovely little girl and are growing up so fast, I am going to try and keep you tiny for as long as I possibly can. I want to remember the cute Daisy-isms that you come up with and the times we laugh our heads off with you and somehow brush the slightly more tricky days away and forget them as best as we can. After all you are a toddler and that is what you do right, make things tricky at times!

Lots of love,

Muma xx

Daisy's Winter Wishlist A/W 2016


It is no secret that I absolutely love shopping for my children, especially Daisy! Which is why she walks around looking gorgeous at all times and I am rocking Primark! (Not that there is anything wrong with that, I am a big fan!)

Here are a few of my favourite pieces for this winter that are going straight onto Daisy's Christmas list. As usual I have been digging through the sales online as I do love a baragin, especially when they grow out of their clothes so quickly at this age.

These are all Ted Baker, I just love how they're designer and trendy but still girly and cute.

Lovethesales



And the below are all Boden, again I found some real bargains at Lovethesales.

Lovethesales


I am loving all of the autumnal oranges for this season, as you can see above! There are some absolutly stunning pieces available.


.
*Via Lovethesales

Searching for the Perfect Baby Photos*

My biggest passions outside of my blog are travel and photography. Of course these go hand in hand with my blog and well my hobby for photography has come as a result of my blog. I love experimenting with my (husbands!) DSLR and seeing what results I can get. I am lucky in that Ben is a keen budding photographer too, he has been on a few courses and gets some beautiful photos of our family and our adventures.

Baby Photography

Although I am lucky to be able to get some really nice photos of our family I sometimes think it is nice to get an outside perspective and well something a little different to what we usually would take.

I came across Bidvine online which allows you to search for local photographers (amongst lots of other services) and thought I would see what I could find on there and maybe if I could find a photographer who was local to me, within my budget and had a style that would fit blog and personal taste then I would try them out.

Thankfully Bidvine is really simple to use. You simply choose the type of photography you require (I chose baby photography to get some baby photos of Alex), enter your postcode and then answer a few basic questions such as your budget.

Bidvine

Bidvine

The next stage is that you get an email saying when you will receive your quotes. When I submitted my request it said I would have my quotes by the end of the week, which was good because I wanted it booked and sorted ASAP. Babies grow too fast and I had already left it a bit late to get the newborn squishiness!

I soon received a quote from a few professional Photographers and it was great to see the options I had available and I was really pleased when the quotes came in within the price range I had set. I actually had two replies within a few hours of sending off the request which I thought was super speedy! Although I must say that all quotes came at the top point of my budget specification so that is something to bear in mind and I guess you could always negotiate if you felt you needed to once you had chosen a photographer.

I was pleasantly surprised with the service at Bidvine and found the website really simple and easy. I would certainly recommend it to others and will be sure to use it again in the future I am sure.



*PR Collaboration

Do Holidays Really Change When You become Parents?

Of course the answer to that is yes.

For starters you have extra bodies to accommodate and well that changes a lot of things; how much it costs, where you want to go, the needs you have when you are there, how you tolerate the weather, the flight time etc.

Pre Daisy and Alex we would simply scroll through the internet and find a holiday, book it and go. Now we have to think a little more about it. And when we are there we have to think about them, are they cool enough, eaten enough, drinking enough water, are they bored? Where as before I guess we were a little more care free and just went with the flow a little.

But I am not saying holidays have changed for the worst. They are just different now. We have different memories from our family holidays so far, things we may not have done pre-babies.

Some of my new favourite past times:

  • Building Sandcastles and burying toys and feet endless times on the beach
  • Chasing Daisy around the beach and in the sea (or the other way around!)
  • Watching Daisy mix with other children around the pool and beach
  • Ice creams on the beach become a lengthy past time, not a simple snack! And they are messy activities too!
  • Finding caves and rock pools (Cornwall is great for this!) and seeing what we can find in them, or in Daisy's case swimming! 
  • Writing in the sand and drawing pictures
  • Photography - Before I had children I didn't have much of an interest in this but since I love seeing what I can capture. The same goes for videography





Hayley x