The little things in life...

It was a beautiful day, perfect for a picnic and an icecream. We certainly chose the right day of the week to visit.

The house itself is huge, not as old as some of the property's you find on the National Trust but still as beautiful. I'm not usually a fan of the tours inside mainly because I tend to go with the children who really aren't too excited about that kind of thing and just want to explore and run around in the grounds. But we did go inside this time, I was really interested because it was so large from the outside but also it was a very hot, sweaty day so it was nice to go inside for a while in the cool! 

Daisy loved the den area in the garden where you can build dens and play in the huts they've built, I really want to take her back on a day when the children are in school and it's quieter so she can get really stuck in. 

The gardens are beautiful, lots of little areas to explore. Daisy's favourite was running around the trees in the orchard area and watching the ducks on the lakes. Although the lakes did make me nervous as there is no kind of barrier to stop them running into them, and when there is so much open space around them it would be easy for little ones to forget there was a pool there! Or maybe it's just my daughter who doesn't look where she is going when she gets excited!!! 

We will definitely be back! 

Hayley X 

Powis castle is somewhere we have been several times and actually has become quite a special place to us after we took Daisy there in her first week of life and then did the same with Alex. 

You'll have seen me talk about this place a few times if you've followed my blog a while so I thought it only right that I would give it its own post! 

Powis Castle is a beautiful medieval castle, and grand country mansion in Powys, Wales. It's a National Trust property and is known for its terraced gardens with views out to the local surrounding hills. 

You'll see from the photos that it is a beautiful building and the grounds are stunning, we actually have never ventured in to the venue before as we've just made the most of the gardens in the good weather that we've been lucky to catch! 

The grounds are fairly large and have various levels and little areas to explore and enjoy. The only downfall for us personally is all of the steps you have to navigate with the pushchair,  I'm not sure I would manage going on my own with the babies! But of course the steps are part of the character and architecture so I wouldn't wish them to change or anything drastic like that, it's just something to bear in mind when visiting. 

They do have a little route that includes no steps but it is a steep bank and you actually miss half of the terraces and the views you get from there. 

Daisy loves it here and often visits with her grandparents and picnics in the garden. She even has her own little friend here, Alan the peacock!

Hayley xxx

She's still a tiddler and very much my tiny girl! She got weighed a week ago and was 8lb 8oz , moving in the right direction and even jumped up a line in her little red record book so she's no longer on the very bottom line. I'm sure you've noticed in her photos how much fuller she is, people often comment on her chubby cheeks and double chin! I'm sure she's thinking "look at your own fatso"! Cheeky girl.

I've now packed away all the tiny baby clothes and she's comfortably in her newborn wardrobe! I have dressed her in a few 0-3 month frocks though as they're too cute not to. I want to make the most of them even if she's some growing to do to fill them!! How cute is that little Matalan dress from one of her aunties? 

Sleeping is still going well at night and I'm enjoying the routine we put in place, it gives us quiet time before bed and I do love her bath time! In the day she often has full days awake, I do wonder how she does it!!! I struggle must days!

 These past two days she has a nasty cold :( it really upset me to see her so poorly and droopy looking. Thank god for our ear thermometer (Braun) as I've become slightly obsessive over ensuring she's cool enough. Also thankfully she's old enough for Calpol infant suspension now so yesterday when it peaked it helped and also gave her a bit of respite from nasty cold symptoms. 

She's spent lots of time with family including her cousin Mollie who is just 7 months old, a lovely gap! Daisy talks to her and Mols is certainly intrigued with Daisy, although her mum thinks she may think she is a dolly!! 

Daisy seems (so far) to be a content little lady, she sleeps a lot, feeds well and doesn't generally cry much! Let's hope it continues. I thought I would blog first about her first 2 weeks in the big world. 

The first week of her life was celebrated by having lots and lots of visitors, lots of cuddles and millions of pressies. She was really sleepy this first week and no doubt most of it passed her by, we ensured we took hundreds of photos so she can see when she is older and we can look back on the memories. One special moment was Daisy meeting my Nan before she sadly lost a long battle to cancer, it was very emotional but so special seeing her face light up when I walked into her room with her new little great grand daughter, a memory I will be sure to tell Daisy all about one day,Its as if she had held on to meet her and daisy had come early for that reason too. 

Other regular visitors we had those 1st 2 weeks were midwives and health visitors. Daisy was a mini 5 lb 12 when she entered the world but dropped down to 5 lb 3 in the 1st week which lead them to worry and pester us every other day. It was for baby's well being I understand but firstly they don't give you a time and it could be anytime that they arrive and secondly they do have a knack of making you feel not that great about feeding her. I thought they were all about encouragement of breastfeeding, good job my family and close friends are so supportive and full of advice to put your mind at rest and ignore the negativity. She is now 6 lb 1 and so is now storming ahead of her birth weight. I do think part of the weight loss was due to her having a bit of a traumatic arrival, leaving her a little sleepy. 

She was a little jaundice during the first few days but it is all part of being a little early and it soon cleared up thankfully. The only other real worry we have had since birth is the hearing screening that they do at home within the 2nd week. Right ear - no problem, all good, left ear - no response. The health visitor came back again a week later saying it could be birth debris or just too much background noise possibly and that a week can make all the difference. Again - no response. Although deep down I knew she could hear us (she startles with loud noises and follows your voice) it leaves you with some worry, naturally. The neonatal hearing team then came out and did an AABR test, of which came back all clear within seconds. Relief! 

The rest of the first two weeks was much nicer! We had events like Daisy's first bath - which she loves once she is actually in the water - getting undressed is not a favourite past time!! Bathing her was a learning experience and now doing it alone when Ben is at work was a little nerve wracking to start with! 

We had some lovely days out at places such as Attingham Park and Powis Castle, both National Trust property's with beautiful gardens and cafes for lunch and cake. We were lucky to have nice weather and so ensured we made the most of it, it was lovely to have our first family days out. (And finally get to use my lovely Icandy Apple!)

All  photos above are from Powis castle. 

Those first weeks flew by and before we knew it Ben was back at work. Its now all about trying to get into some kind of routine. I don't mean getting Daisy into a strict routine, I mean just in general for us both and the house etc. For example she sleeps until about 10 - 11am once she has been fed first thing and so instead of dozing until then I try to get up and have a shower or bath, put some washing in, have breakfast etc. Although I have snoozed a few times, why not! But I really need to make the most of at least an hour or so as then she could be awake for a few hours limiting what I can do. 

Anyway I best get some tea sorted now, 

Lots of love, 

Hayley xxx