A little while ago the lovely Bel from Journeys are My Diary very kindly tagged me with The Mummy Tag. Thank you Bel! I'm afraid it's taken me a little while to get around to replying, but finally I've cracked it, so here goes.
1. Are you a stay at home mum or a working mum?
I consider myself very lucky to only work two days a week, so I can spend the majority of my time with my children. From a financial perspective I could probably do with working a few days, but personally, I couldn't bear the thought of having children, but not being around to raise them myself. I am very lucky that on the two days I work, my lovely Mum looks after my girls. They have a wonderful relationship and we are all very close. It comforts me to know that those most precious to me aren't being cared for by strangers.
2. Would you have it any other way?
I definitely, categorically would not have it any other way!
3. Do you co-sleep?
I have never co-slept with either of my children. I'm not terribly well informed on the subject, but it strikes me that everyone I've ever talked to that co-sleeps has problems with sleeping or bedtime routines later down the line. We enforce a strict bedtime routine and I am very lucky that both my girls have slept through happily from 7 until 8 from a very young age.
4. What is your one must have item for your baby?
I wouldn't be without my Sleepy Nico baby carrier. We like to be outdoors as much as possible, and you can't take a buggy across muddy fields or up whopping great hills. It was something of an investment initially, but I'm still using mine now and it's paid for itself a thousand times over! I wouldn't be without it.
5. How many kids do you plan on having?
I have always wanted just two children. If money and age and time were no object I would love to have a much larger family. I think you have to be realistic and think about what you can give your children, you can't carry on having babies for purely selfish reasons if you can't be sure you can give them everything they deserve.
6. Date night? How many nights per month?
Once again I'm lucky to live joined on to my parents house so baby sitters are easy to find. We try not to take advantage of this too much (don't want to take the mick) but if we wanted to go somewhere on a whim, it would never be a problem. I think we probably go out officially together just the two of us about once a month.
7. Your child's favourite show?
Biscuit is going through a phase of watching some of the programmes that we used to watch when we were little. She's currently obsessed with Muppet Babies and I must admit I'd forgotten how much I love it! I can even remember the entire theme song - still!
8. Name one thing you bought before having your baby that you've never used?
Is it really bad that I never once used the "top and tail bowl" that every single book or magazine said you would desperately need. We bought one, but if one of the children was yucky, we'd bath them! Not faff about wiping them down from a bowl! For the first year of each girl's life they had a bath every day to establish their bedtime routine, in between then I'd just reach for a baby wipe!
9. Your child's favourite food?
Both my girls LOVE spaghetti! It's the old Lady and the Tramp sucking thing I think, they whip it into their mouths at lightning speed! It is a little on the messy side though...
10. How many cars does your family have?
Mr Husband has his own car, I am currently using one that my Dad has given (leant) to me. My Dad has a battered old Land Rover that he uses at weekends and my Mum has her own car. So as a household (including the East Wing) we have four, but officially, as a family, just one that's really ours.
11. Weight gain before, during and after pregnancy and now.
Before Biscuit was born I was the smallest I think I'd ever been as an adult at around 9 stone 7. I was living in a shared house at the time and didn't really have much time to eat! I steadily gained weight after she was born and after Wiggles was born peaked at 12 stone 3. I was completely disgusted with myself at being so heavy, but it seemed to have happened without me noticing. I've recently lost just over 2 stone and am now happily around the 10 stone mark. It's forever my ideal to get back down to that 9 stone 7 mark, but I'm not sure it'll ever happen and I'm not sure I'm really ever that fussed!
12. Dream holiday with your kids?
I would love to take the whole family to Austria. Mr Husband and I both went (separately) as children and I LOVED it. I just think it would fit in perfectly with the type of things that we like to do. Walking through beautiful scenery, stunning architecture, horse riding, cycling, swimming. Yes please!
13. Dream holiday without your kids?
Right now, I'm not sure I'd want to holiday without my kids. I could quite enjoy a couple of nights away somewhere romantic (Budapest perhaps) with Mr Husband, but I wouldn't want to be parted from them for an entire holiday. Just sounds mean!
14. How has your life change since having your baby?
In truth, I can barely remember my life before having kids. Like most people I can't work out what I used to do with my days! I think I spent most of the days reading, shopping or sleeping and my nights drinking and sat around with friends! I am definitely the happiest I have ever been, I am so lucky to have what I have now.
15. Finish the sentence.. 'It melts my heart to see..'
My children grow. They're amazing, heart stopping, mind numbing, infuriating, wonderful, brilliant and completely crazy.
16. Where do you shop for your kids?
I like to get a few really bits for them from Boden or John Lewis, but then I tend to fill in the gaps with things from Sainsburys or H&M. I really rate Sainsbury's for children's clothes, especially when they have 25% off!
17. Favourite make up and skincare products?
I couldn't be without Soap and Glory's Cheekmate as naturally I'm quite pale and this is the perfect shade for me. Plus it's the only blush I've ever found that really does stay on all day. I don't really go in for expensive creams, lotions and potions. At the moment I am using Superdrug's Vitamin E Range. I have their day cream, night cream and eye cream. I also use a little radiance cream on the tops of my cheekbones and beneath my eyebrows, but I find it too glittery for all over use. These products suit me just fine for the moment, but really, I try anything that's on offer!
18. Huggies or Pampers?
Pampers all the way. We didn't really get on with Huggies, I'm not sure why. Having said that, I thought they'd stopped selling Huggies nappies in the UK so it's kind of a moot point really! At the moment Biscuit uses Sainsbury's own brand nappies, they perform just as well, but are a great price.
19. Have you always wanted kids?
Not always. There was a time in my life, in a previous relationship, when having kids would have been a really bad idea, so at that time I'd quite convinced myself that they weren't for me. As soon as I met Mr Husband though that changed! I love having his babies and he's a top Dad.
20. Best part about being a mum?
I think probably the places it has taken me, and the person it has made me. Before children I was inevitably selfish, because I only had myself to look after. Nothing makes me prouder or happier that my family and that is truly a gift.
I definitely, categorically would not have it any other way!
3. Do you co-sleep?
I have never co-slept with either of my children. I'm not terribly well informed on the subject, but it strikes me that everyone I've ever talked to that co-sleeps has problems with sleeping or bedtime routines later down the line. We enforce a strict bedtime routine and I am very lucky that both my girls have slept through happily from 7 until 8 from a very young age.
4. What is your one must have item for your baby?
I wouldn't be without my Sleepy Nico baby carrier. We like to be outdoors as much as possible, and you can't take a buggy across muddy fields or up whopping great hills. It was something of an investment initially, but I'm still using mine now and it's paid for itself a thousand times over! I wouldn't be without it.
5. How many kids do you plan on having?
I have always wanted just two children. If money and age and time were no object I would love to have a much larger family. I think you have to be realistic and think about what you can give your children, you can't carry on having babies for purely selfish reasons if you can't be sure you can give them everything they deserve.
6. Date night? How many nights per month?
Once again I'm lucky to live joined on to my parents house so baby sitters are easy to find. We try not to take advantage of this too much (don't want to take the mick) but if we wanted to go somewhere on a whim, it would never be a problem. I think we probably go out officially together just the two of us about once a month.
7. Your child's favourite show?
Biscuit is going through a phase of watching some of the programmes that we used to watch when we were little. She's currently obsessed with Muppet Babies and I must admit I'd forgotten how much I love it! I can even remember the entire theme song - still!
8. Name one thing you bought before having your baby that you've never used?
Is it really bad that I never once used the "top and tail bowl" that every single book or magazine said you would desperately need. We bought one, but if one of the children was yucky, we'd bath them! Not faff about wiping them down from a bowl! For the first year of each girl's life they had a bath every day to establish their bedtime routine, in between then I'd just reach for a baby wipe!
9. Your child's favourite food?
Both my girls LOVE spaghetti! It's the old Lady and the Tramp sucking thing I think, they whip it into their mouths at lightning speed! It is a little on the messy side though...
10. How many cars does your family have?
Mr Husband has his own car, I am currently using one that my Dad has given (leant) to me. My Dad has a battered old Land Rover that he uses at weekends and my Mum has her own car. So as a household (including the East Wing) we have four, but officially, as a family, just one that's really ours.
11. Weight gain before, during and after pregnancy and now.
Before Biscuit was born I was the smallest I think I'd ever been as an adult at around 9 stone 7. I was living in a shared house at the time and didn't really have much time to eat! I steadily gained weight after she was born and after Wiggles was born peaked at 12 stone 3. I was completely disgusted with myself at being so heavy, but it seemed to have happened without me noticing. I've recently lost just over 2 stone and am now happily around the 10 stone mark. It's forever my ideal to get back down to that 9 stone 7 mark, but I'm not sure it'll ever happen and I'm not sure I'm really ever that fussed!
12. Dream holiday with your kids?
I would love to take the whole family to Austria. Mr Husband and I both went (separately) as children and I LOVED it. I just think it would fit in perfectly with the type of things that we like to do. Walking through beautiful scenery, stunning architecture, horse riding, cycling, swimming. Yes please!
13. Dream holiday without your kids?
Right now, I'm not sure I'd want to holiday without my kids. I could quite enjoy a couple of nights away somewhere romantic (Budapest perhaps) with Mr Husband, but I wouldn't want to be parted from them for an entire holiday. Just sounds mean!
14. How has your life change since having your baby?
In truth, I can barely remember my life before having kids. Like most people I can't work out what I used to do with my days! I think I spent most of the days reading, shopping or sleeping and my nights drinking and sat around with friends! I am definitely the happiest I have ever been, I am so lucky to have what I have now.
15. Finish the sentence.. 'It melts my heart to see..'
My children grow. They're amazing, heart stopping, mind numbing, infuriating, wonderful, brilliant and completely crazy.
16. Where do you shop for your kids?
I like to get a few really bits for them from Boden or John Lewis, but then I tend to fill in the gaps with things from Sainsburys or H&M. I really rate Sainsbury's for children's clothes, especially when they have 25% off!
17. Favourite make up and skincare products?
I couldn't be without Soap and Glory's Cheekmate as naturally I'm quite pale and this is the perfect shade for me. Plus it's the only blush I've ever found that really does stay on all day. I don't really go in for expensive creams, lotions and potions. At the moment I am using Superdrug's Vitamin E Range. I have their day cream, night cream and eye cream. I also use a little radiance cream on the tops of my cheekbones and beneath my eyebrows, but I find it too glittery for all over use. These products suit me just fine for the moment, but really, I try anything that's on offer!
18. Huggies or Pampers?
Pampers all the way. We didn't really get on with Huggies, I'm not sure why. Having said that, I thought they'd stopped selling Huggies nappies in the UK so it's kind of a moot point really! At the moment Biscuit uses Sainsbury's own brand nappies, they perform just as well, but are a great price.
19. Have you always wanted kids?
Not always. There was a time in my life, in a previous relationship, when having kids would have been a really bad idea, so at that time I'd quite convinced myself that they weren't for me. As soon as I met Mr Husband though that changed! I love having his babies and he's a top Dad.
20. Best part about being a mum?
I think probably the places it has taken me, and the person it has made me. Before children I was inevitably selfish, because I only had myself to look after. Nothing makes me prouder or happier that my family and that is truly a gift.
I'm going to be really mean and not tag anyone else for this, as I left it so late to answer mine I feel like I've probably already missed the boat! If you would like to join in though, please do, and please let me know so I can have a good read!
Love, love,
Muppet Babies! What channel are they on? I used to love watching them with Rora. This was so lovely to read x
ReplyDeleteWe find them on Youtube usually, I can still remember the entire theme tune, love them!
DeleteYou commented on mine to say we were alike in many ways and I have to say I agree reading this! Was lovely to read xxx
ReplyDeleteThank you for tagging me! It was great fun to write xx
DeleteYou're so right - having your parents living nearby makes the BIGGEST difference once you have kids. Sadly mine are miles away most of the time so no good for childcare and babysitting (but great for big treat ice creams when they visit!)
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. I might have to convince my Dad to start bringing ice cream home for us from work, best of both world hey?!!
Delete