lambandbear, Author at Lamb & Bear

May 27, 2016 by lambandbear 5 Comments

Solo Parenting With 2 Children

So I’ve been solo parenting for a couple of weeks now and I’m surprised at how well it’s going. Unfortunately Daddy could only take 1 week off work for paternity leave. He’s self employed and on a low apprentice wage we just couldn’t afford for him to take any longer off. I feel so bad that he only got 1 week at home with BB, especially as I’m breastfeeding so BB spent most of the week attached to my boob. Daddy had a lovely week off with Lamb though and they got to spend some quality time together.

We are so lucky that Lamb loves his baby brother and isn’t showing any signs of jealousy. I have noticed him asking for more cuddles with mummy recently, and I put this down to BB constantly breastfeeding or sleeping on my chest, which to Lamb looks like a cuddle. He’s said a couple of times he wants me to put BB in his rocker so I can cuddle Lamb on his own, but I think this is totally understandable. A couple of weeks ago my cuddles were all his and we would cuddle every day.

Last Tuesday we headed to our local soft play with my mummy friends. This was my second outing with BB and the second time I needed to feed in public. I have to say it went really smoothly. We must of been there for around 4 hours, letting the toddlers burn off their energy, while we sipped cappuccino and ate flapjack. BB feeds more at night, so I only had to feed him once while we were out, but I felt fine doing it in public (my toTs by smarTrike swaddle muslin is perfect for covering me a little if I don’t want my nipples on show!)

Wednesdays are the hardest day of the weeks for me. I’m usually stuck at home with the boys and can feel a little bit like a pressure cooker. I have to be super organised and keep us busy to avoid exploding. I’m still adjusting to feeding on demand and doing puzzles on demand!

This week I felt really proud of myself. I had to take the car to the garage for it’s MOT but obviously couldn’t sit and wait for it to be completed. Luckily there’s a little cafe near the garage so I took the boys there for brunch. I managed to eat a fry up, drink a skinny cappuccino while BB slept in his pram, and Lamb ate some crisps and drank some juice which kept him happy for a while. Again, I fed BB in public, something which I’m becoming more confident doing.

I’ve been complimented on how well I’m doing, especially with solo parenting and taking both boys out on my own. I don’t know why I’m coping so well, maybe because I had such a tough time with when Lamb was a baby my body and mind has found a way of coping this time round.

I haven’t had any baby blues which I’m totally shocked about (considering I had them terribly with Lamb) and that has certainly helped me cope with looking after the boys on my own.

I actually only have 2 days a week alone with them as Lamb goes to his Grandmas one day week and nursery 2 days a week, so you’re probably thinking no wonder she’s coping. However, with how fragile my state of mind was the first time, having the time to spend with just BB has given me the opportunity to bond with him and establish breastfeeding, which in turn has helped me take care of them both together without too much drama.

I’m sure I will have difficult days, it won’t always feel so easy, but right now I’m embracing the fact I know I can do this and I’m thoroughly enjoying having a newborn.

~A~

May 27, 2016 by lambandbear Leave a Comment

13 Questions With… What Katy Said

The lovely Katy from What Katy Said is answering my 13 questions next. She’s given fab answers and I can’t believe I have been blogging longer than her?! Her blog is amazing!

When did you start up your blog and why? I started my blog in May 2014 as I wanted a way to share my experiences of allergies, reflux and a whole host of other things I have dealt with as a parent.
What is the most important thing you’ve learned since you started blogging and what advice would you give to a newbie blogger? I think the most important thing I’ve learned is to be myself. Once I was happy in my own skin all negative sides of blogging (such as jealousy) dropped away. It takes a while to find your own voice and to be honest it is only when you find it that you truly understand what that means. So, if you are a newbie, experiment, read as many other blogs as you can and keep at it – you will get there!
Which has been your most popular blog post? By far it is a post I did last year about bubble mixture. Pinterest is THE most amazing tool for bloggers and brings me so much traffic for that post alone!
Do you blog as a hobby or as a job? It started off as a hobby but now it is very much my job and I love it!
What do you do to stop getting blogging burn out? I just stop. I had a terrible case of burnout after 5 months of posting 3/4 times a day. It actually took me a little over 6 months to find my groove again but I am so much happier now. And no, I don’t post that often any more. If you don’t love it, just stop. Find yourself again and live your life – you’ll soon find the love again.
Who are your favourite bloggers to read and vloggers to watch on YouTube? I love Mummy Daddy Me and Write Like No One’s Watching, their story writing ability is just incredible. I am only just getting into vlogging – I honestly don’t know how people find the time to watch the videos. However, I love Mrs Meldrum’s videos and have been following her for a while now.
What are your blogging pet peeves? I am quite chilled out to be honest, I don’t let too much get to me and if I don’t like a blog I just move on. The only thing that frustrates me is when the font is difficult to read.
What’s your biggest aspiration for your blog in 2016? Being pregnant I have struggled with keeping up and I know once baby arrives it will be even harder. So I am going to move my focus over to vlogging a little more and try and build up my channel.
What were your career aspirations when you were at school? I am a teacher but I didn’t realise that I wanted to teach until I finished my degree. My only aspiration was that I be independent. I never wanted to have to rely on anyone for anything. Obviously I rely on my husband now as I don’t work (besides blogging and the odd bit of supply) but if he left I would have my teaching and would manage just fine. Besides sobbing like a baby haha!!
Do you find balancing work/blog/family/life a struggle? If I’d answered this a few months ago I would have said yes but after a long break I have found the balance. Blogging no longer takes over my life- stats don’t matter and the world won’t end if I don’t post. I am much happier for realising that.
How do you get exposure for your blog and what is your favourite social media site? Pinterest is my biggest driver but other than that I am getting a lot of traffic from Facebook at the moment.
If you had £1000 to spend on yourself, what would you buy? Clothes! Haha!
Which 3 famous people (dead or alive) would you invite to a dinner party? Gosh that is hard! Let’s see, I used to love Britney as a teen so she would have to come. Someone funny, so let’s have Michael McIntyre and someone brilliant – David Attenborough.

Katy’s blog is gorgeous so make you you check it out – What Katy Said.

May 26, 2016 by lambandbear Leave a Comment

Pregnancy Pet Peeves

Now that my second pregnancy is well and truly over I’ve been thinking about the things I won’t miss about being pregnant or things I really missed because I was pregnant. The one thing that was bothering me daily towards the end of this pregnancy was not being able to stretch my legs without getting cramp. It was so annoying! Putting on socks was frustrating too. I really wanted to drink ice cold fruit cider when the sun came out and watching hubby and Lamb on all of the rides at Butlins got pretty boring…

I know there are lots of things that can be quite annoying when your pregnant so I decided to ask my blogging buddies what their pregnancy pet peeves are and here’s what they said…

“Not being able to trim my lady garden and walk up a flight of stairs without having to recover for 5 minutes” – Lauren Belle Du Brighton

“Coughing without wetting myself!” – Sarah Run Jump Scrap!

“I cant wait until I can get out of my seat/bed withour a struggle!” – Beth Life As Mum

“I miss pate. I’m gonna have a medium cooked steak with pate and soft cheess when this baby arrives. With a large side of wine!” – Karen The Lancashire Lass

“I missed tying my shoe laces” – Victoria Mummy To My Cheeky Little Monkey

“Stand up from crouching without my husband having to lift me up whilst saying, “oof up she goes!” – Jules Pondering Parenthood

“I can’t wait to run again, or at least walk a couple of miles before I start getting breathless!” – Hannah Budding Smiles

“Eat without getting out of breath!” – Caroline Mrs Magovern

“I can’t wait to be able to put my shoes on without struggling, walk without needing to sit down every 5 minutes, and I really can’t wait to have a cocktail!” – Sabrina The Mummy Stylist

“I can’t wait to sleep on my stomach. The absolute best feeling after having a baby!” – Emily Emily and Indiana

“I missed lying on my back. A few months post birth I’m still enjoying it!” Kate @essexkate

“I can’t wait to join in with all activities! It’s always when I’m pregnant that a theme park trip is arranged or something like go ape!” – Amy The Smallest Of Things

“I can’t wait to eat runny eggs! How I craved poached eggs pretty much every day…” – Jessica New Mumblings

“Eat! I was so ill when I was pregnant and what didn’t make me sick gave me heartburn that did eventually make me sick! I didn’t eat much at all and couldn’t wait to get my appetite back!
Now I’ve put on loads of weight and wish my appetite would disappear again…” – Leanne A Slice Of My Life… Wales

“I was really looking forward to pate and brie after missing it over Christmas, after the big event I wasn’t interested! I think I wanted everything I couldn’t have, simply because I wasn’t allowed it.” – Lisa Leelee Loves

“WINE! 😂 Actually, pimms & lemonade.” Kate Hello Archie

“Shave my legs without having to do major gymnastics. Oh and see my own feet.” Lucy Mrs H’s Favourite Things

“Get up from the sofa/bed without it being a huge effort, eat lovely cheeses, drink a glass of red wine, not feel really full as soon as I lay down, see below my belly, drink strong coffee and not be quite as tired all the time.” Petra A Mum Reviews

“I know it’s bad for me, but I love a cuppa and have always drunk a fair bit of tea and coffee. While you’re pregnant, it’s max two cups, followed by decaf or camomile tea. It’s just evil when you are so tired due to your condition. ” Katie Heels and Hooves

“No longer have heartburn. Can squeeze through small gaps. Ankles have returned!” – Victoria My Little L

I can pretty much relate to all of these, although as I’m breastfeeding I’ve got a little longer to wait for that ice cold fruit cider…

What are/were your pregnancy pet peeves?

~A~

May 25, 2016 by lambandbear Leave a Comment

13 Questions With… Dear Bear And Beany

Thank you to the lovely Laura from Dear Bear And Beany for taking part in my ’13 Questions With…’ blogger series.

1 When did you start up your blog and why?

I first thought about starting my blog three and half years ago when I was on maternity leave with Alice, but I wasn’t quite brave enough. The thought never went away and when we made the decision that I wasn’t going to go back to work after having Holly, I felt that I needed something for me. I have been writing my rambling thoughts in a diary and my husband gave me the final push to turn them into a blog. So, dear bear and beany was born.

2 What is the most important thing you’ve learned since you started blogging and what advice would you give to a newbie blogger?

Content is King! That may sound obvious when your blog is all about writing, but there is so much more to blogging that you don’t realise when you start out. It’s important that you don’t loose sight of that and make your content the best it can be. If that means you don’t post as often as you thought you would, that is ok. It’s all about quality, not quantity.

3 Which has been your most popular blog post?

My most popular post is A Lonely World http://dearbearandbeany.com/being-a-mummy/a-lonely-world/)

4 Do you blog as a hobby or as a job?

I blog as a hobby and I love it. It has given me so much enjoyment already and I think it will be a hobby that I won’t give up on.

5 What do you do to stop getting blogging burn out?

As I haven’t been blogging for very long, I have yet to experience burn out yet. But, I see from other bloggers that this does happen and the best thing they do, is to take a break and remember that their blog will still be there when they come back.

6 Who are your favourite bloggers to read and vloggers to watch on YouTube?

My favourite bloggers to read are:

A blog that I have been reading for about four years and love every single post and adore the photography is Mummy Daddy Me

Next would be a blog that I have also read long before I became a blogger – Bump to Baby. I love simplicity of her writing and Alex has been so kind to be since I started my own blog

Thirdly, a blog that I have discovered since becoming a blogger and I love it so much I am going back over old posts. That is Mummy and Monkey’s, I love how honest Eilidh is and her blog is beautiful

My favourite vloggers to watch are:

Mrs Meldrum, I could watch Rebecca and her two girls all day long.

Natasha Baile, I love how honest Natasha is and watching Max, he is the cutest.

Giovanna Fletcher – I love her fresh approach to motherhood and she makes me smile every time.

7 What are your blogging pet peeves?

That I wish I had more time to spend on my blog. There is so much that I want to do and my to do list is never ending, but as it’s a hobby I only blog during Holly’s nap twice a week and in the evenings. Another thing that annoys me is when I follow a blogger on Twitter and I receive a direct message asking me to like them on Facebook or follow on them Instagram, it makes me want to unfollow them!!

8 What’s your biggest aspiration for your blog in 2016?

To grow my readers. When I started blogging I didn’t really think about who would read it past my mum. But you quickly start caring about what your have written and would love more people to read your little bit of the internet.

9 What were your career aspirations when you were at school?

To be a teacher. I used to play being a teacher all the time when I was little and as I got older this was the path that my teachers used to say I should go down. But, I didn’t I found a different path and I am happy that I did.

10 Do you find balancing work/blog/family/life a struggle?

I am a stay at home mum at the moment and I mainly blog in the evening, but there are bits of blogging that I need to do at times in the day. At the moment I have found a way to make this happen without it compromising my time with my girls. But, in September when my eldest goes to school I will return to work and the struggle will get harder.

11 How do you get exposure for your blog and what is your favourite social media site?

I love to take part in Linky’s that other bloggers host. They have been a great way to get exposure for my blog and to feel part of the blogging community. My favourite social media site is Instagram and this has probably been the one that I have worked at the hardest in terms of understanding it more and making it the best it can be. It’s a work in progress…

12 If you had £1000 to spend on yourself, what would you buy?

Oh my goodness! What popped in my head immediately, was a lovely new handbag!! But, it would be so wrong to spend all that money on a handbag, wouldn’t it??

13 Which 3 famous people (dead or alive) would you invite to a dinner party?

Robbie Williams – I have loved him forever!!

Giovanna Fletcher – I just love to read her books and blog. Her Vlogs make me feel normal as a mother and I think we could have a good chat over dinner.

My husband – It that a bit cheesy? We just don’t get as much time together as we would like and it would be lovely to have time sit and chat. Probably about our girls 🙂

Thank you Laura for taking part. You can read more from Laura over on her blog Dear Bear and Beany, or catch up with her over on social media (Twitter, Instagram and Facebook).

May 24, 2016 by lambandbear Leave a Comment

Missing My Baby – Guest Post From My Mummy Spam

My baby is not much of a baby anymore…he still has baby moments where he wants to cuddle and lay in my arms but he is now 19 months old and officially a toddler. Thinking back to a year ago, he was my baby. He depended on me to feed him, entertain him, cuddle him, comfort him, move him from one place to another. He basically he depended on me for everything. Now things are so different. He runs everywhere leading me most of the time, feeds himself and even uses a spoon a fork, happily plays on his own with his toys and doesn’t bat an eyelid when I wave good bye to go to work. Part of me is so proud that my little boy is so happy and independent but recently I have realised how much I miss that little baby.

Some people have commented that it’s me being broody… “ooo you want another baby” and “I bet you’ll be pregnant in a few months” are phrases I hear on a regular basis but that isn’t what it is. I don’t want another baby at the moment and I’m not sure when I will as I love spending all of my time with my Bubba and am soaking up the time we have just the three of us but I do just really miss him being a little baby.

I partly feel like I didn’t appreciate him being a baby enough and I was too excited about him growing up to really enjoy the baby stage. I think that sometimes when you are in that newborn phase it’s so exhausting and sometimes overwhelming that you look to the future for hope and that tends to stop you from really loving every single second which is something I regret. I think I am also feeling like this as a few of the people around me are having newborns and seeing those squishy little cheeks and sleep snuggles really make me miss when Bubba was like that.

So for now, I will push that little sad feeling down and just soak up every second with my toddler who is into everything and showing his own amazing albeit stubborn little personality. In those moments where I want to snuggle with that little baby again I will have to just reminisce on his baby photos….or failing that, pinch one of my friends babys for a squeeze 🙂