Six months.

 September

28th - Archie arrived in the world.

October.

3rd - Heel prick test (everything was fine)

23rd - Hearing test (everything fine)

28th - First smile. 

November.

2nd - Starts babbling.

26th - First jabs

 December.

5th - Rolls belly to back.

25th - First christmas.

31st - Second jabs.

January.

6th - First laugh (to soft kitty song from the big bang theory)

28th - Third jabs.

 February.

There were no milestones this month, but his hand eye coordination greatly improved.

March.

11th - found his feet.

13th - sitting unaided.

14th - First word ; Dada.

16th - First swim.

26th - Rolling back to belly.

My 25th birthday

Half way to 50 day!

25 years ago on march 24th I was born (10am) I came out so fast that the midwife wasn't ready and I rolled across the bed and almost fell off - the midwife caught me at last second. I was a healthy 9lb baby, long and chubby. I also took one look at my mum and cried, that amuses me no end.

Anyway to my birthday 25 years on. I woke up at 6:15am with my gorgeous son snuggled up next to me grinning away, my daughter came running in shouting HAPPY BIRTHDAY and a pile of presents awaited me on the dinning table. This year boyfriend put some thought in to what he got me - although it did amuse me when he said "there was loads of things with mummy written on them it was amazing" yes he completely forgot that it was also almost mother's day! - I didn't take a photo of what the kids got me, I have no clue why though I love them! A small little statue of a tatty teddy holding a heart saying "mum" and the base reads "I love you" along with a pair of bright pink socks which say "Super mummy" ; although I am guessing the socks were chosen because I am always nicking the boyfriends and it annoys him. 

Presents from everyone else - I did photograph -

 Tesco finest chocolates in a jewellery box - from boyfriend.

I don't actually have any jewellery but now maybe boyfriend can start buying me some.

 Slow cooker - from my mother.

I squealed opening this.

 A slow cooker cook book - From my mother.

Thorntons dessert collection - from my mother.

These are my favourite range of chocolates by them.

Boyfriend also took me out for a meal at the weekend.

I had Ham terrine starter, rack of lamb main and blueberry brulee for dessert.

Top and jeans from New look, heels were brought a year or so ago but I believe they are also from New look.

This year it the first year as a mother of two, this was a pretty surreal feeling as it feels as though Archie's been here far longer - to think I was 15 weeks pregnant on my birthday last year - Anyway the plan was to go out for the day, shopping of course, however with Eva off school with the chicken pox this was impossible. Instead the boyfriend took us all for a long countryside drive, then I popped to Tesco to do the weekly shop and in the evening while the kids and boyfriend headed to his parents I headed to the gym with my mother. First time in over a year! An hour in the gym, 30 min swim followed by a steam ; I was looking forward to a soak in the hot tub but it seemed all the hairy old men were out that night *shudder*

Over all I had a lovely day, here's to another year!

Weaning.

Yes Archie is really at that stage already, I'm as shocked as you! He's been showing signs of wanting solid food for a while now, and I've been putting it off for two reason's. The first being his age, I wanted him to be at least 6 months and secondly - with is probably a selfish reason - I didn't want him to grow up so quickly, putting him on solid food like admitting he is getting older and is no longer that baby who needed me for everything! Although he still does. 

When it comes to weaning I am all for homemade food rather then the vile pots you buy from the shops. Seriously anyone buying those for their child have you tasted them! I brought one for Eva - chicken dinner I believe - and tasted it before I gave it her, It tasted like mashed up cardboard with a hint of cat vomit. I read into baby led weaning and I do plan to do it this way later on, right now though I don't have a high chair, or the room for one so I am sticking to the well known puree method.

  I made up three puree's yesterday, Butternut squash, Broccoli and Parsnip. I had a taste of all three and the only one I wasn't happy with was the broccoli  one, I think this might be because there is no salt or pepper so it's very bland. I'll see how Archie takes to this one soon enough.

The first one he had was the butternut squash. His face on the first mouthful was a picture but he soon hoovered it all up and and a huge smile on his face. Yes, he loved it!!

I've been reading up on some recipes for puree's and I'm quite excited by some of them - small things - once he's got the hang of these ones I'll be moving him on to some fruit puree's. I'll be doing many blog posts on this subject mainly for my own personal use and also for anyone who's also weaning their children. 

I'll be adding the recipes of any foods I make for him as well, so keep your eyes peeled.

Chicken Pox

On Tuesday (11th march) I was stood on the school playground waiting for Eva having a conversation with another mum about chicken pox. It was just a random conversation, and I didn't think anymore of it until 4am the next morning when, Eva came out of her bedroom lifted her top and showed me a red itchy spot on her chest. That conversation popped back into my head. Yes Eva has the chicken pox!

For the past week we've all been stuck in the house, going crazy. She's thankfully not been ill with it, she's just had the spots and one day of really bad itching. I was hoping - as mean as it sounds - that Archie would get them too, just to get them out the way but nope. Nothing yet!

Archie's first swim.

I am whizzing through my "things to do this year" list. Another crossed off, Take Archie swimming for the first time. I'm a little late writing this post as we took him on Sunday (16th march) but hey, better late then never. I got his little swim suit from Matalan for £8. I love it and he looked super cute in it. 

The first two minutes of being in the water were spent in tears, him not me, I think this was more the water felt cold and it was a little noisy - he's not a lover of noise - but he soon started to enjoy himself, kicking his legs about in his rubber ring. I took him out of the ring for a short time where he found the edge of the pool was a great place for splashing and of course we both ended up giggling and soaked! His big sister spent alot of time with him splashing in the pool, he was a bit unsure of the water over his head at first but was giggling away with her in no time. He stayed in the water for 20 mins, then we got out as he got cold, but I can say that the first swim went, well "swimmingly" well.

I have no photo's of him in the pool, it's not allowed, which I totally get but it would have been nice. 

I am Bee

Name : Carly

Birthday : March 24th 

Hobbies : Photography, Baking and Knitting

Likes : Drinking tea, watching crime shows, The Big Bang Theory and being a mummy.

Dislikes : Dust, arguments and moaning.

Fears : Spiders, lifts, Lorries and being in a shop at closing time.

Relationship:

I have been with my boyfriend Sean for almost 8 years, we met back in February 2006 through friends and began dating in May. Since then we've had two children and have a house together.
Children:
Two. I have a daughter, Eva who was born prematurely in March 2009 and a son Archie who arrived 6 days late in September 2013.
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My blog is based on my life, I write about my opinions, my children, myself and day to day life. I love to write, I hadn't realised just how much until I began this blog, I'm my own worst critic though and can say, that I'm not overly pleased with how my other post's have been written and will probably at some point re-read them, edit or delete them. It's kind of an OCD thing, I like things to be 'just so'. I have a thing about dust, it annoys me. If I can see dust on anything in my house even if I am about to leave the house I will have to get a duster and clean it. You may think that means I live in a super clean house, wrong! It's clean yes, but I have two children. My house is as clean as it can be with them and their muddy boots.

Shopping haul.

photo from google.

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BHS

 Brave PJ's - £6.50

Hair ribbins - £2.50

Matalan

 Boys priate swimsuit - £8.00

Coat hangers - £3

Asda Living

Purple swimsuit - £14

Tutu swimsuit - £7

Arm bands - £6

Infant float seat - £11

Huggies little swimmers - £4

Lush

Creamy candy bubble bar - £2.50

Floating island bath melt - £4.15

Think pink bath bomb - £2.50

Acorns Charity shop

Book, Remember me - £1.45

Tank top, forever21 - £3.95

Carluccio's

(because no shopping trip to Stratford is complete without something sweet)

Strawberry meringue - £1.99

Archie learns to sit.

Archie has wanted nothing more then to sit up for a while now, if you try to lay him in your arms he will wiggle and moan wanting to sit up. Even while on his play mat he gets frustrated after only a few minutes, so I've started sitting him in either his Bumbo or between my legs so he can play. This week for the first time he started to sit unaided, first for only a few seconds but by the weekend he was doing it for long periods of time! I'm amazed, and slightly tearful at this. Another milestone hit, another reminder he's growing up.

Charity shop haul

Saturday shopping, normally means heading to the local charity shops and having a look around. I love old unique things, I'm also looking for some gorgeous jars / tins for all my baking bits. This week I only managed two shops - we had other plans for the afternoon and I normally spend 30 mins in each shop. The photo above shows my little haul - minus the Barbie doll I brought as Eva was playing with it when I took this photo.

Amaretti Virginia buscuit tin
Brought for £1.50.
After looking for this tin on the internet I have found one selling for £8.96 on Ebay.
I fell in love with this tin after seeing it, it's beautiful. I adore the vintage design, although the date on the bottom of the tin says 2005, so it's actually a new tin the design is the same as the one the company started using in 1860. I was going to use it to store pasta, then I remembered nobody in my house eats pasta so that would be pointless. I'm not sure what I'll use it for yet.

Autograph at Marks and Spencer shirt 75p
StMichael at Marks and Spencer t-shirt 75p
On the M&S website a shirt from the same range is £10 new and the T-shirt is £8.

 7.0mm Needles £1.99
& chunky wool barley shade £2.49

Barbie doll £1.50
This is the old style Barbie with bendy legs at the knees. My daughter has quite a few of the news one and they are no longer bendy. Barbies these days are between £10 - £20 depending on the type. The hair is matted but a quick sprits of Laundry softener with sort this out & leave the Barbie smelling fresh.

Learn to knit.

Back in January I wrote a post about things I wanted to do this year. I'd already done one which was "keep a blog", the next was Learn to knit. I'm actually very annoyed with myself for not learning any sooner! Yesterday I picked up my knitting needles for the first time and managed to knit a basic knit stitch. I was actually amazed how easy it was. Casting on was also alot simpler then I first thought. 

My first square.

I now plan to knit all different coloured squares and stitching them together to form a lovely blanket for my son. 

I am also going to have a go at Crocheting.

The mummy tag.

  I found this while looking through some other blog's and thought I'd give it a go.

1. Are you a Stay at Home Mum, or a Working Mum?

I'm on maternity leave at the moment, but I consider myself both as normally I am at home all day then once my boyfriend is home I head out to work for the evening.

2. Would you have it any other way?

Now I know some mum's are all for 'this stay at home' stuff but honestly, I love working, I love earning my own money and having a little bit of freedom away from home to talk to adults and have a bit of time to myself.

3. Do you co-sleep?
Yes I do. I've done so with both my children. I plan to write a blog post on this in the future.

4. What is your one must-have item for your baby?
A noisy toy or his white blanket. 

5. How many kids do you plan on having?

Once we'd had our son we said "no more",  5 months on we are now talking about having a third. I'm not sure when or if this will happen but I always said I'd like 3 children.

6. Date night? How many nights per month?
We don't really do the whole 'date night' thing. We go out normally around once a month if that, and only when there are special dates, the rest of the time the kids are with us. We're fine by that and our relationship isn't suffering in anyway.

7. Your child's favourite show?
Eva loved Peppa pig until about 6 months ago, now she's more a fan of Tom and Jerry. Archie doesn't watch TV to have a favourite show yet.

8. Name one thing you bought before you had your baby and never ended up using?
 A bumble bee car seat wrap thingy. He wore it once or twice but that was about it.

9. Your child’s favourite food?
Eva loves Jacket Potato's. Archie is yet to be weaned so Milk.

10. How many cars does your family have?
Just the one.

11. Weight gain before pregnancy, during and after and now?
Before my first pregnancy I was 8st just over, afterwards I'd gained only a stone. At the start of my pregnancy with Archie I weighed 9st 7lb and by the end I'd gone right up to 10st 10lb, which stayed for two weeks afterwards. I am now around 9st 2lb.

12. Dream holiday with your kids?
Disney Land.

13. Dream holiday without your kids?
New York, although I'd love to take the kids with me here to, but one child free day to just shop would be amazing.

14. How has your life changed since your baby has been born?
I've matured, my whole way of thinking has totally changed.

15. Finish the sentence: 'It makes my heart melt to see … '
My children laughing together.

16. Where do you shop for your kids?
Mainly Asda living.

17. Favourite makeup and skincare products?
I don't wear makeup. I wear a Nivea face cream.

18. Huggies or Pampers?
I used Huggies with my daughter as I found Pamper's leaked with her. Huggies are no longer around, we did manage to get some before all the shops sold out but they leaked so I use now mainly Morrisons little big.

19. Have you always wanted kids?
Yes. But not until I was in my 30's. My mum was a young mum and I watched her struggle on her own.

20. Best part about being a mum?
Hearing my daughter tells me she loves me, it makes everything worth while.

Eva turns 5.

Monday (3rd) my gorgeous little lady turned 5 years old and I am amazed just how fast the past years have gone. She's now properly into the child years, in some way's I'm happy about this, excited about this even but for so many other reasons it makes me sad. My 5lb 15.5oz baby has gone, and her place I have a happy confident little girl, who's very clever for her age. I miss all of those first moments, first smile, first steps.. of course we have so many more firsts to come, I know this and yet I'm still sad. I guess only another parent will understand what I mean. 

Birthday presents

- Body game for the LeapReader

- Doll and horse

- Bath crayons

- Snow white dress

- Scooter

- Watch

- Small doll with toy cats

- Clothes

- Dart board

- things for her doll.

It would seem..

That after 5 months I have hit that broody stage once more and I never thought that day would ever come. Maybe it's because so many people around me are having babies or are pregnant, Or maybe it's because Archie is no longer a new born, he's lost that new born smell and is slowly becoming a "real baby" (what ever that means) I'm shocked that I ever got to this stage again, seeing as I am still in pain from his birth and I'm so not ready mentally to go though pregnancy any time soon. But every part of me aches for another baby. I want to pee on that stick and see that second line, to lay down on that couch while some women puts cold gel on my swollen tummy and searches for a new life in my womb, to feel first kicks, hiccups and stretching.. I can't say labour is something I ever want to put myself through ever again. It hurts ALOT! (that I do remember) however, bringing a new life into the world is very much something I want to do. Maybe not now, but in the years to come. Adding to my family would be amazing.