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