Holiday weaning with Vital Baby

Holidaying with a baby can be a bit of a tricky one. Especially when they're weaning.

We've been over to Weymouth for five days in a caravan with a nearly one year old and we took with us a little weaning kit from Vital Baby* to help us whilst there and out and about. 

I love anything that makes bringing up a child a little easier, especially on holiday when I want to relax and enjoy myself too. 

Durdle Door - Dorset (yes it rained!)

On our way over to Weymouth a couple of weeks back we decided to break up our journey with a little stop off at Durdle Door, Dorset.

I think the location is fast becoming a blogger cliche (not that I care in the slightest - give me all the blogger cliche shots) for the South Coast, but it such a beautiful nature spot. 

Of course in typical British fashion it absolutely poured it down whilst we were there, and I was definitely wearing the incorrect shoes which are now totally ruined (not just from this trip but a week of rain and as they got wet first I figured I might as well just ruin them and by new ones fresh) but it was totally worth it for the views and the photos! 

Seabass Chorizo Chowder from Gousto

You might have seen my recent post on our Gousto experience, and the Spicy Haddock Linguine recipe that I shared. I love recipe and food posts so much that I decided to share the second recipe too. This time something really different for us, Sea Bass on Chorizo Chowder. 

Neither of us have had Sea Bass before or Chowder for that matter, especially at home. 

Thank You Notes #2 - the garden renovation edition

Another month down, and I think this one has been one of the hardest months of the year with the knowledge that it's my last full month at home with my baby boy before I return to work. The weeks are flying by and I'm slightly overwhelmed by the next chapter of our life, but I do know that is the very best for our family.

We've also undertaken the huge task of renovating our garden which I'm not going to lie has been completely transformed in the two years we've been here.

Why bedtime is my favourite time of the day - and not for the reason you might think! + a mini nursery tour

I came up with the idea for this post one bedtime and was in a slightly nostalgic and loving mood. By the time I actually got back downstairs from putting Henry down, I was in less of a loving mood with bedtime due to his refusal to actually go to sleep.

However this scenario of bedtime is reasonably rare, and for the most part, our bedtimes are probably my favourite time of the day on a consistent basis - and not because it means kid time has ended and adult time can begin.

No, for us, bedtime is generally a fun and happy experience for the entire family, and ends the day on a high note, which I think is pretty important. Everyone wants to go to sleep happy right?

Eat your heart out at Kungfu Eastleigh

Honestly I can't tell you the last time I went to a buffet restaurant. They have a few, sometimes unfair, associations of not being particularly good food. But I'm here to prove you perhaps a teeny bit wrong about this perception, with a little help from Kungfu Eastleigh*. 

So Eastleigh has always had a tie to our house, as it was were I got my first job when I moved to Hampshire for University. I took a further two jobs in the town centre and have seen its development, though I must admit it has been a while since I was last visiting. In fact the last time was when we registered Henry! 

Anyway, we were invited along to try Kungfu, which is in the old Real China site, but with a refresh. In fact Kungfu has to be one of the prettiest buffet's if not restaurants I've been to. 

Champagne from the top of the Spinnaker Tower

Every so often, something hits my inbox that is so unique and different I get really excited and truly happy that I blog. Such an email came for Sotonbloggers about the new launch of Champagne Sundays at the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth.

As a Southampton gal I have to admit that Portsmouth isn't a city I visit very often, though every time I do I'm reminded that I really need to explore more. And this has alway included one day going up the Spinnaker Tower... and I can now tick that off the old bucketlist!

Along with a few others from the Sotonbloggers gang we went along to the launch night of Champagne Sundays* to sample beautiful British champagne and sparkling wine and take in the amazing views over the sea and Portsmouth coastline.

Happy Four Years of Wedded Bliss - mostly

Oh hello fresh faced Danny!!
Four years ago today a beardless Dann and a one-sleeved, well, me, tied the knot.

It's been a rollercoaster of  a ride for the last four years with plenty of ups and downs, and the occasional spiral turn too!

All the years of our marriage have been pretty great, if a little bumpy, but I think this last year has been the highlight.

Motherhood: Becoming the Mum I am

You know those people that always knew exactly what they wanted to do with their life, in what order, and when. They knew they were meant to be a nurse, doctor, police man, soldier or teacher. They knew their calling from the days of dress up, or when they picked their GCSEs. They had a plan and a life's calling. They knew if and when they would want a family.

I don't really think I ever had that. I knew I wanted to be successful. And from a young age wanted to travel, and from my early teens I wanted to write. And in the back of all that, I knew I wanted a family. But I never really knew the order, and I never really worked out which I wanted more.... until recently.

Motherhood. It changes a person. It readjusts your priorities. Whether you want it to or not.

For me, it's the silent calling that I would be the person I am. I truly believe I was made to be a mother.

Henry's 11 month update

This is the penultimate update for Henry's first year of life and these updates are just getting harder and harder to write as we get closer to his birthday (how has it been nearly a year!?!?).

I have to admit, I do really love this age, and as he gets older I think I love him a tiny bit more. His personality is honestly shining and I love that about him so much! He's so happy and although he can throw the mother of all tantrums, he is mostly an utter joy to be around and spend time with (not at all making it 100x harder to go back to work).

Making Fruitsicle Pops with Nuby UK

You know those parents who's kids refuse to eat fruit and veg.
We're becoming those parents.
Fruit isn't the problem, Henry is a pretty big fan of fruit, but veg is slightly problematic at the moment.

Of course we're not pushing the veg too hard, with an 11 month old it just seems pointless. So instead we're focusing our efforts on making sure Henry gets plenty of fruit into his diet, and maybe the odd veggie too.

And we may have found the perfect way to get those all important fruits and veg into our little boy, with a little help from Nuby UK. We've been testing out their Garden Fresh Fruitsicles* maker and it is probably one of the best weaning tools we've used.

Redefining my wardrobe and the issue of the mum tum

A lot changes during and after pregnancy, and one of the biggest (after you know actually producing a child) is the change to your body. I both loved and hated being pregnant, and getting used to a changing body was definitely hard.
Post-baby, I shrunk down reasonably quickly and got back into my pre-pregnancy jeans within a few weeks of giving birth, which I must admit was quite pleasing. However, the weight-loss stalled...

Haddock Linguine from Gousto

Getting new food ideas with a little one can be really hard work, and to be honest, with full time mothering and running a house, plus the prospect of going back to work looming, finding new recipes and dinner ideas is pretty low on the agenda. 

We've always been interested in trying out a food subscription box for meals, so we tried out Gousto* last month, and we've been super impressed with the dishes we tried!

Chickens, dogs and garden fun

Although I'm often very sad that we don't live closer to our families (obviously this was our choice by deciding to stay in Southampton) but I take a lot of solace in the fact we don't live too far away and we can make special memories for our family.

With the Easter break and my sisters wedding, we decided to spend the entire long weekend at Dann's parents house. 

It's fast becoming one of our favourite places, and I just know Henry and any future littles are going to make so many memories here.  

Picnics with Littles and Minene

I always dreamt of picnics in the park with my family, and luckily for me, we live in a city with an abundance of parks.
We're also very much into getting outdoors at the moment and making the most of the beautiful weather we're having recently.

So last weekend we decided to head out for the afternoon and have a little picnic in Palmerston Park in Southampton, one of our favourite spots at the moment. It's filled with pretty flowers and plenty of shady trees, perfect for sitting under and letting Henry have a crawl around. After a quick stop in M&S for supplies we were ready for an afternoon in the sunshine.