My Sunday Photo 29/03/2015

A break from the routine

Tonight we broke away from the routine. I have always been very ridged with the boys routine. Not with the time but with how it's done. Bath, milk and story in bed then sleep. I believe a routine has made the boys so great at going to bed.

But tonight I wanted some time with them. I had been out all day on a lovely shopping trip with friends which included lunch, coffee breaks and cake. The boys had been with my husband to see his parents at the seaside. I had missed them and wasn't quite ready for them to go to bed and also they'd both had a sleep in the car at about 5pm so a 7pm bedtime was too early I thought.

So at 6.30pm I ran them a bath, we all put on our pyjamas and I bundled them downstairs with dressing gowns and slippers on. They looked super cute and get so excited at wearing them! We made ourselves comfortable on the sofa while my husband made their milks. Once ready they drank it while cuddled up to me.

It was pure bliss.

They grow up too quickly so sometimes we need to break the rules and routines.

Once they had finished their milk, my husband asked them if they wanted a toasted muffin!! He drives me bonkers sometimes with things like this but tonight I didn't mind. So they sat eating their toasted muffins, chuffed to pieces.

After their muffins they went crazy. Running from the living room to the dining room and back laughing and giggling with each other. Then both pretending to fall down and rolling around in laughter. Yes these boys fight 90% of the time but times like this evening make up for that. Then Finley went and got his doctors bag and started singing doc Mcstuffins to his dad and doing all the doctors actions on him.

By 7.30pm they were getting tired. Noah was falling over his own feet. Off I took them upstairs to brush their teeth and in the time I had gone to get Noah's sleeping bag from his cot he had climbed into bed with Finley! 

Now this was the cutest thing ever. And as he was in there I decided to read them both a book.

This moment reminded me on how fast they were growing up. That Noah was no longer a baby and was definitely a toddler - something I have been in denial with for a while! After the Hungry Caterpillar (Finley now reads along as its a firm favourite of his) I gave him a kiss, tucked him in and said our love yous and see you in the mornings. Then off I went to put Noah to bed. They both went to sleep without much hassle or noise and it reminded me once again that they are growing up and that one night off from the routine won't hurt.

And this evening is one I will always remember.

I'm off out. Out out!

So today I am out. Out out. With friends and no children in tow. We are heading to Bath on the train for some shopping and just a general girlie day out. I haven't had one of these in so long and I am so excited! I have been rather excited since we planned this little outing a few weeks ago. And the fact it is with my best friend Sam and my Sister in law makes it that much more exciting.

I'm looking forward to getting a little dressed up and to chose which handbag to take. I expect I will literally have my phone, purse and a hairbrush in my handbag but it will be just my stuff!

One of my aims is to grab a few bargains from Primark for our up coming South Africa trip. We will also have a couple of coffee stops I am sure, where I can drink my coffee in peace without having to help one of the boys drink a babychino or tidy up the mess they are making with a muffin. We will have lunch where I can enjoy my own lunch without having to share it. We may even push the boat out and have a glass of wine, or be real rebels and have a cocktail!

I love my boys. And I love spending time with them. Which to be honest is nearly everyday as I don't get much time off. I go out but when they are in bed so I would normal be without them. As a mummy you don't get 'time off'.

Don't get me wrong I'm not complaining about being a mummy but every now and again its nice to have some me time. Where I am Kirsty and not just Mummy. I will be able to go into a normal sized changing room and try clothes on at my leisure. I will be able to chat without being interrupted by one of the boys. And I am sure by the end of the afternoon I will be pining to come back to the boys and I'm sure my husband will be pining for my return too lol!

The day my life changed

As I sit here with my eldest toddler's head in my lap, dozing in and out of sleep due to a nasty virus that has taken away my lively little boy for a few days I am reflecting.

On life.

And how much it has changed in 4 years. Just over 4 years ago we announced we were to be parents for the first time. Our 2 was to become 3 and our sleep was to be no more!

But the day that my little Finley pops entered my life my world changed. For the better. It was full of nappies, sore boobs and sleepless nights. We still have the sleepless nights but I wouldn't change a second of it. Finley and Noah have bought so much into my life. Feelings that I didn't know existed and joys I wouldn't have felt without their presence. I'm not saying motherhood has been easy. As it hasn't been the easiest of rides and I know we are still on that roller coaster for the rest of our lives but it's a roller coaster I'm so glad I jumped on. The moment they placed Finley in my arms after quite a scary few hours my heart rushed with love with this little bundle that now depended solely on me and my husband.

Not the best photo of me sorry

This scared me as I had ever only been responsible for cooking my husbands tea and even then if I didn't he was more than capable of doing it himself, or driving to McDonald's! But Finley relied on us. To feed him. To clothe him. To show him and teach him about the world. And most importantly love him. The last one was the easy part that needed no learning as it was instant with no questions asked.

From that day I couldn't just go for nights out when I wanted, I couldn't just pop to the shops without it being a military operation. But I didn't mind. As this little guy that had just come into my life was now my world and my world revolved around him. And I was happy about this. This is what I had always wanted. To be a Mummy.

If we had had a tough day - which we had plenty of as Finley had reflux - I couldn't just reach for the wine. As I knew I was going to be woken about 6 times in the middle of the night by a hungry baby.

I cant even explain the love I felt and still feel. It took me by surprise, I knew I would love him but this feeling was out of this world. And if anyone was to say anything bad about him it would make me so mad. I wouldn't actually say anything to them but inside I was raging mad!

My Saturdays were no longer filled with shopping trips and late lunches with friends, but I was in my pyjamas until 1 in the afternoon when I would then shower, get dressed and not even bother to apply make up as it was to be bed time soon.

It also changed me as a person. For the better I believe. I became a lot less selfish as I think when you don't have children you can be selfish. You can buy that extra pair of jeans or you can cancel on friends if you didn't fancy going out. But since I have had Finley and Noah, money is spent on them. When I walk into a shop I head straight for the children's clothes and completely bypass the women's clothes section. With regards to friends, I cherish them. I know that I need them and if I was to cancel on them for no specific reason they may not be there the next time. And I needed them and still do.

I have also become a worrier. I worried before but now I worry about everything. I worry what people think. I worry what people say about me. I worry if the boys cough. I worry if someone comes into our zone with a cough in case the boys are ill. I just worry about the most irrational things.

I have also become a lot more loving and caring. I take time for people and the people that take time for us I love them so much more than I did before. And the people that take time for the boys, well they will be loved forever!

My priorities have changed. My priority is my family and I do everything that I do for them.

That day Finley was placed in my arms I became mummy and my life changed for the better and I live for them.

I never thought I would love anyone the same way as I did Finley but when Noah joined our gang my love doubled and multiplied and just got so much bigger for them both.

Mummy And Me #1

When Nicola from Life Through My Eyes launched her new linky I knew this would be one for me! I don't really like pictures of myself but I love taking pictures of the boys and I do take a lot of selfies with them! They love the camera especially selfies with Mummy. I don't always look my best on the photos but because the boys are in them I still keep them. I may not publish them to the world but to me they are so special. They document a part of our day and they are memories of our moments together.

So here's my first Mummy And Me for March.

The top photo is from our day out at a Lambing Weekend on Sunday.

The middle photo is from Mothers Day morning when Finley woke me up with the biggest kiss ever.

And the last photo is from last week when Noah and I were mowing the grass in the sun.

My Week at a Glance #1 {16/03 - 22/03}

I'm joining in with Working Mummy and Wife for her brand new linky My Week at a Glance. This is a great way to document your week in a few photos for everyone to see what you've been up to. So here's mines.

We started the week with Finley at pre school on Monday but once he was home I had two helpers with my washing. It did take triple the time it would if I was to do it alone but it kept them quiet lol.

On Tuesday we enjoyed a walk with some friends (My Ordinary Moment #8) at Westonbirt Aboretum. It's a great way to spend some time out in the open air with the boys. 

Wednesday saw another pre school day so while Finley was there. Noah and I baked some Easter cakes (Chocolate Mini Egg Cupcakes), bought some new sunglasses for Noah and had some fun in the garden mowing the grass before collecting Finley. 

Thursday saw a half day of pre school so our afternoon was full of playing, which included playing with their new Doc Mcstuffins doctors bag.

Friday we saw my mum it was great to spend a day with her.

On Saturday evening i enjoyed some me time watching Magic Mike and drinking wine with amazing friends.

And then to end our week we had a family day with friends at a Lambing Weekend at a local college. It was such an amazing day out (Point + Shoot).

My Captured Moment #11

I just love this photo of my eldest son Finley. We were on our honeymoon and it was our first holiday abroad as a family. He would not sit still, thankfully wasn't walking just yet, but was on the go constantly. Nothing has changed to this day.

We had decided to have an hour or so by the pool and this was after his first dip in the hotel swimming pool. He was so chubby and cute, still is cute, but this photo captures our holiday so well.

It was about just us.

We had just become Mr & Mrs and it was Finley's first holiday. I can remember we spent the whole week in our own little bubble. We didn't do it intentionally but being newlyweds I think we just wanted time for us 3 as a family as the lead up to the wedding had been crazy.

Finley was always, and still is, a daddy's boy and this captures their closeness and it fill me with so much love.

Point + Shoot 24/03/2015

So this past weekend was a great one. It was jam packed with so much stuff and we were so busy but it was lovely. I started the weekend with a run in the sun. The longest run I have done, ever! I was pretty proud of myself and with the Race for Life 10k not that far away I thought I had better get cracking.

After I had recovered and made myself look presentable me and the boys were off to my Mums as, along with my Nan, she was going to be looking after the boys while I went to see an old school friend who had just had a baby. I had amazing tiny baby cuddles. Then once back at home we had a little bit of time before the sun disappeared for some garden fun.

Saturday was then finished off with a great evening with two fantastic friends watching Magic Mike, drinking wine and eating so much yummy food.

Sunday was a day I had been looking forward to for a while. We were off with some friends to a Lambing Weekend at Lackham College not too far from our house. To get to the farm we had to wait for a tractor ride. We had to wait about 30 minutes which with 2 toddlers wasn't the best but the tractor ride made the wait worth it. The boys loved it! And we obviously had to take a selfie.

The first stop on the event was to the lambs. This is where I got to hold a lamb! As soon as someone said there was a lady with a lamb letting you hold them I was there like a shot. Finley got to have a little pet of the lamb and in the lamb sheds he rushed from pen to pen oooing and ohhing at how gorgeous the lambs were. Noah wasn't too keen on them and wouldn't really go close to them, just watched them from a distance.

After washing our hands we headed outside the sheep shed and just next to them was a Tractor Ted bouncy castle. Well Finley obviously had to have a turn, it was £1 for 3 minutes which wasn't too bad. And also it gave him a time limit so it would be easier to prize him off the bouncy castle.

After a quick refreshment break which consisted of doughnuts for the adults and cheese sandwiches for the kids we were back on the tractor to get to the next part of the event. We again had to wait to get on the tractor but it wasn't too bad as we had the sheep for the kids to look at and some snacks to tide over the waiting time.

On the tractor we were followed by another tractor and the boys loved it! Finley thought it was chasing us which was great fun for him.

At the next stop we were greeted by some chickens and then just a little bit further on there was a Shetland pony and some donkeys. Noah is a little bit of a wimp with animals so wasn't too keen on them but Finley was straight on the hay bail to feed and pet them.

After the donkeys we headed into another a shed with a set of pens in where there were guinea pigs, geese, a giant rabbit and some pigs with piglets, peppas as Finley called them. We didn't spend too long in there as there wasn't a great deal of space and there was a steady flow of people coming through off the tractor rides. Outside of these sheds there were some cows. These once again Noah hated! But Finley was fascinated by them and they were huge!

By now my hubby and I were getting hungry so he queued up to get us a burger (I know this is terrible after just seeing the cows) and I took the boys off to the big bouncy castle and the merry go round. These were all great value which is something you don't find that often at events like this so I was pleasantly surprised.

The boys were getting tired from all the walking we had done and so was our friends little girl so we went back to the tractor which would take us back to the car. Here Noah had a huge tantrum. It's always quite embarrassing when you have children the same age around you behaving so well but they all have their moments, I keep telling myself haha.

Before we had even left the car park the boys were fast asleep!

At home we all snuggled on the sofa while my hubby took the car to be washed and I then went for another run, this time a little further.

It was a very tiring weekend but so so worth it to capture so many lovely photos and to see the boys faces.

I'm linking up with Emma at Snowing in doors and Aby at You Baby Me Mummy for this weeks Point + Shoot.