Snow, Cake & Pugs!

 I had a very lovely, chilled out 1st Mother's Day, last year doesn't really count because Nahla had only been in my tummy about 3-4 weeks!

I woke up to a big smiley face... who was bringing me breakfast in bed (Nahla was still asleep) and a lovely card, from Nahla, who's handwriting is suspiciously like her Father's.

Simon had to work for a couple of hours so the morning was spent in bed, watching Caitlin Moran and Peppa Pig, weird combo or what?!

 We decided that, although it was snowing like mad outside, that we might as well make the most of the day and pop out for a hot drink. We popped into a really lovely Cashmere/Wool/Bits and Bobs shop close to us where they sell loads of really lovely kitcheny bits, from Cath Kidston to Emma Bridgewater.

Nahla was so nosey and kept trying to turn her head all the way around to get a 360 view!

Passers by kept giving her lots of compliments, which was lovely.

This was my OOTD...

Elbow-Patch Knitted Sweater- Primark £16
Leggings-Wallis £10

Scarf- A Gift

Hunter Wellies- £89

Nappy Bag- Cath Kidston- £60

I loved these little mugs and will definitely be getting one next payday! They are SO ADORABLE! I love Pugs and will probably get one when we have our own house and Nahla is quite a bit older.

I just love the little one wearing a top hat and monocle! :')

 Next door to the shop is a really lovely little posh cafe. As soon as we walked in I felt a little nervous, it was full of middle aged and elderly couples, we were the youngest there and this was the first time we had taken Nahla out to eat on our own, I was expecting her to have a complete meltdown and spit fire at the other customers, but she was an absolute delight.

She had her bottle there, looked around and grinned at everyone, she was very interested in my pink cake!

(which, btw, was more icing than actual cake... but that's not a ratio I'm going to complain about!)

 

I had a cup of hot chocolate and the most delicious cupcake, Simon had a very dark coffee and a rock cake... he bit the side of his mouth, which was a bit unfortunate!

 Walking back through the shop I spotted some really lovely things, from gorgeous quilts, to beautiful Orla Kiley pieces and this amazing fish-bowl display with driftwood around it... I also almost screeched when I saw they sold Neom candles, I've blogged about how much I've wanted one for ages and my husband was lovely enough to buy one for me...

 ...it's such a gorgeous smelling candle; Moroccan Blush Rose.

I'm in love with it and will be burning it whilst I'm in the bath Simon's running for me tonight after he's cooked me a lovely meal.

I've really enjoyed my first Mother's Day, although I can't wait until Nahla's old enough to treat me herself!

Love,

Laura xxx

(Lots of love to my Mummy too!)

Mother's Day

This is Nahla.

(Otherwise known as: Pops, Nahla-Banana, Nahla-Bee, Nahla-Bug, 'Dingus', Wet-Pants & Pinga)

 Nahla has just entered her fourth month of being a little Human and I've just realised that I've hardly blogged about her at all!

Where to begin??

Nahla's birth was pretty pants, but she is AWESOME. I've never been a very gushy/sappy/sentimental person but this girl just brings out all of those emotions in me!

I'm fascinated by how much she changes every week, it seemed like only yesterday that we were so careful and ginger whilst holding her and now she's trying to jump up and down on my tummy and is almost sitting up by herself.

She has the most beautiful big eyes, soft mousey hair and this gorgeous unique smell that I inhale like I'm desperate for oxygen!

I put so many pictures of her all over the place, and talk about her constantly, it must drive people insane but I don't care! This girl is my absolute world. At first I was worried that I would be too selfish to take care of a baby, too independent and headstrong; but as soon as I saw her I was overwhelmed with the desire to protect and nurture her.

Nahla's laugh is the most hysterical thing I've ever heard and her smile is infectious, she loves smiling at people and is ridiculously chatty for her age, I'm told.

She does something new everyday so it's never a dull moment!

This man has done so much for me over the past few months; everything from holding me up in the shower after my cesarean, injecting me in the stomach to stop blood clots, feeding Nahla at 2am whilst having me wail into his shoulder at the same time. I owe him so much, yet continue to bark and shout at him whilst simultaneously purring and cooing at him ... thus is marriage after the birth of your first child!
 
Nahla and Pops are two peas in a pod when it comes to wanting to sleep in in the mornings, both of them are so lazy! I'll often be up and about long before they even start rubbing their eyes sleepily.

She smiles and laughs at Simon more than me, just the sight of him reduces her to fits of giggles and huge beaming grins... it must be something to do with his face, I tend to laugh at it from time to time too!

I find it so strange to see my husband holding a baby, it used to be pints of beer that he cradled but now he seems full of this new found wisdom. He picks up on her cries and knows what they mean, he can make her smile whilst she's in the middle of a tiredness-induced tantrum and makes her laugh by a mere flick of an eyebrow.

He tells her he loves her, and has affectionately nicknamed her 'Dingus' a name that I find quite endearing and that I know will be used to embarrass her on her wedding day!

To me, there is nothing more attractive than a man who dotes on his daughter, who reads her bedtime stories and bites her toes, puts her to bed and kisses her cheeks.

 I have changed so much since having her!

Naievely, I thought I would sail through this motherhood-business but it has been no easy ride. A traumatic birth, a difficult healing process and the onset of PND has seen me feel the most helpless and sad that I have ever felt in my life.

Simultaneously, my heart feels like it's going to burst with happiness!

Nahla is my daughter, my teeny little munchkin who nuzzles into me, who blows bubbles on my cheek, dribbles on all my clothes, pulls my hair and stamps her feet, and shares baths with me, being around her can snap from stressful to utter bliss in a few seconds.

Being a Mama is EXCITING.

I look at her and often think of what sort of woman she will turn into, I hope to nurture her into a strong, kind, driven Girl who has aspirations, intelligence and can hold her own.

As a Feminist, I want her to recognise and defend her rights as a woman and a person, I never want her to feel that there's something she can't do simply because of her sex.

As her Mama, I want her to succeed in life, for her to have a good job, a family of her own, an exciting hobby... these things are fine, but just knowing that she's happy would be satisfying enough.

I am loving her at this cuddly, teeny-weeny, adorably chubby stage, but also can't wait for the next milestones; talking, crawling, eating real food, walking etc, it all seems so exciting but happens so quickly!

In conclusion: Motherhood is a job and a half, but completely rewarding, especially when little girls like Nahla are involved!

Love,

Laura xxx

Accidental Discovery!

So this is actually a post about laziness and accidents.

I firstly wanted to make mini-quiches... but couldn't be bothered to make pastry.

So I then decided to make 'No-Pastry-Quiches' and try to fob it off as being healthy and calorie-conscious rather than me being a LAZYBONES.

Then they actually turned into delicious fluffy souffles. All's well that end well I suppose, but here's how I achieved it, without the all the cheating and failing it took to get there!

I'm getting quite good at using up my leftovers, you could chuck anything into this mix as long as it contained eggs. I had Mozzarella, Tomatoes and Pesto leftover from dinner with a friend the night before, and the two eggs from the night before that, so everything pretty much needed using up fast!

Firstly, I beat two eggs into a bowl, added salt and pepper then chopped my chives and tomatoes into the gloopy mix. So simple, so quick. Two minutes = Done!

Next, I grated the leftover Mozzarella into the mix, which was surprisingly difficult, I would have saved more time and washing up if I'd just torn it into little strips with my hand. 

Good to know for next time though!

Once your ingredients are all combined, grease your little individual pots with butter, or margarine and fill with the mixture.

Bake in a tray, in an oven pre-heated at 200 degrees for (roughly) 20mins.

I don't know why I was so surprised to see that these had risen to such a great height (the photo doesn't do them justice) and why, for all of the yolk they contained, they had ended up so fluffy and light... but I wasn't going to complain!

Not a gourmet-looking souffle but a damn tasty and simple supper that kept me full for ages! I struggled to finish one.

(I managed to eat the second one in the morning though!)

Light but filling, delicious with any ingredients plonked in it and only half an hour to make and cook; this is such a lovely supper, especially with salad, chips and a dollop of coleslaw!

Enjoy!

Love,

Laura xxx

Marital Make-Up!

The pictures speak for themselves really!

Last week my husband and I attempted to film a quick video of ourselves having a little make-up sesh. It was actually SO much fun and I laughed so much I cried and snotted everywhere, I managed to escape with both of my eyes still intact, not prodded out with eyeliner.

Unfortunately, little Nahla cried throughout the whole 15 minute video so I thought it would be better to do it again another day, when she was fast asleep in her cot.

That's not to say it wasn't fun though, he did a good job with my foundation, but I did end up looking like a clown.

(The above photos are a few of my favourite stills from the footage!)

So watch this space, 'My Husband Does My Make-Up' video will be coming soon!

Love,

Laura xxx

What I've been up to...

February has had it's ups and downs but it's been mainly good times! I've really enjoyed blogging this month and finally have an idea of what I want to do with the blog and where I want it to go. I've changed it around so much in regards to it's style and layout, hopefully I'll be happy with it's design this time!

This month has also been a month for 1st's, I'm managing to fit back into my old clothes and I'm starting to feel well enough to venture out for the odd drinky-poo with my friends/colleagues.

I'm also experimenting more with homemade food and have started to make all of my sauces from scratch... most of it is trial and error but it tastes good!

Nahla is growing like a Runner-Bean and continues to surprise us and make us smile, she loves interacting with people and is so cuddly!

Valentine's Day was a big success, I've also started to put together outfit ideas for my Uncle's Wedding in May.

February really is the month of love!

Love,

Laura xxx

Pudding!

Whether through choice or through allergies, dairy-free and egg-free puddings can still be delicious! This is one of my favorite quick and easy puddings that uses up a lot of leftovers.

Rich, sweet, soft and crunchy at the same time, this is such a homely and comforting dish for this time of year.

(For those of you who read my 'Veggie Pie' recipe, you'll know that I'm not big on measurements and specific instructions, so it's all done by eye and taste!)

The ingredients are either readily available in most people's cupboards or can easily be attained, the bread pictured here was stale but not quite off and the strawberries were beginning to soften. A great way to use up old fruit!

I didn't have enough almond milk to soak my bread in so I added in some soya cream... oh my goodness, I don't know why I didn't do that sooner!

Butter both sides of your bread, cut in half and arrange so that the fill an oven-proof dish (grease the sides so the edges don't burn or stick). Sprinkle through some raisins or currants and squish down.

Half-fill a bowl with Almond milk, Soya cream, some Strawberries and a couple of tablespoons of caster sugar and whisk together... this mixture tastes like heaven!

Pour the mixture over the bread and squidge (real word) it all together so the bread soaks up all of the milk, it should be lightly swimming in a sweet almondy bath.

Sprinkle a handful of the brown sugar over the top to form a sweet crust then pop into an oven (about 190 degrees C) for 10-20 minutes, until the edges are golden.

This is the easiest and cheapest pudding and so delicious! It's also delicious cold, but better hot and steamy!

The strawberries are a sneaky reminder that Summer is only a few months away and that the cold nights will soon end, so enjoy hot comforting meals when you can!

Love,

Laura xxx

Book Review: Katie Piper

Katie Piper has got to be one of Britain's most inspirational women. For those of you who don't know of her she fell victim to a vicious acid attack arranged by her ex-boyfriend. For most people, this would mark the end of their lives, but for Katie, she turned this terrible scenario around and built up an amazing Foundation that helps people with burns and scars.
Katie has filmed many documentaries about the care she received, her surgeries and the people that are learning to deal with scars, disfigurements and burns.

Katie had also written two books, which have come to be quite profound to me at the moment. I have recently been diagnosed with something that is making healing from my birth and cesarean even tougher, as well as the infections I've picked up from the hospital.

So I implore you, if you are going through a tough time, or just need a bit of cheering up, please read the following amazing and inspirational books.

'Start Your Day With Kate' is her newest book. It is a small, purse-sized book that is full of affirmations, one for each day of the year.

For those that don't know what an affirmation is; it is a small quote, saying or sentence that inspires you, cheers you up, or helps you conquer some sort of goal.

For example, the one my birthday says...

28th April:

'Struggles are part of our lives, they enrich our characters, strengthen our souls,and give us the opportunity to try another way.'

With the occasional summary from Kate, this book is a must-have for positive thinking, without having that tragic self-help book sort of feel about it.

'Thing's Get Better' is all about recovery and healing. If you have had anything bad happen to you in your life from an injury to a loved-one passing on, and you are struggling to cope with your thoughts, then this is the book for you.

Katie writes in a pleasant and understanding manner, she has taken letters and messages from people who have contacted her and has created this book that tells you how to deal with fears, depression and negativity.

Throughout the book she tells her story in an honest way, encouraging her readers that positivity and laughter is the key to healing and the medicine of all physical and mental ails.

I would definitely reccomend both of these books, even if you are the happiest person in the world!

Love, Laura xxx

About Me!

I'm Laura!

I'm a 24 year-old Mama of one Human Girl and two Feline Boys.

I blog about EVERYTHING, from Babies to Goats Cheese, Interior Design to Lipstick and from Gardening to Clothes.

Have a cup of tea and make yourself at home! 

Hubby Christmas!

Men are SO hard to buy for. 

My husband has everything he needs, and anything that he wants usually borders around the ridiculously priced DIY items... which are boring to buy and out of my Christmas budget!

I prefer to buy him lots of little things rather than one big present. Buying for him this year has taken me four days! This isn't due to indecisiveness, it's mainly because whenever I've sat down to buy things Nahla has distracted me!

I thought, whilst she's asleep, that I would write a quick post about what I bought my husband this year. There are so many fun and quirky gifts out there, I was spoilt for choice!

I bought a few different types of these funny post-it notes, there's the Nag Note, the WTF note, the Passive-Agressive note and loads more. Simon's constantly forgetting things that I ask him to do, so I thought these would be a fun way to remind him.

I think this mug says it all... I bought this for him to take to work, I'm sure it'll give his workmates a laugh!

Simon swears like a sailor, it drives me mad. Especially when he randomly swears in a sentence...

'There was this really cute squirrel that I saw on the way to fucking work today.'

I bought this so his swearing makes him sound more like he's a well-travelled gentleman rather than a prat.

My lovely husband is now a father, which means his dancing is no longer cool.

Now that he's a Dad (and is in the process of growing a moustache, which makes me despair) he needs this book. Its full of hilarious pictures of Dads rocking the Hipster look.

Every year I ask him what he wants and he always replies 'Don't worry love, I don't need anything.' So if he inwardly complains about my gift-giving he can ram it.

Merry Christmas to the blokes!

How Pinteresting!

I thought I'd blog about my love for Pinterest today!

My Pinterest page is pretty poor compared to other peoples, I tend to 'like' more posts than I Pin, there are so many interesting and unique pictures and ideas on this website, so I thought I'd share my favourites...

This photo is one of my favourites! I'm assuming it's Lindsey Lohan, if not it looks a lot like her. I love the robe! I keep searching, in vain, for a really long lightweight robe to wear around the house, especially with baby on the way! I also adore the fact that she's wearing pointed stilettos. Casual yet fancy. That's the kind of person I want to look like after I've been up all night with a screaming newborn! (wishful thinking)

Pinterest is full of stylish things from changing bags to iPhone cases. I particularly love this one because it looks like a little moleskin diary. Very simple yet very chic!

I would be at a loss when it comes to fashion if it wasn't for the people I follow on Pinterest. All you have to do is type 'style' into the search bar and it's like you've been catapulted into a world of gorgeous (yet unattainable) clothing. I have found so many amazing fashion bloggers just from clicking on a little picture like this one.

Another nifty advantage to having an account is the thousands of craft ideas that are right in front of your eyes. I've found SO many things that I want to do this Christmas, as well as ideas for N's nursery, how to efficiently and quickly clean the house, how to make bunting, fairy lights, what to do with empty candle jars. 

There are an abundance of recipes available on Pinterest, which is particularly brilliant if you're a Vegetarian or a Vegan and are struggling to find a really nice recipe book. So many ideas have come from my trawling through pictures of home-made butters, puddings, pastries and main courses.

Then of course there's the makeup! There are tonnes and tonnes of make-up and hair tutorials on Pinterest that you can experiment and play with. I recently dyed my hair ombre after scrolling through the 'ombre' tag on the website.

Lastly, but not 'least-ly', there are a lot of parenting guides and ideas that are only a click away. Some are ideas of what to do with toddlers on a rainy day, there are organic meal recipes for weaning babies and fun costume ideas. I stumbled across this lovely idea that uses a positive 'calming jar' that encourages a child to take time after (or just before) a temper-tantrum to reflect and to simmer down. It works as a 'positive time-out'.
You shake the home-made jar and place it in front of the child so they can watch the bits of glitter slowly sink to the bottom, once the glitter has settled they can carry on playing. I love this idea, coming from a family that has two Autistic children, I can see how this jar would work for children with or without Autism. The visual stimulation of the glitter 'calming' would, in turn, promote calming in the child.

So, to quote Julie Andrews, these are a few of my favourite things. I love Pinterest and I do occasionally pin things to my own board, please feel free to follow me, or even just have a look!

Building the Cot...

A big tradition that has recently started in our little household is to hold everything off until the last minute. So mother's that have had their nursery/sleeping area sorted out in their second trimester don't read on.

I'm 38 weeks and we've only just bought the cot home :|

Part of this is due to apprehension, my Mum is very superstitious and didn't want us to bring the cot or the pram into the house until the baby was here. So part of that rubbed of on me, but then I thought about how much of a nightmare it would be to have to collect and assemble things with a newborn around. Rather stressful. So I held off right until now, with two weeks to go! Eep! I'm still really funny about the fact that's its set up, but you can't change what happens in life, so I might as well enjoy this transition rather than fret about what *might* happen.

I can't remember what brand our cot is, we got it from a local baby shop, but it is beautiful and a bit on the large side!!

(excuse the quality of the photos, it was dark and all the lights in my house make photos look orange!)

'Is this for me? :D'

*Helping*

 

Proud builder! He was so sweet once he built it, he kept saying things like 'I can't believe our baby's going in here!'

We just need the baby now!

It's strange to have a cot in our room with no baby, but, hopefully, in a couple of weeks she'll be squawking away inside it.

Very exciting times!