Some things that I'll never get used to having a Talipes baby:

Talipes baby hugo boots and bar 

It's strange to say my son has to wear boots & a metal bar to bed.

This saying I thought by now I would be used to it.

I thought it would at least be getting easier as he is getting older.

Hugo is 2 and a half years old & EVERYTHING seems to be hard work.

I will never get used to the battle of trying to get his boots on everyday.

I will never get used to the fact that he hates his bar & fights it for hours every night. "Bar off Mumma"....

I will never get used to how heavy my son is whilst he is wearing his boots and bar. He weighs down like a bag of sand due to him not being able to wrap his legs around me.

I will never get used to that fact that from just 5 days old my baby wasn't like all the other babies & had casts on both legs right up to his waist.

I will never get used to the awkwardness of getting him into the bottom bunk bed due to his boots & bar getting stuck.

I will never get used to him not being able to get to the toilet at night in time....

I will never get used to being kicked in the face or legs or tummy by the boots and bar whilst he's thrashing around in anger.

I will never get used to having him in our bed whilst he wears his boots and bar...(On a rare occasion now)

I will never get used to him never being able to get to of bed himself due to him wearing boots and bar

Boots and bar Hugo talipes

I will never get used to him waking up almost every hour demanding I take his bar off...

I will never get used to him waking up so tangled in his duvet he is having a panic attack.

I will never get used to being trod on whilst he is wearing his boots (ouch ouch ouch)

I will never get used to the boots and bar 

However Hugo having Bilateral Talipes has changed our life for the better in so many ways, If I could turn back time I would want it all to be the same. 

He is a talipes baby.

I will never forget that proud moment in Miami when he started walking at 18 months old.

Our milestones for our Talipes Baby seemed so much more surreal that little bit more amazing...

I of course try to stay as positive as I can I never speak badly about the boots and bar but my goodness they are hard work...

MAXI-COSI LAUNCHES ‘MAXI-COSI CARES’ ONLINE CAMPAIGN TO HIGHLIGHT WORK WITH CHARITIES‏

Maxi Cosi 

Maxi-Cosi – a leading innovator in child car seat safety for 30 years – is launching an online campaign called ‘Maxi-Cosi Cares’, starting Monday 28^th July, to highlight the important work it does with charities.

Maxi-Cosi is currently working in partnership with road safety organisation Good Egg to deliver special clinics across the UK to help parents understand the vital importance of correct car seat fitting in order to potentially save children’s lives.

Maxi-Cosi has also worked with hip dysplasia charity STEPS to develop the Opal HD, a car seat specially designed to give children with hip dysplasia more support, flexibility and comfort.

Opal HD 

And Maxi-Cosi Sales Director Steve Howell is currently riding his bike almost 1,000 miles from John o’Groats to Land’s End to raise funds for Theodora’s Trust. Theodora’s Trust is a charity that sends ‘Giggle Doctors’ to work in collaboration with hospital staff to bring fun and laughter to around 30,000 children in hospitals including Great Ormond Street each year.

For a week from Monday 28^th July, Maxi-Cosi will be using its Facebook page to highlight its work with each of these charities. There will also be a chance to win a travel system by guessing how many miles he will manage on his gruelling charity bike ride each day.

Andrew Ratcliffe, Managing Director of Maxi-Cosi UK, said: “We’ve always prided ourselves on being a brand that really ‘cares’, and ‘Maxi-Cosi Cares’ is a great way of highlighting that we really do.

“We are very pleased to be able to support these charities and hope to raise further awareness among our customers and online fans about the incredibly important work they do.”

The Maxi-Cosi 2wayPearl – the first i-Size car seat to be introduced to the UK market – and the Pebble with 2wayFix Base were both been awarded Which? Best Buys in the latest testing.

Do you ever need reminding that your not just a Mummy...

I do.

I need to remember I'm not just a Mummy.

I need to remember my name.

I need to remember who I was before the children came along.

I need to remember how I was with my husband before he became Daddy.

I'm not just a Mummy. 

I have a Name, That isn't just "mum"

I have a fashion style that suits me that doesn't automatically make me look like a Mummy.

I need to remember how to hold a Gucci Handbag & not use the Pushchair for a changing bag.

I need to remember I can leave the house without baby wipes.

I need to remember I can still wear heels.

I need to remember to still be me.
I need to remember my name.

I'm not just a Mummy.

I have a name, I have a name.

I need to remember that I can look pretty. 

I need to remember I can wear make up.

I need to remember I can go get my nails done.

I have a name, That isn't just "mum"
I need to remember my name.

I have a name, I have a name.

I'm not just a Mummy.

I need to remember I can go to the shops on my own.

I need to remember I'm not just the family bank.

I need to remember I'm not just "mummy doctor" when one of them hurt themselves.

I need to remember there is so much more to just being a 'mummy'

I'm not just a Mummy.
I need to remember my name.

I have a name, I have a name.

I'm not just the Mummy who takes the children to school.

Nor just the Mummy who takes them to hospital appointments.

I'm not just the Mummy who wipes away the tears.

I'm not just the Mummy who makes sure Breakfast, lunch & dinner is ready as well as snacks too.

I'm not just a Mummy.

I have a name, I have a name.

I'm not just a Mummy....
I need to remember my name. 

Natural Beauty Tan Tablets

Tan Tablets by Natural Beauty Slimming - real people, real results.

I have been using these tablets for the past 4 weeks with results being noticeable within the first 2 weeks. 

An all over glow rather than just my arms/legs that have been tanned by the sun, 

How Tan Tablets work:

They rely on a number of carotenoids - natural pigmentation 

It's a build-up of the carotenoids in the skin that causes change in your skin colour.

This tan is by no means a 'real' tan & does not offer any protection against UV sun exposure. 

The coloration of the skin is only temporary and this fades once the course of the tablets has stopped. 

Once the tablet is taken the canthaxanthin is distributed through the body & is absorbed were it attaches itself to the subcutaneous layer (fat cells) that is found under the skin. This fat layer is darkened by the pigment & shows through the skin, it will take 1-2 weeks for colour to show.  

I've got a packet of 90 tablets & the directions of use are as follows:

Tablets must be taken after your main meal on a full stomach.

You can use tanning tablets to increase your tan whilst using sun beds.

Always use an SPF when in the sun, The tan tablets can help you tan faster.

Discontinue use and consult doctor if adverse reactions occur. 

Do not use under the age of 18 years .

The Ingredients

- Para-Aminobenzoic acid 200mg

- L-Tyrosine 200mg

- Copper Gluconate 2mg

Where can you buy from?

Natural Beauty Slimming 90 tablets for £24

Italy Trip Child Free!

Instagram 

I was asked if I fancied a Mother/Sister short break away to Italy child free, I of course jumped at the chance. Hugo is over 2 & half years old & so far I've only been away from him one night. It was amazing I treasured every minute of it. I love my children of course I do. However I am with them pretty much 24 hours a day 7 days a week. I needed this break.

You can never leave an airport without a Starbucks or a Costa

Extra leg room on the plane!

5 days to be me. Five whole days that I'm not Mumma.

It was amazing.

We started our Trip in Pisa you know the Tower of pisa... it was brilliant to see everyone doing that whole optical illusion stuff with their camera pretending to be holding up Pisa itself... I saw some bizarre things. 

The plane journey to Italy was like luxury I could read my book & nap & not fuss 

Pisa

Then we jumped on a train to Florence I say 'jumped on a train' it was obviously all in Italian we did get a little confused & then the train ride itself was erm... interesting the train was packed & we had over an hour journey standing in the train corridor, with what looked like ticket dodging passengers (whist being on some kind of drug)...

Once we had arrived in Florence I was amazed by everything, of the buildings of the scenery, everything was so beautiful so elaborate. 

We found our hotel it was pretty basic but nice enough (comfy mattress!!) 

We went searching for dinner; stumbled upon this outside restaurant more like a pop up restaurant I suppose, The burgers were by far the most unreal I have ever tasted. We all agreed. Then a huge & I mean HUGE rat ran past... I wasn't too fazed; though I was worried my feet would get bitten. It was quite funny though.

We woke up to Florence almost flooding ok a bit of an exaggeration.... it was raining hard & the roads were flooding in parts. I took my flip flops off & walked bare foot it was so refreshing, It was a little gutting having rain, *Especially as the UK was sunny so typical. 

I don't think I've ever done as much walking as I have the past few days. Not that I'm complaining amazingly I coped better than I thought. 

We done the whole tourist thing walking looking in most shops, around the museums the buildings all so magical. So far of what I've seen of Italy it has all looked so magical. Almost as if words can't describe it. (You'll have to book your next holiday there)

Our first stop was trying to find the Gucci Museum out of the whole trip this was something I had got most excited over, Reading about Guccio Gucci was amazing hearing he was a lift attendant serving the wealthy gave him the drive to make something of his life. Seeing pictures of Audrey Hepburn with Guccio she was beyond beautiful. 

Seeing the Gucci Cadillac I was most fascinated by. Seeing the Gucci in such detail in the seats on the wheels in the stitching. 

Walking around the museum seeing Gucci over the years was ah well I felt like I was in heaven. 

It was STILL pouring down with rain so it was a no brainer to have lunch in the Gucci cafe with Gucci plates ect ect.  

Then we went to Florence Cathedral of course. the queues in this place were crazy... Then we get to the front & this board outside says you can't have short shorts on or shoulders on show. Well my two sisters had one or the other wrong. They weren't allowed in, my older sister put her scarf around her waist whilst my younger sister tied her denim jacket around hers & they were welcomed in only just though. 

The Cathedral is beautiful. 

The days went so fast yet felt the longest days ever with looking back at the morning thinking it felt like a lifetime ago. 

The following day (our last day in Florence) was when I say literally spent queuing for The Accadamia & Michelangelo's Museum for over 2 hours to then just walk away from the que... without ever actually seeing Davids willy. Nope that never happened. We had pre booked our train & time was rapidly running out (Today was also SUNNY) We queued in the shade most of the time....

We ended up going down to Mc Donalds for a wee more than anything Oh & a cheeky milkshake. 

I asked for a banana one & when the worker said they have Strawberry, chocolate & mango... My mother's response was... "& by mango you mean???" worker..."I mean Mango..."... Not banana then... no mango... Oh my gosh I so wish I witnessed this although no doubt i would of wet myself literally I really did need a wee that badly & that would of been way too much to not burst out laughing for...

I somehow lost all my written postcards somewhere in between Florence & Venice too. Heartbreaking!!  I had to write more. 

The Train to Venice was fab it was modern spacious & we had allocated seats I read (in peace for two hours) then the walk to the hotel once we got there, our hotel was in main land Venice & we had to jump on bus number 4 to get to Venice that we know & love... 

Venice was amazing but the tourists were everywhere (I know I know I AM A TOURIST) I'm fully aware of that. Just the hustle & bustle of it all was at times quite over whelming. 

Until we got further into Venice the quieter parts were beautiful & we spent our second day at St Marks Square, then onto the Peggy Guggenheim museum. Did you know Peggy herself had Lhasa Apso doggies. (Molly my dog is one)... The Guggenheim was breathtaking I loved the art & the sculptures were out of this world I saw real Henry Moore work ... I love art galleries I loved seeing Andy Warhol flowers up close too!! 

Then we went to find St Marcos Square that was probably one of the busiest areas, & lots of pigeons too... people where kneeling down with food on their arms to attract the pigeons to sit on them for a reason my brain can't & won't comprehend .....

The atmosphere was electric. 

We had lots of Ice cream, lots of pizza & pasta, lots of walking, spent far too much money & had the most amazing time. A time I will never forget.

Italian Pizza

Most of all the company I was with was the best we totally laughed more than I laughed in my entire life in just 5 days. 

So super lucky to have such amazing family (Ok getting too smushy slushy for my liking bluegh) 

If you want to be nosey you can go find my Instagram to check out some more pictures....

We've been on Planes, Boats, Busses, Trains, Cars & walked miles & miles....

Now to plan where to go next year....

Emilyn's last ever day at Pre-school.

Will actually be next Wednesday but I'll be in Italy so today is the last day that I will take her to Pre-school. The last day I will put her Pre-school uniform on.

The last day I will do her hair for Pre-school. 

The last day I will be with her in the Pre-school playground. 

The last day I will go to pick her up.

I am so proud of her, look at how much she has grown up.

Emilyn on her first day at preschool - 25/05/2012! & today 18/07/2014! 

Hugo was so funny this morning when I asked Emilyn for a photo he wasn't impressed ....

Might have something to do with being awake all night too due to that awful Thunder storm. 

I feel rotten today.

preschool Emilyn's last day.

Pre-school last day.

the next chapter in Emilyn's life will start in September at Primary School.

In her school uniform 

Sticky9 is nearly 3!‏

Three Happy Pears

On Friday 18th Sticky9 are going to celebrate their 3rd birthday! They've changed a lot in just 3 years & always improving things.

As we all know 3 is the magic number... So this week until the 20th they will have an ongoing competition where every day, three people will each win a large set of magnets. What do they want? They wants snaps of things related to '3'. It could be 3 favourite things, cool photography of the number 3 or a camel with 3 humps. Or your child wearing three things.. Three headbands/three necklaces... Get three-ative.

Three glasses

Three Headbands

But this is just a small part of what's happening... On the 21st July their daily winners will have the chance to win the SUPER-AWESOME final prize. The mega-winner will be able to get his/her hands on a fantastic QCamera, which allows snaps to be shared directly to his/her social media channels. This is super exclusive since this camera is not yet available to order. (HOW AMAZING)

Besides the QCamera, the winner will get a copy of the book "This is Happening: Life Through the Lens of Instagram". And since it's our 3rd birthday, there's a third prize. But that one they can't really reveal right now, though our celebratory birthday video might give you a clue...

Go get creative with three snap happy things & take some photo's - you can find my Instagram HERE

I've been #Sticky9birthday & #happybirthdaysticky9 - you can find sticky9's Instagram HERE

Three glasses

Three little fishes 

Three pairs of converses 

Pastel wooden breakfast chairs pale pink

I suppose you can tell its pink? - pastel wooden breakfast chairs

I've finally got around to painting the last chair... I've had many wooden breakfast chairs in my little house (I've only lived here a year)

I bought a new type of spray paint to try out - Kobra KOB-10073 400ml Aerosol Spray Paint - Pink

apart from it being so pale you can hardly see it's pink.. I was hoping for the candy pink I've used before 

pastel wooden breakfast chairs 

I actually preferred using this spray paint over Rust-Oleum Satin Spray Paint - The Kobra spray paint was easier to use & didn't hurt my fingers. oh the pain of using the Rust-oleum spray paint I couldn't use my hands for hours after painting.

The price of the Kobra is pretty good too... just £4.99 with free delivery. (from amazon)

took around 10 minutes to paint & it dried so quickly. Drip free too. 

I suppose you can tell its pink? - pastel wooden breakfast chairs

Why 'renew' our vows ?

Our wedding day

Simple : what are our reasons behind having a blessing/renewing our vows... especially as we have only been married 3 & half years.

Those of you who don't know me I'll briefly explain our wedding day :

A very intimate wedding with just Mr.H & I, Emilyn who was 17 months old & our two best friends (+photographer) We had the smallest of small do's because for us we wanted to have a wedding to be married not have a wedding to throw a party at that specific moment of our life, to cut a long story short we had a rough start to the year & with a sudden loss of a close family member we realised just how short life is & we wanted to grab it with both hands. 

I didn't want the stress of a real wedding simples, The whole big white wedding thang just didn't appeal to me. 

Almost four years down the line with my little family complete Mr.H & I have decided now is the right time to 'get married' in front of our family & loved ones then throw a wonderful party after (I love being a party planner) 

I've heard people say "I just don't get why people renew their vows when they've only been married five minutes...." blah blah blah. 

Well we didn't really have the wedding at the start so it's a belated wedding & to celebrate to all our loved ones that we really are happily married. 

As it's not our real wedding day I don't have the stress I'm finding it all quite fun actually. 

I'm TOTALLY addicted to Pinterest my wedding day 

Our wedding day 

Today in a years time : 2014

Last year I wrote a post Today in a years time ok so I wrote the post on Monday 22nd April 2013, this year has flown by & I forgot how quickly it had gone, I love looking back to see what has happened.


Today is Monday 14th July 2014

What have I accomplished in the past year?

Well I wrote :

"What I am hoping the next year holds....

I would love to be doing a follow up blog post from my new house either inside or out.
I would love to have good news about Hugo, about all his problems but most of all good news about his feet.
I would love to have all my friends still around me & doing our weekly monday meet up (New Babies included)
I would love to have Hugo walking or even running...
I would love to have a Sunny Holiday booked...

I would love to be as Happy as i am today. If not Happier. If thats possible!"

I am now blogging from my new house (It's fully built)Video blog HERE  : at the moment I am blogging outside on the terrace. Beautiful. 
I have good news about Hugo He hasn't *Touch wood* needed any operations & his feet are doing really well. 
I still see my friends a lot.
Hugo is walking/running almost flying... 
Holiday's I've been to Miami & Menorca since typing up the last post.
*Shh I'm off to Italy at the weekend (Child Free)

I am totally happier it was possible. I'm extremely contented with life & loving every moment of it (Especially in the sunshine)

What did I do today?
last year i said "I spent the Morning with my favourite Girls. Having Tea, Biscuits & a catch up. They are both expecting their second babies. The rest of the day will be spent playing in the garden with the little people."
I'm spending  the morning with one of my Best friends in the garden chatting over coffee & lunch, I then willcpick my younger sister up(She is in the process of learning to drive) drop her home & then collect Emilyn from Pre-school we will then go to Rompers (church group for little ones) then back home to start getting ready for Italy (leaving Mr. H with the children I have been told to write lists after lists to help him)


What's the weather like? BOILING - 25degreess beautiful day.

Beautiful day

Where am I? Last year I said  "I am sitting in the Conservatory listening to Radio 1 Goldie by Rockie is playing
The Children playing nicely together," 
This year I'm currently sat on the decking looking into the woods. Listening to Radio 1 on my new DAB radio - With Mr.H sat next to me (He's on a late at work today)Hugo's asking me for a cuddle.

What am I wearing? Last year I said  "G-star Raw Jeans & a stripy top from Next." My G-star raw jeans are now in the bin after the zip breaking (I haven't worn jeans in forever) today i'm wearing a orange dress from the Topshop sale love a bargain.

Orange dress 

What am I drinking? Last year I said "Black Coffee" -  Coffee from our Tassimo machine.

What am I looking at? Last Year I said "Well I am looking at my apple mac. My new Iphone 5 arrived today too.. My Candy Cart is in the corner of the room aswell,"
 This year I'm still looking at the Apple Mac - my iPhone 5 next to me has now seen better days after the screen being smashed & repaired then smashed again.... 

Mac & coffee

What am I looking at?

What am I hoping the next year holds?

We've got a busy year coming up I would love to see our wedding renewal / blessing go to plan (I'm working my bum off to make it perfect.
I would love to see all my family close & far staying happy.
I would love to carry on making as many memories as we are doing.
I'm looking forwards to our trip to Disneyland in March.
I would love to have all my friends still in my life who are in my life today.
Emilyn will be starting Primary school in September I pray she loves it as much as she loves pre-school.
I'm hoping we would of finished our whole garden we have so much to do but i love doing it in stages. With money & time its great doing it ourselves.

new patio

I again want this coming year to be as good as last year & to be just as happy or happier.

Enjoy this beautiful day ---

Boots & Bar battle continues Talipes Mr Tiger's turn to wear them.

It's funny when I started blogging in 2012 I asked myself one day "what If I never have any Talipes stuff to blog about." I was so worried that life would be so easy & that I'd never need to do any talipes blogs. How wrong was I?!

Hugo is just over 2 years & 6 months... yes we had a few good weeks, Yes he would kick up when I wanted to put his boots and bar on him but we had cracked the sleeping I know its possible!...

Then we hit the Oh no he can now take his own boots off & I felt like we were starting all over again. 

The new thing is now though Hugo is a good talker. 

He pleads me over & over again to "Mummy bar off please mummy bar off please"

It's to say it bluntly even more heartbreaking than before.

It echoes in my head.

It pulls at my heart strings.

I wish I could just make him happy.

I wish I could just take them off.

I go in to try & comfort him to face him holding my hand or my face pleading me to "Please take my bar off Mummy Please"

"Bar off please"

Sobbing his heart out. 

It breaks mine. 

I have to do so much quick thinking... Last night I got out all his before photos to show him just why he must keep his boots on. 

He totally didn't understand.  

Then I thought hey shall Mr Tiger wear his boots and bar too? 

This cheered Hugo up & I told him he had to look after Mr Tiger - to which he agreed.

I wonder what tonight will be like.

And I thought I'd never have anything talipes related to talk about...

Our annual Pre-School Bocketts Farm trip

Milking the cow.

Since Emilyn started pre-school & she had her first taster of the Bocketts Farm trip three years ago it turned into the highlight of her life. Daily she would ask us "when am I going back to Bocketts farm?"
It's actually a really good day out & perfect if you are a new parent who doesn't know many of the parents, it gives you more chances to talk & get to know people.

Emilyn & Hugo were so excited to go to Bocketts that they sat in the car eagerly awaiting set off  half an hour before we needed to go. Hugo was so excited to see the tractors that was all he was interested as far as he was concerned.

Once we arrived at the pre-school we had a mammoth wait for our coach to arrive (Another massive plus about the school trip) you don't travel by coach everyday do you.

The ride there was fun Emilyn sat next to one of her best friends they proceeded to 'play fight' for the whole 30 minute coach journey. I was next to them. (The joys)

On the way to Bocketts Farm

Hugo was beautifully behaved taking in the whole journey sat next to his daddy who'd taken the day off (first time Daddy had been to Bocketts too)

Once we arrived - YES we are at the FARM time to put our bags in the lunch room & go find some animals. Of course we had to find the Tractor ride first.

On the Tractor ride

Hugo on the digger

Piggy Racing - GO PEPPA PIG

Hugo's favourite tractor last year & this year at Bocketts Farm

two sleepy little people...

At home relaxing after a busy day

Looking forwards to next years trip already!