A weekend in the countryside

I'm trying to get back into using my blog as a diary as much as a platform to share thoughts and ideas. With Henry growing up SO fast I really want to make sure I record as much as possible on this blog so I have it to look back on - plus it really motivates me to take lots of photos (in keeping with my 2017 resolutions!)

At the weekend we decided to go back up to Buckinghamshire as Dann had some annual leave to use up and had a random Friday off work. We both love going back up to Danns home village. It's the perfect quintessential place and is like the village that time forgot (apart from the cars, and the broadbadnd - though thank goodness for the wifi as the only signal is in the middle of a field!).

We're really making sure this year to go and visit family as much as we can, and to go out and do things as a family with Henry, especially whilst I'm still in maternity leave!

So I've out together a little photo diary for you, and well, for me too! (warning - this is very photo heavy, like you;d expect anything less!)

Baby Led Weaning - one month in

So we're one month into our baby led weaning journey and I thought I'd do a little update on how we're doing.

I've done so much research on the whole BLW thang, and although there is a shedload of info saying be prepared for mess, how and when to start and lots of recipes, no one really talks about what to expect as you go along, so I thought I'd share our experience in the hopes that it will help other mamas out, because let's be honest, this baby rearing lark is hard work so  any little bit of help is kind of a God send. (wow longest sentence ever right there)

Right, we've been doing this for just over a month now, and it seems to be going pretty well (at least I think so, and Henry seems happy and healthy - minus his cold).

Henry's seven month update

Why did no one warn me that after the six month mark, every seems to go at lightning speed? I mean,yes, the newborn stage did go by in a whirl of tears, milk and sleepless nights, but six months! Wow the development is insane!

Henry is now seven months old, which I think might just be the scariest age yet if I'm honest. I could cope with having a six month old. That still sounds pretty young. But seven months. It just sounds SO much older,and is definitely on the wrong side of my maternity leave - I'm over half way through now and it's counting down to return to work a little too fast for my liking!

However as much is this mumma is completely thrown by the ever increasing rise of her son's age (I of course knew it would happen, but I was still unprepared!) I have to admit I do love this age.
There's not quite so much guess work and there's way more giggles. Henry's character is really developing and he is becoming a happy and cuddly little soul who adores people. I don't think I could have asked for a better little boy - in my not at all biased opinion.

So here's a little update on the last month (six month update here), now that Henry is seven months old! *weeps*

Don't bust those purse strings - save money this January

Does anyone else get a little tense around this time after Christmas?
All the festive happiness has dissipated, the Christmas food dwindling, and your waistline has grown three inches at least. And the state of your bank account leaves you reaching for the left over mulled wine.

On top of it all payday feels like it's six weeks away still, and you're rapidly getting into the single digits and on the cusp of eating beans on toast for the remainder of the month. Just as well you put on that extra cheese weight over Christmas, as meals are looking less and less comforting.

Luckily there are a few ways that you can save some money this time of year.

You were born an original - stay that way

Originality. It's a funny thing.

A quick google search brings up so many quotations:

"All good things that exist are the fruits of originality"

"Originality is a by-product of sincerity"

"It is better to fail at originality, than to succeed at imitation"

And it's that last one that sticks out to me most.

This blog started out life as a tattoo blog, and tattoos remain to this day, one of my biggest passions. The art as a whole took a bit of a sideline last year due to being pregnant for half the year, and being a new mum for the remainder, but I will be focusing more content to tattooing this year, starting with a bit of a rant. 

I've previously talked about tattoos and originality in this post about copying tattoos back in 2015, but I want to do a little revisit. 

I recently saw yet another tattooist having to call out another on stolen artwork just a day into 2017! To be honest, it makes my blood boil. Imitation is NOT a form of flattery. Whether it's written word, a photograph, an oil painting or a tattoo.