The parenting happiness gap, and why I'm happier now as a parent

I strangely enjoy reading about happiness. 

I mean who doesn't love things that make you happy, and can lead you to having a happier life. 

If you consider how much negativity there is in the world, finding ways to increase your own personal happiness can only be a bonus right? 

What I find most interesting about the whole 'happiness concept' is how competitive it is. Who's happier? Women or Men? Adults or Children? The rich or the poor? Parents or non-parents?

And that last one is the one I want to talk about most.

Apparently parents are definitely less happy than their non-parent counter-parts. 

Autumn Maple Bagel Skewers

Autumn is the best time for lots of home cooking, and treating yourself. It's getting colder so why not, right?
I was going to name this a Halloween and Bonfire Night treat, but to be honest, I want it every night, so an Autumn treat it is.

I don't think there is is much better than sweet yummy carbs, and although I'm not a huge bread fan, I can eat bagels daily (I really feel like I would be perfectly at home in New York.... bagels, cheesecake and shopping.... that's me happy!)

So when I was challenged to come up with a recipe for the New York Bagel Company's new Mini Maple Bagels*, I knew I was up for a fun little treat.
I wanted to create something that associates with the two autumn holidays - Halloween and Bonfire Night - and make something that we can have year after year.

And the Maple Bagel Skewers with homemade caramel toffee sauce was born.

Dinosaurs arent just for Christmas - Wookey Hole Dinosaurs

OK that title was more for fun than anything as this post has literally nothing to do with Christmas, but there are dinosaurs... I promise. I pretty much just wanted an excuse to share some of the photos we took when we went to Wookey Hole at the beginning of the month, and share a little bit of our experience there. 

I went to Wookey Hole for the first time back when I was a kid. I think I was about 11 years old, so we're talking 16 years ago, and although I had some pretty good, though vague memories about the place, I knew I wanted to go back, especially as we were already in the area. 

I have to admit, the place has been updated a lot since I was there last, but I guess after 16 years, you kind of have to expect that. 

Photobook fun with Lifecake

We're a little obsessed with photos... in case you hadn't noticed. 

I take literally so many, and I can't share them all on social media. Well I could but I think a lot of people would probably start to get a little frustrated with the photo spam. 

And I really think my photography addiction has escalated since I had Henry. I just don't want to miss a cute photo opportunity, or capture a memory. 

Although I do really believe in being in the moment too, I just can't help having a camera in hand to grab those candid moments and the fun family photos. Plus I have literally the worst memory, so I find having photographic evidence really helpful for remembering all our little adventures and family moments. 

Since last year, we've been using the Lifecake app to store a good (read very high) percentage of Henry's photos. These include ones of him on his own, but also family ones too. And we basically have an online photobook, in time order (the app reads the meta data of the image and orders them in date order based on the image information - though you can edit if it isn't correct). You can read all about the app in this post from last December - look out for the very cute Henry photos at six months old!!

Although I do love having all our images backed up (again... I literally have our photos backed up in so many places as I worry I'm going to lose them all!) and the timeline is fab, nothing beats real printed images. 

I, of course, have photo albums to put my printed off images, because they are my ultimate faves. But I also really love photobooks, especially as gifts. 

Lifecake have now introduced their own photobook* service, and I was asked to make a little video all about the process.

Eating sand and other things my toddler does that makes me pull my hair out

Does anyone else get up in the mornings and just wonder where their day is going to go, because to be honest, every day with a toddler brings new challenges and fun experiences.

One thing I've really noticed with toddlers is their sense for adventure - well at least with my toddler anyhow - and also their complete lack of fear and repercussion. I guess in some respects it is kind of wonderful. Wouldn't it be great if we could do things without worrying about the consequences. I'm not talking criminal or really dangerous, but like taking that leap of faith, but every single day, without a worry.

Of course, most of their exploring and discovery comes at the expense of parental worrying, and stress.
I've talked previously about the love and worries of motherhood, which protects our littles from harm the majority of the time.

However, with all this adventure and learning comes a lot of "no's" and "be careful's" and the like. I'm trying very hard to step back and let Henry find out things for himself. Let him learn his own abilites, strengths, weaknesses and build his own confidence and resilience, but oh man sometimes it is so so hard.... especially when I see him doing things that literally have my hair falling out (aside from him actually physically pulling my hair out - I genuinely think a hair transplant might be the answer, I've even googled FUE hair transplant cost* just because!)

So what things does my toddler do that make me want to pull my hair out from the root?