2 Years Of Blogging TODAY!

I still can't believe that exactly 2 years ago today I wrote my very first crap blog post. Yes, it's my 2 year Blogoversary today.

2 years.

2 YEARS!

What a 2 years it's been.

I've laughed, I've loved, I've made friends, I've lost friends, I've jumped for joy, I've cried tears and in the middle of it all I gave birth to a gorgeous baby boy.

I can't believe another year of blogging has gone by. I've not blogged as much this year and I'll be the first to admit that my time and energy has gone into my family life more. I feel like I have the balance right now. I do sometimes wish I had more time to spend on Twitter and other blogs reading the amazing things that are out there but that will come in time as my baby boy grows. For now, I'm enjoying every minute with him, MC and Matt.

This time last year I reflected back on my first year of blogging so this year it's time to look back over 2012.

Before I start I want to say I'm dedicating this post to the beautiful and inspirational Kerry AKA Multiple Mummy. I've said before that she started blogging just after me and, along with a couple of other amazing women, she felt like my blogging sister. I had the pleasure of spending some time with her and she was even more lovely in real life than she was on her blog. Sadly, Kerry passed away just before Christmas. Her passing has left me so shocked and has made me realise that you really never know what is around the corner so you should seize every moment with both hands. I'm certainly more determined than ever not to stress the little stuff.

Kerry was only 30 and leaves behind a loving husband and 3 very young children. May 2013 be full of love, health, happiness and strength for them.

So, here's my blogging journey for 2012...


January
The year kicked off in amazing style. Matt, Mini Cheddar and I (complete with baby bump) jetted off for 3 whole, and totally amazing, weeks in Florida. It was to be a holiday we would never EVER forget and we can't wait to go back to Orlando.

February
Despite MC only having a dummy at night time we managed to successfully get her straight off the dummy when we returned from our holiday. 3 cheers for the dummy fairy! I also celebrated a year of volunteering for my local Save The Children shop. Matt flew off to America for a job interview when I was heavily pregnant and fighting a lot of bad feelings.

March
Matt didn't get the job in America...much to my relief. We celebrated MC's 3rd Birthday - I still can't believe what a beautiful and clever little girl Matt and I produced. I was brave enough to post a picture of me and my huge bump at almost 40 weeks pregnant.

April
I announced the birth of our beautiful baby boy, Tini Ched (TC), on the blog (born 28th March). He was, and still is, perfection. I wrote, in my opinion, one of my best ever blog posts which discusses caesarean section and the stigma attached to it. I was overwhelmed by the response it received from comments, tweets, DM's and e-mails. I also blogged TC's birth story. I raised some smiles with my 'You Know You've Just Had A Baby' post.

May
Matt landed a shiny new job! I was nominated for not one but two MAD Blog Awards for Best Pregnancy and Best Baby Blog. Thank you once again for all those who voted for me. Another post which I'm a little bit proud of followed - this time about the benefits to us of co-sleeping. Something else which has a bit of a stigma attached to it.

June
I started to think about 'coming out' and admitting to all friends and family that I wrote a blog. Bank Holiday Bedlam took place which involved a lot of vomiting and crying. It was a day I'll never forget! Tiny Ched was 12 weeks old already!

July
I decided I am going to keep quiet in future and not blog about things smugly for fear of them going wrong! I blogged about thoughts and feeling I'd been having since having children and it stuck a chord with a lot of you. MC had the MOTHER of all tantrums.

August
Despite her outburst the previous month, I was reminded just what a hilarious and brilliant daughter MC is. My house was invaded by a slimy little f**ker!

September
I, thanks to you guys, was awarded the Best Baby Blog at The MAD Blog Awards. I couldn't make the ceremony and found out via Twitter. To say I was totally gobsmacked was a complete understatement.

October
Matt resigned from his new job without a job to go to. It was a crazy few weeks but one we got through and it turned out to be the best decision he made. I was chosen to be a Cosatto Brand Buddy which was amazing. I developed mastitis which was a bitch!

November
I remembered Betty Dogface one year on. I took the decision to give up breastfeeding TC at 7 months following mastitis. I was gutted. I went back to my volunteer job at Save The Children after being off on maternity. Once again I felt the incredible power of the blogging community as we joined together to heal Kerry. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be.

December
This was a month that saw me mainly survive blogging via Silent Sunday posts due to battling a run of bad health and just being VERY busy with everything. I did manage to find time to question where my tits had disappeared to though!


So here's to 2013.

Thank you to you, my lovely blog readers. Thank you for sticking with me through the good and the bad and, once again, thank you for all your support. Happy New Year to each and every one of you. May your 2013 be full of the love, health and happiness you all deserve.

*raises a glass of wine / vodka / beer / sherry / gin / champers*
(delete as applicable)

CHEERS!

R.I.P. Kerry
xxx 

#SilentSunday 83

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#SilentSunday 82

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The Cosatto Moon Unit Has Landed!

Our journey into all things bright and beautiful as Cosatto Brand Buddies reached another peak this month as we were lucky enough to be sent the new Cosatto Moon Unit to review.

There was much excitement!

Another Little Monster design (which we absolutely love having reviewed the Swift Lite Supa pushchair in the Summer) to add to our collection. This is the ultimate in travel cots/play pens.

Even though the Moon Unit is a little heavier than some
other travel cots it's still compact and it has wheels!

The Cosatto Moon Unit is pretty awesome. It is heavier than most standard travel cots but that's because you get so much more included. However, it also has 2 wheels so once it's in it's carry bag, the wheels stick through so it can be pulled along. Brilliant for holidays - no lugging a heavy cot around!

It comes with a detachable basinette so it's perfect for using from birth and, for c-section mummies, it's ideal because you don't have to bend right down. I would have loved this just after my caesarean section. It would have been great to have downstairs to put Tiny Ched in.

What's not to love?

It also comes with a detachable change table which is ideal if you're staying away from home and don't have a change area. Also included is a lovely detachable toy bar with 3 'little monsters' - one with a mirror.

The only slightly tricky part - assembling the change table

Setting the Cosatto Moon Unit up is so simple. It took me 70 seconds to assemble the unit and a further 90 seconds to add the basinette. The only part I found slightly tricky was putting the poles together in the change table. This was a little fiddley and I did break a nail!















Cosatto have, once again, outdone themselves with the attention to detail. The Little Monster design throughout the unit is fabulous and provides much amusement for TC (and his big sister!). The unit does also come in the 'Oh So Pretty' design too.










The Cosatto Moon Unit retails at approximately £150 (but currently online at £135)* which is great price for what you get. What we also love about all Cosatto products is that they come with a 4 year guarantee. Yes, 4 years! Not many companies can say that.

My 'Little Monster' loves it!

Here's a quick video review (sadly TC was unable to appear in this as he was poorly!)

This is not a sponsored post.  

We were sent the Cosatto Moon Unit to review 

but all photographs, video, words, views and opinions are entirely my own.

*price correct at time of writing

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All I Want For Christmas Is A Wonderbra

I've always been happy with my relatively average bosom.

Knowing people who have been - let's just say well and truly 'blessed' in that area - complain of backache or getting unwanted male attention, I've been grateful that I was given what I was.

I breastfed my daughter, Mini Cheddar, and stopped gradually over a few weeks. My boobs stayed in a relatively good condition and size afterwards. With Tiny Ched though, I stopped abruptly. For two weeks I went around looking like Katie Price - albeit a bit less cheery and not wanting anyone to come within 2 feet of my norks for fear of the excruciating pain!

I got through it though.

But what have I been left with?

Not much.

Seriously, I think there is a Tit Fairy who came along and grabbed my reasonable breasts and replaced them with two small bags of flour overnight.

WHO STOLE MY BANGERS?

I'm starting to think I'm being punished for quitting breastfeeding, even though it wasn't really my choice *shakes fist at mastitis again*.

What would happen if we had any more children?

Would by chest become inverted?

So, if you're reading my blog Santa...can you please make sure there's a Wonderbra in my stocking this year so people don't start thinking I'm a boy.

I'm just glad Matt didn't marry me for my boobs!

All joking aside though, the disappearance of my norks is totally worth it because of this little dude...

He took my heart and now, it seems, he's taken my breasticles. 

Yes, he's worth every cup size.

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#SilentSunday 79

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