Naptime Natter

How NOT to do a mum and baby exercise class

How NOT to do a mum and baby exercise class

Yesterday I decided to go to my first ever spin class. Alex is closing in on 5 months old now and apart from that one 20minute run I did last month and the few times I did some yoga youtube videos, I haven’t done any exercise. I have been very lucky that, thanks to breastfeeding and good genes, I have pretty much sprung back to my pre baby weight with very minimal effort and I have not even had to shy away from the cake. Despite all this, my body may look good in clothes but underneath it is a bit of a squishy mess that is in need of some attention if I want to be rocking it in a bikini on our holiday next month. I decided now was the perfect time to get fit and tone up the mum tum once and for all and I foolishly believed a weekly mum and baby spin class was the answer to my wobbly problems. Um, I was SO wrong.  If you are thinking of going to your first ever spin class please learn from my mistakes, this is how not to get back into exercise after having a baby. View Post

#WickedWednesdays – Why a long shower is never a good idea

#WickedWednesdays – Why a long shower is never a good idea

So the other day I decided to throw caution to the wind and swap my usual 5 minute shower for a longer, more refreshing and relaxing affair. I knew there would be serious consequences to this decision, one does not simply have a long shower when there is a toddler loose in the house. View Post

Why parenting would be easier if I was the Mother of Dragons

Why parenting would be easier if I was the Mother of Dragons

The brand new seires of Game of Thrones starts on Monday and it is safe to say that  I am more than a bit excited. Although I am still reeling from the end of series 5, #forthewatch #heartbroken, I can’t wait to see what this series has in store. My favourite thing about Game of Thrones is not the violence, the sex or the creepy White Walkers, it is following all the different characters and their messed up little lives. Most of my favourites have now fallen victim to the cruel writing of George R R Martin and been brutally killed off (sob) but one person who is still going strong is the woman of too many names to list, Daenerys Targaryen.

As I watch Daenerys conquer city after city I can’t help but think motherhood would be a lot easier if I was the Mother of Dragons. Confused? Let me explain.. View Post

Do’s and Don’ts of soft play

Do’s and Don’ts of soft play

As a mum of a very energetic two year old, I spend a lot of my time at the local soft play centre. It is a good way to tire Leo out and a good excuse for us to get out of the house. Leo and I have been making regular trips to soft play since he was about six months old, sometimes we have loads of fun and other times, well, it can end in tears.

I have learnt through our several visits to soft play, that there are things you can do to ensure you and your toddler have a good time, and  the possibility of one of you sobbing at the top of the slide can be significantly reduced. View Post

You know you have a toddler when…The Christmas Edition

It is nearly Christmas! A week today Leo will be putting a mince pie out for Santa and a carrot for Rudolf and going straight to sleep while Oli and I relax on the sofa with some kind of festive beverage – well that’s the plan anyway. In reality, there will probably be the usual tears at bedtime and Oli and I will spend the evening trying to build complicated train tracks and doing our usual last minute wrapping.

I love Christmas but I can’t help but notice the festive season is very different now that I am a mum. Having a little one brings all the magic back in to Christmas but being a parent also brings lots of other, not always quite as wonderful, things too. You know you have a toddler when was my second ever post on this blog, I have decided to write a Christmas edition. Parents of toddlers, let me know if you agree!
You know you have a toddler at Christmas time when…
1. There are more baubles on the floor than on the tree – I seriously don’t know why we even bothered decorating the tree, I really don’t.
2. You have done most of your shopping online – Have you ever tried maneuvering a pram around a jam packed shop before? It is not fun. I would much rather sit on the sofa while Leo plays with his toys. No boring shopping for him and no stress for me, everyone wins.
3. You are too scared to look at your bank account – This is a direct result of point number 2. This probably applies for most people but there are so many toys out there, sometimes it is hard to resist spoiling our little ones at Christmas.
4. You don’t get to watch Christmas films – Gone are the days of lazing around on December afternoons watching all the Christmas classics, Elf and Santa Clause: The Movie are the favourites in our house. Instead, the only festive TV I get to see are the Christmas special episodes of Thomas the Tank and Peppa Pig, on repeat. Maybe next year Leo will sit through a film that isn’t animated…
5. There’s no good time to wrap – Yes I could wrap Leo’s presents in the couple of hours in the evening between his bedtime and mine but I am way too knackered at that point to be trying to find the end of the selotape. It’s not even as though I can wrap other peoples presents in the day when he’s awake either because he would just end up unwrapping them or running off with the scissors. 
6. Your kitchen table is covered in Christmas crafts – During December, you are bombarded with ideas for crafts on Pinterest and it is hard to resist giving them a go with your own child. I would not be surprised if Leo’s feet are going to be permanently paint stained after all the feet Snowmen/reindeer faces we have been making. Card, pipe cleaners and goggly eyes have been littered across our kitchen since December 1st and most of my little man’s ‘masterpieces’ are only really good enough to remain on the table where they were made. 
7. You are excited for Santa again – You may know the big secret about the big guy but your little one doesn’t. Watching your toddler get excited about going to visit Santa and staring in awe at all the pretty lights, elves and reindeer is really amazing (until you finally get your turn to see Santa and your child is massively unimpressed/runs off crying). Leo loves to talk and sing about Santa all the time, I can’t wait to see his face on Christmas day when he see’s all his presents from Old Saint Nick.
8. Christmas day drinking isn’t the same – Unless you have family over who can watch your toddler while you pass out in a baileys induced coma by 5pm, drinking as soon as you wake up on Christmas morning maybe isn’t such a good idea any more.
So, Mums and Dads, do you agree? Would you add anything else to this list? I would love to know what has changed at Christmas now that you have a child.
A Cornish Mum
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Fed up Mummy needs some wine

This year for Christmas I have bought Leo lots of books to fill up his stocking. Amongst these books is the best selling Christmas counting book, Father Christmas needs a Wee.

I had not planned to give this book to Leo until Christmas day but yesterday we were having a particularly stressful lunchtime and the book was used as a bargaining tool to get Leo into his high chair. Not perfect parenting I know but some times you got to do what you go to do to have a peaceful lunchtime.

Did I get to eat my food in peace?

Of course not. After reading the book once, and foolishly thinking this would be satisfactory for a 2 year old, I was then ordered to read the book repeatedly for the next hour and then again in random intervals throughout the rest of the day.

Leo loves Father Christmas Needs a Wee and it is a great counting book but, oh my, I was so fed up of reading it by the end of the day. I am now considering hiding it until Christmas Day, as was the original plan.

It was probably when I was reading this book for about the 20th time, I was inspired to write my own version. I hope you enjoy…

Fed up Mummy needs some wine.

Fed up Mummy needs some wine,
She has been reading the same book since lunch time.
During read one,
one happy son, this book is fun.
During read two,
two shouts of ‘Santa needs a poo?’
During read three,
we’ll stop after three, wishes Mum foolishly.
During read four
four giggles from the toddler, who clearly wants more.
During read five,
five hours until Daddy’s home, will Mum survive?
During read six,
falling asleep, eyes in need of matchsticks.
During read seven, 
a realisation that it is nearly bedtime, half seven. It will soon be wine time – heaven!
During read eight,
eight wishes for the toddler to get bored, Mummy’s got a long wait.
During read nine,
Mummy feels like she wrote it, knows every line.
During read ten,
ten seconds of silence before the dreaded ‘again, again again!’.
So I am sure you will agree that is completely fine,
for fed up Mummy to drink lots of some wine.
What do you think? Do you ever feel like this when your toddler makes you read the same book over and over for hours? I could definitely have drank a whole bottle yesterday, I was so fed up of Father Christmas needs a friggin’ wee!
Mummuddlingthrough
A Cornish Mum

My Random Musings

10 reasons why I finally feel like an adult

You know how people say age is just a number? Or, it doesn’t matter how old you are, it’s about how old you feel? Well, although I have been legally classed as an adult for the past 6 years, sometimes I still feel like a kid. I may be 24 but I often just want someone to hold my hand and make all the big grown up decisions for me and, you know, sort out all my bills and stuff.

You would think being married since I was 21 and being someone’s mother for the last 2 years would make me feel like an adult, wouldn’t you? Some days having the big responsibility of looking after a child makes me feel like one myself, wishing someone would come and help me out, stroke my hair and tell me it’s all going to be ok. However, now in my mid 20’s, I finally feel like I am starting to become a fully, fledged adult – a proper grown up if you will. This is not thanks to any major life changes, just silly little things that I think, in my funny old brain, only adults do!

1. I can reverse bay park/parallel park.

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2. I drink coffee, daily.

drinking coffee dying college problems caffiene
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3. I dislike most of the music on radio 1.

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4. My house plant is still alive after 3 months.

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5. I like gin (a lot).

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6. I am starting to question how good Hollyoaks actually is.

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7. I can’t remember the last time I loaned money from the Bank of Mum and Dad.

(Source: Photobucket)
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8. Nights in are way better than nights out on the town.

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9. I voted for the first time this year.

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10. There’s this little person who calls me Mummy.

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There it is, 10 little things that make me feel all grown up. Do you have days where you don’t feel as old as you are? Is there anything you would add to this list? As always, let me know 🙂

Mums' Days
My Kid Doesn't Poop Rainbows

18 Rules my 2 year old lives by

Two year old’s, they are not exactly known for their obedience and good manners, in fact it is quite the opposite. Us parents struggle to get our toddlers to follow some of life’s most basic rules – ‘say please and thank you’, ‘don’t run around by the road’, ‘don’t snatch’. However, our little darlings are more than happy to follow their own, toddler approved set of rules.

Here are 18 rules my 2 year old lives by, do any sound familiar?
1. Only have a lie in on days where Mummy and Daddy have to be up early.
2. Tantrums are the best form of communication and should happen at least once a day..AT LEAST.
3. Do not eat any green food, it is very likely to be poison.
4. Brown/beige food is the most nutritional and should be eaten in vast quantities.
5. Mr Tumble is God and you must listen to everything he says.
6. Naps must never be taken easily, no matter how tired you are.
7.  If you have been up all night, do not nap the next day – Mummy loves being tired.
8. The more times you are asked to do something, the more you should definitely NOT do it.
9. If Mummy says no then ask Daddy. If Daddy says no, do it anyway..or cry about it.
10. A beaker of milk is the answer to all of life’s problems.
11. If a camera is recording stop whatever funny thing you are doing immediately.
12. Use your cuteness to your advantage at all times.
13. It is only acceptable to do a poo if your nappy has just been changed,
14, A book is never really finished until Mummy has read it at least 5 times.
15. Outside is awesome, make every effort to spend as much time out there as possible.
16. Do not let anyone cut your hair, risk to life is very real.
17. Forks are for throwing. Hands are for eating with.
18. Cbeebies is the only channel on T.V, don’t let Mummy tell you otherwise.
Have I missed anything off this list? What rules does your toddler live by? I would love to know.
Mums' Days

7 things only mums can get away with

A couple of weeks ago I wrote 7 things only toddlers can get away with. A few of you got commenting and we seemed to all agree that our little darlings can get away with a hell of a lot more than us grown ups.

Well, this got me thinking and I have realised that as mums (and dads) we get away with lots of stuff that people would probably judge us for if we didn’t have kids. So don’t dismay my fellow parents, like your little cherubs, you can also get away with certain things that would have possibly be considered inappropriate before parenthood began (I will leave you decide if this is a good thing or not!).

7 things only mums can get away with…


1. Sleep in the day.
When you first have a baby the phrase ‘sleep when baby sleeps’ gets thrown around a lot. Leo was not a good sleeper at all so whenever he was napping so was I! I don’t really think sleeping for 4 hours in the day is how you should be spending your time if are not a parent, surely there are more important things you should be doing. This point does not apply to students, students seem to think napping is a degree requirement for some reason – I was not an exception.

2. Blame everything on baby brain.
Oh I have used this one a lot, Leo is nearly 2 and sometimes I still pull this old gem out the bag. We all know what it’s like, once you say hello to your baby you also say goodbye to all your functioning brain cells (well not all but a lot!). Crying at TV adverts, loosing your phone that is in your hand and putting baby’s clothes on inside out can all be blamed on the infamous baby brain.

3. Eat a ridiculous amout of cake.
Now I am not saying you can’t eat cake if you are not a parent, but what I am saying is once you have a baby you have a lot more opportunity to eat cake. For example..baby is born and someone bakes a congratulations cake, you take baby to play group and there is free cake, you need to eat an extra 500calories a day because you’re breastfeeding so you eat cake, baby is sleeping and you’re bored so you bake a cake. The list goes on!

4. Be late for things.
Friends and family warned you it would happen but you didn’t believe them, once you become a parent it will take you forever to get out the house. In the early days getting out and about is particularly challenging. You will feed your baby, dress them, change their bum and just as you’re half way out the door they will cry for more food and then proceed to be sick before doing yet another poo. The battle doesn’t stop when you have a toddler, you have to wrestlle shoes and a coat on them and try and strap them into a car they really don’t want to be in. Don’t worry though, when you do finally arrive no one will be mad because you are never expected to be on time when you have a child in tow.

5. Have a messy house.
There are just not enough hours in the day to get all the housework done and entertain a small child. I would feel a bit on edge if I went to someone’s house and it was immaculate and sat playing in the corner was a happy little toddler. Don’t get me wrong, my house isn’t dirty but it is definitely a mess. Throughout the day there are toys all over the floor, random beakers about the place and a washing machine full of clothes. Come bedtime the place is transformed to a place that almost resembles a toddler free home, if you ignore the big pile of toys in the corner that is.

6. Live in your pyjamas.
So it’s 3 in the afternoon, your child has worn enough different outfiits today to put Lodon fashion week to shame and yet here you are still in your pyjamas. When Leo was small I wore pjs pretty much constantly for the first coupple weeks, I am not even exaggerating..I have photos that prove it. I didn’t even care if people came to visit, I had been up all night they  were lucky if I bothered brushing my hair let  alone get changed out of my beloved pjs.

7. Get your boob out in public
This one is pretty self explanatory….

Like I said before, I will let you decide if these are perks of parenthood or not. But just remember..next time your child is throwing a tantrum in the shop and you really wish it was acceptable for you to do the same, atleast you get to go home to your messy house, sit in your pjs and eat cake and no one is allowed to judge you..and on top of all that you get to have lovely baby cuddles aswell…everyone wins!

Got anything you want to add to this list? I would love to know your thoughts.

Where to next?