Category Archives: pampering

Should new dads get gifts too?

01 Wednesday Oct 2014

Posted by in Family, pampering

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Photo credit: CP Photography

Photo credit: CP Photography

When Frog was born four years ago, I was inundated with gifts. Along with all the cute tiny baby clothes, cuddly toys and snuggly blankets there were huge bunches of flowers for me, beautifully smelling pamper goodies and a couple of bottles of champagne. The (self proclaimed) Northern Love Machine, however, didn’t get anything.

At the time we joked that I was the one who’d done all the work, so it was only fair that I got all the presents. But, looking back, I think this tiny aspect of new parenthood was just another contributing factor to making him feel a bit overlooked and like a spare part at the time.

It’s no secret that the NLM didn’t find fatherhood easy at the beginning. Unused to newborn babies, overwhelmed by responsibility and still reeling from the birth (despite it being a straight forward labour he found the whole thing pretty traumatic), he withdrew into himself and we had a few weeks where I questioned if he was really happy.  Continue reading »

The best bits about turning 30

02 Wednesday Oct 2013

Posted by in Motherhood, pampering

≈ 5 Comments

Turning 30

I have dreaded this day for most of the year.

In January, the thought of turning 30 brought me out in a cold sweat. I didn’t feel ready to be a “grown up” age. Leaving my 20s behind seemed like a huge deal. It was the decade of university, partying, finding a career, travelling, meeting new friends.

The truth is, my 20s were also the decade of marriage and becoming a mum – not something that completely identifies who I am, but a pretty bloody big part of it.  Continue reading »

On giving up wine. Sort of.

15 Thursday Aug 2013

Posted by in Fitness, Health, Motherhood, pampering, Uncategorized

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

, ,

photo (33)This is a pair of brand new, beautiful new trainers I bought a month ago on impulse, as I vowed to myself to get back into shape. Guess how much I’ve used them?

Yep – none. Zilch, nada. Not one tiny bit.

In fact, they’re still wrapped up all shiny and new in the box, with the price tag firmly attached. Oops.

The thing is, I really WANT to get fit again. I do. I look down at my rounding tummy and see extra wobbles where there weren’t before and it makes me feel, well, a bit flat. (Not flat in the flat stomach sense of the word, unfortunately.) But I just can’t seem to find the time, energy and motivation to do what it takes to get off my backside.  Continue reading »

The art of doing nothing

20 Monday May 2013

Posted by in Motherhood, pampering

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

Being idleHave you ever looked forward to sitting down at the end of a long day, only to find yourself getting a bit twitchy when you finally put your feet up? Maybe you’re one of those people who dreams about relaxing in a hot bath only to find yourself reaching for your phone when you get there. Do you struggle to watch a full TV programme without commenting on it via Twitter or Facebook?

I am all of the above.

I haven’t always been this way. In fact, I used to be pretty bloody good at switching off. Properly switching off I mean; shutting the laptop and turning down the volume on my phone. Pre-motherhood I thought a busy day was a 10 hour shift reporting on breaking news stories, with a rushed tea and only seven hours sleep rather than eight. Back in those days, I could quite easily walk through the door at the end of a long day and not think twice about soaking in a bath or watching a film. Continue reading »

Indulgence without the guilt

05 Sunday May 2013

Posted by in Motherhood, pampering

≈ 28 Comments

Tags

, ,

ProseccoSince becoming a mum, I’ve been pretty pants at treating myself. There always seems to be something else that is more important; my daughter needs something, my husband needs something, the house needs something. Whatever it is, nine times out of ten, I will prioritise that one thing above the one thing I had planned to do or buy for myself.

Not this weekend.

On Friday, I made a decision. As I drove home from work, I passed – on impulse – the junction I usually take on the motorway. Instead, I drove a few more miles so I could take a solo trip to the supermarket. Whilst there, I bought a few bits for supper, a huge mixture of bubble solution for my toddler, plus a brilliant red nail varnish and a bottle of Prosecco for myself. And I didn’t allow myself to feel a hint of guilt. Continue reading »

Turning 30 and getting new slippers

27 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by in Fashion, pampering

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

, ,

Review

I turn 30 later this year. For some reason, that milestone feels like a big one. Perhaps it’s because we’re on the edge of change. Perhaps it’s because I have an irrational desire to reach a certain point and achieve certain things before my 30th birthday. Or perhaps it’s something incredibly simple, in that 30 is a nice round (big) number.

Whatever my wobbles with my birthday in October, I am coming to terms with it in the only way I know how; a mixture of burying my head in the sand and fervent planning.

Part of the planning strategy involves embracing an incomprehensible new yearning for comfort. Now, when choosing clothes, I ask myself if they’re both pretty AND comfortable. I lust over thick blankets in homeware departments and eagerly await the moment I can invest in a huge new bed and sofa to sink into at the end of a long day. Continue reading »

Shopcade – helping me survive early mornings

17 Sunday Mar 2013

Posted by in Motherhood, pampering

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, ,

I was recently made aware of a bit of a revolution in shopping. One of my favourite bloggers – Dexterous Diva – introduced me to an innovative new concept called Shopcade.

If you like Pinterest, you’ll love Shopcade. Basically, it’s a place to browse for brilliant new brands, products and deals, while earning points which lead to rewards. You have followers – just like on Pinterest – and the more you use the site the more points you pick up. You can buy stuff directly through Shopcade and earn cash back while you shop, as well as just browsing and looking at pretty things.

Since stumbling across Shopcade I’ve been lucky enough to become an ambassador for them. This means I get to use it lots with the excuse that my window shopping is for “important research”. Continue reading »