25 week pregnancy update!

Hello everyone! Wednesday has rolled around once more and so I am racking my brains trying to bring to mind this past week and all the ups and downs. I think this week has been particularly 'hormonal' for me but I don't really know why. Taking things to heart and reading too far into other things has made me a bit quick to feel sore. I'm hoping this phase disappears soon because I hate feeling so up and down all the time.

Apart from my crazy mood swings, this week has been nice. It has been very quiet and chilled as we haven't done too much. Noah has been poorly so I have been quite the home bird, we have been snuggling, baking together and wearing our pyjamas a whole lot!

How far along? 25 weeks

Total weight gain: Gained another pound this week so thats 19lbs in total!

Sleep? Well, this is set to improve drastically as I am about to purchase a new mattress right now! Haha, it's become pretty uncomfortable, but I think a lot of it has to do with a rubbish mattress with zero back support. 

Best moment this week? One of my oldest uni friends came down at the weekend and we had a lovely girly day out together on Saturday- bliss!

Miss anything? Waking up not in pain! lol Like I said, sleep isn't brill at the moment, but every morning I've been waking up with pretty horrid back and tummy muscular pain. Not pleasant folks.

Movement: All the time!

Food cravings? Just generally craving food all the time, haha!

Anything making you feel queasy or sick? 
Slow digestion and heartburn makes me feel sick in the evenings. My stomach is pretty squished these days and I always suffer from eyes that are way larger than my poor stomach, especially when I'm hungry! Haha

Gender? Boy!

Labour signs? Nope

Symptoms: This week things seem to have gone up a scale in the 'unpleasant symptoms dept', maybe that's why I've been so grumpy! Haha! Aches and pains are becoming more noticeable and having to take greater care when moving around has me feeling pretty slow these days. Also because Noah has been poorly it has meant more sleep loss than usual for everyone, so I'm pretty overtired as it is.

 However, I feel very aware of exactly what is happening and I know from last time around with Noah what the different pains or stretching sensations actually are, so they don't worry or bother me too much.

Belly button in or out? Half and half I think!

Wedding rings on or off? On!

Happy/Moody most of the time? Umm...I better not open that can of worms again haha! I'm optimistic that this week will be a lot more joyous!

Looking forward to? Something very exciting happening in a couple of weeks time! :p

So that is everything for this week's update. Sorry it's a little shorter than usual, I felt like most of what I had to say was rather grumbly and moaning, so I didn't want to depress you completely with every last detail! 

*Also, the lighting has been so dull and rubbish today, sorry about the photo quality!*

Don't forget to check in next week for my 26 week update!

Happy wednesday guys!

Love Bunty

xXx

Golden Syrup Cookies

We've had a bit of a slow day today as we have one very poorly baby! After pretty much zero sleep last night, I decided to forgo the normal chores this morning and do some baking instead! A great way to cheer oneself up and instantly fill the house with beautiful smells of home-cooked goodness. Even Noah cheered up at the sight of  something good baking in the oven.

I decided to make some golden syrup cookies which were so simple to do, a child could literally throw this mix together and get it right.

I used 125g butter, 1/4 cups caster sugar, 2 tablespoons golden syrup, 3/4 cup self-raising flour.

To make the mix I creamed the butter and sugar and then added the remaining ingredients making sure to sieve the flour. 

Next, I made teaspoon sized balls of cookie batter and placed them on greased baking trays, leaving plenty of space between each ball.

I then baked them in the oven  at 180C for about 10-15 mins. After they turned a beautiful golden brown colour, I took the trays out, used cookie cutters to perfect the shape of each cookie and then placed them on a wire rack to harden and cool. 

I was having a play around with different ways to display the cookies and opted for a piece of lace (the same lace we used around our wedding cakes actually!) I then tied the cookies up with a neat bow. This would make such a cute party or wedding favour idea as it looks so good, tastes delicious and is so cost effective for large batches!

Happy baking friends!

Love Bunty

xXx

Second Trimester Survival Kit!

Hello everybody! Monday tends not to be a favourite day of the week for most, so I thought I would post something a little uplifting, especially for all the expectant mums out there! 

After some consideration, I have put together a list of items which have made it into my 'second trimester survival kit'! As I am approaching the end weeks of my second trimester, I know I have absolutely relied on some products and routines to help keep me cool, calm and collected.

These last few weeks have seen the most dramatic changes in this pregnancy so far and there have been ups and downs as a result. But one of the 'ups' is just knowing that there tends to be a solution to most problems, and come 8pm, I know I can light my candles and just chill out to the max!

Without further ado, here are my survival kit items for my second trimester. I won't go into huge detail on every item as they are all pretty self explanatory, e.g. my fave magazine/ 'evening escape'!

Many pregnant mums will vouch for the fact that when you are pregnant, all of a sudden pillows and cushions become an absolute essential, even if like me, you wouldn't normally use many! Although there are plenty of 'pregnancy pillows' on the market, this sausage pillow is by far my favourite. I bought it in Daisy Park and it is by the brand Pip Studios. I've had it for a few years now and I just love the way it brightens up my room! This really helps to take the pressure off my bump and back and guarantees me a better night's sleep!

In general, I have been favouring looser fitted clothing recently. This dress from Next has a cute geometric print and has served my 'small bump' days really well. Although this one won't carry me far into my third trimester, it has definitely been a comfort to wear. Loose dresses in general are a win from this point onwards.

Pretty frilly socks help lighten my mood when I feel like an overweight ogre trampling around my house. I have quite a growing collection from various shops and they all look really cute accompanied by slippers, ankle boots or just on their own. Sometimes it's all about the simple things to make you feel good about yourself!

I've done countless posts about my skincare recently so I won't harp on about my Palmer's tummy butter or my Soap & Glory moisturiser, suffice to say they are here for good and working wonders!

That's pretty much it in terms of my 'survival kit'. As I said, it's only now really that things are changing quite rapidly with the pregnancy, I can only imagine what will be in my third trimester survival kit! Haha! 

As I get my thinking cap on and start organising for the end of pregnancy, I'll keep you posted with baby hauls and more updates. Let me know if there is anything specific you want to see up on the blog!

Love Bunty

xXx

Coffee breaks

Recently I have been sent a few magazines through the post which have really got me thinking about the Christmas season which, lets be honest, is going to appear out of nowhere and suddenly be upon us! I find this happens every year: we initially complain that the shops are taking advantage of our excitement as they bring out their early Christmas stock in October, and then we gradually give way to the build up of anticipation as November and December approach.

Having huge, ever-expanding families means that I like to be a bit organised and so I have zero shame looking through the early Christmas catalogues and beginning to get ideas! Not even from a commercial point of view, but just thinking about Advent itself and the magic that fills our households when Christmas draws near makes me want to drag out the season as far and wide as I can! 

So, readers, I hope you won't be offended by my mentioning Christmas in October, I just feel so excited this year! I have a feeling that my coffee breaks are going to become rather focused on one particular theme in the not too distant future!

Love Bunty

xXx

Winter hats

I was up early this morning with Noah and it was a very grim start to the day outside!

 While he was arranging his toys, I thought I would have a little peruse of the internet and look at some winter hats.

If I don't say it often enough, I love wrapping up in the cold weather and a large floppy hat can finish an outfit off beautifully. My favourites are the large rimmed ones, especially in burgundys and blacks- they're also great for covering up badly behaved hair so in my mind that's a total win!

Here are some of the first that caught my eye...

Topshop felt hat

Missguided floppy hat 

Topshop embellished beanie

Wide brim fedora

Hope you find something you like!

Happy Sunday!

Love Bunty

xXx

Fish friday

Today I was a little lost for ideas when lunch time came around and so I resorted to an old favourite- tuna and cheese toasties! I used to have these all the time back when I was in 6th form college and although they might not look much, they always taste amazing! 

We don't eat meat on Fridays as part of our Catholic tradition, and so very often fish becomes a staple Friday alternative meal. I'm not complaining though, there is nothing as comforting as a humble toastie in my opinion.

Noah devoured his and then set his eyes upon my plate too! This little boy has one large appetite!

 Although I know there are so many variations of toastie that I really should explore, this one has to be up there with the best of them. Just add a touch of Lea and Perrins for some extra oomph and you're set to go!

I hope you're all ready for a wonderful weekend!

Love Bunty

xXx

Problem solving for toddlers

 Noah is quite an inquisitive little chap and really enjoys taking his time to work out the problem at hand. Whether it be deciding which shape is going to fit into which slot on his shapes jigsaw, or how to help mummy switch the hoover on or off, he just wants to be involved in everything and gets so much out of figuring things out for himself.

I have really noticed how he likes to solve problems for himself and one game we play together is super simple, costs next to nothing, but gives him the greatest satisfaction when he gets to do it himself. We use an empty plastic water bottle and fill it with small objects, be they raisins, paper balls or pasta pieces. Noah likes to pop the objects through the opening at the top and then work out how to get them out again! 

It sounds so simple and it really is, but for him it is a puzzle of learning that he can't reach the pasta with his fingers and he has to tip the bottle upside down to empty the contents. This apparently simple game can provide half an hour of fun in our house as we explore different things we can put into the bottle and different ways of retrieving those items. He particularly loves shaking the bottle upside down- the faster the better! 

The way young children learn is fascinating to me, especially in the way it only takes a really simple game to develop fine motor skills and precision. The truth is that you don't have to go out and spend a small fortune on toys, just look around your kitchen for inspiration! I did a post a while back about how we enjoyed using kitchen pans as a drum kit which you can read (here), it just goes to show that kids don't need money being spent on them to learn, there is a wealth of resources around you that can be used to explore and solve the next problem!

I hope this comes in handy for any of you mummies out there!

love Bunty

xXx

The simple things...

Today has been one of those 'pottering about' days. I haven't even left the house yet as Noah had his health-care visitor first thing and afterwards wanted a seriously long nap! In the meantime, I have been busy with household chores and blogging! I love days like this though and one of the things that makes me feel so cosy is to pop my slippers on and keep the kettle boiled! 

I am a bit of a slipper fanatic in that I must get through so many pairs every year. Recently while we were at home in Devon, I popped to Tesco's and found these lovely cute pink ballet style slippers. They were so warm and fluffy and I love wearing them with socks if I'm just pottering about the house. I also love the little diamante detail in the centre- who doesn't love to feel a bit glamourous when washing the pots and hoovering the floors?!

I think I only paid about £6 for these and they are already a staple part of my 'at home' uniform.  Call me old before my time, but I am a big slipper fan and there's nothing more comforting to me when it's cold outside than popping your slippers on and brewing a tea!

Happy friday everyone!

Love Bunty

xXx

Top five beauty tips!

I really enjoyed doing a 'top 5 skincare tips' post the other day and so I thought it would be fun to do a post on my top 5 beauty tips to compliment. Some of these tips are one's I have learnt along the way, and some of them I have only recently learnt, but I think they're all worth knowing about. Practically they save you time and money and, on those grounds alone, they are worth considering. These are all things that I have implemented into my own routine and by following these simple tips I have found that they have all made a positive difference.

1) Avoid brushing your hair in the shower

Sometimes it seems the easy option to comb through your tangles whilst in the shower, but the problem is that you are much more likely to experience more hair loss by brushing your hair in the shower as the heat of the water and steam naturally cause your pores and hair follicles to open. It's a better idea to brush your hair before you get into the shower, or afterwards when your scalp has had a few minutes to cool. 

2) Don't pump your mascara

How many of us instinctively, yet for absolutely no reason at all, pump our mascara wands in and out of the tube before applying it? Weird huh? The truth is that by doing this you are forcing air into the tube which dries the mascara solution out far quicker than necessary. When using your mascara, simply pull the wand out once and go from there, you will be amazed at how much longer the mascara lasts before needing replacing and in the long run, you will save pennies!

3) Keep your hands away from your face!

I always have to remind myself to stop poking my face, or playing with my hair as it's such a habitual thing for me. But the more contact our hands have with our face, the more the chance of transferring bacteria onto our face which is likely to cause outbreaks and sensitivity. Try to be conscious of not touching your face too much!

4) Watch the heat!

This is more hair related but, especially as we are moving into the cooler months, our hair can take quite a toll from the intensity of the cool air outside combined with the heat inside. Try to reduce unnecessary heat and damage to your hair by minimising how often you blow dry your locks and how often you use straighteners/curling irons. If you absolutely need to use heat to manage your hair, make sure to use plenty of heat prevention spray and give your hair a day off the next day!

5) Moisturise your skin

Again, winter is on the way which, for me, inevitably means dry skin is also on the way! Make sure to keep your skin moisturised and hydrated, especially by drinking lots of fluids. Take extra care of your hands as they are more likely to get the brunt of the weather: wear gloves, carry a hand cream in your bag and wear marigolds for the housework!

So those are my top 5 beauty tips- I hope they help some of you!

Love Bunty

xXx

Breaking in leather

I recently posted about a new pair of boots which I had my eye on for a year before finally getting the opportunity to purchase them. When I finally took them home I knew, like most leather boots, they were going to need a fair bit of wearing to break them in if they were ever going to be comfortable. 

There is always going to be a game of compromise when it comes to unworn leather and your feet trying to mould the shape of a shoe. Unfortunately, I happen to be very impatient! That, coupled with the thought of blisters every time I wore them had me running to the shoe repairs shop! 

I sent them in to have the leather stretched which has basically skipped the breaking in process for me, leaving the boots comfortable and much softer on my feet. As autumn is well and truly here, I want to be wearing my boots now and not in a few weeks when they would have naturally broken in- I think it was a process well worth the fiver I spent on it!

A quick tip for any of you ladies or guys with new leather shoes! Skip the painful breaking in process and enjoy your shoes while the season for wearing them is here! 

Love Bunty

xXx

Little pot of joy!

Good evening everyone! I hope you're all having a relaxing one? Brace yourselves for a slightly self-indulgent post as tonight I wanted to introduce a little pot of gold to you all. Perhaps you've tried this and it has become a staple in your routine, or perhaps you haven't even heard about it? Either way, if you're a mummy/sleep deprived/ suffer from dark circles under your eyes, or simply thinking about age prevention, take note!

Let me introduce to you Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair Eye Complex. (Bit of a mouthful, I know!) In the world of beauty blogging I have heard many a lady review this eye gel, all seeking different results and so many of them have been completely astounded at the transformation of their skin!

I'm not going to get my science cap on and explain all the ways this product actually manages to target early signs of ageing whilst visibly brightening your eyes- there is a wealth of information on the website. I simply want to say that this has really helped to transform my skin. 

I found that after my first pregnancy my skin seemed to have aged. It looked more mature and frankly, quite dull. As a 23 year old, I was quite concerned as I didn't know what the link was other than pregnancy, birth and general sleep deprivation. My eyes were my main area of concern as it doesn't take much for them to look tired and washed out. 

By applying a small amount of this gel like formula all around my eyes in the evenings and mornings, I have found significant changes in my skin's appearance. My eyes don't seem to be screaming out for water and coffee first thing in the morning and they are not dry, uncomfortable or sore! As only a small amount of gel is needed per application, the contents itself goes a really long way! It seems to instantly soothe my eye area as soon as I apply it and works brilliantly with my moisturiser which I apply at the same time. 

So ladies, if you need a little eye brightening gem which is guaranteed to work wonders, definitely give this a try! Or perhaps scribble it on your list for Father Christmas!

Love Bunty

xXx

24 weeks pregnant

 Hello everyone! Today I turn 24 weeks pregnant and boy I'm looking like it too! This last week has been a little crazy with a few things that have happened so I have definitely been a bit 'on edge' so to speak. My brother broke his leg badly last week playing rugby and he is still in hospital having his second operation to fix it today! As you can imagine, it has been a little bit stressful for the whole family as he is so far away in Manchester at uni. But anyway, things are definitely on the up now so I'm grateful for that! 

How far along? 24 weeks!

Total weight gain? I weighed myself this morning and I've now gained a grand total of 17 lbs! Eeek! I have a strong feeling that this is going to be another big boy!

Maternity clothes? I'm wearing maternity jeans a lot of the time. I still get away with some of my regular tops, but I have got some new pieces ordered so I will do a proper maternity style post soon!

Stretch marks? No new ones

Sleep? Last night was the best night's sleep I've had in a long time- mainly because Noah slept right through without a peep! But my other little monkey in my tummy has a really strong kick which is waking me up quite a lot lol!

Best moment this week? Noah has been really cracking us up this week, he learnt how to say 'shhh' 

to us. The other morning he came into our bed for a cuddle but it was really early and he wanted to play and poke us, so Eddy turned round and said 'shh Noah, back to sleep', at which Noah giggled and said 'shh' back to us! The cheek of it!

Miss anything? Not really

Movement? Tons all the time! I'm pretty amazed at this baby's energy as the other night I was watching a film with Eddy and he literally kicked and wriggled non-stop all the way through! It's rare that newborns are that active for a couple of hours, let alone a tiny unborn baby! 

Food cravings? Nothing specific

Anything making you feel queasy or sick? Not really

Gender? Boy!

Labour signs? Nothing!

Symptoms? This one is a bit embarrassing, but I do remember with Noah, around about this time, I felt like I had a really weak bladder and then a couple of weeks later everything improved drastically! Well, that particular symptom has definitely returned in this pregnancy. I think it might be to do with baby's position and his kicking doesn't help the situation either. Eddy and I always joke about 'pregnancy bladder' as car trips are such a nightmare when every 20 mins I need to stop! Lol...oh the glamour of it all! 

I've also mentioned in other posts on my blog about my skin being hyper sensitive at the moment. It's mainly my face which is feeling a little more delicate than usual, but I've found some great products which are helping a lot so it's completely manageable and life goes on!

Belly button in or out? I'll show you a photo, I think it's half way out?

Wedding rings on or off? On!

Happy/ moody most of the time? Happy, but feeling a bit sensitive too!  I hate admitting to it because it sounds so lame, but really little things seem to be upsetting me more than they would normally. I'm almost certain it's hormonal, just a bit unlike my normal self really.

Looking forward to? FINALLY planning a little break with Eddy! We really want to get away by ourselves before I get huge and also just to have some alone time with Noah before this baby comes along. We were going to go away at the end of last month but work got so busy and we have literally had no time to ourselves! Anyway, I am definitely looking forward to this, it's not something we ever do normally, but I know we all need it! Can't wait!

That's everything for this week's update! Don't forget to check in again next week for my 25 week update! 

Love Bunty

xXx

Breezy Autumn OOTD

I feel like I haven't done one of these OOTD'S in ages! Today is one of those breezy autumn days with a bit of a chill in the air. I decided to wear one of my old ASOS maternity dresses from when I was expecting Noah. This one has done the rounds as my sister borrowed it more recently when she was expecting, so it's nice that we have this maternity dress in common with our pregnancies! Obviously, with this weather tights were going to be a definite! I am wearing a pair of maternity ones which I think are from H&M. My jacket is also from H&M and my leather boots are from Zara.

On my lips I am wearing 'Cloister Sunrise' by La Bella Donna- a really beautifully pigmented nude that goes with anything and lasts for ages on!

On my nails is a gorgeous burgundy from Barry M- Sadly I can't tell you the name as it has rubbed off the bottle! But I know they have it in stock if you want to check it out! My gold rings are from H&M.

And that is what I am wearing today!

Hope you like!

Love Bunty

XxX

Top 5 skincare tips

I thought today I would pop something beauty related on the blog for all you interested ladies out there. I am by no means a dermatologist, but I have learnt a few things along the way with Regards to my own skincare. At the moment I am pregnant and so I have tailored my skincare routine to suit my current needs as my skin has changed a lot this pregnancy. But I think these five basic principles apply to everyone and you can individualise them to meet your own needs and, hopefully, improve your skin!

1) Drink water!

I know I have been known to hammer this point home quite a bit, but honestly the skin you have is so influenced by your diet and water consumption. I am upping my water intake a lot more at the moment as I know my body and baby need it. Everything improves when you drink more water and the results are pretty instantaneous too: within a day or so my skin looks better when I make sure I drink lots. For example, I try to have several pints of water a day in large glasses, (so I can see how much I am drinking). Also, before you reach for your coffee, tea or wine at the end of the day, try and have some water first just to keep in the rhythm of favouring water as your prime source of fluid intake. 

2) Know your skin type

I think it's important to know your skin type, especially if like me, you have a bit of a habit of buying makeup or other skin related products. At the moment, and for the first time in my life, my skin is quite sensitive and I know I can't use the same heavy exfoliators that I used to. My skin just can't cope with anything rough or harsh and so I use alternative products that are far easier going. Be kind to your skin and learn to know what it needs to look and feel it's best!

3) ALWAYS remove your makeup!

This is something that I have always adhered to, whether we are camping, at home, or have been out all night. If you have partied the night away and it's four in the morning, still thoroughly remove your makeup before sleep. There is nothing worse than not giving your skin the break it deserves from makeup! Especially if you are planning on wearing makeup the next day, you do not want to be applying new makeup on yesterday's face, it's not hygienic and your skin won't thank you for it.

4) Watch out for chemicals, acids and alcohol in products

Make sure you read what kinds of ingredients are in the skin products you are using. At the moment, I am completely avoiding salicylic acid and alcohol in my skincare routine as I'm pregnant. Alcohol is not great to use on your skin anyway, especially if you are using, say, a makeup remover with alcohol in it and then not cleansing your face afterwards. If you do use products with alcohol content, just make sure to thoroughly wash your face afterwards to remove any traces from your skin.

5) Exfoliate Exfoliate Exfoliate!

Even if your skin is quite sensitive like mine, try and get into a routine of exfoliating at least once a week because this just helps to thoroughly remove dead skin cells, makeup traces and dirt- helping to keep your skin squeaky clean and happy!

Those are my top five tips that I would recommend anyone to follow. Like I said, I am not an expert but these simple steps have helped me a lot over the last few years and especially at the moment when my skin is quite changeable. I hope they help you too! 

Love Bunty

XxX

Dinner parties, broken legs & problem solving!

It's not always easy living away from family and there are times when it seems all the more challenging. A few days ago my brother had an accident playing rugby and seriously damaged his leg in the process. He is currently waiting for his second operation to hopefully fix the damage...I don't think I've checked my phone for news as much much this week since I did when I was starting to date Eddy! Between desperately wanting to get up to Manchester to see my brother, to honouring commitments at home and meeting the everyday needs of the family, I honestly feel pretty exhausted.

I think it's fair to say that behind everyone's smile or portrayed image, there can often be a different story and I know I'm guilty of not recognising that in other people. But the last few days I have been thinking about it a lot. How many people do I know that could really use a friendly ear? A bit of company? Somebody to talk through the problem with? I was just saying to my sister earlier how sometimes I struggle with an assumption that my life is all champagne and roses just because I endeveaour to be cheerful. (Yes, I know I also fail miserably many a time! Haha just speak to Eddy on that score!) But, far more crucially, I know I can do good for others in need. That's part of our calling as Christians, in a way, to make ourselves less and to make others more.

We hosted a little dinner party tonight which was so lovely. Bringing together family, old friends that go way back and more recent friends too and I really felt honoured that we could provide a little hub of happiness in our small lounge. A place to relax and for everybody present to feel at home for a little while. I think it is so important to check in with the 'bigger picture' every so often. Not many things in life are certain but the impact we can have on others is something we can be and are all responsible for. The small decisions we make can have huge effects on others. Perhaps there are ways we can change ourselves and our own deep-rooted ways of doing things, which will benefit those around us better?

 I know I have my work cut out but that's the exciting part because I also know this is how the world changes...when people change.

Goodnight friends!

Love Bunty

xXx