me and mine {july}

Daddy is loving

* eating some delicious sausages at a Sausage and Beer festival.

* taking the beautiful girl for her first swim.

* the movie Django Unchained.

* going on holiday.

* the hot weather.

Mummy is loving

* sunshine, hot weather and sun-kissed skin.

* lovely weekends away with lovely friends.

* time spent at the seaside.

* celebrating four years of married life.

* Pimms!

The beautiful boy is loving

* doing lots of water play.

* Peppa Pig and getting to visit Peppa Pig World.

* eating meatballs and spaghetti.

* saying that he's "going on adventures" when ever we go for a walk anywhere.

* mini milk ice lollies.

The beautiful girl is loving

* crawling everywhere and exploring the world.

* talking talking talking... all. the. time.

* crackers with marmite.

* playing in the paddling pool (once she's got used to it!)

* licking everyone else's ice cream.

51

four

Four years ago, this happened...

The best day I've ever had.

Where I married my best friend

and we started our happily ever after.

My lovely brother put this photo montage together for us

the day after our wedding.

And watching it today just brought tears to my eyes.

It really was our perfect day.

15

peter rabbit {what we're reading}

Just thinking of certain books,

takes me right back to my own childhood.

I have really fond memories of reading Beatrix Potter books,

of saving my pocket money to add to my collection.

I love that they were such cute little books

with such beautiful illustrations

of a magical world.

9

out of the mouths of babes {july}

Daddy: "Oh don't be silly, stop being a big girl!"

beautiful boy: "I'm not a big girl Daddy. I'm a LITTLE BOY!!!"

to his little baby sister...
"You spin around just like this. Go round and round and round.
It's really funny. Get up. Come on. Try it."

Nanny: "Which breadstick would you like?"
beautiful boy: "A clean one."

in response to being asked if he was okay:

"I'm happy in my eyes. I'm happy in my face.

I'm happy in my shorts and in my shark shoes."

Nanny: "Bye. See you tomorrow."

beautiful boy: "Goodbye friend Nanny. See you soon."

"Yes I'm am." - instead of I am.
(he doesn't really mispronounce things very much, so this is so cute.)

beautiful boy: "I love you Mummy. I love you."

Mummy: "I love you more."

beautiful boy: "I love you most."

about his baby sister...

"Oh, she's just so beautiful. Bless her."

"I'm making a smelly ice-cream poo on the good boy toilet."

Daddy: "Are you okay? You feel very not and sweaty."

beautiful boy: "I'm not hot. I'm warm Daddy. WAAAAARM!"

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{our beautiful story} week thirty

sunday 21st july

splashing fun times

monday 22nd july

his nose in another favourite

tuesday 23rd july

i just adore this kid

wednesday 24th july

such twinkly eyes

thursday 25th july

precious little pout

friday 26th july

noisy adventures at the park

saturday 27th july

hanging out with a friend

2

forty-four weeks new

You seemed to be growing up so fast all of a sudden.

9

sandy toes and salty air

I am addicted to the beach.

I always liked the seaside as a child;

paddling my toes in the sea,

building sandcastles,

eating ice creams.

But three years in a seaside town for university sealed the deal.

The husband and I fell in love at the seaside.

37

rumble in the jungle {what we're reading}

My beautiful boy loves animals.

I think you'd be hard pushed to find a toddler that doesn't.

He loves identifying them,

making their noises

and generally doing impressions of them.

Animals in books are a big hit with him

and with me too it has to be said.

11

the best mummy i can be

I don't think I'm alone in wanting to always do the best for my children.

I think all mothers harbour ideas of being a super mum;

who looks fantastic,

has well behaved and well turned out children,

who simultaneously juggles providing engaging and educational activities,

while baking a cake,

keeping an immaculate house,

and making sure her children feel completely self confident, listened to and loved.

I will put my hands up and say right now,

that I fail.

On all of these things.

It doesn't make me a failure

but I can't do it all, all the time.

The truth is that I don't think anyone can.

26

{our beautiful story} week twenty-nine

sunday 14th july

her first dip in the paddling pool

monday 15th july

 bubble fun with uncle matt

tuesday 16th july

book sharing

wednesday 17th july

the second paddle was a big hit

thursday 18th july

time for a little contemplation on our picnic

friday 19th july

cutest kisses

saturday 20th july

recreating last year's fun

5

forty-three weeks new

We were racing towards your birthday now.

6

britax versafix review

Shopping for a carseat for your child

is one of those really important big purchases.

And for us that generally involves researching online

a visit to a store to try it out

and we tend to go with the big name brands

who we know we can trust to keep our precious cargo safe in the car.

3

bear hunt {what we're reading}

Sometimes you just can't beat an old favourite,

and this book never fails to raise a smile,

from mummy as much as the children.

This classic book with its repetitive sing-song text

is a never met with disappointment by any of us.

10

this beautiful season

Parenting seems to go in seasons.

There are definitely phases to it,

and one of the first things that you learn on becoming a parent,

is that these phases go in the blink of an eye.

It's not always easy to remember that when you're in them,

but life changes so quickly,

babies grow up.

The days are long,

but the years are so fast.

27

{our beautiful story} week twenty-eight

sunday 7th july

cooling off in the pool

monday 8th july

a brilliant weekend with the best people

tuesday 9th july

crazy, cheeky, funny little monkeys

wednesday 10th july

fingers in the grass

 thursday 11th july

playing games on the big bed

friday 12th july

finding "blows" on our picnic

saturday 13th july

this kid just melts my heart

4

one day: the weekend edition {july}

music credit: We Are Young by Fun (feat. Janelle Monáe) and Into The Wild by Lewis Watson

Holidaying with children

means different kinds of holidays to before.

It means "staycationing" instead of far off climes.

It means low key evenings instead fancy nights out.

It means room for travel cots instead of big sumptuous beds.

But it also means big smiles,

heaps of fun,
copious laughter

and time spent togther.

And I know I wouldn't trade those for anything.

48

forty-two weeks new

Your forty-second week was a very exciting one.

2

i love you! {what we're reading}

I imagine most children start their journey into reading

with board books.

I am a big big fan of them,

as are both of my children.

In fact even though my beautiful boy much prefers longer stories for his bedtime story,

he still loves to look at board books independently,

and he has even begun to share some of them with his baby sister lately;

telling her what is in the pictures and helping her turn the pages.

4

feeling good

It can be hard to feel good about the new "mummy body"

that you get left with after you have a baby.

And it can be harder still 

to know what on earth you are supposed to dress this new body in.

Add to that months of breastfeeding,

and the clothing issues just keep adding up.

14

your twenty-ninth month

You were such a sweet and funny little guy.

7

{our beautiful story} week twenty-seven

sunday 30th june

splashy little water baby

monday 1st july

sleepy cuddles with nanny

tuesday 2nd july

reading favourite stories

wednesday 3rd july

you're never to young to be a bookworm

thursday 4th july

my beautiful boy

friday 5th july

chilling with her toys while mummy and daddy pack for holiday

saturday 6th july

big boys and girls don't need their mummies to go on rides with them

2

forty-one weeks new

Our little lady was properly on the move.

9

the gruffalo and his child {what we're reading}

I am obsessed with children's books.

I loved books as a child

and have continued to be a book worm.

18