Christmas Traditions

With Christmas almost upon us again it got me thinking about Christmas traditions. We all had them as kids, some we carry over into adulthood and some we don't. 

Christmas eve was my favourite day when I lived with my parents. My older siblings popped in and out, my mum spent the day in the kitchen baking. Homemade mince pies and sausage rolls straight from the oven are the sole reason I now visit on Christmas eve. The build up was incredible, excitement and anticipation in the air....Christmas day for me was always an anticlimax. Maybe because I never had a siblings close in age to play with I don't know. I'm hoping it won't be the same for my boys. Unfortunately I didn't follow on the tradition of Baking, probably because I can think of a million other things I'd rather do than spend all day in the kitchen.

Christmas day always followed the same format. Presents, cooked breakfast, sister and kids come down. Dinner. Then we'd go for a walk around the village, the only time we ever went on a walk and I remember always enjoying it greatly. 



We haven't got many of our own traditions yet, I'm sure they'll come as the children get older. We do spend Christmas day at home with no visitors. I know for lots of people Christmas is enjoyed as a big family occasion with everyone around. For me its a time to spend with my husband and kids. No interruptions, just us at home enjoying each others company. It's not often we get quality time like that, there is always something to do or somewhere to go so we really embrace this time together. 

We started the tradition of new pyjamas for the children last year. On Christmas eve they will go to bed in brand new pyjamas and probably stay in them half of Christmas day. Opening presents wrapped up in our dressing gowns...perfect. 

So what traditions do you have? I'd love to hear them? 

Happy First Birthday

This time last year I had a 4 day old baby, now I have a one year old. It all seems a little crazy to be honest – time has never gone so fast as it has the past couple of years. R didn’t stay a baby for long enough at all, he seemed in a hurry to grow up and be like his brother. Army crawling at six months and walking a week before he turned ten months.

He should have been called daredevil, he has no fear at all and seems to cause injury to himself regularly. Usually his face and as you will see from his birthday photos he managed to graze his face. Does it make me a bad Mummy if I say I have no idea at all how he did it? There was no tears, and one minute it wasn’t there and the next it was.

As you can see from this photo he was a poorly little boy on his birthday :(


His actually birthday morning was quiet and like any other morning, I was desperate for it to be 10:30 and for husband to get up so we could open his presents. 10:30 arrived and R was fast asleep, so I set up his presents, banners and balloons much to J’s excitement. Once R woke up we gave him a snack and then encouraged him to get stuck into his presents. He didn’t care at all and didn’t open a single present – he snuck off to steal his brothers kinder egg while J got stuck into ripping open the presents. He got some lovely bits and we had a little play with his toys, he likes to use his activity cube to climb on – I should have foreseen that really since he climbs on everything. It was then time for lunch.

After lunch we took the boys to soft play, where we were meeting three friends and their children. J’s best friend and then two children similar in age to R. Of course R being R he wanted to play with the 2 years olds and was off with his daddy on the big slide. It was a lot of fun playing with the children and catching up with some friends I don’t get to see very often. An added bonus was that soft play was really quiet, so our children had almost free range of the place.  R had a brilliant time and was fast asleep in the two minute drive home. He had a sleep and then my parents and sister came over with more presents for him, just something small as we’d asked for money for his savings account – we just have too many toys already. He played with them before we did the cake – J was incredible impressed with it. Even more impressed with the sweets that were on it and both of them were stealing the sweets before the candle had even been blown out.

It  was a fairly quiet day but lovely none the less, we don’t do parties for the boys because we think it would be completely overwhelming for them and stressful for us. So the next day we took the boys to the sea life centre in Birmingham – R loved it. Pressing his face up against the fish tanks and grinning at them. We let the two of them lose and they loved it, running around and peering into the tanks. It’s so not worth £18 and adult ( I don’t think so anyway) Thankfully we had a two for one voucher. We then went for a wander through the German Christmas markets –R zonked out in the buggy at this point.

We had a lovely couple of family days, I’m still struggling to get my head around the fact that my baby is one and getting less and less baby like every day. He’s definitely a toddler but I am struggling to let go of him being my baby. It's been an incredible year and my love for him grows more each day! 

Teaching a toddler to share

Facing another parenting difficulty these days and its driving me slightly mad. I have absolutely no idea how to deal with it, or fix the situation. As far as I can see it’s purely a case of riding it out.

It sharing – toddlers don’t understand the concept of sharing and obviously anything anyone else has is the best thing ever and they have to have it right that second.  In that case I usually remove the item and give it back to whoever had it first and explain they need to share and take turns. They look at me like I am insane and continue to fight usually with the offending item being removed. It’s difficult because R is really too young to understand.

The hardest situation is when J is sitting nicely playing with ‘HIS’ toys and R decides that he wants to join in. Resulting in J getting very defensive and upset at R taking his toys. I completely understand J’s frustration they are his toys and at that moment he doesn’t want to share and I feel that he shouldn’t have to. As well as learning to share they need to learn a sense of self of worth too, and that something’s are theirs. How do you deal with it though? R is at that age where he is getting difficult to distract and he just wants to play with his brother. There is nowhere for J to go that is safe, he used to be able to play on the sofa but not since R can now climb up there to.

Has anyone got any advice on how to deal with this? 

This isn’t goodbye, even as I watch you leave…

… this isn’t goodbye. I swear I won’t cry, even as tears fill my eyes. I swear I won’t cry’

Last week the news broke that Westlife were calling it a day, after 14 incredible years they’d decided to quit while they were at the top of their game. Spend the time they so deserve with their families, I couldn’t spend as much time as they do away from their children so I can completely understand why they are doing it.

I’m sad because it means things have to change, there will be no more ticket stress, no more planning and excitement about our tour adventures. No more albums to discuss or videos to drool over. Westlife have been a huge part of my life, I’ve been in love with them twice as long as I have my husband. They’ve been in my life longer than most people have (family excluded.) People don’t really get it and I understand that. An outsider can never understand.

‘Always you’ll be a part of me’

The music has been there to help me through the highs and lows that life has brought me over the years. I’ve laughed to it and cried to it, and even though we won’t be getting any new music I won’t stop listening to the albums they’ve already given us.

‘You’ll find it in the deepest friendship, the kind you cherish all your life.’ 

Without Westlife I would never have met so many amazing people, I’ve spoken to people from all corners of the world. As far away as Mexico and Australia, to people in the next town from me. Gathering in Dublin I stayed in a hostel with a girl from New Zealand another from Canada, fans from all over gathered for a 10 year celebration in Croke Park. I was excited to meet so many people who I’d spoken to but never had the chance to meet before.

I’ve met two of my closest friends thanks to our shared passion for Westlife. I met T in the latter part of 2007 – I do believe we bonded over BBMak and our shared love for Mr Filan. We met for the first time in June 2008 and there has been no going back. She’s now proud god mother to Riley and knows far too much that she could bribe me with. She’s bloody awesome and Westlife is such a small part of friendship but at the same time the biggest part because it’s what brought us together.

I met another girl way way back in the very early days of Westlife, she’s never been able to get rid of me. She may have tried and we didn’t talk as much for a while – life got in the way, but we found our way back to each other . I still look back on our early friendship, millions of texts, letters and late night phone calls that went on for hours. She was my Jellybaby Rachie Ra – we are possibly still as bonkers now as we were as teenagers.

I’m lucky enough to have met these amazing girls and we are going to share the last tour together and make it one to remember.

The end of Westlife does mean that we need to use our imagination a bit more in future when we plan meet ups – although we are already planning a bit of Buble action.

‘You’re gonna say goodbye, I wish I could stop you, but you’ve made up your mind. I beg you don’t go, but  I already know you’re leaving.'

I would like to thank Shane filan, Nicky Byrne, Mark Feehily and Kian Egan for giving us an amazing 14 years – possibly the hardest working, nicest guys in pop. They’ve given us an amazing run, 100’s of memories and more joy than they will ever realise. Whatever they decide to do next I hope for nothing more than that they are happy. 

Dummies, sleep and sharing rooms

Well I have been totally lame on the blogging front over the past month or so, I’ve been suffering from bloggers block or something. So I think it’s time for a little update on my boys. We’ve actually made a few big changes in the last month.

We got rid of J’s dummies, it wasn’t planned. We had thought about the dummy fairy, sending them away to santa, cutting the ends off – all the options were considered and we hadn’t really decided on how or when.  Then one morning I was sick of hearing ‘dum dum’ repeated over and over, he was like a stuck record. So I got the dummies handed them to him and marched him to the bin and told him he was a big boy and it was time to throw them away. He did it while sobbing his little heart out, I felt like an evil cow. So I took him to the sofa, we sat down and had big cuddles and I explained that he was a big boy now and he didn’t need dummies anymore. R would be keeping his because he was a baby. Then I told him if he went all day and then went to bed without a dummy Mummy would buy him something.  He had the choice between a new toy or something chocolate and he requested a ‘Choc choc egg.’ (a kinder egg). So kinder eggs were purchased and he was rewarded the following morning.

He did amazing, had a slight wobble just before bed when R was given his dummy but he’s doing really well – no battles at bedtime and he sleeps perfectly fine without his dummy. I’d definitely imagined huge tantrums and battles at bedtime and we had none.

The second massive change happened in the same week – I had a week off work and I’d decided it was time to get my room back. So we moved R in with his brother, completely moved the bedroom around and hoped for the best. It’s been a bigger success than I ever imagined. As you all know R was a rubbish sleeper, never sleeping through, battles at bedtime etc etc.  They have been sharing now for 3 weeks and only one night did R put up a fight and that was only for about 15 minutes. He’s also slept through the night every night apart from three. I feel like a new woman, I’m not sure what to do with all the sleep I am now able to get (if only I went to bed a bit earlier.) I’m wondering now why I didn’t do it months ago? Probably because it wouldn’t have worked, maybe I was just lucky that I got the timing perfect? Maybe it was fluke, or maybe he is just happy because he likes someone being in the room with him?

He actually does wake up, but he only moans a bit (hubs has heard him when he gets in from work) but he doesn’t cry enough to wake anyone up.  He then puts himself back to sleep, whereas when he moaned in my room I would wake up and deal with him, when I probably didn’t need to as he could have put himself back to sleep.

So anyone who is worrying about taking the plunge with something I would say go for it, its never as bad as we imagine it’s going to be. At least in my experience. 

Feel Good Friday

Well I haven’t written one of these in ages, I won’t add a link up but if anyone writes one then please do let me know so I can come and read.

It’s been a strange week and it would be easy to focus on all the sadness, I’ve never had a week with so many ups and down – I could make a rollercoaster out of them.

So to focus on the happy things. My friend finally had her baby girl on Sunday – she was 9 days late and I was almost as desperate for her arrival as her Mum was. I got a tiny bit over excited in Sainsburys when I was looking for a cute outfit – seriously boys stuff is just not quite as cute as girl’s things.

It’s actually only Thursday as I write this because I am not around Friday to do it, but hopefully by the time some of you read this I will have had tiny baby cuddles. Yes I get to go meet baby girl tomorrow, I am so excited and a little worried about how incredibly broody it is bound to make me. Just remind me of the sleepless nights please.

Also my wonderful friend @chatty30 has someone managed to get us front row tickets to Westlife, which brings us much happiness and excitement despite the fact that it will be the last time we see them in tour. What a way to end an incredible 14 years though!

Edit: Also managed third row tickets today - which was definitely another feel good moment :)

Being Lucy

Friday night I had a proper girls night out, the first time I’ve been out on the town in years. Somewhere along the lines I got old and stopped enjoying such activities. I’ve spent the last two years being Mummy and even when I’m not being Mummy I’m talking about my children. Friday night I managed to be completely me, very little talk at all of babies.

As well as looking forward to the night I was slightly apprehensive. What do people wear these days? What would it be like? Could I handle my drink? The first dilemma some of you may have followed on twitter, I apologise if I drove me mad – I drove myself slightly mad. Three purchases later I was happy with my outfit. First I bought a black dress; I looked like a beach whale in it. Second outfit I loved, but it wasn’t to be. The third and final outfit I loved and was rushing around the day before buying…even though we had planned the night for about six weeks. It was a top I settled on, and then new trousers, and of course jewellery – thankfully I had the perfect pair of shoes already. My £25 budget some became £40  I absolutely love it though, I felt completely comfortable and I'll wear the clothes again...Wednesday night in fact. 

I bought the top, got home noticed it was snagged and had to return it. I was praying they would have another...as luck would have it they did. So after weeks of stress I was sorted. 

'The Outfit'

I did my makeup at my friend’s house with our first drink, before collecting her friend and hitting Leamington. I’ve never been out there before but have always heard great things about it. There was laughter from the beginning of the night until we stumbled into bed (well my friends sofa...yes all 3 of us slept there.) 

We consumed a lot of vodka and a couple of shots, I'm surprised I was still standing...but I fine, drunk but fine. We drank, we danced, we flirted...there was even chest hair and nipples involved at one point and I have absolutely no idea why. Best I'd all we laughed, we laughed so much. 

'Unable to keep a straight face for a picture'

I pulled too (well I could of but obviously I'm married so I didn't) but it’s a strangely nice feeling to know that I've still got it in me. I stopped feeling attractive a long time ago, maybe since having children I don't really know. Guys always want my friend...who ever she is. So it gave me a real confidence boast in myself to be told 'I really fancy you...I need to go home because I want you and you're married.' He wasn’t beating around the bush about it was he? He left, came back for a kiss on the cheek then really left.
Perhaps it’s because I've not really been out for those kind of nights since being with A, so when your single your trying to impress. I didn't care I was just out to have a good time who cared if a guy found me attractive it really made no different to me. That’s clearly the way to go, because my friend was the same and she got lots of attention to. Or maybe we just got hot!!

I've honestly not had such an awesome night in a long time. Maybe it’s because I don't do it very often or perhaps it was who I was with. Either way I say roll on next time.