this little house

WHEN GRANDAD DAVE CAME TO TOWN

Ha! I love this above picture so much. Caleb was in heaven riding high on Grandad's shoulders. Poor Grandad was having his hat, ears and I'd like to say hair, pulled, but we know there's no hair under there, hey Dad?! ;)

Just before Christmas we had a visit from Grandad Dave, all the way from Hong Kong. I was so excited about this, last time Caleb and my Dad had spent time together he was very much a baby. I knew this visit would be lots of fun for both of them. Especially with Caleb being such a man's man. I know, where's the loyalty hey, when I'm the one with him day in and day out ;)

We had a lovely day taking in Edinburgh at Christmas time, visiting the markets and pretty much every play park going. My poor Dad, was a bit in shock with the Edinburgh temperatures, luckily for him Caleb made sure he stayed warm and had him running round daft, not to mention up and down slides. Two big kids together :)

Great visits like this always make me miss my family all the more, but I remind myself that at least when we see each other it is quality time, and you can't put a price on that.

We caught up, we laughed, we ate, we drank, and we marvelled at the little boy Caleb is becoming, no longer a baby. He entertained us with all his Hong Kong tales, and adjusting to life out there.

Thank you for a lovely time, Grandad Dave. We can't wait for our next visit!

Oh and I'd like to point out this is when Caleb's hat obsession was in it's early stages, now it is a fully fledged crazy hat person obsession. Seriously, he loses the plot nightly because we won't let him wear it in the bath. Toddler problems, right there ;)

Wednesday, 29 January 2014 Comments: 1

Can I let you into a little secret? I'm not the biggest fan of social media.

Whaaaa??! A girl with a blog, a Twitter (though I don't feel like that one really counts seeing as I still don't have a clue what I'm doing ;), Facebook and now Instagram account, does not like social media?!

Okay so clearly not entirely true, but in part, yes.

All too often I see these outlets used negatively. People ranting, slagging, bullying. It really leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and none of this has ever even directly happened to me.

Then along came Instagram to my little social media portfolio ;)

As usual, I entered completely blind, forever the technophobe, not having a clue what I was doing. Instagram was just about pretty pictures right?! Ha, merely the tip of the iceberg. Through a few little hashtags, this beautiful, talented and inspiring world has opened up.

The talent is knock out. People's eyes and imaginations have no limits, and the support in this community, my god! No one is afraid to say, I LOVE that image, or THANK YOU for sharing.

And I LOVE that.

I think we live in a world that at times can be very closed off. It's like no one likes to give a compliment anymore, and if someone actually does, people don't know how to handle it, and come back with a self-deprecating response. I'm finding the Instagram community a refreshing change from that.

What I also love about Instagram is it's like taking a mini little trip around the world with friends, all whilst sipping on my morning coffee. One minute I'm in Chicago, amongst the snow and arctic temperatures, next minute I'm in Australia, basking in the sun soaked beaches. How cool is that?! Especially when this rain in Edinburgh is showing no signs of letting up ;)

So yeah, I'm an Instagram convert. Totally late to the party. I know, I know, finger on the pulse me ;)

If you'd like to follow along to see our daily shenanigans you can find us @thislittlehouse_

Be warned though, it will mostly involve Caleb in the hat pictured above. Yeah, we have a mini, crazy hat obsession going on just now. Like, cry for it as soon as he gets up obsession. Oh, Caleb ♥

Monday, 27 January 2014 Comments: 13

Oh we have had a fun week in this little house. I wish I wasn't being heavily sarcastic :/

What was meant to be a fun week with my Grandparent's visiting, turned into scenes out of the Exorcist. No I ain't talking possession by the devil (though do you think that's what sometimes happens to toddlers...?! ;) I'm talking the other scene. Yes the projectile vomiting scene. You get the picture.

It started on Monday with Caleb taking an unusually early nap. That already had alarm bells ringing in my head, but I was thinking more like he was coming down with a cold. Not all out hell breaking loose.

He awoke half an hour before my Grandparents were due to arrive, and so it started. The vomiting. Ever seen a one year old vomit? Hideous. So upsetting, for them and you.

I hoped it was just going to be a 24 hour thing but by Tuesday, Caleb had gotten worse and now had developed a strange rash under his left arm. I did the tumbler test. It didn't disappear, and my blood literally ran cold. An hour later and we were at the Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh for blood tests to rule out the dreaded M. Meningitis.

I want to start by saying the tests came back clear. Thank god. Just a really bad virus. I have never felt so thankful. In order to get this result though was an experience in itself. Getting blood from a toddler :/

You see, Caleb is strong. Like freakishly strong. When something is happening against his will he is not one for taking it laying down. No, I have a little fighter on my hands. Ask our dentist, or the poor girl from Clarks. So yeah, this doctor didn't stand a chance.

He got himself so worked up he had a massive nose bleed. Oh the irony. Blood, blood everywhere but none that could be used for testing. It took a good 20 minutes to stop, and when it did it was time to attempt taking blood again. The result, Caleb then vomiting blood all over the both of us. My brain at this point wasn't thinking logically at all and I panicked. The doctor and nurse were quick to reassure me it was blood that he would have just swallowed from the nose bleed. What a relief. Well, kinda.

Third time lucky and all. The blood was taken. Leaving an exhausted toddler and a traumatised Mama.

We waited an hour to get the clear results, and we count ourselves so lucky. We don't know what real trauma is. Bloods being taken, is merely the tip of the iceberg for some children and their parents.

Home we were sent, instructed to come back if things got worse. They didn't get worse, but nor did they get better. More vomiting to follow hand in hand with nose bleeds, and then I started being sick.

Sick and pregnant, is the pits. I've been relieved to feel the baby move lots, but throw in a stomach wanting to empty itself and it is the most uncomfortable and horrible feeling. Like there's not enough room in my body. Our poor baba must have been wondering what the hell has been going on.

It's now Friday, and I'm pleased to say no one has thrown up since last night. Yay!! Now it's time to build our strength back up.

We had such lovely plans in mind for while my Grandparent's were up. But hey, I guess that is just how it goes sometimes. I did manage to capture these few shots of the three of them having a bit of lunch together. Well for Caleb, dried toast ;)

Makes my heart melt seeing Caleb with my Nan and Grandad. Generations apart, bonding over a bit of grub.

I want to give my husband the biggest shout out ever. He's been incredible, taking care of us all, which has meant zero sleep for him and then still having to go and do a full days work. I married a good'un :)

So let's start this week again shall we. Happy Friday everyone! Here is to a healthy weekend to all.

Friday, 24 January 2014 Comments: 6

Yay, we are at the half way mark!! Woo hoo. Doing a little pregnancy dance over here.

Considering the first twelve weeks went at a snail's pace, I feel like the last two months have zoomed by. The anxiety cloud has lifted, along with the morning sickness and complete exhaustion (I'm just plain, old, regular exhausted, which turns out is pretty energetic compared to the latter ;)

Little one is kicking up a storm in there. Every kick, feels like a hug. A big hug of reassurance. A, Hello Mama, I'm in here. Every time. It is the sweetest feeling.

So what better way to celebrate this milestone than donning on a gorgeous dress, compliments of the lovely people over at Pink Blush Maternity, and hosting a little giveaway.

I'm in love with this dress, it's so comfortable yet not at the cost of style. It also teams up as a nursing blouse once the baby is here. Gotta love me some dual-purpose clothing ;)

Unfortunately this dress is now out of stock, but there are plenty more choices that will keep that growing belly of yours looking good and feeling comfortable. My other favourites are this striped maxi dress and this ivory blouse. Plus they have all the great wardrobe basics you will need throughout your pregnancy too, can't have enough leggings if you ask me ;)

This is an international giveaway too, so you can ALL enter. The giveaway will end on midnight, Monday 20th January, and one winner will be selected by random. Once the entry have been verified the winner will be contacted by myself.

Good luck, everyone!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*This is a sponsored post and i was kindly sent the items that are pictured above free of charge. All opinions however are my own. Thank you for supporting our sponsors.

Tuesday, 14 January 2014 Comments: 22

Seeing as it is a new year. I thought it was time for a new look for our little blog.

When I first started this blog I was so excited to get it up and running, so as to start documenting this special time in our lives, that the design element wasn't at the forefront at all. The look of the blog was somewhat by accident, a result of me having reached my limitations with html and coding (what I also like to refer to as complete, fecking gobbledygook). I was still proud of the first design though. This was a girl who didn't have a clue when it came to computers, that now had her own little space on the internet.

This time round I wanted the design of the blog to reflect me more. I'm at a point in my life where I want to simplify. Go back to basics. Enjoy the simple things in life. It has taken me becoming a Mum to realise that the simple things in life are the most important. Nothing quite like a little person showing you that. The older the wiser?? pah these kiddo's have it down from day one. Turns out as we grow so does our ability to complicate things.

With that in mind I knew I wanted a clean, fresh looking blog. Ala, black and white.

I hope you like.

I nervously showed Michael the end result earlier on in the week, ya know you'll get the truth from Michael. Boy style. None of the politeness you'd get from a girl.

He looked at the screen, started nodding his head, and uttered the simple words, 'I like. Less is more.'

Yes, dear husband. Less is more, and that was exactly what I was trying to achieve. I could have kissed him, and I did ;)

So here is to a more simple 2014, documented on this here simple blog.

Oh and what about those two cuties in the bath?! Such joy in their faces, from a bath. A bath! See, we really can learn a thing or two from these wise little ones.

Friday, 10 January 2014 Comments: 10

Well hello 2014. A new year. A fresh start.

Don't you just love that about a new year, the ability to start afresh? To take the positives out of the previous year and leave the negatives behind.

To enter a new year with hope. Hope, that may have gotten trodden down or been challenged in the last year, magically feels restored.

A new year however does not magic away tragedy or pain. If only that was the case. We cruelly bid farewell to a very special, courageous lady, we were honoured to call a friend, at the beginning of this year. It has not fully sank in, and makes me once again confused with how this world works. She will be missed deeply.

So no resolution as such this year. But a promise to myself to be thankful for all that I have and live this life to the fullest. a simple admission but somehow the hardest to live by.

I find myself all too bogged down with little negativities that in the grand scheme of things don't mean anything, but somehow seem to take over and shadow the good. And for what? All that time and energy wasted on the negatives achieves zero. So why, oh why do I bother to worry about them at all?? That is going to change. I am going to learn not to sweat over the small stuff. Forget a swear jar, I need a moaning over ridiculously small things jar.

I also want to continue to challenge myself, to grow this little space here. To get back into my blogging groove. Morning sickness and sheer exhaustion kinda took over for a little bit there.

I've also started the #my_365 challenge on Instagram. A picture a day, for the year.

Seeing as 2014 is going to be a pretty exciting year for us I thought it would be a wonderful way to document it. If it sounds like something you'd be interested in check out @my_365 on Instagram. They set a word a day, which at first I thought would be quite daunting, but instead really pushes you to think outside the box. It also makes you stop and appreciate the little things (rather than moan about them ha!.) If you'd like to follow us along on this little journey you'll find us @thislittlehouse1.

I wish you all a very happy and prosperous, 2014.

2014, how sci-fi does that sound?!

Tuesday, 7 January 2014 Comments: 5

this little house

WHEN GRANDAD DAVE CAME TO TOWN

I'M A LITTLE LATE TO THE INSTAGRAM PARTY

LET'S START THIS WEEK AGAIN SHALL WE

20 WEEKS PREGNANT & A PINK BLUSH MATERNITY GIVEAWAY!

LESS IS MORE

Well Hello 2014!

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