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YELLOW FIELDS AND ONE ON ONE TIME


Something quite rare happened recently, both Michael and I got to spend a few hours together with just Archie. Caleb was away for a few hours at a birthday party which meant Archie had us all to himself. To say his little face lit up at the attention was an understatement. I've always believed in the power of one on one time with a child when they have siblings. That little bit of time carved out just for them can be a tonic from busy family life. I had however forgot just how important it is for our boys to get time on their own time with both Michael and I together too.

One of my most vivid birthday memories was when I turned 10 and I got to go out for dinner with just my mum and dad in the evening. I remember it feeling like such a huge deal. One, to be out late. Two, that it was just going to be the three of us. I can't for the life of me remember the name of the restaurant or tell you what I ate for dinner, but I do remember that feeling of being special. The type of spotlight I think every child craves for occasionally.


What we also noticed was just how chatty and engaged he was having us all to himself. He was a happy calm, something we've not seen a whole lot of lately. His behaviour has pretty much ticked every toddler nightmare box lately, so these few hours were a tonic for us all. It helped remind Michael and I that underneath all the toddler angst he's still our happy boy, who squealed at the sight of yellow fields as far as his little eye could see. He definitely gets that from his mama. Every year the sight of these fields makes me happy, and I'm happy to report no pouring noses or watery eyes this year for any of us, hence the photo op ;)


Seeing Archie so giddy made us so happy but also gave us that pang of guilt. We've been comparing his behaviour to Caleb a lot lately, which really isn't fair considering the two year age gap. Memory is a funny thing isn't it? Caleb is so chilled and sweet-natured that it of course highlights Archie's erratic toddler antics all the more at the minute. Yet if we actually look back to Caleb's behaviour at Archie's age we went through the trickiest spell, all the more intensified by what would later be diagnosed as a speech delay.

In short, we need to just chill out, stop comparing and ride the toddler storm, it does help that he's ridiculously funny and has a smile that instantly causes you to forgive everything. His speech has come on leaps and bounds these last few weeks too, which is probably at the root of his behaviour. Nothing spells crazy behaviour like a new development stage. I do however think a little more one on one time with both Michael and I, is just what's needed for him too. A chance to be Archie, and not little brother all the time.


In other news I decided to go blonder. I'd like to tell you it's just because I want to go lighter for the summer, but the main reason was to help disguise the grey. Amazing. I blame two stints of todderhood for that ;)


I'm still as you can see obsessed with blue, frills and cuff details. This one kinda reminds me of the summer dresses I used to wear in Primary school and in fact they do it in a dress too! Also is it just me or is it hard to find good straight leg jeans that don't have rips in them??! Does that make me sound really old? Hell, I don't care. I love ripped jeans but sometimes you just want to disguise the fact you  haven't shaved your legs for weeks!

Oh and please tell me I'm not the only one who hears Coldplay's song, Yellow, in my head every time I see these fields?? Seriously, for me. Every. Time. 


SHOP THIS LOOK


Wednesday, 24 May 2017 Comments: 4
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HOW WE DO HOUSEHOLD CHORES


I grew up in a family where the majority of the household chores were done by the women of the house. I remember moving in with Michael, both bright-eyed and bushy tailed twenty-one year olds and thinking nope, that will absolutely not be me. We both had jobs, why should I be doing the bulk of the chores?? So apart from cooking, not Michael's strong suit unless we wanted to live off balsamic pasta (don't ask!!) or chicken fajitas for the rest our lives, we split the chores up. We even split it down to doing our own clothes washing after he shrunk a very expensive top of mine in with his football wash. I couldn't decide at the time what was worse, the shrunken top or the discovery he'd been doing all of my washing combined with his smelly football wash :/

So when Indesit got in touch about their Big Family Switch Up campaign, it got me thinking about household chores and just how much things have changed now we're a family of four. I watched the video, which you can see below, and I could see similarities of ourselves in all the families featured.



Since becoming a stay at home mum I've definitely taken on the bulk of the responsibilities, therefore it was no surprise to me when I took the survey that we came out as Traditionalists. I know, I know, my twenty-one year old self would be giving me the major eye roll just now, but to me it made sense. Michael is at work all day and the family home is in all intense purposes my work environment. 

Watching the video did however highlight a few things that I hate to admit. I've turned into that person who likes set jobs. Michael always does the bins, recycling, and the cleaning of the bathrooms. All three jobs I hate. I'll happily cook, hoover, hang washing and so on rather than do those three jobs.  Also I'm that person who on the occasional off day (eh once a week ;), complains I do the majority of the chores, Michael then tries to help out more and then I criticise that its not like how I do it. Ugh typing that makes me feel like such a control freak. It's made not only me, but Michael realise we're in a bit of a chores rut. He's even threatening to cook ;)

One area I know we have true balance in is our role as parents. We both do everything when it comes to the boys, and we switch up the roles regularly, and because of this we'll rarely argue about anything to do with the boys. It makes me think that if we approached chores the same way maybe we'd argue less and be much happier about them, which is exactly what the Big Family Switch Up campaign is all about.

I'd love to hear how you handle chores in your household? Is it a source of arguments and what family type are you? Are you Traditionalists like us or a Switched Up family? You can find the survey here.

* This post was sponsored by Indesit. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Sunday, 14 May 2017 Comments: 5
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