My uncle Daniel

Today is my uncle Daniel's birthday. I never got to meet him but from what I've heard he was pretty cool. 

Mam-mam says if you were here you would have loved me, well obviously, I mean who wouldn't? 
She says you would thought me all sorts of naughty things to do to annoy her, like hiding the remote control, playing music reaaaaaaal loud (I do play my tambourine and xylophone pretty loud), and only eating chicken fillets and eggs, nothing else. 
I don't think I need anyone to teach me how to cause mischief but it sure as heck would have been nice to have a side kick. 



Apparently you loved dinosaurs!? I can see why! Rawwwwr! and you would have let me watch Jurassic Park 4586306 times in a row, without a break. AWESOME. 

We have lots of pictures of you around the house, your my hair and dimple twin! #Twinningiswinning 

Happy Birthday Sneactha Ban, I gave your picture and extra slobbery kiss today and I promise I'll try to not eat the flowers we bought for your grave! 

xxx

OK...maybe just one...

Not Sleeping

Last night* Lyla went to bed at 6.45. Slept until midnight, I put her soother back in, she drifted off, I got back into bed.
12.05am, awake again, soother again, put her onto her side - back asleep.

12.20am, moved herself horizontally in the cot so her head was hitting off the bumper, move her back to the centre of the cot, soother in, onto her side, and back to bed I go.

12.35am, just awake, no reason, give her a cuddle, she falls asleep in my arms, put her back in. As soon as I leave she wakes again. Repeat x 3.

1am, I get in to the bed in her room with her. She spends twenty mins pinching me and singing.

1.20 am, Jamie comes in to try and get her asleep. I go back to bed.

1.35 am, she's still wide awake, I make her a bottle, Jamie goes back to bed. Drinks the full bottle, falls asleep in my arms. Successful transfer to cot. I go back to bed.

2.10 am. Awake again, doesn't want soother, doesn't want a cuddle. Jamie makes another bottle I change her nappy. Drinks full bottle, falls asleep, unsuccessful transfer to cot. Rock her for 10 mins, falls back asleep, successful transfer to cot. Back to bed at 2.35.

6am. Awake for the day.

Mama is tired. 

Thankfully I've nothing to do today except keep the baby alive. Anyone trying to speak to me would most likely be met with a vacant expression and answered with a bleary 'huh?!'. 
I had planned to write a big post on how this lack of sleep effects me but my mind is taking way too long to process thoughts and I would have to keep googling phrases to make sure they were real proper English. I'm not even sure that last sentence was real, proper English?

Anyway, I'm off for a Peppa Pig marathon, not because Lyla loves it but because that's pretty much all the mental stimulation I can handle right about now.

ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

*I wrote this yesterday, last night she only woke once. #topoftheworldtopoftheworldtopoftheworld
(the hashtag is for any 90s r'n'b lovers).....(Brandy ft. Mase)

Dun Laoghaire

New York, Istanbul, Barcelona, Paris.... Every year Jamie and I go on 2-3 holidays. (I know, we love ourselves)

One big holiday , one city break and a weekend or two in London.

This year, for our city break, we packed our overnight bags, shipped Lyla off to her Nana's and jumped on the 46a to the glam coastal town of Dun Loaghaire, for a one night stay in the Royal Marine Hotel. 

We don't leave Lyla overnight very often and when we do we usually just catch up on much needed sleep. So we vowed to make the most of our baby free time and spent our 24-hours drinking wine, eating out, chilling in the spa and talking about non baby related things.

The Royal Marine Hotel is gorgeous,with old winding stair cases, chandeliers, and breathtaking views of the coast. We stayed in the new part of the hotel in a room with sea view. The bed was big and comfy, the spa in the hotel was dark and relaxing, the weather was perfect for a pier walk and best of all, the new Wetherspoon's was a two minute walk from the hotel. ;) 

 

There is no point to this post, other than it was nice to get away from being a mum for a night.

xx

Week 39

Mam-Mam. One word (or two) with so much power.

Cooking, cleaning, tidying, washing, showering, dressing, walking, talking, sleeping.
No matter what my Mom is doing, all I have to say is "Mam-mam" and she drops everything to come to me. Sometimes she doesn't hear me so I do a little cry and "maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-mam, mammamamamamam" and she's there, arms open ready for a cuddle. The sucker.

Working hard on getting my dad in on this. I already have him wrapped about my little finger but I know as soon as I master 'Dada' he will melt.
It's a bit of a work in progress. Currently, best I can do is "Heh-Dada"....but I'm getting pretty close.

This communicating stuff is such a LOL. When someone walks into the room, or even just for LOLs every so often, I wave and say 'HIYA' and they all gush about how cute I am.


It's just too easy!

p.s. LOVE my selfie stick.

Valentines day

Follow Emma's board . My Love . on Pinterest.

I wouldn't normally be one for valentines day, but this year I have double the love, and I've become quite soppy (and sappy - great word) since becoming a mum.
Jamie is working today so I'll be spending the day with my best girl, then spending tomorrow and Monday with him. Three days of hugs and snuggles.
Whoever you are and whatever your doing I hope you have a heart felt day filled with hugs from loved ones, smiles from strangers and peace from within. 

Happy Valentines
x

P.s. Follow us on Pinterest :)

Pink Dresses

I want Lyla to grow up knowing that she can be whatever she wants. That anyone can be whatever they want. Boy or girl: you make your own destiny.

As such, we don't always subscribe to the usual gender stereotypes. Lyla owns more grey clothes than pink, and more jeans than dresses. (Although this might be because I tend to buy her stuff I would wear myself) Her favourite toy (this week at least) is a fire truck and she looooves watching football - even if its just Jamie playing Fifa. 

She has been mistaken for a boy numerous times, usually by elderly women on buses, 'Ah he's lovely, isn't he?! Aren't you a gorgeous little fella?' It's easier to smile and nod along than explain why I wouldn't have a girl dressed head to toe in pink. Until they ask his name. Awkward. 

Anyway, yesterday, I was sorting through her wardrobe. She sat on the bed beside an ever growing pile of clothes. Suddenly, she grabbed onto the pinkest, girliest item she owns and began cackling away...so I let her try it on. 

Ruffling the skirt, throwing her hands in the air and laughing, I've never seen anyone get so much enjoyment from a piece of clothing. I guess the most important person has spoken, so maybe we might see a couple more pink dresses and a little bit of sparkle into the rotation!

I suppose that choosing your own wardrobe is almost as important as choosing your own destiny!

Week 38

So...a couple of days late, but I have had quite a week...

Vomiting bug; a cough; and now teething. I mean give a gal a break?

I could dwell on the negatives of being sick but I'm a glass half full kinda gal, and there has been a few silver linings along the way:

1. I got to make to spend most of the last three days in my Mom's arms. They're awfully comfy!
2. I got to sleep in her bed too. Pretty cool, right?
3. And I had my first ever sip of 7up. Oh holy moly sugar! Wow. Just wow.

Teething: now that's a whole other ball game.
Give me all the Calpol. And Teetha...and whatever else you got. Keep it coming.

I'm trying to smile through the pain. I figure the sooner I get teeth, the sooner I get chocolate.
No pain no gain. Right?!

What even is my life?

No sleep. Stretch marks. Flab. Clothes covered in sick. Or poo. Or both. No money (for anything other than nappies obvz). The life of first-time Mom.

But its more than that.

A baby is life changing, obviously, but waaaay more life changing than I expected (and I read all the books, blogs and apps). Every single aspect of my life changed. My social life, my career, my home, my relationships, my body and my hobbies, all changed almost overnight for my new role as a mother.

A role which gives a responsibility like no other, a tiny human completely dependent on me, the least responsible person in the world, for everything, food, warmth and entertainment 24/7. And what thanks does the tiny human give you? 8 months of broken sleep, wrinkles and a never ending pile of washing.

Oh, and a bit of an identity crisis.

Really selling motherhood here.

Now, don't get me wrong; having a child is the most exciting, loving and fulfilling thing I have ever experienced.

(See? Look at the love)

But its tough. Both mentally and physically.

I no longer have the time, energy, or desire to drink wine and go dancing with my friends, and in truth, I probably have more in common with their mums than I do with them nowadays.

I can't win with my career. If I go to work: I miss my baby. If I stay at home: I miss having a job. 
The lack of sleep takes its toll on workout plans, and the lack of time on my appearance.

Not to mention my inability to put together a decent outfit.

So yeah, I've had quite a few 'What even is my life?!' moments over the past year and I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss my old life. I do, I really do. But no amount of moaning is bringing it back.

So its time to embrace this new life and move forward with it. What do I want?

First off, I want to meet other new mums, I mean if I'm feeling like this, then surely there are other new mums out there feeling the same way. We should be getting together, inspiring and motivating each other to use this time of change to really think about what we want and how we are going to get it. 

So if I want to meet new mums who wear new balance and have a similar outlook, then I have to go find them, rather than waiting for them to come to me.

.

If I want to feel fit and energised again I need to put down the elevenses and go workout. I also need to cook better food. If I can do it for Lyla, then why not for myself?

And if I want a career, I need to be focused and work hard, even if it means leaving baby for a little longer than I’d like to.

So...I am making a late New Year’s Resolution (or maybe a really really early one?) to give myself a kick up the arse and go create the life I want to live.

Positivity FTW!

(P.s. You don't actually have to wear new balance to be my friend)

Week 37

Week 37


Finally getting a bitta strength in these legs of mine. This week I mastered standing with just holding one of my moms hands. She gets waaaay too excited and keeps calling me 'Wibbly Wobbly Wonder'.

She's been at me and at me for ages now about crawling but I have absolutely no interest. 'Dream Big' they say, well that's what I'm doing.

'These booties are made for walking, and that's just what they'll do...'

Crawling -  ain't nobody got time for that.

I LOVE CABIN FEVER...whatever the heck that is.

My Mom said she had it so we got to go to the park. She put me on the swings, I was a little apprehensive at first but when she whipped out the camera and started clapping I soon got into the swing of things. Lol.

Anyway, the park is most definitely my favourite place ever, much more fun then when Dad brings me recycling.

Who We Are

(Yes, this is just after she threw up on my chest)

Hi, I'm Emma.

Late twenties, hairdressing mother of one,  living in Dublin.

Lyla Jane is my expressive, camera-loving, sleep-hating 8 month old daughter.

This is our little space to document the day to day (or maybe week to week) changes in the life of a baby. And her novice mum.

In my pre-baby life, I did hair, enjoyed a good social life, worked out, travelled and liked to wear nice clothes. Since becoming a mama I have struggled to do all of the above, but am enjoying other things like playdates, the occasional daytime nap and rediscovering all Dublin has to offer with my little pal by my side.... with a few splashes of white wine thrown in for good measure.

I don't have any parenting advice to offer, nor will this be a place of inspiration but do join me on the mad little adventure that is being a new mum. 

Get in touch, say hello!

Emma

P.s: The blog was actually made pre-Lyla (and had a different name) so older posts are from my previous less exciting life.