Staying Motivated

Hello my lovelies.

I've been thinking of more blog post ideas recently in order to keep posting as I told myself I wanted to do more, however once again I've slacked a bit on posting on the blog. I'm also working towards other life goals so I then thought why not write a post about how I'm trying to motivated working towards these things. So here goes...


Find Something to Work Towards
Obviously the first step to staying motivated for something is to know what it is you are wanting to achieve. For example a couple of things on my list are saving for a house/wedding, finding a new job and writing more blog posts. Once you know what your goal is you can work out how to reach it.

Make Checkpoints to Track Progress
By giving yourself small checkpoints to work up to you can see how far you have come since you started trying to stay motivated towards your personal goal. For example setting yourself an amount of money you'd like to save up to in a savings account, setting dates for when to publish blog posts - just a couple of points I'm attempting.

Give Yourself Breaks Now & Then 
Obviously keep your goals in mind but don't focus on them to the point where it's all you can think about and it starts to bring you down. I think the saying goes 'Rome wasn't built in a day' - you can't do it all once so stressing over it won't make things any easier. Small steps are the way forward to achieve a great goal.

Make a List of the Reasons You Want to Achieve This 
One of the points on my personal list is to support my family. When you're able to physically see the reasons that you are working hard for I think this helps as its a reminder and another motivational tool to help you reach that end goal. Perhaps look at the list when it feels like things are getting a little tough to remind that whatever you are trying to do will be worth it.

And finally ... Don't Be Too Hard on Yourself 
Things take time. Its important to have faith in yourself and don't give up as you'd be letting yourself down most of all. Keep on track of what you are trying to achieve but not to the point where its bringing you down. Life is meant to be fun and meaningful so live it happily knowing that you're doing great however far you have come to reaching that goal. You'll feel great when you can look back and think to yourself 'I did it!'.


I'm guilty myself of struggling to stay motivated sometimes, but even if its just a small step towards what I'm working for I still try to keep going, and so should you no matter how big or small the final goal is, don't give up.

Until next time, thanks for reading
Lily x

 

My February Happy List

Hello my lovelies,

I hope you're all doing well and having a great morning/afternoon/evening, depending on when you're reading this.
I promised myself I'd write more blog posts again so here I am with a few things that have made me particularly happy this month and things that I have enjoyed.

1. Being more organised. 

I'm a lover of using a physical calendar/diary to keep track of everything I have going on, so when I got given a new calendar for Christmas I knew I was going to enjoy using it and being able to check when things are happening. I tend to forget if I add something onto my phone calendar so actually taking the time to write it down is also helpful to my memory. 

2. Taking Elliot on play dates. 

So although Elliot may not be at the age that he properly plays together with other children yet, he enjoys being around them and there are times where he'll play nicely with them, for example him and one of his cousins are almost inseparable when they're together. 

3. A year since Elliot's op.

If you didn't know Elliot had an operation at the beginning of February last year on his tummy, so when the day rolled up and it had hit that year mark it just made me happy that nothing else was the matter with him and that he had healed perfectly. (there are blog posts if you'd like to read up on it)

4. Making more Youtube videos 

Another new year resolution I set myself was to try to make at least one video a week for my Youtube channel, and so far that's going pretty well. I'd still like to be able to do more sit down videos rather than them all being vlog style but I'm getting there (I'd love it if you could subscribe!) 

5. A new baby was born! 

On the day I'm writing this blog post one of my best friends, Farleigh, gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, and I couldn't be happier for her and her little family. I don't think she'll mind me saying but her pregnancy wasn't the smoothest ride so I'm certain she's over the moon to finally have the baby in her arms and be able to see her sweet little face. (I won't share the name as it's not my baby to share personal information on). 

Well there you go my lovely lot, my February happy list. I think I might start making this a monthly thing so expect another towards the end of March, and I'll make sure I post again soon.

Goodnight for now x

Giving the Blog Some Love

Good evening you lovely lot,

Its been far too long since I wrote anything on here, and let's be honest I don't really have an excuse. Many people work and write a blog, many mums look after their children and write a blog, so there's no reason I shouldn't have kept this blog up to date. I'm sorry for neglecting you blog, I promise to try harder with at least one blog post a month, yes I'm saying month because I always have time to do at least one, it just doesn't happen but I want to change that.

I should add blogging more to my other new years resolution which was to do more videos for my youtube channel, if you're not already subscribed then I'll leave the link for you to do so. You can always catch me over there, I've been doing one video a week so far since the start of the year and it seems to be working. To go with that I want to find something to write about each month, even if it's just what I've been enjoying that month, I promise to write at least once a month along with my videos. I'm aiming to get back into what I enjoyed before Elliot was born and not become 'just mum', I want to feel like me as well as a mum, if that makes sense, it does to me and maybe if any of you readers are mums you might just understand.

For tonight I'll leave you with the promise that I'll be back with a new post soon, and search for me on youtube, Lily, Camera, Action and come along on my vlogging days for lots of mummy life adventures.


For tonight my lovelies, thanks for reading :) x

The Cosy Time of Year

Hello, hello, hello...

Well my lovelies, thanks to my wonderful fiance I am back on my blog again. Yep, that's right, I said fiance, he put a ring on it. It's been so long since I last posted that I feel loads has happened. I'll try to update you, let's get started...

In my last post I think we'd just gotten back from the hospital after Elliot had had his operation on his stomach, since then he's had his follow up with the surgeon and he had healed perfectly with no problems or cause for concern. To be honest I don't even think when he's older you'd be able to tell it was a specially made belly button. At that time Elliot was a little over 2 months old and now he's just passed 10 months, I can't believe my little boy will be 1 soon. It seems crazy to look back at photos and see how tiny he was, to now watch him crawling here, there and everywhere and cruising around the furniture.

Then April came and I had my very first Mothers Day, it was lovely of course, but little did I know Nick had something special kept secret. The following Sunday, the 9th, we had arranged to go out for the day to Hever Castle with some friends of ours. We'd had a very lovely day out and before we'd left we made our way to the fountain for what I thought would just be some lovely family photos with a nice background. But I wasn't expecting this. The photos got taken, hugs were had and Nick says to me 'you know I love you?', to which I reply with 'I love you too', and he gets down on one knee, and it starts. I hadn't seen it coming so of course as soon as he said those four words 'Will you marry me?' I couldn't hold back the tears, happy tears of course, and I said yes! I couldn't be happier. it was a perfect day out with great friends and our beautiful baby boy with perfect weather and now this just topped it. My smile couldn't stretch further across my face behind the tears. I later found out that Nick had been planning this for a while, and had even spoken to my parents about it! I consider myself to be very lucky indeed and I still look at my beautiful ring and smile about it.

When summer came along came my 25th birthday which again was a great day, we'd had some lovely days and I probably took a few too many photos but I love to look back at them for memories so I can talk to Elliot about things when he's older. As September crept up on us so did the day I returned to work and had to get used to not always being home with my baby boy, but we've made it work and now a month in its almost become a normal routine and I don't get so sad to not be with him all the time.

As much as I enjoyed the summer days of hot weather, it became too much sometimes and I longed for it to cool down a bit. As October hit, it seemed to do just that and I love it. I love the time of year when you can get cosy and snuggle in a blanket when you're cold, and I can have Elliot cuddled up to me asleep with a blanket over us catching up on things on the tv. I'm looking forward to getting more into Autumn and the things it brings such as the crunch of a golden leaf as you walk over, the coloured leaves in the trees before they fall varying from reds, golden browns and yellows, the evenings getting darker earlier, hot drinks, long scarves, blanket snuggles and all things cosy. It has probably become my favourite time of year (other than Christmas of course).

I've rambled on for quite a bit actually so if you've made it to the end of this post then well done, go get yourself a cookie.
I've missed writing so hopefully I'll be able to do so a bit more now, don't worry they won't all be almost essay length rambles.

For tonight though it's time I said goodnight,
until next time, thanks for reading :) x

Can We Go Home Now? (10th February 2017)

It's Friday, Friday! Hopefully we go home today. I'm writing this as we wait for the final okay from the doctor. Elliot's had his cannula out, dressing over belly button changed, done some good nappies and now just waiting to see if he keeps this bottle down. The thought of being home tonight with Nick makes me so happy. Elliot has been so happy today, apart from projectile vomiting all over the both of us this morning. Can't wait to get him home for everyone else to see his smiles again. I caught a glimpse of his new belly button earlier as they changed the dressing, it's not pretty, obviously, but it's still healing and already looks a lot better than what he had before the operation. Fingers crossed for the all clear from the doctor.

We can go home!! I'm so happy this is the last I have to see of this hospital room. I can take my lovely boy home and get back to normal again, I can't wait!

Although I'm glad it's finally all sorted and done with, I really don't like having to stay in hospital. The staff are helpful and friendly but the beeping machines, crying babies and upset children of course are a downer. Being home and having snuggles with my boy is the best, but will be even better when Nicks off work and we can have family time together. So much love for my two.

That's enough of my rambles for a while, if you've read them all then well done.Thanks for reading lovelies :) x

Few days after the op, bath time!

Op Day (9th February 2017)

6am Thursday morning, the day of his operation. We spent the night sleeping on the camp bed with him on my chest as that's how he sleeps best. He was well wrapped up so that he couldn't fall just so the nurses wouldn't mind, they didn't even say a thing about us co-sleeping which was good. That was the last night I can have cuddles like that until his tummy is healed after all.

Not long after 8am Nick arrives excited for cuddles with his little lad. Elliot loves his daddy and although he was hungry he was happy to have cuddles and play with toys before the op.

Then the time comes, it's nearly 10 o'clock and we're being taken down to theatre. Elliot is in his little baby hospital gown and Nick and I are putting on brave faces for him. Little after 10 I'm in the theatre with him, only one parent was allowed. We had cuddles while the anaesthetist held the mask over his face and I was holding back tears. Our boy is so brave. As I'm writing this section we're sitting at a cafe while he has his op waiting for the call that he's in recovery. We can't wait to see Elliot again. I'm now hoping the rest of this week will fly by.

Cuddles with mummy & daddy before the op

12:15 and we can go down and see our boy. The surgeon informed us it all went well and she 'fashioned' him a belly button, special boy will be one of a kind. In recovery Elliot is so unhappy, and I hate when he screams obviously. After being in the recovery area for a while it's time to go back to our room on the ward. He's wired up to machines making sure everything is still okay. Finally after all this time he can get better and we can play with him soon without worrying about hurting his tummy.

8pm and Elliot has slept most of the afternoon and evening. Nicks had to leave to go to work tomorrow which has actually made me sad. Was so nice having him with us today and not knowing what day we get to go home means not knowing when I'll get to see him. 

Of course Elliot kicks off just after Nick leaves stressing me more because I'm on my own and won't be able to sleep because putting him down causes him to freak out annoyingly. All these wires attached to him and machines are so annoying, getting in the way. Just want to cuddle my boy properly. I can't wait to get out of here.

Let's see what tomorrow brings.

Bye for tonight x

Hours after the op 

The Afternoon Before the Morning After (8th February 2017)

Well today's the day we go to the hospital for Elliot. I've not been nervous most of the day until now, the drive there. We phoned the hospital this morning and it wasn't until 4pm that a bed had become available for our baby, so I guess maybe I'd convinced myself it would be cancelled, but here we are on the journey now hoping the bed doesn't go to someone else whilst we're on our way.

Anything could still happen when we get there, but although I'm scared I want him to be able to have it done tomorrow. He's our little fighter so I need to be brace for him as well to show it's nothing to worry about. I'll write more when I get the chance when we're there, for now I'm hoping we don't get caught in traffic.

6pm I arrive on the ward and we're given our space. Elliot has a hospital cot to sleep in and I have a chair. Not the most comfortable, not a recliner either so I doubt I'll sleep but in the end I only care about him.

Dr came and out Elliot's cannula in, my poor baby, he hated it, until he was given sugary water and calmed down. We got moved into our own little room so we have our own proper space and I have a camp bed next to his, still not very comfortable but it's something.

He's not allowed any food after 2am so giving him his last feed now (1am). He's been good so far, it's me that's not liking it. The nurse came and put Elliot on a drip so that he's still getting fluids even though he can't feed, it looks so uncomfortable. We're still able to cuddle though so I can keep him calm.

More to come in the morning, just a few hours away.
Bye for now my lovelies x