Category: Thoughts and Tales

How much more self-indulgent can you get you might ask? Not much really, I mean a post entirely devoted to talking about me, my OH will wet himself when he sees this. But – and there is a but, there is a good reason, or good enough reason anyway. It’s a therapy shot for me that will give a little clarity to what I actually do with a normal saturday and it will give a little insight too to anyone reading this and wonders about the person behind the blog. I’m pretty nosey and like to see those glimpses into other bloggers so if there are others out there like me then this is for you, surely I’m not alone…am I?

Saturday morning and lovely to not have to get up for school or work today, still – with our internal clocks my head behind my closed eyes is starting to be alert at around 7am and the house is starting to beat a bit faster as the two boys stir. My OH is next to me with his phone up to his face, suddenly he starts laughing really hard, he tries to stop but it spills out. Laughing is infectious and I smile and ask to see what it is – it’s well worth it, look…

The boys are being amazing and actually chilling, big M is watching his YouTube idols and drawing, little G is giving Lego a go which is pretty weird considering the link to the photo above. My OH and big M were going for their 5k park run today but it’s pouring outside so they’ve stayed snuggled up.

I’m off out tonight with one of my besties and I am so excited, I’ve known Holly since we were small we have the whole syncing thing going on and I can share everything with her. Everything is what makes it exciting, it’s a no holds barred night and as with all my friends I love every second.

After we have all had a pretty chilled morning, you can feel in the air that we need to shift gear as the boys are getting itchy feet and that’s when the squabbling can begin. So, we go for trying to get the homework started at least. Little G has only really started getting proper homework this year so it’s still a bit of a novelty where as big M has got really tricky algebra and English Lit to get through. My OH has to help with the algebra because I’m rubbish and couldn’t remember how to do it at all.

After finally getting through it the boys and my OH go off for a bike ride in the New Forest which leaves me to a couple of hours home alone! Love it! Some time this afternoon and out tonight yippie I feel like a princess. So, I make use of the time and do a spot of blogging which involves writing some of this post and catching up on some commenting. It’s an important part for me as the blogging community is a great group to be part of and without them my little blog wouldn’t exist. I don’t think I would have had the motivation to carry it past its first month if I hadn’t become involved with those that I virtually touch base with.

The meal out in the evening was super, we used some voucher site to get 2 for 1 on our food in an amazing new Thai restaurant in Westbourne and Holly and I sat there eating, drinking and best of all talking non stop for nearly three hours – wonderful therapy for anyone.

I don’t do late nights so much now as I feel them far too much the next day so I was home by 10 and believe it or not the OH and big M are up playing fifa 16 and nearly oblivious to me as they are pretty engrossed in proving their football prowess!

All in all a great day and a pretty special day to pick as I look at it and see how things have got so much easier as the boys have got older. I still remember so clearly when the days started at 5am and I was pulling my hair out by 10am, I can see the difference and appreciate the extra hours of sleep I get now. It’s tough being a parent whatever the age of our little ones but especially when sleep deprivation is part of the equation as well. It’s good sometimes to look at one of those days that was not so bad to really celebrate what we have.

I love completing blogging tags and challenges and feel it can give you such a great insight into other bloggers and different perspectives on lifestyles. When I saw the Frenchie Mummy’s  #TheDaddyTag I couldn’t wait to join in. Well, saying that, actually I was excited about putting forward my OH. Then, when the excitement bubbles started popping I realised that my OH is the most brutally honest person I know and I started to wonder if I should let him loose in the bloggersphere….then I thought…. hell yeah baby, go for it!

• Are you a Stay at Home Daddy or a Working Daddy? &
• Would you have it any other way?

A stay-at-work-daddy. As much as I would like to stay at home at least a few hours more the meager hourly rate of this option makes it a non-option. I always liked the notion of staying at home for and with the children but I also think that if that option ever came up the idealistic view of a happy home would be challenged by my practical and realistic nature that tells me that the childrens’ behaviour can be at least as annoying as the one of colleagues, managers and customers.

• Do you co-change dirty nappies? Even the very smelly ones?

I have never been in the situation to do so (long story) but I wouldn’t mind anything that needs to be done. My life experience has provided me with many opportunities to feel disgust at smells and via other senses but some things just need doing and I am known for doing them. Yes mam.

• A little fairy gives you the possibility of breastfeeding? Are you going for it or do you run away?

• What is the one must-have item for a daddy?

• How many kids do you plan on having?

I intended to have lots of children simply because it will be easier for them to pay the retirement home fees if they can share them. So, about 12.

• Lads’ nights? How often do you have them?

• Your children’s favourite achievement?

They both love success in the sports field, especially if it comes with a medal. But I think there are other achievements worth aiming for aswell. While I am not sure it would be their favourite achievement I wish for it to be: M would love himself just as he is and G would be able to heal the world with the same energy he sometimes uses to wreck it. It is all my job in life is to patiently help them onto the path to find out how to do this.

• What is your best memory with your kid(s)?

We are constantly creating really nice memories (despite the space I sometimes need before I can appreciate them). I think the best ones are the moments of true kind emotion only children can give e.g. when M recently said “who wouldn’t want you as a dad?” during a discussion and G says “I love you” and gives me a kiss on the cheek.

• Name one thing you miss since being a daddy?

… the feeling that what I say and do has no effect. It is frightening to see how quickly children copy the good but more so the bad.

• Weight gain, before pregnancy, during, after and now? And we mean YOU DADDY, not the mummy!

I constantly seem to gain weight just by passing unhealthy stuff but I don’t think that counts. There is a fight going on in our house around sugary stuff and while I believe to fight for the boys health it is as well a fight for my own health really. Eating habits are hard to overcome and I am weak while pretending to be strong.

• Dream holiday with your kids?

As long as the children are this young I think I find holidays with them a bit stressful and hardly a dream. However, once older I think we will do a lot of more sporty holidays (with a no-sports place provided for Mainy). But then there is the idea to show them India, a country I spent 2 years discovering. A place that can teach them a lot about the struggles of life, spirituality but more so the joy of living. India taught me humility but then I am not sure if this is important for children to learn. For adults it is.

• Dream holiday without your kids or even without the other half? (You’re allowed to dream)

Right now I am planning a cycle holiday without the family in New Zealand. I love exploring nature and I enjoy meeting like minded and sometimes even not-like minded people. I used to travel via hospitalityclub, couchsurfing etc but now would consider Airbnb. Mainy is supportive and understands my desire but I know it is hard for her to let me leave for a while … and it is hard for me to leave but I don’t want to regret not having done this while I was able to.

• How has your life changed since having kids?

Massively … to the better. While I don’t want to say children are the purpose of life I do believe they can give life purpose and meaning. It might be the only ‘valuable’ impression we leave behind if things work out well.

• Finish the sentence “It makes my heart melt when…”

… when I see them helping each other lovingly.

• Favourite beers brands and football team?

• Huggies or Pampers?

• Have you always wanted kids?

• Best part of being a dad?

Hello and thanks for stopping by. As someone who lives in Dorset, I’m still taken aback by the lovely countryside and coastline of this lovely county. While I’ve visited some parts of Great Britain I’ve still got alot to cover.

I thought I’d try and express this post in an infographic which I haven’t attempted before. For the subject I thought I would write about something I know and which I love – Dorset.

I’d love to know a little fact about your local area and maybe feature them in a roundup post.

Hi, thanks so much for stopping by. Last week my partner and I went on a little 2 night break without the kids down to Ilfracombe. It’s always like a military operation to plan these things but so worth it. The kids giggle that we are having our romantic break and love their time with nanny and we appreciate to have a couple of days to ourselves. Like most parents, even on our time alone we talk about, email and speak to the kids. Still, I feel it’s important that all of the family gets their relaxation time and this is ours.

We booked through one of these sites that you contact the owner themselves and they rent out their place to you. We were so lucky to get an amazing little apartment which overlooked the sea, the crazy golf park and a weatherspoons…it doesn’t get much better than that!!

We were also right by a beautiful little Italian place which had such a gorgeous smell coming out of it that on the first evening we were so shattered that we had them make us pizza and pasta and we took it up to the apartment. It was great to sit there, looking out at the amazing view with our food and chill out.

Ilfracombe is such a gorgeous place. Most of the town dates from victorian times when it grew rapidly as a seaside resort. It seemed that most of the town around the harbour was on a slope and it nestled into the hills.

In the morning we took a walk down to the Tunnels Beaches. You have to pay £2.50 to walk down through them but it’s a fantastic sight once you walk through and see the view.

The tunnels lead down to a lovely little sandy beach which has a bathing pool which was made out of bringing lime into the bay and making an edge which, as the tide goes out, keeps in an amount of water in a large pool making it idea for bathing. This was created for ‘segregated bathing’ where men and women were not allowed to bath in the same bay or cove. In 1839 there was a guide book which stated that segregated bathing was tightly controlled and a ‘bugler’ would sit between the men’s and ladies pools keeping an eye out that the two did not mix. If a man attempted to spy on the ladies then the bugler would blow his trumpet and the man would be arrested!

There’s so much more to discover in Ilfracombe and the statue in the harbour is worth a post in its own right. Overall I would highly recommend a few days spent there, with or without the little ones.

Heres a little teaser which we saw on one of the signs –  Can you make out the Ilfracombe elephant in my picture?

Do you ever get to have breaks on your own or if you have kids do you prefer having them with you?