My Goals.

At the start of the year, every year, I write a list of goals that I aspire to accomplish in the next 12 months. As April is almost over and we're a third of the way through 2015 (whaaaaaaaaat) I thought I'd have a look at my list and see how far I've come.

Yikes. Not very far at all.

Okay, so I'm still a new Mum, I'm taking care of a tiny baby who I want to give all of my attention to, but I'm not really taking any time for myself. Yes, being a parent is a full-time job but it's also important to pursue my own interests and focus on the things I'm passionate about. As baby V grows older, I want her to see that her Mumma values taking care of herself and is active in her interests.

It's important to me that I make an effort to achieve my goals, not only for the sense of personal satisfaction (it's amazing to look back at the year and see what I've managed to do!) but also to instill good habits in myself, to remind myself that a little time taken to read a chapter or two or indulge in a movie is good for me.

So as of yet, I don't think I've been able to cross anything off of my list. But there is a whole bunch of time before the year ends and I'm going to strive to complete as many of my goals as possible!

Did you set yourself any goals for this year? How are you faring?

Love, K.

Ordinary Days.

We've found ourselves in a routine lately and it's one that I enjoy. It varies a little day by day but mostly it's the same. Being new parents and being a stay-at-home mum, this predictability is really quite comforting for me. It makes the different days more exciting and it keeps us settled, content. I thought I'd share what a typical, ordinary day looks like for us.

Baby V likes to wake up for First Breakfast somewhere between 7 and 8 in the morning. After that, she'll head back to sleep for an hour or so before being ready to start the day. S always gets up earlier than me, so sometimes he'll take her for some daddy-daughter time while I catch up on sleep. Otherwise she gets to come and snuggle with me in bed, along with a very snuffly Pearl.

After a coffee and V's Second Breakfast (usually fruit and oatmeal), it's time to take the pooch out for a stroll. We recently all started walking together now that the weather is so nice. It's good for us all to get some fresh air.

Usually it's time for S and I to grab breakfast, but on this particular day we thought we'd stop off at our local park to give V her first push on the swings. She thwarted our plan by falling asleep on the walk, so we decided to have a swing for ourselves anyway! I haven't been on a swing in years and it was tons of fun!

S most often works in the evening, so after some breakfast/lunch/brunch, he'll spend some time with V before he heads off.

Once we've said our 'see you later', it's just the girls and I. V will usually settle down for a nap around half one, which gives me some time to do some reading, catch up on a bit of tv or sneak in a little nap myself.

When V has woken up, she's always in the mood to play, so we get a good chunk of fun and giggles in before dinner.

She's such a goof. After her dinner on this day, I decided to dunk her in the bath. She'd managed to get banana everywhere and was being a grump, so I knew a good splash in the tub would cheer her up and settle her down a bit too.

Our evenings generally consist of food, cuddles and me taking a thousand pictures of V. I fold some laundry, write a to-do list for the next week or get the dishes done while V plays in her bouncy chair.

She tends to knock out for the night at around 10pm and it's always in the half an hour before sleep that V is the most cuddly, snuggly and smiley. It's one of my favourite parts of the day and it makes me happy to know that she's always happy when she settles down to sleep. 

I usually wait for S to get home before we head to bed, just so we can have a catch-up and make any plans we need to. Then we'll get into bed, say goodnight and wake up ready to do the whole thing over again!

That is, pretty much, the blueprint for us right now. Sometimes the days are punctuated with trips to the supermarket or a spontaneous outing for pancakes, but otherwise our days remain the same. Ordinary, but special to us nonetheless.

I hope you are looking forward to your week, be it routine or extraordinary. 

Love, K.

Green Thumbs.

For the longest time, I've wanted to have a little bit of outside space so I could grow some flowers, fruits and veggies. The idea of seeing something bloom and grow, especially being able to harvest and eat the end product, really appeals to me.

We had a fantastic deck in our first apartment which, had I been better prepared, would've been perfect for a little garden. But now we're living somewhere without our own outside space, which dampened my dreams of lush flower beds and lanky vines full of beans and tomatoes.

In an effort to make this place feel more like home and to sate my need for some greenery, we bought some house plants. Cacti and succulents, a spider plant and some ivy and some colourful, leafy gems that make me happy every time I look at them. Plants that I can tend to and learn about, being a novice when it comes to anything like this.

It's a sweet little adventure for me. I like the way they decorate my kitchen shelves and how they make it feel more homey in there. It makes me feel like we're settled, like we're going to invest some of our time and our lives here. That's pretty exciting!

I hope you're looking forward to a spectacular week!

Love, K.

There's Something About Being In The Kitchen.

Guaranteed, cooking or baking will always put me in a good mood. It doesn't matter if it's an elaborate, delicate recipe for croissants which takes three days or a box mix for muffins, working with food gives me a real boost. I think it's partly the little bit of creativity I get to undertake and partly (well, mostly) the delicious end product. Who doesn't love something freshly baked?

This last week, I've found myself in the kitchen a little more frequently. It's been refreshing, something I didn't realise I'd been missing so much. Since S is often working late, I don't tend to make a huge deal out of dinner, but the little effort of preparing something scrumptious is well worth it.

Being able to take the time to cook has also highlighted how much baby V has changed in the last few weeks. She's clearly so much more comfortable here. I bring her swinging chair into the kitchen with me and she's content to sit, either watching me or playing with her toys. She doesn't need to constantly be in my arms, which is nice for both of us.

I'm really hoping that I'll be able to continue on with my culinary fun. I know I'm enjoying it and I'm pretty sure S likes tucking into my creations. If I do keep it up though, I think there might be some serious exercise in our future!

Have you been making anything delicious lately? I hope you had a lovely weekend!

Love, K.

Five Months.

Wow. Where did the time go? This bub of mine, baby V, has suddenly turned from a newborn to an infant. A chatty, wriggly, interesting infant. Whaaaaaaaat.

She babbles away constantly. She loves to make her growly monster sound, which is in part both hilarious and terrifying. She's getting better at holding on to things, reaching out to grab them and shaking them about. She's mastered the art of rolling over because she still hates tummy time and she devours fruit and vegetables like they're going out of fashion.

V is a real Mumma's girl and it's the sweetest thing. Her face lights up when we say good morning and every night she falls asleep in my arms. I see her becoming more independent every day, wanting to sit up tall, practice standing, clutching at the spoon as she opens wide for her food. But her hands also reach around my neck, her face buried in my shoulder when she is tired, wanting comfort, reassurance and love. I'm so happy to see her blossom but I will hold on tight to that drooly face, those sticky hands and sleepy grumbles that say 'I need you'.

Just one more month before she's half a year old! With the warm weather fast approaching, I know the days will fly by even more quickly and V will continue to bloom into the most lovely little lady.

I hope that you've had a great week and you're looking forward to a smashing Easter weekend!

Love, K.