Can't beat abit of the 80's!

Over the last few months Mum and Dad have been bringing toys down from the attic!

Moo LOVES this mini train box.

This whatever it's called with my little pony slides. HA!

His binoculars looking at Lu Lu the cat.

I wonder what they'll find next! 

Emotionally, physically and financially

This week I have felt physical and mentally drained.

I've developed an awful cold, with tiering headaches. I'm eating lots of crap and that's making me feel cruddy too. I'm an emotional eater and so unfortunately they come hand in hand.

The boys Papa and I have had a really tough week. Neither of us agree on our parenting techniques and this is just getting harder and harder.

I've also decided that I'm going to move back into my parents house. There are so many reasons why. Right now it's what I need-again emotionally, physically and financially.

I'll keep you posted as much as I can over the next few weeks-although I think they are gunna be very busy!

I just have to keep remembering everyday that the boys are my priority. Everything I do I do for them. They make me so happy and keep my heart full of love!

How could their smiles make me feel anything else!

Can't believe he's mine...

Nearly Four months old, can't believe how lucky I am to have you Beautiful boy!

Good morning

As I dream feed Teddy it reminded me of our early 6.30am alarm clock-Moo! Even though the day had just begun, and with the sun not even poking out from the horizon.

The three of us were already laughing lots  as Moo and I made shadow puppets! I managed successfully a duck and rabbit and Moo a Ba Ba (Dummy) and a bird!

It was short lived though-as Moo needed a poo! 

Being super organised...

All set for another day:

-Slow cooker on ready for dinner tomorrow

-Flat clean and tidy 

-All bathed (including myself)

-Clothes all set out ready

-Bags packed

In the morning first thing I do is get the boys and myself dressed! I find that way if I need to run out for whatever reason we are dressed. I can brush teeth, eat breakfast and buy formula out if need be.

Then breakfast, Moo sits really well at the table-he watches some t.v and I use this time to make Teddy's bottles. My breakfast is yogurt, oats and fruit. That way I can eat it when I can throughout the morning!

Brush teeth, Bjorn on, Teddy on, coats on, bags on and we run! 

Bath is hard to beat...

I've traveled to a few places before having Moo, but I can honestly say there really isn't anywhere as beautiful as Bath (in my opinion)! It really does tick all the boxes, and offers so much! 

It's days like this when were walking along our road I realise how lucky we are! And that although there are times living in the city has it's annoying inconviences, I'm struggling to find anywhere better!

On lovely sunny days like today as we walk home Moo see's and learns so much from living in the city! It's just a stones throw from the shops and so we often just walk around town. Stopping to listen to the musicians and walking through the Abbey courtyard chasing the pigeons (which I'm endlessly explaining you don't do)! Sometimes when the grass is dry we will pop into parade gardens and look for fish and ducks to feed.

And then on rainy days we look out the window and name all the cars, lorrys and vans that pass! We practice all of our colours too! Moo Gets most excited about the fire engines and ambulances of course as we hear them approaching its so lovely to see! 

We often spend our lunch or afternoon at the Egg cafe. I can enjoy a coffee and Moo can run around and let off some steam, meeting friends-new and old. He often gets some 'broke cake' (broken off cake) too as a treat!

Occasionally we visit museums too as I have a discovery card-this enables us in free to the Costume museum and the Roman baths!

As it's becoming less and less likely I'll be moving anytime soon...I need to start falling back I love with our home!

Single Parent + Two kids + One Bed Apartment =

When D and I fell pregnant with Moo we had little money and no secure jobs. It made sense to stay in Bath as it was where our family and friends lived. I'd also always wanted to live back in the city.

At the time all we could afford was a one bed apartment, it was in an ideal location literally a stones throw from the shops and from the salon in which I was lined up to work in. We figured once we were more stable financially and our baby was maybe six months we'd look at moving again. After all they say that a baby should stay in your room for at least six months.

Two years on her I am a single parent of two, still in a one bed apartment, and I'm kinda stuck. I am receiving housing benefits, which I feel very fortunate to have but unfortunately there's a stigma attached to this, and so I'm struggling to find landlords that will accept me. Secondly I'm not considered priority as I have two boys and one is under one years old. So I'm on a rather long waiting list for a council house.

It may suprise you that actually space isn't a problem, I live in a Georgian house and so the rooms are very large. But there are a few things that I really struggle with:

-I live on the first floor, carrying up two napping children, especially a two year old is hard. So we stay in for naps generally.

-Food shopping logistically is hard as there isn't anywhere outside to park, and then carrying it upstairs is impossible as I can't leave the kids. So I always order online as they carry up the boxes for me.

-I have to co-sleep as there isn't enough room for a cot and a bed for Moo.

-There isn't a garden, of course this isnt a necessity, but running after a two year old and looking after a newborn, going to a park if I'm being honest fills me with fear.

The reason I'm writing this is to encourage those like myself that live in a one bed place that need some tips on how to make it work. And having said the above, I love my apartment and if I was in a ground floor apartment, with on street parking and a garden I'd be happy.

Tips for one bedroom apartment living:

-Have a clear out regularly, I use my quarterly house inspection as good spring clean. Anything I don't use I take to a charity shop, sell on ebay or throw away.

-All my furniture doubles as storage. Ive got some great pieces all from Ikea that literally have made such a difference to our floor space. So important for two year olds to run around in. This large cabinet is our cuboard come baby changing table. It holds all of Teddys clothes, nappies and wet wipes.

NOTE: This photo was taken at night once all the toys were tidied!

-My living/dinning/playroom can change for each occasion. By day its covered in toys. For dinner I can pull out our table to entertain friends. Also my chairs fold away and are stored inside the table! I also have a rather large built in cuboard to the right of the play tent for storage-I need to get around to sorting that out again!

By night it's my space...to relax...with all my lovely pretty bits.

Our Home.