Today is mine and Dan’s five year anniversary. Five years seems like such a long time and while on the one hand I feel like we’ve been together much longer than that, it also feels like I’ve blinked and suddenly we’re here. So much has happened in the duration of these five years, we’ve had four house moves, three holidays, one baby and have made countless amazing memories along the way. To commemorate this day I wanted to write down our story, as briefly as I can, to have to look back on in the years to come and for Darcie to also read one day and to know the story that led to her. Continue reading “Five Years, The Story of Us”
Month: October 2017
Things Are Changing
Ahh my little blog, I feel it’s been a long time since I sat down and had a real heart to heart with you. My lovely readers who have been with me from the start, and everybody else who has joined me along the way. You’ve probably already noticed a slight shift around here. It started with the re brand back in July when I bought my own domain and started dabbling with different types of posts. As you may know, I started out with mostly personal, diary type posts and letters to my daughter, which I will always love to do and never stop doing (I’ve actually got some real tearjerkers ready to go in a few weeks so get ready!). But you’ll have noticed that I’ve started throwing some other posts into the mix which I am also really enjoying and that are bringing in different types of readers too. I’ve been reviewing products and writing lists of advice for new mums and any tips and tricks that I have learnt in my 17 months of parenting so far. I’ve also recently starting writing about blogging itself as I noticed that many of my readers are also bloggers, who might enjoy reading those types of posts. Continue reading “Things Are Changing”
How To Increase Your Blog Traffic
After the success of my post So You Want To Start A Blog? I have decided to start throwing in more of these blogging related posts. While I know I have a lot of mums that read my blog who might not be interested in the ins and outs of blogging, I am also aware that some of my readers are bloggers themselves who could find some of my tips useful. These are just some tips that I have learnt over the last year and a half on how to increase my blog traffic.
Post shareable content
All the tips that I am going to list will only work if you have good, shareable content. No amount of promotion will help if you aren’t writing posts that people want to read or share. I tend to write a mixture of posts, some that I just really want to write (that I don’t really care if they are popular anyway because I just want to write them) and posts that I know will do well in terms of views. Lists, reviews and tips, tricks and hacks will generally do better than little Tim’s 14 month update, that is what I’ve found anyway. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t write those posts but just be aware that they probably won’t be the ones to make it big. Continue reading “How To Increase Your Blog Traffic”
Created by Magic Review and Giveaway!
Ever since I found out I was pregnant I have become borderline obsessed about decorating my daughter’s bedroom. The day that I found out I was having a girl I started hunting for those perfect pieces that would make her room just as beautiful as I knew that she was going to be. That hunt has never ended really; as she has grown and developed I am constantly on the lookout for things to add to her bedroom to reflect her developing personality. When Created by Magic offered me the chance tor review one of their products I was thrilled as their prints are absolutely stunning and they have a fantastic selection to choose from. Continue reading “Created by Magic Review and Giveaway!”
What The Scaremongers Don’t Want You To Know
I’m sure it won’t come as a big shock to anyone when I say that I have noticed that there is a big culture these days of veteran mothers going around scaring new mums and mums to be. From the moment you announce your pregnancy, there will be people who want to tell you all about their stepsister’s aunt’s friend’s horrific labour, their emergency cesarean, or their work colleague who developed postpartum psychosis. I’m not sure quite what the point of it all is, personally I have never felt the need to scare pregnant women or reduce a new mum to tears with a few horror stories over cocktails. Some people do it, I’m sure, to come across as a superhero who has survived all these experiences and other people probably just enjoy the drama of it all. But I’m not about that, I’m here to tell you that it really isn’t all as bad as you’ve been told. You’ll more than likely be okay and be able to survive what pregnancy, labour and motherhood has to throw at you. Let me reassure you… Continue reading “What The Scaremongers Don’t Want You To Know”
Big Fish Little Fish Family Rave Review
A few weeks ago we were invited to go along to one of the Big Fish Little Fish Family Raves that was taking place in Engine Rooms in Southampton. I’d never even heard of a family rave before and not being someone to turn down a chance to do something different, I gladly accepted the invitation to go along and review the rave. This particular event was Heroes and Villains themed fancy dress and I was apprehensive as to how dressed up most people would be. We went for a cop out costume, of Cops and Robbers (sorry I couldn’t resist!). Darcie wore a striped t shirt and I made her a criminal ID number that I stuck on her top and Dan and I wore black and had Police hats that we could choose to wear depending on the level of fancy dress we encountered once we got there! Continue reading “Big Fish Little Fish Family Rave Review”
Outdoor Entertainment For A One Year Old
If there’s one thing that I can always rely on to snap Darcie out of any bad mood, it is taking her outside. We’re lucky in that we live in quite a quiet residential area with a couple of small parks so she can walk and run to her hearts content until she gets tired and suddenly reverts to a baby that needs to be carried home. Over the last few months since she learnt to walk we’ve developed quite a few little ‘games’ and activities that are guaranteed to keep her occupied outside. I’m going to list them here in case anyone needs any outdoors inspiration or perhaps just some convincing to get out of the house and release the toddler into the wild. Continue reading “Outdoor Entertainment For A One Year Old”
10 Things That Have Made Me Happy This Week 14.10.17
I loved writing last weeks round up of things that made me happy and so I thought I would do it again. I’ve actually had a tough week in some ways with lots of little things going wrong and my brain just totally malfunctioning and forgetting everything that I needed to remember. But I want to focus on the good things that have actually made this week pretty good despite the many little blips. Continue reading “10 Things That Have Made Me Happy This Week 14.10.17”
Bookworm Baby // Our Favourite Books at 17 Months Old
From the moment I found out I was pregnant and thought about life with a baby, I knew that I wanted us to be a family that reads. I was read to a lot as a child and grew up loving reading; settling down with a book and being transported to another world. Somewhere along the way I started reading less and less, I suppose life got busy and reading books slipped to the bottom of the priority list. But now that I have Darcie, I’ve pushed it right back up again and I am determined for her to be a child that reads. As it happens I actually haven’t had to do much to encouraging and she has developed a real enjoyment of books. We’ve always usually read a book at least once a day and if I’m ever stuck for gift ideas for her I always suggest a book, but aside from those things she just seems to naturally enjoy books. She loves to go to her shelf, choose a book and go and sit herself in the corner of the sofa turning the pages, lifting the flaps and chattering away as if she is reading. Continue reading “Bookworm Baby // Our Favourite Books at 17 Months Old”
I Dress My Daughter In Pink, And I Won’t Apologise For It
With yesterday being ‘International Day of the Girl’ I wanted to write a post related to that subject. I always love when these kind of days roll around as you see all manner of empowering messages across social media and people taking part in events to support equality for women and women’s rights. I’m a true girls girls at heart and I love anything to do with empowering women. There has been a related topic to this in the press a lot recently that has been weighing on my mind and I thought that today would be the perfect time to write about it. I’m referring to the debate over children’s clothing, particularly in regards to the slogans used for boys and girls clothing and the colours that are generally available for each gender. Pink for girls, blue for boys. Continue reading “I Dress My Daughter In Pink, And I Won’t Apologise For It”