Mamma Mia - The Mummy Tag

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I have recently noticed that some of my favourite mummy blogs (such as Oh So Amelia, Becoming a stay at home mum, The adventures of a potty mouthed mummy and  Mummy's blog) have been taking part in the Mummy Tag. I've really enjoyed reading all the wonderful posts and finding out more about these lovely ladies. I'd hate to be left out! I know I am late to the party but I thought I would take part anyway. Allons-y!!!

1.  Are you a Stay at Home Mum, or a Working Mum?
I am a stay at home mum and have been for a few months now after deciding not to return to work.
 
2.  Would you have it any other way?
Not at all. I love spending time with my little lady. I had worked as a high value legacy fundraiser for Cancer Research UK for over five years. I loved my job and Cancer Research UK was the most amazing organisation to work for. After a lot of soul searching I decided not to return once my maternity leave came to end. It was a really tough decision to make but in the end there were more reasons to stay at home with Little Miss H (LM) then there were to go back to work.

Some days I do miss being "Mrs H" the professional, organised and personable fundraiser and not just mummy. That is why I am enjoying spending more time on this blog as it is something for me and only me. Does that make me sound selfish?  
 
3.  Do you co-sleep? 
Yes and no. Little Miss has her own room and we put her down to sleep in her cot every night. However, if she wakes up during the night and we can't settle her in her own bed then she comes in with us. Sometimes it is the only way any of us get any sleep. 

 4.  What is your one must have item for your baby? 
My Lenny Lamb Sunset Rainbow woven wrap. We live in a town that is quite inaccessible for buggies and so a wrap is a must have. LM loves snuggling up in it and having extra cuddles and is often asleep in minutes of being wrapped. 

5.  How many kids do you plan on having?
At least the one we have.

6.  Date night? How many nights per month?
Mr H and I love a date night and every month we try to do something together. In fact, next month Nanna and Grampy are taking on babysitting duties for the weekend and Mr H and I are going away for a few days. It will be the first time since LM was born that we will have a few days to ourselves. WE. CANNOT. WAIT! 

7.  Your child's favourite show?

We don't really let Little Miss H watch TV as it really over stimulates her and stops her sleeping.  But I am fascinated by "In the night garden" (don't ask) and so she has watched that a few times.  I am obsessed with the tombliboos.

8.  Name one thing you bought before you had your baby and never ended up using? 
A microwave steriliser. We worked out pretty quickly that the easiest and quickest way to sterilise bottles was to buy an 8 litre Tupperware tank and to use Milton tablets. 

The baby bath and top and tail bowl were also not really used. They are now used for messy and sensory play and are available for imaginative play when Little Miss H is older.

9.  Your child's favourite food?
Fruit and lots of it! 

10. How many cars does your family have?

Just the one - a Ford Fiesta. We got it a month before my due date and one of our first proper trips in it was to the hospital when I was in labour. 

11. Weight gain, before pregnancy, during, after and now?

 I was really happy with my weight before pregnancy. I had lost weight before we tried for the first baby. I then lost some more weight after the miscarriage (I recently shared my miscarriage story in support of the Mumsnet Miscarriage Care Campaign. Please support this fabulous campaign.) I then managed to gain a healthy amount of weight during the pregnancy and seemed to lose a stone pretty quickly after Little Miss H was born. 

Out for a wander on my due date. Two days later Little Miss Howard decided that she wanted to join the party.

Since then my weight has plateaued. I know I could be slimmer and I have some wobbly bits that I could do without. But I am proud of my body and what it achieved. It is bound to be different after growing and giving birth to a little human. If I'm honest, I think I prefer my body since I've had LM. I've had a baby - my tummy is no longer going to be perfect!!! 

12. Dream holiday with your kids?
My brother and his family live in Singapore and so it would be awesome to go and see them. LM has only met her cousins once and it would be lovely if they could spend more time together.

13. Dream holiday without your kids?
The Maldives. Mr H and I went there for our honeymoon and it was perfect. It is paradise and I would love to go back. We got married 9 days before my 30th birthday (it was strategically planned, don't you know). So maybe we could go there again to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary and my 40th birthday.  Hint hint hint!!!

14. How has your life changed since your baby has been born?
Our life has changed in so many ways since LM was born. I don't think I could ever find the words to explain how different life is now. Life is wonderful now we are three. It is also exhausting, exciting, scary, precious and more complete. Lauren Laverne wrote a brilliant article for The Observer at the weekend explaining how her life has changed since having kids. It is all true and I don't think I could put it better myself.

15. Finish the sentence "it makes my heart melt to see..."

LM smiling, giggling and playing with her adoring daddy.

16. Where do you shop for your kids?

Anywhere and everywhere - H&M, Matalan, Primark, John Lewis, Mothercare, TK Maxx, Gap and all the supermarkets. I also LOVE an NCT Nearly New Sale. At the last sale I managed to buy most of LM's summer wardrobe for £25.00. 

17. Favourite make-up and skincare products?

I love, love, love make-up and skincare products. One of the main things I miss about going to work is wearing a full face of make-up and doing my hair properly. Now I think of myself as groomed if I have a slick of mascara on and have brushed my hair. But I can't live without sun protection.  At the moment, Little Miss H and I are using Ultrasun's 50+ Ultra Sensitive Extreme. It is very gentle on our skin, is free from lots of nasties, has a very high SPF and is jam packed with UVA busting agents. I can't recommend it highly enough. 

If I want to feel groomed without making a real effort then I will put on some CC Cream and a dab of under eye concealer (very important to hide those sleepless nights). Then I'll fill in my eyebrows with a pencil, add some mascara and put on a bright lippy. I ADORE the Revlon Color Burst Lip Butters and have them in many shades. My favourite is Candy Apple - an orangey-red colour that always makes me smile.

18. Huggies or Pampers?
We have bought Pampers nappies in the past but the Boots Baby nappies seem to be the best for LM. They only leak when they need to go up a size and they seem lightweight and are good value. Plus, they are often on offer at Boots and buying them will add to your Advantage Card Points (which, if you are like me, you use to buy make-up)!  

We use Huggies Natural Care Wipes and after trying out lots of different brands these are the wipes that we come back to. We do try to use reusable wipes when we can as they are cheaper, kinder on delicate skin and better for the environment. (Would you like  a post on how I made these?)

19. Have you always wanted kids?
Yes. I've always adored children and I knew from quite a young age that I wanted to be a mummy.

20. Best part about being a mum?
Knowing that I grew and produced this little human being. A happy and delightful little girl who changes everyday. I am constantly surprised at how amazing she is and how much I love her. My life feels complete now I am a mum.  

I'd like to tag a lovely mummy that I recently met on twitter. So Young mummy with 2, over to you. 

Hugs

Mrs H 

xxxx

PS That did feel like a job interview but I hope you now feel that you know a little bit more about me and my life as a mummy. Are there any other tags out there that I should probably  take part in? Please let me know in the comments below. Or if you have a linky or blog hop that you think I'll find interesting then I would love to hear about it.  xxxx