Our Favourite Walks

Walking is one of my favourite things to do. I love being outdoors, especially when the weather is nice and just going for a walk. It doesn't have to be a long walk; the school run is often just enough for me. However, I really enjoy our walks as a family and my favourite walk is the one we do in the local country park.

This is a pretty long walk with lots to see and lots of places to explore. There are plenty of trees to try to climb and plenty of things to talk about. There are lots of animals in the park too and a play area that the kids enjoy playing in. At the end of the walk, we are all tired but feeling good.

We've been doing this walk since Wee Z was a baby. It's great for the kids to be outdoors and getting some exercise through walking. Sometimes it can be hard to get the kids to do some exercise so having lots to see and do on our walk really helps keep them motivated. This is why it is one of our favourite walks.

The AXA PPP healthcare facebook page is filled with ideas and tips for families to keep walking throughout this month. They are also hosting a live web chat on Wednesday May 29th on the AXA PPP healthcare website between 11am and 1pm, discussing baby and child allergies to help parents prepare for the great outdoors.

We suffer with hayfever quite a lot during the Spring and Summer months, so I would probably ask health nurse Kamilla Doughery for some tips on easing those hayfever symptoms. Kamilla will be on hand during the chat to answer any questions parents may have in relation to allergies including symptoms and diagnosis.

If you have a question for Kamilla, you can leave it here ahead of the live chat on the AXA PPP healthcare website.

Here's hoping the sunshine stays for awhile so we can get out and enjoy more walks!

This is a sponsored post however the opinions expressed are my own.

What We Did Last Week #WeekTwenty

Last Sunday, the heavens had opened and it rained pretty much all day. The rain, however, did not dampen our spirits as we headed out to look for a new car. We went to a local BMW dealer and test drove a few cars and decided to go with a new 3 series. We did want the coupe version until Wee Z pointed out that the back of the car only had 2 seats so his friends would not be able to come out for his birthday. Practical won out.

On Monday, it was back to work for me and back to school for Wee Z. It was another miserable day and at one point I think it snowed. Miss C and I spent an hour together before Wee Z came home from school. We played a game after Wee Z had done his homework and then he read us his school book.

On Tuesday, after work, Miss C and I walked to school to pick up Wee Z and we walked home together. The sun was finally shining! The kids played on the trampoline and the seesaw together whilst I made dinner. It was nice to be able to enjoy some sun again!

On Wednesday, Miss C went with Mummy N and Wee L to a local toddler group. I picked her up after work and we played outside before going to pick up Wee Z from school. When Wee Z came home, he was complaining of a sore neck and he had a lump under his right ear with some bruising. Husband phoned the on-call Doctor to get some advice and they asked him to bring Wee Z out for a check-up. All was fine and he just needed to take some pain medicine before going to bed.

On Thursday, it was my day off. Husband and I took the kids to school and nursery and then came home to sort out a few of Husband's stepfather's things. After school, I picked up Wee Z and took him and Miss C to our new favourite coffee shop for some cakes. I had a lemon meringue pie and a smoothie and the kids had a cupcake each. A yummy treat!

On Friday, Husband and I dropped the kids off at nursery and school and went to pick up our new car. It was a gorgeous day which made it even nicer to be able to drive our new car home. Miss C and I went food shopping once I had picked her up and then we went to ballet after school. In the evening, after I picked Wee Z up from his Elite Squad Karate training, I went to Mummy N's house. We were all supposed to be getting a psychic reading but the person never turned up so we just drank our wine and had a good chat instead.

On Saturday, I woke feeling a little delicate. I went to work and then Husband picked me up. We decided to go to McDonalds for lunch as I always find it helps with a hangover. I felt great after my Happymeal! In the afternoon, the kids played with Playdoh and we watched some TV since it was such a miserable day.

#SilentSunday

365 Project Days 132 - 138

Day 132 - A mini BMW ride

Day 133 - Cuddles with Jazzy Kitten

Day 134 - Bouncing on the trampoline

Day 135 - Bike rides

Day 136 - Enjoying a cupcake

Day 137 - Miss C's plastic car

Day 138 - Husband likes the new car

Splashing in the Puddles #CountryKids

It's Raining

It's Pouring

Being stuck indoors is boring

We want to go outside to play

So hurry up rain and go away

It's Raining

Not Spitting

We're getting fed up sitting

Mum is going a bit stir mad

And we are feeling very sad

It's Stopping

No Raining

So outside we go for splashing

We'll have to jump in the puddles fast

Because the dry spell might not last 

Flashback Friday - Weaning

For Flashback Friday this week I'm continuing my story of first time Motherhood with Wee Z.

Weaning.

This was a word that scared me. It scared me because I had so many questions without many answers. How much should I give him? When should I give him his food? Would he still need his milk? How will I know he is full? My mind was in a whirlwind.

My health visitor came out to give me a talk about weaning but it didn't really help much. I ended up just buying some baby rice to try Wee Z with and hoping for the best.

At four months old, Wee Z got his first taste of food. Baby rice. He was not impressed.

I tried him on some banana, mushed up with some of his baby milk. He liked that a bit more.

I gave up on baby rice and decided to just go with fruit and vegetables for him. Annabel Karmel was my saviour. I would puree apple and pear for him to have after his lunch time bottle. He would only take a little bit at first but after a few weeks, he was finishing the tiny bowl of mush I was feeding him.

We tried carrots, swede, potatoes, sweet potato, broccoli and cauliflower. He loved them all. When he was 6 months old, he was eating 2 meals a day and still taking his milk. My baby was starting to fill out quite a bit. He loved weetabix with his apple or pear mixed in with his milk.

 
By 7 months he was eating 3 meals a day. He loved pasta shapes with Annabel Karmel's bolognaise sauce. He also loved broccoli and cauliflower cheese. It was a bit of a chore cooking all these separate meals for Wee Z but the beauty of it was, I could fill the freezer with lots of meals to last him a month.

Wee Z tried a jar of baby food once when we went down to visit Bella. He hated it. Apart from that one time, Wee Z never had a jar of baby food. Not because I had anything against using pre-made baby food but because it worked out cheaper for me to buy and cook his meals in bulk.

By 10 months, Wee Z had cut out most of his milk feeds, just having a bottle before bed and was eating lots of different foods. He loved banana sandwiches and finger foods in general. He also loved yogurts. He loved being able to feed himself.

So weaning wasn't so bad afterall but I am pretty glad we are away from that stage now. I don't miss how messy he used to get!

This post is for Flashback Friday which is hosted by the lovely Jenny from Mummy Mishaps.

Explaining Death to your Children

On Monday evening, Husband's stepfather passed away. He had been ill for a long time so it wasn't totally unexpected however these things happening, expected or not, are never nice.

The kids were in bed when Husband phoned from work to tell me. I wasn't sure how I was going to tell them that he had passed away. They weren't close to him but they knew him from visiting him a few times and Miss C took a liking to his dog, Duke.

I decided I'd tell them when they woke up in the morning before Husband came home from work so I could prepare them for Daddy feeling sad. They both knew he had taken a turn for the worse and was very ill so I think we had prepared them as best we could.

"Daddy's stepfather passed away last night" I said to them both.

"Oh did he?" asked Wee Z.

"Yes Z, he is going to die cause he is not well!" said Miss C.

"No C, Mum's just said he died last night. So he is dead."

"Oh...Mummy is he in Heaven now?"

"Yes, he has gone to Heaven so Daddy might be feeling a bit sad when he comes in" I said.

The kids were eating breakfast when Husband came home from work.

"Daddy, we heard that your stepdad died last night!" said Wee Z.

"He is in Heaven now Daddy and his body is going to the ground. He must have been good cause he didn't go to the Devil!" said Miss C.

So, explaining death to your children. Clearly my children have it more than figured out.