Happy 1st Birthday Minilemming

Dear Bethany

Happy Birthday, at this exact moment you were being born before being handed over to your Dad while Mum was being looked after post birth. You were so small and your cry so wee in sound. I was so afraid to hold you in case I dropped you, but I was still in shock that you were finally here.

I still stayed in that shock for another 24 hours until I finally passed out asleep cuddling you. The midwife came in and settled you down, according to the other Mums on the ward we slept exactly the same with our arms over our heads, it like you were copying me.

You were and are adored, I still stare at you and just wonder how lucky did I get to be blessed with such a beautiful little girl. You stole my heart at you first cry, I cannot love you more if I tried. There have been ups and downs but wtihout you and Daddy I really wouldn't be able of coped. Your smile lit up my darkness, your giggle filled me with joy.

You have grown into a little inquisitive mischief and being able to share how you are growing is something I thank Daddy for everyday because without him it wouldn't of been possible. I really wish I could express how dearly we both love you, how you fascinate us and how special you really are.

Happy 1st Birthday, my little lady

I could of easily flooded this wtih pictures of her :)

She is my Daughter, isn't she?

I had my newly born little girl in my arms, admiring her little snuffles and wondering what she was thinking. People arrive to visit and the first thing they say is, "She looks a lot like Hubby, doesn't she?" As Bethany grew it got remarked more and more, with her light coloured hair and deep blues eyes compared to my darkest brown hair and hazel eyes.

At first I wrote it off, I read that in the first few months they do look more like their fathers so it lowers the risk of rejection from them. I used to stare at her to try and pick my features out, she has my shaped eyes, nose, but them I became obsessed.

Behind closed doors it was one of the aspects that drove me down, she must be my daughter? I gave birth to her after carrying her inside me for over 9 months, so she surely must be my daughter? The remarks went on, the tears carried on. I was having to reassure myself as I thought it was sill to think like this.

It wasn't until I needed to pick some photos out for a baby shower of Beth and I as babies that it hit me, she IS MY daughter as she looks identical to me when I was her age, right down to the exact expressions.

Unevenlemming

Minileeming

She IS MY daughter as she wrinkles her nose when she smiles, she likes to be around people and watch them like me, she loves music and dancing, and she is just as shy with new people as me. It may not be obvious at a glance that she is mine, but believe me - She damn well is!

My 1st Years - Velour Snuggle Towel

I've had this in my photo album since Bethany got given it by Blogger Aunt, Bex from Futures. My 1st Years specialises in personalised presents for babies and children, I had already tripped over them when I was pregnant but didn't think about it afterwards as I was little busy with a newborn.

I got an mail from Bex one day asking for spellings etc and I was wondering what she was up to. She said that she was getting a present sorted for Bethany and to keep an eye out for a parcel. A few days later we got a parcel in a beautiful box from My 1st Years, inside wrapped in tissue was the most beautiful velour cuddle bunny ear towel.

For those who know me reasonably well, I have a slight obsession with rabbits. I do think this has transferred to Beth as he bedtime toy is a bunny, so this was perfect. You can imagine my excitement when I opened it and screamed, "It's has rabbit ears!"

It is a thick towel, the velour is on the outside while there is a more absorbent layer underneath. I got given this May last year and we still use it today as it is very generous in sizing. It's washes very well and shows not sigh of any wear or washing.

I have already purchased from them again which I'll do for a separate post as they are Bethany's birthday present. This exact towel is no longer available, but they do a blue/pink one that is almost the same, this is for the pink towel. I now want the velour bathrobe for her, well it is her 1st birthday next week....

Making Future Plans

I had previously said in my post about being a SAHM (Becoming a Stay At Home Mum) that it wasn't going to be forever. This year would of been 13 years since I qualified as an aromatherapist, followed by my other qualifications up to my BTEC in Make Up Artistry. I had invested hundreds of pounds in my training and I feel that I am wasting those years of training away. Trying to find work that also fits around looking after Beth is so rare it could be classed as gold dust.

This brings me round to what I am currently putting research in and require your help. I am planning to start a aromatherapy based beauty and massage company. To find if I am along the right lines with my thinking I am asking anyone and everyone with a few minutes to spend to help me by filling in a questionnaire.

Follow the link to the form here

As Yet I am still in the early stages of planning and researching but am excited. I briefly ran my own company a few years back (it was also ones of reasons I started the blog), but that was closed down last year after it wasn't successful, it was a great learning experience and this time I am using all the lessons I've taken and applying them for this.

Thank you to everyone who's taking the time to fill it in, and hopefully in the next few months I can give you some great news.

Christmas 2014 and New Year in Unevenlemming Household

I do not know who was more excited about Christmas, Bethany or I. She actually slept her way through until the morning without waking, to her it was a normal start, a bit of warm porridge, followed by CBeebies and a bit of Mum's croissant. We had agreed that we want to open at least one present as a family before heading towards my parents. We had got her a stocking with her name on and let her grab the one she wanted to open, she was nervous at first because when she normally shreds paper - we tell her off!

We soon headed to my family (minus brother who was dying of flu) and opened presents there, as predicted Bethany rather wanted to play with the mounds of wrapping paper than any of her presents! A quick cup of tea and we left them to go back home and have Christmas lunch with the in-laws, then it was more presents. We still had the rest of ours to open as well as other relatives and close family. 2 hours later and we were finally done! Hubby and I was exhausted, and thankfully around 9pm so was Beth.

Hubby had the rest of the week and a bit off so we have been enjoying some family time together, with Beth and essentially without her. We done some clearing and I've even managed to grab some lie ins while Hubby has some Daddy/daughter time. For New Year we stayed at home, I put my feet up and saw the New Year in with a couple of beers before bed around 1.30am.

It has been a good time, and it's given some time for both of us to think about what we want to gain out of the next year. There are things that will be changing because without change we cannot grow. We have already started the celebrations of Bethany's 1st birthday over the weekend by treating grandparents and great grandparents as a thank you for all their support in her first year. She had chocolate for the first time, a bit of cake and lots of attention.

 This past year has gone in a flash and it was different to how I planned. It was good having time away from blogging as I did miss it and was not as stressed thinking that I hadn't blogged anything. I was at the point of stopping it all as it was adding stress rather than being my stress reliever. I finally feel that my life is a little more on track rather than hurtling along at a rate of knots. I do not usually make resolutions as I never stick to them but there are changes I would like to make:

Stop being stuck to my mobile - Yes, it's great for capturing moments with Beth, but it's time i start living them.
Turn off the TV - Because playtime is much more fun!
Get my drivers license - I did fail my theory on 29th by one point, gutted, but it's been re booked and I WILL PASS!
Spent more time with Hubby (without Beth) - We are planning one night a month to dress up and go out together to let off some steam.
These are the most important to me, I've already seen a change as we have start to make changes before New Year. After the downs of last year, I do feel that 2015 is going to be a vintage year.