My son is three tomorrow.

My gorgeous baby boy 'A' turns three tomorrow and I must say I am experiencing extremely mixed emotions about the whole thing!

• Sheer joy that my happy little stinkleberry is such a healthy happy boy turning three. Total despair as to where the last three years have gone.
  
• Worry about how quickly the next three will go.
  
• Excitement to give him his brand new bike after him always having pre loved, it just feels so good and he totally deserves it.
  
• Sadness that he is getting too heavy to pick up and looks so big in the pram when we have to use it.
  
• Scared that his next birthday will be his 4th and he will be at his proper nursery down the road, in a uniform.
  
• Happy that his Daddy will be off work so we can have a family day.
  
• Pleased to have won a competition to take him for a birthday meal.
  
• Bewildered as to quite how we have managed to fill every day for three years and not feel too bored.
  
• Total joy at what an amazing clever confident happy child he is.
  
• Lastly, totally panicked as I just remembered he asked for a home made ginger cat birthday cake! Yikes.

My favourite ever picture

Wish me luck for tomorrow, the tears are pricking up already! 


Thanks for reading,

Wafflemama

My Weight Loss Journey: The Start

I am a chubby mother about to embark on a mammoth weight loss journey.

I am fully aware that this type of thing can be extremely dull if you are not the chubby person in question, so I will keep future updates brief and give my opinion on the new weight watchers diet/lifestyle, 'Filling & Healthy' plan - in which from what I understand it relies largely on my ability to control my portion sizes and eat from a list of f&h foods - stopping once I feel satisfied.

I have always been big since I was a child and had the worst habits and relationship with food. This is something I really don't want for my children. I can see my son making bad choices already, so something has got to change. I am largely an emotional eater and this is where I usually stumble, a couple of good weeks followed by total uncontrollable emotional binges. I usually eat until I feel super full or sometimes even sick. I have huge portions and an uncontrollable urge for sweet things from mid afternoon until bed.

I am going to find this a challenge but I want to beat this, be fit and healthy so I have more energy for my babies, teach them better about being healthy and just maybe feel a little better bout myself too.

I was lucky (or unlucky) enough to be referred for a 12 week free trial so will be getting checked up upon regularly and will also be required to return for a 6m and 12m weigh in to ensure I have not wasted anyone's time/money, something I have no intention of doing.

Start weight - 17 stone 9lbs

I will begin this plan on Wednesday after my first WW meeting and I will update briefly with my results and findings for anyone who is interested in following or supporting me. 

This will not be easy for me so I have everything crossed!

Wish me luck!

Wafflemama

Before we had kids.

Being a parent is amazing, there is no doubt about it! There are however a few things I miss that we definitely took for granted before we had children.

Here are my top ten, VS the 'bright side' of having kids! I am trying to be more positive and see a bright side in everything.... Here goes.

1) Going to the toilet in peace. 

Not only that, but going to the toilet on your own with nobody trying to stand in your pants leg holes while you're sat down (not sure if this happens to anyone else?). I will include in this one showering in peace too - seeing as its next to the toilet!

The bright side

At least there is someone there to jump on your belly should you fall off the toilet and faint.

2) Sleep.

I'm sure I need not divulge a great deal on this one - it's obvious, you never sleep properly again. Even once they sleep through you feel knackered!

The bright side

Extra cuddles, get to perfect your sneaky walk, keeping the eye cream business in trade :D

3) Having money!

I don't just mean money, we work hard and scrimp and have money but not spare money. I think how much we actually had before and it scares me where it all went. What did we spend it on!?

The bright side

kids enjoy free stuff like walks, digging up worms. Also I suppose I can't get as fat if I can't buy as much fodder.

4) Spending time on my appearance.

I hardly get any time now, I am super speedy at makeup as I have had the same routine for at least ten years but my hair looks like rat tails and I have a 'can't see it when I squint' deal with my messy clothes! I'd kill for a good makeover.

The bright side

My 3 year old says I am beautiful as I am. I don't go anywhere where I NEED to look nice, I just like to. Other mums sometimes think I'm the 'glam one' despite my neglect!

5) 'Nipping out'.

Before you have kids you can 'nip' out, 'pop' out. With kids you have to clothe them sometimes more than once. Layer them up or down for weather, add sun cream, snowsuits, hats, gloves, shoes socks and usually socks again for the third time as he keeps taking them off! You then have to make sure you have nappies and wipes, maybe a change of clothes for each of them in case they fall in a puddle or a dog pooh. Yep been there. Make sure they have been fed (baby) and toddler is sufficiently juiced in order to not have to forage for his survival once out! The list goes on.

The bright side 

This is a hard one... I suppose it's a good way of making sure your brain still works when you check you have remembered everything?

6) Enjoying your food. 

Eating is just easy pre babies, whether out or at home. With children you have to eat cold toast, soggy cereal, rush meals out and the best one - once they are toddlers, they are miraculously good at 'sharing' when its mummies dinner, hmm. I currently shovel my dinner down too before baby wakes - its amazing how quick I can eat! I also have to hide snacks up my sleeve or in my bra or eat behind a cupboard door in order to enjoy the whole thing without it being pinched! (Anyone else??)

The bright side. Easy - I could make us a fortune at doughnut eating contests!

7) Keeping things 'nice'.

Pre babies you can buy things for your home, keep them, clean them and they are just 'nice'. With kids those nice things get dirty, broken and lost. Our TV cabinet has a door hanging off and the TV is barely visible through the cheese layer, HD my eye! My husband is always saying "we can never have anything nice", because if it doesn't get mauled or taken apart by the toddler you can bet the dog will eat it, cat vomit on it or I will break it with my clumsy great feet or bum.

The bright side

You learn to be less materialistic I suppose! One day when kids are older we can do lots of shopping!

8) Spending time with your partner.

Not much needed on this one, you just plain don't get much time together once you have kids. Pre kids I can't even imagine what we did with all our time! Why did we not holiday more or socialise more?!

The bright side

I can be a bit annoying so may be for the best for hubby and our survival :)

9) Time for yourself - ME time.

Pre kids I liked painting and shopping and having my hair done once in a blue moon, sorting the house out, having projects to do. With children I either have no time or am too damn tired or just want to enjoy cuddles or sleepy babies. I love spending time as a family but I would like to get more 'me' things done. Maybe I'll take up professional Lego building and milk squirting then we can all have fun together!

The bright side 

I really really appreciate a good hair wash now and if I get to wash and dry it in the same day I feel like a total princess!

10) Doing nothing. 

This may sound a strange one but before kids you can do nothing, lay in bed, sit in the garden, chill, think, stare at nothing and relax.

With kids you can't very easily. Maybe this improves when they are older but I doubt it.

The bright side

Being with the small people is a million times better in comparison :)

Overall I regret taking those things for granted, but its all hindsight and I am amazingly lucky to have everything I have and such an amazing family :) One day I will have all those things back and I certainly don't want to be writing about how I took these times for granted so I try and make the best of every day!

Thanks for reading,

Wafflemama

Ten Amazing Things About Newborns

Ten Amazing Things About Newborns

Newborns are the most beautiful things on earth. Not only are they cute but they do the strangest and loveliest things. Here are my favourites.

1 They pull amazing faces (they totally gurn)

2 They smile when they fart (and raise a leg)

3 They are super cuddly (and super warm! Enjoy every cuddle)

4 Their sad face is as cute as their happy face (bottom lip quivers, OMG)

5 They can poop up their own backs, mad skills! (“this ones a bath job”)

6 They make the best noises in their sleep (my S sounded like a little goat)

7 They grow at super speed (I’m not even kidding, blink and you miss it – take a million pictures!)

8 They smile real smiles - really early (people say its just wind – its not)

9 They don’t really have tears to start with, but when they get ACTUAL tears, your heart will break! (!)

10 They do the cutest tiny baby sneezes! (They make you squeeee with joy)

Just reading these makes me broody!

Thanks for reading, 

Wafflemama

Who am I?

Hello and welcome to Wafflemama.

My name is Laura, I’m 30 years old. I’m married to an incredibly handsome bearded man, also 30, Mr. Waffle. At this point I have a gorgeous son (A) who is 3 years old, and a baby (S) who is ten weeks old tomorrow.

I live in The Midlands in a 3 bed semi. We have three cats, a tiny dog, two axolotls and I was going to say a fish but I just remembered poor Bruno ‘moved out’ a while ago!

I am a stay at home mum and I work part time in a supermarket (after dark) it pays the bills for now.

My dream boat babies.

I’m your typical woman/mum; I worry about my weight, keeping everybody happy, making sure my children are happy and healthy, money, what we should do with our future and everything in between. I love making my babies lives fun, baby wearing, singing, drawing, painting, sock monkey making, baking, playing, shopping and eating!

I'm a firm believer that life is too short to worry to much about things so I am trying to be a laid back happy mother which isn't always easy. 

I got the nickname waffle after many back and forth conversations with a fellow mummy where I evidently talk, a lot, waffling on and on. 

I’ve had highs and lows in life, as well as motherhood and have learnt as much as I physically could during pregnancy, birth and since they were born, to try and be as good at my job as I can be. I feel I blag it quite well as they have both turned out pretty great so far.

Life can be so chaotic but fun at the same time. I love our little family, and sleep is highly overrated!

I'm full of excitement and throwing myself into the world of blogging and thrilled to have open ears looking at me from all over the world.

Thanks for reading,

Wafflemama