Harps is an award winning blogger who shares her remarkable journey of motherhood after experiencing post natal depression and an unexpected diagnosis of Down’s syndrome. Her readers have often coined her words “relatable” and “warming”.
Never ever did I even think about what pregnancy after a c section would be like. I thought about the type of labour I’d prefer second time around but not the pregnancy itself and whether my method of delivery would impact that. I really wish I had been a bit more mentally prepared.
This isn’t a post to scare you at all, everyone’s experience of labour and pregnancy is very different. This is just to share my experience – something I’ve always honestly done through my blog.
Unfortunately for me, I never really fully recovered from my first c section. I’m pretty sure since I had my car accident, my body has decided to slow down massively on me!
I have so many friends who have bounced back pretty quick from a c section and have had ok subsequent pregnancies, this is just my story. And for those of you that know me, my life is never plain sailing (#dramaqueen)! Haha!
Till I fell pregnant, I had tenderness externally on my keloid c section scar from when I delivered Arjun. It wasn’t unbearable though, just uncomfortable. At almost 20 weeks pregnant, the last month in particular has become increasingly difficult and I’m feeling pretty anxious about the next few months given I’m going to get even bigger!
It all started off with what felt like mild painful contractions. I put it down to Braxton Hicks even though it was too early and Braxton Hicks aren’t normally painful. However by the end of the week, I felt I was in full swing labour as I was in excruciating pain. At only 16 weeks, it was pretty scary. After a fractured skull and an emergency c section after an 84 hour labour, my pain threshold is pretty high. I ended up in A&E twice that week as the pain was unbearable. It was in my lower abdomen and was a dull prolonged pain.
I’m writing this from my hospital bed – I was admitted two days ago as the pain was unbearable and had spread to my kidney area. It was so painful that I was vomiting and feeling so unwell – the doctors were concerned. It’s scary being pregnant – you have no idea what’s going on inside you and when you’re responsible for a-whole-nother life, it’s terrifying. The normal aches and pains I’ve been quite blasé to being my second pregnancy and (sort of) knowing what is normal. Having unfamiliar aches and pains is never pleasant.
The doctors were absolutely brilliant taking extra care given my pre existing medical conditions such as hypertension. After having various tests to to check my chest, heart, kidneys and bladder, they found I have an infection lurking somewhere in my body. The IV antibiotics over the last few days helped with kidney pain but didn’t help with the abdomen pain. It seems more than likely my internal c section scar tissue is leaving me in agony. I pray and hope as time passes the pain will also ease as its difficult to sleep or carry on as normal when it kicks in so can be quite disruptive to our day to day life. For the moment, I am on controlled regular strong pain relief and have been ordered to rest – something I’m quite rubbish at!
Of course knowing that I may have been faced with such discomfort post my c section wouldn’t have really changed anything given I didn’t have a choice with Arjun’s birth but it just would’ve been good to be a bit better equipped for it mentally this time instead of being sent in to a panic.
Although it hasn’t been working this last week, prior to that I’ve found the following helped me manage the pain:
Being physically in tune with my body, e.g. recognising when I’m tired and slowing down, helps
Not lifting heavy, helps. Unfortunately with a toddler in tow, it’s difficult!
Wearing maternity over the bump trousers and knickers definitely helps so that no pressure is applied to my lower abdomen and therefore my internal scar
Placing a pillow behind my lower back when the pain started sometimes worked
It really does make me question my labour this time around if I’m given the choice. Where I was swinging for a planned section this time, I’m not so sure anymore!
I am so grateful for the care I’ve received at Hillingdon Hospital – they have been absolutely brilliant so far as they were with my first pregnancy. As much as I dislike being in hospital and away from Arjun, my silver linings have been:
I get to eat my favourite hospital breakfast (tea, toast with butter and jam!)
I get to rest. I mean properly rest.
I get around the clock care for when I’m in agony. I get to blog when I feel like it while my life is on pause and I’m feeling up to it. Will hopefully get around to editing some of my unedited blog posts!
I get to be around the kindest and warmest midwives.
TLC from my best boy – Arjun with his kisses and asking “mummy much better now?”
I get to take a break from everything. Including my phone (ironic as I’m using it to type this)
I get to eat what I want (except I have no real appetite!)
I get to lounge in my FAVE New Look maternity pyjamas!
What’s not so great is being surrounded by labouring women, admiring them and absolutely sh*tting myself!! How am I going to do it?!
Have you had a similar experience after a c section? Any thoughts, advice and experiences would be very welcomed x
My memories of Brentford Leisure Centre are of the wave pool as a little girl. I’d never visited the softplay area and was looking forward to taking Arjun to somewhere new.
We’d been invited to come and review the softplay facilities and kindly the invite was extended to a +1 for both Arj and I. We took along E and her mummy F.
Parking: there was plenty of parking when we arrived at 11am. They also have parent and toddler parking available which is located closer to the entrance – very helpful when you have two inquisitive mobile toddlers in tow! Parking cost £1 for 2 hours.
The soft play gym: There is a special area to allocate your shoes as you enter which is really helpful in ensuring shoes don’t go missing or aren’t trampled on!
The softplay centre is four stories high although not very wide and is recommended for ages 5-11. It includes two slides, a mountain challenge offering lots of climbing opportunity, and a wobbly bridge. The area for older children includes lots of colourful bolsters which are different sizes catering for different heights where the children climb up on to the next floor. Arj and E, after a few assisted turns, managed to climb up themselves with perseverance!
There is a separate toddler area for children aged 2 – 4 years on the ground story which consists of a ball pool, a smaller slide, giant soft play see saws and bish bosh bolsters. Arj and E spent a lot of their time here and their favourite was taking it in turns on the slide whilst bellowing “my turn my turn!” as they did so. Arj also really liked the bish bosh bolsters.
Both kids definitely preferred the smaller slide situated on the ground story to the larger slide situated on the third story although Arjun did decide to make his way up there by himself half way through again
We found everything really clean – the soft play items appeared to be cleaned regularly and we didn’t spot any dirt around either.
Upon entering at first, I thought the AC was on really high till I climbed three stories and realised I’d worked up a sweat! Thank goodness for Aunti F to help Arj when I was too tired! Both kids got the hang of climbing up unaided pretty quick even in the big kids area.
Random animal noises play through the area at intervals. The babies had fun guessing which animal it was “froggy” “monkey”!
We visited on a Thursday morning at 11am and I was expecting it to be really busy given its also school holidays. Upon entering, I was pleasantly surprised to find only one other toddler there. I was surprised at how quiet it was however it may have been as it was a hot day. The busiest it got was towards 12pm where there were a maximum of 7 children including ours. The other mummies and babies present were really friendly.
Food wise there is a little cafe located just by reception that serve panini soups and sandwiches, however we decided to venture outdoors as it was a beautiful day!
Needless to say, both babes were absolutely shattered after their fun at the soft play centre! We’ll definitely be visiting again as we loved how quiet it was and that it was in quite a contained area.
Brentford Leisure Centre Softplay opening hours:
Monday-Friday 10:00 – 16:00
Saturday and Sunday 09:00 – 11:15
Disclosure: this is a sponsored post either in the form of remuneration or a free product being sent to us for review however all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Tonight Arjun melted my heart. I’m lying in my bed, feeling the soft kicks of my unborn baby and hearing the soft snores of my little monkey from the room next door feeling so blessed and content but with tears streaming down my face (pregnancy hormones!).
Tonight at bedtime Arjun summoned both Preetam and I to sleep at either side of him. We both lay next to him as he babbled in his half sleep state. The world sort of paused for that precious moment. Although I have lots of Baby Brain Apparel orders to process and Preetam has lots of paperwork, it could all wait. He isn’t going to ask for us to put him to bed forever.
I didn’t really think about why he wanted us both there. He was in a really sleepy state but babbling nevertheless (definitely my boy!). He started talking about “Arjy’s baby” – I watched him as he lay there with a beaming smile on his face with his eyes shut talking about his baby brother or sister. I’ve never seen him look so content and fulfilled – I welled up. I didn’t really think he thought much about the baby outside of when we bring it up. To hear him speak about “his” baby with such happiness melted my heart.
As he spoke about the baby, he mentioned random words like parks and aeroplanes. It felt like he was contemplating his future with a sibling. How beautiful. To think someone so tiny can process some of what is happening. We’ve tried to involve him as much as possible in the baby news and have also tried to be his pillars of support as he adjusts to the change.
Tonight, it was clear he summoned us both not only to talk about his sibling as a family, not only to share his excitement with us, but he was also seeking comfort from us both. He asked Preetam to tap his back and put his dinky little arm around my neck. He fell asleep with happy thoughts in the comfort of our presence.
My precious boy, how will I ever love another human being as much as I love you?
I hadn’t been to Heston pool since primary school days where I’d try and dodge swimming lessons like the plague!
I had a quick browse of the Fusion Lifestyle website prior to visiting and I was instantly wowed by how different it looked to school days! The website was really user friendly.
It definitely brought back memories going back to Heston pool although I could’ve been somewhere completely different! The place has been totally revamped and looks so swanky. I was so impressed by the soft play facilities, outdoor play area and new pool and changing facilities. The place has been given a modern make over and it’s really refreshing.
I’d been invited to come and review an Aquafit class. Something I’d not tried before! For those of you that don’t know, Aquafit is basically like aerobics in the water. I was looking forward to trying something different and exercising – something I’ve definitely not done enough of since falling pregnant. The thought of exercising in the water was appealing – I’d hoped the water would provide extra support and also an element of relaxation too.
Here’s my review:
Parking: the parking facilities at Heston Leisure centre are really good. There’s a large car park with ample parking and although it was busy due to school holidays, I still managed to find a space. And it’s free!
Reception friendliness: reception was a little chaotic as there were lots of children about and parents trying to book classes however there were enough staff to tend to customers swiftly. All the staff I encountered were very friendly and so helpful.
The decor is fresh and bright with floor to ceiling windows and grey and white tones for decor.
Changing facilities: It seemed like the changing rooms are cleaned frequently. There was little to no hair on the floor – a huge pet peeve of mine! There are ample lockers with larger and smaller ones available for a refundable £1. There were five showers and cubicles to get changed in. The decor is modern and everything felt new. despite it being busy due to the school holidays, the changing rooms were not over packed.
The pool: Pre warning, there were lots of children on the other side of the pool due to the holidays and it was quite noisy however there is a barrier separating the class from the common pool area.
The pool itself was very clean and the temperature was warm. The floor to ceiling windows and sky lights let in plenty of light.
There was quite a bit of hair present on the floor outside of the pool which was a little off putting but this may have been due to how busy it was.
Teacher & the class: As mentioned, I’ve never actually attended an Aquafit class before – I was looking forward to trying something new. I figured the water would help relax my tummy muscles as I’ve been in so much pain due to my internal c section scar from when I had Arjun.
We arrived a little before 12 and were told to have a quick splash before the instructor arrived who was running 5 minutes late. She ended up being 15 minutes late as she was covering another class but to be honest it was nice to be able to relax in the pool before the class began and I’m not sure I would’ve lasted the whole hour had she arrived on time! Ha!
The name of the instructor was Janette. She was a lovely warm and bubbly personality who was really considerate of everyone’s varying ability and condition. I’ve been to classes in the past where the instructor has been pretty aggressive and pulled people up in the middle of the class. She was a lot warmer and encouraging and offered varying methods of a particular exercise for those that can/can’t swim or those that found a particular exercise difficult.
There were about 11 ladies in the class in total which was a great number as we were spread out evenly. Everyone was really warm and friendly.
The water was about chest high and although I’m not a strong swimmer I felt pretty safe just in case I did take a tumble with the three lifeguards on standby!
I really enjoyed my first Aquafit class – even in my pregnant state I was able to keep up with most exercises although perhaps not as vigorously as my non pregnant state could! My favourite exercise was the tricep dip/back exercise using water weights. It helped stretch out my upper back too which really helped with tension that had built up in my shoulders. The water provided great resistance while also providing support.
The exercises included working out all parts of the body.
After coming out of the pool, my legs felt like jelly which is always a sign of a good work out! I slept really well that night.
Would I go back? Definitely!
If you’re interested in attending aquafit at Heston Pool, it’s every Friday from 12-1pm!
Disclosure: this is a sponsored post either in the form of remuneration or a free product being sent to us for review however all thoughts and opinions are our own.
He’s going to be a big brother! … Baby B is due January 2017 and we’re all so excited and so grateful to God for another blessing! 🙏🏼
The first week of May was a pretty great one for us this year – my best friends wedding, my birthday, finding out I’d been short listed for the MAD Blog Awards, appearing in several newspapers, being on national radio AND finding out we’re pregnant! It was really overwhelming to say the least and I am so grateful for all of God’s blessings.
It still doesn’t really feel real – it’s so different second time around with a crazy little toddler in tow!
I’ll be doing a series of catch up blog posts (I’ve been pretty quiet the last few months!) relating to my pregnancy journey including how it’s been different, pregnancy after PND, dealing with how Arjun has taken the news and the things that make me gag (oh the list is endless!).
I’m really excited to ride this journey with you guys and I’m sure I’ll be asking for lots of advice and guidance!
I was asked to review the SheaMoisture range by online store My Luxe Kids. I jumped at the chance given I was on the lookout for something with a nicer scent than Simple bath wash that wasn’t harsh on Arjun’s skin.
SheaMoisture pride themselves on using natural ingredients, being eco-friendly and cruelty free. In addition to all that good stuff, they also support many charities and women in deprived areas.
SheaMoisture omit all potentially harmful ingredients to your skin as listed below. Something that immediately drew me to the brand to protect Arjun’s pure skin. I had never overly thought about the amount of chemicals and ingredients included in such products till now.
SheaMoistures ‘no nos’:
No parabens
No phthalates
No paraffin
No formaldehyde
No propylene glycol
No mineral oil
No synthetic fragrance
No synthetic colour
No DEA
No petroleum
Arjuns skin type unfortunately can get quite dry and has become quite rough despite lots of moisturising. As mentioned, we were using Simple bath wash and we used Burt Bees oil after bathing him. More recently, as his skin has become dryer, we’ve been prescribed Cetraben to help keep him moisturised. I would much prefer to stick to a more natural product over medicated creams as from experience I know how damaging it can be to your skin over time. SheaMoisture is known to help those with eczema and other skin conditions, so it seemed promising!
This product would be the equivalent to the Simple head-to-toe bath wash that we were using on Arjun.
What it says on the bottle: SheaMoisture’s Raw Shea Chamomile & Argan Oil Baby Head-To-Toe Wash & Shampoo cleanses while calming and comforting baby’s delicate skin. Shea Butter – deeply moisturizes and repairs skin with vitamins and essential fatty acids. Chamomile anti-inflammatory properties help soothe red, irritated skin. Argan Oil which is high in Vitamin E, keeps skin soft and smooth.
Usage: The product is definitely gentle enough for everyday use as the bottle says. The 8oz bottle would last a while as you only need a few drops per wash.
Smell: It smells lovely! I’ve been itching to use something with a little bit of a scent on Arjun! Of course without compromising what it does to his skin. The smell is fruity and refreshing.
Texture: It’s less creamy when compared to the Simple brand bath wash we’re used to. It’s more transparent with a tinge of orange/brown similar to Johnson’s shampoo. The consistency is the same as other bath washes.
How we found it: I bathed Arjun in it for a week before writing up my review. I really loved how well it cleaned things such as pen marks off his skin. With creamier bath washes I always feel as though the soap slips right off before it can get rid of the grime. This was different. I was relieved that Arjun’s sensitive skin didn’t react adversely to the product. If anything, it made his skin feel a little softer and smoother. I get a whiff of the beautiful scent from his hair even the next morning.
The only thing that it didn’t work so well on was his hair. Arjun has very thick luscious locks and if can be quite difficult to wash it. Although it was easy enough to lather his hair in the wash and rinse it out, the texture of his hair after felt quite gritty and dry so perhaps the use of a conditioner after would help.
All in all, I’d definitely recommend this product for a daily bath wash but if using on similar hair type as Arjun’s, to also use a conditioner.
This product would be the equivalent to us using Burt Bee’s oil after a bath on Arjun.
What it says on the bottle: Excellent for a calming and relaxing massage. Gentle enough for everyday use. SheaMoisture’s Raw Shea Chamomile & Argan Oil Baby Healing Lotion moisturizes, calms and comforts baby’s delicate skin.
Usage: Apply lotion on baby’s skin after bath or anytime baby needs a kiss of moisture.
Again a large sized 8oz bottle which should last a while!
Smell: it has a really pleasant floral smell (especially compared to Cetraben!).
Texture: it’s a lot thicker than average lotions, the consistency is similar to that of Coco Butter. It requires a bit of muscle when pumping out of the bottle!
How we found it: I really love the lotion on both Arjun and myself. I use it daily on my hands. Although a thicker texture, it absorbs in to the skin well without too much effort moisturising well. I am definitely using Cetraben a lot less. Im hoping we can abandon it all together eventually. I’m so glad it’s completely natural and not harmful to Arjun’s skin.
I’d definitely recommend the lotion as a daily moisturiser. You can win a bottle over on my Instagram page!
This product is the SheaMoisture’s equivalent to Vaseline.
What it says on the bottle: SheaMoisture’s Raw Shea, Chamomile & Argan Oil Baby Head-To-Toe Ointment is a petrolatum-free ointment made to calm and protect baby’s raw irritated delicate skin. Perfect for soothing symptoms of nappy rash.
Usage: Apply to baby’s lips, cheeks hands, arms and legs. Apply liberally to baby’s bottom with each nappy change, or as needed. Gentle enough for everyday use. 4oz – would last a while.
Smell: much more pleasant smell compared to Vaseline!
Texture: much firmer than Vaseline, less oily.
How we found it: we tried this product on Arjun’s lips and when he had nappy rash. It worked well on his lips as a moisturiser especially when he has dry lips however not so well on his nappy rash. It didn’t make the rash any worse but in our case, it didn’t soothe it unfortunately.
Would you love to win a bottle of SheaMoisture Raw Shea Chamomile & Argan Oil Baby Healing Lotion? We’re giving away one to a lucky winner over on Instagram! Don’t forget to enter!
Disclosure: this is a sponsored post either in the form of remuneration or a free product being sent to us for review however all thoughts and opinions are our own.
I can’t believe my baby has turned 2! It’s crazy! I felt like I had a lot more time to absorb Arjun turning 1 than I have absorbing him turning 2. The start of terrible twos has definitely been challenging but I’m looking forward to watching my bestest little bud flourish and grow and find his own feet. Incase you missed it, you can read my post; to my son on your second birthday.
Given Arjun is pretty mad about building blocks, diggers and tractors, coupled with the fact that our house is a building site at the moment with a brand new garage being built and an extension (eek!!), there was no question about this year’s theme! If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m an absolute sucker for party planning. I love it so much and as small as I try and keep things, I always manage to get carried away!
I learnt so much from Arjun’s first birthday. I found the actual day really stressful as he was teething and a little grumpy. This year I was so much more relaxed and just let things be. We all had such a great time – especially Arjun.
Here are our party details:
Invites
This year I decided to send out text invites instead of hard copy ones. I figure every time I’m sent an invite, it always gets misplaced with the lunatic toddler that is Arjun! I always find it much easier to have things to hand on my phone via text or email. I absolutely loved them!
General décor
Theming is really important to me. However, this year I wanted to be more sensible with our money and try and use what we already had. I was quite pleased with myself although I do wish we hadn’t needed a marquee! I felt like we had no choice as the weather was turbulent the few days leading up to the party and I didn’t want to risk a downpour during the party. We always hire our marquees from Firstklass Marquees and are never disappointed! I decided to keep the marquee decor very minimal compared to last year with fabric draping on the roof and a black carpet.
Given we had to purchase large metal fencing as required by building controls for our extension, I decided to use this as a basis for sprucing the garden up. I purchased hazard tape in abundance and used this to cover all the fencing and also purchased black and yellow bunting. I decided to print large tools to add a splash of colour and also scattered them around. The road signs were made at home printed at home. This décor was pretty cost effective and it looked good too.
I used the same company that I used for Arjun’s first birthday for the majority of the balloons – Balloon Kingdom. I didn’t go as crazy as last year, but balloons always help to fill gaps and have a great impact. I got a few giant cones made out of balloons which we scattered around.
For the table décor, I used plain orange, black, silver and yellow plastic disposable table covers and placed a trio of balloons on each using a cone as the weight. We purchased the cones from Poundland (4 for £1!).
I also had giant diggers and tractors made out of balloons – they weren’t cheap but I loved how they added another fun element to the décor. I used a company called ContraBand Events and would highly recommend them.
For the kid’s tables, I used construction themed table covers and printed colouring sheets at home. I was definitely a little more savvy this time (sort of).
For the entrance, I had a sign printed at Vista Print which said “SITE ENTRANCE” and placed a giant tyre that we had on the ground. I also used two trestles at the entrance and tied two balloon bouquets to them.
Cake table décor and cake
The cake backdrop is always important to me. I decided to use a metal fencing with a black backdrop to bring out the detail on the backdrop. I purchased a photography backdropEdit.
Instead of the standard hazard tape, here I used “Caution birthday zoneEdit” tape. The beautifully creative birthday sign was made by my sister again this year – she has since started her own little business making personalised signs, drop me a message if you’d like her contact details. I thought last years was good, but I loved this year’s even more!
Preetam drew the tool cut outs on A3 thick card and we painted them at home. I made the road signs were made and printed at home. I love how personal the backdrop was. I also had two large balloon pillars that Susan made at either side of the cake table.
The construction themed cake was ordered from Rozay Cakes again – my go to girl for all our cakes. Not only does she go out of her way to create beautiful designs, she also pays so much attention to detail – notice how both this years and last years cakes included clouds!! The cake also tasted amazing – we went for a traditional birthday cake for the top tier with buttercream and jam and an Oreo cake for the bottom tier. I purchased mini cone candles for Arjun to blow out.
This year we decided to let Arjun blow out his birthday cake with his little buddies and cousins now that he’s a big boy. He was really shy and Preetam and I ended up jumping in! Needless to say, he wasn’t shy to tuck in!
Kid’s Food
If you read my blog posts on Arjun’s birthday last year, you’ll know that my most favourite part is theming the kids food table. I absolutely love it! I purchased colourful plastic table covers and table skirting online to cover the tables. Instead of digger themed plates and cups, I went for vibrant construction coloured ones.
Again for the décor, I used a metal fence panel and draped the remainder of the photography backdrop behind it. I used hazard tape and customised homemade food road signs. I also purchased inflatable road signs which I absolutely loved! I laid out the food and labelled the food using construction materials. I made the signs at home out of orange and yellow card by making mini horses. Here’s the kid’s food menu along with the names we used:
“Traffic lights” Fruit skewers using an oasis covered in hazard tissue paper.
“Washers” Mini pizzas
“Tools” Cheese and jam sandwiches using cookie cutters
“Bolts” Smiley faces:
“Paint” Pouches
“Beams” Vegetable fingers
“Boulders” Quorn nuggets
“Rubble” Popcorn
“Cement” Humous
“Rope” Vegetable sticks
“Filler” Dip
“Screws” Pasta
“Breeze Blocks” Cheese and onion mini rolls
“Paint Pots” Jelly
“Nuts” Savoury cheese biscuits
“Nails” Wotsits
“Lumber” Wafer biscuits
“Spare Tyres” Chocolate mini donuts
“Bearings” Malteasers
“Thanks for your hard days work, please take your days wage” Chocolate coins
I used a combination of orange, yellow and silver platters, Arjun’s toy diggers, wicker baskets, painted cardboard boxes, cones, a “junk food skip”, and garage storage compartments to display the food. I was thrilled with how it turned out!
Entertainment
As it was a construction themed party, I decided to set up a little construction zone for the kids. As the kids arrived, they were given a hard hat with their name label. The construction zone included:
• A tent with tunnel: I managed to pick this up for a bargain and we’ve kept it in the garden since as Arjun didn’t have a tunnel before.
• Tyres: We used old tyres as part of the display
• Breeze blocks: my sister managed to get lots of boxes from work which they (with the assistance of Arjun) painted so they resembled breeze blocks for the kids to build with.
• Building blocks: I hired giant colourful lego pieces from Best Bounce for the kids to build with. Arjun really enjoyed playing with these
• Ball pool: we hired a ball pool from Best Bounce
• Ride on toys: again, we hired these from Best Bounce
• Building bricks: I purchased a construction set from TTS which included foam building bricks. Although the set was quite expensive (£179.99), I thought it would be a lovely keepsake for Arjun to play with in the garden while the building work is going on in our house. He’s all about that at the moment!
• Cement mixer: again this came with the TTS set
• Wheel barrow: again this came with the TTS set and I also purchased a few extra that were on offer at Argos (2 for £15)
• Sandpit: the tray came with the TTS set and we filled it with existing sand toys we had. I purchased a few sand mills for the children to play with. The kids enjoyed putting sand in to the cement mixer and wheelbarrows.
TTS Construction Set (picture credit: http://www.primaryict.co.uk/tts-early-years-building-construction-site-84-pieces-approx_ey04889_5184.htm)
• Bosch tool bench and other tools: we placed Arjun’s existing tools and tool bench in the garden as part of the construction zone.
• Cones: the plain orange ones were from poundland and the colourful ones were from here. Arjun really loves playing with the cones even now!
• Fencing and road signs
• Playdough construction: I purchased playdough and playdough toys from Tiger and set up on a little table
I hired a large adult assault course bouncy castle for the grown ups from Best Bounce, however Arjun probably spent the most time on it! He is such an adrenaline junkie like his daddy! I was so proud of him for going for it. I loved seeing him enjoy himself so much – it filled my heart with so much joy.
I decided to have an entertainer again this year but to be honest probably could have gone without as the kids were amused by the bouncy castle and construction zone! I don’t think we’ll bother with an entertainer next year – or I’ll be calling on my sister who is a nursery nurse! Ha! I had asked for a Peppa Pig which was a big mistake as despite how much he loves the diddy little piggy on TV, she wasn’t so diddy in real life and he was terrified! Oops.
To keep the adults entertained, I also decided to have an in-house milkshake stand “Build a Milkshake” – again I got the banner printed from Vista Print after designing it myself on good ol Paint! Preetam built the milkshake stand and my sisters and their friends kindly painted it for me.
We offered Oreo, Ferrero Rocher, strawberry and areo mint milkshakes and it went down an absolute treat!
I ordered adhesive chalk paper and a chalk pen to make the menu sign – my sister in law used her artistic ability to put it together!
Given the ice cream van was such a hit last year, we called him back again this year. I also decided to introduce a little kid’s table which included sprinkles and sweets for the older children. I ordered a mini cardboard ice cream van and little paper cups and filled them with sweets. Again, I got a banner printed which said “Build An Icecream”. The adults and children alike enjoyed the unlimited ice cream and even got the chance to make their own!
Adult Food
Instead of catered food this year, I decided to go with the cheaper option of calling on relatives for help. I ordered pizza from outside, my mother in law made her famous dokra (savoury cake) and gulab jaman (indian sweet), my mum made her aloo papdi chaat and got samosas, my aunt made her delicious pasta and our lovely neighbours who are caterers took care of the paneer, chips, salad and naan! I hired the same waitresses that we hire at all our functions to help manage things on the day – it made all the difference. I didn’t have to worry about a thing!
In addition to Arjun’s birthday cake, I also got two giant cakes from Costco for a bargain price of £11 each and they fed 45 people each! They also tasted delicious!!
Party Bags
I kept the party bags simple this year although they cost about the same as last! Instead of themed bags/boxes, I opted for plain yellow and black paper bags and customised them myself by including a strip of hazard tape.
I wanted the contents to be useful and something the children could actually play with for longer than 30 seconds! I opted for a bottle of paint and stamping blocks (something one of my friends has done before and it worked really well!) and beautiful handmade chocolate tractors/diggers that were personalised by the lovely Marie from Love Little Treats. I always like to include a personal touch and I loved the little gift tags that Marie created.
Outfits
Compared to last year, our outfits were an absolute doddle this year! I decided to get all the immediate family matching t shirts. I purchased the iron on transfers from ETSY and made them at home myself. I wanted something fun and this was perfect!
The roles I went with (in a very random order!) were:
Arjun: Birthday Boss Daddy: Supervisor Mummy: Planner (very apt!) Nana Ji: Foreman Dada Ji: Foreman Nani Ji: Designer Dadi Ji: Designer Indy Chacha: Electrician Jas Fufar Ji: Structural Engineer Mane Pua: Architect Harv Masi: Inspector Goov Masi: Operator
For Arjun, I purchased a pair of tools Fred and Noah leggings which were perfect for the day – they were comfy and the design fitted in so well!
All in all, we had such a fun filled day! I definitely got to enjoy this year a lot more as I was so much more relaxed! The Nanis and Dadis even managed a little bhangra session at the end (obviously!)!
A huge thank you to all those that helped us put the party together – my darling sisters, all our family and our extended family – our friends and a big thank you to those that came and celebrated with us!x
Incase you missed last year’s Jungle themed party posts, you can find them here:
Many people have asked me “what makes you happy?”. I think I’m quite a pessimist by nature and answering that question has often left me stumped and feeling really rubbish given I have so much to be grateful for.
As I sit here in Perissa, Santorini with my two boys on a black sandy beach with the glorious sun beaming, Mother Nature taking her course making music with the beautiful waves crashing against the shore in rhythm , a breath taking view and a beautiful breeze blowing to keep me cool on my sun lounger, I can hear the beautiful sound of Arjun laughing hysterically. His innocence with the dangers that something so beautiful can pose as he fights the protective embrace of his daddy to throw himself in, the fascination with life’s simple pleasures and mother natures beauty – all the things we take for granted. I watch my husband that was so stressed and uptight with juggling so much just a few days ago, play with Arjun like his worries and stresses have been lifted. Like this is his sole purpose in life. Watching such a tiny person have such a big hold over a 6ft 4 giant is amazing to me.
The last few months have been somewhat challenging and I’ve struggled at times to find a happy place. Being away from the stresses and struggles of daily life has perhaps given me the chance to reflect. Or the chance to give Arjun a space where mummy and daddy are focused on each other, him and us.
Watching my two boys in the sea, bouncing up and down riding the waves and squealing with excitement is what makes me happy. So much so that it’s made me cry. I sit here with a big smile and tears streaming rolling off my big cheeks as I’m overwhelmed by emotion. How lucky am I? How lucky are we? What more beautiful sound is there than that of your child laugh from the pit of their belly? The little sparkle in his eye, the excitement in his tiny voice and the view of him tipping his tiny head back as he laughs so hard with his hero – his daddy.
That’s what makes me happy. Seeing my most beautiful and innocent trophy, happy. Seeing the two men in my life sharing so much love and doting on each other with no stress or tension.
Thank you God for blessing me with everything I could ever have wished for.
I mean you’re such a big part of our lives, I almost feel like I’m being a mean girl by not dedicating a post to the most annoying pig on the planet!
After watching a ridiculous number of episodes (and memorising many), I honestly have no idea what the sheer fascination with the programme is. Arjun has never been one to be glued to the tele … Till now. When he does his puppy eyes, like butter wouldn’t melt, and says “mummy Puppi pwees”, how can I say no? I’m like a prisoner in my own home thanks to you.
Let’s start with the negatives so that the post ends with the positives. Silver linings and all that.
The things that really bug me about you Peppa:
1) Your generally unkind ways (especially to little bro George). You’re my son’s number one idol and my number one nightmare at times.
2) Why must you always have your own way every frickin time?
3) Why must your Grandpa use words such as “stupid”. I try my best to curb any swear words all for it to go down the drain when you casually use “silly” and “stupid”. It’s not cool.
4) Why must you answer back? You have the nicest/(pushover) parents, why can’t you just be a good little respectful piggy?
That being said, there’s a lot I’m grateful to you for.
So Peppa if you’re reading, I’m grateful to you for …
1) Assisting with meal times
https://youtu.be/2IS_pCQDjcY
2) For extending his vocab to include words like “circus” “dinosaur” and “picnic” (And hopefully he has positive selective hearing and won’t pick up words like “stupid”)
3) Teaching my son to pronounce things “properly” (apart from your name – your name is pronounced “Puppi”).
4) Helping my son perfect a life skill that is learning to roar like a dinosaur
5) Giving me at least half an hour worth of daily peace
6) Teaching my son some important life lessons like ensuring he wears his best wellies when jumping in muddy puddles
7) Introducing all kinds of new interests in Arjun’s life such as fish – it makes planning days out a lot easier but it also means we’ll probably end up with a goldfish named “Goldy” in the near future
8) Teaching him to share … Shame it’s only limited to you and your family!
9) Mastering his oink/snort – never know when that’s going to come in handy!
I’m not entirely sure how I feel about you on the whole but for now, I’ll thank you for the good bits!
What a year it’s been. Last year I seemed somewhat more aware of the passing of time. Life felt a little slower – like I had the chance to absorb what was going on around me. This last month has felt like a big blur and I can’t quite believe you’re two.
Two.
Two whole years. I’ve known you for two years and nine months. What a year it’s been. You’ve grown in to a strong willed, fun loving, God loving and caring little guy. I am so proud of you. As each day passes, you amaze me and fascinate me more than the day before. You fill the hearts of those around you and you never fail to make us smile.
You’re my first born. The one baby I will get to cherish more so than any other as you don’t have to share my time with anyone. And even then I seemed to have struggled at times. I’m so sorry Arjun. For sometimes getting my priorities mixed up. For not always playing with you when you’ve wanted me to. For not always hugging you for long enough. For not always cherishing every moment like I should. For not reading to you everyday. For not always making you the most wholesome meals. Sometimes taking you for granted. Despite all that, you really are my bestest friend. This last month has been tough for all of us with so many changes in our lives – the extension has shaken up things for all of us at home and I know I haven’t always been patient but thank you for being wise beyond your years and comforting me when I’ve needed it. I have no idea where you’ve learnt to be the little gentleman (most of the time) that you are. You are my bestest friend, my everything and I am so proud of you.
We have a lot of work to get through as we now aim to tackle the “terrible twos” but I’m ready for it – I promise to try my best to be more calm, conscious and understanding. To help you work through your daily struggles of dealing with life and not always knowing how to react and to help you to let your little personality shine through in the best way possible.
I love you so much.
Happy second birthday son xx
Hi, I’m Harps, an award winning blogger who shares my journey of motherhood after experiencing post natal depression and an unexpected diagnosis of Down’s syndrome. Readers have often coined my musings “relatable” and “warming”. I have gone on to turn my passion of connecting people into working with brands ranging from household names through to small businesses and sharing with my engaged audience.
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