Bye Bye 2016

It's been another whirlwind of a year here in the Herridge/Houchin household.  We have had more ups and downs than a bloody theme park ride but somehow we have made it to the end of December and to the start of a fresh new year.

I love reading these sorts of posts, reflecting is one of my favourite things to do. I don't dwell and I don't have regrets I just like to review my journey and work out how on earth I got to where I am today.

In the world of motherhood, this year has been a challenge to say the least! Harry hit two and a half and suddenly all hell broke loose.  It's safe to say the threenage era came a little early and we were experiencing all the tears and tantrums.

He has gone from the prefect sleeper to the all night raver and we still aren't any closer to potty training.  However Harry's speech has come on leaps and bounds, he chats away but finally he's forming words and sentences that actually make sense. He is so close to his peers now that it's hard to believe her spent 14 months in a world of silence. He is so god damn funny, his little quirks make me giggle, however devilish he can be

In 2015 my best friend (also known as my fiancé Scott) had a life threatening brain tumour, had surgery to remove it and then spent 7 weeks back and forth from hospital every day to have radiotherapy. In fact we spent last Christmas Eve, New Years Eve and even New Year's Day there for him to have his treatment. BUT it was all bloody worth it wasn't it.. because he has only gone and had 3 scans which have all been crystal clear - most definitely the absolute best news to come out of 2016.

I hope he knows how proud I am of him. To be diagnosed with such an awful thing at 35 just isn't fair, but he was a hero and you really wouldn't have a clue what his body has been through now. 

And little old me.. I almost lost my life to an ruptured ectopic pregnancy at the beginning of the year but I'm still here to tell the tale.

I then spent an entire blurry summer with my sister in and out of hospitals caring for our very sick dad and fighting the NHS for his right to treatment.

But I had so so many highs to compensate for those crazy heartbreaking times. I saw the QUEEN aka Britney and had one of the best nights ever!  I travelled more this year than ever before. I went to Morocco for my beautiful friends hen party.  Visited Santorini for a toddler free break, and it was the most stunning place I have ever been.  Then of course hopped to Paris with my love who finally asked me the question I have been dying to hear. Getting engaged was a huge huge highlight of 2016.

I also pushed myself waaaaaay out of my comfort zone and put myself in front of the camera again. Believe it or not I cannot stand public speaking and that's how vlogging feels to me at the moment. However I am really proud of myself for jumping in at the deep end and becoming part of a YouTube network called Channel Mum.  After almost joining and backing out twice before, I was shocked when they got in touch again and asked if I was ready to be a part of their tribe.. and this time I said yes and I'm so glad I did! I've met a real great group of gals whom I can actually call my friends and not just in the online sense.

I've never really had goals as such for my blog and channel, I guess I still really don't. I just want to create content that's informative but enjoyable to watch, I have this overwhelming sense of wanting to share all my experiences in the hope that someone out there finds comfort knowing they aren't alone. 

Things I have learnt this year….

• It's OK not to be the perfect Pinterest mum
• I really need my sleep.
• Chocolate bribery is essential 
• Threenagers are WAY harder than terrible twos 
• It's OK to sometimes think that your child is a bit of a dick
• Friendship isn't about who you've known the longest
• My mum tribe is awesome
• Soft play sucks
• I can't run 

So another weird year of super highs and mega lows for us, but I guess that's just life.  I've learnt yet again that I am strong and to make every day count. 

Sure there are things I want to achieve, I want to fill my empty picture frames, get semi-fit, drink more spinach and all that but I'm not really one to make big plans or resolutions.  I just want to enjoy life and the normal'ness of it.  I want to have way more PJ days. I want to meet new friends and squeeze the ones I already have much much more. 

Happy New Year, I hope 2017 is kind to you.  I say stop focusing on life's big plan and live a little.  Make mistakes, have crap days but learn from them. Enjoy the little things

Ta rah 2016, you're the year that was full of surprises.

Harry's Christmas Eve Box

I

 have never bought into the idea of a Christmas Eve box.. I thought it was a little unnecessary for children who get so many presents on the big day itself.  However now Harry is starting to understand Christmas and what happens on Christmas Eve I have totally done a full circle and decided its a fantastic idea!  Instead of cramming it with toys, I have just popped in a few essentials that I would have got him for the run up to Christmas anyway, and a couple of things we can do together as we wait for the big guy to pop down our chimney!

Festive Pyjamas (from M&S)

Everyone loves snuggling up in new PJs right?! This two pack from M&S weren't expensive but are really soft and lovely quality

Christmas Jumper (from Primark)
I couldn't resist this Primark jumper with its cute 3d carrot nose!! I really hope Harry will want to wear it on the big day!

The Dinosaur that Pooped Christmas

I mentioned this in my gift guide video, its a really funny alternative Christmas book for little ones with silly imaginations!  

The Christmas Bear Book

A good classic lift flap book from the illustrators of the Gruffalo!

Christmas Garlands (from Hobbycraft)

I remember making tons of these garlands when I was little so I felt really nostalgic when I picked up a pack in Hobbycraft!  Another little activity for us to do together before bedtime

Chocolate Coins & Chocolate Penguin

Seeing as its Christmas chocolate before bed is allowed!

Reindeer Headband 

The bells on this headband sound exactly like Santa on his sleigh and Harry is going to love running about with this on his head!

Will you be doing a Christmas Eve box?  What is in yours?!

DIY Edible Christmas Gifts | Melted Snowman Bark & Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows

Christmas for me is all about the giving part.  I absolutely love Christmas shopping (unless its for my fussy fiance) and finding the perfect gift for each member of my family.  However budgets don't always stretch far and its nice to be able to give a little gesture in the form of an edible gift!  Super easy to make and really inexpensive.  

My melted snowman bark and giant chocolate dipped marshmallows take very little effort for maximum yumminess!!  We will be making these over the festive period this year to give to our "playdater's" as a small token to celebrate Christmas.

I would love to know if you attempt to make either of these yule time treats, let me know in the comments below!! 

What's on my Christmas Wishlist?

YES its another ruddy Christmas post from another festive feeling blogger!  But you have obviously clicked here for a reason, perhaps for some gift inspiration?!

My birthday is Christmas Eve which is super annoying for my friends and family and it means I usually need to write them a list of ideas of gifts they can buy me.  This year my list feels pretty long but in this post is just some of my favourites.  Maybe this will give you some ideas for your own Christmas list or give you a light bulb moment for a present for that special someone in your life..


Sass & Belle Mr & Mrs Fund
ASOS £10 BUY HERE
If you didn't know already I recently got engaged in Paris!  We haven't booked anything yet but have started looking at prices and WOWSERS we need to get saving ASAP!  This money box is the cutest and would be a good gift for any newly engaged couples to start collecting those pennies!


Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel
Cult Beauty £29.50 BUY HERE
My good friend and beauty obsessive Lara told me about this cleansing gel and boy it sounds like something I need on my bathroom shelf.  I am ashamed to admit that I don't like spending a lot on skin care but after a horrendous bout of breakouts I am venturing into the luxury skincare market in full force.  Oskia is a brand i'm excited to try and this Renaissance Cleansing Gel packed with a billion vitamins shall be my place to start.


Real Techniques Brush Cleansing Pallette
Boots £12.99 BUY HERE
There is nothing more mundane but ironically satisfying about cleaning makeup brushes.  Its got to be done and you feel fabulous for it afterwards but the actual doing part for me is such a chore.  I think this Brush Cleansing Pallette from Real Techniques could be a real game changer for me and it might cut down the time it takes to scrub that war paint from my beautiful brushes.


Team Internet Jumper
H&M £12.99 BUY HERE
Of course I need this jumper, I am all about the internet!! Need I say more.


Llama Pyjamas
ASOS £24 BUY HERE
There is something about the words "llama" and "pyjamas" put together that makes me giggle!! I love gimmicky pyjamas (as long as they aren't covered in emojis or pokemon) and this set from ASOS is top of my PJ list this Crimbo.


Sweet Almond and Macaroon Candle
Jo Malone £42 BUY HERE
Christmas wouldn't be complete for me if I didn't get to unwrap a new candle.  I'm quite fussy about scents though and I'm not happy unless it is overly sick sweet and in a fancy jar! Sweet Almond and Macroon smells DIVINE you could almost eat it and like all JM candles it lasts absolutely ages.


Lipstick in shade "Almost Pink"
Bobbi Brown £21 BUY HERE
"Almost Pink" is the perfect nude for my skin tone.  Its pink without being too pink and peach without being.. yeah you guessed it.. too peach.  The formula is creamy, not too sheer or too matte and wears off lovely in case you don't have time for top ups.


HydrateM8 Water Bottle
HydrateM8 £13.99 BUY HERE
I am so terrible at drinking enough water but I find my body needs hydrating constantly.  I have heard rave reviews about the physiological concept of these HydrateM8 water bottles and I think it could really help me to drink my much needed 2 litres a day.  This limited edition black version is my fave!


Zoeva Cocoa Blend Eyeshadow Palette
Beauty Bay £18 BUY HERE
I think every single shade in the Cocoa Blend Pallette by Zoeva is beautiful and totally wearable for Autumn/Winter.  I am a HUGE fan of Zoeva brushes but I haven't tried their makeup before so I would love to give these shadows a whirl.  I also think that £18 is such a reasonable price for a high end palette like this.


iPhone 7 Golden Ice Marble Phone Case
Madotta £25 BUY HERE
My friend Claudia pointed these beeeeeaaauuuttiful cases out to me a few months ago and I've been lusting after one ever since! I must admit I usually buy myself the 99p cases off Ebay that last all but one week and don't actually protect my phone in any way whatsoever so it would be nice to have a more expensive and practical case.


Alice Weekly Schedule Diary
The Magic Notebook £10 BUY HERE
I have used an Alice Weekly Schedule for the last 3 years now.  They are basically dateless diaries that you can start at any time of the year and you can customise them with pretty stickers etc.  This one is inexpensive, pretty and small enough to fit in your handbag!


Viktor & Rolf Bon Bon EDP
Boots £63.45 BUY HERE
As I mentioned I am all about the super sickly sweet scents and Viktor and Rolfs Bon Bon is exactly that.  It is so sweet you will be walking around smelling like a candy shop but a good candy shop!  I know that scent is such a personal thing but I really think its hard not to like Bon Bon

I would love love love to know what is on your Christmas list this year, let me know in the comments below!!

Talking About My Ectopic Pregnancy

Back in April this year, I was rushed to hospital with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy which was developing in my fallopian tube.  I wrote all about my experience here just a few days after it happened.  Now a few months down the line I thought I would branch out and share my story on YouTube on my channel Lucie and the Bump.

I was really nervous filming this but I felt like it was something I should talk about being a parent blogger and vlogger, in the hope it can help someone else or at least raise awareness. 

I would love it if you shared this video with anyone you know who has been through or going through something similar.  Or just take the time to hear about the signs and symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy.

Hopefully my next video will be something a bit more upbeat :)

Lucie x 

The Proposal

For me, one of life's little pleasures is getting away from the sleep-work-play-repeat routine, and that is exactly what I did last week.  My other half Scott aka Mr H surprised me with a trip to the city of love and one of my favourite places in the world, Paris.

We spent a long lazy weekend pre-baby there 4 years ago and we always said we would return, enticed by steaming hot chocolate and incredible architecture.

We hopped off the Eurostar in Gard du Nord and head straight for our favourite little boutique hotel Hotel Elysees Union, where we dumped our bags and trotted off arm in arm to visit the Louvre.  I must admit I am not usually the museum type, but there is something about the Louvre and its majestic contents that I adore.  We spent a good few hours exploring before sprinting through the rain to queue up for the ever popular Angelina.  If you haven't been to Angelina for their famous indulgent hot chocolate then you really haven't lived, it is truly dreamy. 

Day one in Paris was over quicker than my mug of hot choc and we finished it off with a takeaway pizza in bed (rock n roll) with our heads in our books.

Day two however was completely not at all what I was expecting and turned out to be the most amazing day I've ever had!

We woke up bright and early to croissants, cheeses, and sweet tea then jumped on the metro to explore the Tuileries Gardens.  Somehow, the last time we visited Paris we completely missed our the beautiful gardens that spread out in front of the Louvre so we knew we had to wander around them on this trip.  It was super quiet, with only a few early morning runners galloping past us and the air was thick with fog, but it was SO pretty!  It was quite possibly the most autumnal scene I've ever been in with rows of copper coloured trees and the ground covered with crunchy leaves.  

After collecting some huge shiny conkers and admiring the sculptures scattered amongst the gardens, we found a bench in a secluded spot to rest our feet.
Mr H then reached into the pocket of his humongous puffy coat and produced the most beautiful ring I have ever seen and asked me to marry him!!  I was so shocked and burst into tears... and of course said yes!  (I also asked why on earth he wasn't down on one knee, to which he responded that the ground was too dirty..!)

I was absolutely buzzing and spent the next half an hour gasping and squealing with delight and excitement!  I tried to call my mum and my best friends who annoyingly weren't answering their phones as Scott led me to a nearby coffee shop to calm down!
Then, just as our lattes arrived, a few familiar faces appeared at the coffee shop window.. Scott had arranged for our closest friends and family to join us in Paris and celebrate our engagement!  I know.  I am going to marry the best guy in the world right?!
My little boy Harry had been exploring Pairs for a whole 24 hours, with me none the wiser!
As you can imagine this was all followed by tears of joy, cuddles and quite a lot of bubbles as we sat and enjoyed such a special day altogether.  I really couldn't believe everyone had made such an effort to be in Paris with us and that they had all managed to keep it a secret for the last year of planning!!  

My gorgeous ring is every bit as perfect as I imagined it to be.  It is simple, classic and just so me.  It is also made from Scott's mums wedding band which is probably one of the nicest and most touching parts of the whole engagement.  She passed away when we first got together and I never had a chance to meet her.  I hope she is looking down and feeling very proud of her wonderful Son and the great surprise he arranged for me.

If you have read my blog for a long time you will know that my little family has been dealt its fair share of bad events, not that I am one to dwell, but I really feel like this is our happy ending now and I can't wait to marry my soul mate!

The Un-filterable.

You know those days when its not even 10am 9am and you're already wondering if its bedtime yet?

I like to refer to those days as the un-filterable.  There is simply no Instagram filter that could make the snapshots of those days any better.  

We have been going through a bloody tough time with our son Harry.  He is coming up to 3 and it seems like the whole terrible twos/threeanger thing has well and truly kicked in.  There doesn't seem to be a day lately where I haven't had to tell him off for doing something naughty or battle with him across the dinner table. 

I don't understand why mums (and some dads, don't want to leave you out there lads) find it so hard to share the tough parts of parenthood.  Those real dark times where you have said a few swear words to your children, not even under your breath.  Where you physically have to lock yourself in the bathroom to stop yourself from bursting into floods of tears from frustration.  Or when you're scrubbing lipstick out of the brand new sofa because you stupidly left your handbag at toddler-level.

I haven't been posting as much as I usually would on Instagram because of course no one wants to see photos on their social media feed of that puddle of wee your son just gifted you on the rug or the almighty tantrum over wanting to wear a shark print swimsuit with slippers to nursery.  So pre-mum you are led into this false sense of everything being pink and fluffy, with not a meltdown in sight.

I am certainly not one of those people who pretends that it is all fine and dandy and that I love being a mum every second of every day, because I don't!  Its the hardest job I've ever done.  I'm not a mumsy mum and sometimes I would rather talk about makeup and Geordie Shore than whether breast is best.  We don't do arts and crafts at home twice a week because I simply can't stand the mess, and I let Harry watch his iPad whilst eating his breakfast every morning!  AND SOMETIMES (this one is really bad) I have to bribe him with chocolate in order to brush his teeth.... ironic?!

Why am I writing this you may be asking yourself?!  Well its simply just a ramble, a real life one where it isn't all sunshine and rainbows.  Sometimes I want to smash my phone up when I see how seemingly perfect another family's life looks.  But I have to remind myself that it is all the work of the ever popular Valencia filter, and really I bet those people are going through the very same struggles that I am.
Also.. I do really love the bones off my son even if I did almost want to throw him out the window at 3am this morning!!  I know it won't last forever and its all part of the parenting game!

A Playdate to Wellington Country Park | with Huggies Little Swimmers

We recently went for a playdate with our buddies Lara and George.  We went to one of our fave local hangouts, Wellington Country Park.  They have an awesome new splash pad, tons of parks and even animals to pet, it is such a nice place to visit if you are in the Hampshire or Berkshire area!

I decided to film our playdate so that you can get a peek into a typical Thursday morning with my little bug Harry!  As a Huggies Little Swimmers Get Set Splash Blogger, I wanted to show you guys how easy it is to use their swim nappies whilst out and about on a whim without it being a stressful experience.  We always always always have a few of them in our changing bag for days like this where the sun could burst through the clouds at any moment!

I hope you enjoy this video (give it a thumbs up if you did!)!  I would love to hear what you guys have been up to this Summer in the comments, or if you have any hang outs you think I need to check out!

*As a Huggies Little Swimmers "Get Set, Splash" blogger I did collaborate with them for this video and post, but as always my opinions are always honest and entirely my own!