A little Harry round up

Hiya all,

Ive never been a huge fan of surprises, if Gareth tells me hes brought me a surprise for my birthday or Christmas, i have been known to practically bully him until he is forced to tell me what it is!

However my little mans new favourite thing is to give people 'suprises' he will tell you to close your eyes, and bring you a 'suprise' now this could be anything, a toy, a hat, or as you can tell from this picture, his surprise for me were bob the builder goggles.

I love his surprises, and he loves surprising people.

I'm so proud of my little man, who will be turning 3 in the blink of an eye, he has his moments of madness and misbehaviour, but he is turning into such an amazing boy.

He loves helping me cook, and baking cakes, yesterday i burnt myself on the oven (that will teach me to be scared of oven gloves and use a tea towel instead) i had a little blister on my finger, which he came over to me and kissed better and also offered me his 'manky blanky' as some comfort. Melts my heart.

Every morning he wakes up when his Daddy does for work, his Daddy will kiss his good bye and he will then tell Daddy to kiss Mommy too, when his Dad has left the bedroom, he will say to me 'mommy, daddys gone work'  and then everyday at around the quarter to 5 mark, he will say 'daddy home' and within the 10mins his daddy will be home, its like hes counted the hours to see him again.

He loves playing on his leappad and looking after his 'pet' on there, aswell as taking 100s of pictures of everyone, and marking artwork. He seems so proud of himself when hes done a piece.

As much as he loved his leappad, his other big passion is still fireman Sam, and his fireman sam playset, he loves 'resucing' people of the roofs of buildings, and roll playing the characters, could watch him for hrs.

Come September my little boy will be going half a day to nursery. I just don't no what il do, i no thousands of mothers and fathers have to go through this every year, but i just feel a huge sick feeling when i think about him not being with me all day. Ive been very lucky to be able to spend every day at home with him, so i really should be thankful for that. Me and a friend are currently in talks for a business idea that will fit around both our children and there needs, so that's exciting and im hoping that will keep my mind busy and not worrying about what my little man is doing, weather he misses me and things.

He will use both a potty and a 'big boy toilet'  for a wee but we haven't 100% mastered the timing, some times he will come tell me as hes doing it or just after :( but hes getting there slowly. The issue is number 2s, hes reluctant to do one on either a potty or toilet. I've heard this is very common, do any of you have any tips?

Food, probably harrys biggest downfall is his hatred of most foods, and refusal to eat or try anything new. It can be quite trying, but ive learnt not to make a big deal out of it, and if he doesnt like whats offered, not to offer anything else. As everyones told me, he wont starve, if hes hungry he will eat. Over the last few weeks however hes getting a little better, he loves curry flavours, rices and noodles, he will eat a few chips, but hes not a huge fan of potatoes really. He will eat fruit and raisins, crackers with butter, but hes doesnt like cheese apart from on pizza (neiher do i) hes also not a big fan of meat either. I am going to start making new things with him, home made pizzas and let him choose the toppings and things try and introduce new flavors, and if hes made them himself, hopefully he may try them without to much of a fuss being kicked up.

Harry's speech is coming on leaps and bounds, he knows his colours, numbers and some letters. I am so proud to call him my son :)

So there we go, a little round up of my little man.

Love Lucy x

crabman . . .

Hiya all,

The snows gone, the cold weather is well and truley stayed, the skys are grey, so i thought id share with you a video, to brighten up your day, or have a giggle at.

You heard of superman, well move on over, meet . . . . CRABMAN. Videoed roughly 2006. We though this was very funny at the time, it did used to have sound i think but thats dissapeared :(

Another of my old harddrive finds. We laughed and cringed when watching it last night, and you no i like to share.

Hope it made you at least smile :)

Love Lucy x

Fitter Healthier Slimmer 2013 - update 1

Hiya,

As you may or may no have seen, im trying to get fitter healthier, and you guessed it, slimmer for 2013. You will see my post here, how how i explain what im aiming to do and hopefully achieve.

I am going to be honest, i have received my 30 day shred DVD i ordered, however, i have not played it once yet. Let me explain, it was stuck in the post over the last week or so due to the snow being down and we not getting any post, so then it arrived and it seems i may need some small weights to be able to do it properly, as as payday isn't until Thursday, i wont be able to get any until at least then, so i shall start it as soon as ive got some.

I have however been snacking alot less and eating more fruit which im pleased about.

At the weekend i managed to access my old laptop hard drive, and attach it to my current laptop with a usb converter wire, so now i have all the pictures i thought i had lost forever from roughly 2004 - 2007. One of the ones that struck me was one of my tattoos, both on my belly/hip bones, i was shocked at how flat my tummy was (roughly 2006):-

(ignore the actual tattoos, they WILL be covered and improved this year)

Ive plucked up the courage and will share with you what the same tattoos/belly looks like today (roughly 6/7years on):-

 

Oh to be 16 again!!

I no il never get back to that size and flattness and really i don't want to, it would be a un realistic target, i have had a 9lb 6oz baby inhabit my womb for 9 months, things will of bound to have changed.

So down to the stats, 2 weeks ago (15/01/13):-

Weight - 11 stone 11lbs

Today (28/01/13):-

Weight - 11 stone 8lbs

Im pretty happy with that 3lb loss in 2 weeks. Now to get the flabby bits a little bit toned :)

So there we go, until 2 week time, il be back and hopefully the DVD will be a success and i wont pass out on the floor in a sweaty pile! lol

Love Lucy x

pay day oh pay day . ,

wherefore art thou pay day?

Hiya all,

This weeks been a bit poop and moany from me on my blog, im very sorry :( i suppose it reflects my own mood really, always said i would be honest with you didn't i.

Now me and Gareth live on a single wage - his. He works bloody hard for us as a family, next week he will be working 8am-8pm all week, so wont see Harry at all, as Harrys in bed at 7pm. He does that for us! (normally works 6am-4:30pm) He was last paid on December 21st due to Christmas holiday and things, hes normally paid on the last working day of the month, meaning December's money had to/has to stretch until next Thursday the 31st. How unfair is it that, 4 weeks of money has to last 6 weeks, its really not on.

We are cutting it very fine money wise this time of the year, and as much as money is not the be all and end all, it does help - alot.

Petrol still needs putting in the car (and motorbike), we still need to eat and Harry still needs nappys on his bottom, all of which costs money.

Not to mention the things im itching to buy with my obession with forward planning, birthday gifts for upcoming birthdays, Harrys birthday decorations and presents. Booking tickets for drayton mannor, travel and hotel in London for Gareth's birthday. and did i mention the new bedside tables, bedset and pillows ive been promised from the Mr with his overtime - itching i tell you.

But until then me and Gareth shall be living on pot noodles that are currently on sale at asda and enjoying the simple things in life this weekend arts and crafts with old bits and bobs from the recycling - i suppose there is a upside to not having much money to play with :)

So theres another rant from me, normal service shall be resumed i promise and happier me shall return.

Is anyone else feeling the pinch of a late pay day?

Love Lucy x

Its snow joke now

Hiya all,

What are we, in the UK, by far the best at in the whole world?

 

Moaning!

 

And here i go . .

I do love snow, and i do love seeing Harry have lots of fun in it, sledging, building snowmen, throwing snowballs and generally enjoying the novelty of it.

 

BUT

Its been 7days now from the start of the snow fall here in the West Midlands, and it doesn't look like its going anywhere anytime soon.

With my brothers business being 90% outdoor work, its absolutely crippling him, they cant get any jobs done, cement will not set in this weather and jobs booked in are calling to cancel, therefor hes loosing business and cant pay wages, which if it carrys on will result in possible loss of jobs, arrrhhh no one wants that. Infact one of his employees had a accident on his way to work this morning and broke his ankle in 2 places, so will be off work for 12 weeks at least.

Another issue that it brings, my Gareth is a motorbike rider and has to ride for roughly 20mins to get to work, not all main roads, so its like a ice rink, no way can he ride his bike in these conditions, so i have been having to take him, doubling our fuel bill as my car takes much more petrol than his bike does.

Im really not a spoil sport, but id really love for the stuff to leave now, its lovely for a few days but as a country were really not cut out for more than a few days of the white stuff i don't think.

So could you all keep fingers and toes crossed that by Monday its all gone and normal service can resume :)

Hope you have all managed to stay safe in this weather

Love Lucy x

birthday planning . . .

Hiya all,

I'm a huge forward planner, i like things to be booked and ready, I'm really not a last minute person, sometimes i wish i could be when I'm laid awake at night with 1001 things running through my head that i need to book,order and send for birthday and occastions months ahead. For example the hen do of a close friend I'm attending in June, i was in charge of goodie bags, i already have them brought and sorted, willys galore!!

Yesterday my little man turned 34months, (yes im aware you should sop counting there age in months but i cant help it) which means in 2 months time Harry will turn 3!

When did this happen? how on earth did my newborn suddenly become a 3year old child? surely Ive been conned and time has been stolen somewhere.

Now we have in between now and Harry's birthday, Gareth's brother turning 4 in feb, then my nieces 18th bday, then my moms bday in march, followed by my sister in laws, my other nieces 17th, Gareth's nans, then Gareth's 24th birthday and then after that the main mans himself - 22nd march - HARRY'S!

All the time in the house with the snow, Ive spent alot of it thinking of what i want to do for his birthday. I think for sure, the theme will be fireman Sam/fire engines. (last year was Disney cars theme) He LOVES nee naws, love love loves them. Were not having a big party, will be Harry and my 2 nieces round my house for a little tea party, but i still like to dress the house up and have balloons for him to wake up to for his birthday morning.

My sister will be baking his birthday cake, it will be, of course, a fire engine. Thinking Jupiter from fireman sam. (last years was tow mater)

Im thinking of having a pinata too as he loved the one at my nieces birthday party, and get them all little plastic firefighter helmets to wear for the party.

A few days before Harry's birthday were taking him to Thomas Land at drayton mannor. Its only 40mins roughly from our house, and he does love Thomas the tank engine, so im hoping he will enjoy it.

So there we go, my plans for Harry's birthday, don't have a clue on presents, we will more than likely be buying the last few bits of his fireman sam playset, so he will have the whole set then.

If anyone has any ideas that would fit in the fireman/fireman sam theme please do let me know, i would be really greatful :)

Im off to get ebaying to buy decorations now.

Love Lucy x

#savekeith

Hiya all,

Little bit off topic from me today, you may or may not of heard of the story of Keith the seal.

Well il refresh you. .

There once was a seal called Keith,

He popped up from beneath,

Lost a long way from home,

To the river Severn he did roam.

Keith turned out to be a she,

All she wanted to do was get back to the sea,

But some nasty people were annoyed,

And want Keith to be destroyed,

They say she will eat all the fish,

Getting home to the sea is her only wish,

So please could you sign,

Then Keith will be fine,

Stop them giving her flack

Let her make her own way back.

So my poetry is not the best, im sorry, but hopefully you get the idea. Keith, a seal got washed up into the river Severn in Worcester when the rivers flooded a few weeks back, Keith was nicknamed Keith, but turned out to be a female. She has become a local attraction and everyone has loved spotting her. Well until this week when the anglers decided that Keith was eating all 'there' fishing stocks, and needed to be shot!

Yep, they want to employ a marksman to kill Keith! How ridiculous, how can 1 seal in a huge river like the Severn, cause that much of a impact. Experts have said she will make her own way back to the sea eventually. So lets let her do just that.

So this is where i abuse my power as a blogger and beg ask you nicely, if you would sign the petition, or follow the campaign on twitter or even like it on facebook.

That would be brilliant!

Thank you, sorry you had to suffer my poetry.

Love Lucy x
                                                                                                 

sat cap - snowy addition

Hiya all

Here's my satcap offering, and of course it was a snowy one

So there you go  (i promise i never pushed him!)

Be sure to head over to www.mammasaurus.co.uk to join in :)

Love Lucy x

its snowing!!!

. . . in case you have been locked in a cupboard or had your eyes and ears closed over the last few days i thought id let you no!

Hiya all

Today in the midlands (and im pretty sure the majority of the county) we awoke to a blanket of sow covering the ground.

And after doing a trip to the asda, and having to go back again because i forgot teabags, we got an excited Harry ready to enjoy the snow.

 

Today we only ventured into our front garden, in our back garden its paved so not as safe to play on as the grass out the front.

 

Harry threw snowballs and made snow angels, he loved it.

 

His little face was freezing so we went back in to enjoy some chocolate cake!

 

This is the life ay!

 

Have fun over the weekend and please stay safe

Love Lucy x

We have a biter!!

Hiya all,

It seems Harry's new phase (i hope to god its a phase) is to bite! Im disgusted with him every time he does it, i have no idea where he has had this new obsession from.

It seems every time we tell him no, and he doesn't like it, he will come and attempt to bite us, when i say attempt, its because he doesn't really close his mouth, he will come at you with his mouth open and we always tell him off each time he has done it, and explained how its very naughty to bite, and its not kind.

However, one day last week my brother was over and as he was leaving standing at the living room door Harry went over from no where and bit the material of my brothers jacket and again today my niece Evie was here, she picked up one of him toys to play and he told her 'no mine' i told him to share, and at that point Evie walked away, as she was walking into the other room, he followed her and bit her cardigan at the back, not her, just the material. I shouted at him and told him off again. He then went on to rub his belly and say 'yum yum'

So now im slightly worried its me hes had it from.

 

Im not a vampire, or anything like that, let me explain.

When were playing i sometimes say 'i could eat you up' and pretend to eat him arm and say yum yum. Is that where hes got it from? but why is he doing it in a nasty way, i don't no what else i can do or say to him to stop him.

My mom tells me a story about my auntie, who if she ever saw a child bite, be it her own or somone in the family, she would bite them back to stop them doing it!! (it was the 1960s) Now dont get me wrong i want Harry to stop biting but theres no way im going to be doing that!

Have you ever had a child bite others? how did you deal with it?

Please someone tell me its a phase and he will stop. Last thing i need is him doing it when he starts school to other children :(

Any advice would be fab!

Love Lucy x

A grand adventure - dream holiday

Hiya all,

The lovely people over at www.moneysupermarket.com are running a competition and asking bloggers where they would go and what they would do if they had £1000 for a holiday adventure.

Now as much as the lovely places of America, Australia and the Caribbean islands appeal to most when the word holiday comes to mind, not me. I'm not a fan of the sun whorshiper holiday, i like to see things i wouldn't be able to in the UK.

If i had £1000 i would pack up and take my lovely partner Gareth to his holy grail - Thal, near the city of Graz.

Where?? you may ask.

Well in the small town of Thal, there is a museum, not just any museum, and not a museum for everyones taste, but this museum is 'Arnold Schwarzenegger's Birth House Museum' yes thats right terminator himself has his own museum.

Gareth has been a huge fan of the big man ever since ive known him, ever since watching his 1st arnie film. Gareth's had a pretty bad childhood, his escape was films, for 2hrs he could slip into another world and for me to be able to take him to see where his idol was born and raised i think would be amazing.

A few hours north is Vienna, full of history and more fabulous museums and galleries. So they would be a must see too along the adventure.

We would make our £1000 go a long way, travel by train where ever possible, no 5* hotels, no sir-ee. Id rather stay in a cheaper hotel (as long as its clean) and get to see more things, than stay in a high end hotel and not be able to afford to see or do anything while you are there.

So there we have it.

Where would you go?

Don't forget to check out the competition and why not even enter yourself!

Love Lucy x

Happy Birthday Blog!

Hiya all,

 

1 year ago today while sitting at home i jumped in with both feet and submerged myself into the lovely blogging world.

 

On January 16th last year i opened up Leopard Print Mommy - and have not looked back.

 

 

The year has flown and ive seen many changes in myself, harry and our life and ive loved writing about them and sharing what we do.

 

I wanted this blog to be a little diary of sorts, for Harry to look back on when hes old enough, and i hope when he reads he will be proud and not too embarrassed of his mother.

 

Thank you lovely readers and follower, I've gained advice, tips, amazing opportunity's and most amazingly friends since starting this blog so THANK YOU!

 

Here's to the future!

 

Love Lucy x

Fitter Healthier and Slimmer - 2013

Hiya all,

Well with a title like that, it explains its self really doesn't it.

I'm going to be real honest with you on this post. Ive been very lucky over the years when it comes to weight, I've always been around the 10stone mark, and size 12 ever since i can remember. I have never been over weight as such, even when i had Harry i put on a little but it went very soon after Harry was born. (all baby only tiny bit of water) Again, i was very lucky.

Today I'm weighing in at 11.11lb and size 14. I no to some people, this might not seem a big deal or over weight and il be honest and say i agree, however, I've started to feel rather frumpy in my clothes, they are tighter and i feel myself being heavier, so this is where my new regime comes in.

I would ideally like to lose roughly 1 stone. I'm not going on any silly diets, i am however going to try and do this by doing more exercise and in turn i will hopefully make myself healthier and fitter.

I don't have a awful diet, however im a night time eater, i will easily take chocolates, crisps, cakes and whatever else i can find to bed with me to eat in bed. I get this from my mom, from when i was little i remember her having a stash of snacks at the side of her bed. I have inherited this habit. This is one of the things i will try and curb as night time eating is never the best is it.

I will try and involve more fruit& veg into my diet as snacks rather than choccys and crisps. Im not going to be silly, im going to be sensible about it all.

Ive brought the famous, or should that be infamous, 30 day shred DVD and will attempt using that as part of the weight loss/getting fitter plan. (wish me luck!!)

I have a goal of June this year to get to where i feel comfortable at, in June i have a good friends hen do and wedding. The hen do has a burlesque theme and we all will be wearing the same outfits

So there isn't much room to hide in this!

 

I have a goal and an insentive, lets just hope i can do it.

Current stats:-

 

Weight - 11 stone 11lbs

Height - 5 ft 9" 

Waist measurement - 41"

Thigh measurement - 26"

So there we have it, il do weekly or fortnightly updates if i can.

Hope i don't bore you all to much with this, any tips and advise would be great

Thank you

Love Lucy x

This is my entry for the Moneysupermarket.com Get Fit Feel Epic competition you too can enter over on www.mumreinvented.co.uk blog x

You are my. .

sunshine, my only sunshine,

you make me happy,

when skys are grey,

 

you'll never no dear,

how much i love you.

please dont take, my sunshine, away.

 

Hope you all have a fab weekend

 

Love Lucy x

Harrys Hair

Hiya all,

New year brings alot of sales on photo websites and with a few good codes i managed to get a photobook made for Harry, and a calender of him for his Daddy for him to take to work. But whilst making said items, i got all emotional looking through the pictures and seeing how much my little man is growing up, one of the most striking thing in all his pictures is his hair, boy it changes in every picture, long to short, short to long.

I thought id do a little compilation post of Harrys hair over the years, if for nothing else but for myself to look at and remember how quick time is going and he is changing. Before long Harry will be in school and more than likely deciding how he wants his hair from the latest trends. I dread to think!

Harry was born with a huge mop of dark hair, and it strangely spiked of its own accord, i even got asked on the maternity ward if id spiked and gel'ed it - yes, itsnt that what every mother wants to do to there 1 day old baby - crazy people

 

 

When Harry was roughly 4 weeks old we noticed he had a light streak in his hair, it was silvery grey and he still has it now, but now its a thicker streak.

can just about make it out on this picture

Harry's hair grew so fast and thick, it used to go really fluffy when he had been in the bath.

 

At around 3 months old his hair started to go a little curly

 

 

Alot of people thought harry was older than he was, and i think this was due to his hair, as when he wore a hat he looked like a proper little baby. (4months old in these pics)

 

 

At 5 months old he was channelling elvis

 

 

6 months & 7 months

 

 

At 8 months his hair was growing in all directions - rather wild!

 

 

9 months he channeld justin beiber

 

 

10 Months & 11 Months

 

1 year old - Harry seemed to loose the curl in his hair, it became alot straighter

 

 

15 & 16 months

 

17 & 18 months

 

 

At 19 months harry seemed to loose his babyish looks and seemed very grown up. He aquired a 'cow lick' just like his daddy's, which results in his hair sticking up at the front and oftern looking like hes had it cut shorter one side than the other!

 

 

but his mop of hair was soon back in no time at all

 

2 Years old

 

 

No sign of a curl at all in his hair at 26 months

 

 

2.5 years old

 

 

Harry's hair now

 

 

Looking back my little man and his hair has changed so much, his hair has gone from black to lighter brown, its still lovely and thick however, and grows soooo fast.

 

I love his hair long and i love it short, we tend to keep it a bit shorter these days because it does irritate his eyes when it gets longer, but id never get it shaved off extreme short, i just think that looks awful on a small child.

 

Ive loved putting this post together, sorry if i bores you all, tons of pictures of Harry i no, but i thought id make a record of his almost 3 years.

 

How has your childs hair changed? Has it changed colour since they were born?

 

Lucy x