Sticky Maple Pork Loin with Apples Recipe

23/05/201809/01/2024 Lisa 4 Comments

Sticky Maple Pork Loin with Apples Recipe

Sticky Maple Pork Loin with Apples Recipe – I think this is going to be a firm family favourite meal since trying it. It only takes about 20 minutes to make and all the ingredients are store cupboard staples apart from the pork loins. Isabelle who has been fussing with her food recently even asked for a second helping!

Sticky Maple Pork Loin With Apples

What you will need:

500g Pack of Pork Loin boneless chops
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Apples cut into pieces
1 Garlic clove crushed
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons wholegrain mustard
2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup

How to make:

Trim all excess fat off the boneless pork loins and cut into bite sized pieces.

Heat the oil in a pan and add the pork, cooking for around five minutes.

Remove the meat from the pan and add in the apples and cook for around 5 minutes so these start to soften.

Add in the garlic, maple syrup and vinegar. Add in a few tablespoons of water at this point, pop the lid on your pan and cook for a few minutes to allow this to soften further.

Add the pork back in as well as the wholegrain mustard and cook further until the meat and apples take on a sticky glazed look and the pork is cooked through.

We served this with buttered new potatoes and broccoli which went down very well with all.

This got a huge thumbs up from Isabelle so will definitely be repeated.

If you like this Recipe then take a look at our Family Recipes Category for more inspiration.

Lisa x

*This post contains affiliate links which means I may get a small payment at no cost to you if you click and make a purchase.

Getting ready for My Breastfeeding Journey

20/05/201811/01/2024 Lisa 7 Comments

Getting ready for my breastfeeding journey

Getting ready for my breastfeeding journey. When I breastfed Isabelle I was naive enough to think that when a baby is born, you put them to the breast, they latch on and off you go.

Learning the hard way

God I wish I’d known what I learnt the hard way!

I knew about mastitis being a possibility and that cracked nipples could be an issue but other than that it was portrayed as the most natural second nature task a woman would complete. You sat lovingly staring into your baby’s eyes whilst they fed, taking in all the goodness as it’s the best and only way to feed your baby. Oh and of the adverts in magazines are to go by, you will look amazing in a white floaty dress.

The reality for me was feeling agitated as I tried to get Isabelle to latch on whilst digging my toes into the carpet as her attempts felt like I was being put through a mincer. Her latch was rubbish so much so that she was on and off so often that not only did I have cracked nipples but they bled!

BUT it was fine, as it was the right thing to do – breastfeeding that is. I was giving her all the goodness that she needed. Except I wasn’t. She was losing weight so we were still having daily midwife visits.

You’re Starving Her!

I was told that I was starving my daughter!

I was told to hand express and cup feed her. If you’ve ever tried to do this then you will know how ridiculous this is. You hand express the smallest amount of milk and then try and feed it to your by this point screaming newborn only for their flaying arms to knock it out of your hands wasting what precious little milk you have to offer.

Have a day of skin to skin contact which will increase your milk supply and calm both you and baby down which should make latching easier.

Feed in a comfortable place where you feel relaxed so that she relaxes enough to feed.

Electric pumping but try not to give via a bottle – again with the cup feeding.

Nipple sheilds!

Cabbage leaves!

Breastfeeding Support Co-ordinator advice.

Feed on demand even if it is for 3 minutes every 29 minutes day and night.

I had all the advice under the sun about what I should be doing.

Don’t give up was the consensus.

Perseverance was the buzz word.

Every single time Isabelle cried I dreaded that she might want to be fed. I held my breath as I attempted the latch.

Left her crying too long before I tried to feed her as I built up the courage.

I pretended it didn’t hurt when it was excruciating.

We went along to a Breastfeeding Cafe where I watched other mums breastfeed and chat at the same time. There was even a mum sat cross legged on the floor tandem feeding twins. Needless to say that was my first and last visit.

I drank special breastfeeding teas to up my supply along with lots of water.

I bought all the creams and shields, hot cloths and cabbage leaves.

A total Failure

Enough was enough and Chris intervened by buying some formula milk so that Isabelle could feed and I could have a break and a bit of sleep.

I fought it as I wanted to do what was best for our baby. Feeding Isabelle was the priority but I felt like I’d failed her.

She guzzled the bottle down and fell into a milk induced sleep. It’s what she needed and it was what I needed both to allow myself to heal and also get some sleep, but it wasn’t what I wanted.

From then on we did combination feeding which wasn’t such a huge pressure for me and Isabelle gained weight and was a much more content baby.

We carried on this way until she was five months old when she began to reject the breast.

I was gutted and felt like I’d failed.

It took me a long while to not feel like this.

And now as I wait for baby number three I’m already feeling quite anxious about my impending breastfeeding journey.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Lisa x

Pregnancy Diary 37 Weeks

19/05/201825/01/2024 Lisa

Pregnancy Diary 37 Weeks

Pregnancy Diary 37 Weeks – My last week at work and so glad since each day has been a struggle. I’ve also had lots of Braxton Hicks with lots of ‘am I, am I Not’ moments.

I’m really tired this week and each day when I’ve finished work I’m literally hanging so I’ve just eaten and then sat comatose on the sofa watching TV.

The dog has undergone a good summer cut to reduce the amount of fur around the house. We know that dog fur is going to be an ongoing battle since we haven’t had a dog and a baby at the same time before.

I am really looking forward to being able to walk normally post-baby and top of the list is taking my fur baby walking again. I wonder how he’s going to get on walking next to the pram. I’m sure we’ll have a fair few instances where I wheel over him as he is a bit daft.

Midwife appointment

I had my midwife appointment on Tuesday and the head is way down ready which is good. I wasn’t measured this time as it was less than two weeks since I was measured last.

Everything else was fine and although we booked in for my 40 week appointment I would be very surprised if I get to this point.

A further blood test was booked for me due to the slapped cheek incident but this is considered to be low risk as I was well past the twenty week mark.

Thursday was my last day at work and I was treated to lots of cake and donuts and lots of lovely presents. It’s funny when you go on maternity leave as you feel sad but not. I’ve literally been counting down the days because I’m tired and also counting down to meeting the scrummy babes, but I will miss my work family.

I’m wondering how many days of maternity leave I’ll have before the baby comes. Considering how many Braxton Hicks I’m having pretty much all the time I’m guessing I won’t last that long. In fact I’m not sure I’m going to get past the weekend so we’ll see.

Funny Questions

Isabelle is still full of questions and I’m quite honest in answering things with her in a factual way. We’ve never spun her the stork story etc so she knows that the baby is going to come out of my front bottom and is suitably grossed out by this.

Her latest query was the other night was when she wanted to know if the baby could see out of my front bottom like looking out of a window! You’ve got to love how a kids mind works!

She also has lots of breastfeeding queries which I’m sure is going to be an ongoing thing. Hopefully she’ll get bored at some point.

Braxton Hicks

I’m not really sure if I experienced Braxton Hicks that much in my last two pregnancies, but this time I seem to be getting them all the time.

Every day this week I’ve convinced myself that today is the day that the baby will be here. My stomach is tight and pain radiates around my pelvis and into my back in a rhythmic and regular way BUT still no baby.

Winding Down

You may have noticed that I haven’t been as active this last couple of weeks since I just don’t have the energy to do anything. Sitting with my laptop is becoming ridiculous as my laptop is precariously balancing on my lap.

I’ve also been going to bed earlier so that I can listen to my hypnobirthing tracks which I hope will help even in some way to make labour easier.

I want to be as relaxed as I can when this baby comes which in turn will hopefully give the breastfeeding process a better chance of working. My breastfeeding journey with Isabelle wasn’t a smooth or particularly enjoyable experience, one that I hope doesn’t get repeated.

I’m reading like a crazy woman at the moment on Breastfeeding. Everything from latching tips to increasing my milk supply in the hope that third time lucky really is a ‘thing’.

Development

My baby is the size of a Honeydew Melon now weighing around 6.5lbs and measuring about 48.6cm. The baby will gain around half an ounce a day up until they are born.

He or she’s lungs are capable of life outside of the womb and it’s tummy will be full of icky sticky meconium which will be it’s first poo.

The head should be engaged at this point ready for birth.

Until next week………If I make it!

Lisa x

To read the rest of my Pregnancy Diary click the link or head to the top of the page.

Pregnancy Diary 36 Weeks

12/05/201811/01/2024 Lisa 4 Comments

Pregnancy Diary 36 Weeks

Pregnancy Diary 36 Weeks – It’s Bank Holiday weekend and we’re knee deep in sorting the house out as much as we can before the baby arrives.

It’s hard not to get sentimental about every piece of clothing or toys that were once Ryan or Isabelle’s. First Christmas outfits, favourites and of course the ones they first wore in hospital. I even found my pregnancy test from when I found out we were having Isabelle which obviously has seven year old wee on it! I’m undecided on whether to keep this or not.

Bank Holiday Monday we had a more chilled out day. Still sorting and double checking my hospital bags. I know I’ve got everything but I’ve got this weird thing where I NEED to check, just to make sure.

Chris and Isabelle are full of cough and colds so I’m keeping them at arms length. We did get a BBQ in on the Monday just for us which was a nice way to end the day.

I’m plodding on through my hypnobirthing book which I’m not finding as boring. It’s quite interesting!

Induction Update

Tuesday – back to work today after the worse nights sleep. I don’t know if it was the thought of going back to work or the worry of getting any updates on the whole raised glucose issue.

My Midwife phoned me to update me that I will be contacted by the foetal assessment unit who are going to give me a little pin prick machine so that I can monitor my blood sugars, but no word from the consultant as yet.

Thursday came and I still hadn’t heard whether or not I was going to be induced so I rang my midwife. My case had been discussed at a meeting and it was decided that they didn’t need to induce me with a recommendation of reducing my sugar intake, but to keep the scan appointment for Friday. Obviously I was really pleased but a bit nervous that I’d have the scan and it would change things again.

Friday we had the scan. It’s not very exciting as everything is so close up that you can’t really make out arms or legs or anything. They were looking for the amount of amniotic fluid around the baby, and I’m pleased to say that this was totally normal.

Before the scan we popped along to the Baby Room which is local to us and holds classes, groups and also the place to go for washable Nappy and sling advice.

I’ve still got my nappy stash from Isabelle which is still in really good condition, but I needed to buy a new bucket, liners and a wet bag. It’s so easy to buy loads of stuff since the nappies are incredibly cute with all kinds of patterns and colours. I restrained from buying any more nappies, but we did buy some washable wetwipes which I’m going to persevere with this time. I did give them a little go but found them quite an effort so gave up.

As I’m writing this I have a load of nappies washing with a second load waiting. They load so cute on the washing line!

Ready for Baby Now

As I’m so far along now I’ve switched from saying how many weeks I have left to how many days which today is 22. It seems so close when you say it in days!

My in-laws are on holiday as of today for two weeks and a firm request for baby to stay put has been lodged. I will do my best to comply but quite honestly I’m more than ready for this little one to make an appearance now. Having said that, I still have one more week of work to get through.

I had a really funny dream that i gave birth in our meeting room with the assistance of one of my senior colleagues so I’ve been avoiding him this week (just in case).

Still no pram or car seat as yet but we have had assurances that it will be delivered at the beginning of next week, so once that’s here I’m happy for the baby to arrive at any point.

Vitamin K

I forgot to mention this last week, but when I saw my midwife last Friday she mentioned Vitamin K for the baby once born. She asked for my preference to it being given by injection or orally. The most common apparently is an injection but I really don’t remember an injection being offered when I had Isabelle as she had it orally. This was supposed to be added to my birth plan notes but I felt really put on the spot to give an answer so it was put down as decision on the day. I’m not sure how I feel about an injection just hours post birth.

Development

My baby is the shape of a bunch of bananas and weighs around 5.7lbs and measures about 47.4cm.

The average baby birth weight is currently 7.5lb so the concentration is currently on putting on weight and moving further down into your pelvis.

The downy hair that has been coating the baby is now shedding away as is the vernix caseosa.

You may be getting Braxton Hicks at this stage which are practice contractions (yippee).

Your baby will still be moving around but the movements may be lower down once the baby moves further down ready for labour. This will also ease any heartburn that you may be experiencing.

It feels like so much is happening now and each day I wake up and wonder if today is the day.

Who knows if this will the last Pregnancy Diary update…….

Lisa x

To read my other Pregnancy Diary entries either click here or head to Pregnancy Diary at the top of the page.

Easy Money Saving Tips Mums Need to Know

10/05/201817/01/2024 Lisa

Easy Money Saving Tips Mums Need to Know

Easy Money Saving Tips Mums Need to Know – If you’re living from paycheck to paycheck, then you may already know that saving can be a daunting task. If we can be honest, money is a touchy subject. From taking care of children’s needs to paying your monthly bills, being frugal can seem like a hopeless cause. However, there are simple ways to save for a rainy day and Alpha Car Finance has you covered.

Create a budget

This may seem obvious, but a lot of families do not take the time to create a budget. If you’re not setting a budget, there’s a good chance you’re throwing away your hard-earned money. When you create a budget, you can easily track where each dollar goes thereby giving you absolute control over your finances.

If you need some guidance in creating a budget, you can do some research and find useful information and advice from finance experts and real moms.

Pay yourself

Speaking of advice, many finance experts will tell you that the first thing you should do before anything else is to pay yourself. No matter how much amount is left after paying all your monthly bills, do your best to save at least 10 to 15 percent of your discretionary income.

While it may seem difficult, this is an effective way to get into the habit of saving. Over time, it will become second nature, and make a big difference when you need money for a rainy day. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.

Map out your meals

No matter how busy life gets, find the time to plan out your meals at the start of the week. Doing this will not only help you save money but also time. Once you have mapped out your meals for the week, you can efficiently organize your grocery list. This will help avoid buying items out of impulse when you are at the supermarket.

Also, take advantage of coupons or reward programs that are being offered at your local supermarket. If possible, you can also save money by buying sale items in bulk. Just be mindful when you buy items that will spoil quickly, like milk or produce.

Avoid wasting water and electricity

Sometimes, a huge portion of our budget goes to hefty utility bills. However, we can easily cut down these bills if we teach our children to conserve water and electricity. Remind them to always turn off the lights, the TV, or other electronic devices when not in use.

The same can applied to your water consumption. Always check your faucet. Some of them may not be fully closed or have a leak. It’s these small but effective changes we do that counts.

Sell things you no longer use

You might be surprised at how much stuff you have collected over the years that are no longer in use. Clean out your storage or closet and see if there are items that are still working fine but you don’t want or need anymore.

Have a garage sale and encourage your neighbours to buy. A simple post on your social media accounts will get the word out to your friends or family.

Get a side gig

Whether you are working full-time or a stay-at-home mom, it’s a good idea to have a side hustle. This is an excellent way to put your other skills to good use and earn additional income. There are plenty of opportunities for you to bring in extra cash.

If you have a car, you can offer to drive people to the airport or take the elderly to visit their doctors. If you have a laptop and internet connection, you can be a part-time virtual assistant or even become a blogger and write about your experiences in living a frugal life. Not only are you helping other people, but you are also increasing your income.

These are just of the many ways you can do to save, but we’re sure you have your own ideas. If you have some money-saving tricks to share, we’d love to hear them. Please leave a comment so that other people may benefit from your tips.

Lisa x

* This post was contributed by Alpha Car Finance.

Pregnancy Diary 35 Weeks

05/05/201811/01/2024 Lisa 2 Comments

Pregnancy Diary 35 Weeks

Pregnancy Diary 35 Weeks – I’m tired, aching all over and the feeling that I’m going to go into early labour won’t go away.

The week has started off with Ryan’s 19th Birthday so we went out for a meal which was lovely.

We’re also knee deep in decorating so there is stuff everywhere but it’s moving along nicely so I can’t complain too much.

Sorting through the kids stuff is ridiculous. It’s so hard to get rid of things so I need to get myself some balls and stop being so sentimental.

Sleep

Sleep is getting harder and harder. I’m knackered but I can’t seem to get comfortable at all. If it’s not my tummy getting in the way it’s my legs getting twitchy or cramps or my back making me uncomfortable. I’m still drinking tonic water which doesn’t make me shudder so much now.

Washing

Washing, washing….. so much washing. Yey me I’ve managed to wash all the the baby stuff that we’ve got. I started doing it towards the end of last week and then it poured down which made drying a lot slower. I feel better now this is done so that I can get our bags packed and ready for the hospital.

Baby stuff

We’ve hit a bit of a stumbling block. I ordered the Ickle Bubba Stomp V4 Travel system which comes with the car seat and the delivery time was 3 – 5 days. This then changed to direct delivery from the manufacturer and was left as pending. I left it a few days but having checked again thought I’d better get in touch to find out when it’s likely to come

I could cry! On speaking to the company, it seems that the car seat is currently out of stock and the expected delivery date isn’t until mid May.

I’m not sure what to do now. Do I cancel the order as I really need to get the car seat in the car ready or do we risk it and if the baby does arrive early we could make a mad dash (or Chris can) and buy another one.

Oh I don’t know, this is stressing me out I really want that pram now!

Am I? Am I not?

Today is Monday and I should be at work. Instead I’m at home and have been having all kinds of twinges and pains all day long. I’m not sure if I’ve overdone it or if it’s all starting to kick off.

The pain is coming in waves which is slightly worrying and then it dies down for a while before restarting.

Tuesday I was still getting pains but had a bit of a feeling that I may have a urine infection. I spoke to the midwife who asked me to make an appointment at the practice to have my urine tested.

I tested negative for a urine infection but it showed +2 for glucose do was advised to contact my midwife. It’s too late and a bit pointless to do a further glucose tolerance test but I’m just waiting to hear back to see if I need a further scan.

Getting stuck in the bath

To help ease my back ache I thought it would be good to have a nice relaxing bath which I did, but then I couldn’t get out. I couldn’t get myself upright enough to get out. It was ridiculous. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so helpless in everyday life, and I was home alone so I had to manoeuvre myself in the most un-ladylike manner in order to get myself out.

I’ve promised Chris that I won’t do that again.

No Name

We finally have a couple in the bag but nothing is set in stone as we’re still really undecided. Hopefully the baby will look like a ‘something’ once it’s here and we’ll just know.

Last week I referred to the baby as ‘he’ and set tongues wagging and today I accidentally referred to the baby as she which had my friend wondering.

We’re pretty certain that we’re having a boy which I genuinely cannot confirm either way. It’s just a gut feeling that we’ve pretty much all got and even Isabelle has decided that it’s a boy and quite happy with that. All my labour dreams feature a baby boy so who knows.

Midwife Appointment

Urgh my appointment has thrown me into a bit of a spin! So at the beginning of the week I went to the doctors as I thought I might have a urine infection but it turned out that I had raised glucose instead.

Today I went to see the midwife and it’s still raised and I’m measuring at 37cm which has pushed me further above the 95th centile. The midwife was a bit unsure what needed to be done at this late stage (35wks +4) so phoned the hospital.

They weren’t entirely sure either but suggested a scan and referral to a consultant. My scan isn’t until I reach 36wks + 5 and I just have to wait and see as far as whether I need to see the consultant or if advice will be given.

Of course this then lead onto the possibility of needing to be induced. I was so pleased when this was taken off the table when I tested negative so it’s really pants that this has reared it’s ugly head again. I had a horrible previous experience and really didn’t want it again this time.

As it was my 36 week appointment the intention was to discuss the delivery options. On my want list is (was):

A water birth
To use my hypnobirthing tracks
No Diamorphine
No epidural
Stitches if needed

I know that labour is unpredictable and of course if the baby shows signs of distress you have to consent for forceps or even an emergency caesarean but it just feels a bit shitty that I’ve got this far and all my wants are likely to be thrown out.

Having slept on it, I don’t feel good about this at all. I suppose I just have to wait and see what happens with the referral to the consultant and also the scan that I’m having on Friday.

It’s Saturday and today marks 29 days until my due date and it’s got me thinking that if I were to be induced we could have the baby as early as 15 days from now. When I was induced with Isabelle I was 39 +1 but I think that it would have been sooner had it not been September when all the Christmas conceived babies are arriving.

Hospital Bags

I panic packed both mine and the baby’s hospital bags at the beginning of the week which I have now repacked in a more orderly manner. I just need to get some snacks and drinks for both Chris and I to see us through.

Development

My baby is now the size of a pineapple, measuring around 46.2cm and weighing about 5.2lbs.

They will be practicing the sucking motion in preparation for it’s first post-birth feed. It’s slowly inching it’s way further down into my pelvis to get ready to come out and some (a lot) of the movements are enough to make me gasp they’re that pokey. This can be further helped by bouncing on a birthing ball or being on all fours and wiggling your hips.

The baby is fully formed but is still putting on weight which they will continue to do until they are born.

It’s also recommended that your hospital bags are packed, the freezer is full and all the important numbers are in plain sight for when the time comes. The numbers are all in my phone, and also on the calendar but I don’t think Chris has bothered to put these in his phone yet which is so helpful.

Aww I’ve just realised that these diary entries will soon be coming to an end………I will have a gorgeous baby to snuggle instead though x

Lisa x

Read my other Pregnancy Diary Updates x

My Top 10 Family Foodie Destinations

30/04/201809/04/2024 Lisa 2 Comments

My Top 10 Family Foodie Destinations

My Top 10 Family Foodie Destinations – If we could travel anywhere around the world based on the foods we’d love to try we would travel to some pretty amazing places.

We love a variety of cuisines and thankfully neither of our kids are fussy eaters so we relish trying out new recipes and supermarket finds. So if our bellies were our holiday guide where would we go:

1. Egypt

For Falafel of course. I love it. Known as the ‘poor mans burger’. It’s made of crushed fava beans, rolled into balls and fried. It’s most commonly served at breakfast to give people energy throughout the day. We would usually have Falafel with hummus or tzatziki (I know that’s Greek), hummus and salad. We’ve also made our own version of Shakshouka which eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers, and onions, often spiced with cumin.

2. Greece

I tried my first Gyros at a fete type event where there was a pop up Greek stand. Traditionally made with marinated pork, beef or chicken but mine had fried halloumi in it (another one of my favourites). Essentially it was fried halloumi with tomato, onion and tzatziki wrapped up in a pitta bread which would usually be considered ‘street food’. Mine also came with chips that were coated in oregano which were also wrapped up in the wrap. Delicious.

3. Jamaica

Jerked Pork and Blackened Fish. Chris would be in food heaven in amongst the food shacks before settling on the beach to chill whilst the kids try the local fruit. I’m sure Chris would also have a taste of Curry Goat but he might be eating that on his own.

4. France

Have you tried a Galette? When we went to France about five years ago now we stayed in Saint Jean de Monts which was lovely. There was a long strip of restaurants and bars which never seemed to close. There were two particular dishes that seemed to feature in every single restaurant and they were galettes and muscles. I’ve never tried and nor do I intend to try muscles and I really wasn’t keen on trying the galettes either. A galette is a pancake made with buckwheat which is served with either sweet or savoury toppings. Now, I’m totally up for pancakes with fruit, lemon juice and maple syrup, but the thought of savoury toppings didn’t really do it for me. However, when we went out to eat one evening we went to a galette restaurant so I had little choice in the matter. The basic galette topping seemed to be ham and cheese with an egg on top but I figured that if I was going to give them a go then I’d better jump right in and opted for garlic mushrooms in a white wine sauce (think vol-au-vent). I was a total convert and tried the ham, egg and cheese which was a fave of the kids.

5. New York

I have a hankering for New York. I’ve never actually been to America, but having been a huge fan of friends it’s definitely on my bucket list of places I would like to go. I think Christmas time would be my preference and again it would be the street food vendors that would tempt me first. I’d have to have a try of a chili dog and a proper pretzel. Warm, chewy and covered in salt. Yum.

6. India

I’d be in big trouble if I didn’t mention India as Chris’ family on his mums side are originally from India. We eat a lot of curries with mild ones for the kids and spicy one’s for us. We love all the side dishes such as Dahl (curried lentils), Chana Masala (curried chickpeas) and Aloo Dum (curried peas and potatoes). Again, we would be in heaven walking through the brightly coloured markets with all the food smells tempting us. I’m not a vegetarian but I do really love curried vegetables and one of my favourites are vegetable samosas which the kids also love as well. Samosas were traditionally cooked around campfires during overnight trade journeys as they were easy to prepare and could be eaten cold en route.

7. Mexico

Oh I do love Mexican food. Tacos are one of our weekly staples. It’s quick and easy to prepare, plonk it all in the middle of the table and everyone can help themselves which always goes down well with families. The beaches look amazing and I can see the appeal for the most romantic of holidays on our own or an action packed family holiday with paddle boarding and snorkeling.

8. Spain

Forget all the cured meats, paella, bean stews and prawns fried in garlic and cut to the Churro’s. Whilst in Spain you couldn’t walk ten paces without being drawn to the churro stands. In the evenings when all the bars were open and the restaurants were overflowing with people, we were surrounded by people walking around with cones of churro’s in hand. Essentially these are just like the warm donuts that we get here but in stick version which are covered in sugar and most likely doused in Nutella. I prefer them on their own as they come which I think the sellers found slightly odd but the kids liked to dip them in Nutella.

9. Argentina

This is definitely a meat eaters paradise. Huge hunks of meat, sausages and ribs cooked over an open fire or barbeque (parrillada) and eaten with a drizzle of olive oil or a favourite of ours, chimichurri which is herbs, olive oil and garlic washed down with a glass or two of Melbec. I’d also love to try the provoleta which is their version of grilled cheese and empanadas which are either sweet or savoury filled parcels.

10. Italy

Last but definitely no least. Italy is definitely somewhere I would like to go for a grown-up child-free holiday where we can take in the sights and take in the glam Italian lifestyle. I dream of lazy mornings venturing out for morning coffee and pastries followed by a spot of handbag shopping. Walking around the shops whilst not having to keep a beady eye out for the kids touching anything and everything. We could find out from locals where the best place to eat would be which are generally the less touristy areas so that we could sample some of the traditional foods such as Antipasti, Calzone and Frangipane not forgetting pasta and pizza. With baby number three due any day I don’t see this being any time soon, but a girl can but dream!

Wow that’s quite a list now that I’ve written them down and one that I imagine will only get longer as we discover more cuisines and places.

If your belly were to lead you to another land where would it be? Plan your dream foodie destination with Destination2 Holidays where you will find everything from family holidays, honeymoon destinations, gorgeous beaches and adventure holidays.

Where would you recommend as your Top Family Foodie Destination?

* This post was in collaboration with Destination2 Holidays but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Pregnancy Diary 34 Weeks

28/04/201811/01/2024 Lisa

Pregnancy Diary 34 Weeks

Pregnancy Diary 34 Weeks – I’ve got a feeling that I’m going to be saying this every week from now on but it’s been a really tough week this week.

Sitting comfortably and walking around without pain in my back is becoming less and less. The baby’s movements are really jabby now and quite often make me gasp.

Sitting in the car is the pits it must be the angle of the seat which I’ve adjusted but it seems to scrunch me up a bit and the baby doesn’t like it so tries to stretch which makes me feel like I’m being pinned against the wall.

Sleeping

Sleeping is becoming more and more uncomfortable and I’m waking between 2 – 4 times a night. Once always to go to the loo and the rest either because I can’t get comfy or I have cramps in my legs.

Getting closer to labour

I’ve got a gut feeling that I’m not going to make it to my due date. I keep getting what I think are Braxton Hicks and then the feeling that my waters are going to break. It has me crossing my legs.

I also had the most awful pain during the night the other night, and I really thought that I was going into labour.

Going into labour is not an option at the moment since our car seat hasn’t arrived and our bags are not yet packed.

The planning for this is underway but with birthdays overtaking this weeks head space and energy it’s not yet done.

Baby Brain

I’ve had a bit of a panic this week as our pram and car seat have yet to turn up so I need to chase this since we need to get the car seat installed.

The crib sheets that we ordered also haven’t arrived, but it turns out that although I’d added them to my Amazon basket, I hadn’t actually paid and processed the order.

I know what you’re thinking, but I have definitely ordered and paid for my pram but still no sign.

Maternity Leave

Three weeks to go and counting. It’s not been too bad but I’m knackered by the end of each day.

Slapped Cheek

One of Isabelle’s friends has recently had slapped cheek which can be dangerous for unborn babies. All the info that I’ve read seems to pose a risk for babies under the 20 week mark. I spoke to my midwife and my blood was sent off to Bristol to check for immunity.

The results came back and it seems that I haven’t got immunity to it, but there don’t appear to be any known risks for my baby at this late stage. I may need to have another blood test to check this but I’m just waiting to hear.

Midwife appointments

My next appointment is next week. It’s the labour discussion. Whilst I haven’t bothered with birth plans as such, I would like to give a water birth a go alongside the hypnobirthing that I’ve been swatting up on.

I’m still really nervous about finding birth again. Apparently when you get to your third child I should be experienced enough to know exactly what I’m doing. No! I don’t feel that I know what I’m doing, only that I know it’s going to flipping well hurt!

I fought against the urge to push with Isabelle and fear that I’ll end up doing that again which clearly makes things worse.

I’m worried that I’m going to go into labour and Chris won’t be here.

Development

The baby will be about the size of a cabbage weighing around 5lb and measuring about 45cm.

They should be moving around as usual but the movements will feel different. This is definitely so, the movements are quite sharp and jabby now and I’m getting a pressure feeling that my waters are about to pop at any moment.

He or she’s hearing should be developed and we keep having words about all the kicking, but clearly like the other two it’s falling on deaf ears.

Hopefully the baby will be moving further down in preparation for the birth. I don’t think my bump has dropped down yet which is why all the movements are so significant and jabby. We’re not quite ready yet baby so just hang on in there for at least a couple more weeks.

Until next week.

Lisa x

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Pregnancy Diary 33 Weeks

21/04/201825/05/2021 Lisa

Pregnancy Diary 33 Weeks

Pregnancy Diary 33 Weeks – Not long to go now are the words that reverberate around my head as it’s been said so many times.

I went back to work today after two weeks off and it was definitely a shock to the system. The sound of the alarm clock in the morning was not welcome at all. It has also made me think that I wish I’d put in the request for my maternity leave to start sooner than two weeks before my due date. I’ve got a feeling that this baby isn’t going to wait that long.

Braxton Hicks

I’ve been getting Braxton Hicks quite a lot over the past week. My bump goes hard and tight and then I get a feeling that my waters are going to burst. It stops me in my tracks and I get the urge to cross my legs ‘just in case’.

Back Ache

Being back to work means that I’ve been moving around much more so my back has been particularly sore as the week has gone on. I’ve been doing my exercises and resting as much as I can which is difficult. It’s also really hard to get comfortable in bed at night so that my bump is comfortable, the baby is comfortable and also in a position that doesn’t aggravate my back. Not easy to achieve.

Eating

Hmmm way too much chocolate. I blame Easter entirely and Isabelle is such a bad influence.

It’s nice that I can eat normally with regards to everything else though. Apart from chicken still. I am tempted to try a bit of chicken as it is one of our staple meal items, but as the thought of it makes my nose wrinkle I don’t think I’ll bother.

Hospital Bag

As I’ve got this gut feeling that the baby will be early, I’ve started to wash the baby clothes and bedding and also have got out things for both of our hospital bags….just in case.

Pram

Hooray…….We’ve finally decided on our pram.

Whilst I wasn’t in a particular rush to get the pram here in the house, we definitely need to get the carseat here and installed in the car and as we’ve opted for a travel system we needed to get a move on. We’ve opted for the
Ickle Bubba Stomp V4 All-In-One Special Edition Travel System in Blueberry. We love that everything is included and that the carrycot top converts into the seat so it cuts down on having to store a separate carrycot top. It also looks gorgeous so I’m looking forward to pushing that around. It also comes with a carseat and isofix base which is a total bonus!

Apart from this I think we just need to get a baby seat, a steriliser and bottles for just in case the breastfeeding doesn’t go to plan.

34 Week Midwife Appointment

Technically I’m not 34 weeks until Sunday but I saw the midwife, had my blood pressure checked and my bump measured. Thankfully I’ve stayed along the 95th centile line so no need for an additional scan at this point and my blood pressure is fine as well.

One of Isabelle’s friends that we spent the day with last week has slapped cheek so my bloods have been sent off to check that I have immunity. All the info that I’ve read and the advice from the midwife is that the risk only seems to be for babies before you hit the 20 week mark but they’ve been sent to Bristol and will update me when she hears back.

We listened to the baby’s heartbeat which was loud and strong and then she had a jolly good poke around to feel which way the baby was facing. It’s currently head down with its spine along my left side and bum at the top with its legs curled under. It totally explains my lopsided bump as both it’s head and bum are more on the left side.

My bump has yet to drop down at all so it’s super round and very hard.

Sleeping

Not much of this happening at the moment. It’s too hot at night and then I can’t get comfy. When I finally do, the baby obviously isn’t so will wriggle until I give in and move. I know I’m driving Chris nuts as I’m fidgety and restless but I can’t help it.

I had a fairly decent sleep the other night where I played my hypnobirthing tracks when I went to bed which I did fall asleep listening to but I do remember feeling super relaxed before going to sleep.

At this stage I could quite happily have an afternoon nap every day, just to rest and give me a little bit of energy. The chance to do this would be nice!

I do keep having birth dreams. In every dream I’m at home on my own with Isabelle and she helps me to give birth. So far I’ve given birth in the bathroom and on the stairs with Isabelle by my side. I really hope this isn’t the case as I don’t want her to be traumatised for life.

Mum Life

Isabelle is mostly great but one of her less desirable qualities is her persistence, especially when she’s been told no. She’s like a dog with a bone and doesn’t like to back down when there’s something that she wants to do.

We were supposed to go to a parade today (Saturday) and then it poured down so we decided not to go and get some house things done ready for the baby. At lunch time she changed her mind which was too late, but it was the total end of the world. The drama began, it was the worse day of her life, could we invite friends over, could we go to an indoor play area, can we phone people…….No……just no. I’m tired and aching from cleaning and tidying.

No just isn’t an option that Isabelle is willing to consider some days so we butt heads for the rest of the afternoon. Daddy comes home and we eat and then I escaped upstairs to avoid any further conflict.

Development

The baby has reached the size of a butternut squash measuring around 43.7cm and weighing about 4lb 4oz (2lbs less than Ryan). They may already have hair – both of the other two had very very fine hair. Their bones are continuing to harden apart from the skull which stays soft to allow passage through the birth canal.

Apparently I may feel and look very pregnant – ticks for both of these!

Oh and I may feel exhausted and worn out – Tick. Tick!

Until next week.

Lisa x

Pregnancy Diary 32 Weeks

14/04/201811/01/2024 Lisa 17 Comments

Pregnancy Diary 32 Weeks

Pregnancy Diary 32 Weeks – were week two of the Easter holidays and I’m loving not being at work! I was told last week by the Physio to do as little as possible so given how painful my back has been that’s exactly what I’ve been doing.

We’ve done plenty but I’ve been very selective in making sure that I’m not going too far and also spacing out activities so that I can rest in between.

Isabelle has been great and has been happy to do lots of craft activities as well as having friends over. I did take her to an indoor climbing centre with her friend which was really fun and she had a really nice time.

I’ve knocked dog walking on the head which I do miss but I can’t chase after him when he bolts at the sight of people feeding the ducks so he can beg for bread, and picking up dog pooh when he’s gone halfway down the embankment in search of the perfect pooh spot is out as well. The rain hasn’t helped at all either!

We have rearranged our bedroom and put up the crib next to our bed now. It’s not ideal since if we put it in the right Chris and I have had to swap sides of the bed which is weird, but if we put it on the other side the door may catch it so that’s a no.

We could of course stay on our own sides of the bed but aside from me having to walk around the bed to get the baby out during the night, Chris can’t seem to be able to come to bed without bumping into everything and so the baby is likely to be rudely awoken every night by him.

I had the worse nights sleep since pregnant last night. I couldn’t get comfortable at all, and when I did the baby obviously wasn’t so would have a good old kick and wriggle which went on for most of the night.

I think this is the wriggliest the baby has been to date and hopefully won’t be a sign of how are nights are going to go once he or she arrives.

I did read that sleep patterns are established at this stage so heaven help us!

I picked up my Emma’s Diary Bump to Baby pack yesterday which included:

A pack of 22 Pampers Nappies size 1 (4 – 11lb)
A sample tube of Bepanthen Nappy Care Ointment
A Petit Filous weaning spoon and voucher
A £1 off voucher for Pampers nappies
Lots of various money off vouchers

I’m going to pop the Pampers Nappy pack into my Hospital Bag as it’s a small pack but more than enough. The cream is also a great size for popping into my changing bag.

Food

Now that my eating is back on track I thought I would share with you what I ate in a day. I’m not going to any particular effort so that you think I’m super healthy as I do eat family size bags of crisps and huge chunks of cheese stood by the fridge if the mood takes me.

Chris I think is equally happy about my returned appetite as he is no longer restricted to cooking without onions or garlic, or making things with too many bits in it!

As well as putting up the crib, I’ve started buying things for both my hospital bag and the baby’s hospital bag and stashing it away.

It’s still a bit early to wash all the clothes and nappies but I’m itching to get this done so that I can fold, and probably unfold and refold. Did you do that? Is it a normal part of nesting? Who knows but it’s something I like to do (only with baby clothes I might add in case Chris is reading)!

Pram

We still don’t have a pram or car seat yet. The pram I’m not so worried about but we need to get the car seat bought and in the car ready.

Hypnobirthing

My Hypnobirthing book has arrived and I’ve started to read it. I’m also listening to the tracks as often as I can so that it sinks into my subconscious so I have as easy as possible Labour. I went for the Catharine Graves Hypnobirthing book and I’ve been listening to the tracks as much as possible which I still feel a little bit weird about, but it’s relaxing so I’m going to keep going.

Hospital Bag

We went into town today to get some more bits and bobs including some more leggings for me, a very unflattering nightie which I will wear during labour or afterwards and the most enormous knickers ever. I also got some nursing bras from H&M where both Isabelle and Chris crumpled into giggling stupidity which Isabelle can be forgiven for as she’s only seven but Chris really should know better.

My washable breast pads also arrived this week so they’re all good to go. Everything still needs to be washed and put away which I think I will do towards the end of next week. I couldn’t believe how long it took us to walk around town today with a few pit stops in between so that I could have a bit of a sit down and catch my breath.

Development

The baby is now the size of a hairy coconut measuring about 42.4cm and weighing around 3.7lb.

According to the Bounty App the baby will have bouts of sleep and wriggle time. There are definite times of the day when the baby has a good old wriggle, especially when I eat or drink something cold. Apparantly they have dreams, not sure how even scientists have managed to establish this but hey what do I know.

The baby may well be in the engaged position. I can’t tell which way the baby is as I get some amazing kicks up into my ribs which I then assume that the baby is facing downwards to then get a hefty shove in the side. Both of mine were breech right up until the last minute so we’ll see which way this one is when I have my appointment in a couple of weeks time.

See you next week.

Lisa x