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My Skincare Routine!

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Recently I've been getting some lovely comments about my skin and questions on my skincare routine.  While my skin is far from perfect or "flawless", it has been looking better lately and I believe there are certain products to thank for that.  At the very end of my pregnancy I was very lucky to have "the glow" - my breakouts were non-existent and my skin had never looked better.  But after giving birth it all went down-hill and I started breaking out again! :(  I tried various different products and about two months ago I seem to have gotten the combination right.  Here is what I've been using lately to keep my skin looking healthy.


Avon Clear Skin Professional Deep Pore Cleansing Scrub
I received this as a gift and I absolutely love it.  I believe this has been my skin saviour as it contains salicylic acid which is known to keep acne away.  I use this everyday and do not find it to be too harsh or drying on my oily/combination skin.  It contains little blue exfoliating beads and gives my face a fresh clean feeling after washing off.  I use it first thing in the morning and also at night after taking off my makeup.  It helps to deep clean my face and get rid of all the dirt!


St. Ives Apricot Scrub
This is an all-time favourite which hasn't changed but I thought I'd include it as I have not stopped using it.  This provides a more thorough exfoliation to the face and the beads are a little rougher so I tend to use it only twice a week.  I have the oil-free version.


Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Creme Complexe Hydratante
I purchased the entire Visible Difference line (cleanser, toner & moisturiser) about 2 months ago and the moisturiser was the product that stood out the most to me.  I do like this line and recommend this day-cream but if I were repurchasing I think I would go with their lighter fluid instead as this is a tiny bit too rich for daytime (I think).  I have a few sample moisturisers I want to use up too so I'm going to try them out first before getting this again.


Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream
This was a sample in one of my Glossyboxes.  I have always been quite sceptical of eye creams, having never found one that really worked for me.  I don't think this is ground-breaking by any means but I like the formula, it's light and easy to work with, doesn't irritate and leaves my skin feeling supple and hydrated.  I also believe this was recommended by the Pixiwoo sisters...I could be wrong.  I think I saw it on their Instagram.  I have another eye cream I want to test out this month but if I don't like that better I would repurchase this.


Skinetica Anti-Blemish
Another Glossybox sample which worked wonders for my skin that I stupidly threw out after finishing it!  I really loved this stuff and am on the hunt for more!  I have never had much luck with toners finding them useless and not effective at all on my skin but I started using this instead...not as a toner but in the place of one.  This is a spot treatment which you apply with a cotton ball or pad and it really works!  I would use this on the blemish or spot at night and the following morning it would be gone.  Also this did not dry out my skin like Pan Oxyl or other benzoyl peroxide products I've used before.  Very impressive if you suffer from breakouts!


Simple Cleansing Wipes
These are another staple in my skincare routine and they still remain my favourites for taking off my makeup at night!  I always cleanse afterwards to remove any alcohol or excess products but these work very well to get rid of even the thickest/blackest eye makeup.  I do recommend storing them upside down though as otherwise the first in the pile can dry out.


Here's a realistic look at my skin today.  (No airbrushing/photoshop/fancy lighting/etc.)  It's not perfect by any means but right now this is "good skin" for me!  I only hope it will decide to stay that way...you never know with my skin type.  It can be very temperamental sometimes! ;)  But I will update you guys along the way if I find any other great products that work for me.  I hope this rundown of what I'm using at the moment is helpful to some of you!  What are your skincare secrets?

Stay Stylish!


What I Ate Wednesday

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Breakfast
Need I even write this?  Ha ha...you guessed it, Alpen Raspberry Apple & Raisin porridge with almond milk, 1/2 banana, cinnamon and a black coffee :)  Perfect!  I also downed two large glasses of water.  About 5 of these glasses equal 2 litres, so that is how many I try to drink a day!


Lunch
I had my go-to lunch of choice, tuna wrap!  This may seem so boring to you guys but I actually hadn't eaten one of these in a while as we've been having a lot of soups and pasta recently!  I chopped up some carrots to add to the tuna salad today which made it extra crunchy and delicious.  Also added some cucumber, tomatoes, lettuce and light mayo.  Yum, yum! 


Snack
Chopped up Pink Lady apple and a vanilla yoghurt.  These always satisfy my sweet cravings in the afternoon...I know they have sweeteners in them and they're probably not the healthiest yoghurt out there but they're better than say, a donut or something like that instead...ha ha ha!  


Dinner
My wonderful husband cooked dinner: chicken, green peppers & corn on the cob with boiled new potatoes and lemon pepper seasoning.  Yummy!
  

Dessert
This is something I've been loving lately as an evening treat - Nescafe Decaff Cappuccino with a few biscuits in this really cute cup complete with a biscuit pocket, ha ha ha!  It's actually Jonathan's - this was his Christmas present from his sister but I'm always stealing it from him because...well, it's just so darn convenient! ;)  Today I had Hobnobs but I also love this with Caramel Digestives...mmm!  

What did you eat today?

Stay Stylish!

Half and Half

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Top/Selected (LoveClothing), Boots/ASOS, Leggings/Avoca, Bracelets/Dyrberg Kern & Tiffany's

I feel like crap today! :(  I think I either have mastitis again or am coming down with something...nooo!  I hate being sick!  Hopefully it will pass quickly!  Anyway, this is one of my favourite outfits to wear lately...underneath this top I have a black nursing tank.  The grey top is half knit, half silk (in the back and front pocket) - I love it!  The leggings make this super comfy and easy to wear.  

This is also what I wore to a mini photoshoot with the Sunday Independent - as far as I know the article will be in this Sunday's newspaper if you're interested!  And later tonight we're doing Family Friday at our house (where my family come over for dinner) and my mama is bringing her amazing tiramisu...I can't wait!!  She is the best tiramisu maker in the world :) 

I hope you're all having a wonderful Friday - don't get sick like me!!  I'll be doing a Valentine's themed home decor post tomorrow ;) 


Stay Stylish!

Valentine's Day Decor

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With Valentine's Day (and Jonathan's birthday before that!) right around the corner, this year I thought I'd decorate a little for the holiday.  We already had this table runner from Christmas that my mom brought us back from Germany but as it's covered in hearts it does quite well as a Valentine's one too!  The red velvet Yankee Candle smells super delicious (also the flavour of our wedding cake!) and I bought it for half price in Home Store & More.  The heart confetti, heart shaped candles and napkins are from Tesco.  The kissing Maltese salt & pepper shakers were a gift from a lovely friend Rebecca and the red & glass tea-light holders were a wedding gift from Newbridge Glassware.  


We also have a few heart shaped items in our hallway!  There's a little nook in the hall between the staircase and wall where the cupboard under the stairs is.  Here's where I usually put seasonal decorative items...for example at Halloween and Christmas I had different things displayed like holiday tea-light holders and so on!


The candle holder is a permanent piece, it was a wedding present from my grand uncle & aunt.  The little white tea-light holder is for Valentine's Day and I got it at Tesco.  


Along the staircase I hung these two little "valentines" - a white heart (again, from good ol' Tesco!) and a little hanging ornament which was a present from my best friend...I think she got it in Germany.  I also think this was originally meant to be a Christmas decoration but I've always preferred it for Valentine's Day!

That's all I have for now!  Do you decorate for Valentine's Day?  I never had before but this was quite fun!  

Stay Stylish!

Mommy Monday: Mommy Must-Haves (0-5 Months)

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I got the idea for this post from Lorraine (TheCurrentCustom) who requested I put together a list of essential items I've found the most useful over the past few months.  I actually think this is a great idea, especially for expecting/first time moms!  I certainly had no idea what I would or wouldn't use/need and both Jonathan and I were very cautious about buying into any hype or fad items because there are SO many out there!  So I have broken it down to these few essentials or must-haves that I think would be very helpful to any new mommies in the first five months!  (Of course I'm excluding the absolute obvious here...nappies/formula/breast milk, you get the idea!)


First on my list are Water Wipes.  These are all we've ever used on Emilia's cute little bum other than cotton pads and water (in the first days of her life) but you can use these from newborn.  They are made from 99.9% water and 0.1% fruit extract, all natural, preservative/chemical free and I firmly believe that it is because of them that Emilia has never had a bad nappy rash.  I would say she has only ever had a tiny hint of redness about three times since she was born and it has always gone away very quickly.  So these are amazing!  If you live in Ireland you can get them at Tesco...otherwise they're also available online.


Her Graco Lovin Hug Hedgerow Swing is one of the more expensive items we've bought but it was worth every penny!  Although I think Emilia is just coming up to the time where she's almost growing out of it, this was an absolute life-saver these past few months!  It puts her right to sleep, plays music and white noise, has six different speed settings and she loves it.  I would recommend this to any parent!  It's the best problem-solver/baby-sitter for all those times when you just need to put your baby down for a minute while you get stuff done, answer the door/pick up the phone/do housework and you know he/she is safe and content.  Definitely a must-have!  (FYI: The front base part of our swing is actually on wrong...Jofus fixed it this way and then realised it wasn't on correctly and just left it like that, ha ha ha!)


Emilia's baby bath-tub is another thing we use everyday and she has still not grown out of it.  It's so much more convenient than filling up the whole tub...plus it's quite easy to use. Initially I was kind of kicking myself that we didn't get one of those sponge "moulds" for the baby but apparently they're not so great because they grow out of them very fast.  Now she's almost at the stage where she wants to sit up and it still works perfect!  I got this in Mothercare.  


This was actually recommended to us by our accountant!  I remember him saying "You guys will get SO much unsolicited advice and people will tell you that you need this, that and the other.  But the one thing that was recommended to us that actually ended up being a godsend is this."  It's the AngelCare Baby Monitor which comes with a sensor pad that goes underneath the mattress in the crib/bassinet.  This monitors your baby's heartbeat and basically lets you know at all times that he/she is alive and breathing!  It sounds extreme but it really does give you peace of mind.  I absolutely love this because as a new parent you worry CONSTANTLY and this just helps manage that worry...ha ha ha!


This is just a picture of our carseat which is an obvious necessity for a baby but what I love about ours is that it slots into our stroller as well as our isofix base in the car.  I definitely recommend the isofix for easy access...you don't have to fiddle around with straps or seatbelts and it is so simple to click into place.  If you can manage to get a stroller that works with your carseat I think this will save you a lot of work too!  Emilia always falls asleep in the car and it's so easy to just lift out and then click into the stroller without waking her, plus then you have a very lightweight, easy to use stroller that isn't bulky or heavy to get around with.  She's just about to grow out of this now which I'm really sad about because it was so convenient! :(  The stroller we have is the Baby Elegance Beep Twist in purple.  


A product that we've had for a while but is proving most useful lately is the Armsreach Co-Sleeper which is basically a little bassinet or travel cot which you can attach onto your own bed with one side down so that it's like a little "side-bed" for your baby.  We've just started putting Emilia to bed here and I find it's a great transition piece for eventually getting her used to sleeping in the crib in her own room.  I love that you can easily see your baby and he/she can see you, you can reach in and comfort her and it's almost as if she's in bed with you yet you have more room/freedom!  It's definitely not as pretty as a bassinet but it's very functional!  I got this from JellyBean but I'm not sure if they stock them anymore.  


Before Emilia was born Jonathan and I went back and forth for the longest time trying to decide whether or not we needed a changing table.  While I'm really glad we opted not to get one (because of our nifty little built-in furniture unit at our new house!) I do recommend a changing mat.  You can disinfect these so easily, you need one for a changing table anyway but you can use it anywhere.  It's most useful if you are on a budget or simply don't want to fork out for a changing table.  We were very lucky with how our house already had this built-in counter and drawers underneath to stock all her nappies, toiletries, etc. but even without it you could use the mat on the floor, the bed or any table!  We got this mat from JellyBean also! 


I'm not sure if this is really a "must-have" but when I think of items I use everyday Emilia's pink fuzzy blankets definitely come to mind.  Hers happen to be pink and cupcake themed but it's the warm fuzziness that appeals to me the most!  At the moment it's very cold in Ireland so I like to always put a blanket around her legs whether she's in her swing, nursing or on her playmat.  I am rarely without one of these and alternate between two.


When thinking about Emilia's favourite toys, her Bright Starts Links stood out the most.  She also likes her Lamaze Princess but if I had to pick just one, the links win!  These can be taken anywhere, hooked to almost anything (stroller, carseat, playmat, entertainment centre) and they keep her entertained for ages.  She loves the feel of them in her hands, putting them in her mouth, the colours and this is the first toy I grab to put in my changing bag if we're running out the door.  


Musical toys are also a must-have, especially in the earlier months when Emilia hated getting her nappy changed.  We would wind up or play one of these and she would settle right down.  Anything like a music box, mobile or wind-up toy will do.  As well as that, white noise is amazing for getting babies to sleep!  If you want to buy a white noise machine that might help but I've found that even just vacuuming or blow-drying my hair will put her to sleep almost instantly!  You can also get white noise apps on your phone but obviously I wouldn't leave that too close to your baby for long periods of time!

  If you are breastfeeding, Boob nursing tops are wonderful for nursing in public.  They are pretty expensive but in my opinion they are worth it!!  I have two long sleeve ones (black and blue), four tank tops (black, pink, turquoise and purple) and a hoody.

In terms of clothing/basics I would suggest many of the following: 
Bibs
Burp cloths
Socks
Hats
Vests

Another thing that I recommend are those baby towels with a hood on one corner.  So convenient and easy to use - I would say you need about two high-quality ones and then just alternate them!

That is all I can think of right now that are definite must-haves or essentials for the first five months.  I will make an updated post like this in another few months' time!  Let me know what you think of posts like this and if you have any recommendations you would like to add, feel free to do so!  I also think it's important to remember that all parents are different and every baby is different too!  So what works for me may not work for you but at least we can all help each other as we figure it all out along the way!  I can't believe my next mommy-related post will be Emilia's FIVE month update!  Eek!

Stay Stylish!

Beauty Tuesday: January Favourites!

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Here are my favourite products of January 2013!  


I discovered a lot of great hair products last month.  First off I switched my shampoo & conditioner as I was finding the Bedhead Dumb Blonde range was making my hair feel very gummy after they changed their packaging/formula.  I'm not sure what went wrong as it used to be my all-time favourite!  Anyway I picked up some Aussie Luscious Long Shampoo and the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Luscious Long Deep Treatment.  I had heard amazing things about Aussie's 3 Minute Miracle products but never tried anything by the brand before.  This was my first time using them and I'm pleased to report that it works like a charm!  My hair is so soft, smooth and silky...I have been receiving compliments on how healthy it looks and I love how it makes my hair feel!  The first time I used it I couldn't stop touching it after! 

Another product I've been enjoying is the Milk_Shake Conditioning Whipped Cream which I received in my December Glossybox.  This stuff smells delicious!!  It looks like real whipped cream and is like dessert for your hair.  You use it after getting out of the shower on damp hair, then blow-dry/style as normal and it keeps it moisturised, feeling silky and tames frizzies!  
I also picked up the Batiste Big & Bouncy XXL Volume Dry Shampoo and it has quickly become one of my must-have hair products!  I hate flat hair and am forever looking for the magical product which will give my hair more volume...I think I may have found it!  Not only will this refresh your roots on day 2/3 hair, it also gives you that sexy tousled bedhead look without any backcombing or effort! 


This is how my hair looks today - day 2 hair with no styling/hot tools and just a little Batiste XXL dry shampoo at the roots to give it some body!


A couple of skincare products also made the list - the first of which I mentioned in my recent skincare post.  The Avon Clear Skin Professional Deep Pore Cleansing Scrub with salicylic acid has helped keep acne and spots away which I'm naturally very thankful for!  It's very cooling with little blue micro-beads in it that lightly exfoliate the face leaving your skin very clean-feeling afterwards.  I also loved the Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream last month, which was another Glossybox sample.  It isn't as rich or greasy as other eye creams yet still hydrates the skin without making it feel heavy.  I don't know if it brightened or lifted my eye area at all but it certainly felt nice on my skin!  

I received the Essence 24h Hand Protection Balm in Apple Cinnamon Punch as a gift from a German subscriber and although it's probably not even the right season anymore, I love the smell of this!!  It's so delicious even Jonathan comments on how yummy it is every night when I put it on before going to bed :)  


I received this lipstick from a German follower as well - P2 Pure Color Lipstick in Sunset Boulevard and it was probably my most-worn lipstick last month.  How is it that anytime I find my favourite shade it's always a brand that isn't sold in Ireland?!  Argh!!  Anyhow, this is a perfect dupe for FYF's Coy (my wedding lipstick).  It's a very opaque nude pink with a mauve-ish tint.  


This is how it looks on my lips!  If you live in Germany or can get your hands on P2 cosmetics I would definitely recommend it!  


The other lip product I've been loving lately is Lush Popcorn Lip Scrub.  I have never really been into Lush products if I'm honest but this one has made quite an impression!  If you haven't already guessed, I'm a big fan of all things sweet and sugary whether it's a food item or a beauty product so this is right up my alley!  This smells (and tastes) delicious, like a caramel buttery sugary delight!  Ha ha ha :)  It also leaves your lips feeling wonderfully soft which is a huge plus in these colder months.  I've been using this twice a week along with a moisturising lip balm and it has been keeping my lips flake free.


Here are my two non-beauty favourites for the month: my Red Velvet Yankee Candle (which should really be more of a February fave...oh well!), and these Nescafe Cappuccino Sachets which I've been enjoying at night with a few naughty biscuits!  Usually I drink the decaff version but the petrol station didn't have any last night when I ran out and got a bad craving, ha ha ha!  

What were your January Faves?  Did you discover any must-have products last month?

Stay Stylish!

What I Ate Wednesday!

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Breakfast 
Porridge with almond  milk 1/2 banana and cinnamon with a black coffee.


Lunch
Spicy chicken wrap with peppers and yoghurt mayo + a black coffee.


Snack
Pink Lady apple & Alpen apple & sultana bar


Dinner
Sweet & sour chicken with extra pineapple, Asian stir fry veggies and brown rice.


Dessert
Nescafe Cappuccino & some custard cream biscuits.

What did you eat today? 

Textures

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Leggings/Selected (LoveClothing), Boots/ASOS, Top/Boob, Jacket/H&M, Cardigan/Avoca, Bracelets/Dyrberg Kern & Tiffany's, Necklace/Agatha

I love the textures in this outfit.  Black & grey are my favourite colours to wear in the winter time.  I also like how the chunky knit cardigan doubles up as a kind of scarf.  I wore this out to lunch & am now headed to get my hair done...thinking of doing something different, I need a change!


And here's what my little cutie monster wore.  She is so beautiful <3  5 months old on Monday!

Top/F&F (Tesco), Socks/BabyGap, Leggings/Koala Kids, Hairband/Layniebug Designs

Stay Stylish!


I Chopped All My Hair Off!

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Yes!  I really did it...I got the chop!  I told you I felt like a change, ha ha ha ;)


It really is short!  What do you guys think?  My hubby loves it as this pretty much the same style I had when we first got together.  The only difference is I went a lot darker this time!  I think the poor stylists at the salon thought I was some kind of crazy woman reeling from postpartum hormones when I arrived announcing that I wanted "all of it chopped off...and darker."  Ha ha ha!  They asked me lots of questions like "have you ever had short hair before?", "are you absolutely sure?" and right before she cut it my hairdresser asked "are you ready??"  I was ready though, I've never been one of those people who's emotionally attached to their hair even though you would probably think I would be after it had gotten that long!  But my hair grows so fast and has been lots of different colours so I think it's fun to change it up once in a while! :)  


As you can see from the pictures, my colourist persuaded me to try balayage/ombre before totally going over to the dark side...and I have to admit I think he was right.  Once again he was afraid I would regret it so he encouraged me to try this warm brown at the roots with some golden blonde pieces throughout the ends.  I love it!  It's really rich and warm without being too drastic a change from the blonde.  And what lovely, caring hair stylists they all were to think of my emotional state afterwards...ha ha ha!  


The cut is layered very choppy which means my natural wave came out - yesterday I wore it straight and sleek (after washing it) and today this is how it looked in the morning!  I just sprayed a little dry shampoo & we were done!  How easy and low-maintenance is that for a new mama?!  Exactly what I was looking for :)  

Let me know what you guys think and don't be too sad about saying goodbye to the longer locks...hair grows back after all!  But I think I might keep it this way for a while, I really like it!  
Stay Stylish!

*comments are back on for now but negative nancies will be blocked...so if you're thinking of being a meanie-bum...don't bother!*

Emilia's 5 Month Update!

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Height/Weight: Emilia weighed 18.8lbs about 2 weeks ago at her developmental check-up so she is probably around the 20lb mark by now...chubby bunny :)  She is only 61cm/24in long and the nurses said it looks like she will be petite!  Not that we expected anything else...her mommy and daddy are quite short too!  I am 5'4" and Jonathan 5'5" so no surprises there!  

Daily: Emilia is awake for much longer stretches during the day now and last month we bought her an "exersaucer" or entertainment centre (it's the Bright Starts Entertain and Grow Saucer if you're interested!).  She is becoming much more interested and excited about toys, as well as grabbing things and reaching out to touch them so she loves sitting in her saucer, playing with her toys and watching Peppa Pig in the mornings!  She also likes soft toys and blankies to snuggle or suck on.  I like to separate the brighter, plastic/interactive, more fun toys for her active playtime and the soft, cuddly ones for quiet time or naps. 


 Bedtime: Her bedtime routine has changed since last month!  Now we are actually putting her to bed in her co-sleeper instead of the swing...Emilia went through a few days of being really fussy and cranky in the evenings, where she wouldn't settle and had to be rocked or held.  This was so unusual for her as prior to that she had always been a very placid, content little baby!  We figured out that she was over-stimulated by everything else that was going on as she's now a little older and is more aware of her surroundings.  Whereas before she never noticed things like the TV, dogs barking, us talking/making noise while she slept now it is very different and she needs more quiet.  

So the routine is usually: bathtime with mommy, lotion, change into pj's then I bring her downstairs and nurse her to sleep.  I take her upstairs and put her into the co-sleeper, turn on the night light and go back down.  Sometimes I'm not so successful with putting her down and she gets upset or wakes up crying and I have to nurse her to sleep but usually she is pretty good and will sleep for another few hours till the next feed!  I do take her into our bed with me whenever she wakes up in the night and she stays there till morning depending on the time...if it's an early morning feed she stays, if it's still night time I will put her back in the co-sleeper. 


 Eating: I'm still breastfeeding exclusively!  She hasn't started solids yet and we don't plan to until 6 months but she is definitely showing a clear interest in food, watching us eat and reaching out for cups, bowls, etc.  She has licked my apple and we even gave her a tiny taste of ice-cream when my mother-in-law came to visit (no effect whatsoever...her face didn't even change!) but she hasn't started weaning yet.  I can't wait though, I'm so excited to get her high-chair and prepare her little meals! :)

Emilia feeds about 4 times in the day and then about twice at night.  So she usually has an early morning feed (in bed), then one at about 11am, another one around 2:30/3pm and her last big feed at 7:30/8pm.  Of course this varies depending on the day.  Then she will normally wake up again around midnight-ish or the time that we go to bed and once again at night.  Sometimes it's 3, other times closer to 5...it sort of depends!  I don't really mind waking up at night...it doesn't bother me half as much as I thought it would!  


Sizes: She is fitting into 6-9 month clothes!  Some of her vests are even 9 months and she is getting too big for some of her 6 month clothes :(  They grow so fast!  This has also made me completely re-think the whole seasonal shopping thing...most of her 6-9mo stuff is spring/summer attire!  You just never know with babies, eh?!  She is also in size 4 nappies (European sizes, not American!).


Milestones:
  • Sitting (in this leaning forward position) on her own.  I wouldn't really call it "sitting up" on her own because it's not but she will sort of lean forward unassisted!
  • Reaching out/grabbing and holding onto things.  She has this funny obsession with my coffee cup (I think this is because it looks like a giant white boob!) and she gets really excited everytime I drink from it, then grabs it when it's empty and I offer it to her...ha ha ha!  
  • Getting upset/excited when we leave/enter the room.  This is definitely new...I've noticed her face lights up when Jonathan or I enter the room or her line of sight (which is lovely) but then when we leave she is noticeably upset, depending on what she's doing or her mood. 
  • Teething...I mentioned this last month too!  She is still teething but is wearing her amber necklace which I think helps.  Maybe it's my imagination but I swear it works!  And I was sceptical before trying it out!  Still no teeth to report though...
  • Noticing her hands, feet, etc.  She will put her hand out in front of her and stare in amazement as she moves it around...it's so cute!  Also she has found her feet (yay!) but has yet to shove them into her mouth by herself.  
  • Moving around when on her tummy.  She's not crawling yet but she will lift her whole chest and head/neck off the floor on her arms and kick her legs like she wants to go somewhere!  Also she rolls over a lot and moves around quite a bit whenever we do floor-time so that's good!  

That's all I can remember for now!  She is getting more and more adorable everyday...I love her so much!  I can't imagine how life was without her - it just seems strange to think about!    

Stay Stylish!

Fire & Ice Cupcakes! (What I Ate Wednesday)

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Breakfast (around 11:30am)
I ate breakfast really late today because it was Jonathan's birthday and we were opening presents this morning!  Anyway, it's the same as always: Alpen Raspberry, Apple & Raisin porridge with almond milk, 1/2 banana and cinnamon and a black coffee!


Lunch (4pm)
Lunch was super late too!  We were going to go out to eat but then we got side-tracked with everything else going on today so we decided to stay in instead!  This is what I had - a wrap (the white & wheat is my fave!) with organic hummus, sundried tomatoes and watercress, spinach and rocket salad.


Snack (5pm)
Yeah...this is not a real snack, ha ha ha!  I spent the whole afternoon baking so I didn't really have time for a proper snack but I did drink another cup of coffee :)


Dinner (around 8pm)
We went to my mom's house for dinner and she cooked this amazing lamb stew with peas, onions & tomatoes served with polenta fried with parmesan.  It was soooo good!  This was also my first time having red meat in ages but I have to say I actually really enjoyed it!  I would probably never cook red meat because I hate the sight of it raw but my mom does it so well!


Dessert (after dinner...around 8:30pm)
For Jonathan's birthday I baked him these "Fire & Ice Cupcakes"!  They basically consist of a chocolate chilli cupcake halved and filled with dulce de leche ice-cream, topped with ice-cream again and then drizzled with ganache.  OMG.  These were amaze-balls!!  I will definitely be making them again.  I'll post the recipe here later, Emilia's fussing and I have to feed her so I can't do it right now! :(

I also drank 2L water...well, I'm currently chugging my 2nd last glass for the day! 

What did you eat today?!

Fashion Friday: Black & Taupe

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Cardigan/Soaked in Luxury, Leggings/Avoca, Boots/Hunter Regent Savoy, Top/Vila, Bracelet/Gift from my sister

I'm not sure how I feel about these leggings...what do you guys think?  I have them in black as well and while I think those look fine these ones are a little, for lack of a better word, "pyjama-ish"!  They're not very flattering in the bum/thigh area (hello, cellulite!) and being that they are this taupe/close to skin colour they can give the impression that you're wearing nothing on bottom.  Perhaps I would feel more comfortable wearing them if my legs were 100x skinnier with a longer cardigan/top going out in public but for lounging around the house I think they are okay!

I am really enjoying my shorter hair so far and it has been a LOT easier to maintain!  Washing, blow-drying and styling it takes about a tenth of the time it used to and on the days I don't wash it I don't even have to worry about that, it just sort of styles itself!  Also Emilia doesn't pull anymore whenever I'm trying to feed/change her or pick her up which is an added bonus!  I no longer find her little fists stuffed with long blonde hairs...ha ha ha!  

Hope you're all having a fabulous Friday!    

Stay Stylish!

Mommy Monday: My Postpartum Belly

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This week I thought I would give you guys a little update on my belly at 5 months postpartum.  I know I stopped doing the belly shots in my monthly update videos around the time I went back down to my pre-pregnancy weight - this was because I didn't see much point in repeating myself month after month!  But I have gotten a few requests, especially to give my review of the Belly Bandit so here it is!  


As you probably already know, I gained a total of 24lbs while pregnant and if I remember correctly it took about 2 - 2.5 months to lose it.  I accredit most of this to breastfeeding as well as moderately healthy eating.  I really don't work out, I just walk the dogs for an hour and that's about it!  Now at 5 months postpartum I weigh 2lbs less than my pre-pregnancy weight but my body composition is definitely different.  My waist used to be 23/24" and it is now 25" but I also can see a difference when I look at my stomach, it's not as flat as it used to be!  I don't mind though...in fact I'm pretty happy with my post-pregnant body :)      


I did get some stretch marks around my belly button...thankfully I didn't get anymore than that but now I do have a wrinkly old lady belly button, ha ha ha!  Here's a close-up for your viewing pleasure because nobody ever believes me when I mention it in videos or at least the lighting doesn't show them properly!


Something that I definitely do think helped shrink my stomach back to its normal size was the Belly Bandit and I wore this for about 2/2.5 months after giving birth.  I got the bamboo one in nude which is €82.50 from Jellybean.  You can also get the original Belly Bandit for €59.50 but I really liked how the bamboo fabric felt on my skin, it wasn't irritating at all and is supposed to be good for absorbing moisture and keeping your skin fresh.  This is actually quite important because I leaked a LOT in the beginning when my body was regulating how much milk to produce so the belly bandit got pretty soaked but it evaporated straight away and never felt damp or uncomfortable. 


I wore this almost everyday for the first 2/2.5 months or until I felt comfortable with my belly.  I definitely did feel like on the days I forgot to wear it that my tummy looked jigglier/bigger whereas on the days I did wear it when I took it off at night before bed, my stomach looked tighter & more firm.  Maybe this was just my imagination but other friends I've spoken to who wore it agreed!  I chose not to wear the belly bandit at night, just because I wanted to be more comfortable and unrestricted.  Not that it was uncomfortable to wear during the day but you definitely feel like your stomach is being sucked in.  However I liked this as it made me feel more confident about my postpartum "jiggle"!  


The Belly Bandit is also supposed to be good for C-section recovery and good posture while breastfeeding, although I will be the first to admit that I bought it purely for vanity reasons!  Having said that I did find that it helped keep my posture straight & upright while feeding which is very important.  (I didn't have a C-section so I can't say whether it helps or not for that.)


I get a lot of questions on how to wear the Belly Bandit - so here's how it should look when it's on but keep in mind I am back down to my normal size...when you first put it on it will look different and not as "neat".  But you should notice that you can wear it tighter and tighter the smaller your stomach gets.  It's important to wrap it around your lower ab area as well so that you are getting the full effect and the belly bandit can do its job properly!  This is visible (slightly) through regular tops and shirts but to be honest, I didn't mind that as I knew it would be worth it in the end.  


The size I got was XS but I recommend either you check out the Belly Bandit's sizing videos or get fitted professionally like I was.  Apparently you should go by your regular waist size, so that's how we calculated mine but there is a lot of info online which will help you determine which size to get.  

I know the Belly Bandit is quite an investment and I am in no way trying to claim that this alone will make you lose weight...I just think it's a great tool for helping the body go back to normal and I do believe it gave me more confidence in the weeks after giving birth.  If you have used this or something similar I would love to hear your thoughts!  Did you think it was worth the money or just a gimmick?  Let me know what you think!

Stay Stylish!

What I Ate Wednesday

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Breakfast
Alpen porridge (Apple, Raspberry & Raisin) w/half banana, almond milk, cinnamon & a black coffee...same as always!  


Lunch
Chickpea wrap...I had chickpeas in my kitchen cupboard and really wanted to use them so I made this!  I got the recipe from The Sweet Life blog and it was super easy! 


Snack
Organic dessert apple & handful of almonds.  I bought all organic fruit & veggies in our last grocery shop and I have to say I really can taste a difference!  Everything tastes so much better & fresher...plus I didn't really notice a big price difference.  For example these dessert apples are smaller than the regular Pink Lady apples I get, but they are so much sweeter, crunchier and better tasting!  


Dinner
Courtesy of my sister Emma!  Eggplant penne pasta with pecorino cheese.  So delicious!


Dessert
My mom got these cakes from On the Pig's Back and I couldn't decide between the two (coffee and lemon) so I had to have a slice of both!!  My sister also baked chocolate chip cookies but I forgot to take a picture of those :(  *sigh* I could never give up sweets...I just like them too much! ;)

What did you eat today?!

Fashion Friday: 50 Shades of Grey

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Jacket/H&M, Top/GAP, Scarf/Soaked in Luxury, Boots/Chinese Laundry (LoveClothing), Jeggings/ASOS

My blog should be called 50 Shades of Grey at the rate I'm going with my outfit posts, ha ha ha!  But this and black really are the colours I seem to gravitate towards the most this time of year.  It also suits the weather - we don't get many blue skies in Ireland unfortunately :(  Especially not in winter!  

The two pups outside with me today are Nivea and Theo...don't ask who's who because in these pictures I have no clue!  Theo's the fatter of the two but you can't really make much out here other than big balls of white fluff :)  I hope you're all having a relaxing Friday!  Emilia's taking her afternoon nap as I write this and then we have friends coming over...poor Jonathan slept most of the day after not getting much sleep last night, he's also been killing it at the gym and has lost 11lbs so far - woot!  I'm so proud of him and he is looking pretty buff if I say so myself!

Have a lovely weekend and stay stylish...ha ha ;)


Mommy Monday: Boob Haul!

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Nope I did not get new boobs...but I did pick up some new items from Boob, the nursing wear clothing brand! ;)  If you don't know about this company, they make clothes that make it really easy and convenient to breast feed without maximum coverage.  All their tops come with a panel that lifts up for "easy access" to feed without having to expose your entire chest area.  I love these as they give me so much confidence when nursing in public.  Most people don't even notice I'm doing it, in fact I have had some slightly embarrassing moments (for other people, not me!) when strangers have come up and started talking to Emilia - not realising that she's actually attached to me...ha ha ha!  That's just how good they are ;)


I got everything from Jellybean, who are also having a big sale at the moment!  The first thing was from their new Spring/Summer stock...you guys know how I like my stripes!  I was so happy when I saw this :)  It's just a round-neck long-sleeve style, perfect for the spring.  


This rust/brown long-sleeve top is another basic that I also have in black and ink blue.  Slightly autumnal (and this was on sale from last season's stock) but I do plan to breast feed for the full year and I love this colour!


And lastly, I just picked up two very basic items - another long-sleeve in white and a singlet (tank top) in white.  These make great layering items so you can never have enough of them in my opinion!

Boob clothing doesn't come cheap unfortunately but to me, it's worth it!  If you buy basics you can layer them under all of your regular clothes and honestly I do not mind paying a little bit extra for something that improves my confidence so much when I'm feeding Emilia :)  The clothing is made in Portugal from 92% organic cotton, 8% elastane - it is super great quality and washes really well.  


Emilia was a little princess as always and sat patiently in my cupcake room playing with her toy purse while I filmed videos & took blog pictures today...isn't she a sweetie!  Poor thing is getting her two bottom front teeth and they are breaking through so she's in a bit of pain :(  But she is wearing her amber beads which seem to be helping and I'm giving her Bonjela teething gel when she gets very upset.  Poor baby! 

Let me know what you think of Boob nursing wear...is it something you'd be willing to try if you are breast feeding?  Or do you prefer a different alternative (nursing covers, pashminas, etc.)  Let me know!

Stay Stylish!

Beauty Tuesday: Huge L'Oreal Haul!

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Here are some pictures of the L'Oreal items I received to review last week!  I am so looking forward to trying them out and letting you all know my thoughts on them.  As you can see, I was sent quite a lot of products but I am particularly excited about the skincare items!


I got three products from the Revitalift Laser Renew line - the Advanced Moisturiser, the Super Serum and the Precision Eye Cream.  So far I have tried the moisturiser and serum and I like how they feel on my skin.  Neither are too greasy/oily yet they still make my face feel smooth & hydrated.  I have yet to use the eye cream as I'm still trying out my Murad sample from last month's Glossybox.  I also got their new Skin Perfection 15 Second Miracle Cleansing Oil which claims to remove makeup instantly and is suitable for all skin types.  I have actually had a lot of luck using oils as a makeup remover before so I'm looking forward to trying this out!  


Next up I got the Code Lumiere Illuminating BB Cream in the shade Fair.  It claims to even out your skin-tone, reduce the appearance of irregular pigmentation (which I definitely have!) all while giving your skin an illuminating glow.  I'm a bit sceptical about this as I tried it this morning and while it did improve my skin's appearance and somewhat even it out, it definitely does not give me enough coverage to feel comfortable wearing it on its own.  I would have to put this on under foundation which makes me question whether this is just another useless step in my makeup routine...I suppose it would be good for when you're just running out the door and don't have time to apply makeup?  I am still undecided, let me know your thoughts!  


Along with the BB cream I also got to sample some of the new Nude Magique CC creams!  I had never even heard of these before...nor did I know what it meant (apparently CC stands for "colour correcting"!)  I got the Anti-Redness one (tinted green to neutralise the appearance of redness).  I am curious to try this as I do have some acne scars/redness that I'd like to conceal!  I also got the Anti-Fatigue CC Cream (L'Oreal must have known I'd just had a baby...ha ha ha!) which is tinted apricot to help "wake up" your complexion.  Last of this selection, I got the BB blush in a universal pink colour.  I'm not a huge fan of gel/cream blushes as I hate how greasy they can be on my skin and this is not a colour I would normally pick for myself but it seems quite pigmented and long-lasting so I will try it out nonetheless!


As you can see from the swatches, when rubbed into the skin the CC creams both change colour and transform into foundation.  The blush is very pigmented and really did leave quite a stain on the area where I applied it, which probably means you need to move fast with this product!


Finally, here are the makeup & one hair product that I received.  The first of which is the well-known Elnett Hairspray - this one is in Extra Strength "Sleek Perfection".  I also got the Color Riche Nail Varnish Top Coat in Gold Lurex.  This actually looks pretty cool!  I'm excited to get back into painting my nails just so I can use it.


I got the new Super Liner Blackbuster which is a chunky felt tip liquid liner.  You guys know how I love my black eyeliner (and I'm very fussy about it) so I will definitely put this to the test very soon!  


I know L'Oreal is famous for its Voluminous mascara (which I still have yet to try!) so I wonder if this False Lash Flutter mascara will follow suit.  Check out the interesting shape of the wand though, it does remind me of a butterfly! 


Last but not least was this Glam Shine Stain Splash in the colour 300 Juliet.  A mostly water based formula which is supposed to last for 6 hours, this is a gloss that looks like a stain.  When swatched I will admit that it didn't rub off easy and left a lingering stain on my hand.  However this is definitely a colour outside of my comfort zone...Juliet is a vibrant pinkish red and having looked on the website, I think Bonnie would have been more up my alley but having said that I do sport a red lip from time to time so this may come in handy to wear on top of lipstick/liner when the occasion arises.

I hope you enjoyed the pictures!  Let me know what products you're most interested in and I will do my best to review them first :)

Stay Stylish!

What I Ate Wednesday!

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Breakfast
Today's breakfast was the same-ish...I had my usual Alpen porridge but this time I tried a different flavour - apricot, almond & hazelnut.  I really like this one too though it is definitely not as sweet as the raspberry one, probably because apricot tends to be more tart in general.  I had it with light soy milk, half a banana, cinnamon and a black coffee!  


Lunch
We ate lunch at Costa!  I got the chicken salad sandwich which is not my favourite - they were out of chicken fajita wraps :(  They are the best!  But this wasn't bad, it's made with tomato, mayo, mixed leaves and malted wholegrain bread.  I also had another black coffee with this!


Dinner
We had dinner at Wagamama's because my sister is leaving for Germany again very soon *insert sad face here :(* and I got the Yasai Yaki Soba (vegetarian wholewheat noodles dish fried with egg).  I almost always order this, it's my absolute favourite!  Jonathan got the Chicken Katsu Curry.


Dessert
For dessert I got the white chocolate and ginger cheesecake...also my fave!  I love how you can see Emilia's little pouty face in the background, ha ha ha!  She wasn't very happy at Wagamama's, I think her teeth are bothering her and she was a bit overtired :(  


Jonathan's dessert - three mini cheesecakes :)

To be honest I didn't eat the best today - I would have probably preferred to fit in a snack of some fruit/yoghurt/nuts or something like that in between lunch and dinner but we were busy all day filming the puppies' reaction video so I didn't get a chance to!  Also I'd just like to mention that yesterday I gave into a MAJOR Diet Coke craving...bad bad bad!! I never drink the stuff anymore (I used to order it anytime we went out to eat!) have pretty much just gotten used to only drinking water but yesterday I had a moment of weakness and totally caved!  Anyway, I paid for it big time last night...was super gassy, bloated and got stomach cramps.  It's crazy how much something like that affects you when you completely cut it out of your diet!!  And now I'm stuck with a bajillion Coke cans in my fridge.  Anyone want to come over? ;)  

Let me know what you ate today and do you ever drink fizzy drinks?  What do you think of them?  

Fashion Friday: Warming Up

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Nursing top/Boob, Cardigan/Vila (LoveClothing), Pants/Selected (LoveClothing), Boots/Timeless (LoveClothing), Earrings/Accessorize, Necklace/my dad

I absolutely love this rust nursing top that I got from Jellybean last week...it is the perfect colour and warms up any look!  I've been wearing so much black & grey lately, I had forgotten how much I missed my browns & golds!  Sorry today's post is up so late but my little sister is staying over this weekend and I've been running around trying to get things organised, buying groceries, curtains for her room, etc. etc. :)  We also filmed a video together for this week's Ask Anna - except this time it's Ask Erika as she answered all of your guys' questions from Twitter& Facebook!  Poor old Jonathan has been editing all of our footage this evening so it will be up on TheStyleDiet a little later tonight.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! 

Stay Stylish!

Mommy Monday: Starting Solids!

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Emilia turns 6 months next Monday, which means...weaning time!  I have gotten so many questions about when I'm going to start her on solids, what foods I'm going to feed her, how I'm going to introduce them, etc.  I have held off on weaning her till 6 months, as that's what doctors recommend in Ireland and although I can tell she's probably physically ready (she is extremely interested in food and gets so excited everytime I eat in front of her!) I really wanted her main source of nutrition for the first 6 months of her life to be breast milk.  I do intend to continue breast feeding her until 12 months though, alongside her solid foods!  Here she is sitting up in the shop model Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair...hers comes in tomorrow and we can't wait for her to get it! :)  We got the walnut one with the pink silhouette cushion.  I'm so excited to start feeding her at the table with us! 


Emilia has been reaching for anything we are eating recently and if we extend it towards her she tries to grab it and put it in her mouth!  This was what happened when my sister Erika gave her her yoghurt carton (she didn't actually get to eat any, but she tried!).  So far she has had a little lick of apple, a tiny taste of banana and an itty-bitty lick of ice-cream!  She has liked everything she tasted but to be honest, she has never been given enough to really "try" anything.  


She also has two teeth now!  Her two front bottom teeth came in together, making her smile all the more adorable :)  Hopefully this will help her out a bit when she does start on solids but even without them she wants to bite and gnaw on everything, especially hard plastic toys.  Her gums bled a bit when those teeth first started to cut through which gave me a fright but I've been assured it's totally normal (I didn't know that!!)  Right now we are giving her Teetha granules or Bonjela teething gel for the pain and she is also wearing her amber necklace, but I do take it off her at night.  


I've always known that I wanted to make all of Emilia's baby food myself so I wanted to share an amazing book that I found while pregnant.  It's the Annabel Karmel New Complete Baby and Toddler Meal Planner and it's full of wonderful recipes for great home-cooked meals that are easy to prepare and healthy for your baby.  She also gives you tons of information on how to begin the weaning process and what to feed your baby first, which foods are best, etc.  All things that I feel are so helpful for first-time mommies! 

 

The thing that really drew me to this particular book is the meal planner part, which gives you a clear, easy-to-follow menu for the first few weeks of feeding your baby.  You also get a meal planner for stage 2 (7-9 months) and an older baby/toddler (9 months+).  The book provides you with lots of recipes too, from the simplest of meals like fruit puree to more complicated things like full proper dinners for when the kids are older.  


I really can't tell you how helpful this book has been to me...and I haven't even started Emilia on solids yet!  But this just makes me feel a lot more confident about the whole thing and I can't wait to start preparing her meals!  It's strange because even though I generally hate cooking, the thought of cooking food for Emilia really excites me and I know I'm going to enjoy it so much!  Does anybody else feel this way?!   

Reaching for a cupcake last night...Albi wanted some too, ha ha ha!  

So that's my plan for starting Emilia on solids...I hope it answered all of your questions!  Basically I just hope to give her the best nutrition I possibly can by making her healthy home-cooked foods and trying to limit jars/store-bought baby foods with lots of added salt/sugar/nasty ingredients I don't know anything about!  I'm excited to start this journey and I definitely plan to share my experiences with all of you!  I hope you will join me :)  

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