17th January 2020
We are beyond proud and excited to announce the safe arrival of our SON into the world!
At 3:18pm yesterday (9 days overdue!) and weighing 8lb 8oz, our darling boy EDDISON MARK PEACOCK arrived and we are so smitten. We can’t wait for Otis to meet his new baby brother today, we are pretty sure Otis will have such a cheeky influence on him! I am so in love with the fact that we now have 2 precious little Princes! 💙💙
12th January 2020
🌷 JUST RELAX? 🌷
I’m soaking in the little moments of relaxation whilst I can get them, but I can’t shake induction from the back my mind. It may not be something I think about constantly, but it does appear in my thoughts now and then and it scares me.
I want as natural a labour as possible. I want to go to the freestanding, midwife-led birth Centre. I want to birth my baby without increasing the chances of needing intervention….
I do not want to go to the hospital. At all.
So I’ve been keeping myself busy with various things to try and encourage labour naturally:
✔️A clary sage bath (x2)
✔️A long walk
✔️A hot curry (x2)
✔️Sleeping with clary sage next to the bed
✔️ Constant bouncing on the birthing ball
✔️laughing along to a comedy film
Last night my clary sage bath contained milk too as a friend suggested the essential oil would soak in better when mixed with milk otherwise it would just sit on top of the water. So I thought what the hell, if I’m still pregnant I may as well take more pretty Bump photos whilst I can!
10th January 2020
🎈 OVERDUE 🎈
“A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside”. 🍯
Dear Littlest Pea,
You are now officially overdue. You are late! I hope you’re not picking up that trait from your daddy 🙊
3 days overdue = 3 days I feel like we are missing out on you!
I am honest: I spent parts of this pregnancy feeling guilty for Otis, that he wouldn’t be the sole centre of our lives anymore. But I realised a long time ago that you are going to bring such enrichment to his life (as well as ours of course)! Not just growing up together through childhood, but you will always have each other through your teenage years and in your adulthood. You will be there for him in ways that we as parents won’t be able to and he will always be there for you too, as your big brother. I’m looking forward to watching you grow up together and seeing how your arrival will change his life forever. He already loves you. He calls you “cute” just by looking at your scan photo.
Please arrive soon so we don’t miss out on anymore days with you.
Lots of love,
Mummy x
9th January 2020
🌈 REWARDING 🌈
The last couple of months I’ve really started to notice how a reward system can have a big impact on a toddler. As a teacher, I’ve always had some sort of reward system to adhere to, but they’ve been aimed at teenagers. I tried a sticker chart with Otis for potty training, but the novelty of that wore off after two weeks.
However we were very kindly gifted this gorgeous rainbow reward system from @_bunnyandbuds_ and Otis seems to never bore of it! He likes to use it as a puzzle so enjoys playing with it too and putting the stars in, which is a nice way of discussing colours together.
This morning we used it as a reward for tidying the playroom. He put a book away: he got to put a star in! He put the balls back in the ball pit: he got to put another star in! It works really well so I think we will have to start using this as our potty training reward system too!
Honestly, I don’t recommend anything that I don’t believe in myself, but this really does work! It’s great to see Otis taking responsibility by tidying up after himself and being excited about it too because of the stars.
@_bunnyandbuds_ are about to launch a whole range of these personalised products and they’re gorgeous! They come in all shapes and sizes and you can even get a discount with the code OTIS10.
7th January 2020
❤️ DUE DATE! ❤️
Dear Littlest Pea,
Today is our due date. I say “our” because no matter what happens in the next few hours, days or weeks, we are in this together!
I must admit I feel a little guilty today: guilty because I have let other things get in the way of me thinking I’m “ready” for you. Such as needing to tidy the playroom or clean the bathroom etc. Truth is, I’ve been ready to be your Mummy for a while now and I’m ready to start sharing you with the world so they can love you too. Housework will always be there, no matter how much I tick off a list. But now I’m starting to realise each extra day I’ve had with housework is a day less I’ve had with you in my arms. So yes, I’m completely ready for you now; physically, mentally and emotionally. My arms long to hold you and my heart longs to love you even more than it already does.
I hope you’re comfy in there, but I’m sure you will be comfier in our cuddles!
I can’t wait to meet you.
Love you,
Mummy x
6th January 2020
SWADDLING
When Otis was newborn he liked to be swaddled in his Moses basket, but it wasn’t long before he decided he didn’t like it anymore. Instead, his muslins became his comforters and he still has one every day for nap time and bed time (and to wipe his eyes if he’s been sad!). We call it his “shushie”.
Because of how important a comfort role muslins have played in Otis’ life I was so excited to receive this gorgeous baby fox print one from @lovemomuk for Littlest Pea 🦊 I can not wait to wrap baby up in it because not only is it huge and gorgeous, but it’s super soft too as it’s made from bamboo. I have been learning so much about the advantageous properties of bamboo recently and I think you really just can’t beat it! Here are some of my favourite advantages of the @lovemomuk bamboo swaddles:
🌱They are super soft
🌱The antibacterial properties means they don’t smell after a few days
🌱Bamboo fabric cuts out 97.5% of harmful UV rays
🌱it is antistatic so is kind to allergy prone skin
🌱Due to its natural ability to thermal-control, it is good for use in all temperatures
🌱Bamboo is a highly sustainable plant and it’s cultivation is kind to the environment.
@lovemomuk products include their bamboo muslins in a variety of stunning prints, blankets and car seat covers. They are so beautiful and you can even get a very generous 25% off with our code LITTLEPEA25% ❤️
3rd January 2020
🦁 TONIES 🦁
Otis was very lucky to be sent his own starter set from @tonies_uk just before Christmas and we have had so much fun with it! Just this morning he has been dancing on his bed to the Lion King soundtrack!
@tonies_uk take you to a world full of audio adventures and it’s so easy to set up and use. Not only were we sent the Lion King audio book and songs (figurine pictured), but also the Snowman figurine which links to the audiobooks for The Snowman and The Snowdog as well as songs and Otis also received a penguin figurine which links to children’s favourite Christmas songs and carols.
We listened to the Christmas songs in the lead up to Christmas as well as on Christmas morning as we unwrapped our presents, it was so lovely and also so easy.
Once you connect your box to WiFi via the website it’s all set up then is ready for use. You just turn it on and put the figurine you’d like to listen to on top and it will play straight away. Otis loves it because he can control it himself.
The Toniebox comes in 6 colours: grey, purple, red, blue, green and pink and there is a huge variety of figurines you can buy that come with their own stories and songs. However, the box also comes with its own Tonie figurine which you can personalise and record to yourself so the possibilities are endless.
We absolutely love this item and would recommend it to anyone with children. Some of my favourite features are:
✔️It is battery operated so can be used on-the-go
✔️it is robust
✔️there is (really easy to use) volume control
✔️you can skip forward and backward just by tapping the sides
✔️you can plug headphones into it
✔️I can record my own voice and stories for Otis to listen to.
3rd January 2020
UNDERSTANDING
“Does Otis know that there’s going to be a new baby?”
I have been asked this question sooooo many times. And my honest answer is that I actually really don’t know.
He knows there’s a baby in my tummy. He gives the baby cuddles and kisses. He feels the baby move. He says “hi baby” and waves to my tummy. When I get dressed he points to my bare belly and says “baby! It’s cute!”.
Everyone always asks him “what’s in Mummy’s tummy?” and he will always tell them it’s a baby and when asked boy or girl, he will say “baby girl”.
But….
Barely anybody else talks to him about when the baby comes out of mummy’s tummy or when the baby is here or even when the baby is in our house. The responsibility of making him understand there were be a physical baby here seems to have fallen completely on us. And that’s fine of course, we are trying our best to help prepare him by asking him where the baby will sleep and talking about bath time and play time with baby etc. But in all honesty, I’m not really sure he will fully get it until the baby is here. So we shall see!
2nd January 2020
To my darling boy,
I’m not making any new year’s resolutions for 2020. My biggest goal in life nowadays is to just be the best Mummy I can be for you.
I promise you if I’m not by your side to share moments with you on new adventures, I will either be behind you to support your independence or in front of you, to help show you the way if you ever feel lost.
I promise to always tell you how loved and how special you are.
I promise to always make the most of the time we spend together.
I promise that your happiness will always be the cause for my own happiness.
I promise you happiness for every, single day.
I love you more than you could ever know, my little Prince.
I’m excited to be stepping in to 2020 with you ❤️
With love, Mummy x
28th December 2019
🌲OH, CHRISTMAS TREE 🌲
I’m currently sat here removing the baubles from our tree and daydreaming about next Christmas already. I can’t believe that this Christmas, our last as a family of 3, Otis’ last as an only child, has actually come to an end.
This year my great Aunt gave us 3 very special tree decorations that she handmade (swipe to see). They are stamped with our names and pressed with my great Nan’s lace so her memory still very much lives on with us! I look at them and think of how much she would have adored Otis. All she told us every time we saw her was how much she was praying for us to finally be blessed with our baby. She’d be over the moon that we are now expecting baby number 2! And I also look at the decorations and wonder what baby’s name will be.
I’m just a week and a half from due date now and each day I’m starting to feel a little more ready than the day before. Although I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready for a Christmas with 2 little ones to think about, it is certainly manic enough with just one! 🙊 but what I do know is it will be double the magic, double the fun, double the excitement – for all of us!
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