Having a new baby meant we had a relatively quiet summer but reflecting on it now it was definitely one of the best. I remember the weekend that Mila was born being the hottest of the year so far and for me that's when summer started and maybe i'm seeing it through rose tinted glasses but I feel like we had some great British weather. So here's a little photo diary with some captions to show what we got up to on our first summer as new parents.
A BEAUTIFUL WEDDING
We started the summer off with the wedding of the year, Joe's sisters wedding. It was our first time travelling a long distance with a 4 week old Mila who was feeding every 2-3 hours, it was challenge but it was so worth it to enjoy such an amazingly beautiful day with a great couple.
BIRTHDAYS WITH SPECIAL PEOPLE
It was also my best friends birthday which was awesome as we got to enjoy a weekend together chilling out and eating cake (what we do best) she doesn't live close to me so it's always a special time when we get together.
BABYWEARING
Using our cuddlebug gifted to us by one of our friends I got to grips with babywearing. It was great to put Mila in the sling if I needed to pop to the shops or needed to get her to sleep as she loved it.
This picture is a very true reflection of my summer. Staying in (even on the warmest of days) with my sleeping baby, make up free, looking tired with a huge spot on my face. We spent a lot of our summer days like this feeding, changing and playing repeat. Now that Mila is so active I miss those quiet moments!
LEAVING MILA FOR THE FIRST TIME
When Mila was around 3 months old I thought it was time to see what Joe was really made of and leave him to tackle the bedtime all by himself and head out for an evening of food and wine with the girls. Having pumped a bottle of milk and not planning to be back for a couple of hours I treated myself to a glass of wine and enjoyed conversation that didn't revolve around my babies sleeping,eating and changing habits. At the end of the evening I went home a little bit buzzy after my glass of wine and feeling way more like my old self. Bliss.
CRYSTAL PALACE WALK
Started by the lovely Clemmie from the instagram account Mother of Daughters, most Mondays at 11am in Crystal Palace Park I met up with a bunch of other mamas and went for a walk around the park. It was a great way to start my week and we'd always end the walk by grabbing a coffee/lunch and feeding our babies in the park.
EATING TOO MUCH CAKE/DRINKING TOO MUCH COFFEE
If I had a pound for every coffee shop/ restaurant I visited this summer I would be a rich woman. My maternity leave has been all about enjoying the sweet treats and not caring whilst washing it down with tea & coffee but i've needed the energy after the sleepless nights right?
NEW BABY FRIENDS
A definite highlight of Mila's summer was spending time with her new pal Ludo. She wasn't too sure at first (as you can see from her expression in this picture) but they were practically holding hands by the end of the summer. Can you imagine if they got married? We aren't forcing this relationship at all. Promise!
WHACKING ON A MINI DRESS & GOING CLUBBING
Our good friends were leaving to go travelling so to say Bon Voyage we headed on our first night out as new parents, leaving Mila with her Nanna. It was strange being out - I hardly went clubbing after I left university anyway, but it was great to let my hair down, have a dance and remember the things we used to do before having a baby. At the same time it was also great to be reunited with my baby the next day, how amazing are those cuddles when you've been away from them.
FRIDAY MEET UPS & POKEMON PLAYING
Myself, my mum and my sister made it a tradition to meet up every Friday since Mila was born and it we stuck to it all summer, in fact we're still going now. Our meet ups have been spent Pokemon catching, talking about Brexit and watching the Olympics. So when I look back on Summer 2016 i'll definitely remember those lovely Fridays.
NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL & NIGHTS IN WITH FRIENDS
Having a new baby we can't always go out like we used to. Pre-baby our weekdays would be filled with dinners & drinks with various friends. Having a baby I thought it would all change and I would see my friends less but they've been amazing and come over for nights in where they can enjoy time with Mila and then with us once she goes to bed. In fact its become a bit of a ritual to cook dinner with our friends Hannah & Jack at least twice a month. But it always nice to have the odd night or two baby free, so our second baby free event of the summer was Notting Hill Carnival and it was awesome.
So overall it was a great summer spent seeing friends & family - there are definitely some things that i've missed. Having a new baby and being the first couple to become parents in our friendship group I wasn't sure what life would be like but we had a great time and I feel like we got a good balance of doing things that we enjoyed doing before having a baby and also enjoying new experiences as a new family. I can't wait to make even more memories this winter.
No comments
Post a Comment