Bedtime bliss. ❤

istake of letting him fall asleep in my arms and carrying him to bed, this wasn’t a problem when he was a baby or a teeny tiny toddler, but now he’s a BIG toddler, 3 years old. I know it’s a bit selfish but I just wanted to cuddle him for as long as as my numb arms would let me and spend as much quality time with him as possible. But as I stated above this became too difficult the older he was getting. So we changed the plan of attack and heres our new routine:

⚫ dinner at 6pm
⚫last drink at 6:30
⚫brush teeth and toilet at 7. 
⚫pyjamas and kisses goodnight at 7:15
⚫get into bed, his choice big boy bed (the pull out settee in his room) or his toddler bed, choose his bedtime buddy, usually the hulk, spiderman Leonardo the ninja turtle and sleeping timmy sheep. And turn on Batman nightlight 7:25
⚫By 7:30 tuck into bed, with his bedtime buddies and read his FAVE book, Dr Suess book of bedtime stories.

This routine is a life saver especially as recently I have really taken to reading and by the looks of it Shae really enjoys it to. Horton hears a who is his favourite, reading has helped Shae’s speech incredibly and it settles him into a lovely sleep. And a lovely sleeping baby means a happy mummy who can continue to read her books…

Shae with timmy, cuddling Leonardo and hulk and spiderman at hand to keep him safe.

the holy grail for our bedtime routine I need to kiss this man.

                   the end result. ❤

Bargains Galore.

I love a good ol’ bootsale. I will search high and low for a bargain. Before today getting back and forth to a bootsale was difficult as we didnt own a car. But last year my brother sold us car and we paid in installments. This helped us get on our feet. Before that it was public transport or good ol’ legs. So today was our first bootsalr where we could get ANYTHING because we have a car.

So the beginning of the bootsale was boring. Not much, my little saltwaterbaby bought a ninja turtle figure and a nerf gun. And then the bargains started flying in, a pop up bus tent 20p, like come on even if i didnt want it i couldnt leave it there for that. 

He loves it, he’s sitting in there with his toys watching Rio as we speak. And then a pair of pixie shoes 50p amazing.
Happy me. 🙂

But recently me and my partner have been discussing starting up roller blading, but, my partber has HUGE feet,and to buy skates in his size is extortionate, £130 type of extortionate… So it was beginning to look like somehing that was put on the to do list that never gets done. BUT then we come across a stall that has a pair of inline skates his size and £3… And two stalls down was another pair of inline skates, size 5 (my size) £5. So our skate date is scheduled for tomorrow.

We also got two boxes of skalextrics cars james bonds 50th anniversary limited edition £5 for the both. My brother had a skalextrics growing up and we spent hours watching the cars dodge each other, going round and round a track until one would fly off the track from going so fast.

We had more things the usual fruit, head phones, awesome pillow set that looks like a hi-fi system.

My sister joined us and picked up bargains too. A load of clothes and canvases.
But my bargain of the day… You ready.. The Harry Potter book set for £5. I have been looking for the books for weeks, but refuse to pay the prices shops expect. £5… Like come on £5. They say money cant buy you happiness (which i agree with) BUT money can buy you a Harry Potter Book Set for £5 which makes me happy.

So im a happy wave just splashing about and im going to splash right back into my new Books.

See y’all later.
❤❤

The Zombie Apocalypse.. nah!!

So im a super huge The Walking Dead fan. Even to the point I forget it’s a fictional TV show.

So anyway since my obsession began I feel as though i could face a zombie herd head on. I feel like im a cross between Michonne/Carol. But i would totally ride on the back of Daryl’s bike.

So yeah i have fantasized about this for a while… Until, Monday night TWD actually aired for the mid season premier, and i noticed maggie’s bra strap.  Yuck… Bra’s are awfully uncomfortable, theres nothing like coming home and whipping it off. Every lady understands this.

But if i was to be in a zombie apocalypse, i would have to wear a bra, due to food rations and a lot of walking i would probably loose weight which means i would need more support to stop them sagging. And i would have no home to go to, to whip it off and free them. I would have to spend the rest of my life in a bra… Ugh!!

So yes i have been waiting an eternity for this BUT until i can find a way of enjoying boobie freedom, my hope os a zombie apocalypse are temporarily on hold…

WOMEN PROBLEMS!!

Is there a wedding on the horizon…

So i have been with Mr Saltwaterman for almost 6 years.. Hes my moon (because the moon controls the tides.. He so knows how to work me.) back in 2012 he proposed.. Very sweet and meaningful.. Well looks like after 3 years were ready to take it that next step and steal his surname.

For some reason even though we’ve been engaged a wedding has NEVER been on our minds, i find weddings are alot of hassel and money for one day with a ring.. Im not your typical girl.

Well on a day out the other week we visited our special place, its the most beautiful place on this earth and so special to us. When we first got together we would go to this place, every thursday for our date day.

Well we went to our special place and something clicked, Jobo (my hubby to be) said this is it, this is where we should get married. And since then we’ve both totally fallen in love with this place all over again. We’re seeing things we’ve never seen before and its so amazing!!

But since then we’ve both been on a wedding buzz, i’ve chosen my flower girls, my bridesmaids and chief bridesmaid. I know what i want them to wear. We’ve chosen our venue,  discussed food, Jobo has chosen his suit, we’ve chosen our little ones suit, ive chosen my dress. Even our favours have been decided and hairstyles.

I have never had the wedding buzz, never understood the wedding buzz, because in my head regardless of a surname, i was going to be with this boy forever (whether he liked it or not) and a ring was not going to make my feelings changed. But since having my little one, i dont like that i have a different surname.

I cannot wait to start making payments and show the world that you can do a wedding thats simple and beautiful. 

Sorry theres not much give away its secret until things are confirmed and down payments are put down. ❤❤❤

Mother Knows Best

When i was pregnant my biggest worry in the world was, what do i do if hes sick!? How would i kbow hes sick!? ‘He’ being my saltwaterkid, his name is Shae, he is just like the sea, plauful and mysterious, yet, something not be messed with as it can create unimagineable disasters. But he is my sea, my element and i love him for it.

Anyway, when Shae was born, he had a dimple like dent on his neck, I did querie this when i was in hospital, but I just got told, that it was fine and not to worry. But, as a first time Mum everything worries you. But i took the doctors advice and was finally allowed home.

Well lets fastforward 3 years later, present day.

About 2 months ago my saltwaterbaby fell ill, sickness, tempreature not eating or drinking. He drinks like a fish, so when he’s not drinking i know something is up. Well, we were having a cuddle when i looked at his neck, i couldnt see the dimple as it was covered by greeny/yellowy goop. So i cleaned his neck, again, not thinking anything of it when he cried OUCH mummy hurt. So i checked and it was this “dimple” weeping and all red and irritated. I immediately called the doctors and scheduled a energency appt. Again nothing to worry about go home and come back if the sickness doesnt stop.

He perked up and life went on, then this week he came down with your bog standard cold. He’s a trooper, but again, this dimple reacted to him being under the weather. And again it was uncomfortable and giving my (not so) baby grief. Another doctors appt was arranged, BUT, i would do my own research ahead of time.

I found it, what he has is a branchial cleft cyst. Basically, when youre in the womb initially you have gills, well a branchial cleft cyst is, a gill that hasnt fully developed. The gill is interlinked with your ENT, Ear Nose Throat, so when you get poorly so does your dimple.

(not my picture, but a clear image of a Branchial Cleft.)

Anyway the doctors had taken a look and agreed with what i had found. And have taken it upon themselves to forward our details to the peadiatric surgeon, who will continue with my shae bears case. Looks like surgery to prevent complications in the future. BUT better to be safe.

Please always trust your maternal/paternal instincts.

Peace && Love
SaltWaterKid ❤❤

Still Kids At Heart

So today has been a LONG day. I always find Thursdays hard. This is because I’ve had 2 days of placement within a special needs setting, which is demanding, mentally and physically draining. But i love it, its so rewarding abd my 10 children mean the absolute world to me, for different reasons. Wednesday is first day back at college, but it’s a half day, every Wednesday i have my beautiful niece (Wednesdays are my favourite for this reason) but then Thursday comes and i am so drained from the days previous that im totally exhausted.

But although college had been excruciatingly painful, i was on my last hurdle, the final two hours. I had gotten to the point i was so tired,i had the giggles and i was finding myself laughing at the most stupid of things ever. Its my coping mechanism still at 23 years of age.

So were mid presentation, my tutor rambling on about different childcare provisions. And different childhood theorists. Factors that contribute to childhood disabilities and development delays. When my tutor shouts OMG LOOK… SNOW!!! And with that 10 girls charged to the window all giggling and laughing. It was amazing, in that split second we came together as a group, forgot about everything we were doing, forgot about all responsibilities and work we were currently doing. All because we seen white fluffy flakes falling from the sky.

It totally made everyone forget about how sucky that last lesson was even my tutor said, aww go on leave go early!

It brought out our inner seedlings within us, the seedlings everyone seems to forget when you reach teenage hood. The snow didnt even stick but for 5 minutes it was so heavy and we didnt have a care in the world.

If snow brings happiness and a carefree lifestyle, i wish to be snowed in all the time.

Ta ta for now my saltwaterfollowers! I shall be back soon, unless i get snowed in then i may be off giggling.

I Like You A Latte.

Last night was date night. One night a month my Mam and Dad have our bundle of giggles and we have a night off. This isnt always the case, although we are baby free my partner works evenings so we dont always benefit. Well last week was my birthday and the hubby to be was working that evening to, so he promised me he would switch evenings and get an evening off when we were baby free. So he did and we decided to have a date night, we went to the cinema to watch Taken 3. So not only did i have the privledge of spending my evening with my handsome man, i also got to spend it looking at Liam Neeson, that mans voice makes my knees tremble.

Woah!! Off subject back to date night. It was amazing, so nice to be baby free and do the things you take for granted thats hard to do when you have a child like, dress nice, put on a bit of lippy, regain that feeling you got when you first met.. Do the little things like hold hands… I love walkig around holding hands and showing off my JoBo like i would a medal, hes so handsome, like how did i bag that eh!!!

So that night was amazing, the film was amazing, the company was the BEST and music choice for the car even better, Kings of Leon Mechanical Bull, soundtrack to my life.

I finally got a chance to wear my purple lippy.. yeah boy!! ❤❤

My Incredible SaltWaterBaby.❤

So everyday saturday for a year i have taken my big doe eyed salt water baby for a swim with my sister, nana and Bimbom (he cant say grantom, my grandad).

So when we started going last year my little water baby was almost two. He loved the water, BUT he would not leave my side, even with his floatation vest on. He would sit on the steps where he was comfortable BUT would NOT budge.

Well today we packed our bag, my water baby packed his, spiderman armbands and goggles went in first, hes got his priorities right! He knew wher we were going so was really excited when he could hear Nana knocking the door. He found bimboms car and buckled himself in. We scanned my swimming card and off we went.

I was expecting a day of sitting on the steps, gettig bored because i cant leave his side but he will not leave the steps..

Well i was SO wrong

He got in the pool and initially he was doing the usual. Until he dived under water, i thought he slipped so i helped him up and he told me he was being superman… So i let him be superman,he was ducking, diving, dipping it was incredible.
And then it got better, he was kicking his legs and pushing his bum out the water trying to swim on his belly. In the beginning he needed me to support him. By the end he was confident enough to float around the pool unaided and try to swim back to me. It was amazing. He was observing, analysing and soaking up every detail of every child’s swimming technique. He was immitating every movement, every stroke, every kick.. He just flourished right infront of me. I felt like i had blinkers on.. The whole time i totally forgot i was in a pool with LOADS of other people, i was totally stuck on my boy. The feeling of pride was just… Argh.. I cant even put it into a sentence. He’s amazing, so so so amazing. And hes mine and i am just so in love with my little creation.

Its amazing just watching them absorb everything infront of you.

Our Band.

So just a warning guys this is a soppy one, i have my moments where i can be a pile of mush. BUT the good news is, its never often.

So back in 2008 i was into a band, Kings of Leon, you may know them you may not. The werent very big back then, but i liked them. Little did i know that, that band would actually bring me amazing things in life.

So one day im casually hanging around with my friends when, in the distance i could hear Taper Jean Girl playing, no one else in my group knew who kings of leon was, i instantly needed to find this person and bond. I was like a tracker dog, listening to ever cord strummed, symbol tapped and that chocolate voice i LOVED SO MUCH!! Well eventuallt i found it and it was only this boy who i didnt like much, because he threw a Berry at my little sisters head a few years before. But we got talking, shared oir mutual love for this fresh up and coming band.

A few months went by and we became beat friends. The love we shared for the band died down a bit, but was totally replaced for how we felt towards one another. Our friendship blossomed into an amazing relationship. If im honest i was 17 and no one ever made me feel the way he did. He was so funny, understanding and shy.

Every big event seemed to centre around our mutual love for music, especially this band!!

We would always watch their live DVD’s and always told stories about, if we won the lottery we would go and see them live, because it would be very slim chance they would come to Wales to preform. (not many good bands do.)

So fast forward to 2012, we’ve had a beautiful baby boy and although we argued, hes still amazing and i would never change him. So this one evening i had gone down my mums for dinner, he stayed home, once me and my saltwaterbaby had finished we went home. I walked rhrough my long and narrow hall way. I could hear Kings of Leon -Closer. A path of candles lit, directing me to the living room, there he was looking handsome, on one knee, a ring in one hand and flowers in the other. On the floor spelt out using candles was I ❤ U. I said… Yes!!!!!

Skip another 2 years. It was fast approaching his 21st birthday. I needed to get him something special, something he wouldnt forget. And then what do i see, kings of leon, swansea, july 2nd. WHAAAAT!!! I needed those tickets. This band literally lead me to the best thing in life. Someone who before i totally avoided cause he was the Menacing Berry Chucker!!! And now he was the father to my baby, hubby to be, partner in crime, he was simply juat my soul mate.

Well i got those tickets, i used my teachers computer in college, tickets went on sale at 9, i was ready by 5to, to just click that proceed to check out button.

It was phenomenol. At the concert we decided when we got married our first dance would be too, Beautiful War. The song sums us up, 🎼love dont mean nothing, unless there’s something, worth fighting for. He was and still is my something.

Im going to walk down the isle to Wait for me.

Now thanks to KoL, i have evErything i need and plans for more. Thanks for reading, no more mush from me now.

SaltWaterKid.. What?Why?

So you might be wondering why my

blog name

is SaltWaterKid. Basically theres a few reasons. Number 1. Im pretty sure i was a mermaid in my past life.. Yes i said a mermaid!! And mermaids live in the sea and the sea is salt water.. Haha clever me!!

2. Growing up i had a HUGE obsession with pirates, if i could build a time machine i would go back in time and be friends with the infamous pirettes, Anne Bonny and Mary Read, we would sail the seven seas and drink rum. Arghhh!

3. I absolutely love the sea!! I could spend all day just, lolling, floating, listening, appreciating every crash, smelling the salt, feeling the water.. HEAVEN. But i live in Wales which means WE ARE NOT blessed with beautiful rays of golden sunshine, more like cold, grey, miserable dull weather.

4. My family (not just immediate, but all) are my salt water tribe. This is because salt water has natural healing properties, thats my family. When ever im hurt, unwell, angry or sad and cry salty tears.. My family help with my healing process, they are my salt water healers.

5. I just love what salt water does to my hair, it gives me beach waves!!! DAMN I LOVE BEACH WAVES..

6. THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT.. Water, nothing on this planet can survive without water, not me, you, plants, animals absolutely nothing (now thats deep). 71% of our planet is water, thats huge.. And there are species of water life thats undiscovered because the sea is so deep, that biologists cant get deep enough to discover said species. The sea is just so mysterious, beautiful and yet so powerful!! Some of the worlds biggest and most devastating natural disasters are caused by this mysterious beauty!!

Wow went off track, but now you know my love for the ocean and the reason behind my name! ❤❤