DECORATING A SMALL SPACE // OLIVIA'S NURSERY.

Seeing as I've finally finished Olivia's nursery I thought I'd do a post about it. After doing a lot of research online about decorating 'small bedrooms' it became very apparent that small did not have the same meaning to most people. Olivia's nursery is approximately 6.6ft x 6.8ft in size, so I didn't have much space to work with at all! In the end I put all my effort in (with the help of my lovely mother) and I'm really happy with the outcome. 

This is Olivia's nursery - very pink, very girly; very cute. To make the room look as big as possible I chose to paint the main walls white and have one 'feature wall' (using Dulux 'Sorbet'), I chose to do a striped design which I believe helps to make the nursery look bigger.  As I had to be conscious of space, this IKEA armchair was perfect and so comfy! I obviously covered it with a throw blanket in case of spit ups or spills. Also from IKEA is this pink flower wall-lamp, I think it complements the room nicely and makes it look so cosy at night.

I loooove this bunting, I didn't want to ruin the stripes by painting on them so this seemed like the better option. I cannot find the online shop for this particular one but there are so many on Etsy and Ebay.

LIFESTYLE CHANGES.

Long gone are the days where my diet consisted of heavy, carby foods such as pasta, pizza and garlic bread and those pesky foods that are soooo yummy but so high in fat and sugar like sweets, ice cream, milkshakes, etc. I used to LOVE eating them, I was such a foodie - I still am a foodie, I just know how to balance my diet and eat things in moderation. I think the time that I started eating healthier was half way through my first pregnancy. I'd always been thin and toned and probably let that cloud my mind in thinking that giving into pregnancy cravings wouldn't cause me to put on weight. But it did. I put on about about 50lbs in my first pregnancy, basically because I ate what I wanted and not what my body really needed. During my second pregnancy I was more wary, I exercised every now and again and I ended up only gaining about 35lbs. Apparently a normal weight gain during pregnancy is between 15-35lbs so I think my little changes helped a lot the second time around.

Now that my younger daughter Olivia is 4 months old and able to be fed by my partner I've started going to my local gym. This is not only great for me health-wise but it's also something that I can do that's just for me. When I'm not at the gym I'm with my girls 100% of the time, so 4 days a week off I go to have some me-time. Would I rather go to a spa or to get my nails done? Of course.. but the gym is already giving me so much confidence, even without seeing major results yet. As I'm a newbie to the gym I stick to the basic machines and I'm guessing that when I get more confident I'll be able to do a lot more. Currently I spend about 50 minutes 4 times a week at the gym which is fine for me - I do 25 minutes on the stationary bike on the cardio setting (80% of max heart rate), 15 minutes walking on the treadmill at a speed of  3.5 mph on an incline of 7% and then I use a few of the weight machines, mainly focusing on arms and legs. This is what works for me, though I won't do this forever - it's good for your body to experience a change in routine or it becomes used to it and you won't get the best results. Personally, I'm aiming for fat-loss and toning, as I still haven't lost all my baby weight and being pregnant for 2 years has made my old body a thing of the past!

4 MONTH UPDATE & FUTURE GOALS.

It's been a few months since I last did a blog post... I thought about writing one a few times but I was in such a rut - hopefully now I'm out of it. So, Olivia has just turned 4 months old and Emilia 19 months; time is definitely flying. I'm still breastfeeding Olivia, I'm also trying to pump so she gets used to the bottle as I'm not sure how long I'm going to keep breastfeeding even though I love the bond it's given us. Olivia moved into her room yesterday as she's outgrown her big Moses basket (long legs like her daddy); she slept quite well considering it was her first night. She's definitely found her voice now and wriggles everywhere, she's got such strong legs! Olivia is 14lbs now and putting on weight steadily, despite her silent reflux which she's on Gaviscon Infant for. I know some people choose to start early but we have no plans to wean her any time soon, I think when the time comes we will be doing BLW.

5 TOP TIPS FOR SURVIVING 2 UNDER 2.

I'm in no way an expert at parenting. I learn through my experiences and wanted to share my go-to tips to keep me from going insane. They may be absolutely basic and obvious but hopefully they will be helpful!

1. Try not to stress A.K.A. take each moment as it comes.

For example, if child #1 is having a tantrum (but they're totally safe) and number child #2 has just puked everywhere or had a nappy explosion, take a breath, be calm and prioritise. Babies and children can pick up on stress and anxiety so just tackle the worst thing first (maybe whilst singing a crazy song to child #2 haha) then tackle the next thing. It really is all about prioritising. It's easier said than done but there is no point stressing because you're probably going to go through more disgusting and eventful experiences throughout your childrens' life!

2. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN.

If you have somewhere to be, whether it's immediately, in a few hours or in the next few days, make sure you plan it all out. Have a changing bag ready with spare clothes, nappies for both kids, wipes, snacks, drinks, favourite toys, etc. Pick out clothes and have them ready in their rooms along with socks, shoes and coats. Plan out your own outfits and toiletries that you'll be using, make-up and jewelry (for those lucky mothers who have the motivation to look presentable!). When it comes to meals, make them ahead of time, freeze them and reheat them on the day you need them. Prep your breakfast, lunch and dinner so you have no excuses for missing meals due to being tired or busy.