Sephora Haul

So while I was in Austraila, we visited Melbourne too of course to see my Uncle and his darling Wife! And while I was researching shops to visit in Austraila it showed Sephora was in Melbourne.... Ahhhh!

So of course I asked my uncle to go... He hesitated to say the least HAHA but my amazing cousin showed me the way and basically made my life bringing me to the store!

So yes, I brought a lot! But most of the things were out of stock 😩 Such as Kat Von D, Zoeva, Anastasia Beverly Hills and most of the Sephora brushes!

So here we go 😍

First up, the brand Tarte. I've heard so many things about this brand and as it was the first I seen so I went start for the counter.
I picked up a blush, in the shade "captivating" it's a gorgeous deep peach which is perfect for summer, I wanted a bronze/brown blush but of course it was out of stock 😩

I then had to pick up the Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara, in black of course. I wore this once so far, and it's amazing. Separates your lashes amazingly and gives you the full volume effect which is what I need in a mascara as I have barely any lashes!

I picked up a few palettes, one being a gift to my sister. A contour palette and I must say she's lucky I gave it to her because I would of totally kept it! It was fab. A gorgeous bronze, blush and a fab highlight. Perfect for teenagers! The second palette I picked up was the "Energy Noir" palette. Mainly taupes and purples but very out of my comfort zone. It does have a gorgeous blush which I've lost the name of. Perfect for summer too!

And finally, the last palette has to be my fav from the haul, the "tartelette in bloom" wow, just wow, it's amazing and smells so good! The mix of shimmer and mattes are just great, the pigment is fab and the colours are what I crave! Just can't get enough of this palette! Definitely my go-to from now on!!

Next up, is of course Anastasia Beverly Hills, I picked up the powder contour kit in light to medium. Of course I had to get it, it was calling my name! I wanted to pick up a brow wiz and the dip brow but of course they were sold out in my shade too, I was very disappointed! One of the things I really wanted to pick up.

Other brands I wanted was Kat Von D, the contour palette and the concealer was sold out. But I guess it wasn't meant to be 😞

I also picked up the BeautyCleanser!!!! And wow... I used this as soon as I got home and my god it's amazing, not only did it make my Beauty blender like new but it was amazing in my brushes too and you don't need much product at all! But of course you can purchase that in boots now. Which I didn't realise. As well 😅

I had to get some Sephora brushes, but the only ones I found were an eyeshadow set, basically has your top 4 brushes! So soft and it blends the eyeshadows so well!

And of course, when I seen Becca I went straight for the Jaclyn hill "champagne pop" highlighter. Let's just say, it's to die for. The pigment, the glow!!! Ahh it's amazing! I brought one for my sister too, and I picked up the under eye brightener which I've tried and yes, it's a need for those tired mumma eyes LOL!!

So I did some damage, but I could of done more! I actually have started a list on what to get when I return LOL!

Thanks for reading, and if you have any "have to try's" from Sephora please let me know!
Aisling xo

Our trip of a lifetime - Austraila PT.1

We've finally settling back home from our major trip of a lifetime! Yes, we travelled to Australia with two small kids. yikes! I even just shivered at the thoughts of it.

So, since we couldn't say anything before. lets start from the beginning!

The planning all started last October/November when we started to talk about going over to surprise Pietro's sister for her birthday in April. It was all fun to talk about then, as we honestly didn't think it was going to go ahead.
My main though were, "Is travelling with two small kids even possible?" "Can we even do this without spilling everything?" "What am I even meant to pack for Australian weather???"
Of course Pietro was completely for going over, I was a bit hesitate. I didn't want this amazing trip to go down the drain because I was in too over my head!! But we started planning.
Pietro booked time off work once the tickets were book. I rang my Uncle in Melbourne to say he's getting a few visitors in April. which meant, we were about to go on SIX airplanes within two weeks.

We're Nuts!!

Pietro started saving, I started buying clothes to pack. LOL
Then the real test came, Pietro's Sister & her boyfriend came to visit for Christmas. Were we going to blow the whole thing?? Well we kinda did, but thankfully she didn't cop on ;)
Time went very fast, before we knew it, it was a week before we flew and I didn't have anything packed!!!

For the kids, lets just say I overpacked. Oops, nut we were going during Australia's autumn so yes, I brought summer clothes and winter clothes for both. And surprisingly I actually used both :)

I can't really think of how i planned for the long trips and we honestly just winged it with everything!!

We brought three carry-ons swell as a baby carrier (Saved our lives)
So the first carry-on was full of clothes, basically the "What Ifs" and clothes to change into in Abu Dhabi.
The second carry-on was FULL of toys, food, bottles, baby food, formula. Anything I could think of that would help distract the kids on the plane. To be honest we didn't even use half the stuff we planned on using. The Tvs on the plane & the iPad were basically what kayden used on the plane.
The third carry-on was basically empty! But we needed it for going to Melbourne, so we just filled it with randoms :P

It was such a struggle to bring around three carry-ons, hold two kids and keep your insanity LOL! But surprisingly myself and Pietro played Tag Team throughout the trips and there was no arguing, nipping or divorcing ;)

When it came to tips, I asked my fellow bloggers about travelling and they sent me all their blogs on travelling with small babies, and thankfully they did! I was reading arcticles, blogs, stories about travelling just for me to be somewhat prepared, and have an idea of what to expect.
Like, to be honest it was the first big trip to go on without my mammy, and mammys always are prepared ;)

On the 21st of April, we set of at 5am with the car packed, kids loaded and our heads held high. We were about to travel to austraila.
this was either going to go so well, that we would be back or absolutly horrific that we wouldn't be stepping on a plane again.

We arrived at the airport, checked our bags in and ourselves. got our tickets and headed to security. I'd say it took us about twenty minutes to unload everything and recheck if we've unloaded everything, that i'd say there was a queue of 15 people cursing and blinding us to hurry the F on. LOL
But we were first timers, and we just wanted to do everything right ;)

We had about two hours to kill before our flight, so we headed for breakfast to fill our bellies before lift off. in the mean time, Kayden ate nothing due to being so excited. Emilee puked up her porridge and I was too nervous to even look at food. Pietro didn't have a bother on him. F'er

I skipped duty free, etc because i didn't want the extra load to carry even though i could of fitted it in my carry-on. *Slap in the face *

And then it was time to board, i felt like i was repeating myself as every time i met someone on the plane "Are we getting a bassinet?" "Are we getting a bassinet?" and they would always reply "Yes, Please go to your seat!" LOL i felt like my life depended on that bassinet, how was i going to hold her in my arms for 24hours, will i sleep? will she sleep? my life did depend on that bassinet. and dam right we got it :D! It was the best thing invented. she slept like a log during the flights over. and so did kayden! So thankfully we slept great too. I'd say we watched one movie during the two flights, i think it was "How to be single" but we were so occupied with the kids i didn't even notice that we had tvs haha!

So 7 hours past, and we were about to land in Abu Dhabi. and guess what? Emilee had the biggest poop explosion that we couldn't even get up to change it because we were just about to land, so we rushed off the plane into the bathrooms, and then.... i couldn't find any nappies. Oh my god, how could we not have any flipping nappies?!?!?! but yes, i was stupid enough to move then into another case, and cause so much stress on me that i wanted to turn around and go home. After that horrible 5 minutes i found the nappies, we changed Emilee and i went to grab everything to pack and go, but Pietro decided to open the door a bit to early and this woman barged in demanding us to get out because she wanted to change her baby's nappy. ahhhh! it was stressful. So we spent another 30 minutes trying to figure where we were to go as we lost the crowd, but thankfully we made it within 30 minutes before boarding. So i had a quick Skype with my sister and off we went on the last leg to Austraila.

Well, our flight couldn't of went any better. the kids slept 7 hours out of the 11 and we slept a little less but we got to watch a movie!!!!! wooooooo!!!

We arrived at 2pm Australian time, Pietro's Sister's friend came to pick us up and bring us into their house. it was about a 15 minute drive but so surreal to be there. it was amazing. the heat omg. 28degrees. and all of us in trackies and hoodies from flying!  LOL

We waited in the house for about twenty minutes before they arrived, we stood in the kitchen as they walked in and shouted SURPRISE, She was so surprised that she didn't even see us, just seen her friend and then realised that we were standing there! it was great, so worth the flying and hassle!

Who said you can't travel the world when you have kids? Just bring them along! ;)
Thanks for reading!
Aisling xo

ALL ABOUT EMMI: 7 month update

AGE: 7 months

WEIGHT: i honestly haven't got a clue LOL

HEIGHT: again no clue, I'm such a good mammy ;)

SLEEPING: Sleeping through the night is totally gone out the drain!! I can't complain, she will whinge for her dodo & fall straight back to sleep, or her bottle which she holds herself in the bed, which is the exact same as what kayden did at this age LOL. Still not quite the napper, will sometimes got 1-2hours, but will sleep 2-3 hours if i go to nap with her.

TEETH: Still no teeth, dribbles like crazy, & puts everything, and I mean everything to her mouth!! 

PLAYING: Id say in the last month, she's been playing more more and getting more interested in her surroundings, such as the jumparoo Santa got her for christmas, She LOVES playing in it, aswell as her mama & papas seat that has a toy tray attached. Also will laugh at kayden for hours even if kayden is just looking at her. She adores her big brother so much! pretty much the only person to make her laugh uncontrollably!! 

PERSONALITY: She is a nutcase! wound up to the last LOL!! Wants content attention, and for people to notice her. She will cry if you turn your back to her and she definitely knows her mammy will put her up if she keeps crying LOL. Emilee has been making strange to a few people, but soon warms up after a while. Ive noticed she will look at me or Pietro if she feels upset/distressed and thats when I usually take her back and then she's fine, just stare the crap out of them haha! She will talk for Ireland in the morning, around 6am-9am is when she wakes up and honestly will lie there having a good aul chat to herself! which is so freaking adorable. Also Emilee loves the camera, I usually take OOTD posts for instagram (@aislingrachel) which she loves :)

CURRENT CLOTHING SIZE: She is in 6-9 month clothes, still in 3-6month clothes vests/tees and some leggings.

DIAPER SIZE: in size 3 nappies. Had our first leak in the morning but thats only as she didn't wake up through the night for mammy to change her nappy.

WORDS: Lots of Oooo's and aaaa's, I've heard a few 'mam' but not classing it as she's saying my name just yet. constantly moving her jaw to try her best to talk but nothing comes out. Is full of chat in the mornings & just before bedtime when she's getting dressed.

RECENT MILESTONES: rolling over, sucking her big toe LOL, She is finally sitting up on her own but is still abit unstable so I usually sit behind her. Emilee loves giving kisses and hugs!!

Emilee is now fully on solids, 4 meals a day. 

I tend to keep her meals the same for one week so her digestive system gets used to it, also I've heard that a baby has to try a new food about ten times to like it!

heres her meal plan.

Breakfast 10am-11am - instant porridge 

Lunch 1pm - 2pm - one vegetable (this week is sweet potato)

Dinner 5pm-7pm - One vegetable (still have frozen carrots from last week so I'm using them up)

supper 8pm-9pm - instant porridge

& to mention she has about four 7oz bottles of formula a day! 

The vegetables Emilee has tried are; carrots, broccoli, avocado, sweet potato and butternut squash.

I wash, peel & steam the vegetable (if needed to be cooked) and then throw then into a jug and hand blend them into a puree. 

In the next coming weeks, I will be adding fruit for lunch, not sure what to start of with first as i dont want to give her something very sweet and have her throw off her veggies :(

Ive also had this idea of juicing fruits & veg for her beaker. Has anyone tried it with their babies? and how did you introduce the juice? I'd love to hear :)

Emilee Christening Photo. Dress is from Debenhams which is no longer available and her flower crown is from Ring of Roses on Instagram. 

Thanks for reading!

-A

WHERE HAVE I BEEN?!

It's been about three months since I've last blogged I'd say.... Ooops!!! Part was being hectic and the other part was that I just lost total interest in blogging :(!! I was in a constant writers block and I was finding it very hard to juggle two kids, a job, and I guess my private life.

So, where what I have been up to in the last three months?!? Well, first of I got my first job.. YAY!! it was only a job for christmas as Emilee was only four months old and well, I needed to get my ass into gear.  I felt so cooped up at home all day that I felt I needed a change, and well I went and got a job to see if it would help me. and it did!!

Many would love to stay at home with their babies, but I felt that I needed to see if I was more of a working momma or a stay at home momma...?! and still to this point, I have no idea haha!! maybe a part time job after Emilee turns 1, but beggars can't be chooser so I guess ill just go with the flow.

So, as my job was pretty much full time after four weeks, I barely got to have time with my babies let alone blog, so I pretty much forgot about blogging and focused on work. Then my contract ended, and I was truly gutted, I fell into a little hole where I just wanted to stay at home.. (The one reason for getting that job)

Its been a month since my contract ended, and I'm just about getting used to being a stay at home momma again. Emilee is so more active and Kayden, well he's a little nutcase/teenager.

We have been making plans to move AGAIN!!!! (Ugh!) Which is in about two weeks, so we've been painting & sorting out our new home. Praying this is the last time until we have our own home to move into :)!

So between working, moving and adjusted to being a mumma of two my blogging has really felt left out!! hopefully I will change that from here on in :D

Ive got a little notebook from TK MAX, so ill be jotting down ideas for blogs, crafts, and hopefully some baby recipes as Emilee is on stickily homemade meals!! and she's loving it, Her favourite meal so far is Sweet Potato and Carrots!! She hasn't tried much as she's only 7 months old and has been on solids for about three weeks, so what I am doing is giving her one vegetable a week and then ill start mixing vegetable and other foods! Exciting :)

And I've also noticed, Kayden has an imaginary friend who he talks to all day!! Its pretty freaky but I guess he's happy!! haha! He constantly gives out to him for doing bold things and comes running to me telling on him, which I have no idea how to react, other than being freaked out haha!!

This what happens when I blog, i just ramble on and I've no idea where this blog is going haha!
Anyway thanks for reading,

-A xo

All About Emmi - 4 Month Update

AGE: 4 months/17 weeks old

WEIGHT: 13 pounds

HEIGHT: 61cm long!!

SLEEPING: Emilee doesn't really nap, she more catnaps for twenty/thirty minutes and then she's up for 30mins-1hour and catnaps again, if i bring her to bed with me, she'll sleep for a good two-three hours until kayden wakes up. She's also sleeping through the night, maybe wakes once for her dodo. but will sleep from 9pm-9am!

TEETH: talk about dribbles!! this girl is teething like crazy, constantly chewing her little hands and fingers but doesn't like teething toys! i think from teething uses gone off the dodo as it doesn't help! 

PLAYING: She's just starting to play with toys, starting to touch and feel them, maybe squeeze them if they make noises!! but she does get bored and would rather sit up and look around rather than lie down and play with toys!! she loves talking to Kayden, and loves when Kayden talks to her!!

PERSONALITY: She's a diva. no doubt will be such a drama queen when she's older!! She wants everyone to look and talk to her and the moment you don't, she will yell at you LOL!!

CURRENT CLOTHING SIZE: in 3-6 months clothes but most of her 0-3 month clothes still fit!! but I'm starting to pack away her 0-3 and put her in 3-6 months.

DIAPER SIZE: in size 2/3 depending on what we have when we go look for nappies LOL. both fit well and haven't had any leaks/blowouts. YET!

WORDS: constant baby talk, only time its quiet is when she's asleep LOL! loves the sound of her voice and loves it even more when you copy her sounds!!

RECENT MILESTONES: playing with toys, staring at them and going to reach, noticing more around her, especially Kayden! Laughs so much now! has such a hearty laugh that i just want to hear it ALL the time! starting to turn on her side and staying there and then will roll onto other side. Can now hold her own bottle and feed herself YAY! sometimes she won't, but that because il be holding her.

Her 4 month injections are on Monday, which i just dread. Its horrible.

Health nurse check up went great, she was super happy with Emilees growth/milestones etc. She was very surprised with how Emilee could hold her head so well and very steady. Her charts are on point! and we've given the go ahead to start solids but I'm holding off as much as i can, until i feel like she really needs it!

6 months she will be on solids either way, but for right now i think she's ok with the bottle!

Ive ordered Amber beads for her, so hoping they help her!

Other than that Emilee is doing great, She's loving life :)

Thanks for reading :)

Aisling xo

Diabetes Awareness Month

As some may know, I was diagnosed with pregnancy diabetes while pregnant with Emilee. My body was working 4 times as hard being pregnant that my pancreas wasn't able to produce as much insulin as I needed.

I was diagnosed at 26 weeks pregnant. I went into hospital to do the glucose tolerance test, which basically I had to drink a bottle of lucazade and get my blood tested every hour for three hours to see how my sugar levels were. I obviously failed. LOL

It was a complete shock to me, I cried, a lot! I didn't tell anyone for a while because I felt I made it happen. But I didn't, I didn't eat too much sugar or too much carbs, my body was just working too hard to make sure Emilee was getting all she needed.

I tested my sugars at home 7 times a day, thankfully I didn't need insulin as the strict diet was doing enough to stabilise my sugars.

The diet wasn't a complete change in my lifestyle, it was strictly no sugar and less carbs. Instead of white bread I would eat brown, instead of potatoes I would eat handful of baby potatoes. Even fruit was limited! i was only allowed a handful of fruit, so I could only eat whatever fit in one hand for example two kiwis.

Did you know that only one can of coke can  a day increase your chances of developing diabetes by 20%

I was warned about having a big baby but Emilee measured small up until 35 weeks, where think she catch up with her weight. She weighted 8pounds 3oz which to me wasn't big at all compared to her big brother who weighted 8pounds 10oz?!?! I think haha!!

After she was born, she had her bloods tested after every feed, my breast milk didn't have enough sugar for her blood sugars to even out so I ended up having to give her formula to regulate them, which I kept on doing until she was weened off the boob at 9 weeks old :)

The doctors told me to keep up with the diet as I still could have diabetes but honestly I went straight to get a jam doughnut as I was craving it so badly!!! some things are very sweet to me, as I didn't have sugar for so long!

12 weeks after given birth i was given an appointment to do a repeat glucose test, which again involved drinking a bottle of lucazade and getting my blood drawn after two hours.

Last week i got the result back, and thankfully I am diabetes free!! but if i decide to have another baby the chances are high that i will have pregnancy diabetes again, and I've also a 50/50 chance of developing type 2 diabetes in the future. So with that I will have to test once a year to see if I've developed diabetes or not.

Honestly, I had no symptoms what so ever!! But diabetes can be very dangerous if not diagnosed! it would be a good idea to get tested once a year if it does run in the family or if you experience any symptoms such as;
constantly thirty, increase in hunger, tiredness, blurred vision, frequent urination...
(As I'm writing this, it honestly sounds like pregnancy symptoms)

Diabetes is nothing to be joked about, or laughed at. People with diabetes are normal people but need help with insulin. Weather they inject or on medication, its a very serious matter.

for more information on Diabetes, please check out www.diabetes.ie

Thanks for reading

Aisling xo

Ten things I've found out being a parent!

Number 1. Nap time is now your best friend - Oh praise the lord, counting down the hours until nap time so you can plonk your butt on the couch and finally have your breakfast!! LOL

Number 2. You now know every cartoon theme tune! - *PEPPPPPPA PIG snort snort* not to mention knowing the episodes off by heart since you watch the same cartoon everyday for the last three years!  UGH!

Number 3 - You've become the worlds best briber - *If you go pee pee on the potty ill give you a chocolate biccie?!* what I do to get my toddler to do the things I want him to do LOL!

Number 4 - You know have to sneak chocolate or anything sweet for that matter like a contraband substance - If your child can smell chocolate from 5 miles away like mine can.. your screwed.

Number 5 - Your new OOTD is a "Mom Bun", a lovely tshirt with stale spit up, the comfiest pants which infact belong to your partner. A baby on your hip & a toddler attached to your ankle screaming for chocolate biscuits.

Number 6 - You become your mother. Many many times I've given out to my son.. and yes I sound the exact same as my mam....

Number 7 - Your Photo Gallery on your phone is now filled with pictures of your babies, and maybe 50 pictures of the same image... but you just CAN NOT bring yourself to delete them. The world would literally end.

Number 8 - You long for the sound of your baby sleeping at night - BABY: Im just going to hold my breath and freak my mama out! MOM: Honey? Honey!!!! The baby isn't breathing!!!!!!! BABY: AHHHHHHH! MOM: Oh. thank god! Am I the only one who think this actually happens LOL

Number 9 - You become a "Pram Peeper" - Walking throughout the shopping centre and you slying peep your head into the oncoming buggy! Ive no idea why I do this?! LOL

Number 10 - Your new alarm clock is your toddler walking into your room shouting "GOOD MORNING" ... then all of a sudden the baby is awake crying for the bottle, you have the covers over your head as still as can be, praying they go back to sleep! It never works....

Thanks for reading :) 

Aisling xo