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Simplified Mum Life

Nina A Spencer – Motherhood Mentor – Simplifying the every day for busy overwhelmed mums -Mum Of Twins Twice! Placenta Accreta Survivor, Mental Health Champion, On my own simple living Journey filled with adventure and travel . Embracing The Imperfectly, Chaotic moments of motherhood.
Health & Fitness

End of pregnancy Cuppa & Chat!

I will apologise now how before you start reading about how rambling this post is.

Back in May, I posted about my surprise twin pregnancy since then I have only really updated in one blog post and a few social media posts.

It’s not been an easy pregnancy emotionally.

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I have suffered my mental health and coming to terms with the fact that this is again a twin pregnancy and all the things I won’t be able to do again with 2 babies.

I have suffered from bad hips, pelvis and sciatic nerve which has added to my poor mood.

I want to get back into my blogging and vlogging but during this pregnancy, I’ve lost my “voice” some what!

I’ve really not enjoyed this pregnancy – It hasn’t been what I thought! I have just felt like I didn’t want my blog to become somewhere just to rant about what a crap time I’m having especially as some would do anything to be pregnant at all.

Things outside pregnancy have been on hold due to not being able to walk or drive so I’ve not had anything else to talk to you about!

So that’s where I’ve been. Now my pregnancy is coming to an end and it looks like not in the way I wanted.

At my last scan twin 1 was breech and it looks like my placenta is covering my cervix which means the only safe way to deliver these babies is by another C Section this has now been booked and I have to prepare mentally for.

Last time I went along with whatever the medical professionals said or planned this time I would like to have a bit of a birth plan.

I want the skin to skin time when they are first born – last time I was shown them then they were taken away.

There are a few things that I would like to ask about this time around. I have blocked a lot out from last time.

This time I hope that hubby can take a few photos so that I can remember.

Let’s try and end this pregnancy on a more positive note that it has been!

Sorry I did say this post may be a bit rambley

I hope now I’ve got this all out I can find my words again and start blogging on a regular basis.

Nina

Health & Fitness

Have I missed something?

26 weeks pregnant with our second set of twins, I read a post about the last time you pick up your baby or have them on your lap. 


While I’ve been pregnant I’ve not been able to lift up my (5 year old) babies. And my ever growing belly means no one can fit in my lap. 
When the new twins arrive and I can start picking up my first twins how much will they have grown. Will I still be able to lift thier weight? Will they have grown that much they no longer need me to pick them up?? Reading that blog post I can feel the tears pang of the things I’ve missed while being pregnant. 

The times that daddy has carried them to bed because I simply couldn’t lift them.  

Lifting them to see over a fence. Because on the other side is something special but ordinary. 

I feel like I’ve  missed a lot this pregnancy and feel that when these new babies are here I really need to make up some time with the first set. 

Nina

Wishlist

Father’s Day Gift List – 10 Clutter Free Ideas

As I am trying to reduce the amount of stuff that’s already in our home I also need to reduce stuff coming into our home.

So with that in mind and fathers day fast approaching I need to think of alternate gifts this fathers day.

10 Clutter free Father's DayGift Ideas

10 Clutter Free gifts for dads

  1. Tickets to the cinema or theatre show – This could be a family outing or something he goes to as a date night or with friends.
  2. Tools – I don’t know about you but in our house tools tend to go missing like socks! Could you replace some of his tool kit? You could wrap it in a unique way like a tool hamper.
  3. How about a Flight or Driving Experience  – I bought hubby a glider flight last year.
  4. Keep his pocket clutter in one place with a Tray tidy, or coin tray.
  5. A crate of his favorite beer – This wont take up much room for long I expect!
  6. On a similar note what about a gift hamper of his favorite snacks.
  7. Does he already buy a magazine from the shop each month? why not buy him a years magazine subscription?
  8. Gift Cards are a great non clutter gift – My hubby works in london and often nips out for a costa, A gift card for a month worth of coffees could be a great gift.
  9. Clothing gifts don’t have to create clutter if its something he really needs Like a new pair of slippers, or a new tie for work –  Quick tip, Use a one in one out policy for your wardrobe. That way you wont ever get overwhelmed by clothing pieces.
  10. Buying for Hubby? Date night tokens are a great gift – Plan a few months of date nights, print out and place in a jar or envelope then he can just take one out each month.

That’s my 10 ideas what else can you think of?

Leave in the comments below.

 

Adventures

Jan – May recap June Action Plan

It’s been an odd start to the year!

Firstly we celebrated New Year at our second home Lanzarote.

  • We came home and I managed to sneak in a couple of days working at the local Theatre doing Panto (My Favourite time at the theatre)
  • Then I was late on my monthly cycle
  • So took a pregnancy test 
  • Then went for an early scan to make sure there was only one
  • And we found out there were 2
  • Had a lot of tears
  • Sold my beloved Delilah – She wouldn’t have lasted another year  🙁 img_1649Went back to Lanzarote for February Half Term
  • Took the twins on their first visit to London Started work on the house to prepare for an extra two people
  • Stayed in denial about the two new lives growing in my tummy
  • Attended BlogON
  • Finally bought something for the new twins

So now were in June and I need to pull on my positive pants (If they fit because of this ever-growing tummy)

I need to embrace this pregnancy and start feeling as excited as people keep telling me it is!


So I’m devising a plan!

I’m not going to lie my mental health has gone down hill since finding out about these two new people. I’m worried about PND and the hard work that it was with the last set of twins.

This month I am going to try to tick off a list of things that will help me feel more positive.

June List

  • Finish playroom decorating  ( I have enlisted the help of a decorator
  • Decorate and move the office
  • Decorate and furnish Nursery
  • Move kids toys into playroom
  • Declutter and purge kids toys  – I am currently obsessed with Allie Casazza and want to try and live a more minimal life – I’m not going as far as one plate per person (so my friends won’t need to bring a plate with them) but I’d like to adopt some concepts into our life!
  • Carrying on with the Minimalist theme I want to redo my wardrobe – I know this is not really practical at over 6 months pregnant but I know some pieces that I will probably never wear again. and when the twins arrive and I lose the bump I will be able to top up my wardrobe with some key autumn pieces (Minimalist  shopaholic!)
  • I will continue my search for the perfect but affordable vehicle for our expanding family. – We currently have a Vaxhaul Zafira which although is 7 seats, its 7 seats and not enough boot space to fit in a suitcase let alone a pushchair!  I would really like a VW Caravelle but I want to pay cash and the price for a decent one is out of our cash price range!

Events in June

  • Friends Little One’s Christening – Both Hubby and I are God Parents
  • Mum’s 65th Birthday
  • Hubby’s Dad’s 70th Birthday

So looks like a busy month I also have numerous appointments in June with Diabetes checks, consultant appointments, midwife appointments and scans all already booked in!
I have also been slacking at swimming due to focusing all my time on the decorating and building work. I think it has had an impact on my mental health so I would like to go back to swimming at least twice a week. Even it’s only just to take the weight off my bump!

What are your June plans, goals?

Do you have any tips for me to get through the month?

Nina x

Health & Fitness

To the one who thinks I have it together!!

To the one who thinks I have it together.

I feel like a fraud when you tell me who calm I seem. The truth is I’m so far from having it together.

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So even though I may be chilled when I get around the corner to school that’s because I already lost my shit over the breakfast table. The kids wouldn’t eat and as we were up late I was feeling bad that I should have got up earlier. I felt bad that I had to rush them to eat breakfast but not as bad as I would have felt had I took them to school with no food.

I may look like my kids are dressed well but the truth is I forget to wash last night and the last jumper they had was covered in some kind of stain about 20 mins ago but I scrubbed it with the dishcloth and it’s actually still wet in places!

My daughter’s hair is in a French plait this morning, however, that’s because she slept in it last night!

I may look like I am ok with this twin mothering stuff but in actual fact, I’ve spent most of today in tears or shouting because I have so much going on in my life at the moment that I’m not handling anything very well.

After half term I may look like I have it together, however, I will be feeling guilty that I’ve wasted the half term anxious and upset with myself!

I will have plans on being a better mum during the 6 weeks when in reality I will be almost full term in this pregnancy and fighting against fatigue and anxiety again!

I may look like I have my shit together, look calm, but inside my head is swimming and my heart pounding and it’s all I can do some days to get my kids to school on time just so I can have a hot cuppa and not play referee for the day!

Some days I’m that late my kids run in without even saying bye, then I spend half the morning worrying about them. worrying that if something happened to me or them that I never hugged them when they went into school that morning!

So Thank you for saying I seem like the calm mum who has it together but in reality, I’m really fighting the same battle as other mums on the school run!

 

Nina x

Where to next?