The raising a little man project

Shabby chic parenting lifestyle blog

Motherhood is so strange, there are still things I’m experiencing that are completely new to me and things I’m still waking up to. That I have an actual son, a little baby boy – one that is quite a lot bigger than that now! –

that is equal parts Mitch and equal parts me and I can’t quite believe it even now. I can’t believe how big he is and the amazing little sentences he makes and that he lives in our house, I give him baths and buy him clothes.

Shabby chic parenting lifestyle blog

It’s definitely changed how I see myself, that’s the strangest thing. One part of you adjusts straight away but it takes years for the other part to find a footing. I’ve been kind of carrying on as the girl I was before because that’s all I knew, just taking care of this little person as well. There are now moments bleeding through where I feel like his mother and it makes me so proud and pleased to have such a prominent position in his life and be so needed, that he longs to be with me as much as I with him and I utterly love that. That’s what I always envisioned motherhood to feel like, to just never being able to stop staring at this little person.

Shabby chic parenting lifestyle blog

Every day is hard work, I am stretched to my limits and overwhelmed. A lot of the time doesn’t feel good, everything feels a mess and I’m so tired and guilty, I can’t cope with everything he throws at me. I adore his little company, he makes me melt all the time, how in those moments we just throw the idea of perfect parenting out the window and embrace the chaos together. Everywhere we go as a family feels like home, even surrounded by half painted walls and unpacked boxes still because I am always too tired to tackle anything more. I am so grateful for Mitch’s help. We have our home in a little happy bubble of chaos.

Shabby chic parenting lifestyle blog

I love the things he loves, poring over puzzles, his car collection, counting down from 10 on iplayer ‘next episode’ the same with the microwave, and the little neck nuzzles he does when he’s upset. He loves to colour on anything except for paper, especially himself (you might notice he has a blue face and hair streaks in these photos) and also talks about himself in third person or refers to himself as ‘you’ which is so cute!

Shabby chic parenting lifestyle blog

He can say so many things now, he loves to talk about shadows and monsters and how they ‘eat Oscar’s doughnuts’ haha. He is forever asking for warm chocolate milk, which he pronounces as ‘warm toilet muck’.

Shabby chic parenting lifestyle blog

 He is obsessed with two shows, Hey Duggee and Bing, and even talks about them in his sleep. He gets so involved, waving his little fists about and gritting his teeth. He will always declare ‘want Bing on’, for us to say ‘you want to put Bing on?’ and he goes ‘oh-kay!‘, it always makes us laugh! Another phrase is ‘oh man!’

Shabby chic parenting lifestyle blog

When a car falls down the sofa he goes ‘oh no, what a shame!’ and when he sees the gerbils in the morning (they live upstairs) there’s an ‘ooooh cuuuuute!’ and then ‘see you in the morning gerbils’. He always tries to have a game of hide and seek with me when we get downstairs in the morning, only he tells me where to hide.

Shabby chic parenting lifestyle blog
He copies me saying ‘hi sweetie’ and most recently ‘sooo tired today’ and studiously works on his little learning push button computer device in the mornings and evenings when he’s bored in his cot. We always joke that he’s having late night revision sessions! We recently discovered the Duplo lego blocks, they are so much fun.

Shabby chic parenting lifestyle blog

Tantrums are often and difficult, especially when he doesn’t know what he wants and rejects any form of comfort. It can be as simple as not wanting to have his top on and he will scream for an hour! He is so sweet and affectionate though, after the nasty flu we had, he regularly asks if we are feeling better. He is getting better at dressing himself, putting his wellies on himself, though he still tries to go out in our shoes haha!

Shabby chic parenting lifestyle blog

I panicked a lot because motherhood didn’t feel like I thought it would at all, I wish I had allowed myself time to adjust and that not being able to get your head round your feelings doesn’t mean you love your baby less, it means you’re determined to be the best you can be for him. I’m making it my mission to move as far away as possible from the idea of perfect parenting, just gravitating towards happy things instead ♡

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19 Comments

  1. Diana Maria
    February 13, 2018 / 2:43 am

    Aww, this post was so adorable. It makes me excited for motherhood, which I can't wait to experience one day. Now that I volunteer with young kids, I know what you mean about the perfect moments, and the not so good ones. It can feel like a mess at times, but that's just part of the journey! He's adorable xx

    Sending light & love your way,

    My Lovelier Days

    • elizabeth
      February 17, 2018 / 2:01 pm

      Awww thanks so much Diana! That's so cool you volunteer with young kids, thank you so much for your sweet words! 😀 ♡

  2. Natalya Amour
    February 13, 2018 / 5:17 am

    Aww his adorable!

    Candice | beautycandyloves.co.za

    • elizabeth
      February 17, 2018 / 2:01 pm

      Aw thanks so much Candice! ♡

  3. UpYourVlog
    February 13, 2018 / 12:41 pm

    He's such a cutie!

    upyourvlog.com

    • elizabeth
      February 17, 2018 / 2:02 pm

      Thanks so much Natalie! ♡

  4. #sweetreats
    February 13, 2018 / 8:47 pm

    This post is really sweet. It's lovely to see how you and Oscar have evolved as time has gone by, to literally read posts all about your days spent with him and what you plan for him(especially the Valentine's one). It's so cute and it literally makes me smile. 😊😁

    #sweetreats xx bakingboutiquebirds.blogspot.co.uk/

    • elizabeth
      February 17, 2018 / 2:03 pm

      Awww so cute, thank you so much!!! For reading my blog and your lovely comments, they always make my day! 😀 ♡

  5. Jules on the moon
    February 14, 2018 / 2:03 pm

    Stunning pics and beautiful post!!

    julesonthemoon.blogspot.it

    • elizabeth
      February 17, 2018 / 2:03 pm

      Thank you so much Giulia, so kind!! 😀 ♡

  6. Unknown
    February 14, 2018 / 4:33 pm

    Such a beautiful post and I loved your photos! I can't believe how motherhood feels, it's so overwhelming. We have settled into our new little life together now and I love every day with her. It's amazing, but wow, nothing could have prepared me for how big of a change it would be! I was going to DM you a few months back because I had PND after A was born and felt truly horrific. But I remembered a post you had shared which talked about the fact it can take a while for a bond to come etc, I think it was called things no one tells you about having a baby or something like that. But anyway, it was of great comfort! I think the more people who talk honestly about motherhood, all of it's mind-blowingly wonderful moments but the challenging ones too, the better. Because the general message is that you should enjoy every waking second and that it's all a walk in the park. Little Oscar is lucky to have such a lovely family <3

    • elizabeth
      February 17, 2018 / 2:07 pm

      Ahhh thank you so much for this Amy!! It is such a comfort to me that there are others who have felt similar to me and it isn't what they thought it might be, that a lot of days are about trying to survive >< but those wonderful little moments! I didn't notice them until much later on but I love that I am starting to feel things even now, there's so many different emotions that go with having a baby, it's kind of like unwrapping a present every day 😀 ♡

  7. Danielle Alexa
    February 14, 2018 / 7:20 pm

    This is such a beautiful post, I really enjoyed reading it and getting to see your images!

    Danielle xx
    fashionbeautyblog.co.uk/

    • elizabeth
      February 17, 2018 / 2:07 pm

      Aw thanks so much Danielle!! ♡

  8. shwet
    February 15, 2018 / 9:38 am

    He is so adorable dear!!! Lovely post. Enjoy your motherhood.
    I discover your blog and start following you on GFC and Bloglovin. Hope you follow me back on same. Please do visit blog. See you there.
    clickbystyle.blogspot.in/

    • elizabeth
      February 17, 2018 / 2:07 pm

      Thank you so much, it's so nice to meet you! 😀 ♡

  9. Marta
    February 16, 2018 / 10:25 pm

    Your baby boy is so beautiful! Such a lovely post 🙂
    xx
    lambassadrice.com/

    • elizabeth
      February 17, 2018 / 2:07 pm

      Aw thank you so much Marta! 😀 ♡

  10. June Johnson
    February 28, 2018 / 10:30 pm

    Love this post! I'm not a parent yet, but I love how you wrote about falling in love with real parenting. I think Mother's raising boys have such a vital role for laying out how he thinks of himself, how he'll treat others and especially how he'll treat women. I can;t yet imagine the pressure of all that, but from the sounds of it, you're already off to an amazing start and I look very much fwd to reading your future posts. <3

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