Leo Starts School

Times are fleeting, years pass, people grow. I have always been aware of these things. It's just life. Last night I knowingly tucked my little man into bed and snuggled him down, I knew that this was the last night like this...Ever.

The last night I would ever do this for my pre-schooler anyway..

Today my not so little Leo awoke bright and early for his very first day at school. He was up and about before the alarm had even gone off, raring to get ready. His excitement was contagious as he wolfed down his Weetos and second helping of toast. He was eager to get his shiny new school uniform on, but I had decided this would have to wait until breakfast was completely cleared away to at least prevent any stained clothes before he even arrived at school...

I lay out his uniform, it was all so new and inviting and I cast my mind back to my first day at school all of those years ago. It was no wonder he was bouncing off the walls with the utter most of excitement. 

Leo stood before me completely kitted out in his new school uniform, and right before my eyes he grew. He grew tenfold within a few seconds of slipping into the attire that he will proudly wear for the next 6 years of his life. It was like he aged physically and emotionally at the same time, he looked older and suddenly, he sounded older, so much wiser than his 4 years.

As he pranced around the room telling me how much he loved his uniform, I couldn't help but smile. I had never seen him so made up with an outfit before, and I think he realised right there and then that he really was growing up. He declared his love for his 'strong trousers' and his 'big boy shoes' and we made our way out of the door (of course not before an impromptu photo shoot!)

We arrived at school and he bounced instead of walked. He skipped and he hopped, the excitement igniting in his eyes sparkling brighter and brighter as we made our way through the school gates for his very first day. 

I had been a little surprised at how excited Leo was by the entire affair after he had spent all summer telling me how he wasn't going to be going to school. He didn't seem nervous, not at all, not even a little bit. I suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of pride. It had only been months before that people were concerned about how Leo may not be ready for school. 

Now just look at him.

Look at him proving them all wrong and excelling.

Look at him.

The bell rang and children began to conform to instructions as the teacher arrived in the play ground. A lovely lady who I knew was going to teach and care for my special boy. A lady that he was already looking up to and respecting. 

Leo held my hand and we walked into his classroom, where there were children with a mixture of reactions to the special day. Some children cried, some parents cried, some laughed and played. It was a real mixture of emotions for everyone and at times it didn't feel real. 

There were no tears from Leo, he handed in his book bag, put away his lunch box and made his way to the train box (of course he did!). It was here that I pulled him in and gave him the biggest hug. Wished him an amazing first day and told him that I would be back to collect him in a few hours, and that we would head over to McDonald's for a first day treat when he finished.

With that he pulled me back in for a bigger hug and I made my way out of the door, glancing back over my shoulder I saw just how grown up my baby boy had become.

The hours flew by and before I knew it I was back at the gates collecting my big boy after his very first day. I walked slowly into the playground trying to source where my little man was in the crowd of children all running around in identical outfits. I couldn't see him straight away, and then I saw him stood perplexed, staring right at me. His little bottom lip quivering. I am pretty certain that it was only because he saw me and was exhausted after such an exhilarating day, now more than ready to come home.

He did declare that he wasn't going to be back again tomorrow...But I am sure that he will be absolutely fine. 

Of course now it begins, I ask how his day was and I don't get a response. He looks at me and doesn't want to talk about the busy day that we both know that he has had, but what he has learned remains a mystery. 

Tonight we settled down into bed and we read the book 'Can I play in the Mud' that had been sent home from school, and I tucked in my school boy ready for another busy day tomorrow.

Welcome to the school years. 

Where has the time gone?

Build yourself UP

It's been over a year since I moved back to the family home, and what a year it has been. It's been a bit of a roller coaster to say the least, from packing that very first box, being made redundant back in April, to the here and now, where I am still coming to terms with the fact that I may be taking on my latest adventure. Becoming a full time blogger.

Blogging is a role that I quite simply adore, it's a dream job for me, Working for myself, earning my own money and being able to be there for Leo as and when he needs me. It has always been that though, a dream. Now when I sit here trying to fathom which email to respond to first, or the most practical way to tackle that never ending to do list, I realise that the possibility and the work is there for the taking, all I need to throw at it is time. 

Every parent knows that time can be a bit of a buzz kill, moving home actually saw me lose even more times when it came to my blog, I saw a light with my fitness and ran with it. That meant that the time I would have once spent in an evening sitting in front of the laptop, was spent trying to achieve new goals for myself. 

Now here I am at the start of my very new venture, one that I am incredibly excited and nervous about (More excited than anything else!) I have a new sense of confidence and reason to push forward. Before now something has held me back, I can't put my finger exactly on what... Whether it was through a lack of self confidence, maybe a fear that I may let myself down or something else? Whatever the reason, I have never taken that chance. 

Until now.

Times a funny old thing and it is thanks to time that you WILL find yourself outside of your comfort zone. Life would be a little bit boring if things didn't get shaken up every once in a while right? Did I ever think I would be in the National News with my family talking about our crazy set up? Nope! But I did. Did I ever think that I would shed the weight? Not really! Did I ever think that I would spend my Saturday would be spent looking at bathroom furniture and bed sheets? Nope, it's definitely outside of my usual shopping! With a little help of Tesco online this was made much easier.

Let's face it, if things were to stay the same throughout our entire lives, would we ever take a chance? Would we ever step outside that box we are all quite happy sitting inside? I am inclined to say that we wouldn't. 

One thing that I really have discovered about myself this year is just how strong I am as a person. I breathe positivity and it's a quality that I am so happy to possess. It is a rarity that I ever feel stressed, and sometimes when I think about what I have actually lived through this year, I wonder how I have managed it with a smile on my face. 

Some of that is a blog post for another day, but each day that passes just makes that smile of mine get a little bit wider.

My Summer Wardrobe

Summer may be coming to an end but September is a month that usually holds the ideal weather. I for one love September, it see's the leaves changing colour and the nights starting to slowly draw back in, but if you are lucky..We usually see some sunshine.

If there is one thing that I will really miss about the Summer months, it's the mild weather and my Summer wardrobe. The United Kingdom may not be blessed with consistent good weather, but for the most part we can at least predict mild weather (even if the rain is falling outside..). 

This summer was an extra special one for me, as it was the first summer in a very long time that I have felt comfortable in the skin that I am in. For the first time in many years I haven't felt the need to hide away under baggy clothes. When I cast my mind back to the Summer of 2014 or even back to 2013, I cringe. I re-call the girl who dreaded the warmer weather because she didn't want to have to get her legs (Or her thighs at least) out in the public eye. That Laura was more than happy to find a dress that didn't push her thigh chub into such a pronounced eyesore. 

Just casting my mind back to those times makes me realise just how much I have grown over the last couple of years, and it paints a rather large smile on my face. Now for the first time in forever I have worn exactly what I want to, how I want to and when I want to. The rain may have been pounding down like there is no tomorrow, but if I wanted to wear my shorts, if I wanted to pair it with a crop top that I could only have admiringly glanced at before.. then that is exactly what I was going to do.

I can't even begin to explain how amazing it feels to feel comfortable with your body after such a long time, it has definitely ignited a new found passion for fashion, and for items of clothing that I would never have dreamed to wear a year ago. 

My Summer Wardrobe

My Summer wardrobe has consisted of hot pants, dresses, maxi dresses and crop tops. It has meant that my entire Summer wardrobe had to be replaced as everything was far to big on me, of course that was a scenario that I happily embraced and for filled with little or... no complaints. 

So here are a few of my Summer combinations from the Summer of 2015.

KEEN's UNEEK Sandals Review

When you think of holiday's there are one pair of shoes that jump to the forefront of your mind. The traditional and very conventional flip flop. Over the years they have been there for us at the first sign of warm weather, and spared our feet the pain of being locked away in a pair of shoes that hide your feet away from the light of day.

Of course the conventional flip flop has it's down falls, sure they are great for the beach, and lounging by the pool. They even make a great choice for a short walk down the promenade, but the down falls are especially noticeable the moment that you decide to get a little adventurous. The moment you decide to venture off the beaten track..

That's where UNEEK from KEEN come into play. An entirely new, fresh footwear concept that I am pretty certain you won't have come across before. They look like no other model on the market, and while they leave your feet open to the elements, making them the ideal travel companion, they are also so much more versatile than the traditional flip flop.

UNEEK are the brand new sandal that have been constructed using the innovative two chord design. They mold to your feet to ensure the perfect fit using the two intertwining cords and an additional free moving cord design that allows the upper part of the shoe adapt to the unique shape of your foot. This rather impressive design means that they can provide security and structure to your feet, and makes them a great footwear choice if you do decide to get a little bit more adventurous while you are away on your travels. There is no need to take a secondary pair of shoes with you, because if you want to venture off on the rocks for a closer look at the rock pools below, your all ready kitted out and ready to go with the lightweight PU midsole that provides durability and comfort, and the high traction rubber outsole promotes secure footing.

Now they may look a little different to shoes that you may ordinarily choose for yourself, and in all honesty they were outside my usual comfort zone. Having now worn these shoes and put them through there paces, I am really pleased with just how comfortable and practical they are. 

When I say they are comfortable to wear, I actually mean that they may be the most comfortable pair of shoes that I own. As I type this I am sat at my desk with my UNEEK's embracing my feet. They don't rub, they just co-exist around my feet. The soles soft and supporting and your toes are enclosed within the strings, My biggest concern was that my toes may get caught in the strings, but there is no chance of that happening.

Other peoples reactions to them have been an interesting mix, some people have loved them, others haven't seen the appeal. For me now, my UNEEK's definitely have a place in my footwear collection, when flip flops just won't do, the UNEEK's will save the day.

There are a number of different and exciting colour varieties available for both men and women, retailing at £89.99. 

Disclaimer: I was provided with a pair of UNEEK Sandles for the purpose of this post and my honest opinion. All views and opinions expressed are completely those of Life Unexpected.

Fun in the sun with Konfidence

Ever since I arrived back from Tunisia in June, I have been caught with the travel bug. I just want to get out into the world and experience everything that it has to offer. With Leo in tow it is important to me to find adventurous trips away that will keep us both entertained, and both smiling.

While we were away in Tunisia we had such a super time, I cannot even begin to describe just how amazing it was to see Leo splashing away and finding his confidence in the child's pool. Leo has always been a little bit afraid of the water, and it takes him a little while to find his fins and enjoy the experience. 

Before we went away we were sent some swimming aids from Konfidence, and to say that they helped Leo take like a fish to water is a little bit of an understatement. The Original Konfidence Jackets retailing at £22.99 are such a great addition to any holiday, it features a 8 removable float system provides built in buyoncy to little ones. Leo has never got on well with arm bands, so this for us has proven in-valuable, each day Leo would actually ask to wear his jacket so that he could get his fill of the water, in which has helped bring our little water baby on in leaps and bounds.

The second item that we couldn't rate highly enough while we were away was the Konfidence Sun Protection Suit retailing at £17.50. When you are away it is one thing to keep little one's completely smothered in sun screen, but in the heat of the Tunisian sunshine I didn't want to take any chances. 

Before we headed out to the pool each day I would pop Leo in the suit, slather cream on his feet, ears and face eliminating the risk of sun burn further. He didn't mind being covered up at all, and I took great satisfaction in knowing that he was getting to enjoy himself and there wasn't a worry that the cream may come off and let us down.

Offering 50+UPF, or 98%+ protection aginst the sun's harmful UV rays, the sun suits also feature the latest UV colour changing technology – when UV rays are present, the Konfidence logos on the suits will turn pink (girls suit) or blue (boys suit). So when they are busy happily playing on the beach or in the pool you’ll instantly know when the suit is protecting them from harmful UV rays. Plus this safety feature is also a fun way to teach your little ones about sun safety as it will bring smiles to their faces when the colour starts to change!

Made from the highest quality soft Lycra, which has been rigorously tested for colour fastness and durability, our all in one suits are great for younger children as the fabric stretches and moves with them. 

Both of these items are now staple on my must pack list for little man. We used these items in combination so while Leo was being protected from the sun, he was also gaining his confidence in the pool. If you ask Leo about his holiday, he will tell you just how much fun he had. Leo had the absolute best time, and he cannot wait to go away again. I may have even been looking at some last minute cruises...there are so many places to be seen, and cruising is a great option to see more than one place in the same holidays!

2 months later the memories that we made in Tunisia are still as alive as ever, and I can see that the experiences made by Leo over that week away have really instilled in him. We most definitely have caught the travel bug.. Now what will our next adventure be?

The One with the Back to School Shopping List

With September upon us and the summer holiday winding down, it's hard to comprehend how Autumn is nearing ever closer. At times it really has felt like the Summer holiday has lasted forever, but when it comes down to it, it has gone in the very blink of an eye.

On the 7th September my little man is starting school. Yup that little baby that I have been talking about non stop for the past 4 years, is starting his very first day in reception. When I think back to to the topics that I have covered here with you all, it makes me smile. I have spoken about everything from giving birth, to vomit, to potty training. I have literally spoken about our entire existences and I really love thinking that parent's who walk this journey a few steps behind us, may take comfort in knowing that it's all normal. We all have our up days, and we have our down. It's ok to shout, it's ok to cry, it's even ok not to have a clue what you are doing.

Sometimes you just need to put your hands in the air, and wing it. 

I think that's what I have been thinking most about really, when Leo starts school I have quite a lot of time on my hands, and I am really excited to fill that time right here. It has been a little quiet around here recently, I have noticed the odd tumble weed floating about and I send my apologies. It has been a bit of a crazy summer and I have discovered first hand how kitting a reception child out for school is no easy feat..Like I said... Winging it!

I have been over and over exactly what Leo starting school means, and I as I prepare myself to actually wave that my beautiful boy of mine off into school with his peers next week, I have been running over exactly what a school child needs to attend.

Back to school shopping has been in full swing since schools broke up, I mean the displays were out in Tesco before the bells even rang in July! The whole buying uniform malarkey alone has proven interesting, it’s like the whole world has gone crazy for tailored trousers and polo shirts! If there is one thing that I have discovered it’s that, kitting a child out for their first day of school is no easy feat, and it costs a pretty penny too.

Shopping for everything you need sooner rather than later has its benefits, it means that you can spread the cost and get to work adding your child’s name to absolutely everything that you can imagine early on, so that when they join the ranks of all the other children (In exactly the same uniform!) your child’s clothing can be easily identified. You may feel like a crazed person with a label gun, but you will thank yourself later on. Of course most importantly getting everything you need at the start of the summer holiday means that you aren’t going to stress yourself out, as let’s face it you will be filled with so many emotions on that very first day, we definitely don’t want to add ‘stressed’ to that list.

I found that getting Leo involved in the purchasing process has really helped him get excited and assisted in preparing him for what is to come. He has chosen his own school bag, lunch box, and even helped pick out his own school shoes. 

After all he is the one that all this is for, so it made sense to me to give him the right to choose. I think it’s a great way to help ease any anxiety that may be felt, and make it a fun experience that they can look forward to.

I have finally got to the end of my shopping list, does yours look anything like this one?

The Life Unexpected Back to School List

School Uniform

- 2 x Polo Shirts

- 4 x White Shirts

- 1 x School Fleece

- 2 x School Jumpers with School Logo

- 2 x School Trousers

- 4 x Vests

- School Shoes -  Leo picked a gorgeous pair of Kickers Season Strap shoes from Cloggs. They boast velcro which was an important feature for us as we haven't yet opened the door on learning to tie our shoe laces just yet. As Leo will be at school and taking part in P.E. and other activities that will require him to be able to put his own shoes on and off, we decided that this would be the perfect option. When I first saw these shoes I was reminded of a pair of my younger brother's shoe for 6th form, they really are something special and make Leo look like a rather dapper business man. 

At £39.99 they are really well priced for such a gorgeous pair of leather shoes, not to mention that they are scuff proof, this was another one of those essential features that we couldn't go without.

- Socks

- Name labels

 PE Kit

- 2 x Polo Shirts

- 1 x Sports Shorts

- 1 x Sports Pumps

- 2 x Sports Socks

- Water Bottle

- Sports Bag

 The School Run

- Winter Coat

- Lightweight Rain Coat - Earlier this summer we were sent the Kozi Kidz Varberg Uggla Fleece Lined Rain Jacket with Orange Owls in preparation for our growing back to school list. We have actually been making the most of using it when the weather has called for it, and we can confirm that this bright vibrant jacket is equally as gorgeous up close and personal. 

Kozi Kidz PU are award wining jackets for our little people. They make the greatest outwear and provide fantastic protection from the rain. These rather snazzy jackerts are made from phthalate free polyester with a polyurethane (PU) coating, welded seams and waterproof zips. 

 it is completely 100% waterproof, and we can confirm that it has been a godsend to Leo on days where we have had to pop out to the shops, and the skies have opened up, caught us and only left Leo with a smile on his face. They have a great hood that keeps the rain well away from Leo's face, and they even provide snug warmth with fleece- lined bodies made from 200g polyester and synthetic sleeve insulation to make it easier to take the jacket on and off.

Features include:

- 100% (3000mm) waterproof

- Detachable hoods on the jackets

- Reflectors for increased visibility

- Name labels

- Adjustable elasticated braces on dungarees

- Machine washable

- Zip garage at chin

- 200g polyester fleece lining

Have you now finished your back to school shopping? Are we all ready for the start of the new school term!?

Disclaimer: We were supplied with a pair of Kickers School shoes and the Kozi Kids Water Proof Jacket in eachange for our honest opinions. All views expressed are that of Life Unexpected.

This girl loves denim

Would you believe that I used to live every day in a pair of leggings? I owned that many that they literally fell from every draw and clothes storage unit I could pack them into. For me leggings were a comfort, I felt that they looked ok, and it meant that I didn't have to worry so much about my weight. 

You see underneath the smile, I was more than a little bit aware that I had gained a few lbs (and the rest!). It was because of this that I point blank refused to wear anything but leggings, and any denim I owned had been either given away or pushed to the very back of my wardrobe with the intent that...One day I could fit back into it.

For me jeans were the ultimate insult, they pushed your love handles together and really did have the pretense to make me feel that much worse about myself, where as leggings would sit underneath a baggy top or dress and allow me to face the world. It really was a confidence thing for me and deep down I didn't think that I would ever have the motivation to get myself where I knew I wanted to be.

Of course for those of you who are regular readers of Life Unexpected, you will know that a year ago in June 2014, I made a big change to my life. Clean eating became a way of life and slowly but surely I found the girl within me who had dreamed of wearing denim and feeling confident again...

In August 2014, a mere 2 months into my fitness mission I purchased my very first pair of jeans, and I decided there and then that the time had come to say goodbye to the leggings that had monopolized my wardrobe and my life. 

I cannot express how different I feel being able to wear everything that I had longed to, and knowing that I have got to where I am today by hitting some pretty enormous goals makes that feeling feel even more amazing.

In all I lost 2 stone in the year that followed my fitness revelation, and of course when you drop 2 dress sizes you soon discover that you are going to have to replace your entire clothes collection. It means that you get to take absolutely everything you own to a charity shop, it means you can hop online and buy a new outfit for every day of the week, you literally need to replace the entire contents of your wardrobe from outfits to underwear!

Of course it has meant that I have been able to purchase a collection of jeans, and really feed my passion for denim. Esprit have a great selection of different jeans from skinny though to wide, and it has enabled me to shop the new season looks in one place.

I cannot even beging to describe the feeling when you can look at yourself in the mirror, and for the first time in a very long time, be happy in the skin that you are in. 

Self confidence is such an important mind set, and I truly believe that absolutely every women has the right to that feeling when they look in the mirror.