Hippy Babies

29/05/2023

At four years old now our Hippy Journey is a distant memory! Happy Healthy and running rings around Mum and Dad. Grandad was a massive part of our journey and sadly 3 weeks ago he left us without warning. His love and support during all the rough days and also his laughter during the fun days will never be forgotten. He was the one who came to the hospital when we thought the brace was coming off and they told us another 3 months. We cried all the way home 🥹 He was the one who was there when the brace did come off and he was the one who saw Milly stand up the for the first time when we arrived home! We miss your Gundad (Milly ‘s words) and we love you forever xx

14/03/2022

Almost 3 year old! We have been reflecting this morning on how far we have come! 🙈🙏💕👌 For those of you needing encouragement we hope this fills up your cup.

16/07/2021

I see you, at the cafe, in the car park, at the doctors office. I see you changing your little one in the car because the nappy exploded. I see you trying to calm your toddler when they don’t want to leave, or share their things, because they don’t understand the concept and you can see the meltdown starting to unfold. I see you attempting to cross the road with one trying to do a runner and the other in the pram you’re desperately trying to hold on to.

I see you giving everything you’ve got. Trying to keep everyone happy, trying so hard. You are succeeding because you care so much, even though you feel like, in this moment you are only just holding onto your sanity.

I see you, how intensely you are loving them, you’d do anything for them. Please remember to love yourself, you are amazing, you are irreplaceable.

Sometimes we make eye-contact and one of us makes a reassuring smile and gesture. It’s about these small connections that make mothers feel less alone in their motherhood journey. If you see another mother today, give them a smile, a reassuring gesture or even ask them how they are. You never know how much it might mean to her. ‘Relationships and connections throughout motherhood can be the life jacket that keeps our head above water.’💛

Gemma Douglas,
Very cool Illustration by

08/07/2021

💕😢

02/07/2021

I looked up from the dryer and noticed my man in the kitchen. I was switching over the 200th load of the day. I noticed him chopping onions and peppers preparing dinner for the next day. His boots still sit by the hall, fresh from a long week of work. He cuts and dices, I fold and sort.

Together, we keep the house moving.

I stared at the back of his head for a while, the laundry still wet in my hands. I thought about how sometimes he cooks and I cut grass. Sometimes he gets up with the kids and I sleep. Sometimes I drive and he rides. Sometimes I work and he rests. I dont think there is a way to evenly divide the work load- I just know when it gets too heavy for me, my man always jumps in.

And that’s all that really matters isn’t it? There’s no reason to keep count or record of chores.

Tonight, he cooks while I fold. And the load in my hands feels a little bit lighter.

Shared with permission by Sprinkles In My Closet with Jenn Kish

28/04/2021

😂

So true! 😂🤦‍♀️

26/04/2021

He's off to work
Bearing the weight of the bills
Her indoors with twelve hours to fill
And up six times in the night, still
Each thinking that the other
Has struck the better deal

Casting up
And putting down
Petty remarks and resentments abound
So much more
To disagree about now

Negotiating lie-ins
That were once spent together
Taking turns
When one is under the weather

Tag-teaming
Ships in the night
That never-ending
Relay race

Passing the baton
For another hour
Right, it's your turn
I'm off for a shower ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

But when all's said and done
If I could choose anyone to
Navigate through
This parenthood
It would always
Be you

Eavesdropping and smiling
At the little chats you have
Remembering that actually
You're a bloody good dad

But oh remember
That bloated adolescence of ours?
Carefree and easy
Doing nothing for hours

And of course, I wouldn't change it
It's better now we've him

I guess what I'm saying is
I miss you
A bit

Words: Karen McMillan (Mother Truths)
Image: O Trocatintas

Words taken from "Mother Truths: Poems on Early Motherhood" Available to buy worldwide: https://linktr.ee/mother_truths

16/04/2021

🤣 Happy Friday!

08/04/2021

If you’re a stay at home parent, you’re lazy.

If you return to work, you’re neglectful.

If you don’t lose the baby weight, you’re a slob.

If you work out, you’re egotistical

If you Breastfeed in public you’re offensive

But if you formula feeding, you’re wrong

If your kid’s eating pouches you’re hurting their health

But if you’re making everything from scratch well, then, you’re a show off.

Playing with your kids at the park is helicoptering

But watching them from a park bench or while on your phone, while they play is slack parenting

Co-sleeping is dangerous and careless

But cots make babies feel lonely and neglected

And rocking a baby to sleep is a rod in your back.

Vaccinate your kids to protect them

But don’t inject them with poison if you love them

Clean houses means unhappy kids

But messy means you’re disgusting

Dedicate every minute to loving them, playing with them, and being everything to your kids, but make sure you take time out because you can’t fill from an empty cup.

Keep your feelings inside because otherwise you’re ungrateful

But make sure you speak up if you’re struggling.

Exhausted? Me too.

There is an astronomical pressures on mother’s every day to get it right and be perfect - but the perfection changes every day and according to every person

The best way a mother, mothers, is when she does it her own way.

No one sees your 24/7, no one is in your shoes, the tears, the tantrums, all of it.

You are an amazing mother, you do incredible things. You’re raising incredible humans. Keep being you and screw what anyone else thinks.

Instagram:

08/04/2021

💗

07/04/2021

31/03/2021

😂😂

Always still figuring it out 🥰

Credit

31/03/2021

The kind of newborn guide all mums should be given:

Don’t forget to feed yourself.
If you’re tired and there’s dishes - ignore them and rest.
Take it easy on yourself.
Don’t feel guilty for saying no to visitors.
The house doesn’t need to look beautiful.
It’s ok if you struggle.
Reaching out for help doesn’t mean you’re failing.
‘Bouncing back’ doesn’t matter.
There’s no right or wrong way.

These days it’s easy to think you’re meant to have and be everything after having a baby considering we’ve basically got a ‘new mum catalog’ at our finger tips when we scroll through Facebook and Instagram.

It looks like you’re meant to drop the baby weight, get colour coordinated photos, have the full get-up in the baby’s nursery, do it all with a smile, get back to work, keep a clean house, never complain, be a boss ass bitch and HAVE IT ALL.

We’re setting ourselves up to fail when we put these expectations on ourselves, and we really need to remember that just being a loving mum is also enough.

You will be enough, because you are enough.

16/11/2020

Old habits take a while to change (this includes numerous night wakings 😂)
She sleeps like she used to in the brace. Legs stretched apart dear soul 😇
Ninight x

21/10/2020

🙏

If you’re feeling that bone-aching-tiredness today after seemingly endless wake-ups, I’m sending compassion your way ❤️

As a Mum, I’m far enough away now from this season that I can see out the other side, but close enough to acutely remember the reality.

My 3yo still hasn’t ‘slept through’ but letting go of the countdown to that imaginary threshold of ‘THE NIGHT’ that it happens, released me.

I decided I wasn’t going to wait until ‘then’ (which honestly, might not happen - how many adults ‘sleep through’?) and a shift in that belief alone did impact how tired I felt.

Shifting focus back on us and our sleep hygiene, mindset, supports, and what will make things easier for US - rather then trying to change their sleep - can sometimes make huge differences.

But I know it can be more complex than this. For more support check out Feed Sleep Bond The Beyond Sleep Training Project Evolutionary Parenting

Remember how important of a job you’re doing. Nighttime parenting matters.

Hold onto hope that things get better, that it’s okay to express your feelings and not ‘cherish every moment’, but that how last night went, doesn’t have to steal the potential from how today can be ☀️