New Year Resolutions

I'm not usually big on New Year Resolutions - mainly because I generally break them by the end of January!! This year however with baby M's arrival I have some aims and hopes for 2014

Health
I want to lose my baby weight, I didn't put much weight on during my pregnancy (thankfully my bump was mainly at the front) but my belly is now flabby & I feel like my bum and hips are huge!! Due to having a section I have to wait a little long then if I'd had a vaginal birth to make sure all my muscles are as they should be and everything has healed before I can do exercise.  As we live near the sea my plan is to go on daily walks with baby M to start with then once I can do proper exercise again I will be getting out on my bike (which I bought last year then didn't use as I found out I was pregnant not long after & I was petrified I'd fall off & hurt the baby).  I will also start running again, I had signed up for a half marathon last September (which at 6 months pregnant I didn't compete in).  Whilst I won't be fit enough to do that this year I think I will aim to do a 10k with the view of doing a half marathon next year.  I also have a post natal yoga DVD which I plan to do when baby M is sleeping after 12 weeks post section, this will help build and strengthen my core.

Family
This will be my main focus of 2014.  I want to spend lots of time finding new things with baby M, living where we do there is a lot of touristy things for kids which we will take him to and also groups such as bounce & rhyme, baby massage & baby group.  I also want to go on trips away, we have a friend in the lakes who we will have to visit - the lakes are about an hour away from us and gorgeous. My folks caravan in Northumberland will be frequently visited this year I think, there are lots of things for us to see and do in the area.  We will hopefully visit both our parents, although due to Mr M's family living 4-5hrs away we won't be visiting them until baby M is a little older as the journey will be a lot for him

Money
My maternity pay is rubbish so money will be tight this year.  I want to find out more ways which we can save money as a family.  I would also love to buy our own house, we have some savings but not enough for a deposit yet.  Maybe we can win the lottery!!!

Goodbye 2013, Hello 2014

2013 was a roller coaster of a year.  We finally got pregnant, which we were over the moon about!! We went to Berlin (which is amazing I would highly recommend).  I went to my first proper airshow with Mr M at RIAT, I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would.  Mr M's grandad found out he had cancer and within 4 months had sadly lost his battle - he was so happy to find out he was going to be an great grandad and we were both so sad that baby M will never meet him, he will know all about him though.  He was the only person we told the name of baby M to, we kept it a secret from everyone else. We celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary.  We welcomed our little baby boy and had our first family Christmas.

So what for 2014??

Baby M & I are going to go to some local groups and find out what fun things there are to do in the local area.

Mr M celebrates his birthday in February, we are going to have a family day (probably in Manchester) then the following week we are going to go to my folks caravan in Northumberland for a long weekend - it will be our first family trip away, the first of many! In June Mr M & I will be going to Italy for the weekend as he won a competition, I am nervous about leaving baby M but my mum is coming to look after him.  In July it will be my birthday - another trip to my folks caravan probably.  I will be back to work in August, but only for 2 weeks as we are going to Ireland to a cottage with my folks (& hopefully my brother) for a week which will be lovely.

Amongst these plans will be lots of visits from family & friends.  My brother is coming to visit in a few weeks which will be great, he lives in Edinburgh & I don't get to see him as often as I would like.  Friends have already been asking when they can come visit, we will have lots of people coming over the next few months to see baby M, he's a very popular boy!! Mr M's family will also be coming to visit, Mr M again doesn't get to see them as often as he would like to.

We are looking forward to our first full year as a family and doing lots of exciting things with baby M.