I actually cannot believe I am sitting down to write your THIRD birthday later (and shortly I will be writing your brother's 9 month letter too). Honestly this past year with you has been amazing; you have grown from a toddler who couldn't put more than a couple of words together to speaking in full sentences, being potty trained and moving from your cot to a full size single bed.

With Dylan arriving a few months after you turned two, I feel like this year has gone doubly fast. You have grown up so quickly and have shown yourself to be the kindest of little boys. You still have the odd meltdown and can be a tad dramatic but compared to a lot of children your age you are pretty easy to parent. You know your boundaries and expectations and even though you test them every so often, for the most part you are a very well behaved little boy.

One of your favourite things to do is to go out for a Babyccino and a slice of cake (definitely my son haha!) and we can't walk past Costa without you asking for one.

Along with your speech, your imagination has exploded this past year and you will sit happily playing with all of your toys making up games and stories. As much as I hate character toys, you adore PJ Masks and Super Wings and love setting up scenes to play with them. Recently you have really got into puzzles too, it's amazing to see your wee brain ticking over trying to figure them out.

You also love anything crafty and are always asking to do painting or Play Doh but with Dylan on the move and everything going in his mouth it does make it difficult. You do love baking with me though so when he is napping I try to do some baking with you whether it be making something from scratch or taking advantage of a good old box kit.

Speaking of naps you have well and truly dropped yours. Coming up to Christmas we noticed bedtime was getting later and later and some days you refused to nap so we decided to go with it and see how you coped without one. It has made bedtime so much smoother but sometimes it does mean tea time and the early evening is hard work as you are so exhausted. Thankfully though after being the boy who didn't sleep you now get more sleep than any of us, averaging a good 12 hours a night.

Food wise you are pretty good and eat most meals. Neither Daddy or I pander to fussy eating and as long as you make an attempt to eat whats on your plate we are happy with that. I think weaning Dylan has encouraged you too as he copies everything you do especially eating habits. Your favourite food is pasta (no surprise) and you also love sausages, peas and yoghurts.

The one thing we have been most proud of this year has been how well you have adapted to being a big brother. Dylan adores you and it makes Daddy and I so proud to see your relationship blossom and grow. He has a special smile just for you and you are so good at playing with him and looking after him. There has been minimal jealousy since he came along and you have been so understanding that sometimes his needs have to come first.

To celebrate turning 3 we had a special party at soft play with all of your little chums which you loved. Granny and Granda came to spend the weekend with us all too which was lovely and Daddy's family came to see you the day after your party. You were spoiled rotten but you deserve it, you are such a wonderful little boy and well loved by so many.

I still can't believe you are three, you're no longer a baby and not really a toddler either. Even though I don't want to admit it, there is no denying that you are a fully fledged little boy now.

Ethan my darling, like in your previous letters I could write so much more but it's time to draw this letter to a close.

We are so proud of you and love you to the moon and back.

All our love, 

Mummy and Daddy xxx

First Birthday Letter

Second Birthday Letter

I've been thinking of how I can evolve this blog as my life changes and even though it's been a tad neglected of late I do love it. It's my space to pour out my thoughts, share my recipes and talk about my boys. Somehow I wanted to merge these things but I'm not a mummy blogger, nor am I an amazingly talented baker; I'm just a mum who loves to bake.

I popped a poll up on my Instagram stories last week asking if my followers wanted to see more baking with children posts and the majority said yes so I've decided I'm going to create a feature on here called Baking With Toddlers. I've realised I also need to do a wee bit of housekeeping on this blog and tidy up some faulty links and add this feature to the top bar (no idea on the technical name for that, oops!).

Anyway.... the other day I decided we should bake some cupcakes together during Dylan's nap time and it was ace! I weighed everything out in advance and had the oven preheating so all Ethan had to do was tip each item into the bowl when I said so and we let the mixer do the work. He loved it and I couldn't stop smiling watching his enjoyment of seeing the simplest of ingredients come together to form a delicious chocolate batter. While the cupcakes baked in the oven he was sat on the floor watching them intently and once I had placed them on a cooling tray he was dying to get decorating. Try telling a 2 year old they need to wait when there are chocolate buns right in front of them is a wee bit of a challenge! 

When it came to piping the swirls of buttercream on to each cupcake Ethan thankfully let me do it while placing his hand on top of mine. I was dreading there being a "I do it mummy" and chocolate buttercream going everywhere but he was so good at watching and generally just taking it all in. I was also pleasantly surprised at how neatly he added the decorations but lets not mention the chocolate buttons that he scoffed before they made it to the cupcakes! A lot more were consumed by a certain little blue eyed boy that what actually ended up on the cakes.

Honestly though, we had the best morning and it was lovely to spend that quality time with my biggest boy. Time is going by so fast so when I get opportunities like this I want to grab them with both hands and cherish them.

If you are thinking of getting into the kitchen with your little one, just do it! You don't even need to bake from scratch, there's nothing wrong with using a good old box kit. It's all about making those memories.

If you follow me on Instagram I've popped the highlights in my Stories so you can see what we got up to.

Baking with Toddlers - Chocolate Cupcakes

12 hole muffin tin

Cupcake cases

140g caster sugar

40g butter/baking spread

100g SR Flour

20g Cocoa

120ml milk

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 160C

Line the muffin tin with the cupcake cases

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy

Beat in the dry ingredients and then the wet ingredients until smooth

Divide between the cupcake cases (it should make around 9 cupcakes)

Let the toddler lick the spoon!

Bake in the oven for 18-20 mins until springy to touch and a skewer inserted comes out clean

Place on a wire rack to cool

80g unsalted butter, softened

225g icing sugar

25g cocoa

A selection of chocolate sprinkles 

Beat together on a high speed until thick and creamy. 

Add a few tablespoons of milk if needed to help combine and make the buttercream more spreadable

Pipe a generous swirl of icing on to each cupcake

Decorate with your chosen selection of chocolate goodies

Enjoy!

Dear Dylan,

I've been lucky enough to review all sorts since I started blogging but when Prestige Hampers got in touch to review one of their luxury Christmas hampers I couldn't believe my luck.

Unwrapping the box I was greeted with the most stunning wicker basket. The leather detailing throughout added a touch of luxury and when I released the clasps I was stunned at how much was included from wine to chocolate, biscuits, preserves and so much more. I quickly snapped a photo on my phone and sent it to Tom as I was giddy with excitement but I knew we couldn't touch anything until I had photographed it for this post.

For me, food hampers are my favourite gift to give and receive. I find it's a great gift for a couple or family and oozes a wow factor that you just don't get with your standard bath set.

This is where Prestige Hampers come in to their own. They provide hampers for every occasion and all budgets from a chocolate fuelled Letterbox Hamper for only £14.99 through to their ultimate Luxury Hampers from £49.99.

We aren't flying home to Belfast for Christmas this year as we have decided to enjoy Dylan's first Christmas as a family of four but I have had a look on Prestige Hamper's website as I might post something back for the family to enjoy as let's face it, who doesn't love a hamper for Christmas?


I was kindly sent the Elegant Christmas Hamper to review and I was amazed at how much was included. There were so many goodies for Tom and I to enjoy including Chocolate Coffee for this sleep deprived mama, Sticky Toffee Pudding Biscuits and Yorkshire Crisps for my Yorkshire husband.



Initially we wanted to tuck in to a few treats but we've since decided to put the Hamper away until Christmas and enjoy it then when we have visitors or when we have date night. I seriously cannot wait for the Lily O'Brien chocolates though, I've had them before and they are immense!

I'm really impressed with this Hamper from the quality of the wicker basket through to the products included. The basket can be used for storage in the future (I'm imagining picnics in the summer) and there are so many goodies that we can both share and also enjoy individually.

Thanks so much to Prestige Hampers for brightening up a rubbish week, it was exactly what I needed.

 

As Ethan is getting older my favourite thing to do with him is to involve him in baking and cooking. It keeps him out of mischief and he's learning about food while I get some quality time with my biggest boy.

He's only 2 so his attention span isn't great and any baking we do needs to be quick and easy otherwise he loses interest. 

With Halloween approaching I wanted to make something with Ethan that would get him excited about it but that would have minimal involvement from me. He's an independent little boy and I like to encourage this as much as possible.

Halloween bark is super quick and easy to make; we were able to knock it together while Dylan kicked about on his mat without him getting fed up that he wasn't getting any attention. It's perfect for mums who are short on time and creates minimal mess which is always a winner in my eyes.

Halloween Bark

200g milk chocolate

50g white chocolate 

A selection of Halloween sweets

Line an oven tray or chopping board with some baking parchment

Melt the chocolate in two separate bowls

Spread the milk chocolate out to make a large rectangle around A4 in size

Dollop the white chocolate on top and drag it through the milk chocolate with a skewer or knife

Scatter over the Halloween sweets

Place in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up

Once set, break into pieces and enjoy!

Apologies! I fully intended to get this recipe typed up yesterday and published this morning but a certain baby of mine decided that all week sleep is for the weak therefore I could barely think straight never mind write a blog post.

So, both boys are napping (win!) and I'm taking the opportunity to quickly type up the last recipe in my Biscoff Week series. Have you see my posts on Biscoff Cupcakes and Biscoff Brownies?

A wee while ago I was scrolling through Instagram when I saw a post from Jane's Patisserie on Biscoff Cheesecake and I just knew I needed to make it. I used her recipe but made a few adjustments to it and oh my, this cheesecake is the nicest thing I have ever eaten. It's light and creamy, with a little bit of crunch and has set the bar for future cheesecakes ridiculously high. I gave a friend some of it and sent half of it into work with Tom as there is no way we could have eaten the whole thing and thankfully everyone loved it. I'm always wary of people's reactions to my bakes but I think this is one that I will make time and time again.

Biscoff Cheesecake

I couldn't resist including this photo. He looks a tad guilty haha!

To celebrate Biscoff week on the old blog I've got another amazing recipe to share with you - Biscoff Brownies!

Brownies are by far my most favourite thing to bake and I've made all sorts of varieties from Malteser, to Crunchie to Cookie Dough and so much more. They are such a versatile little traybake and I love how you can turn a simple chocolate treat into something so much more indulgent.

I love how these two flavours work together; the sweetness of the Biscoff spread balances out the chocolatey richness of the brownie. I actually made these as a birthday gift for a friend and if I'm honest I wish I could have made a whole batch for myself, they were just immense!

Biscoff Brownies

Salted Caramel used to be my addiction but now it's all about the Lotus Biscoff Spread. I mean, seriously, that stuff I could happily eat out of the jar, it's just heaven!

While I was going through my drafts and food photos I realised I had 3 recipes that I had yet to share which are all Biscoff related so I've decided to declare this Biscoff Week on my blog and I'll be sharing a recipe today (Monday), on Wednesday and Friday.

First up is my Biscoff Cupcake recipe. So simple and easy to whip up but the flavour of the buttercream is a fluffy piece of heaven. I find I prefer making a sponge that is quite plain to balance out the sweetness and richness of the buttercream otherwise it's just too rich and sickly rather than indulgent. Cupcakes may be small but it's important not to over do it on the sweetness front.

Biscoff Cupcakes

170g SR flour

170g baking spread (preferably Stork)

170g light brown sugar

1tsp baking powder

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

5 Biscoff biscuits crumbled

Preheat the oven to 160C (fan)

Line a 12 hole muffin tin

Using the all in one method place all the ingredients into a bowl and whisk on a high speed until well combined and fluffy in texture

Divide the mixture between the 12 muffin cases (using an ice cream scoop will make this easier)

Place in the oven for 20 minutes until springy to touch and a skewer inserted comes out clean

Remove from the tin immediately and place on a wire rack to cool

To Decorate

500g icing sugar

200g unsalted butter (softened)

a few heaped tbsp of smooth Biscoff spread

a few tbsp of milk to combine if needed

a piping bag of 2 tbsp of melted Biscoff spread

Whisk the icing sugar, butter and Biscoff spread on a high speed for a good 5 minutes until pale and fluffy adding milk to combine if needed. 

If you feel the buttercream doesn't have a strong enough flavour add more Biscoff spread until you have reached your desired taste.

Pipe a generous swirl on to each cupcake, scatter over a handful of biscuit crumbs and drizzle some of the melted Biscoff spread to finish.

Enjoy!

I had all of these grand plans for my blog for maternity leave but Dylan is now over 3 months old and it's only now that I'm finding time to start a routine with blogging and vlogging. Tuesday is Ethan's nursery day so I am now using that day to catch up on writing posts or editing vlogs while Dylan is happy kicking on his mat beside me. 

Now, one thing I am particular about is feeding my family a well balanced diet and touch wood Ethan is a fairly good eater. It will be interesting to see how Dylan reacts to food when we start weaning him in December. A few weeks ago the lovely folks at Baby Led Spreads got in touch wanting to know if we wanted to try out their new spreads. As much as I enjoy cooking from scratch, using pouches or the odd golden breadcrumb dish from the oven isn't the end of the world. 

For the most part we eat together as a family but on a Friday or Saturday night Tom and I like to order a cheeky takeaway or cook a nice steak dinner after the boys are in bed. On these occasions Ethan will eat separately from us earlier in the evening where I usually give him a little pizza or a picnic plate style of dinner. 

I was sent two packs of Baby Led Spreads and I've set one pack aside to use for Dylan when we start weaning in a few months. I tested out the other three jars with Ethan in a variety of ways. First up we tried the Green Pea, Rocket & Dill mixed in with some pasta for a simple lunch. He loved helping me make it and demolished over half of the bowl. Ethan's not great at lunch time as he often doesn't have a large appetite or is too tired and needs his nap so I was pleased with how much he ate.

Finally we tried the Carrot, Apple and Hummus spread with some crackers as a post nap snack. Once again Ethan tucked into it with gusto leaving very little on his plate. He demolished it so quickly that I didn't get a chance to snap a photo of him eating it.

Overall I'm pretty pleased with these spreads. They are an ideal size for little appetites (meaning minimal waste) and the glass jar is perfect for recycling. Ethan enjoyed helping me cook with them and I liked that I was exposing him to more new flavours in a quick and easy way. Let's be honest, as busy parents we don't have the time to spend steaming and pureeing but with these spreads I can store them in the cupboard and reach for them when time is short, rest assured that I'm feeding my little men food that is nutritious and not loaded with hidden salt and sugar.

I can't wait to see what Dylan thinks of them when we start weaning.

To find out more about Baby Led Spreads please click here.

***Product sent for review, all opinions are my own.***

Dear Dylan,

I can't believe I'm sitting down to write your 3 month letter, it seems like no time at all since I was doing the same for Ethan.

I prefer doing these letters every 3 months rather than monthly but it's also a stark reminder of how fast time really does go.

I remember when you were born looking forward to having the whole summer in front of us but it's gone in the blink of an eye and here I am debating about putting the heating on. It doesn't look like we will be having an Indian Summer this year.

Dylan, you were born on the 11th June 2018 in the middle of the hottest summer in years and therefore spent a lot of time in vests or simple rompers. It was just too warm to dress you in anything else. Even though the weather has turned cooler now, I'm enjoying dressing you in snuggly sleepsuits so you are nice and warm. Just like your brother, I am in no rush to dress you in proper clothes, comfort is key at this age (well any ages if I'm honest) and is there anything comfier than a soft babygro?

You were a big baby at birth (10lb 2oz!) yet your delivery was so much better than Ethan's - fast, no time for pain relief and a quick recovery even though my stomach muscles split afterwards. Born on the 98th percentile, you have continued to follow this line and now at 3 months old you weigh 17lb 6oz and are well into 3-6 month clothing. You didn't even wear newborn and were out of the 0-3 stuff within 6 weeks. Your baby cousin Willow was born 10 days after you and she was only 6lb 4oz, such a dainty little thing. Dylan, my darling, there is nothing dainty about you; you're a proper little chunk and I just adore your rolls. You are also super strong and love nothing more than standing up on us locking your legs to look around. Ethan was just the same, I think I make big, strong boys.

Milk wise, you are a total boob monster. Breastfeeding to start with was so much easier than it was with Ethan but then around 4 weeks you went through a really fussy period arching your back during feeds, screaming out in pain and refusing to latch. I didn't doubt my supply as I could see you were gaining but I did start to wonder if you were suffering from reflux or was something in my milk causing you bother. A few friends suggested that it might be your digestive system developing as your body uncurled from it's newborn state and I think they were right as within a few weeks you were back to feeding normally again.

Family wise both Daddy and Ethan adore you. We have been so lucky that Daddy has had so much time off since you were born, he had his 2 weeks Paternity Leave and then he was only back at work for a few weeks before being off again for 6 weeks for the school holidays. It was wonderful having that summer together to get to know you and enjoy quality time as a new family of four.

We were both worried about how Ethan would react to you but he loves you and we often joke that he will kill you with kindness. He's constantly kissing and cuddling you, bringing you toys when you are upset or patting your tummy to comfort you with a "there there Dilly chops." It's so cute (and yes you may have ended up with the nickname Dilly...).

Sleepwise you are yet to get into a routine and we have had one night where you slept through but I reckon that was just a fluke. Like with Ethan, we embraced the Fourth Trimester and were happy to follow your lead. Now the summer is over I am going to try to encourage a good nap routine but I know you babies set your own agendas so time will tell how that one works out. Most evenings you seem to be ready for sleep between 6:30 - 7:30pm so we bath you both together then Daddy gets you ready for bed and I sort out Ethan. We then swap and he puts Ethan to bed while I feed you and lay you down in your Snuzpod. Some nights we don't hear a peep from you until 1/2/3am but other nights you waken every two hours, it's total pot luck. The past few nights have been rough but we have all been suffering from colds and I can hear you snuffling away in your sleep so it's no surprise you keep waking up. You do end up in bed with us most nights too. Even though the Snuzpod is attached to my side of the bed with the side panel removed you are still at your happiest sleeping snuggled into the crook of my arm. I don't mind though, you might be my last baby so I'm enjoying the cuddles while they last. 

At the start of the summer when you were only 6 weeks old we made the trip back to Ireland to meet the family and you new baby cousin, Willow. It was a hectic and busy week but lovely to see everyone. You did brilliantly on the ferry but hate your car seat. Even though it's less than 2 hours to Liverpool we still had to stop a few times to feed and comfort you as you were so upset in the car. Even now you still kick off in the car no matter how long the journey is.

The first month with you was difficult but you have now settled down and are such a happy little thing. You love to be cuddled, will smile at anyone and are happy to be plonked on the floor under your play gym or in your bouncer (sorry but that's second baby problems). Ethan is at nursery on a Tuesday so that's my day with you where we take things at a slower pace and generally just have a cosy day at home. When you get a little older I will enrol you at some baby classes but for now it's just us on a Tuesday. You do get lots of interaction with others though as you are always there when Ethan has a play date and lots of his little chums now have younger siblings, hopefully they will become your little crew as you get older.

I know I could keep writing but it's time to draw this letter to a close. We all love you so so much, our beautiful baby boy.

All my love Mama xxx