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1. Found Josephine some pretty cool sunnies in the charity shop this morning...
2. Yesterday we discovered the wonders of washing up! For Mama - 45 minutes of uninterrupted ironing time (Coralie was sleeping!) and for Phiney 45 minutes of absolute joy. Most definitely the new favourite indoor activity :)
3. We spent the morning walking in the sun; through the woods, along the canal and next to the bustling main road. Amazing things to see and conversations to be had with Josephine. Having children truly opens your eyes to so much more of the world around us.
4. Hehehe, cheeky monkey smiles
5. Sporting a quiff her Grandpa would be proud of
6. At least someone's happy! So hot, so little sleep!
7. So SO hot today, this little one love dipping her toes in the paddling pool at my Nan's house
8. Hanging with these guys. Brothers and their daughters :)
9. Finally...
10. Cousins. The cheesiest of smiles!
I can't believe how late I am in posting this. I mean, Coralie is now closer to three months than two, but better late than never...these photos were taken the day after she turned two months, so that's close enough :)
It's crazy that she is already that old, has already grown so much.
Our beautiful Coralie Joe is such a delight. Always smiling, always happy, always so calm and sweet. She coos and ooohhs and aaahhhhs at you, engaging you with her eyes and making you feel as though she really understands what you're saying to her. Ridiculously, she's started trying to pull herself up when she's lying down or sitting in her chair. I remember Josephine doing the same thing...clearly Coralie is just as desperate to get up and play with Phiney, as Phiney is for Coralie to jump up and join in with the games.
The love between these little sisters is the sweetest thing to behold. Gosh, they adore each other.
On holiday she dipped her toes in the sea and didn't even flinch (despite it being ice cold and causing me to shriek a little!) and when Josephine gets a little over excited in the bath and Coralie gets a face full of water, well she doesn't mind one bit. A true water baby.
Every day she looks more like me, and more like my Dad. It can take my breath away. She pulls the same expressions as him and sometimes, it's like he's here with me. It amazes and comforts me how much he lives on in my children. It makes me so proud.
Boy oh boy Coralie, your Grandpa would have loved you. With your little quiff and funny faces and your ability to trump the loudest! You make us smile so much and we adore you.
My darling girls,
We talk every day about your Grandpa, and the fun we all had when he was here with us; the things he loved doing and the person he was. But I want you to know about some of those moments after he died too. Moments you weren't there to see or will have been too small to remember. Because they're part of his legacy too, and they remind us of how he lives on in us all and in our memories. And they're so important to me.
I want to tell you about one beautiful July afternoon when we spread some of your Grandpa's ashes. It sounds a little morbid, I know. And in all honesty, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect myself as we prepared to do it that sunny day.
But, oh little ones, I wanteyou know that it was beautiful. A truly amazing, heartbreaking, heartmending, beautiful moment that I will never forget. And I'm so glad you were both there. Even though you were so small, and you watched from afar with Uncle Andy, and you won't remember it yourselves.
The pier in St Ives was such a lovely spot to stand, with Daddy and Auntie Dora, Uncle Charlie, Nanny and Grandma and Grandpa Ratty. The sun was so warm, the sky was so blue and the sea was luminous. My Papa would have loved it.
Grandpa's ashes were creamy white and like the crushed shingle you'd find on a beach. As I threw my handful into out over the edge of the pier, into the air and into the sea, and into the world and universe, I told him that we loved him.
And as I threw them they hovered in the air, caught on a gust of wind, and they shone and shimmered in the sunlight before floating up and down and all around.
I'm sure your Grandpa was with me in that moment, I know he was. He was stood beside us, giving us the strength to see the beauty in something so sad and unfair.
My Daddy. He bought light and beauty to this world when he was alive, and he continues to do so now too.
He will forever and always shine his light on us all, my darlings. Never forget that.
I love you,
Mama xxx
Our holiday to St Ives in 2014 was a very special one, in so many ways. Happy and sad.
It's a place that I see my Dad everywhere I go; he went on holidays there with my Grandparents and aunties when they were kids, and he took us when we were younger. We have so many funny memories with him there. This year, we spread some of my Dad's ashes off the pier. Beautiful but so sad.
But there was also so much happiness. It was Coralie's first holiday, and wonderfully and magically, my sister and her boyfriend got engaged! We're beyond excited for them both - it's so lovely that it happened in such a special place.
With a two month old in tow, I'll admit I didn't take very many photos, but I snapped some lovely captures with my iPhone. Pictures I'll always treasure.
I can't wait to go back in 2015. Coralie will be old enough to run on the sand and play in the sea with Josephine, the wedding of the year will be just weeks away and, for the first time in a few years, my brother and his family are coming too. Roll on August...
1. Sleeping Coralie. Our sweet baby, on her first holiday.
2. Epic Mama-daughter sandcastle building!
3. Two months old, lying on the beach cover-up my Grandma made in the 60/70s when my Grandparents, Dad and aunties used to holiday in St Ives.
4. Beautiful girl, with her mermaid hair, enjoying a cream tea :)
5. Riding a vintage tractor with Daddy. One of the highlights of her holiday!
6. Post-beach snuggles, in the house we always stayed in when we used to come to St Ives with my Grandparents when we were children.
7. ENGAGED!! Happy, happy day :) :)
8. Daddy and a little pixie in the sunshine. The weather was amazing all holiday!
9. Would spend all her days paddling in the sea if she could.
10. Stood waiting for takeout, my sister and I watched this beautiful scene. It really is such a magical place. "I see the moon, the moon sees me, the moon sees the somebody I long to see."
"A portrait of my daughters, once a week every week in 2014".
Smiley happy people. The summer is flying by with these three.
I am so far behind with The 52 Project. I have photos for every week, but right now they're sat on my computer along with the 50,000 others I've taken over the last couple of months...including Coralie's 2 month portrait. And she's 3 months old the week after next! I will be catching up on a slew of posts over the next week though. I feel like I've got a bit of my blogging/photography mojo back and that the newborn haze is beginning to lift. So watch this space...
Taking part in Jodi's 52 Project.
I cannot tell you how much of an essential our Stokke Newborn Set for the Tripp Trapp has become since Coralie was born. It is most definitely our favourite piece for her.
The Tripp Trapp is a must-have for families across the world, in recent years especially, and you can see them in an array of beautiful colours in the kitchens of nearly all our friends. And it's easy to see why. With their stylish and contemporary yet classic design they fit well in every style of interiors, and with the ability to grow with your child the Tripp Trapp offers such great value for money.
The Newborn Set is a brilliant addition to this classic. This elevated seat allows Coralie to sit with us at the table and be part of family dinners, whilst keeping her at a safe height away from stray bouncy balls and the clumsiness of a two year old who insists on running, jumping or twirling around the house but at the same time allows for Josephine to interact with her. And I love the simple lines of the seat. No noisy plastic toys, just a removable arm that you can add your own cuddlies to. Sure the Lamaze toys are garish, but this octopus was a very welcome gift that right now Coralie adores.
From her perch, Coralie is entertained for ages just watching the world go by; especially with the antics of her busy, busy, busy big sister. Including plenty of toe tickling, of course.
This is a sponsored post. Thank you so much Stokke for this beautiful piece. A family heirloom in the making, for sure. One day our grandchildren will sit on that chair :)
1. At Nana's house with Bubbles, the rabbit.
2. Summertime feels like it's here, at last.
3. Feeding this tiny creature, while contemplating taking a nap myself.
4. Trying to figure out what to wear as a breastfeeding Mama!
5. Vintage cotton dresses, balmy summer days and sleeping babies. A match made in Mama heaven.
6. Two of my favourite photos in the world. Me and my Papa. Wishing with all my heart he was here today, to celebrate Father's Day with. You're the best Daddy, so cool and awesome and kind and funny. Missing you more than I can say, more each day. It's just too sad you're not here. I love you so much xxxx
7. To our boy, happy Father's Day! We all love you so much, you are our hero and we're thankful for you everyday x
8. Both smiling #kinda
9. These kiddos :) Coralie and Josephine are so lucky to have those boys in their lives, such wonderful friends from almost the day they were born.
10. How can this picture not make you smile?!
Her hair is amazing. People stop me on the street to tell me so. She's like a little mermaid.
No doubt she'll hit 14 and want to straighten the life out of it, but oh I how hope she doesn't!
Whilst I was pretty rubbish at bump photos when I was pregnant with Coralie, I'm determined to take her Monthly Portrait as we did with Josephine. I've said before that above all else this little blog is a diary for Ben and I; a place to remember all the little things you think you'll never forget, but which you do. I love looking back at those portraits of Josephine - especially the early days when it's all such a blur. Reading about all the new developments and the little characteristics that start to how themselves. It's why I keep at it; even when there doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to shower sometimes and even when I relate to and understand this interesting post so much, I am always thinking of this space and the posts I want to write. Anyway, I digress...
To be completely honest with you, these photos were taken when Coralie was five weeks old, and that was two weeks ago. Time just disappears at the moment and it's taken me so long to find time to edit the pictures and sit and write this post. The next one will be more prompt...hopefully.
I can hardly believe that our teeniest girl is already seven weeks. Her birth (the story of which I am starting to write) seems like yesterday and yet it feels like she has always been with us. In the last week she has changed so much. Is smiling so often, sometimes chuckling too, and has a look of wonder in her eyes as she looks around and takes everything in. She coos to herself and to us all, a happy little soul.
Her black hair is slowly falling out in places and is getting lighter too, and her little cheeks are getting rounder.
She hates having hiccups and yet gets them all the time; she adores the bath and smiles the moment her toes hit the water. Everyone says she looks just like her Mama, and sometimes I see flashes of my Dad in her. This makes my heart swell, with happiness and sadness all at the same time.
She has long skinny feet and toes, a double chin to be proud of and the tiniest little pixie face. She adores her Daddy, gives Mama the sweetest smiles during 4am feeds and is besotted with Josephine, completely and utterly.
From the moment Josephine was born, she didn't stop moving; never slept in case she missed something, she was always busy. A new soul for sure, taking in the world for the first time - wanting to know everything and anything right away. Coralie has a slower pace about her; I can feel it and see it already. She'll sit and watch, and she'll happily sleep in the quiet of her moses basket, drifting off as she looks out window at the trees. I feel myself relax when I hold her; I take a deep breath and feel calm in all the chaos. I love how different our girls our, and how alike me and my sister they seem to be. I, like Josephine, am always on the go, wanting to know the next move and unable to sit still; my sister has a stillness about her, she's happy to sit back and watch. Despite being quite different, we're the best of friends and I hope so much our girls are the same.
I can't wait to see more of the little person you're becoming my darling and yet don't want these newborn days to end. We love you so much, sweet Coralie.
Josephine's Monthly Portrait: one month. I love looking through these. Seems like only yesterday that Phiney was the same age as Coralie.
Three months and what a beautiful creature you are. So much smiling and cooing and happily sitting watching us three adore you and happily entertain you. 
