Posts Tagged "family"

Cafe Bebe Resolutions

Posted by cafebebemama on Dec 15, 2011 in Blogger Love, Blogging, BritMums Blogging Prompt | 4 comments

Tis the season to make resolutions, right? Well, I suppose so. I’m never overly keen on resolutions because I think, often, you are setting yourself up for failure from the get-go. For example: “I resolve to get fit this year!” and then by January 5th, when you look outside and see the wind blowing and rain pelting, you decide that fitness isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and end up weighing more by year end than when you began the year. Those are the resolutions I tend to specialise in.

Perhaps the key is lowering your expectations? Perhaps the key is TARGETED, SMART resolutions or goals? Perhaps the key is not being so hard on yourself? Maybe it’s down to setting only ONE goal for yourself for the first half of the year and seeing how you’re getting on by June or July? I’m not sure what the key is but I am going to try to set a few blogging related goals for myself as I’ve come to a bit of an epiphany in the last few weeks.

4 weeks ago I went into hospital with a slight bleed and was due to spend 2 weeks in hospital before Sam was scheduled to be delivered. Sam had other ideas, thank God! However, during my 4 days in hospital before Sam was delivered, Twitter and my blog were my lifeline. They kept me going, boosted my spirits, gave me hope and encouragement and showed me love. I suddenly had people following me that I never knew; wishing me well and tuning in for the “latest news”. Bizarrely, my blog stats went through the roof and the posts that I wrote in hospital were/are some of the most read that I have ever written. How lovely!

And then we came home from hospital. I continued to blog daily (part of NaBloPoMo for the month of November) but my stats started to dwindle a bit. I wondered if people were sick of seeing gooey blog posts and pics of Sam. I also spent considerably less time on the blog and on Twitter, reasonably so. I was enjoying my family, enjoying my son, resting, getting to know my couch very well and there just wasn’t time to tweet. Mind you, I do social media for a freelance job but Twitter just didn’t hold the same importance for me. That’s when I realised that as soon as you take your presence away from Twitter and social media, they are very quick to lose interest in you. I began to realise that perhaps it didn’t matter if my online presence was as strong if I wasn’t missed much anyway?

I’m not saying all of this in a “oh woe is me” sort of way, mind you. I’m saying this in a blogging epiphany sort of way. I adore my blog and the way it allows me to connect with others. Particularly friends and family who actually WANT to know what goes on in our day to day lives. This blog is a nearly-daily record of the last 2 1/2 years of our lives. That is precious and not to be dismissed. I will continue to blog and share and over-share and rant but what I will NOT do is LIVE for my blog. I’ll continue to use Twitter and enjoy the online relationships and friendships that I have built through Twitter but I will not spend my day thinking about what to Tweet next. If people aren’t interested, they can unfollow or unsubscribe. I can’t be worried about my stats and numbers and rankings any more. My Sam is too precious, my Ella is too special and my life is more important than numbers and tweets.

So, fair readers, for the year 2012, the Cafe Bebe Resolutions are as follows:

• Live for my family. Blog about what I like, when I like, how I like. If good things come of it, great. If not, no worries.
• Tweet when it works for us. Spend more time OFF Twitter living the life I am so grateful for.
• Make lists to follow on Twitter and don’t get bogged down in blogging blowouts.
• Enjoy blogging and all that comes with it. Don’t compare Cafe Bebe to anyone else and worry not about what others are up to or what their motivation is. To each their own…live and let live and all that jazz.
• Attend BritMums Live! in June

That’s it. I’ve been blogging for 2 1/2 years now and have loved (almost) every moment of it. I have benefited from blogging and enjoyed a lot of perks along the way. It’s time to step back, let the new blood in and enjoy the turning wheels of time. I sincerely hope that anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis enjoys what I have to share. I hope you’ll continue to pop by and have a peek into our lives and I will continue to freelance and maintain a social media presence in all freelance areas but it’s time to take a bit of a break, personally, and enjoy the precious life we’ve built in our corner of the East Midlands.

Thank you to everyone who has tuned in this year, given support and shared their thoughts through their comments. I look forward to the new year and seeing how much things change over the coming 12 months. In the meantime I’m going to enjoy my family and get a bit of perspective. I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I’ll still be blogging the rest of the year but I want to be sure to get my holiday wishes out to everyone.

Are you making any BLOGGING resolutions? Feel free to share them…

Flashback Friday: My Dad

Posted by cafebebemama on Nov 18, 2011 in Bebe, Blogger Love, Flashback Friday, NaBloPoMo | 2 comments

This is my Hubby and my Dad very early this morning, around 12:30am. They had just spent the past 2 hours struggling, swearing and sweating over the GORGEOUS new IKEA Hemnes bed which is now Ella’s “Big Girl” bed. My stepmom and I left them to it. They are the perfect pair. Mark gets cranky, Dad calms him down and encourages him and they love to work together. A beer is generally welcome and they accomplish pretty amazing things in the end.

This past week my Dad and Stepmom were here helping Mark and I (and Ella) to transform our two main rooms upstairs into gorgeous new havens. Ella’s Big Girl Room is still in need of some decoration and accessorizing but she’ll be sleeping in it tonight. 3 1/2 years ago my Dad came over from America to help us prepare Ella’s nursery so it was only appropriate that they would come back to help us get ready for Bebe.

My Dad and I have always been close. I guess it’s that “Father/Daughter” thing. I have always looked up to my Dad and learned a great deal from him. It makes me sad to be 4000 miles away from him, particularly as he’s retired now and has more free time. In retirement, however, I think that my Dad is busier now than he was when he was working. My dad was a P.E. (sport) teacher and coach and then became an Administrator/Principal (Head Teacher) towards the end of his career. My Dad was even MY P.E. teacher when I was in Middle School which was both a bonus and a curse. I was “Mr Morley’s” daughter but it wasn’t a hardship…most of the kids thought Mr Morley was pretty cool.

Now that he has retired, he hasn’t missed a step. Not only is he extremely active in his church, he volunteers his time with various causes in our hometown and is still an extremely dutiful son to his Mom (my Grandma). My Dad cared for my Grandpa (his Dad) until his last breath and I know he misses him terribly. In addition to all of the volunteer work he does, my Dad started a side business making golf clubs and giving golf lessons. He’s gotten to a point (thanks to advice from Mark) where he’s making a tidy profit on his well-crafted clubs. It’s his “slush fund” and he LOVES what he’s doing now.

It was wonderful to have my Dad and Stepmom here, if only for a week. They helped me to get organised, made light work of everything and had the opportunity to do something for the Bebe and Ella as well. This makes them feel good to be a part of it and that makes us happy as well. Today they head back to the US to get ready for new adventures and eventually, celebrate Thanksgiving next week. Hopefully we’ll be able to get back to the US next summer as it will have been three years since we’ve been back. 4000 miles is a very big distance indeed.

Today I’ll be tidying the house, playing with Ella and continuing the decorating in preparation for Bebe’s arrival TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY. Thankfully my Mom will be arriving on 14 December and my Sister-in-Law and her children arrive on 16 December so we’ll have more family to entertain us. But for today I’ll be missing my family a bit and being a bit sad…share your memories of friends, family and other wonderful things on the linky below.

What really matters…

Posted by cafebebemama on Nov 13, 2011 in Blogger Love, Blogging, Motherhood, NaBloPoMo | 15 comments

This weekend I have learned of some bad news regarding people I know and love. It’s amazing how your life just ticks along and you forget about how much you have to be grateful for until, sometimes, it’s too late. Or how much we manage to whinge and moan about trivial, insignificant things when people are suffering far worse.

I thought I would take a few moments to share what I am grateful for and, ultimately, what really matters to me, my family and my life. Because when it comes right down to it, we’ve got it pretty darn good.

I’m grateful for…

• Skype and technology (including this blog) which allows me to stay in touch with my family and friends far and near. They see our life, know what we’re up to and can feel closer to us than the 4000 miles that separate us.
• An amazing family here in England who have taken me in as one of theirs without question or reservation. They’ve been my home away from home and I’m eternally grateful for their support.
• A certain Englishman who took a chance and rang the number of a woman he didn’t know but who lived an ocean away. He rolled the dice and came up a winner (if I do say so myself) and we’ve both found our soul mate. He’s my best friend and I am his.
• A medical system in the US that supports, protects and cares for those who are closest to me and gives them the chances they need to be healthy.
• The opportunity to be a Mummy, once to an amazingly gorgeous and clever girl and now, to a Bebe who will bring just as much joy to our lives as their sister continues to do. How did I get so lucky? I’m not sure!
• The job that my husband has. In today’s economy we are very lucky that his industry is still a necessity. As much as he’s stressed by it and it isn’t his passion, he has work, we have money and security which makes our lives that little bit easier.
• My freelance writing, blogging and social media work which has allowed me to be a Stay-at-Home-Mum/Work-at-Home-Mum to ensure that I’m helping to shape our daughter’s life.

When you learn about the struggles of friends and family, it’s time to take stock, look at your life and be GRATEFUL for the things you have, the accomplishments you’ve achieved and the life that you lead. Take some time today to do this; to hug your children a little bit longer; to kiss your partner and tell them that you love them. You just never know…

Am I insane to think life won’t change much?

Posted by cafebebemama on Oct 24, 2011 in Bebe, Motherhood | 14 comments

As you know, we are expecting Bebe in about 4-5 weeks now. We’ve been a very happy family of three for nearly 3 1/2 years now. Life is pretty darn good when you get right down to it.

We have a house (yes it could be cleaner and shinier and prettier…we’re working on that), we have food in the refrigerator, we have a diswasher and washing machine. We have heat and comfort in our home.

We have two cars (one is Hubby’s company car) and the ability to afford MOT, Tax and Insurance. We have luxuries and comforts and are quite satisfied with life in general.

We have a gorgeous daughter who brightens our every day. She is bright and clever, stubborn and strong-willed and learning new things all of the time. Ella is kind and sensitive, loud and energetic. She is learning how to spell her name and can tell anyone where she lives even down to the house number. We are very proud of her newfound independence and ability to be trusted when out and about. She’s growing up into quite the young lady.

We have been blessed with Bebe. We didn’t necessarily plan to get pregnant but we weren’t NOT planning to get pregnant. We are thrilled to be adding one more member to our family and simply look forward to the moment, 4-5 weeks from now, when Bebe makes his or her appearance and we find out exactly which one he or she is. This has not been the easiest of pregnancies but it most certainly hasn’t been what some women go through. And for that, I am eternally grateful.

But I think I may be insane! I seem to have it in my head that our life won’t change very much. We’ll just carry on, albeit with one more person involved. I keep forgetting that in 4-5 weeks I’ll be faced with (hopefully) a c-section recovery, a bruised and battered physical self and an emotional, exhausted psyche. I won’t be able to drive for at LEAST 4 weeks which means I will have to rely on friends and family and probably online grocery delivery which I have yet to master.

We aren’t 100% sure what method of feeding we will be choosing for Bebe but that will obviously impact on our “out and about-ness” either way. When Bebe arrives it will be the end of November/beginning of December. I have no Christmas shopping done. Family will begin arriving for the holidays and to welcome Bebe by the 2nd week of December.

I have a freelance blogging “career” that I seem to think will just carry on as always. Yes, Ella will still be in preschool every T/W/Th from 9:15-3:15 so that will help. Will I be able to uphold my Social Media Maven title, keep Cafe Bebe rolling smoothly and do everything I want to do in the virtual world?

I seem to think I can! Am I insane to think that life won’t change much? Am I daft to think that Bebe will just roll with whatever we’re doing? Should I make plans to cut back? Should I take a “maternity leave” or just carry on carrying on? I need a slap in the face or at the very least, advice from others mums out there who have managed to keep all of the balls in the air when Bebe number two (three, four…) arrived. Is it possible to keep life on an even keel? Help me out here!

Happily Ever After

Posted by cafebebemama on Sep 11, 2011 in American Mum Me, Blogging, Motherhood | 0 comments

I hate this date. This date, for the last 10 years, has been one of sorrow, saddness and fear. This date is one where I can’t watch the telly, turn quickly from news channels, flip past pages in the newspaper and live in a place where thousands of people didn’t die from one horrible moment in time. Yesterday I made the mistake of watching a 5 minute news brief showing some of the memorial celebrations going on in the US. I cried. Silent tears. Felt my heart constrict as it always does. And then it was done, thank God.

I have a happily ever after though. I have moved on from September 11, 2001 to have an amazingly gorgeous family, a wonderful life in England and a fulfilling career through blogging and freelance writing. My life is pretty darn good. And today I am going to celebrate that family by focusing on them and the happy life we have together. I’m staying off Twitter, avoiding news broadcasts and going to our neighbourhood fair later today. 10 years later for me and I’m definitely happily ever after. And while we’re at it…God bless the USA today especially.