EmmaKelly's Blog

Every year I think I get more excited than the kids about Halloween - I’ve got the costumes all ready to go. Sadly, I couldn’t convince them all (namely the other half) to agree to being Mary Poppins, Bert and the kids, but they’ve all chosen who they’d like to dress up as and the excitement is building. We’ve also got our spooky decorations up in the house – any excuse to get in the...

It’s hard to believe that the tiny baby you bring into the world will one day grow up and need you less and less. And we began to have a little taste of that recently, when my daughter started school. I think I’m kind of still in shock about it, actually. One minute she was a teeny, red-faced little infant, and what seems like two minutes later she’s trotting off in her uniform with her...

I used to be one of ‘those mums’. You know, the ones that said things like: “Oh, your little one has a dummy? My daughter never needed one, actually.” And I really, truthfully and most genuinely hate myself for ever uttering those judgemental, patronising words to a fellow mum-in-arms. Who was I to judge? My whole sentiment implied that she must not be good at comforting her child if a...

So it’s about to begin. Again. Not sure how I feel about it this time around. It’s that time that most parents simultaneously dread and anticipate with a little excitement. Is it that first night away as a couple? No. Is it the toddler sleeping all night? Nope (although that would be extremely welcome!) It’s actually those two little words: potty training. But of course there’s a twist...

A lot has been happening in our little corner of the world recently. We’ve had birthday celebrations, primary school acceptances and transitions from cot to bed. It’s all systems go, really. But to be fair, when isn’t it? To start with, I (for the first time) had to organise and arrange a ‘proper’ kids' birthday party – you know, the kind that involves booking a soft play area...

One of the things I never really thought about before I became a mum was family dinners. When you are just feeding yourself and you’re running in from work you’re able to literally chuck something in the oven and get on with it. But it's different when you've got kids. Not only do you have to think about what you’re going to cook, but whether the little ones are going to turn their...

I was recently chatting to a few mummy friends on social media, and the conversation turned to caesareans - what with April being C-section awareness month and all. Someone shared a blog post about the different (and totally unacceptable) things people have said to women who had their babies delivered by section. It made me recall something that happened to me shortly after I had my second baby...

One of the things that I really love about being a parent is getting to join in with learning and creative experiences with my little ones. Maybe it’s the teacher in me, but there’s nothing more enjoyable than laying out the table with glue, pens, glitter, stickers and lots of other lovely crafty things, and letting them allow their imaginations to run riot with colour and expression. Easter...

Sleep. Oh, that glorious word. Why has it forsaken me? I genuinely think a person can cope with anything, provided they’ve had a decent few hours kip. My son, however has not been informed of this fact, and is proving himself to be quite the night-owl. He’s never really ever ‘slept through’ as they call it, but now that he’s almost 18 months, I feel it’s about time the memo finally got...

How on earth do you teach your child how to behave at a wedding? You don’t want to be the only parent whose child makes a scene, causes disruption, or God forbid, does something embarrassing in the church. What could be embarrassing, you might ask? One word. Flatulence. Yes, my daughter, the apple of my eye, the light of my life who was dressed to perfection, came walking down the aisle looking...