Skin issues

As well as having an ass like a sack of blamanche, a belly that looks like a tyre ran over it and two 'so-called' breasts that now resemble some old sports socks, post motherhood hasnt been kind to my skin. Pre-children I was what you would call someone who was lucky with their skin - I hardly ever got a spot, never used to wear concealer or foundation and would often get complimented on how good my skin was - fast forward until now, and well, my skin has developed a new kind of sensitive - think 13 yr old boy getting turned down for the school disco, my skin is just EVERYWHERE now.

I have always been an E45 kinda girl. I used to toye with other products but to be fair they never really used to do much for my already good skin so I stuck to something plain. I still use E45 but mainly because everything else just irritates it, but my skin literally changes every day. So one day I could have the worst spot breakout you could imagine, the next the tightest and driest skin, then next week I will come up with a reaction from SOMETHING and have painful itchy skin - my child changes her mind alot, but hell on earth, my skin is playing a whole different game.

I've been at a loss as to what to try, even after visiting my GP after a particular bad bout of a flare up on my face that they prescribed me steroids (for my face god dammit) that I decided to look into something that could help, and this is where my attention turned to the brand Weleda. I had read on an Instagram post how great the Calendula massage oil was and because I had reached a low point I decided to immediately order it online and give it a whirl.

So, what is it supposed to do? apparently the ingredients are calming for the skin and let me tell you I sure as hell need THAT! I've never really used an oil before so I was a bit dubious about looking like a greasy Spanish waiter, however the beauty with an oil is that you don't need that much so you save alot of wastage!Firstly, the smell is ABSOLUTELY amazing -  I mean, yknow that relaxing spa-type smell? its that. It smells just relaxing, clean and gentle. Applying it first time did indeed leave me looking a little, errr, sweaty, thanks to my over zealous applying however since the 'sweaty' incident I've been extra cautious. I had several red patches on my skin that after applying were a little less red, and certainly didn't feel as angry as before.

I've been using this oil every day for about 2 weeks now and my skin is alot better is terms of breakout, and the redness and patches have almost disappeared. I'm not gonna lie to you but its not exactly a great base for make-up. It tends to slide off your face if you're not careful, but overall I really like it. I think once the irritation in my face disappears I might only use it once or twice a week but otherwise it was a spot on buy!

I purchased mine from Amazon as I had vouchers and it cost £8.45 + P&P but there are loads of sites online that stock the product too. 

Life goes on...

From the very moment I became a mum (it still seems weird saying that) my life pretty much changed. How? pretty much completely. For me, the old Sarah stopped, she quit, she went on a very long holiday if you like. I changed as a person both physically (hello mum tum) but mentally as well. Im not sure HOW or even WHY, but something unexplainable shifted in me and I became the new Sarah, the mum one. At first I didn't think this was a bad thing,this was normal something had to change right? however 18 months on, Im starting to wonder...

Y'see when I look around at other mothers (cue my daily comparisons) I see these amazing women still doing what they've always been doing but just with a baby in tow: going shopping, coffee and lunch dates, going for nights out (without baby) meeting friends, doing their same jobs, looking the same - nothing really changes for them. I look at myself and realise there isn't much of me thats left since Liv came into the world.

Dont get me wrong I still look like me, I mean I didn't have a face transplant or something, but no longer did I go out clothes shopping, I didn't like taking Liv to a coffee shop, I turned down lunch dates and holy hell, I cant even begin to tell you the last time me and my husband had childcare so we could 'go out'. I haven't been drunk since Liv, I haven't even been tipsy, I very rarely wear heels and I dont think I've properly got dressed up (in clothes other than my lounge wear) my every single thought in life is Liv. Literally, every damn thought. I cant drink too much because I have Liv the next day, I cant wear those heels out because Liv might want to go traipsing around, I cant meet you in Costa or out for lunch because Liv might not like it and she might cause a scene. Everything in life revolves around this little human for me. At night I make sure Im quiet so we won't wake her. I go food shopping based on her likes and dislikes. I gave up my job (one that I hadn't been in long but that I was starting to enjoy) to be with her every day and I've seen many a friend come and go because Liv is 100% my entire being.

Just writing the above makes me sad, and embarrassed. How could I have become one of those women who has let themselves drift into obscurity, fall into this foggy space where no-one quite knows where she is anymore. Surely this makes me a sad human being to let myself go like this?

Just the other day I had a 'discussion' with my husband and he said this "life goes on Sarah, just because we have a child doesn't mean life stops" and it hit me like a ton of bricks. This is exactly what I have done and become. Liv is 18 months now and getting more and more independent and even now I struggle to think of there being a time when she might not need me 24 hours a day anymore. For these 18 months my life, my soul and entire being has been about her and I'm not sorry, but by Jove I dont half feel that maybe I need a little bit of me back?

Before you all think Im slightly cray cray let me state there is no WAY I regret doing what I did and still do - Liv is an amazing child who has given me a life I never thought I deserved to have but I do miss me a little. I mean I dont miss the girl who tends to get drunk on 2 glasses of wine but hey, I wouldn't mind a little of the old me back.

So how do I do it? I have not one fig of a clue, but Im calling this #operationoldme and will let you know how on earth I find my way BACK to where I used to be.

Did anyone else experience the same? any hints and tips to help allow for life to go on?

a twatty introduction...

OH CHRIST, here I go again.... no seriously... AGAIN! This is now my 3rd blog - I started blog a frigging LONG time ago with the ruse of being a fashion blog and admittedly it was 'ok' until I grew up and realised I couldn't do the whole 'posing looking down' thing that style bloggers do. I then got married and got up the duff and so changed my blog to a baby blog and I was hugely proud of this blog and its writing.

So why change? I felt restricted...it was ALL baby and it just didn't feel like me at all. I struggled to come up with post ideas because I felt they had to be all about Liv (my daughter) and well... she's really not that interesting to keep posting about! I also detested the name and couldnt bear it any longer, so, here I am and here is my twatty introduction.

This blog is going to be an amalgamation of everything in my life - you could call it 'lifestyle children' because I will still be writing about the child, but I'll be writing about other stuff in my life too. I also hope to include some videos on the blog which is a serious step out of my comfort zone but one I've wanted to do for ages!

So the blog looks pretty shocking right now, but yknow what its a work in progress, so hopefully in the next couple of weeks I shall get a proper header, and develop the who look a little more. I'm not here to dazzle you with my technical capabilities, I am simply here to write what I know, and know what I write.

Stay tuned....