August is without a doubt one of my favourite months of the year. Usually a firm favourite because I crave the warmer days and longer nights. However, that is all going to be overshadowed by my wonderful son turning one. Just typing those simple words has brought tears to my eyes!
THE BEAUTY BREAKDOWN
I’m not going to lie; over the past few weeks I don’t think that I have purchased a single new beauty item. There are a few things that have fallen onto my radar recently that I do want to try soon. However, rather boringly, I am simply happy with the products that are in my current rotation.Â
One product that I think that I am going to pick up soon is the Haus Labs Cream Blush Stick. Since adding the Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Cream Blush into my collection a few months ago, I have loved it and how it makes my skin look. So, I am curious to see how another brand and formula works. Plus, everything that I have tried from Haus Beauty recently has rocketed straight to the top of my favourites list, so I reckon this could be another winner.
THE FAMILY UPDATES`
In order to write this post, I have actually taken a quick break from wrapping the birthday presents for my son’s first birthday which is just over one week. It hurts my heart that he is getting so big because without becoming too gushy once again, the last 12 months of my life have been the best without a shadow of a doubt.Â
I will say though, this past week has been hard. My son has had his first ever stomach bug and my husband has been working away for an entire week. No sleep, solo school runs, having to work antisocial hours just to get my standard work done and not being able to go for a wee on my own. But I just remind myself that it is all just a passing moment and as hard as it can be, being his mum is the best feeling in the world. Thankfully, my husband is now home and that load can be shared once again. I will say, that even though I’m desperate for my son to feel 100% better again, the poorly cuddles are completely unmatched.
THE DAY JOB
Last week, I started a brand-new job. And thankfully, it seems wonderful. When I finished my maternity leave and found myself in a truly toxic company, I had to wonder if I just had to get my head around a different style workplace and bad management is simply the norm. After starting at my new company, I know that isn’t the case.Â
The management of the company are incredibly trusting, they are flexible so I can be the kind of parent that I want to be and everybody else that I have met within the company actually like being there. Which is very comforting to here when I would like this to be my next long term career move. Fingers crossed, over my next few catchups, hopefully I will remain positive and continue to enjoy things as I get more comfortable and perhaps stop leaving so new.Â
THE FASHION UPDATE
Ok, I have this thing where if I get a new job, I have to buy a new handbag. Which isn’t very good when I am hardly back into the workplace after maternity leave and I have had two new jobs in around 6 months. With that said, I invested in a few designer items over the past few weeks, and I will break them down for you.
The first item is my Saint Laurent Leather Shopper bag which has become my new daily work handbag. I can fit everything inside this that I need, including my laptop and lunch. I know that within a few months in terms of cost per wear this will be almost nothing because I have no intention of switching it out any time soon. I feel like I have really put this through the ringer since getting it and it is holding up really well.Â
Next up, I need to mention my new beautiful Hermes Kelly Pochette. Since these became pretty mainstream a few years ago I became obsessed and I am absolutely elated that I was offered one recently. I have the Hermes Kelly Pochette in Swift leather in the iconic Gold shade. I have to admit that I adore the Goldleather in the Swift fabric because it is a slightly lighter colour than my Birkin Gold in Togo leather which is a deeper and richer tone. And now I am going to say something controversial here, by saying that I actually prefer this style over the traditional Mini Kelly that has had the world in a chokehold for many years.
The final fashion item that I am going to mention is my newest addition to my closet and that is my Alaia Heart Toe PVC Mules. When I first saw these heels begin to pop up on social media I adored how they looked but didn’t really think that I would invest. To be honest, I didn’t think that I was a cool enough dresser to be able to pull them off. Over time, I fell in love even more and realised that an exciting pair of shoes such as these could help to improve my otherwise boring outfits. I love them and have already worn them countless times.
THE NOVEL PROGRESS
Very recently, I have been trying to make a conscious push on completing my debut novel and the entire first stage of proofing. It is pretty much there however recently ideas have been popping into my head that can be the hooks to secondary novels in this universe of books.
I understand that this is my head racing 1,000,000mph, and I wish that I could just get a grasp on this one novel, get it to a stage of completion and then begin reaching out to book agents and hopefully progress it to the next stage. However, I have been trying to think of these ideas over the last few months for the other novels that I see following my debut book and even though it isn’t ideal timing, I don’t want to push them to one side and forget these thoughts for novels, hooks and characters that I would truly like to read about myself.Â
THE HOME RENOVATIONS
When I had a couple of weeks off work when I was between positions last month, I began far too many home renovation projects. Because my son still had to go to nursery in order to stay in his routine and not find it too upsetting once I returned to work, I finally had an extended amount of time at home without my toddler needing me. This gave me nothing but time to look around my house and think about everything that I would change.
Before I knew it, I had a click and collect order to pick up from B&Q. I started panelling, painting, fitting new curtains, laying new flooring and everything else that you could possibly think about. However, time is not unlimited and with the best will in the work, before I knew it, I was back into full-time work and I am now left with pending decorating projects, dotted all around my house, that are slowly driving me crazy. Hopefully next month I will be able to let you guys know that I have finally wrapped everything up and that my home is feeling more like my own again. It is exciting though to see some of these projects that have been on my list for a long time reaching completion.
THE MENTAL HEALTH REPORT
After saying a couple of weeks ago that I was in a really good place with my mental health, I do have to report that recently there has been a wobble. Throughout this post in different places I will mention that for a vast majority of the time throughout August, I have been solo parenting due to my husband‘s working requirements. Trying to juggle that, a full-time job which I am new into and parent on my own, it all got a bit much.
Don’t get me wrong, I have certainly been in worse places and felt more unsure. I know that there is an easy way out of this with a little bit of support and downtime of my own. I hope that by the next time I write you guys an update. I will have a much more positive mental health report to share with you. However, the main reason that I wanted to share this with you is because mental health is never linear. There is always going to be ups and downs and I am simply in a down period at the moment.
THE SOCIAL UPDATE
I will admit that over the past few weeks, I haven’t really gone out and socialised much even though it is a goal of mine. I think with solo parenting and starting a new job, my social tank has been emptied completely. However, we are going on holiday in the next week, so I will be doing plenty of socialising with our friends that we are heading away with.Â
I do have a few more things throughout August though, with friends and family on separate occasions where I can step out of mommy mode for a while and take some time to get back to me – with fewer conversations about my sons stomach bug.Â
THE RECENT READS
I know that this is probably awful, but recently I have read nothing but straight up smut. There is a woman on TikTok that shares her most unhinged books that she has read recently, and I feel like all I ever do is add all of the books that she has mentioned to my ever-growing list of novels to read.Â
I have to say that out of all of the novels that I have read over the past few weeks, my favourite has to be Stand and Defend by Sloane St James. It combined everything that I love. A little bit of grit and something to overcome, a sports star, a sappy romance and endless amounts of smut. But more than anything, my focus has been on writing recently, but thankfully I am still on track with my Goodreads goal!
OTHER RAMBLES
I feel like the last thing that I want to mention, is that I am finally out of love with my car. For those of you that do not know, I used to get a new car every single year. I bought them outright with cash and each year I took the hit with the depreciation and levelled up. The past few years now I have been driving a range Rover Evoque and sadly I don’t think that I have ever loved it, but the reason that it has been one of my longest owned cars is due to having our son. Being on statutory maternity doesn’t exactly go hand-in-hand with purchasing a new car.
I’ve been looking recently and the next car that I want to own, I want it just for fun. Ever since I passed my driving test over a decade ago, I have always wanted a Mini Countryman. But realistically, if I am wanted to have a second child going from a range Rover to a mini may not be one of my wise choices. We will have to wait and see.
