Ally Aldridge Personal

9 Years Married

Yesterday was Father’s Day in the UK and I looked back at photographs of my dad and I, and Photos of my husband with our kids. I feel so blessed to have had both their influences in my life.

A collage of pics showing me with my dad, and my husband with our kids.

We got together in 2000, and earlier this year we celebrated being together 20y. It doesn’t feel that long as time’s flown by. We’ve been through a lot together, ups and downs, and it’s made us so strong.

We don’t make a big fuss of our anniversaries but next year we might do something as it’ll be 10 years, and that’s a big deal. We were thinking of going away but little Aria doesn’t like travelling, but I’m hoping by next year she’ll be better. And, hopefully the virus will be old news too.

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Wedding Memories

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Ally Aldridge Personal

Happy Holidays

Here are my favourite photos from the Christmas Photo shoot at Little Wattsits Photography.

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My kids really don’t like sitting still to have their photo taken.  They are growing up so fast that it upsets me that I don’t have more good photos of them. So, I booked them in for a professional photo shoot with my favourite photographer.

My kids were not playing ball and post shoot I was convinced there would be no decent pictures.  If you read my NaNo Diary you will know why I am surprised these turned out so well.  Trust me, it is a Christmas miracle Aria allowed me to put the bow in her hair and didn’t rip it out in protest.

As usual, the photographer has blown me away with her photo magic. I hope you enjoy these special photos that mean a lot to me.

I won’t be posting on my blog during the Christmas break and I won’t be as active on social media.  Instead, I will be busy making memories with my friends and family.

I hope your holidays are filled with magical moments and smiles and that you get to lose yourself in a good book.

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Ally Aldridge Personal

Aria’s Alice in Wonderland themed First Birthday

The year has flown by and my little girl is celebrating her first birthday already.

Alice in Wonderland photo-shoot

I returned to the photographer that took her newborn photos to have a cake smash and splash shoot to record the occasion. I decided to go with Alice in Wonderland.

I worked closely with the photographer and many of the props in the shoot are personal. The books are my mums, the teacups from my gran and grandma, the playing cards were my gran’s. The birdcage is mine, the yellow roses were from my children on mother’s day. The candles are my husband and I’s and the pocket watch belongs to my father in law. The photographer created the set and added everything else. I love the vintage timeless look.

Alice in Wonderland vintage cake smash and splash first birthday shoot

I am in love with these photos and couldn’t be happier.

Mad Hatters Breakfast

We started her birthday with breakfast at a local cafe that we love. The cafe has an Alice in Wonderland theme.

Mad Hatter themed cafe

Don’t Be Late, Tea and Cake

After breakfast, we had an open house for friends and family to drop by for a cup of tea and a slice of cake.

Alice in Wonderland themed first birthday cake.

Words cannot express how impressed I am with this cake. It was created by a friend of my husband who isn’t a professional cake decorator but should be! Look at those roses and all the little details. I was stunned!

A Very Happy Un-Birthday Picnic

My friend Chloe let us use her family’s beach hut at the weekend to meet up with some of Aria’s little baby friends for a birthday picnic on the beach.

It was the Saturday of high winds. It gave the party character. Chloe tried to set up for us and the wind took her slide, breaker and chairs for a trip down the promenade. When we arrived she had just got them back. We used the pram and chairs to keep the breaker up and decided to drink tea and brave the storm. My husband had to chase after a friend’s push chair.

Due to the battle with the weather, we didn’t get any pictures. But, we did have fun. We certainly did feel like mad batters.

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Ally Aldridge Personal

3 Things to do, FOR YOU, before baby is due

There are loads of things you need to do before your baby arrives but here I list the top three things to do, for you.

Pamper day

There are lots of lovely treatment bundles offered for pregnant women. However, you can choose individual treatments and make your own bundle.

I choose to get a manicure as I didn’t want my nails to ruin my newborn’s pictures. I got a pedicure as I struggle to reach my feet now and a foot massage really helps bring down the swelling. I got a lash lift & tint so I don’t need to worry about mascara when going makeup free.

I like treatments that make my life easier. Although, now she is late I may need to get my nails redone.

NB: You may need to remove nail polish at hospital if you need certain procedures, for example a c-section.

Making Memories

I knew as I get more pregnant I would find it harder to do things but I still wanted to make memories with my son. We had a lovely day out with friends at Colchester zoo. It was hard walking around but the smile on his face made it worthwhile.

Towards the end of my pregnancy I’ve planned activities for my son to go out with his grandparents. He had a week crash course in swimming with his Grandma, a Festival day with his granddad and next week he’s out with his nanny. This has enabled him to have fun and for me to rest a little. I’m so grateful for the supportive network I have around me.

When he went to the festival, my husband and I got to have a lovely childfree meal together. We also did some chores I was struggling to get done at home and although the house isn’t looking spotless, it does look so much better.

Some couples go on a baby moon (last holiday as a couple before baby arrived). I would like to have done this with my husband but we needed to use our time off work to cover the absence of childcare during school holidays and didn’t have enough days left for anything else. However, we were going to Centre Parcs when I found out I was pregnant so you could say we had a family moon (last holiday as a family before adding another child).

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Bump pics

I have really struggled with this. Often I am so busy with Noah I forget about myself. I also feel huge, not well and tired which make me not in the mood to have my photo taken.

We tried a family day out at the beach and took pictures but my belly popped out in an unsightly way that made me look like Onslow from Keeping Up Appearances.

Fortunately, I finally got some pictures when I hit the 40 weeks milestone by simply taking some pics at home.

If you can afford a professional shoot then go for it. I did with my first and love the photos taken but the hidden costs made it way more expensive than I anticipated which is why I didn’t go for it this time. Click here for my tips on booking a shoot.

I hope you found my list useful. I’d love to hear what you did, for you, before baby arrived.

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Ally Aldridge Uncategorized

The Beast From the East

This post is for me.  Today has been such a special experience, I want to look back and remember it, forever.

Snow morning

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This morning began with my little boy getting to see snow for the first time. He wanted to go out in his PJs and it took some negotiating to get him to sit down and eat breakfast and get dressed first.

I wasn’t sure he’d have time to go out before nursery but I told him if he ate quick & got dressed fast he could play in the snow. I’ve never seen him get ready so fast!

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SNew Experience

He was desperate to get outside but could I find his gloves and hat? We had them out in November but this morning they were missing.

I gave him a pair of my mittens to keep his hands warm and we tried to make a snowman (unsuccessfully). Then we threw snow at each other. He’s a better shot than me – I was lucky we had the excuse that we needed to leave or I’m sure he would have annihilated me.

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Snowy Nursery

I managed to find his gloves and hat from 2 years ago. A Benjamin bunny hat and bunny gloves made by my mum (his Grandma PoPo).

After checking nursery was on, I drove him very carefully and slowly in. I was gutted they weren’t having a snow day as I wanted to stay & play with him. He was so excited and it was infectious.

At the nursery, he didn’t want to take his snowsuit off.  His key worker had to promise him that after the morning activities and registration there would be time to play outside in the snow.

I couldn’t wait to finish work and pick him up from my mums and hear all about how he played with his friends in the snow. As soon as we got home, he was straight out in the garden to play some more, before it melts.

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Lobbing snowballs at me.

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Giggling in the snow and eating it!

Here’s hoping that tonight it snows enough that we can stay home and play together tomorrow.