Summer shopping - hot buys

It's 10pm and an alert flashes up on my iphone. 'The Zara sale has now started' the app for the retail giant kindly tells me.

Bedtime is officially delayed.

Rather than getting my much-needed new mum sleep, I scroll through the site in search of bargains. It creeps closer to midnight...my shopping basket is filling up...

Yes it's that time of year. The Summer sales have officially begun and it's fair to say there are lots of lovely gems in the shops and online right now. Some are already in the sale, others I'm keeping a beady eye on.

Here are a few of my favourites:

 Newgate watch - this British brand do bold and striking clocks but also watches, having launched a collection last year. This eye-catcher comes in baby blue as well as a range of other colours.  Available from newgatewatches.com

Fuji Instax Mini 8 camera - who doesn't love instant film cameras? OK, not cheap to run but great for wallet-sized prints of your loved ones. Available from amazon.co.uk and Selfridges.com

Daily journal by Kikki K -  this chic stationary brand have lots on offer in their mid-year sale. This daily journal encourages you to jot down what you are grateful for and future goals. kikki-k.com

Neom Organics. I have been hooked by Neom ever since receiving their bath oils as a gift. The UK beauty brand has just launched this Science of Scent Therapy Test. This set of four dinky bottles are FREE from the Neom website; you just pay P&P. neomorganics.com

Zara baby sandals - buttery soft, tan leather sandals which are now in the sale. I'm pretty jealous they don't come in my size. Zara.com

Taking the freelance road

Two years ago I had a great job as Picture and Video Editor for a UK TV channel.

As the end of my maternity leave loomed, I realised I had a big decision to make - do I return to work?

When we sat down and did our sums, it didn't make sense.

I'd be working full-time, we'd be paying London prices for childcare (I shudder) and at the end of the month, I'd be left with just pocket money.

I wanted the best of both worlds. I wanted time with our daughter but also a creative outlet and the chance to use my 10 years of photography and photo editing skills.

I took the plunge. My small newborn and baby photography side business would become my full-time job.

There was a lot that appealed, I would be my own boss, work the hours I wanted and have a good mix of work and family life. I could build up the business slowly and at my own pace.

In recent years many companies have put a greater focus on a healthy work/life balance and flexibility for their employees. This shift in attitude has seen the rise of freelancer communities such as The Hoxby Collective, making it easier than ever to work on your own terms.

I also made the decision that in between photo shoots, I would continue to work on improving my skills and striving to be better at what I do. 

Gone are the days where heading out in the dark to sit in a classroom is the only option. There are loads of great courses online with passionate and enthusiastic teachers. 
 

These are a few I have completed and really enjoyed over the past year:

Makelight

Emily Quinton runs Makelight, a company offering a selection of photography courses and workshops both online and at her London studio. She has a stunning Instagram feed - take a peek here.  I didn't really understand Instagram at first, so looked to Emily and her Beautify Your Instagram course.  She teaches you about composition, editing, hashtags and shares her tips for photographing with a smartphone.  As a mum of four she also offers advice on how to run your creative business whilst balancing family life. I signed up to the course and each day, for a week, a new video landed in my inbox. All I needed to do was find a spare half hour to put the kettle on, listen and learn.

Visit www.makelight.com to find out more.
 

Family Photography: Modern Storytelling by Kirsten Lewis

Kirsten is a wonderful documentary photographer. In this course she shows how she produces special, unique, tender family moments.  Her course is amazing and has had a huge impact on me. Kirsten also runs through her whole editing process and her photography style has opened my eyes and given me a fresh perspective on my own work. Kirsten's class consists of 37 lessons, available to buy and download at www.creativelive.com.  
 

Can't Crop This Class from Studio DIY

I don't even remember how I found this class but I'm so pleased I did! Jeff and Kelly at Studio DIY run Can’t Crop This Class which is a series of downloadable videos. They teach you about building a profile on Instagram, branding, editing and composition. They make the class fun and their tips for using different editing apps on your phone has made a huge difference to my Instagram feed already.

Can’t Crop This Class is available at www.studiodiy.com

Find me on Instagram: katiecollinsphotography

And then there were two

Microwaving my first coffee of the day (yep, it's already gone cold), I hear tears. Our toddler has just tumbled head first over the footstool in our lounge. Cuddles and one Mini Milk later, she seems to be on the mend. Then our baby (four months old) starts to cry...

I'm loving my days with my two girls but my word, it's tiring! Breastfeeding alone is exhausting. Trying to feed whilst acting as a human climbing frame for our toddler (determind not to miss out on cuddles) is also a challenge. 

But I know these days will whizz by. I know I just need to relax, have fun and accept the lack of sleep won't be forever.

So I've made some decisions and parked the idea of bed and a lie-in for a little while...

For starters I've started to take a picture every day and uploading it to my Instagram. There are clever apps such as Artifact Uprising which let you turn your feed into coffee table books. Great gift ideas.

 

I'm also going to pick up my brilliant Kikki K 'Things My Kids Say' journal and jot down those hilarious 2 year old mutterings before I forget them; and my gorgeous  journal by The Green Gables for remembering our baby's milestones.

I'm going to factor in some 'me time' - have a massage, get my nails done, make a start on reading a good book. With a bottle of milk and an excellent daddy at hand,  I'll plot my short escape. 

Of course I'll drink a cup (or three) of good coffee to help me power through the day (preferably hot and not microwaved). I'll keep working on that one...

Weekly Reflections Journal (top left) from The Green Gables; Things My Kids Say by Kikki K; Inside Charlie's Chocolate Factory by Lucy Mangan from Amazon

Tips For Coping With Diabetes In Pregnancy

What is Diabetes?

Up until two and a half years ago I had no idea what diabetes was. It didn't affect me or my family. To be honest it just wasn't something I thought about. 

Then in 2013 at 20 weeks pregnant a random blood test showed that my blood sugar levels were high. 

My GP ordered a glucose tolerance test (basically drinking Lucozade and seeing how the body responds). The result was sky high. I had gestational diabetes. Cue frantic Googling and a bit of a cry.  I was told I needed to start injecting insulin before meals straight away. Cue an even bigger cry. 

To make matters worse I had to prick my finger up to ten times a day to check my blood sugar reading. I also had to inject insulin into my baby bump four times a day.

Yes, into my baby bump. I hate needles.

Fast forward to today and I have given birth to two girls - Alice has just turned 2 and Lara is 8 weeks old.

 

Most of the time gestational diabetes goes away after the pregnancy. In my case (more unusually), I developed type 1 diabetes. My second pregnancy was classed as 'high risk', which meant a lot of extra appointments and scans. Type 1 is an autoimmune condition - my body has just stopped producing insulin. It's nothing to do with too much sugar or a bad diet; it's just bad luck.

When it comes to gestational diabetes and to those who have been told they have it, here are a few things that I found helpful:

 

• See a dietitian. Ask for a one-on-one appointment and start keeping a food diary. I quickly realised carbs were my big problem as they break down into sugars. You shouldn't cut them out completely but you need to go easy and pick the right ones for you.

 

•  Test your blood sugar regularly. This gives you a clear picture of how your body is responding to different foods. 

 

•  I hate needles. If you end up needing to inject insulin, it can be horrible at first but you quickly get used to it. Injecting into your stomach gets the insulin into your system faster. If you are struggling to inject, ask your GP for the smallest needle possible - I use a tiny 4mm needle and barely feel it now.

 

•   Understand that it's nothing you have done. You don't have gestational diabetes from eating too much sugar. That's not how diabetes works. It's just one of those things and most of the time it disappears when the baby is born.

 

•  Don't feel alone. Encourage your other half, family and friends to understand more about the         condition - Diabetes UK www.diabetes.org.uk has lots of helpful tips and advice.

 

•  Eating out - I always try to look at the menu in advance and work out my carb options. Some restaurants like Pizza Express and Nando's include the carb values on their website which saves a lot of time and stress. 

 

•  Always have a hypo kit with you. If your blood sugar goes too low (Under 4mmol/l) you are having a hypo. For me, this usually means feeling shaky and confused. I treat hypos with a small coke, wait 15 minutes and then test my blood sugar again.

 

•  Become your own expert. When pregnant (both times), I found some doctors and nurses were really clued up about diabetes, others (albeit very few) sort of shrugged it off. I decided I was going to understand as much as I could about it, so that if a medical decision was to be made, I could be part of the process.

 

There's no doubt about it - diabetes is a pain to live with (in pregnancy or long term). It's manageable but there are good days and frustrating days. It's a full time job but what I have found is the more you understand about it and how your body works the better you will be at coping and making decisions. There are lots of people out there to help and make the rocky road of diabetes a little bit smoother. 

Packing your hospital bag -FREE checklist

To download your free Hospital Bag checklist click HERE 

It's pretty surreal packing your hospital bag full of cute newborn babygrows, hats and nappies when baby hasn't made an appearance yet.

First time round (two years ago) I didn't really have a clue what to pack. I trawled baby books and baby websites looking for inspiration. I made endless lists and still ended up with more than one neatly packed bag. When arriving at the hospital, I looked like I was moving in.

This time I've put together my own list and made some changes - more newborn nappies (a handful won't cut it). My own snacks and drinks (hospital food is far from great).

Antibacterial wipes will definitely be in my bag (sharing showers and bathrooms - a 5* hotel this is not). My camera and iPhone will be a must for those very special early pictures and videos. I'll also loading up my iPad with TV series and movies (last time I was in for four nights and you had to pay to watch the tiny TV by my bed).

Peppermint Tea and oil is also on my list. The nurse suggested it last time after I had a c-section and it really helped.

Instagram: katiecollinsphotography

Twitter: K_J_Collins

Photo Box Project

Recently I have been dealing with an angry, frustrated toddler. Like a caffeine addicted commuter being denied their morning fix, she's not happy. 

The thing is, I know what will solve the problem in the short term - Peppa Pig.

After a recent 5am start and Peppa Pig on loop again while I prized my eyes open, in search of that first precious morning cup of tea, I realised the pink snorting pig needed to become a less frequent guest in our home.

It was time to close Netflix and launch into a new distraction for our buzzing, energetic toddler -  the Photo Box Project. 

Our daughter was recently asked to bring family photos into nursery. As I scrabbled together what I could find, I realised I'd become guilty of hoarding images online and rarely printing them.

So one afternoon, I collected together lots of family pictures and did a mass print of 50 plus images using a simple app on my phone.

I then spotted a cute mini suitcase online at Zara Home and dispatched my husband to Regent Street to pick up the goods.

Our daughter loves photos. She'll wander around at home clutching pictures of family tightly as if she has unearthed some special treasure.

As well as being a little memory and learning game, I hope the photo box will be a worthwhile distraction. The photos now live in her special case (which is covered in superheroes - daddy's choice). 

So far it's proved a hit. It's reminded me how important physical copies of photos are. We can add to the box all the time and if it means being Peppa free (even one less episode per day), I am a happy mummy!

 

Newborn photo session - Baby Joshua

They say babies can't properly smile until six weeks old, I'm not so sure.  At two weeks old, baby Joshua already seemed to be giving his parents the first glimpse of a smile as he perfectly settled into his London home. I spent several hours with the family on a Saturday morning recently, taking relaxed shots of the three together. Joshua, contented with the background sounds of classical music, was happily taking in his new surroundings. As well as photographing the family, there was also an opportunity to take pictures of some lovely and thoughtful gifts to welcome his arrival, including boxes of personalised biscuits from Biscuiteers, such a great idea!

Two weeks after having a baby can be an exhausting (but also exhilarating time) and photographs can be far from some new parents minds, but it's a great time to be photographed as a family and have some special images of your baby's early days which you can treasure forever.

Summer is here

The past week has been spent trying to keep cool in temperatures hitting 35 degrees and little breeze. We are fortunate to have a little garden in which our daughter is happy to spend hours inspecting sticks, flowers and blades of glass or waving at passing aeroplanes. I often try to have my camera to hand and using my fixed 50mm lens (great for portraits), I have been documenting her first summer as a toddler. I'm looking forward to letting her explore the beach next month and her second trip to France is planned. Towards the end of the summer, I intend to spend time printing many of the pictures that are currently stored on my computer and putting together an old fashioned album/scrapbook so we have a printed record of her early years.

Arthur & Albert

A warm sunny day and two young brothers happily giggling together made for a perfect afternoon photo session. Baby Albert, clearly in awe of his big brother Arthur was highly amused by a game of 'Peek a Boo' and it was adorable to watch the boys cuddling together, already perfectly used to each other's company. 

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A few weeks ago, just as the temperature started to heat up, I fully introduced our daughter to the garden. Despite showing her the hot pink fragrant roses, she mostly took a shine to tree bark and stones, trying to nibble on them at any given opportunity! The warm weather and the great light was a perfect opportunity for pictures in two pretty summer tops from Zara baby.

I made a few discoveries this month. Dior and I is without a doubt the best film I have seen this year. It's a behind the scenes look at designer Raf Simons, new at the helm of Dior, as he has eight weeks to create a haute couture collection for the luxury brand. He wants to refresh the French fashion house, steeped in history. Influenced and inspired by art and the work of Sterling Ruby, we see his two month journey from arriving at the doors of Dior to the first models stepping on the catwalk. It's a great mix of fashion,  art and photography and a rare behind the scenes look at what goes into making a catwalk show.

My husband, family and friends know that I am a lover of bags and particularly British brands,  Smythson being a particular favourite. This month (via instagram) I discovered C Nicol studio and her beautiful Butterscotch Fia leather bag. The bag is designed in the UK and handmade in Hackney using the softest leather.  My new world map clutch is perfect for carrying my iPad, notebook and phone. It's one of the new designs from Elsie & Nell, a UK based Etsy shop. They have some very quirky and fun purses and bags and are well worth a browse.

Meeting baby Oscar

On a recent trip back to Guernsey (my childhood home) I had the pleasure of meeting and photographing Oscar. Barely two weeks old and snuggled in his parents arms, he seems to have settled in perfectly to his beautiful surroundings,  a lovingly restored cottage complete with exposed Guernsey granite and an open fireplace. 

It's a wonderful time of year to be welcoming a baby. Our daughter had just turned 12 weeks a year ago and as that big milestone was reached, the evenings became brighter, the sun became a more frequent visitor and suddenly those very long nights of continuous feeding became more bearable! Oscar is set to get a great introduction to Guernsey this Summer with beach trips, coastal walks and the fresh sea air to look forward to.

10 reasons why cruising with a baby isn't such a crazy idea

Enjoying some lunch with the city of Stavanger in the background

Taking a baby or toddler on a cruise ship?  Sounds like a recipe for disaster? Or actually not. We took the plunge and took our 14 month old on a cruise (our third, her first) and we had the most fantastic time, here's why:

1. Travel Made Easy - dropped off at the Southampton terminal and on board within 30 minutes. We arrived with our pushchair loaded with nappies, wet wipes and baby milk. No bag limit and no restrictions on liquids. Suddenly travel got so much simpler.

2. Kid's Club - we were on board P&O's latest addition to its fleet Britannia. The kid's club The Reef offers a night nursery open until 2am, daycare for over 2's and an impressive soft play area kept spotlessly clean.

3. Kid's Tea- from 5-6pm the buffet restaurant was closed off for children to enjoy a selection of finger foods (including the most amazing tiger prawns) and baby food was available on request, for free. 

4. Maximum Fuss - from waiting staff to guests, everyone made a fuss of our daughter. I was half expecting the occasional look of irritation if she squawked at dinner but we only encountered friendliness.

5. Added Extras- within ten minutes of calling and asking housekeeping if a baby bath could be provided, a brand new one arrived at our cabin door. A brand new travel cot was ready and waiting when we arrived too.

6. Room Service Included - had a bad day and your baby or toddler is fussing? Can't face dinner in a restaurant on board? No problem, from sandwiches to salads and larger main course dishes, room service is included in the price.

7. Movies On Board- not only is there a wide selection of free movies on the flat screen TV in the cabin, but each evening at 8pm, toddlers gather on beanbags with blankets to watch an animated movie. Under 2's need to be accompanied by an adult and over 2's can be left and looked after by the staff while their parents enjoy dinner.

8. Scenery - our itinerary took us to the Norwegian Fjords, four different ports all easy to explore with our daughter in a baby carrier and breathtaking views out to sea whilst on board.

The beautiful landscape of Olden

Cherry blossom by the lake in Bergen, our first port of call

9. Pool/Spa/Gym - OK so this is more for the adults. I left my husband to babysit one afternoon while I enjoyed a deep tissue massage and a swim in the heated outdoor pool (with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains). There was a fully equipped gym on board and free exercise classes. 

10. Price - Many cruises sadly charge full adult prices for a baby or toddler. But when we booked P&O's new ship Britannia, it cost us under £100 to take our baby. That is pretty reasonable when that includes all her food and travel for the week.

Cruising the Norwegian Fjords

The beautiful town of Olden in the Norwegian Fjords

Norway is every bit as breathtaking as I imagined.  It has been high on our list of places to visit for some time and we settled on a seven night cruise to the Norwegian Fjords for our first proper family holiday with our 14 month old. 

Breakfast with a view

I admit I was always a bit of a snob about cruises, feeling they were reserved for the bingo-loving older generation. But after our first cruise five years ago, I swiftly changed my mind. On this occasion, my family and I were onboard P&O's brand new ship Britannia, a huge, floating, gleaming hotel complete with fine dining restaurants, cinema, theatre and spa.  Cruise ships these days are incredible, some ships boast multi million pound art collections featuring works by artists such as Jeff Koons and Anish Kapoor. 

We have now been on three cruises and I had never anticipated how calming I would find it being on the water. Sitting on a balcony watching the sunsets, with the gentle sounds of the waves below is unforgettable.  On this trip I was able to take a dip in the heated outdoor pool whilst taking in the surrounding landscape of Olden.

I worried if cruising with a baby would work logistically but we had a fantastic cabin set-up with everything we needed and baby food supplies provided. All that was left was to strap our daughter in her baby carrier, fill our lungs with the icy and crisp Norwegian air and set about exploring the ports of Bergen, Andalsnes, Olden and Stavanger. We were not disappointed and will definitely return.

Homes perched around Olden lake

The city of Stavanger

Taking in the sights from one of the ship's many onboard restaurants.

The power of massage

Months into having a new baby I read the book 'Thrive' by Arianna Huffington,  founder of the Huffington Post. I promptly booked a deep tissue massage at a hotel and spa in central London, expressed enough milk for the baby and let the exhaustion of being a new mum melt away. After a 'fourth trimester massage', a long hot  shower and a pot of tea, I had a new spring in my step and returned home feeling calm and re-energised.

Massage, for me, is a luxury I won't go without. I feel it's important for my health, it helps me sleep and if I don't doze off during my hour on the massage table, the opposite happens and I often come up with ideas,  from a photo shoot to blog post to making weekend plans or thinking of our next weekend away. 

Jo at Home Spa London is my regular massage therapist and what's amazing is that she comes to your home. It means I can get the baby ready for bed, put daddy in charge of the babysitting duties and relax. Jo also does a wonderful pregnancy massage and fantastic baby massage course which I would also highly recommend.  www.homespalondon.co.uk

If venturing into central London and making a day out of it, the Chuan Spa at the Langham Hotel on Regent Street is something special with a tranquil indoor pool. By booking a massage, you are free to use the spa facilities beforehand, an added bonus.

The Chuan Spa at The Langham Hotel

The SO Spa at the Sofitel St James has the added benefit of a relaxation room where you can listen to relaxing music whilst browsing from an extensive tea menu - bliss! 

For my birthday last year I was treated to a massage at the Aman Spa at The Connaught Hotel in Mayfair. It's not cheap but it also has a pool and jacuzzi so you can make an afternoon of it and the setting feels a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of central London.  

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I've taken the plunge and joined Instagram. I have to say over the past week I've been really enjoying connecting with other photographer mums and having a browse at some beautiful images during our baby's nap time.  

It's been a busy seven days with our daughter experiencing her first haircut (she did not let go of her little bunny throughout the whole experience!).  I finally got round to reading the fantastic book  'French Children Don't Throw Food'  which has been sat on my bedside table for months. We are managing to squeeze in a date night in a French restaurant over the Bank Holiday so that means I get the chance to try out my new Uniqlo Breton stripe dress, ASOS heels and Zac Posen bag - can't wait! 

Top 10 tips for photographing your baby's first year

Use natural light in your home rather than a camera flash

So much happens in your baby's first year and it's a hectic and incredible time. I'll be honest, a huge amount of the photos I have taken of our little girl have been on my phone as it's quick and convenient. However camera phones have limitations and it can be worth dusting off your compact camera and playing around with the settings to get more from your images. 

Here are ten tips for how I think you can get more out of photographing your baby's first year:

1. Birth

So it probably won't be at the top of your hospital bag list BUT whether it's your camera phone, a compact camera or DSLR, make sure you pack a camera in your hospital bag. Chances are you will be pretty busy with a new baby on your hands breastfeeding, sleeping and not knowing what day it is but there will probably be the odd moment where you will be wishing you had a camera to hand. I was in hospital four nights and there were times (bleary eyed) where I just couldn't resist taking a couple of pictures of our new baby snoozing away in the bassinet beside me.

2. Location, Location, Location

A photo shoot on a bed with natural light streaming through a window on the left

Think about the room which has the best light in your home. Think about what time of day it has the best light - a bedroom might be a good option. Clear some space, avoid a messy background and if needs be cover a sofa or bed with a cream or white (or plain) sheet. This creates a nice, clean, light backdrop for which to photograph your baby and your mini shoot can commence.

3. Ditch the flash

Flash can be really ugly. If you have a room with good natural light, you can avoid using flash and your pictures will look so much better. If you have a compact camera play around with the light sensitivity (ISO) and push it up to a higher level. If you have an iPhone, an app such as Camera+ will allow you to have control over your settings and change the ISO. This is something definitely worth experimenting with.

4. Detail shots

Close-ups of tiny hands and feet, eyes, nose, ears, and baby's first smile make great images. These are all pictures to treasure and worth having in the family album. Many cameraphones and compact cameras have a macro setting (usually a flower symbol) and this will allow for close-up shots. Be prepared to put in some time as you will need your baby to be very still but these are great shots to have.

5. Relationships

Family relationship shots are great to have in the family album

It's incredible watching a special relationship develop between your new baby and their father, mother, grandparents and siblings. It's even better when you can catch those special moments through images. It could be dad simply holding the baby or rocking him or her to sleep, bathing them or reading the baby a story. I'm always trying to capture those relationship shots.

6. Using the seasons

As your baby starts to move around and explore their surroundings, it can be a perfect opportunity to use the seasons in your photographs. A drab, grey miserable day can be brought to life with a pop of colour - it could be your baby wearing a bright coat or mum or dad carrying a colourful umbrella. Autumn provides a wealth of warm, golden colour and can be a great backdrop for photographs, as can Spring with blooming pink and white confetti-like cherry blossom.

7. Baby's firsts

Hard to resist those pictures of baby's first taste of food!

From their first taste of food to their first birthday - have your camera at the ready as there's bound to be some great moments. For our little girl's first birthday recently we bought balloons and bunting. Not only was she excited by them, they provided a dash of extra colour to the photographs.

8. Editing

Adobe Photoshop is the editing software of choice for many photographers who choose to pay monthly or annually to use it. If you fancy dabbling  to see what it's all about you can download a free month's trial through Adobe. There's also a fantastic free app for iPhone called Photoshop Express which allows you to do quickfire editing on the move. A great tool to have particularly if you use social media and fancy sprucing up your images before posting.

9. Printing

It's all too easy to take lots of pictures these days, upload them to a laptop or computer and forget about them. The best advice someone gave me recently was to print my pictures and keep them in a box  - old school maybe but really worth doing. Photo books are great value these days and the printing quality continues to improve. The Printspace, a London company are my go-to printers of choice for images. Beautiful, quality images,  available in a range of finishes and quick delivery.

10. Investing

Get professional images taken. I realised early on after our daughter was born that I wasn't going to be appearing in many of our pictures of her early years as I was the one behind the camera. We chose to have a photo shoot at home. We were exhausted, new parents but I am so glad we had those images taken as they are very special to us.

Babies and the big screen

Plenty of people warned us our social lives would be severely dented when we had a baby. We were however determined to find a balance and still eat out and go to cinema. Luckily, being in Wimbledon and close to Clapham, we have been able to take advantage of baby cinema screenings. Our daughter was around three weeks of when she experienced her first Liam Neeson action film (sound asleep in her bassinet). Her daddy took her to see Godzilla in the first few months and films such as Gone Girl, Chef and Maleficent were to follow. Here are some top picks for baby cinema screenings:

The Big Scream - Picturehouse Cinemas hold Big Scream parent and baby screenings. Our local cinema is the Clapham Picturehouse which shows films on a Sunday and Thursday morning. For £10 per adult (baby is free) you get entry to the film and a tea or coffee. There's often a mix of independent and blockbuster films, going up to certificate 18.

Odeon Newbies - Across the country and in Wimbledon on Wednesdays, Odeon newbies is for babies 0-2. If there are a few of you going you can take advantage of EE Wednesdays (2 for 1 on tickets) and the baby is free. Often showing cartoons and romantic comedies.

Babes in Arms - Olympic Cinema, Barnes - I have heard great things about this parent and baby screening at the stylish Olympic Cinema in Barnes. Screenings are on Tuesday mornings.

Film Club - In addition to baby cinema trips, we decided to set up our own film club with some friends. We aim to meet once a month at our homes for dinner, drinks, popcorn and a movie. We take it in turns suggesting film ideas and make sure we have a good discussion about it afterwards.

Spring-time getaway

Warren House Hotel in Kingston

I was ambling along with the pushchair to the supermarket last week and three loud, noisy sirens whizzed by in the space of a matter of minutes. Angry drivers were blasting their horns at the busy junction near our house and the person in front of me was smoking, wafting smoke into mine and my baby's face. The signs were all there, it was time to escape London for a few days. We wanted a family night away, not too far away but with space to have a good walk, maybe a swim, a nice meal and most importantly fresh air. Warren House is close to Kingston but tucked away down a quiet lane and we booked in for a special dinner, bed and breakfast rate. 

It may have been all of 20 minutes from our home but we managed a lovely stroll through the well-kept gardens on the most beautiful sunny day so far this year. We enjoyed a family splash in the pool, a two-course delicious à la carte dinner with chilled wine and treated ourselves to breakfast in our room (which had a balcony and a great view). 

Our baby may have woken us at 3am (typical!) but getting away (even for a night) was just the break we needed and, best of all, there was no long car journey home. We can't wait to return.

Photographing baby's early weeks

When our baby was just a few weeks old we had some wonderful photos taken of the three of us together and our little girl on her own. We were sleep deprived, exhausted but running on adrenalin. I'm sure we woke up on the day of the shoot thinking How are we going to look semi-human for these pictures we will cherish and keep forever? But it was fun and the pictures are so special.

This was all in my mind when I went to photograph my friend's new baby boy. It was a sunny, fresh Spring day and natural light filled their home. A beautiful reupholstered chaise longue in a rich royal blue was the perfect backdrop for some of the shots.

Let's face it , a newborn, family photo shoot is not going be at the top of every new parents list as they struggle to change nappies, feed the baby and get some much needed sleep. Having those pictures as a mum myself and taking them as a photographer for other people made me realise that if you can fit those few hours in and get those newborn family shots, you won't regret it.

A special first Birthday

'What happened to the no pink rule?' was my husband's first comment when he saw the pink balloons/bunting/Peppa Pig, not to mention pink dress and tights I had bought for our daughter's first birthday. It's true we used to have a no pink rule when she was born but after one too many 'Isn't he lovely' comments from strangers, we gave up and made her look as girly as possible. After attempting to bake a birthday cake, I gave up (officially retired from baking) and thankfully Alice's Granny came to the rescue with a fantastic Peppa Pig snoozing in bed sponge cake. We celebrated the day with a lunch in Wimbledon Village with the grandparents before heading back for cake and a sing song at home. After hearing Happy Birthday sung numerous times throughout the day, our daughter  knew something was up as she was full of excitement and smiles. She's still busy exploring and playing with her new gifts which include a wooden rocking horse, circus play tent and monkey puppet.