The skin's the thing...

Post-baby skin truly has a mind of it's own. I feel like I have absolutely no control over this organism that covers my entire body. I wake up and every single morning it's doing something new. Sometimes it's dry, sometimes it's oily, sometimes both, sometimes there's a wee rash on my nose, on a rare occasion it's absolutely fine. During my pregnancy my skin started out awful and then I got that 'glow'. I say glow, it was more like a fine sheen of sweat from heffing around all that baby weight but either way it was lovely. When Naima came along, thanks to all the breast-feeding hormones it stayed lovely, and luminous and spot free. Fast-forward to post-breast-feeding and I have the skin of a spotty 16-year-old. Breakouts every other day, dark marks and dark circles under my eyes are ruining my hot mama look and it's starting to get a bit depressing. So rather than get down about it I decided to take action and try out some remedies to get my skin back to it's pre-baby best.

Best for irritated skin....Palmer's Daily Calming Facial Lotion, £5.95

Palmer's may be more well known for they're famous luscious-smelling body cream and bump butter but their facial skin care range is fabulous, purse-friendly and best of all it works. It doesn't smell to strong and used after the cleansing this lotion leaves your skin feeling soothed and moisturised without that greasy feeling you get with some face creams. Unfortunately it doesn't have an SPF so layer up with primer or serum that does, and you've got a budget-busting skin care regime.

Best all round regime....Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash, £18.40 , Bliss Fabulous Every Day Eye Cream, £24.60 , Bliss Fabulous Face Lotion £25.60

I discovered this range after a rather decadent evening of pampering and cocktails at the Bliss Spa and I've been addicted ever since. The face wash leaves my skin feeling so super clean without over-drying it, a problem I sometimes have with my combination face. The face lotion was light enough but deeply moisturising enough for my skin and the eye cream instantly lifted my dark circles and reduced my puffy bags. Yes, this may be a little pricey but you don't need much of either creams or the cleanser for them to do the job so the bottles will last for ages. Well worth the investment ladies!

Best for dark marks and spots...Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector, £39.50, Clinique Even Better Skin Tone Correcting Lotion SPF 20, £35

Thanks to my many, many breakouts I've been left with loads of unsightly scars from spots that are really noticeable even on dark skin. They are my biggest bug bear and I'd give anything to get rid of them. Luckily Clinique have come come up with a formula that actually works to get rid of dark spots, like Ronseal it literally does what it says on the tin. Work the Even Better Dark Sport Corrector into your skin day and night and follow with the lotion and in about four weeks your skin will look a little less chicken pox, a little more hot face. Mega.

Mothers Meeting x Nike Sports Day...

What do you get when you throw together a bunch of fitness mad mums, a trampoline installation, free Pimms, Shoreditch’s hippest babies and the world’s coolest sports brand? The Nike Flyknit Festival Mothers Meeting Workout Sports Day – that’s what. Tucked away in a cute outdoor space called Aske Gardens, Nike treated the Mothers Meeting crew to a day of sporting fun along with free Pimms for the mums, beer for the dads, food for everyone – babies included  – and some bouncing beats provided by the Get Some sound system. United Artists created a trampoline installation just for us and boy did we bounce. Our super-fit fitness instructor Mark (aka The Terminator) put us through our paces with a mini-workout before we really put the trampoline to the test. 15 ‘responsible’ mums were suddenly kids all over again as much screaming and bouncing ensued. A few injuries and engaged pelvic floors later it was back down to Earth and on the Pimms. Along with ball pools, face painting, t-shirt making and games it truly was the coolest family day out that east London’s ever seen. The sun shone, the drinks flowed, burgers were eaten and babies were impressed by their mum’s trampoline bouncing skills. Check out www.mothers-meeting.com for pics!

Bye bye...

One of my mama besties VH had always been talking about moving back to Sydney where she was from with her hubby and her little baby M. The thing is when she was talking about it, it always seemed so far in the future, like a distant thing that wouldn't really happen in my lifetime and I wouldn't have to ever deal with it. Boy, was I wrong. The move was upon us like no-ones business and all of a sudden last week she left. Okay, not really all of a sudden but it felt that way. It's gutting for so many reasons, not least because Sydney is so far away but because VH was one of the first mamas I met who was like me. She helped find my 'self' again when I was a bit lost in the world of mummyhood. We've been through a lot in a short space of time - dealing with baby tantrums, husband tantrums, learning to live with your post-baby body, making your mummy self work with your old life, all the curveballs that new mums have to deal with we've done it together. It feels so weird that she's not 10 minutes round the corner or at the end of a text. It's chink in my armour just when I thought I was feeling strong. It also makes me feel so sad that she'll miss so much of Nai Nai's growing up and I'll miss baby M becoming a toddler and a little boy. Hey, perhaps the mama crew will take on Sydney one day in a mass visit! But in the meantime - VH, I miss you and I love you tons. Come back please. 

A change of season...

It's been a few of those mad weeks again, meaning no time to blog! So much has happened and has changed in these past few weeks, it feels like life has kicked up a gear in way. Here's an abridged version of my end of summer adventures...

The mama crew took on Carnival in the only way we know how - complete with Crabbies ginger ale, Ruby Woo-a-plenty and dancing like we never will again (or have before)...this is how it looked...

See if you can spot us skanking for our lives...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kAO7UZBJX8

Little Nai Nai and I decided to get some culture in our lives took on the V&A with my brother aka Uncle K. The V&A is surprisingly baby friendly (getting there really isn't) so we had a gorgeous day of wandering round the exhibitions, showing Nai Nai fabulous ball gowns and great British design before hanging out in the garden and splashing in the water fountain. A pretty much perfect summer's day...

My Mothers Meeting crew have taken on an evening at Bliss Spa (facials, reflexology, cocktails, megatron), countless workouts, a whole festival in our name (see post on the the Flyknit Festival) and Shoreditch House lunches. I've slowly but surely started to love running - a sentence I never ever thought I'd say - and I'm now even in the process of signing up for a couple of runs for charity next year. I really will get fit or die trying. Nai Nai and I took a trip back home to Glasgow for a bestie KS's hen do which involved pink limos and amazeballs party bags and I'm so looking forward to her wedding this weekend. What to wear, what to wear.... The Paralympics has been and gone and along with it came buckets of tears whilst watching amazing and inspirational feats and sporting excellence. It's gutting it's only every four years. My TV seems so redundant now...

So the heat in the air has dissipated and fall is well and truly here. In a way I am so glad! I can go back to wearing loads of slimming black mixed with my favourites -  leather, gold and studs. Summer weather is gorge but fall fashion rocks. This also means lots of new threads for little Nai Nai who is channelling stripes, spots, cute cardies and loadsa star prints. It's hard when your daughter's wardrobe is better than yours. We're all caught up and there's loads more exciting things ahead. This fall's looking very fine indeed...

Good days, bad days...

All I ever wanted was to be a good mum to Naima. All through my pregnancy I worried about eating all the right things, taking the right vits, going to all my appointments, reading to the baby, getting all her bits ready. For some reason I never worried about the birth, I told myself if my mum could do it then so could I. And as for motherhood – I assumed it would just come naturally to me. And it did to a certain extent but nothing prepares you for how hard it really is, for the ups and downs and the all over the place moments. Every other mother told me, "Yes it's hard but you will get through." That's not the whole truth though is it mammas? It's like we're all following the unwritten 11th commandment, "Thou shalt not tell another new mum what it's really all about." There's days I feel rubbish at everything, short-tempered, fat, lazy and slightly alcohol-dependant. The laundry never ends, you're never quite clean thanks to dried baby sick/poo/sweet potato, the exhaustion is bone-deep and teething a nightmare, a God awful nightmare. After Calpol, Calgel, ice cubes and teething toys have been exhausted there's nothing you can do to make your baby feel better and my poor little Naima has really suffered at the hands of her red raw gums. A miserable baby makes a miserable mummy and that's when all the niggling doubts start to eat away at your already over-tired and emotional mind. Am I a good mum? Does my baby hate me? Will it ever get better?

Well it has to - because that's life. With the bad, horrible, lonely days come the glorious sun-kissed, laughter-filled days. And that's what makes it all worthwhile. Here are the top 5 most important things I have learnt since having Nai Nai, the lessons learned that get me from Monday through Sunday:
(1) Everything is temporary. Eventually the crying will stop, those teeth will come in, the weight will drop off, you will get some sleep. Whatever state you are in now it won't last forever. Make sure you leave behind today's issues in today, forget about them the next day. You can't manage them and the new challenges tomorrow will bring.
(2) Cry every day. No matter if you are happy or sad release those tears. It's cathartic and will make you feel a million times better when you've dried your eyes.
(3) Seek advice. Surround yourself with a gang of honeys as fine as mine who are always ready with suggestions and ideas as well as a shoulder to cry on when you just need to talk. Let them be there to boost you up when you need it and it'll make you feel great to be there for them in turn.
(4) Ask for help. Whether it's from your partner, your mum, your BFF, don't be afraid to ask for a helping hand, big or small. You can't do everything yourself so don't try.
(5) Don't feel bad. This is the one piece of advice which is the hardest to take I think. You have to be an inherently bad person to be a bad mother. As long as your bubba is fed, watered, happy and loved then you're doing fine. The laundry will do itself one day, don't sweat the small stuff.

Olympic fever...

The last two and a half weeks in London have been amazing thanks to the Olympics. It was almost like we had the world over as house guests and everyone behaved impeccably. Even the weather played ball. Parks were occupied by big screens and beer trucks, Puma decided to dedicate a whole yard to sport and jerk chicken and even I decided to step up my fitness thanks to being inspired by those beach volleyball players' bodies. Everything that we thought would go wrong didn't and London seemed alive again. It was like we temporarily shrugged off the shackles of every day life, forgot the griping and just let ourselves enjoy the city we lived in for a change. Even Nai Nai got in on the act with some fabulous outfits for her Olympic-watching park action...

I was lucky enough to take in some tai kwan doe at the Excel with Nai Nai and hubby and it was truly an amazing experience. It's great to be able to tell Nai Nai when she's older that we went to London 2012, like she already a little part of history. So now it's all over what do we do? We await the Paralympics of course! Bring on the Superhumans....

Ernesto Neto @ Nike 1948...

This week Nai Nai and I were lucky enough to have a workshop with amazing Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto thanks to Mothers Meeting and the Nike Flyknit Collective. We learned about Flyknit, we did yoga using sculptures, babies played with installations and we counted Nike fuel points. It was a pretty inspirational morning, not only hearing Neto's motivation for his sculptures but connecting with and meeting like-minded mums and doing some powerful yoga. And of course Nai Nai had a great time too...

One of the best things about mummy-hood is the inspiration you get from your baby and your new life to do things that you never thought you would or could. Did I ever see myself working out with a whole bunch of mums every Thursday? No. Did I ever see myself workshopping with legendary Brazilian artists? Absolutely not. But when you allow yourself to, for want of a better phrase, think outside of the box, you find yourself open to all these new experiences and that's amazing for mind, body and soul. Motherhood truly give you the fuel to do things you never thought you could, the impossible suddenly becomes possible and that is the greatest gift your baby gives you. Thank you Nai Nai, I owe it all to you!

Ain't no mama like my mama...

The past few weeks have been busy but relaxed as my mum came all the way from Glasgow to spend some time with us. It was the longest my mum had stayed since Naima was born and the last time she was here it was kind of fraught thanks to two weeks late baby, emergency cesarean etc etc etc. I have to admit I was a bitch to my mum then (I blame the stress and hormones) and when she left after 6 weeks I felt horrible that I had been so moody when she had been so wonderful. This time things were different. I feel like I have fallen in love with my mummy all over again. Even though she's not in the best of health, she cooked and cleaned like a demon all week, took Naima at any given moment and seeing the two of them together was so amazing. I would catch myself looking at the two of them together and think, "I never realised how much my mum loved me til I was a mum." All her life my mum has been selfless, thinking of family first, whether that be my brother, my dad and me, or her extended family back in Ghana and we have all benefited from her gorgeous spirit. She's stylish, she's funny, she's warm and she's strong - all the things I want to be. I dread a time in my life when I am without her. So I would just like to say to my mummy, if she every reads this (which she won't as she doesnt really get this new fangled world wide web thingy) I love you more than I can ever say. Come back please...

So much to do, so little time to blog...

I've been the worst kind of blogger recently - a busy one! I've been everywhere and been doing so many things I should write about but I just haven't had the time! I guess that's life....So here's an abridged version of the past few weeks....The heatwave kicked off with chilling with my new found mummy pal CO at the Shoreditch Festival. Again another example of why I love my borough, the Shoreditch Festival was a gorgeous celebration of everything that is good and cool about Hackney taking place all along the canal with bars, food stalls and musicians galore. Amazeballs. The next night saw me and the BFF, AA have an impromptu night out at the Plan B album launch party. Now I've never been the biggest Plan B fan, but the thought of a free night out to hear some live music appealed to me. I cannot lie - Plan B more than delivered. He was passionate, he was was wild, he sung, he rapped, he got the crowd going.

My grainy pics don't really do it justice but he brought Kano and Labirnth on stage in a multi-storey car park under the arches of London Bridge and it was a truly fantastic venue for the Ill Manors launch. I'm not surprised the album went to number 1, Plan B is truly a modern day poet, brave enough to say what everyone else is afraid to against the backdrop of clever beats and slick harmonies. Buy it now!

The rest of the week went by in a haze of sunshine and picnics in the park with Nai and AA, rooftop swimming at Shoreditch House, working out at the Nike 1948 studios and supping wine by the canal at  Waterline....Bring back the sun please....

Monster supplies...

So I was just wandering up Hoxton Street, Nai Nai in her carriage, chatting my mummy pal V whilst baby M napped in his own vehicle when we decided to pop into a store we always pass. It's called Hoxton Street Monster Supplies. "What the hell is that?" you may ask. Well, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure. I guess it's part children's project, part monster supply store - I don't know how else to explain it. You can buy farting gas, monster's bile and salt from the tears of anger. I kid you not. It sounds ridiculous but myself and V spent a good 15 minutes in there just laughing-out-loud at all the hilarious stuff to buy. A must for the big kid inside you, I urge you to stock up on your monster supplies sooner rather than later...

Hoxton Street Monster Supplies, 159 Hoxton Street, London N1 6PJ
www.monstersupplies.org/

With a little help from my friends...

This week my friends have really pulled out all the stops and been particularly fabulous. Now, don't get me wrong, my friends are always wonderful, warm people, maybe it's just that this week I've had a chance to think about just how special they are. My best friend from Glas-vegas, K (she will from here on in be known as Glas-vegas K) sent me an amazing pair of earrings from Topshop as a good luck pressie for a wee project I've been working on, my fab mummy pal V invited us to her son's beautiful christening then proceeded to ply us with wine and Vietnamese food, another good friend of mine E who lives in Spain is coming for a visit in a few weeks and I can't wait to see her and for Nai Nai to finally meet her. Three examples of fabulous friendship. When I first became a mummy, after the first six weeks when everyone had stopped visiting every day, I felt like I was so distant from some of my friends. It took me a while to figure out who was really going to be in my life for the long haul and who just wasn't worth caring about. It was a hard process but one that was so necessary. Looking back I realise I have gained so much more that I have lost. I've figured out who my real friends are, the ones who are going to be in Nai Nai's life aswell as mine, the ones who love me whether I'm wearing my mummy hat, my journo hat or my chatting-s***-at-a-hundred-miles-an-hour hat, the ones who aren't just drinking buddies. I've made a whole heap of gorgeous mama mates who truly understand what it's like to combine your old self with your new self. And I reaffirmed so many friendships and my relationship with my besties (K and AA) have become so much stronger. It's so refreshing not to have to expel energy on people that I just don't really care about. And all this has made me want to be a better friend too, to take the time to reach out to my buds who I truly love and be more generous with my time to be there for them as much as they are for me. For all the mamas (or just anyone) out there who feels like they're losing friends - don't worry. The truth is if they can't be bothered with you now they weren't really your friend in the first place. And you never really lose friends, you just find out who your real ones are. To all my friends, you know who you are, I love you more than you know. Group hug y'all....

Zen baby, water baby...

As little Miss Adom nears seven months her social calendar is getting more and more packed. This week we took in baby yoga, which is exactly as it sounds - your baby doing yoga. Okay, so she isn't quite meditating and deep breathing but think stretching, singing and dancing with baby whilst you breathe deep and stretch yourself. Flipping awesome I tell you, and a new regular in Nai Nai's already jam-packed schedule. The next day it was time for something all new - swimming. Naima loves to kick and splash in the bath so this was a must for her. Unfortunately my little one also suffers from eczema so we've had to hold off swimming til her condition is under control. It is now thanks to the wonderful paediatric dermatology department at the Homerton Hospital so nows the time! Armed with an ultra-cute and ultra-stylish swimsuit and three of her fave buds - Jasper, Max and Theo, Naima didn't quite take to the water as I expected. At first she was a bit unsure as to why she was in all this water and what the hell was going on but after about 20 minutes she was involved in a serious splashing competition (which she won of course) and was kicking her wee legs like David Walliams swimming the channel. Too cute for words. I can't wait to see her swim in the sea when we (finally) take a much needed trip to sunnier climes. Now just to get mama's beach body ready...

I Heart Hackney...

Where the hell have I been? To be honest, I'm not really sure. This past week has taken me on an adventure around my beloved Hackney. It all started last weekend where I roamed a seemingly ordinary patch of grass in deeper east London that have been temporarily turned into a cracking festival venue for the BBC Hackney Weekend 2012. Now, say what you want about the TV license but our national broadcaster sure knows how to throw a good festival. I and my lovely mummy pal J scoffed Giant Robot burgers, Homeslice pizza and guzzled prosecco in the guest area like there was no tomorrow. In between all the eating and drinking (hey, we mums need to take on fuel) we azonto-ed to D'Banj on the 1xtra stage, cringed at Nicki Minaj on the main stage and of course just threw down to the one and only Jay-Z on the main stage who was joined by Rihanna and M.I.A and then of course Kanye West who came out for a half hour Watch The Throne encore. Amazeballs just doesn't cover it. And the best part of it was this all happened in my neighbourhood – Jay-Z was in my borough! * gets momentarily lost in a daydream of shopping in Pak's, Dalston for come cocoa butter with Jigga* 

This is proof to me of something that I have suspected for years – Hackney is amazing. It truly is. From the Barrel Boulangerie on Hoxton Street to the brand new pound shop two doors down (get your weaning essentials in there mamas), from the Dalston Superstore to WAH Nails, from my barbers on Kingsland Road to the hair shop that keeps my lashes game up, from De Beauvoir Town to Hackney Marshes, Hackney rules. I love it. It's just the right side of rough and the wrong side of edgy to keep me on my toes and in my hipster American Apparel influenced outfits. Having a baby really makes you get to know your neighbourhood, walking around with a pram takes you to places you would never have gone before and it's really helped me discover how great this part of London is. It's taken me six years but I truly, madly, deeply, heart Hackney. Now, if you'll excuse me I've got to yell at the jakes on the corner to stop arguing, Princess Nai Nai is trying to get some beauty sleep.... 

Fathers - I salute you...

My good friend E tweeted something yesterday, on Father's Day, that really got me thinking. It went like this, "Don't mean to moan, but can we stop with the single mother awareness for a sec. Today is about the MALE dad, let's keep it that way." I paused for a second and then thought, "Girlfriend really does have a point." Now before you jump on your PC high horse I think all single mothers out there do a truly wonderful job. But I also think that father's sometimes get a rough deal - there are thousands of single fathers out there, not to mention fathers that are co-parenting and they need to be celebrated much, much more. That's what Father's Day should be about. I grew up with a wonderful father. Papa Acheampong, aka Dr Samuel Acheampong, aka the Don of Everything is a daddy and a half. He is the definition of hard work. He was a dentist for 30-odd years in rural Scotland and even now you can't get on a plane (to Cyrpus, Florida or indeed Ghana) or go to a Marks and Sparks with him without bumping into a patient of his. Always there with a terrible joke or a savvy piece of advice, he's a best friend, a confidant, a role model and sometimes even a bank rolled into one. He is a gooey grandfather to Nai Nai, who joyfully pulls at his glasses whilst he walks her around his garden in sunny Elderslie and teaches her about the plants and trees. He gets up every Monday morning to listen to me on 1xtra in his PJs and then Googles the songs I reviewed to listen to them afterwards. I feel sorry for you if you don't know him because he's bloody marvelous.

I am also truly blessed that my hubs, Mr Adom is another amazing father. Although he didn't grow up with one, he's excelled in his role. I always hoped and knew he would be an amazing dad but he has exceeded all my expectations of how fabulous he is. When Nai Nai was tiny and we were still adjusting to parenthood, he was up in the night with her so I could get some much needed rest, then would get up to go to work the next day like it was nothing, come home and help with the chores etc and sometimes do it all again. My man's a soldier for real. Yes, he does fall asleep on the sofa every Sunday afternoon but hell he deserves it. (Don't ever tell him that.) Not only does he bring home the bacon every month, he rains love on Nai Nai like a tsunami and puts up with me to boot. I'm really f***ing lucky. * pauses to high five hubs, will explain to him why later*

Becoming a new mum, you forget sometimes that loads of new dads have been made at exactly the same time. It's truly amazing to see them grow and flourish and develop. One of my favourite mummy gf's J has a partner who seems to be the carbon copy of Mr Adom. Although we spend hours laughing at their love of a bargain, arguing with the Sky TV call centre operators and asking ourselves why they must watch Match of the Day, Match of the Day 2, Match of the Monday, Match of the Tuesday etc etc we both agree we couldn't do it without them. I feel so lucky to be surrounded by fantastic and inspirational grandfathers (Papa Acheampong, that's you), fathers (hats off to you Mr Adom) and even future fathers (my brother K will be the best, if most bonkers, father ever - I can't wait to see that day). I can't say that behind every great mother is a brilliant father, but in my case, there most certainly is. Big up the daddies because they deserve it - fathers I salute you.

Music to bathe to...

At the end of a long day getting covered in banana (Naima's new favourite food), baby massage and picking up teething toys a million times (no, Nai Nai, it's not a game), I like to sit in a huge bath and stew in my own juices with a Weight Watchers choccy biscuit and sometimes a cheeky pint of vino. I'm not a fan of sitting in silence so I always have some tunes to help zone me out and think up outfits for tomorrow, interesting things to cook for dinner, features to write, etc, etc. Here are my top 5 albums I'm zoning out to this week:

(1) Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman. An absolute classic. 'Mountain O'Things' is one of the best songs ever written. It's a shame Boyzone destroyed 'Sorry' for me.

(2) Paul Simon - Concert in the Park. Incorporating music from Graceland, Rhythm of the Saints and hits with Art Grafunkel, it is the best live album I've ever heard apart from...

(3) Jay-Z - MTV Unplugged. Just Jigga, backed by the Roots. What an amazeballs combo.

(4) Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials. More atmospheric than the debut Lungs, it's just so powerful. 'No Light, No Light' will take you to a pretty dark place whilst 'Shake it Out' will encourage you to, well, shake it out.

(5) Ed Sheeran - +. The Sheeran-meister can do no wrong in my eyes. 'Give Me Love', 'Lego House', 'Small Bump' - beautiful, beautiful, beautiful...

Keep on running...

As I type this my fingers physically hurt. Actually every single part of body hurts thanks to my sudden love of exercise and getting fit. Today I tackled the Mothers Meeting Workout courtesy of the Nike 1948 studios in Shoreditch. The workout took place in Shoreditch Park, with about 15 ladies and babies lead by our ultra-fit male trainer. It was a ton of fun but ridiculously hard and involved using Nai Nai as a dumbell (which she didn't take kindly too), swinging kettle bells around, lunging, squatting and running round patches of grass. At one point my entire body went into shock at the thought of running but once I threw myself into it I felt a whole lot better. It helped that all the other girls in the group were really friendly and completely down to earth. Being intimidated by an exercise class is no fun and that's exactly what I wanted to avoid. Thank God I did! I would totally recommend this to any mamas out there that want to get super-fit super-quick. At this rate I'll be back to pre-baby body before I can say, "Look – I've got my American Apparel disco pants on again..."

Naima loves...

Little Miss Adom has a busy week ahead. She turns six months on Wednesday *tries to hold back tears* and so it's time to try eating real food, sitting up in the bath and terrorising mama in her baby walker. To kick off the week we took in a new baby play session at Rich Mix called Wiggly Jigglers and wow did she play. The great thing about this session was seeing Nai Nai revelling in the joy of new toys and discovering new things. Like her mama, Naima is pretty vintage (newspapers not iPads, books not Kindles, give me a CD any day) and so gravitated towards really old school stuff that was simply shiny or made a noise. Some advice for mamas looking for new toys for their little ones is this - don't buy any! Simply look out some stuff from around the house to keep your little ones entertained. Check out Nai Nai's top 5 things she just can't get enough of right now for some inspiration...(she typed this herself and everything)...

(1) Jar lids. I don't care what colour they are mama, I just want them washed and clean so I can bang them together as hard as I can. Stick them in the fridge for me and when they're cold they make a great soothing teether for me to gnaw on.
(2) Silver oven trays. Buy some cheapy ones from the pound shop and let me go to work just banging it with a wooden spoon. Wicked.
(3) Plastic tubs and pasta shells. When you and daddy have finished some coleslaw (or anything that comes in a plastic container) just wash out the tub (I don't want anything that's not milky right now) and put some pasta shells in it so I can shake them til you want to throw it out the window.
(4) A box of tissues. I don't know why but there's something amazing about pulling them all out and trying to stuff them in my mouth that I can't get enough of. Try and make sure I don't choke though.
(5) Corks. When my mummy has finished guzzling vino and champers she saves me the corks so I can chew on them all day long. I can use them to bang on my silver trays too - yay!

Still going strong...

Two years ago today I married my hubs Mr Adom in the church I grew up in, and was christened in, so many years ago. It was a beautiful experience and by far the best day of my life. We've been together eight years and now we have our beautiful daughter thrown into the mix. There's been ups and downs but I wouldn't change anything for the world. I couldn't have asked for a better soulmate. Love ya Patty P xxx

Make love not war...

Hubs and I were lucky enough to have a night out on Saturday night to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary so whilst Nai looked after her Nana, we took in Henry V at the world-famous Globe Theatre on London's Bankside. We were lucky that we got the one night that it hasn't rained so far this June as we had standing tickets on the floor of this open-air theatre. It's a surreal but amazing experience standing in a medieval looking building whilst the players deliver their lines in full-on Shakespeare speak. Without trying to sound common it was totally amazeballs and a must for all you culture vultures out there. Mama loved it! Book tickets now at www.shakespearesglobe.com

Copying mama's swag...

I don't know about you but I love a good clash of prints. In my world, my home and in my mind nothing matches. I don't believe in matchy-matchy - clashy-clashy is soooooo much better. Naima seems to have picked up my love of wearing-as-many-colours-as-possible-without-looking-like-a-clown. Hey - like mama like baby....

Here she's sporting a very fetch Diane Von Furstenberg for Gap Kids leggings and dress combo and looking rather fantasmo if I do say so myself. Well, I did dress her. My fave mama swag for this week is looking like this...

The bag is from H&M, earrings from River Island, demi-wedges from New Look, printed top from ASOS and the yellow jacket from my aboslute fave vintage store right now called Found (owned by EastEnders actress Meryl Fernandes). Located at 205 Hackney Road, Shoreditch, E2 8JL, not far from Columbia Road flower market, it's got gorgeous and super-affordable pieces. I can never go in there without finding something that I adore. Every time I go past the window I covet pretty much everything I see in there. I kind of don't want to tell anyone about it as I want to keep it to myself...it's just too good...

I'm officially a Pushy Mother!

Whoop whoop! *high fives self then jumps up and down, spins around and touches the ground* As you can tell I am slightly pleased with myself. Yes - I did it! I braved exercising outside in the wind and rain with a bunch of people I don't know and I joined Pushy Mothers. Now, it's not the type of thing that I would have normally saw myself doing but stuff it - if it gets me fit and feeling fabulous once more then I'm up for it. Don't get me wrong - it was hardcore but I completed the hour workout and even joined up for the month. There was no running but a lot of step ups and pushing Nai Nai up and down hills but when the hour was up I felt epic, it had a proper Superwoman effect. I was a bit achey for the next two days but it was bearable and I'm all over going back for more. I thought I would be intimidated by loadsa fit mums who had been doing it for weeks but I realised that every mama there was in the same boat as me and therefore there was absolutely no judgement. I even made a few friends to boot. This definitely a must for any mamas out there in need of getting fit in a fun way. Check out www.pushymothers.com for you nearest class and sign up immediately if not sooner.

Working it...

It's an odd Wednesday that feels like a Monday after the longest Sunday that there ever was. I'm not massively patriotic or into the Royal Family at all but I must say thanks Lizzy for giving your loyal subjects two days off work. However, I think all this pomp and circumstance is a bit old hat, and slightly ridiculous considering what state our country is in right now. Anyway....ironically, for someone who is on maternity leave, I ended up working in some measure, firstly doing my usual review spot on the Singles Club on 1xtra (tune in Mondays at 9am, that's quality radio right there), and then on to the Radio 1 and 1xtra Academy at the Hackney Picturehouse to doing a spot of inspiring for the youth. This whole project was put together by a tiny team at the BBC (I see you Emma and Ngunan) who wanted to inspire and inform young people in Hackney and get them interested in a career, whether that be in journalism or film-making, website building or fashion. When I agreed to do it I thought to myself, yeah this'll be okay - it wasn't til I really realised what it was all about that I was like this is actually amazing. The Beeb got people like Leona Lewis, Noel Clarke and Plan B (and little old me) to share their wisdom with hungry young people that really want to hear it and that's such a great thing. I was on a panel with two amazing female journos (Akilah Russell and Kieran Yates) who I felt inspired by and took tips from too, as well as from our host DJ Nihal. It was great to interact with smart, intelligent young people with aspirations who really wanted to pick our brains and make something of their lives. These are the same kids who are labelled troublemakers or, worse still, an underclass because a few of them thought it was okay to loot a Foot Locker. How about we all stop writing off a whole generation? This is what we pay our license fee for people, not just for wrist-slitting episodes of EastEnders or now-I'm-freaked-out-by-bike-couriers installments of Luther, but for arming the next generation with the tools and knowledge they need to be whatever it is the dream of. And that is so important - especially at a time when they are being dumped on from a great height. It's great to be celebrating 60 years of the Queen on the throne but how about setting the stage for the people who are going to be around for the next 60 years. I think we've forgotten that they need some celebrating too.
PS. Check out my top 5 tips to get into journalism here! http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00thk56
PPS. I hate the way I look in this video...

The bad mirror...

At the moment, every mirror in my house is a bad mirror. Although motherhood has meant I have the joy of a happy, healthy baby, I don't really have a happy, healthy body. Losing the baby weight has been hard and breastfeeding has meant not being able to shift it as fast I would have liked. I feel stuck in a body that I don't know and don't particularly like. I feel large and unattractive and so I hate looking in the mirror. Watching endless celebs snap back into shape 6 weeks after that have their babies doesn't help either. It just makes you feel inadequate and ugly. I don't need that on top of sleepless nights and a teething baby! I'm at a loss what to do if I'm honest. Yes, you can put on accessories, a bit of make up and carry a nice bag but it doesn't make anything look any smaller and make you feel any better. I feel too embarrassed to join a gym and I find myself eating because I'm miserable. It's a vicious cycle and one that's hard to break. To that end I've decided to joini Pushy Mothers on Wednesday - www.pushymothers.com - a fitness class for mums with babies. Imagine me running round the park with Nai Nai in the pram. Not a pretty sight as I can't run but I need to kick start some endorphins for sure. Will I be any good at it? I'm sure I won't. But it's worth a shot, right? Anything to start changing the reflection in the bad mirror. I don't want to be the woman that passes on her body issues to her daughter. I would love Naima to be happy whatever size she is, as long as she's healthy, and I will always tell her she's beautiful. I guess I better get healthy and happy first to pass on the positivity. Wish me luck!

A week of firsts...

This week has been a crazy week of firsts for me and Princess Nai Nai. Her first wee tooth has started to pop through her gum and it's too adorable. Unfortunately this means she's had her grump on a wee bit which makes for a knackered mummy. She sat in her high chair for the first time and took in her first live show - In The Night Garden - at the O2. Although slightly extortionately priced (it's the O2 - I should have known) she seemed totally mesmerised by Upsy Daisy and her pals - that is until she decided she needed some milk and promptly fell asleep. A diva to the last is my girl. Although I am so happy she's growing up cute and healthy it also makes me a little sad that she's gradually leaving babyhood. Although the first few weeks of her life were crazy and difficult, they were also precious and amazing. She used to always fall asleep in my arms, now she wants to babble and play. It's too cute and in some ways I want her to stay a baby forever. But since she can't do that, I just hope she grows up to be the best Adom that there ever was. HRH Princess Nai Nai, the world is your oyster, do with it what you will.

This week's beauty essentials

Thanks to maternity leave, myself and Nai Nai have been out in the sun at every given opportunity for the last week - hey this break-your-heart-when-it's-over summer doesn't last long. Canal side strolls, sunbathing in parks, getting stung by bees in beer gardens (me, not Nai thankfully!), we've done it all. Now I have a lovely chocolatey glow, I want it to last all summer so I've been slathering on Palmer's Skin Therapy Oil, 60ml for £5.99. It's such an amazing moisturiser and feels so refreshing after a cool shower in the evening post baking in the sun. I've also discovered that if you put a couple of drops on your cuticles just after you've painted your nails they dry super quick - perfect for me as my nail-painting time has to fit around Princess Naima! Palmer's Tummy Butter, £5.35, is also doing some good work on my stretch marks. Okay so it's no miracle cure but they certainly aren't as biblical as they were three months ago. A definite must have for any mamas out there. I smell cocoa butter-tastic at the moment...

Musicality...

My good friend E has just informed me that super hot mama Beyoncé is going back to work after having her baba and therefore we need to start saving our pennies for tour tickets *abandons Sainsbury's trolley and stuffs money down bra* Although I may stone her out of jealousy at how amazing her post-baby body is I would kill to see her live in concert so the saving begins. I think of E as my super hip-hop gf; we have the same tastes in fashion (pom-pom shorts good, double denim bad), beauty (eyelashes and Ruby Woo all the way) and music (Jay-Z's face will be tattooed on our forearms by the end of this summer). We are made of surreal conversations about pigeons and foxes eating vomit and the joy of bouncy castles. So as E has me thinking about music I thought I would share with you my top 5 tracks that I'm listening to on these heady, summer days:
(1) D'Banj - Oliver Twist. An Afrobeat essential - non-sensical lyrics and a wicked beat.
(2) Azealia Banks - 212. She's so cool it hurts me. It physically hurts me.
(3) M.I.A - Bad Girls. She's a tad too old to be singing those lyrics but hey, it's a hot track.
(4) Nicki Minaj - Superbass. Yes it's been around for ages but it sounds great in the sunshine.
(5) Rihanna - What's My Name? Another oldie but it's just soooooooooooooooo good!
Tune in to 1xtra tomorrow morning at 9am to hear me chat about this weeks hot new music releases with Twin B. See how nicely that tied in there? Who needs a PR....

If I'm gone...

Motherhood makes you all serious and stuff. For instance, this past week I've been trawling t'internet for life insurance. How very grown up and early thirties of me. I remember a  time not too long ago when my internet traffic went mostly to ASOS.com, closely followed by Topshop.com and Net-a-Porter.com for the all important fantasy shopping spree. Life insurance makes you think about providing for your little one if you're not here and ultimately leads to you thinking about who would look after baby if you weren't around. Depressing as it is, it's a reality you have to think about and will influence your choice of godparents. As Nai Nai's mummy I'm in charge of seeking suitable godmothers, hubby's job is finding godfathers. For me, two women immediately sprung to mind, AA and DBB. These two are a rare breed of friend, the great friend who is also a relative and even better one from each side of my family, from hubby's side and from mine. They are as similar as they are different. AA is a couple of years younger than me, works in the music industry, is her own boss, driven and dynamic, and sometimes so silly. DBB is a few years older, is pretty high up in her profession, works harder than most people I know and has that air of someone that is so completely comfortable with themselves. They have both been there for me in both quiet and obvious ways at various points in my life and they both genuinely love and care about me and bubs. Sad as it makes me, I know that if I weren't here they would bring Nai Nai up to be the mini-me I want her to be. If I weren't here I know they would tell her all about the Scottish-Ghanaian connection, my love of Jay-Z and my obsession with wearing gold and black at every opportunity. Picking a godparent for your baby isn't all about having someone around for guaranteed babysitting and great gift giving (although DBB turned up with a Mulberry bag on my 30th birthday!) - you're picking someone to replace you if God forbid you were no longer around. Something to think about mamas - select wisely. I know I have.

Gf's for life...

Since becoming Naima's mama, I have really, really learnt the value of friendship. Some people forget you exist when you have a child - sounds harsh but they really won't call anymore. At first I was hurt but now I just don't give a s**t. It made me feel better that this was a common experience of motherhood and meant I wasn't just a bitch! But it means that having a baby can be incredibly lonely or incredibly social depending on what type of person you are so obviously I've made it social-tastic! I've made some fantastic new friends, women who will be in my life forever *sheds an ironic tear* and my friendships with some of my pre-baby gf's have become stronger than ever. So to that end a little love-you-for-life hug goes to Vidia Henshaw aka vidiamamalush.blogspot.co.uk. Thanks for the cheeky Friday wines in between vintage finds...

At last...

Hey y'all! Welcome to my first blog post. Now, considering what I do, it's shocking that it's taken me until now to write a blog - life just gets in the way sometimes! But along with the birth of my gorgeous baba Naima Isis Nana Adwube Adom came tons of inspiration and energy to do all the things I thought I never had time for! So here it is - my first blog. The past five months since Naima came along have been a rollercoaster of highs and lows (so many more highs than lows!) and, without meaning to sound like a pure hippy who lives in the woods, burns joss sticks and wears hemp, a real time of self-discovery. I've made some amazeballs gf's, and shed those deadwood friends along the way - all to the good! Now it's time to start really having some fun and telling you guys all about it too. So, thanks for reading and much much more soon!