- Hi guys, welcome back to my channel.
In today's video, I thought I would film
a quick Q and A video for you guys
because as you can see, (giddy music)
we're still on holiday,
but I really wanted to keep up my content
for you if I could, so I put out a message
on Instagram and said, "Do you have any questions for me?",
and I have quite a few here.
Some are holiday-related, some aren't,
but I'm just gonna answer an array
of different questions, and if you have any other questions
that you want me to answer or reply back to,
put them in the comments down below
and I will do my best to get back to everyone.
And if you like this kind of video,
give it a thumbs up, and of course,
I would love for you guys to subscribe
if you're not already.
All you have to do is click the little red button below,
and I post three videos a week,
and I put my heart and soul into this channel,
so I would love to have you along for the journey.
But, with all that said,
let's get into the questions.
Oh, and also, I've just literally been poolside,
so my hair, I've got my caftan on,
I've got my wet swimwear on. (laughs)
I've just run up here while Jackson
is having a nap to film this video.
So, first question
is, "Do you guys always stay in all-inclusive
"when you go on vacation?"
So, we do, now that we have kids.
When Matt and I first met,
if you know the story, we were traveling
for seven months together.
We did hostels, we did all kinds of different things.
I would never, back then,
have said that I would be the type
of person to do all-inclusive package holidays.
I would've been like, "I will never do that."
But, as soon as you have kids,
they're just the easiest way to go.
Food is available at all times,
drink is available at all times,
there's so much on for the kids that now,
they're all the kind of holidays that we do.
So, we always tend to book all-inclusive now.
The next question is, "Do you guys ever plan
"to move into a different house in the future?"
So recently, we actually found a house
that we loved online, and although we haven't
been planning to move, we thought,
"Well, let's just go and have a look at it."
Anyway, we had a look at it,
we fell in love with it.
It was just perfect.
We really, really loved it.
Anyway, from seeing it, we went away
and just saw if we could even get a mortgage
for that kind of house or whatever.
Anyway, after the few weeks,
then we found out that we could maybe get that house,
then we tried to book a second viewing,
and it was gone.
So, it sold, so I don't think we're gonna move
any time soon, but it's definitely made us think,
"Oh, maybe we could maybe move."
So, I'm always looking on Rightmove.
It's pretty addictive, isn't it?
The next question is, "Do you wear makeup
"on holiday in the day?", and I do.
I personally love wearing makeup.
I just think it's fun and it gives me confidence,
so even if it's just a bit
of tinted moisturizer and bronzer,
I personally feel better wearing it.
Like, I would put on makeup,
even just to pop to the supermarket.
So yeah, I always wear makeup,
but I know that's not for everyone. (laughs)
The next question is quite a cool one
and one that I've never been asked before.
It's, "If you could share a meal
"with anyone living or dead, who would it be?",
and I know exactly who this would be straight away.
It would be, without a doubt, Will Smith.
I love Will Smith,
and I just think he's really inspirational.
He's recently started a YouTube channel,
which is incredible, and he follows the law of attraction.
Some of you guys might know about it,
but I also am really interested in that
and I love seeing what he says about life
and his marriage, and how he parents and everything.
So, I would love to have dinner with Will Smith,
he's so cool.
The next question is, "What is the best life advice you
"have received from someone?"
So, for this one, the first thing that pops
into my head is, a very long time ago,
I read a book by Jack Canfield.
I think it was called
Seven Habits of Highly Successful People,
and in that, the one thing I really remember
is that he says that our reactions create outcomes.
So, if an event happens,
how we react to it creates the outcome.
I hope that makes sense.
So basically, we're responsible for our reactions,
and the way that we react to something creates
if we're gonna be happy or sad, basically.
So for instance, if a troll was
to send me a horrible comment,
I can react to that with dwelling on it
or thinking, "How dare they?",
or I can react to it by thinking,
"Oh, I feel really sorry for them,
"they must have quite a few issues,"
and like, move on with my day.
So, I try to be careful with the way
that I react to things.
Obviously, sometimes, things do get to me,
but overall, I try to think about
how I'm gonna react to things.
The next question is, "Did your boys ever refuse
"their high chair, and what did you do to help?"
So recently, Jackson has not wanted
to get into his high chair.
It has been like getting a cat into a box.
He just doesn't want to do it,
so we've just finally got him a booster chair,
so he's sitting on a big-boy chair with his brothers,
but in a booster seat, so he's still strapped in and safe,
but he is at the table like them
and that has really helped.
The next question is, "How does your professional experience
"and studies influence your YouTube career?"
So, it's funny, looking back,
I think everything that I've done
in the past has kind of brought me
to do YouTube and it's kind of all worked out.
Before this, I did marketing and PR,
and a lot of the things that I learnt through work,
et cetera, have transferred over to YouTube really well,
and hopefully, that's why my channel has been growing
'cause I think about my thumbnails
and I think about my titles,
and I think about my tags and how to market myself
to help it grow, so I think that the skills
that I learned previous have definitely helped
with growing my channel, I think.
The next question is,
"Where did you get Jackson's blue jelly saddles from?"
So, we got them from somewhere
in Shenfield called Little Legs,
but that is in Essex, so I know that's not gonna
be close to everyone, but they did have them on Amazon.
If they're still available,
I'll link them down below,
but I think they had sold out
of that color quite quickly.
But, I'll put them in the link,
they're brilliant because they're Velcro
and they're really comfy for Jackson.
My friend Kirsten recommended these to me.
The next question is one that I get so often,
and that is, "Would you like any more children?"
So, this is a really tricky question
because Matt and I always said we'd have three kids
and we are pretty done with three.
We're really happy, there's a really good balance
in our family, I think.
Having three of one sex is actually really special.
I just love the way things are at the moment,
but I feel really sad saying that that is it.
I feel like I'm writing myself off,
and I know that sounds really silly,
but I feel sad that I won't be pregnant again,
I feel sad that I won't give birth again.
It really, like, I do feel really sad about it, so
I think it's a no,
but I actually hate saying that. (laughs)
The next question is, "Did Matt want children
"at the same time as you did?"
So, funny story, when Matt and I got married,
we decided that we'd have a year
of married life before we had children.
So, a year was nearly up and I said to Matt,
"I've been on the pill for ages.
"I'll just come off of the pill
"because it's gonna take so long
"to get out of my system, and then by the time we're ready,
"we'll have a baby," and I kind of convinced him
that it would take, like, a good year to fall pregnant
because that's what most people say.
Anyway, I came off the pill
and I literally got pregnant within
the first two weeks or something ridiculous.
Now, I know that you're actually quite fertile
as soon as you come off the pill.
I had no idea back then, (laughs)
but basically, Matt always jokes that I trapped him
because I convinced him it wouldn't happen for ages
and it literally was, like,
"We're having Frasier."
The next question is, "How are you coping
"with parental separation anxiety,
"and did your family ever make you feel bad about it?"
So, I am still struggling with it a bit.
I'd like to say I've got better,
but I think, really,
I still really struggle with it.
Like, especially with Jackson,
he is due to start two half-days at nursery
from September and I am dreading it.
And I know I'll find it really hard,
but he's gonna be two and I would love just a few hours
to get some stuff done or work on this vlog.
So, it's this, like, thing I've got to do,
but I really struggle with it
and I also heard the other day that
when Frasier gets older, at school,
there's like, these like, nights away or weeks away
that they do at school,
and I'm already like, (heavy breathing)
and also, Matt recently said that for his 40th,
which is, like, years away,
that he would love to go to New York,
just me and him, but already,
I am, like, working myself up about it.
So, I don't actually think I'm coping
with it that well.
I do have to try CBT, so many of you recommended
that I do that, but I just haven't had a chance to do it.
I am gonna try CBT,
and I think family, they don't mean
to make you feel bad about it,
but because they don't understand it,
they make you feel bad about it without even knowing.
They're just like, "Why, why can't I just take him and,
"you know, go out with him," or,
you know, they don't get it.
And I see now how other people in my life
have had anxieties and I've not understood them,
and I've been a bit like,
"Why don't you like flying?
"Like, what's wrong with you?"
But now, looking back, I sympathize with them.
The next question is, "What is the biggest piece
"of advice that you would give to other moms?"
So, I am actually scripting a video
at the moment about 10 things I wish I knew
before I had a baby, so that will be coming very soon.
But, I think the main things are
to relax as much as you can,
but I know that's very difficult in the early days.
Next thing is to get your baby
into a routine as soon as you can.
I don't think we had a routine until eight
to 12 weeks, but after that,
having a routine has just meant
that I have been able to stay sane.
Also, everything is a phase.
Now that I have a seven-year-old,
I can really appreciate that the fussy eating
was a phase, he eats really well now,
the tough sleeping was a phase,
he sleeps really well now.
Like, everything is totally a phase.
And the last thing would be
to try and be as empathetic as you can
when you have a baby.
Being a baby is actually really hard.
Like, imagine not being able to communicate
if you're hot or if you're hungry,
or if your teeth are killing you
because it hurts so much.
So, I think it's actually really hard
being that little, so if you can empathize,
then that's good as well.
I don't know if that's very helpful or not.
The next question is, "How did you potty train Fraiser
"being your first child?
"I have a 20-month-old and I'm not sure
"if I should start or not."
So, I have actually made a video
about potty training from when I potty trained Caleb,
so I'll link that down below so you can go and watch it.
I would say don't put any pressure on it,
you will know when they're ready.
Frasier actually potty trained at,
like, 20 months.
He was very young, but he's always been very forward
and he just started taking his nappy off
and refusing to wear it, basically.
And even things, like, if he went to the toilet,
he would go and get my changing bag
and be like, "Change me."
He just hated wearing a nappy or a diaper.
So, he was very, very young,
and now that Jackson is that age,
I can't believe that Frasier potty trained at that age.
But then, Caleb was two years and 10 months,
and he was very ready.
I waited for the signs, and yeah,
I'll link that video down below
'cause there were loads of tips in it,
but I would say don't put pressure on it.
Like, they're not gonna be 18 and not potty trained.
If they're two or if they're three,
or even if they're four, like,
it doesn't matter, like, they will potty train
when they're ready.
The next question is, "What age was Caleb
"when you started trying for Jackson?"
So, with all of our Boys,
they're all nearly three years apart.
With each baby, we didn't feel ready
to have another baby until the first one
was two years old, so whenever one reached two years old,
Matt and I were both like, "Okay, we think we
"could do this all again."
They were kind of in a routine, a bit older,
so every time one turned two, we got pregnant again,
and Jackson is going to be two in September,
but I don't think we're gonna do another one. (laughs)
The next question is, "How do you feel about dummies
"and did your boys ever have them?"
So, the boys never had a dummy
and I never even really thought
about giving that to them 'cause they weren't that fussy,
and I think in a way, I became a little bit
of a human dummy or pacifier
because if they cried or got fussy,
I would just put them on the boob
and that worked wonders.
And obviously, you can't walk around
with a boob in your mouth, so it has to be taken away.
So, that's what I did,
but I just think whatever you have
to do in motherhood, you do.
Happy mom, happy baby,
and don't feel bad if you need to use a dummy,
don't feel bad if you need to use a pacifier or something.
Obviously, when they're like, four or five,
maybe think about taking it away,
but do what you gotta do.
Another question that I got multiple times was,
"How do you save money for vacations?
"How do you plan your getaways,
"and do you compromise on anything?"
So, I think for me and Matt,
travel is really important for our family
and holidays are such a special time for us,
and we do put a lot of importance
and we kind of make it a priority.
We spend quite a large percentage
of our earnings on vacations
and we have, in the past, given up things.
Like, we actually considered putting Frasier
into a private primary school,
but then when we looked at the fees,
we thought, well, we couldn't afford
to do it for all three of them,
but also, that's our holidays right there,
the cost of the fees, so we decided against that.
And even when we look at bigger houses,
we're like, "Oh, maybe we could just about afford that,
"but then that would impact on how many holidays we have."
I'm also really lucky now with the vlog
that we've actually been sent
to a couple of places now with my vlogging,
like, the cruise was a cruise
that was actually given to us,
that is why I put ad in the title.
And also, we've been invited
to Center Parcs once now, as well.
But, this holiday, for instance,
we booked a very long time ago,
it was hugely expensive, two weeks in the summer.
Holidays, it costs us a lot of money.
But, we think it's really important
and I think that the kids learn
so much on these holidays,
and if you were to ask them
if they would like a Christmas present
or a birthday present, or a trip somewhere,
they would choose a trip every single time.
I also tend to book the things
that we know work for our family,
so for instance, we're at our fourth Sensatori resort
on this holiday because we just seem to like them.
We also book Center Parcs every year
because the kids just love it there,
and we've even booked our holiday
for July, 2019,
because sometimes, you actually get a better deal booking
it really far in advance, rather than last minute.
We have got quite a good deal
on our holiday next summer
because we've booked it now.
So yeah, let me know if you have any other questions
about vacations or holidays in the comments below.
Someone has also asked,
"How was life with just one baby,
"compared to having three boys?"
So, I know this is gonna sound really weird,
but with every child, I feel like I have relaxed more.
And now that we have three kids,
I'm a bit like, I feel like things
are a little bit out of my control,
so I just need to, like, sit back and,
like, chill a bit,
whereas with Frasier, me and Matt would both be like,
flapping around him, making sure he had everything,
and I don't know, in a way,
I think it was actually harder
having one than three.
But, I know that sounds crazy.
I've also had quite a few questions
about raising boys, and I wanted to recommend
a really good book that I read
when I had my third boy, well,
I say I read it, I actually listened to
the audiobook version of it
'cause I just find that's easier,
I can clean the house, and I can, like,
read a book through my ears.
So, I read this book called Raising Boys.
I'll link it down below if you wanna check it out,
but it just made me think about a few things.
Obviously, being a woman as well, like,
I struggle with some of the thought process
that boys go through,
and I remember when Frasier turned four,
he got really into fighting and superheroes and stuff,
but there was actually a reason for that,
that there was just, like, testosterone surge,
and even things like,
I let the boys wrestle and stuff
because in the book, it said that that's actually a way
that boys bond together,
and it even tells you things to expect
in the teenage years, which is a bit,
like, whoa, but I'm glad that I know
that kind of stuff now.
So, if you have boys,
I would totally recommend reading that book,
I found it really insightful.
So, I'll link it down below.
I've also had loads of questions
about staying healthy and losing weight,
and I don't feel like I can really advise
on this that much yet.
I have lost a bit of weight
and I've really been trying to maintain,
but I yo-yo, like, I was being really good
for the month before we came away,
and then ever since we've been here,
I've just been eating, like, three-course meals
and doughnuts at breakfast,
and been being really bad again.
So, for me at home, I know a lot
of people don't agree with it,
but I have done a three-day juice cleanse
or a five-day juice cleanse,
and for me, I find it really helpful
'cause it just completely resets me
and makes me think more about
what I'm putting into my mouth.
I did the Cambridge diet for a little while,
which again, I know lots of people didn't agree with,
but it just made me reset and think,
"What am I actually eating?
"What am I putting into my body?"
So, that has really helped.
I am trying to workout when I can,
but I would like to workout more in September.
For me, I feel like September is going to be,
like, a new year for me,
because my two elders will be at school,
Jackson is starting a little bit of nursery,
so I would love to get into a good fitness regime if I can.
And I'm gonna make the next question my last one
because I feel like I've been talking for ages.
So, someone asked,
"What month did I start sleep training the boys?"
So, with Frasier, he was a terrible sleeper.
He got association with breastfeeding
when he was a baby and I got to about nine
or ten months old, and I was like,
"Enough is enough," and I started sleep training him then.
So, I felt confident that he hopefully wasn't hungry.
Obviously sometimes, he teethed,
but most of the time, he didn't.
So, I will link a video down below,
which is how I sleep trained Frasier
and how I got a baby that went
from sleeping just two-hour stance
to sleeping through the night.
So, I will link that down below,
and yeah, thank you so much for watching this video.
I hope you enjoyed it, I'm sorry it was,
like, a quick, flappy one because we're still on holiday.
But hopefully, you'll enjoy this content,
and I'll see you in my next one, bye guys.