May 9 2014

I’m Going to Britmums Live!

Posted on May 9, 2014 by admin

Name: Gem.. Gemma… Or just plain “Oi” - I’ll answer to most things.

Blog: Strangely enough, it’s this one - My Mills Baby

Height: This will sound strange but I’ve no idea! Hmmm, I reckon 5ft 4 ish without heels, and there definitely won’t be any hooker shoes on my feet for Britmums - I’ll be carrying my new daughter Heidi around with me!

Hair: Long, black and straight. Given Heidi has a tendency to eat it, it’ll probably be shoved in a messy ponytail. Glam mum I am not.

Eyes: Blue

Is this your first blogging conference?

Yep. I don’t often see sunlight much to be honest. Dexter and I have been invited to so many events but the travel is often a step too far for us. Now add in Heidi and it’s virtually impossible!

Are you attending both days?

Yep. I’m taking my family with me and we’re all be staying in a swanky hotel somewhere in London. Craig will be showing Dexter the sights whilst I’ll be trying to keep Heidi quiet during the speaker sessions. If I can’t manage it and I spot enough people glaring at us in frustration, Heidi-Bum will go to Daddy for a few hours. No pressure Heidi!

What are you most looking forward to at BritMums Live 2014?

Seeing some of my blogger pals. When times get rough and I shout out for a bit of advice on my blog, I get all teary when so many people take the time to respond. I’ve made tons of amazing friends that I’ve never seen in person.

Oh and I must admit that the lure of a goody bag always helps…

What are you wearing?

Whatever isn’t stained with baby sick on the morning of the conference. I can guarantee no cleavage though - Heidi wouldn’t be able to contain herself.

What do you hope to gain from BritMums Live 2014?

Putting faces to names. I’m sure I’ll pick up tons of blogging tips too - but I’ll be resisting the urge to take too many notes as I tend to get carried away. I figure anything important will stick.

Do you have any tips to pass on to others who may not have been before?

Nope. I do however run a Facebook group (Britmums Cocktail Hour) where people to can share their experiences of the event, any anxieties and any tips. The whole group thing is one big excuse for me to arrange a evening get together with everyone… speaking of which, I best crack on with it!

This post is linked up to the official Britmums Live linky “I’m Going to Britmums Live!“- if you’d like to see who else will be attending this year, this is as good a place to start as any

Mar 3 2014

The “How well do you know me?” Tag

Posted on March 3, 2014 by admin

SOURCE: Me, me, me dreaming (with a little help from my friends) Richard Bell

I’ve been tagged again! This time by the very gorgeous Colette from We’re Going on an Adventure. She’s mummy to 3 scrummy children (Ben, Chloe and Amy) and the host (alongside Kate from Family Fever) of the Tried & Tested review linky that so many of us link up to week after week. This week, she’s after a few painless facts from me…

1. What is your real name?
Gemma CHAMBERLAIN. I write under Gemma Mills as I’m a bunny-boiling fantasist who has skipped a few minor stages in her relationship and taken on her married name early…

2. What do people call you?
Gems, Gem Gem, a few choice swear words, Fairy Non Bio (I’m safe around kiddies but am the very definition of a soapbox queen)… and, strangely enough, Gemma.

3. How old are you?
31 (possibly).

4. What month do you get your birthday?
January. I still resent my parents for this. No one ever has any money to celebrate with me.

5. Do you have children? (if yes, how old, how many and girl or boy?)
Yep… I have a little guy called Dexter (22 months), and I’m currently boring people to death with news of my latest pregnancy. Mini Madam is due early April but I’ve served her eviction papers this weekend and am hoping you’ll get to meet her later this month.

Maternity Top Envie de Fraises

6. What is your blog?
You’re already here! It’s My Mills Baby (and yep it’s going to need renaming when my new little cherub arrives).

7. How long have you been blogging for?
Is it bad that I just had to check? It seems I started this thing in September 2011.

8. Name your top 3 blogs:
The Mummy Adventure, In the Playroom & Stitches and Stretchmarks (and We’re Going on an Adventure of course!)

9. Do you work?
I’m currently a baby wipe tester, personal chef, pre-school educator, cleaner, first-aid specialist, purchaser for Chez Mills, social commentator…

No. In all honesty, I’m a very frustrated stay-at-home mummy who really, really, really wants to get back to work.

10. Do you have a partner?
Yes, Craigy! The best not-quite-fiancé to ever walk the earth. We were pregnant with Dexter within weeks of rediscovering each other after 10+ years doing our own thing.

11. What is going on in your life at the moment?
Aside from the obvious… general hypochondria, familial chaos and the odd discussion about a wedding (when I’ve spiked Craig’s drinks).

12. What do you love about blogging?
If you’d have asked me a few months ago I’d have said something endearing like “It’s a digital scrapbook” or something terribly pr-conscious like “Discovering new brands and learning about parenthood through shared experiences”… Right now I’d describe it as nicotine replacement therapy.

13. Tell us a little bit about yourself:
Inside this stretchmark-ridden, whale-like, iron-clad exterior, I’m a slightly more emotionally-stable Katie Hopkins. Get me on This Morning’s couch or a panel at Question Time and I’ll solve the deficit, immigration and the NHS problem. All that’s stopping me from entering into politics are the bulging skeletons in my closet - The Daily Mail would have a field day if I appeared on television in any formal capacity.

14. Why did you start blogging?
For completely honourable purposes - to record my family life and have something to show my children in years to come. The egomania kicked in about 10 days later.

15. What is your favourite time of the year and why?
Summer when I’m slim(er) and not pregnant.

16. Best day(s) of your life?
The birth of my son, and (hopefully) the serene birth of my little lady.

17. Where do you live?
Reading, Berks.

18. What language(s) do you speak?
English. Obviously. I can also tell you who I am, how old I am, and where I live in German and French too (thanks to A*’s at GCSE). I also tell people I can watch The Bridge without the subtitles and understand every word… but this is sheer nonsense.

19. What are your favourite television programmes?
Anyone wondering if I’m as schizophrenic in real life as I am on this blog should take a look at the things I have on series record on my TalkTalk Youview thingy. I won’t miss University Challenge, Panorama and Question Time, but I also love a bit of TOWIE and anything featuring serial killers, true crime or business.

20. Are you aiming for anything this year?
To survive the first few months of being a new mummy again without walking into the middle of the road wearing nothing but a white flag.

21. What kind of person are you?
See 13. I’m guessing that makes me lazy?

So who am I tagging…? The Mummy Adventure, In the Playroom & Stitches and Stretchmarks

Jun 27 2013

Feeling the Pinch - The Downside to Being a SAHM

Posted on June 27, 2013 by admin

t1larg.stay.at.home.mom

I knew when I decided not to return to work that our lifestyle would be very different to how it was before I had Dexter. There would be no more nights of drunken debauchery or shopping sprees, and we’d have to work doubly hard if we wanted any treats.

There’s no denying that money is tight here at Chez Mills at the moment. Lots of bills have gone out this month leaving precious little for Craig and I to play with. Given we’re dead set on the Australia move, we’re having to save every penny we have for legal fees. We’ll also have to use a car financing company when we’re out there too as our car simply isn’t worth taking over there with us. Couple this with the fact we’ll have to sell everything here in the UK and have to furnish a home from scratch over there, and it’s truly headache-inducing.

With all this going on, our kitchen is a bit ‘Old Mother Hubbarb’ (as in nothing in the cupboard). Breakfast and lunch is now toast and a cup a soup, I’m mending old clothes, and I’ve dusted down old cleansers and make-up that are at least 7 years old in a bid to save the pennies! Don’t get me wrong, Craig works hard and earns good money. We have a roof over our heads, and we still manage the odd treat, but tightening your belt is never much fun and we don’t appear to be getting anywhere quickly. With our holiday budget dissipating, I’m dreading something breaking that will need replacing.

I think the next thing to go will be our washing machine. It’s one of those with a digital display that counts down to the end of a cycle, and it seems to get stuck on 47 minutes every time we do a load. A good kick usually sorts it out, but it’s only a matter of time before it gets fed up of being abused and packs in completely.

Craig’s work van will also need upgrading soon. As he’s a courier he does approximately 35,000 miles a year and likes replacing them every 3 years. With no money put aside we’ll have to use a car financing company to fund the upgrade and it’ll be just another loan to add to a growing list.

Still, it’s not all doom and gloom. When Dexter isn’t destroying our home, he’s actually incredibly cute. We’ve become incredibly close and it’s lovely being there to see every milestone. We’re also saving on nursery fees, and I have lots of great activities lined up for him when he’s old enough to be trusted with scissors, paint and glue. I’m also able to write this blog which will be such a great scrapbook of our days spent together when he’s older.

So weighing it all up, having to downgrade my wardrobe and shop for supermarket own brands, is a very small price to pay for getting to spend my days at home with Dex. I mean, who wouldn’t want to wake up to this every morning!? But if anyone does know next week’s lottery numbers, feel free to leave me a comment!

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