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iVillageUK // Blogs // Katy Hill's working mum diary

Katy Hill's working mum diary

As a Blue Peter presenter Katy Hill had her fair share of adventures, but these days she faces tougher challenges - juggling full-time motherhood with a TV career. From Daybreak to day’s end, Katy and husband Trey have their hands full with a five-year-old daughter and toddler son. And there’s not a nanny in sight. This could get messy…

 

Christmas is just around the corner!

By Katy Hill on 24 Oct 2011 2 comments

Trey and I filmed for Daybreak last week and the results have been going out in Daybreak and Lorraine all this week! I’m feeling bad because loads of you have been in touch about my random top - which I got last season from Next (I’m SO last season!) Maybe I’ll have to make a rule that I can only wear current things on screen so they’re still available? I know how much it annoys me when I ask someone where their outfit is from, only to have them say 'it’s vintage'! (grrr!)
 
Since we met when working together presenting live TV it’s always really lovely when I get to work with Trey. Even when we’re working - just to be able to have that amount of adult conversation together is amazing, with nobody needing things from us, or pulling at our clothes!

Although I miss the children so much when I’m away from them, even for a day. We’ve got five days of filming coming up soon and I’m already pretty stressed about it - if you stand still for more than a second in my house right now you’ll be on a list! The military precision has already started, and we’ve still got a week till we go!
 

The children both seem to be growing up so fast, I just want to keep them exactly as they are right now! I want to bottle them! I love both their ages, but then I find every age fun in its own way. I guess the newborn bit is the bit I find hardest since it just feels so relentless - but I do get sad sometimes that I won’t have another newborn. The best bit is - I get to live it again through my sister since she’s expecting twins! So exciting!

This week we headed to The Babyshow For Trade at London’s Olympia together. Seriously - it was like christmas day for me!  To be able to have quality time with my sister AND get to check out all the new lovely things coming out.

I met two lovely women who head up Ruby And Ginger, a company selling the loveliest accessories and baby bits AND really reasonably priced. Pimp up your ride and don't break the bank! I love it! Check out Rubyandginger.co.uk. And, very exciting - Joules are bringing out the most gorgeous baby/kid range from early December - delicious moses baskets for boys and girls. Keep your eyes peeled or go to Suncresttrading.com for more information.

My sister Naomi spent FOREVER at the Chicco stand. I fear her front room will be awash with boxes soon! Kaya was very excited since I came home with a new Trunki booster for her, and a new Gruffalo Trunki for Christmas, which is now safely hidden.

Talking Christmas, I’m already getting stupidly excited! I guess it’s because this is the first year that Akira will actually 'get it'.

And this week it’s suddenly got colder, which makes it feel even more as if Christmas is just around the corner. But how hard is it to get the kids temperature right at the moment? Seriously, every night I’m second guessing what’s going to happen - so I put an extra blanket on, or take one off, but I’m finding it hard to get it just right. And Akira doesn’t like the heating on in his room, so he’s even trickier to regulate! I just need it to be mild - or cold! Not this changing mallarky!

The weather change also brought with it a bit of a ladybird infestation this week. I tried to stay calm when Kaya showed me the ladybird gathering in the playroom window, but truly there were quite a few! I ended up knocking them all into a tupperware bowl and throwing them out of the window. Except some of them decided to start flying before I got them out which was like some kind of nightmare!

Kaya was saying: 'I don’t like them mummy' and I resisted the temptation to say: 'Mummy doesn’t like them either!' There were just so many of the damn things, and I swear they were swooping at my head! Although given the changes in temperature outside at the moment, no wonder they wanted to find a cosy corner in my house!

 
Well, enjoy half term! Kaya broke up for half term TODAY! I’m the world's biggest loser mum and hadn’t realised she has an inset day tomorrow. I’m not yet ready to have two kids running around for the week! I needed that extra day to get the house straight and plan half term properly. Bummer!
 
I’m sure you’ll be reading this, feeling smug at how organised your half term is gonna be! Enjoy! See you on the other side!
x

This week I’m Loving:

Petasil

www.petasil.com

From £44

Having recently mentioned how hard I find it to find cool shoes and boots for the kids, I’ve been doing lots of research and recently came across the most amazing make - Petasil. They’ve been making quality shoes and boots for kids for over 20 years and all their products are leather with the softest, comfiest soles. I got the most gorgeous boots for the kids. Akira got some called Kal, and Kaya is LOVING her 'Love Boot'. She looks like the coolest little hippychick in town! So worth saving to pay the extra for comfy, happy kids! Every time she wears them I get stopped by people wanting to know where they’re from! The only problem? Akira loves his SO much he tries to walk staring down at them! Sweet! x

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Comments

Patsy1964 replied 29 weeks 3 days ago
HOLD ON : We haven't hit November yet! I do hate this over commercialisation of Christmas, which means (to me) that Christmas Day can be a bit of an anti-climax: both for parent and Children alike. I like to think that Christmas starts on 1st December, and an Advent Calander to "count-down" the time makes it more exciting than having it thrust down your throat in October. Even Children get bored with it eventuallly, probably more so the older they get, more especially with boys. If you have a large Christmas List, you have a large immediate and extended shopping list. I accept that you need to budget more, so you start noseying around in October or November; but that is your choice, you do not need a shop or TV advertisement to "remind you". I had a neighbour once where both she and her husband had extended families, with nephews and nieces to buy for as well as the adults. They started their shopping for the adults in September ! As Alison explained, you knew pretty much what the adults would want in the September/October period, but since childrens whims change very quickly, she tended to buy these closer to the Christmas break. Working this way it made it easier on the purse as the expense was carried over several month. She agreed with me that one does not have to do Christmas in one month, nor do she need to be reminded. I tend to agree with her, and saddened that Christmas over the last 30 years has become so commercialised
Ben Reynolds (not verified) replied 30 weeks 15 hours ago
You're a busy lady Katy! With Christmas getting closer far too quickly this website tells you what the latest bestselling kids toys are in the UK so it's a safe bet if you don't want tears in the playground in the new year! http://www.TheRankTank.com