Twitter and my winning streak...

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Since joining twitter several months ago, I have won so many competitions I don't know what to do with myself. It's like Christmas, but better!


Within days of setting up my account, I won a selection of Color blind greeting cards simply for following them and retweeting their competition tweet, the following week I won some fancy tweezers from Black hair and beauty magazine for doing the same thing. Following and retweeting a message.


A few weeks after that I was approached by a PR agency to review Lego Duplo products. With three small children this was such a great opportunity. I was and still am so honoured that they felt my blog was good enough for this purpose, especially as I'd only just started out on my blogging journey.


Then it went quiet for a few months. I think I got busy with moving etc, so didn't have time to enter anything. But when things settled down, I got straight back at it and entered the anniversary competition on the lovely Nicola's 'Belle Noir Bride' blog. I won that giveaway too and the prize was a gorgeous, luxurious and expensive shower cream, body lotion and hand a nail cream set which smells absolutely divine. I LOVE it and do not want it to run out...


Then I won tickets to the 'invite only' Beautiful Textures UK launch courtesy of Crystal Afro's 'United Kinkdom' blog. That event was amazing, I'm super glad I got to go. I met some fabulous bloggers, the goodie bag was fantastic and the party was even better.


Most recently I won hair products from Fiona at 'Love your tresses' blog. The prize was hair conditioner and a really expensive hair pudding  which I can not wait to start using. That's once I get through the mountain of products I've accrued as a result of all the fab events I've been attending lately


Twitter is brilliant. It's so fast paced and responsive. I've heard about events and breaking news, not to mention been a part of humorous conversations and discussions via this addictive medium. The connections I've made have been meaningful and extremely beneficial in terms of building my blog and sharing its contents.


I guess the main reason behind this post is to encourage those who want to try Twitter or who are not too sure what the benefits are, to give it a try. The opportunities are endless and the goodies are plentiful. And while you're at it why not enter my latest giveaway, you never know you may just win the prize....


Have you won many prizes via Twitter? Do you feel Twitter has exposed you to opportunities you otherwise might have missed? I'd love to hear your experience.

I wish I was told....

The blog legend that is Natural Belle is pregnant (Congratulations Belle), and she asked everyone on twitter this week to let her know the good, the bad and the ugly of pregnancy and child birth. Well I jumped at the chance of giving my two pence worth. 

Of course each woman has a completely different take on this amazing and life changing experience. But her request really got me thinking about what I wish I was told before becoming pregnant and giving birth to my precious babies.

So here's my top ten wish list.

I should have read a manual.
Image from tnj.com

1) I wish I was told that contrary to popular belief I would not stop experiencing all day sickness at the 12 or 20 week stages, no siiireee. I would feel as sick as dog from around 8 weeks pregnant until up to a day or so after I'd given birth IN ALL THREE of my pregnancies. Yuk!!


2) I wish I was told that my all day sickness would be accompanied by the worst taste in my mouth EVER, it's simply indescribable. This awful taste will never go away (again until after birth) regardless of how many mints, boiled sweets, jalapeño peppers, olives, ice cubes, lemons I'd shove into my gob.


3) Crunching on copious amounts of ice will be the most satisfying thing EVER. It will also help to numb the yucky taste buds for a little while (yep I'm referring to that nasty taste in the mouth again)


4) You will be so tearful and tired at times you'll feel like you have a split personality.


5) Once your waters break you will not have several hours to potter about and get yourself together. Birth is imminent and by that I mean baby is coming in the next 20 minutes.


6) Gas and air is your best friend of all time.


7) Your births will be so quick you will not have time to blink.


8) When your milk comes in, your boobs will resemble two over inflated balloons. They will be as hard as rocks and so painful you'll not even be able to brush a feather past them without crying, screaming or wincing in pain. Or all three.


9) The first few weeks of sleepless nights are not too bad. Adrenalin gets you through. After that it is torture as you cling onto your sanity whilst trying to survive on only three hours of constantly interrupted sleep a night.


10) If you're on your second, third....etc, etc baby after pains will knock you for six and have you wishing you were in labour again. Well at least that pain produces a beautiful baby at the end of it. Although let's face it, you can't knock the uterus for just doing it's job and I guess the flattish tummy afterwards makes it all worthwhile. Well just about.....


So that's it, that's my take on my pregnancy and childbirth experience and the things that took me by surprise.

How does your experience compare and what things took you by surprise?

They sleep, we grind

Image from last.fm

I joined twitter at 1am this morning. Please look me up and follow @TheAccidentalMo.

Social media is such a funny thing. A few years ago I didn't want anything to do with it. I'm quite a private person, so the likes of facebook and twitter made my blood turn cold. Now with the creation of this blog, which I am growing to love very much (so much so I'm up until ridiculous o'clock most nights, thinking, writing and Internet surfing), I am seeing another side to the world of social media.

I am relishing the way it brings people from across the globe into one space. In the six weeks I have been blogging I have met some amazing and inspirational people. People who are living the kind of lives I could only dream of and yet we communicate and become acquaintances, sometimes even friends. Where else could this be possible?

I am discovering people that truly motivate and inspire me. Today on twitter I came across a tweet from an Erykah Badu follower Toshjo whose tattoo had been inspired by Erykah's tweet's. It beautifully sums up my life at this point in time;

"If you have a twitter and you follow Erykah Badu you’ve probably seen this before. She used to tweet this mantra; “they sleep, we grind”  late, late, late at night.. two, three, four, five in the morning, for the creative minds that stay awake throughout the night grinding, and it always really inspired me.  Some people sacrifice money, time, or even sleep to achieve their goals and live out their dreams and I always saw this as a reminder to myself to keep working hard..  they sleep. we grind."

I love that social media has the power to inspire, encourage and uplift.... I want to be a part of it and do the same. I'm going to keep working hard to achieve my dreams and aspirations.

We only have one shot at this life so we must grab it with both hands and give it all we've got.