Friday Q&A on the Last Ask Us Anything of the Year!

0:00Hello and welcome to Made by Mum as the podcast. I'm Zoe Hardman. And I'm Georgia Dayton. And this is your parenting safe space where no conversation is off limits. With five kids between G and I, we have seen a lot. We really have. Each week we'll be joined by some famous faces and experts and we'll chat about the brands and products that have saved us along the way. In short, we're the parenting podcast for you. Before we get started, hit subscribe or follow so you're the first to know when each episode lands. And they're on Tuesdays and Fridays. And it really helps if you leave a rating and a review.

0:32You can also find us on Instagram. We're on at Made by Mummers. But for now, George, should we get into it? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I literally just started this podcast with the biggest yawn. I'm not going to lie. I did drink quite a lot of red wine yesterday. Like it was sort of hot chocolate on a cold winter's day. What's wrong with me? What's wrong with us? I don't know. I really don't. We never learn. Well, if people keep saying to me all the time, Well, you know, it's silly season. It's like they're encouraging me to be an alcoholic. Yeah, I know. No, it is. It is a lot. But it's fun. I think as long as we get a rest at the end of it, it's all right.

1:11It's fun. But we obviously talk about this so much on the podcast that even one or two drinks and you just do not sleep properly. No, exactly. Exactly. I think so. Bearing in mind, I can easily go two months without drinking like a lot. This weekend, James's birthday was on Friday. So we went for dinner. Obviously had a few drinks. nothing crazy but just like a few drinks didn't sleep properly saturday we went to a 21st whoo what are the gen z's up to they're not they're not up to anything they're not doing ecstasy no they're not all i know in fact i'm so like i probably didn't even notice

1:51and then had a few drinks and then yesterday i actually didn't have a few drinks but we went to another thing and I didn't drink but yeah it's a lot though it's a lot and you feel horrible yeah you do do you know what's happened this week I've been pulled into breakfast so on Friday I was covering Pandora's show and then our radio mum Amanda came in and she was like here's a thing and I went no straight away it just came out of my mouth and she went we need you to cover breakfast obviously it's amazing I love it so much of course I'm doing it but the week that I had planned to get everything done before we leave.

2:23Yeah. Because now I'm going to be like a walking zombie, aren't I? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, but that does mean that I've cancelled every single thing that I had in the diary in the evenings. Have you? So that's lovely. Yes! Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's really nice. That is really nice. It's good, isn't it? Yeah. But you know what? I was saying on Instagram recently about not having an evening anymore. Yeah. And I think it's so apparent now because Christmas, like the lead up to Christmas, weeknight evenings, would be when I do all of the things. You know, like wrapping presents, booking the Ocado, you know, all of those things, planning, da, da, da.

2:55Now you don't have it. And I'm like, when am I actually supposed to like wrap presents? When do the kids break up? Friday. Yeah, so when this podcast goes out. Yeah, so today. They break up today. And then this weekend we've got, what have we got? Tonight I'm out with my friend who lives in Saudi. Tomorrow we're going to a pantomime, Saturday. Sunday we're going to a Grinch party. You are such a Christmas sucker. What the hell? A Grinch party. Yeah, my friend Lucy. Does she get dressed up as a Grinch? Well, I hope so. I hope so. She told me to everyone to get Grinch pyjamas. Oh, dear God. But she forgets that my kids don't watch anything, so they've never seen the Grinch.

3:37You are killing your kids, children. No, no, no, it's not me. Why don't you watch the Grinch with them? Because they won't watch anything. Can you strap them down with something that won't hurt them? Because they get traumatised about everything. I know. It's so sad for you, that, because sitting down and watching a film with the kids is amazing. I know. But we're heavily into Back to the Future at the moment. Oh, yeah. So you talk about all these things you watch with the kids, and it's just not possible for me. So one of the other mums from school, they just, there's no judgement. I was actually, like, loving it.

4:08They were like, we just don't watch telly. And I'm like, what you don't? When? What do you mean? They're like, the kids never watch television. Yeah. And I'm like, what are they doing in the evenings? And they were like, oh, by the time they come back from their clubs and we'll just chat and then they go to bed. Well, that's sort of me, but not on purpose. Like, it is. Like, they don't, we don't have evenings. No, I know. Whereas I force my children to sit with me from 4 p.m. onwards in the winter. I'm like, right, it's dark. Let's do it. Get cosy. But that is so nice. I do remember even when Axel was little, he would sit and watch back-to-back Cars, the movie or whatever.

4:45And I thought, oh, this is great. We can just sit on the sofa. No, not anymore. Do your kids have screens up? Do they go on their iPads every night? They actually don't have iPads. This is interesting. But not, again, not like a conscious, oh, no iPads. It's just not a fit. What about when you travel? Well, we did have iPads. They were actually my dad's iPads. and multiple iPads yeah multiple iPads because he he gives them to one like Axel and then Axel loses it can't find it in his bedroom then it's you know it's gone missing but they actually both got smashed on the way back from Cyprus oh shit and no no iPads maybe this could be the way forward yeah but not like oh no iPads just just not haven't got around to it again haven't got around to it again yeah just haven't got around to it again and also Axel has a playstation right okay so if he's got any like free time he's playing fifa or f1 on the playstation and gg's genuinely never been interested like she's like a play like she loves a player like she's a you know like yeah she's a player she's a player she loves like imaginative play oh good Lordy lord.

5:59Oh my god. Yeah. Come on mummy. You be the cat. Can you play with me? Meow. I'm like, here's a saucer's bill. Yeah, okay. Right. Let's play hide and seek. Oh no. You hide. I'll find you. I will hide in my bedroom, lock the door and go to sleep. Yeah, no. But yeah, I mean she likes the odd YouTube thing. I think my parents maybe they watch TV. Yeah. It's one of my actual like proper joys in life. you might think that's me wasting my time but it's absolutely not I yeah listening might be like I'll get a grip but actually after like mega days nothing brings me more joy than getting on the sofa and watching television yeah I just love it also I don't like we have to have this whole thing don't we about screen time being so bad and like all this stuff but did you I mean I used to get home from school every day I'd go to the shop buy Snickers come back watch come back and watch two of a kind Keenan and Kale Home and Away I didn't watch Home and Away my mum watches Home and Away one of our producers is shaking his head at me what do you mean you don't know Home and Away Home and Away closer reach day what about Heartbreak High I did watch Heartbreak High and what was the other one Saved by the Bell oh god yeah he was my first proper crush which one Zach yeah yeah and do you remember Sharky and George?

7:26No Sharky and George Is that where there's that kids program? That kids entertainment thing called Sharky and George now Is there? Yeah there's like a kids like party company or something called Sharky and George I thought you were going to say they brought it back and I'm like that's what I'm doing with my night tonight But what I'm saying is we used to watch it Yeah we did but then I think it's maybe now kids probably on YouTube the scrolling that's not helpful if they just sat and watched an actual program I know Do you remember Blind Date, how good that was? Blind Date. It's Blind Date. My friend went on Blind Date.

7:56What? Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It must have been when it came back. I don't know. She went on Blind Date. And she didn't go on the date. So obviously I started my career on a reality TV show, which essentially was a dating show, right? Yeah. So I have been part of that whole process. I love it. And it was wild. Really? You can still watch Playing It Straight On. Have you seen it? No, I haven't. I haven't seen it. I'm going to watch it. It's on 4OD or whatever it's called. Now. Oh, that is what I'm going to be doing over Christmas. Me and the Hacienda. Oh, my God. With 10 guys all pretending to be straight.

8:31I cannot wait to watch this. This is going to be great. June Sarpong. Yeah, it was fucking brilliant. I actually thought I was going on a dating show, a proper dating show, as in that they were all straight. Because obviously, why would I think that some of them were gay? Yeah. And when I got there, June came out and she was like, Zoe, hi. And I was sitting around the table with these 10 gods thinking, one of them's going to die. Lucky me, yeah. And then she went, oh, there's a bit of a twist in the story because some of these guys are gay and some of the guys are straight. And I got the tablecloth and just put it over my head and went, I just, in that moment, I just thought, what have I signed up for here?

9:06I didn't understand it. I just thought I was going to be picking off the hunks and having a good time. But yeah, there was a little twist in it, but it's so campy. It was so joyous. It's really worth a watch. It's very funny. I am definitely going to watch it. You're doing this Christmas. I am. But this leads us quite nicely onto our Friday's Q &A of Ask Us Anything. Yeah, we try and do these every so often because we get lots of DMs asking us random stuff and we can't always answer them all. So it's good to just do it here. Do you want to start us off, George? Oh, okay. Recently turned 35. I'm a mum to a two-year-old and a five-year-old and I'm in a massive style rut.

9:43I need help. Oh, my God. I had this recently, actually. I've got it now. you wash your dirty mouth out you are the chicest mother fucker in town no not for the daytime past 8pm what you're going out I don't know what to wear I don't like anything so listen I think what we're saying here is essentially Georgia and I have both been in a bit of a style rut recently I was going to say yeah and I think a lot of people feel like this and I think a lot of it comes from being so overly like basically there's so much around that you end up not knowing what you like anymore. And I can only speak from what I've, you know, I've done, but I got on Pinterest and I'll show you actually as well.

10:26And then we can, I'll talk it through. But I basically went onto Pinterest and I put in like autumn 21, autumn 25 style because I also didn't want to go out and start buying loads of stuff because I don't think that's helpful. Like I think that confuses you even more. So what I would do is go onto Pinterest and search up a few things that you like and then create a bit of a board of stuff that you like. And I bet you'll find, look, look at this. I bet you'll find I'm showing Zoe and so much of the stuff in here is stuff I've already got. Right. So like I've got that white skirt that I would never have thought to wear in the winter.

11:03But actually it's showing me here all the ways I could wear it in the winter. I've got loads of those satin skirts. again it's showing me how to like casual them up well done george it's like having an online stylist it's weird do you know what it's really good to just remind yourself and then i think if you're yeah you're in a bit of a style rut you can go on there put it all together and then look through and be like right what have i already got i've got these things what do i need i do think refreshing the basics if you're in a style is like the best thing to do yeah yeah and also don't forget about the little things that can really jazz your outfit up george's favorite word like for example and snazzy sockies socks socks i am wearing gold leopard print socks today with my adidas sambas brown ones and they just little touches like that don't forget about your jewelry don't forget about a nice scarf don't forget about like a bright colored cut like you can really change a whole look by just adding in a few little key pieces that you might forget about It completely changes everything.

12:05Yeah, I agree. And also as well, I saw this thing about people challenging themselves to not wear leggings for the whole of January. And I was thinking about doing that a little bit because I've got, and I think this happens when you've got young children. And I don't feel like we've got necessarily that young children anymore. That you get into a habit of being like, oh, well, I'm only doing this today. So I'll quickly just shove on some jeans and a jumper, which is not jeans and a jumper, leggings and a jumper, which is fine. but when you're doing that every day you think god I've got all these lovely clothes in my wardrobe that I never wear and then you almost feel silly when you do wear them because you think well what am I bothering for because all I'm doing is going to the park or going wherever yeah so I just think yeah like rather than going out and buying loads of stuff first of all look at what you've got look at what you know you like on Pinterest and then what bits you might buy to add in and and just carve in a bit of time to go through your wardrobe as well because we don't do that enough you know that I know for me I've probably got I'm gonna go at like 70 % of the clothes in my wardrobe don't I don't wear them same because I don't know what to do with them I know that they're really nice because I've done a couple of detoxes recently if you haven't done that go through pull everything out try it on what does Maria Kondo say if it doesn't bring you joy yeah get rid of it and it's the same for clothes right so it's like you you really do need to be a bit more ruthless don't hang on to that jumper that you haven't worn for three years you know the jeans that are maybe slightly out of trend like you just need to be a bit ruthless with it yeah I really I don't know if it exists and I'm sure it does but I'd love someone to come around like a stylist but like a home star you know what I mean just a day-to-day pet like day-to-day stylist and go through and like go through my wardrobe and be like you don't need this you don't need that these are the same this goes with this.

13:52I don't know. We should do a giveaway on Mamas. Yeah. Let's try and find somebody. If someone wants to be part of this and you know somebody who's a home stylist and you want to do a little collaboration and then we could put it out as a competition and one of our lovely followers could have that for the day. Can I win? You cannot win. You're too close to the competition. Leave that with us. We'll be right back after this short break.

14:14Welcome back to this episode of Made by Mamas. Now, where were we? Okay, biggest tips going from one to two, especially dealing with guilt oh my god you and I both felt that a hundred percent how bad was that guilt I would sob yeah over my bump every night and I feel really ashamed of that because inside was kit yeah I know yeah god yeah I just thought it was going to completely bust apart the bond that I had with Luna I was devastated by it yeah and I were thick as thieves we did everything and then suddenly I was like oh my god there's going to be another baby there that's going to completely take it away and I want to say to this person the guilt will go really really fast it's okay for you to feel that now by the way we hear it it's normal to feel that we hold it yeah it's very normal and you you can't also possibly comprehend how your heart doubles in size and the love the abundance of love when baby number two comes along and you love them exactly the same equally and you carve out special time for your eldest and you have one-on-one time with a new baby and and it And seeing your two kids together will just take, it will vanish the guilt.

15:21It's the biggest gift you can give them as well. Like a sibling. Like I think it's so, it's lovely. I haven't got any siblings, so I never understood it. And it really did worry me a lot. But now obviously like I get it. But I do think there are lots of things you can do, like leading up to the second baby arriving to make your elder one feel so much more involved. and and like they sound really silly and small like small but I do think they work like for instance Axel Gigi bought Axel a present when she arrived right obviously she didn't but when he came to the hospital to see us there was a present from her and instantly like he was like happy and then there was loads of stuff in like the early days where I would probably have felt guilty but because we'd had people on the podcast who told us not to you know having a whole day watching Paw Patrol just on the sofa while you're you know cuddling the newborn but cuddling together that's actually really fun yeah for like a child like that those days are actually great you don't have to be doing all the stuff they will love like the fact that they're allowed to you know sit and eat cake on the sofa or whatever it is and like I would think of things like that that you can do rather than feeling guilty make those like slower days actually really nice for them Yeah, and make the eldest feel like their role with taking care of the new baby is paramount.

16:42You know, I think I, listen, I was dragged out of my cot, smashed my head on the floor, dragged across the floor because my sister was trying to put me in the dustbin. And I'm absolutely fine apart from a few weird kinks. But, you know, I think don't, you know, if you see, obviously, like if it's getting too rough and you're like, oh God, be careful of the baby, but try and let your eldest form a bond with the baby when it arrives you know helping with nappy changes and making them help heat up the milk or whatever it is you're doing together because then they just that you don't want them to feel like they're put to the side over there yeah and they won't be and also just in terms of like guests and stuff like I made it really clear to people like to speak to Axel first and then get him to introduce um his sister to like you know to them because yeah I don't know anyway I ask him now like does he remember any of it he he says things like oh do you remember when it was just us three that was great um he also says like we said to him before we got the puppy should we have another baby and he was like don't you dare you've ruined my life once don't do it again so i think there's always going to be a bit of fanfare as well ups and downs highs and lows ups and downs uh this is interesting um george what was the best and worst thing for you in 2025 oh god

18:07best thing googling divorce lawyers i haven't done that for a while um what is the best thing that happened in 2025 no you hate these questions you need a moment to think of something can you think can you go first Always, yeah. Thanks. The worst thing that happened in 2025 was, oh, I mean, let's not sugarcoat it. It's been a couple of hours at home. I definitely think that my relationship has been ups and downs, highs and lows in the last year. There have definitely been some big things that have come up between the two of us. We are aggressively ironing them out on force steam five. so I do think that like I don't think I think you're lying if you say that sometimes when the relationship isn't top that that doesn't bring you down but what's beautiful is that we are finding our way through it but some moments have been chaotic and crazy and that's been a bit scary in parts I think I've also had a bit of anxiety which I haven't really had before you know like when you get bad heart palpitations yeah and the stomach ulcer that yeah that was pretty that was pretty bad horrible wasn't it so I'd say they're the worst things the best things have been really really loving parenting do you know because let's be honest the first few years didn't love yeah um didn't love parts of it um so yeah I've really enjoyed spending time with with the three of them they're absolute legends I'm like I think I'm in the sweet spot so just remind me of this no I think we need to enjoy the sweet spot I totally do I think people don't talk about the nice bit enough because it is nice right now.

19:45It is good. It's amazing. DJing in Ibiza at Universe. Yes. And I tick box. Thanks very much. That is very cool. My kids still don't think I'm cool, but that was quite a cool moment.

20:00And like, you know, getting my really nice contract at the BBC. Yeah, lovely. Lovely. Yeah, great year. You, George? Right, personally, my parents are moving close by. That is like life-changing. um and it actually has been so nice like I joke all the time don't I about like oh you know I've got child care but I tell you what's been really nice randomly being able to go to B &M with my mum like just just going on let's like go for a mooch and just no no I know what it is now um like just silly things like that like on a Friday afternoon when I say oh I think I've like finished most of what I need to do for the week the kids are still at school let's go and do something honestly I love it I love love love love love it um I'd say the worst has been looking around secondary schools oh you haven't enjoyed that have you that has been a low like that is not how much of a ball ache is it no no it's not a ball ache for lots of people I just think it sent me into a tiz like genuinely it did like I was thinking what the hell I hate I hate all of this i'm not so much now like that now you've come out i've come out the other side and i've had a word with myself but i think that was pretty bad yeah yeah um and still yeah it does make me feel sick but that's more about the kids growing up i think that whole realization because axel's so young for his year no and i think i hadn't realized that before and then suddenly when they've just turned nine and you're having to go and look at secondary schools that feels like i can't believe that yeah because remember guys that luna and axel are only three weeks apart but they're in a completely different school year.

21:41And so you don't realise it until those moments. You know, I've crossed your legs for another week. I know. Well, no, it was already two weeks late. I couldn't do any more. What date was he born? Jesus Christ. 13th of August. Oh, no, you couldn't actually. I couldn't. No, I really couldn't. So that's, yeah, that's been a bit, you know, a lot. But I don't know, James is really good. James is happy. James is really happy. And I think he obviously changed career a few years ago. And I don't think I realized how much of a stress that actually was. Like we were like, oh, it's been great. The transition's been fine.

22:18And it had on paper been fine. But I don't think I realized how much he probably kept in and how much he, because he used to fly off the handle and like, he was just way more aggy. That's the only way I can describe it. Like he's aggy. And actually now he's not and it's great. But also I can't take the mickey out of him for being like Aggie or like, you know, it's weird. It's like a weird adjustment that he's like now quite chill. Georgia was like quietly penning these like poison pen letters. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I literally like writing lists of like, why isn't a bellend? And then now all of a sudden I'm like, oh, you're not doing any of these things anymore.

23:04I know I wanted that. Well, that's good. No, so actually this year's been a real positive in that respect. Like there's been lots of things that we definitely used to like butt heads over. And it worried me as well. Like I think you do get to a point. I've known James for 20 years. Surely we're entering a next chapter of your life now. Yeah, that's what I sort of think. Is that what you were thinking? Well, I was thinking like, God, I don't think we're even the same sort of people. Like we're like, you know, I'm one way, he's another way. like how are we ever going to be able to get to a good point?

23:38But I think that we have. Oh, George. And I think if anyone's listening to this who feels like that, then, you know, I mean, it can't always be solved, can it? But sometimes it can. Sometimes it can. Yeah. Love that. We'll be right back after this short break.

23:57Welcome back to this episode of Made by Mamas. Now, where were we? What are your goals for 2026?

24:07right i'm doing two months off the booze january february yeah i've got to do it i'm doing it it's gonna be really difficult i actually think it's gonna be do you georgia i am completely addicted to nicotine i've got a weird relationship with it i've never been i gave it up for like six years and i was like i've kicked you and now it's back with a vengeance with the vaping. Got to stop vaping. Yeah, you have got to stop vaping. It's a big admission. I went to see this doctor the other day to talk about my face and he was like, so you're a vaper. Is that what he said? How did he know that? You're a fucking liar.

24:44But I am. I'm a liar. I am a vaper. Did you say you're not? I can't. I don't know. You didn't. But how did he know? No, he knew. And I told him and he said, I can see it here with the barcodes. you know the like cotton um so i said what how can you sort that and he went stop vaping he said that's the most damaging thing alongside smoking that you could possibly do he said you're stripping you're dehydrating and he was like and also the damage to your lungs he really gave it to me and he's absolutely right and i've got to stop doing it as in i was thinking about it the other day and i think it's getting worse because i'd normally buy one of those lost i'm please don't judge me if you're listening to this because i'm really trying we're not judging you i know our listeners are not judging but I do feel bad about it.

25:28Do you want me to tell you something that's funny? You vape. No I don't vape. Remember when I was accused by my friend of leaving my vape in her house? Yeah.

25:40I definitely don't vape. One of my friend's mums was a real heavy smoker. Right. So she like used to smoke in the house we'd go around there we'd all be able to smoke in the house we thought it was great then she gave up smoking to take take up vaping instead fine lots of people do that to like wean themselves off of it now she's gone back to smoking so now she smokes and vapes oh god and then it's just a constant so now she's never not doing either of them so no judgments though there are like it happened like that is you know totally i think that is what happens it's normal it's so it's addictive and it's that's what it is no now listen i have been addicted to cigarettes in the past yeah this isn't this is a next level addiction is it a next level um it is the first thing i think about in the morning i take the vaping to the bathroom i didn't realize this i have never talked about it on the podcast because i'm ashamed oh don't be ashamed sometimes like we wake up and it's in between dozens of ass cheeks because i've fallen asleep with it in the bed and he's like what the fuck is this lost mary doing up there like that's how bad it's got and i would normally do a 6 000 lost mary in a week now it's like three days and i'm like what i've done 6 000 puffs in three days you know how many cigarettes that is they say it's two percent nicotine it's not it's much higher than that so i've just been completely hooked on it and now i've got to get off it i tried the hypnotherapy i fell asleep but it didn't work she went oh you went really deep and I was like no no I just had a kit for 40 minutes a day 250 quid for it so it's got to be cold turkey I'm a Scorpio I can do this but I need to do it so that's that's the first thing then I'm going to go two months off the drinking because I just think it will work together with me feeling really really great new year's resolutions uh I think to be honest with you that will be quite a big thing for me to deal with at the beginning of the year yeah that's enough I don't think you need to start piling anything I'll come back to you in March what the rest of the year looks like rehab what about you George what am I need to I want to continue being like a bit like into fitness but consistently because I think what I always do is like go in like really hard really unrealistic and I do something I don't like yeah so like I go to those like stupid classes where they make you throw tires and stuff What about the granny gym?

28:06I loved the granny gym. So that has eased me back in. And I still love the granny gym. But I think I've moved on from the granny gym. So I've actually got a Reforma Pilates bed at home. Oh my God, yes. Yeah, it's a rental. So you can rent them. It's£39 a week. So if you go to Reforma Pilates classes, it's way cheaper than that. Yeah, because that's like 32 quid a class, right? Yeah, well, I think a lot of them near me are 25. five so I think I worked out I don't love like really high intensity like I like running and that would be my cardio but I like the not slower but just a little more like stronger you know I prefer that feeling so I'm gonna sound like a fitter I'm gonna try and be really consistent with using the reformer okay because I think that'll be good for my mind and so I'm gonna to start you're going to start the year doing like a six week challenge they're doing one on their app and I'm gonna go in and do it because normally I'm like oh I'm not being a cliche I'm not starting a thing but I am gonna be a new year I'm just yeah I'm just gonna try and fit it into my routine okay this year I started taking collagen and electrolytes every day that was a small thing but I've been consistent yeah and this year I'm gonna just try and fit in maybe getting up in the morning and not sitting drinking a cup of tea looking out the window for an hour i might do half an hour and then get on the yeah and then half an hour drinking tea because you've got the time to do it in that slot i have got time i just sit look out the window the fuck are you looking at i know nothing it's pitch black i can't see a thing imagine i just got this amazing scene with george with their collagen just staring out no no that is the issue and once a deer came up to the window and that has been like the biggest action all year.

29:57Move you lazy bitch.

30:03Yeah. She was judging me. She was judging you. She was taunting you from the window. She was. Get up fatty. Yeah, get up. What are you doing? Oh God. That is so funny. Okay, let's check back in in March on how they're going. How's it going? Right, let's do some more. Oh, what's the episode this year that stayed with you the most?

30:27yeah definitely oh my god don't touch it it's a bit dirty what yeah i used it when's the last time you used it in the car on the way here do you want to see what is it wiped it oh what is it it's the dyson yeah but what brand is it it's a crave yeah do you guys know what we're talking about dr tara dr tara when she got her dildo out of her bag and wiped it in front of her after telling us she'd used it in the car on the way here and she was 15 minutes late. I cannot work out whether she was driving or whether she had a driver. So many questions. So I think because it's silent, she had a driver and she was doing it in the back.

31:11But then imagine the orgasm really, really quietly, just not being able to say a word. It's like you and Labour. Yeah.

31:25that's George giving birth I forgot about that yeah remember you were like I think at that point you were into Scientology and you didn't tell us yeah I must have been because when George gave birth she did not make a sound no no sound she was pushing and they were going you could push George and she was going yeah no literally no literally like a little rodent James is like it was the oddest thing he's ever seen in his life he's like I didn't really know if you were passed out or what was going on because you just made no reaction. And then Tom Cruise just popped up. Well done, Georgia. Were you trying to not make a noise?

32:06I think when I'm in pain or in general, like if something's bad, I go in and I just zone myself out. That must have been what I was doing. And I have a sucky, fizzy suite, right? And I must have had so many of them, I burnt, like there must have been the acid in my throat because I couldn't speak after. Or maybe it's because you were going, in the back of your throat. Poor George. Maybe. Who knows? I'm not going to do that again. So were there any other podcasts that stood out? There's been loads that I feel like we've taken stuff away from where we've been like, wow. Like the one with Esther who wrote Sophie Says.

32:48You know, when you hear like those stories, I think, well, obviously we know suicide happened, but when you've got someone who's sitting in front of you who says, you know, we never thought it would happen to our family. Like all of those episodes, they're obviously so sad, but they do make you re-evaluate stuff. You go away and you think, oh my God, you know, I was moaning about this or I was doing, you know, come on. Like they do really make you re-evaluate. and also like we go go on about like parenting our kids and oh we want them to get an A in maths or da da da and then you realize that's not important no it's happiness it is and all we should be doing is teaching our kids how to be happy and like look after their brains what's been the hardest phase of parenting so far and why that's from Emma uh going to look at secondary schools get over it george no before that um i know um different with different kids would you say that definitely yeah because newborn stage with ggi i loved loved loved loved loved like with axel not so much oh what we had a great no we did but it was definitely more like like I didn't feel relaxed.

34:07I'll never forget that day that we were walking down to the park, Montpellier, and we met up with Judgey, Judgey James. And it was winter, like zero degrees. And we were so sort of flustered and new to the whole thing that we would regularly forget stuff, the milk, you know, items of clothing, hats, whatever else. And you that day forgot Axel's socks. Socks, yeah. Do you remember? Yeah. Do you remember? I always used to forget his socks. That was like my thing. So his little pink feet were just hanging out. He just had no socks on. And James was like, where are his socks? Yeah. Yeah. Do you remember?

34:40Yeah. I remember thinking, oh, shut up. Shut up. Shut up, you prick. No, no. No, but there's moments, isn't there, where you're really trying to keep all of these balls in the air. And if you actually just get out of the house and make a walk or meet up with a friend for a coffee, that feels like a major achievement. Yeah. think back to those really beautiful newborn days yeah in hindsight now I I definitely think I rushed kit too much really I have a little bit of regret around that because I think it's difficult with your second yeah you can't really do what you did with your first like it was a very different experience you know with Luna I breastfed her till I did three months I was very proud of myself but I was off for another three months after that because I tried to go back to work and it was too much I had six months off with her and it was just her and I and Dozzer would come back from training and it was really beautiful it was really simple it was clean living fresh air me and you building this beautiful time hang out very slow it was slow yeah that is not our reality now so I really really hang on to that moment um with Kit it was eight weeks and I was back trying to work and juggle everything and I just I think I've been knackered ever since yeah yeah yeah I don't What stage do you think has been the hardest?

35:59Because I think with Gigi, she was a really good little baby and then horrific toddler. Right. Like horrific. Yeah. I found that really hard because she still now actually is not someone who can be taught round. No. And I find, I think that actually the phase I found the hardest is when you realize they're two separate people and you can't do what you did with one with the other. That has been the hardest adjustment. and the hardest phase for me because it's not one size fits all. It's like with Axel, like as a toddler, I could, you know, turn him around, you know, like I could distract him. Yeah.

36:38With her, no way. Not a chance. Zero. And that was a hard phase. Yeah. I find the level of expectation from my kids quite difficult. Do you? They, especially Kip, he's got a touch of the doors, that things aren't quite good enough, even though he has everything. and I'm constantly saying to him, you know, he's so competitive. Everything has to be, if it's not 10 out of 10 or if he feels, you know, then it's like it's not quite right. And so even things, I don't know if this happens with yours, but I got him a new skin, football skin, and it's a size eight. He's seven, so I thought I'll get a size eight.

37:11It's a bit big for him, a bit long in the sleeves. Just fold them up. No. Flipped out. I don't want to fold my sleeves up. I said, just fold them up. It's too big. you've bought and I thought why how are you talking to me like that you know and I try I just basically left the rooms like you have zero respect for me you're incredibly ungrateful and I've had enough of it I was really really angry on Sunday because I thought I'm off to work I'm slogging my guts out I've got your new top and you're still moaning about it and he does it with everything I don't want to wear my wellies to the park what is it with kids and wellies they don't want to wear the fucking wellies yeah it's like some mud bath out there I know you know and so what did I do we got him done the park in his wellies and he was kicking off and he wouldn't walk this was last week by the way so I ran back to the car to get his trainers and then ran back and then had to I did the whole walk carrying his muddy wellies under my coat that I just washed and I thought I've done this to myself I should have just said get on with it but he won't yeah get on with it yeah yeah and I think we say it all the time don't we as they get older like the they can trigger you more can't they so like you know when they're younger we talk about tantrums and like all the sleep like sleep and all that being but actually you're in control of a lot of it yeah right when they get older you're not in control of so much of it and there is nothing like there is probably is stuff you can do but there isn't really is there and it I think that is such a hard adjustment to realize you're not like like what can you do about like how are you supposed to teach them to be grateful other than doing what you already do like how are you meant to do that I know I know and the constant bickering between Luna and Kit at the moment.

38:47Yeah, we have that. Pushing, shut up. They speak to each other so badly sometimes and I think, where's this come from? You know, they used to be quite close and they're definitely going through a period where they're irritating each other. So they're tired and irritable and I'm sure lots of people listening to this podcast will have kids that are tired and irritable at the moment. Yeah, they do. I think we've said it before and I'm sure if you go back and listen to podcasts at this stage of the year, we're always like they're crawling to the end of the year and everything is so dramatic. Yeah, I definitely see.

39:17Like, I mean, Axel just eye rolls Gigi. Like, I want him to have respect for her. Like, do you know what I mean? But at the moment, he's just like, ugh, like, seriously. Get her away from me. Grow up. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Mr. Mature. Yeah, like, oh, God, she's so silly. And it's, yeah, it's not nice to watch. No, it's not. Should we just do one more? Yeah, let's. what's your go-to to reset when you're overwhelmed well this might sound a bit woo-woo but I have learned a new breathing technique which is really helping with my overwhelm and anxiety at the moment and it goes like this so apparently this is the quickest way to calm your nervous system down if you're feeling it and it's a breath work breath work exercise and it's really simple so you take a big deep breath in through your nose but when you take you go like this

40:10so it's a small breath through the nose carry on big big big fill the lungs up and then I do three breaths like that before and before I go to sleep and I'm out because sometimes I get a bit of the anxiety that comes at the end of the day and I lie in bed and I feel a bit and first thing in the morning so I've been doing that exercise and it's been really helping me um going for a walk being out in nature get outside in nature I absolutely love it as soon as I feel a bit like ah I just get the dog on me just go walking yeah um and maybe having like a really beautiful conversation with the best mate yeah yeah yeah what about you um I going for a walk not about nature it's about coffee um um and fresh air also writing a list I know it sounds weird but like writing what is like what actually is why am I feeling overwhelmed and then I write it like all the things I need to do.

41:04And I think sometimes all the little bits and bobs that are like in your head, they don't go until you've done them. Totally. But if you write them down, then they are kind of gone because they're there in front of you. And while the list can sometimes make you feel more overwhelmed, at least you know you're not trying to remember stuff because it's there. And also, this sounds so like basic, but as we know, I'm an aura bore. What's an aura bore? Aura ring bore. Oh, yeah. I'm obsessed with sleep. and I have noticed if I have a bath before I go to bed, I sleep so much better. Do you? Yeah. So I have a bath nearly every night, like no matter what, even if it's like three minutes.

41:44An Aura Ball. An Aura Ball. Yeah, I am. I really am. You sexy minx. No, I'm an Aura Ball. I'm an Aura Ball, yeah. Oh, my God, my best friend, she's getting an Aura Ring because she says to her husband that they can't have sex at night because she gets too overstimulated and she can't sleep. And he doesn't believe her, so she said she's going to get an aura ring to show him the correlation. So she's too hyped up after their sex sessions to sleep. That's what we just said. That is the best excuse I've ever heard. So she's like, so basically I'm going to get a ring to show him that it affects my sleep too much.

42:22That's brilliant. Answers on a postcard if you've ever come up with a more ridiculous reason and not to shag your husband. And on that note, we will say goodbye for this week's podcast. Thank you so much for sending in all of your amazing questions. As always, we'd love you to rate, review, subscribe and please get the podcast to follow. Yeah, and if you've got any feedback on this episode or topics you'd like us to cover, drop us a DM on Instagram. We're on at Made by Mamas and we'll be back on Tuesday.