On Friday 21st June I packed a bag and headed of with my baby girl LA to London Town, to the big scary Brit Mums live, where along with onedad3girls and babberblog I would be a newbie.
When me and LA arrived at the brewery I felt like turning tail and running I could really feel my natural fight or flight instinct kicking in. With the support from Onedad3girls and this day I love I made it inside, registered and found myself in the hub.
The hub was totally, utterly daunting there were so many people any everyone seemed as if they knew everyone else. After meeting Babberblog and standing talking for a while, perhaps the weirdest experience of the whole weekend happened-A journalist wanted to borrow LA for a photo shoot with Babberblog and onedad3girls I said yes and Saturday morning my gorgeous baby girl appeared in not 1 but 2 national newspapers! Then one of my favourite experiences of the weekend happened a lovely lady came running up to me and before giving me one of the best cwtch’s I have ever had said “you don’t know me yet but I’m going to hug you’ it was the lovely The boy and me . We then made our way upstairs to listen to the keynote speech by Kirstie Allsop of location location location fame. She was particularly funny and open during the questions and answers session.
I then stayed in the same room for the brand panel debate, I didn’t really understand a lot of what was being talked about but I don’t really think it was aimed at beginners.
Then it was back to the hub for coffee and biscuits this was where at long last I met the fabulous Eliza from mommatwo and shared long awaited hugs.
I then decided to go to the media pack session but LA had other ideas so I met up with mr M&TTT & the boys who’d been sight seeing in London Town and headed back to the hotel to get changed and leave LA with her Daddy and Brothers before heading back to the brewery for the bib awards.
At the awards I sat with Onedad3girls, theboyandme, Jenny from mummy mishaps and twopointfourchi unfortunately I forgot my camera and couldn’t get a very good shot on my iPhone but I found the sequinned number that the awards host was wearing erm, well lets just say I think she was wearing it for a bet!
After the bibs I went for a meal that had been organised by Jenny with 22 other bloggers, it was a fun but very tiring night that I with blog about separately, but what I will say is what a brilliant organiser Jenny was getting us all in the right place at the right time.
Saturday morning I decided as it was raining to get a cab to the brewery ( I was also running late and hungry). I had a look around the delegate stands whilst me and LA ate waffles then we headed upstairs to listen to the keynote speaker the lovely Katie piper who has survived so much, listening to her courage, and bravery in the face of adversity I’m not ashamed to say I cried!
I went to other sessions during the day but to be totally honest I can’t remember that much about them, because I was either concentrating on LA, totally star struck by the speakers or the fact that I was sat behind Katy Hill, yes Katy Hill from Blue Peter!!!!!
What I did take away from Saturday was an overwhelming feeling of community, I have to admit I still stuck to who I’d met the day before and almost always ended up with Eliza and her wonderful husband Alex, babberblog, the boy and me or onedad3girls. I think I was actually able to learn more outside the sessions than actually in them (no concentration, that was my problem at school).
The final key notes of the day were read by Katy hill and some bloggers reading popular posts, these included a tribute to Matilda Mae and was finished with a tribute to Kerry from multiple mummy, who unfortunately I didn’t know but it was very emotional and made me cry when the whole room sang Katy perry’s firework.
To summarise Brit mums live I’d say it was knackering, emotional, educational but above all it was fun! I met some amazing people over those 2 days and I met some people who I hope will be friends for life! Most importantly I met not just any celebrity I met the main man THE BOY from theboyandme and he is so adorably cute!
Will I be back next year???? Hell yeah! I brought my ticket Sunday afternoon only 356 days to go!