When strangers and friends make comments to me that they don't know how I do it with three kids, I always say “Its not that much harder than two kids”. Three kids is a whole new ball game but for reasons such as changing your car to accommodate the additional baby seat rather than life in general becoming tougher. I don't know but my girls were very easy babies and having three so close in age wasn't really a huge transition...

When Cara Lily was born, Arabella and Isla Rose had each other to play with so there was no guilty feelings when I sat on the couch for hours breastfeeding. A huge advantage for me was that both girls were in childcare so they had a very set routine and that didn't change. I understand not everyone can afford to send their kids to childcare while they are at home on maternity leave but I am 100% sure this is the reason for my easy transition into baby no 3 and also enjoying those one on one cuddles without the madness and noise that the others might bring!

Arabella, being our first child , lived the first 26 months of her life with the undivided attention of my husband and I. We doted on her, marvel over every new achievement, play, paint, craft and sing with her. Baby No 2 arrived and there’s an inevitable downturn in attention that can be heaped on the first. The first is generally unimpressed with that change of events, but slowly adjusts. I remember when Arabella came to collect me from the hospital , it was the first time in 26 months of her life that I witnessed any kind of jealously. This lasted for about 2 days and then she was back to her normal caring little self. 

By the time Cara Lily arrived,  Arabella had adjusted to sharing the limelight with Isla Rose. The world never revolved around Isla Rose the way it did with her, she barely batted an eyelid at the arrival Cara Lily. 

I definitely made some mistakes the first time around, manly leaving the room to breastfeed and suiting other peoples schedules. By the time Isla Rose arrived, there was no way I would leave my cosy living room to breastfeed because visitors arrived. The most important lesson of all , never suit anyone else's schedule. I found that if visitors arrived unexpectedly at bedtime, I would immediately accommodate them rather than continuing my own bedtime schedule. Obviously mayhem ensued afterwards as we tried to put exhausted children to bed...

With the first baby you feel the need to entertain them, so you drag them to lots of classes that they don't need to attend, the pool for baby swim lessons, to baby sensory classes or baby massage! The second child goes to the odd class. The third baby has outings to the supermarket! When you get to the third baby you’ve given up trying to engage them all of the time, you relax and enjoy them as babies. You don’t feel stressed about finding the best swim instructor, in a warm pool with small class sizes. You take the days slower. This is so so important because those days are gone in the blink of an eye.

With the first child , there’s plenty of time for one parent to have some time to themselves. With the second child, you’re both pretty much occupied all of the time.  When the ratio becomes 2:3, it's important to have 'me' time, meet friends, escape to the shops, have a spa day ..... My husband is great for this, he enjoys his hobbies such as football so we work as a great team when it comes to alone time.

Never turn help down, grandparents or the young girl who offers to baby sit. One of the changes I've made is getting Saturday help. It might sound extreme but why not ? It allows me to get things done, It allows the older two to play outside when Cara Lily naps, its allows trip to the cinema and swimming pool with an extra helping hand if my husband is working. It allows me to cook and clean. Parenting is hard work 24/7 and there is absolutely no shame in accepting help.

Coachella Style 2019 //

Californian music festival Coachella is considered one of the hottest tickets on the festival and celebrity circuit for a slew of reasons, not the least of which is its stellar location. The music festival is held in celebrity ground zero, California, making it almost too easy for Hollywood’s hottest to attend. And, since its inception in 1999, it has evolved into more than just a festival for music lovers. It’s now also a place for fashion lovers to show off their best ‘festival fashion’ and get wardrobe inspiration from their favourite celebrities, who love posting daily Coachella outfit snaps almost more than they love posting selfies. 

Coachella Season is upon us!!

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter //

The future of make up arrived in 2018 but it's taken me this long to hop on board. I was unsure as to what this product actually was but this customisable, hybrid complexion booster is quite unlike anything I've tried before. It offers the imperfection-blurring benefits of a primer, the mega-watt glow of a highlighter and the unbeatably perfecting properties of your favourite photographic filter. In seven versatile shades, you can wear it under, over or instead of foundation, or mix it with your favourite base products for a beautiful boost. Ms. Tilbury herself calls it ‘the ultimate high gloss, high glow celebrity skin filter in a bottle’ – and as the make up artist to the stars, she should know!

Tilbury, who is obsessed with all things Hollywood, wanted to create a product that would imitate the soft filter look that old movie stars perfected. It's like a highlighter, but far sheerer and shinier.

You can mix it with your best base products or use it under, over or instead of foundation, or dotted onto the areas you want to glow the brightest.

I use beneath foundation as a primer, along tops of the cheekbones, down the nose, above the cupid’s bow as a highlighter or go ‘mega-watt’ and wear it all over, erasing any imperfections for a fresh, glossy, all-over-glow! If you are blessed with perfect skin, you could easily wear it on its own.

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter is available at charlottetilbury.com for £30

Adare Manor, the romantic Victorian mansion in County Limerick, Ireland, isn’t a stranger to reinvention. It began life as Adare House. A century later,  the 2nd Earl of Dunraven and his wife, Lady Caroline, suggested that he transform their home into an estate in the Neo-Gothic style, garnished with lancet arches and heraldic tapestries. The construction took over thirty years, but the resulting castle was extraordinary enough to remain largely unaltered from the 3rd Earl to the 7th, who sold the family seat in the 1980s. 

Adare's most recent renovation was completed this spring after two years of construction.  The castle was already a luxury hotel when the Irish racehorse tycoon J. P. McManus bought it in 2015 for a reported 30million euro. However, McManus’s plans included a substantial addition to the existing castle, built in the same architectural style with local limestone, and a world-class golf course that will make a bid to host the Ryder Cup in 2026. 

When we arrive for our stay the atmosphere is busy and formal, and as we’re taken to our room, the halls are full of people like ourselves searching for some much needed relaxation. Our suite has a sitting room with bay windows and a marble fireplace. There are books of Irish poetry on the nightstands and a yawning tub in the bathroom. All of the windows look out on the river. Each room is individually designed and decorated with ornate cornices, vaulted ceilings and mahogany furniture modelled on 19th century Georgian antiques. You will find soft creams and golds exuding opulence and comfort, a Victorian slipper bath overlooking the manicured gardens and a rainfall shower big enough for two. Oh and Acqua di Parma toiletries generously dotted throughout…

The Gallery is an exquisite space that was once the Dunraven family’s favourite room with its ornate design, gothic inspired oak carvings and breathtaking original stained glass windows it is now being fully utilised as the ultimate dining space. Afternoon tea and breakfast are both served in this stunning room, opening up the space to non residents should you wish to indulge in the Manor’s copious amount of pastries which are all made in house and baked fresh everyday.
After eating for a couple of hours, we took a much needed bike ride around the spectacular grounds to explore the multi million pound mansions! Bikes are free of charge which is a lovely touch. 

Prices for this unforgettable Afternoon Tea experience start from €55 and Executive Pastry Chef Xavier Torne and his team have ensured every detail of this ultimate treat have been refined to the highest standards. 

The main restaurant at the castle is The Oak Room, which looks exactly as it sounds—an elegant clutch of tables surrounded by wood panelling, the upper walls covered with green Irish wool. Head chef Michael Tweedie ensures this is fine dining at its best, the menu an impressive reflection of the abundance of top quality produce. Contemporary and innovative even in the layout, there are flexible options of mixing and matching dishes from the five course menu which starts at €90 per person – and it is worth every single cent.

I think the pool (above), spa and changing areas are too small for a 104-bedroom hotel of this calibre. They are perfectly plush, but the La Mer spa has just five treatment rooms, the pool is no bigger than a plunge pool and the sauna has a single bench (when I swim, the water is on the chilly side, too). I understand the spatial constraints between the historic house and River Maigue, but given the spend lavished elsewhere, these facilities feel too hemmed-in for purpose. 

B&B ranges from €500 per night for a Classic King and €595 for a Deluxe to €1,450 for a Dunraven Stateroom and €2,250 for a Signature Suite.

Call (061) 605200 or see adaremanor.com.