Not Yet a Yummy Mummy

Silent Sunday

2013-02-24T08:26:00.001Z

The Gallery, Boys

2013-02-21T20:31:00.000Z

They love;

Puddle jumping

Running in the woods

Rough and tumbles with daddy

Baking and sticking with mummy

Kisses and cuddles

Bath Time and

They're silly cocker spaniel

But most of all, they love being

These are my boys. The Le-bon Boys. My world.

The gallery is hosted by the lovely Tara over at Sticky Fingers. For more enties or to find out more click on the link below

Let The Bonding Begin

2013-02-17T22:38:00.001Z

After writing my last emotional post I felt an immediate sense of relief. I said out loud how I was truly feeling and it felt good. Thanks to all your comments and of course Twitter, I now feel like I have an army of support. Instead of drowning in guilt I have a renewed sense of focus and the energy once again, to zoom in and out.

It seems I'm not alone. I'm not the only mum who is struggling with a child with glue ear. I don't need to be banished to the "rubbish parent camp" and i'm not completely inadequate for my lack of those inate maternal bonds, every parenting book and course describes.

You've made me realise, I'm not depressed, I do love my son but right now I'm finding things tough. Looking after a difficult baby and meeting the demands which go with it, is hard work and can understandably affect the way we feel about each other. As with the reflux he had in infancy, it's not life threatening and he will eventually grow out of it. If we're to stay afloat and beat the current, we need to keep Thomas as comfortable as possible and work that bit harder at trying to understand him and make his little world a happier place to be.

The past few days have bought about a change in him too. Maybe a reflection of how I'm feeling or possibly and more probably linked to the fact his recent hearing test indicated although his right ear is still fluid filled, his left is now clear. I said before a switch had flicked in me but likewise it seems the same has happened to him. He squeals with excitement when he hears a ciren and frantically hangs out his pushchair looking for the source. He's interacting and engaging with us more and intently observing and repeating our every word. Baby babble of course, he's not yet of an age to hold a converations but as so far we've barley heard anything but crying from him, it's wonderful.

Another thing we've noticed, is the permanent attachment of all things noisy to his left ear. It made us sad. We assumed it was because of the deafness he was experiencing but apparantly not. It's actually because he can now hear the sounds the objects are making. His hearing test indicated he's compensating the hearing loss on his right and can now hear quite clearly. The test was more conclusive as with each and every sound Thomas heard he was so over excited he kicked his legs and in turn the audiologist. She said it made for an easy test and one that dramatically differed from his previous test six weeks prior.

She also felt his constant crying and dsitress could be linked to what older children with the condition describe as a "shut in" sensation, caused by dulled hearing, a feeling not too disimilar to being under water. With one ear clear, although still an obvious annoyance on the right, the ability to hear as helped him reconnect with the world around him and us the people who love and cherish him.

We've had a far more enjoyable week, full of cuddles, kisses and smiles. We've concentrated on engaging Thomas in the things he loves and of course setting time aside for the prince (William) who all too often gets forgotten in the Chaos.

That's a post for another time though. For now we, The Le-bons, want to say a very big thank you to each and every peson who has offered advice, support or kind words of encouragement and support. It's definitley not going to be plain sailing but at least for now we know what we're up against. The good days we'll ebrace and the bad, well, on the advice of the audiologist, we'll wear ear plugs!

Donna.........x

The Flood Gates are Open

2013-02-10T22:26:00.000Z

I've spent the day deliberating whether or not to publish this post. This space was initially created to keep a journal of my family but like so many, I soon realised that blogging offered a whole lot more. A community of people who love, support and genuinely care for one another. Through the good times, sharing ingenious ways to survive parenthood and keep our broods, fed watered and entertained and when times are tough, providing a life jacket of love and support to keep us afloat.

I've been distant for a while or "in hiding" as I like to put it but a recent call from my sister prompted me to reconnect with a community I have desperately missed. She wanted me to know there had been another tragedy. A nine month young baby girl had died. Jennie @Edspire and her family are enduring every families worst nightmare. The death of their beautiful baby, Matilda Mae. I now know why they call it a heavy heart. I switched on my computer and felt my heart sink.

I read each and every heart rendering post and felt overwhelmed with grief and emotion for a heart broken mummy. I read the words through blurry eyes as tears tumbled down my face and bounced off my jumper. I know her honest, beautiful words are touching the hearts of the nation but since I shed my first tear, I've barely stopped. At first I thought nothing of it. Never have I read such raw emotion. I cannot imagine any parent reading with dry eyes. But I soon realised, for me it had flicked a switch. The flood gates were open.

It's no secret to those closest to me that I've struggled to bond with Thomas. As I continue to read Jennies grief stricken words, I'm filled with both overwhelming sadness for her tragic loss and guilt. An unimaginable, unbearable amount of guilt. Guilt that I do not feel for Thomas, the way she clearly does for her children. That the unconditional love and adoration that comes with being a parent just isn't there. Every fibre of my being wants to love my baby boy the way every mother should. It's so difficult when his tears do not stop and I, his mummy can not soothe or comfort him. I have no idea how to connect with him. How to reassure him that i'm fighting to find out what causes him so much distress and that I love him. Occasionally we have fleeting moments when he kisses or cuddles me or makes me smile with his dancing but for the best part I feel exasperated, frustrated and quite honestly broken.

The doctors neither seem to know, agree or what seems like care about why our boy is so unhappy. He has glue ear and they have put it down to this. I accept it could be PND which is affecting my ability to bond with him. It would be silly of me to dismiss it. It would certainly account for my low mood, anxiety and short fuse. It's only when I see my poor husband desperately struggling with him also that I'm inclined to think the problem may be more to do with him than me. That my emotions are reactions to constantly living in a stressful environment instead of a mis diagnosis of depression and that his fretful cries stem from a undiagnosed health problem rather than being related to having a depressed mummy. Either way we need to know and try to do something about it.

I'm a nurse. At work I'm kind, caring and compassionate. I lead in a focused, calm and pro active manner. I'm passionate, determined and happy. I'm resourceful and confident and take time to listen and learn. This is the person I should be at home with my family. Surrounded by the most important people in my world. Things have to change for us and if I have to knock on every door in London I will. Until we work out what is dividing our family and severing those vital bonds we so desperately long for.

Jennie I can not convey in words, how utterly devastated I am for you. I understand why you continue to blog through your darkest hours and admire your ability to do so, with such compassion and kindness for others. I hope you find comfort and solace from a family of people who genuinely care for you and feel your pain. I hope also that you understand why I needed to write this.

Beautiful Matilda Mae, may you rest in peace with the angels and light the skies with your gorgoeus smile and Thomas, my beautiful baby boy, know that I will work to get us through this.

To those of you who welcomed me back today @mummyandbeastie @mummydaddyme, @dear_beautiful_ @jessies_kitchen @sahmlovingit @twopointfourchi thank you for doing so without question or judgement. It's so nice to be back.

Donna....x

Baby Gifts You'll Want to Buy

2012-11-19T21:51:00.000Z

I was recently contacted by Dawn, mum of three, with number four on the way and owner of a small family run business. Always in awe of any mum who can manage school runs, bottles, nappies and a run a business I was happy to help spread the word about her lovely website.

Jellybabys is an on line baby gift store working with many fabulous brands to supply everything from clothes and accessories to nappy cakes and toys. I personally love the gift box sets. Often rightfully accused of being indecisive, they completely take the stress out of choosing a gift. They look very personal and cater for all budgets.

And what about this gorgeous play suit? I scarcely hear people disagree when I grumble about the lack of choice when it comes to boys clothes. Trying to find them without slogans or cartoon characters plastered all over them is a never ending mission for mums like me.

It's a bit different to what Thomas usually wears but the moon-crater spots, teamed with bright stripes makes for a super cute look. It's made from GOTS certified organic cotton, which in simple terms means it doesn't contain contain any allergenic, carcinogenic or toxic chemicals, even the poppers are nickle free. Its better for our little ones delicate skin and also helps save our environment, supports farmers and helps in the fight against animal cruelty. What do you think? It got the definite thumbs us from us.

It really is one of the many perfect gifts Jellybabys has to offer. Thomas loved this UglyDoll too. Made from soft felt it was immediately popped in his mouth and even made it into his cot.

So ladies and gents, there you have it. If you're looking for a baby gift you now know where to go

Happy shopping

Donna....x

Happy Birthday Gramps

2012-11-16T21:31:00.002Z

This week we've been utterly blessed to have Gramps to stay. We've had adventures on the bus, train and underground, exploring the Science and Army Museum, trips to the park and play dates at soft play. The best day by far though was Wednesday, as it was Gramps birthday. William came running out of his room shouting "Gramps, the clocks yellow and it's Wednesday and it's your birthday!" before bursting into an excited rendition of Happy Birthday. He opened all his cards, followed by all his presents and was delighted to show him the "pirate pants" he picked out by himself after seeing gramps in his underpants and blurting out "see mummy he do need new pants!"

Auntie Carol and Cousin Andy then popped over for a cup of tea with the birthday boy and whilst they were here we had a special delivery from Bakerdays.....a gorgeous letterbox cake. A new product innovation from Bakerdays designed to be posted and drop safely onto the mats of your family and friends. It’s the right size to fit through the letterbox so you don’t have to worry about someone being in to take delivery. Small enough to fit through the letter box but large enough to celebrate the biggest occasions, including our very special Gramps, this sweet little package made us all smile.

Packed in beautiful little tin to keep it fresh, complete with candles, balloons, a card and party horn, it really was a unique gift and Gramps loved that we had a photo of him and his boys printed on it. If you haven't heard of them before then click here. We honestly can't recommend them enough. Not only did the cake look lovely but most importantly it tasted delicious. There were five flavour options and we opted for the madeira. We shared it between six of us and even Thomas managed to grab a piece and let out a "yum yum" which made us all laugh. William of course blew out the candle for Gramps!

We ended the day with a trip to the play park and saved enough time to stop in at the butchers to pick up some essentials for Gramps birthday supper, his ultimate favourite sausage and mash. With the boys worn out and safely tucked up in bed we settled down to a well earned glass of red and yummy supper.

Thank you Gramps for a wonderful week. We appreciate your love and support more than you'll ever know and love you very much...... and in the words of William "we love nanny too!"

Donna...x

Treating Pain & Fever in Children

2012-09-13T21:59:00.001+01:00

I know i'm not alone in saying that my little cheeky monkeys always seem to be ill. From cough and colds, to teething and temperatures. Last year I wrote this post about my concerns regarding my use of over the counter pain relief medications for William. I used to always use paracetamol and if considered ill enough, would resort to Nurofen. I genuinely felt like he was weaned on Calpol.

That was until he ended up in A and E with a temperature of 40 with an unknown cause. Initially they were considering the worst, possibly meningitis and were organising a lumbar puncture and blood tests. Luckily for us a very experienced consultant was on duty and eventually determined he had a sore throat, difficult to establish in a tiny tot who refused to say aaaahh. With an identified cause for his high temperatures we were discharged home with some excellent advise from the consultant.

As a nurse and mummy, I'm always keen to learn more about a child health and we got talking about how to best manage pain relief and fevers in children. Her advice was clear. Nurofen works in just 15 minutes, quicker than any other pain relief treatments. It lasts for 8 hours, 2 hours longer than paracetamol and also has anti-inflammatory properties which is useful for treating problems associated with inflammation like ear ache and teething. She advised that paracetamol can often be over used as it doesn't always relieve the symptoms or last as long as ibuprofen. She agreed it most definitely has a place but should not be considered the only option for babies as young as 3 months (over 5kgs) onwards.

Click for more Information

I changed my approach and and have not looked back since. By opting for Nurofen when my children have illness associated with inflamation and fever, I stopped the frequent use of paracetamol. I also now consider if in fact they need anything at all. Yes, I confess in the past to have been one of those mums who on occasions gave my grisly baby some calpol, just in case they were teething. Now I check their temperature, observe for clinical signs and only treat if I genuinely think it's necessary.

So why I am telling you this? Many of you may have heard of of Dr Hilary Jones. Recently he has been working on a campaign with Nurofen to help parents use pain relief medicines more effectively to treat their child’s pain and fever symptoms. The aim of the campaign is to dispel common myths and better educate parents on two of the most common pain relieving medicines. New figures released on the 6th August 2012 reveal the majority of parents need to stop and consider if the type of medicine they give their child is truly the most suitable treatment. It seems we're all aware of the use of paracetamol but are not really clear on how or when to use Nurofen.

As part of the campaign they have put together a useful educational video featuring Dr Hilary Jones. It's aimed at helping parents make an informed decision about which type of medicine to use. You can check it out here

Well sadly with Autumn fast approaching those coughs and colds are just around the corner, so if you have a spare five minutes take a quick look at the video and let me know what you think. You can also click on the link above for more information from the Nurofen website. It's packed with information about common ailments, products and the ever important dosing guide.

One thing I will say from personal experience is you may want to avoid some of the cheaper brands of ibuprofen preparations. I taste everything I give to my children and some of the super market own brands equivalents taste vile. One brand I tried totally put Thomas off taking medicine. This proved to be extremely difficult when he cut his incisor teeth first. Now he happily takes the strawberry flavour Nurofen, though of course, William being William prefers the orange flavour. Luckily for me they do both.

This is not in any way a sponsored post. The only thing I get from writing this is the knowledge that I've shared the information so you can make an informed decision about how to treat your little ones when they're unwell

Donna...x

Silent Sunday

2012-09-09T10:58:00.001+01:00

Best Friends

2012-08-07T15:39:00.001+01:00

When I saw the theme for this weeks, See it, Snap it, Love it, was Best Friends, over on at Dear Beautiful Boy's Blog, I had to join in.

This week, like many, we have spent a lot of time with Williams very best friend, Harry. They met when they were three months old and have been inseparable since. They both have shy aspects of their personalities but together they are formidable. They seem to draw strength from the comfort of knowing the other is by their side, which instils a confidence only really seen when they are a double act.

Their mischievous nature always makes me giggle and when they asked for the first time for the grown ups to go away so they could play with the train set by themselves, it reinforced what I already knew, they are growing up. They are no longer babies or even toddlers, the "Princes" are now young boys. I have really enjoyed watching their little friendship blossom over the last three years and I can not wait to watch them grow some more.

William and Harry (AKA, The Princes)

All wrapped up after a bath with their beloved Lion and MiMi

Best Friends

For more entries or to enter yourself, click on the badge at the top of the post.

Donna.................x

Red Hot Fun

2012-08-03T20:02:00.001+01:00

Thomas sleeps from 09:30 -12:00 and again in the afternoon. Although this is good for him, recently I have felt that William is not getting quite the attention he deserves. These days he's so good at entertaining himself I often leave him to it and enjoy the time to get on with the washing and cleaning. Now i've got my mojo back I decided this has to change. I'm making a concerted effort to use the first hour of nap time to quickly tidy over and get showered, dressed etc.. then the last hour and a half is all about William.

I'm not the most creative person and have spoken many times about how I lack direction when it comes to play, so decided to take inspiration from the lovely ladies over at Science Sparks and attempt a little science.

I honestly never thought making a super simple volcano could provide so much fun. I started by showing William a clip of a volcano erupting on You Tube as I wasn't sure if he knew what one was. Then came the fun bit. I'm not very good at following directions as I never read them properly, but this was so simple even I couldn't get it wrong. I'm sorry to say I didn't measure anything, instead just looked at the ingredients and tipped them in and this was the result......

Not only did it work but it provided a whole hour of entertainment, thanks to the prompt arrival of Fireman Sam and his team, who were obviously required to clean up the hot lava and rescue the trees.

Next we're going to learn about precipitation and make our very own rain clouds. Science Sparks is full of so many great ideas, so if like me you're at a bit of a loss as to what to do with your toddler or if you just fancy dabbling in the exciting world of science, then pop over and take a look for yourselves.

Donna...............x

Please excuse the lack of health and safety in our slightly indecent table top volcano play. This is not recommended, it is far more appropriate to wear clothes and play whilst seated in a chair.

Sleep is for the Weak

2012-08-02T21:56:00.001+01:00

I spent the first six months of Thomas's life reciting "sleep is for the weak, sleep is for the weak". If it is the case, then I'm the weakest of all. I'm an 8 hour a night girl and without it, evolve into what can only be described as a dragon and a fire breathing one at that. Even this gross transformation did not deter my little one from waking me, night after night.

Some babies are swaddled and set down in their cots and hey presto they sleep. But this was most definitely not my experience. We were lucky with William as he slept through the night from 7 weeks but during the day was a serial forty five minute napper. Thomas was an entirely different story. As he was unwell I responded to every murmur in case he had vomited and my over reaction led to him still waking at 6 months and again only napped for forty five minutes at a time.

As I said earlier, rightly or wrongly, I'm all about sleep. I totally understand that parenting styles are individual and you always have to do what suits you and your family but for me, although my babies were not naturally good sleepers, I was not prepared to give up.

I used a combination of the Baby Whisperer, Jo Frost and occasionally dipped in and out of Gina Ford. Again, not for everyone but for me it worked. I believed whole heartedly that I could do something about it and I did. That's really why I'm writing this post. My experience of sleep deprivation led me and my marriage to the very edge. Waking up exhausted only to face another day with a demanding toddler and sickly baby was torture.

I don't profess to be being a professional but I honestly believe with the right approach children can learn to sleep. I took advice on board and when committed to trying a technique, was consistent until it worked. I took the lead and determined when they went to sleep by sticking to a well structured routine. I trialled different nappies to find ones which lasted all night without leaking, Huggies worked for us. I taught them to fall asleep independently and not to rely on me, a dummy or milk and I remained avidly consistent.

Hours and hours, weeks and months, of the Baby Whisperer pick up put down and Jo Frosts separation techniques eventually paid off. I often hear people say "I've tried it but it didn't work" and all I can say is from my experience, don't give up. What ever you choose to do will work, if you keep at it. I can't stress enough how hard it was with Thomas but I'm so glad I put the hours of sleep training in.

Now they both sleep for 12 hours a night and Thomas has two long, two and half hour naps a day I feel like a new mummy. I'm still sometimes a dragon but the fires gone out. I'm able to plan my day, spend quality time with William whilst Thomas naps and enjoy the evenings with my husband. Having them both sleep has completely changed our lives for the better.

I totally get this is not for everyone. I would love to be one of those people who is able to just "wing it" and "go with the flow". By nature this is my personality but with the children it was simply too chaotic. I like the predictability of our routine and find my life is so much easier now I'm in control. My boys seem to be happy little monsters and Thomas, who was a lot more difficult than William has particularly benefited. He now naps even better than William did and since he started sleeping through, has not woken us once, even when he cut his teeth. He wakes up and happily plays in his cot until we go in, then greets us with the biggest smile. There were times I thought he would never sleep and my husband and I were destined to a life of arguments fuelled by sleep deprivation, but luckily for us there was a happy ending.

I have only written this post to encourage any of you going through what we initially did and to give hope that there can be an end to the misery and despair sleep deprivation can cause, if you totally commit to working at it. It was incredibly hard work but we're reaping the rewards now.

Donna....x

Boys Will be Boys

2012-08-01T20:42:00.001+01:00

My cheeky monkeys are growing so quickly.

William has developed a keen love of his Strider bike and manages forty minute bike rides daily with the dog. He is learning to count and read and plays for hours on end with his beloved train set.

Whilst Thomas has given up learning to crawl and instead pulls himself around on his tummy. He commando rolls and crawls everywhere and is proving to have a very determined, independent spirit. He enjoys the company of others but is just as happy playing by himself.

Special Delivery

Rough and Tumble

Train Set

Cheeky Chappy

Olympic Runner in the Making

They've definitely given me a few extra grey hairs but I love them never the less

Donna............x

A Gary Barlow Moment

2012-07-07T21:25:00.001+01:00

We recently had the opportunity to attend In the Night Garden Live. I was seriously worried when my husband announced he was unable to keep our seven month at home as he had to work, this meant I would have to manage them both alone.

Having never been to a children's production I was unsure of what the set-up would be and began to panic about how I would occupy the littlest one for forty minutes, whilst trying to watch over my toddler. I actually considered pulling out at the last minute, that was until I turned to see William all packed and ready to go excitedly announcing "Come on Mummy or Upsy Daisy will have gone home". I was backed into a corner.

Anxieties set aside, I bundled my brood into the car and made my way to Richmond. The flurry of pushchairs indicated which way I had to go so we parked up and made our way over. The look of amazement on Williams face when we arrived at the enormous show dome was priceless.

Once inside we left our pushchair in the buggy park and prepared to take our seats. I can not tell you how relieved I was when we entered the stage arena. Instead of chairs there were rows of carpeted platforms. There was an air of excitement from the array of giggly tots and babbling babies, sitting, standing and bouncing around. A prefect, relaxed, child friendly atmosphere. I sat Thomas down and he happily proceeded to rummish through my bag, whilst his brother stood next to me eagerly awaiting the start.

I can only compare Williams reaction at the moment Maca Paca made his first appearance to that of my first encounter with Gary Barlow. In his world these beloved characters are celebs. He was in awe and was totally mesmerised. He could barely stop himself reciting "Its the real Maca Paca Mummy, the real Maca Paca".

The production it's self was truly wonderful. From the light show projection on the ceiling of the show dome to the magical puppets and enchanting music. I knew William would enjoy the show, but Thomas's reaction I was not expecting. Initially happy to sit quietly and play, when the show started he climbed onto my lap and was squealing with delight. His happy foot was going crazy and he was literally bouncing out of my arms. Very sweet indeed.

Each of the main characters were introduced for the first time slowly throughout the production. This I believe was a very clever ploy to hold the attention of the little ones and it worked. The forty minute production was neither too long or short. Honestly the only way I can describe it was magical. The staff were helpful, the facilities clean and the arena perfectly set up to safely manage little tots. What more can I say?

I drove away feeling slightly pleased with myself for taking them by myself and as I glanced in my rear view mirror I caught sight of the enormous Pinky Ponk balloon we bought on the way out. It was being frantiacally pulled back and forth between the two car seats and combined with the raucous laughter really made me smile. A perfect end to a perfect day.

My Top Tips
* Don't let worrying about how you are going to keep your little ones seated throughout the show put you off going. They don't have to. I can not get over enough how EASY the set up was.
* Although the show is from 18 months Thomas is 7 months and I genuinely believed he enjoyed it. Again don't be put off if you have a young baby.
* The seating arena is so close to the stage even the littlest people whether, standing, sitting or jumping up and down will be able to see.
* and finally if you're even considering getting tickets, then do. Book them now, I can promise you you'll be glad you did.

For more information on the tour dates and locations or to book tickets click here

I will leave you with this little video of William. Watching him dance and sing along with Upsy Daisy I saw an unusually confident side to my otherwise shy little toddler (sorry had the camera the wrong way).

I hope you enjoy it as much as we clearly did.

Donna...........x

I received complimentary tickets however this did not in any way effect my opinion of the show. This is a genuine and honest review of my experience.

Goodbye Dear Friend

2012-07-04T21:16:00.000+01:00

For as long as I can remember you have been a wonderful friend and great source of comfort. You seduced me all those years ago with your overwhelming powers of temptation and have remained by my side ever since. I've reached out to you when I was happy and turned to you in hours of desperation. I can honestly say you never once let me down, something I will be forever grateful for. It really is therefore with a heavy heart I've come to realise our relationship is now over. I do still love you and probably always will but it's time for us to finally go our separate ways.

I know its a cliche but its not you, its me. I have become too dependent on you, maybe even addicted to you and it's not healthy. I never imagined this day would come but the past twenty one days has taught to me I can make it alone. It hasn't been easy and at times I thought I was making a mistake. The realisation of quite how my feelings towards you have changed was so subtle I initially didn't realise, but sadly for you I do now.

Trevor is not to blame. I put up a good fight but slowly he helped me understand on a far deeper, subconscious level what I already knew. That we are no longer right for each other.

I know things will never be the same and only time will tell if we can make it alone but I do hope we can still be friends. When the wounds of our split have healed and we both feel stronger maybe we could enjoy the occasional night in with a glass of wine and a DVD. Who knows what the future will hold. Right now I am back in control of my life which can only be a good thing. I do hope you understand.

I will keep this photo of you close to my heart to remind me of our wonderful times together

All that's left to say is

Goodbye Dear Friend x x x

For more information click on the link below.

Donna...........x

Two Hours Too Late

2012-06-20T21:59:00.000+01:00

Nappy brain. Seriously it reached new heights on Saturday when I dragged my little brood into the middle of central London with promises of Hornbys Olympic Tea and Toy party at the fabulous Hamleys,' only to rock up two hours too late. We managed to arrive right about the time it finished having misread the start time on the email. I was so embarrassed but as we were there we politely accepted our goody bags and made our way up to the forth floor. Although disappointed we missed the party William was luckily too young to understand and he was overwhelmed with excitement at the chance to see the fantastic train set and play scalextric with his daddy.

As an official London 2012 product licencee, Hornby showcased the range and we were really impressed. Click here to have a look for yourselves. We loved the London 2012 train as does Wenlock the official 2012 mascot.

On our way out we managed to sneak a quick photo with the guy himself and as you can tell by William's face he was very concerned that he only had one eye!

Next week we're off to see In The Night Garden Live so lets hope I get us there at the right time or we'll all be in a right Iggle Piggle

Donna...x

Congratulations Ma'am

2012-06-07T10:54:00.001+01:00

If there is one thing us Brits are good at it's a jolly good knees up. The extended bank holiday weekend united the country to celebrate the Queens' Diamond Jubilee and royalist or not there is no denying when it comes to pomp and ceremony we win gold every time. From the 1000 boat Floatilla and Diamond Jubilee concert live from Buckingham palace to the thousands of street parties throughout every town and village in the country.

We were delighted to receive complimentary tickets to Sainsburys Jubilee Family Festival. Although suffering with coughs and colds, we resisted the temptation to stay home and instead packed my ever faithful Pink Lining Mummy Bag to the brim with our essentials and headed to Hyde park. The festival catered for all ages and offered an array of family fun. There was a relaxed, friendly atmosphere and jam packed schedule of entertainment. For us the highlight of our day had to be the Butlins performance of Thomas the Tank engine. William could hardly contain his excitement at seeing the "real" Thomas. We enjoyed it so much we're now considering a Butlins' break. Thank you Sainsburys for a great day out.

On Sunday we attempted to make our way into central London to watch the floatilla but unfortunately fell at the first hurdle. When the platform began rapidly filling with an excited crowd and sea of union jacks it became quickly apparent that there was not going to be room for the four of us and our overflowing bugaboo. We refunded our tickets and ran home in the pouring rain. Instead we watched it from the comfort of our house with a bottle of bubbles. Not quite the same but not sure the children would've enjoyed being soaking wet and cold so it probably worked out for the best.

Overall we had a really good weekend and was reminded why we're incredibly proud to be British

Hope you all had a good weekend too

Donna..x

Back in the Land of the Living

2012-05-31T14:37:00.002+01:00

It's been a tough six months but finally we're reached a place where we can keep our heads above water. Occasionally a wave takes us by surprise and knocks us under but we bob back to the surface, take a deep breath and keep on swimming.

For us the trauma of having a poorly baby will be short lived. In time Thomas will grow out of reflux and we should have a healthy happy little boy. That's what keeps us going. Even at our darkest points however dim, there was always light at the end of our tunnel. We're both aware for some families the darkness can remain. The experience we've had with Thomas has last left us with a greater degree of empathy and respect for parents of children with long term health problems. It's made us cherish our little family more than ever and reminded us to try and make the most of the good times and not dwell on the bad.

Thomas has forced me to address my previous ethos on parenting. I used to think consistency was the key and it could over come anything and everything. Maybe even at times judging people if their child didn't eat, sleep or toilet train easily, thinking they must lack it along side structure and routine. How niaive I was. I now know parenting is sometimes just about survival and at times it can be necessary do anything and everything to get by with out without slipping of the ledge. This realisation has been good for me. I'm not an earth mother and parenting doesn't come naturally to me but the good news is I no longer feel pressured to be what ever it was I was once thought I needed to be and this makes for a much more relaxed mummy.

So where are we at? Thomas is now seven months. He still has pretty severe reflux and the vomit is endless, as is our washing, but the introduction of solids has definitely improved things. He's on very bland, smooth foods, as any gagging immediately initiates projectile vomiting and anything too acidic or strong will cause him to have the intense spasms associated with Sandifer Syndrome but we are moving forward, which is good. As a tiny baby we saw snippets of a sweet placid baby but it was difficult to reach him through the screeching and writhing. As he's become more comfortable his personality has blossomed. He's at his happiest when he manages to get his toes in his mouth and seems to permanently have hold of his feet. He laughs and smiles at his brother and is easy going on almost every level, except where food is concerned. He doesn't like to be hungry and given all he's been through its surprising how much he likes food and how chubby he is. Bonding was initially difficult as the discomfort made him almost impossible to hold or get close to. The pain led to intense relentless screeching, coupled with writhing, arching and vast amounts of vomit. But there's no problem now. I have fallen in love him all over again and adore his very sweet loving nature.

As for William he's still my little prince. He did go through a difficult phase in the early days probably a combination of his age and adapting to Thomas but he seems to have emerged into a gorgeous young boy. He's grown up right before my eyes and looking at him fills me with pride. He tells me he loves me everyday and it melts my heart. He cant wait to see Thomas in the morning and always ends the day by kissing him good night. Spending time with him is now a pleasure as he's no longer disagreeable. Whoever called it the terrible twos was not lying, but for now the monster has been replaced with an adorable cheeky chap, who I love to the moon and back, something we tell each other every night.

Now to get on with living and enjoy being a happy little family. My husband and I both feel we've lost a bit of ourselves, probably buried under the pile of washing in the kitchen. We have decided to start over and get fit and healthy which includes for me, loosing my baby weight and hubby getting fit again. I'm going to have dressage lessons and hubby is going to indulge more time in shooting his favourite hobby. We're also going to make sure we spend more time as a family going on adventures and day trips and with two little boys to wear out we're going to start camping, something I've always wanted to more of.

So there we have it, I can finally say we are back. Thank you so much to everyone who has supported us through this difficult time. I apologise for not responding to message and tweets but I promise to make up for it now we're back in the land of the living.

Donna x

Hanging in There

2012-02-28T20:34:00.000Z

Following a blissfully easy birth, Thomas my gorgeous placid little boy has suffered relentlessly from what we believe is Sandifer Syndrome, a severe form of acid reflux. He has been in and out of hospital for over night stays and and out patient appointments and is still on the merry go round of trying different medication and anti allergy milks. Normally not one for being too gloomy, I've had some desperately dark days. Watching him screech and writhe in pain is heart breaking. At times the discomfort so severe he appears to be having seizures, contorting his poor little body into the most hideous, unnatural positions in an attempt to relive the pain.

His needs obviously need to be met and as a consequence, William has suffered. At two and half adapting to a new addition must be hard enough but one which screeches in the night and constantly wakes you and demands your parents attention all day must be considerably more difficult. Overall he has coped pretty well. We did have a period with him not sleeping and having major tantrums in the night, which he eventually told us was because he was frightened by the high pitched screech waking him. With some on-line support from Jo Frost via Twitter (she'll never know how grateful we are that she took the time to help) and her Confident Toddler Care book, we worked through it and he's now back to sleeping through. Having always been a good sleeper we didn't experience sleep deprivation with him. As a baby when he slept I slept. If I had a bad night with him I napped in the day when he was sleeping. When you have two children this is obviously not possible. With them both awake all night we were pushed to the very edge. Exhausted and frustrated my marriage and sanity have been put to the test. My closest friend calls daily to check I'm still holding onto the window ledge. As much as we laugh we know the past few months have taken me as close to depression as I would ever like to get.

Things are improving. We have good and bad days and at least for now we have worked on making things as easy as possible for William and he seems happy. We now need to try and help Thomas. He has another appointment of Friday when they'll decide whether to do a PH test to confirm his symptoms are caused by reflux and rule out other causes for his discomfort. Hopefully soon my blog will be full of photos and posts of my happy family out and about doing the fun things we should be doing now. Until then we keep muddling by and hope and pray things improve.

Donna.....x

Davina for NEXT

2011-12-22T12:09:00.021Z

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will know I'm one of the many woman Davina McCall has inspired to exercise with her hugely successful DVD's. I have sworn by her pre and post pregnancy work out through both my pregnancies and now Thomas has safely arrived I'm back on a mission to get fit again.

Davina has been a busy bee and has now teamed up with NEXT, launching Davina For Next, in Next Directory, online at next.co.uk and selected stores in time for Spring 2012. Not only does the range provide the ultimate workout and post work-out clothing, Davina has also designed some really innovative everyday shoes which feature dual density technology to reduce stress on joints. Harnessing Next’s F.I.T. technology, the line of stylish everyday shoes offer aspects of comfort, performance and muscle activation previously restricted to cumbersome and lets be honest not the most attractive sports footwear.

Not anymore, cute, round-toe ballerinas in red and neon pink patent or animal print, which all provide a reduction in stress on load bearing joints thanks to NEXT’s dual density mid-sole technology. They really are gorgeous.

Other elegant city-smart flats are engineered to increase calf and hamstring activation by up to 12%. Canvas pumps, in metallic or pretty floral print, carry the promise of decreased heel impact and are a little quirky and unique or you could try out Davina’s ultra-feminine trainers, embellished with bands of shimmering candy-bright colour. They exert 25% less pressure on the ball of the foot. Perfect for my post pregnancy body which requires a little extra care.

Davina says:

“My approach was to concentrate on what I would wear. I’ve thought very carefully about the details that matter to me, like a place for an MP3 player, or reflective strips on the bottoms – essential when you’re jogging in the early morning or at dusk. And I’ve ensured the workout tops are extremely solid and secure so your boobs won’t be bobbing around while you’re working out!”

Davina For Next promises to shake up what we wear before, during, and after workouts, with comfort and style assured. The range addresses active pursuits, from aerobics to running, power-lifting to pilates and are great modern shapes, fabulous colours and outstanding fabrics.

Have a look below at a snippet of the collection and see for yourselves. There are some really gorgeous pieces I know you'll just love.

Davina For NEXT - slideshow with music

Over the next few months i'll be blogging on a weekly basis about my post baby weight loss which i'm achieving with the work i'm doing with Thinking Slimmer and my Davina DVD. Two of my favourite pieces from the Davina for NEXT range are the these technical trousers and pink racer top and I would be to have the chance to review them as part of my getting fit mission.

I'm not yet a Yummy Mummy but maybe if I did my workouts in them, I might soon be,

Wish me Luck!

Donna...x

Funny Friday

2011-12-16T22:20:00.000Z

This week has been busy and my cheeky chap as always has made me giggle on more than one occasion. My entry into Funny Friday this week had to be the following conversation I had after William after he closed and banged the kitchen door for possibly the tenth time that day.

"William George, can you please stop closing and banging the door, it's very dangerous as you could trap your fingers"

My tone may have been a little stronger than I realised as he responded with the following:

"Mummy we are not allowed to have tantrums in this house or you'll have to go on the naughty cushion!"

I burst out laughing, what a cheeky monkey I have

Donna .............x

The Gallery - My Awesome Photo

2011-12-10T14:59:00.001Z

My entry for the gallery was an easy choice. I always wanted to take an Anne Geddes type photo of William but he was never obliging enough.

Thomas on the other hand is very placid and falls asleep anywhere and everywhere, so whilst preparing to bath him on my kitchen table I took the opportunity to snap a quick photo. Probably not the most technical shot as I'm a novice with the camera but I love it all the same.

So here it is, my very own sleeping beauty

For more fabulous entries click on the link below

Donna....x

Funny Friday

2011-12-10T14:32:00.001Z

Williams speech has now come on in leaps and bounds and I find myself laughing everyday at the funny things he comes out with.

On a recent trip to see my nan he was cuddled on her lap when she reached for a handkerchief to wipe her nose. William looked up at her reassuringly and blurted out,

"It's ok Nana B there's no bogies up there!"

William, Thomas and our Beloved Nana B

Not a word we even use so I have no idea why he said it but me laugh never the less. They grow so quickly and even though this stage of his little life is full of tantrums there is also the very funny sweet and sweet side of him I wouldn't change for the world.

For more funny Friday entries click on the link below

Donna....x

Everybody Needs a Shnuggle

2011-12-09T21:18:00.000Z

Deciding what our new little bundles will sleep in is often a difficult decision and understandably so. We want to love and protect them as best we can and ensure when they are not safely in our arms they safe in their beds.

Some people opt to put their babies straight into cots whilst others chose to use moses baskets. Cots come in all all shapes, sizes and designs but historically moses baskets are traditional looking and made of either palm or the more expensive wicker.

That was until 2009 when husband and wife team invented Shnuggle - The Modern Moses basket, a safer, stronger and more hygienic Moses basket.

We were asked if little Thomas would like to test and review one of the "Dotty Blue" designs below and let you know our thoughts.

The award winning Shnuggle basket has European design registration granted and patents pending. It is made to order and assembled by hand right here in the UK and is made from a super-strong, hypoallergenic polymer, giving a safer place for your baby to sleep. Its unique properties actively repels dust mites, which are the number one cause of allergies in infants and it can be easily cleaned and sterilised which makes it super hygenic.

So what did we think? If you are looking for a traditionally styled wicker basket, this is not for you. If however you are looking for something a little more contemporary then its perfect, it is after all the modern moses basket.

On first impressions the basket looked sturdy and bigger than most others i've previously seen, a definite bonus if like me you have big babies. The "Stay-up" hood feature designed to help cocoon your baby from noises and lights when they're resting, does exactly what it says and does not slip down, a common problem with other baskets. The team claim it is near silent in use and I can certainly vouch for this. Its a brilliant feature as when you place your relaxed, dozey baby down, they don't get startled back to the wide eyed state by the creaking or squeaking of the wicker.

From a safety perspective the baskets comply with BS EN 1466 and to further ensure baby's well-being the base is fully ventilated for constant, regulated airflow to help prevent overheating. The basket is also 100% free of Chemicals, BPA and Pthtalates. All very reassuring.

The proof is really in the pudding though. What does Thomas think of his new bed? Well not only does he love to sleep in it,

Surprisingly he likes to chill out in it too.

He happily lies awake looking around safely shnuggled in his basket. The basket is lined in luxury cream fleece so I'm not surprised he loves it so much. It comes with a matching mini swaddle blanket and due to its triangular shape is easy to tuck around him which he seems to really like.

All in all I am very impressed. I have nothing negative to say except it would be great if the base was available in white as well as cream, as it would better match my nursery.

If you would like any further information you can check the Shnuggle website here or email the team at hello@shnuggle.co.uk

Donna.........x

Abuse Does't Just Happen to Children

2011-12-08T10:17:00.001Z

I was recently approached by Amber Palely, a guest post and article writer bringing to us information on the prevalence of elder abuse in the U.K, to help raise awareness of elderly abuse and neglect. As a district nurse specialising mainly in care of the elderly it is very close to my heart and something I feel very passionately about.

The abuse of the elderly is something few of us can fathom. The elderly are many times vulnerable due to mental and physical ailments and need our care when they cannot care for themselves. For a caregiver of any kind to abuse or neglect an elderly person is monstrous. And according to a 2006 research study conducted by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), the Institute of Gerontology, and the Social Care Workforce Research Unit at King’s College London, elder abuse is more common than many of us know.

According to the study, about 342,400 people (i.e. 4 percent) over the age of 66 “living in private households (including sheltered housing)” admitted to experiencing abuse or neglect by a caregiver, family member, friend, neighbour, or acquaintance in the past year.

Accordingly, the abuse was broken down like so:

· 51% of mistreatment in the past year involved a spouse/partner

· 49% another family member

· 13% a care worker

· 5% a close friend.

The study defined the abuses experienced by the elderly in the following way:

· “Neglect – e.g. repeated failure of a designated caregiver to provide help with personal care and day to day activities.” Neglect was found to be the most common form of abuse during the study; 1.1 percent of respondents admitted to experiencing it;

· “Financial abuse – e.g. theft, fraud, misuse of power of attorney.” (.7 percent of respondents);

· “Psychological abuse – e.g. persistent insults and threats.” (.4 percent of respondents);

· “Physical abuse – e.g. physical violence, physical restraint, over-medication.” (.4 percent of respondents);

· “Sexual abuse – e.g. verbal harassment, touching in a sexual way or intercourse without consent.” (.2 percent of respondents).

The study also found that, “Women were more likely to say that they had experienced mistreatment than men: 3.8% of women and 1.1% of men.”

Thus it is plain to see that elder abuse is a problem and that something must be done to curve its frequency. Luckily, there are advocacy groups working towards this goal; hopefully, it will only be a matter of time before the problem subsides.

Shocking statistics don't you think? So if you have five minutes spare today please read this and help spread the word. Old age eventually comes to all, we must help prevent this in the future for our loved ones and ourselves.

Donna...x

Amber spends much of her professional life writing about http://www.nursinghomeabuse.net/abuse-types-symptoms-and-horror-stories

CENTER PARCS CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF MAKING FAMILY MEMORIES

2011-12-05T14:13:00.002Z

Finding holidays suitable for adults and children can be a challenge especially if you're not ones for travelling abroad but still want to indulge in a little luxury whilst enjoying a family friendly break. Many of my friends have recommended Centre Parcs and the fact they like to go back every year says it all. A fun and relaxing holiday without the stress of having to fly, if sounds perfect to me so let me tell you a bit more as they now have some fantastic new features.

It all began in 1987, when Center Parcs revolutionised the UK holiday market by introducing family breaks throughout the year, offering an alternative to the seasonal getaway. The secret to Center Parcs’ 25 years of success has been high quality accommodation and variety of family activities to ensure the best experience is provided every time. Ensuring this commitment lives on today, in 2012 Center Parcs celebrates its 25th year with new, exciting developments:

· New features at each Subtropical Swimming Paradise are in the early planning phases to include new water rides, toddler play areas, warm water pools and private cabanas at all locations.

· Center Parcs’ uniquely designed luxury Treehouses have been completed at Longleat Forest.

· Spa Suite accommodation has been built for luxury spa breaks at Elveden Forest.

· New shops, restaurants and cafes including a children’s toy shop (Just For Kids), gift and home décor shop (The Store Room) and a new burger restaurant (Dexter’s Kitchen).

We're off for a visit next year with our new addition so i'll let you know how we get on.

In the meantime, why don't you pop over and have a look for yourselves at www.centerparcs.co.uk or give them a ring on 08448 266 266, they're always happy to help. You might even like to check out their official UK Facebook page www.facebook.com/CenterParcsUK I think they're worth a "Like"

Breaks in 2012 start from as little as £249 so they won't break the bank, Happy Holidays

Donna..x