Yorkshire Pudding Gone Rogue!

Oh what a week!

2012-08-20T00:04:00.000+01:00

Down in Troll Valley we've had an eventful old week!

Monday saw me going swimming with Red and our respective off spring. The tots loved the pool and would have happily stayed there a lot longer I'm sure! However as with all things, water time ended and off we went to get changed.

Before getting into the pool I dropped my trousers into a puddle, so it only seemed right that when we were collecting our things to get dressed afterwards that I drop Little Troll's trousers in the same one. Then whilst standing stock still in the cubicle, Little Troll slips falling flat on his back, he has a talent for the oddest and least expected accidents! So he hits his head on the floor with a decent clunk and is inconsolable for at least three minutes until I give him my towel, some juice and a snack. Leaving me with a baby towel to get dried with, I don't think I thought that through if I'm honest. However he happily sat sniffing, sipping and scoffing while I get dressed as quickly as possible, then sort him out and off we go.

I had this amazing idea that if I didn't take his pushchair with us he would get super tired out and have a nap in the afternoon when we finally got home. Oh what a fool I am! Simple logic does not work with my son. He wasn't tired one bit, in fact he was so awake that on the walk back home before heading to town (for we both needed fresh trousers) he wanted to stop and look at everything, twigs, bushes, rubbish, if it was on our way he stopped to look at or poke it. Following behind Red and Princess a fair distance away they head to their house and us to ours. En route home Little Troll falls over not once or twice which I feel would be acceptable for a toddler, but six times! Six times! How is that possible? It's only a few minutes walk from Red's house to ours and he manages to fall over that many times! And on fall number five he falls flat on a pile of dog poop, straight in the middle of his chest. He is a manky child at times with hidden talents in mess making! So instead of heading to town with the ladies, Little Troll and I head straight to the bathroom for an emergency bath cancelling all other plans.

Bare in mind this is only halfway through Monday, all this fun and it's only about 2pm! So Little Troll and I sit down to some cheese sandwiches. That can't possibly go wrong can it? Wrong! Little Troll decides in his infinite wisdom/childish curiosity that instead of eating said sandwich he should shove it up his nose! Not just a little bit, and not just a little way into his nose, but right the way back up to the back of the cavity. I remove all that I can, call the doctors who tell me they can't help and that Little Troll and I have to go to hospital to have it removed. So off we go to the hospital, sit waiting for a couple of hours and when we're seen he lays back and has the cheese and bread removed and we're sent on our way. Wasn't that exciting boys and girls? I know I found it utterly thrilling. It took several strong cups of tea to recover from that one!

Tuesday on wards the week passes by without much more excitement. We see friends, we potter about, the usual. (Though Thursday night was spent in the company of Dotty and Red with chocolate fondue and Champagne, which was rather nice!) Saturday comes around and we're off out to Big Troll's work family do. They've got so many things set up for the adults and the children, the food is wonderful and the bar is free! Little Troll was in his element! He was running about like a loon! On the bouncy castle, in the disco area, on the bouncy assault course designed for much older children. He was super happy and was his usual 'energetic' self. Every now and then he would make a dash for it out of the main room the event was held in and would try and hide from us, each time we would catch him and bring him back. (Though at once point with much apologies to some people setting up for a dance or fashion show as he ran into their room and up onto their brand new cat walk.

It's on one of these many escape attempts that he takes a stick used for spinning plates on, throws it out of the door way and laughs. I put him back in the room, turn and pick up the stick and put it back in the room to discover he's gone. Big Troll hasn't got him, he's not in the room. He's not in the bar room he threw the stick into. He isn't there. I have never gone from one emotion to another so fast in my life. So Big Troll and I start looking for him, a couple of his work mates ask what's wrong and as soon as I tell them they join in the hunt. The problem with being in a place with lots of luxury things is that they have snazzy gadgets and things, such as automatic escalators and automatic lifts. So as you approach them and they start going or the doors open. By this point we've all split up to look for him, I head down an escalator, so many awful things running through my head, into a giant, dark room, no sign of him, no reply when I shout him, nothing. I head back up the escalator as fast as I can, pop my head outside and start looking there, nothing again. Head back inside and start looking in there, when some one says they've seen him. Big Troll moves like the wind up the escalator to a lady who is walking Little Troll back toward us looking very mischievous and chuffed with himself if a little sheepish. He had gone up the escalator, into another party room then on to the lifts. One push of a button and he would have gone goodness knows where. It's at that point we put his wrist strap on him and don't let him out of our sight for a nano-second for the rest of the event. I am so thankful to the people who helped us look for him, the ladies who found him, and the free bar for making it all OK afterwards! How I didn't sob when he was back with us is beyond me, because even thinking about it now makes me want to cry with all the "What ifs" in my mind. Any way! He was found and safe and wanting to play some more, it all having been a big game to him.

He doesn't ever do things by halfs eh? Today is Sunday, a day where Little Troll has been bathed and fed, has played and read and driven us happily up the wall. A day where Big Troll has gamed and played with us, A day where I have made Casolet, Pavlova and Pancakes, as well as being a day where we went to my Troll-in-Laws and spent a few hours there with Little Troll running about making us all laugh and thoroughly enjoying himself. We have come home and eaten and put him to bed. How pleased am I that today has been uneventful? Very! Tonight Big Troll and I have watched Rise of the Planet of the Apes (the new one) and Murder by Death while he games (World of Tanks) and I have completed a few more cards. It has been thoroughly relaxing and I'm glad of it!

Who knows what drama and excitment this next week will bring? We intend to go swimming and to a birthday party this week, but that's as big as our plans get. I have been posting this link on my facebook and twitter because I can't help but find it funny. Worse still I find it funnier each time I see it. So I hope that you will enjoy it too.

Crafty Women.

2012-08-06T23:43:00.000+01:00

During the visit to my parents in Yorkshire soon after my arm operation, my Mum showed me some of the latest craft things she'd been working on. She has always been into crafts, from making clothes when we were young, needle work and embroidery, card making to water colours and markers (Not to forget the literary crafts she is fond of.) My family is full of crafty women! (In many senses!) My Grandma was big on embroidery and knitting and card making, my Mum all sorts as I mentioned, my Sister jams and home grown gubbins, so it is no surprise that when there is something new to try that I too am on the bandwagon! My Mother and I are similar in many tastes and hobbies, this one has turned out to be one of my favourites!

The most recent hobby (at that point) was Pro-Markers. I didn't really think they were going to be that exciting if I'm honest, but after choosing some line drawings that I liked from the net I sat with my Mum and started to learn how to work the markers, what they were capable of and how to make them do what I wanted. I admit that my first attempts weren't the most impressive in the world, but they were decent! So during my time up at my parents that week my Mum and I managed to do about six pictures all on the same theme to put up on Mini Troll's wall. And I have to say I think they look smashing!

Be kind, this was my second ever picture doing it and I think it's funky! I'd take pictures of the ones up on his wall be he's currently asleep.

The pens work in the strangest of ways, when I first started using them I was convinced I was doing it all wrong and combining colours wasn't going to work and if I used yellow on black or grey it would ruin the pen! Boy, was I wrong! They blend so well, you can build up colours to put the most complicated amount of detail into a picture. They work for most things, and I'm having fun discovering what they work best at for me. If you Google them there are some amazing pieces people have shared! I shall never be as good as them but I am thoroughly enjoying improving with each peace I work on. They're not cheap but if you want a hobby you can be really creative with and keep adding to then they're for you!

So that was it then, as soon as our next pay day rolled around we discovered that Hobby Craft had the markers, and what's more they were in the sale! I got myself a few* packs and set to work experimenting. I have since become fairly good at using them, good enough to be happy to make cards for friends and family. I thoroughly enjoy using the markers and have ended up with a vast collection of them which is growing at a steady rate. And as if my newest hobby wasn't bad enough for poor Hubby Troll, a new craft store has opened up locally, a discount outlet store no less! They have some fantastic products, including LOTS of stamps, wooden, clear rubber etc at the most fantastic prices! Which has renewed my love more than before I have got the colouring bug even more now!

I've not got much more to say about them at the moment, however I am attaching a few pictures of the cards and pictures I've done. I'm pleased with the majority of them. They are done mostly with markers but there are a few that are decoupage or other methods.

In conclusion, if I have your address and you have a special occasion coming up, don't be surprised if you receive one of my cards, they may not be perfect but I have made it just for you, totally personalised with a lot of love and care, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed making it. (Though some of them involve a lot of swearing in the making process!)

Take care all.

*Read as Lot.

These aren't all the things I've done, but they're the ones I can find on my PC. I have more on the go and am getting better daily, if you would like me to make a card for you I will happily just for the experience it gives me.

Early rises and sanity demises!

2012-08-03T07:15:00.001+01:00

Random Tea pic to start the day off right!

My adorable little Mini Troll woke me up this morning at about 5:30. It wasn't the first time he woke us up today for he had a restless night, which is quite unusual for him- he has slept through the night more or less since birth. So this morning he woke up, his daddy turned his light on en route to the loo and the first words out of Mini Troll's mouth were "Stories?" Last thing he said to me last night? "Stories?" The child is hooked on books! Which makes me happy, we're a family of readers so that suits us well. So while I'm lying in bed and Big Troll is getting ready to leave for work, Mini Troll is reading a 'Meg and Mog' book to us. It was very good! After a few minutes I go into him and he jumps up at me, and off to the change mat we go. Soon as the little beasty is down on there he is wriggling and giggling like a maniac! He thinks everything is funny this morning, he has the energy of a hundred hyperactive otters! Just as I'm putting his trousers on him he lets out a mighty trump and looks up innocently and asks me "What was that?" You have to give him his dues, a lesser person would not have got away with it! And off we go to the living room where I point out that he is up far too early because the cartoons are not even up yet, I feel this is a good way to judge time! If there are no cartoons in the morning it is too early, if there are no cartoons in the evening it is too late. Logics! I's got em!

As I mentioned in my last post, I am off wandering today up to my in laws, where Mini Troll will get spoilt and where he will no doubt destroy everything in sight! He loves going up there, he can run around hiding and destroying all new things! Plus there are rabbits and cats for him to love (and eat their food!) I am hoping today will go by quickly and that the weekend will go by slowly, but I'm sure it will be the other way round! Usually I don't mind early starts on Fridays as we have playgroup to wear him out and I stand at least a slim chance of him napping. But sadly today is not one of those days and no doubt by 10am I will be flagging!

We have no plans this weekend other than sending Daddy Troll up into the loft to sort out the water tank, then if he's a good boy I might make him stay up there while I pass things up to him! What a lucky boy he is! Muhahahaha! Maybe when he goes up there he will find a treasure chest full of money or something? I doubt it, but we live in hope eh? I just pray that this time Big Troll manages to stay inside the loft and not come through the ceiling!

Well that's my early morning ramble over with! Have a good Friday and enjoy your weekend! I am off to clean cereal off the living room floor and make more tea!

Flowers, Bacon and Taping-Teddies.

2012-08-02T22:06:00.000+01:00

What exciting things can I tell you today? Well, let's start with worldly topics eh? That blonde chap got stuck on a rope, some one won some chocolate coins on ribbons and somewhere someone did something wrong. Think that's up to date on world news, the weather today has been sunny then drizzly followed swiftly by a massive down-pour and then some more glorious sun! We have eaten, we have put the Mini Troll to bed, I have sat and read and Big Troll has been gaming. How utterly thrilling is all that eh?

So that's the most basic of things out of the way at least.

Had an interesting last few days, not been feeling the cheeriest of bunnies, which has meant that Mini Troll and I have done the bare minimum of going out, it would be unfair to force my glumness on the general population I'm sure you'll agree. However we have had a fun few days, we have destroyed the house daily, eaten scrummy food and made lots of mess. We have had lots of fun with bubbles and crayons and celotape, though not all together!

Today I met up with Red, Dotty, Princess, G and Red's older child. After popping into the post office to post a well over due parcel to my lovely friend who I shall call Ms Hull, Red's son and I with babies wandered down to catch up with Red who had "Gone to the cash machine." Which actually turned out to be the florists, where she came out and produced a big bunch of beautiful flowers with a flourish. To cheer me up. She's not seen me in days and yet knew I needed something lovely. The flowers are now happily sitting brightening up the living room looking very nice indeed. I very much appreciated them and her. So if you read this, thank you again!

After surprise flowers we went to our usual haunt and met up with Dotty and G and had a nice breakfast. Which other than G, Princess and random child managing to somehow collapse a bank of seating and fall into the hole was relatively uneventful but very enjoyable. A brief walk through town, good byes said and then home (just in time to miss the massive downpour.) After that Mini Troll and I vegged out reading books, playing with celotape and teddies and cooking dinner. Mini Troll even cut up a carrot for dinner for us, technically he just hit some sliced carrot with his wooden knife from his kitchen set, but he looked very proud of himself!

We have recently been trying what order to do the mass of things to the house in. Our final decision for what we'll be doing next is ....... *drum roll* the bathroom!! We've picked tiles, we've discussed what we're going to do and I've called the window company to come and quote us for some new window. I look forward to the room being finished so that we can move onto yet another part of the house. It's never ending! Part of me wishes we rented, but I'm eternally grateful for the fact that Big Troll owned his house before I met him. Getting onto the property ladder at this point would be so difficult with the sums of money companies want for the deposits. However I dream of a nice 4 bed semi or detached, with at least a back garden if not a front one too, ooo and parking! That would be fantastic! A bigger house would mean that we could think about making more Trolls! Though goodness knows what that one would be nicknamed!

We were planning to spend my birthday with my family in Yorkshire, however after a *mix-up* with holiday days we now aren't. So we shall be down here and there better well be damn cake! (Not baked by me!!) Really disappointed but it can't be helped. We are going to see them soon afterwards I hope. When I'm up there I also intend to go and drink copious amounts of tea at the houses of friends who I haven't seen in too long, so be warned!

Tomorrow Mini Troll and I shall be off on our travels, well we're going for a walk and then we're off to my in laws to see my mother in law and co. We had my Granddad-in-laws funeral a week ago tomorrow. It was a nice service with a large turn out. My sister in law wrote a beautiful piece about him and his life and all the obstacles he had over come, and my cousin in law sang a song, and it was stunningly beautiful! Both ladies did so well, they should be proud of themselves, I am certainly proud of them as I'm sure the rest of the family is too. I said it before and I shall say it again, Granddad will be very much missed. My in laws have been so strong and have dealt with everything so well, I hope they know that if they need anything they only have to ask. This is the song that my cousin in law sang, her version was so much more touching than the original and fitted perfectly with the man it was dedicated to.

We had some friends stay last weekend, and they brought their dog. Mini Troll loves that beasty! He would have kept her given the chance I suspect, as would I if truth be told! I'd kill (not literally) for a dog, and theirs has such a sweet temperament and was so well behaved that I could happily have Dog-napped her myself! As is tradition when there is a dog present Mini Troll tried to ride it, lick it, crawl with it and generally turn himself into a puppy. This is super cute and I could watch him do it all day! (As long as I had lots of tea!) It was smashing to see the ladies again, and hopefully we shall see them again soon!

Seeing them makes me think about all the other lovely friends that we have, and how I would love to see them more often. We have friends spread out all over the world, and seeing them all often would be impossible, but the more local ones (UK) we will make more of an effort to see.

I don't think I have much more to say at the moment, so I shall wish you all a good night and hope that your weekend comes swiftly and lasts a long time!

Take care.

xox

Adventures in....

2012-07-25T20:52:00.003+01:00

Tomorrow we are off on adventures! There will be all sorts of exotic and fascinating things happening!

First we are going to dare brave the depths of town! There will be cheese and wax buying! (Not to be confused with tasty tasty Edam!)

Then!!! There shall be walking! Oh for the walking! I am sure that by the time we get back from this part of our adventure we shall feel somewhat like Frodo and Sam did at the end of their journey, just with more babies/toddlers and less lava. And hopefully it will have a less touchy feely ending!

There will be unheard of and freakish animals too! Well.... ducks! We're going to try to fend them off with bread, I have heard this can work, but it can also make them come after you even more! It's a risk we're willing to take to re-claim the lake/pond!

There will be a pool of the murkiest deepest scariest variety, where the tots shall wrestle it out and see who is the champion. I believe they call them 'Paddling Pools' in the professional tot wrestling leagues.

And of course at the end of it there will be a meal fit for champions (and their offspring!) We will celebrate our adventures with cheese and home made biscuits and jam! Or something.

As I said, adventure! Not to be taken on too lightly! Some of us may not make it, and if that's the case I'm having their cake! Bod I hope there's cake! (and that it's not a lie!!)

IF I manage to make it through the ordeal we shall have a second celebration at home with cottage pie! This will be a day to remember, a day to look back on! The day we can be proud of in years to come! The day we conquered Cwmtillery Lakes!!!

*On a side note! I am really looking forward to tomorrow, taking all 4 tots up to the lake to feed the ducks and then coming back to Red's house to play in the paddling pool and have a picnic. I just hope the weather holds for it. Though I don't want it too hot because a) Weasel is rather pregnant and doesn't need to be exhausted by the heat as well as our Mordor style walk and b) walking up the hills/mountains/deserts/wastelands is hard work on a cool day, on a hot day with prams etc its blooming hard! It'll be nice to see the tots playing in the pool together and hopefully no one will try to drown each other and no one will damage anyone else!

Trolls, Tots and Tantrums!

2012-07-25T19:09:00.001+01:00

A taste of paradise.

I appear to be a terrible blogger! Granted I never set out to be a regular posting member of the interwebs. But I think I have reached new heights in rubbishdom! I haven't even really got a good excuse! I just seem to have gathered a bit of a life in the last year! Which is good and bad all at once!

Let's see if we can round up a few things interesting or otherwise that have happened in the past months.

Erm... My Mini Troll is 2 and a half now, coming along nicely though gave us a scare when he lost his hearing briefly. Perfectly good now though and is happily destroying the house/people/the world as he goes along, usually leaving sticky finger prints and a trail of some food like substance.

Husband Troll and I have celebrated our *counts on fingers* third wedding anniversary, which we did in style! Well in style for us! We went on our first family holiday, which also happened to be the first time Man Troll or I had been on a plane for about a decade. We had a lovely meal out just the two of us while my parents watched Mini Troll for us. Now this may sound mean, how could we go on holiday and leave mini at home!? Well we didn't! We met my parents over in Menorca and spent a fantastic week in the most glorious of villas with them. Less than 200 yards from the pool and our own floor for me and the two Trolls plus two balconies attached to our room and a sun deck on the roof too. It was bliss, and made me realise just how much I want to make holidays a more regular thing for us! Mini Troll loved the sea and the pool and all things foreign! And Big Troll and I got some much needed rest from day to day stuff.

We found out that the problem I'd been having with both my hands wasn't Carpel Tunnel but was in fact nerve damage in both arms. So after some jolly fun tests (electric shocks in lots of places through both arms done by Dr Pain who was married to Dr Brain, I kid you not!) I got to see a specialist who was lovely and got me on the waiting list for an operation. Which I had at the end of March. Having a 2 year old and only one arm is interesting! Big Troll was very good looking after me and Little Troll, but he had to go back to work, and since my recovery wasn't as straight forward as we were told it would be my daddy dear and my lovely sister came down to Wales to fetch me and take me back to the family home in Yorkshire so that they could help take care of Mini Troll. After a few days Big Troll joined us and we had a lovely time with my family.

My left arm is now a lot better, my hand is near perfect! All the problems that I had with it before are 90% gone and 10% barely there. The scar and arm are another story. The scar is sensitive but they warned me it would be but they didn't warn me that parts of my arm would be totally numb and have odd sensations in it. So that's taking a bit of getting used to. They have offered me the same operation for my right arm, which I will have, but not until Ben is a little older.

What else? Hmm... Holiday, Anniversary, Wonky arm. Games! I've recently gone back to playing City of again. I didn't technically have a break, more that I just didn't go on because I was preoccupied but so much real life bunf. But now I'm back playing it, and although it's sad to see my favourite server looking a bit more ghost town-ish it's good to be back. Catching up with old friends on there has been lovely! You forget just how nice some people can be!

I started going to a regular play group on a Friday morning with some of my local friends, and am now devastated because the last one was last week and there won't be another till 7th September! A whole summer without toast and space for Beasty to destroy things more freely (and not in my house!)

When Little Troll was about 1 a friend of mine introduced me to one of her friends, we shall call her 'Red', who had a 6 month old little girl who I think we shall refer to as princess (though she's not called that, her parents gave her a smashing name!) We have become good friends and see each other often, regular Tuesday mornings in the pub (purely bacon and tea!) as well as play group and other times. Which has helped Little Troll come out of his shell nicely. Not that he was really in his shell, in fact he's so energetic and noisy and destructive and lovely and chatty that he really didn't need any help there. But socialising has got so much better with him.

Also when Little Troll was about 6 months old I met a pregnant lady called.... hmmm I think I shall call her Dotty, who has become a wonderful friend! She had a little boy (G) who Little Troll adored... until G was able to walk and then it was all out war! She is also not from Wales.

So that made 2 new friends and 2 new tots! And just to add a bit more excitement Dotty introduced another lady with her little one, She shall be Weasel and he shall be J. Who again aren't from down here.

So now there are 4 of us and 4 tots. We're generally like witches cackling over a cauldron full of tea.

It's been so nice getting to know them all and to feel like part of a group.

We recently had a local tv station come to do interviews at play group, as we're the first community garden in South Wales or Gwent. And I made the final cut. This is my big break! I'm going to be a star!! Ok maybe not, but it's nice of them to do it! The video is going to be out at the end of the month and will be the site's 100th video.

http://3vtv.co.uk/

We have started playing lots of games recently. Big Troll has been given several for birthday, xmas and father's day. So recently we've played Forbidden Island, Ticket to Ride: Europe, Zombie Dice and Settler of Catan. All have been a great success and so thoroughly enjoyable! I look forward to playing more of them soon! Once we got the rules understood the games weren't half as daunting as they could have been!

We have also had some sad news recently. My lovely Man Troll lost his Granddad about 10 days ago, and we have the funeral this Friday. My thoughts are very much with all my in-law family. I remember when my Grandma died during my pregnancy, it was so sad and so heart breaking. I just hope I can be there for my Hubby Troll and his family like they were for me.

We've got some friends coming to stay this weekend which will be lovely, not seen them in a while so very much looking forward to seeing them! And we've just started making plans to go to see my family for my birthday in Yorkshire, and this year it's Xmas in Yorkshire too! So a couple of things to look forward to!

I've recently been looking at a few career ideas which look promising. But that will be for another post when I know more about it.

Ooo! I picked up a new hobby earlier this year. On a visit to see my parents for a few days my mother showed me her Pro-Markers, it was love at first sight! I intend to put a few pictures of things I've been working on. And it's re-kindled my love for making my own cards. To the point where Dotty and I intend to do a craft show later in the year if we can get enough products together and if I'm good enough! And on another visit 'oop north' my niece and nephew came to stay at the same time, so Mini Troll was able to meet his cousins for the first time. I wish he had known them sooner! But I am very glad that he knows them now!

What else is there I can ramble on about?

Something else that happened this week that makes me sad, my rapid boil kettle is going in the bin :( This is super big bad news for me! The switch to make it boil broke off! Now this may not seem big to you, but I'm from Yorkshire! I don't have blood in my veins, I have Tea!!

There will, hopefully, be another post soon! But for now it is Mini Troll's bedtime and cup of tea time for me (we have a pulley system set up to boil water which is all very intricate and complicated ;) )

Have a good evening all!

Borish Babies.

2010-07-08T00:20:00.000+01:00

I was talking to a friend the other day, and saying how I try, even if I fail, not to be a baby bore. It seems silly I know, but it takes a real effort it seems to stop myself from having my every waking tweet or status being about babies or baby related things. But as I sit here watching my beautiful little boy throw his stupid cow toy from his wheely ma jig, and notice that there's a sick stain on the sofa, and see a stray baby wipe (don't worry only from dribble) I think how proud I am, and how it is impossible for me to be anything but a baby bore. And of course as my friend pointed out to me, you're only a bore if people don't want to know or something on the lines of that any way.

The problem is that the baby does take over every aspect of your life, and therefore can spill over into all aspects of conversation. I now wonder if people really realise the magnitude of having a child. Not the responsibility of it, just the sheer size of what you've undertaken in producing this sicking pooping crying machine.

Something that bothers me however is the idea of being a baby-bore. If I go on and on about my son... you know the thing that was 10lb 8oz inside me that I managed to grow and eventually get out of there and have a living breathing being, then I am a baby-bore. However if you buy a game or toy or PC part, and talk about it at length, day in day out until you get your next new bit, you're not a bore of any type, you're just really into *insert title of what ever you go on about* Why is it OK for people to go on about an inanimate object but its boring to go on about something that can be bigger than a bowling ball and squeezed out of something smaller than a mouse hole!?! Don't get me wrong, I get new toy syndrome too, If I didn't I wouldn't have written my last blog post, or bored Big troll to death talking about bits and bobs of Harry Potter. I just don't understand why one seems more acceptable than the other.

So now I refuse to believe talking about my son is boring. I refuse to accept that any aspect of my life with him is anything but as riveting as your new shiny, I mean after all mine will be around for 80+ years, it wont need upgrading, (unless he wants a boob job which would be questionable) I wont need to replace him because he's run out of power or broken down. I will have the same thing for that long and it will just upgrade itself throughout that time... plus I get to dress it up for the first go knows how many years. Where as your newest toy... they one you prize above all your other new toys will be replaced, or broken, or upgraded or something similar in years or months to come.

When you discover that you cannot do anything without taking the baby into account, even when he's asleep, then life takes a whole new turn. You know that when you have a child your life if going to change, you're instantly going to grow up... well maybe not instantly... but supposedly grow up and become more responsible. That lot is taken for granted, and of course you know you're never going to have money again because there will always be more fun things to buy for him/her than for yourself... like milk powder (if not going boob... breast is best and all that, I feel I must say that because mine look rather threatening if I'm honest.) and those fun nappy things, and you'd think if you go all Eco friendly would be cheaper, cos its all re usable etc, but no it feels like you're being punished for trying to be nice to the planet as you exchange your organs on the black market to pay for the sodding things! *mini rant over* You've also got to remember that there will always be that cute little outfit for baby that you just cant not get him/her because its too cute not to. (what you don't realise is that most outfits are light colours and most baby food is orange or purple, and that baby poop can be brown, black, green or mottled! And therefore those outfits will be ruined before the day is out the first time he/she wears them.)

The thing that you don't really get warned about, that is the most bewildering thing, is that when you get past the tiredness, the no money, the everything being everywhere..ness, is that your life still has to go on. You still need to find a way of being you, of being part of a couple. *disclaimer: this post does not mean you have to be in a relationship to have a sprog so don't start : D * You need to learn how to do all the things you used to do and to add the new baby stuff in. You've got to work out a way of getting the best of both. And by crikey is that difficult. We are lucky, our baby sleeps from 6pm till 6am with us feeding him in his sleep (always seemed an odd idea but works) at midnight ish. Other people who's babies don't sleep at night, and who cry all the time, they still need to learn how to do baby life and grown up life. And then, there's the great many women who get re-pregnanted within months of having their baby. Morally I have no issue with this, I worry they won't get enough time with their current baby, but that's for them to work out. What I do have issue with is a little more practical... when the hell did they have time to bonk!? I get that after a few months when the girls body is better then sex starts again, I'm not daft, (I even noticed when it happened ; ) )but how can a woman with a 3 month old child already be a month pregnant?! It just seems odd and not quite right. I just want to figure out when they managed to fit it in, and *be warned grim question coming up!!* wasn't it messy? Boobies dripping type messy I mean.. I guess for some people that's fun... though that can wait for another post.

Thank you for reading.

Lego Harry Potter Years 1-4

2010-07-04T21:26:00.000+01:00

I played the demo of this, and was hooked. I really enjoy all the Lego type games (though not so much on the Wii as on the 360), so when I saw there was going to be a collection of them and that they we're going to be Harry Potter, well I just about popped from nergasming!

This game seems to offer a lot for people, and in my opinion is well worth it's money. It has puzzles, and secrets, wonderfully funny animations relating rather well to the storyline of the books. Some die-hard potter fans may find issue with how close they manage to be to the stories, but let's face it, if you could cope with the huge changes they made from book to film, you can cope with the changes they've made for the game... plus its Lego! What's not to love eh?

So as soon as I could, I had this game in my mucky little grasp, and as soon as I got chance (booting Welshtroll off the Xbob and putting Baby Troll in his wheelie-ma-jig), I got to playing it. I had enjoyed the demo so much that I wanted... no needed to see if the entire game would live up to it's potential. And so far, for me at least, it has.

There are so many thing's to do on there, that I easily find myself playing for hours without noticing, which to me is the sign of a good game. Like in the books, you learn the spells from the relevant teachers, you go through the motions of making sure you've got the hang of them before the game gives you the spell to use out of the classroom. You get to explore all of Hogwarts and it's grounds, as well as going through Gringotts, where extra levels are kept when you've earned them, and of course you get to go down Diagon Alley and Nocturn Alley and explore the shops, and spend the points that you've earned throughout the game in them. And then you've got the cast list, you not only have the main human/ giant/ arachnid/ animal characters but you also have the beasties and people with lesser roles. On top of that, as if it needed anything more, you can play as those characters! So if you've ever wondered what it's like to be a Lego Scabbers, fang or Crookshanks, you've got your wish. And then! You get to play as baddie's as well as the goodies! *takes a breath*

I have not yet completed all 4 years, but I've only had it a week and with hubby and baby at home with me, I don't think I'm doing badly to have finished the first two years. I am looking forward to doing the next two stories very much! If they are as good as the one's I've completed, I shall be a happy girly! Plus, when I have finished the entire lot of stories, I've unlocked free play, meaning that I can go back and do lots of playing about with Quidditch, and flying, and characters etc, and complete the secrets that I may have missed.

Now, I'm trying not to be all fan-boy-girl about this, but I feel I may be failing. I am struggling to find anything about this game that I don't like. But I've another two years to find out... so to speak.

First Blogasm.

2010-07-04T18:08:00.000+01:00

I was thinking the other day, which I know for the most part is a novelty, that I read a fair few people's blogs, tweets, status' and god knows what else, every day. This set me thinking even more, shocking I know, I always comment at very least verbally (much to the dismay of those around me), and of course being me I always have an opinion on what's being/been said. So why not just start putting my ramblings into more than 140 characters? I know I'm not the first and I'm positive I won't be the last (unless someone reads mine and decides blogging as we know it cannot continue, either for a good or bad reason.), but why shouldn't I give it a go... let's face it, if all those strange rambly odd-bod Britney-Christina-Emo lovers can do it, then I can't make too much of a mess of it!

So welcome to my little world of ramblings and talking crap, of mis-formed and well-formed opinions, and of my life in general. Thank you for taking the time to nosey, and hopefully you'll come back!