mummy limited

The things they say and do: The road rage edition

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:57:00 +0000

Last week I warmed your hearts with stories of cute trains and reminded myself to grasp those precious moments that sneak up on us throughout the long toddler days. This week my tale of things Mini Mck has said or done is a little less heart-warming, but it still made me smile, even though I had to stifle my sniggers for the sake of good parenting.

Tuesday, in a small queue of traffic waiting to leave a car park.

Mini Mck: Look! It's lots of byoomin' (bloomin') people in their byoomin', cars.

Me: Mini, we don't say that word it's not nice, they are not byoomin' people.

Mini Mck: Yes they are......

Me: *sigh*

Wednesday, while putting the shopping in the boot of the car

Mini Mck: There's a byoomin' yady (lady)

Me: No, she's a lovely lady

Mini Mck: Yes, a byoomin' lovely yady.

Me: *sigh*

I think that perhaps I need to modify my car speak. I'm not proud, but on the other hand it could be much, much worse.

I am including this post to Thinly Spread's link up, which celebrates those things children say and do that shouldn't be forgotton. Pop over to share in some lovely stories, that probably don't involve road rage.

Over wintered

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:57:00 +0000

If you follow my photos on Instagram or my Project 366 on Posterous, you will have seen that I recently sprained my ankle quite badly.

When I looked back at them, the horrendous swelling and bruising wasn't the most shocking thing in the photos. It was this:

Look at that messy, chipped and worn nail varnish. Yuk! My toenails would never look like that in the summer and then today I noticed that my eyebrows are starting to look a little straggly* and I don't know if it's just because I have a horrible cold, but my skin looks awful. Can a cold make your wrinkles look deeper?

My body is completely and utterly in winter mode and I don't like it. I am tired and have been telling myself that I'm mainly at home at the moment or wrapped up in hats and scarves so don't need to pay attention to these trivial matters, but it's not about what others can see and of course these things are trivial and I don't need to do them, but I want to.

The worthy, earnest 'me' would tell you that it is what is on the inside that matters and that I am being shallow and vain, but the realistic 'me' knows that how you feel when you glance in a mirror or a shop window does matter and providing you are not over-fixating on it, there is nothing wrong with caring.

I am on limited funds though, so a splurge at a salon is out of the question, plus, if I'm honest there are lots of other things I'd rather do with an hour or so of child free time. So, what tips do you have for me? How do you pamper yourself when funds and time are limited? I think I shall start with those awful nails, even though my toe nails won't be on show for at least another four months.

*Do NOT suggest threading. Nothing is worth that pain, not even the chance of groomed eyebrows

The strangeness of time and trains

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:30:00 +0000

Someone once told me that life with small children can be summed up by saying that the days are long and the years are short. I often think of this, as I look at my nearly three year old I gasp at how big he seems and and for Nano, I am permanently in shock that he is now eight months old, always asking, how did that happen?

I read the most brilliant piece on motherhood this week, if you have five minutes please give it a read. I promise it will lift your day and will stay with you long after the laptop has been shut down. The upshot of it was, that there are two kinds of time when you are parenting. Chronos time, which is real, often laborious, seemingly never-ending child wrangling time and the other is Kairos time. This is those moments that are outside of normal time, that stand out and are fleeting, but precious. It resonated with me and I have begun to notice those Kairos moments ever since, but they are easily forgotten again and at the end of the day I am more likely to survey the chaos or relay to Mckdaddy tales of tantrums and shouting.

That's sad, don't you think?

I am going to try harder to remember those moments, the things that make me stop and smile. The things about my children that are so in the now, they will be lost as they grow and change and I have the perfect place to record these moments. So, here is one from this week.

I am in the dining room, doing something with Nano. I can't remember what it is, even though it was only days ago, but it involved kneeling on the floor. Mini Mck is bumbling about around us.

Suddenly I hear "Look, Mummy! Look, Nano! I made a train with yots (lots) of cad-geez (carriages)"

Yes, my darling boy, you certainly did.

A train of flotsom & jetsom

I am linking this post to Chris's 'Things they say' feature. An opportunity to cherish those little things. Click the link for some more joyful moments.

Blognonymous - CLIC Sargent Writing Prompts: Week 1

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:12:00 +0000

This post was submitted to Blognonymous to be posted anonymously. We would love your comments and feedback. For more information about Blognonymous see the page here

What your children mean to you. How have they changed your life?

I expected to love. I expected to be sleepless. I expected the poo. And the wee. And the sick.

What I didn’t expect was the overwhelming urge to slip into their rooms in the middle of the night just to stare at their sleeping faces. What I didn’t expect was to want to confront anyone who ever hurt them. What I didn’t expect was to be challenged on a daily basis with questions including where do we go when we die, why aren’t you and daddy married yet, why do we poo, what is religion and why are people mean to me.

I expected to clean scraped knees. I expected nightmares and the midnight hugs needed to send them away. I expected the tantrums. And the constant reply of noooooo mummy. And the quivering bottom lip.

What I didn’t expect was the joy, the pure unadulterated joy of watching your child playing, laughing or blowing bubbles in the bath. What I didn’t expect was that children have a sense of humour and a well developed one at that. What I didn’t expect is that I would share common interests with my children, books, music (Justin Beiber aside) and films even from a young age. What I didn’t expect is that I would spend most of my income kitting out children who mysteriously grow out of clothes and shoes overnight.

I expected to wipe noses. And eyes brimming with tears. I expected they would need me.

What I didn’t expect is that they would become the centre of my world. What I didn’t expect is that my children would teach me things, mostly that the stuff adults worry about is actually unimportant. What I didn’t expect is that my children would make me want to be a better person, both for myself and for them. What I didn’t expect is that having children would create a much stronger bond with my own mum. And make my heart ache for my dad who died many years ago.

This post is written in support of CLIC Sargent’s Yummy Mummy Week – www.yummymummy.org.uk. Visit the website for more information and sign up for a pack to organise your own fundraising event. You can join in with the writing prompts here.

About CLIC Sargent

CLIC Sargent is the UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people. It provides clinical, practical and emotional support for young cancer patients and their families, from diagnosis onwards. For more information visit www.clicsargent.org.uk

About childhood cancer

Every day 10 children and young people are told they have cancer, and diagnosis usually comes as a shock. Treatment normally starts straightaway and can last up to three years. Although survival rates are over 80%, cancer remains the single largest cause of death from disease in children in the UK.

The Gallery - Me right now...or rather then

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:48:00 +0000

It's Friday afternoon, Nano is asleep and I have relented and put Cars 2 on for Mini Mck again. Seeing as it's Friday, I decide that for once I'm not going to use this time to do boring domestic chores. I make a cup of tea in my gorgeous, new, flowery cup and saucer (and yes it does taste nicer!) and sit down with my boy, snuggled under a blanket for a bit of crafty blog reading.

That is when I discovered Tara's latest torture, also known as this week's Gallery theme, inspired by the Instagram meme '#merightnow',which asks that you post a photo of yourself at that, actual moment. The title kind of gives it away. Asking for a unplanned photo of the actual moment you were reading the post is a little cruel, but not being one to shy away from challenge, here it is:

However, you can be sure that if I'm being asked to post a no make-up, 4:30pm hair shot, I am damn well going to put a flattering filter on it!

For more snapshots of #merightnow, click on the lens cup. I hope nobody has cheated.

Homemade Limoncello or Italy in a glass

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:08:00 +0000

We made sure that any gifts we gave at Christmas were home-made, partly due to lack of funds, but also because I think we all get tired of receiving yet another book/DVD/bath salt set and I like to think that home-made Christmas gifts mean a little more.

Without doubt the most successful creation this year has been our Limoncello, which we managed to make enough of to be able to keep some for ourselves. It really is fabulous and everyone I've mentioned it to since has asked for the recipe, which I am happy to share with you, as long as you don't tell anyone how easy it is. You lucky, lucky people.

Makes about 1 litre

Keeps for around a year

Zest 6 lemons and use the juice from 2 of them. Add them to 750ml of vodka (any old cheap stuff will do) in a large kilner jar. Leave for about a week, stirring every couple of days.

Dissolve 450g sugar with 400ml water and leave to cool. Stir into the vodka/lemon mixture and leave for another 10 days.

Strain into bottles and keep in the freezer

(We are found it goes a little thick in the freezer so remove maybe 15mins before drinking.

Recipe from Jam, Jelly & Relish by Ghillie James

Taste this and close your eyes and you could be sitting in a piazza in Italy watching the world go by. Make it. I promise it is awesome.

I want to.....

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:22:00 +0000

There are not enough hours in the day. That is a cliché that we hear so often and I beg to differ. When you are at home with two children under the age of 3 there are many, long, interminable hours, filled with snacks, drinks, feeds, naps, mess and hundreds of activities that keep toddlers amused for roughly ten minutes. Frankly I have more than enough hours in my day, however what I don't have are enough hours in my evening.

Mckdaddy and I eat with the children and so after that is done and we've had a reasonably leisurely bedtime with them, it is already 7:30pm. I like my sleep, in fact I need my sleep and so if I had my way I'd be snoozing by 9:30 or maybe ten o'clock.

That gives me roughly two hours and I want to...

Write a blog, a proper one with lovely words and beautiful pictures.
Read blogs, comment on them, save the great ideas I see on them.
Read all the books that are piling up by my bed and I mean more than the two pages I manage before falling asleep.
Languish in a gorgeous bath and then have time to dry and straighten my stupidly long and thick hair afterwards.
Knit
Crochet
Sew
Talk to Mckdaddy
Watch TV
Answer e-mails and write new ones to friends I don't catch up with enough
Paint my nails
Bake
Chat to my friends
Do some Yoga
Do some exercise*

and still sleep and sleep and sleep and sleep.

There really just aren't enough hours in the evening to do all that and so I end up watching rubbish TV and falling asleep.

*actually I don't want to do this one, but it's January and I'm about a stone overweight so I really should pretend that I do want to do this.

Baby-Led or Spoon Feeding: Does it really matter?

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:52:00 +0000

Weaning methods pretty much fall into two camps, spoon-feeding purées and baby-led weaning and as with many parenting choices supporters of each can be somewhat zealous in their approach. I heard a radio interview with Annabel Karmel, a supporter of the spoon-feeding method, something which I'm sure has nothing to do with the fact that she makes her living by selling books and equipment to go along with this, where she pretty much suggested that by not following her preferred method your child was likely to choke and die. Conversely many Baby-Led Weaning parents that I've met or heard have come across as being supremely condescending and smug about what their child eats and would have you believe that BLW is the only way to wean a baby and will result in a child who happily eats everything you put in front of them.

Since I have started weaning Nano Mck I have come to the conclusion that the method you choose to wean is not really that important and that the success is more likely down to the temperament of your child and how they feel about food.

We have chosen to use BLW with both of our children, as it just seemed to suit us better. I like the fact that it means I can eat at the same time and it seemed to me a more relaxed and easier way to go about things, but the experience of weaning both my boys couldn't be more different.

From early on Mini Mck would reject a lot of foods and mealtimes could be very frustrating and the length of time he would be prepared to sit in the highchair without trying to escape was short. This can still be the case, although we have seen an improvement recently. He really is a child that is not overly interested in food. He is far too busy and would prefer to snack and run rather than eat a large meal. Baby-led weaning doesn't always result in a non-fussy, food confident child and it can be as infuriating as any other method.

Obviously I can only really compare the early days as Nano Mck is still just exploring food and understanding what it is for, but the differences are so striking that it has been like a lightbulb going on in my head. Suddenly I don't question how weaned or whether I made mistakes in my attitude to Mini Mck and food. It is about the child not the method.

Nano is yet to reject any food that I've presented him with and has enjoyed a wide range of flavours and textures. He will happily sit in the highchair and patiently munch his way through dinner. In fact, I have started to seat him before the rest of us join him, otherwise one of us is left supervising him long after our meal is finished. He will eat at any time of day and positively lurches forward whenever he sees food being prepared for him. He seems to hold on to the food for much longer than Mini did, happy to persevere with whatever he has been given.

Pizza, Eggy Bread & Roast Potatoes

I still think that some children suit different methods, but I do believe that it is for the parent to work out what that method is. Even though we have had difficult meal times with Mini Mck I don't regret my choice of weaning method, as I think we would have had the same issues had we gone down the spoon-feeding route. Ultimately both schools of thought get your child the nutrition they need and in my opinion neither are a guarantee that you won't have some challenges when it comes to food, so just choose what feels right for you or more importantly what feels right for your baby. After all you do know them better than anyone.

The Gallery - Blue

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:00:00 +0000

From their first early days babies need eye contact to grow and develop and so theirs are designed to make you gaze into them, stealing your time and making you lose yourself in a moment of clarity amongst the fog of newborn days. It is with their eyes that they hook you in.

My first child had a kind of all over cuteness about him from a very early age. He was cute cheeks, an expressive brow and deep red cupid bow lips. My second is all about the eyes. The big, blue, rounded eyes that you just have to look into.

This week's Gallery prompt is eyes. For more just click on the lens cup.

The Big Reveal - Crocheted Flower Purse

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:34:00 +0000

As you may remember I recently decided to give crochet a try. Armed with some You Tube tutorials, some books and some Twitter Crocheters to help me on my way I started with some very basic stitches that I have blogged about already.

After finding out that American crochet terms are different to UK ones, but similar enough to make it very confusing I used a combination of my two books. The US one (The Happy Hooker by Debbie Stoller) gave much better explanations for learning the techniques, but the other (Cute & Easy Crochet by Nikki Trench) had the correct UK terms and lots more projects that I wanted to make.

I have loved the whole experience of learning something new, although it really was quite a challenge and I have such a long way to go in getting my skill level to match by project desire level.

I particularly liked that my crochet project was so much more portable than knitting. I took it on the train to London and it wasn't cumbersome at all. It also progresses much quicker, which is lovely when you are only just starting out and yet can see the fruits of you labour.

So, I present to you my first crochet project. A gorgeous flower embellished purse from the Nikki Trench book and I love it. I started it for myself, but at the last minute decided to give it to my lovely sister-in-law for Christmas as it was just very 'her'.

I found making the main part of the purse quite easy once I got the hang of it and it was a great starting project as it has a decent amount of simple. straight back and forth hooking to get you in the swing of things. However I found the flowers to be a real challenge. I wonder if its the knitter in me that meant working in a circle was so alien and confusing. Luckily they are quite small and didn't take long to do, so there are currently a number of rejects hiding at the bottom of my craft bag.

I am traditionally very lazy about making up pieces and this project required a material lining, but seeing as I was on a festive deadline I had to get it done. I am so disappointed that I didn't photograph the inside as I happened to have the perfect fabric in my stash.

I am itching to try something else and mainly master this circular business but I currently have a hat for a very cool toddler on my needles and a cardigan for Nano Mck to make up, which, disappointingly, I think is going to be too small and so I have lost interest somewhat.

Two and a half

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 19:50:00 +0000

Dear Mini Mck

For weeks now I've been wanting to write about you and what you are like now. I struggle to find the words because recently I haven't found you easy to get along with. Every time I tried to write my words didn't express my thoughts and sounded too harsh. By writing with you in mind I hope I can say what I really think.

You are two and a half, well actually you are more like two and three quarters and still you manage to amaze me every day. You talk all the time and I love that we can now have proper conversations and that you can express your imagination so well. You are so interested in your brother and he is the first thing you ask about when you wake up. You want to hold his hand, to make him laugh, to kiss and cuddle him. If he cries you try to sooth him. If you hear me cry out because I have knocked myself or stubbed my toe you will come rushing through asking if I am OK. It makes me so proud.

Ever since you were a baby you have been strong-willed and stubborn. I understand how that feels, I am the same way. I know how it feels to want the world to be just how you desire it and the frustration that bubbles up when things don't go your way. You are pushing boundaries and testing to see what you can and cannot do, trying to grapple as much control over your life as you can. I understand that too, but there are four of us in this family and we cannot always bend to your will, that's not how family's work.

Photo by Mckdaddy

As much as you love and care for Nano, you are also prone to lash out suddenly, or just be too rough with him. You sometimes do things that are deliberately mischievous, such as screeching to wake your brother or to frighten one of the cats. It upsets me to see the glee that you get from this and frustrates me that my words don't seem to make a difference to you.

Your personality is big and you spirit is so strong, I don't want to quash that in any way. I am precariously treading the line between letting you be the person you are and making sure you understand what behaviour is acceptable and what isn't and frankly, I am finding it hard.

I tell myself that you show a whole range of emotions and characteristics and that as well as being single-minded and challenging, you show signs of care and love, but it isn't always easy to keep this in mind, particularly when some around us seem to suggest that I should be doing more to clip your wings.

I'm sure you will simply grow out of these ways and will remain my beautiful, complicated, strong-willed boy. As I said you have been this way since the day you were born.

Six Months

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:20:00 +0000

Dear Nano Mck

This post should really be called seven months, because that is what you are. Unfortunately you half year birthday fell on the 1st December, when Operation Christmas started and as I was so unorganised this year, there was a lot to do.

I cannot believe that six months has passed already and it makes me a little sad, but there are many joys to make up for it. You are becoming so responsive and really starting to do more, showing your personality to the world more and more each day.

I guess it is inevitable that you are compared to your brother. I can't say I'm happy about that, even though I find myself doing it. I don't think it is fair to either of you that you are compared so much and so I want to record some things that are just you. They are not a comparison, as honestly there is so much from your brother's early days that I just do not remember. I didn't have a blog then and I guess that is what it is here for.

You have a noise that is reserved just for me. It is a cross between a giggle and a cry and the hungrier you are the more like a cry it is. I love this time when a baby really belongs to it's mother. I know this is selfish, but there will be plenty of time for you to be a Daddy's boy or think that I am dull and naggy. For now, I shall cherish that you have a noise of delight that you only make for me.

The skin on your cheek is so soft, it is like a velvet pillow, plumped on a bed. Your colouring is so different to my own that I find it fascinating. It is pale, porcelain like. I look at the contrast of our arms when I am feeding you and find it hard to believe we are connected. My olive nutty brown skin against the most delicate creamy white.

Gorgeous babygro from Juicytots.co.uk (not sponsored, I just love them.)

You are calm and happy nearly all the time. I rarely hear you properly cry, a little grizzle perhaps when you are tired or hungry. When you are tired you prefer to be left alone in a quiet, dark room and I find this hard. I can't rock you to sleep or cuddle you until you drift off, sometimes if tired and hungry come at the same time I can feed you to sleep, but mostly I have to put you down in your cot awake. A blessing when you are happy, but hard when you are not.

You love to cuddle. When I pick you up you snuggle into my body, resting you head under my chin and moulding yourself to me completely. It amazes me that before you can walk, talk, eat or even crawl, you know how to cuddle. Finding comfort is just instinctive.

You adore your brother and despite his screechy loudness and boisterousness towards you, he is, as far as you are concerned the funniest thing you have ever encountered. He is equally obsessed with you and the more positive interaction he gets from you the stronger your relationship is becoming.

Your smile is brilliant. You have practised it a great deal. You wrinkle your nose and your eyes crease at the edges. It is lopsided and it almost looks as though you are winking.

In short, you are a joy and I am lucky.

The great pre-school hunt & phone phobia

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:41:00 +0000

I would describe myself as reasonably articulate and intelligent and not lacking in confidence and yet I hate talking on the phone. I don't mean chatting to friends, I mean grown up, admin type conversations. Whether I'm trying to compare car insurance, get a new mortgage deal or persuade my mobile phone company to do me a good deal, I will put it off as long as possible or preferably try to persuade Mckdaddy to make the call.

My latest phone related activity I am putting off is contacting potential pre-schools for Mini Mck to attend. At two and a half I think he is ready for some activity without me and I think I am ready for a little break from him to. Although judging by my tears after just one morning of phoning around I'm not completely convinced that the latter is true.

Ideally I wanted him to attend for just one session a week and also had no idea of the difference between pre-school and nursery. It seems the former is loads cheaper, just operates in term-time and is shorter sessions. However, because I didn't know this I started by phoning nurseries and became quite demoralised by a couple of unfriendly people on the other end of the phone.

It seems that one session a week is not the done thing as it is harder for the child to settle. I actually still don't think it would be a problem for Mini Mck, but seeing as pre-school sessions are shorter anyway I don't necessarily object to two sesssions a week anyway.

Even after getting over this hurdle though I still haven't had a second attempt at finding him a place. It all just seems so onerous. Before I even pick up the phone I need to check the location. Then when I finally do speak to someone it seems they are all full and even if they aren't I still need to go and see them, preferably without Mini Mck as I don't want to confuse him.

So, after a feeble attempt one morning to get this sorted, nothing has happened for at least a month and it's not like I can get Mckdaddy to do it, as the calls need to be made during the day. What I really need is a website called www.MummyLimited'sperfectpre-school.com.

This is a sponsored post

Crochet for beginners

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:23:00 +0000

I learned to knit about three or four years ago and now it's in my bones. I feel confident with it and even though I'm no longer a beginner, I still find that I can push my skills and try new things. However, just recently my head has been turned and fancy trying something new.

I have been inspired by some gorgeous hooky blogs and have been assured by many Twitter friends that crochet is easy and once you get going is much quicker to work than knitting.

I taught myself to knit entirely from a book, with some help from You Tube more recently for some more advanced techniques, so I've decided to do the same this time. So, armed with a couple of books, some You Tube tutorials some yarn, a hook and, thankfully, some lovely help from Twitter I have begun my education.

So far, it has felt very strange and alien to my hands. I have forgotten what it is like to not even know how to hold the yarn, what it feels like to have to think of every stitch as I do it and how slow this makes progress. Knitting comes so naturally to me now and I can almost feel new pathways forming in my brain as I struggle to make my hands work in a new way. I can't wait until it becomes a case of muscle memory

I'll keep you updated with my progress, but for now here is my first ever piece of hooking (I shan't tell you how long this tiny patch took!)

The Gallery - Proud

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 19:55:00 +0000

The funny thing about The Gallery is that I may not do it for months, but once I jump back in, I want to do it week after week. This week's prompt from Tara is "Something I am proud of"

I am not the photographer in our family, Mckdaddy is. This is why you will find lots of pictures of the children and of me and the children, but very few of the man of the house. He has worked in a camera shop and for a photographer in the past and so knows his way around an SLR. My attempts usually pale in comparison.

However, I am improving. With a few pointers from Mckdaddy and lots and lots of practice I am starting to get some photos that I am really proud of. I'm still totally confused by the jargon and which way the numbers go for aperture, but I can frame a shot and often know when I've got it.

As soon as I took this set of photos I knew they were going to be good, even before I looked at the preview screen. I just love how they are both looking at the camera and smiling, happy to be near each other. I used this shot on the blog before, but it is still my absolute favourite photo of the year and I took it.

That makes me proud.

Homemade Advent Calender - No rubbish chocolate allowed.

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 11:27:00 +0000

I loathe chocolate filled advent calenders. I'm not sure if it's because I am too old to have had them when I was a child or I just can't abide the cheap, soapy chocolate that you find in them. I like a nice traditional nativity themed one and that is exactly what we had last year. I loved it so much that I have carefully re-closed all the doors to use again, please say I'm not the only person that does this.

However, I suspect that this will not keep Mini Mck satisfied for many years and so in an attempt to avoid the dreaded chocolate filled thing I have decided to make one and fill it with a mix of activities and treats.

I was a little stumped with what to fill it with, but found the only benefit of Mckdaddy messing up his back was that I was able to task him to find me twenty four fantastic surprises for our calender.

I had a few requests to share what he came up with so here is our list of advent activities:

Make mince pies

Write Father Christmas a letter

Make Christmas biscuits

Choose a Hot Wheels car

Go to the park

Read a Christmas story

Make a smoothie

Jump on Mummy and Daddy’s bed

Decorate biscuits with icing and sprinkles

Paint a picture of Father Christmas

Buy a Christmas tree

Decorate the tree

Make Christmas Cards

Eat Chocolate

Make a stickman http://www.redtedart.com/2011/08/18/quick-kids-craft-stick-men/

Have Christmas tea party

See Father Christmas

Feed the ducks

Make wrapping paper

Make a flag http://www.redtedart.com/2011/06/22/kids-crafts-making-flags-with-kids/

Make stain glass window biscuits http://www.redtedart.com/2011/08/26/how-to-make-lollibops-guest-post/

Watch a Christmas Film

Make a thankful tree http://infantbibliophile.blogspot.com/2010/11/thankful-tree-my-favorite-thanksgiving.html

Go on a bike ride

The order has been tinkered with a little to fit in with weekends and visits away to family. I'm not sure this is the definitive list, but whenever they are it looks like I'm going to have a very busy December. I'm sure that some days may have a chocolate included in them as well.

For more Festive type posts why not take a peek at Christine's Festive Friday linky. I am sure you will find some fabulous Christmassy ideas.

One hour

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 07:00:00 +0000

The biggest difference between having one child and two is the total lack of time I have with the younger one when he is a baby. When Mini Mck was six weeks old we did a baby massage course, followed by a post-natal yoga class and then a baby yoga course (twice) and amongst that we started swimming too. It was quite a social whirlwind.

I didn't feel any pressure to do those things, but simply enjoyed them and in between sessions would do the yoga and massage at home to fill those long newborn hours. I loved spending time concentrating on my new baby, I just didn't really appreciate what a luxury it was.

Yet with Nano Mck it seems that the days and months have passed in a blur. I have hardly had time to take a breath and he is already five months old. He is so content and smiley, happy to fit in with what we are doing (he prefers at least one nap in his cot, but he manages without if necessary) and able to be left kicking on his baby gym or watching the chaos from a chair.

At the end of each day, while Mckdaddy is reading to Mini Mck, I snuggle up with Nano on my bed and feed him. I often look down at him and think "I feel as if I've hardly looked at you today." It makes me feel sad.

So, I have finally done something about it. Every Friday for six weeks Nano and I are returning to the same yoga class I did two years ago with his older brother. After taking Mini Mck to Mini Monkey Gym I leave him with my Mum, have time for a coffee somewhere and a feed for Nano and then we have an hour of bliss.

This hour has become so precious. I get to sing songs to my baby and make lots of eye contact, while at the same time stretching my tired muscles and taking some deep breaths. It has become a little oasis of calm in an otherwise frantic and busy week.

When I think about Fridays, I think of my special time with my baby and so when Tara asked us to record something from our lives on 11/11/11, I couldn't choose anything else. The photos are not the greatest I have ever taken, but they represent some special moments that I have managed to squeeze into my week. So, thank you Tara for making me record these ordinary, yet important moments.

Before and after baby yoga

To see what others were up to on the 11/11/11 just click on the lens cup.

Review: A little bit of half-term DIY

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:35:00 +0000

Mckdaddy has been embarking on some DIY recently and so when Mini Mck had the opportunity to try out the BigJigs Carpenter Set, we jumped at the chance.

At two and a half Mini Mck's play often takes the form of copying and role play, which is not a problem when he is 'helping' to clean the bathroom or wash the floor, but when heavy lump hammers and large screwdrivers are being picked up as soon as you put them down it can be rather dangerous, both for him and the furniture.

The tool kit hadn't arrived for the first day of our current project, which involved knocking a brick fireplace off the wall, taking up a hearth and re-plastering and his constant attempts to help with 'hammanming' became a bit wearing on Mckdaddy's patience.

However by day two, Woodentoyshop.co.uk, had sent us this fantastic wooden tool set, consisting of twelve lovely wooden tools in a carry case, which has already been on several outings with us, including the supermarket.

I only have two very tiny complaints about this lovely set. The first is that the opening catches on the box are a little fiddly and not very robust, even for me, let alone a toddler and that it is impossible to remember how everything goes back into the box. It's like a nice, little puzzle for adults to grapple with at the end of the day!

However, Mini Mck has no complaints at all and absolutely loves this set, not only to help Mckdaddy, but also when playing many of his other imaginative games, which tend to involve broken down trucks, cars, lorries.....you get the picture, I'm sure.

I often have him run through to me from his game shouting "Mummy, I need my tools, I need my tools".

Thank you to Woodentoyshop.co.uk for providing us with the toolset to review. All the words and opinions are my own (and Mini Mck's, of course)

The grind

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 20:22:00 +0000

My head is full and jumbled. I am tired and yet I need to get some of this stuff out of my head and into words, as much for myself than anything else. I have tried to write a couple of times in the last week and just can't seem to form sentences, probably because I need to write about what's on my mind and have been avoiding it. So, I've decided to just type and see where I end up.

I had a friend to stay this weekend and got lots of 'time off'. We took the baby shopping with us on Saturday and returned to a spotlessly tidy house, with a load of nappies finished in the washing machine and stories of how Mini Mck not only played angelically, but also helped tidy up his toys. Sunday was a long planned spa day, when we were joined by another friend and I thought that having both the children all day would trip Mckdaddy up, but on our return, bedtime routine was well under way, dinner was bubbling away and the house was still looking ordered.

Now that I am back in charge Mckdaddy has returned to a house in chaos, with me hardly able to brush my hair and tales of toddler wrangling and how tired I am. It's all just left me feeling a totally useless.

I don't know if it's the dark, dank days or the broken nights of sleep that are making me feel this way, but I am finding it all an enormous slog at the moment and feel myself sinking in a black mood that I keep expecting to lift and it just isn't.

I am sad that Nano will be six months in a couple of weeks and it seems like I have just missed it. I feel guilty that I spend so little time with him and even when Grandad Limited takes Mini for the afternoon I hope that Nano has a big nap so that I can catch up with some house stuff. Now, suddenly I am thinking about weaning and all that comes with that and I am just not ready. I have blinked and half a year has gone by.

Guilt permeates so much of my thoughts these days. I had such a fantastic weekend and had to admit that I didn't miss Nano as much as I thought I might. The chance to just slow my brain and think of nothing was so delicious I wanted it to last much longer than a few hours.

I crave time to myself and it seems however much I run frantically, like a hamster in a wheel, to make it happen, I never seem to reach it. There is always 'just one more thing to do'. Of course, I have the evenings, but with feeling so tired and wanting to sleep early (although I rarely do) it just isn't enough. I want to knit, to learn crochet, to watch TV, read, paint my nails, have a long bath, send long e-mails and letters, blog, cook. I want to do it all and you just can't when the time between putting the children to bed and sleeping yourself is so short.

I explained to my friend at the weekend that I hate the bedtime routine, not because of the children as they are both really brilliant at bedtime, but because it is then that I look around and see that I still have so much to do before I can be 'off duty' and by this time I have no energy left.

I do get some help. My Dad and Step-mum take Mini out for a few hours once a week and my Mum has said she will have him for the next five weeks while I take Nano to baby yoga, but that is it. A total of about 4 hours and none of it child free. Not that I expect it, they are my children and this is what I signed up for. I dipped my toe into finding a pre-school for Mini Mck, but so far the ones I've phoned are full and to be honest I've lost the motivation to keep looking at the moment.

I know it is just the grind of daily life with two small children and am sure that it will lift soon,or at least I hope it will. At the moment I am just getting through it, not really enjoying it. (and here we have another source of guilt *sigh*) It is just the relentlessness of it all is bearing down on my ridiculously knotty shoulders.

Sleep training for parents

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 07:58:00 +0000

Ever since he was born Nano Mck has been a brilliant sleeper. Please do not think that last statement has any hint of smugness to it. I am not suggesting I've had anything to do with it. I have done nothing to control his sleep and he seems to naturally have fallen into a lovely nightly sleeping pattern.

From his very first nights he would usually wake once or twice and this soon became only once. At about three months he found he liked to suck his thumb and ever since then he has slept through the night, from around 7pm to 6 in the morning. He would often wake happy and content to lay in his cot for a while and could fall asleep anywhere.

So, as you see he is a brilliant sleeper, or at least he was. Suddenly, a week ago, at four and half months he has started waking in the night, at least twice. He wakes unhappy and hungry. He usually settles fairly quickly after a feed and will either go back in his cot or into the bed with us.

None of this is particularly unusual for an exclusively breastfed baby who is less than six months old, but I am really struggling to come to terms with this change. Mini Mck took a long time to become friends with sleep and I spent many hours and days trying to work out why and what I needed to do to 'fix' him. It was all very stressful and eventually I realised that by just accepting things as they were and going with what he needed I felt better.

Nano's worst night has been similar to what Mini's best night would be like, at the same age and yet I am once again obsessing about why he is waking and when it will end. I feel so tired and seem to fixate on this all day long. I find myself feeling annoyed and resentful (I can't tell you how dreadful I feel admitting that) when I get woken and by the fact that I really need to go to bed earlier and so miss out on time for myself.

I am sure that some of these feelings are just my anxiousness that I am going to experience another year like Mini's first and this was my biggest fear about having another baby. However, I have been saying since he was born how different Nano is in lots of ways and just because he is generally a good sleeper it doesn't mean we won't hit bumps in the road.

Before I put Nano to bed last night I found myself thinking how unfair I was being and realising that he is behaving in a totally normal way for a 4/5 month old, but this didn't stop me groaning at midnight and again at half past one.

I am the one that needs sleep training. I need to change my attitude and realise that acceptance is far less stressful and exhausting than raging against the situation. I need to stop moaning about my lost time in the evening and enjoy the time I have, whilst still going to bed early and I really do mean early, I like my sleep. During the day, it does me no good constantly thinking about how tired I feel, instead I need to eat well, drink plenty and get on with the day.

I am still hoping that my amazing sleeping baby returns to me soon, but in the meantime I will suck it up and stop moaning*

*If you follow me on twitter then you may find that the not moaning bit doesn't quite work out.

Wanted: New PR for two year olds

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 18:37:00 +0000

I feel sorry for two-year old children. As soon as they put a foot wrong, you can be sure that there will be someone who will roll their eyes and ask, the parent of said toddler, "Terrible Twos?" Even the mention of the phrase puts my hackles up and I become immediately defensive, denying that we ever experience such a thing, even if Mini Mck is splayed on the floor screaming, at the time.

I wonder though, are they really so terrible or have two-year olds just been the victim of bad press. Do they just need a fantastic public relations makeover? I'm not denying that toddler behaviour can be challenging, exhausting and frustrating, but the negative way it is summed up makes me cringe. There are many stages of childhood that can be challenging.

When Mini Mck was a newborn, the tiredness was all encompassing and I had to try so hard to get to know my son and what he wanted and needed. That was hard, that was challenging. As he became older and was desperate to talk and walk and yet wasn't quite able to, that was hard too. Kids can be hard work at any age and yet it seems, with perhaps the exception of teenagers, the toddlers are the only ones who get such a harsh review.

It is hardly surprising their behaviour can be so extreme sometimes, as, again like teenagers. they are going through some pretty big changes. Learning what emotions are and trying to control them, learning what is right and wrong and where they fit in the world is all pretty hefty stuff for such a little person.

However, so many people seem to forget this, especially (dare I say) those from an older generation. I have witnessed people expect Mini Mck to know right from wrong, or immediately accept that I am talking to someone and so play on his own and yet want to decide how much he wants to eat or drink, or whether he needs a jumper. Surely this is the wrong way round.

Sometimes I am bowled over by a particularly stubborn and extreme tantrum, but equally I am amazed by how fantastic two-year olds can be. Yet we don't seem to talk about the 'Terrific Twos".

Right in front of my eyes I see a person growing every day. Language and imagination are exploding all the time, the ability to concentrate for longer periods of time and grasping concepts of weather, time, hunger and tiredness. Although they can struggle with their new, unfamiliar emotions, the upside is that they start to show a caring side, wanting to comfort someone who is hurt or sad and enjoying making another person happy. I think all of that sounds pretty terrific, don't you?

Despite all of this, the thing that I find myself talking about with friends who have children of a similar age or family is the "Terrible Two's" and how to deal with them and actually I think that is really quite sad.

Miscarriage care: The right way (mostly)

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 19:18:00 +0000

According to a survey over half of women who have suffered a miscarriage are unhappy with the care that they have received from the NHS, with many experiencing insensitive treatment making an already difficult experience even worse.

This survey was carried out by Mumsnet and they have launched a campaign to improve the care and support that women receive when they suffer a miscarriage, something which is all too common but not often talked about.

My first three pregnancies ended in disappointment and grief. As a result I have dealt with lots of different healthcare professionals concerning this difficult topic. When I heard about Mumsnet's campaign, my mind didn't automatically turn to the rude and officious registrar, who saw me after my third miscarriage. He told us that we should just keep trying and if there was something wrong it was a genetic mismatch, for which he could offer no help.

Instead, I was reminded of the many people I encountered who actually made the load a little easier. The porters who wheeled my hospital bed the long way to the operating theatre so that we didn't have to pass through the maternity ward. The nurse who held my hand before the anaesthesiologist came in and said "It's nearly over now, you're being really brave". The community midwife who, when seeing me in my fourth pregnancy, remembered that I'd had a long journey to get to that point and was always mindful and sensitive of it. The sonographer who saw me for an early scan in my last pregnancy who still, even though I now had a child, was reassuring and sensitive and spent loads of time checking the scan pictures to ensure a healthy pregnancy was progressing.

Mumsnet are asking for a five point Miscarriage Code of Care to be implemented and all of the points are excellent and important. For example asking that women suffering miscarriage are not treated in the same area as routine ante and post natal procedures or appointments.

However, there are some things that can and are being done that don't cost a thing or take much more time and yet are so memorable and appreciated to those who are on the receiving end.

1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage and yet it isn't something that is often discussed. I will be supporting Mumsnet's push for better care for women and I urge you to do the same. There are lots of ways to help and you can find out more here.

If you have been unlucky enough to experience pregnancy loss what was the care that you received like? Do you, as I do, have some great stories that shows off the best about our NHS, or were you left feeling unsupported and mistreated?

Breaking my own blogging rule

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 16:26:00 +0000

I am about to break my one and only rule of blogging, which is not to blog about blogging, but it is for a good cause. A last ditch effort to get me writing again as I appear to have 'dried up'

There are certain things you must never do. One is to say or write that you have mastered some part of parenting, such as potty training, sleeping or a fussy eater. You can be sure that if you do your child will stop doing the thing you've spent weeks trying to encourage or will go back by about two months.

Another is that you should never admit that you are in a really good place with your blog, are happy writing about what you want and you are feeling free and easy about your style and subjects. If you do you will find yourself suddenly self -concious, particularly if the people you admit this too agree they've noticed the difference too and are enjoying your posts.

*Gulp*

Just after Nano was born I found that the words were flowing freely and I was really enjoying what I was doing and writing, but the realisation that people are reading, especially those who I really like and respect must have freaked me out a little, as ever since I've been utterly self-concious and unable to get my thoughts onto the page.

Either that or the realisation that even with an incredibly easy baby I am still destined to be knackered for the next few years and therefore am lucky when I manage to string a sentence together, let alone a blog post.

So, from now on I am going to get back to that relaxed state of blogging. I'd love you to read it, I'd love you to comment on it and most of all I want you to enjoy it, but regardless of any of that I shall be writing it anyway.

No child born to die. 100 words

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:14:00 +0000

You're doing really well, go with what your body is telling you. Everything is fine, it's just a bit quick and baby's heart rate has dropped. It's been a bit of a shock for both of you. Just do what you feel is right. There, the head is out now, the cord is round baby's neck, so I just need to sort that out. No, it's fine, don't panic. Here he is, he's a bit tangled up and distressed. You did brilliantly. Once Daddy has cut the cord you can have him, give you both a chance to get over the shock. Here he is, hold him to your skin. Perfect.

I haven't written about Nano Mck's birth as I found it quite traumatic and scary, despite him being my second baby. Imagine how much more scary it would have been if I hadn't been cared for by a brilliant, calm and capable midwife. If I'd had to do it alone.

Doctors, nurses and midwives are vital to help children survive. Without them, no vaccine can be administered, no life-saving drugs prescribed and no woman can be given expert care during childbirth.

But the massive shortfall of health workers in some of the poorest countries is hitting the most vulnerable children and families the hardest.

Half of the 8 million children who die each year are in Africa, yet Africa has only 3% of the world’s doctors, nurses and midwives

My lovely blogging friend and all round inspirational lady, Chris is currently in New York with Save the Children at the UN General Assembly to put pressure on David Cameron to help solve the massive health worker crisis.

Your signature can help. So, please, if you haven't already done so sign the petition and do it NOW. Thank you.

Wanted: Something to curl up in bed with

noreply@blogger.com (Emily Davidson) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 19:20:00 +0000

Before I had children, I would take tons of books on holiday. I remember one trip to the US, my hand luggage was filled with a few toiletries, my journal and books. I had the time to be able to take a wide variety of books, some that would challenge me and a few trashy novels that could be polished off in one day by the pool.

Now I have children the volume of books I consume, both at home and on holiday, has sadly, dramatically reduced and up until my last holiday I never got the amount I taken quite right, either taking too many and not getting into any of them or only taking one and finding that it's the wrong choice. However, this time I got it right and I'd given the matter careful thought before hand so as to make sure that both of my choices were winners.

The first, One Day by David Nicholls, was a novel I had been wanting to read since it was first published and yet somehow had not got around to. Then as my holiday approached I decided to save it and really savour it. It was a perfect holiday read, easy to get into, funny and with good, but not perfect characters. I will admit I was a little disappointed with the ending but I just love the way that Nicholls writes. He paints a picture and the detail and dialogue is so vivid. Added to this, the characters are roughly the same age as me and so all the cultural references resonated. I was planning on watching the film, however after hearing a clip of an awful Yorkshire accent from Anne Hathaway and a dreadful panning on a radio review, I may give it a miss.

The second, How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran, I decided to take after hearing the author on the radio and thinking I wanted to hear more of what she had to say. I already followed her on Twitter, but it was one of those radio interviews that you switch on halfway through and so don't immediately know who is speaking.

I LOVED THIS BOOK and urge you to buy and read it immediately, whether you are male or female. It made my brain fizz, it made me feel at ease with the choices I have made, it made me think differently about things and changing my opinions. I made me laugh out loud and nod vigorously in agreement and it made me want to shout "I AM A FEMINIST" in the middle of a French campsite. It was the kind of book that had me disturbing Mckdaddy at regular intervals to read bits out. He loves that!

I was so pleased with my choices that I wondered of perhaps my lack of reading at home is due to choosing the wrong things. I tend to get most of my books from the library and so take what is there, but my reading time is so rare these days I need to be more picky.

This is where you come in. I need some really good recommendations for my next book to read. I like really good stories that have happy endings and are not too harrowing. My Stepmother has a real penchant for tales that end in disease, heartbreak and death. I do not. I am also partial to a bit of non-fiction, something historical, but light enough to still be enjoyable and not feel like homework.

So, my recommendation to you is "How to Be a Woman", what have you got for me in return and why?