A Mother's Ramblings

Top Ender's car hasn't got much battery left, but she found a way to get over that! I wish I could fit into that car to have a go!

Following Baby Boy taking his first steps (see Baby Boy Walks ) I have just been getting Baby Boy to walk some more and here is the video footage!

Top Enders teacher (Teacher Two) asked me if I could stay this morning to talk to the class about Baby Boy and how he is different from older and younger children with two other Mums and their babies. Top Ender was sitting in the front row, just in front of where I was to sit. After we had told Top Enders Classmates about the babies, they were allowed to ask us questions. We join the scene halfway through; "Anyone else have a question?" said Teacher Two Top Enders hand was the only one that went up. "Yes Top Ender, do you have another question?" said Teacher One "Yes, when can babies stand up on their own?" "Well lets try and work it out. Baby Boy is nearly One and he is just about standing on his own is that right Top Enders Mummy?" "Yes that's right, he can stand on his own, but then he will fall down on his bottom!" The Class erupted in laughter as I had used the word bottom. "Would you like to see?" I asked "Yes!&

"Mum I want to make you a necklace for your birthday" "Okay Top Ender" "Can you help?" "Sure want me to tie the string to the ring?" "Yes, can you help me with the beads too?" "Okay" "Thanks Mum, I'll come back later when you have got to the middle"

After having spent all weekend dealing with the Front Garden, Top Ender went for a walk round it this morning. "MUM!" "What Top Ender?" "Someone has stolen the weeds from our Garden!"

After having had a fight with Top Ender about putting on a pair of dungarees shorts today we had the following conversation "Mum?" "Yes Top Ender" "I learnt something today, Can I tell you?" "Sure Top Ender" "If someone wants you to wear something and you don't want to you should just try it on anyway, because you might like it!"

"Top Ender go get dressed please" "No!" "Top Ender, I want to use the car today so we need to take Daddy to work" "No!" "Top Ender I will get you a McDonald's breakfast on the way home" "Shall I wear trousers, a Skirt or a dress?"

Baby Boy had a really long day yesterday and was ready for his last feed of the day. I sat in the chair and lifted my top Baby Boy called out to me "Boob! Yay!" Nice to know I am still loved!

"Baby Boy, what are you doing?" "Urgh" "Baby Boy, stop and drop! Give me what you are eating!" "Urgh" At this point I thought it best to take it out of his mouth myself "Mama, No!" "Baby Boy it is dirty! Give it to me!" "Bad Mama" And with that he crawled away leaving me with a lump of something that may of once been food.

Baby Boy has learnt that he can climb the stairs. There are times when I need to leave Baby Boy alone for a few moments and it is at these times that he decides to practise this new skill. Coming out of the bathroom today I could hear Baby Boy crying. Looking towards the sound I saw that Baby Boy had climbed the stairs to half way and was now holding on to the Bannister for dear life. "Mama, Bad Baba Mama!" "No not bad Baby Boy, you are just curious!" "No Mama!" I sometimes forget that Baby Boy is only 11 months old!

"Spaghetti Bolognese for Dinner Top Ender, do you want cheese?" I asked "Yes please. What's Bolognese again?" Said Top Ender "Mince in sauce, you like it." "Do I? Okay then I'll have that but no cheese." "No cheese, got it" "No! No spaghetti I mean!" "Its kind of important to have spaghetti if you are having Spaghetti Bolognese" "Is it?" "Yes" "Oh, I'll have some of that then. But no Cheese!" "Spaghetti and Sauce but no cheese, Got it" Five minutes later "Mum? Can I have cheese?"

Top Ender and Daddy made crisps for lunch yesterday in the new Deep Fat Fryer (see here ) whilst Baby Boy and I had Jacket Potatoes. "Are you sad Mummy?" "Why Top Ender?" "Because you had potatoes and I didn't" "Top Ender?" "Yes?" "What did you and Daddy slice to make crisps?" "Potato...Oh!"

"Mum!" called Top Ender "Yes Top Ender?" "Me and Dad made you in The Sims.... and you are skinny!" "Thanks Top Ender"

"Mummy, I don't want to do writing today" said Top Ender "What would you like to do instead Top Ender?" "Why don't you teach me how to play Computer Games instead?"

"I making Fish fingers for tea Top Ender!" "Can I have fish fingers?" "Sure, do you want them in a sandwich or served with beans?" "Beans and a slice of buttered bread" "Okay!" "Can my fish fingers not have fish in them though?"

"Nanny B, you have a deep fat fryer don't you? Is it any good?" "Yes, it is, well was very good Are you looking to buy one Mummy?" "Yes, Daddy can't have chip shop chips because of the wheat in fish batter" "Well why not have mine, I don't use it anymore" "Oh thanks, that would be really great" said Daddy After a slight pause, Top Ender said "Do you have anything else Daddy can have?"

Top Ender wasn't paying much attention whilst we were in the car, whilst we were visiting Nanny B (my Gran, Top Ender and Baby Boys' Great Gran) and we were talking about family trees; "Of course, Grandad J and I were first cousins you know" said Nanny B "Yes and it totally messes up my family tree" I said "It is only 1st Cousins that can get married though, you couldn't marry your sister or brother in law" said Nanny B "Yes you could! If I divorced Mummy, I could marry Auntie" said Daddy "I'm coming to live with you Daddy" piped up Top Ender "I'm not divorcing Mummy and marrying Auntie Top Ender ! I was just saying" "Oh. Love you Mummy" said Top Ender

Baby Boy is becoming more steady on his feet and it is only a matter of days before (we think) we will see his first proper steps. Today Top Ender and I decided to help by sitting opposite each other and getting Baby Boy to walk between us; "I don't want to get Baby Boy to walk!" "Why not?" "Then he really will get in all my stuff!"

Top Ender brought me the phone today. "There is an advert about people left over from the olden days, and you just have to dial 454545 and you get a free gift when you join" "What Top Ender ?" "There is an advert about people left over from the olden days and you should join" "Top Ender , do you mean the advert about planning for your funeral and the people that haven't died won't have to worry?" "Yes that one, you should join you get a free gift" "Top Ender , I'm not old enough to join that" "But you get a free gift!"

A Neighbour is carrying out some building works at the moment and for the last few days there have been diggers and dump trucks visible in their garden and audible in our home. Baby Boy is terribly excited about this and will stand by the windows shouting out to the men working the machines demanding that they will look at him. Today our Neighbour noticed him and called up to him, "Hello Baby Boy, are you watching the Trucks?" "Hiya! Dada, Mama, brummmm " Happy he had been seen and heard he allowed me to close the window and crawled off to play with some toys in his room. He picked up some toy diggers and started moving them along whilst making the " brummmm " sound. I didn't realise just how quickly he was able to associate the sound to the machinery. It amazes me everyday just how much he learns and how fast.

Top Ender had been promised that if she completed her word box before Easter that she could have a treat. The decided upon treat was a teddy from the Build-A-Bear Workshop . We love the store a lot and know all the assistants well because of our frequent visits. When putting the heart into the teddy the assistant asked Top Ender to give the heart a kiss and to make a wish. A couple of young boys (around eight or nine years old) were next in line and their Mum watched as Top Ender screwed her eyes up and mouthed a well rehearsed wish. The Assistant also noticed that Top Ender had made a rather long wish and asked: "Did you wish for Chocolate pudding?" "No, I made my usual wish" "Oh, what was it?" Said the Assistant "That I would always have my sweet loving family of course!" The Mum who was next in line mouthed to me "She is tooo cute!" to which I just grinned!

Last weekend Top Ender was able to make a beeswax candle at The Chiltern Open Air Museum (well worth a visit if you can make it!), the process thrilled her and had nothing at all to do with the fact that she was able to chose two of her favourite colours (Pink and Purple) as the colours of the candle. The candle is going to be lit during our Easter Dinner, which was Top Enders idea. I think it is a brilliant idea, although I'm slightly worried that Top Ender will change her mind and we'll end up with the candle living in our living room for several years!

Top Ender was in the hallway this morning when the post came through the letter box. Knowing that I like to have the post to open and file and deal with, but that her baby brother was sitting the other side of the living room door she decided that it would make sense for her to pass it to me, by pushing it under the living room door. Baby Boy was sitting in front of the door calling to his sister when a letter appeared before him. "Mama!" "Ooh Post, Mama's letters" I said "No!" And he started to push the post back to his sister on the other side of the door. Top Ender and Baby Boy sat either side of the door passing letters to each other for a few minutes before Baby Boy realised that if a letter could get through so might toys and fingers; So he stuck his fingers under the door and started to wiggle them. As soon as Top Ender saw wiggling fingers she started to wiggle hers back which ended up with both children wiggling and giggling!

Today we went for a walk round one of the local supermarkets. We tend to do this every few weeks just to get out of the house and to spend time together doing silly things. I always try to turn at least part of it into a learning experience, it might be reading, counting or learning about different types of vegetables or fruit or fish. Today we needed to purchase some quick microwave rice for Daddy. I asked Top Ender to look for rice that started with a "P" as he likes pilau rice. Top Ender started scanning the various packages muttering "P, P, P" when an assistant stocking the shelf right next to where we stood asked if I needed help. "Thank you, but we are okay I am teaching my daughter to read and so she is looking for the item we require to improve her reading skills." "Oh, okay" said the shop assistant and she went back to half heartedly stocking the shelf. Top Ender found the desired package and then asked what rice I wanted (I w

Top Ender , Baby Boy and I were in the car when Gabriella Cimli's "Nothing Sweet about me" came on the radio. I started singing along to this when Top Ender replied back; "Yes there is, your singing Voice is soooo Sweet!" I love Top Ender !