A Mother's Ramblings

If you are related to me, or don't want to hear about the female reproductive cycle then please look at this picture and then go and read this post about Why Daddys Are Always (Never) Right . Forget you were even at this post. How do you like them apples? A while back now I was trying to work out how I could cut down the cost of our monthly bills. I have a few posts on the blog about being frugal  but the one area that I felt I could cut down on the most was personal items. I suffer from  Menorrhagia (really heavy periods) and always have done and was looking on the Internet for some ideas because the monthly bill for sanitary products was starting to make me wonder if being pregnant all the time or having a hysterectomy would be the only solutions. Somewhere I read about Mooncups . Yeah a Mooncup. The thought didn't actually make me go "Eurgh!" as it does to some people, but it did remind me of a story I had heard many years ago about a woman who use...

Every morning Baby Boy and Top Ender have fruit after breakfast. Today for some unknown reason Top Ender took less time to eat hers than Baby Boy. Baby Boy noticed that Top Enders bowl was empty and passed a piece of his melon to Top Ender. "Here Top Ender, Fruit!" said Baby Boy exuberantly "Thanks Baby Boy!" said Top Ender gratefully A few minutes later and Baby Boy was offering again "Juice Top Ender?" asked Baby Boy "Oh yes please Baby Boy!" "Joke!" teased Baby Boy snatching away his juice

Over at Mediocre Mum I've been tagged in meme.... Now I don't want you thinking that just because I am doing this meme quicker than some of the others that I have been tagged in that my mind is in the gutter or that I love Mediocre Mum more than you because it just isn't true. What is true though is that I can name five fictional characters that I would like to erm... be friends with without having to think about it. I can actually name ten. You know that game where you are allowed to have guilt free erm friendship with a list of fantasy people if they should ever come knocking at the door? Yeah, I also play the what about if you were a fictional character game too. So in reverse order like they do in posh awards (which you can totally nominate me for if you wanted to); 5. Handy Manny and Bob The Builder Why Handy Manny? Well not because he thinks that talking tools (No real tools like Hammers and stuff not *his* tool) is normal, or because he has a robot dog....

Top Ender asked first thing this morning: "Can we go to the park?" "Not really Top Ender its been raining" I answered "You never let me go to the park when its been raining!" huffed an angry Top Ender. A bit later we were at Brent Cross shopping centre and decided before we went to the car, we would sneak into the local park to burn off some energy.   Top Ender and Baby Boy (and Daddy and I!) enjoyed our play and it was just as we were starting to get ready to go that Top Ender started to get a little over excited. Top Ender ran off to go on the four sided see-saw (teeter totter) and slipped on the wet ground. A few moments of crying whilst we checked over the extremities brought forward the insight from Top Ender; "I guess this is why you don't want me going to the park when its been raining then!"

Big Cousin had woken up after a nightmare which Auntie assumed had been about ladybirds as Cousin said there was one in her bed. Cousin was quite upset about it and so after a check in the bed and under the bed, and in Little Cousins bed and under Little Cousins bed, Auntie knew she was going to have to bring out the big guns and grabbed a bottle of talc. Sprinkling it on the beds and the floor she told Cousin that ladybirds don't like talc and so they wouldn't come near her. Uncle Daddy joined them to just check everything was okay and to say good night again. It was as they left the room that Uncle Daddy said; "Night night. Sleep tight. Don't let the ladybugs bite!" Don't take Uncle Daddy to the woods, he is strangely at home. Luckily a sleepy cousin didn't hear that last bit!

That's right the third month of the 2010 and Easter is just around the corner! Hopefully by now you have brought your Easter Eggs or organised Easter gifts (if that is something you do in your house) and remembered last month after the February  post to organise some treats for the Easter Holidays or childcare if it is needed! Last month I said that I was starting to save money more seriously for Christmas. Daddy and I are planning to save stamps in Tesco and Icelands (they do lots of wheat free ready meals which he likes) and I have started a card in Wilkinsons and one in Tesco's of my own! Every time I go into either store I just add a couple of quid to the relevant card and come Christmas I should be able to buy a few extras. This month is about crafting for Christmas and I am looking to what I am making as gifts for Christmas. I want to make alphabet letter initial pillows for Baby Boy and Top Ender and for the Cousins (I will buy the pattern pack), and i...

"I had a nightmare last night Mummy!" said Top Ender "I know Top Ender, you got in my bed and woke me up!" I answered "Oh yeah." she said whilst remembering the cuddle in the middle of the night "What was it about?" I asked "Well; It was about me!" she answered "I often have Nightmares about you too!" I laughed Top Ender didn't find it funny for some reason.

Hello, Daddy here! Mummy has foolishly generously let me take over for a moment, to bring you a pearl of wisdom about the way men's minds work.. Back in 1999 I saw a Rover 75 car for the first time. It had quaint oval dials, a walnut dashboard, white leather seats, and a distinct air of old-man about it. Mummy liked it. I didn't. I couldn't buy a car like this. Fast-forward to 2007, and I am phoning Mummy to tell her about a decision I have made. She thinks I am asking permission to trade in my trusty, but old, Ford Fiesta for another car. At least, she did until I wrote this. She now knows that I have already done the deal, and I am hoping she doesn't say "no", else I have a heck of a lot of explaining to do. "Nice, isn't it" is the remark, as she takes a seat in my new Rover 75. "I've always liked these, and always wanted one. Thank you for letting me buy my dream car". The "Dream Car". Photographed just...

"Ow ow ow!" I said whilst walking round Ikea "What?" asked Daddy "Its my foot, my elbow, ahh the things half way down my body!" I answered "Your boobs?" he offered "They are not half way down my body!" I snapped "Not yet!" he quipped Look they are Baby Boy eye height.

I did something the other morning that I haven't done since I was a grown up. I went round to someones house after school. Last week you see Chatty Mum invited herself round after Playgroup. The house was a tip, but I agreed because, well I like Chatty Mum. This week she invited us all round to hers. There were three of us that ended up going, all chatting together and having a giggle, talking about decorating and real life Jeremy Kyle stories and children's toys and goodness knows what else. It was only later that I realised that what I had just done would be the mark of a friendship. I mean you don't invite strangers into your home (well other than to read the Gas or Electric meters) and you don't swap stories about your life with someone you don't trust in some way. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship... There is a rainbow in this picture... honest!

Whilst I was pregnant with Top Ender I read about every single problem that could go wrong with the birth. I wanted to be prepared just in case. I wrote a letter to Top Ender and to Daddy that I hid in my underwear drawer just in case anything happened to me during the birth. I kept these morose thoughts to myself because Daddy is a natural worrier and I didn't need him knowing anymore than contractions start, baby comes out. Top Enders actual birth was quite normal. Well her cord was wrapped around her neck (which I knew as I could see on the monitor after every contraction her heart rate dropped a little and I told the Midwife that the cord was around the babies neck as the heart rate kept dropping but she told me it didn't mean that, but I could tell from the panic in her eyes I was right) but that was resolved without any hassle. Top Ender and I moments after her birth I held Top Ender in my arms before passing her to Daddy as I was going to be stitched up, as I ha...

"Hi Baby Boy! Did you want to sit down" said the Group Leader about to read a Poppy Cat story to the group "No!" said Baby Boy placing his right foot in between her crossed legs "Would you like to sit on my knee?" she asked "No!" he said lowering himself down to sit on her knee "Are you comfy?" she asked "No!" he said having wiggled until he was "Baby Boy do you think you might have your Yes and No's mixed up?" I asked "No!" he answered quite definitely and gave me a hard stare

Baby Boy woke up with a grizzle. Being 5:30am and Sunday meant that Daddy got up to see him. I could hear a whispered conversation and then Daddy and Baby Boy appeared at the bedroom door. Baby Boy had a temperature and was still sleepy so he got in the bed with us for a bit of milk and hopefully some more sleep. It turned out that Daddy was also feeling ill, so I decided that I would give up my lay in (on Mothers Day too!) and take Baby Boy down stairs when he woke up. When Top Ender came down I realised that I was feeling a bit ill, with a headache and a sore throat and so I wanted to check that Top Ender was okay. "Top Ender, how do you feel?" I asked "I'm fine" she answered without looking up from her magazine "No sore throat, no running nose?" I pushed seeing as last night she was very snotty "Oh...Well...my heart hurts. Just here" she said pointing to her left knee "You'll live!" I answered

"Did you know that Barbie Doll hair is made from real hair?" asked Top Ender "Really?" asked Daddy "Yes!" answered Top Ender "Where do they get the hair from?" asked Daddy "Dead people I guess" answered Top Ender Top Ender hair, not dead people hair

Its Mothering Sunday today. Here in the United Kingdom we have linked this religious celebration with the holiday that Anna Jarvis really got going in the United States (and as always we have borrowed the idea!). Up and down the country Women are getting boxes of Chocolates, bottles of Wine, Plants, Flowers, Gift Vouchers , breakfast in bed, The Sunday Roast cooked for them (instead of by them) and possibly more than one of these things if the Television adverts are to be believed. I am lucky that I will have my family around me for the day and they will give to me hand made cards and a drawing or three. I believe they have listened to me and haven't purchased gifts for me because even though the calender says today is Mothers Day, every day in this house is Mothers Day. You see I got to celebrate the days that I got this; No this isn't a clever way of telling you I am pregnant, this is an old test! And everyday since! So to whoever you are Mother, Auntie, Grand...

Daddy and I decided that we would give our Mums a Boots gift card each for Mothers Day. Whilst I was busy in another part of the store Daddy went to buy our gift cards. The female shop assistant passed Daddy a box of cards, so that Daddy could choose the one that he wanted. Daddy flicked passed the ones that said Happy Birthday and Congratulations and discovered two with a pretty bird picture on. He passed them back to the assistant and once she had rung up the transaction she nonchalantly said; "Christmas motifs" That's right. Daddy choose Christmas gift cards.

There is a song that Top Ender and I heard in Sponge Bob Square Pants many moons ago. It was a song that straight away caught our imaginations and we had to go and learn the words to. We learnt them very quickly and will quite often start singing the chorus at appropriate moments. Last weekend as Daddy and I went to bed we both spoke to each other just telling each other that we had had the best weekend ever. Both Baby Boy and Top Ender were on fine form, we had a good giggle at Daddy when he went to a meeting an entire week early and we had some good food too. So because I expect this weekend to be just as good here is our song for you all to enjoy too! edited to use new video!

Today I should be posting my blog post about my trip to London last week and how I met lovely bloggers and how I ate Nestle Cereals... but I'm not because its not quite right with what I want to say and so here is a very very short story. Once upon a time there was a lady who made a video. In fact it was this video And the lady entered it in to a competition. In fact you can read all about it in An Instructional Video . The most amazing thing happened, the lady (alright me) found out that she was in the Top Two and so she asked all her friends to vote for her at Cafe Bebe (vote for A Mothers Ramblings) so that she could win a Slanket so that she and Top Ender wouldn't have to share one anymore. And all her friends voted for her and they felt loved, because the lady told them she loved them. I love you. The End.

So Karin at Cafe Bebe  and Heather at Notes from Lapland said "Teach us Something" in a Vlog and we'll run a competition and then one of you will win a slanket. Now the last Slanket that we got was one that we won at Sleep is for the Weak  and since it arrived it has lived in Top Enders room (unless I have wrestled it from her to use whilst sitting on the sofa to watch my grown up programmes that I sometimes have to hide in the Slanket from) or on the back of the sofa... so if I am lucky enough to be chosen as one of the two finalists vote for me in order to save family harmony by letting Top Ender and me have a Slanket each! So here it is, not the video that it was meant to be but a video that teaches something none the less... Now go and try this out, before you forget how to do it!

Whilst watching Grease Top Ender made a comment that you can rely on your Dad and your Brother (After Frenchy told Sandy you can only rely on your Dad), but that they wouldn't know that as they didn't have a brother but she did. "He use to be a Baby Brother, but now he is a Toddler Brother" she said "Well he will always be your Baby Brother, because he is younger. Although he won't like it if you call him that in front of his mates." I answered "He won't be cool you know!" she laughed "Pardon?" "Baby Boy won't be cool when he's older." she stated "Oh. Why not?" I asked "Because I don't like cool and I am helping to raise him." she stated. That's me told then.

Before we start this post, let me just explain that this is a Sponsored post, but that the views expressed are my own! "I am going to be kidnapped and nobody will know what has happened to me!" I said "Who would want to kidnap you?" asked my Nan "Are you saying that nobody would want to kidnap me?" I asked "Well maybe someone would... but I think it highly improbable" said my Nan "Cheers Nan! Way to make a girl feel loved" I sulked back You see I had been invited to an event in an area of London I didn't know too well (but looked up on Google Street View) to talk to some celebs about the Nestle Cereal Partners campaign about getting families to eat more wholegrain. A few days later Laura from Are we nearly there yet Mummy? sent me a Message on Twitter asking if I was going to the Nestle Event. I replied back that I was and also that we were going to be kidnapped. I kind of got excited that I was going to be kidnapped with ...

I am one of *those* Mothers. You know the ones that bake cakes with the children and say it was fun. One of those ones that make their children dressing up costumes even when there isn't a party or school event. Well I know who she is supposed to be. One of those ones that turn shopping into learning experiences. One of those ones that read books to their children that they want to read but are just too young for. One of those ones that make paper plate faces. One of those ones that make paper plate cafe food. One of those ones that spend hours searching the shops for a special ribbon. See that Gold present there with the rainbow ribbon? Yeah hours that one took. One of those ones that saves toilet rolls and asks others to save them too so she can build a castle. One of those ones that spends Friday night watching a film with the children. One of those ones that knows what is going on at school. One of those ones that talks to their child and t...

Daddy and I were talking the other day about our Princess Dancing  and about how we both want Top Ender and Baby Boy to have memories of us being fun, to have memories of us doing things together as a family and for us to set a great example to them for when they have families of their own. Both of us have treasured childhood memories that we have made sure we have our own version of with Top Ender and Baby Boy and of course new memories special to just us four. Everything we do we try to make fun. It might be eating Chinese with chop sticks (one of my memories), sneaking snacks into bed (one of Daddy's), going for walks in the countryside, family dinners, spending quality time with one parent or even surprise trips out for the day as a family. Daddy was explaining that he was pleased that we do fun things like the Princess Dancing and going to the Hundred Acre Woods  and that I record them and share them on the blog. He has mentioned several times how some people a...

"Excuse me!" said Daddy "I have wind this evening" he continued. "That's alright, I did yesterday" I added "Was it after something particular that you ate?" he asked "No, just general wind" I answered "Well sometimes you do" he said distractedly "Pardon?!" I asked "Well not you, people in general..." he quickly clarified. Better stop digging now Daddy.

What did I learn in February? I learnt that I need to learn when to keep quiet. Actually no, I learnt that I need to learn when not to leave comments on blogs and then to follow my comments up in Twitter. The Internet is forever don't you know? You see it all started the other day when I was reading Living with Kids  and there was a great post about the British Dance Council and Disney supporting each other with the creation of the  Disney Princess Dance . It is all about encouraging our children to get active and as we all know we should lead by example! I commented; "I am so going to vblog this!" And just over four hours later I was involved in another Twitter Dance Off (I won the last one I tell you, look its here if you don't believe me. I am the one in the nappy and its not true about the camera adding weight. I also look several years younger and more male...) So here is my entry (with a little help from Daddy.....) into the Living with Kids Prince...

Top Ender was in the car with Daddy and were talking about taking lessons to learn an insturment when she is in year two. "What would you like to learn?" asked Daddy "Well maybe the flute, or the recorder or the Violin" answered Top Ender "Well they are all nice!" answered Daddy "Yes but which is better? There's only one way to find out.... Fight!" answered Top Ender We are going to have to stop Top Ender watching TV.