Monday 31 May 2010

Parked out

Took Poppy to the park I went to last weekend again today, to leave hubby a peaceful house after an afternoon shift that turned into a night shift. She wouldn't have a morning nap so pretty much crashed into a moany mess at about 11am, but that was after a good hour or more of cruising about, walking one handed, climbing, picking flowers, and swinging. After a tiring walk that involved too many uphill pushes in the pram for my liking, she wouldn't fall asleep so we had an early picnic lunch and then went to Asda. Of course on the car journey inbetween she fell dead asleep and so I had to sit in the car park for 10mins so that I wouldn't have a horror-bag of a baby going into the trolley. Was worth it though as she didn't moan (too) much and we got a cool play sand/water table, sand and a bucket and spade all for £20. Bargain.

Said play table was put together on our return by a tired Daddy, and she proceeded to get very wet and sandy for about 10mins before losing interest. And after about a million times of us telling her 'no' to eating sand she got a bit fed up of us spoiling her fun ;-)

Sunday 30 May 2010

Bank holidays are a letdown

I've never really been one for spending all of Bank Holiday sunday drinking, like a lot of youngsters do, having an oh-so-special Monday off for free. Having met my husband at 16 and spending pretty much every free weekend together since we met (he lived 120miles away and so a few weeknights was not an option), that sort of thing we used to do a lot anyway on a friday and saturday night. However, now that I'm all Grown Up and Responsible I long for the freedom to get leathered and sit in beer gardens all afternoon. The last bank holiday that hubby wasn't working it was Easter and therefore Poppy's birthday. Other than that he always seems to be at work, making the conversation when I go back into work on Tuesday pretty much the same as every other Monday ("How was your weekend?" Me: "Alright, D was working. Didn't get up to much"). I know the grass is always greener but it would be nice for him to work monday to friday so we actually get to see one another now and again. We would like an evening out just the two of us, just a cinema trip or something, but my parents go on holiday in a few days with my brother and his girlfriend, so all of our babysitters will be MIA.

We're going to stay at my in-laws overnight this coming wednesday as my nephew turns 1 on thursday. We can't make his birthday party next weekend as - surprise, surprise! - D is working. At least we'll see him on his actual birthday and spend a few hours with all the family before having to turn around and come home again. Hopefully we'll go out for lunch or to a play village to celebrate. Only 5 weeks until we all go to Center Parcs too, so we'll have to decide on which activities everyone wants to do and get them booked. I don't want to miss out on anything with Poppy, there are several play sessions and a Make A Memory session I want to do. Apart from that I wouldn't mind having a go at archery and doing a yoga class perhaps. Although we'll be on holiday I won't really feel like drinking then either as Poppy'll be in our room in a cot and who knows how she'll sleep...

Saturday 29 May 2010

Nights out in the week=tired Mummy


Went out with a few work mates last Wednesday evening. First we met at La Tasca for a LUSH meal, made even better by a half price voucher from their website and free drinks as they didn't bill us for them. Then off to The Grand Theatre to the monthly Comedy Club which was brilliant - very very funny MC and 3 great acts meant lots of laughter, and cheek-ache from smiling so much. Although there are many smiles during Poppy's day to day antics, there's nothing like a belly-aching laugh induced by some good comedy. The kind of laughter that leaves you wishing for breath, throwing your head back laughter, tears in your eyes, and wishing you could stop laughing when everyone else has gone quiet but that last joke really got you going.

I didn't get to bed until 1115pm but it was worth it.

The following night was less exciting - a trip to the hairdressers - but on top of the previous late night and a relaxing head massage during the shampoo, I was yawning like a good 'un. Due to hubby not having seen me for two evenings, we watched a bit of tv when I got in so got to bed after 10pm again. Hence on Friday at work I wasn't good for much, and glad I was kept busy to avoid thinking how tired I was!

I'd like to add that an 11.15 and 10pm bedtime don't sound late to a non-parent, but to parents who are dealing with a year-long cumulative sleep deficit anything past 930pm is late ;-)

Thursday 27 May 2010

What is it about poo??

There have been two poo-related incidents in my household this week. I am ashamed to say it and I hold my hands up to being a Bad Mummy - Poppy got her hands on dog poo. I was cooking dinner and she was crawling about in the garden (which I had already checked for poo btw), with me watching her progress out of the window. I thought "what's that she's got?" as her hand moved to her mouth, screamed, ran outside to grab her, but a piece had gone in the mouth. GROSS GROSS GROSS GROSS GROSS GROSS GROSS.

After scouring her hands clean, giving her drinks out of one clean cup then another to rinse any remainder away, swearing profusely at my dogs, and getting her in the highchair for dinner, I Googled "My baby ate dog poo". To see if I needed to properly panic. Apparently not if your animal is healthy and unlikely to have a parasitic infection (again GROSS), and if the quantity is small. And it made me feel marginally better seeing how many other parents it had happened to.

Then this afternoon after lunch I was changing Poppy's nappy and Chicco, the eldest dog, followed suit and chowed down on the liner containing Poppy's poo from the nappy I'd just taken off. My back was turned, trying to wrestle her into the waterproof cover whilst she squirmed free to cruise along the sofa, when I heard a suspicious noise. Looking over my shoulder he was tucking in, once again I screamed, dropped the nappy cover and lunged at him before he could finish. My god, it REALLY can't taste that good. Now I know this same dog has a penchant for horse manure from numerous trips to parks, but I thought that a dirty nappy was safe within his reach. Another reason to confine him to the kitchen.

After poo incident #1 I was on the phone to landscape gardeners to get quotes for sorting out the garden. We had been discussing putting turf down in part of the back garden, but now it's a definite. It'll be fenced off so the dogs can't get on it, they'll have their own bit of patio they can access thru the dog flap, and it'll mean a soft landing and play area for Poppy.

Monday 24 May 2010

An update on my week

Apart from working, which lets face it is thought about enough while we're there, the past week has included the following highlights:

- a fabulous playdate with two Mummy friends, although one left after about 20mins due to her son being very upset about something which we couldn't figure out. To avoid more screaming and stress she packed him back into the car, leaving his new Clarks shoes here in her haste, and arrived home after a car journey of relentless screaming. Her husband opened the car door at the other end to get the little monkey out, at which point he belched very loudly in his Dad's face and was instantly relieved of his misery. This lesson teaches us all that winding your 1 year old is still worth a try if they are crying with an unknown cause, and will save you driving for an hour all in for 20 mins playtime. Anyway I'm getting off point - when my other friend arrived with her son, Poppy had gone up for her nap and so proceeded to miss all but 15 mins of seeing her BFF. I, however, had a lovely time playing with our visitor and amusing him with Poppy's toys, and games that she is still a bit young to grasp (he is a month older). As I had no baby to worry about it meant that I could also engage in a conversation and catch up with my friend, and even managed to throw together some coffees. The playdate ended with a bit of tired wailing and throwing himself about from Poppy's BFF, resulting in him smacking his head on the corner of my wall. Progress report on an impending black eye is still awaited!

- After my friend had left the weather had miraculously turned from misty, grey, cold, and rainy to glorious sunshine and cloud-free skies. With an hour to kill until dinner preparation, Poppy and I went to the local little playpark for some swings and exploration of the park. She spent about 15mins on a swing, kindly pointing out the birds to me each time she saw one, and then went for a little wander about to examine the bark floor covering and daisies in the grass. It was a happy hour where I mostly sat in the sun and watched her pottering about, generally being a toddler and enjoying seeing new things.

- On Saturday the weather was just as hot and sunny, so we headed off to the main park in Llanelli to meet up with another friend and her two children, aged 1 and 4. This park had more swings, a ship playframe to explore and walk around, and a big sandpit. Poppy enjoyed feeling the sand and, of course, sneakily shoving a handful into her mouth to get the ultimate sensory experience.


After enjoying a picnic where Poppy sat and ate everything in sight for about half an hour, including her friends crisps, and they ran about not eating anything, we got a little hot.



We decided to go back to the main field under the shade of the glorious trees and enjoy some ball games and relaxation. It was blissfully cool after an hour in the baking sun and the kids could just walk/run/cruise on the pram and explore the flowers and grass. Poppy decided her that she'd made another BFF in the form of the 4 year old and proceeded to cuddle her at every opportunity, much to B's delight. Time was getting on and the kids were beginning to yawn, so after a quick visit to feed the ducks we all headed home for naps. The ducks were decidedly uninterested in B's cheese sandwiches, leaving them floating on the water and paddling off in the other direction. Perhaps they're dairy intolerant.


- Sunday was once again a beautiful sunny day, and as such the whole house was heated to the point of the paint starting to melt on the walls. After 3 failed attempts to get Poppy down for a morning nap due to the heat, hubby got up after a late shift and joined me in the garden.


I was determined that she would get some sleep as we were going to a birthday party in the afternoon, during her normal afternoon nap time. After lunch she finally gave in and had an hour, during which I made the most of it and lounged in the sun in the garden. When she woke we reluctantly got dressed for the party (reluctantly as I'd worn nothing but a bikini in the house for 2 days and was wondering how I was going to managed to wear clothes without passing out) and headed out.

On arrival at the party I was hugely relived to find that it had turned into a garden party and there was plenty of shade under a beautiful tree in the middle of the garden. There was a ball pit, tunnels to crawl through, a paddling pool, little tables and chairs to climb and sit on, and colourful things hanging enticingly from the tree.


Another advantage to cloth nappies is when there is a paddling pool available and you are unprepared, they can just carry on in there in the cloth. This also attracts attention and admiration from adjacent parents, and ended in me promising emails containing details of cloth nappies.


- The last ever episode of Lost was aired this morning at 5am. We have Sky+'d it but it will have to wait until tomorrow evening as we are one episode behind, and all of that would mean me getting to bed about midnight. So although I'm VERY excited about seeing how it all ends after (6 or 7?) years of watching it, my sleep takes priority over a TV show.

Sunday 23 May 2010

Seedlings



This was a few days ago, there are even more now but haven't got the energy to go and take a more recent one sorry!

How is it monday already tomorrow? I feel more knackered than I did on friday night...

Saturday 22 May 2010

Busy busy week

Between one thing and another it's been almost a week since I posted. Just wanted to say hi and that I am still here and nothing is wrong! Except juggling being a working mother with training for the R4L, trying to keep up with Facebook and other people's blogs, and spending time with friends during my precious time off. Oh and spending a few snatched hours with hubby inbetween his shifts and my working day. Ho hum.

Seedlings are showing, will post pics tomorrow!

Sunday 16 May 2010

Wet washing on the line

Don't you just hate that? I pegged washing out in the sunshine yesterday afternoon which wasn't dry by nightfall. So I left it out overnight and its bloody rained. Soggy, sopping, dripping washing is not on my line. Yuck. Think I'll just leave it there and see if the sun will come back out and save me.

Have discovered, since moaning to hubby that he never gets up in the night, that Poppy settles much better when he goes in than when I do. When she sees me she wants a cuddle and I end up picking her up, loving the snuggles, and bringing her back into bed with me as every time I put her in the cot she wakes up and screams. So last night I had an almost unbroken nights sleep until 545am when I got up with her as hubby shot out of bed when she woke up twice. Bliss.

Hubby's parents came to stay for the weekend to help out after his eye surgery but went home last night, so we now have a free day today unexpectedly. If he's up to it we may go to a soft play area or have lunch somewhere. We're skint until payday next week but what the hell.

Friday 14 May 2010

Chest infection woes

After a temperature of 39 degrees after her afternoon nap yesterday we ended up at the GP and then at the local paediatric department of the hospital. After much too-ing and fro-ing, 10 puffs of salbutamol via a spacer welded to the face of a red-faced screaming Poppy, a chest x-ray and a cursory poke at the offered supper before refusing to eat anything, we left clutching a bottle of amoxicillin. Home at last about 830pm, and thanking the heavens that we could come home as there was no way Poppy was going to sleep in a room with Winnie the Pooh on the wall facing the cot and a serious lack of blackout blinds.

Our trip to Cardiff for hubby's laser eye surgery was a success, all went to plan, except the nightmare trip home where there not one but two accidents on the M4. Poor hubby was almost jumping out of the car window in order to distract himself from the intense burning and itching which is the immediate aftermath to the surgery. Apparently like a serious case of eye-burn when you peel onions. But which has lasted about 5 hours and you can't make it stop or touch your eyes. Rather him than me. Can't wait to see him tonight when we have to tape the eye guards to his face so that he can't scratch his eyes in his sleep!

Thursday 13 May 2010

Oh what a night...

As I write this I am munching on mini eggs, hoping the sugar high will help me stay awake to do a post. Last night Poppy took the waking up thing to the extreme. As hubby walked out of the door to go into a night shift she woke up. Ok, no problem, I though, I'll bring her in with me straight away if rocking her back off in the nursery doesnt work, I'm tired anyway and ready for bed. How naieve I was. She wouldn't go back to sleep until 130am. After hour after hour of rocking, shhh-ing, putting her in the cot and letting her cry, getting her back out of the cot, going downstairs, giving her a drink, giving her a bottle, nothing... It was obvious she was desperately tired but there was something stopping her giving in. Even after a final rocking did the trick at 130am she was not in a settled sleep, crying out in her sleep and moving pitifully around my bed until she collapsed back into a doze in a different spot. Hence I feel like I've had about 2 hours sleep. Put that together with only about 5-6 hours the previous two nights and it makes one very tired Mammy.

Yesterday Poppy had diarrhoea so I didn't go into work, as the nursery wouldn't have her. I did manage to catch up some sleep during her naps then, thank goodness, or I think I would have fallen asleep standing up last night as I was rocking her.

How the hell am I going to manage if she keeps this up? Its been since last weekend now and getting steadily worse. When I was off it didn't matter if we had a bad night, now I've got to make it through an 8 hour day in a job where I could do damage if I miss something. We've got hubby's parents coming to stay friday and saturday night too, so no option of sharing sleep and going into the spare room for some peace either. Oh dear. Monday morning looks even more bleak than usual from where I'm sitting.

Monday 10 May 2010

Nursery drop off with no tears

Today was the first morning that I dropped Poppy off to nursery that she didn't cry when I left! Hooray! I handed her over to the manager and she didn't cry, so I quickly said bye and walked out before she had a chance to start. To make sure I listened outside and could hear the carer saying what a good girl she was, and another saying 'hello, smiler!', and no crying!! We'll see tomorrow morning if it's a one off...

Sunday 9 May 2010

Little monkey





Poppy is turning into a right little monkey. This morning she climbed through the bottom shelf of my side table in the lounge. This afternoon I was cooking dinner and turned around to find that she'd climbed into the washing basket and was watching the clothes go around in the machine...she makes me laugh every single day now.








Cake baking


Despite a 445am awakening today which made me very pissed off, I have managed to go for a run (after a morning nap when Poppy was back asleep), shop for pyjamas and vests for her, bake a yummy cake (apple and blueberry), and make us fishcakes for dinner.

Bit miffed at hubby as if Poppy wakes in the night he never moves to go see to her. I'm back at work now too!! I know I'm off today and he's in for an afternoon shift, but that doesn't stop him putting in the dummy and turning the music back on. And then getting back into bed. Thats exactly what I do! Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but one of us has to get up to give it a try and it seems like it's always me...

Friday 7 May 2010

Managers are idiots

My top-boss was working the late shift today, that means he stays until 515pm instead of 5pm, and has a technician and assistant to help out. It really pisses me off when he sits in his office even when its 510pm and there are 3 of us pharmacists running around - staying past when we should be there - finishing up all the queries and last minute items. ARRGHH! And I have to work with him tomorrow morning for 3 hours. Joy.

Even after the general election yesterday there is no clear winner, we have a hung parliament for the first time since 1974. It's been an interesting few weeks, learning a bit more about politics. Which still isn't much as I knew practically nothing before. I've found the BBC election webpages very informative, who knew that someday I'd actually have an interest in politics...

Managed to get out for a run after work again tonight as hubby is on day shift, twice in one week! Go me! Hoping to go again on sunday before he goes in for an afternoon shift too. I didn't think it would get easier yet but tonight I wasn't struggling so much. And I was beginning to enjoy it too - very strange ;-)

Thursday 6 May 2010

Spring planting



We try to grow some of our own food every year, except last year when sleep took priority over growing anything at all! A bank holiday trip to the garden centre to buy the basics and we have now planted seed potatoes, lettuce, basil, coriander and rocket. Also in our new plastic greenhouse are tomato plants, a chilli plant and a herb planter.


Thanks to hubby (now nicknamed Handy Daddy after me singing that to the theme tune of Handy Manny..) we also have a new wooden planter for the patio on the front garden, in which to plant spring onions and transfer the little seedlings that have grown up in the greenhouse while there is still a risk of frost.

Once I get some action in the greenhouse will keep you updated on progress...