Everyone survived!

They managed to even change a dirty nappy, feed her lunch, go for a walk with the trike and the dogs, and have fun to boot. Poppy must have been tired out as her afternoon nap lasted for 2 hours once they'd left!

I've started the bedroom name banner this evening and it's already been a learning process, not sure if the letters are too fiddly to pad out with wadding and hem before sewing onto the front of the banner. May buy some felt instead and cut them out of there instead, and then pad out the banner itself with the wadding to make it a bit more substantial. Hmmm decisions, decisions...

Babysitting duties

Due to it being my turn to work a Saturday morning this weekend, hubby working a night shift tonight and my parents being away in their motorhome, Poppy-sitting has fallen to my brother and his girlfriend. Now, while Poppy loves them to pieces and is quite happy to give them all her toys, be tickled half to death by my brother, and show them her belly (newly acquired skill), they have never changed her nappy or given her a meal. So I would love to be a fly on the wall for the 4 hours or so that I am out of the house in the morning; no doubt she will behave as she does in nursery or with anyone else that isn't me or hubby - perfectly. And I hope she does. They'll then love their new-found role of responsible Uncle and Auntie and beg us to have her every weekend for a few hours of fun and frolics ;-)

Rasberry cheesecake

After a few weeks of hubby begging me to make the cheesecake that adorns the front of one of my cookbooks, I finally got around to it today. When I say today I mean this evening after Poppy's bath. We have discovered the last few days that keeping her up until 8pm in the (pointless) effort to get her to sleep until after 6am brings out a lovely, contented, cute-as-pie little girl. We thought she may get overtired or grouchy but it's the opposite. What a revelation. It feels like our evenings are less stressed and rushed trying to get her to bed for 7pm. We've been having leisurely walks with the dogs for weeks now pre-bath, but now we can abandon the trike and let her walk with us. It takes ages with her little toddler legs carrying her around the block, picking up stones and pulling leaves off bushes, but oh what fun.

My next sewing project is set. A flag bunting spelling Poppy's name out for her bedroom. I bought the fabric earlier from Dunelm Mill and picked up a very interesting book called 'Applique for little ones' that has great ideas in for bedrooms and for gifts. I know quite a few people having babies this year so I'm hoping this will be useful then. One of the very best gifts we were given for Poppy was a handmade patchwork quilt, I still love it now. If I can make something equally as precious for a friend's newborn I would be really pleased with myself.

Movie: The Reader

Watched the film 'The Reader' this evening. Not exactly heart-warming but quite thought provoking. How one person can have such a major impact on another's life, affecting decision they make and the way they behave and react to others. I know how much I am a product of my upbringing and how certain behaviours are ingrained in me without me even realising why I do certain things. Although I'd like to think that it also makes me a good person, that I was brought up to be kind and caring and always thinking of others, and that I will be able to instill these qualities in Poppy too. Just not the need to obsess over every little detail when it doesn't matter, or make her feel that anything less than perfection isn't good enough. It makes me thankful too that I have my hubby, who is the ying to my yang, the calm when I am the storm, the voice of reason when I am beyond thinking straight. 12 years together this year and it keeps getting better. I hope that Poppy is lucky enough to find someone who will look after her as well as he does for me.

Ilness strikes again

After one GP diagnosing a viral/warty skin condition last week over the weekend poor Poppy came out in what seems like a hundred spots that turned red and weepy. A second trip to a different GP ended in antibiotics that meant she can't go to nursery for 2 days, and a disagreement with the original diagnosis. So I'm off work today with her much to the delight of my boss, who is so short staffed she just sighed in despair when I explained I wouldn't be in. Plus a head cold meaning a very runny nose (making the spots on her nose VERY scabby) and teething making her chest wheezy. All this adds up to a miserable baby.

Plus my new treadmill arrived earlier and it's broken in the box.

Bad times.

Race for Life a success!

Today was the big race day. My friend and I decided we fell into the 'joggers' category (not intending to walk, not fast enough to say we're 'runners') and joined in the en-masse aerobics warm up. 6000 women all joined together in a field intending to raise money for Cancer Research UK, jumping up and down with numbers pinned to their chests. And then we were off! About 2km in (out of the 5km) I realised that no matter how much I ignored it that stitch under my ribs was not going to go away. Boy was it painful. I had to psyche myself up to take a deep breath as it hurt so much. I never got a stitch during any of my training so didn't really know what to do apart from slow to a walk, but my running partner kept me going and I was not going to give in. The km markers kept passing and I kept going. Before I knew it we'd passed the 4km and the end was near. We spotted our personal cheerleaders (both husbands plus our children), waved as we ran past, and crossed the finish line at 37m52s.

I know it's only about 3 miles but I am so pleased with myself. I set myself a goal back in March and I did it. Something for myself that also will help others. It's sad but I've worn my medal since getting home ;-)

Sleep is for the weak. I'm weak - I admit it.

I'm getting REALLY tired of getting up at 5am everyday. Sometimes it's 530am. Whatever, it's too f-ing early. And she's so grumpy it's unreal. She's so tired even getting out of the cot she had a tantrum while I'm trying to pick her up from it. And I'm too stubborn to give in and give her a bottle at that time of day when she'll maybe go back to sleep and therefore make me late for work, or maybe not and carry on screaming at me until we leave the house. It tarnishes the whole day when I'm feeling this shite. When I'm at work the day passes and I can forget about my black mood, but on a day off I let it fester and give into the self pity. It's pathetic really, I should just snap myself out of it.

Good playdates rock

Spent a few hours at a friend's house today, whose son is the same age as Poppy. They were so cute together, babbling to one another over toys and following each other around and around the circular route through the kitchen and hallway. After lunch and a dual nappy change in front of CBeebies to distract them, we headed home. Managed to get her into the cot from the car so she stayed asleep, then after a bit of pottering in the kitchen a nap for Mummy was in order. Got to be done on my day off right?

Bedtime cuddles

Aren't those some of the best minutes of the day? When your child is all clean and bathed, smelling lovely, in their pyjamas and tired enough to spend a little time sat on your lap looking at a story book. I had a warm and fuzzy 10 minutes this evening looking at the fuzzy felt book and sticking on the pictures (me first in the right places and then her upside down and on the wrong page, but she enjoyed it). And practising our signing, she's just about got 'pig' and I think 'car'. The pig sign is mostly to do with her new Peppa Pig slippers which we sign for each time she wears them.
Those little 10 minutes more than make up for any whinging I've endured during the whole day.

Making dinner with one hand

Tonight was the first time that when I picked up Poppy from nursery she put on a sad face. The 'why have you left me here?', gonna make you feel really guilty face. She stomped over to me and put her arms up to be lifted, and practically from then on (minus the car journey) she wouldn't be put down until bathtime. As if I didn't feel bad enough all day because of the crying and clinging around my neck this morning at drop-off. It was worse than when she first started there as at least then she didn't make me feel like shit each time. Hopefully it won't last too long and is just the result of having 2 weeks off.

Socks

The weather has turned back to the usual British summertime. Rain. It was so cold this morning that I've got socks, jeans, tee and a jumper on. And the fireplace lit in my living room.

Poppy is getting decidedly fidgety today after almost a week of just pottering about the house after coming home from holiday. I, however, just feel like lying on the sofa and watching films. Not an option. Think I'll go visit my parents and have some time on their couch instead.






This photo sums up how bored my little girl is - sticking the fuzzy felt pictures from her playbook on the dog.











And her enjoying the new-look garden yesterday during a rare bit of sunshine.

Summer Ball 2010

After much too-ing and fro-ing over whether to go or not, I decided that a £35 ticket price was reason enough to make the effort to go to the Summer Ball with the hospital where I work.

It turned out to be a good night, albeit with a band that were alright but got far too much play time. We just wanted a good old-fashioned dj playing tunes for everyone to bop along to. My mum was supposed to be having Poppy overnight but after catching my cold she wasn't well enough and I didn't want Poppy to recatch it. So I held back with the wine intake which paid off when I had to get up with her this morning (hubby's first day back in work). It's always good to have a night out with work colleagues, you learn things you wouldn't about them otherwise. Although I am lucky that I can count quite a few colleagues as friends also, which makes a night out even more fun.

I'm back!!

Had a fantastic holiday, we're all exhausted after a week of fun in the sun. There was so much to do, every day was full with activities, walks, cycle rides, picnics, feedind the birds from our patio, swimming...Poppy surprised me and hubby by being well behaved for the most of it, even napping in her pram twice a day. After the first night where she screamed for 2 hours at bedtime and had to be rocked to sleep, she went to bed without much fuss and came into our bed for cuddles about 5am. Lush.

After all the exposure to wildlife she can now sign and say 'duck' (well, she signs 'bird' but i'm not fussy) and loves to point out any fish she sees with the sign for it.

Dare I say it, that she is actually getting easier? It'll probably wear off when I go back to work next week.

Not my fault this time!

My internet connection was down last night so that's why I didn't post, honest!

Had a decent day yesterday - a play group in the morning, home for a nap (eventually even tho she was exhausted), then out in the evening for me to a coffee and cake catch-up with two friends. We only had an hour as hubby was nights so had to get back for Poppy. It was really good to see them but I don't recommend the victoria sponge cake in Costa Coffee, it was very dry...

Have done the packing for Center Parcs, the clothes anyway, now to tackle all the extra bits like cutlery, bowls and bottles for Poppy.

So I'm signing off for a little while until we get back from our holiday. Bye all and wish us good weather!!!