a little button design

Na'Night

2011-05-23T19:08:00.002+01:00

Currently, my days are mainly spent playing cricket, football, cars or watching Thomas the Tank Engine. Oh yes, this boy is conforming to gender stereotypes at a young and tender age. Cricket and football are major obsessions (both watching and playing). Jack is a keen bowler (bowling with his right hand, batting with his left!) and many an hour is spend in the hallway with Jack's own interpretation of cricket (kind of a cross between cricket, hockey and football).

There are however, quieter moments. In fact, a popular new pastime is pretending to be asleep. Jack will lay his head on a pillow, or gather up a pile of clothes or teddies that he has strewn around the floor and snuggle saying 'na'night'. If he is really tired he will add a sorrowful 'peeeeeeseee' and beg for me to put him to bed for a sleep.

The best place to play the bedtime game is in My Big Bed. Jack asks to get in and play na'night. He snuggles down under the covers, says goodnight and proceeds to pretend to snore. He then orders me to get in too. Its a great game. All he demands of me is to lie next to him and pretend to be asleep!

[No photos I'm afraid as I can't photograph anything if I'm pretending to be asleep]

Valentine's love

2011-02-12T16:47:00.003Z

Inspired by several American craft blogs, Jack and I have spent this week making some valentine's pressies to share with some friends.

Here is a sneak preview of some of what we have been creating:

A Christmas Story

2010-12-03T07:12:00.000Z

Check out this beautiful story written by my 11 year old cousin:

http://strangeworldofsim.blogspot.com/

I'll be back

2010-11-16T15:03:00.001Z

No internet.
No laptop.
Therefore no blogging.

Normal service will be resumed very soon (hopefully).

Celebrity

2010-10-23T06:21:00.004+01:00

The Turkish people generally love children. And I mean LOVE them. It is not uncommon for children to be fussed over and kissed and their cheeks are pinched by random strangers on the street (men and women and other children).

Can you imagine the reaction when you add into the equation a blonde-haired, big blue-eyed boy in a baby backpack?

Wherever we go people point and stare. They talk to Jack, kiss him, pinch him, slap him (affectionate slapping is common here). They pick him up, walk him round, sit him on their lap, play games with him.

When we are out people regularly want to take photos of him. Sometimes they ask us to take photos of them with Jack in the backpack. We feel a bit like celebrities!

Jack is loving all the attention. He is flirting away and smiling at anyone who fusses over him. What a shock he is going to have when we get home!

Istanbul - Rumeli Hisari

2010-10-22T17:29:00.001+01:00

Too tired to even post photos. Here is a link to some on fb: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=240832&id=514584623&l=de058a74d2

Istanbul - Blue Mosque

2010-10-22T05:15:00.003+01:00

No time for a long update but here are some photos of the stunning Blue Mosque:

Travelling

2010-10-21T05:27:00.004+01:00

We arrive at the airport exactly two hours before our flight yesterday morning only to find that it had been delayed by 2 hours. And then delayed by a bit more. The excitement about going on holiday to somewhere exotic suddenly diminishes slightly as we face the prospect of entertaining Jack for over 4 hours in the airport and then another 3.5 hours on the plane.

After paying out our lifes savings on lunch in the airport, Jack helpfully decorates the floor of the restaurant with our food. Time to make a quick exit and head through to departures. Where there are uncomfortable chairs. And shops. And nothing to entertain a small boy with. Hold on a minute. Tucked in the corner of the departures lounge is a Hamleys. They have toys outside for children to play with. We are saved. Jack spends a delightful hour playing with a piano mat (Simeon quite enjoys it too). Two Hamleys staff then make it their mission to entertain Jack with bubble machines. He is a bit bemused. The other passengers and decidedly unamused.

Finally time to go to our departure gate. The lady sat next to me it wearing a furry coat. Jack strokes it like a dog. For twenty minutes. Fortunately she quite enjoys the attention and amuses Jack while we wait.

In the queue to board the plane Jack makes another friend. A small boy travelling with his family smiles at Jack and he smiles back. Jack giggles, the boy giggles back. Both are delighted with their new acquaintance. We board the place and the family with the small boy are sat behind us. Both Jack and the boy are excited. Jack spends a large part of the flight standing and looking at them between the seats. He reaches out a hand. And steals some wotsits. Repeatedly. I'm a little embarrassed. Jack throws all the food I've brought him onto the floor but continues to be offered food by the small boy which he gratefully accepts. He sucks the wotsits and then tries to feed them to me. How delightful. Have you ever tried entertaining an active 1 year old on your lap in the economy section of a budget airline? I can tell you its rather a challenge. Jack behaves rather well (apart from the food stealing) but by this point is really rather tired. As am I.

We land. We go through passport control where there is no queue and Jack charms all the staff. We collect our baggage and go to meet Carrie. Finally we are here. Just a hair-raising taxi journey to go and we are done. What a day. What an adventure. What to do now?

The Playhouse - Assembled but not complete

2010-10-10T09:32:00.002+01:00

As the title suggests, the playhouse has been sewn together but I have not yet finished all the embellishments. I thought that maybe you would like to see it as it stands:

Happy Being Me

2010-10-09T09:24:00.008+01:00

Sometimes being me doesn't feel good enough. I'm not as creative, stylish, interesting, thoughtful as I want to be. I started this blog to showcase some of the things that I have made and eventually to start selling some of my creations. But I haven't managed it.

Somehow, other women, other mums manage to care for their children, create amazing things, take beautiful pictures, blog about them and often include tutorials on how to recreate them. I aspire to be like that. How do they have time? How do they come up with all the ideas? How are they so darn cool? Dana has an amazing home and makes fabulous clothes for her children and herself, Megan is an inspiring mother and seems to do such fantastic things with her children, Cheri has an incredible imagination and is current champion of So You Think You're Crafty. All three take stunning photos of their crafts, homes, families and there are many many others that I haven't mentioned.

These women have beautiful homes, beautiful children, beautiful style and create the most beautiful things. I have a very messy home (oh how I wish I was tidy), wish I was more stylish and only occasionally create wonderful things. I can certainly compete on the beautiful offspring front though.

But today, I am content with being me. Actually, what I really mean is that today [and tomorrow and the day after] I am [wanting to try really hard to be] content with being me. Its so easy to compare myself to so many other people around me. (I wonder how many of them are in turn comparing themselves to me?). But maybe I should just concentrate on being myself, focusing on the who I am and doing what I love to do rather than trying to be like someone else.

I am me and noone else is.

A weekend in the country

2010-10-08T07:36:00.003+01:00

Today we are off to my parents for the weekend where Jack can play in the field, pick apples and pears and blackberries, run around the garden chasing the dog and hang out with Grammy and Gramps. What more could a small boy want?

Birthday Treat

2010-10-07T16:32:00.003+01:00

Today is my birthday. Jack has celebrated this by sleeping for 12 hours straight for the first time ever. And also by producing the sort of poo that involves hosing him down still half clothed in the bath. Twice. Oh how I love that boy!

A quick update

2010-09-19T06:31:00.002+01:00

I was hoping to get the playhouse finished this week but its been an incredibly traumatic one so no progress has been made. I'm not sure I'm ready to write all the details here yet as it will make it seem too real and my poor little heart may not be able to cope. The short story is: Jack got sick, and then sicker and ended up in Intensive Care but is fine now and we are all home. Hopefully, normal service will be up and running soon xx

Trying not to take it personally

2010-09-02T18:44:00.002+01:00

Today was my first day at work for over a year. Jack spent the day with his Fairy Godmother, Sarah at the Botanical Gardens and had a great time. When I got home I was looking forward to being greeted with a smile and some excitement (in much the same way he greets his father everyday). But no. Not even a flicker of recognition. Not even a smile. And when I picked him up for a cuddle he just wanted to get down and play.

I'm trying very hard not to take it personally. And I know that I should be happy that he is so well adjusted and confident that he can spend the day with someone he hardly knows and not be miserable. But I kinda would have liked him to miss me a little bit. And be a small bit excited to see me. I feel a little dejected and rejected.

Oh well. I'll probably be soon complaining that he wont settle at nursery or something similar.

Spoilt

2010-08-25T07:08:00.004+01:00

Having had a baby-free morning on Monday and a baby-free afternoon yesterday, I am struggling with the prospect of having a baby-full day today. There is much to be done (including some reading and sleeping) and it is all so much harder when there is a small boy to entertain.

It a good job I love the little guy. And here are some reasons why (this is as much to motivate me to get out of bed as it is for your benefit):

* those great big chubby cheeks that wobble around when we're driving in the car

* the most laboured attempt at crawling (read squirming on his belly and sometimes managing to move forward a centimetre or two) I have ever seen

* that beautiful cheeky smile

* the enthusiasm with which he soaks everyone present at bathtime

* the great big slobbery kisses (with tongues) that he likes to give

Ok, whinge over. I realise how fortunate I am to be able to spend so much time with my son (but just so I don't feel too guilty - does anyone else ever feel the same way about life as a mother?). Today, I will cherish him and cherish the time that we have together. And off we go to the Teddy Bears Picnic with a smile on both of our faces.

Playhouse Progress Report

2010-08-24T08:57:00.005+01:00

So, the birthday is fast approaching (8 days) and there is much still to do. I have taken some photos to show you where I am at and if I had the time they would be beautifully annotated so that you would know what is to come. But I don't so you'll just have to wait and see.

We went to the zoo and we saw...

2010-08-19T08:32:00.004+01:00

Here and there

2010-08-14T16:29:00.004+01:00

While we were away, camping, I learnt a few things. As a result, I have made a few changes around the place.

Firstly, I moved the TV out of the lounge into our new TV room (old dining room). This is to encourage me not just to veg out in front of the TV of an evening, and maybe even have a conversation or two with Simeon. I have also been trying not to get sucked in by The Internet (how easy it is to lose an hour or two there), which is why I've not been here very often.

In addition to the Great Room Switcheroo, I have been busily working on the soon-to-be lodgers room. It is very nearly finished and looks amazing. Just need to find someone to live there now.

And, if that wasn't enough to keep me busy, the mother-in-law has been staying this week. We had a glorious day out at the zoo (thunder, lightening, torrential rain, and lots of monkeys).

That's enough meandering from me. Time to cook some dinner for the boy.

We survived!

2010-08-09T11:35:00.002+01:00

So, we survived a week camping and actually, surprisingly, enjoyed ourselves. There is much to say about the week but I am currently in the middle of painting the spare room and moving the TV out of the lounge (more on that later).

Camping

2010-07-30T07:17:00.003+01:00

Its been a while. And its been busy. My little sister returned from nearly 2 years travelling the world and met Jack for the first time. The family gathered to celebrate her return. And then, even more family turned up to celebrate my Granny's 85th birthday. I think there were about 25 of us. Plus the dog.

It will be quiet for a while longer as tomorrow we are going camping. For a week. With an 11 month old baby. I don't like camping very much. And Simeon is working onsite as part of the youth team (its a Christian camp that we're going to with our church). So, childcare duty is all mine.

I was feeling very anxious about it all but after copious list-making my only remaining concern is the sleeping thing. Recently, Jack has been waking up at about 5am. I usually turn the baby monitor onto silent at this point and let him babble/shout and play/whinge in his cot (I'm not really sure what he does as I go back to sleep!) until Sim's alarm goes off at 6.30. Not so easy in a tent. Also, he has a cold and a cough so is a little more grumpy than usual and is coughing alot.

My main concerns are that a) wakes people up by coughing during the night and/0r crying at 5am and b) that I have to get up with him at 5am and walk him round the campsite to keep him calm.

It'll be fine though, right?

Making progress

2010-07-18T21:25:00.002+01:00

Polystyrene tiles - removed
Wallpaper - gone
Paint - stripped

Tomorrow am - polyfillering
Tomorrow eve - undercoat
Tuesday - paint ceiling

Next week - paint woodwork and walls
Followed by - a big celebration and maybe a nap

And then - get to work on the playhouse.

Porridge Pancakes (for Laura and Roo)

2010-07-17T09:57:00.004+01:00

Find a container with a flat bottom.

A takeaway container works well

Add some rolled oats

And some fruit (sultanas, mashed banana etc)

Cover with milk. This is too much

This is perfect

Microwave until the top is firm and the milk has been absorbed,

roughly 1-2 mins depending on the amount of oats.

Put in the fridge to set (this can be done the night before)

Remove from the container. If the base is still a little soggy,

put it back in the microwave soggy side up until it is firm

Cut into bite-sized pieces

And enjoy!

Beetroot Cake is yummy

2010-07-16T10:05:00.002+01:00

Pink batter

Pink frosting

Pink cake

Retail therapy

2010-07-15T12:56:00.002+01:00

Work want me to start back on 1st September. Jack's birthday. This makes me incredibly sad. I know that he wont notice. And I know that it doesn't really matter. And I know that there will be plenty of other celebrations. And I know it makes sense to be in work on that day.

To be honest, I'm quite surprised by my reaction. I never thought that it would matter so deeply. But it does. I also suspect there's quite a lot of underlying anxiety about going back to work involved.

'What does that have to do with retail therapy?', I hear you ask. Ok, maybe not. Maybe its really quite predictable. But it was an accident. I didn't mean to. But there it was, so beautiful, so glamorous, so practical, so expensive (shhhh).

And now, somehow, it is sitting next to me gazing lovingly at me. I don't know quite how it got here. But here it is. And here it will stay. Maybe. Unless Simeon finds out how much it cost. Of I am overwhelmed by post-splurging guilt.

PS. The bag is red. Maybe I need some new shoes to match.

PPS. I expect you want to see a photo. The ones I've found online just don't do it justice and I haven't got time to upload one right now so you'll have to imagine a beautiful red bag with a very lovely lining, lots of useful pockets, and clever attachments that let you hang it from the pram handle. One day, I will share a picture of it with you and I hope that it will live up to your imaginings.

At the moment, I am...

2010-07-15T09:17:00.003+01:00

Making : a felt playhouse for Jack's birthday
Cooking : beetroot cake
Drinking : tea
Reading: The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory
Wanting: an overlocker
Looking: at the mess around me. Arrgghh.
Playing: with stacking cups
Wasting: time wishing that I had more time
Sewing: a maxi dress ( for myself)
Wishing: it was sunny again :(
Enjoying: putting my feet up while the boy is sleeping
Waiting: for my sister Rosie to get home in less than a week!!!
Liking: that I can see a smidgen on blue sky
Wondering: what I should cook for dinner tonight
Loving: my gorgeous family
Hoping: that Jack gets better soon :(
Marvelling: at how much the boy has grown
Needing: to do some serious organising of crafty stuff
Smelling: the laundry drying on the airer
Wearing: new clothes!
Following: Cake Wrecks
Noticing: that I really need to do some cleaning around here
Knowing: that good enough is usually good enough
Thinking: that its gonna take forever to finish stripping the paint in the spare room
Bookmarking: skip to my lou
Opening: no post today :(
Giggling: not nearly enough
Feeling: invariably tired but quite content

Finally finished

2010-07-11T21:48:00.003+01:00

I finally finished the quilt I've been working on. It was going really well until I got to the binding. I couldn't find what I wanted anywhere and once I did I then had to unpick it 5 times before I could get it to look how I wanted. It was eventually completed just moments before leaving for the birthday party of the boy whose present it was.

I am rather chuffed with my first effort at a quilt though.

Alone

2010-07-08T08:21:00.002+01:00

Yesterday I spent the day in a spa. Alone. By myself. Without company. Without demands. Just me. And a good book. It was truly wonderful. And slightly surprising. I don't like being on my own. Especially not somewhere like a spa, or eating lunch. But, it was a sign of how much I have changed in the past 10 months that I was perfectly content with my own company.

I relaxed, I swam, I jacuzzied, I steamed, I lunched, I was scrubbed, exfoliated, massaged and pedicured and I read. I came home relaxed and ready to get on with all the things that need to be done.

To top it off, Jack has been sleeping til 6am and hanging out in his cot til at least 6.30. That sure beats 5 o'clock.

Now, on with the quilt, the felt vegetable garden and the dress that I am making. Photos to follow soon, I promise.

Budget artwork

2010-07-01T19:30:00.003+01:00

I have long been wanting to put some pictures up on the walls. It is rather shameful as we've lived here for over 2 years and still haven't put any up. I'm not sure why I never got around to it. Possibly cost. Possibly time. Possibly finding the right thing to put up. However, I have made a move which has given me inspiration to adorn the walls in other rooms of the house.

I bought a cheap blank canvas for less than £5 and printed out some of my favourite pictures of Jack onto photo paper using our very average and basic printer. They came out almost A4 size. I trimmed the white from around the edges and then used extra strong double-sided tape to stick them to the canvas. It looks just like an expensive printed canvas but for only 10% of the cost.

I recently got hold of some freezer paper (a type of parchment paper from America) which enables me to print onto fabric. My next project will involve printing onto fabric and stretching it round a canvas frame. Unfortunately I only have an A4 printer so they will be small prints, but I am quite excited to see how they will turn out.

Chaos

2010-06-30T18:41:00.002+01:00

I've been a bit busy causing chaos. We have decided to get a lodger in September to help pay for Jack's nursery without using up my entire salary. This requires decorating one of the bedrooms, which turned out to be a bit more challenging than expected.

There are beautiful polystyrene ceiling tiles to scrape off,

which revealed wallpaper underneath that needs stripping

Pulling off the border revealed seriously peeling paint

And now all the paint needs to be laboriously scraped off the walls

(this is how the room currently looks)

There is mess everywhere and it feels like it will never end (after all the peeling, scraping and stripping we need to sand, fill and paint ceiling, walls, skirting boards, cupboard). We have decided to call in some back up and ask some friends to come and help us out so that we finish it off sometime this side of Christmas.

Next we need to find a lodger. Preferably a lovely, friendly, non-weird lodger. Let me know if you can suggest anyone.

New shoes

2010-06-25T18:13:00.002+01:00

Auntie Rosie sent Jack a present from Oz...

Unwrapping

Havaianas

A little on the big side

And they've fallen off already

New Camera

2010-06-24T09:29:00.004+01:00

My very early birthday present of a DSLR arrived this week and I have been absorbed in taking pictures and figuring out how to use it (rather than keeping it on the auto setting the whole time!).

Adventures on ebay

2010-06-23T09:00:00.002+01:00

We are having a clear out. A big one. The spare room (read miscellaneous junk room) needs to be cleared, decorated, beautified and rented out to a lodger.

The initial plan was to do a car boot sale but logistics proved difficult. So, my genius plan was to ebay some of the better quality items. Sadly, it was not very successful:

TV stand: 99p

1.7m length kitchen worktop: 99p

Didgeridoo:£1.04

Photo album:99p

Wall clock: unsold

Photo frame: unsold

It doesn't even come close to the amount I spent on the DSLR that arrived yesterday. In fact, it doesn't even come close to covering the postage. :-(

The Best

2010-06-21T09:44:00.003+01:00

Jack made this card for his daddy on Father's Day

Tree (with photos)

2010-06-17T16:49:00.001+01:00

Just off to sew a tree onto the play house.

And here it is...

And a woodpecker, ladybird and caterpillar (courtesy of Crazy Aunt Lizzie)

And windows too...

Even when you're this cute...

2010-06-15T08:01:00.001+01:00

... 5am is way too early to get up and play

Takeaway pizza

2010-06-11T11:37:00.002+01:00

We get endless flyers for various takeaways through our letterbox. This one made me laugh.

Have you ever tried a Dippan pizza?

Dreaming

2010-06-08T12:06:00.005+01:00

Jack is asleep. I am sat on the sofa with a cup of tea and a chelsea bun.

I am dreaming of a whole day (or maybe 2) at home on my own. I am dreaming of pottering, of being lazy, of sewing. I am dreaming of doing what I want when I want. I am dreaming of not being needed for anything. I am dreaming of some purely selfish self-indulgence.

Back to reality. Jack has woken up. Maybe some other time then.

Hot Orange

2010-06-06T07:31:00.002+01:00

A few weeks ago we went to visit Sim's Grandparents for the day. I had tonsillitis and a very very sore throat. My favourite soother was to have a mug of hot orange squash.

Grandpa offered me a drink. I asked if they had any orange squash and if they did, could I have some hot. He said that they did and went off to the kitchen to make it for me.

It tasted a little strange. For a start, it was quite strong (I prefer y squash relatively weak). More strangely, it was quite fizzy. It tasted bizarre but not altogether unpleasant.

How on earth did he manage to create a fizzy hot orange squash? Did he use sparkling water in the kettle? Had it somehow fermented? The truth of the matter was revealed when he made me another one later on in the day. I happened to be in the kitchen as he opened a large bottle of orange tango, poured some into a saucepan and warmed it up on the hob.

As I was just browsing the internet for a picture of a bottle of Tango to liven up this post (seeing as I can't currently upload any photos of my own) I came across this and I thought I would share it with you.

Fabric Printing

2010-06-05T21:22:00.002+01:00

I went to a fabulous fabric printing workshop today at Creative Open Workshops. It was great fun and I got to try out screen printing which I have wanted to do for ages. I was surprised by how simple it can be and will now need to restrain myself from heading out and buying all the equipment so I can do it at home. I have already started planning what I can print onto though!

You can check out the photos here (my prints all involve apples). If you are ever in Birmingham and fancy doing a craft workshop then check out their website.

Unfortunately, I can't persuade my card reader to talk to my computer so there are no photos of the last few days. Hopefully, soon enough, they will stop fighting and I can display photos of my fabric prints and of afternoons spent relaxing in the sun with good food and paddling pools!

The Carpenter Girls

2010-06-03T10:21:00.004+01:00

When Simeon goes away and Crazy Aunt Lizzie comes to stay it usually results in an adventure of some sort. This week, we decided to fit out Jack's built in cupboard in his room with shelves and a hanging rail. Cousins Joe and Ros looked after Jack while we played with power tools and created a terrible mess.

The kitchen became our workshop

The first shelf with the hanging rail already attached goes up [Note here that we a) attached the hanging rail before putting the shelf up and b) countersunk all the screws. Oh, we're good]

Our success goes to Crazy Lizzie's head

We shortly have to take a small break due to giggling and hysteria

Approval from the Boy

Please be aware that the cupboard interior will be tarted up at a later date with paint, shelf liners and stylish yet functional boxes

We are so very proud of our success

And so is Jack

For Liz C

2010-06-03T10:18:00.000+01:00

Playdate

2010-06-02T21:59:00.002+01:00

Not entirely fair

2010-06-01T06:50:00.002+01:00

Jack has started sleeping until a vaguely reasonable time in the morning. Yesterday he woke at 6.40am. Today, its 6.50am and he is still asleep. Why on earth, I hear you ask, am I awake and blogging. Ahh, herein lies the unfairness. I am awake. And I have been since 5.45am. Not just awake, but awake and with a slightly hyperactive brain. Its racing. I keep trying to quieten it but no, its flitting here there and everywhere so I am officially awake. At least I got to drink a hot cup of tea without interruption.

And now, the beast has awoken.

Organisation

2010-05-31T18:45:00.003+01:00

In my heart, I am an organised person. I love things to be neatly arranged, stored in their correct place and tidied away. I am, however, inherently messy. And I hate it. I would love my house to be tidy and streamlined but it is in a permanent state of chaos and messiness. Every single room is currently not in a presentable state (I can't even bear to put up some photos to demonstrate this. Its too shameful).

Something must be done. The first step is to declutter. So, we're off to a car boot sale in a couple of weeks to try and earn some money from the stuff that is filling up my house (how can there be that much stuff?). The next stage is, errrmmm. Well, I haven't really got round to figuring out what the next stage is. I just know that the end point is a tidy, clutter-free (or at least clutter hidden away in a cupboard or something pretty and functional) house.

This evening, to begin this project and prepare my house for having several mums and babies round for lunch tomorrow, I am sewing a changing mat. I know, not exactly useful or urgent. I am making an effort to prettify and organise my changing bag and if I can do that then I think I may have the momentum to do the same with the rest of the house. On the other hand, doing the changing bag may well use up all my de-cluttering motivation and the house will remain as it is. Someone ask me in a few weeks how its going and I'll let you know if I've been successful.

Splash

2010-05-30T20:03:00.003+01:00

Splash

Splat

The weekend

2010-05-30T19:40:00.004+01:00

Today, I spent a delightful afternoon working on Jack's playhouse with the tennis on in the background and the sound of Sim chatting with Jack in the kitchen. Bliss!

I probably ought to clarify a comment that I made the other day about tennis. Tennis can be very relaxing to watch and the sound in the background is almost always soothing except when there is a Brit playing. Admittedly, Murray is less traumatic to watch than Henman was but still it can often be traumatic. I fear that this is something that only fellow Brits would understand. The match is rained off for tonight and hopefully tomorrow will bring better things for Murray.

A couple of facts, a whinge and a fish

2010-05-28T06:19:00.003+01:00

Tonsillitis hurts. Fact. 5.30am shouldn't feel like a lie-in. Fact. Tonsillitis REALLY hurts. Whinge.

But this guy makes me smile.

Wake-up call

2010-05-27T08:09:00.009+01:00

My early morning wake-up call is getting earlier by the day. Jack is finally not waking up several times a night but has decided that the day starts at 5.30am. Or 5am. Or 4.45am. That is way way too early. Its alright for him as he heads back to bed after breakfast for another hour or two in bed. But, for the poor Man and I, it is Very Bad Indeed. We are like the walking dead. Zombies. So Very Tired.
The Man is heading here next week for 4 days of quiet retreat. I am jealous a little. And tired alot. It does, however mean that my aunt and cousins will be coming to stay and there will be much fun, eating and work on the playhouse. And maybe, just maybe there will be a chance of a few hours off. A few hours to myself. A few hours to be refreshed.

In the meantime, I shall continue to take myself off to bed with the French Open on iplayer when Jack has his afternoon nap. There aren't many things more soothing than the sound of a tennis match in the background. And if I can stay awake long enough, I may actually watch some of the tennis.

Converter

2010-05-25T18:36:00.002+01:00

I bought some underwired bras. I bought a nursing bra converter kit. And now I have some underwired nursing bras. Things are back where they belong and are definitely looking up!

Felt, glorious felt

2010-05-21T19:19:00.005+01:00

I was writing this post hours ago this morning when Firefox crashed and lost it. Then followed a morning of chaos involving several trips to the pharmacy, and trip to my parents' GP and a small boy with a nasty ear infection.

But back the the point: felt. Here is my stash (I spent a small fortune on it from here):

Progress is being made but is on hold for the weekend as I am at my parents and they are trying to sell their house so no clutter allowed (this is a huge challenge and in the space of 12 short hours I have managed to mess up the kitchen, my room, the study and the bathroom - oops).

I have got rather excited today about editing photos. I have just discovered how to use iphoto for more than just viewing photos and have been very impressed with the results. Unfortunately, it doesn't have much effect on my photos taken with my normal digital camera. Looks like I'll have to hurry up and get that SLR then!

Photography

2010-05-20T07:20:00.001+01:00

Currently, I am borrowing a friend's digital SLR and I am LOVING it. It means that I can take photos like this:

And this:

One of my targets for my maternity leave (other than the obvious having a baby thing, of course) was to start taking more photos and experimenting a bit more with photography. I am really enjoying it and am now hankering after my own SLR. The lovely husband has said that I can have one for my birthday if I like. I do like. Alot.

Now, which one to get? Like so many things in life there are so many choices that it can be very overwhelming. Almost like picking a pram (forward-facing, rear-facing, lies flat, car seat attachment) or a highchair (wooden, plastic, detachable tray, converts to a table, grows with the child, cheap, needs a second mortgage).

As with all the baby kerfuffle, I think I will go down the route of getting a good recommendation from someone I know takes beautiful pictures. So Caro, I'll be after some advice sometime soon please.

And, while I'm here

2010-05-19T13:25:00.000+01:00

I thought you might like to see how much my little man has grown:

Inspiration

2010-05-19T10:33:00.000+01:00

I am finally inspired to start blogging and creating again. It was mainly Jill who inspired me with this playhouse. I have started on making one for Jack for his 1st birthday. I am very excited about this project but just need to find the energy and time somewhere in order to get going on it. I have already received some felt wildlife (butterfly, ladybird, bumblebee, caterpillar, snail) from an excited family member. [Photos to follow soon]

I have also embarked on some wardrobe refashioning. I am just about back to my pre-pregnancy weight, although am now a slightly different shape. So, I now have a wardrobe of post-pregnancy clothes that are too big and pre=pregnancy clothes that dont quite fit. Instead of buying new clothes I am refashioning some of the too large clothes into new and exciting items. So far, I have cut up a lovely red cardigan that was far too large. Must find the time to do something with it!

Surprise

2009-09-02T07:49:00.000+01:00

I have a huge backlog of things to post about (baby shower and lots of things that I have been making for Eddie) that I was going to catch up on this week. But Eddie decided that he wanted to come and meet us 4 weeks early!

Yesterday, at 1.02pm, Jack Edward Whiting made his appearance into the world weighing 6lb15.5oz. He is gorgeous and perfect and more details and millions of photos will soon follow!

Here he is at a few hours old. How beautiful is he?

The Fear

2009-08-08T13:01:00.000+01:00

Not panicking at all. Not even a little bit. Its just that out of the 7 couples in our antenatal class, one had her twins at 30 weeks, one had her daughter last week at 33 weeks and one is due to be induced this week at 35 weeks. Crikey.

Feeling the need to leap out of bed (admittedly it is 1pm so probably time to be getting up) and get on with all the things that still need doing...

Practising

2009-08-05T09:57:00.000+01:00

Last night at our antenatal class the ladies talked about pelvic floors and other such things while the men were sent out of the room to complete a challenge.

They returned each with a doll in their arms. They had had to put a nappy on, select outfits from a large box of clothes and dress the dolls.

I am very proud to say that Simeon managed to put the nappy on the right way round, put on a vest and a babygrow and find a hat and mittens that matched the babygrow. He then sat with the doll in his arms like a pro.

I am supremely impressed!

Where to begin

2009-08-03T09:50:00.000+01:00

So, I have returned from 5 days in Dunstable where I was helping a friend out with wedding preparations and now can start with the serious business of maternity leave. Problem is, there is so much to do that I don't know where to start. In addition to the list of things I want to make, I need to rearrange the spare room and dining room, do all the laundry, tidy the guest room, get the bed fixed in the guest room, clear the cupboard in Eddie's room, do some grocery shopping.... the list goes on. I also need to find the time to do some relaxing.

But first, a cup of tea and a cupcake.

Some pictures at last

2009-07-24T11:07:00.000+01:00

This is the result of the nappy trialling with my family at the weekend. Poor bear.

And here is a babygrow I made for a friend - plenty more of these to come!

Making a start

2009-07-24T09:29:00.000+01:00

Seeing as the lovely Liz has posted a link to this blog, I feel the pressure to actually do something interesting and put it on here! So let the crafting begin!

Currently, I am lying in bed planning my day and this has now inspired me to do some making. I think I will begin with some leg warmers (otherwise known as babylegs) and possibly move on to making a template for the bunting and cutting out some fabric. Check back later for a progress report and lots of pictures (hopefully - I need to first dig out the sewing machine and paraphernalia which have been a little buried in the major room reorganisation currently going on).

In the meantime, one of my very good friends is planning me a baby shower. She has spent the last few years living in America and so knows how baby showers really ought to be done. I am very excited about the prospect of a girly afternoon involving baby things, cake, tea, and hopefully scones with clotted cream. Mmmmm.

Maternity Leave

2009-07-23T12:16:00.000+01:00

Maternity leave has begun. I have been so focussed on getting to the end of term that its come as a bit of a shock that I now need to get ready for baby! I just need to get on with all the jobs on my list.

But first, some relaxation. Today is all about chilling out (and catching up on some laundry), getting my hair cut and a trip to the pub with some other pregnant ladies. I am trying very very hard not to rush around and do things. So far, complete success. Its the afternoon (just) and I haven't even had a shower yet. I'm very proud of myself.

Terry nappies

2009-07-19T11:13:00.000+01:00

Would you believe that in the whole of Cambridge you can't get hold of the simple, basic terry nappy? Who would have thought they would be so difficult to get hold of. I tried in John Lewis, Mothercare and Babies R Us but no joy. Think I'll have to track some down on the web.

Its a shame really as my mum, granny and auntie were going to teach us all how to fold terry nappies for the perfect fit. Oh well. Still got plenty of time for that.

Naming

2009-07-18T06:16:00.000+01:00

Let me introduce you to Eddie. He is the bump (currently at 30 weeks gestation). He started out life as the bean due to a very early scan where he looked just like a baked bean. We then named said bump Edna after my late Nana, partly as a joke (we really wouldn't name a child Edna).

After discovering that Edna was in fact a boy, we decided that maybe Edna wasn't entirely appropriate so it was shortened to Eddie.

We have had many conversations about what to call Eddie when he arrives (he wont be staying Eddie). Most of them have been about names we wouldn't call him and names that would be funny/rude/have dodgy initials.It seems hard to take it seriously. We have in fact come up with a first and middle name that we are both happy with. He will be named after two of his grandads (so no-one can complain that we're stealing their idea in the minefield of naming your child).

We also have decided not to discuss these choices with anyone (its killing me holding it in, especially this weekend with my family all around) as people are all too likely to have their own opinions (which I don't want to hear). I have told one very good friend and my sister, Rosie who is currently over the other side of the world and wont be back for around 10 months.

So there you have it. We have managed to pick a name. Despite not really ever having a serious conversation about it. Despite not really liking any boys names. And while we're at it, we've already picked Godparents too, but they don't know it yet. We'll leave it to Eddie to tell them after he is born (and named).

A list

2009-07-17T14:00:00.000+01:00

Two more days left at work before maternity leave begins and I have what seems like an endless list of things that I want to make before Eddie arrives:

bunting for his room

a matching quilt

and possible cushion cover

burp cloths

leg warmers

personalising some baby grows

baby booties

And for others:

presents to make for some other pregnant friends

2 girly blankets (already have the fabric for these)

And my plan is to make double of everything and finally start selling on Etsy. A quiet summer ahead then!