You know you're a Mum when...

When you find teary faces like this CUTE.

And when you find your hand stuck in the bottom of a box of mini-weetabix that's in the door pocket as you take a corner at the traffic lights on the way to work in 5th gear - all because you're having brekkie on the go as you were sneezed on by a baby with a mouthful of porridge right before you left the house so you're late because you had to get changed.

Or maybe you don't get changed - you know you're a mum when you find baby sick on your top at the end of a day spent out with friends, maybe even a mini-shreddie in your cleavage when you get ready for bed at the end of a long day.

I also find myself singing a LOT of the time - usually high pitched twaddle, sometimes something a little more structure like 'wind the bobbin up' which is a personal favourite for grace and me as well as a few other mummy's I know.

Having the washing machine on what seems to be all day every day is another classic. How on earth did we function on two loads a week before the arrival of such a small (yet well dressed) bundle? The electric bill has shot up. To counteract this we are using the rotary drier out in the garden instead of the tumble drier - and playing the hokey cokey with the wet weather (you put the washing out, bring the washing in, out in out in etc etc you get the picture) - apparently this dance with Mother Nature is another symptom of Motherhood.

Forgetting to change out of your slippers when you leave the house, presumably because your mind is on other things, probably whether or not you have remembered SPF 50 sun cream for the baby and whether the green or the yellow sun hat goes best with her outfit today. (By the way, the slippers were comfy so I didn't notice until I got half way across the car park at Asda - not cool).

Loving somebody more then your husband and everyone finding that totally normal...

Apparently you know you're a mum when you find children's toys in the toilet! As Grace is still connected to the earth by a string on her bottom we have yet to experience this, but I remember my sister once telling me a tale of coming upstairs to find her little boy shrieking with joy as he emptied every single last tampon into the toilet.

And of course, giving a running commentary of your every move - let's cross the road Grace, look at the yellow lorry Grace, shall we pay for the shopping Grace, where do we put the shoes Grace - you get the picture!

Some favourites from friends of mine include:

Getting through a 12 hour day on 2 hours sleep
Your family no longer ask how you are - it's all about the grandchild
You realise there is no difference between a weekday or the weekends any more as the alarm goes off at the same time every day!
A hot cup of tea or coffee starts to eclipse a glass of vino as the beverage of choice!
You no longer have privacy when you need to take a shower or go to the loo.
You're up so early with your little one that you can get the housework and two loads of laundry washed and put away before you go to work.
Emptying toys from your handbag to get to your purse.

And I think my personal favourite - never having a dull moment - Grace is constantly giving me food for thought in a way that nothing ever has done in my life before. Love her to the moon and back.

Any to add??

BONK!

Yes I thought that would grab your attention - rude minds, all of you! Now if we can take our minds out of the gutter for just one moment I have to tell you of Grace and her latest... bonk.

Runny nose and spluttering cough, Grace has had a slight cold for the last few days. This hasn't stopped her from enjoying nursery this week and she's had a fabulous time with me raking through the rails at the Debenhams Blue Cross sale on the hunt for a bargain - girls must shop! Anyway, back to bonking - sitting up to the table this evening making a jolly good effort at tucking away a bowl of broccoli and broad bean cheesy pasta even though she'd already polished off her tea at nursery before she came home - she sneezed.

Not just a little achoo mind you, but a real deep-breath fueled belly belting sneeze - and that's when the bonk happened - Grace threw her head back and then forward with the momentum of the sneeze... and BONKED her nose on the solid oak table cushioned only by a table cloth. YOUCH!

Needless to say supper fell by the wayside and a generous dose of Mummy-cuddle and hush-songs later, we plonked her in the bath before sending her off to dream land with what looks like it might be a big bruise on her snoz in the morning.

Matt the Husband and I have all fingers crossed - it's school photos at nursery tomorrow and I worry she'll be snapped with a cauliflower nose... bruiser.

Footprints!

Just stopping by to say thanks for stopping by!! Today the blog hit 4000 clicks, so it's obviously being read by someone out there in cyberspace. Lovely to have you around, please keep visiting, and remember, if you have any feedback or comments, do have a voice! You can always sign up for email alerts to new posts too - just pop your email in the sign up here box.
Ciao for now x

Sunshine Sundays

Welcome to my world - the four day weekend.

Official for a week now I am a busy mum - cum - lady of leisure. That is assuming you calling running around after Grace and Matt the Husband, not to mention Daisy-woof and housework a day of rest. All things considered though, I am not grumpy about my lot - far from it - and I'm actually reflecting on what a lucky girl I am (Euromillions win pending).

We did find a tenner on the dog walk yesterday, and I apologise to the villager that went without their Sunday paper and pint of milk as a result - but what was I to do? Let it flit and float in the wind up into a thorn bush for a bird to make a nest with? Ney - I pocketed it swiftly (eyes darting wildly checking for an ambush) and lectured Grace on the badness of profiting from other peoples bad luck. (She said it was ok - just pay for us to go swimming Mummy, so I did).

We also graced the Babies Birthday Party hosted by Leona and Eric who we attended NCT antenatal classes with one year ago. Amelia, or Millie as she is known has grown so much since I last saw her last October, as had the other babies, some of which I have seen more recently, including Logan who goes to nursery with Grace. Leona and I concluded it's the laid back babies who are slower to develop than their peers - Millie and Grace, both very chilled little girls, are still sitting pretty and appear to be in very little hurry to up sticks and go for a wander. We aren't concerned - the longer it takes Grace to get her wriggle-on, the longer we get to enjoy her as a baby - she has her whole life to walk - there is no rush. As for the others - Logan in particular were scuttling around all over the garden, climbing onto the decking and generally making merry mischief.

This is as close as Grace gets to moving...

I did have a moment of 'oh my goodness I am a terrible mother' when I picked a giggly Grace up for a cuddle and immediately realised she whiffed to high heaven of the celebration bubbly. Unmistakably champagne, it didn't take me long to twig she'd been mouthing on a plastic party cup - just hadn't realised it still had booze in. Embarrassingly, I see forward to the future maybe where Grace becomes the cheeky child that runs around at weddings while the grown-ups are dancing, taking a sneaky sip out of all the half empty glasses. Dear oh dear.

Operation birthday-secret is coming on nicely and Matt the Husband has been patting himself on the back a great deal over his craftsmanship a lot this past week. More on that another time. For now that's it - our news.
Thanks for stopping by :0)

Champagne Sunday....

Pushy Parents

Not in the realm of anything your kid can do, my kid can do better... and certainly not along the lines of baby ballet Monday, baby signing Tuesday, baby swimming wednesday, baby zumba thursday and so on and so on.... I'm referring to buggy fit. Or buggy flop as it turned out for me today - which peaked at 32c sometime late afternoon as I took cover in the haven that is an air conditioned car.

So what's pushy? The buggy silly!

We started off, Grace and me, by taking Daisy for a spin at Temple Newsam park where normally she would run crazy darting from place to place and generally giving herself a monster cardio session without much thought or effort from yours truly. Grace full from weetabix and yoghurt for breakfast conked out in the buggy and so I was left wheezing like a retired donkey as I pushed Grace up and down the hills while Daisy (much to my annoyance) reckoned it was too hot and simply plodded along beside us.

Job done, Grace and I headed down to Canon Hall near Barnsley where we met an old friend Amanda and her 19 month old daughter Brooke. (Note: Amanda is not old, but I have known her 18 years so it makes me at least feel old).
Last time I saw them both Brooke spent much of her time munching healthy snacks and generally babbling and smiling at anyone and everyone. Not much has changed - the first dog walker we met had to divert into the rhodedendron bushes to avoid the chatter - the second couple, older folk out in the park for a late morning stroll, were happy making baby talk and actually commented "you talk alot don't you?"... "yes" Brooke replied with a big smile. Cute child!!

Grace did good taking it all in and plotting how best to fast track her current capabilities to be able to chase Brooke across the grass and eat the little stones from the pathway, just like Brooke. And Brooke bless her was probably doing the same with Amanda and myself, since she took on role of Mummy and shovelled her own fromage frais into Graces mouth with a wobbly spoon and stole sips of drink from the water cup (just like Mummy does).

Anyway, back to the pushy parents - we took a nice walk round the park pushing the buggy's, some of it up hill, and I'm not sure it was the heat of the day that had my legs aching towards the end. UNFIT ALERT!!
I'm not bothered - I don't have time to be bothered - especially since I will try not to leave it six months before I meet up with Amanda and Brooke again.

Our work here is done....

Jolly in June

Beautiful blue eyes... I'm keeping everything crossed that they stay blue!

Busy busy week this one! Matt the Husband has been on leave from work and we've been taking every opportunity to get out and about in the sunshine, Grace and Daisy-woof in tow. We've met up with the Aged Parents at a half way point near Lincoln for lunch which saw Grace grizzly with a fever and ear infection (since fixed by a wonderful GP and a bottle of drugs). Grace has learnt to bum-shuffle on the kitchen floor (albeit backwards) and has also been relishing the zinging of her taste buds with new additions to her menu such as gooseberries and dates.

The clock is ticking and we're making a mental note that somebody's B.I.R.T.H.D.A.Y is not too far away now - wow, a year in the making! The reminder came when we went to Berrie's birthday party - one whole year since she came into this world, and Grace bless her is only seven short weeks behind her. Seven short weeks but the endless differences between their development are truly amazing to me. Berrie is just about tottering her way across the lounge, kneeling to open presents and generally commanding the stage as every good birthday girl should do. Grace on the other hand seems content sitting on her squishy little bottom, stretching for the odd toy and occasionally rolling over in her cot.... she's a girl that is going to like Sundays I think.

Bounding towards the camera at Berries 1st birthday party...

Talking of birthdays, Matt the Husband is predicted to go 100% grey in just the few short weeks between now and when Grace turns one sometime in August. A natural faff at D.I.Y he's spent two perfectly sunny afternoons pacing the grass in the garden scratching his head and wondering if he's bitten off more than he can chew.
Don't be silly (i hear you cry - he's a Langdale - good appetites them lot).
Seriously though, his comfort zone when it comes to D.I.Y is going through the self-service checkout at B&Q - doing it himself - not necessarily heavy graft, and certainly nothing that is due to be there in the garden for all to see for a very long time. Yes, he is in charge of PROJECT BIRTHDAY. Shhh, don't tell the baby, (and of course any donations for a bottle of 'just for men' can be sent to my paypal account).

Enough of my prattle - it's because Grace is in bed now and I'm writing this and watching a re-run of Coldplay on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury 2011 last night. Grace, for future reference - they are a very good band indeed.

What else did we do this week? We went swimming again (although it did take a fair amount of coaxing on Matt the Husbands part), visited the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds and flitted around Yorkshire in the glorious weather making the most of our time together before work starts again tomorrow. Bar humbug. Anyway, happy June - the longest day has been and gone and it wont be long before I'm digging out the 10 tog duvet to keep us toasty at night - in the meantime, Grace is in her smalls tonight - its 27c in her bedroom as she sleeps - it's 9pm. Happy heatwave Yorkshire!!

The look on her face? Suncream tastes funny....

Refusing to give up the empty box of raisins...

Happy Father's Day!

Hi friends! I hope you enjoyed father's day as much as we did. Marking the first of many father's days to come we started off with a morning trip to the local swimming pool. This speaks volumes as only once before in the history of Matt the Husband and me have I known the hairy beast to strip down to his shorts and take a dip. It's a long story and I'm not going to go there today, just take it from me that Matt + Swimming pool = ACHIEVEMENT!

Grace hasn't been swimming for a while as we've been so very busy getting into the swing of life now I'm back at work but we're planning on making it a regular thing now Matt the Husband has his water wings out of the closet. Grace took a while to warm up but a few songs from her Daddy to get her in the mood had her giggling and waving her arms about like the crazy child she is. For me it was a nice excuse to rattle off a few lengths and it felt good!

In the afternoon we took Daisy-woof for a long walk through the woods and across the meadows on the outskirts of Leeds. The rain held for us and the sun came out which made a wonderful end to a wonderful day.

Here's the card that Grace made....

You can't quite make it out on the photo but there are some very random crayon scribbles on the grill of the car - clever bear!


A little father's day prayer inspired by our local church -
Celebrating fathers today. For the joys and privilege of fatherhood, we give thanks to God our heavenly Father.