Ups and Downs

Suffice to say it's been a hectic week so I'm sorry not to have managed to park my bottom on the sofa for long enough to get this written. Matt the Husband has spent a day in the ENT clinic at Hospital with suspected tonsilitis (it's not, he's a wimp). The dog has been poorly, as has Grace. I'm wondering when it's my turn?

Guessing Daisy-woof was likely to have developed a urinary incontinence issue having wet the bed a few times, I took her off to the vets for a work up just to dot the I's and cross the T's instead of just asking for some meds. £1086 smackers and a full days stay later, they give me the thumbs up for being right. I almost thought the receptionist was going to say 'pick your jaw up darling' as my bottom lip hit the dust on the floor. Thank you Pet Insurance, that's all I can say. Honestly, it makes me grateful for the NHS and free healthcare. I mustn't grumble as I used to work as a Vet Nurse in practice for about 10 years, so I understand the costings behind the bills and wot not. But still - F*** me!
So a week into the tablets, Daisy has only wet the bed once, which is great. On the flip side, we're missing sleeping straight through the night, as she's taken to nudging Matt the Husband around 2am to go outside for a tinkle. You win some, you lose some I guess.

Grace has been poorly last week, found herself back on form again and now today she's thrown a sicky and is feverish and dull again. There seems to be a lot of it going round nursery and playgroups at the moment, this nasty winter virus, so we're treating her symptomatically with calpol and cuddles and wait for a clean bill of health again. She's having an ok day today, wanting to be read to and playing some games on her own which is a good sign we're on the mend.

So yes, busy times at home. Before Grace fell sick, we've been out and about visiting friends and family all over the place, but I'll need to snatch time to post about that later.

Hope everyone else is keeping well!

Going for Gold!

Under the cover of darkness, saucepans in hand, we take to the pitch. On the blue team, Matt the Husband, dressed in undersized pyjamas that show off his bottom when he ties his laces. On the pink team, Mummy featuring a woolly hat and nightie from Primarni.

The away side, Daisy-woof, dressed in her own digs, warms up on the turf, scratching up the grass and snorting cold air through her nose. Refusing to wee on lead, the whistle goes and WE'RE OFF! Ducking and diving, twisting and turning, hurdling over steaming piles of poop and skidding on the dewy grass, Daisy-woof thinks its the best game she's played, EVER.

In the stands, fans for the home team, neighbours Neil and Lesley to the left, Karen and Alan on the right, Gracie at the frenchdoors, all cheering us on.

The blue team scores in the eigth minute with a dive across the touchline to rival anyone in the Rugby World Cup Final.

Everyone's happy. I've had some exercise, Matt the Husband has caught his first urine sample, Grace has been entertained, and the neighbours can go back to watching the soaps without the interruption of shrieks and whoops from the garden.

Job Done.

As for D-W, keep your fingers crossed she can keep her legs crossed. She keep wetting the bed so we're having the Vets do a work up.

I'm guna wash that man right out of my hair

Remember the song from South Pacific? I'm singing my little heart out today. It's not a sign that I've filed for divorce after last weeks fiasco as Matt the Husband has been forgiven. Our little G-bear is washing her own hair!

Sat in the bath last night talking to Mr Penguin, the shampoo hit her crown and immediately both hands went up and started rubbing. TOO CUTE!! Co sute in fact, I had to share.

Ciao for now x

RUBBISH. In capitals!

A week off work together as a family. Brilliant autumn sunshine, crisp mornings and claret coloured sunsets set amidst Thetford forest. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?

My back went on Sunday morning, before we even left home. I was carrying Grace on my hip doing jobs in the kitchen, as you do and I could feel my lower back start to give way. Calling Matt the Husband to take Grace from me, he carried on what he was doing, reminding me that one time I carried her 'all the way round the garden centre without any trouble'.

Never mind that was four months ago when Grace the sack of potatoes was many pounds lighter.

A comedy scene, my back gave way almost on cue, I'm on my hands and knees in the kitchen, searing pain. And Grace still clinging to my hip while Matt the Husband retracts his neck and asks what he can do to help.

Fast forward till teatime, we're done in A&E. I'm doped up on Valium to relax the muscle spasm, a handful of painkillers with the promise that the old ruptured ligament injury from 16 years ago when I was but a youthful teen has popped again and I'm in for a rough ride. Joy.

I hobbled to bed that night, bent in half like an old man, unable to stand up straight, and slept like a log. Valium is my new best friend. Monday morning and a four hour car ride to Norfolk and I'm more crooked by the time I get there than Salman Butt the Pakistani cricketer. The rest of the week is much the same, the only difference being I ran out of valium and my sleep is more sporadic. Matt the Husband says he knows 'something' that will help me sleep with a wink and a twinkle in his eye. I tell him shagging Fat Bastard from the Austin Powers movies would be more appealing. You get the gist of our week.

Grace is a sweetheart, walking with one hand for support now and surfing the furniture like a pro. This is easy at my parents pad - they have enough chairs in the sitting room to rival an inner city doctors waiting room.

I'm all out of words for now. I've been sat for too long and I need to stand up and stretch out. I'm walking upright again and it's feeling more comfortable. It's a ligament that connects pelvis to spine that's ropey. Lucky me :0)

As for Matt the Husband, he's been kissing arse all week. He's just told me loves me, handed me a bag of Haribos and a can of pop. He knows the way to a womans heart.

"You're a good Husband", I tell him.

"Thank you", he replies. He's relieved to have been forgiven for his part in this injury that stuffed up our week off.

"You haven't seen this blog I'm writing yet". I tell him.

Mummy's little bookworm...

Grace is turning into such a little bookworm. Probably one of her favourite activities, she's forever pulling books from the shelf and bringing them over for story time. By far, she has a distinct preference for the Usborne series of That's not my.... Puppy, Dolly, Rabbit, etc. She adores them, and quite often gets frustrated if I'm not free to sit down to read them with her (she had a quivering bottom-lip moment with me in the kitchen last week while I was cooking supper). That said, she's quite happy going through them on her own, looking out for the mouse...

Grace sniffing out her favourite book

Found it!

There's mouse!

There's mouse!

And that's my dolly!

A right Royal visit

At the weekend we were descended upon by family King. This clashed with major teething from Grace and Dimitris (both now heading for 15 months, calpol spoons in tow), a new trend of skipping day time naps from Grace (and me, regrettably), and Matt the Husbands desire to spend the weekend in the kitchen pandering to his sweet tooth.

The result? A great day catching up with family, enjoying the kids playing and entertaining, stuffing jam tarts (courtesy of Evangelia, aged 4) and banoffee pie (by Matt the Husband, aged too old to be getting giddy over puddings on a Sunday)(in my opinion).

Grace understandably spent the whole day wired since she skipped her nap on Friday and Saturday too, but apart from turning her nose up at my Pork and Chorizo stew, she muddled through the day in her own little way and we didn't see a single tear until bathtime when we had to use bribery to extract her from the water.

She's so, so desperate to be up and walking. She's surfing the furniture now, and sometimes she forgets she can't walk - setting off and falling down when she realises there's nobody holding her hands. Bump!

We were quite impressed with her attention span development too this week when she spent a good half hour drawing and colouring in with Andy - something that in the past she's managed maybe five or ten minutes.
I've also been spending a bit of time on the flash cards with her, and she can now pick out the dog, horse, duck and cat. So proud!!

Our little G-bear is growing up, such a magical journey.

Playground pursuits

Rocking Grace!

Another Monday meet up with the Village Women today, and we headed over to Roundhay Park. Defintately feeling the nip of winter, we wrapped up warm and walking briskly... brrr!!

So pleased to be doing it herself

Peepo!

November nibbles

Not strictly November as these are Halloween Pumpkin Scones, but I'm a working Mum so inevitably running a little late!

Boil 200g pumpkin flesh until soft, then mash and allow to cool.
Mix 225g self-raising flour and 40g butter together by hand.
Add 1tsp baking powder, a hnadful of mature grated cheddar and some chopped corriander. Mix well by hand.
When cold, mix the mashed pumpkin into the mix, folding in with a knife. The pumpkin is quite moist so you probably wont need any milk to add, although if you want, add some to allow the dough to become quite gloopy. Kneed well.

Flour the worksurface and flatten the dough until about 3cm thick, then cut out and place on a greased baking tray. Brush with milk.

Cook at 200c until they look golden, risen and done.

Gobble gobble gobble. Oh rats - the Christmas turkey is coming....