After having a nap when we got home, Grace dug out her book of pets and sat for a long while pondering which might be the first she will handle when she's a little bit bigger.
Friday, 11 March 2011
Animal awe
We took a trip to the local pet store this morning to introduce Grace to the pets for sale there, and she is absolutely fascinated by them. A guinea-pig with three babies held her interest as they hurriedly scurried around their pen, and the aquarium fish were a big hit, with her eyes as wide as saucers.
After having a nap when we got home, Grace dug out her book of pets and sat for a long while pondering which might be the first she will handle when she's a little bit bigger.
After having a nap when we got home, Grace dug out her book of pets and sat for a long while pondering which might be the first she will handle when she's a little bit bigger.
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
Pancake Day!
Grace has thoroughly enjoyed her first Shrove Tuesday, and it is official that Pancakes with lemon and sugar go hand in hand with baby led weaning. We had visitors for lunch, Christina and Dimitris, and we all tucked in to pancakes with gusto.
Matt the Husband and I are giving up diet coke for lent, so we are having our late binge tonight before going cold turkey for 40 days from Ash Wednesday until Easter. Grace is too young to give up anything for lent though she is rather complacent with her toys so it might be we tuck her favourite rattle into a drawer only to surprise her with it at the end of lent.
My yoga it has to be said, has fallen by the wayside - so much for practicing every day in February!! That was wishful thinking, I can tell you. I think it's more realistic to say I will practice on days I'm not working. Only time will tell.
Anyway, that's all I've got time for today, seeing as I need to drink a gallon of coke before going to bed tonight!!!
Saturday, 5 March 2011
Fast Parenting
You may have read in the news this week that a BBC News presenter Sophie Raworth is applying the US principle of 15 minute fast parenting at home with her children. That is spending 15 minutes per day completely focused and uninterupted time where the child choses what to do and the parent obliges. Apparently it fosters good beahviour and development for working parents in a hurry.
So I'm in bed at 7.28pm last night having done a 200 mile round trip to work in Newcastle, attended to Grace fleetingly (yes she got her 15 minutes). And I wonder to myself am I going through an episode of Fast Marriage? Believe you me, Grace is getting all the time in the world, and more. But Matt the Husband? It's not so much a case of ships in the night, rather dead lions in the night. This past week the minute Grace is in bed we have headed to bed, and trust me, there is nothing fanfare and fireworks about that statement. Tucked up with our pyjamas and hot water bottle for 7.28pm on a Friday night. Now that's dire!
We are just soooooo tired. My house is dusty, the garden is neglected and the spare room is looking like a car boot sale. We're happy and well fed. Just so very worn out. I'm assured by working parents at the office that this gets easier to deal with as we get more experienced in the art, but seriously, I doubt any of them are in bed at half seven on a friday night. Aaaaarrrggggh! I need more TIME!
So I'm in bed at 7.28pm last night having done a 200 mile round trip to work in Newcastle, attended to Grace fleetingly (yes she got her 15 minutes). And I wonder to myself am I going through an episode of Fast Marriage? Believe you me, Grace is getting all the time in the world, and more. But Matt the Husband? It's not so much a case of ships in the night, rather dead lions in the night. This past week the minute Grace is in bed we have headed to bed, and trust me, there is nothing fanfare and fireworks about that statement. Tucked up with our pyjamas and hot water bottle for 7.28pm on a Friday night. Now that's dire!
We are just soooooo tired. My house is dusty, the garden is neglected and the spare room is looking like a car boot sale. We're happy and well fed. Just so very worn out. I'm assured by working parents at the office that this gets easier to deal with as we get more experienced in the art, but seriously, I doubt any of them are in bed at half seven on a friday night. Aaaaarrrggggh! I need more TIME!
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
The 25th Hour Syndrome
Alternatively known as the aspiration for an 8th day. I am FRAZZLED after 3 weeks back in the saddle at work, loving every minute of it, but pooped with a capital Zzzzzzzzz. I just cannot get everything done. HATS OFF to women who work full time. Seriously, well done girls!
I'm not alone in this syndrome so I take solace from that. Every working mum goes through it. Snatching 5 minutes here, 10 minutes there. Making up milk bottles while stirring the dinner and making sandwiches for tomorrow at the same time, with the washing machine on in the background and the dog pestering me for a walk while Grace yells at me from the high chair saying she's had enough of her starter and is ready for the main course which of course isn't ready as I'm still stirring the sodding thing in the pan. BREATHE!!!! I'm keeping up with housework and we're not on freezer food just yet, but I can't remember the last time I straightened my hair... so yes, frazzled in more ways than one!
Grace, bless her, has adjusted well to having a tired working Mum as opposed to a stay at home mum climbing the walls. She's a little more fractious than normal and I put this down to the fact she's having so much fun at nursery and with Grandma that she simply doesn't have time to sleep during the day. She's still a happy little poppet and rarely turns to tears, but she does have bags under her eyes some days which while very cute, are a tad worrying for one so young!
Grace having a play at The Oaks
We have had plenty to keep us occupied of late. Grace has had a winter cold which declined into a chest infection so she was off colour for about a fortnight. Matt the Husband and I both had varying degrees of the lurgy too which has left us both feeling drained at times. Thankfully Grace made a recovery in time for a visit from Nanny and Grandpa from Norfolk and they took much delight in spending time with her and watching her demonstrate her motor skills at the dining table.
Grace listening to a story with Grandpa and Nanny
Grace and I also went on an adventure to visit family in Shropshire, a beautiful drive out over the Pennines and down into North Wales in the spring sunshine. Jennifer and Stephen were great hosts, and Grace had a wonderful time in the garden having a go on the swing and looking at the sheep and horses in the field.
Grace taking an interest in the snowdrops with Stephen
Grace with Jennifer at The Oaks
I have much much more to tell you seeing as I haven't blogged in over a fortnight, but I need to head off into the depths of the house and find a little chore or two to do now that Grace is in bed dreaming of getting Mummy a cleaner for her birthday.
Night night, God bless x
I'm not alone in this syndrome so I take solace from that. Every working mum goes through it. Snatching 5 minutes here, 10 minutes there. Making up milk bottles while stirring the dinner and making sandwiches for tomorrow at the same time, with the washing machine on in the background and the dog pestering me for a walk while Grace yells at me from the high chair saying she's had enough of her starter and is ready for the main course which of course isn't ready as I'm still stirring the sodding thing in the pan. BREATHE!!!! I'm keeping up with housework and we're not on freezer food just yet, but I can't remember the last time I straightened my hair... so yes, frazzled in more ways than one!
Grace, bless her, has adjusted well to having a tired working Mum as opposed to a stay at home mum climbing the walls. She's a little more fractious than normal and I put this down to the fact she's having so much fun at nursery and with Grandma that she simply doesn't have time to sleep during the day. She's still a happy little poppet and rarely turns to tears, but she does have bags under her eyes some days which while very cute, are a tad worrying for one so young!
Grace having a play at The Oaks
We have had plenty to keep us occupied of late. Grace has had a winter cold which declined into a chest infection so she was off colour for about a fortnight. Matt the Husband and I both had varying degrees of the lurgy too which has left us both feeling drained at times. Thankfully Grace made a recovery in time for a visit from Nanny and Grandpa from Norfolk and they took much delight in spending time with her and watching her demonstrate her motor skills at the dining table.
Grace listening to a story with Grandpa and Nanny
Grace and I also went on an adventure to visit family in Shropshire, a beautiful drive out over the Pennines and down into North Wales in the spring sunshine. Jennifer and Stephen were great hosts, and Grace had a wonderful time in the garden having a go on the swing and looking at the sheep and horses in the field.
Grace taking an interest in the snowdrops with Stephen
Grace with Jennifer at The Oaks
I have much much more to tell you seeing as I haven't blogged in over a fortnight, but I need to head off into the depths of the house and find a little chore or two to do now that Grace is in bed dreaming of getting Mummy a cleaner for her birthday.
Night night, God bless x
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
Artist in the making
I forgot to post this a few weeks back. This is a painting Grace did at Dad's Group with Matt the Husband at the Children's Centre in the village.
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Snuffle, Crackle and Pop!
Not cereal by any means. A poorly baby. Runny nose, chesty cough and the trots to round it off nicely. Poorly Grace has a chest infection and a viral bug in her gut as well. Again, Calpol is our friend, and that is followed a close second by Amoxycillin given to us by our kindly Doctor who took pity on us for the fact that Grace had done nothing more than want cuddles for the last 24 hours straight. Not even milk has raised a smile and she's at the point now where she's not producing any wet nappies. NHS Direct have been great since giving us advice on getting fluids into a reluctant baby, and we haven't done too badly with that so far. Having said that, she's not taken any milk at bedtime so we may be in for a sleepless night. Wish us luck... or I should say wish Matt the Husband luck - he does the night shift, bless him. Night all x x
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