I've been offline so not blogged for a week. I had hoped that our Tiscali to Sky change over would be a smooth one, but this was not meant to be.
We couldn't connect to the net from about Wednesday night I think; apparently Sky had sent our new router, with log in details, to us, but Parcel Force had missed us, and chosen not to leave a card. Liam managed to track it down, and asked for it to be sent to a post office near his work - well that took a couple of days (of course) and then when he got it home it took a bit of fiddling with but eventually worked. All in all about a week offline, although I have figured out that one of the computers a the library actually allows some forums beyond the BBC and children's websites.
I've been getting awful headaches at times, I don't like it. I'm also getting stinging eyes when I read or watch TV too long. I know I really need to get to the opticians but I just can't afford it - bills to pay and then childrens' clothes to buy and dog food to order, not to mention a letter box cage as Tonks keeps eating all the post.
I've also found hat I'm bleeding when ever I have sex. Embaressingly, I phoned my GP about this last year (almost exactly a year ago!) and as i phoned her tonight she told me that we had arranged that I would make an appointment for a proper examination.... I never did. But in my defence, things got better. But then again, we had a lot less sex. It's only recently I've pieced together that it's probably not coincidence that my period starts after I've had sex - I always thought that hormonally I must just want it more then or something! But nope, sex is definitely causing it, and that can't be good, can it?
I'm going for a check next Wednesday, will mean missing the breastfeeding cafe but will be worth it to find out what's up. I hope it's nothing drastic - I have left it a long time now, time to fester and get worse. i reckon it's a combination of the 'slight prolapse' I've been told I have, and the coil getting knocked and irritating my cervix or something. Hopefully nothing that will hinder pregnancy chances - oh please not that.
I'm also taking Scarlett to the GP with me. We're at the point now where Rowan is more reliable to stay dry than she is, and I really need to get it seen to. Sometimes I think she's just being awkward, or she has a fear of public toilets - and I don't get it checked out because I blame myself for her being like this (pushed her in to toilet training before she was ready I think), but then sometimes she tells me that she doesn't realise when she's doing it - and then I don't know what to think. Hopefully we will find out.
Liam is out tonight. He has a work friend leaving - they're all leaving. Apparently the office just isn't the same since this new boss took over. Liam's never been entirely happy there, but now more than ever it's his resolution to get out of there before ht year is done. We're still waiting to hear on his police force application. It's 11pm now and I've not heard from him - this is the guy that never used to go anywhere, bless him.
Mind you, i suppose he could have tried the housephone, but I doubt it. I've been in a call to my mum for much of tonight; she has had a full day, because she found out that her mother is 'riddled with cancer' and has 6 months to live. It's an odd one for me in a way, because I feel incredibly sad. In part because she is a lovely woman and I really like her, but also because I feel incredible sadness for my adopted family; this is and will hit them hard. Because I was taken in to the family as a teen, I never really got integrated in to the extended family, although I've met some of them, and my children refer to her as 'great-gran'. I'm trying to find out about homeopathy for this, to pass on to my mum.
I had a couple of panics yesterday. It was heading to be a busy one - Frazer had a school trip, then percussion after school. Scarlett had her best friend's party to go to at the same time Frazer finished percussion and Liam was to be out at Kung Fu, of course, so no dinner arrangements and I was broke.
The lesser panic was at the breastfeeding cafe. Rowan came up to me with real worry in his eyes and a puffy red, tear stained face. He mumble-squeaked something to me a few times before i could party understand when I said; 'Rowan. Have you put a raisin up your nose?' The poor boy nodded - he looked terrified!
I was unsure what to do at first, this is a parenting milestone for me - 3 children and the youngest is 3 years old, I thought I would have had this one by now! I called the health visitor over to help, but unfortunately she wasn't too sure. i hear a mum say to another that we should go to A&E and i thought nooo, not for a raisin, surely? not yet anyway! lol.
In the end I was amazingly relieved, because I have taught Rowan to blow his nose properly. He managed to get it out just fine and all was well.
Scare number two came shortly after;
I dropped Rowan off at 1pm (all happy!) and got as far as the school gates when my phone rang, it was the school, so I answered and suggested I come in to talk, as I was right there.
I turned around to go back and saw Frazer, on his way to a school trip (theatre near tower bridge). So I know it's not him, I've just dropped off Rowan happy as Larry, so have I forgotten something...? As soon as I was in the doors I saw the head teacher, holding on to Scarlett's hand, he looked quite worried and told me that she seemed to be in a lot of pain and they couldn't help her.
Sure enough she's red faced, clutching her belly and nearly screaming. I took her from him and tried to calm her down enough to find out what was wrong, took her to the toilet etc, but all I could get was that she wanted Frazer. I was a bit miffed at first that she wanted him and not me, but really worried about her belly - by now she was rolling around on the floor clutching it and I couldn't think of anything that could help; memories of Frazer almost dying from a ruptured appendix only a little younger than Scarlett is now - 'what if it is genetic?!' I kept thinking.
I took her home, was worried she would throw up everywhere but fortunately she did not. Called Liam to come home and he did an exasperated 'what?!' to which I told him - Don't you 'what' me - you're a parent, you should expect this kind of thing!
TBH, normally it wouldn't enter my head to call him - I'd take all three of them home early with me and, well, manage, but with Frazer out on a school trip this was not an option; one of us needed to be at home while the other did the school run.
She couldn't stand up straight most of the time, and couldn't keep still when we were not moving, she kept calling for Frazer, and said that she was scared, she didn't want him on a school trip.
So here's where I get more worried - I was close to taking her to A&E (only there was a sensible part of me kept saying you can't do that just for a belly ache) for fear of appendicitis, and now the superstitious part of me was incredibly worried that the Tower Bridge area was about to come under terrorist attack - that Scarlett was having some kind of premonition.
I wouldn't even post this moment online, if it weren't for speaking to a few other people already who said they would have felt the same. I do genuinely believe children are more tuned in to such things.
I carried DD half the way from the bus stop to home then had to put her down as she wouldn't let me use the carrier. She seemed to perk up as we got near to home, and she practically passed out on the sofa when we got in. It was very hard to rouse her later (at what point do you worry about that?! was another thought to hit me) but when she did wake, she was all smiles and giggles It later became apparent that it was Frazer's first trip since Scarlett has been in Reception class, so it was her first time in the big play ground without him! The poor thing had upset herself so much that she couldn't be calmed down again- and all was OK in the end.
It was very weird at picking up time, as we took Scarlett in her party dress, all ready for her best friend's birthday party! I felt guilty, but knew that I had no need - I could not have left her at school in that state, but she was perfectly well to go to the party now. I'm so glad she did - they had a great time. and as it turned out, Liam didn't go back to work so we had a bit more time with him, and I didn't need to do dinner as the children had a kids' meal with the party stuff.
I'd better stop there, I'm getting so sleepy now and i still need to get school stuff ready for the morning. Ho hum.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Liam
I Love him so much.
No, he's not done anything special today, but I can't stop thinking about him. Isn't that great? Over 10 years of being together and I can't stop myself from being so very, very in Love with him.
I couldn't stop kissing him when he wanted to go up to bed - poor thing looked so sleepy and I wanted a snog! lol He's been worn out from getting all that allotment stuff home. Tomorrow we plan to go to the cinema, going to watch The Golden Compass. It's one I really wanted to see on the big screen, but Liam isn't as fussed about it. Mainly I just want to get out with him, it's so lovely to be able to do that. Actually, I'd love to dress up, go see the film but have that as the starter to our date.
I was pottering about earlier - he's already in bed, so sleepy, as I said! - and thinking of how much I adore him. I feel so content to be in the same room as him, and so happy when he talks to me. When he holds me in his arms I feel safe and when we are together I feel complete.
His children - our children - are beautiful and perfect; they all look like him and possess his feelings of Love and care. He nurtures them and they think he is wonderful, as do I. He cares for me and would do anything to make me happy, but so often he doesn't need to do anything at all.
Plus he is damn gorgeous. I am so lucky.
No, he's not done anything special today, but I can't stop thinking about him. Isn't that great? Over 10 years of being together and I can't stop myself from being so very, very in Love with him.
I couldn't stop kissing him when he wanted to go up to bed - poor thing looked so sleepy and I wanted a snog! lol He's been worn out from getting all that allotment stuff home. Tomorrow we plan to go to the cinema, going to watch The Golden Compass. It's one I really wanted to see on the big screen, but Liam isn't as fussed about it. Mainly I just want to get out with him, it's so lovely to be able to do that. Actually, I'd love to dress up, go see the film but have that as the starter to our date.
I was pottering about earlier - he's already in bed, so sleepy, as I said! - and thinking of how much I adore him. I feel so content to be in the same room as him, and so happy when he talks to me. When he holds me in his arms I feel safe and when we are together I feel complete.
His children - our children - are beautiful and perfect; they all look like him and possess his feelings of Love and care. He nurtures them and they think he is wonderful, as do I. He cares for me and would do anything to make me happy, but so often he doesn't need to do anything at all.
Plus he is damn gorgeous. I am so lucky.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Today
just want someone to moan to really, or talk, might get moany though.
I'm so tired. I went to bed really late last night and felt so drained and ill. This morning Liam took Frazer and Scarlett to school so that gave me the chance to have a bit of a lie in bed and catch up on sleep a little. My eyes are still stinging though.
Then again, I wonder how much the eye problem is due to me needing glasses, or needing to wear them more often anyway. I've had glasses since I was at school, but only usually need them for looking distances, but recently my eyes have been stinging and taking a while to adjust after reading.
I'm feeling more tired this evening because Liam will be late home again. Last night was kung fu, but tonight he is off to a freecycler about some gardening tools for his new allotment. The allotment is a lovely idea, but I can't help wondering how much less time that means we will spend together, I feel like I'm seeing him less and less.
He has quite a journey for these tools, and goodness know how he will get them back again. I'm picturing him with a rake, fork, shovel and hoe, with a few little bits and dropping them all over various bus routes! He's going to be late in, I hope he walks the dog tonight; he didn't yesterday!
Oh, just mailed him and he's not got as far to go as I had thought, phew - might see him tonight then!
Rowan had a really happy day going in to nursery today - I was so pleased. He ran from the gate to the door and walked in confidently. He still wont change his book though, and he's had the same one since he started, 2 weeks ago! And it's one we have at home! He wanted me to leave him with a teacher and he was very happy when I did.
i quickly stopped off at the library to grab Frazer his first chapter book (Horrid Henry's nits) and then I did what I often do today and sat in the shopping centre eating bit, reading for my upcoming course. My tutor mailed me last night, and I received details in the post about tutorials. They're at a different venue this time, and I dread having to find my way around another huge university! I just hope they keep to the same room in the building each time with this course.
Right now i should be fixing dinner, or at least tidying up. the children are on the floor (Rowan being stubborn and wont change out of his uniform), Frazer making horrid noises as usual and playing with Rowan's work bench, Roz is now on it and she's trying to get his attention - probably purring away up there! Scarlett is playing with her new fairy house that I bought from the Disney store; it's tiny - like old style Polly pocket and really sweet. Rowan has been bugging her all this time by hiding fairies. I wish she wouldn't play with them on the floor - Tonks is bound to chew up a fairy, or Roz to run off with one.
Speaking of Rosaline, she managed to pull her buster collar off this morning, and as I was in a rush I thought I'd leave it off her and see how she went. She was having a wash, which was to be expected after not being able to, but she wasn't washing the bald area.
Well i got home from school and there it was - all red and wet looking again, and I could swear she's made it bigger already. So back on goes the collar - I wonder how long she will need it for, and if it will ever get better. I'm fed up with keeping her indoors - she's an out cat through and through and I feel guilty. As well as annoyed about the litter tray, lol
Tonks, that disgusting mutt, keeps eating the cat poo - yeuch. You'd think she had crappy food or something (no pun intended!), but I think she's doing ok. Her official food is still Burns - the best dry do food that can be bought I think. But I've been trying to give her more and more raw meat and bones - best for a dog's diet as this is what they are made for eating! Today I gave her a whole turkey drumstick - HUGE! Never done that before - I've bought them for her but usually give either the meat or bone, but today she got it all in one go. It must have kept her busy for a while when I was at the school!
Agh, I really wish Frazer would stop with those noises. Why he does it no one knows. I think he's being an alarm right now. They're all at it (just not as loud as him) because there was a fire drill at school today.
Heartburn - still! I've bloody had it for days now and it's driving me mad. Coupled with sore boobs I'd swear I was pregnant if it wasn't for the mirena.
ah well, I suppose I'd better get cooking dinner. I hate cooking dinner.
I'm so tired. I went to bed really late last night and felt so drained and ill. This morning Liam took Frazer and Scarlett to school so that gave me the chance to have a bit of a lie in bed and catch up on sleep a little. My eyes are still stinging though.
Then again, I wonder how much the eye problem is due to me needing glasses, or needing to wear them more often anyway. I've had glasses since I was at school, but only usually need them for looking distances, but recently my eyes have been stinging and taking a while to adjust after reading.
I'm feeling more tired this evening because Liam will be late home again. Last night was kung fu, but tonight he is off to a freecycler about some gardening tools for his new allotment. The allotment is a lovely idea, but I can't help wondering how much less time that means we will spend together, I feel like I'm seeing him less and less.
He has quite a journey for these tools, and goodness know how he will get them back again. I'm picturing him with a rake, fork, shovel and hoe, with a few little bits and dropping them all over various bus routes! He's going to be late in, I hope he walks the dog tonight; he didn't yesterday!
Oh, just mailed him and he's not got as far to go as I had thought, phew - might see him tonight then!
Rowan had a really happy day going in to nursery today - I was so pleased. He ran from the gate to the door and walked in confidently. He still wont change his book though, and he's had the same one since he started, 2 weeks ago! And it's one we have at home! He wanted me to leave him with a teacher and he was very happy when I did.
i quickly stopped off at the library to grab Frazer his first chapter book (Horrid Henry's nits) and then I did what I often do today and sat in the shopping centre eating bit, reading for my upcoming course. My tutor mailed me last night, and I received details in the post about tutorials. They're at a different venue this time, and I dread having to find my way around another huge university! I just hope they keep to the same room in the building each time with this course.
Right now i should be fixing dinner, or at least tidying up. the children are on the floor (Rowan being stubborn and wont change out of his uniform), Frazer making horrid noises as usual and playing with Rowan's work bench, Roz is now on it and she's trying to get his attention - probably purring away up there! Scarlett is playing with her new fairy house that I bought from the Disney store; it's tiny - like old style Polly pocket and really sweet. Rowan has been bugging her all this time by hiding fairies. I wish she wouldn't play with them on the floor - Tonks is bound to chew up a fairy, or Roz to run off with one.
Speaking of Rosaline, she managed to pull her buster collar off this morning, and as I was in a rush I thought I'd leave it off her and see how she went. She was having a wash, which was to be expected after not being able to, but she wasn't washing the bald area.
Well i got home from school and there it was - all red and wet looking again, and I could swear she's made it bigger already. So back on goes the collar - I wonder how long she will need it for, and if it will ever get better. I'm fed up with keeping her indoors - she's an out cat through and through and I feel guilty. As well as annoyed about the litter tray, lol
Tonks, that disgusting mutt, keeps eating the cat poo - yeuch. You'd think she had crappy food or something (no pun intended!), but I think she's doing ok. Her official food is still Burns - the best dry do food that can be bought I think. But I've been trying to give her more and more raw meat and bones - best for a dog's diet as this is what they are made for eating! Today I gave her a whole turkey drumstick - HUGE! Never done that before - I've bought them for her but usually give either the meat or bone, but today she got it all in one go. It must have kept her busy for a while when I was at the school!
Agh, I really wish Frazer would stop with those noises. Why he does it no one knows. I think he's being an alarm right now. They're all at it (just not as loud as him) because there was a fire drill at school today.
Heartburn - still! I've bloody had it for days now and it's driving me mad. Coupled with sore boobs I'd swear I was pregnant if it wasn't for the mirena.
ah well, I suppose I'd better get cooking dinner. I hate cooking dinner.
Managing
Well today was the breastfeeding cafe, and I managed just fine. No desperate feelings, just a quiet feeling of hope and glee at what will be to come for me.
Liam found the bag this morning and asked me about it. Funnily enough I think he knew I had bought it as a baby changing bag, even without me pointing it out - and yet it only looks like a normal woman's bag.
Liam found the bag this morning and asked me about it. Funnily enough I think he knew I had bought it as a baby changing bag, even without me pointing it out - and yet it only looks like a normal woman's bag.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
the hormones are finally winning
they're taking over the power of the mirena, it's been a battle, but I think hormones are killing off rationality and the broodiness is going in to overload.
I've been waiting so long. I was so desperate for a baby a while back, but the coil helped 'fix' that - I've felt so weird. I knew I wanted children, but the physical urge to conceive wasn't there. I suppose this is good; this meant that I knew I wouldn't be creating another baby on a hormone induced whim. As time went by I gradually realised that there would come a time when I am better prepared to have a baby, when we all as a family would be in a better situation for such a big event.
This all done without hormones taking over was good on the one hand, because it was thought out in a stable frame of mind. But really dodgy on the other hand, as I felt so mixed up inside - I've felt muddled and confused for ages now - I know I want a baby, but I don't feel it, so it feels as though there's something wrong with me. but I want to feel it, and a part of me is certain that the feeling is there, but where? It's all weird, it's all so wrong.
Well anyway. My body fights on. Since first having the merina, I've been getting periods - my body has been fighting to be fertile all along! but it's got worse - the periods are fairly light, but my moods! Oh boy it's madness. I start off moody and PMTish, but once the period actually starts i get depressive, really depressive - to the point where I can't see happiness or love, I don't want sex for weeks after and I hate myself. I'm brought out of this I have now figured out, by Liam reassuring me that we will be having more children, that a new baby will happen.
It was one of these times, quite a while ago when the severe moods started to happen, that I first spoke to him about babies. I put it all in email and said that I'd worked it out that the bulk of our dept would be gone by a certain time, and at this point (early 2009) Rowan would also be 4 and at school full time, the dog would be maturing (I hope!) and it would leave us enough time for me to have completed my second year of my OU course.
So I asked if he would agree to try to conceive (TTC) from about April-ish this year. and he did. I Love my husband so much!
I did say though, that I would need his full support - this has been my main worry. That he will just go along with it all because that's what I want but not actually have any heart in the conceiving. I know he will be a fab dad, I know he will be happy with a baby, but I want him to willingly try and want a baby as much (or at least nearly as much) as I do when we TTC.
He's agreed to try, but to be honest, even now I'm not definite on how much he wants it. He doesn't talk about it much, and considering we'll be starting to try in less than three months time, I wish he would. I hate being the instigator of these conversations, and then when I do start them they don't go as enthusiastically as I would have liked.
Anyway, next month is February, and that is when I am going to get my merina coil taken out (EEP!) Liam has agreed to come with me - I want him there with me every step of the way with this baby. Besides - it bloody hurts! I'm fed up with not having someone's hand to hold, and cervical stuff always makes me emotional, so I'll need someone to cry on a bit too probably. At least this time the pain will be for a more positive cause though!
So, naughtiness. Yes, today I was very naughty indeed. Not only did I have a really good old browse around the baby bits in Mothercare and BHS (deciding that actually, they do have some pretty nice unisex newborn stuff!), before I went there, I was in teh Disney Store on Bond street. I had vouchers to burn and spend most on Frazer Scarlett and Rowan. But was that the first thing I looked at? No way.
I was almost pulled up those stairs, to the baby section. i know how adorable that stuff is and I had to have something, even if just one thing!
I bought a dalmation pup teddy. It's so very soft, and it has a snuggle comforter blankie bit attached. I feel weird to hope that the baby will like it when I don't even have the beginnings of a baby to give it to yet.
but that's not the end of it - I ventured a look around, resisted the layette basket, so beautifully adorned with little Dumbo embroideries, I walked straight past the knitted winnie the pooh booties (without too much pooh on fortunately, over commercialised), so pretty and chunky, in either pink or blue - I'd need one pair of each just in case! - and I went over to the adult bits.
Oops. There I found a gorgeous Bambi shoulder bag; perfect for a baby bag. Pockets in teh right places, enough room for a couple of nappies and a change of clothes inside and a big ol' strap too. There was a purse to match so i got that too!
Well, I do need a purse. Problem is that now i can't let myself use it until I have a baby or else it'll be all grubby and discoloured next to the bag! lol
Naughtier still, is that I showed the children what I had bought and why. I explained that it would be a long time until I ever have another baby, but that I would like to save it in preparation. I feel a bit bad about this, but I don't know why - I don't think they have their hopes up at all. It's probably because I feel i can't tell and show Liam too, now why is that? He should be the first person I talk to about these things, but then again, he seems like one of the least interested I suppose.
Everyone else is practically waiting for me to have another baby, especially now that Rowan is at school. I've not told anyone really, apart from Maria, that I am thinking of trying at some point this year.
I'd better get off now, been typing this for ages and not really feeling any better yet. I really wish Liam would talk to me a bit about it, anything! Rather than me bring it up again. He'd say he doesn't know what to say.
You know what would be absolutely perfect? Him buying a baby thing. Sleep-suit, hat or even only sock - just to know that he thinks of it too, saw something and found it irresistable, as I do.
Oh well, it will come, I hope.
I've been waiting so long. I was so desperate for a baby a while back, but the coil helped 'fix' that - I've felt so weird. I knew I wanted children, but the physical urge to conceive wasn't there. I suppose this is good; this meant that I knew I wouldn't be creating another baby on a hormone induced whim. As time went by I gradually realised that there would come a time when I am better prepared to have a baby, when we all as a family would be in a better situation for such a big event.
This all done without hormones taking over was good on the one hand, because it was thought out in a stable frame of mind. But really dodgy on the other hand, as I felt so mixed up inside - I've felt muddled and confused for ages now - I know I want a baby, but I don't feel it, so it feels as though there's something wrong with me. but I want to feel it, and a part of me is certain that the feeling is there, but where? It's all weird, it's all so wrong.
Well anyway. My body fights on. Since first having the merina, I've been getting periods - my body has been fighting to be fertile all along! but it's got worse - the periods are fairly light, but my moods! Oh boy it's madness. I start off moody and PMTish, but once the period actually starts i get depressive, really depressive - to the point where I can't see happiness or love, I don't want sex for weeks after and I hate myself. I'm brought out of this I have now figured out, by Liam reassuring me that we will be having more children, that a new baby will happen.
It was one of these times, quite a while ago when the severe moods started to happen, that I first spoke to him about babies. I put it all in email and said that I'd worked it out that the bulk of our dept would be gone by a certain time, and at this point (early 2009) Rowan would also be 4 and at school full time, the dog would be maturing (I hope!) and it would leave us enough time for me to have completed my second year of my OU course.
So I asked if he would agree to try to conceive (TTC) from about April-ish this year. and he did. I Love my husband so much!
I did say though, that I would need his full support - this has been my main worry. That he will just go along with it all because that's what I want but not actually have any heart in the conceiving. I know he will be a fab dad, I know he will be happy with a baby, but I want him to willingly try and want a baby as much (or at least nearly as much) as I do when we TTC.
He's agreed to try, but to be honest, even now I'm not definite on how much he wants it. He doesn't talk about it much, and considering we'll be starting to try in less than three months time, I wish he would. I hate being the instigator of these conversations, and then when I do start them they don't go as enthusiastically as I would have liked.
Anyway, next month is February, and that is when I am going to get my merina coil taken out (EEP!) Liam has agreed to come with me - I want him there with me every step of the way with this baby. Besides - it bloody hurts! I'm fed up with not having someone's hand to hold, and cervical stuff always makes me emotional, so I'll need someone to cry on a bit too probably. At least this time the pain will be for a more positive cause though!
So, naughtiness. Yes, today I was very naughty indeed. Not only did I have a really good old browse around the baby bits in Mothercare and BHS (deciding that actually, they do have some pretty nice unisex newborn stuff!), before I went there, I was in teh Disney Store on Bond street. I had vouchers to burn and spend most on Frazer Scarlett and Rowan. But was that the first thing I looked at? No way.
I was almost pulled up those stairs, to the baby section. i know how adorable that stuff is and I had to have something, even if just one thing!
I bought a dalmation pup teddy. It's so very soft, and it has a snuggle comforter blankie bit attached. I feel weird to hope that the baby will like it when I don't even have the beginnings of a baby to give it to yet.
but that's not the end of it - I ventured a look around, resisted the layette basket, so beautifully adorned with little Dumbo embroideries, I walked straight past the knitted winnie the pooh booties (without too much pooh on fortunately, over commercialised), so pretty and chunky, in either pink or blue - I'd need one pair of each just in case! - and I went over to the adult bits.
Oops. There I found a gorgeous Bambi shoulder bag; perfect for a baby bag. Pockets in teh right places, enough room for a couple of nappies and a change of clothes inside and a big ol' strap too. There was a purse to match so i got that too!
Well, I do need a purse. Problem is that now i can't let myself use it until I have a baby or else it'll be all grubby and discoloured next to the bag! lol
Naughtier still, is that I showed the children what I had bought and why. I explained that it would be a long time until I ever have another baby, but that I would like to save it in preparation. I feel a bit bad about this, but I don't know why - I don't think they have their hopes up at all. It's probably because I feel i can't tell and show Liam too, now why is that? He should be the first person I talk to about these things, but then again, he seems like one of the least interested I suppose.
Everyone else is practically waiting for me to have another baby, especially now that Rowan is at school. I've not told anyone really, apart from Maria, that I am thinking of trying at some point this year.
I'd better get off now, been typing this for ages and not really feeling any better yet. I really wish Liam would talk to me a bit about it, anything! Rather than me bring it up again. He'd say he doesn't know what to say.
You know what would be absolutely perfect? Him buying a baby thing. Sleep-suit, hat or even only sock - just to know that he thinks of it too, saw something and found it irresistable, as I do.
Oh well, it will come, I hope.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Princess Party Number One
OK so the night before I was up late. With not being able to come home in the day and so very very much to do, I had to be up late - there was no choice in the matter. Liam of course was ill, juts my luck. So he went to bed early but promised to get up early and finish tidying if I wanted him to.
So I got him up when I went to bed - at 6:30 am in the morning. You know, you can tell you're up late when the kids cartoons start! I got about 3 hours in bed; slept for 2 and a half of that because the children got noisy. When I got up the downstairs was clean and tidy - I had left a list for Liam and apologised for making more mess before I went up, but I was just too tied to do party preps and tidy. I think he felt more sorry for me than annoyed.
So not more party preps start. I needed to eat first and foremost, then get showered, I woke up covered in sweat somehow. Liam took Scarlett to ballet, then was off to his allotment appointment, much to my dismay - even though I had been expecting it! I was in the shower while he was gone and panicked like crazy when the door bell rang and I had to get out soaking wet - had i put 12 and on 2pm on the invitations!??!?!
It turned out that it was a knock down ginger scrote, probably encouraged by the castle poster I had put on our front door (lovingly drawn and coloured in by me - took ages!). So I went and got dressed and set about getting the kiddies dressed, I was shaking and feeling sick all the while. It must be because Liam was out - I always get a bit nervy, but never normally that bad.
Liam was not back too much later and set about doing food - moaning about being ill all the while. I tried to get the balloons inflated now, some with air, most with helium - very pretty! I had asked Laura to bring a foil balloon as I just needed Liam home ASAP rather than waiting for a minor decoration.
I covered the two tables with a pink table cloth and put a purple crepe runner down the middle. The balloons were pink and purple to match - I left most floating about the ceiling with their ribbons trailing apart from those that I tied to Scarlett's chair with a tiara and big silver ribbons to make it look special. We had cute little pink napkins with a cupcake design and plastic wine glasses, all frosted with sugar at the top (always wanted to do that!). Scarlett helped me to lay the table (I told Frazer to go on the computer to keep him busy!) and it looked like a beautiful little banquet when we were done.
Liam sorted out the pink drinks fountain that lights up - it looked beautiful! We had hi-juice for that and pink lemonade for at the table.
Now our guests began to arrive - giving Frazer and I only just enough time to put out silver arrows and balloons directing people to our door, as so often they get lost and then I'm left with a panic on the phone trying to better the instructions that I had previously written. Aya first, whose mother was not staying, then Anusha (mum stayed), Daisy, Honor, Tiffany (all staying without parents) and Eva - her mum stayed. I was surprised at how few mums came compared to last year! I have a suspicion it could have been a conspiracy with the girls at school to ask their mums to go, because a few mums told me that their daughters were adamant to be left, lol!
We started off on our princess hats, with me being most annoyed at the lack of glue - where had it gone? We managed with stickers, sellotape and the glue we had though. We then ate - I think people were too hungry to go straight in to games first. The little girls were desperate to use the drinks fountain but I had told them only after they were done eating! Eva's mum had some wine with me, and I frosted our glasses as a treat too. I'm so glad I named some of the food! Ariel's seaweed salad went down better than I thought it would, and I'm sure apple slices are never as popular as when they are picked by Snow White!
We played stick the kiss on the frog prince (lots of fun), hunt for the poison apple (most popular!) and musical statues (except with a twist - Maleficent from sleeping beauty as freezing people when the music stopped - we played it again and they had to pretend to sleep), we did our pass the parcel and drawing and 'Queen Says' - I added on a dancing competition as I had plenty of prizes to give out. We did loads in the end because I had apparently written that the party was 2-5pm and not 2-4! I'm so glad we were at home and had no issue with it being an hour longer - I was already worried that 2 hours wasn't seeming to be enough.
They all trouped lovely in to the kitchen and sat again for the cake and singing, the cake did look lovely in the end; a pink castle with purple towers, door and windows;
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2203625306&size=m and when we turned off the lights for the candles to be lit, everyone noticed that the drinks fountain was lit up! There was a collective 'Ooooohhhh!' in the room at this point, lol! Scarlett had to stand on her chair to blow out her candles as they were so high up! I hope she made a good wish.
I must say that when the mums arrived for picking up, it really didn't seem like 3 hours at all. We had used up plenty of time making the hats for starters, and the girls kept dashing off upstairs for an unknown reason - maybe they wanted to play in Scarlett's room, or maybe it was the fairy lights on the stairs.
The guests were simply lovely, all of them well behaved and charming. Scarlett really did pick a good bunch! Where normally with a school group you end up with one really cocky child, we simply had a girl that was noticeably more confident, but still not really outspoken or anything, yet despite some being shy in bigger parties, they all played well yesterday. Frazer and Rowan were on their best behaviour, and even Tonks was good - I had to shut her in to the utility room to stop her going loopy, but not a peep was heard from her - I think she slept! Roz was about as I can't let her out at the moment. She has one of those protective hoods on after over washing her belly until it got sore and lost fur.
Scarlett was lovely, she was a good little hostess and very happy to have all her friends over. Laura came about halfway through the party and had on the best medieval dress - outshone mine, which was also borrowed from her! I was glad to have Laura, although I didn't ask as much from her as she often does at parties (I was coping fine, plus she had just come from work with parties!) but she helped out a bit still, and the children were delighted to see her. I did have to pester Liam a bit - he had promised to keep taking photos - I wanted a picture of everything! But he insisted that he either needed the loo, had to sit down for a bit, felt ill or simply couldn't. i kept grabbing the camera when he wasn't about, but it was awkward to get the shots I wanted as I was entertaining. We have plenty though, and Liam dutifully got plenty of the beautiful kitchen before it was wrecked!
I also suggested that the girls all sit down together under our 'princess canopy' (lilac decorative mosquito net) for a photo together in their pretty hats, and then they all posed one at a time for an individual poster under it, which I am going to try to print to give to them with their thank you note.
We didn't get a photo of our door though, which is a shame as I had done a great picture of Sleeping Beauty's castle and stuck it up with the words 'Happily Ever After' around it. The slightly annoying thing is that the castle encouraged the local brats to wage a campaign of Knock Down Ginger on us, which isn't convenient when you have better things to do! The very annoying thing is that this morning I found out that the picture has been stolen. I'm quite gutted about this as I was planning to use yesterdays decs for today's mini party with our family friends. Plus I was going to let Scarlett keep the poster - it was too good to throw away. But ah well. There was an imperfection that bugged me - maybe this can prompt me to make a new picture and make it better. It's just a shame that I threw away the sketch design and don't have a photo to go by. I hope it's not wrong to wish painful ingrown toenails on the little scrotes that nicked it.
Back to yesterday - I was shattered! We got the children up to bed and then I passed out downstairs, only woke up to go to bed and I had to rely on Liam to do anything that needed to be done with the dog etc.
A good day in all, and now I need to get off and arrange stuff for today! At least it's only Sally and Maria with their children coming over, so I don't need to go OTT. Libby is expecting a tea party though so I had better deliver!
So I got him up when I went to bed - at 6:30 am in the morning. You know, you can tell you're up late when the kids cartoons start! I got about 3 hours in bed; slept for 2 and a half of that because the children got noisy. When I got up the downstairs was clean and tidy - I had left a list for Liam and apologised for making more mess before I went up, but I was just too tied to do party preps and tidy. I think he felt more sorry for me than annoyed.
So not more party preps start. I needed to eat first and foremost, then get showered, I woke up covered in sweat somehow. Liam took Scarlett to ballet, then was off to his allotment appointment, much to my dismay - even though I had been expecting it! I was in the shower while he was gone and panicked like crazy when the door bell rang and I had to get out soaking wet - had i put 12 and on 2pm on the invitations!??!?!
It turned out that it was a knock down ginger scrote, probably encouraged by the castle poster I had put on our front door (lovingly drawn and coloured in by me - took ages!). So I went and got dressed and set about getting the kiddies dressed, I was shaking and feeling sick all the while. It must be because Liam was out - I always get a bit nervy, but never normally that bad.
Liam was not back too much later and set about doing food - moaning about being ill all the while. I tried to get the balloons inflated now, some with air, most with helium - very pretty! I had asked Laura to bring a foil balloon as I just needed Liam home ASAP rather than waiting for a minor decoration.
I covered the two tables with a pink table cloth and put a purple crepe runner down the middle. The balloons were pink and purple to match - I left most floating about the ceiling with their ribbons trailing apart from those that I tied to Scarlett's chair with a tiara and big silver ribbons to make it look special. We had cute little pink napkins with a cupcake design and plastic wine glasses, all frosted with sugar at the top (always wanted to do that!). Scarlett helped me to lay the table (I told Frazer to go on the computer to keep him busy!) and it looked like a beautiful little banquet when we were done.
Liam sorted out the pink drinks fountain that lights up - it looked beautiful! We had hi-juice for that and pink lemonade for at the table.
Now our guests began to arrive - giving Frazer and I only just enough time to put out silver arrows and balloons directing people to our door, as so often they get lost and then I'm left with a panic on the phone trying to better the instructions that I had previously written. Aya first, whose mother was not staying, then Anusha (mum stayed), Daisy, Honor, Tiffany (all staying without parents) and Eva - her mum stayed. I was surprised at how few mums came compared to last year! I have a suspicion it could have been a conspiracy with the girls at school to ask their mums to go, because a few mums told me that their daughters were adamant to be left, lol!
We started off on our princess hats, with me being most annoyed at the lack of glue - where had it gone? We managed with stickers, sellotape and the glue we had though. We then ate - I think people were too hungry to go straight in to games first. The little girls were desperate to use the drinks fountain but I had told them only after they were done eating! Eva's mum had some wine with me, and I frosted our glasses as a treat too. I'm so glad I named some of the food! Ariel's seaweed salad went down better than I thought it would, and I'm sure apple slices are never as popular as when they are picked by Snow White!
We played stick the kiss on the frog prince (lots of fun), hunt for the poison apple (most popular!) and musical statues (except with a twist - Maleficent from sleeping beauty as freezing people when the music stopped - we played it again and they had to pretend to sleep), we did our pass the parcel and drawing and 'Queen Says' - I added on a dancing competition as I had plenty of prizes to give out. We did loads in the end because I had apparently written that the party was 2-5pm and not 2-4! I'm so glad we were at home and had no issue with it being an hour longer - I was already worried that 2 hours wasn't seeming to be enough.
They all trouped lovely in to the kitchen and sat again for the cake and singing, the cake did look lovely in the end; a pink castle with purple towers, door and windows;
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2203625306&size=m and when we turned off the lights for the candles to be lit, everyone noticed that the drinks fountain was lit up! There was a collective 'Ooooohhhh!' in the room at this point, lol! Scarlett had to stand on her chair to blow out her candles as they were so high up! I hope she made a good wish.
I must say that when the mums arrived for picking up, it really didn't seem like 3 hours at all. We had used up plenty of time making the hats for starters, and the girls kept dashing off upstairs for an unknown reason - maybe they wanted to play in Scarlett's room, or maybe it was the fairy lights on the stairs.
The guests were simply lovely, all of them well behaved and charming. Scarlett really did pick a good bunch! Where normally with a school group you end up with one really cocky child, we simply had a girl that was noticeably more confident, but still not really outspoken or anything, yet despite some being shy in bigger parties, they all played well yesterday. Frazer and Rowan were on their best behaviour, and even Tonks was good - I had to shut her in to the utility room to stop her going loopy, but not a peep was heard from her - I think she slept! Roz was about as I can't let her out at the moment. She has one of those protective hoods on after over washing her belly until it got sore and lost fur.
Scarlett was lovely, she was a good little hostess and very happy to have all her friends over. Laura came about halfway through the party and had on the best medieval dress - outshone mine, which was also borrowed from her! I was glad to have Laura, although I didn't ask as much from her as she often does at parties (I was coping fine, plus she had just come from work with parties!) but she helped out a bit still, and the children were delighted to see her. I did have to pester Liam a bit - he had promised to keep taking photos - I wanted a picture of everything! But he insisted that he either needed the loo, had to sit down for a bit, felt ill or simply couldn't. i kept grabbing the camera when he wasn't about, but it was awkward to get the shots I wanted as I was entertaining. We have plenty though, and Liam dutifully got plenty of the beautiful kitchen before it was wrecked!
I also suggested that the girls all sit down together under our 'princess canopy' (lilac decorative mosquito net) for a photo together in their pretty hats, and then they all posed one at a time for an individual poster under it, which I am going to try to print to give to them with their thank you note.
We didn't get a photo of our door though, which is a shame as I had done a great picture of Sleeping Beauty's castle and stuck it up with the words 'Happily Ever After' around it. The slightly annoying thing is that the castle encouraged the local brats to wage a campaign of Knock Down Ginger on us, which isn't convenient when you have better things to do! The very annoying thing is that this morning I found out that the picture has been stolen. I'm quite gutted about this as I was planning to use yesterdays decs for today's mini party with our family friends. Plus I was going to let Scarlett keep the poster - it was too good to throw away. But ah well. There was an imperfection that bugged me - maybe this can prompt me to make a new picture and make it better. It's just a shame that I threw away the sketch design and don't have a photo to go by. I hope it's not wrong to wish painful ingrown toenails on the little scrotes that nicked it.
Back to yesterday - I was shattered! We got the children up to bed and then I passed out downstairs, only woke up to go to bed and I had to rely on Liam to do anything that needed to be done with the dog etc.
A good day in all, and now I need to get off and arrange stuff for today! At least it's only Sally and Maria with their children coming over, so I don't need to go OTT. Libby is expecting a tea party though so I had better deliver!
Friday, January 18, 2008
the night before the Princesses arrive
I should NOT be online now - I'm only here while mixing the icing... urrhh - honest!
I asked DH to tidy up, but the problem is that without specific instructions for every detail he does have trouble, bless him! He's gone to bed now and I'm lonely (the real reason I'm online) but working on the castle cake. I realised this evening that I haven't even drawn a basic pic of how I want it, which doesn't bode well.
I have so much to do!
Food to make, food to bake, food to cut for dippers and blumin' heck I just realised I have no dips.
I have tried out the rather wonderfully pink drinks fountain the rather wonderfully great Alison gave to my DD - can't thank you enough hon! - It's all tried out and works like a dream. Though I'm soooo tempted to put fizzy lemonade in it and see what kind of mess it makes.
Downside is that I burst DD's foil princess balloon trying to inflate it properly with the mini helium canister. Liam keeps saying things to me like 'I'll run to the shops and get her another in the morning' but I know that he has to take her to ballet at 10 and he has an appointment about an allotment at 12, the party is at 2 - where's he going to fit it in?!
Ah well I'd best be off, I need some good luck wishes for the cake I think! Scarlett has been wonderfull about it, telling me that she's sure it will be lovely, even if I do mess it up, awh.
I asked DH to tidy up, but the problem is that without specific instructions for every detail he does have trouble, bless him! He's gone to bed now and I'm lonely (the real reason I'm online) but working on the castle cake. I realised this evening that I haven't even drawn a basic pic of how I want it, which doesn't bode well.
I have so much to do!
Food to make, food to bake, food to cut for dippers and blumin' heck I just realised I have no dips.
I have tried out the rather wonderfully pink drinks fountain the rather wonderfully great Alison gave to my DD - can't thank you enough hon! - It's all tried out and works like a dream. Though I'm soooo tempted to put fizzy lemonade in it and see what kind of mess it makes.
Downside is that I burst DD's foil princess balloon trying to inflate it properly with the mini helium canister. Liam keeps saying things to me like 'I'll run to the shops and get her another in the morning' but I know that he has to take her to ballet at 10 and he has an appointment about an allotment at 12, the party is at 2 - where's he going to fit it in?!
Ah well I'd best be off, I need some good luck wishes for the cake I think! Scarlett has been wonderfull about it, telling me that she's sure it will be lovely, even if I do mess it up, awh.
more party preps
Oh man, I'm really really tired. It's 12:41am by the way and I'm not finished what I'm doing...
Tonight Liam assembled the two last dining table chairs and wrapped a pass the parcel while I did the other. Of course I had to take both apart later when I realised that the party bag gifts didn't fit, so I had to swap them for the parceled ones.
I've made list upon list upon list. Lists for what food we should have, shopping lists to buy the food, lists of decs, lists of party prizes and what game to assign them to, loot bag stuff, things I still need to do, people coming, more shopping, etc, etc.
I think I need a list of my lists
I've made the party bags, they're a patch of tissue paper (various colours) inside a bright pink circle of netting material, tied with pink ribbon left over from my wedding invitations. Inside I have a bead bracelet, two rings, 3 chocolate coins and 2 hair clips. That doesn't sound much and they are only small, but each child will be getting a prize for one game or another - that's another list I've had to make; which games can be played when so that I can 'fix' the later ones to ensure they all win something! Still need to sort the boys bags - I might just get some regular party bags from the shop if I don't have any here.
I've arranged all the toys and bits - separated Saturday's prizes from Sunday's and put them in different bags.
I've made a list of the party games and the ideas behind it, like finding Snow White's poisonous apple before she does, Maleficent freezing people in to statues by turning off the music, wrote a couple of details just to try to keep the theme going easier on the day.
But I was really really supposed to do the cake and it's just not happened. I'm going to be panicking about that one, I really am, come tomorrow. It's such a difficulty being out all day because of the school runs - there's so much I could do with a few hours at home! Scarlett is being a dear about the cake, she says if it comes out wrong not to worry because she believes it will still be delicious. At least I realise that I'm not too proud to buy her a princess cake from Asda if mine buggers up!
I need to make little signs for the princess food, or no one will know why I have it. I'm going to do little 'flags' on cocktail sticks, but I need to get the sticks first! I could actually do this while out tomorrow as it wont take up much space. I also want to make signs directing peopel to our house! And make a magic mirror, and a throne.
I need to colour in the castle - the Sleeping Beauty castle to go on the front door. Got loads of shopping to do and I want to stick up the decorations tomorrow night so I wont have to fuss over it on party day. I had better call/text Laura early tomorrow to get her to take her medieval costume to work so I can pick it up from her. It' not really a princess costume; it's a vampire queen thing for Halloween, but since it's just red and gold it should do! Darn, I just thought - I need to check the drinks fountain that arrived this morning.
Need to make the hats tomorrow night too, and half the party food; cakes, biscuits, cut up the dipping sticks etc.
Not least of all I need to do - I really really need to get cleared up here. Not just tidying, but cleaning too. The annoying thing is that Tonks will need to be shut away as she'll go nuts with all the kiddies, sot hat means people will need use of the upstairs toilet. Which means that I need to clean and tidy upstairs as well as downstairs! Liam has reassured me that I can shove most of it in to our room as no one will go in there, but I think he' forgetting the cleaning aspect, plus the curious children, plus the new people not knowing which one the bathroom is - and mainly that I just have to get more area sorted!
That's the other thing - the cakes and food bits! The kitchen is a tip - the fly lady sink has been long forgotten in all the party work, rushing to school, being out all day and reading hurriedly in prep for my uni course. I can't make food in there as it is.
On this subject I should go - it's really late now, I can tell as I just heard that mysterious alarm go off. I have no idea what makes the alarm but it comes from a box of bits behind a chair in the living room and goes off at 1am every night - lol!
So off I go now to battle the kitchen just enough to make Scarlett and Rowan some packed lunch tomorrow. Not me, I don't even have enough time and energy to find clothes for everyone (though I guess it has to be done) let alone make myself food! I may buy some if I get the chance or inclination to eat tomorrow.
ElaineXX
Tonight Liam assembled the two last dining table chairs and wrapped a pass the parcel while I did the other. Of course I had to take both apart later when I realised that the party bag gifts didn't fit, so I had to swap them for the parceled ones.
I've made list upon list upon list. Lists for what food we should have, shopping lists to buy the food, lists of decs, lists of party prizes and what game to assign them to, loot bag stuff, things I still need to do, people coming, more shopping, etc, etc.
I think I need a list of my lists
I've made the party bags, they're a patch of tissue paper (various colours) inside a bright pink circle of netting material, tied with pink ribbon left over from my wedding invitations. Inside I have a bead bracelet, two rings, 3 chocolate coins and 2 hair clips. That doesn't sound much and they are only small, but each child will be getting a prize for one game or another - that's another list I've had to make; which games can be played when so that I can 'fix' the later ones to ensure they all win something! Still need to sort the boys bags - I might just get some regular party bags from the shop if I don't have any here.
I've arranged all the toys and bits - separated Saturday's prizes from Sunday's and put them in different bags.
I've made a list of the party games and the ideas behind it, like finding Snow White's poisonous apple before she does, Maleficent freezing people in to statues by turning off the music, wrote a couple of details just to try to keep the theme going easier on the day.
But I was really really supposed to do the cake and it's just not happened. I'm going to be panicking about that one, I really am, come tomorrow. It's such a difficulty being out all day because of the school runs - there's so much I could do with a few hours at home! Scarlett is being a dear about the cake, she says if it comes out wrong not to worry because she believes it will still be delicious. At least I realise that I'm not too proud to buy her a princess cake from Asda if mine buggers up!
I need to make little signs for the princess food, or no one will know why I have it. I'm going to do little 'flags' on cocktail sticks, but I need to get the sticks first! I could actually do this while out tomorrow as it wont take up much space. I also want to make signs directing peopel to our house! And make a magic mirror, and a throne.
I need to colour in the castle - the Sleeping Beauty castle to go on the front door. Got loads of shopping to do and I want to stick up the decorations tomorrow night so I wont have to fuss over it on party day. I had better call/text Laura early tomorrow to get her to take her medieval costume to work so I can pick it up from her. It' not really a princess costume; it's a vampire queen thing for Halloween, but since it's just red and gold it should do! Darn, I just thought - I need to check the drinks fountain that arrived this morning.
Need to make the hats tomorrow night too, and half the party food; cakes, biscuits, cut up the dipping sticks etc.
Not least of all I need to do - I really really need to get cleared up here. Not just tidying, but cleaning too. The annoying thing is that Tonks will need to be shut away as she'll go nuts with all the kiddies, sot hat means people will need use of the upstairs toilet. Which means that I need to clean and tidy upstairs as well as downstairs! Liam has reassured me that I can shove most of it in to our room as no one will go in there, but I think he' forgetting the cleaning aspect, plus the curious children, plus the new people not knowing which one the bathroom is - and mainly that I just have to get more area sorted!
That's the other thing - the cakes and food bits! The kitchen is a tip - the fly lady sink has been long forgotten in all the party work, rushing to school, being out all day and reading hurriedly in prep for my uni course. I can't make food in there as it is.
On this subject I should go - it's really late now, I can tell as I just heard that mysterious alarm go off. I have no idea what makes the alarm but it comes from a box of bits behind a chair in the living room and goes off at 1am every night - lol!
So off I go now to battle the kitchen just enough to make Scarlett and Rowan some packed lunch tomorrow. Not me, I don't even have enough time and energy to find clothes for everyone (though I guess it has to be done) let alone make myself food! I may buy some if I get the chance or inclination to eat tomorrow.
ElaineXX
Thursday, January 17, 2008
When I'm feeling naughty, really naughty
When I'm feeling naughty, really naughty, I let myself go in to shops to browse around clothes. Not just any clothes though- baby clothes.
I did it today. I was feeling quite satisfied this afternoon; I had successfully re-covered some kitchen chairs, got to nursery on time and Rowan went in without moaning and with a smile on his face. I was about to find a quiet spot and a cuppa to do my reading (finished Pride and Prejudice now, on to The Color Purple) but I got sidetracked along the way, in to Mothercare...
I'm looking mostly at white, cream, unisex clothes. I've decided that we wont find out the sex of the next baby, so I plan to get a load of white sleepsuits but save aside some money to go and buy pink or blue bits. I may of course buy a little hat or pair of socks in both colours!
Today I was very naughty. I looked at baby clothes in two different shops, Mothercare and BHS. Neither were wonderful for unisex stuff beyond plain white babygros, but I've been seeing pretty boys and girls bits all over the place. I'm very very tempted to go to the Disney store tomorrow as I know they have lovely bits and I have vouchers to burn... Agh, what's up with me?
Not yet Elaine, not yet....
I did it today. I was feeling quite satisfied this afternoon; I had successfully re-covered some kitchen chairs, got to nursery on time and Rowan went in without moaning and with a smile on his face. I was about to find a quiet spot and a cuppa to do my reading (finished Pride and Prejudice now, on to The Color Purple) but I got sidetracked along the way, in to Mothercare...
I'm looking mostly at white, cream, unisex clothes. I've decided that we wont find out the sex of the next baby, so I plan to get a load of white sleepsuits but save aside some money to go and buy pink or blue bits. I may of course buy a little hat or pair of socks in both colours!
Today I was very naughty. I looked at baby clothes in two different shops, Mothercare and BHS. Neither were wonderful for unisex stuff beyond plain white babygros, but I've been seeing pretty boys and girls bits all over the place. I'm very very tempted to go to the Disney store tomorrow as I know they have lovely bits and I have vouchers to burn... Agh, what's up with me?
Not yet Elaine, not yet....
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Princess Party Planning
Well I didn't know whether to go for this subject or that of Rowan. The latter is a bit upsetting so I thought I'd give you party stuff.
Well, Scarlett's getting two 'dos' - Saturday is the tea party for 6 school friends (all invited are coming - I was surprised!) and Sunday is time for some out of school friends; Sally and her boys, Maria and her daughter. Sarah was invited with her daughters but unfortunately can't make it.
I've been planning planning planning!
You should have seen the invitations, actually, you can here;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12810462@N05/2198331450/ (hope that works)
although the picture isn't too good. I addressed them all 'To her Royal Highness Princess .............' and followed the rest in the same theme, fancy font. Then I used a rounded off piece of card a bit smaller than the invite paper, to spray bronze paint over as a border. I made a note to parents (Kings and Queens, lol!) with directions to give to your carriage driver and telling people that we have princess dresses available here if girls don't want to come in their own. They got scrolled up and tied with pretty pink ribbon, but as you then couldn't see who it was addressed to, I made little tags to go on the ribbons - pale yellow card with a pink shape stuck on; an apple, a glass slipper, castle, diamond, a crown.....
Well, they've gone down well anyway - I've had a few people compliment me on them, which I admit to being quite pleased about as I stayed up until about 3am two nights running finishing them off! i only wish I had one to keep now, to put in to a memory box.
Next thing i did was start shopping - ebay has been a friend of mine! Pink and purple balloons, plus a foil Disney Princess one - I'm going to get some helium from Asda. i have the Christmas icicle fairy lights trailing down the stairs and I hope to be able to do a chair up as a 'throne' for S. which reminds me - I need to re-cover the other chairs or it will look pretty pants in the kitchen. I have one of those mosquito net things, a lilac one - that's going to go over a 'throne' (decorated chair) for photo posing at some point. Pink table cloth hopefully with purple crepe paper over it. I've drawn a big Sleeping Beauty's castle to stick on the front door as a welcome. I also want to make some signs to stick along the little road to our door as people get lost finding us!
I Loved an idea I read of a real tea party style, where a mum found lots of old china tea set bits for the girls to use and they served themselves milkshakes from teapots. I can't find a boot sale I can get to to look for these things though, so I'm settling for plastic wine glasses and pink lemonade - I might put sugar frosting around the tops of the glasses too! A fab idea for fancy ice is to put a rose petal in each ice cube, looks lovely. A strawberry might be better for little girls though! Fantastic news is that a friend - Ali, thank you so much honey! - has tracked down and bought Scarlett a drinks fountain (pink no less!) after my failed attempt with Tesco (they sold me and empty bloody box!) so of course Scarlett is very pleased and I'm sure it will be a perfect attraction for her little friends.
i thought flowers would be nice - real ones, am I going OTT yet?
i have it planned that they are going to sit around the table like dignified little ladies! Whether they act up to it or not I don't know... I have food planned, thinking mainly pink bits (candyfloss is my favourite so far!) and am trying to theme some bits around Scarlett's favourite princesses;
Cinderella - chocolate mice and lumps of cheese
Belle - Magic Roses (thinking those tiny sugar roses placed on sweets or fairy cakes)
Ariel - Watermelon? (bit vague I know!), sea-salad? (regular salad, new name ) Frazer suggested seaweed which he and I think is yum but I'm not sure the little girlies would agree! Liam suggested crabsticks but I told him that would be cannibalism for Ariel.
Snowwhite - sliced apples, of course!
Mulan - some little chinese snack food.
Jasmine - fruit kebabs (had no idea and this seemed sweet)
Aurora - Sleeping Beauty's kisses (those little red lip sweets)
Frog prince - frog sweets!
I bought reduced in tesco gold princess wrapping paper that's actually Christmas paper but doesn't look like it - this is being used for pass the parcel - I plan to alternate it with another colour paper so people can see what to rip!
Not definite on what other games I'm playing apart from this yet, but I have plenty of prizes I've been picking up bit by bit! Where I'm only having 6 girls I can give better gifts, like a pink feather boa, or princess powder puff wands (both bought in sales)
Oh and I'm making a castle cake! Wish me luck! Baked the middle bit and bunged it in the freezer with the swiss roll 'towers' I need to work on the icing though as I've not tried it yet. I've bought a heart shaped cookie cutter to make pretty sandwiches and Scarlett wants to make some cakes and cookies for it. another idea i liked was to dip marshmallows in melted white chocolate and then roll them in hundreds and thousands mmmmmmmm.....
I'd better leave it there as I have loads to do, like a 'pin the kiss on the frog' and a 'magic mirror', the signs I mentioned etc.
Well, Scarlett's getting two 'dos' - Saturday is the tea party for 6 school friends (all invited are coming - I was surprised!) and Sunday is time for some out of school friends; Sally and her boys, Maria and her daughter. Sarah was invited with her daughters but unfortunately can't make it.
I've been planning planning planning!
You should have seen the invitations, actually, you can here;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12810462@N05/2198331450/ (hope that works)
although the picture isn't too good. I addressed them all 'To her Royal Highness Princess .............' and followed the rest in the same theme, fancy font. Then I used a rounded off piece of card a bit smaller than the invite paper, to spray bronze paint over as a border. I made a note to parents (Kings and Queens, lol!) with directions to give to your carriage driver and telling people that we have princess dresses available here if girls don't want to come in their own. They got scrolled up and tied with pretty pink ribbon, but as you then couldn't see who it was addressed to, I made little tags to go on the ribbons - pale yellow card with a pink shape stuck on; an apple, a glass slipper, castle, diamond, a crown.....
Well, they've gone down well anyway - I've had a few people compliment me on them, which I admit to being quite pleased about as I stayed up until about 3am two nights running finishing them off! i only wish I had one to keep now, to put in to a memory box.
Next thing i did was start shopping - ebay has been a friend of mine! Pink and purple balloons, plus a foil Disney Princess one - I'm going to get some helium from Asda. i have the Christmas icicle fairy lights trailing down the stairs and I hope to be able to do a chair up as a 'throne' for S. which reminds me - I need to re-cover the other chairs or it will look pretty pants in the kitchen. I have one of those mosquito net things, a lilac one - that's going to go over a 'throne' (decorated chair) for photo posing at some point. Pink table cloth hopefully with purple crepe paper over it. I've drawn a big Sleeping Beauty's castle to stick on the front door as a welcome. I also want to make some signs to stick along the little road to our door as people get lost finding us!
I Loved an idea I read of a real tea party style, where a mum found lots of old china tea set bits for the girls to use and they served themselves milkshakes from teapots. I can't find a boot sale I can get to to look for these things though, so I'm settling for plastic wine glasses and pink lemonade - I might put sugar frosting around the tops of the glasses too! A fab idea for fancy ice is to put a rose petal in each ice cube, looks lovely. A strawberry might be better for little girls though! Fantastic news is that a friend - Ali, thank you so much honey! - has tracked down and bought Scarlett a drinks fountain (pink no less!) after my failed attempt with Tesco (they sold me and empty bloody box!) so of course Scarlett is very pleased and I'm sure it will be a perfect attraction for her little friends.
i thought flowers would be nice - real ones, am I going OTT yet?
i have it planned that they are going to sit around the table like dignified little ladies! Whether they act up to it or not I don't know... I have food planned, thinking mainly pink bits (candyfloss is my favourite so far!) and am trying to theme some bits around Scarlett's favourite princesses;
Cinderella - chocolate mice and lumps of cheese
Belle - Magic Roses (thinking those tiny sugar roses placed on sweets or fairy cakes)
Ariel - Watermelon? (bit vague I know!), sea-salad? (regular salad, new name ) Frazer suggested seaweed which he and I think is yum but I'm not sure the little girlies would agree! Liam suggested crabsticks but I told him that would be cannibalism for Ariel.
Snowwhite - sliced apples, of course!
Mulan - some little chinese snack food.
Jasmine - fruit kebabs (had no idea and this seemed sweet)
Aurora - Sleeping Beauty's kisses (those little red lip sweets)
Frog prince - frog sweets!
I bought reduced in tesco gold princess wrapping paper that's actually Christmas paper but doesn't look like it - this is being used for pass the parcel - I plan to alternate it with another colour paper so people can see what to rip!
Not definite on what other games I'm playing apart from this yet, but I have plenty of prizes I've been picking up bit by bit! Where I'm only having 6 girls I can give better gifts, like a pink feather boa, or princess powder puff wands (both bought in sales)
Oh and I'm making a castle cake! Wish me luck! Baked the middle bit and bunged it in the freezer with the swiss roll 'towers' I need to work on the icing though as I've not tried it yet. I've bought a heart shaped cookie cutter to make pretty sandwiches and Scarlett wants to make some cakes and cookies for it. another idea i liked was to dip marshmallows in melted white chocolate and then roll them in hundreds and thousands mmmmmmmm.....
I'd better leave it there as I have loads to do, like a 'pin the kiss on the frog' and a 'magic mirror', the signs I mentioned etc.
Monday, January 14, 2008
In the words of Victor Meldrew...
I don't ruddy belieeeve it!
Today I bought a bargain little treat for DD's birthday. Or so I thought.
At Christmas time Tesco had various novelties stocked and one that caught the eye of DD and myself was a drinks fountain. It's a bit like a chocolate fountain but on closer inspection it really didn't look all that so I didn't bother for the price it was. However now it is reduced to £4.98, and that I thought was ok and would be great for DD's little party.
So I bought one, the last one I could find in fact. The box was big, and it was heavy enough to be quite a burden as I was out all day and bought it this morning. I checked to see how it fits together this evening - and IT'S NOT IN THE BLOODY BOX!!!
So how do I explain that without seeming a complete crim when I take it back tomorrow? I didn't think I needed to check inside before I bought it, and neither did the cashier. I'm so bloody annoyed because this means;
1) me returning something - which I hate doing (still got a broken iron needs returning) 2) me lugging the horrible thing around all day again
3) the sheer embarrassment of me saying 'no I did NOT take it out of the box at home, it was never in the box'
4) the quite likely possibility that they don't have any others in store, so we'll have to go without - but DD is looking forward to this centrepiece now
I feel like a right pillock, but when there's a certain amount of weight to a shelved box you pretty much assume it's got contents beyond a thick stack of carboard!
I'm really worried about this actually. Hate doing this kinda thing but can't afford not to.
Today I bought a bargain little treat for DD's birthday. Or so I thought.
At Christmas time Tesco had various novelties stocked and one that caught the eye of DD and myself was a drinks fountain. It's a bit like a chocolate fountain but on closer inspection it really didn't look all that so I didn't bother for the price it was. However now it is reduced to £4.98, and that I thought was ok and would be great for DD's little party.
So I bought one, the last one I could find in fact. The box was big, and it was heavy enough to be quite a burden as I was out all day and bought it this morning. I checked to see how it fits together this evening - and IT'S NOT IN THE BLOODY BOX!!!
So how do I explain that without seeming a complete crim when I take it back tomorrow? I didn't think I needed to check inside before I bought it, and neither did the cashier. I'm so bloody annoyed because this means;
1) me returning something - which I hate doing (still got a broken iron needs returning) 2) me lugging the horrible thing around all day again
3) the sheer embarrassment of me saying 'no I did NOT take it out of the box at home, it was never in the box'
4) the quite likely possibility that they don't have any others in store, so we'll have to go without - but DD is looking forward to this centrepiece now
I feel like a right pillock, but when there's a certain amount of weight to a shelved box you pretty much assume it's got contents beyond a thick stack of carboard!
I'm really worried about this actually. Hate doing this kinda thing but can't afford not to.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
That Sunday feeling
That Sunday night feeling...
School in the morning, and a week of trudging back and forth, rushing each day to get everything fitted in and no Liam to help out for the most of it. Tired children, tired me, though often at opposing times which isn't useful.
I'm always left tired at this point of the week, but even after what might have been a relaxing day, the tension starts here in anticipation of setting my phone alarm - and ugh I need to get to bed! Desperately needing beauty sleep, though it will have to be a LOT to get rid of the bags under these eyes!
School in the morning, and a week of trudging back and forth, rushing each day to get everything fitted in and no Liam to help out for the most of it. Tired children, tired me, though often at opposing times which isn't useful.
I'm always left tired at this point of the week, but even after what might have been a relaxing day, the tension starts here in anticipation of setting my phone alarm - and ugh I need to get to bed! Desperately needing beauty sleep, though it will have to be a LOT to get rid of the bags under these eyes!
Boxing day
OK I'd better get down what happened or I never will! We've already had New Year's eve, two birthdays, a new school term and party planning since I last posted!
Boxing day worked out really lovely - my friend Sarah came over with her two daughters, they are lovely, one just a bit younger than Rowan and one in between Frazer and Scarlett in age. The only problem was that the younger daughter was scared of Tonks, but I had forgotten to give Tonks her giant turkey bone the day before so she has something to keep her occupied and I think she barely resented being shut away for most of the day! i did keep it so that her door was open but blocked her exit with the table; it meant that people couldn't use the downstairs loo, but she could see us and i let her out when ever I could.
My mum seemed a bit out of sorts and I began to get really worried at one point, thinking that she hated it at mine and we'd never do this again. However, I received a call from her a couple of days later to say that she'd just been let out of hospital - she went in after coming to mine on Boxing Day and was diagnosed with pneumonia! Honestly that woman runs herself in to the ground - before Christmas she was told she had a dislocated shoulder that had been like it for at least 2 weeks! She must have been in agony but says she didn't have the time to feel it.
Liam's friend Bryan came over on Boxing Day too which was really lovely because we all think he's great. He had to go eventually as he had a date, but Rowan clung on to his leg for dear life, not wanting him to go at all!
We didn't get to play many games s we spent so much time catching up, but I think the children got their fair share. Of course there was the usual present dash and food fest anyway!
when everyone was gone we got to snuggle down in our new pyjamas and the kiddies had their cosy slippers and we watched Doctor Who. Not as great as we had been hoping for but Frazer enjoyed it and that was my main objective.
The day after Boxing Day we spent at Liam's mum's. a much quieter day, especially since Frazer took his ipod shuffle so we barely heard a peep from him while it was on. the festivities gradually died down from here on. Liam had a few days off which was lovely, so we got to slouch about together eating all the yummies and watching festive films.
New Year's eve was very uneventful. I find that if I don't have something big to look forward to in the new year, then I really need to be out to ring the new year in and take my mind off it - I just seem to find it depressing otherwise. which would explain why I went to bed at 11:35pm and got all narked off at the fireworks!
i had a bit of a depressive period about this time and wasn't sure if it was the anti-climax to the festivities, or a new year not holding much for me or what. I have concluded now though, that it may be in part these things, but mainly hormonal, because in the end the dark cloud went as fast as it arrived and I feel pretty normal now. The only problem is that each time I get like this, a little more of the niggling worries sticks with me - I really need to shake that.
Anyway - onwards and upwards! I have a princess party to organise dontcha know!
Boxing day worked out really lovely - my friend Sarah came over with her two daughters, they are lovely, one just a bit younger than Rowan and one in between Frazer and Scarlett in age. The only problem was that the younger daughter was scared of Tonks, but I had forgotten to give Tonks her giant turkey bone the day before so she has something to keep her occupied and I think she barely resented being shut away for most of the day! i did keep it so that her door was open but blocked her exit with the table; it meant that people couldn't use the downstairs loo, but she could see us and i let her out when ever I could.
My mum seemed a bit out of sorts and I began to get really worried at one point, thinking that she hated it at mine and we'd never do this again. However, I received a call from her a couple of days later to say that she'd just been let out of hospital - she went in after coming to mine on Boxing Day and was diagnosed with pneumonia! Honestly that woman runs herself in to the ground - before Christmas she was told she had a dislocated shoulder that had been like it for at least 2 weeks! She must have been in agony but says she didn't have the time to feel it.
Liam's friend Bryan came over on Boxing Day too which was really lovely because we all think he's great. He had to go eventually as he had a date, but Rowan clung on to his leg for dear life, not wanting him to go at all!
We didn't get to play many games s we spent so much time catching up, but I think the children got their fair share. Of course there was the usual present dash and food fest anyway!
when everyone was gone we got to snuggle down in our new pyjamas and the kiddies had their cosy slippers and we watched Doctor Who. Not as great as we had been hoping for but Frazer enjoyed it and that was my main objective.
The day after Boxing Day we spent at Liam's mum's. a much quieter day, especially since Frazer took his ipod shuffle so we barely heard a peep from him while it was on. the festivities gradually died down from here on. Liam had a few days off which was lovely, so we got to slouch about together eating all the yummies and watching festive films.
New Year's eve was very uneventful. I find that if I don't have something big to look forward to in the new year, then I really need to be out to ring the new year in and take my mind off it - I just seem to find it depressing otherwise. which would explain why I went to bed at 11:35pm and got all narked off at the fireworks!
i had a bit of a depressive period about this time and wasn't sure if it was the anti-climax to the festivities, or a new year not holding much for me or what. I have concluded now though, that it may be in part these things, but mainly hormonal, because in the end the dark cloud went as fast as it arrived and I feel pretty normal now. The only problem is that each time I get like this, a little more of the niggling worries sticks with me - I really need to shake that.
Anyway - onwards and upwards! I have a princess party to organise dontcha know!
Monday, January 7, 2008
Christmas Day!
After a night spent tossing and turning, barely able to get more than an hours sleep at a time in my excitement, I was awake most from about 5:30 onwards. I heard the children get up at 6:30 but they were trying to be quiet so I shouted them in to start the fun but that wasn't until around 7am! It's become a tradition now that I get very little sleep on Christmas Eve, and doze off in the late morning.
We did our usual emptying of the stockings on our big bed. Rowan didn't want to bring his in, I think he was annoyed that he hadn't got what he had been asking for, for months in advance ("a drum set with a star and a circle") but he was content eating the chocolate that I had put in Liam's stocking.
Frazer was over the moon at getting a slinky and loves his 'farty putty' - it's a pot with goo in that farts when you squish it down. Scarlett was delighted with all her jewelery and her toy phone that held makeup and applicators. I had put a set of camera macro lenses in to Liam's stocking, and managed to stay quiet about knowing full well that it wouldn't fit on the lens that Liam had and either he didn't notice (unlikely) or he did and kept quiet so he didn't upset me.
Along with my stocking bits, Liam gave me a few presents that wouldn't fit - I got really spoiled this year!
After a while we stuffed everything back in to our stockings and trouped downstairs. I made sure that I had my camcorder on and recording already and Liam went ahead with his camera. On the stairs the children stopped in surprise - the cut out snowflakes we had made and I had hung from the ceiling went completely unnoticed - the living room door was completely covered with wrapping paper - the same paper that Father Christmas had used this year!
The idea was for the children to burst through it, circus style, but Frazer insisted on using his sense to check a corner to make sure that the door wasn't shut behind the paper first! Once he was satisfied, they tore through and were pleased to see that they had their main presents from Santa (guitars for F&S and drum set with star jingle bells and circle maraca for R) and that on the tree there were loads of crackers to pull and plenty of candy canes - which was lucky because Scarlett had decided last minute that she wanted candy canes in her perfectly written Christmas list! I'll bet Santa had trouble finding those last minute - they were sold out everywhere....
We opened present after present after present. I tried to make sure that we opened Father Christmas gifts, then had breakfast before opening the rest. Then we played a bit. I was shattered and desperate to have a nap and a Lush bath - my secret santa had given me a mini lush set! Perfect as Liam hadn't got me any. But I only really had the time for one or the other, as we had to get off to Liam's parents at some point. In the end I got neither but had a shower!
Off to see the in-laws now, with Liam moaning about how late we are. Considering I really wanted Christmas at home and it was his suggestion to spend less time there this year (using Tonks the puppy as an excuse to get back for) I considered his mutterings a little annoying. Things calmed down after we were there a while though. We had to bring 4 forks this year - there's always something, Pauline (MIL) is known for it! Always borrowing plates, cutlery, tables and/or chairs for Christmas dinner, as they are not used to catering for 10+ people normally!
They do make a lovely Christmas dinner, and his parents are lovely people, though I do feel odd there at times as they are just one of these families that makes me realise I'm not actually all that 'mainstream' in how I live my life and bring up our children. But loving to us all and lovely to be around (until Granddad starts 'pull my finger') - just not Christmas how I'm used to celebrating it. No TV (so no special shows, no Queen's speech and Scarlett has to miss the ballet - this year I was stressing over the Doctor Who special, which we ended up missing), no music, no board games (or any games!) and not really that much to talk about. It's just food and opening presents really, and I'd just like to try Christmas at home, our way for once.
But it was made all the more bearable because I knew that this year, Boxing day would see us at home (usually at in-laws, as we are every Sunday and usually new years eve too) and with friends over and my mum and brothers! Yeay!
As I am adopted in to the family that fostered me when I was a teenager, I've not been able to spend time with my family at Christmas. In fact I've only ever spent one Christmas day at my mum's, though once she came up to the in-laws and that was really lovely. We always go to PILs, and my mum is always at her mum's house on Boxing Day - and I've never been to her house.
Anyhow, we got home and played a bit. It was bedtime for the children really, but they'd had barely any time to play quietly and appreciate their toys. I think the passed out when they finally got in to bed, they must have been so tired. We downloaded Doctor Who that night to watch the next evening.
We did our usual emptying of the stockings on our big bed. Rowan didn't want to bring his in, I think he was annoyed that he hadn't got what he had been asking for, for months in advance ("a drum set with a star and a circle") but he was content eating the chocolate that I had put in Liam's stocking.
Frazer was over the moon at getting a slinky and loves his 'farty putty' - it's a pot with goo in that farts when you squish it down. Scarlett was delighted with all her jewelery and her toy phone that held makeup and applicators. I had put a set of camera macro lenses in to Liam's stocking, and managed to stay quiet about knowing full well that it wouldn't fit on the lens that Liam had and either he didn't notice (unlikely) or he did and kept quiet so he didn't upset me.
Along with my stocking bits, Liam gave me a few presents that wouldn't fit - I got really spoiled this year!
After a while we stuffed everything back in to our stockings and trouped downstairs. I made sure that I had my camcorder on and recording already and Liam went ahead with his camera. On the stairs the children stopped in surprise - the cut out snowflakes we had made and I had hung from the ceiling went completely unnoticed - the living room door was completely covered with wrapping paper - the same paper that Father Christmas had used this year!
The idea was for the children to burst through it, circus style, but Frazer insisted on using his sense to check a corner to make sure that the door wasn't shut behind the paper first! Once he was satisfied, they tore through and were pleased to see that they had their main presents from Santa (guitars for F&S and drum set with star jingle bells and circle maraca for R) and that on the tree there were loads of crackers to pull and plenty of candy canes - which was lucky because Scarlett had decided last minute that she wanted candy canes in her perfectly written Christmas list! I'll bet Santa had trouble finding those last minute - they were sold out everywhere....
We opened present after present after present. I tried to make sure that we opened Father Christmas gifts, then had breakfast before opening the rest. Then we played a bit. I was shattered and desperate to have a nap and a Lush bath - my secret santa had given me a mini lush set! Perfect as Liam hadn't got me any. But I only really had the time for one or the other, as we had to get off to Liam's parents at some point. In the end I got neither but had a shower!
Off to see the in-laws now, with Liam moaning about how late we are. Considering I really wanted Christmas at home and it was his suggestion to spend less time there this year (using Tonks the puppy as an excuse to get back for) I considered his mutterings a little annoying. Things calmed down after we were there a while though. We had to bring 4 forks this year - there's always something, Pauline (MIL) is known for it! Always borrowing plates, cutlery, tables and/or chairs for Christmas dinner, as they are not used to catering for 10+ people normally!
They do make a lovely Christmas dinner, and his parents are lovely people, though I do feel odd there at times as they are just one of these families that makes me realise I'm not actually all that 'mainstream' in how I live my life and bring up our children. But loving to us all and lovely to be around (until Granddad starts 'pull my finger') - just not Christmas how I'm used to celebrating it. No TV (so no special shows, no Queen's speech and Scarlett has to miss the ballet - this year I was stressing over the Doctor Who special, which we ended up missing), no music, no board games (or any games!) and not really that much to talk about. It's just food and opening presents really, and I'd just like to try Christmas at home, our way for once.
But it was made all the more bearable because I knew that this year, Boxing day would see us at home (usually at in-laws, as we are every Sunday and usually new years eve too) and with friends over and my mum and brothers! Yeay!
As I am adopted in to the family that fostered me when I was a teenager, I've not been able to spend time with my family at Christmas. In fact I've only ever spent one Christmas day at my mum's, though once she came up to the in-laws and that was really lovely. We always go to PILs, and my mum is always at her mum's house on Boxing Day - and I've never been to her house.
Anyhow, we got home and played a bit. It was bedtime for the children really, but they'd had barely any time to play quietly and appreciate their toys. I think the passed out when they finally got in to bed, they must have been so tired. We downloaded Doctor Who that night to watch the next evening.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
the lead up to Christmas
Late I know! As usual, but Christmas was fab.
We have a tradition of putting the tree up on the first weekend of December - December 1st this year happened to be a Saturday - so we were early in to the festivities this time! We didn't manage to get all our decorations up for a while though, and I didn't even bother with ceiling decorations. Just some tinsel around the doors, stairs and on the TV, stockings hung along the passage stairs and our Grotto pictures from through the years. I'm disappointed that we don't have any from 2002 or '03 but I'm trying to dig through pics we have of the children at around Christmas time instead.
Christmas was busy, but very nice. the nativity was lovely - Scarlett was a star and Frazer was a sheppard. Frazer was doing percussion so got his name in the program, which is quite hard as the speaking parts are so hard to come by at their over-subscribed school. Because Scarlett is in reception, all the children in her class have birthdays at around the same time (they have two reception intakes, so they are slit in the year until they reach year one) and because of this Scarlett had rather a few parties to attend in the lead up to Christmas!
For Christmas Eve we followed our normal tradition of meeting up at Auntie Laura's house - I've done this since we were best friends at school, and our friend Jenny is always there too. I'm trying to convince Jenny to buy my lot pyjamas for Christmas each year - because they get to open these presents (only the ones from Jenny and Laura) on Christmas Eve and it gives them something nice to wake up in on Christmas morning! She did great this year and found them quality pyjamas that all came with little matching toys! Frazer has Daleks, Scarlett has Dora and Rowan has Dinosaurs. jenny also bought the sweetest of cards - it had a 'Me to you' tatty teddy picture on, with a tree decoration attached.
Laura bought Scarlett a Barbie DVD game (you use the doll as the controller) which we have yet to try actually - oops! Frazer a car loop-the-loop toy and Rowan a 'build your own' Thomas train. Where she outdid herself though, was their 'gift tags'! Each had a boxed slab of chocolate with their names and a message iced on, and curly ribbon attaching a candy cane to each - how sweet!
At Laura's, us adult girls exchanged our gifts too. We have arranged it now that we have a stocking each, and it is up to one of us to fill them for another. This year Jenny put my stocking together, which meant that I was filling Laura's one. I put in nostalgic bits like Care Bear lip balm (pink lemonade flavour!) and glitter hair spray, along with things like makeup and LOTS of chocolate. I owe her a Lush bath bomb though, as I forgot to put it in! Jenny is a big kid and has to open all hers when she gets them - Laura and i like to save them for Christmas morning, but we open one each on the Eve. I opened a lovely little Chilli Pepper make up set.
Liam met us at Laura's after a while, after we had stuffed ourselves on Laura's mini buffet and chocolate fountain (filled with Galaxy chocolate - yum) and then we moved on to the cinema, to watch our Christmas Eve film.
~~~by the way, this is a fantastic idea, it occupies children through the evening when they would normally be completely hyped up waiting for Christmas and by the time we get home they are shattered and pass out in bed!~~~
We went to see a Disney film called Enchanted, it's not Christmassy as I prefer, but there wasn't really a festive film on that looked good. We all had fun, well, until Rowan got a bit scared of the dragon, then he at on my lap and fell asleep. Still all having fun - until he wee'd on my lap! I couldn't believe it - he was still fast, fast asleep and wouldn't rouse, so I had to shut up an put up until the end of the film. boy was I thankful that jenny had given pyjamas! At least he had something to walk home in.
Once home they all got changed and helped me to make Reindeer Food. Auntie Sarah had bought a sachet (oats with shimmer in) and since there wasn't much, we mixed it with some oatmeal, a spoonful of sugar and some hundreds and thousands. We of course took up the obligatory carrot, mug of milk and mince pie too!
We hung up the stockings in their room as usual, and as normal - but more this year - I swore that we would NOT have them in there again, it's too intense and Father Christmas has to try so hard not to wake them.
I'll leave it there for now and let you know that happened Christmas day later - hopefully!
We have a tradition of putting the tree up on the first weekend of December - December 1st this year happened to be a Saturday - so we were early in to the festivities this time! We didn't manage to get all our decorations up for a while though, and I didn't even bother with ceiling decorations. Just some tinsel around the doors, stairs and on the TV, stockings hung along the passage stairs and our Grotto pictures from through the years. I'm disappointed that we don't have any from 2002 or '03 but I'm trying to dig through pics we have of the children at around Christmas time instead.
Christmas was busy, but very nice. the nativity was lovely - Scarlett was a star and Frazer was a sheppard. Frazer was doing percussion so got his name in the program, which is quite hard as the speaking parts are so hard to come by at their over-subscribed school. Because Scarlett is in reception, all the children in her class have birthdays at around the same time (they have two reception intakes, so they are slit in the year until they reach year one) and because of this Scarlett had rather a few parties to attend in the lead up to Christmas!
For Christmas Eve we followed our normal tradition of meeting up at Auntie Laura's house - I've done this since we were best friends at school, and our friend Jenny is always there too. I'm trying to convince Jenny to buy my lot pyjamas for Christmas each year - because they get to open these presents (only the ones from Jenny and Laura) on Christmas Eve and it gives them something nice to wake up in on Christmas morning! She did great this year and found them quality pyjamas that all came with little matching toys! Frazer has Daleks, Scarlett has Dora and Rowan has Dinosaurs. jenny also bought the sweetest of cards - it had a 'Me to you' tatty teddy picture on, with a tree decoration attached.
Laura bought Scarlett a Barbie DVD game (you use the doll as the controller) which we have yet to try actually - oops! Frazer a car loop-the-loop toy and Rowan a 'build your own' Thomas train. Where she outdid herself though, was their 'gift tags'! Each had a boxed slab of chocolate with their names and a message iced on, and curly ribbon attaching a candy cane to each - how sweet!
At Laura's, us adult girls exchanged our gifts too. We have arranged it now that we have a stocking each, and it is up to one of us to fill them for another. This year Jenny put my stocking together, which meant that I was filling Laura's one. I put in nostalgic bits like Care Bear lip balm (pink lemonade flavour!) and glitter hair spray, along with things like makeup and LOTS of chocolate. I owe her a Lush bath bomb though, as I forgot to put it in! Jenny is a big kid and has to open all hers when she gets them - Laura and i like to save them for Christmas morning, but we open one each on the Eve. I opened a lovely little Chilli Pepper make up set.
Liam met us at Laura's after a while, after we had stuffed ourselves on Laura's mini buffet and chocolate fountain (filled with Galaxy chocolate - yum) and then we moved on to the cinema, to watch our Christmas Eve film.
~~~by the way, this is a fantastic idea, it occupies children through the evening when they would normally be completely hyped up waiting for Christmas and by the time we get home they are shattered and pass out in bed!~~~
We went to see a Disney film called Enchanted, it's not Christmassy as I prefer, but there wasn't really a festive film on that looked good. We all had fun, well, until Rowan got a bit scared of the dragon, then he at on my lap and fell asleep. Still all having fun - until he wee'd on my lap! I couldn't believe it - he was still fast, fast asleep and wouldn't rouse, so I had to shut up an put up until the end of the film. boy was I thankful that jenny had given pyjamas! At least he had something to walk home in.
Once home they all got changed and helped me to make Reindeer Food. Auntie Sarah had bought a sachet (oats with shimmer in) and since there wasn't much, we mixed it with some oatmeal, a spoonful of sugar and some hundreds and thousands. We of course took up the obligatory carrot, mug of milk and mince pie too!
We hung up the stockings in their room as usual, and as normal - but more this year - I swore that we would NOT have them in there again, it's too intense and Father Christmas has to try so hard not to wake them.
I'll leave it there for now and let you know that happened Christmas day later - hopefully!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
