Sunday 22 March 2015

Sorry it's been quiet....


On Thursday I woke up with the most horrendous headache, light headed, flashing spots if I moved to fast, aching joints.... the full works. I struggled to get Boo to school and just managed to make it home without passing out or throwing up.
A quick phone in with my midwife for advice ended up with a referal to call the hospital. The symptoms above are not things you want to have at 30 weeks. The big worry was something called pre eclampsia, the hospital agreed it needed checking out but asked me to try and see my GP rather than them as they were horrendously busy.
My GP asked me to sit in the waiting room of the surgery so I was at least being safely observed (between schools and work I was alone) and after an hour wait had a gap to see me. 
Luckily I had the all clear from pre eclampsia but she did diagnose a very bad head cold, and put me on paracetamol, anti acids and bed rest until next Monday. 
Being so close to delivery (typically at 38 weeks for me) there is almost nothing I can take to relieve my symptoms. Not even Olbus oil on my pillow! It's been horrible, truly horrible. I can get a little relief from hot drinks and steaming myself in the bathroom while hubby showers.
So all I have done is sleep, watch junk telly, and knit a very occasional line of knitting. 
Hubby,  my parents and the playground mummies have kept the girls in school, house running, food stocked and anything else that needed doing. It feels fantastic to have nothing to worry about other than whether to nap or watch Jezza for the next half an hour.
Today I am finally feeling a little more functional and truly blessed that I have such a fab support network around me. I will be back on my feet in no time and I have a lot of kindness to repay.

X x x

Thursday 19 March 2015

DD turns 5!


We sent off a very happy DD to school this morning. We woke up a little early and opened a few presents together followed by a birthday breakfast of chocolate ring donuts. 
So we aren't winning any healthy eating awards today but I think if you're doing something as important as turning five you can pick your own special breakfast.
We've taken some cakes into school for DD to share out at snack time with her classmates. She also gets to sit on a special chair decorated with balloons for lessons and choose today's story time book. 
After school she is off to MacD with her best friend for a happy meal (escorted by Daddy).

Sounds like a cracking day to me 
x x x

Sunday 15 March 2015

What a party!


I'm  pleased to say that DD'S 5TH birthday party went without a hitch on Saturday. Everyone turned up and arrived with wonderful gifts for DD. The kids all played happily on the equipment, the mum's and dad's who stayed enjoyed a natter. A few younger siblings stayed to so Baby D had similar aged friends to play with, my dad and brother volunteered their services as child chasers.
Both girls were passed out in bed by 6pm and slept right through to 8! 

XxX

Wednesday 11 March 2015

Birthday party preps begin


DD is having her birthday party on Saturday at a local play centre. I was planning to hold her party at home on a budget but the idea of entertaining 10+ children while being almost 30 weeks pregnant just doesn't work well for me. 
This week is also Cheltenham week so Hubby is working a ridiculous amount of hours leaving 90% of the organising to me. I know it's not his fault though and he is supporting me where possible. He was doing the vacuuming for me last night at 11.30pm after an 11 hour shift!!!

I'm breaking things down into tasks for each day, yesterday I tackled the party bags (see above), tonight I will be wrapping birthday presents and writing out her cards. Tomorrow I'm chasing RSVPS and sorting out party outfits, Friday is birthday cake shopping, candles and the birthday food shop.
I'm sure I will be panicking about something on Saturday morning but I think I have basics covered.

Wish me luck 

x x x


Monday 9 March 2015

Recipe 1/12


Do you remember about a million years ago I bought an aubergine?
Well, I cooked it and we all liked it. But I completely forgot I was supposed to report back on it.
So today I picked up a second one and recreated our aubergine pizza. Aubergine has actually been a rather pleasant surprise and will definitely be added to the weekly shop when spotted on the clearance shelf or in this case the super six. 
I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store for us on Thursday when the offers change again. Hopefully something equally delicious.

X x x


Sunday 8 March 2015

Sunday in the kitchen





I  woke up this morning after a luxurious lie in. Hubby had all the morning chores complete by the time I emerged so nothing needed doing.
I was a free agent.

DD; Can we do baking?
Me; Yes. What would you fancy making?
DD; The one where you lick the bowl!


In the end we settled on chocolate sponge cakes for lunchboxes. DD and Baby D helped out with all the  stirring and measuring, but funny enough both disappeared once they had had their fill of raw ingredients. (And bowl licking)


Still I got to enjoy a peaceful cuppa while I had them in the oven. 

Definitely a pleasant frugal way to spend an afternoon with my girls.

X X X 



Thursday 5 March 2015

A BMI rant


 We had a letter arrive today from the good ole NHS. DD was weighed and measured in December at school and they have just written to us with the results.
The letter informs us that DD is in the 91st percentile for her weight and thus classed as overweight. Confused we double checked the height and weight recorded on the letter via Google and found that it agreed, that DD is overweight.
 We then felt like terrible parents for a few hours until OH said "how far is she from healthy weight range?"
 Google tells us  that DD is 2lbs out!!! 2lbs is enough to class a child of four as being overweight rather than healthy. Further research tells us DD was weighed directly after lunch, after a healthy portion of school dinner and desert.
Suddenly I don't feel like a guilty parent, I feel like an angry one!
 The  letter came with a "helpful" booklet of changes we could make to DD'S diet such as stopping full sugar drinks and replacing them with diet versions. Pumping DD with aspartame is definitely not something I will be following. She drinks water or milk regularly with occasional blackcurrant squash. Fizzy drinks are a very occasional treat (birthday parties or family events for example)
   Out of interest we will try and measure DD'S height and weight ourselves tomorrow to see how an up to date result measures up but I have a funny feeling she won't be in the  91st percentile anymore!

 X x X

Tuesday 3 March 2015

Aldi spring bargains


Clever hubby spotted a set of four pretty basket hooks while running errands this morning. He snapped them up for just over a pound each and had them on the wall by lunch time.


We popped out to the garden centre to price up baskets but found them astronomical in price. £26.99 was the cheapest ready to hang type, and when we priced up everything for making our own it wasn't much better. 
Luckily Hubby had spotted some recently at Aldi while on a milk run at work. 
At £4.99 each I thought they were too good to resist so we snapped up four matching ones and whisked them home. 
They are already making me smile each time I spot them.

X x X


Monday 2 March 2015

Things I learnt today....(part 1)



....preparation is everything 
....A biscuit stash is essential 
....thinking about it is worse than doing it


....my assistant didn't know any answers
....my assistant is a biscuit thief
....my assistant will be 5 minutes late for preschool thanks to me just finishing something


....gathering the waist isn't that scary
....I should constantly check I'm  sewing through one layer
...an unpicker is a god send!


....I can do it if I take my time
....it's not perfect but no one said it had to be 
....I Feel pretty good about my efforts so far.

X x x



Sunday 1 March 2015

Sunny Sunday


It's been a beautiful sunny day in the south. 
The girls have been kicked out to spend the day in the garden. I've been producing bubbles, buckets and spades, football's etc at regular intervals to keep them occupied. Both have gone to bed completely tuckered out, but hopefully nicely dosed up on vitamin D.
I managed to get two loads of bed linen out on the line for the first time this year. It's going to be luxurious getting into bed tonight with line dried sheets. Hopefully the sun will get stronger and I can get heavier items dried outside too. 
I  do loath that tumble dryer stench on everything!

Roll on summer!

XxX