If you've been reading this blog for a while you'll know that Little Miss C is a huge Bigjigs fan. This week it's all gone to a whole new level as she's developed an obsession with reading their trade catalogue and repeatedly telling me what she needs from it for her birthday. I'm a huge fan too. They're a great company, produce an amazing range of quality toys and also provide daily entertainment on twitter and Facebook for parents. When I saw that they're looking for Play Patrol Agents I just knew that it would be the right job for Little Miss C. Like Bigjigs ... read more
Bring on the bricks!
About three weeks ago we finally reached a stage in our parenting journey that I've been looking forward to for years - in fact since even before I became pregnant with Little Miss C. Yes we now have a child who likes Lego! I have such fond memories of my sister and I spending hours and hours building Lego towns on her bedroom floor. I can even remember the strange biscuit tin with St Paul's cathederal on that most of our Lego was kept in. For years I have been creating Amazon Lego wishlists and watching eBay auctions of sets which I had as a child. I've picked up any sets that ... read more
Mummy, I’ve found a curly C!
This is what I could hear being shouted up the stairs at me over and over again as I changed Master C's nappy the other afternoon. Little Miss C been playing with the children's calendar that we'd bought her for Christmas and spotted the letter C in the word calendar at the top. We're now at the stage in LMC's development where she's started to notice that letters are all different and she's beginning to learn what some of those letters are. Her excitement in doing so is infectious and something that I only want to encourage. We drove into the supermarket ... read more
How?
When you have a toddler people always ask if they've reached the "why stage" yet. All toddlers are inquisitive and learning how to question things is a natural development step for them. As a result they all seem to go through a period where they have the need to ask "why" with reference to everything they see and do. People had warned me about the why stage and I had even started to mentally prepare myself for the why questions that I might get. But, being a bit different as always, Little Miss C instead seems to be asking "how"! It all started one morning ... read more
Three hours
I'm sure I can't be the only person who gets to the end of the day and wonders what I've actually acheived that day. When you're at home with little ones it can be quite easy to just concentrate on "surviving" and it can be easy to lose track of what has kept you busy all day. Realistically though, stay at home parents usually acheive loads, but they simply don't have the time to step back and take stock of just what they have done. This morning Mr C went out to a first aid course so I thought I'd keep track of just what I got up to in that time - admitedly, ... read more
Flying solo…
Tomorrow's the big day. Mr C returns to work after a fortnight's paternity leave and I'm going to be home alone with a toddler and a newborn. Millions of mums (and dads) manage so I figure I should be able to do so too. After all, only one of them can move around under their own steam whilst the other one stays put still. Master C still sleeps for large amounts of the day and if I'm lucky Little Miss C may even have an afternoon nap to give me a bit of peace. Ok , so I may be a bit more tired after the over-night feeds, but I've got tea and even a bar of Dairy Milk in the ... read more
Introducing…
... Master C. Born in the early hours of Saturday morning and allowed home late on Saturday night. So far he seems to enjoy sleeping, eating, filling his nappy and wearing lots of hand knitted goodies. Little Miss C has gone from being slightly bemused to being incredibly excited about "her baby". As she keeps telling anyone who will listen "he's only little". ... read more
Buns for new friends…
If a new friend has invited you round for tea then you can't turn up empty handed. Luckily I had a little assistant to help me in the kitchen. ... read more
Keeping it simple
Things at home have been a bit manic lately. Our builders are two weeks into our loft conversion and as we're still living at home that means that there's noise, dust and a change of routine to get used to. As the builders start just after 8am I need to make sure all three of us are up, dressed and downstairs by then which doesn't really fit in with the lazy morning routine that Little Miss C and I developed over the last couple of years. Daytime naps have also had to be downstairs in a travel cot in a not very dark front room and playtime in the garden isn't always possible ... read more
Parenting Tips #617
Don't leave a toddler alone with a felt-tip pen the day after they've sat in on four women having their make up professionally done. If you do, this may be the result. Yesterday the three of us ventured north for a make-up trial for my sister's wedding next month. LMC was fascinated to watch the bride and bridesmaids have their make up done and kept asking what they were having done. The phrase "having their make up done" didn't seem to mean much to her, so someone instead said that we were having our "faces painted". That she seemed to understand. So much ... read more