The Alternative Easter Egg Review; Tomy Micro Pets-i

It's not quite Easter and we are already swamped with an avalanche of chocolate eggs. In fact, so many that I have been subtly snacking on them now and then. They won't be missed and I don't have any space in my kitchen, I'm doing everyone a favour.

Tomy have the answer to this conundrum in the shape of these really cute little toys. Activated by their little ball or your finger they do all sorts of cute activities. They walk along, sing, chase their ball or talk to another one from the range. I know this as I got sent two, one for each of my kids.

In reality, I think that my two are a bit too small for these. This isn't surprising as they are actually toys for age 6 and above which I think is a perfect age. Toddler boy does love his one, he carries it around talking to it, and tries and fails with his heavy handedness to get it to do things. Lets face it, yes, I have stolen Fifi's. It's a brilliant little distraction for dull moments at my desk at work and helps to brighten my day. There you have it- an executive use! Can I suggest that they would be a great alternative to a real pet or in fact, an alternative to an Easter egg for dieting mummies. Oh, and that's as well as being a nice gift for any 6 year old girls going on forty that you know. You can buy one for £9.99 here.

The Alternative Easter Egg Review; Tomy Micro Pets-i

Review; Zoggs Swimming Goggles and Buoyancy Aids

Swimming is one of those essential skills which is best learnt young. However, it can be quite hard to instill water confidence in children, especially those who do not have a great deal of experience in the water. My children are not keen fans of water. My toddler holds his breath when he needs to have his hair washed- him and water don't mix. He has been swimming a few times, but the moaning about water in his eyes have frankly, made it a traumatic experience for me as much as for him. My one year old hadn't even been swimming because the thought of two of them moaning was too much for me to bear.

I hadn't given swimming another thought until I was contacted by the PR company representing Zoggs offered me some goggles and buoyancy suits. When an opportunity presents itself I always try to take it and this seemed like a chance to attempt another go in the swimming pool.

Zoggs make a range of different goggles and they are suitable from 3 months (the kids one up to 6 years). This means that they could, in theory last you for quite a while! We tried out the 'Little Comet' goggles in our three year old and one year old.

I'm a bit of a closet fashionista. I can be really picky about the design of sporty, practical things. The goggles and buoyancy aids met my approval, they were funky shades of blue and pink and the goggles had a nice discrete pattern on them.

The three year old loved the goggles, I was surprised. He saw the other children wearing goggles in the pool and was desperate to put them on. the only problem was that he kept readjusting them to make them tighter. By the end of the session he had two little circles around his eyes.

As soon as I got the goggles out of the bag for the one year old, I got comments from other mothers about how I would be lucky to get her to wear them. Unfortunately they were right, she just would not keep them on. I think I need to wait a bit before I try to get her to wear them. She wasn't keen on the swimming generally. A big, noisy pool is quite an alien environment for a little one, so I'm not too worried as she has time to become more confident.

We were also lucky enough to be given a Bobin suit, its a bit big for our one year old, so the three year old was given the chance to use it in the pool. Combined with the googles, it really did make all the difference. He clearly felt calm and confident in the water. The Bobin was easy to put on and take off and I could not recommend it more highly for introducing a child to the water. Aside from anything else, it made me feel a bit more confident about encouraging him to have a go at floating as I felt that it was there as a 'back- up' in case my speedy reactions were not quite speedy enough.

My only criticism of the bobin is that it can't be chucked into the washing machine with the rest of the swimming gear. You need to hand wash it and then its a bit of a pain to dry as you haven't had the benefit of a good spin.

All in all, if you are introducing your child to the water and you want to do it in a sensitive way I think these products are really excellent. My toddler was significantly less frightened wearing the bobin and googles than he has been in the past and is really keen to go swimming again.

Zoggs do a lot of products to help you introduce your child to water. You can have a look here on their website where you can also find details about where you can purchase them.

Review; Zoggs Swimming Goggles and Buoyancy Aids

Crunchy Underfoot

Can you see all that shameful mess in the background of this picture? That's fairly typical of my house

I'm a working mum of 2. I don't have much time. Please tell my mother in law. You see for me, the markers of dirt and mess are as follows:

• The carpet is crunchy underfoot

• You can't turn the hand towels around anymore to find a clean side
• There are no seats left on the sofa
• There's no work surface clear to put down a cup of tea
• I have been struck on the head by an avalanche of paper/ toys/ beakers as they falls off the shelf
• The front door won't open due to the sheer numbers of pizza/ Indian/ Chinese/ Thai takeaway menus and bin bags for un- reputable charities
• There is more food on the kitchen floor than on the dinner plates

Actually now I feel a bit ashamed, I'm not dirty, honestly. It's simply a case of priorities, I prefer to play with my kids and do stuff rather than tidy up like a Stepford wife.

Anyhow, the mother in law has other ideas about my standards and simply feels it is her duty to come around and fiddle with my laundry, re-organise and clean. I know this sounds good on the face of it, but I can't help but feel a little bit intruded upon. I still can't look her straight in the eye after she 'sorted out' my comfortable knickers. The humiliation! I think that she feels that I am not a good enough wife, mother and domestic goddess. There are little comments and now we are in the phase of unspoken words. I can't help but worry about all of it. But where exactly do we go from here? Anyone else have these sorts of issues?

Crunchy Underfoot

The Gallery Meme; Outside My Front Door

This weeks theme in the Sticky Fingers Gallery is outside my front door, which is a sort of horrid white plastic thing.

However, at the moment I do have these tulips









This is Toddler Boy standing in the road outside our house. As you can see its hardly ever used.










About 5 minutes walk is this beautiful lake, which has the largest Heronry in Hertfordshire.









And this awe-inspiring cathedral









I love living here.

The Gallery Meme; Outside My Front Door

Help! My husband is a better Mummy Blogger than me

It all started innocently with a little challenge; " If it's so easy, then you do it." And so he did. Being male, he is naturally gifted with computers, he doesn't need the help menu, he can just do it. He can upload pictures easily and video and he has a flashy Iphone.

My phone doesn't even have a camera. I can just about turn the netbook on, although some days it's a challenge when it goes into standby mode. Poo. It's clearly all about the gadgetry and being male.

Things were going along well, my historic archive of links was keeping the hits up through Google searching and I was quite well indexed. I used Twitter. Then one day I just got fed up. I fell out of love with British Mummy Bloggers, I got fed up with the cliquey-ness of Twitter. Why won't some people respond to me? I had a troll, I got hacked and someone got very upset and moaned about me. I got very busy back at work and then I trained to be a child-minder. Life.

So anyway, last month the hubby finally proved that he is indeed a better mummy blogger than me by appearing much higher up on the Tots 100 rankings. Gutted. I can't live it down. So anyway, should you wish to prove that women are better than men, join in with some of my new initiatives to help me beat him this month:

• Talk to me on Twitter, after all, how many people do you know who really have excavated a skeleton, held ancient gold and conducted archaeological digs on a cave overlooking the beach in Nice, France? Oh, and survived three years sleep deprivation.
• Join in with Position of the Week- life is not all serious you know and is a chance to show us all how flexible you are...
• Include me in one of your Memes
• Nominate me for the MADS if you happen to have enjoyed the odd post over the last few years
• Enter my giveaway
• Put me on your blogroll
  
• Persuade me to rejoin British Mummy Bloggers
• Go and be rude to the hubby

The last one is the most important. Thanks.

Help! My husband is a better Mummy Blogger than me

Guest Review: Pink Lining Change Bags

My sister, auntie J. is a bag fanatic, there are few people who have as much experience with bags, so we thought it only fair that she wrote this review for me!

There are some things in life which can make a girl grin ear to ear, for some it's chocolate, for others shoes, but for me it will always be bags. A good bag makes me smile, and the new range of change bags from Pink Lining has not only made me smile but also made me coo.

It has pockets! As I explained to baby and husband who were clearly not listening, and lots of useful ones at that: ones for me things (keys and phone and money) and plenty of useful compartments for nappies, changes of clothes and those bits of coloured plastic aka toys. This bag in particular has a special bit for wet babygrows which you can just zip shut and rest assured that your not going to plunge your hand in and go ewww. It has 2 insulated pockets which fit your bottles in and plenty of space inside for everything you and baby needs. It even comes complete with a matching changing mat. Least we not forget the handy little mirror, these pink lining people have thought of everything.

I'm smitten with it, it makes my black pram look less dull and it's waterproof (for some reason I didn't expect that, probably because it looks like canvas in the photograph). I road tested the Blooming Gorgeous in blue and I do have to say it is blooming marvelous. But then I like bags, I love the vintage shape and pattern and i need lots of pockets for things. I probably wouldn't want to buy the smaller version as this is just the right size, but then i do tend to take the kitchen sink with me whenever I leave the house.

Other mums like it too, I have had lots of compliments and have started smiling at other mums with a pink lining bag. So far, I have yet to see one that I don't like and although mine is clearly still new, other ones I have seen out in the town are not looking battered and miserable so they must be sturdy.

Finally, just in case you think I am being biased, as I clearly love this bag. The husband, who when I sent him a link seemed quite horrified that he would be subjected to such a blatant feminine changing bag on his rare trips out alone after using the bag, suddenly came out with 'where can you buy this, I've suggested my mate gets one for his wife'. High praise indeed, and in case you are wondering where you can get one you can buy directly from Pink Lining, John Lewis and independent baby stores up and down the country.

Guest Review: Pink Lining Change Bags

Position of the Week

Take this as a challenge; each week I will publish a position of the week. This may be a point of view, or perhaps more usefully, a graphic image. If you wish to take part and display this beautiful badge on your blog then please do so. Let me know in the comments, then I can ensure you get even more readers and I can come and laugh at you as well.


Position of the week 1:

Pointing whilst standing on a sandcastle

Position of the Week

Beautiful Blogger Awards

Since this is turning into a month of Memes about ME, ME, ME, I was pleased to be awarded this by Vic. It fits the general mood well, and of course, I would have been very insulted if I hadn't received it at some point.
I need to list seven things about myself. So here goes;

1. I'm supremely gorgeous, so fabulous that people stop and look in the street.
2. My husband buys me a new pair of Dior heels every other week.
3. We live in a sprawling mansion in the Hertfordshire Countryside.
4. I have a second home in The Maldives.
5. I am an award wining archaeologist

6. I can eat 17 chocolate bars a day and remain thin

7. I live in Mui Mui clothes and the children never make me messy.

Only one of the above is true, I'll leave it up to you to decide. Anyhow, I have to nominate 15 people, blimey, not sure I know 15 beautiful bloggers (only joking). Here goes

Cafe Bebe because shes just so darn sporty
Dulwich Mum, she is far to beautiful for all of us
Frog in the field, shes friends with the beautiful Dulwich Mum and they pamper themselves at the Grove together
Amy, she knows how to look fabulous in maternity wear
Mediocre Mum, shes just too effortlessly glam in her twitter picture
Muddling Along Mummy, the most gorgeous banker in London
Metropolitan Mum, a shining light of beautifulness and artistic vision
Madhouse Mum, creating beautiful craft things with two little ones
Crystal Jigsaw, for providing beautiful comments for everyone and a nice picture of a lamb
Tasha; beautiful even when up since 6 am

and you! and you, and you and you and you, phew...

Beautiful Blogger Awards

Review: Babies Go.... Coldplay, Abba, The Beatles and more!

I have to admit to being a slight music snob and very skeptical about things marketed as suitable for babies. Normally you get dreary nursery rhymes sung by bonkers 'earth mother' type women and happy clappy men. I should know, we have lots of this genre. However, the Babies Go series of CD's is something else. A selection of lullaby's based on your favourite pop songs. Discovered by a music producer whilst visiting Argentina, these are really beautiful orchestral versions of your favourite songs.

At first play, the hubby said; 'that's just lift music re-branded'. I could see his point, but I loved it and so did the kids. So we made him listen to Coldplay (whilst we sang along), the Beatles and Michael Jackson in the confinement of the car. They were all fab. The children nodded off and the music was still listenable!

When famous archaeologist Richard Leaky discovered his Australopithecine fossil which was pivotal in the development of theories about human evolution, in the middle of the African Plains, they happened to be playing 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.' Hence its popular name 'Lucy'. I can't help but wonder what would have happened if they had been playing the Babies Go version? Maybe they would all have been so calm and relaxed that they wouldn't have spotted it? The whole of theory human evolution could have been influenced. And speaking of being influenced, the Cd's have definitely had an impacted on our daily life; Toddler boy is going off to sleep with Babies Go Abba and I have been enjoying rare quiet moments of relaxation to Babies Go Coldplay.

So there you have it, I like them, the kids do and they will keep you in nice calming, relaxing background music for years, as well as providing a fab talking point at dinner parties. What are you waiting for? Go see which ones you fancy...

Review: Babies Go.... Coldplay, Abba, The Beatles and more!

Funky Friday

Noble Savage has a Sesame Street giveaway, I'm not bothered about winning it, although daddacool would like to, as he is highly competitive. However, it gave me a fab excuse to look through the old pictures of my childhood. Here is a picture of me in about 1977, around the same age as my kids are now. Fifi has a lot of my old clothes, I'll post a few images up here when I have time. However, unfortunately this is not a T-shirt my mum chose to keep. *sob*. I find it interesting to note that I have exactly the same haircut and dress sense now as then. I think it may be time for a makeover...

Funky Friday

Giveaway and Review: Organic Children Range from Green People

We love the Green People range of skincare products in this house, I use their lipstick (which is really nice), moisturizers and shampoo personally, and the children use their some of their bath products. However, I just found out that they have over 120 products to chose from, a lot more than I knew about! They have won loads of awards, donate 10% of profits to charity, as well as being environmentally sound.

I came across Green People when I started getting worried about Fifi's skin developing eczema. Their products don't contain lots of nasty chemicals, in particular SLS which is a foaming agent. It's worth thinking about what you are putting on your children's skin as it could have all manner of effects, both short and long term. Since I have been a bit more careful, there has been a dramatic improvement in both children's skin complaints. Amazing, but common sense really.

For this review we got sent a tube of Citrus & Aloe Vera Bath & Shower wash from the Organic Children range. I have to say it has lived up to expectations, smelling lovely and fresh and feeling 'safe'. It's still foamy in the bath and you can still have lots of fun, but without all the worries. At £7.50 a tube it is a bit more expensive than your standard supermarket brand, but I can vouch that a little bit does go a long way. I'll be buying some more when we run out.

Good news readers! For this review, not only did Toddler boy and Fifi get to sample the product, your child can too. The lovely people at Green people are offering 5 products from their range for the winner of my giveaway. So what do you have to do? Well, the rules of entry are simple:

• Comment below and tell me your best green purchase.

For additional entries (let me know in your comments):

• Add me to your blog roll
• Tweet a link to my giveaway
• Follow this blog
  

The winner (UK residents only i'm afraid) will be selected by random number generator and announced on Good Friday, good
luck everyone :)
ThePrizeFinder - UK Competitions

Giveaway and Review: Organic Children Range from Green People

The Gallery Meme: Me

I thought I would join in with Tara's GalleryMeme as it has been so interesting viewing everyone else's images. This week the theme is 'Me' and you had to post a picture that reflects who you are. This is difficult, who really cares who I am? Anyway, I think this picture reflects the essence of Me and it can also be viewed in landscape or portrait so you get twice the value for money!

I am not just a mum or a museum curator, or someone interested in craft and the arts. I love the seaside, I love being on the beach with the wind blowing in my face. I love the peaceful isolation of my favourite beaches. I think I am mostly 'Me' when I feel at one with nature and in touch with the elements. I hope my children will feel the same.

The Gallery Meme: Me

Gardening, the nightmare that is...

One of my best friends is a gardening guru, adept at gardening with toddlers and whilst heavily pregnant, I expect they will produce lots of healthy dinners this year from the fruits of their labour. Then there is us. Now, a few years ago we really caught the gardening bug. I even bought a blueberry bush. I found myself obsessing over vine weevil on my runner beans and at odds with what to do which so much lettuce. I managed to grow some brownish/ green tomatoes and some green potatoes and for some reason last year we had one stalk of brussel sprouts. I don't recall planting them. Success. Then I did a bit of accounting, all this effort actually cost more than it would have to have gone to Abel and Cole and had the finest quality organic produce packaged and shipped to my house. Sod that then.

So far this year, I have managed to pick up about 10% of the leaves which end up in my garden, despite our lack of trees. Still, I'm sure they are good for the ground. Maybe insects will live there and diversity will flourish in my little corner of suburbia. It's not that I'm afraid of hard manual labour. When I was a field archaeologist I got paired up with someone who used to dig trenches in the French Foreign Legion. He was mental, I could just about keep up. The whole thing with field archaeology is that it becomes soul destroying when you talk to the labourers who work for the building/ road laying company. When they get a job digging a trench to lay a cable etc they get paid by the metre. They get paid an awful lot more than the archaeologist digging the same hole. Who is the silly one there? I have been put off digging holes on a regular basis. Desk based archaeological adventures are far easier. I digress.

I do have vast, wild, crazy plans. I'm going to make the husband build a raised beds and some decking. I'm going to make toddler boy do all the vegetable planting and tending and I'm going to buy a nice sun lounger. Spring has sprung and I'm looking forward to this summer.

Gardening, the nightmare that is...

Do you use Mumsnet?

Something has been puzzling me about all this electioneering aimed at the users of Mumsnet. Who are they? No really, I mean this. I get a lot of ridicule at work over my blog and get accused all the time of using Mumsnet, but I don't. I think Ive used it once.

A straw poll amongst my peers who are frankly, the voting middle class mums that politicians are trying to win the votes of, reveals that none of them use it either. Are the Mumsnet team just brilliant at marketing? Or is my circle of friends unique in that they use other mediums such as blogs and twitter to chat to their friends, and the local Children's Centre, NCT groups and the library to find out information. I'm sure Mumsnet is very good, I just wonder how representative of Mums it really is and I'm off to have a little look.

Do you use Mumsnet?

Film Review: Up! by Disney Pixar

This month Disney released the Blu-ray/ DVD of 'UP'. They gave us a copy. I cried. This has to be the best Disney film I have seen in a while, its suitable for both adults and kids, looks fabulous and has a really touching story. If you can get the Blu- ray version, it's one of those films that just looks incredibly vibrant, sharp and visually you will benefit.

The opening sequence, which deals with Carl finding his sweetheart, their dreams, hopes and aspirations, growing old together and the heartbreak of her passing away, was the bit that made me cry, and I never cry at films. This is heavy going for the opening of a kids film, but I've always thought that Pixar films are just animated films that happen to appeal to kids as well as adults.

Once you've wiped the tears away, the film rejoins Carl as an old cantankerous widower who is refusing to move house, despite being in the middle of a building site. Through various happenings, Carl finds himself flying his house via balloon to South America with a chubby little wilderness scout called Russell. Russell the wilderness scout is that annoying little squirt that everyone knew at school- watching his relationship with Carl develop is great, by the end their is a grudging level of affection and respect between the two of them.

Talking dogs, a mad explorer, a big daft bird, and some absolutely brilliant jokes make this a top film. I honestly can't remember the last time I enjoyed a film this much, even on the fourth, fifth or sixth viewing it's still enjoyable to watch. Just as well, as I expect this might join the ranks of Tinkerbell, Toy Story and Bee Movie as one of our favourite essential movies of all time (this year at least!).

Film Review: Up! by Disney Pixar

All Aboard the Pirate Ship: Legoland Windsor Review

The email came through offering the chance to attend Legoland's attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the Worlds Largest Gathering of Pirates and this was a chance, that to me seemed far to good to pass up. Think of the story-telling opportunities, it's not an everyday occurrence is it?

Typically, this Saturday was one of those wet, dank days that only happen when you have an outdoor trip planned. Nevermind! We are British, we have waterproofs, fleece jumpers and a stoic attitude. I was the most keen member of my family, hell, I was looking forward to a bit of misery when we all got tired and wet. It's what I tend to thrive on.

Legoland is tucked away on a hillside in Windsor, there is tons of parking and a fairly well organised entry system. Like Butlins before it, I was rather skeptical about Legoland. However, with children comes a more open-minded attitude and like Butlins, I have been completely converted. Its fun, the food is reasonably priced, there are plenty of toilets and the staff were all helpful. Be warned though, entry is quite pricey!

What really converted me though, was the look on Toddler Boy's face when he saw the Lego dinosaur. Then him jumping for joy after he had been in the 3D cinema and his little face whilst going on the helicopter ride. I could go on. We will take him again, just when he is over 1. 1 metre and Fifi is 0.9 metres tall. We were a little bit limited as to what we could do, as Toddler Boy is only 95 centimetres. Still, the Mini World proved inspirational for the husband and I can see him being kept quiet for hours as he tries to rebuild Canary Wharf at home.

So what of the World Largest Gathering of Pirates? Well, we joined in and tried. I don't actually know whether they did it. The inclement weather didn't help. It didn't look to me as if there were a lot of pirates really. I am awaiting the results. It certainly added to the day seeing lots of big and small pirates! The pirate attractions are great and the Pirate Show is really impressive. If your child likes pirates, then the Pirates Landing area would definitely be for them.

All in all, if you are on the lookout for a change from the usual zoo, seaside, museum, woodland walk days out then this is a really good option and it's now open for the summer.

All Aboard the Pirate Ship: Legoland Windsor Review

How to be good at Story-telling

I'm not all that good at story-telling. However, working in the heritage sector you come across many different professional story tellers and there is something that they all have in common. Charisma? Not always. Volume? Not always. A good story? Not always!Enthusiasm? Totally. Their enthusiasm seems to overcome any self consciousness that might hold them back. They all seem to move about a lot, gesture, raise and lower their voices. This is the key to captivating children and adults, without this one thing all the rest are meaningless.

In my former life, I was camping at an archaeological dig and people told stories around the campfire. They could be the most mundane stories about visiting a shop or the most fabulous; someone I know really did find a tomb of gold in Peru! The most captivating public speakers or story tellers use enthusiasm, dramatics, props and volume combined together to engage the audience. This is not a skill that cant be taught, only learnt through practice.

Why am I saying this? Well, I think its incredibly important to try to talk and engage with children and this is something that I have difficulty with. I tend to mumble through stories and talk in a very boring way to them. However, recently I have been using some of these storytelling techniques either at evening story time or simply during the course of our day. I can be washing up and telling the kids about what I am doing and they stand quietly amused. It's quite good fun, but also its clearly helping Toddler Boy with his speech difficulties. Yes, I am slowly descending further into madness, but hey, its fun. Try to be enthusiastic about everything you do with them and talk to them with masses of enthusiasm even if it is only encouraging them to lay down whilst you change a nappy. I'm sure you will be amazed at the overall difference it makes to family life in all sorts of ways.

How to be good at Story-telling

The Value of Money

Let me preface this post with the background information that I am inherently quite mean. I have had to work really hard for stuff over the years (either physically or mentally), I love having nice things and stuff and I live in an incredibly affluent place.

It is nonetheless a mystery to me how people value money. You see, I happened to be looking at minimum wages the other day. Did you know that if you are 16 the minimum wage is £3.57? Let me say that again, you can be employed for £3.57 an hour legally in the UK today. How much is a copy of Red magazine? £3.50. I guess that's why lots of people buy the Daily Star at 20p. It's a salutary thought isn't it.

I stopped buying magazines on a regular basis years ago. I rely entirely on hand me down magazines. I'm mean. I used to have a Saturday job, I earn't £12 for a whole day of shop working. This paid for one hours driving lesson. The most expensive things I have ever bought; car, house, flute and a Mui Mui handbag which I bought in a rash moment of desire and I still use to this day. Maybe that's why I am a bit of a freebie whore, I do really appreciate the stuff.

But what am I getting at? Well, I guess its a sort of difficult thing to explain briefly and probably a whole PHD thesis in itself but I do find it really odd to read in blogs and talk to people about their different perceptions of money. For example, Modern Mother Susanna wrote a really interesting post recently about Making Money from Mummy blogging and how she felt that £2k wasn't worth the effort she put in. The Cybermummy conference at £80 a ticket has sparked a whole load of tweeting and blogging about cost, including this fab post by Claire. I can also recall frugal recipes being blogged and worries about how to clothe the kids.

It's all about perception isn't it? What your current income is, what your background is and how you feel about the value of things in this consumer focused, designer led society. I certainly didn't feel that we could survive financially without my return to work, and even though I earn £6.5 K less than my age, I don't actually bring very much money in a month after tax, childcare, pension. However, my return to work is financially motivated rather than emotional.

This brings me to something that has been worrying me for a while and that is how to teach children the value of money. Having read lots of parenting manuals it seems best to bribe and distract your children away from tantrums and naughty behaviour. As a working mum, I have an element of guilt about not being there and tend to compensate by purchasing stuff for them on a whim (I've blogged about this before). However, this is not good, they have no concept of how long it has taken me to earn that comic/ pair of socks/ toy car and therefore discard it after a short while. Cluttering my house in the meantime. So, my next parenting efforts are going to be directed at helping them appreciate stuff more. I think though, that perhaps we could all benefit from a moment of thought about the real cost of things and how lucky we might be compared to others.

The Value of Money

Then I found an old image of myself

In my little work world, I get to see all sorts of stuff. Old stuff, new stuff, shiny stuff and rusty stuff. Things people have found in their attic, things people have treasured for years. One of the things I am charged with doing is going through our fantastic (I would say that) stores and photograph, document, research and just check things. On my travels through the store on Monday, when I was actually mainly doing things geological and taxidermatological (lol). I had a little peep at the toy collection. Staring back at me was a fully moveable image of myself following my decline into motherhood. Check out the nose!

Then I found an old image of myself

Click, click, click- knitting

The lack of sewing posts here is partly because I have been incredibly busy recently dealing with poorly children. I am planning a, (don't tell anyone) VLOG on how to make a really simple and basic skirt, but this is also dependent on when Daddacool has a bit of free time and stops watching the football on the television.

In the meantime, I have been rediscovering the joy of knitting. Like a demented old lady I have been clicking the needles whilst in bed, at the Mother-in-laws and at any moment where there is no risk of impaling a small child. I've even been invited to a knitting club. St Albans really is a cosmopolitan place!

Knitting a childs jumper is still marginally cheaper than buying one, unless you shop in a supermarket. But its also very satisfying as they are quite small and quick to complete. I am really quite enjoying the sense of achievement as it grows centimetre by centimetre. Sometimes its the simplest, basic things that can bring you calming joy. I will keep you posted. In the meantime if you want some inspiration and some great tutorials make sure you visit and subscribe to Anjie's Blog, she is my inspirational craft guru and deserves a much higher profile than she currently has.

Click, click, click- knitting

And then she went on a rampage in...

...Waitrose. Which was fortunate as they were very nice about the whole affair. Fifi has been walking since Christmas, this means she is incredibly good and can run really fast in a sort of 'old lady' manner. It looks incredibly sweet. She also loves food. What was I thinking?

It was a bright sunny morning, I had a few minutes without Toddler boy. Frankly I couldn't be bothered with the pushchair. Fifi can walk so I strolled gently and quietly and slowly into the store. That was when she broke ranks and ran. "Me, me, me MOOOOOREEEE". The apples delicately and pleasingly displayed at toddler height were obstruction free. I could almost see them quiver. Before I could even move, well, I was sort of, rooted to the spot at the horror as it unfolded, about 20 finest top quality organically and fair tradedly apples were strewn across the floor of the shop. Old ladies and geriatric men were bowled over. Literally. Who was I kidding when I thought no-one saw the incident and quickly scooped her up, fist clenching an apple and moved to a different aisle.

I put the little one down again and before I knew it she was back rampaging. I will have you know that is hard to hold a bucking, wrenching baby, a basket and my fair trade organic cotton shopping bag all at the same time. Still, nothing really in reach until we reached THE EGGS.

Now, I admit, this was my fault entirely but I was momentarily distracted. Should I buy the essentials free range eggs? Or the East Anglian eggs? or the..... Oh. My. God. I look down, Fifi is surrounded by packets of eggs, the contents of which are sort of swimming on the floor around her. To be fair, she is gamely attempting to scoop them back up and put them back. Creating a sort of additional mess as more and more boxes of eggs enter the fray.

Whenever this s0rt of thing happens the temptation is to run away. However, this is Waitrose, St Albans. Its a small world. Before I know it, I'll get a reputation for running away and leaving a very expensive mess. Usually Waitrose, St Albans has more staff than shoppers. I know, i'm often in there. I see them. Today there was no one in sight. I suspect they were all laughing at me on the CCTV. So I shouted, gamely "help, errr, help". Another more organized mum came over. Baby behaving in the trolley in a way that neither of my children do (unless they are busy rummaging through a packet of Haribo's). " I'll get help" she said it kindly, but looked a bit smug. I stood there reduced to being a lemon. Old people, slowly cruising past the scene commenting.

The assistant came over " don't worry madam, no problem".
" Shall, I pay? I don't mind paying..." surveying about £40 worth of eggs". I did mind paying and was secretly wetting myself as I would have to put back most of the shopping to pay. "Absolutely not, no that's fine" I could see him thinking to himself; step away from the eggs madam, step away, code 9
And so, I made my exit, holding my head high despite the snooty commenting. Valuable lessons learn't; Never let a teeny tiny toddler loose in a supermarket. Always shop in a higher end supermarket, it often works out cheaper.

And then she went on a rampage in...

Free Tickets for The Blind Side

The Blind Side is the film that won Sandra Bullock her second Oscar. I'd love to see the film. I personally didn't like her dress that day but that's another matter. Warner Brothers have contacted me with the chance to see the film before it is generally released for FREE! Unfortunately I cant make it, but just in case you can I've posted the details below:

To celebrate the release of the Oscar(r) winning The Blind Side on 26th March, readers have a chance to be the first to see the film at a variety of cinemas on Tuesday 16th March. For your chance to attend a special daytime preview screening (at a number of locations), simply enter the below code at www.seefilmfirst.com to get your complimentary pair of tickets!

*Code: 560634*

The Blind Side Synopsis: Teenager Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) is surviving on his own, virtually homeless, when he is spotted on the street by Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock). Learning that the young man is one of her daughter's classmates, Leigh Anne insists that Michael-wearing shorts and a t-shirt in the dead of winter-come out of the cold. Without a moment's hesitation, she invites him to stay at the Tuohy home for the night. What starts out as a gesture of kindness turns into something more as Michael becomes part of the Tuohy family despite the differences in their backgrounds. Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. And as the family helps Michael fulfill his potential, both on and off the football field, Michael's presence in the Tuohys' lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own.

(c) 2010 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved

Free Tickets for The Blind Side

Andrex 'Win Your Mortgage for a Year' Competition

This is a sponsored post, but If it wasn't, I would be doing this competition myself as it would save us a fortune! A fortune which could be profitably engaged in hiring a washer women to come round and launder hubby's enormous pants.

You don't really need to change your shopping habits, all that is required is a trip to ASDA to pick up a promotional pack of Andrex toilet roll alongside your other shopping. If you win the draw, Andrex Puppy Points will pay your mortgage payments (or rent) up to the value of £12,000 for a year and it is free to enter. So you have nothing to lose and you get to wipe your bottom on very soft toilet paper.

Heres a step by step guide, just in case you missed the point:

Step 1 - Buy your special promotional pack of Andrex from ASDA stores from the 15th of March (for one week only).

Step 2 - Go to www.andrexpuppypoints.co.uk/asda and sign up

Step 3 - Enter the code on the inside of pack and you will qualify for one free entry into the competition.

Step 4 - Wait.

If you're the lucky winner, step 4 will be followed by step 5, which involves getting excited and jumping up and down. But of course, you need to be in it to win it. In fact, you don't need to get over excited, you probably buy Andrex anyway, after all it is the most popular toilet roll in the country. Can you believe that one in ten homes actually own an Andrex puppy?

Andrex 'Win Your Mortgage for a Year' Competition

Lambing Live Versus One Born Every Minute

Currently on British television are two programmes about giving birth. One features sheep, one features humans. Yes, there is some confusion in this household too. It has been interesting to watch the programmes, amazing to see the similarities between humans and sheep. Sometimes lambs need bottle feeding and they can be rejected by their mothers. Both have ultrasounds, both wear woolly jumpers in winter.

Lambs clearly give birth a lot more easily than humans. No, I mean a lot more easily. Two births have stuck in my mind from the One Born Every Minute programme; the girl who was on her fifth baby, which literally just popped out and the girl who was screaming blue murder when she was about 1 mm dilated. Lambs don't do this. It would be disturbing if they did.

I recall that during my university Anatomy course we were told something about the modification of the pelvis as a result of upright walking causing all the pain in birth. Why is it then, that some people make more of a fuss/ its far more painful, than for others? My thought is that mind over matter has a lot to do with it, I could be wrong. Perhaps some of us walk more funny than others and have weirder shaped pelvis'. High heels can disguise anything.

So anyway, what makes a better birthing programme; lambs or humans? In terms of ability to eat dinner whilst watching, it has to be lambs, in terms or voyeurism it has to be humans. Both have been great television. One has a special poignancy for me; Lambs have a nice life, just not a very long one, sob.

Lambing Live Versus One Born Every Minute

What's a Slapper Mummy?

"Errr, well, err, a clapper? that's one of those flappy, rattly things we use at music class."
"no mummeeeeee, a SLAPPER" (perfect pronunciation from Toddler boy for this word).
"It's someone who goes around slapping people hard, they are a very naughty person."
"like (insert name) at school?"
"yes, that's right...."

And yet again, I am praying for an inevitable situation not to happen...

Curse the youth of St Albans today and their loud voices, incessant talking (mainly swear words peppered with the odd verb) and lack or understanding of personal space.

What's a Slapper Mummy?

Breaking the Rules, Being Neurotic or Just Plain Sensible?

It all started off with good intentions. Toddler boy was going to go to pre-school today, honest. But then I started thinking. Should I send him? You know, what with all this sickness and diarrhea and chickenpox going around. The hubby then suggests that I keep him off, because he has an important appointment which he can't really miss at the start of next week and his sister is about to have her MMR (after the 4th month of rescheduling). This leads to a long convoluted discussion which revolves around the principle that if we didn't know people that had these conditions through friendship, we wouldn't know and so would just send him. All I could picture was the pre-school sick bowl I almost walked into on Tuesday morning, coupled with the smiling face of pre-school key worker "... don't worry this particular child is sick almost every morning, he works himself up...". I clearly looked shocked and disbelieving.

But, you see, if I kept the Toddler off, I could hardly take the baby to music class. A place that is notorious for germ catching (in the eyes of my mother) and somewhere which I love going to, but have to admit, was slightly put off by the baby throwing up about 1 inch from my shoe all over the instruments. (I'm sure they get cleaned though). OMG the dilemmas of parentood raise their head again.

Neurotic or not? In the end, I opted for a straw poll, I phoned my mum, the hubby (just to clarify his position) and my friend. 3 out of 3 people went for the self imposed quarantine and so I felt justified in staying at home. I was easily influenced by them, self preservation is becoming my key mode of thought and I didn't really fancy yet another night sitting on the cold, cold bathroom floor throwing my innards up into the loo.

However, the Toddler had other ideas as soon as he realised he wasn't going to school his attitude changed from " me no go school, me cry, me cry mamma, me no go" to " me want go school mamma, purlease, peease, purlease mamma". It's moments like this that require all the patience and steadfastness that one can summon up. Wavering decision making is clearly not the best parental trait. Note to self.

Self imposed quarantine brings with it its own issues. Guilt being the worst! 'I must try to make sure I cover as much of the EYFS framework as is humanly possible in a day' being one part of this guilty complex. Hence; building blocks, painting, printing, chalk, a walk and discussion about the weather, television, making pastry and then cooking a whole pie, reading, singing and finally indoor football.

Recite after me: "please God, don't punish me, keep my children healthy until after 10.00 on Tuesday morning, forgive me for encouraging, aiding and abetting this truancy, thank you very much..."

Breaking the Rules, Being Neurotic or Just Plain Sensible?

Aw Gawd; Its a Midlife Crisis

Over the past few weeks I have come to the conclusion that I must be having a midlife crisis. Early, granted, but then men can have them early so why can't women? These are the factors;

• A desire to have more children, purely because I probably can't for a number of reasons
• A desire to completely revamp my wardrobe into slightly more glamorous less practical items, most of which I wore 'last time around'
• The desire to do something MORE with my life
• An inability to look in the mirror without seeing an old, fat hag
• The feeling of slight embarrassment every time I step into my sensible car
• A need to be contrary and argumentative about the silliest things
• The taking of every opportunity to avoid my in-laws
• A feeling of life passing me by
• A desire to relive my youth, go out clubbing etc etc

Is this how men feel all the time?

Aw Gawd; Its a Midlife Crisis

Fantastic Mr Fox

"Boggis and Bunce and Bean, one short, one fat one lean..." If these are words that resonate from your childhood, then you'll probably be aware that Fantastic Mr Fox was recently turned into a film.

It has one of the most stellar vocal casts I've ever seen- George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Michael Gambon and a sly cameo from Jarvis Cocker as Petey, are the highlights but nobody really puts a foot wrong. Unlike a lot of the computer animated affairs, the characters aren't homages to the voice talent either (Will Smith in any animation is definitely Will Smith).

In fact, the animation is in a league of its own. It doesn't try to compete with Pixar because lets be frank, everyone that tries to do that fails miserably but the animation is so charming, you can't help but love it.

But I'm getting a bit ahead of myself here, lets rewind a couple of weeks to a very generous invite to a private screening of Fantastic Mr Fox at 20th Century Fox's offices in London prior to today's DVD release (1st March). We also got a pre release copy of the DVD too. Which was nice. So obviously I'd seen the film about 5 times by yesterday morning.

M'laddo hadn't been to the cinema before and I must admit I was a little apprehensive that he would have the ability to concentrate and keep still for the duration of a film at the cinema. It's a bit different at home, he can wander around, grab a cheese sandwich, push his little sister over and so on and so forth. After all, he isn't quite 3 yet.

I shouldn't have worried though because as soon as the 20th Century Fox logo and anthem appeared (something my generation can't really separate from Star Wars), an absolutely smashing grin appeared on his chops that didn't disappear for approximately 83 minutes. He really was transfixed.

The film itself, in case you don't know the plot, follows the titular Mr Fox as he plans one last caper, a raid on the farms of his 3 nemesis's Farmers Boggis, Bunce and Bean. The raids go spectacularly well and incense the farmers. The farmers have their revenge though and try to dig him out of his home. Things escalate and soon it becomes a matter of life of death...

There are so many neat touches, the banter between Mr Fox's son Ash and his cousin Kristophersson are brilliant, really capturing the tension between youngsters. The use of the word "cuss" instead of swearing is inspired and has entered my daily lexicon to boot.

As well as a great vocal cast, the film has a truly cracking soundtrack. The characters wander around with little music players clipped to their belts, a nice touch, to provide us all with some musical accompaniment. We get Beach Boys, Rolling Stones and a new composition from Jarvis Cocker.

All in all its remarkably loyal to the book whilst being its own film and having its own style. I simply love the animation and hope they do another film using the same style. For M'laddo its joined "New BuzzLightyear" and "Flappy Bat" as one of his most favouritist films ever.

High praise indeed!

Fantastic Mr Fox