Monday 29 April 2013

Monkey's Mummy Bakes...

Chocolate Cupcakes



I'm an OK baker. I try really hard and sometimes I have had some great successes which I have been really proud of.

But, when people are kind enough to compliment me by saying I should make cakes professionally I have the same answer each time. I'm not good enough at decorating!

And so I'm always looking for ways to hide the imperfections. I was really pleased to try out these cupcake wrappers from Paper Themes. They're personalised and so are perfect for a special occasion. I've already had my wedding but with the rise in popularity of cupcake wedding cakes I think these are going to be so popular as an added special twist.

Sunday 28 April 2013

Stress!!!

I know that everyone under the sun told me that buying a house was one of the most stressful things you can do - and I let that piece of wisdom go in one ear and out the other.

Lesson learnt now though and I have had one of the most stressful weeks of my life...and nothing has been resolved so it all rolls over into next week.

In a little blogging therapy, allow me to detail all the weights on my shoulders at present:

Monday 22 April 2013

A Very Public Meltdown


It's happened. We have had our very first extreme tantrum in public. And I survived...just!

On Sunday we decided to go to a garden centre about 30 minutes drive away as it sold a particular brand of paint (I am DIY-Obsessed at the moment).

The 5.15am wake-up call from Monkey had meant I wasn't in the best of moods when we set off and I had a feeling we shouldn't all be going.

Friday 19 April 2013

Different Parenting Styles


When you are expecting your first child nearly everyone has an idea of the sort of parent they are going to be. And I think for a lot of people the reality is quite a bit different.

I can’t remember what I thought I was going to be like as a parent but I've become a little bit of a pushover. I pick my battles carefully and so sometimes that means that I give in to Monkey's demands.

Wednesday 17 April 2013

Does The Dream Job Exist?

Is it a myth of TV shows and Hollywood movies that you can find a job which makes you jump out of bed in the morning and thoroughly enjoy the 9-5?

I’ve had four jobs in my professional working life and, if I'm honest, I have not yet found one that I really love.

Monday 15 April 2013

A Difficult Weekend


It seems ironic that I wrote only one week ago about what a lovely weekend I had had, when I have just endured one of the toughest weekends ever!

I've been ill having picked up yet another stomach bug, my 8th in the space of a year! The trouble was this time that my hubby was working meaning I was solo-parenting. 

He's a journalist - a job which pretty much doesn't give you a day off when you have an event to cover. So, despite my being ill on Saturday he had to head off, leaving me with a troublesome toddler.

Friday 12 April 2013

Accepting Help


Living so far away from our parents (3hour drive each way) we have learnt to be pretty self-sufficient when it comes to looking after Monkey.

We rarely go out together and on the odd wedding anniversary when we have gone out a friend has watched Monkey and we have gone to the restaurant down the road.

Wednesday 10 April 2013

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

I’ve mentioned before that Monkey is a clever one. He can hold a pretty comprehensive conversation at only 2 years and two months old and we have constantly been astounded by how quickly he picks things up.

However, that intelligence is turning around to bite us in the bum.
Monkey has worked out that the word ‘help’ elicits a very quick response from either parent and so he has began to use the word rather frequently.

Sunday 7 April 2013

Trying Something New

I've mentioned before that I am not one of those parents who does crafts, who lets their child join in with daily chores or who comes up with endless amounts of imaginative play. In fact, if I had to categorise myself I'd probably say I'm a distracted and slightly lazy parent.

Today, though I tried something different and I said 'yes' more often.

Instead of one of us grown-ups going to Homebase during the lunchtime nap to avoid taking Monkey with us we went this morning as a three. Yes, it took an hour and a half and involved a pretend bath in one of the show bathrooms but that was quite fun.

Friday 5 April 2013

A Blogging Blank

My blog and I are going through a rough patch. And as we have only been together for a little under two months I’m a bit worried that it’s too early for problems to be creeping in.

But it’s confessional time and the problem is that the blog is always there! I liked the company at first but over the past few days it’s felt a bit like an annoying child clinging at my ankles (and I already have one of them!)

I don’t really have time to give to the blog as much as I would like but that’s just a question of dedication and if I want this relationship with my blog to work then I’ll just have to make the time.

No, the problem is that I don’t know what the blog wants from me! What does it want me to write about when my day consisted of an uneventful hour with Monkey, eight hours at work and then an equally uneventful hour before bed.

Life’s just been a little bit normal over the past few days - we’ve had easy bedtimes, the tantrums haven’t been so bad and the house move is all on course and just ticking along nicely.

I have nothing to say.

The only thing I could tell you about this week is that I have drunk a lot, eaten a lot of chocolate and researched garden gates for about four hours in total.

And let’s face it no-one wants to hear about that!

Tuesday 2 April 2013

An Easy Easter

Is there anything better than milkshake?
Well, that was great wasn't it? We've just had the loveliest Easter break together and for once I have returned refreshed and rejuvenated.

Living so far away from our families means that Monkey doesn't get to see his grandparents (on both sides) very often and so he more than makes it up for it when he does. From Friday to Sunday during our time at the inlaws Mummy and Daddy were invisible. Cuddles and kisses were reserved for Nanny and Grandad (mostly just Nanny) and squeals of joy let out only at the arrival of his 1 year old cousin each day.

For me, this was a massive change. It's normally all Mummy, Mummy, Mummy with me not being allowed to even go to the toilet without listening to the ongoing meltdown over my momentary departure.

I didn't feel left out though and instead I just revelled in his joy at being with his extended family and enjoyed the sit-down when I got it.

It also made a massive change on Monday when it was just me and Monkey with a whole bank holiday stretched in front of us. I didn't stress, I didn't shout, in fact I barely sat down such was the reserve of energy I had.

And today I went back to work, grateful for the break I had had. But also the return to work today marked the start of The Countdown. We're on course to move house in May and moving house means that whole life change we have all been after. New house, new job and a new and fresh perspective.

I can't bloomin' wait!