Monthly Archives: October 2013

Coughs and colds – facts to make you cringe

30 Wednesday Oct 2013

Posted by in Seasonal

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Did you know the average computer mouse is dirtier than a toilet seat?

Yep, I know. Gross.

Coughs and colds are rife in our house at this time of year and I’m now wondering if my rather lackadaisical attitude to cleaning may not be exactly helping matters.

Don’t get me wrong, I clean. Occasionally. Every now and again I am consumed with the need to rid my house of dust and I go on a spree, running around the house waving a duster frantically. I even bought a mop the other day. Continue reading »

Motherhood – why do we look at the fails over the wins?

29 Tuesday Oct 2013

Posted by in Motherhood

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It’s been one of those days. A day of rain outside and tantrums inside. Grumpiness and lost patience. I have spent much of the day berating myself for not being enough – enough of a mother, wife or worker.

Half term means the (self-proclaimed) Northern Love Machine is at home. With my job working (mainly) from home and his job teaching, it means that school holidays are an opportunity for us all to spend time together, as a family. Except for the days like today, when we are all on top of each other, I am feeling panicked about not getting any work done and the house feels like a pressure cooker of frayed tempers and bad moods.

Today was not a good day.  Continue reading »

Pumpkins – why I don’t do faces

29 Tuesday Oct 2013

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I’ve always been a sucker for tradition. I love the different opportunities for traditions that this time of year brings: the carved pumpkins, fireworks displays, toffee apples and *whispers* run up to Christmas.

The thing is, I am time poor. Not only that, but I have rosy ideas of how something will be that often leave me disappointed. Take last year, for example. I had a beautiful image of spending a cosy afternoon sitting around the log fire and carving pumpkins with my (then) two year old. In my head, we would peacefully create something pretty to be displayed in the window, complete with gently flickering candle.  Continue reading »

A day at the beach

24 Thursday Oct 2013

Posted by in Family, Travel

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A day at the beach

It was a cold autumnal Sunday. With a mountain of items on our To Do list and a three year old demanding attention, the (self-proclaimed) Northern Love Machine and I were feeling fraught, up-tight. In the end I left him to his work and put aside my own list to later that evening.

I took Frog to the beach and we escaped from all demands for a full day.

Who says the beach is just for summer, anyway? Continue reading »

Frog gets new togs

21 Monday Oct 2013

Posted by in Baby and toddler products, Fashion

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Panda top

I’ve always been a bit of a sucker for kids’ clothes. Actually, I’ve always been a bit of a sucker for clothes, full stop. Right back to those heady days, aged 12, when I would save up for a new T’shirt from Tammy Girl, through to the late teens when a night out would mean an excuse to pop to Topshop for a new dress.

These days, I get as much pleasure in finding cool new stuff for my three year old to wear as I do in finding a new outfit for myself. Whether it’s a charity shop find (Boden dress with the price tag on recently – purchased for £3.25, get in!) or a more upmarket purchase, as long as the outfit is bold, fun and not covered in pink glitter, then we are happy. Frog is becoming increasingly picky about what she’ll agree to wear, so it looks like she may be developing her mother’s love of clothes. Continue reading »

There is no “One Size Fits All” method of parenting

18 Friday Oct 2013

Posted by in Family, Motherhood

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One Size Fits All Approach

You need to learn one thing when you become a parent, and learn it fast: you will never win.

There is no topic that is quite as emotive, opinionated or talked about as the subject of parenting. From best-selling books to primetime TV programmes, websites to NHS leaflets, hundreds of millions of books have been written about the “best” and “right” way to raise children. And you know what? They all say different things.

Whichever parenting expert you choose to follow, there will be another one just waiting to tell you to do the opposite. And I use “expert” in the broadest sense. Whether it is your mum or your best friend, your health visitor or a celebrity nanny, there are many people who believe they know you and your baby better than you do yourself.  Continue reading »

How do you define “team player” as a parent?

17 Thursday Oct 2013

Posted by in Family, Motherhood, Relationships, Work

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Parenting as a team

When you raise kids with someone, I guess it’s pretty obvious that there has to be an element of “team playing” in the role. I’m not talking about being consistent with behaviour, or praise, or whatever – I’m on about the more back-to-basics stuff. The DOING stuff. The bits of being a parent and living in a house that are vital, but often overlooked because they’re just so, well, OBVIOUS.

When I first became a mum I was on maternity leave for a year. The first part of the year was all newborn baby sleep deprivation, adjustment and trying desperately to get out to meet other mums. The second part of the year was all about setting up a new direction in my career, building a portfolio so I could start freelancing.  Continue reading »

Scooter: 1, Hypermobility: 0

10 Thursday Oct 2013

Posted by in Walking

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Hypermobility toddler

This is my daughter just before her second birthday. At nearly two years old, she couldn’t walk.

She has hypermobile joints – although we didn’t know it when this photo was taken. We had yet to go through physio and find out that insoles in her shoes would help her. We had yet to see her run or jump in puddles. We had yet to know that she would face the battle to walk so valiantly and come out the other side grinning. Continue reading »