26 Tuesday Jun 2012
Posted in Motherhood, Pregnancy
Tags
.motherhood, babies, birth, birthdays, labour pains, Pregnancy
It started with a hot, hot morning. The sun beat down on my swollen belly.
The tears flowed freely when I heard my mum’s voice on the end of the phone.
“Nothing’s happening,” I sniffed. “I thought it was all kicking off yesterday, but everything’s stopped. I don’t feel like it’s safe in there anymore!” Continue reading »
06 Saturday Aug 2011
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
birth, Bonnie Tyler, family, Kylie Minogue, labour, siblings, sisters, Take That, tap shoes
When I was little, there was one person in the whole world who had the ability to send me into a rage. She was about 3 and a half foot, had a wonky fringe and very much enjoyed doing handstands in front of the TV – while it was being watched. She also liked to steal diaries and do loud kissy noises when any boys were around.
Meet my sister, circa 1992.
There are nearly four years between my sister and I. So I was firmly used to being Number One Diva in the house by the time she arrived. To soften the blow, I was given a pair of roller skates and a pair of tap shoes the day my sister was born. Apparently she was a wonder child, who miraculously exited the womb to pop to the shops and find presents worthy of buttering up an older sister. Of course I was won over the instant I saw her – those were some very special tap shoes.
27 Monday Jun 2011
Posted in Uncategorized
6.43 am, 27th June 2010: the moment my life changed forever.
You are tiny, little Frog. Purple, you don’t even look human really. Your little feet are all crooked from where they’ve been scrunched up inside me so long. Your little hands make angry fists. Continue reading »
26 Sunday Jun 2011
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
babies, birth, contractions, labour, Parenting, relationships, Wind
This time a year ago I went into labour.
Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be one of those posts where I regale you with the gory details of Frog’s birth. I’m saving that for another day. No, what I really wanted to do was offer a word of advice to expectant fathers out there – or any other prospective birth partners.
You see, the (self-proclaimed) Northern Love Machine shot into fatherhood with a bit of a bang – an “explosion” if you will. Continue reading »
19 Sunday Jun 2011
Posted in Uncategorized
18 Wednesday May 2011
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
I’ve been a bit of a soppy fool lately.
As Frog hurtles closer and closer to her first birthday, I can’t stop looking back. I can so clearly see what I was doing this time last year. I was huge, swollen, fed up.
And then she was born and that was it. Life had begun.
The weekend after Frog made an appearance, her Northern grandparents came to visit. It was a special weekend, as my mum, dad and sister all joined in too. We had a barbecue and I stuffed my face, making the most of the “extra calories” I needed for breastfeeding. Continue reading »
28 Thursday Apr 2011
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
birth, blogs, gluten free, Introducing, lactose free, menopause, Parenting, Pregnancy, teenagers
So I’ve been back from my holiday for less than a week and it’s already time to step aside and hand some Mother’s Right limelight to you lot. Don’t say I never give you anything.
And in yet another act of unspeakable generosity, I’ll give a little recap as to what Introducing actually is. This is for anyone who’s new here, or who just hasn’t been paying attention.
Every Tuesday I send out an elephant-style trumpet for new friends. This is your chance to email me and introduce yourself. Then on Thursday, I pick three new friends (for this, read “blogs”) to bring to the rest of the blogosphere. The rules are simple but strict. All you have to do is email me with a link to your blog, but the limit is three a week. Anymore than that and I fear my brain will explode.
If you missed the sterling job Frau Fancy did holding the fort while I was away, catch up here and here. She brought us some brilliant new blogs and proved she’s as capable of work as the rest of us non-fancy lot.
So, this week the choices are mine. Oh, the power…
For a funny, honest and thought-provoking read about pregnancy, this is the woman to visit. Circus Queen is on the eve of giving birth to her first child and writes so engagingly about her journey through pregnancy, I am as excited about the birth of her baby as I am any “real life” friends I know! What’s more, she lives in Bristol, which is where I’m from, earning her a big Introducing bonus point.
OK, so my daughter’s only ten months old. But I’m a regular visitor to this blog to see what lovely situations lie in wait for me when she becomes a teenager. Her Melness calls the subject of her blog The Gibberish Generation and writes about teenagers, parenting, relationships, the menopause…all sorts really. She has a raft of tips and anecdotes for living with teens, such as some must-read and very funny insights into how to tell if your child is lying. I’m personally storing all this as ammo to use once I make it through the baby years.
This is the go-to blog for anyone who needs to follow a lactose or gluten free diet. With recipes like Easter Bunny biscuits and Nachos, I defy anyone to leave this space without feeling slightly peckish.
That’s your lot for this week. Don’t forget to come back on Tuesday to answer my call for next week’s Introducing stars.
01 Friday Apr 2011
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
It’s a big day.
No, scrap that – it’s a HUGE day. Because today sees the launch of Maternity Matters, the brainchild of Susanne at Ghostwriter Mummy and Jayne at Mum’s the Word.
I won’t go into too much detail, as I know you’re probably heading over there to take a look right now.
As part of the launch, I’m linking up to the Maternity Matters Meme over at The Life and Times of a Domestic Anarchist, to promote this great new site. We’re asked to link up a post we’ve already written about being a parent.
I’ve chosen my Rod Off post. Which one will you choose?
24 Thursday Mar 2011
Posted in Uncategorized
I’m a little stunned. And rather smug.
I’ve been wandering around the house all evening demanding everyone ask for my autograph. But seeing as I only live with one man and one baby, I haven’t signed as many as I’d have liked.
The reason for my decision to thrust pieces of paper at my family and start wearing sunglasses indoors? I’ve won an award.
The lovely Deb at Making Life More Beautiful has awarded me with the Kreativ Blogger award.
I’d love to bang on and on with a lengthy acceptance speech. But alas, this award comes with rules.
These are:
1) Link 10 blogs 2) Tell these bloggers about the award 3) Write 10 facts about yourself.
So here goes…
1) I like Take That and LOVE Gary Barlow.
So much so, that when I saw them live in 2009 I burst into tears when they appeared on stage. Much to the amusement of my sister and the (self proclaimed) Northern Love Machine. What can I say? It was an emotional time for me.
2) I’m scared of, and a little obsessed with sharks.
My favourite documentaries are ones about sharks. But I’ve never been able to watch Jaws all the way through. Far too scary. I have, however, dived with sharks. But they were only wimpy little ones in Thailand. Not the real deal like this fella…
3) The midwife who delivered Frog was called April.
I know this because the only thing I can really remember about the whole horrendous experience was moaning “I love April, good old April, she’s the best”…
4) I once found myself naked in front of five firemen.
In my bedroom. But not in a kinky way. I’m saving the rest for another blog post. Suffice to say if you think the lolling breast episode was embarrassing, this beats it hands down.
5) When I was around seven, I went through a superstitious faze.
This involved having to do a very odd little thing before either walking through a door or walking down the road. I puffed out my cheeks, held my nose and twirled on the spot. No idea why. I just did. It was my thing.
6) I have hairy toes.
But you know this already.
7) I rather like Poirot.
And Midsummer Murders. And any murder mystery type thing really. It may not be the coolest but I can’t help it.
8) I went to two universities.
Ooh, get me with my varied education. Alas, I don’t have a PHD. I have a degree in English Literature and a Postgraduate Diploma in Broadcast Journalism (for which I received a distinction. Not so thick now eh?).
9) I once read the news in my bra outside a shopping centre.
Photographic evidence that I’m not actually lying:
10) I love prawns.
Add an avocado and I’m yours. I can’t help it, I like 70s food. Yum.
It’s now my turn to share the award (feel free to roll out a red carpet and demand wine be brought to you on a silver platter)….
Northern Mummy with Southern Children
Nimble Fingers Steady Eyebrows