Mr Whirl wind visit.

This weekend I was visited by Tracy Pearl. He is a one man cyclone and I love him dearly. Thursday night we got drunk and caught up on life, fixed my computer, TV and made plans for Friday.

Friday with hangovers hanging Mr Whirl cycloned through my house, fixing the upstairs toilet - it now flushes, putting in extra sockets downstairs so I could have my phone in the living room and additional sockets in the kitchen. He also found time to secure my gate, work out how to record using my DVD player and sorted out my switches.

I needed a rest after he left to visit friends, but there is no rest for the wicked. I set off at 9.30 to do my first "Sing and Sign" class. Feeling brave I took Dylan with me. I had seven lovely couples show up for each session I ran. The all bore with me whilst I forgot signs, songs and attempted to keep control of Dylan. I thought the sessions were a bit "haphazard" but everyone seemed to have fun. Next week though I'm going to enlist mum to look after Dylan, its just too much hard work to run a class and keep control of the wee man.

I finally admit it - Supper Mum I'm not!

DIY Disaster but Im busy...

Yep, still no further forward than last week, got nothing done in the house but I have been fairly active socially. I got asked to sit on a panel for a local community centre - The Meadowwell, a volunteer lead centre that has recieved some lottery funding.

Its totally strange for me to be put in this position as Ive never really done it before, but Im gung ho, so turned up ready to go. The day itself was fun, I interviewed with a guy called Mel, we were two total oposites but it worked well and we both found the other was able to cover (or give the flanel) when required.

By the end of the day we were left with two candidates who shone, although the other six or seven really did present well and it was a hard decision. However we still had two other candidates to see.

On the whole I found it hard because its a huge position of power to be given. You sit there judging if someone is good or offering you the right information. And lets face it - every one blags at interviews. There was only one candidate who was totally awful and I hate to say it but he was the most "educated" of the bunch - just seemed unable to offer a full sentance without glipping off to some strange tangent. He had also "supposedly" ran workshops for people looking for work, offering advice on how to present at interviews, put together a cv and send out a letter....

How strange.

Anyway we did the final interviews today and was quite blown away by the two candidates, it took us a futher 40 minutes of discussion to decide on the correct candidate. I just hope we made the right decision.

Dylan was farmed out to Annette, who had a totally awful time with him - even with attending sing and sign - he got so upset he ended up being sick. Annette was at the end of her tether and almost called me back, but luckily he tired himself out screaming and fell asleep.

Ohh me thinks this two weeks holiday have, in a way, been a bit of a mistake, he has got so used to spending time with me that he has kinda taken steps back on the "leaving mommie" front. Im begining to worry about Monday, but hope that when I go back to work and mum takes Dylan he will find the routine soothing.

Ahhh is there ever a day when we can stop worrying.

Now Ive been told....

This last week or so, with holiday, DIY and Dylan I've been hiding from the world, I've not been out, not called friends and have fled to my bed many a night before the clock chimed 8o'clock. I'm not depressed, I've just been thinking, doing and yes I admit it ignoring people.

This week I've been in the house for a year, I keep walking around thinking "God I haven't done this, that or the other". Ive also decided to drop the classroom assistant course, its just not right for me right now, time and commitments just feel to much and make me think that I dont want to be spending this time doing a course, that it isnt really going to get me where I want to be. It's a big decision, but I think its the right one, I hope...

Today Annette turned up, unannounced all set to give me a dressing down. "Friends are there to talk to, to listen to you, to help out..." I felt awful because I knew I was doing it but I just felt that I needed the time out to get my head sorted.

Ive also had a dressing down from my friend Stephen, who has sent copious emails and texts.

So now I've been told - not that I'm bad, but that I have friends who care that I'm regressing into my shell. I feel good about that, I feel good about my friends and I feel good about life.

Scent of a mommie

Ive been on holiday for the last week or so. I intended to get the DIY in the house sorted: paint the hallway, get the laminate put down upstairs in the hall, replace the stair carpet, move Dylan out of the little box room into the big room, finish off the bathroom, kitchen and finally decorate the spare room.

Sadly - as is the way with plans - Dylan went down with the mother of all colds and my mum also suffered. With a very clingy baby and no childcare the plans went kinda to pot, but I did get the hallway painted and Dylans room, if I say so myself its very cute with a fishy feel.

Dylans cold though really held things up and I did, at times, begin to fret about my lack of movement foreward.

However I just had to blog about a little event that happened cause it sums up for me the closeness of us. Dylan, with his cold and chest infection was very poorly last Wednesday, so poorly infact that he even made himself sick trying to get settled. Eventually both of us lay in bed, he smothered vicks and me with worry.

Lying cuddled into him I hit upon an idea to help him breath and smothered myself in tiger balm, suddenly my cuddly baby was a screaming, spewing wreck. I hurried into the bathroom and washed off the tiger balm, then thinking my smothering idea was a good one, I covered myself in vicks, after all its a bit softer than tiger balm and Dylan was also smothered in it. I got into bed thinking "good thinking mommie" but nope, once again Dylan began kicking and crying, actually pushing me away, hitting me and getting himself into a right state.

Once again I headed into the bathroom and washed off the vicks, not sure what to do for Dylan I climbed back into the bed and pulled the frustrated Dylan towards me, he snuffled into my chest, stroked my face and then fell into a deep, deep sleep.

Just goes to prove that nothing beats the scent of a mommie.

A Day with Daddy

Wake up - once daddy has got out of bed.

Check on the toys


Ensure I have my dodie


Make some phone calls


Have a bath


Have breakfast


Get the guys round

Get the transport going

Visit the park

And you know... Have a ride

Climb some stuff

Have a bite to eat.

Before heading off home

To sort out the transport

and checking on the animals

Have my tea - mm pasta!

Then back to bed, to do it all again tomorrow.

Back to school

Well I've done it, I've returned to school - but this time as a class room assistant. It was SOOOOO much fun. And so bloody different from the slipper ridden, black board throwing days I was in the class room.

The teacher I'm working with Angie (but not in front of the children) Gibson, is a real inspiration, she is everything I could want to be. In control, fun and just plain Cool (yes with a capital C).

We did maths (scary for a CSE grade 1 passee) but I managed the tens, hundreths and thousands thang and even got control of the whole rounding up thang with a table of six.

We then did PE - which to me was running through the hills in short shorts, with mud, snow and pimples so large on our legs they matched the hills we were running over. To these kids though its a chance to learn, stretch and involve each other - perogative learning!

The final lesson was English - "Water babies". Angie (but not in front of the children) said I'm going to read this and I want you to follow it. My heart sunk and I was driven back to Miss Hughes reading through a story in a dead pan voice, no intonation and no full stops. Angie acted out much of the first chapter, discussing with the kids hard word that may not be understood and comparing today's life with the years of yesteryear.

I left after 3hrs feeling that I had learnt more in this time than I have learnt from my course in six months. The staff were friendly and welcoming and the kids - well they were quite lovely. Not the yobs of years to come but kids who wanted to learn, please and quite frankly shine.

Inspiration - Ive already decided to sign Dylan up.

The only thing I'm trying to get used to is being called Miss!!!

18 months old

What a milestone, my wee baby - or should that be toddler - has passed this milestone, my favourite baby site babycentre.co.uk says this:

On the move - Your 18-month-old is becoming a proficient walker. Ha - we laugh at walking - he is running! He may motor up stairs with help (huh - gates have been removed because he's just so bally confident and I cant be bothered to keep bumping into them whenever Ive had a drink)and likes to climb all over your furniture. He'll try to kick a ball, though he won't always be successful. He probably likes to dance if you play music and will push and turn buttons and knobs if they're in reach - Yep, switching tv on and off and the microwave has become the "it" toy of the moment.


Is he ready for toilet training? Before a child can learn to use a potty, he must develop the sensory awareness that allows him to hold in his urine or bowel movements. Most toddlers don't learn this until they are at least 18 months old. You'll have much better success if you wait until your child is showing all the signs of readiness before you start potty training.

Have to admit that this is the next step I want to crack - Ive been using re-usable nappies and whilst I love them the idea of getting rid of them makes me SMILE - so here is to potty training.

Developing memory and imagination - Somewhere between 18 months and 24 months your toddler will begin to show that he can think about things that aren't present. For example, he'll no longer be confused if you hide an object while he watches and then move it to another spot when he's looking away. After he discovers it's not where he thought it was, he'll keep searching.

Im really pee'd off about this cause its one of my favourite games, keeps Dylan busy for ages. I hide all of his toys and then he spend the morning looking for them. It used to be called putting things away!!!


Comfort objects and habits - For a toddler, a favourite stuffed toy is a great source of comfort. He might also have some habits that soothe him -- like twirling his hair, rocking, or sucking his thumb. Most children naturally outgrow these things by the time they're four, so there's no need to intervene now.

Dylan has taken to carrying things around in three's, the tiger, the elephant and the lion. Thomas, Edward and the blue train from Thomas the tank engine. The only exceptions to this rule of three is Roly Mo and little Mo who can be added to any of the above or just carried on thier own. Im not sure where this three rule came from, other than we always count to three - perhaps I should up the anti.


Discipline - If you reward good behaviour and do not reward bad behaviour, your child will quickly learn right from wrong. You could try to model the behaviour you hope to foster in your children, because they will learn by copying you. If you make a rule, like never allowing your child to leave the garden without an adult, then stick to it, and never let him risk it. He will soon remember that it is taboo.

Ahhh the ole stick to the rule rule.... hmm struggling with this one. That's me not Dylan, its really hard to say "No" and mean it when your peeing yourself laughing.

Anyway, its been a fantastic 18 months and Ive loved so much of the time, yes some of it has made me cry, but most of it Ive been laughing. Have to include this one pick - does it show potential to be a computer wizard!

Time flies

And I have done nothing, nothing I tell you except eat - not great for the diet. Sleep - hard when you have to get up at 6 most mornings and work - yep finally working night times to bring in those all elusive pennies.

Im working Tuesday and Thursday nights, its hard on the ole body clock - but the bank manager is a whole lot happier. Ive also completed my training for "Sing and sign". Dylan and I have been watchin the training video every day, Id like to think I have the confidence to do it, but the closer the day arrives to my new job the more Im begining to think, why the hell would anyone want me teaching them when Im singing.

To this end I watched Xfactor tonight and it scares me how confident people are, I mean there is a world of madness out there that think they can hold a tune in a tin can, and there is the big Simon and Louis saying no. Here I am putting myself forward as not only a tutor but someone with the ability to hold it all together with "twinkle twinkle little star" and "Old McDonald". Try it, sing those songs and suddenly realise that you need a drum beat and harmonies to hold it all together.

Other than that I've aquired two doors, with glass in them for my hall and toilet. I know - why would anyone want a door on a toilet with a glass panel, but it lets the light into my very dark hallway - only to discover that they are 2 inches two short. And who says size doesnt matter. Will freecycle them in the hope that size doesnt matter to someone.

Ive also got some paint for my bedroom, it blue, this house is becoming very blue. Its not one of my favourite colours but beggars cant be choosers and it came to me free. Im lining it up for my two weeks off at the end of this month. I was supposed to be going to Italy, but things didnt work out. Im now going to spend it trying to do as much DIY in this place as possible, in the hope that I will get a vist from Mr P (ex landlord who now lives in NZ) and his new sex goddess Freya.

We have also had fleas - yep, the cats, who lived with bunnies, mice and hedgelhogs in the caravan brought these peskie beasties into my house. I found one in Dylan's hair - FREAK ZONE - the house and cats were de-liced immediately with a deadly "Get out of your house" spray. No living thing was allowed in the house for two hours after spraying and the poor spiders and woodlice who have found comfort from the downpours that have been happening over the last couple of weeks, have died - mercelessly. Im assuming it was good stuff!!

Other than that all is fine and dandy. Dylan is with his pappy tonight, so Im on the VODKA - hmmm so nice. Off for a bath and then onto a good book. Cant remember what Im reading at this present moment in time but Im sure its something intelligent.