We've gone!!!

We've gone to Wordpress:

Www.buttonstinyworld.wordpress.com

(it's really good there.. Come and see...)

Packing List

Ok, two days at grandma and grandpa's - time to start loading the Beast! (that's our new family car in case you didn't know..). Travelling light..

- 3 night nappies, 3 sleep suits, don't need sleeping bags as sheets and blankets on her bed there
- 5 day outfits and vests and tights
- 15 nappies (ish), wipes, spray, wet bags and changing bag
- muslins and terries to lie on
- bath stuff is already there, toothbrush, toothpaste
- coat, blanket, hat and gloves
- bag of toys and playing mat
- bibs, spoons, bowls - time to try out the new highchair (let's hope the fridge is full of goodies for Rosie to try..)
- sling or two, buggy lives in the car

Also, swimming bag for her lesson before we go, some clothes for me, my tablet, walking boots and a huge pile of egg boxes which is the obligatory gift to get you through the door there (to return replenished).

I'll save the picture until I've actually amassed some of this jumble together!

What have I forgotten?

Rosie's big night in!

It has finally happened - I left my baby girl.

We decided to go out for a meal for our 2nd wedding anniversary (mostly because we had some vouchers to use up!) and nana and grandad have been offering to babysit for a while. The only sticking point was that I haven't really left her. Except for once in the early days when my c-section opened and grandma looked after her and a couple of times since when Phil's had her all to himself. Never for more than an hour.

The main reason for this is that I haven't actually wanted to do anything more than be with her. And this is increasingly more true as the day goes on. By the night I love her so much I can barely put her to bed and go downstairs. I can't contemplate putting her to sleep in her own room either.

So to go out in the night is a BIG DEAL and the only reason we didn't take her is that we decided it was mean to keep her up.

The meal was delicious and the company ok. 😍 Actually leaving her was fine, her grandparents would know exactly what to do. It was very odd however looking at half naked mildly drunk people shouting at each other over the booming music. We spent half the meal saying that a Chinese in front of a boxset would be just as good a treat.

And when we got back - she hadn't even missed us. And that's not to say she didn't wake. She did, and nana cuddled her and she went back to sleep!

That's my girl!

Smugness

Today is one of those days when I realise that I'm a smug parent. Nothing is going to plan. I'm all frustrated and a bit annoyed. And then I realise that for some people everyday is like this.

The baby won't be put down. She can't sleep but she's exhausted. Shes crying a lot which inthink might be to do with teeth. The house is a tip because we seem to have embarked on a significant spring clean over the weekend - so when I say tip I mean tip. I'm starving and thirsty.

On the plus side we have made it to baby sign, albeit we missed the first quarter. But I've knocked over and emptied my bag twice by mistake. Let's hope a cuppa at my inlaws will cheer us up. (oh, and a clean nappy now :( )

Hello Grandma!

I think we're about to have our fourth follower and she might like to see our model wearing a very special cardigan!

Cooking... Food... Yummy

Yesterday we spent time cooking, eating and thinking about food.  It was great!

1. Firstly we made scones. (technically Rosie had breakfast and watched me make scones).  They were so easy, I have no idea why I haven't made them before, or at least since school.  As I didn't take a picture (no time, must eat them warm), I'll post the recipe and picture from the BBC food site.  It goes: 8oz self raising flour, pinch of salt, 2oz butter, 1oz caster sugar, 150ml milk, 1 egg to wash the tops.  Mix flour, salt and butter. Add sugar and mix.  Add milk and mix.  Stir in currants, roll out and cut shapes about 2 inches thick.  Cook for about 10-15 minutes on 220deg. You can see the full recipe here - the BBC doesn't get muddled with metric and imperial! We served them with strawberry jam, and extra thick double cream (which you can buy in the local Coop at 9pm - winner!).  They were a success for all - Rosie had a full half, 2 year old Elsie had a whole one.  Phil polished the remainder off at lunchtime.
2. Then we planned what we are cooking for friends on Saturday night.  A Jamie Oliver recipe with chicken legs and a tomato and basil sauce; jacket potatoes, and something for pudding...not sure what.
3. And while I was scanning the book - Jamie's Dinners - I came across supper:  Prawns, mangetouts, peas and butter beans.  Fry it up, with a can of tomato and some chilli and serve with couscous.  It was delicious, nutritious, and took about 10 minutes once Rosie was in bed. Oh and all the ingredients were in Aldi round the corner, which is my new favourite shopping experience.
4. The other mission for the day was to see if we could fill Rosie up.  She always eats what we give her, so I have started wondering whether she needs more food.  So yesterday she had her first day of three meals and this is what she ate:  In the style of the hungry caterpillar ..  One whole weetabix instead of a half served with defrosted breastmilk and a plum, then half a scone, a banana, some nectarine, and then avocado and an omelette for supper.  To be honest she hardly ate any of her supper.  I think it is because Phil made and served it... or else perhaps because she seems unwell, we had to give her calpol last night for the second time ever, and she is coughing away upstairs now.  Poor dab.

A big day for the blog, it was!

Well well, overnight I've become a literary success! Wait for it.. Two people commented on my blog. YAY!

It's hugely gratifying and I'm delighted with the encouragement to keep on. I feel like I'm getting into my stride a bit now with it, after those early weeks of trying to decide what sort of blog it's going to be and what angle to take, should it be a crafty one? A mumsy one? A cooking one? Or one of those all rolled up together ones? I think I've plumped for the latter as that is the most me of all the options. I'm now toying with joining mumsnet's bloggers network for inspiration and the community it offers.

Talking about community - the baby group yesterday was a bit pants sadly. I really wanted to support it, it would suit me as its local and I always think that we can't bemoan the lack of something in the future if we didn't use it when we had it. But I didn't feel it was worth going to. Very few attendees, all different ages and so-so direction from the group lead. A cold floor for the babies to sit on, and not many more toys than I have at home. Snacks and songs at the end were a clear highlight.

I spent a bit of time afterwards trying to articulate to Phil what I want from a playgroup and came up with the following-

• Bigger variety of toys than we have at home, including ones I'm too cheap to buy or don't want cluttering up my home.
• Structured activities such as stories, songs, messy play (when older), maybe snacks
• Leadership - not necessarily a leader but a plan so that snacks don't arrive when everyone is putting their coat on thinking it's finished
• Like minded people to talk to. In my case that is people who are baby led weaning or suchlike. And it's not that I mind anyone that doesn't do the same things as me and it's perfectly easy to have a chat with anyone once you've got a baby, but it's great to feel like you've had a two way conversation with someone and learnt something. I bore myself explaining what Rosie eats and how she doesn't choke or gag, and how milk is the most important thing until they are one. I want to hear from others with whom I can compare notes and learn something new to cook or try.
• And finally, I want to feel uplifted when I come out. Phil summed it up well by saying that when I came out of baby sign on Monday it kept me stimulated for the whole afternoon, practising and learning and looking forward to next week, and I was on a high. Yesterday I wanted company and something new to try and I came out feeling lonelier than before, which settled on me like a dull mist for the rest of the day, not helped by Phil being late late back from work. Good thing Rosie kept me cheery by eating a huge plate of roast dinner!

But onwards and upwards, and we've got a friend coming round with her toddler and newborn today, so I'm about yo make my first ever batch of scones. Wish me luck!

Telly for babies?

Mumsnet blogger's network has asked our views on telly watching for babies. There seems to be two distinct standpoints on this subject, rounded off by a consensus of everything in moderation.

The two standpoints are both broadly on one side of the fence - the "no telly for my child do you think I'm a lazy consumerist parent?" side and the "gives me a chance to have a shower/feed my newborn/drink tea slightly defensive parent". Both standpoints reflect the notion that telly is inherently a BAD IDEA.

But every now and then someone pipes up that their child is a better talker or knows their numbers, colours or suchlike because they do get to see some child's programming. And it makes you wonder.. And then I get to thinking that a more informed viewpoint might be a good idea.

So maybe I will actually delve into the world of children's tv at some point soon (not quite yet you know, baby steps..) and see what I can find. But where do I start? Please help!

What to do Wednesdays

I love our time at home, I love not being at work, and I love waking up every morning with the ability to choose how I'm going to spend my days. Every day I'm grateful I don't have to rush to work; and every night I'm grateful for my time with my family and what Rosie has achieved.

And by Wednesday we have always done a lot. Tuesdays are busy days where we go swimming and then meet up with Nct friends. Swimming was great yesterday - Rosie achieved her first little ducklings badge. She had to swim for a toy and jump off the side all the way underwater. She had a bit of help from me but she is brilliant at swimming now and always shuts her eyes ready for the underwater bit as soon as she is sitting on the side. I'm so pleased I started taking her as she is so excited as soon as we get to the pool every week. I must remember that we can swim all week for free as part of our membership - it would even be a good Rosie / daddy event.

Nct follows swimming and we always have a great afternoon chattering and giggling and someone's house; watching the babies play, eat and interact. Tuesday night always has a big sleep!

But then we wake up Wednesday and the day is just ours; Phil works at home Thursday and Friday usually which puts some shape around the day, but today we have about 9 hours of just us. So what's on the list today? We need to take out about half that time for eating and sleeping, and put aside some time for reading and playing with toys. I think today might be the day we try out a playgroup just around the corner. It's at 1pm so a perfect time between aforementioned eats and sleeps, and it's literally 500yds away, so if it's good, it will be good! I'll let you know!

We're a little bit potty!

Part of our new routine is a sit down on the potty of a morning. She likes it, but doesn't know why she's doing it yet. Some babies get it from a young age; and we will let Rosie think about it too..

Edited to add: just after I took this picture she dived off head first.  Luckily I caught her!

A walk up the mountain

Today we went for a walk at the Waseley Hills Country Park which is just down the road from our home. I've never been there before and it was a perfect day for the occasion. We went with a few buddies from church and someone else had done the hard work of planning the route - all we had to do was enjoy the beautiful sunshine and crisp autumn air; stamp in the muddy puddles and admire the views. Here is a snap of Rosie enjoying a bite to eat afterwards - wearing her daddy's hat!

Fear not, we're not still on the bus!

And, much as I enjoyed it, I don't really want to be!

It was a good adventure and all I hoped it would be. We had sun and rain, the pretty and the ugly (places not people..), the rowdy and the quiet. Phil was worried we'd be stabbed, Rosie snoozed away in the sling, and we all enjoyed a picnic.


My next adventure is to take the tram to Wolverhampton. The excitement of Birmingham holds no bounds!

Our third sling is here.. And its beautiful!

Nuff said!

It's Our Anniversary. And I'm surprised!!

Well, to be honest, its not quite our anniversary, that day is actually tomorrow, but as I busily filled up my week, my husband eyed the calendar despairingly as he tried to shoehorn some secret plans in.  NCT girls coming round tomorrow, so risotto making in the offing;  toddlers on Thursday and baby cinema and sling meet on Friday.  He can't do Wednesday, so today it has to be.  And thought he'd succeeded until 7pm last night, when I arranged for a friend to come over with her new baby...

So he came to me, hands wringing, worried look on his face (which makes me think I've done something very very bad) and spilled.  Day booked off.  And an outing planned.  Something I've been wanting to do since I moved to Birmingham in 2008.  Something we have tried to do a number of times but never quite got to, through illness or last minute new plans.  But today is the day.  We are getting changed and wrapped up ready.

We are going on the number 11 bus - all around the city and back home.  

Must dash. Bus to catch!

Slings Slings... Glorious Slings..

And while I'm chattering, I thought I might write a bit about slings as I went to a slingmeet today. Before I even explain anything, I am too excited about this to leave it til later: I wowed someone with my bra!!  Not often you get to say that once 30 and married!  One lady had the exact same bra as me on; although it wasn't the exact same as hers didn't have nursing clips.  And another was impressed by my handiwork.  Yay to the sewing box.

So I am really talking about slings of course.  Before Rosie was born we did our research and learnt that high street carriers are not good for babies nor for mamas.  They hurt the wearer's back and the babies hips.  But in an expanding corner of the world, is a land of wonder for those who want the convenience and closeness of carrying a baby.

We bought a moby sling first; RED is my favourite colour, and we LOVE it.  Phil spent hours snugging Rosie  in this when she was little, while I slept and he played computer games.  It reckons it can be used up to 35lb, she is currently 17 and going strong.  We went to London the other day, with her wrapped in and just a rucksack with toys, snacks and nappies.  Easy peasy for the tube and she loved it too!

Next we bought the Ergo.  The beauty of this is that it is quick to put on as it fastens with buckle clips, but can be used for front and back carries.  Back carries are wonderfully comfortable, and it feels like a small rucksack on my back - but much warmer.  At the slingmeet today, which is basically a gathering of those who love slings, I learnt how to put her on my back by myself.  Basically I put her on my front like this picture shows - rather like you'd put a rucksack on your front but without dropping the baby out the middle, then loosen the waist belt and scootch her round to the back - holding the straps up at the top so she doesn't drop out.  Sounds hard; is actually quite easy.  Amazing.  I won't need to ask the man at the swimming pool to help me out next week now.

So, what I also learnt at the slingmeet today was how to wrap on my back.  Now I can't wrap with the moby as it is a stretchy wrap, and Rosie wouldn't be safe, as she could stretch out backwards and topple.  For this we need a woven wrap, which I think contains linen.  Think of a t-shirt and compare it with a jacket (kinda).  Phil doesn't seem to be restricting this next purchase, so I am going to go ahead and find my favourite - which might be something like this picture.  We will still need to find the funds however as they are not the cheapest, and I haven't broken that to him yet....

A Rosie Bag

After my first flurry of posts, I've gone quiet!  Is this a blogging trend?  I expect so, and I expect that there are also plenty of half started blogs out there, like a story with just the first chapter.  Luckily there have been some behind the scenes activity here - mostly in the form of a website I am building, which I will of course be showcasing as a "craft activity".

In the meantime I have been doing some real craft and finishing off a project I started a while ago - this Rosie Bag.  It will be for her toys and bits and bobs when we go out, and it is made in the style of those that her cousins tote.  It was really easy to make, and I particularly enjoyed the different textures I have added for her name.

On the subject of lovely textures:  how cute are these!!












More later, supper's ready.

Deliciously Decadent!

Taken from Lorraine Pascal's cookery book, I wanted to share a picture of this Rocky Road Cake.  When I set out to make it I thought it was Rocky Road squares with a twist, as the book sadly doesn't show a picture.  But when I got going I realised what a splendid creation it really was.

Marshmallows, maltesers, biscuit and of course a lot of chocolate..what's not to like!

Buxom Boobs are Back!

I've been struggling with nursing bras for the last 6 months. They do a great job in releasing the breast to let the baby get to the milk but they are uncomfortable, unsupportive and unattractive - monoboob anyone? And worse still, for those who are well-endowed - they make you sweat and smell. Mmmm lovely!

So, without funds to spend on hard to find attractive and expensive ones, a brainwave! Make my own!

Simply chop the clips of an existing bra and slice the straps of the new bra (the scary bit!) and stitch the clips in.. Voila!

The First Post...

Welcome!

I've been too-ing and fro-ing about starting a blog for about a year now; and none more so since I had baby girl Rosie, who we call Button.  This blog will be tied up with my life and new identity as a mother, and much will be in the context of the shift of my focus from career girl to at home mum.  At 6 months into my maternity leave I am faced with the decision of returning to work or remaining at home; and I feel pretty certain that I don't want to enrol Button into childcare and return to the 9-5... or 8-7.. 

Since I have time and brain-space I've become more crafty than I was and I would certainly describe myself as a home maker, and a thrifty one at that.  I plan to add to this blog evidence of my crafty activities; thoughts and feelings about my home life and my beautiful baby (snoozing upstairs.. Well sort of - see pic) and the fruits of my labours if I explore a working in and out of the home lifestyle.

We shall see!