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!