The First Morning As A Mummy

Mornings!

Some are good, some are great and some can be bad especially if you have had the kind of night when your child/children have had you up for most of it!! Each morning you are never quite sure how the day will turn out, even if you have a rough idea of what you hope to achieve because I find that most days, despite following a similar and mostly predictable pattern, often have moments of unpredictability.

I think the morning that I was faced with the most amount of uncertainty since becoming a parent, was that first one after you bring your newborn home. I remember waking up, having already been up during the night feeding, to see my new bundle of joy asleep in his moses basket and feeling a bit over whelmed. This was it, no visitors were around, no hospital staff: just Burton, Daddy and I! Although knackered and still a bit shell shocked, I was still in a state of euphoria so I didn't really mind feeling like a zombie!

This was taken early on Burton's first morning at home with his mummy and daddy: he didn't know us, we didn't know him. We were all still finding our way as a family of three, but it was a perfect morning!


Jenson's first morning at home was also perfect as we adjusted to being a family of four, but it was different because I knew what to expect this time and those lazy mornings in bed which I had with Burton I never experienced with his baby brother, because I had another child to look after too. Nevertheless, here is my second born taken on his first morning at home.


Still feeling shell shocked but knowing that eventually those long nights would become come better one day, because I had experience of having been a mummy before.

Those first mornings are magical aren't they? And how quickly we forget them too!

This has been written in response to Tara's them of MORNINGS over at the

How To Make A Robot, My Way!

Welcome to another installment of my 'How To Make .......... My Way' posts where I demonstrate to you my Mummy Mishap reader why I will never be queen of crafty making activities!!

Today's post is about making a robot from everyday bits and bobs I found lying around the house this morning. Burton has asked to make one with me for a while now, so today I took the plunge and tried! (For the record, I have not made a robot before!)

To make a robot, my way, you will need:

1 large cereal box
2 very small boxes that are the same size - I used calpol ones
1 rectangular box - I used a tights box
1 small square box - I used a chunky fish finger box
2 paper plates
Metallic wrapping paper - I only had gold, tin foil would have been better but I ran out
Colouring pens or crayon
Glue which didn't work so I resorted to Sellotape
1 gold bow
Stickers - optional but Burton wanted to stick some on!

Then You Need To:

Get a toddler to apply glue onto the top of the cereal box which is going to be the body. Then get mummy to stick the tights box, which will be the neck, to the top of the cereal box. After trying for almost 10 minutes to get the two boxes to stick together, I opted for Sellotape because it worked!


I then ended up having to stick the arms, aka calpol boxes, to the body of the robot by myself as my gluing buddy decided to take a short break to catch the new 'Cloudbabies ' programme on CBeebies!! When he returned I set him the task of making the robots face and power pack out of the two paper plates. Of course Jenson wanted in on the crafty fun so I let him have a spare paper plate and crayon and after excitedly waving the plate around he tried to eat a crayon!


Anyway, I proceeded to cover all the boxes in the gold wrapping paper and as soon as I started I wish I had done this before I stuck the boxes together! Burton decided to stick his hungry caterpillar stickers all over the robot .....and why not I say!

I stuck the face to the fish finger plate,the head, and added the power pack plate to the back of the robot body. Our robot was finished and took about an hour to make!

What do you think?


Good isn't it??

As if! Here is the real slim robot!


It may not look that good, but Burton was pleased with it! And *that* is all that matters!


For more handy tips and hints for making a robot, I suggest you visit a more crafty blog or google it lol!

(image of a food robot was borrowed from google images)

Little Dish Serves Up Tasty Treats For Little Feet

Little Dish, the people behind those tasty and nutritional chilled meals for children, will be serving a rather special side order with their meals for a limited time only.

From Wednesday 23rd May, 2012, the Little Dish Chicken and Butternut Squash Pie will be sold with a pair of red toddling shoes for the great value price of just £5. These limited edition packs are available as a result of the partnership that Little Dish has supporting the Barnado's Big Toddle (please see below for more information)

Available in 3 sizes (small 4/5, medium 6/7 and large 8/9) these fun shoes will look dapper on your little one's feet this summer!

If you and your little one's are in London and free on Tuesday 22nd May between 11am and 1pm,then why not pop along to the Little Dish Spring Party, details below

Among the usual toddler favourite activities like party games and some children's entertainers, the highlight of the party will be the Barnado's Big Toddle. This special event is a sponsored walk for children under the age of 5 where they can dress up as a super hero and walk to raise money for a very worthwhile cause - to help other children, less fortunate, who Barnado's care for.

If you are interested in attending then please RSVP to bigtoddle@littledish.co.uk and if you visit the Little Dish website you can print some fun masks to wear during the toddle.

GIVE-AWAY

Little Dish has very kindly offered 5 lucky Mummy Mishaps readers the chance to win a pair of toddle shoes

If you would like to win a pair then please fill in the rafflecopter form below, making sure you let me know whether you need a small, medium or large size pair please.

The give away ends on Wednesday 23rd May 2012, at 12:01am.

Good luck and thank you for entering :)

I am going to be sent a pair of toddle shoes for my toddler as a thank you for writing this post.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

That Was My Week That Was - A Weekend Away

How lovely it is to be sat here with it still sunny and light outside! Makes me think that maybe summer is on the way afterall. Anyway, without any further ado here is my week that was.

Monday
Was a bank holiday but because Burton was still poorly with a temperature and not really feeling himself we stayed in today and watched all three Toy story films (!) and played. After lunch, Burton was looking a bit brighter so he and I made some chocolate Cheerio cakes - which are exactly the same as chocolate krispie cakes except I didn't have any rice krispies! He and daddy also played a racing game on the Xbox, and I ashamed to admit that he is better at it than me, and even helped me get the car back on the track when I crashed and spun round! *This* is why I dont play such games!


Tuesday
While Burton was over his illness of the last couple of days, today Jenson came down with it but not until this afternoon. This morning Daddy had to travel to Chippenham for a meeting so he dropped the boys and I off at my Mums en route for a couple of hours. We just played and enjoyed a yummy lunch!


Jenson was fine until we got home and he just suddenly got a temperature like his brother had done on Sunday, so he went to bed a little early. He then work up at 9pm and I couldn't get him back to sleep until 2am!! I was very tired!

Wednesday
We went to Granma and Grampy's for a few hours so that Burton could play with his cousin Ben. Jenson was fine as long as I kept up his calpol intake. He still managed eat well considering he had a temperature at times.


Thursday
Burton went to Ladybirds today as Monday had been a bank holiday. It's so nice that he is pleased to go now. While he was there I ended up with a very clingy and tired Jenson all day because try as I might I could not get him to have a sleep in his cot!! He fell asleep on me about three times but every time I attempted to lay him down in his cot he work up and screamed!! So I didnt do very much at all!

Granma collected Burton from Ladybirds for me and brought him home. We were going to pop into town for a walk after she left,but Burton had a paddy about putting his shoes on and Jenson was whining because he was over tired, so we ended up watching CBeebies instead! Where upon Jenson fell asleep on me almost immediately! Unfortunately for him, half an hour later Burton woke him up and he wasn't very happy......until I made tea!

After tea Burton and popped to Tesco quickly where I had help at the self service check out!! When we got home Jenson was asleep in bed so I put Burton to bed for a change.


Friday
I spent this morning packing for our weekends away: the boys were off to my Mum's while daddy and I were going to a wedding tomorrow in Leamington Spa, and were travelling up there this afternoon. The boys were excited upon arriving at their grandparents which made it a lot easier to say goodby and head off without them.

We arrived at our destination at half four and after booking in at our hotel we went for a walk and a drink in a pub - I haven't done that in such a long time! Tonight we went for a meal at an Italian restaurant which was yummy although I ate a bit too much!


Saturday
After breakfast we face timed the boys on the iPhone and they were both fine and slept in until 8.30am! That never happens when they are at home!

The wedding started at 1pm at a church in Whitnash and the reception followed at Jephson Gardens back at Leamington Spa, at the brassiere . The food was amazing and it was so wonderful to be child free for a change. It did make a difference to our weekend and as much as I love my boys and I missed them, both daddy and I agreed that having 'Jon and Jenny' time was a real treat and one we both enjoyed. Plus we stayed out until just after midnight - that hasn't happened in a long time either, for me anyway!


Sunday
We woke up feeling remarkably well considering how much we drank yesterday! As soon as we finished breakfast we headed to mums where both boys gave us the *best* hugs ever!! Awwww it was lovely to see them again. They had a great time and to start with Burton said he didn't want to go home! Cheeky! Jenson slept into until 9.15am today - like, what?? I bet tomorrow he is awake before 7am! Here is a montage of what they got up to over their weekend



And that's it really. I am not sat here back in mummy mode again and thinking about the housework that needs doing!!

How was your week that was?

I am linking this to MummyDaddyAndMeMakesThree 's great weekly linky

A Weekend Away

This weekend something very rare and strange is happening.

Mummy and Daddy are going away for two nights without our boys!!

O.M.G!!!

I am feeling a mixture of excitement at the thought of attending a wedding without one or more of the following affecting me:
Being pregnant
Breast feeding
No children
Which has been the case for all weddings I have attended for the last 3 1/2 years


and which ultimately means I can *drink* alcohol and let my hair down!!

Woo hoooo!

However, I am also feeling nervous and guilty for not taking Burton and Jenson with us, because although they have spent a night away from us more than once (well twice in Jenson's case and several in his brother's), we have never gone away while they have been in someone else's care! We only made the decision not to take them last weekend, as up until then we were all going. However, having discussed it, and after my Mum and Step Dad offered to have the boys for us, OH and I decided we would go it alone.

Yikes!!

Personally, having only had one night out together since having Burton and our last night away was back in 2008, I feel these couple of nights away will be good for us. Good for our relationship I mean. As Jon and Jenny instead of Daddy and Mummy. I think we need to do something as a couple instead of parents just for a change: just for once.

As I mentioned our last trip way was September 2008. OH was working away back then in Cornwall and I took a very rare Saturday off from working at my cafe and travelled down on the Friday night after work and went to stay with him until Monday when I drive back early to open the cafe.


It's not that me, or indeed my OH, want time away from our children and I know it will feel very odd not to have them with us. However, time on our own to do adult things and well spend time on our own will be nice. It is odd how I feel I need to justify our decision isn't it? I am struggling between looking forward to it and feeling bad about it.

Blimey just think, we will have to find things to talk about and I will have spare hands with no child, toys,food, baby wipes etc... being held in one of them! It also means a late night - a late night that doesn't involve twitter too lol. Oh and some alcohol - did I mention that there will probably be alcohol??

But still, I can't help but worry and I know that I won't relax fully while we are away from them. I know they are in safe hands and will have a brilliant time though so I guess I should just not worry.

Well I am sure a few cheeky glasses of wine will help me out there! Did I mention....oh ok I did!


I am linking this up to a fab

How Not To Be A Yummy Mummy

Ok so I have a question for you. 

Do you wish you were a yummy mummy? 

Maybe you actually are one of these mythical creatures that many yearn to look like. 

My idea of a yummy mummy is the type of woman who dresses immaculately in trendy or designer clothes; she wears ugg boots; her hair is clean and looks like its just been styled by a hairdresser, she is of slim or slight build and has a shoulder bag which is in keeping with her lifestyle and outfit. And to top it off she looks amazing I mean really amazing, a figure which looks like it never gave birth, no dark circles under her eyes, make up just so and just well yummy mummy!!

Now I am not saying that these yummy mummy types dont have hang ups of their own, I am sure they do but to us non yummy types they do seem like a very idealistic vision of an appearance we may feel we want to aim towards having ourselves. Or at least marvel at how the hell they manage to look like they do when they have children!

Well, I will never be a yummy mummy, I find it an unrealistic image to uphold and maintain day in and day out with two little ones.

So let me present to you with my guide on how not to be a yummy mummy:

Don't bother making your hair look nice because before you know it it will be covered in one or more of the following:

• Snot
• Sick
• Dribble
• Breast milk (if breast feeding)
• Toothpaste (my own doing!)

Solution? Tie hair up? Or better still get it cut shorter although this won't protect it completely! Maybe a rain hat would be a good idea?!

You could invest in some marvellous cover up cream for under your eyes to make those dark circles/ bags appear less intrusive on ones's face, but what's the point when you are suffering from sleep deprivation owing to one or more of the following:

• Newborn keeping you up all hours
• Teething child
• Poorly child
• Twitter (again my own doing!)

No amount of eye treatments will stop those things from occurring!

Wear something already covered in stains - afterall within half an hour anything clean on would look like yesterday's dirty washing anyway

Don't bother shaving your leg hair too often,  embrace the fuzziness! Shaving takes time and it isn't always a priority. Besides, it's an extra layer of natural body warmth ! Obviously this becomes tricker once the warmer weather appears , best thing is to not wear anything short!

Don't purchase an on trend shoulder bag, you would never fit all the essential items you need to carry in one anyway! Less shoulder more boulder bag is more like it!

Why bother leaving the house all glammed up with make up, hair styled 'just so' and nice clothes. It isn't long before you end up sporting one of the following al fresco looks anyway:

• Wind swept - less like you just stepped out of a salon and more like to just got dragged through a hedge backwards!
• Eau de sweaty pits and rouge cheeks- you start off on your excursion with a coat on and it's not long before you find it is warmer than you realised it was going to be and if you walk fast like me, you start to feel warm and wish you hadnt put so many layers on!
• Wet look Aka the drowned rat - you get caught in the rain! No umbrella and even if you had one you wouldn't be able to hold it! Soaked right through.
• Owwww! new shoes - don't bother going out with the buggy wearing heels or new shoes because you will either trip up the pavement or get blisters!

Don't kid yourself that you can be über organised and remember all those birthdays, dental and doctor appointments and deadlines for things. Baby brain muddles everything and causes short-term and long term memory loss and makes you appear confused even if you think you are efficient!

Why worry about keeping on top of the housework? A show home looks great and minimalistic, but who really has the time or the inclination when your home is taken over by little people and all their toys, books and clothes continually?

I accept that I am more slummy than yummy, and I am fine with this. 

Really, it is no problem.  

Honestly...... !!

Is there anything else I have missed off the list? Please add yours below.

Jaffa Cake Cupcakes

We all love Jaffa cakes in my house and I have a recipe for a large homemade style Jaffa cake dessert which I have made several times, but I really wanted a way of making small versions. For ages I have been thinking about how I could perfect a Jaffa cake cupcake, and then suddenly it became clear!
I found a recipe for Jaffa cakes by Simon Rimmer on google, which helped me along and although I have borrowed his way of attaching the orange jelly part, the rest of this recipe is my very own creation!
So here you go, my take on Jaffa Cake Cupcakes!





You will need
:
2 x packets of orange jelly
2 tbsp of orange marmalade
250ml boiling water
200g unsalted butter
200g caster sugar
175g self raising flour
25g cocoa powder
1/2 cup coca cola (not essential but I find it adds bubbles to cake batter)
250g Plain chocolate
250gMilk chocolate*
*you could use just plain but I think this would be too bitter for my cake eaters!


Then you need to:


Make the jelly by playing the cubes in a microwave bowl with the marmalade and pour on the boiling water, give it a good stir and then I pop mine into the microwave for a further 2 minutes or so to ensure it's completely dissolved.

Then you need to line a late flat dish or baking tray with grease proof paper and pour the jelly on. Once cooled place then place into the fridge to set.

Preheat the oven to 180oC/160oC

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy

Add the flour, eggs and cocoa powder and mix well to combine all of the ingredients.

Stir in the cola, if you are using it, at this point.

Divide the cake batter in to your paper cupcake cases to about half way

Cook in the oven for approx 20 minutes or until cooked all the way through
Cool completely. Then remove from their paper cases.

Meanwhile melt your chocolate gently and slowly either in a microwave at 30 second intervals or over a saucepan of water.

Once melted leave on the side and remove the jelly from the fridge. Remove the grease proof paper topped jelly from its dish and lay on a chopping board. Using a small pastry cutter, cut out rounds of jelly and place one on each cupcake. If your cupcakes don't have a flat top, then very carefully remove a disc from the top of the cake to make it so. Then add your jelly disc.



Once all cakes have been topped with the 'Jaffa' part, top the jelly with the melted chocolate.

Then place in the fridge to cool the chocolate completely.
Then you have homemade Jaffa cakes!




Mmmmmmm!!