Silent Sunday

Beautiful Autumnal Tree i spotted whilst out walking this morning

Spammers

Is there an actual point to Spammers? Apart from being annoying!!

I run a popular group on Facebook that has over 500 members. Collectively we provide local information and parenting knowledge to the community.

I set the group up when R was born mainly to make some new mummy friends because I knew no one where I live (except the In Laws) but also to help other Mums in my town be educated with information I never had access to when I had R.

Now it is thriving with 532 members at my last count but this has also left me wide open to ‘Spammers’, People adding adverts for loans and scams.

The group is ‘Closed’ which actually only means you can be added by an exsiting member or at the approval of the Admin team. I have no idea how they get in. I have a tight group of Admins that would not let anyone with a dodgy looking name in but somehow they sneak in under the many loopholes of Facebook and cause me a headache! Even more annoying is they can hide from Admins which means I don’t even know they’re there. Luckily, I have a very good group of friends who inform me.

So why SPAM?

It’s highly annoying and means extra ‘work’ for me as I have to enroll someone else to get rid of them. I wouldn’t mind but I don’t get paid to run the group. Its hard work enough trying to keep 500 women in line, let alone sort something out that I can’t even see!

SO GO AWAY SPAMMERS. YOU’RE NOT WELCOME HERE!

Autumn Cooking

You know its Autumn in my house when my slow cooker comes out of the cupboard and gets a dusting off ready for plenty of use in the coming months. Autumn is my favorite time of year; Crisp fresh mornings, Cosy evenings in, Multicoloured leaves, Fluffy Slippers, Comfy cardigans and Stews & Casseroles for dinner.

The slow cooker becomes my best friend and the main reason I love it to much is because you can throw everything in, leave it to cook for 8 hours and enjoy a delicious/healthy family meal. Here are a few of my favorites -

Beef & Ale Stew (courtesy of Jamie Oliver) www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/beef-ale-stew-1

Somerset Pork Casserole – from a Swartz packet mix

Butternut Squash Soup (courtesy of Mediocre Mum) www.mediocremum.com/2012/08/slow-cooker-sunday-butternut-squash-soup-with-dairylea/

Syrup Sponge (http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/13352/schooldays-treacle-sponge)

Sausage and Bean Casserole

·        Brown 12 sausages in a frying pan and put at bottom of slow cooker

·        Add 2 chopped large onions, 2 sliced carrots and 2 sliced sticks of celery

·        Stir in can of baked beans, can of haricot beans and kidney beans

·        In a saucepan add 6 roughly chopped large potatoes, season and bring to boil, drain and then add to slow cooker

·        Add  ¾ pt of Vegetable stock

·        Slow cook on ‘high’ for approx 4 hours

·        Serve with green vegetables

And enjoy!

Sticky Fingers Poem

In aid of National Poetry Day today, I thought I'd share this with you all.....

Sticky fingers ' tangled hair,
scattered crayons, everywhere.
Fancy artwork ' on the wall '
drawn by midgets ' three feet tall.
Tell me why ' and tell me how '
that was mine ' I want it NOW!

Fix my bike. Buy me gum.
If you have it, I want some.
Dirty faces, grass-stained knees,
learning words ' like pretty please.
Endless hugs & goofy wet kisses,
learning respect with 'Mr.' & 'Mrs.'
Scraped-up hands, from falling down.
Tender tugs - - on my night gown.
Need more paper ' for Santa's letter?
I wasn't so bad ' but I've been better.
Watching a movie ' again and again '
Mommy, please ' put the tape back in.
Messy fingers ' hair gone wild '
all in the life ' of a precious child !!

Grandad Idol

Grandparents play a special role in every family but I have noticed recently the special bond between R and his Granddad that just gets more magical every time they are together.

Sadly for my kids they will only ever have one Granddad but Mr L senior seems to fit the shoes (or should I say, slippers) perfectly. I look up to him as my own Dad now but there’s something about Granddad that R finds captivating.

R has always been curious about Granddads interests and hobbies and as he’s getting older it seems EVERYTHING Granddad does, R is interested in too, from Sports to Stamps! They’re like 2 peas in a pod born in different era’s.

A recent example is that R  had taken a sudden disliking to Peas, so the other night I changed the name of them to ‘Make you strong like Granddad green balls’. He wolfed them down so quick he was finished his dinner before me which is quite rare and another night I did Green Beans which I knew he wasn’t that keen on, but told him ‘They’ll make you strong like Granddad’ and he polished them off within 10 seconds and asked for more!!

 

The truth is, as much as I know R idolises Granddad, Granddad idolises R just as much.

Teacher Envy

I always had this dream that I would be the one who solely taught my kids everything. That they wouldn’t get influenced by anyone else because I could keep them with me 24/7 and they’d listen to ONLY me and do EVERYTHING I tell them…. Delusional or what???

This first hit me when I had to leave R at pre-school for the 1^st day when he was 2. While he ran off to play with he toys and make new friends, I was the one walking away in tears, not because he wasn’t bothered I was leaving him for 2 ½ hours but because this was the beginning of the time when someone other than myself was going to teach him new things.

I decided quite early on in my pregnancy that I was going to give up work to look after him and see him achieve all the milestones for myself. Hear him say ‘Mama’ and ‘Dada’ for the first time with my own ears and watch him take his first steps with my own eyes.

So here’s my latest dilemma!!!

R isn’t going to ‘Big’ school yet. In fact, he’s staying in the nursery school he’s been at since January this year with the same teacher and assisting staff, but for some reason the start of his first full year in this class with this teacher is quite daunting for me. Mainly because in the last 6 months they have taught him things I could never have taught him myself and he has done things I never imagined he could have achieved. He has his moments like any other 3 year old but he’s turning into such a charming young boy and I can’t help but feel I’m not able to take any of the credit.

I think the problem is because I’m jealous!! There….. I said it. Jealous!!

R’s teacher is all the things I would love to be but just fail miserably at.

She’s enthusiastic; even at 3:30 in the afternoon after 2 classes of 20 odd kids all day she greets the parents with a chirpy smile and a spring in her step.

She’s approachable; something I always strive to be but have just never got the hang of, I think this is linked to the enthusiasm. Parents are less likely to raise issues with a hapless person aren’t they?

She’s well travelled (I presume); I can't imagine that someone who just ‘popped’ to New York for half term is likely to stay at home and do nothing the rest of the time….Lucky girl!!

She’s Pretty, Fashionable, Slim, Fit and basically, she’s someone I wish I had been prior to having my children.

She referred to me as a ‘Yummy Mummy’ recently when introducing me to someone which I took as a total compliment, still I can’t help but be envious of her

The Nursery Nurse and all rest of the staff are always smiley and helpful too no matter how big or small your issue and I am very covetous of them all.

The bottom line is this…..Anyone that can teach a class of 3 and 4 year olds to sing ‘Twinkle Twinkle’ in Spanish will ALWAYS be better than me!

Is Breast Really Best?

I offered to write an article about Formula feeding for 'Essex Mums' website which hasn't yet been published but I wanted to share it with you here and add my own personal thoughts. I am not claiming to be an expert on the subject but I did find a lot of interesting scientific information on my search about Formula feeding which I'll spare you!!!

When I was expecting R, I knew nothing about about any type of feeding. All I did know was what society showed me; Babies fed from bottles in public places, I very seldom came across a breastfeeding mum. 

I was NEVER given any information on breastfeeding, I only ever had a very old school midwife bark to me the dreaded words which probably made me dig my heels in and make up my mind ' Breast Is Best'. Mr L and I did our reasearch and decided we would formula feed both children but I'm sure that if I had I known my pro-breastfeeding friends when I was expecting R, I probably would have given breastfeeding a go. However, I saw the idea of family & friends feeding and bonding with my baby and the hope of a little extra sleep more beneficial to me at the time. Selfish I know, but I didn't know any different!

The whole idea that Supermarkets would not be allowed to sell formula (or Manufacturers allowed to produce it) IF it were dangerous to babies still confuses me. Government advises that you should exclusivley breast feed your baby for the 1st 6 months. However, they allow supermarkets to let you pick formula off the shelves and put it in your baskets without question. If  (dare I say it) Breast Really Is Best, this should not be allowed and formula only sold to those unable to breastfeed.

All I know is despite the controversy surrounding it, both of my children were exclusivley formula fed and apart from the odd infection here and there, like all kids, they are prefectly healthy AND that some of my friends children that were exclusivley breastfed for the first 6 months have some major health issues mine dont have!!

Here's my article -

'There’s no denying ‘Breast is Best’ and the government currently advises that you should exclusively breastfeed your baby for the first 6 months. However, if you cannot breastfeed or choose not to, there are many different brands of formula on the supermarket shelves nowadays packed with all the nutrients your baby needs from birth.

The Pro’s of Formula Feeding are that anyone can feed the baby so you can get a break and you know exactly how much they are getting. The Con’s are that it can cause Constipation, Colic and potentially some long term digestive problems.

One bottle can take up to 30 to 40 minutes if made fresh every time so if you give your baby six bottles a day, you could spend up to four hours a day preparing your baby’s feeds. There are some cheaters ways of making up bottles in advance but they are not recommended by Health Professionals nowadays because of the risk of contamination from unsterile environments. However, it does save time and as long as the formula isn’t added to the water until the last minute, it’s accepted if you have multiple babies to feed at once.

Prices vary by brand, type, and retailer, but it costs around £8 for a 900g tin of powdered cow's milk-based formula milk. Ready-made is available in cartons for convenience mainly if you’re going out for the day. You generally pay about the same for soya-based and lactose-free formulas. Hydrolysed-protein formula costs more, although it’s usually only available on prescription from your doctor.

Shop bought formula is based on cow's milk which is modified to resemble breast milk as closely as possible. First-stage formula which is suitable from birth up 1 year and Second-stage formula is designed to take longer to digest and is often promoted as ‘Hungry baby’ milk. Nutritionally, your baby will only need first-stage formula although if you feel you have a ‘Hungry baby’, change with caution as switching too early can give your baby constipation and although many milk manufacturers market their second-stage milk as suitable from birth, it’s best to wait until your baby is at least four weeks old.

The different types of formula are as follows -

• Hydrolysed-Protein formula is specially designed for babies with an allergy or intolerance to the protein in cow's milk whereby they will have difficulty digesting the lactose or sugar in the milk. These are based on cow's milk and have the same nutritional value as standard formula milk but the protein in the milk is ‘Hydrolysed’, which means it is broken down so your baby is less likely to react to it. These milks are also generally lactose-free, so babies with intolerance to cow’s milk can digest them easier. Lactose-free formulas from are available also for babies with a Lactose intolerance.
• Soya-based formula it is made from Soya Beans and modified with vitamins, minerals and nutrients to make it suitable for formula milk. You should only give your baby Soya-based formula on the advice of your doctor, health visitor or pediatrician as babies who are allergic to cow's milk are often allergic to soya, too. There is no evidence that changing to a soya-based formula can help to soothe your baby if they are suffering with colic. Soya formula may actually damage your baby’s teeth over time because it contain glucose syrup.
• Follow On Milk is suitable for babies from 6 months. It is higher in protein, iron, vitamins and minerals to help your baby’s brain development. However, if your baby is happy with the current formula you do not need to change as they will get all these essential nutrients from the solid food you are introducing.
• Goodnight formulas which are follow-on milks with added cereal. These are marketed at parents as helping babies to sleep better at night. However, there’s no evidence that they help babies to settle easier or that they take longer to digest. It’s not recommended to give goodnight milk to babies who are considered overweight or if they are less than six months old because cereal isn’t suitable for younger babies.

Growing-up milk is suitable for children aged 1 an above are marketed at parents as being better than cow's milk because they contain added iron and other vitamins and minerals. However, it’s not essential as once your baby is a year old they can have full-fat cow's milk as their main drink. They’ll also be eating a varied and balanced diet, which should provide them with all the essential vitamins and minerals, without the need for growing-up milk.'

To Grey or not to Grey?

So, ALL of my friends are talking about the '50 Shades of Grey' triliogy, and I admit I am curious purely because I like a bit of bedtime reading but I have hit back. I refuse to be a sheep and follow the world in what is becoming the fastest reading competition I have ever known.

Is it really as good as they say?

My friends in the real world are all raving about it but I have read mixed reviews from my Twitter buddies. Apparently, (according to my friend MAABOF) its not all about the 'Sex', she explains Mr Grey as being very troubled and the sex is only a small part of it. Whereas, @hollywills has described it as badly written.

Only because I like to be a bit different, in total spite of the craze that is going on in the world around me I have dug in my heels and purposly rented a book out of the library entitled 'Before I Die' which is about a teenage girl with Cancer, a complete contrast to the world I believe Mr Grey lives in!

So, will I read it??????.....mmmmm.....Maybe......you'll have to check back with me in a few months to see if I could resist the urge and fall under Mr Grey's spell!

My very first blog!!!!

My very first Blog....how exciting?? Please be gentle!


A little about me to get this started......I am 31, I am a stay at home (SAH) Mum to R & E. Wife to Mr L. I am a flitty little butterfly who likes to be busy, try new things often and gets bored easily. I would not survive if it wasn't for Cake, Wine and my Samsung Galaxy SII smartphone.

I have decided to join the world of mummy bloggers to share with the world the world of the 'Bubblegum Mum'.

My life often suprises me, makes me cry, smile from ear to ear or dispurse into fits of giggles everyday and I hope I can share that with you through my future blogs.