A Brothers Love

When Lj was born we were really worried about how H would react to her. You hear so many horror stories about some of the things older children do to younger ones to get back at them for disrupting their home. Like ripping up their favourite teddy, locking them in cupboards or pushing them over at every opportunity. 
We needn't have worried though, from the minute Lj was born he doted on her. If there was ever an oppurtunity to give her a cuddle he was there like a shot.

Lj is always looking uo to her big brother and she copies everything he does (which isn't always a good thing!)

The poor girl is never going to be allowed a boyfriend, not if H and the OH have anything to do with it.

They do everything together and H always makes sure she is safe.

They sit and watch their program together, snuggled up by the fire.

He shows her how to do things.

It's a bond that will never die and no one will ever come between.

The Gallery - Morning

This weeks theme for the Gallery is 'Morning'. As soon as I read that I knew which picture I would use, (yes another picture of one of my children, sorry about that).

I am not a morning person by any stretch, infact as far as I'm concerned mornings are the work of the Devil. However with having kids I have, inevitably, had to get use to them. 

The best thing for me in the mornings now is hearing Lj's little voice calling "Mummy, Mummy" from the confines of her cot. I then go into her room to find her standing upright with a big beaming smile because she is so happy to see you. With all her hair stuck to her face with snot and dribble from the night before. Lovely! She then puts her arms up for a cuddle and tucks herself in under my chin and won't let go, just so she can catch up on any cuddles she's missed during the 12 or so hours that she's been asleep.

It's moments like that, that remind you what being a Mummy is all about.

To check out other people's entries this week go to Tara's blog at Sticky Fingers, you could even join in yourself. 

Pinterest Party - Bubbles

This weeks theme for Moors Mummy's Pinterest Party is - Bubbles.

I have chosen the following picture because I think it's really unsual and would be fab to wear.

Image was originally uploaded to Pinterest by Hirokazu Ono
Original source - Dwell

So now it's your turn to join in the party, check out Moors Mummy's blog for details. 

I've found heaven!

Yesterday, as it was the first day in what seems like months that it wasn't raining and was infact hot & sunny, we decided to make the most of it. 

The beach had to be the only option.

We've pretty much exhausted all of the beaches that are close by to us so therefore we decided to go a little further afield, and this is what we found...

 Now I don't know what you think but to me this is heaven! 
As I sat there on the beach I was thinking about how we could have been anywhere in the world but this was right on our doorstep, without all of the hasssle of passports, bags or foreign money. 
We took the fishing rods and buckets for the kids to catch fish although they didn't really get a look in with the bigger kids (a.k.a the daddies) around.

Lj was a little unsure about the whole thing, I don't think she likes the feel of the sand moving under her feet. She spent most of the time just sitting in her little chair watching everyone else. 

 

  In all though we had a great day and the kiddies were exhausted by the time we got home (always a bonus). They even slept in this morning and have gone to bed early tonight. Result!

Potty Hell

***Warning this post contains poo issues***
Im really starting to worry now about H and his potty training or lack of it for that matter.

He'll be 3 and a half soon and still wears nappies!

Since he's been born he has never had what I would call a proper number 2. 

He has a milk intolerance and dairy products don't really agree with him and the resulting effect resembles something that looks like it's come out of a cow. So add that to the fact that he has a number two at least 4 times a day it's making the potty training impossible.

I don't think he even knows when he has gone and would quite happily sit in a dirty nappy all day if I didn't change him.

He never tells me if he does a number 1 or 2 whereas our 18 month old is already telling us when she is going. 

We stopped forcing the potty issue with him a while ago because it was clear that he just wasn't ready but now it's got to the point where all of his friends of the same age are in pants and using the toilet. He's the only one still left in nappies! 

So I started it up again the other day by taking away his nappies and putting him in pants. This resulted in me having to clear up three wee's and two poo's off of my floor all within the space of an hour. My carpet can't take much more.

I took him to the doctors the other day and I've now demanded to have full allergy testing done so that we can find out exactlly what it is that is upsetting his tummy. Then we can eliminate whatever it is completley from his diet and hopefully that will firm him up a bit.  
Then hopefully we might get somewhere with it.

If anyone has any suggestions or tips it would be much appreciated.

Mummy CV

Career Objective

 A full-time position in Mummyness where I can demonstrate my cleaning, washing and running around after everyone else skills.

I can work for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year without sick pay, days off  or holidays.

If you are seeking a person that is so tired that they end up putting the kettle in the fridge and the milk in the washing machine then I’m the woman for you. 

Summary of Skills 

• Cook
• Cleaner
• Taxi Driver
• Bottle Washer
• Nappy Changer 
• Councellor
• Negotiator 
• Nurse
• Fluent in Baby Gibberish
• Stain Removing Skills
• Healing Hands
• Great Intuition
• Teacher
• Referee 
• Maid

  Career Highlights

Finally getting baby to go to sleep after hours of rocking Getting a fussy toddler to eat a brussel sprout Building a home out of playdough Getting the crayon marks off of the wall Keeping a child amused with a upside down tin and a wooden spoon Getting everyone up, dressed, fed & out of the house in under and hour Surviving their first day of school without becoming a nervous wreck Shopping in Tesco with two children and coming out in one piece & with everything I went in for   Cooking an 'almost' edible meal while having a screaming toddler clung to one leg

 

The First Five Years

 The first five years of a little ones life are by far the most important in terms of their development and also for setting a good foundation of morals and values.

 'The experiences of the child during such sensitive periods may shape his or her future course of development in a manner that will be difficult to change later'. (Introduction to Psychology)

Research has also shown that the first five years are particulary important for the development of the childs brain. These early experiences will have a direct impact on how the child will develop social and emotional skills which will have an effect on them for the rest of their lives. 

'Children learn more quickly during their early years than at any other time in life. They need love and nurturing to develop a sense of trust and security that turns into confidence as they grow'. (Facts for Life)

 Image by Christina Welsh

'New research shows the critical impact of a child's "environment of relationships" on developing brain architecture during the first months and years of life. ' (Harvard University)

Now I don't know about you but this kind of thing really freaks me out. I have two children under 5 and I am constantly worried about everything I do with them and how that will effect them later on in life. Whether it be letting them watch a bit too much TV, sometimes forgetting to brush their teeth or losing my temper with them because they have just pushed me too far that day and then spending the entire evening feeling like the worst Mother in the world.

Image by Nichole

 They say the first five years are the most crucial for the childs development but what they don'y say is that it's also the hardest years for the Mother. 

There will never again be a time where they will be so demanding of you, totally rely on you for everything from wiping their bums, feeding and clothing them to seeing to them when they wake in the night. 

So my question is, that if a Mother is already under so much pressure just to get through a day with everyone in one piece, how can any of this so called 'breakthrough research' really help us?

We already know that our children look to us for guidance and reassurance in this big scary world. We already know that to much TV is bad for them. We already know they need to eat fruit and veg everyday and we already know that we must teach them right from wrong. 
So how about trusting us Mothers to bring up our children the best we can and just letting us get on with it. They don't call it Mother's Intuition for nothing you know.

Image by Chirastar