The Gallery - Sky

This weeks theme for the Gallery is 'Sky'.

This picture was taken a few years ago in mine and the other halfs 'special place'. It is one of the most beautiful places that I have been to in this country.

We haven't been back there since the kiddies have been born and now that we live on the other side of the country I don't think we'll be getting back there anythime soon. *sob sob* Oh well we will just have to find a new special place and at least we have some good pictures to remember it.

On another note sorry about the serious lack of posts the last couple of weeks, I've been going out a lot with the little ones to try and keep them entertained during the holidays, roll on September.

To check out the other entries for this weeks Gallery go to Tara's blog at Sticky Fingers

Driving Mummy Mad!

I am close to despair! 

It's my son, I just don't know what to do with him. It's not that he's particually naughty or disobediant, he's just wired!

He starts the minute I open my eyes and doesn't stop until bedtime. He never stops asking for things whether it be a drink, an apple, a biscuit or to put his TV on and if you happen to be busy at that moment in time and don't answer him straight away he will just keep repeating the same thing again and again and again.  

One time I had to go into a shop and get some bits and rather than get both the kids unstrapped and out of the car, the OH stayed in the car with them. I was in the shop for 20 minutes, (I know this because the OH timed me) and when I came back the poor guy looked like he was ready to kill someone. Apparently our son had asked for some music on just as I got out of the car, the OH ignored him because he had already told him no. He then proceeded to ask again and again and again for the full 20 minutes without stopping once!

 I have tried everything with him from painting to football and nothing seems to hold his attention for longer than about 5 minutes. The only thing that keeps his attention is the bloody TV. I hate him watching it, when I was growing up we didn't even have a TV. I use to spend all of my time in the garden, building dens or getting creative with something. It is literally the only thing that works though and if it's a wet day he will pretty much just watch it all day! 

I take them to toddler groups, sure start activities, the park, walks, we feed the ducks, we go to soft play places but nothing seems to do it for him. We will get somewhere and you can guarantee than within 5 minutes he'll start whinning that he wants to go home or somewhere else.

I have tried sending him out into the garden with his new ball and all he does is go out there and throw the ball over the garden gate, which then proceeds to rolls down to the bottom of the village (our village is on a hill and we live on the top!) So now I don't let him do that.

He won't even play with toys, he has cars, trains, puzzles, a kitchen, colouring bits, dressing up clothes, you name it we've got it but he's just not interested.

 I just feel that if we could channel some of his energy into one thing that he enjoyed then it might just make life a bit more bearable for both of us. My daughter is just so easy in comparison, she is so happy to just be with you and yes she follows me around all day like a little puppy but she does her own thing. She's quite happy to sit and do some colouring as long as she can see where you are. She can stay in all day and amuse herself, just give her a cuddle every so often and she's fine.

I don't know, maybe it's just a boy thing. I just feel so guilty for letting him watch TV all the time. I'm hoping that as he gets older he will find something that he's into, a sport perhaps, just anything would be a start.

So what do you reckon, is this just normal behaviour for a three and a half year old? Is it just a phase that will pass? Or should I just give up now?

 

Emotions Are High

When I saw that this weeks theme for the Gallery was 'Emotion' I knew exactly which photo I would use...

My son had always been really well behaved, he was quite layed back and use to just get on with things. No terrible twos in our house and then he turned 3! It was like a switch was flicked on the minute he woke up on his 3rd birthday. I went from having a cute, lovable little 2 year old to having a screaming, possessed 3 year old. 

This picture was one of many tantrums on that particular day which resulted in me doing something that I'd never normally do. (You can read about that here).

To see the other entries into this weeks Gallery over at Tara's blog Sticky Fingers then click here.

MonkiSee - ' Learning Made Fun' Review

**Please note since writing this review I have recently been informed that MonkiSee are launching a UK version very soon, which as you will read was my one concern about the product **

I'm a big fan of learning at home. I remember doing a lot of learning activities at home with my Mother when I was growing up and I loved it, so now I want to do the same with my two. 

So when we were recently sent a dvd from the series MonkiSee, Learning made fun, I was really excited.

'MonkiSee Baby DVDs are a fun and entertaining collection of baby DVDs that expose babies to upbeat music, original poetry, lovable puppets and real world images.     The MonkiSee collection introduces your baby to body parts, colors, shapes and more, all while teaching your baby to read.  The MonkiSee series is rich in language and has been proven to increase your baby's vocabulary.        Guaranteed to be your baby's favorite series - the MonkiSee line of Baby DVDs are products babies love and parents can feel good about.'

http://www.monkisee.com/

Now I must be honest here and say I was a little dissapointed. The problem was that it was American, now don't get me wrong I have nothing against America or Americans or anything to do with America, it's just that some American words are spelt differently and aren't pronounced the same way as they are in English . For example the word colour is spelt color. Now normally that wouldn't be a problem but when it's a dvd specifically designed to teach children to read, write and spell then the language differences become a problem. However for an American family I'm sure it would be great.

Here's a Testimonial from a mother in America -

   "I love MonkiSee baby dvd!  This is a half hour break each day that you can feel great about.  My son Joseph is learning fast.  At 12 months old, he can show you each body part.  This is such a wonderful foundation for learning!"   .........Rachel C.    Orlando, FL

Saying that though my 3 year old son really enjoys it and asks to have it on quite often. I often catch him dancing along to it. My 21 month old isn't so enthusiastic but she has never been interested in any TV, she's much happier raiding my cupboards and licking all of the spoons in the cutlery draw. She's special!

MonkiSee Baby DVDs     Quick Facts

• These 30 minute interactive baby DVDs keep babies entertained and engaged.

• MSMD baby dvds show lovable puppets that babies love to watch.

• Upbeat children's music has babies moving and grooving to the beat.

• MonkiSee theme song will have your baby singing along.

• Original poetry builds child's language and vocabulary skills.

• These baby dvds are Entertaining and Educational so your child easily learns new things while watching these favorite videos.

• MSMD Baby DVDs help teach important preschool skills in a fun and interactive way.

* I haven't been paid to review this product but we were sent the dvd for free and as always I have given an honest opinion about the product *

Kids One Stop Shop 

 

Silent Sunday

Sport (or a slightly inebriated version of it)

This weeks theme for the Gallery is 'Sport'. 

I use to be quite sporty when I was younger. I played a whole manor of ball games (stop giggling) and I was even know to frequent the gym! However since having the two little 'cherubs' my time is now spent basically being a house wench! I don't think that you can class scrubbing, scraping, ironing, hoovering and picking up after three other people sports.

So anyway, here is my slightly 'alternative' version to the theme sport, be warned these pictures contain images of people that may have had a few to many sherberts!

So first up we have...

Synchronized Weightlifting

 

Followed by...

Rowing

Next up it's...

 Mens Gymnastics

Then we have... 

 Track & Field events

and of course we have...

Diving

not sure about this one...

Swimming perhaps?

 

 throw in a bit of...

Wrestling

who can forget...

 Canoeing

and last but not least...

Pole Dancing

 I'd like to thank all of my friends and family for getting so drunk that they forget that I always have a camera on me. When will they learn ;-)

To check out the other entries to this weeks Gallery head over to Tara's blog at Sticky Fingers. 

10 things Daddy's do...

1) Please don't come in five minutes before bedtime and wind the kids up by chasing, tickling or blowing raspberries on their bellies. This is not helpful and results in it taking mummy another half an hour to calm them down and get them to go to sleep!

2) Please don't throw the kids into the air or hang them upside down by their ankles just after they have eaten, I know I keep saying it but one day they will throw up!

3)  Please don't catapult the kids onto the bed, they might think it's funny but Mummy has just made that bed!

4) Please don't scream obscenities out of the car window at fellow road users, little ears hear everything and you can guarantee that they will choose to repeat them at just the wrong moment when they are with mummy!

5) Please don't fart infront of the kids, just because they laugh hysterically it doesn't make it alright!

6) Please don't try and pretend that you can't smell that massive poo in their nappy just so you don't have to change it, the wallpaper is hanging off of the walls!

7) Please don't attempt to dress the children again. A sparkly dress, wooly tights and wellies is not a good combination, ever, especially for messy play!

8) Please don't feed them biscuits right before dinner time, I don't care if they have given you puppy dog eyes, they know what they are doing!

9) Please don't enter into long negotiations with the one year old over whether or not she can have another biscuit, save your breath we already now how it's going to end, she always win!

10) Please don't tell the kids silly things like 'If you put a slice of ham in the DVD player it will play a short film about pigs'. We can't afford to keep replacing it.

I have joined in with Actually Mummy's linky 'wot so funee?'