"Top Ender, would you like beans and egg for dinner?" I called upstairs
"No!" answered Top Ender
"Okay, what would you like?" I asked
"Could I have beans and scrambled egg?" she queried
"Top Ender?"
"Yes, Mummy?"
"What did I just ask if you would like?"
"Beans and egg... I want scrambled egg though!"
Friday, 7 August 2009
Thursday, 6 August 2009
Lost: One Daddy and Mobile Phone
Thirty minutes after Daddy should of been home, I realised that he wasn't home. I thought twice about calling him on his mobile as he normally has his ipod on listening to Stephen Fry podcasts and doesn't hear his phone but I thought that as he was walking home it would be safer to call just in case he had forgotten to come home (he enjoys his job!) and we could go and pick him up.
So I rang his phone and a strange voice answered. Now I knew I had dialed Daddys phone, but I wanted to make sure so I took the phone away from my ear to check the screen and as I put it back the voice answered again;
"Hello" said the strange voice
"You're not my husband" I said
"No, I'm a Police Sergent" said the strange voice
At this point my heart started to slow right down and I could see Daddy laying in the road hit by a car, or possibly a mountain bike.
"Oh" I said
"Do you know if your husband walked past the Blue Lagoon lake today?" said the strange voice
At this point I was imagining Daddy in the lake and the local police dragging the lake.
"Yes I know he did this morning" I managed
As I said this I had wandered into the hallway, I didn't want to be near the children if I was told that their Daddy had been in an accident or worse.
"Well we found his phone by the lake today" the strange voice said
At this point I was about to collapse in a heap when Daddy walked in the front door into the hallway where I was standing. I ended the phone call after a few more minutes and arranged to pick the phone up the next day from the local Police Station.
Talking it over later we realised where it had all gone wrong. Had the policeman said to me "A local dog walker found your husbands phone on the path after having walked round the lake" then I would probably have remained a little more sane and my imagination would of been kept in check!
At least Daddy knows that I love him though!
So I rang his phone and a strange voice answered. Now I knew I had dialed Daddys phone, but I wanted to make sure so I took the phone away from my ear to check the screen and as I put it back the voice answered again;
"Hello" said the strange voice
"You're not my husband" I said
"No, I'm a Police Sergent" said the strange voice
At this point my heart started to slow right down and I could see Daddy laying in the road hit by a car, or possibly a mountain bike.
"Oh" I said
"Do you know if your husband walked past the Blue Lagoon lake today?" said the strange voice
At this point I was imagining Daddy in the lake and the local police dragging the lake.
"Yes I know he did this morning" I managed
As I said this I had wandered into the hallway, I didn't want to be near the children if I was told that their Daddy had been in an accident or worse.
"Well we found his phone by the lake today" the strange voice said
At this point I was about to collapse in a heap when Daddy walked in the front door into the hallway where I was standing. I ended the phone call after a few more minutes and arranged to pick the phone up the next day from the local Police Station.
Talking it over later we realised where it had all gone wrong. Had the policeman said to me "A local dog walker found your husbands phone on the path after having walked round the lake" then I would probably have remained a little more sane and my imagination would of been kept in check!
At least Daddy knows that I love him though!
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
Wordless Wednesday - I've never been though
Two things - Is it already that time of year again? and that's a weird time to start an open day isn't it?
Tuesday, 4 August 2009
Baby Boy Giggles - Anything she can do I can do better!
"Mummy?" said Top Ender as we were sat in the car
"Yes?" I answered
"Can I take my cardigan off?" she questioned
"Of course you can, but don't take your seat belt off" I replied
There was a pause and a slight shuffle from Top Ender as she took off her cardigan
"Mama?" said Baby Boy in the exact tone Top Ender had used
"Yes?" I answered
"lar did da doot too car brmm?" he queried just as she had moments before
"No sweetheart you can't take your seat belt off either" I answered to laughter from both Top Ender and Baby Boy
"Yes?" I answered
"Can I take my cardigan off?" she questioned
"Of course you can, but don't take your seat belt off" I replied
There was a pause and a slight shuffle from Top Ender as she took off her cardigan
"Mama?" said Baby Boy in the exact tone Top Ender had used
"Yes?" I answered
"lar did da doot too car brmm?" he queried just as she had moments before
"No sweetheart you can't take your seat belt off either" I answered to laughter from both Top Ender and Baby Boy
Monday, 3 August 2009
Operator there's a Polar Bear in the Garden!
The other day I wasn't feeling too good. I spent most of the day trying to take it easy whilst trying to carry out the chores for the day and look after the children. I tweeted about it and got a few concerned @replies letting me know that people cared. I told them that I had checked that Top Ender knew what to do in an emergency and was now getting some air to try to shake off the dizzy and sick feeling.
I originally taught Top Ender how to dial 999 when I was pregnant with Baby Boy. I had visions of something going wrong when only she and I were home so we practised how to make an emergency call and how to contact Daddy.
We would let her pretend to dial an emergency service and we would have a conversation as if we were the operator and then the service for the emergency. She would call for fires, car accidents, mummy not being able to be woken up and other things that Top Ender dreamt up such as a polar bear having escaped from the Zoo (that could happen you know!) or a thief who only stole things starting with the letter K breaking into the house.
After having gone over what to do I realised that now she would be alone in the house with her brother and so asked her what she would do with him until help arrived. She was quite happy with this and explained she would play with him and make sure if he cried that he didn't need a drink or something to eat (she knows how to help feed Baby Boy, but doesn't do it very often) and if all else failed to stop him from crying because he wanted me she would give him one of her toys or some chocolate, "which always stops him crying".
We realised that we would have to make a few changes (just in case) to make things easier for her. She is able able to reach her own cutlery and we keep a plate for her in a lower cupboard but Baby Boys things are kept higher up so we moved a spoon, a bowl and a cup down for him to her cupboard and we went over again where we keep snack foods for both her and Baby Boy.
I felt a little better after having got some air, so Top Ender didn't need to put our plan into action, but I know that in the future if something does happen we will be ready.
Please leave a comment though letting me know what else I should teach her, because I am sure I missed something here!
I originally taught Top Ender how to dial 999 when I was pregnant with Baby Boy. I had visions of something going wrong when only she and I were home so we practised how to make an emergency call and how to contact Daddy.
We would let her pretend to dial an emergency service and we would have a conversation as if we were the operator and then the service for the emergency. She would call for fires, car accidents, mummy not being able to be woken up and other things that Top Ender dreamt up such as a polar bear having escaped from the Zoo (that could happen you know!) or a thief who only stole things starting with the letter K breaking into the house.
After having gone over what to do I realised that now she would be alone in the house with her brother and so asked her what she would do with him until help arrived. She was quite happy with this and explained she would play with him and make sure if he cried that he didn't need a drink or something to eat (she knows how to help feed Baby Boy, but doesn't do it very often) and if all else failed to stop him from crying because he wanted me she would give him one of her toys or some chocolate, "which always stops him crying".
We realised that we would have to make a few changes (just in case) to make things easier for her. She is able able to reach her own cutlery and we keep a plate for her in a lower cupboard but Baby Boys things are kept higher up so we moved a spoon, a bowl and a cup down for him to her cupboard and we went over again where we keep snack foods for both her and Baby Boy.
I felt a little better after having got some air, so Top Ender didn't need to put our plan into action, but I know that in the future if something does happen we will be ready.
Please leave a comment though letting me know what else I should teach her, because I am sure I missed something here!
Sunday, 2 August 2009
Baby Boy Giggles - The nose of a Bloodhound!
Top Ender having finally finished her dinner was allowed two jaffa cakes as a pudding, which she only took one of. As we can't give anything to Top Ender without Baby Boy demanding some we also gave him one and the rest of the packet were hidden behind the computer screen, as I was Tweeting.
A few moments later Baby Boy tried climbing up on my knee.
"Up Mama!" he demanded
"Hiya Baby Boy!"
"Ta Mama!" he said waving in the general direction of the computer screen
"No, sorry Baby. They are all gone!" I said
"MAMA!" he screamed and buried his head in my chest
At this point Top Ender returned for her second cake and I quickly passed her the entire packet so that Baby Boy wouldn't see. It couldn't of been as fluid as I thought however as a few seconds later he climbed down off my knee and went in search of Top Ender and the Jaffa Cakes.
"Its okay Top Ender, let him have one." I called over
A few seconds later Baby Boy appeared with a Jaffa cake with a bite taken from it
"Look Mama! Ummmm Mama" he almost purred
I knew he didn't believe me when I told them they had all gone!
A few moments later Baby Boy tried climbing up on my knee.
"Up Mama!" he demanded
"Hiya Baby Boy!"
"Ta Mama!" he said waving in the general direction of the computer screen
"No, sorry Baby. They are all gone!" I said
"MAMA!" he screamed and buried his head in my chest
At this point Top Ender returned for her second cake and I quickly passed her the entire packet so that Baby Boy wouldn't see. It couldn't of been as fluid as I thought however as a few seconds later he climbed down off my knee and went in search of Top Ender and the Jaffa Cakes.
"Its okay Top Ender, let him have one." I called over
A few seconds later Baby Boy appeared with a Jaffa cake with a bite taken from it
"Look Mama! Ummmm Mama" he almost purred
I knew he didn't believe me when I told them they had all gone!
Saturday, 1 August 2009
A weekly reminder of how good I have it
On Thursdays and Friday nights and every other Saturday I get a little taste of what it is like to be a single parent.
On these nights Daddy works a full day and then goes straight to his second job and doesn't come home until after midnight if everything runs to plan. If it doesn't I have known him to come home two or three hours after that. On the Saturdays that he works he is out from 8am to 8pm so he doesn't see the children or me really for three days.
It's weird when it is just me and the two children. Firstly I need to cook a meal but I can't rely on someone to look after Baby Boy. You can't expect a five year old to watch a baby whilst you aren't in the room. And of course even though Top Ender is five she still needs watching.
I don't like to rely on the TV to babysit for me, but I will put it on for them both to watch whilst I am out of the room. I leave the door open between the kitchen and the living room so that I can watch them too, but meals on Thursday, Friday and Saturday are normally very simple affairs. Something that can either be cooked in ten minutes or under (pasta for example) or something that cooks without attention (anything that I can throw in the oven).
Bed time logistics are also something that needs to be carefully planned. Both children go to bed at roughly the same time. Top Ender needs to be in bed at 7:30pm so that by 8pm she is asleep. Baby Boy starts to go to sleep between 7:30 and 8:30pm, but is not able to go to sleep independently just yet, so timing is everything! Of course once the two children have gone to bed it is then time for all the chores to be done.
The dishes from dinner, watering the garden, tidying the living room, preparing for the next day and I'm all alone. Looking after the children by myself is something I do and don't complain about. Doing the chores by myself is something I do and don't complain about. Being on my own night after night, day after day is something that I don't know how I could cope with.
Every week when I get my little taste of being a single mummy I am glad that I am not.
So to all you single parents out there who do it for real day in and out, I bow to you.
On these nights Daddy works a full day and then goes straight to his second job and doesn't come home until after midnight if everything runs to plan. If it doesn't I have known him to come home two or three hours after that. On the Saturdays that he works he is out from 8am to 8pm so he doesn't see the children or me really for three days.
It's weird when it is just me and the two children. Firstly I need to cook a meal but I can't rely on someone to look after Baby Boy. You can't expect a five year old to watch a baby whilst you aren't in the room. And of course even though Top Ender is five she still needs watching.
I don't like to rely on the TV to babysit for me, but I will put it on for them both to watch whilst I am out of the room. I leave the door open between the kitchen and the living room so that I can watch them too, but meals on Thursday, Friday and Saturday are normally very simple affairs. Something that can either be cooked in ten minutes or under (pasta for example) or something that cooks without attention (anything that I can throw in the oven).
Bed time logistics are also something that needs to be carefully planned. Both children go to bed at roughly the same time. Top Ender needs to be in bed at 7:30pm so that by 8pm she is asleep. Baby Boy starts to go to sleep between 7:30 and 8:30pm, but is not able to go to sleep independently just yet, so timing is everything! Of course once the two children have gone to bed it is then time for all the chores to be done.
The dishes from dinner, watering the garden, tidying the living room, preparing for the next day and I'm all alone. Looking after the children by myself is something I do and don't complain about. Doing the chores by myself is something I do and don't complain about. Being on my own night after night, day after day is something that I don't know how I could cope with.
Every week when I get my little taste of being a single mummy I am glad that I am not.
So to all you single parents out there who do it for real day in and out, I bow to you.
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