Cream Crackered

The party was fab on Thursday night. I didn't take pics - sorry - but Kirsti has my camera USB cable and my card is full and I can't download em till she gets here....so can't take any pics at the moment.

There was free food, free booze (boo hiss to no drinking) and we ended up playing poker which was a blast. I won twice! Once with 3 aces. Much fun. Got in at midnight which is seriously past my bedtime. But had more fun than I'd had in a long time.

Yesterday I spent the day running round after Oscar - morning in the park (including having to carry him on my shoulders for about 10 minutes to get him back to the car), afternoon in my friend Clare's garden(where Oz, Frank and Jessica all ran around starkers having a blast). Oscar was a right handful, it was red hot and I was exhausted...

BUT had arranged to go out with my lovely lovely friend Joyce for a mutual birthday celebration....so up to London I trecked in the evening - and had a yummy sushi dinner at Kulu Kulu followed by a long meandering walk through Soho trying to find Joyce's husband (and Rob's best mate) Andy in a pub, then walked to Covent Garden (where Andy bought me a ride on a carousel as my birthday present). I love carousels. If I ever win the lottery I want my own one - like in the Sting - in my basement - all lit up and sparkly and there whenever I want to ride it.

Today Joyce had got me some comp tickets to see On The Third Day - the play that won the Channel 4 competition The Play's The Thing. I was almost too tired to even think about it. But Mum offered to buy Rob and I a lovely lunch and it was bliss to have time together without Oz. He played with mum all afternoon, we had a chinese meal in Chinatown (dim sum for me, sizzling chili chicken for Rob) and watched the play. Which was all right....not west end standard. And Maxine Peake was trying desperately to do a posh RP accent which occasionally sounded like Penelope Keith but then slipped into Coronation Street when she got emotional. It was a hard part for her to play and the ironic thing (and the reason we went really) was that her character was a planetarium presenter at the Royal Observatory (Rob would be her boss). It wasn't very accurate....Rob was suprised the author hadn't contacted the Museum for information....

Beautiful set. Wierd play and the ending didn't work. Bit depressing really if that was the best the country produced....I've direct experience of excellent new playwriting (Hello Moxie) and it's a shame that new writing just isn't cutting it anymore.

Picked Oz up - he'd had my mum in tears...of laughter. On the way home he asked for hamster pancakes with custard for his dinner. Honestly! I nearly crashed the car. I think he got it from a song about a hamster that's on his car tape, they made pancakes on Nick Jr this morning....and tubby custard. He's combined them in his head to make a gourmet dream dinner....any recipes, let me know!

I fell asleep on the sofa earlier so am wide awake now. Luckily. Cos one of the neighbours is having a serious reggae party and the music is so loud, there's no way I could sleep if I wanted to. Luckily Oz's bedroom is at the front of the house.

So I'm surfing a bit. And catching up. Kirsti gets here a week on Monday (yay!). I've got birthday parties almost every weekend until the end of August. I've got lots of time on my hands now MM has finished so Julie and I will be working hard on the LAB. (Ursula - it's a business I'm starting up - www.livingafterbirth.co.uk).

I've used lots of brackets here. I think I'm in a brackety mood. I'm getting old...eek!

Hot hot hot hot hot

I know - broken record - but it's still horrible here and I don't like it!!

Oz was a little star on the BBC news - I have it on vid and will try and get it on DVD and upload it somehow. I had loads (well 2) phone calls from people I hadn't told who had seen it and were gobsmacked!

Am going to a summer ball tomorrow night at Beauberry House (where we're doing the LAB). Julie and I went to Bluewater yesterday to find something for me to wear. I managed to get a bargainous maternity outfit for £15 (reduced from £50) but it's not evening wear - jeans and a gingham top. I do love it - I look proper pregnant in it - not just fat like I usually look. I couldn't find anything for the ball though so I'm going to be raiding my wardrobe and wearing something sparkly and casual.

Had another afternoon off today thanks to mama - went swimming which was bliss. It's never long enough though. I drop him off and think - ooo - 4 hours to myself. Then I blink and it's over! Ah well - Kirsti arrives on the 7th August (yay) and I'll make the most of her! LOADSA free time for me.

I can't believe that this time next week I'll be 35. Mid thirties. Eeek! I can't be that old. I'm 7 in my head....

Oscar's TV Debut!

If you're in the London area and are in tonight (Monday) at 6.30pm watch BBC London news at 6.30 and hopefully Oscar will be there, prancing round the Horniman Museum's new aquarium and having a whale of a time. They interviewed me as well. I looked like hell - no makeup and hair in bunches due to sweaty hat hair - as I mentioned, my friend is a journalist so they were looking for someone to be the voice of the public - and Oz obliged!

I'll post later and let you know. If there's anyway I can get it on DVD (I don't have a DVD recorder but if anyone out there has and can get it onto a computer so I can post it....) I'll put it on here somehow.

What a difference a day (and a sleep) makes

Yesterday was awful. Well it started on Wednesday night. Rob was out and I had to put Oz down on the hottest day of the year. He didn't want to go to bed or have a bath and actually was awake until 9 - alternatly playing around and screaming. Also, Weds night is tidy-up night at our house - the cleaner comes on Thursday so the house is always a huge mess on Wednesday. Yes I know it would be easier if we kept it tidy. But you know me....so Rob had promised to be home earlyish so he'd help me. He didn't get home till after 11pm. By which time I'd done it all myself and had melted in a hot puddle of sweat. I wasn't happy.

Next morning Oscar was awake at 6.....I got to Monkey Music to find that my CD player had melted in the car on Wednesday - it was 37 degrees on Wednesday so I'm hardly surprised. This heatwave is totally unbearable... So I had to do the class with one hand holding the lid down on the cd player to make sure the music played. On the way to pick up Oscar Louise (childminder) rang to say he'd fallen asleep in the buggy (hardly surprising) and did I want to leave him asleep or wake him. I STUPIDLY said wake him up and give him lunch and then he'll sleep for longer. Oh no. He wouldn't sleep at all. I picked him up 20 minutes later - he was in a foul mood from being woken up and was dog tired. I put him in his cot when we got home but he wasn't having any of it. He did the same as he'd done the night before - quietly played for a while, screamed for 10 minutes, played some more. After an hour in his cot I gave up.

Got him up and took him to a play place with Julie and Mya. But because he was so tired he was a nightmare. Everything was a drama. Driving home a stupid &*&^^$&** woman in a green car nearly killed us by not looking where she was going and not giving way at the roundabout - I thought she'd seen me but as I pulled on to the roundabout she sailed on - and I missed her by millimetres. I was so proud that I didn't swear but Oscar was saying "hit car, hit car" and I just burst into tears. Luckily we were only a minute away from home. Came home and sat in front of the fan for ten minutes....

Then I had a doctor's appointment which was running 45 minutes late so once again Oz and I were in that sweaty waiting room - I got there at 5.15 when my appointment was - saw the doc at 6.

Luckily Rob came home early - came to the docs - and took the boy off my hands. And the only good thing - I got some anti-hystamines and nasal spray from the doc so no more suffering with hayfever and rhinitis.

Rob put Oz to bed and again - he wouldn't go to sleep. Even though he was EXHAUSTED. Eventually Rob went back in and sang him to sleep. I went to bed early without dinner cos I was too hot and fed up.

Today however - Oz slept in till I woke him at 7.30. MM went well. One of the mums told me she's due in December so she's a new bump buddy. And I got lots of email addresses for our LAB mailing list. Everyone is so interested which is cool!

Oscar fell asleep in the car on the way home so I had 2 hours to do washing, bake a wonderful loaf of bread (courtesy of Lesley's breadmaker - god I love that thing), pay my car tax, read all about Cheryl Tweedy's wedding in OK magazine and have a lovely lunch of falafels covered in salad cream.

This afternoon we went to the Horniman museum with my friends and got a guided tour of the brand new aquarium (one of my friends is a journalist and filming a piece about it on Monday). It was very hot but Oz had a blast. Just got home - hot and sweaty but quite relaxed.

I can't imagine what it will be like when he stops napping in the day. In fact I think I'm going to force him to nap until he's at least 16. I need that time!

And it's the weekend. And I'm 14 weeks pregnant I think today. Kell had her baby Sonny! hoorah!- well done Kell! Can't wait to hear all the details. Moxie is having a fab pregnancy and got to see her little one which is cool. And all seems well with the world (well my little world - don't even start me on the global situation). Even though it's still too bloody hot, I'm a lot happier with my lot.

(reading this post back, it's not very interesting...but hey - it's my life at the moment!)

Hot and bothered....

Not a good day today - it's too bloody hot! Energy sapping, sweaty, sticky close and horrible heat. Took Oscar swimming this morning instead of going to our usual library singalong as it would have been too warm with about 20 toddlers and grownups in a very small room.

Was looking forward to my booking in appointment this afternoon - seems wierd to have a booking in two weeks AFTER my scan! Sat for 45 minutes pouring sweat in a very stuffy waiting room - Oscar slowing going into meltdown - only for the midwife to come out and explain that she just realised she'd run out of medical notes books and would have to drive to her other clinic to get some - which would mean at least 20 minutes waiting. Then the appointment - which if she was running 45 minutes late - obviously takes her a long time....

I was fuming. I'd taken the afternoon off Monkey Music - and therefore I didn't get paid - I'd sat and sweltered....I wasn't happy. But being the stupid unassertive British person I am I smiled and said don't worry! ARGH. I am so annoyed at myself.

She has rescheduled the appointment for Monday and she's coming to my house which will be much easier on Oscar. By then I'll be 14 weeks pregnant.

Oz has been hot and ratty all afternoon - I didn't want to go out again - had no where really to go - I just wanted to sit in front of a fan. He's been dragging me in and out of the garden, stropping left right and centre cos he's hot and bothered - wouldn't eat any dinner.

Had enough today. I'm dreading tomorrow where it's going to be 37degrees and I'm teaching in an airless church hall all morning. The car is the worst - it's like a sauna. All the seats and dashboard are red hot. And if you put the airblowers on (not airconditioning but blowy things) they blow red hot air in your face. It's truly horrible. The Cosmic Ordering hasn't worked as yest on the car order....and I really really want one!

Sorry for the winge. Just feeling pissed off and miserable and sorry for myself and hot and fed up.

Hormotional!!

I just watched Empire of the Sun. I haven't seen it for a long time and certainly not since becoming a mother. A mother of a son. God it tore me up. The bit where he was separated from his mummy of course. And when they were reunited.

I'd forgotten how amazing Christian Bale is. I think he's a wonderful actor now but then - God, he must have been all of 12. And he carries that whole film. And I believe him every moment. I know this is one of Spielberg's least successful films but I have no idea why.

It affected me so much, I just came upstairs, lifted a sleeping Oscar out of his cot and sat and cuddled him (thankfully he stayed asleep) for 10 minutes.

It's my worst nightmare I think - to lose your child - in any way - but to be forcefully torn apart and then have no idea what or where or how......chilling.

I think it's also partly because I'm full of hormones! But if you haven't seen this film for a long time, or have never seen it - watch it.

Afternoon off

My lovely lovely mother has taken Oscar off my hands this afternoon for 3 hours. Bliss! I've just had a long shower. I've bought a tub of Ben & Jerry's (not very low GI but I've been so good...and at this stage of the pregnancy, I don't think it'll kill me). I've got some housework to do but I'll do it leisurely without having to chase insane toddler boy around.

All is well here. One of my Monkey Music mums commented that I was amazing because I was losing weight while pregnant - which made me feel good. My childminder said I was "glowing" today (though that might have been the heat!). I'm feeling good. Got another wierd craving. Salad Cream. Man, I can't get enough of it. The other night - spaghetti bolognaise - I smothered it in Salad Cream. Last night - lamb chops, chick peas and broccoli - you couldn't see what food was which as it was all covered in white gloop. It's bonkers! I had nothing like this with Oscar. It seems to be tangy things - lime - salad cream....mad....

Right - I'm off to leisurely put the washing on and eat a scotch egg with....you guessed it....SC....

A favour

If you're a mum - and I know a lot of readers are - could you do a survey for me? It's for the new business -we're trying to work out what women really want from our business. It would be a HUGE help...


Click here to take survey

THANK YOU!!!

It's not twins!!

Had the scan today. I was remarkably nervous before hand - butterflies in my stomach, feelings of dread.

But it was all fine - although 2Bee was very unco-operative. Got the first glimpse of the baby which was lovely - lying on it's side all snuggled up. The radiographer checked that all the bits and bobs were where they should be - but when it came to the nuchal measurement, 2Bee wouldn't co-operate. I coughed, he prodded - quite painful on a caesar scar - but nope.

So I had to retire to the waiting room and drink and drink until my bladder was full and we'd try again. 40 minutes later - still no joy - this time 2Bee was head down, very wriggly but still not showing neck. The radiographer described the baby as a "little sod"! So doesn't bode well for the future!

So I had to try and let out half of the contents of my bladder - good for the pelvic floor! - and go back and try again. At last - he got a measurement. 1:937 which is great.

First time we went in Oscar was asleep but the second time, he was awake - not sure if he really registered what was happening!

I'm so relieved. And now I feel officially pregnant. The dates are correct so I'm not more pregnant than I thought I was - bang on 12 weeks. In fact the baby is a little small (how unusual for this family!) but I don't think it really matters a jot at this stage. It's got arms, legs, bladder, brain, stomach - all is healthy and well. And I'm very happy.

We didn't really get a good picture - 2Bee is definitely camera shy (how even more unusual!) and anyway, my scanner is kaput at the mo. Next scan will be early September and hopefully I can show you a lovely shot then.

Ego happily massaged

Thank you for the lovely replies to my questions! There was me getting worried - instead I'm all smiley.

How was your weekend? Hot? It's been ROASTING here in London. Yesterday we had an abortive attempt to visit Kew Gardens - had free tickets from a friend. After 2 hours on the South Circular we gave up and ended up on Clapham Common - Oz totally lost the plot - the car was like a sauna and I was fed up - took 50 minutes to drive from Clapham Common to Wandsworth - 5 minutes down the road normally - the traffic was crawling....I think people were going to Wimbledon. Nightmare.

Today I went for a picnic with mums I met at a GP postnatal group - we've all made sure we kept in touch and today was the first time we'd got together with all the kids (we usually go out in the evenings). It was manic of course - with 7 nearly 2 year olds running rampant. Oz had a huge temper tantrum on the way there. And a few while we were there. There were plenty of time outs and mums running round shouting "no!". But it was lovely. LOADS of food - I had a day off from low GI and ate a scone with clotted cream and jam....yum. I also ate protein! And I made brown rice salad - it's SO easy - fry a load of onions until brown and caramelised. Boil some brown rice. Combine the two and add loads of soy sauce (I use the low salt one - it tastes the same). Add chopped parsley and Robert is your mother's brother. Yummy and cheap and easy.

I think I got sunburnt - even though I had factor 45 on. Hope Oscar didn't. He spent most of the afternoon stealing footballs from other families and joining in their game. He's a right dribbler - much to my dismay. The boy loves his ball.....

I'm continuing to have serious lime cravings. I bought some lime essential oil as my sense of smell is so strong and that's the only smell I want at the moment. I have lime shower gel. And I bought some lime cordial and have been swigging that. I'm lime crazy! I don't remember having such strong cravings with Oscar - and so changeable - from being desperate for chai tea, I now don't want it at all - so maybe next week lime will be anathema....

Bonkers!

Everyone's doing this one.....

I'm such a sheep - I have to join in!

I stole it from Ess...it's doing the rounds!

What you have to do, oh loyal readers, is cut and paste this into your comment and answer the questions....I don't think I'll get much luck with 4 and 5....but didn't want to rewrite em!

01. Who are you?
02. Are we friends?
03. When and how did we meet?
04. Do/Did you have a crush on me?
05. Would you kiss me?
06. Describe me in one word.
07. What was your first impression?
08. Do you still think that way about me now?
09. What reminds you of me?
10. If you could give me anything what would it be?
11. How well do you know me?
12. When’s the last time you saw me?
13. Ever wanted to tell me something but couldn’t?
14. Are you going to put this on your blog/journal and see what I say about you?

I could be asking for trouble here.....