In The Week That Was....

We have been de-christmasing. We took all the decorations down and of course the room looked very empty and a little bland. Not helped by the fact that the room is rather beige, so I have been brighting the living room up with some new cushions, candles and curtains. 

BG has mainly been playing with her new dolls house that daddy bought her in the sales. As she clearly didn't get enough at Christmas! BG loves it but has already broken the door off and a chair.

I have been working super hard trying to get 2011 going. So far, so good. I've made some great contacts this week and my parent panel on New Mummy's Tips is really coming together. And I've been sent lots of chocolate!


We've been listening to Bon Jovi's Greatest Hits (what a shock). Some of my favourite tracks on on this album.  Its hard to pick one, so I thought I'd go with a newer track which I adore.


So I'm going to leave you with this track....


When We Were Beautiful 

NM X

The Gallery - Can You See What It Is Yet?

This weeks Gallery  prompt is Can You See What It Is Yet? 

So can you?

How about now?

Does this help?

Surely you've got it now, no?

Oh well come back Friday and I'll show you

Don't forget to check out on the other entries on Wednesday 

NM X 

Together Again

On Sunday for the first time in years I got to spend the day with both my sisters and brother, I can't remember the last time all four of us where together.

We got together for a very important occasion, my nieces 1st Birthday. For those of you that follow me on twitter you may have seen that my niece had been ill and spent her birthday in hospital so it was an extra special day for us.  

My sister D arranged a birthday BBQ and we had a great day for it. My niece B was spoilt rotten as it should be and BG also got presents from my sister V so she didn't feel left out. 

We ate, drank, laughed, played and cried (tears of laughter). Pictures where taken, poses where made and kisses shared, it was the perfect day.

BG who isn't normally bothered with other children, dotes on B and is very happy to give kisses and cuddles. 

  

The men where left in charge of the BBQ, I don't know what it is about men and fire but at one point all four men where around the very small BBQ staring into the flames.

I loved spending the day with them all, but it makes me sad that I don't get to see them all very often, I treasure the small moments we get. Hopefully it won't be so long this time before we all get together.

I leave you with this song, it brings back so many memories of when we where younger. My sister V had this single and played it so much that my sister D who was about 5 at the time knew all the lyrics and could sing them even without the music on, it was so cute. We would get her to sing them to our friends!

So I give you Wonderwall by Oasis 

NM X

The Soundtrack To My Week - Christmas In July

I've been riding on the Cybermummy high all week and have loved talking to all my new friends. I've still go to read all the posts people have written and catch up with the live blogging that went on that day.


I've been gallivanting again this week yesterday I was at the John Lewis Christmas show and I will tell you all about it soon on New Mummy's Tips. 


But to honour all the Christmas shows going on this week I give you.......


Christmas in July by Toni & The Tomcats 




NM X

Guest Post - Ryan Jarrett

Welcome to the second guest post of the week and the first man to write on New Mummy!!


Ryan Jarrett, is a lead writer of children's television website, My Kids TV

Screen Time - A Parental Balancing Act

Technology pervades every inch of our modern, appliance filled homes.  If Convenience is King, then Entertainment is Queen.  The average family house is now home to numerous televisions, DVD players, games consoles, laptops and set-top boxes, not to mention their hand-held cousins - mobiles phones, netbooks and Nintendo DSs in Tooty Frooty colours.  These items are a part of our lives.  Our generation have grown to accept them; our children's generation are born to expect them.

As a parent I feel I have a duty to let my children be exposed to this gadgetry which has become intrinsic to us.  It would not be fair to shy them away completely, denying them the pleasure they can bring or the education they can provide.  The PC and the smartphone are the tools with which people work nowadays and by shielding our children from these could we be hindering their later progress in the big wide world?  It's hard to say.

I do appreciate the view that there can be too much exposure to media and technology.  I am a firm believer in family time, in talking to your children, in shared mealtimes round a dinner table and other more traditional customs.  Children can provide some of the most insightful comments and the most amusing conversation - it would be a crime to have their opinions and views homogenised by advertising and peer pressure.

My son, who is nearly 5, is a happy, healthy, intelligent and unique individual.  His first exposure to modern media was to the television.  As he got older he started showing an interest in the noisy, glowing box in the corner, so we slowly let him watch a couple of minutes of a children's programme.  After a while he started to show some preferences to certain shows, but we never forced him to watch one things or another.  We limited screen time and we watched the TV with him as he got older, making it a shared bonding experience, rather than a passive experience.

He enjoys music with a real passion.  However, whereas when I was younger I would listen to cassette tapes and even records, we don't even own a CD player any more (apart from in the car).  All of our music is digital, either stored on our computer or MP3 players, or streamed over the Internet.  My son uses Spotify (a fantastic music streaming application) - could he possibly be the youngest user in the world?  He listens to Lady Gaga, Snow Patrol, Cheryl Cole and even The Beatles, as well as kids TV theme tunes and more traditional childrens music.  He dances and jumps along to these tracks happily, and to him this is the norm.

He owns a DS and he plays on the Wii, but he is not overweight, he has lots of friends and he still plays with his toys.  The games he plays are age appropriate and access to these is limited.  He has a good imagination and his reading is excellent.  The press, both in the UK and globally, present this dichotomy - they want everyone, including our children, to consume media (which, obviously, is in their interests) but we are made to feel bad about over-exposure.

It's not easy being a parent, and we don't ask for medals.  We do our best but we have to pick and choose what to believe.  Is technology and modern media good or bad?  There is no answer - take each experience as it comes, watch your children and decide for yourself.  Just don't feel bad or guilty about having to choose, to restrict or to censor.

Thank you Ryan for your great post. 

Guest Post - Baby Genie

I'm not really here this week and off gallivanting, so I have some fantastic guest posts for you.


The first guest post if from Catherine who writes at BabyGenie . 

My memories of being a new mummy

“What if I don’t want him when we get home?’ I said to my husband a few hours after the birth of our son.

His mind flitted between my wellbeing and what the coming days and weeks may hold.

I had an ok labour – pretty standard, tearful, painful, resulting epidural, forceps and then the birth of a healthy happy boy.

Like all mums, those early days were a little roller coaster.  On reflection, here is the auto pilot route I took.

A moment of panic as I saw a foot bent back the wrong way as our son was born, the delirium leaving me thinking of a baby penguin – a flipper*.

A moment of self doubt that I actually wanted to be a mum which thankfully cleared after a little sleep.

A moment of pure emotion when my dad ran towards me, not our newborn son, and kissed me – beaming with a look of pride that might burst from within him.

A wince of pure desperation as the physical pain pierced in to another day and left me unable to enjoy my new baby.

A morning of pure madness, throwing drop scones into a pan, rocking the bouncer with one foot, determined to arrive at a brunch party having prepared something home made with my four week old son.

A broken laptop, screaming baby and inconsolable mummy after trying to settle my child with white noise downloaded from the internet.

Handmade thank you cards sent out within a matter of moments of receiving a gift, just to prove a point.

Nights of playing Soduko on my phone whilst breast feeding; longing to feel that ‘incredible bonding’ feeling that never came.

But, more than anything, an overwhelming, heart stopping feeling of pure gratefulness that I was a mum.  I was washing clothes that said I love my mummy on them.  A change bag had replaced my handbag.  I knew if it was a hungry cry or a tired cry.  The baby was being passed back to me when he became unsettled.  That baby was mine.  And I did love him – and now, I love him more than I ever knew possible.

Thank you so much for that lovely guest post Catherine. 

The Gallery - Motherhood

This weeks Gallery prompt over at Sticky Fingers is Motherhood. 

I had have a really good think about this, there were so many things I could have photographed to portray Motherhood, I almost took photos of my stretch marks but no one want to see them! 

I decided to pull together some pictures of me and BG, my main problem was that I'm always behind the camera so I haven't got many of the two of us, but here are the ones I could find including a picture of me pregnant. 

And as I was playing about with the photos I tried them in black and white as I personally think I look better in it!

Motherhood for me is the hardest job I have ever had and I'm only 18 months in! But the sleepless nights, lack of money, lack of a waste, the tears and tantrums  all slip away when I see that smile looking back at me

This is my favourite picture of BG, I look at her I think "I made that" and that to me in the most amazing thing about motherhood.


Don't forget to pop over to Tara's on Wednesday to see all the other photo's. 

Sssshhhh The Baby Is Sleeping

*whispers* for the past 4 weeks BG has slept through the night, in her own bed (Please don't hurt me)


This has been 9 months in the making and we had to make a big decision to get her to sleep through. We finally bite the bullet and tried controlled crying with her and after one night of it, it worked. It took 20 mins in total and  we have had 12 hours of a sleeping toddler every night since.


I know many people are against Controlled Crying as a technique to get babies to sleep and I understand all the reasons and arguments against it , for us it really was a last resort and I'm am glad we finally did it. 


We we're really spoilt when BG was younger, she dropped her night feeds at 9 weeks and starting sleeping 7 to 7, it was heaven. We felt slightly smug, other friends we knew were desperately trying to sleep train their children and BG did it all by her self. All was perfect until she was about 6 months and she started teething, then she became ill, her sleep routine was ruined and it has taken almost 9 months to get it back on track.


It wasn't just a case of BG waking up in the night and having to get her back to sleep and back into her cot. Once she was awake she wouldn't settle and go back into her cot, every-time she fell asleep  she would wake as yiu laid her back down, so it became easier to take her down stairs and sleep on the sofa with her. BG wouldn't sleep in our bed with us.


It was mainly OH that would get up with her, I am really deep sleeper and once she dropped those night feeds I barely hear her cry (we already know I'm an evil mummy) so OH would get up.


It then become easier to leave her sleep on the sofa at night and not even try and put her in the cot, OH would sleep on the floor next to her, she would wake up at 4am and crawl down for  cuddle. 


I know it sounds completely mental but it worked and we all kinda got some sleep. However after 9 months of this, it was taking a toll on me and OH mentally, physically and for me emotionally. I missed sharing my bed with him and evenings had become quite strained. 


We had allowed BG to get to such a bad routine at home and it was starting to tear us apart. I must also pint out that when BG slept at her nan's she slept through the whole night, it was only at home that she didn't


So 4 weeks ago after BG had spent the night at her Nana's, we put her to bed when she fell asleep at 7pm, she woke at 9pm. OH went up, laid her down, told her it was time to bed and we left her for 5 mins and yes she did scream, he went back up did the same again and we left her 10  mins, he went up a 3rd time and within 5 mins of him coming back down she was asleep and she slept until 7.30 the next day. 


BG now sleeps through the night, we only had to do it once. Its starting to make a huge difference in out life, me and OH are spending quality time together and BG wakes up in a great mood. We go in and get her, she picks up Pooh bear, gives us a kiss and is ready to start the day. The last month has defiantly been good for us. 


I'm not saying this is for everyone, it was a last resort for us and something I'm glad we have now done. 


Its amazing what sleep can do for your family (though I have to get used to OH snoring again)


NM X 

Soundtrack To My Week

This week has been quite productive even with a poorly BG, Its amazing what can achieve in snatched moments of time.


This song I've been listening to all week, actually I'm loving the whole album but this song is the one I've been dancing around like a mad women to this week.................................................


Florence + The Machine - Dog Days





Enjoy

NM X

Gallery - Joy

My first idea for this weeks subject Joy for Tara's Gallery was to take pictures of all the things that give me joy, however with BG being poorly that hasn't happened. So I've put together some old pictures which show Joy.

The first picture is the day BG was born, those tired looks on our faces are actually looks of pure joy.

The second picture is 6 weeks later on BG's first Christmas day, we went out for dinner with both our families and I had my first drink since she was born, I was very happy.

                                        

These photo's are some of my favourite of BG, her face is showing pure joy in each of these photo's and when I see them they fill my heart with joy.

Sorry for going all soppy on you, I'm now off to see to my grumpy, spotty baby.

NM X 

Bad Mummy Moment

BG has Chickenpox, she's covered in sore, red spots. She woke up yesterday with some spots on her neck, so I took a picture and posted it on twitter (obviously), some though it could be chickenpox but it was a bit early to tell. 


Later that afternoon the spots had multiplied, so we took her to the out of hours doctors who confirmed it was Chickenpox, so we went home with a huge supply of calamine. 


No why am I a bad mummy I hear you say? Well, she's probably had it for a few days and I hadn't noticed.
Let me explain, when BG is teething she's get nasty nappy rash. On Friday her bum look a bit sore and there were some spots, I just though it was nappy rash. Turns out there were the chickenpox spots, by the time we went to the doc they had burst, apparently the spots like warm places.


I left the doctors feeling like the worse Mother in the world, there's me slapping on nappy cream and all along she's got the Chickenpox. 


To be honest she doesn't seem to notice the spots, which can only be a good thing. The doctor (who always makes me feel like a neurotic mum) said she may not get itchy as he seems to think its psychological and she's too young to realise. We shall wait and see, she is definitely not herself so lots of cuddles are in order this week.  


I just hope it all clears up soon.


NM X 

Haircuts, Bumps & Bruises and The Soundtrack To My Week

This last week has been jammed packed, so I'd thought I'd give you the highlights.


Last Friday I had my hair cut, short, very short!


This is me before....

and this is me after...

Ignore the double chin!!


At the weekend I had a house full, for the first in a long time I got to cook for my family. My sister, her OH and my 13 year old cousin who was over from Ireland came to stay.


We stuffed ourselves silly on Easter Sunday so on the Monday we took a walk to the park where BG managed to trip and bang her head and nose. She had two bumps on her head and a graze on her nose, she now looks like I've been beating her!


My sister and her OH went back Monday and left my 13 year old cousin here with us. She didn't quite realise how *fun* it is to have a toddler running around, she made the fatal mistake of trying to play on her laptop while BG was awake, BG wanted to help her by closing the top down and pressing the buttons, what a helpful child *snigger*


Tuesday was a lovely day so we went to the seaside and went to the sea life centre, which was loved by all. BG likes the really ugly and dangerous fishes, she saw the Piranha's and went "ahh", any thing with teeth she liked!


We took a walk along the beach and BG collected a stone to take home, do you want to see it?......

Its huge!! Not exactly what we had in mind but we couldn't get it off her...

A good day was had by all, especially as we hot, freshly made doughnuts on the way home.


Me and BG had the house back to ourselves yesterday, so we had the afternoon in the garden, where she tripped hit her head and nose again!! and gave her self a nose bleed. Hugs and chocolate made it better.


It was a lovely Easter for us, BG only got one small egg from me and OH and the rest of the family bought presents or gave us money for her next term of Musical Mini's (yes I am a mean mummy)


So this brings me to the soundtrack of the week, I had a good think about it and choose this..........


We Are Family by Sister Sledge 








Enjoy!! 

NM X

My Family

Yesterday I got to meet my gorgeous niece and sister D and my brother finally got to meet BG!

They live in Tamworth and don't drive like me so hadn't managed to come over to see us yet. Anyway we drove up yesterday and spent the day. My little niece is soooo cute and like all new Born's slept the whole time we we're there! It amazing how quickly you forget what new babies are like it seem like years ago that BG was like that and she's only 7 months old!!

I had a lovely long hold of my niece and BG fell in love with my sister straight away! No crying at all, she wasn't bothered, just went straight in her arms. She was also fascinated by the baby and wanted to grab her!

My brother also came over and BG was smitten at first sight and so was he! He played with her for ages giving her hugs and kisses then he held Baby and was completely smitten with her as well it was soo sweet and we have loads of cute pictures. I've never seen him like that.

We also spent the weekend with my other sister (sister V), who for someone who says they don't have the patience for children is besotted with BG (and who is v jealous I got to see the new baby).

BG has spent the last few days being hugged, kisses and completely spoilt by her Aunts and Uncle and she loved it and so did I! She has finally meet all my siblings, she just needs to meet OH's now!

And I just need to get all of mine in the same place, me thinks BG's 1st Birthday may be the perfect time!

NM x

Change To Scheduled Blog

The last two weeks have been very very busy!! We have started weaning, I had my first night away from Baby Girl and we went on our first family holiday!!

And that’s what I was going to blog about , until I received news yesterday that my Uncle (by marriage) and my 17 year old cousin were in a car accident. My uncle was killed instantly and my cousin was airlifted to Whitechapel Hospital with head injuries.

Thankfully she awoke earlier today, she has many fractures to her pelvis but they seem to be the only injuries and for that we are eternally grateful .

The most disturbing thing of all is that the guy who crashed into them has been arrested on suspicion on drinking and driving!!! I really do hope this is not the case , its bad enough to lose someone you love but to lose them because someone was reckless and stupid is horrid.

I really don’t know what else to write, so am just going to say thank you again to all the well wishes it really helped

NM x

Beauty Routine????

Now I’ve never been a particularly glamorous woman or a real girly girl but I do love makeup , especially wearing makeup. However I have found since having BG as I’m sure you other mum’s have that I don’t have the time or inclination to follow my old beauty routine , well at least not everyday (when OH is off I have a mini pamper session). To be honest when she was first born my makeup and hair were the last thing on my mind but as we have gotten into a routine and she sleeps through the night, the need for me to look and feel more human has arrived.

My old routine would take me at least 20 mins, my new routine takes 5 mins. I have recently had my hair cut short and highlighted which helps make my routine shorter. I bet your wondering how do highlights make my routine shorter well I shall tell you.

I am naturally blonde but I have had my hair dark for the last 5 years, being a natural blonde means that I am pale and have light eyebrows which means I require more makeup to look alive and need to fill my eyebrows in to match my hair, so lighten my hair means I need less makeup, hence less time.

My old routine:-

Cleanse
Tone
Moisturise
Foundation
Eyebrows (wax first then powder)
Eye shadow
Mascara
Blusher
Lip gloss
Straighten all hair

New routine:-

Wipe face with 4 in 1 face wipe
Dust face with mineral powder
Mascara
Vaseline on lips (stopped using lip gloss everyday as I kiss BG a lot)
Run brush through hair (Run hair straightner over top of hair if have time)

Not only do I save time and money with my new routine but I’ve realised I don’t actually have to wear so much makeup to look good!

As we are talking pampering a extra little story for you. Monday night OH came home a huge Champneys gift set for me (which is lush) when I asked him (in a nice tone) what he had bought it for he replied “it was reduced” not the answer I was looking for!!! Lol

NM x

Just Another Manic Monday

Well I thought my weekend was busy, my Monday was non-stop and its all my own fault!!!

I decided yesterday that instead of staggering my housework across the week as I had been doing and feeling that I never stop I would do the majority of it on a Monday giving me the rest of the week to spend playing with Baby girl. I finally finished and sat down at 8.30 last night!!

This is what I achieved:-

1. Cleaned kitchen
2. Threw out old kitchen ware
3. Emptied fridge of out of date food (not much)
4. Cleaned living room
5. Hoovered stairs
6. Cleaned bathroom
7. Cleaned bedrooms put away washing from weekend
8. 3 loads of washing, dried and folded ready to be put away
9. Swept front yard
10. Organised coupons
11. Shredded paperwork that was no longer needed
12. Emptied all bins put out ready for collection
13. Washed and sterilised Baby Girls bottles
14. Prepped Dinner
15. Changed Baby Girl and Mummy 3 times as Baby Girl was sick over both of us
15. Wrote a blog post
16. Tried to get tickets for Reading Festival
17. Finalised online shopping from Sainsbury’s that is coming tonight
18. Planned meals for the rest of the work
19. Wrote a list of what we need for our holiday
20. Collapsed!!

So today I don’t have to anything!!! Right?

Except the washing up needs doing and I could run the hoover over the living room…

Someone stop me, please!!!

NM X

Where Has The Weekend Gone???

Even though I'm on maternity leave at the moment I still see the weekend as time to relax, take it easy, see friends etc and that's what I've tried to do this weekend but my god doesn't time go fast. I also find weekends just a tiring as the week!!!

My weekend started on Friday, one of my best friends came over with her daughter (she is 7 weeks younger then my Baby Girl (trying to stop calling her BFB) ) We went to the local baby and toddler group, played with the babies, talked to the other mum's, dranks coffee. Then we walked into town and had lunch, we got home about 2ish ,I then had to get dinner ready for the evening, prep BG bottles. I had done the housework in morning, by the time I got BG to bed I was shattered, it was only 7pm.

Saturday my Dad came to visit, so again we went to lunch, walked around town. I had to entertain him all afternoon (OH was at work) again by the time BG went to bed I was ready for mine.

Then came Sunday when the glorious clocks go forward an hour!!! OH had to work late night so we had the morning together, then he went off to work and I had BG all day and had to do the night time routine by myself. Because the clocks went forward so she didn't go to bed until 8, I then had to cook my dinner by the time OH got home at 9 I was ready to collaspe!!

And now its Monday again, where did my lazy weekend go???

If anyone finds it can they please send it back I miss it!

NM x

Apparently I Have Too Much Stuff!!!

According to OH family 8 years of mine and my sister's life which has been in storage is a lot of stuff!! (They should have seen what we threw away!!)

I shall start at the beginning, me and my younger sister moved in together 10 years ago (OMG 10yrs I've just scared myself) anyway I was 19 and she was 16 previously we had been homeless (even longer story I'll leave for another day). When we moved into our flat we had practically nothing, we bought everything second hand then spent the next 8 years replacing with new. My sister went off to uni and shared her time between student diggs and our flat, every year bringing more furniture etc home. When she graduated (Degree in stage management I'm very proud of her) she toured and had short term contracts, she eventually got a long term contract, met the love of her life and moved in with him leaving all her things at our flat.

Two years ago I moved in with my partner, as he had his own house and I rented my flat it made sense to move into his home and put my stuff in storage until we moved into a bigger house. Well cut to two years later we are still in the same house and my stuff is still in storage costing me a fortune every month. Now OH sister has moved into a two bedroom bungalow and has kindly let me store it all at hers, she is having some of it, my cooker, fridge freezer and sofa!!

When we moved it out last week end all his parents and sister keep saying to me is "haven't you got a lot of stuff", "didn't realise it was that much", that is until they start rummaging in the boxes which is really annoying me!! I have asked them not too as its not all mine and there is some personal things in the boxes diaries etc which I don't want them looking at. His aunt is even after my bed which took me a year to save up for (which we are keeping). Its just upsetting that 8 years of my life is described as a "lot of stuff". Some of that "stuff" took me years to save up for lI was studying and working at the same time) like my cooker and fridge freezer which she is having for free!! Now I just keep picturing them routing though my things and its upsetting.

I know I'm probably over reacting, but they just find it funny and I don't. I'm not planning on leaving there long, once I can go through it all I will decide what to keep and what to sell, which they will have first refusal on.

OK feeel better now

Sorry last two posts have been whiny I promise my next one won't be

NM x

If Only We Could Choose Our Neighbours!!!

I live in a small Cull De Sac type street, there are only six house, three of my neighbours are nightmares!!!!

Let start with my neighbours to the left of me. We used to have polish neighbours they were lovely, nice and quite, always said hello. If they had a party the music was turned off by eleven great neighbours. The new couple that have moved are so noisy!! They spent three months renovating the house, now let me explain about the houses we live. They are very small, the living rooms and kitchens are open planned!! Two bedrooms and a small bathroom with a shower (we have squeezed a bath in and I mean squeeze) These houses are also relatively new only about 20 yrs old, so how can it take three months??!!! They didn't even do it themselves they hired professionals. So all I heard for three months was bang, bang, bang, buzz buzz buzz. Not fun when your pregnant and trying to nap. Anyway so they finally finished and moved in, they are a very touchy feeling couple and its not a nice sight. Every time they leave the house together they have a snogging session first, we also seem to catch them its not pretty!! They also have a argument every Sunday night, I think they go to the pub for lunch have a few drinks and start a fight. They are so loud you can hear them over the TV!! BFB doesn't scream that loud! However they are not the worst neighbours!!



To my right is Batty lady, I'm sorry if that sounds nasty but she is!! I haven't got time to go through all the things she does, here are a few! She bangs and makes strange noises in the middle of the night! She's obsessed with rubbish, she has been seen on her bike at picking up rubbish off the streets at three in the morning. She puts out at least six bags of recycling each week!! she lives alone, she also puts it out really early which really p****s me off as it sits outside my window. This week she put it out Thursday it doesn't get collected until Tuesday!!! She had already put out six bags at the beginning of the week! This is the view from my window

Lovely isn't it!!! The worse bit is she steals our recycling then puts it out with her own!! She took all the large boxes we had when bought Megan's stuff put them outside her house then put them out with recycling!!

Lastly is the guy that lives next to batty lady, ponytail guy we call him. He doesn't recycle he burns it!! He is always having bonfires and does he tell us that he's going to burning things so we can get the washing in, close windows? No !!!

I can't wait until this recession is over and we can move, though knowing my luck we're get worse neighbours!!

OK rant over feel much better now, must go and do the housework!

NM x

But she's only 14 Weeks!!

BFB is teething, yes teething!!! She's only 14 weeks old! Not only that but she is also going through a growth spurt so she wants to eat more often its never ending. She's chewing her hands so much I'm worried that they will get sore, I keep giving her other things to chew but she goes back to her hands! She's also started to chat and gurgle more its so cute to listen to her babble away !!

The last few days have been long and busy, OH has been on late nights so I've had BFB all day and all night soo sleepy. I did manage to bake a cake yesterday, it was the first cake I have ever baked!!! I put too much Jam in the middle and it oozed out

Tasted good though!!

Today we went to B&Q to get a new kitchen sink and taps and they had everyone but the one we wanted so we came away with four new herbs, three pots and a Teddy Bear picture for BFB's bedroom!!!

We then took her to be weighed, she is now 16lbs 12.5 ozs!! She's but on 12.5 ozs in two weeks!! All together now Big Fat Baby!!!

Bargain of the week for me has been a free mascara from Rimmel http://bit.ly/8SxkG. Full size for nothing can't be bad!!! Looking for free stuff is my new hobby in the last two months I have got for free: 80 garden bulbs, teabags, coffee, seeds, heat pads and baby spoons!!

OK need to go and get dinner on and BFB fed and in bed.

NM x