Magpie Monday

I've been shown a new blog celebrating one of my little happinesses in life- charity shops!  Missie Lizzie Magpie Mondays invite you to show off any or all of your favourite second hand shop bargains.  Well, bargains from anywhere really, I love a good mooch around charity shops, car boot sales, house clearances, I've even got some real prizes off ebay and Freecycle.
So when my lovely pal from The McCaskie Clan called me the Queen of charity shops,and invited me to dig out any particular treasures from my foraging sessions, how could I say no? :)

First up is my latest Freecycle acquisition, I'd actually replied to a post offering a sleeping bag, but when the offerer told me it had gone, she also mentioned that she had a Little Tykes coupe car going and would I like it?  Would I?!  Well, not me so much but Madam adores it!!

Though I must say, her adoration for it caused a slight problem when it was time to drag her out of it for some lunch...

I do have so many more little (and not so!) treasures to show you, but life has conspired against me today to get any of them photographed, so I'll save it all up for next weeks Magpie Monday. 

Miss Independent

We popped into a friend's house today for a spot of lunch, and tried to plonk Madam into the highchair.  Alas, she has already spotted a rather pink booster seat.  There were tears, mostly mine to be frank, and she simply couldn't sit to eat unless she was in that chair.  Now I'm not saying that Mummy's a pushover, but....

Alright, so I caved!  It was nice to have her sat next to me, chomping away on soggy toast and lukewarm beans.  She rather enjoyed herself, so that's an investment for the future, methinks.

Oh yes, then she was lucky to see her favourite person, and spent- ooh a good ten minutes chopsing away to them!

Mug shot!

I've had quite a subdued day today, thanks to Madam teething last night and having us up between 4:45am and 6:30am, ugh...

Anyhoo, this quietness means I've not been out and about or in the mood for photographing, so thought I'd just slap up a photo of madam and I, the Face behind the Words. :)

Do me a favour, look closely and allay my fears- I don't really have grey hairs up on top do I?! Sob...

p.s- How cool is Madam's pout! 

Silent Sunday- Today I Made....

(Stop thinking rude thoughts!)

Getting there :)

Good news, Madam's certainly not wary of her new potty, but I'm not sure she's got quite the right idea about it use...

She simply sees it as a nice new seat for her to relax on! But she has seemed to have decided that 'weewees!!' is what's meant to be shouted at the top of her voice whenever myself or Mr B disappear into the bathroom. Hmm, that'll be interesting when we've got guests.

Flashback Friday

Another enjoyable photo blog I found via a friend (who I'm sure is getting fed up with me copying her ideas!) is a feature called Flashback Friday.  This blog was thought up by Karin at http://cafebebe.co.uk/, and it's really rather fun to reminisce!
So here's my first ever contribution to Flashback Friday

Yes, you guessed it- a photo of Madam!! Oh, who'd have thought....

That photo was taken back in January 2010, when she was not quite 1 month old.  She just looks so peaceful and sedate...

Unlike now!!!!!

Eeny, meeny, miney, mo...

I worried that I'm not doing Madam's teeth any favours with still letting her drink her bedtime juice from a bottle with a teat on it, so dug out the few cups we have to let her try each one.

The first one seemed to be too much effort to drink from, so she just did this:

Next up was my least favourite one, as it was leaking, but Madam didn't mind it, tipping it right up to get the last drops of nummy "dooce!" (juice in the Madam language)

But we seem to be onto a winner with a pink, handled Tommee Tippee one

She wouldn't give it back!

Yet more cupcakes!

I know, it's becoming a sticky (and not to mention fattening) habit.  But I think I'm hooked!  My mum used to do sugarcraft, turning blobs of royal icing into beautiful, delicate flowers, and all other kinds of decorations for cakes.  So I've been raiding her big, green, icing machine box of kit.
These cupcakes are nothing special, but soon I'll be breaking out the cutters and crimpers, the shapes and moulds- and then I'll be showing off!  (or at least attempting to...)

Sticky Fingers 'The Gallery'

I saw this entry on a friend's blog and thought I'd check it out.  The clever blogger has created 'The Gallery', with a new theme each week inspiring people to take photographs.  You may have noticed, I do like to photograph things now and then, so I thought I'd join in.

This week's theme is 'Togetherness' and here is my entry

This is me, Madam, my Dad and his mother.  Four generations of a family I am so proud of.

My Gran lives in Northern Ireland, so we've only been able to visit this once so far, when Madam was almost 5 months old.  I can't wait to visit again soon, now she's walking, talking nonsense ten to the dozen and a proper little girl.

Pink for a Girl...

Mr B has just brought home a gift for Madam that has made me think (I know, a dangerous habit).  It's a wooden tea set, complete with pink teapot, dainty cups, milk jug and even a sugar bowl, not forgetting the pink flower topped teaspoon.  It reminded me of a conversation we had the other day, when I remarked we could go against the flow and buy her a little workbench, he basically scoffed at the idea.  And there was me thinking people simply didn't 'scoff' in this day and age.

Are we almost brainwashing kids these day?  Through buying the girls teapots and cleaning sets, and police outfits or hammers for the lads, are we giving them no other choice than the 1950's mindset, or am I being just a tad too paranoid?  Either way, Madam was happy with her new toy, it's the first time she's played make believe, supping away from the sugar bowl...

A few of my Favourites

I'm rather new to this blogging business, and I only recently decided that each of my posts would feature a new photo and a little tale about it.  So, to pad out the past, as it were, I've decided to put up a few of my favourite photos.

The above was taken on a local beach in a little town Highcliffe, when Madam was 6 months old.  It was her first time on sand, so I took this picture of her (and Mr B's) toes curled up on that new texture she instantly loved!

This next photo was taken when Madam started doing the Army crawl.  We used the crawling Winnie the Pooh to try and encourage her to crawl 'properly'.  I just love the look she's giving whoever has the camera (more than often- me!).

This photo never fails to make me smile.  Mr B was watching an episode of 'Dinosaurs' (remember that? Great TV series) on his laptop.  Little Miss Nosy climbed on up to have a peek, and stayed cwtched up to her dada for a good 20mins, the pair of them transfixed by the googlebox!

Well, I hope you're not bored to much to tears, I promise to think of something a little more interesting for my next blog!

Adrenaline Junkie

I recently visited a soft play centre with some friends, both who have girls six months older than Madam, so when the older girls refused to go down the slide into the ball pool (quite possibly a bit daunting, they are very vividly coloured balls), I assumed that Madam would follow suit and likewise shy away from it.
Boy, was I wrong.  My little daredevil decided that head first down the slide was obviously the best option!

She then ran up and down all the climbing frames, whizzed down all the other and bigger slides, built a rather impressive tower with all foam blocks, got me sat in a corner with her to read all the books provided (she giggled infectiously at 'My Name is Mr Fox' so will be keeping an eye out for that one), and still made it home wide awake for a big lunch.  As soon as that was done with though, she obviously felt the need to crash, and so I was rewarded with a solid 2hr and 45min nap from her!  Lovely bit of P & Q, thank you muchly. 

Little Madam!!

Ok, who told Madam that her little piano is actually a climbing frame?! Come on, own up.
She found it highly amusing to clamber off and on, giving Mummy regular mini- heart attacks and laughing at me when I said (in my best ever strict Mother voice) "Get down now!"
My mummy dearest suggested letting her fall once or twice, so she'd know not to climb up there in future, but I just couldn't.  Must have been the image of Child Services knocking down my door to rescue her that put me off...

Now that's a bit more like it!  I made some proper butter cream icing (oh so yummy, not good for the hips.thighs/tummy/etc), and used a bigger nozzle, there's even some edible glitter on those, thank you very much!  Madam certainly agreed they're better this time around, seems she was copying Mr B and tried to fit one in whole.  Needless to say, she had a bath that evening...
Speaking of Madam, she was bought a shiny new potty today.  Well, not so much shiny as it is plastic, but hey.  It's still a wee (geddit?!) bit early for potty training my monkey, who is turning a grand old 14mths tomorrow, but I wanted her to get used to the potty, even if it just means sitting on it fully dressed with a good book.
I somehow get the feeling potty training will come too soon though, my beautiful daughter is growing up too fast.  Just last week, she sprouted teeth 9 and 10, that's half of them now!  Yes, halfway to the end of the miserable baby with the cold, the restless nights, the red cheeks and painful gums... Oh wait, then in a few years time, they fall out again!  Sheesh...

Daddy Short Legs

Don't panic, their legs aren't broken.  Somehow, Mr B and Madam find this sitting position rather comfy!  I'm fairly certain my legs don't bend that way, so I'll stick with my favourite spot; on the sofa on my backside.
It's rather scary just how much Madam is like her dada. They both have incredibly long eye lashes, wasted on babies and men, simply not fair.  Then there's the triple jointed legs, the loving of Marmite (shudder...), pianist fingers, wide smiles (read that as big mouths!), the list could go on!  Oh yes, not to mention the fact that, if this photo is anything to go by, they enjoy the same toys.

I made cupcakes!
I know, my decorating skills leave something...ok, lots of somethings, to be desired, but they were edible!  Well, must have been seeing how Mr B scoffed 3 in an hour, even managed to fit one in whole- so attractive.
My brain (which I really shouldn't let wander, it's far too small to be let out on it's own) is now whirring with yummy ideas.  I'm actually dreaming about butter icing and swirly nozzles, edible glitter and those little silver balls. Note to self- don't get those mixed up with the ball bearings...
So go on, challenge me!  Let me a comment with something you like me to bake, and I really will do my best.
(p.s- Be gentle with me.)

10 Guilty Pleasures

Being a full time mum/wife/housekeeper/nurse/cleaner, etc, I don't get that much time to enjoy the little things in life, so thought I'd count my blessings and make a list of my top 10 guilty, or some not so guilty, pleasures (PG rated, of course!)

1. Putting down roots- Once Madam is in bed for her afternoon siesta, I don't half love to flop on the sofa with my laptop and some chocolate.  This really covers pleasures 1-3; Parking me bum, peace & quiet and chocolate!
2. Like I said, having a sit down.  Preferably on a well worn, squishy sofa, with a bum indent made just for me.
3. Can't beat a bit of P&Q really, can ya? As much as I enjoy hearing Madam's ever expanding vocabulary, the sweet sound of nowt comes a very close second best. 
4. Ah, chocolate.  My friend, my treat, mine, mine, mine!  I do especially like something in the chocolate orange area, but let's face it- anything in the Cadbury range will do just fine, ta muchly.
5. Chick flicks. That's right, I may claim to be an intelligent, opinionated woman of the world, but if ever I get the chance, I'll happily stare at the screen for almost two hours, hoping against hope that the leading lady will finally see her best friend really is the man of her dreams, THE ONE she's meant to be with! Sigh...
6. A lie-in.  Certainly not a pleasure I get to indulge in very often at all.  But every now and then, usually on a Saturday, Mr B gallantly climbs out from under that warm-as-freshly-burnt-toast duvet and gets Madam up from her cotbed-shaped lair, just so as I can grab a few more precious, delicious moments of slumber.
7. Pop music!  Yes, just like the chick flicks, pop really is the candy floss of the music world- sweet but sickly.  I know I should be listening to classic music, or music with meaningful lyrics.... But I really can't help myself!  You try and stop your foot from tapping along with the latest bubblegum twee pop group.  They may be annoying as hell, but it's still kinda catchy.
8. Car-dancing.  No, nothing to do with Transformers at a disco.  This is all about rocking out in your vehicle to whatever music you have blaring out of the stereo.  Makes sitting in a traffic jam infinitely more bearable!  Just mind the steering wheel should head banging take your fancy...
9. The internet. Or, to be more specific, going on Facebook when I really should be doing that last bit of housework...gasp!
10. Sausage rolls.  Fattening and often made with rubbish meat, but hey.

Feel free to leave a comment with your favourite guilty pleasures, I promise not to tell!

Bit of work for 'er indoors

Now, Mr B is a funeral director, don't you know.  So he suggested to the powers that be that it might be good for the missus to earn a little bit of pocket money.  Next thing you know, I'm stood outside the local crematorium in the biting wind and lashing rain, trying to grab the poor mourners as they go by to jot down their names for the local newspaper!
Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad job.  I'm enjoying being out for a couple of hours a week, and I also enjoy that extra bit of cash.  I just wish he might have found me something a bit more...sheltered.  Still, gives me an excuse to buy those cutesy fingerless gloves I spotted t'other day. :)