Resentment and priorities

I’d started to feel a little more than resentful about being a stay at home Mum after some plans fell through. I’m a person that just can’t sit around, no matter how much I say I’d give anything to sit down for the morning and watch mind-numbing daytime TV. I have to have something in the pipeline.

 I love organising and planning, which is why I loved the challenge of organising a fundraising event from scratch in 2009 in aid of Barnardos. Last year I didn’t have quite so much time to organize so I held a coffee morning as part of the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning for Macmillan Cancer Support. I still couldn’t leave it as just a simple coffee morning. I had to plan more.

I’m a list person. I adore writing lists. I think it’s the satisfaction of crossing things off the list, although I always seem to add more than cross them off. I’m a perfectionist so I don’t do simple. I have to push myself that little bit further.

I’m lucky enough to be in the position that we can afford for me to be at home with the children but I get bored of routine easily. Before I fell pregnant with my youngest I’d started to look at volunteering. I wanted to be doing something while the children were at school. Just for a few hours a week and with it being a volunteer position I wouldn’t be quite so committed should things not work out or fit around the children easily.

It’s one of the reasons I took the position of Chairmum for the Netmums meetups. I know how lonely and isolating being a Mum can be and it’s really satisfying getting a group of Mums together. I’ve met some lovely people through the group and it’s growing all the time. We meet up most weeks, this week has seen 4 meetings! I organize the dates so it fits around the children and school, preschool etc.

I currently deliver the local newsletter but it only takes an hour a month and the children often help. I wanted more so I started looking around. This is when I found the New Wolsey theatre ambassador scheme. It involved promoting and distributing print about their shows in return for tickets to some of their performances. It sounded brilliant and I was very excited lining up a meeting to discuss it further. After some consideration it became apparent that I just wouldn’t have enough time to devote to it as I have one or more children with me during the day. I was very sad to have to let it go but then I had one of those ‘lightbulb moments’

I am often remarking to people about how quickly my children are growing up, yet here I am fortunate enough to be able to be with my children every single day but I am looking to put all my energies elsewhere. My daughter will be 7 this year, my son will be starting school in September and my youngest is already 8 months. I can see that it won’t be long before I am looking back wondering where the time has gone and why I seem to have missed so much despite being at home.

My husband’s job is currently at high risk of redundancy and we have spent the last 4 months wondering if he’ll still have a job. Sadly, for us, the company he works for have no idea how much stress and worry they are causing by continuously moving the dates of The Announcement. It’s making my usually relaxed husband ill with stress yet he feels if he takes time off it will count against him. It’s a horrible time and if he does get made redundant there’s a possibility I will have to get a job and then I will have lost the luxury of being around for the children.  

So, now I have to work on prioritising and spending time, quality time, with the children before it is too late. My needs come way down the line.  I’m a Mum and that’s what we do. 

Reviewing NY resolutions

So, here we are at the 23rd January. Let's see how those resolutions and plans have got on.


1. Organise lots more for the Mums group. Success. There are many things planned for the next month and I arranged some meet ups at a few different places. It's going really well and I have no problems with how things are going with the group.


2. Lose a substantial amount of weight. A big fat fail. I'm still binge-eating and have been too scared to get on the scales. I have a real psychological problem with food and need to get it 'cured' but don't know where to start. I'm too embarrassed to go to the doctor's. I am truly ashamed of it and I am fully aware that I have a problem but I just don't seem to do anything about it.


3. Exercise more. Not a great success, but a good start. I was going for walks most evenings and walking a longer route to school when it was just Harry and me but then I hurt my knee and it was too painful to walk any further than absolutely necessary so I slipped back into a routine of laziness. I also had a few days of intense workouts on the Wii, well as intense as Wii routines can get but again, slipped back into bad habits.


4. Start back at Rosemary Conley classes. Another fail. We've been so busy BUT I keep making excuses and I am sure that if I really put my mind to it I could find the time somewhere, somehow.


5. Become an Ambassador for New Wolsey Theatre. Another fail, but not quite so miserable. After some consideration on both parts it was realised that I just wouldn't have enough time to devote to being an Ambassador because I have one or more children with me every day. It's a huge shame but I'm sure when the time is right I can apply again.


Overall, a poor start but I'm not going to give in. I think I could do with some support (well, a kick up the arse!) and something or someone to really motivate me but I don't know where to look. If anyone has any suggestions or if you're going through the same thing please get in touch.

Meningitis UK

On Tuesday afternoon the boys and I went to the Mums Club lunch at one of the local churches. I used to attend each month but as time got on and I had more children it just seemed more difficult to get there. It’s a lovely little group run by some of the church ladies. It’s once a month, you have lunch there and then they look after your children while someone give a half hour talk and/or demonstration on subjects such as baby massage, baby first aid, local policing etc

I was spurred on to go again by the talk that was being given this month. Steve Dayman, Chief Exec of Meningitis UK came along to talk about Meningitis: The Facts.

The death of a child is something that you always believe will never happen to you but 2 years ago a friend of a friend lost her 9 month old son to menigitis within hours of falling ill. It brought it home to me that it really can happen to anyone. Earlier this month a distant family member lost her granddaughter through swine flu, again within a few hours of showing signs of illness.

As a parent I want to be as informed as possible with regards to the health and wellbeing of my children so I went along.

Steve lost his 14 month old son to meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia in 1982 and since then he has campaigned and fundraised tirelessly to find a vaccine. His life has been dedicated to this cause.

Everyone needs to be aware of the symptoms and as a parent do not ever feel that you are over-reacting. I would personally say that YOU alone know your child best and I would rather pester for all tests to be done and find out that it’s something else than just accept the first diagnosis that I’m given.

Please read the facts below, taken from Meningitis UK website and have a look at what they do.  Next time you’re thinking of fundraising perhaps you could consider Meningitis UK, a very worthy cause as it really is something that could affect anyone at anytime. MENINGITIS UK

From Meningitis UK website:

Meningitis and septicaemia can strike with little or no warning, but knowing the symptoms and acting fast can save lives.

Some of the symptoms for meningitis and septicaemia are the same, while others differ. It is important to remember that not everyone gets all of these symptoms and they can appear in any order. In the early stages of both diseases, symptoms can also often appear flu-like.

If you think something is wrong, GO IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR NEAREST GP OR CASUALTY UNIT - FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCTS AND ACT FAST.

 Meningitis

Classic symptoms:

•                a headache

•                stiff neck

•                dislike of bright light

Other symptoms can include:

•                difficulty supporting own weight

•                fever

•                vomiting and diarrhoea

•                confusion and drowsiness

The symptoms of pneumococcal meningitis are the same as meningococcal meningitis.

Meningococcal septicaemia

Common symptoms:

•                aching limbs (particularly leg pain)

•                cold hands and feet

•                a rash which starts like pin prick spots and develops rapidly into purple bruising

Other symptoms may include:

•                difficulty supporting own weight

•                fever

•                vomiting and diarrhoea

•                confusion and drowsiness

•                difficulty breathing

•                change in skin colour

Do the tumbler test



Important: Someone who becomes unwell rapidly should be examined particularly carefully for the meningococcal septicaemia rash. The majority of people (over 50%) with meningococcal septicaemia develop a rash of tiny ‘pink prick' spots which can rapidly develop into purple bruising. To identify the rash, press a glass tumbler against it and if the rash does not fade, it could be meningococcal septicaemia. On dark skin, check for the rash on lighter parts of the body, eg. inner eyelids or finger tips. 

Babies and toddlers

In addition to the symptoms mentioned above, other symptoms to look out for in babies include:

•                blotchy skin, quite pale or turning blue

•                tense or bulging soft spot (fontanelle)on the baby's head

•                poor feeding

•                high pitched cry/irritable (especially when being held)

It is particularly hard to tell when babies and toddlers are ill and what their symptoms are. Unfortunately, the symptoms in babies do not present in any particular order. In the majority of cases, with babies in particular, you will notice a rapid deterioration in their condition. It is important to trust your instincts - you know your child best. If you suspect anything is wrong, seek medical help immediately by going to your nearest GP or casualty unit.

Sadly, there are occasions when people show no or very few symptoms, which can make spotting the disease incredibly difficult for both families and health professionals. This shows how important it is to develop a vaccine to prevent the disease, which is Meningitis UK's main aim. Please help us in our mission to find a vaccine.

I’d like to say a huge thank you to Steve Dayman for travelling all the way to Suffolk to give such an informative talk. Congratulations on the MBE. It’s well deserved!


I'd also like to thank Rob Dunger of BBC Radio Suffolk and Nic Pandolfi from TOWN 102 for promoting the event.

Out of the mouths of babes 2. A quick quiz.

Charlie loves singing. Everything from nursery rhymes to Cee Lo Green (radio edit, I hasten to add!) but there are times when he gets the lyrics wrong. He takes after his Dad who even with the lyrics on the screen in front of him still can't get the words right. 


There are 4 songs that he has been singing regularly. See if you can guess what songs his lines are from. 

1.     Forget about your wellies and your stripes.

2.     Oh that farmer has to ride.

3.     A quid for his head

4.     Your beard is black, there’s s**t in your sack (Well, that’s what it sounds like although he most certainly doesn’t know that word!)

Out of the mouths of babes

Don't you just love the things children say?

We were trying to teach our son what to do in an emergency so we took part in some role play. He was obviously playing himself and Daddy was the phone operator. The scenario: Mummy had fallen down the stairs and was unconscious. Grandma & Grandad (our neighbours) were out so C needed to call for help.

C dialled 999 

N: Emergency services, what service do you require?

C: Ambulance please.

N: I'll just put you through.

N: Ambulance service, how can I help?

C: Ermmmmm, errrrrr

As you can see we weren't getting very far. At this point our 6 year old daughter walked in so we thought we'd get more success with her.

N: Listen to Molly call for an Ambulance Charlie.

N: Emergency services, what service do you require?

M: Ambulance please.

N: I'll just put you through.

N: Ambulance service, how can I help?

M: Errrr....

N: What's your name?

M: Sophie (?!)

N: Who needs an ambulance?

M: Ermmmmm. I'm not sure what she's called. (I'm losing faith here!!)

N: That'd be Mummy!

M: Yes, my Mummy fell down the stairs and won't wake up.

N: Okay, we'll get an ambulance to you. What's your address?

M: Gives address (We're on a roll now)

N: Okay, stay on the phone Molly and someone will be with you soon. Is anyone else in the house with you?

M: Yes, my baby brother and my Dad.

N: Your Dad??

M: Yes my Dad.

N: Okay, why can't your Dad help your Mummy?

M: He's sitting on the sofa on his laptop.

That last line says so much about my husband. More than he'd ever want to admit!! We were in fits of laughter. Bless her little cotton socks.

Share your children's funny sayings below.