Luke's Mummy

Nee Narrr Neee Narrrrrr!!!

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 20:19:00 +0000

Later on at the park

The Training Tower

Luke was in his equivalent of Disneyland today, the local Fire Station held their first Open Day for 10 years!! He has had a passion for Fire Engines and Fire Fighters since his was about 2 and every time we go to the local "Big Park" he asks me to drive around the back of the fire station so that he can see the huge Practice Tower and the Engines parked up. He's sat in numerous Engines over the past few years and the local Fire Fighters always wave at him when they drive past as they have started to recognise him as the little boy that asks them numerous questions about the equipment and what it does. He's actually become really quite knowledgeable about it all now.

So, Richard and I took him along today and it was really enjoyable also all the money raised went to their charity so it was all in a good cause too. Fabulous stuff!!

Later this afternoon, we went to the park and Luke decided to don his fireman outfit ....

Home Alone??

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 20:11:00 +0000

Lukey Sam is poorly at the moment, been peekly for a few days, knew that he was coming down with something as he has been very tetchy and tired also picking at his food. Consequently, I couldn't let him go to his school Link club on Wednesday as he was really wheezy and had a bit of a temperature. Mum offered to come to the house to look after him while I was at work in the morning, so great of her as even though he is sick he is still somehow able to play Power Rangers/Star Wars/Spiderman and various other superhero games which is very tiring after an hour. Told mum I was going to call the doctor from work and get an appointment for him, so off I went.

Of course, trying to get through to the surgery is like trying to get an audience with the Pope, finally got through and all the appointments for that day were taken, told the receptionist it was for Luke and that he is asthmatic so really could do with seeing someone. "We'll get the Duty Doc to call your house this afternoon" she said. Rang mum to tell her that someone will be calling.

Got home from work that afternoon, mum was looking slightly stressed. "What's up?" I asked. Turns out, Luke had come wandering through talking on the phone to the kitchen where she was making a cuppa.

"no, mummy's at work" he told the person on the phone "me, I'm watching tv, no I'm alright, I've been playing with my toys and just had a bagel"

At this point mum worked out he wasn't just playing with the handset and was actually talking to someone as she could hear a high pitched anxious sounding voice

"no, I just said you can't talk to mummy she's at work"

Mum managed to grab the phone, of course it was the doctor who by now was convinced he'd been abandoned at home while I was at work. She reasssured her that all was ok.

When I took him to see said doctor that evening, while she was examining him and telling me that he had a chest infection and could do with penicillin he told her in a very hoity toity voice

"I did say that I wasn't well a couple of days ago and that I could do with seeing the doctor" . Ok, he is telling the truth but really didn't need it just at that moment. Bless him (through gritted teeth).

We took him to Victoria Park this afternoon for a bit of fresh air, had a good time as you can see ....

The Project!

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:07:00 +0000

Can't believe Luke is due to start his new school year next week, been running around town picking up his new uniform and dreading the bit where I have to sit inking and pressing his name and class into every single bit of it (HATE THAT JOB). S'funny really, when he was a baby (last month, surely?) I used to sit daydreaming about when he was at school and how I would lovingly iron every bit of his uniform and handstitch his name into all the little bits and pieces .... yeah right, now I drip dry stuff so that I don't have to iron it and attack all the individual items with a laundry marker before sealing the ink with the iron. !!!! So slack, but in my defence you speak to all the other mums in the playground, even the ones that look sooooo together and we all do the same thing.

And another thing, he was given a project to do this summer by his new teacher (lovely lady), I say he was given a project but really I think I was given a project as it was a scrapbook which he had to fill with all the fun stuff he was doing over the summer holidays, oh yes, he could stick pictures, leaflets, photos and write descriptions/diary entries about what he was doing!!! EXCUSE ME!!!! this is a just turned 5 year old we are talking about, it takes him 5 minutes to write his entire name and that is if he is in the mood for it. Yep, strangely enough sitting writing detailed descriptions/diary entries about his day and sticking stuff in a book is not high in Luke's order of priority at the moment, in fact it probably is right there between taking a bath and taking his antihistimine medicine. Consequently, I have been stressed about this since oooh day one of the summer hols. Didn't really help that Rich and myself only had one week off work with him and the rest of the time he has been at his school Link club. So, we had a day out at Knowsley Safari Park (very very good) and some days at the beach (he nearly drowned at West Kirkby!). Also, we didn't have a digital camera either, so we couldn't pad it out with loads of photos either (until now of course).

So, I have now stuck my leaflets, drawing that Luke did, collage that we both did of a beach scene and other assorted items in the scrap book while Luke watched, fascinated by the amount of PVA glue that I got in my hair and on my hands. I have taken a few pictures on the digital camera that we had to buy in order to pad the book out and am now waiting to catch Luke in the right mood so that he can write a few bits about what a great time he had.

By the way, in case anyone is interested, scrunched up rice crispies glued to paper make great fake sand.

The photo is of Luke at the Big Park in Runcorn, he learnt how to swing himself this summer, there you go another thing for my scrapbook!!

Snap Shot

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:08:00 +0000

Here it, is a pic of Luke taken before bed tonight, ok it's very grainy, but hey at least it's a picture of the little tyke. I know he looks a bit shall we say unimpressed but I've posted it anyway. Note to Em, do you recognise anyone asleep on the bed? Yes, it's Jonas, he loves that little guy.

More soon.

I'm Loving It!

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:36:00 +0000

Work is really great, am so enjoying it and feel very fortunate, it is so wonderful to not be doing something and finding myself clock watching. The time goes really fast as well, sometimes I don't even realise that it has gone 2.30 and should be on my way home to pick Luke up from school. Of course, it helps that the people I work with are lovely (not just talking about the husband here). Our department are moving upstairs to next week so I will be working on the same floor as Richard which will be a tad strange as I often forget that we are in the same building but, it is all good ... oh and my contract has been extended until September (at least) so I must be doing something right.

Talking of Richard, he has been off work ill with Pneumonia (eek), he hasn't been well for a couple of months and has kept on pushing himself at work, so consequently the doctor ordered him to take time off to rest and consume huge quantities of strong antibiotics. He looks as though he is picking up now though and is hoping to return to work next week.

Luke seems to have decided to become a troublesome little monkey at the moment, he is being really cheeky and stubborn (think it is the prospect of becoming 5 in a few months). He is an angel at school and then as soon as I collect him at 3.00 (feeling knackered and not best equipped to handle a stroppy sproglet) he decides to turn into the child from hell. Still, he knows that he is being a little sod, as when he drives me to point of near screaming and tearing hair out in utter frustration he then turns to me and says "mummy I'm being horrible aren't I, do you still love me?" Aaargh!! So, I go all forgiving and mushy (grateful that he has returned to something akin to a human child again) and then, .... he becomes a little git again. Talk about a bloody rollercoster of emotion.

Still, at least I get to wear heels during the day.

Sleeeeeeepppp!!!

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 08:31:00 +0000

Am chucking a sickie today, am soooooo tired, couldn't sleep a wink last night, was lying in bed looking at the clock which appeared to be mocking me, 2.00am it glowed at me, oh no, only 4 hours until I have to get up, 4.00am it beamed, 2 hours before I have to get up and so on ..... So, Rich insisted I stay home, he is going to let them know that I would be a complete liability if they let me in work, I would probably suggest that a pharmacist go on a cycling proficiency course or something of that ilk so, I will stay home and feel totally guily instead. Am going to say awake though, apparantly if I succumb to the sleep monster it will render me incapable of sleeping tonight so I will just put up with the hot gritty sand feeling in my eyes, the welling of nausea in my tum and potter around the house scowling at the cats (who are currently asleep upside down in their beds). I did email my cousin Emily in New York to let her know but her Out Of Office Reply just flashed up, I look at the clock and realise that Emily is currently snuggled under her duvet sound asleep .......... grrrrrrrrr, I mean, how lovely for her (carefully replacing the phone and deciding against calling her to let her know).

Work is going really well (apart from my unexpected asbsence today), am enjoying the whole learning experience, finding it very interesting and love the dressing up in girl clothes bit. Very funny though how the mums and teachers at school doubletake when they see me sometimes. I drop Luke off in my usual comfy stuff and then pick him up in smart office clothes, they sort off blink and go "oooh look at you", or rather it was funny the first couple of times now I just think "do I really look so crap normally?"

Luke is doing really well and loves his school, he is growing up so quickly now though, and it panics me a bit, can't quite get my head around the fact that he isn't a baby anymore. "I would love a brother or sister" he announced yesterday, "really?" I replied getting all emotional/hormonal/excited, "yeah, but if it went into my room, I'd pick it up and just chuck it onto the landing" he said. "It's not a cat, it's a baby" I calmy informed him, "What's with all this 'it's' " he said looking at me closely, "you're not pregnant are you?" "nooooo" I sighed. He enjoys looking at the blogs of my cousins too, I often find him peering at pictures of their children and he loves playing the videos that are sometimes posted. In fact, the other day he said "now mummy see Graham, that is his sister Stephanie," "no Luke that is his mummy" "but she is pretty, how can she be his mummy?" Rightyoh then .....

The Office!

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 17:14:00 +0000

The reason for my lack of blogginess lately has been due to the fact that I've been working (outside the home). It was pretty much sprung on me by Richard, his boss suggested that he call me regarding a 3 month position that had become available downstairs in the Training and Recruitment department, they would consider part time hours (9.30 - 2.30) so within 48 hours I had been interviewed and then started work. It was pretty good actually that it happened so quickly as I didn't really have time to get nervous, although, it didn't really help much that when I got out of the car for the interview Rich, his boss and the rest of the Locum Board (it's a pharmaceutical company) were waving enthusiastically at me from their windows.

So here I am, typing this on Sunday whilst tea is cooking, Rich is playing with Luke upstairs whilst I try to update you on the recent happenings.

Got to say though, I really am enjoying being back at work, there is loads to learn (mostly about training qualifications for pharmacy staff and the paperwork that goes with it), the people are really friendly, the offices are soooooo posh, and I am choosing to ignore the fact that there is a rather handsome bloke who works on the Locum Board upstairs for fear of getting too distracted!

Of course, the rather attractive salary comes in useful too, for all those new essentials that I now require i.e. GIRL CLOTHES!!!!

It is really hard though to get used to not having any time during the day for housework etc., as I drop Luke at school, go to work, finish work and then collect him, also Luke is absolutely shattered when he comes home so I can't really drag him out to do chores like bill paying so will have to rethink the old schedule a bit. Luke likes me collecting him from school in my work suits as well, he calls them my "uniforms", think it's a novely at the moment for him.

I know this post is a tad sketchy but will try and be bit more detailed next time (can hear Luke singing "shake it like a polaroid picture" at the moment - very funny!).

Eggs!!!

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:00:00 +0000

I had to leave off writing this blog for a couple of days to cool down otherwise it would be just one big mindless rant...

Woke up the other morning, did the usual stuff i.e. helped Luke to get washed and dressed (always a long drawn out process, usually with him playing Ben 10 or PowerRangers etc while I chase him with his wet sponge), had breakfast etc., then we opened the front door to take Rich to work and what do we find ....? We have been egged!! Seems like some complete Knob (s) have thought it a really good idea to throw half a dozen eggs at the front of the house, add to that the fact that Luke is allergic to egg also it had frozen overnight and I was completely livid. It looked a complete mess, and it was so embarrassing as nobody else had been "done", it made it even worse somehow. Took Rich to work and then Luke to school, carefully sidestepping the mess, then spent two hours scrubbing at the pavement and house with a yard brush, mop and at least 6 buckets of hot water and Flash. It's amazing how when you wash the car or front of the house people stop and talk isn't it? Thing is, where we are situated i.e. next to the school, all Luke's teachers walk past, they were disgusted to say the least, but also thought it great sport to say "ooh missed a bit" and that old chestnut "You can come and do mine when you are finished" grrrrrrr!!!

Well at least the house is looking sparkling out front now, and it proves to Luke's teachers that I am actually capable of cleaning ...

Dropped Luke off the other day wearing my swimsuit under my top as I was going for my thrice weekly swim straight afterwards, Luke's teacher whispered to him "don't forget, tell mummy to go clean the house" "Oh there's no point" he announced loudly "all she ever does is swim all day!" .... hmmmmm

Can't Remember What He Looks Like?

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:06:00 +0000

Luke came up to me the other day and said the words I had been dreading "Mummy I can't remember what Grandad Colin looked like", he seemed so sad, it made me ache, so I got a photo from the album and gave it to him. "Right, I remember now, no problem, but what if I forget again?", "just close your eyes Luke, now can you see him?" "yes, I see him" "now, talk to him, go on" "Ok, hello Grandad" "What's he saying back to you?" "he said I should have a Power Ranger Operation Overdrive Tracker Device"!!

Nothing else to say to that is there really ....

Dad, Rich and Murphy The Cat

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:46:00 +0000

February is always going to be a weird month (well at least the beginning of it), dad died on the 5th which is also Richard's birthday (he would had been mortified, am sure of it), so I always feel this sense of "oh no" as it approaches which is so unfair on Richard. Last year it was dreadful, really bad, as it was also dad's first anniversary and we were still very raw with grief, Richard felt odd about it, mum and I felt odd about it, it was just "odd". so the day couldn't really pass quickly enough. Mum and I decided this year would be different, we aren't very big on going to the cemetary just because it is an anniversary or birthday etc., we tend to go when we feel the need to as we talk and think about dad all the time. So, we chose to celebrate Richard's birthday, he had gifts, cards, a birthday cake and pancakes (as it was Shrove Tuesday). We enjoyed the day! Of course, I couldn't stop thinking about dad, replaying the day two years ago when we lost him, but we let Richard have his birthday which is what dad would have wanted as he loved him.

The following day, mum and I went to the cemetary to lay some flowers, it was sunny and very springlike, and we gave his tortoise a pat (we didn't want anything too funeral like at the time so we picked this gorgeous cute stone tortoise to lay where his ashes are). We walked back to my house and had a cuppa and then for the first time ever since he passed away we talked about dad properly. Mum for the first time actually told me about the last morning that she spent with dad, how when we woke up he had slept really well for the first time in years and didn't feel ill, how they spent an hour in bed just talking about "stuff" and how for the first time in years he was able to put his arm around her and give her a cuddle and then how he suddenly became so ill. It was hard for me to hear it really, as I still can't allow myself to think too deeply about it as it hurts but you know, it helped me to deal with it. I was glad that his last morning with mum was so different (in a good way) and that she can now talk about it, she is starting to heal a little.

And then we have Murphy The Cat. Murphy is such a sweetie, out of the three of them he is the most "pudding like". So tame, so brave and so ...... daft.

There has been a cat hanging around the back of the house that looks so like our other cat Mickey, he sits at the dining room window crying wanting to come in. This absolutely drives the three cats mad, it disturbs them and they started to not want to go out. Of course, me being the idiot that I am, was finding it upsetting, I automatically think that the poor animal is starving, homeless, distressed rather than the more likely case of just bloody greedy, chancing his arm and a bloody bully. "Do not feed it" Richard said, it isn't fair on it or our cats, "right, I won't" I said, whilst sliding the spare saucer of food back in the kitchen cupboard. Of course, I had been sneaking it the odd bit of kibble. This cat was now starting to paw the window, meowing like mad, and terrifying our cats. I did try to run it off (talk about sending confusing messages to it), but it was now staring at me and not budging. Richard ended up with a little water pistol and having to spray it at the wall to frighten it off. So, when Murphy spent one morning completely asleep under the radiator and then not wanting to play with Luke I was a bit concerned that something had happened, when Murphy that same evening suddenly started to bleed badly from the top of his tail I got scared, even more so when I saw a deep hole there. I took him to the vet the next morning (of course he did his usual pooh in the carrier - pleasant) and he had a cat bite (perfect tooth hole) that had become abscessed. Poor bugger. He was put on antibiotics and is now a lot better, especially now that the top of his tail no longer looks like an undercooked sausage (they clipped all the hair of it). So, I promise to chase all stray cats from our back yard and to never feed them ever again.

Must Dash!!!

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:07:00 +0000

I'm actually typing this whilst cooking tea for Luke, have intended to post for about a week now, but have so many things I wanted to mention that I know it will take a while to write and am finding it difficult to get the time to sit at the PC for a decent amount of time.

We are all fit and well now (touching wood frantically), Murphy cat had a trip to the vet due to another cat biting him just above the tail and then it becoming a nasty abscess (very horrible for him), but I will give you the whole tail (tail, geddit) later on.

So hopefully, I will give you a bigger and better post v v soon.

Ill

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:35:00 +0000

Yes, had to happen didn't it, after spending all that time at the doctors and chemist with Luke and Richard, I am now officially NOT VERY WELL!!! Been battling feeling crappy for a few weeks now, and as soon as Luke and Richard are back to rude health I am dealt a huge whammy by Mr Virus and wind up with an extremely yuck worthy chest infection. So, am now wandering around the house clutching endless mugs of tea (to try and lubricate the tubes), inhaling copious amount of menthol, sucking so many cough lozenges I have probably now lost all my taste buds and waiting for my next antibiotic (will this be the one that finally renders me able to stand without the dizzy sweats?).

I can proudly state that I definitely inherited my gorgeous, much missed father's ability to be the world's worst patient.

The Receptionist, The Teacher, and The Toe

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:14:00 +0000

Luke has been off school since last Tuesday, really not very well at all, wheezy chest, congested head, temperature, oh yes the dreaded lurgy had been caught off daddy. I have discovered that I have a real problem with ringing in sick for him, seriously as the days went on I was feeling more and more stressed at having to call the receptionist, it was akin to calling in work sick, you know the scenario no matter how crappy you feel you still feel like they don't quite believe you.

Me: "So sorry, Luke is really not feeling good today so he won't be coming in"

Receptionist: (Dramatic Pause for Effect) "So he isn't well then?"

Me: "No he is full of a bad cold virus, really not good at all"

Receptionist: "Oh Okaaaaay then, I'll let them know"

Me: "Hopefully he will be better tomorrow" (Why the hell I say that when I know fully well he will not have picked up enought to go in beats me)

Then, I have to call in the next morning feeling again very guilty, and convinced that they think I am overprotective and should really be sending him in snotty nose and wheezing chest or not. The final day I couldn't face it and got Richard to do it. "What's the problem?" he asked, "I can't believe you are nervous about calling the school, come here give me the phone." He reappeared about 5 minutes later looking very distressed, "I'm convinced she didn't believe me" he said, "really?" I replied, "why", "So he's just got a cold then?" she said to him, "Is it really bad then?." "hmmmmm, ok, I'll let them know." So it's not just me then? Of course it doesn't help matters that the receptionist and teachers walk past the front living room window every morning, whereby they can witness Luke sat at his table snarfing cheerios down in front of the telly looking sometimes, admittedly not very ill at all. It doesn't matter if he isn't eating during the day somehow he can usually manage a bit of sugar coated cereal and it's always just as the said people are walking past looking in. (must draw the blinds).

So, he spent the time watching DVD's, snoozing, not eating very much at all (the stress of it!!), and when he was feeling a bit better playing in his room. Usually when we are at home together at weekends or on holiday from school we go out every day for a good old round round the park (even when it's raining much to a lot of my friend's disbelief), so being cooped up has been a bit difficult for us both. So, come last Friday when he was perking up considerably I suggested a walk into town (only about 3/4 mile).

Me: Now Luke, if we meet any of your teachers, be sure to not tell them that you are perfectly well, remember you are off sick, so it is ok to tell them you have been ill, ok?"

Luke: "Why? I feel alright now mummy"

Me: "Yes, I know you are feeling better now Luke, but you have been ill"

Luke: (reluctantly) "Oh ok"

So off we went, having a lovely stroll, on the way back we bumped into one of his teachers just as we were crossing the canal footbridge (Bloody knew we would)

Teacher: " Oh hello Luke, how are you feeling, how have you been?"

Luke: (Looks at me triumphantly) "I'm great, feeling really well, thank you for asking, why?"

Teacher: (Looking at me very suspiciously) "But you have been ill haven't you?"

Luke: "Oh I'm fine"

See, knew it would happen!!

So he went back in today, not that he wanted to of course, after a week of snuggling mummy, eating when and pretty much what he wanted (I was at breaking point and just gave in to him in the end, just eat damn it), playing in his room etc., school was not an option he wanted to consider. He came into the bedroom at 6.30 this morning waving his foot at me, "Mummy, I can't go into school, I've got a poorly foot" I squinted at it, and noticed a bit of red fluff hanging off his big toe, "There's nothing there Luke", his dismay when he saw the fluff drop off down to the carpet was huge. "But it was all red and itchy, honest", not anymore Luke, get dressed. And he did, very slowly, so slowly it was almost in reverse.

Croissant and Clutter

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 21:01:00 +0000

Luke finally went back to school today after what felt like a huge festive break, was a bit "iffy" about sending him really as he had picked up a really horrible cold virus which left him housebound for a couple of days, still he didn't have a temperature this morning and seemed ok about going in (eventually), but he was reluctant to eat much brekky and when I picked him up he hadn't eaten much lunch (just his raw peppers and cucumber). This really freaks me out, I am rubbish at handling him not eating. Now commonsense tells me that when you have a head cold you don't always want to eat, but if Luke turns down a few meals I hate it. I sit there for 30 minutes trying to coax him into eating as if missing a couple of days worth of food is going turn him into an undernourished waif. This boy has plenty of meat on his bones and usually is a good eater so really I should just calm it down a bit. But still, after him picking at his pasta and fish at tea time and turning down a couple of jaffa cakes I was waving a croissant at him come bedtime which I am sure he only ate just to shut me up.

I was just pondering as I was unloading the drier for what felt like the tenth time today why I am such a cluttered person. I have always since childhood wanted to be the kind of person who has perfectly kept drawers/cupboards/handbags but I have never ever achieved it. Oh yes, I tend to have a clear out a few times a year where I can quite happily fill a few bin liners worth of crap, you know, odd socks/shoes/playing cards/biros/shoe boxes full of tissue/broken toys (and that's just one drawer!). It all gets chucked away to reveal a perfectly lovely spacious place, then the remaining stuff gets all put away neatly and I can relish opening the drawer/cupboard/handbag/desk for a few days and marvel at the neatness until about a month later by which time it has become a crap trap again.

It doesn't help that my mum has become irritatingly tidy since she retired, all her things are folded neatly in drawers (even her plastic bags in the kitchen are stashed in one tidy place, unlike mine that tend to attack you when you open my kitchen base unit). My mother in law also regularly puts me to shame, she actually smoothes out and folds paper bags and has them all in a little pile in her cubby hole in the kitchen. You open any drawer in my mum's flat or MIL's house and it is all lovely and neat, everything is placed in with care unlike in my house where it looks as though things have been chucked in from a great distance.

Still, I suppose being neat and tidy can be quite boring at times, I mean where oh where is the excitment factor, for instance, Luke's cupboards under his bed were a complete mess, he went rummaging yesterday for a piece of his train set and was soooooo overwhelmed with happiness when he discovered his long lost light saber!!! See makes it all right doesn't it!

Bitz

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 17:03:00 +0000

I have been a bit frazzled the last week or so as Richard has been really very sick with a horrible chest infection/virus that has given him a very high temperature and left him bed ridden for the past few days, so I have been alternating taking care of him with trying to keep Luke occupied as he doesn't go back to school until the 8th (what the heck, am sure we didn't have such a long Xmas holiday).

I was doing the dishes this morning, trying to plan the day ahead, you know usual mum stuff i.e. should I hoover next, maybe dust, wipe out the congealed beetroot juice from the fridge shelf (it always ends up staining, even when I don't actually have beetroot in the fridge) when Luke beetles in and announces ...

Luke:"Mummy, I really love the colour of your bits"

Now, Luke calls the private part of the female anatomy her "Bits" and am trying to discourage him from constantly going on about them which he does tend to do I am sure to wind me up.

Me: "What?"

Luke: "I really love the colour of your Bits"

Me: "Luke, I am not very happy about you talking about this" (now am very hot and bothered, wondering what the heck he has been peeping at while I am showering)

Luke: (Now very indignant and tearful sounding) "Your bits mummy, your bits, look!"

Me: (At this point I actually bother to turn around and look at him) "Whaaat!!"

In his hand was a packet of my wholewheat french toast that he calls Bix that he had nabbed from the cupboard earlier on.

Luke: "I really love the colour of the packet, it's really nice, what's the problem mummy?"

Me: "Nothing Luke, nothing at all."

Note to self: In future, turn around when your son is talking to you rather than carry on scrubbing the pots and make sure you always lock the bathroom door (just to be certain).

New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 11:20:00 +0000

So Happy New Year to Everybody .... there that's me done for another 5 months!!!

No really, I've decided to blog more often even if it's to tell you what the cats have been up to in the absence of the Peavoy's doing something that I would consider interesting.

Luke is now settled into his full time school, he eventually ended up across the yard (literally) at our local school, have learnt a valuable lesson here. Must not ever send child to a school just 'cos his mates are going there and also never listen to rumours that they are going to demolish local school of first choice that is a very beautiful historic bit of Runcorn. Reason ...

The school next to his preschool where he ended up initially going to was to put it mildy a tad "boisterous" and not in a good way. I should have been hearing warning bells when after his first month we had a meeting with his teachers who then asked me to be on the PTA, come and assist the children with their reading and also to be a school Governor. Of course I was flattered at first and then I realised (as I mentioned to Emily on the phone) that after looking at the disinterested (again being very polite here) other parents it was somewhat akin to being offered a really good job only to realise you were the only applicant. So not to want to inflict the other gory details on you but it did involve Luke telling me some really awful stuff about guns, cutting Santa's head off and then not having time to eat his lunch as he was kicked out of the canteen to go play after 10 minutes, he was pulled out and placed in his new school. We felt really guily about him having start all over again in a new place where he didn't know any of the kids but it is so true what other parents had told me, they do make new friends very quickly. Thing is, I must stop hanging my head out of the bathroom window and watching him in the playground.

Must get a job ....

What a difference a day makes ...

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 20:34:00 +0000

So excited about the progress I am making with WW, checked the scales this morning and have now lost best part of a whole stone (Wooohooo). I went to see a friend of mine yesterday and she commented about how well she thought I looked, came away feeling that all the hard work is definitely worth it (preen preen). However, the lovely rosy glow faded somewhat this afternoon when coming out of mum's entrance hall a little old lady who hasn't seen me for a couple of months stopped in her tracks upon seeing me ...

"Hello lovely, not seen you for a while"
"I know, how are you?"
"Fine dear, you look different" (little scrunched up frowny face)
"Oh, do I?" (Me now getting ready to stun her with my weight loss amount)
"Yes, you're not pregnant are you?"
"No!!!"
"Oh, you have just put on a bit of weight haven't you, never mine, I can't shift it either."

I couldn't actually speak as I wanted to laugh out loud at the irony of it. She had never ever commented on my appearance before and now chose to do it at a time when I was actually starting to feel good about myself.

Ho hummmmmm!

For Emily!!!

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 20:09:00 +0000

It has been mentioned to me by a certain jet setting, high flying, impossibly lovely family member that I haven't posted for a while so.....

Luke graduated University, nah scratch that, Luke graduated High School, noooo, Luke graduated Nursery!!! Yes, 'tis true, my little munchkin got to wear a cap and gown to a graduation ceremony held at Ladybirds Nursery for the leavers. Can't begin to tell you how emotional I was, it just seemed weird that he had finished his time there with his little mates and was now going to be starting big school in September, mind you am sure that a few tears were due to the fact that I now had to entertain him for 6 weeks!! Have got an absolutely blinding piccy of him which I must must must get posted onto the blog (as soon as I get somebody willing/able to do it), he is in full cap and gown clutching his "diploma". So cute!

Have also been attending Weight Watchers with mum. Ohhhhh, how unbelievable this experience has been, got to say it really does work, so am not going to type a load of anti diet club stuff here, but it also does tickle my weird sense of humour. I did mention in my previous post that I hit 40 and strange things starting to happen to my girth, I've always battled with my weight though so I shouldn't really be surprised. Inside me is a skinny woman screaming to get out it's just that I tend to shut her up with high calorie foods. So ...

Mum and I turned up at the first meeting which is held at a little theatre inside Runcorn Halton Lea Library, the class is run by a very excitable Australian woman who is very nice but, I don't think she "gets" me (let's just call her Mavis). After everyone had been weighed (a very very traumatic experience) we all sat down and had a little group discussion, some of the more long term members had lost huge amounts of weight, am talking 60lbs in some cases. At the end of the meeting the new members got to talk to Mavis and we were handed all the relevant information sheets, we were taught how to work the Weight Watchers plan and then Mavis told us in a very caring way that she is " contactable 24 hours a day in case we have any problems or worries at all. " "Really, I asked, you mean I can ring you if I suddenly find myself alone in the house with a pack of choccy biccies, you will help me?" "Yes, she replied, I will help you." I now have visions of her coming swooping in through my kitchen window dressed in black SAS style. At this point we left the meeting clutching our info packs and also our sides. (Mum is very much on my wavelength so I blame her for my inability to take these things too seriously).

We are both doing very well though, it's our 7th week into the plan (must not call it a diet), mum has lost 10lbs and I've lost 11 1/2 lbs. The only problem is the weekly weigh in, it is very stressful, the thought of not losing any weight one week is really awful, think it is because we work so hard during the week at monitoring what goes in our mouths. Last Tuesday morning mum actually became feverish in the line up, she was muttering to me and Luke "this is crazy, why do I get so stressed?", "don't know" I replied "but I feel faint, I'm so nervous." Luke was looking at us in the way that only a man who has never had to watch his weight can, "Mummy there is no reason to be worried or nervous" he said to me "just step on the scales and step off again, it's easy." Yeah, right easy for him to say. Well, we both lost 1 1/2 lbs so it was ok.

Some people though do take it to extremes, one lady was taking off all her heavy jewellery and stuffing it into her handbag! Really. I reckon if they could get weighed in the buff they would do.
Not that you would ever catch me wearing my now too loose very lightweight combat pants without a belt just so that I may weigh a fraction of a pound lighter.

Its Raining It's Pouring & Lukey is Snoring!!

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 14:36:00 +0000

Ah yes, the great British summer (and Wimbledon) are upon us yet again. It is constantly lashing it down outside (apart from right now when we are having a brief interlude of sunshine). Of course, I should have know that it was going to be extremely rainy as I recently bought a sun shade for the outside table and chairs, also went mad and bought a couple of bottles of suncream (guaranteed to provoke a torrent of wet stuff from the sky). Never mind though at least the plants are getting a good drink (throwing their leaves up into the air in protest).

Reason for the post is that Luke is taking a nap (much needed) on the couch at present so am able to sneak off and sit at the computer without him wanting to play on it - bliss!

So I turned 40, seems that overnight I acquired a crop of new chin hair and what the hell is that hanging over my knickers, oh yes it's my spare tyre ..... Oh God!!!!!! So, currently simultaneously plucking, shaving and dieting to within an inch of my midlife crisis. I reckon the only people who think that "age is just a number" are those that are still young enough not to care. Not to worry though, I still have my health, well if you disregard my creaky knees, aching back and tendancy to forget what I went into the kitchen for.

Lukey turns 4 this coming Sunday, bless him. He is starting his big school in September and went for his first visit Wednesday afternoon, wouldn't let me leave him though so I had to stay in class with him. I quite enjoyed it, in fact, no I loved it. It was so great watching all the little kiddywinks adjusting to the new setting (they are all Luke's classmates), after a while they had to gather on the mat for a story before leaving for home. The teacher (10 years younger than me btw) got out a fab book about an elephant but I think I got a wee bit too into it as when she asked the question "and what do we shout when we want to scare somebody?" I very loudly and worryingly enthusiastically yelled "BOOOOOO"!!! THE KIDS LAUGHED AT ME!!! Sulk! Well, I least I was paying attention.

Humiliation!

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 19:28:00 +0000

Stood in the supermarket queue yesterday after picking up a few bits, the cashier had just zapped my purchases and started to pack them for me when I noticed she had a peculiar look on her face, one that I can only describe as pitying. What the hell is wrong with her? I thought, then it all became very clear..... in her hand she had a packet of contraceptives and a multi pack of "Joint Care" vitamins!! Speaks volumes really doesn't it. Bloody 40!!! Mind you, at least it wasn't as bad as the lady in the queue next to me, her purchases being a pack of condoms and a huge ball of string (the mind boggles).

Just the one thanks

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 12:40:00 +0000

Have been feeling really very broody lately, think it is the combination of cousin Steph having her beautiful little girl and looking at all the gorgeous pics and videos (thanks to Uncle Eric) also, me reaching the ripe old age of 40 soon (surely not?) and Lukey becoming so independant (well ok, he wipes his own bum). Richard and I have been discussing whether or not to go for it, and have had talks with Luke to see how he would feel about a sibling (the jury is still out), and still we are not sure what to do..... then the phone went about an hour ago

It was my childhood friend Bev, who is now a qualified midwife and mum to 4 great children, the oldest being 21 and the youngest 4. We haven't talked for ages and it is always great to catch up, turns out she is pregnant again (yes, at 40), she is about 15 weeks gone. She had some bleeding a few weeks ago and went to have it checked out, the sonographer asked if there was a history of multiple births in the family (not really) .... she is having TRIPLETS!!!!! It was originally QUADS but unfortunately she had lost one (hence the bleeding). I was so delighted for her even though she is still somewhat shocked, but in typical Bev fashion she is taking it all in her stride. Anyway, the cause for my concern is that according to Bev (qualified midwife remember) the older you get the more the chance of multiple births increase.

Now, I really do have to think very carefully.

Big School and Fish and Chips

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 19:54:00 +0000

Richard and I went to Luke's new school Thursday night (well, the one he starts in September), it was for all the parents so that we could meet the Headteacher and watch a presentation on how the school operates, what they expect of the kiddywinks etc. It was really good, and the school is amazing.

We were originally going to send him to Victoria Road, and he was all geared up for it (it is literally just across from our back gate) but after speaking to a couple of parents whose kids go there already we decided it wasn't what we wanted for Luke. The Reception class is really big, there is also a problem with kids tending to get ignored in favour of other kids who are behaving really badly and also, they have no playing field so there is talk of the school getting closed down (how awful is that).

We had a talk with his current teachers who suggested that we take a look around the school next door. It is a brand spanking new building, very clean and airy and Luke already knows a few of the teachers as they come and teach his class French and read to them. They also get to go the assembly there a few times a month so he is familiar with the building. No contest really. Also, most of his classmates are going there so the transition shouldn't be too traumatic.

When we got back home I was too tired to cook, and do you know what I did? I put Luke to bed and went to the chippy, we had cod and chips with mushy peas. Very calorific, not at all healthy but it tasted sooooooo good I didn't even feel guilty.

Luke is brokenhearted that his little "girlfriend" Lucy isn't going to Halton Lodge, he turned his little tear stained face to me yesterday when he found out and said "but she is pregnant with my child!" WHAAAATTTT!!!!!!!!!! Where on earth has he got that from????

Lovely!

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 08:53:00 +0000

Just dropped Lukey off at preschool, it was sooooo lovely to be there at 9.00am when all his little mates were arriving, I didn't realise how much I missed all that stuff. It was great seeing the mums and chatting with them again, I even enjoyed listening to the Alpha mum discussing how little Ryan was now able to count to thirty in French (Luke can do up to 20 btw and knows at least two different songs, but I didn't mention that as I don't want to appear too competitive).

I spent the entire day with mum yesterday, that was so great as lately I felt that the only time we saw each other was when I was dropping Luke off for an hour while I did the supermarket run - he hates the weekly shop, sigh, how things have changed ....

Luke aged 2:

"Mummy are we go shopping?"
"Yes sweetpea"
"Ohhhh great, whooppeeeee" (Grabs his shoes)
"mummy, put them on quickly" (dashes out to the car and waits hopping from foot to foot)

Luke aged nearly 4:

"Oh mummy, have we got to go shopping?"
"Yes Luke we do"
"Right then drop me off at nannas" (grabs his shoes)
"Come on mummy, the sooner we go, the sooner we can get back" (dashes to the car, opens the door and hops in clutching his toolkit)

Sighhhhhh......

So, I purchased a new bed for him which was delivered yesterday. He was very uncertain about it all as it is not a kiddy bed but a lovely single divan which has loads more room for him to shuffle about in but, saying that it did look awfully high up from where he stood.

Mum and I dismantled his old wooden cot bed which is when I felt like sobbing, as wasn't it only yesterday that we put it all together to form a gorgeous cot and then with such pride took the bars off to form a lovely little bed when he turned 2? Then we put the legs on the new one and wheeled it into place in the corner of his room. It looks beautiful and very squishy.

Luke meanwhile had been very "helpful" with his hardhat, goggles, drill, hammer and saw and felt justified when it was all done in having a good old bounce on it. He was delighted when we took him to buy new bedding to fit it, and even though we had a near meltdown when I refused to let him have the pink barbie duvet set (he fancies her!!!!????) it all went swimmingly and he came home with a blue car patterned set and one with superheroes on it.

Off he popped to bed last night and Richard put (very wisely) his old mattress on the floor next to his new bed in case we had a rolling off the bed incident. He snuggled down, went to sleep with only two curtain calls. Relief!

I checked on him when I got up to use the toilet at about 5.00am and he was all snugged up, curled into a little ball, snoring his head off ....... on the floor on his old mattress! Bless!!!!

Lately I've been ....

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 20:09:00 +0000

So, I spent the last three months working at the instrumentation company ...... I survived (just about), they wanted me to stay on with the idea that I would become permanent staff next year but I declined their kind offer on the basis that I would rather boil my head in oil than spend another day there. Honestly, the office politics were unbelievable, so many chiefs and hardly any indians (well, they had me I suppose). I think that I have spent too long at home being a mummy, I just can't cope with idiots anymore, I used to be able to just let it wash over me when people were being arseholes but now, it really gets to me. I don't know what I am going to do when Luke starts full time school in September (!!), I really want to get back to working but I don't think I could cope with being back in an office all day. Maybe I just need to find the right place.

One of the things that got me down so badly was the fact that I had a spell about a month in to the contract when Luke got really sick, he had both eyes infected, a vomiting bug and also really bad hayfever, all within a couple of weeks. Of course, I couldn't put him into nursery so had to take time off with him (unpaid). I got called into the office by the girl child who was my supervisor and told that people (her) weren't happy with the amount of time I had taken off (4 days in total) and that things had to improve. I mentioned to her as calmly as I could that I really didn't choose to have to take time off (unpaid) as I still had to pay the nursery even when Luke wasn't in and that there really wasn't a lot I could do about it, if he is ill he will always be my priority (went down like a bag of sick). Ho hum.

I did enjoy the challenge though, you know, learning new stuff, realising that my brain was still able to function at a higher level, knowing that I was doing a good job (no, really, I did actually do a good job). Must admit though, I did find it bloody hard work balancing it all out, don't know how the heck other people do it (Jenn). I was working 8.30 until 12.30 five days a week, had to drop Luke off at 8.00am. By the time I had finished work and picked him up at 1.00pm we were both knackered, moody and very irritable (not a good combination). Then of course, I had to do the chores which meant I didn't really have a lot of quality time with Luke ...... really crappy. We had to try and cram it all in at weekends!!

So I decided last Wednesday to call it a day, I'd fullfilled the three month contract and chose to not extend it. Feel so relieved. Luke is back to his 9.00 - 11.30am sessions which don't include school holidays (yay), he is really happy about it, we can get back to doing all the fun stuff again.

There you go, now you know where I've been.

WORK!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (paula) — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 20:12:00 +0000

Can I just say before I begin that I will get those photos to you, I promise!!! I have a whole bunch that I am getting reprinted and I will post them out in the next couple of weeks (Joseph pics included).

So, I'll never ever complain about only having a couple of hours to myself in the morning to get my chores done again whilst Luke is at preschool. I have never been so bloody knackered in my life, really. How can getting a nice innocent part time job leave me so shredded mentally and physically? Hmmmm, reckon it goes a little bit like this .....

My friend at the recruitment agency I used to work at called me a month ago and said "Paula, are you still thinking of getting some part time work?" "Yes, defininitely" I replied, "Oh fabulous, this company in Runcorn are looking for someone 5 mornings a week to do some general admin in their Technical Dept, what do you think?" "Send my CV" I unwittingly replied. Cool, 8.30 till 12.30 5 mornings a week, just doing some light admin work, home for the afternoon, loads of time with Luke to do stuff. Can't really get better than that can you? I thought ..... allow me to continue .....

So, I went for the interview, I was slightly hindered by the fact that I had a really dreadful sinus infection, a cough that sounded like a backed up toilet (really not pleasant) and a cold sore up my right nostril that looked ever so alarmingly like a hard piece of snot trying to poke out. It was snowing really bad outside, the temp was - 4 and I had heels on that were making me walk like a well dressed penguin. The receptionist was really lovely, a nice comforting looking woman who tried hard not to be alarmed when I wheezed my name at her and then settled into a coughing fit that could only be stopped by sucking hard on my asthma inhaler and taking deep breaths. The girl who was interviewing me came out to greet me, I say "girl" as that is what she was as opposed to "woman", I was half expecting to have to sing the "alphabet song" as part of my interview questions. She was a very young looking 26 years, dressed in baby pink with very blonde hair, no make up and on her feet she had what I can only describe as pink pumps. So, I had the interview, and I really wasn't interested in the position after her telling me about the job. It sounded way too full on for what I was looking for, it was raising purchase orders on SAP which I have never used before, organising travel arrangements for Engineers, booking accommodation, sorting out time sheets etc etc etc. The kind of thing that if I was childless and looking for a full time job that I wanted to get my teeth into I would go for, but I just wanted something that I could do for a few hours a day and go home and forget about. I realised at one point that I was actually resting my head on my hand, so I convinced myself that I didn't stand a chance at all of getting the job, I realised I hadn't been at my best and my answers weren't the usual "punchy" one's that I give. Guess what, they loved me, thought I was so organised and professional ....????!!!!! So, I took the job.

I started two weeks ago, it is soooooo full on. Really incredibly hard learning a new job on part time hours, especially as there is so much to learn. The girl who is teaching me the job is full time and it is to relieve her of most of the admin to free her up to do other stuff (hmmm). The office is the Technical Service Dept (it is an Instrumentation company) and I shall be diplomatic here, but they aren't the most friendly bunch of people I have ever met, but it is early days so I shall give them the benefit of the doubt.

I have to get up at 5.30 in the morning to mobilise Lukey Sam, he has to be in nursery for 8.00 and then I collect him after his lunch at 1.00pm. Trouble is I leave work at 12.30 to collect him, then we go home so I can eat and then spend the afternoons doing all the stuff I used to do in the mornings so the poor little sod is knackered and we don't really have our quality time together during the week. I really miss it so much.

The job is a 3 month contract (with a view to being longer) so I'm hoping that maybe after three months I can get something that isn't so full on and possibly for a couple of full days a week so that it will free me up for the rest of the week to spend time with Luke doing fun things.

I did go for a job a couple of months ago that would have been perfect, it was for a software company doing research for their internet sites. Problem was though that the woman interviewing me had a dreadful cold and I twice picked up her snotty tissue off the floor and gave it back to her (don't ask me, haven't a clue why I did it). I think I scared her a bit, didn't get the job.

So, there you go, that's me for the next few months. Has taught me though not to take time with Luke for granted, they are only little once aren't they.