Little Miss Adventures

Snow 2012

Posted by cafebebemama on Feb 6, 2012 in Little Miss Adventures, Motherhood | 0 comments

We’ve been waiting for PROPER snow all winter. On Thursday morning, approximately 18 flakes fell from the sky. Ella was so excited! And then so disappointed when it stopped after all of 5 minutes. She wanted snow, wanted to make Frosty the Snowman, wanted to play! Is that so much to ask for?

The UK has been threatened with forecasts for snow. Parts of the UK have had quite a bit but our wee corner of the East Midlands has had Jack Squat. Until last night, that is! Finally, the snow that is torturing the rest of Europe arrived in our neck of the woods. Big fluffy snow flakes adding up onto our cars and the ground. I showed Ella the snow last night and was sure that we’d only end up with a light covering in the end.

Imagine my surprise and Ella’s pleasure to find around 6 inches of snow EVERYWHERE! It was a lovely winter wonderland and Ella was ready. Kitted out in layer upon layer, her waterproofs, hat, mittens and wellies…she was ready. Snow 2012…here’s Ella!

Dressed and ready for the snow…wearing a hat from Wisconsin, USA where they REALLY know what snow is!

How much fun can one three year old and one 45 year old have? Three hours worth in the end!

A fine Frosty I must say complete with a carrot from our vegetable drawer, stones for eyes, a Caterpillar hat and Mummy’s fleecy scarf. Now where’s that magic???

I love this picture because it shows just how much snow we got AND how important Ella’s trampoline is to her. She’s got a teeny, red, plastic shovel from her sand box to clear the trampoline. She didn’t get very far!

After 3 hours, a proper snowman, a cleared driveway, a trip to the park and sledging around the village powered by Daddy, Ella finally came in with cold red cheeks and rather wet layers. She didn’t want to come in! As she started to thaw, her feet began to hurt…she was that cold! Ella has definitely inherited her Daddy’s resistance to pain.

The snow has already begun to melt. I would imagine that it will be gone within a day or two. Ella’s quite devastated to know that her Frosty will melt soon. Such is life in England. Snow comes and goes pretty darn fast but at least we’ve finally had some. Too bad it took until 4 February for it to arrive!

The Week According to Sam- Week Five

Posted by cafebebemama on Jan 8, 2012 in Bebe, Little Miss Adventures, Motherhood, Uncategorized, Week According to Sam | 0 comments

Week FIVE?? How did we get to week five with me still partially SANE? Having survived Christmas as well, I think that’s not half bad. The week according to Sam this week included the family we so looked forward to visiting, leaving us. Grandma left on Tuesday and Auntie Julie and the cousins left on Friday. Thankfully Auntie Julie and the family will be back for one night before heading back to Australia, however. We don’t know when we’ll possibly see them again for a long while so we’re very much looking forward to this last upcoming visit.

In addition to having to say goodbye to family, we had some other fun family adventures while Daddy enjoyed some much needed (and deserved) holiday from work. Mid-week, we had a wonderful family photo shoot at a local photo studio. Despite our best intentions to leave the house with plenty of time to arrive, we ended up being 30 minutes late and my last shred of patience was obliterated. We were rushed through our shoot and while we did end up with some lovely images and the whole family was very beautifully immortalised, we just didn’t get enough time to get some of the shots I wanted. Hey-ho…we’ll just have to go again.

Sam continues to grow, change and develop. We’re even getting proper SMILES now! It takes some coaxing (and is usually brought on by Mummy’s voice) but they are REAL and not just wind. Sam is also staying awake longer after feeds and settling into a teeny bit of a routine. We are still co-sleeping but are also weaning a bit by having Sam sleep a few hours in his Fisher Price Cruisin’ Motion Soother which makes Mummy and Daddy happy too.

Here we have the week according to Sam- week five, in pictures…

Grandma gets one more evening to spend with Sam. Sam is suitably soothed and chilled at the same time!

Time for one last photo with Grandma and the kids before Grandma flies back to the US. We’ll miss you Grandma…hope to come visit YOU this summer!

Wonder of wonders! A picture with Sam and ME! Of course, taken by my fair hand…again! But still, a lovely moment with me and my boy.

A nice little cuddle with Daddy. Sam seems to be staring at the picture on Mark’s shirt…or wondering whether to poop! Could be either or both!

Told you! He’s smiling! We had a series of several smiles while Nanny held Sam. A real treat for Nanny and one I managed to capture on camera!

New Year’s Eve…and all is quiet! One of those rare moments. Shhhh…

We’ll start the year as we mean to go on, shall we? Loves and kisses anyone?

Next week we’re back to normal…Daddy back to work…Ella back to school…Mummy freaking out! What will happen in the end…God only knows!

Parenting Olympics

Posted by cafebebemama on Jan 5, 2012 in Bebe, Little Miss Adventures, Motherhood | 5 comments

I have discovered, by becoming a mum to two, that I have some real talent! I’ve learned some valuable lessons in parenting which give me hope should there be any additional sports introduced for future Olympics. I may be too late for London 2012 but you never know! Perhaps we should just kick off the Parenting Olympics 2012? Could you make the team?

New Sport: Sleep Deprivation-talathon- I will be a formidable competitor in the Sleep Deprivation-tathalon. Competitors are allowed sleep but only in 90 minute bursts. Sleep during those 90 minutes is bombarded with sounds, lights and general panic (“Is my child still moving?”). Competitors participate in 5 events following each 90 minute burst of disturbed sleep:

1st event- Nightmare Soothing-Rushing 20 feet into a darkened bedroom with a formerly sleeping child who is now screaming. The competitor who can successfully negotiate toys, clothes and small furniture obstacles to soothe their child the fastest wins!

2nd event- Bottle Dash- Racing down a flight of stairs to a darkened kitchen to boil a kettle and prepare a formula bottle to a specific temperature and following non-existent NHS guidelines for safe bottle preparation while a screaming baby shouts through the baby monitor. Extra points if this event can be completed with a baby in one arm.

3rd event- School Run- Each competitor will be allocated at least 2 children with a minimum of 2 years age difference between them. For additonal points a 3rd child can be added or 1 of the 2 children can be a newborn. Competitors will have 45 minutes to get all children fed, dressed in coordinating, matching clothing, comb hair, pack school bags and prevents tears at all costs. Competitor must also get herself bathed, dressed and made-up for the school run. The first family out of the door wins!

4th event- Poopy Nappy Race- Competitors will be faced with a fully filled, fully poonami-sized nappy which is beginning to leave the confines of the nappy on a fully dressed, fully screaming newborn. Competitors must remove the offending nappy, fully clear the nappy area to a high standard, remove leaked-upon clothes, place a new nappy on the child and re-clothe with a new outfit in the fastest amount of time. Additional points with a male baby when competitors avoid being weed upon!

5th event- Mummy-nastics- This particularly challenging event involves getting 2 children, aged 3 and 6 weeks ready to get in the car. A changing bag must be fully stocked as well as bottles/food/snacks packed for every eventuality. Children must be clothed for the weather of the moment, installed in car seats safely, securely and per national guidelines, the car packed, boot stocked with the appropriate pushchair and NO TEARS from either child or mother…all accomplished in 20 minutes or less. Bonus points for the fewest dashes from house to car and remembering to shut off all lights and lock the door.

I am sure to be picked for Team GB! What about you? Oh, wait! Damn! I’m not a Citizen! I’ll have to try to make Team USA! Boo!

In addition to my talents for the Parening Olympics team, I have been able to manage the following ONE HANDED: make a cup of tea, prepare a bottle, mix(from scratch) and throw gluten-free french bread in the oven, chop potatoes, type out emails, eat, wee, tidy the house and hoover. Will my abilities never cease?

What Parenting Olympic sport would you excel at?

I’ve lost my girl

Posted by cafebebemama on Dec 27, 2011 in Little Miss Adventures, Motherhood | 7 comments

I’m a bit sad. On Boxing Day, after a VERY long Christmas Day and too early rising in the morning, I suggested to Ella, at 3:30pm, that it was time to have a nap. Mark was holding Sam so I told Ella that I would take her up to her room and read her one of her new stories that she received for Christmas. She winged and cried and didn’t want to go. Mark said, “How about if Daddy takes you up to read to you?” and Ella snuggled up to him and said, “OK Daddy.” Weep. I’ve lost her. I’ve lost my girl.

Ella and I have always been close. This is mainly because we have spent virtually every minute together until Ella started school this year. Ella was always a “Mummy’s Girl” no matter what. This was most definitely the case whenever she wasn’t feeling well or if she hurt herself. This killed Mark. He hated that Ella turned to me. He wasn’t cross with either of us but wanted to be able to comfort her as well.

We’ve gone through fits of Ella being more of a Daddy’s girl but I never well and truly lost her until I went into hospital before Sam’s birth. In a sense, me going into hospital and being away from Mark and Ella for 6 days was a wonderful thing. Mark became her port of call. Mummy was relegated to “sloppy seconds” which, in some ways was good because it freed me up to tend to Sam. Mark has admitted that he finds it diffcult to cope with the “baby stuff” because it’s not as easy to solve a crying baby’s problems. Mark gets nervous when Sam starts crying which is understandable. Now he can solve Ella’s problems and feel valued and needed.

However, I feel like I have lost my girl. We clash a lot these days. My patience level is not what it used to be (can’t think WHY that might be???) and Ella’s listening ears seem to have lost their ability to function. I need to remember to give her some slack. I need to remember that Ella needs my time and attention as well. I need to remember to take special time for Ella and Mummy and let Daddy build a relationship with Sam. But in the meantime, I am a bit sad. I’ve lost a bit of my girl and would appreciate any advice or suggestions you could offer.

Merry Christmas from Cafe Bebe

Posted by cafebebemama on Dec 25, 2011 in Bebe, Blogging, Little Miss Adventures, Motherhood | 2 comments

We are very blessed this year to have our precious Sam join our wee Cafe Bebe family. This will be Sam’s FIRST Christmas and while he’ll never remember a bit of it, we’ll all be celebrating his safe arrival and getting in loads of cuddles.

Ella is thrilled to bits and beyond excited about this Christmas. The only challenge we had this evening, after putting her to bed, was her fear that Santa would come into her room. She needed plenty of reassuring that he could leave the presents without coming anywhere near her. Then she was satisfied. I can’t wait to hear her exclamations and comments tomorrow. I must remember to write them down.

Mark and I have had a pretty wonderful year, culminating with the safe arrival of our son Sam on 24 November (American Thanksgiving). We are grateful for every opportunity and gift that has come our way this year and never forget how lucky we are to be together.

I’d like to thank any and everyone who has managed to stop by Cafe Bebe in this, my second full year of blogging. The year has had its highs and lows from a blogging perspective but I am so pleased to have made it through another year with still more challenges ahead of me. I hope that you will continue to pop by Cafe Bebe from time to time (if not regularly) in 2012 to see what new adventures we get up to. I’ll try not to annoy you too much with endless pictures of my children or rant too much about too little. Stick with me though…I’m sure there will be a few good things to read about along the way.

Happy Christmas to all and to all a Rockin’ New Year!

Love,

Karin, Mark, Ella and Sam

No More Dummy!

Posted by cafebebemama on Dec 22, 2011 in Little Miss Adventures, Motherhood | 4 comments

Ella is 3 1/2 years old. She has had a dummy for 3 1/2 years. Until yesterday. The Dummy Fairy came to take her gnarled, skanky dummy for another child to use (What is up with the Dummy Fairy? Icky!). It’s a Christmas miracle!

Way back in the early days, I swore that I would not give my baby girl a dummy. And then one day she wouldn’t stop crying. I hadn’t even bought a dummy! But one came with the Avent bottle/steriliser set that we had purchased and I was desperate. I thought, “What the hey? Maybe it will help her?” and popped the dummy in her mouth. Suck, suck, suck, suck. And thus began 3 1/2 years of dummy saturated days and nights.

If Ella was going to have dummies, however, I was not going to give her “novelty” dummies. She was going to have the least obtrusive dummy I could find. We settled on Avent dummies with the clear centre-piece so that nothing could impede her pretty face. We managed to find these dummies for the majority of the 3 1/2 years until recently when we resorted to the Avent dummies with the red centre-piece when there was no other choice.

When Ella began school in January, we had a minor reprieve with the need for the dummy. Since she would be at school 3 days a week from 9:15-3:15, we decided to enact a “dummy embargo”. When Ella woke up, she was to put her dummy in a dummy “box” where it would stay for the day. She could have the dummy for naps and sleep at night and in the car. That was to be it. Full stop. Erm, oops.

I caved on too many occasions. Ella would slide up to me and say, in the sweetest voice, “I just want to snuggle up with you on the couch!” which was code for “Give me my dummy please, glorious Mummy”. And I would give in because it was easier. Ella is a very convincing girl, you know. Her negotiating skills have her being groomed to be a UN consultant for Middle East Peace Talks. I don’t think we’ll send her though.

We had receeded into a really bad habit of her having the dummy wayyyyyy too much again. She would walk around, playing and chattering away with the dummy in. I SWORE that I wouldn’t be one of “those” mummies. You know the ones. The ones with the four year old in the pushchair who still has a dummy in and is talking through the dummy. Well guess what? I was one of those mummies…minus the pushchair for Ella anyway. Bad Mummy!

The other day, Ella started having this annoying, tickly cough. It was disrupting her sleep at night which was disrupting our sleep at night. We have enough sleep disruption with Sam so we were keen to find a solution and quick! Suddenly, we realised that Ella’s cough seem to be ENCOURAGED by her sucking on her dummy. Without her dummy in her mouth for several hours there was not one cough that came out. Once her dummy went back in, suddenly she was coughing again. Could it be the dummy? We tried to convince Ella of that. She wasn’t having it. But then, on Tuesday night, well, really the EARLY hours of Wednesday morning, Ella woke up with a coughing fit. The dummy had gone AWOL in the bed somewhere. Ella wanted it but I couldn’t be bothered to find it for her. I decided to use the opportunity to encourage her to snuggle up to something else to replace the dummy. She howled. We somehow managed to get her in our bed with two of Sam’s cuddly toys (he doesn’t need them just yet) and she slept. Without the dummy.

When she woke in the morning, we told her that we couldn’t find the dummy. She was sort of OK with that. Before we left the house, I made sure that I found the wayward dummy and put it in a secret hiding place that only hubby and I knew about. All was going swimmingly until we got in the car. The car is where Ella has ALWAYS had her dummy. As Mark started to back out of the driveway, Ella screamed, “MY DUMMY!!!” and went into a total meltdown, albeit, contained in her car seat in the car. I was sitting in the back seat with her (thankfully) so I began my pitch for dummy resolution.

“You see, Ella, the Dummy Fairy came by last night. She told us that there was a poorly baby who needed your dummy so we gave your dummy to the Dummy Fairy for this poorly baby. You want the poorly baby to feel better and have a lovely dummy like yours right?” is how it went. Through the tears came a bit of understanding, some snuffling and grudging acceptance with the promise of a cuddly, snuggly blanket or toy to replace the dummy. The tears stopped, we continued on our journey and we had a good day…without the dummy!

I managed to find a really cuddly, soft puppy from Marks & Spencer which Ella has named “Sinji” (the name of our departed Black Lab whom Ella adored). She went to sleep without the dummy and without fuss for the first time in her 3 1/2 years. Result! It really is a Christmas miracle. Funny how these things just manage to happen!

Attention Santa: Ella has put down the dummy! Feel free to shower her with more presents now! I can also report that while Sam does occasionally use the dummy for comfort, he is, in no way as fixated on it as Ella was. Wish us luck! Did you manage to wrangle the dummy from your child? What worked for you?