1
Jun
2010
And somewhere along the line I fell in love
ALERT: TOTALLY SOPPY POST COMING UP. AVERT EYES IF NECESSARY
So you know how all those movies and TV shows and chicklit books describe the moment you meet your baby and you fall instantly in love? Completely and utterly, beside yourself immediately, in love? If you don’t know those books and TV shows and movies then good on you, you probably spend your time reading worthy, didactic tomes about apartheid in South Africa and tutoring the underprivileged (which begs the question about why you are reading this blog, but we’ll take anyone).
Anyway, you know that instant love feeling? Well, nope. Not me.
When number one came along, sure I felt protective. He was also very cute (massive head notwithstanding) and I was keen to look after him the best I possibly could. We spent hours marvelling at the fact that we had MADE THAT LIMB. I know, the first people EVER to create life – I know how clever we are. But overwhelming, tear inducing love at first sight? Nope. Am I weird?
17
May
2010
Gina Ford – the case FOR.
Do not set one of those up in your back garden to burn books. This would be weird.
Oh my god, my pulse is racing, my heart is beating faster and I can hear Jacqui yelling from Madrid. It’s that time. Time for the post I have been thinking about since we started the blog. The Dame Gina Ford post.
If you’ve had a child in the past ten odd years in the UK or Australia, you’d have to be a bit lacking in eyes and/or ears to have missed one of her books on the parenting bookshelves, seen referenece to her methods on the internet or heard mention of her routines from other parents. The most popular book is The Very Contented Baby, but there are various follow-ups including The Contented Baby with Toddler.
At the outset, I need to divulge something that might already be obvious – I love Gina. There, I’ve said it. It’s out there. Let the stabbings commence and the bags full of poo start arriving on our doorstep, but it is true – her methods have worked like an incredible charm for our family and Gina (or The Big G (TBG) as we prefer to call her) rules the child routine roost around at our pad.
28
Mar
2010
Even though we are rich and famous, I still think about the small things. Like why I love London.
So, in case you missed it, we recently became very famous and embarrassingly wealthy after a guest post on Mia Freedman’s wonderful blog, http://www.mamamia.com.au/ . The post was about making friends in a new place and was fairly cynical in tone. I know – shocking. Anyway, in the subsequent comments amongst all the lovely and amusing ones, someone suggested we had very bad attitudes and we should be more positive and we’d probably have more luck finding friends. Frankly, I’m not sure – I’m quite bossy and Jacqui is mildly annoying – but there’s always hope I spose. In the same vein someone else suggested that maybe we should be more appreciative of the life we are leading. Basically everyone hated us. Or maybe that was just our husbands commenting.
2
Feb
2010
Why I am still very trendy and am not getting old. This year.
This is not actually me. In case you were wondering.
My son’s favourite game at the moment is to tell us all how old we are. He is two, the baby is three months (give or take a few months, it’s hard to keep up with her to be fair), Mummy is OLD and Daddy is ANCIENT.
I obviously derive tremendous amusement at the ‘ancient’ (and it’s not far from the truth for the poor old Captain) – but am not overly enamoured with the ‘old’ reference. Because I am quite youthful. In my head. And in photos. That have been photoshopped.
I do not feel that having children is keeping me young. In fact, I think they are causing me more wrinkles than any all night bender in my 20s. (And frankly – some mornings I think I got more joy out of the benders than the kids. Don’t tell people that. It’s a sure fire way to get chucked out of the Mother’s Club to admit something like that. Well, you try having a shower with three people in there with you.) No, the children are definitely making me older. But not OLD.
12
Jan
2010
Baby Carriers – are you a hippy or a trendy?
I know very little about baby carriers and slings. But I am nothing if not helpful, and someone asked me the other day about which one was the best, so Alex – this one’s for you. Oh, and anyone else pondering the great unknown of the carrying/wearing world. Just writing to Alex would be weird. Although she is already probably slightly uncomfortable at having a whole post dedicated to her. Quite selfish the rest of you are thinking? I know – Alex is like that. Anyway, poor Alex, don’t be mean to her if you meet her, she can’t help being like that.
So slings, carriers and pack thingies – they are your big three segments. Slings are for babywearing hippies, carriers for trendy inner-city types and packs for healthy ruddy-faced outdoorsy types. Who carry hiking sticks. Got that? I love a good generalisation. Now this is not supposed to be the pinnacle of research, just a point in the right direction for beginners, to start you off even better than my ramblings, you might want to read this Which column.
12
Oct
2009
Child-friendly but still posh pub
The Olde Bell in Hurley is a bl**dy brilliant pub just outside of London. We visited a few weeks ago with some very groovy friends who generally know the cool food places (hanging off their coat tails as I am neither groovy nor cool) and it turned out to be a great location for us and the small people. The food was fantastic. And they have a MASSIVE garden out the back. 
The kids slept in prams during lunch (it’s on the slightly posh side so it’s not really a place for marauding toddlers inside – no chicken nuggets on the menu, put it that way.) However, the staff were amazingly welcoming and one lovely lady even babysat the prams while we all had a drink in the bar. (She didn’t look like a child-stealer). However, the garden was the highlight and the kids ran around for hours after lunch. It was raining (quelle surprise for London) but the kids didn’t mind and this suited us perfectly. Would be gorgeous as a spot for an adults-only lunch (or weekend, it has accommodation and there seemed to be a few more b’nb s down the tiny road), but as a summer destination, this would also be amazing – has its own bar and heaps of tables outside and children can run amok whilst parents eat the restaurant lunch or more casual BBQ lunch and get slowly sozzled in beautiful surroundings. With one person remaining the designated driver/responsible parent. Obviously. I wish there was a list of every child friendly pubs in every city. See here for their website.
