Woohoo!!
We've just found out today that Chloe's P2 teacher will be taking P3 from next year and we've got her again. She must have really liked her class this year, either than or it's my mad present making skillz.
Woohoo!!
I've said that already haven't I?
She's not everyone's favourite teacher, some consider her a bit iron fist for their little kiddies but I think she's absolutely brilliant. Chloe sometimes has a habit of being offered an inch and taking a mile so having a teacher who makes her expectations known in no uncertain terms is perfect for us.
I found her teacher in P1 was a bit airy fairy with an attitude that kids should learn in their own time and there wasn't any rush, so the kids took their time and entered P2 a fair bit behind the other two classes. In one short year all that malarky was well and truly fixed.
What makes it even better is that our current classroom assistant will be moving along with them too. She's the fount of positive reinforcement and works perfectly with the teacher, I don't think I've ever seen a better team and it means Chloe gets the best of both worlds, a firm handed pat on the back if you like. She needs the strictness to make her sit down and concentrate on her work but she likes a bit of praise for a job well done when she's finished too.
Hopefully we're looking forward to another great school year.
Showing posts with label School. Show all posts
Showing posts with label School. Show all posts
Growing Pains - The "Mummy Needs a Nap" Edition
Oh the sick, evil, twisted irony of growing pains, I remember them well! The irony being that I always was and still to this day am a short arse and now my poor wee girl is suffering with them too. She's as much of a short arse petite as I was and yet I remember those pains being absolute agony and Chloe doesn't seem willing to let them pass as "mildly uncomfortable" either.
For anyone lucky enough to be unfamiliar with growing pains, they're a pain sometimes cramp like in nature which occurs in the muscles of the legs and arms, usually in the evening or at night when the child is tired and probably already a bit grumpy, they can occur earlier in the day but often because of a fairly fast paced or "on the go" sort of day with lots going on and tons of places to be.
In short they cause almost no problems during the day leaving kids to run and skip and hop and jump and play all day long and crumple in "agony" almost at the very mention of bedtime resulting in most parents (my own mum and even with 20/20 hindsight me included) thinking their kids are faking or laying it on a bit thick.
It's been going on for about ten days now with it either keeping Chloe awake until almost midnight or she's fallen asleep a bit earlier than normal only to be woken out of a sleep in pain for a couple of hours at half past daft o'clock. She's not been at her most reasonable for the past couple of weeks, neither have I for that matter.
I'm actually dreading the next couple of days, tomorrow her class is walking to the library in town in the morning then on Wednesday and Thursday night Chloe's in her class play. She'll need to go back to school at 7.00pm both nights, the play begins at 7.30pm and then she can go home at 8.00pm, so that's two fairly busy days considering that 8.00pm is already a good half hour past Chloe's usual bed time routine. I know she's six now and most kids stay up a bit later than that, but I've said before that this is her bedtime routine and we don't mess with it. She knows when she wants her shower and jammies and to curl up for the night. She just never has been a night owl, the kid loves her bed. I just know both nights are going to end in tears by the time we get her home and ready for bed the pains will have kicked in and it'll be a rough night for all involved. Thursday will definitely be worse than tomorrow.
And speaking of her being six now, the whole lack of sleep thing meant that the poor child's birthday passed as something of a non event. She did go to soft play hell with a few friends in the afternoon but she just couldn't seem to be bothered with the whole thing and didn't want to go running around with her friends. I'm fairly certain it's the lack of sleep catching up with her, we're just hoping now to cruise into the weekend and she can go to the cinema with a friend on Saturday and have cake and popcorn.
I just hope these growing pains realise Chloe isn't destined to be some great six footer and clear off sometime soon because there just isn't enough caffeine in the world:)
For anyone lucky enough to be unfamiliar with growing pains, they're a pain sometimes cramp like in nature which occurs in the muscles of the legs and arms, usually in the evening or at night when the child is tired and probably already a bit grumpy, they can occur earlier in the day but often because of a fairly fast paced or "on the go" sort of day with lots going on and tons of places to be.
In short they cause almost no problems during the day leaving kids to run and skip and hop and jump and play all day long and crumple in "agony" almost at the very mention of bedtime resulting in most parents (my own mum and even with 20/20 hindsight me included) thinking their kids are faking or laying it on a bit thick.
It's been going on for about ten days now with it either keeping Chloe awake until almost midnight or she's fallen asleep a bit earlier than normal only to be woken out of a sleep in pain for a couple of hours at half past daft o'clock. She's not been at her most reasonable for the past couple of weeks, neither have I for that matter.
I'm actually dreading the next couple of days, tomorrow her class is walking to the library in town in the morning then on Wednesday and Thursday night Chloe's in her class play. She'll need to go back to school at 7.00pm both nights, the play begins at 7.30pm and then she can go home at 8.00pm, so that's two fairly busy days considering that 8.00pm is already a good half hour past Chloe's usual bed time routine. I know she's six now and most kids stay up a bit later than that, but I've said before that this is her bedtime routine and we don't mess with it. She knows when she wants her shower and jammies and to curl up for the night. She just never has been a night owl, the kid loves her bed. I just know both nights are going to end in tears by the time we get her home and ready for bed the pains will have kicked in and it'll be a rough night for all involved. Thursday will definitely be worse than tomorrow.
And speaking of her being six now, the whole lack of sleep thing meant that the poor child's birthday passed as something of a non event. She did go to soft play hell with a few friends in the afternoon but she just couldn't seem to be bothered with the whole thing and didn't want to go running around with her friends. I'm fairly certain it's the lack of sleep catching up with her, we're just hoping now to cruise into the weekend and she can go to the cinema with a friend on Saturday and have cake and popcorn.
I just hope these growing pains realise Chloe isn't destined to be some great six footer and clear off sometime soon because there just isn't enough caffeine in the world:)
Killing dead things
Nine times out of ten if you hear me say that I've been killing dead things all day, what I really mean is that I've been doing all those stupidly annoying little jobs that build up over time, keep me out of my mind busy for an entire day working through them and leave me shattered and worth tuppence, slouched in a chair come 10pm and someone else could scour the house for hours on end and not be able to tell what I'd been up to all day. The things that need to be done and are a nightmare to do but make no visible difference whatsoever. Think renewing car insurance!
Every now and again though, I'm talking about the little jobs that matter to me and only me. At the end of the day I feel completely satisfied knowing they're done but they make no difference whatsoever to anyone else.
Like I finally sat down and recycled all this year's Christmas cards into tags for birthdays and Christmas this year. It might not be much but it makes me happy.
And I finished two more circle skirts and a little dress for Chloe to wear when we're on holiday in June. It's a bit dark and miserable to take photos of the skirts now, but I managed the dress earlier.
Besides a circle skirt is a circle skirt is a circle skirt, if you've seen one ...
And not only that, but the repair basket is only half filled now instead of overflowing! The hubster's work trousers are sorted, I've finally taken up two pairs of my own trousers (they've only been waiting a year or so) and I've let the hems down on Chloe's school trousers too. She's grown 6 feet since the start of the school year (she has, I swear she has judging by the number of hems I've let down since Christmas) and we still really need those trousers. It's just a wee bit too cold for a skirt just yet and Chloe hates tights with the venom only a five year old at the head of the bathroom line with 30 kids waiting impatiently in line behind her can muster.
So I'm done for the day and it's high time I treated myself to a nice hot brew and a curl up on the sofa with a good book for a while.
Every now and again though, I'm talking about the little jobs that matter to me and only me. At the end of the day I feel completely satisfied knowing they're done but they make no difference whatsoever to anyone else.
Like I finally sat down and recycled all this year's Christmas cards into tags for birthdays and Christmas this year. It might not be much but it makes me happy.
And I finished two more circle skirts and a little dress for Chloe to wear when we're on holiday in June. It's a bit dark and miserable to take photos of the skirts now, but I managed the dress earlier.
Besides a circle skirt is a circle skirt is a circle skirt, if you've seen one ...
And not only that, but the repair basket is only half filled now instead of overflowing! The hubster's work trousers are sorted, I've finally taken up two pairs of my own trousers (they've only been waiting a year or so) and I've let the hems down on Chloe's school trousers too. She's grown 6 feet since the start of the school year (she has, I swear she has judging by the number of hems I've let down since Christmas) and we still really need those trousers. It's just a wee bit too cold for a skirt just yet and Chloe hates tights with the venom only a five year old at the head of the bathroom line with 30 kids waiting impatiently in line behind her can muster.
So I'm done for the day and it's high time I treated myself to a nice hot brew and a curl up on the sofa with a good book for a while.
Oh 'eck
OK, I know it's been almost a month since I last posted, but I have excuses. Don't I always come armed with excuses?
For starters it was January and January is not the lovely quiet month everyone says it is. I've been lied to, I've lied to myself. I have to try and remember what January is like so it doesn't bite me next year!
I've had all the ick things to deal with like tax returns (never as bad as I think they're going to be) and paperwork to complete because Bob's out of work (worse than it really should be), but we've packed in the fun stuff too ...
Countless bike rides around the Floodgates
Trips to the duckpond
The birds really aren't walking on water, it's just frozen solid.
And I've been a busy little beaver making new stock.
I've even booked my first fair of the year, so I've been making like a woman demented for that too ...
Totally Bazaar is run by Decadence Premier Vintage Fairs, the same great organisers who bring you Frock Around the Clock each year. It'll take place on Sunday 3 April 2011 and starts at *11.00am at the Holiday Inn, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast so if you're in the area feel free to drop in for a natter.
For starters it was January and January is not the lovely quiet month everyone says it is. I've been lied to, I've lied to myself. I have to try and remember what January is like so it doesn't bite me next year!
I've had all the ick things to deal with like tax returns (never as bad as I think they're going to be) and paperwork to complete because Bob's out of work (worse than it really should be), but we've packed in the fun stuff too ...
Countless bike rides around the Floodgates
Trips to the duckpond
The birds really aren't walking on water, it's just frozen solid.
And I've been a busy little beaver making new stock.
I've even booked my first fair of the year, so I've been making like a woman demented for that too ...
Totally Bazaar is run by Decadence Premier Vintage Fairs, the same great organisers who bring you Frock Around the Clock each year. It'll take place on Sunday 3 April 2011 and starts at *11.00am at the Holiday Inn, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast so if you're in the area feel free to drop in for a natter.
**************************
On top of everything else we've been kept really busy by school things too. First there was the Exploris visit, a really fun day for the kids in school but it did come with a ton of extra homework. I don't mind homework but Chloe was being a bit of a nightmare about it, then she came down with tonsillitis and that explained everything. Obviously then once she was better and back to school we had a mountain of homework to catch up on, but at least it's finished now.
We've had two sponsored events to take care off and then there was pirate day!. Have you tried finding a pirate costume in the shops in the middle of January? It can't b done, so another thing went on the to do list and it had to be made from scratch. I've photos and I'll show them to you but they're on the camera and I just haven't had a second to deal with them yet.
I've a stack of foodie photos too and I will get round to posting the recipes at some stage, it just won't be today because today I'll be mostly making birthday presents for my mum and dad and finishing 3 skirts for Chloe so that I can drop them in the suitcase ready for pressing and packing before the holiday. I know it's not until June but I just like to know these things are done, then I don't have to think about them again. It's my own fault really, I cut the fabric and pinned it all and set it on the back of a chair where I could see it. Every. Single. Day. So it has to be done today, for my own sanity.
And at some stage in amongst everything else I'll manage to squeeze in my 30th birthday on Friday. I might sit down for a coffee or something instead of carrying it around with me like the cup's attached to my hand.
* You really have to love an organiser who appreciates that loading the car at 6.00am on a cold Sunday morning in April is not a big ol' bundle of giggles and let's us have a lie in!
On top of everything else we've been kept really busy by school things too. First there was the Exploris visit, a really fun day for the kids in school but it did come with a ton of extra homework. I don't mind homework but Chloe was being a bit of a nightmare about it, then she came down with tonsillitis and that explained everything. Obviously then once she was better and back to school we had a mountain of homework to catch up on, but at least it's finished now.
We've had two sponsored events to take care off and then there was pirate day!. Have you tried finding a pirate costume in the shops in the middle of January? It can't b done, so another thing went on the to do list and it had to be made from scratch. I've photos and I'll show them to you but they're on the camera and I just haven't had a second to deal with them yet.
I've a stack of foodie photos too and I will get round to posting the recipes at some stage, it just won't be today because today I'll be mostly making birthday presents for my mum and dad and finishing 3 skirts for Chloe so that I can drop them in the suitcase ready for pressing and packing before the holiday. I know it's not until June but I just like to know these things are done, then I don't have to think about them again. It's my own fault really, I cut the fabric and pinned it all and set it on the back of a chair where I could see it. Every. Single. Day. So it has to be done today, for my own sanity.
And at some stage in amongst everything else I'll manage to squeeze in my 30th birthday on Friday. I might sit down for a coffee or something instead of carrying it around with me like the cup's attached to my hand.
* You really have to love an organiser who appreciates that loading the car at 6.00am on a cold Sunday morning in April is not a big ol' bundle of giggles and let's us have a lie in!
And that was June, everybody put your hands together for June
and I'm not even sure I quite remember June coming on stage, let alone doing her bit and sauntering off again.
Can you believe the Summer holidays are here already? It feels like no time at all has passed since I took Chloe to school for the first time.
No time at all since I was telling her she'd grow into her pinafore and we were out buying new school shoes. Now the pinafore has been relegated to the "no longer appropriate" pile (wow she's grown) and her little shoes finally gave up the ghost last week when the strap just fell off in her hand. I know it's typical isn't it that her shoes would break the week before the end of term.
She's had her easing in day with her P2 teacher and she can't wait now to start moving up the school.
Obviously she's looking forward to the prospect of a couple of months at home with mummy too...
You can tell, right?
It's been a bumpy year what with her reading being a bit all over the place but it's not all doom and gloom as we finish the year. For a start I was talking to another mum this afternoon who said she's had the same thing with her son and that an awful lot doesn't seem to have stuck with him this year, but we're just going to concentrate on working with them over the Summer and most importantly, being consistent with them.
We've had Chloe's report card home from school and there's actually quite a lot of really good news on there. She loves maths for a start and it seems to come pretty naturally to her. We had been told in the P1 updates that only a small number of children had been ready to move on past counting to tackling small sums and Chloe was one of them. When we're walking anywhere together she'll even ask to "do her numbers" as we walk and she can easily manage small sums and has no trouble with answering "what's one more than" or "one less than" type questions. She also has a very good grasp of money for a child her age, but some of that is probably to be expected because she only ever sees me dealing with cash, not cheques or cards so it's drawn her attention more often and quite a lot now I let her handle her own money when we're out shopping. Best they learn about money and how quickly it can disappear from a young age, hopefully she'll appreciate it more.
She loves art, music and drama, something which I'm really seeing in her in the past few weeks and she's been described as quiet yet very confident. Happy to let others go ahead, but not afraid to make her own voice heard when need be. It's been lovely to watch her do little dance routines and sing loudly, not only for me, but wherever the notion happens to take her, coffee shops, town square, middle of Tesco, she doesn't care where she is or who's watching just as long as music is playing. It's great to see after the whole ballet debacle, Chloe's more of a swaying finger snapper.
And the reading hasn't been a complete wash either. It isn't something she particularly enjoys doing (I wonder if there are any early reader books with fart jokes). The problem is that she doesn't really like it and she's become very nervous at the thought of reading, getting something wrong and being told off for it so she just refuses to it. Of course if her teacher can't see her read then she has to assume that she can't do it, I get different results at home. It isn't helped that Chloe thinks her teacher shouts. In fairness she doesn't shout, she's just a lot louder than Chloe is used to. I'm softly spoken around Chloe because I never wanted to have to shout to get her attention, my mum's softly spoken (for the most part) and her first two teachers were both very quiet as well and she just hasn't been able to get used to the volume at all. Chloe hears loud and automatically thinks she's being shouted at.
She's perfectly capable of reading, she just doesn't realise it and she has trouble letting go of her nervousness. I know from my own personal experience that pride will kick nervous's ass from one end of the street to the other and when Chloe feels proud of her reading ability, she all of a sudden wants more and I can see her start to enjoy it.
She read today for her P2 teacher and she practically glowed when she ran from the building to tell me and she was joined by one of her friends who told me they'd each read a page in a book and Chloe was brilliant and she almost looked like she might cry, the pride was swelling inside her so much. Today was like a clean slate for her, a fresh start for her and Chloe seemed really happy to be able to show off what she's capable of to a new teacher.
Now it's just a matter of keeping her interest over the Summer and making sure that she's proud of herself and her abilities. A little bit of pride goes a long way.
Can you believe the Summer holidays are here already? It feels like no time at all has passed since I took Chloe to school for the first time.
No time at all since I was telling her she'd grow into her pinafore and we were out buying new school shoes. Now the pinafore has been relegated to the "no longer appropriate" pile (wow she's grown) and her little shoes finally gave up the ghost last week when the strap just fell off in her hand. I know it's typical isn't it that her shoes would break the week before the end of term.
She's had her easing in day with her P2 teacher and she can't wait now to start moving up the school.
Obviously she's looking forward to the prospect of a couple of months at home with mummy too...
You can tell, right?
It's been a bumpy year what with her reading being a bit all over the place but it's not all doom and gloom as we finish the year. For a start I was talking to another mum this afternoon who said she's had the same thing with her son and that an awful lot doesn't seem to have stuck with him this year, but we're just going to concentrate on working with them over the Summer and most importantly, being consistent with them.
We've had Chloe's report card home from school and there's actually quite a lot of really good news on there. She loves maths for a start and it seems to come pretty naturally to her. We had been told in the P1 updates that only a small number of children had been ready to move on past counting to tackling small sums and Chloe was one of them. When we're walking anywhere together she'll even ask to "do her numbers" as we walk and she can easily manage small sums and has no trouble with answering "what's one more than" or "one less than" type questions. She also has a very good grasp of money for a child her age, but some of that is probably to be expected because she only ever sees me dealing with cash, not cheques or cards so it's drawn her attention more often and quite a lot now I let her handle her own money when we're out shopping. Best they learn about money and how quickly it can disappear from a young age, hopefully she'll appreciate it more.
She loves art, music and drama, something which I'm really seeing in her in the past few weeks and she's been described as quiet yet very confident. Happy to let others go ahead, but not afraid to make her own voice heard when need be. It's been lovely to watch her do little dance routines and sing loudly, not only for me, but wherever the notion happens to take her, coffee shops, town square, middle of Tesco, she doesn't care where she is or who's watching just as long as music is playing. It's great to see after the whole ballet debacle, Chloe's more of a swaying finger snapper.
And the reading hasn't been a complete wash either. It isn't something she particularly enjoys doing (I wonder if there are any early reader books with fart jokes). The problem is that she doesn't really like it and she's become very nervous at the thought of reading, getting something wrong and being told off for it so she just refuses to it. Of course if her teacher can't see her read then she has to assume that she can't do it, I get different results at home. It isn't helped that Chloe thinks her teacher shouts. In fairness she doesn't shout, she's just a lot louder than Chloe is used to. I'm softly spoken around Chloe because I never wanted to have to shout to get her attention, my mum's softly spoken (for the most part) and her first two teachers were both very quiet as well and she just hasn't been able to get used to the volume at all. Chloe hears loud and automatically thinks she's being shouted at.
She's perfectly capable of reading, she just doesn't realise it and she has trouble letting go of her nervousness. I know from my own personal experience that pride will kick nervous's ass from one end of the street to the other and when Chloe feels proud of her reading ability, she all of a sudden wants more and I can see her start to enjoy it.
She read today for her P2 teacher and she practically glowed when she ran from the building to tell me and she was joined by one of her friends who told me they'd each read a page in a book and Chloe was brilliant and she almost looked like she might cry, the pride was swelling inside her so much. Today was like a clean slate for her, a fresh start for her and Chloe seemed really happy to be able to show off what she's capable of to a new teacher.
Now it's just a matter of keeping her interest over the Summer and making sure that she's proud of herself and her abilities. A little bit of pride goes a long way.
Catch up
It has been yet another week of solid activity around here.
I spent most of the week in a mad flurry of food shopping before the long weekend, sorting sponsorship forms for Chloe's sponsored bounce (99 bouncy castle bounces in a minute), cooking a couple of extra meals for the days when I'm completely zonked over the long weekend and unsuccessfully dodging big fat rain and hailstones.
Saturday didn't see any time for relaxing either. Robert had planned to take us to The Outlet in Banbridge for a bit of retail therapy (I must look absolutely dire if he's offering to take me clothes shopping). Banbridge is about an hour away by car and of course every parent knows that means ten minutes of "mummy, look at the cows/sheep/horses" followed by 50 minutes of "mommy, are we there yet/there yet/there yet".
We had a pretty good morning all in all and managed to pick up a few bargains and I nabbed two gorgeous pairs of trousers from Olson for £10 each reduced from £85 thank you very much:) I got my long craved for Starbucks.
It's strange that one thing that really isn't that great, I mean lets be honest here, Starbucks isn't exactly something to write home about there is a lot of much better coffee to be found, but even so the only thing I've missed about working in Belfast is a venti latte with 3 extra shots and a cinnamon whirl drizzled with lemon frosting. I'm telling you, I forgot just how big those cups really are.
We eventually drove home around 1pm and stopped at a cafe to pick up some lunch because Robert wanted to treat me by not having me cook lunch (I think he might be cheating on me), arrived home and had just settled down to eat when the phone rings and it's my mum checking we're home. I told her we were and would call round as soon as we finished eating.
Ten minutes later the phone rings again and Chloe answers it. She listens to my mum for a few minutes before hanging up and announcing that my dad is on his way to our house with our new sofas and to have the old ones in the driveway and ready to go to the dump. And then she added "You just can't get a minutes peace around here", which just goes to show how much running around we've done this week.
So I have my new sofas, I can finally start decorating the living room and I'm sitting here now waiting on a handful of people turning up to collect a few things I've popped on freecycle to make a bit of space.
But at least I did manage to find some time to make three badges for the Folksy Badge Competition with a chance to win a year's free listings.
Which reminds me, I just can't believe that my tiny little baby girl who was born less than a minute ago will be finishing P1 in four weeks. Where has this last year gone?
I spent most of the week in a mad flurry of food shopping before the long weekend, sorting sponsorship forms for Chloe's sponsored bounce (99 bouncy castle bounces in a minute), cooking a couple of extra meals for the days when I'm completely zonked over the long weekend and unsuccessfully dodging big fat rain and hailstones.
Saturday didn't see any time for relaxing either. Robert had planned to take us to The Outlet in Banbridge for a bit of retail therapy (I must look absolutely dire if he's offering to take me clothes shopping). Banbridge is about an hour away by car and of course every parent knows that means ten minutes of "mummy, look at the cows/sheep/horses" followed by 50 minutes of "mommy, are we there yet/there yet/there yet".
We had a pretty good morning all in all and managed to pick up a few bargains and I nabbed two gorgeous pairs of trousers from Olson for £10 each reduced from £85 thank you very much:) I got my long craved for Starbucks.
It's strange that one thing that really isn't that great, I mean lets be honest here, Starbucks isn't exactly something to write home about there is a lot of much better coffee to be found, but even so the only thing I've missed about working in Belfast is a venti latte with 3 extra shots and a cinnamon whirl drizzled with lemon frosting. I'm telling you, I forgot just how big those cups really are.
We eventually drove home around 1pm and stopped at a cafe to pick up some lunch because Robert wanted to treat me by not having me cook lunch (I think he might be cheating on me), arrived home and had just settled down to eat when the phone rings and it's my mum checking we're home. I told her we were and would call round as soon as we finished eating.
Ten minutes later the phone rings again and Chloe answers it. She listens to my mum for a few minutes before hanging up and announcing that my dad is on his way to our house with our new sofas and to have the old ones in the driveway and ready to go to the dump. And then she added "You just can't get a minutes peace around here", which just goes to show how much running around we've done this week.
So I have my new sofas, I can finally start decorating the living room and I'm sitting here now waiting on a handful of people turning up to collect a few things I've popped on freecycle to make a bit of space.
But at least I did manage to find some time to make three badges for the Folksy Badge Competition with a chance to win a year's free listings.
Which reminds me, I just can't believe that my tiny little baby girl who was born less than a minute ago will be finishing P1 in four weeks. Where has this last year gone?
Apologies
I'm terribly sorry about the last post. That was just me in full on grumpy cow mode, refusing the see the good in anything and allowing all of life's little niggles to crumple me into a tiny little ball and drop me unceremoniously into the waste basket.
I am feeling much better now.
For starters the weather is picking up each day, it's by no means guaranteed here but it means that the problems I've been having lately are lessened simply because Chloe and I can stick our coats on and go somewhere else. The main issue we're having at the moment is that there are no kids in our street Chloe's age, unless of course you count the pack of wild animals who walk on their hind legs and live around the corner. Seriously, if you were to give these kids a grain of salt, they would find something to do with it which would result in a neighbour having to call the police.
Chloe will be allowed to play with those kids over my dead body.
But we can walk to to my mum's house more often now where she has ample friends to run around with and scream and giggle as much as she wants, plus for bonus points it takes the pressure off me to be her personal court jester!
And walking is good, and Chloe needs to know that. She's growing up around so many people who firmly believe that to drive is to live, that it's even more important to me that she enjoys the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other. Aside from the fact that it costs a small fortune to learn to drive here, not to mention the three tests I'd have to take, plus our insurance company's quote of £678 per year to add me as a named driver (with restricted mileage) to our current policy, I just don't like driving and the older I get the more stubborn I get about the whole thing.
Obviously Chloe wants to go back to daycare because she doesn't have any friends at home to play with. I get that and I understand it and I'm better able to deal with it now. Chloe is incredibly social and even though she spends 7 hours a day in school, its a little too structured to be enough of a social experience for her. Plus I have to admit that a mother is never a suitable substitute for friends her own age. She's just needs to have kids her own age to play with and for them to be creative and lead their own play rather than under the instruction of an adult. I was never supposed to be the be all and end of her entire world. It's under consideration and the staff at her old daycare are very excited about the prospect of her coming back again, even if it is only an afternoon or two a week.
And we're working on the whole shyness thing. I've spoken with her teacher on Monday morning and from the admittedly small amount of useful information that we can get from Chloe it seems that she is convinced that talking in school isn't allowed, at all, ever! It's a bit of a mixed bag of where she's got this idea, but we hope a little more straight forward to fix.
It seems all the kids in Chloe's class were taught a little, well I don't really know what to call it, it doesn't rhyme, maybe it's a mantra but it goes something along the lines of "Eyes are for looking, Ears are for listening, Mouths are silent and Feet are still". The kids all know this by heart and can recite on command. Except Chloe, who knows it, but saying it out loud would be talking and that's not allowed.
I've tried pointing out to her that this is only the case some of the time, but it's fine to talk at other times. The problem is that she has a friend at my mum's house who is a bit of a tattle tale, but if the kids aren't doing anything wrong, she'll try to make them do something they shouldn't be doing so that she has a reason for tattling. I've been trying to point out to Chloe the idea of another person trying to get her into trouble which means that when I tell her it's ok to talk in school she thinks I'm trying to get her into trouble and the same theory applies to the other kids in her class.
Her teacher is going to spend a bit of time reassuring her in class that it's perfectly fine to talk and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it works and that the whole not talking thing isn't too firmly ingrained.
And I've even managed to finish a few things too. Except to cheer myself up, these are all entirely new things, rather than any of the things sitting around half finished. Still it's a start:)
I am feeling much better now.
For starters the weather is picking up each day, it's by no means guaranteed here but it means that the problems I've been having lately are lessened simply because Chloe and I can stick our coats on and go somewhere else. The main issue we're having at the moment is that there are no kids in our street Chloe's age, unless of course you count the pack of wild animals who walk on their hind legs and live around the corner. Seriously, if you were to give these kids a grain of salt, they would find something to do with it which would result in a neighbour having to call the police.
Chloe will be allowed to play with those kids over my dead body.
But we can walk to to my mum's house more often now where she has ample friends to run around with and scream and giggle as much as she wants, plus for bonus points it takes the pressure off me to be her personal court jester!
And walking is good, and Chloe needs to know that. She's growing up around so many people who firmly believe that to drive is to live, that it's even more important to me that she enjoys the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other. Aside from the fact that it costs a small fortune to learn to drive here, not to mention the three tests I'd have to take, plus our insurance company's quote of £678 per year to add me as a named driver (with restricted mileage) to our current policy, I just don't like driving and the older I get the more stubborn I get about the whole thing.
Obviously Chloe wants to go back to daycare because she doesn't have any friends at home to play with. I get that and I understand it and I'm better able to deal with it now. Chloe is incredibly social and even though she spends 7 hours a day in school, its a little too structured to be enough of a social experience for her. Plus I have to admit that a mother is never a suitable substitute for friends her own age. She's just needs to have kids her own age to play with and for them to be creative and lead their own play rather than under the instruction of an adult. I was never supposed to be the be all and end of her entire world. It's under consideration and the staff at her old daycare are very excited about the prospect of her coming back again, even if it is only an afternoon or two a week.
And we're working on the whole shyness thing. I've spoken with her teacher on Monday morning and from the admittedly small amount of useful information that we can get from Chloe it seems that she is convinced that talking in school isn't allowed, at all, ever! It's a bit of a mixed bag of where she's got this idea, but we hope a little more straight forward to fix.
It seems all the kids in Chloe's class were taught a little, well I don't really know what to call it, it doesn't rhyme, maybe it's a mantra but it goes something along the lines of "Eyes are for looking, Ears are for listening, Mouths are silent and Feet are still". The kids all know this by heart and can recite on command. Except Chloe, who knows it, but saying it out loud would be talking and that's not allowed.
I've tried pointing out to her that this is only the case some of the time, but it's fine to talk at other times. The problem is that she has a friend at my mum's house who is a bit of a tattle tale, but if the kids aren't doing anything wrong, she'll try to make them do something they shouldn't be doing so that she has a reason for tattling. I've been trying to point out to Chloe the idea of another person trying to get her into trouble which means that when I tell her it's ok to talk in school she thinks I'm trying to get her into trouble and the same theory applies to the other kids in her class.
Her teacher is going to spend a bit of time reassuring her in class that it's perfectly fine to talk and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it works and that the whole not talking thing isn't too firmly ingrained.
And I've even managed to finish a few things too. Except to cheer myself up, these are all entirely new things, rather than any of the things sitting around half finished. Still it's a start:)
Sandwiches again!
I think I need to start posting my menu plan again. I've fallen into such a rut lately where cooking is concerned that I'm pretty sure the family have been tempted a couple of times to pop over to the neighbours, who constantly seem to be boiling cabbage, for dinner!
And it isn't just food at home that I've been struggling with lately.....
This is Chloe's menu plan for school. You can click on the image to enlarge it.
Now as far as I'm concerned that's a pretty good selection of food and I'd be chuffed to have any of it set down in front of me for lunch every day, but the kids don't seem to agree.
Chloe took school meals right up until the last two weeks before Christmas when she announced that she wanted to take a packed lunch because most of the kids in her class took a packed lunch. After checking with her teacher and confirming this was correct (don't panic the poor mite wasn't being sent to the school cafeteria on her todd, some of her best friends are in another P1 teacher's class and they take school meals, she wasn't alone) I agreed that she could take a packed lunch to school figuring that the novelty of a cold lunch on a cold day would soon wear off.
It didn't!
Almost three month later and she's still taking a packed lunch and, for the sake of complete honesty, I do not rock the packed lunch.
She's fast getting sick and tired of my offerings, but still unwilling to go back to school meals. I've even found myself resorting to filling her lunchbox with those crappy pre-made, pre-portioned thingies that supermarkets love to tell us that kids love to eat.
I'm telling you I should be ashamed of myself, there was probably more nutritional value in the large quantity of plastic pots and wrapping that I sent that child to school with on Friday than there was in the food!
So I need your help. You have to give me some inspiration for kid's school lunches or at least point me in the right direction before she starts to chew on the corners of desks.
And it isn't just food at home that I've been struggling with lately.....
This is Chloe's menu plan for school. You can click on the image to enlarge it.
Now as far as I'm concerned that's a pretty good selection of food and I'd be chuffed to have any of it set down in front of me for lunch every day, but the kids don't seem to agree.
Chloe took school meals right up until the last two weeks before Christmas when she announced that she wanted to take a packed lunch because most of the kids in her class took a packed lunch. After checking with her teacher and confirming this was correct (don't panic the poor mite wasn't being sent to the school cafeteria on her todd, some of her best friends are in another P1 teacher's class and they take school meals, she wasn't alone) I agreed that she could take a packed lunch to school figuring that the novelty of a cold lunch on a cold day would soon wear off.
It didn't!
Almost three month later and she's still taking a packed lunch and, for the sake of complete honesty, I do not rock the packed lunch.
She's fast getting sick and tired of my offerings, but still unwilling to go back to school meals. I've even found myself resorting to filling her lunchbox with those crappy pre-made, pre-portioned thingies that supermarkets love to tell us that kids love to eat.
I'm telling you I should be ashamed of myself, there was probably more nutritional value in the large quantity of plastic pots and wrapping that I sent that child to school with on Friday than there was in the food!
So I need your help. You have to give me some inspiration for kid's school lunches or at least point me in the right direction before she starts to chew on the corners of desks.
Homework
We're properly back into the swing of the school term again around here. That morning routine comes back all too easily and all the little joys and pleasures that go with it. For instance my little darling who will inhale full loaves of toasted bread during the holiday, almost needs to be force fed three cornflakes during the school term. Go figure.
I have to say though, it has been a very slow grind getting back into the habit of completing homeworks. I'm not sure how it works everywhere else or even at other schools in the UK, but basically every Monday Chloe brings home a homework schedule listing four tasks, each to be done on a different night in whatever order happens to take your fancy.
Four nights of homework sounds like a lot, but it really isn't. They're quite small things and are designed to fit around that week's homework theme, phonics, math, story, learn through play etc, so more often than not they're things like bringing something to school which is blue or reminds them of the story or starts with the letter 'M'.
Anyway, way back before Halloween (you know, a couple of months ago) I thought it would be a great idea to suggest that if Chloe needed to take anything into school as part of her homework, we would make it and not only that but we would try our best to make them using as many recycled things as possible. We started off well making a pumpkin and some leaves and dandelion clocks from scavenger fabric and yarn for her Autumn table.
I'll admit though, what started out as an innocent enough idea is becoming more and more complicated with each week. So far we're sticking to it but at this rate Chloe will have a pretty substantial collection of little bitsy things lying around school, all destined to arrive back home again at the end of term.
This week's homework is based on phonics or more specifically 'M' and 'R'.
I'd like for you all to meet Morris.
A bit of string a few tiny scraps of leftover felt and the most ill conceived jumper I've ever bought (white on a 4 year old, I never said I was clever). He's pretty cute I think and he's only a couple of inches long so he fits in her pocket.
Now we just have to think of something for 'R' bearing in mind that it's already Wednesday night and they need to be ready on Friday morning. Of course, the obvious choice is a rabbit, a little finger puppet variety, but she was bitten by her cousin's pet rabbit at the weekend and has gone right off rabbits, though I'm sure that will only last a week.
If it wasn't for the fact that Chloe's sock creatures have now ascended to "collectible" status and reside on a special shelf all of their own in her bedroom (seriously, they get one hug per day because she says they're "precious") she would have taken theothermousie's Itty Bitty Pirate Kitty in to school. I mentioned the idea, because seriously how many bonus points is the kid going to get for bringing in something that doesn't start with 'r' but instead says "Arrrrrr" but she was having none of it. Apparently, her teacher might lose her kitty and that would never do!
So any ideas? Because I can't think of another (simple, two days people) thing to make that begins with 'R'.
Do you think we'd get away with sending in a raft?
I have to say though, it has been a very slow grind getting back into the habit of completing homeworks. I'm not sure how it works everywhere else or even at other schools in the UK, but basically every Monday Chloe brings home a homework schedule listing four tasks, each to be done on a different night in whatever order happens to take your fancy.
Four nights of homework sounds like a lot, but it really isn't. They're quite small things and are designed to fit around that week's homework theme, phonics, math, story, learn through play etc, so more often than not they're things like bringing something to school which is blue or reminds them of the story or starts with the letter 'M'.
Anyway, way back before Halloween (you know, a couple of months ago) I thought it would be a great idea to suggest that if Chloe needed to take anything into school as part of her homework, we would make it and not only that but we would try our best to make them using as many recycled things as possible. We started off well making a pumpkin and some leaves and dandelion clocks from scavenger fabric and yarn for her Autumn table.
I'll admit though, what started out as an innocent enough idea is becoming more and more complicated with each week. So far we're sticking to it but at this rate Chloe will have a pretty substantial collection of little bitsy things lying around school, all destined to arrive back home again at the end of term.
This week's homework is based on phonics or more specifically 'M' and 'R'.
I'd like for you all to meet Morris.
A bit of string a few tiny scraps of leftover felt and the most ill conceived jumper I've ever bought (white on a 4 year old, I never said I was clever). He's pretty cute I think and he's only a couple of inches long so he fits in her pocket.
Now we just have to think of something for 'R' bearing in mind that it's already Wednesday night and they need to be ready on Friday morning. Of course, the obvious choice is a rabbit, a little finger puppet variety, but she was bitten by her cousin's pet rabbit at the weekend and has gone right off rabbits, though I'm sure that will only last a week.
If it wasn't for the fact that Chloe's sock creatures have now ascended to "collectible" status and reside on a special shelf all of their own in her bedroom (seriously, they get one hug per day because she says they're "precious") she would have taken theothermousie's Itty Bitty Pirate Kitty in to school. I mentioned the idea, because seriously how many bonus points is the kid going to get for bringing in something that doesn't start with 'r' but instead says "Arrrrrr" but she was having none of it. Apparently, her teacher might lose her kitty and that would never do!
So any ideas? Because I can't think of another (simple, two days people) thing to make that begins with 'R'.
Do you think we'd get away with sending in a raft?
What happened to providing a good service?
I'm very aware that my posts in the run up to Christmas have been, shall we say, less than festive. For that I apologise.
But I'm more than a little befuddled as to why I'm currently sitting here having to fix Chloe's "professionally" taken school photograph. I'm glad I asked for the jpeg on disk rather than having the photo printed, but I'm wondering just what exactly I paid £25 for the privilege of.
Correct me if I'm wrong but this...
dark and dreary little offering probably isn't the best job a "professional" photographer could have done.
Robert bought my mum a digital photo frame for my mum and has filled it with photos of Chloe. She's always complaining that she doesn't have enough and I really wanted to be able to add her school photo into the mix before wrapping it up.
The addition of a bit of light and a warming filter helped a lot I think...
And I have a bit of a thing for cropped photos like this one recently....
And taken just a little bit further ...
I love that the difference in colour between her two eyes is a lot more obvious in the last one. It's her thing, she loves that one is brown and one is blue.
Ten minutes, total!! So why couldn't the photographer have done that?
But I'm more than a little befuddled as to why I'm currently sitting here having to fix Chloe's "professionally" taken school photograph. I'm glad I asked for the jpeg on disk rather than having the photo printed, but I'm wondering just what exactly I paid £25 for the privilege of.
Correct me if I'm wrong but this...
dark and dreary little offering probably isn't the best job a "professional" photographer could have done.
Robert bought my mum a digital photo frame for my mum and has filled it with photos of Chloe. She's always complaining that she doesn't have enough and I really wanted to be able to add her school photo into the mix before wrapping it up.
The addition of a bit of light and a warming filter helped a lot I think...
And I have a bit of a thing for cropped photos like this one recently....
And taken just a little bit further ...
I love that the difference in colour between her two eyes is a lot more obvious in the last one. It's her thing, she loves that one is brown and one is blue.
Ten minutes, total!! So why couldn't the photographer have done that?
Ding Ding - Round One
I've now had my first proper run in with Chloe's teacher.
Before the Halloween school break I went to the parent teacher meeting with a load of other mums and dads and amongst other things we were told that our kids would do PE on Wednesdays. Always Wednesdays! We were told that it would always be on a Wednesday so that we could plan ahead and know to dress our kids in something that they wouldn't have any trouble changing out of and into their PE kits. Fair enough.
We arrived at the school this morning and as we passed by the classroom door and into the cloakroom Chloe pointed out that all the PE bags were on their desks. Alright, I mean its not the end of the world. Yes, Chloe was wearing tights and her pinafore and her polo shirt with the buttons done up and her sweatshirt on over the top so not exactly the easiest outfit in the world to change out of but she can manage it, it just takes her a few more minutes.
We hung up her coat and put her bag away and as we were walking into the classroom one of the other kids arrived behind us with his dad. We walked into the classroom to see the four kids who had already arrived at school in the process of getting changed and, honestly I didn't imagine it, you've never seen four more uncomfortable looking kids in all your life.
The next thing I knew the teacher was clapping her hands and cheerfully telling all the kids, including Chloe, to go to their desks and start getting changed for PE.
My little girl wandered over to her desk and for a second looked at me before glancing at the dad now coming in the door behind me closely followed by someone from daycare dropping four kids off at school.
It takes a lot to phase Chloe and even without her being a bit upset by the whole scenario, it pissed me off greatly.
I clapped my hands loudly too. I'm nothing if not a fast learner and this is clearly the way to get attention in a classroom and told Chloe to go to her desk and wait until the bell rang, all the other boys and girls had arrived and her teacher had had a chance to close the door and draw the blinds before she was to get changed. Chloe looked grateful and the dad behind me and the girl from daycare immediately echoed my instructions to their own kids.
Once I was satisfied that Chloe was happy that she could wait until the parents of the other 20 or so kids still to arrive and anywhere in the region of 60 or so kids and their parents passing by the windows had all been and gone and she could dressed, I stood to leave and you could have knocked me over with a feather, I caught a glare from her teacher.
I've never been a shrinking violet so I glared back with a look that I think adequately conveyed the phrase "Try me sweetheart!" and then just to make sure I got my message across I walked over to her and very quietly told her that I was surprised that we hadn't been told yesterday that the day for PE had changed and that if we had been told we could have put our kids in their usual PE day clothes which they could change out of much more easily thereby negating the need for their teacher to try and get 15 minutes ahead of herself by publicly humiliating our children. I finished by saying that I'd be mortified and I'm sure she would too at the thought of having to strip to her pants in a wide open room with complete strangers wandering in and out and that while the children might only be four years old, they deserved the same respect and privacy that we would demand for ourselves.
She apologised and explained that it had slipped her mind that repairs were being carried out in the PE hall on Wednesday and her day had been moved forward. She realised that the children would take longer to change but hadn't foreseen any cause for concern at the children starting to change as they arrived.
Now I ask you. Are my standards really that high? Am I honestly asking too much when I ask that my daughter at least be allowed to change out of the gaze of a couple of dozen complete strangers? Surely not.
I think if our standards on the level of respect our children deserve while getting changed has differed to much on this matter I doubt this will be my last run in with her teacher.
Before the Halloween school break I went to the parent teacher meeting with a load of other mums and dads and amongst other things we were told that our kids would do PE on Wednesdays. Always Wednesdays! We were told that it would always be on a Wednesday so that we could plan ahead and know to dress our kids in something that they wouldn't have any trouble changing out of and into their PE kits. Fair enough.
We arrived at the school this morning and as we passed by the classroom door and into the cloakroom Chloe pointed out that all the PE bags were on their desks. Alright, I mean its not the end of the world. Yes, Chloe was wearing tights and her pinafore and her polo shirt with the buttons done up and her sweatshirt on over the top so not exactly the easiest outfit in the world to change out of but she can manage it, it just takes her a few more minutes.
We hung up her coat and put her bag away and as we were walking into the classroom one of the other kids arrived behind us with his dad. We walked into the classroom to see the four kids who had already arrived at school in the process of getting changed and, honestly I didn't imagine it, you've never seen four more uncomfortable looking kids in all your life.
The next thing I knew the teacher was clapping her hands and cheerfully telling all the kids, including Chloe, to go to their desks and start getting changed for PE.
My little girl wandered over to her desk and for a second looked at me before glancing at the dad now coming in the door behind me closely followed by someone from daycare dropping four kids off at school.
It takes a lot to phase Chloe and even without her being a bit upset by the whole scenario, it pissed me off greatly.
I clapped my hands loudly too. I'm nothing if not a fast learner and this is clearly the way to get attention in a classroom and told Chloe to go to her desk and wait until the bell rang, all the other boys and girls had arrived and her teacher had had a chance to close the door and draw the blinds before she was to get changed. Chloe looked grateful and the dad behind me and the girl from daycare immediately echoed my instructions to their own kids.
Once I was satisfied that Chloe was happy that she could wait until the parents of the other 20 or so kids still to arrive and anywhere in the region of 60 or so kids and their parents passing by the windows had all been and gone and she could dressed, I stood to leave and you could have knocked me over with a feather, I caught a glare from her teacher.
I've never been a shrinking violet so I glared back with a look that I think adequately conveyed the phrase "Try me sweetheart!" and then just to make sure I got my message across I walked over to her and very quietly told her that I was surprised that we hadn't been told yesterday that the day for PE had changed and that if we had been told we could have put our kids in their usual PE day clothes which they could change out of much more easily thereby negating the need for their teacher to try and get 15 minutes ahead of herself by publicly humiliating our children. I finished by saying that I'd be mortified and I'm sure she would too at the thought of having to strip to her pants in a wide open room with complete strangers wandering in and out and that while the children might only be four years old, they deserved the same respect and privacy that we would demand for ourselves.
She apologised and explained that it had slipped her mind that repairs were being carried out in the PE hall on Wednesday and her day had been moved forward. She realised that the children would take longer to change but hadn't foreseen any cause for concern at the children starting to change as they arrived.
Now I ask you. Are my standards really that high? Am I honestly asking too much when I ask that my daughter at least be allowed to change out of the gaze of a couple of dozen complete strangers? Surely not.
I think if our standards on the level of respect our children deserve while getting changed has differed to much on this matter I doubt this will be my last run in with her teacher.
Just out of pure curiosity
For those of you with kids and more specifically for those with kids who are around 4 or 5 years old, how many hours, roughly, do they sleep at night.
I ask because Chloe's school is having a Halloween party on Thursday night. It starts with a fancy dress parade for the P1 - P3 kids at 7.00pm, followed by some games and things at about 7.45pm and then a fireworks display at 8.30pm. Chloe has been off sick the last few days but went back to school this morning and when I dropped her off, her teacher mentioned that she had set aside some tickets for the party but that she wouldn't be able to hold them for long as the school may run out and need to sell them to other people. She wanted to know if I wanted the tickets and if Chloe would be there.
I said no and explained that as its a school night the party is too late in the evening for Chloe. I don't mind her staying up later than usual to go to the party but she said herself that she doesn't want to go and Chloe pretty much maintains her own routine now. At about 7.00pm every night Chloe walks upstairs and if one of us isn't upstairs with her within a minute or two, she'll yell downstairs that its bath time and for us to hurry up, after her bath she gets her jammies on, comes downstairs again for some toast and a bit of TV and then she goes to bed (completely unprompted) at 8.00pm. Always.
Only very occasionally will she change her bed time routine and I don't argue with her because a child's body clock is one of the most reliable, its adults that fight the inner voice screaming "nighty night"! I figure she must need the sleep, she usually wakes about 7-7.30am so she's getting a full 11 hours sleep minimum and she sometimes has a nap when she comes from from school.
The thing is though, I sometimes (more so during the Summer) would hear kids, some as young as Chloe, still outside playing after 8.00pm and even after 9pm and the Halloween Party hosted by the school is arranged by the PTA who obviously have kids, the name kind of says it all really.
Though when I said that it was far too late for her and she'd be in bed fast asleep by the time they lit the first fuse, her teacher simply replied "Oh" and looked a bit surprised.
Bearing in mind she's also still getting over a chest infection and will need all the sleep she can get to shake it off, but even perfectly healthy, Chloe loves her bed and she never, ever yawns during the day, just before she goes to sleep yes, but not during the day.
So I ask you, is my little girl a hibernator? How long do your kids sleep?
I ask because Chloe's school is having a Halloween party on Thursday night. It starts with a fancy dress parade for the P1 - P3 kids at 7.00pm, followed by some games and things at about 7.45pm and then a fireworks display at 8.30pm. Chloe has been off sick the last few days but went back to school this morning and when I dropped her off, her teacher mentioned that she had set aside some tickets for the party but that she wouldn't be able to hold them for long as the school may run out and need to sell them to other people. She wanted to know if I wanted the tickets and if Chloe would be there.
I said no and explained that as its a school night the party is too late in the evening for Chloe. I don't mind her staying up later than usual to go to the party but she said herself that she doesn't want to go and Chloe pretty much maintains her own routine now. At about 7.00pm every night Chloe walks upstairs and if one of us isn't upstairs with her within a minute or two, she'll yell downstairs that its bath time and for us to hurry up, after her bath she gets her jammies on, comes downstairs again for some toast and a bit of TV and then she goes to bed (completely unprompted) at 8.00pm. Always.
Only very occasionally will she change her bed time routine and I don't argue with her because a child's body clock is one of the most reliable, its adults that fight the inner voice screaming "nighty night"! I figure she must need the sleep, she usually wakes about 7-7.30am so she's getting a full 11 hours sleep minimum and she sometimes has a nap when she comes from from school.
The thing is though, I sometimes (more so during the Summer) would hear kids, some as young as Chloe, still outside playing after 8.00pm and even after 9pm and the Halloween Party hosted by the school is arranged by the PTA who obviously have kids, the name kind of says it all really.
Though when I said that it was far too late for her and she'd be in bed fast asleep by the time they lit the first fuse, her teacher simply replied "Oh" and looked a bit surprised.
Bearing in mind she's also still getting over a chest infection and will need all the sleep she can get to shake it off, but even perfectly healthy, Chloe loves her bed and she never, ever yawns during the day, just before she goes to sleep yes, but not during the day.
So I ask you, is my little girl a hibernator? How long do your kids sleep?
Chloe's Keepers
I somehow only realised this week that Chloe's school has a scheme of sorts in place.
The idea is that a child in P3 is paired with a child in P1. Chloe's teacher told me this morning that their idea behind it is that the kids in P3, being about 6 or 7 years old are at the perfect age to be given a P1 (4 or 5) to watch over. The P3 kids are old enough to have a bit more sense than the P1s but still young enough to feel proud of this new responsibility. The older kids don't have to actually be responsible for the little ones as such, but just say Hi if they see them or take a couple of minutes to just have a chat with them about general things, what did you have for dinner last night, I had to do my homework, that kind of thing. It means that while Chloe is in P1 & P2 she will be paired with the same older girl for the two years and then in P3 she herself is paired with a younger child, then in P6 & P7 they're left to concentrate on their 11+ (the scheme must have been in place a while!).
And what's Chloe's opinion on the whole deal? She absolutely loves it!
I've met the little girl paired off with Chloe 4 times now this week. On Tuesday when she saw Chloe and I walking across the playground to school she made a point of separating from what she was doing with her friends and taking Chloe by the hand and off the two of them skipped chatting away merrily. The little girl really does seem lovely and I think will be a great influence on Chloe.
Chloe's quite mature for her age conversationally in that she has no trouble keeping up with and engaging in a full conversation with everyone from kids her own age and older and with adults too. The point is that kids a bit older than her don't see her as being childish in any way so they don't tire of her quickly.
Chloe now seems to have four little friends. The little girl she was originally paired with and three of her friends seem to have attached themselves to Chloe. I'm sure the girl's three friends have kids of their own that they've been paired with, but I'm not going to complain. She stood at the school gates with them while they talked about all the usual girl things, they said they loved her hair and she said she sometimes wished it was straight like theirs and they said no that her hair was really beautiful and she wouldn't want it straight and they talked about homework and how Chloe was lucky that she would get to do all the fun homework soon and she'd have to find colours and shapes and go outside to get things for school and make things with her mum.
It was like standing back and watching a group of women having a chat over coffee, a couple of times I had to stop myself from laughing.
I think this is a brilliant scheme, Chloe can't wait now until after Halloween because the girls told her that they all have lunch together on Wednesdays and Fridays and then she'll have homework to do as well so she'll have more to talk about.
I wonder do any other schools have schemes like this, is it s standard thing. I hope it is!
The idea is that a child in P3 is paired with a child in P1. Chloe's teacher told me this morning that their idea behind it is that the kids in P3, being about 6 or 7 years old are at the perfect age to be given a P1 (4 or 5) to watch over. The P3 kids are old enough to have a bit more sense than the P1s but still young enough to feel proud of this new responsibility. The older kids don't have to actually be responsible for the little ones as such, but just say Hi if they see them or take a couple of minutes to just have a chat with them about general things, what did you have for dinner last night, I had to do my homework, that kind of thing. It means that while Chloe is in P1 & P2 she will be paired with the same older girl for the two years and then in P3 she herself is paired with a younger child, then in P6 & P7 they're left to concentrate on their 11+ (the scheme must have been in place a while!).
And what's Chloe's opinion on the whole deal? She absolutely loves it!
I've met the little girl paired off with Chloe 4 times now this week. On Tuesday when she saw Chloe and I walking across the playground to school she made a point of separating from what she was doing with her friends and taking Chloe by the hand and off the two of them skipped chatting away merrily. The little girl really does seem lovely and I think will be a great influence on Chloe.
Chloe's quite mature for her age conversationally in that she has no trouble keeping up with and engaging in a full conversation with everyone from kids her own age and older and with adults too. The point is that kids a bit older than her don't see her as being childish in any way so they don't tire of her quickly.
Chloe now seems to have four little friends. The little girl she was originally paired with and three of her friends seem to have attached themselves to Chloe. I'm sure the girl's three friends have kids of their own that they've been paired with, but I'm not going to complain. She stood at the school gates with them while they talked about all the usual girl things, they said they loved her hair and she said she sometimes wished it was straight like theirs and they said no that her hair was really beautiful and she wouldn't want it straight and they talked about homework and how Chloe was lucky that she would get to do all the fun homework soon and she'd have to find colours and shapes and go outside to get things for school and make things with her mum.
It was like standing back and watching a group of women having a chat over coffee, a couple of times I had to stop myself from laughing.
I think this is a brilliant scheme, Chloe can't wait now until after Halloween because the girls told her that they all have lunch together on Wednesdays and Fridays and then she'll have homework to do as well so she'll have more to talk about.
I wonder do any other schools have schemes like this, is it s standard thing. I hope it is!
I made a To Do List
What on earth was I thinking?
I needed to get all of my thoughts together on the things that I need to accomplish before the end of the year, a lot of them need to be done much sooner than that.
Its a frightening prospect all written down like that!
I needed to get all of my thoughts together on the things that I need to accomplish before the end of the year, a lot of them need to be done much sooner than that.
Its a frightening prospect all written down like that!
- The Tax Return - I've made a start and because its my first and I was only self employed for less than 3 months of the year it will be my easiest one (next year's will be a different story altogether). It needs to be submitted by the middle of November but because I start work on the 2nd I want it out of the way before then, I'm hoping to sit down and get it knocked out on Monday & Tuesday of next week.
- The Workstation Makeover - Robert went to ikea today and bought me a new desk (a change from his original plan to build one for me). It was only £17 and will be perfect for what I need PC wise. I need to spend this weekend sorting the PC out.
- The Great Stash Sort - I have a new unit (which I think was originally a wardrobe. I've cleaned it, sanded it, painted it, made new doors, and now just need to put all of my (1/4ish) stash into it. By hook or by crook that will happen tomorrow. Its taller but narrower than my current set up and I've painted it white so it shouldn't look too dominant in the room and will free up some floor space.
- I want to put together a submission for the UK Handmade Christmas Magazine and that's another thing I'll have to knock out in the next few days, over the weekend maybe.
- Submissions which have already been accepted for the Shop Handmade UK launch of their Sample Boxes. I'll put the finishing touches to those tonight.
- More Christmas Stock - I can't even think about that at the minute, I'll come back to it.
- GO Handmade - My own little UK magazine, now open to submissions from sellers on Misi and Coriandr as well as Folksy. I've made a great start on the next issue and it needs to be ready in ten days. I can do it, but of course, just as I did last time I've forgotten to set aside a new recipe which means that at some stage I need to go to the kitchen, bang my forehead against the Welsh Dresser and hope something falls out!
- The GO Handmade Christmas Gift Guide - Wee buns son, bring it on! This should roll out no later than two weeks after the Winter edition of GO Handmade.
- I'm volunteering for Chloe's first school trip on Tuesday next week to the fruit shop (yes the same fruit shop she goes to every week with me, shhh) so I have to keep that in mind although it will take an hour at the most giving me two hours to work before collecting her.
- I now have, wait for it...... 18 custom orders to finish before Christmas. I had a fair few more. but they're done and dusted and the rest are on their way so this should be ok.
- I need to knock up a costume for the PTA Halloween party and fireworks display for Chloe on 22 October (I believe, need to check the form on that date again).
- Gifts - I'll need two teacher's gifts and a bunch of little gifts for any of Chloe's new friends in class before Christmas. Plus we'll need to sit down at some stage closer to the end of term and make cards for school.
- I still need to take up a pair of jeans for my mum, dammit how did I manage to forget those trousers again!
- Christmas Stock - ................ nope still not ready!
- I should have written a piece for Mamapedia by now, they think I rock, I have the badge to prove it and so far I've given them jack in return. I should really bump this one up the list somewhat.
- I want to knit another two cardigans so see Chloe over the Winter. I already have one knitted and it just needs to be made up. Its in a bag for crying out loud, I've no excuse for that one at all. At this stage in the year I'll just knit the next two in the round and steek them, there's nothing else for it. I can knock the two of them out in a week, although whether I do or not will just be down to pure laziness on my part.
- I need to knit a coat or something for the cat to stop her from licking herself bald and freezing to death seeing as she still insists on being outside at night.
- I have to stop there, I've more but the longer I spend typing this never ending list the less time I have to actually do these things.
The Autumn Table & A Menu Plan.
Last week's menu plan, pfft what menu plan, was a little sketchy to say the least. I had my head somewhere in the clouds all week so to be honest while everyone was fed last week, they weren't fed particularly well.
Then on Friday I made a colossal mistake. When I collected Chloe from school and I was having a quick read through the usual stack of notes in her school bag I mentioned to her that she needed to take something into school for the Autumn table. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
I should have told her that she could take something in for the Autumn table if she wanted to, or words to that effect, because I then checked the weather and told her that we would go to Cairn Wood on either Saturday or Sunday to look for conkers and pine cones for her to take all the while forgetting that Robert was working this weekend. Well done Leanne!
So now you have a four year old who thinks that she absolutely HAS TO take something in to school and you can't do anything to convince her that a handful of leaves from the garden (the walled garden that will have no bloody concept of Autumn for at least a few more weeks) will do the job and we can go to Cairn Wood on Wednesday afternoon.
The only thing that would appease her was making something, so she happily headed off to school this morning with a handful of handmade leave in the right colours like these;
along with a handmade dandelion clock (a cream pompom and a felt stem) and a little handmade pumpkin and the promise that we will replace them with real Autumn things during the week. Although we did harvest an olive branch, complete with little green olives from the front garden this morning on the way.
And because I really need to get my head back in the game food wise this week a quicky menu plan;
Monday: Cottage pie with steamed veg.
Tuesday: Spag bol with garlic bread.
Wednesday: Chloe is at her Nana's so I'll make a chicken curry.
Thursday: Cowboy baked potatoes (Robert wants these again).
Friday: Homemade pizza and a movie. This is Chloe's little end of week treat now.
Saturday: Mushroom risotto with toasted baguette for a bit of crunch and poached eggs.
Sunday: Roast chicken, steamed veg and potatoes.
Baking: I made faux banana bread yesterday and there's still plenty left, I have cookies in the freezer for through the week and some old fashioned golden syrup flapjacks that I made on Saturday although Robert left with a handful this morning for breakfast and I'll maybe make some cupcakes with Chloe when she gets home from school tomorrow.
Then on Friday I made a colossal mistake. When I collected Chloe from school and I was having a quick read through the usual stack of notes in her school bag I mentioned to her that she needed to take something into school for the Autumn table. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
I should have told her that she could take something in for the Autumn table if she wanted to, or words to that effect, because I then checked the weather and told her that we would go to Cairn Wood on either Saturday or Sunday to look for conkers and pine cones for her to take all the while forgetting that Robert was working this weekend. Well done Leanne!
So now you have a four year old who thinks that she absolutely HAS TO take something in to school and you can't do anything to convince her that a handful of leaves from the garden (the walled garden that will have no bloody concept of Autumn for at least a few more weeks) will do the job and we can go to Cairn Wood on Wednesday afternoon.
The only thing that would appease her was making something, so she happily headed off to school this morning with a handful of handmade leave in the right colours like these;
along with a handmade dandelion clock (a cream pompom and a felt stem) and a little handmade pumpkin and the promise that we will replace them with real Autumn things during the week. Although we did harvest an olive branch, complete with little green olives from the front garden this morning on the way.
And because I really need to get my head back in the game food wise this week a quicky menu plan;
Monday: Cottage pie with steamed veg.
Tuesday: Spag bol with garlic bread.
Wednesday: Chloe is at her Nana's so I'll make a chicken curry.
Thursday: Cowboy baked potatoes (Robert wants these again).
Friday: Homemade pizza and a movie. This is Chloe's little end of week treat now.
Saturday: Mushroom risotto with toasted baguette for a bit of crunch and poached eggs.
Sunday: Roast chicken, steamed veg and potatoes.
Baking: I made faux banana bread yesterday and there's still plenty left, I have cookies in the freezer for through the week and some old fashioned golden syrup flapjacks that I made on Saturday although Robert left with a handful this morning for breakfast and I'll maybe make some cupcakes with Chloe when she gets home from school tomorrow.
Where has this week gone?
I'm honestly surprised that its Friday already, I can't imagine where all my time went this week. I have to try and organise myself a little better.
I don't know where I got the stupid idea that I was sorted as far as Christmas presents go, because of course I looked into my box of already wrapped presents and had the usual panic attack that there wasn't enough. Don't tell me I'm the only one that has this panic about Christmas because I know everyone gets it. Also I completely failed to factor one huge thing into my gift making this year......
Chloe started school!
So add a teacher, a class room assistant and a rapidly expanding group of friends to that list.
Chloe is still enjoying school although I'm in a bit of a pickle at the minute. She has arrived home from school a few times now to tell me that someone hit her. She isn't upset about and it certainly hasn't put her off going to school because I still have to fight to keep hold of her in the morning as she runs down the street. Its just something she has mentioned in passing a few times now.
My problem can be separated into
a) she's telling me about the same event over and over again, because she does have a habit of doing that which would mean that it isn't a case of someone picking on her,
b) in Chloe's mind there is absolutely no difference between someone hitting her and someone hurting her and not apologising (she's big on apologies) so she may not have been hit at all, but someone could have bumped or jostled her in the playground or stepped on her toe as they ran past and not noticed and she would take offence to that, or
c) someone actually has hit her, but she really isn't that bothered by it.
I think its likely b) because she's also mentioned some other kids being "hit" while they're playing outside and because I know that the P1 classes share a break, we're talking about roughly 80 kids all in the playground at the same time. There will be bumps and jostles and spills and that can't be helped.
My problem is whether or not to mention it to the teacher. I don't really want to tell her teacher that she's being hit in school intentionally because I honestly don't think that's the case, but if I were to tell her teacher that Chloe might get upset if someone hurts her unintentionally and that Chloe will likely say that someone "hit" her even though it was an accident I don't want Chloe to get a reputation as the kid that tells lies (she doesn't tell lies, she just sometimes doesn't understand the difference yet between being hit and being hurt because she's never had to) or as the kid whose mum will down to the school every time someone bumps into her daughter, because I won't.
My concern would be that Chloe will tell her teacher that she's been hit and that some poor kid will get into trouble for what was for all intents a purposes an accident!
To be honest I'm not at all worried about getting the reputation as the mum who will be down at the school every time her daughter gets hurts, because I don't really give a damn about my reputation. All I care about at the minute is that Chloe knows without having to give it a second thought that if she comes to me with any problem at all, I'll deal with, without question. I'm her mum and I'm here for the sole purpose of being the shoulder to cry on and to make things better, I just didn't realise that role would be tested quite so soon.
I've been thinking a lot about friends this week too, for new opportunities and new challenges and it's taken my mind away to other places quite often.
On a brighter note, my Folksy shop has seen an unexpected boom this week. I didn't expect such a rush until Closer to Christmas to be honest, but I'm happy and grateful nonetheless.
My Pear Bean Bag is no longer mine. It will be winging its way to a new home,
Along with Pumpkin Jack. I'll be sorry to see this little guy go, but I may work on some new ones this weekend. If I find the time.
They're both off to the same new home along with a set of my new Earth Scenes Notebooks
The Earth Scenes Notebooks are a larger version of my Food Lovers Notebooks which (fortunately for me and unfortunately for everyone who missed out) have all now sold in a little over 24 hours. All five packs are now off to new homes and scribblers and they should hopefully (fingers crossed, damn those postal strikes) start arriving this morning. I'll have to try and find some more gorgeous foody photography to make some more.
I'm determined that today is the day I finish a pressie for Louise's mum who turns 70 on Christmas day this year. Louise has taken on the task of making herself (with a tiny bit of help from others) 70 handmade presents for her mum. I have to give her credit, because I honestly don't think I could manage that many. You can stop by her blog to see how she's doing with her personal challenge.
But of course, the longer I sit her, the less likely I am to finish anything at all!
I don't know where I got the stupid idea that I was sorted as far as Christmas presents go, because of course I looked into my box of already wrapped presents and had the usual panic attack that there wasn't enough. Don't tell me I'm the only one that has this panic about Christmas because I know everyone gets it. Also I completely failed to factor one huge thing into my gift making this year......
Chloe started school!
So add a teacher, a class room assistant and a rapidly expanding group of friends to that list.
**************
Chloe is still enjoying school although I'm in a bit of a pickle at the minute. She has arrived home from school a few times now to tell me that someone hit her. She isn't upset about and it certainly hasn't put her off going to school because I still have to fight to keep hold of her in the morning as she runs down the street. Its just something she has mentioned in passing a few times now.
My problem can be separated into
a) she's telling me about the same event over and over again, because she does have a habit of doing that which would mean that it isn't a case of someone picking on her,
b) in Chloe's mind there is absolutely no difference between someone hitting her and someone hurting her and not apologising (she's big on apologies) so she may not have been hit at all, but someone could have bumped or jostled her in the playground or stepped on her toe as they ran past and not noticed and she would take offence to that, or
c) someone actually has hit her, but she really isn't that bothered by it.
I think its likely b) because she's also mentioned some other kids being "hit" while they're playing outside and because I know that the P1 classes share a break, we're talking about roughly 80 kids all in the playground at the same time. There will be bumps and jostles and spills and that can't be helped.
My problem is whether or not to mention it to the teacher. I don't really want to tell her teacher that she's being hit in school intentionally because I honestly don't think that's the case, but if I were to tell her teacher that Chloe might get upset if someone hurts her unintentionally and that Chloe will likely say that someone "hit" her even though it was an accident I don't want Chloe to get a reputation as the kid that tells lies (she doesn't tell lies, she just sometimes doesn't understand the difference yet between being hit and being hurt because she's never had to) or as the kid whose mum will down to the school every time someone bumps into her daughter, because I won't.
My concern would be that Chloe will tell her teacher that she's been hit and that some poor kid will get into trouble for what was for all intents a purposes an accident!
To be honest I'm not at all worried about getting the reputation as the mum who will be down at the school every time her daughter gets hurts, because I don't really give a damn about my reputation. All I care about at the minute is that Chloe knows without having to give it a second thought that if she comes to me with any problem at all, I'll deal with, without question. I'm her mum and I'm here for the sole purpose of being the shoulder to cry on and to make things better, I just didn't realise that role would be tested quite so soon.
***************
I've been thinking a lot about friends this week too, for new opportunities and new challenges and it's taken my mind away to other places quite often.
***************
On a brighter note, my Folksy shop has seen an unexpected boom this week. I didn't expect such a rush until Closer to Christmas to be honest, but I'm happy and grateful nonetheless.
My Pear Bean Bag is no longer mine. It will be winging its way to a new home,
Along with Pumpkin Jack. I'll be sorry to see this little guy go, but I may work on some new ones this weekend. If I find the time.
They're both off to the same new home along with a set of my new Earth Scenes Notebooks
The Earth Scenes Notebooks are a larger version of my Food Lovers Notebooks which (fortunately for me and unfortunately for everyone who missed out) have all now sold in a little over 24 hours. All five packs are now off to new homes and scribblers and they should hopefully (fingers crossed, damn those postal strikes) start arriving this morning. I'll have to try and find some more gorgeous foody photography to make some more.
I'm determined that today is the day I finish a pressie for Louise's mum who turns 70 on Christmas day this year. Louise has taken on the task of making herself (with a tiny bit of help from others) 70 handmade presents for her mum. I have to give her credit, because I honestly don't think I could manage that many. You can stop by her blog to see how she's doing with her personal challenge.
But of course, the longer I sit her, the less likely I am to finish anything at all!
Just a little school update
Hey, remember me. I used to drop by here occasionally. I know, its only been about four or five days but even so, it feels like a lot longer.
I could tell you that I've been busy, completely up to my eyes in other things but then I'd be lying.
Alright, first things first, the new school. Chloe absolutely loves it. She barrels off down the street in the morning (it rocks living 2 mins from the gate btw) as fast as her wee legs will carry her with her newly acquired ponytail bouncing along behind her and her school bag flapping in the wind.
There I go talking about the weather again, but it has been windy.
In fact I'm lucky to even get a kiss and hug before she rushes in through the door in the morning. Then when I collect her she talks of nothing else for hours on end, about the games she played and the songs she sang. It really does sound like she's having a ball.
I don't know if this works for everyone, but I tend to watch Chloe's eating habits during any big change such as this because I think its the best indicator of how she's taking to it all.
She started school on Thursday last week and on the Thursday and Friday and then again on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week that little girl of mine came home and ate like a champion. I mean I haven't seen her grub like that in a long time. She would arrive home and be immediately ready for a full lunch, then she snacked what felt like constantly until about 4.30pm and then she was ready for a full cooked dinner again at 5.30pm. Plus she would have had another snack (or two) before her bedtime at 8.00pm. Clearly the new routine was taking it out of her to begin with, she was finding it challenging and needed the extra food to help her get used to amount of new things expected from her each day.
However, yesterday she arrived home and ate what I would consider her usual amount for lunch, she had a snack again at around 3pm and then just plenty to drink until dinner time without once asking for or helping herself to anything else.
This is more like her usual routine before she started school so I think she's already getting used to her new routine and finding a good balance for herself which isn't bad really considering it was only her sixth day in school. She's in school now and I'm sure that being off for the weekend will throw her a bit and we'll start pretty much from scratch again on Monday but I think she'll get the hang of it all quite quickly. She normally does adapt pretty well to new things so I'm not really worried.
Now feel free to let me know if I'm a bit of a oddball or whether this has happened to anyone else once their kids are off to school and they have a bit of free time to themselves. Here's the thing, while Chloe has replaced one routine with another, I've completely lost one.
Don't get me wrong, there are a hundred things I could be doing to make good use of the time in the morning but does anyone else find themselves kind of just sitting around waiting for their kids to come home. Maybe floating back and forward between a couple of different things but not actually accomplishing much, if anything at all.
Maybe its just the first few days while I get used to exactly how much time I have to play with during the day, but as it stands at this moment in time I am the Official Thumb Twiddler of the Woods Residence.
Now if you'll excuse me there's a space on the wall I must stare at until the bell rings (it really does rock living 2 mins from the gate).
I could tell you that I've been busy, completely up to my eyes in other things but then I'd be lying.
Alright, first things first, the new school. Chloe absolutely loves it. She barrels off down the street in the morning (it rocks living 2 mins from the gate btw) as fast as her wee legs will carry her with her newly acquired ponytail bouncing along behind her and her school bag flapping in the wind.
There I go talking about the weather again, but it has been windy.
In fact I'm lucky to even get a kiss and hug before she rushes in through the door in the morning. Then when I collect her she talks of nothing else for hours on end, about the games she played and the songs she sang. It really does sound like she's having a ball.
I don't know if this works for everyone, but I tend to watch Chloe's eating habits during any big change such as this because I think its the best indicator of how she's taking to it all.
She started school on Thursday last week and on the Thursday and Friday and then again on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week that little girl of mine came home and ate like a champion. I mean I haven't seen her grub like that in a long time. She would arrive home and be immediately ready for a full lunch, then she snacked what felt like constantly until about 4.30pm and then she was ready for a full cooked dinner again at 5.30pm. Plus she would have had another snack (or two) before her bedtime at 8.00pm. Clearly the new routine was taking it out of her to begin with, she was finding it challenging and needed the extra food to help her get used to amount of new things expected from her each day.
However, yesterday she arrived home and ate what I would consider her usual amount for lunch, she had a snack again at around 3pm and then just plenty to drink until dinner time without once asking for or helping herself to anything else.
This is more like her usual routine before she started school so I think she's already getting used to her new routine and finding a good balance for herself which isn't bad really considering it was only her sixth day in school. She's in school now and I'm sure that being off for the weekend will throw her a bit and we'll start pretty much from scratch again on Monday but I think she'll get the hang of it all quite quickly. She normally does adapt pretty well to new things so I'm not really worried.
Now feel free to let me know if I'm a bit of a oddball or whether this has happened to anyone else once their kids are off to school and they have a bit of free time to themselves. Here's the thing, while Chloe has replaced one routine with another, I've completely lost one.
Don't get me wrong, there are a hundred things I could be doing to make good use of the time in the morning but does anyone else find themselves kind of just sitting around waiting for their kids to come home. Maybe floating back and forward between a couple of different things but not actually accomplishing much, if anything at all.
Maybe its just the first few days while I get used to exactly how much time I have to play with during the day, but as it stands at this moment in time I am the Official Thumb Twiddler of the Woods Residence.
Now if you'll excuse me there's a space on the wall I must stare at until the bell rings (it really does rock living 2 mins from the gate).
What mummy did...
On Chloe's first day of school Mummy was taken to Ikea and treated by Daddy.
He bought me some gorgeous funny little hippo print cotton...
Another lovely cotton covered with little sketchy type people, bunnies, ducks, frogs all going about their business...
A lovely orange striped heavy weight cotton.
This is my favourite, another heavy weight printed orange cotton canvas ...
And on the way out the door I also treated myself. For the sake of complete honest, I actually bought two bags of Dime Bars and two of the Marabou Dime chocolate bars... and a big box of ginger biscuits..... and a bag of cinnamon rolls.... and two packets of the marabou cups.... yes I'm a heffer.
And because he accidentally broke my last lampshade, he treated me to a new one.
Its embroidered with tons of flowers and bees and butterflies and I love it.
Now I'm off to pick up Chloe from her second day at school.
He bought me some gorgeous funny little hippo print cotton...
Another lovely cotton covered with little sketchy type people, bunnies, ducks, frogs all going about their business...
A lovely orange striped heavy weight cotton.
This is my favourite, another heavy weight printed orange cotton canvas ...
And on the way out the door I also treated myself. For the sake of complete honest, I actually bought two bags of Dime Bars and two of the Marabou Dime chocolate bars... and a big box of ginger biscuits..... and a bag of cinnamon rolls.... and two packets of the marabou cups.... yes I'm a heffer.
And because he accidentally broke my last lampshade, he treated me to a new one.
Its embroidered with tons of flowers and bees and butterflies and I love it.
Now I'm off to pick up Chloe from her second day at school.
First Day at School. Piece of Cake!
I'm so pleased because Chloe had a brilliant first day at school.
We even managed to start off in the morning on a high note. Normally, she isn't a big fan of breakfast. She'll pick at her food or just have something tiny like half a slice of toast and some juice, but this morning she sat happily and munched through a bowl of weetabix, some strawberries and a glass of apple juice in about 15 minutes.
We managed to get the uniform on without any problems. She didn't grow six inches over night so everything still fit.
And she looked so cute wearing it. She knows it too.
We walked to the school and I was a little concerned because she was really happy the entire way, but as soon as we reached the top of the steps and the P1 courtyard was in front of us she hesitated, just for a split second but it was there. Usually Chloe is the type of kid to run into any situation with both guns blazing and its a very rare sight to see her unsure of herself. On the few occasions its happened before she has went one of two ways. Either she shrugs it off and runs on anyway, or she falls to pieces, wants a hug and refuses to carry on. Thankfully today was a good day.
After a few minutes one of the women from her old daycare arrived with three kids she recognised as friends and they played together for five minutes or so before her new teacher opened the door to their cloakroom and invited them in.
After that I didn't get a look in.
I managed to squeeze past some of the other mums into the cloakroom to give Chloe her little envelope for the snack scheme just in time to hear her teacher ask her name and for Chloe to reply "I'm the butterfly". I took both of us a second to realise that she'd spotted her hanger with her name and a picture of a blue and purple butterfly above it.
She was only in school today for a bit less that 3 hours and she'll start her full days of 3.5 hours tomorrow. We collected her shortly after noon and she talked a mile a minute the whole way home, even making us stop in the street every now and again while she explained something in spite of the heavy rain.
Best of all she's really excited to be going again tomorrow and that she will be able to go every day. I've heard stories of some kids arriving home from school saying about how brilliant it was, but what do you mean I have to go again tomorrow I thought that was it. So its really good that she understands that it isn't a one off thing.
Oh and I'm to tell you that her teacher gave her a spider sticker which says "Very Good Work" because she was able to write her own name on a painting of the three of us. I'm blue, Dad's yellow and Chloe's green but because those things tend to come home in bundles at the end of term, that's all I know about the painting for the minute.
I hope everyone else planning for the first day of school this year have just as good a day.
We even managed to start off in the morning on a high note. Normally, she isn't a big fan of breakfast. She'll pick at her food or just have something tiny like half a slice of toast and some juice, but this morning she sat happily and munched through a bowl of weetabix, some strawberries and a glass of apple juice in about 15 minutes.
We managed to get the uniform on without any problems. She didn't grow six inches over night so everything still fit.
And she looked so cute wearing it. She knows it too.
We walked to the school and I was a little concerned because she was really happy the entire way, but as soon as we reached the top of the steps and the P1 courtyard was in front of us she hesitated, just for a split second but it was there. Usually Chloe is the type of kid to run into any situation with both guns blazing and its a very rare sight to see her unsure of herself. On the few occasions its happened before she has went one of two ways. Either she shrugs it off and runs on anyway, or she falls to pieces, wants a hug and refuses to carry on. Thankfully today was a good day.
After a few minutes one of the women from her old daycare arrived with three kids she recognised as friends and they played together for five minutes or so before her new teacher opened the door to their cloakroom and invited them in.
After that I didn't get a look in.
I managed to squeeze past some of the other mums into the cloakroom to give Chloe her little envelope for the snack scheme just in time to hear her teacher ask her name and for Chloe to reply "I'm the butterfly". I took both of us a second to realise that she'd spotted her hanger with her name and a picture of a blue and purple butterfly above it.
She was only in school today for a bit less that 3 hours and she'll start her full days of 3.5 hours tomorrow. We collected her shortly after noon and she talked a mile a minute the whole way home, even making us stop in the street every now and again while she explained something in spite of the heavy rain.
Best of all she's really excited to be going again tomorrow and that she will be able to go every day. I've heard stories of some kids arriving home from school saying about how brilliant it was, but what do you mean I have to go again tomorrow I thought that was it. So its really good that she understands that it isn't a one off thing.
Oh and I'm to tell you that her teacher gave her a spider sticker which says "Very Good Work" because she was able to write her own name on a painting of the three of us. I'm blue, Dad's yellow and Chloe's green but because those things tend to come home in bundles at the end of term, that's all I know about the painting for the minute.
I hope everyone else planning for the first day of school this year have just as good a day.
The child's off to school, finally time for me. Or is it?
Chloe is in bed fast asleep. Her uniform is labelled, ironed and hanging in her room right above her new shoes and she has planned to the last strawberry what she will have for her breakfast tomorrow morning.
Once she's safely off to school, I will rush home with Robert, grab a quick coffee and a cinnamon bagel before jumping in the car and heading to Ikea, who I am told are having a fabric sale (but lets face it even if they'd doubled the price I'd likely still go just to look).
After eight months of spending 24 hours a day with Chloe I have to admit, I'm ready for a little bit of me time. Don't get me wrong the last eight months have been brilliant, a bit of a steep learning curve to begin with and we've hit a rough patches but I've really enjoyed all of my time at home with her every day. But still those couple of hours a day are going to be really appreciated.
Or perhaps I should say were going to be really appreciated because on Friday I have a meeting about a job.
A job I didn't go looking for, apply for or even want. I just received a "we need you" call out of the blue this morning.
Like I said, I wasn't really looking to go back to work, at least not straight away but it's kind of hard to look a gift horse in the mouth.
My shop on Folksy is going quite well, but it would still be nice to have a bit of guaranteed money in the bank every month, you know?
Plus with so many people out of work and looking at the minute, do I really want to turn down a great offer only to find that I may need it in a couple of months.
It really is a great offer too. I'll only have to work an hour or two a day at whichever times suit me which will obviously be while Chloe is at school. I won't need to work any of the school holidays either, so I don't even have to consider childcare fees. I wouldn't even consider the job if it meant Chloe going back to childcare because neither of us wants that.
Oh and did I mention that the company is a five minute walk from home.
Hmm, still thinking though...
Once she's safely off to school, I will rush home with Robert, grab a quick coffee and a cinnamon bagel before jumping in the car and heading to Ikea, who I am told are having a fabric sale (but lets face it even if they'd doubled the price I'd likely still go just to look).
After eight months of spending 24 hours a day with Chloe I have to admit, I'm ready for a little bit of me time. Don't get me wrong the last eight months have been brilliant, a bit of a steep learning curve to begin with and we've hit a rough patches but I've really enjoyed all of my time at home with her every day. But still those couple of hours a day are going to be really appreciated.
Or perhaps I should say were going to be really appreciated because on Friday I have a meeting about a job.
A job I didn't go looking for, apply for or even want. I just received a "we need you" call out of the blue this morning.
Like I said, I wasn't really looking to go back to work, at least not straight away but it's kind of hard to look a gift horse in the mouth.
My shop on Folksy is going quite well, but it would still be nice to have a bit of guaranteed money in the bank every month, you know?
Plus with so many people out of work and looking at the minute, do I really want to turn down a great offer only to find that I may need it in a couple of months.
It really is a great offer too. I'll only have to work an hour or two a day at whichever times suit me which will obviously be while Chloe is at school. I won't need to work any of the school holidays either, so I don't even have to consider childcare fees. I wouldn't even consider the job if it meant Chloe going back to childcare because neither of us wants that.
Oh and did I mention that the company is a five minute walk from home.
Hmm, still thinking though...
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