ENGAGED?...ALREADY?!

Yes it's true! I have been to see the midwife again today for a check up & she has confirmed that the baby's head has become engaged (ie. right down in my pelvis). I am very excited! The baby's body is also in a perfect birthing position - with it's spine running down the front of my tummy. It can quite happily stay in that position for a few weeks though, but we won't think like that!
The first part of it's journey into the world has begun & I am chuffed to bits!

As I am now 37 weeks, I only have 3 weeks left to go (or 21 days for the impatient!), but if it's anything like it's big sister- who was 8 days late - we could be waiting a bit longer. Lets just say he/she will arrive anytime between now & 1st Feb. Lets hope it's sooner rather than later for Christian's sake!

THINGS IT'S BEST NOT TO DO WHEN...

....your husband has gone out, there's a cake in the oven & your daughter is playing downstairs.

1. Have a bath.
Yesterday, Christian had gone out for a couple of hours, Alice was busy playing & I'd just put our chocolate fruitcake in the oven (for 1 & 3/4 hours). "Oh I know I'll just have a quick bath" thought I. Why I don't know, I never have a bath. I hurled my massive body (size 14 on a good day then add on 36 weeks pregnant!) into the bath, a bit of a tight squeeze but never mind. Then as I lay on the bottom of the bath washing my hair, I thought of 2 very important points:
a) Oops, I'm not supposed to lay flat, it cuts off the blood supply to the baby &
b) how the f*#k am I going to get up again!

After a good 5 mins of very unattractive thrashing around, I got out! Christian came home sometime later & found the whole "turtle stuck on it's back" incident highly amusing. What a silly girl I am, needless to say, I've had a shower this morning!

Anyway, must go, Mum's coming for Christmas Eve dinner tonight & there's lots to do. Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year to everyone & keep your fingers crossed that the baby hangs on until 1st January at least.

WHAT'S GOING WRONG!

I have just spent the past couple of hours very festively baking very yummy cinnamoney, treacley spiced biscuits & stained glass window tree decoration cookies - Yes I know my "Mum of the Year" trophy will be here shortly! So why is it that Alice (3 year old independent woman!) will only eat crappy Sainsburys 12 for 99p fairy cakes? My biscuits are really good!

CHRISTMAS DO'S ARE LIKE BUSES......

......you seem to stay in for ages then you get 3 do's in 1 week!
Last night was the first, I went to Rowleys in Baslow with Dianne (my mother-in-law - sod Les Dawson we get on very well indeed!) to a Christmas Cookery Club demonstration. It was really good, we watched the chef (Rupert Rowley, head chef at Fischers in Baslow & partner in Rowleys Restaurant) prepare a festive menu, then we went upstairs to the restaurant and ate it!

The Menu:
Egg nog (or lemonade for pregnant people!).
Hot smoked salmon fillet on a potato pancake with white wine sauce.
Ballontine of pheasant, partridge & pigeon with fondant potato & creamed cabbage.
Cranberry & caramelised chestnut Bakewell tart with Christmas pudding ice-cream.
Coffee, mince pies & chocolates.

Very delicious!

We had the meal upstairs on mixed tables, there were 6 on ours. Unfortunately headed by a Peak District toff, you know the type "I bought a new mobile phone so the wife bought a house in London, larf larf snort"! as though she's frivolously bought chocolate biscuits instead of plain! Oh yes, he was very rich and was right about everything. I am definitely having a boy - he's never wrong you know! Funny that, people have been sexing this baby for 4 months now & no one has actually said "I'm usually wrong about these things, but you're having a girl"!

Anyway, he made for amusing conversation and we had a good night all in all. Thank you to David (my father-in-law) who's treat it was.
Next stop - girlie's night out on Thursday - we're off into town in the Briddon Party Bus!

I'M HAVING A GOOD DAY

You know when everything is going your way, not major things, just little things - today is one of those days. I woke up feeling good this morning even thought it was 6:30 on a winters morning. Christian & I have swapped cars until I have the baby, although I love my little Peugeot 206, it is little & I can't get in & out of it too well at the moment - stomach:steering wheel problems! Christian was not looking forward to his 1st day of driving with his knees by his ears, so that was nice for me!

Then whilst getting Alice dressed for school, I noticed her body was covered in spots - chicken pox at last - hooray! We've been wanting her to catch it for a while, just so it gets it out of the way for her whilst she's young - it can be nasty the later you catch it. She is very well though, in fact she's even more impish than usual!

Then we went to Matalan, yes I know it's horrible - Christian says why pay to go to the zoo when you can go to Matalan for free!- but it's the only place that sell lovely soft sports type bras for my massive pregnant wabbers, 38DD so far - I thank you! Anyway I found a tenner on the floor, so I bought my 2 bras & still made £2 change!

We got home literally seconds before a big rain storm, which drenched one of our neighbours! Oh what a good day - I wonder what's next.....

MY MOUTH ISN'T AS BIG AS IT USED TO BE

I've just had a mini panic - I nearly killed myself with a Jaffa Cake! Whilst surfing the net, I was eating Jaffa cakes (the joys of pregnancy means you can eat them a packet at a time without feeling bad!). I eat them whole, but I shovelled one in too far and it got stuck behind my top teeth! I couldn't swallow, close my mouth or breath for a good few seconds! I poked it with my finger and it broke up..... phew, panic over! And yes I did go on and finish the packet!

ISN'T IT HERE YET?

Where's Christmas? I am over eagerly awaiting 25th December this year and it's still 5 & 1/2 weeks away! I have made my Christmas cake, Christmas pudding and mincemeat - I've bought cards, wrapping paper and most of our presents and there's still ages to go!

I know I sound very sad and I will peak too soon and be sick of festive spirit by mid-December, but this year it's all for a completely different reason. I love Christmas, well generally the build up to it - as we always go to Christian's Mum's for lunch and I am not actually cooking anything myself, I loose interest in the day after present opening! And I can't remember the last time I drank on Christmas day, I think it was 2001 - yes imagine me sober on the day when everyone is allowed to get pissed!, I do make up for it over the year as I'm sure you'll agree!!

But I can't wait any longer for Christmas and New Year to be over with this year, so I can get my hands on my joint-best present of all time - my scrumptious new lovely little baby! Hurry up, everything is ready for you, we just need you to complete our family. Then maybe I'll cook Christmas lunch next year and all will be mine ha, ha, haaa .....watch out Dianne!!!!

3/4 OF THE WAY THERE

Today I am 30 weeks pregnant - hurray for me! Only another 10 weeks to go (or there about). All is still going well and time is flying by. Just this last week I have become extremely comfortable, my back pain has gone and I don't feel quite so much like a hippo turning over at night (even though I probably look like one!). I'm even getting mad energy bursts where I clean and iron and things! I've finished decorating the nursery too.

Here's a quick breakdown:
BABY- still very wriggly, with a quick heartbeat av.150 bpm - a sign it's a girl!!!
ME - 46ins waist! Total weight gain 23lbs - below average hurray!
ALICE- convinced I have a boy in my tummy & she has a girl in hers!
CHRISTIAN-not looking forward to being pushed down the family importance ladder another rung! STBY as he would say!

THE'RE NOT RIGHT

Multi-grain Hula Hoops are horrible, they taste really wrong, I'm quite disappointed. If you want a multi-grain crisp try Walkers Sunbites, they are nice!

THE PARTY

On Friday afternoon it was Alice's birthday party, it was a Fairy Castle theme. Her friends and their Mums arrived at 2pm in fancy dress costumes (we always seem to do fancy dress as its always just been Halloween & everyone has outfits they don't want to take off!). I made a fairy castle cake - more blood, sweat and tears than sponge but I think it looked OK - my friends were impressed! The food was usual party things, while the children filled up on crudites, strawberries and grapes - the Mums stuffed sausages, cheese & onion rolls, rocky road squares and pink wafer biscuits mmm!

Christian came home at about 3pm and couldn't believe the noise and mess! but quickly joined in - brave or stupid? I'm not quite sure! We then played pass the parcel or fight for and not pass on the parcel! followed by a rather successful game of pin the tail on the donkey. And we finished with an hour of general playing so the Mums could drink tea, eat more rocky road squares and talk!!! They started to leave at about 4.30 - 4.45 with some rather good (if I do say so myself) party bags - well fairy castle boxes!! After a 30min tidy up, peace was restored - good party though!!

ALICE'S 3RD BIRTHDAY

Last Thursday was Alice's 3rd birthday. She has been asking every morning since the summer "is it my birthday today?", so was quite surprised when the answer was yes! Christian had the Thursday & Friday off work, so he was around for presents and parties. We had put some balloons up and made a massive pile of presents for when she came downstairs - much to her delight! This year she started ripping open her presents, instead of me doing it for her and she seemed to love everything. All the pc lesbians would have gone mad to see our 3yr old daughter washing then ironing her new Peppa Pig pants, cooking breakfast in her new kitchen before sweeping the floor with her new broom and dustpan & brush! Worry not ladies she likes cars (F1 thankfully) and trains too, we got her some Thomas the Tank Engine wellies!

Mum and Joseph came round at 10ish and brought more presents including a fairy dressing up dress - very lovely! We picked Dianne up at about 11am and all headed off to Chatsworth. We thought a trip to the farm and adventure playground was in order. We lied on the way in as under 3s are free! Then went to look at all the animals - or not actually as Alice didn't want to see any of them - they were too scary apparently! Never mind we saw them, including some 3 day old piglets - ahh suckling pig yum yum! Alice did however enjoy the playground for a good 15 mins before she got bored off that and said "I want my lunch - NOW!" So we had a quick walk down to the Carridge House restaurant for steak & ale pie all round. We set off home at 1.30 so it was a quick day out!!

NOT A PERFECT ENDING TO A PERFECT DAY

Having returned home from my wonderful spa day(see below), I started to feel a little green! After about 1/2 an hour my lunch revisited - sorry! Thus began a horrible evening and night of throwing up every 20 mins or so. I thought maybe it was something I'd eaten, in the past I've have similar experiences when eating lamb in restaurants. But at 2am Alice decided to join in, so maybe it was just a bug after all.

I spent Sunday in bed, leaving poor Christian to deal with Alice. We were supposed to be at a Christening with Christian's parents but obviously couldn't go. We would have missed half of it anyway, as when the food was being served, Christian's Mum was hit with the same bug and just made it home before disgracing herself! My brother-in-law had it all Saturday night aswell!

It seems we are all better today, if not a little weak and a lot thinner!

EDEN HALL DAY SPA

On Saturday, the girlies and I went off to Eden Hall in Nottinghamshire for a wonderful spa day. As 7 of us went (poor Bev couldn't leave the baby), I drove us there in the Briddon mobile and a day of constant gossiping began! We arrived just after 9am and were quickly changed into our robes and slippers as most of us had treatments starting at 9.30. It cost £70 for the day, that includes a 3 course lunch and use of the pool and all the sauna and steam rooms. Clair and I had opted for the pregnancy massage, as we both knew we were pregnant when we booked and paid for the day last August (Anna & Lisa only found out their good news recently!). This was the best deal by far as it consisted of 1 1/2 hours full toe to scalp massage on very comfy bean bags for £54, whereas the other girls had different massages and reflexology treatments for about £40 that only lasted 40-50 mins.

After my massage, I found the others and we had coffee and juices in the conservatory before having our lunch at 12. I had duck confit with celeriac and apple puree, then roast lamb with a very unusual set up - you went and got a plate of potatoes, veg and salads, then they brought the main course, so you had 2 plates (Ruth had got crab claws & all sorts!) anyway it was very nice and I ended with a chocolate and cherry pudding.

After lunch we were all very stuffed so we decided to go and lounge around the pool to read and snooze but mainly talk some more! After the obligatory 1 hour after eating, a few of us went for a swim. It was a salt water pool so floating around was very easy and very relaxing. We even braved to outdoor pool! You only had to swim under a barrier to get to it and it was heated, bloody cold if your shoulders came above the water though!

At 4pm ish we went back upstairs for more coffee and cakes before getting changed and set off home at about 6pm. I've never been to anything like this before and we are definitely going again, it was a really wonderful, relaxing day.

If only the rest of the evening could have been half as nice.....

WISPA'S ARE BACK!

I've just had a Cadburys Wispa, they are still miles better than an Aero. Welcome back my little textured chocolate friend!

NOSTALGIA IN THE KITCHEN

Today we have been making our Christmas pudding and Christmas cake. This time I'm not ahead of myself (like with the present buying!), they will need storing for 3 weeks at the very least - so 2 months should be just delicious.

It took me right back 25/30 years, to when I used to help my Nannie make the same things. Alice had her little apron on and was stood on a dining chair up to the kitchen worktop helping me stir all the ingredients together - just like I used to help her each year! Ahhh! I'm so pleased that just happened!

CHUNKY CHILLI BEAN SOUP

We've just come home, cold and hungry and I've just made this soup which is gorgeous. As it's that time of year for "winter warmer" food I thought I would share it.

1 tbsp oil (I used rapeseed)
1 chopped onion
3 diced carrots
1 diced red pepper
2 chopped cloves garlic
1 chopped red chilli (I used 1 from Philli the Chilli - seeds and all!)
1 tsp cumin seeds
400g can kidney beans - rinsed
500g passata
1 pint stock - chicken or veg.
1 tbsp brown sugar, salt & pepper

Fry the onion in the oil for 5 mins, then add the carrots, red pepper & garlic & fry for another 3 mins. Add the chilli & cumin & stir for 1 min.
Add the kidney beans, passata, stock, sugar, salt & pepper & bring to the boil.
Simmer uncovered for 25-30 mins until thickened.

It's from a pregnancy book, so it's good for you and low fat but you wouldn't know!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Today is Christian and my 5th wedding anniversary. 5 years - can you believe it was that long since we all got bladdered at Hassop Hall that Friday afternoon/night?!

To celebrate we are going out for a meal on Saturday night to The Walnut Club in Hathersage (yes I know it's the rugby final & I did offer to change it to Friday night but Christian said no). We've been meaning to go for ages, but it's quite a way from home and as we both like a drink we usually go somewhere nearer (Christian is too tight to pay large taxi fares!), but as I'm knocked up I will be driving!!


I have also taken this opportunity to practice making tiered cakes. This one is a brandy soaked (I try to get a snifter wherever possible these days!) fruit cake on the bottom and lemon sponge on top - I'm sure some will be winging it's way to SDL next week. Christian has bought me "French For Dummies" as I'm re-learning French and I got him a bottle of Balvenie single malt.

A DENTAL RANT

My nephew Joseph, went to the dentist yesterday - although it's a private dentist, children (he's 13 next month) still get free/ NHS work done. He found out that he needs a brace, nothing wrong with that, we thought he would anyway. But - and here's the crappy bit - they will put him on the NHS waiting list for about 16 months, then he has to wear it for about 18 months ( the poor sod would be turned 16 before it comes off!) OR my Mum can pay £1500 and he can have it more or less straight away! That's disgusting, obviously Mum's paying so it can be doing it's job straight away, but why should she have to? It's supposed to be free treatment to the same standard as private. There's little wonder people have started doing DIY dental treatment.....

SLAPPED CHEEK UPDATE

Yes, after a trip to the doctors, Alice has slapped cheek. Not to worry though, after speaking to a trained medic, rather than reading the internet, it isn't that bad. Only if I(or anyone pregnant) actually contracts the virus, then there is about a 10% chance that anything would harm the baby.

So I have had a precautionary blood test, all pregnant friends have been informed ( no one seemed duly worried) and Alice is fine. So there we have it, Typhoid Mary strikes again - what's next Alice? chicken pox?...

SLAPPED CHEEK SYNDROME

It appears that Alice may have "slapped cheek syndrome", it's a disease that sounds worse than it really is. The symptoms are a red rash on one cheek ( hence the name, she looks like she's had a backhander - she hasn't - honestly!), a fever and sometimes swollen joints. It was pointed out to me today by the teachers at pre-school, I'd never heard of it. It hasn't been confirmed yet though, I will have to do battle with the dragons at the doctors in the morning to get an appointment. There isn't any cure, it's a bit like a cold. It's also highly contagious 4 - 20 days before the rash appears - ooops, any damage will already be done! Apparently 90% of us will have had it as children and are therefore immune for life.

The main problem is pregnant women, 20 weeks or earlier. It can cause red blood cells to stop producing in unborn babies if the mother isn't immune. As we have 3 friends under 20 weeks pregnant, that Alice has been in contact with, I feel terribly guilty and must find out if she is diseased or not! I'll let you know.

A DISTURBING NEW DOLL

There is a new doll on the market at the moment that is really quite disturbing. It's the Chou Chou Mummy Make Me Better Doll, you may have seen it advertised with all the other Christmas adverts that are on TV.
This one however, is all about making baby Chou Chou better. You take her temperature, give her medicine etc, fair enough lets teach our children to care for people there's nothing wrong with that.
But then comes the "bruise feature". You bruise the baby on the arm, then rub it better (ie apply heat to the bruised area) until the doll laughs, then all is well and no one need know.

Correct me if I'm wrong (& I don't think I'm reading too much into it this time), but is teaching your children to bruise babies, then to cover it up really what we should be doing?
P.S. Toys R Us have already sold out of this doll - and judging by the types of people you generally meet there, I'm not surprised!

MY GUILTY LITTLE SECRET

I am quite ashamed of what I've been doing this week, it's out of character for me but necessary. I thought that if I share it, I won't feel so dirty!

I have started my Christmas shopping.

It's still September, it's another 3 months until Christmas - quarter of a year, it's so very wrong! I don't usually even buy a card until December. This year I will certainly not be traipsing around town or Meadowhall at 34 weeks pregnant with a whinging 3 year old, so I have decided to mainly shop online. Certain things (childreny things), need to be seen in the flesh before buying, which is why I bit the bullet and started this week. I have bought 5 presents already!

I don't feel so bad now, thank you for taking on my burden! & merry Christmas, ho ho ho!!!

THE URINE SAMPLE

I have been to see the midwife again today for a 24 week check up. All is going well. I briefly heard the heartbeat, as soon as we could hear it, the little minx turned round and all was lost! She couldn't find it again as the baby wouldn't keep still! Quite the story of this little wriggler.

Each time you visit the midwife you have to take a urine sample, this is just to check protein levels and make sure pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure, hospital stay, quite dangerous, not good) isn't starting - it isn't. Now normally, as any girl will confirm, weeing into a pot with a 2cm diameter is quite do-able - squatting, looking and bladder control is all that is needed. However, with a solid 44 inch stomach (if I stand up straight with one foot in front of the other & look down, I can no longer see either foot!) looking is no longer possible! So unfortunately at 6:30 this morning, I just held the pot there and hoped it would fill - inevitably pissing all over my hand, charming!

There really is no dignity in pregnancy or child birth!!

35 - OH DEAR!

Today has been my 35th birthday - if we still do our 3 score years and 10 then I'm half way through, what a great thought!
But enough of feeling sorry for myself, I am very happily married to a wonderful man, we have the world's most beautiful daughter and another little gem on the way - I don't think many 35 year olds can say the same.

This morning Alice sang "Happy Birthday" to me, then she helped me open my cards and presents(thank you everyone) before she went to school. This afternoon Mum, Alice and I went out to Chatsworth for lunch - which was lovely. I'm off to bed now as I have a chocolate headache. I always over indulge on my birthdays, usually on wine, but this time on cake, sweets and chocolate mousse - oh why not!

Finally, I didn't make myself a birthday cake as I realise that would be a bit sad, but yesterday Alice and I made some birthday buns - that's not too bad is it?

THE DALEKS HAVE ARRIVED...

...well my new compost bin is here and it looks like a dalek! I'm very excited with the prospect of making my own compost, I've only got a year to wait for the results. Oh my God! I know I will be 35 next week, but I didn't plan on being quite so middle aged. Oh well, take pleasure wherever you can find it.
I even outsmarted the garden centre by buying my dalek online. The garden centre was charging £30 for a 300 litre composter, I got mine from Derbyshire council who charge £9 for a 330 litre bin and free delivery - bargain!

Why so green all of a sudden? you may ask. Well it doesn't harm to start doing your bit for the environment, and mainly because our wheelie bin is only emptied every 2 weeks and I'm sick of it being too full!

BLOODY KIDS!

I'm knackered this morning. Starting at 4am, Alice was crying, I dutifully ran in to her to find out the problem. I think she'd had a bit of a bad dream, she garbled something about Tesco and went back to sleep - aah! Then over the next 1 1/2 hours I ran back in another 4 times to her cries, to find she just wanted different toys passing to her. I snapped in the end and told her to get to sleep.

Back in bed, how lovely, but no, Jr. decided to go to a rave and was kicking for a good hour, right until Christian's alarm went off at 6:30 - I threw the towel in and got up!

Kids! - who'd have them? Me, I love them really - they're brilliant!

I HAVE A VERY NICE HUSBAND

This weekend my very nice husband has bought me 2 top tickets for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone next July - and it wasn't even my birthday! (that just so happens to be next Wednesday 26th if any one's interested)!

We went this year and had general admission tickets (get there very early, find a good spot & don't move), we managed to get a very good spot at Club Corner but had to sit on the floor. Next year I will be in the Platinum Grandstand (not any of your gold grandstand rubbish for me - they will be sat behind me). I'll be right on the start/finish line! I could even get there just before the race starts and go straight to the front - how wonderful!

As I said, I have a very nice husband - now just to decided who can take me......

SORRY - NOTHING DOING

I really wanted to put a new post on this morning, but after looking at a blank new post screen for ages, I realized nothing has actually happened worthy of a post! How dull.

This week has been quite plain - highlights were:
Alice went back to pre-school.
I got in touch with an old friend from 10 years ago on facebook.
I made and ate(with girlfriends) a very good chocolate cake.
Christian's stepbrother Greg & his wife Ruth had a bouncing baby boy (as yet unnamed) - mother & baby both doing well.
Our baby wriggled a lot.

I'm obviously having an excitement lull, oh well life would be boring if it was nonstop everyday!

NOT SO GREEN ALICE

On the way to Sainsbury's bottle bank this morning, Alice asked "What are those bottles for?" "We're taking them to be recycled" I told her. "Why?" she asked. "Because it helps to save the environment" I replied. "Oh good" she said, "I like to save the fire engine". What!? you can imagine my general day...

FAMILY SUNDAY LUNCH

Yesterday we had the family (Mum, Dianne, David, Joyce, Eric, Justin, Ethan & Lucas) round for Sunday lunch, and a very good time was had by all - even if I do say so myself. We had Nigella's ham in coca-cola. Although this sounds weird, this is actually the best way to cook ham in the whole world and has to be tried to be believed.

2kg gammon (serves 8) in a large pan with an onion and a 2l bottle of coke (must be full fat).
Bring to boil, simmer for 2 1/4 hours (or 1 hour per kg plus 15 mins).
Cut off rind, leaving a layer of fat, score with diamond shapes and stud with cloves.
Smear with 1 tbsp black treacle, sprinkle with 2 tsp mustard powder and 1 tbsp demarera sugar.
Blast for 10mins in oven at gm9.

The rest of the lunch was as follows,

Canapes:
Smoked Salmon Pinwheel Pancakes, Red Pepper & Chilli Bruschetta, Kalamata Olive Tapenade Bruschetta & Spiced Bar Nuts.

Main Course:
Coca-Cola Ham, Roast Potatoes, Coleslaw, Green Bean & Red Onion Salad, Bazargan (bulgar wheat salad with pomegranate molasses, nuts & spices - yummy) & Braised Lettuce (not so good!).

Pudding:
Cherry Cheesecake, Chocolate & Ice-Cream Cake and Carrot Cake (Dianne made the carrot cake for the dairy free weirdos!).

And as usual vast amounts of wine was drunk by those not pregnant or underage. That all made for a lovely family day.

I'M GETTING TOO OLD

Yesterday, after the scan, Christian and I went to Uncle Sam's for a cheeseburger - as you do. I was sat facing Champs (dodgy sports bar opposite the restaurant) and was reading to signs in the window. I read - "Friday night, live music, starting at 9:30" "Ooh" I said to Christian, "That's a bit late to start, it's nearly bedtime." Thankfully he agreed! What a pair of sad old farts. What happened to the days of getting home at 3am and getting up for work at 7am 2 or 3 nights a week, before you even start on the weekends?

20 WEEKS DOWN, 20 WEEKS TO GO

Today, Christian and I have been for my 20 week scan. I am very pleased to announce that all appears to be well inside my very large tum. We saw almost everything in quite good detail, fingers, toes, arms, legs, brain, heart and a spine covered with skin! I say almost everything because the first thing I said to the sonographer was "we don't want to know the sex!" - you have to leave some surprise for the day.

It was wonderful to see my little baby wriggling away. As she was lying on her tummy for quite a while, we were sent out to have a walk around for 15 mins to see if she would turn over so they could check her heart- she did and it was OK - ahh!

This evening she hasn't stopped moving, which is typical - this week I was worrying there was a problem as I didn't feel her move. Now we've seen everything is fine, she doesn't stop fidgeting!

I keep saying "she" - but I'm not 100% sure anymore, maybe Picard is on his way after all!

HOW DOLLS HAVE CHANGED

Today I have bought Alice her first Barbie doll. I'm not sure what to make of her. She is very tall and skinny and to be honest she looks like a bit of a slag! - she hasn't even got any knickers on! I don't remember Sindy being like that at all when I was little, she always seemed to be quite respectable, the kind of girl you would want to grow up like! Alice loves her though. So maybe I have too much time to think about the morals of cheap doll (£1.99 Tesco clearance line!). But lets hope Alice doesn't want to grow up to be a knickerless lap dancing whore in pink plastic stilettos!

A QUICK BABY UPDATE

I am now 18 weeks pregnant and time is flying by, as I saw the midwife yesterday I thought it was time for a quick update.

My ever expanding waistline has now reached 40 inches - it's officially bigger than Christian's!
I have put on 8 pounds and still can't get my head round this being a good thing.
I can quite happily stay up until 10pm.
I can drink tea again.
I have started to feel a few little movements, which feels like someone running a feather across my tummy (mind you the other night it felt like she was looking for something in there!).
And the best thing so far, was hearing her heartbeat at the midwife's yesterday - I told Christian there was nothing to worry about and that she was ok!

That's it for now, we have the 20 week scan 2 weeks today so there will be another picture of her then.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALISON

Today is my sister, Alison's 37th birthday. Unfortunately as she died 10 years ago from breast cancer, she isn't here to celebrate so Mum, Christian, Alice and I have just been to the Dore Grill for lunch in honour of her day.

We always go to the Dore Grill as it was one of Alison's favourite restaurants, it's owned by a Spanish family that our family has known for years and the food is very lovely (& very filling) home cooking. It was also where Alison had her last proper meal before she went into Western Park Hospital.

Happy Birthday Alison, miss you loads.

OUR NEW CLEANER

As I'm a bit out of action this week (pulled back & now a funny tummy - ain't pregnancy grand!), my housework has gone to the bottom of my list, until yesterday when I enlisted some help in the form of Alice. She has an abundance of energy and is more than happy to do things for you, so I put a clean duster on the Swiffer mop and set her on her way! She did a great job! All of our downstairs is open plan and all the floors are laminate, so I sat watching the tv giving her the occasional pointer and of course lots of encouragement and praise!

Today, the first thing she asked was "What can I dust now Mummy?", fantastic - so I have given her a hand duster and she's off again! Child labour is the way to go! If only we had an open chimney....

I CAN TAKE DRUGS

On Sunday morning I woke up to find I had pulled my back, don't ask me how, I thought I had slept funny or something. Yesterday it got a lot worse, not being helped by lifting Alice in and out of the car. It was agony actually, I could have cried with the pain (if I hadn't been so tough of course)! Sitting down hurt and lying down was almost impossible, normally you would take loads of pain killers and use Deep Heat and stop moaning but being pregnant you're buggered, you can't take anything. Well this morning was no better so I phoned the doctors and yippee I can have some paracetamol! I also have to sit inside on one the first nice days we've had all summer with a hot water bottle on my back, but it's actually feeling better!

As you can probably guess (with such a dull post), not much is happening at the moment!

CLEVER GIRL

After many weeks, discussions and refusals, Alice has finally weed on her potty!!
Today has been our third attempt to start potty training and I think she's finally ready. We have had more hits than misses so far today (currently running at 7 hits to 4 misses), so I don't think we're doing too bad for day 1. More news as it happens...

EVEN MORE BUNS IN THE OVEN!

This weekend a friend of my Mum's had an open garden event in aid of the Sheffield Children's Hospital, it had been postponed from 3 weeks ago when Sheffield had the floods.
I did some baking for the cake stall so last week I was actually baking buns both internally and externally! I made a load of muffins (chocolate chip, double chocolate chip, raspberry & white chocolate and carrot & walnut), a carrot cake and a lemon flower cake. The lemon cake was a"guess the weight of the cake" competition, 50p a go and it took £18, which wasn't bad as I was going to sell it for a fiver!
We all bought a load of raffle tickets as the prizes were actually really good! I'll update if we win anything.

I'M MASSIVE!

I can't believe what I've just seen! I am now 13 weeks pregnant and I have just measured my waist to find it's 38 1/2 inches! That's ridiculous. I've got another 27 weeks to go, what the hell will I look like by Christmas! I still haven't put any weight on though - as a friend of mine said "You'll be putting baby weight on and losing all your fat at the same time" (thanks).

A BRIDDON BUN IN THE OVEN

It's official, after 2 miscarriages earlier this year, we can finally announce that I'm pregnant again!!

Today Christian and I have been to the hospital for my dating scan. I am currently 12 weeks and due around 18 January. Everything is going well, the sickness is stopping and I can stay awake until nearly 10pm! I am showing already though, as I wasn't particularly skinny to start with, the baby has pushed all the fat forward so I have a round tummy! Great excuse anyway!


Above is the scan picture, it was so reassuring to see her heart beating and to watch her wiggling around, she's quite a mover for one so small!

We are all very excited and I'm sure we will both keep you informed as different stages occur. What a brilliant start to a great weekend - Christian & I are off to Silverstone for the grand prix weekend.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM

Today is my Mum's 65th birthday. I made her this cake, idea and recipe pinched from the Sainsburys magazine and slightly altered by me! But I must say it's really lovely.



Alice (still a bit poorly) and I went round this morning to open presents and her many birthday cards - she always gets loads, it makes everyone else look quite unpopular!!
Mum's friend Liz popped round and we all had lunch, a very delicious asparagus quiche (made by me!!), ham, cous-cous and sesame seed rolls, then a massive piece of the above cake - delicious!

After, Mum, Alice and I went to town to spend money!

What a lovely day, happy birthday Mum!

POORLY GIRL

Alice is a very poorly girl, she is currently going by her Latin name - Pukus Maximus! She has a "viral infection" (the name given to most illnesses by many doctors), following a cold she had last week. It is a very sorry state of affairs, mainly as she won't be sick in anything - bucket, potty, towel etc she will only be sick on things - carpets, me and Christian's side of our bed! This is very unfortunate for him as he can't cope with the smell (justice I suppose for a certain couple from York!).

Anyway we've been told to give her plenty of fluids, she can eat bland food, we are to ride out the vomit showers and be prepare for the rear end to join in! lovely!! Following that last piece of information I have decided to postpone Mum's birthday dinner party on Saturday night!

YOU THINK YOU KNOW SOMEONE...

Christian and I were having a very important conversation this weekend about jelly babies. After all these years (14), I found out that he doesn't really like black jelly babies! He'll eat them just like everyone else eats the yellow and green ones but they aren't one of his favourites - what a weirdo!

I'M HUMAN AGAIN

For the past 3 days I have had a really shitty cold, passed on to me by my beautiful daughter! It was really bad sinus pain, where your whole face aches, your nose streams and you have to breathe through your mouth or not at all. I hate this, I can cope with anything, toothache, D and V, childbirth anything but sinus pain! But it's gone (hooray!) - I have my appetite back (maybe not such a good thing!) and I have energy! Now I can go and do the past 3 days of washing up that my husband has kindly left for me! Oh well.

FINALLY, A CAKE!

As I've had my blog for 6 weeks and not mentioned cakes on it at all, I thought it was high time to publish one of my creations!


Some of my friends have been for coffee, cake and gossiping this morning (we all met a couple of years ago through our children and meet at each others houses every Friday morning). So I made a carrot cake as they go down both very well and very quickly - all diets are strictly off on a Friday!

THE GREAT BRITISH MENU RESTAURANT

Finally, I have the pictures of the food we ate last week.
Starter:
I had Smoked Salmon with Sour Cream, Blini and Soda Bread.
Dianne had Texture of Pea - this was different to the TV show winner but still very nice, Pea Sorbet, Chilled Pea Soup and Pea Shoots.

Fish Course:
I had Turbot with Oxtail and Cockles.
Dianne had Poached Salmon with Sea Vegetables and 1 very rubbery Mussel!

Main Course:
I had Roast Venison with Potato Cake, Spring Cabbage and Roast Root Vegetables.
Dianne had Rabbit and Crayfish Stargazy Pie with Broad Beans.

Pudding:
I had Custard Tart with Garibaldi Biscuits.
Dianne had Perry & Berry Jelly with Elderflower Ice Cream.

We tried a bit of everything but I must admit I did prefer mine! I just thought my menu went together better. My main course and pudding were my favourites. I'll apologise for the photo's, I don't need to learn how to take a good picture being married to David Bailey and all!

HOME ALONE 2

On Saturday, Christian and Phil went to London, where they were meeting Jane and going on to Wembley to see Muse in concert, staying overnight at Jane's Mums then coming back Sunday afternoonish. "Brilliant!" I thought, another chance for some girlie weekend fun! This time I thought I could clear out my wardrobe (making room for some new purchases of course) and do some baking with Alice. But no! On Friday night, Mum (after a bottle of wine) decided to fall off the step into her kitchen and sprain her ankle! She did something similar a few years ago and broke her arm! So instead I helped my Auntie Tricia look after her, a very sorry state as Mum can't stay still at the best of times. Anyway a lesson is to be learnt about the dangers of drinking on your own at home - I would never be caught in such a predicament!!

Anyway after a long day, I did get chance to sit down with a whole pizza and watched Miss Potter, which was a complete chick flick and bloody fantastic - I cried in the middle and everything! One piece of advise - watch this film but not if any men are around, unless they are gay - it's lovely!

BBC GOOD FOOD SHOW

Yesterday Dianne (my mother-in-law) and I went to the BBC Good Food Show at the NEC in Birmingham. It was the summer festival of 3 shows (Good Food, Good Homes and Good Gardens) all under one roof, so absolutely masses to see. We had a fantastic time. We set off at 7am from a very wet Sheffield, plenty of time to do the 1 hour 20 min journey, to get there nice and early as we had tickets to see Gordon Ramsay at 9:30. Well thanks to crappy weather and motorway jams we sat down in our seats with just 5 mins to spare (we even ran from the shuttle bus to the supertheatre)!
Dianne really fancies Gordon and would eat him if she got the chance! I personally don't, but I like his cooking and he does actually seem like a really nice bloke. Incidentally, Dianne had bought a new red top to wear, I said it was so Gordon would notice her in the crowd (she disagreed - pure coincidence apparently), but every other 50 something woman had the same idea and the audience was a sea of red! V funny I thought!! He was on for about 30 mins, and cooked a lovely yet really easy 3 course meal:
Tomato & Pesto Tart.
Peppered Lamb Steaks (they smelled gorgeous) with Green Bean, Red Onion & Pecorino Salad.
Summer Berries with Basil & Muscat.

After Gordon we had a quick look round the food hall (eating loads of free samples) then had a good walk around the home and garden shows. At 1:30 we went for a much needed sit down and enjoyed our Great British Menu lunch (see separate post). Then came the spending part, and we went back to the food hall to buy the best bits from our earlier sampling. The best buy of the day was our balsamic vinegar, it's a 12 year old and as thick as syrup and tastes oh my God! I also bought a load of curry sauces, they are cholesterol free and fat free - it's healthy curry! Eat curry and loose weight and it tastes gorgeous - heaven! We also saw Lesley Waters and Ben O'Donoghue. It was a fantastic but knackering day, and I must go again next year.

SHE REALLY LOVES HERSELF

Having a really low self-esteem problem myself (I am trying v hard to overcome this), I know how important it is to teach your children to love themselves. When it comes to Alice, I don't think this is going to be a problem. As it is she goes out of her way to look in mirrors to admire herself but now she has gone even further. I caught her snogging herself in a mirror! Quite forward for a 2 year old, she obviously has the "goer" gene from me and her Granny!!

THE BEST EVER SANDWICH

The other night I made penne pasta for tea, nothing exciting just with passata, onion, garlic, mushrooms, broccoli and tomato sausages - it was very nice. But I have just had a big pile of it in a sandwich (white bread was needed) with cheese and mayonnaise! It so was bloody lovely I just had to share the news!

THE WONDERFUL WIGGLES FROM OZ!

Yesterday Alice and I drove over to Manchester to see The Wiggles, they were fantastic! The drive over was pretty straight forward, thanks to Tom Tom, apart from an annoying 30 mins of 1st gear crawling through Stockport. I can live with traffic jams, if you don't know the area there's not much you can do about it. The annoying part came from our conversation - anyone that's had small children will remember this:
A-"What's that sound?"
V- "A lorry"
A- "Why?"
V- "Because that's the sound a lorry makes."
A- "Why?" etc....
Anyway back to the concert, we got there at 10.30 and parked in the car park next to the theatre - on the 14th floor, so after carrying Alice down the 14 flights of stairs and later back up them (lift full of fat lazy Mancs!) I didn't feel so bad for missing the gym on Monday!

The Wiggles came on at 11am and sang all the old favourites and danced away for an hour and a half. I can't believe how fit they were, Geoff (purple wiggle) is 54 next month but you wouldn't think it. He was also running through the audience, he stopped to say hello and wave to various children, Alice included (we had end of aisle seats in the centre block of the stalls)but she hid her face in my hair! so he said hello to me anyway!
I was sorry when it ended, they were brilliant - especially my favourites Anthony (blue wiggle) and Captain Feathersword! (& yes you can fancy children's entertainers - just ask Christian or David Callaghan about their drunken debate on "Josie Jump vs Miss Hoolie" from Balamory).
The only down point was the price of the merchandise £6 for a balloon, £16 for a flashing stick, I don't think so! Luckily Alice was happy with a Northern Ballet leaflet with a picture of Angelina Ballerina on it. Hat's off to them though, parents were falling over themselves to buy everything!
Anyway 10/10 for a brilliant mother/daughter day!

Pictures are here.

SHE SHOOTS, SHE SCORES!

This week it is sports week at Alice's pre-school. We entered her into 5 events and everyone has sponsored her. Her 5 events were running, jumping, be an animal race, catch a ball and score a goal. Unfortunately, parents couldn't go to watch as everything takes place during outside playtime. But today I went early to collect Alice (as did a couple of other Mum's) and crept round the back of school to take a sneaky peak!
We found them doing the score a goal event, where all the children lined up in front of a little person's goal post and were taking it in turns to try and score a goal. I say all, all but one really. Yes Alice had managed to get herself a ball and was repeatedly kicking it at the wall, shouting "Yippee!" each time it bounced off! She hadn't quite got the right idea but she was having a great time and I was very proud as the other Mum's thought this was very cute!
We're off to Manchester tomorrow to see The Wiggles in concert - I think I am more excited than Alice (sad I know!). I will let you know how it goes.

HOME ALONE

Today Christian has gone off to Headingley in Leeds with about 20 of the boys from work to "watch the cricket", as it is lashing it down, I don't expect much cricket will be watched but I do expect much beer will be consumed!
Anyway, this means that Alice and I are having a lovely girlie day. We have just been playing at "doing hair" and we are about to have a brunch carpet picnic of orange juice and danishes. For this afternoon, we have the best planned - snuggling on the sofa with a pizza, Maltesers and "The Sound of Music" dvd. Oh yes!! Boys are all well and good and I do believe they have their place in a family! but you must admit, daughters are the best gift to any mother!!

THAT'S AMAZING!

I have just been to my Mum's to re-pot Philli the Chilli (a chilli plant given to me by Phil). She has this amazing compost that I have to tell everyone & anyone about. You see it's dried, it comes in bricks, about half the size of a house brick and you put it in a bucket, add about 3 litres of water and watch! It just grows and turns into a bucket full on normal compost. I know I probably don't get out nearly enough but it was great - it just grew and grew! I'd better go now, some paint needs me to watch it dry!

GREAT BRITISH MENU

I don't know if you've been watching it, but the votes have been counted and the results are in. We now know the 2007 menu.
Starter - Slow Poached Egg, Pea Sorbet & Ham.
Fish Course - Poached Salmon with Duck Egg on Wheaten Toast.
Main Course - Rabbit & Crayfish Stargazy Pie with Mushy Peas.
Pudding - Perry Jelly & Summer Fruits with Elderflower Ice-Cream.

Yummy! But why as I so bothered? Well sod the fact that it was created for a banquet at the British Embassy in Paris for a load of French foodie big-wigs, yes bugger that! It's because Dianne (mother-in-law) & I have a table booked at The Great British Menu Restaurant at the Good Food Show on the 14th June!! And now we know what we'll be eating! We are going to order a 2006 and a 2007 full 4 course meal and share them, so we can try everything - what a good idea!

FISH, CHIPS & MUSHY PEAS ...

...And the best part of 11 bottles of wine(!), were consumed on Friday night by Mum, Dianne, David, Christian and myself. As you can imagine yesterday was a complete write off! We spent the day in front of the TV, drinking vast amounts of diet Coke and eating Rustlers microwaveable lip & hoof burgers. It was worth though, we had had a great time, and it goes without saying that I'm never drinking again, again!! Here's the menu.

Canapes:
Chorizo Bites, Asparagus & Cream Cheese Rolls and Union Square Cafe Bar Nuts.

Starter:
Asparagus & Fried Halloumi Salad with Chilli Dressing.

Main Course:
Salmon Fillets with Crispy Bacon Bits, Minted Mushy Peas, Crushed Jersey Royal Potatoes, Baked Carrots with Cumin, Thyme, Butter & Pouilly Fume and Caper Sauce.

Pudding:
Ginger Syllabub with Ginger Biscuits.

Cheese:
Saint Agur, Cambazola, Mrs Bell's Blue, Hartington Stilton, Oak Smoked Cheddar & Somersby with Crackers & Grapes.

It was all very lovely, even if I do say so myself! Good food, good company & far too much wine, I can't think of a better way to spend an evening and I'm sure my Dad would have agreed.

DAD'S ANNIVERSARY

Today, it is 5 years since my Dad died. He had lung cancer. Yes, he was a smoker but as I asked him, "if you could go back & change things, would you not smoke?" his reply was "no, I loved every single fag I smoked!!" Fair enough!

I really miss him, as does Christian - they had become whiskey drinking partners. But we are constantly laughing about the string of bullshit he fed me as a child. At 34 I am still finding out that half the things in life I know, are complete bollocks (embarrassingly so)!!

1. Apparently, when the lights flicker in the evening, it's NOT the guy from the day shift at the power station going home & the night shift guy flicking their switches to change generators!

2. If there's a thunderstorm, you CAN watch TV without the risk of lightning hitting the aerial, coming through the TV screen & frying you whilst sitting on the sofa!

3. When someone is putting petrol in, you DON'T have to sit perfectly still, or the petrol will splash up out of the car & go down your Dad's leg!

4. If you try & unpick your belly button, your bottom WON'T fall off! (I did work that one out a while ago)

5. If you touch broken egg shells, you WON'T catch warts!

6. If you eat spoonfuls of sugar, you WON'T get worms!

I keep finding these out, even now - much to Christian's amusement!
Tonight we are having a dinner party in his honor, well Mum & Christian's parents are coming for a meal & ridiculous amounts of wine! We're having one of Dad's favourites - fish, chips & peas! but not from a chip shop - it's a la Nigella et Victoria!! Very fancy.

VERY SMUG

Christian & I were playing Wii Bowling last night. Nintendo Wii is his latest toy, he loves computer games & in our house he never loses (mind you he usually only plays small boys - my nephew 12 & my cousin's son 14). Until last night! With my first ever game I whipped his sorry ass! He scored his highest score yet & still I won. "It was a fluke"he says "better make it best of 3", I won again! "best of 5?" there was no point, we left it at 3. As I said, very smug!!

I'M HERE, I MADE IT!

Welcome one & all to my new blog, I've been meaning to do this for ages, so here I am.
I love food, cooking, shopping everything really (apart from washing up) & as cakes are my current passion, I will be using this site to document them. I will probably, mainly just ramble on about foodie nonsense, like going to the BBC Good Food Show with my mother-in-law in June, inventing recipes & my favourite moan - being too fat!!
Anyway, this is me, I'm here, check me out!