Resilence masterclass

At work this week I'd went to a resilence masterclass to help with bouncing back at work as there's lots of uncertainity in the NHS at the moment. This is basically a way of giving people training to help when they are made redundant as there are 80% redundancies in PCTs at the moment (oh so cynical - but its a cheaper way of saying they've helped). 
Suprisingly the Deputy Chief Exec and Chief Exec were also there as well (and I had to sit with them) as they said they needed help with how to become become resilent. First, bit of theory which I started getting bored with and kept thinking about all the work I had to do. Then, there was a movement coach who got us to close our eyes and improve our posture when faced with a 'shock' situation. After extending my arms and hitting the bloke next to me, I realised it was just like a yoga class which I could do in my own time. Next we had to look at characteristics of resilent people. At this point I realised I am resilence so why was I at training to help me become something I already was. So I left at the break...

Letter to my boys (sleep)

Dear my 3 beautiful boys,



You all need to sleep past 6.30am. If the baby wakes up, go back to sleep – you’ll be better behaved for it. Son 3, I know you’re a baby (well nearly a toddler) but can you go back to sleep at 5.30am – you wake up your brothers and then they are mean to you. When mummy doesn’t have enough sleep she is ditzy at work, cranky and not the best mummy in the world, this is what happens:

• Mummy forgets things, leaving the office without her mobile, work ID and straighteners still plugged in on her desk.
• She asks her colleague to meet with Maria and then 5 minutes later her colleague asks if its Maria she wants her to talk to, and mummy says “whose Maria”. Mummy’s colleagues do sometimes find her forgetfulness funny but I’m sure it will start to be annoying.
• Mummy is so tired she fell asleep standing up on the tube.
• Let’s not forget when you wake up too early this means that daddy is tired too.

So my little bundles of joy, if its dark when you wake up and you can’t hear us that means its too early. Sweet dreams.......
Love Mummy

Explaining death to a 4 year old

Yesterday in the car son 2 started quizzing me about death. I’d mentioned that our milkman had died and so it got him thinking. The questions went:

“Is Daddy going to die” No, don’t say that. “if Daddy dies, do I get a new daddy” me – No of course not (well unless Rupert Perry-Jones, guy out Spooks comes calling!). This then went onto a very confusing conversation about hubbie’s Stepdad not being his real Dad as his Dad had died. This obviously really confused him, next question: “So when is Daddy’s Daddy coming to see us” me – he can’t as he’s dead. “So where is he”. Now, big philosophical discussion on my part about heaven and where some people believe it is etc (a bit like my mantra on feminimism to my 3 boys and how women can do anything a man can). Then, 5 minutes later “So Daddy’s dead then” me – No he’s at work. “Is he dead but coming home later” me – no, he’s not dead (getting annoyed now) he’s at work and will be home at bedtime. “Is daddy dead?” me – no the milkman is dead. How I wish I never started that conversation!!

Swimming instructor

Had another incident at the gym the other night. I was coming out of the changing rooms and bumped into the kids swimming instructor who I only ever see in his wetsuit at their swimming lessons. So at first I didn't recognise him I then realised who he was and said "I didn't recognise you with your clothes on". Omigod, how does that sound? Now, to make matters worse he's a bit of a hottie, all the mums instead of watching their little ones swimming tend to eye him up in his wetsuit, wishing they were going home with him rather than to their husbands / partners. So when I was finishing my workout, I saw that he was having a swim and wanted to see him in his swimming trunks his swimming but he caught me having a good look through the glass bit into the swimming pool, again how embarrassing!

Birthday cake

Happy Birthday to my beautiful son 2 who is now 4 years old. We had the children’s party on Friday at the gym where they do everything except the cake. He’s been insisting on a pirate birthday cake for ages, the pirate obbession has now been going on for 2 years. So as unorganised as usual, got to few days before the party and thought I could order a cake for a couple of days time from Waitrose. But no, needed 7 days notice and the computer said no. So I realised I would have to end up making the cake, now I don’t do any mummy baking stuff so this was all a bit of a traumatic for me. Ordered the rolled out icing and bought the cake and copied a cake design off the internet. It took ages and nearly did it all myself but hubbie did the skull and crossbones (still looked like a beetle though). I was quite impressed with myself but other mums didn’t seems so impressed.

The family birthday party was today which was lovely but I’m now upset because my cbeebies card for son 2 was not shown. I can’t believe he’s now 4 and will be starting school this year. How time flies!

Family photo shoot

After planning to have a family photo session for ages we finally got around to it today. I wanted to get some photos of the 3 boys together, I had planned to do it once the baby could sit up (he's now walking / running) and before son 1's teeth start falling out as gaps in teeth don't work well in photos. I'm so vain on behalf of my children! with son 3 I used photoshop to take out his milk spots out of his newborn photos.

So, this morning after massive arguments with son 2 over the new bright coloured tops I'd bought them to wear and being 10 mins late we finally got there with both me and hubbie already frazzled with the stress of son 2's almighty will. It then started ok son 1 and son 2 were quite cute playing with balloons but son 3 (the baby) wasn't in the best mood so it was difficult to get them all looking at the camera at the same time without hands or legs in the way and without the baby crying. Then when it was time for all 5 of us to have our photo my hair ended up all over my face, so click click trying to hold baby up with a smile on his face whilst trying to flick my hair out of my face. The photographer must have though I had a twitch.

It all then started to go wrong when son 1 and son 2 started getting bored, throwing balls everywhere, hurting each other (me - "can those scratch marks be photoshopped out?) and baby just crying every time his brothers tried to hold onto him. I forget how raucous 3 boys together are, I must just tune out but for someone who doesn't have lots of boys it must be mayhem.

At the end my ditzy brain had remembered to bring a cheque to pay but the poor women had to ask for her money as usual I forget and didn't hand it over. I can't remember if that was before or after the photographer how said how well behaved they were so we would pay her, I thought she meant it until hubbie pointed out she was being polite. Anyone else had fun with photo shoots and kids?

Coffee

I was tired this morning and in a hurry to get to work so whilst waiting for the lift in the lobby of my office I couldn't keep my eyes of this women's cup of coffee in her hand. I then had a very strong urge to grab her coffee, push her over and run away. I really needed a coffee to wake up and a nice hot coffee that I hadn't made or paid for!! However, there were a few obstacles.

I didn't think it would go down too well in the lobby of Westminster City Hall if I robbed a women's coffee, plus to get away I would have to run up 10 flights of stairs which would have been hard. So instead, fought my urge and made a horrible instant coffee instead. How I love my little daydreams.

Dancing and kick boxing

I've managed to put on half a stone over xmas, its so unfair so I put on my new dance exercise DVD the other night.Its one of those 10 minute solution DVDs (which are good) but with all the dance moves I kept having to pause and rewind to learn the moves. Then have a practise before pressing play again, I found it so difficult and too quick. Where has my groove gone? God I'm such a middle-aged mum, fortunately no-one can see me trying to do the dancing / exercise (well I hope my neighbours can’t). Anyone else lost their groove since having kids?

I also made the mistake today of teaching son 1 and son 2 a few kick boxing moves. I did kick-boxing about 10 years ago (used to be my party trick until I hurt hubbie). I was trying to show them how to do it without hurting each other that doesn’t really work with a 6 and 4 year old. Oh dear need to think things through.

My 2010 highlights

Wow, what are year in 2010 I’ve had. My ditzy mummy highlights were:

• The padlock incident probably my most embarassing moment of 2010 Padlock post
• Bra incident 17th June post
• Confusing a contraception poster at the doctors with a 'kids look at the funny sausage poster) - 15th November post. I’ve also been to a few weird and wacky weddings: a dry wedding (the shock!); a wedding in a wood (31st August); and my gorgeous friend Onelia’s wedding (30th October).
• Really not recognising local sportsmen celebrities (29th August).
• I went to LA for my friends wedding, without the kids which was heaven but still managed to have a few ditzy moments (19th September).
• I've had a knee operation finally so I can carry on running (6th July).
• Learnt that I'm not really cut out to be a full time mummy, I just don't have the creativity (31st August).
• I went back to work after a year off with son 3 and have had some interesting moment in the past 3 months being back at work (27th September 5th November).
• My gorgeous boys have all had major milestones this year. Son 1 turned six and is now reading fluently so I obviously think he's a genius. Son 2 is a slightly less 'strong willed' (stroppy) child (see 11th July post) but still asks interesting questions (see 2nd September post) and has now started nursery school. Son 3 (the baby) has learnt to walk, feed himself, say some words and of course have tantrums, of course he is the cutest 'wobbler' in the world who as the youngest can do no wrong in my eyes. 
• And of course, I've started this blog so make my 2011 and become a follower.