Children and vegetables

All of my 3 sons are fairly fussy eaters and its only now that son 1 (aged 6 years) is starting to eat vegetables. Fruit they like as along as its not too sharp or bitter. I've tried several ways suggested by the numerous children's healthy recipe books but too no avail. They all ate them when they were pureed but vegetables are shunned now they're not babies. I have even tried hiding vegetables in tomato pasta sauce but with all the effort of cooking and pureeing to 'hide' them they were still found and their cute button noses turned up at the pasta. So, imagine my delight when I discovered vegetable crisps as a way to get son 3 (aka the baby) to eat vegetables. I thought I was being so clever as he's such a crisp monster (I know he shouldn't be having crisps at the age of 17 months). Then hubbie pointed out that as they're deep fried they are just like eating 'normal' crisps as all the nutrients from the vegetables have gone. I actually cried out 'no' in slow motion when he revealed this nugget of information. I thought I was being so creative as I'm sure they're healthier than potato crisps aren't they???????? It must be genetic as I would never eat vegetables as a child, its was only in my middle 20s after being a vegetarian for 6 years that I started eating vegetables (yes even as a veggie I didn't eat vegetables). Many times my mum wouldn't let me down from the tables until my vegetables were eaten and I would just sit, sit, sit for hours.

London Zoo and snakes

As its half term I decided to take the boys to London Zoo as son 1 and I are members, they don't charge for under 3s so I have to pretend that son 2 who is 4 years old (and looks it) is under 3. I had to persuade him to sit in the bottom bit of the phil and ted pram so he doesn't look 2 years older than he's meant to be. It took a bit of bribery by promising he could keep the map of London Zoo if he got in the pram (he doesn't realise the maps are free!!!). We had a lovely time looking around all the animal enclosures, only lost the baby once (people are so nice pointing out that he's walking / running out of the bird enclosure). Then son 1 insisted that we had to go in the reptile house, now I have the worse phobia of snakes. I can't even look at a photo and I avoid countries that have snakes wandering around (yes its that bad). After much pleading with me, I took them into the reptile house. I must have looked such a freak, tip toeing down the middle of the reptile house clutching onto the pram, looking at the floor whilst my sons thought it was hilarious to point out where all the snakes were as I screamed when I saw a snake. By the way if your kids likes reptiles there were tons, and they weren't just lying still they were slithering around. I would have never have gone in there before having children, so tonight I have been a good mum today by facing my phobias to entertain my boys.. PS I would have put a photo of a snake but I really don't like them. So here is a harmless photo of a giraffe.

Parents evening

Hubbie and I both went to parent 's evening for son 1 and son 2, between us we had a pre-meeting as we have major issues with son 1's teacher. Well I say pre-meeting, hubbie told me not to lose my temper and we decided what we wanted to ask / say / get annoyed with...So after sitting down on the smallest plastic chairs in the world (why do they do that??) we had our meeting with son 1's teacher (he's in Year 1) and then met with son 2's nursery teacher. She started by talking about his learning etc, and then I asked how his behaviour had been. She said "well to be honest" and then paused, hubbie and I both took an intake of breath / leant forward waiting for her to say that he was strong-willed, never listened and could be a bit naughty. But, she said "me and the other teachers have had no problems with him he's a delight to have in the nursery". Hubbie asked seriously, "are you talking about the right child, our son is Eden". Never been quite so shocked that my son must have a split personality, maybe she still was talking about the wrong child. See previous posts about his strong-willed traits:
http://diaryofditzymummy.blogspot.com/2010/07/strong-willed-toddler.html
http://diaryofditzymummy.blogspot.com/2010/07/leeds-mama-friend.html

Texts

I have a major problem with mobile phones and texts. Recently I had to have a lesson from friends on putting kisses after messages, it went "your text are rather short and to the point", "well I don't know what I'm meant to put at the end and my new blackberry doesn't recognise lol in predictor text". So my friends gave me a short lesson on when I should put kisses and how many (apparently not on texts to colleagues or mums from the school). I also have lost many phones so my mobile numbers get lost until the person texts me on my new phone. Yesterday I received a text from an unknown number, the message from Sue was asking if I wanted to go out with Year 1 mums. Now not sure who Sue is, I never remember other mums names as I'm usually judging  considering the names of their children. Now I'm not sure whether to reply back say yes, turn up to the evening and get a pleasant surprise when I realise who Sue is ! Or do I ignore and hope the said mum asks if I got her text. What shall I do????

I have just been watching an ITV programme about ageism in the TV industry (presented my Miriam O'Reilly who sued the BBC for age discrimination) and started thinking about my own views of older people presenting on TV. One guilty pleasure I have is that I love Loose Women, I find it v.amusing but also thought provoking but what I love the most is the age diversity of the women on the panel (well not much ethnic minority diversity but that's another blog). Now I haven't thought about this before but their variety of ages brings different perspectives and experiences to the discussions they have. I don't want to see a 21 year old blonde women presenting a programme that I watch, as I can't relate to her. I want to see someone with experience of life and the world who can represent wisdom not someone who looks good and represents youth. I think the BBC got it really wrong when they sack older female presenters for younger "fresher" versions. My own bias of age I do have to question regularly, and make sure I don't act upon them. Particularly if someone younger than me at work expresses a view or goes for a job more senior than me I do question whether their age could be a barrier to them doing their job well. The women who covered my maternity leave is 8 years younger than me which made me question whether she was too young or whether she had made more progression in her career. Well, 3 maternity leaves in 6 years doesn't really bode well with promotions. My message to TV companies is that 16-24 year olds are not the ones with money or influence, TV companies should reflect the demographics of those who are more influential who buy the products they are advertising. Come on the oldies!!! Have you experience ageism.

Disco Bird table

This is what happened when I give son 1 and son 2 chalk to play in the garden and left them with their Dad. Apparently this is a disco table for the birds and squirrels now. I like their creativity not sure the birds agree though!!

7 things you didn't know about me

I’ve been tagged by Hello its Gemma  to share 7 things you didn’t know about me. Pop over there and read hers http://helloitsgemma.wordpress.com/author/helloitsgemma/page/2/
1. I am a trained Beauty Therapist but haven't practicised since I was 22 as I was the worst beauty therapist in the world. I once was doing a Guint facial and 'forgot' to turn on the machine whilst rolling the metal rollers over the clients' face. Whoops, had to make a pingy noise to pretend the machine had finished.
2. I was on Blue Peter when I was 10 with my cat who got lost in the ceiling of the BBC Centre and then bit Sarah Greene live on air.
3. I hate camping, I spent the summer of 1992 island hopping around the Greek Islands and could only cope with camping for 2 nights maximum without giving in and getting a room instead. Even though I had no money for food I could not cope with camping. When people mention they are going camping with their kids I don't understand why!!!!
4. I reached Grade 8 on the flute when I was 15, started my teachers qualification to teach the flute but haven't played in over 20 years. Its on my too do list....
5. Me and my husband once went drinking all night with Dev from Coronation Street and another actor whose name I can't remember, we ended up drinking coffee in Soho at 6 in the morning.
6. At my hubbie's work do in Birmingham (when he was my boyfriend) we had an argument at the hotel where we were staying. So I threw his clothes in the hotel corridor but the door shut behind me locking me out of the room, I was in my pyjamas. I had to go down to the reception to get another card for the room whilst all my hubbie's work friends were sitting in the reception staring at me strangely (I had only just met them that day and he had only just started his job).
7. I can touch my nose with my tongue, strangely my Dad can do the same trick but none of my boys can (well haven't asked the baby yet).
I have tagged the following  bloggers who make me laugh and are thought provoking:
http://superamazingmum.blogspot.com/
http://stumblingmummy.blogspot.com/
http://www.notanottinghillmum.co.uk/Not_a_Notting_Hill_Mum/Not_a_Notting_Hill_Mum_Home.html
http://www.mama-andmore.com/
http://honestmum.com/

Stuck

My lovely friend sent my some warehouse vouchers as a thank you for passing on loads of baby stuff. So at work popped over to shops to try on some dresses with my vouchers, picked up a few and went to try them on. This is where my problems began, with the size 10 I couldn't get it over my chest and got stuck with the dress on my head, went a bit red but managed to get it off. Then with the size 12, I managed to get the zip up but couldn't get it down, I was trying to reach my arm over and down my back but no luck and then reach my arm up to get the zip down but still stuck....I couldn't figure out how to get the dress off without ripping it off. 10 minutes later I was actually starting to really panic now as I could not get the zip to budge. Just as I was calling my colleague to come and rescue me I heard the assistant in the changing rooms and embarassingly had to ask for her to undo the zip. Why is it so traumatic trying on clothes????? 

Relay race

It often feels like me and hubbie act as a tag team when it comes to looking after the kids. On a saturday was particular crazy morning, as we both try to get to the gym a few times a week it often ends up the weekend is the only time we can both go. So, on saturday I decided we should be organised. Sent hubbie off to gym at 8.30am (it really should open earlier - would have never had said that before kids), then had to meet him at a bday party to drop off son 2's at 10.30 so I go to the gym and hubbie could take son 1 and son 3 to football. I then realised I'd raced off without living a telephone number with the party mummy at the bday party (most 4 year olds don't get left at bday parties without their mummy's). We then had to meet back at 12.30 to gather together as a tribe for lunch. It feels like a relay race....We actually had a lovely lunch at a local pub, obviously spent too much on food they didn't eat but no tantrums or tears.