Well, sort of, as we are taking a little holiday in search of Summer sunshine before September, pre-school, Autumn and a return to work finds us. 

I wanted to share this gem of an activity my father discovered.  My Lil’ H has had the most fantastic afternoon with his Grandpa at Danebridge Fisheries - I can tell you no more as I didn’t go but there are full details on their website and you can hire everything. 

I do know I have five rainbow trout, one uber tired and incredibly happy little boy returned home – apologies for the camera pics. 

I love my little boy doing boy things with his Grandpa or Daddy.  I hadn’t heard of Danebridge Fisheries before but H will back sooner rather than later and I wanted to share before the School Summer Holidays draw to a close. 

Back soon – missing you already!

Claire x

When the lovely people at Clarks offered me a voucher for Clarks shoes I can’t lie I was chuffed!  Really chuffed!  There are times when it feels like shoeing a working shire horse would be cheaper than my semi-pro-micro-scooting 3 year old son.  He rarely grows out of his shoes as grind through them using them as a brake to stop his high speed maneuvers! 

I always make sure H has his shoes properly fitted, its something instilled in me from being a child, my mum always had my shoes properly fitted and I now do the same for my children.  I made those ten tiny toes on H’s feet and I’d like them to grow how they are meant to so whilst the rate of shoe consumption is high due to the Y chromosome and its need for speed, or rather need to brake, a cheaper alternative is not an option.  I made the toes which are still forming the bones and will continue to do so right through til H is in his teens so til then I own those toes!

I wanted H to have some new shoes to start his new pre-school and also for our hols at the beginning of September, our requirements velcro fastenings (hoping one day he will do it himself!) and a tough toe / braking zone!  I know Clarks can order anything in and they arrive in store within a week I’d had a browse online but luckily for us they had all the styles in H’s size – result!  My heart did sink as I took a ticket seeing that there were five ahead of us but the reality was we were seen, measured, fitted and paying within 20 minutes.  I must thank the super lovely Janine who fitted H.  Clarks have gone all 21st Century with a 3D laser measuring machine which I love and also a Facebook page!  That said I still have a soft spot for the old school manual foot tape measure/slide, there is something weirdly nostalgic about it!

Clarks’s Mud Mover which he can be seen wearing above, fitted the best which was lucky as these were his favourites mainly due to the digger on the velcro fastening.  The old pair were added to the recycling bin which will donate a pencil and exercise book for a child in a developing country which means they didn’t come home and I didn’t hang onto them “just in case” like I have done with so many other pairs – why?  Why I do this I have no idea!

I have a second pair of feet belonging to Baby G soon requiring shoes, she’s not quite there yet on the walking front but not far away, so Baby G will be next down to Clarks sometimes between now and Christmas I expect for her first shoes.  So what do you think?  Is the school shoe run a pain or a pleasure in your home?  Do you too keep grown out of shoes “just in case”?  Come on over and share your thoughts.

This is an open invite to all and any mummy, daddy, blogging, twitterers…

Having met up with many bloggers across the last year or so, without exception this has been with my lovely kids.  Myself and Amy felt it was about time we made a plan to get out without the children and with some wine instead!  This we are calling a #twineup we’ll grab a bite to eat, drink some wine and put the world to rights for a couple of hours! 

Date & Time:  Thursday 30th September 2010, 8pm

Where:  Sweet Mandarin 19 Copperas Street, Manchester, M4 1HS

RSVP:  Please do let me know so I can confirm numbers
By comment below, email lancaster.claire@gmail.com or DM to @Cheshire_Claire

My Summer Solo Mummy stint is drawing to a close, not quite over, as Mr returned home last night although its just for the weekend.  I have a final additional week to go but 35 days on my own with H & G, we are all still alive and actually a very close unit of three.  It is going to take some re-adjusting back to being a quartet again! 

I can’t lie, I felt pretty sorry for myself in the beginning.  I felt quite overwhelmed at first and I would look at my friends and think “It’s alright for you, your husband comes home at night”, ”It’s alright for you, your husband is around at the weekend” etc.  Then I had my first reality check when someone said to me “It’s alright for you, your mum and dad are always willing to help you”.  It’s true, my family live 15 minutes down the road and love being with their grandchildren, the grass is always greener! 

When I stopped and thought about I could think of loads that could be thrown in my direction “It’s alright for you …”  

• You have family close by & willing to help
• You don’t have to work full time
• You only have two children
• You don’t have twins
• You don’t have a newborn baby
• You get to go on holiday in September
• You didn’t have to go back to work after 6 weeks
• You don’t have post natal depression
• Your children have their own bedrooms
• You have a garden
• You have a car

Then I had my second reality check, I read about the #Blogladesh trip Sian (@MummyTips), Eva (@nixdminx) and Josie (@porridgebrain) will be travelling to Bangladesh with Save the Children Fund to highlight the work they are doing in line with the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. 

Bottom line is, IT’S ALRIGHT FOR ALL OF US, we’re incredibly lucky, FULL STOP.

• It’s alright for me because I don’t have to live on 64p a day
• It’s alright for me because my children won’t be used as child labour
• It’s alright for me because my home is secure
• It’s alright for me because I have food in the cupboards
• It’s alright for me because I have access to medecine & maternity care
• It’s alright for me because my children will go to school & be educated
• It’s alright for me because my children don’t live on the streets

PLEASE Support Now!

• Like me you can add the Blogladesh support badge to your site. You will find the code here.
• If you’re on Twitter & Facebook get your #Blogladesh Twibbon here
• Please, please sign our petition - it’s a Facebook app, sign up & support the cause.
• You can blog about the issues and the Bloggers trip, remember to add your post to the linky here
• Follow the ladies themselves on twitter, @porridgebrain @nixdminx @mummytips
• Follow their blogs if you dont already.  This is where all of the action will be taking place when they are away. Josie is at Sleep is for the Weak, Eva is at Nixdminx and Sian is at Mummy Tips. 
• There is also another very special lady with us in Bangladesh and that is Liz Scarff. She’s the mastermind behind our trip and she’s a totally awesome photographer who is going to keep us all on our toes. You can follow things from her side on her blog at Liz Scarff and on Twitter @Lizscarff.

Dear Baby G,

You are 42 weeks old (10 months in “old money”) its a big milestone for me as you have now been out in the big wide world as long as you were on the inside when it was just you and me. 

Your hair is blonde and showing signs of curls coming through, you have the most beautiful sparkly brown eyes and the best smile which now contains two bottom teeth and four top teeth.  You are such a happy, contented little soul, a very smiley and sometimes a bit of a giggly girl.  Your giggles are infectious and sets everyone off.  Everyone comments on your beautiful smile, my favourite is the first smile of the day in the morning when you are lying in your cot, its usual behind your thumb but I know its meant just for me and you hug me so tight and then get all giddy when I pick you up.

You are a tough and determined lady and know what you want but are very easy going with it.  You very rarely cry, people comment “I don’t think I’ve ever heard her cry”.  Of course you do cry but rarely without reason – the most common of which being your brother & his exuberant affections and teething. 

You are a very tactile girlie and have a true boxers reach, totally disproportional to your size at the end of which is what I can only describe as the ultimate grip – many underestimate how far you can reach and once you have whatever it is you are after then there will be absolutely no letting go!  You like holding my face, patting and stroking me when I am carrying you. 

Baby G you are a thumb sucker – you love and I mean truly, madly, deeply love, sucking your thumb (I am not keen on this at all but somehow you pull off cute doing it!), you love adventures in food and I love that you love this.  You are moving by bum shuffling but with small print, the small print being you must not bein wearing a dress, leggings only, must have no socks or shoes on and must be on a wooden floor or other slippy surface!  Crawling, standing and cruising are on the horizon and you are practising all the moves then that brother of yours had really better watch out!

Very soon it will be your first birthday which I really can’t fathom how time went that quickly so I shall take extra care to make sure I enjoy every single moment of every day with you as they are happening so fast.

You have made our family complete Baby G, in my world there is no better daughter, sister, grand-daughter, guide-daughter or neice.

I love you always,
Mummy x

Photo bottom left taken by www.russellcolmanphotography.com at the Face of SnugBaby competition shoot

EHIC?  What?  Yeah I’d never heard of it either!  It’s the artist formally known as the E111. 

EHIC is the European Health Insurance Card and if you are travelling inside the European Economic Area (EEA) you need it to access free or reduced-cost emergency treatment. 

We’re off to Majorca in September and having just read about holiday makers travel insurance not covering them in the absence of having a valid EHIC I have just applied for ours.  Its free and should arrive in seven days so I thought I’d post this reminder and the link www.ehic.org.uk all you need are the names, date of births and National Insurance No’s or NHS numbers of all family members.  Children and Babies NHS numbers are in the front of their “Red Books” but if you can’t find the kids don’t worry they can travel under the main applicants number. 

Don’t not do it people!  Hopefully no one has any experience and someone will find this useful?  Anything to add – do leave a comment I love to hear from people passing by my blog.

Claire x

So I am just back from a London weekend by train and I have a pile of things on my desk that I want to blog about so they are going in this post and my desk will be a whole lot clearer!

I have had the more lovely letter from Sam Pointon, Director of Fun at The National Railway Museum, which kind of inspired my decision to take the children to London by train rather than driving. H loved it, of course he did, kids love trains! I must mention that Sam (who in my opinion has the best job title going!) as Director of Fun is a mere 6 years old, bless him he sent me a stick of rock to enjoy while I had a browse through all the fantastic stuff going on at The National Railway Museum over Summer and beyond – I had no idea there was so much going on and most of it for free. This weekend is Wizard Weekend with the flying stars from the Harry Potter movie providing the entertainment – there is tonnes on right the way through to 5th September and beyond so head over to http://www.nrm.org.uk/summer and I bet you will no longer be wondering what to do with the kids for the rest of the Summer holidays.

I went to The Baby Show ages ago and met up with loads of lovely bloggers and tweeters. I bought Lil H this fab icecream/icelolly holder and it rocks! I just wanted to share it my readers as people have stopped me in the park three times now and asked me where I got it and right now there is 30%off over at www.lessmessproducts.co.uk and I shall be ordering some more as presents.

Back in May I went on a First Aid course specifically for parents of babies and children, best £34 I have ever spent whilst I hope I never need to use any of what I learnt I now feel prepared rather than scared. The course I attended is run by www.bumpsandbashes.com

A new childrens play … I’m going to say environment rather than centre as I think its more appropriate. Glo Family has opened in Cheadle. I took my munchkins down there to check it out as they were putting the finishing touches to it. I am looking forward to popping by and seeing it fully up and running, it’s certainly worth a visit.

We continue with our Baby Led Weaning approach as inspired by Nick at My Daddy Cooks who’s support has been fantastic, and by the way he has a book coming out soon! Baby G is a great little eater, cups and drinking she’s less great at – although I know it just a case of perseverance, the Baby Born Free Training cups we have been sent are great because she can’t pour the contents all over the place as much as she does enjoy a good splash! I’m changing her highchair and will be reviewing the new Cosatto Yumi very soon – think Trip Trap but for more like £80 – if you’re after a wooden highchair I can’t think why you wouldn’t check it out. My Lil H has been as bad an eater as Baby G is a great eater but so much better for being involved in shopping and cooking the food, the guys at Little Peoples Plate wrote to me about their new site www.littlepeoplesplates.co.uk it’s all about helping parents feed their toddlers a healthy diet, it had some useful reminders on there and they have just launched a new resource called ‘Ten Steps for healthy Toddlers’.

Baby G now has teeth! Two bottom and four top teeth to be precise and the rest of them seem to be “in progress” we are testing a number of different teething and feeding products that Nuby have sent her, the Bug A Loop and IcyBite Keys are particularly popular!

Baby is G is working her way through teethers and Lil H is working his way through shoes, we are due a re-measure and new shoes for school and Baby G won’t be far behind with her first pair I expect as H was up on his feet by one year old. The lovely people at Clarks have sent me a voucher towards some shoes so I am going to be off to get H measured before holidays, then order the styles I want online, have them delivered and fitted in store – its great service. They have some great boys and girls styles and a big aw to the first shoes.

In other news locally there is a new womens clothes store opening, BlackWhiteDenim, given that is pretty much my wardrobe I am intrigued to see what’s going to be on offer and working hard to lose the baby weight to fit in it!

This week I am hoping to go for my second viewing of Toy Story 3. I was given tickets to one of the regional previews just before its release and it was nothing short of brilliant in my opinion and I am not surprised to see that it has rocketed into the history books to become the UK’s highest grossing animated movie of all time in just three weeks since its release, the movie has passed the previous record holder, ‘Shrek 2’, with four weeks of summer holidays still to go! If you haven’t been yet I’d totally recommend it.

So three weeks down and at least two more solo weeks to go – I love a clicky post – leave me a comment and let me know if if you liked this one or leave a link if you have posts with stuff you recommend too.

Claire x

P.s. This next link is one that of you are only going to click one, click this one – http://bit.ly/aQRRlV its the link to sign a petition for The Body Shop’s “Stop Sex Trafficking of Children and Young People” campaign. The petition calls for the UK Government to offer safety and wellbeing to young victims of trafficking launches specifically calling for greater care and protection to child victims of trafficking by ensuring every child is provided with a guardian to look after them. One last time Here is the link to sign up to the petition http://bit.ly/aQRRlV

The weather, amongst many other things, is conspiring against me. Although yesterday we managed to be outside most of the day.

A trip to Bruntwood Park and a picnic under the trees filled the morning. In the afternoon we had a playdate. H and his girl buddy B who is a year his senior discovered some left over mosaic glass tiles from last years bathroom refit, through 3 & 4 year old these were “treasure” sparkly coloured treasure which was to be hidden & found in an Easter Egg Esque Hunt.

They had an absolute blast & played this for ages, would’ve carried on longer had tea time not come around. Today’s lesson learnt was “Egg” Hunts aren’t just for Easter!

Mr L is working in London village for 5 weeks including weekends, pre-school is out leaving me solo with Lil H and Baby G. The first three days went pretty well, a planned combination of holiday classes, play dates and activities. Day four following a bad night with Baby G of no defined cause so I’m blaming teeth, but of course! The day started early due to a massive storm/downpour just before 6am which woke all of us. Lancaster 0, Rest of the world 1.

So mother nature took the first shot and the day went downhill from there. I then downloaded the photos of H’s sports day. This I did but my attempt to copy them on to DVD saw them disappear a matter of seconds after I had deleted them from the camera. Lancaster 0, Rest of the world 2, Swear words several.

Agitated, frustrated, cross about the pics our day continued pretty uneventfully. I was looking forward to the pre-school mums end of year soirée. Here comes the finale.

Rushing to get out the door on time I went to iron my favourite White top on the bedroom floor faster than getting the ironing board. Mistake, big mistake. I ironed across my shirt and the carpet not realising I’d first ironed across the black plastic cable of my hair straighteners.

Day four began too early and ended with no sports day photos, my top – ruined, bedroom carpet – ruined, hair straighteners – history, iron – in the bin! Lancaster 0, Rest of the world 6, Swear words – hundreds, wine consumed – excessive!

We all have days like this right?! Please lie to me if not it will make me feel better!

I don’t often get to many blog events. The juggle with being a working mum between nursery runs, childcare with Lil H and Baby G is still so little makes it tricky, however last week the lovely people at Warburtons and Clarion Communications hosted a coffee morning at the Manchester Museum – snacks and Dinosaurs – all the ingredients for a great morning out.Apart from having great names let me tell you some more about ChippidyDooDaa Pitta Chips and SnackaDoodle wholegrain snacks. I can’t think of a comparison to draw to explain what ChippidyDooDaa Pitta Chips are like, tortilla-esque so great for dipping but a lower fat choice as they’re twice baked rather than fried. The three flavours Mature Cheese & Spring Onion, Chilli Jack and Sea Salt & Malt Vinegar are mouthwateringly distinct (nothing worse than a snack you can’t tell the flavour of!). My personal favourite was the Sea Salt & Malt Vinegar.SnackaDoodle snacks are not dissimilar to bite sized rice cakes but crunchier and with only 84 calories per 20g bag a good choice for the dieters snack attack! Sadly Mr L & I have eaten our samples but they are arriving on shop shelves as I type. For more information or to order some savoury deliciousness visit www.warburtonssnacks.co.uk

I also got to meet up with my best mummy blogging mate Amy from and 1 more means four … and 1 more, I finally met for the first time the lovely Sandy Calico from Baby Baby, Amy and Sandy gave me the lowdown on what I missed at Cybermummy due to our Cornish staycation. I also met skybluesea, adventures of a sleepless toddler, AandEMummy Daisy Davies and other lovely ladies.

A big thank you to Warburtons and Clarion Communications for a great Blog event & letting this mummy sit down drink coffee, munch on yummy snacks & chat with my blogging buddies!