Pingu, pine cones and stinky feet

It's a relatively late start today with everyone staying in their own beds until 8am and although I know that there will be parents around the world who have already completed half of their daily tasks by then, I still can't help but feel cheated. Mainly because Daddy is still in bed, again! I don't know why it is a given that unless it is a special occasion or I am bed bound then it is my job to get up with the children. I'd love to do as Maisy Middleton's mum does and just push Daddy out of bed however a tired Daddy = grumpy Daddy so instead I've dragged myself from the bed and finally made it to the sofa!

(BTW if you haven't read this to your little ones it's well worth the purchase. Our copy is over 20 years old and is still going strong!)

So instead I am sitting on the sofa watching Pingu with 2 little feet in my face attached to a cheeky 2 year old shouting 'tickle my feet, tickle my feet, tickle my feet' This might be made a little cuter if he was actually wearing some form of underwear!

The other little person is demanding breakfast (in a very polite voice in all fairness) and all I want to do is cry as I must have woken up with a pine cone lodged in my throat. I don't know how it got there (and quite frankly I don't want to know) but it's there and it's bloody hurting!!!!

Maybe it's time to wake up Daddy and demand that he looks after me as surely having a pine cone stuck in your throat is a serious medical condition.

I much interrupt my feeling sorry for myself rant as the biggest little person has just asked me a question which has left me a little perplexed:

S: Mummy do you know what rabbits eat?

Me: I don't do you?

S: Yes, they eat birds and boobs

Me: Birds and BOOBS?

S: Yes, birds and boobs (she then starts to laugh hysterically)

How does a 3 year old even know that boobs is a funny word! She honestly thinks that she is hilarious. I'm going to blame Cbeebies as there is no way that we have taught her such smutty humour. I always knew that there something a bit sinister about Show Me Show Me!! I mean how can they really be that happy all of the time?!

Disclaimer: CBeebies is a wonderful channel which we watch most days and Show Me Show Me is not only educational but it is also great fun. Well done BBC! Phew, thought I'd better get that in there!

So the time has come where I really should go and sort out some breakfast. S is chanting 'please can we have some cereal, please can we have some cereal' which means anything other then Weetabix. Cereal has been promoted in our house to special treat status. S & T only get cereal when they have been really good. I know many will think that this is cruel but it's so lovely so see how excited they get over a bowl of Cornflakes, stick in a few blueberries and they think it's Christmas. They're very easily pleased :)

Once the birds have been fed I am most definitely off to raid the medicine box as there is nothing at all pretty about a Mummy feeling sorry for herself!

After party update...

Well we've just arrived home after our New Year's eve eve party and I thought I'd give you a little update. The kids are sound asleep and Mr Blueswing has gone straight to bed, trying to recover from last nights very heavy night with the boys!

What a wonderful evening we've had! Picture 9 children aged 1-8 running around, laughing, chasing, shouting, crying, playing, eating, messing and generally having a great time. Well that is exactly what we have just had for the last 4 hours. It was perfect!!!

Thankfully the Mr was feeling a tad tender and couldn't face a drink so I managed to have a cheeky red wine with a lovely cup of tea in-between (a definite sign of getting old)

So here I am sitting on the sofa with a full tummy and a rosy glow to my cheeks looking forward to my bed. Sending a big thank you to our fabulous hosts and luckily we get to do it all over again tomorrow, happy days :)

New Year's eve eve

Today our little family will be attending the first of 2 New Year parties (not sure how this has come about but we are)

Over the course of the last 5 years the impact that New Year's eve has our lives has changed dramatically. No longer do I rush to the shops searching out that perfect dress that'll wow everyone and set up the New Year nicely. No longer do I talk about New Year for an entire week and plan the evening with meticulous attention in the vain hope that I manage to see everyone who is important to me. No longer do I buy ridiculous amounts of alcohol including those bottles which I don't drink namely brandy, whiskey and gin just because it's New Year and I feel like I should. No, instead I throw on anything that I have in my wardrobe, preferably something warm and that sexy word - cosy! I then have to pack a bag for the children, again warm, cosy clothes, an extra change of clothes, zillions of pants and socks, coats (as you never know when they'll end up in the garden) and then of course jarmies so that if they do fall asleep it isn't a total nightmare. Then really we should stick toothbrushes in there so that we can actually brush all of the sugar away that they will have been fed over the course of the evening! Or do we accept that it's New Year's eve and the other kids are likely to have their teeth brushed, one night won't do them any harm, or will it? No the guilt of the possibility of life long bad teeth with ensure that the toothbrushes are also packed.

So now that we're all sorted in terms of what we're taking we now have to decide how we're getting there! Again something we wouldn't even consider when we were young and fun. No, it was a taxi all of the way, absolutely no discussion. Children however change all of this and as this evening's party is a 20 minute drive either myself or Mr Blueswing will have to drive. Dumdumdum!!!!! So how do we decide who pulls the short straw. Well, technically all of the other families there tonight are Mr Blueswing's friends, old school friends, his best buds so in his book that would make it only fair for him to have beers with his mates and so naturally Mummy will be on the water!

The great thing about tomorrow evening's party is that we can walk there and back so both can enjoy a cheeky tipple and as long as it isn't absolutely pouring with rain have a very pleasant (romantic even) stroll home seeing in the New Year together with our little people. Of course we'll be walking past party girls and boys heading off to wild events in their wow dresses and yes I will have a moment of envy. Wanting to dash home, throw on my glad rags and dance the night away. That thought will quickly be chased away by the lure of my lovely warm bed and my fluffy jarmies, much to Mr Blueswing's despair. I already know that even with the best of intentions to see the New Year in at the party with all of our friends we will be listening to Big Ben's chimes in bed, commenting on how extravagant the fireworks are considering the "current economic climate' and being thankful that we aren't queuing to get into a hideous bar at 12am only to then feel the need to kiss a bucketful of strangers.

So yes, times have changed and although we don't have the freedom to go from party to pub, back to house party and home at 5am, I really couldn't think of a better way to spend New Year's eve then with my fabulous little family (apologies Daddy if you've read this and it makes you feel a little sick from the soppiness)

So here's wishing you all a wonderful New Year whether you're hitting the tiles, hibernating for the evening and everything in between.

Who knows what 2012 is going to bring, hopefully much of the same for us.

Happy New Year everyone, enjoy xxx