My Creative Space: Witchy Woman Tea Cosy meets Scotsman

Remember my mad client who is married to a Scotsman?  She loved the kilt-apron and chef's hat so much she requested a matching tea cosy for him... and one with a witch on a broomstick for herself! 

What a wicked sense of humour she has. 
Oh, and speaking of, this very same witchy woman saw me yesterday morning and predicted the baby to arrive within a few days.  At 37 weeks, I'm not sure whether to question the quality of her 'eye of newt' or to finish packing my hospital bag!

Thanks again Kirsty for hosting My Creative Space.

How to stop yelling at your kids

Pic courtesy of Muhawi001

I've realised lately that all Mums yell at their kids, or have wanted to at some stage.  It's being talked about amongst my friends, at playgroup, in the shop and being blogged about.  I'm as guilty as the next person when it comes to yelling.  We often feel infuriated, stressed, rushed, exasperated, frustrated and many other things when our children don't behave the way we want them to, when they flat out ignore us, defy our requests, make unreasonable demands, take far too long to put a pair of shoes on.....  I've noticed something funny though.  My Toddler Cuggle is so often a well behaved little angel on a Friday.  

Fridays are the only day of the week I don't have hard and fast plans.  No strict schedule, no 'hurry up', 'quickly', 'we're going to be late', 'where have your shoes gone?'.  Fridays are protected with my life as a No Rules Day.  Sometimes we have baking days so we have something warm from the oven for our morning and afternoon tea, sometimes we stay in our jarmies and allow the TV to go on for extended Wiggles watching; sometimes we go to the park or we make play dates or Toddler just runs around in the back yard while I potter around hanging washing and just doing normal things.    Sometimes we have to run errands, but whatever we do I keep it casual and I try to make my little girl the focus.  I ask her what she wants to do/wear/eat and take the attitude that it doesn't matter how long anything takes.  These are the days where I really appreciate my child's budding personality, her jokes, her quirks, her ability to be so sweet and considerate.  I get lots of spontaneous cuggles and kisses that are usually only reserved for Daddy.  (He's the stereotypical fun one). 

I know I'm among the lucky ones to have the luxury of an entire day like this most weeks and I'm sure things won't be so easy once the 2nd one arrives in August.  It wouldn't be reasonable to allow 'no rules' days too often either, our kids might end up with rotten teeth or square eyes.  We'd be late for work, they'd be late for kindy or school and everyone would be cranky from not being fed on time and not being able to find anything in a very messy house.  

The moral of the story though - if we can find a little bit of time here and there to focus on the child/children and not on the clock, we might all feel a bit calmer and happier, and less like a psycho-mother like I do sometimes.

Not that I'm any expert but this Dr Cuggle also recommends a damn good cuppa tea when all else fails.  : )

Using Beautiful Things

This was my Great Grandmother's green and white spot jug.  I got it because I love it, I've had it for years, carefully packed and moved to different houses and States, waiting until I felt I was a grown up, with a grown up house in and a grown up life so I would feel justified using it. 

Well, don't know about being grown up, but hubby and I are in our mid-thirties, with a toddler, a baby bump a dog and a mortgage.  So, the dust was rinsed off and some fresh and beautiful smelling lavender and pretty looking (but funny smelling) flowers now occupy the jug.  It is in our bathroom to be admired every time someone goes in or out.  It's been said before but the simple things really do bring the most pleasure.

Do you have any treasured items like this you love to use?

Is it that time?  I'm off to pop the kettle on and contemplate what other beautiful things can come out of hiding around here.

PS.  One day I'll figure out some photography basics, the picture really doesn't do justice to the true colours.

Another Cuggle in the Oven

Yep I'm pregnant again.  : )

This little Cuggle is due mid August.  We're waiting until baby is born to know if it will be a little brother or sister for Toddler Cuggles.

I've been very lucky and have felt really well throughout the first trimester - just incredibly tired.  We're at 20 weeks now and I have much more energy back.  I find myself spending ALL of it each day as I know there's not long to go before the tiredness will return, and then there will be a new baby to love.  

xxx Mummy Cuggles.

Kicking and Screaming

Not Toddler... me.  Kicking and screaming I've ended the boycott and finally joined facebook!  No idea what I'm doing but have somehow managed to create a fan page and link it to this blog, and seem to be a fan of myself!  Hmm, modest.  Gawd, this calls for a middle of the day cuppsy. 

Thanking Mr Wonderful

How do you thank a beautiful husband?  Hubby Cuggles has been coming home from work, cooking dinner, cleaning up the kitchen, washing the clothes, tidying the house, keeping up the house cleaning, attending to Toddler Cuggles when she wakes in the night, and falling into bed, exhausted, at midnight.  That's usually just when I ask for a drink of water.  In the morning he gets up, empties bins, puts more washing out, makes all our breakfast and changes Toddler Cuggles nappy before having his shower, ironing his shirt and hopefully getting to work on time.

Yes, we have had lots of help from friends.  Yesterday the girls changed all the sheets, put another load of washing on, hung more washing out and made all the food and drinks for the day.  When Hubby Cuggles got home there was a little less to do, but still it must seem never ending to him.  I know how to thank the girls, but how do you thank the Man in your life?  I have written him a love note which I will tie to the dog's collar so when she wags her tail and runs out to greet him tonight he'll receive my letter via puppy post.

When I can drive again I'll go out and get him a present or organise a baby sitter and take him out to dinner or something. 

Tell you what though Mum's, I know it's been questioned many times before but doesn't it make you think (again) about how the hell we do all this stuff during the day while looking after kids and some of us working and running businesses as well?  Perhaps I'll need a present too!!

Lucky break!!?

Being a BIG procrastinator, I hadn't been able to decide on which topic to blog about as a first post for the new year.  Then I broke my foot (well, chipped a bone) on Thursday.  I thought that's as good as any place to start, here's a nice picture to illustrate....

It was my turn to host our regular Thursday playgroup and all I did was step off the back deck, onto the grass, with a bucket of water to fill up the kid's pool.  It's one step down, onto a flat surface yet I fell over and some say they heard a crack!  Still cannot believe I did it.  The moral of the story is, I'm doomed to crutches for a while and all the girls have put themselves on a roster of mornings and afternoons to come over and help with Toddler Cuggles and whatever else needs doing.  They all have at least one and many of them 2 small kids of their own, including newborns, but are still willing to find time to help.  That's why I cherish their friendship so dearly.  Whenever any of us are in need, the rest gather round without hesitation. 

Yep, it is an absolute pain in the butt to be incapacitated, especially at this time of the year with so many goals and desires and 'to do' lists, however it has really made me think about how grateful I am not only to have such great friends, but to generally be a fit and healthy person who takes it for granted that this is only temporary.   

There is a small perk to this situation - all cuppsy teas are made for me and brought to me.  : )

Asking for help

I have always been fiercely independent, however after the birth of our little girl in March 08 I quickly learned to accept help. Thank goodness I did because last Friday I really needed it.  This is a bit of a long blog post, but it does have a moral...
We’ve had a lot going on lately, some good, some not. Daddy Cuggles is well now, he was a week in hospital, home for a day and then off to a conference interstate. Toddler Cuggles and I went with him because as luck would have it, the conference was being held near my home town, a popular beach holiday spot. We had a lovely time, were home for a day and then had to have all my Cuggles creations ready for the Handmade Expo the next day. Thanks to the beautiful Kylie for manning my stall while I ran the shop. To make life interesting we have had a few other things happening as well which we are still dealing with.

So what happened last Friday?! It was the day before the Expo and I gratefully accepted an offer for Granny Cuggles (mum in law) to come and help with Toddler Cuggles.  I also roped in a girlfriend to come and cut out fabric hoping her toddler and mine would entertain each other. Instead, my normally happy and easy going toddler told her little friend ‘NO NO NO’ all morning and in between doing that would bash on the baby gate to the sewing room having massive tanties.  Oh and our house looked like it had been ransacked it was so disorganised.  By lunch time I lost it. My girlfriend had taken her littlie home, mine had complained loudly about sleep time and I stopped dead in my tracks and cried on Granny’s shoulder. It wasn’t about the tanties, it was the build up over the last couple of months of lots of different things and the Friday tanties broke the camel’s back. Granny took Toddler Cuggles home to her and Pa Cuggles place for sleep overs that night. Thank you Gran, I feel sane again.

The moral of the story is, it’s good to ask for help. I know lots of other mums who, like me,  like to delude themselves they are a super mum.  That's all very nice when things are going well but not very realistic 100% of the time.  Most importantly, never ever think you’re too busy for a cuppsy tea! 

Value of a Decent Cuppa

My beautiful hubby (Daddy Cuggles) has been in hospital for a couple of days.  Today he was moved from Critical Care to the ordinary old ward, so I thought it time to take him some home made medicine.

Toddler Cuggles and I packed the teapot (peepot as she calls it!); a mug; a teaspoon; real leaf tea; and the sugar.  We thought he could bat his manlids at a nurse and get some milk.  We also took a freshly boiled thermos of hot water.  All these things were packaged in a very noice white bag with a black ribbon.

When we arrived for our morning visit and handed over the gift, his reaction was this -
"Gasp!!  A REAL CUPPY TEA?!!  I'm surprised he didn't shed a tear, such is the tradition of 'Cuppsy tea' appreciation in our house, handed down from his side of the family.  Here's how it goes:

Rule 1.  Never ever shall a teabag enter the house;
Rule 2.  You must warm the 'peepot' and cups with boiling water before then making the tea;
Rule 3. Make it strong; (4 scoops to 2 people, we use Bushells extra strong blue label)
Rule 4. Brew it for a good few minutes and stir it before pouring;
Rule 5. It's always the other person's turn to make it!

That being stated, it's cuppsy tea time for me.