Tales of the unexpected with The Boy, my pride and joy.
The Gallery is back now that Tara is fully recovered and the theme this week is 'Morning'.
We've lapsed recently in our habit of having a nice Sunday breakfast together before going out for a few hours, but this weekend I decided to revive our little tradition. And if it needed a blog-prompt to do so, then that is not really an issue for me, it meant that I had lovely food for breakfast.
Before:
After:
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Tags: The Gallery
This craft activity might seem obvious to some, to others they'll think "I remember doing this as a child!" and it may be complete nonsense to the rest of you. Either way, it's such a lovely and simple activity that I wanted to share it.
Remember as a child when you did those Christmas cards or firework pictures involving cut-outs in black sugar paper and ripped tissue paper? Basically it's that! I saw it late last night on Mini-Eco and she explained it so beautifully that I found myself cutting out a butterfly on navy card (no black!) at half past midnight! (She's even got a template to use)
You'll need:
I am not going to explain any further because it's so simple it's unbelievable! Just make sure you leave it to dry completely before trimming around the edges.
We love it, and it looks so effective with the sun shining through that I'm going to do a bumblee and a dragonfly too.
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The rather inspiring RedTedArt has started a new project up and it is one that I was happy to jump on board with straightaway. She would like us to investigate the Great Artists with our children and see what art work we can help them create based on the painting that we've explored.
I've discussed this with Maggy and her plan is not to set a theme or artists to study each time, apart from the first post where she's intending to give us the suggestion of Jackson Pollock. He's a bit modern and out there for me and I wasn't initially bitten by this idea, but since she suggested it I've thought some more and will join in. However, there is one that screamed out loud to me that I had to pick as my first project and Maggy approved.
You see in the National Museum of Wales' art gallery is this beauty:
How on earth could I refuse the call of an original Monet?
And so a few weeks ago we popped into Cardiff on the train, trekked over to the museum and sat down and read Laurence Anholt's children's book about Monet: The Magical Garden of Claude Monet. It was incredibly quiet there that day, just a few 'ladies what lunch' having a saunter, and an elderly, deaf attendant who watched us reading and looking at the painting before coming over to chat to us.
The Boy loved looking at the painting but the magnificence and significance of it, and his surroundings completely escaped him. Because let's face it, he's two and it's just some splodges of paint really.
However, since then, he hasn't stopped 'reading' the book to himself and chatting about when we went to the museum. Admittedly, sometimes he's waffling on about the dinosaurs we saw, but generally the event sunk in. And so on the weekend we settled down in the kitchen with a plethora of materials and an image of the painting (thank you iPad).
As a class teacher, art lessons consist of me pointing to the art cupboard and the different paper types on the shelf and allowing the children to select for themselves. The Boy is two so I'd provided him with a selection of paint colours, paper colours and types for him to choose from, but I was still controlling the materials. As he gets older, he'll have more choice.
We discussed the colours in the painting, the brush strokes and what he could see. Then he had a go himself.
He experimented with different brush strokes and use of the sponge.
He got to practise his scissor, and ripping, skills.
He used collage materials for the leaves and then painted the lillies on top.
And then, because Monet didn't have it but we both know he'd have used it if he could have, we sprinkled on glitter to make the water sparkle!
What do you think of our masterpiece?
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I'm linking this up to RedTedArt's Great Artists.
Tags: art, craft, Learning Through Play, painting, The Wider World
I'm a bit over food at the moment. With the ongoing battles with The Boy and his being awkward at mealtimes, I really can't muster the enthusiasm to cook. This week's plan is a little boring and bland as a result but hey-ho.
Hardly going to set the world alight but I've done it. Hopefully next week I'll feel more with it to enjoy planning.
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I'm linking this up to Meal Planning Monday at Mrs. M's
Tags: cooking, food, Meal Planning Monday
I've posted before about the Barnardo's Big Toddle which is being supported by Little Dish (our favourite brand of toddler meals) and I am doing so again because I wanted to remind you about this worthwhile event which will help to raise awareness and funds for the Barnardo's Charity.
Barnardo's is a name which has been around for a long time, and while the original agenda of the charity was based in different social-economic needs to those of 2012, it still focuses on the same thing: working with vulnerable under 5s in the UK. The term 'vulnerable children' often means abused or neglected children, but Barnardo's can and does also help children with disabilities and emotional or behavioural needs. Something that is on the increase, and I can say that with my professional teacher 'head' on.
That's why holding a Little Dish Big Toddle in aid of Barnardo's is such a fabulous idea; because it helps to teach our children to think of how we can help others, while raising much-needed funds. Oh, and it's fun!
Little Dish will be holding a Spring Party next Tuesday 22nd May in Holland Park, London. There will be lots of fun for kids with children’s entertainers running exciting party games and Little Dish will be providing a picnic which is free for children. The highlight of the party will of course be the little sponsored toddle which is Superhero themed so make sure your little ones dress up appropriately. You simply need to e-mail in your desire to attend to: bigtoddle@littledish.co.uk
Also in support of Little Dish's partnership with Barnardo’s Big Toddle, they will be selling special packs of The Boy's favourite Chicken and Butternut Squash Pie with a pair of toddling shoes for just £5. The limited edition packs will be available in Sainsbury’s from Wednesday 23rd May. They come in three different shoe sizes – small 4/5; medium 6/7; and large 8/9.
Competition:
However, five lucky readers of TheBoyandMe can get a pair of the Big Toddle shoes courtesy of Little Dish by filling in the Rafflecopter form below.
Tags: Little Dish
Today has been quite hellish at times. I have cried at least twice, I have certainly ranted and I've lost count of the times that I have said, "Just eat your food!"
The Boy has always been good with his food, even as a baby and feeding from the bottle, he drank beautifully and without fuss. When I started weaning him, he accepted each new taste with pleasure and a great tolerance. Apart from mangoes, and who can really blame him. Second stage weaning saw a baby who was enthusiastic about the home-cooked meals that I prepared and cooked, and he went from strength to strength always eating everything given to him.
About six months ago he decided to exhibit the typical two year old's decision to exert his authority and ability to control a situation. He is well behaved with everything and always does as he is asked, but at that point he decided to show that he can control things himself, and he would become a right pain at mealtimes. I rode it out as he was still so young, and things improved drastically quickly.
Lately I've noticed he's messing around a lot at dinner times and is barely eating. I have never wanted to force him to eat, but I don't find him saying he's finished after three spoonfuls an acceptable amount for a child who's going through a growth spurt. He isn't getting enough nutrients or calories in that small amount to sustain himself throughout the day. An added concern to this is that he's started at a private nursery one morning a week and has lunch there, serving himself and eating with his friends. The feedback is that he's not eating very much, and this week he refused to have a drink of milk and half a banana at snacktime. This is not good because if nothing else will enter his mouth, they are the two staples he would survive on.
Today has seen World War Three and Four in this house at both lunchtime and teatime. He was served exactly the same meal at lunchtime as Mr. TheBoyandMe who sat and ate with him, but it took him well over an hour to eat it, and even then he didn't finish. Lunch was one of his favourite meals: cheesy pasta with ham. There was no reason for him not to eat it, but he couldn't be bothered. He wasn't exerting control of the situation he, just didn't want to eat it. Tea was similar with his other favourite of beans on toast. An hour!
There are those who would tell me that he'll eat when he's ready, but I'm not prepared to accept that. When it has been going on for more than a fortnight, during which time he's developed ear infections and a cold, it's not ok. I can only conclude that he's developed lazy habits at mealtimes and, with his third birthday next month, it has to stop. I'm at the end of my tether and I feel like I'm failing him.
That's why this evening I'm going to be sitting down to read this book that I've been sent:
It's been sat on the kitchen shelf for a month or two now, and I was going to get around to reading it, but now I need to. Because I can not have another day like today. I can not scream like a banshee at my child. I can not sit and sob at my failings as a mother.
With sections on 'why it hurts us so much', 'how much does a child need to eat', 'a child's three defences', 'what not to do at mealtimes' (I suspect digging my heels in is one of them), and 'how not to force a child to eat', I am hoping that 'My Child Won't Eat' is going to change my perception and explain things a little bit more to me. I want him to be happy at mealtimes and healthy because of the food he's eating.
In the meantime, there are certain things that are changing at mealtimes. And it's been with the help of the lovely folk of twitter that I've reached these decisions:
Mealtimes mean eating kiddo! Once we've got that re-established, then you can chat!
Any more tips or advice please?
I was sent this book to review, my situation and need is real and frustrating.
Tags: development, food
Thank you!
I can't really begin to tell you what it means to be a finalist in the MAD Blog Awards, but it's a hell of a lot. I've always loved taking photos, even when I was a child and my mum and dad bought me my first 'film' camera. I've progressed now onto my dSLR, my phone and an iPad but regardless of the means, for me it is about the composition and the content.
To have so many people nominate and then vote for me, means so much. I've only been blogging for a year and a half, and to make it to final five finalists from the 143 nominated is overwhelming. The support for the 366 linky is amazing, and it has grown into an amazing community of people helping and supporting each other. Thanks to them.
I'm incredibly grateful to everyone that voted for me, thank you so much. I hope that it's because of photos like this that you've nominated me:
Equally, I'm aware it could be because of this:
Or maybe this?
Either way, thank you from the bottom of my heart, it means a lot because I'm just a mum with a camera.
If you'd like to vote for me, then please click the badge below and select 'TheBoyandMe' in the photography section.
Tags: blogging, mobile photography, photography
I have a guest-post for you today from a finalist in the Fresh Voices category in the Britmums Brilliance in Blogging Awards. Ruth, blogs over at DorkyMum, and wants to share with you the Save The Children: Blog It For Babies campaign.
If you're a parent blogger, I'd say there's a very good chance that at some point in your life you've had to give some thought to giving birth. You may not have gone to NCT classes, or swotted up on every single birthing book out there, but you'll still have been aware of your choices, and made decisions based on those choices.
Do you remember the anxious excitement of writing a birth plan (even if you only wrote it as a mental list in your head)? What an overwhelming number of options we have if we're giving birth in this country. Do we want a homebirth or a hospital birth? Who will our birth partner be? Will we have a birthing pool? What if we go overdue? When will we agree to being induced? How will we get through early labour – a TENS machine? Paracetamol? (Yes, I laughed when the midwife suggested that too…). Will we use gas and air? How do we feel about epidurals? Episiotomies? Do we want the cord clamped? What happens if we have a caesarean?
Crikey. What a lot to think about. There are so many choices.
No wonder we all feel a bit stressed and overwhelmed if we're due to give birth. No wonder we set such high expectations for ourselves in terms of having the 'perfect' birth, and no wonder that so many of us then have such mixed emotions if things don't go to plan.
But let's look at it another way. How lucky we are to have those choices available to us, and to be in a position to make informed decisions. How lucky we are to live somewhere where we know that even if our birth plan goes out of the window, we are very likely to end the process with a healthy baby, delivered in a clean and safe environment. How lucky we are to know that if our babies are born needing any kind of medical attention, there will be qualified doctors on hand to provide it.
There are thousands of women in the world who do not live with that knowledge, and do not have that guarantee.
There are women in Bangladesh like Panna, who has given birth four times, but only had two of her babies survive, and women like Shipra, who has also given birth four times, but who lost three of those babies within hours or days of their birth.
Only 18% of births in Bangladesh have a trained health worker present. And 1 in 19 children in Bangladesh will not live to see their 5th Birthday, due to a lack of basic healthcare.
What is frustrating is that it doesn't have to be that way.
Save the Children already have the knowledge and experience that will allow them to help women like Panna and Shipra. Now all they need is the funding.
The Build it for Babies campaign is a £1 million appeal that will allow Save the Children to build seven life-saving clinics in the poorest parts of Bangladesh. You can find out more about the appeal on their website – there are so many ways to get involved, and every single penny counts.
You can select Build it for Babies as your charity of choice to support through BritMums For Good whilst shopping via Give As You Live.
You can also pay a visit to Save The Children's Build it for Babies virtual clinic microsite: www.savethechildren.org.uk/
Here's a few of the items you'll find on the Build it for Babies shopping list:
Let's get involved, and help give the women of Bangladesh the same support that we had when we were pregnant and giving birth.
Tags: blogging, Save The Children
This morning, The Boy and I popped into Cardiff to pick up a few things. While we were settling down for a Starbucks and a cake, I checked my mobile phone and saw a text message from the marvellous MammyWoo:
"YOU'RE A FINALIST IN THE BIBS!!!! Me too!!! Wahoooooo congrats!!!"
Nearly dropping my frappucino and cinnamon swirl, I replied with words that I can't repeat on my blog. Thank goodness I was in Starbucks because I was able to use their free wi-fi and check twitter and the BritMums Brilliance in Blogging website; Mammy wasn't lying!
I haven't stopped smiling to myself all day, it is such an amazing feeling to get this far. To have been nominated by peers in the first place was overwhelming, to be shortlisted amongt nineteen other bloggers was astounding and humbling. But to have been shortlisted alongside seven others is just… wow!
Thank you to every single person who nominated me in the initial stages, and then voted for me at shortlist stage. Without your support, I wouldn't be here. It's all down to the judge Julia Boggio to decide which one of us is the Snap! winner for 2012. There is such great talent in the category, that just to be at this stage, then be there hearing my name read out amongst the other nominees on the awards night is reward enough.*
Thank you!
*Well, almost. Who wouldn't want to win?!
Tags: BritMums, Britmums Live, photography
We've had an impromptu visit to family this weekend (but still managed to have a Chinese on Saturday night) and so for once I'm actually planning on a Monday, as opposed to a Sunday when I normally do it.
My plan this week involves using up food already in the house because we're running out of freezer/cupboard space and that's ridiculous. We've also got the BT phone bill due next week, and The Boy's birthday plus a holiday and Britmums Live next month, so I'm now on an economy drive. Nothing apart from bread and milk will be purchased this week!
There you go, hardly inspiring but it will work for me.
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I'm linking this up to Meal Planning Monday at Mrs. M's
Tags: cooking, frugal food, Meal Planning Monday, vegetarian
