tattycrafts

Toddlers and pre-schoolers... they really know how to have fun huh? No inhibitions, no responsibilities, no thought to what others may be thinking. They see things in a completely unique and innocent way. This is what happens when you take 3 year olds to Centre Square in Middlesbrough.

Picture the scene.... You had a lovely weekend with your family and Monday came round far too quick.  You do battle too early on a morning with your pre-schooler getting him ready for nursery.  Try to explain without any success just why he has to go to nursery and Mummy and Daddy need to go to work, the never ending series of “Why?” questions for every answer you give.  Drop off at nursery results in him clinging to you like a limpet and wailing, fearing he’ll never see you again. You arrive at work looking like you’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards because you forgot to brush your hair and only applied mascara to one eye because the monstrous pre-schooler stopped you halfway through your makeup routine demanding you wipe his bottom. You struggle through Monday at work fuelled purely by coffee and the promise of a Gin & Tonic (or three) when you get home. You pick your child up from nursery on the way home to more screams and cries that you’re “not Grandma” – c

I remember being able to eat what I wanted when I wanted. I remember being able to have a pee without an audience. I remember when every square of chocolate was mine to be savoured. I remember a bottle of red on a Friday night. I remember being able to lie in on a weekend. I remember being able to just go out for the day without thinking about having to get home and cook meals and put little legs to bed. I remember the way you announced your arrival into our life as though you'd just been holding your breath to meet us. I remember panicking we wouldn't be enough for you. I remember your baby breath. I remember your first windy smile. I remember the recognition in your eyes when you saw our faces. I remember when the only thing you needed was cuddles in the middle of the night. I remember the first time you slept in your own room. I remember all the giggles at our own little jokes. I remember the feeling of astonishment  (on a daily basis) that we made you. I reme

This year I was lucky enough to be able to take O away for two little holidays.  I was going to talk about all the lovely things we did as a family while we were away, but instead what has struck me since we returned is just how much we need family time.  O had nearly 3 weeks out of nursery and boy did he need it.  Before his holiday it was becoming a struggle to get him into nursery and every day seemed to begin and end with tears.  After his holiday he has retained his happy holiday demeanour for the most part but I can see things starting to slide as we return to normality. Since I returned from holiday I’ve found myself in a distinct slump.  My work isn’t appealing to me at all, every day feels like such an effort and all I want is to see my cheeky monkey and give my Other Half a big cuddle.  I’ve found I’m missing my family. Our weekends which should be family time invariably gets taken up with running around shops, carrying out errands, and trying to fit in all the thin

We live in a little house. A tiny house in fact. We share it with a complete horror. A massive horror actually.  The last few weeks his behaviour has become somewhat.... "challenging". I'm being very sweet and trying not to refer to him as a tiny arsehole but he has actually been a giant pain in the ass. This last week his behaviour has ramped up and we started to receive reports of him being rude at nursery and disruptive. Well he IS 3, is to be expected really! But no it's not acceptable.  As soon as we got home on Friday we made a sticker chart for rewards. We agreed he wouldn't get the batteries he need for his remote control car until the first row was complete on his chart. Tonight he got his batteries. He lost and gained stickers like a binge eater at fat club over the last two days but he got there.  He's had some super cute moments too but the horror moments are proving hard to take. I'm currently debating what his next "reward" sh

Too often in the past Oscar has excitedly repeated the slurs his Daddy can't help throwing at other drivers on the road. Not usually a matter for hilarity but tonight on the way home as his Daddy shouted out quite loudly,  Oscar yelled it out for extra effect.  Thankfully Daddy's "Knobhead" comment became, "Get to bed!". Yep we won't be correcting that one.  Quite funny but not as funny as "Cock knee!" Yeah maybe I'll tell you about that one some time but I still can't tell it without wetting myself a little!

As two working parents of a 3 year old it's important to us to make sure that we have fun on our weekends. Of course being full time working parents with no family childcare options we also have  a lack of spare funds due to full time nursery costs. (His nursery is fab and worth every penny!) It's essential our weekend plans are as cheap as possible. Yesterday was easy as we bundled our pride and joy off with his Nanny for the day to go to a family friend's birthday party. He greeted us in the evening with smiles, rosy cheeks, tired eyes and filthy hands and feet. Sign of a good day in my book! Today, the sun was shining and the boy wanted to play on his bike.  We don't live in a great area to be fair and the local park is always busy.  We packed supplies and headed to a quiet park the other side of town. I'm not sure who had the most fun! Daddy having a rest Afterwards we weren't ready to go home, not on such a nice day.  We decided it

Years ago I used to go to a well known fat club.  One particular day after another disastrous week and yet another gain I broke into tears.  Yeah yeah I hear you.  I was one of "those" people. The ones who sob because they ate a giant kebab and chips with extra garlic sauce the day before weigh in and then freaked out because they'd gained half a pound. Except I wasn't.  I had my ups and downs but generally didn't put too much pressure on myself.  I had a great social life and if I gained weight that was ok because I'd enjoyed myself and would pull it back the next week. Ilost a great amount slowly and steadily. The reason I got so upset this particular time was because my consultant asked me to tell her what my reason for being there was. For my child of course.  The child I didn't have.  The one I didn't know if would have.  The one I  desperately wanted.  The one I wanted to chase around the playground.  The one I wanted to jump up and down on t

Yesterday was no different to any other day. Yet to Oscar there was one thing which clearly stood out to him. As usual when I picked him up from nursery there was a gaggle of kids (I'm pretty sure that's the official collective noun) gathering around me, firing off 120 questions. There was no surprise from me when one little girl pointed at me and spouted the typical toddler question, "What's that?" I checked myself wondering what it could be. My work pass dangling from my pocket? My birthmark on show? My hearing aids peeping from under my hair? My blue/ green (not quite so mermaid anymore) hair? Nope. Nothing so obvious to me. As she pointed again towards my face I realised it was my nose ring. There was no judgment, no distaste,  just simple childhood innocent curiosity. I never gave it another thought until this morning as I was getting ready for work.  Oscar was helping me and passing me things I needed. Oscar: "Take that off Mummy." Mummy: &

Sometimes I find myself thinking I really need to take better care of myself. In every sense, physically, mentally and emotionally. We each have different standards - different levels of what we consider to be awful, ok, good, and fucking awesome. When I think back to pre-baby I was far better at that self care. I was slimmer, fitter, healthier, enjoyed going out, made time for my hobbies, my relationship, friends and family, and really took pride in my appearance. Each of these things contributed to me being happy as a whole. Now? It's a good day if I actually apply some mascara before I go to work. It's a good day if I make it to 10pm without poking someone in the eye (only in my mind!) In part it's because I am no longer my priority, my son is of course. But mostly if I'm truthful it’s because I've became lazy and complacent. Today I resolve to make a change. I have already started with some little things. I have begun making time for my hobbies again

One thing I've come to realise is that I can never truly relax. Even when I'm granted time to myself it gets taken up with errands and jobs that I've been putting to one side because I can't do them with a toddler clinging to me. Days off are full of things I need to get done and the pressure of completing them before it's time to pick the toddler up. Even then life has a wonderful way of getting in the way of plans. Take this week for example.  I booked this week off work to do decorating Monday and Tuesday, declutter the house Wednesday, have estate agents over for photos on Thursday morning and then finally get a couple of days to relax. So far it looks a bit like this: Saturday - dropped the toddler off at his Nanny's and reminded ourselves what it was like to not have a child. Totally failed at avoiding talking about our son! Sunday -despite enjoying the adult only time I was glad to get my toddler home. Quick bit of car shopping before picking him

It's so easy to forget how much children take in.  I am reminded on pretty much a weekly basis though by nursery staff of the delightful (!) and amazing things my son has regaled them with. For a while it's been his colourful language and swearing. Fucking hell and fucking bastard being two of his favourites.   Thanks Daddy! I suppose I should be grateful he hasn't dropped the c bomb yet. Then we moved on to his proud exclamations as to the size of his poos. "It was THIS big!!" Again, thanks Daddy... But sometimes something your child says makes you proud of them and realise that actually his loud and colourful language can have a positive effect. One of his little friends proudly told her mummy  during toilet training that she was just like Oscar! Hopefully she wasn't trying to pee standing up or remarking on the size of her poos! Not sure that today's report of him attempting to perform a cesarean section on another child with a plastic knif

Picking my son up tonight I was regaled with his achievements of today. He was so proud and excited it was impossible not to be excited for him. It got me thinking about how proud I am of him in a daily basis, even on the dark miserable days full of screaming and tantrums.  I make a point of telling him everyday that he is loved and I am proud of him. We celebrate his achievements no matter how small they might appear.  I talk to him about what he's been doing well and all the things he is going to go on and do. I fill him up with a can do attitude and a desire to work hard. I know he's not even 3 yet but his determination and attitude makes me proud. Yeah yeah I'm gushing. I'm his mum. I'm allowed!

It's almost 8pm and I'm snuggled up in bed,  just about ready to doze off. 8pm you say! Why you ask? Cos my toddler is a freaking asshat! Well he's a toddler you know.  I love him with all my soul but at the minute really is an asshat. For nearly 3 years I have struggled with sleep deprivation.  He teases me with brief spells of only waking once or twice a night and with a quick boob he's back of to sleep in 10/15 minutes. And then there's nights like last night.  Never have I stared so intently at the cobwebs on the ceiling to ignore the fact that over an hour has passed since he started crying for me and demanding to go downstairs and watch Bob Builder.  Not at sodding 1am sunshine. Or 2 or 3 either for that matter matey.  At 5am he was physically pulling me outility of bed and I knew there was no sleeping anymore. I think I managed to grab total of 3 hours broken sleep and then had to go to work. So unsurprisingly we were both tired tonight and despit

'They' don't tell you about the awkward 'shituations' you find yourself in when your toddler is just getting used to using the toilet. In one single day I found myself: scurrying out of a public swimming pool while attempting with my bare hand to stop the poo escaping from his arse (failed) 3 times at a kids party taking said poo bum toddler to the toilet to clean his shitty pants. Realising I'd forgotten the sodding wipes and the bag for the shitty stinking underwear which I hastily shoved in my handbag (thank heavens for compartments although I'm sure everyone who came near me must have thought I'd shit myself) Pointed at my Poohead toddler standing in the middle of the party straining with such concentration to push his poo out and shouted "yep he's mine". Later watching him waddling along and telling another parent he was practising his John Wayne impression.  We were at a fancy dress party after all (shame he was dressed as

I've been doing a lot of pondering lately about how little say we have about a lot of things in our lives.  We can't control the health and happiness of others. We can't control their actions. But we can control how we choose to live our lives and what positive influences we can make. In trying to find something which expresses how I feel about life right now I stumbled across this. Life’s like a movie, write your own ending Keep believing, keep pretending We’ve done just what we set out to do. Thanks to the lovers, the dreamers, and you. “The Magic Store”/Rainbow Connection” (Reprise) – Kermit and the Muppets The Muppets are making their little movie, all planned out, but then in typical muppet fashion chaos strikes. Despite everything a rainbow appears.  While life has a habit of creating unwanted chaos, throwing a spanner or two in the works; sometimes we need that to re-focus on what our priorities are.  2017 brings a new chapter for my little family. So