Waiting for ice cream...

Well, after a month or so of building, the builders are all ready to start "breaking through" tomorrow... Oh, how exciting! They have taken down the outer skin of bricks and the inner skin will be coming down upstairs tomorrow. That means that we will be able to see exactly the size of our new bedroom. The downside is that there has been dust and plaster all over the house today. I came home after lunch to find that there was nowhere safe to sit with the kids. I have rigged up a barrier downstairs to stop them getting at the supports holding the ceiling up (not as drastic as it sounds) and as soon as they have finished upstairs at least we will have a whole area for them to toddle about in, but that is probably a few days away. Will just have to try and stay out as much as possible!

Nick has just dropped a glass on the kitchen floor and it has smashed sending shards all over the place. It is nice to be able to set Minti on the task in a minute! We have swept the floor and Minti should do a good job to be on the safe side. I love my Roomba!

I have been meaning to post this photo for a while as I think it is funny. Leala was out in the garden painting at the table when Nyle crawled over and stood up underneath. This photo is of him looking up shot through the gaps in the table...

I have just glanced at the members page to see if we have made 5,000 members yet, but forgot to check as I noticed that I am now in 6th place! Well done The Mentor Mom! I have been waiting to see when I would fall down the ranks and off the front page (don't really like seeing myself there) and have finally done it! Sorry, too many exclamation marks!

As an aside, the building work is carrying on a pace here, although aparently they are a week behind schedule (not that I'd noticed...) We think that we have found the kitchen we want and I am planning another trip to the showroom on Thursday to haggle some prices over appliances that I have found cheaper online.

Looks like we will need the carpets cleaning after all this, though. And not because of the builders. Nyle was very quiet last night while I was dressing Leala in her pyjamas, and I crept back in to the room to see what he was up to. He had found the pot of nappy rash cream and had both hands well and truly covered, along with himself, our bed, the carpet, Leala's shoes and my book. I was torn between grabbing the wipes and grabbing my camera. If only the camera had been upstairs it would have won. As it was, I found that wipes do a great job of getting rid of the cream from everything exceot the carpet. Bless him, he was so happy smearing white stuff all over himself and then mean mummy came and ruined the game. Never did like that carpet anyway...

Well, despite thinking I wouldn't make it through lack of a babysitter, I managed to get to my second class this evening. Interesting stuff, and my back doesn't quite seem to know what to make of it. I haven't sat so straight and sucked in my stomach muscled so much for years! I think I might be trying a bit too hard as I end up with an ache across the shoulder blades. Apparently lifting babies out of cots without dropping the side is also a bad thing for backs, so parents beware...

The building work continues to go well. I am amazed to have won the lottery as far as builders go. Very respectful, few requests for tea and coffee, refusals of biscuits (eh? You're a builder!) and apologies when they need to come in the house.  The other interesting thing about having assorted strangers wandering round the house is the odd chats you get in to. We have two 18 year old labourers working here, along with their happy, happy (only happy if miserable) brick layer boss type. One labourer had just dumped his 32 year old girlfriend with three children on the saturday only to find out on Sunday that she was pregnant (ouch). He is now back with her and planning the birth of his first child... The second young lad has just announced that he is going to spend £22,000 on a brand new car. What? I worked out that in 16 years of owning cars (four of them, two of which we still have) I have yet to spend that much in total. He tells me that a replacement tyre will cost £140, finance will be £350 a month for five years and he will have to get it serviced every 6 months for £580. Is it that certain people will always be stretched for cash? We had already had a chat about never buying brand new because of the depreciation and I thought he was listening, but maybe not. Oh well. His money. I just couldn't bring myself to buy a brand new car, knowing that within seconds of driving it out the showroom it will be worth about £2,000 less than I just paid for it. Maybe I'm just tight!

Anyway, my back is feeling strange and I have to sort out the cot I am giving said builder, and find the instructions for the car seat that I also passing on before I can go off to bed. Nick is out tonight with friends, despite having been away for two days to a meeting, and going out again tomorrow night. Alright for some. Still, can't complain as he is pretty good really.

Hope everyone is well.

Ok, well, the postman, but nearly. My new charger arrived Saturday morning! Yay! My Roomba got hurriedly plugged in and left (although I didn't quite last the 16 hours - I had to give it a run round the kitchen at 11pm after 13 hours). Let's just say that Nick turned round to me this morning and said "You are going to wear it out at this rate."

Minti has cleaned the kitchen (twice) the living room, bedrooms, bathroom and landing. The carpets haven't looked this good. They were ok when we moved in but now look brilliant! Nick is even having to agree that he is impressed (he was very sceptical) and when I told him it would roam around then go home to charge itself the look on his face was priceless. "No! Really?"

So, I would have to say that it is well worth the money (especially when I didn't pay...). I wish I had one years ago. I am now imspired to tidy the house. You do need to pick up the junk so that it can clean well, so I am actually trying to pick up and tidy away instead of pick up and move to another room. That's why I haven't been here - I've been cleaning (and pulling down wardrobes so our new wall can be built).

Hope everyone is having fun. Happy Monday!

Well, got home from a shopping trip yesterday afternoon to find that the builders had signed for a package for me. Guess what - my super cool, super trendy Roomba! Nervously and excitedly opened the box to find a space-age disc with super cleaning  abilities. And a US plug. And no way to charge it.... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh! (small foot stamping dance).

After phoning Dad (the man who knows all things usefull) looked online and found a "step down adapter" which will convert the UK power (240V) to US power (120 v). Why on earth do we not both work on the same power system? Now just have to wait for it to be delivered (hopefully Monday).

Fortunately, it did just have enough power to run around the kitchen for a few minutes, much to everyone's amusement - Leala was laughing like mad as it bumped in to her leg, although the cat was less pleased.... Must say that for a small thing, it did seem to do a good job. Now just have to get my adapter, charge the thing for 16 hours and then we will be raring to go! Luckily I hadn't expected it to arrive for ages yet, so I might just be able to cope until then! Thanks again to Minti - don't think I will be able to say that enough, and you would believe me if you had ever visited my house and seen the state of my floors! Not sure what I will call my new 'bot, but maybe Minti is a good name...

Made it to Ikea and back without any falling asleep, so that was good (especially as I was driving). Disappointing trip because I only managed to spend £40 odd. We saw a lovely, lovely extendable bed for Leala only to find they don't have it in stock -later checked and they have withdrawn it, so back to the idea of a boring, normal bed.

Have my pilates class tomorrow night, so that should be interesting. Especially as Leala is still rubbish at going to bed. I think Chele is right and she is unsettled because of having moved room and the builders in the garden most of the time. Took her to nursery yesterday and after I had put her down, she ran back to be picked up and burst in to tears. She has been going there almost 18 months now and this is only the second time she has cried EVER, (even when she fell over and cut her lip and bashed her nose - no tears). Not like her and I then realised what other mum's feel like when they have to just leave their little one bawling. Of course she was fine within a few minutes. I think it is to do with the poor sleeping and snotty cold she and her brother have. I still can't work out how one small baby can produce the best part of their own body weight in yuck every day...

Sent off for information about being a voluntary Emergency Responder a week or so ago and got a call last night. I was expecting them to say that they don't have any in my area, as it is fairly residential, but it seems that they have just strated up. I will most likely get a course in January (2 hrs, one evening a week) and will then be let loose on the public with my First Aid kit, responding to emergencies that the ambulance will take too long to go to. Should be interesting. Trained First Aid and used the Defibrillator until I went on maternity leave, so it will be good to see if I can put it in to practice in some emergency type situations. Still not sure how it will work, but will find out more soon.

Anyway, despite suggestions to the contrary, I was rubbish at writing letters as a kid. Unfortunately I do tend to get carried away writing on here!

Leala and Nyle were delightful today. Leala is chatting more and more, expanding her vocab and getting better at being understood without me translating. Nyle is easy going and a sweetie. So lucky.

I have been prompted (nay, nagged) in to writing something in my blog. Where does time go? And what, particularly has happened with it in the last few days? What have I achieved? Best part of nothing, but there you go. Still haven't done my tax return (should have filed it at the end of the month for Child Tax Credits purposes - oops) and really should be doing it now...

Well,  Nick took the little ones off for a trip to a garden centre yesterday afternoon - always good places when it's raining because they have "animals!" (pet shop). So, I had two hours and actually managed to clean the kitchen and even the floor! It was nice to turn the stereo up and get on with it without having to have half of my brain wondering what Leala is up to or whether Nyle is still asleep.

This morning left Nick to have a quiet morning at home whilst I took the kids to visit a friend. Always nice to visit friends, especially ones who don't mind that all their toys get turned out on the floor (not always by my two, though), are happy to provide lunch for all and don't mind if my baby sleeps in their little one's cot. Oh, and if there is a potty training / drink / biscuit accident, it's no great drama. Far more relaxing than visiting relatives who are years and years away from small children and have reintroduced ornaments...

Went down to Mum and Dad's house this afternoon for a quick visit and Leala announced that she wanted to have dinner there. Fine by me! Mum happily cooked for her and entertained her whilst doing so, and I think Leala had a lovely time relaxing without Nyle crawling all over her (her latest favourite phrase is "Baby - out way!"). She was absolutely shattered when I picked her up to bring her back for a bath, but she still took an age to settle, finally falling asleep around 8.30pm. Hope it goes better tomorrow because we are off to Ikea in the evening and Mum is babysitting. Our nearest Ikea is about 50 miles away, in London, and the drive takes about 1 1/2 hours, so we only venture there about once a year. Off to check out their kitchens and will probably get side-tracked by the kids stuff...

Picked up a cheap, second-hand doll's house for Leala the other day, but without dolls or furniture, but posted a "Want" on freecycle and a lovely lady has offered us lots of stuff for it, once she has had a sort out. So pleased. Leala won't care if it matches or is new, as long as there are dolls and things. Hopefully will be able to get that in the next few days.

Am looking to start Pilates on Thursday. Had planned to go to a beginners class on Weds but it starts at 7pm and the chances of me getting Nyle to bed in time are slim to none. Fortunately, after turning the class down, they mentioned that there was an 8pm class on Thursday, so that should be good. Never done it before but deperately in need of doing something fitness-wise and on my own. Will let you know how it goes!

ENough for now. Serves me right (sorry everyone) for not keeping up to date!