Filed under: 1
I confess, I am a rubbish blogger. Real life just got on top of me and something had to give. Unfortunately it was my blog.
The lack of work got a bit depressing, I had a few nibbles, but no bites. It’s very difficult when you’re a childminder with no children, potential clients wonder what’s wrong with you! Mr Mote and I gave ourselves the deadline of January 2010 to get the business more viable – ie get more clients over the door – or I would have to hit the jobs pages. A few cursory glances during December revealed they were pretty empty. However mid December I had a lady visit about a full time space for her 15 month old boy and he started 40 hours a week today! Hurrah. One of our marketing ploys was a rather scrummy website that helped hook this client.
I’m not going to go into details because I’m starting to bore myself but life with Sprog is STILL all about the poop 
4 years and counting. My word that is depressing….
Oh speaking of depressing… I turn 30 in a few weeks and I really don’t want to.
So if anyone could find a TARDIS, or a spare Time Lord (David Tennant model preferably) could they let me know ASAP? Time is rapidly running out… as Sprog and Mini Mote love to remind me.
.. he wouldn’t pass his MOT.
Sprog now has a dermatology referral for some incredibly stubborn ezcema on his face. I think it may well end up with an allergy assessment because after a week of a low dairy diet it has almost completely cleared up. He’s probably lactose intolerant.
I’m getting a bit sick of things wrong with my boy. This week alone he’s had an appointment with the GP to get the referral letter arranged, an appointment at the asthma clinic, a phone call from the continence nurse and an eye exam on Saturday. He’s coughing all night, he’s smothered in cream constantly and of course he’s getting his medicines for his tummy all the time.
It’s getting tedious. I just wish it would all go away.
I know I should be thankful he is as healthy as he is – I mean for the most part he is a remarkably healthy boy. I should count my blessings.
Mote xx
My gorgeous grandma who used to be a very accomplished seamstress – she still would be if it wasn’t for the bloody Parkinson’s disease – sent me a box of scrap fabric at the weekend.
The pieces vary enormously in size from half a curtain(!) to half a fat quarter.
Hmm – what to do what to do??
Then the very clever Kerry posted this tute for lavender bags on NaturalMamas forum. I’m now wondering if it would be okay to make some for Grandma with the fabric she gave me? I can see no reason why not. Anyway why poking around Checkout Girl’s I was just smitten with some of the beautiful things she makes. Her Christmas Hoops are just delightful! I think I might have to have a bash at this little pink house of hers from Sew Mama Sew.
What a clever lady she is and such pretty creations.
Mote xx
Filed under: Family
My brother’s 18th birthday is next month.
It’s not going to be your typical 18th birthday party as he has Down Syndrome and obviously has learning difficulties. It will be a rather tame (in comparison to other 18ths) family get together at my parent’s house. Hopefully Mr Mote, my brother and his fiance will be there so we will all be together for the first time in a few months. I’m really looking forward to it but it has got me reminiscing about when we adopted the little sod.
The process had taken such a long time – I was about 12 when we were first assessed, we were interviewed by social workers, Mum and Dad got references from all sorts of important people – Dad even had to write a description of me and my two brothers. Eventually we were accepted and matched with a little boy being fostered in Glasgow. Over the next few months we went through to visit him. He was lovely.
He resembled a little fat pudding who was always smiling. He was so chubby and cheerful looking – his face still slightly swollen from drugs he’d been taking after a heart operation. He was the only infant in the house so he was his foster mother’s little prince. I remember after one visit we went to the Little Chef services on the way home and I had to go and be sick in the toilets. The next day I was taken to hospital and had my appendix removed. Eventually he came to live with us. I was counting down the minutes until I got home from school to see him – my last lesson of the day was Technical and I vividly recall sitting next to this girl telling her how desperate I was to get home to give him a cuddle.
What a let down the reality was. Mum was pacing up and down the living room – he was screaming so loudly I could hear him as I came up the garden.
He settled in pretty quickly though and he’s grown into a lovely young man. I’m so proud to call him my brother – he’s acheived so much for someone with such severe learning difficulties. I can’t believe he’s 18! Even if he doesn’t understand the significance of this birthday it doesn’t matter. It’s still a huge landmark.
Mote xx
The fun I had planned for today has been postponed for two reasons.
1. It’s raining.
2. His room is a tip.
I guess we could have done the messy play inside however he’s taken 4 hours so far to acheive diddly squat in his room. In fact I think it may have actually got slightly messier. Didn’t think it was possible – but once again he’s proved me wrong. The sounds from his room – screaming, howling, stomping, slamming of doors and sobbing -sound like I’m torturing him. I’m very grateful for the double glazing as his room has a window onto the main road.
So in between occasionally hollering “Get back in your room” up the corridor in his direction I’m catching up on my On Demand viewing. A couple of episodes of Who Do You Think You Are, and one of my absolute favourite programmes in the world.
Jam and Jerusalem.
Really wonderful feel good comedy drama. I adore French and Saunders and Dawn French is just delightful in it. She’s so sweet and hysterical while Jennifer Saunders is just brilliant as an upper class horsey type.
Oh darn it it sounds like Sprog is actually playing his room instead of tidying. I can’t really be bothered yelling at him. I’ll wait until he sticks his head around the door. Little sod. He’s going to be in there all day – no Moshi Monsters, no Wii, no Simpsons and NO Dr Who until it is done.
Sigh. I really am fed up of this. Now I know how my parents feel. I was exactly same, but grew into an organised adult.
Mote xx
Sprog starts school in a week so I want to jam the next few days full of as much fun and enjoyment as possible. I want our time together to be something he looks back on fondly. My Aunt once said to me that parenting mainly consisted of creating memories. I love that idea. That’s what I’ve been doing – creating happy memories of Sprog and I spending time together and enjoying each other’s company.
We’ve baked banana bread, madeira cake, been swimming, soft play and (the most fun of all) played with Ooblek! Ooblek is a gloop whose name comes from the book Bartholemew and the Ooblek by Dr Seuss. And who doesn’t LOVE Dr Seuss? Here comes the science bit – so pay attention.
Ooblek is a mixture of cornflour and water that is a non-newtonian fluid. Basically sometimes it acts like a solid, others a liquid. Under impact it acts like a solid yet it flows like a liquid. Ooblek is lots of fun – you can scoop it up and roll it into a ball yet as soon as you stop the friction it will dribble through your fingers. Sprog was fascinated. We put a plastic sheet on the floor, put the ooblek in an old washing up bowl and off he went. Despite the protection on t carpet he still got it everywhere but it’s so easy to clean, Just let it dry and hoover. The majority of it is on the compost heap.
I think tomorrow’s activity will be cooked spaghetti.. or maybe shaving foam. I haven’t decided yet!
I’ve lost 4lbs. I’m very happy.
It’s been a strange strange summer, the weather’s been a bit iffy around here so Sprog hasn’t been able to get outside as much as planned. However we’ve still had fun, just indoors fun. One of the highlights of the summer was the Dr Who exhibition in Weegieland. Oh joy, oh rapture – we were in geek paradise. Honestly – it was simply wonderful. We got Sprog a school bag and pencil tin from the wee shop as well as a mahoosive Dalek poster. I pushed for the David Tennant one but he wasn’t having it. I’ll just have to make do with the one giant Doctor gazing at me from his bedroom walls
We’ve just come to the end of one of the more tiring weeks of the year – Church’s Holiday Club. This year we followed Scripture Union’s Showstoppers program. I am cream crackered after a week of jigging about, jazz hands and a spot of acting dahling. It has been wonderful though – the kids really embrace the messages we teach them and get so involved in the songs, the crafts and the whole message of the program.
The end of the summer holidays is rapidly approaching and it’s time for Sprog to start primary one! I think I might be a bit of a wreck when I hand him over to his new teacher. Sprog is pretty excited about it and is loving his new wardrobe of school clothes and all the accessories that come along with it – school bag, pencil case, new water bottle and lunch bag. It’s all terribly exciting for him but Mummy is beginning to get a bit worried. I’m sure it will go really well and Sprog will settle in to school no problems at all but to be honest – I’m gonna be a state the whole time he is there on Wednesday. It’s all a bit bittersweet – I’m proud of the young boy he’s growing in to but I’m sad I’m losing my baby.
Ooh speaking of babies – my cousin has had a baby boy, Noah was born on Sunday. I love babies – they’re so cute, they make me broody and they are a fab excuse to buy lovely soft fabric and make cute things like this bundle of burp cloths from Rocks in my Dryer
Unfortunately the range of delicious fabrics out there for babies is enormous so Noah might be well past the age of possetting before he gets his burp cloths!
MOTE xx
Filed under: Work
Well as of next Thursday I will be a childminder with no children to mind.
The brother and sister I currently look after will be leaving me and I’ll have no sprogs on my books. However it’s not all doom and gloom, they’re only leaving because logistically I can’t have them next academic year and I’ve had an enquiry already!
It was from the mother of a little girl who is starting school in Sprog’s class in August, hurrah! I actually know her fairly well because I’ve been in and out of Sprog’s nursery class doing the library and all sorts of things over the last year. It really would be perfect. Mum and sprog are hopefully coming to visit me next week sometime – I’m waiting for her to call back. I hope she does and she’s not found anyone else although I’m fairly sure the other minder’s who deal with this school are full. I hope!!
One thing I’ve got on my side is my inspection was on Monday and I aced it! I got straight 5s which means a grading of “Very Good” – the second best possible, the best is “Excellent”.
Please send me positive vibes and prayers!
Filed under: Diet!!!!
Edge of the seat stuff wasn’t it? Surreal watching Wimbulding at 10.30 at night but by jove it was worth it! Good on you Murray – just hope I’m back from Sprog’s hospital appointment to watch the QF tomorrow. Though I think there’s two matches on Centre Court before Murray kicks off so I think we will be.
I weighed meself.
It wasn’t pretty.
I’m 14st 10. That’s not good is it? Now at a size 18 I think I carry it well. I don’t look too bad for it. The lightest I’ve been as a proper grown up was 11st and size 12 and I looked emaciated. I’ve a rugby player’s build so I can look a bit scrawny if I’m not “well covered”.
So this evening started my new plan to go for a healthy walk in the evening. I stomped around the block for an hour with a rather good audio book and the time flew (a tip gleened from Stephen Fry on Twitter). I was feeling the benefit when I came home.
Long may my resolve hold!
Isn’t he just delicious?
Anyway.
Mr Mote’s exams are finished – hurrah! He doesn’t think the first went particularly well but the second one wasn’t too bad. We get the results in August so we’ll just have to hope and pray it all goes the way we want.
I’m totally cream crackered peeps – it’s been a fun day! We went to Almond Valley I was to chaperone my little sister who was there with a church group. She’s got special needs so needed one-to-one. I met them there and had a ball. Such a lovely group of people and little sister was delighted to see me and Sprog. It was exhausting though – I’d forgotten how much hard work large groups of children are. As much as I’d love a lie in before church tomorrow I’ve no such luck – it’s a 60 mile journey to church in my hometown for another sister’s Communion at 10am! Mr Mote’s not especially happy as he’s been working his little socks off and would love to put his feet up. Right now he’s doing the family thing with his lot.
The paperwork was submitted for my inspection last week so all I can do now is wait for someone to turn up to give me the once over. I’m sure it will go well – it went brilliantly at the last one and I don’t think I’ve become particularly rubbish since November.
I apologise if this is rambling and incoherent, I’m not feeling especially alert right now! I’m a bit distracted by my rumbling stomach – Mr Mote is going out for a Chinese once he’s returned from the visitations.
Ooh crikey Robin Hood is getting a bit exciting. Rchard Armitage is all tied up nd about to lose his head!!!
MOTE xx
