Mixed Emotions with Montessori

H has started at a new pre school this term (his last one closed down!) and I'm already starting to have doubts about it.

I was really excited about him starting because I loved the whole ethos that the place has. Think hippy, free play, yoga and nature. It sounded ideal, they even learn Mandarin. 

It is a Montessori nursery...

' Montessori education is characterized by an emphasis on independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a child’s natural psychological development, as well as technological advancements in society.'

Image by Rjabinnik

My main concern started this morning when I dropped H off. All of the doors were open (as usual) so we just walked straight in, hung up his bag and put on his indoor shoes. He went straight off to play, no problems there. It wasn't until I looked around me ane realised that there wasn't another adult in sight. Just masses of little people running around, doing their free play bit. I didn't really know what to do, did I just walk off and leave him there? Should I stay and make sure all of these children were safe? What if H decided to go for a walk, they wouldn't even know I had dropped him off. (There is a signing in sheet somewhere, if you can find it!)

Image by Ian Britton

In the end I decided that maybe I was just be over paranoid as all of the other mummies appeared to be just dropping off and going. So I did the same. 

Can't say that I haven't been worrying about it all day though so I thought I'd just have a look at their ofsted report. Oh my I wish I hadn't! In brief... no CRB checks for any staff, no children observation and achievment folders, no key workers, The effectiveness of safeguarding scored inadequate and overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.

Image by Isaac Bowen

Now lets be honest here a three year old doesn't care whether he has a key worker or his own folder with chapter and verse on how he is developing. He just knows that when he goes there he has fun with his friends in a nice relaxed atmosphere. What more could you ask for for your child? 

Image by Mark Tomlinson

I like to think of myself as a fairly laid back kind of person, (the OH calls me his little hippy chick) but I fail to be laid back when it comes to my childrens safety. So what do you think, am I just falling into the trap of our ridiculous modern day obsession with health and safety and ticking all of the right boxes? Is this nursery bad for H just because they're not fullfilling the government written standards on how our children should be learning?

A Thing of Beauty

This weeks theme for the Gallery is Beauty.

You'd probably think that this is a picture of my daughter when she was a baby but no it is infact my son! Poor boy.

This is what happens when you live in a pub with a small child, said child suddenly becomes a form of entertainment for the locals. 

Living in a pub with children did have it's plus points though, like now they are very sociable little things, so it's not all bad.

Now go and check out Tara's blog over at Sticky Fingers to see the other entries for this week, you could even join in yourself.

MonkiSee - ' Learning Made Fun' Review

**Please note since writing this review I have recently been informed that MonkiSee are launching a UK version very soon, which as you will read was my one concern about the product **

I'm a big fan of learning at home. I remember doing a lot of learning activities at home with my Mother when I was growing up and I loved it, so now I want to do the same with my two. 

So when we were recently sent a dvd from the series MonkiSee, Learning made fun, I was really excited.

'MonkiSee Baby DVDs are a fun and entertaining collection of baby DVDs that expose babies to upbeat music, original poetry, lovable puppets and real world images.     The MonkiSee collection introduces your baby to body parts, colors, shapes and more, all while teaching your baby to read.  The MonkiSee series is rich in language and has been proven to increase your baby's vocabulary.        Guaranteed to be your baby's favorite series - the MonkiSee line of Baby DVDs are products babies love and parents can feel good about.'

http://www.monkisee.com/

Now I must be honest here and say I was a little dissapointed. The problem was that it was American, now don't get me wrong I have nothing against America or Americans or anything to do with America, it's just that some American words are spelt differently and aren't pronounced the same way as they are in English . For example the word colour is spelt color. Now normally that wouldn't be a problem but when it's a dvd specifically designed to teach children to read, write and spell then the language differences become a problem. However for an American family I'm sure it would be great.

Here's a Testimonial from a mother in America -

   "I love MonkiSee baby dvd!  This is a half hour break each day that you can feel great about.  My son Joseph is learning fast.  At 12 months old, he can show you each body part.  This is such a wonderful foundation for learning!"   .........Rachel C.    Orlando, FL

Saying that though my 3 year old son really enjoys it and asks to have it on quite often. I often catch him dancing along to it. My 21 month old isn't so enthusiastic but she has never been interested in any TV, she's much happier raiding my cupboards and licking all of the spoons in the cutlery draw. She's special!

MonkiSee Baby DVDs     Quick Facts

• These 30 minute interactive baby DVDs keep babies entertained and engaged.

• MSMD baby dvds show lovable puppets that babies love to watch.

• Upbeat children's music has babies moving and grooving to the beat.

• MonkiSee theme song will have your baby singing along.

• Original poetry builds child's language and vocabulary skills.

• These baby dvds are Entertaining and Educational so your child easily learns new things while watching these favorite videos.

• MSMD Baby DVDs help teach important preschool skills in a fun and interactive way.

* I haven't been paid to review this product but we were sent the dvd for free and as always I have given an honest opinion about the product *

Kids One Stop Shop 

 

Silent Sunday

10 things Daddy's do...

1) Please don't come in five minutes before bedtime and wind the kids up by chasing, tickling or blowing raspberries on their bellies. This is not helpful and results in it taking mummy another half an hour to calm them down and get them to go to sleep!

2) Please don't throw the kids into the air or hang them upside down by their ankles just after they have eaten, I know I keep saying it but one day they will throw up!

3)  Please don't catapult the kids onto the bed, they might think it's funny but Mummy has just made that bed!

4) Please don't scream obscenities out of the car window at fellow road users, little ears hear everything and you can guarantee that they will choose to repeat them at just the wrong moment when they are with mummy!

5) Please don't fart infront of the kids, just because they laugh hysterically it doesn't make it alright!

6) Please don't try and pretend that you can't smell that massive poo in their nappy just so you don't have to change it, the wallpaper is hanging off of the walls!

7) Please don't attempt to dress the children again. A sparkly dress, wooly tights and wellies is not a good combination, ever, especially for messy play!

8) Please don't feed them biscuits right before dinner time, I don't care if they have given you puppy dog eyes, they know what they are doing!

9) Please don't enter into long negotiations with the one year old over whether or not she can have another biscuit, save your breath we already now how it's going to end, she always win!

10) Please don't tell the kids silly things like 'If you put a slice of ham in the DVD player it will play a short film about pigs'. We can't afford to keep replacing it.

I have joined in with Actually Mummy's linky 'wot so funee?'

Goodbye, Farewell

Goodbye, Farewell, Au revoir, Ciao, Shalom, Ja ne, Farvel, Dyw genes.

We are off on our holidays. A whole week on a boat with two little ones, wish us luck, I have a feeling we're going to need it!

See you in a week or so.

100th post - H's Birth Story

 As this is my 100th post I though I'd share with you H's birth story, as him and his sister are, after all, why I started this blog.
Everyone has their own unique birth story and this is his. I wouldn't say it's the nicest birth story ever but definitley not the worst.

I hated being pregnant, I spent far too long worrying about the birth and not enough time focusing on the fact that I was actually going to have a baby to look after afterwards.
I had a very detailed birth plan and I knew that I wanted an epidural, no exceptions!
H was due on the 8th of Jan and everyone kept telling me that it was very rare for babies to come early so I wasn't expecting him anytime soon.
Then on the 4th Jan I went into labour! 
That night as the OH and I walked up the stairs to bed I peered out of the window and what did I see... SNOW and lots of it! I looked back at my partner and jokinly said "It's snowing, guarantee you I go into labour tonight". Little did I know that I actually would, 3 days before my due date.

We both went to bed, same as always, nothing happening.
It took me ages to go to sleep as it did every night at that stage of pregnacy. (I just couldn't get comfortable).
Then suddenly in the middle of the night I awoke with a start and sat upright in bed. I must had made a noise or something because the OH jumped up out of bed faster than I have ever seen him move. He then promptly announced that I was in labour. It still makes me laugh now that he knew this before I did.
With this being my first child I didn't really believe I was in labour. I was in a kind of denial about the birth, like somehow I would just suddenly have a baby without actually giving birth.
I remember he kept asking me "Do you think your in labour?" and I remember thinking 'how the hell do I know, I've never done this before!' I'd been having a lot of Braxton Hicks pain weeks before this and I wasn't really sure if it was just that or labour.
It felt like period pain, a sort of warm feeling all around my ovaries with the cramping pain in my stomach. The pain came and went in waves exactlly the same as I get every month with my period. It wasn't anything like you see in the movies where the woman suddenly screams, then her waters break and five seconds later she has a baby. It was definatley a gradually pain.

The OH rang the hospital and they advised that we came in as we lived 30 minutes from the hospital and it was now thick with snow outside.

From here on in everything was kind of a blur but I will tell you the bits I do remember, so if it seems a bit disjointed then that is why.

I remember the car journey, and I remember thinking at the time, 'Thank god it's snowing, now he can't drive to fast. Silly things you think of, the fact that I was about to give birth was irrelevant.

Photo by Diego Torres Silvestre

I then remember arriving at the hospital and worrying about getting a ticket for the car.
Then it was the longest walk of my life from the car park to the maternity ward, (why do they put this ward the furthest away the possibly can!) and having to stop every minute for the flow of pain.

We finally got into the ward and they examined me straight away, I was only 3 centimetres! This was going to take a while.

By now the pain was like really strong period pain but nothing I hadn't felt before, every month for the last 14 or so years. 

I told them I wanted an epidural and they said I'd have to wait for the man with the drugs as he was busy with someone else at the moment. I don't really remember much after that point until he arrived, I think I went into some kind of trance or something.

When he did finally arrive I remember being in quite a bit of pain by then, I had to lean over the side of the bed and stay really still, easier said than done when you are in that much pain. I fet like saying to him 'How about I kick you full pelt in the goolies and then you stay still while I stab you in the back with a very big needle'. Luckily I was in to much pain to speak.

As it turned out I didn't even feel the needle go in.

I must admit I did feel a sense of relief after the epidural went in that this pain was going to stop soon, or so I thought!

After about an hour or so after I had the epidural I was in more pain than I was before. The midwives couldn't work it out until I tried to stand up. Basically I couldn't, I couldn't feel my legs at all, I couldn't even wiggle my toes. So naturally I paniced, they've bloody paralised me! 

What they decided happened was something to do with the chambers in my back along my spine, so the medicine had gone straight down to my legs instead of my stomach, where I needed it. 

By now I was in quite a lot of pain and was temporarily paralised from the waist down and still hadn't actually had any pain relief that was working. This was not going to plan.

They decided to get the medicine man back in and do ANOTHER epidural but higher up in my back this time.

Once this one was in it worked, I had no pain, it was amazing. The only problem now was that I was so numb down below that when it came to the time to push I couldn't. This is where it gets a bit nasty, just to warn you. So out comes the ventouse (the thing they attach to the babies head and basically suck them out of you). They had to cut me down there in order to get it onto his head, luckily because I was so numb I didn't feel this at all. 

So after much pulling and tugging which was sending H's heartbeat up, not suprising really (not the best way to come into the world) and about 16 hours later, he was finally born.

You think this story would end there but it doesn't (by the way if you've made it this far well done).

After he was born and the midwives had sewn me up again they wanted to transfer me into the recovery ward, only problem was I was still paralised from the waste down. They had to maneuver me onto a bed with wheels and roll me into the room. I then had to have a catheter put in which was horrible, possibly the worst bit so far, not because it hurt, I still couldn't feel anything but because I knew they had to take it out again at some point when the pain relief had worn off. 

I spent the entire night awake in bed worrying that I was going to rip the catherter out if I feel asleep. I still couldn't move and H kept being sick (nice tar looking black sick) and I couldn't do anything to help him so I had to keep calling the nurse in every 5 minutes to sort him out. Apparently he swallowed a lot of the fluid inside and he was bringing it all up, which was terrifying.

I didn't get the feeling back into my legs until the next day and by then I was so tired from lack of sleep that I didn't know what planet I was on let alone that I'd just had a baby. 

When I finally got to go home I was very sore from the stiches and it seemed to take weeks to heal but I had the most beautiful little baby boy which made it all worth it.

3 and a half years later and my little baby boy is so not so little any more

10 Child-Friendly Places to Visit in South Devon

I have just realised that as of next month we will have been living in Devon for a year now. I just can't get over how fast time seems to be flying by at the moment.

Even though we have been here a year it still sometimes feels like we are on a very long holiday. 

We keep discovering new and exciting places to go so I thought for todays post I would share with you some of the fantastic child friendly places that we have found, especially with the forthcoming summer holidays.

1) The Wood Cafe - 

Now this is a fantastic place that is set within a woodland Yurt Camp. They have a great range of food and drink available (their hot chocolate with marshmallows is my fave) and while you are enjoying your food the children can either play with the basket full of toys or go outside to the undercover play barn.  This place is definitely worth a visit. 

2) Trago Mills - 

 Trago is one of my regular haunts with the kids, especially when I don't want to spend a huge amount of money. There is so much to do there and you could easily fill up a whole day. (From an adult point of view it is all looking a little tired these days and could do with a good lick of paint but the children don't care about that).

There's an amusment park with a whole array of different rides, you can either buy a ticket for the day for these or pay as you go with tokens. 

The little steam train is a great way to travel around the site and takes you from one end to the other.

My sons favourite part of Trago is the model railway which costs just a pound each to get into (under 4's are free). My daughters favourite part is the animal farm, which is free to get into. Always a bonus.

 For the adults there is a massive, and I mean massive, discount store. They sell everything from carpets to candles.

3) Haldon Forest - 

If you fancy an active day, whether it be walking, cycling, climbing or flying threw the trees, then this is the place for you. It is free to get in, you just have to pay for your parking. ( Peak - Up to 2 hours £3, Over 2 hours £4).

I love this place when I'm having one of those days where the aim of the game is to wear the kids out. 

They have some fantastic walks to suit all abilities and if you aim it right you can end the walk at the big sandpit playarea. 

4) The House of Marbles - 

Personally I love this place, I have a bit of a thing for glass. 

This is another place that is free to get into. There's a shop, a restaurant, glass blowing workshop, outside games garden, marble museum and the fabulous marble runs (these keep my son amused for ages). 

If you are looking to buy a unusual present for someone then this is the place to go.

5) Stover Country Park - 

This is another place that we regularly frequent. A bit like Haldon, it's free to get in but you just have to pay for parking ( £1 for two hours or £2 for all day, I believe). 

Right in the middle is the massive lake that you can walk around and feed the ducks as you go. There are interpretation boards dotted around the walk, an aeriel walkway, a bird hide, picnic areas and a children's walk with little wooden animal statues. 

You can also visit the Nature Interpretation Centre. (Also free).

6) Cockington Court -

Cockington is a magical village hidden within the middle of Torquay. It has your classic 'choclate box' style cottages with thatched roofs and horse drawn carts. 

Cockington Court is right in the centre of the village and has cafes, playarea, workshops and plenty of space for the kids to run wild and free. 

You don't have to pay to get in but again you must pay for your parking, quite pricey at around £6 but definitely worth it. 

There is often events going on here so worth checking out their website before you go to see what's on. 

Photo taken from their website

7) Tumbling Teds - 

This is one of those, for what seems inevitable, wet days that we seem to be having so many of lately. 

Ted's is an indoor play place specially designed for under 6's. 

It's great because you don't have the usual worries that you have when you go to the other big soft play centres. You can drink your tea in peace knowing that your little bundle of joy isn't going to get squashed by a bigger kid or lost in a maze of colourful plastic.

It's £3 per child for unlimited play and under 1's go free. There's a cafe, free parking and baby changing facilities.

8) Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust - 

If your daughter is anything like mine and has a new found fascination with animals then this is a great little place to visit. It's free to go to but they are only open to the public on Sundays between 1.30 and 4.00.

They have a small selection of ponies that you can see and stroke and even adopt one if you feel like it. (That might make it a bit of an expensive trip though!) 

You can find the dpht in the grounds of Parke a National Trust area which is also a great free place to visit with lots of beautiful walks along hidden rivers.

I suggest you take a picnic, yummy.

Image taken from website

9) Ullacombe Farm - 

This is one of mine and the OH's favourite places to eat. The food is real, fresh rustic farm food. It's lovely!

The cafe has an indoor play area for the kids, so you can enjoy your food in peace. It also has an outdoor play area, a farm shop and an animal barn. 

If you are like us and still like to go out and enjoy good food but don't want the stress of worrying about the kids then this is the place for you.

10) Last but not least Teignmouth Seafront - 

This is another place that we spend quite a significant amount of time, well weather permitting of cause. It has the best playground around (free) and the pier is also a great place to visit. (free to get in, we like free)

You can stroll along the seafront and take in the views, you could even have some yummy fish and chips.

Image taken from website

 So that's it, this is my life, all the places that we spend most of our time. if you know of any other great places in the area then I'd love to know about them.

Potty Training - Day (I've lost count)

This is how my mornings now start...

I awake to hear thud, thud, thud coming down the hallway towards the bathroom. Then from the comfort of my bed I hear the little voice commentary begin 'I'm going to have a poo'. Rip, off comes the night nappy followed by the sound of rustling. Then silence until Plop, 'ooo I've done a poo'. 

Next I hear the thud, thud, thud of tiny feet again but this time it's coming my way. I open my eyes to see a little face staring back at me 'Mummy I've done a poo!' So proud.

I thought I'd do an update today on how the potty training is going.

Cue Professor Higgins 'By jove I think he's got it'. 

At last we seem to of cracked it. We haven't had an accident for about 3 weeks now (touch wood). Sometimes he doesn't even tell me he's going to the loo and just does it all himself. It seems to have taken him forever  to get the hang of it but we got there in the end.  All started here

Nex it's going to be round two of potty training but I'm hoping Lj will be easier (I've heard that girls are).

 

'Quote of the Week' # 5

For this weeks theme for 'Quote of the Week' I have chosen... Judgement.

Image found on Pinterest, originally from Piccsy

 I'm fed up this week. I'm fed up with people judging me without even knowing who I really am. 

Let me explain, I look quite young for my age, I still get asked for ID so I'm persuming people think I'm about 17 when the truth is you actually need to add about 10 years onto that. 

Now you might be thinking well what the hell is she complaining about, isn't it ever womens dream to look younger than they are? Well that's all very well but because I have two children people just see me as a teenage mum. 

I'm so fed up with comments like 'but you don't look old enough to have two children' I mean REALLY! If you want to get technical about it i've been 'able' to have children since the age of 9, something I'm hoping my daughter doesn't follow suit with. It's no fun having periods at that age.

The other thing that really grates on me is whenever we go into a shop and don't buy anything the security guards look the buggy up and down as we go out the door like I might have stashed something in my childs nappy or something. Again just because I look young I must have no money and therefore I must need to steal. 

Apparently when meeting someone for the first time it takes us humans just 3 seconds to judge that person and from then on in it's very hard to get them to change their minds about you. I suppose what I'm saying here is that first impressions aren't always right and maybe we should try to take a bit more time to get to know people before judging them.

Judgement is a horrible thing and I know we are all guilty of it at some point in our lives but I just about had enough of it now. 

Anyway rant over now. I hope you all enjoy your weekend and the weather brightens up a bit and as always If you'd like to join in with 'Quote of the Week' just add your quote to the linky below.

The Gallery - The Everyday

If I could give one bit of advice to anyone expecting a child it would be this...

If you are going to introduce something into the bedtime routine, whether it be reading a story, singing a song or putting their favourite toys to bed, I strongly suggest that you think very carefully about what it is because you will be doing it again and again and again 'everyday' for the next few years!

We made this mistake with LJ with her beloved animals. 

She has a pocket tidy in her bedroom and each pocket fits one animal in. So one day just before bed I showed her how to put them in and said 'Goodnight animals'. Little did I know that this one off game was going to become a regular occurrence, every night from then on in. 

The problem is people keep buying her new animals, so this little routine is getting longer and longer every night!  

I'm thinking that some of the animlas might just have to get 'lost'. I know mean Mummy.

This post was for The Gallery on the lovely Tara's blog at Sticky Fingers 

Quote of the Week #4

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you've all had a good week. Time seems to have flown by and the weekend is upon us again.
It's time again for...

For this weeks quote of the week I have chosen the theme Intelligence.

Image found on Pinterest, Author Albert Einstein

I believe that there is no easy way to measure intelligence, for one there are many different types of intelligence. One person could be really good with numbers and formulas but can't do a simple thing like boil an egg, another person may be emotionally intelligent, making them really good with people but they can't do their times tables. So which one is the most intelligent?

A man called Howard Gardner believes that there are infact 9 different types of intelligence.

1) Naturalist Intelligence (“Nature Smart”)

2) Musical Intelligence (“Musical Smart”)

3) Logical-Mathematical Intelligence (Number/Reasoning Smart)

4) Existential Intelligence

5)  Interpersonal Intelligence (People Smart”)

6)  Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence (“Body Smart”)

7)  Linguistic Intelligence (Word Smart)

8)  Intra-personal Intelligence (Self Smart”)

9)  Spatial Intelligence (“Picture Smart”)

 So which one are you? I'd say that I'm 5 and maybe number 7. 

If we relate this to our children I suppose it's just a case of being aware that eveyone is different and everyone excels at different things. I suppose our job, as parents, is helping them to find the things they are good at and encouraging them to do them.

If you like to join in with 'Quote of the Week' then just add your post to the Linky below. (Still don't quite get it then click here)



 

Yummy Mummy Meme

I have been tagged in this meme by Aimee Sawyer with her blog Everything's Rosey. I haven't done one of these in ages so I thought I'd give it a go.

The rules...
When answering the questions give as much detail as possible. It's all about the finer details people!
Leave a comment on Here (Busybeemummybex blog where the meme was created).
Tag three or more people and link to them on your blog.
Tweet #yummymummy when you share on Twitter.


What is the first thing you do when you wake up?
Moan and think it can't possible be morning again, I haven't had nearly enough sleep. As far as I'm concerned mornings are the work of the devil and should be banned!

Do you shower daily? Are you an early morning shower or an evening bath type?
I try to shower everyday but it depends on how the kids are behaving. If they're in one of their naughty moods I usually wait until they go to bed and then either have a shower or a bath. We have a shower curtain instead of a screen and there's nothing worse then suddenly getting a little hand poking through it, scares me to death everytime

Do you wear make up daily?

Definitely, if I didn't I would imagine that I'd quite easily get a part in the next zombie apocalypse movie. 

I have blonde eyelashes, blonde eyebrows and very pale skin which means without makeup it's not a pretty sight

What's in your make up bag?
Pretty much everything Max Factor has ever made! 

Max Factor colour adapt foundation, Max Factor lash extension effect mascara, Max Factor lip finity brown, Max Factor lip finity red, Max Factor colour elixir red lip liner, Max Factor masterpiece mascara, Max Factor kohl pencil black, Max Factor bronzing powder, Max Factor flawless perfection blusher, Max Factor liquid eyeliner, Max Factor eyebrow pencil and Max Factor vibrant curve lip gloss. Can you tell I like Max Factor?

When your having a slummy mummy day what do you normally wear?
My black Pineapple trousers, a strappy top and my pink Gap hoodie or if it's a really slummy day my pj's (this is normally after a night out with the OH and a bit too much vino)

 

Nails - how often do you get them done?
I have never had my nails done before EVER! I'm not really much of a girlie girl (other than my Maxfactor addiction)

 

Your top tips for tired eyes?
Cucumber slices over them


Are you a Starbucks or Costa Coffee kind of girl?
I don't drink coffee or anything with caffeine in for that matter. I suffer from panic attacks and the caffeine brings them on. I know very boring!


How many children do you have/want and why?
I have two children and would have a million more though I think the OH would have something to say about that. No plans for anymore just yet though


Where is your favourite place to shop for babies/children's clothes?
Here I would love to say Next, Monsoon, Joules, Gap & Fat Face but the reality is more Tesco, Asda, Primark and charity shops. I can dream can't I?


Flats or Heels - Everyday shoes are?
Flats all the way, I just look ridiculous in heels, I can't walk in them to save my life


I am going to tag the following people in this meme, can't wait for their replies...

Rachel at Dragonfly Crafter

Single Married Mum

Chloe at A Twenty Something Mummy

A Mother's Intuition

'The moment a child is born, the mother is also born.  She never existed before.  The woman existed, but the mother, never.  A mother is something absolutely new.'  ~Rajneesh

Today while I was doing the ironing I got a sudden feeling that I had to go into the garden where H was playing. I didn't know why I was going into the garden I just knew that I should, so I did.
When I got out there I saw that I hadn't locked the gate after I had put out the rubbish earlier that morning and H was no where to be seen! Now I don't know if you have ever lost your child for a moment but it is the worst feeling in the world. The panic sets in immediately and all of the worst possible scenarios flash through your mind.

Photo by sasastro

I flew threw the gate and luckly he was only on the other side so I got him back in and locked the gate. It took me ages to calm down and then the relief set in. After that I didn't let him out of my sight for the rest of the day. 

Later on I thought about it again and wondered what had made me go into the garden in the first place? He quite often plays out there while I'm inside, ironing, washing or cleaning. So why today did I just know that I had to get out there?

I say it's Mother's Intuition - ('The ability to acquire knowledge without inference or the use of reason'). 

I had a similar experience when H was younger, he was playing in him room while I was tidying in our bedroom next door. Again I had a sudden urge to go into his room because something felt wrong. 

I flew into his room to find that he had climbed on top of his shelving unit and was leaning out of the OPEN window!

Photo by Amanda Tipton

  I have never been so scared in all my life. He was so young at the time and could barely walk let alone climb on top of something, therefore I hadn't worried about the open window, I just persumed he'd never get up there. Bad judgement on my part, lesson one in parenting... never underestimate your child.

So again what had made me go into his room?

Either I have a guardian angel sitting on my shoulder helping me to protect my children or I have learnt to listen to my inner voice and in doing that I have become a proper mummy.

10 Things My Kids Do That Makes Me Smile

1) When they get into our bed in the morning and fight over who gets to cuddle me first.

2) The way my daughter now thinks that horses are called 'see saws' because she has a rocking horse at home and when she sits on it we sing 'see saw, see saw'.

3) Hearing them both belly laughing together in the garden while they are playing.

4) The way my 19 month old tries to talk her way out of trouble in her toddler babble when you tell her off.

5) When we drop Daddy off at the pub and my son says "Daddy has gone to have some juice and do some colouring" because that is what he does when he goes to the pub with us.

6) The way my daughter farts and then looks around as if to say 'where the hell did that come from?'

7)  The way my son talks from the minute he gets up to the minute he goes to bed and then sometimes even in his sleep.

8) How it makes their day when I do a simple thing like get a tube of bubbles out.

9) When I watch my 3 year old running round the garden with a rolled up magazine trying to swat every bug that flies by.

10) When I secretly catch them having cuddles together.

So what about you, what things do your little ones do that's guaranteed to put a smile on your face?