A big catch up!!

Well, what a disgrace, I can't believe I have gone so long without a blog! what has happened this last month?

For Hannah's half term holiday we went to Scotland.  We stayed at Sundrum Castle caravan park in Ayr and had a fun filled week exploring Ayr and the surrounding areas.  Yes it rained, yes it was cold but we all had great fun.  I could get quite used to staying in a caravan!!  Then when we got home came the realisation that we had left something rather important behind - the laptop.  It was still in the kitchen cupboard in the caravan, a definite case of out of sight out of mind.  It cost us £47.70 to get it back via DHL, much to Michael's annoyance but as I said to him, it would cost us a lot more to go back and pick it up ourselves in just petrol never mind if we had to find somewhere to stay for the night! It would be a very long day taking a trip up there and back in one day.  Anyway, lesson learned - the hard way - as usual!

We had managed to get back in time for Hannah's friend (maddy)'s birthday party which being held on the 30th October was a Halloween themed party.  When I got Hannah there the house had been decorated fabulously with spooky spider webs, bats and pumpkins.  All the kids were in fancy dress and face paint and looked fantastic!!  Hannah certainly had a lovely time - when I went back to collect her Maddy's dad said 'Hannah's very good at organising isn't she?'  not quite sure how to take that one!! could be a good thing or a bad thing!!  All the fun at Maddy's helped set her up for a fun Halloween on the Sunday - we went Trick or Treating and decorated our front window with pictures of witches hats and spiders and moons - to encourage the trick or treaters to pay a visit.  We only went Trick or Treating to people we know, I'm not entirely comfortable with the idea of knocking on strangers doors as it almost feels like begging.  However, you can see that people in this country are starting to come round to the American way of Halloween with more and more houses every year making a big effort and decorating their houses and gardens with pumpkins and bunting, I'll be honest, I find it great I think it's just a bit of harmless fun! which doesn't quite sit comfortably with my lack of enthusiasm for trick or treating strangers!!  (I never said I wasn't a complex person!)

Think I'll leave this for now, I'll update with more and picture's later!!

My Rainbow!

I am so proud of Hannah, she started Rainbow's recently and took her promise last night.  I was quite emotional at the meeting when we were watching her.  I could even hear her saying her promise which I thought was good as most children her age when faced with a room full of people and strangers tend to whisper.  Nana came with us as she wanted to see it too and so did Andrew (who was very good even though he was imprisoned in his pushchair)  Unfortunately dad was at work so he didn't get to see it but I took lots of photo's!

Congratulations Hannah on joining the guiding world.  I can only hope that you get as much pleasure from your new adventure as I did when I was younger. xxxxx

Life!!!!!

What is it about life???  Just when you think that things are going well, something happens and things start to get expensive.  We discovered on Saturday that we have quite a major hole in the front of our roof - seriously - it looks like we've been torpedoed, or something has fallen off a passing plane and gone through the roof (I suppose it would have carried on falling through the house if that had happened) maybe it's down to a fat pigeon or sea gull that our neighbours insist on feeding.  Must have landed on the slates and either gone straight through or surfed down on the loose ones until they fell off the roof. AAArggghhhh!!

Just as we seem to move forward with money something pushes us further back and puts the nice things even further out of my reach.  Bit of a miserable post this!  maybe it's because I'm due to go and see my counsellor tomorrow and I really don't want to go.  I actually feel like crying at the thought.  She's in Howden at the Sure Start centre tomorrow and I'm not even sure I know where that is - in fact I don't know where it is.  I could get the metro there but I'm really not up for that at all- getting a knot in my stomach just thinking about it - but it is apparently within sight of the metro station so sense would dictate that is the way to go.  But I don't want to. At all.  So my next option is to drive, with the sat nav directing me.  But I don't want to.  I know this woman (Brenda) is supposed to be helping me but I almost feel like I'm beyond help sometimes, and that I don't need help and I want to get myself through my mess on my own (when I know in my heart of hearts I can't) 

What to do????  It could be that a total lack of money is bringing me down or more likely the absolute lack of sleep!!  Thanks to mini Surtees for that one!!  Poor mite has got three molars coming in at the same time and as such I think he is in a fair bit of pain.  Mike only got about 6 hours sleep on Saturday through Sunday and that was split into two shifts.  I felt quite sorry for him as he was on late shift at the weekend plus he is going down with a cold.

Hannah started Rainbow's on Friday night and absolutely loved it!  They made dragonflies and found out about their habitat.  As such, I was sent over the road to Outdoor World on Saturday (which is when we discovered the hole in the roof) to purchase her uniform as she will be taking her promise this Friday!!  Pretty fast going but there is a reason, there are celebrations on 20/10 to celebrate the end of the centenary year of the girl guiding movement.  At these celebrations they will be renewing their promise and Pam (Rainbows leader) thought it would be a daunting experience for them to do that when they haven't officially done their promise with the pack.  So it will be 20/10/2010 soon! I love things like that! Yesterday it was 10/10/10!  Pretty awesome really, these things only happen once a century so I'll be the saddo on 20/10/2010 looking at the look at 20.10 pm!!  A date like this won't happen again until next year on 20/11/2011!!

There I've talked myself into a better mood - thought this would be quite therapeutic!

I'm excited!

I'm quite excited at the moment.  I'm also wondering just what I've let myself in for!!!  I'll explain :- I've been asked to get involved with my local brownie group! with a view to taking over as leader.  I know, it's probably quite sad but it's something that secretly I've wanted to do for a while now.  Main benefit to Hannah being that when she is seven she is guaranteed to get in!  As I'm now on my career break I feel I have the time to be able to commit to these things and the leaders that I spoke to (at the church fair on Saturday) seemed to think it would only take an extra two or three hours a week for planning on top of the one hour meeting time.

Have just been looking at the girl guiding website and getting excited although its a scary prospect too.  So tomorrow I'm due to go along to a meeting to find out what it's like, and whether or not I like it.  I'm so lucky to have such good parents as they have offered to look after Hannah and Andrew as Mike is at work on a late shift.

I'm still enjoying going to church on a Sunday morning.  Still feel like I'm getting something out of it although I don't feel like I hear much of what is being said due to chasing after Andrew most of the time!  Everybody is so friendly and welcoming and I enjoy being there, Hannah seems to enjoy Godly Play there too and keeps making various animals out of clay (first was a cat - which has been decapitated in an unfortunate incident i.e. it fell off the shelf and this week it was a fish!)

Talking of animals, I have recently become a mother to 2 more additions to the house - thankfully not children - Gerbils!  lovingly called Spongebob Squarepants and Sandy Cheeks (addicted to television? my daughter?)  still a bit timid but we're getting there - however, I think I would be timid if I was them and Andrew kept banging on the top of my cage with whatever implement he can get his hands on! The worst part is trying to stop Andrew picking up the ball that we put one of the gerbil's into to roll around the front room and launching it across the room.  Andrew doesn't seem to understand that the furry little grey thing instead wouldn't be very impressed with being bounced around the room!

Finally, I would like to pass on my heartfelt warm wishes and congratulations to my very good/close friend Tanya Card on becoming a British citizen!  well done chick! xx

It's wet!!

Well today it's raining - a lot.  At one point the road and the pavement merged into one giant lake with the cars and vans passing by like little motor boats!  Andrew was mesmerised looking out the window at the rain, it's been a long time since I have seen rain fall like that, it was as if someone switched a hose on over Whitley Bay, was beginning to think I would need to build an ark!

Of course, it would have to decide to have an almost biblical rainfall on the day I need to take Hannah to her swimming lesson via public transport.  Not only that, three guesses who got the bus times wrong......... me.  Instead of being 5 minutes early, we were nearly 20 minutes early - what a nightmare - and I swear the people who were driving past were deliberately trying to score points by splashing me and Hannah, luckily Hannah was shielded by the bus stop and when she sat on the seat was able to lift her feet up and avoid getting further  bsplashed by the water flying through the gap under the bus shelter.  I however, was not so lucky but never mind.

On the plus side though, Hannah had a really good swimming lesson and acquitted herself very well - who knows whether or not she will want to carry on after this term, at the moment she says not.  I just wanted her to get her level 4 but as we have only made it to the beginning of stage 3 and she's saying she wants out then I don't think it's going to happen.  Fingers crossed.

My health visitor Judith came round to check on me, make sure I'm not on my way to the loopy house, was nice to see her and I was honest with her as to how I am and how I have been feeling.  Managed not to cry this time - which is an achievement for me.  Maybe it's because I spent 40 minutes in tears when I went to see the psychologist yesterday!! cried myself dry!  Judith seemed quite pleased to see me and with the progress I'd made.  Andrew was on top form as always - passing Judith all his toys then picking up the fluff off the carpet and giving her that too! Thanks Andrew, was it really necessary to point out to the health visitor (of all people) that I hadn't hoovered the rugs today???  Good job you've got a cheeky smile - even though you didn't let me get much sleep at all last night (I'll let you off though because you're full of cold).

Andrew's Christening

Well that's it, we did it, it's over and done with now.  To be honest I'm a little bit sad that it's over too.

Andrew was christened today at St Mary the Virgin church.  I should have realised that it wouldn't go as smoothly as I had hoped when I got up this morning.  Whilst getting dressed I went to put on my tights only to discover that they had a large hole in them, the second pair that I tried to put on had a ladder in!!  I then couldn't believe that I had no more pairs of tights!! thus a quick run up the street to the corner shop was needed to purchase a 95p pair of cheapy tights, they did the job though and that's the main thing!

We actually managed to get out of the house without too much stress and made it to church with plenty of time to spare - as did Mike's sister Lorraine and family which was a brilliant surprise as they are not neccessarily reknowned for their time keeping!  Andrew was on top form and just wanted to walk his way around church all the way through the service.  He looked so smart/cute in his little cravat and waistcoat, the only problem was he didn't want to stop walking around at all, and he kept leaving a shoe behind wherever he went!!

Whilst Andrew was busy charming the old ladies in the church, Hannah was amazing everyone in the family with how grown up she now looks, after I got back from my hair appointment on Friday night, she announced that she would like to have her hair cut the same as mine.  Slightly surprising as this is the girl who would like to go into a 'who has the longest hair competition' with Rapunzel!  So this request was turned into a reality at her hair appointment on Saturday and it has completely transformed how she looks, thankfully she loves it too!

Anyway, I digress, everything was going well as I did my usual trips up and down the side of the church with Andrew then the time came for us to step up to the front with Andrew's god parents and do the promises.  Andrew decided that he didn't want to be up there and stared at by everyone so major struggling as I try to keep up with the service and say the bits I'm supposed to say whilst reining in the angry tiger that I'm holding! The funniest part for me was when Eric the vicar mentioned we were about to sign the cross on Andrew's head with the oil, that was it, Andrew saw his chance to break for freedom and toddled off up the aisle with his now very stressed (and sweaty) mummy behind him to bring him back!

Then came the 'fun at the font' Hannah helped Robin to fill up the font with water and managed to not spill a drop!  I handed Andrew over to Eric in order for him to be baptised, as Eric held him over the font Andrew tried to sit up and at the same time let out a cry straight into the microphone clipped onto his dog collar! so if anyone had been in any doubt that Andrew really wasn't very impressed that put them right.  Thankfully we made it through the rest of the proceedings without too much more hassle!  Hannah was the proud big sister when she was handed the baptism candle and I thought she acquitted herself very well with her 'jobs'  I in turn was the proud mum.

Then for the first time ever the service was finished by 11.15 (it normally goes on until 11.30 - 11.45)  not a problem normally but the venue for the after bit (the Kittiwake) didn't open till 12! So we stopped in the church for tea and coffee, or in Andrew's case a bottle of milk, before making our way to the Kittiwake.

When we got there I was so pleased, the buffet had been set up and was fantastic.  There was so much food, it wasn't a problem if people went back for seconds, they could have gone back for thirds and fourths too!!  Everyone liked the cake (Aunty Pat baked it and I decorated it!) and seemed to have a good time.  By the time I got home my feet were sooo sore! and I was straight into my tracksuit bottoms and t-shirt for comfort - not as elegant as my previous outfit but certainly more practical when chasing after two children!

Andrew received many lovely presents including a toasty warm coat, fire engine money box, wooden train with the letters of his name as the carriages, money and lots more!

I'm sad its over with though as I don't feel I got to enjoy the service and ceremony due to having to concentrate so much more on Andrew with his misbehaving - although all our guests said he did really well.

If there is a lesson for my children to learn from today I would recommend that when it comes to getting their children baptised (if they have any children, or even want them baptised that is) do it in the first three months of their lives! they'll probably sleep through it then and won't be able to walk or run away when you don't want them to.  I love you both Hannah and Andrew and I'm so very proud of you.

Photo's to follow (when I get them off my dad's camera!)

The start

Well, I'll be honest, it's only recently that blogging has been brought to my attention as something that I could do.  I've tried in the past to keep a diary (yeah, when I was 13) and like so many things that I start to do with good intentions my interest dropped off fairly soon after commencing.  It just seemed to turn into a chore.  My plan for this blog is to do it when I feel the need to let off steam, or if something has happened that I want to remember or that I want my children to remember.

Maybe I should tell you about them - Hannah Lily Surtees has now reached the grand old age of 6!! where has the time gone???  I often describe her as 6 going on 16, she's so fiercly independent she quite often puts herself into impossible positions that she can't get herself out of without help, however, will still refuse all offers of help until she ends up in tears.  Only to be salved by a big hug from mum.  However, she is also quite emotional and bless her too much like I was when I was her age.  You only have to look at her the wrong way and she cries.  I only hope that she grows to be a stronger person than me.  I let people hurt me all too easily.  Then there is Andrew James Surtees who is now 1.  What a character he is turning into!! he makes me laugh so much with his cheeky smile and wobbly walk!  He loves my dads German Shepherd Delta and is quite proud of the fact that he can say Delta (although it sounds a bit like Deda, but we know who he means!) although all dogs are now called 'deda dog' to Andrew!  Dada and dadad are favourite words too (dadad being my father - from when Hannah was little and unable to pronounce Grandad - we like it cos its 'original') unfortunately, he only says mama when he is whinging or unhappy about something i.e. when I'm not getting his bottle of milk fast enough!  Should be interesting to keep a track of his words on here!

Andrew and Hannah in Larochette Chateaux

As I'm now a stay at home mum (taking a career break) my life has changed quite a lot in the last year, obviously being a mother to Hannah changed my life, but being a mother to Hannah and Andrew has changed the dynamic again.  I am LOVING being at home and always there for my children when they need me.