tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22151807397110886942024-03-05T10:12:40.468-08:00Two Mums. Two Kids?Follow us on our adoption journey from filling in a form in order to receive a form to fill in to invite you to an event where you fill in a form...and other adventures...including...actually adopting a baby!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger116125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-83749541081680319032014-08-18T07:42:00.002-07:002014-08-18T07:42:51.342-07:00Squib's 3rd Birthday: A toddler tea party!Howdy folks.<br />
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Those of you who read this blog regularly will know that Squib's birthday was ages ago but I wanted to share what we did for her party as it went really well and she had such a great time as did all the grown ups and kiddies (I think!)<br />
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We were lucky enough to have Granny and Grandad around helping with washing up and serving so I actually managed to enjoy it - I KNOW, I surprised myself there!<br />
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So Mumsnet folk said don't serve anything healthy and don't cater for the adults. I ignored them. To me it seems a bit rude to have adults there at lunch time and not feed them. So we made hundreds of sandwiches, scones, sausage rolls and mini meringues and they all went down a treat!<br />
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I've included a photo summary and will give details of what we did:<br />
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<b>Entertainment</b>:<br />
I think 2/3 year olds are better with an unstructured party so we had three main things going on and they could pick and choose. And Squib got a trampoline for her birthday which provided entertainment too.<br />
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Cake stand decorating:<br />
I bought some super thick card and googled a cake stand template and made cupcake stands for the children to decorate with stickers, pens and glitter glue. This was more popular with some than others but was fun!<br />
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Messy play:<br />
This was all done in our new builders' tray. I made three lots of play dough - chocolate (add cocoa), ginger (add ginger) and vanilla and oat (add vanilla and oats) all made to The Imagination Tree's wonderful no cook recipe. We had coloured rice in sprinkles pots, rolling pins, silicone cake cases, a piping bag sealed up and filled with shaving foam, candles, foam shapes, plastic knives, doilies, a flour shaker. It was great! They had a brilliant time. Some of them enjoyed making pretend cakes and biscuits and some of them just got stuck in but they all seemed to enjoy it. We also had a water tray with herbal tea bags, a tea pot and cups, but this was less popular.<br />
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Tea room:<br />
I set up a pretend play tea room with real mini biscuits (mini party rings and oreos), a new tea set which was Emma Bridgewater like our one at home, flowers on the table and real water and sugar cubes and aprons to wear. Squib dived straight in here as soon as she woke up and was very excited!<br />
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We did do a pass the parcel at Squib's request but to be honest I don't think the kids really get it at that age!<br />
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<b>Food</b>:<br />
Cake sandwiches (a special request from Squib!) which were maderia cake bread with fondant ham and cheese and buttercream butter.<br />
Fairy bread - bread buttered and covered with sprinkles<br />
Crudites and dips<br />
Mini meringues<br />
Scones<br />
Mini sandwiches<br />
Tea bag biscuits<br />
And the cake was the shape of a tea pot. Squib was really confused when I brought it out as she didn't realise it was a cake! I bought these hemisphere moulds from Lakeland and made the handle and spout with florists' wire with marshmallows threaded on and then iced.<br />
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<b>Party bags:</b><br />
I made biscuits from salt dough and then stamped the children's names on and coloured the stamping in with a Sharpie. I then stuck velcro on with UHU so that they could separate and change the fillings.<br />
Then we found some made a cake for a bird (bird seed and a silicone cupcake mould) in The Works and put those in as the main gift.<br />
I think it had some chocolate buttons and a balloon as well.<br />
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All the children played happily, and there was plenty to munch. It was such a good day! It's making me smile to remember it. Hope it gives some of you some ideas! :)<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-74610535315889045722014-08-12T12:41:00.000-07:002014-08-12T12:41:35.891-07:00Long time no see....change is afoot!Hello folks,<br />
<br />
Sorry it's been a while. Blogging just isn't a priority at the moment, although I'd like to turn that round again as it doesn't take long and it's been really great to be able to share and document our journey.<br />
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So, massive massive change is just a few weeks away. Squib will start preschool 4 days per week and I'm going back to work. Admittedly I will only be teaching 6 hours, but that's over 4 days so it will feel like a lot more, especially with parents' meetings, reports and planning. It's the start of a new era and I'm pretty scared. I'm mostly scared because I've never worn so many hats before or juggled so many plates. And it's not like I'm juggling crappy plastic plates, they are all pretty important, delicate ones! I've been a full time teacher, wife, daughter and friend before, but I've never been a teacher, mummy, wife, daughter and friend and that feels like rather a lot. I shouldn't moan as I'm lucky enough to be working part time and I'm not moaning! I'm quite excited to be able to put my professional hat back on and maybe spend a small part of the day without play dough under my finger nails and paint on my clothes. But I don't think work is going to feel quite the same.<br />
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We spent a long time choosing Squib's pre-school and we are really happy with it. It's small and nurturing and feeds in to her primary school. I think if I wasn't sending her to pre-school for her own benefit I would be struggling a lot more with leaving her. I don't feel guilty about it as it's the first, necessary step on her journey into schooling in this country. We don't want to home school her as she loves other kids and loves routines and rituals....I suspect that once she's got the hang of it she's going to really love pre-school and school. I hope so anyway.<br />
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Squib has grown so much lately, both physically and emotionally. She's hit above 98th centile for both height and weight and she's just full of strength and vitality. Whether she's tearing about on her scooter or riding her bike round the kitchen, she's full of mischief and fun. Every day she makes me laugh and gives me something to feel proud of! She's recently started doing very theatrical little bows whenever anyone congratulates her which is very funny! When I look back at photographs from a year ago I just can't believe my eyes. She oozes a cheeky confidence and at the moment, is just so happy. She's managing to negotiate relationships with other children which is so wonderful to watch. I love watching her and her little friends communicating and playing together. <br />
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They say pride comes before a fall. And I am really proud of her, but with all her outrageous scamping she has had more than her fair share of falls so I'm not too worried! She's always covered in bruises but her paediatrician told us that it's a good thing as it shows she's out there and having fun!<br />
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I've been so privileged over the past year and a half. Its coming up to the date when we formally adopted her. I think we will go out for dinner and maybe buy some new clothes for Bob the monkey (we adopted him on the same day) as I want Squib to get a sense that these milestones are special to us, that they are meaningful and important, that she is important.<br />
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We left Squib with my parents at the weekend so we could go shopping.... we have never done such a thing before! And she was chipper as anything...perfectly happy to wave us off, and very cheerful to see us again. Brilliant! I wasn't even worried! My mum is an ex-teacher child whisperer type, but even without her special talents, I feel like these attachments we worried about so much and which were so fragile, are now pretty strong. With the court date anniversary comes the time when Squib will have been with us longer than she was without us, and that's a special thing. I've been going on about her life like a cake for a long time, about how big the slice was that she was with us....it'll be pretty awesome when we get to the point where our life with Squib becomes the biggest slice!<br />
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And when I start to worry about going back to work I just have to zoom out and look at the broader picture of my life. And that's what blogging does for me...why did I leave it so long?! I'm so bloody lucky! I have a wife who loves me, a family who supports me, a fantastic bunch of friends, a lovely home in a wonderful place and a seriously awesome kid! Ah, the clarity of seeing things like that in black and white is just so refreshing!<br />
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I'll try not to leave it so long next time!<br />
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:)<br />
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<br /><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-17473362472452798482014-04-26T12:03:00.003-07:002014-04-26T12:03:54.691-07:00The surprising things that happened when I became a parent...I've been musing this for a while. I wonder how many of you will relate to it.<br />
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<ul>
<li>My Mum hunger knows no bounds. I can eat and eat, but then I never sit down which leads me to...</li>
<li>My socks wear out ridiculously quickly. I have resorted to digging out my old brown suede Birkenstocks (seriously bad lesbian stereotype shoes) to wear around the house</li>
<li>My slight gay shyness has worn off. I am now ridiculously matter of fact about pretty much everything, leading to such gems of conversation from Squib as:</li>
<ul>
<li>Grandad: Is that a toothbrush in that little bag?</li>
<li>Squib: No Grandad, it's a tampon</li>
<li>Grandad: Oh...I see</li>
<li>Squib: Yes, Grandad, you can put it up your girly bits*</li>
<li>Grandad: Oh, erm...oh</li>
<li>Sqiub: Oh no, you not got girly bits, you got a penis..</li>
<li>Grandad: Er...yes...yes I have</li>
</ul>
</ul>
* I should explain here that the girly bits thing isn't out of prudishness it's just a collective term for all the bits!<br /><ul>
<li>I have a muscle on my arm which I must have omitted to learn about at medical school but it's now so large it actually makes me feel a little bit queasy</li>
<li>My eco conscience is now constantly conflicted. We live a constant quandary of whether we should buy free range chicken or put the money in the bank. Whether we should use ecover or use a washing liquid which actually removes stains. Whether we should actually carry a small bag with a flannel in it to avoid the use of baby wipes (we don't do that...a step too far in my book)</li>
<li>My need for pyjama wearing is bordering on extreme. If I'm not in my pyjamas before 8pm I start getting twitchy</li>
<li>If I can have a conversation with a friend the whole way through without it being broken up into about 7 chapters I view it as a triumph</li>
<li>I didn't realise Squib would pick up my habit of singing everything quite so quickly. Now if I sing her a question, she sings me a response</li>
<li>I worry more now about seeming old. My grey hairs started to bother me....I've hit the bottle</li>
<li>I don't want our lounge to be a tidy, minimalist space. I want our house to be cheerful and full of toys and pictures. Our once blank walls are now filled with paintings and photos. There's something symbolic about that I'm sure</li>
<li>I never realised quite how much I would enjoy planning her birthday parties. I mean I am IN MY ELEMENT! Watch this space for all the details of Squib's gorgeous birthday tea party</li>
<li>I am even more likely to talk to random old people. I want Squib's sense of social responsibility to grow. I am overlooking stranger danger for the time being....I love that she will engage with those around her and care about others. I bought a man who didn't have any change a cup of tea the other day and I'm not sure I would have done that pre-Squib. I also seem to give money to every charity box and busker...such is the toddler desire to put coins into small holes</li>
<li>I can occupy my time planning snacks and amusements for Squib on an aeroplane...I will post all my ideas at a later date!</li>
<li>I actually quite enjoy Peppa Pig...sometimes it's quite funny!</li>
<li>Same goes for slides and climbing frames....it'll be quite sad when Squib grows out of going to the park!</li>
<li>I went through a phase in the early days of using two in one shampoo and conditioner. I soon learned my lesson as the minute or two saved resulted in hours of horror from frizz. I won't be going back to those dark days!</li>
<li>Shopping used to be such a fun activity. Shopping with a toddler is just hell. Shopping without a toddler now is always quite like a frenzied binge</li>
<li>Who knew that I would ever really advocate cooking tray bakes over cup cakes?!</li>
<li>And of all our parenting discussions and wonderings when it comes to boundaries I generally stick with these simple guidelines...if it doesn't</li>
<ul>
<li>hurt anyone</li>
<li>damage anything</li>
<li>cause danger</li>
</ul>
</ul>
then it's OK! Although this can be difficult when I'm tired or she's tired or Mama's tired!<br />
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<ul>
<li>I also try to keep in the back of my mind that my job is about supporting my family and providing a safe space full of love for Squib to grow and learn and be the person she can be</li>
</ul>
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That's it. Although I may add to and evolve this post slightly!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-72140822027522140582014-03-22T14:55:00.000-07:002014-03-22T14:55:14.244-07:00Life story work.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello,<br />
<br />
I must get back to blogging regularly as my brain is becoming rather like the overflowing basket I keep on top of the filing cabinet of "things to be filed." I do find writing is an excellent way to organise my thoughts and make sense of them. I've been doing 100happydays over on Twitter (@twomumstwokids) but have lacked the time, energy or inclination to sit down and write for a little while. Let's see if I can get back into it again.<br />
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We have Squib's life story book now. It's a bit rubbish. Which makes me sad. 20 months of her life, in a bit of a rubbish folder, with typos and naff clip art and fun facts. I'm sure it took her social worker a long time....but there was still obviously cut and paste in there (wrong names.) I don't cut and paste when I'm writing chemistry reports which in the grand scheme of things are relatively unimportant, and so I do think it's a bit much to cut and paste from other kids' life story books. If we didn't care (which we do) then this would be the only glimpse of Squib's life before us, and frankly, it's not good enough. I'll stop moaning in a minute. The main thing which bugs me (I did my PGCE dissertation on differentiation) is the fact that it's all written in a stupid, hard to read font, and has loads of full pages of text. Squib just flicks through to get to the naff clip art.... But Birth Mum gave us over 100 photos and we passed them on to SS so they could put them in there....but they couldn't be bothered! Why would you have a rubbish shutter stock (no offence shutter stock) image of a pregnant belly, when you could include the genuine article? Because you can't be bothered to look for it I suppose.<br />
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Sorry. Now I will stop moaning! So I'm rewriting! I'm rewriting with less text, more pictures and just generally using my teaching know how to try and make it as engaging as possible. Squib already knows the name of her birth mother and father. She knows that sperm comes out of a man (!) and will happily regale the story of her conception to anyone who will listen. Which is nice! For her, at the moment, it's just her story. But I was going through the life story book with her and heavily abrading it, and got to the part about why she and her siblings were taken into care, and that's when it got harder. For a long time now, I have been dropping into our day to day existence, little chats about what Mummys and Mamas should do. They need to keep you safe....They need to keep you clean, and give you somewhere to sleep and healthy things to eat etc....so focusing on the positives of what parents should be. And then if she asked, I would say something like "because BM couldn't keep you safe" but the life story book hits you with the facts of the matter and it's pretty hard to process and understand without judgement. At 2 1/2 - 3 she knows that there is good behaviour and there is "not good behaviour!" She's learning to understand that for some people this varies. Some parents let their kids walk on people's walls, some people don't...and that's OK! She likes to police her friend's behaviour so I have to say "Squib...whose job is it to tell Fred to wash his hands? Is it your job? Or is it Fred's Mummy's job?!" But how can she understand that these people who hurt other people aren't necessarily bad people. It just whooshes so far beyond her understanding that there's no way to really explain it. I don't want to demonise her birth family, or make her feel ashamed or scared of where she was born. So what I have been saying so far is that sometimes grown ups make mistakes and do unkind things, and that means that they couldn't provide a safe place for Squib to grow up. But I know that she'll be asking for more detail. Why? Why? Why??? And then the last time I spoke to her about it, she said "but Mummy, that's really sad" and I said to her "yes, it is really sad. It's OK to feel sad. It makes Mummy feel sad too." And then later that day I had to have a little cry to myself. It would be so easy to just shut it all away in a cupboard somewhere and keep living our pretty little life pretending that none of it had ever happened. It would just be so easy. But the trouble with that is much like the overflowing basket on top of the filing cabinet...I can shut the door but it will still be there. I just feel so sad for her that she has this story attached to her which is so bloody sad.<br />
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I hope that's not too much of a ramble. I was hoping that the life story book would help. But it's just made things more confusing as there's a phenomenal volume of information which has to be abridged by me when I read it to her.<br />
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I'm going to finish with some positives! Phew, you all say....that was a bit heavy! Squib is now absolutely massive. She's taller than many 4 year olds we know and she's not 3 yet. She's whoomphed her way up to the 98th centile for height and weight, so much so that we've had to buy a new buggy as she's exceeded the weight limit for hers. When I was at medical school they said that when kids are in a forever home, they quite literally grow. I never would have believed it could be so extreme. She's tall and muscly and healthy and vibrant. It's just such a powerful indication of how physical and emotional health are so inextricably linked. And she's starting ballet lessons, and pre-school soon, and our little 9-5 life as Mummy and Squib will be over soon. And on one hand I'm really looking forward to having a bit of time being teacher me, or blogger me, or just simply me. And on the other hand I'm really proud to see how far she's come and how confident and grown up she is, and how wonderful is that she can do it on her own. And on my third (!) hand, I'm going to miss this extra special year and a half which I've been so privileged to have with Squib. But I think the other two hands outweigh the slightly wimpy third hand, so that's OK. Every time I slightly mourn the loss of her being small and cute, I think about how awesome she is, and how much more awesome there will be to come as she grows and develops and soaks up all she can from the world around her.<br />
<br />
Right...time to stop!<br />
<br />
I will aim for a shorter blog next time.<br />
<br />
Take care everyone xxUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-91799919613482812962014-02-07T12:28:00.002-08:002014-02-07T12:33:46.673-08:001 year of WASO...time for more reflection!<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 29px;">
Today me and my small but perfectly formed family are enjoying a classic middle class mini break at Center Parcs. Everyone has been blogging like mad in the spirit of "one year of WASO, hurrah!" And it seemed rude not to contribute! Well done to Sarah and Vicki for starting such a great thing. Both Laura and I find The Adoption Social really useful and I'm sure Squiblet will when she's a bit older. Thank you both for all your hard work!<br />
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My blogging regularity has become rather constipated lately. I guess I am rather an IBS blogger in that sometimes I splurge out words in a rather unpleasantly chaotic fashion and then I dry up! I'm hoping that when Squiblet starts pre school I will feel like I have the time to blog again. I'm not great at typing and writing in the evening on account of my dodgy eyes. It's 20.07...I'd better be quick before all the words start blurring into one and who knows what I'll end up publishing!</div>
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As you know, if you have been following our journey, this year has been huge for us. Squiblet is no longer a small, pale thing who's interests include anything which isn't found in a living room. She's a dude. She's got pizazz and a confidence which I just hope she will hold on it for her whole life because I know that I lost mine for periods of my life and life is just so much more fun when you love it and live it and are interested in everything!</div>
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I'll give you some classic Squiblet episodes from the last few weeks...</div>
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We walked past the fishmonger on the way home and Squiblet marched in. We didn't need any fish.</div>
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"hello, Man! Please I have a look your fish?" Says a cheery 2 1/2 year old Squibs</div>
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"Will you get your step for me please?"</div>
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So the jolly fishmonger (who must be in his twenties) politely obeyed and proceeded to show Squiblet his wares. We left with a bag of haddock, even though Squibs wanted monkfish (the girl will go far.)</div>
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This morning while I was still in bed:</div>
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"Mummy, something really slimy under the table, come and see!"</div>
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It was a dead frog which had been brought in by one of our cats. Squib went and found Rosie the cat and said:</div>
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"Thank you Rosie but we like our frogs in the summer going ribbett ribbett ribbett not dead...no!"</div>
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She's great! She's expressive and funny and has a wicked sense of humour. She's also huge (98th centile)...we were told when I did my degree that kids grow when they are loved. She has whoomphed her way up the centile charts in quite an extraordinary fashion. She's just over 2 1/2 and is taller than loads of 3-4 year olds we know. I think that's why she seems so quirky because she has the vocabulary, height and confidence of a 4 year old without the social know how! I just think it's wonderful and I think stranger danger can wait as currently there's no opportunity for strangers to present dangers. If she smiles at someone and they don't smile back she looks at me soberly and says "that lady not smile at me Mummy, she a bit grumpy today...maybe she a bit <hungry> <cold> <sad>"</div>
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And what of us? What of Mummy and Mama, Jemma and Laura as was. Well we are good! Now is not a good time to ask as we both have a really hideous sinusitis which we are struggling on with. As a couple, we feel like the time is right now for us to spend a bit more time together. But equally we love spending time just the three of us. There's a real ease to the way we all coexist at the moment. Squibs learned to use the potty a couple of weeks ago and it's boosted her confidence. She just chats the whole time, and will amuse herself more easily, which is great as I think having more time for solo play is helping her develop her sense of self. I love to listen to her nattering away to herself as she plays with her playmobil house.</div>
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Squiblet's social worker is coming next week with her life story book and we have read her later life letter. It made me cry, of course it did, but it is well read and makes sense, and now we know what to prepare her for as we tell and retell and embellish the story as she grows up and is ready for details.</div>
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So that's been our year! 20.23 and I'm signing out to spend some of that time with my wife I was just talking about. Even if that quality time will probably involve sitting in bed and inhaling eucalyptus steam! I'm 30 now. I'm not glamorous or special, I'm not extraordinary, but I can reflect on my 30 years and feel confident and happy that I'm where I want to be...and who knows what will happen in the next 30 years!</div>
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<ul>
<li>Love to all x</li>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-21799172169150587262014-01-10T04:12:00.001-08:002014-01-10T04:12:37.961-08:00Happy New Year…1 year with SquibletIt's almost not worth me apologising for my lack of posts as I seem to do it every time I post. Naps are few and far between these days and I can never muster up the energy to write in the evenings.<br />
<br />
It's a year tomorrow that Squiblet moved in. That funny old day where we drove to her foster carer's, picked her up and never looked back. It's made me reflective….I had a weep at rhyme time because she sang the whole of Hickory Dickory Dock and did all the actions. If I met me, and heard me tell me that, I would think I was the world's biggest nob! It's not the fact that she can do it, it's the fact that she DID do it! This time last year this pale little thing was surgically attached to me the whole time, watching the proceedings with wide eyes and insisting I cradle her. Now she leads the group. It's staggering. Likewise at swimming this week (at least my eyes were wet anyway) when she cried "I not need you, Mummy!" and sat on the steps of the swimming pool merrily pouring watering can after watering can of water over her head and giggling hysterically. From the girl who, just a year ago, didn't even want to get in the bath.<br />
<br />
And now she's cheeky and wilful and knows her own mind. She used to let all the other children go first, now she will push them out of the way…and I know…that clearly must be managed, and she's getting there. But really, it's something to celebrate. She now knows how to grab the world with both hands and embrace it, live it, enjoy it, love it and not just let the world turn while she watches on. She still is a people watcher, like me, that's obviously part of her personality, but now she interacts with the people she watches; "what you doing, Man?" "Where you going, lady?!" Are often shouted across the street - I'm leaving stranger danger until she's a bit older as she just brightens so many people's days!<br />
<br />
Christmas was a beautiful day full of surprises and smiles. Mama did all of the cooking (with Granny) which meant that Squiblet could be as clingy as she wanted to be (which I expected she might be as it was a busy, full on day) and I didn't have to do anything but pander to her. The most stressful time to have a clingy child is when you are cooking and you have to choose between wailing child and burned food….so there was none of that! I opened presents, supervised scooting and sat down at 1.30 where my dinner was presented to me! Perfect.<br />
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And so life has settled into a wonderfully normal sort of family life. And reflecting on the past year, I think most of the time I have managed to be the sort of Mummy I had hoped I would be. The hardest part is when you are tired and other things are demanding your time, or when anybody is ill…and now I've accepted that at those times I won't be a salt dough making, play dough creating, nature walking super mum, but that that's OK…it's actually more than OK…it's important for Squiblet to understand that I am a human being!<br />
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And now that everything has settled down, what are we doing?! Only moving house! Luckily Topsy and Tim are moving house so Squiblet is down with moving (they are currently her idols!) We are moving to be closer to Mama's work (currently a 45 minute commute) which should make family life easier, and if we move now then Squiblet will start preschool in the feeder to her primary school, which will be nice. So that's a bit nuts. The estate agents have organised an open house rather than having sporadic viewings, and I've arranged with my neighbour to fill her spare room with all our junk, booked a cleaner and arranged it for a weekend we go away! So that should be good! Hopefully we will find somewhere we really love too. We love our house…. :( but I'm sure we can find somewhere we will love just as much…and there will be a swimming pool we can walk to, which is another upside!<br />
<br />
I'm taking part in 100happydays (www.100happydays.com) over on twitter @twomumstwokids which has been really fun.<br />
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Hopefully it won't be too long until I blog again!<br />
<br />
Happy new year!<br />
<br />
xx<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-82483392430503690402013-12-15T13:18:00.000-08:002013-12-15T13:18:15.794-08:00Secret santa! Guest post from Dear Daughter<div class="s2">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s3">Hello,</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s3"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s3">We are taking part in The Adoption Social's Secret Santa and this blog post is my gift from Dear Daughter, our adoption journey </span></span><a href="http://www.dear-daughter-our-adoption.blogspot.co.uk/">http://www.dear-daughter-our-adoption.blogspot.co.uk/</a></div>
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Enjoy! </div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s3"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s3">I like my traditions and Christmas is a big time for traditions. Traditions shaped my childhood Christmas memories – advent calendar, making the Christmas cake, turkey, opening </span><span class="s3">pressies</span><span class="s3"> in our PJs, small presents for the Christmas dinner table, seeing the crib in the local church, carol service, making mince pies and Christmas Log, watching Christmas Top of the Pops … and many more. Of course, tradition can also be read as ‘routine’ and we know how much our adopted children love routine. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s3">I always have a warm feeling inside when I think of Christmas as a child and I’d love my daughter to have that same warm feeling when she grows up. This is the second Christmas we’re celebrating together as a family, her second with an advent calendar and she loves opening it this year – last year I was definitely the most excited probably because she’d never had one before. We’re making mince pies next week and we’ve started what hopefully will be a new tradition of each making one new decoration for the tree. We’re collecting the tree this Sunday after the local family </span><span class="s3">Christingle</span><span class="s3"> service (her first one) and will celebrate later in the day with a roast pork tenderloin. Christmas Eve curry, in recent years, has become a new tradition for me and Daddy anyway and since our daughter has recently developed a liking for them, I foresee a new family tradition being set down. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s3">As time goes on, I hope we’ll develop new family traditions but also incorporate some more of our longstanding traditions too to help m</span><span class="s3">ake Christmas fun and memorable.</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-46994096646362747232013-11-23T03:26:00.000-08:002013-11-23T03:26:00.086-08:00Stories: for WASOHello,<br />
<br />
I really feel I should apologise for my lack of blogs lately. We've given up on nap time now and when we get to the evening I've just been collapsing in a heap. We've just had a stinker of a week. Squiblet had a really nasty cold and was up every two hours in the night and just generally feeling miserable…then I got Squiblet's cold…then I got some hideous bacterial infection of my uvula (the waggler at the back of your mouth) and couldn't eat/drink/talk. Antibiotics and crazy painkillers later and I'm able to sleep, eat a bit and drink a bit. Mama has taken Squiblet out while I sit by the fire and I thought it seemed like a good time to sit down and write. So here goes…stories…what a lovely theme.<br />
<br />
Squiblet loves books, she loves stories; one of my favourite Mama and Squiblet moments was when Squiblet pulled her 'tend [pretend] book (a folded piece of blank cardboard) and asked Mama to tell her a story. Mama was so brilliant! I had no idea! I was doing the clearing up in the kitchen and I could hear these tales of Squiblet riding on a swan and frogs granting wishes and all sorts. Squiblet was completely enchanted and so was I! It was a really precious moment to be able to eavesdrop on.<br />
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It seems to me that there are so many classic stories which bring up quite poignant issues for adopted children. I made the huge error of watching Dumbo with Squiblet. What an absolute idiot! I thought it was a cheery tale about an elephant…somehow I had forgotten the part where Dumbo's mother gets violently angry and is then taken away. Squiblet was so upset. It took me ages to console her. She was talking a bit about the daughters of her foster carer and I thought; how scary that all that really is just bubbling under the surface waiting for a catalyst to make it emerge. I felt so stupid. But we had to see it through to the end when he is reunited with his mummy and then Squiblet was OK. But it just made me think…stories are so powerful. They may be make believe but it doesn't change the impact they can have on children (and adults.)<br />
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Squiblet loves us talking about how she came out of her birth mother's tummy and the story of how she came to us. It's a very familiar story now and one she likes joining in with. She likes to end it by saying "I grow in your heart!" Which is very cute. We still don't have Squiblet's life story book which isn't great. I think she would be able to use it now and it would help bring colour and clarity to the story. I need to try and chase the LA but her social worker has been unwell so it's got lost somewhere. <br />
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I'd love to write a story. In fact, I must! It's definitely on my to do list (although I don't have much time for to doing at the moment!)<br />
<br />
Take care everyone. xUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-47425967691362190482013-11-04T04:26:00.003-08:002013-11-04T04:27:43.596-08:00It's National Adoption Week: Be kind to yourselves!Hello,<br />
<br />
As parents (any sort of parent, not just adoptive ones) we are so good at beating ourselves up and feeling guilty. I'm touching on this as yesterday I had a horrible migraine, the like of which my super mega migraine pills couldn't even stem the flow of vomit, and I felt guilty that Squiblet was crying whilst I was throwing up. It had been a long day! A lovely day but she was tired and consequently had a mini melt down which I was just totally ill equipped to deal with, with my body functioning as it was. So I ran away from my screaming daughter and left my wife to pick up the pieces. I vomited, I cried, I felt awful, I calmed my self down, I slept, I felt better. And I had to give myself a talking to, both last night and this morning. I'm a human, not a robot. I can't be the best that I can be when my brain is manufacturing flashing lights, pulsating sensations and throwing up. I should NOT feel guilty about this…it's ridiculous!<br />
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Enough about me. National Adoption Week is about celebrating adoption, encouraging others to adopt and helping find homes for those children that so badly need them. So this is my message…<br />
<br />
The adoption approval process makes you look at yourself in a way nothing else really does. But not only that, other people are looking at you too…as well they might! You will ultimately be given a life to cherish, to grow, to nurture to love….could you be given anything more precious? It's understandable that people would need to check that you are prepared, sorted in your own head and the right people for the job. But it doesn't always feel like it! It's easy to feel scrutinised and judged, but mostly because we judge ourselves…and often way more harshly than anyone else.<br />
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So be kind to yourselves. Celebrate your strengths. Remember that sometimes it's OK to be "good enough" that it's OK to show your children that being a human is alright! You don't need to be a calm, jolly machine all the time to be successful, and to be a parent.<br />
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Our five year wedding anniversary is coming up this week. I'm beyond excited. Mama hates surprises…I'm planning quite a big one! I told her to trust that she will like it! I know she will. I've loved her for 12 years and been married to her for 5 of them! Adopting our daughter has definitely been the best thing that we have done together as a couple. I feel like our relationship took a big backwards step to make room for all the attention Squiblet needed, and that didn't feel quite right. The love was always there, always strong and warm and secure but the time for each other some how slipped away. But it's coming back! Phew! As Squiblet gets more secure, she demands less of us and I feel like we're coming to a good sort of balance where everyone is getting their emotional needs met.<br />
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I love my family. I wouldn't change how we got here or who we are. I just love my wife and daughter so much! For those of you adopting…be kind to yourselves, you're doing a great job! For those of you in the process…be kind to yourselves, you will get there and all these thoughts and ideas will help you later. For those of you parenting birth children…be kind to yourselves, you're doing a great job too!<br />
<br />
Funny how a migraine can make you sit back and think and actually come out feeling better about your life….Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-91692930278388087782013-10-28T04:40:00.000-07:002013-10-28T04:43:14.104-07:00Activity Toys Direct (with tots100)…my dream garden!This is a tots100 competition for Activity Toys Direct. I love a competition, and this one - to design your dream kids garden - really got my imagination fired up! <br />
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So…<br />
<em style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">“This blog post is an entry into the Tots100/Activity Toys Direct garden makeover competition”</em><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">Squiblet loves books, she loves imaginary play and she gets lost in her own little world of everything she reads. A dream garden for us would be a space where she can explore and create and imagine!</span></div>
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At present we have a tower with a climbing wall and slide...<br />
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This could be enhanced to encourage imaginative play…<br />
(Charlie Cook's Favourite Book, Swallows and Amazons, The Famous Five)<br />
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Telescope and steering wheel:<br />
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<a href="http://www.activitytoysdirect.com/kbt-toys/binoculars-star-orange/p1133" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZybnHum5KrTp_rqaL2DkQomMh5PA0aADZpMQ6a0z6vqA-K6n7k_1OqeIKJJuHGh2ZQHpXVdm5iBB5hUUnRxubHVtYfplDyTsnv2SBI9OpF-pkvcbZFxLA2VF_u-Yig3G6ToOPQ508wdS/s200/1133.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://www.activitytoysdirect.com/kbt-toys/boat-steering-wheel-yellow/p565" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAUAGPW7R7SXSeND921gTuTxQVVFXJl1vTAfkc9oWMjPmv1ejZ7BxAHujPrZt5IOvizCf0qWRWXyb3vtrxQ6x9ObktdcjTHQLEE51zO1e4Zw6X7zYhYM7h1EDbeITl2YO4h6351qS1Dr-W/s200/565.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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A hammock or a cosy nook to read and play...<br />
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<a href="http://www.babyarmadillo.com/product_info.php?cPath=25_47&products_id=207&osCsid=7f2d0c1a4d444e2d9c369cc5e224dc5d" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwrloodJB0-jpGVJ7JIyV59R1aDIG2JLKN2Rnmu-gt-XrFIA1Zlj0uqT4QR7gfjcwWsz51g87t-yGLwtNuPDCu5mon0jR5O9lO19mcGLFzVyS40JvSiRq96gfaFtmNl4m3-od92YZ_vhUI/s320/A2882-09-F-03.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
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Fairy doors...<br />
(Brambly Hedge, Postman Bear)<br />
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A huge sandpit with buried treasure, dinosaurs and footprint stilts...<br />
(How to Grow a Dinosaur)<br />
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<img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WnXm3H0ogWWjzlR2DD9LxGj4OScXok9J1D6QUBhDRDNAKvpn03sS7n73GNqu3EZWh70PJHre9mfvCY9ehz5BTTcqohliQYZDktJ1u1ADjhA4JGxivPrF-adxPQ7U-SRLQYH9eqGf52Em/s400/sandbox-marquand-park-princeton.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<a href="http://www.geniusbabies.com/dino-claw-stilts-stompers1.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHpAyV4zOT3KOkWV7FMuEd2KXrWNA8ZRYugRN9nbv3kqYQygvdFhEuHHbyhMHPHZcoRNqK9_WtwukZ2BuEOubW4YnqybFpo3THEXsPb_uQW7j48UC8yIagIkv8U3xkZSBTElDvFVIu6Gzi/s1600/genius-babies_2272_55320058.jpeg" /></a></div>
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A broom...<br />
(Room on the Broom)<br />
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<a href="http://www.greenfingers.com/superstore/product.asp?dept_id=3003&pf_id=LT0502D&co=fr&gclid=CPGRiZyyuboCFceWtAodm1UA0Q" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKFiHHC__yv6C5qZ6LD0s77S1Qlds7MdrfkSDe700ekoi0EWa7d18e5RYKL43hv4u70bLMbPUtoYWK2d35FznNBYR5DGWcn-cOPEZCZOnTe0bFd1w0ZCBTmz-WzWoRXX08t8JK12rPZOw/s200/99_JB_BESOM_BROOM.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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A child safe pond...<br />
(Room on the Broom, pond dipping, science play!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYRbkXqtR08hhw-799Wfe0QPttW1wI6ixhmewyUojPYGXDlvwjftjCwm-dmNckorrXR4m6W3yb__YL31FkWAXO8BBPNPy-9HLU6CuTHVgbsCHuvbCkdX2iwHpzqD9vWcRmsHtpURth86_/s1600/patchris5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYRbkXqtR08hhw-799Wfe0QPttW1wI6ixhmewyUojPYGXDlvwjftjCwm-dmNckorrXR4m6W3yb__YL31FkWAXO8BBPNPy-9HLU6CuTHVgbsCHuvbCkdX2iwHpzqD9vWcRmsHtpURth86_/s320/patchris5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A hazelnut tree...<br />
(The Gruffalo)<br />
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<a href="http://www.treesdirect.co.uk/shop/diamond-jubilee-trees/jubilee-hazel" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmfwftCcEKTSo1CtbRp-CocKhob9HsNtV4snMv12Lgs50stZiZytJ6AhxiAVMM_05DeLcemX-ZwKf2D_D0FpJqZY-IfhIObyJdi4G3KKkUznT8tKZG3EQD11Www2i-baW2JF63oNROxVAN/s320/316_01.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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Three Bears...<br />
(Goldilocks)<br />
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<a href="http://www.thewinfieldcollection.com/product/5961/Yard_Art" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwdgFi40kYSCp7SAASn9fr_nkwTsvytcY0TrJvozqOfBuEqntqA4QsjF1CRY0-U9RoqbIYwcf2ebU8LxzBOLQbAktwEdsZ3VTNBtNarpqfG6Se63t9Ks-a_PUEGpwZxTPD4tBaTZ9I56zU/s320/5961_5533_large.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A "river" of blue rubber chips with stepping stones and some "swishy swashy grass"<br />
(We're going on a bear hunt)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxgobxxizHUGuQN9LYP3z6oowpnBPfgWt1xxxf5wGfIkuTkrNWpsSKFB_lYd0AGIopcwCa1YOflrl0lGin6AB9WYCw68v19S_63Sh3OYXh0G-td-SNaFsDrn9T9Fp06RCz5diKKNR_QoG/s1600/blue-mulch-closeup13414300144ff498feab6e8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxgobxxizHUGuQN9LYP3z6oowpnBPfgWt1xxxf5wGfIkuTkrNWpsSKFB_lYd0AGIopcwCa1YOflrl0lGin6AB9WYCw68v19S_63Sh3OYXh0G-td-SNaFsDrn9T9Fp06RCz5diKKNR_QoG/s320/blue-mulch-closeup13414300144ff498feab6e8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://nurturestore.co.uk/earth-day-activities" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbpnsNIDmxXBFwPSIIJW9nO7W6-IMUA1qWzBWa33OnuogUAqCGOOZlydjOyHJB8XRnfMdZhR-16S0PwztyRRgzUBT7GuDdeZ_j24GPpxpsJljNK-OyT0TKZjckHspmkFtwB-DeKRPKC7nj/s320/89e84680994208d353374bd2d0148315.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And lastly, on the Activity Toys Direct website I noticed these trampolines. <br />
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Squiblet loves to bounce but I've always felt like our garden wasn't really big enough for one of those giant trampolines...until now! The way they are sunk into the ground is so clever and makes them seem like they take up less space.<br />
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<a href="http://www.activitytoysdirect.com/exit/interra-10ft-round-trampoline/p1183" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbSHUDk2ERzw1oao-TLSswDk3-YB6oj2x8FwBiv0E870EveA00kASS4usN8_g5M92FNdSNu5l44W5RR51seGFwF2YFAvbUv32JyRiVaDgIrd52rsN6Vb18mcOZzqBWRv4h5X-M2S0Zvn9/s320/AT1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My literary link...Dear Zoo..."so they sent me a...frog...but he was too bouncy so I sent him back!"<br />
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Hope you like my ideas!<br />
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:)<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-55722961270092951092013-10-18T06:16:00.002-07:002013-10-18T06:16:26.621-07:00FriendsHello,<br />
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Firstly, apologies for my lack of blogtendance. Things have been a bit mad lately what with one thing and another so I've either not been home at nap time, or I've been crazily doing things at nap time or I've been collapsing in a heap at nap time. Today however I have made a jumbalaya (love that word), cleaned up and got into bed with surprisingly just enough energy to blog! So here I am.<br />
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The second thing I want to do is share this wonderful picture. It was Squiblet's first paddle in the sea. Trip number 3 to the beach, and the first time she mustered up the courage to go in the sea. She *loved* it! I think a big part of her joy was that she had overcome her fear and she knew it. She just ran back and forth splashing and shrieking and saying "it's good FUN!" it was so cute, and such a milestone, and just such a special occasion. It's making me well up a little bit just to remember it. But I'll stop jabbering, here's the picture...it really speaks for itself:<br />
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Squiblet's new birth certificate arrived yesterday which made me feel pretty emotional. It's all done! Her party is next Saturday and we look to have over 100 people coming. I created an online gift list where people signed up for plates of ham etc so I don't have to worry about catering, and also we couldn't really afford to spend that much on food right now (one salary!) but no-one seems to mind. Hopefully it should be a really good event. I'll let you know! Everyone has to come dressed as something beginning with the first letter of Squiblet's name! I have a slightly nutty animal onesie. There's going to be a donut tower....the signs are there that it should be a good day! And not really having to cater it is making it much less stressful.</div>
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I titled this blog post "friends" and haven't really got to that bit yet. I think Squiblet's getting to an age where she really does have little friends; children she likes to play and share with and chat to and it's so nice! I feel like I'm finally breaking in to the tight knit Mum crowd where we live...I thought I never would! From the outside it feels very cliquey. I think I was trying to break into the wrong clique! Anyhow, there seem to be some jolly nice Mums out there who don't mind a bit of me and Squiblet in their lives...phew!</div>
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I'm still worrying about going back to work. Yes, it's 11 months away! If anyone knows how I can crack into the consultant science/medical educational resource market then do let me know!</div>
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Bye for now.</div>
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Will try not to leave it so long next time!</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-59716693624843100232013-10-02T06:17:00.001-07:002013-10-02T06:18:45.899-07:00Growing up so fast!Hello,<br />
<br />
Apologies. It's been a while. It's all go here. Squiblet has made the transition to her big girl bed, we've taken down the massive green room divider which was cutting our open plan living place into two so now our house looks like our house again and I don't know...things just feel different now it's all done!<br />
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My friend dropped us off from a trip to the beach and Squiblet had fallen asleep in the car. Usually she will never transition from car to cot without screaming and crying and having a horrendous tantrum so I popped her on the bed while I went to get her car seat. When I got back she was so close to sleep that I just stroked her head and left her there. I then sat there for the next 1 1/2 hours (only leaving for a moment to get my Kindle) as I was worried she might fall out. She looked like a beautiful peaceful angel with the sunlight falling on her hair from under the curtains. I took a photo and showed it to Mama when she got home. And that was it...Squiblet saw the photo and never looked back. Cue a long bath time with Mama while I frantically hoovered, took down the cot and rearranged the furniture!<br />
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Squiblet seeing photos or videos of herself seems to be incredibly powerful. There is a video of her on her trampoline where she says "more strawberries!" and for at least a month she couldn't go on her trampoline without stopping and saying "more strawberries!" She is a most excellent mimic which most of the time is funny, but I wasn't quite sure the other day when we walked past our local tramp eating a sandwich and she sat down a few metres on and started tucking into her own pretend sandwich! All I need to do now is somehow get a video of her using the potty and then maybe she will use the potty. The tricky part there is getting her to use it in the first place!<br />
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The celebration day was magical. Squiblet was in her element being the centre of attention. She sat in the Judge's chair and when we said could everyone come up for pictures she shouted "come on everybody!" with an alarming air of authority. We were so lucky that lots of the special people in her life could be there with us. There were a few missing but they were there in spirit! I don't think it would have been nearly such a celebration without our nearest and dearest sharing the day. The Judge was so kind and so good with her. Squiblet got to stamp the court crest onto a sticker and then put it on her certificate. She loves a sticker! And then she got to roll it up! And put a ribbon on! And be given a bear! It doesn't get much better than that. Although she was pretty clear that she was "not really sure" about the Judge's wig!<br />
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We are back in our routine now and one thing I've noticed is that the gap between Squiblet's public and home behaviour is widening. Her confidence at home is growing and growing. She will sing the whole of Baa Baa Black Sheep or Dingle Dangle Scarecrow and dance and giggle if she's around her family and friends, but take her to play group or music class and she sits and clings on and barely participates. It does make me worry because I don't think she's being true to herself and what she can do and consequently she doesn't enjoy things as much as she could. I know she's only 2. I know it's only been 8 months. I just want to help. I'm a teacher and I know how those children get lost when they are at school because our education system is so pro extrovert. But that's my issue. There's nothing about her which is introverted when she's at home, or even if she's out with friends. I don't know. I probably worry too much. I just want her to be happy and true to herself. At her music class it's weird though because she will sit and cling on for most of it, but the second the teacher brings out something interesting she's up and shouting "I want it!" or "Mummy stand up!" So it's a curious mixture of completely disengaged or horribly bossy. For the first time I was actually slightly embarrassed by her behaviour. I don't think it would embarrass me if she was consistent! But the mixture of shy and dictatorial was curious and tricky to manage. I should stop worrying. I know.<br />
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So it's all go! It's all change. Our baby is growing up. My proud parent moment of the week is when she walked up to a lamp post and said "that is 's', that is 'o', that is 'l'" and pointed at the letters of the brand which were written on the lamp post. I thought she only knew one and that was the first letter of her name. I was so impressed! And I am by no means a "Flashcard Mom" she just has a few books with the alphabet in or alphabet themes and alphabet decorations in her room. It's mad what they learn when you aren't paying attention. We were in the garden the other day and I overheard Squiblet say "oop...there's a bumbly old bee" and it made me smile because she is getting more and more like her Mummy (and Mama) each day.<br />
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I am mostly getting very excited about Christmas, my 30th birthday and Squiblet's big party but not necessarily in that order.<br />
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Much excitement to come.<br />
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Love to you all.<br />
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xxUnknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-58424553029151922792013-09-27T02:52:00.002-07:002013-09-27T03:21:09.915-07:00Support<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbKZnhsy7Qx03JFLUSj5RKvBSa-nJs84A13LWMsqyh6COnHFQSJhVwDNcmhRuSys1-syulhVCJVcOF0Cd0mQFzhropr93rjlLJFT6YQDAaoT8dHl2RTNLZ-E8B6BrKCb0ObdfFNkWXrS8/s1600/support.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbKZnhsy7Qx03JFLUSj5RKvBSa-nJs84A13LWMsqyh6COnHFQSJhVwDNcmhRuSys1-syulhVCJVcOF0Cd0mQFzhropr93rjlLJFT6YQDAaoT8dHl2RTNLZ-E8B6BrKCb0ObdfFNkWXrS8/s200/support.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just a quick post for #WASO over at <a href="http://theadoptionsocial.com/weekly-adoption-shout-out/weekly-adoption-shout-out-waso-week-36/" target="_blank">The Adoption Social</a> this week. sorry we've not posted much recently - seems like there's been lots going on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I just wanted to take the opportunity, as the theme is "support", to give my take on the support we have received.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The support from our LA has been pretty dire. We began intros with no social workers in the office available to help us, and it continued in that vein with Squiblet's Social Worker retiring about a month after that. I think we only had 2 home visits (not including the IRO visits, of which our SW only attended 1 of the 3) even though they were supposed to be fortnightly for 2 months, then monthly. We were left to arrange contact with the Foster Carer on our own, with no guidance. And again, when it came to our first ever contact with Squiblet's siblings the promised support never materialised.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Luckily we have coped well with our transition into the family we are today and we are extremely lucky to have incredibly supportive friends and family who have welcomed Squiblet with open arms, provided advice ("help - is this normal?!") and practical support. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We know experienced Teachers, Doctors, Mums, Dads and kind, creative people who have all offered their perspectives. We have lovely friends who have babysat so we can go out together, and who we have had such fun with. We have wonderful family who have cooked, cleaned, looked after Squiblet and let us vegetate in their houses. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Squiblet is surrounded by amazing, kind people who have shared joyful times with us and watched as she has grown from a subdued baby into an amazing little girl.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This afternoon is Squiblet's Celebration Hearing - and we are bringing as many of these lovely people with us as we can to share in our special day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We really are blessed to have such precious support from all our friends and family - you help has made our journey to becoming a family a wonderful one, despite the hard times. So thank you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Time to go - I'm weeping at my computer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">L x</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Afterthought added later: thanks for all the lifts, trips to the zoo-beach-farm-twinclub, sewing (curtains, cushions, toys), mowing, books, fixing the toilet, help when Mama impaled herself, toys from carboots or the barn... too much support to possibly remember!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075952372643382378noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-41411578256010140392013-09-12T05:51:00.000-07:002013-09-12T05:51:01.883-07:00Relaxation! For WASO<div style="text-align: left;">
How I relax has changed a lot over the last few months. I used to love nothing more than spending a few hours in the kitchen making things like macaroons! I really admire my friends who ACTUALLY DO THINGS of an evening. I rush around like a mad thing tidying up while Mama does Squiblet's bath and then as soon as Squiblet is in her cot I collapse in a heap on the sofa, check Facebook, check my emails...sometimes look at Twitter although I don't fully understand what to do! And then I watch TV for an hour, have a cuddle with Mama and then usually it's bedtime! Not very glamorous. I'm definitely not one for baking cakes at that time of day. I suspect they wouldn't taste very nice as I like to have time and space to cook properly.</div>
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How I used to relax:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_oTlL4-N_yYOlNSBXYHzhico40Z5gdICw-0NwBtIIHjZIgCdt2GrYPJJGHgJ5DNNBkY2ZbIwBj6oFgRq7IjwzqAfK1alCzMOzvs3WshiKigBtvgY7t2wWqTISdREhSVhxOlLdeNz0yA3P/s1600/cakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_oTlL4-N_yYOlNSBXYHzhico40Z5gdICw-0NwBtIIHjZIgCdt2GrYPJJGHgJ5DNNBkY2ZbIwBj6oFgRq7IjwzqAfK1alCzMOzvs3WshiKigBtvgY7t2wWqTISdREhSVhxOlLdeNz0yA3P/s320/cakes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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How I relax (this was Squiblet and I earlier today - we both have the sniffles!):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh9Niix-HyLQ-ye-4U0GILilFPJzL2WIN2hCD9vdXU6y6Xq5BzEyH3cjX5jdhfBKmBVkGkkN1aDUiVLFoyjcRPaylQdHAiw4YfjEXb3czi531gijeTMmvXb5LVEK3ar_ofaKSEgwapiC3t/s1600/relaxing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh9Niix-HyLQ-ye-4U0GILilFPJzL2WIN2hCD9vdXU6y6Xq5BzEyH3cjX5jdhfBKmBVkGkkN1aDUiVLFoyjcRPaylQdHAiw4YfjEXb3czi531gijeTMmvXb5LVEK3ar_ofaKSEgwapiC3t/s320/relaxing.jpg" width="251" /></a></div>
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But having said that, Squiblet is actually now pretty good at baking! She can crack eggs and spoon and dollop pretty well. So we make cakes together. I think I'll have to wait until she's at least three before I teach her the art of the macaroon but for now we'll make do with wonderful gloopy, chocolatey and slightly tacky cakes that we're still both proud of!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUvpTHL5F3FslMg0zoscEv8nlbWzuWP7cl7DUnRT7W9B4QQ47Nb_pAe1SuhT_QnSRzDIAbzA1-q-XEWAW7WGAiWApMYt16ULf5xcWs8iSmjQe52yBblaNZo5AYWGVnztciLPPsPOZXOkGS/s1600/IMG_0285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUvpTHL5F3FslMg0zoscEv8nlbWzuWP7cl7DUnRT7W9B4QQ47Nb_pAe1SuhT_QnSRzDIAbzA1-q-XEWAW7WGAiWApMYt16ULf5xcWs8iSmjQe52yBblaNZo5AYWGVnztciLPPsPOZXOkGS/s320/IMG_0285.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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All for now! It's nap time and I think I fancy a cup of tea!</div>
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Holiday next week....WAHOOOOOOO! *keeping fingers firmly crossed that nothing jinxes it this time!*</div>
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xx<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-54074875374592931692013-09-06T05:36:00.002-07:002013-09-06T05:37:05.870-07:00Well, hello Autumn!What a mad old couple of weeks. I'm still pretty under the weather, now leaking huge amounts of green gloopy stuff but ho hum...I think I'm on the up. I'm very irritated by the way that a few invisible pathogens have managed to turn me into a mum who allows more than half an hours TV watching and is more likely to manhandle my daughter rather than patiently wait for her to do things on her own unique toddler timescale. I hate that part of me being below par as it makes us all miserable and afterwards I just think "for goodness sake, why didn't you just bloody wait like you usually do...instead you riled her with your impatience and now you're both more pissed off than you were before" eurgh, I hate feeling like I'm not doing a very good job.<br />
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But....I'm not here to whinge and wine. I have assessed the behaviour above as ridiculous and am now doing my darndest to stop it!<br />
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So Autumn arrived today, it doesn't usually just come in a day, does it?! Mad! Yesterday we were in a pub garden in shorts swatting wasps and today we're in wellies and jumpers! But I love Autumn. I love the hot chocolate, pink nose, outdoor smells, stomping through the woods of Autumn and much as I have enjoyed living outdoors for the past few months, I'm quite looking forward to getting back to baking and painting and play dough etc.<br />
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And with Autumn comes our daughter's adoption order. It's all done...signed, sealed delivered...she's ours! We've had so many wonderful positive responses to the news and we are feeling very blessed at the moment. I'm looking forward to the celebration hearing as I think Squiblet will be in her element! I'm also looking forward to her big old party! I have been busy making bunting...I am very excited!<br />
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We also took Squiblet to Grandad's fancy dress (70s theme) birthday party. I wasn't sure how she would cope with that many curious outfit choices and wigs in one room (including a very convincing cross dressing Freddie Mercury complete with Hoover - I want to break free video). But she took it all in her stride and had a lovely time playing with everyone and lapping up the attention - she was the only little one there. Squiblet was rocking a fabulous combo of tie dye and rainbow leg warmers, she did us proud!<br />
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And last of all I have to give a shout out to my mum and dad who have been staying here for the last 4 days cleaning and tidying and hoovering and cooking and just generally letting me rest. I feel like I've finally turned a corner and I'm on the up and it was so wonderful of them to do so much. We didn't put that in our adopters assessment...grandparents will come down and do all housework and generally pamper should the need arise. I wonder if we would have been approved even faster!<br />
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And I can't go without introducing Bob. We adopted him from Build a Bear on the day Squiblet's adoption order was made. Squiblet was rather bemused by the whole process but went along with kissing his heart and very seriously choosing his outfit. She chose the sex, name and outfit...and thus a gay icon is born...meet Bob everyone! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9GEyF7fRek0inOqXKbjuGFUsRVXKAC9YYVSEk03SnDEzkQjb16JfmNpf-mO5RzmmZNBK_wUMEFXRJLC8u7yNwO7Uqohkj80DilJimb1DoOjsl4I3J0wxi40Y1Jw3cKJ8bOqtdnertQTO8/s1600/bob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9GEyF7fRek0inOqXKbjuGFUsRVXKAC9YYVSEk03SnDEzkQjb16JfmNpf-mO5RzmmZNBK_wUMEFXRJLC8u7yNwO7Uqohkj80DilJimb1DoOjsl4I3J0wxi40Y1Jw3cKJ8bOqtdnertQTO8/s320/bob.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Every year that she's interested I think we will take her to buy a new outfit for Bob. It will be a sad day when she starts dressing him in boy clothes! I love how she has no preconceptions about this yet...go Squiblet!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-63448701868504185162013-08-29T12:58:00.000-07:002013-08-29T12:58:00.481-07:00On the up...and excited about the court order...and look at this amazing art!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Hello everyone. A week since I started feeling ill, I think I'm finally out the other side of it. Phew! I don't think you realise how run down you are until something like that hits you.</div>
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Anyway, it's late (pppftt...9.00pm....late...he he) and I don't want to write too much but I wanted to share this amazing art work. All the work of a very talented person I did biology GCSE with and kept in touch via the wonders of Facebook. She made this fantastic piece of art for us with the date (now changed) of our adoption order. We just need to get it printed off and on the wall ASAP! I can't wait.</div>
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If any of you are feeling inspired. Her website is here:</div>
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http://elliekatejameson.wix.com/elliejamdesign</div>
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Twitter: @elliejamdesign</div>
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She has some really beautiful things and I'm just so excited to get this one up on the wall.</div>
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Will blog properly another day when I'm not about to fall asleep!</div>
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Much love x</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6v0pYXV0-eF6kk3YiUQEytM5MXLjbcly8V6aB0gVJ84lIZ4PiRdEIJ6t2fZlVevgbj6BVMYR4ri82ckDl-nHHkbT21EPHqG7fdgRAXtvaS4PT7NR_oFDudLT5fv5ycnqwNpDFF6qb8qV/s1600/alternative+version.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6v0pYXV0-eF6kk3YiUQEytM5MXLjbcly8V6aB0gVJ84lIZ4PiRdEIJ6t2fZlVevgbj6BVMYR4ri82ckDl-nHHkbT21EPHqG7fdgRAXtvaS4PT7NR_oFDudLT5fv5ycnqwNpDFF6qb8qV/s640/alternative+version.jpg" width="552" /></a></div>
<br /><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-434073294427670952013-08-23T05:01:00.001-07:002013-08-23T05:03:31.384-07:00Sick as a parrot : post number 100!<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’m not supposed to be blogging now because I’m supposed to be at Big Gay Camp with all the other jolly adoptive families with two mums or two dads (or one gay mum or one gay dad) but instead I’m at home having spend around 24 hours throwing up and I’m now feeling totally wiped and steamrollered and can just about muster enough energy to get out of bed. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But I’m not turning this into a sympathy blog, I want to draw on the positives. Mama has stepped up and proved to herself (not me, she never needed to prove anything to me) that she can do it. She can manage Squiblet and have fun and run the house and the world won’t end. And it has been very heartening listening to them chatter away to each other as I’ve been lying in bed. Taking a step back and just listening is actually very powerful. It made me smile and it made me see how far Squiblet has come with her language in a way that somehow you don’t see if you’re talking to her. It also gave me a lovely insight into the warm relationship that Squiblet has with her Mama now. All really heartwarming stuff.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So Mama has put up the tent in the garden, she’s taken Squiblet to the shops, to the park and has generally been a SuperMama while I’ve been asleep. And now I’ve come out of the other side (I’m well enough to sit up and type!) and I’m wondering if we should still go to camp, just for a couple of nights, but in my heart of hearts I know that I’m not really up to it. But Mama was so excited! Practically every day she has come home with some sort of jolly camping item...glo sticks, bubbles, sleeping bag liners...camp shower...batteries...water carrier...etc. And we have really been looking forward to our first little family holiday. It makes me feel very sad as I was looking forward to Squiblet doing all the jolly activities and meeting all the other families. And we have our family set of camp t shirts! It’s sad times when you have a family set of matching camp t shirts and nowhere to wear them!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Still, we can go next year. We have Center Parcs booked for a few weeks time when we can try again at having a nice family holiday. Poor Mama. She works so hard and just wanted a break! Love you, Mamasaur. Couldn’t do it without you.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Not the greatest post for my 100th blog but ho hum. That's life, that's family life and I love our family life. A</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">nd life is positive really. Not long now and it will be Squiblet’s court date and she will be officially part of our family, although as my Dad said...she already is.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My two wonderful girls x</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-17686345754315341302013-08-19T06:08:00.003-07:002013-08-19T06:08:43.098-07:00Making memories: Exciting in the rain, Mummy!It hasn't really rained for ages and last time it did we stayed indoors which is most unlike us, but I suppose I wasn't feeling housebound like I do in the winter so we just enjoyed doing some indoor rainy day things like painting and play dough. Anyway, the next time it rained we got out there and enjoyed it. We felt it tickling our faces, we played with slugs, we splashed in puddles, ate a biscuit in her treehouse (which she climbed into herself) and Squiblet said "exciting in the rain, Mummy!" Memory made.*<br />
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[*for those of you who haven't been with me since January, Squiblet used to hate water, couldn't walk, let alone splash and had likely never seen a slug]Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-645212460231599252013-08-16T13:57:00.001-07:002013-08-16T14:03:57.794-07:00Siblings: for WASOI was just pondering what the focus of my post should be. Squiblet has 4 half siblings by birth that we know about...two by her birth mother and two by her birth father. We have contact set up with two but we will never see the other two as they are safely with their own birth mother and detached from the world of social services. We know their names...we have a few photos...they share 50% of their DNA with Squiblet but who cares? Well, I sort of do...it seems very odd to me. But I'll blog about my feelings on that another day. I'm coming up to my 100th post (fanfare...drumroll etc) and so I thought I would reflect on my feelings about Squiblet having a brother or sister based on the fact that the title of my blog is two mums TWO kids, and we clearly only have one!<br />
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It used to be two mums? two kids? Because when I started it I lacked the confidence that we would even be approved to be two mums! Now here I am, dishing out mummy advice to all and sundry, swanning about in my Birkenstocks and just generally mumming it up large. But the two kids bit...well that firmly remains as a "?". Mama is keen. I'm not so sure. I feel like being an only child and being a bit "spoiled" (hate that word) is a necessary antidote to the self-esteem issues which come along with having been in the care system. I like the fact that there are two adults to one Squiblet and I can see that she thrives on it, thrives on the attention. People have said that you have to wait until your first is at school before you can adopt again, and that's a way off anyway, but right now, I'm not keen! I like the fact that she has 100% of my attention and the leaps and bounds and jumps she has made make me feel like I'd like to keep it that way.<br />
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It feels mad to me now that we were approved for two; we came so close to adopting a sibling pair and our life just wouldn't be what it is now. But then, maybe it would still have been great. Who knows? For now I'm happy with being two mums, one kid! We live in a town where there are loads of kids to play with, we might respite foster, or family link (respite to a disabled child) or something like that. But right now my little world is looking pretty good and I wouldn't want to do anything to change it too much.<br />
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:)<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-17991128760465891292013-08-14T12:51:00.000-07:002013-08-14T12:51:32.706-07:00Toddler science/art (fun): Messy play with aqua beads and paintHello,<br />
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I tried this out today with Squiblet and it was awesome! I wasn't quite sure if it would work, but we made some beautiful paintings and Squiblet enjoyed getting messy, having fun, bouncing the balls and making pretty pictures.<br />
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Basically I just blobbed some paint into a tray, chucked in some aqua beads (I had already pre-soaked them this time) and Squiblet jiggled the tray around, got stuck in with her hands, bounced the balls, moved the balls around. She was delighted when they got stuck in the paint and we had to move or jiggle them! Beware though...this was very messy! I ended up having to strip and the floor needed a good wash as those aqua beads do travel. I'm also always very careful that she doesn't eat them as they do look jolly tasty!<br />
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I like the way that she discovered how to bounce them (and found this really fun) and also how she learned that if she tilted the tray they would move towards her.<br />
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It was a really easy, fun activity to try!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-35983675868035302872013-08-13T06:32:00.004-07:002013-08-13T06:35:25.903-07:00Toddler science: super sorta logicWe had an impromptu sorting session this morning before heading off to the zoo which was 100% initiated by Squiblet. That's the beauty of putting these things where they can reach them; it's wonderful to see her making decisions about what she wants to do.<br />
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I bought some little pompoms and some toddler tweezers from Amazon quite a few months ago and just encouraged Squiblet to try using the tweezers to get the pompoms into a juice bottle. She found it tricky and would try a few times, then say "Mummy do it!' or use her hands...but now she can do it fairly easily and interestingly she's much more willing to give it a bash when it was her idea in the first place (aren't we all?!). I've got this equipment rather nattily displayed in a smoothie cup which I washed out so it looks quite cool on the shelf and makes for a quick tidy up at the end and I've taken the labels off the juice bottles so they look a bit more attractive.<br />
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This morning Squiblet put a few pompoms in the bottle but then decided she wanted to sort them by colour which she did quite successfully. I got some coloured plates out to help her. Then I said...or we could sort them by size. She was unconvinced and proceeded to sort them back into colours again.<br />
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Then (as I love happens with this sort of play) when Squiblet got bored of that she decided it would be fun to stack the plates and put them away. Then she explored putting the tops on the bottles and told me that they smelled like dried apricots which got me thinking that I want to do more with smells as she's really interested in that at the moment (watch this space!).<br />
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We then moved on to sorting with her super sorting pie (a present from one of our lovely friends) - see picture. She's really started to get into that now and I love the way it will grow with her as it can be used for more complex sorting and counting later on. I also love the way it has an imaginative aspect to it too.<br />
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But my favourite bit was when she looked at the bottom of one of the bottles and said "got a sun bright." Inspiring!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-38718982504587397482013-08-09T13:16:00.000-07:002013-08-09T13:41:52.234-07:00A whole morning off, including nap time...and the world didn't end!Hello,<br />
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Today I had an eye appointment in London (nothing to worry about) so my Dad came with me (they usually put eye drops in) while my Mum stayed at home with Squiblet.<br />
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Now, it turns out that my eye appointment had been rescheduled for next week...but somehow I didn't get the memo. A frustrating waste of almost £100 in a time when we are counting every penny, but ho hum...the main point of this post is not for me to moan about that...it's to celebrate Squiblet and Grandma's successful morning. As it turned out, Dad and I had a jolly old time eating ice creams on the Southbank and all was not lost. I also took this cool picture. These bubbles were formed by a guy who had two bamboo canes with a line of string hoops tied to it and just kept dipping it in the bubbles and wafting it around. The children all thought he was a genius...I thought...hmmm...must try that at home!<br />
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Anyhow, back to Squiblet...<br />
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She was fine!<br />
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Just fine!<br />
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No tears, a little wobble when she was hungry but she soon snapped out of it.<br />
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Hurrah! To me, this is a most excellent attachment test (not that that was why we did it), and it seems to me that Squiblet passed with flying colours. I remember when she first came and she was always searching for people and anxious about the doorbell and wouldn't even let me leave the room. Eight months on and I'm off to London! As my Mum said...it's ironic in away that strong attachments actually mean freedom. Wonderful. And I love the way that when Grandma tucked her in Squiblet said; "not quite right" and gave Grandma some tucking in tips.<br />
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But the fun doesn't stop there because tomorrow I'm off to a spa. Mama gets Squiblet to herself for the day and I'm dragging my pal, and Mum of an 8 month old, off for a day of bubbles and chats. We had a spa day back in 2011 and the sauna and steam room weren't working. They offered us a free spa day and I finally got round to cashing it in...and they let me, which was so kind of them, and after today I don't feel so nervous about leaving Squiblet. By nervous about leaving her, I don't mean nervous about leaving her with Mama, I just mean being apart. They are clearly going to have a fabulous day of fun and giggles....and so am I....wahoo!<br />
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Anyhoo, I figure that if I'm going to be the best Mum that I can be then I need a little break here and there.<br />
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In other news, we are planning Squiblet's "welcome to the family" party. It's going to be big...which some people (as in people generally, not people who know us) think is a bad idea but I think we know her well enough to know that she will have a jolly old time. We've booked a venue with a quiet space and outdoor space in case it all gets a bit much. I've set up an online gift list for food which I think is hilarious, including things like "plate of ham". But we couldn't afford to feed everyone as well as hire the all etc and it seemed like a good plan. I figure if people think we're cheapskates and don't want to come then they don't have to. But hopefully everyone will just enter into the spirit of things and won't mind bringing a dish.<br />
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Oh yes, and we have booked a cheerful Center Parcs mini break for some jolly family time roaming about in the forest.<br />
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Good times. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-33932661978318462352013-08-07T06:59:00.001-07:002013-08-07T07:01:34.395-07:00Toddler science (fun) : messing about on the riverThe folks at tots100 inspired me to make a paper boat to enter their very exciting Center Parcs competition. I jumped at the chance. I love a bit of outdoorsy, creative, sciencey fun and so does Squiblet.<br />
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We had a few first attempts following the not so scientific approach of:<br />
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<ul>
<li>look up how to make a boat on the internet (not a peer reviewed site)</li>
<li>attempt to follow instructions</li>
<li>become massively confused</li>
<li>end up with something which looks enough like a boat to be called a boat</li>
<li>poke the middle bit up in a haphazard fashion in an attempt to make it float</li>
<li>and repeat</li>
</ul>
Once we had a model we were both proud of we waterproofed with a coating of paint and glue. "ooooh, sticky! Let's get messy!" cried Squiblet, along with a spot of finger painting too! The scientist in me was forced to counterbalance Squiblet's pink pom addition with a yellow one on the opposite side, but the artist in me shouted "more feathers, more ribbon!"<br />
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This was our final product, complete with gingerbread man passenger. Very Mardi-Gras!<br />
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We tested it out in the sink at home and then in a little stream and much to my surprise, despite Squiblet's best efforts to fill it with water (toddlers love to fill things with water), the vessel was watertight and pretty buoyant!<br />
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All that was left was to set the boat free. We dragged a friend along to take the pictures, to prevent an unpleasant watery accident and let the boat go. I was amazed! We shouted "bye bye gingerbread man!" as he sped off along the river and under the little thatched cottage on a bridge. Squiblet and I went running after it with me keen to ensure we were channeling excitement at the gingerbread man's adventure rather than horror at his loss! I couldn't believe my eyes when he appeared out the other side of the bridge and kept going until he was finally stopped by a branch. He must have travelled at least 50 meters! We make a good team, Squiblet and I! My friend suggested next time we try building a raft out of sticks...watch this space!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-13165717454906898212013-08-05T05:33:00.001-07:002013-08-05T05:33:43.185-07:00Toddler science: Drop and Roll<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Welcome to my first toddler science post! I can't really take full credit for this as Squiblet gave me the idea when she found a cardboard tube. It was a great rainy day activity...if you don't mind messy windows!</div>
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We gathered a selection of tubes and watched the ball drop through them. We then taped the tubes to the window (we used fun red spotty tape as I happened to have some in the cupboard and it doesn't leave a residue like Sellotape on windows). We managed to make the ball run down the tube, along a piece of card and into the next tube. Squiblet thought it was hilarious when the ball fell out and enjoyed putting the ball in the top and sticking the tubes to the wall. Then she would try pulling them off and soon realised that the ball rolled out if she pointed it down.</div>
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All in all...cheap, jolly fun and she was learning about gravity, speed and forces without knowing it! Painless physics can only be a good plan in my book!</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215180739711088694.post-1825414856323504042013-08-02T13:08:00.001-07:002013-08-02T13:08:35.761-07:00Your DNA's the Recipe <br />
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Your DNA's the recipe</div>
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With C, G, A and T</div>
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Your DNA's the recipe</div>
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But the baker, well, that's me.</div>
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The recipe says brown eyes,</div>
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Blonde curls, cheeky grin</div>
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But what makes you laugh, what makes you smile</div>
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Is the world you now live in.</div>
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We choose our ingredients carefully,</div>
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We take you outside to play,</div>
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We cuddle, kiss and encourage you</div>
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We tell you we love you each day.</div>
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Your DNA made a brain like a sponge</div>
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And we help you to fill it</div>
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Your DNA made a beautiful smile</div>
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And we help you to smile it.</div>
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Your DNA made muscles</div>
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And we help them to grow.</div>
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But what made you sparky and funny</div>
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I guess we'll never really know.</div>
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Your DNA's the recipe,</div>
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Your DNA's the code.</div>
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But what you become is down to you</div>
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And we'll help you along the road.</div>
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Your DNA's the recipe,</div>
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But we'll throw in some extra bits,</div>
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Some extra love, some extra care</div>
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And hope it does the trick.</div>
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Your DNA's the recipe,</div>
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It gives us a bit of a clue.</div>
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But how wonderfully brilliant you become,</div>
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Is down to us...and you.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2