Oh Well...

So Easter Monday was interesting. Baby A has been quite ill, scaring me with how hard she was finding it to breathe. Finally went to A and E on Monday and she was admitted to Whythenshawe hospital. Little tangent, we went to A and E at Trafford General, but Trafford General don't have a children's ward anymore, so we got to go in an ambulance to Whythenshawe, which was way too busy and full. Aren't the people who decide where we should all go for medical care a bunch of pillocks?

Anyway, I reckon she was already on the mend when we went to the hospital - great thing hindsight, eh?! And we may as well have been at home for the amount of attention we got. You arrive, nobody tells you anything, you have to go out and get that cot they said they were getting 2 hours ago, you have to go out to find out when she is getting her IV antibiotics, you have to go out to ask why the oxygen isn't actually turned on when she has been sitting there in an oxygen mask for 2 hours, you have to go out to find out where the registrar is that you were told was coming. He came, at half past midnight. And you have no idea where food is... Thank goodness for the little woman called Wendy, who brought me fruit, a hospital gown to sleep in, toiletries, and went in search of nurses when none could be found.

I don't blame any individuals. I think the nurses and doctors and everybody does work hard for the most part. It cannot be easy working with ill children. But the system is set up in such a way as to make it virtually impossible to provide anything more than basic and/or emergency care. I really don't think we needed to be in hospital, but at least that option was there for us. I was a worried parent. A had been ill for a week, and every time we thought she was getting better, things changed. They reckon it was bronchiolitis. One of those things I have never heard of, but now when you mention it to people, everybody knows somebody who has had it.

All other things on hold for the moment. I read other people's blogs, and wish I could write more, cuz I used to be really good at writing. But now the living seems to get in the way. I get angry that others seem to have so much time to do so much and actually blog about it, while I just hope to get a shower a couple of times a week, and maybe get some knitting and crocheting time in. I think I have forgotten how much time babies take. But then again, so do they all.

Off to wash some dishes, some pants and me, while hoping the babe stays asleep for another half hour, as I climb over all the shoes, laundry baskets, old post, bags, toys, nappies, and musical instruments that accumulate on every horizontal surface.

Proud mummy moment!

Had a few proud mummy moments... first words, first steps, gymnastics competitions, musical productions, shows, good exam grades, getting into college on the basis of a portfolio, but yesterday was pretty damn good. Some poor disillusioned bloke happened by our house to put a 'Vote Labour' leaflet through our door. Sadie, who is 19 and reading Politics at Bristol, took the leaflet, chased him up the road and said, 'You can have this back, 'cause I'm not voting Labour!'  :-)

A traditional Easter Sunday....somewhere....

Happy Easter if you celebrate that sort of thing. It is a pretty sunny day today and I wish we could go out for a walk, but we have had a very sick baby for the past few days and she is sleeping peacefully for the first time in 3 days, so not going to take any chances with that.

We did the chocolate egg thing, and Al even got me an egg, dairy free, wheat free, gluten free, vegan, and very tastey. Kids got Cadbury's chocolate button ones. :-) And several Cream eggs which were hidden around the house. R had a friend spend the night, so there were 20 eggs hidden around the house, and they took their time finding them. I like that fact the the 15 and 19 year olds still enjoy hunting for chocolate eggs as much as the 10 and 13 years olds, and as much as I enjoy hiding them. And I was impressed when S found her 4 so quickly, even the ones in the Jack in the Box, and the binoculars case.

So, on to our Easter dinner. Sort of forgot to go shopping for a nice dinner, so we went Italian. I managed meat balls cooked in some leftover tomato sauce, a vegan lasagne made with lots of veggies and spelt lasagne and wheat free, dairy free, mushroom and black pepper bechamel sauce. Then there was the basic pasta bake, with one my best cheese sauces (which I can't eat at the moment) and a nice crunchy topping of ciabatta crumbs. Then there was salad and bruscetta and ciabatta. Not bad, considering I thought I had nothing in. :-) And there was something for each of the fussy eaters in the house.

Now, off to eat more chocolate, 'cause that is what holidays are all about!

Is this a new habit?

I am wondering if Haiku is going to become a habit. I am just using it to remember moments I enjoy, and want to keep in my head. So I guess they won't all be sentimental, or beautiful, or lyrical. Like this one...

That's a big sausage
as she reaches with both hands
for Big Sister's lunch

It was rather funny.

The boy has talent

The boy has been drumming a lot. I must get around to sorting out some private lessons for him...in the meant time, he does African drumming with Manchester Music Service twice a week and seems to be pretty bloody good. So one of his teachers suggested he try out for the Chorlton young Musician of the Year. He did, and got through to the semi finals, which were last night. And now he is through to the finals, which will be in May. And while he did really well, and I heard lots of people talking about how good he was ... he was the only percussionist in a competition where somebody is chosen from each instrumental group. :-)

A haiku

One of those moments,
eyes looking deep into mine
laying in my arms.

I remember going to my first NNN camp years ago, when M was a few months old. There was a man called David who wrote Haiku and spent some time talking to some of us about the form, why he did it, and encouraging us to have a go.  Sadly, he has passed away now, but I guess he left a bit of himself in a lot of people, even those of us he only met briefly.
One of the things I remember his saying, is that Haiku is like a snapshot. It is a way to remember a moment when you don't have a camera, but still want to mark the moment, make it last. And that is what just happened to me.
This morning, sitting in front of the computer, in my pjs, in my messy study, with baby A sitting on my leg. Suddenly, she bent her head back in the crook of my arm, and just stared intently at my face. I had to pay attention. :-) For several minutes, we just looked at each other, as I resisted the urge to get the camera - and then she reached out for me and grabbed my nose, chin, cheeks, etc.  One of those moments, common and yet so special. And in spite of me cringing  - as I sound a bit like a greetings card, I will treasure it, and the memory of it. My little Haiku will make sure I remember.

Bobbins is Here!

Bobbins! Check it out!
And I am so motivated that I am finally getting to work on this, which I cast on about 2 weeks ago. But now I have officially started....well 2 rows of 2x2 ribbing, and even then I have had to back track  twice as I keep getting distracted. Baby is looking too cute, and the Boy has a new microphone plugged into his amp.  Must ignore cuteness and beatboxing attempts and get to work. Maybe I'll just have a nice bath first....