Category Archives: Uncategorized
For Mummies Having A Tough Day
Childhood Doesn’t Wait
I was sitting on a bench
while in a nearby mall,
When I noticed a young mother
with two children who were small.
The youngest one was whining,
“Pick me up,” I heard him beg
but the mother’s face grew angry
as the child clung to her leg.
“Don’t hang on to me,” she shouted
as she pushed his hands away,
I wish I’d had the courage
to go up to her and say…
“The time will come too quickly
when those little arms that tug,
Won’t ask for you to hold them
or won’t freely give a hug.
“The day will sneak up subtly
just as it did with me,
When you can’t recall the last time
that your child sat on your knee.
“Like those sacred, pre-dawn feedings
when we cherished time alone
Our babies grow and leave behind
those special times we’ve known.
“So when your child comes to you
with a book that you can share,
Or asks that you would tuck him in
and help him say his prayer…
“When he comes to sit and chat
or would like to take a walk,
Before you answer that you can’t
`cause there’s no time to talk”
Remember what all parents learn
so many times too late,
That years go by too quickly
and that childhood doesn’t wait.
“Take every opportunity,
if one should slip away
Reach hard to get it back again,
don’t wait another day.”
I watched that mother walk away
her children followed near,
I hope she’ll pick them up
before her chances disappear
Author Unknown
Oh dear, this made me cry today. I love my babies SO much!
Silent Sunday – Really love those tiger feet!
REALLY LOVE YOUR TIGER FEET!
5 Things That Make You Feel Good
I have been tagged by the lovely Fast and Luce in a blog chain which has originated from Scottish Mum called ‘5 Things That Make You Feel Good, Scottish Mum says:
“I have seen lots of posts about what we struggle with, or things that we like to do, and I’d like to find out a bit more information about all of you. This is my way of doing it. I am looking forward to visiting some of you on the blog hop.”
What you cannot choose. The Rules are Simple
We all know that blogging/facebook/twitter is in our arena of what we like to do, so I am going to rule them out as one of the 5 that you can post about. They really are not very girly. Likewise, phones, computers, ipads are all out of the running. I am challenging myself to this, as I am really not a girly girly type of person, and I want to find that within myself. It’s not all about power suits, filofaxes, ipads and designer phones.
If you want to pass this along, pick bloggers that you want to find out more about, and challenge them to write up their 5 secret passions that make them feel good. The idea is to lift our spirits this week. The fact that there is a linky added, just makes it all the more worthwhile in doing.
So…..here are my top 5:
Watching The West Wing with David
David and I met in 2007. That autumn we started watching The West Wing on DVD and download for the first time. We watched all 7 series and loved every episode. We have now watched all 7 series in their entirety 5 times and are due to start again from the beginning very soon. We watch it with our tea. It is so well written and brilliantly acted. The content is good full of humour and emotion. It is very wordy and plays with words which we love. It is a great show and we have found nothing else that matches it for us, though Spooks perhaps is a second. We do not have television, we watch things on iplayer if at all. The West Wing is our televisual luxury!
Making lists and plans
I am a planner. I like to be planning an event, organising a classroom, sorting through ideas. I like to have a To Do list and feel great satisfaction when I am able to tick things off. I like to know that I am getting things done and even when I do not actually do the thing I like to have planned it, talked about it and listed it’s details somewhere.
Spending time with my sister
I do not see my sister very often but when I do it is wonderful. We always have a laugh and a cuddle. I wish that she did not live so very far away so that we could see each other more often. She is brilliant with the babies and it makes me sad to think that she will not really know them very well. I love my sister with all my heart and being with her makes me feel good.
Being by the sea
I love the sea. I love walking in the fresh sea breeze, paddling in the shallows and riding the waves on a kayak. Well, I try to do that, I am not really very good. I love swimming and always have. I love the beach in winter as much as in summer. There is something magical about being by the sea. Windswept hair and salty lips, the feeling of sand between your toes. I love a calm sea but also love the passion and anger of a storm. I just love the sea.
Being on stage
I have been involved with amateur theatre since I was 6 years old. I love acting and singing but I cannot dance at all! I love getting into character, I love rehearsng with a good crowd of people and I love the adrenalin of show night. I have been lucky enough to get some fantastic roles over the years and I have also directed some great primary school productions. I have not done anything since becoming pregnant and I hope that is something that we will do as a family when the children are older as drama and the theatre really do make me feel good!
All of these are, aswell as the unmentionables and of course my babies, are things that make me feel good.
What about you?
I would like to tag the following people (I apologise if you have been tagged already, perhaps you could link to an already written post if that is the case x)
Not Even A Bag of Sugar (I know that your reply will be delayed as you are away x )
Mummy Beadzoid (I am loving your blog!)
What is in a Name?
What is in a name?
Esther Grace Henley
Persian origin meaning star or myrtle leaf
Esther was a young Hebrew woman who risked her life to save her people
The Jewish festival Purim is in memory of Esther from the Old Testament
Shortened to Essie or Star
Heroine of Dickens’ Bleak House is called Esther
William Nairn Henley
Named after David’s Grandad
Named after famous William’s including Just William and William Wallace from Braveheart
There is already a famous William Henley, William Ernest Henley. He wrote the poem INVICTUS on which Clint Eastwood’s recent film on Mandela and the 2005 Rugby World Cup is based. (Thank you Tony and ShirleyNorfolk!) http://www.bartleby.com/103/7.html
Shortened to Will Henley
The name means protection, resolute, determined.
What are your children’s names and why did you choose them?
What is your name? Do you like it? Does it reflect who you are? Would you rather be known by another name?
What is your blog called and why? What is the story behind the name?
What’s in a name? LOTS in a name.
Listography – My Top 5 Movies
My list of Must Sees!
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy – Extended Editions
These three films combined make the best film of all time. I love watching them together over a couple of afternoons or evenings. David and I really want to have a Lord of the Rings viewing event outside on a large screen with all of our closest friends and fellow LOTR fans. What a great way to spend a summer day and evening, few beers, BBQ, friends and the Fellowship! I love the music from these movies too and I am certain that it will feature somewhere in our wedding in September. I would also love to go to New Zealand and visit some of the amazing locations where these movies were shot. And I would quite like to have a little girl called Meredith and call her Merry for short!
The Shawshank Redemption
This is such a great story and so brilliantly acted. I love Morgan Freeman and for me this is his best film. A classic movie!
A River Runs Through It
This is a film I have seen so many times and that I like more every time I see it. David really likes it too, a story of 3 brothers, and it was one of the first films we discussed and saw together. Another great story, brilliantly told and very well cast.
Mystic Pizza
This is an old favourite that reminds me of watching movies with my sister. A proper chick flick featuring the lovely Julia Roberts and the girl from Space Camp! Does anyone remember Space Camp? Another brilliant film. Perhaps that should be in my top 5?!
The Goonies / The Lost Boys
I cannot choose between these two films, both starring Corey Feldman who I used to love! Both classic kid/teen movies of the 80s. I cannot choose between them.
So there you have it, 5 of my top movies, though I am sure if you asked me again tomorrow I might produce a different 5 that might include Big, The Money Pit, Forrest Gump, Young Guns, Flight of the Navigator, ET, Shallow Grave, Stand By Me, Indiana Jones and many many more … but for this post these are my 5.
What are yours?
Katetakes5 hosts the fab Listography every week. Why not take a look and join in!
For David – I love you because …
I love you because …
You are beautiful
You are clever
You are thoughtful
You are strong
You have lovely arms
You make me feel safe
The most wonderful eyes
You make me honest
You amaze me
You amuse me
You make me smile
You are wilful
Purposeful
Silent and proud
You surprise me
You reassure me
You teach me new things
You remind me of old things
You make things all right
You make me want to be better than I am
I want to love you for always
I want to hold you for all time
I want to care for you
Protect you
Make you happy
Make you proud
Make you smile
Make you mine
I love you because you are you and I cannot help myself
Happy Valentine’s Day 2011 x
Weekend Rewind – May 2010
Today I found a new linky hosted by Life in a Pink Fibro – Weekend Rewind.
The drill is this: you dust off an old post (preferably from May last year or earlier, or featuring something about May, but you know I’ll take anything so don’t fret), you link it up below, you browse through the other links and leave a little comment love, just to be friendly. So easy. So much fun. So…
In May of last year I had not conceived this blog as Esther and William were safe and snug inside of me and had no plans of arriving early! To rewind to May for you, dear Readers, I turn once again to my faithful friend, Facebook to revisit what was going on in my life in that merry month of May. I know it included a trip to Paris!
1st May 2010
Jennie is listening to children’s songs and planning the twins’ jungle nursery!!
2nd May 2010
Jennie has had a lovely lunch with her friends.
4th May 2010
Jennie is excited that she has a scan booked for Monday and may be able to find out what flavours the babies are!!!!!
6th May 2010
Jennie will see her wee sis in 3 months!! Hooray!!
Jennie and David are going to ‘Wake Up the Zoo’ on Saturday morning. 2 hours of time in the zoo before the general public and we get to feed the giraffes and the sea lions!!! I am so excited!
8th May 2010
Jennie had the most amazing morning waking up the zoo! We fed the giraffes and met some one day old baby meerkats. We fed the sealions and David was able to stroke a tapir. A most wonderful day and for me being so close to giraffes was just one of the most amazing experiences as I just love them so much. A day I will never ever forget!
11th May
Jennie loved talking to her little sister today!
Being a teacher makes choosing names for your own children so so hard!!!
13th May
Jennie is looking forward to seeing Macbeth at The Globe on Sunday.
15th May 2010
Jennie is going to test drive a twin pram today!!!!
17th May 2010
Jennie heard the babies heartbeats today!
18th May
Jennie is getting excited about visiting Rew and Francoise in Paris!
24th May 2010
Jennie and David are home from Paris after a wonderful weekend. Thank you Rew and Francoise x x
25th May 2010
Jennie wishes she was still in Paris, playing dice in a cafe with Rew and Francoise.
26th May 2010
19 weeks pregnant today, 19 weeks to go!
28th May
Jennie is struggling to find a dress for summer weddings for her massive and rapidly expanding twin bump!!!
It is crazy reading back through this and realising that when we thought we had another 19 weeks to go til we met our babies they were actually born just 2 months later.
I can’t wait to be pregnant again and just hope that I will enjoy a full term pregnancy this time. There is no reason why I shouldn’t so I am keeping everything crossed.
Want to see what other people were up to in May? Hop on over to the linky hosted by Life in a Pink Fibro
What were you doing? Rewind this weekend, relax and reflect on a month that was x
Months 3 – 6 inclusive
Can you believe it? 5 short months ago Esther and William were still being fed by a tube and we were looking at possibly another month in SCBU to get breastfeeding established. That was 11th September 2010, on the 21st September 2010 we came home because the babies had decided that they were ready after all and within a few short days they began to breastfeed efficiently and demonstrated clearly that they no longer needed their tubes. Just as they had shown with conviction that they no longer needed any oxygen support. Since those final days in hospital Esther and William have continued to grow bigger and stronger everyday. Now they are 6.5 months old and I cannot comprehend how much they have changed and grown. They are nothing short of amazing and I love them with all my heart. I have decided to write a series of posts celebrating their lives so far and I am going to begin with a review of the highlights illustrated through my Facebook status updates. Facebook is good for something.
Ladies and Gentleman, I give you the highlights of months 3 – 6 inclusive.
5th September 2010
Jennie is struggling a bit today as one of the nurses told us that the babies are really restless at night and seem to be looking for me cos I cuddle them and care for them/feed them all the day. Also they want to suck whenever they are fed and of course I am not there. They are doing so well and I just want to bring them home!
13th September
Jennie is not sure how many more nights she can leave her babies in somebody elses arms!
14th September
Jennie has had a good day! Esther is demand feeding during the day and William had his first ever bath!!!
16th September
Jennie is getting excited and scared as bringing the babies home in the not too distant future becomes a distinct possibility!!!
21st September
Jennie is home!
24th September
Jennie is very proud of her clever babies for gaining weight and impressing the health visitor with their super feeding and calm behaviour!!!
26th September
9am and I have just woken up. The babies made it through the night with 3 hourly feed rather than every hour! Progress!
30th September
Jennie feels like a milk machine today!!!
1st October
Jennie is pleased that the babies continue to gain weight albeit slowly! William is now 4lb 15oz and Esther is 4lb 4oz. No more weigh ins until the 14th October!!!
5th October
Jennie is now resigned to the fact that for the forseeable future it is feed, change, sleep or change, feed, sleep until the babies are old enough to play.
6th October
Jennie is watching her babies sleep whilst choosing music for her wedding. Life is good!
7th October
Jennie is very proud that William has graduated from Micro nappies to Premature!!! He must be gaining weight and be over 5lbs!!!
10th October
Jennie has had a lovely day with her fiance and children. We took Esther and William for their very first picnic.
14th October 2010
Jennie has just been advised by Health Visitor to postpone Esther and William’s Christening until after the cold and flu season. She says that it is just too much of a risk for them. Boo!
20th October 20/10/2010!
Today is the day that the twins were due to be born. Happy 0 Birthday Esther and William!
Jabs done and new weights recorded. Esther is 5lbs 1oz and William is 6lb 1oz! Happy 0 Birthday Babies!!
22nd October
Jennie has just walked 6 miles around the hills behind Charing with David and the babies. Ended up carrying the babies for the last two miles and pushing the empty pram!!!
24th October
Jennie can’t believe her babies are 3 months old today and should really only be 4 days!!!
26th October
Jennie seems to be always washing and sorting baby clothes!!!
29th October
Is it possible I have just had almost 3 hours sleep????
Jennie is showered, both babies are dressed, bedding changed and first lot of washing is out to dry. I have eaten breakfast and had a cup of tea! Now I am exhausted though after a twin feeding frenzy. A glimpse of what life will be like as things begin to get easier i.e. little tummies get bigger!!
30th October
Jennie is feeling so bad. After constant feeding for over 3 hours Esther is still screaming and I don’t know why. I am sure there is milk because William is feeding okay. I am going to have to give Esther a bottle of expressed milk because I just do not know what else to do and there is no one to help me.
Jennie would like to thank everyone who answered her desperate cries in the middle of the night. We got through it, as you all knew we would and amazingly I did not use the bottle after all. I just carried on feeding until she finally went to sleep. It is so hard especially in the early hours but I know it is worth it and I do love my children more than all the world. Thank you everyone x
1st November 2010
Today we start a proper bedtime routine. 6pm bath, 6.30pm feed and story, 7.30pm bed in cot and not to be picked up or taken downstairs. We will see if it can be done.
Crikey! Bathed and in bed by 7. William woke at 8 for food and Esther sleeps on. A positive first attempt.
2nd November
Jennie’s babies are being very cute this morning and are showing off the fact that they can lift their heads when lying on me on their tummies! Clever babies!!
Jennie just woke up from a nap to find William curled up next to her watching her sleep, though think he was fixed more on my chest than my face wondering how we was going to get to where he wanted to be!!
Jennie is very proud that her babies have done it again. Bath then bed for an hour, another feed then bed for 2 hours and now another feed before seeing how far we get through the night!!! Making progress – mini steps!
5th November
Jennie has had two Baileys hot chocolates whilst watching reruns of Whose Line Is It Anyway with David and the babies. A lovely end to a good good day. Now the feeding frenzy begins …
7th November
Jennie has had nearly 7 hours sleep in one night! Not all in one go, but all in one night is progress enough for now. Well done Esther and William x
9th November
Christmas has come early for the Charing Henleys! Esther and William love listening to me sing them carols especially Silent Night. Hooray for Christmas!
15th November
Jennie and David are very proud parents as William just smiled at them whilst in the bath! After a grumpy feeding frenzy of an afternoon, draining his own milk and Esther’s!! He rewarded us with a wonderful first proper smile!!!!!!!!!!
17th November
Jennie is back from hospital with Esther and William. Esther now weighs 3.2kg or 7lb 1oz and William is a whopping 3.57kg or 1oz off 8lbs!!! Well done little babies!!
20th November
Well done Babies! Asleep well before midnight with feeds at 2.45 and 5.45, and William slept in his cot all night. We are making progress!!!
22nd November
Jennie is falling in love with her children all over again as they keep smiling at her and are starting to giggle!!! So so sweet! And I am so proud that David and I have done something so wonderful and made children so beautiful. I don’t think there can be a better feeling than this!
29th November
Jennie is very pleased that William now weighs 8lb 12oz and Esther is 7lb 11oz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They need new clothes – AGAIN!
30th November
Jennie has had 4 hours sleep in a row!
2nd December
Jennie is dancing with William to Christmas music and watching the blizzard outside. Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow!
3rd December
Jennie is feeling so much love for her son this morning. I washed his play gym so has been away for two days, brought it back out this morning and William is grinning and cooing and babbling and just so excited to see it and be in it again. Great for him and such a special feeling for Mummy too x
4th December
Jennie finally caught Esther and William smiling on camera!!!
9th December
Jennie is very proud that William now weighs 9lb 5ozs and Esther weighs 8lb 3ozs! Hurrah! My little fatsos!!!!
15th December
Jennie is very pleased that her little lovelies are still piling on the weight. William is now 9lb 9oz and Esther is 8lb 5oz. Well done little ones!
18th December
Jennie has decided that tomorrow will be the day when we start to use the expressed milk from the freezer. William and Esther no longer seem to like feeding together and so after the bath each day one baby will breastfeed with Mum and the other will have a bottle with Daddy. Think it will be good for Daddy too.
19th December
Jennie was not prepared to feel so sad watching Esther have her first bottle!?!
21st December
Jennie is very proud of her oldest but smallest child who has just slept through the night from 11.30pm til 6.30am!!! Well done Esther, you really are a little Star!
23rd December
Jennie has sorted the washing while Esther has her second bottle with her Daddy. William would not take a bottle! Will try again tomorrow. Esther is so much more laid back than William about all things, so different from when they were in hospital. Christmas tomorrow and I am a Mummy!
24th December
Merry Christmas Everyone! David and I are settling in for our first Christmas as parents. Have already watched The Santa Clause and read The Night Before Christmas. We have made the babies Jumperoo and are about to wrap the final presents for one another. It really is a wonderful life!
28th December
Jennie has just cried her eyes out leaving a wired, overtired William to cry himself to sleep for a total of 4 minutes … but it worked and he seems so peaceful now. Worse for Mummy I think!
29th December
Jennie is amazed that Esther just slept from 5pm to 3am!!! What a super sleeper!
30th December
Jennie is very proud that William is now a roller. He can roll from his tummy onto his back!
31st December
Jennie is a little worried that Esther must be starving. She slept for 10 hours over night and has slept at least 4 hours this morning too. She wakes, has a little feed and is then straight back to sleep!
31st December 2010
Without fail every new year I feel emotional and this year is no exception. I am staying home with all I need in the world, David, Esther and William. What a year 2010 has been for us and with so much more to come in 2011. Now I know what happiness is, it has been a long time coming but I really do feel I am the luckiest girl in all the world! Happy New Year everyone x
1st January
Jennie is excited because this year she becomes a Henley!
2nd January 2010
Jennie is bored of cold and flu season now and wants to be able to spend some time with her family and friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6th January
Jennie thinks William must be having a growth spurt!!
Jennie can’t believe she is back to feeding every two hours all through the night!! Thought it was one bad night but this have been at least the third, possibly the fourth!!
7th January
Esther has slept through the night!!! 10pm til 6.15am! William every 2 hours like clockwork though.
Jennie is writing everything down!! Today to see if any patterns are forming with my beautiful babies I am going to write everything down. I am going to do this until David returns from BETT and then we will decide on a routine! At the moment we are struggling a bit as they are so different in their needs and development, also getting confused with actual and corrected age so writing it all down is going to be a starting point from which we will go on. Again! I am feeling positive about the world today. Feeling positive is good!
Jennie has just put Esther in a dress for the first time and is not sure that she or I like it very much. She is just too small for proper clothes!
Jennie thinks William is teething!!! Actually Michele thinks William is teething and she is more of an expert than me!! He is really clingy, dribbly, a bit hot with red cheeks, one side redder and hotter than the other. Also seems to like eating his hands.
8th January
Jennie loves the cute noises that Esther has started to make. I love her and William so much!!
10th January
http://thismummyloves.blogspot.com/2011/01/weaning-trials-and-tribulations-of.html
To wean or not to wean – Esther and William will be 6 months on the 24th Jan. William is feeding more and more often – at least every 2 hours round the clock!
I wonder if weaning would help?
12th January
Jennie is very proud that William now weighs 11lb 2oz and Esther a very petite 9lbs!
13th January
Jennie is not impressed that Esther thinks 4am is getting up time!!!
Jennie loved taking Esther and William to watch the tropical fish at the the garden centre with Granny and they enjoyed it too! A lovely trip out and such well behaved babies!
15th January
Jennie has fed at 12, 12.50 and now 1.50. I do hope this pattern will not continue all night!!! Guess what it did! Every hour onthe hour til we finally got up at 6.30!!!!
Jennie is loving how much Esther and William are beginning to enjoy books!
16th January
Jennie has just given William his first taste of baby rice. He seemed to quite like it! One week of baby rice ahead and then proper puree weaning! Glad a decision has been made! I have a busy week ahead making purees!
18th January
Jennie is exhausted and wishes that Esther would just go to the toilet!! 7 days and counting!
20th January
Jennie has been to GP with Esther and now has some lactulose to try and get things moving!
22nd January
Jennie wants to thank everyone for their advice on Esther’s poo situation – we are still waiting! I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts, tips or tricks on getting William to take a bottle??? He is not at all keen and I am going to have a spa day as soon as we pass this last obstacle! Esther guzzles her milk from a bottle but William just screams!
24th January
Jennie can’t believe that Esther and William are 6 mths old today! 6 months ago we had just seen them for the first time in their incubators at NICU weighing 2lb 4oz and 2lb 11oz. We were peering through condensation as their incubators were kept humid to protect their precious born too soon skin. We have come so far!
We really have come so far and I am so so proud and so excited about what the next 3 months might bring, and the next and the next …
What a wonderful life, being a Mummy, with all the ups and downs and sleepless nights, I would not swap this for all the world!!!
Not for all the world x
Tots 100
