The Mummy-Tag Meme

I was tagged in a bloggers meme a few days ago by Jaime from The Oliver’s Madhouse – and having found a few minutes spare between adverts in Mr Selfridge I thought I’d get on with it…so here goes:

1. Are you a Stay at Home Mum, or a Working Mum?  I juggle a bit of both – 2.5 days in an office, ad hoc antenatal teaching and the rest of the time at home with the kids. Or in fact, not at home. Because we always seem to be here there and everywhere doing things.

2. Would you have it any other way? It’s nice to think that I could be a stay at home mum full time. But realistically it’s not possible, financially and in terms of the amount of energy I’d need!

3. Do you co-sleep? It still happens from time to time, and when Pippin arrives it’ll be a daily occurrence again. I won’t lie – sometimes, when I’m being kicked from both sides (and from inside) and the Other Half is snoring while the cat makes the strangest noises known to man from her hiding place under the bed, I have been known to stare at the ceiling and think about how comfortable and quiet a whole bed to myself might be. But I do like the cuddles and I also know that when that elusive empty bed has on occasion made an appearance (I have to travel to Europe for my work every couple of months) I find it strangely difficult to sleep.

4. What is your one must-have item for your baby?  Boobs! Luckily for me, the vast majority of women have them 🙂

5. How many kids do you plan on having? Pippin is the third and last. I’m not sure my body, my house or my wallet could handle any more!

6. Date night? How many nights per month? Ha, probably better phrased as how many nights per year? Saying that, we were lucky enough to have a date night on Friday and so we went to watch the Lego movie. Now EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!

7. Your childs favourite show? It varies between ‘Team Umizoomi’ and ‘Kerwizz’. Both of which have extremely, extremely irritatingly catchy theme tunes and sayings which worm their way into your head and NEVER LEAVE

8. Name one thing you bought before you had your baby and never ended up using? A 12 pack of mates condoms. They expired a couple of months ago…

9. Your child’s favourite food? They’re both mad about macaroni cheese. Usually I sneak a bit of bacon and some peas in, because macaroni cheese scares me otherwise with it’s beigeness.

10. How many cars does your family have? Just the one. Sometimes I wonder if perhaps we need even that. And then I think of the horror that the supermarket trips, and the one bus an hour towards the swimming pool, and the across the tube and then the mainline and then a bus that going to see family would involve. And I decide that having a car is an important luxury that keeps me sane.

11. Weight gain before pregnancy, during and after and now? No idea. I don’t own any scales – I go by whether my trousers are tight or fall down. In fact, I don’t even have a full length mirror in my house so I can’t even see what anything but my head looks like unless I perform a delicate balancing act on a stepstool which often ends with me flailing around like a poorly performing clown. As long as my sides don’t feel like they’re sticking together when I’m lying down then I’m happy.

12. Dream holiday with your kids? The Wee Man is very keen on heading back New Zealand way and I have to say that sounds pretty good to me too! Perhaps via Hong Kong so we can show them the goldfish market and eat some fabulous dim sum.

13. Dream holiday without your kids?  Somewhere with a wine tasting tour, a jacuzzi and a comfortable bed. And perhaps a castle. And a mock Viking battle, with a rock club and a feast! I’m not sure that such a place exists except in my mind. But that’s why it’s a ‘dream’ holiday, right?

14. How has your life changed since your baby has been born? I’ve got less money, the same amount of mess, and far far more love. And a cat that drools.

15. Finish the sentence: ‘It makes my heart melt to see … ‘ The Wee Man making sure that his little sister is ok, when they’re exploring something new together. They have their sibling fights and their individual frustrating moments – but when he matters he is there for her and you can tell she really loves him too.

16. Where do you shop for your kids? Wherever sells what they need at the most reasonable price! We aren’t particularly brand loyal, but there are some stores that we do frequent more than others – Kiddicare, Mothercare, ‘the meatball shop’ (IKEA), Next and Sainsburys to name just a few.

17. Favourite makeup and skincare products? I don’t really use them! The makeup that I have (which I know how to achieve precisely one ‘look’ with) is from MAC, because my sister told me that MAC is good and she knows about such things. And I have a Decleor facewash thingy. But often I forget to use it. (Obviously I do have soap, before you start wondering if I ever wash at all!).

18. Huggies or Pampers? We are clothbums. But, in the moments that we aren’t then it’d be Pampers since Huggies aren’t available any more.

19. Have you always wanted kids? No. And they were kind of sprung on me (well, at least the Wee Man was!). But I’m glad it happened that way because I wouldn’t be without them and without ‘the springing’ I might never have got around to it, otherwise.

20. Best part about being a mum? The constant rediscovery of wonder at everyday things. Whoever knew that classifications of petrol, the length of animal ears and the contemplation of where the mud from puddles goes could be so fascinating.

And now it’s my turn to tag…so I’d love to hear what the fantastic AK from MyBuggyJunction, Rachael from MotheringMushroom and Beth from PlasticRosaries have to say!