You have to take him to hospital right now

I did a lot of bargaining yesterday with a God I don't believe in.

As I drove two year old Cash to hospital with suspected H1N1 Swine Flu I was prepared to give anything and everything for my baby to be well.

It sounds a little over-dramatic now, as he is much improved, but my thoughts were tortured with images of watching him struggle to breath. I watched my brother's lungs stop working and I watched my Dad's heart fail. I was not going to watch my baby die.

As an asthmatic myself I know the discomfort and terror of not being able to breathe. Cash was having difficulty breathing yesterday. His burning body, rapid rasping breaths, heaving diaphragm and lethargic whimpers were enough for me to brave the GP's receptionist and demand an emergency appointment.

The GP said the words I'd feared, that we had to go straight to hospital. I'd already put a change of clothes, water and a muslin in my bag for Cash, just in case. My first trip out after almost two weeks of being snowed in and we're off to the pediatric assessment unit.

Then my brain clearly demonstrated that my migraines are stress related. Great timing brain. I had to ignore my symptoms and concentrate on my little boy.

I willed my darling Cash to get well. I had a lot of time to do this. I spent hours perched on hospital chairs cradling him. These hellish hours were punctuated by nurses treating him with paracetomol, ibuprofen and ventolin. He eventually relaxed, his temperature fell from 39 to 37 degrees and his breathing improved.

Cash's request of 'I want to go home' finally paid off. Armed with antibiotics, tamiflu and ventolin and instructions to stay away from the 'at risk', we came home.

He's not out of the woods yet, but he's been playing this morning and asking for food - so different to yesterday. I have the mother-in-law of all headaches and a fistful of new grey hairs, but my boy is home.

We had a lovely Christmas Day, but since then have been nursing poorly children. Not quite as festive as I'd hoped, our main aim now is avoiding hospital. Roll on 2011.





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Wordless Wednesday: Moonrise

Snowed in

This time last year we were snowed in. We live down a lane, down a hill. It's almost impossible to get the car out to the main road. After almost a month I was going stir crazy.

On Friday it snowed again.

A lot.

I hate that we get snowed in. I hate even more when we can get the car out and the roads are icy. Even though I pretty much hate the effects of the snow, I still watch it fall with child-like wide-eyed wonder. I'm excited by it. It's beautiful. If I wake up in the middle of the night I peek out of the curtains to see how much we've had.

The boys love it!

There's only so much time you can spend outside in the snow before you get too cold, although we've done our best.

Our snow is weird this year, it's a fine powder and not great for building snowmen.

It's deep enough to go over the top of little wellies.

And to coat woollen mittens.

So we came indoors to paint. I made the mistake of answering my phone and moving into the kitchen to chat in peace. This is what I came back to.

Andy took pity on me and bought back a packet cake mix from the local shops to entertain us.

This is what the cakes are supposed to like like.

There are Presley's.

There are Cash's.

I think they're wonderful AND they were edible.

I'll have to find some more activities for tomorrow or maybe we'll just snuggle up in front of the television.

It is nearly Christmas after all.


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Win a Kellogg's Hamper this Christmas

This competition is now closed.

The winner is... Live Otherwise.

Would you like to win this hamper from Kellogg's?

All you have to do is leave a 'pick me' comment on this post, along with your email address or Twitter ID so that I can contact you if you win.

This competition is for UK residents only (sorry, international readers).

The closing date is midnight on Sunday 19th December 2010.

I will make the draw using Random.org on Monday and contact the winner to ask for their address. Hopefully you will receive your prize before Christmas (weather permitting)!

Thank you to Kellogg's for this giveaway.

Good luck!




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It's all going on...

Firstly, I've been nominated for an award. 

I'm shortlisted in the 'Outstanding in their field' category in the British Mummy Bloggers Brilliance in Bogging 2010 awards.

Thank you to you if you nominated me, I'm absolutely delighted!

Congratulations to all nominees and finalists.

You can find more information and the all important voting form on the BMB Blog.

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More good news, I'm Playpennies Blogger of the Week.

I have a love-hate relationship with Playpennies. I love finding out about all the bargains to be had, but I hate that I can't resist a bargain!


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I've written a few reviews recently, including:

• Numberjacks: Mission to Learn
• In the Nigth Garden PJ Iggle Piggle, Animal Planet Wild Eyes Dinosuar, Tomy Aquadoodle Animal Magic Sounds, Fisher Price TRIO airplane, Pop Goes Froggio Game, Revensburger Jolly Octopus Game and the Crayola Colour Wonder magic Light Brush for the Toys R Us Toyologists programme
• CBeebies Song Time CD
• Dairy Cookbook, Good Food, Fast
• HEXBUG Nano
• Snowflake CD
• Red or Dead Tights at Tightsplease
• Tonka Chuck's Garage Deluxe Stunt Playset
• Whitworths and a recipe for the easiest fruitcake in the world

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Robinsons Panto Karaoke is now live. All you need is a webcam and a sense of humour and you can make your own video. This fun challenge is aiming to raise funds for Barnados.


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One of my favourite bloggers has a new project. Emily at Babyrambles has set up a new website offering real down-to-earth advice. It's called Real Parenting.


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Do you like books and chocolate? I said yes to that question and was sent a book and some Galaxy chocolate. You can win books over at the Galaxy Facebook page.


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Finally!

Check out the Matthew Walker Facebook page for your chance to win a gorgeous Christmas Pudding in their perfect Christmas campaign. I'm looking forward to trying mine.



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A Rock and Roll Christmas!

We had a smashing start to putting up our Christmas decorations this weekend.

Andy was moving the television when it fell off the stand and smashed on the floor. He quipped that smashing a television set is very rock and roll, hence the title of this post!

We now have a small spare television installed and will have to hit the January sales. Andy's been after a flat screen television for ages... Hmm. Did the television jump or was it pushed?!

We were both pretty shaken actually. Thank goodness the boys weren't anywhere near it.

Anyway, we finally put up our decorations. This is the first year since Presley could move by himself that we have dared have a full size Christmas tree. We let the boys decorate it and (surprise surprise) it looks like it has been decorated by toddlers! Presley and Cash were so excited. A little too excited perhaps. I have already threatened to take it down if they play with the tree decorations!

I posted about our decorations last year, so here are some photographs of this year's new additions.

If you fancy taking a look at some more decorations - or if you want to show yours off - the lovely Liz at Violetposy is hosting her annual tour.

Family Traditions at Christmas

I need your help.

I want to establish some Calico family Christmas traditions, but I don't really know where to start.

I want Christmas to be a magical time for all the family, but most importantly for Presley and Cash. At three and two they are getting excited about Christmas, even though they don't really know that much about it. They know they get presents, but there's so much more to Christmas than that.

I found out on Twitter tonight that Young Mummy and Cosmic Girlie are at the same stage as me and Pippa has promised to give us some pointers on her blog - after all, she is the queen of all things Christmassy.

These are my ideas so far:

• Advent calendars
• Go carol singing with our neighbours
• Visit Father Christmas. This year we have booked to go on the Santa Express steam train.
• Make or buy new tree decorations
• Decorate the tree together
• Make paperchains (if I can find some - suggestions of stockists please)
• Drive around to look at everyone's lights (I stole this from Cosmic Girlie)
• A special meal on Christmas Eve and a special breakfast on Christmas Day (to be decided)
• Leave a mince pie for Father Christmas and a carrot for Rudolph
• Letters to Father Christmas (the NSPCC will send a letter back for a small donation)
• Buying one present for the poor children of the world via UNICEF
• Taking our old toys to the charity shop
• A walk on Christmas Day after lunch
• A pantomime between Christmas and New Year

Over to you. What are your family traditions at Christmas?




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