OMG How easy is fish pie ?

Now I love to cook. But on a Monday I want something quick and easy.
And I never think of fish pie as that. But it is !!!

So ok, I have to fess up - part of what I do is to get folks to eat more fish. Sounds easier than it is.

And so is the fish pie..... Honestly. Here's what I did.

Toddler tantruming and star charts

Oh what a weekend.

Toots seemed to be grumpy from waking on Saturday. I quote.
"No, not that.", "No, that's wrong", "No, I'm hungry",
No, I want to go to Balamory *now* !

This went on. And on peaking in a crisis outside Boots.

Silent Sunday: Spathiphyllum

Stuff work - a non-frenetic Friday

Friday's are usually frenetic. I don't know why but getting out the house on a Friday is always so much more painful than any other day of the week. Maybe it's because I'm tired after a week at work or maybe it's because often Thursday night will involve a little glass of vino.

Anyway, for that reason and the fact that it was the last Friday of the Fringe, I decided to stuff work and take the day off....

The friends you meet in pregnancy are the best friends you'll ever meet

I remember my fantastic midwife Linda telling me the friends I would meet at ante-natal class would become my friends for life if I wanted them to.

Perhaps the contents of my sink will give an indication if this is the case....

Then Claire my insipid health visitor reiterated this when she encouraged me to attend the Tiny Tots class when Toots was only 6 weeks old. What I wouldn't have done to get out of the house and interact with other human beings. So I went. And she was right. Linda was right. Three and a half years later the girls (I hope that isn't offensive) I met then are and remain some of the best friends I have.

We don't get together as often as we would like - most of us have two little people now and so the last year our meetings have been more sporadic.

Is it wrong to swaddle an (almost) toddler?

Toots was a great sleeper. In fact Toots was easy in almost every way. (That is changing as her pre-school self appears: "No mummy, that's just wrong")

Toots went to bed, read a book, gave you a kiss and then went to sleep from about 10 months. Consistently.

It has to match !!!

Toots is almost three and a half. She has always known her own mind but this has taken on a new level of late. Her *cutlery* have to match.

Now how am I supposed to do that with this rag bag?

Buggy-itis !

I've never really suffered from buggy-itis. You know what I mean, you have bought a "travel system" but didn't like the way it pushed so you bought the iCandy. Then Quinny brought out a new version and you traded your iCandy for the Quinny. The after three punctures you opted for the Bugabo. Then you couldn't get it in your car so you ended up with an umbrella fold anyway.

But I've never really suffered. Until now.

Feeding the family: Delia's Ragu

We are massive pasta fans on our house.

Toots would eat macaroni cheese every day if she could. Threaten a veg in there and she runs a mile. Onion, leek, tomato? No.... just macaroni and cheese. It's ironic as I can't get her to eat cheese at all..... And never have.

But one of the absolute favourites of my girls is Delia's ragu. It looks like a real faff but it's not.

Taking small people to a show: Hairy Maclary and friends

The Edinburgh Festival and Fringe (and Tattoo and Art Festival and Book Festival....) are all in full swing (more info here) and the city is buzzing. There is a wonderful atmosphere but it's not easy when you have to trail around town with Toots and Pip in tow.

Flying solo

So that's him away for a week. To California - where the sun shines and you can't hear your children scream.

I've done three rounds of solo parenting in the last year. But this time I suspect it's going to be more entertaining (is that shorthand for horrible?).