My comedy life!!🤗

Hello! So……here it is my first blog post. Now where do I even begin?

Ok. Lets start with my big kids Toby & Archie Both are autistic/ADHD Pre-teens and are a right handful! Loveable rogues all the same. Then there’s Tornado Tom Tom..the hectic and very cheeky 2 year old. THEN add to the mix 12 week old boy girl twins Albert & Annie (cause life just wasn’t busy enough already🤔)! ….. and YES we do own a tv!! Lol.

I thought I’d start this blog to record the many comedy moments that happen to us! Some not funny at the time but I like to share and amuse others! I usually have a good old rant on my Facebook status and people seemed to find my musings hilarious.🤣

Happy reading! Xxx

Autism with a side of ADHD (x 5)

Ladies and gentlemen! Blimey it’s been a while!! I had all good intentions of writing more in 2020 but you know, Lockdown got in the way and here we are 5 months later . I thought I’d get my blogging shoes back on again and write a ‘proper’ post.

So where do I even begin to update you on our latest shenanigans?! 🤔 So much has happened over the past few months.

Ok I’ll Start with Pebbles, who finally got her official autism diagnosis from the Paediatrician. No great surprise there as we had already accepted the fact a while back. Love her 💕 it is very obvious with her that her understanding of the world is very different to others. She is still non verbal at 3 years old apart from the odd word/sound ….. she makes plenty of noise though for a little person 😍

Bam Bam also received his diagnosis a couple of weeks back. Although he presents quite differently to His sister. He is starting to get a few more words and little phrases but still classed as non verbal. Although His problem solving skills are second to none I tell ya’ He’s just full on 100 miles an hour, following the Tornado about. The two boys are inseparable! I think they will get mistaken for the twins as they get older. 👬 They look similar and always joined at the hip. 💙💙

We are still trying to get our heads round the enormity of the fact we have 5 SEN kids. Although we have really known this for a long time, from past experience, we now have the official say so. Moving forward this means we can get them all the early intervention and all help on offer to give them the best start possible in life. 😊

Tornado 🌪 has just been given a place at an SEN school which is great news. To be honest it took me a little by surprise as I was expecting it to take a very long time to sort, especially due to the COVID-19 situation. But we have now completed the process of swapping from mainstream to a Specialist provision. The place he has got into is brilliant with speech & language on site and sensory room etc I am confident he will come on in leaps and bounds in an environment more suitable to his needs. I’m very sad to leave the old school As they were fantastic with him and did absolutely everything they could to accommodate Him. However we decided although he was doing well at mainstream but would thrive even more at a smaller SEN school. I am over the moon he got in as I really was expecting them to turn us down. After letting it sink in a little, this is going to be the best thing for my boy. I’m sure he will absolutely love it ❤️

Tornado has been attending a SEN playgroup throughout summer where he’s been having a brilliant time enjoying himself 😊 . Everywhere he goes he works his magic and they all adore him…. My little loveable rogue 💙

Tornado 🌪

News just in …. The Twinnies have also been given a spot at an SEN nursery (the same place as Tornado). This is HUGE and OMG we are so lucky to have been given this as places are like gold dust. Again, I’m extremely sad to be leaving their current setting as they have been absolutely bloody amazing! I have met some lovely ladies in the staff there who have been superstars. So bittersweet feelings but again it’s gonna make the world of difference to their development. In a more specialised environment they will do brilliantly! ❤️💙😊

Although I don’t like change much, moving nursery and school for the 3 little ones is gonna be the best decision.

They say once you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met ONE person with autism and that is exactly true!!

Each and every one of our children are very different to one another. They all fit the criteria to come under the umbrella of autism and tick some of the same boxes. However they present in very different ways in their behaviour. Each unique with their own ways and mannerisms.

Having the whole gang of them diagnosed It has left us questioning if we ourselves are also neuro diverse too? There is clearly a genetic link here. I definitely do believe I would be on that spectrum somewhere, high functioning ASD for sure if I was to go for a diagnosis. Also the ADHD…. I’m pretty hectic myself, over enthusiastic and hardly come up for air when talking (according to the husband)! 😆 I literally can’t stop talking especially if it’s a passion of mine or one of my excitable, mad cap plans 😳 It’s no secret I’m extremely quirky, anxious, socially awkward and a little bit different to the crowd (a little eccentric sometimes) The more I think about it I’d say I fit the criteria easily. Who wants to conform to ‘normal’ anyway? It’s good to be different ❤️ THIS IS ME and I’m definitely one of a kind! Lol 🥰

We have learned to embrace the differences that autism brings to our life and just need to live our lives a little differently to most families. We can’t go on photo shoots in a field, trips abroad or theme parks easily. Even a visit to the local beach or park can be stressful and difficult. We have decided to hire some help in some way shape or form to enable us to make some family memories with a little more ease!! Like a nanny or support worker who can lend a hand in getting the tiny tearaways out the house more. You never know, maybe even a holiday?! We’ve never been on holiday together!! Once schools And nursery have settled in we will find someone hopefully willing to take on the challenge. No Nanny McPhee/Mary Poppins need apply but someone who has a good sense of humour. Someone who can fit right in with the madness and not bat an eyelid at some of the craziness that surrounds us! Ha ha! 😆🤪 I’m sure there is the perfect person out there somewhere.

Anyways that’s all for now folks. Keep up with with our daily antics on our Facebook page or over on Instagram. Guaranteed for a laugh or 2! Be back soon …..

Lots of Love L xx 😘

A Stroll Along the Prom

Our New Year’s Day family dog walk did not go to plan whatsoever! We took 4 out of 5 kids out with the dog. What could possibly go wrong?! 🤦🏻‍♀️ Well It was meltdown after meltdown but hey at least we tried. 😩😭🤯😥👍

Along the local Seafront 🌊 ⚓️ we wander and so it begins 🙈 …….The Tornado🌪 has spotted the fountain ⛲️ far in the distance. He starts frantically pushing us in that direction. Damn it…..he had clearly remembered frolicking around in that same water fountain back in the summertime! Well that was it. He is still pretty much non-verbal (bar the odd word) He couldn’t understand why we weren’t able to go and get soggy again 💦. We try to attract his attention to a football and a kick about on the field but to no avail. Nope he wanted to go play in the flipping water. Bless him, he doesn’t know it’s minus 4 and bloody freezing ❄️ !! He is not taking no for an answer and keeps dragging us back towards it. BOOM! Meltdown number 1 is now in full swing. 😩

Next Bam Bam wanted a piece of the action (figure of speech of course he didn’t actually WANT to feel like this) 🙃 He had an almighty, inconsolable meltdown cause we tried to stop him running off in the opposite direction to where we were headed…..We thwarted his many attempts at a sprint away and had to admit defeat in the end and rugby tackled him back into the pushchair. Again the understanding is just not there yet, poor boy 😞 He goes on kicking and screaming for about 20mins, did his usual Houdini twist and got out of the pushchair harness several times ….FFS this is REALLY not going to plan. 😳

I’m beginning to wish we hadn’t spent 3 hours preparing to leave the house and maybe we should have just stayed in and watched The Sound Of Music (one of my faves) 🎼⛰

We try to divert any further attention from the public, we go to the chippy nearby. One of the bigger boys thinks he’s a joker and turns the shop sign to closed and people are actually reading it and walking off 🤦🏻‍♀️ Cheeky Git!! Panic stations there are no battered sausages left in the chippy ……Well that’s just fucking fantastic! Cue enormous meltdown number 2 from our Tornado 🌪. The importance of the battered sausage is imperative …. he is a very picky eater he basically only eats sausages, choc chip brioche, noodles and yoghurt, not a lot else. As many autistic people do, he has a real sensory issue with food.

“RIGHT enough is enough, Abandon family walk. I repeat abandon the family dog walk. It’s clearly not happening today 🙈 Get back to the minibus pronto” 🚌.

We pop to Tesco on the way home where I stay in the van with the kiddies and hubby pops in for supplies. Bam Bam is worn out and snoozing 😴 now and Tornado 🌪 is a little fraught but a lot calmer now. Just randomly bashing his head on into my phone occasionally, cause it didn’t do what he wanted. I’m just sat in Tescos carpark in the middle of my van ….yodelling with Princess Pebbles

High on a hill was a lonely goatherd
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo
Loud was the voice of the lonely goatherd
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo

I’m not crazy honest …we make our own fun and she was happily joining in (well sort of)! I’m quite animated with my singing and really get into it. Think passerby’s may have thought I had a screw loose but who cares? 🤷🏻‍♀️😆

Finally we arrive back home and Bam Bam wakes up removes ALL his clothes (another sensory thing) and commenced running and spinning round the lounge butt naked! 🍑 He doesn’t like clothes on him very much at all 😳 Would be ok if he was potty trained 💦🚽💩😆 Ah well at least he’s happy now 😊.

Tornado 🌪 has also chilled his boots now and is watching Mario videos on repeat and Princess Pebbles 👸🏻 is climbing the furniture like it’s her mission In life! I send Daddy Maddog off for a swift pint and the raffle I think he needs it after our stressful hour out!

Things other family’s take for granted are sometimes not so easy for us! A simple walk along the seafront turned into a chaotic sequence of events but it’s all good in the end. Anyway no use dwelling on it we draw a line under it and try again another day 😊.

Not much point to this post, other than me needing an outlet to write down how manic our life can be, trying to do ”normal family stuff. I guess we shouldn’t expect anything other than madness with my lot. After all we are far from normal 🤪 We are definitely not your average family ……

Till my next rant

Love L 😘 x

Desperately Seeking …..Sensory

I’m not one to moan (well alright, maybe just a little bit) 🙃BUT Wow these twinnies are hard work lately!! Me and Daddy Maddog are teetering on the brink of insanity….. so close to being pushed over the edge but somehow we survive, day by day!

All 5 of our kids are extremely Sensory Seeking! Whether it be verbal stimming, high pitch screaming, shouting or physical movement to express themselves. It might seem odd to an outsider but this is what they need to feel good. It’s their outlet so we need to let them carry out most of these actions, not try and stop them completely (within sensible reason of course).

With the little ones 🙈🙉🙊 ….. the autistic traits are showing through loud and clear now. The constant repetitive actions and movements are wearing. Almost unbearable at times as both twins won’t take no for an answer. It is is disheartening and so bloody hard but their need to climb is relentless and ritualistic. Bam Bam’s favourite trick is shimmying over the babygate… quicker than a speeding bullet he’s off up the stairs or into the kitchen. We have to lock the front door as he tries to bolt and escape at every opportunity. He’s a clever little thing and grabs chairs or slides furniture to help him get to where he wants. He gets a leg up on the washing machine and next he’s walking along the kitchen counter emptying the cupboards or climbing inside the fridge. Pebble’s loves stomping around on the kitchen table (with one welly on) and even gets on top of the bureau!! Her favourite lately is climbing up to the tv (on the wall) using a shelf. Then standing up there trying to immerse herself into the picture.

All 3 little ones walk along the backs of the sofa along the window sills, radiators…balancing dangerously on the edge. Our kids have no sense of danger and just crave this constant motion.

We take them down from the high surfaces a million times a day (no word of a lie)!! Repeat the same thing NO but alas they are still non-verbal with no understanding or comprehension of how they could hurt themselves. Their need for sensory input from climbing or being on their head upside down is obsessional …. they need these movements to feel good and comfortable within themselves. From dusk til dawn (literally) 😴

Tornado 🌪 has many meltdowns a day as He understandably likes his own space, away from the twins. He does interact and run about with them occasionally but only on his terms. He too likes to climb and move constantly from room to room and scaling the furniture etc but he’s not quite as intense as the twins right now.

For Christmas we are getting some equipment to kit out a sensory gym and Snoezelen/Multi sensory Room with lights chill out area.

Snoezelen or controlled multisensory environment (MSE) is a therapy for people with autism and other developmental disabilities, dementia or brain injury. It consists of placing the person in a soothing and stimulating environment, called the “Snoezelen room”. These rooms are specially designed to deliver stimuli to various senses, using lighting effects, color, sounds, music, scents, etc. The combination of different materials on a wall may be explored using tactile senses, and the floor may be adjusted to stimulate the sense of balance. 

We are hopefully setting this up in our garage eventually. It’s gonna take some doing cause the garage is full to the brim with crap but will be my project for 2020.

We’d love to kit out a proper therapy room to benefit all 5 kids. I’m talking crash mats, soft play, climbing equipment, indoor trampoline, ball pit, balance beams, spinning/rocking toys and climbing walls, lights, mirrors, fibre optics etc. The works! They deserve it!

This room will help improve our stress levels and help the all of the kids development and sensory needs, even the bigger ones. It will help us manage the behaviours and give them somewhere to focus this energy on and let them climb, balance, hang upside down, spin SAFELY to their hearts content!

However this equipment does not come cheap, especially the lights and effects stuff. Although we have some items arriving as gifts for Xmas. To make this a perfect sensory environment it’s going to take time and a lot more dosh! But the end result will be so worth it and really beneficial to our kiddies development and wellbeing 😊.

Ok so this might be a little bit cheeky but if you don’t ask you don’t get, right?!…….

We decided we might try some fundraising for our little monkeys to help make this happen. We are thinking of starting up a Mad Madden’s Crowdfunding campaign after Christmas! I’m not gonna beg constantly but would be enormously grateful if anyone could donate to our fund, even a couple of pounds would be amazing! Every little helps as they say. 😉

Thank you for reading and well done if you got through the whole post lol 🤪 You know I love a good rant!

Till next time

Love L 😘 x

Clap, flap, spin and bounce!

First Day at Big School

First day of mainstream school for The Tornado 🌪

My non-verbal boy going to Big School! I can’t quite get my head around it but it’s happening. 😳

We arrive early …. shock horror yes I know very out of character for us!

Too bloody early so we had to wait around in reception to be taken through to class.

Tornado wants to run straight into class, no waiting in line for him, he’s away! So I Park the twins pushchair and run through the crowd of parents grab him back several 100 times. Carrying him and alternately peeling him off the floor as he was laying down protesting. He just doesn’t understand that he needs to wait and busy situations like this make him want to go to familiar surroundings like the classroom (which he did visit quite a few times previously).

The other kids are all reading books or chatting excitedly with Mum and Dad….Then my other boy Bam Bam decides to try and escape the pushchair harness, not what I need at this present moment in time.🥴

A little girl from Tornado’s class had picked some flowers (ok dandelions) 💐 for the teacher….Tornado went up to her and said “ooh flower” then he snatched the handful of flowers 🤦🏻‍♀️ He’s walking round all proud with his steal showing his new classmates ‘flower’ (he does say the odd word here and there) Next he proceeded to throw said flowers all over the reception floor in front of all the parents 🤭. The blinkers were fully on at this point. I wanted the ground to swallow me up at this moment in time (talk about make a good first impression)

So truly on all eyes on me now. The mother of the girl was less than impressed! I apologised profusely all hot and flustered and handed the now wilting dandelions back. The poor girl was in shock mouth wide open 😮 I explained (red faced) to Mum and daughter he doesn’t understand and that he is autistic but not sure it made a difference. I will make sure everybody knows about his difficulties and hopefully get acceptance and understanding for some of his behaviours 🤪 Hopefully the other parents will be kind!

After a few more attempts at him bolting off I gave him my phone to distract him…. I’m sure this gave off an extremely bad parent vibe passing an electrical device over but it worked just to keep him focussed for 2 minutes so I could re-group and thwart any further escape antics from Bam Bam!

Finally we were led through the school to class. He ran off ahead straight in didn’t look back or say bye 👋🏻 but he was happy and excited! All the other kids said “Bye Mum, I love you” etc along with lots of cuddles and some apprehension but not my boy he saw a whole new classroom to explore and he was away. He gives me love on his terms when he needs it.😍

I’m so glad he’s enjoying it although he shattered even after a couple of hours. He’s actually doing well and only one mahoosive meltdown after school so far just a few minor ones. School have been so accommodating and I love the support and feedback we are receiving already 😊 I honestly think it’ll be the making of him and he will be chatting the hind legs off a donkey by the end of year R I reckon!!

So maybe in future I’ll stick to being late or just about on time (Ok probably late) My kids don’t do waiting and find the whole crowds of children and parents pretty overwhelming. School has lots of new places to explore and discover. Onwards and upwards I’ll keep you updated on his progress 😊🌪❤️

Love L 😘 x

Calm After the Storm

The Meltdown

The sadder side of autism is the frustration and lack of understanding of their own feelings and emotions. Ladies and gentlemen we have the extreme meltdown. Not just a naughty child just having a paddy. I’m talking an uncontrollable meltdown of epic proportions!! 😩

It is a barrage of pent up emotions all fizzed up inside and exploding like fireworks, screaming 10 x as loud but not as pretty.

I watched as the meltdown unfolded….it emerged from the depths of my child almost out of nowhere. All of a sudden BOOM! ✴️ It explodes and Woah Mumma ….this one is a right corker! I am holding back the tears trying to regain some control but I can’t. After an hour of this, with no sign of relenting, I am pushed to the brink of insanity telling myself “It’ll all be good, just give him time to get through it”. However It’s too late for cuddles, distractions, songs, funny anecdotes and silly faces etc. These methods sometimes work to nip It in the bud before it reaches a crescendo. Not this time, it’s too far gone for that. The boy is in full throttle with an huge emotional outburst he and I are not quite sure how to deal with it…..We are at the point of no return and there’s no looking back.😭

The screaming squawking, self harming, head butting, scratching and lashing out is heart wrenching to experience and all I can do is try and keep him safe. Sometimes I get caught in the backlash maybe a slap to the face or a punch but I don’t mind, it’s not intentional or malicious and the priority is his safety and welfare.

The expression on his face is pure sadness, pain and frustration. The emotional turmoil he is in upsets me more than words can explain. I can’t help him, I can’t stop these feelings upsetting him…he is immersed within this unpleasant whirlwind and doesn’t know how to cope 😢. All I can do is just be there beside him, not too close yet not leaving him completely alone … just there. ❤️ We simply have to ride out the storm together and wait for calm or exhaustion (whichever comes first)

The Aftermath

Now a few hours later I watch him sleep. My beautiful boy, so peaceful after the awful happenings of earlier. Luckily he will wake up and not remember a thing about this. He will carry on being his normal happy, cheeky self, so that is some blessing.

I’m shattered and keep getting flashbacks of how distressing this particular episode was for all BUT we survived and came out the other side as we always do. x 💙💪🏻😢😊 #autism #asd #awareness #motherslove #wearestrong #warriors #meltdown #nonverbal #feelings #parenting #blogger #sensoryoverload

Me, Me, Me Time

Hello Long time no blog ey?! I bet you’ve missed me? Ha ha! I have been keeping You updated with the kids stuff on Facebook but though if I’m gonna call myself a blogger maybe I’d better actually write a proper post!! 😄

So this is a little bit different. It’s not all about the kids, as the title suggests it’s All About Me and my crazy antics this time😊 Hope you find it amusing ……….

I’ve been spending a little time on myself lately and leaving daddy to deal with the kids! I’ve gotta say he did do a grand job of keeping them alive and no real dramas 👍 He might moan a lot about being ‘Daddy Daycare’ at the weekends but he’s not all that bad 😘

Here’s some of what I’ve been up to……..

Take That and Party!

So me and me Julie like to go to gigs so we went off to see the lovely Take That in Southampton…. well they most certainly did not disappoint. Had a brilliant night and a good view 😍 sore throat from belting out their all time greatest hits! We had a fab night until…… the way home we were running late for the last train back to Pompey and of course we managed to get lost 🤦🏻‍♀️. We couldn’t find the train station in the dark and we weren’t even bloody drunk!! We took a short cut to get back and had to go down to street level from a shopping centre. Except all the shops were now closed. We found a Lift in the car park jumped in it and realised we couldn’t get out of the door 😳. SHIT 💩It was stuck good and proper. We were already late for the train then the lift doors wouldn’t open further than 2 inches! Kept trying the open door button and it just juddered and creaked barely opening at all. The alarm intercom thingy wasn’t working no answer. We were dehydrated and needed a pee desperately ….Someone had pissed in the corner, which was nice but I was thinking I’m gonna have to go in a minute too. Panic started to set In. We were stuck in a fucking lift at almost midnight with barely any phone battery left after the concert. We yelled out the small gap “help were stuck in the lift” to people in the car park but they ignored us! The next time it opened a crevice I put my hands in and pulled as hard as I could with an almighty hulk like strength 💪🏻. I did it I pulled apart the broken lift door and we made our escape thank fuck!! We somehow made our train too after actually running, almost hyperventilating and pissing our pants (my pelvic floor is not so good these days!) 🤣

Spice Up Your Life ✌🏻💃🏻🌎

Next Up was Spice girls two weeks later. Love a bit of Girl Power ✌🏻 They were really good performing as expected but the whole thing wasn’t amazing! Take That was a better experience (before the lift situation). Mainly because loads more drunk bitches were pushing and shoving past the whole show. Couldn’t see much of the actual spice girls on stage only a glimpse now an again if you strained your neck on tip toes! (I am only 5ft). The atmosphere was amazing though and we sung our hearts out but the really pissed people were very annoying. We’d had a few vinos but not too many. Then would you believe it …..another drama? 😳 Lol Me and Julie almost got stranded in bloody London couldn’t find the coach park after the show and the stewards all sent us the wrong way 🤦🏻‍♀️ We panicked almost crying and collapsing in a heap on the floor! But we managed to pull ourselves together. We ended up walking outside Wembley in a dodgy part of town where the 3rd steward we asked sent us!!

We actually did a full lap around the outside of Wembley. We went back to the actual stadium and finally found the coach park 1/2 hour later!

When we eventually found the coach it was about to drive off back to Pompey without us!! 😳 I’ve never shit my self so much I tell ya.

Literally Ran for the coach where we got told off and we sheepishly apologised to the others. Luckily the coach park was rammed so gave us extra time! …. honestly could only happen to us!! Stuck in a lift last time and almost stranded this time!! Lol We shouldn’t be allowed out without close supervision lol 🤦🏻‍♀️

Hula Hooping Race for Life

I decided to sign myself up for the 5k RFL but with did it with my hula hoop along with my lovely friends from Hoopshaker! I’ve done it before a few times and it’s really good fun. I came out of retirement especially. I haven’t hula hooped for about 4 years properly, what with having 3 babies within 2 years etc. So got back to a couple of classes before hand for practice and had a go in the garden every opportunity I could grab! This Girl’s still got it 🙌⭕️……I’m bit rusty but my child bearing hips are still good at wiggling a hoop 😊 The day of the Race was a lovely atmosphere and I met lots of new people.

Life is All About Balance

It’s so nice to do something for myself other than just being mum. As Much as I adore my position as chief ‘Chaos Co-ordinator’ aka Mum I love being part of a social group again. It does wonders for your confidence and breaks up the normality of life just for an hour or 2 a week …. an escape from reality. As good as any therapy session to improve your mental health and wellbeing.

After 2 years of basically just surviving Day by day I feel my life getting back on track now! The baby years have been a bit of a blur really but a nice blur of course.

I’ve let myself go mentally and physically to be honest, as I’ve been so concentrated on taking care of the kiddies. Now they are off to nursery and school in September I think things may improve and I’ll get some sort of balance back in my life! I wouldn’t change a thing about my beautiful babies. I feel ready to take on new challenges now and grab back a piece of me time. After all, I so deserve it!! 💁🏻‍♀️

I’d love to try new things too like Rock choir …. a couple of my friends do this and looks amazing fun (also I could sing without being told to shut up your annoying/embarrassing!) 🎤 I’d Love to learn to do tricks/moves on my quad roller skates. I’ve even been looking at more circus skills like aerial hoop and static trapeze!!! One day maybe? Once I loose about 5 stone lol 🤣 When time allows in the future I might get to try some of these things out. I’d be so bored going to a gym or running everyday….I’d like to keep fit doing something different and a little bit crazy just like me😜

Self confidence and making new friends from all walks of life is important to me. Taking up a hobby or two helps me to manage everything I have to deal with for my gorgeous special family. I don’t usually let things grind me down, no matter how hard they get BUT I wouldn’t be human if I said I don’t have days when life IS overwhelming. Some time out can just give you enough breathing space to think calmly before taking on the next day/ with a fresh head and positive mindset. More of this please 😊PMA✌🏻

Anyways I know I’m rambling on lots now, something I’m very good at! Lol Thanks for reading…. if you managed the whole post well done you 🤣👏🏻🙌

In the famous words of Shrek “Better out than In I always say” This Works for feelings and farts 😆

Lots of Love

L 😘 xxx

How to change a nappy in 10 easy steps

🤣 Step 1- Grab child, try to avoid spillages or baby poking fingers in pooh (there’s a time and a place for exploring sensory play and this is not it!)

Step 2- Pin child to the changing mat in a gentle but firm manner. (You can use your feet for this if necessary). Then commence crazy Singing…. a medley of their favourite nursery rhymes or a made up song about Pooh 💩

Step 3 – If this ‘pin down hold’ fails, try to change nappy standing up. Whip it off and hope that any debris doesn’t flick up in your face. Advise to keep mouth closed…. just incase!

Step 4- By now child will have escaped your grip and peed/poohed on the floor somewhere. Collect child up again with one arm and with the ‘spare’ hand, mop up any puddles of piss or rogue runaway nuggets…before another kid slides up/steps in it 😳

Step 5 – Whilst child is arching their back and wriggling around in protest, slap some nappy cream on as needed.

Step 6 – Remove child’s hands from sudocreme tub.

Step 7 – Catch child for the umpteenth time and chuck a pull up nappy on them faster than the speed of light.

Step 8 – Re-dress child after taking them off the window sil, dining room table or in the under stairs cupboard.

Step 9 – Repeat step 6.

Step 10- Start all over again as child has plopped in fresh nappy 💩L x 🤪

10 Things that are no longer cool when you’re a 40+ Mum (apparently)

1- Trying to keep up with the latest dance craze for example The Dab, Whip Ney Ney, The Floss

2- Attempting to make sense of games like Fornite, Roblox, COD etc I prefer a good old fashioned Mario game on the Super Nintendo me! lol #oldskool

3- Singing and dancing in public to embarrass your kids (tbh this was never actually a cool mum thing to do but ……it’s just so funny to wind them up 🤣) Nursery rhymes, made up songs, musicals and of course annoying baby shark at the top of my voice 👍

4- Writing text abbreviations (and sometimes forgetting what they actually mean) trying get down with the kids 🤦🏻‍♀️

5- Getting tipsy drunk and dancing to a party action song such as the birdie song, cha-cha slide, Macarena etc Not really acceptable as cool Mum behaviour any age but I still like to participate in any case…even if I’m sober Lol One thing I find as I get older, I really don’t give a shit what people think 😊. Also on special occasions, I like shaking my bum in a club like I’m freakin’ Shakira …My child bearing ‘Hips Don’t Lie’

6- Peeking over the top of your spectacles and squinting to look at someone. Also wearing glasses on those necklace thingys …. never cool but very practical!

7- When you no longer recognise some of the youngsters music and have to switch radio stations. Bye bye Capital FM hello Radio 2 lol

8- Talking about pooh size, shape, frequency, consistency is not cool but I can’t promise I won’t do this ….. most of my blog posts involve talking about baby plop💩

9- Wearing thong knickers….. Not for me anyway. Nowadays it’s like a bit of cheese wire cutting into ya cheeks! Nope since birthing 5 kids my fanny needs a break and no chaffing going on down there!! 😳 Its Bridget Jones granny ‘ comfy’ knickers all day long for me. (Soz probably TMI)

10- Saying things to the kids such as “Back in my day such and such happened”

“Less of the cheek or I’ll give you a clip round the ear hole”,

“Chop, chop hurry up”

And my personal fave “Up the wooden hill”

I guess I’m not really all that cool then? 😎🤔🤣😂 Ah well at least I’m a little bit funny sometimes though! 🤪

That’s all for now folks!

Lotsa love L 😘 x

Top Travel Tips with kids – Guest Post by Andy

So here’s something a bit different to my usual ranting. A cheeky little guest post written by my brother. Introducing to you the one, the only…..Andy Simpson 👏🏻 He’s been through hell and highwater with his kids and is now even more amazing as a single dad of 2. Have a read he’s actually quite funny 🤣

My holiday experiences and top tips as a single dad with two kids.

I am too old for Magaluf, I don’t feel it but now I’m pretty sure I look it. Well my kids are much closer to being 18 than I am.

Having everything pre-booked and a plan is awesome until it needs to be changed.

Do not bother telling the kids what you are doing tomorrow (or your hotel room number), they will always need reminding 27 times but it’s nice that they still get excited each time they are told.

To keep the peace between siblings, keep a strict rota on whose turn it is to open the hotel room door and who gets to press the lift buttons.

Kids hate sleep but are always tired.

Suns out, guns out in Spain translates to – there is no minimum clothing requirement and the kids need to know a name for everything hanging out there.

I used to love my kids until I asked them to walk anywhere in a hot country.

Do not offer the kids what they would like to buy from a shop which also sells bouncing booby balls and phallic shaped bottle openers. They will want them!

Spanish passport control has never seen a single dad with two kids on holiday before; my first Spanish lesson was Donde está mami? (where is mum?). Translating and signing that one has passed away and the other one fucked off was a bit of a challenge.

Do not tell your kids you think a woman is attractive; they have no problem blurting it out or actually going over to tell them whether their massive boyfriend is there or not.

Little girls need the toilet urgently a lot. In the pool, in the sea and on me (pointing them in the general direction of a urinal is not a good idea and since when do girls pee forwards?).

Applying sun cream to two kids five times a day is a full time job and they are like ultra rare Pokémon – you’ve gotta catch the little buggers first.

Give them some water to play in and they will give you a million memories… and leave you alone for a while.

Whoever said drinking while with kids is wrong? My kids encourage me to drink; apparently drinking (responsibly) makes me Yay! Fun Daddy! And a hangover means Yay! Daddy’s still asleep, more game time!

Reading a bedtime story from memory rather than using a book has led to a very confusing yet highly amusing mash up of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Little Red Riding Hood. The wolf didn’t eat Granny as she was too hot, the chairs were all far too small so and they all ended up in a very hard bed together surrounded by cold porridge until Little Red was eaten by Goldilocks. Later on I discovered my 12 year old boy decided to google ‘what is a gangbang?’

As a dad, singing and dancing in public is no longer fun; since it now embarrasses me more than it does the kids.

Give your kids some independence and they will disappear like magic.

Kids need to know where their games are more than I need to know where the kids are.

After tons of swimming lessons and still showing no improvement, I taught my daughter to swim by putting her in the deep end and told her I will only save her if she shouts very loudly Daddy is the king! 15 minutes later she was an Olympic freestyle champion.

Teaching the kids basic Spanish seemed like a great idea until my boy answered a Scottish family by saying ‘no entiendo’ (‘I don’t understand’) ‘Je suis Anglais’ (‘I am English’ but in FRENCH!!!).

Answering the question of “what is a strip club and why do they offer fully naked stage shows” was easy. Finding some where to leave them while I pop in for a drink was the hard part.

So for any single parents planning on taking their kids on an abroad holiday alone, be prepared and expect the unexpected but I guarantee holidaying with kids alone is a thoroughly entertaining and rewarding experience. Hope you enjoyed!

Sleep is overrated anyway?! 😴

It’s the eve of the first day back at school and none of my kids feel like sleeping at all! 👍

The big boys are squabbling and fighting in their room and after telling them them to calm down around 17 gazillion times at 12.30am they finally give in and shut up! The rope and gaffer tape worked a treat! 😉

Before they did actually calm down they managed to wake The twins up. Yippee! Thankfully they dozed on the sofa for a bit, whilst I pottered around getting all the school uniform prepared and bags etc

About 1am who’s that I hear bounding along the passageway …. u got it The Tornado 🌪heard there was a baby party going on in the lounge and didn’t wanna miss out!

He thudded down the stairs trampled on his sleeping brother, waking him up and proceeded to steal his sisters bottle from her mouth….therefore waking her up. All three up and all hell let loose!! FFS of all nights I could have done with some sleep for a clear head in the morning?! 🤷🏻‍♀️😬

I hadn’t eaten, or showered. I was still wearing my day clothes and was sooooo fecking tired even before all the baby shenanigans tonight I was absolutley knackered!

After much sssshhhhh-ing and NO be quiet they kept teasing me snuggling up for a brief quiet moment and then springing to life again with yet another second wind.

Tornado was clattering his pissing Ninky Nonk toy around the fooor and crashing it as loud as possible. Then his whale toy was rammed repeatedly into the side of my head (he has a thing for doing this) Then he grabbed a chunk of my hair from my head and yanked out a clump Just for fun. 😩

I shoved the night garden on repeat on the tele box 📺 with barely any volume. Not ideal I know but at 2am I was pretty desperate for them to settle down so tried milk, blanket, cuddles ..all to no avail.

At this point Bam Bam had star-fished on one of the sofas and had gone back to kip 😴 1 down 2 to go!!

Meanwhile Pebbles had turned into bloody ‘spider girl’ she was teetering on the edge of the radiator and flinging herself off the sofa bouncing. Then balancing upside down on her head.

I was getting to the end of my tether. It was 3am now so I’m pleading with Tommy to be quiet and go to sleep. Literally begging him in desperation with tears streaming 😭 down my face. Saying that mummy REALLY needs to go to sleep now. So I turned tv off cause that plan didn’t work. After being handed the remote a several hundred times and Tornado flicking the light switch on and off like a strobe effect …… the neighbours probably think we were actually having a fucking disco.

Around 4am ish both Pebbles and Tornado finally gave in! 3 hours before we needed to get up for school.

Ah, So much fun we had🌪👶🏻👶🏻🤫😴🤦🏻‍♀️😭😩 lol

Thanks for reading (congrats if you got this far!) I’m all out of rants …..for now! 😘

Love L x

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