28th November

A video today - if technology plays ball. Better than the photo I took of my 'desk' aka laptop and tissue strewn bed, as I worked from home and sneezed and coughed my way through another day! 

Instead, Mini-M went to see Captain Flynn and the Pirate Dinosaurs this morning, and the rest of the day has had a rather pirate-y feel to it. Eye patch. Hook. Arrrgh Me Hearties!

27th November

A day of annual leave whilst feeling under the weather with an evil cold meant no ambitious projects tackled, but the tupperware drawer at least slightly tamed.

26th November

Met a friend after they finished work in town, which meant I was able to have a quick trip to Real Foods which used to me my lunch break distraction several times a week when I worked just around the corner. It's such an brilliant shop - I could spend hours there, just looking in curiosity and awe at all of the things they stock (and most likely purchasing a selection of random dairy-free chocolate and tofu based products!)

25th November

Mini-M squeaky clean with hair dried and brushed after shower time. We reckon she has got Auntie L's hair - it's exactly the same colour with the same awesome natural highlights.

24th November

It's a sad state of affairs when you have to write IoUs to your 3 year old to pay the bus fare…
Don't worry we're not actually living that skint - just that the buses around here don't give change and being thrifty Scots, there was no way £2 was going in the hopper for a £1.50 fare!

23rd November

Ice skating! No broken bones - phew. There was shameless bribery with sweets to get Mini-M to go back on the ice after a wobbly start (for us all). However, by the end she was getting her balance and making plans for next time - specifically that I would have to save some sweets for next time. And theorising that the problem was really that Mummy and Daddy were too wobbly to help her very much - which is probably true…

22nd November

There was a bake sale at work to raise money for Movember. I contributed a chocolate orange loaf cake - with a glitzy gold moustache on top, to get into the spirit of things.

21st November

Christmas parties are on the horizon. Still fairly distant (although Mini-M is informing us on a daily basis that it is going to be Christmas soon) but now we are fully prepared and party-ready with sliver glittery mouse shoes! On a less pretty note, we were in the bathroom and Mini-M wanted to sing Christmas songs. I said no, since it was too early. She then tried to convince me that we had to, because (I quote) "It will help me do my poo, Mummy". I remain unconvinced!

20th November

Experimental Smartprice ketchup caramelised onions. All will become apparent in a future blog post!

19th November

Frosty car park at work - it didn't defrost all day.

18th November

Mini-M has been telling us - normally as an alternative to going to sleep at the end of the day - that she has a sore tummy. When we ask her how long it has been sore for she says all the time. But it is never mentioned at any point during the day, she's happy and full of beans and doesn't seem in any obvious pain. So I'm leaning towards it being a bedtime delaying tactic. However…. we're having a happy/say tummy chart for a while just in case. Towards the end of the day Mini-M has to draw a happy or a sad face depending on how her tummy has been feeling. Today it was apparently sad - with tear because there is generally a fair amount of melodrama about life at the moment. Said whilst smiling… I'm fairly sure that toddlers are designed to cause maximum parent confuzzlement!

17th November

Rocking the shower cap / bath flute combo. The sort of activity you can only really pull off when you're 3! (The recorder player in me has to point out that I think she's playing a b flat (sort of))

16th November

At the Queen's Hall again - twice in less than 12 hours! This time we took Mini-M to watch some of the Edinburgh Light Orchestra rehearsal that Auntie L was playing in.

15th November

They Might Be Giants - at the Queen's Hall, performing Birdhouse In Your Soul - thank you to Uncle P for babysitting and letting Mr E and myself be there - it was ace.

14th November

Sunset - from inside the office. Admittedly the sun sets at about 3:30pm. On the other hand, I was still there at 6 :o(

13th November

Nursery notice board at the end of the day - Mini-M napped for 45 mins - win!!!!!

12th November

Day of annual leave for Mr E and myself - day at nursery for Mini-M! A rare occurrence celebrated with a trip to David Bann's for lunch - this was the vegan (and hence dairy free) dessert that we shared. The coconut sorbet was amazing - mainly since it was heavily laced with rum :o)

11th November

At the Lakes Aquarium. Colouring in. Dressed as a lobster. As you do. (Apparently lobster hands make colouring in hard)

10th November

Afternoon walk in the sunshine at Kendal castle - short days and long shadows.

9th November

A weekend away with friends in the Lakes - some bedroom floor tower building (in a veritable riot of patterns!) whilst waiting for the rest of the grown ups to get up!

8th November

Taking a trip back in time 2 years to my first foray into daily photos - and a much smaller Mini-M (with giant hands)!

7th November

Forgot to take any photos today - stealing a spare one from 5th November - sun setting over Leith Links

6th November

Frost - the mornings are chilly now - even down at sea level in Leith. Unexpected scraping has made me late for work a couple of days recently.

5th November

Mini-M's first Sparkler. The firework safety chat at nursery must have been effective. She very quick to lecture us on the need to wear gloves. Indeed you'd think that we'd have been completely unaware of bonfire night had Martha not enlightened us - she spent the whole evening saying "I told you there would be fireworks! I told you there would be bonfires!"

4th November

Chutney in one pan, yoghurt starter in the other - best not mix the spoons up...

3rd November

Griddle cakes. Oats, almond, prunes, honey, yoghurt, fruit puree - using up little dribs and drabs!

2nd November

I painted Martha's face. Then she painted mine. That's what most folk do at 8am on a Sunday morning right...

1st November

Starting November badly - in bed in the spare room propped up on pillows to stop my nose getting ridiculously stuffed up. The joys of nursery germs!