Shopping List Game.

Last week I got a little garden set for Reuben and it included a little basket and it hit me, it looks like a cute wee shopping basket so from that day on, I knew my child would be encouraged to help with the food shop.
I came up with a little shopping list that would fit inside his basket without being too heavy and also things he liked. I also wanted him to pick something up that was a little bit boring to him hence the chopped tomatoes.

Not only did we have a fun shopping trip, I got some cute pictures of Reuben, so everybody wins!

What is your most proud moment. - Day 17 of 31 Day blog challenge.

I don't know, anything to do with Reuben learning new things makes my heart swell with pride.

Like just now, he's transitioned from the phonetic alphabet to the ABC's  without a problem. Well, aside from that things kids do when L, M, N, O, P becomes one word! PROUD MAMA.

He's can count to twenty. Knows 20, 30, 40 etc. Knows 100, 200, 300 etc. PROUD MAMA.

Today I taught him about how food gets to your belly and he totally understood. PROUD MAMA.

First time Reuben sat up. PROUD MAMA.

First time Reuben walked. PROUD MAMA.

First time Reuben does anything PROUD MAMA.

Any time he recalls the events of a day in a picture taken weeks ago. PROUD MAMA.


Just anything really. Everyday with a child just fills you with this undying pride that can not be overshadowed by anything. They are constantly learning and there is no greater feeling knowing you have contributed to that knowledge.

love from

ZXSquecktrum

A selection of funny pictures from the past few days.

So, Reuben has been feeling a bit better now that it has cooled down a bit. So here is the funniest pictures from the past few days. Some of them have been intentional funny faces, some just ended up funny.

love from

ZXSquecktrum

10th June: The Perfect Present, Pictures with Daddy and The Un-wanted Lollypop.

So, as most of you may know, I am a huge Pokemon fan so naturally I would try and get my child into Pokemon as well. Started him off on Black and White a few months ago and we've also watched a few movies together and he loves it. Or more so, he loves Pikachu. When we are watching he basically shouts 'LOOK MUM LOOK, IT'S PIKACHU!!' whenever he is on the screen, then when he's  not in the shot shouts 'MUM, WHERE'S PIKACHU?'. over and over again. I was having a little look through eBay a few weeks ago when i can across a pikachu baseball cap and how could i resist. Wednesday morning as a sick little toddler was getting his jimjams on for a nap the post man came. I got a video him opening it and his initial reaction to the hat, let us just say he loved it. I did get a few pictures but keep in mind he was having wee hot sweats; so his hair was a riot!!
Look how happy he is in some of the pictures <3

9th July. Pasta Races with Auntie Charlotte.

So the heat wave was still hanging around this day and I think it was one of the warmest days by far. Tried to keep Reuben out the sun as much as possible but we had to go visit my sister as we had not seen her in forever.

Cutie Patootie on the walk down.

Out playing football in the garden.

George Pig socks given to Reuben just Auntie Julia a few weeks ago that he wouldn't wear because they are 'too pretty' and just wanted to look at them and carry them everywhere. Finally got them on, you proud Auntie Julia?

Reuben wouldn't eat his pasta so I challenged Auntie Charlotte and Reuben to a Pasta Race to see who could eat the most pasta, needless to say Auntie Charlotte won!!

Unfortunately both mummy and baby got very grumpy because of the heat and we had to leave and come home.

It had been a long and eventful day so I let him watch a little bit of TV so he put his bean bag in his toy box and just fell asleep in about three minute. Tried talking to him to get him to wake up by himself so i could get a nappy on him and get him up to bed.

it worked for a whole of thirty seconds as he got this far over to me, in a sloth like manner, before crashing on the floor. Needless to say I scooped him up and got a big hug before getting him ready for bed. I always miss getting hugs like I used to when he was tiny, so I take any opportunity I can to have him in my arms.

love from

ZXSquecktrum

8th July. Three day heat wave...

I purchased lots of arts and crafts stuff for this weekend after hearing that it was going to be miserable but aside from myself dying some pasta(video will be up in a few days hopefully), the crafts have went no further. This heat wave has been half brilliant and half horrible. I'm not good in the heat but I'm trying not to complain too much because Reuben has been out a few times a day over the last three days which he has been loving.
Once again he was out a walk with Daddy in the morning to take his friends dogs a walk.

After leaving the dogs he continued to run about like a crazy man!

After lunch Mummy, Daddy and Reuben and we went out again. Just took a walk down to the Main Street and looked at flowers and hunted for fishes in the burn! Once Daddy tested out the camera by taking close up shots of flowers and is now forced to take pictures of any Reuben thinks are pretty. Too cute.
After a while Reuben started to look a little red regardless of us always making sure he is protected with sun cream.

Reuben is currently watching a little episode of Peppa Pig before we get ready for ready for bed and read some books. Once he's in bed it's time to make some elderflower based drinks with a tonne of ice `and give my legs a shave because it'll be sunny again tomorrow and I will melt if I need to wear tights again. Oh, and a mani-pedi and facial sounds like it is on the cards for me tonight as well.I'm going to be sexy for the rest of this heat wave guys!

love from

ZXSquecktrum

What are you afraid of? - Day 4 of 31 Day Blog Challenge.

Michael and I falling out of love. Not just breaking up over something, even though that scares me too, just falling out of love. Any other scenario I can think of for breaking up is because something has made a booboo and the other has ended the relationship for that reason. If you fall out of love then break up, I fail to see the closure.
I suppose it would ensure we stayed on good terms after the relationship but if it ended, I would need some form of closure over the relationship. This is the man I asked to marry me after saying I would never get married. This is the man who fathered my child. I want to be in love with and in a relationship with this man for my entire life. I love him and the thought of losing him is horrible.

love from

ZXSquecktrum

Mini Clothing Haul.

A local church was donated brand new clothing from F&F by Tesco and they were holding a wee sale today.  All adult clothing, shoes and accessories were £2 and kids was £1 so I popped down to try and pick up Reuben a little wind breaker for this summer so I didn't need to fork out £16 for one at Next! I also wanted to try and get Michael a couple of new long sleeved tops as a little treat. Sadly, There was not to many clothes for little boys or men.
I ended up treating myself to a few new tops. Nothing fancy, just some clothes for everyday wear. Two of the tops, I don't think I would have picked them up in the shop but since they were £2, I pulled them off the rack to have a look and ended up buying them!


First purchase is one I never thought I'd wear but I actually love it:
Size 8 brown and pink flannel shirt with roll up sleeves.

Actually thinks it look cute with a  pair of faded skinnies and my flowery Docs. I can see myself flinging the outfit together quite a lot due to sheer laziness. Which is what I was after, looking good without the effort!

Up next is maybe a little bit more dressy than day wear but it is another item I think i would wear as a everyday 'go to'top to make me feel like I've made an effort. I was a little worried with it being a size 6 because sometimes my boobs are a little to big for smaller sizes but it didn't occur to me just how oversized it was so the girls had plenty of space.

I usually shy away from sheer tops, especially pale ones, without anything underneath as I am very self concious about my mummy tummy but i gave it a bash and I thought it didn't look half bad. Teamed it up with some black leather high waisted hotpants with a black bra and would rock a small(-ish) black  heel with it. And on super lazy days, black tights!

Last but not least is a top I would have no doubt me drawn to in the shop; Snow White. I'm always drawn to the kids section in shops. One, because it's cheaper and two, because half of them have Disney characters on them!As above, always worried my boobs don't fit into a top made for 13 year old girls but I seemed to strike gold again!

I'm' thinking a pair of bold patterned black and white leggings (leggings and batwing tops make me feel like my legs are tiny skinny which makes me happy) with a super cute pair of blue wedges would be super cute.

So, all in all a good haul for £5! Also nice to know it's going towards the community instead of just to a big organisation like Tesco. New Clothing and Peace of Mind, Brilliant.
Hope you enjoyed my first fashion orientated post and I look forward to doing more.

love from

ZXSquecktrum

20 Facts About Me - Day 2 of 31 Day Blog Challenge.

1. I've always been rubbish at writing facts about myself. my brain just freezes and I forget everything I have ever known about myself.

2. I am 5"2 and hate it more than anything in the entire world. I think this is the main reason i hate to leave the house without some kind of platform. Mama needs some elevation.

3. My birthday is a few days after Christmas which I actually really like. I feel like I'd have to go out for my birthday if it was any other time of year and I hate going out to pubs or clubs so it suits me well that everyone is poor and can't afford another night out.

4. I have a genuine phobia of bananas. I can now stand to be in the same room as one and i've even tipped a few into a blender to make ice cream but I feel like i would throw up if I had ever had to touch one. Even thinking about the smell makes my stomach turn. Ew.


5. My favorite food is  raw cheese. As good a cheese in in meals, nothing beats just sitting with half a block of extra mature cheddar and polishing it off with ease. 

6. I recently set up a baking blog ZXSquecktrumVsCake.blogspot.co.uk because I felt it would get me back into baking, which I love doing. I think it's dead therapeutic.

7. My favorite band is The Cure and they have been for the past few years. I think I may actually be in love with Robert Smith.

8. My favorite fashion designer is Vivienne Westwood. I would give an arm and a leg to work with her.

9. I am addicted to dying my hair. And I don't mean in a 'ew, i hate my roots' kind of way, I mean in a ' "your hair will fall out if you bleach it again" *bleaches hair* ' kind of way. This is why I had to cut half of my hair off recently.

10. I currently have 14 tattoos and here comes the boring list of what they are:
Spider on my neck with a love heart in its abdomen.
'In Lust, We Trust' with a Broken heart across my chest.
'Clamour for Clamour' written down my side from bra line to hips.
29 stars coming from my sholder, down my rips and onto my hips.
'Straight from the gutter' across my pubic bone.
Spiderman hanging upside down on my thigh.
'RIP Michael Jackson' and a crown on my ankle.
A blue lightening blot on my spine.
The word mother in Urdu on my spine.
A heart on my write.
'Vanity' and a heart on my other wrist.
6 stars on my forearm.
Stocking from Panty and Stocking on my upper arm.

11. I currently have at least 8 more tattoos planned, I just lack the funds to actually get them. I will one day end up covered in tattoos and that is fine by me.

12. My all time favorite TV show is Doctor Who and I do not need to elaborate on this choice.

13. I rarely ever drink, but when I do, it is my body weight in Guinness.

14. Although I am engaged I will most likely never be married. Personally all i want is the legal side of marriage. I could not care less about the romance and faffing about of a wedding. There is nothing on this planet I want to do less than plan a wedding. Well, Apart from actually pay of a wedding. spending so much money on a piece of paper just baffles me beyond belief.

15. Every day I utter the words 'i want to quit smoking' but I just lack the will power and never get around to quitting.

16. I once saw a programme about a Korean man who ate a live baby octopus and when it was in his throat it sucked onto the side and he ended up suffocating and dying because of it. Every once in a while I think about it when I eating and it makes me feel physically sick and I can not finish the rest of my meal. 

17. When I was a teenager, I went on holiday and sang for the pope with a youth group. I wish I could remember more of this trip but my memory is dreadful.

18. Since falling pregnant I seem to have lost the ability to get into a book. I hate it, I really do miss reading. But I know it's saving me from getting emotionally invested in Game of Thrones and crying so it's swings and roundabouts.

19. My biggest guilty pleasures are Girls Aloud and Miley Cyrus. Not even ashamed.

20. The thought of going to a festival totally freaks me out. I can barely stand beign in a room with more than 4 people so the idea of being in a field with thousands makes me feel physically sick. Even though I've been to festivals before when I was a teenager, I am not as social as I was back then.

love from

ZXSquecktrum

24th May: World Of Wings Birds Of Prey Centre.

My mum is always so busy with work it feels like we barely see each other for more than twenty minutes at a time, so when she set aside a full day to spend with Reuben and I, it was very much appreciated. I didn't want to just invite her up for a cup of coffee and some home made cakes but I also didn't want to make her drive for ages to get somewhere for us to spend the day so looked online for some activities in our area. I was just about to give up looking and just suggest a play park when i scrolled down one more like and found out there is a bird of prey centre ten minutes from hour town.
It was called World of Wings and I am so glad I found the place. Although there is a part of me that does not like the idea of wild animals coped up, There is also a part of me that wants to go see a ruppell's griffon vulture named Gandalf (so gutted my camera cut out of battery before i got to see her in the flying display!)!
I would recommend the centre to anyone that can travel there. I found the staff very helpful and informative and Reuben seemed to love it!

When I had gotten off the phone to my mum to find out when she was picking me up, Reuben got terribly excited and just sat in the conservatory waiting for granny to drive up so we went outside to wait. Played some games where i copied what ever Reuben was doing and then we wiggled our bums for five minutes. Michael was in stitches at us and didn't get very many pictures but I can vouch that we looked super cute.

The first bird we met were some parrots and macaws. They had been taught to say 'Hello' and 'Bye Bye' to the visitors but Reuben was so excited about seeing them he managed to laugh over them any time they spoke. I can just imagine how excited he would have gotten if he'd heard it since just seeing them eating peanuts was enough to get him hyper

His favorite parrot was Simon. A little green and red parrot that I can not recall what type of parrot her was. Reuben spent a good chuck of his time at the centre talking to Simon and copying his little claws. Super cutie Patoootie that he is!

We met many other birds including eagles, owls, hawks and ravens.

Trying to convince Reuben not to hang on the enclosure was not as hard as trying to stop him from running everywhere at full pace, but hey, he was  enjoying himself!

My favorite by far was Gandalf, she was just this huge beast of a bird. I really wish my camera had not cut out half way through the flying show because she was just so impressively huge. Although, she had this comical 'walk' and I will be sure to get it on camera when we go back! And her enclosure made me giggle a little. Staff have a tiptop sense of humour at the centre.

Next up was a quick cup of tea and a snack before heading on down to the Flying Display Show which once again, was great. Really informative. And i little bit funny with Reubens reactions to a few of the birds! First up was Ash the Barn Owl, who suffers from melanism which makes his feather black instead of the tan of normal barn owls. I had to turn Reuben away when he ate a full baby chicken because I know how much Reuben loves baby chickens and was worried it's upset him!

Next in the flying display was Loki the Harris Hawk:

Loki, playing up to his name, was being a little mischievous and kept flying off to inspect other things. The bird handler began to tell us that if a hawk is acting up you wait for it to come back to you and do not go after it or shout on it to bring it back because that is when it will just rebel and you will never get it back. This is when Reuben started to shout 'LOKI!' at the top of his lungs to get the bird back. When he finally came back the handlers got him to land on the fence directly behind Reuben and I have never seen him happier. He started squealing with joy and excitement which made all the others in crowd laugh and 'awwww' and obviously Reuben clocks on and continues to put his hands over his mouth and just try to be super cute to get more attention! They made Loki do a few more things including catching his dinner mid air.

Last but not least was Gandalfs turn to wow the crowd and boy, were me, my mother and Reuben impressed! Funny to see the teenage girls jump away in fear at something a two year of is jumping down stairs to get to! Reuben proceeded to copy her jumping about and I continued to be gutted I couldn't get it on camera. Did i mention my camera cut out of battery?

Sadly, we had to head home but we got a couple of little toys for Reuben and we are certain we will pop back one day with Daddy! But if you can get to World of Wings, Please try to.

love from

ZXSquecktrum