Wedding Shoes.... and shopping with the Cheeky Monkeys!

Firstly I would like to apologise for my disappearance for the last 10 days.  I have been involved in one of those seemingly neverending whirlwinds of work, chores, notenoughsleep, food shopping, cooking, Christmas shopping, eating, work, chores.....

And, more excitingly, in the middle of it all, my sister got married this week.  My 2 girls were both bridesmaids (oh my, could they be any cuter?!) And I was the Matron of Honour.  Luckily I have a very good relationship with my sister, meaning that she didn't feel the need to publicly embarrass me by insisting I wear some hideous bridesmaid blamange.  Since, as previous posts would no doubt have suggested, I am somewhat lacking in sartorial elegance, I therefore had to have more than one shopping trip with both my sister and my mum, in which a variety of dresses, from traditional tent, to modern mini, were tried on. It was great fun and we found a beautiful navy empire line that looked divine.  My problem was then obvious.   Shoes.

Since we've established I have a large collection of shoes, it came as a surprise to discover that I had nothing, and I do mean nothing, that would go with this dress.  Navy shoes don't particularly feature in my wardrobe, and the one pair that I did have were summer wedges.  It just didn't work.  So I went on more shopping trips, one particular Saturday trying on every Navy pair of shoes that the shops in Meadowhall stock.   And as, inevitably is the case in this modern world, I gave up and ended up buying a pair on ebay for £11.

So.  It's the week before the wedding.  I've had my final dress fitting, and so the length of the dress is now based on my new shoes.  The Bride seems relaxed.  Everything is all ready.  I decide to pop my new shoes on, to try them out.  Wear them in a bit.

They rub my feet. 

Not a lot.  But they do.  Panic sets in.  I don't know what to do.  So I end up dragging my long-suffering hubby and both children for a trip to Meadowhall (A shopping mall in the Midlands) on a Sunday afternoon. In October.  When the Students are back and Christmas shopping has started in earnest.  It's packed.  5 shops in, and Cheeky Monkey No. 1 is flagging.  2 hours later, just as I decide to give up (hubby has suggested I wear the ebay shoes for the ceremony and pictures, and then quickly swop them for my sliver dancing shoes, and the plan, seen in light of the grumpy faces of my family, seems sound) I spotted New Look and, though Meadowhall New Look is not where you go if you want customer service (most of the staff there are under 18 and clearly not in the slightest bit interested in the customer's needs above their need to gossip)  I decided to give it a chance.

Turns out they had more than one pair in the Navy I wanted, lots that were two high, and 2 pairs that looked like they might just do the trick.  One of which they didn't have in my size, and the other was a 'wider fit' pair.  I bought the latter (can't go wrong for £20) figuring that, for one day, I'd prefer a 'wider fit' than a blister-covered heel.

I guess it wouldn't be me if there wasn't some sort of clothing dilemma!  I ended up swopping the New Look shoes for my silver dancing shoes after the photos anyway....That wider-fit made them too loose.

So what's the tip here then?  I guess it's simple.  Never, ever, wear new shoes for a wedding, unless they are Rainbow shoes (specifically designed for weddings - very very very comfortable).  And certainly don't wear £11 or £20 shoes without wearing them alot before hand. 

And never, ever, drag your family round the shops when there's pressure to find the perfect item.  It's not good for anyone.

It seems that parenting, more often than not, boils down to 'organisation' and 'preparation'.  Plan it.  Plan it early.  Because you just don't have the luxury of time on your side.

P.S.  The Bride looked absolutely beautiful.  Congratulations!

How to get some sleep?

Oh, if only I knew!?

If only there was one, straightforward, ready answer, to getting a little shut eye when you have two young children in the house. 

Remember my previous posts about Cheeky Monkey No 2's transfer from a cot to a cot bed?  She seemed to be getting better, in so far as she'd occasionally sleep through from 7.30pm until 5.30am.  But there has been no consistency.  Some nights she'll protest simply about going to bed and will ask us to lie in her room with her for a little bit.  She's only just turned two, but it's incredible how many words they can string together when they want something specific! 

And now we seem to be getting woken at around 3am.  And I do not exaggerate even in the slightest when I say that we are not just 'woken', but are 'thrown forcibly out of the snug bliss of dreamland only to land with a bump into a world devoid of any noise other than a blood curdling scream.' 

I think I could cope better if she was rousing in the night and mumbling to herself.  Or even calling out my name to get a cuddle to help her go back to sleep.  But no.  What we get instead is complete silence followed one second later by 'SCREAMING!!'

As you can imagine, I leap out of bed in shock.  Stumble through to her room as fast as I can, bearing in mind my lack of consciousness, trying desperately not to walk into doors, trip over the child gate, or trip over her.  I  gently walk her back to bed, tuck her in; she goes quiet pretty quickly if I lie down on the floor next to her; and she's asleep again within roughly 15 minutes of lying quietly.

So what's that all about!?

I'm hoping, with fingers and toes crossed, that she is simply teething.  That the nappy rash and runny nose are actually symptomatic rather than random coincidence.  And that those four back teeth will arrive soon and help to stop the night waking.

I'm hoping.  My concealer's good, but it won't be up to the job of covering those bags soon.

X Factor 2010 Style Madness!

Simon Cowell has spent a lot of time during the many series of X factor wittering on about whether contestants have 'their own style' and chastising those that he deems 'overstyled'.  Well forgive me for having to pull him up on this now; but has he seen what the X factor styling team have done to the final 12 contestants this year!?

Storm.  Now there's a character.  He can certain hold a tune.  And he definitely has his own style.  But whose idea was it to die his hair primary red for the live shows?  He now looks like any other wannabee trying to look different.  He's in the over 28 category, and I've now idea how old he is, but he is most certainly not 14 years old - the only age I feel that a male can get away with that hair colour.  If he had his own 'style' in the first place; why did they feel the need to turn him into something else?  Had he auditioned with that hair colour originally, our impression of him would have been completely different.  People do, after all, judge on looks before anything else.

And then there's Rebecca Ferguson.  She has, indeed, the most gorgeous voice.  A beautiful recording voice.  One of those voices that you know, regardless of the results of the show, that we'll hear again.  And she is pretty, vulnerable, shy and seems genuinely nice.  I love her look.  Or at least, I did.  What have they done to her!?  She suddenly looks bland and boring.....    

I get the feeling that the X Factor stylists think they are turning these 'rough around the edges' contestants into 'glamarous performers'.  Pity that's not what the show's about.  It's about finding something special.  Something different.  And, you would hope, nurturing that.  Seems that's not what it's about anymore.  It appears to be about finding something special, and then stamping it out and turning it into something that they 'think' is popular.  I'm annoyed about this because I feel that they are trying to tell me what I like by restyling them in this way.  What was wrong with the way they looked before?

And don't get me started on Matt Cardle.  The reason we all liked him was that, despite his claims to hate being a painter, he looked like one - you know - a little rough around the edges, and we liked that.  Why, oh why, did they need to cut off his hair?

OK, I'm done.  Honest. 

Tip for the day.... don't spend time, like me, watching these shows.  They just get annoying.  I'm sure it's an addiction.  To echo the words of the early 80s, ' turn off the television set, go out and do something less boring instead'.

Another Bra trauma! And a few yummy mummy tips...

I'm off to a Hen do this weekend and, though I already know which dress I'd like to wear, I seem to have yet another bra trauma!  My two favourite La Senza bras may both be out of action.  Eeek.   The under wires are attempting an escape from the white bra.  The needle and cotton will have to come out tonight to attempt to reign them back in.  And the nude bra is, all of a sudden, starting to pinch at one side.  Since I've actually lost weight recently, I'm slightly confused by that.

My dress choice will, unfortunately, depend on which bra I can get back in operation, as it's a halterneck dress.  I know. I know.  What is it with me and halterneck clothes?  But they do seem to suit me.  Maybe I should have been around in the 50s for all those halterneck rock n roll dresses!

A few tips for yummy mummies everywhere today;

• Even if you've 'never' before wore make up, try it!  Clarins' True Radiance Foundation is my saviour.  I throw it on just like sun cream (no technical skills required!)  Just that, and a splash of mascara, and I'm transformed from blotchy scary woman to perfectly acceptable woman.
• Even if you rarely get two minutes to yourself like me; try and find an hour every couple of months to go and get pampered.  Even if it's just a manicure!  Suddenly you feel so much more yummy.
• Use 'Nice n Easy' at home to cover those greys.  £5 from your local pharmacy, compared to £50 for a colour and blow dry at most hair salons!