I am Lucky!..help Save the Children

4 years ago today I was in a hospital bed. Tired, shell shocked and sore I had just had an emergency caesarean section to deliver my first baby. Although this was not the way I had hoped for it to be (I was thinking candles and a waterbirth at home) we were both alive. For millions of women and children round the world this is not the outcome.

My lucky healthy baby Dodo

When things went wrong I had an ambulance to come and take me to a hospital and then later a team was ready to save both me and my child. I moan about the way our health service can be in this country but I am so so lucky to have a service to moan about. The 8 million children who die every year from illnesses that we know how to prevent and can cure need us all to moan a LOT louder to the people who can help make a change.

Please help Save the Children send a message to our leaders by signing this petition to end the health worker crisis. It really really takes 30 seconds of your time!

Half of the 8 million children that die each year are in Africa..3% of the worlds doctors, nurses and midwives are in Africa..it's simply not enough. My baby is 4 years old today..If we had been in Africa we might not be celebrating and that has to change.

Help spread the word on Facebook and on Twitter using the #Healthworkers hashtag.

Happy Happy Birthday Dodo..I'm a lucky mummy to have you xxx

Silent Sunday

The Gallery: Happy Memory

This weeks gallery prompt has been a tricky one, I had a hard time choosing from so many great memories!  Travel, friends and family all featured in the contenders, but in the end I had to go with these pictures of my Grandmothers 80th birthday party this summer.

The Birthday Girl!

It was a really special day for me as I don't often get to spend time with all the family together. The sun shone all day and we spent the afternoon in my Granddads beautiful garden. This is a place that holds many great childhood memories for me, even though they have moved house since I was a little girl. The planting, pots and style reminds me of the original garden, down to the stone horses that I used to pretend to ride! I watched Dodo play with toys that I remember playing with at the same age and the joy that her great grandparents had from seeing her.

The best Great Granddad ever!

80!!! Never!

Loads of cake and candles

Dodo has worn him out!

I hope that Dodo will be able to remember the day and I'm looking forward to more special memories when my Grandparents meet the twins.

I wish..

My Wishes could fill pages.

Some of the wishes are huge and life altering and some of them are mundane and shallow. Like wishing that I didn't have to remind my Dad to wipe the kitchen counter tops or Dodo to brush her teeth. 

How many of us spend our lives wishing? What is a wish anyway? A verb. To feel or express a strong desire or hope for something that probably will not happen. With a definition like that I'm not sure I want to wish for anything. Wishes seem sad and lonely and I don't want to feel those emotions. I long for the wishes to be real, concrete and in my life for me to enjoy, regret or whatever comes with them. But I want them now. I want for them to no longer be a feeling that will probably never be mine to experience.

If I added up the time I have spent wishing for things I feel overwhelmed. 

Most of them I can't share and maybe that is the thing I wish to do the most.

This weeks prompt from Josie's fantastic writing workshop was "wishes" Please check out the other entries over at Sleep is for the weak 

The Gallery: Shoes

I have a shoe problem. I can't stop myself buying totally impractical, never to see the light of day beauties. They call to me from the shelves..I try to ignore them and walk past in my very sensible mummy shoes..but sometimes I just cave in and get carried away, knowing full well they will only be worn round the house! 

Sometimes I get given pretty ones like this!

I got married in this pair

Dodo is already far better than me at walking in the silly high ones stashed in my wardrobe and totters round my bedroom pretending to be me. I won't spoil her image and tell her that mummy would normally only wear them if she can be assured of a car and a seat at wherever I am going!

Pair of vintage Gina

Wedges..oh how I love them let me count the ways!

Sadly my life isn't offering me ample occasions for tarting around in fancy footwear. You are more likely to see me in a pair of Crocs or the dreaded Uggs..Yes I have officially joined the comfy shoe brigade! I wish I could be one of those mums that can do anything and everything in stilettos but alas i'm not.

Crocs can be pretty too!

Right now I can't even bend over to do my own shoes up! I need help with buckles and really anything other than flip flops is a bit of a faf. But fear not..I will return to my pretties as soon as I am able to see my feet again! So if your reading this Father Christmas..you can always put a smile on my face by treating me to a pair of silly limo shoes this crimbo...

The Gallery: Animals..at it like rabbits!

I seem to come across rabbits just about everywhere. I have never owned one I'm more of a cat lady, not the old variety smelling of wee I hope! But when this weeks gallery theme came up as animals a quick flick through my photo's revealed the rabbits far out numbered the cats. They have even turned up (by the dozen!) at my local pub The Honor Oak, much to the delight of Dodo.

South East London Bunny

Ready for my close up

I even spot the bunnies in Bangkok! it's not the first time they have caught my eye I ended up using them for the gallery before. Easter time and just walking round the streets they are stalking me..I'm sure they will continue to multiply in my photo library..being rabbits they just can't help it..

Random royal rabbits

Thai Bunnies

Posh Easter bunny from the Mandarin Oriental

Now go and have a look at all the other fab animal goings on at Tara's blog.