Tuesday 22 January 2013

Snow x Illness x work = Stressed out Mother Bear

So it's 6am on Wednesday morning, minus 3 outside and inside my son has a temperature of 39.6!
Bring him in to the in-call doctor they say. Sure I say.
"It's a virus!" says the on-call doctor, with his shirt buttoned up wrong and his eyes bleary from being woken up by this over- protective mother- bear!
"Antibiotics?" Queries Mother Bear
"No no, no not necessary! Just paracetamol and fluids. Er..... Ok

Scroll forwards 2 days and there's a foot of snow outside and still a temperature of 39.6 inside. Add a throat full of ulcers which make me wince when I shine a flashlight down the poor kids throat, they look so painful.
"Ah" says the doctor down the phone "that's an infection, he needs antibiotics"
This is fine, I strap on my walking boots and wrap up like, well, a bear and go out into the driving snow.

One hour and one prescription later I arrive home like an arctic explorer - well I think so anyway - and wonder/hope my son will one day remember things like this!!

Snow day of course for younger son, and I can't open the shop anyway so we enjoy tobogganing in the field opposite our house (lucky us!) Then a snowball fight, which he loved of course, so we had to have another...and another....
Then Monopoly for hours and hours and then more snowballs!!

Mummy Bear finds the snow exhausting!

Friday 11 January 2013

C Sections

Given the Twittersphere and Blogospheres seem to be overloading on opinions regarding Caesarians and the NCT, I'm throwing my two penny's worth into the ring!

I left London and The Guardian behind and moved to commuter belt Surrey pregnant and knowing no one, with family a long drive away. Not the smartest move I ever made but the NCT group I joined became my lifeline.

Of the 8 of us 2 had C sections. I was certainly in no doubt as to what was going on, i felt well-educated and after 24 hours of screaming labour I was happy to be getting my xtra large baby out any which way! The only sense of outrage was that the two NCT friends who gave birth days earlier had managed it in 6-odd hours on gas, air and joy fullness!!

The support I received from the NCT was amazing, kind, helpful and understanding. No stigma, just women at their best, helping each other through.

They even paraded me a few months later to new groups as a working example of how to breast feed and "what to expect"

4 years on I had another, elective c section, this time an oasis of calm - my most abiding memory :

Me:(panicky) "The epidurals not working I can still feel!!"
Obstetrician: (calmly) "I sincerely doubt that Sarah, I've just lifted your baby out"

Of my 2 boys, the Emergency C section was born into a highly stressed environment to a terrified and incompetent first time mother. The second came calmly into this world, soft music and laughter. One slept soundly all night - one screamed heartily all night (guess which!!)

Both have grown up big, strong, smart, sporty and confident.

The C sections are many years behind me and although I was traumatised for years by the first (and I wish to god it had been planned, given the baby's position) the NCT helped me through - and you know what? I know girls who have all sorts of lingering issues from natural births years later - bad stitching, incontinence and ... Um... Internal changes ... Maybe you do too - so I thank god everything remained as it should after it was all over!!!

Monday 7 January 2013

STOCK-ROOM

CLEARANCE SALE




HERE MONDAY  21ST JANUARY 9AM - 11AM


I have many brand new ex-stock items which I inherited when I took over, so I'm taking the plunge and having a HUGE SPRING CLEAROUT!

 *Jeans/trousers *Tights out of packaging *Hats *socks *Ts * tops *jackets *dresses
*Brand New ex - stock room (some will need washing to freshen)

I think there are even some ski trousers in there somewhere!


All Designer Brands - Elle, Ralph Lauren, DKNY, Oneill, Nike, Timberland,  Levis, Country Kids and many more

Cash only - First-Come-First-Served - all items from just £1.00 - £5.00


We are at: 3-5 Ashcroft Road, Cirencester, Glos GL7 1RA
01285 643377
We are just around the corner from Boots and Costa 
Bring your friends - coffee and tea will be on, for a chat and a rummage!

Thursday 3 January 2013

Gorgeous Kids!

I just have to blog images of our wonderful customers' children showing off their new purchases for me!
Thank you all for your support in 2012! Looking forward to a great 2013!