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June 17, 2009

No baby, just food

Filed under: General Chit-Chat — Tags: labels and tags, labels4kids, middle age spread, pregnancy, uk — Ann-Maree @ 9:12 pm

By Heidi Soholt

I’ve decided to go on a tummy boot-camp, reason being that I’ve recently been asked, not once but TWICE if I’m pregnant and I am most definitely NOT.

Why oh why do women ask each other these things????? Isn’t it better to wait until you know for definite that someone is before asking about their due date? Seriously, having had it done to me a few times, I would never dream of enquiring about the state of another woman’s womb unless I knew they were expecting. It is really quite personal isn’t it? And the risk of offence if you are wrong is huge.

So here I sit, offended. The truth is that I have started that awful thing known as middle age spread. When exactly is middle age by the way, I thought it was supposed to be around the 50 mark, but it seems to be happening to me a decade earlier. Whereas a couple of years ago people used to tell me I needed to eat more, and staying thin was effortless, nowadays it’s the reverse. I actually eat fairly healthily, okay I indulge in the odd naughty treat, but I feel miffed that what I do eat doesn’t equate to the fat I pile on. And, it’s all going in the wrong bit. I used to be a bit pear shaped, now I’m more apple. Yuk, and apparently it’s massively unhealthy to boot, so I’ll probably keel over with a heart attack soon.

I also go to the gym, fairly regularly, and lead quite an active lifestyle, chasing about after my two little ones. It just doesn’t seem fair. The other day I suddenly thought that perhaps I have a medical problem….perhaps the fact I’m putting on weight isn’t actually my fault…….then I got real. I honestly think that if I was to turn up at my lovely doctor’s surgery with concerns about my fat tummy she’d probably laugh me out of her office. It’s more a self-discipline problem than a medical one, probably.

OR perhaps I’m having a PHANTOM pregnancy?????? My hairdresser’s dog just had one of those. There she was planning an exotic holiday on the back of the money she’d get selling a big brood of pups and then, to her complete horror, there was nothing on the scan apart from a big air bubble. I do feel a tad broody now and then, so maybe that’s it? That would also explain my massive appetite and general tiredness……

Anyway, after I got asked today if I was “cooking a little one in there” I headed straight for the knickers in BHS. After a few minutes of rummaging around I realised that support pants don’t come in sexy – they just come in granny or fat. I grabbed a couple of options – medium support and massive support (okay – maximum support) and headed to the till. The girl at the checkout was really young and glamorous and I could see her shudder as I hunted for my purse. I felt like screaming at her: “YES I WAS ONCE LIKE THAT TOO BUT IT HAPPENS TO US ALL LOVE”.

After that it was off to Boots where I bought four of those hideous looking Slimfast shakes. I was really on a mission by then and vowed that tonight I would dine on café au lait shake, yum. As it got nearer my dinner time I decided on another plan, I would drink wine and hopefully get tiddly enough to forget about being hungry. Only problem was that after one glass of red I was really seriously starving and ANGRY about the shake. You can guess what happened next.

And, one more thing, after forcing myself to do 50 sit-ups this afternoon my friend told me that you don’t do the old-fashioned type ones you did at school anymore. Those actually make your tummy stick out!!!!!!!! Great. Why did I bother.

I suppose I could be good and get down to some school uniform labelling instead tonight, it might take my mind of you-know-what. Think I’ll have a good look at Ann-Maree’s fabulous selection of labels and tags at labels4kids and see what catches my eye. Then again, seeing as I might be expecting a large air bubble, I’d better have an early night.

PS. Don’t those celebrities who go on about how they reach a certain age and have to decide whether it’s the body or the face annoy you???? What’s to decide about, both mine are hideous!

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June 11, 2009

FOR ALL PARENTS

Filed under: General Chit-Chat — Tags: childrens cancer, email chain letter, labels4kids, parents, uk — Ann-Maree @ 9:11 pm

By Heidi Soholt

I was sent this message by email and, though I don’t usually participate in chain letters, this one really struck a chord. I was asked to forward the message in order that money could be donated to the parents of a girl with cancer. Who knows, it could be a hoax, the message though is important.

To My Daughter – by an OK. Police Officer

‘TO MY DAUGHTER’ (AOL IS TRACKING THIS) PLEASE DO
NOT DELETE

*Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and pick you up and take you to the park to play.

*Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.

*Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the
telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles.

*Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck
and I will buy you one if he comes by.

*Just for this afternoon, I won’t worry about what you are going to be when you grow up, or second guess every decision
I have made where you are concerned.

*Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and I won’t stand over you trying to fix them.

*Just for this afternoon, I will take us to
McDonald’s and buy us both a Happy Meal so you can have both toys.

*Just for this evening, I will hold you in my
arms and tell you a story about how you were born and how much I love you.

*Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the tub and not get angry.

*Just for this evening, I will let you stay up
late while we sit on the porch and count all the stars.

*Just for this evening, I will snuggle beside
you for hours, and miss my favourite TV shows.

*Just for this evening when I run my finger
through your hair as you pray, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the greatest gift ever given.

*I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for their missing children, the mothers and fathers who are visiting their children’s graves instead of their bedrooms, and mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly, and screaming inside that
they can’t handle it anymore.

*And when I kiss you good night I will hold you a little tighter, a little longer. It is then, that I will thank God for you, and ask Him for nothing, except one more
day………….

* Hi. I am a 29 year old father. My wife and I have had a wonderful life together. God blessed us with a child too.

Our daughter’s name is Rachel, and she is 10 years old.

Not long ago the doctors detected brain cancer in her little body.

There is only one way to save her and that is an operation.

Sadly we don’t have the money for the operation.

AOL and Zdnet have agreed to help us. The only way they can help is this:

If you send this email to other people, AOL will track this email and count how many people get it. Every person that opens this email and sends it to at least 3 people will give us 32c.

Please help us.

Bryan Swim

Tahlequah , OK . Police Dept.

School Resource Officer # 65

‘Every Saint Has a Past, Every Sinner Has A Future’

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June 3, 2009

How to handle the sun sensibly the Aussi way

Filed under: General Chit-Chat — Tags: Aussi, Australia, how to handle the sun, labels4kids, Parasol, sun sense, suncare, suncream, sunstroke, uk, UVA, UVB — Ann-Maree @ 10:25 pm

The sun comes out and the Brits are ripping off every stitch of clothing they can get off! That is how it looks anyway as an Aussi now also a Brit. Having lived here donkeys years now I am still amazed to see just how the Brits in general treat their skin in the sun. You might as well shove yourself under a cancer lamp and say “come and get me”. It ‘s mad!

The Aussis are big on publicity on how to avoid he sun or stop UVA and UVB rays penetrating the skin and most of the year you get TV ads and posters saying SLIP, SLOP, SLAP. That means “Slip on a shirt, slop on suncream and slap on a hat”. Much more sensible if you ask me.

I forgot these little words of wisdom on Saturday and the 7 year old refusing to apply enough sun cream got burnt feet and the bottom of his arms. NOW he WANTS suncream every morning because he knows how much it hurt! Better late than never I guess, as now he knows just what it’s like.

I only have to pop into town or the local park to see burnt red raw skin everywhere. A girl at school said she thinks she had sunstroke after being in the sun the other day and to me it sounded like she did too – and in Scotland! She had the shivers and shakes, was hot and cold, felt sick and was red of course. Well she had it for sure. I had it once as a kid and I have never felt so sick in my life.

The answer is tonnes of fluid, rehydration sachets, salt (yes even mcdonalds french fries if you must to get salt into you), rest out of the sun, paracetamol, and after sun care for the burns. Unless of course the burns are so severe you have blistering too. Then you will probably need doctor’s advice too.

Remember once you have burnt your skin you have already made yourself susceptible to skin cancer. Even once can do untold damage. Please do be careful this summer and remember to keep on that shirt and hat, and also tonnes of suncream and every few hours, not just once. Also the eyes and the tops of feet are particularly susceptible to the sun because people forget to do them or are too scared of getting cream in their eyes. Good sunglasses that wrap around are fantastic for the eyes, and the HAT.

I found a great suncream (an Aussi one but sold in Ireland anyway under license) called PARASOL. It is a liquid based one like the stuff you stick on your hands going into a hospital ward that dries quickly and is clear. It’s silicone based. Fantastic stuff as it doesn’t get white cream all over your clothes and is easy to apply. Check it out online.

You will notice creams often say 25+ and no more than that in Australia. That is because the ratings were getting crazy – saying the likes of 50+ for kids but when actually tested the 25+ is sufficient if it blocks BOTH UVA AND UVB rays. There was no additional protection from a higher rating.

Remember I am not a doctor so these are just my views but whoever’s views you take there is one thing for sure – sun is great for some vitamins but too much is fatal. Please take care in the sun and use some sun sense!

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Immunisation debate rages on and on and on……….

Filed under: General Chit-Chat — Tags: labels4kids, MMR, MMR debate, MMR immunisation, mumsnet, name labels, name tags, uk, vacines for children — Ann-Maree @ 10:05 pm

By: Heidi Soholt

The MMR issue has raised its thorny head again, with reports that there are calls for compulsory vaccination for children.

Welsh health minister Edwina Hart has been reported to be exploring “further options” for the issuing of MMR jabs after a measles outbreak in Wales. And a major health expert, Sir Sandy Macara, has suggested that the MMR should be a prerequisite for school entry.

The subject has prompted a flood of comments on the Mumsnet website, the majority of which appear to be strongly opposed to the proposals. One which caught my eye was from the mother of an autistic child. Scared about giving her young child the MMR, she said that this latest debate had added pressure on to an already nearly intolerable home situation. While she had taken on board all the pro-MMR arguments, she said that her gut feeling was that it would be better to give her child the jab when he was older. So do we force people like this to have their children vaccinated? And isn’t it a tad high-handed and patronising for the government to decide what’s best for our families? I know they do it on lots of other issues, but when it comes to our children, surely we should decide what drugs to put in their bodies?

So why do the powers-to-be feel so strongly about the MMR? As far as I understand, mumps is a relatively mild childhood disease, whereas rubella, while posing a risk to the unborn child, is of little risk to the general population. Yes, I do know that the measles carry a risk of further infection such as meningitis, but for your average fit and healthy child, again the disease is not a threat. I had measles myself and recovered in about a week with no lasting health problems. Surely it is better to catch measles as a child as you then have lifelong immunity. The MMR does not offer this, unless you want a booster every few years for the rest of your life.

I guess that the whole thing boils down to giving people a choice. Forcing parents to have their pre-school children immunised smacks of bullying tactics. I fail to understand why an un-immunised child poses such a threat to the rest of the school anyway, when the majority of kids these days have had the MMR or single jabs, and are therefore immune to the diseases.

To be honest, I believe the government cares very little about whether our children do or don’t get measles, mumps or rubella. Cutting NHS bills for treating these diseases and lessening GP workloads are, on the other hand, completely different matters entirely.

Do you have any comments on the MMR debate? We’d love to hear from you if you do. Don’t forget to take a look at all our fabulous products too – we have name tags and name labels to suit every taste and budget.

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