Your Opinions Please

Hello lovely blog readers!!!

I wondered if you could please help me.

A leading detergent manufacturer is in the process of creating a brand new online residence with the premise of it being a base for sharing idea and tips on how to raise active, healthy and happy children more easily.

This new 'forum' will be specifically aimed at parents like us. I have therefore been asked to give my thoughts on some name ideas for it and gage what other parents think of them too.

Therefore, I was hoping you, my dear, dear friends (!!) would let me know in the comments boxes below your thoughts on them too.

You are welcome to just tell me your favourite or least favourite name suggestion, BUT what would be even better is for you to give me your reasons why aswell. After all, one name can conjure up something completely different than another.

So the names that this leading detergent manufacturer have come up with are as follows:

The Active Mother
Mother's Playground
Impractical Mum
Adventures in Parenthood
MumsWorld
Destnation Mum

I have strong opinions on some of the names and can instantly identify ones that I think are unsuitable - how about you?

I would really appreciate your feedback by Sunday 6th November please.

Thank you :)

ERIC - Helping Children & Their Parents With Continence

You may remember that back in June I hosted my Going Potty post about the perils and successes of potty training as explained by some fellow bloggers.

Within my Going Potty post I mentioned ERIC , which is the UK's only charity which is dedicated to providing support and information to both the families of and children continence problems and issues.

Did you know that 1 in 12 children and young people are affected by continence problems in the UK?

ERIC can offer support for issues such as bedwetting, constipation, soiling, daytime wetting and potty training.

 Elevensees with ERIC  is a new incentive which has just started on Facebook.

On the first Wednesday of every month at 11am parents can get any questions on childhood continence problems answered by a team of ERIC Helpline advisors.

To join in all you need to do is visit the ERIC Facebook page and post your question. If you prefer you could send am direct message which will keep your contact with ERIC advisors private.

Each month there will be a different forum to focus on - this month it was bedwetting.

This is a fantastic free helpline for anyone who needs help and advice or support.

The next Facebook forum will be this Wednesday 3rd November - so if you need ERIC's help then please visit their Facebook page and post your question.

this is not a sponsored post, I was asked to help promote Elevensees with ERIC and I agreed as I think it is a charity that is worthy of a mention on my blog.

Short Back & Sides Sir?

Many of you have visited my silent sunday post today and seen Burton sitting in the barbers having his hair cut (and thank you for all the lovely comments).

As several of you mentioned, yes he was ever so good and sat in the chair and did exactly as the hairdresser asked him (look down please, look up etc..). His Daddy took him and said he couldn't believe how well behaved he was which is very good as it is only the second time he has been. Plus as we are potty training him at the moment, he was brilliant and having used the potty at home before he left, he managed to wait to go until he returned home again!! He also enjoyed sweeping the floor after his hair was cut.

Here are all of the photos from his trip to the barbers - he looks so serious bless him :)

but he was smiling by the end

Silent Sunday

Inspired by

News Justin!

Calling all Justin fans!!

I have some news that you may like to hear.

Justin Fletcher - the star (and most popular performer from CBeebies) of children's favourites Something Special, Gigglebiz and more recently Justin's House has made an album! Is there no end to his talent and commitment for entertaining his young fans?

I have been sent an advanced copy of his brand new album entitled Hands Up which doesn't actually go on general release until 21st November.  The first single from the album, with the same name, will go on release a week earlier.

This new album is guaranteed to get you and your little ones jiggling and wriggling and singing along to some classic songs, all of which Justin has chosen himself as they are some of his favourite songs of all time. There are 20 tracks including:

*The Hokey Cokey
*Wheels On The Bus
*Nellie The Elephant
*The Grand Old Duke Of York
*Heads Shoulders Knees And Toes

I wanted to tell you about it now before I post my review, because you can pre-order the album now by using this link

http://bitly.com/sQpZ46

ALSO

I wanted to let you know that Justin is now on twitter and you can tweet him @_JustinFletcher and his Facebook page can be found HERE

So what are you waiting for?

Get those hands up and click away on the pre-order link and your little ones could soon be enjoying this great new collection of classic children's songs.

Sleeping Beauties

Wednesday night Jenson was a bit off colour thanks to teething - boooo to teething!!  He woke up crying at 10pm ish  and when I lifted him out to comfort him, he was sick all over me and himself.

Once I cleaned and changed him (I wasn't able to shower myself until after I had settled him back to sleep) he nuzzled down in my arms and after swaying him for about 10 minutes and hearing him letting out little whimpers that sounded so sad and pitiful, he fell asleep. However, as soon as I put him back down in his cot he woke up and started screaming!! So more cuddling and snuzzling with mummy was needed until I was sure that he was in a much deeper sleep. The old 'is his arm really floppy when I lift it up' test is my usual method of dertermining how asleep he is.

As I sat there holding him, hearing his little sleeping sounds and feeling his warm breath on my skin I thought to myself that asides from the being thrown up on part, how lovely it is to hold my baby until he falls sleep in my arms again.

You see the older he gets the less often this occurs because when he naps now during the day he doesn't require a breast feed first so he is put straight down into his cot and left to fall asleep on his own. At bedtime he may still fall asleep on me following a feed but as soon as he falls asleep I put him to bed so I can get my jobs done like tidying up and prepping meals for the next day oh and maybe tweeting and blogging *ahem*. I guess it just took me back because although Jenson is only 6 1/2 months old it seems ages since he needed me to hold him until he falls asleep in my arms - needing me like that and it was just wonderful.

I took a photo of him once he was asleep - please excuse the quality it was a bit dark!

I love watching my babies sleep, they look so serene and angelic and they make my heart melt even more.    I have so many photos that I or Daddy have taken while Burton or his baby brother are asleep. I love their little facial expressions; how their little mouths are slightly open; the funny faces they pull; their hands over their faces or out by their sides. I love how they can sleep in any position and while they are still feeding.

To be honest I could happily spend my time watching them while they sleep. I was able to do so a lot more when Burton was a baby as I had more time to be able to just sit and watch him when he fell asleep on me, or even lie next to him and nap with together ( I used to love that!). I didn't put Burton in his cot for daytime naps until he was about 9 months old because he would cry too much! So I would always watch him drift off. Its different with your second child because you just don't have that time to spare with a toddler in tow aswell.

Anyway, here are some snapshots of my sleeping boys

Burton

Jenson

My beautiful sleeping beauties :)

At least they are to me.

Don't forget to pop over and see what other people have Flashbacked about

The Faces Behind Those Smiles - The Gallery

Tara has had a little re-charge of her Gallery batteries by taking a week off. However, she set us our homework with a theme of FACES and gave us plenty of time to create a post.

When I look at the faces of my gorgeous boys I can sometimes see resemblances of certain members of their family. Burton definitely looks more like his daddy and Jenson looks more like my side of his family. I find it amusing that different people see different resemblances of different family members in them. Maybe you only see who you want to see??

2 faces made by 

+

+

Don't forget to check out the other posts in this weeks 

My Music Therapy

I have been tagged by TheBoyandMe and Lauren from The Real Housewife Of Suffolk County in a meme started by the ever so talented MammyWoo called Music Therapy

The idea is very simple, pick

3 songs

By

3 different artists

With

3 sets of lyrics that touch you in some way

I found it really hard to do this which is strange because I love music and can really lose myself in certain songs. In the end I am going with 3 songs which I find beautiful to listen to and where the words are touching, powerful and emotive.

1. Adele - Someone Like You (the live version as performed at the BRIT Awards)

The first time I heard this song, I was gobsmacked firstly by how amazing Adele sounds singing live and secondly by the simplicity and  beauty of this song. The lyrics are very moving and some which I think we can all probably relate to in some way. 

My favourites lines from it are:

Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead 

Nothing compares, no worries or cares.

Regret's and mistakes they're memories made.

Who would have known how bittersweet this would taste?

2. Alanis Morrisette - Oughta Know

It's not that I have ever experienced this kind of break up before, but this song is amazing! Such an angry post break up song and from a female point of view - the lyrics are so charged and vengeful! I love it. Such a great song to sing a long to when you need to get rid of some pent up frustration! 

The lyrics are so explosive and full of bitterness and I think for a woman to have written and released them n a hit record is brilliant! Check these out

I want you to know, that I'm happy for you

I wish nothing but the best for you both

An older version of me

Is she perverted like me

Would she go down on you in a theatre

Does she speak eloquently

And would she have your baby

I'm sure she'd make a really excellent mother

'cause the love that you gave that we made wasn't able

To make it enough for you to be open wide, no

And every time you speak her name

Does she know how you told me you'd hold me

Until you died, till you died

But you're still alive

And I'm here to remind you

Of the mess you left when you went away

It's not fair to deny me

Of the cross I bear that you gave to me

You, you, you oughta know

You seem very well, things look peaceful

I'm not quite as well, I thought you should know

Did you forget about me Mr. Duplicity

I hate to bug you in the middle of dinner

It was a slap in the face how quickly I was replaced

Are you thinking of me when you fuck her?

3. Take That - Back For Good

I think the lyrics of this song are just very clever and well written and I especially love the inclusion of lipstick mark still on your coffee cup. I think it's a beautiful song.

I guess now it's time for me to give up 

I feel it's time 

Got a picture of you beside me 

Got you're lipstick mark still on your coffee cup 

Got a fist of pure emotion 

Got a head of shattered dreams 

Gotta leave it, gotta leave it all behind now 

So now I need to pass this meme on. So I nominate the following 

Mumra

 mmeeee

 Purple Ella

 Confesssions of SAHM
jennyovengloves

mummytojohn

Tweet Up With The Jessup Family

One of my favourite things about tweeting and blogging is the friendships you start to make and build on as time passes. Recently I have even been on some 'tweet ups' and have met some wonderful bloggers and their children.

Yesterday I met Helen (aka @jessies_online) from the Crazy Kitchen who with her family are staying in Devon so a perfect opportunity and excuse to meet up and eat some cake!!

Due to a teething baby and a toddler who is potty training, I felt a little boring when I suggested that the Jessup family came to my house for lunch. Luckily the lure of bacon and sausages followed by homemade cupcakes was enough to sway them to agree to my idea!!

As soon as I saw Helen it felt like saying hello to an old friend!! And she turned up with flowers so i liked her straight away!!



Her family are lovely







and her hubby and my Jon got on really well and it turns out they share the same job role!! So they chatted away while the kids played and Helen and I were yes you've guessed it in the kitchen!!

My cakes went down well - I think Sam ate about 6!!



I made vanilla & butterscotch cakes topped with buttercream and crushed dime bars mmmm!!
if you would like to make some, you will find the recipe at the end of this post.

Here are some more cake appreciation shots - well it would be rude not to!!











Burton LOVED having the Jessup's in our home and they were lucky enough to 'bare' witness to Burton's own rendition of 'Free Willy' *ahem* as he felt comfortable enough to strip off in front of them!! He even joined Sam in the toilet!! Oh and gave them all a special post wee jiggle without any pants on!!

Jenson was asleep for the first part of their visit but soon got in on the having cuddles with Jack



and Hanna



Sadly it was time for Helen and her family to depart, not before poor Sam hurt his foot while playing football and had to wear peppa pig plasters lol (lol at the plaster wearing not at the injury because it really hurt!!)

I think Burton wanted to be part of the Jessup family as he so enjoyed playing with Sam and Jack. He was very keen - almost a little too keen - to have his photo taken with Helen's children!!

From left to right: Hanna, Jack, Sam, Jenson & Burton

And he gave all the children and adults kisses and hugs and danced with them when they said goodbye!! Funny boy.

So it was a great tweet up and I cant wait to see them all again in December at the Tots 100 Christmas Party :)

Oh and just so you know, Helen is as funny and lovely as you would imagine (for those of you who tweet with her or read her blog).

The Crazy Kitchen lady herself

Vanilla & Butterscotch Cupcakes




Ingredients:
110g unsalted butter
200g sugar
2 large eggs
250g SR flour
120ml milk
2 drops vanilla essence
Small bag of butterscotch chips

Method:
Preheat oven to 160c fan/180 c normal
Cream together the butter and sugar
Add the eggs one at a time and beat well
Add the milk and flour at alternate intervals until folded in
Stir in the butterscotch and vanilla essence
Divide the cake mixture into the paper cases
Bake in the oven for
* 15 ish mins for small cakes
* 20-25 mins for muffin size cakes
In both instances ensure knife comes out clean

Decorate
Top with buttercream and crushed dime bar and serve

Dream A Little Dream

From as early an age as I can remember I wanted to be a TV presenter. I would watch Blue Peter and imagine myself making things with sticky back plastic and helping to look after a dog or cat from the show and appear in the Blue Peter annual. When I was at school and I had to attend a careers class and I was asked what I wanted to be when I was older, I would say a television presenter but funnily enough none of the teachers I spoke to were able to help me or offer assistant about how I should go about doing this. When I left school I attended college to do my A Levels and then went to university where I studied media studies and english - a degree which I thought might help me in my quest in becoming a TV presenter. 

However, once I graduated I moved back home to Devon and met my ex boyfriend and never really continued with my plans of moving to London and fulfilling my childhood dream. I did, however, attend two auditions just so that I could say when I looked back on my life in my old age that I did at least try to get a job in television. I went for the job as the Big Breakfast Weather Girl to replace Denise Van Outen when she became one of its main presenters. When I say I went for the role, it was an open audition where I and hundreds of other people spent most of the day queuing outside Earls Court only to be given a two minute window to impress at reading the weather. Sadly, I failed miserably at this as I didn't hear the whistle go to signal the start of my weather reading and I by the time I realised I got flustered and cocked it up! *sighs*

The second audition I attended was when the BBC carried out open auditions for various roles including a Children's presenter and a presenter for the holiday show. I had to travel to Cardiff for this and I did manage to successfully read my script when prompted, but sadly I never received a call back!! Hence, I never became a TV presenter - yes, I know - their loss indeed!!

However, this dream job did spur me on to study hard at school and college and (in between drinking and partying lots!) at university. The only trouble was though, that setting my aims so high I never really knew what else I wanted to do. I kind of bumbled along. I did ok and had some good jobs (marketing and owning my own cafe) but I followed a dream which never came true and I never had a back up plan!! 

Being a Mummy is the best job I have ever had and will be the one I will have for the longest amount of time aswell. So now I just wish for myself a long, happy and healthy life so I am able to enjoy my time with my children for as long as I am able.

But what do I wish for my boys?

 Firstly, above all else to be happy and content and healthy. To feel love and be loved as much, if not more than I love them. 

Secondly, to be decent, kind, honourable, respectful and good mannered.

Lastly, to follow their dreams as much as they able. I want them to do whatever they want, within reason, and I will support them as much as I can. I don't mind what job or qualifications they have as long as they tried their best and didn't let themselves down by not putting in enough effort. I don't want them to look back and regret that they didn't at least try.

This post was inspired by a prompt by on the hopes and dreams I have for myself and my children

Silent Sunday

Inspired by Mocha Beanie Mummy

Wee've Been Potty Busy

So for anyone who follows my blog or twitter stream you will know that Burton started his potty training last Saturday and you can read about the first 2 days to get you up to speed first, if you like, before you continue.

Ok, so now you are up to speed let me tell you how the week has progressed.

In a word it has been fanbloodytastic or I should say Burton has been fanbloodytastic.


Honestly, to think I was dreading potty training with a passion, oh I feel like a fool now, because it as gone so well. I keep telling myself that this is probably the honeymoon period for Burton and his potty usage, and that any day now we will get a lot more accidents than we do currently; or maybe he will stop bothering to rush to sit down on one of his potties and not make it. Or maybe he has just cracked it and I can now stop thinking about these things......?!

He has been a little star.

Since we started he has only had 3 pooh incidents and 4 wee accidents which I think is good going. He doesn't need asking if he needs to go as he takes himself off by himself and goes! It's quite funny, I know when he needs to go, because he suddenly grabs his crotch area and crosses his legs and goes off quickly to the potty. The longest he has gone in between wees is an hour and a half which seems a long time to me, and I kept asking him if he needed to go but all I got told was a resounding "no mummy!".

We have been telling him that the label goes at the back of his pants ("babel at back, mummy") to help him when he puts his pants back on after using the potty, as he does insist on stripping off at every possible opportunity ! He also finds it hilarious whenever he pulls off what I like to refer to as an 'Inbetweeners' moment * , and he likes to point to his sticky outy bits and laugh some more!! Then I have to tell him to cover them back up and he likes this 'game' very much!

As I mentioned in my other post, he seemed to struggle with leaving a 'Winnie' in the potty at the start of is toilet training, and it took him until Monday to manage to deposit one in the potty. However, as the week has progressed I have felt that at times he struggled to go - to be able to go on the potty. It has now been deduced that he doesn't like to go in front of people or at least have an audience, which makes perfect sense because when he wore nappies he would hide somewhere just out of sight and have a poo. So now we have realised this he's able to relax and go now, which must be a lot more comfortable for him rather than earlier in the week when he must have been holding it in!

We haven't ventured out in the buggy yet, but we have been out in the car and so far he has not had an accident on route. I am going to have to go out in the buggy next week if the weather is nice, because I guess I need to start getting him use to using his potty while we are out and about. We had to see the health visitor at the medical centre this week and he did a wee before we left to get back in the car so he wasn't phased then about using it in a different place to home or one of the grandma's.

If anything my main problem is that sometimes he won't get off the darn potty!! I think he would happily sit there all day giving me orders and eating his snacks!! He is like a king sat on his throne ! Mind you my Mum tells me that I sat on mine a lot when I was small even with my clothes on!

Anyway, so far so good really and it hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. Daddy and I are very proud and pleased with him :)

* the episode where Simon enters the fashion show and accidentally reveals far more than he should - some plumage pops out shall we say!

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Spooky Specials - Flashback Friday

You may recall from a previous Flashback Friday post that I once owned a cafe and it was called eat drink eat - because you did exactly what it said on the sign!! As I may have mentioned in that post, creating the menus was my favourite part of being a cafe owner and I would use any excuse to make some food and drink 'specials'.

With Halloween and half term fast approaching, if I still had my cafe I would be devising a Halloween themed menu which I would have during the whole of October.

This time back in 2008 I did just that with these two spooky special menus:

An adults one




And a kids one, which was a meal deal



As you can see I came up with some very inspired names and meal creations, well I thought so anyway!! Panini names for the adults included:
Butty The Vampire Slayer - garlic butter, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, Italian seasoning and mozzarella 
Apple Bobbing - sliced cooked apples, onions, brie, cranberry and walnuts 
The Torrington Chainsaw Massacre - sausage, bacon, spaghetti in tomato sauce and cheese (the cafe was located in Great Torrington).

These were the Worm & Mud pie puddings for the kids which were chocolate mouse topped with jelly worms and snakes (sweets)as part of their spooky meal deal (each child had a pencil and rubber set too with every meal deal bought)




I also created a some drink specials




A Spiced Pumpkin Latte and the Witches Brew Hot Chocolate which was a yummy hot chocolate topped with squirty cream and then topped with jelly sweets in shapes of worms and snakes etc.. Served with a magic wand (chocolate flake)and these were popular with kids and adults!

I don't miss my cafe that much now as I am busy enough, but I do miss making my own menus and I still find myself checking out drink and food specials at coffee shops whenever I am out and about in town and in my head I am still creating specials for my cafe!

Housework : Such A Chore (A Rant!)

Housework.

It's probably one of the most under valued, under rated and thankless jobs there is. I mean, I don't know about you in your house, but I never get any praise for it or even a thank you. It's just expected of me to do it.

I don't expect to be rewarded every time I dust and clean and vacuum; pick up things that don't belong to me and put things back in their proper place; clean around the rim of a toilet that has been stained by someone else; pick up damp towels that have been draped over the bannister and pick up dirty washing that has not been left in the laundry pile, but all around the rooms of the house instead!

If a cleaner was employed he/she would get paid and would be thanked for their hard work wouldn't they? So what is so different to those of us who are left to carry out the domestic duties in their homes? Why doesn't housework get appreciated by our families?

If it wasn't done, would comments get made by our spouses/live in partners? I think yes, they would. Yet, if the household chores were neglected would anyone else tackle them? Uhm I think not. I find that if I ever say aloud that the housework needs doing but I don't feel like doing it, my OH tells me not to bother and leave it as the state of our home isn't that bad. The thing is if I left it and didn't attend to it at least weekly, it would just get out of control and take even longer to clear up when I did tackle it!

It's not that I mind really looking after my home and cooking and cleaning afterall in my role as a SAHM it's what I am in charge of aswell as looking after my children. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful to my OH that I can stay at home and raise my boys and having housework as my job is fine by me. Afterall he works hard and long hours to raise enough money to allow me to be in the position of staying at home, so I don't expect him to spend hours cleaning the house aswell. It's not about me doing the household jobs, it's about respecting the fact that I do and not taking it for granted so much.

It's just that I wish dirty washing would be left in the correct place, to save me having to traipse around looking for it. Or maybe damp towels could be left on the heated rail in the bathroom. Empty cans could be put in the correct recycling box rather than the bin!!! You know little things that would make my life a little easier. It's not like I wave a wand and it all the housework gets done. It does take a while and it usually happens after the children have gone to bed, when I am tired and would like nothing better than to sit down and relax.

I think that's the difference isn't it between being a Mum (and in some circumstances a Dad too if he is the one in charge of looking after the home) and being the one who goes out to work. Whereas their job is a set number of days and hours , to an extent, ours is 24-7: it is continuous and we don't get time off unless our children are away and we have a rare few hours to ourselves. We can't just switch off can we? Our working day doesn't end . We can't log in and out. We are on call all the time.

And as for you Mums who go out to work and keep a house going, I take my hat off to you because you must be knackered before your home-work starts.

Being a Mum and all that it encompasses is the best job in the world it really is, but I don't think it's gets the recognition by some that it deserves. Wouldn't you agree?

Therefore, I think it is my duty as a Mummy to two boys to ensure that they are raised with an active role in helping out with housework chores and to learn some cooking skills. Then they will be prepared for living on their own and with a partner in years to come, and he able and willing to help out around their home. I want them to think of housework and cooking as a shared role and not solely the responsibility of one person and especially that of a woman.

That's my mission and my challenge - wish me luck!

But will I manage it living in a home where I am outnumbered by the opposite sex? Only time will tell, I guess.






I am linking this up to a fab new feature called

Listography - Top 5 Key Search Words On My Blog

"/>

 The very inventive Kate from Kate Takes 5, has come up with a great Listography subject this week :

The Top 5 Keyword Searches On Your Blog

Mine don't seem terribly exciting compared to a few that I have seen so far, but I will list them anyway and let you decide.

1. Crunchie Cheesecake

This refers to a Toffee & Crunchie Baked Cheesecake I made last year, and up until recently this was my most visited post!

2. mummymishaps.bogspot.com
Pretty self explanatory really!

3. Toy Story Room Ideas
This shows Burton's newly decorated big boys bedroom with a Toy Story theme - this is my most popular post and I gets hits every day on this

4. Mummy Mishaps
I wonder what people were expecting when they search those keywords? Maybe it is my blog they are looking for.

5. Sex Mummy
This one makes me laugh - makes me sound like I am swinging from the chandeliars doesn't it?? In fact its actually quite the opposite. I would imagine any men who find that post after searching those keywords would be very disappointed!!

Don't forget to go and see what other people have listed - a great read i would say :)

Potty Training - Days 1 & 2

You may have gathered from my Silent Sunday photograph that Burton has started potty training. It kind of just happened really after weeks of uhming and aaaring over whether or not to start, we just did after he successfully used the potty four times in succession Friday night during his bath and bedtime routine.

We have tried to get him to use the potty every now and then to do a wee and he has sometimes done so. His cousin, who is 5 months older, has been potty training for about a month now and we spend time with him every Wednesday, so again Burton has been watching him use a potty and has sometimes asked to use it after seeing Ben go on one. I have thought for some time that Burton was ready, I think it has been me stalling it if I am honest. I have been a little worried about starting it, almost dreading it really which was probably silly of me.

Anyway, Saturday morning after I took his night time pull up pant nappy off, I put him straight into pants and we haven't looked back. He has been brilliant and I haven't even had to use any type of bribery be it chocolate buttons or stickers. Even though we are asking him every 10 minutes or so, he chooses to use the potty when HE is ready and so far he has been very good at realising when he needs to wee. He suddenly says "wee" and puts his hands over his crutch area and runs off to find the potty!

We even braved going out for lunch today, a notion which I wasn't sure if he was up to. I am not really sure of the correct potty etiquette when you are out in a restaurant environment, but as his travel potty has not arrived yet we had to take the normal potty covered in a carrier bag with us! We asked to be seated in a corner of the dining room and when he needed to wee Burton just used the potty as normal. We only had one wee accident while we were out which I think was good going really. I am grateful that he didn't decide I do a poo as I felt bad to the other diners as it was having to walk to the toilet with a carrier bag covered potty a few times!! I think that next time we venture out like that I will take Burton to the toilet to use the potty, but being only his second day of using a potty we thought we should try and adopt a familiar routine to help him avoid having an accident.

Since we started his potty training, Burton has only had 2 wet accidents and 1 poo incident which daddy and I think is brilliant.

Talking of poo (sorry!) he hasn't done one in the potty yet. Yesterday morning he was caught hiding under the stairs with his back to us and Daddy said "I really hope that is little Iggle Piggle he has smuggled down his pants!" . Well, of course, it wasn't it was a deposit! Since then he hasn't done a poo on the potty - I don't know if he just hasn't felt the need or if he can't or doesn't feel he can. I know from reading other people's potty training exploits, that some children feel they can't poo on a potty and refuse to go. I guess if this is what Burton is experiencing I am hoping it is a phase that will pass. Not that I am looking forward to having to deal with poo in a potty or in pants! I am a but squeamish of poo if truth be told!

We are still putting a nappy (pull up pant type one) on him at bedtime. I must remember to get a waterproof cover for the mattress too for when he does stop wearing a nappy at night. I must also get a toddler seat for the toilet too. oh and some toddler wipes which can be flushed down the toilet as I only have baby wipes at the moment.

We will see what happens over the next few days, but if he carries on as well as he is, then I think Burton will crack potty training much quicker and better than I had hoped which would be great. I guess it is true that if you wait until they are ready, it is easier to get them potty trained.

He has done so well , for now anyway . Long may it continue I say!

Well done that boy.