So, I haven't blogged in the whole of December. Not to say I haven't thought about it. I've considered posting about: our lack of travels and the days drawing in and us responding by days and days at home; or how Christmas prep has taken over our household; how pj's are the number one clothes item for the winter months; is it acceptable to be obsessed with angry birds and how do we manage our expectations verses our children's; why Santa Claus makes no appearance in our house; how we celebrate Christmas; the centrality of family in our lives; how education is a by product of our lifestyle and how we live our lives and the relationships we are forming with eachother, with Jesus, with our friends are central; not applying for a schools place; places we go to when the weather is grim and our usual haunts are closed for the season; the difference in our parenting between the arrival of baby #1 and #3; what the children have been exploring and learning and questioning and playing.....let's do that!
Bean: Bean has been enjoying festive activities, making cards and salt dough decorations and watching Christmas shows (which all deceptively snow on Christmas day), choosing and shopping for presents for family, carols outside in the dark and by cancel light, a puppet show and singing 'happy birthday Jesus' at nearly every place we go!
Pumpkin: Pumpkin has been perfecting his angry birds skills and beating daddy at every level and finding accessories and birds that daddy has never come across. Mostly, that's it. Or so it would seem some days. Other days he draws and paints and colours reenacts angry birds with his toys and bricks and Bean! And he has baked a lot of cakes and biscuits for his friends as Christmas gifts.
Plum: Plum has grown more hair! She is also cruising very happily and has 3 teeth come through. I read the other day about the order at which teeth grow through and at what age. I only read the first few sentences before I stopped as it stopped applying to Plum in the first set, yet again proving that we are all different and not being average is not necessarily a problem (well, not in this house and especially not when it comes to teeth growing!) She is also vocalising a lot and managing ma ma and da da and pointing most decisively at the things she wants. She loves to sing along to music and her body can't help but move when a good tune comes along.
And then Christmas came and we joined our families to spend days together and sharing gifts and mince pies.
And it would not be a post about December 2012 if I did not mention the latest addition to our family, the beautiful Cleo, my new niece whom I love dearly and am so happy that she has been granted to our family to care for, what a blessing.
Our Tribe
Thursday, 27 December 2012
Friday, 23 November 2012
The hills are alive
I am enjoying the vibe so much more now that we are all recovered on our colds and ear aches and coughs. It is such a joy to watch Bean and Pumpkin play together again. Today's game largely revolved around the train sets and each being assigned a different area, the yard, the quarry, the repair shed.
Bean also drew a plan of a boat that he was going to make. He drew all the things he was going to need and what it would look like when he had finished. He then set about making it by gathering all the things he needed from his list and started making it. It needed some improving along the way and he has only had time to paint half of it but I really enjoyed watching him go through the process.
The afternoon was a trip to town (still no phone) and an extra gymnastics class which tired us all out but makes the whole evening rhythm later so bean was over tired by bath time but we had bought glow sticks and the boys were looking forward to a glow in the dark bath...which was much fun and exciting.
Plum has completely lost any rhythm she had going on and didn't eat or breast feed or sleep all day she finally gave in on the way home from gymnastics and fell asleep in the car and then in the song for an hour. She did eat dinner and has had one milk feed. She is now on her way to bed. Pumpkin is enjoying a viewing of cars for our Friday evening family film.
Bean also drew a plan of a boat that he was going to make. He drew all the things he was going to need and what it would look like when he had finished. He then set about making it by gathering all the things he needed from his list and started making it. It needed some improving along the way and he has only had time to paint half of it but I really enjoyed watching him go through the process.
The afternoon was a trip to town (still no phone) and an extra gymnastics class which tired us all out but makes the whole evening rhythm later so bean was over tired by bath time but we had bought glow sticks and the boys were looking forward to a glow in the dark bath...which was much fun and exciting.
Plum has completely lost any rhythm she had going on and didn't eat or breast feed or sleep all day she finally gave in on the way home from gymnastics and fell asleep in the car and then in the song for an hour. She did eat dinner and has had one milk feed. She is now on her way to bed. Pumpkin is enjoying a viewing of cars for our Friday evening family film.
Thursday, 22 November 2012
Have a nice day
We are back on form today :) Bean got up after only a slightly disturbed night (up twice) and after trying a breakfast unsuccessfully ploughed headlong into the day with track building for racing cars and train track lines too. Pumpkin joined him and they played together for nearly two hours with pumpkin taking a few breaks to go and repeat some of the puzzles he has been working on recently. Plum woke at 8.45 giving us plenty of time to get our things together and go out too. A little cautious, we went to a crafty group just in case bean lost his powers and needed to rest. But....he made an angel and a food craft and some scratchy art and cutting and sticking and he played in the soft play. Pumpkin did the food craft (obviously) and then played with the toys and in the soft play. Plum enjoyed taking it all in from the comfort of the sling and then had a wander around, again straying quite a distance even to the point where she couldn't see me, although I did note that she could see her brother and frequently turned to look at him.
The boys played for another couple of hours when we got home whilst plum and I did some chores and she had a feed and a nap in the process. Lunch was interesting as I hadn't done a food order this week and the cupboards are running low especially as we haven't made it to the shops either.
After lunch friends came to play. We had talked this through earlier today but Bean insisted that he felt okay and they had a lovely few hours with their friends enjoying a larger scale role play game involving rescuing a queen and fighting a king, there were lots of dressing up items involved plus all their bedding and bean bags and the emptying of the upstairs toy box. There was also some clay models and play dough, colouring, trains, racing cars, building bricks, Lego and a repeat of a game they made up the last time they visited called 'cuckoo.'
Needless to say this busy day wore Bean out and Pumpkin too (hurray!) Normal service seems to have resumed although I don't think we'll venture too far tomorrow just in case full energy reserves have not been replenished. Plus, much to my liking, there was very little iplayer and computer games today.
The boys played for another couple of hours when we got home whilst plum and I did some chores and she had a feed and a nap in the process. Lunch was interesting as I hadn't done a food order this week and the cupboards are running low especially as we haven't made it to the shops either.
After lunch friends came to play. We had talked this through earlier today but Bean insisted that he felt okay and they had a lovely few hours with their friends enjoying a larger scale role play game involving rescuing a queen and fighting a king, there were lots of dressing up items involved plus all their bedding and bean bags and the emptying of the upstairs toy box. There was also some clay models and play dough, colouring, trains, racing cars, building bricks, Lego and a repeat of a game they made up the last time they visited called 'cuckoo.'
Needless to say this busy day wore Bean out and Pumpkin too (hurray!) Normal service seems to have resumed although I don't think we'll venture too far tomorrow just in case full energy reserves have not been replenished. Plus, much to my liking, there was very little iplayer and computer games today.
Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Why why why?
No phone = no photos :(
Ear infection = stay at home :/
Confined Pumpkin = not good :0
We are at home again. Bean is fighting his ear infection by sleeping a lot on and off. Yesterday saw him go to bed at 5pm and he woke this morning at 8am. He then tried to eat some breakfast but ended up drinking a lot of milk instead, built himself a train track and then took himself back to bed at 9.30am. After two and a half hours rest/ sleep he came downstairs. Unfortunately he was upset because he had banged his poorly ear on the side of the bed. He recovered with some tlc and a change of clothes and...
Pumpkin had been busy making fruit juice ice pops and butterfly cakes to cheer Bean up and make him feel better. The butterfly cakes were ready just as Bean joined us so we ate cake and drank some more. It was lovely to spend an hour with Pumpkin just us.
Plum didn't wake until 10.45 today. She refused a morning milk feed and ate pancakes for breakfast and happily played around our feet as we made cakes. She has spent the rest of the day eating! Milk feeds and toast and baked beans and oranges. The playing happily has steadily been replaced by needing lots of cuddles but refusing to go back to sleep. She has been tired now for nearly two hours and has just gone to sleep.
The large amount of watching has continued today but Bean has spent all of his time downstairs lying on the sofa. We're sure that the ear ache is due to his cold virus and not an infection so we are trying to let it take its natural course.
Last night I was part of an upsetting conversation with some other mums (who I didn't know) and how they are trying to get their respective children to sleep through the night. A combination of Not feeding them, smacking them and shouting at them before closing the bedroom door on them. How upsetting to be that stressed about sleep. Lack of sleep really does push people to do the strangest things. And as if to remind me how rubbish sleep deprivation is I was up three times with Bean in the night, once with Pumpkin and up feeding Plum at 7am, although I still didn't resort to threats, punishment or withdrawal, it was tiresome and tiring.
Ear infection = stay at home :/
Confined Pumpkin = not good :0
We are at home again. Bean is fighting his ear infection by sleeping a lot on and off. Yesterday saw him go to bed at 5pm and he woke this morning at 8am. He then tried to eat some breakfast but ended up drinking a lot of milk instead, built himself a train track and then took himself back to bed at 9.30am. After two and a half hours rest/ sleep he came downstairs. Unfortunately he was upset because he had banged his poorly ear on the side of the bed. He recovered with some tlc and a change of clothes and...
Pumpkin had been busy making fruit juice ice pops and butterfly cakes to cheer Bean up and make him feel better. The butterfly cakes were ready just as Bean joined us so we ate cake and drank some more. It was lovely to spend an hour with Pumpkin just us.
Plum didn't wake until 10.45 today. She refused a morning milk feed and ate pancakes for breakfast and happily played around our feet as we made cakes. She has spent the rest of the day eating! Milk feeds and toast and baked beans and oranges. The playing happily has steadily been replaced by needing lots of cuddles but refusing to go back to sleep. She has been tired now for nearly two hours and has just gone to sleep.
The large amount of watching has continued today but Bean has spent all of his time downstairs lying on the sofa. We're sure that the ear ache is due to his cold virus and not an infection so we are trying to let it take its natural course.
Last night I was part of an upsetting conversation with some other mums (who I didn't know) and how they are trying to get their respective children to sleep through the night. A combination of Not feeding them, smacking them and shouting at them before closing the bedroom door on them. How upsetting to be that stressed about sleep. Lack of sleep really does push people to do the strangest things. And as if to remind me how rubbish sleep deprivation is I was up three times with Bean in the night, once with Pumpkin and up feeding Plum at 7am, although I still didn't resort to threats, punishment or withdrawal, it was tiresome and tiring.
Tuesday, 20 November 2012
O sit down
Still no phone, still no photos.
We made it out again this morning. I have taken to going to places in the morning (as Bean seems a little happier and more energetic in the mornings) but finding places that he can hide in a quiet corner and rest if needs be whilst pumpkin and plum play. This morning we joined friends at a new toddler group in town, so it's quiet...just the way I like it!
Bean found some puzzles to do and pumpkin tried out every toy and activity they had put out. Plum happily crawled around and around and wandered much further from me than I remember the boys doing at that age but that might just be my memory.
Post lunch has seen the tv on again and I have taken the opportunity to tidy the crafting area and other dumping grounds. Plum has gone to sleep for a while and I am sitting with the boys whilst they watch some more.
Bean continues to struggle with his ear but seems to be fighting it, he is very washed out though :(
We made it out again this morning. I have taken to going to places in the morning (as Bean seems a little happier and more energetic in the mornings) but finding places that he can hide in a quiet corner and rest if needs be whilst pumpkin and plum play. This morning we joined friends at a new toddler group in town, so it's quiet...just the way I like it!
Bean found some puzzles to do and pumpkin tried out every toy and activity they had put out. Plum happily crawled around and around and wandered much further from me than I remember the boys doing at that age but that might just be my memory.
Post lunch has seen the tv on again and I have taken the opportunity to tidy the crafting area and other dumping grounds. Plum has gone to sleep for a while and I am sitting with the boys whilst they watch some more.
Bean continues to struggle with his ear but seems to be fighting it, he is very washed out though :(
Dance to the rhythm
Monday 19th November
We attempted to go to gymnastics today but as Bean spent the whole of Little Verse lying down on a chair in the corner he quite clearly was not going to make an energetic hour of gymnastics, so we came home. Pumpkin and Plum had a lovely time singing rhymes together and doing row row row the boat. Pumpkin spent a long time carefully colouring his picture and Plum had a long cuddle with SGS.
Lunch was pre made by daddy before he went to work this morning (thank you daddy) and then the boys spent the afternoon watching iplayer. There has been more watching recently but Bean really has no energy for anything else so it seems the easiest choice for him. Pumpkin just sits with him and it's hard to entice him away. Plum happily crawls around and plays with whatever she comes across.
Bean took himself off to bed at 7pm with no stories or pre bed cuddles :( poor poorly boy but this gave Pumpkin half an hour of solo stories and cuddles before he went to bed. Plum only slept for half an hour in the middle of today, although she didn't get up until 10am, but this ment that she too was asleep by 7.30 and left daddy and I with a solo evening! ...making Christmas presents!
We attempted to go to gymnastics today but as Bean spent the whole of Little Verse lying down on a chair in the corner he quite clearly was not going to make an energetic hour of gymnastics, so we came home. Pumpkin and Plum had a lovely time singing rhymes together and doing row row row the boat. Pumpkin spent a long time carefully colouring his picture and Plum had a long cuddle with SGS.
Lunch was pre made by daddy before he went to work this morning (thank you daddy) and then the boys spent the afternoon watching iplayer. There has been more watching recently but Bean really has no energy for anything else so it seems the easiest choice for him. Pumpkin just sits with him and it's hard to entice him away. Plum happily crawls around and plays with whatever she comes across.
Bean took himself off to bed at 7pm with no stories or pre bed cuddles :( poor poorly boy but this gave Pumpkin half an hour of solo stories and cuddles before he went to bed. Plum only slept for half an hour in the middle of today, although she didn't get up until 10am, but this ment that she too was asleep by 7.30 and left daddy and I with a solo evening! ...making Christmas presents!
Monday, 19 November 2012
At the end of the day
Saturday 17th November
We took advantage of grandma and pops being here today and whilst they played with the children we cleaned and organised the house a little. It was nice to get back to a little organised, although it took us all day and is still not complete! I feel we may chase our tail with this for many years to come. There is always some pile of stuff that needs washing, compiling, returning, putting away, cleaning, fixing, altering, filing, making, selling, moving on. In this house these things all come second to caring for and being with our children. Consequently we live in a hovel...well, it's not that bad but four of us are in the house day in and day out and it makes for a lot of tidying up which doesn't always get done. Fortunately daddy does more than his fair share so we just about manage to stay afloat and not disappear under piles of laundry and paintings left to dry or dirty dishes.
Bean and pumpkin have made birthday cards with grandma and Bean has fallen asleep on grandma's lap complaining of an ear ache.
We took advantage of grandma and pops being here today and whilst they played with the children we cleaned and organised the house a little. It was nice to get back to a little organised, although it took us all day and is still not complete! I feel we may chase our tail with this for many years to come. There is always some pile of stuff that needs washing, compiling, returning, putting away, cleaning, fixing, altering, filing, making, selling, moving on. In this house these things all come second to caring for and being with our children. Consequently we live in a hovel...well, it's not that bad but four of us are in the house day in and day out and it makes for a lot of tidying up which doesn't always get done. Fortunately daddy does more than his fair share so we just about manage to stay afloat and not disappear under piles of laundry and paintings left to dry or dirty dishes.
Bean and pumpkin have made birthday cards with grandma and Bean has fallen asleep on grandma's lap complaining of an ear ache.
Promises promises
Sunday 18th November
Church day and mummy and daddy both running Sunday school. I did the rainbow as God's reminder not to flood the whole earth again and we painted a large rainbow onto backing paper. It was colours mixed together and looked very effective. Pumpkin then choose to colour his own rainbow.
Bean was adamant that he wanted to go to church this morning even though he is clearly still suffering with ear ache but we took him with us and anticipated an early exit but he struggled on through and even mustered some energy for the birthday event this afternoon. He had planned and made a piñata and pass the parcel and requested musical statues as well.
Grandma made a lovely lunch for us all and an amazing chocolate cake and friends gave us a Skype call mid afternoon which was great too. Pumpkin got very upset that he didn't win musical statues but he just can't stay still! We gave him a prize for best dancer.
We ended the day with bean requesting to go to bed at 6pm, shortly followed by Pumpkin.
Church day and mummy and daddy both running Sunday school. I did the rainbow as God's reminder not to flood the whole earth again and we painted a large rainbow onto backing paper. It was colours mixed together and looked very effective. Pumpkin then choose to colour his own rainbow.
Bean was adamant that he wanted to go to church this morning even though he is clearly still suffering with ear ache but we took him with us and anticipated an early exit but he struggled on through and even mustered some energy for the birthday event this afternoon. He had planned and made a piñata and pass the parcel and requested musical statues as well.
Grandma made a lovely lunch for us all and an amazing chocolate cake and friends gave us a Skype call mid afternoon which was great too. Pumpkin got very upset that he didn't win musical statues but he just can't stay still! We gave him a prize for best dancer.
We ended the day with bean requesting to go to bed at 6pm, shortly followed by Pumpkin.
Friday, 16 November 2012
Surprise surprise
I got up at 9.45 this morning, not to be mistaken for sleeping until 9.45 but grandad did phone before I got up and Bean answered and took a message, I was very impressed. I cooked myself bacon and eggs for breakfast and the boys had some too. Plum woke up at 10.30.
Bean and Pumpkin had entertained themselves with their own version of angry birds using bricks and toy plastic animals, building their own structures and placing the animals on it. The also built vehicles with the Lego and took photos of their creations for many different angles.
We went into town to do a few jobs and managed to find a few bargains as we went round, new colouring pens and some craft bits and pieces and new shoes for Bean. I have been aware that Pumpkin's shoes are too small and I have been asking him if he would like his feet measured every time we go into town but he has declined. Today Bean said he wanted his measured and I thought this might encourage his brother so I agreed. As it worked out Bean's feet have grown 2 sizes and so have Pumpkin's. New shoes all round but there was a sale on so all well and good. It was slightly funny when the sales assistant asked what we were looking for and I replayed 'anything he wants' and he said, 'you'll be needing school shoes though?' I smiled :) no thanks. Although having said this the last pair of shoes that Bean choose happened to be school style shoes. This time he went for trainers.
We had a very late lunch but I had put potatoes in the oven to bake as I knew we would need warming up. This was followed by a quick tidy up and off to gymnastics class for Bean. We are making up a few missed session and have to join a regular after school group to do it. It was awful. Crowded. Busy. Noisy. Bean had no idea what was going on in the warm up when they all started running around (playing stuck in the mud) and he had a very worried stressful face on him. Then some of the other children told him he shouldn't be here and they split into smaller groups and he was left aimlessly wandering around trying to work out where he should be. When he finished and we were reunited I asked him what he thought of the different class and he said he loved it, bouncing with big beaming smile! So glad I hadn't voiced my opinion first. He was so proud of himself for not being shy and telling them his name and he said they played a running around game that he didn't know so he just ran around anyway! He also told me about the children who said he shouldn't be there and how he had responded by explaining why he was there.
Home for a late dinner with daddy and into pyjamas so that we can watch a film all cosy on the sofa (Pumpkin's idea) Secretly hoping all the smalls are asleep by 9 so me and daddy can watch a film together and eat chocolate.
Happy birthday me :)
Bean and Pumpkin had entertained themselves with their own version of angry birds using bricks and toy plastic animals, building their own structures and placing the animals on it. The also built vehicles with the Lego and took photos of their creations for many different angles.
We went into town to do a few jobs and managed to find a few bargains as we went round, new colouring pens and some craft bits and pieces and new shoes for Bean. I have been aware that Pumpkin's shoes are too small and I have been asking him if he would like his feet measured every time we go into town but he has declined. Today Bean said he wanted his measured and I thought this might encourage his brother so I agreed. As it worked out Bean's feet have grown 2 sizes and so have Pumpkin's. New shoes all round but there was a sale on so all well and good. It was slightly funny when the sales assistant asked what we were looking for and I replayed 'anything he wants' and he said, 'you'll be needing school shoes though?' I smiled :) no thanks. Although having said this the last pair of shoes that Bean choose happened to be school style shoes. This time he went for trainers.
We had a very late lunch but I had put potatoes in the oven to bake as I knew we would need warming up. This was followed by a quick tidy up and off to gymnastics class for Bean. We are making up a few missed session and have to join a regular after school group to do it. It was awful. Crowded. Busy. Noisy. Bean had no idea what was going on in the warm up when they all started running around (playing stuck in the mud) and he had a very worried stressful face on him. Then some of the other children told him he shouldn't be here and they split into smaller groups and he was left aimlessly wandering around trying to work out where he should be. When he finished and we were reunited I asked him what he thought of the different class and he said he loved it, bouncing with big beaming smile! So glad I hadn't voiced my opinion first. He was so proud of himself for not being shy and telling them his name and he said they played a running around game that he didn't know so he just ran around anyway! He also told me about the children who said he shouldn't be there and how he had responded by explaining why he was there.
Home for a late dinner with daddy and into pyjamas so that we can watch a film all cosy on the sofa (Pumpkin's idea) Secretly hoping all the smalls are asleep by 9 so me and daddy can watch a film together and eat chocolate.
Happy birthday me :)
Wednesday, 14 November 2012
Home again, home again
I had some unexpected time with just the boys this morning. First Pumpkin disappeared so that he could indulge in his recent love of puzzles. Bean wanted to know how to write blue tit, millipede, beetle grub and heron. Did you know that it is impossible to separate reading, writing. And speech development, that one greatly impacts and draws on the other? It is so pleasing to have the freedoms to let them develop naturally together but even more astonishing than that I had an ingenious idea (doesn't happen that often) So, here it is: we have had to remove the magnetic letters from the fridge since Plum is now on the move and they have been sat in a tub for w few days now. Today I put them in an old metal biscuit tin and we picked out the sounds and letters we needed to make the words and put the onto the lid. Bean now has his own tin of words and letters to play with. Genius (well, I thought so and it works for us.)
This was followed by Bean wanting to write the words out so I left him to it and went to find Pumpkin who let me help him with his puzzles. We did one of them three times.
I woke Plum at 12noon so that we could go to the farm shop. She had slept since 9pm last night with one milk feed at 8.30am when she promptly went back to sleep. The lady in the farm shop is kindly fitting in with the drill now and knows that the boys always have something to pay for and tells them how much and gives them their change and their receipt. I really appreciate it when other adults engage with the smalls in this way, it is too rare a thing.
Lunch was followed by Bean drawing a picture and requesting to send to it to some relatives who we rarely see. We posted it on the way to the playground. The boys both rode their bikes but it proved to be too much for Bean who spent the whole time yelling at his brother and using him like a punch bag. It had been Pumpkin's request to go out and I was glad of it on such a lovely day and having been at home for so many days in a row but I had to call an end to it even though Pumpkin insisted it was okay, it wasn't.
Rest is seriously under rated these days. The smalls are far more in tune with when they need to slow down or maybe it's just that they listen instead of dosing up on meds and carrying on. Bean is still suffering with his cold and the journeying out wore him out entirely. Plum continues to suffer with her cold too and it probably explains her need to sleep so much (not that I'm complaining, 2 nights in a row with 8 hours sleep for me. That's only 2 out of three since she arrived and doesn't include the sleepless pregnancy nights!) I'm still in the position of trying to balance this out with Pumpkin's need to excercise and go for a ride.
Needless to say the remainder of the smalls day consisted of Plum sleeping in the sling whilst I did chores and dinner and the boys watching iplayer. Post dinner was board games and bath before both boys headed to bed about 8 and Plum cuddling all evening before going to sleep about 9.30.
This was followed by Bean wanting to write the words out so I left him to it and went to find Pumpkin who let me help him with his puzzles. We did one of them three times.
I woke Plum at 12noon so that we could go to the farm shop. She had slept since 9pm last night with one milk feed at 8.30am when she promptly went back to sleep. The lady in the farm shop is kindly fitting in with the drill now and knows that the boys always have something to pay for and tells them how much and gives them their change and their receipt. I really appreciate it when other adults engage with the smalls in this way, it is too rare a thing.
Lunch was followed by Bean drawing a picture and requesting to send to it to some relatives who we rarely see. We posted it on the way to the playground. The boys both rode their bikes but it proved to be too much for Bean who spent the whole time yelling at his brother and using him like a punch bag. It had been Pumpkin's request to go out and I was glad of it on such a lovely day and having been at home for so many days in a row but I had to call an end to it even though Pumpkin insisted it was okay, it wasn't.
Rest is seriously under rated these days. The smalls are far more in tune with when they need to slow down or maybe it's just that they listen instead of dosing up on meds and carrying on. Bean is still suffering with his cold and the journeying out wore him out entirely. Plum continues to suffer with her cold too and it probably explains her need to sleep so much (not that I'm complaining, 2 nights in a row with 8 hours sleep for me. That's only 2 out of three since she arrived and doesn't include the sleepless pregnancy nights!) I'm still in the position of trying to balance this out with Pumpkin's need to excercise and go for a ride.
Needless to say the remainder of the smalls day consisted of Plum sleeping in the sling whilst I did chores and dinner and the boys watching iplayer. Post dinner was board games and bath before both boys headed to bed about 8 and Plum cuddling all evening before going to sleep about 9.30.
Monday, 12 November 2012
The Prince and the Pea
So, it transpires that I need some fresh air!
Another day at home and relatively calm, playing games and watching iplayer and pretend cooking with freshly made play dough and den building and torch light investigations and searching the kitchen for items that are smaller than a pea that you can eat (Bean's idea after announcing that he knew what the smallest thing you can eat is (a pea) and me setting him the challenging to see if he could find anything smaller, so far there are 21 items stuck to a piece of paper and we still have 2 cupboards to go)
Pumpkin is showing signs of getting better and needing some exercise or maybe just to leave the house. He got himself dressed about 5pm and put his Wellies on to go into the garden. This was after he spent an hour running around in circles in the living room. It was cold and wet and dark so he settled for a game of hide and seek, unfortunately Plum is not that good at hiding, always crawling away or making a noise.
Plum has slept on and off all day and fed on and off all day and not been further from my side than 10cm! She really is suffering the most it of all the smalls :( She spent the night shoved right up next to me too, poor mite.
Another day at home and relatively calm, playing games and watching iplayer and pretend cooking with freshly made play dough and den building and torch light investigations and searching the kitchen for items that are smaller than a pea that you can eat (Bean's idea after announcing that he knew what the smallest thing you can eat is (a pea) and me setting him the challenging to see if he could find anything smaller, so far there are 21 items stuck to a piece of paper and we still have 2 cupboards to go)
Pumpkin is showing signs of getting better and needing some exercise or maybe just to leave the house. He got himself dressed about 5pm and put his Wellies on to go into the garden. This was after he spent an hour running around in circles in the living room. It was cold and wet and dark so he settled for a game of hide and seek, unfortunately Plum is not that good at hiding, always crawling away or making a noise.
Plum has slept on and off all day and fed on and off all day and not been further from my side than 10cm! She really is suffering the most it of all the smalls :( She spent the night shoved right up next to me too, poor mite.
Sunday, 11 November 2012
On the seventh day, He rested.
Bean was the first awake this morning, up at 7am. This was followed by daddy at 9am! Daddy went downstairs to find bean resting on the sofa and Pumpkin asleep on the sofa. Mummy and Plum had had a restless night and daddy woke me with a cup of tea at 9.30am. Pumpkin woke about 9.30 and plum woke at 9.45. Still all full of cold.
Daddy hurriedly got himself together and went to church solo whilst the rest of us stayed at home for more resting. Bean built a den and played in it for an hour, I helped Pumkpin to build one too and put it next to Bean's in their bedroom. This was followed by a long lay down and some tv.
We had a very late lunch and plum had a brief sleep, her cold is really preventing a good sleep atm. The boys had accumulated enough energy to go out this afternoon and we went to t@4. We were out for 2 hours, needless to say it wiped them both out and after eating dinner both went to straight to bed.
Plum had another brief sleep and is having a cuddle with daddy as I type, in the hope that this will be a bigger, all night type of sleep...not hopeful!
Daddy hurriedly got himself together and went to church solo whilst the rest of us stayed at home for more resting. Bean built a den and played in it for an hour, I helped Pumkpin to build one too and put it next to Bean's in their bedroom. This was followed by a long lay down and some tv.
We had a very late lunch and plum had a brief sleep, her cold is really preventing a good sleep atm. The boys had accumulated enough energy to go out this afternoon and we went to t@4. We were out for 2 hours, needless to say it wiped them both out and after eating dinner both went to straight to bed.
Plum had another brief sleep and is having a cuddle with daddy as I type, in the hope that this will be a bigger, all night type of sleep...not hopeful!
How low?
Saturday 10th November
A new low has occurred...all three smalls have a rotten cold and there is very little activity going on just lots of rest. We did take them out this morning for tea and cake. Bean ate very little of his cake and Pumpkin ate many cakes (not one to lose his appetite)
I took Plum with me to a friends birthday afternoon but didn't stay long and came home to find boys resting on the sofa, Pumpkin asleep.
We had a late dinner and a family evening in front of the tv. Plum went to sleep at 8.30, bean at 9.30 and pumpkin at 10.30 all with oils under their pillows.
Ps. Still no photos as my returned phone is not working so is back at the phone doctors
A new low has occurred...all three smalls have a rotten cold and there is very little activity going on just lots of rest. We did take them out this morning for tea and cake. Bean ate very little of his cake and Pumpkin ate many cakes (not one to lose his appetite)
I took Plum with me to a friends birthday afternoon but didn't stay long and came home to find boys resting on the sofa, Pumpkin asleep.
We had a late dinner and a family evening in front of the tv. Plum went to sleep at 8.30, bean at 9.30 and pumpkin at 10.30 all with oils under their pillows.
Ps. Still no photos as my returned phone is not working so is back at the phone doctors
Friday, 9 November 2012
Miss Polly had a dolly
So, it becomes apparent today why this week we have not ventured far (other than the change in seasons) ...plum had a very tossing and turning night (to the point where she fell out of the bed) and woke very unhappily at 10am after 14 hours asleep, Bean is full of cold and Pumpkin has a sore throat...I am fit and well PTL.
This has meant another day at home. Plum has slept mostly after waking for an hour at a time and eating and nursing. The boys have spent a long time playing with apps and I have read a lot of stories with Pumpkin. Bean found one of the body books from the library and asked to do one of the activities so we have drawn our organs today and put them in the right place on his body.
All three smalls have been in pyjamas all day.
This has meant another day at home. Plum has slept mostly after waking for an hour at a time and eating and nursing. The boys have spent a long time playing with apps and I have read a lot of stories with Pumpkin. Bean found one of the body books from the library and asked to do one of the activities so we have drawn our organs today and put them in the right place on his body.
All three smalls have been in pyjamas all day.
Home is where the heart is
Thursday 8th November
Plum slept the longest she has yet without waking for a feed and no tossing and turning as she has been doing lately due to her cold. A good night sleep all round, worth mentioning because with three smalls in the house and one insomniac it's a rare thing.
Another at home date, well, we did venture to town to collect my phone (so there might be photos tomorrow) and a visit to the library.
Bean found some books on the body and choose some story books too. Pumpkin played on the computer. Plum emptied the shelves!
I spent some time with Bean this morning making a guitar which he then gave t o Pumpkin and then spent some time playing guess who? With Pumkin.
Plum slept the longest she has yet without waking for a feed and no tossing and turning as she has been doing lately due to her cold. A good night sleep all round, worth mentioning because with three smalls in the house and one insomniac it's a rare thing.
Another at home date, well, we did venture to town to collect my phone (so there might be photos tomorrow) and a visit to the library.
Bean found some books on the body and choose some story books too. Pumpkin played on the computer. Plum emptied the shelves!
I spent some time with Bean this morning making a guitar which he then gave t o Pumpkin and then spent some time playing guess who? With Pumkin.
Wednesday, 7 November 2012
I want to play the game with you
who would have thought it? We're getting quite into the groove of staying at home. We did venture out the front door today though. Plum woke earlier than usual which was unexpected as she didn't go to bed until after 10 last night but it meant that we were all up and busy by 9... Although the boys had been up much earlier than this as is usual.
Most notably today the brothers have been getting on really well. You know you have those days when you hear your own voice when your children speak? And it's usually something that makes you cringe? (I would give some examples but I don't want to give myself away entirely!) well, today was sort of the same except opposite. After years of mediating and providing frameworks for discussion and modelling thought processes, today, today, for no reason I can see that is special, we had a whole day of...
'can I go first?' 'yes, you can' 'thank you'
'I don't want to watch that' 'ok. How about we watch ...' 'that's a great idea, let's do that'
'if I go first on the way there, then you can go first on the way back. Do you promise not to push past me?' 'I promise' (and he didn't! )
'would you like me to help you, mummy?'
'I'll get the spoons' 'I'll get the bowls'
You get the idea. And I'm not even exaggerating. It really is nice to have such a lovely day, listening to your children get along and cooperate.
Most notably today the brothers have been getting on really well. You know you have those days when you hear your own voice when your children speak? And it's usually something that makes you cringe? (I would give some examples but I don't want to give myself away entirely!) well, today was sort of the same except opposite. After years of mediating and providing frameworks for discussion and modelling thought processes, today, today, for no reason I can see that is special, we had a whole day of...
'can I go first?' 'yes, you can' 'thank you'
'I don't want to watch that' 'ok. How about we watch ...' 'that's a great idea, let's do that'
'if I go first on the way there, then you can go first on the way back. Do you promise not to push past me?' 'I promise' (and he didn't! )
'would you like me to help you, mummy?'
'I'll get the spoons' 'I'll get the bowls'
You get the idea. And I'm not even exaggerating. It really is nice to have such a lovely day, listening to your children get along and cooperate.
Monday, 5 November 2012
It's a Mystery
Okay, so sometimes blogging on a Monday can be more of the same old same old and as I don't have to put any effort into preparing for Mondays I wonder if there is any new learning going on?
I was asked today by someone very dear to me what we were doing at home with the boys? I'm never quite sure what answer people are expecting especially when they know us so well and know what we're up to most of the time but I took the idea, as I do most times I'm asked this sort of question, that they mean either, when do you sit down and teach your children? Or, What do you sit down and teach your children. And so I take the mandatory deep breath (deep breath for me) and began by explaining that 'we don't follow the traditional school route and therefore don't use a specific teaching programme or curriculum and don't timetable our day in the way that a school does.' Pause....to judge response...All seems well, person in question seems to have computed information without any technical hitches...I continue. 'We spend our days out and about or at home and learn from the world around us, the children have a large say in what we do and what they want to do which at the moment includes a lot of bike riding, playground visits, meeting friends and family, exploring places of interest, crafting, crafting, crafting and watching iplayer.' pause again... 'Oh' is the quiet response 'I don't know much about how it works.' Which is a very gracious response and one which I did not feel requested a response with more information about our lives at this point (as I said, it was someone that I do know well and see frequently so we can pick it up at a later date if they come back to me after processing this information)
So back to the original question, what have we learnt today? Clearly I don't know. Too much for me to observe, too much to write down, and too much that I haven't even noticed that my children are busy processing in their brains as they sleep. Maybe that's a cop-out but that is the way it is and as I haven't sat down with an educational game or worksheet for them to do I have little paper evidence of their development from one stage to the next but I do know that they are busy learning, all the time.
I was asked today by someone very dear to me what we were doing at home with the boys? I'm never quite sure what answer people are expecting especially when they know us so well and know what we're up to most of the time but I took the idea, as I do most times I'm asked this sort of question, that they mean either, when do you sit down and teach your children? Or, What do you sit down and teach your children. And so I take the mandatory deep breath (deep breath for me) and began by explaining that 'we don't follow the traditional school route and therefore don't use a specific teaching programme or curriculum and don't timetable our day in the way that a school does.' Pause....to judge response...All seems well, person in question seems to have computed information without any technical hitches...I continue. 'We spend our days out and about or at home and learn from the world around us, the children have a large say in what we do and what they want to do which at the moment includes a lot of bike riding, playground visits, meeting friends and family, exploring places of interest, crafting, crafting, crafting and watching iplayer.' pause again... 'Oh' is the quiet response 'I don't know much about how it works.' Which is a very gracious response and one which I did not feel requested a response with more information about our lives at this point (as I said, it was someone that I do know well and see frequently so we can pick it up at a later date if they come back to me after processing this information)
So back to the original question, what have we learnt today? Clearly I don't know. Too much for me to observe, too much to write down, and too much that I haven't even noticed that my children are busy processing in their brains as they sleep. Maybe that's a cop-out but that is the way it is and as I haven't sat down with an educational game or worksheet for them to do I have little paper evidence of their development from one stage to the next but I do know that they are busy learning, all the time.
Sunday, 4 November 2012
In Christ Alone
Church day bought around daddy leading the service today and me sitting with three smalls on my own. They were all great. Pumpkin sat with a slightly older boy and ate and drank and played with the toy quad bike he had bought with him, bean flicked through the song book and played with the toy quad bike and truck he had bought with him and Plum sat and emptied my bag. After the boys went upstairs for their classes, Plum had a feed and fell asleep for the message, as is becoming the routine- in fact it is the only thing in her life that I can say is routine, her Sunday morning church snooze.
The afternoon saw us all huddle together and watching tele and Bean announcing that, 'this is nice, all of us together' which made my heart sing. It was nice and just as Sundays should be :) daddy also took a sleep with Plum. They have had a lovely father and daughter afternoon to the point that I realised she hadn't had any milk for several hours and even though she hadn't asked for any I thought i'd offer and she guzzled away. It was definitely a daddy day.
The afternoon saw us all huddle together and watching tele and Bean announcing that, 'this is nice, all of us together' which made my heart sing. It was nice and just as Sundays should be :) daddy also took a sleep with Plum. They have had a lovely father and daughter afternoon to the point that I realised she hadn't had any milk for several hours and even though she hadn't asked for any I thought i'd offer and she guzzled away. It was definitely a daddy day.
Feast and famine
Monday 29th October
A slight change in routine today as it's half term so our baby rhyme session was not on. It also meant that gymnastics was a little earlier. We cycled, as is becoming our habit, and we stopped off in town on the way. We also played, but only briefly, in the park afterwards too and went to one shop on the return home.
Bean finds it hard to find a good point to eat on Mondays. He might have a little something before gymnastics but then gets carried away with play park fun afterwards and usually doesn't eat the bulk of his lunch until he gets home. It's the only day he goes so long without food and I'm not sure how he does it as most days he seems to eat constantly all morning.
A slight change in routine today as it's half term so our baby rhyme session was not on. It also meant that gymnastics was a little earlier. We cycled, as is becoming our habit, and we stopped off in town on the way. We also played, but only briefly, in the park afterwards too and went to one shop on the return home.
Bean finds it hard to find a good point to eat on Mondays. He might have a little something before gymnastics but then gets carried away with play park fun afterwards and usually doesn't eat the bulk of his lunch until he gets home. It's the only day he goes so long without food and I'm not sure how he does it as most days he seems to eat constantly all morning.
Where are you?
Saturday 27th October
Our adventures today took us on a family walk, well, the boys rode their bikes. Daddy wore Plum in the sling and daddy and I actually got to have an uninterrupted conversation...a proper adult one :) I'm thinking this might be the way forward if me and daddy are to find any spare time to talk to each other.
The rain came on and off but dispite this we walked for over an hour. Most notably we found a lost dog. We managed to read the numbers from the collar and daddy used his belt as a lead. The phone numbers were not answering but we had just passed a gentlemen who was searching for the dog and new he had headed in the other direction. I took Plum and the boys back to the car and daddy tried to find the owner. Unfortunately the dog escaped again.
Update: the owners have since let us know that the dog had run home and is safe and sound.
Our adventures today took us on a family walk, well, the boys rode their bikes. Daddy wore Plum in the sling and daddy and I actually got to have an uninterrupted conversation...a proper adult one :) I'm thinking this might be the way forward if me and daddy are to find any spare time to talk to each other.
The rain came on and off but dispite this we walked for over an hour. Most notably we found a lost dog. We managed to read the numbers from the collar and daddy used his belt as a lead. The phone numbers were not answering but we had just passed a gentlemen who was searching for the dog and new he had headed in the other direction. I took Plum and the boys back to the car and daddy tried to find the owner. Unfortunately the dog escaped again.
Update: the owners have since let us know that the dog had run home and is safe and sound.
Each Peach Pear Plum
Tuesday 30th October
A trip to see favourite auntie #1 and cousin B today. Bean and Pumpkin played all day with cousin B, a boys heaven of Lego, train set, hide and seek, skateboarding, remote control cars and mario cart. Consequently I didn't see them very much!
Plum and I spent the day with FA#1 mostly talking with Plum mostly crawling about and emptying bags. She has also taken up waving and clapping as a general entertainment and performs to whoever will look her way along with her general smiley pose for every passer by. After an hours sleep in the car on the journey there she didn't sleep again for the next 7 hours until we got in the car again to come home. She then woke up when we arrived home and spent the evening with us.
A trip to see favourite auntie #1 and cousin B today. Bean and Pumpkin played all day with cousin B, a boys heaven of Lego, train set, hide and seek, skateboarding, remote control cars and mario cart. Consequently I didn't see them very much!
Plum and I spent the day with FA#1 mostly talking with Plum mostly crawling about and emptying bags. She has also taken up waving and clapping as a general entertainment and performs to whoever will look her way along with her general smiley pose for every passer by. After an hours sleep in the car on the journey there she didn't sleep again for the next 7 hours until we got in the car again to come home. She then woke up when we arrived home and spent the evening with us.
Into the mix
Wednesday 31st October
An at home day. These are becoming more frequent Audi am enjoying watching Bean manage his own day and taking up the new vibe of being home more. A lot of the projects that he has started and left half done in various places around the house are being resurrected. Today he varnished/glazed his clay jug he I made at Amberley Museum and has put it aside to dry until tomorrow when he will paint it (that's the plan, anyway)
We had a friend come and play for the day and the weather cleared in the afternoon and we all cycled, scattered and buggied our way round the corner to the park for a stretch of the legs. The three smalls all played together well and Plum and I sat and watched. The dynamics between the boys often changes when another is added into the mix or if we are out with a group but today the added member fitted in effortlessly and the relationship between siblings was not strained or stressed in any way.
Our visitor, age 4 and female, did an excellent job of tidying the kitchen area and also the doll's house. This is not something that happens regularly with the boys and they are both things that are left as the boys leave them. It was a welcome treat to have them tidied.
An at home day. These are becoming more frequent Audi am enjoying watching Bean manage his own day and taking up the new vibe of being home more. A lot of the projects that he has started and left half done in various places around the house are being resurrected. Today he varnished/glazed his clay jug he I made at Amberley Museum and has put it aside to dry until tomorrow when he will paint it (that's the plan, anyway)
We had a friend come and play for the day and the weather cleared in the afternoon and we all cycled, scattered and buggied our way round the corner to the park for a stretch of the legs. The three smalls all played together well and Plum and I sat and watched. The dynamics between the boys often changes when another is added into the mix or if we are out with a group but today the added member fitted in effortlessly and the relationship between siblings was not strained or stressed in any way.
Our visitor, age 4 and female, did an excellent job of tidying the kitchen area and also the doll's house. This is not something that happens regularly with the boys and they are both things that are left as the boys leave them. It was a welcome treat to have them tidied.
Saturday, 3 November 2012
If at first
Thursday 1st November
We had planned to go and meet friends today but it was raining so hard and the destination was not suitable for a buggy and Plum really doesn't like the sling in the rain (who can blame her?) so we cancelled at the last minute. We ran a few errands and went to the farm shop to buy fruit and vegetables.
Half term and the change in seasons have bought about a new vibe in the house. Craft has taken itself up a notch (yes, even more craft) but also digging out old craft and revamping it or picking up craft from the day before and working on it some more. Bean especially is starting to give himself little projects. He's currently working on a robot made from cardboard boxes which he glued together one day and has painted one side today and plans on painting the other side tomorrow when it's dry. The big idea is to fill it with sweets and presents and play pinate with it for my birthday. I love the idea although I'm not sure where he got it from.
We had planned to go and meet friends today but it was raining so hard and the destination was not suitable for a buggy and Plum really doesn't like the sling in the rain (who can blame her?) so we cancelled at the last minute. We ran a few errands and went to the farm shop to buy fruit and vegetables.
Half term and the change in seasons have bought about a new vibe in the house. Craft has taken itself up a notch (yes, even more craft) but also digging out old craft and revamping it or picking up craft from the day before and working on it some more. Bean especially is starting to give himself little projects. He's currently working on a robot made from cardboard boxes which he glued together one day and has painted one side today and plans on painting the other side tomorrow when it's dry. The big idea is to fill it with sweets and presents and play pinate with it for my birthday. I love the idea although I'm not sure where he got it from.
The Bug Hotel
Friday 2nd November
The reason I keep a blog is to help me remember ...I am writing this 24 hours after the event and without the aid of photos and I am struggling to remember. We met daddy in the afternoon at the library so that I could go to the phone shop to have them take a look at my phone that has developed a life of its own. Unfortunately the 'guru' (technical guy) isn't in on Fridays so we will have to go back tomorrow.
We spent a very happy hour in the garden putting all our prebuilt bits into the casing for the bug hotel and collecting up bark and twigs and leaves that we have gathered to put in it too. Bean found a plastic lid and filled it with water for the bugs to drink and thankfully a bug came to drink out of it! Bean and Pumkpin also collected bugs to bring to the hotel, they found several different spiders, worms of various sizes, snails and wood lice.
The reason I keep a blog is to help me remember ...I am writing this 24 hours after the event and without the aid of photos and I am struggling to remember. We met daddy in the afternoon at the library so that I could go to the phone shop to have them take a look at my phone that has developed a life of its own. Unfortunately the 'guru' (technical guy) isn't in on Fridays so we will have to go back tomorrow.
We spent a very happy hour in the garden putting all our prebuilt bits into the casing for the bug hotel and collecting up bark and twigs and leaves that we have gathered to put in it too. Bean found a plastic lid and filled it with water for the bugs to drink and thankfully a bug came to drink out of it! Bean and Pumkpin also collected bugs to bring to the hotel, they found several different spiders, worms of various sizes, snails and wood lice.
Fireworks
Thankfully when I say 'fireworks' I mean the real ones that come about at this time of year and not any sort of explosive happenings between family members! ...which, of course, is always possible.
Our days seem very lazy at the moment and we just about made it out of the door to arrive at a friends birthday party (one of those organised adventures at the local leisure centre) we had a quite a rough night which after discussing tiredness and babies being awake in the night and how we respond to them, at length on fb yesterday and with some disagreement, it seemed to be our gentle reminder of just how tiring it can be. Plum woke at 2.30, fed, and then lay awake kicking about until 4am when she had another feed and went back to sleep until 6.30 for another feed and then back to sleep. Simultaneously the boys woke up every half an hour between 4am and 7.30 before they finally got out of bed. I responded to plum, daddy responded to the boys, consequently a very tired family this morning.
My afternoon consisted largely of taking a nap with Plum, who unsurprisingly slept for a record 2 1/2 hours and daddy completed the bug hotel with the boys by putting on some roof felting, adding some bamboo for ladybirds and covering the front with netting so all the contents doesn't fall out. The bug hotel has been about 9 months in the making but is finally finished and we are all very proud of it.
I also popped into town to try and get my phone fixed but it has to be sent off! This could possibly mean a lack of photos until it returns but the point worth noting is that I went on my own. Yes, no smalls. That's the first time in a minimum of 10 months that I have been shopping on my own and apart from feeling like I had forgotten something I quite enjoyed it.
Our days seem very lazy at the moment and we just about made it out of the door to arrive at a friends birthday party (one of those organised adventures at the local leisure centre) we had a quite a rough night which after discussing tiredness and babies being awake in the night and how we respond to them, at length on fb yesterday and with some disagreement, it seemed to be our gentle reminder of just how tiring it can be. Plum woke at 2.30, fed, and then lay awake kicking about until 4am when she had another feed and went back to sleep until 6.30 for another feed and then back to sleep. Simultaneously the boys woke up every half an hour between 4am and 7.30 before they finally got out of bed. I responded to plum, daddy responded to the boys, consequently a very tired family this morning.
My afternoon consisted largely of taking a nap with Plum, who unsurprisingly slept for a record 2 1/2 hours and daddy completed the bug hotel with the boys by putting on some roof felting, adding some bamboo for ladybirds and covering the front with netting so all the contents doesn't fall out. The bug hotel has been about 9 months in the making but is finally finished and we are all very proud of it.
I also popped into town to try and get my phone fixed but it has to be sent off! This could possibly mean a lack of photos until it returns but the point worth noting is that I went on my own. Yes, no smalls. That's the first time in a minimum of 10 months that I have been shopping on my own and apart from feeling like I had forgotten something I quite enjoyed it.
Monday, 29 October 2012
Autumn leaves
Just a run of the mill Monday except I'm tired. Plum had a very disturbed night and I'm not sure why. She was very tossy and turns and many but not awake. Strange. Dispite this she has been very awake today...how do babies do that? We went on a walk into town this morning and across the park to gymnastics and she didn't fall asleep until the way home!
Lots of passers by commented on how fast the boys are on their bikes, I can't keep up on foot and I'm reminiscent of the days it used to take us more than a while to get anywhere as we had to stop and look at every little thing. We still have to stop at certain places. Today it was: the seeds growing in someone's hedgerow; and under the big tree to collect twigs; and by the colourful tree to pick up leaves; and on the path to run along and crunch in the leaves.
Only one person asked me if it was half term already and said 'I bet that's upset your week?' It has, but not the way he was implying. I forgot about half term and town was busier than usual, too many people to navigate with boys on bikes!
The track came out this morning. It doesn't work but the boys set up a racing track with crash barrier and spectators with seating in tiers! There is also a pit stop for the cars. There was lots of practise laps but no actual racing, apparently it's not a race day.
For the first time in a long time the boys got home and spent half an hour playing before the iplayer came on, normally this is the first thing they do.
Lots of passers by commented on how fast the boys are on their bikes, I can't keep up on foot and I'm reminiscent of the days it used to take us more than a while to get anywhere as we had to stop and look at every little thing. We still have to stop at certain places. Today it was: the seeds growing in someone's hedgerow; and under the big tree to collect twigs; and by the colourful tree to pick up leaves; and on the path to run along and crunch in the leaves.
Only one person asked me if it was half term already and said 'I bet that's upset your week?' It has, but not the way he was implying. I forgot about half term and town was busier than usual, too many people to navigate with boys on bikes!
The track came out this morning. It doesn't work but the boys set up a racing track with crash barrier and spectators with seating in tiers! There is also a pit stop for the cars. There was lots of practise laps but no actual racing, apparently it's not a race day.
For the first time in a long time the boys got home and spent half an hour playing before the iplayer came on, normally this is the first thing they do.
Thursday, 25 October 2012
Ticket to Ride
An at home day...at last. We have been thoroughly enjoying being at home and completely following the lead of the smalls. We had a family bath time this morning. Plum is becoming continuously worried in the bath and refuses to sit down, I might try taking her in the shower with me. Bean spent one and a half hours in the bath! Now I like a bath but when it's room temperature I feel that that is too long. Just my opinion.
We have filled our day with craft mostly. Making a hanging decoration, finishing our robot costume, Pumpkin has painted a large portion of the house black and a lot of colouring. There has also been some plane making and piloting to far off lands (destination: amberley museum)
Bean came downstairs this morning to find his dinosaur colouring book on the table and he loved it. He spent two hours colouring it in and put writing on every page to tell everyone a bit about each dinosaur. He wants to make a special front cover for it as well.
We have filled our day with craft mostly. Making a hanging decoration, finishing our robot costume, Pumpkin has painted a large portion of the house black and a lot of colouring. There has also been some plane making and piloting to far off lands (destination: amberley museum)
Bean came downstairs this morning to find his dinosaur colouring book on the table and he loved it. He spent two hours colouring it in and put writing on every page to tell everyone a bit about each dinosaur. He wants to make a special front cover for it as well.
Dinosaur Roar
Wednesday 24th Ocotber
Another busy day out except this time a play date at someone's house so less energetic (for me anyhow) The boys, not having been before, we're quite tired with the newness of it all, but they had a great time exploring new toys and activities and playing with new people.
Bean enjoyed lego, puzzles, a spider web game and colouring. Pumpkin found a ride on toy and did a puzzle and played with the vehicles. Plum moved happily around, still not crawling, but getting on very well with the other young one there.
Bean had got the idea of colouring a dinosaur from somewhere but we struggled to find any pictures to hand and I wasn't confident enough to draw one. Once Bean had gone to bed, Pumpkin and I looked for some pictures on the Internet and printed them off, stapled them together and left them on the table with the pens for Bean to find in the morning.
Another busy day out except this time a play date at someone's house so less energetic (for me anyhow) The boys, not having been before, we're quite tired with the newness of it all, but they had a great time exploring new toys and activities and playing with new people.
Bean enjoyed lego, puzzles, a spider web game and colouring. Pumpkin found a ride on toy and did a puzzle and played with the vehicles. Plum moved happily around, still not crawling, but getting on very well with the other young one there.
Bean had got the idea of colouring a dinosaur from somewhere but we struggled to find any pictures to hand and I wasn't confident enough to draw one. Once Bean had gone to bed, Pumpkin and I looked for some pictures on the Internet and printed them off, stapled them together and left them on the table with the pens for Bean to find in the morning.
Flying high
Tuesday 23rd October
A last minute invite saw us getting out the house unusually early to meet friends at Pulborough Brooks. We had a great time searching for trees and birds and animal tracks and spotting a white deer. For the first time ever I woke Plum. It was 9 o'clock and I dressed her and put her straight into the car, she breakfast on cream cheese sandwiches and milk stops as we walked around the site.
This was followed by a play date and lunch at our friends house. Bean was taken by one of the ride on toys they had and spent the majority of the time riding around outside. Pumpkin mastered sitting and swinging on the swing attached to a tree in the garden.
A last minute invite saw us getting out the house unusually early to meet friends at Pulborough Brooks. We had a great time searching for trees and birds and animal tracks and spotting a white deer. For the first time ever I woke Plum. It was 9 o'clock and I dressed her and put her straight into the car, she breakfast on cream cheese sandwiches and milk stops as we walked around the site.
This was followed by a play date and lunch at our friends house. Bean was taken by one of the ride on toys they had and spent the majority of the time riding around outside. Pumpkin mastered sitting and swinging on the swing attached to a tree in the garden.
Best laid plans...
Monday 22nd October 2012
A major sleep in this morning for Plum. She didn't wake until 9.30, consequently we didn't go to our usual 10.30 rhyme group but did manage to be up and dressed in time to bike ride to gymnastics...just.
Pumpkin choose to take some toys with him today, which I suggest every week but he has always declined so far. He borrowed Bean's laptop toy and took some Lego with him. He played with both but only briefly. Bean got out his laptop in the play area afterwards but only momentarily.
We returned home via the bank and the library. Bean was very disappointed that the half term bfg workshop had 'sold out' already. The last time we went to the library (10 days ago) it wasn't even advertised :( I felt bad for him but I'm sure we'll be able to go another time.
Pumpkin choose to take some toys with him today, which I suggest every week but he has always declined so far. He borrowed Bean's laptop toy and took some Lego with him. He played with both but only briefly. Bean got out his laptop in the play area afterwards but only momentarily.
We returned home via the bank and the library. Bean was very disappointed that the half term bfg workshop had 'sold out' already. The last time we went to the library (10 days ago) it wasn't even advertised :( I felt bad for him but I'm sure we'll be able to go another time.
Remember the Lord
Sunday 21st October
Phase: 7 remember the Lord
if you can't find 15 minutes to spend with the good Lord then you are busier than He intended you to be...consider me very busy. It reminds me of that book entitled 'too busy not to pray'...I'm too busy to even read the book!
Today is church day for us and the boys are both throughly enjoying the new arrangement for their Sunday School groups. My major concern was that they are now split between two groups and how they would react to this but it is a familiar environment and familiar friends who take the groups so it seems to be going okay.
Daddy disappeared this afternoon to visit our best man who is not well (again...:(....) so we mostly curled up and watched tv helping us all to recover from yesterday's gallivanting.
Phase: 7 remember the Lord
if you can't find 15 minutes to spend with the good Lord then you are busier than He intended you to be...consider me very busy. It reminds me of that book entitled 'too busy not to pray'...I'm too busy to even read the book!
Daddy disappeared this afternoon to visit our best man who is not well (again...:(....) so we mostly curled up and watched tv helping us all to recover from yesterday's gallivanting.
Don't blame it on the moonlight
Saturday 20th October 2012
Phase 6: not being so busy. Failed.
Today daddy disappeared to a men's breakfast and I was left with the challenge of getting three smalls ready to leave the house by 10.30 in order to drive to Oxford for a birthday party. All was well and all were a little tired by mid-afternoon but it was well worth the journey and the ensuing tiredness just to be able to catch up with old friends and remember good times.
Phase 6: not being so busy. Failed.
Today daddy disappeared to a men's breakfast and I was left with the challenge of getting three smalls ready to leave the house by 10.30 in order to drive to Oxford for a birthday party. All was well and all were a little tired by mid-afternoon but it was well worth the journey and the ensuing tiredness just to be able to catch up with old friends and remember good times.
Friday, 19 October 2012
Friends
We took a visit to Amberley Museum today, it closes in a couple of weeks for the winter months :(
We met some new home ed friends there and introduced them to some of our favourite parts. We printed our names in the print workshop and it's lovely to note that some of the volunteers there are beginning to recognise us and engage with the smalls it such an enthusiastic way. Today the gentleman in the print shop made a print just for Plum...her first of many I suspect!
The boys rode on the bus whilst I walked the route and we went into the telecommunications building and played morse code and semaphore and telephone operators. Bean was particularly interested in the different machines they used in aeroplanes to communicate and why they would need them. Fortunately the information given in the museum is comprehensive.
We also went to see the wood turner and saw someone new today who's speciality is making pens. He was very obliging and did a demonstration for us.
We took a train ride together and sat in the barn to eat a late lunch. Thankfully I had taken hot chocolate and soup as I had forgotten my coat and Wellies and it was wet all day, I was rather damp.
We met some new home ed friends there and introduced them to some of our favourite parts. We printed our names in the print workshop and it's lovely to note that some of the volunteers there are beginning to recognise us and engage with the smalls it such an enthusiastic way. Today the gentleman in the print shop made a print just for Plum...her first of many I suspect!
The boys rode on the bus whilst I walked the route and we went into the telecommunications building and played morse code and semaphore and telephone operators. Bean was particularly interested in the different machines they used in aeroplanes to communicate and why they would need them. Fortunately the information given in the museum is comprehensive.
We also went to see the wood turner and saw someone new today who's speciality is making pens. He was very obliging and did a demonstration for us.
Thursday, 18 October 2012
Marvelous medicine
Phase 4: responding to the rhythm of the smalls.
So today we tried a second at home day this week with nothing especially planned although I had a few ideas in mind of things the boys have been interested in. The morning started with me cleaning out an old shower gel bottle and Bean jumped at the chance to make a potion (recently read George's Marvolous Medicine) It was a progressive move towards Pumpkin taking over the bathroom floor with a pile of lotions and old half used bottles of stuff from the cupboard. The boys had a great time. Bean enjoyed making his froth and bubble and kept adding a bit of this and a bit of that to make it more bubbly. Pumpkin just enjoyed using what he could and mixing it altogether. We used utensils from the kitchen set and then got the jam funnel out to decant into the bottle.
Daddy phoned and needed the laptop delivered to the other side of town so we all got dressed (nothing like the motivation of seeing daddy to get us dressed!) and drove to meet him. We coupled this with some deliveries where Bean did some lovely map reading and number spotting as we went to find houses.
The potion making continued when we got home plus some colouring and reading books.after lunch we had a shouts moment and whatever I tried there seemed to be no way of breaking the cycle, Bean especially was finding it difficult to exit the angry stress mode so we jumped ship completely and took ourselves out on bikes to the local park. Worked wonderfully.
Plum had a feed and a sleep when we got home and the boys put on some I player whilst I was settling her. The I player stayed on until dinner time.
So today we tried a second at home day this week with nothing especially planned although I had a few ideas in mind of things the boys have been interested in. The morning started with me cleaning out an old shower gel bottle and Bean jumped at the chance to make a potion (recently read George's Marvolous Medicine) It was a progressive move towards Pumpkin taking over the bathroom floor with a pile of lotions and old half used bottles of stuff from the cupboard. The boys had a great time. Bean enjoyed making his froth and bubble and kept adding a bit of this and a bit of that to make it more bubbly. Pumpkin just enjoyed using what he could and mixing it altogether. We used utensils from the kitchen set and then got the jam funnel out to decant into the bottle.
Daddy phoned and needed the laptop delivered to the other side of town so we all got dressed (nothing like the motivation of seeing daddy to get us dressed!) and drove to meet him. We coupled this with some deliveries where Bean did some lovely map reading and number spotting as we went to find houses.
The potion making continued when we got home plus some colouring and reading books.after lunch we had a shouts moment and whatever I tried there seemed to be no way of breaking the cycle, Bean especially was finding it difficult to exit the angry stress mode so we jumped ship completely and took ourselves out on bikes to the local park. Worked wonderfully.
Plum had a feed and a sleep when we got home and the boys put on some I player whilst I was settling her. The I player stayed on until dinner time.
Wednesday, 17 October 2012
Castles and knights
We met our very own knight in shining armour today at Leeds Castle and implemented phase 3: finding people who love our family to share the load.
We had a bit of a rainy drive over to Kent to meet fav auntie #2 at Leeds Castle and we saw a great rainbow. The weather cleared up though and we walked throug the grounds to the castle. The boys continue their fascination with rivers and played pooh sticks at every bridge we came to, put their fingers in the flowing water and worked out which direction the water was travelling in.
Bean insisted we went into the castle and we enjoyed one of the children's activity cards. I invested in two different children's guides and an adult one too so we can build on our knowledge of castles. Bean's interest in castles has spanned almost two years now.
We enjoyed both play areas to ourselves and fought of a pesky peacock whilst we ate.
It started to rain as we returned to the car and the heavens truly opened as we were sitting in the car. We had a little difficulty with the automatic lock and it took us a while to get in the car and the alarm repeatedly went off and i couldn't open the boot but we put the buggy into FA#2car and went to leave except the car wouldn't start. So I braved the rain and returned to the reception to ask for help and our very own knight in shining armour arrived 10minutes later in a green land rover with spark plugs and we soon in th rain and jump started the car. Praise God it worked!
The rest of the day was spent visiting FA#2 new house and dinner at FA#1 house accompanied with Lego, train sets and a new Lego book.
We had a bit of a rainy drive over to Kent to meet fav auntie #2 at Leeds Castle and we saw a great rainbow. The weather cleared up though and we walked throug the grounds to the castle. The boys continue their fascination with rivers and played pooh sticks at every bridge we came to, put their fingers in the flowing water and worked out which direction the water was travelling in.
Bean insisted we went into the castle and we enjoyed one of the children's activity cards. I invested in two different children's guides and an adult one too so we can build on our knowledge of castles. Bean's interest in castles has spanned almost two years now.
We enjoyed both play areas to ourselves and fought of a pesky peacock whilst we ate.
It started to rain as we returned to the car and the heavens truly opened as we were sitting in the car. We had a little difficulty with the automatic lock and it took us a while to get in the car and the alarm repeatedly went off and i couldn't open the boot but we put the buggy into FA#2car and went to leave except the car wouldn't start. So I braved the rain and returned to the reception to ask for help and our very own knight in shining armour arrived 10minutes later in a green land rover with spark plugs and we soon in th rain and jump started the car. Praise God it worked!
The rest of the day was spent visiting FA#2 new house and dinner at FA#1 house accompanied with Lego, train sets and a new Lego book.
Tuesday, 16 October 2012
New every morning
So the new vibe plan is working so far. Phase two: not so much gallivanting around and a few more at home days. The boys are constantly coming up with things they want to do and days out take a lot of planning as do days at home but it involves different things.
Anyhow, today. Asher choose to play Lego with me this morning and showed me how to make different vehicles. The collection of home made Lego boats/ cars/ spaceships etc has been growing. Some have been demolished and parts rescued for newer models but I finally got around to taking some photos of their collections.
Bean choose to build a skate park with the Jenga bricks with me but this very quickly turned into writing his name in bricks and taking photos of different things that he has made. It's common for him to come up with one plan and it turn into another, he can then look back on things and comment that we didn't do what he had planned but we're learning lessons from life and he's beginning to see that he needs to choose carefully and we can do things tomorrow.
We took a quick trip to the farm shop and charity shop and stocked up and then back home. The boys had chosen some craft bits from the shop so got straight stuck into picture making. Bean is making a seasonal picture and has begun with a very colourful interpretation of Autumn, winter is going to be next.
This afternoon adventures have taken us to the play park around the corner (Pumpkin's choice) and Plum took her second go on a swing. Daddy had taken her on Saturday and said she loved it but didn't have the chance to take any photos. He was right, she did love it and this time i took photos.
Anyhow, today. Asher choose to play Lego with me this morning and showed me how to make different vehicles. The collection of home made Lego boats/ cars/ spaceships etc has been growing. Some have been demolished and parts rescued for newer models but I finally got around to taking some photos of their collections.
Bean choose to build a skate park with the Jenga bricks with me but this very quickly turned into writing his name in bricks and taking photos of different things that he has made. It's common for him to come up with one plan and it turn into another, he can then look back on things and comment that we didn't do what he had planned but we're learning lessons from life and he's beginning to see that he needs to choose carefully and we can do things tomorrow.
We took a quick trip to the farm shop and charity shop and stocked up and then back home. The boys had chosen some craft bits from the shop so got straight stuck into picture making. Bean is making a seasonal picture and has begun with a very colourful interpretation of Autumn, winter is going to be next.
This afternoon adventures have taken us to the play park around the corner (Pumpkin's choice) and Plum took her second go on a swing. Daddy had taken her on Saturday and said she loved it but didn't have the chance to take any photos. He was right, she did love it and this time i took photos.
Monday, 15 October 2012
Travelling with you
No photos again today. Getting poor at taking photos but Mondays is the same old routine, to the point where I feel that I'm not doing enough because there is an extreme lack of thought put into the day.
Having struggled last week with morning routine almost daily I have started the week with a new approach. Today the lunch was packed the night before and I encouraged the boys to get dressed before second breakfast which they did. The only slight hic cough was after breakfast water play and the need to change our clothes before going out (best laid plans...) but all in all it improved things so much that we were able to ride our bikes across town to join our Monday morning activity Little Verse. Pumpkin has taken up singing and doing actions again and is now able to sing all the words to most of the songs and even corrected his own actions today. Plum really enjoys the singing and the boys love the story and bean especially enjoys the craft.
This was followed by Bean's gymnastics session where he has achieved his first badge (ironically badge 10) and then a play in the park. We were momentarily the only family in the play area but soon joined by four other home ed families and a few others. The rain breezed in on and off but was largely dry and the whole group of smalls played excellently together. There was climbing the crows nest, climbing, sailing and sliding on the ship, negotiating the round about and playing houses on the sand pit equipment, amongst other things.
We then headed home, still on our bikes. We have been out today for what is exactly the same amount of time as a school day, we got rather caught up in the school foot traffic on the way home, inevitable as we live down the road from two Primary Schools and round the corner from a Secondary School. We've had a great day out and I was glad to have spent it with my boys and not missed out on their journey today.
Having struggled last week with morning routine almost daily I have started the week with a new approach. Today the lunch was packed the night before and I encouraged the boys to get dressed before second breakfast which they did. The only slight hic cough was after breakfast water play and the need to change our clothes before going out (best laid plans...) but all in all it improved things so much that we were able to ride our bikes across town to join our Monday morning activity Little Verse. Pumpkin has taken up singing and doing actions again and is now able to sing all the words to most of the songs and even corrected his own actions today. Plum really enjoys the singing and the boys love the story and bean especially enjoys the craft.
This was followed by Bean's gymnastics session where he has achieved his first badge (ironically badge 10) and then a play in the park. We were momentarily the only family in the play area but soon joined by four other home ed families and a few others. The rain breezed in on and off but was largely dry and the whole group of smalls played excellently together. There was climbing the crows nest, climbing, sailing and sliding on the ship, negotiating the round about and playing houses on the sand pit equipment, amongst other things.
We then headed home, still on our bikes. We have been out today for what is exactly the same amount of time as a school day, we got rather caught up in the school foot traffic on the way home, inevitable as we live down the road from two Primary Schools and round the corner from a Secondary School. We've had a great day out and I was glad to have spent it with my boys and not missed out on their journey today.
Saturday, 13 October 2012
Tired little teddy bears
No photos today as I completely forgot!
A whole day spent in a management meeting for CAC and daddy largely taking on the smalls. They have built a den in their room, drawn pictures and Bean has made a bed for some of his toys from a small box which he cut large pieces off to make the shape he wanted, Bean used a pillow that he had designed and coloured yesterday and made a duvet for them. I had asked him why the sudden notion to draw a pillow and where he got the idea from but it seems it was his idea and there was no special reason. There has also been lots of lego making, a trip on the bikes to the park round the corner (daddy taking all three of the smalls for the first time single handedly- worth noting) and watching iplayer in their bedroom (special treat as mummy was hosting a meeting downstairs) And after yesterday's late night two very tired boys in bed by 7pm and Plum too.
A whole day spent in a management meeting for CAC and daddy largely taking on the smalls. They have built a den in their room, drawn pictures and Bean has made a bed for some of his toys from a small box which he cut large pieces off to make the shape he wanted, Bean used a pillow that he had designed and coloured yesterday and made a duvet for them. I had asked him why the sudden notion to draw a pillow and where he got the idea from but it seems it was his idea and there was no special reason. There has also been lots of lego making, a trip on the bikes to the park round the corner (daddy taking all three of the smalls for the first time single handedly- worth noting) and watching iplayer in their bedroom (special treat as mummy was hosting a meeting downstairs) And after yesterday's late night two very tired boys in bed by 7pm and Plum too.
It's a family affair
Friday 12th October
Oh my! What a busy day! I went of with Plum today to a Pink and Pampered Fundraisers to sell some wears and help raise some money and the boys went to spend the morning with SGS. They had a great time building train tracks and performing in a band.
This was followed very swiftly by a visit to friends where we spent a wonderful afternoon drinking tea and the children playing in the den behind the sofa, with their collection of cars and octonaughts with each other.
We had a hugely busy evening preparing for tomorrows CAC meeting at our house but both Bean and Pumpkin chose to stay up later than usual tonight, this is especially rare for Bean. Plum also decided to join the party so what had looked like a free evening to plough through lots of jobs turned into a family affair! Bean and Pumpkin both relaxed and watched iplayer and Plum played on the kitchen floor whilst I found an excuse for the third weekend in a row to make a giant cinnamon cake...mmmmm.
No photos today as I was toooo busy.
Oh my! What a busy day! I went of with Plum today to a Pink and Pampered Fundraisers to sell some wears and help raise some money and the boys went to spend the morning with SGS. They had a great time building train tracks and performing in a band.
This was followed very swiftly by a visit to friends where we spent a wonderful afternoon drinking tea and the children playing in the den behind the sofa, with their collection of cars and octonaughts with each other.
We had a hugely busy evening preparing for tomorrows CAC meeting at our house but both Bean and Pumpkin chose to stay up later than usual tonight, this is especially rare for Bean. Plum also decided to join the party so what had looked like a free evening to plough through lots of jobs turned into a family affair! Bean and Pumpkin both relaxed and watched iplayer and Plum played on the kitchen floor whilst I found an excuse for the third weekend in a row to make a giant cinnamon cake...mmmmm.
No photos today as I was toooo busy.
Even roses have thorns
Thursday 11 th October
Oh dear! What a day.
Having a very busy week and lots of disturbed nights (not just Plum) I'm very tired and hold my hands up to being a little grumpy and short tempered, patients is wearing very thin! There has been some shouting (mostly me) and some tears ( mostly the boys) but also a lot of hugs and making friends.
It's not all been bad. We ventured out to pastures new today and met home-ed friends in the rain and downpour and drizzle. The boys sat in my friends car playing lego! Pumpkin got into the spirit of things just as we were leaving and ran through a very large and deep puddle several times with great excitement.
The afternoon plan was to watch tv but we had hooked up the computer to another laptop yesterday and I couldn't get the sound to work so the boys went and happily did various other things: lego, drawing, dressing up, making.
Oh dear! What a day.
Having a very busy week and lots of disturbed nights (not just Plum) I'm very tired and hold my hands up to being a little grumpy and short tempered, patients is wearing very thin! There has been some shouting (mostly me) and some tears ( mostly the boys) but also a lot of hugs and making friends.
It's not all been bad. We ventured out to pastures new today and met home-ed friends in the rain and downpour and drizzle. The boys sat in my friends car playing lego! Pumpkin got into the spirit of things just as we were leaving and ran through a very large and deep puddle several times with great excitement.
The afternoon plan was to watch tv but we had hooked up the computer to another laptop yesterday and I couldn't get the sound to work so the boys went and happily did various other things: lego, drawing, dressing up, making.
Gullivers Travels
Wednesday 10th October
Beautiful day with friends at Petworth House. After deciding not to venture into the house today and explore the grounds some more we did infact go into the house. Bean enjoyed dressing up again and we found some of the paintings that matched the outfits in the wardrobe and the guide told us some information about the previous owner. Pumpkin joined an organised school group and listened in on some of the stories about the sculptures and then told his brother all about them.
We visited the rotund twice. We talked extensively about its position and the great views. Bean loves a great view and really appreciated this one. The second time we went it was covered in an array of ladybirds, all different colours...magical.
We also spotted a few different mushrooms and have sent pictures to pops for identification.
A little more independence
Tuesday 9th October
In recovery from our trip yesterday I had nothing planned today except to go with the flow. Bean however had other ideas. I talk about money a lot because it is something that is always on our mind. Last week a (very unhelpful) shop assistant gave the boys a sale magazine from the toy shop and they have had their noses in it ever since. It was a real opportunity totalk to Bean about where money comes from and where it goes. As it was the month end I promised him I would see if we had any pennies left for him to spend on a new toy. To be fair this is something that never happens in our house, we avoid toy shops, toy aisles and gift shops where ever we go unless it is a gift for someone else. It so happened that by some miracle we had some money left and we decided to let. The boys have some to spend on something of their choice. We also knew that our trip to Legoland was coming up so we talked to them about taking the money with us but Bean was adamant that he wanted a toy from this magazine he had been given. We managed to persuade him to wait and yesterday standing in the large Lego land shop full full full of merchandise all aimed at enticing children Bean said 'no thank you I'm keeping my money for the toy shop' daddy was particularly amazed. Pumpkin bought a Lego tractor.
So today Bean requested the promised trip to the toy shop and so off we went, on our bikes of course.
In recovery from our trip yesterday I had nothing planned today except to go with the flow. Bean however had other ideas. I talk about money a lot because it is something that is always on our mind. Last week a (very unhelpful) shop assistant gave the boys a sale magazine from the toy shop and they have had their noses in it ever since. It was a real opportunity totalk to Bean about where money comes from and where it goes. As it was the month end I promised him I would see if we had any pennies left for him to spend on a new toy. To be fair this is something that never happens in our house, we avoid toy shops, toy aisles and gift shops where ever we go unless it is a gift for someone else. It so happened that by some miracle we had some money left and we decided to let. The boys have some to spend on something of their choice. We also knew that our trip to Legoland was coming up so we talked to them about taking the money with us but Bean was adamant that he wanted a toy from this magazine he had been given. We managed to persuade him to wait and yesterday standing in the large Lego land shop full full full of merchandise all aimed at enticing children Bean said 'no thank you I'm keeping my money for the toy shop' daddy was particularly amazed. Pumpkin bought a Lego tractor.
So today Bean requested the promised trip to the toy shop and so off we went, on our bikes of course.
Legoland
Monday 8th October
I can not rave enough about how great our day at Legoland was. Made all the more better by the fact that there were hardly any queues and we didn't have to pay anywhere near full price we got real value for money. We managed the day well and it was a real success. The boys sat with daddy the night before and looked at a map of the park and YouTube videos of the rides. This helped to give them an idea of where we were going and what to expect and the boys were able to choose a few things that they wanted to go on before we got there. It helped to manage their expectations and stopped them from being too overwhelmed when we arrived.
The journey there was raining raining racing in but it held off the entire time we were there so except for being a little colder than I would have liked and overcast, it was dry. Bean was true to form and didn't ride on anything fast and made me ask every operator if the ride was fast before he got on it! He also refused anything wet or loud...and some of the rides do have loud accompaniments to them, what could have been a pleasant ride around storybook land was quite deafening! Pumpkin was also true to form and bounced around like he was in kiddy heaven and thoroughly enjoyed all the fast rides he had time to go on. He had decided that he would like to go on the roller coaster so we took him on the infant one first .
Having rode that twice, once with mummy and then once with daddy, he announced he wanted to go on the big one, so we did and he loved it. I was quite pleased as I like roller coasters too.Word has reached us that the offer we took advantage of is a perminant one now for those operating in the home educating world and so I can see us frquenting Legoland throughout the year and I am very much looking forward to it.
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