Out to celebrate

Today we went out to celebrate Caitlin’s school place…  We did a bit of window shopping first followed by a smoothie stop!!!

They both also chose themselves a little present.  Noah chose a pencil-case set which had a sharpener in which he has sat sharpening with for ages!!  Caitlin chose a memo set with Disney princess paper and a pencil…she has sat for ages writing all over each piece pretending she is “Sue” (the lady in the office at her school!!)  She has handed out registers and hospital appointments to all of the imaginary children!!!!

Later on it was time for mini club and tonight we were going back to a pub we used to meet in over 10 years ago!!  I don’t think they were very keen on us being there…  In the past 10 years it has changed into more of a restaurant pub so we had to leave at 8.30 due to the kids (who were just sat quietly doing stickers and having their nails painted!!)

Austin was just sat grinning as usual…..

Luckily it was a one-off and we’re back to our usual pub next week!!!!!!!

First choice!!!!

I have just logged on and Caitlin has got my first choice school!!!  I am so so pleased!!!!!  There was nothing wrong with her 2nd (or 3rd) choices but if and when we move again (into our mansion!) it will be in the direction of our first choice school and extremely unlikely to be towards the other 2.  So thinking of the future I really wanted the first choice so that I can walk there.  It’s also is closer to her old school which is where Noah will be so again a bit easier for pick ups!!!

Cinema and soft play!

Yesterday we went to the cinema to watch Nanny McPhee, unfortunately with the huge queue we ended up with seats 2 rows apart.  We decided to try the kids on the front row and us behind….all was going well until Caitlin realised we weren’t coming back and was convinced she had been abandoned at the cinema and was crying hysterically!!  Austin had already fallen asleep so I ended up with Caitlin sat on one knee and Austin asleep on the other…not very comfy!  Eventually I convinced her that I was staying there and so she went back.  Noah also shouted over to me a few times (to let me know he’d finished his sweets and could he have more!!)and Squidge went wandering off.  I thought the film was really good and so did the kids, they have been going on about banging her “thing” (walking stick) if you are naughty!!!!

Today we met a few people from Caitlin’s class at a soft play.  I was amazed how quiet it was especially since it is raining.  They all had a great time including Austin who played with one of the older sisters of Caitlin’s friend.

School holidays

Today was the first day of the school holidays….  I love the holidays…no running about getting ready in the morning or clock watching in the afternoons.  So after a lazy morning we went bowling….

Caitlin went first and got a strike on her first shot!!!  She kept doing really well and beat Noah!! Noah usually wins so that was really good.

As we went on our own they both said they’d had a rubbish time!!  Mind you last time we went was Noah’s birthday so I suppose it was a bit of a let down after that!!!!!!!!!!

10 months

Today Austin is 10 months old!!!!!  He has 8 teeth and does a lot of chatting!!  He still can’t crawl and is showing no interest in even trying although he does love to be stood up and is trying to take a few steps if you hold his hands.  He does have a habit of just letting go if you stand him against furniture and so he falls over quite a bit.

He is still really content, which is maybe why he hasn’t crawled!!  He sits about smiling and laughing.  His favourite thing at the moment is when you sing 3 little men in a flying saucer to him!!  He can clap and wave which he does a lot and loves to blow kisses!!!!!!  He is really going to miss Noah when he joins Caitlin in school after Easter but it will be great to be able to do some baby things with him!!!

Playgroup, a grumpy Austin and a dented Elvis!

This week has been rainy and Richard has been plastering the kitchen so we’ve been to playgroups every day to get out of the way.  Austin has been teething and so screamed for most of Tuesdays playgroup, some of Wednesday’s but thankfully none of todays!!!

On the way to playgroup this morning a flat-bed lorry decided to reverse into us!!!!  This is the second time this year I have watched someone drive into Elvis!!!!!!!!  First time some old bloke just drove straight into him while I watched from the pavement – luckily no damage as Elvis’s tow bar saved the day!  This time we were stopped at traffic lights and the flatbed just reversed straight back into us shoving us backwards!!  Still fairly luckily he just has a dented bumper and the guy said he will get me a new one (even though mine was a bit rusty!!)  Let’s hope these things don’t happen in 3’s since the damage is getting worse each time……

This afternoon was Noah’s last visit to a playgroup he has been going to since he was 1 week old…..  I’ll probably still go with Austin as it is in Caitlin (and Noah’s) school so handy for pick up!!

Walk walk walk!!!!!

Today we went to the park.  Since Richard was available for the school pick up I decided it would be nice to walk to the park.  I think I slightly under-estimated how far away the park was.  I forgot to put the back seat on the pram so Noah walked there…which was ok….  We then played on the swings and round about.  The sun then went behind some clouds and so it went a bit cold so we went for a drink followed by some rolling down hills!!

…and some tree climbing….

…and just watching for Austin….

When we’d played for almost 4 hours we set off on our walk home!!!!  Linda looked up our route as we wondered if there was a shorter way than I had come.  It showed the way we had walked was 1.8 miles!!!  There was a 1.4 mile route but I couldn’t figure out where it went so figured it would be easier not to get lost and look it up on a big screen at home, so we set off on our 1.8 mile journey home.  Noah made it about half way before deciding he really had had enough of walking and decided to cry for the second half which wasn’t fun!!!!!!!!  Next time I’ll definitely be taking the back seat and the shorter route!!!!!!!!

Noah’s induction day

Today was Noah’s induction afternoon at school.  In the morning when we dropped Caitlin off Noah managed to crash into Caitlin in the playground.  Caitlin had gloves on and put her hands out so she was fine.  Noah didn’t seem to bother putting his hands out so he now has a big graze/lump on his head!!!!

His induction went well.  He already knows everyone and his way around so really it was just a formality.  He played with Caitlin and her friend, went in the light sensory room and drew some pictures.  He also had stir fry for his snack…..  He can’t wait to go properly after Easter!!!!

Gan’s replacement…

A few people have asked about the new car…  There’s nothing to tell really….  Last week Richard went out and got a new car.  It’s a silver Honda Accord….  I think it looks like a taxi….  I didn’t have anything to do with picking it or get to test drive it – which I suppose doesn’t matter as it’s not mine but I will be expected to drive it every other week to take my turn of driving home from the pub…and I find it very hard to drive.  I feel like I can’t see out of it properly, coupled with it being massive I feel dangerous/like a learner  in it….but I’ll just have to get used to it……

Mothers day

Well to say I was shocked would be an understatement!!!  Given I didn’t get a single Christmas present (sorry except for a pair of socks Noah found in my bedroom and wrapped for me!!!!!!!) – I thought maybe I just hadn’t been very good…. so I didn’t expect anything for Mothers day, until Richard went out (alone) for 3 hours on the Saturday.

Anyway I got some baileys, chocolates and some ear rings.  Caitlin also made me a little lantern from a jam jar at school.  She had stuck loads of jewels on and drawn some pictures with glass pens.  It’s really good but being glass I can’t get a picture of it.  The day she made it I asked her what she had done in school and she told me all about it and then burst into tears because it was supposed to be a surprise.  On the Friday she brought it home she wouldn’t let me carry the bag and gave it to Richard to hide.  All of the other Mum’s had had theirs by that evening but Caitlin was taking her job of keeping it til Sunday very seriously!!!

I then got a bacon and egg butty for my breakfast and we went to the Museum of Science and Industry.  It is being refurbished which is really good so quite a bit of it was closed, but Caitlin’s favourite part…the water wheel was still open…

They also had a go at making a paper rocket which a man launched for them….

….and finally we all went on a steam train ride…

After that we went home where Richard cooked tea for us all.