spring

April hath put a spirit of youth in everything. ~William Shakespeare

This week has been most springy. You gotta know how bad the winter's been if spring is getting an entire blog mention here. We have been on the trampoline twice most days, have weeded the lawn extensively (tho' it still requires more), and Keith and Zack have planted white pansies and new rosemary bushes. Zack was given some vegetable seeds to sow. They are now in their own little "greenhouse" box, germinating. Kids are so impatient. He went and looked this morning only to see that nothing had changed.
Keith helped Zack cycle around the block at lunchtime. I then invited him to cycle with me, all downhill, to a friend's house. He was eager for the first 100 metres. Then it was whining and moaning. Between Keith pushing the pram AND Zack's bike, and my pushing both my bike AND Zacks' we got it there. Unfortunately that meant we had to repeat the exercise coming home. Bike confidence is a slow process I fear. I am trying inordinately hard to not repeat the impatience of my father, and to be as empathetic as possible.

Calvin's first real word

He said it on the weekend and I thought it was just fluke, but this morning when I picked him up, I said, "Let's have some breakfast Calvin". And he looked at me, so I said, "lunch", and he said to me, "lunch". So there it is - Calvin's first word, other than "mummy, daddy, and nanny", is "lunch". I think he might also be on the verge of "'nana" (as in 'banana'), but we'll see.
My child is a genius !

Easter and the dregs of the birthday

Calvin's first conscious Easter, and Zack's first genuine Easter Egg hunt. By Sunday afternoon, Zack said to me, "Mommy I don't want any more chocolate". So allowing him to indulge had the desired effect... I'm getting clever - reverse psychology does work you see.

The sheer delight of discovery

the motherload

devouring the booty

We decided to spend Easter Monday at a National Trust property offering Easter Egg trails for kids. It was a hit, and tired them out with all the hunting for eggs, stamps and signs. We finished the afternoon with lunch at the Smith & Western in Boxhill. Kids were knackered and we'd had some quality time with Jax, Claudio and Alessio.

Easter Monday with Alessio at Polsden Lacey (National Trust Prop)

Zack gets the 'Easter Bunny' treatment at Polsden Lacey

Cat in the Hat ? - that's what this face reminds me of.

Last weekend was Anokye's 4th birthday party, and all four of the NCT girls were in the same place at the same time. Amazing. It was a wonderful sunny day and we spent most of it in the garden with the kids jumping on the bouncy castle. Keith and Calvin had some quality time together too, and they took the camera, so I don't have any pics of Anokye's party. Oh dear.

Calvin and Keith hit the playground together

Spiderman birthday party with fab masks from Walmart - what a winner!

The Willars sisters in trendy superhero outfits - Buzz Lightyear and retro Thunderbirds.

A delighted, exhausted, happy, very hot & sweaty birthday boy.

Hours of baking and icing amounted to a single layer, chocolate, Spiderman mask cake

Now we are Four

The much anticipated purchase of the bicycle for Zack's 4th birthday is now a moment in our collective memories. He loves it and even went so far as to ride it in the dining room, lounge and on the deck outside. He is yearning for better weather so that he can get out on it. I don't think the "stabilisers" are going to be around for very long...

Zack is 4

Four is a very big deal when you're little. It means so many things. I think Zack anticipated an enormous change when he got to his fourth birthday, and now it's alot of waiting for it to happen. He still has six months until school starts.
His birthday was marked with present opening, eating porridge for breakfast (his favourite), playing with his friends, assembling his new toys (Lego), and making play-dough creatures. All in all it was a great day, and he was exhausted by bed time.
Today (Friday), he's took cupcakes to nursery school, AND it's his chance at show-and-tell. He couldn't contain himself, so took his Vuvuzela, two light-sabers, blue blanket, and Buzz Lightyear doll with him. It's very hard to choose just one thing to talk about.

twilight zone

I flew out to Ohio last week Thursday, with two boys in tow, to visit Keith's aunt and uncle - Joy & Mike. The flight out was horrendous. I arrived at Heathrow at 09h35 (three hours before the flight was due to depart). It took them 2 hours to issue Calvin's boarding pass as he was travelling as an "infant on lap". Apparently the system couldn't sort it out. Idiots at Continental/United Airlines have NO idea about frustration. What am I supposed to do with two children who are being forced to stand still in a ticket hall for two hours? My blood was boiling. Calvin and Zack then took it in turns to press all mommy's buttons until we got to Cleveland. I was extremely grateful for the air-stewardess on our final leg: the only helpful individual we'd met in 12 hours!
The kids had such a good time, and thoroughly enjoyed all the attention. Zack went to sleep as soon as we got there, but Calvin was wide awake and firing on all cylinders. It meant that everyone got to meet the little brother, without all the sibling rivalry that goes on during daylight hours. It was great fun and he did his little walking steps from one person to another too - what a performer! Joy and Mike were both working, so during the day we'd go to the Mall (it was bitterly cold outside), or down to a playground nearby.

Zack working his way up

The fun of sliding

Saying "Goodbye" to Joy on Tuesday morning

Calvin and James share an IKEA moment

Uncle Mike helps Calvin eat every last pea in the pot

I was feeling incredibly rough (tired, ratty and sick) when we got there, but thanks to the family I slept for a good 9 hours on the first night. I was diagnosed with 'pink eye' while I was there, so it was good to get some meds, and shake that infection (I'd been struggling to get rid of it at home). Keith arrived on Friday night, and we were able to sleep in on both Sat and Sun mornings. What a wonderful feeling! Mike doesn't sleep well, and the boys had jet-lag, so it was a win-win situation.
Zack, Calvin and I went out for hamburgers on Monday afternoon which Zack thought was a treat. He can be incredibly slow at eating - too busy watching everything else that's going on around us. He loved the ceremony of it all too, and I sent him off to the 'soda machine' to refill his own cup.
It is Zack's 4th birthday in 10 day's time and we are planning a Spiderman theme. Walmart is a wonderland of goodies, so I picked up a ton of stuff for the party. Thank goodness for huge weight allowances on US flights.
Tuesday evening was the flight home. We had a relatively uneventful trip home - no delays, no crises, no [enormous] tantrums, and a quick connection at Newark too. Zack wet his trousers sleeping, but I'd prepared for that eventuality and packed clean bottoms, and socks. Funnily enough he did comment that, "people will laugh at me with no trousers on" (I had to change him once all the other passengers had disembarked), but I reassured him that no-one could see. Funny the little things that they are concerned about all of sudden.

Race:
Zack is suddenly aware of race/ethnicity. We were in a supermarket today, and he said to me, 'That man is the same colour as Ethan and Chloe'. To which I replied, 'Yes, that's right. Anokye's daddy is also that colour.' I think he's identified the colour as 'brown'.
Then, just to throw a spanner in the works, I said to him, "So Zack, what colour do you think you are ?' I proffered some suggestions : purple, green, blue pointing at my skin. In the end he said, "I don't know Mom." So I suggested he think about it and we can talk about it again. Devils' advocate!

cat's away

Sigh... why is that the minute Keith heads off on business, the kids 'habits' degenerate ? Sleeping is the first one to go. Last night Zack was not in a hurry to go to sleep, and then woke up this morning at 5:25am having had a bad dream (he tells me that I had gone far away), and wee'd in his bed. Having calmed him, changed his pyjamas and putting a towel down on the wet patch, he then told me that he wanted to play. I was firm and said, NO. It's still night time and you must sleep. He didn't tho'. He'd woken Calvin up who was now chattering in his cot. I decided a firm line was the best, so I just went upstairs and went back to bed. Zack came up and joined me on and off, and finally went downstairs. And here's the reason for today's post - Zack put on the tv and the DVD player by himself and watched Stuart Little. I am delighted. I was able to sleep until 8:30 when Calvin woke up again. Not feeling quite as shattered as I might have.
Annoyingly I have a nasty eye infection which isn't clearing, so I'm trying to sort that out too.

totter

Calvin is now tottering along with confidence on Zack's old "push along" musical wagon thingy. He loves watching himself in the mirror and glances backwards to make sure Mummy is seeing it too. Too cute!
Yesterday morning he was playing on the carpet in our bedroom, while I was showering. He discovered a sun-beam and scampered around trying to catch it. Every time he had his back to it, it disappeared, then he'd quickly circle around so that he could see it on the carpet again.
He has a couple of new words too : Amen, and Nanny (for Tina).
This morning we were singing "Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We're going to the moon." and he quickly started counting with his little pointer finger in the palm of the other hand, and then putting his arms in the sky at "blast off". Just so delightful to see the developmental stages.

a REAL holiday

We've been discussing, at some length, with friends how you go about having a real break when you have such little children. As we don't have grandparents around, and our attempts in 2009 failed dismally, we just want a solution. As such, I've started investigating via the net. here's what I've come up with in the UK for family holidays :

http://www.babyfriendlyboltholes.co.uk
http://www.mrandmrssmith.com/ - they have a children section
http://www.cottageselection.co.uk - "take the family" section
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/holiday_type/family/article2133315.ece
http://www.childfriendly.co.uk/
http://www.bedruthan.com/hotel/

http://www.tredethick.co.uk

feeding the little ones

http://www.wulffmorgenthaler.com

drive far for what's around the corner

It's halfterm at the moment, so I thought it would be nice to go and do something different. I picked up Tina and we drove up to Milton Keynes (about an hour away), to a huge indoor play area. They're sneaky - we were aiming for a place called 360Play, but ended up at KidsPlay because it's the first place you see as you come off the highway. Anyway, that's business I suppose. We had a blast and Zack was absolutely pooped after 4 hours. We had a pee-accident too which added to the adventure, so I spent 1/2 an hour in the ladies loo drying Zack's jeans, sock and underpants.
Going there has convinced me that we need to do this more often - perhaps even weekly. There are two of these places within reach of N10 (our postal code). The kids had so much fun that it seems silly to save it for a rainy day.

primary school application

Got a letter from the council today to say that our choices of Primary School for Zack (starting 2 Sept) have been noted. We will find out in May which one he's been accepted to.

the weather ?

Both boys have taken turns being ill. In fact, Keith was off 2 days last week too. Zack was vomiting on Friday night - on carpeted stairs, which is no joke. He'd an upset tummy on the weekend too. Calvin vomited in the wee-hours of Tuesday morning, so I cleaned that up and put him back to bed. Then I couldn't get back to sleep, so got up and put together 200 photographs of him for his Dedication Service on Sunday. I want to have a photo album of his life for people to see. Finally went back to sleep just before 7am. Keith had to sort out Calvin vomiting again after that. Today he's got an upset tummy and had a bit of a temperature when he woke up - not the happiest little chap. Tina has also got something nasty, so stayed home today (which is highly unusual for her). Thank the Lord I am mostly OK. Now I just need to stay like this until Sunday evening when the party is over.

Zack and Alessio put the nachos bowls on their heads.
Makes a fun yarmulke – Jackie commented how Jewish Zack looked. LOL

negotiating

It is frustrating in the extreme, the amount of negotiating that goes on with a three/four year old. I can see why it's necessary, as the alternative is smacking or sending him to his room/timeout. However... the time and patience and effort required (of two exhausted parents) is enough to drive me into the wilderness screaming, never to return. I feel like Zack "gets it" some of the time, so you can appeal to his rationality, but other times you're offering a number of alternatives, a number of carrots and sticks, consequences are carefully weighed up, end results are presented as clearly as possible. And yet, you're still getting the whinging, whining three year old who is just being contrarian for the sake of it. After 45 minutes of ruining everyone's day...
Yup, then it's time for a smack

glue

Forgotten what it's like to have a toddler suffering from "separation anxiety"?? I have. and it's killing me. Calvin WILL NOT let me out of his sight. He sobs hysterically if I go upstairs to get dressed, or fetch a postage stamp (what I'm doing now - and blogging in frustration). If I put him down to walk a meter to pick something up he starts simpering or wailing. It's driving me up the bloody wall.

.... he wee-wee's like a waterfall

Don't know what's up with Zack, but he has just omitted bladder control from his functioning mind in the last 2 days. We've had nights where Keith's up at 12:30am with a soaked bed, 4am with another soaked bed. Then today I'm at the playground with himself, and he pee'd himself "nat" only minutes after I'd asked him if he wanted to go to the loo. Bloomin' 'eck ! What's a parent to do ? I think we're going back into night time nappies until we have some sanity. The washing machine cannot cope with much more, and we are out of bed linen that's clean and dry.

Family holiday - Johannesburg

Calvin didn't start walking (I had hoped he would), but speeded up the crawling

Spiderman is a current favourite - couldn't get the swimming costume off him some days

What more can I say ? The kids had a blast, we got to sleep in. We've come home rested and ready for what 2010 will throw at us

41/14 months

Zack just loves playing "I spy" and a slight variation of it, which we call "Ten Guesses" (which means that you have to guess something he can see - or not - but he doesn't have to identify the first letter). He's really into story telling, and loves it when we make up tales about Prince Zack and Prince Calvin, or Zack the Spiderman, etc. He's excellent at filling in the gaps in familiar stories, or describing regular activities.
He is getting better and better at phonetics, and can often identify the sound that starts the word. He is writing "Z" with confidence, but struggles with the "A" and the "K". He's getting there tho. He is a pro at doing up buttons now, so pyjamas are Zack's department.
Zack has progressed so well on the toilet training. He had an upset tummy earlier in the week, so we were cleaning up mucky underpants for the first time in ages, which made me appreciate just how far he's come. The last 2 nights have also been an achievement in that he's managed to go through without wetting his nappy. This bodes well, as we'd like to get him to be dry thru the night in the near future. I think it won't be long.
Calvin is more and more mobile. You really have to keep an eye on him. Just a moment ago, I came into the study to read the BBC news site and before I could blink he'd crawled up the stairs. He is able to climb up onto our Barcelona chairs in the lounge, unassisted; altho' he is unable to get onto the sofa which is slightly higher - he gets frustrated at that. He loves playing peek-a-boo, and goes from room to room saying, "Aaaahahhhh. Ba-ba. Duhd. Daah-dee. Yeaaa. Eeehhh. Eeeett. Deh. Daaa--ahh. Aaah-ti," and the usual simpering which means, 'I want my own way Mummy!' He certainly has learnt how to crank up the volume - and lets you know when he means business. I think people are surprised when he shouts, as they know him to be so passive and chilled.
Calvin is pointing alot and saying "Dee" when he does so. He is interested in lights, switches and buttons, and wants to turn them on and off. Keeping him away from the DVD-player is proving a challenge, as he's watched his brother use it, and also being a genius, knows which button to press to open the CD tray. Eek !
Keith has kept a Father's Day card, which has the theme tune from Star Trek playing when you open it. Calvin just loves opening and closing it, opening and closing it. I must try and get it on video to upload :)

early winter colds

Zack gets a paint-job at Early Learning Centre

We don't have H1N1 I believe, but the entire family's come down with nasty colds. Zack has a hacking cough (especially at night), Calvin is a green-snotty bub, Keith and I both have ENT infections. I think it's an indication of our mental state too – feeling run-down and over-wraught with all the goings on in the house and in our lives. The to-do list is overwhelming (tho' I hit it with all I've got during the weeks), the house has bits of mess in every room (eg. boxes, piles of paper, children's toys, discarded socks) and both feel exhausted in the evenings.
We had a lovely Saturday with friends – Corné & René – en route to Katmandu. They had a whole day to spend with us, and we loved going to the park, the playground & the pub. heh heh.

Corné

René

congratulations : utrecht

Ah Clint & Jeany have done it again. Safe delivery of little Oliver Fischer - congrats to both of you, and to Sadie & Jack on a new baby brother.