Catching Smiles

Dear boys,

Today we were supposed to go out to Nottingham with your Mamma and Grandad but when we woke up it was raining.

The rain got steadily worse and I began to think that this was a bad idea.

Trouble was I had already told you Chipmunk about the trip and we were all looking forward to a day out.

After much discussion we decided to abandon the idea of Nottingham and go bowling instead and I'm so glad we did!

We booked in for two games and began to play.

And how competitive were we!

Tiger and I had a contest going but in the end Sharky piped us at the post!

And talk about swagger!Yes Sharky I did see the 'winner' walk you did at the end!

Chipmunk you did really well and you were a lot stronger this time,carrying the ball really well and swinging it with confidence.

You kept saying,

"I'm gonna smoke you boys"

Well you didn't quite smoke them but judging from your big smiles I think you had a good time.

Knock em down T,coz I'm not far behind you and ready to give you some competition.Us girls have got some pride you kno!

We did have such fun and I loved seeing you all at play.These days life is so busy,very computerised and we can go days without all of us being together.

It's a treat to be together as a family and to just play,something we should do more often I feel,just the age old problem of money stopping us I guess.

You are all growing up fast!I stood watching you all,trying to catch those smiles and trying to commit them to memory!

When you were younger I saw you smile much more,these days it's rarer to see you really smile so I guess it's really precious when I do glimpse it.

Today I saw plenty of smiles and I appreciated every one.

We must do this bowling lark again!

Wordless Wednesday

Climbing up

Coming down

Balancing

Swinging

Ready

Steady

Up

Playing in the forest is fun 

Linking up at My Little Drummer Boys for Wordless Wednesday

Down in the woods

Today there were lots of different things in the forest.

First we glimpsed this

And then this

and when we saw these characters we knew something special was happening!

At first Chipmunk was very wary and wouldn't go near any of the camps but after a bit of gentle persuasion he really got into it and although he stuck like glue to my side he wanted to see more.

I think our favourite one was this one

The lady showed us how to keep the fire going by blowing onto it and there was real meat cooking!

Smoke was billowing everywhere but I thought it was great to see real fire and smell the smoke.

Chipmunk has never had that experience before and to actually smell something is so different to just seeing it in television.

Down by Robin Hoods tree there were archers

Chipmunk loved these guys!There were two sides ~ good guys and then the baddies boo who worked for the sheriff of Nottingham.

When the good guys won the archery contest the baddies had a scuffle with them

Luckily a woman shock horror came and sorted the ruffians out!

We then saw some soldiers

but at this point Chipmunk was more interested in two small puppy dogs stood next to us!

The man in the black is the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham,Chipmunk does not like him at all!Boo!Hiss!

After all this fun we carried on walking through the forest.

We took a different route and went off the beaten track,Chipmunk was the leader

We passed under leafy canopies

Found lots of wild flowers

And Chipmunk did lead us out into safety!We didn't get lost this time!

Chipmunk had a climb on the park

and a game of bat and ball.Then it was home again to get warm as it was chillybo!

Linking up at Coombe Mill for Country Kids

I'm not tired!I'm really not tired!

Today we were invited to a Jubilee party and what a fab time we had!

The sun was out,unlike yesterday's rainy old weather,infact it was so strong I worried at one point about Chipmunk getting sunburnt!

The party organisers made us so welcome,there was a barbecue and lots and lots of yummy cakes.

Here's a few of the cakes and my cup of tea!The cakes did look more appealing before they had been got at by the hungry hordes,but you can get the picture!

The house had been trimmed up with bunting,which flapped merrily in the wind.

There were quite a few families there and lots of children and this was where the fun began.

Chipmunk had took his scooter and so had many of the other kids and because all the grown ups where sitting on the front garden the children were allowed to play on the street!

What a treat to play in a gang of children on a street!

This is something I took for granted as a child and I spent most of my childhood playing unsupervised out on the street with my group of friends.

But these days that does not happen so much and the children were delighted to get such a opportunity and boy did they make the most of it!

They scootered up and down that street for hours,made games up,had races and had crashes!

The older children looked out for the young ones and it was so great to watch them,I had the time of my life watching them!

They even played Kerby!And it was the way they organised themselves without any adults butting in.Great stuff!

playing Kerby in the road!Look at the discarded scooter waiting for action!

Whilst the children were playing happily the adults had organised a group to sing!There were two people on guitars,one person on drums and my friend singing.

It made the party really special.There were people jiving on the drive and lots of clapping and foot tapping!

The thing I loved as well was the mix of age ranges there,from grandparents down to young children and everybody happy and getting on together.

As the night drew to a close Chipmunk kept saying to me

"I'm not tired!I'm not tired"

And all the grown ups smiled at each other because we all knew what that meant....

one very tired but absolutely happy little boy!

Chipmunk making jubilee bunting earlier in the day

A Bit Of Nature

 One of my big pushes this half term week has been to get Chipmunk 

out and about in the fresh air.

Today we went to Creswell Crags and it was good.

The other boys were at school and working so it was just me,

Chipmunk and my mum and dad. 

Creswell Crags is only a short drive away from where 

we live and it is truly beautiful

It is a archaeological site,steeped in history

and some great walks and stunning scenery.

First thing Chipmunk did was find a stick

and this stick stayed with us all around the lake 

and its in my kitchen right now.Im hoping it will 

transfer to the garden tomorrow!

We walked through windy woodland paths

until we came to a cave which was high up in the crags

So we climbed up and up and up,until finally 

we reached the top

And we found out that in here remains of wolves,

hyenas,woolly mammoths,even rhinos had been found.

Obviously this fascinated Chipmunk,wild animals

in caves = exciting!

We walked all around the lake,fed ducks and swans,saw horses galloping 

madly round a nearby field and then turned back to journey home.

Still carrying the stick of course!

It was a fantastic day out and after we got home Chipmunk relaxed with his

beloved ipad.

He had had a great time,climbing,running,being with family,

everything I want him to do.

Happy Chipmunk and happy me

Back To School

Today Chipmunk went back to school.

He had been off for 6 days and it almost seemed like a lifetime away.

We had been cosy in the house,where the most he had moved was up and downstairs

And then wham,into the cold air and the hustle bustle of the school playground.

I was anxious because although I knew he was a lot better,I still worried about him managing a full day at school

As soon as he put his school uniform on I noticed the cough again,

Infact I worried all day long!

I expected a call to say ''Come and pick him up''

But he survived it - woohoo!

And it was lovely picking him up and seeing him run with his friend,

That has to be a sign hes on the mend.

He bought all his milk home too,which he was thrilled about,

Nothing as thrilling as drinking 'school milk' at home!

So we are back on track,phew!

Its been a hard week!

Next decision - do I let him swim tomorrow/

Think I will sleep on that one!

One step at a time eh!

Poorly Sick

 

Ive got a poorly sick boy here.

 

 Last Wednesday I noticed Chipmunk was a bit under the weather but when he came home from school it became apparent that he really was quite poorly.

 

One of my friends said there was a 24 hour bug going around and so I thought 24hrs,we can do 24hrs.

 

But this isn't 24hrs.

 

We are now 6 days in and although I can see signs of improvement he is still not well enough to go to school

and the nights are terrible!

 

I have never heard a little one cough so much as Chipmunk has.

 

Not nice to hear.

 

As a mum,listening to your child suffer is horrible.

 

 And we are tired because of unbroken sleep.

 

Today after listening to my mum I have bought some cough medicine and that's a trauma in itself 

 

Chipmunk absolutely hates it!

Is it worth trauming him?

 

I'm giving it a go for a couple of days and we will have to see if it works.

I hope something does!

I think its one of the worst feelings when one of your kids are ill

So I'm hoping Chipmunk  will soon make a recovery and I can have my happy,smiley boy back to normal.

 

 

 

 

 

Swimming

Today we went swimming and it was the closest I have come to see you really start to swim Chipmunk! 

The pool was crowded,it was Saturday and a lot of families where having great fun together.

I had said to you that I was going to pretend to be your swimming teacher and that you was going to try to swim like you do with Jenny on Thursdays and you did seem to take this too heart and do whatever I wanted you to do.

We started in the big leisure pool and you did great swimming on your back and then we swapped to your front and you seemed to prefer this,I guess you could see where you were going for a start and in a crowded pool that's a important thing! 

After a while we stopped the swim practise and played sharks and then the waves came on and you had a good time. It amazes me that when you are at the seaside you run and jump in the waves,go under the sea and get back up for more constantly but the waves at the swimming baths seem to floor you and you back away. I wondered if it was because the water gets on your face and that's what you don't like,so that's why I suggested that you stood up and it seemed to do the trick,next time we will try that first. 

After the waves had finished we went into the teaching pool and this is where you did your best swimming. We played chasing a ball,you threw it and them we both swam after it,the first one to get the ball could throw it again. 

And as they are always telling us at work boys love competition and you proved that theory right today! You swam as fast as you could to get that ball and I made it competitive and didn't let you win all the time,so it became a really good game and without me then encouraging you to swim,you was swimming,up and down the pool you swam until your little face was as red as your Liverpool shirt!

And that's got to be good!

And the best bit was it was all done through play. We all know children learn through play and why should swimming be any different? 

You swam more during that game of ball than I had ever seen you do before,nobody telling you to do it,instead you were instinctively doing it! 

So have I got a swimmer? Nearly I think!

And as you lie there fast asleep I'm sat here smiling,thinking of the possibilities this would bring for you,good possibilities Chipmunk! 

Fun,safety in water,a way to build up your upper body strength,good self esteem when you eventually have to swim with the school,a brill form of exercise,really good stuff!

So sleep tight little one,dream sweet dreams,I know I will be smiling as I drift off to sleep tonight - not quite a fish but getting there!

Cute Hands

Fixing

Building

Holding

Playing

 

 

Resting

Happy New Year

Happy New Year Everybody! 

Here's hoping it will be a good one for all of us.

This time last year I didn't have a blog,I'm so glad I do now though,

I've really enjoyed blogging this year. 

I wanted to write New Years Letters to the boys this year so here goes 

 ************************

Dear Tiger,

Leader of the rugrats!

You have only 6-7months left at school. 

No matter what happens now you will leave school this summer. 

And still you do not really know what to do with yourself.

I'm hoping that you will find out sooner rather than later! 

I tend to think that perhaps you would be best getting any sort of job just so you can see what it's like in the real working world.

I then think you will know whether you want to go for more education or for money and to work your way up through other channels. 

Until you have tried I don't think you will know either way Tiger

I hope you and your girlfriend carry on enjoying each others company,in May this year you will have been going out together for two years! 

That's a long time! 

I wish you both well,you are a lovely young couple and seem to be very happy together. 

I would like you to have fun this year Tiger,it's your last year as a teenager! 

Can you believe that!

Because I can't! 

Never mind you growing from a baby to a child to a teenager,now I find you are soon not even going to be a teenager. 

What will you be called then!?!

A twentier? 

That is hard to take in at the moment!

So I want you to make the most of your last teenage year! 

Have fun but keep safe. 

It creases me up that you have now got a 'local' 

How did that happen?!? 

My son with his own local ~ shocking I say with a slight smirk on my face!

Here's wishing you a fab 2012 Tiger,may it bring all you deserve and more 

Love from Mum 

******************************

Dear Sharky, 

Oh my goodness you are growing up soo fast! 

You are 15 now and leave school this summer.

You want to stay on into 6th form,I want you to go to college.

I think there are more opportunities at college for you. 

I think you should look at a computer course,you are really good with design and you like to work with computers

I really think you would do well.

We will have to sort it soon,one of the first jobs of the new year I guess. 

This will be the final push for you with your GSCE,please try hard and please revise well as you have the capacity to do really well and I want you reach your potential I really do. 

You are shooting up in height,I always said you would be the tallest of all the boys and I think I may be right!

You have a good group of friends now and I love that.I hope you all stick together and have a good time this coming year! 

This year is also your prom year.I can't wait to see you in a prom suit,you will look so handsome of course 

Wishing you all the best for 2012 Sharky,keep making us smile,it's a job you do so well! 

Love from mum

******************************

Ahh and now......

Dear Chipmunk, 

Where do I start with you,little boy :-) 

What do I wish you?

Friends,health,strength,so many,many things Chipmunk.

Oh my goodness Chipmunk just what do I wish for you....

For you to run down to that school yard and be as strong as your friends

For you to be able to keep up with everyone and to run and jump just as fast as your classmates do

For you to be able to take those stabiliser's off your bike and ride round the comp just like any other 7 year old

For you to take your armbands off and throw them in a bin along with the stabilisers 

And for you then to swim without the armbands All by yourself

I don't need a champion swimmer,I just want you to swim

Just like your classmates

I would love you to make a real friend

Someone who would stick by you and make you feel wanted

That would be so cool

I want for us to carry on enjoying time spent playing outside in forests,parks and at the duckpond

I want to carry on playing catch with you and when the weathers better to get the hoola hoop out again

I want to carry on finding you good books to read and to see your reading progress as I'm sure it will

I want for you to enjoy the new MotoGp season

And British Superbikes

And any other sport that takes your fancy!

I want you to have a brilliant birthday and party and cake

I want you to spend as much time as possible in the fresh air,playing

I want the transition to junior school begin to ease for you,I really,really want this

I want for you to know that you are great,please always know that Chipmunk

Because you are,without any doubt

Love from your very best friend,always and forever

Mummy

The Park

The Park

Chipmunk and I went to the park

And it was good

Absolutely freezing 

But it was good 

The wind was so sharp and cold it made my ears hurt

It whipped round the park noisily.

Chipmunks face was rosy red

He was snuggled up in his big coat,gloves and hat but he had to take the hat off because he was too hot.

We found a stick and thats how we spent most of our time there

Not on the slides or swings or climbing frames

Just stick throwing

And it was good!

As is our tradition now,we bought the stick home,

Its under the Christmas tree.

After all the indoor activities of the past few days,a breath of fresh air was needed

We went to the park and it was good!

Zipper De Do Da

This morning was the typical Monday morning rush,I was just getting ready upstairs and Chipmunk had gone downstairs to put his coat & shoes on.

As I walked down the stairs I could not believe what I was seeing...he had zipped his own coat up!

For many people this may not be that amazing but to me it was pure magic.

We have tried for ages to learn how to zip coats.

I have brought so many different coats in the hope that Chipmunk would be able to zip them and all to no avail.

Then along came the big blue coat.
And all of a sudden Chipmunk is zipping!

And he is sooo proud!

He was beaming when I saw what he had done and so was I!

He did want to be independent all along but just didn't have the skills needed to do zips.

He does now tho!!!

And we are fantastically pleased about it!

14th November 2011 ~ coat zipped up day!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

MotoGp

Chipmunk loves MotoGP and when I say loves MotoGp I really mean loves MotoGp!

He watches every single bit of the race build up and this lasts days!
First on day one it's the practice,then on day two it's the qualifying and then on day three it's the actual race.
And each session lasts a long,long time because all three groups of bikes have to do each thing.This means Chipmunk could sit in front of the television for hours on three consecutive days which I really don't like.

But he does love it so!He knows all the riders names and what category they race in,he loves to predict who will win each race,he likes to see the different tracks and he can have a really knowledgeable discussion with anyone about MotoGp.

He has a book now where he keeps all the practice times


This seems to calm him down as he can sit and see the names of his beloved bike riders


His love of the bikes runs through to different areas of his life.Our cul de sac has now become a race track,he has a pit lane bit,a starting line and a garage part where he pretends to change tyres.

On a race weekend you may as well forget anything else because even if you try to take him out his mind is only on one thing.So I've come to the conclusion that while this craze lasts I'll go with it,that's why I'm writing this now as he's sat on the settee eyes fixed on the television!

Life as we know it!Totally and utterly bike mad!


Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Introducing The Boys :-)

I'm always a bit dubious putting the boys names and photos on the Internet so for the blog I was left wondering what to call them.

I could have chose just any old false name but I wanted it to mean something to me so I've had my thinking cap on!
I've got it now though :-) I'm going to use the nicknames that they boys had when they were little, so here goes;

My eldest boy will be named *Tiger* this is because he used to say to everyone he met "My real name is .... but my daddy calls me Tiger"
It still makes me smile to think of him saying that.
Tiger is nearly grown up now,18years old and leader of the rugrats!

My middle boy will be named *Sharky* When he was born he wasn't given his proper name until he was at least a month old,as we deliberated over what he should be called.
We called him Sharky because he looked like a shark when he fed!This is really true!
Sharky is now 14yrs old and a lively member of the family!

My youngest boy will be called *Chipmunk*.
He didn't have a nickname to be honest so I chose the name of one of his favourite pets (he calls his cuddly toys *pets*).
He is 7yrs old and quite a character!

So that's the boys in a nutshell!Let the adventures begin!