Nanny in Bournemouth Beach Panto Surprise (T)

Our nanny, gemma, has been acting as Tinkerbell in a Peter Pan pantomime in Bournemouth for the Christmas season. We went down to see her, and the boys spotted this beachside 'train' which we used to visit the length of Bournemouth beach.

For everyone from us

Whipsnade (T)

As Megan cleverly spotted, Eddie and I went to Whipsnade this week, the open zoo near Luton. It was a wintry day and pretty empty, I felt for the white rhinos who seemed to be missing the planes of Africa. The lions though were in fine fettle.

5 months, 1st tooth (A)

Yes, Reuben has his first tooth. Bottom right (his right).

The Camels, the camels (T)

Last night (A)

As i left the room, after stories and prayer, the boys tucked in to bed....Eddie says 'Mum, I am extremely awake'.

Endings and Christmas Events (T)

Yesterday was Eddie's last day at "Great Beginnings" his nursery after 6 months. Next year he's a good local state primary. He knows that he has finished at Great Beginnings but still talks about how he has 2 clothes pegs at "his school", the state school he refers to as "gracie's school", for one of his friends who already goes there. Here he is with his beloved nursery teacher on his second last day, on his final day there was a secular christmas concert - jingle bells is his favourite, and he has the lyrics down pat, correcting me whenever I stumble over the one-horse open sleighs and so on. (So like his mum, rather than his dad when it comes to lyrics).


Eddie also has an almost distinguishable part in the Church's cecil b demille nativity play tomorrow, as one of a moderate number of shepherds. In the dress rehearsal he has this blase demenour as though he isnt really following what is going on, and as if he doesnt really care, but he's actually quite on the ball.

A gift from our neighbour who once had to dress up as Cruella de Vil (A)

Making friends.....




or not...?






...peace again

Feed the world, Essex

Snap! (T)

Eddie is now at the stage where he's embracing routine and order, tonight he reminded us first to do the "christmas song", a CD that he's learning for his performance in Church with the sunday school, and then, when I also forgot it, he reminded me to let he and Sebbie both have a go at the Christmas music box that I bought last year in Port Macquarie (featuring a musical santa sitting inside a running train set).
His careful orderliness doesnt help him in the game of "snap" though, we played tonight with Sebi, and Sebastian was successful several times with his not altogether sporting tactic of gleefully hitting the cards and saying "snap" each time he places a card down.

Dinosaurs (T)

I just put the boys just down for their night sleep. I told them they could lie in bed and think about trains or buses, or riding their bikes today, or bob the builder. Eddie thought for a moment (lights were out, I was just closing the door).

"Dad" he said, "I'm going to think about dinosaurs eating people in their houses."

"OK, Good night, Love you", I said.

"Love you....hope you have a good sleep" he said

Survivor (T)

We're trying a real life version of "survivor" this next week, as Anita with Roo is off to Perth to see her mum. Tonight, when I thought the boys were safely in front of the television, Eddie came into my study and said, "Dad, what is Sebastian eating"? It took a moment for him to engage my interest, and I then followed him into the Kitchen. Where Sebastian has managed to hoist himself into his highchair (something he has done before, so far at no personal cost, but it is a hairy manoeuvre). Conveniently, Seb’s breakfast was still in place, if a little firmer, and he was polishing it off happily. I took this as a cue to put the dinner on.

leaves (A)

In America (A&T)

Although he's one of the smallest people we've got, Sebastian eats the largest breakfast of us all, he's often a 4 weet(a)bix boy. Here he's learning from his older brother.

Blocks in the Loungeroom (A)

Playgroup in the Park (A)

Learning to talk, and who is important in Life (A)

It is 8.30pm, Seb is in bed yelling DADDYYY...MUMMYYY...EDDIEEE...JODIEEE...over and over again.

Parties, parties, parties (A)

Somehow these last couple of months seem to have been filled with lots of birthday parties... they have all involved either, fancy dress, copious amounts of food, and/or jumping into ball pits!

More rain (A)

Jodie's video of Storytime (A)

Friday afternoons is Storytime at the local library...Eddie loves it and really gets into the stories. Seb tends to wander around choosing dvds and books for himself, and Roo, if we are lucky, sleeps. I met another Aussie mum last week with 3 children exactly the same ages as mine. Her Roo was a 'Ruby' though.....hhhmmmmm......

Skinny jeans (A)

Me and my Uncle dress cool for church...so does Beccy...who was an usher at my mum and dad's wedding. We had lunch at her house after church and then caught the tube home.

After swimming...as I dry Eddie, and as Miss Wendy supervises - she is the Headteacher (A)

Eddie: I like Miss Wendy more than you

Me: Really?

Eddie: Yes

Me: Would you like to go home with Miss Wendy now?

Eddie: No

Me: Would you like Miss Wendy to be your mummy?

Eddie: (laughs) No, you are my mummy



Miss Wendy: (grinning) They really say the most memorable things

2 more nights - Daddy's return (A)

Eddie: So tonight is a very special night

Me: Why?

Eddie: Because then there will be only one more night.

Me: Yes

Morning time (A)

Roo looks at himself in a mirror (A)

Sebi's thoughts... (A)

even though it's raining here in london and everything, and i get to walk in puddles, i guess i just miss my dad

Seb and Roo (A)

High 5 with Lorne (A)

Halloween party (A)

On our way to Dixie's...




Great to have Jodie with us



Bubba too of course




...friends, and......







....FOOD!

Sebastian's locks (A)

...But then Mummy made me have a haircut...

boys and cars (A)

Who am I? (A)

Eddie and I went to the Art Frieze Fair in Regents Park the other week. Inside the yurt were all kinds of activities for kids.... and I really did have a small identity crisis.....





...What on earth am I going to become...? Who do I want to be...?






I think I know what I DON'T want....



.....I know I look up to my big brother...



whatever he may look like...






I think, for now, I am happy to be ....... JUST ME

boys and cars

Oma's wondersuit (A)

thankyou grandma

Roo at 3 (months)

Growing up quickly, amid the buzz of his family.

Frome (rhymes with broom)

Here's an older and larger Reuben, and also here are his two brothers interactively enjoying some art, with the artist, at a gallery in Frome, a town in beautiful and wet Somerset.


I think there's too much art these days, and I cant work out whether the credit crunch will cause there to be less (because people have less money for fripperies) or more (because people will lose their jobs and have more time for fripperies). Time will tell.