I've had a great couple of days.
At Baby and Toddler group on Thursday - the happy clappy one (at which we arrived very late - we missed all the religious bits and arrived just in time to feed our bodies rather than our souls on grapes (Edward) and coffee and a chocolate biscuit (me - though he did try to grab the biscuit)) I chatted to some new people including Jenny, the wife of a newish GP in our surgery, who not only has 3 children - with a 'sneaking desire' for a 4th - but wants to sing in a choir. She was interested in Solway Singers so I've asked our choir master, who is also potentially interested in her. She seems really nice and moved here most recently from Chew Magna, near Bristol, so we had that in common.
Friday morning Isabella's class were doing assembly and David needed the car to get to Penrith, so I decided I'd walk home from Hayton with Edward. He was fine: apart from when the cover blew off the buggy. I got wet. But what was lovely, and which would only happen in a rural area like Cumbria, was that I got offered loads of lifts including one by some complete strangers! I turned them all down as nobody had a baby seat for their car, but I did wonder by the time I got towards Brampton and my skirt was soaked through and my legs were wet and cold whether perhaps lack of car seat could have been justified!
Yesterday evening I had arranged a group to sing carols and read christmas poems at Off the Wall, the cafe I know I have mentioned at least once before, just after the Brampton Christmas lights got switched on. We got loads of positive feedback and are provisionally booked in for next year: plus everyone who sang really enjoyed it, and we raised £45 for Parkinsons UK. I've never seen Off the Wall so full, which was great: and apparently they were doing quite a roaring trade in take-away hot chocolate as well.
Then today I manned the Hallsford farm stall at Brampton Farmers Market. It meant standing up in cold blowy weather from 8.30 until 1.30 but I really enjoyed myself. Hallsford is owned by Andrew and Helen Tomkins - Andrew sings in the Solway Singers with me - and they pride themselves on producing good quality, locally-reared meat. I got to chat to loads of people I didn't know, knew a little bit, or knew quite well, and sold about £50-worth more of meat than Andrew had anticipated I would. It was noticeable however that with the recession people are buying sausages etc. rather than the more expensive joints, although one of the local GPs didn't take too much persuading to purchase a rather nice leg of lamb (I was really pleased to sell that as it was £15 or so). I also sold the lamb shank to a couple with whom I was discussing recipe ideas. Andrew is going to pay me for my time in meat, which is great.
One of the people I saw was Elise, who is married to the family which owns the pub at Talkin. She and her husband only moved up a year or so ago so he could get involved in the family business, and we met at swimming back in the summer as her daughter and mine were in the same class. As I was going along each week with Edward she asked what having a third was like as she had found out, unexpectedly, that she was pregnant with no. 3. A week or so later she had another surprise as no.3 was actually nos. 3 and 4! I hadn't seen her for a few months and so today she looked really big as she's due to go in for an elective caesarean at 37 weeks on 22nd December - the due date would otherwise be around the time that Edward was due last year. It was good to see her as I liked her, and she now has my mobile number so we can meet up once she's a bit more settled! It will be great to see some tiny babies again and funny to think that a year ago I was in a similar position - Edward is SUCH a character now! He and I were playing a game which had him giggling hysterically this afternoon - I can't even remember exactly what it was but he has this appealing way of getting very giggly about things which nobody else would find particularly funny: the other two love it when he thinks something they are doing is hilarious. Maybe it was in part just the fact that I had, and took, the opportunity to play with him: which is a rather sad reflection as maybe I don't spend as much time playing with him as I should, but then I feel that about the other two as well and they were both in nursery and I was back at work full-time by the time they were each 6 months old.
The downside of this week is that only one person turned up to aerobics so I've decided not to teach until after Christmas (if they want me to start again then): it's a waste of my time which could be spent on my music 'stuff'.... or at least on helping get the children to bed.... so I'll be £15 per week down but on the other hand maybe the music things will start paying more. There's also a vague possibility that I'm going to get an article in Cumbria Life (http://www.cumbrialife.co.uk/) (fingers tightly crossed: they prefer not to use non-regular contributors) and I'm also - finally - being published in Cumbria magazine (http://cumbriamagazine.co.uk/) next month, so will get some money from them. We manage on David's salary and most months I get a little something extra one way or another: money's tight, but do I really want to move to Canada when I feel so much part of the local community here?
Saturday, 26 November 2011
Sunday, 20 November 2011
TEETH
It's all happening on the teeth front.
One of Alex's front milk teeth finally fell out at Film Club on Friday: he came home with it in one of those plastic money bags people use when they have lots of coins to take to the bank. Rather appropriate, really. The Tooth Fairy was a bit confused on Friday evening as he slept downstairs in the TV room with David: however she managed to take the tooth and replace it with a £1 coin on Saturday.
The amazing thing about it is that it is SO small! Maybe 3 or 4 mm in width; perhaps 7mm long including the root. The two new front teeth are already coming through behind and you can see that his jaw, or gum, has somehow expanded so that the bigger new teeth will fit.
Bella and Edward on the other hand have both had bigger teeth from the start - especially noticeable for the top two at the front. Whilst Alex's teeth always came through one by one, Bella's came through in pairs and Edward has had 4 very close together. Edward has also had the most problem with his: with the other two one day the teeth weren't there and the next they were, or at least had clearly cut the skin, and I don't remember any of the symptoms which so many people report in relation to their babies. Edward on the other hand has chosen to be different - as he quite often does - and has had a bad week with disgusting nappies, not wanting to eat anything (particularly not anything too hard) and sleeping badly. It's noticeable that now tooth number 3 (or numbers 3 and 4 - I'm not sure) have cut the skin that he's back to enjoying his food.
Developments are coming apace as he also started waving (or flapping) and clapping (with one fist curled up) this week.
Meanwhile Isabella and I went this evening to the Carlisle Christmas lights switch on, thinking it would be hugely tacky and (on my part) with some reservations. We enjoyed it tremendously, and as David had decided it wouldn't be his cup of tea we took Nicola and Ella with us who were excellent company as they enjoyed it as much as we did: there was a lot of laughter and singing along to songs. The lights are lovely and not in the slightest bit tacky: lots of lovely white lights in trees and then a few blue ones.
I just wish they'd had a little bit of the traditional christmas stuff, like carols and so forth. I was contemplating that a solo singer performing 'Silent Night' or some other well-known carol would have been a lovely contrast to the other acts and perhaps have created its own special atmosphere... maybe I should suggest it for next year?
One of Alex's front milk teeth finally fell out at Film Club on Friday: he came home with it in one of those plastic money bags people use when they have lots of coins to take to the bank. Rather appropriate, really. The Tooth Fairy was a bit confused on Friday evening as he slept downstairs in the TV room with David: however she managed to take the tooth and replace it with a £1 coin on Saturday.
The amazing thing about it is that it is SO small! Maybe 3 or 4 mm in width; perhaps 7mm long including the root. The two new front teeth are already coming through behind and you can see that his jaw, or gum, has somehow expanded so that the bigger new teeth will fit.
Bella and Edward on the other hand have both had bigger teeth from the start - especially noticeable for the top two at the front. Whilst Alex's teeth always came through one by one, Bella's came through in pairs and Edward has had 4 very close together. Edward has also had the most problem with his: with the other two one day the teeth weren't there and the next they were, or at least had clearly cut the skin, and I don't remember any of the symptoms which so many people report in relation to their babies. Edward on the other hand has chosen to be different - as he quite often does - and has had a bad week with disgusting nappies, not wanting to eat anything (particularly not anything too hard) and sleeping badly. It's noticeable that now tooth number 3 (or numbers 3 and 4 - I'm not sure) have cut the skin that he's back to enjoying his food.
Developments are coming apace as he also started waving (or flapping) and clapping (with one fist curled up) this week.
Meanwhile Isabella and I went this evening to the Carlisle Christmas lights switch on, thinking it would be hugely tacky and (on my part) with some reservations. We enjoyed it tremendously, and as David had decided it wouldn't be his cup of tea we took Nicola and Ella with us who were excellent company as they enjoyed it as much as we did: there was a lot of laughter and singing along to songs. The lights are lovely and not in the slightest bit tacky: lots of lovely white lights in trees and then a few blue ones.
I just wish they'd had a little bit of the traditional christmas stuff, like carols and so forth. I was contemplating that a solo singer performing 'Silent Night' or some other well-known carol would have been a lovely contrast to the other acts and perhaps have created its own special atmosphere... maybe I should suggest it for next year?
Saturday, 12 November 2011
NEW TODDLER GROUP; NEW SUPERMARKET
We tried out a new toddler group, Edward and I, on Thursday morning. It wasn't brand new, but just new to us and had the advantage of being in the morning as ones in the afternoon never seem quite to work out.
I was a bit apprehensive as it was at the Bethseda Evangelical church and evangelism is not my cup of tea. My fears, I thought, were realised when it started with a 'happy clappy' singing session: but I told myself that the children love singing anyway (Edward certainly enjoyed it - early brain-washing perhaps) and if you're going to a group which has been organised by and in a church, then it's fair enough to have a bit of bible bashing. And in fact it was very short and as I have had all the children christened and am not a stranger to church services myself, I didn't really mind. Is it perhaps that I'm embarrassed to admit to being at all religious?
It took me right back to when Alex was a toddler and I was pregnant with and then on maternity leave with Isabella, and we used to go to the Methodist church in Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, for a baby and toddler group. It did seem a bit strange that a church hall was being used for a group which appeared to have no association with the church whatsoever. That seems so long ago now: it was, of course, about 6 years ago. So much seems to have happened in that time, the two big things being moving to Cumbria and having Edward. We've already been here 4 years - we were only 4 years in Bristol. It feels like home here whereas we spent a long time trying to get away from Bristol: David would certainly have left sooner if we'd had the opportunity. Even working at NWDA now seems distant, particularly with everyone else leaving and the office gradually emptying, and yet it's only a year I was last there, heavily pregnant, for the Christmas lunch.
To return to the baby and toddler group. It was one of the nicest of such groups I've been to, not that I'm that experienced. Snacks were provided for the children and a cup of coffee and a chocolate biscuit for the Mums, and we had to do no clearing up whatsoever, which I thought was great - especially for the small sum of £1.50. Both other groups I've been to have involved the Mums doing all the clearing up and tidying away, and at the one in Bristol you used to have to take it in turns to man the payment desk, do the coffees, or do the washing up. This one has an army of grandmas and grandpas who organise and run it, even down to opening the gate for you to get in and out! Singing a few religious songs and saying a prayer is indeed a small price to pay.
And tomorrow we're off to the Remembrance Day service at Hayton as I promised Edward the vicar and Alison his wife I'd help with Sunday school.
As a complete contrast - from the religious to the corporeal - today we went to Penrith to do our weekly shop at the new Sainsburys. It was so much nicer than going to smelly old, non-tax paying Tescos, and better than Morrisons which always seems to me somehow a bit yellow, as if it was ageing. Not surprisingly for a new store which hasn't yet built up to its full customer numbers, there appeared to be an excessive number of staff: a man to help us get the car park ticket; a woman to make sure we didn't go wandering off up the travelator instead of into the store (at least, I think that's what she was doing: later the children had a ride up the travelator and down again); and people raising money for a girls' football team packing bags. There was a wide range of quality produce on sale (it will be interesting to see what we think of the fruit and vegetables in a few days' time) and I got very tempted by the children's and baby clothes, especially dungarees for Edward which would be such a good idea as his trousers fall down when he's crawling around but if he has bare knees they get a bit red and sore and also his legs get cold. I did resist but I might go back when I have some money. It's always difficult to resist nice things for the children, especially when you feel that they 'need' them.
We still went to Cranstons to get our meat however. It's a while since I've been in the extended one (extended two years ago now) opposite my old office but it was good to see that it was very busy and - without meaning to sound too snobby - seemed to be full of middle class (and above?) people. There was an air, I felt, of 'recession be damned'. There were lots of samples to try as well so we all had a selection of mince pie, three types of sausage meat stuffing, Cumberland sausage and various pies. Edward particularly seemed to like mince pie and the sausagemeat with apple.
Isabella was her normal embarrassing self by chatting to the check out lady and telling her how much she liked all the samples. She then spoilt it by telling her we'd just been to the new Sainsburys.... It's like being out with my mother, who has frequently over the years embarrassed my sister and myself by chatting to complete strangers - usually shop assistants - about things they are probably not the slightest bit interested in. I remember one time being in a shop in Wedmore, pregnant with Alex, and my mother patting my stomach and saying something to the shop lady about my not being married (we were looking for wedding outfits) but that 'it seemed to be the way of things nowadays'.
I'm sure I'll be just as bad, if I'm not already - I'm quite capable of chatting away to people and telling them all sorts of things about myself and my children. I shall get my own back on Isabella when she's older....
I was a bit apprehensive as it was at the Bethseda Evangelical church and evangelism is not my cup of tea. My fears, I thought, were realised when it started with a 'happy clappy' singing session: but I told myself that the children love singing anyway (Edward certainly enjoyed it - early brain-washing perhaps) and if you're going to a group which has been organised by and in a church, then it's fair enough to have a bit of bible bashing. And in fact it was very short and as I have had all the children christened and am not a stranger to church services myself, I didn't really mind. Is it perhaps that I'm embarrassed to admit to being at all religious?
It took me right back to when Alex was a toddler and I was pregnant with and then on maternity leave with Isabella, and we used to go to the Methodist church in Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, for a baby and toddler group. It did seem a bit strange that a church hall was being used for a group which appeared to have no association with the church whatsoever. That seems so long ago now: it was, of course, about 6 years ago. So much seems to have happened in that time, the two big things being moving to Cumbria and having Edward. We've already been here 4 years - we were only 4 years in Bristol. It feels like home here whereas we spent a long time trying to get away from Bristol: David would certainly have left sooner if we'd had the opportunity. Even working at NWDA now seems distant, particularly with everyone else leaving and the office gradually emptying, and yet it's only a year I was last there, heavily pregnant, for the Christmas lunch.
To return to the baby and toddler group. It was one of the nicest of such groups I've been to, not that I'm that experienced. Snacks were provided for the children and a cup of coffee and a chocolate biscuit for the Mums, and we had to do no clearing up whatsoever, which I thought was great - especially for the small sum of £1.50. Both other groups I've been to have involved the Mums doing all the clearing up and tidying away, and at the one in Bristol you used to have to take it in turns to man the payment desk, do the coffees, or do the washing up. This one has an army of grandmas and grandpas who organise and run it, even down to opening the gate for you to get in and out! Singing a few religious songs and saying a prayer is indeed a small price to pay.
And tomorrow we're off to the Remembrance Day service at Hayton as I promised Edward the vicar and Alison his wife I'd help with Sunday school.
As a complete contrast - from the religious to the corporeal - today we went to Penrith to do our weekly shop at the new Sainsburys. It was so much nicer than going to smelly old, non-tax paying Tescos, and better than Morrisons which always seems to me somehow a bit yellow, as if it was ageing. Not surprisingly for a new store which hasn't yet built up to its full customer numbers, there appeared to be an excessive number of staff: a man to help us get the car park ticket; a woman to make sure we didn't go wandering off up the travelator instead of into the store (at least, I think that's what she was doing: later the children had a ride up the travelator and down again); and people raising money for a girls' football team packing bags. There was a wide range of quality produce on sale (it will be interesting to see what we think of the fruit and vegetables in a few days' time) and I got very tempted by the children's and baby clothes, especially dungarees for Edward which would be such a good idea as his trousers fall down when he's crawling around but if he has bare knees they get a bit red and sore and also his legs get cold. I did resist but I might go back when I have some money. It's always difficult to resist nice things for the children, especially when you feel that they 'need' them.
We still went to Cranstons to get our meat however. It's a while since I've been in the extended one (extended two years ago now) opposite my old office but it was good to see that it was very busy and - without meaning to sound too snobby - seemed to be full of middle class (and above?) people. There was an air, I felt, of 'recession be damned'. There were lots of samples to try as well so we all had a selection of mince pie, three types of sausage meat stuffing, Cumberland sausage and various pies. Edward particularly seemed to like mince pie and the sausagemeat with apple.
Isabella was her normal embarrassing self by chatting to the check out lady and telling her how much she liked all the samples. She then spoilt it by telling her we'd just been to the new Sainsburys.... It's like being out with my mother, who has frequently over the years embarrassed my sister and myself by chatting to complete strangers - usually shop assistants - about things they are probably not the slightest bit interested in. I remember one time being in a shop in Wedmore, pregnant with Alex, and my mother patting my stomach and saying something to the shop lady about my not being married (we were looking for wedding outfits) but that 'it seemed to be the way of things nowadays'.
I'm sure I'll be just as bad, if I'm not already - I'm quite capable of chatting away to people and telling them all sorts of things about myself and my children. I shall get my own back on Isabella when she's older....
Monday, 7 November 2011
CELEBRATIONS FOR A SIX YEAR OLD
It was a bit of a manic weekend but had the advantage that the baby seems to be back to sleeping - and more importantly, waking - more or less normally.
My 'baby' daughter turned 6 on Thursday. She's still as feisty and demanding and loud as when she was born; still as striking looking with her dark hair, dark eyes and pale skin (not surprisingly some people bought her Snow White dolls as she definitely has that sort of colouring - or Dora the Explorer, to bring things up to date). She is also confident and extrovert and told almost everybody we saw over the weekend, whether or not she knew them, that it was her birthday.
The actual day itself started with presents at breakfast, wearing a new woolly jacket to school, and then Nanny and Grandad Bill turning up at school just as we were about to fetch Alex from Book Club. I had prepared - with a lot of help from the Co-op - a surprise birthday tea of crisps, sausages on sticks, pineapple and cheese on sticks, sandwiches, chocolate cake with candles.... etc.
The following day she was granted a day off school and my parents and I took her and the Baby over to Newcastle to go to John Lewis for new shoes and lunch - the baby very much enjoyed the Max's Wicked Chicken - and then to the Great North Museum, which is where Alex got taken for his birthday. It's a fabulous museum and actually I'd really like to spend the day there on my own, without any children in tow. http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/greatnorthmuseum/
Friday evening there were fireworks in Brampton at the primary school - including a hot dog stand and a pig roast stand - yum! Edward didn't think much of the fireworks as he was trying to get to sleep, so I came home with him to make Mulled Cider and Isabella stayed at the fireworks with Nanny and Grandad. Alex had chosen to go to Film Club at school which was showing Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which he can only have watched at home several hundred times.... Emma and co. came round to share the mulled cider and whilst Craig helped my Mum do one of Isabella's jigsaw puzzles, Emma and I chatted!
On Saturday we held a small party for the birthday girl here at home: 11 children in total. Never again. Never will I have a party for children any older than about 4 years at my house. They get bigger and noisier and more boisterous - and no less messy. They're all lovely individually but once they get together in a crowd they start stirring each other up and invariably there are a few tears. Alex took the two boys who had been invited off to play at knights and dragons, but despite being the oldest he also got very silly, which the others thought was hilarious but which David and I just found annoying. Sadly, I remember getting told off for exactly the same thing at my sister's birthday parties.... Alex did do a very funny impression of a chicken laying an egg with its bottom on fire as his forfeit for pass the parcel: I do think he's good at acting and should carry on with drama lessons once we have enough money (currently he's sticking to athletics and rugby, which have the advantages of burning up some energy).
On Saturday evening David and I escaped to the fireworks at Bitts Park in Carlisle, as I'd been given guest passes. Well worth it not to be squashed up in a crowd of 3000 people, and the fireworks and bonfire - with an olympic theme - were suberb.
Sunday was slightly quieter as my parents left in the morning as we were going for a walk round Talkin Tarn with Mandy and Thomas, while Chris ran with David. We all agreed we had never seen the Tarn look so stunning: not only was there the golden autumn foliage under a cold blue sky, but the mist of the evening before came back and hung over the Tarn, making the rowers and sailing boats on the water look ghostly and surreal.
It continued cold and I had to defrost the car before Isabella and I headed back to Carlisle that evening, to the Sands, for my birthday treat to her: a performance of the ballet of The Snow Queen. She insisted on wearing a rather bare Cinderella dress, a tiara and her 'clip clop' shoes (dressing up shoes which leave her toes and ankles bare): I was wearing a cotton jumper, a thick, lined, woollen zip up jacket and long woolly socks, plus gloves, hat and coat in the car.... The Snow Queen was not great ballet but it was perfect as a birthday treat for a 6-year old girl, having a story, beautiful costumes and some funny moments as well. Bella was particularly taken by the old flower lady who wiggled her bottom, as well as enjoying the crow and the reindeer.
She just managed to stay awake on the way home. Going in to school today she was trying to remember all the things she had done for her birthday. And I have not even mentioned the lovely dress her father bought her!
My 'baby' daughter turned 6 on Thursday. She's still as feisty and demanding and loud as when she was born; still as striking looking with her dark hair, dark eyes and pale skin (not surprisingly some people bought her Snow White dolls as she definitely has that sort of colouring - or Dora the Explorer, to bring things up to date). She is also confident and extrovert and told almost everybody we saw over the weekend, whether or not she knew them, that it was her birthday.
The actual day itself started with presents at breakfast, wearing a new woolly jacket to school, and then Nanny and Grandad Bill turning up at school just as we were about to fetch Alex from Book Club. I had prepared - with a lot of help from the Co-op - a surprise birthday tea of crisps, sausages on sticks, pineapple and cheese on sticks, sandwiches, chocolate cake with candles.... etc.
The following day she was granted a day off school and my parents and I took her and the Baby over to Newcastle to go to John Lewis for new shoes and lunch - the baby very much enjoyed the Max's Wicked Chicken - and then to the Great North Museum, which is where Alex got taken for his birthday. It's a fabulous museum and actually I'd really like to spend the day there on my own, without any children in tow. http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/greatnorthmuseum/
Friday evening there were fireworks in Brampton at the primary school - including a hot dog stand and a pig roast stand - yum! Edward didn't think much of the fireworks as he was trying to get to sleep, so I came home with him to make Mulled Cider and Isabella stayed at the fireworks with Nanny and Grandad. Alex had chosen to go to Film Club at school which was showing Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which he can only have watched at home several hundred times.... Emma and co. came round to share the mulled cider and whilst Craig helped my Mum do one of Isabella's jigsaw puzzles, Emma and I chatted!
On Saturday we held a small party for the birthday girl here at home: 11 children in total. Never again. Never will I have a party for children any older than about 4 years at my house. They get bigger and noisier and more boisterous - and no less messy. They're all lovely individually but once they get together in a crowd they start stirring each other up and invariably there are a few tears. Alex took the two boys who had been invited off to play at knights and dragons, but despite being the oldest he also got very silly, which the others thought was hilarious but which David and I just found annoying. Sadly, I remember getting told off for exactly the same thing at my sister's birthday parties.... Alex did do a very funny impression of a chicken laying an egg with its bottom on fire as his forfeit for pass the parcel: I do think he's good at acting and should carry on with drama lessons once we have enough money (currently he's sticking to athletics and rugby, which have the advantages of burning up some energy).
On Saturday evening David and I escaped to the fireworks at Bitts Park in Carlisle, as I'd been given guest passes. Well worth it not to be squashed up in a crowd of 3000 people, and the fireworks and bonfire - with an olympic theme - were suberb.
Sunday was slightly quieter as my parents left in the morning as we were going for a walk round Talkin Tarn with Mandy and Thomas, while Chris ran with David. We all agreed we had never seen the Tarn look so stunning: not only was there the golden autumn foliage under a cold blue sky, but the mist of the evening before came back and hung over the Tarn, making the rowers and sailing boats on the water look ghostly and surreal.
It continued cold and I had to defrost the car before Isabella and I headed back to Carlisle that evening, to the Sands, for my birthday treat to her: a performance of the ballet of The Snow Queen. She insisted on wearing a rather bare Cinderella dress, a tiara and her 'clip clop' shoes (dressing up shoes which leave her toes and ankles bare): I was wearing a cotton jumper, a thick, lined, woollen zip up jacket and long woolly socks, plus gloves, hat and coat in the car.... The Snow Queen was not great ballet but it was perfect as a birthday treat for a 6-year old girl, having a story, beautiful costumes and some funny moments as well. Bella was particularly taken by the old flower lady who wiggled her bottom, as well as enjoying the crow and the reindeer.
She just managed to stay awake on the way home. Going in to school today she was trying to remember all the things she had done for her birthday. And I have not even mentioned the lovely dress her father bought her!
Sunday, 30 October 2011
A LONG DAY; A LONG WEEK
The clocks went back last night. Nobody told Edward, so he woke up at 7a.m. old time (reasonably); 6a.m. new time. This had some advantages in that the morning seemed really long and I got a whole load of stuff done before breakfast. Early afternoon seemed however to vanish rather quickly with a run with Nicola seeming to take up far longer than it actually had (this is no reflection on Nicola at all, and at least we didn't go out for the hour and half off-road traipse around Gelt Woods which I normally do with Eddie on a Sunday). I came home and did some gardening and then started making tea, thinking I had loads of time, only to find it was suddenly 5.30 and the children were all getting fractious and naughty because they were hungry and I'd forgotten that it was an hour later than they might normally eat at.
The advantages of this were that the older two both ate well however with Alex for once eating all his carrots and most of his broccoli; and they both loved the lamb shanks I had decided to try out on them. Edward started off making his 'mum mum mum' noise (which means, 'I'm hungry, I like this, hurry up and give me more') but then quickly got tearful as he'd only had an hour's sleep today and was tired out. As I write he is sitting on his father giggling having woken up after a couple of hours' sleep, having been brought downstairs and given more milk.
I know there are Strict Mothers in the audience who do everything correctly and who will tell me this is the Wrong Thing To Do. I know it is. He doesn't normally get - or even ask for - milk if he wakes in the night, but he was crying and crying and not going back to sleep and having not had much to eat today I thought he might well be hungry. He and his father are now making those funny noises when you pat your hand over your open mouth, so he's now even more awake than he was. I'm going to bed soon though so he can come up with me and lie next to me and I'm sure will soon be asleep (yes, I know that's another 'no, no' but it worked with the other two and quite frankly having thought before having children that having them next to you on the bed was a cardinal sin, reality kicked in once Alex started waking in the night as a baby, and I do believe that they are unlikely still to be coming into my bed as teenagers. Plus I like being able to hear them breathe). I apologise not.
Having eaten our lovely dinner (I really must recommend my choir colleague Andrew's lamb - http://www.hallsford.co.uk/) - pudding consisting of an apple and lemon pie made from my sister's home-grown cooking apples - I left the older children to watch a couple of Aardman Animations short films and went up to have a bath. Glancing in Isabella's room, having left the dining table not totally cleared, I felt 'why should I bother'. I was sorely tempted to leave it all for several days, though I did put the dishwasher on first. I got in the bath feeling that this had been a long week and that I've achieved nothing: none of the work I wanted to do or thought I might do has got done and what's more due to having what felt like a minor and innocuous cold, I have done no training or singing - but going for a run this afternoon made me realise that was the right decision as I felt so tired. I think it's just trying to look after 3 children, and whilst having parents here last week, over the weekend and for a few days this week, was some help, there still seemed to be rather a lot to do.
I lay in the bath and read To the Poles without a Beard, which I got out of the library yesterday. An hour later I had just got out and was sitting on the edge of the bath in a towel, still reading, when Isabella knocked on the door to tell me that she and Alex were going to bed. Amazed at this (it's normally quite a battle), but concluding that they must both be tired due to a late night and lots of excitement at a Hallowe'en party yesterday, and the extra hour today, I accepted this at face value and gave them a big kiss and cuddle whilst tucking them up.
When I came downstairs I found one reason for this apparently good behaviour. They had opened a new block of butter and put it in the butter dish and then helped themselves to the remainder of the cracker (biscuits) in the TV room (food is not allowed in there), presumably whilst watching all three episodes on the Aardman Animations DVD. What was David doing? He was on the computer next door of course... where is a man usually when you need him? Answer: on his computer. Would a man think to get the children to bed? Answer: no, not unless you told him that that was part of his job description for the evening.
I wasn't cross with them. With an Absentee Mother (in the bath) and a not-too-present Father (in the room next door but probably oblivious to all except fighting) I'm not surprised they helped themselves to the remaining crackers. I'm quite impressed that they thought of putting the butter in the butterdish in fact, although they didn't think to cover up the evidence - they left the empty biscuit box and the butter dish and a dirty knife on the sofa in the TV room. And I think they were probably tired as well in any case.
It's been a long day at the end of a long week: and there is only excitement to look forward to from now on as it's Isabella's 6th birthday this week and my parents are coming up again, fireworks night at the weekend, and then the build-up to Christmas: followed of course by Edward's 1st birthday. It's going to be incredibly quiet when everyone is back at school and work tomorrow: but only for a few days.
The advantages of this were that the older two both ate well however with Alex for once eating all his carrots and most of his broccoli; and they both loved the lamb shanks I had decided to try out on them. Edward started off making his 'mum mum mum' noise (which means, 'I'm hungry, I like this, hurry up and give me more') but then quickly got tearful as he'd only had an hour's sleep today and was tired out. As I write he is sitting on his father giggling having woken up after a couple of hours' sleep, having been brought downstairs and given more milk.
I know there are Strict Mothers in the audience who do everything correctly and who will tell me this is the Wrong Thing To Do. I know it is. He doesn't normally get - or even ask for - milk if he wakes in the night, but he was crying and crying and not going back to sleep and having not had much to eat today I thought he might well be hungry. He and his father are now making those funny noises when you pat your hand over your open mouth, so he's now even more awake than he was. I'm going to bed soon though so he can come up with me and lie next to me and I'm sure will soon be asleep (yes, I know that's another 'no, no' but it worked with the other two and quite frankly having thought before having children that having them next to you on the bed was a cardinal sin, reality kicked in once Alex started waking in the night as a baby, and I do believe that they are unlikely still to be coming into my bed as teenagers. Plus I like being able to hear them breathe). I apologise not.
Having eaten our lovely dinner (I really must recommend my choir colleague Andrew's lamb - http://www.hallsford.co.uk/) - pudding consisting of an apple and lemon pie made from my sister's home-grown cooking apples - I left the older children to watch a couple of Aardman Animations short films and went up to have a bath. Glancing in Isabella's room, having left the dining table not totally cleared, I felt 'why should I bother'. I was sorely tempted to leave it all for several days, though I did put the dishwasher on first. I got in the bath feeling that this had been a long week and that I've achieved nothing: none of the work I wanted to do or thought I might do has got done and what's more due to having what felt like a minor and innocuous cold, I have done no training or singing - but going for a run this afternoon made me realise that was the right decision as I felt so tired. I think it's just trying to look after 3 children, and whilst having parents here last week, over the weekend and for a few days this week, was some help, there still seemed to be rather a lot to do.
I lay in the bath and read To the Poles without a Beard, which I got out of the library yesterday. An hour later I had just got out and was sitting on the edge of the bath in a towel, still reading, when Isabella knocked on the door to tell me that she and Alex were going to bed. Amazed at this (it's normally quite a battle), but concluding that they must both be tired due to a late night and lots of excitement at a Hallowe'en party yesterday, and the extra hour today, I accepted this at face value and gave them a big kiss and cuddle whilst tucking them up.
When I came downstairs I found one reason for this apparently good behaviour. They had opened a new block of butter and put it in the butter dish and then helped themselves to the remainder of the cracker (biscuits) in the TV room (food is not allowed in there), presumably whilst watching all three episodes on the Aardman Animations DVD. What was David doing? He was on the computer next door of course... where is a man usually when you need him? Answer: on his computer. Would a man think to get the children to bed? Answer: no, not unless you told him that that was part of his job description for the evening.
I wasn't cross with them. With an Absentee Mother (in the bath) and a not-too-present Father (in the room next door but probably oblivious to all except fighting) I'm not surprised they helped themselves to the remaining crackers. I'm quite impressed that they thought of putting the butter in the butterdish in fact, although they didn't think to cover up the evidence - they left the empty biscuit box and the butter dish and a dirty knife on the sofa in the TV room. And I think they were probably tired as well in any case.
It's been a long day at the end of a long week: and there is only excitement to look forward to from now on as it's Isabella's 6th birthday this week and my parents are coming up again, fireworks night at the weekend, and then the build-up to Christmas: followed of course by Edward's 1st birthday. It's going to be incredibly quiet when everyone is back at school and work tomorrow: but only for a few days.
Thursday, 27 October 2011
CRIMSON ROOMS AND GOLD PARTIES
I've just finished The Crimson Rooms by Katharine McMahon. I loved reading it: another good recommendation by my Mother in Law's reading group. I was trying to work out exactly what I liked about it and I think it was a combination of three things:
1. the First World War interest, including the post-war 'reality' and what felt like a real understanding of how things might have been, emotionally, post-war: I remember reading Testament of Youth and that what struck me was the emotional disjoint between those who were in some way involved in the war (especially if they were at or near the front line) and those who were unaffected;
2. the struggle of a female lawyer against 'the establishment/tradition'. Unfortunately whilst huge strides have been made I feel there is still a certain amount of demeaning of female professionals nowadays: I have always felt that in surveying, at least (an Old Boy's Network in many areas if ever there was one - and even young male surveyors have expressed that view);
3. the characters. Evelyn's relationships with other people are interesting, and the way her feelings are revealed and likewise her interpretation of those she relates to, I found not only intriguing but also understandable and credible.
So, a book I would definitely recommend: particularly perhaps to female professionals.
The colour theme continues in that I had my 'gold' party (i.e. my 50th birthday party) last weekend: and I apologise here and now to all who weren't invited. Unfortunately due to financial restraints the original guestlist of 200+ - which, even so, was probably going to be too many for the Dacre Hall at Lanercost - had to shrink to 30+ for our own house. Many people who would normally get invited to our parties, weren't, because we invited people from further afield: on the other hand I was really pleased that people made the effort to travel hundreds of miles to get to my rather low-key but very enjoyable birthday party. I am now officially 50.
My Mum bought me a gold top but sadly I haven't yet seen a photo of myself in it that I like; I rather think my Mummy Tummy is still quite apparent - but on the other hand, I've had three children and three caesareans and, you know what (in case it's not already obvious)? I'm quite proud of myself. I still need to lose some weight but I fitted into a pair of black work trousers which I can't have worn for 18 months or more, so at least I don't need to rush out and buy new work trousers.
I also got some more fab presents. Jane sent the flowers above as she couldn't, sadly, make the party in the end: she was moving her teenage daughter into accommodation in London as she's just started University, which is very exciting and far more important anyway, but it was a pity not to see her. I got some more Ren (http://www.renskincare.com)/smellies in the post yesterday from my Sister in Law as well. A quick advertisement for Ren: they are British; they are natural; they are extremely good value for money; and they smell great. One of their eyecreams is one of the few that works on the dry skin around David's eyes, especially in the winter when he's been running (i.e. combination of sweat and cold air).
Mandy brought a small box of Green & Black's small bars of chocolates (bliss: http://www.greenandblacks.com/: she had already given me a rose bush); Caroline some fab treble clef earrings and some Clarins Eau Dynamisante (one of the few perfumes I actually like and wear); Alison a gold necklace which I shall make an effort to wear, though I rarely wear necklaces, as again I really like it; my sister various things including a bottle of one of my favourite 'treat' wines, which you can now only buy in France, Muscat de Rivesaltes; Gavin Greig a Waterstones voucher which was great as I have finally been able to buy myself a music dictionary; and Kath and Eddie an M&S voucher which was also extremely well-timed as I had got hair dye on a white crewneck cotton top so I've now been able to buy another. All in all it was an extremely enjoyable party and I hope my guests, who had made so much effort to come along, enjoyed it as much as I did.
My parents, having talked about buying a car, gave me a cheque. I had a list of things to spend it on but in fact got a bit distracted and amongst other items bought some things for the garden. This means I have now been able to give the transplanted rhododedron bushes some compost, which I hope will help them settle into their new home: I have also bought a couple of boxes of chicken manure (two for the price of one) which I hope will help fertilise the soil a bit. At the moment they're making the utility room smell but the scented stick things my sister bought me are also temporarily in there to try to offset the chicken poo smell. I must feed the roses, which have been looking particularly unhappy this year: leaves with black spots on, very few flowers, and not much growth. Unlike the weeds, as I know I have lamented many times in this blog. Here is a photo of the rhododedrons and I hope to be able to update it later with a photo of them looking bigger and more flowery:
Otherwise the garden is pretty full of weeds, though I now have a plan to dig up a load of stuff under the apple tree and extend the lawn: it might possibly get rid of the nettles, at least for a while. I bought a whole load of topsoil as I'm hoping it will fill in the holes where the rhododedrons were and also provide a bit of a boost to tired soil: if not, it's chicken manure all round until my compost heap has composted enough to use (a friend has also promised me some horse manure but apparently you have to let it compost down before you can use it). I was also tempted by some spring bulbs and some cyclamen: last year's cyclamen have not reappeared, which is sad.
It could however all be completely unnecessary as David had the idea yesterday that perhaps we should move to Canada, at least for a couple of years. Personally I think if we moved abroad we'd probably never come back: I'm certainly willing to give it a go if we can get jobs. I get no points in terms of getting a visa for being 50, however: at least David at 37 will get a few more. Apparently Canada has a healthy demand for professionals, though I'm not totally sure what general practice surveyors are called over there: and the skiing would be fab (so long as we lived near the skiing areas). We shall see. Will the blog be changing from Unemployed in Cumbria to An Emigre in Canada?....
1. the First World War interest, including the post-war 'reality' and what felt like a real understanding of how things might have been, emotionally, post-war: I remember reading Testament of Youth and that what struck me was the emotional disjoint between those who were in some way involved in the war (especially if they were at or near the front line) and those who were unaffected;
2. the struggle of a female lawyer against 'the establishment/tradition'. Unfortunately whilst huge strides have been made I feel there is still a certain amount of demeaning of female professionals nowadays: I have always felt that in surveying, at least (an Old Boy's Network in many areas if ever there was one - and even young male surveyors have expressed that view);
3. the characters. Evelyn's relationships with other people are interesting, and the way her feelings are revealed and likewise her interpretation of those she relates to, I found not only intriguing but also understandable and credible.
So, a book I would definitely recommend: particularly perhaps to female professionals.
The colour theme continues in that I had my 'gold' party (i.e. my 50th birthday party) last weekend: and I apologise here and now to all who weren't invited. Unfortunately due to financial restraints the original guestlist of 200+ - which, even so, was probably going to be too many for the Dacre Hall at Lanercost - had to shrink to 30+ for our own house. Many people who would normally get invited to our parties, weren't, because we invited people from further afield: on the other hand I was really pleased that people made the effort to travel hundreds of miles to get to my rather low-key but very enjoyable birthday party. I am now officially 50.
My Mum bought me a gold top but sadly I haven't yet seen a photo of myself in it that I like; I rather think my Mummy Tummy is still quite apparent - but on the other hand, I've had three children and three caesareans and, you know what (in case it's not already obvious)? I'm quite proud of myself. I still need to lose some weight but I fitted into a pair of black work trousers which I can't have worn for 18 months or more, so at least I don't need to rush out and buy new work trousers.
Mandy brought a small box of Green & Black's small bars of chocolates (bliss: http://www.greenandblacks.com/: she had already given me a rose bush); Caroline some fab treble clef earrings and some Clarins Eau Dynamisante (one of the few perfumes I actually like and wear); Alison a gold necklace which I shall make an effort to wear, though I rarely wear necklaces, as again I really like it; my sister various things including a bottle of one of my favourite 'treat' wines, which you can now only buy in France, Muscat de Rivesaltes; Gavin Greig a Waterstones voucher which was great as I have finally been able to buy myself a music dictionary; and Kath and Eddie an M&S voucher which was also extremely well-timed as I had got hair dye on a white crewneck cotton top so I've now been able to buy another. All in all it was an extremely enjoyable party and I hope my guests, who had made so much effort to come along, enjoyed it as much as I did.
My parents, having talked about buying a car, gave me a cheque. I had a list of things to spend it on but in fact got a bit distracted and amongst other items bought some things for the garden. This means I have now been able to give the transplanted rhododedron bushes some compost, which I hope will help them settle into their new home: I have also bought a couple of boxes of chicken manure (two for the price of one) which I hope will help fertilise the soil a bit. At the moment they're making the utility room smell but the scented stick things my sister bought me are also temporarily in there to try to offset the chicken poo smell. I must feed the roses, which have been looking particularly unhappy this year: leaves with black spots on, very few flowers, and not much growth. Unlike the weeds, as I know I have lamented many times in this blog. Here is a photo of the rhododedrons and I hope to be able to update it later with a photo of them looking bigger and more flowery:
It could however all be completely unnecessary as David had the idea yesterday that perhaps we should move to Canada, at least for a couple of years. Personally I think if we moved abroad we'd probably never come back: I'm certainly willing to give it a go if we can get jobs. I get no points in terms of getting a visa for being 50, however: at least David at 37 will get a few more. Apparently Canada has a healthy demand for professionals, though I'm not totally sure what general practice surveyors are called over there: and the skiing would be fab (so long as we lived near the skiing areas). We shall see. Will the blog be changing from Unemployed in Cumbria to An Emigre in Canada?....
Sunday, 16 October 2011
A PEACEFUL WEEKEND
This weekend has been lovely. The weather yesterday was beautiful but more to the point we got rid of Bella.
Don't get me wrong: I love that little girl to bits and I think she's amazing. She's clever, she's beautiful, she's good at things like climbing up walls, she has the most amazing character: and I wouldn't change one iota of her. But when she's not around things are a lot quieter and more peaceful and I don't find my time taken up trying to deal with a baby and play referee at the same time: I also have more time for Alex.
Friday evening my in-laws turned up to stay a night, en route from Manchester to Ambleside (OK, not quite en route but they'd booked a cottage which wasn't available until Saturday and it made a lot more sense than going home to Aberdeen, and we're not so far away from Ambleside that it made sense to stay in an hotel). Bella said that she didn't have to go to school next week and she wished she could go with them: I just thought perhaps as Alex was off to two parties this weekend, her treat could be going down to Ambleside with Scotland Nanny and Grandad for the weekend (I stopped short of missing school). The proposal met with favour all round so off she went. Husband then started complaining - when we were just about to fetch her today - about the cost of fuel but it was too late by then.
An aside: my parents talked about getting me a car for my birthday. A 6-year old Citreon C8. What they didn't tell me was that it was an automatic - that killed the deal - but also it's fuel consumption is roughly double the VW Passat we've currently got, so why would we, when fuel prices are never going to come down again. It was an incredibly generous thought but completely the wrong car.
Meanwhile on Saturday afternoon Alex went off to a party, David took Edward out in the backpack for a walk, and I tried to clean the carpets. The latter was not possible as for some reason the carpet shampoo machine isn't picking up the shampoo, so all that was happening was that I was making my carpets rather wet (the house is mouldy in several places already: it's probably going to be worse now). Then yesterday evening while David went off to shoot some rabbits, Alex and I walked across Brampton in glorious autumn evening sunshine to drop some things off to one of his friend's mothers. As we walked we were talking about how peaceful it was without Bella. "Perhaps", he said, "she could go away for about a week once a month". I think he had a point, although he did also leave a note for her under her pillow saying that he missed her.
He then had another party today while I took Edward swimming. This was only the 3rd or 4th time the Baby had been swimming and he was tired and not quite sure about it to start with: it was also a bit of a rush as we didn't want to be late back for Alex. There really does seem to be a case of the more children you have, the less time you have available to invest in them and to stimulate them. What is lovely with the older two now, though, is how you can have quite thought-provoking conversations with them. Alex and I had one the other day about how Jack (in the Beanstalk) wasn't necessarily the Good Guy - in fact he was a thief. Everyone always assumes the Giant was a Baddie, but there's no evidence that he was: he could have been living peacefully up in his cloud, leaving well alone, when along comes Jack and steals his golden-egg-laying chicken and his singing harp and so forth, and then cuts the beanstalk so the Giant falls down to earth with a thump with no justification whatsoever. It's all a bit unfair to the Giant really.
We had a similar conversation this evening about lions eating people. The conversation ran something along the lines that if a lion was hungry and a person ran across his path - perhaps a person who had shot the lion's normal food - then the lion isn't actually being evil eating the person, he's just following his instincts which tell him that because he's hungry he needs to eat.
I'm not quite sure how we moved from there to missing people but not always needing people around, but it was encouraging how both children said they were really sorry and didn't want to be horrible or anything but sometimes it was nice just to be alone, and that sometimes they just didn't want to talk to anyone. David and I said that it was absolutely fine and that although we loved each other and the children, having some time in the house alone was sometimes really nice. It rather supports the teacher's comments that Alex is a bright and thoughtful boy who just needs to be able to demonstrate that on paper: I saw his form teacher earlier this week who said that, and then also saw the headmistress about something else who said because he's bright I shouldn't worry as he would get there.
Bella's teacher's first comment was 'she's quite a character'. It seems that although she's doing extremely well academically, she's also really good at PE: I'm sure she'd benefit from doing gymnastics, and enjoy it. That's one of my main frustrations about not earning much money: I can't pay for extra-curricular stuff for them like music lessons, drama, gymnastics, dancing, scouts/brownies.....
I have just to brag and say that their reading ages as of September were 10 years 9 months and 8 years 5 months. I'm very proud of them both.
Edward is rapidly becoming a boy rather than a baby and it's in a way scarey but also exciting to think that it really won't be long before he'll be joining in these sorts of family conversations as well. It's going to be interesting to see what he's like academically, as I've felt ever since he was an embryo that he was going to do his own thing and not copy the other two. He's demonstrated that already several times and whilst he's a really happy baby, he's no pushover and knows his own mind: he's also pretty keen to do things for himself, particularly when it comes to food!
I know we need more money but I really don't feel terribly motivated at the moment to put in all the extra hours and time away from the children that a 4 or 5-day a week job would entail. I keep wondering how - and why - on earth I went back to work full-time when Alex and Bella were each 6 months old: particularly Alex as David was also working full-time so Alex was in nursery full-time. I feel quite bad about it now, but I guess I was in a senior level job I enjoyed and working for an organisation I enjoyed and I just didn't really contemplate anything different.
How things change! Sometimes you just need something to shake up your sense of what's 'normal' and to challenge how you live your life. I guess it's taken me some time to get there and I'm still not totally sure what path I'm on, but it's fun finding out. And after all, there really is no right or wrong answer.
Don't get me wrong: I love that little girl to bits and I think she's amazing. She's clever, she's beautiful, she's good at things like climbing up walls, she has the most amazing character: and I wouldn't change one iota of her. But when she's not around things are a lot quieter and more peaceful and I don't find my time taken up trying to deal with a baby and play referee at the same time: I also have more time for Alex.
Friday evening my in-laws turned up to stay a night, en route from Manchester to Ambleside (OK, not quite en route but they'd booked a cottage which wasn't available until Saturday and it made a lot more sense than going home to Aberdeen, and we're not so far away from Ambleside that it made sense to stay in an hotel). Bella said that she didn't have to go to school next week and she wished she could go with them: I just thought perhaps as Alex was off to two parties this weekend, her treat could be going down to Ambleside with Scotland Nanny and Grandad for the weekend (I stopped short of missing school). The proposal met with favour all round so off she went. Husband then started complaining - when we were just about to fetch her today - about the cost of fuel but it was too late by then.
An aside: my parents talked about getting me a car for my birthday. A 6-year old Citreon C8. What they didn't tell me was that it was an automatic - that killed the deal - but also it's fuel consumption is roughly double the VW Passat we've currently got, so why would we, when fuel prices are never going to come down again. It was an incredibly generous thought but completely the wrong car.
Meanwhile on Saturday afternoon Alex went off to a party, David took Edward out in the backpack for a walk, and I tried to clean the carpets. The latter was not possible as for some reason the carpet shampoo machine isn't picking up the shampoo, so all that was happening was that I was making my carpets rather wet (the house is mouldy in several places already: it's probably going to be worse now). Then yesterday evening while David went off to shoot some rabbits, Alex and I walked across Brampton in glorious autumn evening sunshine to drop some things off to one of his friend's mothers. As we walked we were talking about how peaceful it was without Bella. "Perhaps", he said, "she could go away for about a week once a month". I think he had a point, although he did also leave a note for her under her pillow saying that he missed her.
He then had another party today while I took Edward swimming. This was only the 3rd or 4th time the Baby had been swimming and he was tired and not quite sure about it to start with: it was also a bit of a rush as we didn't want to be late back for Alex. There really does seem to be a case of the more children you have, the less time you have available to invest in them and to stimulate them. What is lovely with the older two now, though, is how you can have quite thought-provoking conversations with them. Alex and I had one the other day about how Jack (in the Beanstalk) wasn't necessarily the Good Guy - in fact he was a thief. Everyone always assumes the Giant was a Baddie, but there's no evidence that he was: he could have been living peacefully up in his cloud, leaving well alone, when along comes Jack and steals his golden-egg-laying chicken and his singing harp and so forth, and then cuts the beanstalk so the Giant falls down to earth with a thump with no justification whatsoever. It's all a bit unfair to the Giant really.
We had a similar conversation this evening about lions eating people. The conversation ran something along the lines that if a lion was hungry and a person ran across his path - perhaps a person who had shot the lion's normal food - then the lion isn't actually being evil eating the person, he's just following his instincts which tell him that because he's hungry he needs to eat.
I'm not quite sure how we moved from there to missing people but not always needing people around, but it was encouraging how both children said they were really sorry and didn't want to be horrible or anything but sometimes it was nice just to be alone, and that sometimes they just didn't want to talk to anyone. David and I said that it was absolutely fine and that although we loved each other and the children, having some time in the house alone was sometimes really nice. It rather supports the teacher's comments that Alex is a bright and thoughtful boy who just needs to be able to demonstrate that on paper: I saw his form teacher earlier this week who said that, and then also saw the headmistress about something else who said because he's bright I shouldn't worry as he would get there.
Bella's teacher's first comment was 'she's quite a character'. It seems that although she's doing extremely well academically, she's also really good at PE: I'm sure she'd benefit from doing gymnastics, and enjoy it. That's one of my main frustrations about not earning much money: I can't pay for extra-curricular stuff for them like music lessons, drama, gymnastics, dancing, scouts/brownies.....
I have just to brag and say that their reading ages as of September were 10 years 9 months and 8 years 5 months. I'm very proud of them both.
Edward is rapidly becoming a boy rather than a baby and it's in a way scarey but also exciting to think that it really won't be long before he'll be joining in these sorts of family conversations as well. It's going to be interesting to see what he's like academically, as I've felt ever since he was an embryo that he was going to do his own thing and not copy the other two. He's demonstrated that already several times and whilst he's a really happy baby, he's no pushover and knows his own mind: he's also pretty keen to do things for himself, particularly when it comes to food!
I know we need more money but I really don't feel terribly motivated at the moment to put in all the extra hours and time away from the children that a 4 or 5-day a week job would entail. I keep wondering how - and why - on earth I went back to work full-time when Alex and Bella were each 6 months old: particularly Alex as David was also working full-time so Alex was in nursery full-time. I feel quite bad about it now, but I guess I was in a senior level job I enjoyed and working for an organisation I enjoyed and I just didn't really contemplate anything different.
How things change! Sometimes you just need something to shake up your sense of what's 'normal' and to challenge how you live your life. I guess it's taken me some time to get there and I'm still not totally sure what path I'm on, but it's fun finding out. And after all, there really is no right or wrong answer.
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