Fun Things From Today (FTFT) 30-03-2015

I took the boys to the park this afternoon. Reid had fun digging up cars in the sand. Jack made a tunnel through the sand. It was a bit cold though, so we didn't stay long.

Colin pulled himself up to a stand today. 

Fun Things From Today and Yesterday (FTFT) 06-04-2015

Today was beautiful weather-wise. So we enjoyed the day at Bushy Park with Preston and Henry. 

Jack and Reid had a great time exercising their freedom by scooting fast down the paths and running through the fields.

Colin enjoyed a play on the picnic blanket with Henry. We attempted to teach him how to share, but he still needs some practice :). 

Yesterday was Easter, and the boys had a great morning. We woke up to Jack excitedly discovering the eggs the Easter bunny had left in their room. 

Both Jack and Reid really enjoyed their books from the bunny, and spent most of the morning reading. They also really enjoyed the chocolate. Reid spent most of the day sneaking extra pieces.

Colin seems to really like his Easter present too, a pop-up color toy. In fact, all three boys have been playing with that non-stop. 

Steve made a great beef roast and vegetables for Easter dinner. 

Fun things from today (FTFT) 03-04-2015

We were invited to a playdate at a school friend of Jack's. Both Jack and Reid had a fantastic time and were on their best behavior. George has a trampoline in his garden, and the boys absolutely loved it. 

After lunch, we came back home to meet up with Steve and have a little family time since he had the day off. We spent the afternoon in Kingston checking out the comic book store (Jack now has a Spider-Man comic), enjoying ice cream and coffee, and finding chocolate bunnies at the Lindt exhibition at the Bentall Centre. 

Fun Things From Today (FTFT) 29-03-2015

Reid had football this morning, and he found out he is moving up to the next class! He's super excited. 

Colin is just checking firsts of his list all over the place. Today he had real food - lasagna - for the first time. He seemed to like it. He's also pulling up on everything.

Jack enjoyed movie time by himself today. We all needed a rest after lunch, and Jack decided he wanted to watch his movie on the iPad in his bed.

Steve and I each managed to get a workout at the gym in today. He's got a plan from a trainer and I got to my yoga class.

Fun things from yesterday (FTFT) 28-03-2015

We went to the pool at the gym and had a great time swimming. Jack is really progressing on his front crawl and even tried turning his head to breathe! Reid loves to go under water all the time. He's getting better about keeping his mouth closed so he doesn't swallow so much water ;). And even Colin loves the pool and splashing!

Steve and Jack had a nice afternoon finding Steve a new suit. Reid and I figured out audiobooks. 

Fun things from today (FTFT) 27-03-2015

Reid, Colin, and I took the bus into Kingston to pick up Jack from school. On our walk back home, we stopped for ice cream. Jack had a come with a flake; Reid had a bubble gum flavored ice pop, and I had a chocolate mini milk. Yum!

We hired a sitter tonight, and Steve and I got to go out for drinks with some parents from Jack's school. All went well with the sitter, so it looks like we'll be able to do it again sometime!!

Fun things from today (FTFT) 26-03-2015

Colin had an amazing day. He got himself into a sit without any help! And then he started pulling up on everything into a kneeling, then even standing position! We also had some fun playing blocks and knocking over towers.

Jack got to cook at school today. They made chocolate nests with chocolate candy eggs. He seemed to really enjoy breaking the chocolate into bits to be melted. 

Reid said he had a good day at school too playing with his friend Alexander. He made some artwork, but we left it at school so it wouldn't be ruined in the sudden downpour we had to walk home in!

Steve got to visit Liverpool for work today. He's still traveling home, so no word yet on what it was like.

And I got to do a little shopping in Surbiton. I found some cute tops at a very reasonable price at Hoi Polloi. This is the second time I've popped in there on a whim and have made a great find!

First time for three boys in the tub!

Fun things from today (FTFT) 25-03-2015

The boys and I met Jack's friend from school and his family at the park. This was definitely the highlight of the day for Jack, Reid, and Colin. 

Jack had a great run around with Hari. Reid got to play in the sand and the swings. And Colin even got to ride in the swing for a bit, which he loved (lots of great laughs).

As for me, I got to nap while Colin did this morning. Win.

Fun Things From Today (FTFT) 24-03-2015

Jack was back at school today to enjoy Forest school. Apparently they made mud and had an egg hunt. 

I tried to teach Reid some letters today. It went alright. He liked putting his hands and finger in the tray of sugar, which isn't surprising considering his love of sand. 

Colin actually got two naps today. He slept for an hour this morning and about 30 minutes in the afternoon.

I took all three boys to the park after school, which they seemed to enjoy. Jack played on the obstacle course; Reid played in the sand (digging an underground train tunnel); Colin watched the trees and kids.

Steve sat down with Reid and played stickers this afternoon. They had fun creating an underwater animal scene. Then tonight, Steve got Jack to read an Elephant and Piggie book. When he finished, Steve commented that it was fun. Jack responded, "Yes, it wasn't as bad as I suspected!" 

Fun Things From Today (FTFT) 23-03-2015

I had all three boys home worth me today as Jack wasn't feeling well. So we did a bit of "Mom school".

Jack played with the Montessori letters to create sentences. He also wrote a few on a dry erase pad. He also did a floor puzzle, the solar system one we have, all by himself for the first time. He worked through his frustration, and when he finished, he was rightfully very proud!

Reid worked on some mazes today. I also introduced him to the soft foam letters. He was able to pick out the R, which impressed me.

We all worked together to bake chocolate cupcakes. Jack got to practice measuring a liquid, and Reid got to practice pouring. The end result was definitely yummy!

Steve got to talk to his Dad and Anne tonight. 

Fun Things From Today (FTFT) 21-03-2015

We went to the Surbiton Farmer's Market this morning. We stopped for coffee at Rubi, yum! And Colin made friends with the chef through his cute smiles. At the market, Jack brought his money and bought a chocolate cookie. We also bought brownies, honey, and macaroons. Steve found a great chipotle BBQ sauce at one of the stalls too.

I took Jack and Reid swimming at the gym. Jack swam across the little pool three times using his freestyle stroke. No side breathing yet ;). Reid was enjoying going under water once we got his goggles fitted correctly. We had a blast!

We crafted a bit too. Jack and Reid made bugs on a stick, inspired my Mister Maker. 

Fun things from today (FTFT) 22-03-2015

Reid had a great time at football class this morning. He's able to roll the ball forward, backward, and side to side with the sole of his foot. He was pretty happy to be the demonstrator today.

Jack had a great time digging in the garden with Reid. He decided to dig a Tube tunnel for trains. He learned all about this at the Transport Museum last week with school.

Colin has been spending lots more time on all fours lately. He climbs all over the pillows on the floor and even got out of a basket tonight. 

I made it to yoga again tonight. It was another great class, both relaxing and invigorating. I'm getting better at balancing myself.

Steve and I made a stout beef stew for dinner this afternoon, and we all really enjoyed it.

The boys also played some Risk earlier today. When they'd had enough, they decided to declare a winner based in one last roll each. Reid won. Poor Jack had been rolling great dice all game and missed the last roll. 

Fun Things From Today (yesterday) 20-03-2015

Today, I went to a coffee morning at Reid's school and learned all about sensorial materials at Montessori. 

Colin was enjoying standing up against things today. He tries to pull himself up, but can't really do that yet. So once you stand him up, he's happy. 

Reid had a playdate after school with his friends from school, Alexander and Dan. He's been very excited to do this for a while, so he was pretty happy. And thankfully the sun came out for the afternoon too!

Jack learned about pointillism during art at school. He says he used q-tips to make a picture with lots of dots. I can't wait to see the result!

Fun things from today (FTFT) 19-03-2015

Reid was sick last night and this morning with a fever; so that wasn't so fun. And neither he nor Colin have been sleeping very well in the last 24 hours. Also not very fun. 

But good news, Reid is fever free! I think the highlight of his day was finding his favorite shirt to wear this afternoon. 

Colin had fun crawling over pillows this afternoon. 

Jack enjoyed a treat from The French Tarte after school. We walked over to pick up some bread to go with our bolognese and pasta. He picked out rocky road for his treat, and then we picked out three more of their new spring pastries to bring home for dessert. Every single one of them was fantastic, but I think we all agreed the Hazelnut Pear  Choux. Yum!

Steve got to catch up with an old work friend on the phone this afternoon. Hi Kevin!

As for me, I got a shower and I made myself tea and a pain au chocolate today. 

Fun things from today (FTFT) 18-03-15

Steve took Jack to school. They took the tall bus and rode on top. They stopped at Costa and enjoyed a blueberry muffin before the drop off.

Jack went on a field trip to the London Transport Museum. He loved the simulator where he got to drive a tube train and pull "the shiny red lever"!

When I picked up Reid from school, we went straight to the park to play in the sand with his digger and dump truck. He made a few new friends in the sand pit.

Colin and I stopped at Cafe Amici to check out the newest coffee shop in Surbiton. It's a small place, so I just got a takeaway latte before we did a little shopping at Waitrose.

Some moments are precious

I took this photo yesterday morning. It was probably around 8 a.m. and I was on my way downstairs to take Colin's 9-month photos. We still had about an hour before Jack had to be at school, and we had already eaten breakfast and gotten dressed and ready for the day.

Some days, an hour to kill before leaving for school can spell disaster. But yesterday, that time was beautiful. Jack had gone to the guest room by himself and decided to work with the perler beads. He wanted to make another pirate ship. When Reid finally realized what Jack was doing, he joined in. Jack was counting out the 90 black beads he needed. Reid jumped in and helped Jack pick them out of the bucket. Then Reid decided he was going to do his perlers, which are a bit bigger and easier to grab. For about 30 minutes, they worked nicely together. No fighting, no yelling, no hitting. And then it was time to go to school, and they picked up nicely.

I want to remember moments like these. Too often I get caught up in the struggle to get people dressed and out the door, or to eat the meal we have prepared, or just to be nice to one another. But the times when my boys are happily occupied with something they have chosen for themselves and are being kind to one another, those are the times that deserve my conscious remembering.

Colin is 9-months old!

Check out that cute face! Can you believe 9 months has passed? Steve actually gave him a haircut this weekend. My sister commented on a photo that he is looking more like a toddler these days. Time is flying by!

At nine months old, Colin now army crawls across the floor. It's pretty fun to watch him pull himself and kick his little legs as he makes his way to whatever catches his eye. Yesterday, while we took pictures, he was intent on getting to the camera. So much so, he started to cry. Of course, the things he usually wants are things he shouldn't have - cords, wires, muddy shoes - the usual dangerous items.

He has also started to babble at lot. He definitely says "da" a lot, and there are some "na"s and "ba"s. I'm trying desperately to teach him to say "ma," but not to much avail, unfortunately.

We've also recently gotten him back into a pretty decent sleep routine, provided his teeth aren't bothering him. He usually take a great morning nap between an hour and two hours. And I can usually get him to sleep for about an hour in the afternoon too. The morning nap is consistently in his bed, which is nice. The afternoon one isn't always so.  I also count it as a win if he only wakes up three times between 7 p.m. and 6:30 a.m.

And he's making progress in the teeth department. His two bottom front teeth are in, and sharp. The two top front teeth are breaking through now, slowly. The last week or so has definitely been a struggle. When the teeth are really bothering him, his nose gets really runny and that makes it hard for him to sleep. He just wants to be held then. And I can't blame him. When we hold him on our shoulders, he's pretty upright and his nose can drain so he can sleep and breathe. Poor guy!

But it's not all struggle and pain. Colin is a big lover of his brothers, and the feeling is mutual. Jack and Reid love to make Colin giggle. They make funny noises, or play peek-a-boo, or just push on his belly to get him laughing. Colin has also started having his own baby playdates. Our neighbor, Henry, and Colin get along pretty well. They definitely like to interact with each other and almost seem to be having conversations when we get them together. Jack's friend Hari also has a little brother who Colin has played with a couple of times. Baby play times are just too cute!

Well, I think those are the big things from the last month. Now we move on to more mobility, more food variety, and possibly stairs or talking. Ahhh!

Jack is 7, yes I said 7, years old!!

Just look at that sweet face! Can you believe it's seven years old? Sometimes I forget and try to keep him little, but he quickly reminds me.

We celebrated Jack's seventh birthday back in January (well, his birthday is in January!). And you know he's becoming a big kid when he asks for video games (Minecraft and such), chemistry sets, and art materials. No more trucks or boats for this guys.

Over the last year, and especially in the last six months, Jack has really come into his own with reading and writing. He seems to enjoy sounding out the words more now and has even recently developed a love of writing notes and messages. I've also caught him reading books to Colin.

His true loves of science and art have not waned, however. He loves doing experiments (whether that be testing the pH level of different substances or making his own "chemicals" out of whatever liquids he can get his hands on). He also loves creating projects. We still have to sneak the garbage out so it does not get stashed in a corner waiting to be used for one of his creative ideas. Don't worry, we let him create lots of fun things, we just don't need to keep every juice container and toilet roll. His teachers think he's headed for a career in engineering (and so do I!).

Jack plays soccer (or football as we call it here in the UK). He's developing some pretty cool skills when he decides he wants to play. We probably need to find him a gymnastics gym here though. He's constantly jumping around on the furniture and climbing all over everything that should not be climbed over.

I think Jack is also developing a love for travel. He really enjoyed our recent trip to Paris so much that he wanted to stay. He's always had an appreciation for maps, and I think now that we are going to more places, he is starting to thinking about places he wants to see too.

The other day, we asked Jack to write three of his favourite things to do (he wanted to earn some Minecraft time). He wrote "I like playing with Dad. I like playing with Mom. I like playing with my family." And when it comes down to it, I think that sums up where Jack is in his life right now. He just really enjoys spending time with his family. He doesn't really care what we do as long as we do it together. And I'm so glad about that!

Colin is 7 (and now a half) months old!

Tonight, Colin was playing with Reid's Duplos and I had an arresting thought... he's no longer an infant, he's a baby and quickly on his way to becoming a kid. He was in the block box reaching for and successfully grabbing blocks to put into his mouth. He knew what he wanted, and he was going for it.

Seven months must be a milestone of awareness. I feel like Colin is much more aware of what is happening around him as well as what he wants. He turns when we call his name now. I swear he was trying to imitate me clapping yesterday. I'd clap and he'd stare at my hands, then when I stopped, he made a move to bring his hands together over and over.

He loves to giggle and laugh, and his brothers (and Steve and me) have loads of fun doing silly things to make him laugh. The boys will make silly faces and sounds, Steve and I tickle and kiss him. Colin eats it all up.

Speaking of eating, Colin has a healthy appetite now. He usually eats three meals a day in addition to his nursing. He's also got two teeth on the bottom, and we think he might be getting his two top teeth in next. I won't lie, I'll be a little sad to see the gummy grin go. Luckily, I have lots of photos to remember it though.

Colin also seems to be a fan of patty cake and other singing. I think he'll like music just like his brothers. Steve and I sing to him a lot trying to get him to sleep!

I'm trying desperately to not wish this babyhood away. I'm trying to savour the cuddles and hugs. I try not to resent his desire to be held because I know soon enough he'll be too big to be held this much. I'm excited to see his personality come out more, to learn more of what he is interested in, but I'm also trying to be patient.

So here's our 7 (and a half) - month-old!

Spoiling our kids

Steve and I have always been in agreement that we do not want to spoil our children. We want them to have a realistic expectation of what they can and cannot have, we want them to appreciate the things they do have, and we want them to realize the value of money and how we spend it. So this means we work very hard not to give them every little thing they ask for. We spend lots of our time having conversations about why we are not purchasing that new toy on the commercial and why we are not having cake for dessert every night, and instead why we need to save our money and decide what is most important to spend it on.

But this past weekend, I realized we are failing a bit at this noble parental endeavour. See, we were in Paris, and Jack was telling us that he really didn't want to go back home (to London). We were consoling him with the fact that we would return for another visit, we promised. And it hit me, we are spoiling our children with travel.

We have made it a priority to get out and see the world since we made our move to the UK. We have visited many historical places here in the London area including the Tower of London, Hampton Court, and Stonehenge. We have made two trips into continental Europe to experience the Christmas Markets in Heidelberg and to see Paris. We are constantly talking about where we want to go next and what we want to see or do. Our life really does revolve around planning new experiences for our family.

I have a very clear memory from my childhood from when I realized that not everyone moved to a new house in a different state every four years. I'm pretty sure I was in fifth grade and we had just moved to Wheeling, Ill. I remember being very shocked that my family's moving lifestyle was not the "normal" one, that many of my new friends had lived in the same house since they were born.

This weekend, I realized there will be a moment in Jack and Reid and Colin's lives when they are shocked that not everyone has traveled to see famous world cities or has gone on weekend adventure trips once a month or so with their families.

And I hope when they experience this shock that instead of being sad about being different, that they will be grateful and humble about the opportunities they have had.

So as we plan our next adventure, maybe Belgium or Ireland, I think we'll have to start having the conversation about why we go on these trips and why we like to spend our money traveling. Maybe we'll start a journal to keep track of what we like best about the places that we visit. We might be spoiling our children rotten with travel, but I'd like to think we are helping them develop a love for the world around them at the same time. And no more promises to revisit a place, instead, I will try to get them to appreciate the moment we are there and the experience we are having then.