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.

Colin update - 5 months old

Big news, Colin is 5 months and 5 days old today, and he rolled over! He rolled over from front to back today while we were playing on the floor. It took a little cheering from mom, but he figured out how to push himself up, lean to the right, and fall over. And he was so happy about it!

But that's not all this 5-month-old can do! He is using his hands really well lately to grab at just about anything within reach. This could be one of his favorite toys, like the teething keys or his toy car from the Nustras, or the skin just behind my ears or my hair. It's fun to watch him reach for things. Tonight at dinner, he made a grab for one of Jack's rengoli colorings.

Colin is also very social now. He smiles at just about everyone, but especially his family members. His face lights up when he sees Steve, and it makes everyone else who sees it smile too. He likes to laugh and giggle. And nothing makes him giggle more than Reid and Jack putting on a show for him. Colin will even look for Jack and Reid if he knows they are around.

Unfortunately, this newly social baby does not like to be alone, or left at ground level unless someone else is at ground level with him. He likes to be held, a lot. 

As for sleep, he's getting better. He has slept through the night on occasion (and by slept through the night, I mean from 10:30 until 5 a.m. or so). A good night is only waking 2 or 3 times to nurse. He is starting to go to sleep between 7 and 8 p.m. He'll usually fall asleep while we rock him and sing to him. We're not to the point of laying him down while drowsy, though. Social baby will look for you and cry until you return if you do that. And usually he wakes up for the day between 6:30 and 7. He's also getting better about naps. He's going down around 10 a.m. for a morning nap and then usually around 1:30 for another one. Occasionally there's a third nap after we pick up Jack from school too. 

Of course, there's always the fun little things you notice too. For instance, he farts like a grown man, according to Steve (although it's hard to disagree with this).  He is still spitting a lot too, but it's still improving. He doesn't spit up during his night feedings, which is nice. The spitting usually happens when he's excited and playing during the day. 

Well, he's on the move now, so we'll see what his sixth month will bring!

Reid is 3 years old!

Our little monkey has turned 3 this month. And wow, boy is he three!



I remember when Jack turned three and thought "The terrible twos are over, so what is this business?!?" So I was a little more prepared for the second-to-second mood changes and the meltdowns over seemingly meaningless events. Being prepared makes this stage slightly easier this time around since I now have the foresight that it will end.





Reid is an incredibly loving boy. Our favorite is when he wakes up happy and spends the morning telling all of us individually that he loves us and giving great big hugs. There are also many unprompted thank yous. For example, "Thank you, mom, for making me oatmeal." Or "Thank you, dad, for putting my socks on." It's very cute.

He has also become very independent. He likes to help in the kitchen when he can. He likes to push the buttons on the microwave or pour things into bowls. He can get dressed all by himself (and his clothes are where he can reach them, so he doesn't even need help getting them!). He is growing out of the stroller and would much rather scoot than sit and ride. Luckily, we can still bribe him into riding with snacks. This comes in handy when we are exploring London or going for long walks.



Reid is a budding artist, following his big brother Jack's footsteps. He loves to make letters, especially the letter "t". "Down and across," you can hear him narrating as he makes them in his notebook. One of his favorite television shows is a program called "Mister Maker" where the presenter makes all kinds of neat art from simple things like paper and glue. The artwork he crings home from school is pretty cool. He's made pictures of fireworks and poppies and owls and bears and hedgehogs. It's so fun to hear him talk about what he's made at school!

Another favorite activity is building with his Duplos. He loves to do this with Jack, although this can cause some friction as neither boy is very good at sharing blocks while building. They do play well together when playing pretend and dress-up. They build forts and hide from or fight monsters. Just the other day Reid saved Colin and me from several dinosaurs and dragons.

Reid also loves to be outside, and going to the park to play in the sand is a favorite destination. He likes to bring his tractors to the sand pit and drive them around or make big mounds of sand. I'm slowly getting over my aversion to sandy messes... slowly.

So that's our amazing little boy at age 3. We can't wait to see what this year will bring!

Boo!

I was pretty nervous about Halloween this year. Everyone here kept telling me that we would be disappointed, Halloween is nothing like in America, etc. I was also worried that the boys wouldn't be into it since we didn't talk much about costumes until a week before.

As you can see in the photo above, costumes were not an issue. And we were not disappointed. Here's what we learned about Halloween in the UK.

1. It's still a pretty new concept to dress up and trick-or-treat, so no, not everyone participates. But those who do really know how to do it. Most people (from babies to adults) who dressed up wore scary costumes. Lots of witches, vampires, werewolves, zombies, blood, etc. I only saw one Iron Man and one Batman the whole day. I almost felt bad for my boys since they were dressed up as knights and a dragon and not something scarier.

2. Halloween is a one-day event. There wasn't a lot of build-up to Halloween here. We saw a few shops decorated during the week before, but that's about it. There were a few advertisements for candy and decorations here and there, but not much at all. The pub we went to, The Lamb, was decorated incredibly well, and they did it that day. So while people did go all out, it was for the day only. I saw many people putting out decorations and pumpkins in the late afternoon.

3. No one went trick-or-treating until after it was dark. I think the first trick-or-treaters we saw were around 5:30 and sunset is at 4:30 now. Most people were out between 6:30 and 8 p.m. It was awesome! My boys loved the fact that they were out walking the streets after dark. And they loved looking up for the stars almost as much as getting the candy.

4. You could tell which houses were participating by a lit pumpkin on their walk or in their window. No pumpkin, don't knock. So half the fun of trick-or-treating was finding and admiring the jack-o-lanterns. We even saw a carved watermelon/pineapple creation. The woman of the house explained she couldn't find a pumpkin anywhere, so she improvised. It was pretty cool.

5. Everyone on the streets was having a really fun time. The kids were all excited about finding houses with candy and reporting to others. And they loved explaining their costumes. It was a real community feel. One kid who came to our door even remembered us from the pub! And there were lots of people out. We went through over 100 pieces of candy. We haven't given out that much candy in all seven of the years we lived in West Dundee combined.

As much fun as we have had on Halloweens past, and we've had lots of fun with family and friends, I think we all enjoyed this halloween the most. I think the lack of build-up, the excitement of being out in the dark and knocking on doors with spooky pumpkins, and the infectious fun of the people in the community made this a Halloween to remember.