me and mine {september}

Daddy is loving

* going on water flumes with the beautiful boy.

* the beautiful girl's birthday party.

* mini Terry's chocolate oranges.

* doing fantasy football.

* getting fibre optic broadband.

Mummy is loving

* our long weekend in Center Parcs with our besties.

* having a one year old girly.

* a chance to get all dressed up at the MAD Blog Awards.

* ice-cream birthday parties.

* what a daredevil the beautiful boy is in the water.

The beautiful boy is loving

* riding on the water slides at Center Parcs.

* having tea parties.

* reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

* playing with the Mickey Mouse game on the Daddy's ipad.

* eating lots of cake.

The beautiful girl is loving

* being one whole year old.

* stealing Mummy's milkshake.

* pushing her pram around.

* trying to walk.

* bobbing around in the water on holiday.

35

{the ordinary moments} milkshake date

Milkshakes are one my simple pleasures.

I love a good milkshake.

So on what could have been a normal Saturday

we took our favourite little people

to go and have Mummy's favourite milkshake.

26

{our beautiful story} week thirty-nine

sunday 22nd september

watching toy story with his toy story pals

monday 23rd september

we like to be together

tuesday 24th september

tea party time

wednesday 25th september

playing in happyland

thursday 26th september

his new favourite book

friday 27th september

ice cream favours for an ice cream party

saturday 28th september

having dinner out is fun

1

out of the mouths of babes {september}

Mummy: "You're so gorgeous Mr."

beautiful boy: "I'm not gorgeous. I'm funny."

Mummy: "Yes. Yes you are very funny."

beautiful boy: "I'm gorgeous AND funny. Yes?"

Mummy: "Yes, you definitely are."

"I want to go and see the ladies at the supermarket. The blue ladies with the red writing."

(He always says he's going to see the ladies when we go to the supermarket. The blue ladies are at Tescos, and when we go to Sainsburys it's the orange ladies.)

Daddy: "Bye bye everyone see you later."

beautiful boy: "Are you going in your car to see your friends?"

Mummy: "No sweetheart, Daddy is going to work."

beautiful boy: "To see his friends?"

Mummy: "Well, yes sort of. He's going to work."

beautiful boy: "In his car?"

Daddy: "Yes in my car. Bye."

beautiful boy: "Your car is round the corner, you know."

Daddy: "Yes. It is."

beautiful boy: "Daddy is going in his car to see his friends."

Mummy: "Yes, yes he is. Okay."

Mummy: "Come on then, lets wash those handies."

beautiful boy: "No Mummy, it's not handies. It's hands. Just HANDS."

beautiful boy: "What's that noise?"

Nanny: "It's the ropes on the boat banging against a pole. Okay?"

beautiful boy: "Okay Nanny. If you say so."

after watching his sister smear sandwich across her highchair:

"Oh dear Mummy, I think we need some baby wipes-is."

beautiful boy: "RAAAAAAAAAR!"

Mummy: "Oh my goodness. That so scary."

beautiful boy: "Oh no Mummy, do you need a cuddle?"

beautiful boy: "I'm going on an adventure."

Nanny: "Okay. Have fun."

beautiful boy: "Not really Nanny, I'm only going to the kitchen."

"I turned my weewee off. I'm such a clever boy."

as his sister threw her drink cup across the room:

"Woooaaaaah, it's a flying drink. Cooooool!"

Mummy: "We're going to look at some preschools today."

Daddy: "That will be fun, won't it?"

beautiful boy: "Yes Daddy, we're going to look at some Pringles. And eat them."

to absolutely anyone who engages in conversation with him:
"We went on a lovely holiday. We went swimming and on the slide."
(LITERALLY. EVERYONE he sees gets to hear all about his holiday.)

Daddy: "Would you like some breakfast?"

beautiful boy: "No thanks Daddy."

Daddy: "Are you sure?"

beautiful boy: "Yes. I would like chocolate toast."

Daddy: "Okay. So you want Nutella on toast?"

beautiful boy: "Yes Daddy. I'm sure Daddy."

as Nanny gave him some milk:

Pops: "There you go. Now what do you say?"

beautiful boy: "Please."

Nanny: "No. Thank-you."

beautiful boy: "You're welcome Nanny."

Mummy: "Are you being a monkey?"

beautiful boy: "No. I'm a little boy."

Mummy: "Yes you are. And what's your sister?"

beautiful boy: "She's a little girl."

Mummy: "What about Daddy?"

beautiful boy: "He's a big boy."

Mummy: "And what about me?"

beautiful boy: "You're a big girl."

Mummy: "That's right. And do you remember what Darcy and Wentworth are?"

beautiful boy: "Cats."

Mummy: "Yes, but what sort of cats are they?"

beautiful boy: "Fluffy cats."

beautiful boy: "Are you sad Mummy?"

Mummy: "Yes. Very sad. Can I have a cuddle?"

beautiful boy. "Yes. Are you happy now?"

Mummy: "Yes I am."

beautiful boy: "Are you sure?"

Mummy: "Yes."

beautiful boy: "But are you sure?"

"Another day...?"

in response to ever being told no to anything.

21

together

I make no secret of my absolute obsession with seeing my children together.

I just can't get enough of it.

Their bond just fascinates me;

the way that it "just is".

They just get each other somehow.

And the flush of pride I get knowing that those two adorable little creatures are mine,

its priceless.

10

{our beautiful story} week thirty-eight

sunday 15th september

standing tall

monday 16th september

colourful is good

tuesday 17th september

the new ride was a big hit

wednesday 18th september

a little lady in an apple crate

thursday 19th september

cheeky little smiles all for himself

friday 20th september

besties

saturday 21st september

one

0

happy first birthday beautiful girl

Well baby girl, here it is.

Your first birthday.

Where on earth did that year go?

I actually cannot put into words

what an amazing privilege it has been

getting to know you this year

and getting to watch you grow

into such a fascinating, fierce, beautiful and sensitive little girl.

You quite literally amaze me.

I just can't believe that you are mine

and that we get to have this mother daughter journey together.

Our relationship has surprised me beyond words

because I full expected you to be a daddy's girl

but for some reason, you chose me

and it feels wonderful

to know that I'm your favourite person on the planet.

I know it won't always be like this

so I'm going to make the most of it while it lasts.

Thank-you.

Thank-you for being mine.

Thank-you for being you.

You light up our world.

I love you so much

my beautiful girl.

Happy first birthday.

xxx

27

fifty-two weeks new

Fifty-two weeks. Three-hundred-and-sixty-five days. A year.

7

just the four of us

The past month or so have been full of reflection for me,

reflections on my family

and on where we have been and where we are going.

These thoughts have floated around in my brain for nearly a year now

and the thoughts change almost daily.

So I think, I wonder, I reflect.

My husband and I talk,

we go around in circles and we get nowhere.

I think reflections are pretty natural when you approach big milestones,

you think about what you were doing and how you were feeling

when you went through certain emotions before.

And with the beautiful girl's birthday coming

I've been doing a lot of thinking back to when I was pregnant with her

and back to when my beautiful boy had his own first birthday.

16

turning one

There is something incredibly inevitable about my feelings right now.

I'm pretty sure that most parents feel them as their babies turn one,

or as any major life milestones are about to be crossed off the list.

That feeling of life running away from you a little bit;

a mixture of happiness and sadness,

excitement for the future

and bittersweet feelings about the fleeting nature of childhood.

My baby girl. One.

...One!

One whole year old.

16

so much fun

music credit: Pompeii by Bastille and It's Time by Imagine Dragons

Summer has gone,
but we decided to bid it farewell in style.
We had a long weekend break at Center Parcs
with our good friends Katie, Mr E, Mads and LL
better known as the family behind Mummy Daddy Me.

Blogging has opened up a world of possibilities to me,
all of which I'm extremely grateful for.
And while friendship was something I hoped for,
I genuinely never expected to find the kind of friendship that our families have.
We just click together
and have the best time.

Our holiday back in July
was like a test run for our September holiday,
fortunately a test we all passed.
And our recent holiday together was brilliant,
so many smiles,
so many laughs,
so many great memories...

27

{our beautiful story} week thirty-seven

sunday 8th september

swimming fun with daddy

 monday 9th september

a farewell cuddle

tuesday 10th september

reacquainting themselves with their toys

wednesday 11th september

poorly girl in her pjs

thursday 12th september

they seem to be taking advantage of their poorly mama

friday 13th september

a little man finally on the mend

saturday 14th september

sleepy dadda cuddles

4

fifty one weeks new

You, our precious little lady, were about to turn one.

2

your thirty-first month

You had always been such an active and nosey little chap

6

{our beautiful story} week thirty-six

sunday 1st september

a little rock chick

monday 2nd september

such innocent eyes

tuesday 3rd september

bath time cuddles

wednesday 4th september

hanging out in uncle matt's tyre

thursday 5th september

 fun at the splash park

friday 6th september

holiday bath time fun

saturday 7th september

sharing and play and plotting

2

fifty weeks new

Fifty weeks... fifty weeks!

0

guess how much i love you {what we're reading}

Sometimes books can really pull at your heart strings.

And these books really do that for me.

26

hello september

It's here.

The month I've been simultaneously waiting for and dreading.

My baby girl turns one this month.

It just doesn't seem possible.

35