me and mine {november}

Daddy is loving

* watching the England win in Glasgow.

* fun trips to feed the ducks.

* going to Preston to visit family.

* finding mini eggs in the shops.

* a fun work's christmas party in Germany.

Mummy is loving

* the countdown to the festive season.

* meeting up with Jenny and family for autumn adventures.

* grey ombre manicures.

* Ben and Jerry's caramel sutra core ice-cream.

* adding a scarf to every outfit.

The beautiful boy is loving

* sticking stickers onto paper.

* dancing.

* christmassy visits to the garden centre.

* that he is 'king number one" in the preschool nativity.

* talking about the autumn.

The beautiful girl is loving

* singing and dancing to the pirate song.

* her new Lulu bunny rabbit toy from Jellycat.

* the fact that her favourite animals (penguins) are everywhere.

* reading books to her toys.

* the John Lewis christmas advert.

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him and her {week forty-eight}

he seems to get out of bed funny every morning at the moment,

loves pointing our Christmas decorations as he sees them popping up out and about,

and will ask to watch Pingu just because he knows his little sis likes penguins.

she spend most afternoons walking around looking for trouble to get into,

likes leading everybody in little dance lessons at home,

and thinks chocolate is a food group.

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him and her {week forty-seven}

he has been a bit poorly this week but hasn't let it keep him down,

he is starting to pick up on the beginnings of the pre Christmas excitement,

and is so excited that he gets to be a king in the preschool nativity.

she was an absolute star at her ballet class this week,

although she is desperate to learn to jump but just can't work out how,

and has taken her penguin obsession to whole new levels now that they are everywhere we go.

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raising a girl

"As I put this little one into her dance uniform she shouted 'Look Mummy, I so pretty now.' 

It made me want to cry

... yes baby, you're pretty, but it's not the dress that's doing that. 

It will never be the dress. 

It's you. You and only you my wonderful little lady. Perfect in every way, inside and out. 

(Sometimes bringing up a girl seems like such a big responsibility...!)"

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him and her {week forty-six}

he has learned how to gallop and now just wants to gallop everywhere,

thinks that Team Unizoomi should play a part in every day,

and loves his Uncle Matt "the mostest".

she loves eating cheddar cheese,

likes to help choose her own shoes to wear,

and often sneaks off to read a little book to her toys in her bedroom.

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new friends

There is something so beautiful and precious about the ease with which children make friends. They don't even need to exchange names and they'll happily play together, laugh together, and comment afterwards on what lovely friends they made. Somewhere along the line making friends changes, and it isn't always so easy to make new ones.

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siblings {november}

It feels like with every month that passes these two become a little closer, a little more like partners in crime. We see glimpses these days of the tussling and shoving and telling tales that is so much a part of being brother and sister. 

They want to do everything together, and with that comes inevitable clashes. The cuddling, wrestling and general rolling around together that starts with giggles and tickles, can often end with someone getting a bit cross, fed up or in tears.

And strange as it may seem, I really like seeing this side of their relationship grow. We're having to learn to step back as parents, and leaving them to negotiate and fight their own battles a little bit more. But that is part of what I wanted my children to have siblings for; to learn those lessons in compromise, trust and loyalty.

Because as much as they can push one another's buttons at times, they are each others fiercest ally and strongest defender. They'll chatter in the car and politely tell us to be quiet if we try to join the conversation, they regularly shout at us if we make the other upset with a telling off, and they run to comfort each other at the first sign tears. 

Their relationship is the push and pull that all the best friendships are made of.

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him and her {week forty-five}

he likes to give us an estimated time for everything he does,

will continually comment on the fact that it's still autumn,

and wants to share everything... especially our food.

she is just desperate to be miss independent,

loves to pretend she's asleep (and then giggle) as soon as we say goodnight,

and is obsessed with penguins.

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him and her {week forty-four}

he has been loving a restful half term,

but is desperate to get back to preschool next week,

especially so he can see his friends.

she loves singing and dancing,

especially when she knows we're watching and will give her a little applause,

and has completely learned the powers of her cheeky grin.

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