the me and mine project {february}

Daddy is loving

* going to the National Space Centre

* the little man's face when they sang Happy Birthday to him in TGI Fridays.

* watching Deadpool.

* our littlest lady learning to roll over.

* a new found appreciation for sweet potato wedges.

Mummy is loving

* a fantastic weekend celebrating our five year old!

* how much the littlest one giggles when you sing to her.

* daffodils.

* new boots.

* that our big girl will do practically anything for a mini egg (just like her daddy!)

The beautiful boy is loving

* being five!

* telling the time.

* his birthday trip to the National Space Centre.

* reading his first proper chapter book with Mummy.

* making his own book about space.

The beautiful girl is loving

* mini eggs.

* kinder eggs.

* watch egg opening videos on YouTube.

* playing dressing up.

* bed time snuggles with her baby sis in her bed.

The beautiful little lady is loving

* bed time snuggles with her big brother and sister.

* being sung to.

* lying on her playmat and grabbing at her toys.

* sitting up in the bumbo.

* sleep.

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a third birth story {part one}

Anyone who has followed this blog from the beginning, or who as read my previous two birth stories, will know that I like to take my time with it. I just like to pour the whole thing out in words, with as much detail as I can remember (it's amazing how quickly after the details become hazy) and with a little help from the hubby who often remembers different details to me. And this time is no different. I joked soon after our third little treasure came along that anyone expecting a long, multi-part birth story this time around like the previous two, would more than likely be disappointed. This third little one made a pretty swift entry into the world after all. But as it turns out, whether is happens quickly or not, there is still so much that happens and so much to remember. And so today I'm going to begin sharing my third birth story. And it will be in multiple parts (but I promise not as many as the other two). So here goes...

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what we give up to 'have it all'

For the past week I have been thinking a lot about children and career and guilt. It all kind of stemmed from taking part in a Channel Mum Twitter party alongside a television programme on Kids v Career. It was a great programme; it didn't draw conclusions about right and wrong but simply discussed some of the issues faced by parents when they have children and have to make choices about their jobs and childcare arrangements. That chat on Twitter was brilliant too and definitely seemed to define for me that "having it all" - and whether women can have it or not - is relative, and different for each and every family.

Honestly I'm not entirely sure that you can ever completely "have it all". Life is about making choices and compromising. Something always has to give somewhere along the line, and having it all seems to be when whatever you've let give is what was the best thing for you. For some people that's returning to work after having a baby to chase their careers, for some it's returning to work in order to keep a roof over their heads and pay the bills, for others it's part time work where they can find a happy medium between work life and home life, others still change career and work from home so that they can have the best of both worlds. For us, it was the somewhat old fashioned approach of my giving up work and my career entirely to focus on raising our children.

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you are four months old {dear beautiful little lady}

dear beautiful little lady

Well there went another month... it's mad how fast the time is going. This month has been a relatively quiet one in the scheme of things. Just all of us plodding along with life, a life that we simply can't imagine without you in it now.

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the siblings project {february}

I don't know why it is that seeing the bond between these three continues to surprise me. I kind of figured, that having watched a sibling bond develop and grow before between my oldest too, that it would all just be the same with three, that it wouldn't be anything especially unique or new. But it is unique and it is new and it is so so special to witness. Watching the love between your children is something that clearly just never gets old, in fact I think it gets better.

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anonymity

I've always been quite fierce about guarding my children's names and keeping them a secret. It is something I first started doing when I very first started blogging. I guess to some degree I've always been pretty wary of the internet, and I felt that I didn't want my baby son's name to be "out there". I'm honestly not entirely sure what it was that made me make that decision, but once it was made I went with it. 

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happy fifth birthday beautiful boy

Well Mr Five-Year-Old,

you've grown up so much this past year that it's crazy.

When I wrote your last birthday letter a year ago,

you had just really begun your first independent steps out into the world;

but this year, you are running around in that world,

with so much confidence, so independently, so happily.

I'm sure I've said it every single year,

but you really really aren't a baby anymore kiddo.

You love school.

And my god are you a bright little spark,

you continue to amaze us and your teachers 

with your drive to learn

and your clever brain. 

You'll move mountains kid, I just know you will. 

You have so many friends.

It seems like every single child at school knows your name

and you know all of theirs too,

and you have a smile and a laugh for every one.

I'm so proud of the friendly, confident and kind little man you are.

You are simply the very best big brother on earth.

And you got promoted this year, 

to big brother of not one, but two little sisters.

They both totally adore you and absolutely idolise you.

And it's pretty easy to see why when we watch you with them both.

Those girls are so so lucky to have you.

And how lucky are we?

Daddy and I still pinch ourselves on occasion

when we think about the fact that you are ours.

You are such a little mixture of us both,

and also totally becoming your own person more and more each day.

You make us beyond proud!

It's simply impossible to put into words just how amazing it is to be your mummy,

and I think I could spend the rest of my life trying to find those words,

and they would still fall short.

You rock my world,

my best boy,

my bright shiny star.

Thank-you for being mine.

I love you lots.

I love you more.

I love you most.

Happy fifth birthday beautiful boy!

xxx

You can read his first, second, third and fourth birthday letters and compare his birthday photos too.

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out of office

Hello! Things have been kind of quiet on the blog front lately, hey? Which couldn't really be further from my reality right now. I'm missing checking in here. I'm missing sharing my photos and my ramblings and our adventures. I'm missing reading posts from all my favourite bloggers. But lately life is well and truly getting in my way.

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