Saturday, January 30, 2016

Sunday Photo - January 24th.


9 Months old!

Harriet Rose turned 9 months old on the 28th. I'd planned a 3/4 of a year cake but Thursdays are just very difficult as Rich works very late and it's just me and the children and swim class!! Poor Hatts likes to be in bed by 6pm, at the latest, so it's always a bit fraught as we don't get home from swimming until 6:30. Thus, no cake, which is what happens, perhaps, when you're the third child. Nonetheless, she is a happy, happy soul, interested in everything her brothers have and tries to keep up with them as best she can. She loves music, kicking her little feet when a tune comes on, playing her xylophone and drum... 



She is crawling about all over the place... I cannot keep up.




And not surprisingly she's found the dog dishes. Food EVERYWHERE.


I did take her in to have her passport photo taken on the day she turned 9 months. Poor Hatts. It didn't go well and she was trying to have a nap when we got to the photo place. I think we'll have to redo it!


Look who is pulling herself up to standing?! How did this happen so quickly...


So incredibly proud of herself. Such a sweet, lovely girl.


Friday, January 22, 2016

Six and a HALF!

On January 7th Raf turned six and a HALF! How did this happen, how did he become so big and heavy that lifting him up is becoming a real, objective challenge?! He is a sweet boy, brimming with kindness and a will to do good things. A penchant for leaving messes everywhere, for throwing cushion without thought, for leaving his coat and bag strewn anywhere, left in his wake as he demands a snack and a TV show after school, before checking himself, re-asking with a 'please' and a look of slight, yet real embarrassment. 

He loves Octonauts, isn't even slightly concerned that they're for younger guys, his favourite foods revolve around anything crunchy, his favourite colour is green, he wants to wear only 'cool clothes', and loves his siblings with such joy. I'm sure he misses being our only one sometimes as he gets lost in the younger kid shuffle, but he lets me know that he is sure I love him the most and that he wants more brothers and sisters, that he'd like to marry both Charlie and Hattie...  He wants to make two machines: one that stops people from dying, and another which gets rid of snow. He is very interested in reincarnation and Buddhism, and yesterday, when Charlie threw his sock as I tried to pull them on Raf's clammy feet after swimming, he whispered to me, 'I don't think Charlie is going to be reincarnated'







Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Sibling Fun...!

It's been a very rocky start to the new year with poor Hatts suffering with a horrible little bug that triggered her reflux, which was followed by one of Raf's fever episodes. But fingers crossed everyone is more or less healthy! Famous last words... Lots of blogs to catch up on, but a few pictures to share of the little ones and their friends enjoying all that the indoors has to offer (yes, it's freezing...).

Some chalk fun... 


and some difficult times sharing.


We returned back to the Yard, and this time Harriet was big enough to join in with the activities. Here she is, uncertain of swinging...


And then the crew and their friends taking over the place.


The little siblings playing basketball... until Hatts fell backwards when the ball bounced on her head. Poor wee thing.


And then pizza fun with all the children. These boys - best of friends - watching extreme skiing on the TV whilst we wait for the best vegan pizza in town.


Yes!


And to prove that the poor middle child loves his sister...


Hanging out in the kitchen... Hatts' new found crawling skills.


Oh, these two.


And my lovely girl.


Off we go AGAIN to the Children's Museum with more friends.



Future medics?


EMTs?


Farmers?


Marine biologists? Charlie loved finding out that Sea Stars eat other stars' legs, and that they then rejuvenate!?


Astronauts?


Back to their messy bedroom (playroom), all happy together... for a little while, at least.



Helping me to sort out washing...



And more poorly kiddos.


Octonauts in the bath...



Sand play in the house (love the kinetic sand.. thanks, Jen, for introducing it to us last year!)


And yes, more play dates... cake decorating time.






And after all that fun, completely passed out on the couch... no sledding for us that afternoon.


Saturday, January 9, 2016

First Snow...

Hi all, thanks for all the emails and messages about going private, I can't work out a way to go private in a way that makes it easy for some of my relatives (i.e. my mum!) to access the blog. So I'm going to share the blog with people who are interested in reading, and if you're not, forgive my error and tell me not to share it with you on FB. 

We've had a couple of difficult weeks as we've begun the new year as we've been hit with viruses. I came down with a stomach virus and then mum and then Hatts. Poor Hatts is still poorly and now, poor girl, has a head cold to boot. 

Anyway... 

We had our first snowfall just before the New Year. The children were incredibly excited, though Charlie didn't last for long! Big mothering fail in that the snow pants I bought for Raf were too big, so the next day I took the children to do lots of returns at LL Bean. When we got home Raf and I took Hatts out for her first proper experience of the snow... she wasn't sure at first but was quickly amused as she watched the antics of her big brother.