Cupcake Magic? - Now it's my turn...

Okay there's no fancy cases, and I've used Dr. Oetker's own sugar strands - because apparently you can only get pretty sprinkles in pink (well in our local supermarket anyway) but I'm pretty chuffed with my first cupcake tower of banana with a cream cheese frosting delights!

Amazingly LL is going to be 1 on saturday and these are for the local mums who are heading round with their little ones tomorrow am...

It doesn't end there either - As I type the cakes for the main event on saturday are cooling on the rack. At some point tomorrow evening the humble madeira's will hopefully be transformed into a lovely Wigwam cake for the friends and family heading our way on Saturday to help us mark this momentous milestone in LL's life!

I'm off to get a good nights sleep so I at least have the focus to do it all...

Back on duty!

Workin' at the Carwash.....

I was in bed before BB last night, well not technically, but he got up for a wonder around after I was bedded. Boy did he get a shock when I opened the bedroom door whilst he was en route there! He sure wasn't expecting to see me there!

I told him his Gran was coming to visit the next day and that if he didn't go to sleep then tomorrow wouldn't come! He fell for it and rolled over to will himself to sleep!

Gran and Grandad did come and visit after lunch much to BB's delight. He got to go out and help Grandad wash his car, taking full responsibility of all hosing activities! He then wolfed down some butternut squash and bake (thanks to Gran's cooking) and almost fell asleep in his dinner with all the energy he'd expended.

The TV 'broke' whilst G & G were here, so after dinner (after they'd left) we put on some music and BB showed me how to dance (turn round mummy, hands up high mummy etc!) and we played at passing the balloon to each other with lots of giggles and counting involved too.



LL just wants to walk everywhere holding onto your fingers, and grumps when due to an aching back you force him to sit down. Gone are the days when you could commit all your attention to that single task!

Birthday fun...

The morning was glorious and the normal early start let us bask in it in full. I can't even remember what was achieved this am - however after lunch it was time to don the party clothes and head off for our 2 year old girls birthday party.

BB and I went upstairs to put some of Daddy's hair stuff in to give BB party hair leaving LL in the playroom. BB, who was sat on the loo facing the stairs informed me that LL was climbing the stairs. I could hear him, but thought how could BB know as he couldn't see down the stairs.....imagine my shock when I turned round and all I could see was LL's cheeky grin peeking above the parapet that was our top (of 14 very narrow and very steep) steps! My heart skipped a beat as I thought for a minute he would react to me turning round and fall backwards - but no, he quite confidently pulled himself up and onto the landing. Phew. Note to self - sod putting the spare stairgate on BB's bedroom, it's going at the bottom of the stairs!!!



Unfortunately the sun disappeared behind the clouds when we got there, but that didn't stop both boys playing outside for most of the time.

BB not surprisingly headed in when the food got served! A better chocolate face you have never seen after he demolished some 'top hats'! Lucky for us that Izzy's Mum loves baking as much as I do!.....Birthday cupcake tower to die for was the centre of attention!



All in all a good day - along with the lesson for me to remember to close the kitchen door (or look out the other stair gate - which would probably be the better option!)

Too busy!!!

No chance to blog tonight - too busy making birthday tees for a party we're going to tomorrow!

BB got to wear 'night time pants' (pull ups) tonight for the first time. He's like a dog with two b***ocks because he can go to the loo by himself now (he couldn't do the nappy on his own.....)

Splish Splash!

Gosh it can be so annoying when I take so many pictures in a day. I don't know where to start when it comes to editing. Yesterday and today are prime examples of that where the sun has been out and the afternoons long!

We headed over to my brother's yesterday as the new paddling pool was inflated and awaiting bodies to splash in it! BB had a whale of a time (excuse the pun) and splashed himself and anyone nearby to his hearts content. Both boys swirled round the pool in sheer bliss whilst their cousin strutted around in a bikini showing off her newly found skill of walking unaided!!!



Nobody wanted to go home - but eventually we did and I peeled two exhausted boys out of the car and almost straight to bed!



Today we had visitors in the morning, then to carry on the water theme (and to keep young square eyes from the box) we went to the beach. A different one this time which had better access for the pram. I was armed with wind shelter, picnic blanket, digger, ball, bucket, spade, plastic shapes, drinks, snacks, milk (for LL), towels and trunks! How very organised for a whimsical trip.....



We built sandcastles, munched and got water from the 'river' until we were all burnt out.



Then to the shops (where BB impressed me with his memory skills - I told him we were going to the 'big blue shop' and as we drove past a branch of Lidl en route to the 'big blue shop' he pointed out that it wasn't Tesco!!! - I told him about a month ago that the 'big blue shop' was called Tesco - but haven't referred to it since!)I have only one word for that - SPONGE!!!!!

We picked up all important yogurt and milk - then headed home for a lovely dinner of haggis for tea. Ooooooh I like haggis mummy! Always a good response when you put dinner in front of your fussy two year old! LL lapped it up too.

'Project Shaunie' was finished last night, so I have project birthday pressie for little girl to get started on tonight! I'm going to be busy.

Oh and I'm falling to bits - the doc diagnosed a cyst on the back of my knee today which if it grows big and starts obstructing my movement will have to be operated on - joy! strangely the other knee is rather swollen today too. and sore. boo!

Lazy Day!

Phew I think the excitement of yesterday burnt us all out. BB hasn't even gotten out of his PJ's (don't shout at me BFS!)

It's a horrible rainy not want to get dressed kind of day. The most exertion we've had is

a) doing a load of washing and hanging it up (BB did a very good job of hanging up his pants on the pulley!)

b) juicing a bag of carrot batons, half a sweet potato, 2 pears, 2 apples, 5 grapes (all that was left!) a handful of raspberries and a nectarine to make a lovely drink

c) hanging a blind in BB's room (admittedly that did take some effort with cutting the material and hacking the metal rod down to size with a junior hacksaw!

d) reading lots, cutting lots of paper (BB cut me a polar bear, and ostrich and a man lion! - all pretty much resembling tiny squares.....) and playing lots in BB's room with his cars and trains.



No pictures taken - so I've raided the archive!(Note the swollen lip on BB!)

Tooth Number 5!

What a lovely relaxing day in the company of friends!

Our old neighbour came down to visit with her twins (3 months older than BB) It was a lovely day so the morning was spent in the garden utilising the climbing frame and eventually most toys ended up outside in the garden along with the roly poly hamster wheel getting inflated for some fun too. Even snack was served al fresco!

After LL's nap we jumped in the cars and headed to a local PYO fruit farm for lunch which has the most tremendous play are for the kids, the sunken trampoline was a massive hit today with all four kids (especially LL - who just crawled around it getting bounced by the bigger kids!) It was very very busy though as it's the school holidays. We then had an ice cream and headed off for home.

Oh and as for the header - LL has cut the tooth at the top front (his) left. His face is changing with the arrival of teeth and his smiles are even cuter (can that be possible???)

The camera stayed tucked away and we just enjoyed the kids for the day.

How was your day?

Unless you started it scrubbing a shit covered wigwam I doubt it could compare to mine!

Well to be honest the scrubbing of the wigwam came only after the hosing down of a shit covered baby who'd been crawling through his own poo! In retrospect I'm quite lucky that he decided to keep the whole thing confined to the inside of the wigwam - I wouldn't have fancied cleaning that off the carpet - rugdoctor here I come!

You may enquire as to how all of this came about - but basically I was giving LL a bit of freedom and letting the air in around his loins between nappies. The one removed had been decidedly full of poo, so I didn't think at all that he had more to come! Lesson learned.

Luckily during the scrubbing process I had the brainwave to take the wigwam apart and put the offending part in the washing machine - so you can breathe a sigh of relief that it will once again be a safe and hygienic place for my boys to hang out!!!

LL HAD SOME STEPS HOLDING ONTO ONLY ONE HAND TODAY! (just thought that needed special mention!)



I had friends heading over in the afternoon so BB and I baked some cakes for them.



If this doesn't make you drool then what will?



Oh actually the blue colouring may be little off putting for some....(that was for BB's benefit!)



Conversation overheard to make me smile today:

BB: Here you go *LL*
BB: Say Thank You *LL*
*silence*
BB: You're Welcome *LL*

Whilst feeding him his raisins...(It seems I won't have to do any manners training with my youngest, his brother has taken it upon himself to do that for me!)

Thing to make me mad today:

An awoken BB who had dozed off whilst our visitors were in (luckily they had headed home at this point) threw the screaming fit of all screaming fits which resulted in it taking him 1 hour and 15 mins to finally start eating his dinner which had been served when he was awoken!

I admit I lost my head after an hour and told him if he didn't stop screaming at Mummy then she would shout at him - he didn't so I did. The words STOP IT!!!!!!!! at least 3 times over.

He shat himself and screamed louder.

I'm sure it had the same reaction last time.........will I ever learn? - probably not but it was a great anger release - apparently better than knocking seven kinds of shit out of him! (although I'm sure the latter may have been more effective!)

It's totally crazy as I've just left him giggling his heart out as I put him down to bed. BFS was the first to point out how happy he is to go down and it's true. As soon as he climbs those stairs in anticipation of snuggling down for the night he's as happy as a pig in keech! There was no hot water for bath tonight so he went in the shower instead. He requested 'Mummy's shower' (thankfully as the other one needs hot water in the tank too!) and then insisted on washing himself and closed the door on me! He dowsed himself for at least 10 mins making sure every little bit was done -even washing his hair and sitting down to wash his legs. Brilliant!



Why can't he just stay like that all of the time?

Gala Day!

Today was Gala Day in the local village. We woke this morning to thundering rain - Typical!
By way of repeat of yesterday morning BB came through bright as a button. I wasn't sure of the time as unlike yesterday, where I faked being asleep to see if he would return to his bed, I was actually unable to open my eyes this morning and no faking was required! When I did finally muster the energy first I clocked my eldest lying on the floor next to the bedroom door, then I clocked the time. At least he'd had the grace to allow me until 7am this morning!
I asked him to go back to bed and read some books until I managed to get up - which he did for a while in silence, then I lay and smiled as I listened to another one of his stories (which I know as well as he does) getting cheerfully retold to anyone who would listen!

The morning was quiet, the boys played happily and I sneaked on the PC keeping half an eye on them and finally got LL's first year collage updated. I was TEN weeks behind! Naughty me.

After lunch I donned my eldest in his wellies and packed his poncho along with the raincover for LL's pram and jumped in the car to go visit the Gala. The rain had stopped by the time we got there. We missed the parade, but took our time musing at the stalls. BB asked if he could 'catch some boats' so he paid the lady his money and then tried to muster impressive hand to eye co-ordination to hook up some plastic boats on the end of a stick from a paddling pool. The bobbing effect didn't help in the slightest, so he adopted another approach and picked them up and hooked them on instead. 10 out of 10 for initiative I say........



He was chuffed to bits with his goody bag prize.



We caught up with a few people then went to the park for some play time to burn off some steam (we'd already had a few 'Want to go home Mummy's' by that point!) and the sun even came out!
Then he had a go on a whack the mallet as hard as you can and ring the bell kind of thing!!! (It was a kiddy one!) He didn't have the strength to ring the bell so I had to help, but he had a lot of fun trying. For his efforts he won a luminous pink furry 'snake' which he enjoyed chasing his friends with and tickling LL! We watched a bit of a falconry display, and some of the dog competition then it was LL who was getting upset. BB was allowed one more turn at the boats before we headed home, but before he could catch all 3 boats LL kicked of in true style so we had to grab his goody bag prize and go! He got to open it at home and inspect the contents.



It's almost bedtime for them. They're both winding down with full tummies and since I have this done nice and early I can grab an early night too......