Tuesday 29 September 2015

Baby Carrier No.3

It really is happening...I'm not feeling queasy at the thought of pizza, have super smelling powers or waking up during the night with crazy dreams for no reason! It is this little one forming inside me and doing crazy things to my body in the process.

Seeing the scan image yesterday on the screen almost made me tear up and I felt an immediate connection with this little life which is developing inside me.

MJ is so proud of the thought of us having a baby. He is delighted to tell everyone our 'family secret'. Lj is more difficult to read...she doesn't talk about it directly but is asking all sorts of questions like 'Who will take her and MJ to the hospital to see the baby? Who will look after them while we are at the hospital? and yesterday I had to explain the scan picture in great detail.

We are almost 15 weeks in and apparently I have some colour back in my cheeks and don't look quite so deathly...but perhaps they are just being polite!

Friday 25 September 2015

London with my bestie






Yesterday I had a lovely day out in London with one of my N.Irish buddies. We visited the Judith Kerr exhibition at the Jewish museum. It was a lovely exhibition and I'm longing to bring the kids along to it before it closes. We then visited Camden Market, where 16 yrs ago as adventurous teenagers we travelled by bus from N.Ireland to London to volunteer with Oasis Trust and discovered the sights and smells of Camden. After a browse around the stalls we walked along the canal to Central St Martins, had lunch and viewed the students exhibition before heading home from Kings Cross.


The kids were kindly picked up from school by friends and had a lovely afternoon playing. Lj gave me this note and picture when I returned. 'I love you. To Mummy. I hope you have a wonderful time with Anita in London.'

As we consider moving home to N.Ireland it has been lovely to dream about the future with Anita but it has also made me very nostalgic about my times spent in London. I have so many great memories of family day trips, working there and taking MJ and Lj in their buggies around the city.

Thursday 10 September 2015

Back to school


The kids have been back for 1 week now. We have had a few emotions surface. MJ told me the day before he started that he would rather stay at home with me even if he had to do learning all day! But came out of his class after the first day full of beans and chat, telling me that he was starting a war hammer club. Lj was looking forward to starting Yr 1 but I think is finding it challenging finding her place among the 9 other girls in her class. This morning she clung to me and wanted me to stay with her which is quite unlike her.

It has been a busy week with MJ starting Cubs and both of them starting swimming lessons on top of the normal activites which has left them tired and ready for the weekend.

Final week of Summer holidays 2015



Having been tipped off that it was a good time to visit Alton Towers following the accident earlier in the Summer we decided to take two days there.




 MJ could have spent all day with his water canon soaking people on the pirate ships and being equally soaked in return.

After Alton Towers we headed further North and spent a lovely few days with M's parents, Sister and her family.



The ice cream farm has expanded and is a wonderful place to spend time with lots for the kids to do. I think it is where my current obsession with hexagons began...see the windows in the picture below.



Friday 4 September 2015

Watercolour with Yao Cheng


Somehow I came across watercolour artist Yao Cheng. I was instantly drawn to her simple shapes and the beautiful colours in her artwork. It inspired me to have a play. I have never been confident with watercolours and haven't really used them since school. I couldn't find my old school watercolour set...well I do think I know where they are but it would have involved alot of pulling out and then re tidying and the notion was upon me so I didn't want to get side tracked and instead reached for Lj's paint box.

I would like to follow Yao's tutorials but feel I need to commit to the challenge before signing up!

Tuesday 1 September 2015

MJ's 8th birthday timeline

 Aug 2007

 Aug 2008

 Aug 2009

 Aug 2010

 Aug 2011

 Aug 2012

 Aug 2013

Aug 2014

Aug 2015

A quilt for Olivia