Tuesday 28 January 2014

Sensory play*

I dont know why I have never been brave enough to just let my children experience different senses like they have done at clubs, art classes & activities we have paid for & been to throughout the years. Its incredible how much these bubbas love anything a little messy & different. This week Darcey got totally involved in being so silly with our messy play tub. She has some new spellings she is learning at school & words she is investigating. She wanted to spell some ideas from her newest library book 'Perry Penguin on Ice' so she spelt out Penguin, Arctic & Polar Bear & we froze them into ice cubes overnight. Jasper & I had also made jelly to again set overnight. On Sunday whilst the bubbas had an army battle with dadda I set up the tub with jelly & bowls full of squirty cream on one side & the ice cubes on the other with little spanners to bash the cubes with & salt to help the erosion. I just adore the surprised happy smiles I get when my cherubs see there little fun station. Our kitchen is so small but huge enough for these bubbas & their incredible imaginations. Darcey was so impressed that by holding an ice cube in her hands she could melt it very quickly & used a bowl to fill it with water under her clasped palms. She worked hard for half an hour to melt all the letters incased in ice, she was delighted that i got my hands mucky too helping her & the final cubes we wrapped in a tea towel & bashed together which had her in heaps of giggles, little darling. She then spelt out with a little help the words she had chosen. She was so confident in her game & play, showing Jasper how big girls know how to melt ice & how to spell & read. He was so interested in his big sissys thoughts & ideas but was more interested in the squidgy jelly & eating handfuls of cream haha. After all the cubes were melted they played with the jelly that had become thin & sticky. They washed the zebra & lion & gave them bowls of food to eat. Ducky then started really getting involved with the feel of the smooth jelly, within ten minutes she had spread it all over her hands & arms & Jasper was pouring bowl lads of the mix over her palms. Hysterical laughter & daddys pale face at this was just too much, they would have played for hours but unfortunatly it was near on time to get boo home to her mama's house so it was onto bathtime. They both helped me clean their tub & said goodbye to the jelly mix as it washed down the plughole. In the bath they were talking together about the jelly & what else they would like to play with. Shaving foam gets a huge thumbs up, they still adore this one. I just love sensory play & cannot believe as I said that I hadnt introduced it into our home sooner. This mama is always learning alongside my amazing angels. I just adore every day with my blessings. 143*

Friday 24 January 2014

school

The chime of the new year clock striking twelve had a lot of resivations for me this year. Im not even that into new years, I dont get it all really but this year I felt sad seeing off 2013 as it was just such a revealing, rewarding, brilliant year for me & our little love bugs. It was a fab year, but that bong of big ben signalled 2014, the year Jasper goes to school. As serious as these sentances are and may seem far too dramatic, I just cant stop fretting about it. My mum realised she only has 40 Mondays left of having her grandbubb for the afternoon. I have seeen three weeks pass by far too quickly from Nye. Its just too much to contemplate. Its such a hard concept for me to grasp. What am I without my little boy each day seeing as my role for three & a half years has solely & divinely been mummy. I would loose lil studley for five days a week for over six hours a day. Thats just too much. The face he gives me when I get him on his full day at pre school is just incredible & my heart always feels so overwhelmed & happy as we have both hugely missed each other. How will he cope? How will I cope? I think i worry about the latter more! He is such a social, happy bear in school, he has made close friends who will be alongside him at his new school if he gets his catchment place. He also was so kind to the new children who started his school after Christmas & his teachers speak so confidently of his willingness to learn & his enthusiasm in their teachings through stories, messy play or actual strict, routine teachings. We have sit down time most days were he loves to be encouraged to spell his name, learn his numbers & we do all sorts of different learning patterns to understand his pre school educations. He is just incredible, so from this yes Im not worried at all for my boy, he is so excited knowing he will be as big & strong as his sissy as she is in big girl school & he still reminds me of the garden area he loved at the school we were shown. Its me, I dont want to miss him. I dont want to loose his character when he is around other influences each day more than mama, I fear for him missing me, I just am getting myself so worked up. You get the idea. Jasper is my best friend. He is just such a delight everyday to be around, im blessed to wake to his lil giggles. It is so very rare we have a bad day, he doesnt really ever strop, hes easily consoled if hes turning that way. He is just perfection & I dont want our adventures to stop. We wont be able to say Thursday & Fridays are our days. We cant just ride on a train to London & view the museums, when we will it will be packed full of half term families. In many ways Im excited for him but I do feel him being so young, just turning four then school withing six weeks, is a bit too much. Oh heart... 

January

Ive been really lame at keeping up to date on here this month. I have missed fab linkys I wanted to join in with & just not been connected to write words down. We have been very busy & Im back in the gym so shattered always haha. But we have still been adventuring of course. Yesterday we went to soft play & bouncy castle heaven at Tumbling tinies with Jaspeys buddys Eddie bear & Lilly. We have been to Jasper's 'Wot a mess' art group & Jasper now has his first pair of Nike football boots from daddy for there SONday fundays when I work. He looks unbelievably cute in his whole kit & just adores playing footie & learning the rules with pops. We have been confident to bring some messy play activities home as Jasper just adores his messy play group. Ive posted about some of these activities & have had days were we have just enjoyed this activity but no pics. New materials have been used. We had rice & pasta out with zoo animals & then included fake snow the next day which mixed with the rice created amazing castles & Jasper loved making cakes & castles for most of the day on & off. Bathtimes have become another sensory time with water, shaving foam, bubbles & character games that he can get silly messy with as he is in the bath. So we have been same old here. Just me being slow paced so I blame that on January as this seems to be my excuse each year. For me, im enjoying the gym & classes, my new casserole dish from Christmas, experimenting with eyeshadows again which I adored as a teenager, reading a lot more which I seemed to loose over summertime last year & of course everday is a blast with my darling boy. I love that Im his teacher in everything just now, not just numbers & letters, exploring & fun. He is starting to try & count & understand reading, he loves to cook daddys dinner with me, he is understanding his body so much more & we do lil exercises together as he understanding health & illness alot more. Today he said to me "Lets sit & talk about whats in our brains mama!" What a stud. So darn cute & amazing. This morning his rice cake was bitten into many shapes that to me resembled no shape in my eyes but to him became a rainbow, a purple car, a stone from the sea & then a bean from Jack & the beanstalk for the last little nibble. Stupidly amazing boy** 143 x

Monday 13 January 2014

ouch*

I touched on the heartache of saying our goodbyes to Ducky each week in my last post but this weekend it again rose as a devastating ache that has haunted me & Gary since. Darcey has assured us she is happy at mummys house but she so desires to live with us. Im sure this is not uncommon in split family homes when the child doesnt live in her secondary home as much as the primary. We after much talking are convinved this also is not just an attention seeking ploy. Darcey is getting extremly distressed with the go to & from of her two homes. Her words were "Its just so hard for me." This breaks me. A six year old should not feel hardship & sadness on this level, but poor angel boo does & that is something that obviously does not settle well with us as parents. But unfortunatly finding a solution is not prooving easy as Ducky is being asked on her mothers side to just accept this is her situation & not cry for long on it. She is being called silly when the door is opened to her & she is showing upset, there is no open arms of understanding or empathy & as you can imagine dropping her off in such distress unsure of she will recieve comfort is becoming unbareable. We just dont know what to do. I am currently writing her a visual photo book to help her understand how her families become entwined, we are civil & kind to her mum always & I often encourage talk from how she feels in all of her routines, school, home life & friends etc. She is so open & honest now, so unguarded. She is easily comforted with a good chat & huge snuggly cuddles. But this is just different & we are just so stressed. We want what is best for Darcey. My sister came up with some ideas to help boo understand & be comforted at both homes but as of now we are unable to do these great ideas as her mum does not feel Darcey has a deep rooted upset & she simply just misses her daddy. Her tears were too strong for just that, her own words too easily slurred through hiccups, she is uncomfortable with the divide. So a solution is needed & fast. Me & Jasper will be getting her from school this week for a hot chocolate & daddy hopes to leave work early to join us, but there is always the goodbye. Has anyone experiences this?? What do we do?? Love & light for my little darling girly, why does it have to be so painful for you sweet darling, bless u angel. The stars sprinkle kisses down on you honey pie xxx 143

Saturday 11 January 2014

siblings* January

My little cherubs are different to the view I had of my siblings at a young age. They are devastatingly parted each week to stay at separate homes in different towns & have the sadness of goodbyes & missing each other every weekend. Its nothing but heart breaking! It is where our family is weak & has pain. But as soon as our bouncy little princess comes home it is alive once again with laughter of TWO cherubs not just Jaspeys darling giggles. And what a joy that is. The ache of missing Darcey is only dulled by knowing we have a short countdown until we see her again. For me & Jasper at least its a mid week visit after school enjoying a hot chocolate & doing their learning books for extra time with our ducky. They have such a great, close bond although she is bossy & struggling with the fact Jasper is bigger & inventing new game ideas & playing himself, not just following her. Some alone time given is always so brief as one of them will creep back to the other with a new play idea & they are off again. I love my sweet angels like you couldn’t imagine, Darcey not being born to me but is this amazing lil lovebug best friend to my sweet boy, such a great, inspiring big sissy. He in turn is so affectionate & passionate about his amazing big sister. He really thinks even when she is being a stroppy bum that she is the coolest girl. I adore how they are together, so innocent, fun & creative. Explorers, adventurers & philosophers! Mini Bear Grylls in the making!! 143 sweet bubbalubbas**

Painting pasta

I recently saw a post by a fave mummy blogger of mine Charlie Farlie. I have seen this idea before & wasnt really too keen as Jasper seemed to little & with Darcey always being so energetic & dare I say it advanced :) I figured she may not want to do such an easy paint art creation. I was wrong. Stud & Boo just loved this tonight. Penne pasta at the ready & sponge paintbrushes with all colours of glitter paints. Paper down they dabbed, rolled & painted pasta for nearly an hour getting hugely messy but so widely happy. Showing off every pasta piece to each other & me & dadda with such pride. They enjoyed mixing colours to create another like we did last week. They especially liked when the pasta they had painted yellow got a little green on it. Marvelling at the marble like mixtures. Such a brilliant, easy activity that will tommorow become another craft of threading the pasta tubes with string to make themselves a necklace. Darcey is just so excited to wake & do this. Brilliant fun & happy crafting**
143

Thursday 9 January 2014

Sensory play with fake snow

Studley & cherubs little faces when I surprised them with a playful bathtime of sensory play with shaving foam & army men was just incredible. They have played with paints, water, bubbles & crafts but never really hands on messy play at home. In the bath is the best idea for me as we have new carpet in our lounge & a very small kitchen with tiles & the rest is carpeted. Anyhow Jasper just hadnt stopped thanking me so when I found fake snow in the sales from Christmas I brought some tubes & surprised him for bathtime after his first day back at school. He knew I was up to something & was so cute running round nudey rudey so excited & trying to sneak peaks into the bathroom. When he saw another tub set up with zoo animals in snow & a warm bubble bath he giggled this huge "Thank you mama" & has really not stopped kissing me & telling me Im beautiful since. Thats his newest charming delight. Telling me Im his princess, a superwoman, the best mummy, beautiful & handsome & asking like Casper the ghost "Can I keep you!". The most darling little studley ever, I could combust with how much I love him, his gorgeous words & charming wit & cuteness. He stayed in the bath until it was too cold playing along imaginatively his own zoo scene in his head, saving the Giraffe whos head was stuck in the bubble hat. Sweeping the snow with the monkey & tucking them into bed with the snow as a blanket. I drained the bath & he then played in the bubbles that still clung to the tub, slipping around on his knees laughing so much* After reading The Gruffalo's child (favourite book of all time according to Jasper & Darcey!) & watching the movie it was bedtime. Sweetest snuggle ups before & this sensitive soul telling me a story he made up alone about a doggy called Monty (he always features in our short family stories!! Even being a superhero doggy in daddys tales!) I just adore my sweet boy & am trying to take even more moments of connection with him, stopping chores Im doing to read him the book he's asking for & being patient when he slows walking & wants me to carry him for a cuddle. He is getting such a big boy, he is four this year. But he will always be my darling SONshine, my heartbeat, my baby. I dont want these adventures to only be for after 3pm or at the weekends. He's so excited for big school, we drive past & he shouts "see you soon" & when Ducky talks about school he asks if his big boy school days are closer yet! But Im not ready. I have huge anxieties with how I feel about him going to school so young, so soon. Ahr here I go again, anyhow FAKE SNOW SENSORY PLAY WAS A HUGE HIT!!! the end** 143

Wednesday 8 January 2014

bella, the girlies & boo*

My mama & twinny have owned horses all my life. Of course my mama first & then my sissy got one in her teens. They both have the bug but I am genuinally terrified of big dogs let alone horses. Tragic I know* But Ducky & Stud love them. They love that just five steps from nanna's back garden on the south downs is these beauiful girlies Chloe & Bonnie in a huge field to explore & love. After a much needed catch up with Bella I felt brave & in want of fresh air so we headed for the field. It is mud drenched from all the rain, welly boots being suckered into the deepest mud & a workout just to get to each section of the fields. Such hard work on my mum & Bella bless them, & the poor horses :( Jasper of course loved it. He wanted to touch everything, help Bella with the feed buckets, push hay in the nets & pick up to doo!! (He had rubber gloves on dont worry!) He is such a nature boy. He marvelled at the bowed shape of the trees in the areas that create shade in the summer, he enjoyed the mud & slipping & sliding & just wanted to help so much. Bella said "Jaspey Ive left some poop there for u to get!" & he thanked her haha. So bizarre. It was mud rocks underneath he was gettin but he is so cute, so wanting to help that he didnt mind doing the 'crappy' jobs too hehe. He stroked Chloe & threw rocks for Roxy after then put the waste food out for the foxes that regulary visit the field. Lovely, easy afternoon!! 143 sweet baby boy*

Saturday 4 January 2014

First of 2014

Since Boxing day minus one day we have had Darcey home with us. Its been wonderful, magical, exhausting hehe & much needed family filled fun. We have all so enjoyed Gary being off over Christmas but this week he had to return to work. Our new years day was very chilled, sleepy, easy. So I made sure the two remaining days we had with Ducky were energised & adventurous. We headed out early Thursday to our local swimming pool. We stayed for over two hours, the bubbas knackering themselves with so much swimming, Darcey unaided from her rubber ring more than not & doing such brilliant underwater swimming even without her goggles. Jasper discovered that he really isnt afraid of the slide & they decided for half and hour they would pair up & go down the huge yellow flume as a pair. I watched them up the steps then would meet them at the bottom. They just adored this & the smile of studleys face was just too precious. Lil miss gappy was a giggling crazy haired mermaid, such a water bubb* She'd would come down in a different position each time where as Jasper was so controlled as to not get to splashed on the exit hehe. We headed home for art fun & painting experiments. We had seen on tv that morning a paint activity that taught what colours were created when mixing primary colours together. Darcey now has remembered what these mean & what colours mixed creates what. Such a sponge brain** They have been playing together all day & started to get cross at each other so Darcey had some time on her own with their toys in their room & Jasper helped me wash up. After ten minutes she was asking him to play again bless her. For bathtime I got their sand pit into the bath tub & covered the bucket area with shaving foam & their army men & horses. This is a game they love playing with dadda so often. They kept thanking me little darlings just so adorable* Today we have had all their Christmas books out, Gruffalo film on, arts & colouring with their buddy Ruby & learning fun with Darceys alphabet stamp set. Nice & easy. Until it was time for bubba to go to mamas but thats a whole other post :(:( Love u Darcey doo, my lil angelface. Beyond measure* YOU R SO LOVED SWEET GIRL!! 143*

Happy Blogger-versary to me!! One year old*

Wowsa, where the hell has this year gone. Everything is flying by scarily fast. Ive been blogging now for a whole year. So proud of all my wonderful memories documented with photos & actually read by other people than just my twinny haha!! Ive so loved reading through old posts this week. Its all so inspiring. I cannot believe just how little Jasper looked last January compared to his athletic, tall lil bod now. He was still taller than most his age but still had his double chin & turtle toot head hehe. But now he loks like a little Next model, like a boy. A boy ready for more adventures this year before he starts BIG BOY SCHOOL!!! AHHHRRR!!! I cannot believe Im even writing that. It gives me nauseus butterflies in my belly & honestly does not make me feel easy. I applied for his catchment school after viewing it & Jasper falling in love (he cried when we had to leave). It had such brilliant play areas, huge amount of books & educational toys & displays, visual art & learning on every wall space & teachers that greeted Jasper before they spoke to me, something I find very comforting seeing as they will be more his friend than mine. I have so many hopes for his schooling. Im not a stern, strict parent in the thought school is strictly for learning to become a Doctor or Scientist. I want Jasper to enjoy his school, his friends, his playtime, books, numbers & not worry like I did if he remembers every date in his History lessons (obv when he's alot older!!). Oh god my mind is a blur now with these thoughts. So anyhow a year in blogging. This is incredible. Heres to another year, a great start to 2014 & a heap more inspiring adventures & fun* My babys...I love you so utterly, overwhelmingly and unconditionally. 2014 is all about you my darlings* 143