Family Update – February 2016

If anyone knows where January has gone, just let me know, OK?

Wriggly (1 year 8 months)

· You love your big brother’s toolbox. Have we got a budding carpenter in the house?
· You still wake up in the middle of the night most nights, but you now settle with a bottle, thank goodness!
· Your speech is really coming along. Here are your favourite words at the moment:
“Wait”, showing us the palm of your hand or index finger.
“Popol”
“Fish”
“Pompot!”
“Umma” satsuma
“Peas!” Please
“Cake”
“Gink” “Dink!” Drink
“Sowi” sorry
“Moov!” move!
“Kiup!” Thank you!
“Caca” (“Poo,” in French – I know, classy!)
“Bum bum”
“Kwaker” cracker
Me: “One, two…”
You: “fwee!”
Pretending to chat on the phone: “Oui, Oui…” (Yes, yes, in French)

Jumpy (3 years 3 months)

· I love watching your relationship with your little sister develop. You even share your ‘special biscuits’ with her! Your camaraderie, strong bond, cheekiness and obvious love for each other make my heart swell with pride.
· “I just want my Crevette and my Beanie,” as they were off on a sleepover. You are definitely part of the gang, and determined not to miss out on anything.
· Everyone is a “she” at the moment (male or female), when they are not, “what’s that?”
· You declared one morning, “I want to be a baby!”
· You have the most piercing stare when strangers (or even people you know well) are trying to get your attention and being on the receiving end can be embarrassing (sorry, world!). You do not warm up to people quickly and they constantly have to jump through hoops to keep in your good books. Potential future boyfriends beware!
· At the moment, you love pretending you are someone else, generally a friend, and I have to pretend I am their mum. Role play can last days with you and if I forget who I am meant to be, I have to be prepared to face your wrath! (How dare I?)

Beanie (5 years 4 months)

· You can be a cheeky monkey one minute and a grumpy teenager (fivenager? fivager?) the next.
· Your future career choices never cease to amaze me.
“When I grow up, I want to be a ghostbuster.”
“I want to call myself a teenager.” OK then.
“I want to be a cleaner. I definitely want to be a cleaner!”
“When you’re a granny and I’m a mum, I want to be a chef, and I want to live above you so that if you want to come I’ll make food for you!” (Yes please!)
“I want to be a pet when I grow up. No, a vet!”
· So far in the past few months, you have wanted to become a chicken, a princess, a cat, a cooker, a chef, a teenager, a ghostbuster, a teacher, a cleaner, a chicken and a bird. I think it is safe to say life is never boring with you.
· Your catchphrase at the moment is, “Do you know why?”
“Daddy has to eat too much cookies. Do you know why? So he can be fat like Daddy Pig!”
“I love licking my toes. Do you know why? Because I can cut my nails with my teeth when they’re too long!” (Nice one. You are such a lady in the making!)
“Daddy’s not allowed in your kitchen. Do you know why? Because it’s your kitchen!”
· You decided one night you wanted to sleep in your uniform because your little boyfriend at school told you he slept in his school clothes to be ready quicker in the morning. Needless to say, pyjamas it was!
· You were awarded “Star of the Week” for being considerate. As one of your classmates was getting cold, you offered to lend her your cardigan. Awww, you are making me so proud!
· You never hesitate to speak your mind. To your Daddy: “I don’t like it when you’re angry. You’re rubbish when you’re angry. Stop it!”

Crevette (7 years 6 months)

· One of your friends told you about Ghostbusters and we thought it would be nice to watch it all together. Your Daddy managed to get both DVDs in the charity shop, and we had a cinema party.
· You have been quite anxious going to school every morning since your best friend has moved to another school and you have really struggled.
· Your friend T. made you discover tea. You had a cuppa with a piece of brownie with her before bed a couple of weeks ago.
· As we were on our way back from IKEA, your friend and I were chatting in the back. All of a sudden, she declared: “Now I’m being serious. Will you marry me? Will you be my boyfriend?”

Us

· On Saturday morning a couple of weeks ago, we all went to town for late breakfast and enjoyed being all together.
· Our loft conversion is finally finished! We moved in a couple of weeks ago and the extra space has made a lot of difference.
· Instead of sitting back and relaxing, we have had lots of friends around and it has been amazing. The children have had friends staying over, my friend Loraine came for an afternoon with her three, our next-door neighbours have had a tour, Cé and her little one have stayed over, we started a weekend sewing club at home for the children and I have had a few friends over for coffee. Adeline, my closest friend from France and her family of five arrived yesterday and they are here for the week. I feel so happy to have space for friends to feel at home with us!
· After a couple of trips to Ikea and a mammoth delivery of no less than 20 boxes, building fest was in full swing last week. I am keen to tell anyone who will listen that I managed to build the day bed (2 man job) all on my own!