Family Update – June 2017

Another month just gone, loads more milestones for my four little ones. We’ve been busy again… 

Wriggly (3 years old)

· You have been the grouchiest toddler in the world, so much so I have been praying for it not to be a permanent trait of character.

· You have just had chickenpox again. No, wait, C.H.I.C.K.E.N.P.O.X! You had it very mildly in September, but this time round has seen you covered from head to toe in a myriad of angry spots. Your entire body was dotted with the itchy pox, even the inside of your eyelids, the sole of your feet, your bits and bottom. Ouch! That could explain why the previous couple of weeks were so difficult.

· When I asked you who you wanted to invite for your 3rd birthday party, you replied without an ounce of hesitation, “Poppy” (your grandad), “Emily my best friend” (my best friend’s baby), “Aimee” (one of my closest friends) “and my family.” That’s exactly who we invited for our little get-together, along with a few last minute guests. We had a great day, incredibly relaxed and enjoyable.

· You are THREE! Although it seems like I gave birth to you on the bathroom floor a lifetime ago and I can barely remember life before you were here, you also seem too little to be 3 whole years old. You are my baby!

· You exclaimed, “You are beautiful, mama!” as I came downstairs with a dress on one Saturday. Best compliment ever and also the first one you ever gave me!

· We went to the farm with your sisters, cousin, Mamie (grandma) and tata Mégane (auntie) and you loved the guinea pig your cousin was holding.

· After months and months of asking to go to ballet classes with your sisters, you are finally allowed to join in now you are three. You have been to two classes so far. You are so graceful and into it I had tears running down my cheeks as I was watching you through the small window.

Jumpy (4 years 8 months)

· On one eventful morning, as I was about to arrive at a work meeting over an hour and a half away from home, I received a phone call from preschool telling me you had chickenpox. My meeting was concluded in a bit of a hurry and I picked you up.

· Spots were starting to appear everywhere but you were absolutely fine. Although you were soon covered in spots from head to toe, chickenpox didn’t really affect your mood or joie de vivre in the slightest. You were just a spotty version of yourself. You even asked me, “Mummy, why have I got lots of spots when I’m not even sick?”

· You were really curious about those spots and kept getting me to take photos of your back or of specific spots that were hurting a bit. Once they’d healed and the crusts were coming off, you asked to see every single crust I was peeling off your scalp before it made its way to the bin (nice!).

· Since you cut your hair (and your sister’s) a couple of months ago, I haven’t really tried making nice plaits or buns on your hair because of the weird layers you created. This month, I have been brave and attempted ‘Anna hair’ as you call it (2 Dutch plaits) and it has been nice seeing you with your hair done beautifully. You are also a lot more docile and less moany than before when I do your hair, yay!

· You have gained so much confidence with your gross motor skills. You slide down poles quicker than I would ever dare to and you’re the Queen of the zip wire at our local park.

· You spent 45 minutes painting your self-portrait at preschool. You paid attention to every little detail about yourself and meticulously painted it, from your curls to your green eyes to the clothes you were wearing on the day.

· Although you are not yet writing your name from memory, your letter formation is getting better.

· Since you had chickenpox, your food challenges were rescheduled for October.

· You have already had two ‘stay and play’ sessions in your Reception class and you’ve loved it. Although I specifically requested her, we didn’t get Mrs Elsam, whom we absolutely love, as your key person (she was your brother’s and your sister’s key person). I was really disappointed but such is life…

Beanie (6 years 9 months)

· A few months ago, we decided to have a break with swimming lessons as they were extortionate, but in the 6 months since you stopped, you have lost all the confidence you built up in the past 6 years of swimming… Once of your best friends had a swimming party a couple of weeks ago, and you seemed lost, scared even. Towards the end of the party, you even asked for floaters. You’ve never worn floaters and until January, your swimming lessons were taking place in the deep end…

· Until recently, getting you to complete your daily reading task for school was a real chore, but your teacher moved you up a level and it has changed everything. Although the stories are more complex and longer, you’re enjoying reading them and you get a real sense of achievement when you do.

· You are still struggling to control your temper. Actually scrap that! Your rage and anger issues are getting worse and worse. A few times a day, we get sworn at, ranging from “stupid” to “idiot” to “shut up” to “hate you.” I know they are not the worst words in the world, and luckily you don’t know any worse ways to curse us, but your behaviour has a ripple effect on everyone. It makes us all on edge and your youngest sister copies you, mirrors that attitude and uses the same words as you when she gets frustrated. Your outbursts are violent and your words poisonous.

· You have great taste in music, asking Google Home to play AC/DC at least once a day. You are also keen on One Direction, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry. Your most frequent request to Google Home at the moment is ‘OK Google, play I’ve got the eye of the tiger’ so it plays Roar by Katy Perry. You’ve even created a choreography for the song and you know it all by heart.

· You keep getting commended at choir for your beautiful rendition of Frère Jacques.

Crevette (8 years 11 months)

· You have such a musical soul. At every opportunity you get, you get your guitar out and start playing for us or our guests. Your little sister got a serenade (well, Happy Birthday) when she was eating breakfast on her 3rd birthday!

· You are also incredibly talented (to me, anyway) on the piano. As the least musical person in the world (I love music but couldn’t play anything to save my life), I am in awe of anyone who can just pick up playing an instrument so easily. You only started playing the piano in September but I think you are one of these people who ‘get it.’ You are a clever little man and you can transfer skills from one instrument to the next without even thinking about it.

· You are so messy! I don’t know if it’s your creative side that is making you so disorganised, but you’re the kind of person who would walk to school in their pyjamas without noticing, or with 2 different shoes one. Yep, that kind of disorganised! Your school bag is the messiest thing I’ve ever seen. You keep losing bits of paper, you don’t stick anything down, you regularly forget your lunchbox at school. I wonder if it’s linked to creativity…

· You are still crying or moaning every single time swimming training is mentioned. It breaks my heart to make you attend those Friday night sessions, but you are so so good I don’t want you to ‘waste’ this skill. You are so graceful on water. You look like you’re gliding effortlessly on water. You’re always fine when you come home after the session, but going spoils the end of every week for you. I know you don’t want to join the squad or swim more than one hour a week and I won’t force you to do that, but I think we should really nurture that natural ability you have, even if it’s just one hour a week. I am really not a pushy parent at all, but I keep insisting you continue with this. So does your Dad. What should we do?

· You’re so stylish. You just look dapper all the time, whatever you wear and I love that. Such a cool little dude!