SJ- surviving eight years.....

 My goodness- young man- you were a shock to the system....10 months of waiting and worry about your arrival and not much planning on the 'what came next' bit!! It would appear that you have survived your uninitiated parents steep learning curve (but then most firstborns do!- somehow).

 You even survived the cloth nappies-even if you did have bad nappy days (soooo cute!!!)

 You even survived (just about) the siblings we have inflicted upon you. In fact you are pretty wonderful with little ones (even if you do make their mummies horrified- who is this boy playing with my precious child- is it possible that he is an innocent young man who is actually fascinated by babies- never!)

Soo excited about moving into cubs and going to camp. Loves lego and K'nex. Fascinated by WWII and ships. Loves stories and snuggling. Loves colouring and making models.

Happy Birthday- how time is rushing by...

Autumn Term Plans

I seem to have forgotten to photo everything in sight the last couple of weeks- hence a photoless post!

We/I have been doing lots of planning of where we are going next- am planning a real push on getting SJ to read clocks and master time telling (before he goes to Cub camp!)- he has been fine with hours and half hours for a while but we just never seem to have moved it on..
TP has got his first 'workbook' which he is just soooo excited about- bless him- a little pen control stuff (which hes actually quite good at anyway), a few stickers and a little copying.
FI seems finally to have mastered th/sh/ch (ish)- so I would like to mover her forward a little with this. She remains very good at number work and seems to prefer this- actually liking to do little 'tests' (she calls them).

We are planning a theme of the American West and Pioneers this term. SJ has been reading a book about Cowboys and the Wagon trains- hence the interest. I have in mind that we will read Children on the Oregon Trail (classic from my childhood), maybe one of the Little House in Big Woods set (hmmm -whether to start with LH in BW or to select from further on the series) and probably Twist of Gold (Michael Morpugo). We shall probably celebrate Thanksgiving and do lots of Fall crafts- as well as some Cowboy and Native American stuff.... I feel a few pots of Boston Beans coming on.....

A frenzy of crafting.....

 Sometimes the simple ones are the best...... FIs killer whale

SJs boat obsession confirmed- Hama bead ('freehand') Victory

A bit of a mad crafting day for us- tissue paper pictures, key rings, paper plate animals and toilet roll monkeys, Mike the Knights castle, scratch art windmills and finally colouring pictures of Santa and his reindeer (???- well I had made the statement that summer was over and autumn starting!).

Spent the day out yesterday with friends from my original antenatal classes- all the kids bemoaning going back to school today (we have just learnt to smile sympathetically rather than comment)- my kids came to me last night and said "Mummy we really like being HE"- bless........(I'll remember that!). I nearly cried last night at the thought of my four year old being bundled off today- feet forced into nasty school shoes and grey trousers.....thanks goodness we knew the options.....Instead he is off to Playgroup for a couple of hours