train travel

J, TK and I took the train from Edinburgh to Perth today. Tom loved it! It took just over an hour and so was the perfect length to keep a toddler entertained. I reckon the highlight was going across the Forth Bridge (funnily enough I remember going across this bridge as a kid on a train and enjoying it too)

And then when we got to my parents we watched the end of the tennis semi final while TOm played with the new toy library toys (he was especially taken with the ride on digger and didn’t want to be parted from it even for a snack)

Tomorrow J and I are heading up to Aberdeen… by ourselves!! We are leaving TK overnight for the first time ever and I have to say it’s tugging on my heart strings more than I expected. I know he will have a fantastic time with my folks and they and he are so comfortable together I’m not worried about that at all; I just think I’ll miss him a lot!! Anyway, we have lots of fun things planned for Aberdeen!

Fun days

making tents; eating haggis, neaps, tatties and whisky sauce; sliding down the hallway with daddy; playing pooh sticks; and TK’s first taste of hot chocolate (he had his own proper china cup and loved loved loved it!) Just five fun things from the past two days!

grandma days

Monday and Tuesday are now designated grandma days. Tom and grandma hang out all day and laugh and giggle and read books and play at the park and (ridiculously!!) my mum is even willing to give TK shoulder rides and horsey back rides (she says it’s cheaper than going to to the gym!) I have a great couple of days to catch up on house work, plan the rest of the week’s menus (is that apostrophe in the right place dad?), do some reading and chill out a bit – works for all of us!! It does mean, however, that there are fewer photos taken…

I joined mum and TK at soft play on Monday which was great and because mum’s there it means I can have ‘proper’ chats with some of the other mums. It’s also great because my baby bump is such that doing a lot of bending down or picking up is tricky!

Thanks grandma for coming through!!

Happy birthday!!!

Today is Pappa’s birthday!! Almost, almost another BIG number to celebrate…

Tom and I headed through to Stanley early yesterday morning (we left Edinburgh at 7am. J was working a long day yesterday which meant he started at 6am and finished at 6:30pm) and spent the day hanging out with Grandma and then Auntie Jacqui, Naomi and Lois for lunch. We went to Pappa’s school in the afternoon for some fun (TK does love it there – so much to do!!)

Today after a lazy morning in Stanley (for me and dad – mum and Tom were pretty active!) we were very kindly driven back to Edinburgh (and dad did some DIY while he was here – what a star!) It feels like tomorrow should be Monday and yet we have a whole other weekend day – woohoo!

thursday

J had his day off on Thursday this week and so we headed out in the morning to explore a local (ish) forest

my jacket almost doesn’t zip up anymore!

And then we came home and in the afternoon the boys made scones – yum yum yum!!!

music session

This afternoon just after Tom’s nap  J and TK got the musical instruments out and had a session…

J hastens to point out these photos are not a true representation of the session but they made me laugh! I think J was singing ‘No woman no cry’!!!

storytelling

Yesterday mum, Tom and I headed to the Scottish Storytelling Centre. It’s such a great space! Tom and mum headed for their tiny tales while I sat in the cafe reading Vanity Fair drinking peppermint tea (ah bliss!) They have such a good space for kids with a partition wall of boxes for all ages of children to investigate

We’ll be back!

It was also lovely to be in the centre of Edinburgh – what a beautiful city!!!

Learning from the masters – guest blog

Tom has a toy bear. A number of toys actually and a number of bears. However his favourite bear happens to be Chelsea Bear, a handsome looking brown bear who’s only physical flaw is an annoying “I love you” voice thingy in his paw (which makes him sound like a girl when we all know he’s a boy). Sadly he is not called Chelsea after the bun or the flower show even the little known American jazz trumpeter; no he is named after the football club. For this I (as a Man U fan) have the Orr family to thank…

Anyway – to cut a long story short I think Tom’s link with this disreputable Russo-Cockney football club is having an effect on his football.

All good initially…

“check out my skills and my cool blue jacket!”

“butter would nae melt on the silver spoon in my mouth…”

then a 50/50 ball near the edge of the box, he’s lost control and…

Down he went…no-one near him.

“Ref! He took my legs? Didn’t you see that!?”

“seriously go home and get your glasses and your husband!”

It was clearly a dive but with an inexperienced ref and such a wily actor what can you do? The penalty was given.

“where’s that ref….maybe I’ll try that again…”

A sad indictment.

My plan?

nuff said.

we love Fridays!

J is at home on Fridays!

Sweet days!

Walking and playing and boys building fires and games of cad rum and talking about big plans and everyday wee things and eating dinner all together as a family and singing and dancing and playing instruments together and tickling and and and…

Love Fridays!

And an ever growing very active baby!! Who is definitely making its presence felt already!

settling in

Well, we’re settling in to our new year routine. J’s working ‘regular’ hours Monday-Thursday (with a few long Mondays thrown into the mix every now and then). It’s quite a change for me because all I’ve known is him working shifts. I’m getting used to it though and there is something nice about the predictability of his working hours. He seems to be really enjoying his job and is even getting proper lunch breaks (I met him for lunch yesterday).

As part of our new routine my mum is coming through on Monday and Tuesdays to spend time with TK which frees me up to catch up on any housework and also have some down time (this active baby in my belly is stealing all my energy!) I also got a cooking lesson from mum yesterday afternoon – bonus!! I think Mondays and Tuesdays are going to become favourite days for Tom!!

I found this photo on our camera. I have no doubt my mum took it – who else would pull Tom’s socks up so high?!?!

PS Service went well on Sunday – we all needed a nap afterwards though!!