January 2012

Hi Georgie,

I haven't taken many pictures of you guys this month - no particular reason, I guess I have felt like we all dash about so much there are very few opportunities to take a picture of a little girl who rarely sits still (even while watching tv!)

You are still developing and hoarding your skills base - your swimming has been coming on really well and you're back stroke in particular seems very strong - you steam across the pool on your back in a way that kind of takes me aback, although about two feet from the side of the pool you almost always stop and check that you aren't about to bash your head - I get it, but maybe you can learn to reach for the side with a hand?? :-D I wish I could take pictures of you at swimming but it's getting increasingly hard to take a picture at any swimming pool, and at your lessons it's explicitly forbidden (a world gone mad!)

Your reading is also impressing me - not just because you are actually reading words now but because you seem to want to read so much. I have to admit that I find this very pleasing because I remeber my own thirst to read (even when my teacher didn't want to teach me to read yet - things were a bit different then!) She held up this book to me and said 'What does that say?' I remember thinking, 'I'm asking you to teach me to read and you ask me what something says?! Do you not understand the question?!' I said, 'I don't know. But I want to know' and she said 'It says 'Red' - if you can't read the word red, you're not ready yet.' I remember thinking that was plain dumb, but I must have convinced her eventually because here I am, reading and writing. I often hear you sounding out the words on road signs, on tv, or as you try to write captions for your pictures.



Your art work has also recently become more representative of what you purport it to be - I know that sounds like I'm really unimaginative (I guess maybe I am!) but the upside of this new surge in realism is that now when you say 'Guess what it is!' I can more often oblige you with an accurate guess rather than either admit that I don't know, or say something evasive (yet hopefully encouraging) like ' Wow! I love all the wiggley lines, why don't you tell me about it!' and then hope for some clues!



We recently started using the Wii and its Just Dance game, which has caused a lot of hilarity in the house. You both love a good dance - it's just we probably need A LOT more space or someone's going to get hurt!

Your ipod stopped working a while ago, I can't rememer exactly when, but this was the result of several months of your messing with it, pouring water on or near it etc. and so we decided that you will have to get along without music at night. We may get you another one for your birthday, but we felt it was really important that you understand that if you break something expensive, something that was given to you as a privilege, that it not be immediately replaced if it is abused by you. I was braced for a lot of fuss but actually after a day or so you seemed to accept it and you haven't complained about its absence once.

We did notice however that you have been staying up really late and playing and reading (there's was a bed side table lamp on in her room because she was scared of the dark and the night light was apparently not light enough). We axed the lamp too, in an effort to get you to sleep earlier (you have been hell to get up in the mornings, have been crying all the way to and from school, seemingly purely out of fatigue), and that also went surprisingly well.

I go through periods of being totally unable to tolerate behaviour from you and your sister that is ordinarily admittedly annoying but not the end of the world - I have a few hours every day where all I feel is overwhelmingly tired, which when pushed turns into uncontainable irritation. I think it's pregnancy related - that is not an excuse. I do apologise and explain and I think you get it, but I am trying to maintain a grip on my emotions, despite the galloping hormones. Bear with me xxx

So that's January - back to school, it's cold, it's a bit dark but we're still here, and all is well! I'll try to take more pictures in February.

Love you Porgia,

from your Mama xxx

September, October, November and December 2011 (SORRY!)

Dear Georgie,

Ok so clearly I have fallen behind with your blog again - I blame my uni course, the fact that I'm pregnant again (!) and the school run, which has brought its own special brand of crazy to week days.

School

So anyway, school.....let's talk about that!



You seemed a bit shakey about the whole thing for a while there - very sad still about missing your friends from Fleetville, a bit unsure about going into a new classroom. It didn't last long though (during October half term you couldn't wait to get back to school!)



You've been invited to several birthday parties, girly ones, a bowling party and a soft play party. You loved all of them but predictably particularly liked the girly ones, because it gave the an excuse to wear your purple party dress.



You love to tell me how well behaved (or not) you were during the school day - the chart above helps you all keep track. Everyone starts the day on 'blue sky'. If you do something especially good (showing initiative, being particularly polite etc.) your peg gets moved from 'blue sky' to 'sun shine'. Good behaviour can rise from there to the stars (I think you're not destined for the stars on this chart because the kids that make it there seem to do so by being very good at tidying up, which is not your forte... ;-D)



There's also some kind of thing about pebbles - each child can earn up to three little pebbles, depending on how good the whole class has been. The idea is that when a jar is filled to the top with pebbles, the whole class gets a treat, but apparently boisterous boys keep knocking the jar over and so you all have to start accumulating the pebbles from the beginning. So YOU say anyway xxx



You seem to be learning to read and write and a respectable rate, and you appear to enjoy it.



You like using Lexi's magnestic writer, white boards, my iphone apps and more recently your Innotab to practise, which wastes less paper and at least offers you the opportunity to do the same thing in a bunch of different way.

I try to not be a pushy parent - it's kind of hard to know where the line is between being helpful, supportive and encouraging re your school work and being unhealthily invested in your academic achievements. I'm still feeling my way on that one, so bear with me, and if I get it wrong (along with a whole raft of other things, I'm sure) then you can come and tell me all about it and I'll try to be cool about it (I'll try!)



I took these pictures of your classroom just before parents' evening, where we received a very reassuringly consistence character report from your teacher, Mrs Thomas. My favourite quote out your learning journal was:

"We're going to pop Jesus on the cross and when he dies we'll wait for him to come back to life."

Spot the child who goes to Sunday school! (It made me laugh, luckily it made your teacher laugh too!)

First School Photograph



Down Time



We do the usual park on the weekends, during school holidays and even after school, (or we did when it was still light, back in September)



You guys seem to like playing together and although there are the inevitable fights, she gives as good as she gets, albeit in a different way. You both boss each other, but you are pretty good at sighing, muttering 'bossy pants' in her direction, with varying levels of love and frustration in your voice, and giving way to her. But you do like to tease her, and of course, she's two, so she is very easy to coax into apoplexy. Sometimes though she over-reacts on purpose, in an effort to get you in trouble, with varying levels of success (I'm an elder sister with a younger sister - this too was done to me by mine, so Lexi doesn't get away with it as much as she otherwise might!)



You're still loving the princesses thing - you got a whole princess room for Christmas, having seen Lexi's Peppa Pig new room make-over this was a major request that was actually pretty easily done (thanks eBay).



Luckily you Belle dress still fits because you love it (unfortunately Lexi is cultivating a love for that dress and is growing into it as fast as you are growing out of it - there will be tears! But hopefully no actual blood...)



Of course Spencer Bear is still very important, even though he's mainly a stay-at-home-bear these days, now that you're so grown up.



You still sleep with him and still occasionaly try to smuggle him into school. And why not!?



For some reason teeth brushing is an area of enormous conflict between you and Lexi - even though there are two steps (and more recently, two chairs) to stand on, one tooth brush each and and more than adequate sink for the both of you, twice a day you howl at one another, wail about wanting more opportunities to rinse your toothbrushes under the tap and spend more time spitting than actually brushing your teeth. Sometimes it takes all my will power and love for your tiny teeth to make me take up your brushes, set the stage for toothbrush conflict and call you forth to do war upon each other.

Baby Charlie


12 week scan pic

After some long discussion, Steve and I have settled on Charlie for the new baby's name, whether it's a boy or a girl. You have made several impassioned pleas for the following:

Boy

Spike
Henry
Harry Potter

Girl

Evangeline
Stripe

But you seem to have accepted Charlie (so far). You keep kissing the bump and trying to get it to tell you whether it's a boy or a girl. You can't seem to decide (we won't have to wait long, hopefully we'll find out this coming week, on January 6th.)

First Nativity



You were a shepherd in your first ever nativity play and you even had a line, which we practiced at breakfast:

"We're sorry we didn't believe you!"



And let's not forget the songs that you sand (with actions), over and over and over and over and, well over again. Such hits as "One starry night! A beautiful angel came to a hill....", "Three Kings were riding (it was a bumpy road)" "Deep in the night, under a star in stable". Goodness. That was a LOT of singing. But you were very good, and on the day you didn't falter in your rendition of any of the songs even once. Well done! We were super proud. I took video footage but we have been asked not to publish it to the web. So I didn't.

Christmas Outing



We went to see your Auntie Izzie in Wimbledon park, and went to the Winter Wonderland Fair, which was a lot of fun, even if the weather was overcast and freezing and the burgers we bought were severey over-priced!



You had a brilliant time, Liz bought your ride tickets and went on most of the rides with you. You and I went on the ghost train together but I thoughtlessly (cruelly???) didn't tell you that there were no actual ghosts in there and, worse yet, I screamed theatrically throughout the whole ride, so you just buried your head in my arm and clung to me, shouting "I don't like it!" So sorry about that, I hope I haven't scarred you for life...









Christmas Eve

We went to The Vineyard carol service, which was very festive and alot of fun.



Then we set out mince pies (which Seska got to before Father Christmas,) a carrot for the reindeer and, unusually, a gin and tonic to slake Santa's thirst.



Christmas Day



Father Christmas obliged you with a lot of presents that, thank goodness, you seemed and still seem to be genuinely thrilled with, which is always very satisfying.



You each got a scooter, a hard hat, a hi-vis vest, a light for your scooter, a hand-held game console and some games, and then family and friends picked up the slack on the good old amazon wish list. And man do you love your safety gear! You wore it all through Chirstmas dinner, while scooting and would put them on all the time over pyjamas or day wear if I let you (sometimes I let you just to enjoy the giggles that overcome me.)



You also enjoy your Innotab (it's like an iPad but designed for kids - I have to get you off my iPhone somehow!!)

A Family Christmas



Auntie Izzie came for Christmas, always a welcome event!



On the wine (as usual!)



Georgie, Lexi, Gran and Grandad



Daddy and Gran were in charge of making Christmas dinner, and very very nice it was too!



Gran and Gramps also did a lot of chopping and peeling...



Nanny and Grandad also came to spend the day with us too.



Nanny and Grandad, taking a welcome and mainly deserved coffee break!



As Lexi gets bigger, and her ability to speak increases, I get to listen to (and giggle at) these amazing little conversations and games that are developing between you. Although you are sometimes still cross with her, and you tease her, in general you're pretty kind and almost entirely non-violent, which is a relief for now but could change at any time. Generally you're quite cute together. You currently have a regular arrangement that Lexi puts both your shoes away when we get in and you hang both your coats up (Lexi can't reach the coat hooks) - I hope that mutually beneficial arrangements like this continue to characterise your relationship...we'll have to see!



I feel like I spend a lot of time telling you off, which is a shame because you ARE great - you just seem to like to test the limits ALL THE TIME! I try to make sure that I take every opportunity to praise you when you deserve it (aiming for appropriate praise - I don't want to overdo it and turn you into one of those children...shudder...)

Being pregnant right now and not the most patient person in the world in general, I am aware that my tolerance levels are not as high as I would like, and so I am very sorry for being a bit snappy and cross from time to time. I try hard not to be that way, and I try to apologise at the time when I realise I have over-reacted. I'm hoping that at least this way you can see that 'even' adults can be naughty and cross, and, more importantly, when we are, we should, we can and we do apologise and make amends. I'm only human, it's the best I can do, but I'll keep trying to do better. You are a big part of my life - a relentless, exasperating, exhilarating, fantabulous part. I wanted to give you this poem for this post, I know it's a touch morbid, but we have spoken rather extensively about death - after all, what do I know about death more than you know. Your grandad says that dead people, on passing on, either know all of the answers, or none of the questions, and I guess he's right. This poem was read by my cousin Jenny, at our wedding. I love it, and I love you.

The Life That I Have by Leo Marks

The life that I have
Is all that I have
And the life that I have
Is yours

The love that I have
Of the life that I have
Is yours and yours and yours.

A sleep I shall have
A rest I shall have
Yet death will be but a pause
For the peace of my years
In the long green grass
Will be yours and yours and yours.

You are a continuing delight; a neon, scooting wonder; a rabid, writing wriggler and my very favourite Georgie.

Happy New Year, my darling,

Love from your Mama xxx

Month 49 - August 2011

Dear Georgie,

We've had an action-packed August of time spent with friends at home and abroad, doing all sorts of fun things. You've been missing nursery, I think, and although you have made the best of things and played nicely with your sister and some of your other younger friends, I know that you miss the company of other four year olds.



I don't know that it was the right thing to do but I didn't make too much effort to get you together with your Fleetville friends, because they're all going on to school together and you...well you're not. You seemed very upset by all their excited talk about moving onto Fleetville reception while you were still at nursery and so keeping those relationships at a basic maintence level seemed wise. Willow was on holiday most of the break anyway, so in part that decision was out of my hands...but if it was a bad call, I'm sorry xxx

Baby Henry

You love that baby Henry - and why wouldn't you, he's a lovely little boy - look at him:



Henry and the new Cbeebies programme, Baby Jake has kickstarted your baby brother phase. You really want a baby brother. Ideally Henry. It would be so great if it were that simple but I don't think Kerry, even on her worst day as a mother EVER would be all, here you go, take my son, don't even worry about it. So bad luck, Georgie, a brother seems like a pipe dream at this point. Do what I do, and use Henry to scratch that particular itch (in my case the broody, irrational, hormonal part that seemed to get switched back on once Lexi got to about fifteen months old...)

Henry's Christening


Kerry, Henry and Tim


Kerry, Tim, Henry, and his godparents, Steve and Leah


The children were made to sit for far too long in front of the beautiful christening cupcakes (about five minutes - they did quite well really...)

Time Out With Friends and Family


At the Heartswood Forest Festival with Cirla, Rob and Skye


Holly and Georgie enjoy some car dancing in Holland


Georgie and Holly in the paddling pool


Grandad and Georgie watch gliders take off and land from Dunstable Downs


Time for a post-ice cream walk

Encouraging Autonomy


Self-dressing leads to interesting fashion statements

I've been getting a little bored....resentful, actually if the truth be told, of your running commentary of how many of the things I do for you are not done perfectly or fast enough (simultaneously might be fast enough for you, on a good day!) and so I decided to let you do them for yourself. Consequently you now have access to your plates, bowls, cups and cutlery so that you can lay the table and serve up your own food (I still cook it though); you select and put on your own clothes; you make your own bed, open your curtains and put your pajamas away and have landed yourself with all manner of other tasks that would probably not have come your way had you buttoned your lip a bit. I'm hoping this will teach you a bit of responsibility and also to appreciate all the things that are still done for you. At the very least you can moan at yourself for the slow arrival of your breakfast. Actually you seem to enjoy being in charge of these things. Although at times you do complain about how boring your tasks are. I just agree with you and let you get on with it. And to your credit, you do get on with it. So well done. Now make me a gin and tonic!

(Well, not yet, but eventually...)

Sister Stuff



You guys can really get into it at times but in general you are pretty good. Nine times out of ten I look up and you're draped all over each other. Bless you.


See what I mean? Aah x


More sweet sisterly sitting - it's not staged, I swear!

Charlotte's 4th Birthday - Pirates and Princesses


Georgie chose to wear her Princess Jasmine costume this time





School is coming, it's about ten days off now. Oooh. It's a bit unnerving, isn't it?! All those new kids to get to know. You had a big cry about missing your old teachers and your nursery school yesterday. We talked about who you would miss and why you'd miss them, and you drew pictures of everyone so you could remember them. It may sound a bit strange to other people but I really got a sense that you were genuinely grieving for your nursery life, and so I thought I wouldn't try to gloss over that, and so I just let you feel sad. I didn't go on about how many new friends you'll make, how nice you're teachers are bound to be and how much you will love your new school because although all that will come (I hope), I didn't think you wanted platitudes. So we drew pictures instead.

See you in September, my big school girl!

Love from your Mama xxx