Happy Birthday, Luke!

Luke is 6 years old today. He gave us a bit of a surprise, coming at 38+2 and catching us unawares. He still frequently catches us unawares, perhaps it should have been a warning!

Luke is a funny, loving boy, with a mischievious streak that sometimes crosses over into the sort of stuff that turns a mother's hair gray....but we wouldn't have him any other way. In honour of his special day, here is one of his favourite photos (mainly because he can't believe it's him and insists it MUST be Dan).

Happy Birthday, Daniel

In two short years, from



to



And here we stand, braced, on the portal of the terrible twos again!

I had a questionnaire through the post from the health visitors recently, which I think is prep for his two year check. It had a number of questions, but confirmed to me that maybe his vocabulary and language acquisition is just a tiny bit behind - a real possibility in light of his early days, so I filled the form in accordingly and sent it back. Since then of course, he has started to string two words together "Daddy home!" ("No darling, that's the postman").

A change of plan

I went to Addenbrookes today, to see the allergy clinic about being desensitised to aspirin. I had a huge allergic reaction to a Beechams' Powder in December 2009, which ended up with me in the resus of our local A&E, being injected with steriods, antihistimine and adrenalin (and being sick into the oxygen mask, but let's not dwell). I have Samter's Triad, which consists of asthma, aspirin allergy and nasal polyps. The nasal polyps have the biggest impact on my day to day life and I have had two operations to remove them (2004 & 2008) and was booked for another one later this month.

I didn't know this before I went, but due to the cross-over between ENT and allergies, the two departments run a joint clinic, which I have now been referred to. I have a clanking bag of drugs to take, plus a scary looking nasal rinse and I might qualify for a drug trial they're starting in a couple of months. We have agreed to transfer my ENT care to Addenbrookes and so my eventual polyp op will be done there, as well as the desensitisation.

One cheering thing was that my lung function was 130% of what would be expected for someone of my age and height. :-) I also had skin prick tests for common allergens and didn't react to anyone of them, not even the house dust mite, which I have tested positive for in the past. When I told Tiff this, he said "You must have desensitised yourself to it"....cheeky!

Birthday boys

Tiff's birthday being over, we are now in the run up to Dan's....and then Luke's....and then Jack's, on Bonfire Night. Here are my 'andsomes, on Tiff's birthday.

Happy Birthday, Tiff

The SSOH is 39 today, just one year left in his thirties. I have, er, loads more than that. He's at work, as ever, but hopes to be home in time to see the boys before bed time. I asked him if he wanted a special birthday tea and he requested a takeaway from Pizza Hut. :-)

Anyway, in honour of the day, here he is, doing what he does best (I'll leave you to decide exactly what I mean by that).

Skirtember

I am taking part in a FB challenge called Skirtember, which is pretty self explanatory, to wear a skirt or dress every day in September. I have heard of Frocktober and Dressember, but this is the first time I have wanted to play. Why? Well, it stops me wearing the same exhausted pair of denim cropped trousers every day. It's making me re evaluate my wardrobe. And it's making me laugh for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I'm tracking the change from summer to autumn in the outfits I wear each day, because I take a photo and post it to the FB group. Secondly, I cannot take a self portrait to save my life. I tried cleaning the mirror today, but it didn't help. See here

Summer (Sept 4th)



and autumn (today)



An interesting way of thinking about what you wear and why. :-)

Wedding bells

SIL is tying the knot in September and excitement is mounting. Back in the dim and distant past, SIL was out with me as I tried on 'the dress' (well, the one I could afford to get copied by our local seamstress, I was less fussy about ethics back then).

I have been entrusted with the task of buying four matching shirts from Monsoon, three for my boys and one for our nephew on the Tiffin side. We'll be fine, as long as Jack doesn't grow too much, being the oldest, he could possibly size out of his top between now and then and he is in the largest size Monsoon do. I might keep my eyes open for something similar just in case.

Sports day tomorrow. Please don't rain! :-)

Gratitude

I have been composing a very grumpy, whining blog post in my head all morning, but having hopped round a couple of my favourite blogs, I have decided to try and turn my frown upside-down instead. (Oh dear, that phrase is no better in writing than it outloud. Oh well.)

In no particular order, things I am grateful for

1) My best friend took 4 days off work and travelled a very long way by train to come and keep me company while Tiff and Jack were at Beaver camp this weekend. It was fantastic to see her and catch up, even if she is a dreadful influence.
2) It's my birthday tomorrow and I am having lunch with my Mum and sister.
3) Although it involved embarking on a mad and complicated diet, I am very excited to have another avenue to explore to reduce my nasal polyps and aspirin allergy.
4) It's nearly half term and we are off on holiday with some friends.
5) It looks increasingly as though the SSOH will still be in work this autumn, even though he is still on notice of redundancy for now.
6) Although I thought Harold Camping was misled at best, he did give me a little opening to talk to some people about what I believe.
7) Dan didn't wake up in the night last night and is having a good sleep now.

Actually, I think it's working. :-)

He's back!

Somewhat belatedly, but nonetheless delightedly, I am pleased to tell you that Tigger is back!

Last seen 14th Feb, home again on April 28th. It turns out he was three roads round, skulking in a very kind lady's garden. She had been feeding him and winning his trust until she could stuff him a carrier and take him to the vets. The vet scanned him and thanks to his microchip, was able to put us in touch.

He is going back to Mum's shortly though. Dan LOVES him, maybe a bit too much and his life is spent fleeing from a short person shouting "Igger!".

I need a new header

I have put off posting about it because somehow it makes it true, but mum's cat (also my cat) has gone missing. Last seen on Feb 14th, I can only hope he has rehomed himself somewhere else - I did feel he was getting a bit fed up with Daniel's constant attentions, but if he's too dim to get on a window sill, or in his deliberately out of the way basket, I couldn't do much about it. We have done everything we could think of to locate him and I still haven't given up hope, but the feeling of "I wonder if he's there" everytime I come into the house is getting a bit miserable. Be happy, Tigger, wherever you are.

First shoes

Dan got his first shoes. I wasn't putting it off exactly but three kiddos in shoes is expensive, especially when one of them is Luke. Dan's feet are a 4G, the same as Luke's were (I think) but unlike Luke, he had an epic meltdown in the shop. As he lay on the floor thrashing about and screaming the sweet shoe shop lady asked if I wanted her to take the first shoe photo that they offer. We both looked at him and decided it probably wasn't a moment to immortalise. I kind of wish I had now, of course.

The following day, he was beyond thrilled to sit on the stairs with his brothers and get his shoes on with Daddy. :-)

Valentines Day

I find it very hard to know what to get the SSOH, but this year I am thinking about trying to get a picture framed for him. It's of his current work project, of which he is very proud. Good idea, or bad idea? I suppose the first thing would be to get a quote...

Reasons to be Cheerful

This is the first time I've tried doing one of these, so I sincerely hope I get it right. It's being hosted by my friend Michelle, who is Mummy from the Heart.

My reasons to be cheerful this week!

1) I've just managed to run a software update on my Kindle without tears, or resorting to asking DH to do it. Go me and my techo-phobic self.
2) Jack has no homework this weekend. Not that it's a battle to get him to do it, but I think it's good for him to just be able to play Lego with Luke and ride his bike.
3) We're having Sunday lunch tomorrow at my Mum's, with my sister and her boys and my Mum makes a fabulous roast. :-)

Just the little things, that are pleasing this little mind today.

The Seldom Seen Other Half

Tiff works in construction and commutes a hour plus each way, every day, so he is gone in the morning before the rest of us are up and comes home late. This week was unusually busy, but he was out Tuesday and Thursday nights, had bible study here on Wednesday and came home at 8 last night because there had been a late meeting and drinks. Weekends are quite precious to us as a family. (So why am I lying on the bed, blogging?) Anyway, here is the SSOH and his beloved guitar, as photographed by Luke.

I'm a bad blogger

and I worked out why. I think I may have set the bar a bit high for myself. The truth is that I really struggle to practise the presence, some days I don't even try. I am a mum of three relatively small boys, married to one hard-working, but seldom seen (sort of!) husband and I need to be a bit more real. So, I will be renaming the blog and trying again!