Recently

Here's what we've been up to recently...

Nannu visited for a weekend and lots of time was spent playing together!

Growing feet = new shoes

We caught up with little NCT friends

And had lots of fun with Daddy

She is really, really trying to colour within the lines :)

Emily's Mickey obsession has reached new levels.
He even gets given her beloved Cloth to sleep with... now that's special treatment right there!

We also visited Willows Farm Village with some good friends... but that deserves a post to itself.
Watch this space.

Our Week in Pictures

Goodbyes...

Project "Get Her Used To Wearing Reigns"

Playground break at Bluewater
(where a little boy poured sand over her head...)

Playdate with Joshua and James

Cooling down

Dinner Al Fresco!
(Annabel Karmel's Fusilli with Chipolatas and Sweet Pepper)

Littlest Buddies

Last year I wrote about the blossoming friendship between Emily and her NCT friend Krishi, here. Since then, they've been to baby signing classes together, not to mention several playgroups and playdates. They can pick each other out in a crowd and they greet each other with a kiss on the face. Krishi's mum and I are pretty much over the moon about the way they adore each other.

One of their recent playdates involved much laughter (I say "their" playdates but you know that for us mums it's a perfect excuse to let the little ones entertain each other while we have a good natter, right?) We caught some of it on video. Oh the wonder of iphones.

I dare you not to smile.



Go ahead and bookmark this. When you're having a bad day, watch it again. Baby laughter is the best medicine.

PS Emily started walking over the weekend! Woop!

Group Hug!

On Saturday, we attended the first birthday party of a fellow NCT baby - Emily's good friend, Joshua! The babies mostly spent their time hogging the ball pit and there came a point where someone (it may have been me) had the great idea to try and get an updated group picture. On paper it was simple. In reality, it looked like a giant baby pile-up. Us parents found it quite hilarious... I'm not entirely sure the little ones were as amused ;)

From this (Feb 2011), to this...

One Little Strawberry

So Halloween came and went and we had not a single trick or treater. This means that it is now down to David and myself to get through the (thankfully small) bucket of sweets we had prepared just in case. We know we don't usually get trick or treaters around here (we've had one little group come by since 2007!!) but I always prepare some sweets - you don't want to be caught without! Plus, it's so much fun! I'm always left quite disappointed when, yet again, the doorbell remains silent. Bah humbug.

But we still got to have some Halloween fun. We had a little NCT Halloween party over the weekend. Not a massive turnout there either as many people couldn't make it or were away, but it was fun for the four little ones there. And Emily went as.... a strawberry! Here are some pictures, enjoy the cuteness!


James and Emily


Myself with Emily, Joseph and Joshua, Joshua again

xx

Emily and the NCT Boys

Emily and the NCT Boys - it's a name a country music band would be proud of, but in truth it's meaning is quite literal. Our NCT group produced nine beautiful bouncing babies. Eight of them were boys - Krishan, Felix, Joseph, Joshua, Max, James, JD and Robin, and amidst them all, there was Emily.

Many of us still meet up on a weekly basis. It's such a great support system, not to mention so much fun watching a group of babies change from week to week, and to have a group of mums to share stories with.

Our first official reunion was back in February, here's the line-up! (Emily was just 3 weeks old here... still struggling to believe she's over 3 months old now!)

(Missing Max and JD)

Love it!

Of Antenatal Classes and Other Adventures

Christmas was my benchmark. It feels like now that it's over (why does it always pass so quickly anyway?), the floodgates are open and anything can happen when I least expect it - I feel a little bit like a ticking bomb. And strangely, while until a few days ago I was still somewhat terrified of things to come, I am now suddenly excited and (mostly) at peace with it all. Eager, even.

Yesterday saw me get down to business: I've finalised my birth plan (not that anyone will really look at it... I believe it's more for me and David to go into this with a clear mind than for anyone else), and have more or less finished packing my hospital bag.

Emily is very active lately, despite the decreasing amount of space (tell me about it). David and I sometimes just sit and watch her (well, my bump) tumble around, and all I wish for is a little window to be able to peak in and see what she's really up to. I can't wait to be able to hold her and snuggle her.

For the record, our NCT classes proved to be invaluable. We'd heard so many jokes (literally) about the NCT misguiding women, and perhaps this is sometimes true. However we were lucky enough to have a rather unbiased and really lovely group leader called Rachel, who, despite of course having her own opinions about things, didn't force anything upon us and was more than glad to provide us with whatever information we requested. I'd recommend these classes to anyone who's expecting in the UK.

So there it is: As I end this whirlwind of a year bouncing on my gym ball, feeling like a small elephant and running (in the way a penguin would run) to the loo every 20 minutes, I know there'll never be another year quite like 2010!

Here's hoping your year ends positively, dear reader, and that 2011 brings everything you wish for! x

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