Me and my girls

Has it really been that long.

I haven't written anything here in 2 months. That is what having 3 children under 5 will do to you. Life has massively caught up with me over the last couple of months and I seem to be constantly busy. A good day at the moment is when I realise that the washing baskets aren't over flowing. A bad day is one where I get to the end of it and am amazed that I haven't lost one, if not all, of my children along the way. But I am going to try my hardest to make some time for some quality (well, i can hope) blogging. Because I have missed it. I have had a lot to say and not much time to say it in.

Here is a little catch up:
Evelyn: Is now 3 months old. She has started taking an interest in the world, which is simply lovely. She smiles a lot and loves her sisters talking to her. She is also sleeping well, normally from 7pm-10.30pm then I feed her and she goes back to sleep till about 5.30am but I don't feed her till about 6am. So not too bad really. She has had lapses but I am hoping that we are nearly there now.

Tilly: is heading towards the 2 year old troubles. Her will has joined us, but common sense hasn't! It is an interesting time. She is so different from martha who would shout and scream. Tilly sulks. I have to remind myself that she is only 2 1/2 and that makes all our lives better. I am prone to expecting too much from her. At her heart she is still a smiling, loving child and I know without a doubt that we will get through this difficult stage and she will be that again.

Martha: is so grown up. She has blossomed with Evelyn arrival. She is proving herself a very motherly little girl, for all her tom boy ways. It is a delight to see. She is the reason I know that Tilly will be ok. Martha (whom I love) eas horrid (at times) during the two year old phase. But she has come through it now. and is obedient and kind. She still has her moments but don't we all. I am just really proud of her.

So that is how my girls are getting on. I'm getting the hang of this mum-of-three lark, slowly. I am a big routine fan and am in the process of changing everything to fit our new family. It is a slow process but I am making sure that I get blogging time!

Greater love has no girl....

This is Evelyn with Tilly's most beloved bear, Wilbur.

Evelyn isn't the only cute one...

More Evelyn...

A perfect age?

I have realised that I really do have favourite ages for my children to be. Some bits are just harder than others. I realise that this will be different for everyone and every child but this is my blog!
I have known for a long time that I love little babies, all yummy and squishy.

And then I love the age Tilly is now (18 months to about 2 1/2 ish) She can do loads, has a longing to be helpful and kind and hasn't got to the point where she has discovered screaming NOOOOOO really loudly. She can also talk well and make herself understood. Lovely yummy age.

Then there is the bit that I find really hard. That bit where sense hasn't kicked in but will power has. The bit where you watch, helplessly as your child throws themselves on the floor screaming because you asked them to do something unreasonable like not hit there sister. The bit where you hear the word NO all the time. And "My DO IT". The bit where you realise that you really do sound just like your mother did when you shout back because you have lost it too. This is, in my book, one of the hard bits. And this is the bit I have slowly realised that with Martha we are just about coming out of. And I cannot tell you how pleased I am. I know that she has bad days, when she is tired, or hungry, or poorly. but by and large we have got over this bit and I have discovered that the next bit of time is a really fun one. ...

Martha is now 4 and once again loves helping. But the bonus is that now she actually can do a lot. We have been planting seeds, watching them grow, making food, baking bread, cleaning the bath... you name it. She wants to be a part of things and loves being involved. I just need to remember that things will take longer and I will need a bit more patience and it really works and we have a lovely time. She has also reached an age where she is very content to play on her own. Her imagination has kicked in and she spends ages playing with the dolls house, totally entranced. She also is very kind and helpful towards Tilly. Always trying to include her.

What can I say... the hard work in the hard bit seems to have paid off. (I know that I am letting myself for a tough few days saying this!)

All I can say (and pray) is that they stay in these good phases until about 6 months after the baby is born. Then I might, just, be able to cope.

Life with a nudist

I have a confession... well, it is not my confession but my daughters really. I am talking about the smaller one here. Tilly is a nudist. (I have even taught her how to say it!) I think it started with potty training. We would let her run around in pants and a t-shirt to make it easier and it seems to not only have stuck but got worse. She will come into us in the morning to tell us that "my wake up" and within minutes she will have stripped off all clothing. It seems almost pointless to get her dressed considering how long the clothes stay on her.

A prime example was today. We went to the Natural History Museum and were looking round at dinosaurs. It was very warm so I took her vest off and I had to restrain her from removing everything else! Totally mad.

I also just went in to tuck her up for the night and noticed that Tolly (her doll) had her clothes removed. So she is obviously sharing her "back to nature" message with anyone who will listen!

On the bright side I am doing a lot less washing. I just hope she grows out of it before "boys" come on the scene. If not we are in real trouble! :-)

Filling in the gaps

The girls and I are painting a dolls house. It was given to us by my lovely in-laws. It has had some heavy playing done with it and then had been in an attic for years, so it is a bit worse for wear and a bit out dated. I saw it and thought.. a lick of paint and it will be as good as new. But painting with small children isn't the easiest thing to do. Martha does quite well and is getting the hang of it but Tilly tends to scrap more paint off than goes on. All in all it is safe to say that it isn't a professional job. This is were I come in. When they are covered in paint and happy I set to work and finish the bits they miss out, tidy bits up, even it all up. In the end I think it is going to look really great.

When we give our day to God this is what he does for us. We do the best we can and then He fills in the gaps. He mends the bits we broke, makes the colours shine, puts a plan into place for the next stage based on what we have done so far. He beautifies us and our efforts. All we have to remember to do is to ask Him. To be with us, to help us, to fill in the gaps.

Surprises

I think that the best thing about being a parent is the surprises. The unexpected hugs and I love you's. The mad things they say and do that make your hear melt.
I think that the worst thing about parenting is the surprises. When you come in from hanging out washing and your child is shorn. You see your child about to fall down the stairs and know there is nothing you can do about it. When they throw up all over you!

In the last few days we have had good surprises:
Martha suddenly and with out warning got the hang of riding her bicyle. She still has stablisers but she can move forward and steer without help. Last time she went on her bike she needed guiding and a pushing. So this is great and fantastic and brilliant.

Also both girls have come on in leaps and bound when it comes to drawing.

Martha's picture of a happy face and a sad face.

Tilly's picture of a happy face.

I am always amazed with children that they suddenly "get" things. One day they are sticking the spoon their ear and the next it clicks into place and they feed themsleves streak and chips with no problems. I know that this isn't always the case and sometimes things need to be learnt slowly and patiently. That is why when thing do just click it is such a blessing. God knew what he was doing.

Tilly's hair update

Just wanted to let you all know that I took the plunge and trimmed the back of Tilly's hair. It looked very odd being so short at the front and long at the back so I have taken it as short as it will go and added a few layers. Although it still looks a bit...er... different. It no longer looks quite so eccentric! I will try and add some photos soon!
On the plus side Martha has learnt a big lesson - that only mummy cuts Tilly's hair! Thank you for all your lovely comments, I'm glad we keep you amused! If you would like to have your hair cut buy Martha then I have to warn you that as she is unique in her styling the fee is quite high! :-)

Spring clean and Potty training

The last week has been filled to the brim with 2 very time consuming activities. One was spring cleaning and the other potty training Tilly.

I spent each morning cleaning one (or two) rooms in the house. I don't think that this house has ever been so clean. I pulled things out and hoovered in corners, got rid of cobwebs, moved furniture (a girl after my own heart!), wiped woodwork and tidied, tidied and tidied. During this I became a bit dishearten. We rent this house and I must confess that I find it hard. We have to ask permission for everything and I want to just put up a picture, paint a wall, put up shelves. I could possibly do all these things but I would have to get permission in writing and in most cases put it back before we moved out. Some things aren't worth it when you don't know how long you will live somewhere. SO I started the week cleaning someone else's house, and not getting paid for it. And I was moany about it. Very moany. I was having a chat with friend and moaning to her when she pointed out that it may be the landlords house but it is my "home". I was not cleaning his house but my home. And she was spot on. I had been thinking about it all wrong. He may have a rights over the bricks and mortar but he can't do anything about our home. Our home is where our family are. Me, Nick, Martha and Tilly. The building may change but that heart will stay the same. That is what I am building when I say I am a homemaker, not a house wife. I am the one who is making the home. Part of that is cleaning and cooking and ironing and endless washing. But mostly it is about being there. Atmosphere. A feeling. A security. And no building can create that and no landlord can not give permission for it... it is something that is grown over time.
So I have a very clean house now and I am proud. But I also have a clean home. And I am pleased to be able to do that for the family that I love.

Onto potty training. I said to a friend that I wanted to train Tilly before Tummy tot arrives in August. But also really wanted to wait until she begged me to go into pants.... well she did! "Mummy (don't) ont nappy. PANTS!" So instead of training her it was more a case of letting her get on with what she wanted to do! So we tried her in pants around the house and she did really well. So we did a little trip the library and that went really well. That turned into a trip to the park and on it went...And so she has been nappy-less (apart from sleep times) since last Wednesday. I think we just got the timing so right because it has been very painless. Martha was trained at 2 1/2 years also very painlessly. I can't thank Martha enough for her help. Tilly loves copying her big sister and so Martha has been a great source of inspiration. I know that there will be accidents. But I feel very confident. The really great thing to know is that she will have been out of nappies for months when the baby arrives and so the chance of regression is quite small.
Our one problem is that Tilly is tiny and so her pants are HUGE. It must be very strange for her going from big washable nappies to very lose airy pants!

It was really great how the two things worked well together. Because we were at home cleaning it wasn't a problem training Tilly. And there was always a cloth handy, just in case. I know that some will say it is coincidence but I would prefer to give God credit for his very good timing.

Scissors

Just thought I would add that I do not usually leave scissors around for my children to cut each others hair with! We had been cutting hair over the weekend, so the scissors were tucked away by the computer, to be put away in a minute. The girls had been sitting watching TV on the computer to distract them whilst I cut. I totally neglected to put them away (another lesson learnt!). In Martha's defense she is really good with sharp objects and knows you don't play with scissors and knives etc. She genuinely thought... "Mummy cuts hair, I'll cut hair. Won't that be nice!" I think my shock and horror at what she had done has shown her that you don't cut hair!!
The scissors are now so out of reach that even I might need to stand on something to get them.

This is a before picture of Tilly's lovely hair...

Never turn your back on a small child

My girls love "in the Night Garden". So today they sat and watched a bit whilst I went into the garden to hang out the sheets. WHen I came back Martha had CUT Tilly's hair!! There are no words.... so here are the photos! (please remember that Tilly had a cute blond bob style with a longish fringe.)

Tilly's birthday - part 2

this is some photos from the last 2 years. Because I find trying to write things in the right place next to photos on blooger really traumatic you will just have to see just pictures. I will make sure they are order though!

Tilly's birthday - part 1

Today is Tilly's 2nd birthday. We have had a lovely day and more importantly Tillys has had a lovely day.

This is first thing in the morning. We always open presents on our bed. We gave Tilly an iron and ironing board. she has been ironing all the washing, including my socks! Mammar and Grandad gave Tilly lots of play balls to go in the paddling pool.

They all went in our bed before they reached the paddling pool.

This is a bit blurred but had to show Tilly ironing on our bed!

These are for those who don't believe that Tilly looks like me...

This is me on my 2nd birthday.

Ponderings leading up to Tilly's birthday

I haven't written anything in a while. I have been trying out a new morning routine and I have also had a background cold which has left me really tired So I have only drivel to say! But…

I have been thinking forward a lot to Saturday which is Tilly's 2nd birthday. Martha keeps saying it's her birthday soon and I have tried (and failed) to explain that she has to wait till May!

I have been thinking back over the last two years with Tilly. She changed our lives 2 years ago. She has helped me to grow and change in ways that Martha alone could never do. She has changed Martha too. Martha is very maternal and protective towards Tilly and always wants to help her (even when Tilly wasn't aware of wanting to be helped!) Tilly is such a bundle of joy. Her profile picture is what she is like most of the time.
When I was pregnant I wondered what another girl would be like. Would she be like a small Martha or totally different. And she is so different. I thank God that I just can't compare them, or I might be tempted. For a baby that weighed 8lbs 3oz, Tilly is tiny. She has gained a whole 5lbs in the last year (for those of you who don't know - that is not a lot!) She is still in 9-12month Pj's. She is small and petite. Martha is tall and always has been. I think this makes Tilly seem even smaller! Tilly has a small appetite but lots of energy. She is a light sleeper. She is overwhelming in love with her teddy, Wilbur. She uses him as pillow at night. She is clingy and a little bit shy. She has a small face with big features. Big blue eyes. She loves her Daddy best of all. She is amazing vocally and is using short sentences a lot now. She is beginning to want to use a potty. She has such love and kindness. She wants to help so much and she wants to join in so much. Her tinyness doesn't faze her and she resolutely climbs over and onto everything. She is determined. She loves living and being apart of life. She is joyous.

I must confess that I love this age. Just before the "terrible twos". When children think you are the best person ever. When they trust you so much and don't question everything. I know that children have to grow up and it is my great privilege to guide and teach them so they can face the world with courage in their hearts and a smile on their lips. I am so grateful that Nick and I don't do this alone. We have a great God who fills in the gaps. He gave us this impossible task and he also gives us everything we need in order that we can indeed achieve the impossible.

I know that Tilly won't forever be this little girl (although I don't think she will ever be huge!). She has to grow up. And I look forward to seeing the woman she will become. But I am grateful for now. Right now. Where she is small and still almost a baby. Although, as every mother knows, she will be my baby forever, no matter how big she gets.

Domestic bliss

I wish you had been in my house this morning (that isn't just so that you could have done my ironing for me, while I sat with my feet up.) It was so you could have watched the scene that unfolded as I did the aforementioned ironing.

I swap toys around from upstairs to downstairs and vise versa. So today I brought our kitchen and kitchen things downstairs.
I left it all out for Tilly to play with whilst I did the ironing. I have never witnessed such industriousness. She pottered about so happily, chatting away. She cooked all sorts of things for me to try (some included Duplo men which had also come downstairs). Made me countless cups of tea. But most endearing of all was that she got a cushion from the sofa, sat Wilbur (her most beloved teddy) on it and loving fed and watered him. He got to try every dish. He got Duplo men to play with. He got hugs and kisses. He even got given more tea than me. Once she bumped her head (not very hard) and she got Wilbur to kiss it better.
She really is a little homemaker in the making. She delighted my heart and made my boring ironing a pleasure because I got to watch her. I hope that is love of homemaking grows and that I can help it to do that. Although when she gets to cook for real I will discourage her from using small plastic men in her recipes.

Lord, give me patience. Make it quick!

It has been a hard few days with the girls. They both have colds. Tilly's is mainly moaning and drippy nose based. Martha's consists of a really dry horrid cough. This normally appears in the evening and in the morning. She has been a bit sick from coughing once and so we are trying to prevent it happening again. (There is only so much washing I can cope with!)

The last 2 days she has been up at 5 AM coughing. In case you didn't know, there is about 3 hours between 5.50am and 6.10am. I don't know how some people get up at 5. It just seems wrong. I see that number on the clock and I think.... NO! It is time for more sleep.
Anyway. I have been awake since 5 this morning. Martha coughed on and off for about an hour and did finally go back to sleep for a little bit (till 6.30am). But I didn't really. So the day started off tired.

Tilly has been really moany. She just wants to be held. And by Daddy. Not Mummy. Daddy. (I'm really looking forward to tomorrow!) She really didn't want to go down for her nap today. I was trying to get a bit of sleep so I would function for the rest of the day and Nick was hoovering out the car. I just wanted her to stop shouting and GO TO SLEEP. I was so cross and tired. It felt so unfair. I went in and accidentally trod in a tiny bit of sick from all her coughing. Which really improved my sate of mind! And Tilly just looked ... damp. And wretched. And I realised that underneath all my crossness and tiredness there was love. Lots and lots of love. I just had to stop look underneath all the grumpiness and there it was, all the time.

My children drive me mad some days. And we have had a few recently. But I love them in such an overwhelming way. All I needed to do was pay attention to the love and not to the black cloud over my head and their un-reasonable behaviour (although still un-reasonable) was bearable.

God pointed out to me that this season in my children's lives is designed to teach me, not them, patience. (Their turn comes later.) And like all things worth learning this takes time. And struggle. And bad days. And good days. Success and failure. I will get there in the end.

And then I will be in the perfect position to teach them. I look forward to that. That and making them get up at stupidly early hours when they don’t want to!

Have you got your bag of night lights?

Yesterday was a busy day. We had swimming in the morning and then we zoomed off to collect Granny (my mother) and then we went to Ikea.

My mother and I love Ikea. If it just had natural day light we might never leave. I think it is the element of nosiness. You get to see what other peoples houses might look like. I also love being able to try out everything. All the sofas, chairs, beds, you name it really.
There is the lovely cafe (including free tea/coffee if you are a member of Ikea family). We go to Wembley Ikea which has a great area in the cafe for children to play whilst you sit at a high breakfast bar round the edge and occasionally post food to them. It is much needed break before you head on to the market place.
Then there is the huge array of things you never knew you needed. The amount of lovely storage things, including plastic boxes - which my Mother and I adore. Totally bargains to be had. And of course no trip to Ikea would be complete without the largest bag of night lights in the world.

And there is a stress free element about taking the girls. They are allowed, even encouraged to touch everything. And my girls love touching things. They get it from me. I don't really feel I have seen something until I have touched it. They had tea parties. They jump on beds, with their shoes on. They opened every cupboard in the place. In one lovely moment I found Martha sitting in an armchair with wine glass next to her on a small table. I felt like we fast forwarded about 20 years!
Martha is now old enough to go into the children’s play area. So we get to go through the crockery section with out her. She gets to play in ball pool. So we all win.

I know there are people who will disagree (my poor friend has spent about 3 months of her life in Ikea trying to sort out buying a kitchen). I know that it is very cleverly designed so that you spend the maximum amount of money. It is the "oooo, it only costs £1.99. You can't go wrong." Oh, how all the little things can all add up if you aren't strong willed. But for me it is a treat. It feels like an exciting day out. You shop without really shopping.

Now, where shall I put these night lights? What I really need is a nice plastic box...

Swimming lessons day 3

Today's achievement is that Martha had some of the floats taken off. They use these very clever hard foam disks round their arms. Martha has had two on each arm so far and today she has gone down to one on each arm.
It is really great to see her so happy in the water and moving, at will, in the direction she is meant to be going in.
Unfortunately, Tilly had a turn for the worse today and was very insistent that she had to have swimmies on too. This only really stopped when she discovered some small plastic chairs that she then spent a happy 20 mins re-arranging for the teddy shaped floats.

If only we could all be that easily distracted from our woes.