My Valentine

Nick doesn't 'do' Valentines.  Or so he says.  I think what he really means is that he doesn't succumb to all the hype and tacky consumerism.  I like Valentines though.  I don't care much for teddy bears and don't mind if I don't get flowers or chocolates.  But I do like to do something special or romantic to celebrate Love.  This year (having dropped the kids at my aunts for part of half term), we had a lie-in, and then I cooked a traditional full English for breakfast - I mean the works.  We then lounged around lazily for a bit (such a rare luxury these days!) before going shopping (reality had to butt in).  After that we went for a walk.  I had researched walks in the Cotswolds and had found a lovely sounding 8 miler that would take us through the only public right of way through the ancient Wychwood forest.  But it wasn't to be.  I was so sure that Charlbury was simply straight through the villages of North Leigh and Long Hanborough and then somewhere around that region.  Nick didn't know where it was, but didn't have much faith in my notorious lack of direction.  We set off anyway and somewhere after Finstock and on the road to Woodstock, I realised that Charlbury is actually in the direct of Chipping Norton (a completely different direction altogether).  Oh well, as we were nearing Blenheim Estate at this point we decided we'd go there and walk a different route to our usual - seeing as though there are over 2000 acres of land, that wouldn't be too difficult a task.

Anyway, we enjoyed a really long, leisurly walk through the grounds and enjoyed even more a chance to really talk and listen and experience the peace and beauty of our surroundings.  I love my children, but these kids of moments are so good for a couple.  We stopped briefly at the cafe and gift shop where Nick bought me a bottle of damson wine (I LOVE damsons!), and then finished off our walk and went to the nearby pub where we sat by the fire and had a drink.  Oh, and in typical Nick style, he surprised me during the walk with a bar of one of my favourite chocolates....a dipped flake!  I used to request these all the time when I was pregnant with Jasmine and haven't had one in aaaaages.  So much more meaningful (to me) than the cliched bunch of flowers.....

I loved the way the light changed throughout the walk...and I noticed that all my better pictures involve trees.  I joked to Nick that maybe one day I could be a famous 'tree' photographer......

For a special dinner, with candles and wine of course, I cooked a starter of seared asian style fillet of beef salad with chilli and crushed peanuts, followed by steamed fish with ginger and spring onions, served with Jasmine rice and stir fried pak choi with garlic and soy sauce. It was delectable and the salad, in particular, will go down as one of the best things I ever cooked, Nick was so impressed :-)

Man of the Match

That's my boy!  The Saturday before last, Ben played amazingly during the Match against Kidlington.  He not only scored, but beautifully set up his team mate to also go on to score.  So at the most recent Match, he was retrospectively crowned Man of the Match.  Proud does not even begin to describe it!  Nick was totally buzzing, and was taken practically stratospheric by the fact that Ben also scored during this match.  What makes it all extra special is that Ben can be quite a space cake.  There is a cartoon called 'Billy' that my kids love.  It is a bout a boy that loves to daydream and has the most amazing adventures.  This is kinda like Ben.  Most of the time he has to be cajoled into focusing on the here and now - his mind is always working way ahead of the reality of here and now.  It makes for great creativity - at his parent's evening* the other week, the teacher praised his above average ability to tell wonderfully imaginative stories with a beautiful use of vocabulary.  It does mean though, that at times he needs slowing down so that he can catch up with himself.  Football, on occasion, has been one of those places where Ben is easily distracted....a leaf might be blowing past and Ben has to follow it to explore.....he has also volunteered to go off and sub, so he can play his own make-believe games at the side of the pitch (Nick was soooo not pleased that day)....you get the idea.  But Nick has managed to not only focus him, but also incentivise him.  Before a match he is given only 3 rules (you gotta keep it simple): 1. Listen to the ref, 2. do your best and 3. have fun.  That's it.  And if Ben actually scores a goal, he gets to choose any kids magazine he likes from the shop afterwards (Ben loves these and they are a special treat for him).  So far, it has been working a treat and he has gained in confidence and motivation and above all, he ENJOY's it.

* We were also told that Ben has a great ability to perform mental arithmetic (he has said many times that Maths is his favourite subject), contributes well to ideas on the carpet, can read exceptionally well and is great at comprehension.  He most definitely prefers to complete tasks alone (he likes things to be done his way!) and has become very mature and much better at handling his emotions - his current teacher also taught him in Foundation Year so she has seen his progression through the time he's been at the school.  He used to find it difficult and upsetting when things didn't go according to his plans (which she assured me was quite normal for boys of that age - especially considering he's one of the very youngest in his year) But now, although he still likes things to be done according to a plan and works best when given a set of tasks to complete methodically, he is now able to deal with other children not working that way too much more maturely.

Have I already said how proud we are?  I did?  Oh well.

You look wierd!

Is what Jasmine told her daddy as he prepared to leave the house for a work 'School disco' themed party at which he was DJing that night.  The irony was lost on Jasmine, that, as weird as she thought daddy looked, she looked even more weird trying on his trousers!

Memory Lane

Jasmine and her daddy at his graduation ceremony at the Barbican.  Jasmine was just 7 weeks in this photo.  I remember this day so clearly.  It started off a complete nightmare!  We had parked the car and got on the tube minus the double buggy (because we thought there'd be no space to store it when we got there).  This meant we had two babies and all the paraphenalia that comes with them.  We got to the Barbican slightly late and Nick had to help me with the babies, whilst running backwards and forwards to collect his gown, register, change Ben's nappy (with no changing facilities....)  Then Ben's nappy leaked and his smart outfit ruined.... I had only brought a spare pair of joggers which didn't quite look right with his smart shirt and sweater.  To say I was glad when his mum and grandmother arrived would be an understatement!  I finally had some help and Nick could concentrate on his important day.

When Nick got on stage to collect his certificate I was breastfeeding Jasmine so I forgot to jump up and cheer him.  He was somewhat miffed that we hadn't all raised the roof from our seats all the way at the back up near the top.

After the ceremony, we went to a tiny little Italian restaurant (in honour of the Italian side of the family) for a celebratory meal.  It was so tiny and cramped - though the food was delicious.  I remember how we all sat around this table and I was wedged against the wall, which was not great when time came to feed Jasmine again.  But it was a great day depsite the stressful start.  And we were so proud that after all our struggles (me 22, Nick 24, two babies, no money and Nick working whilst also commuting for uni) and Nick's hard work, that he had made it that far and got his degree.  A 2:1 with honours in computer science.  How far we have come indeed.

My Wobbly Tooth Must Not Ever Never Fall Out

The other evening I had to make a call to the emergency dentist because Jas had knocked her bottom left tooth loose by trying to bite apart some small lego pieces (ok, so there are some downsides to Lego), and with a mouth full of blood, was understandably quite hysterical. I was feeling close to tears myself - I hate seeing my kid's blood. I shouldn't be able to see their blood. It should be pumping in their veins, safely inside their bodies.

The next day, a very brief visit to the dentist confirmed two loose bottom teeth, and nothing to worry about (except my fear that she choke on one if it falls out in the night, or that when rough housing with Ben, they get knocked out completely). I managed to convince her though, that, despite the soreness, she should feel very special, because when those teeth do eventually drop out, she will be able to put them under the pillow and expect a visit and some money from the tooth fairy.......

Her eyes lit up..."and then I can buy some clothes!" she announced. She is no longer bothered about her loose tooth. In fact, she is looking forward to showing off the gaps and has already spent the money......so she went from not wanting them to fall out, to now willing them too. Reminds of one of their favourite Charlie and Lola stories

Ben's teeth remain entirely intact.

Fashion and football

Jasmine is a beautiful girl with thick, long, dark curls, large, doe-like eyes and lovely rosebud lips.  From the moment she was born she looked like a girl to dress in pretty dresses and who would play with dolls and be dainty and delicate.  This couldn't be farther from the reality that is Jasmine.  She does like dolls - most of the time though they lie naked in the bottom of the toy box.  She loves dresses and clothes in general....but most days would prefer to kick around in jeans and trainers.  She is anything but delicate...in fact she is rambunctious, loud and fiesty.  She is a very good snuggler though. 

On Sunday she went to a birthday party and came back looking like this:

....and was very upset when all the make-up and nailpolish were washed off in the bath.

On Tuesday, I picked her up after football practice and almost cried at the site of my little girl covered from head to toe in wet, sticky, sludgy MUD!.  She has become a diver of late and uses every slight opportunity to throw herself down in the mud.  Her jogging suit was soaked up to mid calf and even her face was muddy. 

the evidence....and after 3 previous rinses it still looked like this!

Football and Clothes - equal place at the top of her list

One morning, whilst Ben was getting ready for his weekly football match, Jasmine asked me if football coaches earn a lot of money.  "Errm, I think so, why? Do you want to be a football coach?" I asked.  "yes", she replied simply.  "Do you want to earn lots of money?" I asked, "yes", she replied simply, again.  "Why do you want to earn lots of money?" I asked, "Because I want to buy lots of clothes!" she replied without missing a beat!  She wants to be a coach on a male football team, but she also wants to earn lots of money to buy clothes.  Ben, by the way, wants to be lots of things when he grows up - though his latest thing is that he NEVER wants to grow up because he always wants to be able to play with his toys! - For the record though, if he ever changes his mind about the growing up thing, he wants to be a footballer, a traveller (as in 'world' not gypsy), an artist and an astronaut... He also reserves the right to add more occupations as he sees fit.

Memory Lane

Alex's post about sleeping babies brought back a lot of memories.  And today Nick finally got around to retrieving the photos we had on our old hard-drive, that have been lost to me for almost 4 years!!!!  Whilst browsing through them, I came across these adorable (if terrible quality - digital cameras were still expensive at that time, so we only had a rubbish, free one we got with our computer!) pics of my family sleeping......

Ben and daddy - at my aunt Adele's in downtown Toronto, Ben turned one on this holiday

not sleeping, but cute (if blurry!)

Ben at around 11 months, sleeping on an exhausted, pregnant mummy

They often slept mirror images of eachother!

I so wish we'd taken a better pic here, it is soooo adorable!

And finally, nothing to do with sleeping, but just cause they are so funny.....!