Up close and personal....

I have a very good camera, but I am not very good at using it.....there are far too many knobs and buttons and settings that I just don't have the time to get to grips with.  However, on occasion I manage to take some pretty decent shots, and my current obsession is getting good close ups. With such a beautiful baby with perfect, tiny fingers and toes, I have the ideal practice subject......

3rd child syndrome.....

forgotten on the pile of (clean!) washing :-)

two sisters, two fingers.....

Jasmine

Sofia

Jasmine still sucks those same two fingers and loves showing people how she and Sofia are 'the same' :-)

Sofia's other new tricks involve rolling over (and over, and over....) and 'body-boarding' - that's what I call the rocking on her tummy with arms and legs flailing that she does.  So cute!

Helloooooo Spring!

Finally, some sun at last!!!  And we sure made the most of it. For the first time ever we have the space for a proper vegetable patch, so today we were all out in the garden digging up the grass.  I was a little over-ambitious in wanting two patches, but after seeing how much work it was to dig the first one, I decided to start out small instead.  And when I started digging and turning the earth, I was very glad we were stopping at the one....I am sure I will ache tomorrow in places that I haven't used in a very long time :-)

can you see patch in the top right of the picture?  That is our next-door-but-one neighbour's veg patch.  It is the length of the entire grassed area of our garden.  I was looking over with much veg-patch-envy

The weight of that patch of grass on the fork is amazing - that's how determined my little girl is!

Sofia was NOT happy being left on the sidelines.....but she has got a cold and I wanted her well wrapped up because there was still a breeze

But she wasn't having any of it, so I got her out so she could take a look and get some proper fresh air....cue much happiness

it was surprisingly hard work! But I'm hoping it will help me shift the extra pounds :-)

One proud boy and his 'hill'

One proud girl and her worm.....

World book day

Benjamin and Jasmine had to dress us as a favourite book character for school.  Ben wanted to be Charlie Bucket and made himself a golden ticket, wore some ripped, old Jeans and a waistcoat of mine from my former, much skinnier days.  Jas was certain she wanted to be Wally from 'where's Wally?', but after hours scouring the shops in town for a striped jumper we had to admit defeat. I was at a loss as to who she could go as, and, as it was almost 5pm the night before by this point, was trying to convince her she could be Charlie Bucket too.....until I saw a Dr Seuss pic on t'internet.  I found a white paper bag and dug out some red paint and left her to it.....apart from sticking the top on, Jasmine did it all herself and was, quite deservedly, very proud.

"Errr, mum....."

I found this note on the computer desk...

Ben is on a Computer/PS3/DS ban for the day.  And reduced play time for the future ....... I have been letting him have far more screen time than is good, and he seems to have lost the appetite for finding things to do that don't involve screens and controllers.  I want him to rediscover all the fun things he used to love like; crafting, reading, puzzles, make-believe games.  But on the other hand, he is almost 8 and growing out of those sorts of things.  But is it too much to expect him to enjoy the simpler things in life for a little longer without making him the odd one out with his friends.....?  My challenges as a mum have taken on a whole new slant.

Sofia 3 months

Sofia can roll over, babble up a storm, dribble for England (spitting that is, not football skills!) and melt all our hearts with her sheer cute-ness!  She does not like lying down, but loves standing (supported) and bouncing, rolling onto her tummy or sitting up watching the world. She is fascinated by the TV (and when we went to the cinema the other day she was transfixed by the huge screnn until succumbing to tiredness), can be comforted by the hoover and will grab anything within reaching distance and gum it.

Jasmine put these goggles on her and took this photo when we weren't looking!

helping daddy balance the budget

in one of her favourite spots

I think a cry is coming on......

getting some mummy love :-)

Matching outfits :-)

awwwww!

with her big brother, wearing a dress that used to belong to me!