Thank you very much to everyone
who kindly agreed to sponsor him
(he raised £92.50!)
Friday, 16 March 2012
Donhead Fun Run 2012
Every year in March Donhead has a family fun run. One of my first fond memories from school is doing a fun run and as you know I am all for encouraging sport and fitness so I was totally amped for this event. The boys could choose to do either 2.5km or 5km. It was a fundraising event so they had to get sponsorship per kilometer from family and friends. This was something new to Nicholas and he quite enjoyed learning how it worked. It didn't take him long to figure out that if he ran further he would raise more money. So even though we entered him for the shorter run he insisted on going the whole way. He was one of only 3 boys from his age group to do the whole 5km and he won his section with a time of 47.20min. I am glad his determination got the better of him. Had he turned back halfway his result wouldn't have been half as impressive but of course we didn't tell him that. He was totally exhausted by the end but ever so proud of himself. Way to go my boytjie!
Thank you very much to everyone
who kindly agreed to sponsor him
(he raised £92.50!)
Thank you very much to everyone
who kindly agreed to sponsor him
(he raised £92.50!)
Sunday, 11 March 2012
Tooth Fairy
Nicholas has lost his first little tooth on Friday. I didn't expect it to happen until he was at least 6 years old so at 5 and 1/4 years old it came as quite a surprise. A couple of weeks ago I noticed that his bottom two little teeth looked a bit skew and that there was a gap between them. Upon closer investigation it was evident that they were in actual fact loose. He just couldn't resist wiggling his wobbly teeth so played a part in helping it along. When I fetched him from his playdate I was shocked to see the tooth barely grounded in his mouth. As soon as we got home I got the camera out because I had to take a photo of his lovely smile while he still had all his baby teeth. This is the only shot I got!
Next minute he was holding his tooth in his hand. It happened so fast. I will tell you that beneath my excitement and all my whooping and cheering I was feeling a little sad. It's very hard for me to face the fact that my first baby is already losing his little teeth. It feels like just the other day we were waiting for them to pop out. I took a hundred photos then so I had to take a hundred photos now too. You've got to admit it is kind of cute!
I suddenly panicked because I wasn't sure what the UK traditions are. In SA we have a tooth mouse not a tooth fairy and we leave the tooth in our shoe not under our pillow and I had no idea what the going rate for a tooth these days. So I did a google search, let me tell you, there is a huge tooth fairy industry out there. We decided to use a bit of a mixture so we put the tooth in his slipper next to his bed where the tooth fairy could easily find it. While he was asleep we swapped the tooth for 2 pound coins. Months ago I bought a Phillips Sonicare electric toothbrush for him that was on sale and decided that it would be the perfect present to give him when he lost his first tooth. I am a sucker for these kinds of things so I also wrote a letter to him from the Tooth Fairy explaining it all and giving him a lot of deserved praise. Secretly when I was writing the letter I cried, just a little bit, another one of his first times is gone!
I couldn't resist digging out some old photos that were taken when Nick's two bottom teeth made their appearance. They were all taken between 6 and 8 months old. It's incredibly hard to believe how much he has changed in 5 years. So, people out there with little ones, enjoy each stage of your kids' development because before you know it they will be big!
Next minute he was holding his tooth in his hand. It happened so fast. I will tell you that beneath my excitement and all my whooping and cheering I was feeling a little sad. It's very hard for me to face the fact that my first baby is already losing his little teeth. It feels like just the other day we were waiting for them to pop out. I took a hundred photos then so I had to take a hundred photos now too. You've got to admit it is kind of cute!
I suddenly panicked because I wasn't sure what the UK traditions are. In SA we have a tooth mouse not a tooth fairy and we leave the tooth in our shoe not under our pillow and I had no idea what the going rate for a tooth these days. So I did a google search, let me tell you, there is a huge tooth fairy industry out there. We decided to use a bit of a mixture so we put the tooth in his slipper next to his bed where the tooth fairy could easily find it. While he was asleep we swapped the tooth for 2 pound coins. Months ago I bought a Phillips Sonicare electric toothbrush for him that was on sale and decided that it would be the perfect present to give him when he lost his first tooth. I am a sucker for these kinds of things so I also wrote a letter to him from the Tooth Fairy explaining it all and giving him a lot of deserved praise. Secretly when I was writing the letter I cried, just a little bit, another one of his first times is gone!
I couldn't resist digging out some old photos that were taken when Nick's two bottom teeth made their appearance. They were all taken between 6 and 8 months old. It's incredibly hard to believe how much he has changed in 5 years. So, people out there with little ones, enjoy each stage of your kids' development because before you know it they will be big!
Friday, 9 March 2012
The Look Out Discovery Centre
Nicholas went with his class went on an school outing to The Look Out Discovery Centre near Bracknell on Monday. The topic of their tour was light and sound. They definitely had a super time and it appears as though Nicholas really took in a lot of information. We'll have to add it to our list of places to visit because it looks very interesting indeed. Apparently it has an amazing outdoor playground in the forest to boot. This is Nicholas, with a smile on his face, waving good-bye to us from the coach!
I've mentioned show and tell before. Friday is show and tell day and every week they have a different topic tying into the theme for that week. They need to have at least three things to say about their item and then the rest of the children can ask them questions about it. They are supposed to rehearse at home so it's quite a serious business. To tie in with the trip to the Discovery Centre the topic for this week is something to do with science. Nicholas chose to take his prism and talk about its 3D shape, how it can split white light into the spectrum of 7 colours and how it bends light to cause an optical illusion. I wish I could be a fly on the wall!
I've mentioned show and tell before. Friday is show and tell day and every week they have a different topic tying into the theme for that week. They need to have at least three things to say about their item and then the rest of the children can ask them questions about it. They are supposed to rehearse at home so it's quite a serious business. To tie in with the trip to the Discovery Centre the topic for this week is something to do with science. Nicholas chose to take his prism and talk about its 3D shape, how it can split white light into the spectrum of 7 colours and how it bends light to cause an optical illusion. I wish I could be a fly on the wall!
Thursday, 8 March 2012
The Kindness of Strangers
This is an out of character post for me but my sick child is sleeping and I am feeling reflective and thankful. A few things have happened in the last few days that made me realise that there are actually quite a lot of kind people in this world. Friends that show kindness are one thing but when virtual, not total, strangers help you out that is a totally different kind of kindness!
Like the mother who has invited Nicholas to a playdate tomorrow afternoon so that I don't have to do the school pickup and can therefore recuperate with Daniel at home. Don't worry, I have been to her house once before and her son has come here once before, so I do trust her. Another one of the moms also offered to come and pick up and drop off Nicholas every day so that I didn't have to drag Daniel around. This is an incredibly kind offer considering that she has a 2 week old baby and that we live way out of her way in relation her school run. Everyone at school has been really kind actually!
I needed to pay the cleaner the other day so I rushed down to the end of the road but both ATMs were out of order. Just my luck. I dashed into my drycleaner to see if he could do cash back for me but unfortunately he couldn't. That didn't stop him from kindly lending me £30 out of his private wallet. So trusting!
Even the cleaner offered to come here every morning for an hour to watch Danny while I do the school run. And she added that it is to help and not for money. She really didn't have to do that considering that she is a student from Columbia who is strapped for cash!
My final anecdote is about a lady that I bought jewelry from 2 years ago who I saw the other day in the aftermath of Nicholas' pox. She sent me a text to say that she was thinking about me and wondering if Daniel has it yet and hoped that I was coping. She proceeded to offer her help even though she hardly knows me. I was blown away!
I do always try to be kind to my friends but I am going to try and take an example from these people and be try to be kinder to everyone in the future even if they are virtual strangers. I don't have a picture to go with this post ... shock horror ... but I'll leave you with this quote from one of AESOP's Fables: The Lion and the Mouse.
Like the mother who has invited Nicholas to a playdate tomorrow afternoon so that I don't have to do the school pickup and can therefore recuperate with Daniel at home. Don't worry, I have been to her house once before and her son has come here once before, so I do trust her. Another one of the moms also offered to come and pick up and drop off Nicholas every day so that I didn't have to drag Daniel around. This is an incredibly kind offer considering that she has a 2 week old baby and that we live way out of her way in relation her school run. Everyone at school has been really kind actually!
I needed to pay the cleaner the other day so I rushed down to the end of the road but both ATMs were out of order. Just my luck. I dashed into my drycleaner to see if he could do cash back for me but unfortunately he couldn't. That didn't stop him from kindly lending me £30 out of his private wallet. So trusting!
Even the cleaner offered to come here every morning for an hour to watch Danny while I do the school run. And she added that it is to help and not for money. She really didn't have to do that considering that she is a student from Columbia who is strapped for cash!
My final anecdote is about a lady that I bought jewelry from 2 years ago who I saw the other day in the aftermath of Nicholas' pox. She sent me a text to say that she was thinking about me and wondering if Daniel has it yet and hoped that I was coping. She proceeded to offer her help even though she hardly knows me. I was blown away!
I do always try to be kind to my friends but I am going to try and take an example from these people and be try to be kinder to everyone in the future even if they are virtual strangers. I don't have a picture to go with this post ... shock horror ... but I'll leave you with this quote from one of AESOP's Fables: The Lion and the Mouse.
No act of Kindness,
no matter how small,
is ever wasted.
no matter how small,
is ever wasted.
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Chicken Pox 2
As expected Daniel caught the pox from Nicholas. The poor little thing has it real bad. He is totally covered, especially his face, even his eye lids and inside his ears, nose and mouth . To make matters worse he is running a high fever and still fighting a nasty cold. Everytime I look at him I want to cry. The last few and next few days are going to be interesting trying to keep things normal for Nicholas while trying to comfort Danny and keep him in isolation. The sweet little thing could even manage a smile for the camera but he definitely didn't want to look at himself in the mirror!
I might as well add my two cents worth on chicken pox remedies. As I am sure you know there is no cure for chicken pox and as immunisation is not commonplace here in UK it is vital that keep the victim in isolation to prevent the virus from spreading. What I want to know is what I can do to prevent these pox from spreading on MY child. Apparently the answer is nothing. All you can do is try to make the child comfortable. For the fever it's calpol and ibuprofen as ususal and for the itch there are various remedies like Camomile Lotion of course but there is another product called Eurax. An easy and effective way of applying these is to simply put it in the bath water so that it soothes them all over. Tea Tree Oil and Oatmeal are two natural remedies that should have a similar effect. Upon suggestion of a friend I am also giving my boys piriton, which is an antihistimine that attacks the itch from the inside, but also makes them very drowsy and should only be administered according to the strict guidelines in children. So far my boys have been so good at not scratching so maybe it's because they are not actually that itchy. Who will ever know!
I might as well add my two cents worth on chicken pox remedies. As I am sure you know there is no cure for chicken pox and as immunisation is not commonplace here in UK it is vital that keep the victim in isolation to prevent the virus from spreading. What I want to know is what I can do to prevent these pox from spreading on MY child. Apparently the answer is nothing. All you can do is try to make the child comfortable. For the fever it's calpol and ibuprofen as ususal and for the itch there are various remedies like Camomile Lotion of course but there is another product called Eurax. An easy and effective way of applying these is to simply put it in the bath water so that it soothes them all over. Tea Tree Oil and Oatmeal are two natural remedies that should have a similar effect. Upon suggestion of a friend I am also giving my boys piriton, which is an antihistimine that attacks the itch from the inside, but also makes them very drowsy and should only be administered according to the strict guidelines in children. So far my boys have been so good at not scratching so maybe it's because they are not actually that itchy. Who will ever know!
FFC
On Sunday Dad took Nick to watch his first ever live football match: Fulham vs Wolves at Craven Cottage. Dad recently went to watch Arsenal v Aston Villa with Warren and was been tempted to go again. So when we saw that Fulham had a special family day, and since Nick has been showing a lot of interest in football on the tv, we thought it was the perfect chance to expose him to the real deal. Fulham is a calm club compared to the others and they have special areas designated for families so you see quite a lot of kids with their parents there. Unfortunately the weather was terrible and Nick was recovering from a tummy bug so they couldn't take full advantage of all that was on offer. But they both loved the game and came home full of songs and stories especially since the score was 5-0 to Fulham!
Monday, 5 March 2012
Pancake Feast
Last Friday a group of our longstanding friends came over for a delayed pancake feast. This year I decided to have a setup where the kids could choose what they wanted to put in their savoury pancakes themselves. I had courgette and red pepper, pancetta, mini prawns and gruyere cheese on offer with some sauces to stick it all together. For the sweet we had stacks of multi coloured mini pancakes and a medley of berries. I can't believe how many pancakes the kids scoffed. I'm a sucker for tradition so we also made some mardi gras masks. All in all the playdate was a great success!
Sunday, 4 March 2012
The Digital Age
I think back to when the first time I saw a computer, and then the first time I saw the internet, and I think about my boys and how computers and the internet are already a vital part of their lives and their education. It has to make me wonder what their lives will be like 20 years from now. Ever since we got back from SA two months ago we've hardly watched TV. The boys always pick the computer when given the choice. Amazingly, with a bit of encouragement, they share the computer in a very special way!
It all started with this baby's first laptop, then it moved on to my laptop, then the mobigo and now it's the i-gadgets and the computer. The v-tech toys can connect to the computer and you can do extra things via the internet so they still have their place. I-gadgets are strictly only allowed on weekends and on holiday because it not easy to convince them when time is up. But it's hard staying away from the computer, for me as much as them, cos I can see so many benefits!
Nicholas loves teaching Daniel how the various devices work. I think Daniel actually has his big brother to thank for teaching him how to use the mouse properly. He is like a pro, at 2 and 3/4, I ask you. Incidentally, Nicholas is left handed, but upon advice from of the ICT teachers that we spoke to when we were viewing schools we taught him to use his right hand. After some practice he doesn't know the difference anymore!
While I am on a blogging roll... related to the topics of learning and websites I thought I would include a list of some of the websites that we like which facilitate learning and make it fun. It's phenomenal how many great educational websites there out there. Sometimes I feel quite overwhelmed by it all because I feel like there just isn't enough time to take advantage of it all. I really have to plan my week so that I have a rough idea before hand what we will focus on each day as well as allowing some time for free play and exploration. Our favourite educational websites are (and I'll probably remember others after the fact):
Writing
Kids Learning Station
Reading
Alphablocks
Starfall
Reading Eggs
Mathematics
Mathletics
IXL
Languages
Poisson Rouge
Not to mention Google, Google Images, Wikipedia and You Tube!
It all started with this baby's first laptop, then it moved on to my laptop, then the mobigo and now it's the i-gadgets and the computer. The v-tech toys can connect to the computer and you can do extra things via the internet so they still have their place. I-gadgets are strictly only allowed on weekends and on holiday because it not easy to convince them when time is up. But it's hard staying away from the computer, for me as much as them, cos I can see so many benefits!
Nicholas loves teaching Daniel how the various devices work. I think Daniel actually has his big brother to thank for teaching him how to use the mouse properly. He is like a pro, at 2 and 3/4, I ask you. Incidentally, Nicholas is left handed, but upon advice from of the ICT teachers that we spoke to when we were viewing schools we taught him to use his right hand. After some practice he doesn't know the difference anymore!
While I am on a blogging roll... related to the topics of learning and websites I thought I would include a list of some of the websites that we like which facilitate learning and make it fun. It's phenomenal how many great educational websites there out there. Sometimes I feel quite overwhelmed by it all because I feel like there just isn't enough time to take advantage of it all. I really have to plan my week so that I have a rough idea before hand what we will focus on each day as well as allowing some time for free play and exploration. Our favourite educational websites are (and I'll probably remember others after the fact):
Writing
Kids Learning Station
Reading
Alphablocks
Starfall
Reading Eggs
Mathematics
Mathletics
IXL
Languages
Poisson Rouge
Not to mention Google, Google Images, Wikipedia and You Tube!
Saturday, 3 March 2012
Robin Hood
You've got to love this country when they do things like World Book Day. They give the children free books and discount tokens to spend at bookshops. It really is amazing, and we've enjoyed a few of these gift packs at all the important developmental milestones along the way. On Friday Nicholas had to get dressed up as a character from a book. I must admit that I was a bit lazy so I subtly persuaded him to go as Robin Hood. He got a lovely Robin Hood outfit for his birthday so it was an easy option for me. I just had to order the book and read it to him. He had to do his show and tell on the character he chose so it was a good opportunity to read the book and talk about the hero's life. Little did I know how tricky the resulting conversations would be!
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