My kingdom for some sleep....

Anna has been really unsettled since she has been poorly and her night routine is completely shot. We have not had a decent night's sleep all week. There is another problem, when she smiles at you at 3am, regardless of how knackered you are, your heart simply melts and it is not a problem at all. She is truly scrumptious and coming on so well, despite being unwell. She is on her front, making cute noises and sounds, grabbing, eating some solids and really interacting. It can be dejecting when the most time you get to spend with her is in the middle of the night!

Poorly Anna, strangely calm Looby?!?

Poor Anna is really struggling with her mouth and her teething. She has been really grisly today and has lost her smile and her spark. It started at about 4am this morning and has continued all day. Paracetamol and tender loving care in abundance. Despite this she is really getting to grips with lying on her front with her head up. Get in there girl! Looby has had a completely contrasting weekend. She has been calm, fun loving, helpful, polite, tidy and delightful. Not a single toddler moment in sight. Could this be the calm before the storm? We had a lovely walk into town and kicked and wove our way through the autumn leaves on the ground, dancing and generally prating around......

Me and my little sister are just hanging out!

The bond between the girls becomes stronger each day. Can't be possible I hear you cry, but Anna despite her age of four months, constantly smiles adoringly at her big sister and Lucy continues to learn her craft around being gentle with her little sister. Evening times, just before bath are becoming lovely family time, sitting in front of the fire and just chilling with Amy and the girls. Looby has the lap top on with a film and Amy and I get to partake in television of the non c-beebies variety! Heaven....Anna had her first morning at nursery today in the baby room - this marks the beginning of Amy returning to work. For some reason (and I did with Lucy) I feel really uncomfortable and uneasy about putting such a young child into nursery, but sadly in today's current financial climate we need Amy to earn a crust so that we can live. It's odd, but I just feel we let them down.....She will learn to become more self reliant without out us and will have different social contact with different people. Sometimes I think this is something I say to make myself feel better.....

She's a hungry little munchkin and her sister is not impressed...

Anna is starting to take to solids at only four months old and I am very impressed. First menu of her life consists of Farley's rusks, baby rice and boiled carrot. Now that's what I call a posh and cultured menu. Speaking of menus, when you are a parent it is really hard to remember that you and your partner are in a relationship, so in celebration of ours Amy and I had a few hours child free last night and went out for dinner. It was lovely and the food was delicious. Inevitably we talked about the girls and we decided that we were really proud of Lucy and her lack of jealously when it comes to Anna. We put a kiss of death on that and ever since she has displayed small signs of jealousy towards Anna. Please see picture of Lucy attached and looking less than impressed. As parents we always have a habit of simply talking something up!! We are still loosing the toileting battle, but we will hang in there....

The battle rages on.....

We will fight her on the potty, we will fight her in the toilet, we will grapple with her with her nappies and we will win I say, we will win! Now that Lucy is three we have begun the push to completely get her out of nappies. Lucy is having none of it. All I can say is this is one stubborn child. She will not do as she can and simply have a poo on the potty. It is driving me crazy as I know that she can do it. AHHHHHHHHHH! Lucy Hammond, I will remind you of this day in years to come...........perhaps a wedding day speech?

We have simply worn her out...

Poor Looby, she was shattered today. We have pushed her to the limit with Halloween and firework festivities this weekend. She has clearly enjoyed herself, but I think sometimes we forget that she is only just three. She has had two really late nights in a row and for only about the fifth time in her life today she fell asleep in one of our arms. It was a lovely scene - sitting on the couch under a blanket with her mummy watching ' A Hundred and One Dalmatians' in front of the fire. On Friday she went trick or treating and once again declared she was a 'good' witch and came back with lots of swag. Heavily under the weather with a cold she has soldiered on. A gentle day is needed on Monday slobbing in front of the telly in the warm, a past time that I know she will embrace with vigour and skill. I reached a compromise with the girls this evening and they let me have command of the telly to watch the Grand Prix. This, I expect, will be a rare event in years to come. It was shear bliss..........