New tricks and chocolate rice crispies!

Lucy has definitely learnt a few new tricks this week - her writing is coming on leaps and bounds and this week she rode a bike without stabilisers. She has informed me tonight that she can't do it on her bike at home instead of nursery as it is red. Good job we have bought her a brand new sparkly pink one to have next week then! (red one was second hand and very rickety). Despite learning these new skills and being very pleased with herself, she will then stop in her progress and become anxious, like she did with her bike today. Perhaps the sparkly pink one will push her on to do it more consistently, you never know. We have had a fantastic if exhausting day today. The girl's cousins came over and we have had a lot of fun. There has been splashing, playing, giggling, mud, flower pressing, more mud, wiggly worms, tennis, weeding, pretend parenting, much mess, chocolate rice crispies, lots of mess with sun cream, great company in the sun and a lovely family day. What more could a bloke ask for? Has shown me that two children is quite enough, I am shattered! There will definitely be no signs that I will be getting clucky again no matter how many weepy and slushy programmes from 'The Hallmark Channel' that Amy makes me watch involving babies...

My two hundred comes up!

There is no more prefect day to celebrate my two hundredth post on my blog about family life than Father's day. Sadly our camera is broken, so no photos to show for my lovely day, so I will celebrate with photos of all things Crochet made by Amy. Amy has crocheted everything including bracelets which the girls love. I started my day with a lie in (heaven), followed by presents in the guise of port and home made biscuits and some lovely cards from the girls, a coffee with friends and lunch out with my family, followed by much silliness in the park and playing on bails of straw. Simple stuff but makes you feel good, very good indeed. Fathers day means several things to me, firstly it is a day of pride and love and reminds me how lucky I am but also of sadness that I never spent any time with my father. Having a father is so important in a child's life - they teach you, they protect you, they nurture you, they show you what is right and wrong, but most of all they make you feel safe. I never had that, but I can make it happen for my girls and make sure that I am always there for them. Always. I had to finish father's day being a real dad when Lucy was very naughty at our neighbours house and I had to be stern dad. Oh well, back down to earth with a bump....

Time goes by too quick..

Firstly, a point that is well worth mentioning, please let the weather improve so that my family can actually spend some time outside. I would love to do a post for my blog where there is a picture of one of my family in the sunshine! It's June for God's sake and it is like November outside. The wind is howling, its freezing cold and it's teaming it down. Father's day tomorrow and the forecast is still awful, so no hope of a picnic with the girls. This week I have had to come to the harsh realisation that my children will grow up and there is nothing I can do to stop this. All I can do is enjoy my time with them and make sure that I do not waste a second. Amy and I went to look around Lucy's school that she starts at in September. Despite the fact they put us in very small chairs whilst we listened to scary teacher types talking and doing what we were told, I actually found it a very emotional experience. Just the simple thought that Lucy was going to school nearly drew me to tears. Despite this the school was fantastic and I am so excited for Lucy because I think she is going to love it. She met her teacher this week as well and spoke about this with such awe and wonder on her face, it was amazing. The other thing that tells me that time is going by quickly is that Wiggle will be two in under a couple of weeks. Where has that two years gone.....

All bling and no substance...

A worrying trend is emerging in my house: it is called jewellery and nail varnish and all things pink and girlie. My girls are very young, but they love getting dressed up and having their nails painted. There is a huge debate in the press at the moment about the sexualisation of children with things such as make up, jewellery and the way they dress. To me, my girls are having fun and epitomise innocence personified. It is only an issue if society makes it an issue. Mind you, I do have limits that will not be crossed such as lipstick and as a Father I reserve the right to be overprotective and change my mind at any time. Today's pictures are Lucy and Anna having a girlie moment with their mummy and getting lots of bling on, I think they look beautiful. After bath they are being rewarded for their good behaviour with a nail painting session and a story. Now that's what I call a Sunday afternoon, obviously I prefer football and coffee or a good film. Where's the harm in it when it is in a controlled, safe environment such as home. Both aspire to being bigger girls than they are and as parents it is our responsibility to keep a careful eye on this so that it does not get out of hand, but not take away a bit of pleasure in their lives. Anna told me she was a big girl like mummy and smiled from cheek to cheek...

They are an odd pair my children!

I think this photo says it all! They are an indeed an odd pair, my girls. Pictured here in a dressing up moment combined with a playing with water moment. I am such an old woman, the only thing I was worried about was the mess they make and how I am going to get those stains out of the princess outfits! My life is usually consumed by girlie pink things, but this week I strike back as the world cup begins and in my own manly fashion I am taking control if the television for several weeks (or in my head I will). What will happen is I will end up going down the pub to watch the games or going upstairs. Nothing can stop the tide of 'In the night garden' and other children's programmes in my house. All I can do is pray for late kick offs for every game....

Anna NO!

Without a doubt the most used phrase in our house is 'Anna NO!' She is always up to something she shouldn't be. Sometimes these words can be heard several times a minute as Anna moves on from one thing she shouldn't do to the next. Despite this you can't help but love her - she has a mischievous scamp kind of thing going on. She is quite simply a lovable rogue. Today our lovable rogue has been indulging in things involving mud, jam sandwiches, lots of water, splashing, sticky hands, running around naked, sun cream, ice lollies and plenty of kisses and cuddles. We have had many tumbles, a near miss off a slide, yesterday she fell a couple of feet of a log and bounced and helping (or hindering) her daddy with the gardening..

The reader and the artist are blooming....

Lucy and Anna definitely have differing talents and interests. Anna's main talent is causing havoc and getting up to things that she should not, however she has recently acquired a joy of books and she is putting together an enjoyment of such classic greats as 'Miffy goes to school', 'Miffy goes to the seaside', 'Room on a broom' and 'The smartest giant in town'. Every time you read her a book, her excitement levels rise and she loves to point out her favourite bits like when the giant's trousers fall down or Miffy splashes her daddy. Lucy on the other hand although dabbles with books, her first love is drawing. Please see her latest creation attached. She simply called it the toy shop. I know I am her dad, but I think it is fantastic. When she draws she is a joy to watch, her concentration is completed by sticking out her tongue and she gets really low to the paper and chortles away to herself while she draws. They do however share a talent at the moment, not doing what their parents ask them to do and they are very skilled, very skilled indeed. This evening for instance: to say I was in control at bath time would be fallacy, no doubt my girls were in control and I struggled. Amy, please don't go to the gym ever again and leave me alone with the terrible two, they have the measure of me that's for sure....