Happy Christmas...?

Well, christmas was not what we had expected or hoped for. It was a great day but the build up and aftermath have been pretty awful. On the thursday before christmas Emily was really poorly, I took her to the doctors on friday and they diagnosed a viral infection, she was really miserable just wanting to sleep and everything she ate came straight back up or straight out! I ended up having to take her to hospital sunday morning and they suspected viral gasterentoritus so I had to syringe water with a hydrating fluid in it into her mouth so that she could avoid being hospitalised. Luckily by christmas morning she was a bit perkier and managed to last the day well before going to bed early. Boxing day she was back to normal. Tom however became ill on Christmas day and threw up all his feeds, he got worse on Boxing day and the doctor again diagnosed the same as Emily. To make everything worse I then got ill on Thursday and was in bed for 2 days! To add to that our heating stopped working again!!!

Aside from all the illness Christmas day was great, Emily had her piano, books, puzzles, clothes and bits and pieces from us, including some make up which she likes to have on everyday and a doctors kit which she uses to check people and says "oh dear" a lot!

She also had lots of Peppa Pig things and Tom had tons and tons of new clothes which is great as he has pooed on almost everything he owns! Emily also got some new games which she loves playing and lots of craft things to get nice and messy with. She had some fairies and "unicorns" from Nana and Grandad and a Trunki from her other Nana and Grandad, which we will use when we go to Egypt in a few weeks.

Well, nearly back on my feet now which will please Wayne as he has been doing most of the housework! Got to be sorted as we have 10 people descending for New Year so need to be prepared! Happy New Year!

We're on a roll.

Tom has now mastered the art of rolling everywhere - he is no longer safe on beds, sofas or anything he cannot be strapped into! He finds it hilarious to roll into Emily which annoys her! We have decided that 5 months is long enough and we are moving Tom from our room into his on saturday, it will be nice to have our room back and maybe I will get a good nights sleep as Tom is a fidget and a noisy sleeper!!

Emily has been enjoying the christmas tree and the advent calendar and the chocolates on the tree!! She has been really good with not touch the tree but is always asking for chocolate!

Wayne and I took her shopping on friday without Tom which was really fun. We took her for lunch and she bought Tom a teddy which she named George (obviously!) and has asked that Tom buy her a saxaphone for christmas so "Tom" has obliged and bought a toy saxaphone!

Lots happening over the next few weeks, lots of christmas parties so I should have lots to write about!

Not much to report....

Not a lot has been happening lately, Emily is dry through the night now which is great although we did have a mishap this morning at 5am but hopefully I will get a good night tonight! Tom has been diagnosed as slightly asthmatic which we were kind of expecting as both Wayne and I have mild Asthma and he has such bad ecsema (I think thats spelt correctly!) so it was always a possibility but perhaps we didn't expect it so early but nevermind - he is having antibiotics which is really helping his cough and may need an inhaler later but should be ok.

Wayne has been working loads so we have been pretty quiet, I have bought and wrapped 90% of my christmas shopping and now we are planning ahead for the next few busy weeks. We are going to the Henessey Gold Cup at Newbury Races on Saturday then have people over for dinner, we are going out with Emily for the day on the 7th and leaving Tom with his Nana which will be quite nice then just a few xmas parties and before we know it everything will be over and it will be January!

Emily has been quite involved in xmas shopping choosing presents for her friends, Finn, Jennie, Lucy and Sophie, and we are going to take her to pick something for Tom. She is afraid of Father Christmas though - she says he is scary!! Tom is nearly rolling over, he can do it on the bed but that doesn't really count. Emily can copy her name now if I write it for her and she knows nearly all her letters verbally!

The photos are of Emily making cakes dressed as a fairy and Tom playing in his gym nest on his tummy - which he doesn't really enjoy but he looks cute!

Bang Bang!

Fireworks were not what we expected. On friday Jamie, Fiona, Dan, Helen, Abby and Finn came over to set off the fireworks that Jamie had "acquired" from his dad who works at a firework factory! We started and poor Finn got really upset and went home after 2 rockets! Emily decided she didn't want to watch fireworks without Finn and asked to go to bed! So we let the rest off and they were brilliant, we had loads and loads, some were floor fireworks but there were quite a few rockets and 3 or 4 huge rockets. As a finale we had to go to the bottom of the driveway to set off a huge barrage of rockets called the "ultimate comet" it was brilliant!! Several drinks later it was 1am and we were all shattered!

Saturday night we went to Sarah's party and Tom was amazed by the fireworks and loved them, Emily was not so excited and spend the night with her head burried in her hands. She was not afraid - just not in the mood! We wrapped them up for the party, maybe a little too much as they both got quite hot!

Happy Halloween!!

On monday we went to the music group Halloween Party, it was really fun, there was music, singing, dancing and bubbles as well as a parachute, balloons and biscuits!! Emily dressed quite appropriately as a witch! Tom was going to be Tigger but having had a growth spurt in the last couple of weeks, Tigger was too small so he went as a Manchester United Footballer complete with socks and trainers!! We are going to another Halloween party today at Beth's house with Fran, Louis and Finn, then at the weekend it is fireworks!! We are having some at our house on Friday then going to a party at Sarah's house on Saturday. Last year Emily loved the fireworks and Tom doesn't seem too concerned by loud noise so hopefully he will enjoy them too!!

Down on the Farm!!

We went to Roves Farm on tuesday with Beth, Fran and Louis. Had a brilliant time, Emily fed a goat! We went on a tractor, saw some pigs, drew a pumpkin and then had a tantrum in mothercare, but all in all a good day!

Tom is finally sleeping through, 5 days in the last week have been from 10.30/11pm till 7am!!

I also have lots of new friends on Facebook!! Well, old friends that have found me!!

Where did we go??

Been a while since I have posted anything on here because I am addicted to Facebook!! I have finally joined the masses and am requesting friendships and sending virtual drinks and flowers and doing bizare quizes sent to me by people I didn't hardly speak to at school! Have made some good connections with old friends again though and its fun to see what they all look like now!

Emily is doing really well with the potty training, she is managing to do everything on the loo now and is really good about asking to go when we are out. I was a bit concerned on Friday as we went to the Jolly Roger (or Jammie Dodger as Emily calls it) in Swindon with Finn and Abby and she was so excited that she didn't use the loo for 4 hours!! It was great fun, there is a huge soft play area which they had great fun follwing each other around as Abby and I sat having a drink on the sofas!! There is also a huge maze of levels and ball pits and all sorts including a huge slide which is probably the height of a standard house. Abby and I took it in turns to go up with them - we really enjoyed it they should make them for adults!!

Unfortunately Justin has gone on an extended holiday - he took the "tube" last weekend so Sarah Jane is patiently awaiting a replacement mate!

Bye bye nappies!

Emily has taken quite well to potty training. We started on tuesday and had a few mishaps but wednesday was a dream and she was dry all day. Thursday we ventured out to music group and she was fine until we went into the soft play room and she got so excited and told me she needed the toilet too late! But never one to be defeated she sucessfully asked to use the toilet again and we made it. The afternoon bought new issues.... Emily's friend Sophie came to play and again she got carried away playing playdoh and decorated the carpet! Today however we went to Swindon and I asked her to go before we left and she did, then she asked to use the toilet in Mothercare! We got home nice and dry with a new Peppa Pig toy as a reward. She even managed a trip over to nanna's house without any problems. Number 2's are an issue but the less said about that the better on the internet - I am sure not everyone needs to read about that! Had a lovely afternoon with just my little boy - who I am convinced is teething at 12 weeks! Can't believe he is only 12 weeks it doesn't sound very long at all but feels like he has been here forever, although I am reminded it was not long ago by my muscles growing back round my scar- ouch!!

Happy holiday

Just been to Cornwall for the weekend, we stayed with my Dad and Mary and had a brilliant time. Took Tom to meet his great-grandma, who loved him to bits and even managed to hold him despite being nearly 91 and having 3 strokes! We went to St Ives on the train and played on the beach, Emily loved making sandcastles and very carefully placed a stone on each one! We had a fish and chip supper at John Becks restaurant and Emily sat up to the table and ate sausage, chips and beans. On the saturday we went to Newquay to the Aquarium which Emily loved, she saw Rays, Sharks and loads of fish but her favourite were the seahorses or "lots and lots of seahorses" as she put it. Tom was quite taken with the bright fish in the tropical tanks. Wayne and I even managed a night out on the saturday having left the children in the capable hands of Nanna and Grandad! Emily had her first proper haircut from Nanna Mary, she sat quietly whilst Mary took a couple of inches off the length to tidy it up. We then went for a lovely sunday lunch before setting off home only to get stressed out completely on the M4 and M5!

Today we have ventured into potty training, we have tried it before but it is make or break now and one way or another Emily is not wearing nappies anymore. We had a productive afternoon with 7 sucessful attempts in the potty - one of which being a number 2! Only 4 little accidents on the carpet - how many times a day do children go to the loo! We have also welcomed Sarah-Jane and Justin to the family, a couple of goldfish happily settled in the kitchen - named by Emily of course.

Slave labour anyone?

A beautiful sunny day today so thought we would make the most of it. Went to music this morning and did a rather funny dance to Gina G "ooh aah just a little bit" then went to the bouncy castle and came home to get on with some serious work! I thought Emily needed educating in the art of washing the car which was fun, then we progressed to cleaning the windows (yes, I have a proper window cleaning kit!) Emily did not quite grasp the idea of it and proceeded to clean the car again with the dirty sponge we were using for the windows! Tom happily slept through it all!

Isn't it suposed to be summer!

Well, what a week we have had, we have all had terrible colds, I have a sinus infection and Emily has a bad case of miserable toddleritis! It is a long week when you have 2 children to look after! Thank goodness all the groups are back on this week, music started again last week, we have now been going for nearly 2 years, and toddler group started again monday. I find myself quite divided as there are the new mums with tiny babies who all sit on the floor chatting, who I feel I should be socialising with discussing Tom's sleeping and activities, then there are my friends with toddlers the same age as Emily who I want to socialise with but sit at a different end of the room to the new mothers! It is hard having a second baby when none of your friends have had one too, I can't help but worry that Tom will have no friends of his own but perhaps when Emily starts pre-school in April I can focus more on him.

We have booked a holiday for Feb 2008 at last! A week in Egypt at Sharm El Sheik's Hilton! All sounds great and the weather will be hot but not too hot for the children. Wayne and I have both been to Egypt before, he went to Aswan and I went to Cairo. We also picked up some brochures for Euro Disney at the same time and are seriously thinking of a pre-Christmas getaway for a few nights, Emily is already talking about "princess castles" so hopefully that will be sorted soon.

Going to be having our first night away since Tom's birth on saturday, going to the cinema and out for dinner which will be great, will be nice to get to know my husband again! Then going to take Tom swimming for the first time on Sunday (cold having left us by then hopefully!) Due to the nasty perverts ruining everything we will not be able to have photographic memories of this exciting event, unless we manage to sneak a camera in like we did with Emily!

Emily has a new hobby.

Having spent some time at her new friend Sophie's house, Emily has decided that all she likes to do is "sticking." Basically it involves lots of glue and cut out bits of pretty paper, magazines, stickers, foam shapes and anything else she can get her hands on. Our living room is currently overloaded with pictures drying carefully on all the surfaces! On the positive side she is amused for ages, on the negative my hands are sore from cutting up all the bits and pieces for her!

Our new television arrived today and for anyone who has been in our living room in the last 4 years, it is not much better than the last one! It is the same size and obviously not as monsterous, but it is still a huge black rectangle that looms over the living room! I am sure that I will appreciate it when we are watching the latest epic movie in the dark but I can't help feeling disappointed that the small tv is going back upstairs!

fun in the Sun!

The good weather is finally upon us and we have had a lovely afternoon in the garden eating ice creams and playing on the swing and slide. Unfortunately the sun shows how dirty the windows are and being in the garden reminds us that the grass needs cutting but it was great fun all the same! Tom is smiling more and more and emily managed to recognise her first word today and read out "tree" in her spot book! She is also saying "thank you very much" for everything and keeps saying "thank you for coming" to everyone who comes to the house!!

Thank god for double buggies!

Having vowed never to take the path of double buggy ownership we have finally caved in and purchased a rather nifty black double stroller. Emily has decided that walking nicely is not an option so today we road tested our new purchase and what a joy it was. No screaming toddler lying on the floor in boots just 2 content children and lots of extra shopping space in the double baskets under the pushchair! Perhaps the baby magazine polls are correct and in this day and age the average family does require 3 pushchairs!

Introducing....

Hello family, the new addition of Tom on 6th July 2007 has been fantastic, although tiring. His big sister loves him to bits and is very helpful and telling us when there is a dirty nappy (in the middle of Tesco) or pushing his dummy "gently" back into his mouth! Now at 6 weeks Tom weighs 10lb 11oz, he is smiling and generally a very happy baby!

We are live on the net!!

I have been reading and hearing about "blogging" forever now and have finally decided that it is time the Denton's join the rest of the world. Having recently lost the ability to email photographs to friends a blog seemed a good option for people to log on and see what the family is up to! Mostly it will be photos of the children and whatever exciting new development has happened in their lives but we are hoping to do our new extension soon so may post the progress of this for all to see! Holidays are a rareity at present but hopefully there may be a few in the next couple of years! Enjoy the blog!