It Has Been A While!

It has been a while - 5 months to be precise. Life got a bit crazy!

Work

Finally in Jan, my work settled down to 2 regular days, but Nov and Dec were a juggle of sometime 1, sometimes 3 days which kept chopping and changing.This was hard for me and the kids as everyweek childcare had to be altered.

Bugs/ Nursery and a 'Blitzed' Finger

Since that stomach bug we had in Nov, we've had bug after bug and poor wee Harris was left lactose intolerant from it. Unfortunately it took a while to diagnose and I'm pretty sure it's turned him into a fussy eater. Once the lactose was fully cleared out if his system he was a lot happier and can tolerate it again now, but then he started nursery 1 day a week and it has been 1 thing after the other.

Harris started nursery as my course was starting to increase in work load and we thought it would help me get study/hmwk done. It did eventually, but the first month he had a virus that left him exhausted and miserable. We all ended up with it and I was studying and going into work on 1 hour sleep as Harris was up during the night. Tired doesn't even come close. I was so tired in fact I ended up not concentrating while preparing dinner and while scraping food out of a stick blender and switched it on. OUCHHHHHH! Blood, screaming, tears (mine, Harris' and Murray's) and a trip to A&E! Thankfully no bone broken and no loss of finger but a good mess and really a lot of pain. I can't tell you how hard it is to dress a 16 month old with 1 hand! Blood poppers! I'm just so glad that (if  I was going to do something so silly) I did it the Monday after my mock exams so had 5 weeks between mocks and  final exams. Even then it was still a little awkward.

Massage Therapist and Tantrums

Thankfully it made no difference and I came out with an A in my written, oral, practical exams and my essay. I even got a prize for best essay! Chuffed! So I am now a qualified massage therapist.

I have done a post-grad workshop on postnatal massage and am booked in to do prenatal in June.

I had thought I'd crack straight on and do the next level of sports and remedial, but I think the kids and hubby need a break from the constant juggle. In addition Harris has really hit the 18 month tantrums and I think he needs his foundations laid. He is a screamer and I think it is going to be hard work and I need to have the energy for him.

On top of that we've decided to use our downstairs bedroom as a therapy room which means we need to decorate the en suite, move our room back upstairs and move both boys into 1 room - all of which will take energy/time.

Then of course I need to create a website, register as self employed, get business cards and set up my therapy room with equipment, so I think it is better to wait until September before taking on the next 8 month Diploma especially as I have to continue to work 2 days a week. So gutted in many ways though as I find it all so interesting that I'd love to crack on. Still, September will fly in before I know it.

My Blessings

I have to take this moment to say how blessed I feel. My boys are gorgeous. Murray is hilarious, intelligent, cheeky, determined and stunning. He's great company (most of the time - he is 3 3/4 after all) and I have to say extremely tolerant and kind with Harris. Harris is hilarious, sharp, cheeky, physical, determined and stunning. He is a screamer, which is HARD, but knowing that I had to work my ass of with Murray at this age steels me the resources to work my ass of with Harris, so that he too is as kind, gentle, polite but still determined as Murray in his own unique way. We are working on Harris' language as much as poss, because although he has some words, it is not as many as Murray had at this age and I'm pretty sure that will help the screaming - that and getting some more teeth (he still only has 4 - which is 4 more than Murray had at this age). His whole top gum is swollen and it is really shortening his temper! I questioned myself so much - well if I'm honest - from the minute he was born, but particularly from when he needed boundaries setting. I def found it hard going when Murray was terrible 2-ing and Harris was non stop feeding, but I do feel like the hard yakker has paid off (hoping I'm not jinxing myself here). It turns out perhaps I'm not quite so hopeless as sometimes I could convince myself! LOL! I'm not perfect, I yell, I get frustrated  and exasperated, but everyday I do my best; I try not to yell and count instead (1,2,3 MAGIC) and most of the time I do do that and when I get it wrong, I say sorry and explain why I shouted, but what I should have done and if that means my boys can say sorry for errors they make then they'll be all the better for it. We can, but ll do our best and as time ticks on, my boys teach me that more and more.

Harris' Vocab at 18 months:

Quack, woof, Moo, oo oo (monkey), Rahh (lion) and with more rahing force (dinosaur), Arhargh (pirate complete with arm movement), mew,queak, queak (mouse), akle (apple), aarroooom (truck/car), vroom with outspread arms (plane), There-you-are, Hiya, daddee, and this week, (finally) Mama and tonight's elephant trumpet sound.
Any way here are a 'few' pics from the last 5 months!

Christmas.

The only way we could get a double pose was to strap Harris down inthe High chair and even then, it took about 6 attempts!

January

New Thomas Pyjamas - choo choo!

In the park.

February

Mummy is a great place to sit! Hmm, think I'll stroke Murray's here while I'm here too!

Walking with my boys hand in hand for the first time.

Both boys at the Snack Table for the first time!

Another snack time - just so cute!

This was so funny: Harris was sitting on the red chair watching some tv and we watched Murray go fetch another chair and put it behind him and there the two of them sat. So adorable!

March

Gorgeous Harris sitting on a tractor.

Spiderweb roundabout

Bouncy pillow - note the big finger after blending it!

Love this pic!

Harris building a tower, 17months.

Chef Murray

Murray waving mummy off at the train station - so exciting!

Arts and crafts with mummy

Look at that cheeky face!

April

On the train to Edinburgh

The National Museum

Spaceman Murray

On the train home

Picnic at 'The beach' at a local river.

Easter Egg Hunt

Karen Nicholl : Massage Therapist! Woohoo!

Awww, Murray is such a lovely big bro!

Story and Rhyme Time with mummy

Snack in the garden - love gorgeous weather!

My beautiful big boy with new back pack

13 months; juggle, juggle and stomach flu'

Harris is 13 months! He's cruising everywhere and walking with a walker, holding on with 1 hand and has stood on his own a few times but I think we still have at least a few more weeks until he becomes a toddler! You don't forget how busy they are at this age, but he is really reminding me - warp speed crawling and into everything. I sometimes wonder why I bother clearing away toys! The 2 jobs that HAVE to be done in my house sweeping the kitchen floor post meal and hoovering the living room carpet as Harris is almost as bad as putting things in his mouth as Murray was. Thankfully though he doesn't seem quite as keen on sand as Murray. I sometimes think I'd be more successful putting Harris' dinner on the floor as he loves finding scraps! Actually he's a pretty good eater, but if he doesn't like something - boy do you know about it! LOL! He's such a fab wee thing, but I know he's going to be strong willed! No bad thing in life quite frankly, but just like with Murray, I've got my work cut out!

Life is a mega juggle at mo. My course is fantastic - I'm really enjoying it, but it is full on and I'm really having to work hard at getting time to study. It's best if I'm out of house already and get to stay out for extra hour or something - eg: go to the gym first thing and do an hour of study before going home or it just doesn't happen. I do have a major attack of the guilts though as I'm back at work too and helping out with preschool as it is really needed as we are a tiny group and need to self fund. Murray has struggled a little with being out 3 mornings, so I'm really trying to make time for 1-1 activities when H sleeps, but as Harris is dropping down to once a day that is going to start getting trickier. I think I'm going to try and pen into the diary specific 1-1 time at weekend or if my mum comes up as she can play with Harris. Problem is, Murray being 3 wants it all, so wants to be with mum too! LOL! He's really pushing for extra this and extra that at mo. His behaviour in general is pretty good (usually know when he is coming down with a bug, because it gets proper grotty) especially when we remember to simply use '1,2,3,magic' but we are getting a lot, just one more play, just another dvd and mummy play with me even when you've been playing for quite a while and are about to drown in dirty dishes. Ah well - he's 3 and mostly I'm happy to do things with him, but sometimes he has to play on his own - I insist!

Al and I got a night and day away on Sat night - settled boys first and stayed in a local hotel. We were so looking fwd to it, but I was pretty poorly on the Sat getting everything ready. Managed to enjoy a nice meal, but Al woke grotty on Sunday. As we had a late check out to 1 we got some rest in peace and felt well enough for lunch and a walk. Bad mistake one or other or both tipped us into stomach flu' and we were both vomiting Sunday night - not what we had hoped for at all!!!!! I'd forgotten how hideous it is when we are both sick - somehow I managed to get Murray to preschool and 'play' with Harris until my mum arrived to help me out. I thought H wasn't going to nap and I nearly cried, but some rocking and shhhsshing put him over - I really didn't care if he didn't self soothe yesterday - just as long as he slept so I could rest before mum brought home M from Preschool. I think the worst thing about yesterday was fixing the kids food - boke! It took a good week to get over that bug I barely ate for 4 days! Lucozade orange, thank you! Being sick with young kids is completely crap!

Anyhoo, I feel the need for a pic update:

In my new pop up tent on my birthday!

Opening presents 'with' mummy and Murray.

My yummy Birthday cake made by mummy.

At Auchingarrich on my birthday - I wasn't feeling tip top, but I tried to have fun!

My Birthday Champagne, cake and nibbles.

Mummy bringing me cake - I was feeling pretty awful by now, but it looked pretty, mummy!

At the Hydro enjoying the slide.

This pic is hilarious - Al took this from the upstairs landing - you'll note Murray having a tantrum about having to come inside! Too funny - family life!

I climb over and uo anybody or anything - just as crazy as my big bro apparently!

I love to cause hovoc wherever I go - the tupperware always has to be pulled out!

Loking cute at Nanna and Grandcha's

On a walk with Murray and Daddy while Mummy massages Nanna.

Out for lunch for Daddy's Birthday

Having fun on the ride on toys (no movement as mummy never has any pennies) while Daddy buys new jeans for his birthday.

Playing with big bro - he sure does hate it when I pull up track!

Awwwwwwww!

Mummy and daddy's hotel room (bonus free upgrade) - so wished we hadn't felt awful!

Fly- Harris at new park in Perth

Such a beautiful pic of Murray

The pen is back - Mummy is not impressed thsat she can't get to the loo, or thatI pull all toys out of their boxes just after she's put them back when we're trying to get out!

Cutie pie!