Mission COMPLETE!

Potty training commenced a year ago just before Leo's 3rd Birthday, and now a year later he is completely dry. It was the perfect time for us to tackle the potty mission and he was more than ready to go for it. He was dry within weeks and took to it like a superstar. 

I let Leo lead the way, and didn't apply pressure. It has all been taken at his own speed and in his own time. I didn't want to rush the process and as usual Leo took it all in his stride and at his very own pace. 

I couldn't ask for anything more and now a year later, potty training seems like a lifetime a go. 

Leo now stands up at the throne and *aims* (all be it in recent weeks! But he decided now was the time!) and we FINALLY *Crosses fingers* seem to have resolved the number 2 issue...I don't know if it was just Leo, or boys...Or kids in general, but Leo has had a real issue about using the toilet for anything other than weeing.

It's something I have tried to leave in Leo's jurisdiction for the most part, there have been times where the bribery may have come out to play. There were times that bribery did indeed work, and there were times where he was so close to getting there before he just couldn't bring himself to. 

Like I say it's not something I wanted to force, if he isn't or wasn't ready, then neither was I. I would wait patiently until the day came that he was ready. It has never been an issue during the day, I would send Leo off to nursery, and I wouldn't pack nappies in the bag. He has never had an accident like that, and he would always come home and would either request a nappy for his business.. Or he would wait until bedtime when he would have his nightly nappy put on. Then he would announce that he was about to christen the nappy...run off and hide before announcing that he needed changing. 

Oh the joys!

This process has gone on for the last year on and off. Until last week...

Last week at batth time, Leo told us that he needed a wee. He hopped up on the toilet as he always did, but on this occasion he really surprised us. There in the toilet was something that we as parent's had almost given up hope of ever seeing in anything other than a nappy! 

A poo! 

(Yes we as parents do love to discuss the toilet habits of out children!).

Of course the moments that ensued were all singing and all dancing. Yes we even waved it off as the flush washed around the basin of the toilet. We even high fived and did a little happy dance. It was a BIG, no...MASSIVE moment for my little man. It may not have happened as quickly as it has for other children, but it is something that he was obviously not quite ready for yet, something he wanted to do further down the line.

Now just before he turns 4 years old, just before he starts school. He has done it, and more than once. In fact since this he has done it daily. We have FINALLY cracked it and that to me just feels amazing, you have family advising you on what to do, comparing your child to their child. Their 2 year old has been doing it for weeks and it wasn't an issue, why isn't your almost 4 year old doing it? They tell you that you should make him, push him to do it.

That's not what I am about, and no amount of pushing Leo to do anything is going to help. Time is a great virtue for everyone, parents and children. Give a child time, and they will do things in a fashion that means they are comfortable and confident. Rush them and you risk scaring them and knocking their confidence.

Leo did it, and I know that in the coming months ahead we will kick the night time nappy in exactly the same fashion!

YES! My almost 4 year old still wears a nappy at bedtime. 

And you know what? 

I know he will be amazing when the time comes to make that final transition, 

46 Months Old

April has flown by and it has been a month that signifies that big changes are coming our way. Changes that let me know you’re not the baby I brought home from the hospital, anymore. Leo you are growing up, it’s plain to see. From the sheer height of you these days, to how you conduct yourself to the world and everybody around you. I can’t call you a toddler anymore because you outgrew that title quite a while ago. Mummy has to face facts that you are now a little boy, a little boy who will be starting school in a matter of months.

Just the other week we received news of your school place, and were over joyed that you got into the school we had dreamed of for you. We have been talking to you about school for months, we wanted you to be aware of the changes that were coming, but we didn't want to over load you. You have been worried, you know that it’s going to be very different, but you know that different isn't bad. It just means that there are new adventures ahead of you, and when has an adventure ever been anything less than exciting!?

Your Nursery being in the grounds of your new school really helps and they are doing a grand job of helping transition you ready for September. Nursery have started to take you and the other school leavers into the school on a Wednesday for a school lunch. I remember filling out the menu selection just before Easter, and with you being such a fussy eater I was worried that you wouldn’t eat any of the selections over the coming weeks and months. On that first Wednesday they took you over you seemed worried. You said you didn't want to go to big school, and that you wanted to stay at nursery. I thought of you more than usual on that day, and knowing it was a double whammy of things that you didn't want to do (Forest School) I thought it may be a less than great day for you. I was so pleased to get home from work that evening to discover that you had had the BEST DAY! You had loved Forest School for the first time ever, and even put your own trousers on (You’re a little bit lazy and refuse to do these things!) and you had enjoyed the activities. I think even Nursery were surprised and pleased with you!

Then of course it was time to head into School for your lunch, which was Tuna Wrap. I didn't think the Tuna would go down well, in fact I thought that meant that you wouldn't eat at all. Instead you picked the Tuna out declaring ‘I hate fish!’ and devoured the wrap on its own. You did so well and didn’t let the Tuna put you off, and I cannot fault you for that. You saw children that you already knew from the school and got very excited. When I saw you that evening you couldn't tell me about your day quickly enough.

The weather has been improving so you and I have been spending so much more time outside. We have been abandoning the car (Because Mummy is still on her health kick!) and we have been walking all over town. What we are really loving at the moment is a cheeky Costa, you have your Babycino and Mummy has her Cappuccino. In fact you relentlessly flirt with the poor barista. Each time you have been in recently you have flashed your blue eyes, lifted up your shoes and announced ‘I have new shoes!’. Of course the lady looks to admire your new shoes, but those shoes you are describing as new haven’t been new for the last 5 months. But you try again each time you see her, just to get her attention.

We take our Costa’s to the park, we sit in the glorious sunshine and then you’ll run off to play on the tunnel slide while I finish mine. It’s so peaceful sitting there and watching you run around, it made me realise that this right here and now, shows me just how grown up you are. I wonder when I suddenly gave you so much freedom? When I stopped having to follow you around everywhere you went, when I became content that you were now big enough to go down the tunnel slide on your own, and climb back to the top again. Of course I am always there watching you, making sure that you’re ok, that no one is being mean to you, but that again is something I am going to have to relent upon when the school days do swing around. For now though I love the days we get to spend in the park while the sun is shining and everyone else is at work or school. Those days are my favourite kind of days, so simple and special all at the same time.

We even took you on your very first camping experience! Ok so it was only in the back garden, and only because Granddad invested in a shiny new tent and couldn't wait to practice putting it up! We very quickly decided to seize the opportunity and make the most of the tent while it was there, we thought it would be a super time to see how you got on with camping, and of course you couldn't have been more excited about the opportunity! We kitted the tent out with your cot mattress and brought out an abundance of blankets so that we would all be toasty during the night. You and I Leo donned layers upon layers, you in PJ's and a Onesie and me in two Onesies! We did look a sight in our Christmas onesies!

We had a camp fire in the garden where you roasted your very first marshmallows with Daddy and then you were more than ready to go to sleep. You went straight off and slept until morning, so excited with your new experience and I know that it won't be long before you want to camp again! But let my back get back to normal first please!

Time isn’t slowing down little boy, and in 2 months’ time you will be turning 4. My head is a mash of all things Mario at the moment, because that is now your theme of choice. For a while you were set on Thomas. Now however…It’s all things Mario! I don’t know how I am going to pull this one off yet, but somehow, someway I’ll make it happen.

Until next month little man…

44 Months Old

A month can change so many things, and the more I watch you Leo, the more I realise how much you have grown and developed. All of a sudden you are reciting the days of the week to me, and I have to admit that the first time you did it you caught me completely off guard. I had no idea that you knew how to do this! I felt a warm wave wash over me, I was so proud of you and happy that you were absorbing new life lessons that you were going to need come September.

You were talking non stop (I mean…Non stop!) and coming out with so many new things. It was just the other evening at dinner that you told me to ‘Stop nagging me Mummy!’ and in that second I forgot completely what I was telling you not to do, and just laughed. You…My 3 year old…Had just told me, your Mum to stop nagging you. There was something ironic about that that really did tickle me.

Your sense of humour is always something that I have adored about you and with your speech coming on so quickly now, it has been fascinating to hear you coming out with your own little jokes in an attempt to wind me up. It was just this evening that you decided to attempt using the potty for a number 2, it's still something you really don't want to do, and usually wait for your bedtime nappy to go on to do your business.. But I persuaded you tonight. You sat there for ages, and I sat with you. You did a bit, but you got frustrated and told me 'It's stuck, it's gone to sleep' and then you said 'Oh no! More wee come out! Stupid wee wee!' and then you got pretty rivaled because you just couldn't go, and that wee of your's had a mind of it's own!

You tell tall stories and let your imagination run away with you, and that is just beautiful to behold. At bedtime we always, always sit and have a cuddle with a story, a long cuddle where you lie on my arm and snuggle in tight. It’s my favourite time of the day, and despite what mood you were in when you came up to bed, angry, sad or excited, you always wind down to the perfect snuggle mood and we share a special half hour just you and I. Daddy tells us that we drag bedtime out and that you have me wrapped right around your little finger, and he’s probably right, but that time is so precious, and I steal it when the opportunity presents itself.

The other evening when we lay there we were talking about big school, you don’t seem totally sold on leaving nursery and starting your new school quite yet, and I explained that it was all part of growing up. Somehow the conversation managed to go from school… to the tooth fairy and how sometime in the next few years, your baby teeth would start to come out to be replaced with your grown up teeth. You sounded particularly interested in this and began to tell me how you currently had baby teeth and that I had grown up teeth. I told you that the baby teeth that come out will be taken away by the tooth fairy, and that you have to place the tooth under your pillow at night so that she can fly in and collect it for her tooth palace. Your face said it all, you were amazed, you told me that the tooth fairy was Tinkerbell and that she could come and play trains with you in your room and that she could then stay and sleep on your bed.

Your kind nature is something that everyone is commenting on at the moment, it’s like your old before your time. A complete gentleman. While I am lay in bed with you, you turned to me and said ‘Mummy, you lie on my arm now?’ and with that you are asking if you can cuddle me! You my boy are going to be a real heartbreaker one day!

We were out for lunch one day last week (In Subway of course!) and as usual you reserve the table while I line up to get our cheeky lunch. I could hear you chatting away to an elderly lady and asking her all sorts of questions, and she looked really pleased that you wanted to talk to her. When I came back to the table with your lunch, the lady turned to me and told me what a well behaved little boy you were. She said you were completely gorgeous! It is the most amazing feeling when a stranger comments on how well you behave and how lovely you are, because these are things I already know, but it is so amazing to hear someone else see those same qualities in you that I do. Then when the lady got up to leave, you rushed over to the doorway and swung the door open for her to leave, completely on your own accord. You stood there until she had left the building and the returned to finish off your lunch.

My little gentleman.

Of course with all of your many qualities it has to be noted that you have been a bit of a grumpy bum this month. I think nursery is really tiring you out at present, but of course at least that means I have no problem getting you to bed in an evening! You have been so excited about your birthday creeping up, it seems a little mad that come the end of June I am going to have a 4 year old on my hands! We have been discussing what you would like to do, and whether you would like a birthday party this year. Which of course you do! You seem to have settled on a Thomas theme for your 4^th birthday, which means I am going to have to get lots of cake practice in if you expect a Thomas cake this year!

I have been looking at venues and even found the perfect bouncy castle for your big day, so the next couple of months are going to be requiring some serious party planning! Because obviously we will be inviting all of your nursery friends!

So we have had yet another busy month, filled with days out and lots of quality family time. And we are now on the run up to your big day and of course finding out if you have got into our chosen school for you in April! Time is seriously flying and I don’t like it one bit, but we are having a great time and I couldn’t be happier about the little boy your turning into.

Until next month little man…

Christmas 2014

As Christmas morning arrived Leo awoke. It was still early when I heard the plodding of his size 11 feet coming along the landing. He had awoken and made his way straight to my room, completely missing the stocking full of presents hung on the inside of his bedroom door. It didn't take Leo long to clamber into bed and ask for the Lego Movie to be popped on the television, but it was a nice quiet half hour as we all came around and woke up slowly. Eventually I fetched the stocking of gifts so that Leo could sit quietly in bed and open them, to my surprise it became apparent that he wasn’t in the mood for presents quite yet.

Once we had all managed to keep our eyes open we made our way downstairs, only to come face to face with an abundance of Christmas presents. Santa really had been in the night! The excitement bubbled in Leo and he raced towards the Christmas Tree to find a present to open, but as Daddy was not yet downstairs, Leo was informed he had to be patient and wait a little bit longer to open his gifts. Of course informing a 3 year old to ‘wait’ when it comes to opening presents went down like a lead balloon… And somewhere between then and Daddy making his arrival in the living room we had lost Leo to a rather bad mood. Even when instructed that he could now begin opening his gifts, Leo was not interested, he did not want to play ball. Leo strode over to the lounge door and said ‘I don’t like you! I slam the door!’ and proceeded to do just that, before having a cry on the stairs… It wasn’t exactly the morning of excitement I had in mind!

I happened to know of one special gift that Santa had brought for Leo, a gift that he had set up on the landing all ready for one very lucky little boy, and at this point it seemed like the only way to put a smile back on his face again. Taking him in my arms I carried Leo back up the stairs to where there was a rather big present, I began to help him remove the wrapping paper until we revealed Leo’s shiny new train table! Of course as soon as he saw the tracks lay in wait, he couldn’t un-wrap the rest quickly enough.

This was where Leo spent the first few hours of Christmas, and I suddenly remembered why we had wanted to wait until later to show him where Santa had left this present… Once Leo’s mood had made a complete U-turn and those dark grey clouds had cleared from over his head, we knew it was safe to head back downstairs and begin opening some more of Santa’s gifts.

The morning quickly dissolved into the afternoon and as usual Christmas was running on full speed ahead. Presents were slowly opened and then played with before moving on to anything else, which of course is why it took Leo a good few days to open all of his gifts, but it was so lovely to see him enjoying and appreciating each of his new possessions.

With such a busy morning behind us we were all really pleased to sit down for Christmas lunch, Roast Turkey and all the trimmings, Pigs in Blankets, Roast Potatoes and Stuffing. A feast fit for a king, Leo had been talking about Christmas Dinner for weeks on the run up to the big day, but I knew he was going to take one look at it and refuse to eat it… I was right. He did. So while the rest of the family tucked into a delicious lunch… Leo decided he would sit and eat Brioche before discovering a love for Cheese and biscuits and feasted away on many of those!

We pulled crackers…Leo almost went flying on more than one occasion, but he spent the entire time chuckling away. He even wore his cracker hat with the rest of us before quickly running away back to his train table at the end of the meal.

The evening was spent over at Leo’s Granddad’s partners house, where even more gifts were bestowed upon him, more food was consumed and Mummy may have had one or two glasses of bubbly! With the moon high in the sky and Christmas day coming to an end, we let some fireworks off into the night sky to see a final dazzle of glitter before Christmas was over.

Leo received some lovely gifts and I am still trying to sort through his toy boxes in order to make room. His favourite gifts by far were his Nintendo 2DS which is proving a luxury on car trips and meals out in order to keep him entertained, and of course the Train Table that is getting daily play action.

Another Christmas has shone like a shooting star and twinkled away for another year, but seeing Leo enjoy the magic and listen out for Santa Clause was such a beautiful experience, and this is just the very tip of the magic to come.

The First Nativity

I always envisioned that your very first Nativity Play would be after you started reception, when you were that little bit bigger. As it happened this Christmas you performed in your debut performance and it was such an amazing sight to behold. You had been practicing at nursery for weeks, and I couldn’t help thinking how brave (Crazy?) they were to even attempt such a performance with a cast of pre-schoolers, but it all worked out perfectly.

You had been cast as a shepherd, and on the run up to the big performance I had been set the task of sourcing a costume fit for such a dashing shepherd. On the night I took you into the school that backs onto the nursery (The school in which you will hopefully be attending!) and you looked a little teary. You had been excited about going into school until you discovered you wouldn't actually be attending the nursery.

I dropped you off with your fellow cast members and the nursery leaders got you ready for the lime light, I then made my way out into the audience to find a seat with Daddy, Granny and Granddad Martin. I could hear tears coming from the class room and I hoped with everything that I had that it wasn’t you, thankfully it wasn’t and you soon marched down the aisle right past me holding hands with your friend. You saw me and your little lip started to tremble and I just wanted to give you a big cuddle! They sat you down on the bench near the front and I saw your lip quiver a few more times as some of the other children took to the stage for their roles. I even heard you shout out that you needed the loo, but unfortunately everyone was too busy to hear you. Part of me wanted to run up and run you out before you had to go on stage, but I thought that may upset you in the long run.

It was eventually your turn to go up on stage, and you did exactly as you were supposed to do, you had learnt your role well and were such a little superstar. Your face did tremble every now and then and you didn’t look exceptionally happy about being up there, but you were super!

You got up on stage and lay down pretending to be asleep, and then another child came along tapping you on the head, waking you up. You then made your way over to the corner and sat patiently while the other children did their parts. Towards the end you even took part with some of the songs!

You did so well and although you were completely out of your comfort zone, you gave it your very best shot.

  

Well done little man, you little superstar!

40 Months Old

40 months have come and gone since your arrival, 3 whole years and 5 months that have brought smiles, adventure and mischief. In 40 months you have transformed from a small helpless baby into an independent, happy little boy. A boy who is determined, wise, stubborn, charismatic and cheeky, a clever little man who wants to know more about the big old world around him. A boy who loves trains without a shadow of a doubt, and will chat to no end about anything and everything to do with them.

This month we submitted your application to school, and this action alone seems absolutely bonkers. I cannot get my head around the fact that come September you will be starting school, in my mind this milestone should still be years away and not a mere 10 months. I wonder how you will feel at such a big change? I know that when you do start you are just going to seem even more grown up, and life really will never be the same. Starting school means you will become more independent than I have ever known, you will have new friends and activities. Where has the last 40 months gone!?

October saw a rather large milestone for you, and you finally (deliberately) did a number 2 on the toilet! Yes I had to bribe you, yes it involved purchasing another train and yes you haven’t done it again since… But you tried and succeeded! It was all your decision as well little man, you decided to days after we had a conversation about the treat you would get if you used the toilet. You got up and told me you needed to go, we held hands as you lead me to the bath room and then you just got on with it. I couldn't quite believe it and I was so proud of you, you may have noticed the round of applause and the excited cheers you received!

As soon as you had done your business though you wanted your prize for being so grown up, and I promised that we would go later that day to pick it up. Time ran away with us and for one reason or another I didn’t make it to Tesco with you. That evening I put you to bed and told you I would pick it up on the way home so that you could have it first thing the next day. Only my mind went completely blank, and when I arrived home to find that you were still awake I felt so incredibly guilty. So at 9:30pm I put on your warmest PJ’s and slippers, strapped you into the car and took you to get your just desserts. You were so excited and the adventure was so totally worth it, you went to bed one happy little man, and couldn’t wait to wake up to play trains the next day! And I of course kept my promise!

You have been coming out with more sentences and been making a real effort, even your nursery key worker has commented on how chatty you have been. What made me giggle was when you brushed past me the other day and said ‘scuse me Mummy, I need a wee’ and took yourself off to the bath room.  You spent half term week telling me ‘school closed’ and I think you really enjoyed the weeks rest. Yet when it was time to go back you were so excited, I seem to remember lots of excited ‘YAY YAY YAY’ filling my ears.

You have been chatting lots about Christmas and have firmly decided that you would like a Nintendo DS as your main present. Now whenever Christmas does come up in conversation you tell me that Santa will be bringing you one down the chimney. Not to mention your comments about just how many presents you will have under the tree, somewhere in the region of ‘Lots and lots and lots!’ if I recall correctly.

It’s hard to believe that 40 months ago back in June 2011 you had only just graced us with your presence, and now 40 months on it is hard to in vision a time before you, a life before you. A life without you. This time of year always puts me in a reflective mood, and it was on the 5^th November 2010, that I first discovered you were coming along. It was scary, unexpected and amazing all at the same time… And now here we are about to take on a new month and many new challenges.

39 Months Old

With another busy few weeks on our hands we seem to have passed through another month. It has been one with ample opportunity for adventure and one full of smiles and laughter. We have had a busy month you and I, what with a fun filled day out at Thomas Land, another with Mike the Knight and finally a trip to the Gloucestershire Light Railway where we both spent an entire day with Thomas the Tank! To say you were excited was an under-statement, you were excitedly skipping around and telling me all about the day ahead. You were going to ride on Thomas and meet the Fat Controller, you were going to see all of your favourite  trains on a real working railway.

It was a day out for just the two of us, and you were in your element when the time came to actually meet Thomas. The magic of the day only grew when Thomas’s driver actually let you go inside the engine room. There was a growing line of people and by this point you were point blank refusing to come out, you were looking all around and pretending to drive the train. This one experience for you made your entire day, and the driver could see just how much you loved trains, he even told me that you would most likely be a steam train driver one day! 

This month saw you heading back to nursery for your funded place, you went back with no teething problems at all and I was so pleased with how well you were doing. I could see improvements in you all the time, and I had been so happy when nursery had told me that they too had seen these changes. We have been waiting for your speech therapy consultant appointment to come through, and as usual have found that nothing is straight forward. The first appointment they cancelled and re-booked it, only for them to make a second error and us not being able to enter your appointment. It was after this that nursery told us that they wanted to push the appointment through quickly as they felt you were further behind. I agree that you are further behind than your peers but it is not that you are not developing and coming along all of the time, with me you have proper conversations, you tell me about your day, and you comprehend absolutely everything. It may sound crazy of me to say, but I am not worried about you, I know that you are doing well, you set your own bench marks and there is such a wide spectrum of 'normal', and little man, you are perfectly, absolutely without a doubt normal. Your 3 years old, charismatic. demanding, beautiful and perfect in your very own way. 

39 months see's you still napping giving half the chance, although we are seeing more of a resistance to nap even if we both know that you need it. 

Your doing so well in your big boy pants and nappies are only with us at night time these days. I haven't even thought about crossing this bridge just yet as I know it is going to be harder than combating the day time. This is something we will address in the New Year...

Until next month baby boy...

X

Back to Nursery

On the 5^th September Leo went back to play school for his very first funded session. In the weeks of Summer that quickly passed us by, Leo seemed to blossom before our very eyes. He began to string more and more sentences together, and he made such an effort to use his words. We used to Summer as a spring board and got out and about to really make the most of the weather and each other’s company. I had a feeling that the nursery would also see a huge improvement in just how far Leo had come over the Summer holidays, and I hoped that I wasn't alone in these thoughts.

With Leo’s funding now in place for his final pre-school year before starting reception next year, I prepared his school bag the same way I always did. I packed a spare change of clothes, some fruit and his juice cup. I woke Leo up from his slumber and a very excited child replaced the sleeping child who had been fast asleep only moments before. Leo was so excited to be going back to nursery again and when I dropped him off on the Friday for his first session, he didn't even say goodbye before he ran off to join his class mates.

When the time came to pick Leo up from school, I arrived and peeked in through the window. The entire class was sat together on the carpet talking, and when I got to the front of the line, they called for Leo to come over ready to go home. The nursery leaders each had some incredibly positive remarks about how they had found Leo’s first day back at school. One said ‘Hasn't he grown up over the Summer!?’ another said ‘I have noticed a huge improvement in his speech!’ and another said ‘I am understanding so much more of what he says!’. I was so pleased, Leo has been taking his time but been improving all the time, and now I feel like we are finally bridging the gap that has stopped him getting his point of view across.

Wednesday 10th September marked Leo’s very first full day at nursery,  we prepared Leo’s school bag and even made up his lunch box ready for that very first session. Leo was even more excited at the prospect of taking lunch along with him, that once he had his Planes Lunch box in hand he insisted on having his Ham and Cheese Sandwich for breakfast. So to save his lunch we had to make him up a second sandwich that he could enjoy at that precise moment in time.

Granny dropped Leo off for a 9am start, and then that was the last we saw of Leo until 3pm that same day. It is the longest Leo has ever been out of our care and it was a surreal moment to arrive home from work for lunch, to not have Leo at home. Leo had gone off as happy as always and found his name badge out of all of the other names and proudly stuck it on his hook. Leo then spent the day at nursery for the very first time.

Leo has come on so much since that very first nursery session back in January, he is more confident and willing to give new things a try. I find it incredibly hard to believe that this time next year, my baby boy will be in reception and 4 years old. Time really has got a wicked sense of humor to say the least, but it is not relenting. Time is speeding by and shaping my little man as it goes, each day he does something new and surprises me in a whole new way.

I am so pleased at how well Leo has just slipped back into nursery life, and just accepted that now he is older he gets to go more. I have put Leo into nursery on a Monday, Tuesday morning. He attends Wednesday all day and then has Thursday off to spend an entire day doing things with me, and then goes back in refreshed for Friday’s afternoon session.

I wanted Leo to do one full day so that when he does begin reception next year it won’t be such a shock to the system. I now that as this year progresses he is going to continue to grow up, and when next September does roll around, he will be more than ready to take on big school with all of his peers.

Leo Visit's Land's End

At the end of August the entire family packed up there bags and traveled to the Cornwall for a weeks break. Our week was spent in a holiday cottage at Sennen Cove, one of the last little villages in Cornwall before you reach Land's End. 

Leo had been so excited in the weeks running up to the week away, dreams of days spent at the beach and day trips out and about filled his head, and for the most part of the 6 hour drive he was surprisingly well behaved.. If you could ignore the constant 'I want to go to the beach' the entire time..

Our first full day was spent down by the beach, and the walk to the coast was actually a little further than any of us could of anticipated. Having had the car so full of everybody's bags, we had had to sacrifice the pushchair for this trip, which meant that Leo used the line 'But my feet hurt' more than we would care to remember..And it also meant that Leo was carried in each instance that he decided to sit down and refuse to walk another step.

The walk to the coast saw us walking through fields and avoiding cow pats, it saw kissing gates and stiles, all new experiences for my beautiful little man. When we eventually arrived at the beach, the walk seemed very much worth it, and those tired little legs that Leo had been plaguing Leo only moments before had been forgotten as soon as he had seen the sea.

Leo didn't care that there was a chill in the air, and within moments of arriving at the beach he was running in and out of the waves having the absolute time of his life.

With the beach out of Leo's system for a day or so at least we decided to visit the Cornwall Seal Sanctuary. This is a place I have visited a few times over the years, the last time when I was still at school. It must have been well over 10 years since our last visit, and now here I was bringing Leo along for his first visit. 

It was a rainy day and we arrived in our wellies and coats ready for a soaking, and as we arrived the rain went away and we began to peal off the layers as the sun tried to break through. Leo lead the way around the sanctuary and marveled at the Seals and Sea lions as he went.

All was going well until Leo had a little accident, and by accident I mean deliberately wet himself. Of course as Leo has been so good with his potty training, of late I haven't been taking spare clothes with me on each outing. So I had to quickly strip him off and dress him in the rain poncho.. Suffice to say he looked rather comical running around in very little...

We took the obligatory walk to Land's End and had a look around the attraction. Leo gave me many a heart attack as he wondered around and I saw just how little barrier enforcement that there was between the land and the shoreline below the cliffs!

Towards the end of our week away we visited St Michaels Mount, and Leo did especially well climbing the majority of the way to the top. I had casually slipped in that it was Mike The Knights house, and we may just see him if we took a trip to the top. Unfortunately Mike was away on a mission during our visit, but Leo had the best time climbing the steps and pretending to shoot the cannons.


You can see from the below image the walk that was on our hands, and with two toddlers kicking sand in their wake, we knew it was going to take a while. To visit St Michael's Mount you either walk to it while the tide is out, or take a boat. Leo was all for taking the boat, but we visited during a time when the tide was out, and followed the cobbled path all the way up.

Leo climbed steps and did amazingly well on his latest adventure, and only wanted carrying when the steps turned into slippery slopes and he couldn't quite keep his footing in his size 10 wellies, that were still that little bit too big for him.

With true British weather on our side, it was inevitable that we would encounter some rain. And when I say some rain, I mean that the skies opened up on us and didn't relent until we couldn't be any wetter than we were. At first Leo thought it was amazing, he ran, splashed in puddles and had a fantastic time, until of course it wasn't fun any more. We walked as fast as we could back down the tidal cobbles, but it was too late. We were all completely and utterly soaked, cold and feeling a little worse for wear.

There were so many memorable moments to our a week away, it saw Leo having a fantastic time and he seemed to just grow before our eyes. The week gave him lot's of opportunities to use his words and by the time we got back he seemed to have come on in leaps and bounds.

A particular highlight of the week had to be Leo's pronunciation of chicken chunks... Apparently chunks is a word that could be completely misinterpreted as a rather naughty word that he most certainly doesn't know. But having said that, I couldn't help crying with laughter when Leo strolled back into the kitchen after refusing to eat his chicken chunks and chips... and demanded to know 'Where are my Chicken Chunks!?' - Little did he know that naughty Mummy had gobbled them all up...

Now here we are in September, the schools have gone back and the Summer is soon to be a distant memory. But what lovely memories we have created.

38 Months Old

On the 27th of August 2014 you turned 38 months old. 

3 Years and 2 months old.

All of a sudden your personality is blooming.

You’re funny, cheeky and mischievous.

You’re lovable, cuddly and you’re a wind up!

The wind up side of you is coming out to play daily these days, ever since your 3^rd birthday rolled around it has become much more apparent. You have worked out what to say and the actions that complement them, and your away.

It was just the other day that I told you not to do something for one reason or another, only to be met with your reply of ‘I funny!’. Of course at the time I didn't think your actions were funny, but just hearing you state that you were indeed funny, proceeded to put a smile smack bang on my face.

So now whenever you do something that you potentially shouldn't, you tell me that your funny. In fact when anyone does something that they shouldn't, you tell me that they are funny too. Your cousin Josh decided to try his luck at running away, followed closely by his Mummy, and then by us. We really were a sight chasing Josh laden up with bags, and of course you in my arms while you had a moment of refusing to walk for the umpteenth time. When we eventually caught him, you looked at me and grinned from ear to ear, then you told me ‘Josh runaway! Josh funny!’.

Then of course your cheekiness expands further, you are now mimicking people. A few weeks back we paid a visit to the seaside, and we popped into the pub for a meal. A man walked in shouting loudly, so you looked and me and said ‘man’ and proceeded to make the strange sounds that he had made moments before… In fact recently you managed to really wind up your Aunty Alice. Alice had been playing with you and getting you over excited, of course she then got tired of playing… Whereas you wanted to keep going. You continued to climb all over her, and eventually she got so annoyed that she threw a complete hissy fit. You looked in my general direction to weigh up whether or not you were in trouble, and when you realised Alice was just having a moment, you re-in acted it for everyone in the lounge. You laughed and smiled even more when you saw how funny everyone thought you were, except for Alice of course!

This last week we have spent away in Cornwall at Land's End, you have spent so much time at the beach and you have eaten far to many fish and chips. You have loved being around your extended family and have been making the most of being the very center of attention. Just in the last week alone I have seen even more improvement in your speech, and you are stringing more and more sentences together.

You have even caught on that my name is 'Laura', and given half the chance you love to remind me that you know. 

One part of the holiday you were really looking forward to, was the possibility of going out on another boat ride. We were sat discussing the different boat options together when you told me that you didn't want to go on a big boat. I asked you why, and your response was that it would sink. Having only watched Frozen with you again that day, it suddenly clicked that you thought big boats would sink like on the film, and clearly justified your reasoning for wanting a smaller boat.

A rather big development at 38 months was that you would now actually let us sit you on the toilet. Up until now you would only use the potty, but after Alice managed to bribe you with chocolatey goodness, you haven't looked back. This has made taking you out and about so much easier as we non longer have to worry about taking a potty with us. One aspect we are still working on is getting you to co-operate with number 2's... But we aren't rushing and are tackling it in the same leisurely manner we do everything else.

The end of the summer holidays is here and you are now in your final year before starting school. This week see's you returning to nursery where you will be going Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. I know that when you go back this week your nursery teachers are going to see such a big change in you. I have finally managed to eliminate the word 'Choo' from your vocabulary, and instead you say 'train' without thinking about it. I cannot wait to hear their feedback on you, I just know they are going to be pleased! 

As we go into your 39th month I still find is incredibly scary at just how fast time is flying by. Each day I feel that little bit prouder, even on the days where you push all of my buttons. You are such a clever little guy and I know that I cannot wait to continue watching you blossom.