Sleep. It isn't a friend of mine at the moment. I don't get much of it but I don't feel too bad actually. Since Oscar has been feeling better he has started to sleep through again but Leo still wakes 2, sometimes 3 or more times a night. Could be a bad dream, cold from kicking the covers off, or needs another wee. I think even Ellis is struggling a bit as we have started to read The Iron Man and it has been scaring him but he says he loves the story and can't wait for me to read it.
New year, new layout. Well not really, just pictures and videos with central alignment. If I don't like it I'll switch it back.
Anyway, Christmas was fun. Christmas Eve we spent at home in the end. We were supposed to go to Lucy and Craig's for lunch but they had other plans which they had forgotten about. Rob made paper chains with Ellis and then he cooked cookies with the boys and I helped them to decorate them. They were then put on the Christmas plate by the fire ready for Santa. Here are all the pictures and videos from the day.
I forgot to mention that late afternoon we all went out for a walk so that we could try and tire them out. We went to the park and ran around the fields playing tag, in the mud with our wellies on. It was actually great fun and something we should more often.
The tiring the boys out worked great. Oscar woke for an early feed so he went back to bed and I knew he would sleep a little longer and I heard Ellis stir at 7:40am and came in to see me saying that Santa had been. He was so excited! I went in to their room to get Leo and we all stared at the filled stockings at the end of their beds. Ellis tried to lift his but said it was too heavy ;o) I carried Leo and the stockings into our room and Rob sat up. Oscar woke at the same time so I brought him in too and we did the stockings on the bed.
Leo wasn't too bothered about the stocking and Oscar even less so, so it was slow going and Rob and I wanted a cuppa, so before he rushed off we took our traditional Christmas morning in bed picture. I feel we will need a bigger bed come next year though. (No I'm not pregnant!)
Rob went downstairs to put the lights on, make tea and put the camera on ready. Unfortunately the boys reactions were videoed on the camcorder and I haven't put it on my PC yet. One of many things that remains on my things to do list. Lets just say it was magical for us. Ellis didn't spot the footprints and went straight to the tree to find presents. It was so cute! Leo didn't like it to start with but was soon stamping up and down making Leo prints.
Rob cleared up and the boys just dug in and started unwrapping and pretty much not paying much attention to what they got.
Rob cooked our Christmas lunch again this year and I sorted out the rubbish, put toys away, set the table and tried to get everyone dressed, which almost didn't happen.
The food was delicious but we had to coax the kids into eating some. They just aren't used to having roast dinners, which is sad as when Ellis was little we would often go out for a carvery and he used to love it. Leo has always been quite difficult to eat out with so we stopped going.
We finished up and I started to take some plates out and I was going to get the dessert when I noticed another gift under the plate. What was this? I shouted out to Rob as I thought I knew what it could be as I had been after an iPad for quite a while and there wasn't one under the tree, so I assumed that this must be it. What a lovely surprise. It was a white iPad with a white leather smart case and I love it. Unfortunately I didn't have any time to go on it as Ellis was nagging me for the toffee and pecan roulade that I was supposed to be bringing.
I put it on the table and went back out to get a knife to cut off some slices for everyone. When I got back, Ellis had tried to hack himself a piece off with his spoon. So funny, and he almost succeeded.
We really didn't have long after we had finished to clear up and get things sorted out for our visitors. My Mum, Dad, Sister and her family, Rob's brother, and Rob's Mum and Dad were all due over in an hour. We both just got on with it and we were doing the final bits of clearing up as everyone arrived, pretty much at the same time.
There was lots of chaos, laughing, dancing, chatting, cheering, playing on the Xbox, opening presents, playing with toys and just generally having fun.
Time went on and everyone was staying a bit longer than they first planned, and then my brother Craig phoned up to find out what time Mum would be going home as he was going to her house for the evening and was a bit bored at home so wanted to go now. I told Mum to invite him up to ours, which she did and an hour later he arrived too.
Luckily I had bought quite a bit of food so I put out a spread for everyone to nibble at and they did, and I had no wastage which is really rare. They all agreed to just stay at ours, rather than go back to Mum and Dad's house which I thought was a great idea as everyone seemed to be having a great time.
I put Leo and Oscar to bed not long after their usual time and Ellis stayed up until quite late.
Rob's parents and brother stayed for a while longer but then they left too and Craig, Karen and Charley stayed behind to play some more on the Xbox. I'm so glad they did as I got to have a couple of beers and a bit of chill out time at the end of a very hectic day. I think I can safely say we had a lot of giggles playing the dancing game until nearly 1am!
We went to bed exhausted but happy that it all went so well.
The following morning the boys slept in a little which was brilliant and then it was all go again! We didn't arrive too early at Nanny and Grandad George's house as they wanted a bit of a lie in, which was fine with us too.
The boys had loads of fun opening yet more presents. Ellis was particularly happy with the face painting set and Leo loved his microwave. Oscar was a good boy too. He ate his lunch and even had a sleep in his blue chair which worked out great.
I received a new camera for Christmas which will take better quality videos and pictures and I got to have a little play on it for the first time. Here are the pictures and videos from our visit.
Leo was getting tired so we left so that he could have a sleep, which he did because we drove around until he dropped off. We arrived at my Mum and Dad's then to do it all again!
We did presents and got tons of lovely stuff. I loved my Britney t-shirt, calendar, perfume, bottle of Baileys, NIKE jacket and loads more. Fabulous!
Here are the videos and pictures from that visit.
We were all loaded up ready to go home. We had taken the kids out of some warm beds, woke them up and put them in a cold car, only for the car to stop working! The alternator was broken so we weren't going anywhere! My brother and his family were staying at my Mum and Dad's so there was no room at the Inn and my Dad ended up taking us home in their new car which was nice anyway. Phew, what a day! We unloaded and Rob went to bed but I stayed up to try and sort things out a little bit as it was total chaos. Very late night for me.
I was up at 9am the following morning and got on with sorting the place out. It looked like a bomb had gone off in a toy shop! We spent the whole day in pyjamas just chilling at home, playing on the new Xbox. I do have some videos of Ellis and I playing the dancing game but it isn't a pretty sight so will keep that one private I think.
The next few days really were just spent at home, playing with toys, sorting things out and having fun. I don't think we even got dressed.
On Thursday 29th Dec, my brother Mark and his family came over for a visit, to open more presents and to eat more food! We all had a lovely time and the cousins played nicely together. Ellis did some face painting. He put a pink blob on Megan's cheek and tried to make himself into a gorilla. We of course had a go on the new Xbox too. Here the photos and videos from the visit.
In the evening the boys were so much fun and usually I would tell them to calm down and get into bed but it was just nice to see them laughing and making me laugh so much too.
On the Friday I forgot we were having a new wardrobe delivered so that was a nice surprise. I spent quite a while sorting it all out and moving clothes around. Rob took Leo and Ellis to the local soft play which was great for them as they were getting very bored being stuck in.
Another surprise was an invite out with Sophie and a couple of her friends for some food and a few drinks which then ended up with some clubbing and 1am home time. I had good fun, wore my new top, and was driving so didn't wake up feeling bad the next day.
New years Eve we didn't do anything and after the boys were in bed I took down all the Christmas decorations. As the clocks struck 12, Rob was in bed and I was hoovering up tinsel. Nice.
New years day was just as boring.
The following day was a Tuesday and Ellis had an in service day so I had to take all 3 boys with me to Leo's gym class. I took my iPad with me and Ellis sat out playing while Leo had so much fun running around and doing roly polys. I zoomed home to put the boys in bed but after putting them there, I checked my phone only to see an invite from Charlotte to come over, doh! It was too late to get them up so Ellis and I had some lovely one on one time doing reading, writing, spelling and drawing.
I entertained the boys during the afternoon at home and we had a lovely time. I didn't worry about washing and stuff and just gave them my attention.
After the boys were in bed I got organised for going back to school as it had been a while since I had done it.
Rob worked from home the next day which was brilliant as I got to leave the young uns at home to take Ellis to school, then came back and finished getting Leo and Oscar dressed.
I dropped Leo at preschool and then felt very strange as I didn't even have Oscar with me. He was at home sleeping because his naps are all over the place from the Christmas break.
I had a lovely day with Oscar. I gave him so much attention and I had forgotten how much fun it was with my baby as he pretty much gets ignored when the other 2 are around. Rob helped me to try and film him walking with a walker but he wasn't having any of it. He does take a few steps around the sofa so I know it won't be long before he is zooming about the place.
We went to Jolly Babies together then I put him back in bed and went to pick Leo up. Rob was still home.
Everyone was shattered after their first day back, me included, so I put them in bed nice and early.
Thursday was just back to normal. Rob was still working from home which helped loads with the school run but our cleaner Nicki doesn't start back until next week. :o( We went up my Mum and Dad's for dinner where Dad and I both spilt drinks over with the handle of a pan, quite funny but you had to be there really.
I started this entry on the 5th and it has taken me 4 days to do! Hope you like the new sized pictures and layout. If not, let me know. I'm not sure what I think yet, it isn't too big a change, which suits me.
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