Tuesday 28 April 2009

A busy April

The boys are back at school and pre-school now for the summer term. Sean is nearing the end of P2 and Finn will soon be preparing for the step up to P1! We better hang on before these days zoom by at an ever-increasing rate. Mind you, there are days when the boys' bedtime can't come quick enough.

Rowan is quite a handful at the moment, loud, repetitive, insistent and quick to tears when he doesn't get his way. He has made the transition from cot to bed with no bother at all, helped no doubt by his breaking in period of having his increasingly sporadic daytime naps in his "big boy bed." Once he's had his stories, songs and music (Classic FM is played on the stairwell radio for the bedtime benefit of the boys) and is asleep, we have been closing his door so he has a completely dark room. He has been instructed to wait for Sean or Finn to come and get him in the morning when it's wake-up time and barring a couple of early starts in the first few days when he was calling for their attention, he has been heeding that rule. It makes a change for Rowan to take heed of anything.

Sean got his silver merit certificate last week. Finn was making a "sprite" at pre-school yesterday. He planted seeds in a pot and drew a face on the pot. Once the seeds grow it'll be like hair and they'll get to cut it once it gets long. On that topic, the boys all had hair-cuts last week. It makes Sean look younger, Finn smarter and Rowan more grown up. When you see the three of them interacting Rowan certainly holds his own. Watching them brushing their teeth last week I was wondering how I'd got to this point in my life. If you told me ten years ago I'd be married and sitting watching my three lads messing over the toothpaste I would have been very surprised!

It was mayhem last Tuesday morning. Jane from Largs stayed over with her three youngsters as she was part of a Pampered Chef Pampered evening that Sharon was hosting in the house. With six kids aged six and under around the breakfast table it was a relief to escape with Sean to the school! Marie bade farewell after her extended stay, no doubt to go home for a rest from making curtains and cushions and cleaning and keeping an eye on the boys. Sharon and I are very pleased with the sitting room now. We just hope we can keep the room in order and away from the boys' ravages.

I took the Wallace Three to Aberdour on Saturday. We ended up there rather than set out for there but the boys seemed to enjoy the day enough. We picnicked illicitly in the lee of Aberdour Castle then walked a path that ran alongside the railway line. Every passing train elicited great excitement as carriages were counted and speed was noted. After a circular walk collecting leaves, and a snack back at the car, we found a cake shop and then a playpark with a tunnel slide that was the centre of attention, with Rowan determined to go down it even though his brothers had to help him up the platform steps to the top. Lastly we found the smaller of Aberdour's beaches and the boys built a rudimentary sandcastle which they decorated with shells and a seaweed moat. It was good fresh air for them all and gave Sharon some time to herself, although she does feel she's missing out at the moment. She managed a swim with Wendy in our absence.

The Buddies fell at the Scottish Cup semi-final hurdle, losing a goal to Rangers after 74 seconds and eventually going down 3-0. I watched the game recorded on the V+ box which seemed a wise move in retrospect, given the scoreline. Having enjoyed two thrilling Liverpool 4-4 draws on TV in the last two weeks, watching Scottish football was the sporting equivalent of "auld claes and porridge." I've just had my second and last indoor net practice in preparation for the forthcoming cricket season. I bowled and batted OK but, given the timing of Wee Wallace 4, I may have limited opportunity to put them to the test in matches this season.

No comments: