Tired

I may be 3 but I still need a nap some days!

Monday we went to Piggies Playbarn to meet up with some friends - Tom's new found confidence paid off and he went off without needing me to interact with him - fab!  I was hoping I would get a sleep out of Tom on our way back and yes I did - isn't this picture so cute?

Party Party Party

This weekend was a very busy weekend.  We had actually been invited to 3 parties - Matt managed all 3 (using his motorbike to zoom to one) whilst Tom and I managed 2.

Birthday girl blowing out the candles on her Miffy Cake

Saturday was the 3rd birthday of Mae - I was on cake duty: a big cake for Mae, another one for Lucy and cupcakes. All got a bit frantic at the end as Rachel's mum wanted to make the cakes but then got ill and I had another 3 , but it all got done in the end.

So the party was good - all very beautifully presented as you would expect from Rachel - the most beautiful tiny cakes made by the grandparents - and plenty of pastels adorning the room.  Most important of all though was a bouncy castle.  Tom didn't go for it initally, then would only go on it holding on to me, but luckily Sammie and Sophie were there.  Sammie managed to get Tom on to it and then as long as I hid from him he was happy as Larry and spent the day bouncing away.

Tom and Mae - what a beautiful couple

In fact he really got his confidence up which meant I was free to do as I wished.  Sammie pointed out to me that I could drink seeing as she had picked us up, so drink I did: 3 whole glasses of red wine - absolute bliss and because there was loads of party food I didn't have any bad effects - fabulous - it felt really good believe you me and by far the most I have drunk since conceiving Tom!

Sunday was Jessica's party.  Another bouncy castle and this time no looking back - he was straight on it - although if bigger children got on or there were too many children on it he would get off - not a bad strategy and once again we managed no tears, even though he got squashed a couple of times - a sure sign he is getting braver.

Tom with his balloon sword

Tom spent most of this party with Mae - he was absolutely delighted to see her and ran straight up to her to give her a huge hug and kiss.  At one stage they were running round the hall holding hands and lots of hugs and kisses were going on - so so sweet and for the first time Phil could see it all he was suitably charmed although there was talk of shot guns (he has a licence as does one of the other NCT Dads).

Tom was so confident doing his own thing that at one stage I felt like a spare part and began to think that maybe I should try to socialise with some of the adults - a very strange feeling - I am so used to having a clingy child with me.

So, another plate of party food, more bouncing, more cake and then goodbyes.  Tom was asleep in minutes on the way home - well deserved he certainly played hard.

Next weekend we should be going to 2 more parties but they clash so it will just be the one, then one more and party season will be over for a while and we will have to entertain Tom by ourselves at the weekend!

Oh and on Sunday night Tom informed us that Mae is his best friend - didn't even know he knew that expression!

Oh and last week Tom officially started pre-school and LOVED it - which is amazing seeing as he is small and timid.  He was so proud, happy and excited to be in the big room - it really is a joy to see.  So nice not to have to go through grief with him, so I am proud, happy and excited too.  Tell you what though - it is sooooo noisy in there and some of the kids are quite big.  Somehow he has managed to get a couple of older children to look after him - so I think he should be fine.

Zoo!

On Saturday we met up with Grannie, Grandpa and Auntie Jude at Chester Zoo.  We were incredibly fortunate as 1) it didn't rain and 2) ALL the animals came out to play.

Tom did really well considering he had all his close family to hand and didn't seem at all overwhelmed, in fact he spread his love really well, sharing his time quite equally between everyone, apart from wanting to go to the loo every 20 minutes and getting tired towards the end of our time there, he was really well behaved.

First stop was the elephants - including some little dumbos - they were fed inside and then plodded outside for us.  Next stop was the giraffes - my favourite, it was too cold for these to be outside, we found them munching away in their house - there was a baby there, but already quite tall.  

Next stop was the reptile house and then the jaguars.  Both jaguars were out and about playing.   One on top of a tree stump and the other prowling - Tom was engrossed with the 'cat' so we stayed a while watching them.

Tiger family - Chester Zoo

We then stopped for lunch - paninis and cakes all round - Tom did best of all as he had a bit of everyone's sandwiches - and ate everything without any bother: he was sitting next to Grannie and Grandpa so was on his best behaviour. I was sat next to him but was told in no uncertain terms that I had to vacate so Grandpa could sit next to him - I know my place!

Once suitably refreshed we headed to the Orang utans who were out playing and swinging - including some babies - they were very entertaining. 

Sleepy cub

We then found our way to the tigers and believe it or not the two tiger cubs were out right in front of the viewing platform - we couldn't believe our luck.  They were sooooooooo cute - the two cubs were playing with each other, one got pushed off the platform and became a bundle of fur on the ground.  We spent quite a while watching them, then Tom saw the monorail and decided he had to go on it - so the two grandfathers were sent with him and the rest of us walked.

We went to the monkey house - where Tom learned to 'oo - oo - oo - oo' and swing his arms like a monkey (thanks for the lesson Auntie Jude).  By this time he was getting grumpy and we decided to make it a day - we had had such luck with everything we had seen, thought it better to leave whilst we were ahead.

Little & Large

We then drove to Auntie Jude's house - Tom fell asleep (even though he was in the front seat) and we managed to successfully transfer him to her bed, however, he turned over and bumped his head on her windowsill so that was that.  We decided that a bit of cake would cheer him up so I got it out, planted 3 candles in it and we all sang happy birthday to him.  It was a test, if he didn't recognise it, no more cakes would come to him.  He passed the test: 'Doctor Yellow!', 'Cake!'. Once he had consumed a slice he perked up and was ready to open yet more presents.  This he did with suitable panache - a lot of train bits and pieces from Grannie and Grandpa - including a signal box, engine shed and tunnel, all of which were very well received.  He got another Driver Ted DVD from Auntie Jude which I'm looking forward to showing him.

Doctor Yellow Cake
(Japanese Bullet Train for those wondering!)

We then had a mad display with his duck which he waved manically in the air and then threw in a random direction.  It was hilariously funny - Grannie was almost crying with laughter at one stage.  Once a reed diffuser had almost got knocked over, we called it a day and said our goodbyes.  Then home, stew, bath and bed.

A really good day and once again we were all shattered at the end.  

Thanks to everyone for Tom's pressies - all have been well received, we are all looking forward to playing with them.

I'm 3!

Rrrrip - the paper flew off

Can't quite believe it but Tom turned 3 on Friday.  Time really is speeding up now.  Everyone keeps telling me that before I know it he'll be at school which will open up a whole new era - guess I need to enjoy every moment now - especially as with his talking he so much fun.

We spent this week explaining to him that it was his birthday and that although he was 2.5 now he would be 3 on Friday because it was his birthday.  His first words on Friday were 'it's my birthday' and 'I'm 3', so I think it sunk in :0)

In my froggie tent

We allowed him to open 2 pressies before breakfast - one from Matt - a Totoro and one from me - a scribbler.  Guess what: the Totoro was favourite by some way!  He fell in instant love, definitely a new best friend.  He went down to see Granma and Pop Pop in bed had a play, came back and then we all got up for breakfast.

Present unwrapping took quite a while - as was the case at Christmas, he wanted to play with everything as he unwrapped it, but we managed to convince him to move on, and when he was concentrating he was pretty good.  His favourite present remained the Totoro, and his second favourite was a froggie tent his Granma and Pop Pop bought him - in fact he went quite loopy with the two things as can be seen in the video.

Unwrapping pressies

As the weather wasn't being good to us and ice and snow were still on the ground as well as it being pretty cold we decided that the best birthday treat would be to take him on the train to Codsall for a pub lunch and back again.  This we did and he enjoyed it as predicted.  He sat really still on the outward journey on the train, watching everything and commenting on everything he could see out the window.  We had a small lunch at the pub - bacon baps for grandparents and Matt, a cheese bap for me and a cheese sandwich for Tom.  I ordered a sandwich rather than a bap for Tom as I thought it would be smaller - how wrong I was - he ended up with the biggest lunch of us all - a doorstep of a sandwich with a wedge of mature cheese in it.  Anyway he enjoyed it especially as we ordered him some curly fries as well.

Testing out my pirate sleeping bag

The train was a bit fuller on the way back, and Tom more of a fidget - a sign he was getting tired (well he was over excited in the morning) so when we got back he went to bed and straight to sleep.  In the afternoon Rachel, Mae and Lucy came round to say happy birthday to Tom which was lovely.  Tom and Mae played together really well and Lucy was adorable as always.

They left at 5, the Gouges then came round with a pressie for Tom, we then shot out to Shifnal Cottage - what else could we eat on Tom's birthday other than curry!  As is usually the case Tom ate up, and was made a fuss of by Abdul who gave him huge amounts of chocolate and a free ice-cream.  He certainly enjoyed his birthday to the max and went to bed unbathed but happy.

The adults then crashed out on the sofa with whiskys in hand.

Snow

Winter finally arrived in Shropshire this weekend, Saturday saw a big snow storm including freezing cold wind.  All very exciting unless you have a toddler who doesn't like the wind whom you have to transport on foot from a party back home as his Daddy has got the car for the day!  It doesn't happen very often that we need 2 cars but this Saturday was one of those.

Tom & Mummy in Granville Nature Reserve

Originally we were all going to go on the West Midlands Translator's walk, but it dawned freezing cold and I really didn't think it would be a good idea to take Tom with us - he hates the cold and there was a biting wind.  So Tom and I went to Seren's party instead.  It wasn't far away - in Muxton, but we had the conundrum of how to get Tom home.  First idea was bike - but the wind was too bad, then pram - got the pram out of the shed, tyres were flat, borrowed a pump from the neighbours, the tyres burst! Only option left to us was the rucksack carrier.  So after the party (not a great success, Tom went into clingy, shy mode and wouldn't play - although he did win the pass the parcel - a fantastic Thomas play set) I wrapped him up as a Michelin man and walked back home through the snow and wind.  He was obviously very content as I could hear him snoring in my ear!  I did get some strange looks from motorists and other pedestrians though!  Matt had a very cold, snowy walk and took quite a while to get home.

Tom in his 'Babbie Tom' suit & sunglasses

As there were a couple of inches of snow on the ground on Sunday we got the sledge out to have some fun.  Well. Mummy and Daddy had fun, Tom decided that it wasn't fun to slide on the sledge and would only sit on it if we pulled it at walking pace (humpfh - he doesn't know how to have fun sometimes!)  I did a couple of runs and ended up under a tree at one point!  Dad did the same.  We managed to get Tom to go a couple of times, but it was under duress and he didn't really enjoy it.  We decided to go to The Club for lunch so drove to the Granville car park and had Tom on a sledge going slow all the way to the club which was just about acceptable. 

Toilet Training Success

A momentous day in the life of Tom.  Today for the first time he pooed in the toilet.  This has been a LONG time coming.  I think I was more excited than him when it happened.

We have put together a reward chart for him and promised him a play on the Severn Valley Railway if he poos in the toilet 5 times.  Fingers crossed the bribe works...