I feel like we've just gone through a month of milestones and tomorrow we have one more, one for the photo album and memory books!
I'm ashamed I haven't written my blog in a month especially as there has been so much to report on. So many memories missed!! From filling the living room with decorations to celebrate another year of Mark and George finally cutting the teeth I've spent four weeks looking for at the start of the month to moving house in the middle, George starting a new nursery, Alby starting tae Kwan do lessons, Alby starting after school club, a family itrip to the London to see the CBeebies Prom, to present day with (drum roll please) Alby starting school tomorrow.
Although actually I don't need a drum roll. My little lad is absolutely ready to start school and I'm just excited for him. He is going to have so much fun. He is going to make so many friends and learn so much. I'm not saying it's been without emotion. Alby is really sad at having had to leave his best friend Charlie and there are nerves about having to start again, but he's visited the school, he's met the teacher, he knows where his classroom is and he's going to be just fine. If not better than fine.
And to top it all, we are totally prepared. I may indeed be guilty of some last minute sewing this evening, but the clothes are labelled, permission forms signed and book bag packed. Not that Alby has a clue. He's too busy thinking about the pizza he will get for lunch on Tuesday. And his ninja turtle cookie awaiting him after school tomorrow.
George has been setting his own milestones over the past few weeks. As well as cutting four teeth in a week (not so clever) and, most recent of all, deciding that the hours of 10pm and midnight are good for mummy cuddles (he is currently lying next to me literally just falling asleep) again not so clever, we've had some flashes of genius.
He is proving a dab hand at tennis and cricket. The boy has serious skills. He has also tripled his vocabulary. As well as cries of "mama" and "da" we now get "daddy", "mummy", "baaa", "moo", "woof woof", "neigh", "tweet", "toot toot", "ne naw, ne naw", "narna", "bobba", apple", "bubble", "ball" and, our two favourites "woah" and "Alby".
Inspired by TV favourite Mr Tumble he will cup his hand to his face and call loudly for people. Or almost, more he cups his hand over his mouth and shout through his fingers.
Following a weekend with GG he learnt "nose" which he can say and point to, albeit sometimes with very scratchy fingers. He remains a keen dancer now having aced "row row row your boat", "if you're happy and you know it" and most recently, the "shake break" (don't ask).
He loves dinner time. Especially if provided with a fork as he is a keen food shoveller. Unless it's fish. Fish he just rams into his face in large fistfuls.
As I say, genius.
It's hard for a four year old to compete with this level of genius but let's not go thinking Alby isn't developing. He has taken an interest in learning to read and in maths, although the latter seems to mostly come in the form of pop arithmetic tests for mummy. He has suddenly got colouring and has spent days on the same picture to get it just right. We've also done a good few science experiments, most recently growing a crystal tree. He is absolute ace on his bike and has done really well at rugby and his new ninja class. A bit of bribery and new goggles and he'll put his face underwater too which is a bigger step than I can fully explain in words.
Most however I would say his negotiation skills and manipulation skills have seen most improvement.
Somebody told him about pinky promises which are called upon daily to seal deals on how much TV he can watch, where we go on walks, what games we will play, what junk food he will eat each day/meal....
And finally, he has rediscovered his cars. For months they've been sitting in the toy cupboard untouched but now they are in continuous races or football games. Whether it's because George is older and not quite so destructive or because he has a new house to turn into a race track I've no idea but he loves them and that makes me happy. Last week I even saw George line up a few cars for the first time. Bless him. I don't know what he'll do without Alby in the house. They have barely spent a day apart in eight months. I suspect the house will seem very big and empty this week.
