Saturday 26th February 2011

Today a long awaited dream came true for my Meggie and she became the very proud and happy owner of Titch, a tiny black and white girl cat.

When she was 7 Si and I promised that we would give Megs a puppy for her 10th birthday, at an age we felt she would be mature enough to take on the responsibility of a pet and for 3 long years she waited.....just short of 3 weeks before her 10th birthday we immigrated and moved into rented accommodation where pets weren't allowed.

My brave little girl fought her disappointment and took it on the chin and it has taken us almost another 3 years to find ourselves in the position of allowing her her own pet. After many long and agonising discussions and reams and reams of paper being used on pro and cons lists Megs decided that due to their exceptionally high maintenance (and the fact that I am expecting a new baby and can't commit to helping her) a puppy really wasn't an option any more....final decision, we would look for a kitten she could call her own.

On Wednesday afternoon we received the much anticipated call from one of the two pet stores in West Sussex licenced to sell kittens letting us know that a litter would be arriving today and we were high enough on the waiting list to come in and meet them. After another night of discussion it was a unanimous family decision that Phill would be allowed a kitten too so that they could be raised together.

Megs was very quiet all the way up to Crawley, almost as if she couldn't believe it was finally happening. As soon as we entered the store and she spotted "Titch" there was a soul connection and Megs knew she had found her little friend. Titch is the runt of the litter (so in keeping with my Meg) but filled with feist and personality so it was love at first sight for both of them.

Phil took a little more time to make his connection but soon settled on Lunar, a gorgeous little black kitten with white paws, slightly more timid than her sister but wonderfully endearing. Two very happy children made their way home, a kitten in each lap and it has been lovely to watch them both playing "mother" as we settle the new babies into our home.

An Anxious Moment

I am having a bit of a panicky moment and decided the best way to deal with it is to get it down....document my fears and maybe work through them at the same time.

We have just arrived home from a lovely day with Amanda in Tonbridge and the house is all quiet and peaceful, Megs is up in the bath (reading), Phil is on the couch watching telly and my little Nick Nick is curled up next to me on my recliner, watching telly and absent mindedly stroking my arm and giving it the occasional squeeze.

Hence my panicky moment...were is this little angel going to snuggle when I am breast feeding or dealing with our new little bundle. Nicholas and I have been together almost every moment for the last 910 days (give our take a few) and we are incredibly close....I can't help worrying how he will cope with his new sibling.

When Philly came into our lives Megs had her Gran close by to pick up the slack and give her the undivided attention when her Dad wasn't home....but what about Nick, yes my Mom will be with us for the first 6 weeks but after that this little man is going to have to grow up so quickly and the thought makes me a little sad and, if I am honest, more than a little anxious.

I am delighted with this pregnancy and the thought that our little family will be complete, and I know in the rational parts of my brain that another "little" one will be the best thing for Nick in the long run, he will have a companion in his age group and he will learn all those important life lessons having a close sibling will afford him BUT he won't be my BABY anymore and I am not sure if either he or I are ready for that :(

The Secret

A couple of years ago there was a lot of hype around a little book called "The Secret", some believed in it passionately and some slated it as non-christian nonsense....me I found it profoundly wise and some of the passages continue to resonate with me today.

I have alway counted myself as an extremely blessed person and although "The Secret" refers to it as "the universe" I have never doubted that God works in my life daily and through my relationship with Him all things are possible. I have been able to "manifest" many wonderful things into my life and it struck me today as I drove home from a craft group with Nicholas that our new home is no exception.

In September 2008, Nicholas and I attended a NCT post-natal course in Burgess Hill and I remember on our first visit turning into Howard Avenue and thinking to myself....WOW I would LOVE to live here. Today as I turned into the same road (the very one we now live in) I had a dejevu moment and remembered that thought....and guess what that is EXACTLY were we live.

Don't ever underestimate the power of prayer and of sending things out into the universe, it is only when we BELIEVE that good things can and will come to us that they do.......just a little thought, it has ALWAYS worked very well for me :0)

Tuesday 22nd February 2011

The children are on half-term break and I confess to simply LOVING the late, lazy morning starts and lack of rush and pressure.

There is something hugely decadent about rolling over when Si leaves at 7am and knowing that I can rise when I want and when I do it will be to loll in my jammies for at least another hour, browsing the net, facebooking and eating chocci biscuits (rules go out the window during hols).

We are blessed in that our children get along really well (or most of the time that is) and to see them all cuddled together watching telly or playing games is such a treat....all is def good with the world at the moment :0)

Friday 18th February 2011

It is no secret that I have had my fair share of phone calls from Phill's schools over the years regarding discipline problems and bad attitude displayed in the classroom. It has been my opinion throughout that the boy is bored and needs huge extension to keep him gainfully occupied while at school and sadly it is something which he hasn't always been given.

I am thrilled and delighted to say that we finally have a teacher this academic year who agrees with me and under her firm but fair hand he is absolutely thriving. He has been chosen to attend the accelerated maths program, Science Master class and now the Big Bang UK Young Scientist and Engineers Fair and since September his whole approach to learning has changed. He has finally realised that what he puts in to school is what he gets out and the more he gives his teachers the more he will be selected for these "Gifted and Talented Children" programs.

I cannot describe how proud Si and I are of him and it is beyond wonderful to see him finally reaching his full potential.

Wednesday 16th February 2011

As luck would have it today dawned with lovely blue skies and moderate temperatures and as I suspected it was like a soothing balm for my spirits. Kerry and little Zac joined us nice and early for our weekly get together and as the weather was so much improved we decided to go for a walk to our nearby park for the boys to stretch their legs.

Although there is quite a big gap in their ages the boys get along so well and today was no exception, they both enjoyed themselves immensely and Nick was completely worn out by the time the Viljoens left for home at 3pm.

Today was just what I needed, good friends and warm weather, to make me feel more like my normal self.

Tuesday 15th February 2011

Feeling a little blaaggg today....life just seems a little relentless at the moment and there is just ALWAYS something else urgent that needs doing. Si, I am pleased to say is much better on his meds and returned to work this morning, Nicholas on the other hand is a different story and has come down with the most hideous head cold which has put paid to potty training as he is adamant about not wanting to even try today.

I do try hard not to let days like today (grey, cold and filled with weekly deep clean) get me down and not sure if it is due to the pregnancy and persistently painful pelvis but I just don't seem to be succeeding....bit of a stone day today, maybe tomorrow the sun will shine and my spirits will lift.

Sunday 13th February 2011

Si returned home from work on Friday with a stiff neck and feeling a little bit grim, assuming it was just a touch of flu, he took some paracetamol and had an early night. Saturday was more of the same and by this morning he was completely unable to move his neck.

Faced with the prospect of a maximum 4 hours wait at our local A&E department we decided to try and ring our local emergency doctor instead. Now having been confronted continually by negative comments about the inefficiency of the NHS I wasn't holding out much hope to be honest, and was pleasantly surprised when my call was answered (in person and not by an electronic voice) after just a few rings and a very pleasant and efficient lady handled my call.

Si was listed as urgent and within 20 minutes I had been called back by a doctor and Si had an appointment scheduled at our local emergency surgery. We arrived at 9.20am (appointment was 9.30am) where shown straight in and 10 mins later Si had a diagnosis of severe neck spasms, a prescription in hand and an instruction to see his GP in the morning to be referred for intensive physio therapy.

So as for inefficiency....well not in our experience....in fact I think it is the fastest I have EVER been seen by a doctor.

Am trying to potty train Nick at the moment which is making for a slightly manic weekend between playing nurse and cleaning accidents but hey ho, better to be busy then bored they say lol

Saturday 12th February 2011

Life has returned to some semblance of normality....as I type Phill is curled up in the lounge watching telly, Nick is pottering around trashing the house lol, while Megs is tucked up in bed with her new love....a good book. Si and I have enjoyed breakfast together and the boys and I are about to head down to Brighton on the train for Philly to do some shopping.

Can't describe how nice it is not to have loads of pressing work to do on the house and for the first time it really and truly feels like home rather than a project. Sometimes I feel like I need to pinch myself to wake up from this magical dream.

Thursday 10th February 2011

It has been a long time without internet and life really has changed DRAMATICALLY in the last 11 days.

We are now fully in the house and after many many many hours of hard work and back breaking slog it is beginning to feel like home. We have been totally overwhelmed by the kindness and support of our friends, and almost everyone has had a go at helping us in some way or another.

We are all enjoying the extra space the "breakaway" rooms seem to have given us and although the property is by no means massive it has a nice spacious feeling to it and when the sun shines is gorgeous and light.

Nicholas is the only one finding it a little hard to settle, but considering what he has been through in the last month with the move and going into a new big boy bed it isn't surprising really. He has become very "ma vas" and doesn't like me to be very far from his side... I am sure it will settle soon but it must be very confusing when you have been going to one home for two years and then suddenly one day you are told you are going home and it is a completely different location.

The two older children are both loving the new house and it's close proximity to parks and the local swimming pool. Megs has a friend from school who lives nearby and she enjoyed running home alone after dark the other night having been visiting after school. The area is very quiet and I am yet to hear my neighbours.....looks like God has been smiling on us again and we have found a very happy place to call our home.