Like a Bird on a Wire

But a bit more south London

I wonder how they got up there?  And how the owner felt about having to go home bare foot (although maybe they had spare shoes with them, who knows).

It’s been two weeks since I last blogged (or read anyone elses, come to that).  It feels like less than that, but also more.  Time is doing some weird stretchy concertina type things for me at the moment.  I think because I’m struggling with the boy’s allergy.  I have felt angry (not sure who with), sad (for him and for the life he’ll need to lead), guilty (pointless, I know, but I still feel it).  I’ve tried to take it on the chin and remember that far worse things happen at sea (a favourite saying of my mother or possibly my grandmother, I’ve never known why) but it’s hard not to think that it’s all a bit bloody unfair.

There are lots of positive aspects to it – he’s very young and will never know anything else; his reaction was, in the world of anaphylaxis, quite slow (10 minutes before he collapsed); there is a lot of information nowadays about nut allergies so I was quickly able to find out the nature of the beast; I’ve had an enormous amount of support from family and friends and have discovered that the friends I’ve got are really good ones (I knew that but it’s nice to have it confirmed).  You see?  Lots of positives.

Unfortunately, the negatives far outweigh the positives.  The fear that follows me everywhere is tiring me out and whilst he may not know any different it is still crap that he will have to live the rest of his life having to be so careful about what he eats.

On another note, it’s also hard to believe that the boy turned 2 yesterday.  We had a lovely day.  Grandma, Grandpa and Aunty D came over for lunch and the boy was thoroughly spoilt.  LNFATR also popped in with her two gorgeous boys.  I made a cake which, as usual, I can see loads of flaws in.  The boy was quite taken with it but the girl wanted to know why there was only one giraffe.  She’s got high standards, I’m not sure my cakes will ever live up to her expectations (or mine, come to that).  Ho hum.

The girl took a healthy interest in the boy’s presents,

and was thrilled to see Aunty D

I was amazed, and grateful, that it was warm enough in October for them to go and run around outside without having to be bundled up first.

Flowers

The husband always gives me a beautiful bouquet on our wedding anniversary.  This year was no different.

This One Goes Out To The One I Love

Six years ago today I married the man I love.

One year ago I posted a relatively light-hearted post about our wedding and anniversary.

This year I’m feeling a bit more serious.

One year ago I thought that the husband and I had gone through pretty much everything we could, and survived fairly unscathed.

This year, I realised that the husband is even more to me than I knew.

This year, I learnt that when our world suddenly tilts and throws me off balance the husband will be there to steady me.

This year I feel more secure than ever in our future.

Happy anniversary, my lovely boy.

Ouch

Why do things like this look worse on the second day?

Old Song, New Words

Apparently all the cool kids are singing this version of Twinkle Twinkle.

We went to London today to the Aquarium (I have a free ticket for a year so thought I’d better use it) and the girl serenaded me with it on the train on the way in.

We stopped for lunch at M&S (nice clear and sensible labelling – no “this might have been a near a nut at some point” warnings on things that patently obviously haven’t been, like fresh fruit) and had a picnic in the shadow of the London Eye.

Both children ended up with a change of clothes following disastrous incidences with smoothies.  Note to self, buy drinks in cartons with straws – don’t expect the under 4’s to drink safely from a wide mouth bottle.

The Aquarium has been tarted up recently and there’s a lot more to it than there was before.  Both kids really enjoyed it, particularly the new Shark Walk.  You walk over (I hope) reinforced glass over the shark tank.  I felt slightly sick walking over it but the girl and boy both seemed to quite like it.

After our Aquarium visit the boy fell asleep in the buggy, so the girl and I had a sneaky ice-cream.  The cornet bit of a Mr Whippy is generally made in a factory that might have processed nuts at some point so I haven’t let the boy have one recently.  The girl has been denied a few lately, with no complaint from her, so I felt she deserved one.  I scrubbed us both down with a wet wipe afterwards and we drank loads of water.  It was absolutely fine, we breathed on the boy once he’d woken up and he didn’t keel over.  I can feel my paranoia beginning to subside a little.

All in all we had a really good day until it was time to go home.

The girl had a major disaster whilst running across a bridge.  It was the most odd falling over I’ve seen – she landed on hands and knees as usual (thus assuring grazed hands and bruised knees – a fairly normal state of affairs) but then tipped over straight onto her face.  She still has her milk teeth but the first thing I checked was her teeth – I’ve got to channel that spare paranoia somewhere.  They were ok.  Her nose, however, didn’t fare so well.  Can you see the scrapes on it as well as the really obvious ones underneath?

Happiness Is

a girl in pigtails sneaking a sit down in her brother’s highchair

Goose

When I started this blog it was a photo 365 blog and I had a few ideas for photo’s I could take that weren’t of my children (failed there, it has been mostly my children featuring in the pics).

One of my plans was to take a picture of the geese that fly over our house every day. Unfortunately, they don’t fly over at the same time every day and although they honk as they’re going over, you don’t get very much warning.  I’ve got my camera out seconds too late so many times in the last 21 months.

Yesterday I decided to walk to nursery to drop the boy off and we walked through what is essentially a field behind our local school.  There were plenty of magpies and blackbirds pecking away at the grass and on the far side some birds that looked much, much bigger.  As I looked at them they stood up, started walking towards us and then took off and flew right over us.

I had time to get the camera out and aim this time and still didn’t get a decent shot.  Guess those geese are still on my list!

Peek-a-Boo

While we were away we went to visit the husband’s Grandma and Grandpa.  They have a doll’s house that the girl is fascinated by.  She spent ages re-arranging all the furniture and playing with the dolls.

Last time we visited them, the girl was extremely shy.  I think she spent the whole time on my lap.  This time, however, both she and the boy were the givers of many hugs which were happily received by their Great Grandparents.

The Disadvantage of Height

My husband will tell you that while there are advantages, there are also disadvantages to being tall (and at 6ft 5 he’d know).

Bashing your head on door frames is one.  Finding a bed big enough to sleep in without your feet sticking out of the end is another.

A third disadvantage is when your wife tries to take a picture of you and her standing together by just holding the camera at arms length and chops half of both your heads off.

I have an odd affection for this picture.

The husband repaid me by taking a lovely picture of me with the kids (note the boy’s snazzy backpack – it’s quite understated for a lifesaver, don’t you think?).  Thanks, fabulous husb.

Away

We’re away for a couple of days and I possibly won’t be able to access the internet or my emails (and breathe) so don’t worry, we’re ok (as we can be) and I’ll probably post again on Monday.