TERRIBLE TWOS AND SUCH?!

Half term has been and gone! Another week of all sorts! Its been nearly two weeks of constant celebrations...Mama has come all the way from Romania, and we had enjoyed two big and fat and exciting parties for the Diamond Jubilee of our beloved Queen Elisabeth and some lovley long sleeps, cuddles and such. This weekend we had the Dickensian Festival which we had dropped in to see for a little while, then we enjoyed Shorne Country Park on Sunday. We are so blesed we have fab places around us to go and enjoy.

 My two wonderful boys are scooting together so very well. In this photo above I recognise my dad (in Reuben) and my mum undoubtedly in Zac. Its sooo scary but so exciting...to have them so very much like my parents who I loved and miss so much...but also to see my kids for whom they are really Reuben and Zac.

 Everyone was looking at my Zac scooting around as though he was born on wheels. Yeah, I know should have had his helmet and all on but my kids never did the helmet thing and their coordination is just brilliant. I am not saying they are not accidental cause God knows we had our fair share but they seem to be better on wheels then on foot!!:))) I really must get them some helmets. Anyway, Zac was so good on his scooter that I just had to start showing off myself too and I loved it...I might get a scooter myself after all its a healthy excercise.

 Zac, gosh he is such a good footballer...I am forever hoping soon he will be spotted and picked up for England team cause he is got some kicks and also he has good juggling or whatever thats called ...he passes on the ball brilliantly...I do have two brothers that are fab at football and rather crazy for it too...but I am no Beckham myself:) I am looking for a football activity for both boys if anyone happens to know any pls contact me ASAP.

 Dickensian Festival meant some trains and generally expensive rides at both Castle and Vines Park. Here he just seen his neighbour and friend Henry Charles whom we have not seen for a while ....they really did enjoy a bit of a ride.

 Some of the activities during half term were just painting and chilling and making things. here we made a house for peppa pig out of some cardboard packadgeing.

 mama has done the best soups while here. This is carrott and cauliflower soup with potatoes too..Zac had 4 servings.

 Although he wasnt so very keen on mama at times he did enjoy a cuddle or two...! Zac still has wonderful 2 hour long naps day time and I get to nap sometimes too. I am loving his naps and hope they last as long as Reuben;s which was nearly til he was 4 and often he does have a sleep even now at mid day or when Zac naps.

We did some gardening too...we now have strawberries, tomatoes, various flowers and beans (yes R has beans) in the garden. Now while we were gardening....we found about 20 snails...and Zac loved collecting them. He also wanted to eat them...just like his brother some 3 years ago...yuk...whats wrong with my boys?! - Still, I have to say he did not eat them and got the idea they were to be sent to a better world...snail heaven as I do want to enjoy both my plants and my flowers....
I am noticing a lot of temper with Zac, he thrives when out and about and loves loves eating after a good hour or so of fun, His favourite place right now is KIDZ ZONE and I am kind of promising 1ce a week to take him there. I like the fact that we have activities that suit us and since I moved both boys to the top floor its sane again in my house. I am noticing that Reuben leads the play for Zac and although only 2 and 4 months Zac happily plays with Reuben with whatever Reuben happens to play. Today both wanted to be ninjas so I had to dress them up in toilet paper as really thats all I can afford right now:)) but really was so much fun I was slightly taken aback and now I am contemplating what other games we can do with toilet paper....I guess we could have a tracking and ballancing game too....
I hope soon Zac drops his temper and we can have some peaceful conversations. it would also help if the rain would just stop so we can enjoy some sunshine and garden play....after all its summer and really seems we only had seldom sunshine this year so far. Well I surley know what we are now praying for on a daily basis. But hey ho at least we are not ill. THANK GOD FOR OUR HEALTH and all.

 Beautuful and sunny weather for the last week and a half meant a lot of wonderful time out and about!!! Yay Summer made its way to England. While my mum reported massive heatwaves in Romania we saw nothing but rain and rain and rain again and after a long winter I even found myself saying to a friend "I am looking forward to spring" - yeah cause I did not really remeber we had a spring time. One of the first things we have aquired these past days was this bubble machine...compared to the last ELC one this is rubbish and I really should have bought 3 for 2 as this one is already on its last leg. Never the less the day we got it Zac was all day extatic!!

 So last week was all about being ill....a long trail of sicknesses starting with the much desired chicken pox, we had conjunctivitis, swollen tonsils, chest infection and such as I was fed up well and truley....so I had phoned mum (in Romania) once again and called her to rescue me....from going insane. She laughed and said she will be here by Wednesday....!! YAY! I love having a wonderful mum who is always ready to come and give me that support no one else can...I am so thankful for her. Zac recently when I got the sewing machine out immediatley exclaimed "Mama" I was totally surprised she remebered my mum used the machine last.

 Pentechost Sunday we all took off to the sea side. Camber Sands this time as I have heard so much about it...! Well I shall never go back to that place as the nearest toilet was about half hour away and it made me feel I was in the DESERT in terms of scenary. I know I should not complain it was a fabulous sunny day (totally burt ...no roasted us even with the 50spf) but being in the South East of England we have so many more and pictoresque places like Botany Bay, Joss Bay, Broadstairs, Whistable, Margate just to name a few. I must soon make a list of my favourites. the trouble is even we have loads loads of sea around us with really a lot of different places to go to when the whole of South East sees the sun everyone goes off to the sea side and its queques and lots of crancky people....on the road.

 The sea in England is actually horribly dirty. Don;t ever remember ever seeing nice clear water. You go in for a swim and its like swimming in dirt but without swimming its just no fun being at the seaside. Here I was attempting to get Zac into the spirit but he is not that interested. I was amazed that he played so so well for hours in the sand....he was sooo good. I went several times in the water to cool down and Reuben (my swimming champion was right behind me) its reassuring to see at least one of my kids takes after me when it comes to water....

 After many attempts of the old ones to jump over the pole here is the trial of the little ones. In the blue you see Zac;s favourite friend Andrei...they have a love and hate relationship at the moment. they seem to be all very funny with regards to wanting each others companionship yet not to touch the toys one has laid eyes on. Having said that they do seem to be getting over that...or well so I hope.

 I was doing a lot of clearing this last two weeks, boys clothes were finally relooked at and sorted out (it made me sad to have to pass on Zac's clothes and make space for new summer clothes as with R I used to store them for Zac) my boys have grown so much since last summer I hardly was able to use anything from the last summer...so also went for a little shopping spree to make sure they do have the summer essenstials....
The above photo happened as I decided to get rid of all paints and craft stuff it suddenly occured to me I should really make use of them and let kids be creative in the garden so here we go...

 Doesnt normally happen but one sunny day after school we had stopped at my best friend's Mrs, Vasile and did an impromptu chinese take away in the garden. It was about 4pm when I rang the chinese take away and asked if I could have an order...the lady informed me they were only opening at 5:30 but I think she heard my tummy rumbling and imagined my face and she agreed to make me some food and let me collect 15 mins later....it was a good success.

When we did our shopping spree we stopped for some icecream. I love this shop altgough you can hardly see it, Its in Maidstone ( at the back of the Royal Arcades) Zac was in his element and loved the day. He has got spoilt and even let him onlyhave a very short nap...which meant he was well tired when we got home.

It feels like its been ages since I last wrote but really life is so busy with two....I find the days just go so quickly and each time I make a mental note of something beautiful something else equally or better happens and well there is just not enough room to write everything down. I am terribly content, I love my boys I love my family. Its a fab place to be. I think often how God must love us so much and I wish nothing but for those around me and in the big wide world to be equally happy at least. I have no reason to complain (not that I couldnt) but shouldnt because my life is happy.
This month has seen us visit the doctor on numerous occasions. We learnt that Zac had at least 8 chest infections from December til now and we are being referred for a special clinic where he will be observed and I guess tested to check he is ok...
We had also been tested for MD (which Zac's dad has got) poor Zac had 4 needles in his feet trying to get some blood was a nightmere and still failed to get some so his testing will have to happen in a year or two time. I felt terribly bad to insist to prick his little feet so many times while he was in absolute screams but just wanted it over and done with but it seems it wasnt meant to happen at this time and I made sure he gets treated for it so we went to Bluewater to some of his favourite shops.
I am looking forward to the GOLDEN JUBELEE and the Olympics in the next few months....stay tuned and enjoy the summer everyone.

May 2012 RAIN RAIN AND MORE RAIN?

Hi there! Here is us travelling up to London to Morfield's Hospital where boys and daddy are part of a reseach programme for Muscular Dystrophy and their muscles around eyes are being looked at and studied. It was a fab day with loads of exciting fast train riding, shopping, playing and seeing things we don;t see every day. We have also met two professors and boys had each a quick look at their eyes. I was amazed at Zac he literally leaned into the eye testing machinery and put his chin on the right place and literally stared in the dr's tools...was something they have never seen before....a really "I am all up for it boy"....

We had arrived a around 1pm and Zac was so excited he only had 15 mins sleep on the fast train and then 4 hours wait and looking around in the hospital. But all is well and we are hoping that both boys will be soon tested for Muscular Dystrophy as before we had been refused due to them being so young...

Zac has a best friend Andy Pandy his name is. I love the way Zac get super excited when he sees Andy and cuddles and holds his hand and invites him in. Its all very sweet...so this week the day after the hospital we had gone to get some coffee and cake time with his best friend and it help mummies are best friends too.

After the long day at hospital, we stopped at Stratford Shopping Centre for some play time and retail therapy. As it happens we only had 1 hour there but the boys were loving it.

Zac is such a sweety....I am loving these moments when he really does play and busiess himselfw with his toys. I am partucularly happy that they are happy and so excited in their new rooms. Our lives have changed massivley and feel like finally we have structure and some real quality time. Finally things seem to fall into good place. I cant really say it wasnt good before but this is just dream....both boys love their rooms, Zac understands, loves and enjoys his room and the rest of the house just a bit more. Its

And yes, we had reached the time when Zac will quite happily read and tell me stories. For now I guess he likes that R reads and shows interest in books and so he does too. This is his bible from his Godparents. He often picks it up. I hope to be able gto teach him a few nice stories....

Who says you can not play some really cool scary wibble wobble and drop dead games in your room on top of your craft table..?!!:))THe kick this child gets from any sort of ready, steady and GO things its incredible.

Trains loads of trains more trains...I am finding it funny that he has to have that space crowded by all his trains and different carry along stuff!!: Honest to God when they get over trains I will make a fortune from all the trains we have in the house and the different tracks....:)) Still there is no better joy than having a child who is happy...content/ I often feel guilty and wish I would not give in so much into their little desires but I am a subjective mum most of the times. Both of my boys have given things to others and I am teaching them its just as good to give as to receive.

Oh and finally bath time...! Best time ever! My boys love love bath time. Admittedly I let them play and enjoy the warmth and the comfort of a bath. Zac had very bad eczma when he was young. He never missed one bath night....I don;t know how but he has kind of overcome it. Yes, he had it so bad he had to have tropical treatment, I was using bandages and masses of creams and still use E45 and bath emolients galore..!! they both enjoy playing with letters and toys....and always ready for Pjs, story time, water/milk and sleep after.
Many people have asked me recently why am I letting Zac have a dummy?! Why not?! I just don;t get it why is everyone so concerned. I even had someone ask in hospital?! I feel totally happy for him to have a dummy, Reuben had a dummy until he was 3 and half and it did not matter, he speaks beautifully, his teeth are fantastic, far better than kids who suck their fingers and develop other not so "in your eye" bad behaviour. I believe everyone needs often comfort. Comfort comes from many places, sometimes people we love, sometimes things we love and sometimes just comes in different shapes and forms, Adults often dont pay attention but they feel incredible comfort when sitting in a chair, wearing specific clothes or eating or drinking specific stuff. Whys should it be different for kids?!:) How is it bothering someone else that my child is or isnt having a dummy. Then again I find it strange that people assume that you should breastfeed and remember a TESCo checkout lady once said to me...YOU surley must be breafeeding your baby after all you have good nice big boobies....:))) I politley smiled and said ITS NONE OF YOUR BUSNIESS. It seems people forgot these days that we all live in a free world, it does not matter what one does...because often what works for one does not work for the other. Just go with the flow, enjoy and really be thankful for our beautiful kids. Another interesting issue that preoccupied me latley was that of me (us) choosing to send Zac to a childminder. He has been going now regularly for over a year....its been fab for Zac, he has learnt so much, loves the kids and enjoys the routine and what it brings. Even if I stood on my head and did all chores at night and made his day extra fabulastic I would never be able to teach him the things he learns with my wonderful friend and childminder Ivetta. NOt only that but he has learnt that life is not over because he is with someone else for a bit of the time and embraced it and enjoys it. He has learnt that he should trust others and peers too. I am and always will be his mummy but he will always also have others around him and the sooner he gets used to it the better long term. Reuben went to nursery from the age of 8 months. He never cried one day at school gate and embraced school beautifully. I cant but feel sorry for those who don;t allow their kids to be enriched by the experience of nusrery of childminding....as I know it has far more benefits than I can dot down. for us it worked and I am loving my own time too and off course when they are not with me...it always is the "cant wait to be united with them again" feeling which I LOVE.
I respect those who choose not to let go of the kids for I am sure very important reasons...but for me/us the choices we made with the limited research have worked wonders so far. I really hope and pray that Zac continues to grow and develop and my miracle boy will truley be just that A MIRACLE BOY. I am loving this stage more than ever...but its very very tireing...on which note. Will be back soon for now must go and sleep some....! recharge....!

spring break

Its finally spring although the weather is rather changable and really does make things a bit too tense at times. Still, Zac and Reuben have thus far loved their 2 weeks holiday and well we had survived it too...:)) all being serious I had loved having my boys together and planning things with them. We had stayed local not really managed a holiday as such...but I guess we did loads. We had explored and revisited loved places. This photo shows you the real Zackie! Always ready to be in the centre of attention and waiting for the next mischief....while smiling sweetly and the hat signaling its time for spring....his skin is well kissed by the sun we had enjoyed recently....and well his T shirt suggest the end of out holiday their surprise trip to Thomas LAND!! Shopping's never been so fun. On a rainy afternoon I took some stuff back to TK MAx and Zac decided to be very good and literally won over every shopper with his cute mischiefs and smiles and chats. He was in such good mood and happy self that shoppers stopped to chat to him and he was in his element. Don;t think I ever seen him like that either so I was loving it too...We had done our first cooking class! Not really our thing but both boys seemed happy and it was another morning activity done...Zac;s friend Henry was there too it was good fun.At Andrei's house or aunty NENENA's house we had Easter Egg hunt and it was fantastic! The kids really got into it and were ever so good.

Who says we need toys?! We need to be able to teach our kids to be imaginative...to find things to look at and marvel at. I had always liked introducing my kids to different things where they can see more of life out there. Its hard to believe but I had very little and few toys...some of them were totally inapropriate but gosh was my imagination much more vivid and firey then today;s kids....yeah....! I have decided to really try and get my boys out more...TV is overrated and boring so are the computers, DS es and such. We need to get back to matchsticks and matchboxes, and making things out of recycling and enjoying some counting stars and such....Yepeee

Another beautiful evening after a lot of hanging around we all went to Upnor about 15 mins drive. love it there, we nearly bought a house there (hard to believe about 8 yrs ago)....and looking at the boats and the lovley calm water was really good. We finished the long walk off with a well deserved pizza at pizza hut the place just about across from where this was taken....Dockside. It was really good and boys love sitting down and eating together....I am loving this...and so do the boys. they always want to have a picknick in the back of the car.....:))) Zac really gets into it!I am so pleased that this Easter Holiday we really have enjoyed so much outings and feels just like it should SPRINGY!Living on the highstreet means taht we all get the chance to stroll up and down and Zac loves taking a rest outside one of the best ANTIQUE show room houses!!Its great having our friends over especially when their mummy is a hairdresser and she cuts our hairs!!! YAY!!

After the Hop Farm we also went to the East Kent and East Sussex Railway....it was good fun. While I shopped around daddy and boys enjoyed some train spotting and training around....:)))Picknick at Hop Farm....it was such a beautiful day and boys really did get into the picknick idea....and so did we.

A day at Hop Farm meant Zackie was also able to enjoy sitting in the big boy's cars and enjoy some driving around and playing with his brother whom he loves immensly.Thank God for the beautiful sunshine. Truley Aprilis weather rain, sun, rain and sun again....warm-cold and such....a real silly weather but the sun has got us really excited and its been so good to us all to be able to extend into the back garden for a little bit....My two boys often sit like this...they get inspired as R would say! this is their quite time when they just rest and enjoy a little I PAD time....their favourite stories or characters.

My beautiful boy and happy 79th bday granny!

What a few beautiful days we had recently! If you ask me its been faaar to long and cold winter and I am only happy to see sunshine again and looking at my boys they are just loving the sunshine, the fewer clothes and also the amazing fresh air and running free! This morning we all walked to church to do the PALM SUNDAY procession with donkey! It was nice. Fewer and fewer people make the effort even though its an opportunity to witness to community and family that God is within us and also that he reigns forever! Looking at these kids all looking down to the river I realised the blue sky, the sunshine and the wonderful fresh crisp morning all remind me of GODs grace amazing grace.Also this week we had a few walks with Zac. Normally he takes his motorbike...or scooter but this particular morning he seemed keen on walking and taking his pushchair with Ms. Bunny. Its one of my few favourite places.....I love this walk and seems Zac does too.As Reuben has finished school on Thursday we gone to the Castle grounds for a little picknic and play with R;s friends from school that have siblings too most of them....was good fun and look what I found Zac doing.....yummm dirt a lot of dirt!Last Sunday we enjoyed an icream (well they seemed too) even though it was freezing. THese boys really do seem so crazy for the icecreams. If that is so I do I always end up eating it....?!We also celebrated Granny's 79th bday with a lovley cake thanks to Iveta Breckinova, Zac;s brilliant childminder and my friend....and champaign and granny had yummy lunch with some of the girlfriends from the development. It was nice that boys also wanted to join in once they got home from school and childminder.Zackie always happy to see people around. He is being shy here. He loves attention normally. It does always amaze me how cute this boy is. He really is such an actor. He has about 100 facial expressions and he really does know how to be all cute and good and charming. I am so pleased with my little boy! He is a trouper and such a cute cute boy! God thanks for my little sunshine.

mothering sunday

now is that not the most adorable pressie for Mothering Sunday?! Zac goes to my wonderful childminder friend Iveta on a Monday and Friday to start with and he loves it there, i have to say she is one of a kind and she is such a talented and wonderful childminder....when she dropped him off at home he brought these gifts for me. Bless he was so proud as he gane them to me he even made me smell the flower then demanded I sneeze....:))) so much about him knowing his flowers. Zackie you sweety pie!

The brother's work of art. He is such a little monkey Zackie is....copies everything from his brother. Often I feel so sad for Reuben cause it seems he doesnt get anything without his brother getting it too but then I look at Reuben and he really does not mind ....however one little funny story which makes us all laugh these days is Zac denying his own name and having brorrowed R's name. I ask Zac "what is your name Zacky?"...he smiles looks at Reuben and says OUTLOUD "BUBEN" that is just so very funny. Even Reuben gets involved in the game and says "no Zacky your name is Zacky" then Z "no buben" and so on....eventually Z starts crying or getting very upset and so we let him be BUBEN!!!!Toast and painting bunny!!! I have to say this boy eats at all times and has to be busy all the time...!! Things I love about you Zac are: - you are terribly predictable, you are as good as gold, really rarely challange me..., you know your boundaries, you sleep like a LOG and are so good at putting yourself to sleep (cant even compare it to your brother who generally took hours to go to sleep and your daddy spent most of his evenings either watching some sort of tv with reuben or falling asleep with Reuben), you are a CHARACTER...you will be an actor no doubt....your face changes 1000 times in 1 minute and you can mime us all..., you know how to kiss and hug and make my heart melt, you are amazing on scooter and love excersize..., you know whats yours and you share well....rarely make a fuss when having to share toys. You get excited when you see your friends, especially Andrei, Martha, Henry, Blake, Rufus...(although Rufus is a bit of a difficult one as he hangs out loads with your girlfriend Martha so you get terribly jelous)...., every situation we take you into (I mean playgroups, visiting people)...you are straight in....

You recognise and know most of Reuben's school friends and you do like to take your brother to school and collect him. You do not demand anything specifically except us to love you and thats EVER SO EASY!!!yes, on a Saturday morning you get a big treat....coke, we are all addicted but we dont go crazy...we know when to have coke and even you know it!!:) We only have coke morning or day time not in the evening. Yours comes with bubbly water to make it a bit less crazy...Here you are showing off your amazing skills of being a potato head!!! nope, you had too much coke...nope, you just have amazing ways of entertaining us all...YES!When you get tired or upset you need your blanket (your brother never had a comfy thing although God I wish he would have had), you often just wind down and fall asleep while sometimes latley especially you nearly falling over of tiredness and you keep saying NO when asked if you would like to sleep. The above photo is of a day when I fell asleep while waiting for you to come and lay down with me and woke up to find you at the bottom of Reuben;s bed snoring literraly. NO I did not live you there I had put you in Rls bed. thats your special treat when R is at school you have your nap in his bed.My little swimmer....you amaze me...you strip down with Reuben put on your swimming costume and off you go. You seem to be as happy as a fish in the water....well done my gorgeous.Both you and your brother get treats after the swim and you love it...sitting there watching everyone else cry their way into the swimming pool:)))Saturday morning while mummy makes that cooked breakfast you love playing with daddy and Reuben on the wii and also building LEGO houses....here is one that you done recently...with some help. I think daddy is questioning your architectural skills or mine but he has noticed you are fabulastic with your dexterity....clever monkey...

How can I not be happy?! how can I not be content?! I have two wonderful God given boys whom we love and cherrish....always. Keep growing sunshine and bring us all the joy there is and may you beautifuully grow and develop into whom God intended you to be....