Pools and schools

Joe and Luke have grown up a lot these last few weeks - looking smart here for Joe's friend's 3rd Birthday Party

























Luke's swum his first length (in a rubber dinghy boat), cut a tooth, and made great progress towards crawling. (He really can propel himself with his feet, unaided, across the pool.)












Sarah's Mum and Dad came to visit and we have never been to the pool and beach as often - photographed here at our favourite pool and beach location (Mount Lavinia Hotel)

We loved their visit!









I had a haircut and left the grandparents in charge.
(For my girl-friends' to read only ... it looks better than this - I'd just been in the pool. Mike says I look like some film star so that's good as he didn't like the idea of me having it cut. Actually makes me hotter - didn't realise what a difference a fringe makes. All the same, good and cheap and some highlights too.)






Joe's started at the American Pre-School nursery - after an initial week or so of howling in the morning he now LOVES it, doesn't stop talking about it, and runs into school with his little rucksack on his back without even a kiss for Mummy.

Photographed here with some friends - will post better photos of the building when I have them.




After resisting sending him to school, we were climbing the walls and Joe was begging me for activities and to visit friends. Despite my fervent attempts I could not fulfil his needs, so we felt school was worth a try. NOW, I LOVE it. It's great to see Joe so happy, great to have Joe-free time, and I LOVE my new role as a Mum waiting at the school gate. I get to meet people from all over the world.







Joe signing into school - sticking his photo on a Junior butterfly (he skipped the Toddler class for younger ones)

Not sure if he is a Butterfly or a Yellow Giraffe. Both I think. At home he is always a different character (and so are we) - sometimes we are friends from school, sometimes we are engines from Thomas the Tank Engine, and sometimes we are Fimbles or Teletubbies (or whatever the CBeebies character he's recently seen - DVDs of CBeebies programmes are recorded and posted out by my Mum and Dad at regular intervals!) Interestingly, he can change from a whinge-bag who won't eat his tea or wee on his potty, to a lovely compliant 'being' when we convert into different roles. Handy.

I asked Joe what he wanted to tell everyone in England about his school. He said 'About Auntie Marianne' - photographed here at the Zoo trip. His class teacher and he loves her!

Luke and his favourite girlfriend Isabelle

A great benefit of Joe being at school is that I get time with Luke and with other Mums and babies. It's great to give him time and headspace.

Don't have a relevant photo you'll be pleased to know, but Mike blended his finger last weekend. He said that is what he thought you're meant to do with a hand blender. It looked like sliced bread. We left Joe and Luke with our neighbour, and raced to the hospital. He had 2 stitches. It looks like it is healing well now.