A new frontier

The boys are challenging boundaries at present. Some examples of their work:

• Oliver sneaking out on the street to ride his bike, leaving Pip to walk into the road in front of thankfully slow moving lorry, while Mama was screeching at Oliver to "get back here right now". Seriously, I'm still getting over this one. On reaching the house he was told to have some 'quiet time' - his reply? "Oh bugger".

• Oliver's most over used phrases: "I don't want to do that" and "I'm playing/[insert appropriate verb] at the moment".
  

• Pip throwing his dinner over the dining room, pretty much every meal. Is there a point when we won't have to hose down the eating space after every meal? He is developing a mean right arm as he continually practices throwing cars, trains, books, cutlery, toys all over the house, from the table, and down the stairs (a particular favourite).

• Pip's point blank refusal to say 'yes'. He answers 'no' to everything.
  

Preparing for the party

Painstaking cake preperation. It took a whole day. Next year we're a Tesco's special...

Thomas's face as made by Jeff

Jeff working his magic.

Pre-icing

The Sweetwater sweatshop. With low to no wages, long hours, no toilet breaks, Jeff and Nanny Terry making the gardening aprons for the kids.

Classic Oliver Quotes

"I don't like cars. If they tumble over you, someone gets hurt."
Do you think the stern crossing the road talks are getting through at long last?

Singing Thomas song

Full circle

Pip has started calling Oliver 'Odder'.

Oliver called himself Odder before he could say Oliver and Pip has spontaneously carried on the family tradition.

Oliver at nearly 3...

chats almost constantly. Nonsense or otherwise, he has something to say. Something important, very important.

has a new best friend. Charlie. We only found this out when we went to our first parent/teacher meeting and discovered him and Charlie are inseparable and 'trouble'. He never talks about Charlie at home so this was a shock to us.

is a smart cookie. He tells me this often.

is pushing boundaries. His new trick is saying 'I don't want to do that'. There is no room for negotiation. Or he tantrums. Big time.

has a favourite CD that we cannot get into the car without it on repeat. Lucky Pip and Mama like it too.

loves his little brother without limits. He is so happy to see him first thing in the morning and it makes my heart jump every day when he comes out of school and they walk to the car holding hands.

is looking forward to his party on Sunday.