Only moments before this pic was taken with her at the gates of the place that will shape her further into the person she’ll later become, could we say our daughter hasn’t experienced nursery school….. Then only hours later. She had. So begins a new chapter in our daughters life……

Finger on the trigger now… It seems 2 weeks to go is touchy. Simply because it’s almost time but there’s still a little distance between then and now so do you sit comfortably yet?
I think not.

It’s now I’m remembering. Like flashbacks from a dream, what it’s like to have to wake up through the night to baby cries and what it’s like making up bottles and rocking a baby to sleep. Remembering how much they are dependent on you for everything. Seems weird to think my daughter now sometimes won’t take the help offered. Sometimes….

I realised something I hadn’t yet realised. She’s older now! I mean, she plays older kids games…. Not like armies in the woods or being hooked online sniping, but board games and with dolls and the like.
We played buckaroo and a jumping frog game and not that long ago we wouldn’t do that….. Well, wouldn’t play them properly, by the rules. Or nearly properly with our own structured rules anyway.

I try messing about and she’s telling me what not to do! ….. Seems I need to play catch up with myself……

And her dolls and figures now have more complexed lives…. They converse with each other brilliantly. In fact it seems that almost over night her playing skills increased to new levels.

OK, so she still would be classed as a toddler but the transformation in my eyes is incredible…

That’s just the nature of learning though and kids her age are learning a lot. Becoming the person they ultimately will be. Shaping themselves without realising it and we’re helping. Us parents.
We’re the ones on our knees with a 3 year old on our back saying ‘giddyup’.
We’re the ones trying to cheat to victory….. I mean, letting them win!!

I’m the one having to grow up with my daughter and now take a whole new set of orders!

You must have really been in a rush!

I bet you were pleased when the police turned off and you were able to overtake as we also turned onto a different road? But I bet you weren’t as pleased as I was when just after overtaking me another police car pulled out just in front of you, just ahead of me. That’s right. I saw it all. And it was a 30mph road as well. So when I came cruising up behind you did I give you the same ‘get a move on, knobhead’ singles you were giving me or did I laugh?

I’ll leave that to you to guess.
PS. You’re a prick.

At least I came home with something…..
A screwed up £20 note and a hangover.

Fantastic night had by all on John’s Stag do

Cain or Jackson.
Lexi or Rosie

My 3 year old has a name. Her name was my Queens idea and I liked it when I heard it suggested.
Or did I?
I can’t remember. The point is though, her name feels natural when it is called, as though she has grown into the name we Christened her with.

So what of the new arrival (not yet arrived)? Should we be so dead set on names. Will the child grow into the name chosen for her/him and will it feel natural after a short time?
At the minute we don’t have names set. Just the finals list above. But that could still change.
I know the name we finally choose will be liked by myself and my Queen and won’t be unfortunately stupid.

Think about someone having to introduce themselves at a party. Are they going to feel daft saying ‘Hi, my name is Sunbeam Starface’….?

I think I’ll ask my daughters opinion. We just can’t seem to decide and right now she has all the answers!

Official word is generally one month to go and it’s down to baby.
The hospital bag is packed after an intense list was drawn up by my Queen. Which even included things for me to bring to the hospital for my own entertainment!! I’ll just bring myself I told her. The less hassle the better I think considering she won’t even want to speak to me once the pain kicks in….

So with the baby poised and ready it’s just a case of waiting for him/her to make his/her mind up about when to make an appearance….

I think now is a good time to mentally prepare myself for the little sleep I’m about to not get. Make sense? Tough. I write this as I enjoy one of my last beers before a baby rocks our world and changes our lives (for the good)….. Again!

We all know sweets are bad for and cause nasties like….
Tooth decay and cavities.
Illness’ like Diabetes.
Getting fat which can lead to bullying.
Worse still, obesity.
And we do have a problem in the West. A fat kid problem that’s becoming more and more obvious.

But let’s see things from a different perspective….

My perspective…
Eating sweets won’t make you fat or unhealthy. Eating crisps and drinking fizzy pop won’t make you fat or unhealthy. Imagine. That would mean everyone in the civilised world would be fat and unhealthy. Living and promoting an unhealthy lifestyle will make you fat and unhealthy and there’s the difference. I eat sweets, I drink beer, I eat cakes and chocolate and take-aways. My teeth are in good nick and I don’t consider myself unhealthy and I’m certainly not fat. But I do understand what makes a person fit and healthy and although I may not be ready to run a marathon, I’m not about to keel over (touch wood).

The trick is keeping a treat a treat and not letting it turn into what is effectively a bad diet. Or worse. A tool used for pursuation. Something I have been guilty of before but have since learnt the error of my ways.

So why not let children enjoy sweets or a trip to McDonalds? As long as we’re not promoting living unhealthily with it then I say, yes.
Let’s line the pockets of the greedy capitalist clown once in a while. Every other time we’ll have the sweets alternative snack. Fruit. Delicious fruit.

But that’s a different post for a different day…