Birthday Girls

We spent a lovely weekend in Somerset celebrating auntie June's 60th birthday...oh and my birthday too! Coby sung Happy Birthday to me and gave me some gorgeous cuddles and said "I love you very much" - best present I could have wished for!

On Saturday night, June held her party at the local golf club in Taunton. Lots of family joined us including Teresa and Martin as well as Roxann and Guiseppe who came all the way from Scotland. Coby looked dashing in his fake tuxedo t-shirt and swirled on the dance floor with the ladies in their pretty dresses...

Guiseppe, Martin, Dad & Coby all looking dashing

"May I have this first dance, auntie June?"


Wheeeeeeeee!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUMMY!

I received a huge kiss and cuddle from Coby this morning along with "I love you mummy, very much" followed by Coby's rendition of 'Happy Birthday', followed by cards and presents including gorgeous perfume and books. On the drive home, we stopped for lunch at The George in Thruxton where I had the best Ploughman's ever!

In the evening, Al arranged for some friends to surprise me at an Italian restuarant - fabulous! Thanks for a truly wonderful day boys!

With Stacey

With Anthony & Simone

And Purdy & David

Who's Afraid?

My Entourage

Bedtime is becoming a round-up of Coby's little entourage of sleeping buddies. We now have Tiger, Tigger, Bunny, Woody, Horse, Apsley and Macca Pacca. He likes to grab them all in a bundle then display them around the pillow checking their names as he goes. He'll settle down then suddenly say "Oh Horse, where's Horse? - there's Horse!". We also have a catalogue of songs that Coby enjoys having sung to him. 'She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain' is his current favourite, followed by 'Gonna Build a House' and 'Lullaby' which often sends me to sleep too.

Doctor Coby

Coby is loving his new medical kit and likes to take your temperature, check your heart beat and give medicine - he then says "your turn" and we have to check his. Also, during the process of potty training, Coby has started to imitate the many phrases we use to encourage and reward him. Yesterday, upon using the lavatory myself, Coby had to check and then praised me with "well done mummy, you did it, now pull the chain" and finally "I'm very proud"!!

Oh, the Places You'll Go

I've discovered a fabulous new book! As newly appointed children's book seller at Waterstones, I have the adorable task of learning all there is to know about children's books from baby board books right up to national curriculum study guides. Browsing through the Book Seller magazine last week, I came across an article about "Oh, the Places You'll Go" by Dr Seuss. In the States, this book has sold millions of copies and is a popular gift for school leavers. It was also the very last penned by Theodor "Dr Seuss" Geisel before his death in 1991. I mentioned it to the store manager and she promptly suggested I add it to the 'staff recommends' section and order further copies in. In the meantime, the one and only store copy sold within the first hour this morning!

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.

Gulliver's Land

A wonderful time was had by all today at Gulliver's Land in Milton Keynes. Hanging out with our favourite gang is becoming less frequent these days, so we've decided to organise a fun activity once a month and enjoy together - mums, dads and toddlers! In the pipeline is a trip to Disneyland, Paris for the kids birthdays in November!! In the meantime though, we settled on the exotic location of Milton Keynes. Al and Coby and I joined Maddy, Louis, Michaela, Tony, Lola, Paula, Mark and Jasmine for a jaunt around the theme park for little lilliputters...

Coby not so keen on the log flume
"I'm all wet" he remarked

Hankering for a turn on the merry-go-round

Coby loved this

He especially loved waving and shouting to daddy

"Mummy, I drive"

Coby discovers a familiar friend

Her name was Lola...

Cuddles!

Raring to go on the railway

Coby & Louis do the Cha Cha Slide

Slide to the left, criss cross

Jasmine watches from the sidelines

Up to something?

"I'm a bunny"

Potty Training Part 1

Now those are words to fill any parent with dread - or is it just me? In spite of my reservations, I got cracking on Saturday and prepared for lots of accidents. Of course, accidents are what we got, but with one hit on the potty, we were more than impressed with Coby's first day. Sunday saw the turn of dad with his mop and bucket, however, there were more hits than misses and we began to relax a little. Sunday nights we take Coby to granny's house for his two day stint there and so we headed over with the potty, 500 pairs of pants and lots of clothes. We are not sure whether to believe granny or not, but apparently she had zero accidents for two whole days!! Hmmmm!! Today, was a different story all together and Coby had several misses again, but we were out and about a lot and he may have felt a little self conscious - onwards and upwards though and with nursery for the next couple of days, we're secretly pleased that they can get the mop and bucket out for now!

Coby & Jacob

Coby and I spent a lovely day together today. We stayed at granny's overnight and, in spite of Coby's usual 6.30 wake up call, lovely granny let him watch CBeebies in her room and let this tired out mummy go back to sleep for a while. Once washed and dressed, I took Coby to World of Fun in Radlett before popping in to say hello to our friend, Jason the Hairdresser. We had lunch back at granny's before heading over to spend the afternoon with Simone and her boys, Jacob and Elijah. Eli is only 8 weeks old and not up to much play time at the moment, but while he slept, Jacob and Coby got domesticated...

The Glorious Garden

Green and glorious

Coby's Patch with his new magnolias!

Philliam the pheasant struts his stuff

Coby's Cafe

I found this quite amusing...upon making Coby one of his favourite snacks of marmite on toast, he proceeded to set himself up in the garden one evening with a drum and the stool for his drum kit as a makeshift table and chair. I could hear him dragging things around and saying "that there" and "now this". He then shut the door and just sat munching his toast looking around the garden in reflective mood.

"Excuse me mummy, I am eating, thank you"

"Stay in there please"

Go On My Son

These are the actual words that came out of Coby's mouth as he was playing with his football last week!! I think someone has cheekily been teaching him while my back has been turned...