Bowling Bother

Yesterday we attempted to take Coby bowling for the first time. Alas, we joined the queue, only to be told that all the lanes were booked until 11pm Saturday night! Coby seemed slightly disappointed, especially as we had explained the game and how he would have a frame to push the ball down and knock over skittles - he seemed to like the idea, but for now, he has to wait. We did however, have a lovely lunch at Frankie & Benny's...

Coby took this one!

And this one too!

A Blonde Moment

Coby looked delightful recently in Nanny's blonde wig!

Meeting Marc

With Coby safely tucked in bed at granny's, Al and I drove to Leicester to see a fantastic play by Martin McDonagh called The Pillowman. A long way to go to see a play? Well, my favourite actor, Marc Warren, was playing the lead role and through various resources, we were fairly optimistic about meeting him after the show (Facebook pals with Marc's brother, an exchange of e-mails with him etc). Anyway, we arrived and joined the queue and started chatting to a lovely couple, Michael and Marie, they were friends of Marc and when we explained my obsession, sorry admiration of him, they told us they had arranged to have a drink with him after the show and asked if we would like to join them.

The play was sooooo good, very dark and forboding, but tinged with some sharp humour. Its about a writer named Katurian (Marc Warren) who exists in a totalitarian state. His short stories resemble a number of child murders that are happening in his town and the play starts with him being interrogated by two police officers, Tupolski and Ariel. The acting was first class from Marc, Russell Dixon, Benedict Wong and particularly Paul Ready.

After the performance, we waited in the bar and sure enough Marc came over to see Michael who introduced us to him. As I explained who I was (I run Marc's Facebook group) he said "Oh, SJ right?". We chatted to him for about half and hour and he signed my programme, 'SJ, lovely to meet you, thank you for doing the website, with love Marc Warren xx'. Al mentioned he played poker at which Marc's eyes lit up! He was very tired from performing the play twice that day and he had a long drive home, so after the photos, a peck on the cheek and a handshake for Al, he dashed off into the night! Lovely chap!

Birthday Girls

Teresa and Ceri celebrated their birthdays today. I headed over to Morden where Teresa is living (19 stops on the Northern Line from Kings Cross might I add!) and joined them all for a glass of bubbly before heading to Revolution in Clapham Junction.

Best friends, same birthday

Martin & Sandie

Me & Ceri

Hum Fum

Coby marched up to me recently shouting HUM FUM and smiling. His arms outstretched for a cuddle. So out my arms went as he continued to shout HUM FUM. He suddenly grabbed my thumbs tight and started climbing my body. I think in his way he was saying climb thumb in a funny cheeky way. So now the words HUM FUM can be regularly heard round the house and it is such a great way for us to bond. We play together loads, tickle and wrestle loads and he loves it when I spin him round and plop him on the couch cushions...he just can't get enough of it. And I can't get enough of him...

The White Stuff

A hefty snowfall for us all lately and a little bit disruptive if you ask me. However, its also very pretty to look at and a lot of fun to play in.......

The Reward Chart

Coby is so cute, he's so funny, he's so delightful, he's so good....woah, woah, woah....

Let me tell you he is also very trying, fiesty, demanding, disrespectful (nipping that one in the bud straight away) and very frustrating. He is a typical toddler though I guess and like most typical toddlers, a reward chart has been installed into his routine and already it is working quite well.
There are stickers for eating meals, brushing teeth, washing, getting dressed, helping to tidy and bonus stickers (Piston Cups as Coby calls them because they are in the shape of
trophies).

Stickers for every occasion

Completing activities

And pretending to clean while secretly watching
'Fifi & the Flowertots'

Glorious Granny

We must say a big THANK YOU to granny Wendy who takes care of Coby every Monday/Tuesday. Even though she caves in to his demands of Kinder Eggs - a grandmother's prerogative is what she tells us - I think we'll let her get away with that one!

Beware the Hoodie

Made us chuckle!

Models in the Making

It helps in life to know an electrician, plumber, doctor, lawyer and a mechanic. I'm happy to confirm that we know all of the above, but it's also a pleasure to know a keen photographer and our lovely pal, Michelle, practically pounced on us to take some pictures when we visited yesterday....

Conversations With Coby

On the phone...

MUMMY: "Hi Coby"

COBY: "Hello, is that Coby's mummy?"

MUMMY: "Yes, darling, how are you?"

COBY: "I'm very, very angry!"

MUMMY: "Oh, Why is that?"

COBY: "Cause you ruined my day yesterday!"

MUMMY: "What have I done?"

COBY: "You left my toys at home"

MUMMY: "No I didn't - don't be silly"

COBY: "Yes, you left them and put them in the bin"

MUMMY: "Coby, what are you talking about?"

COBY: "Bye mummy"

Waking up in the morning in bed with me...

Coby tries to heave himself up from the bed several times

"Oh, I just can't do it!"

"Well, just relax and sleep a bit more"

"Mummy, do you know what my problem is?"

"No Coby, tell me"

"I'm just too heavy, I think"

PRICELESS

The Balance of Life

Some sad news but also some happy news this week for the family. Sadly, Coby's great grandmother and my grandmother passed away last Sunday at the grand old age of 93 and my Uncle Charlie died three days before that after a long illness - he was 74. My grandmother was difficult for the last 5-10 years and our relationship suffered, mainly due to her dementia, but I have lovely memories of my childhood with her. The fondest being her love of Guinness and banging the end of the bottle to 'catch every last drop' she would say. And looking out for her mop of brilliant white hair, freshly lacquered from the hairdresser as she peered in at the school gates to bring me sweets and all my school friends dancing around shouting 'Sarah, your nan is here' in the hope they would get some sweets too!

On a happier note our good friends Darren and Beverley welcomed their daughter to the world on Tuesday morning. Paige Addison weighed in at 6lbs 13oz - many congratulations guys! And auntie Lorraine has returned from New Zealand - hoorah! The imminent arrival of her first grandchild sealed the deal - another baby on the horizon - we can't wait!

Another week passes...

Well another week in the pleasurable company of the delightful Coby Zephyr has passed and much mirth has ensued...a few nuggets for you this week:

When we went swimming it was much easier this time and we just basically flung him in and got him wet and dunked, painful but it meant he got stuck in quicker. He gets scared some times and is quick to cling on...especially when the wave machine kicked in. Yes, I said wave machine.

Coby's response to the waves was: Wicked waves Dad! - not much makes me smile in life more than him saying something cute like that :)

Towards the end we were walking back to the towels and Coby dived at the Swan Slide and we could not drag him off. He was fearless. No wings needed. He loved it!

Tonight as I put him to bed he was stroking my beard and gazing in to my eyes, he drifted off towards sleepy town stroking my bread and chuckling...nice!

Over-dramatised phrase of the week: 'I NEEEEEED pink milk' aka strawberry milk, oh the humanity!

Hanging with Hattie

I took Coby to see a familiar friend today - one of his nursery chums, Hattie. Her birthday is two days after Coby and they have known each other since Coby started nursery in October 2006. They get along so well and Hattie and her brother Charlie have a fabulous play room - Coby didn't know what to play with first. And in the garden there is a trampoline and tree-house.

Hattie is looked after during the day by her nanny, Sam, who used to work at nursery and has looked after Coby for us a few times too. She's lovely and made us all sandwiches for lunch...

The F Word

What a week its been...

MUZZ
Luckily for us Coby has become attached, in a security blanket kind of way, to his muslin cloths that he has been familiar with since birth, the cloths have come and gone of course, but as they are all identical, one is much the same as any other. This means two key things: we can never lose Muzz as he calls them and we can never run out. Perfect scenario!

FAVES
Coby has a few toys, so much so I am thinking of giving some of the lesser used ones away to various good causes. But here are his Fave5 (in reverse order of Coby's need to have it with him at all times) that we will not be giving away, no matter what:

5) His stuffed soft girl (very important point that Coby will not let anyway forget) rabbit, Willa
=3) His Woody toy
=3) His Buzz Lightyear toy
2) His Lego Mac from Cars (which also contains a Lego Lightning McQueen)

and his #1 toy that he will not be parted from is...

1) His Wall-E action figure - great film!

SWIMMING
We all went Swimming today and it was great fun. Well, when we finally got Cobes in the pool that is. 15 minutes to get him changed. 15 minutes to get him in the pool. 60 minutes to get him to leave once he started loving it. Will go every week now but he will be a good little swimmer we reckon.

AND FINALLY...
Saved the best for last. Coby utters many amusing phrases but the phrase of the week this time has to be when he dropped something (I think he dropped something, anyway, something went wrong somehow) and Coby exclaimed Ohhhh, Fffffffffffffor Gods Sake. As you can imagine we'll take a For over other potential F words anyday ;)

Pond Dipping: Attempt No.1

SATURDAY! For our little brood it means a lie-in and a lazy morning followed by whatever the hell we like. Today, armed with a pond dipping kit that Al bought Coby for his birthday, we walked the mile and a half to the back of Standalone Farm where there is a stream and a neighbouring sewage works! We realised when we arrived that the stream is not even remotely accessible, so our attempt to capture pond life was thwarted - a big shame. Instead, Coby enjoyed throwing in some sticks on one side of the bridge and watching them drift upstream on the other side. The wind was chilly though and our tummys started to rumble so we headed home for tea and toasted muffins.

Lets go!

Coby spots a rabbit warren

Are we there yet?

Homeward bound

Coby actually asleep on his bike!