ChunkyMonkey

Birthday Bob

Harvey had a most fabulous birthday. On Thursday morning, he clocked the pile of gifts in the lounge and said "Wow....presents!". Where do they learn such things?

There were Bob the Builder gifts (thanks Jev and Jane x), one million Noddy-related gifts, plus books, clothes, money towards a climbing frame, and lots of other generous and wonderful presents.

On Saturday afternoon, the gang decended for a party. Oh my.  No wonder we parents are driven to drink. As ever, Harv and the lovely Mabel did a lot of fighting. However, I still live in hope that their relationship will smooth out and ultimately result in marriage

As I am not in any way shape, or form 'mum-of-the year', Harvey's cake was made by someone else. It was a work of art, cake-style.

On seeing his cake for the fist time Harvey said "Noddy. Car!" and Davin and I said "It is a cake", at which point Harvey leant over and sunk his teeth into the bumper. The rest of the children, seeing the car was made of sugar, ripped it apart, wheels, lights, door handles. Gone. Animals!!!!!

There was only one thing for it. A cake picnic on the kitchen floor

When a bunch of 2 year olds eat 10% of their body weight in sugar, something has to be done to release the energy. So, a good session of 'sleeping rabbits' did the trick. It went on, and on, and on, and on, and on......

poor old 'Big Ted' had a heart attack from the strain, but luckily Ben was there to provide CPR

Half-term shenannigans

Last week was half-term.  I love it. I love it because I do not teach Sing and Sign, so it means I have THREE mornings/afternoon sessions during which Harvey goes to nursery, and I have time to myself.  I am hoping this does not make me a bad person/mother. I need time to myself, to be myself. So, I spent those times last week going to the gym (twice), having reflexology (once) and preparing all of the stuff I need to do to promote next term's Sing and Sign. I even had a sun-shower at the gym. I am such a house-wife. What fun.

Davin was away mid-week, so the girls came around for food (Thai red curry, cooked by me, but not enough chili - banoffee pie cooked by Kat - YUM!!!!!), and a film (The Bridges of Madison County). Rebecca (mother of Mabel), was not all together enthralled by the idea of that particular film. She is not a chick-flick kinda girl. Just to prove it, Rebecca arrived on my doorstep with a bottle of white wine (excellent), dips and crisps (very good) and a can of Stella Artois (?!?). Food was eaten, wine was drunk (and I am happy to report the can of Stella is still in my fridge), and I pressed 'play' on the DVD machine.

We watched. We chatted. We chatted. We watched. We swapped places on the sofa/floor a few times. I went to the loo on a number of occasions. We opened more wine. We stopped chatting. We started crying. I started sobbing. That is when Rebecca cracked. The bit in the film where Meryl Streep is sitting in the truck with her husband, waiting at traffic lights, and Clint is ahead of her wearing the medallion she gave him. The bit where if you are a soppy old romantic (like me) and you truly believe in real love, you are shouting at the TV 'Get out of the truck you bloody mental woman!!!!!!!', and then you remember she has a family who loves her, and - dammit - she loves them back. OH MY GOD. That bit even made Rebecca cry.  The rest of us girls were very pleased indeed. Rebecca, welcome to our world. The world of being a fully-fledged pinkandglitter loving girl. Yay!

So, thus far we have enjoyed 'LoveActually Wednesday' and now 'The Bridges of Madison County Wednesday'.  What next? Dunno, but hopefully MadDonna will come again and tidy away all of the dirty dishes and make my house sparkle before she goes to bed.  I did notice, however, that there were many screwed up wet tissues all over my sofa and floor when I got up the next morning. Can't really blame her for not wanting to put those in the bin as they were full of the snot of 6 women. Egh.

What else happened last week???? We went to London. Harvey, as you know now loves trains.  So, it seems do Sophie, Tom and Alex. This they proved by having a ball on the trip into the big smoke and back.  The lovely Jo has blogged about the whole experience; I just need to add a few snaps of the gang having fun and mucho chocolate cake at lunch

This Thursday, 23rd February, Harvey will be 2 years old.  I can't really believe it, but it is true.  Here he is aged nought (yes, yes, I was HUGE - I was exactly 40 weeks pregnant though)

Here he is aged 2 hours old (yup, that is blood)

Aged 1 year (see Alex and Ben in the background!)

And now aged almost 2

Oh my. How the time does fly.

Harvey is loving..

...his cousins, Molly and Billy. Off we went to Devon this weekend to visit the MollyChicken gang and my Mum and other creatures.  Not only does my sister craft, she bakes, and she was brave enough to get all three children involved

Harve, as you can see was having a ball. He also very much enjoyed his trip on a train to Dawlish

the boy is keen on trains. We hear "more, more choo choo!".

Harve managed to spend some quality time with my Mum, and by the end of the afternoon he could say "Nanny Cocker", and this pleased her no end. I was quite impressed too.

By the end of the weekend, however, it had all gotten a bit much for Davin

and also for Harvey's left eyebrow, it would seem

When friends become foes

Harvey is a fortunate little boy.  At the tender age of almost 2, he has many good friends.  There is Tom, Ben, Sophie, Alex and Mabel - these are the friends he sees most often. Tom is currently the love of Harvey's life.

Tom is talked about in the morning, in the car, and in the middle of the night.  Harv has been going through some very tedious night-time waking at around 3-4 am.  Davin and I have tried comforting him (this just results in wide-awake child), and we have tried ignoring him.  The other night, after 30 minutes of "Mummy! Daddy!" Harvey gave up on us and shouted "Tom! Kat!".  Oh dear.

We saw Ben at Kat's house yesterday for the first time in a couple of weeks.  Ben, it appears, has turned into an even cooler dude.

Wherever he went, so did the hat.  Groovey.

For some random reason, Harvey over the past couple of weeks has taken a dislike to Mabel.  This does not make me happy for many reasons.  I love Mabel. She is gorgeous and funny and sweet and loving and fun. Mabel is going to be an exceptional young lady, of this I am sure. Harvey, however, had decided that if Mabel even dares to enter his body space, he will whack her. This is not wise.  I do not approve of bully-boy tactics, and Mabel is quite capable of looking after herself. After 2 weeks of Harvey pushing and shoving Mabel finally cracked and smacked Harvey in the face. He cried. A lot.  He said "lip! lip!" and I said "Oh dear, leave Mabel alone then". I was rather pleased.  Since then Harvey has not had a problem with Mabel, and here they are an hour or so later - in their happy place (also known as the dog's basket). Trust me, had Mabel not walloped him, Harv would not have permitted her presence this close.