Wednesday 9 September 2015

Best Days Out in London with Kids

Hi Guys,

Here is a little video blog on three of our favourite places to go (with kids) in London.  We live in Essex and are luckily only 20 minutes away from town so we can go there and enjoy the sites and museums.

MY TOP 3:

1. Natural History Museum (and museums in general - South Kensington)
2. Kidzania, Westfields London (Shepherd's Bush)
3. A London Show for kids (we have been to Peppa Pig and In the Night Garden at the O2)

I know there is so much more to see and do in town but I thought I would share ones that are indoors as Autumn is definitely here!

I post videos on my vlog every Monday, Wednesday and Friday (Monday is always my weekly vlog).

Thanks so much and see you soon xxx


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Tuesday 8 September 2015

First Day of School



Dearest Fraser,

Yesterday you started school. Big school.  Reception!  To say I have been a little emotional over the last few weeks is a huge understatement - I have been over the top emotional whenever I think about you starting school.  I don't know what has come over me.  I have known that this day was coming for a very long time.

For months we have been planning for this day, trying to prepare you (and I).  We got you dressed in your smart green uniform (you refused to wear the blazer and I wasn't going to push it) I did your hair as best I could and off we went to your new school.  You were being really brave the whole way there but when the time came for parents to say 'goodbye' you broke down and cried and clung on to my leg, just as you have done since you were a baby.  So, I of course welled up and burst into tears and even little Caleb started getting upset that I was leaving his crying brother behind.  As we left Caleb kept saying 'Aw, Fraser, back!'.  I hung around outside peering in to your classroom window trying to catch a glimpse of you happily playing and eventually your teacher came out and said 'Mrs Norris he's absolutely fine now!' but I think she actually meant 'Shift it you crazy mum, he's fine!' :-)

You and I have always suffered from separation anxiety from each other.  You have always created and got upset when I've dropped you off at nursery (at just 10 months), preschool and now school.  Although you are so social, popular and have a great time when you are there - I don't think it's that you don't like school, I think it is just that you love your home comforts.  You still crawl in to our bed every night once Daddy and I are asleep and sleep in the middle of us and we're not about to put a stop to it as we know that you're only going to be little once and for such a short time.  

I can't believe how quickly the past four and a half years have gone and I cherish the time we have had together.  Especially when I was on maternity leave with you and it was just you and me, every day, all day together - I used to lay you on your blanket in the garden and you would gurgle and do the cutest little ninja moves whenever the wind blew the trees above you.  You got so excited, you were just the sweetest little baby.  It is so sad and so exciting at the same time that you are starting school and off on your next adventure, I just wish sometimes that you didn't have to grow up and you could stay little forever.  You are so innocent and I just hope Daddy and I have done a good enough job of building your confidence up so much that if any knocks do come your way that it doesn't keep you down for long.  

While you were at school, Caleb and I went shopping to get you some sweets and a Paw Patrol toy because you did so well.   You came running out of the gate shouting 'Mommy' and smiling with a 'Deputy Head Teachers Award' sticker on your uniform for being such a good listener.

Daddy and I couldn't be prouder of you, our handsome school boy! 

Love you,

Mommy xxx

Fraser's first day at preschool - he looks so little!  

Baby Fraser in the garden

 His little cute ninja moves when the trees move :-) 

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Thursday 3 September 2015

An Emotional Date




My first born, Fraser, starts school on Monday and yesterday I planned a ‘date' day for us. Every now and then my husband or I take Fraser on a date to the cinema or bowling to make him feel special and to do an activity that he doesn’t get to do when his baby brother is around.
 
I had planned our date, I'd booked a day's annual leave and paid a small fortune for tickets to Kidzania at Westfields, London.

We woke up, sent baby Caleb off to nursery (guilt!) so we could have our precious day together, just hanging out, enjoying each others company.
 
It was all very exciting, we got on the train and a tube to London and arrived at Kidzania. We checked in, got our boarding cards and walked in to what can only be described as Las Vegas for kids, where you can be or do anything that you want to. Be a fire fighter, a pilot, a chocolatier, a smoothie maker - anything! It all looked amazing, so much to do and see!
 
And….. Do you know what he wanted to do first? NOTHING! He did not want to do any of it, because doing any activity meant stepping about 5 steps away from me. Adults were not permitted in the activity rooms, but I’d be right there, behind glass watching him. But he wouldn’t join in, the one thing he did want to do was play board games with me in the board game room.
 
All the planning, the journey, the money and all he really wanted to do was spend time with his Mom. I could’ve cried right there in the middle of Kidzania. He just wanted to play a flipping board game or jenga with me! I’d put so much pressure on this big fun day out before he goes off to school but it was all unnecessary.
 
We played board games for an hour or so and did one activity - the only one that they would let me in to (which was drumming and music) and then I said lets go and get a pizza. We went via the Disney Store and then to Pizza Express.
 
As we were travelling home on the train, I was thinking about our day and looking at my handsome little guy and wishing that he didn’t have to go to school. I KNOW, I KNOW, he is so raring to go, he’s ready and it will be great for him blah blah, but I am going to miss my little best friend when he’s there, our little chats and his jokes, I have loved having him at home all summer.
 
Time is one of the most precious things that we all have or can give to our children. You can’t buy more of it and it stops for no one. There is a famous quote that says ‘Life is what happens when you’re making other plans’ and it is so true. It is such a cliche but time really does go by so fast.

From now on I am going to stop putting pressure on making memories. After all some of our best times are unplanned and spontaneous or just relaxing at home! Some of my best memories as a child are just building a fort with my sister, jumping off the dock into the lake 100 times at our cottage - simple things, just spending time with the people you love.

I’m also going to (try to) stop being upset about him going to school. I am going to put on a brave face on Monday when he walks through those school gates (and then obviously run back to my car and ball my eyes out) but in front of him I’ll be strong. I am excited for what’s to come, watching him grow and flourish at school - I know he will thrive there and learn so much more than I could teach him. He’s so bright and funny and Matt and I couldn’t be prouder the boy that he has become.

(Lots of cute photos below :-) xx





Enjoying his Drum lesson!

Rockstar in the making!









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