Freddie at Two and a Half!

My last update on Freddie was done back in November when he turned two. After that milestone I decided it would be better to do updates on him every six months like I do with James.

Since he turned two he has become such a little mischief maker! He loves nothing more than ganging up on his brother and jumping on him shouting squeeze! Poor James has also been on the end of a beating or two from Freddie. The last incident was poor James getting scratched on the eyelid by his darling little brother. 

Freddie is also so clumsy! He is always walking into things and banging his head, normally on our kitchen table as he seems to forget he is now way too tall to walk under it! He also has a bad habit of smacking himself in the head with our living room door.

His speech has improved so much, especially in the last four months since he started at our local playgroup! He is saying a lot more words and we can all understand him a lot better! He can now say the name of our neighbours dog Archie and when he sees him he shouts hi Archie hi Archie you ok Archie as if he expects him to answer him back! He has also learned to say the name of one of James friends and her little brother who is a few months younger than him. 

He is still wearing a size 4 pull up and a 6+ nappy at night. His clothes are mostly age 2-3 but there are also a few tops in his wardrobe that are age 3-4! Mummy has had to start buying trousers in age 3-4 as he is already starting to outgrow his 2-3 ones in leg length! He seems to be much taller than James was at the same age and he is already catching James up in height!! 

His sleeping as still be a bit hit and miss as he kept getting ill and ending up in mummy and daddy's bed, but now we are getting him to start the night in his own bed and most nights he will stay there till at least 11pm. We have had the odd night where he has gone to bed at half six or seven then woken about eleven, been resettled in his bed and then next time he has woken up it's been around half five or six am! But most nights he will end up in with mummy and daddy from around midnight. 

We are also in the middle of eliminating anything containing dairy from his diet. We have already removed cows milk, eggs and cheese from his diet and he now drinks almond milk with a little bit of water in at bed time. We have a hospital appointment for him in July to see paediatrics to get the ball rolling as to what is upsetting his poor tummy so much and if that is also the cause of his horrendous sleeping!

He had a brilliant time when we went down to visit Nanny and Pappy in Surrey over the February half term! He absolutely adored their cats Zippy and Cecil! And even now he loves to see them on face time! He loved being out and about in London and he had a great time running around in horse guards parade!

He is absolutely loving his sessions at our local playgroup and so is mummy as it gives me some free time to get work done and also to cook meals for tea without interruption!! He has finally stopped going in crying his eyes out, he normally whines a bit but there are no tears and he always comes running out with a big smile on his face chatting his head off!

He had a brilliant time on the early May bank holiday when we had all the hot weather! We bought a paddling pool for him and James and boy was it difficult to get him out of it! He is such a water baby! He even managed to escape mummy and run back into the garden half dressed and climb in and laugh at daddy!

I cannot wait to see how he does when we go on holiday in October! I think both him and James will have a brilliant time!! I admit I am a bit nervous about flying and being sat two and two!

Our next update on Freddie will be when he turns three!! Argh how is my dinky baby almost three!!

Guest Post - Toddler Tantrums by BattleMum

Toddler tantrums are part of the parenting course and for me Freddie is definitely in the "Terrible Twos!" 

Today we have this fantastic post all about dealing with them from the lovely Passports and Adventures

5 top tips for dealing with toddler tantrums.

Unfortunately, tantrums are part and parcel of having children. You show me one child that hasn’t had a few in their little lives. Even the best-behaved children have them from time to time and we, as parents, have to accept this fact.

I have had to deal with many, from low-range tantrums because our son wanted to close the dishwasher to a full on screaming meltdown because I dared to put his post-nursery snack on the wrong plate. How was I supposed to know he wanted his Mickey Mouse plate instead of Thomas the Tank Engine?

I have a few tips for dealing with toddler tantrums. Some may work, some may not, but these are the ones I employ when our son goes off on one.

1.   Distract them. There are certain situations at home when I know a tantrum could manifest itself and during these times I do my best to distract our son, so it doesn’t happen. For instance, if I switch off the TV before bedtime I always have something else to do in reserve, so he will hopefully not notice it going off such as getting his George teddy bear and his dummy ready, when he had one. Distraction can also work during minor tantrums. Our son often helps me unload the washing machine but once the clothes are hung he’ll often want to put them back in. If I say no, he might kick off, so I ask him to help me with something else. If Mr. Independent thinks there is something else he can ‘help with’ the tantrum usually dissipates.

2.  Talk to them. This can either be used to distract them or to try find out what it is they want or what is upsetting them. Sometimes our son gets a thought in his head and if he can’t do it/find it he kicks off. He also sometimes gets frustrated that he cannot relay what it is he wants, and this can sometimes set him off. I find if I get down to his level, hold his hands, make eye contact and speak to him calmly, he’ll try his best to tell me what it is he wants. It often turns out to be a toy he put down in the morning that he suddenly remembers and wants again. Also, gently talking to them during a tantrum such as “I know you are tired, I’m sorry we were out so long” can help calm them down if you remain calm and talk to them in a gentle voice. We don’t give toddlers enough credit for understanding more than they can say.

3.   Avoid situations where they can arise. This may not always be possible and continuing from my first point there are things I avoid to prevent tantrums. I don’t eat or drink anything in front of our son that I don’t want him having, such as chocolate. This might sound mean, but sugar has a big effect on him. I don’t force him to eat when he doesn’t want to, and I let him decide if he’s had enough at meal times. I try to let him choose his own bedtime stories to avoid tantrums then. I also try to make the minimal fuss before bedtime, sticking to our routine as much as possible. Little things like this have helped me avoid some tantrums, some but not all.

4.   Let them have the tantrum. Sometimes you just have to let them get on with it. We must remember that toddlers don’t yet understand their emotions, let alone know how best to deal with them and sometimes you just have to let them get it out of their system. We all know the benefits of having a good cry and the same can be said of toddlers. If we get to this stage I do one of three things. A.  Walk away from our son. B. Stay silent but in the same room. C. Sit silently near him if he’ll let me. Once he’s calmed down he’ll usually come in for a cuddle, and it never lasts more than a few minutes.

5.   Mimic them. This is either used as a last resort in our house or if the tantrum is a mini one. Copying him sometimes shocks him into silence with the confusion of what mum is doing. But be warned, this can have the opposite effect so use it wisely and sparingly. When it works in a positive effect we usually end up laughing together and the tantrum is gone and forgotten about.

These are by no means the only ways of dealing with toddler tantrums but are the ones I’ve used to try to avoid or stop them in their tracks. I’ve used them since our son was one and a few are still valid even today, aged 4. These have worked best for us between the ages of 18 months and 3 years old. I’ve found as he gets older, talking to him and getting down to his level have been most effective, as has distracting him. And although the tantrums continue today, they are much fewer and far between than in previous years as we can communicate with one another better. I doubt they’ll ever fully stop as the pre-teen and teenage years are yet to come.

Thank you for this brilliant post! I will definitely be trying some of these out on Freddie! Most of his tantrums are normally about James going to school!!

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First Impressions of the Cute Nico Backpack

As a busy mummy with two boys aged five and two, a big bag is a necessity! However I prefer a stylish but practical bag as I am definitely not a girly girl and don't really like fancy bags! I much prefer a backpack especially for when I am out and about! I find it much easier to wrestle a toddler from his pram at sure start with a backpack on my back than a bag slung over my shoulder!

When Cute Nico got in touch and asked if we would like to try out there backpack I was thrilled especially as next year we have two big trips coming up involving a lot of travelling!

When I first opened the box I was so impressed with the size of the bag. As a mum of two boys aged 5 and 2 I certainly carry a lot when we are out and about. 

The bag comes with two smaller bags that fit into the front pocket of the bag. One of these is a mesh bag and the other is insulated. In the mesh bag I have two pull ups, some nappy bags and two small packets of travel baby wipes. In the insulated bag I have put some of Freddie's snacks in but will add in his water cup or milk when we go out! The bag comes with a huge changing mat which I love as Freddie is not the smallest two year old! This fits perfectly into the pocket inside the main part of the bag.

In the main compartment I have a change of clothes for Freddie and his inhaler with spacer. When James is with us I will add in some spare clothes for him as well! 

Overall our first impressions of the Cute Nico backpack have been brilliant! Check back in January to see how it fares on days out over Christmas holidays with two boys!

Calibre Products Knee Support

Ever since I injured my knee when I was 15 I have suffered badly when it was cold with pain. Since that first injury I have suffered two more major injuries and have been on crutches twice.


For me winter is the worst time of year for suffering pain, The cold makes my knee joint ache and feel so sore when I'm walking around or playing with the boys.

So when Calibre Products got in touch and asked if I would like to try out one of their Knee supports I jumped at the chance! Ever since my worst injury where I put a minor tear in my cruciate ligament, the pain in the ligaments has felt so much worse! I absolutely hate the cold and sometimes I have to rely on either deep heat cream or little heat packs on my knee when I go out and about. 

Calibre say "The Calibre Support Knee Brace is an ergonomically designed support that aids you on a day-to-day basis providing stabilisation for sporting, occupational or leisure activities. Manufactured from high quality breathable neoprene, it provides great heat retention to nurture the healing process. Lasting long into the future."

The Calibre knee support is an open patella and it is strapped around via strong velcro. I have found that I have to tighten the bottom velcro before the top otherwise it can slide down my leg! 

But over all this product is absolutely brilliant, it helps me to manage the pain I get in cold weather by keeping my knee warm and supporting it. I wear it most days especially on the school run as it is freezing cold! By wearing this knee support I can do so much more in the winter! Everything that it says in the description is true! It definitely retains heat which means I have not had to use any of the heat creams to help my knee when out and about. It gives my knee the support it needs when walking and running after Freddie and James! 


The product is available to buy for £9.90 on Amazon.

**We were sent a voucher to purchase this product on Amazon, but all words and pictures are my own!**

Taking Freddie Dairy Free!

Over the last year, Freddie has had a number of issues which we think are related to his intake of dairy.

Freddie was a brilliant baby, He slept well and had none of the issues with bring up his feeds like James did as a baby, then he hit ten months old and he had a nasty sickness bug and virus. After that his sleep went out the window and became terrible. As he turned one we tried to swap him from baby formula onto cows milk and straight away we had issues. He got constipation and literally didn't sleep at all well. We tried a few times and every time we had the same issues. 

We kept Freddie on formula milk till he was eighteen months old as our GP said and then slowly moved him onto green top milk. We still had major issues with his sleeping, but then we had constipation issues start! We even ended up at local hospital as he hadn't gone for a few days and he was in agony. The doctors prescribed movicol, but even with that there was still days when he didn't go and if he didn't, then he didn't sleep!

Now Freddie is two and lately he has been sicking up his milk, so we made up some milk, which was half milk and half water! Since we started giving this to him, he hasn't needed any movicol at all!! His sleep has also been so much better! 

So now after seeing a different GP who asked if there was any family history with dairy issues (yes there is!), has suggested cutting as much out of his diet as possible which is what we are now trying!

He's getting watered down green top milk in the morning and at night but there rest of the time he is getting water to drink, but we are looking for other drinks to give him and maybe an alternative milk to try! 

Another thing we need to try is new snacks! Freddie loves his fruit covered yogurt bites but since they actually contain dairy we have to stop giving them to him! 

So if anyone has any ideas of snacks we can try that are not too fiddly for me to make or any apps we can try to help us buy him snacks then please email us!

Bibetta Cover all bib

With a busy toddler, meal time are definitely challenging and very messy! So when Bibetta offered us one of their cover all bibs we jumped at the chance! Freddie is at the stage where he wants to feed himself so normally we get food all over the clothes!

This bib was an utter godsend when we went to stay with my parents obtain he school half term holiday. They don't have a proper highchair for Freddie, only a booster seat that clips onto a chair, but it doesn't have a tray, so with Freddie wanting to feed himself, a cover all bib is a necessity! 

Made out of neoprene and machine washable at 30, it is also tumbler dryer proof, which with a messy boy like Freddie, is a godsend as everything goes in our tumble dryer! 

With elasticated cuffs there is no chance of Freddie getting food down the inside, which is a regular occurrence in his other cover all bibs! 

Freddie was wanting to feed himself his breakfast, which was porridge, and even though he dropped some it went on his bib rather than himself or more importantly his pjs! 

I can safely say this bib is brilliant and I think it will be first thing into our bag when we go to see nana and gaga!

**We were sent this bib free of charge in excess for this review, all words and pictures are our own**

Cuddleroar Review

Bathing a wriggling toddler can be such a nightmare! Especially when it comes to getting them out and dry!! Freddie is about to turn two and so getting him in and out of the bath can me fun! Especially when it comes to the getting out part as normally mummy or daddy ends up soaking wet!!

So when the lovely people at Cuddledry got in touch and asked if we would like to review the Cuddleroar towel with Freddie we jumped at the chance!!

When the towel first arrived Freddie couldn't wait to put it on actually over the top of his clothes!

What mummy loves about the towel is  the fact it contains bamboo fibre and cotton, meaning its silky soft and 60% more absorbent than just cotton on its own! It also has a super absorbent cosy hood to dry hair and keep warmth in! Its from walking to age three, but as we discovered it actually still fits our five year old James as well and he is pretty tall for his age! And of course it is super fluffy and cosy!!

Freddie loves bath time and even though he has the super cosy Cuddleroar, he still hates getting out the bath, but it definitely stops us having a naked toddler running around the house as when using a normal generic bath towel on Freddie he normally manages to squirm out of it and run around naked! But since the Cuddleroar has the press stud on the hood to keep the towel on, he can still run around but he is running around with a towel still on!

I wish we had invested in one of these when James was tiny as he was definitely a runner after bath time too!

The Cuddleroar is available

to purchase direct from Cuddledry for £34.99 and can also be found on Amazon!

Freddie at 23 months

Oh Freddie how can we be only four weeks away from you turning two!

In the last month your speech has come on so much! You can string a few simple words together like where daddy and out there or up there! Your favourite thing to shout is where j after we drop James off at school.

Speaking of your brother you and him have got even closer. You absolutely adore each other! Now he is back to school you miss him during the day and when I tell you it's time to go and get him you get so excited!

We will be introducing you to the potty soon as you are starting to tell us when you need a new nappy by either shouting bum or getting your changing mat and shouting bum!

You are wearing all 18-24 mo th clothing and some 2-3 bits already! You are in a size 4 pull up and a size 6+ nappy at night. 

You are the most mischievous kid though! You are always looking for trouble! At nanas you have learned if you climb onto her sofa you can then climb into the window! You also run up and down the stairs at every given chance! You are totally obsessed with the washing machine and tumble dryer! We have to check the washer for toys before we use it!

You only have milk in a bottle at bed time, the rest of the time it's in your 360 cup! You live bread sticks and as I write this you are onto your third in the last half hour! 

You are definitely very much a mummy's boy still. You love nothing more than snuggling up in mummy's bed and cuddling into me all night!

I cannot believe you will be two next time I write to you

All my love

Mummy xxx

Freddie at 22 months

My little baby bear how can you be 22 months old already! In eight weeks you will be turning two years old! The last two years have gone by so fast!

In the last month your speech has come on so much! You are always babbling your head off! Your favourite words are mum, daddy and gaga! You often pick up my iPad and shout gaga gaga till I out FaceTime on either nana and gaga!

You still absolutely adore your big brother and we have had some tears and tantrums when he goes into school as you miss him so much! Then once we get James home you are his little shadow! You never leave him alone!

You have mastered the stairs like a pro! There's been times you have legged it from mummy and I have found you sitting laughing at the bottom of the stairs! 

You are in all 18-24 month clothing with the odd 12-18 top still fitting. You are in a size 4 pull up, but have moved onto the 6+ nappy at night.

You love your milk and have a 9oz bottle at bedtime, with one beaker in the day and numerous cups of water! You love your food and are willing to try anything you are given! You definetly eat more than James at some meals! You are a big fan of fruit and veggies!

You are still very much a mamas boy, you like nothing more than snuggling up with mummy when you are tired, even if you do get muddled and call me daddy at times! When daddy gets in from work though you are his shadow and all I hear is daddy,daddy,daddy! 

You have been pretty poorly lately with upset stomach and a virus. I miss my happy little man.

We love you so much titch

Love 

Mummy xxx

Freddie at 19 months

So another month closer to you turning two my little man.

You are such a little character. You have the cheekiest smile and your eyes light up when you see your mummy!

You are definitely at mummy's boy, but as soon as daddy gets home from work you stop whatever you are doing and run to the door shouting dada dada! 

Your sleeping has got much better lately. You are sleeping from around 7pm till 11pm having 6oz of milk and then sleeping till half 6am! 

You are wearing a size 4 pull up and size 5+ nappy. Your clothes are a mixture of 12-18 and 18-24. You are very nearly onto cow's milk. We have been swapping you over very slowly and so far there has been no reaction!

You had your first trip to Warkworth beach on father's day. You loved digging in the sand. You were not keen on the sea as it was quite cold but you kept running towards the sea hwhen mummy and daddy went in. You even threw your hat in!

You have started getting very upset when we take James to school. You scream and cry but when we go to pick him up you have the biggest smile. 

You still love your baby group at sure start. You have discovered the taps in the toilets and you and your little pals are always running in and turning them off and on!

You are definitely mischievous, and your eyes light up with mischief when you see something you shouldn't!

You have been to your second hoppings at Newcastle town moor, last year you were little and couldn't go on anything. This year you went on a ride with James and you loved it! 

Love you so much my little dude

Mummy 

xxx

Freddie at 17 months

So I'm over a week late this month since you have been pretty poorly with an ear infection plus tonsillitis, so I've not had much time for anything bar you clinging to me! You barely ate or slept for over a week! 

So 17 months Freddie! We are nearly half way to you turning two! 

Your walking has come on such! Especially when we were at Alton Towers! You walked everywhere on the first day in the park! You got to drive Postman Pat's van with James which you loved! You were hitting the horn on the steering wheel and laughing! You had an absolute ball while we were away! You fell more in love with Mr Tumble and Iggle Piggle too! You even came home with a toy Mr Tumble and toy Iggle Piggle, who join you in your cot every night! 

So you are in a mixture of 12-18 and 18-24 clothes, you wear a size 5+ nappy at night and a size 4 pull up in the day. You take a size 4.5H in shoes! You love walking on your reins especially when James is holding them!

You are still very much a mummy's boy and love nothing more than snuggling up in bed or on the sofa with mummy! You adore your big brother and miss him very much when he's at school! You love going to your group at sure start although you have missed a few due to illness lately!

You have been known to start hitting the door during the day shouting for James or J as you call him! 

Your eating has taken a few steps backwards since u were ill. Your back to eating basically mush. You are starting to eat more solid foods like fruit but I think your throat might still be a bit tender as if u are given pieces of Chicken you are gagging a bit.

I wonder what new tricks you will have by 18 months

Love you always Freddie Bear

Love

Mummy

xxx

 

Santa's Odd List!

So it's the time of year when parents everywhere are taking their children to see Santa. 

This got me thinking about Christmases past and visits we have made to see Santa and the odd things my darling oldest son has asked for! Christmas 2014 when James was just over two, we took him to see Santa in a local shopping centre and he asked for milk and yoghurt! Then last year 2015 when he was just over three and Freddie was newborn, James asked for a white fire engine!

I decided to ask some of my fellow bloggers if their children had ever asked for anything odd or if I was the only one to have a crazy child! 

Amy from www.thesmallestofthings.com said Scarlett asked for chocolate because I wouldn't let her have any. So she said she'll put it on her kissmass list!

Jade from  www.lateforreality.co.uk said Ted's list has some odd things on. Marshmallows are one and 'so many books' is another. Today he asked for Sausage and Mash from Santa!

Kate from www.countingtoten.co.uk said M has just written her letter to Santa and all it has on it is a slap band. So her stocking can contain just one of those right? I can provide a pic?

Amy from www.2boys1mum.com said My eldest wants a real bell from Santa's sleigh so he knows that Santa is real. (He likes the book Polar Express!) 

Kate from http://myfamilyfever.co.uk said Max (3) has asked for spaghetti, a yellow pencil and a real Stegosaurus. 

Lucy from Http://mrshsfavouritethings.com said Last year Little Miss H asked for a block of cheese. We asked her if she wanted any special cheese. And she said no, just cheese. "I like cheese". We bought her a scooter instead. Bad mummy!!! 

Sarah from http://www.runjumpscrap.com said hmm possibly odd for a 3 year old...a chocolate fountain... what??  She knows she is not getting it as Mummy told Santa!

So it's not just me that's child asks for odd things! So relieved this year he actually asked for a game!

The Super Yummies

The Super Yummies 

Being a mum to a fussy three year old, I'm always on the look out for new snacks as James can get bored of things very quickly. So when we got the chance to review 'The Super Yummies' part of the Cow & Gate family we jumped at the chance. We have always loved Cow & Gate products as a family, using them first for James and now with Freddie. 

The Super Yummies range includes freeze dried fruit and vegetables, fruit pouches, rice cakes and bread sticks.

We were sent tomato and herb bread sticks, pear and berries rice cakes, beetroot and parsnip slices, strawberry and yoghurt pieces, Apple and forest fruits yoghurt pouch and a strawberry, kiwi and banana squeeze.

The first thing that stands out for me is the packaging. It's bright and clearly shows what the product contains by the pictures. James was very easily able to identify some of the fruits namely strawberries, apples & pears. 

The breadsticks come in a resealable packet which to me is a huge hit, as it means I don't have to go hunting round the kitchen for one of my sealing clips which do tend to go walk about.

The rice cakes were really yummy! I normally would only buy savoury flavours but these fruit ones were really nice for something different. James loved them and so did mummy!

The pouches have to be my favourite part of the range as James adores them! He loves nothing better than one of these after nursery as a snack. He could probably eat these all day!

We took the freeze dried strawberry and yoghurt pieces with us on a recent day out and James loved them! They were different to the normal snacks I would have in my bag for him. I thought he would be fussy with them as they were something different but he surprised me and loved them! 

Over all we LOVE 'The Super Yummies' I will definitely be buying some more for our snack cupboard! I have already spotted them in our local Tesco & Boots stores!

For more information on the different products in 'The Super Yummies' range please visit: http://www.cowandgate.co.uk/super-yummies

**We were sent these samples free of charge, however all words and pictures are my own**

Kinetik Non Contact Thermometer

As a mum to two young boys, having a good thermometer to check for fevers is a must! In fact its one of the most important items you could have in your medical box!

When we got the chance to review the Kinetik Non Contact Forehead Thermometer we were thrilled! 

Freddie is now in the infant immunisation scheme so having a good thermometer is so important. Our current one is an in ear one and the tip is far too big for Freddie's tiny ears and its impossible to get a good reading from James as his ears are just so waxy!

I found it impossible to get a reading from Freddie after his eight week Jabs as the tip would just not go into his ear.

The Kinetik website states: Changes in body temperature, higher or lower, can indicate the start of an illness. It is particularly important to identify any significant changes in a child’s temperature. The Kinetik range of Thermometers are an ideal addition to your medicine cabinet. They are designed to offer a simple, accurate way to take a temperature and provide you with the assurance you need to monitor your family’s health and wellbeing.

We were sent the NCT1 model for the purpose of this review! 
This model is: Non-contact, with a one second infra-red reading, an in built fever alarm, its suitable from birth and has a 25 reading memory!

Freddie has just had his second lot of immunisations, so this thermometer is perfect for checking if he's got a fever from his jabs. Our old in-ear thermometer was far to big for his little ears. 

To use all you need to do is remove the cap, press the on/memory button, and hold 1-3cm from the forehead and press the scan button!

This is so simple to use and I'm very impressed with it! It is so small it fits in the palm of my hand and my hands are not that big!!

We first tried out the Thermometer on our 3 year old to see if it was any easier than the in ear one & It was brilliant! He normally fidgets and fights when we go near him with the in ear thermometer but I could literally point it at him and get a reading. He came down with a bug and had a high temperature yet our in ear was reading normal and the Kinetik picked up he actually did have a temperature. I definitely rate this as amazing for a fidgeting 3 year old.

Now onto Freddie. He's just had his 12 week immunisations and this has been brilliant for checking his temperature while he's sleeping. It has literally been point & press. Again the old in ear thermometer would not give a reading for his tiny ears, yet this did! We were able to check his temperature during the night without disturbing him.

And the biggest plus for me is when it's not being used for checking either of my two sons temperatures, it's also a room thermometer! I can carry it round our hose and make sure the house is at an ideal temperature!

Fantastic product, and the small size is definerly a huge hit from us!   

**We were sent the product free of charge in exchange for this review, all words, images and opinions are my own**

Silent Sunday

Parents worst nightmare.

It must be every parents worst nightmare, getting a phone call from your child's school saying they had had an accident.

This is what happened to me yesterday. I dropped James off at school as normal then headed down to aldi for their baby event then back to the children's centre for Freddie's baby group. We had not long left the children's centre and as normal I rang my dad to see how my parents were. My phone beeped n then when I hung up I had a text saying I had missed a call from the school. I rang them straight back and found out that my poor boy had fallen over and banged his head. 

I went straight round to the main entrance and then down to the nursery, I found my boy with an ice pack on his forehead. He had been jumping and lost his balance falling over and knocking his head on one of the units.

He's still not really himself and very quiet but I'm sure he will be much better for Monday. 

**Hes had a check up with a&e and he's all good just has a nice egg on his head & bruise**

Silent Sunday

Our 2015

What can I say about 2015 other than what a year!

January saw us make the decision to start looking into buying our own house. We saw numerous properties till we saw a gorgeous little three bed roomed house in north Kenton. We put an offer in and it was accepted!! 

February we gave our two months notice on rented property and started packing up, clearing out and arranging storage for our stuff.

March we celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary, then found out the day after we were expecting baby two! 

April we celebrated my 30th birthday and also moved out of our rented house and in with my mum and dad while the house purchase went through.

May we completed on the house and took ownership on 27th May! We also announced baby two was on the way after our 12 week scan.

June our gorgeous little nephew Jayden was born two days before his wonderful mummy celebrated her own birthday. We also officially moved into our house! 

July we had our 20 week scan and announced baby two was another boy! James had his first visit to the nursery he would be starting in September.

August was the month James turned three! We celebrated by going to Big Luke's at intu metro centre and watching the metro gnomes show! James also started potty training at last! 

September James started nursery school! We were so proud of our little man! He had a rough start as he was so used to being with mummy, but now he loves it!

October we started preparing for baby boy arriving!

November our second little boy Freddie Andrew Tinline Hockley arrived on the 25th at 1219pm. 

December well first Christmas in our house and first Christmas for Freddie although he slept through most of it! We ended December with a stay in great north children's hospital for Freddie with a bout of bronchiolitis.

2016 is going to be another great year with James starting primary school in September and watching him and Freddie grow up!

Freddie one month old

Freddie you are one month old & it's your first Christmas Day. 

The past month has flown by! I really can't believe that you are a month old already. You hate being put down and like nothing more than being snuggled up on mummy's chest. 

You are still in newborn clothing and size 1 nappies. You are taking 4oz bottles every two and half to four hours. You have given us a few five hour blocks over night which is good. You get so grumpy if your bottle is taken away from you. You seem to be taking after your big brother and like music channels and of course the jingles on sky news - they seem to always grab your attention.

You love doing tummy time on your changing mat, which James hated till he was a few months old. Again just like James you have amazing head control and have done since the day you were born. We have had a few instances where you have tried rolling during tummy time, as much as I love you copying your big brother and his development I want you to slow down so we can savour every moment! I'm hoping you are not an early crawler like James! I'm not ready for two little boys following me around the house! 

You have been a bit poorly with a cold and now a cough but I suppose it's to be expected with a big brother bringing home germs from nursery. 

I'm so excited for Christmas and our family being completely. You have really just slotted in and it feels like you have always been here. I know you won't know what's going on but I'm excited for our day. 

I really wish your great nannie could have met you, I'm sure she would have loved you as much as she loved James. I hope when you are older you will like to hear about her & I'm sure James will teach you all the songs and things she taught him.

James is starting to get braver around you & actually let mummy and daddy give you both cuddles at the same time. Hopefully by two months old he may have actually given you a cuddle!

Love you lots my little Freddie Bear

Mummy xxx