Nun Night Eleven Year Old

You have grown so much as an 11 year old, in every way.  You are the main character in your story, you have an active life away from me and I feel like I am letting go a little bit more each week as you seek out independence and forge your own path.  You are confident without me always there, you are capable and you always make me proud.

I think 11 is the last year I will be able to look down at you as you must be around 5 foot 6 and you are wearing a size 9 shoe now.  There is still so much youth in your face and the way you walk though that I still see you as a child.  11 was the year you started caring a little more about what you wear (although as long as it is Adidas or a football shirt you still aren't that fussy).  It is a weird tween age where you have left behind so much of the child but you still have so much growing to do.

At 11 your passion is football.  It's come from nowhere and is all consuming and you want everything to be football based. You wanted the new FIFA game, football shirts and football training gear for your gifts, and of course anything with Liverpool FC on it.  I love seeing how enthusiastic you are about it all and how much time you spend outside because of the new hobby.

As an 11 year old you have been great company.  You can be sensible, helpful and chatty (you can also be none of these things depending on the day of course).  You are better at walking away from fights with your siblings (again, depending on the day) and we can see how important for you having your own space is as you reach this next stage in your life.

It is the last year before you officially become a teenager and I am looking forward to adventures with you both big and small this year. 

I know twelve is going to be a busy year with so much change but I want to stop and enjoy you whilst you are still littler than me, because I know how many lasts are coming as you start needing me less.  You are clumsy, frustrating, intelligent, loud and wonderful and no matter how big you get, you will always be my baby.

Sleep tight my gorgeous eleven year old, for tomorrow is a big day

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Nun Night Eight Year Old

The countdown started earlier than ever this year, I think with every passing year the excitement grows and unfortunately you will always be the last of your friends to have a birthday.  We are here though, I have just tucked you in for the last time as an eight year old and you will wake up nine, probably another inch taller and a little bit more grown up again.

Over lockdown you felt a bit younger again, you played more with toys and with your siblings once we took away friends and the social normalities but as things start to lift, as you find a social side of your gaming, as you went back to school for a few weeks, I saw you grow up again and we are caught in the middle now, two sides of you, the boy who is still my baby and the child who is racing towards independence and maturity.  

Eight was the year you seemed to learn more about the world, to understand things a bit better and to ask interesting questions.  It was the year you gained such amazing confidence skiing and I have seen recently how much you have progressed in swimming as you finally choose to swim in the sea after years of rarely going in past your ankles.  Eight was the year you started to think more about your future and your school report shows me how much you have been trying at school.  I still haven't managed to get you loving books but I will never give up trying.

This year your birthday is a bit different.  Lockdown is lifting and we can do much more than we could, but we still can't celebrate in the same ways and you are happy with a smaller party and a special family day out.  You have asked for a gaming headset so you can talk to your friends as you play on the x-box and you can't wait to connect.

These photos are from yesterday, we went to the beach after dinner and you wanted to go swimming in the sea and practice treading water.  You weren't that deep when I took these but you are turning into such a water baby and I love that.  You were so happy.  I find it hard to capture photos of you as you get older but I see you so clearly in these.  You are my son, my baby boy and my friend and I love getting to spend time one on one and learn more about you.

9 is going to be a big year, school is going to be different, everything will be different and year 5 is important in an area where you are expected to sit the 11+ in the first week of September (when you will have only just turned 10).  I know you are strong enough to cope with everything, you have a brilliant attitude to life and you can't wait to get stuck in to learning again.

Eight was full of fun but I think nine is going to be an exciting new adventure for you, I can't wait to be part of it.

Sleep tight my gorgeous eight year old, for tomorrow is a big day 

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Nun Night Seven Year Old

It has been an unusually late night for you tonight as we were travelling across Croatia and it is very hard to wear a seven year old out in the car, especially when you had a little late snooze too and I think the excitement of arriving somewhere new and choosing which bed to sleep in means you have forgotten for a little while that it is your birthday in the morning, although that seems unlikely considering we have been on a countdown for weeks with the number of sleeps until you are eight.

I can't quite believe that I will have an eight year old in the morning, it seems so much older than seven, but then when I look back at you a year ago, you really are so much older.  Seven was the year you completed year 3 and you are heading into year 4 when you return to school.  It was the year you really gained more confidence swimming and you continued to challenge stereotypes and be who you are.

You recently changed your career aspirations and now you want to be a fashion designer.  You have been drawing me beautiful dresses and I am definitely on board with this one if you can make me some nice clothes! You are still as in love with Pokemon cards and playing Pokemon Go and you still love all things computer games and the struggle to balance that which I spoke about in last year's post hasn't changed.  

You are so tall, taller than all your friends yet you are still so sensitive and incredibly clumsy at the moment which makes me worry another growth spurt is coming! Your feet haven't grown all year and your trainers are looking so worn now but I keep waiting for your feet to grow - it will probably happen as soon as buy you new shoes of course!

You love spending time with your friends, you have a fascination with learning more about the world but you have lost the enthusiasm for learning at school which you need to rekindle.  We sat and talked about geography and the equator this week for ages but when it comes to reading you aren't interested despite the fact you are more than capable and should be working at a much higher level according to your teachers.  I am hoping that eight is the year you work out that reading is fun and we are trying to find the right book to start that journey.  

Seven was a year of cementing friendships, growing up and of still staying young too. You are a wonderful human being and I am so proud to be your Mummy.

Sleep tight my gorgeous seven year old, for tomorrow is a big day 

Love Mummy xxxxxx

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Dinosnores Sleepover at the Natural History Museum

I don't remember exactly when I first heard about Dinosnores, the sleepover at the Natural History Museum in London, but I thought it would be the perfect way to spend some time with my then six year old and I booked in to go in November once he was seven.  Dinosnores is a sleepover experience for children aged 7-11 years that takes part after the museum has shut for the night and involves sleeping under the great blue whale skeleton in the extraordinary Hintze Hall.

We arrived at the Natural History Museum at 6:45pm in the rain and were assigned our team (blue raptors) and shown an area of the main hall covered in sleeping mats so we could choose our beds.  There was an excited atmosphere as the children laid out their sleeping bags and browsed the animals and skeletons that line the main hall.  There was plenty of time to go and change into comfy clothes (most children were in either warm pyjamas or a onsie for the evening) and have a drink.

There were three evening activities and different groups did them in a different order.  I was worried that Dylan wasn't 'into' dinosaurs enough for Dinosnores but I loved the way the activities meant you didn't need to be (although a light interest is quite useful) as you could focus on the other aspects of the activity instead.  Our first one was a torchlight trail around the dinosaur area finding the clues to find out our Dino.  The children were all given torches and sheets and Dylan loved looking for the green dinosaurs to complete his sheet and learning some facts about the answer.

After this we could go to the Natural History Museum cafe for a snack. You need to bring in your own food which has to be kept in the cafe at all times and there was tea and coffee on hand too.  We had eaten dinner before we arrived so had some light snacks to get us through the rest of the evening.  After snack time was our second activity.

The event says children must be between 7 and 11 to participate and it was the science show that we watched next that really showed me why.  It started at 9.30 and was incredibly interesting and interactive but it was pushing the limits of Dylan's concentration to engage in a show at that time of night.  It was run by Scientists from the museum and was fantastic.  

Our final activity for the evening was creative and the children were taught how to become dinosaur artists, interpreting the fossils to discover how the dinosaurs would have actually looked and it ended in them creating their own t-shirts to take home.  I was so impressed with how this activity was run as there was plenty of space and materials and all the children looked really involved.  Dylan loves art so I think this was his favourite t-shirt and my job this evening is to iron the t-shirt to secure his art on it!.

We went back to the main hall afterwards to prepare for lights out at midnight and got cosy in our sleeping bags.  Thankfully it wasn't cold despite the pouring rain outside and once the lights went out it was very dark.  Sleeping on the floor isn't the comfiest though and whilst Dylan got a full seven hours I certainly didn't (and I hadn't expected to).  He is a child that needs a lot of sleep so the next day was quite challenging by the end of it despite his hour long nap on the way home! 

Lights came up at 7am ready for breakfast and there were small packs for each of us with a small muffin, a yoghurt and juice.  I would definitely recommend packing something more substantial like croissants/pain au chocolate of breakfast bars as we were still hungry and unprepared.

After breakfast there was a live animal show featuring a skunk and a meerkat amongst other things.  It was really well done with humour for the adults alongside interaction for the children.  Once the sleepover officially finished, we were left to either leave the museum or stay in it and some exhibits were open (and of course empty) so we could enjoy them in peace before the crowds arrived!

The event was organised amazingly and there were so many staff on hand at the Natural History Museum who could help return lost families to their group, guide the activities and chat to the children.  If I had a question there was always someone close by to ask it too and all the staff were enthusiastic and knowledgable.  I was really impressed with how well run it was.

We had an absolutely fantastic experience at the Dinosnores sleepover event and I would really recommend it to anyone with a curious junior school aged child.  Dylan was so happy and it was a great way for us to enjoy some one on one time together without his siblings.  It would be a brilliant birthday party idea for a small group and there were beaver/scout groups there as well when we visited.  I hope that in the future I can repeat the experience with the other children although I will definitely be waiting until they are at least seven as it was exhausting and I want them to get the most out of it.

You can find out more here about Dinosnores sleepovers at the Natural History Museum

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Staying Young with shopDisney and Marvel Lego

We had such a fantastic time at Disneyland last month and we have all got the bug!  It brings out my inner child and brings back memories from my childhood.  One of the boys' favourite parts of our trip was the Disney Studios as it was the 'Summer of Marvel' and they love superheroes.  

Lego is one of the other things that always makes me feel young, probably because I get just as into it as the boys and we have been having great fun with some of the Lego Marvel sets from shopDisney.  They sent us a few kits to celebrate the relaunch of shopDisney and all their partnerships and we had to start with Ironman!  I had a little look on the website and there are some brilliant collaborations including some awesome shoes with Marvel and Clarks!

Dylan only turned 7 last month so the 'big' Lego sets are still definitely a team effort but we love the Lego Junior range at the moment where they are able to build them themselves.  We made Iron Man together though and I love how easy the instructions are to follow and how it gives us something fun to do together.   I think the concentration and following of instructions is a great skill for the children and I find it really therapeutic too to switch off my brain for a while whilst I help them.  Archie can't get enough of launching balls and I know they will really play with the Lego rather than just keeping it on a shelf too.

We are all now huge Disney fans and I love the different ways we can incorporate Disney and Marvel into our lives with the brilliant collaborations!

Archie picked this one as his favourite set so it will be definitely be the next one we make together! I have a feeling Lego Marvel superheroes may feature heavily on their Christmas lists this year too!

I was sent some Marvel Lego sets from shopDisney for the purpose of this post 

but all thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

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Nun Night Six Year Old

It was your last day as a six year old today and you cannot wait to wake up as a seven year old.  We have an exciting day out planned and we are taking two of your friends along which feels so much more grown up than a big party - quite fitting for the grown up boy you are becoming.

Six was the year you finished year two and said goodbye to infant school.  You are starting again as a seven year old somewhere new and you are so ready for the challenge.  Six was the year you grew so fast that I blinked and your t-shirts were hovering somewhere around your belly button.  It was the year your limbs seemed to shoot out,your proportions changing as you prepare for the next stage of growth.  I didn't really notice the changes until sports day when all the year two children seemed so gangly compared to the younger years and you most of all. 

This year you have found new interests, you have loved school and got so involved in your environmental superhero topic, becoming a campaigner for plastic bans and an avid recycler.  I have loved following your new interests, hearing you talk so animatedly about your topics and learning alongside you most of the time.   

You know your mind, you know societies expectations and you are not afraid to challenge them.  You understand that choosing something for the girls section is different, but you have the self confidence to do it anyway if that is what you like.  I hope you always stay you.

You are really into computer games now which I find a daily struggle as I would prefer you to spend less time looking at a screen.  All you have asked for this year for your birthday is Fortnite as all your friends are playing it and I don't feel ready to lose you into this world just yet! We are trying to find a good balance and you still love imaginative play and being in the garden.  You have pretty much left toys behind, but you play imaginative games with friends and your siblings using whatever you have on hand (often cuddly toys).  Your bedroom has become your 'base' and you still love sharing with your brother and wouldn't have it any other way.

As you turn six you are already over 130cm tall and are not showing any signs of slowing down.  You change your mind often about what you want to be when you grow up but today's answer was a footballer for Liverpool (You support Crystal Palace) and your most prized possession is your Pokemon cards. You aren't really into cuddles anymore, but I can still get one out of you sometimes and you love animals, especially sealife creatures, although you are still absolutely petrified of dogs.  

You have been a fantastic six year old and I can't wait to see what seven has in store.  I say it every year but it can't possibly be seven years since I was waddling to bingo, still convinced you were going to be overdue despite the regular twinges I was getting.  Tomorrow will make seven years since you entered the world as my superhero (quite literally with your hand first) and changed all of our lives.  You continue to change me and make me a better person and I love you with everything I have.

Sleep tight my gorgeous six year old, for tomorrow is a big day 

Love Mummy xxxxxx

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Bedtime Routine with Moshi Twilight Sleep Stories

I thought that we had put the bedtime battles behind us when the children started sleeping through the night, but as the boys have got older, there have been new challenges and recently they have been struggling to settle at night. They have chosen to share a room and most of the time it is great as they have their own space away from the little two and they can play their own games up there. At night time it can cause issues though as if one of them isn’t in the mood for sleeping, they keep the other one awake.

Our bedtime routine has always been simple, with pyjamas, tooth brushing and a story, and then the boys can have a few minutes of quiet reading in their beds before the lights go out. We were asked if we wanted to try out the Moshi Twilight Sleep Stories app and it has made bedtime so much easier!

The app was easy and free to download (you can see how here) and there was a choice of a few songs and stories with the ability to unlock them all either for a month or for a year depending on the subscription you choose. It's a mix of story-telling and song thats designed to help your kids drift off at night.

The first night I was a little dubious as we have never tried an app like this. Audiobooks had been suggested to us before to help them settle but the ones I tried hadn’t worked. I set up a simple playlist with one story and one song which came to about 30 minutes. 

I use the app after the usual bedtime routine, they're all tucked up in bed with the lights off, I popped on the tracks with the screen turned off and told the boys I would come back to check on them after a few minutes.

I came back into the room after about 12 minutes and there was silence other than the ‘Sleepy Paws’ story that was still playing. I called out their names quietly and there was no answer. It couldn’t have been easier!

The second night took a little longer and Archie brought the phone back down to me after the half an hour asking for more sleepy paws. The next night I added another story and another song onto the playlist making it an hour long. After a week of later bedtimes due to the school holidays, we needed to start bringing bedtime back earlier and I knew the boys would resist that. They love listening to the app though and it has really helped them settle at night as it is so calm.

This week the sun has been shining and we have been outdoors so much more that they have barely got 5 minutes into the first track before both of them are fast asleep but I am hoping that continuing with it as part of our routine will help them as the evenings get even lighter and they are less convinced it is time for bed!

The app is aimed at children four years plus and you don’t need to know anything about the Moshi Monsters characters before hand to enjoy it. All of the songs and stories are calming and sweet and I imagine the app will be great for anxious children to send them to sleep.

I am hoping that with a good bedtime routine and well rested children we will be able to enjoy so much fun this summer as they will have more energy for after-school adventures in the sun!

This is a paid post in collaboration with Moshi Twilight Sleep Stories

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Purple Glasses

Last week I took my six year old son Dylan to the opticians for an eye test.  He has worn glasses for nearly 3 years now and every six months we have a check up where they assess his eyes, usually tweak the prescription ever so slightly and issue a voucher for a new pair of glasses.  The opticians we chose lets the children have two pairs and there is a great selection for them to choose from.

Last week Dylan got to pick his new glasses and as we walked over to the stand with its two boards, the pink one with 'girls' written at the top and the blue board with 'boys' written at the top, he checked with me that he was allowed to choose any pair.  Of course, I told him, although some pairs might not be the right size for your face, they might be best for older or younger children, so you can choose your favourites and we will check with the optician to see if you can have them.

We walked over and he spent a long time looking.  I turned around to chat to his little brother who was in the shop with us and Dylan picked up his two favourite pairs.  One of them had a black metal frame and spiderman jumping down the arms, the other had purple plastic frames and a Finding Dory image on the side.  One was clearly from the boys section and the other from the girls.

It took all my will power to not say anything, to support his decision.  He is six and a half and able to make his own choices.  I have tried to bring him up to know that women and men are equal, that a woman can be an engineer and a man a ballet dancer, that toys and colours and jobs do not have a gender and that his choices are valid and valued.  But still there is a stigma on boys choosing from a girls section.  A girl choosing Spiderman glasses is considered cool, but a boy choosing pink or purple ones is more difficult and I want to do anything to protect my son from hurtful comments and actions. 

But I respected his choice and we ordered his new Finding Dory glasses.  The next morning out of the blue he told me in a very matter of fact way that he thought people at school would laugh at him when they saw his new glasses.  I asked him what made him think that.

"Because some of them think there is such a thing as boy colours and girl colours, but I know that anyone can like any colours because they don't belong to girls and boys".

And he reminded me of his strength, of his individuality and that quiet confidence that lives within him.  He didn't choose the glasses naive to the social impact he may make, he chose them in spite of them, because he is not afraid to be who he is, to like what he likes and to stand up for his belief that any person can like any colour.  My son is confident in his decision, not so swayed yet by peer pressure and I hope he stays that way.  His decision made me more confident, in my decisions and in my parenting, because this is the boy that I raised. 

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What the Boys Wore // Nununu

Now that Cora is easier to leave, I have started getting more time with just my big two babies.  I know Dylan loves having time just him and I, Archie is very much lost without his brother and if I suggest we do something just us, he asks whether Dylan can come too.  We have been going on a few little adventures and it is so nice not having a pushchair or a toddler to chase after and being able to enjoy their company.  Last weekend we visited a local theme park and the boys wore their new trousers from Nununu.

Archie much prefers leggings when given the choice and I chose these skull print ones for him as I knew he would love them.  They look comfy and they are definitely his new favourites.  The print and style of these is great for slightly older children and I think they look great on him at nearly 5.  Dylan's trousers are more of a harem jogger with slim legs.  They look comfy and stylish and match with so much (including his Nununu top).

Margate is covered in bright graffiti, the perfect place for getting some 'cool' shots if these two didn't decide to poke their tongue out in pretty much every one! I think these clothes really match their personalities well and I love how stylish and fun the Nununu collection is from ninja hoodies (which Archie would LOVE) to statement shapes and classic black, grey and pink shades.  I have found the sizing pretty true and both children are wearing the right size for their age here. 

I am really enjoying these days out with my big boys, doing all the things that they miss out on  normally because of the little ones and exploring new places.  We have more adventures planned in the lead up to Christmas and I am hoping to make it a regular thing having a Mummy day with my big pair.

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What Dylan Wore // Frugi

My biggest boy doesn't feature so often on the blog anymore, partly because he is now at school 5 days a week and partly because he often wants to be bribed to take part in any photos.  I have been wanting to talk about dressing him though, because as he is getting older I am aware that his style needs to grow with him.

Dylan is 6 and he is far from a toddler.  Some of the bright prints that I love for Finn no longer suit him, yet often I find clothes in his size are plain and grown up and don't reflect the colourful boy I know.  It took me 2 days to find a coat for school that I felt fit the middle ground for us.  Frugi is a brand I have bought for the children in their baby and toddler years and then forgotten about, but when they asked us to pick something for Dylan instead of one of the younger children it gave me a chance to really check out their older ranges.

As it turns out, this is where I should have been shopping for him all along! We chose a pair of jeans and a hoody as winter is fast approaching and as with all the Frugi clothing, these are designed in the UK and made of ethically sourced organic fabric.  The jeans have just the right amount of stretch, an adjustable waist and a lightening bolt print on the inside that makes them more than just your average jeans.  We are so impressed with the quality and the fit and I loved the playful touch.  Dylan finds them really comfy and will reach for them over his other jeans.

No amount of bribery could persuade him to wear shoes of course.

I chose the campervan hoody as I thought that the blue and grey colours would go with everything, but the rainbow stripes on the campervan make it stand out and instantly look more colourful.  The hoody looks really comfy and Dylan loves wearing it.  We went for both items in age 6-7 knowing that Frugi come up big an they fit perfectly even on my very tall 6 year old (he is roughly 128cm tall).

Frugi is a brand that we know and love for the little ones but it was great fun discovering their older children's range too.  They sell clothes for children up to 10 years old, you can find it all on the Frugi website

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Reading Eggs Review

Dylan is back at school tomorrow and Archie won't be long behind him, although their school waits another week and a half before the reception class begins.  We then have two weeks of part time hours and it will be October before I have two boys in full time school.  Archie is so ready for it, his brain and his body need something more and he can't wait to queue up outside the purple class door.

We discovered Reading Eggs at the beginning of the summer, but it is now as we prepare the boys to stimulate their minds in different ways again that we are really making the most of it.  The website is aimed at children from 2 to 13 years and consists of fun activities that help them learn.  The boys aren't allowed on the tablets or laptops often so they consider anything on there a treat and they have been really enjoying the reading eggs challenges.

Archie has started the 3-7 year old program on lesson 1 as we haven't really don't much phonics with him yet.  He is hurtling through these early levels though, picking up skills as he goes and it has been great to watch his concentration grow as sitting still is something he really struggles with.  The levels are just the right length that he can concentrate for one and then he needs a run around. The program is easy for him to follow without my help as everything is read aloud and it works really well on my touch screen laptop.

Dylan took a proficiency test at the beginning as he has just turned six and already has a good base of knowledge.  He started just a couple of lessons short of finishing the 3-7 year old section and is now ready to begin the next stage. The lessons are challenging him without being too difficult and are perfect for him to do independently.  Being that little bit older he can do two in a row with ease and he has been enjoying doing something academic before diving in to year two on Wednesday. 

As a parent, I like how Reading Eggs fits in perfectly with what they are learning at school, and it is used in many schools all over the country.  I can see their 'reading age' and offer them a fun way to learn alongside school and during the holidays.  I want the children to enjoy being at home and I like the fact their small school doesn't really give out homework, but this is a fun game for them and I don't think they really notice how much they are learning at the same time.

I think once Dylan and Archie are both at school, we will try out the toddler section with Finn as he hasn't really used technology much before and I think he will enjoy something different.  

 You can currently get a 5 week free trial (if you join before the end of September) and you don't have to put in any credit card details either.  If you want to test out the junior edition then click here instead
 .  We are really impresssed with it and I am hoping it keeps Archie occupied for the long two month ahead before he starts school full time.

Collaborative post

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