Finn and Cora at 4 and 5

As babies, Finn and Cora were so close.  Their bond was special from the beginning and once she learned to walk, they were more like twins, her desperate to be as big and capable as Finn, he lazy enough to let her keep up.  They potty trained together, they came out of a cot and into a bed at the same time, they started hitting milestones at the same time and they looked after each other, communicating in their own way.  Of course they squabbled too, but their bond was special and sweet.  

Finn started school last year and immediately things changed.  Not only were they suddenly apart for the majority of the time, he was learning and growing without her, making new friends and carving out a new side of his personality, one that was different and separate to us.  Suddenly we didn't know everything in his life anymore and the age gap between them stretched back out again, him growing so fast, her left behind.

This year Cora started school, one year behind Finn and desperate to be there with her big brother.  He was so excited to show her his school, to teach her how lunchtime works, to help her find her way in the playgrounds and I wondered whether it would change their ever evolving relationship again but of course Covid had other ideas and they are not allowed to mix at all at school as they are in separate bubbles.  

I have no doubt that Cora will start catching up with Finn and as they get older the age gap will seem smaller again.  I hope their friendship and bond stays though.  It is constantly changing as they grow and I find Finn can fight with her, but the moment someone else gets involved he is so protective of his sister.  He is so much taller than her, that the 16 months can look much bigger from the outside.  They are busy at the moment, developing their individual selves at school, making their own friends and their own decisions after sharing the same friendship group for so long and I hope that having the continuity and consistency they get from each other at home gives them confidence in new situations.

I never intended to have these two so close together but I am so glad I did.  It felt like I had two babies for a while as Finn wasn't walking yet when she was born but now they have similar interests and needs and they have a best friend at home.

Finn and Cora are both wearing Frugi clothing here which was sent to us as press samples

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Spring is in the Air // Frugi

Advertorial/ Gifted Clothing

We got soaked by the rain today, totally out the blue but still I see the signs of Spring everywhere.  The sky is turning a brighter shade of blue on those days the clouds part to show it,  the daffodils are blooming in the park, standing bright and tall, letting us know the ground is about to bloom into colour and there have been the odd days over half term when we could play without a coat (still wrapped up in layers of course, just one less).

On one of those days I popped to the park with the little two dressed in some organic clothes that Frugi had sent us from the latest collection. Cora absolutely adores this cardigan and has shown it to everyone since it arrived and her dress is perfect for spinning in.  Finn loves all the rainbow bits and his trousers zip away to become shorts when it gets even warmer - brilliant multipurpose attire for a child who has to wear school uniform now so we need to make sure we get plenty of wear out of his home bits!

Of course Cora brought a baby with her (Azabelle) as well as her 'Mingo' bag, both of which were quickly discarded so she could run around with her brother.  They love the wildness of this nature garden, the long grass, the small pond and all the dog statues that are dotted around.  We caught snatches of afternoon sun which made everything brighter and we had a picnic of biscuits whilst we watched the birds flying over head.

I know how quickly the weather can still change in February.  Every year we seem to get these glimpses of warmer weather before it disappers as quickly as it came, but even if there is another cold spell, the promise of Spring is hanging in the air, and those Daffodils are planted solidly in the ground around us, not afraid of anything,

 Sizing - Cora is a petite 3 years 7 months and wearing 3-4, Finn is an average size and 5 next week wearing 5-6

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Freedom // Frugi

All clothing featured was gifted by Frugi

At the grand age of 32 I finally passed my driving test.  I started learning 15 years ago on my 17th birthday and after many, many lessons and several tests, I eventually gave up.  I had my last lesson a couple of weeks before Dylan was born and once he arrived the idea of leaving him to get back in the learner car wasn't appealing.  The years carried on and I had no desire to drive.  I didn't feel like I needed it in my life and we have a wonderful public transport system.

Finn was born in 2015 and he and I spent many weeks in hospital, with Ed bringing the bigger boys over on the bus each day to visit us.  This is what inspired him to finally learn and by the end of that summer he had a licence and we had a car.  He gave up working in an office to work from home and for the past few years there has been a car sat on the driveway, pretty much unused during the week.

For my 30th birthday he got me lessons but it took until February this year for me to decide it was something I actually wanted to do and to send off for a provisional licence.  I then had to retake my theory test and start at the beginning again with learning.  It was scary and I was petrified but I wanted to do it this time and I was determined to keep going.  I still wasn't expecting the examiner to turn to me with a smile though, and tell me I had finally, finally passed.  

I have been driving for a few weeks now and whilst I still feel nervous sometimes and a little hesitant, it is starting to feel more natural and I have been taking the children out on my own.  It has opened up the world a bit and I love the freedom we have to go to new places and leave whenever we want.

Frugi sent the children all some clothes that will be perfect for a Christmas or Boxing day outfit as well as some of their colourful wellies and we headed to a local-ish nature reserve that I have never been to before as it just isn't that easy without a car.  There were dinosaur trails to follow, fairy doors to find and plenty of sticks around that made amazing magic wands for budding witches and wizards.

We love Frugi for its colourful designs, soft organic cotton and how well things last and all three boys were amazed at how soft the cords were.  I like how Cora's dress matches Dylan's shirt and how easy everything is to pass down when they outgrow it.  All four are wearing their usual sizes here and most things fit well, although I would probably size up in the dress.  We will definitely bringing these outfits back out for Christmas! 

And when we were done, our wellies were covered in mud, fingers grubby and stomachs growling we could hop back in the car and drive straight home.  I took so many photos and I am awful at editing which ones stay . . . 

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