This week’s word of the week has to be:
My big girl started preschool for the first time this week which was a very emotional moment for me – having been at home with me all the time to now being at preschool two mornings a week. She was so excited as she stood at the gate waiting to go in, saying hello and waving at the other children like she’d known them for ages and barely waited for me to take her coat and boots off and give her a kiss before she was off playing with the toys. I missed her but it was lovely for Sophie to have one-to-one time with me and Jessica seemed very happy when I went to pick her up at lunchtime. I was a little disappointed not to be told anything about how her morning had gone, especially as Jessica was the only new starter that day as far as I was aware. I called the preschool later that day to find out more about how Jessica had coped, it turned out that Jessica’s key worker had been absent due to a family emergency and the remaining staff members had all thought someone else had updated me on her first day when no-one had! I was glad to hear that Jessica had enjoyed her morning, playing with Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck dress-up figures and had been very chatty and friendly, only asking for me once when she was having her nappy changed and wanted to cuddle Mummy.
We also had a significant milestone for Sophie this week when she managed to sleep through the night for the first time in what feels like a very long time. I’d got into a bad habit over recent weeks of breastfeeding her every time she woke up in order to get her back to sleep and it got to the stage that she was feeding every 2.5 hours overnight. I decided that there would be no feeds between 1am and 6am which meant a couple of very disturbed nights trying to settle Sophie back to sleep without resorting to feeding but since then she’s been much more settled and is eating much better in the day too.
Out and About:
We went to Denham Country Park at the beginning of the week and had a walk down to the lock and along the canal. We also started back at Tinytalk toddler signing classes which Jessica and Sophie both enjoy. Jessica in particular is really interacting more with the other children there now and it was lovely to see her go straight up to one of her friends there and give her a big cuddle.
Fun at home:
We’ve been having lots of fun putting all the different farm and house playsets together and making a village of toys and have also been getting the dress-up dolls out which both Jessica and Sophie love playing with. Jessica also had fun doing some messy play and making a snowman out of soap.
Time for me:
I had a very productive afternoon and evening on Sunday whilst hubby spent time with the girls, sorting out the clothes in their wardrobe, finding homes for the new toys, bagging up outgrown clothes and baby things to go up in the loft along with the Christmas tree and decorations and getting the next size clothes for Sophie down from the loft.
On the blog:
My ‘From the mouths of babes’ linky started on Monday – if you have any posts about the funny, embarrassing or adorable things your children have said, please join in!
My Paddington Bear trail post was shared on the Mini Travellers blog.
There was a lovely post about the playdate with Dr Miriam Stoppard and Galt Toys that I attended last month over on the Galt Toys blog, including the following video clip to show what we got up to:
My happiest moment:
Sitting on the floor with Sophie running up every 10 seconds or so to give me big sloppy kisses and to say ‘love-oo’- she kept this going for several minutes and it was adorable
Next week I would like to:
Finish writing the thank you cards for the Christmas presents.
Hope she enjoyed her first day of preschool. They grow too quickly don’t they!! We’re thinking of putting P2 in to a nursery once a day.
Thank you – she had a lovely morning. Hope P2 enjoys nursery when she starts.
I’m glad that Jessica enjoyed preschool, great achievement for Sophie too, we’re still waiting for the elusive ‘sleep through’ and T is just 3!
Visiting from #wotw x
Thank you – hope T sleeps through soon!
It makes things so much easier when they are keen to go, doesn’t it? It sounds like your little lady is very happy at preschool. Your post reminded me that I have to sort the kids’ wardrobes when I go back home. Not my favourite thing, but it has to be done!
Thanks Mel – she enjoyed her first morning. Good luck with sorting through the kids’ wardrobes x
Awww getting big too quickly! Glad she’s enjoyed it & glad you got some sleep!! c
Thank you 🙂
Glad the first week of pre-school is going well, always an emotional moment isn’t it. It seems like oyuve had a very productive week 🙂
Thank you – it was very emotional but glad Jessica enjoyed it.
What a happy happiest moment and great timing when Jessica is starting preschool x #wotw
Thank you – it was lovely to have that one-to-one time even though we missed Jessica being there.
Aw bless, she looks really cute and happy in her preschool uniform. Lovely to hear she’s settling in well and I’m sure it’s nice for you and Sophie to have one and one time too. #WoTW
Thank you – it is nice to have that one-to-one time 🙂
Ahh first day of pre-school, that takes me back! I think with most Pre-Schools, if you don’t ask you don’t get told! I always made a point of asking every day when my eldest went!
Laura x x x
#wotw
I’ll make sure I ask in the future! 🙂
Aww this made me remember my son’s first day in pre-school! It was bittersweet! #wotw
It is such a bittersweet moment when they start for the first time.
That does sound like a happy moment! So pleased that Jessica got on well at preschool. It is a big step, sometimes more for us than them, though! When Boo started she took it in her stride, but I missed her! As you say, nice to have one-on-one time with the younger ones, though. Thanks for sharing with #WotW x
Thanks Jocelyn – I think it was a much bigger step for me! Lovely to link up to #WotW again 🙂
It sounds like a great week! I’m so glad Jessica got on well at her playgroup! So sweet!
I think I will be linking up to From the mouths of babes next week 😀 x
Thanks Kim – will look forward to you joining in! 🙂
She looks so adorable in her glasses 🙂 I’m glad she’s enjoying pre-school. With little T it was a bit of a struggle, she loved it. Then decided she didn’t want to go, then loved it again. Oh well. Enjoy the time spent with your little ones, soon they’ll be in school like T. Goodness! #wotw.
Thank you – I’m glad she enjoyed her first morning but that time does go by far too quickly!
What a big week you had, I didn’t know children started preschool at different times. We missed this step with Ethan hopefully I will experience it with Little E. I’m glad Jessica enjoyed it. I love your happy moment, a great moment to remember. You just reminded me I haven’t sorted out thank you cards yet!
I think different preschools do different things – the ones attached to schools sometimes just have the one intake whereas the ones in our village will spread out when children start so they don’t have lots of new ones all at once.
Aw really glad Jessica enjoyed her first day at pre-school. I dread the day it’s time for L to go, even though I know he will probably love it. High five for Sophie sleeping through the night 🙂 #WotW
Thank you – I had been dreading it but was so glad she enjoyed it.
How lovely to be introduced to your world and your beautiful children, Louise! I look forward to getting to know you and your blog better over the next few weeks 🙂 xx
Thanks Kanchan – lovely to have been introduced to your blog too through the newbie showcase and look forward to reading more from you this year 🙂
Aww congrats to Sophie I am so pleased it went well, sounds like she did brilliantly, Monkey’s first day at playgroup today didn’t go terribly… But it wasn’t as smooth as Sophie’s sadly! Very glad her fiat day went well!! Xx #wotw
Thank you – hope Monkey settles in well to playgroup x
Awww bless her I’m so glad Jessica had such a wonderful first day and that she has taken so well to it!xx
Thank you – me too! 🙂
So please Jessica had a good first day. Such a huge milestone.
Great photos too. #WotW
Thank you 🙂
Really pleased Jessica got on well at preschool. She looks super cute in her little uniform 🙂 Lovely picture of her by the lock too. I really need to sort out R’s clothes – there are so many she’s now grown out of, how can such a little person accumulate such a vast volume of clothes?! Jess x
Thank you – yes it is amazing just how many clothes they accumulate 🙂
Awe a fun filled week for you all! So glad that Jessica had a good first day at preschool! Hope you manage to finish writing your cards, especially if the sleeping through the night continues 🙂
Thank you – hoping to get them finished over the weekend 🙂
Ah I hope Preschool went well, I will be a complete mess when Baby has to go x #HappyDays
Thanks Aby, she enjoyed it although I was quite emotional! 🙂
Sleeping through the night for the first time is certainly near the top of happy!
Oh yes, sleeping through the night is always good! 🙂
Jessica looks so grown up in her pre-school uniform! I’m so glad that she had a lovely time though I can imagine it was quite emotional for you. Bubs starts pre-school at the beginning of February and I know I’m going to be holding back tears.
What a milestone for Sophie too. Here’s to you having many more undisturbed nights! Vx
Thank you – it was very emotional. Good luck when Bubs starts preschool x
Great week! So glad pre school went well, such a worrying time isn’t it? I too am looking forward to having more time with Baby in the time although it seems to pass so quick and then it is time to pick up again!!
Well done on breaking the feeding cycle, it is so easy to slip into bad habits when you are so tired but I bet you feel better for it now? I hope she continues to sleep through for you xx
#HappyDaysLinky
Thanks Katy – definitely feel much better for having broken the feeding cycle. Lovely to link up to #HappyDaysLinky again 🙂
Ahh so lovely to hear Jessica enjoyed her first day at pre-school, bet that was a load off of your mind! She looks ever so cute in her uniform. 🙂 Great breakthrough with Sophie too – must do you all some good to be getting more sleep, long may it continue!
Denham country park looks fab, there’s something so nice about walking alongside water.
We are starting Sing and Sign later this week – I hope Jasmine enjoys it too.
Thanks for linking up with our #HappyDaysLinky 🙂
Have a lovely week, Louise.
Jenna at Tinyfootsteps xx
Thank you – amazing what a difference getting a bit more sleep makes! Hope Jasmine enjoys Sing and Sign. Lovely to link up again 🙂
I hope preschool is going well, I am going to be so upset when Pops goes. I love your happiest moment, so precious x
Thank you – she is loving preschool so far 🙂