The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of activity with end of term activities, rehearsals and shows for Sophie and preparing for Thomas’s 1st birthday. We’ve had five rehearsals and two shows in the space of eight days, been baking biscuits for Sophie’s teachers and a lot of cake for Thomas’s birthday and it’s all felt a bit crazy. Sophie broke up yesterday and I’m looking forward to having her home for the holidays (and hopefully finding time just to chill out and relax too!). I missed my usual weekly update last week as I just didn’t have time to write it. As you might have noticed, I’m sharing it a day early this week too because tomorrow is Thomas’s birthday.
There have also been moments to relax in amongst all the whirlwind of activity. I’ve had three opportunities for child-free time in the last week or so. These are a rare event for me so to have three in one week is quite something! I’ve been into London twice – once to catch up with some uni friends that I hadn’t seen in quite a long time and then again when a friend invited me along to the theatre to go and see Matilda with him. I haven’t had a London theatre trip since I was pregnant with Jessica and it was such a brilliant show to go and see. My mum also came to stay for a few days to help out with the ballet show and to give hubby and I a day off for our anniversary treat – a lovely spa day together. Just what I needed to help me relax with all the busyness!
My word of the week could easily have been “emotional” though. There have been a lot of emotional moments: watching Sophie in her ballet show and imagining what it would have been like to have seen Jessica dancing in it too; preparing for the end of Sophie’s reception year; visiting Jessica’s forever bed and going to see Jessica’s year group in their end of year production of ‘The Wizard of Oz’. When they sang ‘Over the Rainbow’, I was quite tearful. I last heard them sing this at Jessica’s memorial assembly. I will really miss seeing them around next year.
Things that have made me smile over the last two weeks
- Doing a coronet braid in Sophie’s hair for her school disco and again for her friend’s party a couple of days later. Thank goodness for YouTube tutorials!
- Having a little safari hunt in the garden.
- Being back at toddler classes at TinyTalk. Baby classes were fun but I missed the liveliness of toddler classes.
- Spending time with my mum and seeing my sisters when they came up to see Sophie’s ballet show.
- Sophie being awarded a trophy in memory of Jessica at her ballet show.
- All three of my children’s namesake roses blooming in the garden for the first time.
- Baking biscuits with Sophie and making thank you cards for her teachers.
- Spotting lots of caterpillars in the nettle patch in the corner of our garden. I think that they’re Peacock butterfly caterpillars. Sophie and I are enjoying watching them grow.
It sounds like things have been hectic!
Hooray for the child free time. It sounds like you’ve had a lovely time and the spa day is well deserved!
Sophies hair is so pretty!
Happy birthday to Thomas for tomorrow x
What a lovely time though. All that mad dash to fit it all in makes the quiet afterwards all the more sweet. I love how you did Sophie’s hair. Very clever. She looks gorgeous in her ballet outfit. Your trips to London sound fun, plus having your mother around to help out for your spa day must be wonderful. Happy anniversary to you both. Hope Thomas has a lovely birthday. Happy birthday to him. #wotw
I hope the teachers like their biscuits, what a lovely thoughtful gift.
How lovely to go to the Spa and for child free time
How lovely that the roses are blooming
It does sound like a busy week, well done Sophie sounds like you did so well? The braid is fab Louise they take a little mastering. Happy Anniversary hope you had a fab night out. And isn’t Matilda amazing I adored the show x
Such a busy time, I hope you have the chance to sit back and relax for a while now. How adorable Sophie is, she’s such a sweetie, you must be so proud of her. I’m sure Jessica is proud of her little sister. I can’t believe Thomas is one already, I hope he’s had a lovely day today. I love your coronet braid, I remember learning how to do one for Lucy before she had her first halo fitted. I didn’t want to cut her hair but I knew it needed to be out of the way. It was a mistake though, because the surgeon screwed straight through the plait and her hair was a complete tangled mess for 3 months!! Thanks for linking up to #wotw
How nice that you got a chance to get away by yourself and catch up with some friends. Sounds like a wonderful break! And a spa day with hubby is certainly a treat.
That coronet braid is adorable. And happy birthday to Thomas!