introduction

i am british, married an australian... we met in the states & are both designers.

we have two boys ~ oscar, 6 & flynn 4, lots of pets & live in an old house ~ this blog is the craziness that happens day to day! opinions, reviews, places to go, situations & everything else in between!

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

[ my brave flynn! ]

sooooooo... my little man, flynn, whose 3 years old had surgery today for a hydrocele & inguinal hernia.

i didn't realise how much i was worrying about it until the doctor called us into a room to tell us the surgery had gone well ~ i suddenly felt like a rag doll & could have just collapsed onto the floor.

while we were waiting for this news i felt really lightheaded. every time i heard a cry or a call for mum my ears pricked up with a yearning ache.

it's an odd feeling waiting for your child to finish their surgery & knowing everyone else in the waiting room is in the same boat. there's a sense of unspoken unity.

flynn had already had surgery when he was 3 weeks old for pyloric stenois, i went numb then. but i think my body could'nt cope with anymore as my husband & i were both laid off 3 days before.

when they wheeled flynn away today & was out of sight i shed a few tears but held it together pretty well (i think!!). but i did cry when i saw him afterwards all wired up & in pain.

we dressed flynn in his batman pj's but i didn't bother putting on the cape ( he was so out of it & hadn't really opened his eyes yet). flynn in his hoarse voice, brought on from the breathing tube, mustered up a gruff whisper 'put on the cape'. somehow he knew his outfit wasn't complete!

i can't say enough good things about the staff at CHOP.

thank goodness it's done & went well, i feel really lucky, blessed & proud of this very brave 3 year old.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

[ costen children's library ~ princeton ]

sooooooo... i have just discovered the costen children's library, located on the main floor of princeton university's firestone library, at the corner of nassau street & washington road.

why have i not found out about this before?? it's FABULOUS!!!! & even better it's FREE!! music to my ears!

i took my boys oscar (4 & three quarters) & flynn (3) there yesterday, for story time & a craft.

i really enjoyed the craft! ~ come on lets face it, that's very important as i always end up finishing them... this octopus mask was one i could really get my teeth into!!

just to digress about 2 years ago i was worried about oscar's concentration span. i'd think up these great things to make & 2 minutes into them he would be wanting to do something else...

i was that concerned i told my pediatrician, (oscar's my first, i'm a little less neurotic now!) who sent him to be evaluated.

i remember having to hand oscar over to this team of ladies & go answer lots of questions... i was convinced i'd done something wrong & this had stunted my sons 'art' development.

after what seemed like ages i was called back to join oscar & receive the verdict. oscar was absolutely fine for his age & i was politely told that 'apparently he's just not into arts & crafts'... WHAT!!! my hearing must be temporarily failing me because i thought they'd said that oscar wasn't into arts & crafts!!!

how on earth could that be!! my husband & i are both designers...it's like saying a particular squirrel doesn't like nuts!!..... (i wonder if that's possible, or could you imagine some poor squirrel out there having a nut allergy!!!)

i thought the genes this poor kid has inherited must be design loaded...

so anyway ~ the costen library is an amazing place to take your children, if you haven't already gone i'd urge you to go. if you have why didn't you tell me about it!! you can sign up to receive notifications about upcoming events.

check this one out:


FIRST OF OCTEMBER
It’s time once again for our stupendous, creative, fantastical event! We supply the scads of cool art materials, YOU supply the imagination! Based on the zany holiday invented by Dr. Seuss in his book Please Try to Remember the First of Octember, unleash your inner inventor and build a magnificent "something" in pursuit of the ultimate creation.  Rocket ship panel? Automatic dog-washer? Robot companion? Green garden? Roller coaster? Treasure box? The sky is the limit!

Saturday October 16
1:00pm – 4:00pm
No registration required – free of charge
Ages 3 & up

octopus masks!!

flynn modeling his ~ so proud!!




Wednesday, September 22, 2010

[ thewildernessdowntown ]

sooooooo... my husband mike told me about this, it's kind of melancholic & i wanted to share it with you:

http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/

it works a lot better if you download google chrome

let me know what you think!


Monday, September 13, 2010

[ first day of school... pass the tissues! ]

sooooooo... today my boys, oscar 4 & flynn 3, started pre-school at our local elementary school.

for a long time now i've been dreaming about the two & a half hours i will be getting to myself...

yes you read right ~ two & a half hours... cue hawaii five-o theme.

we'd picked out back packs, lunch boxes & got name labels printed. but as the time got nearer my heart got heavier.

i started welling up at the orientation for heavens sake!!

the school is a 5 minute walk, so we pile out of the house each with a back pack, 10 seconds later i'm carrying 3! (i knew i should have got the ones with wheels!!)

my boys run ahead & i watch with great pride, my little men, happy & bright.

a car waits to let us cross & it's lori driving, i had the need to let her know so i yell, trying to disguise my chocked up high pitched wail, 'it's their first day at school!' as i hurry along to not show any tears.

arriving at the school we wait outside, oscar is totally fine but flynn starts getting antsy & wants to be picked up... i daren't, so i look at the teacher & ask if it's better if i leave, she takes one look at me & says yes, so i unwrap flynn's arms from around my neck, turn & go... he starts sobbing loudly & shouts out for me to come back... i sob quietly & keep walking...

but why am i so sad...? i don't want them to stop growing, i really enjoy watching their personalities unfold & the different stages develop... so what is it? am i scared of the passing of time? or just emotionally unstable!! or is it a letting go thing? am i going to have to go through this with every grade?

but to end on a happier note... the other day i was doing up flynn's car seat belt, when i thought a friend of mine drove past so i waved, only to see it wasn't her...

me: oh!

oscar: what mom?

me: i just waved at that car thinking it was someone else...

oscar: that's ok mommy, it was someone else!

kid logic ~ you've got to love it!!









Thursday, September 2, 2010

[ website faux pas ]

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