Wild Things

I don't seem to have the time to write as much as I'd like to write about my exceptionally beautiful children. Somehow, being the Mother of two has caught me by surprise. I'm not sure why as I was pretty tied up when it was just Lily so you would think that lesson had been learnt, but Sam....the force of nature that is my Son, he leaves us all reeling in his tumultuous wake. He is boisterous and noisy and somewhat destructive and constantly annoying his older sister but I think they love each other. Yes, I think they really do and this, above all things, makes my heart sing.

Chaos

The Unstoppable Noodle

Leash

Generations

I watch my Mother sit with Lily in her arms, reading her the worn and much loved stories unearthed from our time capsule of an attic and I wonder how much moments like these must send her tumbling back to her time with us as young children. I am struck with the feeling that I have a rare glimpse in to how she once was with me and instantly I too am transported to a time where most of my days were spent just so, curled up with my Mother, begging her for just one more fairy tale.

Dressing For Dinner

Tommy Thumb

Feather Duster

Greater Love Hath No Baby...

Sam Gets Shoes

It was quite difficult...

to capture...

this picture.

Compare and Contrast

Lily and Sam

School

Chalk

Sam Hoovers Up

Sink

Ryedale Folk Museum

Talking

"Mama"

"Dada"

"Lily"

"Tinker"

"Cat"

"Car"

"Up"

"There"

"Woof"

and most importantly...

"ROARRRRRRRRRRRR!"

Hope

The Trolley

one

The Boy

Sam turns 1 tomorrow and I am stunned at how this time has flown, so much quicker than the first year with Lily. No time to marvel or navel gaze, but just enough time to comprehend that we have very fortunately given birth to a most enchanting and jubilant little soul.

Retro

Lomo

Deja Vu

The Noodle has learnt how to kiss and point.

Afternoon

Morning

Escape

Sam Can Open Doors

Garden

Hipstamatic Baby

My Mother's Corridors are Long

My Mother's corridors are long and straight and so it is that Samuel can travel down them at great velocity, faster than a mini-speeding bullet train. No measured steps for my boy; not like Lily, who carefully tip-toed her way around as a fairy princess might, but a rampaging rocket of a son, careering wildly in to walls and doorways, ramming his little walker against glass cabinets and antique whatnots and hurling himself on to the floor in fits and howls of delighted hysteria.
Before this point, I have seen very little gender-specific behaviour. A baby is just a baby, but my almost-toddler, armed and dangerous, is most definitely becoming a boy.

Dual Carriageway

Set off today for the drive down the 'jewelly carriageway' for Lily's swimming lessons, makes my morning much more interesting when it happens in Lily-speak.

Walking

Sam took his first few, unaided, steps today, straight in to the arms of a rather lovely Spanish lady.

Giant with Fishing Rod by Lily Brook

The Chariot

Four

Lily's Story

Steiner school ask you to write a few lines for each year of your child's life which is read out on their birthday to the whole class and added to year after year.

This is what we wrote...

Year 1

Lily August was born on a beautiful spring evening in York hospital. She was a very smiley baby and her first word was ‘banana’.

Year 2

Lily learns to love dressing up. She especially likes to wear 3 cardigans at once, socks on her hands and carry a rucksack everywhere. She gets very good at blowing kisses.

Year 3

Lily starts to ask really difficult questions such as ‘Do cats have ankles?’ and ‘Why don’t daddies wear skirts?’. This is the year Lily gets to sleep in a proper bed and learns to ride her trike.

Year 4

Lily’s baby brother Samuel (or Biba as Lily likes to call him) is born and they adore each other. She moves up from Steiner toddler group into nursery and loves it.

Easter

Bee

Cruiser

To love is So Startling it Leaves Little Time for Anything Else

Little Mermaid

Lily was awarded her first swimming certificate today. The adult and child award. She is really improving and so confident, she no longer needs the armbands. :-) All those freezing Wednesday mornings, in an even colder pool, are paying off.

The Dressing Up Gene

Lily, like her dear old Ma, likes a spot of dressing up.