Only 25 Days to go

The hunt for an infant/junior school for the boys still continues with our final school visit to Oakfield tomorrow - then it is decision time. Such a difficult decision to make as ultimately what we chose will affect Brandon as much as Joshua. I think we have a preferred choice already but there are so many factors to consider. If we base the decision on Ofsted reports alone then there is only one choice, if we base it on modernness and generally gut feel its a different choice, then there is another option for practicality and after school clubs etc.etc.etc. But lets get our final visit done and then sit down and discuss the options as a family. Joshua knows exactly where he wants to go based on the fact that a lot of his friends started there this year!

Anyway today is 25 days to go until Xmas. So amongst everything else the countdown is on and it is time to start preparing for Xmas. The boys have done their letters to Santa and they are in the post. Also they have painted their first Xmas decs already (see below). Joshua has done the Santa and Brandon the Xmas tree. Currently these are hanging up on their fans in the bedrooms but will go on their little Xmas trees once I get around to putting the decs up. 

November is only just finished and the boys have already made their first visit to Santa. We were fortunate enough to be in town when the cues for the grotto were extremely small, so we made the most of the opportunity. Both boys are still a bit shy and cautious in the presence of the big man in red. Neither of them would go anywhere near him without me. When asked what they wanted for Xmas Joshua responded with a fishing rod which was promptly repeated by Brandon, albeit Brandon wants a yellow one (everything must be yellow with Brandon!).

The boys having their first picture of 2011 with Santa. Brandon thinks that Santa's beard is a spider web (bless him). Joshua has already clocked that it is a costume and comes off!!!!! How disappointing is that, he is already starting to figure out Santa is not real at the age of 4. Best we make sure we get the trip to Lapland in next year whilst the belief is still there.

Finally potty training with Brandon is still progressing. Tonight's update is 1 wee in the potty, 1 wee on the floor. Its progress, but its slow.

Pudsey Masks

Over the last week blog writing has played second fiddle to researching primary schools and reading Ofsted reports. Next week we have a full agenda with multiple different school visits and then its decision time. Prior to looking into primary schools we both had a good idea where we wanted the boys to go. Having read the Ofsted reports that decision has been turned on its head. Will next weeks visits at yet a further level of confusion to add to the decision making process. I never had any idea just how much there was to consider with a primary school and just how important the decision is to give your children's education the best kick-start possible.

So what else has been happening. Last Friday the boys were engaged in various activities for Children In Need and the nursery really went to town with the arts and crafts. Brandon made himself a very nice, colourful spotted scarf and then both boys made their own Pudsey masks as modelled in these pictures.

Potty training Brandon still appears to be about as challenging as rebuilding a life size version of the Eiffel Tower in your downstairs cloak room!!!!!!!!! I think its time to start researching some more books on the subject as I have started to run out of ideas. Can we crack it before he turns 3 in January.

On a different subject Joshua must be one of the only 4 year olds in the world to self teach himself how to whistle. He is getting very good at it now and is very proud of himself. On a walk over to the Memorial Park today he was even trying to whistle to some of the birds (the flying, winged kind that is), not wolf whistling the ladies.

Meet Ben, Holly and Layla.

Last weekend was a rare occasion for Joshua and Brandon to spend some time with their country cousin, Layla, from Norfolk, It took Brandon a little while to start interacting but he was soon showing Layla all his toys and cars. Poor Layla didn't know what to play with next given that the house is starting to resemble Hamleys Toys shop. Anyway it was great to see the three of them getting on so well.

And to think there is only 1 days age gap between Joshua and Layla.

During their visit to Essex we all took a walk over Wick Park and Brandon used this as an opportunity to show off his cycling skills on his new "big boys bike".

It seems that party season has started early this year and its not just Xmas. It seems like every weekend either one or both of the boys are off to a party (or even two). Here are a few pictures taken from their friends Samuel's party (they know Samuel from the Little Kickers football club which they all go to on Sunday mornings).

Here is Brandon running through a bubble storm at the party.

Without blowing my own trumpet I would like to think I have a lot to pass on and teach to the boys over the coming years. However Brandon needs to learn that Daddy really isn't the best person to learn dancing moves from!!!!! I think both boys already far exceed me when it comes to dancing abilities.

Like all good parties the kids come home with a little party bag of goodies. This one had the joke shop glasses, nose and moustache (well it is Movember) which you can see modelled by Joshua. Guess this gives you some insight to how he might look in 40 years time.

Finally today the boys got to meet another of their TV hero's - Ben & Holly. I must be a bad father (or simply don't watch enough kids TV) because I have not got a clue who these are.

Going Potty

Finally we have made a step forward with Brandon’s potty training thanks to his Nanny. You see apart from his cloth his two favourite things in the world are his cars and the colour yellow. Low and behold Nanny found a potty which is the shape of a car and the colour yellow – perfect! The first night of having the potty and Brandon has already used it and done a wee without any encouragement; he voluntarily sat on it, did the wee and then called me to show me. He was fascinated by the sound the wee made in the potty. So fingers crossed this is the start to the end of nappies. Today he has taken the potty to nursery with him so hopefully when we pick him up tonight we will get some feedback that he has used it at least once.

Other news this week is that we had our parents evening at the nursery and it is always good to hear how good the boys are developing. Joshua can now pretty much write his name and recognises lots of the letters of the alphabet and most of the numbers. Surprisingly they told us Brandon does not like doing creative work at school, however at home he absolutely loves getting the play dough, the paints or drawing out.

Finally I remember as a child always crawling and playing on my knees and running around a sliding on the floor etc.etc. The end result of such actions was that most of my trousers had holes in the knees. This familiar pattern seems to be the same with the boys and just lately it appears that every week I pull a pair of trousers or jogging bottoms out of the wash to find a hole in the knees. Like father like son(s)!

Bonoween 2011

Once again I fall behind on blog updates due to work, travel etc and some 2 weeks after the event I have decided to add the rest of the updates from Halloween and Bonfire night. Carving pumpkins has become a big event for Halloween however the boys are not allowed sharp tools to carve. So for now they are left with stick on facial features. Its not the same, but Joshua has fun doing it and the finished article looks very good.

However for me I am expected to carve something stunning and for the last few years it appears to be themed on the latest cartoon character that the boys are in to. So this year it is Phineas and Ferb, although the pumpkin was so big I managed to also include the platypus and the evil character (don't know his name!).

Dressing up is all part of the fun for Halloween and bonfire night. We do not want the boys getting scared or having nightmares so the costumes are still very much toned down and not really Halloween themed. For me it was a mobile phone and as you can see the boys loved climbing inside the costume with me.

Little Brandon wore his Grufallo costume again and Tina was a pink lady.

The boys are still a bit young for sparklers, so instead they get Frankensteins bubble machine and glow sticks to play with.

Then it is on to the fireworks. Joshua loved the display this year and at the end he was asking for more. Brandon didn't quite enjoy them as much and really didn't like the noisy ones. The night before this we went to Wickford Memorial Park for the firework display and the boys were mesmerised by the bonfire - but they were also a bit upset not to see Fireman Sam come and put out the fire.

School Photo

Another beautiful school picture of my two boys - just how handsome are they?