Nostalgia part 2

Christmas time is a nostalgic time for everyone. Everyone can remember their favourite Christmas present and having children makes it even more special because Christmas really, is all about the children isn't it?
Parents are building memories in their lives and their children's lives. The season of goodwill is also the season of carols, Christmas fairs, the school play, presents and the rituals of tree decoration, craft making and cuddling up to watch those feel good family movies.
The school term is over and the holiday season has started. I have started a big box of craft making things, which is essentially most of the contents of my recycling bin! Empty egg boxes, butter tubs, yoghurt pots, cereal boxes, toilet tubes etc. A pile of old magazines and catalogs, scissors, glue, glitter and scraps of tissue paper completes the kit. The best part of the Christmas holidays is craft making.

Here is just some of their work proudly displayed on their bedroom doors.

Another box I have started is a Memory Box. This is a lidded box in which we collect things that will remind us of things we have done, places we have been to etc. I'm going to get the children to decorate the outside of this box and choose what goes in it. There are pebbles, shells, cinema and theatre tickets and so on. It will be so lovely to go through this when they are adults!

The other night I was up on my own watching pre-recorded shows that I needed to catch up on. I got peckish and found myself rummaging in my store cupboard for dessert and I came up with this: A Brownie and Banana Midnight Feast. The word feast can be interchanged with madness. Only my sister will know about the nostalgia behind our secret midnight feasts. Ice cream layered with sliced banana and mini brownie bites. It could have been improved with crushed digestives and a squeeze of golden syrup or honey but considering it was after midnight I decided there was enough sugar in this to be having before going to bed!

Nostalgia part 1

I read somewhere that parenting is reliving your childhood and I find myself whole heartedly agreeing. Today for instance, after the school drop off, I took K to playgroup, and while walking back home I decided to take him to Wimpy! It has been there for as long as I can remember, and I have walked past it so many times but in the past two hears have only eaten there twice even though it is right up my street.  I remember my mum taking my sister and I there and she would have the beanburger. So in the name of nostalgia, I ordered it too! K, of course had his staple of chicken chunks and chips. We really enjoyed each other's company and it occurred to me that I have never taken him out for a meal on his own, so it felt really special for me to be eating at Wimpy with him, just the two of us. After his tummy was full, I took a walk and he fell asleep in his pushchair.

Yesterday there was strike action by people working in the public sector and R's school was closed for the day. We spent the morning putting up the Christmas tree and it was adorable to see both R and K were jumping with joy! K knew exactly what to do and started putting the baubles on the branches as though he's been doing it for years.

Another thing I read somewhere about parenting young children, is that the hours drag and the years fly. You can tell that I've been reading a lot of parenting books lately. Parenting is a lifetime of challenges. Just when you think you've got a problem sorted, along comes another challenge. Sometimes I do find myself thinking that the years have flown by, at others I remember thinking come on child grow up!

K has been talking non-stop and I have to hold myself back from laughing at his pronunciation of some words. I had to get the camcorder out to record these magical moments.
Here's a couple of examples:

Christmas tree = chemistry
Playgroup = clay poop

Our big achievement this week is that I'm done with nappies, pull ups, training pants, nappy sacks, wipes, changing mats, bed mats and even potties! It feels great not to have to shop for nappies and carry nappies around when we're out! K is fully toilet trained and he surprised me with how quickly he did it!