Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

Hope you've all received your Christmas cards with this family picture in by now - but just in case you haven't ...

Our special 6 month old little pudding!!

Bekah was 6 months old last week and so I took her to the baby clinic to get her weighed. She's now 16lbs 6oz and is doing really well - especially since she'd been sick and so was off food for a couple of weeks. Not quite the porker James was at this age (he was 21lbs!!) but I think she's going to be more delicate than her big brother! She had 3 shots that day too ... and didn't even notice she had them!!! She was so busy studying the nurse that she didn't react at all. The nurse and I were both expecting her to scream but it never happened! What a brave little girl!

Oh, in other news - she finally had her first tooth break through this morning!!!! We knew it was on the way but it finally came ... just in time for Christmas!!! ;0)

PS This is my new favourite photo of Bekah!!!

As snug as a bug in a rug!

We got Bekah a new cosy jacket for the winter. It's still a bit big and so she's a bit swamped in it at the moment but she'll grow into it!! ;0)

Wooly hats all round!

I've even managed to get James to keep his hat on now too - it must be getting colder! I think they both look so sweet.

I know I'm biased but isn't this little face cute?!!

Watching James out of the kitchen window

I love watching James exploring from the kitchen window.
It's no wonder I never get anything done!!!

My new favourite photos of James!!!

Sometimes the hat slips down a bit and can make chores like watering the plants a bit tricky ...

The hat makes it tricky to steer the dump truck too ...

Making Muddy-Grassy Goopy Soupy in the garden .....

"Home-grown, freshly picked ingredients are always best. Grass is the primary ingredient in this recipe - along with other basics, like mud ..."

"Add ingredients to large mixing bowl ... or a rubbish bin will do ... Making sure that it is partially filled with stagnant rain water ..."

"Stir well with big stick found at local playground ..."

"Allow to settle for 3-4 weeks ... or until it smells really bad ..."

Opening presents from Auntie Donna and Uncle Larry!

We let James and Bekah open their Christmas presents from Auntie Donna and Uncle Larry (all the way from America!) early. James loved his Lightening Mcqueen book and flashing hoodie and Bekah really liked her touchy/feely book and purple outfit! Thank you!!! We miss you!!!

Day out with Auntie Caroline

A few weeks ago Auntie Caroline had the day off work and so we spent the day together. In the morning we went to a local gardening centre called Henry Street (where, coincicdentally, Auntie Cat used to work many years ago!) because they had reindeer and lots of Christmas decorations. James was actually quite interested in the reindeer - even though they were lying down in the far corner. Must've been resting for the busy night they're going to have on Christmas eve .... We had a really brilliant day, and James was REALLY good!

Eating our lunch in the cafe after we'd looked at all the Chirstmas decorations

A sweet photo of Bekah and Auntie Caroline

[It's so annoying that there was a smudge on the lens ...]

A new playground to explore!

This is the playground we go to most often. It's about 5 minutes walk from our house. James loves the airplane climbing frame/slide. But just lately he seems to enjoy walking around the perimeter of the playground more than actually going on any of the play things ...

Bekah's first swing in this playground.

Bekah exhausted after all the excitement!

Cousins Expedition to the Secret Playground!

A few weeks ago Auntie Sarah and Kezia came over to play and so we took them to a "secret playground" we'd found a few days before by accident! It's really close to our house and we never knew it was there!

Auntie Sarah and Kezia in the Secret Park!!

Exploring cousins! It's a wobbly tortoise!!!!

Playing together

It was really sweet to watch James and Kezia playing together. Kezia was doing her best to keep up with her cousin. A+ for effort!! She did really well especially since this walking business is relatively new for her1 ;0)

The girls swinging!

Sisters Day Out!

Back in November we had a Sisters Day Out to a big craft fair in Birmingham. Caroline got Sarah and I tickets as our Christmas presents. It was such a fun day out. There were LOADS of different craft stalls to buy crafting supplies and materials and then a Christmas fair part too. Thank you Caroline!! I really enjoyed the day even though it seems like a long time ago already!

Time for a spot of lunch!

Creating together ...

To raise money for a charity called Children In Need people could make their own card and then the plan was to put all the cards together to make one giant one and get it in the Guiness Book of Records. Sarah and Caroline working on their creations!

With our finished products!

On the train back home ... with all our purchases in our cool (and NOT old-lady-like) bags ...

What a brilliant day it was!

WE'RE BACK!!!!

Well, we've been back online for a little while but what with one thing and another (like christmas shopping and baby germs!) there hasn't been much/any time for blogging!! I've got quite a back-log of photos so I'm going to put some random posts up, in no particular order! I've got loads more but know the little munchkins will be waking up from their naps soon! It's good to be back - I've missed you!!! ;0)

"Let's have a photo, shall we??"

James caught me completely off guard by actually ASKING to have his photo taken today!!! Both he and Rebekah managed to lose one sock each and I just commented on that fact when he requested a photo!! Who am I NOT to take up such an opportunity?!!?

Bekah's first Christmas tree!

Space would only allow a fairly small tree this year but we had fun picking one out and decorating it. [James was not in a photo mood ...]

Bekah's first Christmas tree ornaments!

Sweet sleepy heads!

Sometimes I manage to get them both to have a nap at the same time. We lie on Mummy and Daddy's bed, read a couple of stories and then James (and sometime Bekah too!) falls asleep. I took this one a few weeks ago because I hadn't realized James had decided to put a pillow on TOP of his head ... it looked so funny! And they both looked very sweet.

Sitting up!

Bekah sits up really well now. The first photo was one of the first times that she really sat up properly unaided and was taken a few weeks ago. The second photo is more recent. She's happiest when she's sitting up at the moment. We just have to watch that James doesn't knock her down (I wish I was joking!)

Bekah gets her flexibility from her mother .... ;0)