Quick tip

Don't expect a white top to remain white for the entire day.

Life is different

Face it, as soon as you have children, your life has changed. You will, more often than not, compare what you used to do with ease to what you attempt to repeat now.
Leaving the house for example, will take a lot longer. You have to remember more than just your keys, phone and money.
Faffing becomes a pastime.

Quick tip

Need a cold compress fast? Just keep some wet wipes in the fridge.

Easter

Almost 4 year old on Easter:

Mummy, mummy, Jesus ate a hot cross bun and then he died... I ate a hot cross buns earlier, but I didn't die.

World Book Day... a little late

The school of the eldest is having world book day (albeit a week later then the rest of the world as it should have been 3rd March. The reason for delay is understandable if you live in Wales.
If not, then its because 1st March was St Davids Day, and UK Mothers day on the 6 March, it was deemed that the first week of March was already quite busy.

Makes sense really, there's always some national day or event that needs to be recognised in some way. And Spring time, it seems, there are more than at any other time of the year.

So what did our 3 (almost 4) year old go as?
We tried to convince him that his Tigger onesie would be good, but thought going to the toilet would be a bit tricky.
We then considered sending him in his pyjamas, and saying he was one of the lost boys. But after recent news articles regarding parents dropping children off at school and going round supermarkets in their pyjamas, it would become a slippery slope.
The Storm Trooper costume he got from his granddad for Christmas would be good, but unfortunately its not world film day (if there is such a day), and he not actually seen the film anyway, and keeps calling Storm Troopers, Transformers. [sigh]

Eventually we settled on Fireman Sam. OK, its a cartoon, but there is book related merchandise, and we were able to provide evidence of this from his book shelf.

Moment of pride

Sometimes the oddest of things can make you proud. Tonight I had one of those moments.
I'm left on my own to look after the children for the evening. The usual tick boxes to be done;

Finish eating their dinner

• Get them both bathed
• Youngest finishes his milk
• Teeth brushed
• Into pyjamas
• Stories
• Eldest to have a final wee
• Bed/settled/Sleep

All was going well while I gave the youngest the last of his milk quietly in his room while the eldest looked through a book. Then I noticed through the crack in the door, the eldest decided to use his pretty. Excellent, I think. Another box ticked, and go back to trying to settle the youngest.
Then there moment of pride happened. The toilet flushes and a tap is running. I look through the crack in the door. The eldest is creeping back to his room smiling!
Not only did he have a wee, but he emptied and rinsed out the Pty afterwards before returning it.

It doesn't matter what they do, but when they do something you've never seen them do before perfectly & unprompted. And they know it. That's a proud moment. Not only for you, but for them.

Conversations with a child 2

3yo: mummy?
Me: yes?
3yo: ... Your not mummy.
Me: I Know, but this afternoon, I'll answer to mummy or daddy.
3yo: Daddy, why are you answering yourself?

Smart ass.

Conversations with a child 1

After finding a smallish postman figure...
3yo: where did you find it?
Me: wrapped up in your duvet.
3yo: [starts trying to hide it behind his back]
Me: what are you doing?
3yo: nothing...
Me: where are you trying to hide it?
...
Me: don't put it down your pants.
...
Me: don't put it in your bum, stop that...
Me I'm not taking you to A&E to explain why you have postman post stuck up your bum hole...

6 nations with the children?

Was wondering where would be an ideal location to watch the rugby with children... My wife came up with an idea of a local caravan park. There's plenty of alternate entertainment for the children (soft play, beach, little rides and video games, playground, even a swimming pool)
The sports bar section of the main complex had so many screens finding a good seat was easy. And a quick dinner out before heading home made a great day out.
2 children shattered and sleeping before the car was back in the drive. Bedtime routine was practically over before it began.

Eating out on a budget

It may not have table service, but for a clean solid meal for our family of 4, you can't beat IKEA! (This is a lie obviously.  The Fat Duck springs to mind.  That's probably better.  But do they have high chairs?)
2 adult meals, 1 child meal, 3 hot drinks (refillable), a couple of fruit puree pouches for under £10 for IKEA family members. Bargain!
And its clean(sometimes), has a kids play area and breast feeding section, free WiFi, under cover parking, plenty of toilets and baby change.

And just sometimes, as much as pre-Dad may despise me for it, it's just what's needed on Friday when you don't want to be bothered with your own kitchen.

A little history of this Dad

A little bit of background is probably called for... I'll try to keep it brief.

• I grew up in Hampshire
• Went to University in south Wales
• Felt at home so much, I settled into life as an honorary Welshman.
• In 2007 I met my wife to be
• In 2012 we had our first son
• Got married in 2014
• Had our second son at the end of 2014

That's a pretty simplified version, I expect further info will be gleamed within future blog entries.

Quite a few details left out, but that's the way this online stuff should be, right?

First entry

I feel like this first entry should in some way be insightful... But it probably won't be
It should probably be descriptive, but I doubt that either.
Maybe it will set the tone for the following blog entries... Or not.

All I can say is that it is the first. And, assuming I get round to it, it won't be the last. :-)