The Brothers Gip

Well today my post is going to be all about Arthur as I am really feeling the love for my little chubba today. He is just gorgeous. He comes and gives me cuddles all the time and gives me kisses too. When it is tea time he runs towards his highchair making a clicking noise so it sounds like he is eating. He can say lots of words now and attempts to copy everything I say. He is amazing at drawing. I think he has a real talent. It may be that he has peaked early but I would like to think that as his mother I can decide he is gifted if I want to.

I love being around Arthur he has a lovely calm feeling around him that makes me feel very content. He loves to please and even when he is being naughty he tries to get you in on the action with a mischievous smile. He is shy in new situations and meeting new people. Once he has warmed up, which is normally fairly quickly, he is a delight. I like that when he wakes up from his nap I have to give him a biscuit right away to stop him becoming a total grump.

So that is it really a quick gush about Arthur as today he has been lovely and I want to recognise that with a post all of it’s own. There will no be an equally proud Elliott gush very soon. Once the screaming to get his own way subsides… (remind you of anyone?) JON GET ME A MARS BAR ICE CREAM AND A G&T NOW!

Here are some pictures of some of Arthur’s rather superb art works (notice the face and eyes) and some ones of him being cute.

So on Friday I popped round to Poppa Flecks and during the customary greeting cuddle Elliott puked all over him. Poppa was great and didn’t even flinch. He just gave me a hand to clean it up, administered calpol and cuddled Elliott while I worked out what to do without a change of clothes. (I had a day where I just shoved a couple if nappies in my handbag as I was late to meet Becky at the Laing art gallery)

Elliott has been poorly for four days he was at his worst on Saturday and slept for a lot of the day. So Ari and I went to the metrocentre while Daddy watched Disney movies with poorly boy. Arthur was really cute and we had lots of fun. It was the first time I had taken one out on their own for a whole day.

It makes me realise just how much easier it is with one child. I often wonder about it, I don’t know any different so I always thought it might be just as hard to have one baby.

It was like stepping into a different world having Arthur on his own. For one I could eat out with him alone and not be worried about queuing for food and how I was going to handle clean up and getting seats on and off the table. I could fit my buggy anywhere as it wasn’t the size of a bus. I could get him out of the buggy and let him have a walk about when he got fed up. When he threw a tantrum because I wouldn’t go in the Disney store again I could just calmy tell him he had to hold Mummy’s hand or he would go back in the buggy. I could even shop for clothes and try things on! Wow! People still stopped me to tell me my baby was cute which is always nice. The best bit was that nobody stopped me to look at ‘double trouble’ or say ‘oooh you’ve got your hands full’ or ‘who’s a lucky girl then?’. Yes I know I am a lucky girl. I love having twins.

Just sometimes it is quite nice to get out and see how the other half lives. Even if it is on a tourist visa…

Here are some pictures of my day out with Art and my poor little poorly Elt.

Ok so today a few very cute things happened. Firstly, Arthur learnt how to blow raspberries on people. Later Arthur and I had a bath and I blew a raspberry on his tiny manboobs whilst he blew one on my shoulder. Then, at tea time we did a family Mexican wave style high five. There was much giggling and hand slapping.

After tea we did clever dancing. Earlier today Lydia and Joey showed us how to do the twist so we did a performance for Daddy. Elliott fell and hurt himself. Then without being prompted Arthur ran over to him and gave him a cuddle. It was the best thing I have ever seen. Ever. It was so cute. Twins are the best!

(I will not tell you about musicbugs. I am going to pretend that portion of the day did not happen and much like childbirth it is becoming a distant memory. So distant, infact, that I may well subject myself to it again next week. The only person who knows the half of it is uncle Lala who got a 3 minute long accidental answerphone message that sounded like torture indispersed with hickory dickory dock.)

Here are some pictures of Arthur and Elliott having a bit of a chill with the Gruffalo on our bed whilst I got dressed.

Today I walked down to the park with my cuties to feed the ducks. We fed them and then we played in the play area. Then uncle Lala and Aunty Lelly came round. They have just had their 20 week scan. Elliott high fived Lelly’s tummy. I think he knows there is a friend in there!

Well I have two little boys who have very red cheeks, sore bums and coughs. Apparently a little cough and nappy rash are two things that go along with teething. Though who knows why?It took three hours to get little Arthur to sleep last night he was in such a state. Elliott has been really unsettled too. Though amazingly enough neither has woken the other. Two of Elliott’s top molars have come through. Arthur’s gums are hard where his are coming they have yet to break through. Poor babies. Not much fun for anyone this tooth business. I suppose at least they are both doing it at the same time…

On a more pleasant note, Aunty Sian came to stay at the weekend. On Monday we went shopping and out for lunch. Here is Sian and her new tiny bestie having spaghetti bolognese at a little Italian cafe. Arthur loved Sian and wouldn’t stop giving her cuddles. Elliott was more interested in if she had snacks…

Today we had a lovely day out as a family. We tried out the under 5’s activity room at the Laing Art Gallery in town. We also had lunch in our favourite pre baby pub and general cool hangout. The Forth, Elliott and Arthur tried to get behind the bar. They also both sampled deep fried baby squid and very much enjoyed it. Here are some pictures.

Today I walked to the museum with Arthur and Elliott. I like a walk and I timed it so they slept for the duration. I stopped in town to pick them up some socks and vests. I managed to resist the urge to buy Gruffalo pyjamas.

When we got to the museum (against better judgement) I ditched the buggy in the foyer and attempted the museum on foot with a child holding each hand. They were very good and both held a finger and didn’t run off. Elliott tried his luck a couple of times but he seemed to get the idea that running away from me was a no go.

We looked at the fish and the dinosaurs and then I took them to the kid’s room. It is a big room full of activities and puppets, a giant mousehole they can crawl through and random other crap that toddlers love. The place was full of my worst nightmare. 6 boys ranging between 20 months ish and 3 all charging about and yelling and jumping. There was also the other end of the scale, two babies under 3 months that were on cushions on the floor.

Not only was I frightened about the big kids barging into my little ones and knocking them down, I also had to have eyes in the back of my head incase my big kids stomped on the babies. Or, god forbid, did their number one pass time at the moment. This consists of gouging at my eyes whilst saying eyeeeeeeees not a good one to inflict on a new baby.

It didn’t help that the other mums seemed more interested in chatting about the feature wall in the lounge and whether or not Kelly’s husband was having an affair than what their kids were doing.

(That is pure jealousy kicking in as I would have dearly loved an irresponsible friend with decorating and marital issues to have been chatting to.)

Anyway, all was fine. The big kids were really lovely with my babies and treated them very gently. The 3 year old tried to include Arthur in his game of diggers and the 2 year olds were really sweet with them and looked after them. Elliott at one point made a beeline for a baby but just pointed said ‘baby’ then stole the baby’s fish puppet and ran at me making a fish action with his mouth. I think he realised that you don’t harm babies but they are damn easy to steal from.

So that was that, not too scary. Elliott’s day was made when the cutest little 16 month old red head tottered in with her Granny. He turned on the charm big time. All she wanted to do was steal his biscuit. Typical woman!

Here are some pictures of a twinkly cave. Arthur loved that he could put his finger over a twinkle and it glowed orange like ET’s.

Yesterday we met Lydia and Joey at the Baltic Art Gallery for a spot of playing and a Mummy sanity chat. It was lovely and much needed by all! Whilst we were there we got to see the scary job of outside window cleaning. The two men who did it had to abseil down the side of the gallery, stopping at every window to clean it. Elliott, as usual, was being a flirt. In return for his friendship he got smiley faces drawn in soap and some waving and dancing.

On Monday we were trapped indoors because it was snowy. When it is snowy It is tricky going out and as it was, Jon had accidentally taken the buggy to work. Here is what we did.

Breakfast: museli, blueberries, crumpet, water mixed with some apple and pear juice.

Got dressed into pyjamas (we had run out of clothes and I couldn’t do any washing as our pipes had frozen) and brushed teeth.

Played at stacking blocks, pulling along a train and taking bits of popcorn out of one bowl and put them in another bowl.

Snack: popcorn, apple

Whilst snack is happening I add the photos to the blog posts I wrote on holiday and publish them.

Singing. This consisted of me singing ‘I’m a Little Teapot’ and Elliott collapsing with laughter every time I sang ‘Tip me up and pour me out’ Arthur now does all the actions to incy wincy spider. We sang other songs too and did dancing.

Reading. We read the Gruffalo three times and then we looked at four horrendous books all with flaps and boring photos that I hate and they seem to think are the most interesting thing ever.

Lunch: Broccoli, roast chicken, cheese, potato salad, water

Sleep. They slept for an hour. I did a workout whilst watching an American teen drama called ‘The Vampire Diaries’ I love it, like twilight crossed with hollyoaks, so horrible it is fantastic. Then I hopped in the shower. Then I wizzed around downstairs clearing up lunch and tidying. I make myself a coffee.

Awake. Coffee doesn’t get drunk. Arthur and Elliott throw raisins all over the lounge Arthur tells me he wants a drink. I go and get the drink.

Elliott at this moment decides to climb onto the sofa and grab the caffetiere full of coffee and bring it to me upside down pouring coffee all over the carpet.

I try and clean up the coffee.

Arthur still wants a drink. I give him and Elliott a drink and an apple and decide we need a new carpet anyway…

Screaming

I say ‘hang on’ run upstairs and bring down a kingsized duvet cover.

We make a tent. Much shreaking with laughter and hiding and jumping out. I finish publishing my blog.

Snack: toast, more popcorn, baby orange.

Arthur now knows the baby sign for help and asks me to help him get onto the sofa for a cuddle. He says Brrrr which means book. I read the Gruffalo again. Elliott wants me to read him the National Trust Handbook. I give up.

We try and do drawing. Arthur decides that as we are doing drawing in his highchair it must be teatime and tries to eat everything. Where are the crayons?? I rummage in the garage for the crayons. Come back with a green coloured pencil. Elliott looks at me like I have handed him a javelin.

Drawing isn’t working.

We play Peekaboo Wild on my Iphone. Arthur says Babooooooooon! Then we watch five minutes of Fish with David Attenborough.

Screaming

It is 3.30 pm and I have run out of steam. This calls for the last resort.

We all have a bath.

Playing with ducks, drinking the bath water. Demanding I turn on the bubble machine. Damanding I turn off the bubble machine. Asking to get out. Trying to climb out. Finding the squirty dinosaurs. Making chicken noises. Splashing. Getting out. Asking to get back in. Splashing more. Pouring water from a stacking cup on my head.

4.30 Yippeee Daddy is home early.

Dressed.

Cook tea.

Tea: Seared tuna, sweet potato mash, curried green beans.

Tuna doesn’t go down well, they have feta cheese parcels instead.

I think today calls for Apple Pie. We eat lots of apple pie.

I say to Elliott ‘go and cuddle Arthur’ He runs at Arthur saying Aaaaaah and they smile and cuddle and kiss each other.

I feel exhausted but like I have just been told I have won the lottery. My boys are AwEsome. With a capital A and I suppose a capital E too

Boys asleep. Drink wine. Lots of wine.

Here is a picture of the tent.

A weekly food shop would not be complete without a game of dress up. Elliott thought it was the best thing ever and kept saying ‘glasses’ and taking them off and putting them on. Arthur just giggled from the moment we put them on him.