Arrr!! Boys!!

What is it with boys and mess?
Having to rant at Joseph is not my idea of a great start to the weekend. Last week I spent what felt like an eternity cleaning up Joseph's room. I threw away all the tut that he hoards and gave it a good thorough clear out.
Yesterday, he got sent home from school sick so he spent the day in his room resting, or so I thought.
This morning I went into his room and it looked like a whirl wind had whipped through his room scattering everything everywhere!
There were toys strewn on the floor, his bin was on its side, an empty smoothy carton was on the floor, it was a disaster zone!
Then we saw the bathroom mirror, it had loads of little white finger marks running down it, doors left open, towels on the floor, the whirl wind that is Joseph had also struck the bathroom.
Then I lost it!
I shouted him upstairs and demanded to know what had happened. All I got was a shrug and "I don't know"
Arrr!!!! Is he becoming a teenage early? All that was missing was the Kevin style "its so unfair!!!!'
How can he not know what happened?
He created this trail of destruction.
After my out burst he did tidy up his bedroom. I sorted the bathroom and he is under instructions to clear away all his toys that are outside too!
To try and combat this we are going back to the reward chart strategy. This has always worked a treat with Joseph!
We put on what his jobs are for the week and then every evening before bed, we check if they have  been done and if they are he gets a tick if not, its a cross. He then needs to have earned a certain number of ticks to get his pocket money. So fingers crossed we will have a lovely tidy room this week.
This is probably all of my fault for always running around after him. But before the twins arrived I had more time to and he was younger. I now feel that Joseph is at an age that he needs to have more responsibility and being responsible for the upkeep of his room is not too much to ask.
Boys will be boys and I am sure that today will not be the last time that we go over this. It is all part of growing up and I have to admit that my baby certainly is growing up!

My Babies Are Growing Too Fast

I am coming to the realisation that my babies are not babies anymore!
They are growing and developing at such a rate.
They are growing too quick.
Since the twins arrived home we have always given them their bedtime bottle and cuddled them to sleep. I am not a fan of self soothing, I know other people who it has worked for, but it is not for me.
I did the same with Joseph and cuddled him to sleep and co-slept with Joseph until he was nearly 3. But at that time it was just the two of us.
I have always loved our bedtime routine, I have always enjoyed the quality time that we have. But I also know, deep down, that we need to move on at some point.
I wasn't expecting it just yet!
A couple of nights ago, Isabella was so hot she would not settle with hubby so he decided to see how she would settle in her cot. I will admit that I didn't think that it would work. But to my amazement, she settled.
The next night she was more awake and it took longer. But my hubby was patient and didn't relent. After a couple of moans from Isabella she went to sleep! I am so proud of her, she has done so well! But Taylor, who always goes to sleep with me, would be harder!
Hubby disagreed with me so last night I let him try.
If I am honest I thought that he would cry for me and wouldn't settle. It pains me to say that I was wrong!
Hubby got him settled without me!
I feel as if the cord has been cut a little bit more. My boy doesn't need my cuddles to go to sleep. I am so proud of him but I also look at all three of them and think
"please slow down growing, stay small"
But I know that I must let all three of them grow and flourish. It is my job to nurture, protect and guide them.
Letting go and allowing them the room to grow is hard but in order to be a "good" mum to them I will do this.
I will just make sure that we have a couple more cuddles in the day.
When they let me that is!

Well Done Joseph!

Last Friday I got a telephone call from Joseph's school. As any parent, who has a child at school, will know when you see it is someone from school ringing you immediately think "oh no, what's happened?" thankfully this call was different.
This telephone call was to tell me that Joseph was due to receive an award for all of his achievements during this school year and that it was top secret!
Anyone who knows me well will know that I really struggle with secrets. I always panic that I'll say something to give it away or it'll slip out before my brain has realised what is coming out of my mouth! When they told me about the award I was ready to burst with pride. I immediately rang hubby so he could arranged the afternoon off work and started thinking about a "well done" treat and ordered him a Hug Box (this will be another post that I'm excited about writing!). I also decided to cook Joseph's favorite meal on Monday.
So Monday came and Joseph had no idea that we were going to the leavers service or that his dad would also be there.
When we arrived at the village church there he was, sat very seriously, as he does. Then the moment came when the head teacher started to give out the awards. When she got to year 3 I could feel a lump in my throat. She said "this award is going to a boy who was very nervous before he moved up into key stage 2, but once he was in that class, you never would have known it. He settled straight in. This child always tries his best in everything he does and his confidence has grown over the year. This award is going to........
Joseph!!!!!!!"
I could see in his face that this was a huge surprise and he had no idea that he was going to get this. I felt so proud of him as he went to the front to get his gift voucher I had a huge lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. Joseph certainly has had some great achievements this year and is really starting to mature. My baby is growing up!
Today is his last day at school for this academic year. I hope Joseph realises how well he has done and how much he has achieved.
I know that I will keep on reminding him!

Joseph's First Disco

Oh how my boy is growing up!
Last night Joseph went to his first disco. He put on a cool front, as he always does, but I could see that he was excited.
The build up this week has made me think of when I was a child, a few years older than Joseph, and how I loved going to the local disco. Those were the days, making up dances to Kylie Minogue, Tiffany and New Kids on the Block and whether I'd have a sneaky slow dance was my only worry. Just writing this is making me smile, its probably so different for girls, but I love to think how all that Joseph does is creating a happy childhood and happy memories for him. I'll have to quiz him later to see if he had a slow dance, that is if they still do them! I feel so old and can't believe he is going to be 9 soon. He's matured so much this last year and I am so very proud of him.
I picked up a very happy, excited boy from the disco. He had such a good time and thoroughly enjoyed himself. I couldn't resist asking him if they played any slow songs to which he briskly answered in a 'don't be silly mum' kind of voice "noooo, just fast songs" and he went on to tell me what songs they danced to and how much fun he had. This is just the start of my Joseph growing up and experiencing more in life, he has got so many exciting times to come on his adventure which is life.