Listography – My Perfect Day

I am so thankful to have this to do today as I am having the worst few days ever with Esther and William, well William really.  He is teething with a temperature and refusing to eat or sleep.  I love him with  all my heart but he is exhausting at the moment as he is often inconsolable.  David works from home and is getting increasingly stressed that he is needed to help with the babies rather than focus all his attentions on his work.  I think we are both nearing breaking point, so taking 5 minutes (albeit with William in my arms!) to ponder on what would be a perfect day for me right now is a really rather nice thing to do.

What would make my perfect day right now?

1 – I would wake up to a warm, sunny morning.  The babies would wake smiling in their cot and we would go downstairs where I would put them down to play on the lawn whilst I got a breakfast of coffee, orange juice, fruit and croissants.  I would sit in the warmth of the sun and watch my children playing happily together.  It would be quiet apart from their beautiful coos and babbles.  There would be periods of warm hazy silence.

2 – The postman would deliver a letter from my sister telling me that she is pregnant and that she is moving home from Australia not just to the UK but to Kent where we will be sisters, friends and neighbours and our children will grow up knowing each other like cousins should.

3 – I would have lunch in a cafe courtyard in the sun and enjoy drinking wine and eating finger foods with good adult conversation with a group of friends.  We would laugh and joke and be playful.  We would discuss and debate.  We would not notice the sun beginning to set and day turning to night.  It would be wonderful.

4 – I would go to a salon and have a relaxing back massage, facial with Indian head massage and have my hair cut and styled.  I would take a lovely outfit with me to the salon and would dress there ready for an evening out.

5 – The evening would be with all my family and friends together at a function rather like a wedding reception with good music and good food.  There would be dancing to cheesy music.  There would be fun and frolicks and laughter. Lots of laughter.  Everyone would be loving the company of everyone else.  It would be riotous and yet so peaceful. Like being home!

And if there were just one impossible thing that I could make happen right now, I would like to go to 167 Grange Road for a cup of tea, a game of scrabble and a cuddle with my Nan.  Because I miss her so much even now, everyday.  That would be a perfect day.

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Music I Want My Children to Listen To – Dodgy

I love Dodgy and adore their album Free Peace Sweet from 1996.  I had just left school when this was released and bought the CD whilst a Fresher at University.  I would listen to this album over and over again.

When I met David, he and I would often listen to this in the car over and over again.  Singing at the top of our voices, driving fast, windows down, sun on our faces, wind in our hair!

One of the songs from this album, One of Those Rivers, is one of ‘our songs’ and will feature in our wedding in September.  It contains the lyric

Let’s not worry about, what we haven’t got
And let’s not choose the life, that will have the cost
As long as you and I can live happily
then surely all I want is staring back at me

That is how I feel about David, it matters not about anything else, as long as we have each other that is all I need.

Another song, Homegrown, will be played at Esther and William’s christening next year.  Homegrown is the way that it should be – those words fit so perfectly over photos of our gorgeous homegrown babies.

These songs just fit us.  They mean so much.

David and I were supppsed to get married in August 2010 and I wrote to Dodgy who said that they would record Homegrown for us specially for the service.  I didn’t remind them and they have never been in touch again but I might send a link to my blog, explain that the wedding postponed and see if they will do something for us this time.  It would mean the world to David and I, and be a treasure for the babies to keep.

Back to the album …

If You’re Thinking of Me is a beautiful, sad song that has gotten me through some sad and lonely times over the years, but now Dodgy reminds me only of my first summer with David and a video he made for me on my birthday that year.

Dodgy are easy to listen to, they have simple and meaningful lyrics which tell a story.  The melodies are catchy with some of their faster songs being true Brit Pop anthems.

This band have grown with me from school through Uni to parenthood.  They are a shared favourite with the man I love, we listen to them in the car and In a Room; and I can picture us, in the future, as a family Staying Out for the Summer with Dodgy!

 GhostWriterMummy

Esther and William’s First Author – Oliver Jeffers

When Esther and William were born I bought them each a book.  Because they are twins I wanted the books to be by the same author and so I chose Oliver Jeffers.  I wanted each baby to have a story chosen especially for them, that could mean something to them all of their lives. I also wanted them to have a story to share.  The three books that I chose are: The Way Back Home; Lost and Found and How to Catch a Star.

Lost and Found was William’s book.  It was first read to him on the day that he was born by his Daddy.  David and I sat by his incubator and shared this story with our newborn son, who weighed in at just 2lb 11ozs and could not open his eyes or breathe without assistance.  We read to our little boy lost hoping that he would find his way, that we would find a way to be together as a family.  Lost and Found is about a little boy who finds a penguin.  Penguins (along with giraffes!) are my favourite animals and I want to pass that on to my children, to share it with them.  The little boy thinks that the penguin wants to go home and the boy does all he can to help him find his way but then he realises that the penguin was not lost at all but was lonely, he didn’t want to go home, he wanted to find a friend.  It is a very touching story about friendship, told very simply with beautiful illustrations.  It explores loss and loneliness which seemed very apt for our William who was all alone in a plastic box when he should have been in our arms with his sister.  It tells how two people can find comfort in one another and help each other along the way.  it is a story of the journey of friendship, through words and pictures it shows the strength and determination of one little boy to help another. We dedicated this to our Mr Strong, our braveheart, our William.  This is a wonderful first story for a little boy.  For our little boy.

Our daughter’s first ever story How to Catch A Star.  I chose this for Esther because one meaning of her name is ‘Star’.  I read her this book for the very first time on the day she was born.  I sat beside her blue lit incubator and read it to my 2lb 4oz baby, who I had known just hours but already loved with all my heart.  This was the prefect choice of story for Esther.  It is about a boy who loves stars and tries everything that he can to find one.  This is a story with the message of never giving up, of doing all you can to achieve your dreams, of fighting for what you believe in, of striving for your goals, of being strong and reaching for the stars.  This was the perfect message for my tiny, fragile daughter fighting for her life in an incubator rather than celebrating the start of her life in my arms.  I read this story with broken voice and eyes full of tears.  My little star was going to need all the strength she would muster and all of our strength too.  This book is so beautifully illustrated I just know that it will be treasured for always for its message and devoured time and time again for its lovely language and exquisite illustrations.  Thank you Oliver Jeffers for helping us give our children such a lovely start to life and the world of literature.

The final book , I bought for the twins to share.  It is called The Way Back Home.  Inside the front cover I wrote:

Dear Esther and William

We can’t wait to show you the way home to our house, your house, your home.  We love you now and always.

Mummy and Daddy

This Oliver Jeffers book is about finding your way home.  This was all we wanted for our two babies, to find a way to bring them home.  This story is about a young boy who gets stuck on the moon with an alien and together they must find a way to get each other home.  It is a tale of friendship and what can be achieved when friends work together.  I hope that Esther and William will be life long friends as well as twin brother and sister and whenevr they fight or fall out I am going to remind them of this book, the first time we shared it and how far they have come.

Oliver Jeffers is a brilliant writer and illustrator of unique and exciting books for children that can be enjoyed by all the family over and over again.

Simple stories with complex messages and meanings, filled with heartfelt love and warmth.

Please, if you have not yet discovered these books and enjoyed them with your children, please do, I am certain that you will not be disappointed. 

Thank you Oliver Jeffers!  Keep writing please!

First Ever Flashback Friday

For the first ever Flashback Friday I am exploring Februarys past.

FEBRUARY 2011

This February has been all about my sister’s wedding.  My wee sis got married to her lovely man, Hugh.  They are now in the US on honeymoon before they return to Oz where they live.  Well done again, wee sis.  So, so proud x

FEBRUARY 2010

February 2010 featured another wedding.  On a beautiful winter day David and I went to our dear friends Rich and Lex’s wedding.  I was about 5 weeks pregnant in this picture and we were not sure yet if it would be twins or not!!

FEBRUARY 2009

February 2009 is when we moved into our house.  It has snowed a lot since we started living here.  It is a perfect house for snow and Christmas.  More about that next Friday as I plan to feature the house again in my Friday Flashback post.

FEBRUARY 2008

This was the month that my parents left for Spain but here I am with my Dad on his February birthday before they left.  It his birthday on Sunday actually, so …

Happy Birthday Dad!!

So there you have it, a little flash through my februarys past.  What will you choose to reminisce about?  What have others chosen to share?  Why not hop on over to Cafe Bebe and begin your own trip down memory lane.

Thank you for a fun Friday meme x x

Cheery Blogtastic Week!

WOW!  Has there really been another week? I feel like I have achieved nothing this week but I am sure that there must be some cheery bits somewhere?!?  Oh yes, yes, yes, yes!

1 – I am now the proud owner of a dishwasher and a washer / dryer!!

This decision to obtain a dishwasher and a tumble dryer is going to change the quality of my life by giving me just a few spare minutes a day to do something for me.  It will mean that I am not searching the house for places to hang washing on a rainy day and that my airing cupboard will not be full to bursting with damp baby gros!  A little luxury!  My first reason for cheer!

2 – William can roll from his front to his back and his back to his front! Tick follows tock follows tick follows tock!

William is on the move.  He can roll around the room now with great groaning effort.  He has realised that by throwing himself around in this way he can travel and get to places he wants to be.  It also means that he can amuse himself for longer periods of time, just rolling!  Esther, not wanting to be out done by her little brother, has started trying to roll today but she is not so successful.  At under 10lbs she is such a tiny little thing and seeing her try to propel herself across the floor with no power or purchase is heartbreaking.  But she will get there, I know she will, and in the meantime I take great delight in her being photogenic.

3 – I have taken some beautiful pictures of Esther this week that I am very proud of

David bought me a camera for Christmas and I am finally starting to get some good results with it.  I adore looking at people’s baby photographs and have been trying to take good shots of my own.  This week I finally feel like I am getting somewhere! 

4 – My blog has reached over 20, 000 hits and I feel like I have made my first blogging friend in TheBoyandMe (Hope that she does not mind me saying so!)

This week my blog reached over 20,000 views.  I know that is probably not a lot in comparison to others but I feel like it is a real achievement for me and it has filled me with blogging confidence and cheer.  This new found cheery confidence has led to me commenting more on other people’s blogs and trying to interact more on Twitter.  Through my endeavours I have found a blog that I love,  http://www.theboyandme.co.uk/, and have started chatting a bit to its author, who seems to be lovely.  Please try and read her blog if you haven’t already as it is brill!  It has played a major part in making me cheery this week!

To see what is making other people smile this week pop on over to Michelle’s blog and join the hop!

Have a great weekend one and all!

I Love You, Sleepy Head – Book Review

I Love You, Sleepy Head written by Claire Freedman and illustrated by Simon Mendez I bought this beautiful book for Esther and William on their first month birthday.  I read it to them everyday, beside their incubator and then their … Continue reading

At My Most Beautiful – Mother and Daughter

“It’s beauty that captures your attention; personality which captures your heart.”

At my most beautiful
I count your eyelashes, secretly
With every one, whisper I love you
I let you sleep
I know you’re closed eye watching me,
Listening
I thought I saw a smile

http://www.lyrics007.com/R.E.M.%20Lyrics/At%20My%20Most%20Beautiful%20Lyrics.html

The Gallery – We Want To Be Together!

This week to complement St Valentine’s Day Tara has given us the theme of Togetherness for our Gallery posts.  This was an easy one for me.  It had to be about the twins.  I am going to post two entries to the gallery this week, this is the first.  Esther and William as they get reacquainted in NICU after weeks in separate incubators.

When Esther and William were Reunited for the first time outside of the womb in NICU, it was the most wonderful experience of my life.  They just seemed to just know that they belonged together.  Here are Esther and Willliam clearly demonstrating TOGETHERNESS.

Inspiration from Sky Blue Sea

Today I subscribed to a new blog and on it I found an inspirational post that filled me with emotion.  I hope that you like it too and if you do why not visit SkyBlueSea for yourself and tell her about it.

Positive Friends

My friend Mary is an amazing bubbling force of energy. Occasionally she will e-mail me stuff like this.
Today waiting in my inbox was this, and it just made me smile. Sorry I don’t know where it originated, but I hope it inspires.

“Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday.
Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older.
And, there on television, she said it was “exciting.”
Regarding body changes, she said there were many,occurring every day…like her breasts.
They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first.

The audience laughed so hard they cried. She is such a simple and honest woman, with so much wisdom in her words! Maya Angelou said this:
“I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.”
“I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.”
“I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.”
“I’ve learned that making a “living” is not the same thing as “making a life.”
“I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.”
“I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back.”
“I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.”
“I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.”
“I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a
friendly pat on the back.”
“I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.”
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never
forget how you made them feel.”

Makes me want to be a better person, how about you?