Christmas ... Part two!

Fun with Daddy and my new toy.

All grown up in my highchair, no turkey this year.

Cousin time

Happy Christmas to you all, near and far, we send love, smiles and Christmas wishes to you.

Happy Christmas from us to you.

McCulloch Christmas

Family fun at Kerplunk

Ooh! Wrapping Paper!

Christmas Bear that's bigger than her but she has a big smile!

On her new bike/rocker ( she can park better than her mum)

Happy Birthday Judith (Fondue fun)

Patterson Christmas

Opening up gifts, Ooh I like paper.

Books and paper, the best combo!

More to follow on the next post.

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Emily met Father Christmas for the first time last night. She didn't cry, instead she tugged at his beard. It was fun, we had a great time at the church Sunday School Christmas party.

More from the Nativity

Joseph and Baby Jesus await their cue.

The angels do their Gloria dance.
Baby Jesus no crying she makes!

All the cast together, a living nativity.

Baby Jesus is a girl (in Longsight!!!)

Last night we had a fabulous Christmas Play at our church. The kids were wonderful and the youth and young adults were great. The play was based on pirates stealing a treasure chest thinking that it was full of gold, however inside was a nativity scene. The narrator went on to tell the true nativity story revaling the 'treasure' of a nativity scene outside the back doors of church. We (Kids and Youth and us) were all outside sitting in a gazebo complete with Emily lying in a wooden box of straw. It was amazing to look out and see everyone lighting each others candles and singing Silent Night.

What a wonderful way to tell the Christmas story.

On a side note, Emily just lay there as if it was normal to lie in straw, waving her arms around and smiling.

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Busy times

We have been busy over the past couple of weeks. Jamie has been marking exam papers, playing music at church and entertainig our god-daughter (Lucy) and Emily by reading bedtime stories. Lucy came to visit and sleep over this weekend, it was so much fun having a seven year old to stay.

Emily has been busy learning to stand up on her feet without doing her usual crumpling thing. She is now beginning to enjoy her bouncy thingy. It's not the most ladylike or dainty harness, but the smiles are abundant so fashion is out the window! The tree is now up, complete with a new decoration courtesy of the Prince Family. (Nicola's family). This is a great decoration, one that Emily will treasure when she is older.
I have been at Parent and Toddler group, made Christmas cards, baked Christmas cookies, taken over the bulletin stuff at church, washed, ironed, tidied, wrapped gifts, cooked tea, caught up with friends and shopped. Reading over that list it sounds like life is one big job or very boring but I really enjoy my days, as the major focus is playing. It is great fun to spend the majority of the day playing. Some people told me that I would really miss work and would be itching to get back. Well, I don't even feel slightly ticklish or itchy!

Emily is growing, she now weighs 15lb 8 oz!! She can sit up quite well, a little wobbly but we don't think it will be long until she can do it on her own. She coughs for attention and wriggles out of her beanbag. She now measures 70cm in length, a tall lady!Wow, she is really growing up.

That's all for now folks...

Nothing to see, lots to hear!

Sorry about the darkness, but we thought you might find Emily's sounds interesting!

Sponges are so delicious.

Yum, Yum

Five Months Old

Two days ago, our little one was five months old! We can't believe how time has flown by. Emily is truly the love our lives, she fills our days with smiles, giggles, laughter and her own interesting sounds. She is great! I have included some piccies from the different months. Enjoy.

And the last one was today. 5 Months and 2 days. All smiles despite a cold.

More raspberries, wriggling and bubbles!

How Emily has the energy to do this after a busy day with only

1 hour and 20 minutes sleep between 6.30am and 7 pm..... I have no idea. where does she get it from?

On a different note...

On the way to school this morning I couldn't help but notice the beautiful sky ahead. The sun was rising with a shade of pink and purple. I couldn't wait to get out of the car so that I could take a picture of it! (This is actually taken from my classroom window at 7:41)
A few minutes later I noticed a change in colour and took another picture. Only when I looked at them on the computer did I see the complete contrast in colours. All in just 8 minutes! It was a lovely way to start the day. (Apart from Emily's smile when I picked her up this morning!)

On a different note - football on Tuesday has been much better over the last 2 weeks. I realised that people's advice varied significantly from the comments I read. However, this week the highlight was that one of our players had become a dad for the first time. We asked him what they were calling their son.

"Toby," was his reply. (After 2 weeks of deciding)

"Toby Syrett heh? Sounds good."

"Toby McSyrett."

"But we thought your surname was Syrett?"

"Yes, but my wife's name is MacCaldon so we joined them together for Toby's surname."

Well, we were all tickled pink by that one! Knowing him we shouldn't have been surprised. However, it sounds a bit strange that all 3 of them will now have different names!

Try it with your children's names to come up with potential surnames - Emily Pattulloch ?

All wrapped up with somewhere to go.

It's not quite minus 40 here in Manchester unlike our friends in Edmonton (keep warm!), but Emily and I wrapped up warm yesterday as she was in her baby carrier and needed her legs to stay warm.

Where did we go? Nowhere exciting, just to the post box to post letters and to the local high school to discuss truancy and criminal damage! Not bad for a 21 week old baby eh? She was smiling, I was furious, but her happy spirit must have rubbed off on me because by the time I got there, I was in a better position to discuss instead of rant!

On a different note she was weighed yesterday ... she must like her food - 15lbs 1 oz! ( different scales than usual so the result may be a little out!!!)

Football watchers, Jamie had a good Tuesday night football last night with no issues with pettiness! All smiles in the McCulloch house today.

Yob culture!

Why is there such a problem with this? Not all young people are bad or even do bad things, but the small minority who are or do really do blight our society and my neighbourhood. We pay our taxes, vote, work hard and do our best to keep our street tidy, so why do a small group of boys want to kick down my fence and verbally abuse my neighbours and myself when we remind them that they should be in school?
To be fair it is a small group of them, but the damage is annoying as by the time Jamie comes home from school it is always dark and usually raining - thus it will not be repaired until the weekend when we should be enjoying family time together!
Oh well, Emily has a great world to grow up in, maybe yob culture and the complete disregard for other peoples property and life (in extreme cases but sadly it happens) may have passed and people may realise that God and does work in our world and can change our communities.
(The photo is an old one as my battery is charging on th camera from yesterdays damage as I need to email the photo to the local headteacher!The current damage is pretty similar!)

Doesn't time fly

Last Sunday we went for a walk at Dunham Massey. We were halted in our tracks as a herd of deer wanted to pass by. The deer at the front tentatively made its way across the path to check if all was safe to pass. Thirty to forty smaller ones then followed! What a sight.

Emily has been getting better at sitting up. This is her in the Bumbo. Sorry about the abuse of the toy, no animal was harmed during this; she hasn't learnt the art of pressing gently!

My sisters and niece came to visit this week. We had a great couple of days, Jamie was surrounded by five girls (not sure if he has recovered yet!!). It was fun to see Emily and Ellie-May playing, punching, smiling and talking with and to each other.

It was also fun to show Judith and Emma around Manchester, I am still learning myself, this week I found out where Spring Gardens is.

We also celebrated Dad's 'significant' birthday on Saturday with breakfast at one of our favourite places - Saints and Scholars. Emily as usual was on her best form in the moring and provided plenty of smiles around the table as cards and gifts were opened.

Time does fly, last week my headteacher phoned to ask if I wanted to come back to work after Christmas to teach Booster classes in the afternoon. After agreeing I then realised that she meant straight after Christmas! No way!! I am only going to get this chance once to be with Emily so I had to retract and stick to going back in April as planned.

Time is flying;

• Emily is 21 weeks old this week,
• She is 14lbs 4 oz (double her birth weight),
• She is having one formula feed a day,
• Rolling over on her side,
• Turning herself round on her playmat,
• Grabbing everything in sight,
• And flexing her fingers as if she is squeezing an orange!
• Jamie has now been second in the maths department for nearly a term
• And it is only a month to Christmas. Wow. Time is flying.

Hopefully is won't fly too fast as we are all having so much fun.

Family get- togethers

Over the weekend all the McCullochs met together for the annual catch-up. It was a fun time and a great chance for Emily to meet her extended family. (It was a bit busy at the dedication). She was mesmerised by all the faces, noise and laughter. Next year she may well be joining in the carcophany of noise made by the McCulloch Clan. It was also an opportunity to wish Jamie's dad a happy birthday for next weekend. The cake was amazing... Lots of catching up was done, lots of delicious food eaten, lots of games played and plenty of other laughter-filled moments. What a great way to spend a Saturday.

Bubble beard!

There is nothing really to be said, the picture says it all.

(She is going through 8-10 bibs a day to keep her clothes dry!)

What is it about football?

What is it about football that makes grown men turn into children? I was involved in my second argument in a week tonight during my Tuesday night football ritual. Am I starting to loose control of my temper, are people pushing me more than they used to or is it all just unnecessary tosh?
I was accused tonight of being 'petty' for telling 2 lads to stop arguing over a disputed goal. My take on it was 'who cares, let's just play on'. However, they continued to bicker and I continued to tell them to give it up. That's when the accusation came and made me boil up inside!!
I waited until the end of the game to explain to the accuser that criticising your team and yourself during a game is not being petty. However, arguing with someone on another team about whether a goal should stand or not is petty. His reply was he didn't need a lesson from me!

What am I turning into? I know these lads have a different attitude to the game than me. I was brought up on the back lawn with older players around me who encouraged a healthy attitude to critical team play. However, I am too verbal. Obviously this doesn't fit in to Tuesday night football (shame I've only noticed after 5 years of playing with them!).
I have confessed to Julie-Ann that I don't feel comfortable with how tonight went and have promised myself to be more positive than critical next week. It seems that I am finding it difficult to be a Christian role model whilst playing sport whole-heartedly (I was even wearing my Christians in Sport t-shirt underneath my drill top! What irony!).
Any ideas or suggestions are welcome.

p.s. Any women out there who are currently dating.... a piece of advice - always check out your potential husband playing competitive sport because often that is when they show their true colours! (J-A says I used to be a nice boy!)

Muse

Dave and I went to a concert at the MEN on Saturday night to hear Muse. I've been listening to their stuff for a little while now so I thought I would take up Davy's offer to go and see them.
Well, I have to say that it the best concert I have been to in a very long time.
They are a pretty heavy outfit but the whole show was immense. I have never seen such a magnificent guitar player whose fingers just took control of that fret-board.

On top of the music the whole stage show/production was excellent. The picture below shows the moment when they sent out huge balloons across the front of the stage. They were filled with feathers and when burst caused a downpour of red fluff!!

It was a brilliant experience and I will make sure I try and see them again at some point.

If you are interested in hearing them play live here is a link to them playing in concert a couple of years ago. I enjoy listening whilst I'm marking books after work!

Playing or eating whoozit whilst sitting in Bumbo

It is amazing the toys and things that they make for babies these days. When we were little we were propped up with cushions and given keys and rattles to play with. (I am sure there were other things too!) We are grateful for all the things we have been given by family, colleagues and friends; Emily is a blessed child, in so many ways, and has so many things. Her toys are cool and this chair is really useful as she can't wriggle out of it and it encourages her to sit properly too! So it's two for the price of one!

Cars!

Well, most of you may know that I have been out and about driving again. I say driving but my parking and turning need to be improved! We are really grateful as we have 2 cars at the moment and it is really convenient for our life. Last week our bigger car went into the garage for the annual MOT, of which it was ok. They said the exhaust was corroding but nothing too urgent.
What happenend to me today? Put it this way ...have you ever tried reversing a car when the exhaust is dragging on the floor? Less than a week after it's MOT the car is back in the garage getting a new exhaust. Tomorrow we will feel the benefit of having 2 cars!

Blowing bubbles... or spitting? You can choose!

Sorry it is so dark, but it's the sounds that are funny.

Another first.... baby rice

A rare trip out as a twosome ... without the nappy bag!

Yesterday Jamie and I went out for the afternoon to Old Trafford to watch Utd against Portsmouth. It was a good match with most of the action happening at the opposite end to us - Vidic's goal was at our end.

The corner that was played Neville the to Vidic and GOAL!!!!

It was great to leave Emily in the capable hands of her auntie Nic and uncle Dave. She had a great time visiting John Lewis and Bramall village. For those of you who were watching the Battle of the bottle... we won! She now takes it and seems to enjoy it. On other news, half term is now over for Jamie, it is back to work tomorrow for 7 weeks and then it will be Christmas break. Our car passed it's MOT but now needs a new exhaust (if we don't want to sound like a boy racer.) We have also been looking at new houses and are having another valuation on ours this week. We have already had 2 but as they are over 30000 apart we need another opinion. We have been to Chester, done some Christmas shopping, been swimming, started writing the dedication thankyous and have started Emily on baby rice. A busy half term; Jamie is going back to work for a rest!