Joel turns one.

Our little man celebrated his first birthday on Monday at the seaside on the North Antrim Coast.

Cake with Aunties and Uncles as well as cousins on Sunday.

We had pancakes for breakfast followed by a trip to Giant's Causeway, over the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge and ice cream in Morelli's ice cream parlour. What a cool day.

He wasn't that impressed once the candle went out!

Nine years married and still going.

We have been to London to visit our wonderful friends the Jenkins, and to meet their new little one, Rachael. We had a great visit spending time with them as well as catching some of the sights. Emily wanted to go on the big roundie, see the Queen's palace, hear Big Ben chiming and see Peter Pan's bridge. And on a stifling hot day... we can report she got her wishes.

The ladies glowing in the heat,

Rachael was sleeping comfortably as we were on our river taxi (the best way to travel London with two buggies and 3 under threes.)

It was all just too much to take in for the cutsies.

A great day to celebrate nine years of marriage. We still feel young it's the wrinkles that remind us that we are not. Marriage works for us, we highly recommend it.

Summer hols

We have been out and about this past week since Jamie has been on holiday and I finished on Friday for 6 weeks. Yes, 6 whole weeks. We are busy planning what to do; so far we are going to London to see friends, Dublin to see a friend and Belfast to see family. Emily wants to go on a roller coaster and to the seaside so we need to get organised on that idea. Joel's cardiology appointment will be the first week of September so we can plan our summer without fear of change and appointments. We went to Redhouse Farm to the wild west maize maze on Thursday. We had a lot of fun, although we did not make it the full way round. We had a ride on the barrel train towed by a tractor through the corn fields, pedalled our way on the go karts, climbed the haystacks and had a fun day out dodging the rain showers. We are so fortunate to be surrounded by cool places to go within 30 mins of where we live.

Are we lost?

Pedal faster, daddy!

very sweet holding hands!

Not very comfortable and very muddy

We have a list of jobs to do, including mending guttering and attaching the toilet to the floor, (Jamie tried to do that today but in true our house style - they glued the bathroom cabinets which house the toilet cistern.) Looks like we need a plumber and or a chisel! We will be busy.

We are hoping that the rain stays away, it has been too frequent this past week and we are running out of popcorn seeds as Emily has been having DVD time waiting til the garden dries out and isn't as waterlogged.

Off to bed as 6.30 comes early with the cry of, "Mummy, Daddy, can I wake up now?" As if she responds well to, "no!"

Cute.

We're on the move.

Eleven months and one day and he crawls. Our little Joel is crawling.

Cue stairgates, drawer locks, plug covers and the phrase "ahh ah Joel!" How great.

One and a half days left for me!

There is music in the house

In order to make sure there is enough practice for Sunday services Jamie now plays after bath time, Emily dances - burinig off lots of energy before bed!

Now that Jamie is on his school holidays he has lots of time on his hands. He has been busy uploading his 'albums' of music to his music links on the side bar. There is a third one on the way but for now you can enjoy the first two of his creations.

Joel started crawling on Saturday and also got his second tooth. I am still struggling to upload the footage, but will try again another time.

Only 2 full days and half day Friday before my summer hols!

The new bike in action

Emily got a new bike for her birthday. She has been trying to learn to pedal it and is getting there slowly. This weekend we went away with our church for a great time of fun together. (T.V. time with her friends from church)

It was also a cool place to learn to ride a bike as the huge sports halls provided opportunities for her to fall over, pedal, learn to brake and just have fun.

On the Joel front we have some ups and downs. He stopped growing in every way for about 6 weeks but now he seems to be moving again. We saw his Dr last week and overall she is pleased with him. We are being referred to speech and language to check that all is well after the tube being there for such a long time and he is now on chocolate flavoured milk; - do you know any 10 month olds who get chocolate milk? Emily is jealous that she can't have it! Developmentally his gross motor skills are not too good but his fine skills are ok. He still has one tooth and is up on his knees a little bit more but no signs of crawling.

Jamie has 4 days left at school and finishes on Friday for 7 weeks. I have 5 days left and finish a week on Wednesday. We are well, just on the count down for some down time.

Emily is Three.

It was Emily's Third birthday today. The sun shone, the food was good, the friends were fun and the day was great. We had an Old McDonald theme, with egg and spoon races, sack races (jumping bag race in Emily's world!), throwing the welly and pass the parcel. A lovely day in the sun.

As she went to bed she asked, "Mummy - this was such a beautiful day, will it be a very long time until my next birthday?"

Tonight Jamie and I are tired, but the past three years have just been so, so, so sweet.

Loving my brother

She has a minx like streak - wonder where that comes from?

In her shop ( a wooden house that Jamie built for her complete with a balcony!)

The jumping bag race (She won)

With her new bike

Miss Piggy

Puppet Theatre with 3 little pigs.
Launching the rocket - one is on our neighbour's garage roof!

On a final note a very happy birthday to our sweet niece. Ellie-May... happy third birthday for tomorrow.

Catch up

We have been to Belfast to celebrate my niece and nephew's first birthday. ( They are not twins, they are 5 days apart in age). Happy Birthday to Sam and to Lilah.

I flew with 2 kids on my own for the first time. It was ok, a bit of a hassle when you have to take your coat, shoes and belt off and then you have to do the same with a 2 year old who doesn't want her shoes, belt and coat off and you are trying to hold a 9 month old who doesn't like the fact his sister is crying at the top of her voice, and you don't have a buggy to put the baby in as it gets damaged on the plane. So, you put him in the tray that goes through the scanner to wait until the 2 year old stops rolling around on the floor crying that she wants her teddy back and they are not to take his picture. Suddenly you hear, "is everything ok Mrs. McCulloch?" to look up and find a family whose 2 daughters you taught 4 and 3 years ago smiling at you! Yes it all went well... Jamie will be coming with us next time!

But is was such a great visit and it's always nice to see the 5 cousins together, they are very similar yet so, so different.

We had a great time, Emily loves spending time with her cousin and we packed lots into a few days. We had lots of fun at Carrickfergus castle ( or Mr. Tumble's castle from Cbeebies). Sadly Mr. Tumble was not there but the sunshine was which is a bonus in Northern Ireland! We visited the zoo and Emily was pleased that her favourite animal was there. She can see amazing animals that are usually only in books but instead all she wanted to see was a pig!!All is well with us, I am just about surviving work, my class are very challenging. I have only 15 more days and then it will be the 6 week holidays. In September things will be better as I will be able to settle my class down with my job sharing partner and things should be calm from the beginning. (Or so I hope).

Joel is great; he can now sit himself up from lying down- something we have been waiting ages for, his tooth is getting taller and we are waiting for more to arrive. We are at the hospital tomorrow to check he is ok with his weight and to think about his milk etc. He and Emily seem to be adjusting back to life with our childminder and all is well, if not a little busy!

Chilling out at Grandmum's with Lucas on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Well that is the potted version of life at the moment, Jamie is really busy, end of term stuff at school including his form group leaving, prom, assembly etc. GCSE exam marking online, co writing this book on Functional Skills for Rising Stars, leading music at church for the next 3 weeks, and trying to play with the kids in the spare time. Just busy.

Highlights from past month

Bits and bobs. If anyone has any pictures of Joel's dedication please email them to us at jandja30@hotmail.co.uk.

Many thanks

Busy Times

We had Joel's dedication this weekend. A great day to remind ourselves of the wonderful gift of Joel in our lives, a chance to say thank you to God for him and to say thank you to those of our friends and family (who could be there) for all the support they have given us. For those who weren't we miss you and are grateful for your love from afar. (If anyone has any pictures please can you email them as we don't have any as we were running after two kids!)

I am back at work. Here endeth the post as I am off to mark 39 pieces of science work! Need I say more!?

He's so cute.

A potted catch up

Well it has been a while and I have lots to say but very little time, so here goes.

1. Been to see dietitian - Joel is now on meat!!

2. Saw Cardiologist - hole smaller compared to his heart size. Still on medication and still need to see her, she hopes it will close, won't operate whilst still a chance of it closing. A real miracle.
3. Developmentally, Joel is a little behind, but making real leaps and bounds. We are trying to teach him to clap but he is more interested in doing his own thing! (Is that a Jamie or Julie-Ann trait?)

4. He still has sticky eyes- been 3 weeks now, but nothing they can do for him.

5. Emily got her place at Nursery for Sept. Our childminder has given birth to a healthy little girl and will be able to return to work to look after both our children.

6. I am visiting work tomorrow to find out what I am doing when I return on May 18th.
7. Jamie is busy co writing a book for a company called Rising Stars, with his colleagues at work. ( My husband the author of a maths textbook!)

8. Our vegetable patch is blooming and growing and benefiting from the mixture of sun and rain.

9. Been to a history lesson at Dunham Massey; they did a living history day on the Nifty Normans. Emily got to cheer on the dragon until it was stabbed by St George- she didn't get it. She had a go at archery and enjoyed the story teller too.

Eifion - are you proud of us waving the Welsh flag?

10. Life is busy - Joel's Dedication is coming up in 3 weeks, lots to do, but all well.
11. Emily has made a cuckoo clock out of a cheerio box as she wants to win a Peppa Pig Competition. I think she will be heart broken if she doesn't win.

Thanks for all the prayers, letters, cards, visits etc. Joel is a miracle, a work in progress and hopefully one step closer to being better. Thanks be to God.

Last month and Easter hols

We have been busy in the garden and out and about. Today we met up with my university friend, Nicola, with Marc and their little cute boy, Henry. We went to Tatton Farm and got to hold a 4 hour old duckling and a day old chick. Emily also watched a chick break out of it's shell and watched month old piglets playing in the sun. Nature is so amazing and she was totally amazed by it all. The innocence that children have astounds me - when do we loose that awe and wonder? Well only 2nd day of holidays and we have had lots of fun already. Tomorrow is DIY day :( but it has to be done.