Let it snow!

I can't remember the last time we had this much snow - certainly not in the last four years - so Ben and I have been out having fun in it today. It was lovely crunchy snow too. Ben just enjoyed running up and down in it pretending to be a snow plough.

We had a run around in the morning whilst Zoe was having her short nap, and then in the afternoon, while she was having her big nap, we made a snowman and swept the drive (although I might as well not have bothered doing that!)

We had to use a satsuma for his nose because we ate all the carrots for tea last night but Ben seemed very pleased with him.

He could do with a little orthodontic work, but at least his scarf and hat match! And I can see why people don't use satsumas for noses - it fell off after a couple of hours!

Underwater photo shoot

Saturday was Zoe's underwater photo shoot. She did very well, even though the pool was really cold. They told us it was 30 degrees, but, in the words of Dr Evil, it was fricking freezing! There were six parents and babies, and we took in turns to go round and have photos done. They took three photos each time the babies went under, so there was the potential for nine photos to be taken. By the time we got round to our third dunking, poor Zoe's lips were blue and she was really not happy, so I decided that was enough - they got six shots of her, and I only want one!

Anyway, when we got home I realised I hadn't taken any big bath photos of her, so did my own 'not underwater water shoot' :-) She does like her bath.


















Give me that camera mum! (and as you can see, she's started pulling herself up on things on her own)

After her hair wash, laughing like a loon!

13th January - Zoe at 9 months!

Just another catch up on Zoe's progress. She seemed to like sitting in the washing basket, and it kept her off the kitchen floor whilst I loaded up the machine :-D

You can just about see two of her three teeth!

Things I have made recently...

Here are some of the things I have made during December - firstly a little beret I knitted for Zoe, which I think is extremely cute (but I know I'm biased!)

This is the necklace and bracelet I made my mum for Christmas, and actually what I was doing for most of December (and she nearly got it in time for Christmas!)

This here is hazelnut and chocolate roulade, courtesy of Delia. Her recipes are just so easy to do, and this honestly tastes as good as it looks! I made this for Christmas lunch desert.

Christmas Catch-up 2 - Christmas Day

Ben was very excited about Christmas this year. We went through the whole thing of leaving carrots out for Rudolph and buns out for Father Christmas :-) We'd been watching the Polar Express in the afternoon of Christmas Eve, so I think that helped to get him to bed!

Here he is saying 'look mummy, its a blast valley quarry set!' He was rather pleased with it, I think.

We went to Ian's mum & dad's to exchange gifts with them, and then we went on to Headingley to have lunch with my family. Zoe was not very happy on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and we've since found out it was because she was cutting her first top tooth.

Me and my babies :-)

Ben and some of his many presents. He spent the Christmas holiday working his way through them all.

I know I said Zoe was not very happy for most of the day, but here she is being all smiley!

Christmas catch-up 1

The Childminders' Christmas Party

Every year, the Pudsey childminders, of which my childminder Liz is one, organise a super-duper Christmas party for all their mindees. Ben was extremely excited about it this year (but he spent the whole of December in a state of extreme giddiness :-D )
Here they are, all dressed up and ready to go...

Here's Ben getting his present from Father Christmas. You can't tell from this picture, but he looked like he'd been doing the Slim Fast plan in preparation for all the mince pies he was going to eat on Christmas eve! (Father Christmas, not Ben)

Here's Ben with Alex, the older boy that Liz looks after. They are very good friends, most of the time ;-)

Christmas Concert and Party No.1

As promised, here is what we've been up to this week. On Wednesday it was Ben's Nursery Christmas concert. He's been singing the songs for weeks now, and yes, I know I'm his mother and therefore very biased, but he is a beautiful singer.

Here he is at the start, looking rather cheeky as usual. Having said he sings beautifully, he hardly sang at all during the concert - maybe he doesn't like all the other children drowning him out ;-)

On Thursday, we went over to Morley for our Mums & Tots Christmas party. Here's Zoe trying to eat her present! No doubt she'll be doing this alot.

Here's Zoe with Sam's daughter, Rheya.

And I think this is a first - a picture of me! Please excuse the baby dribble all down my arm.