11/52

You fell in love with this police helmet at a friend’s house and hung on to it for the entire time we were there (and yes, we managed to find one on eBay, such was your obsession!).

A couple of days later you asked Daddy if it was time to put the pedals onto your running bike. Five minutes later you’d mastered it. That’s just how you roll, kiddo.

We went back to the secret woods for our homeschool meet up for the first time in several weeks. You love it there. It’s as though all the things that are bothering you, or aggravate you, or set you off don’t exist for a few hours.

One of the best bits, for all of you, is when it’s time to start gathering to go home. You poke about with the burning embers, making ‘flame sticks’, before the fire is quenched with water from the stream.

See the other 52 Project contributors over at Practising Simplicity and Living Arrows

This week was a bit tricky. Nothing major or particularly out of the ordinary. It happens from time to time that Boy1 and I get into a bad cycle of bickering, falling out, taking things to the extreme. He feels persecuted, and blames me for siding with his little brother on every occasion. Although this isn’t the case, it must appear that way at times. They are like chalk and cheese in pretty much every respect and although they actually play brilliantly together for the vast majority of the time, they do fight. This usually involves a crazy amount of screeching, screaming and shouting by the bigger one. We are all lucky that he is not physically aggressive. Boy2 is a bit more ‘hands on’ but he is very often provoked and, at the end of the day, he is only 3.

I try to ignore the smaller incidents and let them attempt to work it out for themselves but it’s been all too explosive recently to simply stand by. Striking a balance between effective discipline and being mindful of Boy1’s incredibly sensitive nature is not easy. In the last week I have most definitely failed. He needs to have so much pointed out to him, how his behaviour makes other people feel, how he can be self-centred, and yet even with the kindest of explanations he feels victimised and wounded. He is so, so lovely, and yet so damned frustating as well.

And here’s the double whammy (and possibly one of the biggest reasons Boy1 feels victimised). Though it’s unfair to compare, Boy2 seems to roll with the punches, moves on quickly from upset, listens and actually understands the effect his words and actions have on others. At the tender age of 3 he is often found to be the peacemaker or the voice of reason. On the surface you might have him cast as the trouble-maker; he’s loud, stands his ground, knows what he wants. But for all of that he seems to get what’s going on. I think both my boys are exceptional, but in very different ways. What one has as a strength, the other has a weakness.

In an attempt to model the type of behaviour I want to see in my kids, I am having to work really hard, and eat more chocolate than is probably healthy. This parenting lark is pretty tough.

10/52

#1 You’ve all of a sudden started to strike a pose as soon as the camera comes out. Not the kind of photos I like to take, personally, so I’m having to catch my moment. On this occasion you were too caught up admiring your reflection in a polished floor to be loving the camera instead!

#2 You immersed yourself fully in an art workshop we attended at the Turner Contemporary. The canvas was a collaborative effort between a group of home educated children. So when you decided to write your name across it in huge capital letters, I gently persuaded you that it might not be the done thing – but not before you’d managed to paint the ‘A’. I guess we all want to leave our mark, one way or another!

I much prefer picking photos that kind of work well together, even if they’re not captures from the same day or place. This week I failed monumentally on that front but hey oh, when you’re this late submitting for a project it pays not to be too fussy! We’ve had major internet disruption this week. As much as it’s lovely to live a less distracted life, it’s also a major pain in the bum. Anyway, for the moment we’re online so I’m grabbing this opportunity before week 10/52 becomes 11/52.

As always, joining in with lots of other snap-happy mamas (and papas?) over at Practising Simplicity and Living Arrows.

7/52

#1 You just will not keep your feet on the floor! Here you are in your favourite place at the moment; riding the banister that leads from the front door down into the kitchen.
#2 I’ve explained countless times how, if you fall, you’ll hit your head on the slate floor. Your answer? A crash helmet (and sunglasses, obviously).

#3 Your Dad wasn’t so keen on this picture but I love it. He wasn’t sure it really looked like you. I know what he means but you’re changing before my eyes at the moment.
#4 The most obvious difference is that big ole gap in your teeth! You wear it with complete 7yr old pride but as parents we’re having to get used to the new you.

Joining in at Practising Simplicity & Living Arrows.

6/52

#1 Gazing at the ponies in the field opposite our house, willing them to come over. You secretly like to pretend that they belong to us. I would have done just the same when I was seven, too. (I never, ever tire of staring at your eyelashes).
#2 Concentrating on something you had in your hands though I don’t remember what exactly. There were so many interesting things for you to investigate at this new friend’s house.
#3 Different day, different place, same expression as the last. (I adore your pouty lips).

I love joyful pictures of our boys, like last week’s for example. But I’m also a sucker for the slightly sombre, serious shots too, especially profile shots. I think perhaps because they represent little moments of stillness and calm, of thoughtfulness or brooding, amongst the craziness which seems to dominate our days.

You’ll forgive me (yet again) for not making the time to list some favourites of mine from the 52 & Living Arrows Projects. I’m struggling a little right now to take a full and deep breath, I’m that shattered. But the roots of our collective future are growing. Great things, I hope, are in store. And if that sounds profound, well, I guess that’s because it is.

2/52

OK, this post is a couple of days late. The reason? I simply cannot decide which of my photos to choose. I am suffering with a very severe case of chopping-and-changing-my-mind indecisiveness. Quite frankly, I’m starting to annoy myself so I’m posting several pictures and I’m letting you decide which you favour the most! For week 1/52 I had lots I really loved. For week 2/52 I’m slightly disgruntled with each shot, for one reason or another, which is probably why I’m finding it hard to choose. I’m not massively in love with this part of my personality but I know you’re a forgiving bunch. Let me know which are your favourite two, and why. Thank you, lovely people…

#1 #2 #3 #4 The light that streams through the massive windows at the Youth Theatre studio fascinates you. The reflections turn your skin into a Spider-Man suit. It really is pretty cool but renders you so serious.

#1 #2 #3 #4 A little bit of me and you time while your brother attended his first ‘Oliver!’ rehearsal. You chose a doughnut from The Goods Shed and then hung out on their railings out front. Your amused face in the last shot was because you’d found a lonely brussel sprout sitting in a puddle. You squashed it which is, of course, hilarious if you’re three.

Here are some of my favourite submissions from others in wk 1/52:
Abigail and the future / Monkey & Squirrel / Katta Tubio / T is for Tuckoo /

42/52

#1 You just turned seven and times are tough, for some reason. Your moods are changing at the drop of a hat. You are both infuriating beyond belief, and completely awesome all within the space of a few hours. Happy birthday handsome x
#2 You’re a little easier to work out, at the moment, than your brother. Demanding, yes, but in a different way entirely. You are ever so slightly in love with watching Peppa Pig, bargaining for ‘just one more, mummy?’ on the iPad.

Oh I’ve been meaning to write something about the challenges of ‘the stroppy 7s’, and the highs and lows of homeschooling (there aren’t many lows as it happens) but I’ve just been too damned lazy. Now there’s honesty for you. Perhaps I’ll get the urge to offload sometime later this week. In the meantime, you can always rely on my Project 52 submission…that’ll be the OCD kicking in…even that has it uses, after all!

Here are the ones that warmed the cockles of my heart from last week:
Gazing into puddles over at Tiger Lilly Quinn; I love the light, composition, and the quintessentially British street/Riley and her sidewalk chalk; such a sweet, soft light/Little one flying in Daddy’s strong arms; I love love love this shot. The series is about the husband, rather than the baby but this one is precious of them both.

We’re all joining in with Jodi on this project. See even more over at Che & Fidel. (…and I’m completely over the moon that Jodi chose mine amongst her favourites last week. Big grins!)

27/52

#1 We had a wonderful weekend camping in Nanny’s garden. The weather was fantastic so you cooled down in the shade of the tree and recharged with a peanut butter sandwich.

#2 Daddy hung a new swing in Nanny’s tree. You were great at swinging high without fear but not quite so great at cheerfully taking turns. But that’s OK; you’re only 2 after all.

I had a really hard time narrowing own my favourites from last week. Not intentionally, and with the exception of one which I simply could not leave out, they are all waterside captures. Here they are:

Sunny and Kaki watching Daddy on the lake. Such lovely, pretty shots…the way the reeds peep out of the water.

Such handsome boys on Bostrom Blog. I like the shots here every week but these ones are particularly great.

Little Evita and her watery reflection. This would be a great shot all by itself but the reflection just
nails it.

Anaru dipping his tootsies into the winter sea. Such a sweet shot.

And finally, not watery but simply wonderful is this capture of little Theo over at Abigail and the Future. It’s just magical…I want a shot of my boys as special as this.

25/52

#1 late on Saturday evening you took advantage of the windy weather and flew a kite by yourself for the first time. Did you know, it’s scientifically impossible to be sad when flying a kite? You were rightly proud of yourself.
#2 You’ve been up and down like a yo-yo for well over a week now, nearly two. Nobody really knows what’s wrong. Three different doctors, three different opinions. We were back at the hospital today with you covered head to toe in a rash and walking awkwardly. When we were there on Friday they took blood samples and you were so brave. You’re still unwell but at least you have your rascal mojo back.

It’s been a whole week around since I last posted. It’s also been a while since I’ve had to use phone pictures for this project. And here’s another thing; I’d better confess now that the kite picture was taken by The Man so I can’t even claim any credit for that one. Yep, it’s been like that around here I’m afraid. I’ve been doing a whole bunch of thinking, worrying, and running around. I have a rotten cold but there’s no time for a Mummy to be under the weather when one of the kids is ill…and The Man is working away…and the car gets a puncture…and the bank account hits empty before it was supposed to. I’ve been thrown a few curveballs but know that we are lucky to be amongst wonderful family and helpful friends. Roll on next week!

Joining in with Jodi of Che & Fidel, I liked these from last week…

Little Wolff’s little hand in big. So scrummy.

Little Audrey, those lashes and that bonnet.

Handsome Erik and his wonderful cherry obsession.

And Greer’s trio of sweet faces; you’ve had a far harder time of it than I, and yet you still managed to capture these wonderful moments. Xxx