This is the end...(nearly)

And the project nears completion....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eVNJwF9SY8

Walk on by...

Carpets go down....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nellBSlRptw

Our house, in the middle of our street

The building work continues apace - video update for Paulo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0qc5GTX1v8

Macho macho man

A video and pics as requested by Paul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERSAepX-SV0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiJFsbB18SA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDkQBV5Btq4

Hello! It's good to be back!

Sorry for the ludicrously long absence. Just caught up with work / home busy-ness.

Photos of our recent trip to see Thomas the Tank Engine, and Joe's birthday party at home this weekend. All good!

Try walking in my shoes

So Sylvie is officially walking now. As I'd suspected she waited until she was completely confident that she'd got the hang of balancing and now she's off - doesn't fall over, climbs over everything. So we're off to get her first pair of shoes this weekend, there'll be no stopping her.

She tried out Joe's old wellies when we had all the snow, we had a few days of welly envy but hopefully that's passed now!

The kids had great fun in the snow. It was lovely the first couple of days when no one could get to work or school. Everyone was out in the street building snowmen, igloos, snow chairs etc. There are still carrots littering gardens and pavements all around Teddington. Bushy Park had hundreds of snowmen body stumps at the weekend where they still hadn't melted.

Simon has been away this week working for HMRC in Telford, not even sure where Telford is! Gearing up for our weekend in Center Parcs at the end of this month, kids are booked into the creche and we're booked in to the Spa, can't wait. After that we'll be making our fancy dress for Camp Bestival in July, must start practicing my sewing!

One day I'll fly away

Came home yesterday and there was a pair of huge green parakeets in the tree in the front garden! They were having fun tucking into the little crabapples, they stayed there for ages, squawking away. What next?
Joe is having fun working on his scooter technique but I think it'll be a while before we need to buy him a helmet! Slow and steady and all that...
Sylvie is back at Roehampton on Wednesday for more audiology checks. Her bald patch where her pressure sore was is causing her some discomfort so we'll be off to Kingston hospital again to have that checked when we get our appointment. What Simon didn't mention was that she started walking on Christmas Eve - at mum's house, just like Joe! She's still quite cautious and I get the feeling she was able to do it months ago as she's very steady on her feet. Anyway she's very pleased with herself and has developed a fierce love of hats to celebrate!
Mr Mackie was staying with us for a couple of days before flying back to Singapore. Joe was particularly enamoured and now says hello, JoeJoe and Roly (steamroller on Bob the Builder) with a Scottish accent! Neil will probably need a week off to recover, not sure he knew how exhausting carrying a two year old around on your back all day was!

Rocking around the Christmas tree

A lot to catch up on! Left for Ireland on Dec 17th: Heathrow, Dublin, Hire Care, Ardara - and hence began 2 weeks of bliss with Niamh's mum Breda.
Let's have some photos:

Our stay included a lot of lie-ins (forever grateful Breda), nights with Sam & Paul, days with Siun & Murphy, Christmas with Conor and Liz , a visit from Sarah, Pete and Rosie (incl Sarah's birthday), Niamh's birthday, a night at 'O'Fabulous', some trips to the beach a lot of guinness, home made moscow mules, and, as any decent compilation album would claim: 'much, much more'.

What's another year

December already, how did that happen. Lost my voice at the weekend, Simon was very pleased! Kept insisting I rest my voice! We went up to Soho for Mr Hodson's birthday to a flash Japanese restaurant and had a lovely time. One of those places where you can't find the way in or where the toilets are, the waiters look like models or performance artistes etc! Much hilarity ensues, but the food was excellent!
Zara and the Simmonds clan were round today. Skye is going to be joining Sylvie at nursery on Fridays. Am grooming Milo to be a future catsitter for Astro.
Have started working for Nathalie my hairdresser, answering phone etc on Thursdays and Fridays. Fits in great with nursery, five minute walk to work and get to wear black without being covered in mushed up biscuit! Will soon know the grey hair secrets of Teddington's yummy mummys and any other secrets if the first week was anything to go by!