Back to school

I seem to suddenly have reached the end of the Easter holidays, and woke up this morning with a feeling of imminent doom and not-wanting-to-go-to-workness. Realising that these types of feelings are becoming all too common, I'm doing my best to push them down and out of the way. I have to work. There is no option, and I should be (and am) thankful that I get 4 days off a week. Having worked full-time since I graduated, that should feel like a blessed relief, but I'm just spending all my time moaning that I'm not a stay-at-home-mum. And it's going to STOP.

I made that decision when I woke up this morning, and instead of spending the day malingering and whining and worrying about tomorrow, I've spent the day gardening in the glorious sunshine, and playing with my beautiful bubba, and getting the house clean and tidy ready for my mum who's coming to stay on Thursday (and of course I won't have time to tidy over the next 3 days because I'll be at work, grrrr).

It really has been the best holiday; I think you appreciate it all the more when a) the weather is perfect, b) you have someone to get up for in the morning, c) that someone makes you feel like getting out and about rather than languishing on the sofa and d) it's your first holiday since you've been back at work.

So here's my combined list/photo-diary of our holiday, which also serves as a Reasons to be Cheerful reminder:

1) Took J-cub to be measured for shoes again, and the ones he got in December still fit. That's £24 saved, and he LOVES playing in the shoe-store. Mirrors, squishy purple blocks to slap, other people's children to stare at: Clarks has it all. Also, this photo makes me wish I had twins. Double the fun ;)

2) Had the best day EVER at the beach. I honestly don't think the joy J-cub experienced could ever be beaten. And this photo, of my two boys, makes me so happy.

3) We were supposed to go to J-cub's two best-friends' first birthday parties during the holidays. Sadly, he was too poorly for the first one, but managed to be in top form for party #2, and he greatly enjoyed the cake.

4) Blatantly disregarding the 3-8 years age limit in our village playground, we've been taking J-cub to play on the swings and slide in the gorgeous evenings. He loves the slide more than anything.

5) J-cub is getting more interested in what I'm doing in the kitchen, and likes to stand by the fridge playing with the magnets, especially the magnetic spirit level. His mouth is also the perfect height to suck the kitchen cabinet knobs.

6) Being on holiday means we've been able to shift J-cub's routine from sleeping 7-7, to 8-8. That means we can pick up Jamie from work when he finishes at 7pm; waiting for him on the grass by the river watching the crazy teenagers jumping off the bridge.

7) J-cub made friends with the boys I work with, and drove them crazy while they were trying to play Wii.

8) We went for loads of walks through the woods, which were blissfully cool and peaceful.

9) J-cub started spending a large proportion of his day in the downward dog position, or standing on his head as we like to call it. Which is just ridiculously cute.

10) Spring has most definitely sprung. We went to a garden centre today, and spied a whole load of little ducklings beetling around on the pond.