Ballet

Daisy and Hannah, little ballerinas.

Jump!

Balance.

Zach and Lucy, agents of mayhem.

Jumping fairy wands.

The class.

On the sidelines.

Daisy started ballet this term and has been loving it. She had her end of term open day yesterday so we were allowed in to watch. She's very good at pointing her toes and sitting/standing up straight.

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Sebastian at 4 months

So handsome.

Oh!

Actually, I'm two days late, he was 4 months on the 17th but my excuse is that I've been sick.

He's doing really well, eating lots and loving the action packed house around him. He weighs 7.2kgs and is lovely and chubby. He often doesn't sleep all that much during the day but is normally happy and is generally a very easy little chap to have around. He sleeps well at night but also likes to eat at night - let's hope that doesn't last too much longer! He's been rolling from back to front for about a month and his favourite thing is to pump his legs and arms furiously when's he's in his bouncer so he rockets up and down. He makes lots of sounds and likes to mimic me. He also loves to suck anything he can get his hands on (or his hands for that matter) and failing that will happily suck his lips. He's also pretty fearless and enjoys Zach doing dive rolls over him. Most of all, he's very very cute!

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Football - spot the difference

Sebastian and Daddy gear up for the big game.

Sebastian says go England...

...just like Daisy did four years ago!

It's World Cup time hurrah! Well hurrah for Andy anyway, his work is sponsering the football dome at Barasti Beach Bar so he is going watch to England games on the big screen there. He tells me this is for work. Hmmm, I'm not convinced.

England were also playing exactly four years ago and we watched the game at Carlene and Dave's house in Clapham Junction, London, then stumbled home. There'll be no stumbling for me this year. I suspect there might be for Andy though (work, yeah right). The bottom picture is of Daisy. How much alike do her and Sebastian look????

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Vienna

The entrance to our hotel.

Daisy with a daisy.

WTF? Zach was a bit flummoxed when it started to rain on him.

Starbucks, a soya latte and rain outside. Perfect!

Checking out the ducks: Obligatory holiday activity with kids.

Our baby loves his Baby Bjorn.

Chilling in the park.

Hurry up and take it, the sun's in our eyes! Daisy and Zach's pinecone lion.

St Stephen's Cathedral. I love the printed scaffolding.

Happy boy.

Oh, he's so cute!

The kid's suite with the conked out kids.

Our suite.

The horse and carriage ride around the city was fantastic.

Meals on wheels.

One of our horses.

Looking down a street with a cool statue thing.

The Butterfly House was great.

Don't touch!

Butterflies galore.

Me and the boys.

Attack!

Sword fighting.

Andy takes the load while I kick back.

The hotel gave the kids some very cute teddies.

This reception room was gorgeous. Daisy called it 'old' and 'no good for kids'.

We've just had a wonderful 3 night break in Vienna. We hadn't been before and were really impressed by what a beautiful relaxed city it is. Lots of stunning buildings, nice parks and interesting things to do.

Our hotel was amazing, right in the middle of town opposite the Opera House. We had two huge suites which were about the size of our house. The kids were very impressed by TVs in the bedrooms, bathrooms and living areas. Cartoons in the bath, it doesn't get much better than that when you're two and four. Don't get used to it kids, at 1000 euros per night for each suite, it's probably the nicest hotel they'll ever get to stay in with us. Obviously we weren't picking up the bill.

We spent most of the time hanging out in parks with a couple of trips to a playground. It was so nice to be out in the fresh air lying on lovely green grass.

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Dancing chefs

Flouring up.

Zach gets ready to squish his dough


Daisy and Hannah's masterpieces.

Break it down!

We recently had a very nice evening at our friends Theresa and Ronald's house. Their girls go to school and playgroup with Daisy and Zach the kids had a lot of fun making their own pizzas for dinner.

Daisy and Zach started Hip Hop dance classes last week which was exciting. They both love dancing and had a great time breaking it down. Sebastian spent the time having a nice snooze then a big feed which he vomed up all over me when we decided to join in the dancing. Nice.

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A dip in the pool

Sebastian: Not Happy.

But Daisy and Zach are!


Can we go home?

Jump!

I decided to brave the pool with the three kids on my own yesterday. Not out of any noble cause like making them happy but because they (D & Z) were driving me NUTS cooped up in the house as it was in the forties outside. I have a rule about no playing in the garden if the temperature is over 40. Might have to revise that. So glad I've booked our summer escape!

Sebastian quite enjoyed his first dip in the pool when he was in the water although he didn't much like hanging round on a sun lounger wearing wet togs. I needed both hands to hold him in the water and didn't trust Daisy to take a picture without giving the camera a dunking so unfortunately I've only got grumpy poolside shots of him. At least Daisy and Zach were happy.

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Grandma Julia drops by

The big buggy...

...and the big bath.

A much snoozed on arm.

A short pause in the morning rush.

Julia has just been here for 9 days which was lovely. Just a short trip this time as she has headed off to NZ to meet Harry.

Sebastian is getting so big. He's graduated to the big buggy and the big bath (with the big kids, yikes). He loves the new bathing arrangement as do Daisy and Zach who fight and jostle to get the closest to him. Which is of course great fun for me.

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