My son the budding organist

So we went to the wedding and I must say we all scrubbed up well.
I wore a hat which was a first. Bit awkward for kissing people hello but it gave my outfit that extra little something and that was what I wanted. The little man's daddy looked very fetching in a smart suit and tie and our son looked like an angel in suit, tie, waistcoat (with silky inside lining, buckles at the back and everything) and Doodle shoes with boats on that I had kept new for the day and took him about quarter of an hour to get muddy - perhaps not so much an angel.
This was our first wedding with a toddler in tow and as a consequence, I didn't see much of it. The last thing I wanted was our two-year-old loudly chatting about Postman Pat or announcing he was doing a poo and squirming with embarrassment as it echoed around the chapel while his auntie and uncle tried to make their vows sound above the noise, so we were able to see the bride's entrance and sing a hymn before it was time for a swift exit.
Our quick departure was not appreciated by the little man, who was really into the sound belting from the organ pipes and he kicked and screamed in the gardens outside, desperate to get back inside to hear it again. Which is why I must give a special mention to the lovely young organist who stayed behind after the service and let our son bash the keys and pull out the stops on his rather expensive instrument before playing one more piece especially for him.
The rest of the day was spent running around (not easy in heels) trying to keep him from getting lost or walking on the flower beds so unfortunately the only photos we managed to take were up in the organ loft. I know - not one of me in my posh hat. Tragedy.
But I LOVE this shot below and if I had to take one image from the day it would been this one. Sorry auntie and uncle but you have to admit, he looks cute. My grandpa played the organ and would have been so proud to see his great grandson in action. This one's for you grandpa. x

And here's one of my boys...

His first wedding outfit

On Saturday we are going to a wedding. The little man's uncle is getting married and the whole family will be there so I have got him the cutest outfit to wear on the day bought from Monsoon. I did well considering what there was to choose from. Most of the children's section was filled with beautiful outfits for pretty girls - silk dresses with big bows, tiny fur boleros and shiny bejewelled shoes for tiny feet. The boy's section in comparison was miniscule. Two rails if that. That's fine though as dressing up girls is a far more complicated business than dressing up boys (I know having seen the trouble I went through to get my dress/hat/bag/shoes sorted and then watching the 30 seconds it took my husband to pick out which shirt and tie he will wear from his wardrobe). But despite the small selection I found just what I was looking for.
In the shopping bag went: one shirt with smart button-up cuffs; one tie, plus discreet velcro fastening at the back; one snazzy waistcoat with shiny inner lining and buckle detail at the rear. The trousers were too stiff and starchy for him to spend a whole day in and at over £20, also too pricey but I found a lovely soft navy pair with elasticated waist from M&S that fit the bill perfectly.
I dressed him in the whole outfit when we got home and paraded him in front of his daddy. He looked adorable. In fact, he looked like he was ready for a hard day at the office. Now if I could find a little briefcase to match?...
Will post pictures of our smart little man after the big day.

Two and still having the bottle

You read a lot of advice when you are a parent. Want to know when he should be out of nappies or what toys are good for his age group? Pop the question into a search engine and you will quickly discover an endless source of tips from experts and parents telling you what to do.
Helpful as it is, I always think this sort of research should be taken with the bigger picture in mind. Yes, it might be that the general concensus dictates your two-year-old should have around 200 words in his vocabulary, but if he doesn't, putting yourself under pressure to conform to the norm is only going to have a bad outcome, for both of you.
Which is why the little man, having just hit his second birthday, is still having his milk from a bottle.
When he was 12 months, I did try giving him his milk from a sippy cup, having read this was the thing to do. While he happily drinks back the water this way, he would only take a few sips of milk before losing interest so I quickly reverted back to the bottle where he could polish off a good 240ml in five minutes flat.
The need for calcium outweighed the need to ditch the bottle and despite all advice telling me otherwise, we are happily carrying on as we are, and will do into the foreseeable future. Of course, I don't envisage him strolling round the playground still sucking from his beloved bottle, but I am confident that in time the transition will happen naturally.