Day At The Airport

Today my wife (meandthetinythree) and I took the boys to Birmingham International Airport for a blogger/review event about their new children's interactive play area sky side.

Our adventure began at Sandwell and Dudley station, where we caught a virgin train to the airport. The boys loved the journey, they were able to sit back and look out the window and watch as we zoomed past fields and houses.

Once we arrived at our stop we departed the train and caught the monorail to the airport, the boys again loved this (and I quote from JR "it's wicked Daddy").

Once at the airport we meet up with the other fellow bloggers/reviewers and we were introduced to the sky side team Kieron, Amy and Michelle, who were going to guide us through the whole experience of becoming a sky side cadet.

 

Our cadet adventure began at the checking desk where the boys were given their cadet booklet. In this booklet there is a word search section, a colouring in section and the most important section of all the main task is where your children have to search for letters to unlock the cadet password and find cardboard cut outs of Zoom (the sky side mascot) in various shops to earn different stamps.

We made our way through the security check-in, which of cause is always fun with little ones in toe not wanting to go through the x-ray machine without mummy or trying to get things out of the trays that weren't even ours (saying I was only trying to help) while poor old daddy is being sent backwards and forwards through that x-ray machine holding everyone up because he forgot to take his stupid belt off (sorry folks).

The search for the letters and Zoom the mascot mainly took place in and around  the vast array of shops in the departure lounge of the airport.

The letters were clearly laid out on the floor in different parts of the lounge and the cut outs of Zoom were clearly on view in the shops. Although some were a bit more challenging to find then others. The boys really enjoyed going into the shops and trying to find the Zoom and earning themselves their stamp for their booklet.

Once we (the boys) had finished finding all the mascots and letters we were greeted by Zoom himself, the boys along with the other children got to hi five, have their photo taken and even dance with Zoom which was fun for them all, except one poor boy who took one look at Zoom and burst out crying.

Zoom then lead the way to his magical interactive zone. 

The children got to try out all the gadgets and gizmos available to them and they even got to sit back and watch a bit of television.

 

Once this session was complete and everyone had finished trying out the equipment we were then taken to the flight school rooms where we had a small buffet lunch, the boys enjoyed their sandwiches and pastries, I on the other hand  I enjoyed lunch I just didn't really enjoy chasing them round when they got bored while I was still trying to eat (good old responsibilities of being a parent I hear you shout) lol.

Just to finish I would recommend to anyone with young ones or older ones in fact anyone to be honest to try out Zoom's interaction zone just  to make the dreaded wait for the plane a little bit more fun.

Time To Meet Mr Sponge Bob Square Pants

Today we took the kids to see sponge bob square pants at Merry Hill Centre.

We were on this occasion lucky enough not to need to queue to get tickets to this meet and greet as Tammy has won a VIP pass through some recent competition she had taken part in.

Before the meet and greet the boys were able to go on a bounce castle play area, which helped burn off some of their energy.

We waiting patiently in the queue, well we waited patiently while the boys decided to be boys and jumped about and talked to everyone around us.

It was finally our turn to meet Sponge Bob Square Pants, the wait was longer then the actual greet lol. The boys seemed to enjoy themselves so that was a success.

They meet sponge bob, had their picture taken and received a sticker and a goodie bag so all was good in the end, happy children that's all we ever want lol.

Adventure Afternoon

Meaning the sun was shining and the kids were getting (as per usual) very bored in the flat, we decided to take them to Clent Hills.

We had already researched to see what was there for the boys to do, so on arrival we asked where the adventure play was and made our way there.

The boys were amazed to see so many different things to do. There were various huts to hide in, dens to play in and logs to follow which lead you to a big wooden platform where we decided would be a great place to have our picnic

.  

After our picnic, my wife and I sat back and enjoyed the afternoon sun whilst the boys played amongst all the interesting new play items.

Once the boys had finished playing in the dens and log hut they decided to be alittle bit more adventurous and climb the steep embankment.

This was all well and good until we heard a loud " daddy, daddy I am stuck", to this I look at my wife and sighed.

JR was sat at the top of this embankment refusing to come down cause he was stuck at the top. So his mummy went to help him, eventually I was called over by my wife to help her get the kids down.

By the time I had turned up my wife was standing there trying to convince the boys to come down and the boys were sat there flat out refusing cause they didn't know how too.

Eventually we convinced them to sit on the bums and slide down, this was a site to see, my eldest with his younger brother sat in front of him trying their hardest to push themselves down a fairly steep, very dusting embankment. 

They did it though, they eventually got to the bottom, very dusty and dirty, " pick yourselves up boys, dust yourselves down and go enjoy yourselves" I said, they responded with "daddy time to go home now".

Songs of the Day

My boys we're getting a bit bored this afternoon, they had played with all the toys that interested them, now they were fed up. 

I decided to entertain them by putting some Disney songs on YouTube for them, this normally keeps them quiet but even today that didn't work. So I flicked through the children's section on YouTube until I came across nursery rhymes vol1 - collection of twenty rhymes.

They sat there and listened to every song, they even joined in with most of them. T.P even got up and started dancing to many of them. I even, at one point had L-A on my lap chuckling and dancing away to the songs.

So for the length of the nursery rhymes I had happy, dancing and singing together children, this was soon spoilt when the track finished and they argued over what to play next. Oh well it was fun while it lasted.

Meeting Myleene Klass

Today my day started off like any normal day, kids up at the crack of dawn L-A laughing lovingly at everything and my wife asking if I could get up and make the kiddies breakfast.

Once J.R was off to nursery, our morning really got into full throw. My wife had been asked to attend a meet and greet at Merry Hill Centre with the one and only, Myleene Klass. I was lucky enough to be part of this experience, (ok I was only looking after the kids, but hey hoe). We all meet at Pizza Express and waited for Myleene to arrive.

Once Myleene had arrived I was lucky enough to be able to take a few quick pics of her arrival. Then the mummy bloggers who had be invited to meet Myleene had their chance to have their photo taken with her 

(T.P was invited along at this point).

They then had a question and answer session with her where they asked her many questions varying from her lovely own designed dress (which was, and I quote " a size 7 if there was such a size") to bringing up her children to the crafts she makes with the kiddies in her spare time.

We then went with Myleene up to mummy morning in eat central, where she meet many fellow mummies and daddies and made crafts, had photo taken and signed her new book titled Things to make and do with your children.

                                   

My wife and T.P joined in with the activities on offer while L-A and I sat back and chilled and played with a balloon, oh the easy life.

At the end of such a fantastic morning my wife had the opportunity to get Myleene to blow bubbles in memory of our friends child who is sadly no longer with us. 

I leave this blog with one last note "Hope you got the bubbles we blew to you today, you'll never be forgotten little Matilda-Mae, God bless".

Sweet Baby Laughter

After a long and slightly tiring day at work I returned home in time to catch my two boys before they went off to bed. Tonight to be fair it wasn't a battle at all, my eldest went to sleep in his bed taking to his mummy then my youngest fell asleep curled up next to his mummy while lying on the sofa.

This left my little princess L-A, well she wasn't tired at all. All she wanted to do was play on the empty floor, with no big kids around to almost step on her or knock toys in her path. She is at that stage in her development where she is beginning to crawl, and don't we know it. One minute she's sat still playing with toys in front of her and the next off across the room she goes.

Well while I was waiting for tea to cook, I thought I would lie on the floor and play with my little lady. I had almost forgotten quite how easy babies make you forget your cares and worries. My boys are growing up so quick it seems like years since they were babies.

So I lay on the floor next to L-A, and I waited to see what she did once she had realised I was there. There it was that lovely smile she has, like she was saying daddies come to play with me, in her own special way. So I waited, lying on my belly with her little people figures in front of my face. She came crawling over to me and grabbed one of them and you can imagine what happened next .....

No, got ya, she just looked at me dropped it back on the floor and waited for me to pick it up for her. I did this several time, each time her little happy laughter got louder and more happy. I actually enjoyed playing pick up the toy for me daddy just so I could hear the innocent carefree laughter of my beautiful little princess. Oh how I must hold onto that happy laughter, for one day it will now doubt be fits of screams of I hate you daddy.

Proud daddy

Today my two boys made me feel such a proud daddy. They both go to a dance group on a Saturday morning at our local youth centre, my eldest has been going since the end of last year and my youngest has been going since last month.

My eldest has performed in two performances so far, one in his school hall in front of friends and family and the other in our local town centre for St Georges Day celebrations.

Today they both performed at the same time in a fun day event being held at our local park. This was such a great moment for my wife and I to see our  (ever growing) boys up on stage performing their dance routine to hill billy rock to all the people in the park.

 

LEISURELY Stroll

I decided it would be a great idea to go and enjoy the sunny afternoon weather we were having by going for a leisurely stroll to buy some ice cream from my local shop.

I thought it would be a nice break for my wife if I took our eldest lad with me, then upon realising this my youngest lad decided he was going to cry until daddy took him too.

    

So off we went to buy ice cream. Normally I would go to our closest shop in the car (yes lazy I hear you scream and yes you are right), but today I thought it would be a great idea to walk (in the lovely afternoon sunshine) with the boys along the canal. 

The canal walk was abuzz with fish and ducks in the water, men riding their bikes (off on journeys of their own) and people in barges passing us by waving as they went. The boys loved it they said hello to all that went past us on the path and gave a big wave to the barge folk as they chugged on by.

The boys even had a chance to stop and admire the ducks as they sat in the reeds themselves enjoying the lovely sun, that was until J.R threw a piece of grass up in the air that managed to come down and land on them.

Then it was time to leave the relative safety of the lovely canal walk and make our way to the shop. That's where the fun begins. Like most kids out there (or maybe it's just my kids), they always want to do their own thing once inside a supermarket. Let me set the scene for you, imagine one lad wanting to go one way, the other going the other way and daddy stuck in the middle trying to hold a basket and not fall over at the same time. Well that was me today.

I won't lie I wasn't impressed one little bit with the fact that at this point I had Stretchy Armstrong arms. Well we finally got round the store and purchased our much deserved icecream.
All I can say is next time we have nice sunny weather I will buy the icecream before hand to save the stress of the supermarket, even though I really enjoyed our canal walk.

Why? Why? Why?

Why oh why oh why thats what I've been asking myself lately. Why does the car start breaking down when you've got no money?, why do the kids always do exactly the opposite to what you want them to do? and why do you always end up moaning about stuff any old stuff?
I guess that's what we were put on this planet for (amongst others things of cause) to moan, moan about the weather, "it's too hot it's too cold". To moan about work, "we're over worked and underpaid". To moan about the neighbours, "they've done this and they've brought that". Moan about that "theres not enough hours in the day".
To be honest we moan about anything and everything if we get the chance, but take a second to sit back enjoy the life around you, play with the kids more take the dog for that extended walk, book that dream holiday do what ever you enjoy doing and do it whenever you get the chance for when the lights have gone out on life there's no chance to moan about all the ifs, buts and maybe's. Carpe diem (seize the day) before it's too late.

That time has come

The time that all (or most) parents dread is nearly upon my wife and I. The day when you realise your little boy or girl is all grown up, the day they start full time school. 

It only seems like yesterday that my little man was born yet in September he will start his long journey into full time education. Thankfully J. R has been at the same nursery school now for 18 months so he like us are used to all the teachers and kids in his class. 

We had to attend an open evening to introduce us to what we and J.R are to expect when he moves into reception. To be fair it was what we already knew apart from his new lunch time routine where we were informed of the price of his meal if he didn't take up the option of a packed lunch.

To be honest I think the move up to reception will be a breeze for J.R as all his little friends are moving up with him anyhow, it will be my wife I am worrying about losing her little man for all that time but hey hoe she has T.P and the ever growing L.A to keep her busy.