Conor's Room

It took me longer than I was expecting but I think I was afraid to start painting the mural until I took that first brush stroke! Delighted with the finished product and Conor is thrilled which is the main thing!!

School blues

This morning was the worst morning yet! When I was bringing Conor to school he seemed a bit clingy and he stayed holding my hand while they waited in their line. I walked up to the door with him but he didn't want to let go so I walked in with him and helped him get his coat off and lunch box out of his bag. He was so afraid and reserved and stood back out of they way, so unlike the other kids who were all barging past one another. I know he is a softie which I love cos I get so many cuddles and he has a lovely gentle nature but he is going to need to toughen up to get anywhere in school. I was very close to tears seeing him join the other children waiting to go into their classroom, a head in height above all the others but probably one of the softest of the lot of them!! I hated having to rush off to work after that, I mean, I know he would be fine once he gets in there and all but I wish I could be there to pick him up to make sure he was ok.
Days like this make me wish I could be there for him all the time!
I was so upset I had to put the dixie chicks on full blast to snap me out of it in the car on the way to work. Am still a bit emotional now which wasn't helped by me thinking about the lads in Australia and how much I miss them. It must be birthday blues delayed! Whatever it is lets hope no one says anything to upset me today cos they will be in for a chock when I start bawling crying!!!!

29 Again!

Ok, well today is my 31st birthday and I have had a lovely day! As you may have noticed I tend to be a bit on the emotional side and have a tendency to cry on birthdays but not this year!!
I decided not to go out for a meal but instead last night we took a visit to Chez Mac's which turned out to be wonderful, we had deep fried brie to start, char grilled Fillet steak for main and apple and toffee cake for dessert, a lovely bottle of wine and it all came in under €35. A bit of a difference from our last meal out which came to about €120!! We both thoroughly enjoyed the night and there was no rushing around getting the boys ready or stressing about whether they were ok, we just waited till they were asleep to get started and were sitting down eating out starter by twenty to nine.
Conor has had 3 weeks in Big School now and is settling in well. He does have a little moan in the mornings about not wanting to go to school but once he gets there he is fine. I think he is enjoying it but it is hard to know as he doesn't tell us much. When I asked him the other day to tell me what he did in school he replied "Can I just tell you some cos it's really long?"
Eoin has decided he likes to wake at about 6am now which is just peachy!!! How well he decides that when the mornings are darker and the weather colder!! I think I am just going to have to adjust to it and start getting up earlier because he is having none of going back to sleep for a while! Which is why I am about to go to bed and try get a good night sleep!

Back to reality

Well we have had a lovely couple of weeks off and been able to spend some quality time with the boys. The time hasn't gone too quickly which is good because I often find when you are off and enjoying yourself the time flies! It has been so nice to be here for the boys but I think Eoin will have some serious issues with me leaving him in the morning!! He has become very clingy over these last couple of weeks and he was even worse after they stayed in my mums when we went to a wedding last Thursday.
This time off does make me sad that I have to work all the time - even though it is only part time. It would be lovely to be here for them all the time and now we are looking into sending Eoin to a creche a couple of days a week which I hate the thought of and would much prefer him to be able to stay at home with me until he is ready for playschool but unfortunately it is not to be at the moment. Who know maybe it will happen!
Now that we have started into the colder weather (not that it really got any warmer through the summer) the worry had set in for Conor and his chest and tonsils and Eoin with his Ears. I was saying to Lee that if I was to take parental leave I would take it in the winter so I would be off when the boys are sick - touch wood we wont have too many infections this winter.

His First Day!!!!

Well the day has finally arrived when Conor starts "Big School" and all in all I have to say it went well. Amazingly I didn't shed any tears - although there was one moment of weakess when my maternal instinct kicked in while talking to his teacher(OMG he has a teacher!) when I could feel myself welling up and I had to stop myself but apart from that I held my composure well. Conor was nonplussed by it all and I think he was wondering why I was hanging around!! When we collected him he said he liked it there so that seems to be positive. I really hope he does enjoy it and is one of those kids that runs in to school every morning and hardly looks back - I can only hope.

Anyway here he is in his uniform...

Yes that is Eoin beside him and yes he is only 17 months!

I know it is one of those days that can be very hard for parents and children but some mothers just need to let go!!!!! There was one woman who did not want to go and not because her child was upset but because she was upset!

Tired now, have had half a bottle of prosecco - my new favourite, and I am just about ready for bed. I don't know about Conor but I feel drained from the day!