Today the school going boy informed me he had learnt a new song....
After lots of silly giggling and blushing he went on to sing....
"A pizza, a pizza, something about chicken and a pizza. McDonald's, McDonald's, something about chicken and a pizza."
I quickly realised he was singing the Pizza Hut song and the 'something about chicken' was in fact 'Kentucky fried chicken'.
Of all the things he has done at school today I wouldn't be surprised if singing this song has made the biggest impact!
I think this because he has not stopped singing it since we came home.
Here are the lyrics to some songs bound to appear at some stage in the early school years...
'Do your ears hang low'
'Do they wobble to and fro'
'Can you tie them in a knot can you tie them in a bow'
'Can you throw them over your shoulder like a continental soldier'
'Do your ears hang low.'
'A sailor went to sea, sea, sea,'
'To see what he could see, see see,'
'But all that he could see, see see''
'Was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea.'
And the classic...
'A Pizza Hut, a pizza hut'
'Kentucky fried chicken'
And a Pizza Hut'
'McDonald's, McDonald's,'
'Kentucky fried chicken and a Pizza Hut.'
Thursday, 27 September 2012
Thursday, 20 September 2012
Anna Karenina
I knew this would be a film for me when I first saw the trailer.
I did however spend the first fifteen minutes of the film wondering if I had made a huge judgement error.
Anna Karenina is played out on a theatre stage with the characters moving between set and scene changes. The fast pace of the camera and changes of scenery actually made me feel queasy to begin with but once you accept the direction of the film it becomes essential to its impact.
Keira Knightley plays Anna, married to respected politician Alexei Karenina. Anna begins an affair with a young army officer which ultimately destroys her.
Knightley portrays Anna well. As stunning as always but with a dark side that is almost but not completely concealed she battles with her own demons after destroying her marriage.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays her lover, count Vronsky. An attractive man who's brains are quite obviously in his trousers as his mother and friends try to warn him of the destructive effect the affair will have on his life. Taylor-Johnson is convincing but his acting is completely overshadowed by the wonderful performance from Jude Law.
Jude Law's acting seems to improve with age. Or maybe it is his choice of roles that is improving. Karenina is an honest religious man who tries to warn his wife of the sin of infidelity as soon as he senses her distraction. Despite his calmness, his constant knuckle cracking and obvious growing despair at his wife's behaviour makes him a character to be somewhat feared.
Parallel to the main story is that of Konstantin Dmitrievich Levin. His story of political and personal struggles is somewhat distracting from the main plot but his battle to find his purpose in life becomes quite obvious.
Overall and once I had recovered from the strange start to this film I enjoyed it immensely. Beautiful scenes, beautiful people and dramatic twists and turns. What more could you ask for?
I did however spend the first fifteen minutes of the film wondering if I had made a huge judgement error.
Anna Karenina is played out on a theatre stage with the characters moving between set and scene changes. The fast pace of the camera and changes of scenery actually made me feel queasy to begin with but once you accept the direction of the film it becomes essential to its impact.
Keira Knightley plays Anna, married to respected politician Alexei Karenina. Anna begins an affair with a young army officer which ultimately destroys her.
Knightley portrays Anna well. As stunning as always but with a dark side that is almost but not completely concealed she battles with her own demons after destroying her marriage.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays her lover, count Vronsky. An attractive man who's brains are quite obviously in his trousers as his mother and friends try to warn him of the destructive effect the affair will have on his life. Taylor-Johnson is convincing but his acting is completely overshadowed by the wonderful performance from Jude Law.
Jude Law's acting seems to improve with age. Or maybe it is his choice of roles that is improving. Karenina is an honest religious man who tries to warn his wife of the sin of infidelity as soon as he senses her distraction. Despite his calmness, his constant knuckle cracking and obvious growing despair at his wife's behaviour makes him a character to be somewhat feared.
Parallel to the main story is that of Konstantin Dmitrievich Levin. His story of political and personal struggles is somewhat distracting from the main plot but his battle to find his purpose in life becomes quite obvious.
Overall and once I had recovered from the strange start to this film I enjoyed it immensely. Beautiful scenes, beautiful people and dramatic twists and turns. What more could you ask for?
Wednesday, 19 September 2012
The willy song
My eldest boy has always been quite sweet and sensitive.
Then he started school.
In the last three weeks his cheekiness levels have risen to beyond acceptable and his boisterousness is increasing by the day.
Last night as he undressed for his bath he proceeded to throw his pants down the stairs and then come into our room shaking his little boy bits and making up a ridiculous song about his willy...
Oh dear.
As a parent how are you supposed to react?
Honestly, I just wanted to burst out laughing but the thought of the willy song making its first public debut during changing for p.e time at school discouraged me from doing so.
I therefore opted for the 'don't make a big deal out of it' reaction and quietly told him that it was rude and rapidly changed the subject.
My husband being a 'proper Yorkshire bloke' seems quite pleased with the change in our sons behaviour and insists it is all part of growing up.
I think he was just jealous that he hadn't though of the willy song.
Then he started school.
In the last three weeks his cheekiness levels have risen to beyond acceptable and his boisterousness is increasing by the day.
Last night as he undressed for his bath he proceeded to throw his pants down the stairs and then come into our room shaking his little boy bits and making up a ridiculous song about his willy...
Oh dear.
As a parent how are you supposed to react?
Honestly, I just wanted to burst out laughing but the thought of the willy song making its first public debut during changing for p.e time at school discouraged me from doing so.
I therefore opted for the 'don't make a big deal out of it' reaction and quietly told him that it was rude and rapidly changed the subject.
My husband being a 'proper Yorkshire bloke' seems quite pleased with the change in our sons behaviour and insists it is all part of growing up.
I think he was just jealous that he hadn't though of the willy song.
Tuesday, 18 September 2012
Pearls of wisdom continued...
Yesterday on the walk home from school the toddler (do i still call him that now he is at school?) in his impressively articulate way informed me that he had had an apple with his milk at school.
My appreciation for this bit of information quickly turned into surprise as the boy went on to inform me that the Spanish word for apple is manzana.
"Did you know that Mummy?"
No, no I did not.
I would love to speak another language and one of my biggest educational regrets is learning basic German at exam level then forgetting it almost immediately. It would have been much better to have studied a language I enjoyed at a time when I was young enough to find it easy enough.
Spanish is a beautiful language and I think it is great that young children are starting to be encouraged to learn other languages.
Here are some other Spanish words I have since learnt in case he tries to catch me out again...
"Good morning"
"Buenos dias
"Good afternoon"
"Buenos trades"
"Hello"
"Hola"
"Goodbye"
"Adios"
"Please"
"Por favor"
"Thank you"
"Gracias"
And apparently. "Conseguir en el paso malo" means "get on the naughty step!"
Knowledge is power!
My appreciation for this bit of information quickly turned into surprise as the boy went on to inform me that the Spanish word for apple is manzana.
"Did you know that Mummy?"
No, no I did not.
I would love to speak another language and one of my biggest educational regrets is learning basic German at exam level then forgetting it almost immediately. It would have been much better to have studied a language I enjoyed at a time when I was young enough to find it easy enough.
Spanish is a beautiful language and I think it is great that young children are starting to be encouraged to learn other languages.
Here are some other Spanish words I have since learnt in case he tries to catch me out again...
"Good morning"
"Buenos dias
"Good afternoon"
"Buenos trades"
"Hello"
"Hola"
"Goodbye"
"Adios"
"Please"
"Por favor"
"Thank you"
"Gracias"
And apparently. "Conseguir en el paso malo" means "get on the naughty step!"
Knowledge is power!
Monday, 10 September 2012
Classroom survival 101
The week before the toddler started school it occurred to me that he would soon be introduced to the world of education and filling his lovely young mind with all things knowledgeable.
I loved school and loved studying so am very excited about when the little man brings his first homework back!
However, along with these lovely excited feelings also came the realisation that it is a long time since I went to school and that since having two children my mind is more filled with feeding schedules and shopping lists than knowledge of the world.
The day this thought occurred went something like this...
The morning consisted of a shopping trip to purchase the boys first school shoes. After battling through a pack of snarling 'back to school' shopping parents to get the boys feet measured and to find some suitable footwear there was then a queue the length of the shop to pay for said shoes. Once at the till I was told the wellies I had picked up (he has to have wellies at school too) did not have a bar code on them. Ten minutes later the grumpy woman serving me in the shop finally found a code for said wellies so I was able to buy them.
I am not the best shopper so by this point the stress vein was protruding and my need for a coffee was great.
The afternoon consisted of a trip to Ikea once the husband had finished work because we were decorating the baby's room and needed new furniture for it. We left the boys with my parents and despite neither of us particularly enjoying shopping for furniture the prospect of being able to concentrate on what we were buying rather than on who was tired, who was hungry and who needed a wee was quite appealing.
That was until we got stuck in a horrendous traffic jam on the way home.
So finally, an hour after their bed time I had the kids in my car on the way home from my parents and it is fair to say I was pretty shattered.
Half way into the journey my toddler stated that the moon was moving. I explained that the moon was not moving it just looked like it was because we were moving in the car. Then came the question...
"Mummy, does the sun move?"
Rather than just fobbing him off with a 'yes sweetheart' or 'no darling' I decided it was my duty as a mother to delve into a fifteen minute lecture on the planets and the solar system.
However, it was not long into this 'lecture' that I promptly realised that I had no idea what I was talking about and was getting myself confused never mind the boy.
The conversation ended with....Me:"look, when its morning time here, its night time in Australia."
Boy: "That's where Tom Thomas from Fireman Sam is from".
Me: "Yes, yes it is. Lets listen to Disney music."
I have therefore decided to start posting knowledgeable facts that may come in handy to any parents who like me have forgotten most things general knowledge!!
Starting with...
The Earth spins once every 24 hours on its axis. It is daytime on the side of the Earth that faces the Sun. On the opposite side, it is night.
The Earth and all the other planets in our solar system are oribiting the sun. It takes one year for the Earth to travel around the sun.
Uranus is not funny.
More thrilling facts to follow...
I loved school and loved studying so am very excited about when the little man brings his first homework back!
However, along with these lovely excited feelings also came the realisation that it is a long time since I went to school and that since having two children my mind is more filled with feeding schedules and shopping lists than knowledge of the world.
The day this thought occurred went something like this...
The morning consisted of a shopping trip to purchase the boys first school shoes. After battling through a pack of snarling 'back to school' shopping parents to get the boys feet measured and to find some suitable footwear there was then a queue the length of the shop to pay for said shoes. Once at the till I was told the wellies I had picked up (he has to have wellies at school too) did not have a bar code on them. Ten minutes later the grumpy woman serving me in the shop finally found a code for said wellies so I was able to buy them.
I am not the best shopper so by this point the stress vein was protruding and my need for a coffee was great.
The afternoon consisted of a trip to Ikea once the husband had finished work because we were decorating the baby's room and needed new furniture for it. We left the boys with my parents and despite neither of us particularly enjoying shopping for furniture the prospect of being able to concentrate on what we were buying rather than on who was tired, who was hungry and who needed a wee was quite appealing.
That was until we got stuck in a horrendous traffic jam on the way home.
So finally, an hour after their bed time I had the kids in my car on the way home from my parents and it is fair to say I was pretty shattered.
Half way into the journey my toddler stated that the moon was moving. I explained that the moon was not moving it just looked like it was because we were moving in the car. Then came the question...
"Mummy, does the sun move?"
Rather than just fobbing him off with a 'yes sweetheart' or 'no darling' I decided it was my duty as a mother to delve into a fifteen minute lecture on the planets and the solar system.
However, it was not long into this 'lecture' that I promptly realised that I had no idea what I was talking about and was getting myself confused never mind the boy.
The conversation ended with....Me:"look, when its morning time here, its night time in Australia."
Boy: "That's where Tom Thomas from Fireman Sam is from".
Me: "Yes, yes it is. Lets listen to Disney music."
I have therefore decided to start posting knowledgeable facts that may come in handy to any parents who like me have forgotten most things general knowledge!!
Starting with...
The Earth spins once every 24 hours on its axis. It is daytime on the side of the Earth that faces the Sun. On the opposite side, it is night.
The Earth and all the other planets in our solar system are oribiting the sun. It takes one year for the Earth to travel around the sun.
Uranus is not funny.
More thrilling facts to follow...
Thursday, 6 September 2012
The school run...
I am now officially one of those mothers (all who's children are of school age!) who's day completely revolves around the school run.
We are lucky to live close enough to the toddlers primary school for us to walk to and from said school which is lovely but the week is proving to be pretty stressful.
Anxiety has reared its ugly head of late and althoughtalking writing about it is a bit naughty (I have found that the best way to get over it is to try and move on quickly) I genuinely think that my eldest starting school has played a massive part in the return of the dreaded anxious symptoms.
Sometimes I feel like I'm starring in my own version of the Truman Show....'Return of the Panic Attack; thisa timea itsa personal.'
Who knew walking through primary school gates could be so terrifying.
On a positive note the not so little anymore man has done us proud this week. He did really well on his first and second days at school.
The problem with the toddler is the separation. I had to stop taking him myself to preschool because he got himself so worked up when I dropped him off that it just got silly.
We don't have this option for school. The other half is at work so its up to me.
I always try my hardest to conceal any anxious feelings I may be having from the boys. I set off with the boys on the first ever school run with a big smile on my face and confidence in my stride when realistically inside I wanted to grab both my babies and run for the hills...perhaps to live some kind of 'sound of music' style life where we would spend our days making clothes from curtains and singing about flowers.
I was quite obviously not the only parent that day battling with their natural urge to want to run away with their child. Thank goodness it was a sunny morning otherwise all of the sunglasses would have looked a bit daft. What better way than to conceal mascara smudged teary eyes!
I intend to not make a big deal of the ever increasing number of 'I don't want you to leave me Mummy's' that are seeping from the toddlers wobbly lipped mouth.
I know he is fine as soon as I am gone and that as a mother I need to dig in and get used to the daily heart breaking feeling.
Wish me luck!
x
We are lucky to live close enough to the toddlers primary school for us to walk to and from said school which is lovely but the week is proving to be pretty stressful.
Anxiety has reared its ugly head of late and although
Sometimes I feel like I'm starring in my own version of the Truman Show....'Return of the Panic Attack; thisa timea itsa personal.'
Who knew walking through primary school gates could be so terrifying.
On a positive note the not so little anymore man has done us proud this week. He did really well on his first and second days at school.
The problem with the toddler is the separation. I had to stop taking him myself to preschool because he got himself so worked up when I dropped him off that it just got silly.
We don't have this option for school. The other half is at work so its up to me.
I always try my hardest to conceal any anxious feelings I may be having from the boys. I set off with the boys on the first ever school run with a big smile on my face and confidence in my stride when realistically inside I wanted to grab both my babies and run for the hills...perhaps to live some kind of 'sound of music' style life where we would spend our days making clothes from curtains and singing about flowers.
I was quite obviously not the only parent that day battling with their natural urge to want to run away with their child. Thank goodness it was a sunny morning otherwise all of the sunglasses would have looked a bit daft. What better way than to conceal mascara smudged teary eyes!
I intend to not make a big deal of the ever increasing number of 'I don't want you to leave me Mummy's' that are seeping from the toddlers wobbly lipped mouth.
I know he is fine as soon as I am gone and that as a mother I need to dig in and get used to the daily heart breaking feeling.
Wish me luck!
x
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