Y4 - 305/365: U Draw Studio

Look who has a fun new toy that he can "play" on the Xbox!!

Just what I need...another male bogarting the TV! Ha!

Y4 - 304/365: Rocket Man!

I found these were the only photos that were taken from the day and probably the highlight of it all for Ryan. While in Torquay, we popped into one of the seaside shops and picked up a couple of things that were screaming for us to buy them.

Ryan absolutely could not wait until Daddy was home from work and he was able to play in his rocket!

Y4 - 303/365: Back to Sunday

We returned to the Midlands yesterday evening and were back in the swing of things, pun intended, for our usual Sunday dinner at Em & Daz's.

Amy's swing has been changed over now to the "big kid" seat and Ryan couldn't wait to have a go and have his Daddy push him.

Y4 - 302/365: Seaside Mini-Holiday

Our final day in Torquay and the sun is gracing us one last time, so of course it would be rude to not visit the beach, right?

You don't have to ask Ryan more than once!

The water was freezing and the seaweed made it so green at the shoreline...it looked like romane lettuce in the water! I was so surprised how far Ryan went in on his own. I kept a very close eye on him and didn't allow him very far from me, nor did I allow him in with the water much past his little knees. He even stumbled at one point and nearly ended up in a downward-facing-dog position, but I stopped going in to "rescue" him when I realised he had control and steadied himself. He still got a nice splash of seawater on his face.

I'm so glad we were blessed with the weather we had for this trip and I'm equally as happy Ryan got to experience a proper little seaside mini-holiday for a second year in a row!

I can't wait to come back!!

Y4 - 301/365: Good A Day for a Wedding

The morning started out 'oh so quiet.' Ryan slept in his own little bed under his duvet the entire night and didn't join us in bed until just after 9am, at which point he promptly fell back asleep with us.

Lazy sods.

I eventually got up to shower and the boys got dressed shortly after so we could meet up with Em & Amy at the Beefeater Grill for our breakfast.

After brekkie the kiddos had a nice run around on the grassy lawn just outside. The weather was gorgeous and couldn't have been more perfectly celebrated than with a wedding of good friends.

At the venue, Oldway Mansion, Emma & Amy smile for the camera while Daz was off performing his Best Man duties at the front with Groom, Tony. (Forgive me for the condensed version of the day as the majority of the photos are on my Facebook and I didn't want the blog post to be too overwhelming.)

We kept the kids content with lollies. Not typically a treat Ryan would ever get, but it was enough to keep him sitting and quiet for the ceremony.

Bless, look at the daddies with their littles.

I'm sure the photos of the wedding party will turn out beautifully with such a lovely backdrop of the gardens at Oldway Mansion.

Ryan made some friends in time to cut a rug and dance around. I think this was surely his favourite part and it was nice to let him release a bit of his energy as all the stimulation was a bit much.

All in all it was a wonderful day and we were all happy to have been a part of the festivities. We definitely wish Emma and Tony a lifetime of happiness together! Batman, too.

Y4 - 300/365: Torquay or Bust!

We set out just after 11 this morning, albeit later than we intended, and we arrived in Torquay between 3 and half-past, heading straight for Tony & Emma's. It didn't take long at all for Ryan to warm to Tony as he introduced him to a bit of "can't catch me" with the hula hoop.

I suppose it helped that "Uncle" Tony had ice lollies and this was Ryan's very first time trying one. Yum!

When the guys had to go for a bit for their suit-fitting, we took a gander back to our hotel just a few miles away where Ryan went apesh*t running around the room testing all of the lights. Auntie Emma & Amy were right down the corridor from us, so they stopped in our room for a bit while we hung out and decided we'd return to Tony's.

Have I mentioned this is the view from their house?! How about that!

Tony even brought out his bearded dragon, Kink.

Ryan noticed he could see a bit of the seaside.

And what a perfect way to end the evening with a beautiful, summer sunset...

...with Daddy!

Y4 - 299/365: "Meh" Hill

We headed off again to Merry Hill today for a few last minute bits and bobs before our trip down to Torquay this weekend. Ryan has even been voicing his excitement for taking the bus to "Meh" (Merry) Hill.

We skipped a nap just to make sure we left the house on time and caught the right bus...

...As a result, he didn't last very long -- evidenced by this very sleepy shot inside the Westfield Kiddy Car.

Y4 - 298/365: Holiday-Inspired Brekkie

A bit of a change from the ole cereal and toast? I saw this posted by a friend on Facebook and I couldn't wait to try it.

Y4 - 297/365: Alphablocks & Crafty Meg

We've found a home for Ryan's new Alphablocks phonics tiles. Some of the sets I've seen before had little nylon storage bags so I was really surprised to see that all the magazine included were the tiles and nowhere to keep them. I tend to save tubs and pots from food when they're empty and I discovered that my Betty Crocker cake icing tub was perfect with a little rectangular hole in the top to post the letters through!

In other crafty news, I've completed my very first Pinterest project!!

Our friends Tony and Emma are getting married this Friday and we're traveling down to Torquay for their wedding. I asked Emma a while back if there was a special song that she and Tony shared and she gave me Savage Garden's 'I Knew I Loved You.'

It was really simple to make. We picked up a nice shadow-box type frame over the weekend along with some red and cream cardstock and coloured thread. Then I printed the lyrics in a nice font onto the cardstock and cut out a tree silhouette (after many, many poor attempts) before putting it into the frame with foam dots to make it stick off the black background a bit. The only thing I wished I could have added were three heart shapes punched into the "trunk" of the paper tree for each of their gorgeous kids, but all my crafty hole punches are back in the States.

I'm really anxious now to give it to them, so I hope they like it. I thought it would be a really nice way to remember their beautiful day.

Y4 - 296/365: "Dinosaurs, Mommy! Thank You!"

One of the purchases from yesterday was a discounted Happyland Dino set, complete with cavepeople figures and a hatching dino out of an egg. When I presented this to Ryan this morning he couldn't say "thank you" enough. It makes me so proud that gratitude is the first thought in his head when he receives something.

Another proud Mommy moment was when he properly pedaled the pedals on his cousin, Amy's, bike for a short distance. He's just growing up so fast!

Ah, to be so carefree!

Y4 - 295/365: Mommy, I Hold My Own Hand

Whenever we go out, Ryan's reins almost always go on and I insist he still hold onto my hand or the pushchair or trolley, at least until he's old enough to understand what 'stay with Mommy & Daddy' means.

During our little jaunt to Merry Hill this afternoon Ryan announced to us that he was going to hold his own hand. As sweet as it sounds, it lasts for a few minutes before he turns back into Captain Grabby-Pants. Plus, he's not too good at walking in a straight line, I've noticed. It's a good thing he has hand-holding to fall back on.

Y4 - 294/365: I'm Batman!

Matt has a little demo of Lego Batman and today he indulged Ryan in a little bit of his XBox time...

...Unfortunately, Ryan doesn't quite understand that the object of the game is not to see how many times you can get your little character killed so you can watch him get the Lego pieces knocked out of him. Oh no, Ryan thought this bit was HIL.AR.I.OUS.

Y4 - 293/365: Please, Mr. Postman

I've had a couple of post drops this week containing books. Even though he knows the parcel is not for him, he still gets excited to open it and see what is inside. I always give him the receipt as "his" post and after today's double delivery he decided he was going to deliver me some of his own books.

Of course I was excited to open my parcel to find 'That's Not My Lion!' Who wouldn't be?!

Y4 - 292/365: How to Draw Nana & Gran-Grah

After being requested to draw a picture of Nana (based on some earlier drawings Ryan was making), he then began to instruct me on how to draw his Grandad...

"First you draw a cir-uhl (circle)."

"Then some eyes and a mou (mouth)."

"I draw two weg (legs)."

"And one arh (arm)..."

"...and TWO arh (arms)! Wook, Mommy! Nana & Gran-Grah hoh (hold) haah (hands)."

Can I just point out how OVER. THE. MOON. I am that my 2.5 year old child can draw a PERSON!! I'm sure this is developmentally appropriate and all, but nothing with him will ever cease to amaze me. Like I mentioned, he actually had drawn some before I started snapping photos, but believe it or not I didn't have my camera on me and ready so I set up another scenario to draw some more people.

I'm thoroughly impressed!

Y4 - 291/365: He Knows It!

Ryan has taken to running up to me lately and shouting out, "CHEEKY," over his uncontrollable giggle fits. He knows he really is!

Y4 - 290/365: Learning Goodness

I'm such a teacher-geek but I'm so excited over this new alphabet I found via a Pinterest link. I'll have to share the linky once I find it to give credit, but I wasted no time printing them off last night and cutting them out to get them on the window. It makes me want a laminating machine that much more!

Ryan has been up to it so many times today singing/chanting/shouting his ABCs.

I've also decided that once school is out for the summer holiday, I'd like to get some Tot School back in full swing since I'm guaranteed to not have any calls for work and I'll be home all day to sit with Ryan and work with him. This morning we tried out this really cool shadow matching puzzle with dinosaurs. He then proceeded to run around with the paper dinos and eventually they ended up crumpled and shoved into a cup of some sort, so a laminator or an iron and laminating sheets are definitely on the list of "must haves" pretty soon!

Y4 - 289/365: Sunday at Home

Despite having a few lingering aches, Daddy couldn't resist when Ryan asked him, "please, please," if he would come on a walk with us. We kept it simple. Just a leisurely jaunt through the park and back up around the block to our drive again. The best bit in the end is knowing a little fresh air is helpful...especially when one needs to get an excitable toddler down for the night.

While we waited on tea to finish, Ryan didn't waste any time loading up Numberjacks on his Zoodles. He sure knows what he likes!