Ah...I'll just wait for the next one, thanks!

Willy the bus driver, originally uploaded by Racmol.

Fun day out in London today - London Transport Museum in the morning, and then across to the Christmas market on the south bank after lunch. Best part of the day: the fake horse poo under the early London omnibuses (according to Sofia).

Willy's first photo portrait

Willy's first photo portrait, originally uploaded by Racmol.

After many failed attempts, this is Willy's first successful photo. Only a little bit of thumb in the top left - a vast improvement on earlier efforts.

And perfectly focused to show off my 'putting flat on market' coldsores. These seem to be a variation of the holiday coldsore, and no less virulent.

Christmas lights

Christmas lights, originally uploaded by Racmol.

We rode the 98 bus into town on Sunday afternoon, so we could sit upstairs and look at the Christmas lights as we came along Oxford St.

Willy and Fia were less than keen. They really just wanted to stay at home and watch a movie, so the whole getting ready to go out process was long and drawn out and ended up with me bellowing: 'Look, it's going to be the most magical experience - GET YOUR COAT ON NOW!'

The bus took ages to get down Kilburn High Rd, but eventually, as we turned the corner onto Oxford St, it was very pretty - until one block later all the buses were diverted up the back streets and Sofia started saying 'We've been on this bus a very long time - when are we getting off?'

This photo is of Neal St, Covent Garden - the lights weren't all that spectacular but at least there were no cars and plenty of puddles for jumping in!

Social animals

Four in the bed, originally uploaded by Racmol.

This may be why Willy sneaks in with us while we're asleep.

It seems nobody in our house likes to sleep alone - although Fia asked to get back in her own bed last night as Willy's bed was too lumpy. Later, when he had a coughing fit and I went and sat with him, I had to concede she had a point - the best part of a tub of 48 small spiky dinosaurs were in there with him!

We survived half-term (a week of school holidays). Jules and I took one day off work each and then Maria came on Friday. I sent Willy to Hopscotch on my day off (I know, very mean and boy was he suspicious: 'What you and Fia doing, Mummy?') Then Fia and I took the train into town and went to the National Gallery to see the sunflowers from 'Camille and the Sunflowers' (picture book about Van Gogh). She quite liked it (mainly the gift shop though, where we bought some Christmas decorations) but I don't think Willy would have got much out of it. And then, to add insult to injury, we met Jules for lunch and Sofia had a haircut.

Jules took both kids to the Natural History Museum on Wednesday but they ended up seeing the insects rather than the dinosaurs due to the size of the queue for the dinoasaurs.

FInally we have worked out why Willy has been saying (for about 3 months) 'There are dinosaurs in New Zealand' and 'Maria took me to New Zealand - on the train'.Just a mispronunciation of museum!

The pink cast...as promised

Fia in pink, originally uploaded by Racmol.

Photos are up!

Photos from the half marathon can be found on www.marathon-photos.com, under Royal Parks Half Marathon. You can search by surname to find us. Not sure who looks worse, but there are definitely some shockers in there!

The rundown of the run

J pre race, originally uploaded by Racmol.

Well, we survived the Royal Parks Half Marathon, although we are still hobbling about and going down the stairs sideways.

Tomorrow hopefully the offiicial race day photos will appear on marathonphotos.com, but for today all we have is the few we took before the race.

Anyway I did it in 2.18.41 which I was pleased about as it was 4 minutes faster than Windsor last year and Jules did it in 2.07.34 and was devastated not to be under 2 hours. There were pacesetters running with big flags attached to them for 2.00 or 2.10 - I managed to keep my 2.10 guy in sight until 5 miles and then I never saw him again and Jules had a similar experience with his 2.00 guy.

Jules's friend from work Glenn finished in 1.47 but has no memory of crossing the finish line and woke up covered in ice in a St John's ambulance! Five hours later he was allowed to go home from hospital, where he had his celebratory half-marathon feast (chicken broth).

Later that afternoon while we watched the rugby that we'd missed in the morning, Fia and Willy ran laps of the living room and held medal ceremonies with our medals. Which was quite cute.

I did take some pictures of Fia's cast early yesterday morning before we left from the race, but she has this ominous scowl and with the energy saver lightbulb in the living room, Jules said the photos were too freaky to share. So we will try again in daylight.

Jules runs the Royal Parks

Jules is running the Royal Parks Half Marathon on 9 October in aid of Mind, the UK's leading mental health charity. Impressively, he has been leaping out of bed around the time that Willy makes his fifth and final attempt to get in (i.e. far too early) and running in to work along the canal which is about 10km.

You can find his fundraising page and sponsor him online at www.virginmoneygiving.com/runjules.

Unfortunately there was some confusion over sizings, and Mind has helpfully sent him a medium Mind running vest which is woefully inadequate if not downright indecent! Hopefully this can be rectified before the big day...

In other news, Sofia now has a hot pink cast on her arm in place of the temporary one and is enjoying celebrity status at school because of it. Luckily Willy was at nursery that morning, as we spent nearly 3 hours at the fracture clinic.

And I did succeed in growing a (singular) pumpkin or squash of some kind this year but its stalk snapped today so it's now reclining in the fruit bowl looking very green and about the size of a rock melon. Jules saw it and said: 'Face it Rac, we're just not gardeners.'

Sofia's cast

Sofia's Cast, originally uploaded by Racmol.

...and this is the 'after' shot. Soft play rooms are dangerous places, apparently.

The x-ray and the swelling suggest a fractured elbow. She got a temporary cast put on and we have an appointment at the fracture clinic for Thursday to get it reassessed and the long-term cast put on if necessary.

So at least there was something for show and tell on Monday! She has been revelling in all the attention from teachers, parents and classmates alike - but is outraged that one of the teachers prevented her from climbing up some playground equipment.

Ready for the fancy dress party

Ready for the fancy dress party, originally uploaded by Racmol.

So, anyway, at the weekend there was a fancy dress birthday party at Hopscotch. This is the 'before' shot...

What Willy does when Fia's at school

What Willy does when Fia's at school, originally uploaded by Racmol.

Jules pointed out at the weekend that the blog was getting a bit Sofia-centric, so I thought I'd include a shot of Willy recovering from the weekend before I tell you about the weekend itself (which will be mainly about Sofia for reasons that will become obvious).

Willy has swimming at 1pm on Monday so at 12.20 I went downstairs to search for togs and towels. Five minutes later, this was the scene in the living room. We didn't make it to swimming and he slept for two hours.

Officially a school girl

First day of school 2, originally uploaded by Racmol.

So the first day of school finally dawned today, after weeks of anticipation.

So far, so good. We weren't late. We didn't forget to take the lunchbox out of the fridge. Some kind person had put a princess sticker next to Sofia's name on her coat peg. There was a whole army of dinosaurs for Willy to play with while we got all the bits and pieces organised in the various bins and trays. And she was not a bit concerned when we left, being half way through a puzzle by then.

We had had some discussions over the past couple of days about how you sometimes meet people who say mean things and how you don't have to listen, you can just brush it off. (Particularly after on Tuesday we were at Rascals and some bigger boys apparently said mean things and she dissolved into a flood of tears.)

So it was pleasing that at the end of the day as we were on our way out of the gates, Sofia said casually 'There was one child who was bad, and he hit me and I just went like this' and she did this elaborate sweep with one hand from the shoulder to the wrist of the other arm, and then repeated it on the other side!

I think I'll go to bed now. The stress of the school run plus the late night packed lunch preparation is taking its toll.

Graduation Day

Graduation portrait, originally uploaded by Racmol.

This Saturday marked Sofia's graduation from nursery. As you can see, it is a solemn occasion - not that that stopped her colouring in her certificate when she got home, though...

Getting ready for school...

Trying out the school uniform (winter version), originally uploaded by Racmol.

Hi - after a long silence, we are back in business blog-wise.

Major events in our house - some amateur hairdressing (Sofia, on Maria's watch). William has a couple of chunks missing at the back and a very jagged fringe. No way of fixing that without cutting it ridiculously short. Sofia has some shorter bits at the back which aren't too bad and then a quite short chunk out just behind her fringe which will take at least a year to grow out I imagine. Not the best look for starting school.

We're off to Germany for a few days next week to see Geoff and Heike while they're there. Early plane - Sofia very excited about getting up in the night!

Otherwise not much happening - Jules and I are permanently tired and grumpy as Willy is a ratbag at night. 'I don't like my own bed - it's too little!' and so on. Wearing.

Guernsey in photos

Sofia on the sand, originally uploaded by Racmol.

Great weekend in Guernsey - see flickr for more photos.

Mathesons, my bag is packed and my family have been fondly farewelled. Some of them were a bit too specific about what they want as a present - I hope you can buy tiaras in Dunedin! Looking forward to seeing you all Thursday.

An early morning visitor

An early morning visitor, originally uploaded by Racmol.

We had an early breakfast today because we're flying to Guernsey soon to spend a long weekend with Pip and Damien.

This guy wasn't a bit bothered to see us all in the kitchen and hung around for a good five minutes watching us. I took this photo through the glass of the french doors which is why it isn't sharper.

Conversations with my children

Scene: the bath tub

Sofia: (whiny) But I want another baby!

Me: Another brother?

Sofia: Ye-es.

Me: Well, I don't think we're going to have another baby.

Sofia: Or a sister.

(Pause.)

Sofia: Did Uncle Je...did Uncle Je...did Uncle Je...

Me: Uncle Jeremy.

Sofia: Did Uncle Jeremy have Caoimhe first?

Me: No, they had Timo and then Caoimhe and then Lennox.

Sofia: Oh.

Me: But some people decide that they will only have two children. Like Aunty Sara and Uncle Luke, they just have Mia and Isla.

Willy: Isla! I like Isla!

Gainfully employed as social media whizz kid

Work situation finally resolved as of yesterday. I am staying in online comms and will be working three days a week from May. I'm taking on responsibility for social media on my third day and I have the flexibility to work one of my days from home so should still be able to pick up Sofia from school three days a week.

All in all, a good result and it's nice to have something new to focus on at work. Now I can legitimately be on facebook or blogging from my desk!

Learning to skip

Learning to skip, originally uploaded by Racmol.

Sofia's moment of glory at Saturday's ballet show for parents.

Sprained ankle Day 3

Sprained ankle Day 3, originally uploaded by Racmol.

I managed to injure myself on my first lunchtime run of the year, tripping over some uneven paving on the Embankment. Real dignity stripper - flat on face and feet all twisted up.

GP says it's just a sprain, because you can see where the blood is pooling under the skin along the lateral ligament. And it does feel a lot better already.

The main thing I've learnt from this experience is that my children are ten times more annoying when their destructive/creative impulses are confined to the flat! And, as I should know by now, baking with two helpers just turns me into a dragon...

Need a better plan for tomorrow. Roll on the weekend I say.