Rolling Into Easter!

I realise that as we get older time goes faster and faster but this last half term seems to have gone at break neck speed. I think we’ve all ben so very busy with football, school, trips, dancing and everything else that it whizzed by without me having time to properly notice!

So, I keep thinking Raffie is half way through his reception year but here we are, another half a term on from that and as the spring term ends to send us into Easter he will be going back to school for his final term as a receptionist – incredible! Hard to believe it was this term last year he was preparing for “big school” with visits and now he’s a big school boy of 5. Still very much my baby though it has to be said as he snuggles in for cuddles in bed every night and early the next morning. He still gravitates to our bed despite the middle bit being spent in his own after Jonny transfers him. He has joined the all boy’s dance troup “Legacy” and is loving that as well as his Saturday morning football and he continues to be a brilliant swimmer. His reading and writing have bowled me over of late, his big old brains coming to the front to say hello once again – there are no flies on Raffie!

Florence has been working hard as always and had some tremendous marks in her exams recently which is pretty spectacular considering how hard she’s been working elsewhere in her vocational work too! She burns the candle at both ends work wise and loves to party too so when the holidays roll around I am so pleased she has a bit of extra time to everyone else and gets to rest for a week before the rabble are of and we are whipped into all the family fun. She doesn’t always want to join us in that these days it has to be said but she is always gracious about doing so and I really appreciate her thoughtfulness. It’s not easy being in a big family sometimes and though the benefits outweigh the negatives I do realise there’s a lot of compromise required from the children, all of them, at times. Doing “little people stuff” is one area Florence really doesn’t moan too much about – she is a great big sister. She has won the regional championships with her dance company at school and the team are going off to the finals soon. Watching her dance show case last night where she had a stand out role and I’m not surprised, the routine was incredible and all the dancers super special! The last week for her school saw her go off to Madrid and she’s been on rest until her brothers break up today!

Jimmy meanwhile has been doing brilliantly at school ever since he got his place at high school. It’s that self fulfilling prophecy thing isn’t it, tell yourself you’re bad and you become so but tell yourself you’re great and likewise. He’s done so brilliantly and it’s catching thank goodness so he’s been riding the sheer pleasure the praise of such behaviour brings. His teacher told me he’s been working so hard and that his creative writing is the best in the class – I nearly exploded with pride! He has had moments because he’s 10, and fuelled with boy hormones but he has been delightful at home a lot of the time too and it’s so good to see my little Jim-star happy and content. He has made such brilliant friends, ones I know will be close to him even after they are all at different high schools and been enjoying a bit of freedom with them recently and I love that! Just before the end of term his school went off to Derbyshire for Monday to Friday, a whole 4 nights away which is the longest any of mine have been away from me. They are all pretty brave but it’s Jimmy who is the bravest and he went off no problems, had a fantastic time and came home full of happiness at the fun he’d had. He’s not like any other is Jimmy, he’s unique and very, very special. I can’t wait to see him enjoy his last term at primary school although how he’s already in his final year is beyond me. His little hand still slips in mine just like it did when he was in reception though, I’ll take that!

And Posie, bereft every time the big kids go back to school, is going to be so happy to have her brothers and sister home for the Easter holidays. She is such a little person now, has a brilliant personality and is talking, talking, talking nine to the dozen. We don’t always know what she says, but she does and she’s very clear on the things she needs us to know. She is the sweetest, the most gorgeous and she has us all wrapped around her little finger. The boys dote on her, Florence mothers her with me and Jonny picks her up like she’s made of glass. It’s a nice position to be in huh, the baby of the family! She is demonstrative and empathetic and I love watching her operate. She has confidence in bundles and she never likes to be too far from her Mummy! I have never left her for an overnighter but this Easter I am going to for the first time (thanks to my ever patient and helpful Mum) and I really don’t think she will like it but I know when I get back she will be arms round me, straight on the boob and she won’t let me out of her sight again for ages which honestly, I love! I love being in her incredibly entertaining and loving company and the more she grows the more I say that. Posie is flipping aces!

Here’s a bit of what we’ve got up to over the past half term!

So, with excellent school reports all round we head into the Easter Holidays totally ignoring that next term is the last term of the year (because that’s too quick!), yet VERY on board for some sunshine days! And we have lots of lovely plans for the break as well as some down time!