| The first week of the new year started and ended with a hangover for me. Oops. Nonetheless, it has been a lovely beginning and we have caught up with lots of family and friends and have made the most of the break from school with lots of activities including a tiny bit of telly, some playground action, eating out and learning how to fold napkins! |
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| Of course, there are thank you letters to be written, but this year for the first time, it has not been such a struggle to get Barnaby to do his. Alexei was excused at attempting any, as he is just learning how to write and does not seem to have grasped the concept of spaces between words! However, he is very enthusiastic and keen; with this in mind I tasked him to write the names of his invitees on his birthday party invitations. I LOVE his phonetic spelling – I wonder if they will? |
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| Another lovely new occurrence is that Barnaby has taken to reading to himself at night and he is choosing books with just words bar the odd picture, aimed at 7+. Seeing as he is not 7 until the spring, and had such a slow start to reading himself (though he has always loved being read to), this is such a joyous moment. Meanwhile, Willow is a good listener…. She is also a good eater, having reached the grand old age of 6 months and so this week has tasted her first solids. Of course, she still likes her milk and being in a busy household with so much going on, she has taken to helping herself! Although it’s always nice when big brother helps out. |
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| But what about Felix? Well, he likes his new coat, but not his brother trying to kiss him! This is Alexei’s new ploy – to smother with kisses, whilst doing a Dr Evil laugh. Meanwhile Barnaby just whistles the whole time. What they all have discovered they like, are shrinkies – a present from Granny. Such fun. |
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| As well as chilling out at home, we ventured out to Kew Gardens with some friends, where the kids climbed trees (until they were told off), hid in sculptures (until I realised that children were not to play on them) and generally had lots of fun. The week ended with a pantomime, which we all loved, especially the gangnam style dancing routine, and they wanted to be nearer the front to get picked to go on the stage. Perhaps next year! We then had a family dinner party with children who specified what I wore – a gold sequined dress – and Barnaby wore his new red braces. We ate fish and chips, talked about our favourtie music (daddy is much more rock, whilst I am more dancy we realised) and the children performed a show for us which reminded me of my childhood where three families would get together at Christmastime and each family would put on a show for the delight (??) of the others. |
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| All in all, it has been a lovely start to the year. |
Eloise Radziwill Photography 
some lovely photos here 🙂 What a great selection to start the year with. Especially loving the one of Willow being fed – and the one of the whole family.
I like those too Claire – good start to the year to actually get myself on a photo!
It really looks like it’s been a great start of the year.
Love the photos and your stories, I’m really looking forward to the next post Eloise.
Great to have you back in the blogging world.
Your post also made me wonder how would it be for me to have a child 🙂
Thanks Pablo – it is fun doing a diary and I hope will be great to look back on as the children grow and change.
From what I have learned of you through your blogging, I am absolutely certain that you will be a great father. I think in that the UK there is more of a trend here than in other parts of the world for some couples to have children later in life, as we have done… so for you I think you have plenty of time for that and lots of living to do yourself. But, when you are ready, having your own family really can’t be beaten!
Lovely photos! And it sure sounds you had a great start of 2013. I myself find having two kids busy, so I’m very impressed with you handling four. They seem like a wonderful bunch though 🙂