Pirates!

This afternoon we played pirates. The boys wore costumes which we borrowed this week from the local Toy Library. Both costumes were too big but the boys loved them nonetheless. Pirate activities included eating the cupcakes which I had made for my friend Mercedes' husband's birthday, running around the backyard being chased by a shark (me), and dancing in mummy's office to the music of Captain Feathersword. No one would wear the pirate eye-patch as it was described by William as 'a bit scary'.

Inger is away in Sweden for two weeks so I am manning the ship, so to speak! This morning the boys had their weekly swimming lesson. It was the first lesson I had taken them to on my own since they had been getting into the water on their own with the teachers rather than with us. It was very stressful initially for me as both of the boys were upset. Oliver was screaming blue murder for half of the lesson. I was beside myself with anxiety seeing him so upset. Then something very interesting happened. The teacher who was holding both of the boys was a very striking woman with dark curly hair and very distinctive black glasses. When she handed Oliver over to the other teacher, a young girl, he immediately calmed down and seemed to enjoy the rest of the lesson. I think he was afraid of the black glasses. By the end of the class he was sitting on the edge of the pool without his floaties and jumped effortlessly into the teacher's arms.

Each time we go away on holiday I like to make up a small photo album of holiday shots for the boys. They have both been looking at the photos of our farm holiday and keep saying that they want to return to the farm. They miss their dad and have been looking at his photos a lot.